Shujin Hallway
The students of shujin academy just witnessed a horrifying event. They saw one of their classmate's fall off a building and another classmate tried to save her. The school was in utter chaos. The teachers tried to gain control of the situation but with no luck. In all the chaos there stood Ann, who just saw her best friend try to end her life. She heard all the comments made by the students looking out the window "She fell." "No! She jumped." "Why would she do that." Ann stood there in shock. "This has to be a dream, no way this is actually happening." She thought to herself. Ann couldn't move any part of her body. She was in complete shock. Shiho was her only friend in the world and now she might have to be in a cruel world without her."I-I can't be without Shiho." Ann thought to herself as reality was sinking in. While Ann was lost in her trance she was able to hear Ryuji from down the hall.
"R-Ren! What happened up there" Ryuji said in a panicked voice.
"No time to explain we got to haul it to the courtyard," explained Ren.
"Let's cut through the practice buildings," suggested Ryuji.
"Lead the way then Ryuji let's hurry," said Ren in a worried tone.
As they started running Ann decided to follow their lead and go to the courtyard as well. "This is no time to be weak." Is what Ann thought to herself. "My best friend needs me now."
Courtyard
Ren and Ryuji, got to the courtyard and they saw Shiho being loaded on the stretcher. Ren tried to run up the Shiho but was stopped by one of the paramedics. "You can't get closer kid I'm sorry." said the Paramedic. "She is my friend," pleaded Ren as he pushed him out of the way. The Paramedic didn't have the heart to stop Ren. "You are going to have to come with us." said the Paramedic.
"That is fine," stated Ren as he walked up to Shiho on the stretcher. As Ren was walking up to the stretcher he saw Mishima start running away. Ryuji looked over to Ren and said: "Imma follow him, he is hiding something and I'm gonna find out what." Ren shook his head in agreement and then tried to talk to Shiho as they were getting ready to go in the ambulance.
"Shiho...you idiot why... I'm sorry I couldn't stop this," said Ren, barely managing to get the words out.
"It's not your fault Akira... remember to take care of Ann," Shiho said soundlessly.
"You are going to make it! You ain't going nowhere. " As Ren was getting to go in the ambulance he saw Ann trying to get past one of the paramedics. With a look in her eyes that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Sir! She can take my spot." Said Ren running to Ann.
"That's your best friend, go be with her. " Ren told Ann as he started to leave.
"Thank you, Kurusu," Ann said as she got in the Ambulance.
"Ann?" said Shiho in silence.
"Shiho... why..."
"I'm sorry. I...I can't take this... anymore..."
Ann leaned in closer to hear what she was saying and Ann could not believe the information she was being told. Shiho with tears running down her face was telling Ann what happened."Stop," said Ann not wanting her best friend to relive those memories, but she told her to stop because her heart couldn't take wasn't able to help her when she needed her the most. "Just save your strength, you are going to make it.' Said Ann holding on to Shiho's hand.
Afterschool
"We can't waste any time." Said Ryuji in a furious tone as he smacked the vending machine next to him. "We gotta go to that other world and kick the shit out of that asshole!"
Morgana sighed to Ryuji's actions. "...we are not going to beat him up. We are going to steal his distorted desires. I am guessing that you guys made up your minds about this-about how he may suffer a mental shutdown?"
"...I have," said Ryuji. "Someone almost died because of him. I don't give a rat's ass what happens to him anymore!"
"And you?" questioned Morgana.
"Fuck him." Said Ren. "What he did is unforgivable. I'm not going to try to kill him though. You have been good with everything you taught us Morgana so I'm putting faith in your change desires thing. If he does have a mental shutdown though... we will deal with it.
"We three are all in agreement then." Said the cat.
"Let's get this shit started then." declared Ren.
"Is it true that you are getting expelled?" said Ann who was standing behind the boys. "Everyone is talking about it."
"That Asshole is at it again..." Ryuji said in anger as he looked away from Ann and to the floor trying to keep his cool.
"This school spreads rumors like crazy, "said Ren with annoyance in his voice.
"So you came all this way to tell us that?" questioned Ryuji with some venom in his words.
"If you are going to deal with Kamoshida... let me in on it too." The boys all had a surprising reaction to that comment. But they couldn't blame her for wanting to get some revenge. Her best friend might be gone now because of that monster. "I can't just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!"
"This has nothing to do with you...Don't butt your head into this..." stated Ryuji coldly.
Before Ann could respond, Ren responded to the comment by Ryuji. "Ryuji don't be so cold-hearted. You know what she has been through," responded Ren.
"I...I know I'm just so effin mad!" said Ryuji in a raging voice.
"We all are Ryuji but we need to keep it together. Also, Ann, I wanted to tell you something." Said, Ren.
"What is it?" said Ann in a puzzling voice.
"I'm sorry... I am sorry I wasn't able to save Shiho... If I was a second faster none of this would have happened. You have my word I will make Kamoshida pay for this."
"It's not your fault Kurusu. We will take him down and the..."
"No." interrupted Akira.
"Eh?" "What do you mean no..." said Ann
"No not we." clarified Ren. "Ryuji and I will take it from here.
"But Kurusu! Shiho is my..."
"My name is Ren Amamiya, not Kurusu, and just trust us" stated Ren.
"What part of her is my best."
"We said don't get in our way!" shouted Ryuji to try and get it through Ann's head that she couldn't join them in their plan. Ann ran away from them once Ryuji shouted.
"Dude," said Ren. "Man... that was harsh," Morgana said, putting his ears down.
"I know but we all know she can't go to that place. Let's get this thing started. "
"Those stupid boys think they can tell me that I can't help get revenge for Shiho they have another thing comning. They are going to let me help whether they like it or not. I'm just going to have to have to follow them" said a determined Ann.
Afterschool after the palace
"Which one do you want?" asked Ryuji, holding two drinks in his hands.
"Whichever one is not carbonated," responded Ann with almost no energy. Awakening to her persona really did a number on her. She never felt so drained.
"Uh... they both are actually."
"Oh. Uh well, this one," said Ann as she reached over and grabbed the drink from Ryuji's hand. "Thank you."
"No problem. This one here is for you Ren."
"Thank you, Ryuji," Ren said as he accepted the drink from his friend.
"Hey what about me!" Shouted Morgana from the back of Ren.
"You are a cat," stated Ryuji
Ann giggled at the small bickering between the cat and Ryuji. "Uhm.. your name is Morgana, right? This is really strange. I am talking to a cat who turns into a monster cat in a different world."
"I'M NOT A MONSTER CAT OR A CAT. " shouted Morgana which made Ren laugh from how riled up Morgana can get every time someone calls him a cat. "It's only natural that you are confused but once again I am a human. Expecting you to remember all this is asking for too much. Especially from the day that you had today."
"Honestly... I still can't believe what happened. That power...my persona."
"That outfit," Said Ren with a smirk.
Ann's face became a crimson red as soon as she heard what Ren said. "Shuddup! Why is my outfit like that!"
"It's the will of your rebellion lady Ann, with that you will be able to fight in the other world," explained Morgana.
"So with what you are telling me, we can make Kamoshida have a change of heart, right? Is it really possible... Will he really confess to all his crimes."
"The Volleyball team is keeping quiet about this, while teachers and parents turn a blind eye to all this. If guys like us try to complain they are just going to shoot us down. So going all-in on this plan is all we have." explained Ryuji to Ann.
"Then let me help too, I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho, He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her… I'll never forgive him.
Ryuji was stunned by Ann asking to join the group. "Wait, did you just say. Let me help you."
"Well, yea come on dude, she beat the crap out of the shadows, why are you surprised at her joining the team?" Ren answered. "I think she will fit perfectly with us."
Ann's cheeks turned a light pink after the praise from Ren and how he welcomed her into the team. "Yea! don't act like I'm going to drag you guys down! I will hold my own. Even if you guys said no I would go in alone anyway."
"Don't worry guys I will protect her!" Declared Morgana in a confident tone.
"T-Thanks I guess. Anyway, I hope we all get along then. Just let me know when you're heading back into- Oh wait I don't have each other's info...Uhmm w-we should exchange chat ID's and phone numbers too." Ann asked with a red-faced look.
"Hey, are you guys hungry?" asked Ryuji as they were all exchanging numbers.
"I can eat," said Ren
"Yea eating would be good. I still feel so drained, I need to get something in my stomach or I'm gonna pass out," answered Ann
"Let's go to the beef-bowl shop!" Ryuji said with excitement.
They all nodded and were on the way to get something to eat. Ann's phone began on the walk up the stairs to Shibuya Station. She was surprised to see it was a message from Ren.
Ren: Tomorrow before class starts meet me on top of the school rooftop.
Ann looked over at Ren and nodded at him which made Ren give a small. "Ohmygody that smile is gonna be the end of me. I wonder what he is going to talk to me about though.". Ann was lost in her thoughts and Ryuji was so focused on going to eat that they didn't notice Ren stopped walking and was looking off in the distance.
"Uhm. I'm going to catch a raincheck on food. Morgana go with them and I will meet you here in like 30 minutes." Ren said in a tone that seemed that he wasn't really all there.
Ann was going to ask what was going on but Ryuji grabbed her shoulder and answered for them. "No sweat dude. Next time it's on you though for canceling." He said as Akira walked away. Ryuji knew his new friend was a man of mystery and was holding something more than the assault case. He thought it would be best to not try and open all his wounds; it might end up Ren pushing them away. "Don't worry Ann he will open more." Said Ryuji, trying to make sure Ann knew it wasn't personal that he acts like that sometimes.
"Has he told you anything about himself," Ann asked sadly.
"In all honesty, he said more than I thought he would. He talked about his hometown, the basics of what happened with the issue of why he is here, and some guy stuff. Not to be mean but if you want to know the details you should talk to him, I don't feel it's my business to talk about the shit he has been through."
"Kurusu..." Ann whimpered out.
"Huh? Why the eff you keep callin him that! That's like the 3rd time you called him that!"
Ann's face went wide-eyed realizing that she said that out loud and that she is still hoping for it to be Kurusu even after all the times Ren keeps telling her that he isn't that person. "Shuddup!" She shouted as she hit him in the arm.
Shibuya Station
"So are you stalking me or something?" asked Ren with a seriousness. As he walked to a woman who was sitting on one of the benches. The woman had long auburn hair that was in a ponytail with barrettes in her hair that form 22 in Roman numerals. Eyes that are striking red and a pale complexion. She was very short, about 5'1.
"What a girl can't come to say hi to her little brother?" said the woman
Ren let out a small smile and sighed. " I guess. Hi Minako."