Quickly, Kasumi assessed the situation. Ryuji was assisting Ren to safety while the Ghost Skeleton Pirate that struggled with the Toilet Demon was most likely his persona. Morgana was gesturing to them to hurry. And she could see the Toilet Demon charging up another attack, aiming it towards Sakamoto-san's persona.
NOT ON HER WATCH!
Drawing out her level action rifle, she started to run to the side, only to nearly trip over herself. Quickly looking, she was confused about her new shoes. 'When did I start wearing heels?'
Quickly correcting herself, she aimed her gun just as Cendrillon appeared above her. Just as the Toilet Demon prepared to cast…
"KOUGA!"A spear of light shot forth as Kasumi fired. Seeing this, Ryuji quickly dismissed Captain Kidd, leaving the Toilet Demon off balance. Before the Toilet Demon could react, the spear of light slammed into its stomach as the bullet hit his eye. With a scream, his spell was canceled, petering out into nothingness as it clutched its eye. Seeing another opportunity, Sakamoto pointed at the Toilet Demon.
"CAPTAIN KIDD! LUNGE!"Captain Kidd reappeared, slamming into the Toilet Demon with its shoulder. Falling back, it fell off its porcelain throne, hitting the ground with a thunderous thud. Just a ways away, Other Kamoshida's mouth hung open as he witnessed who was clearly supposed to be cut above his regular troops being absolutely manhandled.
Quickly joining back with the others, Kasumi nodded to the door. "I think this guy won't be a problem anymore. Should we go now?"
Morgana tilted his head, before grimacing. "I can hear a whole bunch of knights running in here soon. Don't like our chances of getting surrounded in the hallways. At least here, we can force them to come to us… Still, kinda wish we had some smoke bombs."
"So we'll have to fight our way through, huh?" Ryuji said as he opened a can of Water of Rebirth… Wait, where did they get that? Kasumi looked confused and looked over Ryuji's outfit for any bulging pockets as he drained his drink. "Well, guess we got to go all-in on this, huh?"
"I got a better idea." Ren said as he tossed his own empty can before drawing his knife. "COME ON!"
Before anyone could react, Ren sprung forward, tipping off his mask as Kasumi quickly started after him. Before her eyes as the others ran after him and her, another persona appeared behind Ren. Two black feathered wings spread out from the small of its back. Dressed in a bright red old fashioned suit jacket with a popped collar, it also had on a black tailed corset, with a white ruffled tie hanging from its neck. Bright red pant coverings ended in pointed boots with blades for heels. Its clawed hands clearly looked like they were ready to rip and tear, one hand reaching up to adjust its comically tall hat.
Finally, Kasumi realized that the persona actually had no real head. Instead, a long horned mask with red markings on it that looked like something that would be staring at her from her nightmares covered up nothing. Ren didn't mind her looks at his persona as he pointed to the downed Toilet Demon.
"ARSENE! CLEAVE!"With a swipe of his claws, Arsene raked the Toilet Demon in the face, sending it sprawling on its back. Running to one side, Ren stabbed the knife into the side, ripping into flesh as he continued forward. Immediately getting Ren's idea, Kasumi plunged her rapier into the other side and ripped up her side, trusting that her rapier will hold. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Morgana hopping on top of the Toilet Demon's belly, cutting up whatever his scimitar could reach, before cutting at the nose and jumping off.
Just in time as Ryuji dropped from Captain Kidd's ship on high and smashed his pipe down on its belly. It let out a cry of pain as it sat up away from the group, Ryuji got clear as Ren and Morgana were about to fire off their spells. While Ren had Jack O' Lantern out again (did Ren have more than one persona), Morgana had someone behind him, a visible and violent wind surrounding its rapier.
Just like its user, Morgana's persona looked cartoonish. A exaggeratedly broad upper body, with massive broad shoulders and massive hands that held a rapier that looked like a toothpick in them, sharply contrasted the thin legs and feet that Kasumi knew wouldn't help support the being's weight in real life. Dressed in all black, a black cape fluttered behind him with a large silver Z as a belt buckle. Piercing yellow eyes stared out from the hat that covered the top half of its head, with the mustache appearing from under the hat and reaching out until they reached past the top of its head.
As the Toilet Demon tried to get back up, Ren and Morgana shouted as they ordered their personas.
"JACK O'LANTERN! AGI!""ZORRO! GARU!"The two spells shot forward and impacted the Toilet Demon's back. The moment the two spells touched, the fire suddenly grew twice as big and hotter, engulfing it. With a last cry of pain, the Toilet Demon (and its Toilet) disappeared into nothingness.
As the group watched the Toilet Demon's defeat, Ryuji tilted his head. "Hey, is it just me, or was that guy a chump?"
Ren nodded. "Yeah, I was kinda expecting him to be a little tougher."
"Hello, we got knights coming in!" Morgana pointed his scimitar towards the door, where the sound of clanking footsteps could be heard. Kasumi bit her lip as she readied her rapier. For a moment, her rapier wobbled in her hand. Looking down in surprise, her hand was unsteady, and now that she had time to actually think, she could feel exhaustion deep in her bones and mind slowly overtaking her. Only the discipline that had been learned over the years of practice kept her from collapsing.
Still, she looked up at Ren, only for him to quickly jump to the back of the rack holding her double. Other Ren had gotten on his two feet, trying to pull the chains out, but lacking the strength. Her double paid no attention to her or the others as she kept telling Other Ren to leave her.
That would not do.
With a slash, the chains were cut in half, and her double blinked as she looked at her freed hands, before looking at Kasumi. Everyone turned as knights poured in, swords at the ready. Kasumi, Morgana, and Ryuji tightened their grips on their weapons while Other Ren did his best to help her double up.
"ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP!"
Pausing, Kasumi looked out of the corner of her eye only to blink as Ren hauled out a paling Other Kamoshida from behind the rack. Forcing the Other Kamoshida forward, he kicked him down to the ground, before taking out his pistol and pointing it at the Other's head. Kasumi blinked. Was Ren really doing this?
"CURSE YOU SCOUNDREL! UNHAND OUR KING!""DUDE!" Ryuji exclaimed, looking very surprised at the sight, while Morgana was about to shout out something, before thinking something else of it and keeping his mouth shut.
She didn't know what to feel. Even if this was another world, seeing Ren take Other Kamoshida hostage like this just shocked her. But why?
"You guys want your king safe. We," Ren gestured to everyone beside him. "Want to leave here safe and sound. So how about this? Us and King Speedo down here are going to take a little walk, and you better not approach until we decide to go. If you even try to get a little closer…" Ren tapped his pistol.
"Y-YOU WOULDN'T HA-" BANG!
Other Kamoshida stopped talking as he saw the bullet hole right next to his head. Ren then tapped his pistol to the back of the monarch's head. Kasumi's gut curled when she saw that Ren's finger was still on the trigger, the slightest pressure enough to pull it.
It chilled when Ren gave a toothy smirk. "I would."
'He just needed to make his threat convincing. If he didn't look like he meant it, this Kamoshida won't take him seriously.' Kasumi told herself, trying not to shiver in the sight of that smile.
Other Kamoshida looked up at his knights and shouted at them. "STAND DOWN! LET THEM LEAVE!"
Ren looked at Ryuji with a bit of surprise as the knights reluctantly parted for them. "I'm surprised that Kamoshida actually sounded respectable there."
Ryuji gave a shrug with his shotgun now aimed at the prone Kamoshida. Realizing even Morgana had his... her...his slingshot out and aimed, Kasumi quickly drew her own level action and aimed it, schooling her expression now. Briefly looking behind her, she saw Other Ren quickly helping her double to her feet, ready to follow along. Ren tapped his pistol as he took his foot off Other Kamoshida's back. "Alright, let's take a walk, King Douche. And remember, no funny business."
The group walked forward with Other Kamoshida in front, his face a mixture of terrified submission and helpless rage. As they approached the group of knights, their grips tightened on their swords, but they parted to give the group plenty of room. As the group entered the hallway, the group of knights slowly followed after them.
Quickly putting Other Kamoshida between them and the knights, the group slowly made their way through the hallways. Kasumi kept her aim on Other Kamoshida's back, though her level action was starting to tremble, the exhaustion taking its toll. A paw patted her calf, briefly putting her back in the moment. Looking down, she saw Morgana giving her a brief smile as he nodded his head backwards.
Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she saw two doors, seemingly indecisive of being real or a mirage. As the group approached the two doors, Other Ren began to bring her double past them towards the other hallway. Just as she was about to call out to them, Ryuji noticed and shook his head.
"Don't bother. I couldn't do anything for the volleyball team here, doubt you could for those two."
Before Kasumi could respond to Ryuji or even call out to the two, they disappeared behind the corner. Biting her lip, she trusted Ryuji and focused on securing their escape. She just hoped that those two wouldn't fall back into Other Kamoshida's clutches, real or not.
As the group reached the door, Ryuji reached out and opened it. Morgana and Kasumi both ran inside as Ryuji gestured to Ren. Kasumi watched from the safe room as Ren kept his pistol on Other Kamoshida, the Other finally growled out something.
"Mark my words, peasant. You will rue the day you decided to mess with your superior."
Ren nodded. "Alright. By the way, bleach is the best way to get rid of those stains."
Turning to address the crowd before him, his smirk returned. "Gentlemen, King Has-been. You will always remember this as the day you almost caught the… the…"
"The fools?"
"NO! THE NUTCRACKERS!"
Ren gave a swift kick to Other Kamoshida's crotch before kicking him forward as he hunched over. The army of knights immediately surged forward to catch their king. Ren dove into the safe room as Ryuji shut the door behind them.
"A-A-AFTER THEM!" "But your majesty, we don't know where they went!" "It's like they vanished into thin air!"
Ren pulled out his phone and tapped a button. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, he stored his phone back in his pocket. "...Okay, be honest. I could have done better there."
"Yeah, need a better name." "Such vulgarity is unbecoming of a gentleman thief! And in front of a lady too!" "Well… sorry, it could have been better. But shouldn't we think of another way out? We can't stay here forever, waiting for them to leave!"
The smile Ren gave calmed the anxiety that threatened to overtake her. Then she realized that was the fatigue starting to overtake her. She managed to stand up straight before she stumbled. As she recovered, she saw that Ren and Ryuji were about to rush over to help her. Giving them a nod and smile as thanks, she gestured to Ren to explain.
"Well, we got our exit right here." Ren said as he gestured up. Looking up, Kasumi blinked as she saw a vent to crawl to. In fact, as she looked around, she realized that this was the same room that they entered the castle through.
"H-how? This is clearly not the same room…" Kasumi wondered out loud. Ren shrugged as Ryuji climbed up.
"Far as Morgana explained it, they're all rooms in the school that Kamoshida's cognition of them are weaker. Guessing those are the classrooms with teachers he isnt as close with. So… guess they're all the same to him and that's why we can switch between them."
Kasumi considered herself fairly smart, at least enough that a couple nights of studying would leave her fairly confident in taking any test. "...Huh?"
Hearing Ryuji shout from the other side of the vent, Ren nodded towards it. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'm sure Morgana can explain it better in the real world."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~TAKE YOUR TIME~~~~~~~~~~
Draining the last of the sport drink from the bottle, she breathed a little as she screwed the cap back on the bottle. The three people and one cat (though he kept insisting that he wasn't one) managed to find a small corner at the subway that was far away enough from the normal traffic that they could see anyone coming close. After Ryuji got drinks for everyone, that was when Morgana-senpai started his explanation.
Playing with the bottle in her hands, she considered the information she was given, the world she accidentally fell into.
"So… there is a world called the Metaverse, which can only be assessed by a special phone app, formed out of the Collective Unconscious of humanity, the side of ourselves that we aren't aware of. This app works by taking a name, a place, and a distortion, which takes us to a Palace. Palaces form when the desires of a person grow so distorted that they form a treasure, the representation of their twisted desires, and a Shadow version of themselves, all the parts that they don't want to show publicly, to guard it. From there, the palaces attract other Shadows, beings that take form of myths and concepts, to fill the ranks and to help guard them."
Kasumi took another breath to consider their plan. "So that is why you plan to infiltrate Kamoshida's palace, a version of Shujin Academy where he rules as its literal king, in order to steal his treasure. This should take his distorted desires away and leave him guilty enough about his actions so that he confesses. However, there is a chance that if this is done wrong, Kamoshida will lose all his desires, including things like breathing and eating…"
She thought about that last part, and what she had been hearing from the news and her father's thoughts.
"That almost sounds like a mental shutdown."
At that, Ryuji's jaw dropped and Ren's eyes flashed with recognition. "Dude, that's right! That does sound like a mental shutdown!"
"Wait, what is a mental shutdown? I don't have any memory here, so please go ahead and enlighten me."
Ren and Ryuji looked at each other, Ryuji unsure how to explain it and Ren not having been in Tokyo long enough. Kasumi decided to take the lead. "Well, around two years ago and still going on today, there are some deaths where the victim just… shuts down. Their eyes are pupiless, they're unresponsive, there's this black substance that drips from their mouth, and the experts, at least the ones my dad had interviewed, don't even know what it is."
"Senpai, does your dad work at the news?" Ren asked, picking on what her dad did.
"No, he's the director of Good Morning Japan." Seeing the looks of sudden ideas on both Ren and Ryuji's face, she shook her head. "Unless we have solid proof and people willing to talk, my dad can't run it."
"Back to the plan then." Ren muttered.
"Yo Cat." Ryuji said, getting a quick outburst of denial from Morgana-senpai. "Can mental shutdowns happen naturally, like a Shadow just has a heart attack?"
"...NO! THATS A STUPID IDEA!"
"Geez, just figured I asked."
"Hey, we can think about what is going on later. Right now…" Ren turned to her. "What do you think about this, Kasumi-senpai?"
"What do you mean, Ren?"
"Well, you know about our plan. No matter what, the rest of us are going through with this. And well, if you want, you don't have to. Just dont tell on us, okay?"
Ren was offering her a way out, she didnt have to go along with this. She had to admit, the method here essentially sounded like brainwashing. A part of her didnt like how a person was being forced to change against their will. But then…
"Actually, can I ask why the rest of you are okay with this? Why are you going through with this?"
"You already know why I'm doing this." Ryuji calmly admitted. "For what he did to the track team, what he doing to the volleyball team, what he did to Mishima," "He beat Mishima-San until he couldn't take it anymore." "Knew it. He can't get away with this."
Morgana spoke up. "I lost my memories and my human form. I dont know how but I just… know that the treasure in Kamoshida's palace has got something, anything to do with it. It's the only lead I have."
Finally, she gave her full attention to Ren. Ren thought for a moment, collecting his thoughts before speaking up.
"I told you what happened to me the day I got arrested. I was walking home after dark, and I came across the other guy trying to push the woman into his car. He was ranting about how she should just shut up and let him do what he wanted, about how people like her should let him steer the country. I stepped in, he smelled like booze, and he fell down and hit his head. The cops came, and he blamed me for everything, and even got the woman to go along with it."
Ryuji huffed. "Ungrateful -" "OI, there's a lady in our presence."
"The trial was a sham, barely got to defend myself before they threw the book at me. Everyone who knew me, everyone in my neighborhood immediately wanted nothing to do with me. I get sent here on probation, stuck into my caretaker's storm's attic, because he doesn't want me in his house."
'What?' Kasumi thought and was about to ask more about that but Ren continued on.
"Then my first day of school, me and Ryuji here accidentally managed to enter into Shadow Kamoshida's castle. We got captured and sent to the dungeons. There, Shadow Kamoshida sentenced us both to death. Then Ryuji-senpai… he pushed down the guards, told me to get out, to save myself…"
She gasped as she realized what Ryuji was prepared to do. 'No wonder Ren is close to Ryuji.'
"I couldn't do it… I couldn't leave him behind. As they trapped me, as they got ready to kill him… That was when Arsene, my first persona, called to me, told me that Ryuji was going to die if I didn't do anything. Then… he asked me one thing, the thing that had been haunting me."
Ren stared straight at her, his gaze driving home that he would not appreciate even the slightest doubt of his next words.
"Was saving that woman a mistake? What was the point of doing good if that was the reason? What was the point of trying to be good when...all that, but no answer. So when Arsene asked me that, when Ryuji needed help, I decided what my answer was: it wasn't a mistake. I will never think of it as a mistake. Even if everything and everyone else screams at me that I was wrong, even if I go into hell itself, I will always believe that I did the right thing. And that's why I'm going into Kamoshida's castle, because I believe that is the right thing to do."
He took a deep breath through his nostrils before exhaling out his mouth. "Senpai, those are our reasons. Are you satisfied?"
Kasumi nodded. "Kamoshida is never going to stop. He's never going to change any time soon. The school itself is covering for him. Maybe when he's old, he will finally feel guilt and admit to what he did. But how many people will have suffered, how many people will end up like Mishima-san or Suzui-san or Takamaki-san or the volleyball team or the track team? How many have I not even heard of?"
The gymnast felt her resolve solidify. "I like to believe that we have to solve our own problems, because that is how we grow and learn… But I also believe that Kamoshida made his problems everyone's problems, and now he lost the right to solve them himself. Count me in."
"...Alright, it's settled. We should also be careful where we use the app. That's at least twice now that we got pulled or pulled someone in by accident. Both times, everyone managed to get a persona, but I think we're starting to push our luck with that."
Morgana nodded at that. "Not everyone has the ability to face themselves and awaken a persona."
"Really would like not to come back to the entrance and find someone dead because we got careless."
Ryuji rubbed his chin. "Hey, didn't the alleyway stay the same the entire time when we found the castle. I can tell you, I've been through that way so many times, I would have been able to pick out something different."
"Huh, guess even a simple guy like Ryuji can have a point." Morgana said, ignoring Ryuji's outbursts. "I'm guessing while Kamoshida sees Shujin Academy as his castle, he visits or views the rest of the city normally enough that the rest of the city appears in his palace."
"So we can technically use the app anywhere in the city, and we can just travel to the palace proper. Good to know."
"You know, I could go ahead and scout out some alternate places where we can enter into the Metaverse." Morgana suggested.
"You go ahead and do that. Anyone got anything else that we should talk about?"
"I… have something too. We might have a time limit on this." Kasumi admitted. Everyone, planning what else to do, immediately turned their attention to her.
"What do you mean by that?"
Why was it so hard to explain? All she had to do was tell them what Kamoshida told her. Yet her heart kept seizing up, shame and guilt forcing her tongue still…
"You have made a vow, no? If you wish to live in splendor, you must cast off your rags." Cendrillon's voice was in her head, and reflected in her heart. Feeling… prepared, she let the words out of her mouth.
"While you guys were with Suzui-san and Takamaki-san… Kamoshida called me into his office."
Immediately, Ren was next to her, checking over her, his hands stopping just short of her shoulders. For a brief moment, she wished that Ren had gone through, so she could imagine that it had always been his hands and not… Ren looked up at her, worry clear in his eyes.
"Senpai, he didn't do anything to you, did he?"
Kasumi stared into Ren's eyes, unsure of what to say. Unfortunately, that was the wrong answer, as Ren did put his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. "SENPAI, HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, RIGHT?!"
The look in his eyes, and even Ryuji's eyes, made her quickly shake her head and stare directly at them. "No, he didn't do anything, just made me uncomfortable."
Slowly, the look of murderous rage slowly cooled as the two calmed down. Feeling like they were ready to listen again, Kasumi continued on. "Kamoshida planned on blaming you two at the next Teacher's meeting, in two weeks."
"Maybe even less, if someone makes him angry enough." Ren guessed, which Kasumi sadly nodded.
"Ok, two weeks max, but just in case, let's make Kamoshida eat his own medal in one."
"Hell yeah!" "Try to agree more stylishly, you blond baboon." "Please be nice to Ryuji, Morgana Senpai."
Trying to disarm the tension between Ryuji and Morgana-senpai, Kasumi gave a quick look at Ren, who was simply smiling watching this. Seeing her looking at him, he seemed to remember something, as he pulled out something from his pocket. Staring at it, he finally came close with his phone in hand.
"So… considering we are going to be… working together, can I… can we trade numbers?"
...It made sense. If they needed to coordinate, they would need to easily get in touch with another. She ignored the heat growing in her cheeks as she gave Ren and Ryuji her number and added theirs to her contacts.
Dad, Mom, Coach Hiraguchi, Sumire, Ryuji, and Ren. Technically Morgana-senpai if he was with Ryuji or Ren. Just like that, her little social circle grew a little.
As everyone separated for the night, she couldn't help but sneak one last peek at Ren. Was he really not disturbed by what he saw at that chamber, what Kamoshida thought their relationship was, what she was afraid their relationship was… She quickly texted Ren.
Kasumi: Ren
Kasumi: Ren, are you there?
Ren: sumipai sup?
Kasumi stared at the text, before holding a hand to her mouth as she giggled.
Ren: frick ignore that
Ren: "how to delete text messages"
Ren: frick
Already feeling the embarrassment Ren must be feeling, she quickly typed out something.
Kasumi: Ren
Kasumi: Ren, it's okay. It's ok.
Ren: senpai i swear iwasnt trying to bee funny
Ren: can we just ignore this
Ren: what's up?
Immediately, her amusement died as she texted him and feared how he responded.
Kasumi: Remember that chamber? What you saw?
Ren: Yeah
Ren: I don't care, and you shouldn't either, senpai
She stared at that text message before continuing on.
Kasumi: You sure?
Ren: Yeah, remember what Morgana said.
RenIt's all how Kamoshida thinks.
Ren: ...
Ren: But if you want to talk about it
Ren: Then we should do it in person
Ren: not text
Kasumi smiled as she typed out her answer.
Kasumi: Alright, let's do that
Ren: Also thinking, Takamaki-senpai is in your class, right?
Kasumi: Yes, why?
Ren: I think you guys and Suzui-senpai should stick together.
Ren: From what I'm hearing, he likes to catch you guys when you're alone.
Kasumi: Good idea, I'll talk to her tomorrow.
Ren: Good night, Senpai
Kasumi: Good night, Ren
Just as she was about to put away her phone, she got another text.
Dad: Kasumi, Coach Hiraguchi called. You missed practice. Where are you?
Kasumi paled. She might have to text Ren soon.