Life will Change
Original Concept: Persona 5

Chapter 4

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Created by: Atlus/Sega

Written by: wrathie

Consultation: DiLost

Cover art by: Aiwa

Author's Notes: Slightly late, but I was somewhat busier this month. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and see the new changes that Masumi brings to P5.

Kamoshida's Castle

..

Morgana was not going to let a golden opportunity go past him as the distraction from Ryuji allowed him to free Lady Masumi. The surge of power that had came from Ryuji had shocked Morgana, but he was a professional and he made short work of the Knights that were holding Lady Masumi back.

He was frankly amazed that they could hold her back however, Morgana was painfully aware and afraid of the power that bubbled beneath the surface of Lady Masumi's Persona.

Morgana had seen glimpses of it the first time they fought, and it was the same when the goat like Shadows trampled over them. He had believed that Lady Masumi would be able to break them out of that jam, but she didn't.

Perhaps she couldn't? That thought occurred to Morgana even as Lady Masumi leapt forward the moment she was free, her target was the Golden Knight that had been such a pain in their asses.

The two of them had been more than sufficient to deal with the rank and file Knights, but the Golden Knight was made of sterner stuff and they hadn't even forced him out of the armored form.

"TAKE THIS!"" Lady Masumi screamed as she slit the Golden Knight's neck expertly and ruthlessly after landing on it's shoulders. With another jerk that she managed by bracing herself against the Knight's back, and viciously tore the helm off.

"WOAH!" Ryuji's cry of surprise was mixed with triumph as he too rushed forward. The weaker Knights had scattered the moment Lady Masumi had joined the fray and Morgana couldn't blame them as he called upon the power within him to stir up even more chaos.

"Zorro!" "CAPTAIN KIDD!" His attack was launched at the same moment as his, a bolt of lightning raining landing on the mass of knights that had been knocked off their feet by his wind based attack.

"Nice!" Ryuji grinned manically at Morgana while he returned it with a thumbs up. He could let the disrespect slide as Ryuji was still getting used to his power. The rush of strength was certainly intoxicating, but he had became used to it through time.

He had no idea how Lady Masumi's awakening had been, but it must have been similar for Ryuji was now attacking the red colored knight that had emerged from the golden knight.

"What troublemakers that bother King Kamoshida with trifle matters!"

"Kamoshida's cognition view of me hasn't changed at all. Well, then I'll have to act like the troublemaker I am till he does see that's he's wrong!" Ryuji claimed while Lady Masumi circled the knight warily, looking for an opening. She had been thrown off earlier when the golden knight's body had disintegrated but she was back in the fray now.

"Let's do this, Captain Kidd!" Ryuji cried out as a rallying cry as his Persona, one that was balanced on a wooden ship, charged forward to engage the horse riding knight.

..

"..." Masumi kept quiet, watching the battle ongoing calmly. All the rage that she had felt earlier had been released when she had let the knight have it. It was somewhat of an odd thing, but after she engaged in some old fashioned violence, Medea's incessant nagging had stopped and she was able to keep a clearer and calmer head.

The coward, Kamoshida had retreated to the top of the flight of stairs and was looking down at them, the smug smile returning. He noticed her gaze and winked at her, gaining a response where she fired a shot at him without even hesitating.

The shot missed of course, her pistol wasn't high calibre enough to be anywhere accurate in that distance if she didn't put effort to it. But first, Ryuji and her friend was giving it all he got, his Persona having slammed into the horse riding knight with enough force to stagger it to the point that he was almost teetering off his steed.

Time to give it some assistance.

"Mediea!" She called as she ripped her mask off, and the witch of betrayal cackled wildly behind her before firing several bursts of energy at the knight, managing to knock it off it's steed.

"Let's go, Ryuji, Morgana!" Masumi commanded as she charged towards it, ready to end it with an All-Out-Attack.

..

It didn't end the battle, the knight had enough juice in it to shrug and knock them all back with a wave of it's spear. But it was tiring, drooping a little as he climbed back to it's saddle.

"I am… a loyal subject… of the glorious King Kamoshida." The knight groaned, nowhere as energetic as it was before. Ryuji's attack had done much more damage to it than she had imagined, and she was glad for she was tiring.

The three of them had kept it boxed in, kiting it with attacks that threw it forward. Between the bombardment of lightning from Ryuji's Persona, Morgana's swift slashes to it's steed and Masumi's own methodical shots at it's face, the Knight wasn't able to even hit them. WIth it's allies all scattered, it didn't stand a chance.

Masumi hadn't asked Morgana about it before as he seemed fine, but she had taken the lead of most of their attacks. Not to mention having to take out three individual teams of guards while the boys were away. She knew instinctively that calling upon Medea was taxing, more so as compared to the energy she expanded if she engaged with her knives and guns alone.

"So why… have I lost…!?" The Knight groaned in frustration as it's last second charge towards Morgana was thwarted when Zorro waved it's rapier in front of Morgana and blew it sideways, causing it to smash against the walls.

"It just proves that Kamoshida isn't anything special and that you are a fool for believing in him." Ryuji declared as he finished the knight off with a vicious swing of the wrench(?!) that he had procured from somewhere.

..

"Even if you apologize now.. I will not forgive you." Ryuji panted as he tried to catch his breath. Despite his vigor at the start, fighting the knight had taken alot out of him but he was still trying his best to keep himself battle ready.

"I told you that this is my castle. You might have gotten rid of one. But there's still lots more. You just don't understand, do you?' Kamoshida sighed theatrically as even more knights gathered around him at the top of the stairs and slowly marched down.

Even more disturbing however was how another shadow, in the guise of Takamaki walked over to mimic what the fake 'her' had done earlier.

"Ann!" "Takamaki!?" Masumi and Ryuji's cry of outrage was not echoed by Morgana who seemed lovestuck as he stared at the bikini clad, cat-ears wearing blonde.

"You… dare to treat Ann like this?" Masumi would have shot the fake Ann if not for Kamoshida taking a step back, pulling the Ann with him. A row of knights blocked her shot while Kamoshida laughed, probably playing with that puppet above them.

"Well, it seems that playtime is just beginning. If I can't have that girl, I'll have this one instead. I have no need for rebellious girls like you. I like girls that are coy, gentle and wish to have a piece of this hunk." Kamoshida burst out laughing when the sounds of feminine giggling could be heart. No doubt his sick mind wanted a reaction from the fake Ann and he got what he wanted.

"This is my castle, everyone and everything is what I want it to be. Women, men, things, they all belong to me. That is, everything besides slow-witted thieves like you." His words now echoed around the place.

"Is playing with yourself that much fun? You really are that desperate." Masumi's barb hit home, however how much Kamoshida tried to pass it off, it was the truth and the sudden reaction and change in his behavior showed that plainly.

The knights that had stood guard in front of him were shoved away and Kamoshida glared fiercely down at Masumi, who was smirking smugly along with Ryuji and Morgana.

Now that they knew that was a falsehood, they were able to take it in stride. Though Masumi was dying to pick off the fake Ann the moment she got a chance.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW! KNEEL DOWN TO ME OR-"

"Or what?" Masumi remarked as she took another shot, this time hitting his forehead and Kamoshida fell back with a pained cry. The response from that attack was immediate, the knights charged at them as one.

..

"We're outnumbered, time to go!" That last cheap shot at Kamoshida was perhaps uncalled for, but Morgana felt that it was very appropriate. That was just the start of the pain that they were going to deliver back to Kamoshida for all that he had done.

"Are we going without doing anything?" Ryuji complained, but followed nonetheless as Morgana tossed a smoke bomb to mask their escape. "We'll expose what you really are, no matter what! You better be ready for us!"

"GET THEM!" Kamoshida's howl was left behind in the distance as they hightailed it out of here.

Kamoshoda's Castle: Exterior

..

"Woah, I don't remember changing to this." Ryuji exclaimed as he took stock of his new attire. He was wearing a metal mask in the shape of a mask, a biker jacket with a red top. He could really pose as one of those biker gang misfits that Masumi had seen in TV dramas.

"It's a Persona thing." Masumi answered before turning to Morgana who chuckled in agreement.

"That's right. That's what your subconsciousness feels is the most appropriate image as a rebel. I guess we know what Ryuji likes, right, Lady Masumi? Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within." Morgana's grin got bigger when Masumi agreed with him by nodding.

"But I wouldn't expect Ryuji to have the same potential. That's really unexpected, but you did well there. You really saved us." Ryuji beamed at the praise but deflated when Morgana added. "Then again, you go us into that mess. Now Kamoshida's gunning for us if we go back to the castle."

The sounds of the knights calling to each other made the three of them fall quiet, until they were gone and from their conversation they had no idea where they were. The three of them were safe for now.

"How did I awaken my Persona anyway? That hurt by the way… god,I felt like I just tore my head off."

"When a Persona user opposes a Palce's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. He's marked us for sure and it's to prevent you from being affected by distortions of the castle." Morgana turned to Masumi to explain it for Ryuji, which she promptly did.

"You awakened your Persona to stop it from affecting you further, Kamoshida saw that and made us his enemies. You were influenced by him before that, remember?"

"Ah… I think I get it." Ryuji rested a hand in his palm as he understood, making Masumi smile wryly before turning to Morgana again.

"Now that Kamoshida is gunning for us, especially me after I shot him in the face." Masumi didn't regret it, she relished that experience and that look of pain and surprise on Kamoshida when her shot hit the mark.

"We're in deep shit. He's going to make hell for us. Only he shouldn't, only in here, right?" Ryuji clarified and Morgana nodded.

..

"That's right, so you were listening after all. If we don't go back there, we'll be fine. But knowing the two of you… I guess we'll be back there eventually. A Shadow is the true self that is suppressed. A side of one's personality they don't want to see. The real Kamoshida won't know what's happening. It's not like he remembered the execution from before, remember? Though he might dislike you more in general though… Feelings might get carried over." Morgana crossed his arms as he was a little unsure about that. Still, he couldn't complain. This was a good day in hi book. All bruises and injuries aside, he had verified that Lady Masumi was a great candidate for a Phantom Thief and Ryuji wasn't bad either.

The two of them were definitely assets if he could lead them, or at least persuade them to help him.

"Alright, now that we know all that. All we gotta do is to get the dirt on Kamoshida from the students. That way we'll be able to prove his guilt." Ryuji slammed a fist into his palm while Masumi nodded. That was the plan anyway.

"Wait." Morgana interrupted them as he crossed his arms and looked at the two sternly. "I guided you as promised. It's your turn to cooperate with me." His tone was different than before, and that made Masumi twitch a little as she listened to the smaller figure.

"That is one of the reasons I imparted my skills and knowledge to you. I require your help to help find my memories." Morgana asked quietly, the 'human' looking from Ryuji to Masumi.

"I know none of us owe each other anything, but we've been through lots together, didn't we? You plan to take down Kamoshida, yes? I will help you achieve your goals, in exchange I require your help in mine."

..

This was a difficult topic for Morgana, Masumi could tell from the way he spoke. He always had an air of superiority to him, especially towards Ryuji. Morgana was polite and gentlemanly towards her, yes, but the manners doesn't quite conceal his general haughtiness.

Him admitting Masumi was an equal was equal parts respect, admiration and attraction for her. Probably, his eyes did lit up when she saw her bikini clad form at any rate. Speaking of which… Ryuji was distracted too right? Focus, Masumi, she couldn't afford to be distracted now.

"What do you say, Masumi? I know this isn't what I signed up for but Morgana did get us out of a jam. Not that we didn't get him out of one, but you know, I totally see him as a bro after the shit we went through together." Ryuji's reaction was a surprise, perhaps the two did bond significantly after leaving the two together earlier.

It wasn't just Masumi however, Morgana was shocked too as he stared at Ryuji with his mouth open ever so slightly.

"Heh… it's as I thought." He shook his head before turning to Masumi expectedly.

..

"... I guess, I can help out as well." Masumi sighed internally, knowing that this was going to never end. Her wish for a normal school life was disintegrating in front of her eyes and she was helpless to stop it.

The enticing voice of Medea was not influencing her at all. It wasn't as if she wanted to feel the rush of battle again.

"Thank you, Ryuji, Lady Masumi. I'll fill you two in the details of what I need assistance with after we settle our scores with Kamoshida." Morgana grinned as he reverted to how he was before, haughty and a little bossy.

"Don't go after him without me being around, I want my pound of flesh too." Morgana smirked while the other two students nodded in agreement.

Aoyama Ichome

..

"You've returned to the real world. Welcome back."

The pre-recorded message greeted them after they activated the app

"Whew, I worked up a sweat." Ryuji mentioned as he grabbed around for something to help with his balance. The three of them had split up, Morgana going to scout the place more before hooking with them up in school while the two decided to head back and put their plan to action. Morgana was also concerned about how Kamoshida had plans for Masumi and promised to look out for any clues regarding her and Lady Ann.

Masumi was bemused at her enthusiasm about her friend, he must really like Ann lots. Or lusted after her in any case.

After stepping out of the castle and returning to where they had came into this world, Masumi had activated the app to return them back to their own dimension.

It was a little odd to think that way, but Masumi had other things to worry about now, namely how Ryuji had grabbed her shoulder for balance and the two of them were now in a heap on the floor.

She was thankfully on top of Ryuji, but he was flailing about and would soon get a knee in the face if he touched her in certain places. Even if it might be just a honest accident.

"UWAH- SORRY!" Ryuji seemed to realize that as his face was all red as she was helped up by Masumi. The blonde couldn't meet her eyes while Masumi adjusted her uniform. She was kind of used to wearing the trench coat now and she glanced quickly at her phone and was relieved to see that barely a few hours had past. But did they only navigated the castle in only just a few hours? It felt much longer than that, but Masumi wasn't complaining.

"Ahem, well, thank god we're back. I'm glad that it turned out well in the end." Ryuji scratched his cheek before commenting. "Uh… about what we saw there… you wouldn't really be… you know." He gestured to the chest area and Masumi's eyes twitched. Without realizing it she was right in front of Ryuji and one step from grabbing his shirt.

"Ah-Ah- ah, sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean it!" He gulped before Masumi backed away, she really was going to have a bad reputation if this continued. Well, perhaps she was still a little touchy about what Kamoshida visualized her as.

She didn't have a figure anywhere close as that, it was closer to Ann's figure and the knowledge of him lechering after Ann made Masumi clench her teeth again.

"Wow that's a scary expression again, Masumi. You got to rein that in a little!" Ryuji's words snapped her out of it and Masumi blushed. Perhaps he was right, no, he was right. Her temper had been running loose lots lately and that can't do.

"I'm sorry, it's just… I remembered what he made that imposter of me and Ann do and I just… And you're a pervert for staring at me like that." Masumi glared again, and Ryuji laughed sheepishly.

"I'm a guy after all, and you're cute… so that really threw me off. Sorry, sorry, I won't do that again." Ryuji took a look at his phone before sighing. "I dragged you around alot huh, sorry about that. How're you holding up?"

"I'm tired... but considering what I did, I'm doing fine. And, it started out that way, but it ended up being personal too. I won't let Kamoshida think he can try to blackmail me and get away with it." Masumi glared angrily and blurted out something she had wanted to keep quiet from Ryuji without thinking.

"Wait what? He tried what?" Ryuji was flabbergasted but that quickly turned to anger as Masumi stuttered a denial.

"N-No, nothing like that - he wasn't…" She trailed off sheepishly as Ryuji, almost mimicking her, raised an eyebrow.

"Out with it. What did that bastard Kamoshida do exactly?" She gave it up as a lost cause and she shook her head and told Ryuji exactly what Kamoshida had told her.

..

"What he dared to do that? In the faculty room? C'mon! That's just ridiculous. How does he get away with things like that!" Ryuji groaned while fuming, he was very angry for her and that made Masumi feel glad? Thankful? She wasn't sure. But it was definitely relief for Ryuji believed her! Someone actually believed her!

"Yo-You believe me?"

"Of course, why would you lie about something like that. Why didn't you report to Kawakami? She'll believe you! It's not like I'm the one telling her." When Masumi shook her head, Ryuji wondered why again.

"Why? I mean, that's some serious allegations right? Even if it's Kamoshida, if you just told Kawakami, she'll HAVE to investigate. Do you mean Kawakami won't trust you either? Seriously, what's going on?" Ryuji was genuinely confused but for all his confusion he didn't expect to see Masumi crying.

Was it his fault?

"Oh- oh wait, wait, hold on… hold on, don't cry. Dammit, I don't…" Ryuji raised and then lowered his voice at when he realized it would only make the wrong impression.

"Right, right, listen to what mom said, give her something to wipe her tears with…" Ryuji was doing his best while Masumi tried to regain control of her emotions.

..

It was a double whammy of disbelief and relief that someone believed her and the guilt and fear that Ryuji might have a negative impression of her when he found out that she had a criminal record. Would he be afraid of her? He knew how vicious she could get at after seeing her fight after all.

"Alright, okay. You hungry? Let's grab a bite alright? Come with me, we'll have something to eat and you can tell me all about it." Ryuji's suggestion was a good one and Masumi nodded in agreement, following Ryuji who was looking all concerned at her.

Aoyama Ichome: Fast Food Joint

..

"So that's it…" Ryuji was quiet after Masumi told her about her past, not all of it of course, just about the charges and why it had made her had to transfer school. She was lucky that that information was sealed as she was a minor and no one in the school knew about it.

Well, the staff would know her full record and thus she had doubts that the staff would trust her fully. Comparing Kamoshida's apparent track record and her own, it was logical that they wouldn't believe her, or at least, the general public wouldn't believe her the moment Kamoshida reveal her criminal record.

And he would, Masumi was dead sure on that.

"... You did the right thing though, and you still got punished for it." Ryuji was surprisingly quiet after listening to Masumi. He seemed to be digesting her words, her situation and perhaps applying it to himself.

It was odd to see him like this, the rash blonde has been mostly suppressed. Mostly, for Ryuji opened his mouth before closing it slowly. He wanted to denounce Kamoshida, that part was clear enough and just the thought of it made Masumi smile.

She pushed up her glasses and went back to eating the beef bowl she had ordered while Ryuji fumed quietly, drinking water to cool down before he tried again.

"That's bullshit. You totally should have clawed him if you knew that would happen to you. That's really rough, Masumi. I didn't know that happened to you. Well, it won't get out due to me, I promise. Scout's honor."

"And you kept that last promise too. I'll hold you to that." Masumi reminded Ryuji to his earlier promise to follow their lead and he grinned, toasting Masumi with his water before going back to his own beef bowl.

That was Ryuji's second one so far in this fast food chain, but then again, everything tastes nice when one's hungry.

"Well, you can add that allegation in to shut Kamoshida straight into the lockup when we confront him about the truth. I remember all their faces now, you know? The guys that Kamoshida treats as slaves? Once we make them confess to any physical abuse, Kamoshida's done. You'll help out right? Maybe we can even get Takamaki to get us some dirt on Kamoshida. For all we know, he's doing the same thing to her."

That thought had occurred to her, but Masumi felt that she herself was a unique case, she was easily exploitable and probably viewed as vulnerable and she explained that to him.

"True, but that doesn't hurt. You'll have to talk to her about it. So… wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses as well? It'll be faster if we split the work. The faster we get rid of Kamoshida the better right?"

Masumi agreed, causing Ryuji to grin again.

"It'll be a piece of cake compared to what we've gone against till now. I'll be counting on you! Don't worry, I'm hyped about this one too!"

Interrogation Room

..

..

"Acting as a Phantom Thief would've been more efficient alone. You could've gone about it that way…" Niijima Sae smiled coldly down at the individual which had literally shook the world with her audacity.

She was speaking still, relating her story to her, but that did not mean that she was going to go light on her.

Sae would only have the truth and nothing but the truth!

"However, you did not. There are merits to having associates... That is what you decided. Am I wrong?" That was the only logical assumption to make. If she was operating alone, there would be limits to her scope of activities, but her actions were nation-wide, this wasn't a small scale operation at all!

I am thou, thou art I... It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Chariot Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.

Aoyama Ichome: Fast Food Joint

..

"The place you're living now is in... Yongen, right? It's rush hour on the subways right now. I suggest you kill some time before heading home." Ryuji commented after all the sob story was done with. Ryuji had told Masumi in more detail about how Kamoshida had screwed him over along the course of their small brunch.

She really was famished though! Masumi didn't think that she would be able finish a large beef bowl by herself, but here she was, on her second bowl!

"That's right, you gonna eat up. The meals' on me today, I gotta thank you for helping me somehow. It's like a junior's job to help their senior right? Though we're the same age. Anyways, I got your back like you got mine." Ryuji gave a cocky thumbs up again to emphasize while Masumi just nodded in affirmative. He was loyal, he didn't run when he could and he trusted her, believed her. Masumi could do with less, but speaking of money though…

Earlier

..

"Woah, where did you get this many coins?!" Ryuji was shocked when she emptied out a pile of coins, mostly 10 yen coins before stacking them together when he was about to pay.

"I got them from the Castle. The Shadows drop money, mostly coins but I got a few notes as well. Here's your share." Masumi handed him two crumpled 1000 yen bills. The ultimate test was whether this shop accepted the coins…

..

"It worked?" Ryuji looked shellshocked when Masumi pressed the order ticket into his palm before selecting her own. She had around 2000 yen worth in coins. Not a bad haul for a few hours work, right?

..

"As long as we do something about Kamoshida, I'm sure we'll both feel better about being at school." Ryuji's mood darkened before brightening as he imagined what would befall Kamoshida Suguru when they exposed him to the world as the pervert that he was. She'll be sure to relish that look on his face for a long time as well.

"Just you wait, Kamoshida... We're gonna start right away tomorrow. First let's hit up those guys that were kept as slaves." The volleyball rally's tomorrow, right? It's recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me wanna gag. But thanks to that, we got no classes in the afternoon, and we can walk around unnoticed."

Ryuji's plan was good and workable, it'll give them more than enough time to talk to the rest of the students. Having a day off to watch people play volleyball was odd enough, especially when Shujin's strength had traditionally not been in volleyball.

"We can work out the details tomorrow. But you got to slow down! Wait, are you going for your third bowl!?"

Shujin Academy

..

"Whenever I close my eyes, I keep thinking about too many things." A dark haired girl spoke softly to her friend, Takamaki Ann who sat besides her. The dark haired girl looked exhausted, her eyes half closed as she leaned against the bench they were resting on.

"Shiho…" Ann's whispered back, looking very concerned at her friend. Ann was aware that her friend, Suzui Shiho was always trying her best in volleyball as that was she wanted to leave Shujin with a volleyball scholarship. It was her dream, and she would strive for it as much as she could. It was honestly very inspiring!

But not if she looked so close to passing out in exhaustion!

"Nationals are coming up soon, so I keep thinking…" Shiho trailed off but Ann picked up the slack for her.

"Your skills have been recognized! It's all because you work harder than anyone else that you are part of the main team. I'm sure your talents are recognized!More importantly, was that injury okay? It looked really swollen." Ann bit her lip as her eyes went over Shiho, her friend had more and more of these little bruises that was barely visible. But Ann knew they were there still no matter how much Shiho tried to hide or wave it off.

Her friend had NEVER liked makeup after all.

"No, it's nothing. It's normal… especially since a meet is coming up…" Ann didn't want to pry, but the way Shiho looked so ashamed and guilty of herself made it hard for her not to try and pry sometimes.

He wouldn't do that to her, would he?

"..."

..

The awkward silence between Ann and Shiho was interrupted by a boy who called out to Shiho. Like Shiho, Mishima Yuuki looked as exhausted as always, but the bruises and bandages that he wore on him were more pronounced. Mishima gave Ann a polite nod before addressing Shiho.

Ann had always felt Mishima was a pushover, he was timid and soft spoken, but what grated on her nerves was how he never stood up for himself when some of the meaner students poked fun at him.

Ann might have gotten some flak at the start of her first year, but she had ended those statements quite decisively by proving that she wasn't just appearances.

At least till Kamoshida had started to perve on her anyway.

"Sorry to interrupt, Suzui." Mishima paused, looking awkward and ashamed before continuing. "Uhm, Kamoshida sensei told me to get you."

"Huh? What does... he want? Ann, I..." The news made Shiho's eyes widen and she looked trapped while unconsciously grabbing Ann's hand. Ann frowned but still tried to be optimistic. There was just no way that that bastard would hurt Shiho would she?

"It'll be fine, I bet it's a meeting about the starting lineup or something." Ann's attempt made Shiho relax ever so slightly and she nodded her head.

"Yeah… Thanks, Ann. I'll see you tomorrow." Shiho followed Mishima off while Ann clenched her fist while trying to convince herself that everything would be alright.

"Yep. Good luck!" Who was she kidding? After what Kamoshida had tried on her today, she could barely save herself….

Leblanc

..

"You're home. I take it you actually went to school today?" Sojiro's rough voice made Masumi flinch. His bearded guardian looking at her warily while listening to the TV.

Masumi's stomach drop, she was going to greet him with a cheerful: "I'm back" but he had other plans as he shifted his seat to look at her directly. Still, it was a marked improvement to an empty home so Masumi gave a tentative smile and a bow.

"I did, I was early in fact…" She hated how her voice trembled a little at the start, she was still a little nervous, or perhaps high strung from her train journey home.

Ryuji was right, the train was packed! She felt like sardines in a can!

"I guess you learned your lesson after what happened yesterday. Eh, as long as you're not getting into trouble, it's fine by me, I don't need your problems I don't know what you've been up to. But trust me, you'll be gone if you start causing problems." Sojiro nodded his head when Masumi nodded vigorously, she was going to do her best to make sure her second chance wasn't wasted.

Before she could speak however, Masumi felt her phone vibrate and she took a quick peek at it, and smiled when she saw it was Ryuji asking for her help tomorrow once again.

Deciding not to reply that first, Masumi quickly looked up again at Sojiro who looked a little sour at being ignored for a message.

"Just stay away from bad influences, alright? I'm not telling you not to make friends, but you should hang out with the right crowd." The memory of Ryuji and how Kawakami sensei had warned her against him made Masumi's stomach churn. He was a good person! But Sojiro wouldn't believe her would he? Just like Kawakami-sensei, and how everyone didn't Shujin's an alright school and the teacher's are good-"

"No they are not!" The thought of the school, how it became a castle and how Kamoshida had preyed on her made Masumi sick. Sojiro wouldn't have known, but hearing him defend Shujin made her snap back in reflex.

"Oh-..." Horrified at her own actions, Masumi cupped her hand over her mouth and she took several shaky steps back. This wasn't how it was going to be, she was going to break the topic with Sojiro perhaps a little later when she could handle talking about Kamoshida and what he did without flaring up.

Time would serve to blunt her anger, but she had snapped at Sojiro without thinking and now he was surely going to kick her out of the house for being respectful!

..

Sakura Sojiro didn't know what had happened to the quiet and obedient girl that he had known for the past few days. He had imagined that she'll be exactly like her photo, all dolled up like a gaijin, dressing up all trashy and looking for trouble the moment she stepped into his place.

He was all ready to kick her out immediately, or at least within a month.

But when Kurusu Masumi finally came, she turned out to be a polite and quiet girl who kept to herself. His lack of preparation showed but she was a trooper, ignoring the lack of amenities and making the best out of her situation gained her some respect in his eyes.

She was not intrusive and a few times, even looked afraid when he approached her. While, knowing her circumstances, he couldn't blame her.

Being late on her first day aside, Sojiro saw no reason to kick her out yet. Her reason for being late could be false but Sojiro felt that she was more terrified than he was at being kicked out.

The girl deserved a second chance and hell, he had a soft heart against a vulnerable girl.

So when Masumi abruptly interrupted him during his monologue, he was more surprised than mad. Mad cause she had been terribly due, but surprised as Masumi looked even more shocked than he was.

She curled into herself almost immediately, face turning pale while she staggered back.

"I-I'm sorry!" Her mumbled apology was accompanied by her attempting to run away, tears already forming in her panic but Sojiro was faster. It was like watching time rewind itself, it was her and Futaba all over again and Sojiro grabbed Masumi's wrist before she could run off.

"Oi- what's the matter?" He could do it this time, to console a crying girl that needed his attention. He hadn't been able to the last time, and he had regretted it.

Now that he had a second shot, he was going to take it - stranger or not.

"Masumi? Talk to me." The teenager was stronger than she looked and as she stomped and thrashed about, Sojiro grabbed her other wrist before pulling it down to her side and trying again.

..

"Alright, alright!" He demanded in a loud voice and he grimaced when Masumi flinched and even shuddered terribly before slowly crouching down in response. It was an instinctive response to stop herself from getting hurt and Sojiro released Masumi's hands, backing away towards the door and pressing himself against it.

She'll bolt if she could, Sojiro knew.

God dammit, what did her father do to her if she had such an extreme response.

"Masumi, listen. He's not here." Sojiro couldn't think of any other way to try and reassure her, to snap her out of it. Perhaps this was a bigger issue than her mother had described.

Why did she and he ever thought that this was a good idea?

"O-Of course he's not. He's gone." Masumi's reply made Sojiro's eyes widen as the teenager slowly regained herself, her eyes flashing in anger before swallowing her tears and that spite he could see in her eyes.

She really, really hated him didn't she? Gods above, what did he sign up for?

..

"I'm sorry…" Masumi apologized, lowering her head and keeping that position for a while. She was ashamed and terrified still, but she had to remain strong. She couldn't break down like this again. Didn't she tell herself that she wouldn't?

It had taken months for her to get over that habit, the knowledge that he was there but she had succeeded. And yet she had reverted too so quickly. It was… difficult, if not for Medea, who whispered into her ears what she wanted to do to him. Did it make her a bad person if she felt incredibly satisfied and relieved after imagining it?

No, he deserved all he got if that truly happened.

It was also Medea who managed to stop her breakdown, stabilizing her with her promises of vengeance and she managed to stiffly recover herself.

Now she was just praying with all her might that Sojiro wouldn't kick her out for that outburst and that breakdown. Masumi was, was more controlled than that, usually! Without realizing it herself, Sojiro had triggered more than a few flags that had made her associate him with her father.

But he was nothing like that, Sojiro barely had any interest in her and she was a burden to him.

Why did she ever expect that he would even help out with her worries? She shouldn't involve him in the first place, to cling to the hope that he could do something.

Well, he couldn't and wouldn't, not to mention shouldn't.

It's her problem, and she'll deal with it, so -

"Alright. So… what got you in such a tizzy?" Sojiro's question made Masumi's head snap back and she stared at her legal guardian. "Something happened right? Tell me." He asked, not demanded as he walked passed her the counter and gestured her over.

"C'mon, something's obviously up." He was trusting her not to run? I mean, she could run off right now to not answer his question, so why was she following his suggestion and taking a sit at the counter.

"Here. I'll listen to you, so take your time."

..

The story came out easier than she imagined as she didn't remember most of it, all she remembered was Sojiro's expression darkening and him scowling at the very end. He was clearly as disgusted as she was, and once again, in the span of just a day, Masumi had met two individuals who would believe her.

Even if it was easier to not do so, for she was saying was more than a little messed up. But they did.

Sojiro and Ryuji believed her.

"So…" There was a lengthy silence where Sojiro just closed his eyes, he was probably going through what Masumi had told him. The girl in question wasn't sure what she expected from Sojiro, but just verbalizing what happened to her made her settle down significantly.

Despite Medea helping Masumi getting a rein in on her emotions, Masumi was also acutely aware of how emotional she was after awakening to Medea.

She wasn't usually this high strung, was she relapsing? It had taken her so many sessions before she was certified fine to go to school again. This was her second chance, she had barely started out!

"You aren't lying are you?" Sojiro's words made Masumi freeze and she was about to bolt when Sojiro continued. His eyes were focused on her but he already had one hand on her arm, he was not letting her go.

..

He was not letting her go. Sojiro might have reacted the first time without thinking, he was a fool to associate the girl that he knew with the daughter that he wished to have.

A part of him wanted to ignore her plea for help, it was probably more troublesome than he imagined to handle. But on the other hand, this was someone who wanted help from him.

He was just as much a stranger to her as he was to him, even if he was her guardian. He had certainly not behaved as such, but he was still her only ally.

Should he trust her? The Kamoshida, from what she described, was going to take full advantage of her reputation for his benefit and his only.

If she truly had the character that rumors painted her with, the girl wouldn't have hesitated to make the best out of the situation would she?

But here she was, asking for help and advise on what to do.

If she was lying, then getting kicked out was the least of her worries, but if she was speaking the truth…

He'll be kicking out someone who was a victim.

"I want you to understand that I do not know you, but here you are, asking for help in something that might ruin both our reputations." Sojiro continued calmly, fixing his gaze on the young child who was petrified again.

Both panic and outrage had shone when she stood up, Sojiro had been unsure whether she would hit him or run, but she had just frozen and listened.

Truly, a troublesome one.

..

"I'm not lying. Please… believe me." Masumi spoke softly as she felt so weary and tired that she didn't feel like defending or pleading to Sojiro any further.

If he was not going to help, she'll deal with it together with Ryuji. She already had one partner who would eagerly help her if she needed to after all.

"Alright. I'll believe you." Sojiro's reply was simple and yet life changing for it meant that Masumi would have a confidant with her troubles in school, right?

"So… this Kamoshida, I've heard of him. Pretty hard not to in fact, he's considered the ace of the school and he's pretty well liked." Sojiro rubbed his chin after pouring a cup of coffee to Masumi.

Masumi had never liked coffee, but she accepted the drink and sipped it and as expected, it was too bitter but she accepted the bitterness just fine. It suit her mood.

"You should know better than me how trust is important. Even if you are saying the truth, it's your word against him, and we all know who would come out tops in that encounter." Sojiro was verbalizing her thoughts, but it felt good that he at least agreed with her, not that it was difficult.

But having prior experience did help, like he mentioned.

"There's not a snowball's chance you will get to get him to stop, so what you need to do is to make sure he doesn't get the chance. You said he was perving on a friend of yours right?" Takamaki Ann, Masumi remembered that she had avoided his clutches for quite a while now.

"Stick with her, she knows what Kamoshida would do, and you got her out of a jam too right? Keep doing that." Sojiro's words didn't exactly give her any more ideas, but at least she had his approval.

"I'll speak to your sensei… I have an idea that might help get you out of trouble after work. She's Kawakami, right?" Sojiro rubbed his chin before nodding. "It's a hassle kid, but I'm the only adult you can talk to right?"

The small and yet lazy smile from the old man with a goatee wasn't supposed to be that charming, but Masumi would remember it for life.

..

"Hey I'm going to head home for the night. I'll lock the store up, don't go wandering out."

Sojiro left after fixing a small dinner for the two of them. He was as gruff as always, but he was more relaxed around her. He even managed some small talk about the friends that she had made, and had even laughed when she admitted that he wouldn't approve of them,

Heading up to her room, Masumi changed to her pajamas while still in a daze, she didn't even remember what she replied to Ryuji about the mysterious app that had appeared on his phone as well.

She was totally out of it, drained, exhausted and relieved at the same time.

There were more than one individual who believed her, that she was being threatened and harassed. Once was coincidence, but two individuals? Masumi couldn't help but feel hopeful that perhaps this really was the second chance she was given, as horrible as her few days at school was.

Still, it was only after Masumi had turned off the lights to try and sleep did she realize she had been crying all along.

It was a very heavy burden that had been lifted off her shoulders just sharing her burdens with Sojiro, and it had gone much better than he had expected. Perhaps he was just a old softie after all? She wondered as she drifted off to sleep.

Her dreams were not at all peaceful however...

Sakura Household

..

"Futaba?" Sojiro called out softly as he laid a plate of food outside of the door of her adopted daughter. The lights were still on, as with every night after Sojiro had caved into her demands to buy her a computer. He had never seen her so happy and subsequently, so obsessed with what she was doing on the computer.

He was however not foolish, there was only one thing that Futaba would focus all her fibre of existence to: her mother, Isshiki Wakaba.

"..." Sojiro stood there for a while, watching the pitcher of water and plate of food slowly cooling before shaking his head. He was projecting Futaba on Masumi, or perhaps the other way round.

Either way Sojiro cursed his luck or perhaps his soft heart for letting two very damaged girls to his home.

"... Remember to eat your dinner, Futaba. If you want more, it's in the fridge." He ran a hand through his hair before walking away. Even if he had no relation to Masumi, it was the same for Futaba, and who knows? He might learn a thing or two in dealing with Futaba as well through her interactions with her.

He certainly did have a better first few days with Masumi than Futaba, although that was not saying much. Dammit, Sojiro didn't want this. He had thought it'll be an easy assignment, but he should have known better.

If it was a boy, perhaps he wouldn't have been as soft as he was with the kid, he would be more independent and wouldn't come to him for help. Then again, if he had not unconsciously accepted the girl, he wouldn't have caved in that easily would he?

Like he had told Masumi, he was the only adult around and the only individual she could approach for help. Her mother was next to useless in this situation, she had washed her hands off Masumi.

Speaking of her mother, he should really get in touch with her mother to let her know about the developments in her life.

"Ah-" The door creaked open, surprising Sojiro and Futaba who had snuck out to take the plate of food. So distracted was he that Sojiro had placed the plate of food further away than he should have, forcing Futaba to have to leave the room to take the food.

It had been the first time in weeks that he was able to see his daughter and he tried a friendly smile without moving an inch.

Futaba was like deer in headlights, staring at him with eyes wide open before she slowly picked the plate of food up and bolted back into the room. A second later the door slammed shut and Sojiro chuckled softly before getting up from his leaning position.

"Good night, Futaba."

Both of them were just girls who needed help, what kind of adult would he be if he didn't offer it?

Velvet Room

..

"Welcome, to the Velvet Room." Masumi grimaced, averting her eyes from what she was saying once again. The same cell, the bluish atmosphere, the musty smell of running water made her feel sick. Still, she remembered what had happened the last time and after experiencing what she had in the Castle/Palace, she knew better to dismiss this as a dream.

The worldview that she had has changed, and it worried her in more ways than one.

"I thought about resuming our previous conversation tonight, as such I have taken the liberties to summon you." Igor, the long nosed old man smiled mysteriously at her and Masumi nodded, unsure how to respond.

"What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?" He asked politely and Masumi bit back the first thing that came to her mind. Instead she adopted a more conciliatory tone as she engaged Igor.

The two assistants that Igor had were standing guard outside of her cell, and Masumi glanced at them warily before replying.

"Let me go, I have done no wrong."

"Oho? Is that what you believe? You are here for a reason, what you believe is nonconsequential. Do understand that and apply your efforts on your rehabilitation." Igor's words made Masumi glare at him, but she stopped when a lightning baton came to live behind one of the guards.

"Tsk, I can't trust you. If you truly wish for me to avoid ruin, you would be helping me and not keeping me here."

"Your rehabilitation determines if ruin can be stopped, you must be the one to bring about salvation to yourself. You, and only you can bring about that change. Yet, at the same time, such a feat cannot be done by you alone. But today, you entered a partnership with someone who awoke with similar powers, haven't you?"

Igor's answer and question caught Masumi off guard and she nodded quietly in response. Ryuji, it must have been him but that means that-

"You've been spying on me all this time? And you never helped? We could have died there." She demanded, sounding a little hysterical at the end while the two guards swung to face her. Their expression were harsh and demanding but Masumi cut them off.

"What rehabilitation, what ruin! If I die, it's all over- there won't be any salvation or whatever bull that you're trying to sell you. You're just watching me struggle and suffer by yourself while sitting in your high and mighty chair and claiming help, why should I believe that you are helping me!? They two of your assistants have been threatening me all this time!" It might be the stress, or it might be her feeling outraged or it might simply be Medea urging her on. But Masumi spoke what she truly believed, and the words did have an effect, the two guards wavered and turned to Igor for clarification.

..

"Truly, you are a most unexpected guest." Igor remained calm despite the accusation, his long boney fingers fiddling with each other as he continued. "We cannot interfere directly, if we could, we would have. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." He paused and his smile dimmed. "You are here as fate has given you a chance to rebel against your ruin, plucking you from that stream of fate is something that you should be thankful for. Without our guidance, you will certainly fail against that fateful day." Igor's explanation made Masumi nod in acceptance, if they had already done her a favor by giving her the chance to avoid her so called ruined, perhaps they had done more than she had thought.

"Thank you for the assistance, and my apologies for overstepping my boundaries." Masumi does know her manners and she bowed to Igor fully, lowering her head for a few seconds before raising it to meet his eyes again.

The two wardens looked at her warily but when Igor chuckled, relaxed and went back to their position.

"Truly, a most unexpected guest. I had expected someone else, but it seemed that the streams of fate have other plans. Very well, back to the main topic, shall we?" Igor gestured and Masumi nodded.

"Involving yourself with others is an important foundation for your rehabilitation. You've done exceeding well. That said, I am not advising the formation of superficial relationships. It must not be of frivolity but a ring of those who would, by morals of faith, lend you their strength. In other words, they are bonds with those who have been robbed of their places to belong, just like you. A gathering of individuals with a shared common goal."

Masumi slowly nodded her head as she tried to digest that, Igor was suggesting to her to gather a like-minded band of individuals to help explore the Palaces? Wouldn't Morgana be involved as well, why did he just mention Ryuji then? He should have seen him...

..

"You mean the Palace or Castle, right? I have to explore them… they are part of this rehabilitation process?" Masumi asked and Igor nodded in agreement.

"That is the path that you must take in order to avoid ruin, as to why - you would certainly see in the days ahead. The expansion of said ring will in return will help you mature as well."

"The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Personas will gain." One of the wardens spoke, it was Justine, was it?

"There are countless people in the city who have talents that someone like you doesn't have, who share the same morals as you do. If you gather them to your side, you will be able to tap into that power." Caroline, the other warden who had threatened Masumi with her baton, added next. However she was more mindful than she was the last time, a grudging sense of respect from her as she met her eyes.

"Indeed, you should be prepared to use even myself or your ambitions will never come to fruition. Well, you will understand it all in due time. Continue devoting yourself to your rehabilitation. I will await you in our next visit." Igor clapped his hands together and Caroline gestured to the cell bed.

"Return to your slumber, till our master calls for you."

..

"Master, what do you mean by not being the one you expected?" Caroline asked as she stood in attention besides the cell. The inmate that was housed there had left the moment her master had dismissed her, and in the silence that followed, she found the courage to ask.

"It seems that not everything could be predestined. Her, her destiny is even murkier than what I would have believed, a truly intriguing find that surprises even me," As usual, her master was as vague and unhelpful while being helpful, a conundrum that still frustrates her even now.

"Do not worry, Caroline, I am certain that the inmate would be able to accomplish her goal with that conviction of hers, don't you think so, Master?" Justine interjected and her master nodded his head in agreement.

"Indeed, I shall look forward to her endeavors with much interest."

Leblanc

..

It was a relief to arrive at school on time again, and she couldn't have imagined it for Sojiro's smile was a little warm as he served her curry for breakfast. Considering how her mother had said she wasn't going to give her an allowance, her meagre savings would dry up soon enough.

That surprising windfall from Kamoshida's Castle had helped her lots, but she still needed to ensure her finances would stay in a healthy manner.

Earlier

..

"You want to work?"

"Not here, I saw some offers at the train station. I promise to only work around the area, most of them are in Shinjuku… I've always worked before, so… I hope, I can work...here too?" Masumi wilted at the end as Sojiro was staring at him, perhaps she had said something wrong?

"Your mother did send me some money for your expenses and rent-" He started but was cut off by Masumi.

"My mother wouldn't give more than she has to, finances are tight… and even if there are more, it should be for my medication."

"Your meds huh… you're still on them?" Sojiro took a seat and pushed the cup of coffee to her, which she accepted. It wasn't what she preferred, but it'll do.

"Yes, and no. I've been trying to not take them… it's easier sleeping here. But I might need them, maybe. And… I haven't relied on my mother since forever..." Masumi was not lying, but it might simply due to exhaustion rather than comfort. The couch that she had was a far cry from her home, but it was comforting in a way. "Sojiro-san?" Sojiro's gaze on her had sharpened considerably, and it made her nervous. She had just thought that perhaps she had gotten in his good books too!

..

She believed she was sleeping well? Sojiro would have snapped back at her if he hadn't tried to wake her up in a middle of a nightmare last night.

He had returned to Le Blanc late at night after realizing that he had forgotten to keep the curry that he was going to use tomorrow in the fridge.

After keeping the food safe in the fridge, he went up to check on the girl whom he was housing. Just to see how she was doing. If she was sleeping on the floor instead he might have to get her to get a futon instead of sleeping on the couch.

What he didn't expect was to hear her crying in her sleep, and he had to restrain himself to shake her awake to hear what she was mumbling in her sleep.

He was aware that Kurusu Masumi had issues sleeping, her mother had sent her a small packet of pills to dispense to her but she had not requested them from him thus far.

It was quite a heinous breach of privacy, but Sojiro didn't want to cross that final line between them by asking what she had been dreaming about.

Her quiet and repeated cries of "No", made Sojiro feel sick inside. He could only imagine what she experienced and he decided against waking her up, as cruel as it might be to her, he didn't know how she would react if she knew he was here overstepping her boundaries. Sojiro also made a mental note to check up on Masumi once a while at night as he helped pull the blankets over her again.

..

"It's nothing. As long as you get a good night's rest, it's fine. If you want the pills, I'll dispense them. As for you working, as long as you let me know when you'll be back, I'm fine. You'll be juggling your grades and work at the same time, you up for it kid?" Sojiro tried to lighten the mood by grinning at her and Masumi responded by nodding her head.

"I got to, or else I won't be able to eat." She didn't realize how… independent she seemed to be as compared to others of her own age. It seemed natural for Masumi and the older man sighed and shook his head. It was for the best really, at least she wouldn't be asking money from him.

"Well, aren't you an independent one. Just don't push yourself kid, a doctor's bill is more expensive than one for food. Speaking of which, there's one near by here, it's just at the other side of the road. The Takemi clinic…"

Shujin Academy

..

"Good morning, Ann."

"Hey, Masumi." Masumi was surprised when she caught sight of Ann just as she was exiting the station and she waved to her, getting a wave in return.

"Going to school? You can't be waiting for him, could you?" Masumi asked curiously, making a face and Ann laughed at her expression. Her friend was looking more cheerful than she was the day before as she scooted over to give her space to lean against.

"Of course not, I'm waiting for Shiho. She's my friend, she's on the next train… do you want to wait with me? I'm sure Shiho would be glad to meet you. You're quite the talk of the school you know." Ann winked while Masumi laughed, agreeing to meet a new friend.

..

"She's part of the volleyball team, and, she's not been well recently. The sports meet she says, but… if Kamoshida… no, I can't think that way." Ann's brows furrowed after the two of them conversed for a bit, Masumi felt bad in making Ann think about Kamoshida again, but she has been screwed enough to not discount what might be happening between the lines.

"You shouldn't just dismiss it." Masumi looked firmly at Ann, who looked horrified at her suggestion. "When was the last time that you really spoke to Shiho? The two of you are friends right. Does she know what he's trying to do to you? I'm sure that if she knows, she'll be able to share her concerns with you, especially if you have similar issues."

"I… I wouldn't think Shiho would hide such an important thing from me." Ann tried to explain but Masumi shook her head.

"You didn't tell anyone about what Kamoshida wanted with you right? That's why the rumors continued for so long. Don't ever assume, they say that: "Assume is also called: Ass out of u and me". Don't leave anything to chances, you were hiding the same thing from her right?" Though Masumi felt that Ann's appearance and aloofness didn't help any, but if the overwhelming majority of people believed the rumors, Ann's credibility would be shot to pieces even if she tried to deny it anyway.

If there was one thing that Masumi learned from her past, it was that she has to strike early and fast for the rumormill was like a Hydra, you can't kill it without extreme prejudice, similar to how fire would ensure the Hydra's head do not regenerate.

"I guess I did… you don't think Shiho really…"

"I am not assuming anything, I just think that the two of you love each other too much to want to burden the other, and that would only make things worse." Masumi was guilty of that as well, she had never spoken to anyone till it all came crashing down on her and everyone left her. Ryuji might know of some parts of her past, but not all of it. Would that come over to bit her in the ass? Undoubtedly, but she wasn't ready to tell him more just yet. They had a shared goal, and that was all. Even if Igor's suggestions hinted greatly that Ryuji was one of the 'relationships' that helped, Masumi wasn't going to take the words of the long nosed scary individual at face value.

Still, she'll have to give it some time before she's comfortable enough for her to let him know everything.

"Love?! Me and Shiho? Haha~ Our relationship is not like that!" Ann seemed to take her words the wrong way and she was blushing hard as she waved her hands in front of her. Masumi herself wasn't spared a light dusting of red on her cheeks as she chuckled softly. It wasn't for her to judge if Ann likes Shiho in that way, it's the 21st century, and if you are attracted to another individual, it's their own choice what to do with that knowledge.

..

"I don't mean it like that, but you have to talk to her. It'll help, and she can help you too if she knows. She knows that you're not dating Kamoshida, right?" Masumi was confident that wasn't the case, but if Shiho was, then that was the first misunderstanding to clear up.

Gods above, if Kamoshida was blackmailing Shiho by using Ann, or at the very least, using that assumed relationship to his advantage. That slimebag really must die, if not here then at the castle.

"She does, she didn't believe it in the first place… but she was happy and relieved when I told her. Oh gods, you might be right…" Ann bit her lip before flashing a relieved smile at Masumi in thanks.

"You're right, I'll do that… thanks, Masumi. Honestly, you're the only person besides Shiho that I can be honest with…. That sounds odd right?" Ann pondered while Masumi shrugged awkwardly, she just spoke what she thought was right after all.

"That just means you're admitting you are odd, you know that right?" Masumi's remark made Ann giggled but she perked up again as she waved at another girl.

"Ah- and there's Shiho! Shiho!" Ann called out to a black haired, ponytailed girl who waved at her as she approached them.

..

"So you're the transfer student, Kurusu-san?" Suzui Shiho studied her closely but then smiled and bowed, causing Masumi to do the same.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, please, take care of Ann as well."

"Shiho!? What's with that-"

"Ann looks much more energetic than she was a day ago, it must be because of you. Please do take care of my friend." The soft spoken girl smiled at Masumi, and that was very awkward for both Masumi and Ann in the face of the grateful girl.

"A-Ahh, Ann's my first friend here, er, girl friend here, I mean, a friend who's a girl here. I'll do my best!" Masumi stumbled on her own words only made things more embarrassing as the three of them headed to school together. Her reaction made Ann flush lightly as she tried to laugh it off, but Shiho simply smiled.

"Thank you, Ann you didn't tell me you made another friend. I might not be your mother, but I do care about you, you know?" Shiho chided Ann softly and the blonde flushed as she snapped back at Shiho.

"Well - you aren't my mum, like you said, so you don't need to know everything that I do. You're not my girlfr-" Ann covered her mouth while Masumi laughed, she couldn't help herself, this was fun. Now the tables were turned and Masumi found herself satisfied being in the background as Ann tried to explain to Shiho, failing miserable as she was stuttering badly all the while.

Taking pity on Ann, Masumi pulled Shiho aside, and she explained to her what her insinuation was. But it was Masumi who was caught off guard as Shiho simply covered her mouth demurely and giggling softly, not at all bothered by the suggestion.

"Is that so?" Girls in Tokyo were officially weird, Shiho's smile was a little unnerving too, making Masumi very uncomfortable when Ann blushed even harder as she saw Shiho smiling at her.

..

"Please, do take care of Ann. I've never seen her make friends so quickly before." Shiho called after Masumi while Ann had made a hasty retreat. Masumi turned around to see the tired looking girl looking after her friend worriedly. Masumi joined Shiho as she led them towards the bathroom, the less people overheard them the better. Masumi agreed wholeheartedly, but she was worried as well. What did Shiho want with her?

"Ann never had many friends, so I'm glad that you are friends with her. Regardless of how, or why, I can tell that Ann trusts you, so I trust you as well." Shiho was surprised when Masumi shook her head.

"I helped her out of a jam, and we're in similar situations, so I guess we hit off there. I don't know Ann that well."
"And yet she trusts you so much, it must be more than a simple jam that you got her out of." Shiho sighed before running her hand through her hair.

"Oh shucks, I'm running late… Let's continue this conversation another time. Thank you for listening to me and taking care of Ann. I'm sure that you'll be able to get to know her better soon." Shiho glanced at her watch before waving at her and leaving, leaving Masumi feeling more confused than ever. What was she trying to say to her again?

..

"Okay, listen up everyone." Kawakami sensei announced while looking over the class, "As you all know, today is the volleyball rally. Head to the gymnasium once you've changed, got it?"

Kawakami sensei's eyes turned to meet Masumi and she blinked when she sighed and called to her.

"Except you, Kurusu, meet me at the staff room before you go the gymnasium." The announcement made Masumi's blood run cold and she gripped her desk before Kawakami sensei rolled her eyes and clarified.

"There's some paperwork that you haven't filled out on your first day, honestly you're so uptight. I hope that translate to your studies…." Kawakami sensei huffed while Ann turned around to speak to her.

"Want to sit with me later? Shiho's part of the line up for the girls' team, she would appreciate someone cheering for her…" Ann trailed off when she realized Masumi was still looking a little stressed out. "Are you okay? You don't look well…"

It wasn't the announcement of meeting her in the staff room that made her blood run cold, it was the one prior to that as well.

"I'll be right back… and I'm fine, really…" Masumi's own voice sounded hollow as she practically fled, not even changing, leaving Ann behind.

"... Was it something I said?" Ann wondered quietly before shrugging, joining the girls who shooed the boys from the room as they started changing.

Shujin Academy: Staff Room

..

"I got a call from your guardian, Sakura-san. He asked me whether there was a possibility of you getting some tutoring done after school for awhile." Kawakami looked both impressed and harassed that the request came in, but for Masumi's part, she couldn't help but be thankful at Sojiro's arrangement.

That was a great excuse, it would give her a reason to be busy for awhile and avoid Kamoshida after school! He would be less inclined to approach her if there were witnesses, though it was a double edged sword.

He could request her to stay behind after all, but she was sure she could come up with something. If she could make herself too bothersome for him to try and get between her legs, he wouldn't try right?

"I am glad that you are taking an interest in your studies, or at least your guardian was responsible enough to approach me for help. Both of us are busy individuals though, and… as much as I empathise, I can't favor one student over another. That said however…" Kawakami sensei paused, her voice cracking a little in the middle of her sentence but she rallied to finish. "I've found someone who would be willing to go through some of the subjects with you, it'll be a temporary arrangement till I find someone permanent, but she'll be happy to have a study partner." Kawakami sensei then instructed her on what to do.

"You'll be meeting her at the library after the meet today, she'll be waiting outside of the library. The student council president won't be happy if you're late, especially since she'll be teaching you." Kawakami sensei smiled a little genuinely at the end.

"Try to get her to loosen up a little eh? If you can deal with Sakamoto, I'm sure it'll be easy for you to speak your mind to her."

..

"Niijima Makoto senpai, huh? I wonder how she's like." Masumi spoke aloud while making her way to the female washroom to change to sportswear. She had made plans to sit with Ryuji but the invite from Ann had made things awkward. Still the potential awkwardness could not compare to the reason she had practically fled from the classroom before the girls could change.

Having to meet with Niijima senpai threw another wrench in her plan to try and find a part-time job, but perhaps she could ask to leave a little earlier?

As Masumi reached the washrooms, she went through the place, making sure there were no one around before entering the last cubicle. Locking the door securely, Masumi slowly took off the school blazer that became a trademark of hers, extracting herself from it before untying the ribbon and her blouse. She felt extremely uncomfortable and uneasy, especially so when it came to her sleeves.

"..." Masumi slowly undressed, pulling her arm free while ensuring that the watch she wore was fastened securely even while extracting her arm.

With the task done, Masumi breathed a sigh of relief before pulling over the PE uniform in all of its white glory and turning her attention to her skirt instead.

A part of her felt disgusted at what she was doing, but it was for the best after all. No need to cause unnecessary panic.

Yongen Jaya - Takemi Clinic

..

"I swear, the kid would be the death of me one day. This is more of a hassle than I thought." Sakura Sojiro huffed in annoyance as he sat in the waiting room of the clinic that had helped Futaba so much.

The doctor who owned the clinic was Takemi Tae, some saw her as a quack with unorthodox medicines but she was the real deal, and she had been making house visits to check on Futaba's physical state.

The supplements and balms that she had prescribed for Futaba had helped her recover from what had happened to her much earlier than he could ever imagine, she was in such a sorry state at the start.

"You got a new kid, Sojiro? You can barely handle that first one." A woman's voice startled Sojiro and he turned to see a woman dressed in a doctor's robe looking at him while leaning out of the receptionist's window.

Takemi Tae had a bored look on her face but her eyes were attentive as Sojiro greeted her with a tired sigh.

"It's complicated, but unfortunately I've became saddled with another brat, and this old softie here who is good with child-"

"So another charity case, ever considered running a halfway house? Curry is certainly a cheap way to keep a house fed, although coffee with children is a bad idea," Tae cut him off while pondering the situation. "I had hoped you've learned your lesson the last time."

"Well, I guess not. But she's… a fighter, I think. I need a second opinion on the medicine that she was prescribed." Sojiro produced a bag of medicines that he handed to Tae. "Being a regular, you'll wave the consultation fee, right?" Sojiro chuckled dryly but when Tae's brows furrowed, Sojiro had the feeling that his good mood would be dissipating soon.

"She's been taking these regularly?" Tae asked quietly, settling back to her chair as she took note of the medicines with a notepad one by one. When she was done, she made several notes and even rescheduled them a few times while frowning.

"It's given to me by her mother, she told me that the kid knows what medicine to take. But I'm her guardian now, I'd like to know more on what the hell are these medicines for."

"Antidepressants, quite a mix of them too. There are some nasty side effects if she doesn't take them properly, and another can of worms if she DOES take them properly. Whoever prescribed these medicines were either overzealous or the child that you have taken on or she has severe issues." Tae looked at the paling Sojiro and asked once more, although kindly at that.

..

"How is the kid? If she's on these, she'll be as a handful as Futaba is, only she has a medical reason to be that way."

"What do you recommend, sensei?" Sojiro asked after a minute of two of consideration. Tae appreciated and liked that, it meant that Sojiro was at least taking her advice seriously. If he simply waved it off, she'll have difficulty viewing him in the same light.

The adopted father of Sakura Futaba was a kind, if gruff and flirty man, she had her reservations but his concern and care for Futaba had helped won her over.

She felt slightly bad that she'd ever considered him to be the one abusing Futaba, he was just a pushover to crying girls.

"You'll have to pay for a consultation, but ideally I would like to meet her to gauge what she would need. She doesn't hospital appointments to attend, does she?" All the medicines were easy to get off the shelf if she had a subscription for it, it was the combinations of it that worried her. If she could cut down on a few, it would help the girl immensely if she wasn't dependent on them.

"Well… she has quite the history…"

Shujin Academy: Gymnasium

..

"Hey, Masumi-chan. Are you alright?" Ann asked as Masumi sat down beside her. Ann had saved a place for her after all and Masumi smiled while nodding her head.

"I'm fine, Kawakami sensei just wanted to make an arrangement of a study session with one of the seniors." Masumi explained as she adjusted the sweatbands that she was wearing.

"Ah, I see… I guess you have to catch up with studies after your transfer after all…" Ann pondered out loud but she smiled afterwards. "If you need help with your English, do let me know. I can at least help that much."

"Thanks Ann, I'll do that." Masumi agreed before looking around the gym, the girls in her class were surprised at the two's friendship and it had became a little awkward between some of her newly found friends as Ann tends to monopolize her time.

Or perhaps Ann just shoved them aside intentionally, her reputation at school was awkward too but she was able to ignore most of them with grace, or at least bullheadedness.

Masumi wasn't sure if she could do that, so it was an awkward position for her as well. She would like to be at least passing acquaintances with her classmates….

"It's going to be pretty boring though… I'm not sure why Kamoshida wants to have this now. It's not like it'll help the team, they should really be resting." Ann sighs, her gaze turning to Shiho who was sitting with the rest of the team. She looked even tireder than earlier, if that was even possible.

"Shiho-san doesn't look good. She looks so tired." Masumi's words made Ann nod, she doesn't like the implications but she understood what she meant.

"She pushes herself too hard… but I should tell her to rest more, huh? I shouldn't take it for granted that she knows." Ann's eyes gleamed with determination and new hope while Masumi laughed, if a little bitterly.

It was easy to take things for granted indeed. Speaking of which.

"I need to speak with Ryuji too. … Maybe when the match starts, I'll go find him." Masumi's request made Ann look at her oddly before she sigh.

"You two are definitely up to something… just, don't get caught alright? Hey, don't look at me like that, it's not too hard to work out if you have all the pieces. You and Ryuji were wronged by Kamoshida, right? Actually I'm more surprised that you got him to wait for his chance." Ann laughed slightly when Masumi sagged. Very valid points by Ann.

"Don't worry, I won't say anything. Just.. give him hell, alright?"

..

"Hey, you didn't need to brush Takamaki off like that." Ryuji muttered quietly but still offered a quick grin when he petted the empty space besides him.

The two of them would stick out, with many people giving her curious looks but as she settled herself beside him with a notebook and writing materials, they looked away.

Masumi wasn't going to let them try to spread rumours about her in a negative way, looking like she was studying or lecturing him would do good for both their images.

She had thought of this little farce last night before she fell asleep, and had explained to Ryuji the importance of a cover so they didn't look too suspicious.

"I didn't, she encouraged me to get that Kamoshida pig too. Now start taking notes, we're just here because we can't help it." Masumi chided and despite groaning, Ryuji did start taking notes from where Masumi pointed out to him.

"I know… but couldn't you like meet me after the whole thing is over? Takamaki's on our side huh? That's good at least… she won't be able to give us insider stuff on Kamoshida right?" Ryuji struggled to find the right words, but managed it in the end.

"No she won't, she's not seeing Kamoshida, how would you ever believe that she could? Aren't you two friends?"

"Maybe… but Takamaki can't say can't she? She always seem strong, but that's cause she doesn't have much friends. She's a pushover… Huh, dammit, I'd have definitely helped her if I knew about him trying to get Takamaki to do that." Ryuji fumed and Masumi shook her head slightly at him, smiling at his protectiveness.

"Well, well… I'm sure Ann would be happy if she knew that, I'll let her know. Perhaps things might not've gotten this bad if you had interfered. Then again, he might have gotten you expelled right?" Masumi mused quietly before pointing out another part that Ryuji should take down.

There was absolute no need to look at the volleyball "meet", Kamoshida was just using it as an excuse to look call as he spiked the ball to the student's end without any mercy.

Many of them looked like they were ready to collapse at any time, and Masumi couldn't help but shoot dirty looks at the staff, many of them totally ignoring how the students were just so exhausted and outmatched.

This wasn't a movie - this was real life!

"You should go easy on the pen… it did nothing, Masumi." Ryuji's hand on her arm made Masumi look down at him in confusion and she let go of her pen in surprise. She was gripping it so hard that it was starting to bend and crack at the pressure.

"Whoops...Sorry…" Wow, who knew she could channel such strength even while outside of the Castle?

..

"He'll pay soon enough…" It was Ryuji's turn to grip his pen tightly, but Masumi nodded with concern that he didn't exert close to enough force to bend it like she did. What gave her the strength to do so? Maybe her pen was made out of shoddy materials. Still, it wasn't that important now.

The two of them watched in concern as a student was knocked down, Mishima Yuuki. Masumi remembered him mainly as the student who looked the most exhausted in class. She didn't know that he was a volleyball team member though. Still, Kamoshida quickly ran over to offer his help, but Masumi spotted the small smirk and look of disdain on his expression as he studied Mishima. Funny how it became obvious just because she know what to look out for. That man is a monster, plain and simple.

..

The match was resumed quickly after a couple of students carried Mishima to the infirmary and Kamoshida was back to his bragging and arrogant self, dominating the match and getting sucked up by everyone in his team.

"... Yes he would, he's not going to get away with this. Adults really are blind." Masumi agreed wholeheartedly with Medea's suggestions of enacting violence on that stuck up and arrogant git. "But the students are too…" Masumi sighed while Ryuji kept his notebook in disgust.

"I'm going to the washroom, it's about time for it to be over anyway. I'll meet you at the vending machines at the first floor." Ryuji gruffly spoke before he shuffled out of the gymnasium, giving a curt reply to the teacher who was standing guard at the door.

Guard, Masumi couldn't help but imagine the man that reluctantly let Ryuji leave in the same metal armour that the knights she had battled in the Castle.

The lackeys around Kamoshida were just as guilty, they had given Kamoshida this power that he lorded over them.

"I won't let him get away with this…" Masumi swore to herself as she watched the match continue, a sick feeling in her stomach.

Shujin Academy: 1st Floor

..

After saying her goodbyes to Ann, and wishing her luck in talking to Shiho, Masumi discreetly fell back and tagged along with her classmates who wanted to depart post haste from school before the event was over. Some of her classmates had even warned and advised her against associating with Ryuji. Glad to see that she wasn't the only one who viewed her associating with the notorious punk in school as odd.

It'd be different if she had a bad reputation as Ryuji, but offering to help Ryuji as repayment for a good deed would no doubt help to boost both their images.

While, Masumi explained to all that asked that he had helped her during her first day at school, and she was repaying him by helping him study. It wasn't like she was lying much or deviating from how she had told Kamoshida on her first day at school.

It had taken a while, but she successfully disentangled herself from them and headed straight for where Ryuji was.

..

"That asshole's acting like a king over here as well. Get to know each other better, my ass. It's just a one man show for him to stroke his ego. Now's our chance to go look for the guys we saw being abused yesterday. I'll be sure to find someone to spill about Kamoshida's physical abuse. Just you wait, asshole. I remember them clearly, don't worry!" Ryuji growled as he postured, however that effect was greatly diminished as he was holding two cans of soda, one for him and one for her while Masumi provided their 'cover', notebooks that she placed on the desk that was placed conveniently in front of vending machines in the courtyard.

"It'll be helpful to have a list of them though, but it's dangerous to leave it wrong too. What if Kamoshida wanted to search our pockets and find this? It'll get us and these guys in trouble." Masumi reasoned as she tapped her pen on the notebook. "So it's no good writing it down…"

"That's really smart, Masumi." Ryuji grinned as he sat in front of her but he grimaced when his notebook was pushed back to him.

"A notebook is for you to write on, Ryuji, now start taking notes. We're killing two birds with one stone. We can at least write down what classes our targets are in, no one can figure out what that means so it's a start."

At Masumi's insistence, Ryuji did start jotting down the notes that Masumi had taken.

"The first one that I know was a guy from Class D, so let's start from there. Hopefully you can get them to talk without any issues, people have been avoiding me lately, so…" Ryuji scratched his head while Masumi nodded, she'll have to find an excuse to talk to them and subsequently persuading them to talk.

That's… going to be fun?

"So, any luck?" A familiar, yet not so familiar voice appeared interrupted them and both Ryuji and Masumi jumped, looking around them in surprise. But there was no one around them.

"I, I wasn't hearing things, right?" Ryuji asked, his eyes wide and Masumi nodded numbly, looking around her before heading towards the pillars, maybe they were there?

"Over here, Lady Masumi. Underneath the desk." Only one individual called her "lady", and Masumi wasn't sure what to expect as she peered down below the table to see a cat staring passively at her, it's tail swishing every so slightly before it smiled. It was very very odd to see a cat smile, but Morgana pulled it off anyway.

As expected of Morgana, no wait, why was he a cat in the first place?!