Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction in dedication to a much grander work. As such, the author does not own the rights to any characters within this story, and any correlation between any original characters that may appear and people in the real world are merely coincidental.
Persona: The Trickster's Trials
5th Trial: Teachers, Talks and Trouble. The First Day Ends
4/11/Afternoon/Overcast
-Café Leblanc-
"Those two did what?! "
"Should've figured the kid would get himself into some sort of trouble. Didn't expect it to happen on the first day though…"
Sojiro couldn't help but let out an annoyed groan as he watched Niijima yell angrily at her phone. He was having a relatively peaceful day by his standards when he got a call from not only the school, but also the cops. According to the school, he kid and Niijima's sister never arrived at school, which set him on edge. A few hours later, Niijima showed up and demanded where the two were, to which he insisted he was as clueless as she was regarding their location. It was shortly after that the woman got a call from the cops over in the Aoyama district saying they found her sister and the kid wandering around in the streets. Apparently Niijima-chan was scolding some delinquent kid before school started when a group of perverts showed up and harassed the group, and instead of running to the school to get help like normal people, they decided to deal with the issue themselves.
It was an effective way to ruin an otherwise fair day…
"I told him to stay out of trouble, and this is how he responds? He even got Niijima-chan involved in this damn mess. It's like the kid wants me to give him the boot," Sojiro grumbled as he polished one of his good coffee mugs.
"From what I've been told, it seems like it was Makoto who initiated the conflict with the deviants hiding in the alleyways. Not Amamiya-kun. I wouldn't be surprised if it was true, though. She's too much like our father for her own good," Niijima muttered as she put her phone down and sat on the counter, causing Sojiro to stare at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Niijima-chan was the one who started this? That's pretty surprising. She's pretty demure, if a bit on the stiff side, from what I can tell," he said while fixing her a cup of coffee. "You said she takes after her father, yes? He was a detective from what you've told me about him in the past. Considering how dangerous that line of work is, it's not surprising you're not a fan of her emulating him…"
"You have no idea. She has idolized him ever since she was little… The two of them were always so close…" Niijima muttered while accepting the cup, a hint of bitterness that Sojiro caught easily, but never brought up. It wasn't his business.
"…I take it we're going to have words with the kids, then?" he asked.
"We're going to have to. They need to know how much of a short leash Amamiya-kun has and how severe the consequences of his actions are to others if they are involved in some way. I'm also going to need to talk to Makoto about getting into situations that she has no right to be in… Again…" Niijima sighed as she drank her coffee while Sojiro's surprised expression returned after hearing the last bit of her statement.
"Again? You mean she did stuff like this before?" he questioned.
"Yes, unfortunately. She has a bit of a habit of sticking her nose in other people's business. Especially if she believes she is able to help in some way," she said while shaking her head in exasperation. "In fact, she had been focusing on an instructor that I met during her school's festival until recently. For some reason she was insistent that the man in question was doing deplorable acts and was trying to uncover them. It got to the point where the principal informed me of what was happening and I had to intervene. It was a big headache for all of us… "
"Huh, who'd have thought…" Sojiro mused as he kept the newfound information in the back of his mind, "So, what kind of 'deplorable acts' did Niijima-chan say this teacher did?"
"Something along the lines of abuse and harassment. She was even saying the man wanted to have his way with me when we met. I honestly try not to remember the argument we had regarding it. It was absolute nonsense and further reinforced the fact that I shouldn't have had Amamiya-kun's grandfather convince me to go to that school festival," Niijima explained with a stoic expression, her story making Sojiro stare at her with wide eyes.
"She said that a teacher was abusing and harassing other people? And you didn't believe her?" he couldn't help but ask. Niijima-chan didn't look like the type of kid to make up stuff like that to get attention. There were a lot of disgusting people hidden in the world. He knew that from experience.
"Of course not. It's completely ridiculous," Niijima scoffed with her arms crossed in annoyance. "Shujin is my alumni and the staff are among the best. I doubt Kobayakawa would allow such a deviant to be an instructor. I'm aware of how the man sees me, I'm not oblivious, but he doesn't indulge in his desires. He knows his place. So long as he remains that way, there shouldn't be any issue."
"…If you say so," Sojiro sighed, dropping the subject as he watched the silver haired woman finish her drink and prepare to leave. If the man had to be honest with himself, he thought that Niijima was being a little too harsh on her sister. Sure, he only met her a couple of times, but she seemed to be a nice enough girl who actively avoids trying to cause any trouble. If anything, the girl seemed to have some self-esteem issues, which made sense, considering how much of a hardass Niijima was. He knew the signs all too well…
The man shook his head slightly to get rid of the dark thoughts before wishing his regular a safe trip home. It wasn't his business to deal with the girls' affairs. Whatever was going on between the Niijima sisters was a family matter, and he had no right to interfere. All he can do is simply let them deal with it themselves and hope that whatever happens doesn't mess with his ward's probation. Still though, he just couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Something big. And happening soon…
"…Probably just being paranoid, again," Sojiro sighed as he went to check on his curry and proceeded to go about his day without worries.
Besides, the kid had a lot of explaining to do as soon as he got back.
-Shujin School Gate-
"…Is this for real?" Ren muttered, him and the others looking incredibly confused as they stared at the school building warily; not seeing even a hint of the castle that had taken its place just moments ago.
"This is incredibly strange…" Makoto said softly as she looked around the area for anything suspicious.
"No kiddin'! This is the exact same way that we came here the first time! What the hell is goin' on here?!" Sakamoto pointed out while gesturing to the school.
"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you… We got a phone call from the police…" an irritated voice called out to the group, and they all looked up to see a stern looking man in a brown suit looking down at them from the school door with an irritated expression.
"The school counselor?! Dammit, the cops really did snitch us to the school!" Sakamoto hissed.
"They were gonna inform the school in the first place, Sakamoto-san. Didn't you hear them earlier?" Ren muttered softly to the infuriated teen.
"We are very sorry for being late, Mr. Nibui," Makoto apologized with a bow, prompting Ren to do the same while Sakamoto simply stared at the man defiantly.
"That is fine, Niijima-san. We were informed about the situation, so both you and your…assistant won't be in trouble," Nibui said with a smile, which strained a bit when he addressed to Ren in the end.
Knew it. Rest of the staff are dicks. Why am I not surprised? Ren thought in frustration as he withheld an exasperated sigh.
"As for you, Sakamoto-san, I must admit that I'm quite surprised to see you with members of the student council of all things. It's rare enough not to see you alone as it is, but to think you would be with President Niijima and her aid… That's quite unexpected," the counselor questioned in a mocking tone before becoming serious again. "Although the police told me of your involvement, I don't buy it one bit. So tell me; where exactly were you this whole time?"
"Uh… a… a castle?" Sakamoto answered unsurely, causing Ren to shake his head in annoyance as he heard Makoto sighed quietly in exasperation.
"So, you have no intention of giving an honest answer?" Nibui questioned irritably, his patience visibly wearing thin as he glared at the blond-haired teen.
"What's this about a "castle"?" a familiar voice spoke up, causing the three students to jump when they saw a tall man in a simple white shirt and black pants approach them. A man that they saw not too long ago in another place.
"Kamoshida!?" Sakamoto exclaimed in shock.
"Didn't you lock him up in that dungeon? How the hell is he here?" Ren whispered to Makoto.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I believe that the Kamoshida I sealed in the cage is different than the one in front of us. Look at his eyes," she whispered back, noticing that the man before them had normal dark colored eyes instead of the evil gold colored ones that she had seen on the robe wearing duplicate from before.
"You seem so carefree, Sakamoto. Quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team." Kamoshida said with a teasing smile, which easily set Sakamoto off.
"Shuddup! It's your fault that—"
"Sakamoto-kun, calm down. Now's not the time," Makoto said softly while placing a hand on Sakamoto's shoulder to calm him down while the counselor looked outraged by his remark.
"How dare you talk about Mr. Kamoshida that way! There's not much leeway left for you, you know?" he stated with a scalding glare.
"He's the one who provoked me in the first place!" Sakamoto shouted as he shrugged Makoto's hand off his shoulder.
"Do you really want to be expelled?!" Nibui questioned harshly before shaking his head in exasperation. "In any case, you'll have to explain yourself! Follow me!"
"What?! This is—"
"But Mr. Nibui, were you already told about the situation by the police? Everything they said about what happened was true, even Sakamoto-kun's involvement. I'm willing to take responsibility for all of us being late, since it was my fault to begin with. So please, go easy on him," Makoto requested as she stood before the two boys, making Ren smile in approval for sticking up for the blond, while Sakamoto was staring at her in surprise.
"Prez…?" he muttered.
"Oh, no need to do that, Niijima! I can handle it from here," Kamoshida insisted with a large, closed eyed grin, causing Ren to raise an eyebrow at his action and taking note of Makoto's annoyed stare as the large man turned to the counselor. "Come now, Nibui. I should've been more considerate, too. Let's just say that we're all to blame."
"Well, if you say so…" Nibui relented before turning to Sakamoto with a glare. "Still, you're coming with me. It's undeniable that you're extremely late."
"Fine…" Sakamoto sighed, well aware that he was not getting out of the upcoming discussion, while Kamoshida turned to Ren with a curious expression.
"By the way… You're that new transfer student, correct? Ren Amamiya, if my memory's right…" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's me. Nice to meet you, Mr. Kamoshida," Ren said politely as Sakamoto began climbing up the stairs to the school, pausing for a moment to give Kamoshida the hottest glare he could give, before continuing on.
"…Have we met somewhere?" Kamoshida asked with a curious expression, causing Ren to mirror his look in return.
"It was this morning, sir," Makoto spoke up, getting the attention of both student and teacher, "You offered the both of us a ride to school while you were picking up Takamaki-san. We declined the offer and you drove off to the school shortly after, remember?"
"That's right… I remember now," the gym teacher said while scratching his head as he recalled the event before giving the pair an easy smile, one that put Ren on edge. "…Well, I'll overlook this just for today. Especially since Sae worked so hard to get you in here. Can't have her ward or her sister get into too much trouble, after all."
His expression turned dark, though, and immediately Ren was reminded of the gold-eyed Kamoshida from before when he began to speak again.
"I'm sure you've heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you'll be expelled. Understand?"
"Not a problem," Ren nodded, his stoic expression easily hiding his annoyance towards the man.
"Good. I'd hate to see all that hard work and effort that Sae did for you all go to waste because you can't control yourself. Isn't that right, Makoto?" Kamoshida said while turning his attention to the auburn-eyed girl, his casual use of her name caused Ren to raise an eyebrow at him before turning to his impassive friend.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure he behaves. He's my new assistant, after all," Makoto assured him with a curt bow, causing Ren to mentally wince as he practically felt the waves of annoyance radiating off of her.
"See to it that you do, otherwise I'll have to get ahold of your sister and tell her that you messed up again. You don't want a repeat of that, would you?" Kamoshida said, causing Ren to wince when he saw Makoto twitch in irritation before noticing that the man was now focusing on him. "At any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office. Niijima will show you the way, and I'm sure that Ms. Kawakami's tired of waiting…"
"Will do," Ren nodded while giving a quick glance at his friend, who was tightening her fist in response to the man's poorly hidden threat.
"Oh, and one more thing," Kamoshida spoke up once more as he was about to leave, a taunting grin aimed at Ren as he spoke. "Good luck trying to enjoy your new school life."
With that said, the instructor walked back inside, leaving Ren and Makoto alone at the school entrance and staring at the same spot Kamoshida was standing at before the dark-haired teen let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his forehead in annoyance while noticing that Makoto was taking some deep breaths to calm herself.
"Why does crap like this always happen to me…?"
"I know the feeling. Hopefully things will get better eventually now that we're finally in Shujin," Makoto said in a tired tone as she started going up the stairs. "In any case, we should hurry and go. Ms. Kawakami must be worried sick about us."
"Either that or annoyed that we wasted four hours of her time making her wait for us," Ren countered while giving the brunette a deadpan stare.
"…That is a possibility," she relented as the two entered the school and made their way to the faculty office on the second floor, frowning at the negative looks and whispers that they were getting from the other students. "I don't believe it. Everyone in the halls seems to be aware of your record. How is that possible? No one is supposed to know about it..."
"I'm not surprised. Rumors spread fast in schools. Trust me," Ren sighed while scratching the back of his neck, fully expecting the students of the school to know about his arrest.
"I'm aware of that, but it seems really odd that they are already saying things about you. Not to mention incredibly unfair. You haven't been in school for even a minute and everyone is judging you," she pointed out, appearing quite worried.
"It's fine, Makoto-senpai, it doesn't bother me that much. I'm more worried about you, though, if I can be honest," Ren said while muttering the last part to himself, only to mentally curse himself when he saw Makoto turning to him in surprise.
"…What do you mean?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a bit of rambling. Are we at the faculty office yet?" he deflected as he stood in the middle hall that had few doors on either side of the wall, one of the doors leading to the principal's office if he remembered right.
"Yes… It's right over here…" Makoto said slowly while pointing at a door on the left side of the hall.
"Alright then, let's get this over with…" Ren sighed as he opened the door to the office, ignoring Makoto's scrutinizing gaze as she followed him and entered it, and walked around for a few moments before finding Kawakami sitting nearby filling out paperwork. With a nod from his friend, he walked up to her to get her attention when she noticed him approach and let off an exasperated sigh.
"Unbelievable… Being over half a day late on your first day…? Can you explain yourself…?" She asked in an annoyed tone.
"I learned that perverts are persistent and go for the chest in more ways than one," Ren said evenly while rubbing his own chest, absentmindedly recalling when the other Kamoshida and the Bedside Brute both kicked him in the torso and still feeling a bit of the pain from those assaults while the teacher looked at him blankly.
"Excuse me?"
"It's a long story, Ms. Kawakami," Makoto sighed while rubbing her forehead in exasperation.
"Alright, I won't ask about the details, but I did hear that the two of you came to school with Sakamoto-kun. Care to explain that?" Kawakami asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That…is also part of the long story, ma'am," Makoto admitted with a nervous laugh.
"Niijima-senpai was trying to convince him to change his hair color back, he was being stubborn, and things snowballed in the worst way possible after that…" Ren explained in a swift and polite manner, silently hoping that the woman would not want any more details.
"…You know what, don't tell me anything anymore. I don't want to know…" the teacher sighed tiredly, much to Ren's relief. "In any case, please don't associate yourself with Sakamoto-kun too much. He's nothing but trouble… Although he wasn't like that when he was devoting his time to track and field…"
"I remember that as well. He was quite dedicated to the sport until the fallout," Makoto nodded while Ren looked at the two in confusion.
"Fallout?"
"Ask Niijima-san here about it after class. Break's almost over," Kawakami stated, "Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident. I'll have you introduce yourself when class resumes. There will also be no student council after school either, so you'll have to be introduced to the other members tomorrow morning, understand?"
"I do. I'll be here early tomorrow for the meeting." Ren nodded.
"I guess I'll be taking my leave then. I'll leave Amamiya-kun in your care, Ms. Kawakami," Makoto said with a bow before turning to her friend. "Do you think we can meet up together after school? I would like to talk about…what happened this morning with you, if you don't mind."
"Of course," he answered with a nod to her as well, causing her to smile faintly at him before taking her leave. Smiling slightly in return, he turned his attention back to his teacher, only to frown in confusion when he noticed she was staring at him curiously
"Um… Not to pry or anything, but is there something going on between you two that I should know about?" Kawakami asked.
"What do you mean?" Ren questioned, growing more confused when Kawakami let out an annoyed sigh.
"Never mind. Just… Follow me," she requested as she stood up and walked out the door with her student close by. "By the way, when you introduce yourself… Be serious about it, even if you're lying to the class, ok? Do not say anything unnecessary."
"Understood," Ren nodded, though he knew that it was going to be pointless at this point thanks to all the quiet talks and harsh looks he was getting since entering the school. He had no doubt in his mind that his class was going to dislike him. The fact that he showed up late on his first day wasn't going to help either. Quietly sighing to himself, Ren put up an impassive expression as he followed Kawakami into a room labeled Class 2-D, most likely his home room, and was completely unsurprised when he was greeted by the sight of multiple teens staring at him with looks of disdain and distrust.
…Yup. This figures, Ren thought dryly as he gazed at the other students blankly, slowly growing more annoyed as he heard the others mutter about him.
"Being super late on his first day? He really is insane…"
"He looks normal though…"
"But he might slug us if we look him in the eye…"
"I heard he showed up with President Niijima of all people? Do you think they know each other?"
"Haven't you heard? This guy's supposed to be her new assistant…"
"The President managed to get this guy to be her bitch…?"
"Wow, wasn't expecting her to do something like that…"
"Settle down," Kawakami called out, much to Ren's silent relief, "Well, I'd like to introduce a transfer student: Ren Amamiya. Today we…had him attend from the afternoon on since he wasn't feeling well."
Still not feeling well, technically. Wonder how long will it be until I stop feeling like my arms are burning or someone chucked a couple rocks at my chest… Ren thought as he resisted the urge to rub his arms or chest to alleviate the pain.
"Alright, please say something to the class," Kawakami ordered, snapping him out of his thoughts and forcing him to turn to the others with a nod.
"Nice to meet you all. I hope we can get along," Ren said politely, trying his hardest to keep his eyebrow from twitching in annoyance when he heard a couple girls talk about his assault charge. Even Kawakami seemed uncomfortable by the words as she tried to speak.
"Uh, so… Your seat will be… Hmm…" She muttered before noticing an empty spot near the end of the class by the window. "Right over there. It's the only one that's open. Hope you don't mind."
"It's fine," Ren agreed easily. He just wanted the day to end with as little issues as possible.
"Good," She said before turning to the students around the empty seat. "Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with him for today?"
So much for making a good first impression… Ren mentally sighed as he walked towards the seat and ignored the murmurs going on around him like it was second nature to him. I guess this is what Kamoshida meant when he wished me luck in regards to my school life. This year's gonna be hell…
"…Lies."
"Huh?" Ren paused, looking to his side to see the flashy blonde student from the morning glaring at him intensely, who immediately turned away when he focused on her.
Weird… he shrugged as he sat down on the desk behind her, becoming even more annoyed when he began hearing a few things regarding him and the girl before him.
"Do those two know each other?"
"Did he hit on her before transferring here?"
"That means she's cheating on him with Mr. Kamoshida."
"It's not that surprising. It is Takamaki-san, after all."
"I heard that the new guy's also getting it on with Miss President too. That side of the room is totally awful."
"Oh, right! The volleyball rally's in two days…" Kawakami suddenly spoke up, getting the students to quiet down. "Everyone's just changed classes, so make sure you use that time to get to know each other. Well then, let's get class started. Who's on duty today?"
"Everyone, please rise," a solemn looking young man with bruises and a bandage on his cheek spoke up as he stood, prompting everyone else to stand as well.
And I thought I was beat up. Is that guy ok? Ren thought as he stared at the plain looking boy in concern before focusing back on Kawakami. Not my problem. Right now, I just want to focus on having a normal and relaxing school life so I can go back home to Dad and Sumi after my probation is over…
Oh who am I kidding? Between what happened this morning and how everyone in school's badmouthing me and most likely the only friend I'll ever have in this place, there is no way things are gonna be normal anymore, let alone relaxing. Dammit, I'm screwed.
Afterschool/Sunny
-Shujin Academy Second Floor-
Well that was as much of a nightmare as I was expecting, Ren thought despairingly as he exited his homeroom class. The entire time he was in the room he couldn't pay attention to whatever lesson Kawakami was giving at all. All he could see and hear were his classmates judging him and spreading rumors about him. What got to him more were the ones that insinuated that he was forcing himself on Makoto or using her in ways he'd rather not recall hearing, lest he end up losing himself to his family's 'Dragonic Temper', as his father called it.
The elder Amamiya always did have a way with puns, and Ren found it funny that he ended up inheriting that trait. It made annoying his sister all the easier, at least, so he didn't complain too much.
I'm starting to think that Makoto-senpai had a point with these rumors, he mused when he stopped just past his classroom door. I was expecting a bit of talk since I'm the new guy, but nothing like this. Everyone is getting word about me too fast to be normal. Dammit, what the hell is going on? At this rate, I won't be able to join any clubs so I can have some semblance of peace while I'm at school. God knows I won't be getting any in the student council… I owe Coach another punch in the gut for getting me into it back at my old school in the first place… And maybe a third one if it turns out this place doesn't have a baseball or soccer team…
… Wait a minute, what?
Any and all thoughts that Ren had were immediately halted at the sight of the hallway before him. It didn't last long, only for a few moments or so, but somehow, the other students had vanished right before his eyes, the floor was suddenly covered with a red carpet, and the lockers had been replaced by green couches of all things, before returning to normal. To him, it was like he was back at the castle again. It was almost as if the school and the castle were one and the same. It didn't make any sense to him at all, and it was starting to hurt his head trying to figure out a connection between the two vastly different areas.
What was that…? Did it have something to do with…what happened earlier? What's going on, here? he thought in confusion as he held his head in pain. He wasn't even aware that he was attracting attention before he felt someone touch his shoulder, and turned his head to see Kawakami looking at him with a mix of confusion and concern.
"What's wrong?" Kawakami asked.
"…I'm fine, Ms. Kawakami. The run in I had this morning just took more out of me than I thought," he assured. He didn't want to tell her that he saw the school halls suddenly get the European treatment for a split second, even if he knew she wouldn't believe him.
"…Alright, then. As long as you're fine," Kawakami relented before she scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably and let off a tired sigh. "Well… Looks like people are talking about you quite a bit. I'm surprised that they know about you already."
"Makoto-senpai said the same thing when we were on our way to the faculty room. Told me it was odd that everyone is aware of my arrest so quickly," Ren stated, his mind feeling a little better now.
"She's not wrong. It's a little concerning. Especially since very few people outside of the faculty are supposed to know about it," Kawakami explained, making Ren turn to her curiously. "Seems like someone caught wind of the details about you and decided to spread it around. This is not going to be easy for either of us. Or Niijima-san, seeing that you're supposed to be her assistant in the council now. Ugh, I can never catch a break…"
Damn. Looks like people are already getting caught into the drama that is my life, Ren thought sadly as guilt began to well up in him.
"In any case, you should head straight home from here. Best not to make any stops. Niijima-san's sister got a call from the police that found you and did not sound happy when she was informed of what happened. She was still stewing when we called her and Sakura-san for a follow-up report shortly after you arrived. Sakura-san himself was also quite angry about all this as well, which isn't all that surprising."
"Sis knows about this morning?" a worried voice spoke up from the stairs, prompting the pair to turn to see Makoto walking up to them with a concerned expression, obviously bothered by what she had just heard.
"There wasn't any other choice, Niijima-san. With Amamiya-kun's predicament, we have to involve his guardian and parole officer about any incidents that he is involved in. I know you said that it wasn't entirely his fault, but it's still something that needs to be reported," Kawakami explained, looking genuinely apologetic as Ren noticed the growing fear in the student president's eyes.
"No…" she whispered as she looked down to the floor while gripping her bag tightly, causing Ren to worry and prompting him to try and calm her down.
"Senpai, it's ok. We'll give Niijima-san the details about what happened this morning as soon as we get back. If we explain the situation to her and Boss, I'm sure they'll let us off the hook," Ren said with what he hoped to be an encouraging smile while gently patting her shoulder. Despite his assurance, he had a feeling that things will not go all that smoothly for either of them, and that just made him feel even more guilty for inadvertently getting his new friend in trouble with her sister.
"Geeze… Now I'm starting to feel uncomfortable about all this," he heard Kawakami mutter to himself, and looked to his side to see her turning away from the pair. He couldn't exactly blame her, though. Trying to console a frantic girl wasn't easy. Hell, he had a fair bit of experience with it thanks to being a brother, and he still had a hard time with it more often than not. Sighing quietly to himself, he went back to comforting his friend when a familiar voice called out to them.
"Hey Prez. New guy. Is somethin' wrong?" Sakamoto asked as he walked towards the group with a concerned expression towards Makoto.
"Well look who it is. Wasn't expecting you to be here, Sakamoto-kun," Kawakami said with a stern expression and a hand on her hip. "I heard the police that you were cutting classes and that the Student Council President and her assistant had to drag you to class."
"It was nothin'," Ryuji muttered as he looked away.
"And you didn't dye your hair back to black either…" she sighed while staring at the blond mop of hair on the delinquent's head.
"Already had the riot act read to me about that from Miss Prez and her helper, Teach… One of the reasons why we were late in the first place," Sakamoto grumbled while turning to Ren, who immediately got the hint and looked back at Kawakami with a nod.
"I see…" Kawakami hummed, eyeing Sakamoto suspiciously.
"I bet," he said softly before turning to Ren and Makoto and whispered to them. "I'll be waitin' on the rooftop. Meet me there when Prez calms down."
Ren nodded as he watched Sakamoto walk up the stairs and began heading towards his destination. He turned to his teacher, who simply sighed and started to walk away, warning him to not get involved with the blonde as she left and leaving him alone with Makoto. He then turned to his friend, who was looking less distressed as before, and was about to talk to her about joining him to meet with their mutual acquaintance when he noticed a pair of familiar figures from the edge of his vision.
"Why did you allow a student like that to transfer here? He's beginning to corrupt Niijima and started associating with Sakamoto…" Kamoshida asked Kobayakawa, the pair standing near the stairs and unaware of Ren and Makoto being right near them and speaking loud enough for the pair to hear their conversation. "Seriously, a student with a criminal record? The culprit of an assault case, even. At this rate, it'll be pointless how much I contribute to this school."
Contribute? What does he mean by that? Ren thought while looking at the coach oddly, frowning when he felt Makoto twitch in his grasp.
"Now don't be like that…The school counts on you, Kamoshida-kun. You're our star," the principal said kindly in an attempt to placate the man before him before shaking his head with a small frown. "Still, a steady buildup is necessary for such brilliance as well."
"…Your troubles never seem to end, do they Principal Kobayakawa," Kamoshida sighed before putting up a grinning face towards the man. "Alright, I understand. I'll continue to do my best to answer your expectations of me."
Ren watched on as the two staff members went their separate ways, curiosity welling up inside him as he began to ponder on what he had just heard. He honestly had no idea how much of a bigshot Kamoshida was to the school, but if Kobayakawa's words were anything to go by, he seemed to be quite the huge one. He turned to Makoto to see if she could give him any information about the guy, but paused when he saw her face. Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was in deep thought, but whatever she was thinking…it probably wasn't pleasant if the scowl on her face was anything to go by. He thought about leaving her be; he had caused enough trouble for her for today, but if he had to be honest, he was still a little concerned about her and her obvious insecurities and low self-esteem.
It hit a little too close to home for him.
"Makoto-senpai? Is… Is everything ok?" He asked softly.
"…Yes. I'm fine, Ren-kun. It's nothing," Makoto said just as soft while shaking her head before turning to Ren with a weak smile. "Sorry for worrying you, but it's fine. Why don't we go see Sakamoto-kun and see what he wants to say?"
"Alright. Lead the way," He relented with a shrug as Makoto led him to the stairs, ignoring the whispers they were hearing as they continued on to their destination.
"I'm wondering how Sakamoto-kun managed to get up to the roof. No one is allowed to be up there, usually," Makoto mused as they neared the end of the stairs, where Ren could see a hint of a door appearing just in his line of sight.
"Wait, 'usually'? There are people who are allowed up here?" Ren couldn't help but ask, his curiosity taking over.
"I'm aware that there is at least one student that has recently been given access to the roof with the school's permission. I believe she's a classmate of mine. I don't know exactly why she was given access, but she has yet to cause any issues, so I don't mind," Makoto explained as they reached the lone door at the top of the stair set. "We're here. Let's go see what Sakamoto-kun wants."
"Alright." Ren nodded as Makoto opened the door, and the two walked outside to see Sakamoto sitting in a chair near a group of desks, using his leg to rock himself and staring at what appeared to be small planters with actual plants growing on his right side.
"Hmm, so these are the things Senpai was asked to look after. Gotta help her with these things when I can," Sakamoto muttered to himself while looking at the planters, causing Ren to raise an eyebrow at the words before dismissing the thought and walked over to the blond to get his attention. "There you are. And it looks like Miss Prez is doin' better now. That's cool."
"Sakamoto-kun, normally I would tell you that you are not allowed up here and ask that you leave," Makoto said with a stern tone and hard eyes, causing Sakamoto to turn to her irritably, before she let off a tired sigh and sat down on one of the nearby desks in a pristine manner, "However, I have a feeling I know what you want to talk about, and this is the only place in school that will give us some privacy, so I'll allow it for now."
"Heh, glad to have your permission then," Sakamoto said with a hint of a smile before turning to Ren, who had simply decided to lean on the farthest desk and looked at the blond with a curious stare. "Sorry for callin' you two up here like this. I bet that Kawakami told you stuff like 'don't get involved with him,' huh?"
"Something along those lines. Said you were trouble," Ren admitted with a shrug, recalling the conversation he had with his homeroom teacher just moments ago.
"Heh, looks like the two of us are on the same boat," Sakamoto said with a small grin, making Ren blink a couple times in confusion. "I heard you got a criminal record. Everyone's talking about it. No wonder you were so gutsy."
"So, it's true… Everyone does know about Ren-kun's record…" Makoto muttered, getting the boys' attention. "It's really strange how everyone is aware of it. That information is supposed to be known only to the school faculty and myself in order for him to lead a steady school life without being bothered with his past, but it seems like someone has managed to learn about his arrest and began spreading the word to the students. This is greatly concerning…"
"For real? So no one's supposed t'know? His record is the only thing everyone's talkin' 'bout right now. That blows, man," Sakamoto said in a sympathetic tone towards Ren, who simply nodded back to him with a wry smile, before turning to Makoto curiously. "But wait, if only the school staff were supposed to know 'bout his past, how come you got permission to know?"
"My sister is his probation officer and I was asked by her to look after him during school to make sure that he doesn't cause any trouble. She even got him signed up for the student council so I can keep a better eye on him," Makoto explained before letting off a solemn sigh and looked at her friend in sympathy. "Although it looks like trouble has found him instead…"
"Happens more often than you think. I'm more or less used to it at this point," Ren said with a shrug, growing slightly confused when Makoto looked at him in concern.
"You talkin' about this mornin', right?" Sakamoto asked as he leaned forward. "Do either of you know what happened? We nearly died back in that castle. It wasn't a dream, was it?"
"I don't believe so. It felt all too real for it to be a dream," Makoto shook her head as she gave her opinion.
"Definitely not a dream," Ren agreed as he felt the faint pain that still lingered in his arm and chest.
"Well, just 'cause the three of us remember it doesn't mean much, though…" Sakamoto pointed out before leaning back on his chair and giving Ren an appreciative grin. "I mean, even if it was a dream, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah, thanks, Amamiya."
"I would like to express my thanks as well, Ren-kun," Makoto spoke up with a soft smile on her face. "If it wasn't for you, we would all be still in the castle, you and Sakamoto-kun dead and me…well, you know."
"I do," Ren nodded with an intense look in his eye as he recalled the implication that the other Kamoshida made when it came to Makoto's punishment.
"In any case, you have my gratitude. If you have any trouble while you are in school, come to me and I will do whatever that is in my power to assist you. It's the least I can do," the lone girl of the group offered with a smile, the sight of it and Sakamoto's heartfelt thanks making Ren's worries melt away for the moment.
"It was nothing. I just did what I had to do to help. My Gramps always taught my sister and I to never leave a comrade behind, so I got your backs too, if you need it," Ren offered with a small smile and a hand forward.
"Heh. Wow. Thanks, man. You're a pretty stand up guy, you know that?" Sakamoto accepted with a massive grin as he grabbed Ren's hand firmly and shook it.
"He certainly is," Makoto nodded with a soft smile, causing Ren to blush slightly at the sight as he ended the handshake.
"But man, that Kamoshida we saw there…" Sakamoto suddenly spoke up, getting Ren's attention.
"Indeed…" Makoto nodded, causing Ren to look between the two curiously.
"You two talking about that buff guy we saw in the castle and in front of the school, right?" he spoke up.
"Yup, that ripped mop-headed asshole who was full of himself at the castle," Sakamoto confirmed with a sneer.
"As…vulgar as Sakamoto-kun's description of Mr. Kamoshida is, I'm ashamed to admit that it is pretty accurate," Makoto agreed reluctantly with a nod.
"Considering you called him an asshole after caving his face in, I'll take your word for it," Ren nodded, his eyes twinkling in amusement as he saw Makoto's face flush as she recalled both her words and actions once more, before turning back to Sakamoto with a serious expression. "So, what's up with him? I heard Principal No-Neck kissing up to him back at the hall before we showed up. How much of a hotshot is that guy?"
"Principal No-Neck? Heh, that's pretty good, man," Sakamoto grinned at the insult, the boys missing Makoto's annoyed glare at the two for the insulting nickname, before he adopted a more somber expression as he leaned downward from his seat. "But yeah. The prick's as big of a hotshot as you think. No one says anything against him 'cause he's a medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals. Even Prez here was trying to find some guys who were willin' to speak up against him until she suddenly stopped at the beginning of the third term last year. Not sure why she stopped, but knowing Kamoshida's M.O., he probably snitched on her sis and she forced him to stop. Wouldn't surprise me…"
Ren blinked a couple times as he recalled Kamoshida saying the same thing back at the school entrance before turning to Makoto, who was looking down in shame in response. He frowned at the sight, wanting to ask for the details, but held himself back. It wasn't the time to ask about such things. With that in mind he turned his attention back to Sakamoto, who didn't seem to notice his actions as he continued talking.
"Anyways, the way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real because of that… I wonder if we can go back to the castle again…?"
Ren raised an eyebrow at Sakamoto, a little surprised by his words. He didn't expect him to actually want to go back to the place where they were almost killed. If it was him, he would stay as far away from that place as he could. He had dealt with a fair number of life-threatening situations in the past, but the castle was on a whole other level. In all honesty, he would rather stay away from that place were it not for the fact that he somehow got superpowers and met a strange talking cat creature that knows about them in there.
If it is possible to get back to that place, maybe I could finally get an explanation on all the weird shit that's been happening the past few days. I wonder if the fuzz bucket knows Igor and those weird twins? Ren thought before glancing at Makoto, who was looking down in thought. Wait, is she also thinking about going back there? Why would she do that? I thought she was the most cautious out of the three of us. What could make her even consider going back to that hellhole?
"Argh! Forget it! Must've been a dream! It has to be!" Sakamoto shouted out in frustration, snapping Ren out of his thoughts and causing him to stare at his loud acquaintance in annoyance.
Tell that to my chest and arms, he thought as he watched the punkish teen get up from the chair and gave the pair a wry grin.
"Sorry for draggin' you two out here like this. That's all I had to say," Sakamoto apologized as he stood up from the chair with a wry grin on his face.
"Don't worry about it, Sakamoto-san. It's fine," Ren assured with Makoto nodding silently in agreement.
"Heh, call me Ryuji. You too, Prez, if ya want. Even if it was a dream, we've been through too much shit to be formal around each other," Ryuji grinned at the two before focusing his attention on Ren, "You know, we might be pretty similar, dude. I feel like we're gonna get along just fine as 'troublemakers'."
"Heh, maybe. And if you can call me Ren. Fair's fair, after all," Ren answered with a smirk as he held a fist out, prompting Ryuji to bump his own fist to his before the punkish teen turned to Makoto apologetically.
"And Prez, sorry for rilin' you up back at the castle. You were kinda badass back when you knocked out that weird Kamoshida thing. Honestly, I think you should loosen up a bit, but you're not all that bad, actually. Think we can be friends?" Ryuji asked while offering his hand to the student president, who was looking at it with wide eyes for a moment before schooling her expression.
"…While I do admit that your actions and behavior could use a lot of work, you are not too bad yourself…Ryuji-kun. I believe we are more or less acquaintances at this point, but I'm sure we can be friends in the very near future, And…you may also call me by my first name, if you wish," Makoto said evenly, but gave Ryuji a small smile and a firm handshake, and that seemed to be enough for him.
"Alright. I'll take it," Ryuji grinned before turning to Ren, "I'll come talk if I see ya around, Ren. Don't ignore me, alright?"
"I'll try not to. Take it easy, Ryuji-san," Ren agreed with a chuckle before waving his new friend off, turning to Makoto just as he left. "You know, he really isn't all that bad. Rough around the edges, but I can tell he's a good person. He actually reminds me of my cousin back at my dad's hometown. Especially the hair."
"Really? Are you two close?" Makoto asked as she got up from her seat.
"Pretty much. He's family, and my sister and I see him as a cool and awkward older brother. He actually used to act like Ryuji-san back when he was in high school, but changed his ways when he made friends with a bunch of good people. He even hooked up with one of them shortly after their third year started and they're still together," he nodded before pointing a thumb to the door. "Well, I think we've been here for too long. Wanna head back home and face the music. I'm pretty sure that Boss is going to have a few words with me as soon as I get to Leblanc. And I'm sure you're gonna get a big lecture from Sae-san as well."
"Yes… I know I will. And it wouldn't be the first time I'll be getting this lecture," Makoto said sadly, with Ren looking at her sympathetically, before the two of them exited the roof.
As they exited the school and walked towards the station, Ren noticed that Makoto was looking quite pensive, and couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. It must've been very serious if she was making such a face. If he had to guess, it had to be either their little adventure at the castle or Ryuji's comment regarding her investigation towards Kamoshida. Both made sense to him, but he wasn't sure if he should ask. As much as he wanted to help, he felt like he might overstep his boundaries in their still budding friendship if he pried into her-
"Ren-kun?"
"Hmm? What's up?" Ren asked, snapping out of his thoughts when he heard Makoto speak up to him.
"…What do you think of the strange castle we entered this morning. You can't honestly believe that everything we've been through was some sort of elaborate dream, right?" she questioned softly, making absolutely sure that no one would hear her.
"Considering that my body is still sore after everything we've been through, I can honestly say without a doubt that what we experienced was no dream," Ren said just as quietly while running a hand through his hair. "You know, ever since Ryuji-san brought it up, I've been wondering if we could go back to that place."
"You actually want to go back?" Makoto asked in alarm.
"In all honesty, I'd rather not. We barely made it out with our lives. But that place is where I got my…powers, for lack of a better term, and they only work there. I can't call on it here for some reason," Ren said while raising his hand and clenched his fist, trying to draw out his powers to no avail. "Not only that, the weird cat thing we found has the same power that I do. There's a good chance that he can teach me more about my new abilities if I do go back. I know it's a bit of a weak reasoning, but…"
"I understand, Ren-kun. You have gained incredible, if frightening, abilities, and want to learn how to control them. It's only natural for you to want to do such a thing… There's no shame in wanting to return to the castle. After all… I wish to do the same," Makoto interrupted, catching Ren off guard by her statement.
"Wait… you want to go back? Seriously," he questioned, his disbelief so evident that he caused Makoto to falter for a bit.
"Y-Yes, Ren-kun. I… The students that we saw trapped in the castle. I wanted so desperately to help them. One of them looked quite familiar too; the one Ryuji-kun and I were arguing in front of… I actually agreed with what he wanted to do, but we were incredibly pressed for time and had to escape first before anything," she explained with a pained expression, causing Ren to stare at her sympathetically as she continued. "I feel extraordinarily guilty for doing that, though, and… I wish to see if it's possible to help those students that are trapped by that other Kamoshida… If they're real, that is…"
"You think those students in the dungeon are fakes, too?" Ren asked in surprise. He had a feeling that the people weren't real thanks to Morgana's remarks during the argument between Makoto and Ryuji, but he didn't think that anyone else would've had the same thought. Then again, considering who he was with, he should've figured that she would also come to such a conclusion.
"It's a likely possibility. I took a quick check on the attendance record before going back to class, and I didn't see anyone being marked unaccounted for except for us and Ryuji-kun for today… But there is still a possibility that there are some students that have accidentally traversed into the castle similarly to how we entered and are still trapped. If that is the case, I would like to return to that place, if possible. I want to make sure that whoever is sealed in there does not suffer the same fate that nearly befell us…"
Ren was taken aback by the fierce determination that was burning in his friend's eyes, but couldn't help but smile at the sight of it. It looked good on her, and it made him feel good to see his friend feel more comfortable now compared to how meek or scary she was in their earlier moments. He didn't say anything in response to her statement. He felt like he would ruin the impact, so he simply nodded and let out a grunt of agreement, and allowed a comfortable silence to fall on them as the two entered the station and made their way to their respective homes. Feeling content for the first time in a long while, Ren turned to Makoto to ask her more about her opinion about the castle before noticing her puzzled expression.
"Something wrong, Makoto-senpai?"
"I'm not sure. For some reason, it feels like I'm forgetting something, but I can't remember what it is for the life of me."
"Ah. I hate it when that happens. Hopefully you'll remember it soon."
"Me too…"
Evening/Overcast
-Café Leblanc-
"I'm back," Ren announced as he entered the store, completely unsurprised when he saw Sakura sitting by the counter with an irritated expression.
"I can see that…" the man said as he crossed his arms, "I got a call from the school and not long after that, Niijima-san showed up like a bat out of hell and nearly put the cuffs on me before she got a call from her cop friends regarding you and her sister. Is there any particular reason why the both of you were late on your first day of class?"
"…Would you believe me when I say we were ambushed?" Ren asked with a shrug.
"Do you seriously think I will buy that?" Sakura responded with a deadpan expression.
"The police did, and I'm pretty sure I got a bruise to prove it," Ren stated while rubbing his chest again, growing confused when Sakura's glare grew fiercer. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
"You seriously need to learn what you say in front of people, kid… You're lucky Niijima and I didn't call your family about this. If they hate Tokyo as much as you say they do, then I can only imagine the kind of hell they would raise if they caught wind of this," Sakura sighed while shaking his head, his last statement causing Ren to blanch as the man continued. "Look, just try and behave yourself, alright? It's not just your life that's forfeit if things go to hell. You'll get Niijima-chan in trouble too if you're not careful. Don't do anything stupid, alright?"
"I understand. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble…" Ren muttered, turning away from Sakura as the man answered his phone. He was really thankful that his family wasn't informed about this morning. If his father-or god forbid his grandfather-caught wind of what happened, Shujin would be reduced to a pile of rubble. Not only that, his sister would probably be heartbroken and would somehow blame herself for the mess, and that, to him, was even worse than anything. Shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts, he slowly made his way towards the stairs when he felt his phone vibrate, and pulled it out to see a certain someone messaging him.
Well speak of the devil. Or angel in this case. Almost forgot that I promised Sumi that I'd call her after school. Better do it now before she starts fretting, he thought with a wry smile as he called his sister before pausing, his mind suddenly drifting to Makoto and her own sister and causing a frown to form. I hope Niijima-san isn't too harsh on Makoto-senpai. It wasn't her fault all of this happened, after all.
-Niijima Residence-
"…And if run into a situation as dangerous as that again, you run away and let the proper authorities handle it, not settle it on your own. Do you understand, Makoto?"
"I understand, Sis. I won't do it again," Makoto said softly as her sister's lecture ended. She had expected Sae to be vocal about her 'actions' for today, but it still hurt to hear her say such things.
"Good. So long as you understand. I do not want a repeat of the discussion we had after the school festival…" Sae said, her glare very fierce as she looked down on the young brunette sitting on the couch. "Listen, I know that you were only doing your duty as student council president to try and curb the delinquency of the school, and I know how much you despise perverts and those who indulge on such selfish desires-I'm the same way-but putting your life at risk to stop a bunch of hoodlums on top of getting Amamiya-kun involved in it would only lead to very severe consequences if things did not end the way they did. You know that, correct?"
"All too well, Sis… It was…honestly…a very scary experience. I'm still surprised that we got out as well as we did," Makoto admitted, allowing a bit of the fear she felt during her ordeal with the other Kamoshida to come out.
"I can tell," Sae said, who seemed to be backing off a bit as she let off a tired sigh. "Listen, just please be careful when you are on your way to school. I'm well aware that you can take care of yourself, but you also have Amamiya-kun to consider. If he gets involved in anything kind of troublesome situation, he will be sent straight to juvenile hall without fail. You are supposed to set an example to him, not be a burden that could end his future at the drop of a hat. So please, think about your actions before you act on them. It's not just about you anymore."
"Yes, Sis…" Makoto nodded, the words of her sister echoing in her mind and further dropping her mood.
"Very well. Now, did you remember to tell Amamiya-kun when he is staying with us during Golden Week?" Sae asked, her words causing Makoto to flinch as she finally remembered what she had forgotten before panicking under her sister's frustrated expression. "Are you serious, right now? Don't tell me you actually forgot to tell him…"
"I-I'm sorry, Sis! A…A lot of stuff happened today and—"
"Enough, Makoto. I don't want to hear it. Just…go to your room and do your homework. I'll message him about it before I got to bed," Sae grumbled while shaking her head, her harsh words nearly breaking Makoto's heart as she got up from the couch and slowly made her way to her room. Just as she was about to enter, though, she heard Sae mutter to herself, and what she heard shook her to her core.
"Honestly, she could be so useless, sometimes…"
Useless…? she repeated Sae's words in her head, feeling as if her world had just shattered as her body slowly trudged into her room, collapsing on her bed as tears began to stream down her face. Am I really useless? I thought I've been helpful to her this whole time… Am I really that much of a burden to her? And to others? Do they think I'm useless as well?
Can I…do anything?
Night
-Café Leblanc-
"Damn, it's been a long day," Ren sighed as he sat on his bed, having finished a phone call to his sister as he set his glasses on a table nearby, completely worn out from today's events. All he wanted to do was sleep away all the stress he accumulated throughout the day. Just as he laid on his bed, he heard his phone vibrate, causing him to groan as he grabbed it. Squinting at the screen, he saw that it was Niijima who messaged him. Groaning to himself, he opened the message to see that his probation officer was telling him about today's events, that he was to be staying with her and Makoto during Golden Week and that Makoto should've told him about it. Ren couldn't help but frown at the wording of the message, not exactly happy with how Niijima seemed to be putting down her sister for a simple mistake, but it was too late in the day for him to really do anything about it. With an exhausted sigh, he messaged her back to inform her that she understood before setting his phone on the floor, plugged it into his charger and laid back down.
"…Niijima-san is really stern. I hope she wasn't too harsh on Makoto-senpai," Ren muttered to himself, still a little concerned for his friend. He just couldn't forget the pained expressions he had seen on her face whenever her sister was mentioned in a negative fashion. He was very curious about how the two lived their daily lives, but he wasn't going to ask questions just yet. He was still a relatively new addition to their lives and if he did try to pry, it probably wouldn't end well. Maybe during Golden Week, he could ask, but until then, he would just have to wait.
Maybe I should bring a housewarming gift for them? I'm sure I could make them something that could lift their spirits up. Especially Makoto-senpai. She really needs some comfort in her life… Ren thought as he gazed towards his storage box that he stuffed in the far corner of the room. Maybe I can finish that project I was working on before moving and give that to her, and make something simple for Niijima-san. She seems like someone who's more into practical gifts than anything. Best to make something for Boss as well. Maybe coffee related… Like a…mug…or some…thing…
So tired…
?
It is time to awaken, Summoner. The Proprietor and his wards are waiting for you…
"Arsène?" Ren suddenly awoken with wide eyes, the sounds of his other self's voice echoing in his head. He got up from his bed and held his head to try and find out a way to try and get a hold of it again when he realized something important.
The bed he was sitting on…wasn't his.
"About time you come to, Inmate! On your feet!"
"Gah!" Ren screamed in surprise at the sound of metal striking metal, and immediately realized he was back in the Velvet Room, with Justine and Caroline looking at him with different levels of annoyance while Igor was smiling as widely as before towards him.
"Our master wishes to speak to you. It is in your best interest to take his words to heart," Justine spoke in her typical monotone as Ren slowly walked out of the cell and towards the desk before him.
"Hello, young man. May I first say that it is good to see you again." Igor said politely.
"…Likewise, I think," Ren responded unsurely, still completely lost to what was happening at the moment.
"I understand your confusion, Summoner. This is quite unfamiliar territory. Hard to believe this is a representation of your soul…" a familiar voice stated from behind the shocked teen, and he turned to see a certain red and black figure floating behind him.
"What the… Arsène?" Ren shouted in alarm as soon as he realized who the figure was.
"Hahaha. It seems that you have finally awakened to your potential. And a curious one at that. Very rare do we see a Persona that is so independent without it regressing into a Shadow, but it looks like you possess some very unique properties of your own. Your journey is bound to be much more interesting than what I initially perceived," Igor said, his massive grin somehow growing wider during his explanation.
"Journey?" Ren repeated, his attention off of his Persona as he tried to process what the man before him was talking about.
"Yes. Though I suppose that, given the state of this room and your heart, the phrase 'Rehabilitation' would fit the situation more, but I'd rather not make you any more uncomfortable than you already are… In any case, starting now, you will be training the power of your Persona, and we will be helping you cultivate that power however we can." Igor explained with a nod.
"Persona? Is that the name of my power?" Ren asked, wanting to know more.
"Indeed. That is what it is called," Igor nodded as he explained, "Persona is the manifestation of the human psyche, called upon by their summoner through external stimuli. Think of it as a mask to protect you from the hardships of the outside world."
"The Shackled Proprietor speaks the truth," Arsène suddenly spoke up, catching Ren's attention. "The moment you forged a contract with me I was released from the Sea of Souls and called upon to be by your side. We are bound by fate to go on this journey all the way to the end. If you ever have any troubles at all, be it battle or other matters, I will be with you to help. After all, I am thou, and thou art I."
"Arsène…" Ren muttered as he looked at his Persona in surprise, and soon began to feel much more comfortable with the winged thief than before, giving the being a firm, confident nod before turning back to Igor, curious to learn more.
"Hm. Your Persona seems to be quite the oddity, even among those of the Fool Arcana. Very interesting indeed," Igor noted with an amuse glint in his eye before continuing. "By the way… If you don't mind me asking, how is the Metaverse Navigator treating you so far? It is a very useful tool for Tricksters such as yourself when you wish to traverse between reality and the Realm of Distortion to enter Palaces. Have there been any difficulties using it?"
"The where and what now?" Ren couldn't help but ask, now even more confused than when he first returned to the Velvet Room.
"He's talking about the Metaverse Navigator, you stupid Inmate! Are you deaf or something?!" Caroline exclaimed while slamming her baton to the ground, making not only Ren, but Arsène flinch as well.
"It would seem that you are unaware of the tool you possess. How inadequate," Justine shook her head in disappointment, making Ren feel even worse than when Caroline reprimanded them.
"These assistants to the Proprietor are quite intimidating…" Arsène stated in an even tone, and Ren couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"Hahaha. They can be, at times, but I assure you that they are only here to help you, as am I," Igor assured with a laugh. "If you find others who are willing to join you in your journey, they will be gifted with the navigator as well. After all, a journey such as this is not easy to accomplish alone."
"…You're telling me to get others involved in what I'm doing? Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Ren couldn't help but ask, not wanting anyone he knew to get hurt.
"That is the risk one takes if they are willing to join us in our cause, Summoner," Arsène stated with its arms crossed. "It is possible for those you have befriended; the fierce maiden and the brutish gentleman, to Awaken like yourself, but it will involve them returning to the Castle of Lust in order to do so. It is also possible we will be reunited with the Magician of Hope as well if we return there. If we are in desperate need of aid, it would be wise to recruit him."
"Magician of Hope?" Ren couldn't help but ask, noticing that even Caroline and Justine looked confused as to what the Persona was referring too. Igor, however, seemed to be very intrigued, with his smile somehow growing even wider, if that was even possible.
"My, my… You are in possession of a very unique Persona. Very unique indeed. I am looking forward to whatever transpires in your journey…young Trickster," he said in a cryptic tone, the alarm in the room going off as soon as he finished his sentence.
"Well, looks like time's up. Go and enjoy what little rest you have," Caroline ordered as Ren suddenly began to feel extremely tired again. Sure enough, he was on the brink of passing out, and was barely able to get himself back to the cot before succumbing to slumber. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was his Persona, who nodded slightly to him before vanishing in a burst of blue flames.
Be ready, Summoner. Your everyday life will be much more difficult than you intended starting now. Adapt to whatever situation you will face, and take full responsibility for every action you take. I will be by your side until the end, so live your new life with no regrets.
You will be a force to be reckoned with in time. This, I am sure…
-Velvet Room-
"…Hey, Justine? Is it me or does the Inmate's Persona feel…weird to you?" Caroline asked as she turned to her twin, who looked back to her with a slightly pensive expression.
"No… You are not the only one to think that. Our guest is proving to be a very unique case. I recall Master's lessons to us regarding Personas, but not once do I remember him mentioning a Persona with such freedom and individuality as this Arsène being. How unprecedented," Justine confessed while looking down at her clipboard thoughtfully.
"Hmm… This is annoying. Something tells me the Inmate is going to be more trouble than he's worth," Caroline said while shaking her head.
"Haha. Don't be like that, Caroline. All Tricksters throughout history have an oddity or two amongst them, and this one is no different. Be sure to get along with him. After all, our destinies are tied with his. He may very well be the one who will aid us in our…predicament," Igor said kindly, enjoying the surprised look on the feisty twin's face.
"…Fine, Master. I'll…try to get along with the Inmate. But only because you said! I owe you greatly for taking us in, after all," Caroline said in a huff while crossing her arms.
"We both owe him, Caroline. If the Master believes our new guest will help us in our ordeal, then I will do what I can to assist. If we do, there is a possibility that we might even discover where we came from," Justine said softly, a far away look in her eye as Caroline turned to her in shock.
"Huh? You really think that guy can do that?"
"Hopefully. We just have to put our faith in him, just as the Master has."
"If you're sure…"
Igor watched the two converse in satisfaction, happy that the two were complying to his request, before closing his eyes and sighed. Their situation truly was an unusual one, but he knew very well that it could've been worse. Much worse. It was only through sheer luck that his fate had changed to what was meant to be. Though his situation was far from ideal, he could work with it. At least, as much as he could while shackled.
"Oh girls…how I wish I could help you. Sadly, so long as I am bound to the same chains that befall the Velvet Room, I am only able to observe. Only the Trickster can help you reclaim what you had lost…" Igor said melancholically, his smile gaining a somber tinge as he stared at his chained arms before reaching into his coat pocket and pulled out three blue cards from it, one side having an image of two masked faces and the other having roman numerals at the base: 0, XIII, and XXI. "Still, to think that he would also receive aid from the Universe. This has taken an interesting turn, to say the least. Even if it is slight, humanity has gained an edge in this rigged game we are playing. It seems that things are going to be more intriguing than anticipated, Yaldabaoth. I am looking forward to how everything will turn out."
Author's Notes:
Welcome, Tricksters, to part 2 of the triple update to Trials. Hope you liked this enhanced version of 5. I will admit, this was one of the weaker updates that I have made so far. Mostly because I had a bit of a hard time getting this done along with the fact that this one wasn't that well edited compared to the other chapters before it. Still, it looked well enough to upload and I am as close to satisfied with it as I could get. 4 and especially 6 are the ones that I'm more proud of, 6 especially since it's the first chapter that shows any major deviation to canon outside of chained Igor, or the Shackled Proprietor as I dubbed him here. If you lot can't wait to see the rise of a Queen, then look forward to what's to come in the next revision.
With that said, thank you all so much for enjoying my work. I wish you all a wonderful day, enjoy the triple update, and I will see you all in the next update. Until then, farewell.