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.
Chapter 8: Corruption Runs Deep; The Kamoshida Investigation Begins
"You know… Acting as a Phantom Thief would've been more efficient alone. No need to worry about getting friends involved or seeing those close to you get hurt. However, you did not. There were merits to having associates, is that right?"
"They weren't just…associates… They were…friends… Allies… People I could rely on…with my life."
"I see… And did you consider me one of those as well…?"
"…"
"…Forget what I just said. Please, continue with your story, Ren-kun. I still wish to know what you and your band of thieves did to Kamoshida."
"…I'll do my best."
?/?/?/?
-Velvet Room-
Awaken, Summoner. The Proprietor has called for us once again.
Huh… Again…? Damn, just when I was starting to think I can finally relax…
With his eyes open and once again noticing he was no longer on his bed, but a cot in the Velvet Room, Ren got up from the suspending 'bed' and proceeded to exit out of the cage, Arsène materializing on its own right behind him. It was only a moment later that he realized that he was no longer in his sleep clothes, but in his magician-thief clothes that he wore during his investigation in the castle yesterday without the mask.
Was it yesterday? I can't really tell time here. Is there even time here? This is supposed to be somewhere between dream and reality, right?
I believe time is at a standstill somewhat while we're here, Summoner. Or at the least slowed down considerably. It is truly hard to tell.
"Welcome back, young man," A kind voice spoke up, interrupting the telepathic conversation between Summoner and Persona, and both turned to see Igor grinning at them like before, sitting at his desk while Caroline and Justine flanked the newcomers.
"…Hello, Igor-san," Ren said with a short, polite bow while Arsène simply nodded in acknowledgement.
"I apologize for calling you here and interrupting your slumber, but I have some matters that I need to discuss with you now that you have returned to the Realm of Distortion and infiltrated the Palace," The Proprietor explained, with Ren nodding at the statement.
"I understand… I think."
"It's fine if you don't fully understand what I'm about to say. You'll learn everything all on your own in due time," Igor said with a small wave of his hands. "Now, onto why I summoned you here. You have befriended those who have recently awakened to their power, correct?"
"…Are you talking about Makoto-senpai and Ryuji-san?" Ren said with wide eyes, surprised that the long-nosed individual before him was aware of such a thing happening.
"Indeed. It is good that you have acquired allies that held the same Potential that you possess. They will be instrumental in your Journey," The man said as he reached into his coat and pulled out two crimson cards; one representing the High Priestess and the other representing the Chariot, and placed them on his desk. "The bonds you share with them will strengthen your power, and you, in turn, strengthen theirs as well. If you continue to form bonds such as those, I'm sure that the results of your Journey will prove most fruitful. Just be aware, though, that superficial relationships will not grant you the power you need to further improve yourself. Focus on searching for companions, or confidant's if you prefer, that will aid you in your trials. Ones that will resonate with you in a deep level, and those who will be by your side no matter the situation. Just like the ones you currently possess right now."
"Bonds, huh…" Ren muttered as he looked down in thought, thinking about his recent friendship with Makoto and his newly obtained one with Ryuji. Two people who, at first glance, were on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of personality and societal placement; one a student council president and the other a delinquent. But after knowing them for only a couple days, he found a lot of similarities between the two; the kindness they shared to others, the drive to help people in need, and recently, the will to stand up against those who use and abused not only them, but others as well. Without realizing it, the teen began thinking about the conversation he had with the two at the restaurant Ryuji brought Ren and Makoto to, and couldn't help but smile at the memory.
-Flashback, Beef Bowl shop-
"WHAT?!" Ryuji exclaimed after Ren explained his story, completely shocked by what he was told, the trio just barely getting their meals and were about to eat when the blonde insisted on listening to what happened to the raven-haired teen, with the brunette adding in a few things regarding her sister's part of the process.
"Ryuji-kun, we are in a restaurant. Please keep your voice low so as to not disturbed the other patrons…" Makoto chided the teen before looking down at her meal and gripping the bowl so tightly in anger that Ren was worried that she might break it if she doesn't loosen her hold soon. "Although I don't blame you for reacting in such a way. What happened to Ren-kun for simply trying to do the right thing… It's deplorable."
"It's effin' messed up is what it is! I mean, seriously, how much shittier can that asshole who sued him be?!" Ryuji stated with a glare and shaking his head in frustration.
"Guys, calm down, ok? It's all in the past and while I would love to know how the hell the guy had so much sway with the cops, I'd rather not think back on what happened more than I need to…" Ren insisted, his appetite considerably lower after giving both Makoto and Ryuji the rundown of his arrest.
"Oh… Sorry, Ren-kun…" Makoto apologized as she slowly began to eat her meal.
"Yeah, my bad," Ryuji muttered as well as he began to shoving food down his throat and talk at the same time. "So… You left your home town, got banned from the fancy private school you and your sister were plannin' on goin', and…ended up livin' here with Prez's sis checkin' in on you every now and again because of some deal she made with your gramps?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much the long and short of it," Ren confirmed before starting his own bowl with Makoto nodding along, her eyebrow twitching a little due to Ryuji's poor manners.
"Huh, we might be more alike than I originally thought…" Ryuji confessed after swallowing his food.
"Really? What did you do?" Ren questioned as he set his chopsticks down, Makoto doing the same as she looked at the blonde in interest.
"I don't have a criminal record like you do…but ah, that's not the point," He muttered while looking away, appearing slightly uncomfortable as he spoke, "I guess it's how we're treated like a pain in the ass by the people around us, like we don't belong… I did something stupid at school before, too."
"Feeling like you don't belong… I can relate to that," Makoto admitted as she pushed her bowl away, her voice resonating nothing but empathy, catching Ryuji by surprise while Ren stared at her sympathetically.
"Really…? I guess we got a few things in common too, eh Prez?" The blonde said before grabbing his food and scarfing down the rest of it and turned to Ren curiously. "The place you're livin' now is in… Yongen, right?"
"Yup. Live in a café attic for my whole probation, occasionally stay at Makoto-senpai's home so Sae-san can keep a closer eye on me, stay out of trouble, then I can go home. Fun times, huh?" Ren quipped with a small shrug.
"Wow, talk about complicated," Ryuji shook his head as he took in everything he had heard while pointing at the pair. "So, the rumors about you two livin' together are true, at least a little. Didn't think that, out of everything that's been spreadin' 'round the school, that rumor of all things ended up being closest to the truth."
"I'm curious as to how such rumors came to be, but for the most part, it is true that Ren-kun will be staying with me and my sister on occasion. His first visit will be during golden week, but I am still not sure when he will be staying with us again. There is a chance he will be with us during summer, but I can't say for certain," Makoto explained.
"Which reminds me, I still need to get housewarming gifts for you and Sae-san as soon as I can. I'm heading to your place in a little over a week, and I want to make sure I get something good for you both. And Boss to, if I can figure out what to get him," Ren spoke up with a pondering expression, missing Makoto look at him with a small, friendly smile on her face while Ryuji let off a small chuckle.
"Well you got plenty of time for that right now. It's rush hour on the subways. Lookin' for housewarming gifts would be a good way to kill time before headin' home," The blond suggested before looking down at Ren's food and frowned. "What the hell, man. You barely touched your food."
"Oh… He's right. You hardly eaten, Ren-kun. Is something wrong?" The brunette asked with a worried expression.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a little distracted while eating. It happens a lot," Ren muttered as he went to grab his chopsticks while Ryuji stopped him with a grin.
"Hold up, man. Lemme do somethin' really quick."
With that, the man grabbed a pair of tongs from a nearby container of ginger, opened it, and grabbed a large portion of the seasoning onto Ren's bowl, who was staring at it with a twitching eyebrow before turning to Ryuji slowly.
"…What are you doing?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Just lemme do it! I gotta thank you for helpin' me." Ryuji said with a wide grin while nudging Ren's shoulder.
"…With ginger?" He muttered out in a deadpan, looking so comically unamused that Makoto had to cover her mouth to hide her giggles at the expression.
"Yup. Stuff makes beef bowls taste so much better," Ryuji confirmed happily. "Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on. Same with you, Prez. As long as we do something about Kamoshida, I'm sure all three of us will feel better about bein' at school."
"Of course, Ryuji-kun. Kamoshida is going to pay for his transgressions one way or another, and the moment we do that, the safer Shujin will be, not only for us, but for everyone else as well," Makoto agreed with a firm nod, which was mirrored by Ren, causing Ryuji to give the two a wide smile in response.
"Awesome…" He said, happy to have actual support for the first time in a while, when he suddenly went wide-eyed as he remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. Tell me you guys' numbers. Chat IDs too. You two got each other's numbers, right? Gimmie yours and I'll let you two know about anything that I might find out."
"That's fair. Let's begin," Makoto agreed with Ren nodding along as all three teens pulled out their phone to give each other their information.
"Just you wait, Kamoshida…" Ryuji growled as he got the pair's numbers and IDs. "We're gonna start right away tomorrow. First, let's hit up those guys that were kept as slaves."
"Very well. I have a list of the current members of the volleyball team and what homeroom they reside in back in my laptop at home. I'll send you an image of it later today so you will have an easier time locating who you wish to interview," Makoto suggested with a slight smile, which made Ryuji grin in response.
"You always prepared for anythin' eh Prez? You're like some sort of advisor or somethin', you know that?" The blonde stated, much to the brunette's amusement, before he noticed the pensive look on Ren's face. "You alright there, bro?"
"I'm fine, but I did remember something. Isn't there supposed to be some sort of rally going on tomorrow? I've heard a few people talk about it when they weren't gossiping about my 'troubled life' and it sounded like a pretty big deal…" Ren stated before noticing the dark expressions on his friends' faces.
"Right… The volleyball rally's tomorrow. Shit's recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me wanna gag," Ryuji grumbled.
"It disgusts me how much sway Mr. Kamoshida has within our school, but that will be dealt with soon enough," Makoto muttered darkly before turning to the boys. "Thankfully though, we don't have afternoon classes as a result. That will make it easier for the two of you to walk around the school without garnering much attention."
"Yeah, I had that idea too, but what are you gonna do, Prez?" Ryuji questioned with Ren turned to her just as curious.
"I will be looking over some files over in the nurse's station. With all the injuries the volleyball team has, there's bound to be some other information that may be found in there. I'll just need to find a way to enter the room without drawing any suspicion," Makoto explained her sound reasoning, making the boys nod in agreement with her plan.
"Alright, sounds good. We can work out the details tomorrow, but it looks like we have a solid plan now," Ryuji stated before noticing that Ren had yet to even touch his food after the ginger was added. "C'mon, you got to eat more, man. There's tons of ginger here!"
"You put too much here. I can't eat my food like this…" Ren grumbled with a twitching eyebrow, causing Ryuji to gawk at the teen while Makoto began giggling with a fist behind her mouth at their expressions.
"What?! Oh, come on man, you don't know what you're missin'! Just try a bit, it won't kill you!" The blonde pleaded while grabbing the raven-haired teen's food and waved it at his face.
"You ruined the food with all the ginger, Ryuji-san. I'm not eating it like this…" Ren scowled as he gently pushed the bowl away.
"Don't be dissin' the ginger, dude!" Ryuji exclaimed, their argument leaving Makoto in a fit of giggles.
"Oh my… To think that all it would take is ginger to counter that ravenous hunger I've seen you possess both this morning and yesterday at Leblanc. That's too funny," She managed to get out before going back to her laughter.
"Makoto-senpai…" Ren grumbled, but couldn't help but feel good at the sounds of her laughter and his new friend constantly trying to get him to try the oversaturated beef bowl. It truly was way too long since he had this feeling, and couldn't help but smile slightly in the end. He was just too happy to had made such good friends in such a short time.
He was grateful to them, more than either of them would ever realize.
-End Flashback-
"Hahaha… It seems to me like the bonds you currently possess have already affected you greatly. In a positive manner, I might add," Igor's voice echoed, his laughter cutting through Ren's thoughts and causing him to look at the grinning man. "This is a good sign. If you continue to forge such bonds with others, especially with those whose past are similar to your own in some way, then I'm sure your Journey will prove to be most beneficial."
"Master is correct, Inmate," Justine spoke up. "Personas are the strength of heart. The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Personas will gain."
"There are countless people in the city with talents that a weakling like you doesn't," Caroline chimed in with a wicked grin. "You better rack that noggin of yours and get them on our side. We'll change that into power."
'They speak the truth, Summoner. I already feel much stronger since the forging of our contract thanks to bonds you possess with the High Priestess and the Chariot, and our power will continue to grow if we gain more bonds. If we continue down this path, and if these miniature wardens are willing to refine our power, then—'
"Hey! You are you calling short, you overgrown clump of feathers!" The bun haired girl shouted at Arsène, waving her baton at it and making the Persona look at her warily.
"You best reign in your inner self, Inmate, lest you face the wrath of my twin. And believe me, you definitely will not survive it," Justine stated with a blank stare at Ren, who slowly nodded in response.
"Hahaha. It seems that you are getting along well with my assistants," Igor chuckled, his eternal grin getting a fond edge to it as he spoke. "Indeed. You should be prepared to use them, and of course myself, to aid you in your Journey. If you do, I'm sure your ambitions will come to fruition. Remember, no matter what path you follow, I will be there to assist you in any way I can. Feel free to use my aid however you like. It is no trouble at all."
"Igor…" Renmuttered, starting to feel a faint bond between him and the strange, yet friendly old man, and smiled at him with a nod. "Alright. I'll accept your offer. I hope to do well in your care."
"I'm sure you will…" Igor nodded as the sounds of an alarm began ringing throughout the Velvet Room once again.
'It seems that we are about to return to the real world, Summoner. It's best that we prepare.' Arsène stated as he began to fade while Ren started to become drowsy, the last thing he heard was Caroline yelling at her once more.
"Now, this conversation's over! Get lost, Inmate!"
Freaking short-tempered chibi cosplayer…
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast established a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Fool Persona…
I have obtained the wings of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power.
4/13/Early Morning/Overcast
-Path to Shujin-
Makoto smiled as she walked down the familiar path to Shujin, feeling more energized than ever before despite what she and her new friends were about to do this afternoon. It was a long time since she felt so good, and also a long time since she just…hung out with friends. Yesterday afternoon was quite fun, and even after returning home to do her homework and send her message to Ryuji, she was still in a fairly good mood. It was improved even further when her sister arrived home with some dessert and even a quick apology for the argument the previous day. Of course, Makoto didn't say anything regarding her experience in the castle nor her plan to expose Kamoshida, knowing Sae will look at her like she was crazy, but the simple apology along with her favorite cake was more than enough for the brunette to let go of the hurtful words from before. They had echoed in her head a couple times throughout the evening, but a few moments of reminiscing of her actions in the castle and the words of both Ryuji and Ren from that time had driven such thoughts out of her mind, allowing her to enter the most peaceful slumber she had.
A content sigh escaped her lips before she proceeded to move a bit faster towards the school with an air of determination around her. Yes…she was sure that she and the boys will uncover the monster of a teacher's secrets and reveal them all for the school to see. There will be nothing to stand in their way, and nothing that will break her good mood.
"Hey Takamaki. Need another lift to school? I'd be happy to take you if you want."
And just like that, her mood came crashing down at the voice of a familiar man coming from behind her. Turning around, the young woman scowled as she saw Kamoshida requesting Takamaki to get into his car once again. In the past, the Student Council President simply allowed such actions to occur, not really thinking much of it during her initial investigation of the Olympic gymnast and not truly able to do anything after Sae forced her to stop said investigation. But now, after learning how the horrid man thought of and treated his students in the Palace, including the blonde before her, Makoto believed that it was her duty to make sure that no one had to suffer under the man anymore. The pained look in Takamaki's eyes motivated her even more, prompting her to walk up towards the two, an idea already in mind.
"Excuse me, Takamaki-san? I'm sorry to bother you, but may I speak with you for a moment?" The school president asked as she approached the blonde, who was staring at her in surprise, along with the dark-haired man in the car.
"Oh, Niijima. Didn't see you there. I thought you'd be dealing with that troublesome transfer student and making sure he stayed out of trouble, right now." Kamoshida said with a raised eyebrow, his mock-kind tone grating on Makoto's nerves, but managed to easily hide her irritation with practiced ease.
"He has been behaving himself quite nicely, Mr. Kamoshida. I will be meeting with him a little before the volleyball rally to remind him to not cause any trouble. There is nothing for you or the staff to worry about regarding Amamiya-kun," Makoto assured with a small smile, silently hoping she was convincing enough to not arouse suspicion.
"Alright then. You do that. Keep him in line and there shouldn't be any issues with both his school life and yours. There are already quite a number of rumors about the two of you, so it's best not to add fuel to the fire," Kamoshida said with a sage like tone and a nod, missing Makoto's eyes flash in anger. "So, what do you need Takamaki for? I was hoping to get to talk to her for a bit myself before class…"
"I'm simply curious as to her opinion on how Amamiya-kun has been doing in class, since they share the same homeroom. Nothing more. I won't be keeping her long, but I suggest you head over to Shujin right away in order to prepare for the rally. You have to make sure you perform well to the student body to properly motivate them to do their best. You are one of our best instructors, after all," Makoto explained politely and doing her best not to visibly cringe from her own words, aware of Takamaki looking her oddly while Kamoshida nodded in acceptance.
"Alright then. I suppose you do have a point. I could just talk to Takamaki another time," The man nodded before giving the girls a massive grin. "Alright, then. I'll see you two at the rally. I'm feeling quite good right now, so be sure to watch me in my top form. It's going to be quite impressive."
"I'm sure. Take care of yourself, sir," Makoto nodded with a wave, Takamaki waving back slightly as well when the man rolled up his window and proceeded to drive away, leaving the pair alone on the sidewalk and the youngest of the two to stare at her senior in confusion.
"…Why did you do that?" Takamaki asked with a suspicious glint in her eyes.
"You looked like you needed help. It's my responsibility as Student Council President to assist those in need," Makoto said simply with a small, genuine smile, something that surprised the blonde if her wide eyes were any indication. "I don't know exactly what is going on between you and Mr. Kamoshida, but I want you to know that if there is any trouble going on, look for me. I can help you in whatever way I can."
"There's…nothing really going on between the two of us, Niijima-senpai. It's nothing for you to worry about. Besides, I'd rather not bother you with any of my issues, what with you being so busy now with council business, studying for entrance exams, and babysitting the transfer student if what Mr. Kamoshida said earlier was true," Takamaki insisted, her nervous expression causing the awakened Priestess's heart to break a little.
"…It's no trouble at all, Takamaki-san. Like I said, it's my duty as student council president to help my fellow peers in whatever way I can, whether it'd be academics, school life, or dealing with unwanted attention and unnecessary advancement. All you have to do is notify me, and I will be there for you," Makoto insisted in a serious tone, her expression a strange mix of stern and compassionate as she watched Takamaki's expression. At first, she appeared intimidated, which sadly made sense given the brunette's tone earlier, but then she noticed her eyes shimmering, as if tears were about to fall at any moment. However, before they did, the young girl closed her eyes and shook her head, as if letting go of her thoughts, before looking back at the upperclassman with a solemn expression.
"I appreciate the offer, Niijima-senpai, but I can handle my issues on my own for now. It was nice talking to you too, but I have to get going right now. I'm meeting up with my friend Shiho right now and I don't want to miss her before she has to go get ready for the rally, since she's in the volleyball team and all…" Takamaki said quietly, her low voice making Makoto even more worried. She so desperately wanted to help the poor girl and her friend, but she knew it wasn't the time to do so. Not just yet…
"I understand. Sorry for taking your time. I'll see you during the rally then. And tell your friend I wish her good luck…" Makoto accepted the rejection with grace and gave the obviously distressed girl a wave as she departed towards the school, leaving the brunette alone on the sidewalk with a troubled expression.
Her friend is on the volleyball team as well. I wonder if she is being treated the same way as those cognitions in the Palace from yes…ter… Wait a minute…
The moment the thought entered her head, her blood ran cold. She recalled all the captives that were in the lower levels of the Palace, but not once did she see any female students among the group. In fact, the only female that was ever in the dungeon was Makoto herself, and that was only because she was accompanying the boys at the time. There was also the lustful tendencies that the Shadow variant of her gym coach showed towards her and the actions of that fake Takamaki, who was supposedly how Kamoshida viewed the foreign student. A thought that made her shiver a little the more she mentally expanded on it.
Oh my god… If Kamoshida's doing what I think he's doing, then this situation is worse than we initially thought… Much worse… If that's the case, then…it's possible that… That…
"That monster…" Makoto practically growled out loud, her hands balled so tightly they appeared white and her eyes practically glowing in fury as she stalked towards the school, her earlier happiness replaced with pure and utter contempt for the man that was supposed to be her school's instructor. She was hoping that her suspicions were wrong, but all the signs were there. If things were truly as bad as she believed they were, then she and the others had to find the evidence they need and show everyone who Kamoshida truly is as quickly as possible.
Calm thyself, Mistress. The possibility of the fiend defiling your fellow peers is concerning, yes, but you must not act rashly on your suspicion. Confirm what you have discovered first before taking action.
Johanna? The brunette paused, surprise to hear the voice of her other self outside of the other world, before shaking her head. She recalled Ren talking about his Persona speaking to him telepathically every so often since his first awakening, so it made sense that it would happen to her. It was startling, admittedly, but it was something she was sure she'll get used to. It would be nice to have a second opinion in some of her decision making, even if it was in the form of a spectral motorbike living in her head.
I appreciate the sentiments, Mistress. Now, I believe it is time to move on towards your destination. Your allies are coming, and we all need to focus on the task at hand.
Johanna's words snapped Makoto out of her thoughts, causing her to turn her head to see both Ren and Ryuji approaching her with matching faces of resolve. With a determined face of her own and a nod towards the boys, she headed her other self's words and walked along side them towards Shujin. They had a lot to do today, and they can't afford to let anything distract them from their mission.
The lives of her classmates depended on them.
Afternoon
-School Gymnasium-
Man… Why do we have to sit around and watch this crap…? Can't believe that bastard Kamoshida's makin' this shit practically mandatory. Can't wait for this to end so we can dig up his secrets…
Ryuji let off a bored sigh as he watched the clearly one-sided game go on before him, sitting next to an equally disinterested Ren and wearing his school gym clothes just like the rest of his fellow Shujin students, with the delinquent forgoing the red sports jacket, unlike the rest of the students. The dyed-blonde teen wasn't all that into volleyball to begin with, but he ended up practically despising the sport after Kamoshida came into the picture. It didn't help that the girls on the right side of the gym were practically swooning over the Olympic medalist, an action that annoyed him quite a bit if he had to be honest. And judging from Makoto's expression, who was standing on the opposite end of the chairs on the teachers' side and staring at Kamoshida hotly, it was obvious that she wasn't as trilled towards the attention the man's been getting.
In fact, she's lookin' really pissed at him right now. Ryuji thought as he swore he saw the school president's eyes seemingly give of a menacing, crimson glow as she continued to stare at Kamoshida in contempt. She said she had a bit of a run-in with him this mornin' and stopped him from gettin' Takamaki in his car again, but is that all that happened? He did the same thing earlier this week and she wasn't as pissed as she is now… The hell did that pervy teacher do to make her like this…?
Question echoing in his mind, the punk blonde turned his head to the side, where he saw the familiar sight of Takamaki sitting around the end of the line of chairs and mindlessly playing with her hair. To Ryuji, it looked like she was trying to make herself seem uninteresting and invisible, an act that he had seen her do many times in the past, and every attempt failing spectacularly. It seemed to be working now, but that was mostly because everyone was focusing on the one-sided game that was going on, and he knew it was only a matter of time until she was get someone's, most likely Kamoshida's, attention.
"She still sticks out… Hasn't changed a bit…" He muttered as he stared at the girl dully, mentally curious as to how long this attempt at hiding in public was going to last, when he heard a grunt of confusion and turned to see Ren staring at him curiously. Not feeling like explaining, the punk raised his arms as if he was stretching and gave a fake yawn as he spoke in a legitimately tired and bored manner. "Pretty boring, Right?"
"You can say that again. I'm more into baseball and soccer than volleyball, personally. Never got the hype of seeing a group of people smacking balls over nets," Ren agreed with a small smirk, which Ryuji returned with a slight grin of his own, before the blonde rested his head on his arm in a bored manner, vaguely aware that the ravenette was glancing at Takamaki over his head as he rested his eyes.
An act that also got the attention of a certain someone. One who no one else could hear but the punkish teen himself.
Hmm… Our comrade seems to be curious towards the dame that scallywag Kamoshida is lusting after, Lad. Quite odd, wouldn't you say?
Prolly wonderin' what's her connection to Kamoshida or somethin', Captain. Bet that's what Prez is thinkin' too, 'cause of this mornin'. Ryuji mentally answered, getting a grunt of agreement from the spectral pirate.
It was odd, really, to converse with his Persona like that. It freaked him out initially when he first heard Captain Kidd outside of the other world, but was quickly reassured by Ren, who confessed that he had his own Persona converse to him as well. It was still a weird experience, but at least the blonde wasn't alone when it came to hearing voices in his head. He couldn't help but wonder if Makoto had the same experience as they did yet, though…
Any further thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the students going wild, and Ryuji opened his eyes in time to see Kamoshida land a powerful spike towards the other side of the net…
Right into one of the opposing student's face, causing him to fall to the ground in a heap and making the other students panic.
Shit! Isn't that Mishima? The guy's always looks so beaten up whenever I see him… Is that what Kamoshida does to him every time they practice? Ryuji thought as he watched Kamoshida himself approach the fallen teen with an apologetic expression while the very volleyball that smacked the poor student in the face rolled to his side.
"Hey, are you alright?" The gym teacher questioned as he checked on the dark-haired boy, who didn't seem to be responding at the moment. "Someone! Take him to the nurse's office!"
"I'll do it! Let me take care of him!" Makoto exclaimed as she approached the fallen teen and easily picked him up from the ground and slowly dragged him out of the area, muttering softly to him in the process. "It'll be ok, Mishima-kun. You will feel better in no time. I promise. Just hang in there while I take you to the nurse's office. It won't take too long…"
"Well, looks like she managed to get her excuse to get into the nurse's office after all. Too bad it had to be in the expense of someone else," Ren noted with a soft tone, prompting Ryuji to turn to him for a moment and see a flash of anger in his face before looking back at the game with a glare.
"He'll pay soon enough…" Ryuji muttered darkly as he grabbed the volleyball beside him and chucked it to one of the players, who grabbed it with a nod before turning back to the others.
"Alright, let's resume the match!" Kamoshida announced with a smile, as if he hadn't just nearly hospitalized a student via a volleyball to the face, calming the fretting students down sans Ren and Ryuji, who were simply staring at the man in contempt. In the corner of his eye, the punk noticed that Takamaki was staring at the teacher as well, her expression practically blank as the new game as about to start. He paid little mind of it though, and simply decided to wait patiently until it was time for him and Ren to begin their investigation.
You're in for it, you bastard. Just you wait…
Indeed. He will be walking the plank the moment we pillage his secrets from him.
-Shujin Courtyard, vending machine area, ten minutes later-
"Makoto-senpai's checking the records of the volleyball team right now. She says to message her if we find anything…" Ren said as he read the personal message he got from the student president while standing next to Ryuji, who was looking a bit more irritated than his typical demeanor.
"That asshole's actin' like a king over here too…" The blonde muttered darkly as he glared at the ground. "Get to know each other better, my ass. It's just a one-man show for him to stroke his ego. And how he acted like he was worried about Mishima? What an abusive d-bag…!"
"He was trying to be subtle about it too. Too bad it's kind of obvious he didn't really regret what he did if you pay attention to how he moved and spoke. Way too many tells about his complete lack of compassion for his team…" Ren stated while pushing his glasses up.
"No kiddin'… Guy can land a spike like it was nothin', but can't act to save his life…" Ryuji agreed before turning to Ren with a serious expression. "In any case, now's our chance to go look for the guys we saw were slaves yesterday. I'll be sure to find someone to spill about Kamoshida's physical abuse. Just you wait, asshole…"
"Shouldn't be too hard. All the members of the volleyball team should be here today, so we got a fair chance that one of them is willing to speak up," Ren nodded firmly with a determined gaze. "So where are you starting at."
"The first one that popped out was a guy from Class D, so let's start there." Ryuji stated as he pulled out his phone and showed Ren the list that Makoto messaged him the previous night. "That's your class, if I remember right. Hopefully you can get him to talk to me without any issues. People have been avoidin' me lately, so…"
"I understand. I doubt I'll get anything out of my class anyways, though. They'll probably think that I'm gonna try and shank them with a shiv or that Senpai sent me to them to get them in trouble or something. At least that's what the latest set of rumors are going on about this time," Ren sighed while shaking his head while Ryuji stared at him in sympathy.
"Ouch. That's rough, man. Guess we really are in the same boat, huh?" The punk muttered before walking going towards their destination, hoping to get some answers regarding the corrupt instructor they're hoping to find.
Sadly, after thirty minutes, it seemed that their search for the truth was slowly proving to be a fruitless endeavor.
"Alright, I'll leave you alone. Sorry for bothering you," Ren said gently to the first-year student, who simply nodded nervously before scurrying away from the bespectacled teen, making him sigh in irritation at another failed attempt at getting information.
Their first attempt at getting someone to confess did not end well; Ren's classmates refusing to answer when the pair were asked if they had proof that the gym coach was truly abusing them. When the pair stated they didn't, the volleyball player refused to answer any more questions and told them to leave. After that, the pair ended up deciding to split up to cover more ground; Ryuji taking the practice building next door while Ren handled the classroom building they were still in at the time. Unfortunately for Ren, the students seemed even more apprehensive towards him than before, and he was only able to get a few people to talk before ending up on the first-year floor at Ryuji's suggestion via IM. There was no word from Makoto, either, so they had no idea how she was fairing. All they could do regarding her task is wait for her to respond and hope for the best.
Here's hoping that she's gotten more success that I did. I doubt Ryuji-san's gotten any info either, knowing how crappy our luck's been. Ren thought despairingly as an announcement was being made throughout the school, telling everyone that the last game was finished and that everyone was excused to go home now. And time's up too, now. Things just keep getting better and better.
At least we appropriated a name from the young one we just interrogated, Summoner. The name Mishima sounds familiar as well… I believe it was the name of the boy who was stuck in the face by the Keeper of Lust's poorly concealed attempt at causing harm. Arsène's voice suddenly echoed in his head, making Ren blink a couple times in surprise before shaking his head and walked towards the stairs with a pondering expression on his face.
The guy who Makoto-san took to the nurse's office, right? Well there's a possibility that he's willing to speak. The guy we just spoke to did say he has to do some 'special coaching' with Kamoshida every so often. I'm not liking how that sounds either… Here's hoping he's recovered enough that we can speak to him…
*pipipipi*
The chat… Must be the others. The dark-haired teen thought as he grabbed his phone to read the messages he just got, leaning on the wall near the stairs as he activated is IM chat.
[Ryuji: Dammit, we're outta time. How'd it go?]
[Ren: No good on my end…]
[Ryuji: So you didn't have any luck either…]
[How about you, Prez? Anything on your end?]
[Makoto: Nothing substantial from the nurse's office.]
[I'm in the middle of asking any teachers if they know anything, but nothing to note so far.]
[Ryuji: So a whole lotta nothin' huh? That figures…]
[Mkay then, let's regroup for now. See you in the courtyard?]
[Ren: Meet you there.]
[Makoto: I may be a little late, but I will be there as well.]
[Ryuji: Aight. See you guys in a bit.]
With a tired sigh, Ren began walking down the stairs and headed towards the courtyard, his composed face hiding his irritation that none of them got any new info regarding Kamoshida and lost in his thoughts on how he and the others could expose the man for what he truly was. He was so busy about trying to salvage the plan that he ended up not looking where he was going until he ended up nearly bumping into something while rounding the corner towards the courtyard.
Or rather, someone.
"Eek!"
"Ah! Oh! Sorry! I didn't see you! My bad," Ren said as soon as he heard a scream and stepped back, an apologetic expression on his face as he saw that it was what looked to be one of his female schoolmates that he nearly ran into. One that sported a mop of fluffy auburn hair that appeared chin length and soft, brown colored eyes.
"Oh, no! It's ok! I was lost in my thoughts and wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I apologize," The girl before Ren insisted, to which he responded with a head shake.
"I was pretty lost in my head too, ma'am, so I need to apologize, too. Sorry," Ren insisted, feeling a little embarrassed about the exchange when the girl before him started giggling for some reason, making him look down at her in confusion.
"S-Sorry. It's just… It's a little amusing that we're apologizing to each other for being absentminded. Let's just be grateful that neither of us were hurt in this," The girl said, giving the dark-haired teen such a kind and sweet smile that Ren couldn't help but blush at the sight of it.
Holy crap, she's adorable. It's like I'm staring at the sun with how bright she is. Ren thought as he looked away briefly to try and control his blush, mentally grumbling at his Persona's chuckling at his expense, before clearing his throat. "Um. Sure. I guess I can live with that. No one got hurt in the end, so I guess we can call that a win."
"I'm glad we can come to an agreement," The girl said cheerfully before letting out a small gasp. "Oh! I forgot to introduce myself! My name's Haru Okumura, a third year here. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Huh? Um… I'm Ren Amamiya, second year. And likewise, I guess," Ren greeted back unsurely to the now bowing girl before him, completely taken aback by what was basically the warmest welcome he has received since he first arrived at Shujin.
"Ren Amamiya…? Why does that name sound familiar?" Haru Okumura said suddenly, causing Ren to stare at her warily before the girl shook her head. "Hmm... I must be imagining it. Regardless, its nice to meet you, Amamiya-kun. I hope you've been enjoying your day so far. The rally today was quite exciting, wasn't it?"
"It was ok. I'm more into baseball than volleyball, to be honest, but the rally wasn't too bad," Ren said politely, mildly relieved that he wouldn't be dealing with another student hating on him because of his record before shaking his head. He had other priorities at the moment and couldn't be distracted for too long. "Well… It was nice talking to you, Okumura-senpai. Wish we could talk a little longer, but I have to get going. I'm meeting up with Niijima-senpai right now and I don't want to keep her waiting."
"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know I was taking so much of your time! Please excuse me!" The polite upperclassman exclaimed in a worried tone, causing Ren to wince in guilt as he watched her rush past him before she stopped suddenly. "Oh. If you're going to see Niijima-chan, do you think you can ask her about the second-year student that she took to the nurse's office? That volleyball spike looked like it really hurt, and I'm hoping that he wasn't hurt too badly during the volleyball game earlier."
"Mishima-san? Sure, I'll ask her about him. I'm in his class, so I'm a little worried about him as well. He looked pretty roughed up on my first day, too, now that I think about it," Ren said, adopting a contemplating expression that quickly died when he heard the senior sigh sadly.
"I'm not surprised. I don't know much about what happens in the volleyball team, but I'm aware that they have been training hard under Mr. Kamoshida in order to improve his volleyball skills. I'm worried that they might be pushing themselves too hard, though, with how hurt they often look after practice. Your classmate in particular worries me a little with how battered he appears to be. I've heard he's even been taking some special coaching sessions with him as well, and they seem to be very intense if the bruises and bandages on his face are any indication…" Haru rambled, a hand resting on her face as Ren looked down at the ground with a contemplative expression.
That is twice now that the boy Mishima has been mentioned. Along with the special coaching lessons. Seems like there's a connection after all, Summoner. Arsène pointed out, getting a quiet grunt out of Ren before he turned to his fluffy-haired upperclassman with a nod.
"Ok. I'll talk to Senpai about him. Hopefully we can convince him to take it easy for a while. I've done some sports too before coming here and I know how rough it can be, so hopefully I can give him some advice. Thanks for your time, Okumura-senpai. You have a good day, ok?" Ren said with a polite smile and a hand extended, the smile faltering when the girl before him started to giggle.
"You are a very polite person, aren't you, Amamiya-kun? No need to be so formal around me. I like to think of us as friends now despite our 'bumpy' meeting. Please, call me Haru," Haru said with a sweet smile as she gave the stunned Ren a handshake. "I look forward to talking to you again at some point. Have fun with Niijima-chan!"
"I will…" Ren muttered as he weakly waved at the departing upperclassman, still in shock by how nice and earnest she was. It was definitely a far cry from what he had been experiencing since starting Shujin. Even Makoto and Ryuji weren't this cheerful after befriending each other. It was honestly nice to meet someone so genuinely kind in Shujin, and was honestly looking forward to meeting up with her again. Here's hoping her opinion doesn't change when she learns about his record, though…
While it is amusing to see you think about your attractive new 'acquaintance', Summoner, it is best that you head to your destination before you are late. You don't want to keep your comrades waiting, after all. Arsène stated with a dark, amused chuckle, snapping Ren out of his thoughts and prompting him to practically rush over to the courtyard with a faint blush on his face.
Dammit, Arsène, it isn't like that and you know it! I'm just happy to finally find someone in this school outside of Senpai and Ryuji-san who isn't a total dick! Ren mentally argued as he slowed to a stop at the vending machines, taking note that no one else had arrived yet.
It helps that the first individual to show you kindness outside of our band of thieves is a pleasant looking older woman. I believe she is what most people will call 'your type'?
Oh, come on, not you too. I get enough of that from my own sister. I don't need to hear this from a spectral thie-
"Excuse me. Amamiya-kun? Can I talk to you for a sec…?" A voice spoke up, stopping Ren's internal argument and making him turn his head to see his classmate Takamaki walk up towards him.
"Sure, Takamaki-san. What is it?" He responded as he moved to face her, curious as to why she wanted to speak to him.
"It'll be quick," Takamaki assured, looking down briefly as if to collect her thoughts before crossing her arms and continuing. "Anyway, what's with you? Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all."
"Oh that. It…technically wasn't a lie. Niijima-senpai, Sakamoto-san and I were ambushed by a bunch of thugs on the way to school because they saw a girl hanging out with us and wanted her. We managed to get away, but not without a few scrapes, or a kick to the chest, in my case. It wasn't that bad, but I was sore for pretty much the entire time that day. You can ask Senpai about it too, since she was the one who managed to get us out of that scrap," Ren explained politely enough, going so far as to call his new friends by their last names and mentally thanking them for the idea of rehearsing their responses for questions regarding his first day at Shujin.
"…Alright. If you say so," Takamaki said unsurely, an air of disbelief around her as she stared at the bespectacled teen in suspicion. "…There's that weird rumor about you too. Something about an assault-"
"Whaddya want with him?" An annoyed voice called out to Takamaki, causing her to turn to see Ryuji approaching the two with a glare on his face.
"Right back at you. You're not even in our class," Takamaki countered with a glare of her own.
"…We just happened to get to know each other. Lots can happen when you get jumped on by a massive perv and his goons," Ryuji said after a moment, his words collaborating with what Ren said moments ago.
"What're you planning on doing to Mr. Kamoshida?" Takamaki suddenly said bluntly, much to the surprise of the boys.
"Huh?" Ryuji responded in kind while Ren looked at her in shock, not sure what to say to that in such a short amount of time, before Ryuji suddenly became irritated once more. "…I see. I getcha. You're all buddy-buddy with Kamoshida after all."
"This has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto!" Takamaki stated defensively, yet the punk was not deterred.
"If you found out what he's been doin' behind your back, you'd dump him right away…" He stated, making the girl backpedal a little in surprise.
"Behind my back…? What's that supposed to mean?" She responded.
"…You wouldn't get it," The punk scoffed after looking at Ren for a moment, who simply shook his head.
"…Fine. Anyway, people are already talking about you two. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but no one's gonna help you," Takamaki stated bluntly once more, showing that she was aware of the pair snooping around the school, before shaking her head towards their recent actions. "I'm warning you, just in case. That's all."
"Thanks for the warning, Takamaki-san," Ren said politely while pocketing his hands, watching as the girl give him a brief nod as she began to depart, but not before bumping into someone, causing her to stumble a little when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders to steady her.
"Takamaki-san? I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Is there something wrong?" A concerned voice called out to the girl, and she looked to see Makoto of all people right before her, as if she was on her way to meet with the boys behind her, much to her shock.
"N-Niijima-senpai? What are you doing here?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Nothing serious, I assure you. I was supposed to meet up with Amamiya-kun and Sakamoto-kun to discuss our encounter with the deviants that tried to assault us a couple days ago. My sister told me that they were apprehended and I wished to tell them about it," Makoto explained, making the blonde's eyes go wide in response.
"So that really did happen… Wow…" Takamaki muttered while looking down, missing the look of concern on her upperclassman's eyes as she let go, before walking past her with a small smile, "Well, don't let me keep you from meeting up with them. I'm just go say bye to my friend before heading home. See you, Niijima-senpai."
"Take care…" Makoto responded with a wave as she watched the natural blonde depart to the classroom building before walking towards the boys, who were looking at her as she approached. "Why was Takamaki-san here? Is she aware of what we're doing?"
"Prolly just me an' Ren here. You're safe, I'm sure," Ryuji responded in a bored tone while crossing his arms in annoyance and digging his foot to the ground. "But man… Why does she have to be so aggressive? She's been like that since middle school for crying out loud."
"…You've known her for that long?" Ren asked curiously.
"Yeah, but we ain't close or anythin' like that. Shared a few classes, but we were split apart after comin' here," The punk explained before shaking his head, "Anyways, that's not important right now. We got better things to talk about now."
"Indeed. We need to keep our voices down so no one will listen in on us," Makoto advised, with the boys nodding in agreement, before letting off a disappointed sigh. "I suppose I'll start off. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything suspicious regarding the volleyball team's health records outside of the obvious injuries that anyone can see. I asked the nurse about it, but she says that the injuries were minor, despite how numerous they were, and didn't wish to elaborate on how often the teams reported to her. After that, I went to see some of our instructors to see if they were willing to tell me anything, but all they had were words of praise towards him. It's honestly quite frustrating to hear our instructors praise a man like him so much."
"So you got nothin' eh? I got no luck on my end too. Everyone kept avoidin' me and shit like that. Real annoyin', ya know…" Ryuji muttered while shaking his head before turning to Ren. "What about you? Did anything like someone's name turn up at least?"
"Yes, actually. A name did pop up a couple times. Mishima, my classmate. A first-year student talked about him getting special coaching lessons from Kamoshida and I ran into a third-year student on my way here who was also pretty concerned about the state of him and the volleyball team," Ren explained before turning towards Makoto. "She wanted me to talk to you about it, Makoto-senpai, and see if there's a way to help him out. Think he's still there?"
"He was when I left, but odds are the nurse has already let him go. Apparently Mishima-kun's a frequent visitor of hers, which concerns me greatly…" Makoto said with a frown.
"It's probably from that 'special coaching' that he's goin' through… The guy's always covered in bruises," Ryuji deduced with a slight glare, already having a clue as to what the 'special coaching entailed. "Let's go talk to him before he leaves. Dude's probably heading towards the entrance at this point, so we better head out before it's too late.
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go," Ren said, getting nods of agreement in response from the others before all three made their way towards the school entrance, just in time to see the poor, exhausted form of Mishima slowly making his way out of the building.
"Hey, got a second?" Ryuji asked aggressively, much to the annoyance of Makoto and Ren.
"Dude. Be subtle," Ren hissed as he stood beside Ryuji, his words not reaching the blonde as Mishima turned to the boys in surprise.
"Sakamoto? And you too…?!" Mishima muttered with wide eyes, looking quite surprised that the two well-known delinquents were addressing them, and completely unaware of the third person that accompanied them until she began speaking.
"I'm here as well, Mishima-kun," Makoto said from behind the beaten teen, which made him jump and turned around, wincing as he moved and causing her to look at him in concern. "Oh dear. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to aggravate your wounds."
"I-It's fine! I'm ok," He stuttered nervously, confused as to why the student council president of all people was with the two biggest troublemakers in school.
"Calm down, man. We just wanna chat," Ryuji assured before leaning in on the stuttering teen. "Kamoshida's been 'coaching' you, huh? You sure it's not just physical abuse?"
"Ryuji-kun!" Makoto hissed with a glare while Ren gave the punk teen an elbow jab to the side, making him groan a little as the beaten teen backpedaled in response to the accusation.
"C-Certainly not!" Mishima exclaimed with wide eyes and a fearful expression.
"Mishima-san. Calm down. No need to be so formal around us. We just want to ask you a few things about Mr. Kamoshida, is all," Ren assured while Ryuji recovered from his interruption to speak up once more.
"We saw him spike you today. Right in the face. Prez here even had to take you to the nurse's office because of how banged up you got," Ryuji stated in a bit of a subdued tone while gesturing to Makoto, who was looking at the battered boy worriedly.
"That was just because I'm not good at the sport…" Mishima stated in a depressed tone.
"Even so, that does not explain the rest of your injuries, Mishima-kun. Volleyball is an intense sport at times, yes, but not enough to leave you in such a state constantly," Makoto pointed out with a frown.
"They're from practice…!" Mishima exclaimed, becoming defensive once more as Ren decided to step in.
"Injuries like that don't come from practicing sports, Mishima-san. I've seen wounds like yours before, and none of them were the result of doing something as simple as sports practice, no matter how rough it is," The bespectacled teen said in a soft, knowing tone, which made the nervous teen stop in his tracks. "Kamoshida is forcing you to keep quiet, isn't he? That's why you're not willing to tell us anything…even though you want to. Am I right?"
"I… Th-That's…"
"What's going on here?" A familiar voice called out, and all four teens turned to see Kamoshida approaching them with a curious expression before turning to the injured teen with a stern expression. "Mishima, isn't it time for practice?"
"I-I'm not feeling well today…" The nervous teen stated while holding his chest, his eyes welling up as if he was about to cry and prompting Makoto into action.
"You can't be seriously telling him to come to practice right now, Mr. Kamoshida! Look at him! He was injured during the game this afternoon as well! He should be heading home and getting rest before even thinking of going back to play!" The brunette exclaimed as she practically cradled the poor teen.
"Fair enough, I suppose. Maybe he's better off quitting then," Kamoshida admitted with his hands on his hips, much to the surprise of the students. "He's never going to improve that crappy form unless he shows up to practice."
"Didn't you hear? He ain't feelin' well! Were you even listenin' to what Prez was sayin' just now?" Ryuji questioned as he turned to the instructor with a heated glare.
"Oh, I heard and have taken their words into consideration. I even gave him the option of leaving the team if he's willing. Ultimately, though, it's up to Mishima to decide what he needs to do," Kamoshida responded with a smug air around him before turning to said teen, "Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?"
"…I'll go," Mishima said reluctantly, much to the shock of the others.
"Mishima-kun, don't! If you go to practice now in your current state, you will do serious damage to your body!" Makoto practically begged the injured teen, who simply said nothing in response.
"Sorry, Niijima, but he's made his choice. Even though you're the student council president, there isn't much you can do now so long as he willing decided to participate, especially since his decision is beneficial to the school," Kamoshida said smugly before turning to Ryuji with a glare. "As for you, any more trouble and you'll be gone from this school for sure."
"Bastard…" Ryuji muttered, looking away defiantly as the instructor turned his attention to Ren, who was practically silent save for the blank gaze he was giving the man at the moment.
"The same goes for you. Didn't the principal tell you to keep in line? If you get into any more trouble, not only will you get kicked out and sent to juvie, you will ruin Niijima's chances for a good future, since you're her responsibility. Do you understand?" Kamoshida questioned, not liking the look he was getting from the silent teen.
"Just about to head out with Niijima-senpai, sir," Ren responded in a mellow tone, his voice admitting nothing as he continued to stare at the man before him. "…You have an amazing spike, by the way…"
"Hmph. Just don't get in the way of my practice. All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all…" Kamoshida scoffed, making Makoto briefly glare at the man and one of Ren's eyebrows to twitch minutely in response, while Ryuji began glaring and spoke what was on his, and the others', minds.
"That was your goddamn fault…" He growled, causing Kamoshida to scoff and shake his head in response.
"This won't get us anywhere. Let's go Mishima…" The man instructed to his student as he turned away, pausing his stride to make one last statement towards the group. "Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here. Get with the program!"
"Yes, sir," Mishima responded in a dead tone before the others could get a word in, much to their surprise as Kamoshida departed from the group with an air of satisfaction around him, which only served to further irate the three teens trying to expose him.
"That asshole… He's gonna pay for this," Ryuji growled while clenching a fist in frustration.
"There's no point…" Mishima spoke up, getting the others' attention and making them extremely nervous as to what he meant by that.
"Excuse me, Mishima-kun?" Makoto asked softly.
"Proving that he's physically abusing us…is meaningless," He stated in a defeated tone, making the others frozen in place as he explained what was going on. "Everybody knows… The principal, our parents… They all know, and they keep quiet about it."
"Are you serious… Even Principal Kobayakawa is aware of all this…?" Makoto whispered in shock, completely dumbfounded that the man who was supposed to run their school was allowing such mistreatment to occur.
"He's done so much harm to his students, and everyone is just…ok with it? So much damage has been done, and they're being ignored just like that…?" Ren growled, his temper flaring and fist tight as he tried to reign in his anger.
"This has gotta be a joke." Ryuji muttered, his eyes wide as he tried to process what he had just heard.
"Don't be a pain. You don't understand what I'm going through," Mishima said with a weak, yet defiant glare towards Ryuji, who actually stepped back in surprise, "Shouldn't you of all people know that nothing's going to help…?!"
Ryuji had no response for that remark. All he could do was turn away with a hurt expression as the battered teen took the opportunity to get away from them. Ren and Makoto did not give chase, however, as they were more concerned by what they had just learned and the state of the blonde punk at the moment.
"Ryuji-kun…?" Makoto spoke softly in concern while placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, well aware of what Mishima was referring too before he departed.
"I'm alright. Just wasn't expecting a low blow like that…" Ryuji muttered while looking away, his frustration growing as old memories started to surface once more. "Dammit…"
"So… What now? Is there anything we can do?" Ren muttered, now completely lost as to how they could accomplish their task
"…I'll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That's… all I can do." Ryuji muttered, sounding completely defeated as Makoto removed her hand from him and cradled her own arm as she looked down sadly.
"The only plan I can think of right now is to try and have Sis investigate. I know for a fact that she is not aware of what's going on, but I doubt she's willing to look into this. Especially after last time…" She said reluctantly, once again feeling useless as to what they could do to help their fellow students.
"I guess…we'll just need to sleep on it. Hopefully one of us will be able to figure something out by tomorrow…" Ren suggested weakly.
"I suppose that's for the best. We've accomplished very little today, after all. Hopefully tomorrow will be more fruitful." Makoto agreed with a slight nod.
"Yeah, guess you're right. Let's just go change and get out of here. I'm tired of stayin' in this place," Ryuji suggested while pointing at the school gates.
Ren and Makoto nodded in agreement, and turned towards the practice building, where the gym was located, to retrieve their belongings and prepared to leave for the day; the severity of the situation they were in weighing heavily on their minds as they desperately tried to formulate a plan to expose the corrupt teacher…
If they couldn't find a way to reveal his true nature soon, then who knows what might happen in the future.
Author's Notes:
Hello, Tricksters. Welcome. I hope you all enjoyed chapter 8 of Trials. This one actually had a fair bit of change compared to the original version of it. For one, I made it so that Johanna and Kidd will also talk to their summoners like Arsène does. It's an idea that I've had after reading the P4 and P3 longfics: Persona 4 Split Personalities by Kisdota-The Freak Gamer and Persona: Defiance of Fate by Solid Shark. I like the idea of a Persona having their own personalities and I wanted to incorporate that idea to the others' Personas, not just Arsène and what ever other Personas he will obtain. I also added an additional scene here and went ahead and introduced another favorite character of mine early: the fluffy senpai Haru. Like many, I like Haru and wish for her to have more time in the spotlight, which is what might happen in the upcoming P5R. I decided to do the same and have her show up here and more or less confirming what Ren had picked up during his talk with the first year. Expect her to show up more in the future, everyone. And of course, there are also the usual corrections and edits that were needed. If I have missed any Akiras in this chapter, let me know and I will fix it up as soon as possible.
And now for a bit of extra news: Chapter 9 of this fic is going to take a while to be uploaded. Due to an error of mine, that chapter is gone in its entirety, meaning I have to rewrite it from scratch. That is why it will take me a bit to get it ready for you guys, but as a result, you will be treated with the most refined chapter in the entire restart of this story. And that will also mean no Akiras popping up. Here's hoping that I don't take too long with this, but considering what I have to do in this chapter...let's just say it'll be a bit rough for me. As an offset to that, I will also be doing some work on a few BNHA fics that I still need to complete. If any of you readers are also a fan of my fluffier works, look forward to that.
With that said, thank you all so much for reading my works. I hope you all have a wonderful day and I will see you all in the next update. Until then, farewell.