CHAPTER 1: WHERE THE STORY ENDS
"Come on… I said I'm done." Takuto Maruki man looked, then backed down. "Please… let go of my hand."
That look of utter defeat and acceptance was exactly the reason that Joker wasn't going to do what the man wanted. "We're going back together."
The young man growled as he struggled to keep a grip on the dangling man. Never again would anyone die on his watch.
"Your eyes are as bright and honest as ever."Maruki looked so lost, yet all didn't look lost yet. "You keep your head up no matter what."
Joker felt more breaths coming out of his mouth, and he forced himself to regulate those breaths lest he start focusing on the likely pain his body was experiencing.
The former guidance counselor could only lament. "I must have always been afraid… afraid you and I wouldn't wish for the same reality."
Akira was starting to lose his grip on the doctor. For all of his time at the gym, this was proving to be a challenge. The fact that he was managing for this long was kind of impressive, especially without the aid of a Persona.
Still, his grip was loosening. How much longer could he keep this up?
Then he heard Morgana approaching in his chopper form. The alien yet comforting sound of the rotors spinning made the frizzy-haired teenager look down with a grin on his face. It looked like death wasn't going to come for either of them today.
"So bright…" Even Maruki was starting to regain some life in his eyes.
Then the sound of what remained of the bridge began to crack…
Persona 5: Royal - - - RWBY
Akira felt himself take in a breath abruptly before he opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of a dull-looking ceiling.
Despite the familiar sight, this was most definitely not the same room he had left behind in Tokyo. Despite the two rooms being located in the attic of a shop, his former room in LeBlanc carried the smell of coffee and curry. This place, on the other hand, had the scent of dust, a very unique smell that was hard not to distinguish.
Still, it was his home and just like the room Sojiro had given him, he had made it as homely as possible.
There was a desk for working on projects littered with tools and equipment. The teenager had another workstation for his Scrollbook, the holographic computer used primarily for hobbies and browsing.
A poster of a celebrity singer, Casey Lee Williams, was adorned on the far side. Her music was actually pretty good and when he saw a poster of her, it just made sense to hang it up, a simple way to spice up the room.
Hanging on the opposite wall that the bed was placed against was a dartboard, a little thing that he played with every now and then. It was nostalgic, a reminder of the friends that he had invited out for fun and games.
Mementos from all around the City of Vale decorated the walls. An 'I Love Vale' shirt, a flag with one of the local dust ball teams, a snow globe of Beacon Academy, a detailed map of the Kingdom of Vale and one for Remnant, an action figure depicting the last King of Vale, and a Metatron plushie to name a few.
The most important one for Akira was the flag hanging up depicting the trademark logo of the Phantom Thieves, complete with their most infamous words.
TAKE YOUR HEART.
Good times. He felt like an old man thinking like that, but that's how he felt.
Even though the last year of his life were only memories now, he wouldn't let the past stop him from pushing forward. With time and some effort, he got back on his feet and he now had a satisfying life.
But he wasn't alone.
His gaze fell to Lavenza, who was cradled against him, sleeping peacefully. Her right arm was draped over his chest, holding his left hand with interlocked fingers. Her legs were tangled with his own and her head laid on the right side of his chest, close to his shoulder. Her ashen-white hair was straight and pristine as always.
No matter how many times he looked at her, the former Phantom Thief couldn't believe that this young woman was the attendant of the Velvet Room who had assisted him on his path to rehabilitation. Gone was her smaller form, replaced by a more developed and matured body, one that he couldn't help but admire.
Her face had lost some of roundness, now being heart-shaped. Her lashes had grown out to a moderate length, although not in density. Her eyes had grown a bit as well, her vibrat golden irises incredibly clear. Her chest had grown as well, pleasing to the eyes, but still well-proportioned. Her waist was slim and her hips had also grown to match her chest, bigger, but still proportionate. Her legs were slender as well, but still shapely. Finally, she had grown in height as well, standing up to about nose-height for the frizzy-haired teenager.
There was no doubt that Lavenza was now impossibly beautiful; not even the most ideal genetics could match her looks. Being able to wake up to the sight of her every morning never ceased to put him at ease.
But as much as he wished he could admire her, it was time to get up and start the day. They both had a lot to attend to.
"Lavenza, it's time to wake up." Akira gently shook her.
Lavenza slowly opened his lids. "Akira?"
"That's my name." He grinned at her. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."
She smiled at him. "Good morning, my Trickster."
The young woman framed his face with both her soft hands and raised herself so she could kiss him on the lips. In response, the young man hugged her closer, enjoying the tender moment. Starting the day off like this was always a must for them. Their intimacy was extremely important for both of them and neither would take it for granted.
When they had first gotten close, they had been somewhat hesitant, but with time they had grown to accept and embrace the evolution of their relationship. Now there were no barriers between either of them.
Once they separated, Akira glanced at the nearby clock on the table near the head of their shared bed. "Monday. A new week."
"Indeed. It is time to get the day started." Lavenza sat up, mirroring his gaze. "There is much to do."
Persona 5 Royal - - - RWBY
The two of them worked multiple part-time jobs courtesy of their employer, an old man who strangely still hadn't disclosed his name and in the spirit of his former caretaker, Akira simply opted to name him Boss, something that the elderly male didn't seem to mind. Lavenza merely went along with it.
Their primary place of work was the shop aptly named 'From Dust Till Dawn.' A vast majority of their time was spent keeping stock of dust inventory as well as taking ownership of deliveries and shipments, both incoming and outgoing. They were simple tasks in and of themselves, but they were dedicated to doing the best that they could, something which didn't go unnoticed by the New Boss.
The pay was decent enough, but money wasn't why they chose to work here. The amount of treasures and jewels that the former Phantom Thief had acquired during his escapades within the Metaverse were more than enough to provide for them.
The main appeal to the job was the opportunity to learn about the most important substance on Remnant. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this world ran on dust; it powered most technology and infrastructure. Billions of lien were made in the industry, a fact that the Schnee Dust Company made a point to remind everyone.
For both Akira and Lavenza, dust carried a sense of familiarity; it was almost like fusing and strengthening Personas. Dust had multiple applications and any number of combinations could result in vastly different formula results. The past six months had been spent learning everything they could about the near-universal substance. This knowledge and the skills they were learning with the shop would most definitely benefit them in the future.
Whenever the two of them weren't working in the dust shop, they would be working in the stall making noodles and soups. The black-haired teenager had mastered Sojiro's coffee and curry combination and when he had suggested the items to the New Boss, he had been given the go-ahead to add it to the menu.
'A Simple Wok' was now attracting more customers during the evening and nighttime hours thanks to those two editions. Although the name of the stand and the items didn't match, the New Boss didn't care because the amount of lien coming in was more than enough justification.
Also, there were plans for the upcoming Vytal Festival. With all the foreign traffic that was soon to hit the streets, all businesses, big and small were looking to cash in on some of the action. New Boss was no different in that regard.
Akira and Lavenza were also interested to see what would become of the festival. This would be the first time both of them would be able to see the celebration, but that also meant it was time to put their best foot forward. In order to make the most out of the tourism, they would need to make some novelty dust items to sell.
Whatever spare time they had was spent working on concepts and ideas for dust. The two of them were confident enough in their experience and skills to be able to take more risks with dust, but before they went all in two months ago, they had gotten the New Boss's permission to dabble. It was his shop after all and this was all his.
Today's project was creating unique lighting effects for laps.
"Could there be a way to infuse other dust types into a crystal?" Akira carefully examined the fire crystal in his hand.
Lavenza frowned. "Perhaps, but since dust crystal types are formed separate from each other, we have nothing for comparison."
"Artificial, then." The frizzy-haired young man mulled that over. "The question is how do we fuse them without compromising crystal integrity?"
The former Velvet Room attendant leaned over to get a better look at the crystal. "There might be a way."
"You mean with Personas." Akira knew what she was thinking. "Is there a way to use them for more fine-tuning?"
Lavenza nodded in assessment. "It will be difficult, but I believe it is possible."
"Alright." He trusted her judgment, but there was something they needed to do before they could summon a Persona. "Keep a lookout for me."
Lavenza placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will be vigilant."
There was no way anyone could get past her senses, which was what allowed him to settle into his job.
A low-level fire Persona would do for this little experiment.
Akira chanted the name of one. "Jack-o'-Lantern."
The pumpkin-headed creature appeared behind him, its lantern glowing brightly.
"Agi." The wild card said the spell.
If this fire dust was in powdered form, it would no doubt be set off by even the slightest disturbance. The crystal form required a bit more oomph to it, so when the weak flame began to dance, the crystal merely shined brighter than usual.
At the same time the crystal was warming up, the former Phantom Thief carefully sprinkled a fine mist of electric dust.
The result was the red crystal losing some of its red lustor and gaining an orange tinge to it. There was also an afterglow that didn't appear to be fading. Once the flames died down, Jack-o'-Lantern disappeared.
"Something happened." Akira was puzzled over the changes. "I'm not sure what, though."
Lavenza ceased her watch to observe the changes. "We can do some testing later today when we train our Personas, but I am sensing a different sort of energy emanating from within the crystal."
"It's a start," he acknowledged, "We'll play it by ear."
In true scientific fashion, one instance wasn't enough to satisfy them. They created several more crystals of similar or different dust particle compositions. They would need it for the trials ahead. When it came to their work, both of them were nothing if not meticulous, bordering on perfectionism.
They only stopped to have their lunch break and then it was back to their usual tasks.
All in all, it was just another day at the shop.
RWBY - - - Persona 5 Royal
The two of them had gone their separate ways in pursuit of their personal interests.
Akira had recently found himself interested in the technologies of Remnant. At first glance, they appeared much more advanced when compared to Earth's tech. Holographic displays were the norm, not physical screens. With a streamline means of powering everything, repairs and maintenance of all tech was easy. Automation was more or less a part of everyday life, even more so in kingdoms like Atlas.
However, the lack of variety was also unusual. The fact that there was no other major power source aside from dust felt odd. There was more than enough time between the first instances of recorded history and the present day to have developed alternative methods of energy, yet there were none to be found.
The primary reason for the invested interest was that in regards to his personal equipment and weapons. Realistic plastic models weren't going to cut it in terms of combative abilities considering this was the real world now.
Surprisingly enough, the weapons he had crafted within the Metaverse somehow translated to a firearm with live ammo. When he discovered that, he took care to maintain strict weapon discipline. He wasn't known for being careless or reckless and he didn't intend to start becoming either anytime soon.
Still, Akira weapon could stand to use some modifications. He had experimented with various dust types like fire, ice, and electricity to see if he could replicate the same effects of burning, freezing, and shock respectively. Technical damage was something he had only begun to master at the tail end of his adventures as a Phantom Thief and he didn't want to let his craft go to waste, hence his interest in dust.
Unfortunately, dust would never carry the same power that spells from Personas did. Even the lower-tier manifestations were more than sufficient to match dust of high quality. In order for dust to be able to match Personas of higher levels, they would require massive amounts of the substance. Simply put, dust couldn't be counted on for raw destructive capabilities.
However, what it lacked in power it made up for in refinement. The best way to apply dust was to use it as an enhancer. As they had learned through experimentation in the story and sparring on their own time, the attacks of Personas could be amplified to a degree where their effects were magnified several fold.
The frizzy-haired young man looked at his watch. He still had a little bit of time and for the most part, he had what he came for.
A nearby clerk got his attention. "Find what you're looking for, sir?"
"Yeah, I'm just wrapping up." Akira smiled pleasantly. "I've got some plans with my wife later."
The older man looked at him with a bit of surprise. "How old are you?"
"Seventeen." The teenager didn't miss a beat.
His answer prompted a greater look. "Ain't that a bit young, kid?"
"Yeah, it is, but it felt right."
He didn't think he was going to get married this soon either.
But that was life for you.
Unpredictable at best.
Persona 5 Royal - - - RWBY
Lavenza found herself occupying Tukson's Book Trade during her forays into the City of Vale. Despite the comforts and conveniences of modern technology, she found herself drifting back to older methods of entertainment and productivity.
The owner of the store was a kind man who did his best to acquire books of all kinds. When the former Velvet Room attendant had asked for history books and all sorts of other factual-based reads, he asked no questions, only did his best to fulfill her request. His likely assumption was that she was an ordinary teenager who was looking for study material in relation to schooling. She would not correct him on that assumption.
In her studies, the Ruler of Power found herself fascinated by what she had been able to learn about Remnant. It was a world that carried uncanny similarities to Earth, but if there was one fundamental difference between the two worlds, it was the nature of conflict.
The Creatures of Grimm were a clear threat to Mankind and the Faunus and the entirety of Remnant's history had seen a lot of bloody conflict with the monsters. What made her concerned was how much internal conflict and wars between the living were just as prevalent as the ones against the Grimm.
For Lavenza, it was disheartening to see people and nations warring against each other when there was a common enemy that all of them shared. Certainly she was not blind to the grudges that had been developed and maintained over the course of time, but surely such emotions and feelings could be put aside more often.
Perhaps she was being too harsh on this world. The four great powers in this world had been able to maintain peace for eighty years now, enough time for several generations to arise and learn how to make a better peace.
The white-haired young woman closed the book she was holding and moved on to her next subject of interest.
Fairy Tales and legends had always been something of great interest to her. Her work with Personas had given her a wealth of understanding as to the history and lore of the various creatures, deities, legends, and heroes that Mankind. Many had a lengthy history and story that contained multiple interpretations.
In that regard, Lavenza wondered if she and Akira were capable of tapping into that history in order to add more Personas to the Compendium. If such a thing were possible, it would be quite an exciting prospect. There was no rush to accomplish such a thing, but she knew that both of them would gladly take part.
She grabbed some titles.
The Twin Brothers.
The Girl in the Tower.
The Shallow Seas.
The Four Seasons.
She made her way to the counter.
Tukson looked up. "Lavenza, find everything okay?"
"Yes, I did." She gently placed the books down. "These ones will occupy me for a while."
Tukson looked at the titles. "Ah, the classics. They never fail to endure. Is Akira busy today?"
"Yes, he has other things to attend to," Lavenza explained, "Do you wish to see him?"
The large man waved her off. "Don't worry 'bout it, it's just that I always see you two together. You're practically joined at the hip."
She thought his words to be an exaggeration. There were plenty of times that the two of them weren't together.
But they were together for a good chunk of most days.
RWBY - - - Persona 5 Royal
With a little bit of experimentation and trial and error, the two of them had managed to create a place similar to the Velvet Room, a place that existed between dream and reality, mind and matter. It was a place for just the two of them for one reason.
Battle.
Although they could use Personas freely in the real world, neither had an interest in showcasing their true potential to anyone. The last thing either wanted was unwanted attention, but the two of them felt the need to keep using their powers in order to never become dull in their use.
In this space, there was no need to hide, thus there was no need to hold back.
"Change." The Ruler of Power summoned Baal.
Akira knew what to expect from the Semitic God of Fertility; its wind attacks were among the most powerful in the Compendium. His saving grace was that Metatron reflected wind, so there was no danger to him. However, it seemed that Lavenza had learned to expect reflections and she simply nullified the attack sent back to her.
Akira's face was serious as he summoned next. "Mada."
Perhaps it was a waste to unleash Blazing Hell upon one foe, but in light of all the mental training the former Phantom Thief had undergone in order to endure longer in combat, he could deal with a larger drain to his mental state.
The area of effect forced his opponent to take evasive action, but the sheer amount of heat generated from the attack was enough to off-balance her. This provided him the opportunity to quickly summon his next Persona.
"Fafnir."
The Norse dragon materialized, unleashing a Cosmic Flare, an attack that was nigh-unavoidable considering the amount of time he spent bringing the Persona to full strength in every way possible.
Lavenza, having still felt the effects of the previous fire attack, now had to feel the effects of the nuclear barrage as the two combined, downing her in one swift stroke.
Akira seized his chance and went in for the killing blow.
"Hastur."
The Great Old One appeared to smite its foe with the Abyssal Eye. For a moment, the energy generated was temporarily blinding. When the Persona disappeared and the arena cleared, the results were plain to see.
She was kneeling, her body leaning towards the ground, her lungs taking ragged breaths. If she had any strength left, she would've used it by now. Countless spars with each other had taught them what to look for when it came to being finished. This was one of those moments.
The frizzy-haired boy quickly made his way to her, then began to use Maria to cast a healing spell.
"You are still as deadly as ever, my Trickster." Lavenza complimented him like a good sport. "It would seem that I have to work harder."
Akira shook his head. "You're making me earn my victories and don't forget you've won your fair share of fights too."
That was the truth. These past few months were spent constantly testing each other in all ways. Power, skill, cunning, ingenuity, luck, all factors that contributed to their spars. They constantly had to adjust themselves in order to achieve their victories.
"I concede victory to you, but not for long." Lavenza stood up carefully. "Next time will be my victory."
"We'll see." Akira shared a small smile.
The two of them had no enemies to fight. There was no Metaverse to travel to in this world. There were only monsters that existed outside the safe haven of the Kingdom of Vale. Neither had taken any definitive action against such a threat. They still didn't fully understand all the threats.
But Akira knew the fight was coming and he wanted to be ready for when it came. Everything about this world told him that peace was a very fragile thing. These people might be more capable of fending for themselves, but just like any society that enjoyed decades of peace and prosperity, people grew soft.
He never told his Phantom Thief companions, but fighting shadows gave him a feeling that he struggled to describe even to this day. Sure, there was adrenaline and stress, but those could be managed with experience and time. Whatever he felt in the heat of combat was something more than what the media would say.
At least, that's what he wanted to believe.
"What is on your mind?" Lavenza snapped him out of his thoughts.
Akira regarded her. "Am I an adrenaline junkie?"
"What a strange question." She gave him a thoughtful look. "I have never known you to question yourself."
He held his hand out. "I should do it more. If there's no room for doubt, there's no room for belief. Ever since I was falsely accused of assault, I've always looked at everything and everyone with caution, but I think you know that."
"I did." Lavenza took his hand.
They both rose to their feet.
Akira sighed. "I'm sorry. I… don't know what's going on with me."
"It is okay. Take all the time you need to process your thoughts, and please speak to me about them."
She would support him no matter what and for that, she had his eternal gratitude.
He embraced her and she accepted him in turn.
Persona 5 Royal - - - RWBY
Night times were usually a peaceful affair in the shop. They were about half an hour away from closing and the final checks were being done. Despite the various safety measures taken to ensure that dust wouldn't do anything unpredictable, it never hurt to double check.
The old man had gone out to take care of some personal business, leaving the two of them to close up. They wished him well and then went about getting ready to shut down. Of course, with a resource as important as dust, there would always be last-minute customers. The girl in the back reading a weapons magazine was one such person.
Neither Akira nor Lavenza missed the weapon nor the ammo that she was carrying. She was probably a student at one of the primary combat schools. She looked like Futaba's age, too young to be joining the ranks of Beacon Academy. She hadn't even bothered to acknowledge either of them, opting to keep her hood up and go straight to the magazines.
"Akira." Lavenza placed a hand on his shoulder.
He looked up at the calling of his name
The raven-haired teenager observed her serious expression. "What?"
"I am sensing malicious energy." Lavenza looked out the window. "It is coming from outside and it is approaching us. There are many."
Knowing to trust her instinct, he carefully made sure that his pistol was ready to use while checking that his knife was on him.
Akira looked to the back where the younger girl was. "How many are there?"
"Five." Her golden eyes were even. "One of them is different."
Now that he thought about it, there had been some reports of robberies of dust stores happening recently, but to think these guys would mug a place in a relatively populated area where eyes and ears were abundant…
The frizzy-haired young man did some quick thinking. "Get that girl to safety. I'm taking no chances."
"I will take care of it." Lavenza squeezed her shoulder. "May luck be on your side."
Not a few seconds had passed and the door chimed to indicate people were coming in. As the former Velvet Room Attendant had said, there were five of them. Four were dressed in black suits suits, red ties and red sunglasses, and matching black fedoras. The lead man sported a white suit with red trimming along the collar, black pants and shoes, a bowler hat with a single red stripe, and he had a cane in his right hand.
Akira frowned. There's no way this guy's crippled… and is that eyeliner? Wait, isn't this guy…
When he put it all together, he knew who he was looking at.
Roman Torchwick.
Well, shit.
The infamous crime lord smirked. "Isn't it a little late for a kid like you to be workin'? Don't you got school tomorrow?"
"I've already graduated." Akira put on his poker face and decided to attempt to be polite. "I'm sorry, but we're about to close."
Torchwick laughed, a few ashes from his cigarette falling to the ground. "I can respect a guy who sticks to his work, but trust me kid, I'm not asking."
One of the thugs pointed his pistol at him. A year and a half ago, he would've likely shied away in fear, but considering the fact that at one time, Akechi had done more or less the same thing, he could manage just fine now.
Akira's features hardened. "I'm not giving you anything."
Those were the last words before he tossed smoke bomb, giving him the smokescreen to grab his weapons and spring into action.
Using his Third Eye, he tossed one out the door, then he swiftly grabbed another, using momentum to throw him into the third. The fourth was coughing blindly all it took was a clean smack to the back of his head for him to go lights out.
"Wait, I can help you guys!" An unfamiliar female voice sounded.
Lavenza's voice responded in turn. "Please do not involve yourself. You are leaving."
One of those types. The young man admired the thought, but he didn't need some kid fighting his battles.
His momentary thought distracted him and Torchwick was gone. The Third Eye couldn't see him in the store.
That meant he was fleeing.
"Figures" Akira growled. "Where you at, guy?"
He rushed outside, thankful that the streets were clear of traffic and passerbys, but he was nowhere to be found.
Then he felt something press against the rear of his head. "Not too shabby kid, but you're way in over your head. You think some cheap parlor tricks are gonna trip me up?"
"Worth a shot." Akira shrugged his shoulders. "So what happens next?"
Torchwick made a clicking noise. "You're awfully calm for someone whose life is on the line. Kinda weird, but I can respect your nerve, so here's what you're gonna do-"
The demands were never stated as the sound of chainsaw coming to life was followed up by the orange-haired man ducking out of the way in order to avoid being cut down, although it was likely he had aura.
Lavenza appeared to have gotten the girl in the cloak out of the way and had returned to provide assistance. From her peripheral vision, the frizzy-haired male saw the familiar weapon of choice by the Ruler of Power. She took her place by his side. Both lovers regarded their new enemy very seriously.
"Seriously? A chainsaw?" Torchwick sounded incredulous more than anything. "Well, this is fun and all, black and blue, but I think it's time for us to go our separate ways."
The cane came up aiming at the two of them. Thankfully, Akira had his Omnipotent Orb on her person, allowing him to nullify the attack. Predictably the weapon fired, and the shot came straight at them only to wink out of existence.
The infamous crime lord had taken the opportunity to escape along the rooftop. Neither of them had any inclination to pursue. With all the commotion that had been caused, the wanted man wasn't liable to stick around let alone try to rob anyone.
"Are you hurt?" Akira turned to his partner.
Lavenza scanned his form in return. "No, and do not appear to be either. That is good."
"Well, it looks like we're going to have a long chat with the police." The sigh from the boy's mouth was quiet, but to her it might as well be explosive. "And then the old man will no doubt have questions."
Lavenza nodded. "For now, we should-"
The sound of a weapon being discharged that didn't sound like Torchwick got their attention. Although what they say wasn't perfectly clear, the girl from before now appeared to have brandished her weapon and was now in pursuit of the criminal.
"She came back?" The ashen-haired girl seemed surprised.
He felt his eye twitch. "What is she thinking?"
"I will keep her from doing anything foolish." Lavenza decided on her course of action.
Akira looked behind them. "I'll round up these guys, make sure they don't cause any more trouble."
The split to accomplish their respective tasks.
The girl wielding a scythe that doubled as a firearm had her heart in the right place. Truly, it was an admirable thing to come to the aid of those who needed help. However, the motivation behind the selfless act was what was in question.
Call it a hunch, but the departed Velvet Room resident felt that this child was motivated more by ideals rather than by experience, which she supposed was to be expected for most people. Still, it was needless all the same.
With elegance and grace, Lavenza scaled the building just in time to witness the smaller female looking on a Bullhead aircraft.
"I don't even know who you are, little girl, but don't stick your neck where it doesn't belong." Torchwick seemed to be losing patience. "Heroes don't live long in this world, or haven't you heard?"
With that, a yellow crystal was tossed out. Seeing this, the Ruler of Power picked up her pace in time to catch the volatile dust item then used the blade of her weapon to block the next shot that followed up.
The Ruler of Power had no intention of doing anything more than defending. She did not want to use a Persona if she could help it.
But that decision was no longer in her hands as a taller, blond-haired green eyed woman took to action in front of her.
A huntress. Lavenza grimaced slightly at this development. We will no doubt be asked many questions.
Then she sensed it: magical energy. It was emanating from the aircraft. Her eyes focused on a lone woman wearing a red dress. A soft amber glow from her eyes and the outlines of her attire.
The youngest female tried again to raise her weapon in attack, only for the barrel to be forcefully pushed to the ground by the chainsaw wielder.
"What are you doing?" The silver-eyed girl protested. "They're ge-"
Lavenza decided to be more forceful. "Will you be quiet and stay out of this?!"
Her sudden outburst sent the cloaked girl reeling back in surprise. Rarely were emotional moments like these a thing for the Ruler of Power, but this girls' stubbornness was just causing no end of annoyances.
A flurry of fire-like attacks began to surround them, prompting the more experienced one to drag the silver-eyed girl by her weapon out of the way. The bullhead was now leaving, flying farther into the sky. Any further action was pointless.
Lavenza schooled her emotions, carefully concealing her displeasure at tonight's turn of events under a calm gaze of composure. Nothing had ever been gained by needlessly venting emotions where it was not appropriate.
"T-That's a cool weapon." The girl managed to say. "I-Is it custom?"
"The two of you will be coming with me." The older woman turned to face them both. "And the boy as well."
It was going to be a longer night than usual.
RWBY - - - Persona 5 Royal
Akira and Lavenza had been adamant about not saying much unless the two of them were together during the questions. The fact that their request was met was strange, but then again, a huntress was involved; perhaps their authority either met or superseded the police under very specific conditions.
Regardless, their wait wasn't long. The blonde woman who identified herself as Glynda Goodwitch came in, her scroll in-hand displaying videos of the two of them just an hour ago fighting the thugs and Roman Torchwick.
Already, they had an idea about where this conversation was going. The woman's no-nonsense demeanor and her even expression spoke enough.
"I want to thank you for your response to the Roman Torchwick." Miss Goodwitch regarded the two of them, then regarded her scroll. "You both handled the situation well."
The black-haired young man was surprised at the compliment. "So… we're not in trouble?"
His past history with authority wasn't exactly spotless, so his wariness around them was high to be expected.
"Not at all, but we do have some questions." The blonde woman further studied the two of them. "For the both of you."
This time, the Ruler of Power spoke. "'We?'"
From the opposite side of the room, the door opened and inside came a man that neither of them recognized. His white hair was somewhat messy, his glasses seemed too small to be functional, the cane he walked with seemed out of place, and his overall posture and demeanor was wrong, like it didn't belong to him.
"Akira and Lavenza Kurusu." The man spoke their names, then looked from one to the other. "I usually don't see married couples at your age in the city."
What a strange way to start the conversation.
The former Phantom Thief grasped his partner's hand. "What can I say? My wife is an amazing woman."
"My husband is equally outstanding." The late Velvet Room attendant squeezed his hand in turn. "He is the world's greatest man."
Their response didn't evoke any noticeable response from the seemingly old man. He simply regarded the scroll playing a video of them fighting
His next question was expected."Where did you two learn how to fight?"
"We're self-taught." Akira didn't even have to think about it. "Both of us."
This seemed to interest their newest arrival. "And it shows in your technique and style, yet you two make it work for you."
"Constant maintenance of our skills is also critical to our success." Lavenza added her own two cents. "Less we become complacent."
The brown-eyed man nodded. "I can see that. I don't suppose either of you have any plans to use these skills beyond defense."
This man wanted to recruit them for something.
"No, fighting is merely a skill we've both picked up along the way." Akira looked up with a curious look in his eye. "Why the sudden interest, mister…"
The cane-holder raised an eyebrow. "I take it you don't know who I am."
"We are more focused on the people in our lives that we interact with on a daily basis." Lavenza responded for both of them. "So, no, we do not know who you are."
This prompted a small laugh. "I see. Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy."
The name was unfamiliar, but the two of them at least knew about Beacon Academy. It was reputed as the best huntsman academy on Remnant.
"What's the headmaster of the best huntsman academy want with us?" Akira decided to cut to the chase. "As far as I'm tracking, neither of us has expressed an interest in becoming a killer of Grimm."
Ozpin responded in kind. "You two aren't the only reason I came here. Ruby Rose, the girl that was in your place of employment, also was a person of interest. She is training to be a huntress. She aspired to go to my school and I offered her enrollment."
"That decision seems a little premature, headmaster." Lavenza tilted her head. "As far as I could see, she did not display any lengthy nor extraordinary feats in combat tonight."
The huntsman smiled. "That's certainly true, but her spirit touched me. Additionally, she wields a scythe and judging by her overall posture with it, I could tell that she's spent some years training with it."
That couldn't be all there was to it. There was a difference between seeing potential and actually being able to wield said potential.
But Akira wasn't interested in any of that. "I'm glad that she's being offered a chance to pursue what she wants, but we're getting off topic. Why come to us? We're just civilians."
"Somehow, I get the feeling that's only part of the truth, as is the extent of your combat capabilities." Ozpin shook his head slightly. "Your skills are nothing to scoff at, but they seem strangely restricted… or limited."
This old man clearly was very observant. He had either good eyes or lots of experience. Or both.
Lavenza's posture was straight as she asked her question. "Why the interest in our abilities in combat or supposed lack thereof?"
"I have an offer for the two of you." Ozpin placed both hands on his cane. "How would you two like to join Beacon Academy as prospective students?"
Akira lightly snorted at the suggestion. "Hell no. I just graduated high school and I have no plans to go back anytime soon."
"I too have no desire for schooling of any kind." Lavenza moved to agree with her husband.
In truth, they knew enough about the skills of huntsmen and huntresses, enough to know that only the veterans posed any kind of real challenge. Students would prove to be little more than a warmup.
Ozpin mulled over their response, then his eyes lit up. "I see. Then how about this: perhaps you two could come on as teacher assistants for combat classes."
"You would offer us positions without full knowledge of what we can do?" Akira felt more than a little suspicious of the offer. "Aren't you assuming too much?"
Ozpin shrugged. "I have a keen eye for those who have a knack for fighting. Such is the nature of my profession and my current occupation.
This entire conversation felt too perfect and experience had taught the former Phantom Thief that there was no such thing as a perfect thing except when it was engineered specifically to be perfect according to the designer's intent.
But if the inmate departed could trust anything, it was himself. The World Arcana wasn't just for show. It was his resolve to stand on his own two feet, swayed by none. In short, no matter what he faced, he'd find a way to win.
So Akira decided to bite, but he wouldn't make it easy. "Let's say that we're the fighters you think we are, what's our incentive to join you?"
"There are plenty." Ozpin predictably moved to sweeten the deal. "You will enjoy the benefits of huntsmen and huntresses. Diplomatic immunity, special contracts, access to the best weapons, technology and dust, not to mention I offer a considerable stipend to those in my service."
So basically money and resources.
Lavenza spoke what her beloved was thinking. "Money is not a concern that we have, nor are resources. We have the former in spades and the latter we can obtain quite easily."
It was the headmaster's move.
"Then maybe the purpose of training the world's next protectors and saviors is motivation enough?" Ozpin was now getting to the real issue. "The general public is largely unaware or ignorant, but the fact remains that the Grimm are a constant threat. There have been many times where the walls have been nearly breached. It was only thanks to our huntsman and the military that we have survived as we have."
That got Akira's attention. "...survived? The situation's that bad?"
"It is." Ozpin affirmed without hesitation. "And the future remains uncertain."
Glynda appeared conflicted about where this conversation was going. "Sir, are you sure this is wise to reveal?"
"Who would they tell? They're civilians and ordinary ones at that." Ozpin dismissed the concern. "It's fine."
His reasoning did nothing to placate her, but she said nothing further, only sighing and allowing the conversation to move forward.
The headmaster returned his focus to the two teenagers. "In short, we're all living on borrowed time and I need every person that I can to bolster the children that come through my halls."
"You do realize that we are little older than these children." Lavenza was not one to lie, but circumstances being what they were…
Ozpin tapped his cane on the floor once. "Your age is of no concern, not when I know that the two of you are experienced in the hardships of fighting."
"Don't you have other professors to help you train your students?" Akira asked the obvious question. "Why bother with us?"
The gray-haired man chuckled. "While I do have some extremely competent staff, it's more about allowing the students something more than simple training. Having instructors around their age will remove any hesitation or doubt about asking for help."
There was some logic to such a move. The frizzy-haired boy had only a handful of adults that he spoke with on a regular basis back in Tokyo and all of those relationships started more so by circumstance than initiative.
Further question was nearly pointless. Even for the most minute of inquiries, no doubt the old man would have an answer, even if they weren't in-depth. That sort of tenacity was respectable if nothing else.
But there was one more question that had to be asked.
Akira's eyes narrowed. "What's your endgame in all of this? I can buy that you're doing this for the right reasons, but what's your personal stake in all of this?"
No matter how selfless an action, there was always a selfish motivation in the reflection. Nobody could escape that reality.
To his credit, Ozpin's face held steady, but the couple saw a flash of something more substantial. It was so fleeting that the untrained eye would have missed it.
Then the old man spoke.
"I have seen too many people die, so many of them close to me. This war has taken so many lives that every time I have to send someone off, potentially to their deaths, the faces of those that I treasured come back to haunt me. I've made more mistakes than anyone in this world and I'll spend the rest of my time atoning for all of my errors.
"I want to win because if I don't, we'll all pay for it. If I have to be underhanded to achieve victory, then so be it. I'll gladly let everyone who I've wronged take their swing at me, but better they're angry and alive than ignorant and dead.
"...I'll ask the two of you once more. Akira and Lavenza Kurusu, will you please join the staff at Beacon Academy to help me train the next generation of heroes?"
Throughout the entire exchange, Akira had been using the Third Eye to judge Ozpin and see if this was indeed something worth considering. Although there were fluctuations indicating some truths were being omitted, his final words carried more conviction and finality to them, something that couldn't be ignored.
The young man turned to his partner, who merely nodded. Whatever decision he made, she would support him to the best of her ability. That was always going to be her stance no matter where life took them.
We're really about to do this again. Akira wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. I saved the world once and I'm never the same.
"We'll help you."
Persona 5 Royal - - - RWBY
Akira watched with crossed arms at the initiation for the new prospective freshman year of Beacon Academy. So far, what he was seeing felt somewhat underwhelming; that being said, he had to remember his small beginnings and remind himself that he wasn't always as powerful as he was now.
So far, there were a dozen or so students that were entertaining at the very least if nothing else. Their methods were certainly out of the box, which was exactly what these kids would need in order to survive this career. Perhaps that unorthodox edge was what would save their lives down the road.
His greatest concern was teamwork. Because of their lack of power and experience, they would need to rely heavily upon their coordination in order to stand any chance against stronger foes. In his early days as a Phantom Thief, teamwork was all he had as he had to juggle learning how to strengthen Personas.
He could only hope that they would survive long enough to improve their craft.
Lavenza was also witnessing initiation, holding the Persona Compendium and regarding the aspiring hopefuls as well. She could respect their spirit and vigor, but like with her Trickster, they would need time and experience to temper their more impulsive urges.
As biased and unfair as it was to compare them to her chosen one, she couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed that none of them carried a natural calm and collected demeanor that a good leader should have. There was one black-haired boy with a pink streak that was simply calm, but he did not exude any leadership potential.
More essential to their growth was their ability to stand against any foe and win. Their mental and psychological strength was what would win the day and it remained to be seen if these children had what it took to face off against true adversity that was many times their superior and still find a way to win.
"Your thoughts?" Ozpin asked the two of them, his eyes fully on them.
Akira pressed his lips into a thin line, then verbalized. "We've got our work cut out for us."
"Agreed." Lavenza switched the Compendium to her other side. "They are young and naive. They have much to learn."
This story is a departure from my usual chapter structure as well as a departure from my more thought-based writing style.
Usually, I divide chapters into sections of about 1500 words. This is in order for me to achieve small goals while writing so that I don't burn out trying to write endlessly. This time around, I want to see what a more free-flowing style will do. I'll write chapters to the length that I feel are more natural and what makes sense to the story I'm trying to tell.
Also, this story is my attempt to see if I can do less internal monologuing and do more action and dialogue-based stuff. Thoughts will be briefer and to the point. This is really experimental for me, so please bear with me if the results seem clunky at first.
In terms of combat scenes, I intend to mix and mash RWBY V1-V3 style while also incorporating Persona 5 Royal's turn-based combat style. All of this will happen in real-time, but I want to have some fun with this aspect of the story.
The sections in this story should also give y'all an idea of what to expect in future chapters. There will be deviation, but the foundation and what will be built upon it is here.
Finally, I just wanted to see what I could do with some Persona 5 Royal. I've played the game many times over. Most of my time was spent perfecting endgame Personas so that I could destroy the game in New Game Plus.
Thoughts? Reviews and feedback are appreciated.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. The title of the song and the theme of this story is based upon the song of the same name by The Frey. This song has a lot of meaning for me because it's the song I attribute to the changes in my life when I joined the Army. For me, it meant leaving behind my old life to begin a new life. It was a scary time, but it was also exciting as well.