Hello, again! BlueRaptor here, bringing you an update to this story! I'm sorry if I took so long to continue the chapter. Life's pretty complicated at the moment. Fortunately, I'm not one to be swept by it that easily.
Just a little heads up, I have changed the title of the chapter.
Without futher ado, enjoy!
Diclaimer: I do not own Persona or Pokemon. Only the OCs that appeared in this story.
Chapter 8: Supply Run
"How dare you deny King Kamoshida's love, you selfish lass!" The toilet sitting Shadow snapped as he and his two subordinates were ready to battle against Ann and the others. "His Highness doesn't deserve such insolence! You will pay for this with your life!"
"Oh please. That asshole only sees women as sexual outlets. Don't give me that "love" bullshit!" Ann retorted. "Let's burn them all, Carmen!"
"Let's help her, guys!" Joker told his comrades, where they nodded in agreement.
"Me and Skull will handle the underlings." King proposed to his comrades. He then turned towards his frizzy-haired friend. "Joker, you and Mona help Ann in fighting the big guy. We'll help out once we're done with our end."
"Consider it done, King." Joker approved the plan.
"All right, let's take 'em out in one big swoop!" Skull exclaimed excitedly as they split up to initiate the plan.
King and Skull approached the horse and winged devil pair, who were eager to take them out as the other two were backing Ann on dealing the bigger and stronger Shadow.
"You thieves will forever rue the day defying King Kamoshida!" The twin-horned horse Shadow threatened them.
"Like we'll be afraid of that big headed dumbass like him. We'll wreck anyone who's willin' to cover for that asshole!" Skull stated.
"If you're dead set on protecting him, then get ready to go down with him!" King added as he pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Such insolence! You will pay for that, knave!" The two Shadows proceeded to lunge forward towards the duo.
"Come on out and you used Play Rough on that winged Shadow, Mimikyu!" King threw the Poké Ball into the air, which summoned Mimikyu.
"(I'm on it, King!)" The Disguise Pokémon said before he himself launched towards his target where he proceeded to pummel the Shadow in front of him. Each hit hurt the Shadow more because of the Pokémon striking its weakness.
"All right! Now whack it towards the other one with Wood Hammer!" After hearing that command, Mimikyu immediately used the wooden tail to send the Shadow flying towards the horse Shadow.
"Now's your turn, Skull!"
"I see what you're gettin' at, King. Wreck 'im, Captain Kidd!" Skull catching on what King was planning before he ripped his mask off in order to summon his Persona. From there, Captain Kidd proceeded to ram the Shadow with the hull of the ship, sending it flying where both Shadows collided with one another.
"Now blast 'em away with Zio!"
"Dual Shadow Claw, Mimikyu!"
Both Pokémon and Persona proceeded to unleash their attacks on the stunned Shadows as they felt both the bolt of electricity from Captain Kidd and the Ghost type move from Mimikyu. The combined assault resulted in the defeat of the two Shadows as they dissolved with agonizing scream.
Meanwhile, Joker and Mona were facing off against the big Shadow along with Ann.
"Cleave!"
"Zorro, use Garu!"
Joker and Mona proceeded to unleash their attacks through their Personas on the toilet sitting Shadow, but only to land a small amount of damage.
"Our attacks didn't do anything to it." Joker remarked. "Is it really stronger than the others?"
"You could say that. Every Shadow has its own strengths and weaknesses. Said strengths included resistance against certain attacks. Knowing those two is essential for gaining an advantage in battle." Mona explained.
"Those who opposed King Kamoshida shall suffer!" The Shadow exclaimed as it turned its attention to the two.
"Oh no, you don't! I'm not through with you yet, asshole! Do it, Carmen! Agi!" With no hesitation, Ann had her Persona shoot a valley of flames at the Shadow, dealing a great deal of damage as it fell down.
"It looks like that attack went through." Joker remarked. 'I guess fire attacks are effective for this Shadow."
"Impressive observation, Joker." Mona stated before pulling out his sword. "Come on now! Let's give it hell!"
The two proceeded to rush towards their opponents before repeatedly hitting the enemy with their melee weapons. Not one to be left out, Ann proceeded to follow their example by lashing towards the Shadow with a leather whip that had just manifested from thin air. The toilet sitting Shadow cried in pain before it tried to backhand Joker, Mona, and Panther. Fortunately, they managed to make some distance away from the Shadow.
"(Now that's what I call style.)" Salandit commented as it kept watching towards the others, particularly Ann. "(Normally, I'm not interested in humans, but this one has a… unique air around her. I must admit that I'm a little curious to know what it is… So just this once…)"
"Enough! I shall not allow you intruders to sully our king—" The Shadow didn't finish his threat as Mimikyu hit him with a Drain Punch and followed by Skull commanded Captain Kidd to use Zio on said Shadow.
"Like we give a shit about what you think!" Skull remarked as he pulled out his shotgun. "Let's waste him, Takamaki!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Ann retorted as Carmen was standing behind her once again. "Get ready…!"
The Shadow growled at its opposition before it tried to counter. Unfortunately, it didn't get that chance when a fireball slammed on its side, causing it to cry in pain from the hit. It then turned to see Joker and his newly obtained Persona, Jack-O'-Lantern. The name of the pumpkin headed Shadow that was his enemies when he awakened his power.
"Okay, it's our turn now. Shadow Claw!" Mimikyu immediately complied as he struck the Shadow once more. Joker, Skull, and Mona proceeded to unleash the rounds of their firearms, with the intent of not letting the Shadow let up.
"You insolent thieves! Why won't you just accept–" Once again it was struck by a fire attack before it could finish its statement.
"Nice one, Joker!" Skull complimented his friend.
"Umm… That wasn't me." Joker replied, shocking them.
"Huh!?" Skull exclaimed.
King then turned towards the one behind the attack, who was none other than the "poisonous fire lizard" that he heard about.
"(You don't like fire very much do you? Then you're definitely going to love what I have in store!)" It hissed at the big Shadow.
"Whoa! What the hell is that!?" Skull stated as the others, excluding Ann, noticed the third party.
"I knew what those guards were talking about. It's a Salandit!" King pointed.
"Salandit? Does that mean it's a Pokemon?" Joker inquired.
"That's right. I wonder why it's helping us though?"
"Tch! You annoying lizard! You dare defy this loyal servant of the Great King Kamoshida?"
"(Like that skull masked human said, I couldn't care less about your opinion.)" Salandit hissed mockingly before it smirked at the Shadow. "(But you wouldn't feel about that for long…)" It proceeded to wink at the Shadow and releases several pink hearts that surround the Shadow. The Shadow was confused as it saw the pink hearts that were circling around it. The pink hearts then close in and hit the Shadow, causing something unexpected to happen. One which left everyone baffled except King, who was busy preparing to attack, and Mimikyu..
"Despite my undying devotion to King Kamoshida… This fair maiden has captured my heart!" The Shadow proclaimed with hearts in his eyes.
"The hell!? Is this for real!?" Skull exclaimed with widened eyes. While Skull isn't known for his intelligence, even he knew what love is. "That Shadow just went and became a simp to that Pokémon!"
"Whoa…" Ann mouthed as she looked at the sight she was currently witnessing.
"There's no mistaking it. That Shadow fell in love hard with that Salandit." Mona added as he turned towards King. "Hey, King. What is that move just now?"
"That was Attract. It makes the target fall in love with the opponent and makes them less likely to attack. In order for this move to work, the target's gender has to be the opposite of the user." The otherworldly thief explained.
"That sounds a bit unfair if you ask me." Joker commented.
"It's called 'strategy', Joker. It's commonplace where I come from." King retorted. "Don't worry, the move won't work against targets of the same gender." He continued, much to the relief of his friend.
"Still. That looks like an effective move." Mona stated. "It seems that besides the fear of death, the Shadows also have enough emotion to fall in love, especially to a Pokémon." He noted.
"Hey! What are you doing!? Don't tell me you fell for that stupid lizard!? That's it! Kill that lizard too!" Shadow Kamoshida reprimanded his elite subordinate.
"But, my king… I could never strike the fair maiden that won my heart."
"See what I mean?" King then turned towards Ann. "Here's your chance, Ann! Finish him!"
"O-Oh right!" Ann regained her composure before she delivered the final blow. "Dance with the flames, Carmen!" she shouted a command as Carmen had flames swirled above her left hand before releasing another wave of it towards her target.
"(All right, let's finish this one together! Ember!)" Salandit then swung her tail, causing a red liquid to come flying out of the red pattern of her body at the Shadow. Said liquid ignited to flames which hit the Shadow along with Carmen's attack.
"Such a sublime feeling, to fall at the hands of my beloved. I… have no regrets." The Shadow muttered while being burned by the combined attack as it fell down to the floor and dissolved into black ooze. Lying down on the floor were the remnants of the stronger Shadow. Nothing but an empty suit of armor.
"(That felt good, if I say so myself.)" Salandit said.
"Hmph! Outside of the school… That pervert's nothing but a pathetic loser." Ann stated while panting heavily as Carmen faded away and turned back into the former's mask. She then proceeded to lay her eyes onto Shadow Kamoshida, who was scrambling towards the door. "And you're next, you ass—" Just as she was about to go after him, she hunched over and leaned on her knees. It was as if her body wouldn't allow her to do such a thing.
"D-Don't think you've won yet, you lowly peasants!" Shadow Kamoshida shouted frantically. "Once the reinforcements arrive, you're all dead!" He continued before he frantically left the room.
"Wait!" Ann cried out and tried to go after him, but her body still wouldn't allow her.
"Give it up, Takamaki. You're in no shape to go after that bastard." Skull told her as he and the others approached her. "But more importantly, why the hell did you come back!? We pushed you out so shit like this doesn't happen!"
"You idiot! Don't talk to women like that! I swear, you have no class at all." Mona reprimanded him before turning his attention towards Ann. "Are you okay, Lady Ann? You're not hurt, are you?"
"Lady Ann…?" Ann repeated.
"(I guess all ends that ends well.)" She then turned to see Mimikyu. Not only was she surprised by his appearance, the twin tailed girl was disturbed by the sound he made. "(I'd say she's okay. More or less.)"
"Wait… What is that!? Is it alive? And why did it sound like it was choking on something!?" Ann inquired.
"(Wow. Took her long enough to notice you.)" Salandit added as Ann noticed her.
"Wait… You're the lizard that those strange guards were chasing after." The twin tailed girl said, with a surprised look in her eyes. "What even are you!? Lizards usually don't shoot flames out of their tail! Let alone enchant them!"
"(Judging from your reaction, it's safe to know that you don't know anything about Pokemon, do you?)" Salandit commented.
"(It's not just her. Everyone from this world, be it the real and the cognitive one, has zero knowledge of Pokémon. This was because there were no Pokémon in this new world.)" Mimikyu told her.
"(I see.)" Salandit nodded before she perked up at a certain word. "(Wait, what do you mean by "cognitive"?)"
"(If you're curious, you should follow us when we're leaving this place.)"
"(I'll… think about it.)"
Meanwhile, Joker approached his classmate and tried to calm her down. "Calm down, Takamaki-san. Everything's going to be fine."
"He's right, Lady Ann. You need to be calm about this." Mona added but it did nothing to calm her as she pushed the cat-like thief away while standing up.
"How am I supposed to calm down—Huh!?" It was then that she glanced down to her outfit. Her cheeks became beet red with embarrassment as she tried to cover herself from the view and kneeling down. "W-Why am I dressed like this!? What the hell is going on here!?"
"Wow. Talk about a delayed reaction." King muttered.
"You guys better tell me what's going on!" The embarrassed girl demanded.
The others then looked at each other.
"Welp, we might as well tell her everything." King suggested. "She was already on to us before, considering she was able to enter the Palace on her own. And after what happened just now, there's no way she's gonna let this go.."
"Agreed. I have a feeling something like this will happen sooner and later." Joker added.
"We also need to withdraw." Mona reminded them. "With Lady Ann being completely exhausted after awakening to her Persona, I don't think we'll be able to do some more infiltration. Not to mention there's a search party that will arrive if we stay here for too long. Let's come back later when we're at our fullest."
"Ugh… Just when we were ready to bust down the castle, Takamaki just had to go and get herself caught." Skull grumbled.
"It can't be helped, Skull. We all didn't expect she would actually come back on her own." King argued.
"Regardless, Mona is right. Let's retreat for now." Joker told the team. "We'll secure the infiltration route to the Treasure some other time."
"Tch! Fine…" The delinquent muttered as he approached Ann, where he offered his hand to her. "Can you get up, Takamaki?"
"I can't run, but enough for me to get up. Thanks." Ann took the hand and proceeded to stand up. After Ace returned Mimikyu to his Poké Ball, the group, along with Salandit, wasted no time in withdrawing from the Palace.
(Later on, in the real world…)
Everyone managed to escape the Palace unscathed. Currently, the three students were waiting for Ryuji to return with their beverages that they asked him to buy. While waiting, Ren and Morgana decided to tell everything about Kamoshida and the Metaverse. Even though Ann was pretty surprised about the existence of a world like that, she couldn't be any less surprised when Ace decided to confess his true origins to her. Knowing she had a hard time processing two important pieces of information, the others proceeded to let her comprehend it at her own pace.
"Yo! I'm back!" They turned to see Ryuji, who just returned with three bottles in hand. "Which ones do you want?"
"Whichever isn't carbonated." She replied.
"Um… All three of 'em are. Sorry."
Ann just sighed as she reluctantly took a bottle.
"Here ya go, Ren, Ace." Ryuji proceeded to give the remaining two bottles to them.
"What about me?" Morgana demanded.
"Sorry. They didn't have milk and I figured you wouldn't like soda. Bein' a cat and all." The dyed blonde boy replied, earning a glare from the not-cat.
"And I can't pull out a bottle of milk to give to you because I have it stored on a Pokémon of mine and summoning him out in the open will attract too much attention." The otherworldly teen added before he and the others drank their bottle of carbonated drinks. Ace has changed into his school uniform before leaving the Palace.
"Not you too, Ace! I'm. Not. A. Cat!" Morgana snapped at them before he regained his composure and turned towards Ann. "Have you finally calmed down, Lady Ann?"
"Yeah. I'm okay now." Ann answered. "Um… Morgana, right? You're actually not a cat, huh? Seeing that I'm able to talk to you and everything."
"It's only natural that you're still confused." Ren commented. "You'll get used to this before you even realize it."
"Honestly, I still can't believe what happened…" Ann muttered. "That power… my Persona…"
"It's the will of your rebellion, Lady Ann. A power you now possess to fight in the Metaverse." Morgana explained.
"Honestly, it became pale in comparison when I heard the circumstances behind Wilbert-senpai." Ann turned to the teen in question. "An entirely different world… Where people lived with these… You called them 'Pokémon' right? That explains about the small cloaky thing and the fire shooting lizard."
"If I was in your shoes, I'd react the same way. So, don't worry about it." Ace assured.
"Okay." The twin tailed girl nodded before she changed the subject. "So then… You're all planning to take down Kamoshida by changing his heart, right? Is it really possible? Forcing him to confess his crimes?"
"No one's willin' to stand up to the bastard." Ryuji replied. "The volleyball team was so scared shitless to his threats that they refused to talk about it, the parents turnin' the other way, and that fatass bastard of a principal wasn't willin' to stop the school's main source of popularity. The only teacher who actually gave a shit about this was Mizuhara, but even she couldn't stop Kamoshida."
"Wait, Principal Kobayakawa knew about what Kamoshida did?" Ann inquired.
"Yup. Why do you think he was a huge kiss up to Kamoshida and treated him like royalty?" Ace added. "I even have to blackmail him just to get me enrolled in the school. At this point, he would only care about the school's reputation, more than the lives of his students."
"The bottom line is that no one would listen to us." Ren explained. "Ryuji became a delinquent when Kamoshida goaded him to attack after breaking his leg, my criminal record was somehow leaked to the school by him, and Ace, a complete stranger, was treated no different than me." He continued. "We are running out of options. So, we decided that changing his heart in his Palace was the only course of action."
"Then let me help too." Ann said with a determined look in her eyes. "I want to make him pay for what happened with Shiho. He keeps going as if nothing happened, especially after what he did to her… I'll never forgive him."
"Wait, wait, wait! You're saying you're goin' with us!?" Ryuji exclaimed. "We were keepin' you out so you wouldn't get in trouble and shit."
"True… But that was before she had a Persona." Their otherworldly upperclassman argued, causing Ryuji to widen his eyes. "As powerful as Ren's ability to have multiple Personas and my skills as a Pokémon Trainer, you really shouldn't expect the two of us to cover every weakness or resistance that those Shadows might have. A team that only relies on one or two people is no team at all. Everyone has to pull their own weight."
"You have a point there, Ace." Morgana said, agreeing with that statement.
"Agreed." Ren nodded. "Don't forget, this became very personal to her. So even if we said no, she still wanted to go to the Palace anyway. With or without us."
The dyed blonde teen eventually realized what his friends were getting at. "Oh, right. She got the app on her phone now."
"Indeed. It would be nice to have one more person that can use a Persona." The not-cat approved of the proposal.
"Ah, screw it! I guess it'd be safer to have you part of the team instead of doing it solo." Ryuji reluctantly agreed.
"Then it's decided. I hope we can get along!" Ann smiled at them.
Ren was taken aback by Ann's resolve and determination but he welcomed them with open arms. It was then that the same sensation appeared once more as time stopped.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Lovers Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
It was after hearing that whisper that a tarot card appeared above Ann's head. While the bespectacled teen was still unsure about the specific conditions of developing these new "bonds", he ignored them for the time being and looked at the new recruit with an approving smile.
"Let me know when you're heading back in, okay?" Ann stated before she realized something. "Oh, right! We don't have each other's info. Give me your phone number, chat ID, and email address. That way, we can get in contact really quick." She said, pulling her phone.
"I'm down with that." Ryuji said nonchalantly as he and the others, including Ace, pulled out their phones in order to begin the exchange. It didn't take long for it to finish.
"I'll be counting on you, then." Ann said as she turned to Morgana. "Same goes for you, Morgana."
"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Ann." The not-cat replied with a smile as Ann glanced towards Ace.
"So… Wilbert-senpai—"
"Ann, we're both in a team. I think you should drop the honorific and just call me Ace. I don't mind at all since Ren and Ryuji do it." The knitted cap teen interrupted her.
"Okay, Ace…" Ann nodded. "There's something I need your help with. Mind coming with me for a sec."
"If it's the you-know-who, then sure." Ace said as he and Ann took off somewhere.
"Umm… She's not into Ace, right?" Morgana asked as he felt a little jealous at seeing their interaction. "You don't think she is interested in him more than me, do you Ren?"
"I don't know. It doesn't look that way to me." Ren simply answered as the cat-on-the-bag sighed in relief.
"And besides, I don't think Ace sees Ann that way either." Ryuji commented. "You got a crush on her or somethin'?"
"M-Me!? W-Well… I…" Morgana was flabbergasted at Ryuji's question. "I mean… Sure, she was beautiful and kind… Not to mention she's willing to cast herself into the jaws of death in order to achieve her goal… W-Why I couldn't help but to appreciate a girl like that."
"Um…" Ren sweatdropped at Morgana.
"Dude. You do know you have no chance, right? You bein' a cat and all." The dyed blonde boy stated the facts.
"Th-That's only right now!" Morgana snapped. "Once I return to my human self, I'll be able to sweep Lady Ann right off her feet!"
"Whatever. Don't say I warned ya." Ryuji muttered.
"Let him dream, Ryuji. Who knows? Maybe he can." Everyone then turned to see Ace, who had just returned from his "business" with Ann.
"That was quick. What were you doing with Ann?" The bespectacled teen asked him.
"A long story. I'll tell you when we get back." Ace replied.
"You know…" Ryuji spoke up, earning everyone's attention. "It'd be better if we can get together quickly from now on…"
"For once, I agree with Ryuji." Morgana stated. "Our best option would be to make a secret hideout where we could discuss these things. Where no one, even our target, could eavesdrop on us."
"Oh yeah! Havin' a hideout makes us more official when you think about it." The former track runner grinned. "So where will it be? Got any ideas?"
"The school's rooftop would work." Morgana suggested. "It seems like nobody goes up there. For the time being, that will make a perfect hideout." He continued. "With that said, since I can't contact you all from the Palace, I'll be staying in this world." The not-cat turned towards Ren. "So, I nominated you as my caretaker. You should feel honored about that."
"You're living with me?" Ren asked as he found all this to be unexpected. "Why?"
"It has to be you, dude. My mom is scared of cats. Plus, I already have Yamper as my roomie." Ryuji stated.
"True that." Ace agreed before the intercom signaled for Ryuji's train.
"Welp, I gotta go. Let's meet up at the hideout tomorrow. See ya!" The dyed blonde teen wasted no time taking his leave from Ren, Ace, and Morgana.
"Okay, now it's our turn to go home." Morgana told the two. "I want to look at where I'm staying in this world."
"Sure." The frizzy haired teen nodded as he and Ace went home, with Morgana in tow.
(Later on…)
The duo finally arrived in Leblanc after taking the usual route home. Ren had Morgana stay inside the bag because his train pass didn't come with a pet fare and also it would attract some unwanted attention. As they entered the cafe, they saw someone standing out and were walking towards the exit.
It was a woman with short, messy dark blue hair and brown eyes. She wore a short black jacket over a blue dress with white spider web design, a black studded choker that connects to necklaces, a bracelet, and black ripped leggings alongside matching ankle boots.
'Huh. And I thought my world was the only one with a weird sense of fashion.' Ace thought as he and Ren stepped aside to allow the woman to leave the cafe.
"Come back again." Sojiro, who was standing behind the counter, said as the woman left. He then turned to the two, who were watching her. "What?"
"You have an interesting customer." Ren stated bluntly.
"Well, everyone who met her said the same thing." The bearded man replied. "She may not look like it, but she's a doctor that runs a clinic down the street." He explained.
"Hold on. That goth-looking woman is a doctor?" Ace asked him.
"Yeah." Sojiro nodded. "Rumor has it that she gives crappy examinations and sells you some weird medicine. I swear, some people should just leave her alone. It's not like she's bothering anyone…" He continued.
"Hey, are we there yet?" Morgana whispered to them, which unfortunately didn't go undetected by the man in front of them. But fortunately, he shrugged it off.
"Anyway, I'll be heading home for today. Don't do anything crazy, understand?" The bearded man stated as they immediately went upstairs after heeding his words.
Once they reached the attic, Ren immediately made his way to his bed while Ace approached the couch and immediately sat on it.
"Whew! Home sweet home… sort of." Ace muttered as Ren put down his bag before opening it, allowing Morgana to come out.
It didn't take long for what the not-cat thought of his new residence. "What the… What is this place!? Is this some kind of abandoned house!?"
"Ouch. What a way to express your thoughts." Ace remarked.
"Hey, I know I heard a meow! Did you—" The two boys turned to see the shopkeeper, who came upstairs after hearing Morgana's voice, which to him, and other people, sounded like a meow. Sojiro immediately laid his eyes on the not-cat. "I see you brought a cat home. Mind telling me what's that about?" He then turned towards Ace. "Was this your idea?"
"No. It was me." Ren spoke up, redirecting the shopkeeper's attention to him. "His previous owner abandoned him on the streets. So, I had to bring him home."
"I see… That's a shame." Sojiro muttered before he looked at the two boys. "I should remind you two that this is a restaurant. Which means, animals are no-go." He looked at Morgana, who was staring back at him anxiously. Eventually, he succumbed to the stare the 'cat' gave him. "Although… Having a pet to take care of is a good way to keep you out of trouble…"
"So that means he can stay?" Ren asked.
"Fine. I suppose you can keep him." Sojiro stated after giving it some thoughts. "But keep it quiet when we're open for business. And don't let it roam downstairs, or I'll toss it out."
"Got it." Ren and Ace nodded.
"Also, I'm not going to be the one feeding it. That's on either one of you." Sojiro said before he left the attic.
"Was that the ruler of this place?" Morgana asked them as he was sitting up. "He seemed pretty understanding for someone who keeps you cramped in here."
"While he's a bit cold on the outside, I can tell he's a huge softie." The otherworldly teen. "If he isn't, why would he bother taking Ren in? I'm sure he has his own reasons."
"I agreed." Ren nodded as he and the others saw Sojiro coming back towards them with a plate of canned tuna.
"Seriously… It had to keep calling out with that cute little voice." Sojiro sighed as he put down the plate in front of Morgana, who was eyeing the plate with such delight.
"What happened to 'not be the one feeding it', hm?" Ace teased the man.
"Hey! I can't help it, you know." Sojiro snapped at Ace before turning towards Ren. "Make sure to wash the plate when the cat's done eating. Speaking of which, have you named it yet?"
"I have. The cat is named Morgana." Ren replied.
"Morgana, huh? Damn. And here I thought I got to name it." Sojiro remarked with disappointment in his tone before he took his leave.
"Again, he's a big softie on the inside." The otherworldly teen commented with a smile on his face.
"Regardless, it appears that the chief likes me better than the two of you combined." Morgana commented. "I have to say, this place is so much better when compared to the jail cells of Kamoshida's Palace. Also, it seems you kept this place spotless every day."
"Well, you're not the first to tell me that." Ren retorted as Morgana began to eat the food that was placed in front of him.
Once he was done, the not-cat then turned towards Ren. "But let me make myself clear: Your taking care of me won't be for nothing. It'll be give and take. In return for your and the others' help in helping me restore my memories and true form, I'll give you some intel on infiltration tools as well as helping you strengthen the power of your heart."
"I see." Ren stated. "By 'power of my heart', you mean the power of my Persona?"
"Correct. It's clear you have an uncanny ability of taking in multiple Personas." Morgana stated. "From the looks of it, it has something to do with your social interaction towards certain people. So, in order to build up that strength, I'll stick with you at all times."
"So, you're saying that Ren has to carry you everywhere with the school bag, even at school?" Ace inquired.
"Precisely." Morgana nodded as he turned towards Ren with an assuring look. "Don't worry though, I'm perfectly good at staying out of sight. With my help, you can meet up with some… interesting individuals that will benefit you and the others. The more people you interact with, the more potent that unique ability of yours will become."
"That's quite the offer…" Ren muttered. In all honesty, he was curious at what the not-cat was getting at.
"So, what do you say? It's not a bad deal, if I say so myself. How about it?" Morgana asked.
"I'm interested. Let's do this." Ren answered, accepting Morgana's deal.
"Then it's a deal." The talking 'cat' smiled at him.
The bespectacled teen senses how happy Morgana is and he can't help but feel satisfied, having to make a deal that will benefit the two of them. It was then that time froze once more, followed by a familiar whisper.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Magician Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Once again, Ren saw a tarot card manifested above Morgana's head. Like Ann's, he accepted them with zero hesitation. After that, time resumed once more as if nothing happened. The bespectacled teen talked with Morgana and Ace some more before he washed the plate and he went to bed.
(The next day…)
"You want me to do what!?" Principal Kobayakawa exclaimed at the demand that was given by a certain female teacher.
Earlier, he was asked by Sora if he could discuss a few things about Kamoshida with her during lunch time. But the principal had no idea it was something like firing his 'golden boy' just because of what happened yesterday.
"You heard me, Principal Kobayakawa." Sora began with a glare. "That perverted coach has taken things way too far! It's one thing to abuse the males of his volleyball team, but to force himself on an innocent girl just because he can is another."
"I-I'm sure that Kamoshida-kun has the best interest in his heart for Suzui—"
"'Best interest'!? Are you kidding me!? That girl tried to commit suicide yesterday!" Mizuhara said. "And what's worse, he's going to expel three boys just because they were confronting something that he actually did! How can you let a man like that have much authority in this godforsaken school!? How dare you call yourself an educator after letting someone as monstrous as Kamoshida do as he pleases!?"
"Mizuhara-san, that's enough!" Kobayakawa snapped as he stood up from his desk. "I will not tolerate your disrespect to our star teacher any further! I suggest you apologize to him at once!"
"I'm not saying sorry to that lecherous troll! He knows what he did." Sora retorted with folding arms.
"Then I'll have no choice but to fire you, if that's how it's going to be. And believe me, it will not look good on your resume." The obese man warned her. This threat alone was enough to make the female teacher back down, but not before she let out a huff. "Fortunately, I consider myself a flexible type of person. So, I asked that you forget about what we discussed today, in return I won't fire you. However, I have the right to change my mind if you proceed to continue with this baseless slandering of Kamoshida. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." Sora replied reluctantly while still glaring at him before she left the room.
While she was walking around after going downstairs to the first floor, Sora couldn't shake off the thought of how apathetic her boss is to the students of the school.
'I can't believe him. I thought as principal of a famous school like Shujin, he should be smarter than this…' Sora pondered with a frown on her face. 'How can he take that pedophile's side!? It's as if he was covering for him—'
She didn't get to finish her thoughts as Sora bumped into someone.
"Ow…!" She turned to see someone who bumped into her. It was none other than Ace. And speaking of him, he also realized who he just bumped into as well. "Teach!? What are you doing!?"
"S-Sorry, Wilbert-kun. I wasn't looking." Sora apologizes before she notices the cards that just came out from her student and scattered onto the floor. "What is—"
"I-It's nothing!" The otherworldly student wasted no time grabbing every single one of them before his homeroom teacher could see either of them. "It's been fun seeing you, Teach. But I have to get going now, so see you later!"
"Hey, wait!" Sora tried to stop him, but it only fell on deaf ears as he immediately left. Once he was gone, the teacher couldn't help but to wonder about Ace's strange behavior. 'For someone who was about to be expelled in the next few days, Wilbert-kun didn't act how I expected. 'I wonder… What's going on with him?'
(Later on, after school…)
"Yes. He was smiling at me at the school gate and said, 'That good behavior won't change the fact that you and those two friends of yours are out of this school in a few days.'…" Ren explained to his friends. Once the school ends, the four of them immediately meet up at the hideout, which is the school's rooftop. There, they were talking about how Kamoshida was arrogant this morning because of how he's going to get him, Ryuji, and Ace expelled.
"I know right, the bastard's all cocky and shit. We'll see who really gets the boot once we're through with 'im!" Ryuji added.
"Yeah. That asshole's going to get his comeuppance. I swear it." Ann added with a determined tone.
"I guess that means we're all fired up and ready to go?" Ace inquired.
"You bet! So, when will we begin?" The dyed blonde teen asked everyone.
"Calm down, Ryuji. We need to make some preparations first." Morgana reprimanded the delinquent student.
"What preparations though? We just let our Personas kick everyone who gets in our way. And we have Pokémon too. Problem solved."
"Don't underestimate the Palace. It's gonna take hours to reach the Treasure." The not-cat continued. "In case you haven't noticed, using our Personas took quite a toll on our stamina. If we mess up from the overreliance on using our Personas, we could die."
"Nott to mention from the way things are right now, your Pokémon is still weak." Ace added. "They also have stamina of their own. So, I recommend that you don't push them too hard."
"I see. That's a valid point." Ren agreed with Morgana's suggestion of making preparations. "And I also agree with Ace's statement."
"Okay, fine. I guess we should prepare for today." Ryuji complained.
"What exactly do we need to prepare?" Ann asked.
"I'm glad you asked, Lady Ann." Morgana stated. "We need better weapons that look more powerful and items that could keep our energy up while we are traversing through the Palace. Even though I could heal you all up with Zorro, even I have limits."
"Same can be said with me and Pixie." Ren added.
"You know, if you're talkin' about better weapons, I think I know a place in Shibuya where we could get that." Ryuji stated, having thought up a place to get weapons. "It's also where I bought that model gun for Ren. Wanna check that place out with me today?"
"Actually, I'm planning to visit a local doctor in Yongen with Morgana." The bespectacled teen stated. "Why don't you prepare some rations with Ann?"
"I'm down with that, man. Leave that to us." Ryuji grinned.
"That's settled then." Ann stated before she realized something. "Oh, wait! What about the Pokémon? Should we go buy some for them too?"
"Nah, we don't have enough money to buy for them." The dyed blonde teen pointed.
"You can just leave the Pokémon stuff to me." Ace volunteered as everyone turned towards him. "Not to brag, but I'm an expert when it comes to Pokémon. Which includes how to treat their wounds and such."
"But how will you get that stuff, Ace?" The twin tailed girl asked.
"Well…"
The otherworldly third year student began to explain that he was able to travel between the Metaverse and to his world, specifically Galar's Wild Area. Needless to say, the others were shocked by this revelation.
"I see. On the day you first arrived in this world, you discovered that you have the ability to travel back and forth between the Palace and the Pokémon World. Isn't that right?" Morgana stated as Ace nodded.
"And you also can do it as long as you're in one of the Safe Rooms inside the Palace, right?" Ren added.
"Yeah."
"But are you sure you can sneak into the Palace alone?" Ren asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. I'm actually pretty good at staying out of sight. I've done that once, and I can do it again." Ace replied as he pulled out his phone. "Plus, I got that app that allows me to enter the Palace. So, I'm all set."
"Well, as long as you don't infiltrate the Palace without us, then it's fine." The not-cat stated before they dispersed from the meeting.
(With Ren)
Ren managed to arrive in front of the clinic. He couldn't believe how close it was to Leblanc, with the coffee shop being around the corner. Ace told Ren that he won't be sleeping in Leblanc for the night since he'll be returning to his world and won't be coming back until tomorrow night.
"All right, now that we're here, how do we get some of those medicines?" Morgana wondered. "Remember, her strange medicine will certainly benefit us in the long run. So how do we go about it?"
"I could make up an excuse on the fly. Hopefully, she will buy it." Ren answered.
"In any case, let's just go inside, shall we?" After that, Morgana went back inside the bag before Ren entered the clinic.
The office's wall was faded white paint, a cheap red cushioned sofa sat across the cork board that held several pamphlets and papers. On Ren's left was a reception counter that protected the top half with a glass window, where the bespectacled teen saw the gothic woman from before, who was sitting behind the counter.
He proceeded to approach the reception counter.
"…Is this your first time?" The woman asked with a flat tone as she began to remember Ren. "Say, weren't you in the cafe yesterday?"
"Yes. That was me." Ren replied.
"Well, whatever." The gothic doctor shrugged. "What are you here for?"
"My body feels a little lethargic as of late. I suspect it is because I've been studying too much." The bespectacled stated, having made up an excuse so she could provide him with some medicine.
The woman was staring at him for a moment, before she nodded. "Fine. Please head to the exam room." She said, pointing her finger to a door that was in front of Ren. The bespectacled teen wasted no time as he immediately walked towards the door and opened it.
Compared to the lobby, the exam room was much bigger. It has a desk with files and a monitor on top of it, and a blue cushioned comforter.
Once he took a seat, it didn't take long for the woman to enter the room herself. Ren noticed her outfit had now changed compared to yesterday. While still wearing the choker and necklace, she now wears a white lab-coat that is worn over a short dark green dress, a red grommet belt, and strappy black platform high heels.
The woman proceeded to sit on the computer chair of her desk. "…In a case like yours, it's just usually due to stress. I'm going to prescribe you some pain relievers, okay?"
"I need something more effective than that." Ren stated. "Something that could keep me up when studying."
"I see… So, it's just as I thought." The doctor said, revealing to the bespectacled boy that she had seen through his ruse. "You're not sick at all, are you? Did you forget that I'm a doctor? I can easily tell whether or not the patient I'm dealing with is sick."
'Well, so much for that.' He muttered in his thoughts.
"Let me guess. You're here because you heard the rumors about me, right?" The doctor asked him.
"You could say that…" Ren neither confirmed or denied the assumption. "But was it all true? That you've been giving weird medicine to people?"
"Who's to say? Lately, I've been getting patients with similar ulterior motives like you." She replied before the goth-looking woman decided to let it slide. "But I guess even high school kids have it rough nowadays too, seeing you would go so far as lying about being sick."
"Well, if I hadn't, you would just turn me away."
"True." The woman agreed with the statement. "Well, fine. I'll prescribe you some medication." She stated, much to Ren's relief that he'll be getting the medicine needed for the infiltration. "But only the ones that will help will help you recover your health. Nothing too strong for you to handle."
"Thank you." Ren said.
"It was nothing. You're just being earnest, so it would make me feel bad for not doing something good." The doctor commented. "This is my private practice. All the medicine I dispense is original. I have a license to make my own formulas. You're likely to have seen them being sold in various hospitals."
"I see." Ren muttered.
"Here's the list of medicine I can provide and what they'll do for you." The woman said, handing him the clipboard for him to see.
With the amount of cash that he got from defeating Shadows, he couldn't afford some of the more effective medicine for him and the others to use. So, Ren has no choice but to settle with the cheaper but one of the most useful medicines on the list. The woman proceeded to stand up and took the desired medicine from a nearby cabinet. She put them in a paper bag before giving it to Ren.
"Thank you." Ren stated as he turned around and took his leave. As he opened the door, he saw a middle-aged man on the other side of the door. With no intention of getting in trouble, Ren stepped aside to let the man in before closing the door.
"Oh, it's you. What's the reason for this visit?" The female doctor's voice could be heard from the door, loud enough for Ren to overhear. "Do you have a cold? A stomach ache? Athlete's foot? Whatever it is, you need to take a number of—"
"Enough of this! You're the only one who could have developed that type of medicine."
Hearing that man's voice about a certain type of medicine piqued Ren's interest.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about…" Ren proceeded to approach the door and leaned on the door so he could eavesdrop on the conversation.
"Don't play dumb with me. Rumor has it, it's a drug so potent it can give a person unlimited power." The man countered, earning a raised eyebrow from Ren. He wondered if such a medicine was possible.
"Really? That's news to me." The woman retorted.
"Developing experimental drugs, medicine, and herbal remedies violates all health regulations." The man remarked. "Are you attempting to create a super-stimulant? A drug like that will only become a social issue."
This got Ren interested. He then wondered if he could get his hands on it should a drug like that exist. Even if he was not interested, Morgana would eventually ask him to look into it anyway.
"You're really persistent, you know that? I'm just a quack…" She continued.
"The police may not be taking action, but I imagine the media will soon pick up on it." The man boasted. "You intend to ruin my reputation again, huh? You're a disgrace to the medical community."
'Again? A disgrace to the medical community?' Ren repeated in his thoughts.
"…Tsk!" The bespectacled teen could tell that the woman didn't like what's happening to her.
"What's with that look? It's your fault, you know." The man stated. "I won't be responsible for your criminal actions. Dispose of that 'medicine' immediately and resign. The name 'Tae Takemi' will never— " The man then saw a slight silhouette that could be seen from the window of the door. "Who's there!? Is someone listening!?"
Ren immediately knew he was caught eavesdropping so he proceeded to leave the clinic as fast as he could.
Once he was far enough, Morgana poked out from the bag. "Well, that was a close one. For a second there, we would be caught."
"Yeah." Ren nodded.
"Still, it looks like they were talking about some dangerous medicine." Morgana stated. "Could that Takemi woman be hiding some extra strong medicine?"
"Isn't it a bit sketchy?" Ren argued, obviously wary about what side effects from taking an unknown medicine.
"Maybe, but I believe a strong medicine like that might come in handy at the Palace." The not-cat replied. "All right, let's come back when that man isn't in the clinic. We shouldn't involve people who have nothing to do with this. Keep the Phantom Thieves a secret, okay?"
"Okay." Ren nodded as he pulled out to text a message to the group.
Ren: I got the medicine.
Surely enough, he has a reply from Ryuji.
Ryuji: Nice job, pal! That should take care of the first part.
Ann: Me and Ryuji are done buying some stuff at the convenience store.
Ryuji: All that's left is visitin' the shop I talked to you about.
Ryuji: I'd want you to come here right now, but that means you have to go back and forth from Yongen.
Ryuji: So, let's go there tomorrow, okay?
The bespectacled teen proceeded to send the reply.
Ren: Sure.
Ryuji: Awesome, dude! Meet me at Shibuya Station tomorrow.
Ryuji: See ya!
Ren put away his phone before he walked back to Leblanc.
(Back in the Pokemon World…)
"And that's what happened on my end." Ace stated as he was done explaining the situations to Leon, Hop, Sonia, and his aunt, who was preparing some food for his nephew in the kitchen.
After coming back to his world via opening a portal to one of the Power Spots in the Wild Area, Ace wasted no time calling a Flying Taxi to give him a ride back home. After making it back home, he was met by a crushing hug and a scolding from Stella. It was after he received a scolding from his aunt, Ace then made a phone call to have Hop, Sonia, and Leon come to the house in order to explain about what he knew in the last few days. Each of them was pretty glad that their Champion had come back unscathed. And they have been discussing it in the living room.
"That's a lot to take in, mate." Hop said as he tried his best to process the information that he just received.
"Still, to think that red light led you to a world where Pokémon doesn't exist. " Sonia said. "I don't know what to make of this. Not to mention there is a part of that world where the people's cognitions become distorted and take form."
"Relax, Sonia. Just take things one at a time." Leon assured his childhood friend. "But this definitely answers the question on where those missing Pokémon turn up."
"And there's also the fact that you managed to use your Dynamax Band to open a portal to this world." Hop added.
"True, but I still haven't figured out who is actually the one behind this whole mess and why." Ace stated. "Unless I find out who and why, this crisis isn't going to end. Fortunately, I found some allies in that world."
"You mean those guys who can summon these "Personas", right?" Sonia asked, which the young champion nodded. "I see. And you also made them into Pokémon Trainers. Isn't that a bit risky, considering it's a world with no Pokémon?"
"Relax, Sonia. I got that one covered." Ace assured the young Professor. "Ren and the others aren't as stupid as letting their Pokémon out in the wrong place and time. I'll help them change the heart of Kamoshida and they, in return, help me save the Pokémon. It's a win-win."
"That's true." Sonia agreed, having heard from him that the person Ace was after is a pervert and rapist.
"Knowing theses "Palaces", I'm sure there are more of them than the castle that you arrived in." The former Champion stated.
"To be honest, I actually considered that possibility. I don't know how long I'll be doing this, but it's possible that it's going to take some time to find all of the missing Pokémon back in the Wild Area."
"Yeah. There's also the fact that you blackmailed the principal of a prestigious academy just so you can be a student. Not something a Champion should do." Hop pointed it out.
"In my defense, that fat principal only cares about his school's reputation. And I was right on the money that he bribed the local police into not letting the students report some crimes." Ace stated, justified with his reason of blackmailing Kobayakawa. "He did nothing when one of his students attempted suicide and was covering for his precious 'golden boy'."
"I guess some people are like that, no matter what world you're in." Leon remarked. "And don't worry, we won't hold against you for that. You were trying to find a cover there."
"In any rate, I'm glad things turned out for the best." Ace turned towards Stella, who placed a bowl of cream soup onto the table in front of him.
"Oh, nice! My favorite!" Ace proceeded to grab a spoon and began to eat his meal. "Ah… That hits the spot. I don't know how you do it, Aunt Stella."
"And you never will, it's my secret recipe." Stella retorted before something came to her mind. "But you know, Ace. You should have your sister come and help you."
In response to that, Ace did a spit take towards Hop's face.
"Hey, mate! Don't do that!" Hop stated as he grabbed a napkin in order to wipe his face.
"S-Sorry, Hop." Ace said before he glanced towards his aunt with a serious look. "And no! I'm not calling that deadbeat to help me out! She'll probably tell me to stay out of it and let her handle everything, all because she's an Interpol agent and a professional."
"You hate her that much, huh?" Leon asked, curious at the aforementioned sister.
"Well yeah! Why do you think I'm staying at my aunt's place instead of going back to Snowpoint City after becoming Champion?" Ace replied. "No matter what I said to her, she always insisted that I stay put. She's just too Tauros-headed to see reasons! It was very clear from that fateful day that I don't need her as much as she needs me."
"I guess Monica got it from my brother." Stella stated, recounted how her deceased brother and Ace's father acted. "And it seems that you also inherited stubbornness from him as well."
"I guess it's kinda true, but I still don't want to call her." Ace stated before he continued eating his soup until the bowl was empty. He then glanced towards Leon. "Moving on, I left Galar in your hands until this mess is sorted. But don't worry, I'll be sure to make some visits if possible. Can you do that, Leon?"
"Of course, you just leave it to me, Hop, and everyone here." Leon nodded, accepting his successor's proposal. "If possible, I'd like to meet your new friends if you decide to come back for a visit."
"Why? So, you can battle them, right?" Ace stated. "You do know, there's still pretty new to being a Pokémon Trainer."
"I know that. And that's precisely why I want to test them." The purple haired man continued.
"In that case, I'll see if they're free the next time I visit."
"Good."
After eating, he left his house before heading towards a nearby Pokémon Center in a town called 'Wedgehurst' to buy some healing items for Pokemon as well as Pokemon food from the store inside it. After getting what he purchased, he proceeded to walk his way back home.
As he walked through the region's Route 1, he reminisced about a certain incident with his sister. More specifically, the last conversation they had with each other.
"Did you still have that Butterfree? I can't believe you! I told you to release it now that its Trainer has passed away! Why can't you understand!? I'm doing this all for your sake!"
"Is that how it is? Keeping me cooped up in the house like a caged Pokémon is for my sake? Well, screw you! I'm done pleasing you! You're dead to me, starting today!"
"Tch!" Ace clicked his tongue as he was irritated by the memory that he had just remembered. 'I'm not going back to being that deadbeat's puppet, and I like to keep it that way. Nothing is never enough with her… ' He gritted his thoughts as he kept walking his way home.
(The next day, in Shibuya…)
"Here we are." Ryuji stated as he and Ren just arrived at the store that the former had mentioned. Said store was located in the back alley of Shibuya Central Street. They stopped in front of a store called 'Untouchable' that was written in neon green lights.
In contrast to what they usually wore during school days, Ren and Ryuji are wearing different outfits today due to not having school on Sunday.
For Ryuji, he wore a purple hoodie with red lining and the number '777' on the back, a black shirt with a yellow frowning face, dark pants and yellow sneakers. Ren's outfit, on the other hand, consisted of an unbuttoned black blazer over a black-trimmed cream sweater, blue jeans and brown, laced oxfords.
After meeting up with Ryuji at Shibuya Station, Ren proceeded to follow his friend as he led the way to the store. Though they were sidetracked by seeing a man speaking to an audience on the right side of the staircase to the underground mall. And sure enough, it didn't take long for them to arrive.
"It's a little bit sketchy." Ren commented.
"Yeah, I think so too." The former track runner agreed. "To be honest, it was scary as hell when I went in alone last time."
"So, that's why you want Ren to come with you." Morgana chimed in, popping out from Ren's bag. "Talk about silly."
"Zip it, cat!" Ryuji retorted as he glanced towards his best friend. "Come on, let's go inside."
"Sure." Once Morgana went inside the bag, the two teens entered the store.
There, they saw a vast range of equipment that was displayed there, ranging from guns to other equipment like night vision goggles, bulletproof vests, etc. An impressive lineup despite how small the space in the store is. But the two boys have their eyes focused on the man that was sitting behind the counter, having his legs kicked up and has a magazine on hand.
The man looked middle aged with short gray hair and gray eyes. His outfit consisted of a gray jacket over a black turtleneck shirt, a gray hat with yellow ear mufflers on it, blue jeans, and a pair of black leather boots. Aside from what appeared to be a cigarette that he currently chomped on; he also had a gray colored tattoo in the shape of a gecko on the left side of the neck.
The man paid no attention as his eyes were glued to the magazine.
"Hey, uh… You know guns and shit, right?" Ryuji asked Ren as the store owner kept on ignoring them.
"Just a few." His friend answered. "We just ask what was recommended here and see what the store has to offer."
"Good idea." The two boys then approached the man.
"Excuse me, sir…" Ren called out to the man and the aforementioned man noticed them.
"Hm? Customers?" The man muttered before he fixed his seating position after putting the magazine on one of the glass counters. He was able to get a good look at the two boys that had entered his shop. "Say, aren't you two a little bit too young to enter this joint?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryuji retorted, feeling offended by the claim. "Anyway, got any shit that is recommended here?"
"Recommendations?" The middle-aged man repeated before shrugging off. "Just find anything that you think is interesting."
"Geez. Some customer service this shop has." In response to Ryuji's comment, the man stood up in annoyance.
"Ugh, fine. What're you looking for exactly?" The man asked them. "An automatic? A revolver?"
"Automatic? Why are you bringin' up types of cars?"
"I was asking about the type of guns, you moron." The man retorted, sighing at the stupidity of one of his customers. "This is why I hate having casuals coming to the shop."
"The hell!? I'm no frickin' casual! I just bought something from here a few days ago!"
"Oh, really? Couldn't remember your face." The man stated, much to Ryuji's chagrin. He then glanced towards Ren. "As for you, got any preferences?"
"I want a model gun that looks real." Ren stated. "As well as a shotgun too. Do you also sell slingshots too?"
The man looked at the bespectacled teen with an impressed look. "Oh? Aren't you an interesting one? Compared to blondie over here, you seemed to know your stuff."
"Hey!"
"But still though…" The man continued. "Are you kids plannin' to rob a bank or something?"
"It's not like that…" Ren lied to him. "We just like the designs of it. That's all."
"Suit yourselves." The man seemingly bought it. "It was clear that you two are gun enthusiasts. So, I'm willin' to help fresh faces like you here." He proceeded to go to the back of his store before coming back with a small folder in his hand that he placed on the counter. "Here's the catalogue of recommendations for you to look through. Nothin' too serious for beginners like you. But that's a different story if you decide to come back here on a regular basis. Might be worth your time, yeah?"
"Thank you." Ren stated as he managed to point out some of the items that he wanted to buy. The model guns he bought were all within the price range of what Ren could afford. It didn't take him long to receive the item.
"Do me a favor and don't swing 'em around wildly. I don't want the fuzz to come here and sniffin' around the place. While those weapons are fake, they're still real enough to get you in trouble. Got it?" The man warned them.
"Of course." Ren replied before leaving the shop with Ryuji. But then…
"One more thing. If you have something valuable, I'm willing to buy 'em off from you… Just as long as it's not a worthless piece of crap." He continued.
"Okay. I'll let you know about it the next time I come back."
After that, he and Ryuji parted ways when they walked back to the train station. Just as he was about to go downstairs to the subway…
"Come on, let's have some fun together. You and me."
"Does the word 'No' mean anything to you? I said, 'I refuse'."
A conversation piqued Ren's interest as he turned towards the source of the voices. He then saw a familiar woman being harassed by a man. She was none other than Sora. In contrast to her usual outfit, her outfit consisted of a beige O-neck blouse, a gray casual skirt, and a pair of brown heeled sandals. She also had a black leather handbag that she carried around her left shoulder.
"Come on. You'll get better if you go on a date with me. I promise." The man insisted as he was on the verge of grabbing one of her arms.
Seeing as this scenario was no different than that "incident", he decided to intervene.
"Please, stop. You're bothering her." Ren spoke aloud, allowing the two to notice him.
"Amamiya-kun?" Sora muttered.
"Huh? What's it to you? Stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, kid." The man told Ren, but the latter remained unfazed by the former's threat.
"She clearly doesn't want to go out with you. That's all you're going to get from her."
Seeing as this 'kid' refused to let it go, the man had no choice but to drop his advances.
"Tch! Stupid kid…" And with that, the man left the two without making any more fuss.
Ren then turned towards Sora. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I am." Sora nodded. "You're Ren Amamiya, right? The rumored transfer student that has a criminal record?"
"Yes, that's me." Ren replied as the woman in front of him was looking at him intently.
"Come now, I'm not saying that you're a criminal. I had a hunch that there's more to you than meets the eye. If you were really as bad as those rumors say, you wouldn't save me from that pickup artist."
"Rumors are tall tales sometimes." He continued.
"Indeed." Then a certain topic crossed her mind. "And speaking of rumors, I heard that you, Sakamoto-kun, and Wilbert-kun are going to be expelled for talking back to Kamoshida." She explained, causing the frizzy haired teen to slightly wince at that statement. "Was this because of what happened to Suzui-san?"
"... Yeah." Ren stated while avoiding eye contact, which did not go unnoticed by Sora.
"I see…" The young teacher said with a sad tone. "I'm sorry."
Ren was taken aback by the response. "Why?"
"Had I known that pervert was willing to stoop to sexual harassment, I could've done something more. Not just Suzui-san, I could've prevented you three from getting expelled." Sora frowned as she began to tear up. "But even I was helpless when something as serious as that happened!"
It was then Morgana peeked his head from the bag.
"I see. She's just torn as you, Lady Ann, and everyone else." Morgana whispered. "I guess she really is a little different than the other teachers at your school."
"Yeah…" Ren agreed as Morgana went back inside the bag.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't tell you all of this. I don't want to burden you even more." Sora wiped her tears away. "I wish I could be more helpful to you and the others, but as it stands, the words of that perverted coach is the school's law."
"It's fine, Ms. Mizuhara. You've done what you could." Ren replied. "Especially since you tried to talk Suzui-san out of jumping."
"Thank you." The young teacher said. "I hope things will turn around for you."
And with that, Sora left Ren all alone.
'She's really considerate, compared to Ms. Kawakami and the other teachers.' The bespectacled teen contemplated.
"Hey. We should get going." Morgana urged as he peeked his head out from the bag. "The sooner we go home, the sooner we can work on the preparations for the Palace."
"Of course." Ren obliged as he continued his way home to Leblanc for the day.
Next: Chapter 9: The Castle of Lust
And that's it for the chapter. I hope you like it!
Word has it that Persona 5 Royal is now available on Nintendo Switch, PC, & Xbox. Will I get it? Maybe in the future. But right now, it's a no for me. Unless there is a cross save from PS4 to Nintendo Switch, it's going to take almost a month to complete, especially when it comes to increasing the Social Stats. That being said, the experiences from raising the Social Stats, Confidants, and other features are pretty fun and enjoyable despite being one of the few lengthy games. And besides, I have set my sights on Digimon Survive & Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher.
Also, will Sora get herself involved with the Phantom Thieves? Perhaps. She's a wide-eyed idealist in teacher form, not unlike Judy from Zootopia and a little bit of Eleanor from Tales of Berseria. And yeah, Monica is the name of Ace's estranged older sister. What exactly is Ace's beef with her? And why does it have something to do with Ace's Butterfree? All will be explained in the story.
Truth to be told, I'm hype for writing this chapter after hearing about one of newest Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Bellibolt. It's pretty cute and squishy, definitely want to put it on my team. It reminded me or Guldo from Dragon Ball Z. Regarding Iono, the Paldean Electric type Gym Leader, I like her. Her mischievousness makes her adorable, not gonna lie. And it also because she's the second female Electric type Gym Leader after Elesa.
And lastly, don't forget to leave a review as always.
See you next time!