Disclaimer: I own neither Persona 5 or My Hero Academia
Chapter 11
Izuku stared in awe as Ann unleashed torrents of flame from her Persona. Questions began to fill his mind. Had Ann always had the potential to summon one? Did coming to this world grant anyone with the capability to summon a Persona? The conditions were still fuzzy for Izuku, but his thoughts returned to Morgana's words: someone with a strong will of rebellion could possess a Persona. Perhaps They could figure out the exact meaning of this in the future.
Though now was hardly the time.
"Hero, let's back her up!" Morgana called out, bringing Izuku back to earth.
"R-right!" Izuku nodded, eyes focusing on the biggest enemy. "Skull! Take out the smaller Shadows! Mona, let's focus on the big one with Takamaki-sempai!"
"Got it!" Ryuji and Morgana said, the three rushing forward to take on their targets. The Shadows that aided the toilet seated goblin were nothing more than Bicorns, something that wasn't a real threat for any of the Persona users at this point. Ryuji reached for his mask and cast it aside, Captain Kidd hovering above him.
"Let's tear 'em apart!" Ryuji exclaimed, his Persona raising the cannon of an arm and unleashing a blast of electricity. The Bicorn's kicked off the ground and dodged, hoping to take Ryuji off guard as they charged at him. "Hah, don't think it'll be that easy!" Ryuji smirked, grabbing the pipe from his back. As one of the Bicorn approached, the faux blond raised his weapon like a batter getting ready to knock a baseball out of the park.
"Come on, asshole, just a little more…" Ryuji muttered, eyes darting between both of his enemies to see who would be on him first. When Ryuji had a clear shot, he grinned before swinging with all of his might, knocking the Bicorn square in the temple. It cried out in pain as its head swung to it's right, the Bicorn's horn now stabbing into the other Shadow. "Hell yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about! Now Captain Kidd, blast 'em!" Ryuji roared. With it's targets confused and injured, the Persona's targets had no room to escape as a volley of lightning shot from its cannon, their weakness exploited and immediately destroying the shadows.
Meanwhile, Izuku and Morgana rushed up with their masks pulled, both immediately hoping to take the large Shadow off guard with their own attacks.
"Go, Carter!"
"Slice him up, Zorro!"
Zorro unleashed a torrent of wind while Carter threw a ball of light at the goblin. The Shadow bucked forward somewhat from the attacks, but slowly craned its gaze back toward the two, causing Hero and Mona to widen their eyes in surprise. With a roar, it spun around in the air and swung a large arm at them, Morgana and Izuku barely able to pull up their arms to guard the attack. The two were sent sprawling back on the ground, Izuku cringing in pain as he tried to sit up.
"I-I don't understand… our attacks barely did anything. Are we that weak by comparison?" Izuku asked, grabbing his staff and using it to help himself to his feet.
"Not quite… it seems that our enemy is resistant to both of our attacks." Morgana declared, groaning as he pushed up to his feet. "While our enemies have weaknesses, they also have resistances. This one's definitely going to be trouble if we can't land any decent hits."
"All who oppose Kamoshida will be crushed!" The Shadow roared, turning its full attention to the two.
"Hey! I'm not done with you, asshole!" Ann growled, Carmen hovering behind her and forming flames in its grasp. "I'm not going to let anyone who'd cover for that prick get away, either!" With a cry of rage, Ann's Persona sent a volley of flames at the back of the Shadow, this time the attack doing a wealth of damage. It cried out in pain from the blast, eyes rolling back as the goblin tried to reach toward the burn.
"I-it got through! Her attack was effective!" Izuku pointed out, eyes widening in shock.
"It looks like fire attacks are most effective against this Shadow. But now's a good opportunity! Let's give it hell!" Morgana exclaimed, pulling the scimitar blade from his waist. Following suit, Izuku pulled the staff up, the two rushing forward with their weapons raised before slamming them into the shadow as hard as they could. Ann followed their example, a whip now appearing in her hand that she lashed out with. The Shadow cried out in agony, flailing it's arms wildly in hopes of knocking the three off of him. Izuku, Morgana and Ann gained some more distance, the ogre growling in anger.
"You filthy peasants! You will not shame this castle with your presence any-" A bolt of electricity slammed into its side, the Shadow growling in annoyance before shaking it off without much problem, eyes turning to Ryuji.
"Like we give a shit about what you think, asshole!" The faux blond snapped, pulling out his model shotgun and taking aim. "Hey, Takamaki! Help me waste him!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Ann proclaimed, Carmen now hovering above her again. "Carmen, burn him to cinders!"
"You think I'd let you do that again!" The Shadow roared, raising an arm to strike out at Ann with.
*BOOM*
Its hand was suddenly pelted with buckshot, Ryuji being the first to cover Ann for her attack. "You meddlesome-" Before it could even react, Morgana and Izuku followed suit, both firing off several rounds into its back, causing it to tense from the pain. Ann didn't waste her chance, willing her Persona forward and commanding it to set him ablaze.
"Turn him to ash! Agi!" Carmen let flames swirl in her palms, rearing back before blasting a wave into the Shadow. It cried out in miserable agony, the damage enough to knock it off it's porcelain throne and fall face flat on the ground, the miserable monster turning into black ooze. A golden set of armor became visible from the center, but was completely empty of its owner. Ann huffed heavily for breath, sweat trailing down her brow as her eyes shifted around the room. They landed on Shadow Kamoshida, the king scrambling away from them and toward the front door. "Where do you think you're going?!" Ann growled, taking a step forward. Like a brick wall though, exhaustion suddenly hit her, the twin tailed blonde hunching over and leaning on her knees.
"Y-you rats… you won't get away with this!" Kamoshida cried out defiantly, though fear was apparent in his voice and expression. "Just wait until the rest of my guards get here! Then you're all dead!" He barked before quickly swinging the door open and rushing out.
"Get back here!" Ann cried out, wanting to pursue him further. A hand wrapped around her arm, Ann immediately snapping her head around anxiously before realizing it was Ryuji.
"Hey, calm down! You're in no shape to chase that asshole." Ryuji pointed out, supporting her weight. "But seriously, why the hell did you come back? We pushed you out so that you wouldn't be in danger!"
"Hey, do you talk to all women like that?!" Morgana said, shooting an accusatory glance at Ryuji before shifting his attention back to Ann, eyes filled with worry. "Are you alright, Lady Ann?"
"Lady Ann..?" The twin tailed blonde repeated in question, shifting her gaze up to Morgana.
"He's right, Takamaki-sempai. We didn't want you to get involved like this…" Izuku said this time, going to Ann's other side to help her up.
Ann looked between Ryuji and Izuku beforer her eyes trailed down to her outfit. Her cheeks immediately turned red with embarrassment, wrestling her arms away from the two and feebly attempting to cover herself from view. "Wh-what the hell am I wearing?! Wh-wh-what the hell is going on?!"
Izuku and Ryuji recoiled in surprise, the faux blond scratching his head sheepishly. "Crap. Looks like she's snapped back to reality."
"L-Lady Ann, please calm down. I know this is really difficult to take in, but-" Morgana started, hoping to ease her mind but failing as Ann used him to push herself up to stand.
"You guys really need to start explaining! What is this place?!" Ann demanded, eyes darting back to Izuku and Ryuji. The faux blond gulped in fear while Izuku couldn't help but take another step back, intimidated by the twin tailed blonde.
"W-w-well, you see…" Izuku tried to start, his words shaky as he spoke. Shaking his head, Izuku remembered the words of Kamoshida's Shadow, brow furrowing seriously. "W-we don't have time to go over that, now. We have to get going before more Shadows show up!"
"He's right. Please lean on me if you need to, Lady Ann." Morgana offered, Ryuji rolling his eyes at the cat's attempt at being suave.
"I mean, I wouldn't mind the help but uh… you're a little too short to lean on." Ann pointed out honestly, Morgana's ears drooping dejectedly in response.
"B-but I-"
"Alright, just put a sock in it. I'll help her out." Ryuji huffed irritably, offering a hand to Ann for her to take. "We don't got time to waste. We need to get goin'."
"I-I think I'm okay, for now. I'm tired but not enough to not move on my own." Ann shook her head, standing up straight to walk on her own.
"Skull, stay by her side in case Takamaki-sempai gets too tired." Izuku suggested, the faux blond nodding in agreement. "We can try for the treasure again, later. Right now we need to get Takamaki-sempai out of here."
"Treasure? What are you talking about?" Ann blinked in confusion, a small huff escaping Ryuji.
"There really ain't much time to talk about it right now. Wait 'til we get outta here." Ryuji said, the twin tailed blonde biting her lip in reluctance. Taking into consideration the danger and her current exhaustion, Ann sighed and decided not to argue, nodding in acceptance.
"Okay. Let's go." The others nodded, Izuku deciding to take the lead and sprinting ahead. He slowly pushed the door open, making sure the hallway leading to their current room was clear. Seeing that it was currently unoccupied, Izuku pushed it open, waving for his friends to quickly follow. The four started to dash as fast as they could, Ryuji keeping pace with Ann in case it was too much.
"King Kamoshida said they were this way!" Izuku widened his eyes as he skidded to a halt, holding his arms out to stop the others from running forward.
"D-damn it, they're cutting us off from the exit!" Izuku muttered, eyes darting aroun for options. Seeing a door to their left, Izuku didn't waste time, quickly swinging it open. Peeking inside, he saw no Shadows within the room. "This way, hurry!" Izuku ordered in a more hushed voice, though with an equal amount of urgency. The three didn't question him, quickly following his instructions and going in the room. Izuku quickly shut the door, looking around the room for their options.
"This isn't a safe room, Hero. They can come in here whenever they want." Morgana reminded him, Izuku gulped, nodding in understanding.
"I-it's likely that expecting them to walk by without checking here would be a fool's hope… we need to get ready to fight…" Izuku muttered, tilting his head down and holding his chin in thought.
"We can take a few Shadows, no sweat. Let 'em try." Ryuji shrugged, smashing his fist into his other hand confidently.
"We don't want to have to fight every single Shadow. Takamaki-sempai is tired and we want to have enough energy for getting to the exit." Izuku suggested, sweat beginning to trail down his brow. "We might not have a choice right now, but I'd like for us to use the least amount of our stamina as possible… but how..? Think…" He began to mumble, eyes darting around the room. It looked a bit different than the rest of the rooms they had gone through so far. The walls weren't painted or papered over, dark maroon brick exposed. Standing against the brick were tall wooden shelves with keg barrels, each likely holding a large amount of alcohol dreamed up by he cognition.
"We could try to hold our ground like Ryuji-sempai suggested. In this small room, their numbers would be pretty limited. But still, if we get more like the golden armored captain, that might take a lot of stamina out of us. Even so, conflict is unavoidable at this point. Think, Izuku, think..."Izuku mumbled aloud as he ground his teeth in frustration, looking back up to consider his eyes landed back at the shelves, a light bulb suddenly turned on in his head and a small smile spreading across his lips. "I-I think I've got something." He looked up at his three companions, blinking as he realized they were now staring. "W-was I-"
"Yep." Ryuji and Morgana immediately answered, the green haired teen flustering up immediately.
"Do… you do that a lot?" Ann couldn't help but ask.
"He does." Morgana said, Izuku's shoulders slumping at being thrown under the bus."But forget that for a second. What did you have in mind, Hero?"
The guards busted through the door, four gray armored knights marching inside with a golden knight at the back. Despite no immediate view of their targets, the room was large enough that the guards didn't immediately dismiss it, the guards spreading out. "Make sure to check every barrel and wardrobe! Those rats could be slinking around anywhere!" The major Shadow commanded, the others obeying without hesitation. Stalking over to wooden shelves, the gray armored guards lifted their swords, preparing to cut through the kegs.
"Now!"
Before the Shadows could stop it, the shelves were suddenly shoved forward, barrels of alcohol busting open as they fell like a wave on top of the guards. On the other side, Ryuji and Morgana stood their, their Personas floating behind them, wicked grins on their faces. "You vermin! I'll-" The golden guard growled, taking a step forward before the shelf to his left fell on top of him, Ann and Midoriya standing just behind it.
"It worked!" Ann cheered, grinning ear to ear at their success.
"Hurry, Takamaki-sempai! Set them on fire!" Izuku reminded the twin tailed blonde, Ann pausing in her celebration before quickly nodding.
"R-right! Carmen, come forth!" Ann exclaimed, pulling her mask from her face and summoning her Persona. "Agi!" With swirling flames in hand, Carmen lashed out her attack. Fire erupted from the pile of wood and metal, the guards now crying out in pain. Black ooze erupted from their masks and rose up, but the flames persisted in spite of this. "Wha-what's going on?!"
"I wasn't sure if it would work here because it's only a cognition, but it looks like it worked out…" Izuku breathed in relief, wiping his forehead of sweat and taking a step back from the flames, "the alcoholic content of the liquor was really high, after all. With enough alcohol, the flames will keep burning even after they emerge."
"Y-you bastar-ds!" A shadow cried out from the burning pile, weakly attempting to push the wood off of its under and the fire too intense to fight against, the Shadows weren't given the chance to fight back as they were soon reduced to ooze, dissipating into thin air. The four quickly regrouped at the door, eyes lingering on the burning pile with looks of satisfaction.
"Not bad there, Hero. That was some nice thinkin'." Ryuji chuckled, slapping Izuku's back in praise.
"I honestly hadn't thought of such a roundabout way of tackling our enemies. You just keep on surprising us, huh?" Morgana said, offering an impressed smile as he crossed his paws.
"We barely had to do anything. Good job." Ann said, grinning down at the younger teen in approval. "I still barely understand what's going on, but it worked."
"I-i-it was nothing, really… any of you would have thought of it…" Izuku bashfully muttered, face reddening from their praise. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and tried to return to prior urgency. "A-anyway, we should get going before more show up." Receiving nods of approval from the three, Izuku led the way again toward their escape route.
Izuku stood mutely by Ann as they waited for Ryuji to return from grabbing drinks. After making their escape from the castle, the four headed to the train station before taking a break. With time now to spare, Izuku and the others finally opened up to Ann about everything regarding Kamoshida and the other world. Ann absorbed the information silently, her sense of logic likely at war with the experience and evidence that she now had in the cognitive world. Izuku wasn't sure what to say at this point, knowing that it was likely pointless to keep persisting. It would be better to let Ann accept it for herself. Still, Izuku had a bit of concern.
"I-it's a lot to take in, huh?" Izuku asked, trying to at least give her mind some ease with the distraction of a conversation. Ann had been focused on the ground deep in thought when he spoke, almost jumping at the sound of his voice.
"Yeah… just a bit." Ann admitted with a sheepish giggle, scratching the back of her head. "I feel like I know less than before I went to that world, now."
"It's okay to take it slow. No one is demanding that you just accept everything right away. It wouldn't be fair to put such expectations on you." Morgana said, his voice gentle and kind as he spoke. Izuku couldn't help but deadpan in silence, remembering that Morgana had acted like he and Ryuji were morons for not being able to understand everything right from the get-go.
"Um… thanks…" Ann muttered, watching Morgana with eyes of curiousity. "I'm sorry, but it's hard to get over that I'm actually talking to a cat… I've seen a couple people with animal parts, but this is pretty different…"
"Yeah, it's pretty strange huh?" Ryuji said, joining the three again with a bottle of soda in each hand. "But once you get used to it, it's gettin' him to shut up that's the trick."
"Hey!" Morgana hissed in irritation, glaring at Ryuji as he climbed higher on Izuku's shoulder.
"Oh, can it. Which one you want?" Ryuji asked, turning to Ann with the drinks.
"Whichever isn't carbonated." Ann answers. Ryuji bites his bottom lip, glancing at both drinks.
"Er, both are. Sorry."
Ann sighed, glancing down at her options before taking the one in his left hand. "Thanks."
"No problem. Here's yours." Ryuji handed the other to Izuku, the green haired teen taking it with a nod.
"Hey, where's mine?" Morgana whined, glancing at the drinks enviously.
"Sorry, they didn't have milk. I figured you wouldn't want soda since you're a cat." Ryuji shrugged carelessly, the feline narrowing his eyes in resentment. Ann let out a small giggle, finding the exchange a bit amusing.
"Have you calmed down now, Lady Ann?" Morgana asked sweetly, the twin tailed blonde nodding in response.
"Yeah, I'm okay now. I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, but I'm at least able to accept everything." Ann explained, turning to Izuku and Morgana. "So… you're not actually a cat, right?"
"Well, he says that he's human, but I doubt it." Ryuji snorted, earning a small glare from Morgana.
"Why you-"
"C-come on, guys. Don't start another fight." Izuku said, raising his arms and offering a weak smile. The two opened their mouths to continue, but bit their tongues and relented. Turning back to Ann, Izuku's smile fell into a serious frown. "Back to everything we discussed, it looks like you possess a Persona like the rest of us now."
"My Persona… Carmen…" Ann muttered, looking down as she recalled her fury and power from before. "I was able to fight back against Kamoshida thanks to that."
"It's the will of your rebellion, Lady Ann. A power you can possess in the cognitive world to help you fight." Morgana explained for her, leaning forward on Izuku's shoulder.
"So then… your plan was to change Kamoshida's heart? Which would end up making him confess to all of his crimes?" Ann asked, trying to sort through the mountain of information she was now privy to.
"That's right. No one else is willin' to stand up to Kamoshida about what he's done." Ryuji said, brow furrowing in frustration. "The parents are turnin' a blind eye and that fatass principal isn't willing to stop the school's main source of popularity."
"Ryuji-sempai and I aren't able to do anything directly, either." Izuku explained, shame coloring his face as he spoke. "Everyone just looks at us like we're delinquents and won't listen… This was our only choice left to stop him. Especially after…" Izuku bit his bottom lip, fighting against the emotions he had been wrestling with ever since the incident. Clutching his fist, Izuku shook his head and looked back up at Ann. "We will put a stop to him."
Ann saw the raw emotion in his features and heard the conviction in his voice. Narrowing her eyes, Ann nodded in acceptance. "Okay, then. Let me help, too." Izuku and Ryuji both widened their eyes, taken off guard by her sudden plea, though not entirely surprised. "I want to make that bastard pay for what he did to Shiho. He's taken everything away from her. I will never forgive him for it."
"Wait wait wait, time out!" Ryuji said, holding a hand up to halt Ann. "Look, I know you wanna take Kamoshida down as badly as we do, but we were keepin' you out so you wouldn't be in danger."
"We were, but… that was because she didn't have a Persona." Izuku suddenly remarked, Ryuji blinking in shock as he turned to the timid teen. "I normally would be against this, but… the more help we can get, the better. Right now, while I might be able to have more than one Persona, I can't cover every weakness or resistance that our enemies might have as we push further in. Takamaki-sempai gives us more range of powers to work with. Plus, Takamaki-sempai has as much reason to fight as any of us. Even if we tried to keep her out, I doubt she'd let it stop her anyway."
Ryuji took a moment to realize what he meant, slapping a hand against his face. "Oh, right. She's got the app too, now." Ryuji sighed, looking back up at Ann. "I'm guessin' you'd try to go by yourself if we said no. It'd be safer to have you part of the team rather than lone wolfing it."
"I agree. With Lady Ann, we'd have just enough manpower to tackle this castle now." Morgana said, giving a small grin on his feline face.
Ryuji looked between Izuku and Morgana before looking at Ann, the three waiting for his official agreement. With a heavy sigh and a head scratch, he nodded. "Fine. Guess there's no helpin' it now."
"Then it's decided! I hope we can get along from now on." Ann giggled, giving a more upbeat smile to the three. Looking away from them, her smile fell and determination covered her expression. "I'm going to make him pay for it all. For everyone he's hurt, especially Shiho. No one else is going to suffer because of that bastard."
Despite Izuku's previous hesitation, the confidence and conviction radiating from Ann put him at ease. He wanted to keep her out of this for her safety. But seeing her strength now, Izuku had no doubt that Ann would be able to lend them a great hand in the troubles to come. When time seemed to slow, Izuku wasn't at all surprised by the following words whispering in his ear.
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…
Izuku still wasn't completely clear on the conditions that were in place when creating these arcanas with others, but smiled at the twin tailed blonde regardless as time returned to normal. "We'll be counting on you, Takamaki-sempai." He declared, giving his own determined nod.
"Glad to hear. Just let me know whenever you guys are ready to go." Ann smiled before realization hit her. "Oh, we don't have each other's info! Give me your guys number and email so that we can get in contact real quick." She said, pulling out her phone.
"Sure, sounds good." Ryuji shrugged, pulling his phone out casually and getting ready to take her number down.
"Of course!" Izuku nodded, pulling his own phone out. It took a moment for him to process, but suddenly his entire body froze. All save for his hands, which now trembled heavily with his phone at the center. His face suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree, eyes wide as plates as he stared at the phone in his palm.
"Uh… Izuku?" Morgana said, poking the obviously extremely skittish teen in the cheek, though he didn't seem to notice.
"Uh… is he okay?" Ann asked, blinking obliviously as she watched Izuku's hand shake almost uncontrollably.
Y-you're just giving a girl your number and getting hers for a case! Th-th-think of it like g-getting Koto-san's number. It's not a big deal! It's not a big deal! Izuku repeated to himself, miserably attempting to calm himself down. Due to this high level of concentration, he remained completely ignorant of the world around him.
"Oh, he gets pretty nervous around others. Though I think it gets worse around girls…" Ryuji hummed, realizing that Izuku was still lost in his own world at the moment before turning to Ann. "Don't mind him. I'll give you his number and other stuff so that he doesn't overload."
"Poor guy. It really does make me wonder how a guy like him got slapped with an assault charge, though." Ann said, offering a small smile of sympathy.
"He held up pretty well until now. Guess the whole number exchange is gettin' to him." Ryuji chuckled. "He must be pretty close with Nijima-sempai since he doesn't seem to mind her."
"Nijima? Like Makoto Nijima, the student council president?" Ann repeated, blinking in question. "He's close with her?"
"I guess so. Apparently they knew each other from way back." Ryuji elaborated, though a slightly scornful look crossed her expression.
"Are you sure we can trust her? I heard she's a huge suck up to teachers." Ann asked, her voice hiding little venom. This seemed to bring Izuku back to reality, the timid teen's eyes slightly widening as he looked up at Ann. "Rumor has it that she's well aware of the abuse, too."
"Th-that's not true!" Izuku suddenly spoke, the volume of his voice a little louder than he intended. Ann was caught off guard, not expecting him to answer with such energy. Readjusting himself, Izuku made sure to lower his voice. "Sorry, it's just… Koto-san wasn't aware of any of it. When I told her what was going on, Koto-san did what she could to help us."
"It's true. Izuku brought her in on it since we thought we could use the help. Nijima-sempai isn't half bad." Ryuji added, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Considering both Izuku's trust in her and the information she provided to us about the principal, we did consider for a moment asking her to join us in our assault on the castle." Morgana said, glancing to the side at Izuku. "Of course Izuku here didn't want to put her in danger like that and said no."
Ann felt a bit of guilt fill her, scratching her head sheepishly. "Oh… I see. Sorry for jumping to conclusions, then. It's hard to know who to trust at that school, anymore…"
"It's fine. It's been tough on everyone." Izuku nodded, guilt coloring his own face as he thought back to when he left her behind to spill his anger out to Kamoshida. "I… I should see if she's okay, though. I got so caught up in everything, that I forgot how we left her earlier…"
"Oh, crap. You're right." Ryuji sighed, kicking at the ground with a bit of his own guilt. "Guess we did get too heated and left her behind…"
"You both should definitely apologize to her for that. Especially you, Izuku." Morgana scolded them, his pointed words causing the green haired teen to wince.
"What do you mean? What happened?" Ann asked curiously, seeing their bit of discomfort.
"It's… kinda hard to explain. We'll tell you another time. Already got enough to worry about as is." Ryuji suggested, running a hand through his faux blond hair.
"Well, if you say so. Anyways, I'm going to be heading off. From now on, I'll be counting on you all, okay? That includes you, Morgana." Ann smiled at the three kindly.
"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Ann." Morgana purred out, earning a small giggle from Ann before she took her leave. Watching her go, the feline let out a content sigh, leaning forward on Izuku's shoulder and resting his head on his forelegs. "What an amazing girl… so kind and gentle… yet fierce when it calls for it. She's like a wild fire that you can't help but watch despite the danger… because it's just so beautiful."
"... um…" Izuku mumbled, a bit of sweat trailing down his brow.
"Dude." Ryuji said, cringing at Morgana's little speech. "You know that you've basically got no chance, right? Being a cat and all?"
"Th-that's only right now!" Morgana retorted, snapping his head toward Ryuji. "Once I get a human body, I'll be able to woo Lady Ann right off her feet!"
"If you say so." Ryuji muttered, rolling his eyes before looking at Izuku. "Hey, I've been thinking that maybe we should have a place to always meet up at quickly from now on."
"Good point. It would be smart to establish a secret hideout so that we can discuss our plans without having to worry about being eavesdropped on." Morgana agreed, Izuku humming for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, that would be best. Even though most would dismiss what we're talking about, we don't want to get the wrong person's attention. Especially Kamoshida himself." Izuku said, earning nods of agreement from Ryuji and Morgana.
"Havin' a secret hideout makes us sound way more official, too." Ryuji chuckled, folding his hands behind his head. "So, where should we station at? The rooftop? It would definitely have the most privacy and would be a fast place to meet up."
"It would definitely make for the perfect hideout. It doesn't seem like anyone goes up there. What do you think, Izuku?" Morgana asked, expectant eyes landing on the green haired teen. Regret immediately filled them both, realizing what they just suggested when they saw his expression. Izuku was biting his bottom lip, tears threatening at the edge of his eyes again. "I-I'm sorry, Izuku. I hadn't thought about that place's significance."
"Y-yeah, dude. We can find another place to use for a hideout. No big deal." Ryuji suggested this time, guilt audible in his voice.
Izuku snapped his eyes shut and shook his head furiously. He took a moment to breath in and out, his body loosening up as he looked at the two with determination. "No. The rooftop would make for a good hideout. We should use it for meeting up."
"Are… you sure?" Morgana asked, eyes still filled with concern.
"Yes, I am. Besides, it'll serve as a reminder of what we're fighting for every time we go up there." Izuku declared, his green orbs shining with conviction. Ryuji grinned, reaching a hand out and slapping him on the shoulder.
"Hell yeah. That's the spirit. We've got this." Ryuji said, reaching a fist up to Izuku. The green haired teen blinked for a moment before smiling back, meeting it for a fist bump.
"Well, with that settled, I do have one more matter to bring up." Morgana declared, bringing both of their attention to him now. "I've decided that I will be remaining in the real world so that I can meet up with everyone just as quick. The only problem that leaves is figuring out which of you will be taking care of me." Turning a feline grin toward Izuku, the green haired teen suddenly felt pressure from his stare. "I'm personally nominating you as my caretaker. You should feel honored."
"W-w-wait, what?! B-but I-"
"That's all you, dude. My mom's allergic to cats, so…" Ryuji whistled out carelessly. An announcement over the intercom signaled for Ryuji's train, the faux blond seeing it as his escape. "Alright, then. Have fun with your new pet slash roomie!" He grinned before taking off in a sprint.
"W-wait, Ryuji-sempai!" Izuku called out, reaching desperately toward the receding back of his best friend. Watching him disappear, Izuku could only stand there lifeless as his new job started to settle in. It wasn't that he didn't like Morgana, but having him suddenly move in was a big jump from what they were previously discussing.
"It's for the best. Ryuji and I would probably argue way too much, anyway." Morgana waved a paw carelessly, turning expectant cat eyes toward Izuku. "Now then, please show me to my new home! I am quite curious to what my residence will now be in this world."
Izuku strangled out a few sounds, trying to find any reason to discourage this line of thinking by the cat. When none came, Izuku slumped forward in defeat and struggled out his answer: "... okay…"
Izuku took a deep breath as he stood outside of Leblanc. He still wasn't exactly sure about letting Morgana stay with him. Mostly because he had no idea how Sakura would react to this. He did, in fact, live in a cafe, after all. He wasn't even sure if animals would be allowed inside of Leblanc in the first place. Of course, Izuku wasn't the best at expressing this to Morgana. The cat merely dismissed his worries and reminded Izuku that he had nowhere else to stay. It was clear to Izuku at this point that he wasn't going to be talking his way out of this one.
"Huh. I wasn't expecting you to live in a cafe. Is this normal for people to do?" Morgana hummed thoughtfully, sticking out on Izuku's shoulder as he looked up at Leblanc.
"N-no, honestly. I'm still surprised by the arrangement too, but… it's what Sakura-san wanted." Izuku shrugged, by this time at least settled into the idea of where he now lodged in. "B-but you have to stay in the bag, Morgana-san! If Sakura-san sees you, I doubt he'll let me keep you. This is a cafe, after all..."
"Fine, fine. I'm getting back in…" Morgana huffed, stuffing himself back into Izuku's school bag.
The green haired teen let out a sigh, gulping as he refocused forward. Okay, act casual. Sakura-san won't notice anything so long as Morgana keeps quiet and I keep my cool… He told himself, wiping the nervous sweat from his brow. Reaching toward the door, Izuku hesitated when it started to push open, looking back up to see a woman coming out. She had dark blue short cut hair and pale skin. Around her neck was a black spiked choker. She wore a waist high black leather jacket with an aqua top with web pattern on the front, followed by black jeans and tall black heels.
Izuku realized he was in her way and quickly sidestepped, holding the door open for her. "A-ah, sorry ma'am!" He quickly said, a bit of nervousness in his voice. Older women seldom made him nervous like girls around his age, but he was still worried about being rude. The gothic woman raised a brow curiously.
"Sorry for what?" She asked, her voice flat in her question.
"W-well, for getting in your way. I didn't mean to." Izuku explained, looking down and rubbing his head sheepishly.
"You weren't, really. Don't worry about it." She shrugged carelessly, slinging a handbag over her shoulder. "So don't act so nervous. You'll never get a girlfriend if you always stammer like that."
Izuku felt like the woman had punched him directly in the gut, slouching over further and nodding solemnly. "Y-yeah…"
The woman giggled lightly, starting to walk past him. "No need to feel so depressed. Just keep being polite and try not to be nervous. Later." She said, waving over her shoulder as she headed down the path to the rest of Yongen. Izuku looked up and watched as she left, breathing out as he felt the usual nervous tension leave his body.
"What a strange woman…" He muttered, taking a moment before walking into Leblanc. Inside the only person was Sojiro, the old shopkeeper sparing an amused glance Izuku's way.
"I see the good doctor gave you a bit of a runaround, huh?" Sojiro chuckled, Izuku tensing as he realized that the shopkeeper had a full view of the awkward conversation.
"Y-yeah… she was…" Izuku paused, realizing what Sojiro said. "W-wait, doctor?"
"Yep. She runs a clinic just down the street, in fact." Sojiro nodded, leaning back against the bar. "I haven't been there myself, but I've heard she gives crappy examinations and sells weird medicine. Of course that's just gossip. People should just leave her alone if she's not bothering them…" Sojiro sighed, rolling his neck tiredly. "Alright, I'm heading home. Make sure to turn off the lights."
"Yes, sir." Izuku nodded, turning around and heading for the stairs.
"Hey, are we there yet?"
Izuku jumped when he heard Morgana's voice, sweat running down his cheeks as he turned his head slightly to look at Sojiro. The shopkeeper seemed to hear him too, though he doubted that Sojiro heard anything more than a meow. Not that it would make it any better in this situation.
"What was that just now..?" Sojiro muttered, looking around in thought before his eyes landed on Izuku.
"Wh-what was what?" Izuku asked, trying to play as dumb as possible. Sojiro narrowed his eyes at Izuku, the green haired teen trying his best not to flinch or crumble under his gaze. Sojiro watched him for a moment longer before finally huffing out.
"Well, whatever. I'm going now." His temporary guardian said, Izuku feeling some relief that he wasn't questioned any further.
"H-have a good night, Sakura-san!" Izuku said as he tried to casually walk up the stairs. Tried being the operative word as his body moved stiffly up each step. As he reached the top stair, Izuku spared a glance behind him to make sure that Sojiro hadn't followed him up, breathing in relief when he didn't see the shopkeeper in sight. Making his way over to his bed, Izuku placed the bag gently down, unzipping the top and letting Morgana jump out.
"Freedom, finally~!" Morgana cooed in relief, stretching his body out now that he had room to move. Looking around, the cat blinked in shock. "Wow… I knew you were a fan of heroes, but I didn't realize it was this big…"
"Huh?" Izuku looked around, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as he realized what he meant. Izuku had put up the entirety of his All Might memorabilia, posters and banners littering the wall by the couch. On the dusty shelf on the other side of his room, a model figure sat.
"Crap, I totally forgot I put everything up…" Izuku muttered, covering his face in mortification.
"So, All Might, huh? I knew that the name was popular among cognition. I've heard it echo in a lot of hearts in Mementos." Morgana hummed, looking at the wall with some interest. "It might be interesting to learn all that I can about someone so popular. Especially if he's got you as such a stellar fan."
"R-really? You want to learn about All Might?" Izuku asked, blinking in surprise. His surprise shifted to excitement, the embarrassment leaving him in an instant. "There's so much I can tell you about All Might! Like his greatest battles, his TV appearances and-" Izuku began to ramble like a giddy child in Morgana's face. He suddenly paused, Morgana's initial words ringing in his ear. "W-wait, what's Mementos?"
"Oh, that? Well… we'll save that explanation for another time. We have to remain focused on the palace, after all." Morgana dismissed, waving a paw in the air. "Once that's done, I'll give you all the info you want on it."
Izuku raised a brow, curious as to why Morgana might keep it to himself. Thinking about it though, if it wasn't relevant to their current situation, then it made sense. There was no need to distract from their mission with something else entirely.
"Hey, I know I heard a meow. Did you-" Izuku froze when he heard Sojiro's voice, slowly craning his head back to look at the shopkeeper. Despite the initial aggression, Izuku soon realized that he was now distracted by the many posters on the wall of Izuku's room. "Holy crap, kid. I knew you were a fan, but… damn."
"Right?" Morgana chuckled, the green haired teen feeling like they were suddenly ganging up on him despite the literal language barrier between the cat and Sojiro.
Sojiro observed the posters for a moment before shaking his head, turning back to Izuku and Morgana. "Back to what I was saying… I see you brought a cat here." Sojiro said, his tone sharp as he glanced at Morgana. "Mind explaining what that's about?"
"S-sorry, he was-I just uh… found him all alone and abandoned!" Izuku lied, hoping that it might sound convincing. It wasn't like he could explain that it was actually not a cat and it came from another dimension, after all.
"Look, I know you're always trying to do the kind thing, but this is a restaurant! Animals are a no-go! I don't want cat hair getting all over my food!" Sojiro huffed, sparing a glance at Morgana. The cat was leaning down in the bed, looking somewhat anxious over the shouting. Glancing back at Izuku who stood there timidly, Sojiro sighed. He glanced back at Morgana and scratched his head. "Then again… maybe a pet would be a good distraction for you…" Izuku and Morgana brightened at this, the shopkeeper crossing his arms. "It might help to have something to take care of to keep you out of trouble…"
"S-so he can stay?" Izuku asked hopefully, Sojiro humming for a moment before nodding.
"Fine. You can keep him. But keep him up here and don't let him run around downstairs, especially when customers are around." Sojiro relented, a smile spreading across the green haired teen's lips. "If I catch him downstairs, I'll toss it out. And don't expect me to feed it or pick up its poop, got it?"
"Y-yes, Sakura-san! Thank you!" Izuku said gratefully, Sojiro just nodding silently before turning around and taking his leave. The two waited for Sojiro to walk down the stairs before sighing in relief, Morgana sitting up with more confidence.
"I'm guessing he's the ruler of this place. He's surprisingly understandable despite coming off so tough." Morgana hummed, glancing back up at Izuku.
"Yeah, Sakura-san isn't bad. He acts really serious, but he can be nice, too." Izuku smiled, having noted the shopkeeper's actions. He appreciated what Sojiro did for him by letting him stay here and despite their initial impression of one another, were able to see a bit more in each other.
"Must be nice to have someone like that watching out for you." Morgana said, though became silent when the two heard footsteps climbing back up the stairs. Izuku opened his mouth to ask what else, but blinked when he saw a plate of canned tuna in his hand.
"It's hard to ignore the poor thing when it keeps making all those cute sounds." Sojiro sighed, placing the plate in front of Morgana who eyed the food hungrily. "Make sure to wash that plate. By the way, you have a name for it?"
"Y-yeah. Morgana, or Mona for short." Izuku informed him, the shopkeeper's cheek twitching up in disappointment.
"Darn. Kinda wish I would get to name it…" Sojiro sighed, walking back to the stairs. Morgana chuckled, beginning to eat the fish happily.
"Careful, Izuku. I might dethrone you as the second man in charge of this place." Morgana teased, a small bead of sweat trailing down the green haired teen's head. "You know, this place isn't so bad. It's pretty shabby, but way nicer than Kamoshida's cells were. Plus it looks like you cleaned it up nicely enough."
"You should have seen it when I got here. It was a lot to clean up." Izuku chuckled, taking a seat on the bed next to Morgana. The chime of his phone suddenly went off, Izuku checking it to see a number he didn't recognize texting him.
?: Did this number work, Midoriya?
?: It's me, Takamaki.
Izuku widened his eyes, realizing that he hadn't gotten her number. Ryuji-sempai must have given her my number. He mused, quickly typing his response up after saving the contact information to his phone.
Izuku: It's me. Hello sempai.
Ann: Ok good. Wanted to make sure the number worked.
Ann: On top of wanting to say thank you for today.
Izuku widened his eyes at that, feeling a bit happy but attempting to dismiss the idea.
Izuku: It was nothing, really. Sorry that we couldn't tell you from the start…
Ann: It's fine, trust me. I wouldn't have believed it without seeing it for myself. I just wanted to let you and Ryuji know I appreciate you guys saving me. I'll be sure to return the favor and help catch that asshole.
Izuku: Ok, then. We'll be relying on you, sempai.
Ann: Considering everything we're going through together, I think you and Ryuji can call me by my first name. Ryuji told me to do the same. You okay with me calling you Izuku?
Izuku stared at his phone, still as stone. After a moment, his face became a red hot mess, steam practically exploding out of his ears. To have a girl tell him to call her by first name was a completely new experience. Sure, he called Makoto by her nickname but that was back when they were children, and it just stuck with them. To have a girl give him the thumbs up for such was almost too much for his innocent heart to take.
"Uh… you okay, Izuku?" Morgana asked, a cat equivalent of a brow raising on his head.
"J-just fine…" Izuku muttered, his phone shaking in his hand as he struggled to type his response.
Izuku: S-sure, n-no problem! I-it might be hard for me at first, b-but I'll try.
Ann: take it at your own pace lol
Ann: Ryuji told me it might be like that for you, anyway.
Ann: Anyway, I'm headin to bed. Thanks again, i'll see u guys tomorrow
Izuku let out a sheepish laugh as he realized his best friend had already outed his habit to the twin tailed blonde. Not that he minded. Izuku preferred it, in fact, so that he wouldn't seem completely awkward the next time they talked in person. After typing up his reply, Izuku set the phone down on the bed next to him.
"You talk to people and send messages with that thing, right?" Morgana asked, sparing a glance at his phone. "I want in on that! But since I wouldn't really be able to carry a phone or even type with it, I'll just rely on you to send messages for me."
"Sure, I can do that if you like." Izuku nodded, looking up in thought. "I wonder, though… there are people with animal appendages, so I wonder if I could find something that would work with your paws… but then again, we'd have to get you a phone plan, too."
"I think having you convey my messages will make things simpler." Morgana shrugged. "But hey, that power you used to absorb that Shadow was incredible! I didn't think such a thing was possible until now. We'll need to really work on getting more to cover up other weaknesses. But we'll also have to work on strengthening your heart!"
"My heart?" Izuku repeated, somewhat confused by the statement.
"Of course. Persona's are the strength of heart, after all. You'll have to build that up if you want to keep gaining strength, same with me and the others. So, to help you do that, I'm going to be sticking with you at all times from now on." Morgana declared, Izuku blinking in question for a moment.
"What do you mean… at all times?"
"Like I'll have you carry me so that I go with you to school or around town, maybe. At all times."
Izuku stared at the cat with a squint, unsure if the cat was making a joke or was actually being serious in wanting to be carried everywhere. Considering that the cat was still smiling up at him, Izuku assumed it was the latter. "Uh… I'm not sure that's a great idea…"
"Oh, don't be silly. It's perfect! I'll help you meet other people and stuff. It'll be fine! Plus, you can consider it part of the deal we made." Morgana dismissed, leaving little room for argument for Izuku. The green haired teen wanted to say something but was unfortunately held back by his low confidence, slumping over in defeat and relenting to Morgana's wish.
*RING*
Izuku sat back up and looked at his phone, picking it up to see Makoto's name on the front of his phone. "K-Koto-san… I guess this would be a good time to apologize…" Izuku muttered, scratching the back of his head. "I would have liked to do it in person, but…"
"Considering she messaged you first, it would be rude to not answer. I think it'll be fine to apologize now." Morgana suggested, earning a hesitant nod from the green haired teen as he opened the message. Having not paid his phone much attention, he realized that Makoto had sent him several messages over the course of time they were in the cognitive world.
Makoto: I heard that Kamoshida's going to expel you…
Makoto: This is exactly why I told you not to run off like you did!
Makoto: I know what happened hurt you, but that's why I wanted you to think things through!
Makoto: Please message me when you can!
Makoto: Just… I hope you're both okay…
Izuku felt guilt fill him, now realizing how much Makoto was concerned for them both after they left. Izuku had been so caught up in what happened to Shiho that he didn't think of how Makoto was feeling. Koto-san was there with us trying to help… but we ended up leaving her behind. Shaking his head, Izuku quickly began to type up his response.
Izuku: I'm sorry that I didn't answer, Koto-san. Ryuji-sempai and I were running around.
Izuku didn't have to wait long for a response, his phone buzzing almost immediately.
Makoto: Thank goodness… But the next time I see you, I'm giving you a good smack.
Izuku could only laugh sheepishly at that. At this point, he would allow the older teen to do whatever she felt like if it would make her feel better.
Izuku: If that's what you want, it's ok. I owe you that much after running off like that… i'm sorry. We got too caught up in our anger and paid the price for it. If anything, I'm glad you didn't get grouped with us in that situation.
Makoto's response wasn't immediate, likely taking in his apology and writing a bigger message as well in response.
Makoto: No, it's not your fault. It's mine. If I had been of more use to you guys, this might not have happened this way… I'm the one that's sorry.
Izuku felt a frown twitch across his face, concern filling him for his old friend after seeing that she was blaming herself for their potential expulsion.
Izuku: No, it's not yours, Koto-san. It's not even mine, either. The real person at fault is Kamoshida.
Izuku paused for a moment, thinking over what he wanted to say next. He had to think of something that might make Makoto feel better about the situation. He had to let her know that Kamoshida was going to be dealt with. Though he wouldn't be able to tell her how it would go down. As much as Izuku wanted to tell her everything, he couldn't. Izuku wouldn't throw her into potential danger like that. He knew that she would be willing to despite that, but there was no telling if a Persona would manifest in her or not.
Izuku: … and don't worry. Ryuji-sempai and I have found a way to take him down. We won't let him get away with this.
Makoto: You have?! How? What are you guys planning to do?!
Izuku: I… can't tell you that. I know you want to help, but this is dangerous.
Makoto: I don't care if it is, I want to help. Tell me, what are you planning to do?
Izuku: I know you want to help, but I won't let you put your future at risk. Ryuji-sempai and I have everything to lose right now, so it doesn't matter either way for us. But if we fail and you're involved, you-Izuku couldn't tell her how real the danger was, but he could at least make her aware of the real world problems it would create. Though he couldn't speak of the potential jail time he was going to do if Kamoshida died, but that was another matter entirely.-you'll lose everything. I won't let that happen.
Makoto: Izuku… what is going on?
Izuku couldn't answer her question, shutting his eyes as he decided to ignore any further messages. He had said too much. The plan was to make Makoto feel better, but now Izuku knew that he had only made her worry more. "I'm an idiot…" he muttered, biting his bottom lip in frustration.
"You were trying your best. Sometimes, our best isn't enough." Morgana suddenly spoke, reminding the green haired teen that he was there, apparently watching the text exchange. "Are you sure that you don't want to bring her into this? It might help reassure her of what's going on, at least."
Izuku looked at Morgana with some thought, this time considering the potential of inviting Makoto. Despite what she might be able to provide, Izuku couldn't think of throwing her into danger like that. Makoto had given up on becoming a hero a long time ago and despite the strength of her Quirk, he had no idea how much training she kept up with it. He wasn't willing to bet her life on it, either.
"I… I'm sure… maybe once this is over, I'll at least show Koto-san that place, but… not while we still have to run into danger." Izuku declared, releasing a heavy sigh before kicking his legs up on his bed, lying on his back. "It's for the best…" Morgana watched him for a moment in concern but still said nothing, trotting up to his side and lying down next to his hip.
Makoto anxiously waited for any response from Izuku, something that might give her a clue to what he was planning. But after waiting ten minutes, she realized that Izuku wasn't going to answer anymore. He had walled her out of his plans against Kamoshida. Why… why can't he just tell me? Makoto wondered, gripping her phone in agitation and fear. Am I… really that useless? Even to Midori, who I used to want to protect from everything…
"Is everything alright, Makoto?"
The brunette was pulled from her dark thoughts, looking away from her phone. Next to their dining room table was her sister, Sae Nijima. She shared Makoto's fair skin and red eyes, but their facial structures were different. The older woman was a bit more slender, less built as Makoto who still practiced her Aikido. Sae wore a feminine black business suit with a black turtleneck. Her hair was long and silver, parting at the top right of her scalp to show her face.
Makoto didn't answer immediately, blinking before immediately setting her phone down. "Y-yes, everything's alright, just… just some drama at school, is all." Makoto tried to dismiss, standing from her seat. "I uh made some dinner for you in the kitchen. Let me grab it."
"It's fine, I'm already up." Sae dismissed, walking into the kitchen. "This 'school drama'. You're not letting it get in the way of your studies, are you?"
"O-of course not. I'm still keeping my grades up as usual, sis." Makoto said, glancing down at the coffee table. At this point, it was her only distraction from the fact that she was being left out by Izuku. Even if it had become somewhat hard to focus, especially now.
"If you say so. Make sure it stays that way. You don't need drama to distract you right now. Save it for when you've made it into college." Sae said, her voice echoing out from the kitchen.
"R-right… I won't let that happen." Makoto sighed, eyes slowly trailing back to her phone. Maybe… sis is right. Maybe that's all I'm good for. I can't help Midori, anyway. And.. he doesn't want my help, either…
To be continued…
This chapter wasn't as difficult to write out as I thought. If anything, the beginning is what I was most stuck on throughout writing as I wwanted there to be some decent spin of how Izuku thinks things through on their escape and fight. I'm not sure how great it was if at all, but I'll let you all decide on that one.
Now, regarding the end, that was to establish something that I think should be addressed: Izuku's lack of true understanding when it comes to his friends. In most Shonen titles, you have the magical 'power of friendship' and 'I'll always be there for you' speeches from the protagonist. The only reason the protagonist might not see what his friend is feeling is because their friend runs off to deal with it alone before anyone can see what is wrong.
In MHA, Izuku had a clear view of what Iida was feeling and knew why, but wasn't able to understand fully what he was going through his head and what he could have done to help that. This doesn't make Izuku a bad person or anything, it just shows that he's human. He's never had any real friends until he arrived at UA and so he lacks the knowledge and experience to know what to do or say in these kinds of situations. To me, that makes his character feel real. I love it. He wants to help Makoto and make her feel better, but he doesn't know how, and doesn't know what she's truly feeling in these moments.
Anyways, sorry for rambling. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, as things are getting ready to kick off! Please leave me a review of what you think (I'd definitely like to hear some thoughts on this one), a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind!