Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or Persona 5, please support the official release.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter for full details on certain future plans. Thank you.
Chapter 32
"He's ready to see you now, Niijima-chan."
"Thank you." Makoto smiled at the principal's secretary before walking into Kobayakawa's office. The bulbous man sat behind his desk, offering a broad, expectant smile as she entered the room.
I'll be happy to let those expectations down.
"Ah, Niijima-san. Good to see you! Just the person I was hoping to see!" He said, his voice somewhat eager. "I imagine your investigation has been going well?"
"It has, in fact. Which is why I'm here today." Makoto said, putting on one of the smuggest she's ever had.
"Truly?! This is great news! What exactly have you learned?" Kobayakawa asked, no longer hiding his eagerness.
"Through my investigation, I learned that the Phantom Thieves… are quite just." The immediate in the plump principal's face was priceless. "After determining such, I've decided to drop my investigation."
"Wh-What?! Just like that?!" Kobayakawa stood from his desk and leaned on it. "Y-You can't do that! I need your help on this! O-Otherwise, the rumors and-and the media will never dismiss them! You must stay the course! The Phantom Thieves are nothing but petty criminals!"
"I'd hardly call taking down a former world renowned artist and exposed fraud 'petty', sir." Makoto deflected his begging with ease, well past any sympathy for the man. "If you plan to continue your investigation, you'll have to do it without me."
"B-But what about your recommendation?! I have quite good ties to many different universities, and would be able to-"
"Oh, there's no need for you to worry about that." Makoto waved him off with a smile. "I've decided that, whatever I choose to do, I will do by my own merits. You may keep your recommendation."
"B-But… But-"
"I believe that was all I had to say today. I hope you have a good day now, Principal Kobayakwa." Makoto bowed with finality, not allowing him to try and manipulate her any further with his words. As she turned her back, she could hear his chair creek in strain as he plopped into it, leaving the principal behind to think about his own misgivings.
I hope this causes you a lot of trouble. It's time you started paying the price for your neglect. Makoto held her head high as she left the office, marching to her class with newfound pride.
Ugh. What a mess.
Sadayo Kawakami didn't even bother trying to cover up her exhaustion. She dragged her feet across Shujin's halls even more than usual, her shoulders slouched and head hung low. All she wanted was a good nap to forget her troubles for just five minutes. But every time she tried not to think about it, that kid's face popped up.
Can I really trust that kid to keep his word?
That was the line of thought that kept her up that previous night. Anxiety hit her like a truck after going their separate ways. This was the kid with a criminal record, after all. Though, honestly speaking, Kawakami knew that there was something fishy about all that business. How could a Quirkless kid end up with an assault charge, after all?
No matter what complaints Kamoshida might have had (which were now completely null due to obvious reasons), Izuku was an upstanding student. His start was rough, but he quickly climbed to the top of his class and nearly the top of the first years in grades. He rarely chatted with his own classmates, but Kawakami hadn't missed when he would spend time with Sakamoto and Takamaki.
Whatever kind of troublemaker Sakamoto might have been, he didn't seem to influence the young man the way many would have expected, herself included. In fact, some had said that the opposite might have been happening, with Sakamoto skipping less classes and doing somewhat better in his grades.
Sill… that doesn't mean I can trust him. Kawakami thought bitterly. He didn't even want to accept her offer to slack off in class. Perhaps that was a weak form of bribe. But it wasn't like she could pay him or-
"Kawakami-sensei!"
Dread filled Kawakami as Chouno's grating voice scratched against her eardrums. Kawakami put on the best polite smile she could muster and turned to her fellow teacher. "Hello, Chouno-sensei. Is something wrong?"
"Quite a bit, actually! I've been meaning to speak with you for some time now!" Chouno declared, the dark-skinned teacher impatiently crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yes, well, you know we've all been busy lately…"
"Have we? Because it seems to me that you're always gone before everyone else!" Chouno accused, narrowing her eyes.
Ugh. Why does she have to be such a nosey harlot? Kawakami had been expecting Chouno to come at her like this for some time, but hoped to avoid it as long as possible. Their relationship wasn't bad, per say. They were usually civil. But ever since the Kamoshida incident, Chouno had been sniffing around the other teachers. Something Kawakami really didn't need at the moment.
"Look, as I've told you before…" Kawakami began, hoping to dig up one of her old, tired excuses. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a small glimpse of Midoriya standing close by, watching their exchange curiously. Crap. Not now, of all times!
"Oh, hello, Midoriya." Kawakami turned to him with a neutral frown. "Get home safely."
"Um…" He seemed uncertain, his eyes dancing between both teachers frantically. Come on, kid. Please don't bust me. Not like this, and to Chouno of all people…
"As I was saying, Chouno-sensei, I have a previous engagement… I need to get going." Kawakami wanted to turn tail, but the glare Chouno wore warned her against that.
"We aren't done talking, Kawakami-sensei! Our school is in a precarious place right now, and we need every teacher to be on board," Chouno declared, stopping her short once again. "We can't handle another scandal right now. Every teacher is being looked at closely! And yet you're always the first one to leave, and you barely make it to faculty meetings! Please tell me you're not running around at night!"
You have no idea, Chouno. Kawakami rubbed her right arm, unable to come up with a good excuse on the spot. Chouno caught her at probably her worst moment, the exhaustion and anxiety mounting even more as this conversation stretched out.
"Uh… excuse me..."
Kawakami turned to see that Midoriya had yet to leave yet, and had now approached them. Not like this…
"School will be closing soon, Midoriya-kun. You should be getting home soon," Chouno said, her voice far more polite as she addressed the first year. "Or did you have a question for us?"
"Y-Yes, I wanted to see i-if Kawakami-sensei was still going to help me today."
Huh? Sadayo's eyes lit up as the green haired teen looked at her, his eyes conveying a quiet message to her.
"Help you? With what, exactly?" Chouno asked, turning to her curiously.
"W-Why, of course! I was just-getting ready to meet you soon!" Kawakami quickly played along, giving a quick nod before turning back to Chouno. "You see, Midoriya-kun lost some time in school because of his record. So to catch up on some subjects, I've been tutoring him here and there!"
"Y-Yes! T-Thanks to Kawakami-sensei, I've been able to get my grades up!" Izuku nodded furiously, his own fake smile enough to make Sadayo wince. Come on, kid. It's not that hard to lie.
Kawakami turned back to Chouno, who watched them for a moment longer.
"So you've been taking time to help your student personally? Well, his grades are top notch from what I've heard…" Chouno hummed, rubbing her chin before smiling. "If that's the case, how marvelous! Truly, you've done an outstanding job! You're the example that needs to be followed in this school! Good job, Kawakami-sensei, and sorry for suspecting you!"
Chouno made her swift exit after giving her praise, leaving the two behind. Kawakami released a tense sigh before looking at Midoriya, who seemed just as relieved as she was.
"Well, that wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it worked out. You helped clear me of her suspicion, so… thanks," Kawakami said, feeling honestly grateful.
"It's okay. I know you said you've got it tough right now, so…" Midoriya nodded, rubbing his arm awkwardly.
Seriously. How did this kid get an assault charge? Kawakami had to set the stray thought aside as her own more pressing matters resurfaced. While he didn't seem to push the subject of 'why', she felt she at least owed him… something of an explanation.
"Hey. Can you come with me for a bit?" She asked.
"Huh? Oh, sure."
Kawakami waved for him to follow, leading him toward the end of the first floor hallway. While it wasn't occupied, she couldn't help but feel anxious over trying to speak at school. "Okay, we can't do this here, but… here, take this."
Kawakami fished out one of her business cards from work, pushing it into Midoriya's chest. "This has my work phone and address for my job. Call the number and request me. I'll… explain what I can then. Okay?"
"O-Oh, okay…" Midoriya looked at the card, almost as if debating to take it.
"You don't have to call today, but do it soon. On top of telling you a few things, I still need money…" Kawakami not-so-subtly muttered the last part under her breath.
"Huh?"
"Nevermind. We'll talk later." With that, Kawakami left Midoriya behind, feeling some of the weight on her shoulders. If Midoriya was planning to rat her out, he would have done so already. She at least trusted that he would keep her secret until he called.
"It seems that comments have started to pour in the past few days. But the majority of them seem to be negative," Yusuke announced to his teammates, scrolling through the Phansite's forum. The team had gathered at Shibuya's train station, deciding to meet now that interviews with the police were finally over.
"That's not much of a surprise. We do live in a society with a system built around Pro Heroes, after all." Makoto spoke as she stroked her chin. "For a group of vigilantes to get this kind of attention is more surprising to me."
"Still, it bugs me that we're gettin' so much hate! We're not hurtin' anybody that doesn't deserve it!" Ryuji huffed, the faux blond standing a short ways away from Yusuke with Ann.
"I'm a little more surprised we haven't had any Pros come out and outright reject us, though." Ann pointed out, twirling a finger in her twin tail. "We're lucky that we've avoided their attention, at least."
"I think that's because any Pro Hero that might be investigating us wouldn't want us to know." Izuku pointed out, looking down in thought with his brow furrowed. "Even if they did, their answers would all be the same: 'we're against the 'Phantom Thieves.' Even if some of them supported what we did, they wouldn't want to publicly support a villain."
"Still, their refusal to acknowledge us is enough for people to accuse us of being frauds. It's quite daunting on its own," Yusuke admitted, stuffing his phone away.
"We were just starting to get people to believe in us, too…" Ann sighed, disheartened.
"All we gotta do is take down another hotshot, yeah?" Ryuji offered with some hope.
"Have you found another target for us to take down?" Yusuke asked, only to earn a groan in response.
"As if! I've been lookin' every night, but all I've come up with is bunk!" Ryuji sighed in frustration. His attention drifted to Yusuke's legs, noticing a canvas and a small amount of luggage. "By the way, what's with that stuff you've been haulin' around?"
"Ah, this? I've decided to move out of the dormitories. It was not only filthy, but noisy as well. No true art can be crafted in such a place." said Yusuke, a hint of disgust in his voice.
"So what are you gonna do then? You can't go back to that shack, right?"
"I was planning to stay at Takamak-I mean, Ann's place. I even purchased a thank you gift." Ann blinked owlishly at Yusuke, the artist smiling hopefully at the twin tailed blonde. "I hope it's to your parents liking."
Yusuke was quite proud of the selection of sweets he made. After much deliberation and debate with the clerk, he doubled down on the most extravagant box available to his meager funds. He wanted to leave a good impression on the people who would be taking care of him from now on.
"What?! There's NO WAY you're staying at my house!" Yusuke recoiled the moment she said that, his heart shattering.
"Impossible…"
"You're the impossible one!" Ryuji huffed.
"I spent all of my money on the most delectable sweets…" Yusuke admitted, looking down at a gift box on top of his luggage. All that trial and error… gone to waste...
"That's not the issue here!"
"Perhaps you shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that Ann would just accept the idea, Yusuke…" Makoto sighed, offering a sympathetic smile.
"Will… the school take you back?" Izuku asked this time.
"I suppose, but… to return to such a place and try to create art is… unimaginable…" Yusuke buried his forehead into his hand and shook it.
"Don't you think you're bein' overdramatic?" Ryuji deadpanned.
"Well, if it's that much trouble, I suppose I'll have to extend my hand!" Morgana said, puffing his chest out as he leaned over Izuku's shoulder. "Come stay at our place! It's a little dirty, but you'd have plenty of space."
"Wh-What?!" Izuku's eyes bulged out of his head. "Morgana-san! You can't decide something like that on your own!"
"Come on, Izuku. We're doing this for a valuable teammate! Are you really going to say no?" Morgana waved him off.
"But I-"
"If you would be willing to accommodate me, I would surely appreciate it." Yusuke quickly took Izuku's hand, bowing in appreciation and turning the green-haired teen pale.
"You guys are puttin' way too much pressure on him." Ryuji said, trying to come to his aid.
"You live in a cafe, right?" Ann asked, curious about Izuku's strange living situation.
"You had mentioned that before, but I wasn't quite sure what you were talking about," said Makoto.
"Yes, Sakura-san preferred it that way." Izuku nodded, still unsure himself about why it was like that. "St-Still, this is…"
"Not only is Yongen a short distance, but the cafe is also only a minute walk from the station!" Morgana swiftly interrupted.
"You know, I'm really curious about it. Why don't we all go there now?" Ann suggested in excitement. "In fact, we should throw our party there for Madarame's change of heart!"
"Oh, good idea! We can make it Yusuke and Makoto's welcome party, too!" Ryuji chimed in.
"It would be good to get to know the state Midori's been living in," Makoto said, an amused smile spreading across her lips.
"W-Wait, guys-"
"It's decided! Let's get going!" Ann proclaimed, leading the way with Ryuji following shortly after.
"Guys…"
"It's been so long since I've hung out with friends like this… it's so exciting." Makoto smiled, quickly following after the two. Izuku's shoulders drooped at his sides as he was ignored, looking over to Yusuke who followed last.
"I apologize for any inconvenience. And so you know… I do prefer to sleep on a futon." Yusuke smiled before dragging his luggage behind him. Izuku could only sigh, slowly trailing after the others as he accepted his fate.
"I'll leave convincing the boss up to you!"
"Please stop, Morgana-san…"
The gentle yet intoxicating aroma of coffee filled Yusuke's senses. He filed into the cafe after Ryuji, sparing a look around at the mocha colored seating and walls. A man stood behind the counter on his right, organizing several jars of coffee beans in place, at first paying them no mind.
"That smells amazing…" Yusuke quite agreed with Ann's sentiment.
"This place looks pretty dated… but I don't hate it," said Ryuji. sounding impressed despite his first words.
"I believe that's what people call 'retro'," Yusuke pointed out, familiar with a few of the terms students in his class dropped now and again.
"I'm back, Sakura-san!" Izuku announced himself from the back, causing the gentleman behind the counter to turn.
"Hey, welcome-" Sakura, as Izuku called him, raised a brow in minor surprise, his eyes scanning across Yusuke and the other students. "Who're they?"
"Hi there! We're Izuku's friends," Ann waved with a friendly smile.
"His friends? And two girls, too?" The barista muttered, his eyes lighting up.
"Hello! I hope we're not imposing by stopping by." Makoto bowed gratefully behind him.
"We just thought it would be nice to hang out together. Izuku's helped us out a lot lately." Ann added, causing the him to bristle at the compliment.
"Heh. I bet it's you all that's been helping him out." Sakura said, smirking at the twin tailed blonde.
"No, really! He's been great."
"You don't have to say all that…" Izuku shyly rubbed his head, a bashful smile on his lips.
Yusuke couldn't disagree with Ann. It wasn't long after joining the group that he realized how much the others looked to Izuku for confidence and wisdom, even if he rarely showed it outside of the Metaverse. While the green haired teen didn't always exude the confidence he carried himself with in the Metaverse, his earnest personality made it clear that he was a very reliable person who would do anything for the people around him.
"It's nice to hear that first hand about him. Now that he's got a few ladies around him, maybe you'll help him stop sputtering so much around other girls."
"S-Sakura-san!"
"Sorry, we can only do so much in that department." Ann giggled teasingly.
"A-Ann-senpai…"
"Heh. Why don't you all take a seat? Consider this round on the house." Sakura kindly offered before looking at Izuku. "You help serve them, alright?"
"Understood!" Izuku smiled again, quick to grab an apron from behind the counter and work on the perculator behind the bar. He crushed some beans in a grinder, mouthing numbers to himself as he counted.
"You seem quite familiar with those tools." Yusuke watched him with some interest.
"Since he's living here, I thought I'd teach him a few things. He's still got a lot to learn, but he's picking things up fast." Sakura explained, his voice carrying some pride behind it. Izuku soon set out a cup of coffee for everyone at the table. Yusuke drank in the scent of the steaming liquid for a moment, blowing on his cup to cool it enough to drink.
Once the steam had disappated a little, he took a sip. The piping hot drink immediately flooded his taste buds with a rich, rounded bitterness akin to biting into a bar of dark chocolate. The velvety smooth liquid effortlessly flowed down his throat with a clean finish. Yusuke wouldn't say he drank a lot of coffee, but he could appreciate a cup or two now and again.
"Wow… it's delicious." Ann voiced Yusuke's own impression.
"Indeed. There's a great depth to its acidity."
"So this is the coffee sis likes, hm? I can see why she enjoys a cup now and then," Makoto said next to him, allowing the steam to hover by her face.
"Is it really that good? It's just coffee." Ryuji asked, looking at them in wonder. Out of the group, he was the only one who elected to get a soda.
"It is. Oh, that reminds me. I think I saw Leblanc in a magazine? Is this the same place?" Ann asked.
"That was a long time ago." Sakura smiled, looking pleased to hear her mention such.
"Whoa, seriously? Okay, lemme try!" Ann didn't stop Ryuji as he reached for her cup and took a sip. His reaction was instant, his face scrunching up as he let out a gasp. "Blegh! Ugh-it's so bitter! This has to be cruel and unusual punishment!" He quickly set her cup back in front of her before gulping down his soda.
"Heh, I was the same way when I was a kid. I didn't much like coffee, either." Sakura chuckled, not offended by Ryuji's reaction.
Sakura-san seems to be quite understanding. Yusuke thought, remembering Izuku's initial words about his guardian. Something about him putting on a tough facade but being a kind and good man underneath it. So far, it seems that the coffee shop owner didn't even bother to put up his facade and had been quite accommodating to them.
How refreshing to see a guardian act as one should.
"Since you brought your friends all the way here, why don't you take them up to your room? No need to stay down here." Sakura suggested, pulling Yusuke from his thoughts.
"Ooh~! I wanna see!" Ann grinned in anticipation.
"Yuck-ah! The taste won't leave my mouth…" Ryuji complained as he slowly stood from his chair.
"I have been meaning to see it. I do wonder if it's how I imagine…" Makoto said, a sly look on her expression. What does she mean by that?
"You guys can go on ahead. I'll help Sakura-san clean up," Izuku suggested with a smile, focusing on the pots in front of him as he turned off the flames. Not needing to be told twice, Yusuke followed Ryuji and Ann to the stairs.
"I'm surprised you don't care too much. Especially considering the stuff you have up there." Yusuke didn't pay shopkeeper's words much mind, moving up the steps to-
"WAIT WAIT WAIT! DON'T GO!" Izuku squealed as he leapt over the counter to beat him up the stairs causing Yusuke to turn around in question. Makoto smiled though, urging him forward.
"What was that, Midori? We can't hear you all the way up here!" Yusuke didn't understand, but allowed himself and the others to be shoved forward by Makoto who giggled as they made their way up.
"H-Hey! What're you shovin'... for…"
Yusuke blinked as the four of them reached the top of the stairs, taken aback by the absolute sight before them. Posters stretched out across the walls, depicting All Might. Statues of that same hero sat on a shelf on the wall by his bed. It was as if a shrine to the Number One Hero had been built and was erected in Izuku's room.
"No way…" Ann covered her mouth, holding back her laughter.
"I knew he liked the guy plenty but damn…" Ryuji's jaw hung low as he gazed around.
"It's almost exactly like how I remember. Ah, memories." Makoto grinned, linking her hands behind her back as she took a look around. "Though, I have to admit, there seems to be more restraint. I wonder if that's on purpose, or just a lack of memorabilia…"
"So Izuku has always been a deep admirer of All Might, then?" Yusuke framed his fingers together like a frame, glazing over the room to see what would make for a good picture.
"Y-Yes…" Yusuke looked back at the stairs to see Izuku hunched over in embarrassment, his face red as a tomato as he twidled his fingers. "I-I've always looked up to him…"
Yusuke could relate to that. He wasn't sure what inspired Izuku to follow the hero so deeply, but he had felt a deep admiration for Madarame at one time. If the shack hadn't been so modest, and the paintings aside from the Sayuri had actually been Madarame's, he might have hung up several in reverence of his former mentor.
"You can act so cool in the Metaverse. But it doesn't change the fact that you're a big nerd, huh?" Ann giggled, walking up to Izuku and patting his head. The patronizing comment only made Izuku retreat further into himself.
"You really need to spice up your room, man. Put some posters of chicks up instead of All Might. Though I guess you wouldn't wanna bring any of the girls here with those up." Ryuji laughed, Yusuke watching Ann send a glare his way. "What? You know, just to add-variety or… somethin'. Oh! Like a poster of Midnight! She's a hero, and a babe! That'd be so-"
"Okay, Ryuji. We get it." Makoto sighed, moving further into the room and taking a seat on Izuku's bed.
"Aw, did I miss it?! I wanted to see you guys react to his room, too." Morgana whined as the cat clambered up the stairs.
"C-Can we move on..?" Izuku asked meekly, dragging his feet over to the workbench at the corner of his room and taking a seat.
"Still, the fanboy stuff aside, havin' a big ol' place like this to yourself is pretty crazy." Ryuji pointed out, leaning against the armrest of the couch by the wall.
"I know! I thought it'd be way dirtier! It's pretty clean in here, though." Ann sounded genuinely surprised by that revelation.
"Seriously? That's it?"
"Well, before we get ahead of ourselves, why don't we start our meeting?" Morgana suggested, walking over to Izuku. "You wanted to talk about our next move, right?"
"Yeah. Now that things have started to calm down, more people are starting to turn on us. While I don't want to rush into anything, we should start considering who our next target will be," Izuku said, his expression hardening as he talked business.
Ah. There's the face of our leader. The thought briefly crossed Yusuke's mind. It was hard to say that he wasn't impressed by how quickly Izuku could transition from one state of mind to the next.
"I agree. Even though we've brought more to our side, we've also brought more people against us as well. Even on the Phan-site, there's constant bickering about whether we're just or not." Yusuke spoke up, pulling out to check the website again.
"Gah, this is such crap! We're helpin' people and people think we're a bunch of criminals!" Ryuji snapped, stomping his foot.
"Not so loud! We don't want anyone overhearing us." Yusuke hushed him, the faux blond grumbling in response. "Though honestly speaking, I feel your frustration as well."
"Yeah. We're going to make people more worried rather than give people courage…" Ann sighed in disappointment.
"We need to keep pushing so that our presence continues to influence society. None of us have any idea who we can pursue?" Morgana asked, looking around at the team.
"None that I can think of. While heroes aren't perfect, it's difficult to say that they don't get the majority of targets who would attract our attention," Makoto pointed out.
"And any target we go after has to be someone under their radar," said Izuku.
"What do you mean by that?" Yusuke asked.
"It's as Koto-san said. Pro Heroes handle the most obvious cases and do a good job at dealing with them. Our job as the Phantom Thieves is to put a stop to people who have evaded the law through hiding or influence. Because it's people like that who are hurting people in silence the most." Izuku explained for him, causing Yusuke to nod his head.
"Of course. Perhaps I've been looking at this the wrong way, then." Yusuke stroked his chin. "Instead of focusing on people so loudly pronouncing their crimes, we need to start looking into rumors surrounding so-called 'good people' in positions of power."
"Well said, Midori. I think Yusuke's right. We need to start looking in different places," Makoto agreed with him before frowning. "Though, honestly speaking, that makes our jobs a lot harder."
"No kiddin'. We were havin' trouble finding people as it was. Now we gotta start from scratch." Ryuji rubbed his hair furiously.
"I guess being a Phantom Thief was never going to be easy." Ann shrugged, leaning forward on her knees.
"But maybe we're thinking too much about big cases," Izuku brought Yusuke's attention back up. "We should keep a closer eye on the Phan-site and make sure we help the small cases too. We don't want to lose sight of our mission by neglecting people asking for our help."
"Of course. I'm sure that if we ask Mishima and Shiho, they'll be able to sort out who needs our help at the moment." Morgana nodded his head.
It's good to know we have such a diligent leader. I do hope I can remain just as-
*GROO~*
… I'm so hungry…
"Apologies…" Yusuke mumbled, looking down in embarrassment. "I haven't eaten since yesterday."
"And you spent the last of your money on those sweets?" Ann's question made Yusuke wish he'd brought the sweets up to consume himself. Though perhaps he should give them to Sakura-san?
"Just how much money did you have?" Ryuji said, shaking his head.
"I can ask Sakura-san if he'll make you some curry if you like." Yusuke's eyes lit up, looking to Izuku.
"Would you be willing to do so for me..? I would be in you debt." Yusuke bowed until his head was nearly touching the floor.
"Y-You don't have to go that far…"
"Wait, you should hold off on that." Yusuke almost felt hurt to hear Ann deny him of potential food. "Don't look at me like that! I was going to say that since we're talking about food, we should save it for our welcome party!"
Yusuke felt his anxiety fade, looking more thoughtful this time. "Oh. I believe that would work for me. But what shall we do?"
"There's a portable stove over there. Maybe we could cook something?" Makoto pointed toward the cluttered shelf that held many random items on it, clearly left alone by Izuku.
"Oh, I know! Let's make a hot pot!" Ann suggested eagerly.
"Oh, that sounds great! I heard eating hot pot together brings people closer!" Said Morgana, the cat perking up at her idea.
"This doesn't seem to be the ideal weather for hot pot, but… who am I to say no?" Makoto adapted rather quickly.
"Anything with meat's fine with me!" Ryuji stood up from his seat on the ground with a smile.
"I only ask that we finish our meal with porridge. Extra parsley, of course." Yusuke suggested eagerly, feeling his mouth nearly water at the idea of food.
"We'll have to be careful not to burn anything, but I'm up for it!" Izuku smiled in excitement.
"Ah, yes. It would be quite unfortunate if we were to melt one of your statues or burn the posters. We should take extra care." Yusuke wanted to be mindful of Izuku's room.
"You're right. It would be such a shame to mess up some of Midori's oldest collectables, wouldn't it?" Makoto seemed to agree, though the artist couldn't help but notice her teasing tone that made Izuku slouch over with red cheeks.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Ugh… We definitely ate too much…
Ann was stuffed. When they had gone shopping for ingredients, she couldn't deny that they perhaps had grabbed one too many things for their meal. Considering there was six of them, it seemed like a valid idea at first. But looking at the table now with half-eaten morsels left behind, she knew that it was too much.
"I can't eat another bite…" Ryuji echoed her own feelings on the matter. Ann was honestly too tired to even comment on it, though. Her eyes grew heavy, begging to close and sleep off the meal she had greedily consumed.
"That was delicious, Lady Ann! You'll make a fine bride some-"
"Sorry~!" Ann couldn't stop herself from yawning, checking out from whatever flattery the cat might try to pay her. "But I'm going to have to borrow the sofa…"
She put her bag at the edge of the couch, laying down and leaning on it like a pillow. As she tried to fall asleep, she felt eyes on her.
"Let her sleep in peace, you two." Makoto's scolding voice spoke before she had to. Ann smiled as she felt the eyes leave her, thankful for the older teen's intervention.
"Is everything alright, Yusuke-senpai?" She heard Izuku, though just barely as Ann began to drift off.
"We haven't finished our meal, yet. What about the porridge, or even the udon?"
No way I can keep going after all that…
Ann checked out from there, drifting into a light sleep. She could still hear their voices faintly, though not their exact words. Ryuji's voice stuck out over the others, of course, due to his usual volume. Though, Ann drearily noted, that his voice lacked its usual luster for the most part. He was at least trying to be considerate as she slept, for the most part.
"... Oh, Ann and I? We used to go to middle school together…"
She barely made out his words. Hearing his voice, Ann's dreams drifted to their middle school days. She remembered the dark haired boy who sat next to her and made funny faces. He was clearly interested in her looks, but eventually befriended her even after she deflected his dumb lines. She remembered their trip to the aquarium. When all the other kids grouped up together, Ann was left alone. She remembered seeing Ryuji trying to tell his friends to let her join when she pretended not to listen. When they rejected, he left them to join her.
Ryuji had been one of the few good things about going to middle school in Japan. She had never told him and had no plans to as to not let him get a big head over it. But Ann knew he understood without having to be told. She hadn't met Shiho yet, so Ryuji ended up being the only good friend she had.
So when they reconnected the way they did like in middle school, it made her happy. He could be loud and obnoxious and Ann knew she could be a bit overbearing, but they still got along so well. They put up with each other when no one else tried, and it meant a lot. In fact, the two had grown even closer than before now that they shared a common goal together.
I wonder what he thinks of me now..?
It was that stray thought that brought her out of her light sleep. She was still tired and kept her eyes closed, hoping to fall back asleep.
"That's such bullshit! You got an assault on your record for that?! Gah! You told me this story already and it STILL pisses me off!"
Ugh. So much for that idea.
Despite her complaints, Ann listened more intently, wondering what elicited such a volatile response from the faux blond. Not that it takes much to set him off.
"The woman sounds quite horrible as well. She's stayed quiet this whole time…" Yusuke didn't sound so pleased either. Putting two and two together, Ann guessed easily this was about Izuku's trumped up charge.
"Hearing you describe it so deeply, it's… I can't help but be angry." Makoto sounded like she was about to dawn her biker outfit and beat someone down. "Who could do such a horrible thing to a teenager?! Those officers involved were no better either!"
"It's okay guys, really. I've gotten past it now."
Of course he's going to be the sweet boy as usual. Ann felt a small smirk edge its way on her lips. She could understand all their frustration though. Izuku was willing to lash out when pushed, but he was still softhearted for the most part. It made Ann, and likely the others by extension, want to be angry for him instead and protect him.
Not only is he our leader, but our precious first year, too.
"Even so, that was unforgivable what they did! That man is the perfect target for the Phantom Thieves!" Morgana sounded as pissed as Ryuji. "Who is this scoundrel?! Where can we find him?!"
"I… I don't remember. It was dark, and… everything happened so fast," Izuku sounded troubled, almost as if he were getting a headache thinking about it. "I didn't see him or the woman after that. My trial wasn't long, either."
I didn't even hear him talk about it and I'm getting mad.
"You can't remember, huh? Well… I suppose that is a rather traumatic experience, and likely put you in shock. I can sympathize, not being able to remember important details of your life…"
"To think that it hurt you that much… Injustices like that are why we're all here today, Midori. I have no hesitations whatsoever." Ann was impressed with the conviction in Makoto's voice. It goes to show how much she had changed since joining them.
I'm really glad she joined us.
"Hell yeah! You said it, Makoto! We gotta show the world exactly what they don't see! The shitty actin' like 'good guys'!"
Loud as ever. But honestly, her speech got me fired up, too.
"Yes. I fully believe that's why we've come together like this. I will also put forth my utmost being into dealing out justice to those deserving," Even when angry, Yusuke's speech remained elegant.
"Guys…" Ann peered an eye open to see Izuku giving a genuine smile, standing up at the head of the table. "Right. I'll be counting on all of you!"
"Don't leave me out of the group rally." Ann smiled as she pushed off the couch.
"Ah, sorry. We wake you up?" Ryuji said, he and the others taking their seats.
"Nah, I've been awake for a while." Ann shrugged before furrowing her brow. "Just know that I feel the same. I'm ready to tackle the world if that's what it takes."
"As stout as ever, Lady Ann." Morgana praised as usual, the cat raising its head proudly.
Ann looked around the room at each of her friends, a thought popping up in her head. Something that should have been obvious, but only occurred to her now.
"It's strange, isn't it?" She voiced her thoughts, the others looking at her in question. " While I was listening to you guys, I felt like I've known you all forever. Is it because we all have similar backgrounds?"
"Well… it sure ain't 'cause of anything good." Ryuji's smile was enough to tell Ann he shared her thoughts.
"The only one who doesn't fit in is me…" said Morgana, his usual egotism replaced with uncertainty. "I don't even know my past."
"What are you talking about, Morgana-san? You brought us together, didn't you?" Izuku's voice was genuinely kind as he smiled.
"He's right! We could look around the world and never find a bigger misfit than you, either!" Ryuji gave a dumb grin, being surprisingly supportive of Morgana despite their typical 'rivalry'. "And the reason we're goin' into Mementos is to get your memories back!"
"Yes. Once we've brought them back to you, I'm sure your past will be as checkered as ours." Yusuke smirked.
"No doubt!"
"Hmph! We'll see about that." Morgana scoffed, trying to sound tough again.
"I actually feel like I've known Morgana just as long, too. I don't really know why, but I can't put it into words…" Ann suggested, putting a finger to her chin.
"Look, I'm helping you guys out for my own sake! Don't get me wrong!" Ann smiled and rolled her eyes. "If you guys don't get stronger, investigating Mementos will be nothing but a pipe dream!"
"That sure was a quick turnaround. One second you're depressed, the next you're actin' all tough." Ann silently giggled as she nodded in agreement.
"All jokes aside… let's take this as far as we can." Ann said, deciding to throw in her own two cents. "I want to punish the corrupt adults and give everyone the courage they need. Even if the heroes turn on us, we'll keep helping!"
"Ha! You can say that again!" Ryuji wooted in support.
"I'm sure that I'll be able to grow as an artist and as a person as I continue to be a Phantom Thief." Yusuke smiled in agreement.
"Of course! You'll be under my tutelage after all! There's nothing we can't do together!" Ann might have rolled her eyes at Morgana's boast, but honestly felt inspired by his confidence.
"There's so much I've allowed to pass me by because I've wanted to be the good girl. I won't let that hold me back any longer, and will continue to pursue my justice alongside all of you, no matter what anyone else says!" Makoto put a hand on her chest, her expression stern.
"And with Izuku acting as our leader, nothing can stop us!" Ann decided to make sure that the lone third-year wasn't left out.
"If you'll all keep following me, I'll keep doing my best not to let you down!" Izuku said, pounding his fist against his chest. Ann smiled at his proclamation, happy to see him act confident even outside of the Metaverse. As she started to cool down, Ann fished her phone out, eyes bulging when she saw how late it was. "Wow, is that really the time?"
"Guess now's as good as any to call it a night," Ryuji suggested.
"Oh, that reminds me! Boss said you're free to crash here, Yusuke." Ann said, glad she didn't forget.
"That's very kind of him." Yusuke smiled in appreciation.
"You were able to convince him, huh? Good job layin' on the charm!" The way Ryuji put that made Ann groan.
"Don't say it like that! It sounds weird!"
"Hm… I won't be able to go to sleep unless I take a bath…" Ann looked back at the artist when she heard his mumbling.
"There's a bathhouse near here you can use. I won't be able to join you, though." Morgana supplied helpfully.
"Ooh~! That sounds great! I wanna go!" Ryuji said excitedly before looking at Ann. "How about you girls?"
"You guys go on ahead. I should get going." Ann shook her head, standing from her seat and picking up her bag.
"I'll walk with you. I can take a shower at home." Makoto volunteered, standing up with her.
"Do you want me to walk with you?" Ann smiled when Izuku volunteered, but shook her head.
"We don't want to put you out. But it's sweet of you to offer."
"We'll be fine, Midori. I'm sure Sakura-san can see you're making plenty of progress talking to girls as is." Izuku's face turned a shade of red, making Ann hold in a giggle as she walked by and patted his head.
"We'll see you guys later!"
"Ah~, huge bathtubs really are the best. The girls are missin' out."
Ryuji stretched his arms out as he let his body sink deeper into the water. Izuku and Yusuke sat a short ways away from him. Ryuji might have thought it was the perfect way to relax if not for one minor detail.
"It's a bit hot, though…" Yusuke voiced Ryuji's thoughts, causing the faux blond to sigh and look back. A wrinkled old man was turning away at the water valve, filling the bath with more and more hot water.
"Old people just like it hot, for some reason. He'll stop eventually, though…" Ryuji shrugged, not entirely bothered by it just yet.
"I'm a little concerned… elderly people should only bathe in water a little bit above average body temperature…" Izuku mumbled, causing Ryuji to raise a brow.
"Maybe that's why they go nuts on it. They usually doesn't get to bathe in this kinda heat all the time." It sure as hell doesn't do us any favors though. Ryuji let his thoughts drift to other things in distraction, his lips quirking into a smile as something came to mind. "But back to the girls… what do you guys think of 'em?"
"Eh?" Izuku squeaked like a mouse. Ryuji didn't think his face could turn another shade of red so quickly while they were in the bath.
"Come on, don't act like you haven't thought about it." Ryuji leaned over and nudged Izuku in the side. "I know you've known Makoto the longest. Be honest, was she your childhood crush or something?"
"Wha-What?! N-No, nothing like that!"
"Ah, yes. I was quite interested in that myself." Yusuke joined in, holding his chin. "I meant to ask before but we got distracted. You've known Makoto longer than Ryuji has Ann, correct? You both even have nicknames for each other."
"W-Well… yeah…" Izuku looked down nervously, scratching the back of his head. "We lived in the same neighborhood ten years ago. She was… she was my first real friend aside from… well, yeah. She moved a few years after that, though, so we only reconnected when I came to Shujin."
I figured as much. Though I wonder if there was someone else. Ryuji thought curiously, leaning on the edge of the bath. "So how'd you meet?"
"This is… kind of embarrassing, but Koto-san saved me from a few bullies." Izuku laughed sheepishly. "After that, she said she would protect me if it happened again. So… we hung out a lot after that."
"I see. I've noticed that Makoto is somewhat protective of you. I suppose that even after all those years, she still feels the same." Yusuke suggested.
"No kiddin'. Before she joined us, she was tryin' to make him quit bein' a-"
"Shhh!" Izuku and Yusuke motioned to the old man, Ryuji pursing his lips.
"Well.. you know what I mean. So it's a good thing she joined up in the end." Ryuji tilted his chin up as another thought occurred to him. "But how'd you end up with a nickname like 'Koto-san' for her? Sounds kinda masculine to me."
Ryuji raised a brow when Izuku laughed in embarrassment. "Well… don't repeat this to Koto-san, because she got pretty mad when I told her the first time. But… when we were kids, Koto-san was a tomboy… and dressed a lot like a boy. So I thought she was…"
Ryuji took a minute to process the information before letting out a loud bark of laughter. "Dude, no way! You thought she was a boy?! For how long?!"
"For… the first month…"
"Damn~! That long?! No wonder she was pissed!" Ryuji could barely contain himself, feeling his llips splitting into a large grin. "How'd you find out she was a girl?"
"She showed up one day in a skirt… and I didn't recognize her the first time I saw her… until she called out to me." Izuku sank into the water, barely keeping his mouth above it as his eyes looked distant. "She smacked me and ran away when I blurted out 'you're a girl'..."
"Dude, that's like the last thing you shoulda said. No wonder she was mad." Ryuji wiped a tear out of his eye. Despite the fun he was having though, he couldn't help but note that it was still getting hotter in the tub. He shot a look back at the old man. Okay, you can cool it now, gramps.
"Fascinating. So your friendship began with the idea that she was a boy like you before shifting drastically…" Ryuji brought his gaze to Yusuke, the artist holding his chin. "It certainly seems like an interesting circumstance. Though if that was your nickname for her before you found out she was a girl, why not change it?"
"Oh, uh… I guess it just stuck." Izuku shrugged honestly, raising from the bath again. "She didn't seem to mind that I called her Koto-san, so I didn't think it over that much."
"Huh. Guess it makes sense." Ryuji nodded in understanding. "You guys were callin' each other by that long enough that changin' it woulda been weird."
"I see. It makes me a little jealous, if I'm being honest." Ryuji raised a brow at Yusuke's words. "You both share a past with two of our closest comrades. Unfortunately, I never had a close friend like that growing up."
Ryuji felt a bit awkward after hearing that, rubbing his hair. "Well, hey man. It's not that big of a deal. I mean, Ann and I were pretty cool in middle school, but I don't think it was anything like Makoto and Izuku."
"You and Ann…" Ryuji turned back to Izuku who stared somewhat distantly.
"Huh?"
"O-Oh, sorry! I was just thinking of something Morgana-san said…" Izuku waved his arms in dismissal.
"Huh? What'd he say?" Ryuji scrunched his nose up, wondering what kind of insult the cat might have tossed his way behind his back.
"N-Nothing important. Just something about you and Ann-senpai being together. I mean not being together! Or…"
"Huh?! Me and Ann?!" Ryuji blurted out, the idea enough to make him stand from the bath. "Where's that dumb cat gettin' those ideas?!"
"Well, i-it's more like he says there's no way you two would be together! Yeah!" Izuku quickly amended his words, holding a finger up.
"Huh? What's he talking about?! Why'd that come up in the first place?" Ryuji felt even more annoyed to hear the cat hurling those kind of ideas out.
"P-Probably because you two spend a lot of time together. Even if it's just because you're friends, I think he was getting the wrong idea." Izuku held up his hands in surrender.
Seeing he was getting a little too aggressive, Ryuji slowly sank back into the water. "So what if we hang out? It's not like we do anything. Most of the time she's just draggin' me around while she shops."
Ryuji had been a little more flustered by the idea than he expected. He didn't mean to snap at Izuku for something he didn't say. But Morgana should have minded his own business. It's not like they were secretly dating! "Tch. That nosey cat."
"So then, you don't feel anything for Ann?" Ryuji's eyes snapped up to Yusuke in disbelief.
"Wha-where'd that come from?!"
"Well, you questioned the nature of Izuku's relationship with Makoto. It only seemed fair," the way Yusuke said that made Ryuji's eye twitch. If it were anyone else, Ryuji would think he was messing with him. But knowing the artist by now, Ryuji knew he was genuine in his question.
"I mean-she's got great looks and all… and she's pretty fun to hang around…" Ryuji scratched his hair awkwardly. "But she's kinda overbearing, you know? I don't know if I'd be able to handle that."
"You think so?" Ryuji's gaze drifted back to Izuku, the green haired teen looking up in thought. "You both get along so well, though. Even when you guys argue, it's like you know what to expect from each other and go on like it's nothing."
"Huh?! We do?" Ryuji blurted without thought, feeling flustered again as Izuku floated the idea around.
"A-Ah, sorry! I was just thinking out loud…" Izuku laughed awkwardly, looking away from him. "I mean-I know you're both just friends, but… I guess it doesn't seem impossible?"
"For real..?" Ryuji looked down at the water, mulling over the thought. He obviously didn't hate Ann, but she could definitely be a handful. But then again… she is pretty fun when we chill together… Ryuji thought back to their shopping trips. They were tiring, for sure, but he wouldn't say outright that he hated them.
Me and Ann, huh?
He could feel his body heating up. Was he getting this flustered just from the idea, or… no, that wasn't it. He was literally heating up. Outrageously so, in fact. The water hadn't cooled down a mite since they got in. And it was finally starting to get to him.
"GAH! I can't take it anymore!" Ryuji stood from the bath and jumped out, his eyes darting to the old man still turning the water valve to the hottest point. "How much do you hafta add until you're satisfied, gramps?!"
The old man either didn't hear him or didn't care, as he continued to turn the valve for more hot water.
"'Effin' unbelieveable…" Ryuji groaned before looking at Izuku and Yusuke, the two beginning to climb out of the bath. "Anyway… forget whatever we were just talkin' about, okay? It'll make things weird."
"Really? I thought this might be a good way to enrich your relationship with Ann. She might want to hear what we've said." Ryuji nearly slipped on his feet with how serious Yusuke sounded.
"Hell no! Don't tell her anything! This stays between us guys! Please..?" Ryuji might have sounded a little desperate at the end there, but anything if it would keep the artist from saying something to Ann.
"A-Anyways, we should keep our ears to the ground." Izuku came to the rescue with a change in subject. "We've got a lot of digging to do since we have no clear idea who are next target could be."
"Yeah! Sounds good to me! Gotta focus on the big problems." Ryuji nodded fervently.
"Hm. You're right about that." Ryuji was thankful Yusuke didn't push any further. "I'll ask around at my school as well. There might not be much there, but it's worth a shot."
"And I'll keep browsin' the internet. We'll meet next week when everyone's ready." Ryuji breathed out, the three grabbing their towels and moving to the changing room. He tried to not think about it, but of course his mind drifted back to the idea of him and Ann. He felt his cheeks flash a bit, which didn't help the already forming heat headache.
"Welcome back, inmate."
Izuku felt bullets of sweat streak down his face as Caroline glared at him, bouncing the baton in her hand up and down in her palm.
"You left in quite a hurry last time. You better be on your best behavior."
"Right…" Izuku swallowed a lump in his throat as he tried to avoid eye contact with her.
"The prisoner has returned, master," Justine announced, the small smirk at the edge of her mouth the only indicator that she was aware of the tension.
"Stand up straight in the presence of our master!" Izuku jumped as Caroline needlessly smacked her baton against the bars.
She's definitely still upset…
"The bonds that you have reeled in are quite intriguing…" Igor's voice dragged Izuku's attention forward. "They are much like you, in that they have been unfairly labeled by society and are standing up against their fates."
Izuku felt it strange that Igor seemingly knew so much about his friends. But regardless, Izuku agreed. "We're not going to stand by and take it anymore. We have the power to stop it, so we will. Not just for us, but for everyone who needs it."
"Hehehe… your conviction stands true. It is no wonder that your heart has inspired theirs in turn." Izuku blinked, suddenly feeling a bit bashful to have that said so plainly.
"Don't get a big head, inmate! It's the least you should be capable of!" Caroline huffed, turning her head to the side and tapping her foot.
"Still, it remains remarkable to me that one such as the prisoner would be capable of that." Izuku looked at Justine this time, the twin meeting his eyes. "You continue to shatter expectations."
"Um… thanks…"
"Gah, don't encourage him, Justine! Geez!" Caroline complained.
"Hehehe… Outcasts standing against society at large." Igor seemed to pay their words no mind as he continued. "In other words, you are picaresque. Deepen your bonds with them. Those will become the strength that fuels your rehabilitation. I look forward to your continued progress."
I will… even if you didn't tell me to. Izuku kept the thought to himself, knowing that it would have sounded rude. He still didn't like having his 'bonds' being treated as a means to an end. He wanted to get closer with everyone regardless of the benefits to his power.
"I will grant you an ability befitting of your growth. To be able to hold more Personas within your heart at one time." Izuku's eyes lit up at his words, immediately interested in the offer. "Consider it a gift. It shall help you further in your rehabilitation. Continue devoting yourself to it, and I am sure you will succeed."
"I… thank you!" Izuku bowed in appreciation, knowing that anything he could gain from Igor would help him and his friends further their goal.
*SMASH*
Fool Confidant: RANK FIVE
Izuku straightened out, holding his fist out in front of him as he felt determination wash over him. "I'll keep getting stronger and stronger. I'll keep fighting alongside my friends. And I promise… we'll grip the fates we're chained to and break them! We'll build our own future!"
The twins stared at him in shock while Igor remained quiet. Izuku smiled at Igor before turning back to his bed and laying down, deciding to wake and move forward with his plans. As he faded back into the real world, he didn't hear Igor's dark chuckle.
"Hehehehehe… we shall see, trickster."
"He will see you now, sir."
"Ah, thank you." A young man in his late twenties stood from a plastic chair, adjusting the square framed glasses resting on his nose. He wore a white doctor's coat over a casual baby blue dress shirt and a loose hanging tie. His pants were beige and wore slippers instead of shoes. His light brown hair was scruffy and a line of stubble ran beneath his chin.
He moved past the school secretary to the room with the plaque of Principal Kobayakawa resting next to it. Walking inside, the bespectacled man was greeted with the sight of the overly obese man.
"Good morning, sir. My name is Takuto Maruki. Sorry for the delay." he bowed in apology with a curt smile.
"Ah, Maruki-sensei! It's quite good to see you!" Kobayakawa greeted, pushing off his desk to rise from his chair. "It has been a rather trying time for the staff and students. I do hope you're ready to start."
"Well, now that I'm here, I can start whenever you need me to."
"Excellent! I'm ever so glad to hear that! I'll have my secretary provide you with the personal files of each student most directly involved in all of this nonsense." Takuto raised a brow at his wording, but offered a sheepish smile and nodded.
"Of course. I'll be sure to talk to any of the students in need. I'll do my best to help them out with any issues I find."
"That is reassuring. Shujin Academy is in a tough position right now, and the last thing we want are students who may be feeling deeply troubled by these past events. I'm sure morale will rise with your aide." Kobayakawa rubbed his hands together, striking Takuto as a little more eager than he expected. "And… while you're at it, there is something else that I would like to ask of you."
"Oh? What else can I help with?"
"You see, this might sound strange to you, but lately there has been dreadful rumors about these Phantom Thieves of Heart. Have you heard?"
"I did see some things on the news, as well as what was mentioned about that Madarame fellow…" Takuto tapped his chin in thought. "What about them?"
"Well… while this might be absurd to think of, there is a chance that some of the students might know something of them. I was hoping that, while you're counseling them, that you might be able to inquire about such things!"
Takuto frowned. "But… sir. Shouldn't my priority be the students' mental well-being?"
"Of course, of course! I don't wish to distract you from your main job! I would just like to have the delusion of these Phantom Thieves dealt with as well!" Kobayakawa's words were far too rushed to sound genuine, his concern beginning to seem superficial. "After all, the rumor of their existence will only create more unrest among the students. If that happens, it will be hard to help any of them. Wouldn't you agree?"
Takuto felt a small part of his heart sink. Kobayakawa's priorities were clear as day. He was barely considering the feelings of his students, and was focused on the so-called Phantom Thieves that were giving the school a bad name.
But Takuto knew it would not be beneficial to anyone if he were to outright deny his request.
"I see. I'll do my best to help out in this matter, then." Takuto put on a smile of acceptance, watching as Kobayakawa brightened immensely.
"Ah, thank you Maruki-sensei! I expect big things from you!" Kobayakawa moved around his desk, reaching out and shaking his hand. "Today, we'll hold an assembly for the students and introduce you. That way anyone who might need your help will know who you are."
"I see. I look forward to meeting the students!"
To be continued…
Hooo boy, this chapter's been a long time coming. Glad to finally get the welcome party done with and out of the way. Now we can proceed forward into the next arc without further delay :)
So as I'm sure you've noticed, the perspectives hopped around this chapter and avoided Izuku until the end. After much thinking and talking with my dear friend TIM, I've realized that I've been doing far too much of Izuku's perspective this whole time. He's a great lead, I have no doubt about that, but it's true that people could get bored from it. I experienced such through his own story of Amazing Fantasy, where he's kept even rehashed arcs interesting by jumping from character to character POV rather than focus on just Izuku or just Peter. It did make a world of difference, and helped me come to this decision. We will still do Izuku's perspective when necessary, but not when it could be spiced up by someone else.
Especially when we're forced to move through the stations of canon will this be explored to avoid the monotony of the whole thing. Speaking of, I am sorry that this chapter was still pretty much a canon rehash. I can at least say that the coming chapter will be FAR less so. But we just have our obligations to fulfill when it comes to such, you know?
That aside, I do have another thing to discuss that is admittedly huge. That is Kasumi, who by now you know has been introduced to Thieves. In the past few months I've been on and off writing, I had a lot more time to think since I wasn't solely focused on writing a chapter per week, and it gave me some clarity. In the end, I came to realize that I should have listened to TIM and my beta reppuzan, and not been so quick to add Kasumi to the mix. There's still a lot we don't know and thinking about all the different plot threads that Royal will create honestly overwhelmed me.
But it was too late to take her back now. So after discussing it further with reppuzan and TIM, I've decided that Kasumi's role won't be so set in stone as to follow exactly the path she's going to play in Royal. Things about her may change, not personality wise but possibly her background. But I'm not going to dismiss anything just yet.
Apologies for those expecting so many of the things that come with Royal to come with Thieves. Depending on how integral other characters are to her role, in fact, they may be nixed completely. There could be another semester spent with the students, but only if it works out with the endgame I have planned (which is unclear).
Along with that, I've decided to also stop putting myself on such a tight schedule for chapter releases. I think I was running myself ragged and my stories were, in some ways, suffering for it in quality. I don't want to quit a story because I pushed too hard and too fast. I want to keep writing what I've got. But that might also mean prioritizing certain things over others and not worrying about what comes next. I need to have fun along with all this writing, or else it just becomes a chore.
On an unrelated note, I randomly decided to start a twitter account related to my fanfics (mostly to get in contact with artist for commissions). I post art there and retweet art usually related to series I like (and usually ships). If that interests you, feel free to follow me MN0Luffy. If not, I think I'll be okay lol.
Anyways, sorry for the long author's note. I just wanted to put everything out there and admit where I messed up in several things that I've done in the past year with my writing. With that, I do hope you'll all continue to support me despite these changes, and that I can keep writing stories that you'll all enjoy. Please leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind.