A/n Hey Guys! First of all, I am sorry for such a long break between the chapters. Well, you know - you don't choose when you are sick :D I was barely able to speak for most of last two weeks. In return,this chapter is nearly twice as long as the previous ones. However, keep in mind that I wrote parts of it with nearly 40 degrees Celcius fever,so... yeah, even I don't know what I meant. Anyway, sorry if quality drops in some moments, I tried to fix,but still am not really thinking I did a good job on this chapter. I will for sure try to make it up to you with the next ones.
Well, and for now,please enjoy chapter 3 - where Ann, Mishima and the others are more then clear enough with what is happening to them and about kamoshida's abuses, but Ren doesn't care - until... well, read and find out ;)
Despite the time of the year being spring, the morning was quite cold as Ren was hiding from the drops of rain. He quickly noticed a person standing next to him, and also trying to escape rain by using a hoodie. That person shivered, but decided to take the hoodie off. Soon it turned out to be a girl. But Ren found her features to be quite different from a typical Japanese high schooler, and one the weirdest thing about her, was that she had hair unlike any other he ever saw. They were blonde and in an extremely unusual style.
„Wow." Ren spoke „What ugly hair colour do you have."
The girl turned to face him, and looked as if she wanted to say something, but decided not to. She smiled at the boy for a few moments as if he was stupid and turned her face away from him.
„Hey!" The black haired boy was angry now. „What? What's so funny?"
The girl did not answer, just smiled again, without looking at Ren,which angered him further. He decided to take a few steps towards her.
„Hey! I'm talking to..."
„You'll be late." A male voice said „You need a ride?"
Ren noticed Kamoshida, peeking at them from the window of his car and smiling gently. The boy felt the cold breeze of wind on his skin and shivered a bit.
„Yeah," Ren made a few steps. „ That would be useful, thank you..."
„Sure, thanks!" The girl replied and quickly ran towards the man's car.
As she entered, the teacher looked at Ren and nodded at him.
„Remember you have your first lesson with Kawakami today. Try to not be late again."
With this, the teacher closed the window, pressed the pedal and quickly drove away from this place, leaving the boy behind just as the first lightning enlightened the sky.
Ren clenched his fists.
LINE BREAK
As Ren entered the school, he was already feeling as if he had high fever, and all his clothes were dripping with water. The boy decided to open his bag, to check if his textbooks and school stuff were okay.
He almost yelled in surprise.
„Miss me!?" Morgana said, looking at him angrily with his one eye (the other one seemed to be pulled out). The cat didn't also have an ear, half of his tail was missing, and some of his fur looked like it was teared out by something.
„Not you again." The boy sighed as he began to unpack.
„Oh, yeah it's me all right! Joker, what the hell do you think you're doing!?"
„Unpacking." Ren replied as he pulled a knife out of his bag and placed it on a nearby chair.
„No! I mean what do you think you're doing as in: what did you thought you were doing when you thought you can just toss me towards the bottom of Mementos?"
„You got your memories back, didn't you?" The boy asked as he placed a baseball bat next to the knife."
„No! I got attacked as soon as you left and I was dizzy because of all this falling so I could not defend myself. I barely managed to escape!"
„Too bad." Ren muttered, polishing the sword he pulled out of his bag.
„Wait." Morgana was stunned „You actually feel bad for me?"
„No, I mean: too bad you managed to escape."
The cat noticed what the boy was holding in his hand and gasped.
„Joker... why did you brought a gun to school?"
„I have a right to have hobbies, haven't I?" Ren replied, looking around to see if any teacher was somewhere nearby.
„What are you planning on doing!?"
„To you?" Ren opened a window, grabbed Morgana by the remains of his tail and tossed him outside „This."
As soon as he heard the sound of the cat's body hitting the ground and a streak of words that won't be mentioned here as it is too vulgar, the boy closed the window. He put the gun and the other weapons back to his bag and decided to make his way to Suguru Kamoshida's office. Noone will humiliate him like that. However, as soon as he reached the door to PE Faculty's office something was wrong – the teacher was clearly arguing with someone - a young girl, judging by the sound of her voice.
Still, without hesistation, he pushed the door open.
He saw Kamoshida cornering the blonde girl he met earlier, holding her by her hands. The teenagers' eyes met each other, and Ren saw tears streaming down the girl's cheek.
„Oh, sorry." Ren said „You're in the middle of something. I'll come back later."
He was about to close the door, when suddenly they were opened with great strength, and the blonde girl ran past him, crying visibly.
„TAKAMAKI! Come back here!" Kamoshida yelled after her, but the girl did not return.
„You stupid brat!" The teacher suddenly grabbed Ren by the shirt „Do you know what you have done! Now I will never score... I mean, teach Takamaki."
„If you don't want your life to turn into a hell on earth, I suggest you let me go this instant." Ren replied calmly, smiling at Kamoshida.
„You'll pay, Kid." Kamoshida hissed and let go of Ren's shirt, then screaming to noone in particular, as the hallway was empty „You will all pay!"
Then, the teacher suddenly punched Ren in jaw.
LINE BREAK
When Ren returned to his classroom, all eyes were fixed on him. It was lunch break, so no teacher was present. He was about to sit down, when the blonde girl gesticulated for him to come closer.
„Hey! Thanks for saving me! I am Ann Takamaki."
„I didn't mean too. And don't care."
„You know." She continued „This Kamoshida guy is a very, very evil man. He thinks his students are slaves who he can use as punching bags whenever he is in a bad mood.
„I. DON'T. CARE!"
„Yeah!" A student with spiky black hair said and bruises on his face said „He constantly beats kids up for doing nothing." He sighed „If only there was someone who could save us."
„Exactly!" Someone from the other side of the room yelled „If there only would be a secret world where someone could punish Kamoshida and get away with it, Man,That would be swell!"
„I am a part of his volleyball team!" A girl said „ He constantly calls me to his office and then... and then... WHO, OH WHO WILL SAVE US FROM KAMOSHIDA!?"
„That won't be me!" Ren yelled angrily.
„Don't worry, you guys!" Ann Takamaki stood up, her body and voice trembling „He saved me! He can save us all! He will!"
„NO, I WO-"
„Save us." Most of the class stood up „Save us. Save us. Save us."
„Dammit!" Ren yelled as he left the room „And they tell me I am insane!?"
However, leaving the class did not help. Wherever the boy did go, he somehow overheard parts of other student's conversations, such as „You heard about the new kid!? He will finally free us of Kamoshida's reign of terror!" „That Amamiya guy? He will crush Kamoshida's stupid face for sure." „Mom, what's for dinner tonight?" „You think it's true? Ren Amamiya really is the Chosen One?"
„What the hell!?" The boy turned around „What are you even all talking about! Are you all on drugs or something?"
„It has been foretold in the ancient times that one day The One With The Wicked Heart shall come to Shujin Academy and get rid of the evil that helds captive the corridors of the school, bring a century of peace and prosperity and bring upon a new dawn for everyone" Mrs. Kawakami said, pointing at a collection of old paintings on the wall „Please, oh Ren the Great One. Save this school. Save me."
Ren looked at the group of kneeling students and his homeroom teacher.
„I don't know what's wrong with you all, but you clearly need serious help. If you'll excuse me,I'll head back to Sojiro's cafe where I will prepare for my trip back home because there's no way I am staying here after what just happened. Goodbye."
LINE BREAK
„Oh, no."
„Welcome back, Trickster." The old man smiled. „I see you came back."
„Like I had a choice. At least that stupid music isn't playing anymore." Ren said as he got up of the bed „I told you, you sicko, keep your power to yourself."
„Our Master wishes to speak with you. For your own sake... " Justine looked at the man and gulped "I suggest you take his words seriously."
„Today marks the beggining of your ordeal, Trickster. Let us celebrate our reunion. Caroline, I told you - there is no service here. Your calls won't come through." Igor's smile widened as the other girl entered the room with her head bowed down. „Why did you steal Pappa Iggy's phone? You know it's a no-no thing to do."
„I'm sorry, Master." The girl looked terrified.
„As for you Trickster... I have very high expectations."
„You already said that."
„I don't know how,but it seems you haven't yet awakened to your power of Persona. That's the first time that's ever happened." Igor chuckled „Oh, you are a interesting one."
„Dude." Ren interrupted him „Stop looking at me like that,"
„Still, I am sure this will happen sooner than later. Your rehabilitation may finally begin."
„My what now?" Ren was starting to get irritated. „God,this is boring."
„How did you like my app? I created the Metaverse Navigator to help train you as a thief. Should there be other people that will assist you, I will grant it to them as well."
„Wait!" Ren suddenly felt fury taking him over „YOU'RE the reason my phone keeps displaying notifications for... questionable dark-net websites? And now you want to drag others into it too!?"
„What?"Igor paled „No... no,no,no,that was not me,I swear."
„You goddamn pervert. The Metaverse is just a codename for your group of sickos, isn't it!?" Ren spat at the man and took a few steps back „Stay the hell away from me!"
„Please, stop!" Justine cried „Stop, our Master is getting angry! if he does..."
„His fury knows no limits..." Caroline whispered
„TRICKSTER! GET BACK HERE"
„If you kidnap me one more time" Ren said as he sat down on the bed in his cell „I will notify the cops and Child Protection Services."
Igor gasped, but as Ren layed down in the bed he got visibly furious.
„Trickster, get up! Get up I said!" For the first time, Igor stood up from behind his desk and marched towards the boy's cell. He grabbed the metal grid and started shaking it furiously,trying to open break it. „Get off the bed! Get off the bed! Get off the..."
LINE BREAK
The first moment after waking up, Ren noticed enormous pressure on his chest. He reached his hand in order to check what is happening and felt something warm and furry. And breathing. The boy opened his eyes, and first thing he noticed was a black furball laying on top of him.
„MORGANA!?"
„Well, whom did you expect?" The cat yawned „Rise Kujikawa?"
„...No." Ren replied, not looking at the cat.
„I heard that teacher Kamoshida got you good,huh?"
„How did you even get here!? Get out of my house! SOJIRO!"
„What if I told you there is a way to get rid of him... and get away with it?"
Ren looked at the cat with suspicion.
„You mean... murder?"
The cat looked at him blankly.
„NO, JOKER, NOT MURDER, OKAY!? PAY ATTENTION!"
„Stop screaming at me! Why the hell are you even calling me Joker anyway!?"
„Well - it's just if I am a CatMan - and then your hair looks similar to Heath Ledger in that movie „Dark Knight Rises"too …
„What!?" Ren jumped out of his bed and touched his hair „No it doesn't! That's it, get outta here!"
„Joker! Listen to me!" The cat begged as Ren again grabbed him by fur. „There is a way to punish Kamoshida and stop those weird cult following for you at school!"
„I was trying to punish him!" Ren hissed „I was about to plant weapons in his office and frame him for murder, but that Takamaki..."
„Oh," Morgana breathed with relief „So that's what you were about to do."
„Well,of course, what else would I bring a gun to school for!?"
„Um...Nevermind. Anyway, Joker-"
„Stop calling me that!"
„Okay." Morgana facepalmed „So,how would you like to be called!?"
Ren blushed a bit, and looked around the room to see if noone was spying on him. Then he took a deep breath and replied silently:
„Akira."
„...Excuse me?"
„AKIRA, okay!? My real name makes me cringe inside."
„Okay,okay. So, Jok-Akira, I really think there is a way for you to get revenge on Kamoshida. Do you remember when you first entered that weird realm where everything seemed like a castle?"
„You mean where I beat a dude up, took all his money and got him arrested for drugs?"
„Wha-? Never mind,I don't want to know. Anyway, this is called a place. And is a manifestation of the owner's deepest distorted desires."
„Could you just skip the intro and get to the point?"
„UGH! Long story short: you get inside a person's Palace, you defeat him using the power of Persona, he stops being a jerk. End of story."
„A persona?" Ren asked „I think I heard that name before... was it not what that old creep tried to get me involved in?"
„What old creep?"
„Igor." Ren waved his hands „Never mind. So what is a Persona?"
„It's a power coming from the inside of your heart, that mostly takes form of mythical beasts and... well, for you, all you need to know it's a weapon you could use on your enemies."
„A weapon?" Ren's tone changed dramatically and his lips curved into a smile as he imagined Kamoshida being torn apart or impaled by an unicorn's horn „And I can use it on my enemies? So YOU DO mean I can kill and get away with it!" Ren smiled, as more and more images of Kamoshida's violent death scenes came into his mind.
„What!? That's not what I mean! If you kill the palaces' owner in that world, the real version will die too!"
„Exactly..." Ren mutterred, clearly enjoying himself a lot more now.
„Jo-Akira, NO! All you have to do is steal the owner's treasure! That's it. No killing!"
„Wait... stealing!?" Ren looked at the cat „I can kill AND steal and get away with it! But that's... that's like a dream come true for me ! Why the hell haven't you told me that eariler! Does Sojiro have a Palace!? Let's go! Let's go right now!"
„No."
„WHAAAA-!?" The boy's hands were shaking as he picked the cat up again. „What are you telling me this for,then!? What do you mean no?
„You must be tired after today." The cat said softly, looking into the boy's eyes,who just stood there dumbfounded. „Let's. Get. Some. Sleep."
LINE BREAK
After a few minutes of discussion, Ren finally agreed to postpone their journey to Kamoshida's palace. Although the boy was shaking with excitement at the thought of Kamoshida's demise at his hands, Morgana was right – they needed to prepare themselves. Ren decided to start the preparations by eating as much as he could. Sojiro always prepared for the boy exactly what he wanted. The teen was actually starting to think that the old cafe owner has come to like him, but then he remembered that the last time Sojiro asked Ren to make cafe for himself and engaged in a talk with a client, both he and the client ended up with burned faces and the cofee machine was accidentally destroyed.
Bad news was – he had to return to school for at least a few more days. Starting today.
The first class was with Kawakami again,and unfortunately, Ren had to listen to a whole lecture dedicated to his apparent bravery and honesty. Then, at art's class, most of his classmates painted some kind of image depicting him as a knight returning from a warzone.
Having enough of this, the boy decided to take a walk down the school hallway.
„Oh, why,oh why is Kamoshida-sensei so cruel To us?" Cried the first girl Ren passed by.
The teen closed his eyes and continued to walk through the hallway,trying not to listen to the voices. However, with his eyes closed, he could not help but collide with someone. He opened his eyes and saw ths shy, black haired boy from his class in front of him,
„Hiii." The boy said slowly „I am Yuuki Mishima."
„Nice to meet you." Ren replied, trying to pass him by,however the other boy would not let him.
„Hiiii."
„What the hell do you want!?"
„Look." Mishima mechanically extended the hand in which he was holding his phone. „I made a coool website for you"
„Wha-?" Ren looked at the screen and gasped at the sight of something pink with bright green letters exclaiming: Amazing's Ren Amamiya Amazing Phanboy Center „What the hell is all this?".
„You are our heroooo, see? We're all counting on you, see? I will never forget the day you decided to voice your opposition to Kamoshida."
„I didn't even meant to!"
„'Ey! What's goin' on here!?" A voice behind Ren asked with anger. „Why're this assholes' pictures all over the school?
At the sound of the voice, Ren froze in his tracks. He slowly turned around, a million of thougts racing in his brain at the same time. However, as soon as he did, there was no mistaking – those spiky blonde hair could not be mistaken for anyone elses. As both boys noticed each other, they narrowed their eyes angrily and looked at each other with clear hatred . Ren stepped forward, with his fists clenched. He spoke,giving his words as much of threat as he could.
„Hello, Sakamoto."