a/n Wow, it has been a long time ago since I've last updated, right? The truth is, I have been pretty sick a few months ago, but so far for now everything looks OK. I hope I will be able to update more regularly from now on. I probably am going to update my other story with another chapter before I continue with this one, as I was supposed to do before I fell ill but that shouldn't take too much time. This chapter is by far the longest one I ever wrote, I was actually going to split it in two but decided after so many months of waiting you guys deserve to have a longer read :)
The atmosphere was hard to describe as the two opponents looked at each other – Ren with disbelief and confusion, while Nanako was smiling arrogantly and hatefully. The other teenagers still attempted to free themselves from Ren's grasp.
„So you found out about this place, huh?" Nanako stated with an indifferent tone and noticed what he was holding in his hand „Oh, my! The entirety of the Investigaytion team is here, too! How nice!"
„Ugh..." Ren cringed „What a lame-ass pun..."
„Silence, you twat!" Nanako roared „Who do you all think you are coming over here and trying to mess with me!? This shipment is by FAR the biggest order I ever had!" Ren looked behind her and noticed tons of strange boxes laying by the wall „I won't let anyone get in the way! When all of these drugs reach their destination I'll be dripping in money! And then I will finally leave this shithole behind!"
„So it is true." Naoto spoke, „You really ARE the one behind all of the murders, aren't you?"
„Oh, yes." She smiled „From day one I was the one doing all of this! All you had to do was stay out of my way, big bro. But no, you just had to dig around. I thought by framing this moron Adachi I would at least get some time to complete this shipment, but you just couldn't quit while you were ahead..."
„Wait!" Chie yelled „You framed Adachi? But how!? That Ameno-sag..."
„Oh, you mean Sagiri-kun? Yeah, I just told him a new waffle shop opened up in that location. I heard he got pretty angry when he found out it didn't though."
„Yes, that was indeed a bummer." A strong voice admitted and they all looked up to see a giant eye looking at them through the glass roof, just above Nanako's head. „I apologize for the uproar I caused, but you have to understand, I really do love waffles..."
„That's right." Nanako smiled, though her voice was getting stronger with every word „So now you understand. I and my partner from the other end planned this carefully, and I won't let a bunch of misfit teenagers ruin what I craved for my entire life! I hate this goddamn town so much..."
„Wait, who's your partner from the other end…?"
„I think that's enough exposition." Ren interrupted „We're done talking."
„I agree." Nanako nodded her head „There's no need to keep this pointless conversation. Let's just put an end to this."
And with that, Nanako charged at Ren, roaring like a wild beast. The ground shook each time her gigantic foot stepped on the floor. Furiously, she extended her arms in an attempt to grab him, but the boy managed to escape in the last moment.
In the quick moment, she was turned backwards to him, Ren managed to equip his gun. Feeling victory is his, he turned to her, with his cocky smile #22.
„Oh, no!" Ameno-sagiri gasped „Watch out, Nanako-chan! He has a gun!"
Feeling fury erupting inside of him, the teenager pulled the trigger and fired the first round with a smile which quickly grew smaller, however, as he realized that his attack is not working.
„Hey, what the hell..."
„Ahaahahaha!" Nanako was laughing as the bullets ricocheted off her „That's… that's so cute! You think your plastic toy will hurt me!?"
Suddenly, her smile vanished. She charged right at him, pulled the gun from his hand and crushed it with two fingers.
„Hey!" Ren protested „Who said it was plastic? I…"
He was not allowed to finish, because rapidly Nanako's head collided with his own. The boy saw stars and in his dizzy state let go of the other members of the Investigation Team, but the girl did not care about them. With another hit she sent him flying at the nearby wall.
„That's it?" She asked as she approached him „That's all it takes to take you down? Gee, what a letdown, isn't it, Kitty-kat?"
Instinctively, Ren raised his head and looked in the direction the girl was looking. Just to his left, there was a small cage laying on a pedestal. The boy gasped.
„JOKER!?" The creature inside was stunned „What are you…What am I.. I mean… What the hell is going on!? I only tried to enter Mementos, but instead ended up in this weird place! I noticed the presence of Shadows so I hid here in order not to be spotted and to think of a way out, but then she came and..."
The cage was extremely small, so much so that Morganas' head and all of his paws were sticking out from it. Suddenly, Ren felt a great anger taking over him.
„You little… What the hell did you do to my cat!?"
„Oh, I just gave him a home, why?"
The teenager stood up, fire in his eyes.
„How… How could you do something like this!?"
„Joker..." Morgana's eyes widened with disbelief.
„This is my cat, get it!? Mine! MINE! The only one legally allowed to hurt, torture and / or kill him is me!"
The girl only yawned in response.
„Finally..." The teenager growled„At long last, it's time for me to use… PERSONA!"
But nothing happened.
„What?" The boy paled and tried again, still without effect „What the hell is going on?"
It was like… like something or someone took his power away.
„Oh, what's the matter? To weak to even summon one?" Nanako giggled „Let me give you a lesson then… PERSONA!"
Something manifested next to her, but Ren didn't see what exactly, as soon he was hit by a wave of green energy. Surprisingly, the spell did not hurt, but the boy felt he was getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller.
Soon after, he was back to his regular height, glaring at the still 15 meters tall Nanako.
„Hey, what the hell did you that for!?"
„Why?" The girl grabbed the cage „Oh, just so you could watch hopelessly."
„No!" Ren yelled „Please! Please, don't hurt my cat… I… I just barely found him again! Let me at least pull his tail or ear!"
But the girl did not react. Still grabbing the cage, she took a few steps towards the door. Not the door the teenagers entered through – there was actually another door, at the opposite wall but it seemed to be locked.
„I knew it." Rise had tears in her eyes „Nana-chan is going to kill us by leaving us here to starve. She's going to leave and we will die and…
„I admit your songs are catchy" Nanako interrupted her „But your brain clearly doesn't work properly. Why would I kill you?"
„Wait!" Yu gasped „So… you're not?"
„Of course not." She smiled gently as she picked a key out of her uniform and unlocked the door „I have OTHER people to do my job."
„What are you talking about?" Ren asked
„I have my ways of silencing people, both in this world and in yours." The girl smiled.
„Wait, no way!" Morgana yelled „Don't tell me… this girl is the one ordering the mental shutdowns!? But that's impossible!"
„There's this brat in your world that gets the job done… or at least there was, I heard someone silenced him…" She muttered „I'm indebted, heard he was about to rat out on me… anyways, and in this world, I have HIM!
The moment she opened the door, they heard a wild roar, unlike anything they heard in real life.
„Wow." Ameno-sagiri muttered, positioning himself so he could get a better look „That is one huge-ass Shadow..."
The creature truly was big, almost as big as Ren used to be a few moments ago. And it was skinny. So skinny its ribs were visible. It was tied up with metal chains, so it could not attack, but...
„I call him Bobby." Nanako commented modestly. „Bobby has not eaten in a long time." The girl continued as she opened the cage „ Do you see where I'm going with this?"
„Wait, what are you gonna do?" Morgana panicked „No, no, no! STOP!"
„So long, Investigation Team." She gave them a wicked smile as she picked Morgana up „Or should I rather say… In-digestion Team?"
„Jokeeer!" The cat yelled helplessly, as his eyes locked with the teenager's.
„Morganaaa!" The boy yelled helplessly, as his eyes locked with the cat's.
„AHAHAHA HEY CHIE, CHIE, DID YOU GET THAT!? DID YOU GET THAT CHIE! OH MY GOD, I CAN'T!" Everyone turned to the laughing girl with disbelief „INDIGESTION TEAM! DO YOU GET THAT, CHIE-?
„SHUT THE FUCK UP, YUKIKO!" The brown-haired girl snapped at her friend „We're about to die, if you haven't noticed! We're about to get eaten alive! Where do you, possibly, find humor in that!?"
Everyone just stared at her for a good few moments.
„Wow." Ren cleared his throat „You're kind of an asshole, you know?"
„Yukiko, It's just…I'm sorry, I... „Chie tried to explain herself as quickly as possible, as her friends' expression quickly changed drastically „Sheesh… No, come on, Yukiko, don't cry, I..."
Suddenly, the ground shook all around them. They focused their attention back on Nanako and with terror noticed she's coming their way. The Investigation Team backed against a wall, but the girl's attention was focused solely on Yukiko.
„Do you think what I just said was funny?" She asked in an indifferent tone „Answer me!"
„I-I..." Yukiko tried to cover her mouth but burst out with laughter again. „Indigestion team? How did you even come up with that!? AHAHAA..."
Nanako made some unintelligible noises.
Then, with a flash of blue energy, suddenly she was small again.
The girl fell to her knees, dropping Morgana, and the Investigation Team watched in disbelief as something wet makes way through her face.
A tear.
„Th-Thank you..." She finally managed to mutter.
„What." Ren was stunned
„All… All I ever wanted to be funny and sweet.„ The girl whispered „For people to laugh at my jokes… but no one ever did."
„Aaaawww." Chie kneeled next to her „Aaawww, Nana-chan! But you are so funny and sweet and kind and caring… is this the real reason why you did all that horrible stuff?"
The girl nodded her head and burst out with tears, and Chie hugged her tightly.
„What." Ren repeated himself.
„Well, how about it?" Yukiko also kneeled next to the girl „I would love to hear more of your jokes?
„Really?" Nanako looked at her with disbelief.
„Absolutely!" The raven-hair nodded her head.
„Um..." The girl thought for a few seconds „What do cats and dogs have in common?"
„Oh?" Yukiko asked „I don't know? What?"
„They both have a nose!" Nanako yelled, now cheerful.
Yukiko just looked at her for a few moments, before laying back on the floor.
„Oh my God! That's so good, that's so good!" She laughed „I want more!"
„Hmm." Morgana also giggled „Guess we really do have that in common, huh?"
„WHAT… WHAT THE HELL!?" Ren interrupted „Are you nuts!? Literally, three minutes ago, she was about to throw us to a Shadow!"
„I'm sorry!" Nanako looked at him sadly „I know I was bad, I…"
„We all understand, Nanako." The blue-haired teenager patted the girl's head „We all know the feeling when we're trying to make a joke and nobody laughs.„ For some reason, she seemed ashamed." It might not be noticeable at first glance, but I do constantly struggle with such problem as well."
„Tell you what, Nana-chan." Chie smiled at her „Since we all went through so much today, how about we go to Junes together?"
„Really!?" Nanako jumped and looked at Yu „We can go to Junes? Can we!? Can we, big bro!?"
„Of course" The silver-haired boy smiled „In fact, let's go right now!"
„YAAAAY!" Nanako cheerfully ran out the door „EVERYTHING'S GREAT AT YOUR JUNES!"
The members of the Investigation Team left the place, chatting with each other, and leaving Ren behind. The boy was staring after them with his eyes wide open.
„Geez..." He muttered „What a bunch of psychos.."
„Hey, Joker!" Morgana yelled after him „Coming or not!?"
The boy shook his head with disbelief and followed suit.
„Awwww." Ameno-Sagiri looked at the leaving group „Another happy ending." The creature kept observing as the teenager's left this world via a huge TV that turned out to be conveniently placed just below the platform they landed on. „I wonder if Junes has waffles."
LINE BREAK
The group was now back at Junes, sitting by their usual table and chatting happily. The table actually turned out to be too small for all of them, but the friendly Junes staff quickly found a table that wasn't that much bloodied and placed it against the first one.
Nanako was telling one joker after another, Yukiko was laughing wholeheartedly, the rest of the Investigation Team following suit, and Ren was just sitting and watching the scene unfold, sometimes raising his feet to allow the nice lady to clean what looked like remains of human brain stickied to the floor.
„There you guys are!" They turned around and noticed Dojima walking in their direction and smoking a cigarette „Thank God, the prefecture is on my ass already. The last thing I'd want is to lose another Key Witness."
Just after him, another group of cops walked through the Food Court, in the direction of the elevator. They were leading two people in handcuffs – the crazy red-haired woman and the man whose name was Akihiko.
Upon noticing them, the blonde gangster barked threateningly and attempted to charge them, but was quickly shot down with a tranquillizing gun.
„They said about 40 people were murdered in this food court alone." The cop muttered and looked at Yu „The people who attacked you were actually two very dangerous mafia members named Akihiko Sanada and Mitsuru Kirijo. They must have gotten a call that you're here, but I have no idea how would anyone know that."
„Daddy, I…" Nanako looked solemnly at the ground.
„It's okay, Nanako, you don't have to say anything." Naoto assured her
„No, I… I wanna say the truth."
And so she did. When she finished, Dojima was speechless.
„Nanako, YOU!? I… I had my suspicions that it was that Hanamura kid until we found his body, but… YOU? I will have to arrest you!"
„Come now, Dojima-san, don't be like that." A middle aged blonde male appeared behind him „You heard her, no one could understand her jokes, we're all pissed when that happens. There's no reason to go that far!"
„Hmm..." The cop wondered „Are you sure about that, Konishi-san?"
„Absolutely! Just give her a lecture about why killing is wrong or something." He smiled at Nanako. „Come on, look at her. She will learn from her mistakes. She's still so young and full of life. So carefree, and innocent. She's..." suddenly he paused „She's… she's just like my daughter used to be!" The man burst out with tears and quickly left the table.
„Fair enough." Dojima sighed „Nanako, I have to say I'm disappointed in you. I'll be clear: the next time you do something like this, I WILL ground you. And you can expect a looong talk when you return home."
„Okay, Dad." she nodded sadly.
„I'll be going now. I expect you home at five o'clock. You too." He nodded at Yu and left.
The atmosphere changed considerably. Nanako kept making jokes, but it was clear she saddened. And unfortunately, that was not the only less-than-pleasant surprise that was awaiting her.
„NANAKOOO!"
The teenagers turned around and noticed a middle-aged man coming their way through the food court. He had a black shirt, a grey coat and a grey hat. Ren squinted his eyes.
„Wait, isn't that..."
„Oh, shit!" Nanako gasped „Iwai-san!"
„Who?" Naoto looked at her.
„It's him! It's my partner from the other end! He must be here because..."
„Where are my drugs, Nanako?" The man asked as he reached the table „And more importantly, why is this Amamiya kid still alive!? Punk's stealing all my turf, I told you I want him out of commission!"
Ren dropped his fork.
„Calm down, Iwai-san. I'm calling this deal off."
The man paled with fury.
„You what!? How dare you! Where are my drugs, then!?"
„I'm not giving them to you! Drugs are evil!"
„Listen up, you little bitch!" The man lost patience and grabbed the girl by the shirt „I don't know what the hell's gotten into you, but I won't play along. I pay you cold, hard cash, so I want my latest order fulfilled, and I want Amamiya dead by the end of the week. Then you can go back to playing Princess Detective or whatever the hell you kids are into this day."
„NO!" Nanako denied passionately „No, I will never hurt another person ever again! Yukiko-san and her friends taught me there's a better way! The way of laughter!"
„What the hell are you talking about!?" Iwai yelled but loosened his grip.
„Don't you understand, Iwai-kun?" The girl said softly „Yes, we had a good run making billions of yen dealing drugs all over Japan and east Asia. Yes, you did manage to conquer a huge portion of Tokyo back in your world… but think.. how does that compare to laughing together and sharing precious moments with your family and friends?"
The man took a long glance around the table, and with every second his expression changed. Rapidly, he let go of the girl.
„My God..." He muttered as he sat down on the bench„My god, Nanako… what the hell have we been doing?"
„See?" She asked quietly „Was that really so hard?"
The man sighed and without asking, reached for a nearby drink. He took a long sip and turned to thank his neighbor, but as he noticed who it was, his expression changed drastically.
„Hey, wait a minute!" He yelled, rising back up „Aren't you that kid..."
„HELP!" Ren yelled, gaining the attention of nearby cops „HELP, THERE'S A CRIMINAL!"
LINE BREAK
„… and you see, Nanako " The girl was sitting in the living room with her head hung down as the cop pressed the button on the remote and switched to the next slide. The screen now showed a photo of a very sad looking woman hugging a young boy, with the title „Part 12 – why killing is wrong" hovering above it. „It's now time to begin the next part of our presentation."
„Yes, daddy." The girl said defiantly.
Ren watched with little to no interest as the cop begins picks up a cigarette from his pocket, lights it and begins his lecture. The lecture actually took about three hours already, and Nanako's eyes grew wider with every slide. The girl looked terrified, but the teenager did not care about that. He had enough problems of his own.
„Hey, you okay?" He zapped back to reality as he heard someone's voice. He looked down and saw Morgana glaring at him.
„No, I am not okay!" He hissed „I mean… how will we return home!? I lost my power, too!"
„Maybe it's for the better?" The cat suggested.
„Better?" Ren felt so angry he stood up „Are you crazy? How do you think I will get rid of that bastard Sakamoto now, huh!?"
„You never change, do you!?" The cat yelled back „Why do you have to be like this?"
„What's going on?" The brown-haired girl approached him „I heard some shouting."
„Not important..." The boy slumped back into his chair „I just lost my Persona ability, that's it. Not that I used it much, but..."
„Awww." She said, „Don't worry, we'll help you."
„What?" The boy looked at her. The overall sweetness of all these people was starting to become too much for him. „And why would you do that?"
„Well, because we're the Investigation Team, aren't we?" She asked „We'd never leave one of us like that, am I right, guys? Just give a word and we'll come with you!"
And again they began agreeing happily and hugging each other like they were in elementary school. Ren's head was starting to hurt from hearing their voices. Why were they like that? Why were they so cringe? Why were they so kind? Had that something to do with the distortions too? He closed his eyes. At this moment, he just wanted to disappear. To be back with Sojiro, and torture him like the old days, and-
„AAAAAARGH!"
His eyes opened up again, and instinctively he looked at the source of the voice. Nanako was pale as a rock, looking at the screen with her eyes widened and her lower lip shaking considerably. The image now showed a lonely, pre-school aged kid holding a teddy-bear to his chest.
„As you can see, Nanako..." Dojima continued in a grave tone of voice „Killing people never results in anything good. Upon realizing someone killed their loved ones most people become sad. Some even more than sad, Nanako."
„No, daddy, please, I didn't know! Please, stop!" The girl buried her face in her hands
„Oh, no, you don't. Look back at the screen!" The cop demanded harshly, and Nanako had no other choice.
„Sometimes it happens so people become very sad, Nanako." The cop announced „Like very, very sad. They feel that they can't cope anymore. That nothing makes sense, that it's their fault. And you know what happens then? Sometimes… do you know what they sometimes do when they think there's nothing else they can do!?"
Dojima hung his voice for dramatic effect, as the girl shook her head frantically. Slowly, the police officer picked up the remote.
„They cry." He exclaimed as he pressed the button.
Nanako yelled three times desperately as the next slide showed a picture of a crying young girl her age. That must have been the tipping point for her, as she jumped down from her chair and found herself hiding behind Ren's back.
„Nanako!" Dojima demanded „Come back here! There's still more than two hours of this!"
The girl shook her head, looking at him terrified from behind Ren.
„No, I can't! I can't! I didn't know..." the girl buried her face in Ren's shirt „I can't! Please, make it stop, big bro #2!"
„Will you give me a break!?" The teenager yelled, backing away from her, finally having enough „Goddammit, I just want to come back home! You're all nuts! If only I had my power..."
„What, the Moel lady took it?" The girl looked at him curiously.
„What?" Ren looked like his systems shut down, and the memories of what happened after he woke up started to come back to him „Wait, the Moel lady?"
„Oh, yeah, she did something like that to me, too." She smiled „But then i just asked nicely, and..."
„That Censored! Censored Censored Censored of a Censored !" Ren's voice was so strong everybody jumped and the nearest glass window shattered. The boy quickly ran toward the coat hook and took down his coat „Censored Censored Censored! CENSORED!"
LINE BREAK
It was a rainy evening in Inaba, as Moel was getting ready to close. The last employe counted the cash in the register, shut the lights off and finally closed the door. She smiled as she hid the keys in the usual spot, and turned around only to be met with a very angry face looking at her from a few centimeters. She gasped in shock.
„Hi there." She sighed „You scared me. Do you need anything?"
The boy did not reply.
„Hello?"
„Do you know Nanako?" the teenager asked.
„Huh? Oh, that serial murder suspect? A real tragedy, isn't? She's still so young..."
Ren did not reply, just stared into her eyes.
„Uuum… if you got nothing else, do you mind leaving me alone?"
She turned around to make sure she closed the door, but when she did, someone patted her shoulder.
„Oh, you still need something?" Suddenly, the woman chuckled „Hey, I told you to leave me alone, did you miss it?" She asked as a group of teens and a little girl stopped a few steps from them.
„Did… you… do something to me?" The raven-haired teen hissed through gritted his teeth.
„Huh? To you?" She blinked „Oh, I remember now, I think I met you when you first came to town. I greeted you, saying Welcome to Moel. That's it. You don't remember? That's all. Just that." She chuckled again „What about it?"
„What the hell did you do to me!?" Ren yelled in her face. „Did you take my power away!?"
The woman stared at him for a few moments and then chuckled suddenly as her eyes flashed with gold.
„Ahahahaha… how amazing… you've reached me at last! Let's drop this charade."
„What?" Ren looked at the other teens „What is going on?"
„To be honest, I was quite waiting for you to come." The woman followed his every step, before something suddenly flashed with light, blinding Ren and the others for a few moments. When they regained their sight, the Moel lady was floating above them. „I… am Izanami." She smiled „Ameno-Sagiri, the ruler of the fog is just an aspect of me that I birthed long ago."
„What!? What fog!?" Ren yelled „What the hell are you talking about!? Just give me my power back!"
„Very well." She responded „However to do this, I shall pit my strength against you… but in return, you must come prepared to follow through in your futile resistance." Izanami chuckled again „I will be waiting for you there..."
„Hey."
Everyone turned around and noticed a police car stopping by the gas station and a middle-aged man stepping out.
„Fill up my car while you're at it. Regular's fine."
„..WHAT!?" Izanami yelled after a few seconds „Can't you see..."
„Hm." Dojima muttered „Good time as any for a smoke."
„NO! HOLY SHIT, NO!" In a blink of an eye, Izanami returned to her gas station attendant form and charged after the man. „HOLY FUCK! Don't smoke this so close to…"
But it was too late. Within moments, flames erupted near the gas dispenser, immediately swallowing everything nearby. That „everything" being Izanami, as Dojima and the kids managed to jump away in the last second
„Aaargh!" The woman thrashed and convulsed violently, trying to put the flames out „Argh! No! NOOOO!"
But in a few moments, it was over. After a minute or two, Izanami's burned body collapsed to the ground, and when it did, the flames started dying down dramatically.
„Huh." Chie muttered, „I guess that's it for that."
„Thank God." Yu smiled to his friends „For a sec I was fearing we would have to fight her or something..."
Instinctively, Ren walked to the woman's body. He kneeled by Izanami and touched her. He hissed in pain as the body was still hot, but at the same time felt an incredible power returning to him. The boy got up and looked at the other teens with satisfaction.
„Now it's settled."
„I am glad everything went okay!" Nanako chuckled happily before looking at Ren „Come, big bro #2, I'll show you how to get back home!"
Line break
They were back at the place Ren fought Nanako, however this time they took a slightly different route. Soon after, they found themselves in front of a giant. Red Vortex. Morgana walked toward and started sniffing it, muttering something about „distortions" again.
„This is it." Nanako stated, looking at Ren. „This is the place that I used to communicate with Iwai-senpai and send drugs through. And order mental shutdowns. For some reason, this is the only place in the TV world where interacting with the other side is possible. I think it's some sort of time-travel device..."
„Don't care." Ren really didn't care, but after a few moments felt his stomach sunk „Wait… If I traveled back in time and turned you good, does that mean that in my world these distortions will disappear and you'll never order a mental shutdown?… Goddammit, I will have to kill Akechi all over again, won't I?
„That I cannot answer." She shook her head „But I thank you, Big Bro#2. You and Yukiko-san taught me that there is more to life. From now on, I will dedicate my life to helping innocents and..."
Ren rolled his eyes and turned around as the girl continued. He didn't care about the other teens, too, when they once again started talking some bullshit about friendship and trust etc. He only had one person in mind.
„Well, Morgana, what a day, huh? Come on, we're going ho-"
„I'm not going."
„Wait, what!?" Ren turned around to face him „You can't be serious!"
„But I am, Joker." The cat looked into his eyes „Sorry, but I meant it when I said I had enough. You keep on bullying me, I literally lost most of my lives because of you. At least these people are nice and friendly. You? You will never change. Why would I come back with you? So you can hang me from a Christmas tree again? So that you, quote, won't have to rent a bat when you go to the batting cages? Sorry, I lost my faith in you. People like you don't change, you would never take me to the bottom of Mementos either. I'm staying here. Maybe I won't find out who i am, but at least I'll be happy."
„What?" Ren wanted to protest, but not a word came out of his mouth. Instead, his eyes started te burn for some reason. „No, Morgana! Please! I will change! I WILL!" He finally spoke, but his voice cracked more and more with every word „Please, you can't just leave me! I… I need you, okay? I need you! I will change, I swear, just come home with me!"
„Joker..." The cat widened his eyes. That was not the reaction he was expecting. Could the boy really be telling the truth?
„Yes, I admit I'm a bad person, okay?" Ren's voice was even more dramatic „I'm sorry, I know I should have been better to you. To everyone. Just come back and let me atone! I swear I'll do! Just give me a chance… I'll even buy the fattest tuna there is for you. I'll help you get to the bottom of Mementos, just please, please come back!"
Morgana's mouth was wide opened. That was the first time he saw Ren Amamiya like that, and the teenager looked hopeless. His lips were shaking, his eyes were barely holding back tears, the boy was hyperventilating and spasming more and more with every moment. Maybe… Maybe he actually was a changed man?
„Ok, Joker." The cat closed his eyes and took a deep breath „Let's say I kind of believe you. So, here's how it will be: I will give you just one last, final chance. If you don't…"
„A CHANCE!?"
The cat winced at the harshness of the tone and instinctively opened his eyes. And when he did, he also felt being picked up. Soon, he was staring right into Ren Amamiya's angry face.
„Who do you think you are, giving me chances, you piece of shit!" Ren yelled in his face, as the cat struggled painfully in his hand. Joker again had trouble forming words, but for quite different reasons than just two minutes ago „Do you… Do you have the slightest idea of how pissed off I am right now!? HUH?" The boy screamed as he shook violently.
„Joker what, the hell!?" Morgana tried to swing his paws, but Ren's face was out of his reach. „Just one minute ago you said tearfully you want to change!"
„And what was that about leaving me, huh!?" The boy completely ignored Morgana's words „You think you can just come and go whenever you like? Remember this, you dumb furball: You are a cat, I am your owner. So if I feel like it, I can fucking murder you!" He turned back to the vortex „You are coming home, no questions asked and if I ever find you sneaking out again I will find you and I will end you! Do you get that? And I assure you, you WILL pay for what you did!" The teen screamed before letting go of the cat and sending him right into the vortex with a strong kick „And you better be in LeBlanc once I come home!" He yelled after him.
He turned to the other teenagers, who were staring at him with both their eyes and mouths wide open.
„Screw all you guys."
And, after saying those goodbyes, the teenager took his first step in the direction of the vortex.
„AAAAAARGH!" Suddenly, a piercing feminine scream interrupted his trail of thoughts. He looked back, and saw the pink-haired girl, Rise, in tears.
„Oh my god!" Rise pointed at something, tears quickly streaming down her cheeks „Oh my God, Naoto-kun!"
Ren looked at the detective and smiled.
Black goo was leaking from her mouth, ears, and nose, and she was just standing there with pain written on her face. The other members of the investigation team quickly gathered around her, screaming and crying with disbelief, before the girl's body finally fell down.
Ren could not help but chuckle. Even if he did somehow meddle with the past, some things stayed unchanged.
Hey hey hey
It's a beautiful day and I can't stop myself from smilin'
If we're drinkin', then I'm buyin'
And I know there's no denyin'
It's a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music's playin'
And even if it started rainin'
You won't hear this boy complainin'...
The last thing the boy did before entering the Vortex was smashing his phone to bits.
aa/n Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Sojiro will finally stand up for himself only to have it backfire in the worst way imaginable.