"For real?"

"So, he's a persona user."

"The hell is that!?" Ryuji said to the monster cat beside him. "What the hell is that thing behind him!?" Ryuji said pointing up the black haired boy in weird clothes killing the monsters left and right with a smug grin on his face.

"Burn! Eiha!" As the boy shouted that, darkness with red hue appeared at the monster's feet, completely engulfing them.

"Hahahaha, Die!" Akira jumped from one after another, with slash after slash, making all the monsters disappeared in black ichor.

"Why the hell did his personality turn one eighty?" Ryuji said with a raised eyebrow as the boy who can't said full sentence before was shouting every insults with an arrogant grin. *Snap!* , "Huh!?" Ryuji turned to the voice to see the pale face of Reaper beside him. "WaCahhhhhhhh-"

"…Why are you shouting?"

"-hhhhh, Oh.", 'It was just that weird guy.', "Don't scare me like that!"

"What?" Minato Arisato said with a raised eyebrow. "Never mind. Morgana is safe, but it's dangerous for you to be this close."

"Wha?"

"One eye's right. It's dangerous for normal people to be near a persona fight. And That Include You Too, One eye!" Saying that the mon-Uh, Morgana skittered over to help Akira.

"You hear the ma-Uh." Minato rolled his eyes. "You hear the cat. Let's go."

"I'm not a cat!" Some voice shouted form battlefield.

"Come on." As Minato said that, a ball of fire whizzed towards him.

"Dude, Look out!" Ryuji said, quickly standing up and running towards him but to the opposite of his worries, the blue haired boy just craned his head a little and let the fireball passed with no visible emotion.

"Huh?"

"You will have all time to stare at my face later." Minato said pulling him by the shoulders.

"Hey, why the hell are you so calm?"

"PTSD"

"Pee What?"

x-x

'Damn, I've never felt this good in my whole life.', *Sching* Akira cut the pumpkin head in front of him, making it vanished with a cry.

"Arsene!" Akira shouted and the persona behind him flew towards the other monsters, kicking them towards the wall. 'Persona…cool.' Akira jumped back and the persona behind flapped its wings, making another wave of darkness consumed the monsters.

"Woi, Frizzy hair!"

"Huh?" Akira turned around to see Morgana running up to him.

"If you keep fighting like that you're gonna run out of steam before long." Morgana stopped beside him. "Mwehehe, Now, observe how a true persona user fight." Morgana said with a grin as smug as him. "Zorro!" A big black being whom he saw before appeared behind the cat.

"Oh, right. You can also use this." Akira remembered the time him and Minato save them.

"Hmhm, Of course I can."

"What!? There's two of them." The monsters backed down in fear. "Retreat! Retreat!"

"As If I would let you." Morgana shouted as a heavy wind blew to towards the monsters.

"Ahhhh"

"Nice. We hit the shadow's weakness!"

"Shadow's weakness?"

"Yep. Each shadows have their own weakness. And we can win easily if we exploit them."

"I see." Akira said adopting a thinking pose.

"But, Now's not the time for a lecture." Morgana said grinning. "Now it's time for an all out attack!"

"All out attack? How do I do that?"

"Just do what I do." Morgana said jumping up into the air. "WaNyaaaa!" With a loud meow, Morgana viciously scratched the monsters in front of him.

"Uh." Akira stood there for a moment. Then he looked back at his hands. "Ahh, Morgana-san, I don't know how to meow or scratch like that."

"What!?"

"I don't have claws."

"Whatever! Just Attack!"

"Okay. I get it. I get it." Akira said running towards the shadow. "Hahhhh!" Then he jumped with his dagger in hand.

'I don't get it.'

x-x

"Wew."

"Huhhh, I think that's the last of them." Morgana said from beside him. "Hey, You two, you can come out now." Morgana called out to the back.

Akira looked at his back to see Ryuji walking up to them from the wall with Minato close behind him.

"Uhhhh, So," Ryuji walked over to them awkwardly not meeting his eyes. "Uhh, what the hell was that?" Ryuji said holding his head. "Why did your clothes change?"

"Hm?" Akira looked over himself. "Oh, I didn't notice."

"You didn't notice!?" Ryuji shouted in shock. *Bwack* "Ahh!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to shout?" Minato said in an annoyed voice.

"I Get It! You've already said it a thousand times. No need to hit me." Ryuji said back.

"*Sigh*"

"Sakamoto-san, Arisato-senpai, we must get out before more of those get here." Akira said looking at his surroundings.

"That's true, come on, Follow me!" Morgana said opening a door.

"Oh, we're gonna have to run again?" Ryuji whined dejectedly.

"You don't have to worry, Sakamoto-san, Me and Morgana-san can protect you from those shadows."

"Uh, Ahhh, O-okay, Uhhh, Th-thanks." Ryuji said back awkwardly in response.

"Kurusu, Did you say Shadows?" Minato asked from the back before Akira could ask Ryuji 'What's wrong?'.

"Huh, Uh. Yeah, I did."

"Shadows?" Minato weirdly looked at both him and the battlefield from before. Although there's nothing there because unlike normal…things, shadows didn't leave a trace when they got killed. "Those don't look like shadows." Minato said back.

"Huh?", 'That's true, they don't look like shadows.', ''Uh, Well, that's what Morgana-san call them." Akira said pointing back to the cat running beside him.

"Yes, they are called shadows. They are the negative aspects of human conscious taken form. Most of them can't think for themselves. That's why they follow other strong shadows, and in this case, the ruler of this palace."

"Palace? Are you blind!? We are in a castle!" Akira looked back to see the blonde haired boy asking with a puzzled face and 'Uhhh', the blue haired boy staring at Morgana with a look that could pass up for an intent to kill. 'I wonder why does he look so angry?'

"I know this is a castle, You idiot. This palace only looks like a castle because of it's ruler cognition."

"Congain…Uhhh, Congac What?"

"Cognition. Mwehh, how do I explain this to dimwits?"

"Hey!"

"Uhh, this castle, it doesn't look like this in your outside world, right?" Morgana asked looking back in the middle of running.

"Outside?"

"Yeah," Akira said interrupting. "This was supposed to be my school. And I'm sure it doesn't look like this."

"So, it's a school in your world." Morgana said out loud. " Basically, We see this school as a castle, because we are in the heart of someone and that someone see your school as a castle. That's why we also see this school as a castle."

"So, you're saying all of this is an imitation."

"Not exactly, this is real for the man, imitation for us. But, you sure are fast." Morgana said with a bright smile, which made Akira smiled in return, which made the blondie behind looked at them weirdly.

"Huh?" Ryuji turned around to his only ally. "Dude, did you get all of that?"

"…Yeah."

"You too!?" But turned out that ally was also a traitor.

"Admit it, Blondie, you're just dumb.", "What you say, Punk!?"

"*Sigh* , Basically, what's he saying is that Kamoshida sees the school as his castle where he can do whatever he wants, and sees himself as a king of the school."

"Wha?"

"And somehow, his twisted senses become blurred between reality and his imagination and he now thinks he is really the king of the school." Minato said looking at the lavish decoration on the wall. "And we somehow ends up in his heart…Not in a physical way, I guess but that's why we see things his way."

"So, You're saying that's how the bastard think of the school!"

"…."

"Damn it!" Akira stayed in silent as he really didn't know anything.

"Calm down, Blondie." Morgana said opening up another door. "Don't want your voice to attract shadows."

"I get it. You don't need me to tell me too."

"EieYahh!" Morgana climbed up a shelf and opened a vent. "Okay, You guys can escape from here."

"Through a vent?" Akira said with his eyes almost shining. "That's so cool!"

Minato walked over to the vent. "Yeah, Cool if you like dust and…Spiders."

"Yuck, There's spiders there?"

"Adversity is to be expected." Akira said climbing up the shelf and entering the vent. "Wow, it's so coo *Cough, Cough* , Ahhh, *Cough* In here."

"Okay, I will count on you to clear the way." Ryuji said as he also entered the vent. "Just a reminder, Don't stop suddenly, okay."

"What are you doing, One eye, Not gonna follow them?" Morgana said as he jumped down from the shelf.

"…I will. What about you though?"

"I still have unfinished business to do here."

"You sure?" Minato climbed the shelf elegantly. "You might get caught again."

"Huh! Don't worry. That happened only because I was caught off guard."

"I suppose." Minato said looking inside the vent to see Akira and Ryuji are trying to move with a little bit of difficulty. "For someone that I threatened to come along, You sure are helpful.…I suppose a little gratitude is in order."

"No need to thank me. I jus-…" Morgana suddenly got silent.

"…What's wrong?"

"Uhhhh, Nothing, I'm just trying to think of why I helped you." Morgana made various noises as he thought to himself. "I guess I just thought it might be a good idea to help you out."

"I see." Minato said as he went into the vent. "But think harder, that's not good enough of a reason.", "I thought you said you were going to thank me!"

x-x

?

In a dark dreary room with only a dim light to accompany them, Sae sat directly in front of the supposed leader phantom thieves with a exasperated face.

"And then-"

"Now Hold on! Hold Onnn a Minute." Sae stopped Akira from talking. "Yo-you're going to continue?"

"Uhhh" Akira looked at her weirdly before continuing, "Shouldn't I?"

Sae stared at the boy in disbelief. ", 'Shouldn't I?', You expect me to believe that bullshit!?" Sae said slamming the desk.

"Language. You know he doesn't like cursing."

"I don't care whether he like or not!"

Akira stared at her with his half lidded eyes.

….

"Okay. I care." And she caved in fast. "But, the point is there's no castle in Aoyama Itchome."

"Weren't you listenin-", "Buh buh, buh!" Sae stopped him from continuing. "I'm not done yet." Sae continued pointing at the photo on the table. "It's true that Kamoshida is a scum, a man worth a death sentence, indulging his own desires, assaulting female students, abusing his own team and sure, blackmailing. But I will not believe that he's walking around wearing a glitzy robe in his underwear!"

"No, Like I sai-", "And I Will Not, For God's Sake, Believe that There's a talking CAT!"

"Uhhhhh" Akira stared at her with a tired face. "No, he's not a cat."

"Why are You Defending Him? It? Uh, Him? I Don't Know Anymore!" Sae shouted, clutching her head. "Huh!?" Sae suddenly looked back up. "Wait, why is Minato-kun with you?"

"Uhhhh" Akira stammered to respond.

"Was he…Is he a phantom thief?"

"Umm…"

….

'This interrogation is going well.'

x-x

Present

"*Wheeze, Wheeze*"

"Your breathing is annoyi-"

"Well, I don't give a damn." His two companions said as they got out from that castle.

"Ahahaha.", "You have returned to the real world. Welcome back." ,"Huh?" A mechanical voice came form his phone and he took it out from his pants pocket.

'It's the weird eyeball thing. I wonder what does tha-'

"Kurusu.", "Huh?" Akira turned around to see his fellow transfer student looking at him like he just grew a second head.

"What…what is that?" Minato said with wide eyes.

"I Uh, I don't know. It just appeared on my phone suddenly." Akira answered back honestly. 'There's really no reason to lie.'

"It said we returned to the real world." Ryuji said as he also looked at his phone. "Does that mean it's that thing fault that we ended up there?"

"I-I mean, I don't, I Uh."

"Why are you back to stammering again?" Ryuji said back as he looked at him. "You were be-Woahh." Before he can finish Minato shoved him to the side.

"Kurusu, did you encounter anything strange on your way here?"

"Uhhhh, be-beside ending up in a castle? I-I uh, I don't think so."

Minato thought to himself again. "What about yesterday? Or the day before that?"

"Uhhhhhhhh…"

"Dude, what's wrong? You're awfully ac-", "What are the students doing here?", "Ah, Crap!" Ryuji looked like he almost wetted himself as two police officers walked towards them.

'Oh, wait, that's crap for me too!'

"Shujin uniform? Hm, cutting classes are we?" One of the policemen said looking over at the three of them.

"Nnnnn, No! We are not cutting classes, We are just trying to get to our school, we just end up in some weird freaky castle!"

"Huh!", "Huh?", "Huh…"

"I-It's true. It was a big castle. With guards and monsters!"

"….", "….", "…."

The policeman looked between the two of them. "Are you kids on drugs?"

"No, we're not!", "No, we're not!"

"Okay, You guys are coming to the station with me."

"Please, a moment." Minato said walking towards them. "Uh, I'm a third year." Minato said as he pointed at the pin on his uniform. "These two are my…Kouhais, I suppose. Ah, well, he's a transfer student and he's new in town, so he's lost." Minato said without breaking a beat and for some reason, the two officers listened to him patiently. "That's why me and this guy are here to get him,…Take him to school."

"Okaayyy." One of the officers said. "Then what this all about a castle?"

'Ack!'

"…I'm not sure, but I don't think we need to come to station. I still have classes. You can just check our bags." Minato said as politely as possible although his face doesn't even change from his normal impassive face.

The two officers stared at them, unflinching for a moment. "*Sigh* , I guess. Hey, Blondie, show us your bags."

"Yes, Sir!"

'It Works!'

"…Thank you."

"Wow.", "Mannn." And thus, it came to a close, with Akira looking at his senpai with a newfound respect.

…And someone, whom they didn't notice, looking at their senpai with enough malice to burn a hole.

x-x

"You are so cool, Senpai." Akira said as they walked to the school.

"Yeah, that was so smooth. It looks like you were doing that all the time."

Minato stopped walking. "Sakamoto, come here for a moment."

"Huh." Ryuji moved closer to Minato. "What'- *Bwack* , Ahhh! the hell, Man!"

"I don't know what's wrong with you, but I know there's something wrong. And that's how you fix an broken TV…By hitting them."

"Hitting them? What are you? An old man?"

"…Maybe."

"You don't deny it?!"

"Hey, What are you three doing outside the school?"

'Owww, Not again.' Akira turned around expecting another policemen but instead he came face to face with the man they just escaped with their lives. 'Uck!'

"Kamoshida!"

"Sakamoto, Show some Respect. That's Kamoshida-'sensei' to you." A middle aged man, whom he thought was another teacher, said.

"It's Okay. I'm used to it." Kamoshida said with a sincere smile.

"Hmmm, You're too soft on him, Kamoshida-sensei.", 'Why's he acting like he doesn't know us?', "Anyway, Answer me, where the hell were three of you instead of being in class?"

"Uhhhh, A castle?" Ryuji stopped functioning for a moment. "Oh." Then he craned his head, trying to ignore the stare Minato's giving him.

"So, You're not going to answer honestly."

Akira opened his mouth but then, he closed it fast. 'I want to say it's an honest answer but I don't want to be the victim to that stare.'

"Hm? Aren't you Arisato? What are you doing with the second years?"

Minato didn't talk for a moment. As the man, Kamoshida, stared at him weirdly, while the other teacher waited patiently with a knowing face.

"…I was…out." Then he stopped talking.

….

And he didn't continue.

"And?" Kamoshida asked with an raised eyebrow.

"…And…Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." Minato said back with straight face.

"What?" Kamoshida looked completely surprised. "What are you o-"

"*Sigh* , Arisato, I expected you to be better than this. Just because you can answer all the questions in class doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." The teacher said in an reprimanding tone that's seem to be working wonders on Minato with the face he's making. '*Pfftt* , sarcasm.'

"Um, Ushimaru-sensei?"

"Hm?"

"This is the transfer student." Minato said pointing to him. 'What?'

Both the teacher turned to him. 'Abort! Abort!', "Oh." The teacher looked at him with an indiscernible face. "Why are you this lat-Actually, Never mind. I will ta-take you to class." The teacher said motioning him to come up.

"Uhh, Th-thank you very much, Sir!"

"Sakamoto, you too."

"Y-yes, sir." Ryuji said finally looking away from Kamoshida. "I'm coming."

With that two of them followed the teacher with Minato walking behind them.

"Wait." Kamoshida suddenly grabbed Minato's shoulders and stopped him. 'I knew it! He was waiting for a good time to attack us.' Akira looked up his front, 'Sakamoto-san and that teacher didn't seem to notice. What should I do!? Should I shout!? I feel like I need to shout! Even if I don't need to shout, I want to shout!'

"Where is your bag?", 'Huh?' Akira craned his head a little to hear better.

"It's in the class." Minato said without breaking a beat.

"Hm, Cutting class. Just a week and you are starting to show your true colors, huh, 'transfer-student'." Kamoshida said in a mocking voice.

Minato didn't say anything back and tried to move but Kamoshida tightened his grip. "I'm watching you, transfer student. One wrong move and You're getting expelled." Minato didn't show visibly no emotions. "Do you understand?"

'It's a little scary to watch.'

"I'm asking you a question. Do. You. Understand?"

Minato moved his hand over the man's hand, and he slowly removed it. He made it look really easy, but you could see the veins popping on the man's head trying to counter it.

"…Not really. No." Minato said looking at the man in the eyes.

"Um!?", 'Huh?' Akira tried to turn around to get a better look. 'Is he, Uhh, is he shaking?'

"Hey, what are you doing? I don't have all day. I still have my own class to teach." The teacher from the front called him out.

"Ahh, ahh, I apologize! I'm coming." Akira tried to run ignoring the stare the man's giving.

x-x

"Alright. Settle down." The teacher in an yellow suit said walking over to the middle. "Okay, I will introduce you to the new transfer student."

"What!?", "Is he the one th-", "Why in the fourth period?"

"I said settle down." The teacher said in a lazy tone. "Alright, you can come in."

"*Slides* , Excuse me." Akira said opening the door. Then he walked over to the teacher. "I'm Akira Kurusu. Nice to meet you." Akira said, bowing.

…*Awkward Silence*

"He looks like a dork.", 'Good to know that the glasses work but a little hurt to hear that.'

"Are you sure he's the one?", 'Huh?', "He seems quiet, but when he snaps…, 'Hm? HM!?', "I heard he's on probation." Akira jerked his head upwards suddenly.

…*Awkward Silence*

"Uhhh-", The teacher patted him in the back. "I will take it from here, You can sit in the free chair over there."

"Uhh, th-Thanks." Akira slowly walked over to the chair.

"No way, He's sitting near me. I'm scared."

'Ouch.'

"Alright, Enough of this. Kurusu-san is a little late because he's not feeling well. Everyone, try to be friend with him, Okay?"

No one answered back. 'Double Ouch.'

"Lies." Akira turned towards the voice. 'It was the girl from before'. "You were at the station."

'Uh, what's her name again? Uhhh.', "Nice to meet you again, Takamaki-san." Akira said as he took the seat. 'Good that I remember her name.'

"What? They know each other?", "Does that mean Takamakai-san is cheating Kamoshida-sensei?", "Yeah, well, it's Takamaki-san we're talking about."

Akira sat down on his chair.

'Bad that I remember her name.'

x-x

Minato stood awkwardly in front of the door.

…*Sigh* , *Sliddddddddees* Minato slowly opened the door. 'I hope this works.' As the door was fully opened, the eyes of his entire class plus the teacher turned to him.

'It didn't work.' Minato tried to ignore the stares and walked towards his seat.

"Arisato-san, where were you?", 'Why didn't it work!?' Minato slowly turned towards his math teacher.

"Uh."

"It's already fourth period. I didn't see you the whole day." His math teacher, Usami said back.

"Uh."

"Where were you?"

"I was…Uh, in the toilet." His teacher and the students' stares didn't let up. Especially one of them.

"You were in the toilet?" His teacher asked back.

"…." Minato nodded back.

"For the whole four periods?"

'….', "…Maybe." *Gasp* His teacher looked shocked. As well as all the students. Except for one.

"Are you, you, at this age?" His teacher said looking him up and down. "Ar-arisato-san, are you sure? You don't have to worry about the school. You can go home." His teacher said worriedly. 'Why?'

"No, I'm fine."

"Ye-yeah, Don't push yourself too hard, okay." Now it's his turn to look at his teacher weirdly.

"What?"

"Health is the most important thing. Y-you can study whenever you want." Minato stared at his teacher for a moment. Then he turned around to his classmates to see equally sympathetic stares. Except for one, who's glaring daggers at him.

'That's weird.', "Thanks for the advice." Minato walked over to his desk.

His seat neighbor was looking at him with her mouth hanging open. Minato stared at her for a moment before sitting down.

….

'Did I say something wrong?'

x-x

After some time

…*Ding Dong*

Akira sat, fixated on the blackboard. 'Woah, after 16 years, I finally realized I really suck at studying.' His only silver lining in school. 'Narukami-san said scoring first in exams can improve my charm which in turn make others like me. But How?'

Akira quietly put back his things. 'How the hell Do I get to score first when I don't even know what the hell Femme Fatale is!' Akira stood up from the desk making as little noise as possible. 'How the hell would I know it's Carmen!? And Why did I say Elizabeth!? Who the hell is Elizabeth!?' *Slides*

Akira quietly walked out of the class, politely closing back the door.

'*Sigh* , in the end it doesn't matter. That would only works if people don't know he's a criminal.' He still didn't know how his record got leak though. And of course, as expected, nobody even bother talking to him. Worst of all they were even scared to make eye contact with him.

Until now that is.

"Hey." A blonde boy said walking near him.

"Sakamoto-san?"

"You free?" Ryuji asked, almost whispering.

"I was just planning to go to cafeteria. Um, so I guess, I'm free."

"Great." Ryuji said with a grin. "After you grab something, can you come by to the roof?"

"Roof?"

"Yep, it's easy to get to. You just have to keep going up."

"I see. Should I come now?" Akira asked back.

"No. Do your own thing for now. I still have to go and ask Arisato too."

"Senpai?"

"It's, uhh, it's about you know what. I still can't wrap my mind around that." *Slides* Ryuji then noticed Kawakami-sensei came out of the door. "Anyway, that's all. I'll be waiting." Patting him in the back, Ryuji walked out ignoring the stare his teacher's giving him.

"*Sigh* , Kurusu-san, I don't think I need to remind you that you're already walking on thin ice." His teacher said walking over to him.

"Huh?"

"The police caught you cutting class on your first day. What's your excuse to that?" His teacher said in an exasperated face.

"Uh, well."

"And with Sakamoto, you even roped Arisato-san to your little escapades."

"Uhhhh." Akira looked around for help. There's none.

"*Sighhhh* , You should go straight home without any detours. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry."

'Oh No! Crap!'

" Don't do anything stupid, okay? You whole life's on the line here."

"My Si-sincere apologies, Ma'am."

"*Sigh* , And Don't get involved with Sakamoto."

"Huh?" Akira asked back. "What's wrong with Sakamoto-san?"

"Uhh, How do I say this?" Kawakami said scratching her head. "He's a bit of a trouble maker. And he doesn't listen to any of the teachers. He still not dyeing his hair back either.", 'That's not his natural hair?', "You will be here only for a year and involving with him is like asking for trouble. Try to stay away from problems okay?"

"Y-yes."

"And…" She looked at him awkwardly. "The thing about your record, it's not me who said that to them. I don't know how it got leak either."

"I-I see."

"*Sigh* , try not to let that get to you, okay?" His teacher said patting him on the shoulder with a smile. 'Woah, She's surprisingly nice.'

"Yes, Kawakami-sen-", "*Sighhhhhh* ", "Huh?"

Kawakami let out a long sigh, clutching her head. "*Sighh* , I really can't catch a break." , 'Huhhhhhh?' , "Go straight home, you hear me."

"Y-yes." His teacher walked past him with slump shoulders.

"Ahhhh, I hate my life…And my job." Akira didn't know what to say back. 'Yes, I don't know what to say back.'

Akira stood in front of the door for a moment. 'Should I go to the roof?'

x-x

'Why did I feel like I'm forgetting something?' Minato sat on his chair with his hand on his head. 'Let's see, I walk to school, I…'

…Minato glanced at his left. The girl was looking at him with wide little doe eyes. "Huh!" She saw him looking at her. "Ahhhh, Ahhh." The girl frantically took out a book and pretended to read it.

'Gardening 101, What's that?'

….

'Meh…' Minato turned back around.

…*Peek-* "Anything you like to say, Okumura-san?" Minato suddenly asked, turning back at the girl.

"Uhhhh." The girl looked at him, lowering her book a little. "Ar-Umm, are you sitting all right?"

"…Huh?", 'What kind of question is that?'

"I-I mean, Ar-are you okay?"

"…I'm sorry, I don' -AH!", "Huh? What? What? Where does it hurt!?" Minato said out loud in the middle of sentence as the girl worriedly asked him. 'Caroline! That's what I'm forgetting about. Caroline!'

"Arisato-san, What's wrong?" Haru asked him worriedly.

"Nothing. I just remembered something." Minato said standing up from his chair. "I need to go home early today, I have so-"

"Arisato-san, A word."

….

'Damn, I miss my exit.' Minato sat back down on his chair. And turned towards to the voice to see Makoto Niijima looking at him with some kind of smug grin.

"Yes?"

"I just got back from the faculty room.", '…Uh Oh.', "And I had an interesting conversation with Mr. Ushimaru.", 'Uh Oh.'

"He said that he found you outside the school."

"Huh? Outside the school?" Haru said in shock.

"Is that true, Arisato-san?" Makoto asked back with a smug face.

"…Yes."

"Interesting." Makoto said in a mocking tone. "Huh, I definitely remember you saying to Ms. Usami that you were in the toilet?"

"…Yes." Minato said looking at the wall that suddenly became so interesting.

"So I take it that was a lie?"

"…Yes."

"So, you confess that you were outside the school."

"*Gulp* …Yes."

"Is 'Yes' the only thing you can say in your defense?" Makoto said looking down on him.

'Sadly', "…Yes."

….

"You are coming with me to the faculty office."

"*Sighhh* Yesss." Minato said, dejectedly standing up from his chair.

"So Arisato-san, you don't have hemorrhoids!?"

"Huh!?" Minato snapped his head at Haru's direction so fast that the blur hasn't vanish yet. "What!?"

"*Sigh* , Okumura-san, you can't be that naive. That was clearly a lie." Makoto said like an older sister scolding her younger sibling. "Look at that face." Makoto suddenly pointed her finger at his face. "Please, personal space."

"Does that face look like he has hemorrhoids?"

"Huh?" At Makoto's point, Haru turned to look at his face. 'Wait a minute.', "Uh, Niijima-san?"

"Hm, Yes?"

"Uh, hemorrhoids are, forgive my wordings, what happened on the 'butt' right?" Minato said and to his surprise, Makoto didn't even look a bit uncomfortable. "So, Uh, what does that have to do do with my face?"

"*Blink* , *Blink* ,…Excuse me?"

"Y-yes! Niijima-san, What does that have to do with his face?" Haru said nodding as Makoto looked at her like she just betrayed and back stabbed her in every way possible. Then she turned back to him. Then to Haru. Then back to him. That continued for some time before she suddenly said.

"Th-that doesn't matter. What matter is he lied!" Makoto said pointing at him again, "Persona spa-", "He's the bad guy here."

"Bad g-", "Buh, buh, buh. No more talking. You're coming with me. That's final." Makoto said pulling him from his collar.

"Ah, wait. I can wal-", *Slides!* , *Bang!*

Haru looked at the door, still not sure what happened.

"Ah, h-hey?"

"Huh?" Haru turned towards the voice to see a blonde haired boy. 'A second year?', "Yes, Can I help you?"

"Uhh, I didn't know the right time to enter so, uh, Anyway, can you tell Arisato to come to the roof after, uh, Well, when he's back?"

"Uh, sure. But, isn't the roof closed off for students?"

"Uhhh, Nonono, we're are gonna just met up on the entrance. Yep, just the entrance."

"Umm, Okay then. I'll be sure to tell him." Haru said back with a polite smile.

"Thank you." The boy bowed politely before walking out. "The hell was that?"

'Yeah, he's right. The hell was that?'

x-x

After some time…

"Excuse meee." Akira said opening the door.

"Yo." Ryuji said, sitting on one of the chairs. "You're really early. I just got here." Ryuji sad drinking from the juice can on his hand.

"Is that so?" Akira said back closing the door behind him. "Where's senpai?"

"Yeah, um." Ryuji said uncomfortably. "He's probably in the dean office. Probably getting chewed out by Miss prez."

"Miss Prez?"

"You're new, so you wouldn't know. Uhhh, well, let's just say it would be lucky if he's still in one piece after that."

"Huh?" Akira didn't talk back for a time. "I'm sorry. What is wrong with this school?"

"Yep, 'What is wrong with this school?', we gonna get to that question later. But, first," Ryuji sat up straight and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"Y-yeah?"

"I just heard that Arisato was already at the school when…When that thing happened."

"That thing?"

"I mean, you remembered it, right? The castle?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Yeah. So, he's already at the school and he went out and ended up in that place. But he said to us that he ended up on his walk to school."

'Yeah, he did say that.', "Maybe It's just a white lie. He probably didn't want us to know he was cutting class."

"Yeah, No." Ryuji said shaking his head. "I heard rumors about him, he's some kind of a, uh, serious student. Even the teachers don't believe he was cutting classes."

"So, what do you think?"

Ryuji looked down on the floor. "It's like he knew exactly what's gonna happen to us. I can't be the only one who thinks he's weird."

"Maybe it was just a coincidence." Akira said thinking to himself. "Maybe he must have some reason to get out of the school."

"Maybe." Ryuji said, rubbing his head. "But, that doesn't make him any less suspicious."

"That's true." Akira said honestly. "But, he did save us. If not for him, we would've been killed in that cell."

"Uhhhhh, that's also true." Ryuji said back with a sigh. "Damn it, I don't know what to think anymore."

"Ahahaha."

"Oh, and I owe you an apology too.", "Hm?", Ryuji said getting up from the chair.

"I'm sorry!" Then he suddenly said bowing a little more than necessary.

"Huh?"

"I said, well you know what i said, and then you ended up being the one who has to save me. So, I'm sorry!"

'I-it's okay. Sakamoto-san, it was my fault at that time." Akira said moving towards Ryuji. "Please don't do things like that. You almost nearly give me heart attack."

"How anxious are yo-", *Creak* , Both of them looked at the door to see the blue haired boy with dead eyes. *Creak*

Neither of them say anything for some time. The three of them just looked at each other in silence.

"Ahh, He-hello, senpai."

"D-dude, you alrig-", "Yeah, I am. Don't ask." Minato said walking over towards them. "Oh, by the way, thank you. I heard you were watching silently while I was being burned alive like a heathen."

"Wh-what do you expect me to do? I am also scared of her." Ryuji whined back.

"*Sigh* , Anyway, why did you call me here?" Minato looked at both of them. "If Kurusu is also here, I guess it has to do with our little adventure this morning."

"So you remember it too." Ryuji said with a tired voice, walking back to his chair. "I was kinda hoping it was a dream, but if all three of us remember, I suppose it's not."

"…Well, what about it?" Minato asked leaning on a desk.

"That's it? That's all you have to say on freaky monsters and freaky castle. 'What about it?'."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Uhh, like uhh, 'Oh my god, what the f*ck is that!?', Uhh, something similar to that?" Ryuji said with a face that couldn't believe he's having this conversation.

"Oh, I can't curse."

"Hm?" Akira said with an raised eyebrow. "Curses? Like voodoo?" Ryuji looked up him in surprise.

"I mean curse words. It's against the law for me to curse. And Sakamoto, just a heads up."

"Huh?"

"Don't say such rude things in front of me. Or you will be struck by lightning." Minato said with a straight face.

"For real?"

"Or the ground will break underneath you, I'm not sure." Minato said averting his eyes.

Akira and Ryuji stared at each other.

"Dude, Are you a chuunibyou?" Ryuji said with wide eyes. "Oh my god! You're a chuunibyou! You even covered your right eye!"

"I-it's true. Don't tell me, Arisato-san, your right eye is sealed by a dr-Pweffff, Hahahhaha." Akira couldn't keep a straight face and laugh out loud, to which Ryuji also joined in.

"A Chunni third year, Hahhaha, Suzui gonna love this. Oh, my ribs. Ahahaha."

To all of those, Minato just watched them silently. "Wait, what's a chunnibyou?"

"Aha, ahahaa,…What?", "Huh?"

"Uh, ahem, Okay. Enough joking around." Ryuji collected himself with a cough. "Um, how do I ask you guys this?" Ryuji thought to himself for a moment. "Okay, Transfer-student, you know that rumors about you, are already all over the school?"

"Uh, yeah." Akira said with a sad tone. Minato didn't say anything and just stared at the floor.…Not out of concern but because he's not sure what they're talking.

"I bet it was Kamoshida who leaked all that stuff."

"Huh? Kamoshida?"

"Yeah, I think he's already marked you. The same thing happened to me too." Ryuji said, remembering something.

"But, I didn't do anything. This was the first time I met him."

"Well, dickheads like him doesn't need any reason to screw other people." , "Language.", "Oh, Shut up."

"*Sigh* , So what about him?" Minato asked back.

"That's not the only bad thing about him." Ryuji said leaning on his chair. "Both of you are transfer student so, you guys might not know it but there are many rumors about him. And all of them are not good. One worse than others." Ryuji said clutching his fist.

"What kinds of rumors?" Akira asked as he eats the bread in his hand.

"Uh, there's so many but, the worst ones have to be physical assault, blackmailing and even sexual harassment."

"Huh!? And No one do anything?"

"Well, first of all, they are all rumors but No one bothers to investigate because he's some kind medalist that takes the volleyball team to nationals and He always acts friendly like some kind of ideal teacher."

"But why didn't any of the victims speak up?" Akira asked back.

"You think they didn't try? Heh." Ryuji lets out a soft laugh. "Anyone who defies Kamoshida suddenly got expelled or got into an accident and worst of all no one even try believing them a little." Ryuji said looking up the sky.

"So, what do you want to do?" Minato asked in his monotone voice.

"Arisato, You said that castle is something, something, his heart, right?"

"…Huh?"

"I was thinking if that is his heart, Maybe we can learn something there, maybe we can even get some evidence!"

"Y-you want to go back there?" Akira asked in shaking voice.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you two when this doesn't even matter to you but you saw me, I can't really do anything there. So, I need you two." Ryuji said bowing to them again. "Please, can you guys help me out?"

"Uhh.", 'What should I do?' It's true this is not his problem and he is on probation but…

Stop hiding, Trickster.

'Yeah, I'm done running away.', "Sakamoto-san, I will help you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you said it yourself. He's already screwed me over, so this became my problem."

"Hah, Thanks, Man." Ryuji said with a bright smile. "What about you, Arisato?"

"Meh, Why not? I'm mostly free after all."

"Free? We're not going on a camping trip you know."

"So, I think going back there, I think this weird thing is the key." Akira said taking out his phone.

"Wait, you're going now?" Minato asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah, why not? I mean I'm also fr-Uhhh." Akira got dizzy for a second and fell towards the floor but Minato caught him in time.

"Woi, Kurusu!"

"No, you just awake-I mean, you're already tired from the morning. We are not going now." Minato said as he helped him stand up.

"Yeah, I also didn't mean to go right now." Ryuji said smiling apologetically.

"S-sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Let's just meet up tomorrow, Okay?" Ryuji said back.

"Yeah, Uh, yes."

"Eat something when you get home, and try to get some sleep. Don't stay up too late."

"Y-yes, senpai."

"Dude, what are you, his mothe-", "Don't go there, I'm not into Karma.", "What?"

"Ahahaha," Akira let out a soft laugh watching his two new friends. 'Wait, I got friends. HuH! I really got frien-', *Crack*

I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Fool Persona, Thou have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Suddenly time seemed to stop on his surrounding as a shining card went into him.

Then suddenly time flowed once more.

"Huh? Huh?" Akira suddenly looked around. 'What is that!?' Although he looked around furiously, he failed to notice his senpai looking at him with a kind smile.

"H-hey, did you guy see tha-", "Ah…" Akira stopped talking as Minato suddenly shouted.

"Huh!?", "Dude, what's wrong?"

"I just remembered something."

"Huh?" Akira and Ryuji looked at each other dumbfounded.

"*Chuckle*…I'm in danger."

-x-x-

Sorry if the pacing is a little slow.