Chapter 4: Run, Run, Run!

Ryuko appeared to be on a black void fully naked. She looked around to know where Senketsu was. She then found her Kamui all alone.

"Senketsu!" Before the angsty girl could move, she got caught by shadowy figures not only of all the Honnouji students, but also a shadowy silhouette from herself.

"Don't you see it? That Kamui is nothing more than a parasite in your life. Let it die and you'll be truly free…" The shadowy figure of Ryuko told her.

Another figure presumably her father's killer approached slowly approached the poor Kamui.

"No! D-don't get any closer please, I'm begging you! For god's sake STOOOOOOOOP!" Senketsu cried out as the killer raised the other part of the scissor blade to cut the sentient uniform into nothingness.

"SENKETSU!" Ryuko woke up from her futon after dreaming of a nightmare.

Meanwhile outside the Mankanshou's residence

"HELP ME!" The black Kamui cried out while Akira was washing him on a wooden bathtub.

"Come on Senketsu! That last battle left you dirty as crap! Even Morgana likes to take warm baths and he's a cat for crying out loud!" Ren tried to convince the Kamui to take a shower. He still wonders why Isshin didn't gave Senketsu education about personal Hygiene.

"But this is torture! You're murdering me! Ryuko help me!" Senketsu still struggle to take a bath.

Then Akira got an idea. "And besides, you don't want to smell like cat urine since I saw Morgana take a piss on you when you weren't looking. It would be a shame if Ryuko ends up being the Academy's laughingstock just because you weren't brave enough to clean yourself from that nasty odor." Joker let out his cocky self to persuade the Kamui.

"Then if it means to protect Ryuko from embarrassment I shall do it!" Senketsu finally decides to get himself washed up.

"Hey Ren, I see that you're still worried about something since yesterday. Like if you saw a ghost." Suyuko told the Phantom Thief.

And yes, ever since he met that girl with the parasol, his mind couldn't calm down. He knows that she's a monster on sheep clothing. No people could act all innocent to the point of being sickening and besides, he has already dealt with psychos when angered like his Death Persona Alice and his member Haru Okumara a.k.a. Noir. He still doesn't know what he wants, it could be linked to his casual clothing he has on his bag since she showed a lot of interest in it. But he must keep an eye on her. Not to mention the abundance of Shadows roaming Honno city and being a danger to its inhabitants.

Akira decided to tell everything to Mrs. Makanshoku about the creepy girl on the market he met yesterday.

"I see then. Don't worry, with me at your side, that creepy girl you told me about will get what she deserves if she decides to stalk you again. Besides, I can't lose the only man who's willing to help me with the house chores so I can have more time to spend with Mako and the rest of the family. For that I must say thank you Ren." Suyuko thanked the wild card for his labor at the house.

Akira could feel that his bond with Suyuko is becoming stronger…

I am thou, thou art i…

Thou have acquired a new vow

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh the clothing of captivity

With the rebirth of the Priestess Persona

Thou have retrieved a power dormant within the soul…

That shall lead to salvation and new power…

And with that, the Priestess card appeared in front of Joker reawakening Kikuri-Hime from her slumber inside his soul.

But his tranquility was then interrupted by the sound of a military siren. With Mako and Ryuko on her jammies saw in shock Senketsu being tortured by water and soap.

"Hello there Mako, I have your lunch all packed up and waiting in the kitchen." Mako's mom told her daughter while taking care of the rest of the laundry.

"Mako? Why so early? A bargain sale on the market? But serious talk, It's most likely connected to the academy." Akira guessed the girl's actions.

"S-SENKETSU! Please Fuzzy hair, I need my uniform and you also need to put your pronto!" Ryuko begged to Joker to hand him her uniform.

"Sorry Ryuko, but you won't go to school with a wet uniform. And besides if SOMEONE decided to cooperate earlier, it could be ready right up!" Akira responded the girl with dash of red while squeezing Senketsu from all the water he absorbed.

Ryuko was growing desperate. "Look, you don't get it! I-I need my uniform now!"

"Well as the only few people helping with the chores of this house, it's my full responsibility to make sure your uniform is clean and tidy!" Akira exclaimed, then the siren activated again.

"Oh, that's right! I forgot you can go like that Ryuko! Except you Ren! Quick, I have your uniform ready and your duffle bag!" Mako rushed against Akira creating a cartoonish cloud making Ren finally wear his no-star uniform while putting his pajamas on his duffle bag.

"W-wait Mako! I-I haven't finish up the laundry!" Akira exclaimed out.

"Don't worry Ren, I'll take it from here." Suyuko told Akira while laying the Kamui on an ironing board and starting to iron him making him scream in pain.

"Wait Senketsu!" Ryuko wanted her Kamui back.

"Senketsu? No way, you named your uniform? Then this is urgent! We need to find you friends!" Mako told Ryuko while dragging both her and Akira.

"But everyone wants to kill me!" Ryuko pointed out.

"don't worry, we'll take care of your uniform." Mataro informed the girl while the trio went to school.

"Wait Ryuko! I changed my mind! You're one of the few people who can hear me! These assasins don't know what they're doAAAAAAAHH!" The Kamui yelled in pain while Mako's mom continued to iron him.

"Hang in there Senketsu!" Ryuko shouted out seeing her uniform being tortured by Monday laundry.

"Alright! Jeronimo!" Mako shouted out while the 3 dived into the literal sea of students with even a splash sound effect.

The 3 were about to drown on the sea of students, until Joker had an idea. "Forgive me Ryuko." Joker apologized to her friend while taking her guitar case to use as a raft. "Come with me if you want to live!" Joker then offered his hand to the girls as both grabbed it and they got on the guitar case.

"Heh, good reference." Ryuko told the wild card about his Terminator reference. "By the way Mako, what's with everyone? They're acting like a bunch of lemmings."

"Today's the day where the No-stars of Honnouji Academy risk their lives to get to school. It's a day of reckoning, it's a day of death It's No-Tardies Day!" Mako exclaimed out. "But that's odd, I thought No-Tardies Day was supposed to start next weekend." Mako pointed out really confused.

With the information Mako spilled out he could assure that this is a plan that Satsuki mad for him after her defeat by his hands yesterday. Whatever her intentions are, he know its bad news for them.

Meanwhile with Senketsu, he seems to now enjoy the iron. "Ohhh… That feels nice… the wrinkles are melting away… ohohohoho…" Senketsu said while having a Life Fiber orgasm.


"Wait, No-Tardies day? What the hell is that?" The girl asked her friend before a platform burst out form a bunch of houses carrying members of the disciplinary committee and a Ira Gamagori laughing maniacally.

"No! My house!" One of the No-Stars Cried in tears.

"Do I detect some confusion Ryuko Matoi?" Gamagori questioned the Kamui wielder.

"Bite me! You elite jerk!" Ryuko contested back.

"My title is the chair of the disciplinary committee, and my name is Ira Gamagori!" The member of the Elite 4 corrected Ryuko. "Pay attention you delinquents, you're participating in No-Tardies day. Once every semester, you're required to run an obstacle course designated by the disciplinary committee."

"By the way I have a question." Akira wanted to make sure of a certain thing.

Gamagori just looked at the trickster waiting for an answer.

"By any mean, did they rush the day because of me?" Akira asked the chair.

Gamagori wanted to hit the thief on the head and say it's not of his business, but Satsuki has him alongside the rest of the Elite 4 absolutely restricted on engaging him on combat. "That's Honnouji's information you can't hear." He told him confirming that it was the wild card's victory of why the event took place early.

"As I resume, it begins at 4 A.M. when the siren goes on the slums. No-star students must then have to avoid the disciplinary committee's traps on their way to school. The objective is to reach the academy by the time the first bell tolls, AT 8:30 A.M.! but, if you happened to be late, then you'll be excpe-WHAT THE HELL!? THAT'S NOT A REGULATION UNIFORM!" Gamagori cried out seeing Ryuko one her Pajamas.

"B-but my Kamui is still on the laundry! It's getting delivered!" Ryuko responded embarrassed while covering up.

"Ha! Spare the evidence is clear, you left for school in a snobbishly outfit." Gamagori started to scold the girl. "You're a disgrace to the academy and Lady Satsuki!"

"It is so not!" Mako reclaimed when she mysteriously appeared beside Gamagori on the platform without anyone noticing her. "She was asleep a minute ago, its normal to wear pajamas when they sleep isn't it? And you know it!" Mako scolded the Elite 4 member starting an argument about wearing pajamas revealing that Gamagori sleeps naked.

"By the way, how did Mako managed to get up there without anyone noting it?" Akira asked.

"That's Mako Makanshoku for you." One of the No-Stars told the thief.

"No-Star, what's your name?" The burly man asked.

"My name is Mako Makanshoku! My jammies have Mt. Fuji, two hawks and 3 eggplants on them!" Makanshoku said with pride.

"Makanshoku, I'll remember that…" The chair of the disciplinary committee told her. "MATOI! I've decided to overlook your choice in wardrove for now, but I'm curious on how you do think to reach the school without your precious Kamui!" When Gamagori pressed a button from his hand, the entire island from the slums to the 2-star districts morphed into a deadly obstacle course. "BEHOLD! The disciplinary committee's impregnable barrier!"

"Oh my gosh!" Mako gasped putting both hands into both cheeks in amusement. "It's like the whole city has turned into an amusement park! AAAHH! We've only got 3 hours until first period!" Mako cried showing her wacky watch.

Most students were scared about the course to the point of shitting their pants, but Akira? It wasn't scared a bit.

"Hmm? I see that my course hasn't made your underwear smell like crap Kurusu." Gamagori saw the trickster not trembling in fear.

"Nah… Compared to everything I faced; this is nothing but a children's playground." Joker responded while smirking.

"Grrr! You cocky delinquent… But the question is if you will pass my playground in one piece. Students! Your commute begins, NOW!" As soon as Ira gave the go ahead, the hundreds of students ran uphill to reach Honnouji, but then the stairs of the hill became a slide making the No-Stars fall back to the bottom of the hill excepting Ryuko who stabbed her sword into the hill and Mako who was holding Ryuko's hand.

Surprisingly, Akira hasn't moved ever since the commute began.

"Hey Fuzzy Hair! Enjoying the breeze down there? How about you get your ass here and start already this hell-zone of a trail!" Ryuko tried to persuade her friend to begin.

But then he began to chuckle. "A hell-zone? Maybe for you. For me? Heh… It's nothing but a Monday walk at the park!" He exclaimed before climbing the top of the hill by jumping from spike after spike that were beside the road as just decorations in less than 10 seconds. "Come on girls! We have a class to attend!"

Akira then helped his friends into getting into the top of the hill.

"Oh look! A checkpoint!" Mako said with optimism before pressing the big red button of the checkpoint saying that there are 998 traps left to overcome.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Congratulations on reaching the first checkpoint. I forgot to mention, the use of the No-Star Cable-car is prohibited. Obey the rules and stick to the pre-scribed rout. See you on the Academy! Maybe." Gamagori taunted the trio while reaching the academy while reaching Honnouji on the comfort of the 2-star Skyride.

"999 more traps to go? That's more than usual!" Mako cried pointing out the obvious.

Joker thought it a bit. Could it be that they made more traps to analyze him? "No time for tears unless they mean something! We have still 3 hours until the bell tolls so let's go girl! Umm… where's Ryuko?" Akira didn't saw her friend, but sometime later he found that she bumped with a suppose injured girl who wore glasses with a banged right arm. "OW! My arm!" Cried the girl.

"Hey look! It's our classmate Maiko Ogure." Mako pointed at the injured girl casually.

"Maiko? Nope, never heard of her." Akira told Mako about Maiko.

"Well, most of the class doesn't really know her since she sits right at the end of the classroom Ren. She was spectating our execution back when Fukuroda captured us and she was sent flying from your battle against Lady Satsuki. Because Mako Makanshoku never forgets the name of her classmates!" Mako clarified her friend about the confusion.

"Are you okay? Can you get up? Can you move?" Ryuko tried to check if Maiko wasn't anymore injured.

"Ugh… Well if it isn't Mankanshoku, Ryuko the new guy and the one who defeated Lady Satsuki… I-I got my arm caught in a horrible trap. It hurts but I'll live, it will take a lot more than this to stop me." Said Maiko while trying to get up but stumbled back down.

"Wait! Don't try to move or your arm will get worse." Akira told the injured teenage girl.

"Hey! How about we bring her with us?" Mako proposed the team about helping their classmate.

"No, leave me! I'd only slow you down, and more with all those scary monsters roaming the city." Maiko denied their help. But the word monsters intrigued the trickster, so there are shadows roaming Honno City haunting and threatening its inhabitants.

"Well, sucks to be you." Ryuko just ignored Maiko, but in response she started to squirm in pain while yelling ow my arm!

"Akira, we can't let her alone. With shadows on the course, the students could lose their lives if they found one." Morgana advised Joker while popping out of the duffle bag.

"Fine… You can come with us. But I need you all to stick if me and advise me if you see a shadow nearby." Akira ordered the girls.

"A shadow?" Mako wanted to know what Ren was talking about.

"I will tell you once this is over." He responded.

"Thank you, Kurusu." Maiko thanked Akira while he was carrying her by his shoulder.

"Thank me later Ogure-chan. Less talk and more action." The trickster responded.

"Friends look! You see what I see? That's the second checkpoint!" Mako pointed at the road making a loop like a roller coaster with students falling and hanging from the spikes. "How the hell are we supposed to get up there?"

This could be a bit hard for even Joker, if he didn't have his grappling hook of course! He looked that Gamagri's skyride Wagon was still up there slowly reaching Honnouji. "Girls hold on to me! We're about to take a ride to the sky!" Joker ordered the girls making them hold his body while he shoots his grappling hook to the wagon.

"What the hell? A grappling hook? Next are you going to tell me that he brings guns to the school!?" Gamagori gasped at the wild card's trick.

"Here we GO!" Akira along with the girls were launched while Joker looked like spiderman passing over the trap.

"I can see my house over here!" Mako shouted in happiness.

"STICK TO THE DESIGNATED ROAD!" Gamagori then pulled a pair of super-sharp scissors to cut the rope of the grappling hook making the team fall back to the obstacle course with a big POW!

The first one getting up was Ren. "Mediarama." Joker summoned Kukuri-Hime to heal the party from the impact making the girl wake up.

"THAT WAS AWESOME! LET'S DO IT AGAIN!" Mako squeal admiring what Ren did.

"Okay, that was pretty badass." Ryuko commented while getting up.

"What can I say? I'm like a human swiss knife." Akira joked about the comment.

"By Lady Satsuki! We just bypassed 50 traps!" Maiko pointed out at a checkpoint.

"Ha! At this rate we will complete this trash course in under 50 seconds!" Ryuko embraced her cockiness. "Okay Fuzzy perv, lead the way!"

Joker just nodded. "It's Showtime!"

With the wildcard shouting his catchphrase, the team set off to clear the other traps. One of the traps involved sneaking their way from a group of robot cops created by Innumuta. It was easy for Joker, but for the rest…?

"STOP IN THE NAME OF LADY SATSUKI BANDIT!" One of the robotic officers shouted out after noticing the girls activating a siren attracting a good bunch of robots with maces on their hands. Thanks to Ryuko's skills with the scissor blade, she easily dispatched a good amount, but they were so many that it was their doom. That's until Akira saved their asses thanks to Beelzebub's Megidolah taking care of all the robot cops.

Other trial involved jumping from pole to pole avoiding falling over a pool full of crocodiles. When Maiko bumped with Ryuko, she made her fall to the pool with crocodiles ready to eat her bones. But again to no one's surprised she was rescued by Ren and lifted to the top thanks to his grappling Hook.

Another trap involved a tight wood plank over a giant pot full of lava oversized skulls. For their demise, the plank broke and when they almost fell into their molten doom, Akira summons Jack Frost to cast Bufudyne to cool the magma creating a rocky field around them saving their lives.

On the road, Mako found something interesting. "Look! Swiss cheese!" Mako pointed out at a trail of cheese. "Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese!" Mako picked and ate the pieces of cheese scattered on the ground leading her under a basket held up by a stick.

"Mako, Look out!" Ryuko pushed out Mako out of the way, leaving her under the basked who was coming down to her with a pie written with her name, literally. "AH! A PIE! IT'S A PIE!" Luckily for her, Akira grabbed the basked before it splatted on Matoi's entire face.

"Care for a slice of pie?" Joker offered Ryuko a piece of the pie.

"Yu Shbuld Twry Wit Wryhuko. Thwis Wryhuko Pwie Twbastes Swbo Gwboob!" Mako told Ryuko with her mouth full of delicious pie.

The band was almost at the end of the slums part and off to the 1-star apartments part, but a giant boulder fell over the road on its way to flatten the team.

"A rolling boulder? Ha! How cliché!" Akira destroyed the giant ball with Arsene's Makrarkarm making it explode into a million pieces.

"JESUS! You're like a Joker card for the entire course!" Maiko praised the phantom thief making him grin.

The group finally arrived at the last checkpoint of the slum's parts safe and sound.

"Hey, what time is it?" Ryuko asked Maiko.

"It's 5 A.M. Didn't knew that we would reach this part so early. We still have a lot of time to spare." Maiko responded.

"WOOOHOOO! You're the best Ren! You're like a Super Mario 64 Speedrunner in real life but cooler!" Mako hugged the thief. While he returned the hug, he noticed a good chunk of No-Stars were having what it looks like a class taking place with the entire of students have a face showing they're sunk in the deepest of despairs.

"Hey, I didn't know Honnouji gives classes outside the school." Ren pointed at the students.

"No, those are pseudo-homeroom. It's where all the kids who gave up trying to make it to school gather." Maiko corrected Kurusu. "They can't face the reality, they will be kicked out of from school and their homes, so they sit up like zombies and take roll call."

"Those poor bastards…" Ryuko muttered.

Joker wanted to do something to help those No-stars, but it could take him a lot of time to catch up.

"Akira, you aren't the only one who feels bad for those kids. I know you want to help them to reach school, but those traps are on another level of dangerous. I hate to say this, but we need to let this pass and concentrate in reaching our goal." Morgana told Joker while still lamenting over the students.

Maybe Morgana was right. He needs to take this a pass. But not this day, since he noticed 5 shadows coming to attack the homeroom. A Power, King Frost, Narcissus, and a Mara (You know, the penis persona).

"Girls, I'll be right back. Whatever you do, don't move where you are!" Akira told the girls before jumping off where the pseudo-homeroom was.


"Alright class… Today we're going to learn about the relativity of the matter… or something…" The No-Star teacher told the homeroom.

Before the teacher could start the lecture, the shadows appeared in front of their eyes ready to attack the students making all the No-Stars to scream and panic.

"Lecture this!" Joker appeared in front of everyone ready to slay the shadow.

The monsters took notice and charged toward the teenager, but Joker jumped over the King Frost and incinerated him with Decarabia's Agidyne decimating him.

"Time to die from my handsomeness!" Narcissus shouted out to the thief casting Magurula, but the thief dodged the tornado in time, and he kicked a tube to the shadow stabbing the metallic object on its head to later throw another Agidyne to the shadow killing it.

But Power and Mara teamed-up to take out the Trickster. Mara made a whiplash with his tentacles hitting Joker while Power casts Masukukaja to boost both shadows.

"Ngh… I let my guard down…" Akira muttered while healing himself with Kikuri-Hime.

The archangel was charging toward the wild card with his spear on hand, but he managed do dodge it and deal some damage by slicing him.

"Joker! Remember that Power is weak to Guns!" Morgana reminded his friend while handing him his gun.

Joker also casted Masakukaja to equal Power in speed. Both started to share punches for a long period of time, until he finally manages to land a barrage of bullets on Power destroying the shadow for good.

Mara was charging toward the trickster hitting him hard and sending him flying to a nearby house. "Mwahahahahaha! I'll fuck you un until you're nothing more than a wet mess!" The shadow on the chariot shouted while casting Maeigaon to the thief.

"This will be a bit harder. But i faced worse!" Akira stated while dodging the curse attack and switching persona to Beezlebub and casting Demonic Decree to have the shadow's health.

Mara grabbed a piece of metal with one of his tentacles and bashed the thief repeatedly almost to a pulp. There was only one way to deal with the shadow before it kills him, but it was a big gamble. But Joker loves good gambles!

"Here goes nothing… Mamu- I tricked you! EVIL SMILE!" Joker tricked the shadow and then Beezlebub casted Evil Smile giving Mara a gigantic sense of fear.

"N-No! P-p-please no! D-don't kill me!" Mara begged for mercy.

"I don't know… let's see what lady luck has to say…" Akira threatened the shadow while both Tossing a coin up to the air and Beelzebub casting Mamudoon. Unfortunately for the Mara, the Mamudoon instantly killed him right before the coin returned to Joker's hand revealing a cross. "You lost."

"Dude… what the hell…?" One of the No-Stars came out from hiding along with the other students of the pseudo-homeroom witnessing the bloodshed. "Well, guess it time to continue the class…" The no-stars then regrouped to form the Homeroom.

"Wait, are you easily going to drop the towel?" Joker asked everyone.

"What's the point…? If we can't made it through those traps, better call it quits…" One of the No-Stars told him.

"There's still a lot of time to spare! And if you stay here, those monsters will get you and probably kill you all!" Joker warned everyone.

"Does it matter? After that Ryuko tore down my tennis club, I don't think I have a purpose on living? I'd rather die than continuing being a stupid No-Star…" One of the No-star muttered. Akira checked out who said that and for his surprise it was…

"Omiko Hakodate?" Joker gasped at seeing the ex-tennis president wearing the No-Star uniform. Surprisingly, she still had her multipurpose lenses on her right eye.

"Oh, look at that! The new guy just came here to show off his stupid stands rip offs… Just let me rot In peace…" The tennis player told him. In fact, all the No-Stars on the room were in the deepest despair they have ever experienced.

Joker really wanted to motivate them, but they were such in a doomed state it would be hard.

"Hey Akira, why don't you give them a motivational speech?" Morgana proposed to Joker.

It could be awkward and cheesy, but he needs to try. He jumped where the entire Homeroom could see him. "Are you really going to all drop the towel that easily? Come on! Your part of Honnouji Academy the most prestigious school in the world, and you're going to raise the white flag?"

"Yeah, so what gives? No-Stars are treated like garbage because we're just that! Look at me! One of the 6 emperors has now bitten the dust all thanks to that stupid Ryuko Matoi and her oversize scissors! My entire life has been destroyed and there's nothing I can do about it! I don't deserve this!" Omiko was about to burst into tears after remembering her humiliation and becoming the school laughingstock and maybe later take her own life. Akira approached the girl with pointy teeth and bend over to wipe her tears.

"To the contrary, you deserve your punishment. Don't deny that you treated your classmates like objects, and you punished the weak for your own amusement. But you can change from the start and become a better person, starting from clearing the No-Tardies day right here and now." Akira told her.

"Why should I try? This course is impossible without a Goku Uniform…" Omiko responded.

"And look at me! I am a No-Star and I defeated Satsuki Kiryuin herself yesterday without using one! Yes, I may have Persona, but they become stronger with the power of the bonds I make. We may not be psychically strong, but if we work together, we can show all of those above our ranks that we will not go down so easily and tell them that we had enough of their abuses!" Akira shouted with so much passion.

That speech light up something inside the No-Stars… The flame of rebellion! Akira could tell it by the student's flames on their eyes

"YEAH! I HAD ENOUGH THAT THE BAKERY CLUB ALWAYS USES ME AS A PIE SPLAT TARGET!" One of the No-Stars confessed from the deepest parts of his soul.

"THAT'S RIGHT! I'LL NEVER GET MISELF GET PICKED BY THE KABUKI CLUB EVER AGAIN!" A female student shouted out.

"HEAR ME OUT RYUKO MATOI! I SHALL RETRIEVE MY RANK OF HONNOUJI EMPEROR AND THEN TAKE REVENGE UPON YOU! YOU GOT THAT!?" Omiko cried out with full motivation.


*Back with the girls*

"Geez… how much time did Fuzzy Hair left us?" Ryuko Asked while lying on the floor.

Mako was watching if Joker could return. What she saw was something magnificent; A stampede full of motivated No-Stars being led by the wild card. "Sorry for the delay girls!"

"Holy Shit! You brought the entire homeschool under 2 minutes!?" Maiko gasped at Akira's feat.

"Less talk and more action!" Akira ordered the girls while the entire No-Star squad ran to the One-Star apartments. The entire path looks clear and safe, but Joker knew that the disciplinary committee would want the students to think that. "Mako, pass me a croquette." Akira asked Mako.

"There you go Ren." Mako gladly passed the thief a delicious croquette. He then proceeds to throw it to the ground activating a chain set of mines.

"Great… a mine field." Ryuko sighted out. "Hey Fuzzy hair, any ideas?"

"I'll be honest with you Ryuko, even if I could pass the mine field with ease, I still don't know how to secure a path for all of you" Akira responded since he had no idea how to get pass through the mine field. Suddenly, they saw a School bus getting pass through the explosive mines without a scratch.

"Hey, it's a school bus!" Ryuko pointed out the obvious seeing how the vehicle could manage to survive the lethal traps.

"It can take it, it's armor plated. That's one-star privilege for you. GRRRR! IF I ONLY HAD MY TWO-STAR STATUS I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SUFFER THIS HELL!" Omiko started to get frustrated about how the One-Stars are having it easy.

"Wait, I recognize that voice…" Ryuko turned around along with Mako to see the ex-tennis club president.

"OMIKO HAKODATE!?" Mako shrieked in panic after reuniting with her former boss.

"Ha! Sucks to be you right shark girl? Looks like your rank finally matches you, like garbage." Ryuko taunted the No-star while she just frowned.

"hey, Where's Akira?" Maiko asked the girls since he wasn't anywhere to be seen. He just disappeared like thin air.

Inside the school bus, all the One-Stars including the driver where laughing their asses off about the misfortunes of the No-Stars and how there are having one hell of a time with the No-Tardies day. But their fun was stopped by a sudden barrier of ice blocking their path.

"Oh shit… please don't be the one who you think it is…" One of the One-Stars gulped knowing who it could be. Joker then opened the door of the bus showing a sinister smirk on his face.

"Hello amigos, I'll take this bus if you don't mind." Akira told everyone on a friendly tone.

"AAAAH! IT'S THE STUDENT WHO DEFEATED LADY SATSUKI!" The One-Stars inside the bus cried in panic while fleeing the bus out of fear of the thief and stepped on the mines sending them away.

This gave the No-Stars full control of the vehicle as all of them got inside the bus. "Seatbelts everyone!" Akira ordered the No-stars and they did just that.

"Let me handle the wheel. I attend to the Driver's club!" Maiko told joker while taking the role of driver.

"Wait, don't you need a license to drive?" Ryuko asked Ogure.

"Well technically the Kiryuin conglomerate owns everything here In Honno city. Unless Lady Satsuki says otherwise, I don't need a license to drive." Maiko answered while pulling the Bus' level to start the motor. "I'll show them all what happens when they push a No-Star far enough!" Maiko exclaimed while pushing the pedal to max speed.

But their actions wouldn't go unnoticed. A woman breastfeeding her baby picked a walkie talkie. "I have a hijacked bus full of No-Stars picking the wheel, they're clearing mines with it, over."

"Copy that, you have permittion to eliminate them with extreme pregitice, over." One of the One-Stars gave the residents of the apartments full authority of killing the No-Stars. Men, women, children and the elderly brought up real firearms and started to shoot at will. But luckily, the bus could take it all.

"Grannies with RPGs coming from behind!" One of the No-Stars on the bus announced with a Homing missile shot by an elder woman hit the vehicle.

"If they want a civil way, then we shall give them one! Akira, get to the center!" Maiko ordered the teenager while he did just that. a platform with a what appears to be a manual turret and started to shoot the civilians.

"Are you sure they aren't hurt? Because if they aren't, I'll have no problem of not holding back all of my power." Akira asked Maiko.

"Well, technically that turret if full of real bullets. But the citizen of Honno are so used to this that they're fine." Maiko told the thief. But a barrage of bombs and missiles came for the bus.

"Tetrakarn" Joker summons Arsene to repel all the projectiles returning them to the hostile civilians.

"Haha! Alright!" The bus of no-stars cheered on Akira's victory.

"No time for party! We have a dead end in front of us!" Ryuko exclaimed shouting a halt sign.

"Then we have to go faster! Everyone, hold on to your underwear!" Maiko pushed a button under the wheel activating the Rocket Boosters of the Bus crushing the sign and then use as a ramp to propel the vehicle full of No-Stars up to the 2-Star districts. But a camera was filming everything.


Back at Honnouji, Gamagori was on the command center of the Academy alongside Innumuta. "Gamagori, how are the preparations for the last trap?" Satsuki while still covered in bandages and bruised asked the disciplinary committee's chair.

"Just as planned Lady Satsuki. Maiko Ogure has successfully infiltrated inside Ryuko's circle of friends. But what concerns me most is about your health and when are you going to recover." Gamagori was really worried about his master.

"I need more time, most likely 2 days. As for the rest of the students who were harmed in yesterday's battle. We have fortunately discovered that none of them are dead, but they still suffered major injuries. They are being treated at the Nurse and medicine Club's clinic." Satsuki informed her subordinates.

"That delinquent… Humiliating Lady Satsuki and breaking the rules of No-Tardies day… If I only was strong enough to punish him!" Gamagori grunted knowing that he was outclassed by a cocky teenager. "Innumuta, I demand how much information has been gathered of Akira Kurusu from the No-Tardies day!"

"It was a lot of data Gamagori, even I'm surprised. We have gathered a good amount of data about his speed, power and agility. But his Personas are still a mystery. My cameras have detected that he has recently acquired a Persona that looks like a woman." Innumuta showed the tall man an image of Kikuri-Hime.

"Sir, we received reports that Akira Kurusu and Ryuko Matoi have hijacked the One-Star bus." One of the One-Stars informed the chair.

"WHAT!? HOW!?"

"It was the One-Stars sir. They were so scared of his mere pretense they just ran away! Not only that, but somehow his charisma is so intense it motivated the No-Stars of the Pseudo-Homeroom to unite as one and easily clear all of our traps!" The One-Star responded.

It was worse that he could imagine. Not only was Akira starting to be feared by the One and Two-Stars, but he also has a charisma that could light up something inside the No-Stars that the Elite 4 and even Satsuki fear, Rebellion.

"By the way Milady, we have received reports of grotesque monsters attacking the residents of Honno City." Innumuta showed images of the shadows to the Kiryuin.

"Interesting…" She just smirked.


Back with the No-Stars, the bus was flying upward the 2-Star residents with most of them crying in panic excepting Akira and mostly Mako who was enjoying it while screaming WEEEEEEEE! The flying vehicle is finally reaching the Star-shaped of Honnouji Academy, but it was so tight it ended up destroying the Bus, scattering everyone on the floor.

"Huh…? W-we made it! We reached the school!" Omiko exclaimed in joy

"We Did it!" A No-Star Jumped in joy.

"And we only have 2 hours until first period!" A female No-Star cried in excitement.

Most of the No-Stars were celebrating on finally clearing No-Tardies day.

"Ren! You're, so, AWESOME!" Mako threw herself to congratulate the thief, but he wasn't happy because he knew something was off…

"Maiko, you worked so hard that we couldn't done it without ya." Ryuko praised the girl with the glasses.

"Oh no, it was mostly Akira who did all the dirty job. I only drove the bus here." Maiko was really flattered about the comment.

"YAY! WE'RE ALL FRIEND!" Mako gave Ren, Ryuko a Maiko a group hug of friendship. Mako then noticed what it appears to be Senketsu riding Guts. "Hey Ryuko, look! It's Guts and he's bringing your uniform. Hey Guts! Over here!"

"OW! MY ARM!" Maiko shrieked in apparent pain, but luckily was caughted by Omiko.

"Don't worry, we'll take you to the Nurse and medicine Club's clinic once we carry you to school." Omiko told the injured girl.

Guts stopped like a good little boy while Mako gave him a prize croquette.

"Hey Senketsu, why the tardiness?" Ryuko joked with her Kamui.

"URGH… Where do I start Ryuko? First when Mako's father tried to deliver me to you, he saw your panties and gave him a nosebleed making him pass out. Then her brother tried the same and guess what? He did the same thing leaving the dog to deliver me! It was a miracle that I learned to ride that ball of hair." Senketsu told his wearer about his misadventure.

"Well, now that you mention it… Maiko accidentally showed off my underwear whenever she in the verge of falling down, but I don't blame her. What is important is that you're finally here. Once we're on school, I'm going to wear you. How about that?" Ryuko told her uniform with his response was him nodding.

"Alright! Let's go to scho-" Mako was then stopped by Akira who grabbed her her uniform. "Ren? What are you doing?"

"Mako… you all been tricked…" Akira muttered on a really cold tone "This isn't the real Honnouji Academy…" Joker then proceed to throw a Croquette to the school revealing being all painted walls made by the Art Club revealing that they were all on a mobile platform planning to drop everyone to square one. "IT'S A FAKE!"

Most of the No-Stars looked in disbelief seeing that all their efforts resulted in naught.

"Aw crap! Come on! But… how did you know that this wasn't the real academy?" Ryuko couldn't believe how did he knew about the facade.

"Elementally my dear Watson, remember that the checkpoint on the minefields said it was trap number 998? Now you all wonder where is trap number 999? But of course, I need to consult someone who placed all these traps to know, and I know who. Don't you agree Maiko Ogure Head of the trap development for the disciplinary committee?" Akira smirked while holding a remote control who activated the switch of the platform who managed to steal from Maiko before she could even notice.

All the No-Stars gasped before looking at Ogure who looked desperate.

"Wha? Impossible! Maiko would never betray us Ren! After all she has an injured arm." Mako wanted to defend her "friend".

"Don't be a fool Mako. After all, how did she managed to drive a car while having an injured arm? That's an easy question." Akira told Morgana while Morgana snuck behind Ogure unwrapping her injured arm revealing a fully functional arm without injures. "SHE WASN'T INJURED IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"Maiko… You couldn't… No! It can't be!" Mako was about to burst into tears.

"So it's true! You're even more dangerous and clever that you apparent to be! But h-how did you knew!?" Maiko was about to have a mental freak-out.

"Let me tell you something, this isn't my first time dealing with traitors. My doubts began when we were about to leave you behind, until conveniently you started to moan in pain, but it was all clear when you drove the bus. If you only left someone else drive, I couldn't have exposed you and you could have sent us back to where we began the obstacle course. But of course, we just could have cleared the course all over again in less than 5 minutes." Akira taunted the mole inside the group. "But the question remains, why?"

Maiko then started to chuckle, and that said chuckle became a maniacal laughter. "It's just that I am bored of my low-class position. My entire life revolves around traps, traps are the reason what I live! But guess what, I always go undercover to make even more deadlier traps for Honnouji Academy, but to be undercover I have to retain my position as a shitty No-Star. I will never adquire a higher position as long as I work on the trap development team. But when I saw the battle between Ryuko and Lady Satsuki, I have discovered something that if I wanted to impress everyone and recognized by even Lady Satsuki, I need to wear a Kamui just as strong as hers. Maybe I could give it a better use than Ryuko! And once I do, I shall be promoted to 2-star! No, 3-star! Hold on, Become one of the Elite 4! Wait, I could even overthrow Lady Satsuki and become the new empress of Honno City!" Mako exposed all her plans to everyone.

"Neh… After I heard all that soup of convoluted plots coming from your mouth, I just stopped caring." Akira taunted Maiko.

"Tch… If there's something I hate is big fat liars." Ryuko grunted at the mole, but for her surprise she didn't saw Senketsu anywhere. "Hey, where's Senketsu?"

"You mean this?" Maiko was holding Senketsu while chuckling.

Hallelujah!

"Maiko! Give it back! That's Ryukos's uniform, not yours! She needs to have it, cuz when she puts on her uniform, she transforms, LIKE THIS! She acts all shy, but she really likes it! In fact, she loves when it happens!" Mako vomited one of her trademarks Hallelujahs.

"Oh that's right, her transformation sequence." Maiko thanked Makanshoku for reminding her about the transformation. "I'm gonna try it right now!"

"Akira tell everyone to go to school! I'll be fine!" Senketst ordered the thief who proceed to tell the No-Stars including even Ryuko who jumped off the platform and head to school before the first-class period.

"Remove, apply." Maiko took off the No-Star uniform and put on the Kamui.

"Just waning you though, I have defeated Satsuki yesterday. What makes you think that you can defeat me with an unawaken uniform?" Akira threatened Maiko while bringing out his dagger.

"That's easy. Because I'm not Satsuki Kiryuin! I'm the new leader of the world MAIKO OGURE! And also, this! So long Sucka, BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Maiko showed that she had a spare remote control who pushed making the platform run downhill while activating Senketsu. And the worst part, she has perfectly fully awakened the Kamui.

"LIFE FIBER OVERDRIVE! KAMUI SENKETSU!" Maiko showed up her new Kamui.

"Aw crap…You're telling me that the Extra is the first person to unlock your true powers!?" Akira questioned the uniform.

"I'm being truly worn by her! Since she's not feeling any shame by wearing me, she has awakened my full power! Please forgive me Akira!" The Kamui was about to apology about what Maiko's about to do.

"Ahahahahahaha! I don't care if I look like a stripper if it means to bare overwhelming power! Mmm… yes I can feel the power flowing all over me…" She moaned while rubbing herself. "Let's put that to the test!" Maiko proceed to give Akira an elbow resulting very effective.

"hehe, so you plan to take over the world with a Hoe's outfit? No mater. Come Decarabia!" Akira summoned the star persona ordering him to cast Maragion convering the girl in flames. But she wasn't defeated yet.

Both started to clash fists and blades, Joker would never think that from all the people, Maiko Ogure could be the first one who could unlock the full potential of Senketsu. But his distraction would give the girl time to give her an uppercut.

Akira was lying on the floor. "Eugh… I can't believe I'm being owned by an extra." Akira grunted while coughing.

"Look at that, I made something Lady Satsuki hasn't made even while wearing a Kamui. Defeating you!" Maiko laughed at the thief with full arrogance.

"Hehehehe… It's because I was pretending to be weak in comparison since I could just wipe your ass from existence with only using a move from Beelzebub. But you let your guard down letting one of my most powerful companions get you." Akira reminded about… "My cat."

With the signal on, Morgana pounce against Maiko Scratching her face and stomach, giving Akira enough time to stop the moving platform from going more downhill. "Bufudyne!" Akira casted the Ice Skill with the help of Jack Frost to stop the platform from going more downhill.

The scratches made by the cat knocked out Maiko so Senketsu could have the time to de-transform and run where Ren was.

"Bleh… her blood was absolutely filthy! Thanks for stopping her Akira." Senketsu thanked the thief right after puking all of Maiko's blood.

"Heh, no need to. Guess I'll have to give you a bath again, you talking piece of threads." Akira thanked.

"Now about the mole…" Morgana said, but the 3 could see the girl hanging from a pole.

"hehehehe… whatever, I still made you go back 800 traps. By that, you won't have enough time to reach school in time forcing the disciplinary committee to expel you! My work here is done" Maiko told Joker with malicious intents.

"Wait Maiko!" Akira tried to stop the girl from jumping, but it was too late.

"GOODBYE HONNOUJI ACADEMY!" Maiko jump, but revealed to have a parachute "Haha! Just Kidding!"

"Still, we have to reach the academy again. But how?" Senketsu asked himself.

Akira then remembered the 2-Star skyride Gamagori used. "I think I have a good idea… wanna ride Desntinyland's Skyride Extreme edition?"


Back with Maiko, she landed under the bridge of the Honno City's road and put again her No-Star clothing. "Dammit! If it wasn't for that meddling kid, I would have that Kamui all for myself… Oh well, I'll just play the role of the obedient subordinate and I'll have another chance." But before she could reach Honnouji, she was stopped by Ira Gamagori.

"I heard everything you said…" He told Maiko from her behind.

"GAMAGORI!" Maiko jumped of fear by just seeing the burly man.

"So you were planning on overthrowing Lady Satsuki and porously expel Akira Kurusu eh? You have more impossible ambitions than brain." Gamagori said while walking with his hand on his back.

"I-I swear I was just bluffing!" Maiko tried to convince him it was all just a fake and wished for a second chance.

"I KNOW A LIAR WHEN I SEE AND HEAR ONE! YOU'RE EXPELLED FROM HONNOUJI ACADEMY AND BANISHED FROM HONNO CITY! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Gamagori roared against Maiko. But she just laughed.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Whatever! I didn't even like to go to that blasted school! But remember this word, I'll be back with the sole purpose on crushing Lady Satsuki's ambitions and thus, everyone shall know my name!" Maiko swore to Gamagori before throwing a smoke bomb blinding the chair of the disciplinary committee. When the smoke cleared, the only thing that Gamagori saw was Maiko's clothes on the ground, but he couldn't locate her.

"Hphm… No-Stars…" Gamagori sighted. But then he was bombarded by reports of not only Akira fully taking over the 2-star skyride, but also that a human intruder has entered Honno.

Back with Maiko, she was running away from Satsuki's city with only her underwear. But she was "Damn you all! I-I swear I will have my revenge! If they only would promote me to a 2-Star, maybe I wouldn't even thought of overthrowing Satsuki…" Maiko was crying when she remembered of being the only president with the No-Star status, thus being the laughing stock of the other presidents who were ranks higher than her. She just ran and ran until she found a pin on the floor with a note.

"Huh? A note? Hey, it has my name." Maiko picked up the note and said the following:

For Maiko Ogure.

I know all about you and how you despise the hieratic system of Honno since you were like the underdog of the club presidents. I have noticed your great capabilities for trap design and your desire on overthrowing the Kiryuin even if the reason is pure hatred. If you have been expelled from the academy, then maybe our organization could recruit you and we shall receive you with open and naked arms. Just follow the instructions behind this note and remember to burn this note after you read this.

Maiko then turned out the paper revealing not only a map to a secret location, but also a plane ticket to Osaka.


*Back at class K*

"Ryuko Matoi?" Mikisugi was passing out the list of the present students.

"Here." Ryuko responded while still was wearing her Jammies. "Geez, I thought that Fuzzy Hair could actually make it in time. Why is he taking so long?"

"Don't know. Maybe he had to go to the bathroom and he's taking one giant and stinky Shi-" Before Mako could end her sentence, a wagon of the 2-star skyride crashed against the classroom sending all the students except Ryuko to the wall. The door of the wagon then opened revealing Akira, Morgana and Senketsu who got off the vehicle and then the thief sat on his designated seat.

"Your uniform Ryuko. And watch out since it has leftovers of Ogure's blood all over it." Akira handed over Senketsu to his friend.

"Alright then… looks like this day had surprisingly more students attending to school than the other No-Tardies day." Aikuro commented about the feat that Joker just made to later proceed the class as normal.


Back at the gate of Honnouji Academy, a burly man with a mohawk wearing a military uniform was walking toward the academy with a bunch of naked and unconscious One-Stars on his behind.

"Honnouji Academy… Hmph, never thought that I could attack the eagle's nest all by myself." The man said before lighting up a cigarette. "But back to my objective. I better destroy those Kamuis before they become unstoppable monsters…"


Confidant Summary:

Sukuyo Mankanshoku - The Priestress: The loving mother of the Makanshoku family who gave me a temporal home at her husband's back-alley clinic. Even though sometime she say sadistic thigs that involve her husband and Mataro, she truly loves them and also considers me and Ryuko part of the famili by some extent.

Persona Obtained: Kikuri-Hime