Chapter 8: Like a Dream Come True
"WHAT!? 3200000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Dollars!?" A lanky man who was the owner and CEO of Victory's Legend, one of the leading clothing companies of America gasped via a video-calling knowing how much REVOCS is willing to buy their company.
"That's correct Mr. Williams. The Kiryuin Conglomerate is willing to buy your brand by that amount. Do you accept or do you have any questions?" Rei who was sitting at Ragyo's office asked Banter Williams.
"Wait a moment, how do I know you aren't scamming me brat? Where's the hell is Ragyo Kiryuin?" The CEO asked Ragyo's secretary to assure that she isn't pranking him or anything else.
"I'm sorry, but Lady Ragyo can't come today. She's at her manor doing important business." Rei replied back to inform Banter. But in reality, Ragyo was on her Life Fiber palace built under the Kiryuin's Manor to pay tribute to the Original Life Fiber.
"In that case. then… GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE!" The owner of the American company demanded the money right then and now. And after some more negotiation, the Kiryuin Conglomerate managed to assimilate another clothing company onto their Life Fiber web of clothing Monopoly. And handing over that exaggerated amount of money to someone is like throwing a penny for REVOCS.
"And another pig joins the cattle…" Rei muttered to herself. Rei was one of the many people who's helping Ragyo to fulfil her ambition to sacrifice all of humanity to the Original Life Fiber. And she had good reasons. She isn't obsessed with Life Fibers like Ragyo, be a sadistic bastard who wants to watch the whole world burn just for her amusement like Kuroido, or be born from the Primordial being like Nui, she's a plain ol' human helping to kickstart the end of all things and she was just bringing forward the inevitable. After all, she just lost faith on all of humanity, knowing that they're always been a selfish species only interested on their own desires by stomping and devouring on the weak, destroying their own planet for their needs, twisting and corrupting the media to manipulate the ignorant masses to their fitting delight, sending people that they're scarifying their lives just to pointless wars for resources or land and constantly sinning to achieve their twisted wishes. Lust, Vanity, Gluttony, Wrath, Greed, Envy, Pride and Sloth.
Most people would just ignore these thoughts and go on with their lives because they're conformed with their lifestyles their superiors shove on their throats or they're forced into not have the will to not accept it since if they do, you could be considered an enemy of Society or the black sheep.
Rei is one of those people, for someone who lived on the south part of Africa where war, famine and starvation is in every corner, she could easily have a nihilistic perspective on the world. To know that Ragyo from all people would save her from the civil war that was taking place on her country…
*Flashback*
20 Years ago
On a small town, a civil war took place. The girl witnessed her parents getting mercilessly killed in front on her eye and was running away in hopes of not getting fired. She was hopeless and full of despair.
With her family dead and her whole life crumbling and breaking down, she felt that she had nowhere to go on the world.
When running away from the blasts, guns and tanks of the war exploding within her country, she hid under the rubbles of a building sobbing about the loss of her loved ones. But for her dismay, one of the soldiers found her and point his riffle onto the young girl. She thought that it was her end, until a bright rainbow light enveloped the whole area…
"Pathetic humans… Killing each other for some worthless oil, truly they're a species beyond saving. And that's the truth of humanity!" Ragyo's voice echoed all around the area before a thread of a flimsy but super-sharp thread of Life Fiber decapitated all the soldiers of the area, thus ending the war.
And there she was. Ragyo Kiryuin wearing a military outfit and aviator glasses. She was on a mission to recrui humans with high compatibility with the Life Fibers for her cause. And besides, due to Africa's poverty, it would be hard to cover the continent in COVERS.
"It's a shame that the people of this country are still denying the Life Fibers." The Kiryuin sighted while looking at the bloody place. Another thing that she hates alongside opposition are commoners. "And it's a shame that these pigs are wasting their remaining days on these pointless wars." She then brought out a Life Fiber pin and threw it at the young Rei's forehead, causing it to glow a rainbow light. "Magnificent, a perfect reaction. Souichiro, would you be kind and start the chopper?" Ragyo tasked her former lover to start the helicopter while her agents were bowing behind her on a straight line. "My dear child, you have been chosen by the Life Fibers. I see that inside your soul, you hate this world with a burning passion. If that's the case, you could help me to finally put an end to these pigs on human clothing. Join me on my side and throw away your country, family and your humanity… Rei Hoomaru. Mmmm… Rei Hoomaru, what a lovely name… From now on my little darling, that'll be your new name." Ragyo lured the helpless child while handling her glasses to her, becoming the ones she would wear. Wear to blind herself from the truth of humanity.
*End of flashback*
Ragyo is the only people who considers a mother figure since well… And does she regret that she's helping an evil cultist to destroy the world? A bit, but after experiencing all those horrible things, she would like to say otherwise. Grief, nihilism and grudge is what is motivating her and she only wants her suffering to end. She's a woman with nothing to lose.
She then re-watched the fight between Akira against Fukuroda and her mind was still spinning about the words the thief threw at Fukuroda. From what he shouted, he also hates the tyranny of the strong and evil as much as her. But still…
It was another bright day at Honnouji Academy for the Fight Club trio at the Gym P-5. After the normal classes and some P.E., it was finally time for the Extracurricular classes. Akira was sitting on a chair in front of a table with his arms crossed while Morgana was sleeping over the desk. The Club was a bit messy since it had a lot of variety of fighting styles, an arena made out of chalk on the wooden floor forming an arena and there were a lot of sport gear all over the gymnasium like tennis rackets, baseball bats, Bokkens, Sports balls and even slingshots.
"Good day Mr. Club President. Say, who's asses I'm gonna kick today?" Ryuko entered to the gang's lair while cracking her knuckles, ready to shove a Sen-I-Sochitzu to more Club Presidents.
"Ryuko! You came in time! Here!" Akira stood up and handed to her friend a pile of bulletins, and I mean a lot of bulletins.
"H-hey fuzzy hair!? What the hell?" Matoi asked while still trying to carry the mountains of paper.
"Sorry for the requesting you this, but we desperately need more Club members." Akira responded while feeding his cat some croquettes.
"Oh! So you want to build yourself an army of One-Stars? Why not ask Gamagori and give you some of those One-Stars clones? I mean, Honnouji tends to have a dozen of them!" Ryuko reclaimed while putting the bulletins on the floor.
"It's just that on today's meeting, they warned me that if I don't have at least 2 other members, the Disciplinary Committee will have no other choice but to close down the Fight Club. So all that I ask you is to offer these papers to the students of Honnouji to see if they are interested." Ren explained the dilemma the Fight Club is facing now.
"Guys! Guys!" Mako ran at full speed to the gymnasium to catch up where Akira and Ryuko where.
"Mako? Why the rush?" Ryuko cluelessly asked.
"I managed to convince 2 students to join the Fight Club!" Mako jumped in joy while squealing. "And you won't believe who there are! Alright guys, you can come in."
From the entrance to the P-5 gymnasium, 2 figures were walking to enter. One male and the other female. The male one had a bandana covering his eyes and had a Bokken on his right hand to use it as a white cane due to his blindness while the female one had those familiar shark teeth, blonde pigtails and that multipurpose lenses on her right eye.
"OH HELL NO! Those bastards from all people?" Ryuko immediately activated Senketsu and pointed her weapon against Omiko and the now No-Star Sanageyama.
"Don't you think pointing weapons at people you barely met is rude?" Sanageyama who even if he wasn't looking directly at Ryuko, knew about her moves due to the sound of her voice and activation of the Kamui.
"Yeah, whatever, you cocky chimpanzee! Now would you please get that damn scissor of yours out of MY way bitch!?" Omiko now being super-rude to everyone due to everyone snarled at Ryuko while walking toward the Phantom Thief's desk.
Before Ryuko could explode out of anger and attack the former emperor, Akira stopped her by threatening her by summoning Arsene. "Forgive my member. She often attacks people who insult her."
"Whatever Einstein!" Omiko insulted Ren before pulling up a chair in front of Akira's table. "By the way, emm… Thanks for saving me from being expelled during no-tardies day… and also expelling that vomit hair out of the Elite 4." Omiko whispered at Ren's ear.
"I heard what you said, you shit-eating shark!" Sanageyama who also pulled a chair to the Club President's desk while crossing his legs.
"Bite me you Elitist bastard! See if you Tengatsu can dodge the fist I'm going to shove in your ass! Oh wait, you don't have it anymore cuz of "muh resolve"!" Omiko was about to engage Uzu on a fight with evidence of her clenching fists.
"OH! Do I need to remind you who was a member of the Elite 4 underling!?" Sanageyama clinged to his past and dead glory and was about to smack Omiko on the head.
"Both of you, CALM DOWN!" Akira cried at the 2 of them while summoning Lucifer to stop the 2 from wreaking havoc. "If you continue to act like children, then I'll have no choice than to call the Disciplinary Committee to throw you into the Time-out Dungeon!" Akira, even if he hates to oppress his companions, he had to at least discipline them for a bit and know that they're on a team that helps each other.
The threat was enough to scare the ex-emperor and ex-member of the Elite 4 and stop them from fighting.
"Hmph… I still won't forgive you for ditching me from my privileges." Omiko grunted at Sanageyama while looking at another direction and puffing her cheeks.
"Pft… As if I care you loser…" Sanageyama replied back.
"So, back to the basics, are you 2 going to join my Club?" Akira asked while bringing out a clipboard of the Club members.
"Yeah right. So are you going to stand there and not signing me up or what?" Sanageyama sounded really pissed off. He wasn't the usual cocky and laxed lad he used to know, but rather a bitter and rude individual similar to Ryuko to some extend.
"So guessing by your mannerisms, no other club accepted your admission right? Hehe, but you kinda deserve it." Akira laughed at Sanageyama's fall from grace. Maybe he could rehabilitate the 2 of them.
Sanageyama wanted to say otherwise, but then he remembered that Akira was 2 rank higher than him. "Hmph… I don't know if you are some kind of foresighter, but sadly yes. Even when everyone knows that I don't know, was part of the Elite 4, they still laugh and made fun of me as if I was some sort of clown. And the fact that I can't be promoted anymore doesn't really help. Effin Satsuki…" Sanageyama whispered a small Insult to Satsuki before crossing his arms.
"Hmm? Or is it me, or did you insulted Lady Satsuki?" Joker showed intrigue on the ex-Kendo President's offense. "Guess when she kicked you out, your loyalty towards her also went downhill."
"W-whaaat!? Of course not!" Sanageyama didn't want to admit his hate towards Satsuki. Ever since his expulsion and him now rotting on the slums, he has grow a grudge against the Kiryuin.
"Ha! Would you look at that. The rotten elitist you humiliated now is kissing your feet. Now that's what I call some poetic justice." Morgana laughed at Sanageyama desesperation while hopping onto his lap.
"GYAH! Would you please keep your furball out of my legs?" Sanageyama asked Akira while trying to get the gat out of his leg.
"Sorry, I can't. By the looks of it, my cat starts to like you." Akira chuckled for a brief moment watching Morgana cuddle the green teenager's leg. "And also, in the Fight Club, everyone is treated like a family, so there's no abuse of power here." Akira told the 2 while showing a clipboard. "So sign here your names if you wish to join the Club."
"Phm… Bout' damn time!" Sanageyama grunted while bringing out a pencil to sign his name, Class and family and Omiko did the same.
"So… What is going to be our first task then?" Omiko asked, waiting for his new leader for the first order.
But without any warning, a stampede of Ping Pong tables rushed down to the gym to hunt down Ryuko's Kamui. Sanageyama and Ren took Omiko, Morgana and Mako by their collars to save them and Ryuko sliced the table.
From the entrance of the gym, a line of female One-Stars that look like the ones Jakuzure had appeared. Except that they have a Goku-Uniform similar to Mako's and also had giant Ping Pong rackets on their heads.
"Ohohoho! At last we meet Ryuko Matoi! I am Aizenrenbo Fu-"
"Aizenrenbo Fuguhara! I know!" Sanageyama stole Fuhuhara's words from her mouth before she could end her sentence. After all, he was part of the Sports division, so me must at least know the majority of Sports Clubs.
"So you're here again to boast your Ping Pong hooker getup?" Omiko mocked the Ping Pong President who had a skimpy 2-Star Goku Uniform with her being barely Naked and with 2 Ping Pong Rackets with the Life Fiber Stars covering her cleavage.
"Wait… Uzu Sanageyama and Omiko Hakodate!? Bahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Aizenrenbo and her subordinates threw a laughing fit seeing the Ex-Chair and Ex-Empress hit rock bottom.
"Yeah, yeah! Laugh while you can you Ping Pong bitch…" Omiko hissed at the President. "I'm just here cuz' at least I owe Kurusu for saving my ass on No-Tardies day. Too bad that you were not there to see it and you were being spoiled like a filthy pig. The mighty Omiko Hakodate doesn't give up that easily and I shall recover my title of Emperor of Honnouji Academy!"
What Omiko said made her chuckle for a brief moment. "Funny that you say it! BECAUSE LADY SATSUKI HAS NOW GIVEN ME YOUR TITLE OF HONNOUJI EMPEROR!" The President of the Ping Pong Club then pulled out a certificate from who knows of her new rank as a Honnouji Emperor and boasted it at her nemesis.
"Huh? Do you know her Hakodate?" Mako asked Omiko with intrigue.
"Yeah, and a lot…" Omiko responded with indignation while narrowing at the Ping Pong President.
"Tch, whatever Shark trash." Aizenrenbo stuck out her tongue against the tennis player to mock her, just to later look at Akira. "President of the Fight Club, we ask for your permission if we can fight Ryuko Matoi from your Club." The President requested the phantom thief if she could give a go to snatch her Kamui.
"Alright Fuzzy Hair, you give the signal and I will deliver the burial!" Ryuko was already pumped up about her next fight.
"I'm afraid that I have to refuse." Akira said no to the Ping Pong player's wish. "Because today, your opponents will be Omiko Hakodate and Uzu Sanageyama! So Ryuko, go sit on a bench and grab some snacks."
"Wait what!? Against a freaking 2-Star? You know that I'm powerful enough to take down a 3-Star Kurusu!" Sanageyama protested Kurusu's decision.
"Do I have to remind you why are you a No-Star to begin with?" Joker wanted Sanageyama to remind why he's on his current position while giving a smugly smirk.
Sanageyama wanted to prove a case, but the trickster was right. He only got up from his chair and prepare his Bokken.
Meanwhile with Omiko, she was grinning maliciously knowing that she's going to kick her old arch-nemesis' ass. "Hehehehe… Oh boy! So you always say that Ping Pong is always superior to tennis right? Well just wait and we'll see which sport is the superior one!" Omiko chuckled while cracking her knuckles and grabbing a tennis racket.
"In that case, good." Akira then brought out a megaphone out of nowhere. "Ladies and Gentlemen! I'm your host Akira Kurusu, President of the newly made Fight Club of Honnouji Academy and I want to welcome y'all to the P-5 gymnasium and witness an exhibition match that will have your balls bounce all over the place!" The phantom thief announced like a wrestling announcer while a bunch of spotlights turned on, with Ryuko sitting a bit frustrated while Mako was clapping and holding a sign saying "Omiko and Sanageyama 4 Life!" "In the visitor's side we have the Club President of the Ping Pong Club and long arch-enemy of Omiko Hakodate and current Emperor of Honnouji, Aizenrenbo Fuguhara!" A spotlight flashed on her direction while a clapping audience soundtrack was being played.
"Oh thank you!" Aizenreno bowed while receiving the compliments.
"And on the Home Side, 2 ex-extra arrogant legends from Honnouji Academy who have fallen from grace, but they're working their way to rehabilitate themselves and reach the gods again! Omiko Hakodate and Uzu Sanageyama!" Akira the ordered the spotlight to shine above the Kendo and Tennis players.
"I'll make sure to make this quick before you whine about that we were way too strong for your liking." Sanageyama threated the girl before making a fighting stand signifying that he's ready.
"Alright, there's only one rule on my fights and its that killing your opponent is prohibited." Akira told the 2 sides before they could let loose. "Alright then, settle the score and FIGHT!" Akira gave the green signal before dashing with grace where the other girls where.
"Open fire girls!" Aizenreno threw a bunch of Ping Pong balls in the air, and the One-Stars used their head-rackets to strike in hopes of hitting Omiko and Sanageyama.
Both the blonde girl and green-haired teen shielded themselves from the incoming strike of balls by flipping one of the Ping Pong tables and use it as a barricade. When the Ping Pong balls impacted against something, they instantly exploded revealing to be Ping Pong bombs.
"Hey Mister Elite 4, so any idea to get this paddle-heads out!?" Omiko asked Sanageyama while their barricade was slowly being destroyed.
"Do I look like Innumuta to you Shark failure!? You're the one who knows that bitch more than I do!" Sanageyama barked back before an even larger ball exploded, breaking half the table.
"That bitch! Always cheating! UGH! I still won't forget how she replaced gasoline over cooking oil back when we were on first year's cooking class just because she couldn't cook a decent meal, so she had to sabotage me!" Omiko was releasing her fumes out and remembering how Aizenrenro constantly bullied her back in the day. But then calmed down and took a deep breath. "Even I hate this, but we have to work together for atleast this once!"
"Uhhh… I hate to admit it, but you're right…" Sanageyama even hated the idea. "Now here's the plan." The ex-Kendo President whispered his plan to the ex-Empress. "Now, focus…" Sanageyama then closed his eyes to activate his Shingatsu by using the Life Fibers on the bandana covering his eyes since it's a product of REVOCS. It may not give him super-human senses, but at least a bit above the average human if he focus completely.
He could briefly see everything. From the sound of the rackets hitting the balls to the gunpowder on the balls. He couldn't hear or smell nothing for a second, and that's the signal to finally strike!
"Here I go!" Sanageyama rushed swiftly over the battlefield while dodging the Ping Pong bombs. "Men!" Sanageyama stroke one a good bunch of One-Stars on the head with his trusty Bokken, breaking their raquet heads. "And we're just getting started! Special Move! Take no tsuisutā!" The Kendo duelist then started to spin and spin at a fast speed alongside his Bokken that it made him look like a Beyblade and proceed to deal with the rest of One-Stars as he charged against them and easily dispose all of them. "Shark shit, here!" Sanageyama picked up some of the scattered ping pong balls on the floor and thew it where Hakodate were.
Omiko got out from her barricade and activated her lenses to have a precise shot. "Let's see! Ball Speed: High! Potency: Very hard! Opponent: Medium Target! Accuracy: 100%!" Omiko then prepared her Tennis Racket and she hit all the upcoming balls at great speed that were aiming against the Ping Pong President.
"Hey Fuguhara! Remember that time we started our clubs? Well, I'LL MAKE YOU REMEMBER ONCE I SHUT YOUR LIGHTS!" Omiko cried at the Ping Pong President before hitting the upcoming projectiles with a powerful serve and redirected the Ping Pong balls against Fuguhara.
"You think I'll fall that easily Hakodate!? Think again! Taste my flaming-" Aizenrenbo paused for a brief moment a to chug a bottle of gasoline completely.
"Geez! Didn't knew that Honnouji students can drink up gasoline so casually! Are they part cars or something?" Morgana yelped at the Ping Pong President's action.
"SERVE!" Fuguhara cried out her attack as she breath fire from his mouth, incinerating the balls and serving them back with her trusty Life Fiber Racket.
Both sportsgirls were having the most intense Tennis match that even surpasses the one against Ryuko. Maybe Aizenrenbo had the advantage in power, but Omiko's determination and willpowers was so high it's helping her to be in par with her arch-nemesis.
"I-I can't believe this! How in the name of Lady Satsuki are you able to keep up!?" Fuguhara's jaw dropped on an instant seeing about how Hakodate could keep up.
"Easy you Ping Pong hoe! Don't ever underestimate…" Omiko paused for a moment to bend her racked like a boomerang. "THE POWER OF DETERMINATION!" The ex-Empress then threw her racked against her enemy's face, hitting her and making her bleed.
"You really think you would forgot about ME, RIGHT!?" Sanageyama snuck behind the Ping Pong President with his Bokken at hand. "Super Killing Move! Shin-Kancho!" Sanageyama made an extreme Kancho to Aizenrenbo by using his Bokken to shove it where the sun doesn't rise.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" The new Emperor cried in pain as she comically jumped in a comical way up to the roof in response.
"Hey Fuzzy Hair, can i?" Ryuko asked Akira while preparing her Scissor Blade and transformation.
"Hahahaha… Go Ahead…" He responded on a malicious way, greenlighting Matoi's action.
After synchronizing, Ryuko jumped high in the sky where Aizenrenbo Fuguhara was. "Guess your ass is going to get served!" Ryuko snarled cockily at the Ping Pong President, causing her to gulp.
"Sen-I-Sochitzu!" Ryuko sliced the President's Goku Uniform into nothingess, leaving her Butt-Naked on the floor completely defeated.
K.O.
"And that's a wrap!" Mako shouted out while pressing a button that caused a lot of balloons and confetti to fall off, including a giant Neon-Sign saying "Congratulations".
"Ehh…? Do you really blow your Club's budget on THIS!? You gotta be kidding me!" Omiko sighted before spitting on Fuguhara's unconscious face.
"Heh… not to shabby, for someone with a tiny weenie Ryuji." Akira accidentally slipped out his former Phantom Thief's name.
The compliment made Uzu blush extremely. "HEY! WHO THE HELL DID YOU CALLED TINY WEENIE!? But… Why did you call me Ryuji…?" Sanageyama was confused about why did the President called him like that.
"Oh! Sorry Sanageyama…" Akira then holded his chest with his hand while trying to hold the tears for just remembering his best friend. "It's just… You sometimes act so similar to him. Ryuji was a really talented member of my past school's track team, but was then abused by our former P.E. Teacher, with even going as far as breaking my friend's leg… Though, we managed to deliver that bastard to justice, i… still feel terribly bad for him and his fate…"
"Akira…" Even Senketsu felt bad for the poor teenager.
But their drama would be cut short once a familiar pink-haired teenager passed by the gym.
"Heh… For your first days, I must say that your No-Stars have shown good resolve for their first time. Not that it matters for a special case." Nonon entered the gym alongside her band, causing Hakodate and Mankanshoku to show discipline.
"Oh crap! Here we go aga-" Akira stopped Ryuko from pointing her weapon at Jakuzure.
"Been a while monkeybrain. So, do you like your new home at garbageland, oh wait! It's called the slums. Ohohohoho!" Nonon smugly laughed at Sanageyama alongside her band.
"Pfft! What the hell do you want now Jakuzure?" Sanageyama asked quite annoyed and casually to the member of the Elite Trio.
"Hey! You know who you're talking to trash!? Just because you were once part of the Elite 4 doesn't give you the privilege to talk to me so casually!" Nonon exclaimed while puffing her cheeks and releasing steam of anger. But she was caught off guard by Sanageyama pointing his Bokken to her head.
"Enough opening acts and go to the curtain call! What do you want?" Sanageyama asked menacingly.
Jakuzure then took a deep breath and proceed. "I want to have a conversation with A-a-akira Kurusu… T-that's it!" She asked while blushing.
"Oh I see, you want to on a date right?" Sanageyama asked smugly while cackling for a bit.
"WAAAAAHH!?" The President of the Music Club gasped before repeatedly smacking the former Kendo President with her pink baton.
"Say Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?" Mako jumped out of her seat after hearing that.
Hallelujah!
"No way in the good word of Lady Satsuki! Is Ms. Jakuzure in deep love for Ren? I never thought that one of the Elite Trio could fall under Ren's charm. Is Ryuko jealous? Will Ren fall under Ms. Jakuzure's Snakey ways? If you get married, can you name one of your offspring as Mako Jr.?"
"Fine… I'll go." Akira responded without any doubts, causing the whole Fight Club to gasp.
"What!? Are you freaking nuts!?" Omiko exclaimed at the President.
"Don't worry everyone. I know how to defend myself, but orders are orders." Akira responded with a warm smile while Morgana jumped into the duffle bag. "By the way Sanageyama, I noticed that you lack a place to live. Meet me at the slums at 6 P.M. after I finished my important meeting with Ms. Jakuzure. But for now, class dismissed. So see ya tomorrow." Akira then picked his duffle bag and hold Jakuzure's hand gently while she was blushing like crazy.
Meanwhile at the Music Club's room, Nonon was performing a Beethoven piece with her band while using Akira as a chair. And the most awkward part, is that she wasn't heavy or anything. The thing that made Akira really uncomfortable was Jakuzure's soft buns, making him blush and sweat heavily drops. But at the end, he managed to survive the embarrassment.
"Good job on completing the Jakuzure's resistance test. Now it means that you're worthy of my love- i-i-I mean time!" Jakuzure then got off from the Phantom thief's back while cleaning her clothes and even her soft buns.
Ren only smiled at Jakuzure. It was clear that she was in love with him and she didn't want to admit her feelings. "Thanks for the compliment Ms. Jakuzure. So anyone who wants to approach you has to do this harsh test?"
"You bet your ass yo' dingus." She snarky responded. The alarm of the academy then tolled, announcing that the Club activities are finally over. "Oh you look at that. Club class is over! Shoo! Now go home everyone! That's all! And you're bothering me!" Nonon ordered her band to return to their One-Star apartments on a mean-spirited way.
"Umm… Ms. Jakuzure, are you always that mean to your other members?" Akira asked in hopes of not awakening Jakuzure's tantrumic wrath. But then again, he could manage to defeat her if combat was necessary. And much easier now with Lucifer.
"Well of course! Those second-rate lackeys need to know better before they have any dumb ideas of defying me. Besides, since they're I Honnouji and I'm one of the Elite Trio, there's no way in heaven that they would have the brass and trumpets necessary to oppose me!" Nonon then smugly laughed while doing the usual female evil laugh pose.
Akira knew that this will be a very odd date… Now he has to date an arrogant, bratty, elitist, smuggling and selfish teenage girl. But maybe on the course of his "private meeting", he could manage to rehabilitate the pink-haired girl for the better.
"Say Ms. Jakuzure, have you already decided the place we're going for our date?" Akira asked with a smug grin on her face.
"Wa-WAAAAAAAAAAAA! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The musician squealed with thirst on her face while falling under Kurusu's charms. Maybe it was his cockiness, snarky, confident and teasing attitude that loves about him. And also his handsome look with his nerdy glasses making him look really cute. "We-well, i-I was p-p-planning t-t-that w-we could go to t-that cute new café on the T-two-star districts… W-well, o-of course with me on your side, there would not be any problem if a stinky One-Star steps on the Two-Star parts of Honno City." Nonon stammered while calming her awkwardness about the date.
"So it's kinda like corruption right?" Ren teased the chair of the Cultural division to charm the Snake even more with his flute of sassiness.
"What? NO!" Nonon repeatedly smack Akira with her pink baton. "For questioning my antics, as member of the Elite Trio, you shall give me a piggyback to the new café at the Two-Star districts as punishment!" Nonon puffed in anger while giving an order to Akira that he MUST follow.
"As you may wish my mistress." Akira replied with chivalry while bowing before Jakuzure and kissing her hand like a gentleman. Thus, causing Jakuzure to almost collapse of love.
"Geez Akira! You sure know how to get with the ladies!" Morgana then popped out from the bag for a brief seconds before Akira could give Nonon a piggyback, and for his surprise, she didn't weight that much.
Akira tried to do a horse sound before starting to carry Jakuzure to the 2-Star districts.
Akira couldn't ride none of Honnouji's vehicles, but the good thing was that the 2-Star districts were really near Honnouji Academy. But the entrance to heaven was blocked by a toll guarding a gigantic steel door with the symbol of Honnouji Academy.
"Hey! This holy land is only for 2-Stars and members of the Student Council. So if you commoner pig don't work for the holy Club Presidents like me, get lost, or you shall force me to call the Disciplinary Committee to execute you in public." A One-Star guard who was sitting on the box of the toll yelled at the Phantom thief in hopes of him going away.
"Hey! Who did you call a commoner pig!? I swear you're going to regret this!" Enraged by the One-Stars words, Nonon was about to activate her 3-Star Goku Uniform in retaliaton. But she was calmed by Akira to not let her fumes get the best out of her since it ruins her pretty face.
"GAH! M-Ms. Jakuzure!? G-go ahead and pass! A-and you too!" The One-Star stammered in fear before opening the gate to the sacred kingdom of the 2-Star districts.
When Akira and Nonon reached the end of the tunnel, they were greeted by glitter of beauty and luxury. Skyscrapers covered in gold and silver, Mansions glittered with the most rich architecture, All kinds of shops packed with the most fine and deluxe products including clothing shops who have the privilege of retailing REVOCS' exclusive line of luxury clothing and even the streets are made of diamonds and other types of precious minerals. But even still, Ren knows that he's on the hive of the worst kind of human degeneracy and decadency.
It was odd, but he somehow felt the power of his Personas getting drastically weak by some reason. But his doubts about why would be resolved once he stumble upon a weird machine that was emitting invisible waves.
"Ummm… Ms. Jakuzure, what the hell is that?" Akira asked the member of the Elite Trio pointing at the machine.
"Oh that? Well, I'm not the nerds but what he told me is that thing's called the Shadow-repelling Heatwaver Invisible Tower, or S.H.I.T. as an acronym. It's supposed to repel Shadows from this area or something like that. Don't ask me, I don't waste my life looking on a screen!" Nonon responded while chuckling for a bit.
Wait, SHADOWS!? He can't believe that Honnouji now knows the existence of shadows, and more that they fully know their name rather than calling them something like dark apparitions or something like that. He was about to ask Jakuzure about how they know the existence of Shadows, but then he remembered that Honnouji has eyes on everything, so it wasn't really a surprise knowing that they know the existence of Shadows.
The 2 managed to arrive at their destination being a neko maid café themed after Jakuzure herself (As if her ego wasn't big enough, but he doubts that if hers could surpass Satsuki's or even Shido's). He was hoping that the food isn't really expensive, but his hopes were really low knowing that this place is from the 2-star districts.
"Welcome home master nya!" It was Fukunaga Atsuko, Club President of the infamous Maiden's Club and owner of this place. He didn't knew why, but he felt as from all the arrogant and malicious Presidents, she was a great exception alongside maybe Iori.
"Gimmie the usual VIP table as always, and better be quick ya' shmuck, otherwise I'll sonata your ass down to Mars!" Nonon ordered her underling while flailing her baton up and down.
"Y-yes Ms. Jakuzure! R-right here!" Atsuko trembled while responding guiding Akira and Nonon to a really chic and luxury table that was on the top of the café with one of its seats being a couch full of plushies and other girly things while the other one was also a really nice couch.
Akira gently placed Jakuzure to her couch while he sit on the other side with the other couch.
Nonon put her hat and Akira his bag on the rack that were beside them before a waitress to be Fukunaga Atsuko again appeared to attend the 2.
"So what shall your order be my Master Jakuzure?" the Club President asked with a warm smile.
"You already know what I always want ya' doofus! Bring me the usual a la de ya!" Nonon hurried the President while repeatedly snapping her fingers.
"I'll just have the Honnouji Pancakes and some coffee." Akira told the waitress.
"On it! I'll make sure to not mess this up Ms. Jakuzure!" Atsuko told them with optimism while retreating to the kitchen, leaving the 2 alone since Jakuzure's table was VIP.
The phantom thief didn't said that much, but Nonon was still captivated by him. He needed to charm her if she wanted him to marry her.
"So… can you tell me about you, you handsome fallen angel?" Jakuzure asked with thirst.
"Oh me? W-well, i-I think you know I'm not from here, but I know what you're referring to. To be honest, I'm actually a pretty nice barista. I used to work on a coffee shop back at Shibuya and it was kinda popular. Well, I actually used to live there on the attic. But don't get me wrong, It actually really comfortable." Akira told Nonon about how his life was back on his world.
"What!? You… used to dwell on an attic...? Ahahahahahahahaha!" Jakuzure laughed her ass out from what the trickster told him. Even the Kiryuin's database said nothing about him. "Oh sorry… But speaking of, I still don't know how the hell are you able to keep up with Lady Satsuki! Look, I'm not Innumuta or whatever, but just HOW!?" Jakuzure still couldn't believe that there's someone out there that's as strong as her Satsuki or even her Auntie Ragyo to some degree.
"Oh… About that. It just revolves around making 1000 Push-ups, 1000 squats, 1000 meter and 1000 laps and drink 1000 protein shakes every single day." Akira joked Nonon in hopes she couldn't take it seriously.
"What…? Because if that was the case, I'm sure that you would be beefier than Gamagori for Lady Satsuki's sake!" It looked like Nonon did kind of took it a bit seriously.
Joker chuckled for a bit. "But seriously… It's just a matter of Willpower. And even I must admit that Lady Satsuki sure has a lot of it." Joker then hold the hand of Nonon on a gently way. "And about you my beauty… Can you tell me more about you?"
This made Nonon blush for a brief moment. "W-well, i-I usually don't tell this to my Clubs, but I'm actually the heiress of the Jakuzure corporation…" She muttered a bit flattered.
That caught Joker by surprise. Now there were 2 rich girls on the Academy. "So anyways, what does your family company specializes in?"
"Not that much, just entertainment and mostly music. They're also the ones who financially support Auntie Ragyo on its T.V. Commercials and then some." Nonon explained to his date partner while bringing out her smartphone to show him a REVOCS video starring Satsuki herself.
"Speaking of Lady Satsuki, I have always wondered how a pretty woman like you have met her…" Akira flirted with the girl trying to know her better.
She didn't know why but… She really wanted to share her backstory with the thief. "Well, you know that I have been with Lady Satsuki the most, and out friendship began back at kindergarten…"
*Flashback*
It all started at Takisha's Kindergarten. A preschool specialized for the prodigies sons and daughters of the rich and powerful.
One of the most popular kids was none other than a really young Nonon Jakuzure who was characterized by her squeaking sounds every time she made a step and her pet monkey on her head. Always having what she wants, which affected what could she become on the future. She always believes that whenever she wanted something, she always gets it no matter what. Even if that means playing with the other's feelings.
"You know what? I should love to have a castle…" Jakuzure plead on a really sweet and innocent way for her whim while hiding her true intentions.
The boys were instantly charmed by the girl's prettiness as they instantly brought shovels and buckets to build her sandcastle under a second, and it was really big and pretty just like her ego.
Nonon received her gift with a round of applause. "From now on, this shall be my sandbox, and no one will have permittion to use it!" She claimed the sandbox all by herself before turning to her best friend's Satsuki. "Except for you Satsuki. We've been the besties friends since forever! I can make one for you if you want one."
"No…" The young Kiryuin replied. "I already have my own sand." She then hold a small mountain of sand to show.
"That little handful?"
"It was leftover from that." Satsuki then looked at the gigantic REVOCS tower that also made her friend turn around and look at the skyscraper. "My sand was turned to concrete and made that skyscraper. And from the top of it, a child like me can look at all the adults on the world."
For some mysterious reason, a gigantic and strong gust of wind came into the kindergarten and blew Nonon Sandcastle away until nothing remained, including the sphinx all the children lasted days and even months to create. All the preschoolers cried a sea of tears after witnessing the destruction of their loved sculptures.
"Building a castle that crumble in gusts of wind are worthless, don't you agree?" Satsuki asked all of the toddlers, and most importantly Nonon.
"Y-yeah, but sooner or later all building fall even if they're the largest and hardest!" Nonon sobbed after losing her fortress of sand.
And that's when Satsuki's flash of light appeared behind her for all the students to see. "Not if you build them in your hearts. And the skyscrapers my heart will never crumble, ever… If you wish that your castles of pride in your hearts never get destroyed, my mother is planning to build an academy to end all academies. So once you're on the right age, come everyone with me to Honnouji Academy."
All the preschoolers marveled at Satsuki's charisma that it marked their hearts. Nonon then grabbed her friend's heart.
"Forget the dumb sand, from now on, I'll help you and Aunt Ragyo build stuff. Together we can build whatever you want!" Nonon promised Kiryuin while the other preschoolers bow down before the future dictator's might.
*End of Flashback*
"And from that day forward, me and everyone at Honnouji Academy, we swore never-ending loyalty to Lady Satsuki and help her rule the entire world. D-don't get it wrong, it's not just because due to lust of power, Lady Satsuki wants to become the supreme dictator of the Earth to end all the world problems. No more wars, no more famine, no more violence or starvation. I will be a perfect utopia!"
"Oh… I see… So anyway, is Lady Satsuki going to reward you once she does?" Akira asked trying to make Jakuzure spit some information.
"Oh! About that! Well, for No-Stars, its nothing. For the One-Stars, they will become elite members of an organization of our new world government, the Two-Stars like you shall get a small country and us members of the Elite Trio shall have total control over one continent." Jakuzure told him a bit maliciously.
"Geez! T-that's a lot…" Akira gasped after hearing the rewards. "So Ms. Jakuzure, what continent are you planning to rule?"
"Isn't it obvious you handsome and perfect boy? I'm planning to take Europe all by myself! Being surrounded by candy and handsome hunky boys every morning of my life shall become true!" Jakuzure then slurped some of her saliva after thinking about her pervert fantasies.
"Sorry for the waiting, here you go Ms. Jakuzure." The maiden came back and served the 2 dishes. And Jakuzure's was massive. It was a big parfait full of chocolate chips, candy canes, all types of ice cream flavors and a Mexican sugar skull on the top.
"Jeez! You're going to eat all of that!?" The thief gasped seeing the sweet's size.
"Y-yes of course I do! At least I want to boost my bust and waist on a natural way you know? Or what is it? Do you really think you can finish the whole thing?" Jakuzure smugly told the thief, causing him to laugh on a sinister way.
"Bold to assume that I can't finish that dessert before you could!" Ren smug at the chair of the Cultural division with a lot of cockiness while accommodating his glasses.
"Oh! So it's a challenge then! Waitress, bring another Nonon Special to Kurusu!" Jakuzure ordered the main waitress to bring another big parfait for the thief, and they didn't made them wait that long.
"Alright… NOW!" Jakuzure shouted out as both started devouring their plates, and it was an intense battle. But the one with more guts was already decided.
"Ughh…" Jakuzure grunted almost finishing her dessert, as for Akira…
"Alright, when's the other round?" Akira asked on a cocky way as he already eaten everything from the omelet to the Jakuzure special, without any trace of being full. Those days eating Big Bang Burgers sure gave him a great metabolism.
"Holy shit…" Jakuzure's jaw dropped seeing the guts his pair had. She thought that him hanging with Mankanshoku made him inherit a black hole for a stomach. "Y-you…"
"Yeah I know, I'm awesome." Akira boast himself for a moment. He then got up and sit beside Jakuzure. "By the way Ms. Jakuzure, can I ask you something?"
"Y-yeah…?" She asked absolutely dominated by Kuruzu's charisma.
"It's about your traits. Your selfishness and things like that. I-I think you should try to rehabilitate yourself. I saw on one of your performance when I was your seat that your One-Star students don't really enjoy playing." Akira told her while caressing her face, causing Nonon to blush.
"W-what are you saying!? O-of course that my One-Stars love being on my Club! Who wouldn't love being on a Club from the Elite Trio!?" Nonon replied back a bit embarrassed, since she was hiding the truth.
Akira then narrowed at the member of the Student Council, causing her to sweat due to her nerves.
"GAH! Fine! I force my One-Stars to play instruments they don't even like! But geez, they're just One-Stars!" Nonon tried to prove some points to not have any guilt about her abuses.
Akira then closed his eyes and sighted for a brief moment. "That's an issue Ms. Jakuzure… You're controlling your members with fear, and fear transforms into hatred, and hatred can give birth to the flame of rebellion. You cannot force a Trumpet to make Piano sounds, even if you wish to."
Jakuzure only got confused about what the wild card said. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't speak alien meanings."
"What I'm trying to say is that you should treat your members with charisma and love as if they were your family. Otherwise once they have the chance to overthrow you, they will without doubts." Akira told her, trying to help Nonon to become a better person. He then told her about his adventures and about the actions he did.
"Wow! That's just… Damn…" Jakuzure still couldn't believe Joker's stories. But still, she knew they were real since she can detect a liar when she sees one, and Akira is not one of them.
"Ms. Jakuzure…" Akira gently hold both of Nonon hands to later make eye contact. "I know you have the ability to change, and I can see it though those beautiful eyes of yours. Stick with me, and I shall convert you into the best version of yourself that you can be!"
Jakuzure was then completely dazzled by Kurusu. She was truly in love with him, and she was hoping that he would also is. She really wanted to confess her true feeling toward him, but she doesn't want to trade her loyalty to Lady Satsuki for love. She just couldn't.
But love feeling can make you drowsy, and Nonon was about to fall asleep. She then approached Akira and sit on his lap. "Kurusu, thank you… Thank you for the date… Of course, meals for me and you are free… Also, you're so, warm…" She whispered at the thief's ear before falling asleep.
Joker just smile back. "Rest well Ms. Jakuzure." He gave her good night before grabbing her hat and put her on. Even if Nonon didn't really told him, he could feel that his bond with Jakuzure was getting stronger…
I am thou, thou art i…
Thou has acquired a new vow
It shall become the wings of rebellion that shall breaketh the clothing of captivity
With the rebirth of the Lovers Persona
Thou have retrieved a power dormant within the soul
That shall lead to salvation, and new power…
The Lovers Tarot card fell to the trickster's hands, releasing Ame-no-Uzume from her eternal slumber as if it was the sleeping beauty.
Akira then looked at the window and noticed that it was already darkening. "Well, guess I have to be your royal steed once again, my princess…" Akira muttered to himself as he grabbed his stuff to latter carry Jakuzure via piggyback.
The road was hard. Without counting the burglars and wild animals, the Shadows he came across were hard to kill due to him carrying Jakuzure and being careful to not hurt her, but in the end, he managed to pull it out.
He finally reached Honnouji Academy with some difficult of course. There was a lot of silcence, but Joker knew that silent places can be perfect for an enemy ambush. He walked with caution and didn't let his guard down at any cost to be prepared if Satsuki's Lackeys would attack him. But to the contrary, it won't be a surprise.
"I seen that you have arrived just in time Kurusu."
*Heel Click*
It was Satsuki Kiryuin herself with her holding her Bakuzan on the ground, and the most surprising fact was that she was in front of Akira rather than on top of the academy.
"Sorry Lady Satsuki, but I'm not in the mood for a rematch. I have Club responsibilities now and I don't have time for foolish games." Akira told the dictator of Honnouji Academy. And even still, he couldn't turn his look away from Junketsu's eyes. There's something about the malicious Kamui's look on him that unsettles him, as if it was planning on something or maybe it despises being with Satsuki, always fighting against her host in order to totally submit her to its will. As if the "Pure" Kamui narrowing at him wasn't enough.
"Don't worry Kurusu, I'm not here to fight. I'm here to reward you. And don't worry, I shall take Jakuzure to the chamber." The Kiryuin then snapped her fingers, calling a bulky One-Star who carried Jakuzure to Honnouji Academy. "Akira Kurusu, President of the Fight Club, your 2-Star Goku Uniform is finally ready."
Satsuki guided Joker and his cat to the Sewing Club's laboratory, where the Presidents received their Goku Uniforms.
"I congratulate you Kurusu. Your Club managed to make a great resolve with all the other Clubs you achieved to defeat." Satsuki congratulate the thief about his progress he has made by now.
"I am pleased by your compliments Lady Satsuki, but you should also give some credit to my members." Joker replied back. He was almost close to know about the truth about the near Armageddon of this world.
"You know that the achievements your Club makes are your achievements." Satsuki finally guided Joker to his destination where Iori was.
"It's a pleasure meeting you again Kurusu." The Emperor greeted his friend once again.
"The pleasure is mind Iori." The trickster made a small bow for a brief time to say hi.
Iori then accommodate his glasses before pressing a button, revealing a descending closet containing Ren's new Goku Uniform that slowly opened.
"I want you to present you Lady Satsuki's gift to you Kurusu." Iori presented his new uniform. It was a typical Bancho uniform of a dark blue color, but with those Honnouji touches of course. The hat had the 2-Star symbol made of life fibers with a more typical star clip, a tattered long tech coat gakuran with the Life Fiber pattern on the inside and more Honnouji stars symbols on the back and dark blue pants. The Uniform lacked a shirt, so he was force to wear it shirtless, but the Uniform also included a Life Fiber sarashi and also had a pair of shoes and a Life Fiber Bokuto was also included. "This is your own fighting-spec, athletism-augmented Two-Star Goku Uniform. We made sure it not only does it augment your stamina and resolve on your future fights, but Innumuta and I have also made our best efforts into making your Uniform compatible with your enigmatic Personas using the data we have gathered from you."
Akira marveled at the Uniform for a few seconds. Even he must admit that the Uniform was pleasant for his eye, as if the Goku Uniform was made for himself only.
"Take it, now put it on, you truly deserve it." Satsuki looked at Joker for a brief moment.
"Thank you, Lady Satsuki. I'll make sure to push my Club even further for you." Joker bowed before the Kiryuin in gratitude (Even though he hated doing it, but he must still cover his façade). He then proceed to change himself to another room, leaving Iori and Satsuki alone.
"Is the real Uniform for Kuruzu reade Iori?" Satsuki asked without looking at the sewer.
"Not quite Lady Satsuki. We still have major difficulties stitching the Persona fragments unto the Life Fibers since they tend to act violently once they make contact with Kurusu's essence. They tend to act like a COVERS once they do and tries to force a host into being worn by it. The host tend to act violently, spitting all nonsense and their eyes tend to change into a golden yellow color. Unfortunately, we had to…" Iori still couldn't spit out him admitting that they had to kill one of its members in order for the Shadow-self to no wreak havoc on Honnouji Academy.
That description made Satsuki snap. It were the same symptoms she's currently having once she began wearing Junketsu. "I see Iori. Have you found a cure about this sudden… Berserk mode?"
"It's about what you're suffering, right Lady Satsuki?" Iori asked in hopes that she doesn't get mad. Soroi his uncle told him about what Satsuki is suffering though.
"DON'T DOUBT MY QUESTIONS!" Satsuki roared with her Shadow-self voice, before resisting her own inner demons taking her over. She was still somehow in control once she gets on that state, but her negative feeligs take her over.
"Sorry Lady Satsuki. We're still on the stabilization phase for our Shadow Model Terminator Goku Uniform, or S.M.T as an achronym. Yeah, we have to work on the name better." Iori sighted while cleaning his glasses.
"No need to worry. You still have enough time to perfect your new brand of Uniforms until Akira is fully submitted to my will…" Satsuki told Iori.
Back at the slums, Ryuko, Mako, Sanageyama and Hakodate were waiting on a bench for Kurusu's arrival. It was night already and they were getting desperate.
"Geez… I swear if that bubblegum bitch is having Fuzzy Hair as hostage for a shitty ramson, I swear I'm gonna-"
"Sorry for being late! Lady Satsuki had to give me my new Uniform." Akira interrupted Ryuko while he walked to the group with his new 2-Star Goku Uniform put on, causing Hakodate to nosebleed for a brief second due to him being shirtless.
"WOOOAAAHH!" Mako gasped at seeing Ren on his brand new Goku Uniform. It was new, it was stylish, it was Honnouji Academy! "With that super-duper cool Uniform, you just look like Jotaro Ren! That's so AWESOME!"
"Ehh… No need to hype up y-yet Mako! I still have a lot of chores to do like packing our stuff to move to the 2-Star Districts! And can you stop hugging me? You're asphyxiating me!" The phantom thief plead Mako to liberate him before he could die from hugs.
"Wait, we're going to now live on the 2-Star districts? AAAHH! THANK YOU SO, BUT SO, BUT SO MUCH REN" Mako rejoiced knowing that their lifestyle. And the best part was that he has talked with the student council, and they gave him permittion to let the Mankanshokus and Matoi to stay on their new luxurious mansion.
Even though Mako stopped hugging Akira, he was finding some difficult to breathe.
"Hmmmph… You know? This is worrying me…" Sanageyama was concerned about Kurusu's promotion and how it could alter their behavior.
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about broccoli hair? I mean, isn't that good?" Ryuko was confused about the former member of the Elite 4's concern.
"It's… Complicated to say the least. Have you ever wondered why most 2-Stars act as irredeemable, self-absorbed assholes? Satsuki always say that prosperity leads to greed. Look, don't get mad if for referencing you Hakodate." Sanageyama turned where Omiko was for a brief second. "When Hakodate was first admitted to Honnouji Academy, she tends to act shy and akward, and was usually picked on by the former President of the Ping Pong Club. Once she found passion on Tennis, she created the Tennis Club and she was one of the best performing Clubs that grabbed my attention. But the more recognition she got, the eviler she becomes. And the no-turning-back point was when she was promoted to One-Star. At first, I didn't mind her going full evil and abusing her members since well, she was my trump card whenever we invade other schools, thus giving her the title of Emperor of Honnouji. Well that's until…" Sanageyama finished his exposition phase, just to be hit by Hakodate's racket due to still being mad of her demotion and she didn't want to remember that.
Joker has finally regained some air to stand up. What Uzu said concerned him, so he must at least actions if Ryuko or Mako get taken over by greed. "By the way Sanageyama, I know this is cheating, but it would make my job easier."
"Tch… Sure, ask me anything. It's not like I'm loyal to Satsuki any longer." Sanageyama grunted while sitting on an empty oil drum.
"It's about your plans with invading Japan's schools. What is Honnouji planning with it? Why does it have to do with world domination, and does it tie with the upcoming apocalypse?" He asked the former member of the Student Council, after all he must know since he was once one of the closest people to Satsuki.
"To be honest, I don't know." Sanageyama responded, causing both Kurusu and Morgana to gasp. "Satsuki didn't tell us her full-scale plan to achieve her goal, and whenever we fulfil one of her steps, she shows us another step for her control and "Liberation" of humanity. Listen Mr. goody two-shoes, we don't care what happens to humanity, we just follow order that Satsuki or Ragyo tell us to do. Ms. Big Eyebrows and to some extend her butler are the only ones who know the entire plan."
"Hmmm…? Ragyo Kiryuin? They have told me about her name. Based by her name, it's obvious that she's related to Satsuki. Is she her sister or Aunt?" Akira remember about all the times the name Ragyo was mentioned.
"You can't be serious! Lady Ragyo is literally the power above Lady Satsuki! She's the CEO of REVOCS, the owner of the Kiryuin Conglomerate and Director of Honnouji Academy, a title that I don't know, SURPASSES the Student Council position! She's literally Satsuki's mother. If she wasn't for her, we wouldn't have our school or our Goku Uniforms! Though, I sometimes find odd that she always talks about the clothing that will cover the heavens and all that shit." Hakodate couldn't believe that his new President barely knew about the one above Satsuki.
What Hakodate and Sanageyama told him, alongside Jakuzure and Mikisugi could help him into completing the puzzle that Satsuki and her underlings are hoarding the jigsaw pieces. Maybe Satsuki is just another chess piece for her mother for her plan to take over the world using the Life Fibers, covering the students from other schools in Goku Uniforms to convince them Into joining her army.
Meanwhile on a far roof, Nui Harime was watching the whole talking between the Fight Club and was rejoicing seeing the trickster now donning a 2-Star Goku Uniform. She just couldn't wait to see those piggies being corrupted by the Life Fibers and Honnouji's system, but then her chic smartphone rang the main theme of Little Witch Academia. "Bonjour?" She picked the call on her teasing way.
"Nui Harime… why are you on my city…? You know they consequences for trespassing to my territory, even if you were directly ordered by my mother." It was Satsuki on her menacing tone on the phone.
"OH! Lady Satsuki! How you're doing my fellow pseudo-sis?" Nui asked playfully while combing one of her oversized pigtails.
"Don't tease me, you Life Fiber abomination. What are you doing here!? If you're planning to kill Matoi, there's no point on that. The new student Akira Kurusu is strong enough to shut your lights.."
"That's why I'm here Lady Satsuki, I'm just spying on your new student. Those Personas of his are really, really, really cool! You know how my curiosity work righty right?" Nui replied to her boss' daughter. "Alright, I'll leave your fairy tale kingdom alone for now… By the way, I have lately toyed with one of your new shadowy pets, so I hope you're mad. Okay, Biddie byes!" Nui then cut the call before floating away back at the REVOCS tower to bother Hoomaru.
Meanwhile, the gang was still chattering about their whole day, but their time would be cut short once they heard rattles…
"Aw crap… So the Pets Club's going to assault us with snakes? Man, be more original won't ya?" Ryuko joked while activating her scissor blade.
But both Morgana and Kurusu felt those rattles very, very familiar. They knew what it was, it wasn't just 1 rattle, they were 9 rattles at the same time.
"Shaaaa! Ehehehahahahaha! Well, well *hiccup* came for my daily street walk and I found myself my next meal." A giant snake head coming from an alley came in front of the gang while drinking a bottle of sake. "We have 2 fallen ssssssstars, a bobblehead, Shadow the Hedgehog with titsss and 1 Perssssona User… Oh my, never expected today'ssssss food to have variety." The mythical creature was already drooling about how tasty human mixed with Goku Uniforms will be.
"Gyaaahh! A-are t-those t-t-the S-s-shadow you t-t-told u-u-us a-b-bout R-ren!?" Mako was stammering in fear alongside Hakodate with only looking at the reptilian monster.
"I would be lying if I didn't say they are. Those are Drunken Serpents! Everyone, take cover! I'll take care of this bastard and it's 9 heads!" Joker told his members as his glasses transformed into his mask.
"N-nine h-heads!?" Hakodate trembled, causing the Orochi to laught and latter reveal its 9 heads.
"Ha! Run away? Are you retarded or what?" Both Matoi and Sanageyama replied at the same time. "Hey! Stop copying what I say you Asshole/Bitch!" And both didn't liked that… "Gah! Fuck you! Hiyaaaa!" Both Teenagers rushed against the Shadow with their weapons at hand, but they were blasted away by the Drunken Serpent's Oni-Kagura to a nearby trash can, and not even Sanageyama's limited Shingatsu could avoid it.
"I told you to not intervene!" Akira scolded the 2 reckless individuals. "Mankanshoku, Hakodate, take Ryuko and Sanageyama far away and don't return. I'll catch you later once I'm done with this scaled scum!" Joke handed Mankanshoku his bag that contained Morgana while pointing his Knife at the serpentine Shadow to prepare himself.
But Ryuko wasn't going to give up that easily. She quickly got up as if it was nothing. "Akira… I'll help, whenever you like it or not…"
"Ryuko, don't! I don't think we're strong enough to defeat that thing." Senketsu warned Ryuko into not fighting the Shadow due to the dangers that could have.
"Come on Senketsu, stop talking as if you were my guardian or something like that. It helps to escape the usual 2-Star President routine after all." Ryuko tried to chill out her Kamui's concerns before turning his attention to Kurusu. "Hey Fuzzy Hair! I have been sick entirely of you helping me everytime! So as revenge, I'll help you this time!"
Akira just glared at Ryuko for a second, before smiling for a moment. "Alright, go ahead. But don't cry to Sukuyo if you can't handle it." Joker teased Matoi, causing her to smile for a brief moment."
"Me crying? I think the one who's gonna run crying for her mama shall be that shitty snake!" Ryuko exclaimed before activating her Kamui.
"LIFE FIBER SYNCHRONIZE! KAMUI SENKETSU!" Ryuko shouted out as she transformed and was ready to strike.
"Ghryahh!" Ryuko rushed to attack the giant Orochi to strike it down, but the Shadow prove to be stronger once one of his 9 heads revealed itself to breath an Mabufudyne on Matoi's arms and latter bash her with a headbutt, impaling her on the ground.
"Aw shit… Copying Fuzzy Hair's styles? How p-p-p-phattthh…" Ryuko started to tremble while feeling as her body was freezing. She looked at Senketsu and noticed that he was taking a bluish color and was freezing. "S-s-senketsu? W-why the s-s-sudden c-c-cold?"
"I-i-it's J-just th-t-that h-how i-i-I t-t-told you b-b-back a-at H-honnouji! T-the O-overexposure of your s-s-skin m-ma-makes it v-v-vulnerable t-to c-cold t-temperatures! ACHOO!" The black Kamui sneezed out a large pile of Life Fibers.
"S-so why didn't you freeze to d-death b-back t-there!?" Ryuko exclaimed while looking at Joker fighting the large snake hydra using Decarabia.
"W-we weren't synch b-back there! E-end of st-t-t-tory! ACHOO!" Senketsu sneezed once again.
"Ryuko, here!" Akira casted Agi on a nearby wooden box, setting it on fire.
"Heh! Thanks for turning up the heat Akira." Senketsu thanked the Phantom Thief while approaching the fire to warm themselves and feel good as new.
While Joker was struggling with 4 of the snake's heads, he took notes that Kamui wielders are weak to Ice and cold temperatures. It makes sense since they aren't that covered and Kamuis work with blood. He brought up his gun and shoot at the Yokai's eyes (1 eye for each head), causing the ocular orbs to explode into a black and red gooey substance.
"Gah! You Ssssslippery asssshole!" One of the heads scuffed at the thief, catching him by surprise by biting his torso and then threw into a tool shop, wrecking it.
"Hey Asshole!" Ryuko called the attention of the Shadow as she ran where it was and stabbing her Scissor Blade on the ground to use it as a pole vault and launch herself on the giant snake hydra, kicking it, causing it to fall down, but the monster was far beyond from giving up.
"Ghhh… Quit it sssstripper, I'm trying to enjoy my next lunch here!" The giant snake Shadow got up and approached the President of the Fight Club. But the thief slowly got up and growled at the serpent.
"BACK OFF!" Akira cried out, causing to materialize a giant onomatope and latter damage the snake causing to cut part of its body. "What the…" The thief gasped at his new power. So now thanks to its Goku Uniform, he's able to materialize his threatening words to damage his enemies. He still has to learn to master his 2-Star Goku Uniform.
But he must cut his time of thinking about his Uniform short once he noticed the hole on the Drunken Shadow. There were Life Fiber patterns inside the Shadow's organs, and they slowly patched the monster like some kind of regenerative method.
"Oh! I ssssee you're interested about who made me more powerful eh?" The Shadow teased the phantom thief for a brief moment before cackling. "If you dessssire to know, you have to kill me firssst!" The 9 heads then charged an ice beam from its mouths to later fire it at the thief, but he quickly summoned Arsene to deflect it. "You think you're ssssoo sssmart eh?" The Orochi then puked out Life Fibers that instantly transformed into a mirror before being destroyed, deflecting the attack back at Joker.
He couldn't respond the attack again with Arsene, so he had no other option than to block it using his new Bakuto and closed his eyes.
When Kurusu opened them up again, he noticed that a transparent shield was covering him. He then noticed that whenever he blocks with his Bokuto, he creates an invisible barrier to protect himself. "Now it's my turn to attack! Rise up Arahabaki!" Kurusu exclaimed switching mask to call forth the clay doll he got from Iori.
The Hermit Persona fully opened his eyes, emitting a small flash before starting to spin around to cast Spirit Drain on the Serpent and transfer its SP to Akira.
"Thanks! Now take this!" Akira then gamble it all out by throwing his hat like a boomerang in hopes that it could be like some king of throwing hat that red plumber used to use, and for it's luck, it did.
The cap flew all over the serpentine monster's heads and began to spin around, dizzying him before going for one of its head and beheading it, causing more gooey blood to scatter around the slums.
"Ehahahahaha! It'ssss going to take more than that to kill me!" The Drunken Shadow cackled as the Life Fibers inside its body acted, regenerating the cut head while Akira's cap returned to his head.
"Don't say!" Akira teased at the snake monster back as he disappeared from its sight and later appear behind while summoning Lucifer and cast Heat Riser, creating an explosion damaging the Orichi and boosting Kurusu.
"Very funny eh? Say, how about-"
"Hey lizardbrains!" Ryuko ambushed the snake on a perfect time to strike it.
Just to be latter eaten whole and latter make the Snake belch in satisfaction and spit the Scissor Blade into an oil drum. "Ahhh! That sure hit the sssspot!"
"NOOOO! THAT FREAKING DOES IT!" Akira cried in pure rage, causing its body skin to take a reddish color and emitting heat from it. Not only that, but it's muscles started to expand and grow into hulk-size proportions that could rival Sanageyama's former Blade Regalias. "What the…?" Joker took a look at his muscular body for a brief second and was surprised that his clothes also expanded alongside its muscle to perfectly fit his size while his skin turn back to normal. He has discovered that somehow his Uniform gives his some kind of steroid-like boost whenever he has an adrenaline surge on its body, but he would be way more slower in exchange for his raised defense and handsomeness (The Muscle Growth function of his uniform was actually Jakuzure's idea).
"Hehehe! Well well, getting that Jojo routine I sssssee! But those biceps and size of yours means more meat for me!" The Orochi joked while menacingly staring at the President of the Fight Club.
"I'll assure you, you won't eat more innocent people from here on out!" Kurusu then charged against the serpent. He couldn't summon Personas on buff mode and that form is draining a lot of stamina, so he must practice to use this form as a last resort or find a way to take a muscular form like Jotaro and not as huge as he is right now.
"Atatatatatatatata!" Akira unleashed a flurry of punches, one of his Uniform's abilities against the serpent while the Orochi used its heads to make a similar attack.
"Fight Club Bokuto Uppercut!" Akira shouted while using his overgrown Bokuto to hit the Orochi with a rising uppercut he learned from videogames sending it flying into a wall.
The Orochi has finally recovered his full stamina and looked around. For his surprise, he looked up seeing its opponent ready to smash him. "FOOL!" The Shadow smiled before releasing Life Fiber threads from its 9 mouths, wrapping Akira into a Cocoon and absorbing its stamina and latter slam that cocoon on the ground, breaking it like an egg and implanting the trickster on the ground, now transformed back to normal than the hulk-like one due to his stamina being fully drained.
"Geez… Those Life Fibers made that thing a monster…" Akira did his best to get up and take a look to himself, realizing that he returned back to normal rather than still being super muscular which was a relief knowing that he has recovered his speed, agility and Persona summoning power. Also he noticed that his Goku Uniform and Bokuto shrink back into their normal size rather than staying as overgrown clothes that could give it to Gamagori (He could thank the Magic Pants trope for that). Iori truly puts a lot of effort on the design of his uniforms.
"Gyahahahaha! Oh where did all that beefiness of you go? Oh wait! I took it from you! You may not have more meat on your bones, but scrawny teenagers like you are easier to swallow up! Get ready to meet your friend again, IN MY BELLY!" The gigantic snake rushed one of its heads to eat the phantom thief, but he then was stopped by a growl coming from its belly.
From the stomach, lumps could be seen as if something or someone wanted to get out. And something it did. Red retractable claws came out of the Shadow's stomach, opening a hole once again revealing Ryuko alive and with Senketsu taking a new form that consisted of himself being covered in blades and spikes.
"Ryuko! God you're alive! I could hug you if it wasn't for those spikes of yours." Joker released a small tear knowing that his friend was okay. "And kinda convenient that you pulled a transformation down your ass right?"
"About our new form, this is a form I take whenever we take a tight situation for battle if we don't have the Scissor Blade. I call it SENKETSU SENJIN!" Senketsu shouted out with enthusiasm.
"Wait, so then why didn't you tell me before that I have this badass power?" Ryuko prodded her Kamui's eye in complainment before running for her Scissor Blade and successfully grab it.
"No time for babbling! Ryuko, Senketsu, do you think you could spare me some time? I need to make a call!" Akira ordered the 2 into giving him time for him to recover.
"Ehh… Sure! I have some unfinished business with that bastard over there!" Ryuko pointed at the Orochi before striking now giving it more fight.
Akira crawled into a nearby public phone to make an important call to the only group capable of assuring victory.
Back at the Mankanshoku's department, the family was sleeping on their comfy beds, until they heard Sukuyo's phone ringing.
"Hello, you're talking to the Mankanshokus." Ms. Mankanshoku picked her cellphone with kindness.
It was Akira, requesting for a plate of croquettes.
"Honeybuns! It's Ren! And here's hungry!" Barazo's wife prod him to wake him up. Just him hearing that a fellow croquette fanatic is hungry for the crunchy goodness is enough to give him the mood to serve duty.
"Ren is in trouble! Then wake up Guts and Mataro! I'll get the Mankanshokumobile ready!" Barazo told his lovely wife while changing into his usual clothes and went down to buckle up the family van.
The Mankanshoku family then got into action as if they were a team of superheroes. All changed up, packed with croquettes and entered the elevator to get into the van and rushed into the slums to aid Ren.
"Decapitation Mode: Blood Squirmier!" Ryuko cried out as she boosted herself like a rocket using Senketsu while shooting her spikes to the Orochi and later decapitate 8 of its heads with her Scissor blade, preventing the monster from regenerating.
"YOU BITCH!" The giant snake looked more pissed off than eve than he now decided to squash the teenage girl with its immense body, but…
"Mankanshokus coming through!" Barazo shouted out as he rammed against the serpent's head, saving Ryuko from being turned into a human pancake.
"Ren! Over here!" Mataro called his best friend while carrying a slingshot.
"Just in time! Now, pass over the goods!" Akira told the family who landed on a nearby roof.
"Right! Mom, pass a croquette!" Mako's brother told his mom and she did just that. "Bon Appetit!" Mataro shouted out as he launched the croquette to Akira's mouth and it hit target.
Ren ate and swallow the crunchy goodness and felt his entire stamina fully recovered. "Thanks guys! Now get away! We'll take care of this!"
"Okey dokey!" Sukuyo contested as the family drove away from the conflict.
"Ryuko, I think I have a plan!" Ren then whispered his plan to Matoi.
"A bit bizarre, but if you say it works, then fine by me Fuzzy Hair." Ryuko sighted while smiling for a bit.
SHOWTIME!
"Ryuko, Senketsu you're ready?" Akira asked his teammates while preparing his knuckles.
"Let's tore its ass apart!" Ryuko shouted out.
"I'm right behind you!" The Kamui contested.
Akira then grabbed Ryuko by her legs and started to spin around while the teenage girl raised her claws into the air. Kurusu's Uniform also gave him super strength. Maybe not as much as his buff form provides him, but enough to lift a person.
The speed of the spinning was enough to produce a black tornado, sucking from trash to abandoned cars all around him, hitting the Orochi multiple times before releasing Kurusu and Matoi into the air.
"Consider yourself dead meat!" Ryuko shouted out while thrusting her scissor blade against the giant snake Shadow.
Meanwhile, Akira summoned Lucifer to cast his strongest attack. "Here it goes! Morning Star!" Akira shouted out, causing the stars above him to move where he is and unite into an almighty bomb of energy against his enemy causing a red and light-blue explosion with Senketsu's face enough to destroy a small quarter of the slums. Luckily, no civilians were hurt.
"Phew! I'm fairly sure that does it." Ryuko sighted in relief noticing all the property damage they did before de-transforming while Ren's mask returned to be his usual glasses.
When the 2 turned to noticed if the snake is no more, they noticed that it was still alive, but he could barely move.
HOLD UP!
Akira instantly pointed his gun at the Orochi and Ryuko her Scissor Blade at the monster while a spotlight flashed where the Shadow was.
"Alright, alright, you win. Jusssst Pleassse! Don't kill me!" The orochi who at this point only had 1 head begged for mercy. How the tables have turned.
"Ha! The only way we're truly gonna sing victory is when we see your guts scattered all over the place!" Ryuko snarled waiting for her friend's order to kill the snake. "Isn't that right Fuzzy Hair?"
But Ren had other plans. He just approached the Shadow with confidence while still pointing at its last head. "Tell me who did you this."
"Ehh? What are you talking about ssssshithead!"
"Who altered your body? But I think I know the answer. It was Honnouji Academy, wasn't it?" Akira still had high suspicions about Honnouji genetically fusing Shadows with Life Fibers for their nefarious purposes.
"You mean those elitisssst bratssssss? Then you're right. I was creeping on the ssslums of this city in search for my nexxxt meal, but then thessse people wearing parasssites assss clothing captured me and sssstarted experimenting on me." The snake clarify what Joker theorized.
"I see… Did they send you to test my strength?" He continued to prosecute the Shadow.
"No… I essscaped from that hell they called sssschol! I remember that a girl wearing a pink dressssss and a parassoul liberated me from my cell. She told me that I could caussse as much chaos as I dessssired. I asked her if she wanted anything in return, but she replied it'sss doing it to annoy Satsuki. But even sssstill, I could feel a twissssted darkness within the Kiryin's heart." The Orochi explained his backstory to Joker.
"Thanks for the information. Now I have one more request." Akira offered the Orochi a deal he couldn't resist. "I want you to lend me your power."
"Mmm… And what do I get in return?" The Shadow was pretty interested about Joker's offer.
"Revenge. I know that you have a large amount of grudges against Satsuki, and I'm planning to abolish her unjust and rotten system. So I ask you again, join me or die." Ren narrowed at the reptile once again with malice.
"Ehehehe… You know what? I like the style you approached me. Then we have a deal… Wait a sssssecond, I think I remember now!" The Orochi got of while its missing heads re-grown again and the Life Fibers from its body vanished completely, returning the Shadow back to normal. "I'm not a shadow and I don't belong on this dumpssster of a city, I used to live in the ssssea of the human heart! Oh, silly me hehehe… The name's Yamata-no-Orochi, I am you, and you are me! So consider my powers yourssssss…" Yamata-no-Orochi then transformed into a mask similar to Jokers while Akira took the mask and added the Orochi to his Persona collection.
Mask Taken!
Results:
EXP: 760
Yens: 4000
Ryuko learned Senketsu Senjin!
"Holy shit! Did you just befriended that ehh… THING!?" Ryuko couldn't still believe about how Joker managed to recruit Yamata-no-Orochi.
"Yup, you'll be surprised about how many times I recruited Shadows. By the way, hold still, I'm going to heal you." Joker holded Ryuko's hand and summoned Amane-no-Uzume to heal her wounds.
"Whelp, I guess that's it. Better catch with the guys." Ryuko and Joker then went where the guys went to hide.
The 2 were walking searching for Mako and the rest.
"Mako! Hakodate! Sanageyama! We're back! So where are you?" Akira shouted the names of his Club members in hopes of finding them. But on their way, they stumble upon Mikisugi on his homeroom teacher disguise.
"Oh! It's glad stumbling upon you 2. Mankanshoku was so worried, that sent me to find you." The leader of Nudist Beach told them while re-arranging his glasses. "By the way, nice Goku Uniform Kurusu."
"Thanks Sensei." Akira replied. "By the way, so where are the rest?"
"Oh right, I took them to the bar I usually go. I paid their food since they look hungry, just don't tell Lady Satsuki about it okay?" The teacher asked the thief, making him respond with a soft smile.
"Hey, can I tell you something Sensei?" Akira asked while he, Ryuko and Aikuro walked toward the bar the both of them and Tsumugu hanged out.
"Yes?"
"It's about your appearance and voice… They remind me about an old friend of mine…" He told him trying to hold his tears from remembering Yusuke's death.
"Huh! Well that's a weird coincidence." Ryuko told Fuzzy Hair.
"Well, he used to be an artist and a very skillful one, a bit melodramatic but he was a good person at heart… Well, that's until…" Akira then shred a tear that came out of his face.
Aikuro could feel and understand the pain Akira went through. "I.. I understand what you're going though, and I feel sorry for your loss…"
"No need to feel sad Sensei." Kurusu told him. "They're nothing more than a distant memory for now…"
The 3 arrived at the bar where the other 3 members of the Club were hanging out.
"Bout time you came back." Hakodate teased Kurusu and Matoi for their tardiness.
"Yay! You're safe! By the way, thanks for bringing our friends here Mr. Mikisugi." Mankanshoku thanked her homeroom teacher for bringing her friends here while eating a giant bowl of ramen.
"Ehh… Right. Well, see you tomorrow." Aikuro said goodbye to its students. "By the way Kurusu, remember that next week is Test week so be ready, okay?" Mikisugi reminded his students while waving goodbye.
"Alright guy, that's enough eating and more moving." Kurusu clapped his hands to announce that they're going.
After a delicious meal paid by Aikuro, the 5 were strolling the streets of the slums. Even with the muggers and suspicious people going around, the stroll was actually pleasant. They must admit that the ambiences on Honno were one of the few redeeming qualities.
"Well, we're finally here." Kurusu told his members as they arrived at Sanageyama and Hakodate's new home that resulted to be…
"NO WAY! It's our old house!" Mako was astonished to see her old house from there slums again, with a bad state full of spider webs and the lack of that flash back-alley doctor neon sign.
"Well guys, welcome to your new home." Kurusu presented Uzu and Omiko their new place to stay. "It used to be Mako's home, but ever since we moved out to the One-Star apartments, it has been gathered dust. So you better grab those broom and start the cleaning!" Akira told the 2 while handling brooms and other cleaning products out of nowhere and get their asses to work.
"WHAT!? You're going to force us to clean this mess of a house!? I have you know that I was once of the Elite 4 and I deserve more respect than this!" Sanageyama didn't wanted to do the job of the commoners since he still have remnants of his arrogance inside his heart.
"Well, it's your home now… And don't start threatening me with abandoning my Club since I doubt that any other one would let you be part of them." Akira then looked at Sanageyama on a devilish way. "You now belong to me blind boy!" He teased the former member of the Elite 4 with the smuggest smile he could make.
Sanageyama wanted to make a counter argument, but Kurusu was right and he didn't had anywhere to go. He could try defy Honnouji Academy, but he doubts that he could take it all by himself, let alone Satsuki.
"Geez, don't make a fuss Mr. I was part of the Elite 4! Or what, are you afraid of getting dust on your eyes? Oh wait, you don't have any!" Ryuko mocked Sanageyama while chuckling alongside Mako.
"Hey See no evil mokey, are you going to stand there slacking off or are you going to help me into cleaning this dumpster house for once?" Hakodate told the former-Kendo President while scrubbing the dirty floors.
Everyone was right, he didn't had anything else better to do. He couldn't climb ranks or be given a Goku Uniform.
The Fight Club started to clean the old shack all night, the frowns from Hakodate and Sanageyama suddenly turned into smiles once they started to finally treat themselves with respect and companionship, as if they were a family, and never in Honnouji's history was being part of a Club actually pleasant. Hakodate then remembered what Kurusu told him when she first met him. About her regaining her humanity…
After a period of housecleaning, the gang was on the roof staring at the stars. Sometimes Akira and the girls forgot how the night sky look much better at the slums.
"Pretty nostalgic isn't it?" Ryuko asked Kurusu while remembering that it was on this same room, she first made her friendship with Kurusu.
"Touche Matoi… Still wonder what would happened if Sanageyama's former lackey managed to kill you hehe." Kurusu then pointed at Sanageyama who was drinking a can of soda alone.
"Hey! Don't remind me about that alright!? Geez, stop rubbing your glory onto my face!" Uzu complained about Akira's extreme cockiness, but he still calls himself a hypocrite since he was just as cocky, but too arrogant.
Akira was concerned about Sanageyama. Yes, he may have been a spiteful person that could rival one of its rotten adults, but he knows that most people deserve a rehabilitation in life. "Is there something wrong Uzu? You know the problems of my members are also my problems." Akira approached the green haired teenager.
Sanageyama after hearing this, let out a sight. "My problem? Just look at me! I once a proud member of the Elite 4, now a No-Star licking your boots…"
"Why you should be sad about it?" The wild card contested.
"Why should I be sad? Isn't it obvious?" Sanageyama wanted to point out the obvious, but Akira kept smiling.
"You should be glad that I liberated you from the clothing of captivity that blinded you from the truth and your true self." Akira replied. "I know that you're confused about what did I told you, but the truth is… If I didn't defeat you, even if you learned about your mistakes, you still would blindly follow orders from Satsuki. You say that you didn't cared about what happens to humanity and you only follow her orders. But once you were permanently demoted to No-Star, look at what you achieved! You defeated one of Honnouji's emperors without the need of a Goku Uniform! You did it with your own skills!"
"Tch! Still, everything went down when I relied way too much on my Tengatsu and Shingatsu… I'm a disaster…" Sanageyama still felt grief for being too reliant on his sight and 6th sense.
"There's no need to feel shame into using your special powers, even if you shouldn't rely on them all the time." Akira then hold the Uzu's shoulder. "I mean, is relying on a Goku Uniform any different? Well, kinda… I sometimes think that being demoted was the best thing that has ever happened to you alongside Hakodate." Akira tried to cheer up Sanageyama with his words.
Even if he didn't want to admit it, he was right. The Elite 4 didn't considered themselves a family or friends, just… Servants that cared about Satsuki and she cared about them back. But ever since her disappointment of her resolve, she just discarded him as if he was yesterday's trash. But now that he joined Kurusu's Fight Club, he's finally doing ties with Hakodate and Ryuko who found her to be pretty similar to him, felt that a lot of repressed emotions inside his chest have finally got out and finally… Kurusu unblinded him about Satsuki's system. He can finally relate about the pain and suffering the No-Stars are going everyday, and it was horrifying. To think that he once did this to the others ones below his rank filled his soul with regret.
And speaking of redemptions…
Hakodate was the most distanced from the group while being on a fetal position. She still misses her life as a Two-Star…
"Is there something wrong Hakodate?" Mako from all people approached her former boss to know if she could help her.
"Why are you trying to make me feel better Mankanshoku? Aren't you happy to see me like this…?" Hakodate tried to hide her tears from the only person she abused the most.
"What? Of course not! I'm worried about you since you're my friend!" Mako gave the former Empress some pats on her back to make her feel better.
"Do you, consider me a friend…?" Hakodate muttered while blushing.
"Of course! Well, it was thanks to Ren that we're finally friends." Mako responded with her optimistic tone.
"Just why? Why are you pretending to like me!? I treat you like shit when you were part of my Club! I made you do tedious task for my twisted entertainment! I'm a monster! Monster! I don't deserve your friendship!" Hakodate then burst in tears regretting all of her past sins.
"That's why you're my friend. When I first met you, I could see that you weren't truly happy, that behind that evil demeanor lied a kind, shy and lonely shark. But now that Ren has saved you from becoming more evil, I can see that what I said was true." Mako told Omiko.
It was true. When she was a 2-star, everytme she return her mansion, it was kinda lonely, and sad… Her father, the one person she truly despises was always out buying the most expensive wine he could find and chug thousands and thousands of alcoholic beverages due to the amount of money she generated and return home drunk always hitting her. When she was barely a No-Star, he hit Hakodate with a broken crystal bottle on one of her left eye, she had to be operated and put the multi-use lenses she wears as a replacement. She abused her members of her former Club to use them as target dummies to try new ways on how she could torture her father, until she got the brilliant idea to send Gamagori and the disciplinary committee to arrest him, and so they did, leaving her with only her inflated ego. But once she got demoted into No-Star status, he became so mad about the loss of the expensive beer that he decided to suicide himself by jumping to the river and drown himself. On that day, she lived on the streets under a box all by herself and her No-Star Uniform. But when Akira came to save her life, she felt that she has finally found those last pieces of her humanity were. She now has a new family that she could count on.
"Mako… Can you forgive me…?" Omiko calmly asked while still being on a down mood.
"About what?" Mankanshoku asked innocently.
"Can you forgive me for all those times I abused you? Forgive me for ruining your life and the life I ruined?"
"Of course! After all, that's in the past and what's in the past stays in the past. Right now, you have the present to enjoy the time you have with us." Mako then hugged her former abuser knowing that Hakodate has been saved from the darkness in her heart.
"Thank you, Mako…" Omiko sobbed for a brief moment, before walking where Akira was. "Ehem… You know that I owe you a lot for giving me a place in your Club and all, so…"
"No need to. At least I'm glad that you 2 have finally recovered that humanity Honnouji destroyed. And that's what matters the most. You have finally stripped yourselves without shame or regret." Akira congratulate his 2 new members of the Fight Club.
Both Sanageyama and Omiko were surprised about what Kurusu told them. The truth was, they felt more released and calmed as No-Stars than as Elites of Honnouji. "Akira, thank you…" Both Sanageyama and Omiko thanked the thief at the same time for stealing their desires, giving them a better chance at life.
Akira was so glad, that he could feel his bond with Sanageyama and Hakodate becoming stronger…
I am Thou, thou art i…
Thou have acquired new bows
They shall become the wings of rebellion, that shall breaketh the clothing of captivity
With the rebirths of the Chariot and Strength Personas
Thou have awaken powers dormant within the soul
That shall lead to salvation, and new power…
The tarot cards from the Chariot Arcana courtesy of Sanageyama and the Strength card thanks to Omiko, came down to Akira's palms, announcing the awakening of Thor and Valkyrie's awakenings.
Thing were going well for the Phantom Thief and his Fight Club…
For now…
Satsuki, Soroi and the Elite Trio were watching the recording the whole fight Akira had against Yamata-no-Orochi.
"It appears Mr. Kurusu has neutralized one of your escaped Life-Fiber infused Shadow with some unexpected results milady." Soroi told his master while serving his tea. He alongside Gamagori were against the idea of using the Shadows as part of Honnojji's army, and much less genetically alter them with Life Fibers, but they couldn't doubt Satsuki's choices since they're absolute.
"Thanks for remining me Soroi. Innumuta, you and Iori now must put more effort dedication into our S.C.C. and S.M.T. Uniforms before the festival comes." Satsuki ordered the brains of the Elite Trio.
"Sight… This place isn't as fun as it used to be without the monkey… He was a fool, but one that makes you laught from his failures…" Nonon still missed Sanageyama's precense while licking a strawberry lollipop as she looked at the empty couch the chair of the sports division used to lay his ass.
"It was necessary Jakuzure. Sanageyama has proven himself to not be worthy to be part of the Elite 4, he was nothing more than a foolish brute who made his own downfall once he engaged Kurusu into fighting him, despite my warning." Satsuki then reminded her friend about Uzu's foolishness while drinking her tea. "To think I once gave that clown a chance… I saw potential inside of him, but it looks like I was way too naïve back then…"
"Speaking of Sanageyama, I think you are already aware that Kurusu has admitted him into his Fight Club alongside former Emperor of Honnouji Omiko Hakodate. Our branches informed us that the 2 managed to defeat Aizenrenbo Fuguhara, one of the Emperors." Innumuta informed Satsuki while showing the data gathered from the fight in the P-5 gymnasium.
"I know and good for them." Satsuki contested without any trace of interest.
"Lady Satsuki, I know that you approve the Fight Club, but shouldn't we do something about it? They are proving to have a resolve no other Club has managed to obtain. Unless something is done, Mankanshoku, Matoi and Kurusu will form part of the School's inner circle and Student Council." Gamagori warned his leader about what will happened if the Fight Club continues to progress, something that the chair of the Disciplinary Committee was deeply concerned about. Ever since the approval of Akira's Club, he felt that he and Matoi were planning something to put the academy upside down.
"There's no need to be concerned Gamagori. In fact, you should be happy." Satsuki turned her chair where her shield was while maliciously grinning.
"Speaking of, why did you authorize the Fight Club In the first-place milady? Wouldn't it be harmful having 2 rebellious students being part of your system? Or do you have a reason for doing so?" Innumuta asked his master while looking at her.
"I have one Innumuta. The Fight Club is the golden opportunity I was waiting for ever since I admitted Kurusu to the academy." Satsuki replied while sipping her tea. "Do you know what happens to all students that are promoted to 2-star status?" She asked to her servants.
"Of course Lady Satsuki. It's just fun seeing them being once dense, coward No-Star descend into corruption and malice due to the pampering of luxires as if they were babies. Ha! De-humanizing students and turning them into loyal servants has truly been our winning strategy! It's also fun seeing their downfall." Jakuzure laughed remembering all those times Matoi destroyed the 2-Star Uniforms from the former Presidents.
"You got my words right out of my mouth Jakuzure." The Kiryuin smiled at her long-time friend. "When Ryuko Matoi foolishly created her Club, she has ring the bell of her downfall. I knew that she wouldn't be President due to her recklessness and irresponsibility alongside Mankanshoku, so it was obvious from the start that Kurusu would be chosen as President. And now with one of the seats of the Elite 4 empty, the stars have been aligned in my favor." Satsuki grinned maliciously.
"But still Lady Satsuki, Akira Kurusu has demonstrated to possess an unbreakable will and a charisma that rivals yours. Do I need to remind everyone about how he alone was responsible for tearing down this year's No-Tardies day?" Gamagori was gritting his teeth and clenching his fist with just the mere memory about how the phantom thief was able to inspire the No-Stars into opposing the system and easily overcome his obstacles.
"Even though, he's also been proven to be an useful asset to Honnouji Academy. He was a major key element into helping us neutralize the Osaka spy and stop the 5-Star student from wrecking the academy. He truly is a wild card." Innumuta reminded Gamagori about the good things Akira has done for Honnouji. Even if Ira didn't wanted to admit it, Kurusu was the best Hall Monitor of the academy by date.
"But still, why are you saying that everything is in set with the monkey being kicked out?" Jakuzure still didn't knew about Ragyo's offsprings true plan.
"About that my dear Jakuzure, it is obvious that Kurusu will submit to me one way or another. Even the most rebellious Clubs like the Origami and even the weakling of the Boxing Club has admitted defeat. And I'll make sure Kurusu will not be an exception."
"But milady, what if your plans don't go as you predicted they would go?" Soroi asked Satsuki while serving her more tea.
"No need to worry Soroi, they will. With everyone fighting over for Sanageyama's position, I'm sure our wild card would also race for it. And even if he doesn't get corrupted that easily, I'm sure Mankanshoku's family, Matoi and his desire of knowledge about what our world is facing will... Just watch and wait…" Satsuki explained her flawless plan while picking a cup of milk and pour it into her tea until her drink becomes all white. "They will either end up as a minor nuisance, or be fully assimilated into Honnouji Academy…"
Confidant Summary:
Nonon Jakuzure – The Lovers: Member of the Elite Trio and the most closed one to Satsuki Kiryuin. She has demonstrated that she's falling in love with me, could I use this on my favor to rehabilitate her and free her from Satsuki's prison of oppression?
Persona Obtained: Ame-no-Uzume
Uzu Sanageyama – The Chariot: Former member of the Elite 4 and member of my Fight Club. Ever since Satsuki kicked him out from the heavens, he has slowly showing his true emotions and feeling. He seems to be a male version of Ryuko, but still reminds me of Ryuji. Could he perhaps be a future ally on my journey?
Persona Obtained: Thor
Omiko Hakodate – The Strength: Former Club President of the now-disbanded Tennis Club and also former Emperor of Honnouji. Once she was demoted into No-Star status, she showed to be nice, but still a hothead. Even still, she swore that she would one day rise to 2-Star status and get revenge on Ryuko.
Persona Obtained: Valkyrie
