In this part Aqua and Uzi continue to try and find a way to stop Gaston

Disclamer: I own nothing in this.

Persona 5 Royal Fanmake Gaston Arc Chapter 12

Alexis' Troubles

It was the next day and Aqua was on her way to school again. She was walking behind two girls who were talking amongst themselves about yesterday's events.

"Did you see Mr. LeGume play yesterday? He was so awesome!" An Excited Girl said smiling "I think I might ask for his autograph after school."

"I dunno if that's such a good idea…I hear that you shouldn't go near the PE faculty office." The Nervous Girl said to that "People say you can hear weird sounds, like screaming, even though no one's there…"

"What? That's probably just a rumor spread by fans to scare the competition." The Excited Girl said.

Aqua sighs and shakes her head, that was far from a rumor and more the truth but she couldn't say that.

Soon she made it to school and spent her day focusing the lessons, soon by Afternoon classes, as Yor was giving her lesson Aqua's phone buzzes and she looks ait it.

It was a message from Uzi who put "So about witnesses…I was wondering if wee could get something out of Alexis."

"But she isn't on the team." Aqua secretly sends the message.

"Just hear me out." Uzi sends "You know how we didn't get a thing out of the volleyball team? I figured it'd be a good idea to talk to someone who knows them. Alexis' BFFs with a starter. A girl named Aoi Asahina, Hina for short."

"I tried to talk to that girl during break, but I got nothing." Uzi continued "That's why we should have Alexis talk to her. Then again, I guess it'll be hard getting her to help us…Sorry. Lemme see what else I can come up with,"

"I see…Well we're running out of options." Aqua said with a sigh as she puts the phone away.

Sometime after classes we come to the courtyard where Alexis and Hina were sitting on one of the benches by the vending machines.

"Shouldn't you be heading to volleyball?" Alexis asked her friend

"Uh-huh…" Hina said nodding, through now she had a bruise above her left eye (her POV)

Alexis also noticed and asked concerned "That bruise about your eye…Is that from practise, too?"

"Y-Yeah…" Hina said nodding.

Alexis looks sad and concern as she asked "Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?

"I'm okay…" Hina said sighing eyes closed "Volleyball's the only thing I can do right…" Just then Alexis' phone begins to ring "Shouldn't you take that?"

"It's probably just my part-time job…I think" Alexis said wanting to ignore the call.

"I…should get going." Hina said nodding.

"Hina…" Alexis said concerned "…Are you sure you're okay?"

"Uh-huh…" Hina said standing up and goes to the Classroom Building.

Alexis sighs and answers her phone "…Yes?" She knew who it was and what they were asking and said "Today won't work…I'm…I'm not feeling so good…Sorry…Bye." She hangs up and leaves passing two make students.

"Hey, wasn't that Alexis?" A bored male student asked.

"Rumor has it she's dating Gaston." A Rumor-loving student told him.

"Seriously?" The Board student asked surprised.

"I heard people saw them in his car together." The Rumor loving student explained.

"You know…she looks serious but seems pretty easy huh?" The board student said grinning "You think I'd have a chance, too?"

"Come on dude, you can't go after Gaston's girl!" The Rumor loving student told him.

A while later Aqua was approaching to the Courtyard but as she approached the doors to it she sees Hina who was standing there looking at her phone who sighs.

Aqua sees she was blocking the way but noticed her bruised and said "Erm…excuse me?"

"…What?" Hina said and looks up and sees Aqua "Oh…I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry…"

"It's okay, don't worry about it." Aqua said to her smiling.

"I really am sorry though. I must have spaced out…" Hina said bowing to Aqua. She then looks up at Aqua "Hm, you don't look familiar. Are you perhaps that transfer student from Class D?"

"Yeah, that is right." Aqua said with a nod.

"Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, okay?" Hina said to him sighing.

"I have heard them but don't worry, they don't bother me too much." Aqua said to reassure her.

"I'm glad to hear that." Hina said with a nod and smiles a bit but then gets sad "…My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks…Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to drag on like that. Anyway, I have to go to practice. I'll see you around."

"See you around and take there." Aqua said to her and watched her walk off. She sighs and goes to the Courtyard.

Uzi was standing by the vending machines in the Courtyard looking annoyed and said "Dammit. What the robot hell…"

"Did you find someone?" Aqua asked concerned.

"Is that what it looks like?" Uzi asked sarcastically, she then slams her fist on one of the machines and said "All of them kept saying the same stuff Penny was talking about! Gaston has to have told them something!"

"Well, we're back to square one." Aqua said sighing.

"At this rate…looks like we'll have to go to him directly…" Uzi said sighing.

"There would be no point in doing that." Aqua said to her.

"I know…" Uzi said with a sigh. "But seriously, isn't there something we can do? No way I'm going to give in like this! Can you think of anything?"

"Why don't we call the cop troopers?" Aqua suggests.

"So, you want to tell them about the castle?" Uzi asked, "They'd never believe us…Have any other ideas?"

"What about a sneak attack?" Aqua then suggests.

"That'd be fine if we could do it without getting caught, but… if we did, we'd be seriously done for." Uzi said sighing. "Any other ideas? What do we do?"

Aqua thinks then gets an idea and said smiling "Let's punish the king."

"The king...? You mean that other world's Gaston?" Uzi said wide eyed and thinks "I didn't of that, but…Is there any meaning to-"

"I finally found you…" A voice suddenly said from somewhere.

The two girls looks around confused as a white cat with a blue collar, gold tail ring and green front paw wool shoes wonders up to the table.

"…You say something?" Uzi asked Aqua.

"No, I didn't" Aqua said shaking her head.

The White Cat jumps up onto the table and then said in a familiar voice "Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you."

Aqua and Uzi was surprised and the Drone girl said shocked "That voice…Is that you, Gatomon?!"

Indeed the cat was Gatomon, now looking like an actual cat shakes his head and said "How dare you, up and leaving me the other day!"

"The cat's talking?!" Uzi said in shock.

"I am NOT a cat!" Gatomon told Uzi "This is just what happened when I came to this world?! It was a lot of trouble find you two."

"Hang on…You came to our world?!" Uzi said approaching the table surprised "Does that mean you've got a phone?!"

Gatomon sits down and grooms himself and explained "You don't need one when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost making my escape though…"

"That aside, why can you talk?! You're a cat!" Uzi said to him "I am a robot, but I lack an animal translator function."

"How should I know?!" Gatomon said to her.

Uzi concerned looked to Aqua "Are you hearing this too?"

"Yeah, I am hearing it too" Aqua said with a nod.

"Then that means it really is Gatomon…" Uzi said now believing it.

Gatomon smiles and said "You guys are having a rough time of this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses."

"Oh, be quiet." Uzi said to him.

"You know, I could tell you a thing or two about what to do about Gaston." Gatomon said smiling "You were pretty close just a moment ago."

"Bite me, that condescending attitude!" Uzi said annoyed "This thing's got to be Gatomon!"

"You were still doubting me?!" Gatomon said annoyed.

"Ack! Quiet down!" Uzi said quickly looking around.

Just then walking through the nearby courtyard corridor was a teacher and student of the Disciplinary Committee.

"We really have to be looking for a cat in a busy time like this?" The teacher said annoyed.

"I just heard a meow somewhere near here." The student said to the teacher "Didn't you hear it?"

The teacher sighs "Make sure you check every nook and cranny around." The two walk off

"Meow?" Uzi said surprised and looks to Gatomon. "Does that mean only us two can understand what you're saying?"

"Looks like it." Gatomon said thinking.

"What the heck is going on?" Uzi said confused.

"Maybe it's a side effect of travelling to that other world?" Aqua said thinking.

"Maybe." Uzi said thinking "Anyway, what you were talking about Gatomon…Is it for real?"

"You're quite the skeptic for being an idiot bot." Gatomon said shaking his head.

"Hey, tell us more." Uzi said then looks around "Then again, this probably ain't the best place…" she grabs Gatomon by the collar making him meow in surprise and said to Aqua "Here, stick it in your bag for now! It should be just small enough to fit!"

"Right" Aqua said getting her bag ready.

"Hey! How dare you treat me like…" Gatomon said struggling before being stuffed into the bag.

The two girls head up to the roof of the Classroom Building and after ensuring they were alone. Aqua sets her bag down to let Gatomon come out.

"…Don't be so rough with me!" Gatomon said annoyed after he got out.

"Stop complaining already!" Uzi said to him "You said you know how we can do something about Gaston, right?"

"It has to do with what this girl was talking about earlier." Gatomon said indicating to Aqua "You'll need to attack his castle."

"Oh, I see." Aqua said surprised her final idea was onto something.

"What do you mean?" Uzi asked him.

"The castle is how Gaston views this school." Gatomon explained. "He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Gaston."

"What'd happen?" Uzi asked.

"A palace is a magnification of a person's distorted desires." Gatomon said "So, if that castle were no more…"

"If it were to go, his desires would go too." Aqua said getting it.

"Precisely! You sure pick up things fast!" Gatomon said smiling at Aqua.

"For real?! H-He's going to turn good?!" Uzi asked surprised at that. She thinks and asked "But…is that really getting back at him?"

"Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart." Gatomon explained. "However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain."

"Gaston will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself!" Gatomon added nodding.

Uzi's LED eyes widen and she said "You for real?! That's possible?!"

"And since the Palace will no longer exist, he'll forget what we did there as well." Gatomon added in smiling "Not only will we be able to bring Gaston down, but there won't even be a trace of our involvement."

"That's amazing!" Uzi said smiling "You are one incredible cat!"

"True, except for the cat part!" Gatomon states.

"This seems like there is a catch." Aqua said thinking.

"Either way. How do we get rid of the Palace?!" Uzi asked Gatomon.

"By stealing the Treasure held within." Gatomon told them.

"Stealing…?" Uzi asked.

"I'll tell you more once you agree to go ahead with this. It's my most valuable secret plan, after all." Gatomon said smiling. "If you want to help me out, I'll gladly teach you. What's your call?"

Uzi looks to Aqua and said "Our luck's running dry looking for witnesses. Guess we have no choice but to go along…"

"Yeah, there is no other option I can think of." Aqua said with a nod.

"Good." Gatomon said smiling "Oh, right. There's one more thing I should tell you. If we erase a Palace, there is no doubt that the person's distorted desires will be erased as well. But desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, eat, fall in love-those sorts of things."

"What are you getting at?" Uzi asked concerned.

"If all of those yearning were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who has shut down entirely." Gatomon explained. "They may even die if they're not given proper care. So…"

"They might die?!" Uzi said in shock.

"I knew there was going to be a catch." Aqua said concerned.

"Will you listening to everything I have to say first?" Gatomon asked.

"Would their death be our fault?" Uzi asked concerned.

"Aren't you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?" Gatomon asked back.

Uzi sighs and looks at Aqua "Hey Aqua…What do you think?"

"I want to make him pay but I don't want to kill him." Aqua said shaking her head.

"O-Of course not…" Uzi said in agreement

Gatomon shakes his head "Sheesh…I come all this way, and this is what I get. It's not like anyone will ever find out."

"That's not the point!" Uzi yelled at him "If we just go around secretly doing whatever we want, we'd be no better than that stupid Gaston…"

"Isn't this your only option?" Gatomon points out. "I'll come back later. Make sure you've made your decision by then." With that he runs off.

"Man, we're getting all worked up for nothing…Dammit!" Uzi said rubbing her head annoyed, she sighs "I'll try and see if I can figure out another way…Come on, let's get out of here."

"Yeah, let's think about this before we decide on Gatomon's plan." Aqua said retrieving her bag and the leave the school.

After Aqua made it to the entrance she gets a message on her phone from Uzi.

"Hey, some of the guys in my class have been talking." Uzi messaged her. "About that Hina girl…Looks like rumors are going around about her and Gaston. If they're true, it's no wonder I couldn't get her to talk. Still, something about that doesn't seem right."

"What do you mean by that?" Aqua messaged.

"It's just impossible." Uzi repied "I've known Alexis and Hina since middle school. There's just no way Gaston is their type, you know? So…I got to wonder where those rumors come from. I guess we'll get to it tomorrow. See you!"

"See you" Aqua messaged and thought 'Hmmmm…I wonder what the other students are saying. I should listen in as I go home…'

Aqua listens in on two female students talking. The Gossipy female student said "Alexis always looks king of unhappy whenever Mr. LeGume talks to her."

"Maybe she doesn't wanna talk to him at school to show off how she's got him wrapped around her finger? Ugh…Gross." The Rude female student said.

"Oh, so that's what's going on…I wonder how far they've gone together…?" The Gossipy student said.

Aqua moves further down the street and hears two more female students talking. A Scared female student said "I saw that ne transfer student hanging out with Uzi Doorman. The two of them are so scary…"

Then the female student heading home said "She doesn't look like the kind of girl who'd have a criminal record. Maybe she's one of those? You know, the people in those accidents. Maybe she suddenly freaks out and attacks people."

"Huh? I don't think so." The scared student said "She's just been coming to school. Actually, she almost seems normal. And from what I hear, after you have a psychotic breakdown, you go brain dead and die right there."

Aqua sighs in relief, happy that least one person she doesn't know well least sees her as normal outside the crazy rumors. She then comes across two male students talking.

"Uzi Doorman's been asking question about the volleyball team. Just who does she think she is?" A Citadel student heading home said.

"The volleyball team's never going to tell her anything. They're all completely loyal to Gaston." A Carefree Citadel student said.

"Well, if Gaston likes them, their future is pretty much set." The other student said "Of course they'd back him up. Speaking of which, I hear Gaston's new favourite girl is someone named Hina."

"Oh, the girl who was chosen to be a regular? Ah, her face was all swollen. It looked pretty bad." The carefree student said.

Aqua was concerned as she continues to the station she comes across a female and male student talking. The female Boorish student said "Man, she even looks hot in a jersey…I wonder if I have a shot with her if she's also into girls…"

"You really want Gaston's leftovers. I like the brown haired ponytail better…" The Sleepy male student said.

"Oh, you mean from the volleyball team? I guess I sort of get you…" The Boorish girl said "Also there is a really cute first year with brown spikey hair. What do you think?"

"I don't look at guys like that, so I haven't really looked." The Sleepy guy said.

Aqua shakes her head and boards the train to Vale. She heard enough stories, so she was going to head straight home.

Aqua made it out of the building to the Beacon line and was walking to get to the Metru-Nui train when she overhears Alexis and looks over to her and see she was on the phone.

"Will you please give it a rest?!" Alexis said annoyed with the person on the other end. "I told you, I'm not feeling up to it…" She then look shocked "Wait what?! That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?!"

'Teacher? That must be Gaston on the other end then.' Aqua thinks to herself as she keeps listening.

"This has nothing to do with Hina!" Alexis said angered but then looks shocked as the one on the other head hung up "Ah…" She crotches down getting upset "Hina's…starting position…"

Aqua concerned approaches Alexis. "Hey, are you okay?"

Alexis looks up and surprised seeing her stands up and backs up "Wait…Were you listening?"

"Yeah, but not on purpose, I was passing by and happen to overhear." Aqua said to her.

Alexis shakes her head annoyed "Haven't you heard of privacy?" She then sighs "…No, I was out of line. Sorry."

"It's no problem." Aqua said to her.

"So how much did you hear?" Alexis asked her.

"Something to do with a friend." Aqua told her simply.

"Hina…" Alexis said looking down but shakes her head tears in her eyes "It's nothing at all. Nothing…" She wipes her eyes and runs off, heading down some stairs to the underground walkway.

'I wonder what happened really, I should follow her…' Aqua thought and gives chase.

Aqua pursues Alexis and soon finds her crying a bit by a pillar and approaches her saying "Alexis…"

Alexis turns and said to her annoyed "Stop following me…Just leave me alone!"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Aqua asked her

"Why…? Why do you keep worrying about me?" Alexis asked wiping her eyes but still cries a bit.

"Let's go somewhere safe to talk." Aqua said to her.

"What the heck…? I really don't get you…" Alexis said confused.

The two go a popular Fast food restaurant Joyful Big Bang Burger and settle on a corner while the employee working their Larry gave them some drinks.

"I don't have anything to talk about with you." Alexis said firmly to Aqua. She sighs "It was just an argument…"

"I can tell it was, but it was one with Gaston right?" Aqua asked. She sees the surprised look on her face, Aqua can see she was stressed out.

"Thank you very much!" Larry said to a customer.

"You've heard the rumors…haven't you?" Alexis said beginning to open up. "About Mr. LeGume. Everyone says we're getting it on. But…that's definatly not true…!"

"I kind of got that impression when I saw you two interact." Aqua said nodding.

"Well, you were right, that was him on the other line." Alexis said as she continued "I avoided giving him my number…for the longest time…"

"What did he want?" Aqua asked.

"He told me to go to his place after this…You know what it means." Alexis replied getting emotional. Aqua sighs and nods "If I turn him down, he said he'll take my friend off as a regular on the team…"

"You're referring to Hina aren't you?" Aqua said.

Alexis nods and gets more upset as she said, "I've been telling myself this is all for Hina's sake…I can't take it anymore…" Aqua didn't know what to say as she continues "I had enough of this…I hate him!" Alexis tears up a bit "But still…Hina's my best friend. She's all I have left at that sorry excuse of a school!" She looks at Aqua "Tell me…What should I do…?"

"I…" Aqua said as she grips her tight covered legs, she wanted to tell her of the other world, but she didn't know how to make it sound believable.

Alexis calms down and wipes her eyes "Sorry…I shouldn't really ask. It really isn't your problem."

"Maybe, but it is best to open up to people about this." Aqua said.

"What…What am I saying? I've barely even talked to you before…" Alexis said confused and surprised.

"Maybe that's why?" Aqua said sorting her glasses.

Alexis nods and smiles "Yeah…you might be right." She sips her drink "You know you're so weird. Usually everyone even the girls just ignore me."

She was curious and asked "Are you really a bad person? I've heard people talking about you, but…I just don't see it."

"What are they saying?" Aqua asked curious.

"That you assaulted someone…That you almost killed them…" Alexis said thinking.

"That is far from the actual truth." Aqua said sighing.

"I kind of had a feeling they were all just exaggerations as most rumors tend to be." Alexis said shaking her head. "You seemed lonely almost like you didn't belong anywhere…"

"Well, it's hard to adjust from the country to the city." Aqua said with a nod.

"We're the same in that regard." Alexis said smiling a bit "Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you." She then sighs "Is there really no way for me to help Hina? I wish he'd just change his mind…Like, forget about me, and everything…" She sighs and sits back "As if something like that would ever happen…"

"Well, you never know it could happen." Aqua said thinking, after all that plan Gatomon told her and Uzi still seemed like the only option.

"I wasn't asking for a serious response." Alexis said with a smile and nod "But I do feel a bit better now….I'm going to head home now." She gets her drink and bag and gets out of her seat and looks at Aqua serious "Don't tell anyone what I told you, okay?"

"It's a secret between us girls" Aqua said with a smile

Alexis nods and smiles "I'll try and think of a way to persuade Gaston. Well…thanks." Alexis then leaves.

Aqua nods and decides to get some dinner here before heading home since she had some spare money.

Meanwhile at Citadel Academy, practise was down to Hina was getting ready to leave until Penny walks up to her.

"Hina…" Penny said to her and asked, "Are you leaving?"

Hina turns to her and asked, "What is it Penny?"

Penny sighs looking away and said "Mr. LeGume's asking for you…He's in the PE faculty office."

"What did he say?" Hina asked looking down nervous.

"…I don't know." Penny said sadly. "Well…I have to go." She then turns and runs off.

Hina shivers and gets scared, she doesn't know how much more of this she can take. She hears her phone and looks at it "Alexis…"

She puts her phone away and goes to the PE faculty office to receive what Gaston wants with her.

Aqua and Uzi have a plan offered but will they take it and what is going to happen to Hina, find out next time

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