Chapter 18: When Aeon Met Faith
May 24
During homeroom, Ms. Kawakami had an announcement to make about an upcoming school event. "As part of the city beautification project, the entire school will be participating in a public cleanup campaign. That means we're going to Inokashira Park to pick up trash." The class started an uproar at that statement. "Settle down. The cleanup will take place next week, on the 30th. All students are to wear their gm uniforms during the vent, so don't forget to dress the part."
'Great, manual labor. Well, it can't be any worse than the fighting we do in the Metaverse,' Octavia thought. She felt her phone buzz and saw that it was a text from Ryuji.
Ryuji: Did you hear about this cleanup bullshit in Inokashira Park? I guess it's the principal's idea. Damage control after Kamoshida scandaled up the school's rep.
Ann: Pretty sure "scandal"'s not a verb. But I get what you mean. Even the counseling staff seems like a desperate move.
Ren: They're scrambling.
Loona: All the girls are horny for the new counselor guy too.
Ryuji: Ugh, I hear that. They all talk about how Maruki's "hot," "kind," "sensitive"… Basically everyone thinks he's their type.
Collin: There's nothing wrong with being any of those things…
Loona: Of course you'd think that, Lambchop.
Octavia: Guess Maruki's pretty popular then. By the way, have any of you been to counseling yet?
Ann: I have.
Ryuji: Oh shit. I forgot. But I dunno… I don't really feel like going. You know what I mean, right, Ren?
Ren: I already went.
Loona: Seriously?
Ann: You should just go already, Ryuji. If your slacking draws attention to us, we're the one who'll have to pay for it.
Ryuji: Fiiine…
[***]
"You Okay, Ren? You look a bit faint," Collin asked as the two sat on a bench at lunchtime.
"I took the Big Bang Burger Challenge last night," Ren said. "Not my best decision…"
Collin sighed. "Humans come up with weird ways to have fun, don't they? In Heaven, the food you eat is just as fulfilling as you want it to be, so you don't have to worry about stomach aches."
"Lucky you…" Ren groaned.
It was then that Ryuji approached the two. "Hey, there you are! I need your help with something…" He looked around shadily before pulling out a piece of paper from his bag. "I found this flyer stuffed in my mailbox." Collin looked at the flyer, depicting a woman in a maid outfit and cat ears. "Housekeeping Service! It says that a cute maid will do anything for you! A maid, dude! A maid! Who'll do anything for us! Right? Right?"
"That sounds almost like prostitution," Collin shook his head.
"What are you saying?" Ren asked Ryuji to clarify.
"You're a guy, right? You know what I mean!" the blonde was very smarmy with his words. "Let's give it a try. Yeah? Yeah! Luckily, some guy on my floor just moved out so there's a vacant apartment in my complex. They key is behind the mailbox, so we can get in anytime. The landlord seriously doesn't care. The place is all set, so…"
"No way!" Collin shouted. "I will not allow my friends to stoop to such a level! I've seen what Japanese people think of maids from your animes and such! Absolutely disgraceful!"
"Hey, I heard that!" said a voice, surprising the trio as Mishima ran up to them.
"What the hell!?" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Um, can I, uh… Get in on this?" Mishima stuttered.
Ryuji grinned. "Oh-ho! You mean you're into this kinda stuff? Wow! Okay…"
Mishima started to sweat. "I-I'm not into it! It's just for research! What does it mean that they'll do "anything"? And do the maids look as they're advertised? We need to determine whether or not this company just pretends to offer housekeeping services!"
"That's a bit much," Ren shook his head.
"Admit that you're also into this, this, perverted scheme used to exploit woman, Mishima!" Collin said pointedly.
"That's why we have to check, or else it'll be too late once people get victimized by it!" Mishima defended. "Right? So we should do a thorough investigation."
Ryuji nodded. "Yeah, we gotta see it with our own eyes. Every little detail…"
"You're going to burn in Lust for this," Collin huffed.
"We'll have to do this at night, so let us know when you're ready," Ryuji told Ren, who just nodded in reluctance.
"So what's the code name for this operation…?" Mishima wondered. "Since we'll be watching then, it should be something like… "Operation Maid Watch!"!"
"Nice! I like that!" Ryuji gave a thumb's up.
"Tell me when this happens so I can make sure these two don't fall into sin…" Collin sighed.
[***]
That night, Ren and Collin met up with Mishima in Shibuya, before heading over to Ryuji's place to start Operation Maid Watch. "S-So we're really gonna do this huh?" Collin said nervously. "Lord have mercy on our souls…"
"Is he going to be okay?" Mishima asked.
"Operation Maid Watch, bro!" Ryuji said, folding out the flyer.
"Y-Yeah! Operation Maid Watch!" Mishima cheered, though not as enthusiastically.
"If it turns out to be sketchy, we can just bail," Ryuji stated. "The apartment's vacant, so it's not like we'll be messing up anyone's home."
"You're a genius, Ryuji!" Ren said, his glasses flashing in the light as he gave his friend a thumb's up.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," the blonde beamed.
"Don't give him false compliments!" Collin shouted, already blushing up a storm.
"To think… Sakamoto has a brain," Mishima mused. "But if that's the case, then…"
"Then…" Ryuji urged him to finish the statement.
"Yep!" Mishima nodded.
Ryuji turned to Ren with a grin. "Okay, give 'em a call!"
"Leave it to me," Ren said, pulling out his phone and dialing the number on the flyer.
"Thank you for calling! This is Victoria's Housekeeping!" the man on the other side of the line said.
"They answered!" Mishima gasped.
"We're all going to Hell for this…" Collin bemoaned. Ryuji shushed both of them.
"I take it you're interested in our services, then?" the man continued.
"S-Services…?" Collin mumbled.
"Is there anyone in particular you'd like to request?" the man asked.
"A-Anyone we want to request!? What should we do, Ren!?" Ryuji panicked.
"No preference," Ren replied.
'He's so calm about this!' Collin thought, admiring the Phantom Thieves' leader's confidence, even if it was misplaced in this situation.
"Very well! Let's see here…" There was a pause on the other end. "We have a maid available in… twenty minutes. May I ask for your address?" Ren gave the address of the apartment before hanging up.
"Shit… This is really happening…" Ryuji realized.
"A maid's "services" …Hey, what should we have her do?" Mishima asked. "I was thinking we start with some cooking… Of course, I wouldn't mind some of the other services either… Should we hold a strategy meeting to discuss?"
"What is there to discuss!?" Collin shouted, before screwing his eyes shut and putting himself in the corner of the room. "Oh Father in Heaven, forgive my friends, for they do not know what they are about to get themselves into…"
The others ignored the cherub's prayers. "They said twenty minutes, right? Ugh, I gotta use the bathroom…" Ryuji said.
The guys all waited for the time to pass before Operation Maid Watch could kick into full gear. "I-It's almost time…" Mishima said. "You were in there for a while… Are you okay? Hey, did you wash your hands?"
Ryuji looked spaced out before replying. "Huh? What? Who? Me?"
"Y-You're really nervous," Mishima noted, before laughing nervously himself.
"High school students shouldn't be allowed to use this kind of service!" Collin squeaked.
"Huh?" Ryuji tilted his head.
"What do you mean, "Huh"? You mean… you- I mean, we aren't allowed to at all!?" Collin exclaimed.
"You should've researched it, Sakamoto!" Mishima chided. "What if they find out who we are!?"
"H-How should I know!? But why would how old you are matter when it comes to housekeeping?" Ryuji questioned.
"Ryuji, do you even know what "Maid Services" entails?" Collin sighed.
"We would've been screwed if your number had shown up on their caller ID…" Mishima said to Ren.
They were all silenced when the doorbell rang and a woman's voice came from outside the room. "Good evening… I'm from the housekeeping service."
"What!? Already!? She's five minutes early!" Mishima gasped. "What do we do!? I'm not mentally prepared!"
"Oh, the door's unlocked…? Um, may I come in?" the woman asked.
"I-I can't do this!" Ryuji suddenly stated. "My stomach's acting up! And my hands are all sweaty!" He put his hands on Ren's shoulders. "Okay, you handle the rest… And don't let her find out you're a high school student. I've got your back! Just… From way back! Like, from the balcony!"
"Wh-What? I can't do this either! Amamiya, we'll leave it to you!" Mishima said.
"Lord have mercy!" Collin said as Ryuji and Mishima fled to the balcony. The cherub squeaked as his shed his human disguise, turning invisible and throwing himself into the corner of the room as the maid came in, leaving Ren "alone" with her.
"Traitors…" Ren mumbled to himself.
"Excuse me… Oh, there you are!" the maid said, coming into the room. "Welcome home, Master . I'm going to fill your tired heart full of lovely energy. Meow! I'm Becky, and I have the pleasure of serving you today."
"Nice to mee-ow-t you," Ren replied, not turning to face her.
"We're going to get along so well! Meeeoooowww!" Becky said.
'This feels really cursed right now…' Collin thought, thanking his creator that he was invisible.
"Oh my… how thoughtless of me! I should explain our services to you, Master!" Becky stated. "What would you like me to do today? The basics include cooking, cleaning, laundry… But there are other "services" we provide if you desire." She stepped closer to Ren. "Hm? You look young, master… Are you… perhaps… In high school?"
"I'm a dad," Ren suddenly blurted out, immediately regretting his choice. 'Smooth one, Joker…' he internally chided himself.
'…Yep, we're all going to Hell for this…' Collin thought.
"Wow! Your skin's so healthy!" Becky praised, before pausing. "You're not lying to me, are you…?" She paused again. "Hm, I'll wait to provide those other "services" until you've matured a bit, Master. So… I'll be going now."
'Thank the Lord above…' Collin happily sighed.
"Wh-What!? No!" Ryuji shouted from the balcony.
"Quiet…!" Mishima shushed.
"I-Is someone there!?" Becky gasped.
"Oh no…!" Mishima winced.
"Shit! Run, Mishima!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Mishima? Sakamoto-kun?" Becky said, confused. She turned around, showing her face to Ren before gasping. "And you!? Did you request me specifically?"
Ren suddenly recognized this woman. "Wait, are you…?"
Becky suddenly perked up. "Oh, no, it's all right. How would you know me? This is our first meeting. Yes, the first time ever, Master." She sighed before dropping her false attitude. "Ugh, this is unbelievable… Yes, it's me… your homeroom teacher… I'm so done… I can't believe I got caught by some of my own students…"
'Wait… Ms. Kawakami works part time as a maid!?' Collin wanted to scream so badly but did his best to keep silent in the corner.
"I should have taken a job outside of the city. But I needed it to be close to school so I could go there after I finished work…" Kawakami sighed. "Who did you hear this from? Oh! It was Ms. Chouno, wasn't it!? That harpy…!"
'The English teacher?' Collin recalled.
"She's been snooping on all the teachers ever since that incident with Mr. Kamoshida," Kawakami explained to Ren. "Are you going to tell Ms. Chonuo about this?"
"That's up to you," Ren replied.
Kawakami paused before responding. "Hey, if you're going to side with a teacher, side with me. I'm in charge of your class, after all. And if you promise not to tell Ms. Chouno about this, I'll do anything for you!"
"Anything?" Ren raised an eyebrow.
Kawakami looked unamused by his response. "Hey… It won't be any better for you if people find out that you called a maid service. This isn't even your home address to begin with, is it? I guess you at least thought about that. Well, I'll promise to keep this a secret too… so why don't we both forget this ever happened? I'll treat this as if you had canceled, so you won't have to pay anything. Okay?"
"On that note, I'll be leaving!" the teacher-turned-maid stated. "Don't say anything about this at school, okay!? Just act as if nothing ever happened! Got it? Okay, bye!"
After Kawakami left, Collin gasped as he fell out of his invisibility to the floor. "I feel as if I just gained forbidden knowledge," he muttered to himself. "Is that what Adam and Eve felt like after eating from the tree…?"
"I just want to go home…" Ren sighed. "If anything else happens with her, leave it to me, Collin. She is my homeroom teacher, after all, and I feel like there might be more to this than we know."
"I'll trust your judgement, Ren," Collin nodded. "I want to go home too. And you have my word that I won't tell a soul about this either! Angel's honor!" The two left for the night after that, though Collin would start having a reoccurring dream of a particular hellhound wearing a maid uniform from that night onwards…
[***]
May 28
Ryuji: Mishima's real hyped up about finding our next big target… But something tells me he's just gonna get himself into trouble. Maybe we should go with him. He said he was going to Harajuku. And I let Ann and Octavia know too. Couldn't hurt, right?
Ren: Sure.
Ryuji: All right! See you tomorrow then!
[***]
May 29
"It's so crowded, just as I expected. The perfect place to start our investigation…" Mishima said to the Phantom Thieves gathered in Harajuku. "But I gotta say, I wasn't expecting all of you to come along."
"I had a photoshoot nearby, so I figured, why not?" Ann replied.
"But why Harajuku, Mishima?" Ryuji asked.
"Well, Harajuku's this big cultural hub, right? People from all over the world come here," Mishima explained. "So that means there might be all kinds of international villains walking around in broad daylight!" Unbeknownst to them, a certain peacock demon sneezed loudly as he perused a jewelry store nearby.
"I dunno if I get that logic…" Octavia shook her head. "I'm just here to pick up some poetry books."
"You like poetry?" Ren asked.
Octavia nodded. "I've read all the poetry collections my dad has in our- back home, and I heard there was an independent bookstore around here with books from all over the world. That's the kind of place you find the obscure stuff."
"Can we get back on topic?" Mishima sighed. "Oh, check that guy out! He's definitely suspicious! I mean, who wears black leather long coats at this time of year!? He's gotta be shady! And all those belts must be supplies so he can tie people up… Oh man… Do you think he's an escaped convict?"
"No, I'm pretty sure that's just a goth style, like Octavia or Loona," Ann replied.
"A bit more extra than what I prefer, but yes, that's definitely goth fashion," Octavia nodded.
"But my phantom thief senses are tingling! Don't you think he's suspicious, Amamiya?" Mishima asked.
"You're, uh… tingling?" Ren questioned.
"Well, I mean, 'cause I'm the Phantom Aficionado Website admin, and-" He sighed. "Look, that's not important! You know what I mean!"
"If you think he's that suspicious, then go talk to him," Ryuji suggested.
"Huh? Me?" Mishima seemed surprised.
"You're the one who's all hyped up about this investigation, right? So hey. Go up to the guy and ask: "You Captain Trench Coat! Sorry to bother you, but are you an escaped convict?" Ryuji said.
Mishima panicked. "You've got to be kidding! He'd have that belt around my neck before I even finished talking!"
Ann sighed. "It's normal to see people dressed in unusual clothes here. Honestly, I think it's kinda cool. Like they've got the confidence to wear whatever they want, you know? Like… nothing's gonna keep them from expressing their own style."
"Cool or not, they're definitely not letting anyone hold them back," Octavia nodded. "What do you think about unique fashion, Ren?"
"I kinda want to try it," Ren admitted.
"Whoa, really!? I guess we can spend the day transforming you!" Ryuji grinned. "I'm thinking heart-shaped glasses… dye your hair red and blue… and we'll get you a big puffy laminated coat."
Octavia was then reminded of a certain Overlord that ran the porn industry in Hell she'd heard about. "We don't want him to look like a pimp, Ryuji."
Ann nodded. "You just wanna make him wear the weirdest stuff you can find. I'll coordinate Ren's wardrobe. We could go for a bad boy look, or maybe something princely… You've got good potential, so this should be fun. Anyway, no more judging people by their appearance. If they're wearing what they want to war, that's something to admire. Heck, I'd say it means they're honest. Not like people who seem nice on the outside, but turn out to be terrible."
"I guess you're right…" Mishima looked down.
"Lady Ann is absolutely right," Morgana chimed in. "After all, I look like a cat, but I'm actually a dashing, noble gentleman!"
"Now that I think about it, it's kinda Harajuku-ey to walk around with a cat in a bag," Ryuji noted.
"True! He's like a really specialized fashion accessory," Ann nodded.
"Is… that a compliment?" Morgana wondered.
"I'd say it is," Octavia said. "I know plenty of rich folk who carry dogs in their bags. I'd say a cat is a step up."
"I guess you're lucky, Ren. You can get popular just by having me around," Morgana smiled.
"So, Mishima… I take it you didn't actually have any leads here," Ryuji said.
"Well, I'd heard that the Bully Reaper sometimes hangs out here, but that's all I got," Mishima admitted.
"Isn't that guy actually helping get rid of problems at school?" Octavia questioned.
"But he's doing it through violence! Not like the Phantom Thieves, who use their skills to reveal the truth and make criminals confess," Mishima said. "Still, that was all I had. I bet he isn't even here today…'
'Yeah, let's not tell him about how we beat the shit out of a person's cognitive self to get said confession…' Octavia thought.
"Yeah, that figures," Ann sighed. 'Well, as long as we're here, let's have some fun."
"Then let's get Ren dressed up!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Oh, and Mishima too. Maybe Ann can get rid of your weird anti-Harajuku prejudice.:
Mishima stepped back. "Huh!? Me too!? Actually… If I've got any hidden talent for fashion, this'd be the perfect chance to discover it…"
"Lady Ann, Lady Ann! Help me get all fashionable too!" Morgana piped up.
"All right! We can squeeze in a trip to the pet shop for Morgana!" Ann said.
"I'm not a pet!" Morgana chided.
"Wait, let's find a fabric store, too. We can get some materials and I'll make him something for Morgana as well!" Octavia suggested.
Mishima looked at Ren. "You know Amamiya… sometimes it sounds like your cat's really joining in on the conversation…"
"Then let's get going!" Ann cheered. "Follow me- I now a place!"
"It's all up to you girls, the Fashionista Queens!" Ryuji nodded.
With that the gang spent the rest of the day having fun in Harajuku, though they spent so much time trying on clothes that Octavia didn't get the chance to stop by the bookstore. 'Maybe next time…' she thought.
[***]
Yoshida: I'll be giving a speech at the usual spot today. Are you free today? Do you think you and your friends could help out?
Ren: We'll come help.
Yoshida: Thanks. I would like for you to hold up a placard again. I'll be waiting in front of Shibuya Station.
Ren, Octavia, Loona, and Collin all gathered at Yoshida's usual spot for another one of his speeches. The politician was firm with his voice as he spoke. "Passing on the societal ills we have created to the next generation… is not right! It will take time to solve this problem. However, we must start by making small changes!"
"Hell yeah," Loona said, putting her fist up.
After his speech as done, Yoshida looked to the kids with a smile. "I hope you gleamed something useful from today's speech. Regardless of the audience's size, you must convey your thoughts as if you're talking one-on-one. By the way, I forgot you ask you last time we spoke. Why do you want to become a politician, Amamiya?"
"I want to improve my speech," Ren replied.
Yoshida laughed. "So you're a pragmatist. Most people nowadays are. But that mentality of taking action is the quality of a good politician… May I ask you one more question? What kind of politician do you want to be?"
"One with conviction," Ren stated.
Yoshida nodded. "Yes, don't ever forget that. Although, what's important is what lies within." He looked between all of them. "Allow me to give you some advice. If you aspire to get into politics, you must possess a central philosophy. What is it that you want to accomplish…? That is the foundation of a great speech. You'd do well to remember that."
"I knew that already," Loona scoffed.
"I think that was helpful," Collin countered.
"What I want to accomplish?" Octavia repeated.
"I suppose you haven't figured that out yet, hm?" Yoshida mused. "By the way, my philosophy is… Never give up until your voice is heard…! To get your message across, be tenacious in conveying your thoughts to the audience. Have a firm point of view, and communicate it clearly- that's the first rule of negotiating."
He laughed. "You have me reliving the fighting spirit I had when I first became a politician."
"Get the hell outta here, No-Good Tora!" a detractor suddenly shouted.
"No-Good Tora…!" Yoshida flinched.
"You wanna say that to his face, asshat?" Loona growled as the detractor walked off.
Yoshida sighed. "They're right… I am no good…" Ren looked at the man with concern. "Ah, my apologies. We're done for today."
"I feel bad that he gets heckled like that," Collin said.
"And if he keeps reacting to that nickname like that, then there's no way in Hell he's going to get elected," Loona shook her head.
"What he said about speaking 'til your voice is heard has got me thinking, though," Octavia mused. "I bet we could put those skills to use in the Metaverse."
"We should try it out next time we dive in," Ren nodded. "Oh, and don't forget that tomorrow is cleanup day."
"Don't remind us…" all three of them groaned.
[***]
May 30
Ren and Octavia met up to go to cleanup day together, the two having an animated conversation when a voice made Ren stop. "Sorry, but I'm in a bit of a hurry."
'You go to Shujin, right?" asked a slimy man, speaking to a girl with red hair tied in a ponytail by a red bow. "I heard things have been rough there lately, what with that violent incident. You wanna go talk about it somewhere?"
"Thank you for your concern. However, I really am in a hurry, so if you'd excuse me…" the girl said, trying to leave. As she walked off, the man grabbed her arm forcefully.
"Come on, there's no need to be shy," the slimy man said.
"Like I said…" the girl winced.
"If you're busy, I'll put my number in your phone so you can call me later. Sound like a plan?" the man jeered.
"Stop it…" the girl struggled.
'I thought I'd only see that kind of behavior in Hell. Disgusting…' Octavia glared at the man, wishing she had her father's power to petrify him on the spot.
With a frown, Ren walked over and stared down the man. "What do you want?" the slimy guy asked.
"You're hurting her," Ren said with conviction.
The man let go of the girl's hand. "Don't get worked up. I'm just being friendly here."
"Friendly my ass," Octavia said stepping up next to her cousin. The girl surprised Octavia by going to hide behind Ren.
"What are you getting so jumpy about? Like you're anything special!" the slimy man said before walking off.
The girl sighed before realizing her position and backing off from Ren. "Thank you so much! I'm sorry for the trouble!"
"Are you okay?" Ren asked.
"What that guy hassling you?" Octavia added.
"Yes, that was rather scary…" the girl admitted. "But I'm all right now!" She paused, the moment becoming awkward. "Ah- Um… May I ask you something? So… what made you step in to help me?"
"I couldn't look the other way," Ren replied.
"I… see," the girl nodded. "Well, I apologize for asking something so strange. You're heading to the cleanup with your girlfriend as well, right?"
Octavia and Ren blushed at that. "We're cousins!" they shouted.
Now it was the girl's turn to look flustered. "Sorry for being presumptuous. I should have seen the family resemblance. Wait… the cleanup…?" She looked at her phone and gasped. "Look at the time! I'm so sorry, I haven't even thanked your properly yet! Oh no! I forgot my gym clothes at school! I'll see you at the cleanup, soon. We can talk more then, if you'd like. Pardon me!"
As the girl bowed and walked off, Ren's eyes followed her as she went. "Who was that?" Octavia asked.
"Just a… girl I know…" Ren replied.
Morgana popped out and said cheekily, "Ren's got a crush!"
"M-Morgana!" Ren said, pushing the cat back in his bag.
Octavia giggled. "No need to be nervous, Ren. She looks pretty. So, what's her name?"
"Yoshizawa," Ren said. With that, the two left to the park where the cleanup was to be held, meeting with Ryuji, Ann, and Collin.
"Yo, what took ya so long?" Ryuji asked.
"Did you really come here from home in your gym clothes?" Ann questioned.
"Sure did," Ren nodded.
"Is that weird?" Octavia raised an eyebrow, noticing that Ann was in her regular school outfit.
"No, that's not what I meant…" Ann shook her head.
"Well, we were supposed to wear them for the event. Isn't that normal?" Collin asked. "Why are you wearing your regular uniform, Ann?"
"I brought my gym clothes with me to change into," she replied. "I was gonna change in the bathroom, but now there's a huge line."
"Oh, that makes sense," Ryuji nodded. "Sounds like it sucks to be a girl."
It was then that Mishima walked up to the group. "It's such a nice day out that even the weather seems to be mocking us."
"Dude, could you try pushing your way into our conversation a little less awkwardly next time?" Ryuji shook his head.
"I bet some Kichijoji clean-freak hung paper dolls all over and prayed for clear skies today," Mishima said.
"Hey," Maruki greeted, walking up to the kids. "Morning, everyone."
"Is everyone going to be joining in now?" Octavia sighed.
"Are you here for the cleanup too, Doc?" Collin asked.
Maruki nodded. "You got it."
"Uh, in those clothes?" Ryuji questioned, seeing that Maruki was in his regular lab coat.
"Oh, no. I'm in a different-" Maruki started to explain.
"There you are, Dr. Maruki!" a female student said suddenly.
"We're going to start prepping soon…" her friend explained.
"Prepping what?" Ann asked.
"I'm part of the cooking crew. Hope you're looking forward to a solid meal," Maruki smiled. "See you all later."
"More like Dr. Popular…" Ryuji scoffed as Maruki and the girls walked off.
"I'm sure the Phantom Thieves will be even bigger someday," Mishima said.
"Good morning, Shuji Academy students and staff…" Nijima announced with a megaphone. "Please pick up all trash located in the areas assigned to your group. Once the cleanup is competed, a lunch of miso soup with pork and vegetables will be served."
"Oh, pork and miso soup! So that's what Dr. Maruki's fan club is making," Ann said, licking her lips.
"FYI, the school already assigned the groups at random," Mishima said. "They're four people apiece, boys and girls mixed."
"Oh… really?" Ryuji said.
"Now that those announcements have been made, please break into your assigned groups and head to your assigned areas," Nijima said.
"Alright, let's just get this over with as fast as possible so we can chow down on that soup and get outta here!" Ryuji said, doing a few arm rolls.
[***]
As the groups split up, Loona and Mishima ended up being put together in a group, both of them not happy with the assignment. "The only reason I'm not ditching is because princess told me to be here…" Loona grumbled.
"Why do you call Goetia-san that?" Mishima asked.
Loona flinched. "Well, uh… She's from one of those rich British families, you know? Total snobs. My "dad" has done some work for them, and that's how we know each other. Via is totally spoiled, so I called her "princess" because of that."
"I guess that makes sense," Mishima shrugged. "Man, this park is trashed… No way this was all done by kids- it's gotta be the work of some no-good adults, too."
As he picked up a bottle off the ground, a third-year student with curly brown hair walked up to the pair. "If you don't wind, may I have that cap on that bottle?" the girl asked.
"Huh? Sure…" Mishima said. "Oh! Are you a collector?"
"Ah… Not exactly. Recycling companies collect these and convert them into vials for medicines," the girl explained.
"Huh, didn't know that…" Loona admitted. "Good luck with that, Haru."
"To your task as well, Nyx-san," Haru said with a smile.
"Well, that sounds like an awesome way to bring more justice to the world!" Mishima stated.
Loona and Haru looked at the boy weirdly. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I follow you," Haru said.
"Just ignore the weirdo," Loona shook her head.
Over with Octavia, she had found the most interesting piece of "trash" on the ground, that be a book. "Huh, what's this?" she wondered. The book itself was thin and simple, just that of a plain blue cover with the title being "The Golden Path" written by an author simply going by the pseudonym Kaguya. "Is this… a poetry book?" Octavia asked herself. Cracking open a page, the owl princess read the first poem she turned to.
Sea Foam
Listen…
To my voice
My shouting, bellowing voice
Here I am
Pouring my blood into my words
Yelling at the very edge of the world
I am the little mermaid…
Unable to return, the little mermaid…
Fated to foam, the little mermaid…
Octavia stopped there; a bit confused as to what she just read. 'It's not bad, but I feel a strange connection for some reason...' "Excuse me, but that is my book," said a voice. Octavia gasped and turned around, finding a tall boy, probably a third-year, with white hair that fell to his shoulders and dull yellow eyes.
"O-Oh. Here you go," Octavia said, passing him the book.
The boy nodded before pocketing it. "You know, if you like what you read, I found that book at the store in Harajuku," the boy explained. "I'm sure they can find you another copy of it there."
"S-sure…" Octavia said, watching as the boy walked off. 'His presence felt intimidating, even though he was just having a causal conversation with me… Was that… the Bully Reaper!?' she thought.
"The cleanup is officially complete," NIjima announced, pulling Octavia from her thoughts. Thank you for the hard work, everyone. Would the leader of each group please come and get the soup for their teams?"
Putting the thoughts of the Bully Reaper aside, Octavia went to find Ren, grabbing her soup and joining him on a bench with Morgana. "I don't know the best way to put it… but that sure was a crappy time out there," Morgana said.
"Oh!" Yoshizawa said, walking up to them. "I finally found you. I was trying to find you so I could thank you properly for this morning." She looked around before frowning. "So… Where'd the other people in your group go?"
"They ditched me," Ren said bluntly.
"Ah… I see," Yoshizawa said. "I'm in pretty much the same situation If it's all right with you, why don't we eat our soup together?"
"Sure," Ren nodded.
"Why not?" Octavia shrugged.
"Great!" Yoshizawa cheered. The three of them enjoyed their time eating in the park together. "Thanks for the food. I want to thank you again for this morning. That man was even more frightening than he might have appeared to you… So I truly appreciate what you did for me! Thank you so much."
"Don't worry, it was nothing," Ren said.
"Just don't mistake us as a couple next time," Octavia winked.
"Oh, I won't I promise! But, there is one more issue I need to address…" Yoshizawa said. "I'm so sorry for what happened the other day!"
"About what?" Ren asked.
"The run-in we had outside the guidance office," Yoshizawa reminded him. "Mr. Kamoshida had just told me about you a moment prior, so I sort of spoke without thinking there… I heard some of my classmates gossiping about you, too."
"Were you disappointed?" Ren asked.
"No, nothing of the sort," Yoshizawa shook her head. "I don't like gossip or rumor and the like… And I know this'll sound strange since I just met you, but you don't seem like the kind of person they describe."
"It'd be a different story if all those rumors were true, though," Octavia mused. "What have a heard of your "crimes"? Burglary, murder, and there was the one about elephant tusk trafficking, I believe."
"I drive without a license, too," Ren chuckled, the cousins sharing a knowing look.
Yoshizawa laughed as well. "Even I can tell you're joking." She paused. "You know what, it just hit me- I haven't introduced myself yet!"
"I'm Ren Amamiya," Ren introduced.
"And I'm Octavia Goetia. We're related on our grandfather's side, though he takes his mother's last name due to… separation," Octavia clarified.
"I apologize this was a long time coming, but I hope we can get along well!" Yoshizawa smiled. "I believe you already learned from our meeting at school that my-" She stopped talking as a boy walking by accidentally let go of his balloon. With quick agility, Yoshizawa leapt into the air like a professional, grabbing the balloon before it could float away!
"Wh-What the hell just happened!?" Morgana gaped. "Oh, look."
Ren looked down to see that Yoshizawa had dropped her pocketbook. The name "Kasumi Yoshizawa" was written inside."
"Got it just in time…" Kasumi gave the balloon back to the boy. "Here you are. Don't let go of things you like, okay?" She then returned to the duo. "Sorry, I didn't mean to run out on you like that."
"You dropped this," Ren said, holding out the pocketbook to her.
"So, you're Kasumi Yoshizawa?" Octavia said.
"Huh?" Kasumi was confused, before giggling. "I guess you sleuthed me out before I got to tell you. Well, you've cracked the case- I'm Kasumi Yoshizawa, a first year!"
"That was impressive. Are you an athlete or something?" Octavia asked.
"Figure that out too, huh? Well, yes. I compete in gymnastics," Kasumi explained. "It's not that difficult once you get the hang of it- just a hop, skip, and a jump."
"Gymnastics, huh?" Morgana mused. "Hey- don't you think some of those moves would be awfully useful? I was just thinking about how the Phantom Thieves need to get some sweeter moves, too…"
"What's the matter, Amamiya-senpai?" Kasumi asked. "Wait… is there a cat somewhere around here?"
"It's not a cat- this is Morgana," Octavia corrected, pointing to the not-cat in Ren's bag.
Kasumi smiled and gave Morgana a pat on the head. "Nice to meet you, Morgana! If senpai is taking good care of an animal like you, then he can't be bad like the rumors say."
"Kasumi, can you teach me that stuff?" Ren asked.
She gasped. "Does that mean you're interested in gymnastics? That makes me so happy! I'd be honored if you'd allow me! The only problem is… I have a favor to ask for myself as well- if you wouldn't mind…" Kasumi looked down. "Lately, I haven't been getting the results I want from my performances, and I'm worried that I'm overthinking things… So it would be wonderful if you could give me some advice whenever you have the time."
"You want my advice?" Ren questioned.
"Sure I do!" Kasumi nodded. "I'd love if you were willing to lend me an ear from time to time."
"I see…" Morgana mused. "This sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me- what do you think?"
"I'd give you a chance to be around her more often," Octavia teased.
Ren smiled. "We have a deal."
"Y-Yessir!" Kasumi have a salute. "Wait, that's a little overboard. But, I promise! I'll glean as much as I can! Oh, why don't we exchange contact information?" She looked confused as he pulled out her phone. "Hm? It shut down… Sorry, my smartphone's been acting up lately. Ha, it's back! Okay, I'll contact you when I've got free time, if that's fine!"
"Attention Shujin Academy student: the cleanup event will be ending momentarily," Nijima announced. "Please do not discard your trash in the bins here. Instead, bring your waste to the predetermined location for disposal. After that, we will be officially releasing everyone for the day. Thank you all for your hard work."
"Well, the cleanup seems to be finished," Kasumi said. "We're already in our gym clothes- would you care for some basic training before heading home? Let's start with some core exercises! Those are the foundation for staying in shape."
"Good luck Ren," Octavia said, smiling as she walked off and left her cousin to train with Kasumi.
Author's Note
Poor Collin, getting dragged into Operation Maid Watch. I won't be covering Kawakami's Confidant in this story since it focuses exclusively on Ren, but this experience has certain put some ideas into the cherub's head, whether he wants them or not.
We covered the optional Harajuku event as well, with Octavia and Ann bonding over fashion. I like the angle I've given Octavia in this story of her being into crafting things like accessories and her already canon fascination with taxidermy. She's not a total fashionista like Ann, but it is something they can bond over. Andre had a quick cameo here too for a gag! Also more hints about the Bully Reaper that leads into...
The park cleanup event! Did you catch Haru's cameo? Her and Loona are in the same class with Makoto, so it makes sense that they're familiar with each other. Also, Octavia has a run in with the Bully Reaper, a mysterious white-haired third year! He's apparently into poetry, and if you didn't know, the "Sea Foam" poem is from "Persona 4 Golden" as one of the many written by Marie you can "accidentally" find in the Velvet Room of that game. I'm sure that one of the Velvet Attendants published Marie's work without her knowing, much to her annoyance. Just a fun thing I wanted to add in as I think Octavia and Marie would get along quite well and enjoy poetry together (plus they're both of the Aeon Arcana so...)
Oh, and I can't forget that Kasumi finally makes her debut here! I am a big Joker/Violet shipper, so in this story I wanted Ren to already have a crush on her. Octavia and Morgana are gonna have a lot of fun teasing him about it throughout the story as well. I love Kasumi's story so I'm excited to have her interact with the Helluva Boss characters now!
Madarame's confession is next time, so see you all then!