Disclaimer: All characters and events that take place within the story are fictional. Any relations to real people or events are purely coincidental. All copyrights belong to Atlus.

Art by Zengoro on Pixiv. Thanks so much!

Warning: Deviants explores psychological disorders, thoughts of suicide, attempted suicide, sexual assault, and emotional trauma both from an intrapersonal and interpersonal perspective. If you or anyone you know are suffering from any of the above, please seek professional help.

Monday, April 11

Early Morning

Ren clawed at the mattress until his hand found purchase on the blaring phone. He swiped at the screen without even looking, silencing his alarm set for 6:15 am. Only after face planting into his pillow did Ren let out a muffled groan.

This wasn't his preferred wake up time. Back at his hometown he'd wake up at 7:30 and still have plenty of time before homeroom started at 8:35. Perks of living in a small town. But after sitting in inner city traffic for several hours just to travel a few miles yesterday Ren decided it would be best to get an earlier start.

Hopefully he wouldn't have to do this every morning. There was another subway incident yesterday that caused the traffic jams, and it was predicted that the timetables would be heavily affected while the debris was cleared. A week at least, depending on the extent of the damages. And, based off of the reports, a lot of damage had been dealt. Over two hundred people had been injured, a third of those seriously injured and a dozen fatalities. And that number was slowly going up.

Ren tossed his phone onto the mattress and rubbed his arms. What a world he lived in. Carefully picking up his glasses from the windowsill and placing them on his face, it was time to get the day rolling.

He trudged downstairs to the bathroom, only now noticing the unique smell of brewing coffee and curry. It wasn't a combination he'd ever thought would be enticing but his rumbling stomach spoke otherwise. He spied Sojiro in the kitchen preparing for another day in the cafe. "Good morning, Sakura."

Sakura spared him a brief glance over the shoulder, "Morning, kid. Go ahead and get washed up. I got breakfast for you here."

Ren paused halfway to entering the bathroom. A 500 yen coin sitting on the table. "Thank you, I'll be done in a few minutes." He shut the door and leaned against it.

Out of place.

Sojiro set down the freshly brewed mug of coffee, steam still curling off the dark brown surface. "You drink coffee?"

The frilly haired boy brought the mug to his face. "No, I haven't tried it before. My family would only drink tea. It smells amazing, though." The boy's glasses fogged up as he breathed and immediately pulled his face away. Sojiro stifled a laugh without it showing.

He couldn't afford to get too close to the kid. Last thing he needed was for the brat to form some sort of attachment with him. The kid was only going to be here for a year, and his parents had made it clear they didn't want a familial bond to form between them. Besides, Sojiro had other things to worry about.

Ren's face twisted after taking a small sip, "Ugh, that's really bitter." He clicked his tongue a couple times, his face still scrunched up. "Is there something you put in here to make it… more palatable?"

"Just say you think it's crap, kid. Although that's a premium cup of coffee for those who know how to appreciate it," Sojiro rolled his eyes. He should've used the cheaper beans instead of the Jamaican Blue Mountain. Who was he trying to impress here, a coffee virgin? "Most people use cream and sugar to soften the bitterness. Want some?"

"Yes, please." Sojiro doubted the boy realized he was still making a face. "I wouldn't want this to go to waste."

At least the kid had manners.

The kid seemed skeptical at the thought of curry for breakfast. And although Sojiro knew he shouldn't care what the kid thought it was still a curry he was damn proud of. If someone didn't like it he'd-

The kids face immediately brightened after the first bite, eyes wide with surprise. "Whoa… I thought I knew curry, but this is incredible. Is there chocolate in here?" He gave the curry a closer inspection.

"You can taste that?" Sojiro's eyebrow shot up. Not many people could figure that one out after one bite. "You got a good sense of taste, kid. Here's the cream and sugar."

"Thanks."

Damn kid wasn't even reserved about adding copious amounts of cream and sugar to Jamaican Blue Mountain.

The boy hazarded another taste and his face scrunched up again. "Great, now there's more of it."

"Finish it. That costs 600 yen here." The kid's eyes were the size of saucers. "Hurry it up, I want to open up the cafe by 7:30."

The kid looked at his phone. Didn't he know there was a clock on the wall? "Oh, sorry. I didn't think I was taking this long."

"Yeah, you are. You'll end up late to school if you get lost, country boy. And don't be late, you're on a thin line as it is," Sojiro warned him. Don't get too close, Sojiro.

Ren could still taste the bitterness of the coffee. The cream and sugar had only helped a little, and added another third of the original contents volume. In the end he'd ended up chugging the whole thing under the scrutiny of Sakura. Ren said he'd finish it, and he didn't want to annoy the man who owned the roof over his head any more than he already had. Like Sakura said, Ren was on a thin line.

Thankfully, Ren was well on his way to being early for his first day of school like planned. What he hadn't accounted for was the rain.

Of course, the one day he didn't check the weather this happened. Just his luck.

Resigning himself to wearing wet clothes all day, Ren sped out of cover and down the sidewalk. He went under shelter when he could, but soon enough he could feel his socks squishing wetly in his shoes. The absolute worst. He'd have to get his uniform washed after this blunder. Wasn't there a washer/dryer place just across from Leblanc? He'd have to check it out later.

Ren took cover and pulled out his phone. He really should have memorized the route to school. He fumbled with the fingerprint scanner. A sensitive piece of technology, Ren knew wet fingers and fingerprint scanners didn't meld well. It didn't change that it was a small annoyance. First world problems, right?

Ren finally entered the four digit pin and examined the map on display. That's weird… Did he change the settings? The roads were red and the blocks were black.

Before he could figure it out a series of splashes drew his attention. A girl, by the looks of the plaid red and black skirt and red leggings, joined Ren under his temporary shelter from the rain. Her white hood was pulled up, hiding her facial features. She was taller than most girls and had a model-esque figure that would make any one of them envious. She brushed off what water she could from her Shujin blazer, and Ren noticed the second-year pin on the left collar. Same year, it seemed.

The girl pulled the hood back with a huff, wavy, platinum blonde hair tumbling out in voluminous pigtails. Ren had never seen hair that color in person before, and couldn't help but stare. Her face was… beautiful. Ren couldn't really figure out what to think until the blue eyes met his grey. Withdrawn, was what those eyes showed. Then a kind smile.

A car horn shook Ren out of his trance. At the curb was a silver Prius, the Japanese upper-middle-class' car of choice, the passenger side window rolled down. A huge, buff, attractive thirty-year-old leaned across the center console. "Hey, you need a lift to school?" He asked the girl with a friendly tone.

"Oh," the girl hesitated for only a moment. "Um, sure." She walked from beneath the shelter into the rain.

The man's attention turned to Ren. "How about you?" There was something in the man's voice that told Ren he'd best decline.

"No, I'm good, sir." Ren wasn't about to step into some stranger's car.

The girl didn't seem to have any reservations, however. She settled into the passenger seat and rolled up the reflective window. Just before the window closed Ren thought her eyes looked even more withdrawn.

The car pulled away from the curb and silently disappeared into traffic. Only then did Ren think how strange it was that the girl got in. They must have known each other. That had to be it. Neighbors, maybe?

"That damn pervy teacher!"

Ren focused his attention on the second outlier he'd seen today. Obviously dyed, spiky blond hair and a very loud yellow shirt beneath his Shujin blazer, everything about the guy screamed "delinquent." The blonde was breathing heavily like he'd just run, water dripping off his chin.

"Pervy teacher?" Ren was so surprised by the statement that he couldn't help but repeat it. "Desire confirmed."

The guy shot a glare at Ren, standing up straight-ish and sauntering up to him. "Yeah, a pervy teacher. What about it? You gonna rat me out to Kamoshida?"

"Uh… Kamoshida?" That had to be a name. "Target confirmed." And judging from this dude's reaction, it belonged to someone who held power over him. "You mean that guy in the car just now?"

"Yeah, the teacher who does whatever the hell he wants at school," the boy nearly spat every word. "Who does he even think he is- the king of some castle? Don't ya think?"

"King of a castle?" Ren asked confused. "Distortion confirmed." This was a teacher he was talking about, right? Probably not a good one by the sound of it. "What're you talking about? He writes really hard tests or doesn't teach well?"

"No, I mean… yes, but…" the boy only then seemed to really see Ren. "Wait a minute. You don't know Kamoshida? Seriously? You are from Shujin, right?"

"Shujin Academy?" Ren nodded. "Location confirmed. Begin navigation?" "Yes. Today's my first day." "Beginning navigation."

"Oh, so a transfer student, then?" understanding flashed across the blonde's face. "Got it. No wonder you don't know 'im." He held a hand out from the rain cover. "Well, rain ain't too bad. Come on, I'll show you a shortcut to school. Name's Sakamoto Ryuji, by the way." Sakamoto held out a hand.

Ren shook it. "Amamiya Ren. Lead on, Sakamoto-san."

Ren stumbled as an intense feeling of vertigo messed up with his balance. He barely managed to catch himself.

"Agh, what the hell? Ryuji's fine," the guy shook his head as he blew past three social barriers at once as they entered a narrow alley. "Last name doesn't really appeal to me."

"Got it. In that case call me Ren. I'll feel less awkward that way," Ren explained.

"Whatever you say, man. C'mon, it's just through here."

Ren felt someone shake him. Gods, when did his throat get so dry?

"-up!"

And this splitting headache felt like someone jabbed a railway spike into his skull.

"-UP!"

A stinging blow whipped Ren's face to the side, his cheek burning from four distinct lines. Ren looked around dazed and confused. Where the fuck was he?

A large figure in darkened, medieval European plate mail stood in front of Ren, obscuring most of his vision. His arms were held aloft, most of his body weight being held from beneath the armpits. Ren peeked to his left and right seeing two more of the armored figures holding him up, his feet dangling beneath him.

The figure in front of Ren nodded, and he was promptly tossed onto the floor. Ren managed to get his arms up in time but they were numb and unresponsive from loss of circulation. Ren didn't quite catch himself and he slammed into the ground hard, the wind being knocked out of him.

Ren struggled to breath, panic beginning to set in as his diaphragm failed him. His heart rate started to elevate, his vision narrowing as he reflexively curled into a ball. I'm going to die. I'm going to suffocate. People were talking but Ren didn't care. Can't breath can't breath no air suffocate die no air can't breath. A full lung of air expanded his chest cavity as his diaphragm regained control. Nothing felt anymore glorious.

Ren finally hoisted himself up and took in his surroundings, the panic slowly subsiding.

He was in what looked to be a grand European castle entrance. Rich, thick red and gold carpets atop mirror-polished marble floors. Large stone pillars supported the large chamber with banners emblazoned with a volleyball trophy hanging proudly. A massive glass-chandelier covered nearly the entire ceiling. At the far wall was a split staircase leading to the second floor. In the center of the chamber was a raised wooden platform, two nooses hanging from the topmost bar. A gallows.

How the hell did he get here? Ren remembered following that guy- Ryuji- to take a shortcut to school. They arrived at a castle and then-

"Fuck you!"

Ryuji was still held aloft, and Ren turned in time to see him receive a hard punch straight to the bread basket. Spittle erupted from Ryuji's mouth, splattering onto a giant of a man.

Easily six and a half feet tall and built like a truck, the man wore a rich white-lined red cape over an athletics uniform turned up to a hundred. The uniform was richly embellished with golden cords, medals, and ribbons. It would have looked nice if it weren't for the bright red heart over the man's crotch. The man himself looked identical to the one Ren had seen in the car. Kamoshida.

Kamoshida wiped his face, looking at his hand with Ryuji's spit in disgust. "Did you just spit on the king?" he asked in disbelief. "Not only did you sneak in without my permission but you SPIT ON THE KING?!" Kamoshida roared and delivered a hail of strikes to Ryuji. The face, the ribs, the stomach, the face again. Blow after blow, and soon blood flowed freely from Ryuji's nose and mouth. The sickening sound of flesh striking flesh finally subsided, Ryuji's grunts and moans of pain going silent.

Kamoshida grunted and waved a hand. The guards dropped Ryuji still form to the ground unceremoniously.

"What the hell… What the hell did you do to him?!" Ren screamed, his attention only on Ryuji, white hot fury filled his eyes.

A fire burned in his side as one of the armored figures delivered a swift kick to Ren's side. Ren hardly felt it. "Do not speak to our king in such a manner. Pay him the proper respect!" He brought his foot back for another blow-

-and stopped when Kamoshida raised his hand.

Kamoshida walked over to Ren and stopped. He pointed up.

The guards hoisted Ren back up to his feet.

Kamoshida took in a deep breath, held it, and let out a very satisfied sigh. "Hot damn that felt good! Always wanted to do that to the kid. Never knew his place, oh no, not even when I broke his leg."

Ren could only listen. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes from the anger that shook his body.

"All he had to do is keep his head down and go on his way. But that look in his eyes whenever he sees me," Kamoshida sneered at Ryuji's crumpled body. "Manages to piss me off all over again. But him like that…" A sick smile creeped across Kamoshida's face. "That's bliss."

"You sick fuck," Ren seethed. He wanted to take this bastard's face and smash it into the floor. The nice mirror-polished floors would do nicely. Then he could see his own stupid perfect face getting bashed into oblivion.

Kamoshida's face darkened. "You know, I was going to give you a chance. A chance. And now you gone fucked it up already. You need to learn, kid, that Shujin Academy..." Kamoshida stepped back, arms held out wide. "My castle... has no place for criminals like you."

The mind clouding fury that coursed through Ren's entire being was snuffed out with a single word. Of course this man knew. He was a teacher. He had complete control here. His castle. Shujin Academy. A thin line.

Kamoshida smiled as the criminal's face dropped. "There's a nice look for you. I think you know your place now." He waved his hand.

The guards released him. Ren fell to his knees.

"Now…" Kamoshida walked back to Ryuji. "What do I do with you, Sakamoto Ryuji? You've already disobeyed me so many times, insulted me, spit on me, slandered me… I think that rounds up to execution."

"What?" Ren whispered. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Kamoshida spun back around to Ren, face darkening once more. "You-" He froze, slowly turning his gaze downwards to where Ryuji held his leg.

"Let Ren go," Ryuji wheezed. "Your fight's with me, you bastard."

Kamoshida kicked Ryuji off and straightened his cape. "Yes… that would be a good educational lesson. Wouldn't it?" That damned smile again. "Let his friend go. We hang this one."

Ren barely caught Ryuji whisper, "He ain't a friend."

Ren watched, unmoving, as Ryuji was dragged to the gallows by Kamoshida's parade. Ryuji wasn't even his friend; they barely met. Yet here he was giving Ren a ticket out. Ren's stomach dropped.

"Go on," Kamoshida turned around and waved his hand at Ren as if he were sending off an animal. "Shoo."

Suddenly Ren was standing on a street he'd never forget. Dimly lit, the neighborhood dog barking in the distance, and the convenience store just up ahead. There was a man and woman struggling near a car. Panicked, fearful cries and stark orders. Ren couldn't take a step forward. What was he going to do? Stop them? He'd already done that. He was sure the police would see that he'd done the right thing. He was sure the judge would take his side. He was sure his parents would look at him and say they were proud. They all let him down. They left him to suffer. A small, four walled cell was his reward. He was powerless. What could he possibly do? He knew how this ended.

Then he felt the heat at his back.

Ren looked towards the source and saw a great blue inferno, the fire screaming as he saw a yellow-eyed Ren stare back at him with a vicious, mocking smile.

"You heard the king." The voice that came from the yellow-eyed Ren's was deeper than his own and carried a mocking lilt. "Forsake him like anyone else would. Turn a blind eye and you won't even see his corpse swinging from the gallows. This is self-preservation, plain and simple. You have nothing to lose."

Ren shut his eyes and saw a body hanging. Because of him. It would be his fault. Ren finally found his own voice again. It sounded weak to his ears. "I can't just walk away."

"And look where that sense of selflessness got you. Shunned by society, abandoned by those you called friends, banished out of your own home. All that for saving some woman you don't even know. She even stabbed you in the back as thanks." Ren's doppelganger cupped his cheeks and forced him to look into its yellow eyes. "Admit it, you know it was a mistake."

Ren saw the woman, clothes torn open with that savage having his way with her. Because he did nothing. "No," Ren growled, pushing off his look-alike and rising to his feet. He took a single step forward. "No, it wasn't. It wasn't a mistake. I'll never think of it as one. I've never felt regret or guilt about saving that woman from having something unspeakable done to her. I'm just so pissed off at the society that punished me for doing the right thing! At others for not believing my story! At my family for abandoning me! But I won't forgive myself if I turn away from those that the powerful take advantage of!"

Ren's hands were balled so tight that they ached. He could feel his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand. They felt wet. "They want me to bow my head and be obedient. They want me to turn a blind eye to wrong-doings. They want me to take responsibility for their mistakes. And just like they they let me down I shall do the same. I'll do what I think is right."

Yellow-eyed Ren drew back, its voice dropping to a sultry whisper, "then you'll lead a rebellion?"

Two steps. "The grandest you've ever seen."

A grin. "Even if you'll hang?"

Three steps. "I'll die smiling."

The grin widened. "And if you burn in Hell?"

Four. "The devils will hear my laughter for all eternity!"

The terrible grin that Ren had first seen on its face returned, elation seeping into every fiber of its being. "THEN VOW TO ME. FOR I AM THOU, THOU ART I... THOU WHO ART UNWILLING TO BOW TO THE WORLD!"

Blue fire engulfed the figure once more, rising higher and higher. A demonic, orange set of eyes and a red mouth wavered in the flames.

The fire surged and leapt forward, consuming Ren into its inferno, wreathing him in flames. His clothes burned away and the flames stuck to his skin. His flesh blistered and popped, but Ren held in his screams and let the pain fuel his anger. They would soon feel this pain. A wicked grin broke out on Ren's face. It's been so long since Ren felt this alive. He reveled in it.

"TAKE UP THINE MANTLE AND HAVE THOSE UNRIGHTFULLY IN POWER TREMBLE FROM WHERE THEY RULE! THE GODS WILL WATCH AS HELL BREAKS OUT UNTO THE WORLD THEY HAVE CREATED! CALL UPON MY NAME, AND DEFY ALL INJUSTICE!"

Ren felt something on his face. It pissed him off.

"Per…"

He reached up, hand grasping onto a domino mask covering his eyes.

"So…"

Ren began to tear. His face felt like it was peeling off with it. This pain was nothing compared to being powerless.

"...Na!"

Ren didn't notice the black, tri-tailed longcoat, the red gloves, the black slacks that took shape from the blue fire. He didn't notice Kamoshida and his guards frozen in fear. He didn't notice Ryuji's grin. All he knew was that this was the start of his rebirth. And to kick things off he just had to say a single name.

With a roar Ren ripped the mask off.

"ARSENE!"

What flames remaining swirled behind Ren, a torrent of fire spinning, white embers dancing. It flared and took the shape of a nightmare. Demonic, shadowy wings coursed out of the small of its back. A red coat with a white ruffle tie and tailed corset ran down its slim torso. It's fingers were elongated claws and its boots blade-like. It bent over Ren, dwarfing all within this grand entrance.

"At last!" Arsene's voice was like rocks rumbling within a deep canyon. "You've cast away your fears and doubts to embrace the rebellion within your heart. For that, what would you like me to do?"

Ren cast his gaze to the quaking Kamoshida. Arsene followed it. "Run wild."

The grin somehow widened. "To my heart's content," Arsene finished.

With a roaring laugh the shadowy wings erupted and tore into the pillars, shattering stone and piercing the proud banners. They whipped and smashed the gallows, slicing the guards in half as they retracted back. Kamoshida was left standing on shaky legs amidst the carnage.

Ryuji somehow stumbled over to Ren. His face was beaten to a pulp but he looked like the happiest guy alive. "I have no idea what the hell that is, but it's freakin' awesome! "

"G-GUARDS!" Kamoshida collapsed to his bottom and was back crawling away.

Dozens upon dozens of armored figures streamed through every entrance, surrounding them from all sides.

"Uh… I know this is asking a lot," Ryuji said wide-eyed, clutching his side. "But do you… think you could take care of the rest?"

"Oh, with pleasure." Ren held his arms wide and rotated on the spot, like an announcer addressing the crowd in a stadium. "Arsene, it would appear we have more witnesses to our debut. We wouldn't want to deny them the encore, would we?"

Arsene's manical laughter died down to a chuckle. The black wings hugged him like a coat as he spiraled higher into the room. The wings flared at the apex. "We shall make it an unforgettable finale!"

Ren held up his left hand and tightened the red glove. "It's showtime!"

Arsene spun, black embers falling from his shadowy wings like feathers. The embers scattered everywhere. Like tinder on dead, dry branches the embers ignited anything they touched. Guards went up in black flame, their screams of pain and terror echoing in the halls. Ren didn't notice his own laughter joining their chorus.

A wave of lethargy washed over him and his laughter faltered. Stumbling, Ren was enveloped in blue fire which evaporated along with his strange new outfit. Arsene disappeared with it. Thankfully, he was still wearing his uniform.

Ryuji barely managed to catch him. More guards streamed into the room pushing past the scorched remains of their comrades in arms.

"Well," Ryuji spoke with a hint of finality. "Shit."

Lunchtime

Kawakami glanced at the clock, tapping her pen against her desk with her jaw set. 12:30, it read. Where on earth was he? First day of school and he's half a day late? Did he decide to ditch entirely? Sakura-san said he'd left the house this morning. Should I call the police? No, that's just going to lead to more problems than solutions. Kawakami groaned. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Is everything okay, Kawakami-sensei?"

Kawakami sat up, alert. She'd been so busy thinking about Amamiya that she forgot about the summons she'd sent out earlier today. "Oh, everything is going well, just absolutely swell. I apologize, Yoshizawa-san. I was really hoping to introduce you to another transfer student, but he hasn't arrived yet."

Yoshizawa stood with her back straight. She was thin, although from what Kawakami could tell deceptively strong. Her red ponytail is glossy and silky. Her skin is fair and smooth. And she was cute to boot. How nice it was to be young.

"Oh, well I'm sure he has a good reason for being late. Maybe his father forgot his lunch and his mom asked him to deliver it for her. Or maybe his sister is sick and he has to take care of her," Yoshizawa began rattling off rather touching excuses in quick succession.

Kawakami didn't want to jump to conclusions and gave Amamiya the benefit of the doubt. But he wasn't making it easy. "Yes, maybe he did. I apologize again, Yoshizawa. I thought it'd be nice to get used to a new school with someone in the same boat."

"I do appreciate the thought, Kawakami-sensei. And I would be delighted to meet this other transfer student if my schedule allows for it."

This child was so cheery. Kawakami felt a pang of jealousy. No, Sadayo, think of the kids! "Well, there's no reason for me to keep you here. So go ahead and enjoy your lunch and the rest of the day."

"Of course. Thank you again, Kawakami-sensei. I'm sure the other transfer student is very glad to have you as his homeroom teacher," Yoshizawa gathered her bag. "If you'll excuse me." She bowed and exited the office.

Kawakami let out another groan. That girl was too nice and optimistic for her own good. Was it really a good idea to stick her with Amamiya? She eyed the clock. 12:34.

"Move it if you don't wanna lose it!" A shrill voice shouted from above.

"What?" Ryuji and Ren both looked up to see the chandelier fast approaching them. "Oh fu-!"

They both clambered out of the way just as the chandelier smashed into the ground, crystal shards scattering and the room going dark as its own light source was snuffed.

Ren and Ryuji breathed heavily with their backs against a pillar. They could hear the guards and Kamoshida yelling.

"Holy shit. What the hell's goin' on, man?" Ren heard Ryuji breathing heavily right beside him.

A new voice came from right next to them and Ryuji stifled a scream, "Hey! Come on, follow me! I know the way out of here."

"What the shit?" Ryuji sounded like he'd just recovered from a heart attack.

"Get up, we're leaving," Ren hit a second-wind and hoisted Ryuji up and followed the faint silhouette that was making its way down a hall. "I got you."

Ryuji could only groan in pain as Ren threw an arm around him.

They entered the hallway and saw a door open. "Quick, in here!"

"You're doing good, Ryuji," Ren could tell Ryuji was shifting more of his weight onto Ren's shoulders. "Almost there. Hang in there, man."

They entered a small study. Book shelves lined one wall. An unlit candelabra stood in the corner. A simple wooden desk and chair filled out the rest of the room.

Ren helped Ryuji into the chair and tried to take a good look at him. "Damn it, it's too dark in here."

The room brightened as a flickering orange flame was brought to bear.

"Thanks," Ren turned towards their savior. "I don't know- Okay, I've seen some wacky shit today, but what the fuck?"

"Excuse me? How rude!"

Ren didn't know what he was looking at. It had cat ears, so maybe a cat? Except it was standing upright and had the proportions of a small market mascot. White fur matted the ends of its hands and feet, and black fur covered the rest. It had this strange head-mask-thing on that obscured its upper face.

"Right," Ren nodded, trying to act apologetic. "Sorry. Do you have something for my buddy here? He's…" Ren lifted Ryuji's swollen face up. "Looking really messed up."

The cat was tapping its foot. "Fine. But just this once. Next time you're on your own, got it?" It reached into a pouch and tossed a bottle to Ren.

Ren caught it and held it up. "MEDS" was written on a piece of masking tape with black Sharpie. "Uh… Mind me asking what this is?"

"It's my own special concoction. And lucky for you, unlucky for me, that's my last one," the cat huffed.

"Just give me it, my face is killin' me here," Ryuji snatched the bottle and popped the pill in his mouth. "So, do I chew it or swallow?"

"Both," the cat said. "That stuff works wonders."

"It can't be that… good…" Ren watched as Ryuji's swelling subsided completely in a matter of seconds. Whatever cuts were on his face knitted themselves back together. It was like watching someone heal naturally at ten thousand times the speed.

"What?" Ryuji asked worriedly. "Is my nose okay?" He reached up and touched his face. "What the- this shit's amazing!"

"If you two are done, you can exit the castle through that vent over there," the cat pointed above a bookcase. "There's something I still have to do here, so I gotta get moving."

"Thanks for the help," Ren spoke genuinely.

The cat's ears twitched. "No problem. Just be careful on your way out. See ya."

It cracked the door open, checked left and right, and was gone.

"Ready to get out of here?" Ren asked, turning back.

"Yeah… yeah I think I've had enough for one day," Ryuji rubbed his jaw, still marveling at the lack of pain and swelling.

"You have returned to the real world. Welcome back."

"Huh? You say something?" Ryuji asked when they had stepped back into the main street.

"Um… no."

"Oh, okay. Must've been my imagination then." Ryuji scanned their surroundings.

Shibuya was in its full midday swing. Traffic was heavy, the streets congested, and the sun beating down in the humid afternoon. Everything looked… normal.

"So, you think we got away?" Ryuji asked, looking back into the alley.

Ren spotted a familiar shade of light blue from within the crowd. No badge yet. "Maybe. Come on, follow me." Ren grabbed Ryuji by the arm and dragged him back into the alley.

"Hey- wait!" Ryuji protested for a second before following.

"Cops," Ren muttered. He balled his hand into a fist in an effort to keep it from shaking. "What time is it?"

Ryuji looked at his phone. "No way," he muttered.

"What?" Ren risked a peak around the corner. No cops.

"It's already 1 o'clock. We missed half the school day!" Ryuji held up his phone so Ren could see.

"Oh, shit. We gotta go," Ren brushed past Ryuji. "The shortcut was this way, right?"

"Yeah, but are you serious? We might as well not even go to school at this point," Ryuji argued as they navigated their way through the narrow alleys.

"I have to go, Ryuji. I can't afford to mess up."

"Wow, I didn't know you were so studious. Hey-" Ryuji grabbed Ren's sleeve. "It's this way."

"I can't believe you were half a day late, what were you thinking?" Kawakami couldn't help but raise her voice at Amamiya.

The boy stood as meek as a puppy. "I-I got lost."

Kawakami leaned forward, eyebrows raised. "Lost? For that long? Look, can you pull yourself together? You received fair warning yesterday."

"Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again." It didn't sound rehearsed.

"See that it doesn't," Kawakami gave up. "More importantly… I heard you arrived with Sakamoto-kun?"

"Ryuji? Yeah, I did." Amamiya didn't look regretful at all!

First name basis without honorifics? The thought horrified her. "I'm warning you, Amamiya-kun, don't get involved with him. He's nothing but trouble."

Amamiya just stared at her.

Kawakami sighed and stood up. "Break is almost over. You weren't here for the announcement, but classes will end after fifth period today due to the subway accident. Let's go introduce you, shall we?"

Kawakami stepped out into the hall, waiting for Amamiya to follow before closing the door behind them. Students were still mingling, and Kawakami noticed immediately that the majority of them had their attention focused on Amamiya.

"Hey, you think that's him?"

"The one in the rumors?"

"I heard he carries a knife in his bag."

Frowning, Kawakami led him through the hall, hearing the whispers grow into a cacophony. The bell rang and the student body scattered into their classrooms.

"Amamiya-kun?" Kawakami spoke, looking at her student over her shoulder. "When you introduce your-" Kawakami bumped into something big. She would have fallen if two hands hadn't grabbed her shoulders.

"Apologies, Kawakami-sensei," a deep, masculine voice said from high above her.

Kawakami quickly regained her feet and hastily stepped away from Kamoshida. She tilted her head to meet his eyes. How could he be so tall? "No, no, the fault is mine. I wasn't looking where I was going. Please accept my apologies."

"Well, if you say so." Kamoshida focused behind her. "So you're the transfer student, huh?"

"We met earlier." Was it just Kawakami, or did Amamiya reply rather icily? "You gave me quite the welcome."

"Did we? I don't remember… Care to remind me?" Kamoshida crossed his arms, frowning.

"Yeah…" Amamiya didn't sound so sure anymore. "You were in a silver prius."

"Ah, that's right. I remember now," Kamoshida nodded. "I heard you arrived late. It really wouldn't do for that to happen again. I'm sure Principal Kobayakawa has told you, but any problems and you'll be expelled."

"Yes, Kamoshida-sensei," Kawakami intervened. "Amamiya-kun's well aware. I've already reprimanded him and he's properly reflecting on his actions."

The second bell rang, putting their conversation on hold.

"I'm sure he is," Kamoshida said, unconvinced. "Well, we should all be going. I suppose. Have a good rest of the day."

Kawakami watched Kamoshida until he disappeared around the corner. She didn't realize she was holding her breath. "Sorry about that. Kamoshida-sensei means well…"

"I'm sure he does," Amamiya snorted sarcastically.

Kawakami decided to let that slide. It's what she would've said too. She stopped in front of classroom 2-D. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Amamiya responded in monotone.

The door slid open and Kawakami marched inside to the podium. "Settle down everyone," she addressed the class. "I'd like to introduce a transfer student. Today, we… had him attend from the afternoon since he wasn't feeling well this morning." Nice one, Sadayo! She turned to Amamiya. "If you would introduce yourself."

He looked over the class, slightly hunched and his hands buried in his pockets. He reached up and readjusted his glasses before saying, "Amamiya Ren. Nice to meet you."

The class immediately broke out into whispers, Kawakami couldn't catch all of them. She heard "quiet," "delinquent," and "assault." Her blood ran cold. How did they know? Kawakami gathered herself. "Amamiya-kun, your seat will be next to the window over there. Sorry, but can the people nearby please share their textbooks for the day?"

Another session of whispers. Great. This was going just great.

Ren made his way towards the empty seat after his brief introduction. No matter what he said his classmate's perception of him was set before he'd even met them. Amamiya Ren, a delinquent with a criminal record. He was thankful for his glasses.

Ren scowled, ignoring the whispers that broke out. Only faculty knew about his criminal record, and it didn't take a genius to narrow down the list of individuals who'd leak it. Releasing private information carried serious professional consequences. Someone supremely confident in their position would have the gall to take that chance. In addition, Ren had only met three faculty members.

Kawakami wasn't that high on the totem pole and didn't seem like the type to break rules. Principal Pudding accepted Ren into Shujin Academy in the hopes of improving the school's image and reputation. But that would only work if Ren was successful. Why would the principal risk Ren socially by releasing his record if it could affect his academics? That didn't really make sense. Kamoshida, on the other hand… A king often believed they were above the law, and a lot of the time they were. And Ren witnessed first hand that man's arrogance.

"Lies."

Ren froze mid stride. He'd heard plenty of the whispers from other students, but "lies" was not amongst those. The speaker had platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Ren couldn't have forgotten those even if he tried. The withdrawn, dull light was now sharp and accusatory. Right, this girl was with Kamoshida this morning. And his seat was right behind hers. Great.

Ren hung his bag to the side of the desk and plopped into his seat. Apparently his brief pause hadn't escaped the attention of the neighboring students who immediately broke into another series of whispers.

"Hey, did you see that?"

"Yeah, it seems like they know each other."

"Does that mean Takamaki is cheating on Kamoshida with him? Steamy…"

"Sssshhhhh! He might hear us!"

"I can," Ren growled.

A paper clip striking the floor could've been heard in the following silence.

The blonde girl's… Takamaki's… shoulders tensed.

It didn't matter if it was a high school in the countryside or an elite prep-school in Tokyo, it was the same everywhere Ren went.

Out of place.

Ren looked down at his shaking hands. They hadn't stopped shaking since he'd been consumed by that blue fire. His skin was unmarred by the heat. He remembered that pain, but now it was dull and seemed like a memory from long ago. That glee he'd experienced when he went off-the-walls bonkers... Ren shivered. He'd never felt something that... euphoric before. The devils will hear my laughter for all eternity. Was that really him?

After School

The bell finally rang, students springing up from their seats or just now putting away their school supplies. Ren remained where he was, slouched in his chair with his hands in his pockets and eyes cast out the window where he couldn't see much of anything.

Some students lagged behind, whether to ask Kawakami questions about her lesson or to chat with friends, Ren wasn't sure. However, even without looking he could still feel some of them watching him. His foot tapped the floor. Ren was going to wait for everyone else to leave before doing so himself but he had to get out of here right now. He bit his lip.

Swiftly standing and gathering his bag Ren bee lined for the door. If a student was anywhere within five feet of his path they hurriedly got out of the way. Ren's footsteps quickened. He had to get out.

Thou who art unwilling to bow to the world. The sliding door didn't move fast enough, Ren barely registering the slam and the startled jumps of nearby students.

"Amamiya-kun!"

Ren exhaled an unsteady breath. "Apologies, Kawakami-sensei. I didn't mean to." He took care to gently slide the door closed.

Ren had barely reached the staircase when someone wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him close.

"Hey, buddy," Ryuji grinned at him, "I got something to talk to you about. Mind joining me on the roof?"

Anywhere away from prying eyes sounded fantastic. "Yeah. Yeah, sure."

Two flights of stairs later and Ren stepped out into Tokyo's mid afternoon sunlight. Even if it was more uncomfortable physically Ren felt like he could finally take a moment and breathe. He followed Ryuji to a collection of broken desks and chairs, one of which Ryuji hopped onto. Ren settled into a chair.

"Soooo… not a great first day of school, huh?" Ryuji ventured. "Figures. People don't know how to shut up around here."

"Yeah, here and everywhere else," Ren shook his head with a sigh. "So, curious about the rumors you've heard?"

"About you? Ha, what haven't I heard is the better question," Ryuji joked lightly. "Anything from you belonging to a yakuza gang, hiding a knife in your bag, fighting an entire biker gang, to holding an old grandma hostage for ransom. Crazy stuff, man."

Ren chuckled, "I hadn't heard those."

"So what's the deal with you?" Ryuji got straight to the point. "I don't really care for gossip and rumors, but this kinda shit doesn't start up for no reason. And you're a transfer to boot."

"Only if you tell me your deal. Kawakami-sensei told me to watch out for you," Ren shifted his glasses up.

"'Course she did," Ryuji rubbed his jaw. "Can't blame her though. My rep 'round here ain't so hot. Yeah, sure. It ain't a secret at this point. Kamoshida pissed me off, I threw a punch, he beat the shit outta me… I know, familiar, right? He got away with calling it self defense and now everyone hates me. That's pretty much it."

"I heard him say he broke your leg. He got away with calling that self-defense?" No matter how Ren thought about it that was excessive. Just like the beatings earlier.

"Yeah… yeah he did. Hate that bastard's guts like none other," Ryuji massaged his right thigh. "Anyways, that's the short and sweet version 'bout me. How about you? Is it true you got a record?"

Hearing it now wasn't any easier then it was three months ago. Ren felt his heart drop into his stomach and his throat constrict. "Yeah… for assault."

"Damn… No, wonder you were so ballsy back there," Ryuji said with a hint of admiration.

Ren shook his head. "Not as ballsy as you. I just sat there and watched it happen. A coward is what I was."

"Maybe. But at the end you pulled through," Ryuji tapped Ren on the shoulder with his knuckle. "That's all that matters to me. And the same goes for your criminal record, too. I don't know the details or whatever, but you're good in my book. You saved my life back there, Ren. Thanks."

Ren's throat got even tighter for a much different reason. How long had it been since he'd heard that word directed at him? And spoken so genuinely? "Y-yeah. You're welcome."

"But man, that shit was absolutely bonkers. What the hell was all that, anyways?" Ryuji began swinging his legs. "If I hadn't seen it and… well… gotten the shit kicked outta me, I don't think I'd believe it was real."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Ren looked at his hands. They still shook slightly. "It feels like a dream. So what's the deal with Kamoshida in Shujin? He called himself the king in that… place."

"You don't know anything 'bout him, so where do I start?" Ryuji tapped his chin. "First off, he's some hotshot olympic gold medalist for volleyball. He started coaching here 'round three years ago, I think, and took the volleyball team to nationals for two consecutive years. But yeah, he's pretty much the top dog at Shujin. Everyone listens to him because of how much 'prestige' he brings to Shujin, even the principal."

Ren gave a low whistle. The only thing worse than arrogance and ego was when it could be backed up by results. "You think he's the one that leaked the details about my record?"

"Oh, yeah. Without a doubt," Ryuji agreed. "Only a teacher could have leaked it that fast. And out of all of 'em, Kamoshida's the biggest douche there is."

"Wait, how'd it get leaked in the first place?" Ren wondered. "Sure, we can agree Kamoshida did it, but did he post it somewhere?"

Ryuji pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. "Our school's got an unofficial forum where people can anonymously talk about all sorts of crap. Most of it is gossip, so I don't really look at it." He showed Ren his screen. "This one look familiar?"

Every detail about his criminal record was there. The trials, the official statements, the sentence, everything. Ren clicked his tongue. "I swear, anonymity makes people into a bunch of vipers. Yeah, yeah that's familiar all right."

"Shit, bro. Sorry 'bout reading it in the first place. I was just curious, ya know?" Ryuji stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

Ren waved off the apology. "It isn't a secret at this point."

He thought back to his run in with Kamoshida before class. The entire time Kamoshida had been looking down at him like he was some sort of pest. "I ran into him before class. Kamoshida, I mean. He didn't seem to remember what he did to us in that castle."

"Really? That doesn't make much sense. Granted, nothing about what happened makes any sense," Ryuji admitted. "That castle… thing… or that cat… thing... Or that other thing that came out of you. And your clothes! What was the deal with your clothes, dude?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Ryuji. Everything that happened in there was just… crazy," Ren shook his head in disbelief.

Ryuji sighed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "Well, I don't think we're going to get anywhere just thinking 'bout it like this. Let's just head home for the day. All the crap that went on got me beat."

"Oh, shit," Ren hung his head as realization dawned on him.

"What?"

"I'm really going to get it when I get back to my place. My caretaker is going to kill me."

Ryuji rubbed his jaw. "Oh… Oh shit… That's why you wanted to get to school so bad... Well, uh…" Ryuji snapped his finger into a gun. "Good luck, bro."

A/N

I had a blast writing Ren's awakening. It was a lot of fun writing anime/edgy lines for the contract, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully, I'll be just as satisfied with the others when they come up. The one I'm least confident about is Yusuke's because his is already so. Damn. Good.

Regarding Kamoshida's vehicle of choice, according to my buddy who's teaching English in Japan Prius' are for the respectable upper-middle class businessman, which is really funny to me. And the idea of Kamoshida, who's an absolute unit, huddling inside a tiny Prius is even funnier. I know educators aren't upper-middle class, but it's just the thought.

It's going to take some time before I dive into the thoughts and emotions of the other characters. There's going to be a lot of jumping around regarding perspectives. That means a lot of shorter passages that are just thoughts, emotions, and introspection. Especially with Shiho and Ann coming up in the story.

Sunday's (PST) are going to be my release days. See you next week with The Herald!

Also random thought but it's crazy that Ken (June 24, 1998) from P3 is the same age as Makoto (April 23, 1998) from P5. My boy is all grown up. Oh fuck is Koromaru dead o_o?