Lucina: Hello Smashers. I am Lucina, Princess of Altea from Fire Emblem and Super Smash Brothers and I am here to give you the next chapter of Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate!

Ren: Lucina? What are you doing here?

Lucina: I've come to take a peek into your universe to see how you get out of your current predicament.

Ren: Well, that's fair then. Alright! Let's do it, to it.

Lucina: Time to start the show!

Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Thirteen

[Opening Scene – Okumura Residence (Nighttime)
(Theme of Sadness: Unfulfilled from Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Ann didn't know how long she had been staring at the face of her sleeping friend, but she knew it had been a long time. Shiho was so drained from the day's events that the minute her head hit the bed, she was out like a light while Ann was unable to sleep.

All she could do was replay everything in her head. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Shiho's tearful face, standing on the edge of the roof.

All she could hear were her words, and the more Ann saw it, the angrier she became.

She had done this to Shiho.

"Snap out of it!" Ryuji's voice shouted in her mind. "None of this is your fault, Ann! Kamoshida is the asshole here using students as his personal playthings. We are supposed to look up to them and protect them. He abused that trust and caused all of this hell for everyone. He's the asshole here. Not you."

'I know Ryuji…' Ann thought softly, the image of his angered yet compassionate eyes piercing through her mind. 'But it's still my fault…'

Ann called Shiho her best friend, and yet, she sent her down the road of ruin. Ann wanted to cry but the burning rage she felt in her soul overwhelmed her feelings of sadness.

It was then she heard her phone chime.

She reached down into her pocket and withdrew her cell, and saw the strange red app pulsating on it.

This app could allow her to go to that other world, but why was it pulsating this red energy?

"The palace…" A voice whispered in her mind. "It holds his power…if it falls…he dies…"

"If it falls…he dies…" Ann repeated softly as the glow of the app began to brighten.

[Scene Change – Unknown (?)
Theme of Unknown: The Voice of Someone Calls from Persona 3]

The world around her began to darken until Ann was faced to face with herself, with those glowing eerie eyes that the other Kamoshida had.

"Yes…He has done far too much to keep breathing…He hurt the one we treasure, and thus we shall take what he holds precious," Her doppelgänger said.

"But to kill him…does he truly…" Ann paused as her mind flashed to Shiho's heartbreakingly sad smile as she stood on the edge of the roof, and the rage began to build once more until Ann felt something switch in her.

It was a cold feeling that washed within her as she let out a slow laugh. "You're right…" Ann softly said as she looked at her hand. "Kamoshida has done every unforgivable sin to my Shiho…To the girl that made my life worth something…He used and violated us time and again, using our love for one another to fuel his sick fantasies. I shouldn't feel guilty about his death…"

Ann then closed her fist hard enough for blood to sweep through her fingers and said, "I should be the one to cause it…"

Flames danced around Ann's body as she stared at her doppelgänger, who had a smirk on her face. "Do you hear it, Takamaki Ann? Do you hear the raging beat of the inferno in your heart?" Her copy softly questioned, but there was an undercurrent of rage in her voice. "Because I do. I've been waiting for so long for you to wake up and take action because who is going to avenge Shiho if you don't?"

"Everything that he has done or said has added more fuel to his funeral pyre…I will make him pay with his life for what he did to her!" Ann furiously shouted.

Ann felt her head began to pound in pain with those harsh words as she fell to her knees, embers slowly began to rise around her body.

"Good…" Her doppelgänger murmured as embers began to swirl around the pair. "It may have taken far too long for this to happen."

The flames began to overtake the doppelgänger, who smirked as Ann fell to her knees and clutched at her head, screams of pains leaving her lips."Sparing him from the flames of retribution was never the option for you. Neither was forgiving him. Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within..."

Ann opened her eyes at gazed at her doppelgänger, who now stood in a raging inferno and felt herself nod, the flames flying into her face, but while there was a warmth to the fire, against her skin, it felt more like a hand caressing her face than an inferno.

"I am thou, thou art I... We can finally forge a contract. Nothing can be solved by restraining yourself. Understand?" The doppelgänger asked.

"I understand, Carmen!" Ann screamed, despite the pain in her head.

"Then I'll gladly lend you my strength to reduce his castle to ashes," her voice purred as the flames died away from her face to reveal a red mask with cat ears on top of it.

Ann gripped the mask with a stern glare then ripped off with a scream, causing a large explosion of fire to explode from her body.

[Scene Change: Okumura Residence (Nighttime)
Theme of Unknowing Danger: Restlessness from Persona 5]

"You should be at the hospital. Not planning to go back there."

Ren looked up at the scowling Ryuji and Morgana and let out a sigh. The group was currently at Haru's residence in her living room.

Haru was presently in the kitchen brewing some tea while Shiho and Ann were sleeping in a spare bedroom, leaving the three Persona users to talk in the living room alone.

Morgana had explained all that he told Ren to the group, and while Ryuji and Ann were slightly apprehensive, they both knew that Kamoshida needed to be stopped at all costs, even if it cost him his life.

He had done so much to hurt so many people that he had to be stopped, but when Ren suggested they go tonight, Ryuji and Morgana immediately objected.

"I know I need to go to the hospital, but we need to make a move now," Ren said with a frown. "The sooner we do, the sooner we can stop Kamoshida from expelling us and keeping me out of jail."

Ryuji crossed his arms and muttered, "Morgana and I can handle the place just fine without you. You need to go."

"I can't," Ren replied. "You two can't do this alone. I am going with you, and that is final."

"Stubborn ass," Ryuji muttered. "You can barely walk, let alone fight those freaky things."

"Then I'll stay more in the back and provide support and let you two take the lead, but you aren't doing this alone," Ren compromised.

"Hmmm, alright," Morgana and Ryuji said in unison but with Morgana adding, "Ryuji is right; you are very stubborn."

"Damn right," Ren said with a smirk.

"So…Do you guys think we should tell Haru and Shiho about the other place?" Ryuji asked them.

"I don't think so. They don't have the gift, and they could tell someone," Morgana said. "Besides, we don't want to put them in any unnecessary danger."

"Fair but counterpoint, Ann. She knows about the place, and she has the app like Ren, and I do. She can access it at any point, and Ann may or may not have the gift. Shiho is an awesome girl, and Haru is shaping up to be one too. I think we can trust them," Ryuji said, vouching for the two girls.

"Well…At the end of the day, it's up to Ren. What do you think?" Morgana asked.

"My mind is telling me, no, but my gut is telling me we should," Ren answered. "Haru didn't have to show herself to help you guys out with Shiho, and she damn sure wouldn't be in this mess if she stayed hidden on the roof. She's probably stressed about being expelled, and God knows what her parents will do, so she needs to know that we can fix this. "

Ren's shoulders dropped as a bitter frown appeared on his face. " And as for Shiho. After everything she's been through, she deserves to know that we can bring her justice. Hell, not just her. But everyone he has used, abused and hurt during Kamoshida's tenure here. They all deserve justice…"

"Alright…If you're sure, then I'll back you up," Morgana said with a weak, albeit supportive smile. Ren leaned forward and petted Morgana, who gave a mix of a whine and a purr at the gentle motion and smiled.

"Thanks for trusting me," Ren told him.

"Badical. So when do we tell them?" Ryuji asked.

"Tomorrow. I'm beaten down from all the action," Ren said softly.

"The tea is ready," the kind voice of Haru's announced as she walked into the room with the tea set on the table in front of them.

"Thanks, Haru-san," Ren said with a smile on his face. "Again, I am so sorry you got involved in this."

"You don't have to apologize, Ren-san," Haru said as she poured the tea into their teacups. "After overhearing everything Shiho and Ann spoke about, I had a feeling that things were going to go off the rails. I just didn't expect it would be so crazy."

"Neither did we," Ren admitted. "I was expecting to go into school and remain faceless, not facing down a corrupt rapist teacher who would arrange my stabbing, but here we are."

"That sounds insane now," Haru joked with a slight giggle. "Well, since I am involved, I am willing to help any way I can."

"Thanks, but hopefully, we'll be able to handle this without you getting too involved," Ryuji said before he groaned out and added, "But knowing our luck, we will."

"Hence why I offered my assistance," Haru teasingly replied. "But what is the plan now?"

"Any idea when this board meeting is supposed to take place?" Ren asked.

"No idea," Ryuji and Haru said in unison.

"Well shit," Ren grumbled. "Well, we'll start planning tomorrow. I'm pretty beat."

"Same here," Ryuji added.

"If you want, you guys can stay the night here," Haru offered as she petted Morgana, who seemed to melt at her touch and began to purr. "My father is away on a business trip for a few weeks, so I'm just alone here in this place."

Ren was initially going to refuse, but there was this pleading look in Haru's eyes as she looked at him, which made him nod in agreement. "I have to check with my guardian, but sure, why not?" Ren answered.

"I have to call my mom as well, but I think she'll be okay with it as well," Ryuji said.

Haru beamed and said, "Great! I'll have the maids get the rooms made up for you two."

Haru picked up the sleepy Morgana and said, "This little guy can stay too. I'll have a little area for him as well. Excuse me."

Haru then walked off, leaving Ryuji and Ren alone.

"Wow, she's nice. We just met today, and she's letting us stay at her place. Which is huge…" Ryuji said to Ren.

"Kamoshida did mention she was rich, but from the damn mansion she lives, her family could buy me five times over," Ren said. "But…I don't think Haru likes any of this. Being rich, I mean…"

"How do you figure?" Ryuji asked.

"Gut feeling," Ren replied as he crossed his arms, his eyes closing.

"You got a lot of those. They ever steer you wrong?" Ryuji asked.

"So far? Nope, it's never failed me, so I will continue to trust it until it does," Ren said with a grin.

"Well fuck, I'll drink to that," Ryuji said as he lifted his teacup, which caused Ren to share his smile and clink his teacup with his. Before they could drink it, a large amount of pressure slammed into their bodies along with a wave of heat, causing them to drop their teacups on the table, spilling the liquid within them.

"What the fuck was that?!" Ryuji asked in alarm.

"I have no idea," Ren asked. "But this kind of feels familiar…It kind of feels like when you become a persona user…"

The two stared at each other for a moment before Haru and Morgana came to the room, with the former asking, "Did you guys feel that?"

"You feel it too?" Ryuji asked.

"Yeah, but what is it that I am feeling?" Haru asked.

"No idea…Maybe we should check on Ann and Shiho," Ren suggested, but seconds later, Ann walked out into the open with a cold, emotionless expression on her face while the pressure, and the heat, vanished.

"Ann? You alright?" Ryuji asked.

"I'm better than alright…" Ann said, a cold grin appearing on her face. "Say…I have to run to the school. I left an item there."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Morgana quipped to Ren and Ryuji, who nodded in agreement.

"Need any of us to come with you?" Haru asked with concern, but Ann shook her head.

"No…Not at all," Ann replied, her voice emotionless. "But thanks."

Ann walked past them to the front door and opened it before she paused and said, "Watch after Shiho." And with that, she shut the door behind her just before the door fully closed; Ren saw a black blur shoot through the crack.

'Good Job Morgana…' Ren thought.

Haru and Ryuji exchanged a glance before they looked at the door, with Ryuji saying, "I…Don't think I like that look she had on her face. We should follow her."

"Agreed," Ren said.

"Wait, but what about Shiho? We can't just leave her here after the day she's had," Haru said with a worried expression.

"I know…Haru-san, why don't you stay here with her?" Ren asked. "This way, she can get her rest and won't be worried when she wakes up to see Ann g-"

"Ann's gone!" Shiho's voice shouted, causing the three teens to look at her fearful and worried face.

"-one…" Ren finished lamely.

[Scene Change: Shibuya (Nighttime)
Theme of Unknowing Danger: Restlessness from Persona 5]

"Lady Ann! What are you plan to do?!" Morgana yelled as he ran beside Ann down the street, but Ann didn't reply.

All she did was keep her gaze forward, which made Morgana growl in annoyance. "Come on, Lady Ann, speak to me!" Morgana exclaimed.

Ann still didn't respond.

Frustration reaching his max, Morgana sped past Ann and stood in front of her, causing her to stop.

"You're in my way," Ann said with a dangerous edge to her eerily calm voice.

"I'm not moving until you tell me what you plan to do!" Morgana exclaimed. "It's obvious you've awakened to your Persona. I can see it in your eyes, but there is this anger in it that I've never seen. What do you plan to do?!"

Ann's look was downright murderous as she glared down at him, but he didn't back down. Finally, for what seemed like a lifetime, Ann muttered, "The only way to kill Kamoshida is to destroy that palace, right? So I'm going to destroy it."

"That's all well and good, but can you at least let us know?" Morgana asked with a frown. "Ryuji, Ren, and I talked about it, and we were going to do exactly that, but it may not kill Kamoshida, however."

He watched as Ann's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Morgana thought she was going to start walking again, but when he looked back, he noticed eight teens dressed in Shujin attire in the distance and began to feel nervous.

"Ann!" Ryuji's voice yelled from behind her. Ann turned her head to see Ryuji, Haru, Ren, and Shiho coming up from behind and scowled.

But Morgana noticed that the minute the others showed up, Shujin students' group began to advance to them.

Things were about to go down…

Ryuji: Oh come on! Really? He sent more people?

Haru: Wow, you guys really are exciting!

Shiho: *nervous look*

Ren: This guy is a fucking dirtbag…

Morgana: So…Until the next chapter?