Chapter 46: Fist of Justice
Ω • Ω • Ω
•Makoto•
"Don't get all cocky just because I normally behave myself! I am DONE playing nice!" She revved Johanna's engine and then sped forward, one of the oni Shadows attempting to swing their blade at her to decapitate her. She dropped Johanna onto her side and slid along the ground below the sword, Johanna's chassis slamming into the oni's legs and tripping them up.
The Shadow hit the ground hard and she jumped off of Johanna, flipping around and bringing her fists down into its face— No, not just her fists, she had brass knuckles on now. She grinned and punched again, then flipped back as the oni snarled and tried to throw her off.
The monster tried to throw a punch of its own so she flipped to the side before grabbing its arm and dragging it up. "Hrryah!" She began spinning and used the momentum to dunk it straight into the tiles below. It groaned in pain before she began raining down blow after blow, her fists and the weapons she wore completely tenderizing the Shadow.
When she finally let up, the Shadow let out a whimper before dissolving into nothing. She turned to focus on the melee that was happening around her, cracking her knuckles and summoning Johanna beneath her. Starr was having the time of his life laughing as he weaved around two other oni Shadows while Kitagawa was slashing away, his sword causing great gouts of blood to erupt.
Meanwhile, Takamaki, Morgana, and Sakamoto were tearing their way through another group, Takamaki's flames were scorching every Shadow that touched them, and Morgana's wind ability was amplifying them, creating raging maelstrom's of fire. Sakamoto was using his weight and strength to whack aside any Shadows that tried to get too close, but the sheer magical ability of the flame and gale users was mostly keeping them at bay.
"Sakamoto! With me!"
"Huh?"
"You heard the lady, Skull!" Starr laughed as he summoned a large horse that stood on two legs. With a whinny it let loose a wave of fire, and the silver-eyed thief nodded at Sakamoto. "Go give her a hand!"
"Right! Panther, Monamona, I'll leave these guys to you!"
"Oh, get out of here, Numbskull!"
Sakamoto grinned as he ran up, and she revved Johanna's engine, spinning her around and driving straight for another group of oni. She pushed off Johanna's handles into the air, before using her newfound strength to bring Johanna up into the air with her in a flip before smashing her down into the middle of the group, Johanna setting off an explosion of force as her tires struck the ground. "Vajra Blast!"
The Shadows stumbled back, and Sakamoto used the opportunity to jump over her and bring his hammer down. An oni's head was crushed like a grape and he jumped away using its dissolving body before it was fully gone. "Captain Kidd! Give 'em a full barrage! Mazio!" The ports along Captain Kidd's ship opened, multiple cannons pointed out, and then a barrage of lightning bolts flew free and began electrocuting every Shadow nearby.
Seeing the shocked enemies, her eyes glinted and she quickly spun Johanna around so that her exhaust was pointed right at the Shadows. She revved the throttle, and purple orbs flew free and struck the Shadows, exploding and doing massive damage. "Mafrei!"
"Whoa-ho-ho!" Sakamoto grinned. "Ain't that the nuclear attack? Badass!"
"Keep up the pressure!" She snapped, leaning forward and driving straight towards another group. She hit a wheelie and used Johanna's front tire to shred an oni's face to nothing before slamming it down and spinning to smack the Shadow aside with Johanna's back tire.
More Shadows charged towards her, but Sakamoto intercepted them with Captain Kidd. "Rampage!" The pirate surfed forward and crashed through the Shadows, before spinning and launching another Mazio through them. She fired another Mafrei from Johanna's exhaust to set off another explosion from the nuclear reaction with the lightning coursing through them.
"There's no end to them…!" Morgana spoke looking around the area. She narrowed her eyes. He was right. They were destroying tons of Shadows, but more were funneling into the room as they fought.
Starr looked around, and she saw him look in her direction, towards the front entrance. "Alright, Niiji and Skull's got that group by the front entrance on the ropes! Let's finish them off then make a break for it!"
"You mean—?"
"That's right! Time for an All-Out Attack! Niiji, show us what you've got!" At his words Starr, Takamaki, Mona, and Kitagawa broke away from the groups they had been fighting, sprinting towards her.
"C'mon, Prez, let's do this!" She revved Johanna's engine and followed Sakamoto's lead, charging straight into the fray. As they punched and crushed and obliterated every Shadow around them the other Thieves joined them, going all out. She roared as she unleashed the finishing blow on another Shadow that looked similar to the other oni, except instead of red skin it had grey… Not that it mattered in the end.
"FIST OF JUSTICE!"
She landed as the Shadows exploded into ooze, a metal background with bloodstained tire tracks and the phrase 'Justice has prevailed.' fading away. "Badass!" Sakamoto cheered while she resummoned Johanna beneath her. "You're totally the Fist of the Phantom Star now!"
"Do you want to get smacked? Now follow me!" She revved the engine, popped a wheelie, and sped straight through the few surviving Shadows that had been between them and the door. The front entrance stood no chance either, as she and Johanna busted right on through. She found herself airborne for half a second, before bouncing as Johanna's tires struck the ground.
She regained control and continued speeding down the ramp that connected the bank with Shibuya before the sound of a car horn honking drew her attention. Behind her, she could see the Phantom Thieves in… a bus? Where the hell—? She shook her head, figuring it wasn't important. Starr was behind the wheel, and he gave a cheeky salute.
She turned back around to focus on the road and shook her head. Once they reached street-level she swerved and followed the road to where they had entered the Metaverse. After she reached it she dematerialized Johanna from beneath her and slid to a stop, her boots creating sparks as her mask reformed on her face.
The car that Starr was driving stopped on a dime next to her, and everyone piled out. "Before we get to celebrating anything, let's return to reality before the swarm of Shadows chasing us locates our hideaway," he chuckled. Everyone nodded, and he tapped at his phone, bringing them back to reality.
Ω • Ω • Ω
•Akira•
After they walked up to their hideout Niijima was visibly becoming more drained, the strain of Awakening becoming more obvious. By the time they'd reached the accessway, she was panting and kneeling with her hands on her knees.
Ryuji, of course, had no filter and so immediately grinned. "Man, talk about wild! That was no Aikido, that was some serious hardcore ass whoopin'!"
"I am SO not pissing her off… I feel like she'll rip off my arm."
"She does exude that aura…"
"Well, she is in a biker gang. I've seen them around Onett, be careful not to upset her."
"Oh… stop it!" Niijima got up and groaned, placing her head in her hands. "This is the most exhausted I've ever gotten these past few years… But…" She smiled weakly. "It did feel pretty great."
"Hell yeah it does!" Ryuji did a fist-pump, an excited grin on his face. "Kickin' Shadow ass is the best, right?!"
"Yes, it is… And I never thought I'd ever become a part of the Phantom Thieves I was after. Sis might faint if she found out." He kept an eye out for anyone listening in too closely, but it looked clear, so he didn't say anything about Niijima saying 'Phantom Thieves' out loud. At least she kept it down.
"You mentioned her earlier."
She nodded at Yusuke. "She's a prosecutor for the district, and she's investigating the Phantom Thieves."
"Wait, ain't that kinda bad?!"
"Ryu, didn't you have the exact same reaction when Yusuke said he wanted to paint Ann nude? Are these two situations really the same?"
"Oh, yes, I do recall him saying something along those lines," Yusuke muttered.
"Would everyone stop bringing that up?!"
Niijima just looked shocked at their amusement, and Ann's embarrassment. "Kitagawa-kun did… what?"
"Don't worry about it!"
The red-eyed girl just shook her head. "Right… Well, in any case, there's no need to worry. A normal investigation would never lead them to a world like that. Then again… it must've been fate for this to happen…"
"What do you mean?" Ann asked.
"I can't be like my sister. I had a feeling that there'd come a time when we wouldn't see eye to eye anymore. I'm thankful to have a sister who works so hard, but… there are times I feel sorry for her too. After hearing my Persona's voice, I clearly understand how I feel now."
"It appears you are not as reserved as you seem," Yusuke noted.
"I was just doing whatever the adults told me to."
"So, there's something we do have to discuss…" He crossed his arms but smiled to show the levity he was feeling. "You said you're a part of our team… but I don't think we've discussed that yet. Well, everyone? Thoughts?"
Yusuke chuckled. "Hm. Wouldn't she be perfect as our advisor? She's fearless and has a sharp mind. I would certainly welcome her."
"Sounds good to me! We've needed someone like that for a while now! The rest of us can't really keep up with all that leadin' stuff Aki does! I vote yes!"
"Excuse me, but I think I do adequately enough at that! Plus I'm our car and Metaverse Expert! But… Some extra help wouldn't hurt."
"And she's awesome in a fight! She should totally join us!"
Niijima smiled at their praise, an embarrassed blush spreading across her face. "I'd be honored if I could help out."
"We had way too much testosterone anyway, so I feel much better hav—" Ann's words were cut off by Niijima's phone ringing.
She freed it from her pocket and glanced at the screen, beginning to glare. "It's from Kaneshiro. He's reminding us of our debt. …So, the Kaneshiro over here doesn't know what happened inside the Palace."
"That's right," Morgana nodded, "but his Palace will be affected if the real Kaneshiro's cognition changes. We can't be lax."
"It can work the other way around, somewhat," he added. "We use codenames because we're inside their heart, and constantly shouting our names could affect them subconsciously somehow. Perhaps make them think of us more often. And if that happens they might get nervous for reasons they don't understand consciously, and come down harder on us, such as Kaneshiro shortening our time limit because he got nervous that we might be trying something."
"It seems it'd be best to avoid unnecessary contact with him until we change his heart," Niijima noted.
"Three weeks left, huh… Well, ain't that at least more time than Kamoshita and Madarame?"
"Well, there's that security system to contend with."
Ann just smiled, aiming to lift their spirits. "But if we pull this off, it'll definitely be great!"
"Yes. We'll crush him like a fly. I'll make him regret making me angry…"
Ryuji and he shared a look before the delinquent grinned. "Anyways, let's begin our operation tomorrow!"
"Niijima-senpai needs to rest," he cut in. "I'll let everyone know when it's time."
"First, we need to secure a route to the Treasure like always."
Morgana swished his tail happily, nodding at Ann. "You guys are finally starting to get used to this."
"We've done it twice now, it'd be embarrassing if we weren't."
"I'll be waiting for the call to meet up."
"Alright. Let's break!"
Ω • Ω • Ω
Chat Room: The Phantom Thieves
Ryuji— Dam bikes r cool
Ryuji— I wish I had 1
Yusuke— Yours is on a ship though.
You— And weren't you the one bragging about how a pirate was much cooler than mine and everyone else's Personas?
Ryuji— Yea, but MOTORBUKE
Ryuji— DAT SHITS AWESUM!
Ryuji— It'd be b lik th song 'i'm a phantom on a stel horse i ride'
Niijima— Don't say such things. And for the record, I am most certainly NOT 'Wanted'.
You— Thank god, someone else who texts normally. And where the hell did Ryuji learn about Bon Jovi?
Ann— Honestly I'm mostly just surprised you know how to ride a motorcycle at all, Niijima-senpai.
Ryuji— U got a liscence?
You— License, Ryuji.
Niijima— A regular one, yes.
Ryuji— Niceeee!
Ryuji— Can't w8 2 get my hands on 1 2.
Ryuji— Can I ride b4 dat wit u it looks AWESOME
Niijima— I'd rather you get a license first. That aside, mind if I change the topic for a moment?
Yusuke— What is the matter?
Niijima— I'm sorry, everyone. I know I'm not in any position to be saying that, I truly do. However, I must apologize. It was my actions that dragged all of you into this mess. On top of that, I misunderstood your true intentions in this. If only I could have realized what was happening to Suzui-san too…
Ann— Come on, we don't need to talk about that now.
Yusuke— It seems there are still lingering issues on everyone's minds.
Ryuji— We don't gota tlk bout dat sht now!
Ryuji— Knaeshiros the focus!
You— How eloquent.
Ryuji— Bite me!
Ann— I hate to say it, but he's right.
Ryuji— Wats dat sppsed 2 mean?
Niijima— Very well, I understand. Anyway, I will do my best to make sure I don't slow you all down.
The text conversation ended there, and he chuckled as he lay down. Morgana hopped onto the bed next to him, looking out the window. "A motorcycle-shaped Persona… You know, I can turn into a car too, so it's like… I feel a sense of familiarity?"
"Oh yeah? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but motorcycles are cooler in the end."
"Hmph! I'd like to see you say that without me there to ferry you all through Mementos! I'd like to see her carry all of you at once! I really am special after—" Morgana stopped abruptly. "Carry…? No, take somewhere! Something just crossed my mind…"
"Something to do with your past?"
"…It's no use. I can't remember at all… Eh. There's nothing I can do about it if I can't remember. I need to concentrate on Kaneshiro for now. Unlike that Numbskull, Niijima's pretty clever, so we can expect great things from her."
He yawned. "Uh-huh."
"But Akira, you really do have something special."
"Getting her to join us was just a coincidence… She was the one who wanted to join without anyone even asking," he murmured.
"Either way, it looks like I've gotta step up my game too!" He chuckled as he felt his bond with Morgana grow deeper, the chains in his head breaking.
RANK UP!
Magician Arcana, Morgana: Rank 4
"I know! After we deal with Kaneshiro, we should consult her about Mementos too. I'm sure our three brains combined can—" He didn't hear anything more as he drifted off to sleep, and Morgana sighed when he realized it.
"Yusuke, then Niijima… This guy has quite the luck. I wonder, could there be some reason for it? Nah, that can't be…" Morgana eventually just shook his head and curled up next to Akira, both of them slumbering peacefully.
Ω • Ω • Ω
6/21, Tuesday
DEADLINE: July 9th
DAYS UNTIL PICS LEAKED: 18
Steal Kaneshiro's heart.
•Ann•
"I'm sorry for asking you here like this."
Niijima-senpai just smiled in response, combing a lock of hair back behind her ear. They sat in the student council room during the lunch period, since she'd asked the newest member of the Phantom Thieves to speak with her. "Oh no, it isn't a problem. I actually find it refreshing to be asked to the student council room. Although, it's somewhat nerve-wracking as well."
"...I think I'm a bit nervous myself." Niijima-senpai looked confused, so she sucked in a deep breath and stood up. "Anyway, um… I wanted to apologize. I'm… really sorry about everything."
Her Senpai's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"You know how I blamed you for Kamoshida's sexual harassment? Well, I wanted to apologize for that… I've honestly been meaning to this whole time."
"Takamaki-san…"
"I realized later that Shiho was calling out for me… and I wasn't there to help her… I didn't want to admit my own guilt, so I took it out on you, Niijima-senpai. I'm very sorry." She bowed deeply, what she'd done eating away at her.
"…Hey, there is no need for that. In fact, I think the two of us are pretty similar."
"Huh?"
"I was unable to save anyone. Not Suzui-san, not any of Kaneshiro's victims… I kept telling myself I wasn't at fault simply because I was just following orders… But that was all a lie. It felt like I would be admitting my own worthlessness had I not shifted the blame off of myself. Fear of that worthlessness was probably why I acted so harshly towards you and your friends. I'm deeply sorry as well."
"I see…" She slowly brightened up and leaned over the table. "In that case, wanna call it even?"
"Even…?" Niijima-senpai smiled, then laughed. "You're right. How about we leave this conversation in the past?"
"Oh, but one more thing! You're not worthless, Niijima-senpai." Ann saw the confusion on her face and sat down while crossing her legs. "You were a bit reckless, but you're the reason we found a way into Kaneshiro's Palace. And you even obtained the power to change people's hearts. You did that all yourself, Niijima-senpai."
"That way of thinking is very much like you, Takamaki-san." She tilted her head in confusion, and the upperclassman explained. "When you confronted me about Suzui-san, I realized how dishonest and small I was. You're always very direct… That's what helped me finally realize the error of my ways. It turns out I'm a little slow on the uptake at times…" She paused, and a faint red dusted her cheeks. "Hey… can I call you Ann?"
Her eyes widened, and she sat up straighter. "Um, yeah! I… I'm gonna do the same M-M-Makoto! Rgh, that's so embarrassing!"
There was a beat of silence before both girls giggled. "Well, how about we get something to eat before we go home for the night?"
"Ooh, I know a place! There's a crêpe shop on Central Street that totally stuffs their crêpes!"
"Do you want to split one?"
"Mm… Let's each get a whole one and then we can go half and half on those!"
"Yes, let's! After school today, right?"
"Yep! Akira already said we should give you time to relax, right? Then let's definitely do it!"
Niijim— Makoto giggled. "I hope he won't mind me borrowing his girlfriend for the day."
"G-Girlfriend?!" She flushed, feeling that familiar warmth bubble up at the thought. "O-Oh, right, we never told you! Um, when he flirted with me outside the school and called me A-Ann-pan, that was just to get rid of you, and he didn't really kiss me!"
"Oh." Makoto blinked. "I'm sorry, I suppose he really is a good actor, and you as well. That, or I was too embarrassed… But weren't you flirting inside Kaneshiro's Palace?"
"No! He acts like that all the time in there! That's just him as Joker!"
"Oh, I see. From how you were interacting with him, I just thought you were both much more… open about it."
She just buried her head in her hands from embarrassment. She was going to kill Akira the next time she spotted him.
Ω • Ω • Ω
•Akira•
He wasn't sure why, but Ann seemed to be upset with him. Well, she wasn't angry, more like as soon as she walked back into the classroom after lunch and spotted him, she had puffed out her cheeks and pouted. Really, it was more cute than anything else.
The day ended and he raised an eyebrow in amusement as she packed up and began leaving without a word. "So, no telling me what I did wrong?"
She shook her head and her twintails bounced. "Nope! I'll leave that to you to figure out, Joker!"
He thought for a moment, before laughing. "Aw, come on! You can't blame me for what Joker does! That guy's out of control!" She just giggled and stuck her tongue out, before leaving the room.
Should we cut down on the flirting within the Metaverse?
'Alright, I've already admitted to myself that I like her, but I'm not flirting with her in there.'
You are.
You are.
Hee, you are, ho.
My dear, you definitely are.
Hssss… Yeah, that'sss flirting.
'All of you can screw off!' He left the classroom and met up with Ryuji, mentally berating his Personas as they kept trying to convince him that he was flirting with Ann, which he definitely wasn't! Definitely. They walked together for a bit, Ryuji telling him how they might have a chance to investigate Yamauchi soon, so he nodded and said he'd be there. After that, he met with Yusuke at the walkway.
"It feels odd not being in a Palace with a deadline over our heads," Yusuke spoke as they watched everyone walk by.
"Well, we had off days in your former Sensei's, remember? Rest is important."
"Of course, It's just… With how it's the mafia this time…"
"We'll handle it, like always," he spoke reassuringly.
"Of course. I can always trust that you'll be able to handle it. Ah, by the way, I wished to speak with you about the painting I developed in Mementos. Do you have time?"
"Lead the way, Yusk."
"Yusk?"
"Too early for a nickname? You know, like how I usually call Ryuji, Ryu."
"I am alright with it. Do you not have one for Ann?"
"Her name's already one syllable, not much point. Your names are short too, but at least I'm cutting off a part," he chuckled. "I could come up with something more creative, but it'd probably end up longer than your actual name. Though, I guess that's what most nicknames end up as, huh?"
"That is inexcusable!" He leaned back in amusement as Yusuke swept his hand out. "If this is a creative endeavor, then we must put our alls into these 'nicknames'!"
"Riiight. Well, let's talk more about it later…"
"Very well! Wait for me at Leblanc, I shall bring the painting over. I hope you do not find it too disturbing!"
Ω • Ω • Ω
He watched as Yusuke carried the large painting up the stairs, then leaned it against his couch and pulled off the cover. Immediately he was floored. As he'd thought when Yusuke had shown him a picture of the 'Sayuri', he wasn't someone who felt a rush of emotions when he saw a piece of art, and he wasn't good at sensing the feelings that the artist put into the art, but… He could sense almost… despair emanating from the canvas, along with emptiness and desire.
"Akira, this is the completed form of my draft from earlier. I would like your honest opinion if you would."
"It's… holy shit, dude. It's amazing."
Yusuke smiled serenly. "Just as I'd hoped. To garner such a reaction from you is true praise. Though, is that truly all you have to say about it? I would like something more concrete. A four hundred-word review would serve that purpose nicely."
"I'll, uh, get on writing that."
"Regardless, this is how I choose to interpret the idea of 'desire.' It is the foul charm held deep within the abyss of the heart… To be honest, I believe my ability to capture desire so elegantly is all due to our Mementos foray. I have grown to understand the intricacies of the heart in a way I once thought impossible."
"I could sense that from it."
"Akira… I intend on submitting this piece to an upcoming art exhibition. Nobody has seen the abyss of the heart in such a raw manner before… The discourse will be fascinating. More importantly, it shall be the spark that revitalizes my heart slumbering art career!"
"I can't wait to see people's reactions."
"Indeed. I expect you to accompany me for the moment it is finally revealed to the general public. Hm, I'm sure this will be a most sensational experience for those who opt to undergo it. A raw, unbridled look into the depths of the human psyche… And I was the one who was able to bring it to life, all thanks to your assistance. You have my sincerest gratitude."
He smiled and felt his bond deepen with Yusuke, as well as the gratitude he spoke about.
RANK UP!
Emperor Arcana, Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 2
"Hm… I deeply anticipate the public reaction at the exhibition. But for now, I should be going. My apologies for disturbing you."
"No problem. I'm glad I was able to help." He helped wrap up the artwork again before Yusuke left.
It took about ten seconds before the artist rushed right back up the stairs. "I completely forgot about our nicknames! Akira, we must deliberate on them."
He sighed.
Ω • Ω • Ω
He sat at a table in the monja restaurant, typing away at his phone.
Ryuji had texted him about Yamauchi drinking at a restaurant and had asked if he could come to do an undercover investigation. Considering he had nothing else going on that evening, he hopped on a train and found himself in the Tsukishima district. Yamauchi and another man were sat at a table right next to him, while Ryuji sat in the bathroom as the teachers would have easily recognized.
Ryuji— The guy wit him has shit on me 2
Ryuji— Gnna sty in bthrm leave ur phne on so I can hear
You— Sure.
"Wow, you can really hold your liquor, Yamauchi."
Their target chuckled and nodded. "Mmm, I've had experience. Back in my college days, we'd rent a yacht for the weekend and have massive parties. I must say though… the sake's been tasting particularly sweet lately."
Whoever the other teacher was agreed. "No surprise there. Things have been much calmer without Kamoshida. Those were some real dark times for Shujin though, huh? Either way, now that he's gone you finally get the chance you deserve, Yamauchi!"
"Don't flatter me," he chuckled. "He had his strengths, sure… but because of him, our volleyball team will be forever scarred. The only real option is to abandon it completely. There has to be a way to bring Shujin back into the limelight though. That's where I come in."
"You mean with the track team, right?"
He tried not to look like he was listening in too closely, focusing on his phone as Yamauchi answered. "The students who went through so much hardship under Kamoshida rise again with a caring new advisor. It'll be the rebirth of a team that found themselves in the depths of despair… The public will love it. Despite my lack of track and field knowledge, I'll form a tight bond with the students, and become the protagonist of my very own tear jerker!"
He rolled his eyes at the man's plans.
"And of course, all the praise for reviving them will go to me, their incredible, loving advisor. I'll have to hire a great coach if I want to pull this off though."
"So you'll pretend to coach them while someone else does all the legwork? Amazing, Yamauchi!"
All it would take is but one member speaking up, how exactly is this a brilliant plan?
Sssome people are jussst idiotsss.
"Such stunning achievements will look great when it's time to hand out bonuses. But I'm not gonna stop there either… I'll publish books! Give motivational speeches!"
"What about all the troublemakers on the team? I've heard that Nakaoka kid is especially bad."
"Nakaoka…? Oh, you mean the one who asked them to bring the pre-Kamoshida coach back? Don't worry, I've already taken care of him." The random teacher looked confused at Yamauchi's explanation. "There's this other boy on the team, Takeishi. Doesn't really excel in much of anything. Well, I said I would make him the new captain if he could get rid of that troublemaker Nakaoka. I might've mentioned something about how Nakaoka was working with Kamoshida too… Subtly, of course."
"And? What ended up happening?"
"Apparently, Takeishi chased him away! The plan worked perfectly! The best part is, not only are Takeishi's parents loaded, but his mother's the president of the PTA."
"I see… he'd make a great pawn!"
"Perhaps, but a nothing like him could never captain a successful championship winning team. He may have to have an unfortunate 'accident' at practice one day. But until then, he can show the others the value of obedience."
"Heheh, you're incredible!" He had to fight back the urge to glare at either teacher, not wanting to draw attention. Instead, he bit his tongue and kept his gaze focused on his phone. Eventually, they finished their food and drinks and left the restaurant, so Ryuji exited the bathroom and sat down across from him, a furious look in his eyes.
"That effin' asshole!"
"I'm guessing you heard that all, then, Ryu?"
"Of course I did! If we don't do somethin' quick, Yamauchi's gonna get rid of Takeishi too… God dammit!"
"And what do you want to do?" He asked, curious what Ryuji would answer. "We could change Yamauchi's heart, or we could let Takeishi know what he's planning."
"Let's just tell Takeishi. This ain't our problem, it's the track team's. So… they're just gonna have to decide on their own."
He smiled and nodded. "If that's what you want to do."
Ryuji looked down at the table, uncharacteristically silent for a moment. "Y'know, track ain't a team sport. At least, sprintin' wasn't. You've got teammates, sure… but you're really just lookin' out for your own time. That's why I never thought about askin' people for help or tryin' to solve our problems together."
Hee's worked up about this, ho.
'Be quiet, Frost,' he thought. Ryuji was clearly serious and laying his heart bare, and he'd give his friend the respect he deserved.
"But… I can't ignore the stuff they're goin' through now. I mean, even though we had our own goals n' shit, we were still runnin' together. They suffered with me, gritted their teeth with me… Honestly I think it was only 'cause of them that I was able to run at all. So I can't just go and turn my back on 'em now, right? I know it's not the coolest thing to say, but it's how I feel."
"I think it's cool, Ryu."
Ryuji looked genuinely surprised. "Huh? …For real? Thanks, man!"
RANK UP!
Chariot Arcana, Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 7
"Anyways, I'm starvin', so… let's order some monja while we're here. So far, all I've seen of this place is the goddamn toilet!" He chuckled and after they spent the rest of the evening enjoying their food, went their separate ways for the night. "Thanks for hangin' with me, Aki."
"Anytime, Ryu."
Ω • Ω • Ω
6/22, Wednesday
DEADLINE: July 9th
DAYS UNTIL PICS LEAKED: 17
Steal Kaneshiro's heart.
•Ryuji•
"C'mon, Makoto! We really gotta keep up the study sessions?" He face-planted into the table, groaning. "You're not plannin' on rattin' us out anymore!"
"No, I'm not planning on giving Principal Kobayakawa any information about us," she replied, "but we do still need to get your grades up. Also, Ushimaru-sensei is expecting us to have our study sessions today, every week. We'll have to continue with these for the foreseeable future."
"How foreseeable?"
"Until you pass the next exams, I'd say." Her face quirked into a smile. "Of course, they might want me to continue tutoring you even if you pass because they'll have seen it as you finally making progress."
"Come ooooon!" He leaned back in the chair and glared at the ceiling. "We coulda went into that bank today!"
"We'll just have to do it tomorrow," Makoto answered as she pulled out her books.
"Can't I bribe you not to do this?"
"No."
"Not even with Buchimaru-kun merch?"
She twitched and then glared at him. It was… alright, he'd be lying to himself if he said it wasn't intimidating, but it was less intimidating now that they were teammates. "No. Not even with Buchimaru-kun."
"Fiiiine. 'Kay, let's get started, Makoto…" He frowned. "Man, it's kinda weird to call ya that."
"I'm alright with whatever you want to call me."
"I mean, yeah, I remember you sayin' that in the text during class—"
"We really shouldn't have been texting then."
"—but still. Whatever, I'm just gonna keep callin' ya Prez."
Prez sighed, but in the end just smiled and shook her head. "If that's what you wish, Sakamoto-kun."
"Aw c'mon, if we're all callin' you Prez or Makoto, you gotta call us by our first names, right? I mean, Ann said you're callin' her by her name!"
"R-Right, Ry… Ryuji. That'll take some getting used to." She laughed, and he snickered along with her. "Now, I know you're trying to stall, so pull out your textbooks before I get angry, okay?"
"Y-Yes ma'am!"
Alright, and that's that for the chapter. Hope everyone enjoyed it. This issue with the email system is really getting to me at this point... But whatever. Also, if I've got any Fate fans here, hope everyone had a Happy Shirou Day, as much of a meme as it is lol.
So, I had fun writing Makoto's first proper fight. It was a bit difficult to find clever ways for her to use Frie's and Mafrei's, like Carmen creating fireballs or using her cigar, Kidd launching lightning from his hand cannon and broadside cannons, or Goemon blowing out ice after breaking from his pipe. So I went with her launching her more magical abilities from Johanna's exhaust pipe. Maybe I'll do something more with the face on the front of the bike, but I like what I've currently got.
Also, Makoto grabbing Johanna by the handlebars and doing a flip over said handlebars while lifting her up and slamming the bike down to use physical moves that hit all foes like Varja Blast was just so fun to me. Yes I'm going to have her fight hand to hand of course, but having her main fighting style being either on Johanna or utilizing Johanna is way more fun to write.
Something I noticed while playing is that the game will actually prioritize swapping out specific members when Makoto joins. It seems like Morgana is highest priority, since he always got swapped for Makoto, and I think it's so that you're more likely to hit a technical with a Frei/Mafrei thanks to Ryuji, Ann, or Yusuke shocking, burning, or freezing an enemy. I don't know if the same thing happens in Vanilla, but with how important baton passes and technicals became in Royal, it wouldn't surprise me if it was changed to be like that for P5R.
Ann and Makoto's talk is always fun to see, and I enjoyed writing it. Ann being the first to apologize and get on a first-name basis fits with her being the most empathic of the group, and embarrassing her by bringing back her and Akira's fake dating to get Makoto off their backs gave me a chuckle when I first thought of it.
Some more Emperor and Chariot Rank Ups, and of course, Ryuji is still stuck with his tutoring and extra credit assignments. Even if Makoto is on the team now, the teachers are expecting that to continue until his grades go up. So let me know what you think of the chapter, or just leave a 'nice,' both are always great to read. See y'all next time!