Catch-22: The Twins
By: M14Mouse
Summary: With the others gone, Yu finds it to be a perfect time for him to talk to the twins.
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.-Emily Post
"Hey, we've changed into our phantom thief costumes," Ann said as she looked at her clothes.
Ryuji looked at Yu.
"Maybe, we should have got Sensei an outfit. He kind of sticks out," Ryuji said.
He looked down at his clothes. Although he was going to be in the back of the group, he still wore a comfortable pair of pants and a shirt. Just in case, he had to fight.
"I don't see anything wrong with them?" He said.
"There isn't anything wrong with them. They look very practical," Makoto said.
Unlike his students' outfits, he still isn't quite sure how they fought in those clothes. This was probably a terrible idea but….
"That isn't the point," Ryuji said.
He chuckled.
"Maybe, at the next palace, you can get me an outfit, Skull."
"Hell, yes!"
"That would be a wonderful idea," Yusuke added.
"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Ann said.
"Probably not. I can imagine that you will enjoy yourselves picking it out. Besides, Skull is right. I do stick out…just a little bit," He said.
Ren chuckled and shook his head.
"Okay…let's head to the pyramid. Maybe, the doors have opened," Ren said.
The group nodded and started heading toward the pyramid. Once the group was inside, Ren, Makoto, Yusuke, and Morgana went across the pit of lava to check if the door was open.
A few minutes later, they returned to their spot by the entrance.
"Still not open. We will probably have to find another way," Morgana added.
"There is probably another way to get in. Maybe, another entrance or keys," Ren said.
"Agreed," Makoto said.
"We will have to investigate every suspicious place we see, both inside the pyramid and out," Yusuke said.
"Urgh…outside. You mean…we must deal with the heat," Ryuji said.
"No complaining. Let's begin our investigation right away," Makoto said.
He was forced to hide a grin at Ryuji grumbling as the group headed toward the exit.
"Are you leaving? Come back here. Let's talk for a moment," A female voice said behind him.
The group turned back around to see…who he was guessing was Futaba.
Interesting outfit.
"Welcome back. I had thought I would never see you again," Shadow Futaba said.
"We're only here 'cause we gotta be. I can't believe you tried to drop a boulder on us! You want us to steal your goddman treasure or what?!" Ryuji said.
"Skull. It is wise not to provoke a shadow especially if she can drop another boulder on you," He said gently.
Ryuji jerked and looked toward him.
"Sorry, Sensei."
The shadow looked at him.
"You are different from the rest," She said.
"Merely, a teacher watching his students," He said with a grin.
The shadow stared at him as if she was trying to figure him out.
"Hm, why don't we make a deal? You wish to proceed further, yes?" Futaba said.
"A deal, you say?" Yusuke said.
"There is a town nearby. I would like you to take back that which the bandit stole from me," Futaba said.
"Oh, yeah. I remember seeing a town on the way here," Ann said.
"If you bring back what was stolen back to me, I will give you a reward. I'll even tell you how to proceed." Fubaba said.
"SENSEI! You came back!" Lilim said with a shout.
He turned around to see the duo running toward them.
"Hee HOO!"
"Of course, I did. I promise," He said.
He smiled as Black Frost stopped and offered his arms. He picked him up and Black Frost wrapped his arms around his neck.
"You two have fun with your friends?" He asked.
"Lots…Oooo…Hey, Panther!…who is the new girl?" Lilim said as she floated over to Futaba.
"Uhh…" Futaba stepped back.
"This is Futaba-chan, Lilim," Ann said.
Lilim moved closer to Futaba.
"Hey, new girl…."
"Lilim…you might want to step back. Futaba is…"
"I know…she is the ruler here. Anubis told me but…" Lilim said as she gently put her hand on Futaba's chest.
Futaba ducked behind Joker. Lilim tilted her head and frowned. Suddenly, she nodded her head.
"Don't worry. They will make you feel better, okay? They are awesome like that," Lilim said as.
"ooo…Ok," Futaba said.
His students expect Ann to have this awe expression on their faces. Ann just beamed at Lilim.
He grinned softly. Besides himself, Ann was closest to Lilim. She knew Lilim like mother hen people.
Lilm grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the outside.
"Come on, Sensei. I want you to meet Anubis and Nue," Lilim said.
"One moment," He said.
He tilted his head to look at the others. Ren nodded his head.
"We can go after the bandit and you can stay here with them," Ren said.
"There is a possibility that they may know another entrance. So, I think that it is worth looking around with them," He said.
"Good idea, Sensei. Should one of us stay here with you?" Makoto said.
"I am fine. I have these two to keep me out of trouble," He said as he pointed to Black Frost and Lilim.
"We promised that we will keep Sensei out of trouble," Lilim said.
"Hee Hoo!" Black Frost added.
"I'm courting it," Ren chuckled softly.
"Should we take bets?" Ryuji said.
"On what…?" Makoto said.
"How many shadows does he comes back with?"
He chuckled.
"Go. I am going to say no. Just because I am not looking for shadows."
"Uh huh. I say 5," Ryuji added.
"Oo…I want in. My guess is 2," Ann added.
"I would add that it will be 3," Yusuke said.
He shook his head as he followed the group outside. He watched the group walk toward the town in the distance. He watched as they disappeared into Mona and drove off.
"Now, can we go?" Lilim asked.
He smiled.
"In a moment. Just need to see something. Stay here," He said as he set Black Frost down for a moment. He walked down the stairs toward the Velvet Room where Caroline…yes, that was it. He heard Ren call her that name before.
He debated about what to do about the twins. Theo told him that he had no twin sisters. They were Ren's attendants even if their behavior isn't very…attendant-like.
Margaret would have words for them.
He stopped right beside Caroline. She eyed him.
"Hmph. Weakling. Honestly…I am not sure why the prisoner allowed him to come…." Caroline said.
"From my experience, it would be wise to be careful what you say in public. People can hear you," He said.
Caroline grasped.
"How…How…Who are you?"
"My name is Yu Narukami. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. At least, one of you…you are Caroline, correct?
"I am impressed. Yes, that is my name."
"Two things, I would like to speak to your Master…at his earliest convenience, of course," He said as he looked toward the desert and not at her.
"Wh…Wha…Why do you want to speak with my Master about?" Caroline said as the words stumbled out of her mouth.
"It is a matter between me and him. Honestly, it is merely catching up with an old friend."
"Tell me!" Caroline shouted. He heard her foot stomping on the ground.
Definitely not attendant like behavior.
"Again, a matter between me and him. I am sure the matter that we discuss is important. He will be happy to share the information. Another thing is that it is equally important that I am directing at you and your sister."
"What is it?"
"If you harm Ren again in my presence, we will have words."
He saw his student kicked and punched by the twins like that made his blood boil. He almost broke away at one point to stop them but they disappeared into the Velvet Room. He was almost glad. Second, the scene would cause confusion and questions.
He wasn't quite ready for that and the questions to come along with that situation.
Instead, he waited for the right moment to have a chat with the twins. This place was as good as any.
"How dare you?! We are his wardens and he is our prisoner! We can treat him as we see fit."
"I dare…because he is my student. As his teacher, I care for his safety and well-being. If your actions serve some purpose, I would have allowed it. I found your actions to have the opposite effect. To be honest, downright harmful."
There was a moment of silence.
"How da…." Caroline shouted.
"Sister…please." Justine said.
He glanced over to see her sister had come out of the Velvet Room. She eyed him in curiosity.
"What do you mean?" Justine said softly.
"Next time, he visited, watch him. Not for his words but his actions then look at your own. You will find your answer there."
"And if we don't….change?"
"Then ask Morgana what I can do without a persona," He said as he walked away from the door and toward Lilim and Black Frost.
"Hey, Sensei! Who were you talking to?" Lilim asked.
"Oh, to myself. Just trying to sort my thoughts. Lead the way," He said.
Black Frost grabbed his hand and he started to follow the duo. Lilim approached a door beside the pyramid.
"You know that this would have helped the others."
"We only go this way when the other way is locked. Sometimes, we can't go this way either. It locked from the other side," Lilim explained.
"Awww…so who opens this end?"
"Oh…sometimes, Anubis….or Mot but he is a big meanie!"
"Oh?"
"Uh huh….and creepy," Lilim added.
Did she just call me creepy?
Yes…yes, she did.
"Hee Ho…" Black Frost said
"Don't worry. We are here," He said as he patted Black Frost's head.
Lilim knocked on the door. After a few moments of nothing, Lilim knocked again. On the third knock, the door opened.
"YAY! Come on, Sensei!" Lilim said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
He stepped down into the underground entrance to an impressive maze of caverns and ramps. This was nothing like he had seen before.
These palaces were a sight to behold.
"Thanks, Naga!" Lilim said with a wave. The serpent shadow stared at them before moving back down the ramp.
"Don't worry. He is just shy," Lilim said.
He smiled as he followed Lilim down the ramp and down toward one of the rooms.
"NUE! ANIBUS!" Lilim shouted.
Her voice echoed off the walls. She hmphed and put her hands on her hips.
"Where are they?"
"Maybe, they are somewhere else. This place is quite big."
"True…but Nue is always waiting here on us."
"Maybe, he got busy."
"Maybe…or that terrible Mot did something!"
I am not that bad! Honestly, this Mot is giving me a bad name.
…Doesn't take much.
HEY!
He shook his head and chuckled.
"We won't know until we look around," He said.
"You are right, Sensei. Come on," Lilim said.
The trio walked down the hallways to a room with a metal fence with tombs. He saw a guard guarding the tombs.
"MOT!" Lilim shouted.
That…was probably not a good idea.
The guard turned toward them.
"Foolish grave robbers! You have enraged the guardian of this place!" The guard said.
"We aren't grave robbers, you idiot!"
"Hee HOO!"
"And we haven't really enraged anyone either," He said.
"Hence, there shall be no path forward for you. It is time. You perish!" the guard shouted before bursting into Mot.
He drew his sword and sighed. A little bit overdramatic.
"Be careful, Sensei. He likes to turn people into rats. He is an asshole," Lilim said.
That is kind of cool. I wonder if I could do that.
MOT! You…
Iris, please. Mot, what is your weakness?
Wind….most likely.
He knew Lilim nor Black Frost had any wind attacks. Mot also didn't move around much which worked to their advantage.
"Lilim…I want you to slow him down. Then drain him of his magic. Less chance of him turning us into rats. Black Frost…use Miracle punch on him. When we knock him over, all of us will attack," He said.
"Gotcha," Lilim said.
"Hee Hoo!" Black Frost shouted.
"Alright, Lilim. Go!" He shouted.
Directing his shadow friends was kind of like directing his friends when they fought in the tv world.
It gave him a sense of familiarity with how well they worked as a team. Lilim casted Masukanda to slow him down and then started draining his SP. Mot struggled to keep up with them as his attacks missed. He hit Mot with a few attacks while Black Frost casted Miracle Punch. It missed a few times until finally, it gave them the hit that they wanted.
Mot landed on his back.
"Okay…everyone attack!" He ordered.
Lilim started kicking Mot, he started slashing his sword against his coffin…and Black Frost…
CRUNCH
Bit into Mot's arm.
He felt Mot pouting in his head.
Did he really have to do that?
Yes, he did. It was marvelous.
HEY!
The other personas started to laugh.
"AHHHH! Get it off of me! Get it off of me!" Mot said as he waved his arm around.
While Mot struggled to get Black Frost off of his arm, he pushed Mot down on the ground. He opened the coffin and stabbed him with his blade.
Mot screamed as he disappeared into smoke.
"We did it, Sensei!" Lilim said as she clapped.
"Yes, we did. Good job," He said with a warm smile. He gave Lilim and Black Frost high fives before taking his sword from the ground and putting it away.
"Oo…look! Money! Can we get snacks, Sensei?" Lilim said as she picked the yen from the ground.
"Hee Hoo!"
"Yes, I will bring them next time."
"YAY!"
"Hee Hoo! Hee Hoo!" Black Frost said as he waved behind him. He turned around to see the thieves staring at them.
"Oh, hello, everyone. Did you catch the bandit?" He asked.
There was a long moment of silence with the thieves just staring at them. He wondered if something happened.
"Our Sensei is a totally badass," Ryuji said in awe.
End of The Twins
A/N: Aww…yes, the twins. You guys thought Yu was going to ignore them like Yabby said. Ha. No, he put them on note and it will come ahead later in the story. HAHA! I forgot about the courage thing with the fridge! Probably because I didn't do it during any of my plays. I refuse to let Yu eat things out the fridge. Stats be damn. I can't wait for Futaba and Yu to interact more either. You have two of most honest people in our fandom working together. One-liners alone will be wonderful. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful reviews, favorites, kudos, etc. Read and review if you wish.