Ren moves first, ever aware of the trample of the knights' feet behind both he and Ryuji. Ren just dodges Kamoshioda's punch. If Ren's own augmented strength is any indication, he's not fighting a normal human. Kamoshida is certainly more tangible than those shadowy masses of knights and seems to command their respect. What is the distinction, he wonders. What is the difference between ruler and subjects in this realm? Who is the identity of this self-proclaimed king if they are in the world of Kamoshida's mind? Ren does not know. All he has to do is make his enemy bleed.
Kamoshida's eyes widen as Ren ducks under his arm and takes to the outside. Slicing up Kamoshida's robes, he cuts right through to the skin beneath Kamoshida's arm. Just as Ren moves in to cut for his throat, a knight clasps a hand tight around Ryuji's arm. Ren had less time than he thought. He jumps back and throws his knife in the air. With his hands against the ground, Ren kicks his dagger right into the knight's eye-slit.
Whoa. I didn't know I was that athletic. Ren thinks, getting back to his feet from the impromptu handstand. I've never taken gymnastics before, so I shouldn't have been able to do a handstand like that. Or kick the knife out of midair. But I just felt like I could do it, and I did. I shouldn't be able to crush knight's helmets either, so questioning it won't get me anywhere right now.
Ren dodges another swipe of Kamoshida's grubby hands as Ryuji separates himself from the approaching line of knights to end up at Ren's side.
"So, what's going on?" Ryuji asks, dumbfounded.
"I have no idea!" Ren grins. "But I'm gonna need that water at some point. I can feel it."
"Right," Ryuji nods, rummaging around in his bag and procuring a single plastic water bottle. This enough?"
"I can work with it." Ren says, catching Kamoshida's punch with ease and pushing the taller man back with a kick that nearly sends him to the floor. Ren watches as Kamoshida stumbles, getting put on his ass near the stairs that lead up to an empty chair.
"Impossible!" Kamoshida sputters, his face beginning to take on a look of fear as Ren looks down at him. "How is it possible? You, why would you contest my great rule?"
Ren doesn't respond. Instead, he turns his back to Kamoshida and slices the water bottle open with his knife. Pocketing the knife in its holster on his hip, Ren pours the water out of the bottle. However, instead of falling freely to the ground, he suspends it between his palms, stretching it taught as if under gravity's influence. Finally, Ren presses his palms together and fires a thin stream of the water at a blistering speed off of his fingertips. It coalesces into a spire, not unlike an icicle or a weirdly thin bullet, and bursts through the helmet of one of the remaining knights.
Ren grins as the knight falls limp to the ground. Only five remain, and he calls the limited water back to his fingers. This time, Ren makes four spikes of infused water between his knuckles. He lowers his body, ducking under the massive sword, and punches up as he stands. He lifts the knight from its feet, and heaps of armor clank against the ground roughly as they return to the floor in pieces. Then, Ren twists his hand and wrenches the water from the corpse, consolidating it into a small imitation of a circular saw blade. Throwing that creation without ever really touching it, Ren slices a helmet in half horizontally.
Three knights left. Turning away from the knight before he falls, Ren watches as a huge blade approaches his chest in a sweeping slice. It's on a good angle, and Ren, having just turned, doesn't feel like dodging. He clamps down on the sword mid-slice with both of his hands on the flats of the blade, and to the knight's astonishment, Ren stops the blade altogether with just the strength of his hands. The knight tugs and pulls at the hilt of his blade, but Ren makes his struggle all for naught. Lifting his knee, Ren crunches the armor of the knight's forearm where the creature holds its sword. A whisper of pain, an open mouth holding an empty scream, and he forgoes his weapon. Ren, surprisingly, doesn't struggle with the weight of a thick blade that's heavier and taller than he. Turning it over in his hands, he drives it downward through the body of the knight, its back arching as it, too, takes a final choked gasp.
Ren deforms the saw and returns all the water to his hands, finding himself surrounded by the final pair of knights. Working the best they can to use some rudimentary tactics, it would seem. But he plans on showing them what a useless display it is. Ren wraps a halo of a circle around the armored neck of a knight, and closes his fist, resulting in a perfectly clean decapitation. The slow slide of stone on stone sounds as the head falls and the body follows. A bloodless corpse.
Only one more now, and they all know it. Ren splits the molecules of the water into thousands of pin pricking needles and sends them flying toward the knight that barrels towards him. Ren sidesteps his charge, and the knight dies before his body fully stops its run. The knight collapses in a heap at the foot of the stairs where Kamoshida now stands, dead to invisible, tiny wounds.
Kamoshida scrambles backwards with a squeal as his soldier dies at his feet. He kicks backwards and begins to retreat away from the two. "Where are my knights? How is it possible you are all so incompetent?! You've failed to defend your king, and you will suffer gravely for it!"
"If you're not careful, you'll die, Kamoshida." Ren says. "Send as many of those knights as you want. I promise it won't be enough to stop me. I feel incredible right now."
Ren strides toward Kamoshida, backing him further towards the empty chair. However, upon wiping his mouth, Ren brings his black glove back into vision, and it nearly changes its color to red. His heart thumps harshly in his chest and Ren takes a forced gasp, spilling blood from his lips to stain his dark outfit. His head swims, and he clutches it to stay steady, widening his base as his leg buckles and threatens to send him hurling to the floor. Ren stomps his jittering leg against the ground harshly, once, twice, like shaking an electronic device and willing it to work.
Ren looks over his left shoulder to Ryuji not far behind him and gives him a nod. Ryuji's eyes widen at the look of Ren's leg, and he gently pushes Ren along without question, covering his back for him.
"This ain't over, alright?" Ryuji says, shaking a fist at Kamoshida. "You're going down."
Ren bites his lip on the way down the hall as surprisingly, Kamoshida doesn't give pursuit. Still, even a knight right now would be terrible news. Ren's control over the water has totally slipped, and he left it sitting as water usually acts, seeping into the tile and carpet flooring. He's sweating now, and his muscles burn like nothing else before.
"You alright?" Ryuji asks, offering his arm. "You're bleeding like crazy again, man. I've got no clue what's going on."
"I'm fine." Ren pants. "Let's just get out of this place."
Firing his grappling hook, Ren breaks a window of the castle walls, and they vault through the opening one by one to come across a large drawbridge and what is the castle's entrance. And all of a sudden, they walk back into the familiar walls of the school just like that. One step they're in the castle, and another they're back at school. Ren's outfit changes back to his school uniform as drops of purple, pink, and a myriad of other colors flash under their steps.
However, although the two successfully escape the castle, one is left behind.
"Man, we might've missed first period." Ryuji says, dusting himself off. "You're not in that cool fit anymore. And you're still pretty bloody. You needa go to the nurse's office?"
"I'm fine." Ren says, shaking his head and letting his black hair whip around to reset.
Ryuji gives Ren a dubious look, but pushes the conversation forward. "This may sound dumb, but did that all really happen?"
"That wasn't a dream. It had to have happened." Ren argues. "Something definitely happened. We were fighting Kamoshida, right? As far as my memory works, that was the last thing we did in the 'real world'. But that was just beyond the entrance of the school doors. Now we're on the street right in front of the school's gate. What changed? Why did we move?"
"That's right…" Ryuji says, looking around confused at their changed location. "But, I mean, huge castle. Candles. Kamoshida boasting about being king - actually, that part's pretty believable, but overall it's just craziness. Maybe he just knocked us out and threw us out here like some trash?"
"Two clean knockouts at the same time? With no memory of the punch that did it? That's too unlikely." Ren points out, kneeling to feel the ground of the asphalt for himself. Nothing like the thin, mirror or puddle-like ground of that other world. "I know some stuff, but it probably would sound crazy if I started raving about magic, so I'll be a bit more practical than that. I've still got this blood now drying on my chest from that other world. And I feel exhausted from fighting those knights. So clearly, even if it's some sort of dreamscape, there's a crucial crossover into our reality. I'm almost 100% sure that if you die in that castle, you're not getting a second chance in the real world."
Ryuji brings a thumb and forefinger contemplatively to his chin, but then hums and shakes his head. "Nah, I got nothin. I believe what you're sayin' but It just doesn't make sense. I think it happened, and it feels crazy to say now, but shouldn't we be getting to class?"
"Is there something important going on?" Ren asks as they begin to walk toward the school's doors.
"Well, no. Not really. I just… I'd rather my mom didn't think I wasn't tryin' this year. Even if I end up failing, I've gotta try."
"I get it." Ren replies. "Are you planning to go post-secondary?"
"Yeah, man. I don't know." Ryuji says. "I think so? I mean, I should. But it's easy enough to realize I'm not the smartest guy. Colleges are really expensive, and I'd really need a scholarship, but how am I gonna get one? My grades aren't tight and I'm not getting in on a sports scholarship either."
"Better buckle down then. You've got your work cut out for you."
"Guess so. I'm not too good at studying. If I think about it, I never really learnt how. Not sure where to start. School's not my strong suit, so I think it'd be weird if I wanted to continue for another four years. Paying that much money for something I'm not fully committed to feels like a mistake."
"Maybe it's not for you. But we've all gotta find that thing eventually. Whether through the traditional and 'correct' route or not, there has to be something. Studying is hard 've got no rulebook to base yourself on. Nothing to reference to see if you're doing it right or wrong. It's a total shot in the dark."
"Right?" Ryuji grins. "Everyone says it's easy or some shit. Or at least they make it look easy gettin' 90's all the time. If it were so easy, I'd be getting 90's too! Even with how gloomy the place looks, it's a pretty nice prep school. Actually, maybe that's why it's so gloomy. Everyone's just studyin' all the time, most of all our student council prez."
"What's our first period by the way?" Ren asks. "I didn't check the board."
"Right." Ryuji nods understandingly. "It's your first day. I didn't check either. We can go now."
After ascending the stairs and entering the school for the second time today, Ren and Ryuji find their homeroom class to be with Ms. Kawakami.
Ryuji sighs and his shoulders slacken slightly, prompting Ren to ask. "That bad?"
"Well, she doesn't like me. And she's not all sunshine and rainbows. So, that bad. But not the worst, so I shouldn't be complaining so much. It's not Kamoshida."
"About that." Ren says, watching warily as students start to file in from both sides. Their proximity and incessant chatter provide both a mask and a threat. "What do you want to do? He had the audacity to grope her in the middle of the hallway without any sort of shame. Is there anything we can do? Is there anything she wants us to do?"
"The thing is, I have no real clue what she's thinking. I thought we were good friends, but we haven't really talked recently." Ryuji admits, running a hand through spiky, unnatural yellow-blonde hair. "She's actually the reason my hair's so wack."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Ren asks.
"Well, she didn't have the best rep coming in. There were rumors, overblown and totally fake, but I could tell they got to her. Maybe I'm too thick-headed but that kinda stuff never bothered me. But it bothered her, and so…" He points to his hair with an embarrassed little smile. "It isn't much of anything, but I was hoping she'd feel a little more at ease if there was a bigger, more outrageous clown in the same class. And now they're still nagging at her with those same stereotypes. It's freakin' crazy. Calling her a slut and stuff. Saying she's dating Kamoshida. I know she ain't like that man! But people look at her and decide what they wanna think. She's popular, more than I am, but she doesn't have that many real friends. Not that I'm any different. Only difference is people say it to my face what a scumbag they think I am. She gets it in texts and overheard conversation."
"We have to do something about him. It isn't right at all what he thinks he can do. If we get some evidence or something."
"But what can we do man? He's been the same for years."
"It's been years?" Ren says, aghast. "Years? And nothing's changed? Nobody's done a thing? You're giving him exactly what he wants by bowing your head. He's just going to get more and more audacious until he crosses a line you can't ignore!"
"I already tried." Ryuji mutters. "He beat the fuck out of me, and they just watched. That was my first year here at Shujin, trying to fit in - never did. But I couldn't stand the shit he thought he could pull. The way he looked at us. How he ran practice. So I yelled at him. Called him out in front of everybody. Said all I wanted to say. So, he beat my ass. And everyone looked at me like I was the one in the wrong. Like I shouldn't have ever said anything, because now they were going to get extra laps."
"That's cowardice." Ren says.
"It's logic, really." Ryuji sighs. "I couldn't understand it back then. I was yelling with tears in my eyes for them to help me as I rolled around in pain. But they didn't want to get hit, right? Nobody wants to be that guy first in line to take the bullet. So they watched. Didn't help the troublemaker, and got off scott free as they could.
"Tell me everything." Ren seethes. "I want to know everything there is to know about this guy.
Ryuji smiles slightly. He's never had a chance to tell the story before. No one interested, and no reason to awkwardly bring it up. "Thanks, Ren. You're a real friend, man. So, you're really gonna take this guy down? No matter what it might cost us?"
"I meant what I said in the castle. I will burn my future away in order to bring these people to justice. Even if I have to do it on my own terms, that's my reason for being. To be that 'someone' who won't calculate personal gain or be stricken by bureaucracy when dealing that justice."
Two years ago - Shujin Academy.
The lights surrounding the track flicker online wearily as if their years of service have put strain on the ever-faithful bulbs. As the evening sky reaches that perfect formula, like clockwork, the lights begin to buzz online, casting the runners in fresh, artificial light.
"You ever think of joining the volleyball team?" Nakaoka asks Ryuji. "They're totally dominant this year ; in regionals no less. They kinda make us look lame in comparison. If we made that team with the new teacher Kamoshida, there's no way we'd lose. He's incredible!"
"Nah, no way." Ryuji grins, wide and proud. "Running's my thing. My sport. The volleyball kids can have their moment. Our coach will get recognized too once we start to rack up the wins."
"Ha! You're crazy!"
"Gotta be crazy to win." Ryuji laughs back. "What, you quitting on me?"
"No way dude! It's way too early for you to think you can beat me. Give it, what, 20 years? Then maybe I'll start to slow down and let you win a couple times."
Ryuji shakes his head with a smile. "I'll pretend you're faster than me for the ladies if you want, but when it comes to competition, I'm not losing, man."
"Only one way to find out!" Nakanoka says, breaking his jog to take the lead ahead of Ryuji.
"Come on, boys!" Ryuji calls back, focusing on some of the slower members. He purposefully lags back to the end of the line. Not a dramatic gap, which he takes some pride in. "We're aiming for nationals, am I right?! Then we've gotta pick it up! You only run as fast as your times in practice. Don't start dreaming of setting a record on the big stage. Set your own records here! All that work out here will all pay off when you've got a medal on your chest. C'mon guys! I can almost feel it!" He pats Mishima on the back, and Mishima responds with a sheepish smile, taking longer, faster strides.
The whole group seems to get a boost from Ryuji's sudden speech. Chants of 'nationals!' ring out as they make their goal known.
Eventually, the enthusiastic practice starts to wind down, twenty minutes after their allotted time slot. A testament to their passion that they willingly run the clock down.
As is usual, the team congregates around the coach at the end of practice, catching their breath and smiling together as the coach finishes his notations of individual paces.
"Good work today, as per usual. It's good to see you've got your minds on the goal, but don't take anything here for granted. There's still a long road of competition ahead before we get to the big stage, alright?"
"Yes, coach." The runners groan good-naturedly.
"Don't look so bored, I've actually got a good announcement to make. Ryuji Sakamoto, you will be the ninth captain of Shujin Academy's track team. And the only captain of this year's track and field team. I'll need your jersey, both practice and for competition. I'll be stitching a C onto both jerseys myself."
There's a second or two of anticipatory silence, and then it's broken when the team rushes Ryuji to celebrate. All but tackling him in the mass of bodies.
"Yeah! That's our captain!" Come the joyous cheers as they throw Ryuji up on their shoulders, elevating him above the rest of the team as a bunch of hands clamor to reach him.
Ryuji's face relaxes in a reflective smile, wider than all those before. As he's jostled up and down, he wonders. Is this what it feels like? To be at the top of the world?
And, uncharacteristically, Ryuji forgets that with every peak, a downfall lies in crushing wait. Inevitable as the tides of the sea, waiting to drown and rob you of ecstacy.
"Mom!" Ryuji says excitedly barreling through the door of their quaint home. He skids to a stop when he sees her crestfallen expression staring at a piece of paper near their dining room table. "Sorry. Is now a bad time?"
She collects herself, shaking it off and giving him a fond smile as she pockets the slip of paper in her jacket. "Of course not, Ryuji. What is it? You seem awfully happy."
Ryuji pauses, almost having forgotten what he was going to say. Her expression really threw him off. She's always been able to smile through the tough times, and maybe he's taken that for granted.
"It's just that… Coach made me captain today. Of the track team. That's all." He says, sheepishly, feeling a bit dumb that he interrupted her for something so menial.
"That's all? Ryuji, honey, that's amazing!" She opens her arms, and Ryuji gladly steps into a hug. She shakes him this way and that, nuzzling into his hair from above with excitement. She kisses his hair affectionately, and he doesn't pull away at all. "I'm sure you'll be a great captain. You've always made me proud, you know that? My one and only child."
Finally, they naturally separate, and Ryuji still basks in the feeling of her warmth. 'Thanks mom. It means a lot. You know, everything. I'm really excited to help the guys out, and get to work. And make you proud! We're definitely going to regionals at this pace. I swear I won't let you down!"
"Ryuji… Nothing you could do in life would let me down, okay? Just do your best wherever you find yourself, and I'll be more than happy."
"Right." Ryuji says, giving her a nod. "Well, later mom. I'm gonna get started on some homework."
Ryuji's steps up the stairs are almost tentative. Not out of fear, but out of nervousness, he supposes. The kind of nervous energy that comes with expectation or lack thereof. The dreadful question of a question.
"Dad?" Ryuji calls. No response. That, plus his mother's expression from earlier, makes for a familiar, unsettling pattern. He can feel sweat beginning to drip uncomfortably down his back and his sides. Just a little, but enough to be notable.
Ryuji creaks the door to his parents' room open with hesitance, and what he sees is both unsurprising and mortifying. His father sprawled out on the carpet of the bedroom, a glass of whatever it is he's chosen to drink still in his hand.
"You!" Ryuji's father bellows, a sad thing as he wobbles to stand, bracing against the wall behind him for support, a family photo cracks. "You couldn't understand how much easier my life would be if you'd never been born." He says. "Ryuji, couldn't you just do your old man a favor and die? If not, I'm going to divorce your mother. We both know a woman like her can't support herself, much less you. And yeah. I'm not taking you with me."
"Are you fucking serious?!" Ryuji yells, shoving his father to the ground, causing a new loud crack as the bottle of beer shatters into splinters of glass that slice his dad's forearm. His father tumbles to the ground with a boom, falling like a tree. 'Dad' doesn't feel right considering what the man is to him, but Ryuji feels sick at the thought of saying his name. Of offering some person to what he is. "What is wrong with you?"
"A lot, probably." He groans, just seeming to realize that's his blood now staining the carpet of his parent's room. "I hope you figure it out… better than I did."
With his emotions running high, Ryuji makes a choice he didn't think he could stomach before. One he's almost dreamed of when hearing his parents argue was the soundtrack he slept to. The one that wouldn't allow his mind any rest. Ryuji punches him, again, and again. His head starts to snap back. Ryuji's knuckles burn with intense, splitting pain, but he's felt worse. His father can take it, Ryuji knows. The size of him has no difficulty absorbing these blows. Still, he punches and draws blood from father and son both. Mostly father, judging by the blubbering mix of blood and snot running from his bulbous nose.
"Fight back!" Ryuji cries, tears sliding hot and murky down his face, messing his vision into a blur like the one he must've seen through when he was born. Were his parents happy then? Ryuji wonders. Was his dad happy to bring a kid into this world, or was he always a bastard? "You're so useless! Just! Fucking! Fight back! Do something!"
"I don't know how to stop." His father wheezes, struggling to breathe with his newly-broken nose. "I ruin, poison, destroy everything I touch. And I'm sorry, but that's never going to be enough. I don't want you to be a piece of shit like I am. I don't want you to grow up like I did, so I'm leaving. That's all there is, to me. I'm useless, just like you said, Ryuji."
Ryuji, gasping for air of his own, just stands with trembling limbs and leaves his father in that heap of what he is. Retreating to the bathroom to calm himself, he slinks to his knees, and cries.
Ryuji and his father don't speak for the next three days. Occasionally, his father will give him regretful glances, sometimes a hesitant hand reaching out, but never a direct word. Not having bothered to bandage his cut, it burns a light red.
At the end of those non-communicative three days, he leaves with silence. With abandon. There is no theatrical air to any of it. No loud banging and crashing to his exit. No pain, no jagged ending to it all of which he or his mother have to suffer. Not even what surely should've been a requirement - the divorce papers. Printed and all, they still lie catching dust in his parents' room despite Ryuji's temptations to burn them.
The man, who by legality and biology both is Ryuji's father, leaves. Never to return.
"Hey, you missed monday. Everything alright?" Nakaoka asks.
Ryuji shakes his head, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just some home stuff."
"I get it." Nakaoka says, but Ryuji doubts he can. "You hear about coach?"
"No, what happened?" Ryuji asks. "He take the day off too?"
"Psh. More like the year. Old guy retired. It sucks you weren't here to see it, but hey, he got your jersey done." Nakaoka says, offering the two jerseys as he does.
"Retired?" Ryuji says, his jaw slack. "But we're goin' to nationals! He can't just quit on us!"
"Hey, chill out." Nakaoka replies, making a placating gesture. "He gave a corny speech, got all misty-eyed and emotional, and wished us the best. What more can you ask for? Seems like coach cared more than he let on."
Ryuji, just now returning to process that, takes the offered jerseys with a limp arm. "And who's gonna coach us now then?" Ryuji grumbles. "Can't have a team without a coach."
"Well, we're in luck. It's going to be Kamoshida. Suguru Kamoshida. That same guy that led our sorry volleyball team to regionals says he's gonna do the same for us."
"It doesn't make sense why he just quit like that." Ryuji protests. "I'm gonna ask around. Don't wait up."
"Hey! Ryuji! Practice is starting soon, and you missed yesterday too."
"That's for me to worry about." Ryuji says, not turning back.
Ryuji raps on the door six times, quick and hard, his bruised knuckles impacting against the wood.
"Kawakami, if it's about a raise again I told you it's beyond my jurisdiction." The principal sighs. "Give me a break."
Ryuji lets himself in to rectify that mistake, and the principals eyes widen at not only Ryuji's presence, but his presence alone. No teachers, no other students either.
"Did you do something?" Kobayakawa has to ask.
Ryuji ignores him, and brings forward his own case. "Mr. Kobayakawa, Sir! We don't fully understand. Why is our coach leaving? Did he ask to leave? He seemed excited about-"
"Don't ask pointless questions, Sakamoto." The principal grunts, his mass seeming to shake with the motion of standing - something he makes look incessantly difficult. "He's retired and that's final. It's rude to pry into the details of adults!"
"But-" Ryuji begins, Kamoshida beating him to the jump from behind, tilting the door open to push Ryuji out of the way.
"Principal Kobayakawa, please. This child is merely concerned for his coach, and it's well within his rights to be." Kamoshida closes the distance between Ryuji and him in one easy stride pressing his hand roughly down in Ryuji's dark brown hair, scuffing it up as he looks downward. "He retired on his own terms, Sakamoto. I assure you that he was happy to hand the team over to me. And I made a promise to him, you know."
"What promise?" Ryuji asks, bristling under the heavy weight of the man's arm.
"That I'd do my utmost to bring you to regionals and even beyond, just like the volleyball team. Oh, you should've seen the look on his face." Kamoshida says, almost wistful in his tone. "He was crying. So, so passionate about his sport and his team. All that responsibility is in my hands now, so don't you worry. You're going to make him proud, right? And that starts with showing up to both school and practice."
The team seems happy enough with the change, but somehow, Ryuji can't quite mirror their enthusiasm with his own. Something feels wrong. Did their coach give up so suddenly? Was that what it was? He gave up on them? He didn't think they could make it like Kamoshida's team did, and so he handed off the responsibility?
Were they - was he a burden to someone again? Did he not try hard enough? The question was heavy and stifling. And he threw it off his shoulders like a heap of molten metal. Even if he knew it would come back in the darkness of the corners of his room at night, he would still not have an answer.
"Thank you for your time, both of you." Kamoshida says as the sun begins to crest over the horizon in the early morning before the school's breathing has truly begun. "Five minutes, Sakamoto. I expect you'll be there."
The first few practices see no changes, which has Ryuji feeling his feet settle more easily. Kamoshida actually runs with them, and begins to foster respect within the group. It's not often you find a gym teacher willing to do the reps he sets out on the children. Just as it's unnatural to see a king spearhead an army into battle. The expectation of a king is that they are cushioned, protected. Their power originates from money, status, blood, and corpses. Not too different from the prime ministers and presidents of today, heroism is but a lofty dream to them. For it's difficult to imagine a career path more disgustingly twisted than politics. Even the bare minimum of hollow promises is praiseworthy in the eye of the people - so degraded our standards have become.
But no. The king offers no strength physically. In stature, in combat, they are not a figure to be feared. However, they are not gladiators. You cannot find them vulnerable as easily as you'd hope. For kings, prime ministers, and presidents alike, all own the paper shield that identifies as a nation. And that shield can always be burnt in service of that one figure.
Kamoshida speaks in peculiar generalities. Rarely will he speak to an individual or pull them aside to offer tips. Rather, he addresses the team as a mass. In doing so, individuality begins to flicker and fade, and isolation seeps in its cracks. Following their coach, the team becomes quieter. Less enthusiastic. But these aren't dramatic sweeping changes. Instead, it's more like the smallest trickle of sand through an hourglass. Not enough of a problem to address. It's just a change. But that change evolves violently. And unlike most things, it can be pinpointed to one day.
It wasn't a particularly cold day. It was a day that would've been uncomfortable to wear gloves. Those same thoughts ran through Ryuji's head over and over and over again that day. He stabbed it into his mind, made sure he'd never forget the fact of it. That the memory was encoded vividly into the inner etchings — the very walls of his brain. But it was so disgusting a reality that Ryuji didn't have to think of it.
It started with a meeting only two men were aware of. Of course, not Ryuji, nor Ren or any of the students at Shujin could've known of this. There were no written documents kept, just a promise under violence that kick started his reign.
"This is a deal from me to you, Kobayakawa." Kamoshida says, slamming his hand down on the fat man's desk. "I'll keep bringing this useless school prestige through the volleyball team. We'll coast through the competition at nationals year after year. Maybe lose a few just to make it interesting. And since I'll be giving you exactly what you want to live like the pig you are, you'll turn a blind eye to any unfortunate happenstance in this establishment that may come under my name. Whether it's a freak injury, the misplacement of funds, a desperate cry for help, or even protests from the student body. Do you understand?" He asks, lunging his arm over the length of the desk to constrict around Kobayakawa's thick, grubby throat. "This isn't your school anymore."
Kobayakawa nods as vigorously as he can, and gasps for air once released, rubbing the mass of flesh he calls a neck. Just a few seconds more and he would've passed out. Kamoshida thinks with glee. Only fitting a weak body can surround that weak of a mind.
Kamoshida struts out of the principal's office with a jump in his step. Everything's in place, and he holds his broad chest out with pride. He's completely untouchable now.
It wouldn't have made sense to wear gloves. Your hands would've gotten sweaty. He's never worn gloves in the summer before, or in any pictures. Ryuji's heart races with his mind, in a never-ending sprint to some invisible line.
"Hey, you're quitting already?" Kamoshida asks.
"It's been an hour. Practice is over, isn't it?" Ryuji says, taking some deeper breaths.
Kamoshida scoffs. "Are your goals set so low? What is this, a girl's team? You're the captain, Sakamoto. You're a man, aren't you?"
That drew a few light chuckles from the group, but nothing more. They didn't understand, and neither did Ryuji. He'd never clamored for more practice before, so this total 180 didn't make any sense.
"There's no use in over-practicing." Ryuji says, bringing a couple of nodding heads with him. Ryuji begins to untie his cleats. "That's just asking to pull something."
Kamoshida steps uncomfortably close to speak, and bends so his breath is hot against Ryuji's ear. "And I'm saying you haven't practiced enough, captain. Now, tell me. Are you going to quit now?"
"You're not gonna goad me into anything.' Ryuji says, woefully ignorant, he'd say, looking back.
Just as Kamoshida was going to retort with another tirade, a piercing cry suddenly interrupts their conversation. It comes into existence like nothing Ryuji's ever heard. Like the scream of a dying animal, but from a person. It grates on his ears and makes Ryuji want to turn away, like an accident you know is about to happen.
He's never been to school this early before. He was already sweating before practice began. He was ready, and waiting, before practice.
Ryuji runs off in the direction of the scream, bursting through the school's doors in the early morning as the sun chases his footsteps.
It's Shiho and Ann making their way to the nurse's office. Or they were, maybe, but Shiho's on her knees and sobbing into Ann. Ugly cries that ring out in the silence of the hallway. Raw, broken, instinctive sound.
Ryuji slows his pace dramatically, unsure if he should approach. Ann, just then spotting him, gives him a frantic shake of her head. It's a clear message, and Ryuji retreats to a safer distance from the two best-friends.
Shiho's skirt is rumpled and has rips in parts just down her back. He can't see her front. Her shirt seems like it's been run through a paper shredder, with less clothing intact than there are gaps. It's like the thing has been torn to pieces and what little remains of her shirt - her volleyball uniform, is hanging off her like dead skin. And finally, there's blood. A profuse amount, all of it running down her thigh. It falls down to the floor silently, making a puddle of blood that comes from between her thighs.
Ryuji gently opens the door on his way out, and takes a shuddering breath. He'd prefer to get out of earshot for what's about to happen next. Practice is still running, but that doesn't matter in the slightest.
"What did you do to Shiho!" Ryuji yells, interrupting whatever it was Kamoshida was saying.
"I'm not sure if you're aware, but you're the one interrupting your own team's practice right now, Ryuji."
"Did you fucking-"
Oh. His face is in the dirt now and his head is buzzing. It happened so fast. Maybe Ryuji wasn't properly looking for the signs in all of his anger, but he's certainly feeling a distinct burn along his jawline. That cuts right through his fury, and he isn't especially eager to get back up again. He's fine right here on the ground. Blood trickling between his teeth to feed the soil like water.
"Ryuji Sakamoto." Kamoshida says, his lip stiffening in displeasure. He brings a foot down to "Only fifteen years old. Says he wants to make a living as a runner. Lives alone with his mom who works two jobs, huh. Pops didn't want to stick around?"
"Yeah? Fuck off." Ryuji says, giving him the finger as his head becomes a little less hazy. He had good reason to do what he did. He shouldn't be giving up now. Ryuji feels strongly about that.
"What appalling insubordination." Kamoshida clicks his tongue, grinding Ryuji's head further into the dirt with more pressure on his skull. Ryuji feels like his head is going to explode, but he refuses to show it. Just glaring and occasionally wincing up at the behemoth of a man. "Say, your dominant leg is your right, huh? I can tell from the way you line up for your sprints. I'd guess that'd be pretty important for continuing to run track and get your mom a precious little scholarship. You're definitely not gonna get one through your grades. But maybe, maybe if you could keep running you'd get in. I'm sure it'd be horrible if you suffered a fracture at the pinnacle of your young career. Maybe somewhere around your shinbone?"
"Fracture?" Ryuji repeats. Then, the pressure is thankfully relieved from his head and quickly redistributed to his leg. His shin. Ryuji feels something hard beneath him, and craning his neck downward he finds An athletic foam roller. He's pretty familiar with the cylindrical tool, quite useful and common for stretches. But now it's propped under Ryuji's leg, and he feels an intense pressure going downward, causing him to cry out and squirm as Kamoshida forces his weight on Ryuji's shin. It only takes a few efforts for something inside his leg to give out.
Sure enough, it's bone.
Ryuji's screams of agony put Shiho's own to shame as his cries ring out to no response from the skies above. He looks down, yelling deliriously for help. And what he sees gives him pause. It cleans his mind of any thought, even the primal instinct to scream goes silent momentarily as he sees something his eyes struggle to comprehend. White bone, protruding right through his skin where blood now spills freely into the grass. His shin bone sticking out of his body like metal bent beyond repair.
That makes Ryuji really start to scream.
15 minutes later, in the school infirmary, Ann attempts to comfort Shiho, finding, distressingly, her screaming has gone to complete silence. As if she's gone mute, her lips are sealed now. Processing, maybe.
Ann can put the pieces together pretty well. She and Shiho have done what they can to slow the bleeding, but it's still trickling in rivulets down Shiho's thigh every few minutes. Not a lot of blood, but it's not from the outside of her skin. It's a bit of internal bleeding, and not the natural kind either. Something's probably been ruptured or torn, and Ann isn't quite sure what. But even if the pain looks uncomfortable, Ann knows the emotions, the thought process is going to be much worse. Not just right now, but for months and years going forward.
It doesn't take much for Ann to know who did it. She doesn't know for certain, but she's always stuck by her gut feelings. She's found that logic isn't far behind that line of thought. There's a validity to something as vague as feelings.
"Speak of the devil" Ann mutters as the door to the infirmary opens.
"I've heard about your… Injury, Shiho. That's horrible. But at least there's no need for recovery time, unlike poor Sakamoto. He just had an injury bad enough to warrant the full closure of the track team. And here I was, thinking Shujin academy would be brought to regionals thanks to my leadership again. Well, at least I still have you, huh?" Kamoshida says, settling down in the chair adjacent to her medical bed in the nurse's office. Like some sorry excuse for a doctor. Ann wants so badly to strangle him, but she doesn't have the strength and she knows it. No weapon. No advantage of surprise or planning. It'd be a simple battle of strength that she knows she can't win.
But that doesn't mean she'll stand idly by her wounded friend.
"How could you possibly know what happened?" Ann says, accusingly. "This just happened. And Shiho hasn't told anyone else but me."
"Oh, really? People talk." He says, frustrated. "I'm just here to help, Takamaki. You're in the way."
"The last thing she needs right now is a man." Ann spits. "If you can't understand that, you don't understand the next thing about women."
Kamoshida grits his teeth. "Neither of you are going to graduate if I don't get exactly what I want, understand?" Kamoshida says, making Shiho flinch. "If I want there to be rumors that I'm dating both the hot little half-english model and her best friend, you'll do nothing to fight them. This school is mine now. And I'll make sure you and the entire student body understand what it means. The faculty bends to me. You bend to me when I command it. You'll all serve me in one way or another. That's what this arrangement means. But don't worry. If you're dreading it, high school's only three years. I'll have younger flowers to bud by that time."
Ann steps forward, unable to comprehend the audacity of his statement. As if she'd just listen to him. Faculty or not. Graduating or not. She can always find another school. But a tug on her sleeve stops her. The desperation in Shiho's eyes stops her.
"Please. Just, stop." Shiho says, her voice hoarse.
"But-"
"If you're really my best friend, you'll listen."
Ann wants to speak again, but she winces as Kamoshida yanks her by her hair.
"Don't you hear her?" Kamoshida goads. "She's telling you to listen to your superior like a good girl."
Ann bristles at that, uncomfortable goosebumps crawling down her skin in revolting waves as she wishes nothing than to be further from this man.
"No." Shiho says, reaching a hand out to wrench around Kamoshida's arm. "Don't be stupid. She's off the table and you know it."
Kamoshida's eyes narrow, but he retracts his hand. "Shiho, we'll talk about this."
As the door closes and his footsteps that are more like stomps fade, it's all Ann can say to ask "What has he done?" in a tone barely above a whisper.
"She's been nothing like I knew her since that day." Ryuji says as he finishes his recollection. "The only friend I think she has is Ann, but I don't know. It's not enough. They're both struggling, and I'm not sure if they're seeing eye to eye."
"Do you need something?" Ren asks, almost frantic.
"Need something? What?" Ryuji replies. "I'm not sure I get it."
"I don't know; anything. If I had a situation like that…" Ren trails off. "I think I'd want something. Even if I'm not sure what that is."
"Nah, I'm good. I'm not the guy you gotta worry about."
"Okay…" Ren says. "Then, about Shiho."
"Yeah. It's been a whole year now." Ryuji says. "That ain't right. He's only gotten more of an ego since. But what do you think about all that?"
"It's unacceptable. Heinous." Ren says, his tone darkening. "His life has been too easy, and I want to change that."
Ryuji remembers the ease at which he moved in that other world. Almost like a dancer. And most of all, he looked like he was having fun. He looked positively ecstatic. Here, in the real world, it's different. Ren's shoulders seem hunched as if under a constant weight. His face is less confidence and swagger and more a mask of worry, his brow creasing as he scowls at nothing in particular.
What do you have that I don't? Ryuji has to wonder. What invokes him to pursue rebellion and risk so brazenly despite having so much to lose? It's a question he wants the answer to.
The bell rings incessantly, and Ryuji reluctantly starts to walk deeper into the school walls.
"We've really got to get to class." He explains. "Here, give me your number and we can meet up after school, alright? I wanna talk more about this. That other world and stuff."
"Sure." Ren replies. Ren opens his contacts app and adds a new one, the first since arriving in Tokyo. Ryuji Sakamoto. Ryuji does the same, making an entry under the name Ren Amamiya.
Numbers now exchanged, they part ways with Ryuji's "See ya later."
Ren takes his seat in his classroom with a quiet sigh. Although he can't fully relax, there's something he can appreciate about how simple school is when compared to tackling the existence of another world.
Wait a minute. He thinks to himself, straightening in his chair and fully ignoring the slow drone of the teacher's monotone. Did I discover this place myself? How far does the world stretch? Can it be colonized?
Ren shakes his head. I'm getting ahead of myself. Not gonna throw the Japanese flag over that castle just yet.
Glancing idly over to the window, he's happy to both see the droplets on the window, and to hear their reverberations against the window. Although some people see rain as dreary, Ren thinks that's a bit of an unfair outlook. It can be quite beautiful, really. Watching those little patterns of rain stream down and join once again in tiny rivers through the glass. Each droplet and splatter surely as unique as a snowflake.
The feeling of rain against your face. Letting it soak into your clothes In a rare moment of neglect. The feeling of freedom once you really accept the water. All of your clothes sopping with it, and you can't get any wetter to the point it's a part of you.
And the smell. The smell of incoming rain is like nothing else on earth. It's almost like an innate feeling, a homecoming. It seems absurd, but you can literally feel it in the air. And isn't that just a wonderful part of being human?
Or maybe Ren's just different. Given the events of the last few hours, or days, really. He can't rule out that possibility.
Hold on. If I've got all those powers in that other world, and if I survived the train crash thanks to those same powers, doesn't that mean…
Ren, fully in his own world, reaches out toward the glass and feels a pleasant tingle through the insides of his fingers, traveling through his arm and more centrally to his heart with a gentle beat of excitement.
With his fingers spread, only the tips touching the window, Ren concentrates and is astounded to watch as the water responds to his call. He makes it coalesce in a spherical shape, watching the tiny imperfections spike out like solar flares. Then, he sharpens it, trying to match the shape of his symmetrical dagger that materialized in the other world: the metaverse.
So my clothes don't transfer over, but the magic does? Ren wonders, adjusting the cuff of his uniform. The uniform definitely feels different than that outfit earlier. But, Ryuji's didn't change. What is the overlap between our journey into the metaverse and the real world? What exists between those two worlds?
Ren reaches further. Not stretching his hand but expanding his influence outward as he drops the knife, letting the water splatter naturally to the ground. His arm almost wavers with weight, and he finds himself frustratingly unable to stop the rapid fall of the raindrops.
A little more experimenting and he's figured out some crucial info. His range isn't great and he can't manipulate water with the same dexterity he had in the metaverse. The power he experienced in the metaverse was nothing like this. Completely incomparable, like a lighter and a wildfire. He's still tasting the same concept, but the major distinction is in scale. On both a large and small scale, it's nothing like before. He can't quite make the water firm and pressurized like he did to cut open the armor of those knights so easily, and he can't control nearly as much volume or mass. With how Ren was feeling in the metaverse, he thinks he could manipulate as much as thousands of pounds of water. But now, it's hard to even stop a raindrop.
It's a really frustrating feeling, being shown something you can't have. Like struggling to remember something important itching at the back of your mind and you just can't. Ren's about to turn back to begrudgingly focus on class, his body teeming with a coarse feeling of irritation and exhaustion, not that different from the burn of overexerted muscles. But then, he spots a huge black wing out of that same window, soaring through the air, Arsene brings his huge face to bear, watching his pupil of sorts. His eyes blaze a deep red, the same color of his mouth and almost like the carving of a jack-o-lantern. It's not exactly a human face, instead flaring out symmetrically like a sleek mask, not unlike Ren's own.
Ren looks frantically side to side, and although the kid behind him gives him a weird look, nobody seems to notice the hulking creature that gave him magic. This persona, whatever form of existence that is.
Ren frantically shakes his head at Arsene, trying to will him away. He can't exactly start talking to Arsene in the middle of class or people will be convinced that he's crazy. People haven't started to notice - yet. And Ren would like to keep it that way.
"Ah, I comprehend." Arsene's voice rattles through the window without issue. "Your concern is unfounded, child. I speak to who I wish, and I will it to be so. These humans can't hear me, nor will they hear you as you speak."
"Are you serious?" Ren mouths.
"I'm not a being interested in jokes."
"Okay." Ren says. "Well, compared to fighting in the metaverse, this isn't asking much. It's just my reputation."
Arsene's ashborn smile seems to grow as if stoked. "I trust you're finding your end of the contract most satisfying? The manifestation of your power was most effective against those shadows. Still, it was calmer than I anticipated. To think the pinnacle of your strength would manifest as water."
"About that, why doesn't it feel the same anymore?" Ren asks. "I've been experimenting, and It doesn't feel as strong."
Arsene nods. "A fair observation. To put it in horrifically simple human terms, your awakening can be likened to a 'free trial' of sorts. That was an example of the height of your power which your body cannot yet handle, and that is why you are experiencing 'burnout'."
"Burnout?"
"It's a simple term, and a simple explanation for what your body's experiencing. The exhaustion originates from an unavoidable strain of magical powers your body has not adjusted or grown into."
"So, in essence, it's like working a muscle you've never exercised before. Or starting a car with the throttle at the maximum, if that were possible."
"Not an inaccurate translation." Arsene nods. "
"So I just wasn't ready for it." Ren says, still trying to reconcile how surreal it is to talk to this flying creature in the middle of class, with no apparent risk of being heard.
Arsene's inky wings flutter out and Ren watches in awe at the power behind them. The sheer size of them. Every feather joining another to create this solid mass.
"What's the point of the other world?" Ren asks. "How can we use it to beat Kamoshida?"
"By becoming the thief you are meant to be. That is how your justice works." Arsene says. "Your will would not have reached me if our existences were not in some way similar. And judging by your decisions, even through ghastly measures, you've stayed admirably steadfast to this set of beliefs you carry over your shoulder, even if they will be the same ones that burn you. That is why you chose to live. That is why you chose to accept my offer to give you that life."
"I just want to do what's right." Ren says. "To help people."
"And your magic will do that, so long as you continue on that road you've decided on. Never falter, boy." Arsene bellows, pointing a clawed finger at him through the window. "You are a gentleman like myself are you not? If so, culling your opponents in the metaverse is not what you seek."
Ren leans in. "Yeah, that's important. What happens if we kill them in there? What happens if we die?"
"If you die, I cannot resuscitate you. Human death is far beyond my influence. The metaverse is not so far removed from reality that you can escape death. In many ways, your world and that one share the same laws. However, the enemies you fight are not human. There is no issue with killing knights or similar bodyguards. Those are beings without souls. Husks. Mere imitations of the life and sentience you claim. In human terms, the white blood cells of the palace."
"So, if we can't kill him…"
"Unlike the lesser shadows, the ruler is completely different. That, you could argue, is a form of life. Capable of thought and fear. Ultimately, it is the ego of your opponent's real mind. Should you force capitulation or surrender, make the most wretched aspects of your target's conviction take a knee, they will never be the same again. Change the self, the enemy, and you can change the world."
"Thank you." Ren says, a small smile overtaking his face. "Can I contact you if I think of more questions?"
"Hmph. How presumptuous. You may try. I will not always be available, so don't rely on the possibility. I have my own world, you know. But, regardless, you are the bearer of my contract. I do not dislike you, and your success is in my interests." Arsene flies backward, revealing his whole body, limber and sharp with blades for high-heels and a tall top hat that fits surprisingly well. "Until that time."
Ren feels the connection snap and sever, and Arsene soars away dramatically into the sky, as if disappearing into the harsh light of the sun, he spreads his wings wide like something out of myth, and then vanishes.
Ren can't focus much on class after that.
The final bell rings, and Ren walks out of the classroom and down the stairs during the mass exodus out of school almost in a daze. The hallways are pretty packed, but not as bad as the trains, which he's thankful for. His eyes unfocus slightly behind thick, fake glasses as he loses himself in thought.
Wouldn't destroying someone's ego be bad? It definitely doesn't sound good. But, there's no telling what the effects will be. Not like killing him is better even if it might be easier. We'd be lucky enough just to somehow convince him to surrender or to see the errors of his ways somehow. The only way I can think we could realistically dethrone him is by doing it methodically and fully. Making sure to tear down the walls he feels so comfortable in, making him feel exposed, and letting him do the rest when we've got him backed into a corner. Worrying about whether or not he'll surrender or how much damage we might do is a problem for the future. Can't sit on our hands with people being assaulted.
There's no luxury for perfect solutions. We don't have the time, and that's something we'll just have to accept.
Ren jolts as he nearly runs into the person ahead of him. So engrossed in his thoughts and theory, all the question marks, that he wasn't ready for the sudden movement.
"Ryuji." Ren says in slight relief. He's got an umbrella in hand as the rain gently falls outside. Ren's still under the overhang where a lot of students group up, unwilling to get rained on.
"Hey man. Sorry, did I startle ya?"
"A little bit, but it's fine." Ren says, shaking it off. He begins to lead them both away from the big crowd, preferring not to divulge the information publicly. "More importantly, I got some important information, and I've been doing a lot of thinking. Would you believe me if I told you I spoke to a creature the world hasn't ever seen before? Kinda like those knights we fought, but less normal?"
"I don't know, dude. It's crazy, right? But, I can't just say it's not true. Not after everything we saw in that castle." Ryuji scoffs. "At this point, you could probably convince me a cat could talk."
"That definitely wouldn't be the most surprising thing we've seen this week." Ren replies. "But don't worry. No talking cats yet."
"Good. That'd be too far. But anyway, you were sayin'?"
"Yeah. So, there are these beings that go under the classification of 'personas' just like we're under the classifications of humans." Ren explains. "I don't think they're gods, but they exist out of our reach. I've got one of them that I'm in contact with, and he was the one that gave me this power. I signed a pact with Arsene, my persona, and that's how I took us into the metaverse. Magic is the only realistic way we can fight those knights and Kamoshida if we go back."
"That's a lot."
"Yeah. And there's more." Ren says. "If we die in there, there's no coming back. It was sort of obvious with the pain and how I didn't recover when we got back here to our world, but it's important to have that clarification."
"It was all I could think about too, dude." Ryuji admits, scratching the back of his head vigorously. "Couldn't focus in class at all, even if I wasn't talking to a persona or whatever, that stuff's too crazy to forget."
"Pain isn't the only crossover. It's all real, and I can prove it." Ren says, tensing up. Then he breathes and releases that tension. Calming himself, he holds both hands high above his head, pointing his palms flat up to the sky. And all of a sudden, the rain stops falling onto his face and shoulders. Ryuji watches in disbelief as the raindrops stop before his hands, and he begins to bring them together, his arms shaking with the effort. Slowly, he lowers both arms and has about a golf ball's worth of water floating, suspended between his palms in that shape. Ren lets it stream out, like it's in zero gravity, and reshapes the water into a near 1:1 replica of his mask in the metaverse. He brings it up to his face, smirking as he looks at Ryuji through the eye-slits. "Pretty neat, huh?"
Then, he feels a violent burn through his arms and further. He stumbles backward, giving a valiant struggle before he falls forward, not even trying to brace himself as he faceplants.
"Ren!" Ryuji exclaims, dropping down to help him up. Ren's eyes glaze over, and he's seeing Ryuji through a thick pane of glass for a good minute before his eyes are back to normal.
"Ugh, burnout. Magic stuff." Ren mutters, the pain unlike any before. Not in its intensity, but in description. While it's far from pleasant it isn't excruciating. It feels more like mental strain or exhaustion. Something that can't be ignored. Like the body just giving up. "It isn't too bad."
Ren sits propped up against the half-wall, looking over Ryuji's shoulder at a big pane of window on the first floor.
"You're bleeding, man. Do you got someone I can call?"
"No! No." Ren says firmly, but he doesn't try to stand. He doesn't trust his legs or his head at the moment. "Don't need to call anyone. I'm fine. We've got more important things to talk about."
"If you get worse I'm gonna call someone." Ryuji acquiesce, taking the time to speak as he notices Ren's shortness of breath. "But, yeah. I was thinking about, well, everything. You're completely right about what you were saying before. It's not okay. It wasn't, and it isn't. Shit's obvious, but we just gave up. Just like that! I just decided my running career was ruined by that bastard. Accepted that he assaulted Shiho and Ann, time and time again and the others too. And I didn't do shit about it. That can't keep happening. You reminded me, I think. Of who I used to be. Of who I'm supposed to be: someone who doesn't shy away from standing up for my friends. For you, Ann, Shiho, and the rest of 'em. Even myself. It's about time I stopped rolling with the punches, and threw some of my own."
Ren smiles softly, a bit of color returning to his face as blood continues to gradually trickle from his nose.
"And that fight we had." Ryuji continues. "The one where I could actually do something, in the real world. It felt right. It felt, I don't know, real. Like I was finally where I was supposed to be. So, I'm done with scraping by following the rules. If I had to lie to mom about being a good guy, there'd be no point in some scrap piece of paper."
"We could die." Ren warns. "Just so you know. There's a ton of information we still don't know, and it will be difficult fighting those knights the same way as before."
"Yeah? Yeah." Ryuji says, mulling it over. "You're right. There's probably gonna be some crazy dangerous stuff in there. But we could die tomorrow too. Car accident, sleep, falling, heart attack. Dying tomorrow isn't an excuse to give up on today."
Ren's eyes widen a bit and he nods wholeheartedly. "I couldn't agree more, that's a great statement. Worthy of a yearbook quote, really. Keep it in mind. If we have it my way, you'll be taking Kamoshida down and graduating."
"Hell yeah!"
"So, you're in?"
"Pff." Ryuji smirks, giving Ren a light pat on the shoulder. "All the way."
Ren feels a pleasant warmth surround himself around his heart, which seems to grow a little fuller at the newly gained rapport from his first friend in this new territory that is Tokyo. A gentle caress illuminates some sort of inner working of his chest, like one of many torches in a dark room being set alight, Ren actually feels a sliver of warmth from this intangible sense of solidity.
Undeniably, the inner and outer structure of Shujin isn't the same as the castle. That much was obvious from the sheer scale of the hulking stone walls that seemed desperate to touch the sky. Unless that too was an illusion, the buildings aren't related in size. It really was something out of a fantasy. But still, Ren can feel it. Parts of the crossover are everywhere, and if he really focuses…
"Ryuji, look." Ren says, opening his eyes. His skin, thankfully, is a much fuller color. And he's also pushing off the ground to stand now. Though his steps are unsteady. "You remember that window, right?" Ren points.
Ryuji stays close to Ren, his arms out just in case as he scratches his head. Then, he almost leaps in excitement. "Ain't that where we jumped out?"
"Yeah. And it's cracked." Ren says, standing a little straighter. "Look. Right where we broke out."
Upon closer inspection, there's a thin array of cracks that spider web across the pane of glass. Hard to see from a distance, but now that they've walked up close and know what to look for, it's simple.
"You've got good eyes! How the hell did you see that from so far away?"
"Good glasses." Ren shrugs. "Perfect prescription I guess."
"That's an interesting choice of company, Amamiya." A woman with short brown hair says coolly, interrupting their conversation.
Ren tenses up. How much did she hear? He wonders. Looking in her direction however, she's still on the approach. With any luck, whoever this is didn't overhear their talk.
"Buzz off." Ryuji says, recognizing that stuck-up voice. "Don't you have work you should be doing?"
"Maybe I am working." Makoto says. "A student with a criminal record and a well-known delinquent getting together on the first day of classes? And even skipping their homeroom together? Not only is that concerning behavior for someone on probation, it's a possible hazard to the students in this school for dangerous individuals to congregate."
"Yeah? Everyone skips class now and again." Ryuji practically spits. "But I don't see you stalkin' em. Maybe you gotta stop judging people by first glances. You know, 'don't read a book by it's cover'"
"I'm aware of the saying." Makoto sighs.
"Then maybe follow it. Go be a hardass somewhere else. You're not wanted." Ryuji replies.
Ren staggers against the wall closest right where they were examining the window, and pushes himself off with difficulty like his body is a great weight. "I'm sorry, but can we continue this conversation later? I'm feeling a little lightheaded." He brings a hand up to his forehead, wincing.
Ryuji slips under Ren's arm quickly to support him.
"What happened?" Makoto asks, surprise clear in her voice. "Is he… okay?"
"No. And you're not making it any better." Ryuji replies, taking Ren away toward the school gate.
Makoto doesn't pursue them any longer, and when they're out of eye's view, Ren straightens, brushing himself off.
"How's my acting?" Ren asks, flashing Ryuji a grin.
Ryuji purses his lips into a thin line. "I thought you were actually hurt."
"Well, I'm still not fully recovered, so I wasn't really lying."
"You sure you're gonna be alright?" Ryuji asks.
"Yeah, no problem. I just overdid it back there with all the water."
They say their goodbyes, and a quick but packed train ride later, and Ren's walking from the station to Sae's apartment. Luckily, he wrote down the address into his phone once he got the formal information of his new place of residence for his year in Tokyo. Otherwise he might not have been able to find it so easily.
He knocks gently on the wooden door. Hoping the now dried blood isn't very noticeable against his school uniform. His change of clothes is in his room.
"Hm. You're home before she is." Sae says in greeting. "Did Makoto not offer to show you the way?"
"Makoto?"
"Ah, did I neglect to mention that?" Sae shakes her head, closing the door behind Ren as he enters. "My mistake. Makoto is my sister. She attends Shujin and is one year your senior. She's also president of the student council there."
Ren nods, then tentatively asks. "Is there anything I should be doing ma'am? To prove my innocence this year? I remember you said you didn't fully believe my sentencing was accurate. Can I ask why?"
"If you're hoping for some sort of legal advice, I won't be giving you any. It's appallingly common for men, regardless of age, to approach women with malicious intentions. I don't have any evidence or much logical reasoning behind believing that you aren't guilty." Sae says in preface. "However, even for me, there are times where emotions and instincts supersede logic. That is why I took you in. I know the legal machine we've built in Japan. Your sentence, like many others', is one with concerningly sparing detail. It's been swept under the rug, so to speak. I wanted to follow my intuition to look for anything in regards to where this corruption stems from. To find out why the legal system of this country is so unjust."
"But why me?" Ren asks, sounding uncomfortable. "There must've been hundreds of cases you could've chosen from just as viable as my own. So, why?"
"It might've just been dumb luck. Or fate, depending on how you look at these things." Sae admits candidly. "But that only applies to how I came across your file. Later, I looked into your information more than I'm sure I was supposed to. It wasn't finished. There were far too many details simply omitted or left blank, as if I wouldn't notice. If the dates they put on your case file were anything close to accurate, the entire sentencing was a rush job, and they didn't care if it showed. Probably because it doesn't matter if it shows." Sae says in frustration. "Some research into your person helped. There wasn't much I could find officially documented. Living in a small town didn't help in that regard. Even so, I have a genuine, if Imperfect, idea of the kind of person you are. I, of course, don't take assault charges lightly. It seems like lunacy to allow someone like that in your home. But you aren't a previous offender."
"No, ma'am." Ren replies promptly.
"Exactly. That, combined with the fact you've been wronged by the legal system, has me confident in my hypothesis that you are not guilty of the sentence you've been awarded." Sae declares. "And during this year we'll spend together, so long as you abide by the rules, I promise to do everything in my power to get your criminal record dropped."
Ren's eyes widen. "Are you serious?" He asks carefully.
"Absolutely. If you can properly stay within the guidelines that have been set out for your probation, I believe such good behavior should be rewarded." Sae says. "And beyond that, if you can possibly be the key to understanding the depths of all of this corruption, that'd be a small price on my part."
"And if I were to break those rules?" Ren asks.
Sae's expression hardens as she looks down at him. "Then you'd be dealt with accordingly. You're here because I don't believe you're a criminal. I can't imagine you'd like to change my stance on this matter."
"Not at all, ma'am." Ren replies. "But, assuming you believe me, what would happen if I'm falsely accused once more?"
Sae pauses at this, mulling it over. "I can't imagine an eventuality where that would happen. If they wanted you to be sentenced harsher, they'd have already done it. I understand your concern, but It's something you shouldn't be worrying about. If you, presumably falsely accused, have to worry about a second sentence, then there won't be a safe place throughout the entire country."
"Is there anything else?" Ren asks.
"Ah, yes. As I'd hope you're aware, your probation requires you to complete certain tasks in order to prove your ability to correspond to society's rules and to guide your rehabilitation over these next twelve months." Sae says, tapping a thick wad of paper rhythmically as she settles down at the dining table. "One of these requirements is a part time job. Rather convenient, I'd say, given your need to pay for certain expenses of your own. I see you've never had a job before."
"That's right, ma'am." Ren says apologetically.
"It's of no consequence. Now is as fine a time as any to start." Sae says. "I've found an opening not far from here. Just one train - no transfers. And it's on the way to your school, no less. Awfully convenient, no? It's near the suburbs. A small, quaint little coffee shop I happen to visit when I can. There was an opening for a barista, and while the pay isn't glamorous, I figure the location is optimal. Also, I can vouch for the owner, and we can continue to be in contact. I've already told the owner, Mr. Sakura, you're available and eager to get started. I hope this is acceptable?"
"Very much so. Thank you ma'am." Ren says. "When do I start?"
"Today, actually. I do hope this can compensate for how often I'm out of the house on my own work. Something to keep you busy." Sae says. "I imagine you'd be terribly bored without something to spend your time on. So this solves that problem, at least partly. The money can also go to good use for your train fares to school and elsewhere."
Ren gives a polite nod. "Should I leave now, then?"
"It's a good idea to be early, especially on your first day." Sae says, giving a nod of approval as she sorts through the abundant stack of case files in her hands. "You may go. And remember, your curfew is at 22:00 hours. I expect you to be here before then."
"I understand. See you later, ma'am." Ren says as he closes the door gently behind him. She gives no reply, already engrossed in her work. Ren allows himself a brief exhale, letting the clammy feeling of being scrutinized wash out of his body with the sharp breeze. The rain is barely drizzling now, so he sees no point for bringing an umbrella. If he even brought one along, it's in his room. And he definitely isn't planning on asking to borrow one of hers. She's intense. It's not just her personality, but her position. She can convict him into a deeper sentence on a whim, and although Ren isn't sure what laws surround other worlds, he's not rushing to answer that question.
If they can convict me for assaulting a woman I never touched, is there anything they can't fabricate? Ren thinks. That, and Sae's words, are a concerning combination. But, as she said, he's probably in the clear in a relative sense. They aren't expecting a repeat offender. They've bound him as tight as they think they need him, and he'll prove them wrong through this other world. Ideally, without them ever seeing it coming.
Ren idly steps onto a thankfully less busy train. He doesn't have a seat, but he has space enough to breathe, and more than enough to think. His body still burns and simmers like the coals of a still-hot fire. It's easy enough to stand and walk around, but he doesn't want to be running right now. With any luck, this train ride won't be like the dramatic one that crashed with him inside it. Ren doubts he'll get another chance to survive that.
Why exactly did that train crash? He wonders. It's not a common thing, as far as he knows, but he's been seeing an increasing amount of traffic accidents. Not just subway trains but high-speed bullet trains and even passenger planes - those always make the headlines. Maybe it's just the time of year?
Lost in his rumination, Ren arrives at Yongen Jaya. He walks the tight, empty streets until arriving at the address Sae sent to his phone via E-mail. It's a quaint location between buildings of what seems to be a small neighborhood with some unique, local shops. A white and red overhang made of fabric hangs over the doorway, dripping some of its accumulated share of rain down before the door like an abandoned fountain. To the left, some tall green plants grow in pots, sheltered, at least in part, from the earlier rain.
As the door chimes with a physical bell attached to it, rather than the newer electric ones, Ren is struck by the smell of coffee and something else. Sweeter? It's a food he recognizes, but it's faint enough that he doesn't remember. Regardless, he moves forward.
"So, you're the part timer I've heard about huh? Geez. How did I ever agree to this? It's fine to keep your shoes on so long as they aren't soaked." Sojiro mutters. His voice is deeper than Ren expected. A unique quality to it which he's never heard in anyone else before.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Sakura."
"Sojiro's fine. This place isn't that formal, as you can tell. Not exactly running a tight ship." He says with a sigh, pointing out the empty booths. "Still, even if business isn't booming, it's a nice place with a good bit of locals that come by. I could use the help. You know how to make a good blend?"
"No, but I'm ready to learn as much as you'll teach me."
"That's fine." Sojiro says, rubbing the sleek hair of his beard. "No matter how much experience you had, I was going to teach you my way anyways. Now, c'mon. Best we get started. I won't be having you ruining my good image."
Ren swallows, and nods, stepping behind the counter with Sojiro.
"Come on, ease up. It was a joke, kid." Sojiro says with a smile, giving Ren a pat on the back.
"Oh, right." Ren replies, sounding surprised. He gives his shoulders a little slack from where they'd been unnecessarily hunched. He quickly pulls the green apron over his head and ties it tight around his waist.
"We'll start simple, with a latte."
Ren concentrates on Sojiro's instructions. The man is his senior both in age and experience, and it seems like he's been running this place forever. Leblanc has a welcoming feeling that doesn't seem like it can be emulated by more modern restaurants. And despite the fact that rarely are the booths all filled with people, those who do are a pleasant bunch.
When business sees a lull, which isn't uncommon, Sojiro will have a test of sorts where he makes Ren attempt a new blend. Sojiro will even taste it himself, advising Ren on what needs work.
"I hope I helped at least a little today." Ren says as he unties his apron and hangs it at its place of rest.
"I'm surprised you care enough to work at a place like this." Sojiro grumbles. "Kids these days are all busy on their phones and such. I'd know."
"I lived in a small town all my life, so I'm still not used to the big city yet. There's just so much of everything, everywhere. Happening all at once. It's pretty busy, so this is more of what I'm used to." Ren explains, surprising himself with his honesty.
"Huh. Wouldn't have expected that." Sojiro says. "I have somewhere I have to be, so would you mind closing up shop? Oh, and make sure to flip the sign when you do. You don't have to leave right away, but unless you want some more customers, I'd suggest you do that first."
"I can do that. But, it's my first day. You aren't worried?"
"About what, you trashing the place?" Sojiro asks. "Sure, you could. But you're living with Niijima for your probation, right?"
"Yes."
"Then that's all I need to know." Sojiro says with a wry smile. Grabbing his hat before exiting the shop with a ring of the bell.
Ren doesn't ponder much on his behavior, instead, bringing his eyes to the clock on the wall which reads 18:00 hours. Still four hours until curfew. Ren reaches into his pocket, considering.
He shouldn't. It doesn't make much sense to take advantage of this space. But he's not going to put anything out of place. Even if it feels risky, bringing a friend won't crack the eggshells he stands on.
Ren sends Ryuji a message, asking if he's available. Not even a minute later he gets a reply he can almost hear through the phone, and after sending the address, Ryuji's on his way.
"What's this?" Ryuji asks as he walks through the door.
"Part time job." Ren replies. "I'm off hours now, unless you're really craving a coffee."
"Serious?"
"Not really."
Ren points toward the adjacent booth, and they sit, facing each other.
"So, what's up?"
"Just wanted to talk a bit more in-person. Makes it easier to explain than over a call. Here, watch this." Ren says, carefully drawing his palm across an invisible surface, like wiping a window that doesn't exist. As he does, a red opening follows his palm. Imprinting itself on what was previously empty air, a portal opens with a look into huge castle walls and a thick wooden drawbridge. Even that broken window where they escaped has yet to be fixed. Painting a larger surface with his arm, Ren opens a portal big enough to walk into comfortably like a circular doorway taller than his height. "You can see this, right?"
"Yeah." Ryuji says in awe. Standing up in his booth. The portal begins at the table's height, so it isn't the most convenient to enter, but that isn't the point. Ren just wanted to show it off. Quickly, so as not to strain his body any longer, Ren collapses that entrance.
"With that, I don't think it matters where we are in the world. We can access his castle anytime. Kamoshida will never see it coming."
"What are we gonna do?" Ryuji asks. "The parents haven't been doing anything is because they think it's okay or something. Shujin's a good school. After all that happened with the track team, I've never felt more out of place without the one thing I'm good at. Either you're crazy good at sports or academics. That's what gets you into the better colleges, and that's all anyone cares about. Kamoshida, as much of a bastard as he is, did exactly what the school needed, got results. So long as he does that, he's invincible."
"We'll destroy him." Ren says with indignation. "Not just in the metaverse, but in the eyes of the public at the same time. We'll be invisible in both worlds. If the parents don't care about his abuse? Fine. We'll spread the news further until someone does. That imagery of invincibility will get peeled back. We'll ruin the results he cares so much about. And when we do, we'll peel it all back. Every last layer until no one can turn their eyes away! So that everyone can see how deeply he, and they alike, have been bathing in sin."