Chapter Text
Ryuji wished he didn't need to curse on something so idiotic like the weather but it was these days that he couldn't do otherwise. Not only his wake-up alarm didn't work as it should have but also he was only halfway to school before that damn rain started. He cursed again as he slipped at a puddle as he was trying to find cover. Even though it was like the third time he had slipped, this time that slip hurt him. Or better his leg.
'Shit.' He cursed mentally as he finally found the cover he so needed and sat at the bus stop.
He carefully examined his leg. A slightly purple color started to develop on it. That wasn't new. It had started to develop long before this day but it should have gone away. Ryuji cursed. This slip must have done its part on this since the pain he had felt before started to creep back to his leg.
"That stupid... dammit! " This time Ryuji cursed loudly.
Even though he felt eyes on him he ignored them trying to find a way to ease the pain and fast. He needed to go to that damn school or else he would be expelled. And he didn't want to disappoint his mom. He tried to find something in his bag...Only some bandages. Well, that would do the trick. He started to warp them around his leg but felt water splashing on him.
"Dammit..." He cursed again but as he looked up to see what was the cause of the water, he stopped.
A girl was in front of him checking him. When she noticed that Ryuji was looking at her, she pulled down the hood she was wearing. Ann looked at him concerned.
"What are you doing?" She asked him quietly.
"What does it look like? Am I painting a wall? " He stated loudly and with more raw emotion he wanted to show, already fed up with this day.
Ann looked away and Ryuji slapped himself mentally. He took a deep breath and he answered again.
"I am sorry... my leg hurts and well..."
"It is ok... I understand. This day can't get any worse right..." Ann spoke but turned her gaze at him.
"Haha...yeah." He lied.
Both knew that this was a lie. They were going back towards that bastard's lair. Back to that damn school that no one could do anything letting Kamoshida do whatever he wanted. Like destroying Ryuji's leg or destroying people's lives just because he could. Ryuji's thoughts were interrupted when he felt Ann approaching him. She had something on her hand that Ryuji happily took.
"A painkiller?" Ryuji asked her. He finally finished his work on his leg.
Ann nodded as she looked painfully at Ryuji's rushed handiwork on his leg. "The least I can do..."
Ryuji smiled at her. "Thanks. This is something that I really needed."
Ann's smile this time was calmer making the tension between them melt away. Unfortunately, Ryuji's mouth was faster than his damn thoughts.
" Are you ok? "
She looked at him surprised but her emotion shifted immediately when she understood where he was going. "I am..."
" Are you? "
"What do you think?" Ann snapped back at him surprising him.
Ok ... she was not ok. Ryuji's eyes turned angry. Even though he and Ann stopped talking for a long time, he always looked towards her way to see if she was ok. And he knew that Ann did the same. If that damn Kamoshida didn't exist maybe he would have still been friends with her. If only they didn't go to that damn school. Maybe things would have been different.
They were best friends. They spent most of their time together. But after he started to get into more competitive running, his program started to get full making it harder for them to be together. Plus Ann's model skills started to flower and thus her program started to get full as well. Then both met more people. Ryuji, his track team, and Ann, Shiho. But they always were there for each other. Even if they were now in different classes, making it difficult to talk with each other, they always found a way to hang out.
Until...
That damn Kamoshida . After he entered Shujin everyone's life had turned upside down. Kamoshida had hit Ryuji destroying his leg and changed his dream and Ann and Shiho were constantly on Kamoshida's radar making them both easy preys to him. Making Ryuji sick. And yet whatever they did no one listened to them. Sometimes Ryuji wished he could run away but go where? No one would accept him. Only that damn school.
"It 'effing sucks." Ryuji finally said feeling done.
He wanted to return back to what they used to be. Friends, people with dreams...free. But both knew this would be difficult... but not impossible.
"It does ..." Ann admitted as she put her hood over her again.
Ryuji noticed what she did. She was hiding. That damn Kamoshida was here, somewhere. Ryuji turned to look at the car that stopped in front of them.
"Don't go." He pleaded with her as he held her hand.
Ann turned to look at him and shook her head. "I... I can't. He already saw me. Plus...you know what he will do if I don't enter it."
Ryuji knew and felt powerless again. He bit his lip in frustration.
"Just don't." He said again but Ann looked away.
"I wish I could Ryuji. He... he will do more if he saw you with me. Just let go." Ann whispered.
Ryuji even though he didn't want to do that he felt his hand relaxing letting Ann's hand go. Ann smiled at him. That damn fake smile Ryuji knew too well. He wanted to vomit as he watched Kamoshida talking to Ann and felt sicker when he saw Ann's eyes saddened as they left.
He hit the sign that was near him in frustration and then he cried at his damn decision as he felt pain again. He felt so powerless, so useless to not even help a person he knew. He could do it but why he didn't move. What was it that was stopping him? He could just take her hand and walk away with her leaving that damn bastard alone. That was the least he could do. Just being there for Ann was enough... like it was enough to have her beside him at the hospital.
Dammit! Why was he so useless? So...alone. So weak.
Why?
That damn bastard was the reason he and Ann stop hanging out. That bastard was the reason his life was so 'effed up. That bastard's....
" I hate everything! " He yelled finally out of frustration.
"I hate him. That damn bastard Kamoshida! And what if he is the ' king ' of volleyball? Oh wow, the famous Suguru Kamoshida! Like damn more like cum-on-deez-ass! He is a damn 'effing bastard that believes that he can make everyone his servant on that damn school. Like he is the king of a castle. It is an 'effing school, my dude, for God's sake. Like damn... why? " Ryuji finally whispered as he felt tears running down his cheek.
He wiped them more from frustration than embarrassment. What could he do? He was... so... so lost .
Ryuji finally put his hands inside his pockets and walked slowly towards the school, stalling his time. After all, he felt safer in the rain rather than the place he was heading into.
-ooo-
Well ... it was not a lie when he said he felt safer in the rain than the place he was heading into. How the hell did the school turn into a castle? Was he hallucinating? Was he hit by a car? Was he... in a dream?
Was he lost?
He laughed at that. He did say he was lost but not literally! What the hell? Where was he? As he started walking towards the huge castle his mind wandered back in time. He remembered that after he had started walking he yet again slipped and fell into a pole. Ah yes! Ryuji nodded to himself. That hit in the pole had caused all this. He was hallucinating for sure.
And even if he was hallucinating why was he walking towards that damn ass huge castle? Maybe it was calling him... Wait ... if he was hallucinating then where was he in real life. Now a new wave of confusion and anxiety washed over him as he looked around the so-called entrance yard of the castle. Was this castle the same as the school? It sure liked hell looked like it.
Ryuji pushed the doors and he immediately was hit by a nauseous odor. He closed his eyes as well since the color of the entrance was so vivid that it made him freeze in place. When he finally opened his eyes he looked at the entrance. What a hideous color it had. Purple carpets? What 'effing idiot designed this place? The gold also made his head ached at how much it was used. In the stairs, poles, statues... statues of Kamoshida?
" What the hell? " Ryuji shouted as he walked closer to a small statue of Kamoshida.
It had a crown over it and that smug face showed how much Ryuji despised that man. Wait, was his eyes glowing? He touched them only to receive a small shock on his hands.
"The hell? What is this?" Ryuji shouted again and turned around at the stairs. As he looked up he saw a huge painting with Kamoshida wearing... an armor?
"Ok, this is enough hallucinating for today? For real why I am hallucinating that bastard? I am getting crazy! Huh, I wished at least I hallucinate about some hot babes. Not even my mind is free from that bastard!" Ryuji shouted as he walked towards a door that he believed led to the nurse in the real school.
He pushed the door but nothing happened. Was it locked?
"Are you for real?! This is stupid! Why don't I wake up from this and just move on? I can't even escape that bastard even in my hallucinations.... insane. "
Ryuji pushed the door again just for a good measure and then kicked it fed up from all this. He decided to walk back to the door that led outside only for that idiotic statue to distract him again. Kamoshida looked stupid in it (as he should be). He once again touched the statue only to get shocked again. He sighed and scratched his head. Sure enough, he felt a small area swollen. So this was truly his imagination. He sighed .
"So how can I wake up from this?"
"Wake up from what?" A girl's voice echoed in the room.
Ryuji jumped surprised by the voice and turned around to see who talked to him.
"...Ann?"
There up the stairs, Ryuji saw Ann wearing only a bikini and cat ears. She looked happy and even her voice sounded flirty something that made Ryuji now nauseous. When he wished for hot chicks, he didn't mean Ann! Well, probably Ann as well since she was hot.... no, wait! Even though Ann was truly handsome Ryuji watched her as his friend. And sure enough, if he wished for chicks he would not wish them into that hideous outfit.
This was wrong.
He closed his eyes to concentrate. To change what he was seeing or even waking up from this nightmare. He never wished for this so dammit wake up from it! But when he opened his eyes Ann was still there. In that hideous outfit!
"Haha, are you taking a mental picture for later, sweetie? Oh please handling the goods is better than what are you doing." Ann said with half-closed eyes.
"Stop this! Shut up! This is wrong! I don't want this!" Ryuji snapped back at her but Ann just smiled at him.
"Oh are you that type huh. Like King Kamoshida..."
"Shut up! What are you saying!? You are not making any sense Ann! Stop this!"
"Oh? You know my name but not my title, ignorant idiot! I am Lady Ann to you, sweetie!" Ann finally shouted back but that flirtatious tone was still there.
"Stop calling me sweetie! You don't recognize me, Ann! It is me Ryuji! Stop this! I don't want this."
"Ryuji? I don't know anyone with that name. Doesn't ring a bell, sorry."
" What? "
Ryuji looked dumbfounded back at Ann who started to walk down the stairs. Moving so weirdly that made Ryuji look away. If this was his hallucination then shouldn't Ann recognize him? Why was she so... different?
"Stop this! I want to wake up from this nightmare!" He shouted back at Ann.
"Wake up from what?" Another voice spoke and one that Ryuji knew too well.
He turned and was faced with not other than Kamoshida. Wearing only a cape and a pink underwear, making Ryuji ill. His eyes shined yellow like that statue and his smile was replaced by a frown when he understood who was in front of him.
"Ryuji Sakamoto! I thought I had dealt with you a long time ago. Why are you back here? Insulting my kitten not less!"
Kamoshida's voice sounded so different than usual surprising Ryuji at the added bass it had but he held his ground even though he was confused.
"What the hell are you talking about!? Kitten ? Get rid of me? Yes, like hell you would do that!?"
Kamoshida's eyes turned cold and with a swift of his hand, he snapped his fingers. Immediately after that sound, shadows appeared around them forming them into some kind of knights with a mask on. Something that scared Ryuji as they started walking closer to him.
" What the hell! "
"Seize him at once and throw him at the dungeon where he belongs! I will deal with him after I am done with my kitten. Right, my queen?" Kamoshida said and held Ann closer.
"Of course my king!" Ann said happily making Ryuji want to vomit.
"This is a dream. This can be real! Let me go!" Ryuji screamed as he tried to avoid the guards from holding him. "Snap out of it Ann! What are you doing!? This is the man that destroyed our lives!"
"What are you talking about? I am happy right here!" Ann said and smiled at Kamoshida.
That made Ryuji sick and finally, he moved and punched the guards. After all, this was an imagination, a dream, he could do whatever he wanted! But that thought was immediately lost when he felt a punch at his stomach making him lose his breath. What the hell that hurt, a lot.
This... can't be real! Then why that punch felt so real, so legit! Why was he hurting if this was a damn dream! He shouldn't feel pain? Right?
It was a dream, right?
"This is not real! It CAN'T be real!" Ryuji shouted afraid as finally, some guards held him up after he had collapsed from the punch.
Kamoshida walked closer to him and smirked. "Who said it isn't, trash?"
He said and punched Ryuji hard enough for him to pass out.
-ooo-
Ryuji growled at the sudden pain he was feeling when he finally woke up. He opened his eyes slowly and let them set in at the light of the room he was in. He saw stone up, next to him and all over him. He growled again as he wiped his eyes from the dried tears. That punch had managed to throw him into a deep slumber.
Wait...
Ryuji quickly stood up from the bed he was laying and looked around. He was locked inside a jail, the metal as he held it was cold to the touch and the chains around the room showed Ryuji the obvious. He wasn't dreaming!
"What the 'eff, dude! This is bullshit!" He shouted and hit the metal bars.
He sat again at the bed and felt himself crying. This was impossible and yet he felt he got himself into more deep shit. He felt more weak and useless. What was happening was not real! And yet everything seemed to be...
Finally, Ryuji let out a sob. He hugged his legs closer to his chest, feeling weak. He was going to die here! And by the hands of that damn Kamoshida not less. And he was so confused, so lost.
Again!
He felt so alone...
Alone.
"Hello?" A low voice was heard surprising Ryuji.
He immediately answered. After all, that voice sounded friendly.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" He answered as he held the metal bars again trying to see where was that voice coming from.
"It seems we are in the same situation." The voice continued more confident helping Ryuji to feel better.
Ryuji wiped his new tears as he answered back more enthusiastically. "Are you inside a jail as well?"
"Of course I am! That damn old man threw me here like I am a doll to play with!" The voice sounded annoyed but the energy it had made Ryuji relax.
"Where are you? You sound close and yet I don't know..." Ryuji started and immediately saw a small black arm moving some meters away.
It was moving probably three cells away from Ryuji. So close to him and yet so far.
"How long are you here?" He asked as he again tried to move the metal bars.
"Not long. I don't know exactly how much."
"Did they hurt you?"
"....a little."
"Dammit! This idiotic bastard will pay!" Ryuji shouted back enraged. Who did he think he was hurting people just like that.
"But because of Zorro, I am healed."
"Zorro? Are there more than two people there?"
Now that made Ryuji curious. Why didn't he hear any more voices? Shouldn't that Zorro talk as well? Perhaps they did but Ryuji couldn't understand who was talking. But the tone had remained the same so... healed? What did that mean?
"Oh no, it is my persona." That voice sounded more confident and proud yet Ryuji felt more confused.
"....persona? What are you talking about?"
"Wait? You don't know about personas?" Now that voice sounded alarmed.
How so?
"No?"
"A human! What are you doing in the cognitive world? Are you crazy?" The voice shouted back at Ryuji making him feel uncomfortable.
"What the hell do you mean a human? Are you hurt in the head or something?"
"You are the one that must be or something! How the hell did you end up here? You must be unique or stupid. Perhaps the second one is true."
"Shut up! Are you playing a prank or something? This is not funny! " He yelled back at the voice feeling confused once again.
But before the voice said anything back, something moved in front of Ryuji's cell. Two small holes appeared and after some time in their places they stood two guards. And they didn't look happy at all.
"See? This is the next on the line."
"Huh, and why are we again the ones doing this work?"
"Because King Kamoshida said to do so! So, stop complaining and kill him."
Ryuji backed away from the cell door, feeling scared. "What the hell man! Stop! Stop! " Ryuji yelled at them as they entered the cell.
They locked it before Ryuji had a chance to leave. Ryuji backed again, feeling the wall behind him. Boxing him, giving him no room to leave. He felt himself cry again, feeling scared. He tried to avoid the guards but they just hit him until he couldn't move his arms. One held him from behind, holding his hands in place and the other pulled out his sword ready to strike it down. Ryuji felt himself not moving to let it happen. From paralysis or acceptance, Ryuji was not sure. But one thing he was sure about.
He would die. Alone.
Suddenly, a strong wave of wind threw them off balance. The guards surprised and unprepared were knocked away, letting Ryuji fall to the ground. Ryuji immediately woke up from the fall and moved away from the guards towards the cell door still keeping an eye on them. Even though the surprised attack both of them stood up quicker than Ryuji wanted but they stopped when they noticed something behind Ryuji.
Before he could turn around to see what the guards were focused on, he saw two large black holes appearing under them. Then immediately black lines that looked like shadows touched them, evaporating them. Leaving Ryuji alone in the cell. In silence.
Ryuji breathed in and out trying to calm himself. He was just about to get murdered and yet he was saved by something. As he thought that, a wave of calmness washed over him making him feel so much better after everything that happened to him. With that, he turned around only to see the familiar wall he saw before. Impossible. Someone must have been here and yet it looked like no one was ever there. He looked at his hand...
Wait? There was blood there before! He was cut by that guard just now. He searched for the cut...only to find none. What was going on!? He even felt like he was never hit at all. Like the pain had just been washed away. He tried once again to calm himself from all this shitshow. He just... didn't want to stay here anymore.
"...are you ok! Hey!" The voice echoed in the hall bringing Ryuji back to reality.
"Huh...yeah. Yeah! I am ok!" He said lower than he wanted but the other heard him as they sighed back.
"Thank God! I am so glad that you ok. If only I had my lockpick, I would have done something!"
"Wait? It wasn't you?" Ryuji asked the voice.
"What?"
"There was a wave of wind and then some black shadows ...destroyed the guards." Ryuji said after a while trying to explain this without sounding crazy. Yet the voice didn't think that.
"An eiha attack? How? I didn't see anyone walking here... wait I saw a shadow walking here. Maybe he was a guard. No one else."
"Haha, I am going crazy!" Ryuji said and leaned at the cell door... only to fall out of it.
Ryuji quickly jumped up surprised by the impact and looked at his cell door. There were no keys on it. And he swore that the guards locked it again. Ryuji shook his head trying to clear his thoughts and just let them slide. He stood up and walked towards the voice. Only to meet up with a monster cat. A cat that wore a yellow bandana and had a small belt with pockets. He looked dumbfounded at the cat and the cat looked back at him with shock.
"How the hell did you get out?" The cat talked.
" YOU CAN TALK? " He yelled back at the cat.
"Are you stupid? I am the one you were talking with!" The cat hissed at him and Ryuji laughed.
"Hahaha, I am getting insane." He laughed as he put his hand on one of the metals of the cell.
"Shut up and snap out of it! How the hell did you get out?" The cat hissed again at him.
" I DON'T KNOW! I just fall out of the cell. Someone opened it!"
"Oh and that someone must be the mysterious guard that walked here?" The cat questioned him with a smug expression.
"Continue like that monster cat and I will leave you here!"
" I am not a cat! "
"Like hell, I will believe that with that damn ears and tail! At least my eyes work fine."
" Unlike your brain! "
"That’s it!" Ryuji shouted and started to walk away but the cat meowed back.
"Fine! I am sorry!" The cat said and put his paw at his head. "Listen, help me out of this cell and I will return you to reality."
"Like hell, I will believe a cat. You could be an enemy like everything I had encountered!"
"I am not an enemy or a cat! I could heal you if you wanna..." The cat pleaded.
"With what? Your fursona?" Ryuji joked feeling better.
"It is a PERSONA you buffoon ape! And yes I can heal... wait! " The cat said as he looked Ryuji up and down. "Someone had already healed you."
"Probably it was the one that saved me."
"But I didn't see anyone getting here. Only that thing that looked like a guard!"
"Wait? You saw someone walking here? The guards that tried to murder me just appeared in thin air." Ryuji said shocked.
The cat looked at him and nodded after some time. "So that person I saw that was enveloped in shadows was the one that saved you. Makes sense since they used eiha and none of the shadows here use that attack.... but I didn't see them coming through here again."
Ryuji hearing that looked back at the place the guards were looking. Then up. And around him.
"I don't see anyone."
"No shit Sherlock, really? They must have left while we were talking. But for them to just save you and leave means that they are not an enemy and just don't want to get involved in the situation."
"Well, whatever! Let's just leave from here!" Ryuji shouted fed up and shook the door.
"Hey, what are you doing?" A dark voice echoed in the hall.
Ryuji turned towards it only to face another guard. He immediately felt himself panic and moved away from the cell. He stumbled at something and fall behind on his butt. All while the guard walked towards him.
"Touch him and I will make you regret it!" The cat shouted confident back at the guard who laughed. He stopped in front of the cell.
"You? And do what, kitty? Kill me?" The guard said and it fell down and in his place appeared a pumpkin with a witch hat. "I want to see you try!"
"The hell?" Ryuji said as he remained frozen.
"Ohoho, I will! Per...." But before the cat said anything more something flew in the air.
Hitting the pumpkin and landing between Ryuji's open legs. The pumpkin died with a cry as it disappeared. Ryuji still shocked watched the air until finally, he shook his head. There between his legs there was a white dagger that had a hole in the middle. And on its sharp point, there was something. Keys.
"The keys!" The cat shouted making Ryuji move and pull the knife from the ground.
He threw them at the cat and looked at the dagger. It was lighter than he thought and it shined in the light. He looked back at the place the dagger had appeared. He immediately let the dagger fall and walked closer to the now free cat. Someone was there. Someone that could kill them at any moment!
"I don't feel them anymore." The cat said and Ryuji looked at it.
"Why the hell you are so calm about this!? That person just straight-up murder this guard!"
"Well first, this guard was about to kill you and that person saved you, so perhaps that person was your savior from before. Second didn't this happen in your cell? Third, they didn't murder it. This is a shadow. So, it just returned it back at its original place."
" What? " Ryuji asked dumbfounded.
"Oh yes. You don't know anything about the cognitive world."
"Cogni-what?"
"I will tell you some things so you could relax but for your information... I am Morgana." The cat said and smiled at him.
"I... I am Ryuji Sakamoto." He said feeling somewhat calmer.
Morgana smiled back at him again and then his eyes focused on the fallen dagger. Ryuji looked at it as well and pick it up.
"We are lucky."
"Lucky?" Ryuji asked. He felt the opposite of lucky.
Morgana nodded. "This dagger must belong to the person that saved you before. I feel parts of eiha power on it."
Ryuji held it tightly. So that person saved him again. Then why didn't they show their face to them? Were they afraid? Or they wanted to remain hidden? Like a hero that stayed in the darkness. Ryuji felt a warmth feeling run through him and smiled as he held the dagger closer to him, taking it with him. Someone... just saved him. Without asking for anything back. Making him feel... unique.
Making him feel worthy.
"Well, thank you whoever you are. You saved our asses there." Ryuji said at the empty space that the dagger had appeared, hoping the words to touch their mysterious savior.
"Anyhow I believe we must get going. If we stay here for too long the guards will find us easier. Let's go! Follow my lead!" Morgana said and Ryuji just looked puzzled but followed the cat.
-ooo-
"Zorro!" Morgana yelled again as Zorro appeared and with a powerful attack with garu threw their opponent down.
Winning the battle. Ryuji admitted that he felt somewhat guilty that he couldn't help Morgana but what could he do? He didn't have a persona as Morgana had said and the only thing he had on him was the dagger that he found. Not the best weapon for him to wield but he could manage.
And he wouldn't let that person that saved him down. He felt like he had woken up and was alive again. He felt like he was worth something. That he could do much more. That mysterious person did really encourage him to move forward. And he hoped to have this same energy after all this. Or when he woke up from this nightmare!
Well, maybe a dream after that event with their savior. He shook his head. Why was he thinking like that? Could he just focus on what was happening in front of him and what Morgana had told him? After the small talk they had, they left the dungeon and Morgana had explained everything to him. Ryuji had got the gist of it (still not understanding much) and he knew he would forget them all after he woke up from this dream. So he paid little attention to what Morgana said but understood what he meant.
On their way up, he noticed that many puzzles that they encountered like the Kamoshida statues were already solved. At first, he thought that the shadows had something to do with it but then he understood. Their savior had done this. Now he wondered if that person was a human like him or... anything but a shadow like Morgana as he said. Ryuji still doubted the cat but he was happy that it was by his side.
Still, did their savior leave the puzzles to help them or they just solved them to pass first? He wondered...
"Will you focus on our problem?" Morgana hissed at him as they hide behind a wall watching a shadow walk by then.
Ryuji noticed that they must have entered the place where he had first arrived... or the hall before it. He could see the exit over there but the shadows patrolling were a different problem.
"I am focused!" Ryuji whispered back angrily as he held the dagger closer to him.
"Yeah on daydreaming your precious savior." Morgana smirked at him and Ryuji lightly smacked his head.
"Ouch! Hey, stop the guard will hear us!" Morgana complained still watching the guard moving up and down.
"I am not daydreaming!"
"You are getting red! You do~ " Morgana smiled at him again.
"What the hell!? I will not be taking this from a cat!"
"I am not a cat! And admit it! You are in love with your mysterious hero!"
" Shutup! " Ryuji said louder than he wanted to.
The guard moved towards them and with a swift movement, Morgana ambushed it. Ryuji watched him as he pulled out his cutlass and cut the shadow.
"This was your plan?" Ryuji asked when he finally understood what Morgana had done.
Morgana smiled. "Well someone needed to call him here. Away from his backup. You have a louder voice. Plus it is funny seeing you get frustrated!"
Ryuji hit his leg down with frustration. " SHUTUP ! I will not take that from a cat in a dream no less."
Morgana turned to look at him stopping Ryuji from moving.
"I am not a cat... and this is real! Why do you still question it?"
"Oh, I don't know? I am talking to a cat and I am in a castle with shadows?" He commented.
Morgana stayed quiet for a while but nodded after some time. "Perhaps it is for the best. Never mind, we will enter this room. It is better to avoid the main hall as the are more guards there. Plus in that room is your freedom. Over the library, there will be a small air vent. From there you will leave this place."
Ryuji stopped and looked at Morgana. "You will not come with me?"
"As I said I am here to recover my memories and getting out of here is something that goes against it, so no."
"Dude if you stay here they will lock you up again! Come with me."
"And why should I come with you? After all, this is a dream. I will disappear."
Ryuji stopped, feeling somewhat guilty but nodded after a while. "I guess that makes sense."
With that, they walked carefully to the door and opened it. But what was inside made them stop. There in one of the tables, it was Ann.
"Ann?" Ryuji asked making her turn around.
"So you did get out of the dungeon! You are dangerous!" She yelled when she heard him backing away from him.
"No, wait. Ann! It is me Ryuji!"
"There is no use! I told you she is a cognition! She is not the real one." Morgana said at him but watched Ann with wide eyes.
"Stop you perv! If you come closer, I will kill you!" She yelled back at them stopping Ryuji in his tracks.
But this was a mistake. Ann started smiling and with a quick snap of her fingers, two guards appeared apprehending them both. Both yelped at the surprise attack and didn't manage to dodge them. With that, both of them were moved back to the main hall. Where Kamoshida was watching them with hungry eyes.
The guards still held them in place as they positioned them in front of him. That made Kamoshida smile and with a swift motion, punched Ryuji again.
"I see you escaped the dungeon Sakamoto! That is a big mistake." Kamoshida said and kicked Ryuji again.
Ryuji yelled but Kamoshida didn't stop. Only after he was satisfied he let Ryuji be. He ordered the guard to let him down and with that Ryuji hit the ground, hard. He gasped at the impact and stayed there.
"Thank you kitten. You were right when you said that he would freeze when he saw you. Good plan. I will show you my appreciation later." Kamoshida said at Ann who smiled back at him.
"Oh, I can't wait. And you trash..." She said as she approached Ryuji who was still gasping for air. She kicked him in the stomach making him gasp harder. "...it is Lady Ann ! How many times I need to remind you?" She laughed at him and walked back to Kamoshida's side.
"Well, it seems you made a friend as well. One of the thieves that I have come upon. I wonder where the other is. Never mind, right now it is punishment time!"
The guard that held Morgana moved and threw Morgana at the floor hard. Morgana yelled at the impact and Ryuji swore he heard something breaking. Morgana tried to move but the guard was stronger than him. Plus the way he looked showed that something had indeed snapped.
" Stop! Don't hurt him!" He yelled back at Kamoshida who had kneeled closer to Morgana.
" Oh is that all? What a pathetic little man you are! You were always there and just talked and talked. Like now!" Kamoshida said and stepped closer to Ryuji. "And what stopped you from talking? Me! I just did that little snap at your leg and you stopped. Should I do the other leg as well? You trash! Why don't you learn that you can't win! You always lose. Your leg, your future, your team. You are alone."
"You are wrong... I...I am not alone."
Kamoshida laughed. "Oh because you talk to them doesn't mean that they are your friends. You destroyed their future as well Ryuji! They just accept you because they are guilty of what happened to your leg."
"Wron..." Ryuji started but another kick made him stop.
"You don't understand, do you. How should I spell it to you? You can do anything. Just now, look." He pointed at Morgana who was still gasping. "Look at what you did. That's your fault." He kicked Ryuji again.
Ryuji tried to protect his head from every kick Kamoshida delivered. Kamoshida continued talking after he was done hitting Ryuji, laughing at him, humiliating him, explaining why he did what he did but Ryuji even though he listened he only felt one thing. He felt weak.
He felt so sick, so powerless, so alone. He felt tears running his eyes again but this time he let them fall. Felling defeated.
A strong sound like metal hitting the ground made him open his eyes in surprise. The sound was so insignificant to the others but to Ryuji, it felt so powerful. He looked at the source of the sound.
The dagger.
The dagger of their savior.
The one that saved them without asking anything.
Making him feel something...what?
"Are you going to let him win!?" Morgana yelled at him and Ryuji looked at him surprised at the volume.
Morgana looked so worn out but that determination in his eyes was picture clear to Ryuji's eyes. "You will let down your savior? The one that showed you that you are worth more than you think you are, Ryuji! You aren't weak at all. Show him that. Stand up for yourself! Don't let down the person that saved you!"
Ryuji felt something at his heart. Something that he didn't feel before. Something that made him yell out. He felt the headache appear and suddenly a mask appeared on his head. He heard a voice. A voice that made him finally see!
"You made me wait quite a while. You seek power, correct? Then let us form a pact. Since your name has been disgraced already, why not hoist the flag and wreak havoc...? The "other you" who exists within desires it thus...I am thou, thou art I...There is no turning back...The skull of rebellion is your flag henceforth!"
He pulled the mask feeling alive! More alive than before.
"Captain Kidd!" He yelled with a powerful voice and attacked the shadows that held Morgana.
Morgana smiled at him, looking proud at him but quickly moved next to Ryuji, ready to attack the shadows that approached them. Ryuji smiled at the bat that appeared in his hand and finally he moved. Feeling finally strong! Both fought but the shadows kept coming.
"We can't keep going. We need to retreat they are too many." Morgana yelled at him and Ryuji nodded.
"You need to heal as well!" He yelled back and ran towards the thing that saved him.
He took the dagger back to his hand and with a strong lightning attack moved the shadows giving them room to run.
"I don't have any more stamina!" Morgana yelled and Ryuji ran at him and pulled him up.
Morgana yelped but let Ryuji carry him feeling wasted from the battle. Ryuji managed to get out of the castle and found a small piece of wood. He blocked the door giving them some time to breathe. But as he turned around and started to run more shadows appeared in front of them.
"What the hell! You said that they don't appear outside the palace!" Ryuji shouted at Morgana who looked back at the shadows with horror.
"They don't! Those must be the ones that appear after the security goes at 100%. We are not strong enough to deal with them!" Morgana hissed at them.
Ryuji gulped but tried to think of a way to get away from this mess. He held his bat up showing the shadows that he wasn't afraid and was ready for anything. Suddenly black lines appeared under them, destroying them. Ryuji watched in horror as they disappeared and a sigh of relief got out of his mouth.
"Ah, so soon? The show just started!" Someone spoke and Ryuji jolted from his position.
He looked around but he didn't find anyone...until he looked up. Up there in one of the many gates, there was a shadowy figure. It had kneeled and the only thing that Ryuji could see was a white domino mask.
"Who are you?" Morgana shouted back at the figure who didn't move from its place but spoke again.
"Noone interesting. A mere thief." That voice echoed back. It was strong enough but held this mysterious aura around it.
"That’s not true. You are not a shadow or a cognition as far as I can tell." Morgana whispered.
"You sound interesting." Ryuji said without thinking but before he said anything he heard the shadow talk.
"You are interesting. That was a really cool awakening."
"Eh, me?" Ryuji pointed and he saw the mask nodding. "You watched me?"
"I did. You have a really cool rebellion side."
"Oh....um." Ryuji hadn't thought anything about the awakening but now that he thought about it he felt... happy? Proud. Alive. One thing was for sure though. He started to feel the adrenaline get away from his body.
"You did this?" Morgana asked the figure as he pointed at the place where the shadow had died.
"Did I?" The figure answered and Ryuji could hear the smirk on its face.
"Continue like that and I will claw your eyes out." Morgana shouted at the figure getting frustrated.
But shortly after Morgana started walking he fell down. He gasped at the pain and Ryuji felt himself falling down as well when he went to grab him.
"Does this answer your question?" The figure said and Ryuji saw it snap its fingers.
Suddenly he felt a familiar wave of calmness running through his body. It felt warmer than Morgana's dia. Ryuji immediately checked at his new cuts only for them to have disappeared. He stood up as he had never felt tired before and by the look that Morgana gave him that only meant one thing.
That figure was their savior.
"You are the one who saved us!" Ryuji said more enthusiastic than he wanted.
The figure didn't say anything to confirm or deny that but it was obvious what that figure was. Before Ryuji was ready to thank him, Morgana interrupted him.
"Are you a human?" Suddenly Morgana asked surprising Ryuji.
The mask moved slightly at that. "And why that question?"
"This is a healing power that can only come from a persona. Plus you used eiha both times when you saved us." He said and whispered later to himself "You seem... unique. "
"Are you intrigued?" The voice sounded flirtatious making Morgana gulped from embarrassment as he scratched his head with his paw.
"If not, then I am." The figure continued making them both look back at it.
"Both of you are special. Unique. That's why I helped you... but..." The figure continued and suddenly the voice turned cold surprising both of them. "... this little admiration goes thus far. If you interfere with what I am doing, I will not hesitate to end you as well."
Ryuji felt ready to shout at the figure (feeling betrayed in some way) only for two red eyes that appeared under the domino mask to stop him. They held a power that Ryuji hadn't felt before. It was like he was entranced by them and couldn't do anything. Still, he could fell kindness emitting from them making him relax.
That person looked so... amazing, so cool for some reason.
Suddenly Ryuji heard a door opening and he turned around only to be faced with shadows. They had managed to break the man-made lock he had made and they were coming closer to them. He took his attack position only for something to move so fast, so elegantly.
He saw someone kneeling in front of the shadows and heard a sound of cutting through the air. The person that had kneeled in front of him, let their long coat fall down to the ground and when it silently stood up from the ground the shadows in front of them disappeared into thin air. Ryuji noticed the person holding a dagger in one of their hands and he immediately understood that that man was their savior.
"Ah, what bad timing. Unfortunately, the show is over for you two. I suggest for you to run along now." The man said confidently.
Before Ryuji said that he could help him the man slightly turn his face around allowing them to see a part of the mask on his face.
"Run." He said again calmly but with a tone that didn't accept any excuse.
Just like that Ryuji took Morgana in his hand and started running. Running away and thinking that whatever happened he would come back to thank that man. He looked back one last time, only to see the man elegantly snapping his fingers and the shadows that had gather in front of him disappearing. And then he felt the reality warping around him.