章 5: Chapter 4: The Panther's Rage
(Akira's pov)
(Holy crap! We get to see his point of view finally!)
Oh, how the universe loves to mess with me! First, I get sued for assault when I was doing something I know was right! Then, I get pulled into the Metaverse and became a Phantom Thief. What did I do to deserve this? Almost everyone ignores me or is afraid of me! Well, there is Ryuji, he is in the same boat as me. Then there is Marinette. She approached me when no one else would. Not out of pity, but out of sheer kindness. I wonder what drew her to me? Was it my good looks? Or my natural charm? It probably was neither of those, but a boy can dream!
I barely met her a few days ago, but it felt like longer. She's so sweet and friendly. She told me that she grew up in a bakery in Paris, France. It sounded so lovely, but why would she want to leave? Why would she abandon a peaceful life in the city of love for a place like Japan? Maybe she needed a change in scenery? I hate not knowing! I was thinking all of this and more as I lay in my bed in LaBlanc Cafe's attic. Morgana lay on my chest, purring slightly. There was also that thing with Ann. She is pretty, but Kamoshida should really back off. She is also a minor, and that is ten times as creepy. I really hope he doesn't go after Marinette. Why does my mind always go back to her?
Mari was very extraordinary, there's no denying that. But how is she extraordinary? Was it her looks? Her personality? Why am I so hung up about this? Maybe I do need to go to sleep. I have school tomorrow, and I need to rest. As I fell into unconsciousness, I remembered the look Mari gave me when she offered the seat in front of her. I will never forget that smile. Yet I wonder... What had hurt her so much that she would feel inclined to protect her friends so ferociously?
(Time skip! Brought to you by Morgana telling Akira to go to sleep!)
The day began as it usually would, with Ryuji and Mari greeting me at the gates. We talked and smiled as we made our way to our classes. I was looking forward to the end of the day, where the Phantom Thieves can truly shine! But something just had to happen! We were just sitting in class, listening to the teacher. Then there were the sounds of screams and shouts. Mari and I exchanged looks, what was going on? Then, we heard someone shouting about a girl jumping. Mari looked panicked, but Ann lept out of her seat and ran into the hallway outside. Mari and I followed, both curious and panicked.
Mari and I poked our heads through the crowd, only to see a body fall past it. Mari screamed and ran to the courtyard dragging Ryuji and me with her. Also, Ryuji was in the same hallway as us. Ann also booked it to the court because, apparently, the girl who jumped was her best friend, Shiho. An ambulance was called, we saw Shiho being loaded up. Ann was talking to her, she was crying. Shiho was then loaded into the ambulance and driven to the hospital. I looked over at Mari, tears were coming out of her eyes. Ryuji, who was beside her as well, looked angry.
"Kamoshida..." He growled.
"What did that bastard do to that girl?!" Mari was too shocked for words. Then, without warning, Ryuji ran full speed to Kamoshida's office. I ran after him, hoping to stop him before he does anything stupid.
(Mari's pov)
I... I couldn't believe it... A girl just attempted suicide... I recognized the girl as one of the volleyball team members. Did Kamoshida do something to the girl? I saw a blonde girl with pigtails talk to the girl. I recognized her as Ann Takamaki, the girl who sat in front of Akira. I barely registered Ryuji's anger or him running off with Akira and another boy on his tail. I saw Ann fall to her knees, sobbing. I walked towards her and gently grabbed her shoulder. She looked up at me with red eyes.
"Hey..." I whispered gently.
"Come on, we need to get back to class," She nodded. I helped her up and walked her back to class. She quietly cried all the way back to the classroom.
I did my best to comfort the girl, but I was a bit in shock myself. Did my classmates have a similar reaction to my "suicide"? Did they break down crying? I mentally shook myself, they probably didn't care at all! I just need to focus on Ann. She needs my full attention, I don't need my past to bother me at a time like this! I wonder where Ryuji and Akira went? I hope they didn't do anything reckless!
(Time skip! Brought to you by Felix and Adrien trying to hold a murderous Bridgette back while Lila cowers in a corner!)
I should have known! Ryuji is too reckless! Why did he do that? I stood in shock at my two friends, who just told me that they were probably gonna get expelled because they talked smack to Kamoshida.
"Oh, great! Just great!" I said, plopping down onto a nearby bench.
"Well, looks like we have to speed things up!" Morgana said, jumping out of Akira's bag and onto a table.
"No, kidding," Ryuji said.
"What's going on?" A voice asked. We all whipped around, and Morgana dove under the table. Ann Takamaki walked into view with a curious look on her face.
"What do you want?" Ryuji asked.
"Hey, Ann-chan!" I greeted.
"Mari-chan? What are you doing with these guys?" Ann asked.
"They're good company, despite their looks and the rumors," I answered.
"Seriously, Takamaki, what do you want?" Ryuji asked with impatience.
"I heard you guys talking, you're planning to take down Kamoshida, aren't you?" She said. I raised my eyebrows with surprise, and Ryuji stiffed slightly. Akira maintained his poker face and said:
"And if we are?"
"I want in," Ann responded.
"Wait, what?" Ryuji spluttered.
"I want revenge for Shiho, she was my best friend!" Ann said with tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Ryuji looked like he was gonna say something, but I cut him off.
"I don't see why not!" The three looked at me in surprise.
"Are you being serious, Mari-san?" Ryuji asked.
"I am being serious, Ryuji-kun. Why shouldn't she join us?" I answered.
"Akira-san, What's do you think we should do?" Ryuji asked with a sigh.
Akira looked to Ryuji, then to Ann, Then to me. He sighed and asked Ann:
"Are you sure you want to do this, Ann?"
"Yes, Kamoshida needs to pay for what he has done!" Ann answered. Akira nodded and looked at me.
"Well, let's show her," he said. Ryuji looked indigent but knew better than to argue. We then took Ann Takamaki to the Metaverse.
(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's writer's block!)
"How did you let her be captured?" I asked the blonde with anger in my eyes.
"I don't know! A guard surprised us, and Ann got dragged away in the chaos!" Skull responded. Joker sighed,
"Well, we need to get her back. Who knows what'll happen to the girl." Morgana looked indignant.
"You are such an idiot skull!" He scolded.
"Muzzle it, Morgana! We have a girl to save!" I say, picking up the cat. We followed the sound of Ann's shouts, that girl can really yell. We found her in a room with Kamoshida, some guards, and Shadow Ann.
Ann was tied to a wooden X with her arms tied above her head. I wanted to puke, I wanted to kill the disgusting man in front of me. He definitely was the manifestation of everything I hated. The way he was talking to Ann made me want to kill him even more. He said she was the reason Shiho jumped, he said it was all her fault. Joker must have sensed my growing anger because he grabbed my hand and squeezed it in a warning. I looked at him, the furry in my eyes still burning like a bonfire. His eyes said:
"Mari-san, wait for it. I have a feeling Ann-san won't take this lying down." Then, I heard Ann. She told Kamoshida to shut up and that he made her sick. She also called him a few names that I had to give her props for.
Her eyes then turned a bright yellow color. She started to scream and writhe with agony. I recognized what was happening, she was awakening her persona! Joker told me that I did something similar when I awoke Joan. When Ann finally settled down, a red mask that resembled a cat face appeared on her face. She broke her restraints and ripped off her mask. Light blue light filled the room. When it all settled, Ann wore a red jumpsuit and a defiant expression. Her persona was fem-fetal incarnate, lovely, but I could tell that it could do some severe damage. Ann charged at a guard, kicked the sword out of his hands, caught it, and sliced shadow Ann in half.
From that day on, Ann Takamaki became a member of the Phantom Thieves. She was the panther that finally bore her claws and roared.
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