Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This story is a work of erotic fiction.

Similarities between characters or events to persons living or dead in your world are purely coincidental. No people depicted are below the age of eighteen. Only those who have agreed to the above have the privilege of partaking in this tale.

The contract has been sealed.

The world is not as it should be. It’s filled with distortion, and “ruin” can no longer be avoided.

Those who oppose fate and desire change… From time to time, they were referred to as Tricksters.

This is the story of one such Trickster… And his rise against the abyss of distortion.

* * *

Sitting against an unnatural dark purple sky, a colossal casino sat with its vibrant majesty and garish neon lights completely overshadowing the surrounding city. Inside it’s patrons began to panic as an alarm began to blare out and flashes of a lightning fast figure darted across the large hanging lights of the main floor, his bare pale skin his only discernible feature, almost like a ghostly phantom against a night sky.

Pushing their way into the crowd below, three agents dressed in black suits began searching frantically for a way to reach him but his movements proved far too elusive to pin down, all until he did something rather unexpected. Stopping atop a large chandelier in the centre of the room, he stood boldly still with a grin on his cocky face looking directly down at the agents.

"Up here. Want me to slow down for you?"

As many of the patrons and agents looked up at him in awe they were quick to realize he was almost completely naked. Dressed in only a white opera style mask, red gloves, a black holster and belt around his waist, and a pair of simple black boots, his pale athletic body was overwise fully exposed. The moonlight seeping in from the large glass ceiling behind him revealed his figure in all its glory. The man had a medium height build, and was fairly muscular with abs leading many curious eyes down to a moderately sized flaccid penis hanging freely between his legs. His uncut pale member stood out pretty explicitly amongst a bush of black hair almost as wild as the frizzy raven mess on his head. Despite his nudity, the man showed no signs of embarrassment, and instead those who gazed into his dark eyes would see the unmistakable look of somebody who was definitely fucking with them.

As the agents began to move in, the naked phantom jumped down from his perch to a nearby row of large ornaments held afloat by wires. One by one he leapt between them, his cock swinging freely with each impressive leap.

Suddenly a series of feminine voices began to crackle into his ear, from seemingly out of thin air, no radio in sight.

“Good. Now get running!”

“This is our only chance!”

“Stay calm! You can get away now!” 

“We’ll retrieve the briefcase on our end.” 

“...suspects…not…confirmed…hold…your…positions…”

“Hm…? What was that…?”

“Don’t worry about us. Just concentrate on getting away!”

Continuing his quick and graceful movements, the nude masked man jumped from platform to platform above the crowded casino floor, making his way towards a previously located exit point, whilst the radio chatter continued.

“But I have to say, showing yourself off to that crowd earlier was an excellent move! Nice work as always Joker.”

“He just likes showing off.”

“Still, I bet Skull wouldn’t pull it off that smoothly.” 

“This happens because you have no sense for aesthetics.” added the first male sounding voice speaking in a slightly eccentric accent.

Another much brasher sounding man quickly responded, “Nobody asked you, Inari!”

A sudden shout from just ahead of him disrupted Joker's concentration on the conversation, as three more agents burst forth from a side door on the balcony before him.

“There he is!”

“Just run! Get out of there!”

Doing an impressive U-turn manoeuvre, it didn’t take long for him to start leaping again in a new direction, quickly trying to work out a new route to his objective.

“Okay, the enemy’s focus is on Joker. Looks like the rest of us can slip away.”

“Everyone remember where we’re meeting up?” chimed in a new voice, this one feminine and filled with elegance.

“No worries, I can guide you all.”

As the man finally got down from the platforms above the casino floor and onto the landing of a set of stairs, another set of agents ambushed him from all sides, their forms beginning to writhe violently before transforming into something else entirely…

Though they remained humanoids in suits, their skin turned pitch black and garish masks matching the casino’s neon aesthetics appeared upon their faces. Hunched over and seemingly dripping some sort of strange red and black goop, they began to close in around the naked man, however instead of panicking he took a deep breath before another smile formed upon his face. 

“Take em down Joker!”

As if he’d done it a thousand times before the raven haired man leapt up into the air, landing on one of the agents shoulders as he tore away its mask. In an explosion of the same red and black liquid from before it transformed for a second time, though now taking a much more inhuman form that towered above him. The creature was a bizarre amalgamation of machine parts topped off by what appeared to be a dark grey humanoid torso with the head of a bull.

Tearing his own mask from his face, Joker gestured forwards at the creature as a burst of blue flames washed over him and another monster emerged from his back, this one more spectral and seemingly under his own control. Raising its hand to mimic his master, the nude man's creature fired fourth a burst of red magic at his foe.

“Nudesona!”

“Everyone else head to your positions! Use route B!”

As the man and the monster did battle, magic continued to fly with him occasionally managing to get in dexterous jabs with a nasty looking knife. Soon the other two agents pursuing him arrived, also assuming new forms, the battle seemed to have become rather one sided but still the man did not panic. Expertly dodging each attack and taking the pistol from his holster, one by one with the help of the power he called Nudesona he dispatched his opponents.

“Good. You defeated them with ease!”

“Joker behind you, You can get out through that door.”

Turning to find a maintenance door, just as his navigator had told him, the man wasted no time in charging through into what appeared to be some sort of backroom/staff only portion of the building.

“What the- I’m getting a weird reading heading your way! C’mon, run!”

Almost blending into the shadows entirely with some sort of unnatural power the nude phantom snuck past a series of agents and guards with ease, silently leaping from cover to cover.

“Hehe, look at that cock jiggle!”

“Quiet! The last thing he needs is your silly comments giving him away…”

“I don’t know how he does it with that thing between his legs.”

“Ugh…”

In no time at all Joker had once again eluded the detection of his pursuers, and after overhearing an agent radioing in that they’d lost him he continued on towards his destination. Firing a grappling hook from a device in his glove he swung his way up to a metal grate, climbing into what appeared to be some sort of storage room.

“Joker-stop! There’s an enemy right near you!”

In an instant he found himself surrounded as at least seven more of the strange monsters he fought earlier emerged from the ground, completely encircling him.

“Even you can’t take on this many-”

“Huh!? Joker! That weird reading from earlier closing in on you too!”

As the man surveyed his surroundings, calculating his next move, sudden footsteps drew his attention to the other side of the room. Calmly approaching them was another masked individual, this time a woman with long crimson hair tied back in a ponytail. The sound of her black thigh high boots echoed across the storage room with each pronounced step, and though her face was covered by a black and silver mask, Joker recognised her almost immediately.

As she grew closer even the monsters turned to watch as she drew a rapier from one of the very few pieces of clothing on her body, a thin black belt tied around her slender waist, adorned with a silver rose. Confidently pointing the weapon at her fellow masked nudist, she began to speak in a confidant tone.

“I’ll end this right now.”

“Joker, it’s her! She’s the weird reading I’ve been getting!”

Before anyone could move she dexterously launched the rapier right towards Joker, the man hardly having the time to flinch before it made contact with its target, fortunately not to be him but the monster standing right behind him. The sudden strike was enough to fell the creature in an instant, the vile thing stumbling back as red and black gunk spilled from its body.

As the other monsters began to charge towards the new threat, the woman cartwheeled backwards with all the grace of an esteemed acrobat, her small pert breasts jiggling with each elegant movement. The short waisted, open black jacket she wore did nothing to cover the front of her naked torso allowing Joker to appreciate her movements in their entirety as the creatures lunged at her. The red head seemed nigh untouchable as she expertly manoeuvred the battlefield before drawing a lever action rifle and blasting two more of the shadowy monsters away as she spun through the air.

"The enemy readings have decreased?”

“That’s…”

Finishing her extravagant showcase, the woman once more began to approach the naked man as the remaining monsters started to re-group behind her. Joker could now clearly see each part of her exposed body as it glistened with a slight sheen of sweat. She was slender, lacking much in the way of curves but far from unattractive thanks to the way the great effort she put into her fitness highlighted her athleticism. She made no effort to hide her tits as she strode forward with confidence, each of the petite mounds topped with surprisingly large cute pink puffy nipples and although he didn’t want to leer at his apparent saviour, Joker couldn’t help but take a quick glance downwards at her vulva. Her womanhood was fully exposed beneath her belt as she had trimmed her crimson pubic hair into a neat little landing strip. Though her cheeks were already slightly flush, Joker swore they grew a slight shade deeper as her own eyes briefly darted down towards his twitching cock.

“My weak self relied on you so much. That ends today.”

Picking up the rapier from the ground behind him whilst taking care not to show off to much, she stylishly flourishing the blade as she swerved around into a fighting stance beside him, looking onward to their foes.

"Let’s do this, Senpai!”

“It’s been a while since we last fought side-by-side. But this time, it’s my turn to come to your aid. Now let’s win this!”

Tearing off her mask, the crimson haired woman conjured forth a similar monster to that which Joker had previously, and with their powers combined their enemies didn’t stand a chance. The combination of their strange powers, magic and agile weapon attacks made short work of the remaining shadows.

“I think.. That’s the last of them?”

Now sensing that the danger was gone, this new mysterious girl sheathed her weapon before hastily covering her breasts and vagina with her hands, the blush on her cheeks growing a much deeper shade of red.

“Now the adrenaline’s wearing off… I have no idea how you can move around so confidently like this Senpai…”

“I genuinely have no clue what just happened, but I take it you’re okay?”

“Wait-bad news! Enemy backup’s headed your way! You need to book it, right now!

“Please go. I’m going to make it harder for them to track you down.”

“... You still have something you need to do as a Nudist Thief, right?”

The naked phantom gave a sincere nod before the woman turned back towards the door in an attempt to hide herself, inadvertently giving him a great view of her bare behind.

“Then I won’t stop you. Since I'm not a member of the Nudist Thieves, I’m in no position to interfere.”

Leaping up onto a nearby vent she gave him a friendly smile.

“However… please don’t forget the promise we made, okay?”

“Joker, you need to get outta there! Go go go!”

With a few more quick movements and close encounters he rushed onwards. Just a few more steps and he’d be at the exit and they could call this a mission success. Bursting through the door however, the raven haired man found himself on a balcony overlooking the large front hall of the casino. A packed gambling floor and a huge colourful window still remained between him and his freedom.

“Something wrong? The exit should be up ahead.”

“Through there?”

“That’s just how it is, after that commotion the bottom floors just-”

“-completely closed off. Hey, can you make it!?”

Another smirk crossed his face as he formulated his plan. With guards and agents rapidly closing in he leapt over the balcony firing his grappling hook at a large hanging light above him. With an impressive show of acrobatics, Joker launched himself across the hall, soaring gracefully through the air. He felt a familiar warm sensation as he sensed all the eyes below staring up at his naked body. It was no secret to either himself or his comrades that his activities as a Nudist Thief had turned him into somewhat of an exhibitionist.

“See ya!” Was all the witty remark he could get out before he crashed through the window, shards of glass admittedly hurting him a fair bit but thanks to his power causing no serious injuries.

“What a show-off.”

“You’re so reckless. You know that?”

With a deft roll he hit the ground, hardly feeling a thing. Okay that was a lie it hurt quite a bit but why ruin his performance now.

Pulling himself up to his feet, he didn’t have long to celebrate before finding himself blasted with lights from all directions. Dozens and dozens of police forces, including riot troops armed with ballistic shields and firearms had managed to surrounded him.

“Enemies here?”

“What’s wrong!?”

“These readings… It can’t be!”

“What happened!?”

“An ambush!?”

“Joker, can you handle this!?”

“Joker!”

Wasting no time in making a desperate dart for a nearby ladder he deftly attempted to make his escape however as he reached the summit he felt the cold prod of a gun pressed right into his face. Everything went black as he was hit with the but of a rifle and fell back down into the sea of police below.

Through hazy vision he looked up to see a human agent looming over him.

“Didn’t expect to find some kid. You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out.”

“Suspect confirmed, cuff him!”

* * *

An undistinguishable amount of time had passed since Joker had been captured, all he could remember from his time with the police was taking mugshots, being beaten and a whole lot of very illegal drugs being forced into his system.

“Guess that stuff was too strong… Wake him up!”

With a splash of freezing cold water he began to properly regain some consciousness. Shaking awareness back into himself he slowly gathered his thoughts and looked around the cold dark room he’d ended up in.

If he had to guess this was one of the police interrogation rooms. He was currently strapped completely naked to a steel chair in the corner, a camera watching over him intently as well as three Japanese looking men in suits.

“No dozing off!”

For a moment he tried to rip his hands free of their bindings but he had little success. It seemed the powers he usually had in that place were gone…

“You still don’t get it, do you? Give it up!”

With a swift kick to his chest he fell back in his chair across the floor. Pain like nothing he’d ever felt before shot through his body causing him to cry out and lose control of his bladder, humiliation bubbling up along with the plethora of other mind-wrenching emotions swirling around in his head. Just what exactly had they dosed him with?

“Disgusting. Get a grip already will you?”

As the shock slowly began to wear away his body finished relieving itself as he did his best to steel his resolve. Another abrupt bucket of freezing water provided the final piece of distraction he needed from the aches of his bruises to finally make eye contact with his assailant, likely the leader of his irrigators.

“Come on, cooperate. Or what, you want another shot?”

Beginning to trample his head with his foot, the well dressed man noticed Joker's eyes darting over to the nearby security camera.

“Huh? What about it? Are you thinking it can be used as video evidence?”

Grabbing his hair and pulling the raven haired prisoner up to look him in the eyes, anger filled the agent's expression as he noticed a faint cocky smile forming on his face.

“Gotta hit me harder than that daddy.”

Throwing him back to the ground the man scowled before kicking him again.

“Fucking degenerate. You think you're funny!? Didn’t you hear my question? Answer!”

Stepping away, he took a clipboard from one of his peers and began looking over it.

“Indecent exposure, blackmail, defamation, possession of weapons… Manslaughter too, yeah? Talk about the works. To think that all those crimes were led by a punk like this. And you seemed to be enjoying every second of it… Huh?”

Though he tried to remember, Joker couldn’t piece together his thoughts well enough to figure out what he was talking about. The drugs had simply made everything far too hazy.

“...You should know your place.”

Another suited man roughly removed his bindings before the interrogation lead thrust his clipboard into his face.

“Sign here. It’s a confession under your name.”

Slapping the board from his tormentor's hands Joker was swiftly beaten once more.

“I need your hand to sign this, but I don’t care if you end up losing a leg. Don’t expect to walk out of here in one piece. We are going to make you understand. One must take full responsibility for their actions…”

Not wanting to further antagonize the man, this time he took the pen and signed his name.

Ren Amamiya.

Meanwhile outside the room, a well dressed young woman with long silver hair and elegant makeup approached the door, quickly finding herself stopped by the guards.

“Excuse me, but this area’s off-”

“I’m Nijima from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.”

“The Prosecutor’s Office? What business do you have here?”

“Just let me through; it’s urgent. There’s something I need to confirm with the suspect.”

“Niijima-san, I believe this case is no longer in your jurisdiction.”

“Besides-”

Another, older looking police detective cut the guard off as he walked up behind Niijima.

“Are you Prosecutor Sae Niijima? I just got off the phone with your director. Hurry and get it over with. To be frank, you’re being an inconvenience.”

Niijima’s phone buzzed in response, and as she held it up to her ear the familiar unpleasant voice of her boss at the SIU filled her ear with a sigh.

“I thought I ordered you to stand by.”

“I’m responsible for this case, yet I’m not even being allowed an interrogation!?”

Now she was getting angry. This whole case had been a pain from the start, and it had only gotten worse as seemingly the entirety of Japan wanted to get involved.

“I’m calling because I knew you’d bring it up.”

“I will not be convinced unless I confirm it for myself. This is MY case.”

Another sigh from her boss soon followed.

“Good luck to you then. I won’t be expecting much though…”

Hanging up and putting the phone back in her pocket, she finally prepared herself to enter before the older detective spoke up once again.

“Ah, Prosecutor. I forgot to mention something important. Your time will be cut short. We can’t permit you to talk with him for long. It’s for your own sake. His methods are unknown. After all, we don’t even know if it’s safe to simply meet and speak with him.”

“...I understand.”

Entering the room she let out a slight gasp at the sight of the naked, bruised and beaten man before her. Taking a seat in front of him at a cold steel table, her eyes glistened with a hint of pity and a slight blush crept up on her face..

“... I didn’t expect it’d be you.”

She recognised him, though Ren couldn't say the same.

“You’ll be answering my questions this time.”

Looking over at the drug needles, still littering the ground she scoffed.

“Those bastards… Can you hear me? It seems you’ve been through a lot. Almost anything can happen here… And I can’t stop them. That’s why I need you to answer me honestly. I don’t have much time either.”

Taking off her blaze, the smartly dressed woman placed it over his shoulders to provide a modicum of modesty, and more importantly warmth as she continued to probe. The black turtleneck she wore beneath hugged her buxom figure rather tightly.

“What was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident? Why are you all naked? I didn’t think it was a prank from the get-go, but I couldn’t assemble a case for prosecution. It’s because I couldn’t figure out the method behind it.”

“Of course you couldn’t…”

“True. There’s no way I could be convinced of such a… “world” just by reading the reports. It seems you’re coherent. When and where did you find out about that world? How is it even possible to steal another’s heart? Now, tell me your account of everything. Start from the very beginning.”

As Ren tried to focus he felt a sharp pain in his head. He blinked and when his eyes opened he was alone in a void, a beautiful blue butterfly floating by him.

“...You are held captive.”

A soft and strangely familiar feminine voice began speaking in his ear.

“A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game… Your chances of winning are almost none. But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you… I beg you. Please overcome this game… and save the world…”

“The key to victory lies within the memories of your bonds-the truth that you and your friends grasped. It all began that day… When the game was started half a year ago… For the sake of your world’s future… as well as your own… you must remember…”

* * *

Chapter Text

* 9/4/20XX Afternoon *

Seven months earlier…

“Ladies and gentleman, thank you for riding with us today. We will be arriving at Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop for this line. Please transfer here for all subway lines.”

Ren Amayima sat alone on a crowded train, his thoughts deeply clouded by the situation he’d gotten himself into. Mere weeks ago he was enjoying the start to his year with his family in the small rural town of Iniba. Aside from a bizarre string of murderers a decade or so ago nothing ever happened there, and he’d lived a quiet peaceful life never getting into any trouble aside from the occasional scolding for his sometimes overly witty attitude. Little did he know back then, all it would take was one night to ruin his perfectly peaceful existence.

After staying out late one evening he saw a man trying to force himself on a woman in the street. He’d never thought himself the heroic type but there was no way he could overlook something so blatant. It barely took any force at all to get the man off her, his breath stunk of alcohol and he practically fell over on his own but when the cops arrived they all treated HIM as if HE was the true criminal. He couldn’t even get a word in before being whisked away by the police.

His sentence for his supposed assault, a year's probation in Tokyo, leading him to his current trip aboard a busy train to Shibuya.

“What? Are you for real? A mental shutdown?”

His quiet contemplation was abruptly interrupted by two high schoolers loudly gossiping nearby.

“It’s the truth!”

“To a person though? That’s gotta be a joke. You really love all that occult stuff, don’t you? Why don't we talk a bout a real rumour like that streaker they caught the other day."

"You man that naked guy on the news? He was kinda hot right? It's a shame it was all blurred."

"Haha, you perv."

Zoning back out it wasn't long until Ren arrived at his final stop.

After finally leaving the train and doing his best to navigate himself through the unfamiliar busy streets of Shibuya with only the map on his phone to guide him, he found himself thinking back to what the girls were saying. Mental shutdowns, a trendy term used to try and tie together a recent chain of tragic accidents. He didn't know the details himself but it was all over the internet when he had done some brief research on the area he was going to be staying in.

Looking up from his phone at the hundreds of people manoeuvring their way across the famed Shibuya crossing he felt uneasy. This was far from what he was used to in the quiet streets of his home town. Whilst visiting Tokyo was always on his bucket list he would have much preferred to do it with some friends under much less forced circumstances…

A sudden ping brought his attention back down to his phone screen. Overlaying the map was a strange unfamiliar icon, a red box with what appeared to be some sort of eye drawn over it in black.

How did that get there? A glitch?

Before he knew it the strange symbol grew to encompass the majority of the screen, agitatedly tapping it in an attempt to regain control of the device, his jaw dropped as he looked up at something truly unthinkable happening.

Time itself around him was beginning to slow as the busy loud streets came to an eerie halt. Was he having some sort of panic attack? Were the busy city streets more than he could handle or was he simply just going crazy?

Doing his best to remain calm, he looked around for answers but nothing he saw explained what was going on. Everyone and everything around him was completely frozen in time.

Is this it? A mental shutdown?

The emergence of a sudden blue plume of flames brought his gaze back to the centre of the crossing as the unnatural fire bellowed, growing larger by the second. Eventually it started to take a new form, that of a humanoid creature with wings sprouting from it's lower back. More traditional orange flames took the shape of the figure's eyes and a wide menacing grin that stretched across its entire face. The strange phenomenon was short lived however, as Ren could hardly blink before it started to fade away, leaving in its place an equally eerie sight.

Despite rubbing his eyes in disbelief, as if looking in a mirror, standing before him where the fiery monster once stood was an exact copy of himself. His duplicate’s expression retained that same menacing grin and its eyes burned a bright yellow instead of his usual dark grey. Continuing to inspect the copy, his eyes moved further down and shockingly realized it was also completely naked. Not one part of this double’s bare body was covered. More blue flames began to erupt and envelope his double, causing it's scruffy head of raven hair and freely hanging cock to bellow in some unseen wind.

What the fuck is going on?!

Before he could think a single other thought, all of it vanished completely and time suddenly resumed, every other person continuing on with their day as if nothing had happened at all. The only evidence that what he’d just seen was more than some sort of hallucination was the simple fact the strange icon remained on his phone.

Gathering his thoughts and continuing to awkwardly look around like a lost man on drugs, Ren took a deep breath and tried to ease his mind. He didn’t have time for these delusions. One false step now and he was off to juvie. Chalking his exhibitionist copy up to a lack of good sleep and nerves he dragged the strange app icon into his phone’s recycle bin and continued on with his journey. He still had to find the platform for Yongen-Jaya after all.

One more train ride later and he was almost at his destination, the residence of one Sojiro Sakura, a supposed friend of a friend of his mothers who volunteered to take care of him during his probation. The one problem was, aside from being in the back streets, he didn’t exactly know where around here the man actually lived…

After a little bit of help from a local policeman he finally found the place but after ringing the doorbell nobody answered. Ren sat there for a moment, cursing under his breath. This whole thing was really starting to chip away at his usually calm and collected demeanour. It was the voice of a nearby delivery woman speaking aloud to herself that finally gave him the break he so desperately needed.

Strolling up to the door, the dark haired woman took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow and re-adjust her cap, however what Ren was certain was not a part of her standard dress code was the fully unbuttoned short sleeve blue shirt which she left completely open, exposing her naked chest. Unable to avoid a quick glance, his eyes darted down from her cute round face to her modest breasts, gently bouncing up and down with each step. Her brown nipples stood fully to attention and she made no effort to cover herself at all. Holding a large package at belly height, the topless woman gave him a polite smile as she continued towards the door of the house. It was as if she didn’t even realize she was exposed at all.

Ren had heard of freeing the nipple before but weren't there public decency laws that prevented this sort of thing? In any case he was certainly not complaining about her choice of dress, just very surprised and quite confused.

“Looks like no one’s home… Oh yeah.. Sakura-san’s usually at his café around this time.”

“Well, Leblanc’s in the back alley, so I should make my other deliveries first… Mmm, next I need to take this package to…”

Forcing himself to stop looking at the semi-naked woman casually strolling around in public he decided to make a move to try and find this café before he somehow got in more trouble. His day was already strange enough and the last thing he wanted was for this to be somehow spined into a sexual assault case. Without too much effort he eventually found the café the delivery woman spoke of. A quiet looking establishment that he’d describe as cosy in scale. The glass front door and smell of fresh coffee was an inviting way of making an introduction, and above it all sat a simple sign. Coffee and Curry, Leblanc.

Leblanc huh. Wonder what it means.

When he entered he saw a couple of older folks sitting in a booth, the current sole patrons of the place who seemed to be occupied by the news reading on the tv.

“A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it! The citizens can’t live in peace if this keeps up.”

“How frightening.”

“What could be going on? Didn’t something similar happen just the other day?”

The older man in an apron who Ren assumed to be the store's manager, and very like the Sojiro Sakura he was looking for sat at the counter, unbothered by the announcement, his attention fully occupied by the crossword in his hands.

“And down is… The name of a shellfish used in pearl farming…”

Noticing the bell signalling somebody had entered his store, he begrudgingly looked up from his paper and gave him a once over.

“...Oh, right. They did say that was today.”

The old couple chose this moment to take their leave, slowly getting up from the booth and shuffling towards the door.

“We’ll be going now. The payment’s on the table.”

“Thanks for coming.”

“This place is in the back alley, so there’s no worries of a car crashing in here.”

“A what now?”

“There’s been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that none happen around here.”

“It’s none of my concern.”

“Well, we’ll see you next time.”

Ren was now left alone in the store with the vaguely disgruntled looking man. Beneath his black apron he wore a bright pink shirt, and his thinning black hair was neatly slicked back. A pair of reading glasses sat upon his face, not too dissimilar to his own and he had a scruffy goatee which extended back across his jaw and met all the way up with his sideburns. Letting out a sigh he ran a hand back over his hair.

“...Four hours for just a single cup of joe... So, you’re Ren?”

“Please take care of me.”

“...Uh-huh.”

“I’m Sojiro Sakura. You’ll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you’re the one, huh?”

“Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and- Well, not that that matters… Follow me.”

The older man led him back further into the shop and up a flight of stairs into what he could only assume was some sort of attic storeroom that hadn’t been set foot in for years. Dust and cobwebs lined the floor and various boxes, junk and other miscellaneous clutter coated the few pieces of furniture that occupied the room.

“This is your room. I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed.”

“Hm? You look like you wanna say something.”

“It’s… Big.”

“It’s on you to clean up the rest. I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day. You’ll be alone at night, but don’t do anything stupid. I’ll throw you out if you cause any trouble.”

“Now then… I got the gist of your situation. You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you. Right? That’s what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah? And now that you’ve got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school.”

“The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass.”

“It’s best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted.”

“A whole year…”

“Cause any problems, and you’ll be sent straight to juvie.”

“We’ll be going to Shujin tomorrow.”

“Shujin?”

“Shujin Academy-the school you’ll be attending. We’ll introduce ourselves properly to the staff there. There’s rarely a place that’ll accept someone like you, you know.”

“What a waste of my Sunday…”

“Your “luggage” arrived a little while ago. I brought it up here for you.”

After that Sojiro simply left, presumably to go back and man his empty store, leaving Ren to go through his stuff alone. He quickly realized if he wanted any hope of unpacking first he’d have to clean up a little. Certainly a task easier said than done with the state of the attic room he’d so kindly been given.

* 9/4/20XX Evening *

Getting the place into a halfway liveable state turned out to take the better part of four or five hours, and by the time Ren had thrown in the towel for the day it was well into the evening. After finally taking a moment to sit down on his makeshift bed, a mattress resting atop a set of upside down crates, Sojiro returned to investigate what his new ward had spent all this time doing.

“What the hell? I heard you making all sorts of noise up here but I didn’t think you were cleaning.”

Taking a moment to look around at the raven haired boy's handy work, he was unable to stop a genuine smile creeping across his face.

“Actually, the place doesn’t look too bad. Though it’s only natural you’d want to keep your room tidy. Why don’t you go to bed for tonight? You don’t have anything better to be doing, right?”

“I’m going to close up shop and get out of here myself. I won’t be the one looking after you if you get sick from staying up too late, you got that?”

Once more, his new guardian made his exit, and though Ren hated to admit it, Sojiro was right. He couldn’t bear to do any more cleaning and he really didn’t have anything better to do than collect his thoughts and hit the hay. Stripping out of his clothes and laying back across his bed he looked up at the old wooden rafters that covered the ceiling of the dusty attic he’d be calling home for the next year.

Arrest… Trial…

Criminal Record…

That day… I ended up going home late…

“Just get in the car!”

“Stop it!”

I could hear a man and a woman arguing in the distance…

“How dare you cross me!”

“Stop it! Let me go!”

A drunken man was groping a woman doing her best to struggle free…

“No!”

“Don’t give me that shit…”

“Ow! P-Please stop…!”

She was in danger… Was I supposed to just walk by?...

“Tch… What a waste of time. You think you’re worth causing me trouble? Huh?”

“I-I’ll call the police!”

“Heh, call them if you want! The police are my bitches. They’re not gonna take you seriously.”

“No… Stop!”

Their struggle was interrupted by police sirens in the distance.

“Someone called the cops, huh?”

“Get in the car! Incompetent fools like you just need to shut your mouths and follow me where I steer this country!”

That was when he noticed me. Just as I started to approach them.

“…What’re you looking at? Get outta my face! This ain’t a show. Get lost, kid.”

“And you! Get in the fucking car!”

I couldn’t just let him take her… I had to do what I did.

“Damn brat… I’ll sue!”

Ren played through the scenario that got him arrested again and again in his mind, searching for an answer as to what he should have done, but he always came back to the same conclusion. What he did was right.

Eventually a notification from his phone brought him back to reality. Picking it up and investigating it seemed the strange app from back at the crossing had somehow returned to his phone.

I thought I deleted it…

Once more, he removed the app and finally closed his eyes. Perhaps tonight he’d finally be able to get some proper sleep and put a stop to these illusions.

* * *

When Ren next opened his eyes he was not greeted by the old creaking rafters of Leblanc’s attic, instead what he saw was deep blue velvet padded walls extending much higher than the structure of the room he went to sleep in. Metal chains hung from the ceiling way above his suddenly much less comfortable bed and a quick survey around the now cramped space revealed he had found himself in some sort of prison cell. To top it all off his hands were bound tight in uncomfortable metal cuffs which left him very little room to manoeuvre his arms.

One factor that remained the same however, was his state of dress. Ren had always been a naked sleeper and despite his new environment the heat drove him to continue his habit that evening, a decision he now came to thoroughly regret as the sudden chill temperature sent a shiver down his spine. When he finally decided to sit up a sudden chuckle startled him, drawing his attention over to the one non-padded, barred wall of the cell.

Peering in at him was a pair of twins, two short women with light blonde hair, one styled with braids, the other buns. The girls were dressed in extravagant blue warden outfits, each with a matching hat and eyepatch depicting an embellished golden V. Their non covered eyes glowed an unnatural yellow, not too dissimilar to that of his double from his earlier hallucination and Something about the way one smiled whilst the other frowned made him feel deeply uneasy.

Quickly getting to his feet he did his best to preserve his modesty with his hands, however thanks to the restraints that bound him, the best he could manage still left the head of his cock to the base of his balls exposed. His feeling of vulnerability only became worse when he heard a third much deeper, ominous, and masculine sounding voice from further beyond his cell.

“Trickster… Welcome to my Velvet Room.”

In an attempt to gain a visual on whoever was speaking he apprehensively moved closer to the bars, the twin wardens parting so as to not obstruct his view of an incredibly peculiar looking man dressed in a black suit, sitting behind a large desk facing his cell. Aside from grey unkempt locks flowing from around the sides and back of his head he was bald. His ears were long and pointed and his eyes bulged as they peered into what Ren felt like was his soul. Perhaps the feature that most caught his attention however, was his incredibly long nose.

“So you’ve come to, Inmate.” Spoke one of the twins in a condescending tone.

“The you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream.” Spoke the other, in similar but much softer voice.

“You’re in the presence of our master Inmate! Tuck that thing away!”

Jabbing her trudgen through the bars, the more aggressive of the blonde twins poked at his exposed member forcing the naked prisoner to retreat further back into his cell.

“I would if I could…”

Now his cheeks were burning red with embarrassment. Even if what she said was true and this was a dream, being forced to expose himself like this was rather uncomfortable.

“Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance.” The strange long nosed man showed no sign of acknowledging his nudity, even if he did notice, it clearly didn’t bother him.

“This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a “contract” may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well. I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well.”

“Important matters?”

“Still, this is a surprise… The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such.”

“You truly are a “prisoner” of fate.”

“In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you.”

“Ruin?”

“I speak of the end to everything. However there is a means to oppose such a fate. You must be “rehabilitated.” Rehabilitated towards freedom… That is your only means to avoid ruin…”

“...Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?”

“I’d rather avoid ruin.”

“Then allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation.”

In perfect cinque the two wardens turned back to face him in an over the top fashion.

“Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Caroline; to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here.”

“Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like.”

“The duty of wardens is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators . That is, if you remain obedient.”

“I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion.”

“Now then, it seems the night is waning… It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually…”

With a flick of “Igor's” wrist the prison’s alarm bell began to sound.

“Time’s up. Now hurry up and go back to sleep.”

* 10/4/20XX Early Morning *

In almost an instant Ren awoke back on his makeshift bed in the attic above Leblanc. Groggily, he got himself up and out of bed, dressing quickly into his new school uniform as the embarrassment of his previous exposure still lingered freshly on his mind.

Alright that’s it. I’m officially going crazy.

Ruin… Rehabilitation…

What does it mean…?

“Looks like you’re up.”

No sooner than he’d begun to gather his thoughts, Sojiro strolled up into the attic, dressed in a smart looking white suit and pink undershirt, accentuated by a dapper looking white fedora.

“Well then, let’s go and introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer.”

“The school you’re attending is in the Aoyama district. It’ll take a while to get there by train. The transfers are a real hassle, too. I’ll drive you there, but just for today. Let’s go.”

Turning around and heading back down the stairs Ren heard him sigh.

“Sheesh… Men aren’t usually allowed in my passenger seat.”

The drive to Shujin turned out to be pretty hassle free. Still being early there was little traffic on the road though an awkward silence had fallen upon the car. He really didn’t know what to talk about with Sojiro and with the bizarre events of the past day already occupying most of his thoughts he was grateful for some time to just unwind.

After finishing the journey the pair approached the deserted school gates, Sojiro suddenly stopping him.

“Do me a favour and behave yourself, all right? Don’t get me wrong-I don’t care what happens to you. Just don’t cause me any trouble.”

After a brief introduction to the layout of the build, they were guided to the principal's office to fill out a few final remaining bits of paperwork. The school wasn’t really too dissimilar to what Ren was used to, however the principle was certainly a little unique. Sitting behind his desk he appeared to be a short pudgy man, a disappointed scowl seemingly permanently etched onto his bald, fat face.

“To reiterate, just so we’re clear, you will immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. In my opinion, you’re nothing but a liability, but we had our circumstances to consider…”

“Whatever you might’ve gotten away with in your hometown.. Those days are over. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind.”

“This is the teacher in charge of your class.”

As the principal gestured over to his right, the dark haired woman standing beside him looked over at Ren. She had a rather unkempt head of raven hair that reached down just below her jaw line, and by looking at her face Ren could tell that whilst was likely a fair bit older than him she was a decently youthful looking woman. A hint of exhaustion masked her otherwise rather attractive features, and by taking a discrete cursory glance down at her baggy yellow top he could also tell she was fairly curvy. He couldn’t help but find her slightly dishevelled look strangely appealing and he was certainly glad to have her over this agitated man that was closer to a potato than a human.

“I’m Sadayo Kawakami. Here’s your student ID.”

Reaching over to hand him his card she hastily pulled back a bright pink looking pamphlet she’d accidently left beneath it.

……?

He couldn’t make out what it was she’d been so keen to hide but he didn’t have long to dwell on it before she continued.

“Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And, if by chance you cause any problems, I won’t be able to protect you at all.”

“...That IS your promise, yes Principal Kobayakwa?”

It seemed like everybody here was really going to treat him like a criminal. In the eyes of the law, he supposed, he was a criminal.

“He is responsible for all his actions.”

“But really though, why me? There should’ve been better candidates.”

“It was a sudden transfer, and your class was the only one that had an opening..”

“If you’re done explaining things, mind if we get going? I got a store to get back to.”

“Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him. Don’t let him cause any trouble outside.”

"Well, I’ll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he’s in.”

“Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll show you to your classroom.”

After making an attempt at polite goodbyes, Ren and Sojiro began their return to the car.

“Everyone’s giving you the cold shoulder. That’s what having a criminal record does to you. Turns out your past follows you wherever you go.”

“By the way… If you get expelled now, I won’t hesitate to kick you out. Got it?”

“I think I’ll scrape by.”

“I could save us all a little time and just kick you out now if that’s gonna be your attitude.”

The man sighed as he looked around the school halls.

“School never changes, huh? Come on, we’re going home.”

* 10/4/20XX Midday *

“Uuugh. Traffic’s not moving at all… You’re taking the train starting tomorrow.”

“...So how was it? The school, I mean. You think you can manage?”

“Eh, we’ll see…”

A disgruntled sigh from his caretaker told Ren that was probably not what he wanted to hear, but with everything going on right now he didn’t think he could bring himself to put on a mask.

“Now listen up. You were expelled once already. It’s not like anyone will be sympathetic with you ... If that’s what it was like at school, people might say stuff about me in the future too…”

“What a troublesome kid I’ve taken in.”

“Why did you take me in?”

“I was asked to do it, and I just… happened to agree to it. I’ve already been paid for it too, after all.”

Their rather dry conversation was suddenly interrupted by a newscaster speaking through the radio.

“...And now back to today’s top stories. A subway train has derailed, severely affecting the timetable across all of-”

“...Another accident? So that’s why it’s so crowded on the road. There’s been a lot of those lately. In fact, there was a real sad one just last month… It happened before you came here. If I remember right, the girl that passed away was only fifteen.”

“Her parents have gotta be just…”

“... All traffic around Shibuya station is being redirected due to the accident, so drivers should expect jam-packed streets.”

“Oh, come on!”

By the time the two of them finally arrived back at Leblanc it was already early evening. Deciding it wouldn’t be worth it to open up the café, Sojiro said his goodbyes and made his exit.

Heading up to his room, Ren let out a sigh as he sat down on his bed, a sense of exhaustion starting to overcome him once again. Stripping out of his clothes he laid back and began to rest his eyes. He was pleasantly surprised to find what greeted his thoughts was for once not the night of his arrest, nor the strange hallucinations and dreams of the past two days but instead the bouncing petite breasts of the deliverywoman from before. Just why exactly was she wandering around with that beautiful chest of her exposed. Was she some sort of exhibitionist or was she simply trying to beat the heat, not unlike how Ren was laying there naked himself. In any case the lewd ideas spinning around his head began to stir a certain part of him. Taking hold of his eager member, he gently started to rub it back and forth, imagining the hands of the cute topless woman and then his new hot homeroom teacher were wrapped around his shaft instead of his own.

The sound of a phone ringing from downstairs suddenly brought him out of his trance. Begrudgingly getting up, he decided it was probably best to answer, however when he reached the top of the staircase he came to a realization. He was still completely naked. Should he really be strolling around Sojiro’s café in the buff?

Fuck it.

Ultimately deciding that he couldn’t be bothered to go through the effort of getting dressed up, he continued forward. As he reached the café floor and looked over to the ringing yellow phone on the cafe’s countertop he also realized that the front door was almost fully glass and very see-through. If anybody walked by they’d definitely see him. Weighing up his options he eventually decided the likelihood of this happening so late into the evening in the deserted backstreet that Leblanc resided in was probably low enough to risk it. Moving swiftly, incredibly aware of how his semi hard dick was swaying from side to side he finally reached the public phone.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Who is this?”

“Sheesh, have you forgotten my voice already? It’s Sakura. Anyway… I closed up shop, but forgot to flip the sign to Closed when I left. It’s too much trouble for me to come back just for that. Think you can do it for me?”

“You called the public phone for this?”

“It’s a personal policy of mine not to save a guy’s number in my phone. Either way, I’m glad you actually picked up. Anyway, I’ll leave the shop sign to you.”

After Sojiro hung up the phone Ren returned it to its dock and looked down at his pasty naked body. Glancing over to the front door he felt his penis twitch. He wasn’t really considering actually going out there naked was he? If anyone saw him, that was a genuine crime, he’d likely be arrested before the night was over and be on his way to Juvie by morning. Still, some strange feeling in his gut compelled him towards the door. Slowly he reached his hand out to push open the handle, and before he knew it he had stepped outside.

Feeling the warm breeze rush over every part of his exposed body, his arousal spiked once more as he realised he was truely naked outside. Absolutely anybody would be able to see his erect cock in it's entirety if they just happened to walk by. An exhilarating rush swooped over him as he wondered if this sensation could have been what the topless delivery woman felt before. The sound of voices in the distance suddenly brought him back to his senses and he swifty flipped the sign from open to closed and rushed back inside, naughty bits still swaying. Countless doubts started filling his mind, what if he’d been caught on some sort of camera? Did anyone from another building see him? Running up the stairs and collapsing back on his bed despite all that, he couldn’t help but feel incredibly horny. He spent the next two hours jerking off to the sensations of his brief streak and fell asleep incredibly satisfied.

Meanwhile… Somewhere not too far away a young woman sat slouched in a chair alone in a dark room, the reflection from a series of monitors shining on her large circular glasses as she gazed intently at the live feed being displayed from Leblanc.

“Mwehehe, now this is an interesting development.”

Her hands slowly began to caress each part of her slender body as they worked their way down to her crotch. Plunging two fingers into her puffy pussy, Ren did not cum alone that night.

Chapter Text

* 11/4/20XX Early Morning *

Ren brushed the sleep from his eyes as he walked down into the café dressed in his new uniform, a simple black blazer with a white turtleneck beneath and red and black plaid trousers. With his Shujin branded bag slung over one shoulder he gave a polite wave to his guardian standing behind the counter.

“So you're actually planning on going to school huh?”

It seemed the older man was up just as bright and early as he was, preparing to open up shop for the day. To his right sitting on the counter was a plate of what looked to be curry, its delicious aroma filling the room.

“Here, I’ll feed you. Just make sure you finish it before the customers start coming in.”

“Curry for breakfast?”

“Don’t complain, just eat.”

Taking a seat, and admittedly pretty hungry, Ren began to dig in. The complex flavours within the bold spiciness were a very pleasant surprise and before long he’d finished off the entire plate.

“It’s time for you to go.”

“Thanks for the meal. That was delicious.”

A smile forced it's way onto the older man's face as he began to shoo him out of the café.

“Thanks. Hurry over to school. Oh yeah, and flip the sign outside to “Open” for me.”

“Okay, got it.”

“Now, you better hurry on out. You’re gonna be late if you get lost, country boy.”

Stepping outside and doing just as he was told, Ren’s mind was flooded with thoughts of his little streak the previous night. With a slight flush on his face he headed off towards the train station. The trip to Shujin would require a transfer in Shibuya and being largely unfamiliar with the rail network in Tokyo he had to account for the time it would take to navigate the complex stations.

Just as the rumours he’d previously heard implied, the train cars turned out to be absolutely packed full. There was hardly space for anyone to even stand, let alone sit down. Crammed in like this the frizzy haired man couldn’t help but feel a little like a sardine. He was not looking forward to making this journey twice every day for the foreseeable future.

* 11/4/20XX Morning *

Standing alone under the outcropping of a small clothing store, Ren watched as other Shujin students ran by. On his walk from the station to the school gates it had started to rain pretty badly, and without any sort of coat or umbrella he was left feeling trapped. His two options were to either try and wait out the rain and risk being late or make a run for it and spend the rest of the morning drying off. Pulling out his phone to check the forecast he noticed that once again, the strange red app had appeared on his device, this time right in the centre of his screen. In the end he didn’t have time to fret about his apparent virus as his attention was suddenly caught by a woman joining him under the cover of the shop.

Dressed in a somewhat bold variation of the Shujin uniform, Ren couldn’t help but stare. Her legs were covered by striking red tights and she wore a long white hoodie under the uniform's blazer. A small fraction of the standard black and red plaid skirt poked out from beneath the hoodie, and just like him she had a bag slumped over one shoulder. Her hood was up, no doubt to protect her from the rain, but having finally found cover she decided to pull it back revealing her long, thick, light blonde pig tails. With subtle ear piercings and stunning turquoise eyes there was no doubting she was certainly beautiful. Her features actually lead him to believe she wasn't even Japanese, a foreign exchange student perhaps?

She's pretty...

Eventually noticing his stare, the woman turned to face him, initially with a look of confusion, but after noticing the slight flush on his face it quickly turned to a polite smile before she returned her gaze out to the street.

After a moment of awkward silence between the two of them a white car pulled up alongside the curb. As the window lowered a long faced 30-ish looking man poked out his head. Dressed in a blue tracksuit there was something Ren seemed to find instinctively off putting about his overly wide smile. Addressing the woman to his side, he spoke in a  casual and confidant tone.

“Good morning. You want me to give you a ride to school? You’re gonna be late.”

“Um, sure. Thank you.”

The blonde woman moved to get into the vehicle as its driver turned towards him.

“Do you need a lift too?”

Feeling a little awkward about getting in a car with two strangers he dismissively waved his hand but gave a smile to show his gratitude for the offer. As the window was rolling back up for just a moment he swore he saw the female student's expression drop into one of deep sadness, and before he knew it the car was pulling away.

Rapid footsteps drew his attention back to the other side of the street. Another student, male this time, with spikey, much brighter blonde hair seemed to be running after the car. Seemingly realizing it was futile after it began to speed up down the road he stopped alongside Ren, panting as he regained his breath.

“Dammit… Screw that pervy teacher.”

“…Pervy teacher?”

For a moment he felt his phone buzz but the blonde man turning to face him prevented him from checking it out. Like the female student his adoption of the uniform was rather lax, as instead of a shirt under the blazer he wore a bright yellow t-shirt with a purple star and a string of characters reading “ZOMG” printed underneath. As he made eye contact the blonde man stared at him for a moment with a scowl on his face, before approaching even closer.

“...What do you want? You plannin’ on rattin’ me out to Kamoshida?”

“Kamoshida?”

“Huh? In that car just now. It was Kamoshida. He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is-the king of a castle? Don’t you agree?”

“The king of a castle?”

“No, I mean...”

The boy's scowl turned into an expression of pity as he looked Ren up and down.

“...Wait. You don’t know Kamoshida? Are you for real? You’re from Shujin, right?”

“I think so?”

“...You messin’ with me? You're wearing a Shujin uniform.”

Taking note of the badge on his blazer, the brash man’s hostile stance seemed to lower.

“A second-year, huh… We’re the same grade then. Never seen you before though.”

“Oh, you a transfer student?”

Ren nodded.

“Then no wonder you don’t know him. This rain ain’t too bad. We better hurry up, or we’ll be late.”

As he turned to walk away Ren felt a sudden sharp pain in his mind. Regaining his composure he noted how he suddenly felt light-headed.

“Uuugh, my head hurts… Dammit… I wanna go home…”

He felt that too?

Following the brash man through the backstreets, hopefully towards the school, he couldn’t help but shake the feeling something was wrong. The light headedness had yet to go away and for some reason each of his steps felt easier, as if he barely weighed anything at all.

“Huh?!”

His guide had stopped just ahead of him, looking forward at something in awe, swiftly following him around a corner Ren soon realised why. A huge stone brick castle towered up into the suddenly purple clouded sky, like it was straight out of medieval Europe.

“We didn’t… come the wrong way though… This should be right…”

Noticing a sign engraved in a block of stone in front of the open drawbridge, if he squinted Ren could just make out the words Shujin Academy.

“What’s goin’ on here? I guess we’ll just have to go and ask…”

Continuing forwards the pair apprehensively crossed the drawbridge and entered the unbelievable structure. Finding themselves in a grand hall esc room decorated with lavish chandeliers, red carpets and great marble pillars they both looked at each other in confusion.

“Th-That’s weird…”

“Is this our school?”

“It should be… It even said “Shujin” on the gate… What’s goin’ on here?”

Taking out his phone the blonde student’s face dropped once more.

“Out of service? Where’d we end up? That sign was for the school, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Right!? You saw it too!”

Their conversation was cut short as a tall figure in full plate armour began to approach them, armed with a worryingly real looking sword and shield. Instead of a face beneath their open visor, it seemed they were also wearing some sort of light blue full face mask. 

“Geez, you freaked me out… Who’re you? A student? Man, your costume’s impressive. Is that armour real?”

“C’mon, don’t just stand there. Say somethin’.”

With the approach of another, almost identical knight the blonde man stepped back, an uncomfortable look on his face.

“..H-Hey, what’s goin’ on?”

“This must be some sort of prank.”

“You really think so?”

As the masked figures got closer he noticed the sheen of their swords, the metal looking incredibly sharp, far more dangerous than any prop sword would allow.

“...This shit’s real. C-Calm down! Time out, man! We gotta run!”

"Got it.”

Starting to flee, two more of the knights appeared in front of them, leaving them completely surrounded.

“Ugh, what’s with these guys!?”

With a loud thud, the male student abruptly fell to his knees, knocked over by one of them bashing their shield into his back. From the looks of the blow the knight wasn’t holding back either.

“Oww… Y-You’re gonna break my bones, dammit! The hell you think you’re-”

The last thing Ren heard before a blunt force hit him in the back of his head was a cold masculine voice coming from behind one of the masks.

“Take them away!”

Everything went dark.

* * *

“...Hey.”

“Hey! Wake up!”

Slowly coming too, Ren’s eyes flickered open. He was in some sort of dim, grungy stone dungeon that perfectly matched the sort of thing you’d expect to find in a medieval fantasy movie. Thankfully aside from a slight headache he was otherwise unharmed and from the looks of it the same was true for his new friend.

“You alright?”

“Yeah… Mostly. You?”

“More or less.”

The two men took a moment to further survey their cell. Chains and manacles lined the walls but they fortunately remained unbound. From outside the bars they could make out what appeared to be some sort of sewer system or river running alongside many other cells.

“Looks like this ain’t no dream… Ugh, what’s goin’ on!?”

The brash student ran up to the barred door and began to pound on it with his foot.

“Hey, let us outta here! I know there’s someone out there!”

Giving up his attempt at brute force he turned back to Ren.

“Dammit, where are we? Is this some kinda movie set!?”

Suddenly from outside their confines they heard a horrifying cry of pain. Rushing to join his cellmate by the door they both looked out to try and see what was going on as the cries continued.

“Whoa… Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa…”

“You’re shittin’ me, right? This is real bad…! There’s gotta be a way outta here!? C’mon, we gotta do something!”

Before they could figure anything out a group of the strange knights from before began to approach their bars.

“Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon. Your charge is “unlawful entry”.”

“Thus, you will be sentenced to death.”

“Say what!?”

“No one’s allowed to do as they please in my castle.” Spoke a strangely familiar voice. As the knights parted to make way for the speaker Ren’s eyes widened. Now standing before them was the man he’d seen in the car, the one his new friend referred to as Kamoshida except instead of a blue tracksuit he now wore a large puffy red and white cloak decorated with love hearts. He was surprisingly tall and there was a crown upon his head. Aside from his strange new outfit another key difference he noticed was the eerie yellow glow of his eyes. Whilst he couldn't remember the man's previous eye colour he was sure it wasn’t that.

“Huh? Wait… Is that you, Kamoshida?”

“The pervy teacher?”

“I thought it was some petty thief, but to think it’d be you, Sakamoto… Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven’t learned your lesson at all, huh?”

“You even brought a friend this time… You really can’t do anything for yourself can you?”

“This ain’t funny, you asshole!”

“Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don’t understand the position you’re in at all.”

“Not only did you sneak into my castle, you committed the crime of insulting me-the king. The punishment for that is death.”

Raising his arm to signal to the knights, and subsequently parting his cloak both Sakamoto and Ren were shocked to see that he wore absolutely nothing beneath.

“It’s time for an execution! Take him out!”

“W-What the fuck?! Where are your clothes you perv!”

"What use does somebody as gorgeous as me have for clothes? It would be a crime to hide this body."

The man began to laugh maniacally as his minions opened the door and started surrounding the two students.

“S-Stop that! Goddammit!”

Sakamoto rushed the nearest masked figure and shoved him with all his might, sending him crashing to the ground. Following his lead, Ren got himself ready for a fight. He’d never actually properly fought anyone before but he sure as hell wasn’t going to just let these monsters execute anyone.

Swiftly retaliating, another knight smacked the blonde man right in the stomach, dropping him to his knees. Ren grabbed at the aggressor, doing his best to pull him away but he just didn’t have the strength…

“Just go! Get outta here! These guys are serious!”

For a moment Ren considered doing as he was told but he couldn't just leave this guy to die.

“Oh? Running away, are we? What a heartless friend you are.”

“He ain’t a friend you criminal! C’mon! Hurry up and go!”

“What’s the matter? Too scared to run away? Hmph, pathetic scum isn’t worth my time… I’ll focus on this one’s execution.”

Raising Sakamoto by his arms, two of the knights held him still as Kamoshida began to repeatedly smack him around the face.

“Take this! Lowly scum! Useless pest!”

Unable to take it anymore, as soon as the knights let him go the blonde student fell to the floor.

“Hmph, Where’d your energy from earlier go? A peasant like you isn’t worth beating. I’ll have you killed right now.”

“Stop it!”

“Hm..?”

Turning to Ren, Kamoshida began to approach him, getting right up in his face.

“What? Don’t you dare tell me you don’t know who I am.”

“That look in your eyes irritates me!”

He felt a strong pain in his stomach as the basically naked man kicked him to the floor.

“Hold him there… After the peasant, it’s his turn to die.”

Wasting no time in getting back to his feet, Ren made a desperate dash forwards to try and get the knights away from Sakamato but he was swiftly pinned back against the wall by two more.

“No… I don’t wanna die…”

Ty as he might, he was unable to break free, forced to listen to Kamoshida’s sick laugh, he felt a sudden surge build up within him. Everything seemed to fade into a black nothingness as a beautiful glowing blue butterfly fluttered into his vision.

“This is truly an unjust game.. Your chances of winning are almost none.”

“But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…”

As his vision of the world around him began to return and the butterfly disappeared, he heard another voice, a part of himself which felt familiar yet distant. Speaking to him directly into his mind though the vessel of his own thoughts it's tone greatly resembled his own, yet much deeper and dramtic.

What’s the matter? Are you simply going to watch?

Are you forsaking him to save yourself?

Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then?

Ren's mind filled with images from the night he saved the woman from the drunk, reminding him of his previous conviction. He had to do the right thing, no matter the cost. Stealing his resolve he responded to the voice in his mind.

It wasn’t.

Very well… I have heeded your resolve.

Just as a knight was raising his sword to Sakamoto’s neck he felt his heart stop. For a moment his body was lit ablaze with extreme agony, tears begining to roll down his cheeks. Despite him screaming out in pain the voice within himself continued.

Vow to me.

I am thou, thou art I…

Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!

Call upon my name, and release thy rage!

Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!

Pointing towards Sakamoto, king Kamoshida gave the order.

“Execute him!”

“That’s enough.”

Ren's heart was beating again and he looked over at the psychopathic teacher with suddenly renewed confidence.

“What was that…? You desire to be killed first that much? Fine!”

Raising his sword a knight prepared to strike the frizzy haired man but before it could land the blow a storm of force began to emit from Ren, knocking everyone in the cell back. As it settled Ren looked up, his face now clad in a white and black mask. As if by instinct he began to tug at it, trying desperately to get it off him but it was stuck tight. After applying more and more force it eventually began to give, but as it tore from his skin blood drenched his forehead. Despite the pain he felt more powerful than ever and as he finally looked back towards Kamoshida, his eyes glowed a burning yellow as an eerie grin formed upon his face.

Ren's body suddenly erupted into blue flames, completely scorching off both the blood from his brow and the clothes off his back. Slowly the flames rose higher and higher until they took the shape of a large humanoid figure floating in the air above him, chained via metal links to his hands. As the fire dispersed, left in it's place was the full visage of the monstrous creature. Though bipedal, it was far from human, its hands clawed and its head elongated as if it had a ridiculously tall top hat baked into its skull. The figures' menacing expression matched Ren’s own, though his features were made up of red flames standing out against its pitch black skin. Great raven feathered wings sprung out from its lower back and it was dressed in pieces of a luxurious red suit. Though its arms and legs were fully covered by the extravagant outfit, aside from a white cravat, his torso was otherwise bare revealing a hairless muscled body and a large uncut penis that resembled Ren's own except scaled up, hairless, and pitch black.

Ren on the other hand, had even less coverage from the sparse clothing left on his body. With his uniform burned away, all that covered him was a seemingly new pair of red gloves, black boots, and a belt and holster around his waist, leaving the majority of his tall, slightly scrawny figure fully exposed. Somehow his nudity seemed to have no affect on his fresh confidence, as the eerie grin and determined look had yet to leave his face. Tossing away the chains binding the monster above him another burst of force sent the remaining knights flying into the walls and nearby barrels.

Kamoshida cowered in the corner of the room as he took sight of the insane display in front of him, desperately beginning to crawl over to the cell door.

“Wha… What the fuck…?”

The only other person still conscious beside Ren in the room was Sakamoto, who was currently looking on in equal parts shock and awe.

“I am the pillager of twilight-Arsène!”

“I am the rebel’s soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through your shame and strike at the heart of the chains that bind you.”

“Give me your power.”

“Hmph, very well.”

Now from outside the safety of the bars Kamoshida scowled.

“Who the hell are you!?”

“Guards!”

At his command the collapsed knights rose back up to their feet.

“Start by killing the naked one!”

In an instant the armoured figures began to distort, dissolving into an explosion of red and black gunk. For some reason they quickly reformed into brand new forms that resembled small floating wizards, each with carved pumpkins for heads, and holding a lit lantern as some form of weapon.

“You’ll learn the true strength of my men!”

“This power of mine is now yours.”

“Kill them however you want. Run wild to your heart’s content!”

Drawing a knife from his belt, Ren charged one of the strange wizards, slicing it to pieces before it could even react. As its partner turned to face him, a plume of dark red energy burst from the floor beneath it courtesy of Arsène. One tried to fight back by conjuring fourth a barrage of flames from its lantern but Ren made short work of them all with the help of his new power. Once the danger was gone the black and white mask returned to his face, Arsène now nowhere to be seen.

“What… D-Dude… That power… And you're naked!”

Coming down from the adrenalin of the fight, Sakamoto's words hit him like a truck. For the first time he properly realized the state of his attire, frantically covering his freely hanging penis with his hands as his face went bright red from embarrassment. How he hadn't noticed his exposure before now, he attributed to the strange feeling of powers awakening. Was his sudden lack of clothing some sort of side affect of this new ability?

“What the fuck?”

“You little…”

Kamoshida, as it turned out was still watching the scene unfold, though now defenceless, Sakamato wasted no time in rushing over to him, out of the cell, and knocking the teacher down to his knees.

“You like that, you son of a bitch!?”

“We can lock him in the cell!”

Grabbing a key which must have fallen from one of the knights, the two hastily left their prison, trapping the so-called king of the castle inside.

“Okay, it’s locked!”

“Damn you!”

Turning back to the still very embarrassed Ren, Sakamoto looked at the raven haired man with pure confusion.

“Hey! What was that just now!? And… your clothes…”

In an instant a brief flash of blue flames engulfed him once more, fading quickly and leaving Ren re-dressed back in his school uniform and fake glasses.

“I-I don't know! I didn't have any say in it! At least it doesn't seem permeant...”

Though he might have enjoyed his little streaking stint last night he was not comfortable showing off in this fucked up place, let alone in front of strangers like Sakamoto.

“You bastards! Let me out of here at once!”

“God, this is fucking nuts! L-Let’s just scram, you lead the way!”

“Goddamn thieves… After them! Don’t let them escape!”

Narrowly avoiding more of the strange knights, the two students carefully snuck their way through the bizarre layout of the dungeon. Many of the other cells were empty but some contained other Shujin students, each with their heads fully covered by horrific looking metallic masks.

“We gotta tell the police about this once we get out of here…”

As they continued on however, another voice suddenly called out to them in a strangely confident feminine tone.

“...Hey, you there. Blondie! Frizzy Hair! Look over here!”

The shouting was coming from a nearby cell, and after the two of them decided to investigate, what they saw was certainly surprising…

Grabbing the bars of the door was what could only be described as an anthropomorphic cat standing around 5ft tall. Dressed only in a yellow neckerchief, dark belt and zorro mask, the rest of it's body was covered in soft looking black fur, aside from their snout, feet, paws, ears, which were all white. Though there was no visible proof through the fur, the soft curvature of their figure implied they were female, slightly backed up by two light pink nipples poking out atop two small, vaguely boob looking protrusions on it's chest.

Image credit: https://bsky.app/profile/hatidraw.bsky.social

“What is this thing!?”

“You’re not soldiers of this castle, right!? Get me out of here!”

“Look, the key’s right there!”

“We’re trying to get the hell out of here! I mean, you obviously look like one of those monsters too!”

“I’m locked up here, so how can I be your enemy!? Help me out!”

“What even are you? Some sort of cat?”

“I am NOT a cat! Say that again and I’ll make you regret it!”

Despite the creature's feline head an unmistakable look of anger formed upon its face as the sound of nearby footsteps gave them a painful reminder of the need to remain quiet.

“They’re catchin’ up already? Shit, there’s still no phone service either. Ain’t there some way to contact someone outside!?”

“How the hell do we get out!?”

“Hey, you two! You want to know where the exit is? Let me out and I’ll take you there.”

“You don’t want to get caught and executed, right?”

“Can you really help us?”

“I never go back on my word!”

“This thing sounds like it’s all talk…”

“If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!”

“What do we do?”

Ren couldn’t quite place it, but something about the look in it's deep blue eyes inclined him to trust the strange creature.

“We let her out.”

“Her?! Excuse me! What part of me looks like a her!”

“Well… You got boobs dontcha? And your voice-”

“I’m just padded! I’m a man alright! Now let me out of here!”

Deciding it best not to further antagonize the creature they unlocked the cell, deciding that they’d take all the help they could get.

“Ahhhh… Freedom tastes so great…”

“Now, where’s the exit, you monster cat!?”

“Don’t call me a cat! I am Morgana!”

“Shuddup and hurry it up! You wanna be locked up again!?”

“A-All right, sheesh! F ollow me, and stay quiet!”

Thinking he was being discreet, but not being very successful, Sakamoto loudly whispered over in Ren's vague direction.

“Dude, is that really a guy? I mean… Look at its ass…”

“I’m a man, alright!”

Sakamoto had a point. Despite the fur "Morgana" did seem to have a surprisingly nice feminine behind. Following after him they were quickly able to find a route they'd overlooked but it had taken too long. Another pair of knights was already waiting for them, knocking Sakamoto to the floor before they had a chance to react.

“Tch… You amateur!”

Rushing forwards and placing himself between the blondie and the aggressor, Morgana stared down the armoured creatures as Ren felt his costume changing once more, the strange mask re-appearing on his face.

“Just stay still.”

“Y-You’re naked again?!”

Looking back over his shoulder at the now nude Ren, Morgana smiled a rather cocky smile.

“Judging by your outfit, I’d say you can fight right? Let’s go!”

Slightly taken aback at the not-cat creature's nonchalant reaction to his nudity he desperately wanted to cover his dangling cock but the knights were closing in quickly. He didn't have the time to be worrying about his modesty.

Just kill them fast, then I can cover up…

Dammit, what’s with this pervy power?...

“Come… Zorro!”

Ren watched as, just like his own strange ability, a monster rose from Morgana's back, settling in the air above him. It was a strange creature, humanoid but very top heavy, taking the shape of a man with an incredibly muscular torso and arms, but rather thin legs. Dressed in leather pants and a big wrestling style belt it was otherwise shirtless, its blue muscular flesh exposed. Similarly to Arsène it had a hat baked into its head, though this was much shorter like a bowler hat and its large yellow eyes protruded from the sides of the fabric. An extravagant moustache stuck out from its face and it wielded a rapier in one hand.

“Y-You got one of those things too!?”

The knights began to transform, melting down into a red and black goo just like what happened before in the cell. As they began to take new forms, Ren joined the not-cat in a combat ready stance.

“Hmpf, we will promptly shut them up!”

This time in addition to a pumpkin wizard, there was a red impish looking creature floating in the air thanks to its flapping devilish wings. It had a horrid grin on its face and a nasty looking demonic erect red cock between its legs.

“They’ve revealed their true forms as shadows which can only mean it’s not about capturing us anymore, they’re out for blood!”

“I’ll back you up, so fight like your life depends on it! Let’s go!”

Tearing off his mask, Ren brought forth Arsène and combined with Morgana’s power they were able to overcome their foes in no time at all. Fighting with one’s most delicate parts exposed definitely heightened his reflexes and contributed to his sudden combat prowess but Ren was certain a large part of his apparent skill came from the strange deal he’d made back in the prison. Once the final "Shadow" had fallen he had no distractions left to take his mind off his exposure.

“Not bad. Your Nudesona’s pretty powerful.”

“Nudesona?”

Sakamoto had gotten back up on his feet and was now standing to the side of them awkwardly, clearly trying his best to ignore the fact his new school mates balls was out.

“Y’mean that thing that comes outta you guys all dramatic-like?”

“Yes. You saw how Frizzy Hair here’s clothes burned away when he summoned it, right?”

Ren was now fully blushing. He was covering himself but by this point he was certain everybody had already seen all five of his flaccid inches…

“Well, everybody restrains themselves because of shame. By removing their clothes and forcing them to face it by tearing away the mask that hides their identity…”

“Bam. Nudesona.”

“So does that mean you’re naked too?”

“Do you see any clothes on me?”

“W-Well… I guess not really but you know… You don’t have any-”

“I don’t want to hear it! My biology is just a little different is all… As if you couldn’t tell already by the fact I look like a cat.”

So he really did have to be naked whenever he used this power... And he couldn't even really on the mask to hide his identity. But what choice did he have if he wanted to get out of this hell?

In another blue burst of flames Ren’s outfit once more returned to normal.

“Oh thank god...”

“Hm, it looks like you don’t have full control over your power yet. The transformation shouldn’t normally dissolve like that. After all-”

“Rrph, that’s enough! This crap doesn’t make any sense!”

“Can’t you just sit still and listen for once Blondie!?”

“Don’t call me Blondie! My name’s Ryuji…”

“Actually, there’s no time for me to lecture you! You wanna escape this place in one piece, right? Let’s go!”

“What about the other students in those cells?”

“Do you really think you have the time to worry about other people right now!?”

“Besides, they’re-”

“There they are! Get them!”

Drawn over by the sounds of the battle, even more of the masked guards had made their way over.

“I told you…”

“Those knights are blocking the only way forward. I think we’re going to have to fight.”

“I’m glad you stick to your guns.”

As his clothes vanished again beneath the blue flames, Ren took a deep breath as he tried to remember what Morgana said before about facing his shame. Drawing his knife he took a battle ready stance, doing his best to accept the feeling of being so exposed before a classmate he’d only just met and a strange, oddly feminine, cat creature.

The knights, shadows his new guide had previously called them, transformed as they approached. This time they took feminine forms, that of pixies with short, well styled deep red hair. Each wore nothing but a pair of dark blue thigh high socks and matching shoulder length gloves leaving their entire naked torsos exposed. Their modest breasts jiggled as they fluttered closer and the neatly trimmed red pubic hair above their womanhood admittedly caused his dick to twitch.

“Looks like they’re ready for a fight too!”

Despite their attractive appearances they were still out for blood, and Ren wasted no time in having his “Nudesona” blast one to death with magic. Morgana followed up dispatching the other with Zorro and once again they were safe from the danger. After his clothes reformed Ren let out a sigh. In the heat of battle he really was able to cast his shame aside but it was a lot more awkward just standing around afterwards.

“Alright, now we really do need to get away!”

“Hold on, we can’t just leave these guys here!”

“You really don’t get it, do you? Hrgh… There’s no time to explain.”

“Look, I’m going. If you don’t want to follow, be my guest!”

“Dammit… Fine, I’m coming!”

After a little more running they finally made it out of the dungeon and back into the grand hall they had originally entered through. Unfortunately it seemed as if the front gate was now very much closed. Morgana didn’t stop leading them though, as he instead guided them into a smaller side room.

“We’re here!”

“Finally… We’re saved!”

Rushing over to try the nearest door, Sakamoto grunted as it refused to budge.

“...It’s not openin’! D’you trick us, you jerk!?”

“Don’t jump to conclusions! Over here!”

The suspiciously feminine cat gestured up to the wall on the other side, his definitely not tiny breasts softly jiggling.

“Where are we supposed to get out from here!?”

“Ugh, amateur… This is the most basic of basics.”

“The ventilation shaft?”

“That’s right! As I thought, you're natural at this. It leads all the way outside.”

“I see…”

“Then we just gotta get that metallic mesh off! And a one, and a-”

In an admittedly impressive display of athletics Sakamoto clambered up the wall, grabbing the vent cover and pulling it off, however somewhat less impressively he then proceeded to fall right down with it, landing square on his ass.

“Oww… Crap! The enemy didn’t hear us, did they? Seriously, we’re finally gettin’ outta here!”

“You should wait on celebrating until you actually get out. Now, get going.”

“But… What about you?”

“There’s something that I still have to do. We’re going our separate ways.”

“Thanks, for all the help today.”

“Heh. You’ve got manners. Be careful on your way.”

Clambering up and out of the vent, Sakamoto and Ren were finally back out on the streets, Immediately they started to run and not look back until they were all the way back where they originally met. The rainy morning sky had been replaced with sun and the usual crowds were going about their business once more.

A soft voice from Ren’s phone suddenly blurted out, “You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”

“Huh? Returned? Does that mean we got away?”

“I hope so.”

“I dunno what to think anymore… What was all that anyways? The castle, and Kamoshida, and that weird cat lady who said she was a guy.”

“The hell’s goin’ on!?”

“What’s with the yelling? Are you students of Shujin?”

Two police officers were lured over by Sakamoto’s admittedly rather loud line of thought.

“Cutting classes, are we?”

“Huh? No! We were tryin’ to get to school, and we ended up at this weird castle!”

“...What?”

“Hand over your bag. You better not be doing any drugs.”

“Why would you think that!?”

“Are you his friend?”

One of the officers turned to Ren.

“Something like that.”

“Then you should go to school. Take him with you.”

“Like I’m tryin’ to say… I don’t know what’s goin’ on either!”

“We passed by Shujin on our way here. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it. If you sprout any more nonsense, I’ll contact your school. Is that what you want?”

Sakamoto now turned to Ren, a look of aggravated desperation on his face.

“C’mon, say something’!”

“Let’s get going.”

Truthfully he didn't know what was really going on here but he could not afford to have these officers contact the teachers. That one strike would be all it took to make the rest of his youth miserable.

Without saying anything else he turned around and began to head back to the school.

“W-Wait a sec! Is that guy for real?”

“...Fine, I’m goin’!”

Chapter Text

* 11/4/20XX Lunchtime *

“Is this for real…?”

Ren Amamiya and Ryuji Sakamoto stood in front of the Shujin Academy gates. Unlike before however, there was absolutely no castle in sight, just an ordinary old high school.

“I’m sure we came the same way… What’s goin’ on here…?”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you.”

A prim and proper looking middle aged man dressed in a suit began to walk down the steps of the academy towards them. The aggravated look on his face indicated that he was more than a little frustrated by their late appearance.

“We received a call from the police.”

“That damn cop snitched on us after all!”

“It’s rare not to see you alone. Where were you roaming around until this time?”

“Uhh… a ca- a castle?”

“So, you have no intention of giving an honest answer?”

“What’s this about a castle?” interrupted a familiar voice.

“Kamoshida!?”

Stepping out from the main building, a thankfully much more normally dressed Kamoshida gave the two of them an inquisitive look. Now wearing a simple white tee and track shorts, there was absolutely no crown in sight, though something about his face still gave Ren the same creepy vibes he felt from the man in the castle.

“You seem so carefree, Sakamoto. Quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team.”

“Shuddup! It’s your fault that-”

The other teacher crossed his arms as his already stern look intensified.

“How dare you speak that way to Mr. Kamoshida! ...There’s not much leeway left for you, you know?”

“He’s the one that provoked me!”

“Do you really want to be expelled!? In any case, you’ll have to explain yourself! Follow me!”

“What!? This is bullshit!”

“Come now,” interjected Kamoshida once more, “I should have been more considerate, too. Let’s just say that we were both to blame.”

“Well if you say so… Still, you’re coming with me Sakamoto. It’s undeniable that you’re extremely late.”

“Fine…”

Dragging himself up the steps to follow the older man inside, Sakamato gave Ren one last knowing look before leaving him alone with the PE teacher. It was clear he didn’t know the full story surrounding this man but now he had a fair idea of why Sakamoto thought so little of him. Considering what he saw this morning there was no way he was just an ordinary teacher.

“By the way… You’re that new transfer student, correct? Ren Amamiya? ...Have we met somewhere?”

Could he remember me from the castle? No… That doesn’t seem right… We met this morning, before all that.

“I saw a girl in your car.”

“That’s right… I remember now... Well, I’ll overlook this just for today.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you’ll be expelled. Understood?”

“I understand.”

“At any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office. I’m sure Ms. Kawakami’s tired of waiting. Good luck trying to enjoy your new school life.”

* * *

Ren wandered through the busy school halls, it was already lunchtime and many students were making their way around, chatting and eating with their friends. If what Kamoshida said was true then Ms Kawakami, his new homeroom teacher should be waiting for him in the faculty office. Feeling a little bad for making her wait and being rather worried about the safety of his place at the school, he decided it would be best not to delay his arrival any later and made his way straight to the office. Thankfully he still remembered where it was located courtesy of his tour around the building that weekend.

Stepping inside the messy faculty office, packed with desks for each of Shujin’s teachers, he found his teacher in the middle of going over what looked like a number of homework assignments. After noticing his presence the older woman sighed, just like before he noticed there was a look of real fatigue upon her attractive face.

“Unbelievable… Being over half a day late on your first day? Can you explain yourself?”

Now this was tricky… He couldn’t exactly tell her the truth that he’d spent the morning running around with his cock out whilst fighting monsters alongside an anthropomorphic cat. In the end Ren settled on keeping his story simple. It might not be the most robust but he could weave in bits of the truth to keep it believable.

“I got lost.”

“How could you have been lost for this long? It’s almost lunchtime.”

“Well, It’s probably true that you’re not used to the area yet… But you’re still way too late. Will you pull yourself together? You were given fair warning yesterday. More importantly, I heard that you were caught along with that Sakamoto-kun?”

“That Sakamoto?”

It seemed his new friend had a reputation too.

“Don’t get involved with him, okay? He’s nothing but trouble. He wasn’t like that when he was devoting his time to track and field through…”

“...Anyway. Break’s almost over. Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident. I’ll have you introduce yourself when class resumes. Follow me.”

Leading him out of the office and back through the busy halls she stopped just outside of room 2B, his new classroom for the year.

“By the way, when you introduce yourself, be serious about it even if you’re lying to the class, okay? Do NOT say anything unnecessary.”

Heading inside, Ren was instructed to stand in front of his new classmates, the room quickly filling with all sorts of murmurs as his peers looked over the "criminal" transfer student. He’d sort of expected a bit of gossip but actually standing here now he couldn’t help but feel like he’d already been isolated from the group. Granted showing up late didn’t do him any favours but he couldn’t exactly help that.

“Being super late on his first day? He really is insane…”

“He looks normal though…”

“But he might slug us if we look him in the eye…”

“Settle down.”

“...Well, I’d like to introduce a transfer student: Ren Amamiya. Today, we… had him attend from the afternoon on since he wasn’t feeling well.”

He silently thanked Kawakami for the free cover story.

“All right, please say something to the class.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“He seems quiet… But I bet when he loses it…”

“I mean he was arrested for assault, right?”

“...Uhh, so…”

“Your seat will be… Hmmm… Over there. The one that’s open.”

Gesturing over to an empty seat near the back of the classroom on the far left, the teacher seemed to be placing him almost as far away from her as it seemed possible. Beginning to walk over to his new seat he noticed that the beautiful blonde woman he’d seen under the cover of the shop this morning would now be sitting right in front of him. Hr thought back to her sad expression after getting into Kamoshida’s car, a far contrast to the accusatory glace she was giving him now as he walked by.

“Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with him for today?”

“This sucks…”

“...Lies.”

“Huh?”

He swore he just heard the foreign woman mutter something under hear breath but it was clear she had no intention of saying anything else, quickly turning her head away from him to look back out the window.

“...Did you catch that? Do those two know each other?”

“Eww… Does that mean he hit on her before transferring here?”

“That means she’s cheating on him with Mr. Kamoshida.”

“Then again, this is Takamaki-san we’re talking about…”

“For real. That side of the room is totally awful.”

“Oh, right! The volleyball rally’s in two days… Everyone’s just changed classes, so make sure you use that time to get to know each other.”

“Well then let’s get class started.”

* 11/4/20XX After School *

When Ren finally left the classroom for the day he felt his head spin. For just a brief moment he swore the school hallway was decorated just like the castle from that morning, but as he blinked it all seemed to return to normal. Just what exactly was going on here? Seeing him rub a hand over his forehead, Ms. Kawakami approached to check that he was alright.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“I know this might sound a little strange but… There was never a castle here right?”

The scruffy haired teacher sighed.

“Are you sure you’re doing okay? It seems like people are already talking about you, but I want you to know I’m not the one who told them about your record.”

“I can’t even catch a break… Why do I have to deal with this?”

“You should head straight home without stopping by anywhere. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry on the phone.”

That’s right. He’d have to face Sojiro after showing up late to school, and just after he thought he was starting to warm up to him too…

“Oh, and about Sakamoto-kun. Don’t get involved- Speak of the devil…”

Sakamoto himself had just walked up beside him, a cold look on his face.

“What do you want? I heard the police caught you cutting classes today.”

“Ugh… It was nothin’.”

“And you haven’t dyed your hair back to black either…”

“Sorry ‘bout that.”

Before continuing down the hall he glanced towards Ren.

“...I’ll be waitin’ on the rooftop.”

“See? That’s why I don’t want you getting involved. Understood?”

He had to go though right? Sakamoto was the one who actually saw all that crazy stuff with him. He couldn't just ignore him after what they'd been through. With his teacher returning to the classroom, Ren found himself left alone with his thoughts. Promptly deciding that he would in fact head to rooftop, he began to make his way over to the stairs before spotting Kamoshida walking down the hallway alongside the principal. Moving out of sight, the raven haired man decided to try and listen in on their conversation. Perhaps he could begin to piece together why this man, or some distorted version of him, appeared in that place...

“Why did you allow a student like him to transfer here? He’s already started associating with Sakamoto. A student with a criminal record, and the culprit of an assault case. At this rate, it’d be pointless how much I contribute to the school.”

“Now, don’t be like that… This school counts on you, Kamoshida-kun. You are our star. Still, a steady build-up is necessary behind such brilliance as well.”

“...Your troubles never seem to end, do they, Principle Kobayakawa? All right, I understand. I’ll continue to do my best to answer your expectations of me.”

Something's definitely up with him.

Not wanting to cause suspicion by following them any further he continued up the stairs to the third floor.

Near the landing a gentle looking teacher was busy talking with a rather cute, yet mature looking third year student in a large pink sweater. Ren couldn’t help but admire how fluffy her neat, light brown hair looked. He figured it must take a pretty considerable effort to maintain.

“By the way, thank you for volunteering to take care of the planters.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble. I’m not sure I’m up to the task though…

“Don’t worry. You’re being a huge help. Oh, and I’ll make sure the roof is unlocked for you… I imagine it’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m sure you can handle it.”

“Alright, I’ll do my best! I’ll go take a look at them later.”

Perfect, from the sounds of it the school left the rooftop unlocked.

Sure enough after discreetly slipping up the final flight of stairs, Ren found a outside door with an off-limits sign posted up, fully unlocked. Stepping out onto the rooftop it didn’t take long to spot Sakamoto sitting by some planters.

“...There you are.”

“Sorry for callin’ you up here like this. I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like, “don’t get involved with him,” huh?”

“She said you’re trouble.”

“Heh, we’re pretty much in the same boat. I heard you got a criminal record. Everyone’s talkin’ about it.”

“No wonder you were so gutsy ... What was all that that happened? You know, how we almost got killed at a castle… It wasn’t a dream… right? You remember it too?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I guess something like that would be impossible to forget… You were all naked and stuff…”

Ren couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed thinking back on the way he was exposed to his new classmate.

“It wasn’t like I wanted to flash you.”

“I know.”

“I mean, even if it was a little weird, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah… Thanks, Ren.”

For the first time since he’d met him a smile made it's way onto Sakomoto's face.

“You’re welcome.”

“But man, that Kamoshida we saw there… You prolly don’t know about it, but there are some rumours about him.”

“No one says anything against him ‘cause he’s some medallist who took the volleyball team to nationals. The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real ‘cause of that…”

“...I wonder if we can go back there again…”

“Ugh, forget it. Must’ve all been a dream! It has to be!”

“Sorry to drag you out here like this. That’s all I had to say. You know, we might be pretty similar. I feel like we’re gonna get along just fine as troublemakers.”

“I’m Ryuji Sakamoto. I’ll come talk if I see you around. Don’t ignore me, all right?”

“Alright Ryuji. See you around.”

“Seeya.”

After being left alone on the rooftop, Ren took a moment to look out over the sun setting on Tokyo. The fact of the matter was today he had gotten very lucky. Regardless of whatever the fuck happened that morning he could have easily been expelled and subsequently sent to Juvie for missing his first day but the universe had decided to give him another chance. It wasn't a risk he could afford to take again. From this point on he had to be especially careful. Supernatural circumstances like the castle wouldn't hold up in court after all.

The sound of the rooftop door opening again spooked him back to his senses as he remembered he wasn't actually supposed to be up here. Quickly ducking behind a selection of empty crates he peered through the gaps to see who'd just joined him.

It was the fluffy light brown haired student from before. Of course she was here, he literally heard her get requested to check on the plants. He decided the best move now would be to try and avoid getting seen. He’d simply wait for her to finish and be on his way.

“There you are!”

Her sweet, rather well spoken sounding voice startled him for a moment before he realized she was only speaking to the plants.

“Don't worry, Auntie Haru is here to care for you now.”

Bending down to begin sprinkling the flower beds with a watering can, she started to hum a happy tune. Thanks to how short the school's skirts apparently were, Ren had a clear view of her white, black polka dotted tights closely hugging her impressive posterior.

“Okay, next up is weeding. But first~”

Once again the man’s heart sank as she started to look around as if searching for him. Had she somehow figured out he was there?

“Since nobody else is around and I'd hate to get mud on my top I think I'll just have to take it off.”

“You don't mind, do you Mr plant? Heh of course not. It's only natural after all.”

Holy shit!

She started to pull her heavy pink sweater over her head, revealing her soft looking pale torso. Though she still wore her skirt he now had a full view of her pudgy yet adorable looking tummy. Her breasts were still covered by a rather elegant looking purple bra but they were huge, practically begging to burst free from the garment. If he had to guess she must have been at least a double d cup.

“There we go! Now it's time to chop the heads off all these little invaders!”

Ren spent the next twenty minutes watching the nearly topless woman attend to the garden, greatly admiring her chubby form and cute slightly blushing face. He was sure it wasn't normal for students to undress like that on the roof but he definitely wasn't complaining. It seemed like there was just something about Tokyo and women taking their tops off… Eventually however, she finished her task and redressed, giving him his chance to escape the rooftop and head finally head home.

* 11/4/20XX Evening *

Ren nervously approached the door to Leblanc, he knew once he stepped inside he’d be in for a chewing out but he didn't much feel like sleeping on the streets. Steeling his nerves he stepped inside.

“Hey, I got a call from the school. I hear you ditched half your first day.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ugh, just when I was thinking you had it together this morning… Look… Just behave yourself alright?”

“One wrong step and your life is over. You do know what probation means, right?”

“I do.”

“Good. Now get upstairs. And don’t forget to lock the door and turn all the lights off, okay?”

Heading back up the stairs to his dusty, still half cluttered room, Ren quickly undressed and laid back on his bed feeling absolutely exhausted. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light.

* * *

“Inmate!”

His eyes darted open. Once again he had awoken in the strange blue velvet prison. The voice of the more aggressive twin warden ringing in his ear.

“...About time you’ve come to. On your feet, Inmate!”

“Our master wishes to speak with you. It’s for your own sake that you take his words to heart.”

Begrudgingly, he complied, once again doing his best to cover up his manhood as he walked over to the bars confining him in the small room. The long nosed man appeared to be waiting for him patiently.

“First off, let us celebrate our reunion.”

“It seems you’ve awakened to your powers- and special ones at that. Your rehabilitation can finally begin.”

“My powers? You mean what happened in the castle?”

“You will be training the power of Nudesona, which you have awakened to. Nudesonas are, in other words, a mask- an armour of the heart when confronting worldly matters.”

“There is no need to understand for now, just note I have high expectations for you.”

“Right…”

“You have no choice but to hone your strength. It’s not because we’re forcing you, but because this is your fate…. Neglect it and you will die.”

“By the by… have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator? Using it will allow you to come and go between reality and Palaces.”

Could he mean that app that keeps appearing on my phone?

“Palaces?”

“...I bestowed it to you as a means to train you as a thief.”

“The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master! You better take care in using it, Inmate!”

“Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine nudist thief.”

“It must be disheartening to make use of the Metaverse Navigator alone. Should there be others who would prove beneficial to you, I will grant it to them as well.”

“This is all for you to grow as a most excellent nudist thief…”

“But why? What does being a nudist have to do with rehabilitation?!”

Just like the last time his conversation with the peculiar characters was decidedly ended a sudden alarm began to sound.

“Hmph, it’s time. Go back and enjoy whatever rest you might have…”

It seems they weren’t going to answer anymore of his questions but now he knew for certain this was all linked. The strange dreams, the hallucinations, the castle! Igor, the long nosed man called himself, he even said something about his power, a nudesona, just like what the cat person Morgana called it. Armor of the heart… Maybe after some rest he could try and make sense of all this…

* 12/4/20XX Early Morning *

Ren had brought an umbrella to school today, not wanting to get caught out in the rain again, or find any reason to be late for that matter. He was currently once again standing packed into a busy Shibuya train on his final leg to Shujin, reflecting on his bizzare dream visitors. Could he really use that strange app on his phone to enter the castle again? And why would he even want to? To train his power? What was the ruin Igor spoke of that would require him to be an excellent nudist thief? What even was a nudist thief?

His thoughts were interrupted as he stood back for an old woman to pass him. It seemed a generous Shujin student was giving up her seat to her. The student stood out a little from a lot of the people on the train, largely on account of her crimson red hair tied back in a ponytail with a bright red ribbon. She had a pretty cute face and was rather slender in build. A first year by the looks of the badge on her blazer.

“I insist, please take my seat. My station’s coming up in a moment after all.”

“Are ya sure? Then…”

The second the redhead got out of the way, an older man in a suit swooped in to steal the seat.

“Oh wow, what speed! I mean- Excuse me, that seat was for this lady…”

The man looked up at her for a second before completely nodding off. It was honestly impressive how fast he had fallen asleep…

“Oh…”

As a second year Ren decided he should probably offer to help his kōhai out.

“Want me to wake him up?”

Smiling at him the younger lady shook her head.

“It’s all right. I can understand his position as well.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be any help ma’am.”

“That’s okay, dearie. Don’t you worry.”

“Please allow me to carry your luggage, at least.”

“Thank you! Ain’t it heavy, though?”

“Not at all! I train plenty.”

The rest of the ride was uneventful, though as Ren was leaving the station the girl decided to follow him.

“Pardon me… Thank you so much for earlier.”

“With what? I didn’t really do anything.”

“For speaking up when I offered my seat on the train. You’re a second-year at Shujin Academy, correct? I’m a first-year there myself.”

“Thanking you totally slipped my mind back on the train, and I didn’t want to be rude to my senpai.”

“Please, excuse me!”

Rushing off with energy Ren was honestly rather jealous off, the redhead was soon gone from sight. Readying his umbrella, Ren prepared to make the trek himself and deeply praying this time he’d make it to classes un-interrupted.

As he passed through the thankfully normal looking school gates, he let out a sigh of relief.

No castle today it seems.

* 12/4/20XX After School *

He’d actually done it. A whole day of classes completed without incident. As Ren strolled out of his final class for the day he felt relieved if nothing else. Perhaps he’d be able to make it through the year after all.

“Hey there, Takamaki.”

Just ahead of him down the hall it looked like Mr Kamoshida was trying to talk to the blonde student who got in the car with him yesterday. Although she hadn’t spoken to Ren since he’d taken his seat behind her, he had heard whispers about her involvement with the teacher. Apparently they were dating or something.

“Things have been pretty dangerous lately with all those accidents.”

“Sorry, I have a photoshoot today. It’s for the special summer issue, so I can’t afford to miss it…”

“Hey, now… Being a model’s fine and dandy, but don’t work your pretty little self to the bone. You mentioned you weren’t feeling well, right? Something about appendicitis?”

“Yes. I keep planning to go to the hospital, but I’ve been too busy… Sorry to worry you.”

“You must be lonely too. I feel bad for keeping your best friend at practice so often.”

“Oh, and… be careful around that transfer student. He’s got a criminal record, after all. If something were to happen to you…”

“...Thank you. Please excuse me.”

It seemed to Ren that she really didn’t want to speak to the P.E teacher at all. Perhaps he wasn’t the only victim of false rumours around here. And that Kamoshida was acting creepily pushy. As soon as she left the older man scoffed behind her back.

There's definitely something fucked up going on here.

As he walked down the steps out of the school gate he heard a familiar voice call out behind him.

“Yo.”

It was Ryuji. By the looks of it he’d been waiting for him too.

“I was wondering when I’d run into you again. What’s up?”

“I wanna talk about that castle from yesterday. I tried tellin’ myself it was all just a dream… But I couldn’t do it. I can’t act like nothing happened. It’s all connected to that bastard Kamoshida, after all.”

“I wanna find out what’s up with that place, no matter what. And y’know, you’re the only person I can rely on for this stuff. So, you in?”

In truth Ren had been thinking about this all day. How could he not have been. There were too many unanswered questions, too many possibilities to just try and ignore what happened. It didn't take much more for him to make up his mind.

“I want to find out the truth.”

“Nice! Okay, glad we’re in this together.”

“I think we should just try and retrace our steps from yesterday. In the meantime, you’re walkin’ to the station right? Let’s go together. Lemme know if you notice any other weird buildings on the way.”

Ryuji doesn’t seem like a bad guy, and it seems like we have a lot in common here.

“Let’s do this.”

“...All right, this way.”

No matter how many times the two men retraced their steps from the previous morning they always ended up back at the regular old Shujin gates. No sign of any castles anywhere.

“Huh… There wasn’t anything out of place along the way, right? I didn’t see no castle either…”

“...We must’ve made a wrong turn somewhere. Let’s try again.”

“We’ve tried three times already…”

“Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t ya have a navigation app thingy on back then?”

“The Metaverse Navigator…”

“Huh?”

Ren quickly pulled out his phone and opened it up as Ryuji watched curiously over his shoulder.

“The weird eyeball-lookin’ thing?”

“Cute logo, huh?”

“That’s not how I’d describe it…”

If what Igor said was true…

For the first time Ren actually tried to open the app, and to his surprise it turned out to be a fairly normal looking map sort of thing.

“Hey look, it even has a search history.”

Reaching over his shoulder, Ryuji tapped at the screen causing the same soft voice that sounded from his phone when they left the castle yesterday to begin to read out a string of words.

“Kamoshida… Shujin Academy… Pervert… Castle…”

“Beginning navigation.”

“There we go! …Then, we went in a certain direction, and-”

“Hey, what’re you-”

The world around them began to tint with a purple hue as the strange apps display shifted and whirred. After a familiar lighted headed sensation returned to them they were once again standing before the castle gate, looking up not at their school, but the same menacing structure that rose so high into a  surreal, purple clouded sky.

“We did it…”

Wasting no time the two men rushed into the courtyard, surveying the area for any sort of clues as to what the place actually was and how it seemed to occupy the same space as the school.

“The fact we made it back here… That means what happened yesterday was for real too…”

“Huh?! You're naked again!”

Sure enough when the raven haired man looked down at himself he was back in the perverse ensemble of his boots and belt, the majority of his body back on full display. Somehow he hadn't even noticed his uniform changing...

“What the- But there’s no enemies…”

Frantically covering his dangling cock, Ren looked around awkwardly, unable to make eye contact with the new friend he’d just accidently flashed.

“That happened last time too, huh? But why naked?”

“I don’t know…”

“Here, I had a feeling this might happen and I came prepared. These are brand new, I promise.”

Reaching into his school bag, Ryuji pulled out a simple pair of black boxer briefs.

“It ain’t much but please just put these on.”

“Thank you! I owe you for this.”

As Ren eagerly slid on the underwear, his blonde companion stood with his back turned to give him some privacy.

“Um… We might have a slight problem here.”

“What?!”

“After I put them on they just disappeared into a puff of blue flames... Just like the rest of my outfit…”

Ryuji awkwardly turned back around and sure enough, Ren was standing once more with a bright red face and his hands over his manhood desperately clinging onto his last strands of dignity.

“What’s goin’ on here!? This makes no fucking sense at all…”

“Hey!”

A familiar voice brought their attention over to a nearby pillar, where it seemed their furry friend from yesterday had been observing them from. Stepping out into the open with his hands on his hips leaving his full feline body uncovered he gave them both a disapproving look.

“Stop making a commotion, and you! Quit standing around covering up like that. You call yourself a Nudesona user?!”

“Ah… You!?”

“The shadows started acting up, so I came here wondering what it could be… To think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely managed to escape.”

“What is this place? …Is it the school?”

“That’s right.”

“But it’s a castle!”

“This castle IS the school. But only to the castle’s ruler.”

“The castle’s ruler?”

“I think you called him Kamoshida? It’s how his distorted heart views the school.”

“Kamoshida… Distorted…”

“Explain it in a way that makes sense!”

“I shouldn’t have expected a moron to get it…”

“What’d you say!?”

A sudden cry from inside, put their squabbling on hold.

“It must be the slaves inside.”

“For real!?”

Another set of cries caused a look of shock to make its way over Ryuji’s face.

“Oh, shit… It’s for real!”

“We saw other guys held captive here yesterday… I’m pretty sure they’re from our school.”

“Most likely on Kamoshida’s orders. It’s nothing out of the ordinary; It’s like that every day here.”

“What’s more, you two escaped yesterday. He must have lost his temper quite a bit.”

“That son of a bitch!”

“Ryuji?”

“...This is bullshit!”

Ramming himself into the main door to the keep, Ryuji began to yell with all his might.

“You hear me, Kamoshida!?”

“Doing that isn’t going to open it, you know… Still it seems you have your reasons.”

“Hey, Monamona!”

“It’s Morgana!”

“Do you know where those voices are comin’ from?”

“You want me to take you to them?”

“...Well, I guess I could guide you there. But only if he comes with us.”

“You want me?”

“I just want to get a better look at your powers..”

“Even if you don’t agree, I bet this guy’ll go on even if he has to do it alone. Are you gonna leave him?”

“I never said that.”

“It’s settled then!”

“For real!?”

“...Thanks, man.”

“All right, let’s do this. Follow me!”

“This is our infiltration point.”

“Ain’t that the vent we escaped from last time..?”

“That’s right. Not barging in through the entrance is one of the basics of phantom thievery.”

“How’re we supposed to know about that stuff..?

“I’ll make sure to teach you as we go. Come on, follow me!”

“So, uh… Sorry for draggin’ you into all of this Ren… But I just can’t forgive that bastard Kamoshida doin’ whatever the hell he wants!”

“Really though, thanks for comin’ along. I owe you big time! I’ll even erm… Try not to look at your dick and stuff…

“Thanks…”

* * *

As Morgana led them back through the castle and down into the dungeons once more they were able to swiftly defeat any Shadows they came across by combining their powers. With Ren’s outfit never returning back to his uniform like before he was left running around nude, and though he hated to admit it, he was slowly starting to get used to it… He even stopped bothering to cover up after a little while. What use was it when everyone had seen everything anyway?

After Ryuji caught sight of a particularly large group of knights they hid in a small side area Morgana called a safe room. Supposedly thanks to its lack of distortion the ruler's control of the area was weak, preventing any enemies from being able to enter. As they stepped inside it’s dungeon-like décor briefly faded away to reveal a normal looking classroom. Though it didn’t last long before fading back it illustrated the point well.

“Now do you understand? This place is another reality that the ruler’s heart projects.”

“This is Kamoshida’s reality? Shit makes no sense at all!”

“One could say it’s a world in which one’s distorted desires have materialized. I call such a place a Palace.”

“A Palace?”

“This is happening because he thinks the school is his own castle.”

“So, it became like this ‘cause he just thought of it like that!? That son of a bitch!”

“You must really hate this Kamoshida guy.”

“Hate doesn’t even cover how I feel. Everything is that asshole’s fault!”

“I don’t know what happened between you two, but don’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

Noticing Ren continuing to self consciously glance down at his exposed penis with a look of slight embarrassment, the not-cat gave him a reassuring smile.

“You’re curious about your outfit, aren’t you? Don’t worry about being exposed, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. I think you look much better this way than that silly school uniform at least.”

“Thanks..?”

“I’m curious as hell about his outfit too.”

“N-Not in like a checking him out gay kinda way or anything! He’s just you know… Naked…”

“That’s also because of this world.”

“More stuff that makes no sense…”

“Anything distorts according to how a ruler pleases within his Palace. A school can turn into a castle like this, after all. In order to prevent such distortions, one must hold a powerful will of rebellion.”

“Your nudity and mask is a manifestation of that. The pieces of your costume that remain combined with your exposure are the image of rebellion that you hold within.”

“Uugh, you rebel by not wearing clothes?!”

“What better way is there?”

“Right... And what's up with you? What the hell are you anyways!?”

“The more I look at you the more you look kinda like a naked chick.”

“I’m a human-an honest-to-god human man, just like you two!”

“No, you’re obviously more like a cat...”

“This is, well… It’s because I lost my true form... I think.”

“You think?”

“But I do know how to regain it! The reason why I snuck in here was for a preliminary investigation of those means.”

“Well, before I ended up getting caught… I’ve been tortured by Kamoshida too so I know how much of a scum bag he truly is...”

“I’m gonna make him pay for sure!”

“What is this, a movie? This is all seriously crazy…”

“If we’re gonna keep going, we should hurry along. I’ll be counting on your skills this time too, rookie. Got it?”

“Don’t worry, I thought a lot about how I could help too, so...”

Reaching once more into his school bag, Ryuji shocked Ren by pulling out what seemed to be a hand gun.

“I brought this just in case! It’s a model gun, so it only makes sounds but...”

“That’s a toy!”

“But it looks totally real, so it’ll at least fake ‘em out. I brought some medicine too. You know what they say: Providin’ is pre… something. Huh? Huh?”

“So you were planning this from the start… Well, fine. If you’re ready to go, we’ll resume our infiltration.”

* * *

Continuing to fight on towards where the captives were supposedly them even turned out to be incredibly useful, as Morgana explained due to the way cognitions worked here, the fact that the enemies believed Ren was coming at them with a real gun was enough to let it fire real bullets. After one final battle with a bunch of little plant looking women who had flowers for heads and absolutely no clothes at all they made it to-

“Kamoshida’s… Training Hall… of Love? What kinda bullshit is this!?”

“Just go inside, you’ll see soon enough…”

As soon as they stepped through the large metal door they heard voices crying out in pain. Apprehensively the three of them moved down the staircase towards the source of the noise. A large number of male students wearing Shujin sports uniforms were confined to what looked like a mix between a sports hall and a torture chamber, each being whipped by the masked knights against a volleyball net.

“Dammit! This is bullshit!”

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down!?”

“But this is beyond messed up!”

Ryuji frantically pulled at the lock on the barred door.

“How do I open this!?”

“Stop it…”

“Huh?”

A beaten and bandaged student approached them from the other side of the bars.

“Leave us alone… It’s useless… If we stay obedient, we won’t be executed like you guys!”

“You’re tellin’ me you wanna stay in a place like this!?”

“Wait a minute… Were you planning on taking these guys out of here?”

“We can’t just leave ‘em here!”

“How stupid can you be?”

“What!?!”

“These are only humans in Kamoshida’s cognition. They aren’t real humans that have entered from reality. They’re different from you two.”

“Cognition..?”

“It means there’s no point in saving them! They’re different from the real ones in the real world. You could say that these are extremely similar-looking dolls.”

“The hell!? Why’s it gotta be so complicated!?”

“So the school’s a castle and the students are slaves… It’s so on point that it makes me laugh. This really is the inside of that asshole’s head!”

“Still, this is horrible. It must mean he treats them as slaves in the real world too.”

“In the real world too? Wait, I know these guys… They’re members of the volleyball team- the one Kamoshida coaches for!”

“They must be physically abused everyday… There’s no way they’d be so beat up normally.”

“Don’t tell me… They’re going through similar shit in reality!?”

“Most likely. I mean, this proves that Kamoshida thinks of them as slaves.”

“So it might be for real… I heard that Kamoshida’s usin’ physical punishment. They’re just rumours, but… If they’re true, wouldn’t this be somethin’ to report to the police? I’ll use these guys as evidence.”

“If it all goes well, we can take that asshole down!”

“...Huh? My cameras not workin’!? We can use the navigation app, but the camera’s a no go!?”

“A navigation app?”

“That’s what we used to come here.”

After Ryuji tried to memorize all the victims faces to question later in the real world, the trio made their way back to the exit, however once they reached the main hall they found King Kamoshida already waiting for them, this time backed up by many more of the strange knights and even an extra fancy looking one in full gold.

“...You knaves again? To think you’d make the same mistake again. You’re hopeless!”

“The school ain’t your castle! I’ve memorized your victims' faces real good. You’re goin’ down!”

“It seems it’s true when they say barking dogs seldom bite. How far the star runner of the track team has fallen.”

“What the hell are you gettin’ at!?”

“I speak of the Track Traitor who acted in violence, ending his teammates’ dreams. Oh, I can only imagine the pain of the others who were dragged under with your… selfish act.”

Ryuji scoffed, though Ren could tell by the guilty look on his face something the vile man said had clearly gotten to him.

“Track Traitor?”

“What a surprise. So you’re accompanying him without knowing anything at all? He betrayed his teammates and crushed their hopes, yet he still carries on as carefree as ever.”

“That’s not true!”

“What a tragedy… You blindly trusted this fool, and he’s led you right to your death. Hurry up and dispose of them. I can’t stand their stench.”

“Goddammit!”

“Ryuji, move!”

As the Shadows closed in around them, their black and red ooze began to spill fourth as they took on their true monstrous forms.

“There’s a lot of them… Get ready for a fight.”

As the two nudesona users made their stand, Ryuji was forced to stand back and watch on, feeling completely helpless and useless to the team. Catching the snide glance of Kamoshida, the King smiled at him.

“Completely useless, what a worthless piece of trash. Look at you cowering whilst you force your supposed allies to defend you.”

“You ain’t no different you piece of shit!”

“How dare you raise your voice at me. Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?”

“That wasn’t no practice-it was physical abuse! You just didn’t like our team!”

“It was nothing but an eyesore! The only one who needs to achieve results is me! That coach who got fired was hopeless too… Had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would’ve settled it with only breaking his star’s leg.”

“...What?”

“Do you need me to deal with your other leg too? The school will call it self-defence anyway!”

“Dammit… Am I really just gonna sit by and watch them fight again… Not only can I not run anymore… the track team is gone too ‘cause of this asshole…”

“So that’s why…”

“Ryuji.”

Ren called over to his friend as he narrowly dodged a blow from a shadow.

“Don’t let him win! Stand up for yourself!”

“...You’re right. Everything that was important to me was taken by him… I’ll never get ‘em back!”

“All you think about is using people… You’re the worst piece of shit I've ever laid eyes on Kamoshida!”

Slowly Ryuji made his way across the battlefield towards the scarcely dressed false king, not caring about the near-misses from the magic attacks whizzing by him.

“What are you doing? Silence him!”

“Stop lookin’ down on me with that stupid smile on your face!”

Pointing right towards Kamoshida, everybody turned to watch the blonde boy's defiance in surprise.

“You made me wait quite a while.”

Suddenly Ryuji's eyes bulged as he felt his heart briefly come to a stop. Grabbing his head in pain he fell to his knees.

“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!”

In a burst of blue flames a metal skull mask appeared on Ryuji’s face. Looking over at the golden knight that was holding its sword high in the air above him, ready to slash down at any moment he felt his heart begin to beat once more.

“What can you do? Just stay on the floor and watch as I end your miserable life.”

Tearing the mask from his face, blood splattered across his forehead as Ryuji let out a mighty roar of pain. The shockwave from his awakening and the subsequent burst of blue fire were enough to topple the surrounding Shadows. When the light faded Ryuji stood tall, backed up by a brand new Nudesona of his own. Having had a wardrobe change just like Ren, he now wore only a red scarf around his neck, yellow gloves on his hands and a large cross shaped belt around his waist which left his athletic body on full display and his cock dangling freely between his legs. Behind him, riding atop a floating pirate ship a skeletal pirate captain with a cannon for one arm.

“Right on… Wassup, Nudesona… This fucking rocks! Now that I got this power, it’s time for payback…”

“Blast them away… Captain Kidd!”

The battle that followed Ryuji’s awakening was quick. Though the Shadows had been some trouble for Ren and Morgana before, now with the help of a third Nudesona user their enemies stood no chance. As the dust settled, they stood before Kamoshida, victorious once more. Ryuji panted as he tried to catch his breath, not yet used to the energy the fights took from him.

“...How ‘bout that!?”

“Whoa… So Ryuji had the potential too…”

“Even if you apologize now… I ain’t forgiven’ you!”

Even though his men were defeated, the false king still stood with a smug face of defiance.

“I told you that this is my castle. It seems you still don’t understand…”

Walking over to Kamoshida from some unseen section of the large room was a very busty and very naked woman Ren quickly recognised as Takamaki, the blonde student with the pigtails who he sat behind in class. Aside from a pair of fake cat ears and a tiara she was otherwise fully naked, her unbelievable E cup breasts bouncing enticingly with each of her overly dainty steps. They all watched her slim body with undivided attention, taking note of the cute pink shade of her nipples and the fact her clean shaven vulva was perfectly symmetrical and neat. Once she reached her destination at Kamoshida’s side, the cat eared Takamaki made no effort to hide any part of her body.

“Wh- Takamaki!?”

“Oh! Wha… What a meow-velous and beautiful girl…”

The thieves watched on in disbelief as she suddenly started pressing herself up against the lecherous villain.

“What’s going on!?”

Pushing past his thoughts of lust, Ren realized there was no way this was the same Takamaki he heard speaking to Kamoshida after class the other day. Her body's perfection felt almost unnatural, almost as if it was some conjuration like the rest of this distorted place.

“Somthings off here.”

“Yeah, now that you mention it… Takamaki has big boobs but could they really be- No wait, that’s not it! Why is she even here!?”

Taking his naked admirer by the chin Kamoshida smiled.

“Hey! Let go of her, you perv!”

“How many times must I tell you until you understand? This is MY castle-a palace in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me.”

“...That is, everyone besides slow witted thieves like you.”

“Takamaki! Say somethin’!”

“Calm down, Ryuji! It seems that girl isn’t the real one. She’s the same as those slaves-a being made from Kamoshida’s cognition of her!”

“Are you jealous? Well, I’m not surprised. Women aren’t drawn to problematic punks like you.”

“Dammit…”

“Clean them up this instant!”

In the blink of an eye, at least twelve more knights appeared from the ground.

“We’re outnumbered… Let’s scram before we get surrounded!”

“We’re just going to run!?”

“We can’t die here Ryuji. We still need to save everyone.”

“Thank god you’ve got a level head.”

“Ngh… Fine.”

“We’ll expose what you really are, no matter what! You better be ready for us!”

“Hahahaha! I was beginning to get bored of torturing the ones here! Come at me whenever you want, if you don’t care about your life! Haaaahahahaha!”

“Ignore him. Let’s go!”

Making their getaway the thieves finally escaped the castle, regrouping in the courtyard just like before. Ryuji chose this moment to realize the state of his own clothing.

“Holy fuck… I’m naked now too!?”

“I guess it makes sense but somebody coulda told me…”

Frantically covering his dangling genitals, Ren did his best to maintain eye contact to avoid as much awkwardness as possible. There was already a crimson blush creeping out from beneath Ryuji’s mask.

“You get used to it…”

“Nobody look alright!”

The truth was Ren had already had a curious glance back in the main hall, just to compare, not like he was checking out his friend or anything. He had him beat in the length department but Ryuji probably had him when it came to girth. Also the proof that he was no natural blonde remained rather wild and untrimmed, similar to his own.

“And why have you stopped covering up entirely now?”

“Like I said. You get used to it… We’re all nude anyway, can’t afford to be distracted.”

It actually almost worried him, how quickly he’d adapted to running around cock out, but it was true there were bigger fish to fry right now.

“I guess you gotta point.”

Ryuji lowered his hands from his crotch for a moment before swiftly recovering.

“Nope! Nevermind! Not doing that.”

“Did you find them!?”

“Quiet!”

The thieves began to lower their voices as they heard another patrol go by.

“No. Search that way!”

“So what’s goin’ on? I’m completely lost, man!”

“I told you before. When a Nudesona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, your clothes will adapt. By facing your shame and coming out on top you can use your power.”

“My mask is a skull?”

“Your appearance reflects your inner self. It’s the rebel that slumbers within… Not that you’ll get it.”

“Nope…”

“Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is.”

“Easy for you to say. You even got anything to hide on that furry body of yours?”

Suddenly, Ryuji dropped the whispering entirely, yelling out for some reason.

“W-Wait, we’re in deep shit!”

“I said to be quiet!”

“We might’ve gotten away here, but we’re still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school…”

“That’s quite sharp of you! …For being an idiot.”

“But relax. The Kamoshida in reality can’t possibly know about what happens here. A Shadow is the true self that is suppressed-a side of one’s personality they don’t want to see.”

“...So we’re okay?”

“Did the Kamoshida in reality remember about the execution?”

“There you have it.”

“All right! Now that we know that, all we gotta do is-”

“Wait. I guided you as promised. It’s your turn to cooperate with me.”

“That’s why I was super nice about teaching you idiots everything.”

“Huh? Cooperate?”

“Don’t you remember? I originally came here for an investigation.”

“I need to erase the distortion from my body and regain my real form!”

“That’s why we must delve into Mementos and-”

“Whoa, hold up. What’re you goin’ on and on about? We never said anything about helpin’ you out.”

“Huh? Don’t tell me… Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?”

“Especially you Frizzy Hair! You’re going to up and leave, even though you’re already part of my master plan!?”

“Let me think about it…”

“Wha- The nerve!”

“Is it because I’m not a human? Because I’m like a cat? Because I don’t have a cock between my legs? Is that why you're making a fool of me!?”

“We’re busy!”

“Thanks for everything, cat. You’ve got guts, bein’ a cat and all!”

“See you around!”

Taking the opportunity, the two students began to run.

“Hey! What the hell!? Ugh, seriously!? Why’re you wrapping this up like everything’s all hunky-dory!?”

“Oh hell no! Get back here! Grrrr…. GRAAAGHHHH!”

Chapter Text

* 12/4/20XX After School *

“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”

“Thank god… I’m wearing clothes…”

“Dude… You might want to sort that out…”

The extra underwear Ren had previously put on were now sitting over the top of his school uniform trousers.

“Ah.”

“You can keep 'em.”

“I dragged you around a lot, huh? …Sorry, man.”

“Ugh, I’m dead tired… How you holdin’ up?

“I’m exhausted.”

“I guess you don't really show it, huh?” But damn, if what we saw was for real, this is gonna get good!”

“I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treatin’ like slaves.”

“Once we make ‘em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done.”

“So… wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses?”

“Sure, I’ll help.”

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

“Hey, so… If you’re thinkin’ of layin’ low ‘cause you got a record, I don’t think that’ll help…”

“Everyone already knows. They totally got you pegged as a criminal.”

“How’d that happen?”

“Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!”

“Seriously?”

“No one else besides a teacher could’ve leaked it that fast! It doesn’t matter if it’s a student or a club; that asshole just wrecks things he doesn’t agree with.”

“Just like he did with me!”

“No one’ll take anything I say seriously. Still, those rumours about him gettin’ physical might be real.”

“And after seein’ Kamoshida’s distorted- heart thing in person, there’s no way I can just sit back!”

“Of course.”

“I’m countin’ on you! Don’t worry- I’m hyped about this too!”

“Oh… Right. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”

“It’d be weird splittin’ off now, so why don’t we get a bite somewhere?”

“Sure.”

“Just follow me. I mean, I totally gotta hear about your past!”

Suddenly Ren felt a warm sensation in his chest, it was pleasant, almost reassuring. As it washed over him he felt almost stronger. As he reveled in the pleasant sensation a soft, deep and seductive feminine voice suddenly began whispering into his ear.

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Chariot Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

* * *

“WHAT!?”

Many of the other patrons of the ramen shop turned to face the suddenly rowdy blonde haired customer. Realizing Ryuji was starting to cause a scene Ren grimaced. He was grateful his new friend was taking his story so seriously but getting kicked out before he could finish his meal would be far from ideal.

“The hell, man! How much shittier can that asshole get!?”

“Calm down… I’m still eating…”

“Oh. My bad.”

“So… you left your hometown, and you’re livin’ here now, huh?”

“We might be more alike than I originally thought.”

“How so?”

“Uh, it’s not exactly “how,” but.. Y’know.”

“I guess it’s how we’re treated like a pain in the ass by the people around us, like we don’t belong. I did something stupid at school before, too.”

“The place you’re livin’ now is in… Yongen, right? It’s rush hour on the subways. I suggest you kill some time before headin’ home.”

“Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on. As long as we do something about Kamoshida, I’m sure we’ll both feel better about bein’ at school.”

“Oh, yeah! Tell me your number. Chat ID too.”

“Just you wait, Kamoshida…”

“We’re gonna start right away tomorrow. First, let’s hit up those guys that were kept as slaves. The volleyball rally’s tomorrow, huh? Shit’s recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me wanna gag.”

“But thanks to that, we got no classes in the afternoon, and we can walk around unnoticed. Well, I guess we can work out the details tomorrow…”

“C’mon, you gotta eat more. There’s tons of ginger here.”

“Please stop piling more in my bowl…”

* 12/4/20XX Evening *

That night as Ren laid back on his bed he received a text message from Ryuji, letting him know that the strange navigation app had appeared on his phone too. After reaffirming their plans to talk to Kamoshida’s victims tomorrow he closed his eyes and let the aches of the day's excursions begin to fade away. Until of course, he awoke in his velvet prison cell just like the previous two nights.

So this is going to be an everyday thing now?

Not even bothering to try and cover himself anymore he got up off the uncomfortable prison bed and plodded over to the bars. The people in here were far too weird for him to feel embarrassed about being naked in front of.

“Welcome to the Velvet Room.”

“I thought about resuming our previous conversation tonight. That is why I have summoned you. What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?”

“I suppose I am. In a weird sort of way.”

“Ah, glad to hear it. It seems you have nerves of steel.”

“The goal of your rehabilitation is to thwart the fated ruin. However, such a feat cannot be done by you alone.”

“Today, you entered a partnership with someone who awoke to the same power, did you not?”

“You mean Ryuji?”

“Involving yourself with others is an important foundation for your recovery. You’ve done well. That said, I am not advising the formation of superficial relationships.”

“It must not be of frivolity, but a ring of those who would, by morals or faith, lend you their strength. In other words, they are bonds with those who have been robbed of their places to belong.”

“The expansion of said ring will, in return, help you mature as well.”

“Nudesonas are the strength of heart… The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Nudesonas will gain.”

“There are countless people in the city who have talents that a weakling like you doesn’t. You better rack that noggin of yours and get them on your side. We’ll change that into power.”

“Indeed. You should be prepared to use even myself, or your ambitions will not come to fruition.”

Chuckling to himself, the long nosed man extended a hand for what appeared to be a mock handshake.

“We have a deal then.”

The same warm feeling that filled his chest when he made his deal with Ryuji returned, though this time he discovered a new sensation accompanied it too…

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Fool Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

A cold prod encouraged him to look down at his crotch, it appeared the pleasant feeling and seductive voice in his ear had awoken something else within him.

“How fascinating. It appears our master's benevolence has caused something akin to arousal within him.”

One look up at Igor caused him to almost gag at the idea that creature had caused him to get hard.

“T-This is because of something else…”

“And what might that be Inmate!”

Thanks to their height, the twins were practically at eye level with his little soldier. Before Caroline could reach through the bars and touch it he stepped back, covering himself up.

“Nothing…”

“Then this conversation is over Inmate! Get lost!”

* 13/4/20XX Afternoon *

Kamoshida leapt into the air, and with a powerful spike sent a volleyball flying into a bruised, dark blue haired student on the opposing team. Recoiling from the blow the rest of his team watched on rather unimpressed. Today was the Shujin Academy volleyball rally, and as such regular classes had been cancelled in favour of the school wide event.
Ren was currently sitting with Ryuji, watching the game unfold from the side-lines of the sports hall. With the blow of a whistle the next round promptly began, Kamoshida turning to the rest of his team triumphantly. As the game continued on it was clear the match was one sided. Ryuji, meanwhile, had taken to occupying himself by glancing over at Takamaki, who like the boys, was sitting around on the other side of the hall looking rather unimpressed.

“Still sticks out… Hasn’t changed a bit.”

“To think inside the castle she was completely-”

Realizing Ren had caught him staring, the blonde boy tried to play it off by yawning, stretching out his arms to try and hide where he’d been looking.

“Pretty boring right?”

A loud thwack suddenly brought their attention back to the game. The poor bruised student had just taken another nasty spike from Kamoshida, this time directly to the face. Falling over backwards and laying on the ground, this time he didn’t get up.

“Sorry!”

Kamoshida ran under the net to check on the student, as the previous cheering came to a halt.

“Hey, are you all right!? Someone! Take him to the nurse’s office!”

“He’ll pay soon enough…”

* * *

Investigating the student body when there are rumours running around that you murdered somebody was a lot harder than Ren had first assumed. Despite speaking to numerous members of the volleyball team, all with visible serious injuries, everyone refused to speak, no matter how much he prodded. When Ren walked through the halls, people moved out of his way as they chatted with their friends all about how he probably had a knife, or that if anyone looked him in the eyes they’d end up in hospital. As useful as it was that he never got held up, all the comments were honestly starting to get to him. Though he hadn’t been at the school for more than a few days Kamoshida’s influence had already started making his life worse. He couldn’t imagine the sort of thing the people who spent nearly everyday after school with him must have to go through.

Eventually, just when he was about to give up the search he managed to get a lead. A first year student, new to the volleyball club, slipped up and accidentally tipped him off about a student named Mishima who was having a particularly rough go of it. As the bell sounded to signal the end of the day, Ren met back up with Ryuji to tell him what he’d discovered. Whilst waiting near the vending machines he was surprised to suddenly get approached by Takamaki. She’d never actually tried to speak to him before…

“Can I talk to you for a sec?”

“What is it?”

“It’ll be quick.”

Ren blushed slightly nervously. He remembered the last time he saw her in the Palace with Kamoshida. Her gorgeous naked body completely exposed before his eyes. He knew it was wrong of him considering the circumstances but how could he not react to seeing her in such an intimate way. Though now that he actually saw her
up close, dressed in her sports uniform her figure was still impressive but perhaps not quite as absurd as her cognitive double. Pushing his glasses back up his nose he did his best to stop staring and maintain eye contact with the beautiful blonde.

“Anyway, what’s with you? Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all..”

“...There’s that weird rumour about you too.”

“Whaddya want with him?”

Ryuji stepped towards Takamaki, finally having arrived at the meeting spot. He looked towards her accusingly, clearly knowing something Ren didn’t.

“Right back at you. You’re not even in our class.”

“...We just happened to get to know each other.”

“What’re you planning on doing to Mr. Kamoshida?”

“Huh!?”

“...I see. I getcha. You’re all buddy-buddy with Kamoshida after all.”

“This has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto!”

“If you found out what he’s been doin’ behind your back, you’d dump him right away.”

So the rumours were true? She was dating that bastard?

“Behind my back…?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You wouldn’t get it.”

“Anyway, people are already talking about you two. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull. No one’s gonna help you.”

“I’m warning you, just in case. That’s all.”

There was a certain sadness about her as she said her final line, quickly rushing away before they had a chance to say anything else.

“Why’s she gotta be so aggressive all the time?”

“It seemed like you know her?”

“We just went to the same middle school. Anyways, that’s not what we’re here to talk about.”

“Mishima.”

“Exactly. If what you found about the way Kamoshida is treating him particularly harsh is true…”

“I always see him covered in bruises too. And there was the game earlier where he got spiked right in the face.”

“Let’s go talk to him before he leaves for the day.”

Fortunately they were able to find the poor boy just as he was walking to the exit. Ren hadn’t really noticed before but he was actually in his class. The dark blue haired student’s arms were covered in bandages and he had some seriously nasty bruises on his face.

“Hey, got a second?”

“Sakomoto? And Amamiya, too…!?”

“C’mon, we just wanna chat. Kamoshida’s been “coaching” you, huh?”

“You sure it’s not just physical abuse?”

“Certainly not!”

“What’re you talkin’ all polite for? Anyways… We saw him spike you today. Right in the face.”

“That was just because I’m not good at the sport…”

“...Still, that doesn’t explain all the other bruises you’ve got.”

“They’re from practice…!”

“Is he forcin’ you to keep quiet?”

“That’s…”

“What’s going on here?”

Speaking of the man himself, Kamoshida suddenly appeared as if summoned by their inquisitions.

“Mishima, isn’t it time for practice?”

“I-I’m not feeling well today…”

“What? Maybe you’re better off quitting then. You’re never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice.”

“Didn’t you hear? He ain’t feelin’ well!”

“Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?”

“...I’ll go.”

“As for you Sakamoto, any more trouble and you’ll be gone from this school for sure.”

“...Bastard…”

“Same goes for you transfer student. Didn’t the principal tell you to keep in line?”

“You have an amazing spike.”

Ren looked right into the man's eyes, almost like he was trying to test him. For a brief second he saw his provocation get through the thin barrier he upheld.

“Hmph. Just don’t get in the way of my practice. All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all.”

“That’s your own goddamn fault.”

“This won’t get us anywhere. Let’s go Mishima.”

“Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don’t have any right to be here.”

“Get with the program!”

And with that, Kamoshida marched off, Mishima slowly beginning to turn to follow the sick teacher, his head hanging low.

“Yes, sir.”

“That asshole. He’s gonna pay for this!”

“...There’s no point.”

“Huh!?”

“Proving that he’s physically abusing us…is meaningless. Everybody knows… The principal, our parents… They all know and they all keep quiet about it.”

“This has gotta be a joke…”

“...Don’t be a pain. You don’t understand what I’m going through. Shouldn’t you of all people know that nothing’s going to help!?”

From the look on Ryuji’s face Mishima’s words cut deep. Not waiting to hear what else they had to say, he ran off to follow after Kamoshida.

“Dammit…”

“What now?”

“...I’ll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That’s… all I can do.”

* 14/4/20XX After School *

The next day after classes ended Ren walked alone through the halls. He was thinking hard about what they were going to do about Kamoshida when he was stopped in his tracks by an incredibly depressed looking female student standing completely out of it in the doorway. Her face was badly bruised and from the bags under her eyes Ren guessed she had hardly slept. When she noticed she was blocking the way she slowly moved to the side, brushing her fringe away from her eyes.

“Oh… Sorry…”

Ren clenched his fists as he noticed the bandages around her forearm. She must have been another one of Kamoshida’s victims, and she had it pretty rough from the looks of things too.

“I’m sorry too.”

“Oh no, it’s totally my fault. I shouldn’t have been spacing out like that…”

“Hm, you don’t look familiar.”

When she looked up at Ren’s face he could see an incredibly deep sadness behind her eyes. Her long black hair was tied back in a pony tail and the blue hair clip she wore reminded him of the yellow one Takamakai had.

“Could you be that transfer student from Class D?”

“The very same.” Ren sighed. It was likely now she knew who he was; she'd run away from the scary delinquent, just like everybody else.

“Um, this might not be any of my business, but don’t let the rumors get to you, okay?”

Now that was a surprise.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, I’ve helped with a similar situation before… My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks…”

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to drag on like that. Anyway, I have to go to practice. I’ll see you around.”

* * *

When Ren finally made it to the vending machines near the courtyard, their current makeshift meetup spot, he saw that Ryuji was already waiting, tapping his feet on the ground with a frustrated look on his face.

“Dammit. What the hell…”

“Something happen?”

“Is that what it looks like?”

He slammed his fist into a nearby machine.

“All of the club members just kept sayin’ the same shit Mishima was talkin’ about!”

“Kamoshida had to have told ‘em something!”

“At this rate… looks like we’ll have to go to him directly…”

“Is that really a good idea? We’re just going to get ourselves in more trouble…”

“I know… But seriously, isn’t there something we can do? No way I’m gonna give in like this!”

“Can you think of anything?”

“We could just try the cops…”

“And what? Tell em about the castle? They’d never believe us without any form of proof. Any other ideas?”

“What if we punished the king?”

“The king…? You mean the other world’s Kamoshida?”

“I didn’t think of that, but… Is there any meaning to-”

“I finally found you…”

“...You say something?”

“Don’t think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you.”

Leaping up onto a nearby bench was a strangely familiar looking black cat with a white snout and paws. When Ren noticed it’s yellow collar he suddenly realized who it reminded him of, except instead of the usual, or unusual he should say, anthropomorphic form, he now looked like just a regular old cat.

“...That voice… Is that you, Morgana!?”

“How dare you, up and leaving me the other day!”

“The cat’s talkin’!?”

“I am NOT a cat! This is just what happened when I came to this world! It was a lot of trouble finding you two.”

“Wait… You came to our world!? Does that mean you’ve got a phone!?”

“You don’t need one when you’re at my level. I did get pretty lost making my escape though…”

“That aside, why can you talk!? You’re a cat!”

“How should I know!?”

“You hearin’ this too Ren?”

“Meow?”

“This is no time to be jokin’ around!”

“You guys are having a rough time of this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses.”

“Oh, shuddup.”

“You know, I could tell you a thing or two about what to do about Kamoshida. You were pretty close just a moment ago.”

“God, that condescendin’ attitude! This thing’s gotta be Morgana!”

“You were still doubting me!?”

“Hey look over there! What a cute little kitty!”

It seemed Morgana’s new cat form was drawing attention from some other students.

“Did you hear him meowing! How adorable!”

“Should it really be on school property though?”

“Are you gonna tell that to the transfer student and Sakamoto?”

“Hell no!”

After noticing Ren had caught them staring, the small group of students quickly began to disperse.

“Meowing? Does that mean only us two can understand what you’re sayin’?”

“Looks like it.”

“What the hell’s goin’ on?”

“Anyways, what you were talkin’ about earlier… Is it for real?”

“You’re quite the skeptic for being an idiot.”

“Hey, tell us more. Then again, this probably ain’t the best place…”

Grabbing the cat by the scruff of its collar, Ryuji held Morgana out towards Ren.

“Here, stick it in your bag for now! It should be just small enough to fit!”

“Hey! How dare you treat me like-.”

After putting Morgana in the bag the two men made their way back up to the school's rooftop for some privacy. As soon as Ren unzipped the bag the not-cat practically flew right out.

“...Don’t be so rough with me!”

“Enough of that! You said you know how we can do something about Kamoshida, right?”

“It has to do with what this guy was talking about earlier. You’ll need to attack his castle.”

“What do you mean?”

“The castle is how Kamoshida views this school. He doesn’t realize what happens in there, but it’s deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Kamoshida.”

“What’d happen?”

“A Palace is a manifestation of a person’s distorted desires. So, if that castle were no more…”

“His desires would go too.”

“Precisely! You sure pick up things fast!”

“For real!? H-He’s gonna turn good!?”

“But… is that really gettin’ back at him?”

“Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart. However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain.”

“Kamoshida will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he’ll confess them himself!”

“You for real!? That’s possible!?”

“And since the Palace will no longer exist, he’ll forget what we did there as well. Not only will we be able to bring Kamoshida down, but there won’t even be a trace of our involvement.”

“That’s amazing! You are one incredible cat!”

“True, except for the cat part!”

“So? How do we get rid of the Palace!?”

“By stealing the Treasure held within.”

“Stealing…?”

“I’ll tell you more once you agree to go ahead with this. It’s my most valuable, secret plan, after all. If you want to help me out, I’ll gladly teach you. What’s your call?”

“Our luck’s runnin’ dry lookin’ for witnesses. Guess we have no choice but to go along…”

“You’re right.”

“...Good. Oh, right. There’s one more thing I should tell you.”

“If we erase a Palace, there is no doubt that the person’s distorted desires will be erased as well. But desires are what we all need in order to survive.”

“The will to sleep, eat, fall in love- those sorts of things.”

“What’re you gettin’ at?”

“If all of those yearnings were to vanish, they’d be no different than someone who has shut down entirely. They may even die if they’re not given proper care.”

“So…”

“They might die!?”

“Will you listen to everything I have to say first?”

“Would their death be our fault?”

“Aren’t you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?”

“Hey… What do you think?”

“It’s a risk we'd have to take.”

“For real!?”

“Sheesh… I come all this way, and this is what I get. It’s not like anyone will ever find out.”

“That’s not the point! If we just go around secretly doin’ whatever we want, we’d be no better than that fuckin’ Kamoshida…”

“Isn’t this your only option? …I’ll come back later. Make sure you’ve made your decision by then.”

“Man, we’re gettin’ all worked up for nothing… Dammit!”

“I’ll try and see if I can figure out another way… C’mon, let’s get outta here.”

* * *

“Will you please give it a rest!? I told you, I’m not feeling up to it…”

Ren was walking through station square to catch his ride for the final leg of his journey home when he heard a familiar voice speaking over the crowd. After briefly looking around he saw Takamaki looking rather distressed as she spoke over her phone.

“Wait, what!? That’s not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!?”

“This has nothing to do with Shiho!”

With a surprised expression she put the phone back in her bag and crouched down on the floor dejected. It seemed something was seriously wrong.

“Shiho’s… starting position…”

Deciding that he should at least check on her, Ren made his way over. As she noticed him coming she quickly stood back up, brushing down her uniform in an attempt to cover up her previous state.

“Wait… Were you listening?”

“Not on purpose… You were pretty loud.”

“Haven’t you heard of privacy? …No, I was out of line. Sorry.”

“So how much did you hear?”

“You were arguing. Something about a friend?”

“Shiho…”

“It’s nothing at all. Nothing…”

Takamaki wiped away a tear running down her cheek, and without saying another word began to run away.

I should really follow her… Something’s going on here.

It didn’t take long to find her. As Ryuji said before, she stuck out in crowds like a sore thumb.

“Stop following me… Just leave me alone!”

“You’re clearly distressed. I want to help.”

“Why…? Why do you keep worrying about me?”

Noticing the girl begin to sob once more, Ren looked around the busy station.

“Let’s go somewhere safe.”

“What the heck…? I really don’t get you…”

Deciding the best cause of action would be to find someplace public to sit down, Ren led the quietly weeping girl to a nearby Big Bang Burger, a simple chain fast food restaurant that should have seats to spare. After finding a booth and bringing her some water, he sat down in front of her and looked at the twin tailed woman expectantly.

“I don’t have anything to talk about with you. It was just an argument…”

“With Kamoshida?”

“You’ve heard the rumours… haven’t you? About Mr. Kamoshida…”

“Everyone says we’re getting it on. But… that’s so not true…!”

“You’re right… That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number… for the longest time…”

“He told me to go to his place after this… You know what it means.”

“If I turn him down, he said he’d take my friend off as a regular on the team…”

“I’ve been telling myself this is all for Shiho’s sake… I can’t take it anymore.”

“I’ve had enough of this… I hate him!”

“But still… Shiho’s my best friend. She’s all I have left at that sorry excuse of a school!”

“Tell me… What should I do…?”

Ren clenched his hands over his knees. What could he even say? So many people were suffering because of one vile man, and he couldn’t lift a finger to stop it…

“Sorry… I shouldn’t have asked. It’s not your problem.”

“What am I even saying? I’ve barely even talked to you before…”

“Sorry for sort of butting in…”

“No… This was all my fault.”

She wiped her final tear from her check before looking up at him from her glass.

“...You’re so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me.”

“Are you really a bad person? I’ve heard people talking about you, but I just don’t see it.”

“I’m bad to the bone.”

“Is that supposed to be a joke? I kinda had a feeling the rumours were all just exaggerations.”

“You seemed lonely-almost like you didn’t belong anywhere…”

“We’re the same in that regard. Maybe that’s why it was so easy for me to talk to you.”

“Is there really no way for me to help Shiho?”

“I wish he’d just change his mind… Like, forget about me, and everything…”

“As if something like that would ever happen…”

“Never say never.”

“I wasn’t asking for a serious response.”

Takamaki smiled.

“But I do feel a bit better now. I’m gonna head home.”

“Don’t tell anyone what I told you, okay? I’ll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida.”

“Well… thanks.”

* 14/4/20XX Evening *

As Ren entered Leblanc he found Sojiro sitting at the counter, looking rather annoyed as he set down a crossword puzzle.

“...You’re late. Where have you been?”

“I got lost.”

“Is that supposed to be an excuse? How directionally challenged can you be?”

“By the way, you haven’t been hanging around any bad influences, have you?”

“I actually made a friend.”

“Huh. They’ve gotta be pretty strange to want to spend time with you. Just make sure you’re careful who your friends are. You don’t want them ruining your life.”

Sojiro yawned.

“Look at the time. Seriously, think about how I feel having to stay up here waiting for you.”

“I’m going home, in the future try not to come back so damn late. Understood?”

Ren gave the older man a polite nod before heading up the stairs to his room, feeling tired from the day of investigations he undressed and laid back on his bed. Looking around the messy room he swore to himself he’d tidy the rest of the place up soon, but not tonight. For now he needed some rest.

* 15/4/20XX Morning *

The next morning as Ren was sitting in class, half listening to a teacher as he droned on about the National Diet or some such, a sudden appearance from a certain feline almost sent him flying backwards in his chair. Poking his head out from under his desk, Morgana looked up at him from his lap.

“Have you made up your mind?” No matter how much thinking you do, there’s only one option. You’d be better off just listening to me.”

“Shhh! Quiet, you’re gonna get me in trouble.”

“Hm? Did I hear a cat just now?”

Ren gulped as his teacher surveyed the room. An older well dressed man with a stern reputation, this was hardly someone he wanted to have to explain harboring a cat in class too. Thankfully the other students starting to murmur amongst themselves was enough of a distraction to re-occupy the teachers mind.

“Settle down! We’re in the middle of an important lecture!”

“Hey.. What’s that..!?”

Another student had gotten up out of his seat and was looking out a window into the school's courtyard.

“Enough! This is a classroom!”

“Wait… She’s going to jump!”

Getting out of his seat, Mishima rushed over to the window to join the standing student.

“Suzui…?”

“Shiho…?”

As more and more students began to make their way to the other side of the classroom the teacher had now fully lost control.

“Hey! Stay in your seats! Do not step one foot outside of this room!”

Disregarding his words entirely, everybody began to funnel outside to get a closer look at what was going on…

Standing atop the school roof, overlooking the courtyard, the dark haired bruised and beaten woman Ren met yesterday in the hallway looked ready to jump. After a cold moment of nerve wracking silence she stepped forward over the edge.

As she fell, screams of other students filled the hallway, Ren watched in absolute shock as Takamaki stepped back from the window in horror.

“No… Why?”

“Shiho…!”

They ran down the stairs towards the exit out into the courtyard, Ryuji meeting him along the way. By the time they managed to push through the sea of students running around the school the paramedics had already arrived. Suzui was lying in a stretcher as panicking teachers did their best to try and get the other students back inside. Pulling out their phones people were taking photos and chatting amongst themselves, all starting rumors of why the poor girl had just jumped.

“Shiho!”

“What the hell’s wrong with these people!?”

One of the paramedics spoke up.

“We need someone to go with her… Are there any teachers around?”

As the few staff that were present argued amongst themselves over who’d be the one to go, Takamaki stepped forward.

“I’ll go!”

“Please hurry!”

“Shiho.. Why?”

“Ann…?”

“I’m sorry. I… I can’t take this… anymore…”

Kneeling down besides her severely injured friend, she listened closely to her noble attempts to communicate. Ren couldn’t hear what they were talking about over the crowds but when Takamaki looked up she had a look of pure anger on her face.

“Kamoshida?!”

As Shiho’s eyes closed, Takamaki looked back down at her friend, desperately pleading with her to stay awake. As the ambulance drove them away the teachers finally found the stones to try and regain control, ordering everybody back to their classes. Noticing Mishima frantically running away they decided he knew something they didn’t and began to follow him.

It didn’t take long to catch up with the guy, grabbing him by the wrist, they took him to an isolated corner of the school.

“That hurts!”

“Why’d you run like that? Huh!?”

“I didn’t run…”

“She jumped and tried to kill herself!”

“...L-Leave me alone…”

“Do you know something?”

“We ain’t tryin’ to get you busted. We won’t say you talked either!”

“Suzui… She was called out by Mr. Kamoshida!”

“Wait, what!?”

“I was called by him a number of times too… to the teachers room. It wasn’t just me or Suzui either. He’d nominate someone when he was in a bad mood… and hit them.”

“So the physical punishment thing was for real…”

“But yesterday, he called Suzui out of the blue. She didn’t make any mistakes or anything…”

“Mr. Kamoshida seemed really irritated that day, so it must’ve been… worse than usual…”

“He didn’t…!”

“That son of a bitch!”

Unable to hold back his anger any longer, Ryuji made a dash for the P.E. faculty office. Sensing he was about to make a mistake, Ren rushed after him, and even Mishima followed suit. Inside they found the man in question sitting casually at his desk.

“Huh?”

“You bastard! The hell did you do to that girl!?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me!”

Ryuji kicked over a nearby chair and began to approach the sorry excuse for a teacher.

“That is enough!”

Mustering all his courage, Mishima stepped forward.

“What you did… wasn’t coaching…!”

“What did you say?”

“You… You ordered me to call Suzui here… I can only imagine what you did to her…!”

“You’re going on and on about things you have no proof of…”

“Basically, you’re simply making these claims because you can’t be a regular on the team, right?”

“That’s not what this is about…!”

“Even if it is exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking… What can you do?”

“We just received a call from a hospital. Suzui’s in a coma, and her chances of recovery are slim… How would someone like that make a statement?”

“There’s no chance of her getting better, I hear… Ohhh, the poor girl.”

Kamoshida placed a hand on his forehead in mock despair.

“No… That can’t be…”

“You goddamn…!”

“This, again…? Does this mean we need to have yet another case of “self-defense”?”

“You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!”

Ryuji went to punch him square in the jaw, but Ren was able to catch him arm just in time to stop him.

“Why?”

“Don’t let him get to you. It’s exactly what he wants.”

“But still!”

“Oh? You’re stopping him? What a surprise. There’s no need to hold back. Why not attack me?”

“...Ohhh, you caaaan’t. Hahaha, but of course you can’t!”

“Everyone present right now will be expelled. I’m reporting all of you at the next board meeting.”

“Wha-”

“You can’t make a decision like that…!”

“Who would seriously consider what scum like you say? You just threatened me too, Mishima, so you’re just as responsible.”

“Huh…?”

“To think you didn’t know why I kept someone as talentless as you on the team. You act like you’re a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, didn’t you?”

“It’s all over the internet, correct? How terrible.”

“Mishima..?”

“He told me to do it. I had no choice…”

“Now, are we finished here? You’re all expelled! You’re done for; your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight.”

“I can’t believe this asshole’s getting away with this…!”

“We won’t give up.”

“Huh…? Oh right. We still have that!”

“Huh? Have you lost your minds? You worthless kids aren’t making any sense, but sure, go ahead and try. After all, you’ll have plenty of time to kill until expulsion…”

Aggravated but not defeated, the three students decided to leave before they dug themselves any deeper.

You haven’t heard the last of us, Kamoshida…

Chapter Text

* 15/4/20XX - Friday - After School *

“We can’t waste any time. We gotta hurry up and go to that world and beat the shit outta that asshole!”

Ryuji, Ren, and Morgana were all standing around the school courtyard planning their next moves. The previous confrontation with Kamoshida after the tragedy that struck that morning had left them feeling more fired up than ever.

“...We’re not beating him up. We’re simply stealing his distorted desires. Can I assume that you’ve made up your minds about this-about how he might suffer a mental shutdown?”

“...I have.”

“Someone almost died because of him! I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens to him anymore!”

“And you?”

“I agree.”

“..Then it’s settled.”

By the way, is gettin’ rid of a Palace hard? You’ve tried it before, right?”

“...When did I ever say that?”

“...Eh?”

“WHAT!? Were you just pretendin’ to know!?”

“Is it true you’re getting expelled?”

Takamaki slowly approached. Her makeup, still stained from her earlier tears, she looked down at the ground rather than their faces.

“Everyone’s talking about it…”

“That asshole’s at it again!”

“So you came all this way to tell us that?”

Looking up from the ground, the girl's expression became serious, determination starting to shine behind her light blue eyes.

“If you’re going to deal with Kamoshida… Let me in on it too.”

“I can’t just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!”

“This has nothing to do with you… Don’t butt your head into this…”

“But it does! Shiho’s my-”

“I said don’t get in our way!!”

The blonde girl scoffed, turning around, she left them be.

“...That was harsh.”

“We can’t take her somewhere like that…”

“I hope she doesn’t do anything too crazy. Women can be much bolder than men at times.”

“We just gotta hurry up and deal with Kamoshida. Let’s go already!”

Making their way to an alleyway outside the school gates, they prepared themselves to re-enter the Palace.

“The moment we cross over, we’ll treat each other like phantom thieves, so I hope you’re ready.”

“Huh? Phantom thieves?”

“Those who covertly sneak in and stylishly steal Treasure-that is what we become!”

“Not bad.”

“That sounds kinda cool!”

“So we just gotta say the school, Kamoshida’s name, and… “castle”? Then we end up naked in bizarro world.”

Pulling out his phone Ryuji began to scroll through the Metaverse Navigator.

“...How the hell’s all this work? Someone make it?”

“I’m not sure…”

"It's kinda creepy, but eh, seems useful enough. We'll show that fuckin' Kamoshida!"

“Let’s go!”

Though they didn't realize at the time, they were not alone. Takamaki had followed them to the alleyway and was currently watching them from just out of view.

They really are going to do something… Using their phones? A name… School?

Huh…!?

The world began to transform around them just like before. As the lightheaded sensation began to fade they were left standing in front of the castle, dressed, or rather undressed in their exposing costumes. Morgana had also returned to his anthropomorphic form, stretching out his arms before letting out a relieved sigh and scratching at his furred crotch. Knowing they couldn’t fight whilst covering up, there was an unspoken agreement between the two men to try and just ignore their nudity.

“So much better…”

“All right! Time to bust on through!”

“Who are you perverts!?”

Surprised by the familiar voice, the three phantom thieves turned to see that Takamaki had somehow followed them in. The blonde was currently standing only a few feet away, staring at them in shock. Her sudden, unexpected appearance left them no time to think about covering their modesty, leaving everything fully exposed to the gaze of their female classmate.

“T-Takamaki!?”

“That voice… Sakamoto!? And… are you Amamiya-kun!?”

“Wh-Wh-Why are you here!?”

“How should I know!?”

“What’s going on? Isn’t this the school!? And why the fuck are you both naked!!”

As the realization of their exposure set in, Takamaki quickly turned around covering her face in embarrassment, the two guys doing their best to hide their manhood's with their hands but the damage was already done, she’d seen everything.

“S-Sorry about that…”

Morgana was rather unbothered by their new guest, not making any effort to hide his feminine feline form. In fact he still looked rather enamoured by the blondie's beauty.

“I see. Perhaps she was dragged in because of that app thing. If multiple people can enter with the person who uses it, it stands to reason it’ll pull anyone nearby.”

“For real?”

Turning back around Takamaki looked at the two nervous men with an expression of pure disbelief. Though she tried to keep her eyes on their faces she couldn’t prevent a few impulsive glances downwards. This was her first time seeing any man naked, let alone people her own age.

“Wait, so THIS is related to Kamoshida!?”

“Anyways, you gotta leave!”

“No!”

“The Shadows are going to find us if you make a scene.”

“No way! That thing talked!? Oh my god, it’s a monster cat lady!”

“Monster…?”

“You better explain what’s going on! I won’t leave until you do! What the fuck is up with the school, and more importantly why are you all acting like a bunch of exhibitionists!”

“Looks like we gotta force her. But… how’re we supposed to do that?”

“Just take her back to where we came in. That’s how it worked last time, right?”

“Oh no you don’t! Keep your hands off me you perverts!”

“We’ll explain after everything’s over!”

“H-Hey! K-Keep those things covered!”

“Watch where you’re touching!”

“Whoa, s-sorry, I-I didn’t mean- That’s not important!”

“You guys seriously- Ah!?”

After pushing the flailing woman far enough away she finally seemed to disappear back to the regular world. With a hefty sigh they turned back towards the castle.

“We better be careful from now on when we use that app…”

“You should’ve checked the tools you used! Why do I-the one who was just watching- know more about it than you two!?”

“Sh-Shuddup!”

“Ah geez, I can’t believe Takamaki found out right when we were startin’ off… She even saw my dick...”

“That girl’s name is Ann Takamaki, right? Lady Ann…”

“Anyway, it seems the Shadows have noticed us. You better brace yourselves, got it?”

“We’re counting on you, Joker!”

“Joker? That a nickname?”

“Don’t refer to it in such a lame way. It’s a code name. What kind of stupid phantom thief would use their real name!? I’m not down for that!”

“And there’s no telling what kind of effect yelling our real names will have on the Palace… It’s just a precaution.”

“So, uh, why’s he Joker?”

“Because he’s our trump card when it comes to fighting strength.”

“Not bad.”

“It’s settled then! Next up is you, Ryuji. You’ll be… Let’s see…”

“Stubby.”

“Are you pickin’ a fight with me!? And where are you looking you pervert cat!”

“I’ll choose my fuckin’ nickname myself.”

“Hm… When it comes to me, it’s gotta be this mask. Honestly, I actually kinda like it. What if we named me after this?”

“Fine… Why not “Skull” then?”

“Ooh! That sounds awesome! I’m Skull!”

“What do we do about you then Morgana?”

“Fur Tits?”

“No way.”

“...How ‘bout’ “Mona”?”

“That works. All right. From here on out, we’re Joker, Skull, and Mona.”

“We need to be absolutely thorough about using those code names from now on!”

* * *

Making their way inside, the thieves began their infiltration. As they crept around the exterior of the main hall they noticed a large concentration of shadows gathering around the overlooking balcony. Kamoshida’s double seemed to be giving some sort of speech.

“Those intruders the other day were quite entertaining. However, I can't allow that trash to ransack my castle!”

“Strengthen the security! Kill them on sight! I’ll reward whoever brings me their heads.”

“Praise be to King Kamoshida!”

“Death to the intruders!”

“Hey, Mona. Can’t we just beat the crap outta him here and call it a day?”

“Look at all those soldiers, idiot! It’d be suicide. And I’m sure you don’t want a repeat of last time.”

“Besides, don’t you want him to confess his sins? There’s no point beating him up. We need to steal his materialized desires… The Treasure.”

“Fiiiine. So, where is it?”

“It has to be somewhere in the depths of this castle. Let’s infiltrate further in while he’s out here!”

After a little more exploration the thieves were forced into a fight with one of the red haired fairy Shadows they’d faced before, however Morgana decided to use this particular encounter as a learning opportunity.

“There’s another way to get through combat, without necessarily resorting to violence when we have them seriously outnumbered and outmatched like this. Shadows are beings born from people’s hearts, so naturally, they can talk too.”

“In other words, you can communicate with them. Get it? If you try to threaten them once they’re surrounded they might offer money or items in exchange for their lives.”

“Wait wait wait, you guys better not expect me to start begging and offering bribes just because there’s three of you! I’m plenty dangerous, even on my-”

With a loud bang the naked pixie had fallen to the floor. One shot from Joker's gun was apparently all it took to shut her right up.

“Dude… It really spoke…”

“Argh! What the hell is wrong with you? A beautiful lady like me and you just shoot her like some sort of psychopath?! There are far better ways to spend time with a gal like me ya know.”

“Just give me some cash and we’ll let you go.”

“Money?! Erm… You’ve caught me at a bit of a bad time for that…”

“I-I usually carry some you know but… Well…”

“W-Wait, what? Oh… This isn’t how I was planning this to go. Uhhh, if that’s the case… I guess it’s time for you to go to hell.”

“W-Wait!”

“Sorry, but we’re in a hurry.”

“No, wait up! Can’t we work something out? Don’t kill me, please! I’ll suck you off or anything! You with the frizzy hair. You look like a handsome guy, nice dick too, wouldn’t it be a waste to just kill a beautiful woman like me?!”

Something about the way she winked at him really caused a stir within Ren. It was true, she was an attractive lady, there was no doubt about that… He’d never really been with a woman before either.

“I… Erm I-I suppose it would…”

In an instant everything around him began to shake and contort. Joker felt his head spin as his vision went pink. When he finally regained his senses he appeared to be standing somewhere else entirely. The room he now stood in was rather small, but well decorated with sensual imagery and before him lay a large love heart shaped bed. The lighting was rather moody and a pleasant incense filled the air.

“Worry not child of rebellion, time is paused in the Palace. You will be returned without fail once your task here is complete.”

It was the seductive, deep feminine voice he’d heard before, whispering in his ear after making his bonds with Ryuji and Igor.

“My task?...”

It was at this moment he realized the rest of his clothes were now gone, leaving him completely naked. Even his mask had disappeared from his face.

“Show this Shadow the true meaning of pleasure and they will be reminded of who they truly are. That is the key to making use of my power.”

Before he could ask the mysterious voice any more questions the red haired fairy appeared before him on the bed. Just like what happened to him, all her accessories were now gone leaving her fully nude. Taking a moment to orientate herself, the Shadow turned back to Ren before flying over to him and hungrily eyeing up his slowly hardening cock.

“Well this is more like it. How do you want me? I'll do anything you'd like, you know?”

“Well…”

Joker was nervous. He'd never been this close to a naked woman before, and although the Shadow was admittedly rather small, likely only reaching around 3 feet tall, he could feel the heat from her naked flesh wash against his own, awakening something deep within him.

“Nervous are we? How cute. Why don't we get started with some simple touching. Perhaps you can help me get in the mood?”

This is really happening…

Feeling like it was what he was supposed to be doing from the bottom of his heart he pushed the fairy back onto the bed, her wings gracefully spreading out before him, before he began to move himself closer to her body. With an almost primal hunger in his eyes, Joker began to gently caress her soft skin, groping at her soft curves and running his fingers through her red pubic hair. This was what a woman felt like. Well at least he assumed, in reality there was a good chance that this Shadow was a mere imitation, but the very hard member between his legs remained painfully wanting regardless.

Lowering his fingers once again he heard her begin to coo as he sensually played with her wet vulva. No longer able to contain himself he greedily moved in to kiss her right on the lips, the sensation unlike anything he'd ever felt before. When they finally broke their intimate embrace the fairy had a wide grin on her face.

“Not bad for a newbie. Why don't we kick this up a notch. You're a little big for me to ride but I know a few tricks we can try. Why don't you lay back on the bed?”

Doing as the lustful Shadow instructed he laid back onto the comfy mattress, his heightened senses overwhelmed by the softness of the sheets. Before he could make any other move the naked fairy had fluttered herself right onto his torso, slowly pressing herself up against his throbbing shaft.

“You're so warm. I can feel your cock throbbing against my pussy.”

At first the feeling was strange, pleasant but minimal, but as she started to lift herself up and down, caressing his dick with her wet labia, the contact of their most intimate places started to overwhelm him. All he could do was watch her gorgeous ass cheeks bounce up and down as he tried not to cum too early. Having only ever touched himself before these new sensations were driving him crazy, and from the sounds the Shadow was making the same was true for her.

“Fuck! That's so good! You feel so- so-!”

Unable to contain themselves any longer the two came together, their cries of pleasure filling the room and Joker shot his seed across the redhead's stomach.

“YYYESSS! I remember now! I don’t belong to just King Kamoshida… I’m an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity’s souls…”

“I’m Pixie! From now on, I’ll live on inside your heart!”

Dissolving into a blue mist, Ren saw the soul looking thing that was previously the Shadow float towards his face where it reformed as his usual phantom thief mask. In the blink of an eye he was standing back in the rest of his thief outfit with Morgana and Ryuji by his sides, exactly where he was before, thankfully free from any evidence of his lustful encounter.

“What was that just now…? What happened…!?”

How much had they just seen? Joker blushed as he prayed his friends didn’t just get an eyeful of him in the jaws of passion.

“Wh-What the hell was that about? The enemy got sucked into Joker’s mask! Sounded like she was really enjoyin’ it too…”

“I-I have no idea! I wasn’t expecting that either…”

“What just happened?”

“You don’t know either dude? One moment that Shadow was begging for her life, the next she was being absorbed into your mask.”

Thank god… It seems like they only saw what happened at the end.

“Intruders!? Halt!”

Their conversation was cut short as another set of Knights burst into the room, rapidly dissolving into their true Shadow forms.

“Crap, they noticed us!”

As they took their fighting stances, Ren called fourth his Nudesona, however instead of Arsène answering the call like what usually happened, the Pixie appeared, zapping his foe with her lighting magic.

“I-Is that the Shadow from earlier!? Don’t tell me… Did you take in the Shadow’s appearance and powers as a Nudesona!?”

After they finished dealing with their ill timed intruders, both Skull and Mona gathered around Joker, both eager to discuss his new power.

“Does that mean you can wield multiple Nudesona?! Is such a feat even possible? Even I’ve never seen anyone pull that off!”

“Is this good? It’s good right?”

“Of course it is! Only one heart exists per person, so normally a person can only have one!”

“Incredible! That ability will give us a huge advantage in battle! All right, try to do that even more if the opportunity arises! You better help out too, Skull!”

“Hell yeah! We’ll hold every last one of ‘em up for you!”

Ren blushed at the thought. He really couldn’t tell them what he had to do to get his new mask now… And he might have to do it again… He could only hope they wouldn't make him try and pull it off with something that looked less like a pretty woman…

Seriously… Why are all these powers so lewd…

* * *

After fighting their way further and further into the castle in the hopes of securing an infiltration route to the Treasure, the thieves were stopped once more by something curious they overheard. Hiding behind some convenient curtains they pricked up their ears to listen carefully to a conversation between two nearby guards.

“Still, why was the princess in such an odd place?”

“She was wearing clothing too. How peculiar.”

“Princess…?”

“I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder…”

“It doesn’t matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida!”

“Who’s the princess they’re talkin’ about?”

“I should probably look into this!”

Leaving the two men behind, Mona followed after the guards from the shadows.

“And yet another question goes unanswered…”

“Stuff like the castle and the navigation app are mysterious… but Morgana’s got ‘em both beat.”

“Code names Skull.”

“Crap, sorry!”

“This is bad!”

The feminine not-cat had already made his way back, his chest heaving as he took cover behind a pillar next to the others.

“That was fast!!”

“Your friend… Lady Ann! She’s been taken by Shadows!”

“Wait, what? We sent her home earlier.”

“If Lady Ann somehow gained the app, it could be possible she returned.”

“Oh no… Don’t tell me it got put on hers just like mine!?”

“Dammit! We let her out for her own safety, and she just came back in by herself!”

“We need to hurry and rescue her! Follow me, I saw her just past that dining room-looking place!”

As they hastily followed Mona they began to hear worrying cries that sounded just like Ann coming from a further room.

“This way!”

Dashing down a hallway lined with suits of armour, they reached an ominous looking door. Multiple voices could be heard within.

“Look, I’ll apologize for touching the armour without permission!”

“She totally doesn’t get what’s goin’ on!”

“Let’s hurry! We have to save her!!”

Bursting through the doors they found Ann tied to some sort of kinky looking cross set up in front of a large shirtless portrait of Kamoshida. Two Knights were threatening her with swords and there was a furious look on her face. The fact she was dressed in her school uniform suggested to them this was the real deal, and not the pervy copy they saw the other day.

“What’s all this about!? Seriously, I’m gonna call the cops!”

“So, this is the intruder.”

King Kamoshida himself stepped out from behind a nearby door, shocking Ann with his unique choice of attire.

“Kamoshida!?”

“Who the hell is that?”

Following after him was the cat ear wearing buxom cognitive Takamaki, still as naked as the day she was born.

“Why is there a crappy naked knock off of me you pervert! And what even is this place!? Why’s the school turned into something like this!?”

“I can’t believe you mistook my Ann for someone like her.”

The Shadow Kamoshida began to laugh as he got uncomfortably close to the real Ann.

“Are you afraid?”

“What is that outfit? Have you lost your mind?”

“I do as I please here. After all, this is my castle… The world of my desires.”

“What the-!? Wait… Is this some sort of freaky sex dungeon!?”

“What a lively slave.”

“This isn't funny! Enough of the bullshit, Kamoshida!”

Turning to the double, Kamoshida smiled.

“The girl’s decided to tell me off. What do you think of that?”

In a dumb, ditzy mutilation of Ann’s voice, the naked woman responded, “Talking back is, like… totally unforgivable…”

“In that case… she should be punished.”

As the knights began to enclose on the real Ann, a wicked, horrible expression formed on the King.

“Now then, how should I play with you? Shall we use you like the naughty slut you are?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“This is fucked up…”

Back on the other side of the room, the Phantom Thieves had been trying to make their way over to the captive, but a sea of naked girls, all resembling various students on the female volleyball team kept getting in their way, grabbing at their legs and other appendages.

“Quit it!”

“Is this what that pervert thinks of the girls on the volleyball team!?”

“Come on! Lady Ann is right over there!”

Finally pushing through un-molested, Ryuji called out to try and get Ann’s attention.

“Takamaki!”

“Just when I was about to start enjoying myself…”

“What’s the deal with this guy!? And you lot, why are you still naked?!”

“Kamoshida! Let her go!”

“...How many times are you gonna come back?”

“And you, fake Ann. I bet you’re just like those thieves. You came because you’re pissed at me, huh? But, ah… I forget that chick’s name, but it’s your fault she jumped, you know.”

“Huh…?”

“You were so reluctant to throw yourself onto me that I had her take your place.”

“You bastard!”

“Leave her alone!”

“Take one more step and I’ll kill her on the spot.”

“Dammit…!”

“Just sit back and enjoy the dismantlement show.”

“No! Don’t!”

“Maybe I’ll start with her clothes…”

“Hahah, you’re such a perv master!”

“H-Hey, what’re we gonna do!?”

“Takamaki!”

“Is this… my punishment for what happened to Shiho?”

Ann's face dropped from one of anger to sadness.

“That’s more like it. You should’ve looked like this from the start.”

“Shiho… I’m so sorry…”

Joker stepped forwards, clenching his fist around his knife he called out to the bound woman.

“You’re just going to listen to that crap?!”

“Don’t give in Takamaki!”

“Huh…?”

“...You’re right. Letting this piece of shit toy with me…”

“What was I thinking!?”

“It’s like I always say. Slaves should just behave and-”

“...Shut up! I’ve had enough of this…”

“You’ve pissed me off, you son of a bitch!”

“My… It’s taken far too long.”

Suddenly crying out in pain, Ann’s eyes began to glow a familiar eerie yellow. She felt her heart stop beating and a horrible sensation ran down her spine. Still confined to the cross, she writhed around desperately trying to escape the pain thrust upon her.

“Tell me… Who is going to avenge her if you don’t?”

“Forgiving him was never the option…”

“Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within…”

“I am thou, thou art I…”

“We can finally forge a contract…”

As the pain finally faded she felt her heart begin to beat once more. A renewed sense of determination she looked forward.

“I hear you… Carmen.”

“You’re right. No more holding back!”

In a burst of blue flames Takamaki’s face was covered by a large red mask resembling a cat and with unnatural strength she tore her wrists from their constraints, freeing herself from the cross and jumping down onto the floor.

“There you go… Nothing can be solved by restraining yourself.”

“Understand? Then I’ll gladly lend you my strength.”

Grabbing at her mask the girl swiftly cast it aside causing her body to erupt into a flash of blue once more. When the light faded in her place stood a new Nudesona, a pink skinned woman wearing leather, pink heart covered, high heels. The humanoid figure stood stepping on a faceless man in a suit, otherwise naked aside from a strange looking cigar in her mouth and a leather choker around her neck. The Nudesona’s large breasts shook freely as she turned to face the Shadows populating the room, her dark nipples standing stiff. Its hair was dark black, tied up in two drills either side of her cat-like head, and a neatly trimmed landing strip of matching black pubic hair ran down her navel to her exposed vulva. A look of indignation burned through its glowing red and yellow eyes, and in one hand it held a collar of vines which wrapped around another suited faceless man.

Standing in front of the Nudesona, was Ann herself. Now just as exposed as the others. Her new outfit was made entirely of red latex and consisted of a thin belt, tall thigh high boots, and an odd sort of ultra short jacket that covered her neck. Even if zipped up it wouldn't reach the bottom of her chest however in it's current state it only concealed her arms and armpits. A red tail hung between her legs, connected to her belt, slowly bellowing along with her blonde twin tails in the force emitting from the freshly awakened Nudesona. Everything from her large breasts to her navel and crotch were otherwise uncovered.

In an impressive display of quick thinking she charged a nearby knight, kicking its sword from its hands, granting quite the view to those in front, and grabbing the blade before it hit the ground, slashing it down into her double bisecting the other naked woman clean down the middle. Her clone cried out in surprise before its two new halves fell to the floor and dispersed in a black burst of goop.

“What a shitty copy, she didn’t even look anything like me.”

“I’m not some cheap hussy you can toy with… You scumbag!”

She wasn’t wrong about the copy either. Everybody could see there were clear differences between the real and cognitive Ann. Her breasts, though still far from unimpressive were closer to a double d, and as they shook around wildly Ren was drawn to her larger, light pink areola. It was clear she took amazing care of her body as she was just as slim as her double, though instead of a smooth shaven innie vagina, she had a healthy bush of blonde pubic hair covering her womanhood. Ren wondered if perhaps these differences were due to Kamoshida only being able to imagine what she looked like naked, having never actually seen her real body.

“You bitch…!”

“You stole everything from Shiho… You destroyed her… Now it’s your turn!”

Dropping the blade she stepped forwards towards the vile man, Joker, Mona, and Skull rushing to her sides to back her up. She pointed straight towards Kamoshida’s anger ridden face with one hand, making no effort to cover any part of her body.

“I will rob you of everything!”

“How dare you!”

Another golden Knight hastily rushed forwards to protect his leader.

“Enough of your insolence! You will threaten King Kamoshida no longer!”

After transforming into the usual red and black muck, it rapidly changed its form into some sort of giant horned, goblin looking man sitting atop a floating toilet.

“No, I’ve had enough of you. No one’s gonna stop me now!”

“How dare you deny King Kamoshida’s love, you selfish lass!? Pay for this insolence with your life!”

“That dirt bag just sees women as sexual outlets! Don’t make me laugh with that “love” bullshit!”

“C’mon, Carmen! Let’s give ‘em hell!”

Working together, the thieves made short work of the Shadow, engulfing it in a flurry of flames from Ann’s Nudesona. Also apparently equipped with a deadly whip and machine gun, the newest Nudesona user took to battle like a fish to water.

“Oh shit…!”

Seeing he was once again defenceless, Kamoshida made a run for it, but before anyone could follow after him, Ann collapsed to the floor. Deciding her wellbeing was more important they let him go to prioritize making sure she was okay.

“Wait…!”

“Why’d you come here, man!? And more importantly, how!?”

“Hey! Is that how you speak to a woman!? Are you alright, Lady Ann!?”

“Lady Ann…?”

“What is this thing? Some sort of cat person? Is it alive? How can it talk?”

“And… where in the world are we!?”

“J-Just calm down. Everything’s going to be okay; don’t worry.”

“How am I supposed to calm down!?”

Slowly dragged herself back up to her feet, she suddenly noticed the state of her clothing.

“H-Huh?”

“HUH?!”

Desperately covering herself with her gloved hands she crouched back down on the floor, doing her best to keep her impressive curves hidden.

“WHAT THE HELL! WHY AM I NAKED!”

“Calm down. This is normal.”

“How can you expect me to be calm!? And stop looking at me you pervert! Cover yourself right now! Your fucking getting a boner!”

“S-Sorry… But see how we’re all naked too? It’s just what happens…”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

“Well I'm stumped. A search party will be coming for us soon. There’s no time to explain everything that’s going on.”

“We don’t have a choice. Let’s retreat for now!”

“We were just gettin’ fired up, and you had to go and get in the way… Rgh, fine…”

“Here… gimme your arm. You take the other side, Joker. We’ll carry her out of here.”

“N-No way! No one is touching me right now! I’ll walk by myself… Behind all of you, where you can’t see me!”

* * *

“Oh thank god my clothes are back…”

“Looks like we made it out of there- Hey, are you holding up okay?”

“Well… Pretty much…”

“Wait, I lied-I’m still confused about all of this.”

“You may be safe now, but a lot sure did happen back there…”

“At any rate, we stand out too much in this alley. Let’s relocate to a safer spot.”

Walking to the nearby train station, the three students and not-cat took some seats by a vending machine, finally regaining their breath after their quick escape from the castle. They did their best to catch Takamaki up on what exactly was going on but it was understandably all a little overwhelming.

“Which one you want?”

Ryuji offered a choice of two vending machine drinks to the baffled woman.

“Whichever’s not carbonated.”

“Uh, they’re both actually.

“Then just give me that one please…”

“Here ya go.”

Handing the other drink to Ren, Ryuji slumped back, clearly just as exhausted as the rest of them.

“What about me?”

“Huh? But you’re a cat.”

Ann’s gentle laughter brought both their attention back to the newest member of their little crew.

“Have you calmed down, Lady Ann?”

“Um… Morgana, right?”

“I really am talking to a cat… This feels so strange…”

“Oh, sorry! You’re not a cat, right?”

“It’s only natural that you’re confused. Demanding that you understand all of this right after what you went through is asking too much.”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe what happened… I was naked, like fully in front of two guys and even Kamoshida, and that power, my Nudesona…”

“It’s the will of your rebellion, Lady Ann. With it, you’ll be able to fight in that other world. Like we said, that Kamoshida wasn’t the real one. He won’t remember seeing you nude.”

“But you two do, right?”

She looked over at Ren and Ryuji, who were both trying not to make eye contact out of embarrassment.

“Yeah…”

“Gods… That’s too embarrassing… I bet you even saw my-”

“Ugh, never mind…”

“But if what you told me is true, we can make Kamoshida have a change of heart, right?”

“Is it really possible? Can we actually force him to confess his crimes?”

“The volleyball team’s keepin’ quiet about this, while teachers and parents turn a blind eye. If guys like us try and complain, they’re just gonna shoot us down.”

“Goin’ all in on this plan is the only choice we got.”

“Then let me help too. I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho…”

“He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her… I’ll bever forgive him.”

“Wait, did you just say, “let me help”?”

“You mean, you want us to take you along?”

“Don’t act like I’m going to drag you down. Weren’t you watching? I can fight too.”

“Hey… What should we do?”

“She’ll be great.”

“I agree as well. We are lacking in manpower, after all.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect her.

“Even if you said no, I’d just go in alone.”

“Oh right, she can go by herself… I guess it’d be more dangerous turnin’ her down…”

“Rgh, fine…”

“Then it’s decided. Well, I hope we get along!”

“I’m going to make Kamoshida atone for what he did. Not just for Shiho’s sake… But for everything he’s done.”

“I won’t let anymore people suffer because of him. I’ll do whatever it takes! Even if I have to bare it all…”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Lovers Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

There it was again… That strange warm feeling…

“Just let me know when you’re heading back in… Oh wait! We don’t have each other’s info.”

“Hey, give me your number and chat ID.”

After exchanging details they parted ways and began to head home for the day, exhausted and out of energy. Morgana, however, decided to stick with Ren. After discussing where they should meet in the future, the not-cat decided to nominate him as his caretaker, meaning he’d have to try and explain to Sojiro why he now had a pet living with him above the café.

This should be interesting…

* 15/4/20XX - Friday - Evening *

Stepping into Leblanc, Ren was surprised to see Sojiro still standing behind the counter in full work mode.

“Stay upstairs while we’re open for business.”

This was unusual, It seemed there was still a customer in the store. A rather punk rock looking woman with a sort of dark blue messy bob cut, was sitting, sipping on what seemed to be a glass of water and ice. As he walked by the woman, Ren couldn’t help but admire her goth aesthetic. She wore a leather choker around her neck and cyan dress decorated with black spider webs that left plenty of cleavage exposed beneath her outer, open dark jacket. Her tights were torn and she wore dark eyeliner which did wonders in bringing out her beautiful brown eyes.

“See something you like?”

“Hey, don’t stare at the customers.”

“Sorry if he was rude, Doctor.”

“...I don’t mind.”

“Come on, you’re getting in the way. Go on upstairs.”

Not wanting to cause any trouble for his caretaker, the boy hurried on towards the stairs, but before he could reach them, it seemed the customer decided to leave.

“...Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

“Come back again.”

Turning back around towards Sojiro, Ren watched as the older man let out a sigh.

“Looks like that’s it for today.”

“Who was that?”

“That customer just now? She’s the head doctor over at that clinic down the street.”

“Rumour has it she gives pretty crappy examinations, and sells some weird homemade medicines on top of that.”

“At least, that’s what I've heard. I haven’t been there myself. They should really just leave her alone. It’s not like she’s getting in the way of their lives…”

“Hey, are we there yet?”

Ren subtly nudged his bag to signal to the Morgana inside to shut the fuck up.

“Hm?”

“Well, I’ve gotta get home and start making dinner…”

Seeing his opportunity, Ren quickly shot upstairs to his room and let the not-cat out onto his bed. Taking a moment to look around the messy, half cluttered room he appeared far from impressed.

“What the… What is this place!? Is this some kind of abandoned house!?”

“Hey, are you-”

Oh shit… Busted…

Waltzing into the room, Ren had no time to hide Morgana from the older man, so instead he simply accepted his fate.

“I was wondering why I heard meowing… What did you bring it here for!?”

“It was abandoned.”

“That’s… That’s a shame.”

“Look, this place is a restaurant. Animals are a no-go…”

“Though… I guess you might stay on good behaviour if you’ve got a pet to take care of…”

“Fine.”

“But keep it quiet when we’re open for business. And don’t let it roam downstairs, or I’ll toss it out.”

“And I’m not gonna take care of it! That’s all on you.”

Ren nodded, doing his best to hide the smirk now forming on his face. Looks like this old man really did have a soft spot for taking in strays. Though he was obviously trying to hide it, the look on his face when he saw the cat gave it all away.

“Was that the ruler of this place?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“He seemed understanding for someone who keeps you cramped up in this dump. Then again, I suppose to normal people I just sound like a meowing cat.”

Returning to the room with a plate of little meat scraps, Sojiro sighed as he placed it in front of Morgana.

“Seriously… It had to keep calling out in that cute little voice…”

“Make sure you wash that dish. By the way… have you decided on a name?”

“Morgana.”

“Morgana? Huh…”

“I was hoping I’d get to name it…”

Leaving the attic once more with his head held low, Ren was almost surprised at how attached he already seemed.

“Looks like the chief likes me better than you.”

“And to be honest, this place is heaven compared to Kamoshida’s cells.”

“...Remember how you guys asked me before about what I am?”

“To be honest… I don’t remember anything about my birth. I think the Metaverse’s distortions made me lose both my memories and my true form.”

“Is that form human?”

“It has to be! I mean why else would a cat be able to talk like this? There’s no other possible explanation.”

“There’s no doubt that the distortions were what caused me to lose my real self.”

“I’m sure that once they’re purged, I’ll finally be able to get that self back. And I have a pretty good idea on how to do it too. That’s why I was in the castle in the first place.”

“Come to think of it, I didn’t get hungry over in that world…”

Turning his sights to the nearby plate of meat, Ren watched astounded by how quickly he consumed every last scrap despite having such a little body.

“Let me make myself clear: You taking care of me won’t be for nothing. It’ll be a give and take. Due to my knowledgeable and dexterous nature, I have a lot of intel on infiltration tools.”

“Tools?”

“I’ll tell you more if we settle on a deal.”

“In exchange for you keeping me here, I’ll teach you about these tools. How does that sound?”

“Let’s do it.”

“I like that answer. Hehehe… Then it’s a deal.”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Magician Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

“I’ll lecture you about the infiltration tools over time. By the way, the power you used in the Palace was seriously amazing.”

“The stronger that power gets, the more reliable it’ll be as a trump card.”

“All right, I’m gonna stick with you wherever you go from today on. Nudesonas are the strength born from one’s heart.”

“Depending on what kind of life experience you gain, I bet it’ll affect that power as well!”

“And if you become acquainted with capable people, you might learn various, useful skills too… This is all part of our deal, got it?”

After Morgana spent a good deal of time scoping the rest of the place out, Ren decided to get ready for bed. He warned his new friend that he slept naked before undressing but he didn’t seem to mind. The not-cat stated he was naked all the time anyway too so it was perfectly natural for him. They were both guys anyway after all. Laying back on the bed, Morgana curled up next to him on the pillow and before long they both drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

* 16/4/20XX - Saturday - After School *

“Looks like we’re all here.”

After another day's slog through classes that felt inconsequential, the Phantom Thieves had decided to meet up at their new hideout on the school’s rooftop. Sitting around on a bunch of old desks, obscured behind some large machine they figured they should be safe from anyone that might glance out through the door. Putting down his snacks, Ryuji leapt up onto his feet, a look of determination burning behind his eyes.

“Mkay, let’s get goin’!”

“Hold on, it’s still too early for us to head to the Palace.”

“But why? Don’t we just gotta steal that Treasure thing?”

“Don’t underestimate the dangers of that place. We need to prepare.”

“Ain’t that Nudesona shit we got enough to deal with it?”

“That’s exactly what I mean when I say don’t underestimate it. You’ll die if you mess up in there. So again, we need to prepare before we head in.”

“But… how exactly are we supposed to do that?”

“I’m glad you asked, Lady Ann. First we’ll need to find better equipment for all of you.”

“You talkin’ about weapons? Oh, I know a kick-ass place!”

“In that case, you can handle that side of things. The only other thing would be stocking up on medicine. Fatigue is unavoidable in a Palace…”

“And where can we get medicine?”

“As luck would have it, we just heard of a place last night. I hope you look forward to it, Lady Ann!”

“The goth lady?”

“Exactly, now then, Ren and I have some business in Yongen, so let’s head off for today!”

* * *

“So why are we going to this back alley doctor exactly?”

“Sojiro said there were some pretty sketchy rumours about her.”

“That’s exactly why it has to be her.”

“If she’s the kind of doctor with rumours like that, maybe she’ll help us out. She’s somewhere in the neighbourhood, right? Take me to her.”

Morgana was currently nestled with his head poking out of Ren’s bag as the man walked through the streets of Yongen-Jaya. After asking a few pedestrians for directions Ren found the place, but not before a dozen or so warnings to try a more well known clinic.

“This is the place. Now, how are we going to convince her to give us some medicine?”

“Feels like I’m going to have to make something up…”

“...Well, I guess that’s the only choice we have. We’ll just have to go for it.”

“All right, let’s step inside.”

When he entered the small clinic Ren found himself in a sort of waiting room esc area. Though it was decently well kept there was a slightly strange smell wafting around the place and one of the glass panels by the counter had been smashed and given a makeshift repair job with a bunch of duct tape. Some of the posters on the walls were also interesting… There was a wide mix of medical diagrams including organs, skeletons, and a rather explicit close up of a labelled penis and vagina.

Sitting behind the counter, messing around with a bunch of vials, was the doctor herself. Now dressed with a lab coat over her dress instead of a jacket, she paid no mind to her new customer as he stepped into the room. When he walked right up to her she finally glanced up, though she still seemed mostly focused on the vials in her hands.

“Is this your first visit? Hm?”

“I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before…”

“At Leblanc.”

“Hmmmm… Well, whatever…”

“So, what are you here for today?”

“I’ve been having nightmares… A strange man with a long nose…”

Placing her vials in a nearby rack, the doctor now looked up at him with an inquisitive glare. Fully expecting to be turned away, Ren was surprised when she seemed to actually take his haphazard claim seriously.

“...Fine. Please head to the exam room.”

After being led through a backdoor into a second, slightly smaller room with a bunch of crammed in medical equipment, a simple desk setup, and a bed he was asked to take a seat and further describe his symptoms. Doing his best to keep things as vague and honest as possible, Ren started to feel a little sweat running down his forehead as the doctor's intense gaze never once left his eyes.

“In a case like yours, it’s usually just due to stress. I’m going to prescribe you some pain relievers, okay?”

“Actually wait a moment, I still need to restock those… How about we go with sleeping pills instead. Sleep is the best medicine anyway.”

“Which type of pill do you want, a sweet-tasting one or a bitter one?”

This wasn’t good. Sleeping pills were far from what he was after. If he couldn’t come up with something quickly he’d have to chalk the mission up as a failure.

“Is that really all you have?”

“Huh? You’re the patient here, you know. Do you really think you should be telling me how to do my job?”

Ren gulped. As pretty as she was, this woman’s intense glare and dominant tone were kind of scary.

“...So it’s just like I thought.”

“You’re not sick at all, are you? I’m not as dumb as I look, you know. I’m guessing you’re here because you heard the rumours about me, huh?”

“Yeah…”

“You’re one of those patients with an ulterior motive, huh? What’s the world coming to?”

“I guess high school kids have it tough nowadays too, huh? Well, fine. I’ll prescribe you some medication, but only stuff that will recover your health.”

“You don’t look like a trouble maker so it should be okay.”

Did that somehow work?

“This is my private practice. All the medicine I dispense is original. I have a license to make my own formulas. You’ve likely seen them being sold at various hospitals.”

“It’s your responsibility to take care of yourself. So if that’s okay with you, stop by anytime.”

“That’ll really help.”

“Great. It’s nice that you’re so quick on the uptake… Saves me the hassle.”

“You’re a pretty weird kid, you know? I wonder what you’re going to use the medicine for…”

“Well, as long as you don’t cause me any trouble, it’s not my problem…”

After buying a few simple drugs, Ren made his way outside the clinic, patting himself on the back for a job well done keeping cool in front of the hot scary doctor. Pushing past him, suddenly an older looking man made his way into the exam room, seemingly without an invite.

What’s he up to? Buying shady medicine?

“What’s the reason for your visit today? Do you have a cold? Stomach-ache? Athlete’s foot? Whatever it is, you’ll need to take a number…”

“Enough of this! You’re the only one who could have developed that type of medicine.”

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

The voices coming from the exam room were loud enough to be heard all the way outside. Though he probably shouldn't be eavesdropping like this, Ren couldn’t help but let his curiosity get the better of him.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Rumour has it, it’s a drug so potent it can give a person unlimited power.”

“Really? That’s new to me. Are you sure you’re not just looking for some erection pills? There’s no shame in it, everybody has trouble with old age.”

“Very funny. Developing experimental drugs, medicine, and herbal remedies violates all health regulations. Are you attempting to create a super-stimulant? A drug like that will only become a social issue.”

“You’re really persistent, you know that? I’m just a quack…”

“The police may not be taking action, but I imagine the media will soon pick up on it. You intend to ruin my reputation again, huh? You’re a disgrace to the medical community.”

“Tsk..”

“What’s with the look? That was your mistake, was it not? I won’t be responsible for your criminal actions. Dispose of that “medicine” immediately and resign.”

“The name “Tae Takemi” will never-”

“Hey! Is somebody there!?”

Oh shit, looks like I’ve been caught. Time to get out of here.

Swiftly leaving the area before anyone could catch his face, Ren darted into a nearby alley.

“Geez, they almost caught us. Sounded like they were talking about something dangerous…”

“Could that woman be hiding some extra strong medicine…?”

“It seems sketchy but we could use something like that…”

“I agree. If it’s that strong, it might come in handy at the Palace. Let’s try coming back when that man isn’t here.”

“Oh, and keep the Phantom Thieves part out of this alright? We need to keep this a secret.”

* 17/4/20XX - Sunday - Daytime *

The next day was finally a break from school, with only a few tasks remaining before they would be ready to take on the Palace, Ren dressed himself and got ready for a day in Shibuya. For his first task, he’d be meeting up with Ryuji around midday to investigate this so-called arms dealer the blonde man was so keen on. Unfortunately Ann had already made plans to go and visit Shiho in the hospital so this would be a boys only trip with Morgana coming along in Ren’s bag.

“Looks like you made it. The shop’s on Central Street, so we gotta go through the Crossing to get there!”

Ren sighed. The area was already busy and they weren’t even at the shops yet. In truth he’d discovered during his time in Tokyo so far he had no fondness for large crowds. As the two students walked through the streets they saw all sorts of people going about their days from mothers and daughters, to foreigners and even a politician doing her best to rally a small crowd.

“Everyone, wake up! This country is twisted! While Japanese society may appear to be thriving, many young people have not been as blessed as their elders.”

“They have no jobs, no savings, no financial security whatsoever… These young people should be tackling their futures head-on, but instead they’re too busy merely trying to survive.”

“Leaving our youth to be caught out like this is risking our entire future! Without change Japan will practically be left naked!”

It sounded to Ren like she was making some pretty decent points, but not a lot of people were really listening, instead just walking by on their phones. Dressed in a professional looking suit and skirt, the older woman was a little on the chubbier side, with her black hair tied up in a short neat and professional looking bun. Though she looked a little older, likely around her mid 40s Ren couldn’t help but admire her mature charm. Ryuji however, was much less impressed.

“Eh, people give speeches all the time. Plus, politics are pretty boring, anyways.”

Continuing on, when they finally made it to Central Street the pair walked past all manner of shops, from restaurants, to convenience stores and entertainment, unlike the much smaller shopping district back in Iniba Ren felt he could spend a whole day strolling around just this street alone. Today, however, his destination was much less flashy. After spending a little walking along the crowded street, Ryuji called him over to a much seedier looking back alley.

“This is it. Pretty legit, huh?”

Standing before them was a quiet looking shop with military uniforms hanging in the windows. Ammo boxes decorated the doorway and there were all manner of old military propaganda posters plastered all over the place, some even in English rather than Japanese. A flashy green neon sign raised high on the building read “Untouchable.”

“We’re gonna die in there.”

“Aw, come on man, it ain’t so bad. I’ve been here before, remember? C’mon, I’ll go first.”

“Oh yeah, before we head in… you know anything about guns and shit? Like what are we even after?”

“Not a clue.”

“I guess we can just ask the guy behind the counter if we can’t figure it out.”

Stepping inside Ren was almost blown away by how packed every section of the store was with hundreds of different products from uniforms, to model firearms, to even the oils and accessories used to maintain them.

“At least this place looks legit…”

Sitting behind the counter, flipping through a magazine with his legs up on the desk was an older looking man in a hoodie and ball cap. His jaw was covered in a light dusting of stubble and there was a very uninterested expression glued to his face. When Ren finally found the nerve to walk up to the guy, he plucked a cigarette from his mouth and looked up at the two students.

“You know what you want yet?”

“What would you recommend?”

“Recommendations? …I dunno, just buy whatever looks interestin’ to you.”

“Ugh, some customer service…”

“Fine, whaddya want? An automatic? A revolver?”

“Uh, automatic…? Dude, why’re you talkin’ about cars now!?”

“Listen, this here’s an enthusiast shop. My regulars’ll be mad if I let a casual like you hang around.”

“I’m not a freakin’ casual! I bought shit from here like last week!”

“Huh, can’t remember you.”

“You bastard…”

“And you? Lookin’ for somethin’?”

He now turned towards Ren, plopping his cigarette back in his mouth.

“Something that looks real?”

“...Oh? You guys plannin’ a nice big bank robbery or somethin’?”

“Th-That ain’t it! We just like how they look, is all!”

“Anyways… You shoulda said before you two’re enthusiasts. I’m always up for helpin’ fresh faces.”

“Some precautions first though. Don’t go ‘round pointing ‘em at other people. Keep ‘em in a bag or somethin’ if you’re outside.”

“Oh and don’t let the fuzz catch wind of you having ‘em. I don’t need them comin’ around here.”

“We’ll be careful, promise. We hate the cops.”

“R-Ren what the fu-”

“How ‘bout that? Me too.”

“Now, if you look closely, you’ll be able to tell these’re models. Real guns feel… different.”

“Maybe someday I’ll show you the real good stuff though-if you got the guts for it, of course. But for now, you get the beginner selection. Just sit tight, I’ll bring ‘em out.”

“...We did it, dude. We totally gotta go for some fancy shit, right? I want ‘em to shine!”

“Oh, and here’s the cash for mine. Pick me out something good!”

After making their selections, the two of them parted ways. Ren still had a few minor tasks to complete and Ryuji had apparently made plans with his mother. After a few more hours of shopping the preparations were finally all complete. Tomorrow would be the day they put an end to that son of a bitch Kamoshida, once and for all.

* 18/4/20XX - Monday - Early Morning *

Brushing the sleep from his eyes, Ren let out a subtle yawn as he sat at his desk vaguely listening to what his cute, frizzy haired teacher was saying.

“...Well, that wraps up the homeroom period.”

“Amamiya-kun. A word with you, please?”

He had somewhat been expecting this… After the incident in the faculty room the other day it was only a matter of time before a teacher pulled him aside. Following Ms. Kawakami towards the guidance office he started planning what he could even possibly say.

“There’s something I’d like to ask you. It won’t take long.”

It turned out he wouldn’t get the chance to say anything as to his surprise Kamoshida himself suddenly walked out of the office before them, accompanied by the crimson haired kōhai from the other day, and another male member of staff. Stopping in the doorway to glare down at Ren, the student scoffed at the disgusting smirk on the P.E teacher's face. Noticing Ms. Kawakami was with him, he held back on any immediate comments, starting a conversation with his co worker instead.

“I see you’re already getting on top of the problem I’d mentioned this morning, Ms. Kawakami. I appreciate the support.”

Meanwhile, the younger crimson haired student turned to face Ren with a friendly expression on her face.

“Thank you again for the other day.”

“Oh, you know this guy, Yoshizawa?”

“Yes, he lent me a helping hand earlier.”

“I recommend you steer clear of the likes of him if you have any consideration for your future.”

“Remember the discussion we just had? There are a number of students in this school you shouldn’t get involved with…”

“This one’s at the top of that list.”

“Oh, the delinquent transfer student…?”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I need to use the guidance office.”

“Oh, pardon me. We should be going too-don’t want to get in the way of guiding this delinquent and all.”

“...Please, excuse us.”

With a polite bow, Yoshizawa followed after Kamoshida and the other teacher, leaving them the room.

“After you.”

Once inside, his homeroom teacher closed the door behind him and took a seat at the desk.

“I’m going to get straight to the point: did something happen between you and Mr. Kamoshida?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well there was that little change just now, but that’s not all… He gave me a brief lecture this morning, and your name came up.”

“Something about the dangers of a lack of supervision…”

The teacher sighed. As she leaned back in the chair the look on her face was one of great fatigue. Was she also tired of dealing with Kamoshida’s nonsense or was there something else going on here?

“I don’t mean to pry, but… Just make sure you don’t go causing trouble, okay?”

“I have enough on my plate already…”

“Oh, and one more thing. That girl outside the office-you didn’t make a pass at her, did you?”

“W-Well…”

That comment caught him off guard. A little flustered he panicked and said the first thing that came to his mind.

“Her ribbon was cute…”

“...Uh-huh.”

“Mr. Kamoshida has a real close eye on you… Apparently, you’ve been getting involved with Sakamoto-kun. You seem acquainted with Yoshizawa-san as well.”

“Maybe you’re just naturally drawn to athletes?”

“Sorry, bad joke…”

“That’s all I wanted to discuss. You’re free to go.”

Adjusting his blazer as he left the room Ren sighed. He was lucky to get out of that so easily… Still if what Kamoshida told him the other day was true he only had around 14 days before he’d be kicked out and likely sent to juvie.

* 18/4/20XX - Monday - After School *

“I hope you all understand that our time limit is May 2nd. That’s when the next board meeting will take place and Ryuji and Ren will be expelled.”

“We basically just have to go to that castle and steal the Treasure from Kamoshida, right?”

“But wait, what even is a Treasure? I wanna know that before we do anything.”

The Phantom Thieves were all currently sitting around at their rooftop hideout, enjoying a few snacks as they discussed the day's plan.

“A Treasure is the physical form of the Palace ruler’s distorted desires. In other words, it’s the core of the Palace. Once we steal it, the Palace will crumble… I think.”

“Having said all that, even I don’t know what Kamoshida’s Treasure is going to be.”

“And where can we find it?”

“There’s no way of knowing until we go in and find out, but if I had to guess, I’d say he has it locked up somewhere in the depths of the Palace.”

“Eh, I think I get it now. We just gotta find the Treasure, yeah?”

“Pretty much. There’s just a lot we won’t know until we go in… In any case, we have our objective.”

“Make sure we go about this with time to spare so we can avoid any unforeseen circumstances. I expect great things from you guys.”

Not wanting to waste any more time, they quickly made their way back to the alleyway beside the school where they could use the nav with relative safety. After a quick discussion about their strategies, they headed inside, doing their best to fight off the bizarre feelings of entering the Metaverse and focus on moving forward. Another issue, however, proved to be much more of a distraction than they’d hoped.

Ryuji, Ren and Morgana stood staring slack jawed at the sight of Ann’s mostly naked body. As soon as they appeared outside the castle their outfits had transformed, and whilst they were all, minus Morgana, still rather conscious of their nudity, they were making an effort to treat it as normal. They’d all agreed before coming in that the situation with their clothing was an obstacle they could only overcome together. After explaining to Ann about what happened when they tried to bring spare underwear she reluctantly agreed there was nothing they could really do except try and avoid drawing attention to it.

Unfortunately standing there now, with her breasts and pussy once more exposed before two guys she knew from school… It was nothing short of a nightmare. She did her best to try and push the embarrassing thoughts to the back of her mind but after looking at the three leering idiots she gave up. Covering herself as best she could with her hands she turned to the side to try and keep as much of her body out of view as possible.

“Alright, this isn’t gonna work! I thought we agreed there would be no staring…”

“S-Sorry… You’re just so…”

“Beautiful…”

“Even the cat’s leering!!”

“Gods, this is the worst… Why does it work like this!”

“It’s not like you’re the only one exposed out here, this is pretty effin’ embarrassing for us too.”

“But you’re guys! And Ren doesn’t even look like he cares.”

“Well…”

“None of you can afford to let your shame win this. If you don’t stand up to it you won’t be able to summon your Nudesonas and then we really are in trouble.”

“Lady Ann is right, we shouldn’t be staring but you all need to be strong!”

With a deep sigh, the blonde haired girl uncovered her body and turned to face them once again.

“Alright, fine! But I’m doing this for Shiho!”

“...Just look at me and get it over with. Once it’s out of your systems I don’t wanna catch you looking again, got it!?”

“Y-Yes Ma’am…”

“That’s the brave, beautiful girl I know.”

Having given her permission she quickly felt the gaze of all her comrades running over each and every part of her body. It was intense… Too intense…

“D-Don’t stare too much, okay?”

“She’s trimmed since last time…”

Ryuji was right. Instead of the fairly wild blonde bush that covered her womanhood before, her pubes were now shaved neatly into a large diamond leaving her lower lips exposed.. Her cute pink labia minora, though still pressed together, stuck out a few centimetres from the rest of her opening.

“S-Stop looking right down there! I trimmed because I felt like it! It wasn’t because of this or anything!”

Continuing to be enamoured by her body, Ren’s eyes now moved up to her large round breasts. Still hanging firmly with the strength of youth, her light pink nipples slowly began to stand up before his very eyes. As Morgana circled around to look at her gorgeous behind, she couldn’t stand the embarrassment any longer and recovered her most important parts.

“Alright, that’s enough! You perverts have had your look, now it’s only fair I get mine!”

“Stand in a line!”

“Wait what?”

“You better not tell me you thought this was only a one way deal!”

“Just do as she says, it’s only fair.”

Not wanting to argue after the amazing view they’d been given, the guys all quickly complied. It was now their turn to feel the embarrassment of being leered at, or at least that’s what Ann was hoping for. In reality, only Ren and Ryuji had flushes on their faces as they stood looking forward, trying not to draw attention to their now firmly erect dicks.

“Lady Ann, please feel free to look at me as much as you’d like!”

“Right… Are you sure you’re a guy Morgana…?”

“It kinda looks like you have boobs…”

“I’m a guy! I’m just stuck in the wrong form at the moment… As if it wasn’t obvious by the fact I look like a cat person…”

“I see…”

Now taking a good look at the two exposed cocks before her, Ann felt her blush grow deeper. These were the most private parts of two of her classmates, fully exposed and standing to attention because of her naked body… It was clear Ren was the larger of the two but Ryuji wasn’t far off. Both their pubes were rather messy but she’d be lying to herself if she said she didn’t like what she was seeing. Ren gulped as he noticed the intensity of her gaze. He didn’t want to admit it but having an attractive woman like Ann stare at his cock was really turning him on…

“T-Takamaki?”

“Oh god… What am I doing! Enough of this!”

“Is everybody happy now! We’re all fucking perverts… Can we just focus on the mission now…?”

“Y-Yeah… Maybe we went a little far there…”

“I think I’m gonna be seeing pink when I close my eyes…”

“This is the worst…”

“It’s an important step in standing up to your shame. Only by fighting against societal norms like modesty can you fully embrace your spirits of rebellion, and realize your true power!”

“W-Well, movin’ on. I was just thinkin’ we should choose a code name for Ann.”

“A code name?”

“I’m Skull, he’s Joker, and that’s Mona.”

“Judging by your costume…”

“I mean, she’s got that tail and stuff on her belt, so…”

“I thought we agreed no more staring!”

“This ain’t like that! We just need to figure out your codename…”

“Whadda you think, Ren?”

“Blonde Diamond.”

“Wait! There’s no way you’re calling me that from now on!? I am SO not down with this! Why are you even still looking down there!”

“Maybe you should just pick your own name…”

“Well I do have this mask and tail… But it’s gotta be better than just a little cat…”

“Maybe… “Panther”?”

“That sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Cause it sounds more… ferocious?”

“She’s a cougar…”

“Don’t call me that!”

“More importantly: Kamoshida!”

“Oh, right. Let’s go!”

“After you Panther.”

“Oh no! I am not going first just so you can stare at my ass!”

As the others continued to squabble, Ren suddenly felt a strange ping in his mind. Everything around him became coated in a blue light and a familiar voice caused him to turn around.

“My master would like a word with you.”

No more than about 6 feet in front of him was one of the twin wardens from his dreams, Justine if he remembered the voices correctly. And right beside her was an open jail door leading into some sort of void, the same shade as the padded walls of his cell in that place… Nodding to the small women he began to walk forward. Something deep within him was telling him that he needed to go in there.

“The prisoner, Ren Amamiya has returned.”

Just as he expected after walking through the door he had found himself back in that place, the Velvet room. Stripped down to only his birthday suit he’d given up on covering up in this place. After approaching the bars of his cell he saw the familiar visage of Igor, a smile upon his old creepy face.

“Well done. It seems you have remembered my words… You truly make it worth rehabilitating you.”

“What does that even mean?”

He chuckled, “I am not attempting to withhold information from you.”

“The essence of the rehabilitation that you must complete will be explained in due time.”

“Once you encounter allies who share your ideals and discover your place in reality… Only then, will I explain it all.”

“Such a day should not be far off.”

“This time, I wish to introduce you to the aid we are providing.”

“Aid?”

“Due to your potential in wielding the power of the wild card, you can handle more than one Nudesona. That power holds infinite possibilities. We will assist you in nurturing that potential.”

“...To that end, we must execute your Nudesona.”

“What?!”

* * *

When Ren finally left the Velvet room a short while later, he shuddered. The Aid Igor was offering turned out to involve watching the two twins execute Arsène and Pixie with a fucking guillotine. After the dust settled the fragments of their souls fused together to create some stupid blue gremlin in a pot or something. He had no idea how that helped him in any way other than almost traumatizing him… Arsène and Pixie were way cooler than the stupid pot. Taking a deep breath he reminded himself about what they told him afterwards. Since Nudesonas are a part of his soul, much like a memory he could recover them. It was likely he’d be able to use them again soon but still, that was definitely not how he expected his trip to the Velvet room to go.

“Something wrong? You were just standing there for a hot minute, Joker?”

To my teammates, it seemed like I wasn’t moving…

“Why’re you spacin’ out like that? It’s kinda hard to tell what you’re thinkin’ sometimes.”

“Let’s just say he was busy fantasizing about Lady Ann.”

“Hey! You better not have been!”

“I wasn’t…”

“Anyway, we’re counting on you, Joker! Lead the way!”

* * *

What followed was a gruelling test of endurance as Joker led the naked thieves through the winding passages of the castle. At first fighting the Shadows proved to be rather challenging despite their team being bigger than ever before. The embarrassment of being nude in front of one another still weighed heavily on many of their minds, resulting in sloppy battles where Ann and Ryuji were much more focused on covering themselves up than battling. Slowly, via a series of close calls and painful lessons that made them grateful to have Takemi’s medicine, they began to deal with threats quicker and more efficiently as they truly started to work as a team. Ann and Ryuji were finally able to push their nakedness out of their minds and focus more on swinging their weapons than covering up, Morgana got quicker with his callouts and Ren’s own orders and attacks became much more precise. Though they still felt they had a long way to go before they found their Treasure, things were starting to look a lot more promising.

After a particularly successful battle, Ren had even managed to acquire a new Nudesona. A ghost-like green skinned house maid named Silky, with long dark wavy hair and an ample bosom. He’d taken great pleasure in getting to know her very intimately. One disadvantage of his power, he soon discovered, was that it took a great deal of energy out of him to pull off. It seemed in order to gain the power of a Shadow he’d have to bring them to orgasm, and after passionately going down on Silky's slightly transparent pussy for about ten minutes he felt his body begin to ache. It seemed he needed some stamina training if he wanted to get multiple new Nudesona per trip.

Another new trick the thieves picked up along the adventure into the depraved castle was a grappling hook. Apparently it was something Morgana had been working on for a while now, and after finding the perfect opportunity to try it out next to a collapsed staircase that once ascended a tall tower, he handed it over to Joker, installing it into his glove. The team were all surprised at how quickly he picked it up. He barely even seriously hurt himself when he first tried to use it and ended up smacking into a large stone brick. On an unrelated note they also discovered that their bodies could take much more of a beating in a Palace than they could in the real world. Surprisingly, despite their exposure, their outfits offered a decent amount of protection as Shadows often targeted the only covered parts of their bodies, like they were being compelled by some external force to avoid hurting their genitals or breasts.

“The Queen book? What’s that supposed to be?”

The latest obstacle that sat in their way was some sort of library, with a few particular books standing oddly out of place. In order to progress they needed some sort of round shaped key to open the locked door forward.

“Hey, what if this is like those movies where in order to open the secret passage the heroes have to press on the right book?”

“I think Panthers onto something. Joker, try and find all the other books that are sitting out of place.”

After a cursory look around they found two more of the strange books. One titled “The Slave”, and one more titled “The King.”

“Now maybe we just gotta fit them in the right slots? What other sort of books do we have around here…”

“The History of Kamoshida… Tracing Kamoshida’s Steps… Kamoshida’s Heroisms… What the hell!? All these goddamn books’re about Kamoshida!”

“Then, maybe the King book goes in here?”

A sudden click sounded out as Joker inserted the book into a nearby gap, signalling they were on the right track.

“What other books are there around the empty spots?”

“The ones over here don’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to them…”

“Huh?! This book… has Shiho’s name in the title…”

“Wait… It’s not just this one! All of the books here are about female students!”

“Ann Takamaki: The Buxom Doll. Holy shit…”

“What the hell is this!? It’s just full of drawings of my ass!”

“If we’re thinking like Kamoshida… Perhaps The Queen book goes in there.”

“There’s one more gap over here. The books on this shelf seem familiar…”

“These’re the names of the volleyball team members! Wait, what the hell!? All of the titles are boys from the school!”

“Ryuji Sakamoto: The Vulgar Ape. There’s one here for Skull.”

“That bastard! Who the hell does he think he is!?”

Without saying another word, Ren placed The Slave book onto the gap on the shelf, and with one final click the entire wall began to move away to reveal a hidden room.

“Whoa, it opened up!?”

“Let’s take a look inside.”

Stepping inside the newly discovered room they quickly realized something was terribly wrong. Various bondage equipment lay strewn around the place and the walls were coated in naked pictures of Suzui…

“Ugh… The hell is this?”

Ann looked deeply troubled and sensing morale was fading, Joker decided to step forward.

“We’ll make him pay for this.”

“Yeah… Definitely.”

“I feel even more motivated to do this now…”

“I’m sure it’ll feel awful, but we should search this room. There has to be something in here if he was hiding it with such an elaborate trick.”

“Over here.”

“Is this… a medal?”

“That size, and that shape… I think that’s our key! Remember the round indentation we saw back at the locked door?”

“Wait, there’s some stuff under the medal too.”

“Oh! It’s a map! And is that…?”

“Some kinda small orb looking thing?”

“It’s an incredibly rare find and a useful tool for emergencies! A revival bead.”

“Revival bead?”

“Whoever we administer it too should get magically healed from any injury. It’s even strong enough to wake up somebody who’s unconscious.”

“Wow.. That is good.”

“Like a get outta jail free card. So you just pop it in their mouth?”

“Not quite.”

Slowly turning around and looking back over his shoulder, Mona surprised everyone by placing his hands on his furry ass cheeks and spreading them open. The feminine feline's small pink butthole was now clearly visible just above what looked a lot like a hairy vulva.

“W-What the hell?!”

“It has to go in here, otherwise the magic won’t work and we’ll waste it.”

“Dude you really got no shame… Did you have to show us like that?”

“Knowing you Skull, I don’t want to take any risks. I want to make it abundantly clear.”

“I knew you were a girl…”

“I am not!”

Letting go of his ass he turned around quickly, a look of slight embarrassment on the not-cat’s face.

“I don’t know why I have one of those but I’m definitely a guy okay!”

“Whatever you say dude…”

“Of course even the medicines pervy here… Remind me never to get hurt…”

“M-moving on-the map…”

“So is it gonna tell us where the Treasure is?”

“Yeah, look. It has to be here…”

“That’s a weird-shaped building… Could it be a tower or something?”

“Considering our position, I’d say we’re about halfway there.”

“All right! Let’s hurry over there!”

Finally able to leave the library, the thieves pushed on, dashing and hiding as they navigated towards their new destination. With each swift foot forward they could each feel things jiggling, in particular Ann’s massive breasts were shaking wildly, unavoidably catching their eyes.

“Are you alright Panther? It must be hard running about like this without a bra.”

Realizing she was drawing attention, the red masked woman quickly covered her chest.

“It’s surprisingly not that bad… It doesn’t feel like it normally does when they erm… Shake…”

“I think my powers are getting rid of the pain…”

“I barely feel anything shaking around either. Seems like whatever perverted thing gave us these powers, they made ‘em practical too.”

“A small consolation I guess…”

“Time for quiet guys, there’s a group of strong looking shadows up ahead!”

* * *

“Holy shit.”

Joker stared across the room in disbelief at the beautiful sight before him. Sitting on the love heart shaped bed, with her legs wide open and one hand spreading her labia, beckoning him over, was the hottest Shadow he’d seen so far. After starting to ascend the tower they found on the map, the naked thieves had encountered even stronger Shadows than before, and after one of them, a winged woman with dirty blonde hair, devil wings, and a tail ambushed them he knew he had to try his power on her.

Thanks to Mona’s wind magic they’d been able to knock her down, and after she flirted with him, eyeing up his twitching cock he’d once more been transported to the love hotel esc room, only this time his target wanted something much more intimate than foreplay or oral.

“Show this Shadow the true meaning of pleasure and they will be reminded of who they truly are. That is the key to making use of my power.”

“What are you waiting for boy, aren’t you going to make me yours?”

Ren’s dick was harder than he thought it had ever been before, was this how he was going to lose his virginity? Did he even want to give it up to some Shadow, rather than a real woman he’d fallen in love with? As he looked over the blonde devil woman’s naked, slim form he decided he couldn't resist and slowly started to approach her. He took in all of the beauty of her unclothed body as he slowly got closer; her breasts, though not as large as Ann's, were still very impressive C cups at least. Her dark red nipples stood erect and her pussy was clean shaven. The seductive smile on her beautiful face only widened when he finally pushed himself up against her, the feeling of their most intimate parts pressing together obscuring any other thoughts.

“Well then, you’d better impress me.”

As he slowly slid himself inside, they both let their heads fall back in raw pleasure. This sensation was unlike anything he’d experienced before, and he felt the ravenous, lustier side of him being to take control. Gradually building up speed as he thrust himself in and out, he groped at her soft breasts as she moaned out in pleasure.

“N-Not bad… Not bad at all…”

Grabbing his head, she pulled his face close to her own, locking them in a position where they were forced to stare into each other's eyes. She was bigger than Ren, almost un-naturally so, likely standing around six and a half feet tall. Now closer than he’d ever been before he could practically sense her pheromones radiating from her warm skin. This devilish woman had him right under her thumb, for a moment he held her words with as much authority as a god. Every pant, every moan, each were like ecstasy in his ears.

“I don’t think I can last much longer…”

“You haven’t done half bad for a virgin.”

“How did you-”

“Shhh, I can tell these things. There’s no shame in it dear. After all, I’m honoured to have made you a man.”

“Now, why don’t we finish this together?”

“Y-Yes…”

No longer able to hold back, Ren felt the euphoria building within him. After one final thrust his partner grabbed him tightly, pulling him close as they both reached their climax. Through the immense pleasure there was something else. Ren felt as if his very life force was slowly being drained as the blonde woman cried out in pure joy.

“Oh my…. I remember now! I am Succubus, and now I’m a part of you.”

“Such delicious life force you have. I oh so hope we can have fun again soon.”

As the woman faded into the familiar blue light he panted on the bed. Of course she was a Succubus, that explained why he was so quickly enamoured with her… Perhaps this encounter had helped him realize another area of weakness for him to work on. If she had been a threat it was likely he wouldn't have survived. Then, just like each time before, In the blink of an eye it was all over and he found himself back with the others in the tower, sweat running down his brow as he struggled to stay on his feet.

“You alright man?”

“It seemed like taking that mask really did a number on you.”

“Why did it make those noises as he absorbed the Shadow…”

“I dunno, it does that every time.”

“And is it always a woman Shadow?”

“Huh… I guess it is…”

Ren looked around nervously.

“Well then… Don’t we have a Treasure to steal?”

Chapter Text

After a gruelling climb, dealing with countless Shadows, strangely shaped ass statues, and deadly blade traps, the thieves had finally made it to the summit of the tower, where, if the map was correct, the Treasure they were so desperately seeking would be finally found.

“Okay! We’re in!”

“Quiet down, you idiot!”

“Oh shit, it’s Kamoshida…!”

“And a ton of soldiers…”

Their destination turned out to be none other than the castle's throne room, an incredibly well defended large open hall with a surrounding raised terrace. Kamoshida himself sat atop his large golden throne, addressing a small army of his knights. Though getting past them wouldn’t be easy, the Thieves still had a job to do.

“How have you not captured the intruders yet!?”

“I apologize, my liege!”

“I bet he’d never imagine we’re in the same room as him. Come on, let’s keep moving…”

Doing their very best to stay hidden, Joker, Skull, Mona, and Panther all slowly made their way up onto the raised terrace and around the back of the room where they slipped through a secluded door. Now lying ahead of them beyond a small, yet impressive looking hallway stood a grandiose looking entry way into what they assumed would be their final destination.

“Now this looks promisin’”

Heading inside they found a large pile of gold, coins, treasures and gems, all piled around a large floating glowing golden light.

“Whoa, what is this place!? Holy shit! That Treasure thing’s gotta be in here!”

“Hey, what about this floating thing?”

“Hehe… That’s it. We finally found it!”

“Isn’t it just light?”

“Just hold on a second. I was planning on telling you more once we made it this far. Simply finding the Treasure isn’t enough. We’ll need to make it materialize before we can steal it.”

“Whaddya mean?”

“Desires have no physical form by nature. Hence, we’ll first need to make the real person aware that their desires are in fact a Treasure.”

“Once they’re conscious that their desires might be stolen, the Treasure will finally show itself.”

“But how do we do that?”

“We warn them. Tell them, “We’re going to steal your heart.””

“So we’re gonna send a calling card!? That’s totally what a phantom thief would do!”

“Once we do that, the Treasure will appear for certain! …I think!”

“That again? Either way, sounds like it’s worth given’ it a shot!”

“Our infiltration route is secure. All that’s left now is to pump out a calling card in reality, then come back to take the Treasure!”

“This is it, huh?”

“We won’t lose.”

“Damn right!”

“Once we send out the calling card, there will be no turning back. Just let me know when you’re ready. We’ll head home and rest for today, and discuss our next steps at the hideout another time.”

“Understood.”

* 18/4/20XX -  Monday - Evening *

When Ren finally made it back to Leblanc the exhaustion from the day's mission hit him like a tonne of bricks. Walking up into the attic he wanted nothing more than to get some sleep but feeling inspired from his successful mission he figured it was about time to clean up the rest of his room. Rolling up his sleeves he got to work organizing the final few cluttered areas, and with a little guidance from Morgana he finally got things looking tidy. He even found a potted plant, somehow still alive that he decided to try and take care of during his stay.

“Even a dreary room can be brightened up with a little green foliage. The place is looking nicer already.”

Another item of note was an old CRT TV initially hidden amongst the trash. It seemed to be in working order but without a tuner it wouldn’t be able to pick up any broadcasts. Ren figured he could always find a DVD player or even an old console to give him something to pass the time. 

After taking a moment to look around and admire his freshly tidied space, the frizzy haired man finally felt it was time to get some much needed rest. Taking off his uniform and neatly folding it away for the morning, he laid back on his bed and enjoyed some pleasant thoughts about all the pretty women he’d seen naked recently. Though he still wasn’t quite sure if it counted, before today he’d been a virgin, and now he’d gotten experience with three different sexy ladies, even if they were just Shadows. Then there was Ann, his beautiful blonde classmate who he’d been fortunate enough to get to see in such an intimate way. After everything she’d been through, the fact she was still able to fight on so valiantly was incredibly noble. They were truly lucky to have her as a part of the team. Closing his eyes he couldn’t help but smile as he visualized the shake of her large breasts and slim figure, the proof of her natural hair color fully exposed for all to see…

“Thinking about Lady Ann?”

“Huh?!”

Shocked out of his lustful visions by Morgana’s sudden interruption, Ren blushed as he realized he’d been caught red handed. The evidence of his dirty thoughts was standing proud and exposed between his legs. It was no surprise the not-cat caught on with the way he was sprawled out. 

“I don’t blame you… She’s a truly beautiful girl. If only I wasn’t stuck in this form…”

“Well anyway, if you need some time alone just let me know. I don’t mind going on a stroll for an hour or so.”

“Thanks man.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Good night Ren.”

“Good night.”

* 19/4/20XX -  Tuesday - After School *

“All right! All that’s left now is to send out the calling card and take Kamoshida’s heart!”

“Couldn’t we have just sent one at the beginnin’ of all this…?”

“It’s not that simple. A Treasure won’t stay materialized forever. Once the impression is gone, the Treasure will disappear.”

“I think it’ll last around a day, at most.”

“The hell…? That’s like no time at all…”

Gathered together in their usual spot, Ryuji, Ann, Ren, and Morgana were discussing their next steps in their ongoing mission to steal Kamoshida’s Treasure. With their route secured they were all eager to make the final move.

“Anyways, we can send a callin’ card right now, yeah? Let’s do it and steal that bastard’s heart!”

“I agree. The sooner we do this the better.”

“So we send the calling card in the morning… and carry out the plan by the end of the day, right?”

“Correct. The effect won’t last that long.”

“...Are you worried?”

“Heh. No way. I’ve been waiting too long for this.”

“Perfect.”

“We’re going to pull this off, no matter what!”

“So, who’s going to write the card?”

“Leave it to me!”

“Why?”

“Why? Why wouldn’t it be me!?”

“This is important. Are you sure you can handle the pressure?”

“I must agree.”

“I really wanna get him good! Lemme write it… C’mon please?”

“All right.”

“Yeah, I got this!”

“Hey, are you sure about this? If they find out our identities, all this work will be for nothing…”

“I know, I know!”

“All right, then! Tomorrow it is!”

“You’d better not slack off on this.”

Ryuji smiled as he got up to make his exit. With a determined expression on his face he looked back at his fellow thieves.

“You can trust me, I’ve got an idea that’ll blow that bastard's socks off.”

* 20/4/20XX -  Wednesday - Early Morning *

As Ann walked through the school hallway she was surprised to find a large gathering of students around the reception notice boards. Moving in closer to investigate she saw dozens of red pieces of cardboard pinned and scattered all over the wall. Lots of the students were chattering amongst themselves, crafting theories as to what exactly was going on.

“A calling card?”

“I heard it was already posted by the time everyone got here this morning.”

“Isn’t it kinda lewd?”

As she looked closer it seemed like there were two designs, one was a message crafted out of letters clipped from various magazines, a way of keeping it anonymous just like out of an old movie. The other was a scruffy drawing of a woman from the belly button upwards. She had hastily coloured long black hair running down to her shoulders, a large top hat, and a black face mask similar to the one Joker wore in the Metaverse. Aside from a wide smile she was otherwise naked leaving the drawings comically large boobs fully exposed. In a messy bold font beneath the scruffy sketch were the words, Take Your Heart in a large print.

Looking over at the message on the other design, Ann read it aloud to herself as she began to piece together what was going on.

“Sir Suguru Kamoshida, the utter bastard of lust… We know how shitty you are, and that you put your twisted desires on students that can’t fight back. That’s why we have decided to steal away those desires and make you confess your sins. This will be done by tomorrow, so we hope you will be ready. From, the Nudist Thieves of Hearts.”

Sighing to herself she looked over the poorly drawn naked woman once more.

“Of course…”

Looking around it didn’t take long for her to spot the other members of her group, standing a little ways away from the scene of the crime with smirks on their faces, seemingly admiring Ryuji’s handiwork. As she approached them the blonde boy himself looked over to her with a wide grin.

“Not bad, eh? I looked up a bunch of similar stuff online for reference.”

“Um… Yeah…”

“I know what you wanted to say, but it sounded like an idiot trying to be an adult… And did the logo really have to be a semi naked woman?”

“It’s poorly drawn but I think it summarizes us quite well.”

“I even made sure not to make it resemble any of us, to maintain anonymity and stuff.”

“Doesn’t it kind of look like a female version of Ren…?”

“Still, with those artistic talents I’m not sure recognising them will be too much of a concern… And The Nudist Thieves of Hearts? Really?”

“It fits our aesthetic!”

“He’s not wrong.”

Glancing back over at the board it seemed more and more students were gathering around to investigate the strange postings.

“Did Mr. Kamoshida do something wrong?”

“Does this mean the rumours are true?”

“Wait a sec… Is someone gonna take something from Mr. Kamoshida?”

“What’s with the naked woman?”

“Her jugs are huge!”

“Who’re these Nudist Thieves of Hearts people?”

“...It got everyone excited, so it’s all good, yeah?”

“Who’s responsible for this!?”

The loud booming voice of Kamoshida himself suddenly echoed throughout the hallway.

“...Look at that. A predictable reaction for someone who knows what we mean by distorted desires.”

“I think it’s hittin’ him pretty hard.”

“Did you do this!? Or was it you!?”

“Wait a minute…”

Noticing Ren and Ryuji standing together, the vile PE teacher began to storm over.

“...Was it you two!?”

“What’re you talking about?”

“So, you’re playing dumb?”

“Eh, it’s not a problem. You’ll be expelled soon enough anyway.”

Turning around and leaving in a state of anger, they couldn’t help but smile behind his back.

“Judging from Kamoshida’s response… I’m sure we had an effect on his Palace!”

“Does that mean the Treasure’s appeared!?”

“We’ll be able to get it today, right?”

“It’s not just today. It’s ONLY today. The impact of seeing a calling card doesn’t last long, and it cannot be repeated.”

“This will be our one chance to steal the Treasure.”

“One day’s more than enough for us!”

* 20/4/20XX -  Wednesday - After School *

“Let’s go! Keep your guard up!”

Charging into the Castle one final time, the Nudist Thieves of Hearts swiftly ran through their planned infiltration route. Ducking out of the way of more Shadows than ever before, an electric feeling rushed through the air. It was clear Kamoshida’s cognition was ready for them as security was at an all time high, still, a few more guards wasn’t going to be  enough to stop them. Before long they had reached the throne room, ready for a tough battle they were surprised to find it seemed completely abandoned.

“What the hell’s goin’ on here? The door’s just sittin’ open, and there aren’t any soldiers around…”

“This place is probably undermanned now that they all got assigned elsewhere.”

“Either way, we win as long as we can steal the Treasure! Let’s keep going!”

Bursting through the back doors they had finally arrived at the Treasure room and sure enough in the place of strange glowing golden light from before was a huge, oversized crown.

“Aww yeeeaaah! The Treasure has appeared!”

“Man, it’s huge!”

“What do you think!? It’s just as I said! Now we can steal it!”

“Ahh… this shine brings tears to my eyes…”

“...It kinda pisses me off.”

“Why’s it so pretty? Isn’t this Kamoshida’s desires?”

“T-Treasure…”

Mona seemed to have given up any semblance of interest in what the other thieves were saying. Staring longingly at the treasure his paws were slowly making their way to his crotch. Joker swore he even saw a light bit of drool coming from the not-cats mouth.

“Uh, the cat’s actin’ awfully excited.”

“What’s wrong? Is something…”

In an instant, the large humanoid feline jumped right onto the oversized crown and began to rapidly rub his crotch against it like an animal in heat.

“Meeeeoooow!”

“Mrrrrooooow!”

“What the fuck…”

“...Meow, meow! Mewwwwww!”

“All right, that’s enough, you stupid cat!”

As if suddenly coming to, Mona’s eyes widened as he slowly slid off the Treasure. Clearing his throat he looked at the floor awkwardly before turning back to face the others.

“Oh, um, yeah… Forgive me for displaying such an insolent sight in front of a lady…”

“You were completely out of character too. What was that about?”

“I couldn’t stop it either… To think I’d be drawn to human desires this much…”

Suddenly brightening back up, he smiled.

“Doesn’t this prove that I’m human!?”

“How should we know!?”

“A-Anyway, we need to carry it out of here!”

“All you do is bark orders… Still, this was easier than I thought! I was sure there’d be some insane trap or something.”

“His Palace will disappear if we take this back, right?”

“And Kamoshida will change too…”

“...That should be the case.”

“Good. Now’s our chance then.”

“It’s heavy…”

“To think it’d go so well… I’ve even found three Nudesona-users in the process…”

“My judgment was correct. I made the right choice in making a deal with you!”

With much effort the four of them were able to begin to carry the huge crown back into the throne room, however a sudden feminine voice calling out stopped them right in their tracks.

“Go, go! Let’s go! Ka-mo-shida!”

“Nnngah!”

With a sharp spike, King Kamoshida knocked the crown from their hands with the shot of a volleyball.

“What?!”

Jumping over the top of them with unnatural grace, and giving those below an unfortunate view, he landed next to the large throne and somehow summoned the treasure to his hands. The strange artifact shrunk to a normal size as he placed it on his head. Rushing up to join him was another cognitive Ann, just like before completely nude aside from the cat ear headband.

“I won’t let anyone take this! This crown proves that I am the king of this castle-it is the core of this world!”

Giggling, the Ann double slowly began to reach beneath his robe, playing with his member beneath as she rubbed her vulva against his leg.

“That horny bastard…”

“That’s how he sees me, isn’t it!?”

“Yo, pervert. Were you waitin’ to ambush us?”

“I just made it easy to find you. I’ll dispose of you myself. Right here, right now. Then me and my princess can take this to the royal bedchamber…”

“You no good rapist asswipe! Prepare to get the shit kicked outta you!”

“What a selfish misunderstanding…”

“How is it a misunderstanding!?  The horrible things you did that you tried to keep secret from others!”

“People around me were the ones who kept it secret. Adults who want to share in my accomplishments, students who have the drive to become winners…”

“They willingly protect me so that we all may profit from it.”

“Profit!?”

“There are too many imbeciles who don’t understand that! Including naïve brats like you and that girl who tried to kill herself!”

“True, she’s a total idiot… letting you manipulate her, trying to commit suicide… And I’m even more of a dumbass for not realizing that!”

“But no matter what kind of fool someone might be… They don’t need your permission to live their lives!”

“Drop the attitude, you naked degenerates! There is no wrong in using my gifts for my gain! I’m a cut above all other humans!”

“Above? You mean beneath, You’re a goddamn demon obsessed with your sick desires!”

“Hahaha, that’s right. I’m not like you… I am a demon who rules this world!”

Suddenly the vile man began to transform before their eyes, grabbing onto the cognitive Ann the pair of them began to seep into the same black and red gunk the Shadows do. What remained of his body contorted as he began to grow. When he’d finally finished transforming, in place of where the king once stood was now a giant red skinned demon with four arms and a colossal exaggeration of Kamoshida’s head, still wearing the now much larger crown. A ridiculously long and sick looking tongue hung from his deformed mouth, the only thing covering the monster's modesty was a large golden trophy filled to the brim with the lower halves of naked women.

“Wh-What the hell!?”

Chuckling, the monster raised two of its hands, one holding a whip, the other a glass of red wine mixed with naked Ann clones.

“I’m allowed to do whatever the hell I want!”

“You’re wrong.”

“Graaaahhhhhh!”

Raising their own weapons, the naked thieves took their combat stances, ready for the fight to come.

“You goddamn, no-good, shitty brats! Haven’t you been taught not to point at people!? Huh!?”

“The Treasures now on his head, we should catch him off guard and steal it!”

“Fight him for now, and wait for an opportunity!”

The throne room quickly descended into chaos as the monstrous Kamoshida launched flurries of volleyballs in all directions. As the thieves tried to attack him they were forced to duck and dodge the oversized golden knife and fork in the other pair of its four hands. No matter how much damage they inflicted, the monster seemed to recover all its health as it consumed the women's bottoms from the cup at its crotch.

“Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. That hits the spot! Come at me, you pieces of shit! I ain’t lettin’ you sleep tonight!”

“He can heal himself by eating those things?! We need to destroy it!”

Changing their target to the trophy between his legs, Shadow Kamoshida gasped. 

“Hey! You don’t know what this is worth, so stop touching it! Don’t you dare lay one more finger on it! I’ve warned you!”

“When someone tells us not to do something, it only makes us want to do it more!”

As the cup finally shattered from the onslaught, Kamsohida howled as his shrivelled up demonic looking tiny cock came into view.

“N-No way! That was from when I won the national…”

“All right!”

Gathering around the dejected creature, the thieves all raised their guns high.

“You think that you can get away with doing such a thing? Do you realize who I am!?”

“I am Kamoshida! Don’t you get it!?”

“So what?”

“I always saw you as a condescending hotshot, but right now… you’re just a pathetic loser.”

“We came all this way, practically completely naked to steal that crown! Will you just give it up and hand it over?”

“Silence! I won’t let the likes of you have this!”

“You still have the energy to say things like that!? Then we’re going to up our game as well!”

Unleashing another rapid volley of attacks, one after another the Nudist Thieves hit him with everything they had. Though clearly hurt, the monster still fought on.

“Looks like I gotta bring out the big guns!”

“Slaves, Bring over the you-know-what! It’s time for my kill shot from when I was active and rockin’ it!”

“What’s the holdup? Where’s my ball!?”

Running out from behind a pillar, a bruised and battered Mishima rushed forward with a golden volleyball under his arm. The only thing the poor man wore was an iron collar around his neck, a comically small willy shaking between his legs.

“Too slow, Mishima! You worthless chump!”

With a crack the monster whipped the cowering naked student.

“M-Mishima!?”

“Wait, what!? Why’s he here?””

“Calm down. That’s only Kamoshida’s cognitive version of him! It’s not the real Mishima!”

Taking defensive stances, the thieves readied themselves for the supposed famed kill shot.

“Good, Mishima-now pass it to me! Don’t tell me you can’t even do something as simple as that!”

After the dark blue haired boy tossed the golden ball into the air, With an earth shattering shake the monster's spike caused the ball to detonate on impact, blowing them all off balance. Despite being able to mostly avoid the attack it looked like Ann got scratched up pretty bad.

“Ann, are you alright?”

“I’m okay! Don’t worry about me, I can keep fighting!”

“I knew it… I can’t go all-out with Mishima providing the backup. Hey, shit-for-brains! Get off my court!”

“I-I’m sorry, King Kamoshida!”

“Next slave, get out here! Hurry up with my damn ball!”

The next cognitive double to rush out onto the field was an equally naked Shiho Suzui. Dolled up in over the top makeup, there was a ditzy smile on her face just like the fake Ann. In the place of the former's cat ears, Suzui instead wore those of a bunny. Her slim body was worryingly realistic,  her b cup breasts and small dark nipples shook with each step and there was a good amount of dark stubble around her shaven vulva.

“King Kamoshida, I’ve brought you your ball, just like you asked.”

“Now there’s a good girl, Suzui. Yeah, all women should obey my orders like this-ain’t that right, sweetheart?”

“N-No way! What’s Shiho doing here!?”

“Panther, calm down! That’s not the real one!”

“But her body… Unlike the fake version of me it’s so realistic… She even has the birthmark next to her breast…”

“It’s a fake Panther, it just means he’s seen her…”

“But now’s our chance to make him pay!”

“Y-Yeah, you’re right… But, this is just…”

“Dammit, even Suzui too! You’ve gone too far, you piece of shit!”

“What do we do?”

“We’re going to have to take down the fake Suzui. We can’t let him get that ball.”

“Understood!”

Though it felt wrong, the cognitive Suzui went down quickly.

“Hmph, even Suzui was useless. Looks like I’ll have to give her some special instruction later… One-on-one!”

 Ann’s eyes now burned even brighter with rage.

“Kamoshida! I’ll never forgive you!”

“Sorry, Suzui… I swear we’ll beat that bastard’s ass!”

“We won’t get anywhere with brute force. What should we do Joker?”

“Let’s go for the crown.”

“I see… In that case, time for Plan B! Look up there, at the terrace.”

“While the others are drawing Kamoshida’s attention, have someone go up there! They should be able to grab it without him noticing!”

“Then go for it Mona. We’ll keep him occupied.”

Charging in once more, Joker, Skull and Panther gave the bastard all they had, unleashing volley after volley of magic from their Nudesonas as the feline sneakily worked his way up to the raised terrace that was practically level with the crown.

“You’re misunderstanding it all! I haven’t sexually harassed anyone! They came onto me because they wanted to get on my good side!”

“He hasn’t noticed a thing. It’s already check and mate!”

Launching himself at the Treasure, Mona knocked it clean off the monster's head. As it tumbled to the floor, out of reach of the demon's grubby arms, Kamoshida flailed around wildly, desperately crying out.

“Noooo! My… my precious…”

“Good, Kamoshida’s shaken up!”

“I think we can do this!”

Launching one all out attack, the monstrous Kamoshida finally met his match, but not before he could manage one final swing of his oversized fork. Bashing the weapon straight into Panther, the poor woman was sent flying back across the room, straight into a stone pillar where she collapsed onto the ground.

“You fucking bastard!”

Kicking his foot into the creature one final time, Skull smashing him hard with his baseball bat. Shadow Kamoshida had finally fallen, dissolving into the same black mist the rest of the Shadows did upon their defeat.

“Lady Ann! Are you alright!”

Not wasting any time, the remaining naked thieves rushed over to their injured comrade. The slow rise and fall of her chest told them she was still breathing, but she was badly wounded. During the fight she’d taken too many blows and the damage seemed to have finally caught up with her.

“Takamaki!”

“Joker, use the revival bead we found the other day!”

That’s right!

Quickly pulling the small green orb from his holster he blushed slightly as he realized what he was going to have to do..

“I’m sorry Ann… This is for your own good…”

“H-Hold on, are you really gonna just… you know…?”

“Would you rather we just left her in pain?”

“N-No! I guess we don’t gotta choice.”

I hope you can forgive me for this.

Not waiting any longer, Joker took a deep breath. Crouching down he carefully turned the unconscious girl onto her front, her soft warm skin felt amazing to the touch but there was no time to dwell on it. His friend's life was in danger. Slowly pulling one of her ass cheeks slightly aside he shivered as her most private place was revealed. The sight of her exposed anus and vulva was amazing but he had to concentrate, if he got erect now that would only make this ten times worse than it already was.

“I probably shouldn’t be watching this…”

Skull hesitantly turned around out of respect as Joker gently pressed the small orb to Panthers butthole. With as little force as possible he gently pushed down with his finger, the warm flesh inviting the orb inside without too much effort. As her rim closed around it, for the briefest of moments he was left touching her backdoor directly. Quickly withdrawing before what he’d just done could fully settle in his mind he sat the girl up and turned around to face the wall out of shame. He had very much failed in not getting a boner…

It didn’t take long for the blonde girl to open her eyes as the magic worked fast.

“H-Hey… What happened? Did we do it?”

“Lady Ann! Thank goodness you’re okay!”

“Thank fuck… You had us worried for a second there.”

“Huh? The last thing I remember was getting hit pretty bad but I suddenly feel really good… Like before I got hurt at all.”

“My ass is strangely tingly but…”

“Oh no… You didn’t…”

“I’m sorry… We didn’t have a choice… You were unconscious…”

“You better face me right now! Who put it in me!”

“It was Joker.”

“S-Skull!”

“Oh my god you're hard!”

“YOU PERVERTS!”

“L-Lady Ann, we really did have to do it, He was as respectful as he could have been-”

“S-Save it! No one ever mentions this again, you hear me!”

“Of course.”

* * *

After Ann had finally settled down the gang turned their attention back to the Treasure. It seemed amidst all the chaos the cognitive Kamoshida had returned into his regular king form. He currently sat clutching the crown, crumbled up in a ball on the floor, facing out over a balcony looking down over the rest of his castle. They were very high up in the tower, there was nowhere left for him to flee but down…

“What’s wrong? Not running away?”

“Aren’t you a great athlete?”

“It’s always been like this… All those goddamn hyenas forcing their expectations on me!”

“I’m doing this all for them! What’s wrong about demanding a reward for that!?”

“Now you’re making excuses?”

“We’ll do something about that distorted heart of yours.”

“Hrrgh…"

“Scared? Right now, looking down over that balcony… You’re seeing the same view that Shiho did.”

“I’m sure she was scared too… except she had no choice but to jump…”

“What will you do?”

“Will you jump? Or would you rather die here?”

Summoning her Nudesona, Ann looked at the man with disgust.

“Do you want to finish him off? It’s your call.”

“No, please wait! I beg you… Just forgive meeee!”

“Shut up. I bet everyone told you the same. But you… you took everything from them!”

Blasting a plume of flames that narrowly missed the man, An stepped forwards.

“I accept defeat… You want this? Take it.”

Tossing the Treasure, Joker dexterously caught it before it could hit the floor.

“Go ahead and finish me off…”

“You do that… and my real self will go down too…”

“You have that right since you’ve won…”

Ann blasted another fire attack over his shoulder.

“If his mind shuts down, he can’t admit his crimes.”

“I won’t kill him.”

“You’re kind, Lady Ann…”

“I’ve lost. You’re through when you lose…”

“What am I- What am I supposed to do now?”

“Atone.”

“All right… I will leave now and return to my real self… I’ll make certain that I-”

In a flash of white light, Kamoshida’s Shadow faded from the room. Almost instantly everything began to shake, as if an earthquake had started to hit the castle.

“Hey, just so you know, we don’t have time to waste.”

“This place is about to collapse!”

With the Treasure in hand, the Nudist Thieves of Hearts began to run, and run like they never had before. As the building collapsed around them they narrowly dodged debris and rubble. Skull's leg seemed to be somewhat playing up causing him to fall, but Joker managed to grab him and get him back on his feet.

“Heh… It’s been a while, so I just tripped, is all…”

With one final desperate sprint, they made it out of the castle…

“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”

Panting, Ann looked up at the others, now all of them were standing in the alley outside the school, back in there regular Shujin uniforms.

“That sucked…”

“Look at the nav!”

“The destination has been deleted.”

“...It’s true. We can’t go there anymore.”

“What about the Treasure?!”

Ren pulled a golden Olympic medal from out of his uniform pocket.

“What the…”

“...A medal? Wait, where’d that crown go?”

“What’s goin’ on?”

“It means that was the source of Kamoshida’s desires. To him, this medal is worth as much as that crown we saw in the Palace.”

“An Olympic medal…”

“So, that perv kept clingin’ to his past glory and couldn’t let it go…”

“But.. this means that Kamoshida’s heart might have changed, right?”

“...Probably.”

“Our expulsion’s on the line here!”

“This is the first successful example for me too. However, there’s no doubt that this has affected Kamoshida’s personality quite a lot.”

“The entire Palace disappeared, after all.”

“Ugh, I feel all antsy! Ain’t there a way to check now?”

“We’ll know soon enough.”

“Right…”

“Come on, why the gloomy faces? Be happy! We completed this with great success, you know.”

“We just don’t know if everything’s okay yet…”

“I’m pretty sure it’ll be fine. Remember how Kamoshida’s Shadow said that he’s returning to his self in reality.”

“We all know Suguru Kamoshida is scum. Still… He did seem to regain his conscience somewhat before he disappeared.”

“I’m sure it worked.”

“There are definitely those who have been saved thanks to what you’ve done.”

“Yeah…”

“Anyways, I guess we gotta wait. It all boils down to what’s gonna happen to Kamoshida… or if we’re gettin’ expelled for real…”

“We’ll have to be patient for now..”

“...Right. C’mon, let’s go home.”

* 20/4/20XX -  Wednesday - Evening *

Introducing Yongen-Jaya, as you’ve never seen it before!

Ren eyed up the flashy articles with curiosity as he flipped through the travel magazine. It was a sort of tourism guide he’d found for the local area whilst cleaning up his room. Sojiro had already gone home for the day and he was currently sitting downstairs in Leblanc completely naked.

“Glad to see you're really starting to embrace the whole nudity thing, but is the chief really going to be okay with you sitting down here like this?”

“I’ll make sure to clean the seat when I’m done. He won’t even know.”

 “So that’s a no then… Still, I can understand where you’re coming from. I can’t imagine having to sit around with my body restrained by some stuffy clothes all day.”

“I’ll admit being naked definitely has its perks.”

“Hey, I wonder if this magazine mentions Leblanc…”

In the end it turned out there was no mention of the café at all, but they did learn about a local bathhouse, batting cages, and grocery store all a short walk away.

“Now that we have nothing to do but wait around we should try and visit some of these places. I bet some of them would be quite fun.”

“I suppose we should try to blend in.”

“Exactly, the last thing you need is to get caught out acting suspiciously.”

A quiet moment passed between the two of them as Ren absentmindedly flicked through the magazine once more. He stopped after starting to feel a strong gaze on his body. Looking over at the not-cat beside him he noticed the feline staring at his penis intently. Though he was getting used to the whole being seen naked thing, something about the intensity of his friends' stare made him a little uncomfortable.

“Morgana?”

“Hey Ren, do you think Lady Ann and I could… Well, do you think maybe I could still woo her even if my human form doesn’t have the right parts…?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you and Ryuji in the Palace. It’s clear she’s more interested in what’s between your legs than mine…”

“Are you feeling self conscious about your body?”

“I… I’m not sure…”

“I haven’t known Ann for long. It’s hard to say what she likes. To be honest I don’t know much about girls my age at all really. All my friends have always been guys…”

“What I do know though, is that Ann is truly kind. Brave too. I doubt she’s be the sort to judge you based on something like what’s between your legs.”

“You really think so?”

“Definitely.”

“Thanks Ren… That makes me feel somewhat better.”

“We should probably get some sleep.”

“Yeah.”

* 21/4/20XX -  Thursday - Lunchtime *

As Ren was walking to grab some lunch from the school store, he bumped into Ryuji in the second year hallway. The blonde haired man had an alert look on his face as he surveyed the area around him.

“Have you seen Kamoshida today?”

“Not at all.”

“You really think he changed?”

“I hope so.”

“Well, yeah…”

“Oh, perfect timing!”

“Ms. Kawakami?”

“Study hall will be held instead of PE today. I’m letting you know just in case you haven’t heard.”

“Mr. Kamoshida has taken the day off.”

“He ain’t here?”

“Don’t tell anyone that you heard this from me… But we received word that Mr. Kamoshida is placing himself under suspension.”

“It’s such an important time before the tournament too…”

“Principle Kobayakawa went to talk to him about it, but he supposedly wasn’t making any sense…”

“Wait, a suspension!?”

“Not so loud!”

“The talks about your expulsions may be put on hold too… I don’t know much about it though…”

“Anyway, I’ve relayed what’s going on to you. I should be going.”

Making her exit, the teacher strolled down the hallway leaving the two students to look at one another with a knowing glance.

“Looks like something happened… At least it sounds different from a mental shutdown…”

“Yeah…”

“I guess all we can do now is wait…”

Chapter Text

* 21/4/20XX - Thursday - After School *

“Fuji no yu”... The bathhouse from that magazine. I’m liking the classic vibe of this place.”

“But this sign…”

“Closed for renovations huh. Looks like they’re having some work done.”

“So much for my relaxing afternoon plans…”

“Hey, why don’t we go and pay another visit to that doctor nearby. I’m kind of interested in that super drug we overheard the old guy talking about.”

“The scary doctor lady…?”

“Oh, come on. Compared to what we faced in the Palace this is nothing. You managed just fine last time too.”

“Fine…”

“She really bothers you huh? I’ve not even seen you look that worried when we come up against Shadows…”

After stealing his resolve, Ren and Morgana made their way to the nearby clinic. It seemed like nobody else was about and Takemi herself was sitting behind the counter mixing together two vibrant vials. As soon as he began to approach she looked up from her work with a neutral expression on her face.

“So what are you here for today?”

“I heard rumours about a special medicine?”

“Huh?”

Ren gulped as her once calm look quickly changed to irritation.

“Now I remember. You’re the kid who was at Leblanc… Regular medicine won’t do the trick?”

“I have my reasons…”

“Hmm, very well…”

“Just head into the examination room for now.”

Something’s wrong. Why did she agree to that so quickly?

Stepping inside, the man took a seat just like his last visit, however the blue haired doctor didn’t join him. Instead she leant back against the door, looking him over like she was weighing him up. Ren suddenly became painfully aware that she was now blocking his only escape route.

“...That medicine, huh?”

With a noticeable click, she locked the door.

“So… which conversation of mine did you eavesdrop on to hear that?”

“Who am I kidding, it was obvious, actually. You call what you did before hiding?”

“...Not that I care, of course.”

“I was going to dispose of that medicine anyway. I got a little too carried away with it. But tell me; why would a high schooler like yourself be so interested in something like that?”

“It’s very strange, indeed. You don’t seem to be very athletic, so… What exactly are you up to?”

“It’s for studying.”

“Studying…? For your entrance exams?”

“So you’re looking to improve your concentration and reduce fatigue? Hm, that’s not the best idea.”

“But if that’s what you want to do…”

The frizzy haired man let out a subtle sigh of relief as she unlocked the door. Walking over to her desk, Takemi took a seat and began flicking through some papers. It was like she’d suddenly lost all interest in him.

“Well good luck with that. I have no obligation to help you so why don’t you just have an energy drink or something?”

“Please. I need that medicine.”

The goth doctor scratched her head as she turned around to face him once more.

“You’re really annoying, you know that?”

“The medicine is very expensive. It’s not something a high schooler can get his hands on. It costs almost as much as a car.”

“Why don’t you just go home?”

“I’ll… I’ll work for it.”

“What, like part-time help?”

“Hmm… Do you consider yourself as someone with a good amount of stamina?”

“I admit I have been looking for a virile young man to help me out. But I haven’t been able to find one, even after putting an ad in the paper.”

“...Are you up for it?”

“What exactly would I be doing?”

“Do you want to do it or not?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Okay then. You’ll be participating in clinical trials for my medicine.”

Wasting no time at all, she rushed right past him and grabbed a vial of red liquid off a nearby shelf.”

“You can start by drinking this.”

Looking down at the strange slightly viscous liquid the doctor just handed him, Ren began to sweat. Was he really going to do this? There’s no telling what could be in it…

“Worried about the side effects, huh? Well, you can relax.”

“Rest assured, my autopsy is guaranteed to find out exactly what part of it killed you.”

“Autopsy?”

“What, aren’t you going to take it?”

“The exit’s right there if you want to leave.”

If I don’t drink this, there’s no way she’ll sell me her medicine…

“Well? Go on.”

This medicine better be fucking good.

“Bottoms up.”

In one swift motion he downed the liquid, not stopping for a second out of fear of losing his sudden courage. In no time at all the worryingly viscous liquid was all gone and it’s bitter after taste was left lingering down his throat. Looking back up at Takemi she quickly noticed she had an incredibly shocked look on her face. She really didn’t think he’d do it.

“Huh?”

“I can’t believe you actually drank it…”

“Bitter, yet sour… You couldn’t have made it taste slightly better?”

“I’ll note down your feedback… Still doing okay, huh? Not bad, for a high schooler.”

As Ren stretched out his arms he suddenly felt everything go woozy. He’d lost all feeling in his legs and within seconds he was falling to the ground, very unconscious…

“Uh?”

“...Welp. Game over, I guess.”

* * *

When Ren finally came too, he found himself laid back on the exam room bed. Though groggy, he now felt mostly normal, perhaps a little cold. Looking down at himself he soon realized this was likely because he’d been stripped down to just his underwear…

Slowly sitting himself up he looked over to see the doctor staring at him, a clipboard in hand as she hastily jotted down notes.

“Good evening.”

“Do you remember anything from the moment you took the medicine until now?”

“...Is there a particular reason I’ve been undressed?”

“Hm, so that’s a no then.”

“You briefly woke from your coma, but you were completely dazed during the examination.”

“...You eventually lost consciousness, and fell back asleep. As for your clothing it's just over there. Typically my guinea pigs would be stripped fully naked so I could monitor all possible side effects however I felt it inappropriate to continue without your direct consent.”

“Right…”

“Oh and one more thing.”

“Are you out of your damn mind?! Only an idiot would have drank that.”

“I already told you. I need the medicine…”

“Fine, fine… By the way, you were right. The reason you lost consciousness was because of the taste.”

“It produces a foul smell when it mixes with gastric juices, similar to surstromming.”

“Oh well. All that matters is that thanks to you, I was able to get some good data.”

Placing down her clipboard she offered him a hand up. Her grip was surprisingly strong.

“I don’t want the general public to know about my original medicines. So, you’re strictly prohibited from disclosing what happens here to anyone… Understood?”

“Same goes for you.”

“Then it’s a deal. As long as you come here for it, I’ll give you the medicine at a good price whenever you want.”

“I may even add additional selections, in time.”

A smile crept across the goth doctor's face and she looked him up and down once more.

“...I look forward to your continued patronage.”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Death Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

“Oh my… Could that be a side effect too, or are you just aroused by being seen in your underwear by an older woman?”

Quickly covering the bulge in his pants caused by the familiar warm sensation, Ren blushed as he looked at the ground awkwardly.

“It’s neither…”

“I’m sure I’ll work it out in time. So…when can you come back for the next clinical trial?”

“Another one…?”

“Of course. I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot of fun together, my little guinea pig.”

Ren walked back to Leblanc incredibly exhausted that evening. By the time he got back to his room he fell asleep before he even had the chance to undress. At least the mission was a success.

* 27/4/20XX - Wednesday - Evening *

For the six days, Ren had been spending his time like a normal student hanging out with Ryuji after classes and getting to know Shibuya and Yogen. He’d even managed to find an old DVD player for the tv in his room. Ann had been busy spending time with Shiho at the hospital leaving the guys to anxiously wait out the time together. Spending his evenings helping Sojiro clean up the café and knocking out a little studying was fine and all but it all felt so overshadowed by the looming threat of potential expulsion. The thieves were all keeping in close contact via their group chat but Kamoshida was still MIA. With such little information on what was actually happening, tensions were admittedly rather high.

Sojiro had decided today was finally the day for his new ward to start properly helping out with running Leblanc. Now standing in his apron behind the bar, Ren listened carefully to the older man's instructions.

“Now then, since you’re gonna be working in my store, I’ll need to hammer home the basics…”

“You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“Hitting on girls?”

“You’re ten years too young for those lessons, kid. I’m gonna teach you how to brew coffee.”

“This store’s not the busiest around, but I’m real particular about how we do things here. I’ll kick you out no questions asked if you serve a bad cup, you got that?”

“Yes boss.”

Looking up from her drink, the only current customer in the store, a motherly looking woman in a pink cardigan smiled over at them.

“Let me tell you, So-chan definitely does things right with his coffee. It goes so well with his special curry, I can’t help but order the set meal every time.”

“What can I say, each of my regulars gets an experience personally tailored to them.”

“Can you tell me the key to that wonderful flavour, So-chan? I’d love to make it at home sometime.”

“Sorry, that’s a trade secret. You’re free to try and guess based on the taste though.”

“Cheapskate. Keeping secrets from me even though you know your food’s already stolen my heart…”

“How about a nice desert then? It’s only three hundred yen.”

“Oh my! Certainly if you’d be so kind.”

Turning back to his apprentice, the dark haired man smirked as he started preparing the cold treat.

“When you run a shop, you get all sorts of customers. Knowing their personalities is absolutely vital.”

“That’s what being in food service is all about.”

The sound of the front door opening drew their attention over to the elderly man who’d just walked in. His clothes were rather plain and cheap looking and he wore a baseball cap over his short greying hair.

“Welco-”

“You…”

“Hello there! It’s been quite a while, Sakura-san!”

“Your order?”

“No small talk? That’s cold.”

“Oh, but this smell. Sure brings back memories! You’re still making that curry, huh? I guess you haven’t gotten over her yet…”

“Your order, sir?”

“Haha, so pushy. I just stopped in to say hi today… but I’ll be back again soon! Bye.”

Waving in an almost mocking manner, the old guy left the store. Though he hadn't been there long Ren noticed his brief presence had really almost made Sojiro lose his cool. His usually calm demeanour was tainted by frustration, though it had started to fade now the man was gone.

“Ugh… I don’t know where he caught wind of this place.”

“That guy seemed suspicious.”

“Heh, I guess you have an eye for some things after all.”

“Anyway, if you have time for questions, you have time to be learning about bean types. You’re not gonna be any use to me if you can’t pick up on the ABCs sometime soon.”

“Besides, ladies love a guy who knows his coffee. This isn’t such a bad deal for you.”

“I do want the ladies to love me.”

“Heh, if only you were this obedient all the time.”

“Either way, I’m gonna teach you right. That way I’ll be able to sit back and relax while you work.”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Hierophant Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

As the clock stuck for closing time, Sojiro began to brush down his apron.

“Looks like it’s that time already. Let’s start closing up. And no slacking off, you got it?”

“Understood.”

* 28/4/20XX - Thursday - After School *

“I can’t believe I’m really doing this…”

“You’ll be fine.”

Ren stood at the doorway to Takemi’s clinic once more… Today was the day he agreed to do the next clinical trial and after what happened last time he wasn’t exactly excited…

“There you are. I was wondering if you’d show up.”

It seemed there was no backing out now. She’d seen him from behind the counter.

“I’ve developed a new medicine I’ve been waiting to try out. I’m going to start setting up so go wait in the examination room.”

“Well, I’m gonna go walk around. Let me know when you’re ready to leave.”

Doing his best to mentally prepare, Ren stepped into the exam room and began looking around the room to try and spot whatever chemical he was about to be asked to drink. After a few minutes Takemi entered with a tall vial of blue liquid, taking a seat by the desk she looked up at him expectantly.

“Alright then, if you could place your clothes over there on the shelf, I’ll start preparing the checklist.”

“What?”

“You need to undress. Remember what I told you last time? I need to be able to see all possible side effects.”

“Really?”

“Really. Don’t worry, this is a professional environment.

Slowly he began to comply, removing each piece of his Shujin uniform until he was standing in just his underwear. It wasn’t so bad after all his forced practice in the Metaverse. And at the café, though he supposed that was on purpose. This really was starting to become a common occurrence.

“Those too little guinea pig.”

“You want me to remove my underwear?”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen a hundred times before. I am a doctor after all.”

“Right…”

Realizing he wasn’t going to get out of this he decided his best bet was just to get it over with. It took a surprisingly low amount of mental effort to convince himself this would be okay… Slowly sliding the final barrier between Takemi and his modesty down his legs, he stepped out of his underwear and covered his dick with his hands.

“Tut tut, no covering. I need to be able to see it all for the examination.”

With a sigh and a slight blush on his face, Ren lowered his arms. The doctor took a moment to look him up and down before a slight smirk formed on her face.

“Not bad. Looks like you have nothing to be ashamed about. Your genitals seem healthy and even a good size for someone your age.”

“Is this part of the trial…?”

“Of course. I need to know what you look like normally if I’m going to be checking for changes.”

“Just what kind of medicine is this?”

“Nothing crazy. I just made various adjustments to the previous drug you tested based on your last trial results.”

“Here you go, drink it down in one gulp.”

Doing as he was told, Ren downed the liquid. It had a powerful taste, both sour and bitter like before. The smell was absolutely terrible. A sudden tightness in his chest caused him to have a hard time breathing, laying back on the bed he did his best not to pass out from the dizziness.

“...Ah, your reaction to it is absolutely perfect. You feel a bit dazed, hm? I mixed in some special… components.”

“Let me just take your temperature and blood pressure. I’m going to need some samples too. Blood and urine.”

“We’ll have to run some motor skill tests as well, but those might be too much for you right now.”

“Here, take this vial and pee into it. You can go behind that curtain for some privacy if you’d like and you can take this pill too, It should help you release your bladder. I’ll take the blood sample myself in a moment.”

Slowly plodding behind the small curtained off area of the room, Ren did his best not to pass out from the drug. There was no way he could go right in front of her… Being a slightly shy pisser, Ren glanced around the privacy screen to see what the doctor was up to. It seemed she was paying him no mind and instead looking over her clipboard with an eerie smile on her face.

“Since we’re in the final stages, I should first stabilize the fundamental formula…”

Ren nearly dropped his vial when he heard a loud man bursting into the room.

“...Oh, so you ARE here.”

“..I’m in the middle of an examination. I’ve told you before, Officer. If you want to investigate me you need to show me a warrant.”

A police officer?! I’m standing behind here with my fucking dick out!

“Hmph! I’m here because we received a report. I’ll need to see a detailed statement of medical expenses and full medical records.”

“I bet you didn’t have enough time to hide any incriminating documents, huh?”

“...Must be under the orders of the Medical Chief of Staff.”

“Here you go. It’s all in there.”

“Huh…?”

“The kid behind the curtain over there is my only patient today. If you’re asking for his medical expenses, I’m guessing I’m under suspicion of improper billing?”

“But without a receipt, I’d say you’ve been sent on a wild goose chase.”

“Wh-What’s going on here?”

“You’re being manipulated. That report is fictitious.”

“It’s nothing but an attempt to harass me.”

“What!?”

“Hey you, behind the screen. What’re you doing here!? Why are you hiding? Up to something illegal!?”

Ren felt his heart miss a beat. He really did not want to explain this to the police…

“He’s getting me a urine sample.”

“Oh… Right…”

“Are you done here? As you can imagine this is probably rather awkward for him.”

“...Fine.”

“You’re infuriating, you know that? Hmph… but I’d expect nothing less from the Plague.”

With the officer finally leaving the exam room, Ren poked out his head. Takemi sighed.

“I’m so over this…”

“Seems like you're being harassed…”

“Really? You couldn’t infer the meaning from the conversation? I get so irritated whenever it comes up.”

“Still, it’s nothing to worry about. I’m sure it was my former superior who made that false report.”

“You eavesdropped on our conversation the other day, remember? He’s just trying to put pressure on me by having the police investigate me and my practice.”

“Anyway, have you finished behind there yet? I still need to draw some blood.”

“Yeah… Guess I don’t have much choice…”

“It’s part of our deal, remember?”

“Now hurry up, if you don’t need to go, use the pill.”

“Don’t just stand there watching…”

“I’m a medical professional, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I’ve decided I’ll be drawing more blood than usual… since you’re healthy and all…”

“...Only kidding.”

After finally managing to go under the watchful eyes of Takemi, Ren could no longer look the doctor in the eyes. Practically dragging him back over to the bed, Takemi promptly jabbed a needle into his arm. After taking a dose of his blood she spent a good while just observing his body's reactions as he laid there awkwardly. Eventually she started testing his muscles, feeling up along his legs and arms. The contact and close proximity of the admittedly attractive woman to his naked body caused his cock to twitch. Clearly noticing what happened the doctor smirked.

“Is that because of the drug or me? Don’t be shy now. I need to know.”

“Erm… Well…”

“I think it’s you…”

“Heh, thanks for being honest.”

“That will be all for today. Feel free to get dressed and head home.”

“These results will be keeping me busy for a while.”

When he finally left the clinic Ren let out a sigh. If nothing else he at least felt a little more gutsy after all that…

“Take care.”

* 2/5/20XX - Monday - Early Morning *

The day had finally arrived. If the thieves' plan to change Kamoshida’s heart truly worked, they’d find out about it today. After heading to homeroom Ms. Kawakami informed the students there was going to be a morning assembly. As everybody gathered in the gymnasium there was an uneasy air about the student body. They’d all heard rumours about the supposed Nudist Thieves calling card and Kamoshida’s unexplained absence. Murmurs and chatter filled the hall.

“What’s with the sudden assembly?”

“I bet it’s about that girl that jumped the other day.”

“They don’t have to tell us not to commit suicide.”

“There was that weird calling card too, so I guess the teachers are freaking out?”

Taking the stage, the potato-like principle began to speak into the microphone.

“Let’s begin this school-wide morning assembly. As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day.”

“Thankfully, we have been informed that she has pulled through, but it will take some time until she recovers.”

“Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore that you rethink the importance of life and-”

Suddenly bursting in from the back of the gym, Kamoshida himself stood looking down at the floor dejected.

“Mr Kamoshida, what’s the mea-”

“I… have been reborn.”

“That is why today I will confess everything to you all.”

The students began to chatter once more as the PE teacher made his way towards the stage.

“Huh?!”

“I have repeatedly done things that were… unbecoming of a teacher.”

“Verbally abusing students… physically abusing my team, and… sexually harassing female students.”

“I am the reason why Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself!”

Falling to his knees, Kamoshida started to cry as the students erupted into full on conversations about what they were hearing. Principal Kobayakawa watched on in pure shock, his eyes practically bulging from his head.

“I thought of this school as my own castle… There were even students that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn’t like them…”

“I will, of course, rescind those… I am truly sorry for putting innocent youths through such horrible acts…”

“I am an arrogant, shallow… and shameful person. No, I’m worse than that… I will take responsibility and kill myself for it!”

Rushing over to the prostrating man, the principal practically flailed his arms about as he tried to get the teacher off the stage. Another teacher called for the students to return to their classes but nobody budged an inch. They all wanted to know just what exactly was going on with the sudden change of heart of their PE teacher.

Calling out from the crowd, Ann angrily shouted at the crying older man.

“Don’t run, you bastard! Shiho’s still alive even after all the things that made her want to die!”

“You have no right to run from this!”

“You’re right… You’re absolutely right… I should be punished under the law and atone for my crimes…”

“I did horrible things to Takamaki-san, as well. In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team… I… I tried to force her into having sex.”

“As of today, I will resign from my position as an instructor and turn myself in. Someone, please call the police!”

“Wow…”

Having enough of this drama, the other teachers stepped forwards once again.

“This morning’s assembly is over! Return to your classes immediately!”

As Ren and Ryuji turned to each other they could hear other students chattering.

“Isn’t this just like what the calling card said?”

“Does this mean the Nudist Thieves thing was for real!?”

“Was something done to Kamoshida!?”

“C’mon, there’s no way you could steal someone’s heart!”

“But why else would he start saying things like he’ll kill himself or turn himself in?”

“Maybe because it almost got leaked? Don’t they go easier on you if you turn yourself in?”

“I wonder what happened…”

“Who knows? But man, Kamoshida turned out to be one sick bastard.”

“Return to your classrooms at once!”

* * *

Once the students had finally dispersed, the Nudist Thieves themselves all gathered at the far side of the gym. Now alone it was clear they had a lot to discuss.

“His heart really did change…”

“Seems like it.”

“But, was this really for the best?”

“I think so.”

“Yeah… It’s gotta be.”

“But things’re happenin’ way too fast…”

“Huh…? What the…?”

Mishima and a couple of other female students were approaching them from the far side of the hall.

“Takamaki-san… I’m sorry!”

“Huh…?”

“The volleyball team all knew… but we pretended we didn’t.”

“Takamaki-san, I had you all wrong… I’m sorry that I spread rumours about you!”

“I didn’t know at all… Kamoshida was forcefully pushing himself on you… It must’ve been so hard for you!”

“I’m sure there’s a ton of people who want to apologize to you.”

“We’re so sorry!”

“No, it’s okay. The same goes for me too…”

“Besides, that’s all in the past now.”

Interrupting their gathering another teacher angrily made his way over.

“Hey, return to your classes right now!”

“See you later Takamaki-san.”

Mishima looked especially glum.

“I can’t apologize enough for what I did to you.”

“...I swear I’ll make it up to you someday.”

“Looks like Kamoshida ain’t the only one that had a change of heart.”

“Man, I’m glad for you Takamaki. Looks like those weird rumours are gonna go away.”

“My thing doesn’t really matter.”

“We made Kamoshida apologize about Shiho. That’s more than enough for me.”

“You should hurry and tell her about it then.”

“...Yeah.”

* 2/5/20XX - Monday - After School *

When classes finally ended for the day, Ren and Ryuji met up with Morgana at their hideout on the rooftop. Gathered around Kamoshida’s Treasure turned Olympic medal they were all still in shock that their plan actually worked, though now they all felt pretty sure it was the right thing to do.

“I totally freaked out… He really did have a change of heart…”

“And we were lucky his mind didn’t get messed up either! This was an A+ job!”

“Does this mean that they won’t have a mental shutdown even if their Palace disappears?”

“I see… So we need to persuade the Shadow without killing it, and then send it back to its real self.”

“Our targets won’t undergo a cognitive collapse if we do that.”

“So, we can get ‘em to confess with no bad stuff?”

“Hey! That works for me!”

“Do you have to be so loud?”

It seemed Ann had decided to join their little meeting, waltzing over from the door to the rooftop.

“Don’t worry about it. So… how’d it go? With Shiho, I mean…”

“She’s properly regained consciousness!”

“For real!?”

Though she initially tried to hide it, the blonde woman started to cry. Quickly giving up and dropping to her knees, Ren was about to move to comfort her when she looked up with a big smile on her face.

“It was only for a little bit, but I got to talk to her!”

“I was able to tell her that Kamoshida admitted to what he did!”

Getting back up on her feet, she finally took a seat next to the others, wiping the tears from her face and taking a deep breath.

“Shiho, she… she told me she was sorry…”

“Looks like she found out that I was flirting with Kamoshida for her sake… And here I was, wanting to apologize to her.”

“Kamoshida’s at fault for all of this.”

“I know…”

“Shiho’s mum is thinking of transferring her to another school after she recovers.”

“The whole rape and attempted suicide… People will label her after that.”

“It sounded like Shiho had the same idea too.”

“It’s gonna get lonely…”

“But, I think it’s for the best… I’m sure it’ll be hard if she stays here.”

“She’s alive. You can see her anytime.”

“...I need to change too.”

“That aside, I was surprised you could hold yourself back against Kamoshida’s Shadow.”

“It wasn’t like that… I just wanted Kamoshida to apologize himself.”

“You’re so kind, Lady Ann.”

“No matter how much of a shit bag he was, finishing him off woulda left a bad aftertaste right?”

“Huh? That’s not it. I think revenge is better served if I make him repent.”

“Realizing what he’s done, he’ll grovel for forgiveness the rest of his life, you know?”

“I just believe there are fates worse than death.”

“Holy shit…”

“A-Anyways, that’s all settled…”

“But you know, there was one more thing I was wonderin’ about that castle. Why was Kamoshida the only one who had that Metaverse thing?”

“It isn’t necessarily limited to him. It’s something anyone could have if their heart became warped from their desires.”

“Anyone…”

“Wanna check it out?”

“N-Not right now. We better lay low for a while. People are still gonna be talkin’ about Kamoshida. Then again, it’s totally impossible for someone to find out what we did at his Palace.”

“Yeah, about that… Weird rumours about you guys are already going around. Stuff like, you got together and threatened Kamoshida with something close to physical violence…”

“The hell!?”

“People aren’t going to easily believe that some mystical band of naked thieves really exist. The calling card’s being treated like it was a prank by someone who knew what Kamoshida was doing.”

“Makes sense…”

“We’re the ones who did it, and I still don’t completely believe it myself.”

“Let’s wait for things to settle down for the time being.”

“Anyways, let’s check how much this medal can be sold for. It’d be better if we pawned it off ASAP.”

“Ooh, got a hit!”

“..Wait, thirty thousand yen!? That’s all a gold medal’s worth!?”

“Remember that time in middle school? I lent you some money.”

“There’s no way I borrowed thirty thousand yen from you!”

“Wouldn’t it be around that much with compounded interest?”

“Interest my ass!”

“I’m not saying that I’m talking all of it, but I did have to run around with my bits out too you know.”

Ren decided to keep the fact he had also made a fair amount of money from robbing the Shadows and selling minor bits of plunder from the castle quiet…

“Dammit…”

“I agree on laying low and keeping an eye on the situation. However, you dragged me into this. It would be nonsense not to celebrate a successful mission.”

“I guess we could blow this dirty money on something fun.”

“Discussions among nudist thieves are to take place over luxurious food. How about it?”

“Hey, wait-”

“...Nah, I guess it’s fine. There’s somewhere I want to go then.”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s a place Shiho and I have been wanting to go for a while.”

“I owe money, so I can’t complain…”

“You good with that too Ren?”

“Fine by me.”

“I’ll leave it to your discretion as well, Lady Ann.”

“I’ll call and check the prices later then.”

“When should we go? Wanna do it soon, like tomorrow?”

“Well it is Golden week… Why don’t we go on the last day of the holidays?”

“It’ll help energize us when school life starts up again the day after.”

“Then… the 5th, on Children’s Day.”

“So, who’s going to sell this thing anyway?”

“Leave that to us. We know a store that’ll buy anything. Don’t we Ren?.”

“Okay, I’ll leave that to you guys.”

* 4/5/20XX - Wednesday - Daytime *

About to head to Untouchable to try and sell the medal, Ren and Morgana strolled through the café only to be stopped by Sojiro. Though he'd already spent most of yesterday helping him out with the store and it looked like his landlord wanted to enlist him again today too.

“Make sure to do the dishes.”

“Can I do it when I get back? I’ve really gotta-”

“Just do it. Don’t get cocky with me.”

The sound of the door opening put a quick stop to their brewing argument. A rather tall looking silver haired young woman in a professional looking suit strolled inside.

“Welcome.”

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all.”

Taking a seat at the counter, the two of them quickly worked to fulfil the well dressed woman’s order. The sound of the TV covering the noises of their brewing.

“The cause of the runaway-train incident in the subway the other day still has not been found. Police are hurrying to solve the matter as it may relate to the rise in psychotic breakdown incidents.”

“Oh, is that the thing everyone’s been talking about?”

“Doesn’t it make you curious? People who were living normal lives suddenly went mad or deranged out of the blue…”

The silver haired woman's expression became stern. Ren wondered if she knew somebody affected.

“Not to mention that it’s happening one after another… Could they really be coincidental?”

“Hmm… Leaving that aside… Here’s your coffee.”

The woman sighed.

“Thank you. I’m sorry for dragging down the mood.”

After taking a sip of the fresh drink she smiled, looking around the café before settling her eyes on Ren.

“Huh, are you a part-timer? I’m surprised this place can afford one.”

“Uhhh, no, he’s not exactly…”

“Are you a high school student? Where do you attend?”

“Shujin Academy.”

“Oh? Someone I know goes there as well. I’ve heard that things are rough right now.”

“A teacher named Kamoshida confessed his crimes like he was a completely different person, supposedly.”

“And it happened “all of a sudden” one day… Can a person’s mental state change so easily?”

This lady was starting to make Ren uneasy. As pretty as she was, he could practically feel her putting pieces together. Was she linking together the mental shutdowns and Kamoshida’s change of heart?

“...Huh.”

“Thank you for the drink, this is quite delicious.”

“No problem at all.”

Seeing his chance with Sojiro distracted by the customer, Ren took his leave from Leblanc. Heading to the station he boarded the next train to Shibuya.

After settling down for the journey ahead, he was greeted to a rather surprising sight.

Standing a few seats down from him with one hand on a handle and the other on her phone, was a young looking woman with short black hair. Her face was obscured by a surgical mask and she was concentrating quite closely on whatever she was watching on the screen. This wouldn’t have been an unusual sight for the subway however what surprised Ren was the fact she was completely naked from the waist down. Dressed in only a white shirt she didn’t even have any shoes. Everything from her pale legs up to the dark neat patch of pubic hair above her vulva was completely exposed.

Is she some kind of exhibitionist?

Another odd factor about the situation was that it seemed she didn’t care about her lack of clothing at all. She was acting as if it was completely normal, just like that delivery woman he saw when he first arrived… Though the train cart was surprisingly empty, he wasn’t the only one to have noticed what was going on. An older looking man in a suit was staring rather intensely at her bare bottom and a young mother was holding her hands over her boy's eyes.

“Hey Morgana, are you seeing this too?”

“Hm? Is that woman not wearing any trousers?”

“It seems like it…”

Before they could investigate any further the train stopped and the young woman got off, giving all the passengers one final view of her beautiful behind in motion. Though other people were reacting, Ren couldn’t help but feel everyone was still rather underreacting given the situation. Surely somebody would have tried to stop her or even called the police by now?

“Something's going on with this city…”

Perhaps I could ask the others.

Pulling out his phone he brought up the thieves group chat.

Ren: So this might be a bit of an odd question but have any of you noticed any odd behaviour from the public recently?

Ann: Like what?

Ryuji: You talking about those mental shutdown thingies?

Ren: No, just now I was on the train and I saw a woman walking around without any clothes below her waist.

Ren: She didn’t even seem to care.

Ryuji: What? She some kinda exhibitionist?

Ann: Do you think she was being forced into it?

Ren: I’m not sure. I didn’t get to talk to her because she got off pretty soon after I entered.

Ren: I saw something similar a few weeks ago when I first arrived too. A delivery woman walking around topless.

Ann: Now that you mention it I didn’t believe it at the time but I swore I saw a lady walking around shirtless a week or two ago…

Ryuji: What?! I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more of this sort of thing.

Ann: Ugh… I bet you will Ryuji…

Ryuji: What’s that supposta mean?!

“So Lady Ann saw somebody walking around undressed too… Maybe there really is something going on.”

* 4/5/20XX - Wednesday - Evening *

When Ren finally made it home he was quick to undress and sit back on his bed to relax. Stretching out his arms in relief he let out a large sigh. His little trade in Shibuya turned out to be a lot more sketchy than he would have liked. The owner of that gun store agreed to give him 30,000 yen for Kamoshida’s medal, but right afterwards two detectives waltzed in trying to investigate the man. He quickly tossed Ren a brown paper bag and told him to leave. After a little irrigation he got away but then Morgana suggested he look inside the bag he was a little shocked at what he saw. Upon first glance it looked like a real gun but it turned out to just be an elaborate fake, far more advanced than the models they’d previously bought. If he was caught with something like that he’d be in big trouble, though Morgana was sure it would be super effective in the Metaverse. He was honestly contemplating asking the man if he could buy one the next time they spoke, but how would he hide it…

Suddenly brought out of his thoughts by his phone ringing, it looked like Ann was calling. Sitting up he answered the phone but to his surprise the video feed turned on too. Hastily covering up his nakedness he looked back up at the camera worried he’d just accidently flashed his friend but it seemed like she didn’t even notice the camera was on either.

Did she start a video call by mistake?

From the looks of it Ann was laying back in her bed with her mobile on speaker mode, though she was holding her phone out with one arm she was absentmindedly flicking through a fancy looking menu with the other distracting her from the screen. Just like Ren she appeared to be naked, at least from the waist up as her large round breasts and cute pink nipples rested on her chest like the perfect pillow. Something about the way gravity was causing them to fall to her sides was really getting to him.

“Hiya! It’s me. I saw the news. You know, about Kamoshida.”

“It’s getting a lot of coverage…”

“How do you feel?”

Ren responded with a hint of nervousness. Should he tell her about the camera or just try and play it off? Maybe she wouldn’t realize and they’d both be saved from the embarrassment.

“I don’t know… The reaction’s been bigger than what I was expecting… I guess I’m just… surprised.”

“I don’t think we did anything wrong though. I wonder if we helped those people speak up about it…”

“It’s possible.”

“That’s pretty amazing, huh? All from getting naked and kicking ass!”

As the girl giggled her boobs jiggled against her chest. Ren was now fully entranced…

“Just look at us now! This calls for a celebration!”

“Let’s meet in front of Shibuya Station at noon tomorrow. Don’t be late!”

“Oh, and Ren did you pawn off that-”

Turning to look up at her phone, Ann’s eyes widened and her smile dropped to a look of surprise.

Oh no.

“Huh?! Ren, you do know your video is on right? Are you shirtless?”

“O-Oh… So it is…”

“Sorry about that.”

“Wait a minute… I started a video call? That means…”

“What the hell! Why didn’t you say anything!”

The girl quickly sat up, covering her bare chest with the menu. From the brief moment of movement he could now tell just like him she wasn’t wearing anything below the waist either.

“I figured you started the video call by accident and I didn’t want to embarrass you...”

“So you just leered at me?!”

“God… Why does this keep happening to me…”

In his effort to try to make her feel a little better, Ren said the first thing that came to his mind without really thinking.

“Hey, it’s alright. I like to sit around naked too.”

“I can see that!”

“Ugh, what’s wrong with me lately… I keep making mistakes like in our battle with Kamoshida…”

“That wasn’t your fault. It could have happened to any one of us, just like this.”

“Even so I keep ending up in more and more embarrassing situations…”

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about. We’ve all seen each other anyway…”

“I guess you're right… I suppose it’s not so bad if it’s just you…”

“Huh?”

“N-Never mind! I can’t keep letting this sort of thing get to me.”

“It’s like Mona said, right? The power of our Persona comes from facing our shame…”

Lowering her arms and letting her breasts hang free once more Ann sighed.

“That doesn’t make this any easier though…”

“Anyways I already made reservations for our meal. You should be really excited about the place I chose!”

Holding up the menu labelled The Wilton Hotel, Ann couldn’t help but smile a little.

“I’m sure everyone's gonna love it!”

“Well, I’m gonna go before I die of embarrassment. See you guys tomorrow!”

After she hung up Ren laid back and looked down at his erection.

What a beautiful woman…

Chapter Text

* 5/5/20XX - Thursday - Daytime *

“Mmmm… So good…”

“No wonder Lady Ann chose this place!”

“Of course it’s good. This is a famous hotel, after all.”

The thieves were currently all sitting around a large table in The Wilton Hotel, absolutely stuffing their faces with the best buffet food they’d ever had. Whilst it had cost them a large part of the 30,000 yen they made off the medal, Ann was absolutely right. This was definitely worth it, even if they had to go to great lengths to smuggle Morgana in.

“Oh yeah, I heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school.”

“That’s troublesome."

“Our names are gonna come up for sure. People’re spreadin’ all sorts of rumours about us and Kamoshida…”

“But we got ‘em pumped up! I keep hearin’ stuff like, “The Nudist Thieves really stole his heart!”

“I don’t think most people believe it, but some of ‘em actually seem grateful.”

“I still can’t believe you got us stuck with that name…”

“Look at this.”

Ryuji held out his phone, gathering around, Ren did his best to try and read the flashy, black and red website on display. It seemed to be some sort of forum, plastered with the hand drawn logo the blonde man made for the calling card. From an outside view it sort of looked like a porn site, especially considering the name, proudly displayed front and centre.

“The Nudist Aficionado Website? That’s gonna get some people confused…”

“Well done, Nudist Thieves… Now I can keep going too… Thank you for giving us hope…”

As Ann read some of the articles out loud it quickly began to feel much more wholesome. It seemed their actions really had touched the hearts of a fair few individuals.

“Pretty cool, huh?”

“I’ll admit, I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing people saying all this feels… strange.”

“Yeah…”

“Hey… What do we do now?”

“We good on time?”

“Huh?”

Shooting up from his seat, Ryuji began to look around frantically.

“Oh crap, you’re totally right! We only got an hour to eat!”

“Just fifty minutes left!”

“I’m not gonna finish all the beef dishes at this pace!”

“I need to eat my way through the entire dessert menu!”

“Look after our stuff Ren! We’ll snag somethin’ for you guys too, don’t worry!”

“Guess I’m on bag duty then…”

* * *

“Aw man, it melts in my mouth!”

“Seriously? You only got meat?”

“Now, where should I start?”

“And she’s all about the cake…”

“So happy…”

“Hey. Calories.”

“Shuddup! How much do you think one of these costs!? I’ll never get the chance to do this again!”

“Mmm, the Wilton Hotel cake buffet… I’d heard rumours, but I never thought it’d be so amazing!”

“And… where’s our share?”

“I didn’t really know what you’d want… So I just grabbed you both some beans.”

“B-Beans?”

“What…?”

“There were some pretty bizarre things there too, so we got you a variety of those.”

“Fried bananas, preserved eggs, and.. Some kind of beans.”

“M-More beans?”

“We put so much on the plate it got all mixed up, but it should probably still taste good.”

“This is just plain grotesque… Let’s go, Ren.”

“These two just don’t know what fine dining means! We’ll show them!”

“Leave it to me.”

“You guys watch over our things while we’re gone! Wait patiently for our return!”

“Ahhh, it’s like a meaty explosion in my mouth…”

“Ooh, this part’s cream cheese!”

“They’re not even listening…”

Getting up and heading towards the buffet tables, Ren and Morgana looked around astonished at the pure range of foods available.

“As I’d expect from the buffet at a top-class hotel. The ingredients and variety of dishes are crazy good. There’s a reason it costs 8,000 yen each…”

“They have a lot here… but fish should come first! Let’s fill our plate with all sorts of fish. Which table do you think they’re at…?”

Making their way through the crowds of well dressed individuals, the two couldn’t help but overhear some of the wealthy patrons talking about something rather interesting.

“Have you heard, my dear? The news about that Kamoshida fellow was absolutely dreadful.”

“Ah, right. That teacher at Shujin Academy, caught doing such indecent acts. Shameful, really.”

“Hold on a sec…”

“And they still haven’t managed to solve those horrible psychotic breakdown episodes, have they?”

“I wish they wouldn’t let themselves be distracted by such a tawdry scandal.”

“Perhaps it’s a sign of how peaceful this country is. I honestly pity those poor Shujin students though.”

“Huh. It sounds like the Kamoshida incident is the talk of the town.”

“Hm?”

“Shoot, they noticed you! Just grab some food and act natural!”

“I wonder how the other people here are reacting to the news. Let’s get some more food and listen in.”

“Maybe there are more people we can eavesdrop on at other tables…”

Traveling around collecting various dishes the pair picked up on a fair few rumours surrounding Kamoshida. Some people were even discussing the Nudist Thieves and the way they supposedly caused a change of heart. From the sounds of things a large number of the individuals they listened to were much more concerned about how the incident with Kamoshida was going to affect their everyday lives than the actual well being of the victims. Deciding they’d heard enough Ren began to head back to the others, a rather full plate of delicious foods in hand.

“...Ooh, you brought a ton back. Whaddya think about comin’ up against such ritzy food?”

“I’m so happy.”

“It’s cute hearin’ that from someone like you. Just don’t get too excited, got it?”

“You’re the last person I want giving advice about that, Ryuji.”

“Don’t you think you’re eatin’ too much, Mona?”

“There’s no knowing when we’ll get to come here again.”

“Sure, but you guys brought back loads of food… It’d be a shame to let it all go to waste.”

“Why don’t you help them out, Ryuji?”

“We should both help.”

“Oh, me? I’m wayyy too stuffed! I couldn’t possibly help!”

“Yeah… stuffin’ your face with cake…”

“Whatever. Let’s deal with this ourselves!”

No matter how much the three men ate it seemed like the amount of food they had left remained the same…

“There’s still more?”

“Don’t give up! Let’s keep at it!”

Twenty gruelling minutes later they had somehow conquered the feast.

“W-We did it…”

“My belt feels multiple sizes too small…”

“This is a victory… for all of us…”

Though he tried to sound positive, it was obvious Ryuji was struggling to even speak through his overfilled stomach.

“So tasty… But so painful…”

“We won… because we did it together…”

“Good job you guys. How about one last dish to cleanse your palates?”

“I recommend the seasonal tart! The grapefruit has both alluring sweetness and a tangy sourness!”

“Stop… I don’t wanna hear about sour stuff…”

“This isn’t good… I gotta go to the bathroom…”

“M-Me too… Please… carry me gently…”

“My, look at that table…”

“Come now, pay them no attention. I’m sure they must not normally have the chance to eat such exquisite food.”

“I can only imagine what their parents must be like.”

“What was that?!”

“Ugh… We don’t got time for that. C’mon let’s go…”

* * *

Walking back towards the hotel elevators, the three guys felt a sharp sense of relief… They’d made it to the bathrooms in time, mostly…

“Ughh, I’m stuffed…”

“I totally panicked when I saw the closed for cleaning sign at the bathrooms…”

“You were talking big about eating until you puked, but you really did puke… Are you some kind of moron?”

“Hey, same goes for you!”

“What floor was the restaurant on?”

“We came up to get here, so it has to be on a lower floor, right?”

As they waited for the elevator to arrive, two large men in suits suddenly came up behind them, carelessly knocking the two out of the way, they barged in front of the door. It looked like they were escorting some rich looking bald man with a goatee and glasses.

“What the-”

Ignoring the students entirely, the rich looking man began talking with one of his agents.

“There’s still no update on the case?”

“N-Not yet… Excuse me, but why are you so involved? It’s not something you should be concerned with…”

“I don’t care about your opinion, you incompetent buffoon! When I say pick up the pace, you do it!”

“Hey, you’re cuttin’ in line!”

It seemed Ryuji wasn’t going to take this lying down. As he angrily stepped forward towards the rich bastard, one the agents moved right up in front of his face.

“What do you want?”

“We were here first.”

“We’re in a hurry.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. So you can butt in front of other people if you’re in a hurry?”

“It seems the customer base has changed since I was here last. Have they started a day-care?”

Ren swore there was something familiar about the way the bald man spoke.

“What?”

“Sir, we don’t have time for this.”

“I know.”

Taking the elevator before Ryuji or Ren had a chance to do anything about it, the agents quickly closed the doors in their faces.

“The hell was with that bossy guy?”

“Let’s just use the stairs… We need to head back down.”

“Yeah, but… That dick really pissed me off. He wasn’t even hidin’ the fact he looks down on everyone!”

“Don’t lose your temper over this.”

“I just can’t forgive shitty adults like that!”

His voice… He almost sounded like the guy from that night…

“...What’s wrong?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“That’s just gonna make me worry more, y’know.”

“I bet it’s because he rarely eats well. I’m always stuck with canned cat food too…”

“Ugh, that “sir” bullshit makes me sick!”

“...Dammit!”

After they finally returned to their table in the restaurant they found that Ann was waiting for them rather impatiently.

“What took you so long!?”

“Why’re you all pissy?”

“Sorry… I had a run-in with some woman a second ago. She bumped into me, but said it was all my fault when she dropped her plate…”

“Sounds like a real bitch…”

“Yeah… Thanks though. But… the restaurant workers all looked at me with this disapproving expression…”

“I wonder if we’re out of place here…”

“Maybe.”

“Hey, Morgana.”

“What is it?”

“...Anyone could have a Palace, yeah?”

“Anyone with a strong, distorted desire.”

“Same for them havin’ a change of heart if their Treasure gets stolen?”

“That would be the case.”

"Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”

“We had trouble earlier too. These selfish shitheads who just looked down on everyone else…”

“...I was just wonderin’ if we’d be able to change those kinda people too.”

“You mean… you wanna continue as the Nudist Thieves?”

“...I’ve been thinkin’. We put a lot of work into changin’ Kamoshida’s heart, but not many people even believe we exist.”

“Plus… Those guys who had no other choice but to just deal with it are thankin’ us. Us, of all people.”

“There are lots of victims out there…”

“I… I agree.”

“If we ignore people who are in trouble, I’d go back to being the same as I was before…”

“Well… that’s true.”

“Shouldn’t we be able to help ‘em out?”

I didn’t even think of such a possibility… But it’s true that with this power, we may be able to help people…

“But… That means we’ll have to fight Shadows naked again, doesn’t it…?”

“Indeed. That can’t be avoided.”

“Eh, I’m sure we’ll manage. Right…?”

“It’s not so bad…”

“Heh… Even if you guys are still just fledglings, this means we’re an actual organization now.”

“Fledglings? Haha, that’s actually pretty fitting for us.”

“All right, it’s settled! We’re gonna catch all these shitty adults by surprise, and make ourselves known to the world!”

“And you Ren, are you okay with being our leader?”

“Me?”

“No objections here! I can’t handle all that responsibility stuff.”

“Where’s my say in this? But Lady Ann made the recommendation, so I’ll allow it.”

“Guess I don’t have much of a choice then.”

“So from this day on we’re really The Nudist Thieves!”

“Is that really going to be our name?”

“Unless our leader has any better ideas?”

“I like it.”

“Well I guess if you’re sure… It does fit.”

“I think it’s surprisingly good, especially from you Skull.”

“Thanks?”

“Well now that our name’s set, who’s our next target?”

“There are tons of rotten adults and all… Why not just stick to targeting big names?”

“Like a CEO?”

“Yeah, something along those lines. If we go after some bigwig, it’s gotta get on the news, right?”

“Don’t you think more people would believe in us if we did that?”

“That’s not a bad idea….”

“True. If we become better known… we might be able to give courage to a lot more people.”

“I don’t really like the idea of just picking someone out of the blue though.”

“Let’s narrow it down to someone we can all agree on then.”

“Hm, so we need a bigwig we decide on unanimously..”

“I like the unanimous decision part! It’s like we’re making some kind of pact!”

“Now then, this is the official formation of the Nudist Thieves organization!”

“Oh no! Our time for the buffet ran out…”

“I guess we’ll just have to talk more tomorrow..”

* 5/5/20XX - Thursday - Night *

After making it home, Ren went to sleep rather early that night. Having thoroughly stuffed himself with amazing food he was rather exhausted and becoming the leader of The Nudist Thieves left him with a lot to think about. As it turned out, the universe seemed to have other plans than allowing him a good night's rest though. Opening his eyes he found himself back in his velvet cell, the now familiar deep voice of Igor calling out to him as he slowly got up off the uncomfortable bed.

“First off… I’d like to begin by congratulating you.”

“To think our master would give words of praise…”

“You better treasure this moment, Inmate!”

The twins stood by, creepily in sync as usual.

“You have encountered allies who share your ideals, and you have found your place in reality. The time has come. Your rehabilitation will soon begin.”

“I don’t suppose you fancy explaining that to me now?”

“I shall.”

“You have a special potential. However, that must be refined into a useful power.”

“It is weak now, but refining it shall grant you the strength to stand against the coming ruin.”

“That is the rehabilitation cast upon you.”

“And this coming ruin?”

“It is the end of all things. A final spark for civilization as you know it.”

Well that certainly didn’t sound good. Ren shuffled anxiously in his cuffs as he considered the long nosed man's words.

“There are various means by which you may gain the power to resist the ruin. Fighting Shadows and gaining experience in one way. The fusion process I taught you prior is another.”

“This is all possible because of our master’s guidance, Inmate!”

“Though it may be presumptuous of us, we have words of wisdom as well.”

“When you’re out in reality, you better hone your relationships with those you have contracts with!”

“Spending time with those people… will lead to the cultivation of your relationships with them.”

“If you’ve got time to waste, you’d better visit your contractors, Inmate!”

“That is another source of power to evade the ruin that our master has mentioned.”

“Thanks to the contracts you’ve formed, your heart is steadily gaining the power of opposition. It seems the rehabilitation is going well. This is a truly joyous occasion…”

“I have high hopes for you.”

“The time has come. Return to your brief moments of rest.”

So all he had to do was make friends? There was still too much he didn’t understand about all of this, but still. His actions in the Metaverse seemed to be slowly helping him unravel the connections. These strange dreams were just one more reason not to hang up his mask.

* 6/5/20XX - Friday - Lunchtime *

“It ain’t much, but we’ve been gettin’ more postings on the Nudist Aficionado Website…”

Ren, Ryuji, and Ann were currently standing together outside a classroom looking at the blonde man’s phone. He seemed to have been glued to it ever since discovering their little fan site.

“What’s with those profile pictures…? Are they all like that?”

“I think it’s part of the rules of posting on the site… You gotta bare yourself like a true Nudist Thief or somethin’.”

“By posting a close up of your genitals? What part of our calling card suggested doing something like that? And wouldn’t people just use random pictures from online?”

“Nah, it only lets you post stuff straight from your camera so it’s obvious when someone tries to cheat the system.”

“Is that really ok? It feels a little wrong…”

“It is a bit odd but some people really go for it, see?”

“I wanna make my friend apologize for not returning the stuff I lent him. Ugh, deal with that yourself!”

“He’s even smaller than you are Ryuji.”

“Shut up! At least I gotta dick to begin with!”

“I’m surprised at how quickly the nudist aesthetic stuck...”

“Hey, those girls…”

Walking out of a nearby classroom, a pair of female students seemed to be loudly chatting about the Nudist Thieves.

“You know that Nudist Thieves rumour about stealing Kamoshida’s heart? I wonder if it’s true.”

“It’s gotta be made up. Do you seriously believe there’s a bunch of naked people running around somehow changing people’s morals?”

“But look what happened to Kamsohida.”

“He probably just couldn’t keep hiding it after that girl tried to kill herself.”

“Yeah, you might be right. I guess there’s no way they really exist.”

“Most importantly, it seriously sucks that our school is gonna be known for stuff like this!”

“I wonder if it’ll affect our college entrance…”

Once the girls were finally out of earshot Ryuji sighed.

“That’s prolly a normal reaction for now, but they’ll see soon enough!”

“If we can take care of two or three famous guys, people’ll have to believe we exist.”

“So about those big shots… We don’t have any leads yet, right?”

“Plus there’s that rumour about you two threatening Kamoshida too…”

“Looks like you’ll just have to live a normal, honest school life for the time being. Still, make sure you stay prepared in case anything comes up, all right?”

“I’ll keep an eye out for info on any big shots that might be comin’ around.”

“And I’ll try to dig up some dirt online.”

“We went and formed the Nudist Thieves group, but we can’t even find a target…”

“There, there…”

“I guess sometimes things just don’t go the way we want ‘em to…”

* 6/5/20XX - Friday - After School *

And Ren was picking up his stuff from his desk, ready to leave school for the day, he was surprised to be stopped in his tracks by a much healthier looking Mishima. There were no visible bruises on the blue haired man’s face and no bandages over his arms. He even had a little bit of a smile, something Ren didn’t think he’d ever seen him do before.

“...Hey.”

“Hello.”

“Have you seen that Nudist Aficionado Website?”

“Yeah…?”

“I’m the one who started it.”

“Um…”

“...You guys are the Nudist Thieves, aren’t you?”

Shit.

“W-What?”

“...Sorry. I guess I should be keeping it a secret right?”

“Kamoshida used me, and I did some horrible things to you guys. This isn’t much of a way for me to apologize for it…”

“But if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know!”

“That’s great, but I’m really not sure why you think I’m a-”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“It’s not just Kamoshida… There are tons of evil adults out there.”

“But I'm sure the Nudist Thieves will do something… They can’t let this end after just one target!”

“To tell you the truth I’m a big fan of your guys' idea with the whole nudist thing. I’m not even wearing any underwear today in support.”

“I figured it must have something to do with bearing peoples truths and not hiding anything right? Does Takamaki get naked too? What’s it like streaking around? You do it at night right?”

“Um…”

“There’s so much good you can do for the world, that’s why I wanted to make a forum where people could post their problems.”

“There are probably a lot of people who have high hopes for the Nudist Thieves’ next move.”

“I’ve also implemented a poll on the site. Do you believe in the Nudist Thieves or not?”

“I wanna work on this forum so eventually it’ll be packed with tons of supportive posts.”

“6.7% believe they exist huh.”

“I’d really like to help out in the Nudist Thieves’ acts of justice! Can I, please?”

“I mean, it’s up to you I guess?”

“Hehe, in that case, I’ll do just that.”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Moon Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

“...See you.”

Running away, Ren felt a slight bit of relief as the constant bombardment of questions came to an end. Ryuji and Ann began to approach him from across the classroom.

“We heard all that. Geez… It was a little awkward tryin’ to figure out when to walk over here.”

“So that forum is Mishima-kun’s…”

“Has he figured out our identities?”

“Even so, I think it’ll be fine. He seemed to be playing it cool… Even if he was being a little weird about it.”

“I guess we should have a little chat about this later.”

“I will say through… a forum where people can post problems may prove unexpectedly useful.”

“Anyways, we gotta get lookin’ for a new target.”

“And we need to stay sharp until we manage to find one. Once we do, we’ll have to head into another Palace, so we should prep our equipment and-”

“Wait, oh CRAP!”

“What’s with you!?”

“Don’t we have an exam comin’ up!?”

“...Judging by that reaction, I’d assume you’re going to struggle this time too?”

“It’s not like you’re any better! All you’re good at is English!”

“I’d rather that than be bad at every subject!”

“Even your Japanese is questionable at best, Ryuji.”

“What’s questionable is whether you’re really even a human.”

“Ha! Good comeback, huh Ren?”

“...Let’s discuss this with our fists!”

“Bring it!”

“Will you two stop it!?”

“Ugh, I don't got time for this anyway. I’m on my classes cleaning duty… I just wanna get it done so I can head home.”

“Want a hand?”

“Seriously?! You’re a real bro dude.”

After helping Ryuji out with cleaning his classroom, Ren returned to his own to grab his stuff. He was surprised to find that Ann still had yet to go home. Currently sitting at her desk, the blonde girl had a real sad look on her face as she sat slouched over, solemnly gazing out the window. She seemed fine when they were talking a little while ago, he wondered what could have happened.

“Hey Ann, you doing okay?”

“Hmm? Ren?”

“Yeah… I guess so…”

“Oh, who am I kidding… No… I’m not…”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“...Are you sure?”

Turning to face the frizzy haired man, a slight smile crept through her sadness.

“You’re always so reliable.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to get some of this off my chest.”

“You’re my friend. I’d be glad to listen.”

“Thanks... Wanna head to a diner or something? I know a pretty quiet place not too far away.”

“That sounds nice.”

After making their way to central street the pair arrived at the diner. It was a rather cosy little place with atmospheric lighting and good comfy seats. Not being too busy it didn’t take long for them to find a booth and order some snacks.

“So what’s going on? You seemed pretty happy a little while ago.”

“I’ve just had a lot on my mind recently. Things have really been coming and going…”

“I guess I shouldn’t be trying to bottle this stuff up anymore. ”

“...It’s Shiho.”

“As you know I’ve been visiting her a lot in the hospital. She… She said she was sorry.”

“Sorry for not telling me about Kamoshida… about all the things he was doing to her… But it was my fault too. I didn’t realize how much trouble she was in… I wasn’t there for her…”

“So, I apologized as well.”

“She’s so strong.”

Ann smiled at his compliment, clearly touched by his words.

“Isn’t she? Shiho really is a great girl.”

“I’m glad I finally got to tell her everything I couldn’t bring myself to say before.”

“And, um.. Remember how Kamoshida threatened to take Shiho off the team if I didn’t sleep with him?”

“I had only agreed to it so that I wouldn’t ruin Shiho’s dreams…”

“But now that I think about it, he never would have put her on the bench and cost his team games…”

“I seriously should have dared him to try and take her starting spot.”

“...But in the end, maybe I just didn’t believe in her ability.”

“You can’t blame yourself. You were going through so much too.”

“You think so…? All of this happened because of how weak I am…”

“That’s why I believed Kamoshida’s authority outweighed Shiho’s own ability to earn her starting spot.”

“Ren, do you remember the last time I talked to you like this?”

“When I got that phone call from Kamoshida… and cried.”

“I felt so alone… scared, even… But because you were there for me, I decided not to go.”

“I was a little surprised at how pushy you were about it… but I see now you just wanted to help.”

“...So thank you. Really.”

“I know what it’s like to feel alone. I couldn't leave you like that.”

“You’re so kind, Ren. It really feels like I can open up to you.”

“I wonder if it’s because we’ve seen each other nude… You guys and Shiho are the only ones who ever have…”

“It’s still really embarrassing huh…”

Ren silently scolded himself as he imagined the soft curves of the blonde girl's body, though the slight flush on her face suggested she was doing something similar with him.

“But the fact you’ve seen every part of me kind of makes it feel like there’s no reason to hide stuff anymore.”

“Back then, people used to call me all sorts of names… Prissy bitch, Kamoshida’s whore… I got tired of it pretty quickly.”

“But to tell you the truth, someday I want to be able to take labels like that in stride.”

“Hey, um… Nudesonas are something to do with the power to stand up against your shame, right? That means if my heart gets stronger, my Nudesona will too.”

“So… I want to strengthen my heart. And I want to use that strength to help the people around me.”

“I hope we save people from trouble, just like we did when we changed Kamoshida’s heart. Though honestly… I don’t even know what strong is.”

“But I’m going to find the answer, I promise.”

“We’ll find it together.”

“Huh? Really…!?”

“Thanks! I feel like I’m a little stronger already!”

“Hehe, I guess that doesn’t really count though, huh?”

“Well… I’ll be relying on you. Let’s train together and make our hearts super strong!”

“A strong heart… Hmmm…”

“How about this: I won’t get any refills on fountain drinks!”

“I mean, they’re free, so not getting any would mean you have a strong heart!”

“...Is that not right?”

“Why are you looking at me like that…?”

* 6/5/20XX - Friday - Evening *

“That’s the key to this place.”

Ren quickly reached out to catch the small silver key Sojiro had just tossed at him from across the room. He really could never be too careful walking back into this café…

“You get to lock up from now on. I can’t keep waiting for you to come home.”

“Don’t start any fires, okay?”

“Alright…?”

“I’ve decided to trust you with this. Don’t make me regret it.”

Picking up his hat and coat, the older man departed Leblanc without another word. Left a little confused by the man’s sudden departure, Ren decided to chalk it up to his little heart to heart with Ann delaying Sojiro for too long. Perhaps he’d accidentally kept him from his own date or something.

“Wow, it looks like the chief’s starting to really trust you.”

“You know what this means right?”

“What’s that?”

“We can go out at night! As long as you remember to lock the place up there’s no reason we couldn’t even head into Shibuya.”

“You’re right.”

Ren considered the possibilities he’d just gained for a moment before a smile formed on his face.

“What’s with that look? What are you planning Ren?”

“Hehe.”

* * *

“Ore no Beko? Seriously…? The first thing you do after being given the freedom of Tokyo at night is work a part time job at a beef bowl shop?”

“Do they even pay well? It’s like they hired you just for walking through the door…”

“The grind never stops Morgana. The Nudist Thieves need money.”

“Didn’t we make a tonne from selling all the treasures we stole? What happened to that?”

“Amazing commodities…”

“What?”

“Hey, you there! Three more customers just walked in, go take their orders already!”

“Yes Sir!”

“Sheesh…”

Chapter Text

* 7/5/20XX - Saturday - After School *

Gathered around in their usual rooftop hideout, the Nudist Thieves of Hearts were currently a little dejected. Though just a few days ago they had talked big about continuing to try and use their powers for good, there were simply no obvious targets in sight, and with the threat of exams looming over their heads it was no surprise they were rather frustrated.

“None of these posts are any good. Everyone’s just bitchin’ about their parents or their boyfriends… There ain’t even a hint of a hint about a new Palace…”

“We can’t get everything online… Finding a post with a name and location is asking a lot…”

“Prolly doesn’t help people won’t wanna include anything that could link the post back to them since they’re tied to pics of their privates…”

“It’s a miracle anyone posts anything on there at all… Let alone women…”

“There are definitely a lotta dicks…”

“Ugh… Would you quit looking at those… Let’s just find a target ourselves.”

“Finding somebody even the police have overlooked will be hard.”

“...Yeah. We should prolly just hold off ‘til exams are done with, huh?”

“We can wait and see for a little longer, then worry about comin’ up empty-handed if it happens…”

The sound of the door down to the main building opening suddenly caught the thieves attention. Sitting up from their slumps they cautiously peeked out from behind their cover to see who had come up to the rooftop.

“Isn’t that the student council president?”

“I think so.”

Approaching them was a familiar third year student. A woman with a neat brown bob cut, accessorized with a french braid style headband that blended perfectly with the rest of her hair. Her blood red eyes locked straight onto them, despite their attempts to be covert. There was no hiding now.

“This place is off-limits, you know.”

“...We’ll get outta here once we’re done chattin’.”

“Anyways, what’s Miss Council President want with us?”

“The troublemaker, the centre of gossip, and the infamous transfer student. Hmm, an interesting combination.”

“Great way to start a conversation….”

“By the way… It seems as though you all got to know Mr. Kamoshida pretty well.”

“Who didn’t?”

“Anyone who attends this school would have interacted with him, whether they liked it or not.”

Turning her attention towards Ren, the brunette’s accusatory gaze felt like it was prying its way into his very soul. The whole time she spoke her outward demeanour remained calm and calculating. There was hardly any emotion behind her words.

“Hm… I heard Mr. Kamoshida used a volleyball team member to spread details of your past record.”

“Don’t you hate him? Mr. Kamoshida, I mean.”

“What’s all this about? My friend here’s an upstanding guy.”

“I don’t mean to offend. Many students have been shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida. The rumours about that odd, calling card-esque posting aren’t going away either.”

“I didn’t expect someone like you would care about that tactless stuff, Niijima-senpai.”

“I dunno that it was tactless…”

“Anyways, we done here? We can’t leave if you keep talkin’ to us.”

“At least try to understand my position. Being forced to deal with this horseplay…”

“Horseplay!? My friend tried to-”

“Ah yes, by the way… It’s been decided that this place will be closed off due to what happened.”

“I heard some people are coming up here without permission, after all.”

“...I’m sorry to have interrupted you.”

Taking her leave, the agitated students made sure to wait until the door was well and truly closed before they continued their conversation. Getting up from her seat, Ann looked particularly steamed.

“What was that about?”

“...She’s on to us. That girl seems rather sharp. We should be cautious of her.”

“She really pisses me off!”

“Be careful. We can’t let our emotions out us.”

“Talk about a pain in the ass…”

“That reminds me… Study hard. Especially you, Ryuji. There are bound to be traps that will need to be solved with brains.”

“Keep in mind that everything you do in your daily lives has an impact on your abilities.”

“Not to mention if your grades suddenly drop it may draw us unwanted attention.”

“True, studying won’t be so bad if we just think of it as helping us prepare to be Nudist Thieves…”

“I guess you got a point… But man, it’s just so lame… I was all fired up about helpin’ people, not about studyin’...”

“Well, I do have somewhere interesting to show you beforehand. You guys did originally promise to help me out with my mission, after all.”

“Huh? Mission?”

“Follow me.”

* * *

Morgana ended up leading them all the way out of the school and onto a train to Shibuya. Once they arrived at the station square he investigated the area at the top of some stairs down to a platform before confidently declaring this was the place.

“What’re you bringin’ us here for?”

“Just do as I told you on the train.”

“All right, I’ve got the Nudist Aficionado Website up. Now what?”

“Look for a post with a full name in it.”

“I already said there’s no info on any big shots. Don’t you remember?”

“But man, some people actually do go and put real names… That’s some scary shit…”

“There’s actually one from a woman. Wow… She’s completely shaved. Do guys really like that?”

“Depends on the guy.”

“He won’t listen to what I say- No wait, never mind, there’s no name included.”

“Someone’s bad-mouthin’ me in online chat rooms… This one’s got a name.”

“Aren’t there any posts about more serious trouble?”

“This one’s from another woman. She’s mostly covering herself up in the picture though. I don’t know what to do about my ex who’s stalking me. His name is Natsuhiko Nakanohara.”

“It says he’s a teller at City Hall.”

“A government worker’s stalkin’ someone?”

“That should be a suitable target. All right, now get the Meta-Nav ready.”

“We’re just gonna jump right into a Palace? Fine by me!”

“Hey, what happened to all that talk of unanimous decision? What do you think we should do, Ren?”

“Well, I am curious as to what Morgana wants to show us.”

“I suppose if you're into it too then we should try and help this lady. Fine.”

“We need a name and a place, right? So the name is…”

“Actually, we don’t need a location this time. Just enter exactly what I say.”

“The keyword is… Mementos.”

“Huh? What’re you tryin’ to pull?”

“Just listen to me. It should work… I think.”

“Geez, that again?”

“He’s not failed us so far.”

“I guess. Uhhh… M-e-m-e-n-t-o-s, was it?”

“Location found.”

“We got a hit!?”

“Just as I thought!”

In a familiar haze the thieves felt like they were entering a Palace, but once the sensation ended they remained in their previous spot with no discernible changes to the area aside from the sudden lack of people. They were even still dressed in their Shujin uniforms and Morgana still resembled a normal cat.

“Everyone disappeared!”

“And that feeling… It’s the same walking on air sensation we had in the castle.”

“Is this that Nakanohara guy’s Palace?”

“That’s half right, but half wrong.”

“This is a type of Palace, but it’s different from the normal ones. Come on, let’s head down. The Shadows here lurk underground.”

“I don’t quite understand why. It may be because they’re drawn to something.”

“Underground? How are we going to get there?”

“How? You use it every day on your way to school. Follow me!”

“Ah! Wait up, cat!”

Rushing after Morgana they began to head down the steps down to the platform, the walls around them growing darker as they descended the much longer than usual stairs. Ahead of them the not-cat began to morph into his humanoid form, growing back to his much larger 5ft tall figure as an ominous red light began to wash over them. When they finally reached the bottom of the steps, they noticed the station layout had completely changed. Black gooey veins ran along the walls and pillars and the electrical advertisements were all static. There was even another set of stairs descending even deeper.

“The hell is this place?”

Looking around the blonde boy was the first to realize their outfits had changed back to their exposing masked costumes.

“We’re naked again…”

Ann sighed as she half-heartedly covered herself with her arms.

“It’s been a while since I was exposed like this… I forgot how intense it feels…”

“Doesn’t this mean the Shadows know we’re here?

“Since the moment we stepped in.”

“You should’ve told us!”

“We’re still safe right here. I’ve come to investigate a number of times. Shadows never come up to this floor.”

“But it’s a different story once you go down. This place is simply teeming with them.”

“More importantly, what is this Mementos!? It’s about time you start explaining.”

Jumping up onto a nearby ticket reader, Morgana placed his hands on his hips and took a wide stance as he looked down at the others with a determined look on his face. Thanks to the way his legs were spread they all had a bit of a view of his labia poking through the thick black fur covering his crotch, and Ren swore his previously tiny breasts had somehow grown to at least a b-cup since he last saw them.

“Mementos is… everyone’s Palace.”

“Huh? Whaddya mean, everyone’s?”

“A Palace as grand as the previous castle only forms when a person’s wishes are extremely distorted. So, instead of many individual Palaces, the general public has one gigantic shared Palace.”

“That’s where we are now… Mementos.”

“Now that you mention it, this place does feel a bit different from Kamoshida’s.”

“When you say shared… you mean they’re all put together? Even though they’re just strangers?”

“Think of it as the collective unconscious… No, never mind. You wouldn’t understand that.”

“So what you’re saying is… Using this place, we can change the hearts of people who don’t have a Palace?”

“Correct! The steps to do so are slightly different though.”

“But this place looks pretty huge. Are we gonna be able to get around by just walkin’?”

Morgana smiled.

“It seems the time has finally come…”

“Huh?”

“Morganaaa…. Transfoooooorm!”

After performing a series of rather bizarre hand gestures the humanoid cat leapt into the air next to them, and in a puff of smoke transformed into a full sized metal mini van. His large blue eyes seemed to have taken the place of the vehicle's headlights, and it retained his colour scheme. There was even a set of cat ears on the van’s roof.

“Come now, Panther. Ladies first.”

“A car…!?”

“What the fuck!”

“This comes from the way cognition materializes in the Metaverse, plus a bit of extra training.”

“It’s not dissimilar to how you guys transform.”

“You turnin’ into a fucking van is totally different than our clothes coming off!”

“Well, for some reason, “cats turning into minivans” is an extremely widespread cognition among the general public. It’s the same with the form I take normally. A lot of people seem to imagine cat’s becoming humanoid.”

“That makes no sense…”

“Wait, why didn’t you do this at the castle!?”

“I would have if I could! It was too cramped, there were tons of stairs, and no way this fits on top of a chandelier!”

Skull did not respond, as he was too busy climbing into the back of the Mona-van with Panther not far behind.

"Hey, Skull! Ladies first!”

“Stop pullin’ me! If you’re gonna make such a fuss about being touched yourself you better stop bein’ so hypocritical!”

Their kerfuffle was starting to cause the van to shake around… Joker watched on, still completely baffled by the whole situation.

“Panther! Please be gentle…”

Eventually they all took their seats in the back of the vehicle, Joker firmly between the other two, partly to stop them squabbling but also because it was a tight squeeze for three and Panther insisted if she was going to be pressed up against someone it was him over Ryuji.

Casually resting his arm over the back of the red leather seat, Skull had a wide smile on his face.

“All aboard! Let’s go!”

“Why are you all just sitting back there? I’m a car, remember? I’m not going anywhere unless someone drives me.”

“You can’t drive yourself!?”

“Do you know how to drive Ren?”

“I’ve driven in games…”

“That’s a bit worrying, but I’ll let you handle it. I don’t even have that experience to lean on.”

“You’re prolly more skilled than I am too.”

“Right…”

“All right then, we’ll leave the driving to you! Skull you join him in the front so I can have some privacy.”

“Ugh… Why do you get the special treatment.”

“Because I’m a lady!”

“Now start the engine! You can’t drive if it’s not running!”

“Ah, geez. What a pain… Where’s the key to this thing?”

“Why would you need a key!? There’s a switch just down next to the steering wheel.”

Mona suddenly let out a sensual moan as Joker’s hand brushed across an instrument.

“N-Not there! That’s… Never mind, just look lower, lower!”

After a little more investigation he found the right switch and the van began to hum to life.

“Oh, there you go… That feels strangely good…”

“Uh, is that purrin’ I hear? What a creepy-ass car!”

“Don’t underestimate my meowtary engine. We’re going full throttle! It’s time to fly!”

As Joker slowly got the hang of driving Mona across the wide tracks of the distorted subway tunnels, they realized more and more how distorted things really were. For starters the tunnels were much larger than usual, and aside from the ominous red glow of the place there were still tones of black vein like patterns coating the walls.

They encountered a few Shadows too, this time taking the form of large bulky humanoids made up of hundreds of dark distorted masks instead of the knights from before. It seemed that tearing the mask from their faces still revealed their true forms and the thieves had little trouble taking them down. After a bit more driving they eventually came across a creepy looking red and black vortex at the end of a tunnel.

“Dude, the hell is this? It’s all wavy and shit.”

“This is the place… I sense the target up ahead. Are you ready Joker?”

“Let’s do it.”

Driving forwards into the unknown they quickly found themselves being sucked into a smaller section, far more distorted than the rest of what they’d seen so far. The walls and floor here were an odd sort of carved black stone, and ominous red glowing patterns decorated them like ancient carvings. Seemingly forced to transform back to his usual figure, Mona stepped forward towards a lone figure standing ahead of them.

“Hey, something’s there!”

“That seems to be Nakanohara’s Shadow.”

“Lemme see. Some front desk guy at City Hall became a stalker, right?”

“I don’t know how much evil he’s done, but we have to do something if he’s bothering other people.”

“All right, we’ll go talk to him.”

As they continued their approach it quickly became clear the man was nude. Though his eyes glowed a familiar yellow he was otherwise a rather normal looking young Japanese man. His black hair was styled in a bowl cut and his skin was rather pale. With all his body hair seemingly shaved, there was nothing obscuring the three and a half inch cock hanging between his legs.

“Hm what’s this?”

“So you’re that stalker!? Are you seriously creeping on your ex in the buff?”

“She’s my property! I can do whatever I want with her!”

“I don’t think that’s why he’s naked, Panther. I get the feeling all the Shadow doubles down here will all be nude.”

“Without the level of distorted desires Palace owners have to form their outfits these manifestations only represent a person’s base form.”

“It’s not like she didn’t treat me like a plaything! What’s wrong with me doing the same!?”

“You can’t just treat someone like shit just ‘cause they did it to you! What a load of crap…”

“We’re gonna change the hearts of all the bastards like you!”

“There are millions of people far worse than me! What about Masami…? She stole everything from me, but you’re letting her off the hook!?”

“...Masami? That the name of his ex? The hell’s this guy goin’ on about?”

Before they had the chance to ask anymore questions he transformed into a bizarre little monster. Though he still maintained his bowl cut he now looked like a short orange skinned creature with a large head and fangs. His oversized fists swung wildly as he moved in to attack.

“Get ready! Here he comes!”

Though he was surprisingly durable, the Nudist Thieves eventually took him down, and in a burst of black goop he returned to his human form, slowly picking himself of the ground.

“I-I’m sorry… Please forgive me…”

“I-I couldn’t stop obsessing… N-Not after this person I trusted used me and then disposed of me.”

“Still blaming others?”

“Joker wait. I think he seems like he’s changed. Doesn’t he look genuinely sorry?”

Panther had a point. The maliciousness from behind his eyes seemed to have faded and there was a clear look of remorse upon his face.

“So this person you trusted… Is this the Masami that you were talking about before?”

“I… was afraid of being thrown away again like some worthless thing.”

“So some selfish bastard was making you suffer too… Still you shouldn’t have dragged an unrelated woman into your mess.”

“Yes, I know that now. I’ll put an end to my love for her…”

“...Hey, you can change people’s hearts, right? In that case…”

“Won’t you change Masami’s heart!? Before more people fall victim to her…”

Just like before with Kamoshida, the Shadow double then disappeared in a flash of white light, leaving a floating shiny orb In his place.

“Change… Masami’s heart?”

“What’s that shinin’ thing?”

“It’s the bud of a Treasure. Had we left it be, it very well may have blossomed into a Palace.”

“Joker, this should make a perfect reward.”

“So Nakanohara had a change of heart, right?”

“Most likely.”

“But how are we supposed to know if we succeeded?”

“The lady posted the dude’s name online. If he really does change, she’ll prolly comment again.”

“Hm, you do have a point.”

“Either way, trainin’ against Shadows down here’s the best! It’s great prep for our next target!”

“It’s also nice to be able to give courage to the people who post their problems online.”

“On top of that, we can sell whatever treasure we get for some cold, hard cash!”

“Sounds like things are goin’ pretty great for us!”

“There’s one more place I want to show you guys before we leave.”

“What? There’s more to this place?”

“Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

* * *

Finished with their main objective, the gang were fortunately able to leave the strange section back through the vortex and return to the Mona-van in order to see whatever the no-cat now car wanted to show them.

“There should be another train platform around here somewhere. One with a way further down.”

“Wait, you’ve been here before, right? Don’t you got like a map or something?”

“That would hold no meaning in this place. The layout changes every time you enter.”

“Wait, so our path changes too!?”

“This place is the fused cognition of a countless number of people. It’s constantly shifting.”

“Through there! That’s it!”

Disembarking at the new train platform, the Thieves got out of Mona just in time to witness a full on subway train drive by on another rail. Its windows were all obscured by a strong glowing red light but otherwise it was just like what they were used to seeing on their commutes to Shujin.

“The trains’re totally runnin’!”

“Of course they are. We’re in the subway, you know.”

“Yeah, but I thought this was a Palace!”

“Then maybe this is how the public views the place? I don’t know.”

“People go through this darkness everyday?”

“Forget that! You sure we’re cool runnin’ around on these tracks!?”

“It should be fine as long as we’re not on the same ones… I think. I’m no train expert.”

“You gotta be kiddin’ me…”

“Anyway, let’s head to the lower area. It should be right down that escalator.”

Shifting back into his humanoid form, Mona led the way forward. As they began to descend, Skull awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he contemplated what he was about to say.

“So… Mona… I’m a little curious.”

“Isn’t your chest a fair bit bigger than it was before?”

“Now that he mentions it, it does seem like you’ve gone up a cup size.”

“I’ve told you before! They’re not boobs! I just have a padded chest… I don’t know why it’s suddenly bigger…”

“Right… It’s just that-”

“Quiet!”

“What I wanted to show you is just up ahead.”

Having reached a lower floor, the thieves rushed along a straight platform surrounded by trains running either side. At the far end of the large open room was a wall resembling the dark stone architecture they saw back with Nakanohara.

“...What is this place? It’s kinda creepy.”

“And a dead end at that. Why’s it even exist?”

“Now hold on… Just watch. This is most likely not an ordinary wall.”

“If my hunch is correct…”

Placing his paws upon the dark stone, a sudden rumbling shook everyone as the wall started to open like a hidden door. When the shaking finally stopped another passageway further down into the darkness was revealed.

“It opened!”

“A new area has been confirmed in the depths. Updating guidance information.”

“The Meta-Nav?”

“See!? It’s just as I thought!”

“What do you mean?”

“That wall wouldn’t budge when I came here by myself before. But it’d be weird for the deepest part of Mementos to be some normal place like this, wouldn’t it?”

“So you were thinkin’ there’s gotta be more to it?”

“Yeah! Now that Kamoshida’s Palace is gone and people are actually starting to talk about us I knew something had to have changed down here!”

“How deep is it? Should we try going further down?”

“Let’s not. That’s not why we’re here today, remember?”

“We’ve already accomplished our goal. We should head back and I'll explain more once we’re home.”

* * *

Having finally concluded their business in the strange palace, the thieves returned to the real world and the comfort of their Shujin uniforms. Taking a breather outside the once more populated station square, Ryuji leaned back against a nearby street lamp.

“Mementos, huh? I still don’t really get that place. Oh, and what was that wall thing we saw at the end?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but that wall must’ve been there for a reason. If Mementos is the public’s Palace though… it might be affected by the general public’s belief in us.”

“Why do you know so much about it, Morgana?”

“My memories are a little foggy in that regard… However, I need to know what lies in the depths of Mementos, no matter what.”

“No matter what?”

“Mementos is not just everyone’s Palace, it’s the source of all Palaces. It used to be that Palaces like Kamoshida’s with one ruler simply didn’t exist.”

“So, if we can do something about the greatest cause of distortions, I’m certain my appearance will…”

“You wanted someone to save you too…”

“I-I just needed pawns.”

“I see… So that’s why you came pokin’ your nose around with us.”

“...I’ll help you. I hope you can regain what you’ve lost.”

“I’ll… be relying on you guys.”

“By the way Morgana… Why are you so certain you’re a boy? Considering your body and all.”

“Of course I’m male! I mean, I…”

“...What is it?”

“No… It’s nothing. We’re done talking about that!”

“Anyway, we now know that we can perform minor changes of heart in Mementos. If we come across any eye-catching leads, it may be worth dealing with them for a bit of combat practice.”

“There weren’t any other outstanding ones though…”

“I bet we’ll get tons of ‘em if we can change someone famous and make the Nudist Thieves well-known.”

“The big fish are our main targets after all.”

“First you need to find a way to get through your exams.”

“You’re right… I still gotta study…”

“Wanna hit the books together?”

“Right now? Damn, you sure gotta a lot of stamina man.”

“Mind if I come along too?”

“The more the merrier.”

“Alright, fine! Let’s at least go to a diner or something so we can get a drink.”

* 9/5/20XX - Monday - After School *

“Here you go… The effects should be instant this time.”

Doctor Takemi handed Ren a yellow looking vial. Once again the frizzy haired boy found himself sitting in the exam room of her clinic, butt ass naked drinking strange drugs. He’d decided to take a break from studying for his exams today, and although the goth woman definitely scared him, he couldn’t help but always find himself drawn back. Secretly, there was something he found very arousing about the way the beautiful dark blue haired woman liked to take charge.

After downing the foul tasting liquid they sat staring into each other's eyes. He knew she was just examining him but it all felt very intimate. The alluring look behind her beautiful hazel eyes was surely on purpose, she wasn’t just messing with him right?

“...Let’s see. Eyes are focused. Look this way. One, two, three, four…”

“Not feeling anything yet, huh?”

Briefly glancing down at the cock resting between the boy's legs, Takemi smirked.

“Still flaccid too.”

The inside of his mouth slowly began to burn and an itchy sensation built up in his nose. Noticing his sudden discomfort, the doctor's eyes widened as her smirk grew to a full on smile.

“Oh, there it is. The inhibitory effect is just as I had hoped.”

“Your weight was the primary reason it took longer to kick in than expected…”

“This is exactly what I expected from a teenager.”

Swivelling around in her chair, Ren couldn't help but take a moment to admire her long slender legs through the pain. Thanks to the short dress beneath her lab coat they were left mostly bare, and the only thing she wore on her feet were a pair of rather extravagant high heels.

“We’re making great progress. Practice makes perfect, right?”

“Hold tight for one more moment. I just need to compile all this data, then we can move on.”

Leaving the doctor to her work, Ren laid back on the exam bed. He made no effort to cover himself as by this point he was certain she’d seen everything anyway. As he tried to take his mind of the discomfort of the drug he heard the clinic phone begin to ring. Sighing deeply before putting down her pen and picking up the handset. Takemi began to speak down the line.

“Hello, Takemi Medical Clinic of Internal Medicine. How can I help you?”

“...An emergency, huh? But we’re not a designated hospital.”

“...Besides, the head physician here is Tae Takemi.”

“Ugh…”

Putting down the phone the goth woman looked pretty pissed.

“..Awfully rude, just hanging up on a lady like that.”

“What was that about?”

“Oh, he basically just called the wrong number. An ambulance driver was for looking for a transfer location. All the designated hospitals are full.”

“To think they’d accidentally call a general practitioner… Must’ve been a new paramedic… He seemed to at least know my name though.”

Rolling her chair over to the side of the bed, Takemi seemed rather glum.

“I’ve been blacklisted by the larger medical community. They call me the Plague… due to a grave medical error I made.”

“What was the error?”

“Something at my old job. I used to work at a university hospital in the city. I was never actually convicted of anything, but I’m still considered a pariah in the medical industry.”

Looking straight into Ren’s eyes he felt a shiver run down his spine. Something about the intensity of her gaze made him feel slightly uneasy.

“...Does that scare you? Participating in clinical trials run by a doctor like that?”

“I need the medicine.”

“Right. For those entrance exams yeah?”

Slowly running her hand across his thigh in the vague direction of his crotch, she smiled.

“I guess we’re both equally shady, hm?

Ren shivered as her soft hand finally came to rest upon his manhood. Though she showed no signs of reacting to the rather inappropriate contact he was quite the opposite. This was the first time a woman had touched him down there, at least outside of the Metaverse and the sensation of her warm slender hands, casually resting upon his dick and balls caused him to nearly instantly become aroused. Though she must have been able to feel him growing beneath her fingers, Takemi never broke eye contact.

“I never saw it as too much of a problem. Being ostracized has enabled me to focus on my own, much more interesting research and development.”

The disappointment he felt when she then proceeded to remove her hand entirely and sit back in her chair was painfully immeasurable. Taking a moment to observe his now fully erect dick she seemed rather satisfied with herself.

“Not bad at all my little guinea pig.”

“I’m looking forward to continuing my work with you.”

“We’re finished for today. You can go ahead and get dressed before heading home.”

“Come again soon, if you’re still alive.”

So this is what it means to be blue balled…

After dressing Ren headed home still very erect and certainly very disappointed. He wondered if anything, what the touch meant. Was she testing his reaction or simply messing with him? Either could be possible but what if it was something else… A part of him was now deeply looking forward to his next visit but first, he had a bit of a problem to take care off, rather unfortunately alone.

* 11/5/20XX - Wednesday - Early Morning *

“I can’t believe this… A school assembly? During exam week? The hell are they thinking?”

As Ren walked through the doors to Shujin ready to face his trial by papers he was surprised to see a large gathering of students surrounding the notice board.

“It’s just after the first period right? I wonder if it’s gonna be about Mr. Kamoshida again…”

“Ugh, I can’t believe the school is messing with our schedules like this.”

“I don’t care what it’s about-it’s gonna have nothing to do with us students. I wish they’d stop dragging us into their mess.”

“A mandatory assembly during exam week, huh? Sounds rough for all of you.”

* * *

After gathering in the gym for the surprise assembly, the principal walked out onto the stage and began to address the crowd. It started off as the usual ramble about Kamoshida but then something rather interesting happened.

“Ever since that specific incident, many of you have voiced concerns that I could not bear to ignore.”

“We believe the mental health of our student body is absolutely vital, so we’ve acquired the services of a therapist.”

“The floor is yours, Doctor…”

Waltzing out onto the stage was a young looking woman in a doctor's coat. Her messy wavy dark brown hair ran down just bellow her shoulders and her figure seemed moderately slim. A pair of thick circular black glasses sat on her kind yet tired looking face and she had a rather welcoming smile.

“Oh my god she’s hot!”

When she spoke Ren was surprised at her monotone, slightly deep feminine voice. "It’s nice to meet you all.”

“Woah, her voice is sexy!”

“My name is- Huh…?”

It seemed the doctor was having some trouble with the microphone. Many of the male students watched on, enamoured, as she did her best to fix it on the fly.

“My name is Takara Miyuki. Thank you for welcoming me to your school.”

Lowing herself for a respectful bow she promptly knocked her head into the instrument in front of her. Recoiling in pain as a fair amount of laughing spread through the gym she did her best to play it off. Promptly resuming her speech she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.

“No need to be formal with me, though. I’m just here to counsel anyone who’s interested.”

“You can even call me Doc, if that would help you feel more comfortable. Any assistance you need, I’ll be- Oh…”

“I guess I’m not really any good for helping with money problems…”

Taking back the spotlight the principle practically forced the young woman out of his way.

“...Thank you, Dr. Miyuki.”

The rest of the assembly continued rather uneventfully. When it was finally over Ren began to walk back to hiss class with Ann.

“Yo.”

It seemed Ryuji had decided to come after them.

“You ever expect this place to actually give a shit about our mental health?”

“Well, our school’s made national news. Maybe they figured they’d look even worse if they didn’t do anything for us.”

“And Doctor, uh… Doctor Whatshername.”

“Miyuki-Sensei.”

“Yeah-wasn’t that lady just basically clownin’ it up onstage? You really think she’ll do us any good?”

“Ryuji…”

Ann tried to warn the blonde man as the doctor in question walked up behind him.

“Hey there.”

“Sakamoto-kun and Takamaki-san, right? And that must make you Amamiya-kun.”

“How d’you know our names?”

“Well, I was informed of certain students before beginning my tenure here.”

“Those that had, ah… previous interactions with Mr. Kamoshida. Amamiya-kun, it must’ve been especially tough for you after having just transferred here.”

“It was… certainly something…”

“I can definitely believe that.”

“So… whaddya want with us?”

“Ah yes, I’d forgotten…”

“I know I already offered my services to the student body earlier, but would you three be interested in counselling?”

“Nope, not at all.”

“Huh!?”

“How’s that surprising?”

“You were just a touch more emphatic about it than I’d expected…”

“Ah! But, if you come to my office, you can have free snacks! All you can eat… would be nice, but there’s still plenty to be had. So, how about it?”

“Tell me more of these snacks…”

“Hey, don’t fall for that!”

“To be frank, I’ve been explicitly ordered to provide counselling to the students directly involved with Mr. Kamoshida. It’s in the school’s interest… for its students.”

“Ahhh, the school’s interest, huh?”

“I know that asking you to be open with a complete stranger like myself is a lot. Making this mandatory wouldn’t do you any good, either. Might as well turn it into a worthwhile experience…”

“...Oooh, I know!”

“If you attend my counselling sessions, I’ll teach you different ways to improve your mental acuity. Like, ways to hone your concentration before exams, or not getting nervous on dates.”

“How’s that sound?”

“Uh…”

Mental training… If I make good use of this, it may aid in our Nudist Thieves activities too…

“There’s also snacks…”

“Alright, alright, enough with the snacks!”

“What are you thinkin’ Ren?”

“I’m sold.”

“Ugh, I guess it’d just be more trouble for us if we didn’t go.”

“Hmm, yeah.”

“Really? Then, I guess it’s a deal. I’ll be in the nurse’s office-feel free to come by whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“Welp, we should get goin’.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later.”

“Thanks for taking my counselling into consideration. Now that we have a deal, I promise I’ll do my best to help you.”

"I am thou, thou art I…”

“Thou hast acquired a new vow.”

“It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chain of captivity.”

“With the birth of the Councillor Nudesona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."

“What’s the holdup, dude?”

“Sorry for keeping you like this. Well then….”

* 13/5/20XX - Friday - After School *

As the pressure of exams continued to plague Ren’s life he sat back at his desk exhausted. Classes may be over for now but he still had one more day before he’d actually be free. With his evenings taken up with revision he hardly had time to do anything fun at all, let alone any Nudist Thief activities. The sudden buzz of his phone told him he had a message.

It’s from Ann.

Ann: Well, I went in for counselling.

Ann: You’re going soon too, right, Ren?

Ren: How’d it go?

Ann: Hmm… Well, it honestly wasn’t as rough as I was expecting.

Ann: I think you should just go and give it a shot.

Ann: Dr. Miyuki’s easier to talk to than you’d think.

Ann: Okay, see you tomorrow.

Even Ann was recommending the guy. He supposed he could swing by the nurses office before heading home. With any luck he’d actually learn a thing or two.

As he walked towards the room, to his surprise his friendly red haired Kohai was just leaving. He’d run into her a lot recently, though he supposed she did stand out a fair bit.

“Ah, hello senpai. Are you here for a session as well?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that so?”

“ Dr. Miyuki is a wonderful counsellor. I’ve actually been seeing her for a while, before she ever came to Shujin.”

“Oh? I didn’t know you two were acquainted.”

“Don’t go overselling me too hard though, Yoshizawa-san. I’m really nothing special.”

“Well, I need to get going. Please excuse me.”

With a cheerful smile, Yoshizawa made her exit leaving Ren alone with the counsellor.

“What say we get started?”

“Sure.”

Ren had never received counselling before but the session didn’t seem like anything particularly special. The two of them simply sat down with some snacks and had a nice chat. Dr. Miyuki had apparently been informed of his particular circumstances but seemed rather pleasantly understanding, she even went as far as to compliment Ren for reconciling his internal world with his external one, whatever that meant. Something about achieving his ideal conception of himself despite his situation. He wasn't too sure he fully understood what she meant by that but it was kinda nice to just see the passion in her face. He didn't notice before but she had some pretty heavy bags under her eyes too, perhaps caused by her sacrificing sleep to continue her studies.

The session ended with the doctor making a request of him to help her with her research. He’d listen to new theories about people’s metaphorical hearts and offer his own insight. A line of thought that seemed rather interesting to Ren considering his recent activities. Miyuki even offered to sweeten the pot with even more snacks and mental training. In the end he left feeling rather happy. Perhaps that was the secret to therapy, just having a chance to air things out with a kind understanding person, either way he felt as though he had a lot to learn from this new doctor, and with any luck it would be of some use in the Metaverse too.

Chapter Text

* 14/5/20XX - Saturday - Early Morning *

Departing the train at Aoyama-Itchome station, Ren let out a yawn. He was largely used to his morning commute to Shujin by now but it always left him feeling tired. As he left the platform he was pleasantly surprised to be joined by a similarly tired looking Ryuji. It was their final day of exams and he wondered if perhaps his friend had finally spent some time studying.

“Morning dude… I’m so sleepy.”

“I ended up pullin’ an all-nighter once I realized today’s the last day of exams.”

“You? Staying up studying?”

“Nah, I gave up on the exam. I was playin’ some games, and then before I knew it, it was morning.”

Of course…

Another much more feminine yawn caused the guys to turn around. It looked like Ann was making her way over to them too.

“Morning…”

“Yo, look who else is yawnin’.”

“Exams are almost over, so I thought I’d make one last effort across the finish line.”

“Impressive, Lady Ann. You’re quite different from this stupid monkey I know.”

“Huh? Don’t gimme that crap. Your brain’s tiny compared to mine.”

“Size is meaningless if you don’t know how to use it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Ugh, will you please shut up!? You’re gonna make me forget everything I memo-”

“Huh?”

“Am I imagining things?”

“What’s wrong?”

“You see one of Ren’s exhibitionists or something?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s… nothing.”

Though Ann tried to play it off, it was obvious something was bothering her. As they began to make their way up the stairs towards the street she kept looking back over her shoulder.

“Oh my god, that guy got off!”

“What do you mean?”

“I think he’s been following me ever since my last station…”

“He’s prolly just on a similar journey.”

“Would you at least act like you care!”

“Fine…”

“Follow me.”

“Huh…?”

Rushing off ahead, Ryuji gilded the others out of the station. Once they were sure they had a good lead on the guy, he explained his plan. They’d wait just out of sight and use Ann as bait. If he really was after her, they’d jump out and get him before he could reach her. Though she was a little hesitant, Ann agreed.

Low and behold, his idea actually worked. After a few moments of anxious waiting, a rather eccentric looking tall, slender man, dressed in a simple white buttoned up shirt and black trousers left the station making his way directly towards the blonde girl. His medium length dark blue hair was neatly styled, with parted bangs slightly covering his left, dark blue, eye. As the guys stepped out in front of him he seemed rather confused. Upon further inspection, he didn’t particularly look like the stalker type, and something about his rather cold expression seemed a little odd.

“Hey, uh… are you sure it’s him? Or are you just that self-conscious?”

“Rgh, I’m not that-”

“Is there something you want?”

Finally speaking, the man’s voice was calm and well spoken.

Angrily pushing her way forwards past her protectors, Ann held her finger out in an accusatory manner.

“That’s my line! You were the one stalking me!”

“Stalking you…? That’s outrageous.”

Brushing his hair from his eye, he did not remove his gaze from the woman for even a second.

“I know you’ve been following me! Ever since the train!”

“That’s because-”

Before he could finish his words were cut short by a black car pulling up beside them, honking its horn to draw their attention. Rolling down one of its tinted windows, an old woman with braided gray hair tied back behind her head poked out her face. She had a friendly looking smile and held her yukata clad arms together in a rather dignified fashion. Ren guessed she was around 60 but she’d aged gracefully and perhaps if she was a decade or two younger he’d likely consider her quite beautiful.

“My goodness… I had wondered why you left the car. So this is where your passion led.”

“All is well that ends well. Hahaha…”

Turning back to Ann, there was a passionate look behind the tall man’s eyes.

“I saw you from the car… and I couldn’t help myself from chasing after you.”

“I didn’t even notice the calls from Sensei… But thank goodness, I caught up to you.”

“Okay…”

“What?”

“You’re the woman I’ve been searching for all this time! Please, won’t you-”

“W-Wait a minute, I-”

“-Be the model for my next art piece!?”

“...Model?”

“All that I’ve drawn till now has been lacking, but I feel a passion from you unlike anyone else.”

“This man’s highly suspicious!”

“Ain’t this a recruit for some shady business?”

“Will you cooperate with me? What do you say?”

“Hold your horses! Who’re you anyways?”

“Oh, where are my manners? I’m a second-year at Kosei High’s fine arts division. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa.”

“I’m Masami-sensei’s pupil, and I am being allowed residence at her place. I’m striving to become an artist.”

“Huh!? Do you mean THAT Masami? The one who was on Good Morning Japan the other day?”

“The very same.”

“You know who that is?”

“She was introduced as a super-famous Japanese-style artist who’s been recognized all over the world.”

“But we heard that name the other day in Mementos…”

“Yusuke-chan!”

“I’m sorry, Sensei. I’ll be right there!”

“That old lady’s Masami?”

“Masami-sensei’s exhibition will begin at the department store near the station tomorrow. I’ll be there to help out on opening day. Please come by.”

“It’d be great if you could give me your answer in regard to being a model then…”

Turning to the men of the group, the tall man’s previously neutral expression turned to a scowl.

“I bet you have no interest in the fine arts, but I’ll give you two tickets too.”

After handing over a few slips of paper, he began to move towards the car.

“Well then, I hope to see you there tomorrow!”

As soon as he and the supposed renowned artist Masami had departed, Ryuji kicked the pavement.

“That guy’s as easy to read as a book… You’re not plannin’ on goin’, are ya?”

“I think I will.”

“Huh?!”

“Oh shit! Look at the time! We’ve gotta get to class for the exam!”

“How dare he go after Lady Ann… I’ve memorized that face of yours, Yusuke!”

“Ann’s right. Let’s move.”

* 14/5/20XX - Saturday - After School *

“Mmmmmm, it’s finally over!”

“It’s so over…”

Gathered outside the station once more, it seemed there were a wide variety of feelings regarding the end of the exam week amongst the Nudist Thieves. Slouching over in defeat, Ryuji practically emitted an aura of despair whilst Ann seemed much more upbeat about her chances.

“How ‘bout you Ren?”

“I’m feeling confident.”

“You traitor!”

“Anyways, can we stop talkin’ about the exams? Like it or not, they’re gonna come back graded next week.”

“Rather than focus on stuff that’s over with…”

Pulling himself up and talking out his phone, Ryuji began to scroll with a renewed sense of determination.

“What’re you looking at?”

“The usual site…”

“I can’t believe Mishima nicknamed it the Nudie-site…”

“That’s what he went with?”

“It’s no use, There ain’t any useful info. The number of genuine posts are gettin’ less and less too…”

“I am not letting this end as a one-hit wonder, okay?”

“There’s no point in getting antsy though.”

“I know! Why don’t we eat lunch somewhere? We still have some money left over from the other day.”

“I want sushi, then! Or domestic-raised eel.”

“We don’t have THAT much left.”

“Oh right. There are those tickets to Masami’s exhibit too. That could be fun.”

“Don’t tell me.. Was it love at first sight with that Yusuke guy?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh thank god- I-I mean of course it’s not.”

“When I was watching that special on TV, her artwork was pretty nice. Plus, we’ve already got free tickets.”

“Besides, this could also be related to what we heard in Mementos.”

“...Masami, was it?”

“I’m curious too.”

“Hrmm…”

“That aside, what should I do about the other two tickets? Wanna go appreciate some fine arts for once?”

“Fine arts, huh…”

“I suggest we should all go together!”

“Appreciating the fine arts builds character. A nudist thief who can’t identify an original is lame.”