The Masquerade of Misdirection
Sumire was increasingly getting distressed. “You don’t get it... You’ll never understand how I feel.”
Kasumi was puzzled as Sumire began to rush past her. “Huh?”
Kasumi called after her as she tried to catch up to Sumire. “Hey, wait up!” She redoubled her efforts to get Sumire’s attention. “Look where you’re going! The light’s red! Hey!”
Kasumi was trying to catch up to Sumire, but she was too fast. “Sumire, stop! Listen to me! SUMIRE!”
She barely managed to grab Sumire and pull her back, but she wasn’t fast enough to completely pull Sumire back to the curb. A car careened, people began to shriek, and a car crash occurred.
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Kasumi woke up. “Sumire!” She looked around and deeply sighed. It seems that she had a nightmare about that day again. She got out of her bed and walked to her full-length mirror. She looked at herself: someone who looked like they had not gotten any decent sleep, with dark circles around her eyes.
She walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she walked there, she noted the house was quiet. Her father must have already gone to work, her mother still at the hospital looking for Sumire. Kasumi desperately hoped that her mother or her father left something for her; she didn’t trust herself to cook a proper meal. More likely than not she’d accidentally give herself food poisoning or undercook something.
After she brushed her teeth, she stepped in the shower for a soak, before heading off to her first day of class. She already laid out her school uniform.
As the shower water hit her, she couldn’t hold it anymore. Even though no one was home, Kasumi kept her emotions in check all the time. Her shower time happened to be the only time where she could relax and let herself loose. The guilt and the knowledge that no one could hear her then broke her, as she squatted.
As the water splattered on the ground around her, she heaved, sobbing.
“Sumire… I’m so sorry… I should have paid more attention to you. I was insensitive, and I let you believe that I didn’t care about you. I should have been a better, more caring, older sister to you. Instead, all I did was ignore your cries for help and intensified your feelings of inadequacy. I allowed for this to happen; I’m a terrible sister.”
As the shower ran, she stayed there for a while longer, crying herself out. Sumire’s diagnosis particularly gnawed at her; Sumire had survived that car accident but was knocked into a coma with severe injuries to boot. The doctors at the hospital didn’t know when, or even if, she would wake up.
Kasumi, upon hearing that diagnosis, found herself rushing outside. She rushed to the bathroom, and into a stall before she let loose with her guilt. She let Sumire become like this; she had ignored her sister and focused on herself while her sister had steadily become depressed and attempted to take her own life in front of her.
Suffice it to say, her parents were worried about how much it was taking a toll on her that they had mentioned they had scheduled an appointment with a counselor, but she convinced her parents that they should give her some room to process everything. After all that, Kasumi wasn’t sure a counselor could help her with the feeling of regret and remorse she was having. She felt as if no one could understand the guilt she felt, being the indirect reason for why her sister was now suddenly hospitalized, and in a coma.
She knew there wasn’t enough time to keep showering, but she indulged herself a little by staying a little longer. Eventually, she’ll have to leave for school.
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She got ready. Thankfully, her mother had left some delicious breakfast food for her to eat. Her mother also made a lunch bento for her before she left that morning to go to the hospital.
Normally, she would be and had been happy about attending Shujin, but the fact that Sumire was also transferring to Shujin along with her until Sumire’s suicidal attempt dampened the enthusiasm she held. That reminds her, she would have to get in contact with Sakamoto-senpai, her student liaison guide.
She couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to give a care about her first day at Shujin. That being said, her politeness was one thing she didn’t have to worry about; her parents had drilled into her and Sumire when they were little that politeness can go a long way. Rudeness would only hinder her progress.
Thankfully, the teachers or the staff didn’t seem to notice her lack of enthusiasm. She attended the assembly with minimal interest.
She planned to talk with him after the assembly but she found him talking with another student, a girl with short, blonde hair. As she watched, another girl strode over, one with long blonde hair. She waited until they were done, and then strode over to Sakamoto-senpai. “Sakamoto-senpai!”
Ryuji turned to her. “Oh, Yoshizawa-san. I did remember telling you that we needed to have a little talk after the assembly today.”
Kasumi nodded. “Yes, that’s why I’m here.”
Ryuji sighed. “Sorry… that other discussion took up more time than expected. Can I expect you to pop by after school?”
Kasumi nodded. “Of course, I don’t have practice today.”
When lunch came, Kasumi originally planned to eat in the classroom, but some nasty rumors were circulating about her.
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Hey, I heard Miss Rhythmic gymnast has a sister.
I heard her sister was supposed to be at school today, but it turns out she’s a hospital.
Haven’t you guys known? Her sister is a vegetable right now.
I heard that Miss Rhythmic Gymnast didn’t care about her sister and her sister tried to kill herself in front of her.
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Kasumi got up and left without a word. She found Sakamoto-senpai, but he was besieged by a crowd of people, the majority of them girls. She shook her head. So much for asking him to show her around.
She then considered the available options left to her. The lunchroom would probably be full of students, so why not the roof, if there even was one. That might be a quiet place where the rumors about her won’t get to her head for the entirety of lunch.
She headed up to the roof. She did have to ask a couple of people for directions but they gave it to her without any questions. When she approached though, she saw that the door was cracked. Was someone already here?
She opened it. A girl with cinnamon fluffy-hair was busy tending to several planters. The girl heard the door open and turned back. “Ah… did I disturb you?”
The fluffy-haired girl shook her head. “No… it’s alright. I was just surprised that people actually used the roof for something. I had been under the impression that no other students came up here ever.”
Kasumi looked away, fidgeting with her fingers. “Ah… I’m a new student here. I was coming up here because my classroom and the lunchroom were too noisy.”
The girl with cinnamon-colored hair smiled. “It’s all right. Come. There are chairs here.”
Kasumi nodded. Shutting the door behind her, she made her way to a chair. Unpacking her lunch, she began to eat.
The girl turned back to her plants. While she tended to them, she asked, “Oh! Let me introduce myself. My name is Haru Okumura. And you are?”
Kasumi swallowed. “Kasumi Yoshizawa, Haru-senpai.”
Haru smiled. “Don’t call me Senpai, please. Just call me Haru.”
Kasumi blanched at the sudden shift in tone. “Yes, ma’am. I think you may have heard about me.”
Haru thought about it. “Oh, the rhythmic gymnast? You’re her! Well then, it’s an honor to meet you.”
Kasumi nodded. “You too, Haru.”
Just then the door to the rooftop opened. A blonde short-haired girl stood in the doorway, carrying a significantly smaller bento box than the one she carried. The blonde-haired girl stepped back, then leaned against the doorway. “Sorry, am I not welcome here?”
Haru, bless her soul, shook her head. “No, it’s fine. In fact, if you want to come up here, let me come with you. I have an excuse to be up here anyway, so any teachers won’t question you guys if I say you’re here with me.”
Kasumi spoke up. “Maybe I should leave…”
Haru and the Yuki said, “No.” They looked at each other. “Jinx. Double-Jinx. Triple-Jinx.” They giggled.
Yuki responded. “It’s all right. You’re here as well to escape the rumors, aren’t you?”
Kasumi nodded. “My name is Kasumi Yoshizawa. I’m an honors student, and I also do gymnastics. However, because of my honors student status, people seem to single me out. I don’t understand why; I’m not that much different from them.”
Yuki waved her hand. “You’d be better off not trying to tame the Shujin rumor mill. It seems like it’d be a losing battle anyway.”
Kasumi nodded, a small smile forming. “You’re a second-year, right?”
Yuki put up her hands. “You caught me. I’m actually a transfer student. Sakamoto-kun says hi to you.”
Kasumi grasped her hand. “You met Sakamoto-senpai? He’s honestly been a big help. He was originally not my liaison here, but Niijima-san took time off from school. He’s helped me with adjusting to school here, at Shujin.”
Yuki made her way to sit down next to her. “Yeah, he’s nice. It’s a shame I instantly became the root of another rumor because he happened to also be my liaison.”
Kasumi looked at her. “You haven’t introduced yourself yet.”
Yuki gasped. “Sorry, my name is Yuki Amamiya. A pleasure to meet you, Yoshizawa-san.”
Kasumi looked shocked. Yuki was a little confused. “Earth to Kasumi?”
Kasumi snapped out. “I’m sorry. That name just reminds me of an idol I used to watch. She’s one of my inspirations. You just happen to have the same name as her.”
Yuki nervously laughed. “Oh right, I’ve been told that by nearly everyone at this school.”
Yuki gestured to Haru. “Come join us, Haru-senpai. Let’s eat lunch together.”
Haru smiled. “Please, just call me Haru. Don’t ever call me Senpai.”
Kasumi and Yuki looked at each other, sharing a mutual fear of this girl. “Haru, how do I put this? You make us really… nervous when you talk like that.”
They then proceeded to dig in, not uttering another word afterward.
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When school ended, Kasumi was in a daze. Usually, she’d have practice, but today she didn’t. When she didn’t have practice, she’d work out to keep in shape, except her mind turns to Sumire now.
She shook her head as she remembered Sakamoto-senpai had asked her to meet with him in the student council room after school.
She traversed the stairs two flights, walked past the library, and to the student council room. Just when she was about to knock, she heard voices from within.
“... I trust you can keep it a secret.”
That was Sakamoto-senpai’s voice, wasn’t it? Kasumi was positively sure of it; however, she was wondering whether she came at a bad time. The phrasing of the sentence also seemed to suggest that someone else was in there
She knocked. “Sakamoto-senpai, excuse me!”
No answer. Kasumi knocked again, but no answer.
Kasumi didn’t have time to waste; she excused herself. “Excuse me, I’m coming in.” She opened the door and went in. “Sakamoto-senpai, I’m… here.” She deflated; no one was in the student council room.
Kasumi thought that it was weird. That’s peculiar. I thought I heard him. Maybe it was my imagination.
Since he didn’t seem to be here, and no one had seen him around the school since lunch, Kasumi left. She wanted to do one thing today, and since Ryuji was nowhere to be seen, it freed up her schedule for that one thing.
Tokyo General Hospital
Kasumi looked at her sister’s face. Her sister was so peaceful sleeping in her hospital bed, despite being strapped with IVs dripping fluids into her arm.
A flood of emotion and guilt almost flooded Kasumi, but she held it in. Not here.
Kasumi, nerve-wracked, said, “Sumire, I had my first day of school. It was okay.” She sighed. “You were right; Shujin turned out to be nothing like what I had hyped it up to be.” She almost sniffled. “Sumire, you should have come with me to the first day of school. It’s nothing without you. I feel… lost without you. Look at me now. I know I kept boasting about my prowess and my confidence, but now that you’re not there, I don’t know… what to do.”
Kasumi had the smallest of smiles. “I met some new people. You’d love Sakamoto-senpai; he’s a real stickler, despite not looking like it. Haru-senpai is a gardener but she has a scary side to her that strangely involves people calling her senpai.” She remembered wistfully. “I also met Yuki Amamiya. Of course, she’s not the idol nor does she look like her, but she reminds me a lot of that idol. Sumire, you liked her too, right?”
Kasumi looked down. “I’m sorry for everything. I should have been a better sister and listened to you. Instead, I became too wrapped up in myself and neglected you and your feelings. You’re now in the hospital, and the doctors are even unable to determine when you’ll be able to wake up. I hope you wake up soon. I want to go back to the old times, sister and sister in arms. I want to be the older sister that you could have relied on.”
Kasumi got up. “I better get going. School is harsh; I received plenty of homework to do. I may be an honors student, but I still have to study and work hard. Bye, Sumire. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
She left, leaving a violet on the desk. Once she left the room, Sumire’s left pinky finger slightly twitched.
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Kamoshida’s Palace, around the same time
Yuki found it utterly bizarre how the guards didn’t hurt her. That being said, they did restrain her along with Ryuji until they reached the dungeon.
Ryuji was unconscious, with a lump on his head. The guards wasn’t too kind with their treatment of him. She, on the other hand, was left perfectly untouched. Of course, that had to be the case. Given the kind of person Kamoshida was, he most likely saw her as a sex slave, someone meant to be unharmed except by him.
Once they got thrown in the jail cell, she went over to check on Ryuji. He was slowly breathing; it means he got knocked out. Yuki breathed a sigh of relief; she wished she could cast Dia or some healing spell on him, but she hadn’t awakened to her Persona yet. She idly wondered who her Persona was going to be.
She shook her head; now wasn’t the time to sit around. She had to wake Ryuji.
She shook Ryuji. “Wake up, Sakamoto. Wake up, Ryuji.” No response, no change in his breathing pattern. She sighed; it looks like she’ll have to resort to the nuclear option.
Sorry, Ryuji. It’s going to hurt; I promise it won’t hurt as much as when that guard smacked you in the head. She smacked Ryuji hard in the face.
Ryuji woke up. “Owwww! Who did… that!?” He saw Yuki. “Amamiya-san! The last thing I remembered was an elaborate hallway, and some people in armor. They looked like… medieval knights. Where are we?”
Yuki nodded to the door. “It looks like we’re in a jail cell. Probably the basement. They threw the both of us in here.” She acted distraught. “We’re locked in here. How do we get out?”
Ryuji ran to the door. “Hey, let us out! I demand you release us this moment! Hey! Is there anyone there!?”
Footsteps emerged from the darkness. A trio emerged, two guards followed by Kamoshida. So it is HIS palace, this time around too.
Kamoshida smirked. “I thought it was a couple of petty intruders, but to think it was you, Sakamoto. How’s that position holding up for you? I’m pretty sure I ran you out of the track team.”
Ryuji shot back, “Mr. Kamoshida! What is the meaning of this!? Release us this instant!”
This “Kamoshida” grew angry. “Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don’t understand the position you’re in at all. This is my world, my castle. Not only did you sneak into my castle, you also came in without my permission. The punishment for that is death.
This Kamoshida waved his hand. Was I imagining things or is he naked except for his underwear? “It’s time for his execution! Take him out!”
Ryuji looked alarmed. “S-Stop it! Have you gone mad? I knew you were a manipulative and abusive teacher, but to this extent!”
The guards piled in. Sakamoto, backed into the corner, looked infuriated. “Damn iittt!” He charged and managed to knock one of the guards down. “Oof! Yuki, go! Let’s get out of here!”
He only barely managed to say that before any guard walked up, shaking off their surprise and gut-slammed Ryuji. Ryuji stumbled, kneeling down. “Aaghhh...!”
Yuki couldn’t leave Sakamoto by himself. Yuki tried to rush to Ryuji’s side, but the guards blocked her path.
Sakamoto groaned in pain but managed to say, “Hurry! Get going! I’ll… be right behind you.”
Shadow Kamoshida noticed Yuki. “Well, if that isn’t a fine body… what say you to being one of my playthings?”
Yuki spat at his feet. “I would never associate myself with the likes of you.”
Kamoshida’s face contorted in fury. “You’ll regret that. Guards! Pick up Sakamoto. I’d like to use him as my punching bag.”
Two guards pulled up Sakamoto and held him up by the arms. One lightly restrained Yuki. Shadow Kamoshida strode up to Sakamoto, lifted him by his shirt, and raised his fist. “Take this! Lowly scum! Useless pest!” Yuki winced more and more.
She couldn’t take it anymore. “Stop it! Ryuji!” She glared at Shadow Kamoshida. “We will stop you!”
Shadow Kamoshida heard her. “Shut up, bitch. You don’t tell me what to do.
Shadow Kamoshida spat at Sakamoto, “Worthless insect. You think you can interfere with me, the great Kamoshida!? It’s time for you to learn your place!” One of the guards picked up Sakamoto. As the guard threw him to the wall, Kamoshida continued speaking. “I’m surprised. You ditched your friends and left them behind. I’m surprised you’re still trying to act the hero when all you are is a coward. I’ll have you killed right now.”
Ryuji, breathing heavily, spat back at him. “I knew what was up with you. I left because I knew I couldn’t help my teammates as captain of the track team, but I also didn’t sit idly by. When I joined the Student Council, it was with the intent of exposing you and making you pay for your crimes against everyone you abused. However, even I couldn’t believe the amount of corruption lurking within the administration. I couldn’t believe how everyone looked past it for some glory. Teachers, students, ”
Shadow Kamoshida heard Ryuji. He smirked evilly. “Even still, I’m still here, am I? You failed your friends, the track team, the volleyball team, and of course yourself.”
Ryuji shook his head. “I’m not believing a single word of yours, you monster. When Niijima-san recruited me to the Student Council, she knew that you were a menace to the students. Of course, the principal nor the adults would listen because they’re also overlooking it in exchange for their children gaining prominence and fame.” He looked down. “We knew it was nigh impossible to get anyone to listen, but we would never neglect the student body.”
Shadow Kamoshida frowned. “I tire of this discussion. Kill him.”
Yuki rushed forward, a fist pulled, but the guards caught her, pinning her to the wall. “You won’t get away with this, Kamoshida.”
A voice sounded in her head. My, my, aren’t you ever the feisty one!? Is this your sense of justice?
Yuki knew who this was. Predictably, it sounded nothing like Arsene. Justice… if that means helping others being abused by others and making them pay, then yes, I am. I was and still am Joker, even if it is heart, mind, and will alone.
Dear, what is your goal?
Yuki was confused. My goal is… my goal is… it is to protect others. My goal is to defy people who abuse others and don’t play by the same rules as I and others do.
The voice giggled. Vow to me then. I am thou, thou art I. If you are willing to perform such sacrilegious acts for your own justice and for others… then call my name and release your fury and sense of justice!
Kamoshida noticed Yuki being quiet. “I think she has been broken. Perfect. She’ll make an excellent plaything.”
He strode over to her, grabbing her chin with his hand. “Do you like it?”
Yuki screamed. With that blue fire erupted around her. Kamoshida stumbled back, panicked. “What the hell?”
The fire dissipated, Yuki in her clothes of rebellion. The costume consisted of slim leather leggings, with a decorative jewel-encrusted belt holding it. She wore a ruffled white shirt, her jacket a blue and black blazer with decorative designs. Her mask resembled a masquerade mask, but with imprints of jewels on it, and more elegantly curved at the ends. It was larger than the domino bird-shaped mask she possessed once as Ren. For shoes, she wore black boots, thankfully not high-heeled.
Kamoshida looked terrified. “Guards, put her in her place!”
Yuki yelled, “Persona!”
A feminine figure arose behind her. Her Persona towered above her. She wore a beret, dressed in a black blazer with a similar ruffled shirt. For pants, the persona donned black slacks with boots.
I am Irene, the Masquerader of Misdirection. What are your wishes, my other self?
Yuki gestured towards the guards. “We need your help in defeating them, and getting out of this castle.”
The guards erupted into puddles, from which two Jack O’ Lantern emerged.
Irene bowed. As you wish. Yuki removed her mask. “Irene, Kouha!”
Balls of light emanated from Irene’s hands and flew. They each struck the Jack O’ Lanterns, but it wasn’t enough to break them down. Yuki grimaced. She noticed she didn’t have a dagger; instead, she has a scabbard with a sword at her side. She drew her sword. It was something in between a fencing sword and a short sword, thin yet surprisingly sturdy. She rushed forward and slashed both of them.
They disintegrated. Yuki looked down at her sword. It was light, thinner than the average short sword, and had better reach than the dagger she used to have. It’d have to do.
Kamoshida inched backward. Ryuji took the opportunity to run straight into him, knocking Kamoshida down.
Yuki gestured towards the key that Kamoshida dropped. “The door!”
Ryuji understood. He scooped up the keys. They rushed out and locked the door behind them, Shadow Kamoshida still inside.
Shadow Kamoshida was furious, gripping at the bars. “You won’t get away with this! Guards! Where are my other guards when I need them?”
Yuki nodded to Ryuji. “Let’s get out of here!”
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Yuki led Ryuji out of the castle, but it took just as long as she had remembered. When she came to the area where Morgana was being held, she had to resist the urge to check there. She knew Mona hadn’t been created yet. That being said, she now had to keep herself in check. Without Mona, she has to watch herself more carefully, even more so. She couldn't afford to tire out or slip up. When they passed the cognitions of the volleyball players, Ryuji didn’t run over to them. Instead, his mood darkened. It seems he already knew who they were and had questioned them.
They stumbled back into the Student Council office. Yuki looked outside. It looks like a couple of hours had passed. Reminds me of the Palace infiltrations back then.
Ryuji was winded. Being in the Metaverse really tired both of them out, even Yuki when she already technically had plenty of experience in the Metaverse. “Amamiya-san, was that a castle? What was… that outfit? And what was… that thing behind you?”
Yuki contorted her face into a look of dumbfoundedness. “To be honest, I think I said Persona. You saw Mr. Kamoshida, didn’t you?”
Ryuji nodded. “That’s right. He certainly wasn’t subtle with his disgusting tendencies.”
Yuki contemplated how she was going to break it to Ryuji. Breaking it to him in the sense of I actually got isekai-ed, but not into a fantasy world, more so a different reality. We’re actually traversing in the cognitions of other people, stealing hearts of corrupt people would ideally be how she wanted to break it to him, but he’d write her off as crazy. The Ryuji Sakamoto of this reality is a more logical one than the one she knew as Ren. He was dozens of times smarter than the loud, rambunctious, blond-haired Ryuji she once knew.
She chose her words carefully. “Don’t you think that Mr. Kamoshida in the castle was a different one?”
Ryuji stroked his chin. “Well, I have to agree with you there. For one, he had yellow eyes. Two, he was naked and only wearing a robe.”
She then posited a question. “Do you think we traveled into an alternate world? Something outside of Tokyo and reality?”
Ryuji doubted that. “Even though I literally saw knights in armor and a castle occupying where the school is, it’s just… hard to digest.”
Yuki decided to press. “Regarding what you said earlier, I think I got something.”
Ryuji nodded. “Yes?”
Yuki laid it blunt. “I think that place embodies his desires, and so maybe we can use that place to solve the problem you have.”
Ryuji was confused. “Pardon?”
Yuki continued. “I’m saying that we could use this alternate place to get rid of Mr. Kamoshida. And when I mean get rid of him, I don’t mean kill him, I mean to get him to quit Shujin and make him confess his sins.”
Ryuji looked startled. “Even still… to resort to a tactic like this…”
Yuki was determined to convince Ryuji to not pass up the chance. “Mr. Kamoshida has basically displayed an arrogant, antagonistic tone to us. He beat you up and threatened to harass and rape me. I understand it’s not the actual Mr. Kamoshida, but who’s to say that the man himself isn’t anything like that. The evidence that Niijima-senpai and you gathered even corroborates your suspicions and the behavior he showed us in that place. This discovery we made might be the best way to deal with Mr. Kamoshida before he causes any more irreparable harm.”
Yuki made up her mind, but in reality, she already came to that decision when she first realized Kamoshida still had a palace. “I can’t overlook this; if Mr. Kamoshida is like this, then we have to intervene. Since we can’t get the school or the PTA to intervene, then we’ll have to do so ourselves.”
Ryuji closed his eyes, thinking. Yuki looked out the window while she waited, watching the students file out and go home. Ryuji joined her at the window.
“I’m in.”