Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction in dedication to a much grander work. As such, the author does not own the rights to any characters within this story, and any correlation between any original characters that may appear and people in the real world are merely coincidental.

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.

?/?/?/?

Chaos.

The only word that could appropriately describe what was happening right now in the massive casino. Patrons were scared. Men in suits were patrolling the area. The security alarm was going off with no signs of stopping. Time was quickly running short. And above all else…

He was alone.

It was supposed to be business as usual for him and his crew; Go in, secure the infiltration out, send the calling card, fight the boss, steal the treasure and escape with their lives intact. It was a routine that they had settled on for a few months now. Sadly, their current heist was going downhill fast with no signs of slowing down. With security levels at an-all time high, alarms blaring and guards coming out of the woodwork, he had no choice but to go with the Treasure alone while his comrades went to look for a safe way out. In fact, he could've sworn he heard a helicopter flying just outside the casino, which was kind of surprising considering how loud it was inside…

A smirk made its way onto his face as he hopped from chandelier to chandelier. Railing to railing. Above the throngs of patrons and security staff that flooded below him and listening to their sounds of surprise and panic. Despite all that was happening, he couldn't help but enjoy the little game of cat and mouse he was having with everyone in the casino. Deciding to have a bit of fun, the young raven-haired man revealed himself to the people below. He stood atop one of the many light fixtures on the ceiling, one hand holding a wire and the other still carrying the briefcase that was his crew's goal. He hummed in amusement as he saw the people below look up to him, dressed in his signature ensemble of a black trench coat, gray collared shirt, black trousers, brown heeled boots, red gloves, and of course, the white masked that hid his identity. The moonlight was helping him become more noticeable, he noticed, which meant it was only a matter of time until—

"Up there!"

His smirk grew slightly, happy to have gotten the attention of everyone below him. The guards, especially. Satisfied with his reveal, he leapt off the fixture and onto a ledge and a nearby ventilation shaft before stuffing the briefcase inside. With the Treasure properly hidden, he made his way towards another ceiling structure and pressed a couple fingers onto his ear and spoke in a soft, serious voice.

"I have the guards' attention and the Treasure is safe. Everything's set."

[Good job, now get running!] a boyish voice ordered in response.

[This is our only chance!] another male voice exclaimed, his voice sounding older and more charismatic than the one before.

[Stay calm! You can get away now!] a young girl's voice said, a hint of panic in her tone that somewhat contradicted her own advice.

[We'll grab the briefcase on our end,] another female voice said, this one sounding older and more serious.

The young man nodded in agreement and prepared to make a jump to another fixture, but paused when he started hearing voices of people other than his comrades. Said comrades were confused as well, with one of them questioning who were the ones that were speaking, when another female voice spoke up to get everyone's attention.

[Ignore it for now. We have to stick to the plan. Joker, hurry up and get out. You don't have to worry about us. We'll be fine,] the voice assured, this one sounding just as young as the first girl, but much softer and with a familial edge to it that caused a smile to form on the thief's face.

"Understood, Void. Heading out now," he said with a nod before sprinting off towards the many fixtures before him.

[Will you stop calling me Void!? That's not my codename and you know it!] the familial voice exclaimed in a surprisingly harsh tone, which brought a bit of laughter from the rest of the group while he simply shook his head in amusement.

You are just too easy, sometimes, he thought as he felt some of the stress in his body ease up slightly.

[But I have to say, showing yourself to the crowd was an excellent move. Nice work as always,] the boyish voice praised, getting a soft chuckle out the masked man known as Joker.

"I aim to please," he confessed, his voice carrying a slightly mischievous tone to it as he made his way towards a transparent light structure.

[I bet Skull wouldn't have pulled it off that smoothly,] another female voice teased, this one sounding about as energetic as the younger voice but with an older edge to it.

[This is because you have no taste for aesthetics…] a deeper voice stated, causing Joker to actually snicker a bit as an annoyed, vulgar sounding young man's voice chimed in.

[Nobody asked you, Inari!] he shouted while the masked man could only shake his head once more as he climbed up the lights and towards the doorway again. His comrades were a bunch of oddballs but he wouldn't trade them for anything. He was so caught up in his amusement, however, that he nearly missed the guards that were coming out of the doorway he was heading towards until one of them spoke up.

"There he is!"

Shit…! That way's a bust! he thought in annoyance while glaring at the men.

[Just run! Get out of there!] the young voice screamed.

[There should be another exit to your left. Head there right away!] the familial voice said, prompting Joker to turn his head to see a series of arcs that were heading towards a balcony with a stairway. New target in sight, he sprinted towards it, hopping on each arc in order to each his destination.

[Ok, the enemy is focused on him. Looks like the rest of us can get away,] the boyish voice said with a hint of resignation that Joker was barely able to detect. He didn't blame him, of course. He wanted to be with the others as well, but he had a job to do. It was the only way to keep them safe and there was no way he was going to let them get caught…

Or else…

No. I can't think like that right now. I have to focus right now. Any more distractions now and the plan will fall apart, the young thief berated himself as he got to the end of the arcs and hopped onto the railings.

[Does everyone know where we're meeting up?] one more female voice said, this one sounding the most elegant out of all the women so far.

[No worries, I can guide you all,] the young voice spoke up again, this time with much more confidence, putting a smile on Joker's face as he quickly scaled the railing and made it to the balcony.

Said smile quickly faded, however, as two guards showed up beyond the stairs before him before their bodies suddenly started to change shape. One moment they looked like ordinary men in suits, and the next they turned to misshapen humanoids with black skin and odd blue masks with glowing yellow eyes. Joker's frown deepened in annoyance as a third odd looking guard jumped down behind him before smirking once more. He was well aware that he was short on time, but if had to be honest with himself, he was glad that a few guards had shown up. Despite the typical trouble he and his crew had when getting to their goal earlier, he was still itching for a good fight.

And he was never one to ignore such an itch, especially when his teammates were encouraging him.

[Take 'em down, Joker!] came the energetic female.

[Yeah, show 'em who's boss!] cheered the vulgar male.

[Just remember to end it quickly. We don't have much time,] stated the serious female.

"…Not a problem," Joker muttered with a wicked grin before leaping towards the surprised guard behind him and landed on their shoulder with his right arm grabbing the bottom of its mask. With a swift, hard pull, the thief ripped the mask right off the disfigured being, causing it to bubble and turn in what could only be described as a veiny, black and red blob before it burst in a mess of black gunk. From the explosion, a new form of the guard was revealed; this one taking the shape of what appeared to be a large mechanical minotaur with a vaguely snake-like body.

[Hmm… It appears to be a Sacrificial Pyrekeeper. Nothing we've faced before, but it shouldn't be a problem. You got this, Joker,] the familial voice assured.

[She's right. Power level shows that this guy's no threat. Beat him to the ground!] the young girl spoke up excitedly.

"Heh, you got it…!" Joker smirked, his gloved hand covering his face as his white mask slowly dissipated in a flurry of blue flames. The embers floated around him as dark chains came out of the ground below him. A dark, imposing figure slowly appeared behind him, its black wings spread wide and its fiery red eyes and eerie crimson smile looking just as sinister as the young man before it.

The mechanical minotaur had no chance.

"RAVAGE THEM!"

Joker frowned as he climbed the large stairway that his navigator told him to take. The fight between him and the monster didn't take that long, but it did attract more attention to him than he would've liked. Dodging the disfigured guards from earlier and making it to the doorway that was nearby easy, but the increase of guards made it difficult for him to maneuver through the back halls of the casino. It didn't help that he overheard one of the guards ordering to kill whoever they found. Growing tired and increasingly worried about his teammates, he quickly made his way to the top of the stairway and found the exit he was looking for. It was a good thing, too, as he started to hear footsteps approaching towards him at a fast rate. Rushing towards the door, he was greeted by a railing, a mess of people on the ground floor, and a giant ornate window on the other side of the massive room, which confused him. Why did his navigator lead him here? He didn't see any way to get out of the casino.

Any way except…

[Is there something wrong? The exit should be just up ahead,] the young voice spoke up, causing the thief to quirk an eyebrow as he looked ahead towards the stain-glass window.

"Through the window…?" he questioned softly.

[We're sorry, Joker, but it's the only way. After the commotion you caused to get us out, the bottom floor is completely closed off…] the serious voice said, sounding a bit exasperated from what he could gather, but he couldn't tell if it was towards him or the persistent guards.

He really hoped it was the guards she was annoyed at.

[It should be fine, though, right? I mean, you can make it through easy, can you?] the young voice spoke up in a hopeful tone, causing Joker to stare at the window for a little while longer before a smirk popped up on his face once more.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" he muttered.

"Over there!"

"There's nowhere to run!"

Oops. Looks like they're here now. Guess it's time to head out, Joker thought as he turned his head to see the guards approach him, his smirk growing more smug for a moment before hopping onto the railing itself, never losing his balance as he quickly ran towards the window. He even went so far as to hop over to the next railing for a bit of extra flair, a habit he developed during his heists, before kneeling down in front of the window. Before making his grand escape, he turned back to the bewildered guards and smirked once more.

He always liked having the last word, and this was no different.

"See ya!" He called out, going so far as saluting the men in suits, before jumping right out of the window, glass flying into the air as he sailed through the air and used his arms to protect himself from the shards.

[Hmph… What a showoff,] the young girl scoffed.

[I'm sorry. He's always been like that,] the familial voice grumbled with an audible sigh.

[You're really reckless, you know that?] the energetic voice complained.

Yes… Yes, he was. If he had to be honest with himself, he always did have a flair for the dramatic, though he usually did his best to reign that in until he and his group first started their heists. It was probably due to all the grandiose stories and action films his father and grandfather let him hear and listen to as a child. He always was a sucker for anything action packed and full of mystery…

Or maybe his friends' eccentric behaviors were rubbing off on him more than he thought. It was hard to tell.

Landing on the ground with a quick roll to lessen any injury, Joker got up from his crouched position and was about to make his getaway when his vision was blinded by a flash of white so bright, he had to use his arm to cover his eye. He knew what was happening, though. There was only one reason why he would be blinded and his teammates would be freaking out.

The cops were right before them, blocking his way to freedom. It was an ambush.

"There he is! Captured him!"

The moment those words were said, Joker sprinted off to his right, the police right on his tail and the spotlight never leaving him. Looking forward, he noticed a flash of red and grinned as he saw a fire escape right before him. Without any issue, he jumped up to it and began climbing, looking down at his pursuers with a smug grin as he continued upwards.

Unfortunately for him, though, he neglected to look above him, and was unaware of the group of officers that were atop the fire escape until he was struck in the face with the butt of a rifle, causing him to lose his grip and fall into the ground, where the police quickly piled on him to prevent his escape. He tried to struggle his way out, but his exhaustion had finally caught up to him. From the heist itself, getting the guards' attention, the fight with the weird snake minotaur thing, and constantly evading security, he had no fight in him left. He was caught…

"Didn't expect to find some kid…" he heard as he saw someone walk up to him and grab his hair roughly. "You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out."

Sold out… he repeated mentally, staring at the man holding his head before he felt him let go. As the cops tightened their hold on him and cuffed him, one final thought ran through his mind.

At least the others made it out. That's all that matters.

?/?/?/?

Arg… Note to self: Don't be defiant towards the jackass cop who takes pleasure on dumping ice water on boys before beating the shit out of them. God, my leg's gonna be sore for a while…

Cold. Hurt. Wet. Sick. Alone. These feelings and more were what the young teen felt as he rested his head on the desk before him. Sitting on a stiff chair and dressed in a scuffed up black school uniform and ruined plaid pants, the now unmasked thief had his eyes shut as he tried to not think of how much pain he was in. It was a difficult process thanks to everything that happened, but he was determined to power through it just like all the other troubles he faced in his life. Situations like what he was in now were more or less a regular occurrence at this point, so it should be a walk in the park for him…

…Right?

Gah, I can't think straight. Whatever the hell these guys injected me with is seriously messing with my head… the teen grumbled as he clenched his head, the feelings of a migraine coming forth as one dark eye slowly opened to glare at the empty syringe that was by his marred shoes. Anger was growing within him every passing second, but he forced himself to calm down before it got too much. He took deep breaths, trying to focus his thoughts while also trying to ignore the images of what just happened to him since his capture.

Being beaten and tortured until he was knocked out.

Waking up tied to a chair after being splashed by a bucket of iced water.

Taunted at by a smug cop and got a beating from him for being defiant.

Injected by what was probably a truth serum of some sorts in order to confess his 'crimes'.

Everything and more kept plaguing his mind, and he couldn't help but let out a small whine as he continued desperately to ignore them. It was getting too much for him. Everything was getting too much. It felt like he finally hit his limit. He was just so damn hurt… So damn tired…

…So damn scared.

Calm yourself. Your Trials aren't over yet. Ignore what happened just now and focus on what you have to do. Your survival depends on what comes next…

A soft voice echoed from within the room. Or maybe his head. He wasn't sure at this point. Regardless, the statement got his attention, and prompted him to look up slightly towards where he thought he heard the voice to see what looked like a dark figure in the corner of the room. One that looked to be about his age with dark hair that obscured one of his eyes and a school uniform that seemed awfully familiar to him…

And was transparent for some reason.

The teen blinked a couple times as he shook his head, unsure of exactly what he was seeing. Looking back at the corner again, he found it empty, and with a small groan, he rested his head back to the table in both irritation and discomfort.

Great. Now I'm both seeing and hearing things. Bad enough that I get voices in my head sometimes, but now I'm seeing ghosts? What the hell did the suits drugged me with? he thought as he clutched his now aching head. Ah… This hurts too much. Feels like someone's pounding my head with a hammer right now. I wish there was some way to ease the pain at least a little. I don't know how much longer I can handle this…

"Ren Amamiya… You just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you?"

Huh…? That voice…

So caught up in his pain and thoughts, the teen, now identified as Ren Amamiya, lifted his head to see someone was now sitting on the opposite side of the desk. A woman, to be exact. One with long silver hair, dark brown eyes that looked almost red, and an immaculate business that looked like something a lawyer would wear. A woman that, even in the harried and foggy state of mind he was in, was able to recognize immediately.

It was hard to forget one's probation officer, after all.

"…Sae-san?" he spoke up, his throat burning from doing such a simple act that he couldn't help but wince slightly shortly after.

God damn, even my throat is killing me. Did someone punch me in the neck or something while I was knocked out? Speaking's going to be a pain, now…

"Amamiya-kun, are you ok?" the woman, Sae, spoke up, snapping Ren out of his thoughts to see the woman looking at him with the barest hint of concern.

"…Could be better. My leg's…hurting a little…and my throat…isn't doing so hot…, but I'll live, at least. I've…been through worse," he joked weakly, internally chuckling at the unamused stare he got in response before a small smile managed to worm its way onto his face. "It's good…to see you again, though. It's been a while."

"I've been busy, as you know, but it is nice to speak with you again. I just wish it could've been under better circumstances," the woman said, her tone an odd mix of disapproval and…sadness, possibly, before staring at him sternly. "You don't have to worry about anyone else coming in at the moment. You'll be answering my questions for now on, so I need you to be completely honest with me. Otherwise…things won't end well. For either of us."

"…I understand," Ren nodded, well aware of what might happen in the near future, before another searing migraine suddenly decided to show itself, forcing him to clutch his head as he desperately waited for it to pass.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" he heard Sae ask in concern. Wincing, he slowly lifted his head to assure he was fine before noticing that she was looking down at the floor with a surprised expression before it morphed into a more furious state. "…Those bastards."

…Looks like she found the syringe. Now she definitely knows I'm not all there in the head at the moment, he thought weakly as he tried to ignore the dull throb in his head.

"Hey, can you hear me? You've been through a lot, haven't you?" he heard Sae speak, causing him to look at her tiredly before a weak, mirthless chuckle escaped his lips.

"…More than you know, Sae-san," he answered softly.

"I figured, and that's what I'm going to find out," Sae said as she leaned forward. "Almost anything can happen here, and I can't stop them. That's why I need you to answer me as honestly as you can. I don't have a lot of time myself, either. So, tell me…what was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident?"

"…Are you willing to listen…is the question…" Ren said in as stern a voice as he could muster. "My minds'…not in the best shape right now. I can…tell you what you want…but…"

"But what? If you're going to say that this is all a prank, then don't. I may not have spent as much time looking after you as I should have, but I would like to think that I know you well enough to know you wouldn't pull something as elaborate as this as some sort of sick joke," Sae said with a harsh glare before letting off a sigh. "So please, just tell me what I need to know. Especially the methods of how you managed to pull off your heists. I've been wracking my brain about it for months and I still have no idea how you and your friends managed to accomplish what you did."

"Of course, you couldn't…" Ren muttered softly with a weak, teasing smile. "The way we pulled off our heists…is kinda hard to believe… Even I had trouble…believing what we did…when we first started this…"

"…True. There's no way I could be convinced of such a…'world' by just reports alone," she admitted with a soft laugh before schooling herself. "In any case, pleasantries are over now, so I'm going to need you to tell me everything. How you discovered the other world. How you 'stole' other people's hearts. All of it. From the beginning."

"…I'll do my best," Ren said as he held his head, focusing on his memories to try and recall everything. The drugs in his system were not helping in that regard, but as he continued to focus, a familiar looking blue butterfly began fluttering in his mind's eye, and a voice began rigging in his head.

A voice that he had heard every so often…ever since he realized his Potential.

You are held captive. 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 this game started half a year ago… For the sake of the world's future… As well as your own… You must remember…

I know you can do it… My Trickster.

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Persona: The Trickster's Trials

1st Trial: Let the Games Begin

4/9/Overcast/Afternoon

"Ahh! Someone, help!"

"Hey, let go of her!"

"Damn brat! I'll sue!"

"Why the hell did you arrest my grandson!"

"Son… I'm… I'm so sorry…"

"Why, Ren…? Why did you have to go and be a hero, again…?"

[Attention passengers! We are now approaching Shibuya!]

"Huh…? Damn… Must've fallen asleep just now… Surprised I was able to sleep at all with all this noise…"

Having woken up from the sounds of the announcement, young Ren Amamiya yawned for a moment and shook his head to rid the remains of his drowsiness before looking around the train from his seat, adjusting his glasses as he did so. Memories from his recent past had flooded his mind just now and he was trying hard to ignore them. It wasn't something he needed to dwell with at the moment. It was in the past. All he needed to do now was accept what happened and move on with his life until everything blew over.

It was how he dealt with the other hardships in his life. This time would be no different.

"…A mental shutdown?"

"It's the truth!"

The teen grunted curiously as he turned to a pair of girls around his age nearby. The girls themselves weren't all that interesting to him, looking more like the airhead types in his opinion, but what they said did catch his interest.

Mental shutdown…? Wasn't that the thing Gramps was checking up on lately? He said it was similar to that weird disease that happened in Port Island a long time ago. Talk about scary… he mused as he continued to stare at the girls stoically. To think that someone could just…break apart like that so suddenly. And it all started in Tokyo of all places. Just another reason why he and Dad were so adamant on keeping us away from here.

The ravenette let out a quiet sigh as he turned his head towards a nearby monitor, which was giving out a few details about the topic he just thought about. It didn't really give him anything new, sadly. Just information that he was already aware of thanks to his grandfather, but he did quirk an eyebrow at the sight of a young man with brown hair that was hailed as the 'Second Coming of the Detective Prince'. Shaking his head at the image, he turned his attention to the window behind him and noticed that he was getting close to a station. Assuming it was his next stop, the young man got up from his seat and grabbed his bag just as the train intercom announced that they were approaching Shibuya, confirming his guess.

Welp, might as well get this over with. Time to start off my new life as a city slicker for the next year. Didn't think I'd make it in time after taking that detour to Port Island, but it looks like I had nothing to worry about, Ren thought as the trained slowed to a stop, allowing him to get off and look around for a moment before pulling out his phone from his pocket, brushing off a blue butterfly that landed on his hand as he did so. Now then… Gramps said I'm supposed to meet up with some lady named Niijima. Where do I have to go for that, again?

Checking the message that his grandfather left him in his phone, Ren made his way towards Station Square, where he was instructed to look for a stern looking woman with silver hair and a section sign necklace of all things. He found that detail kind of odd, but shrugged to himself and figured the woman was into politics or something similar. At least he was familiar with the sign thanks to all the times he visited his grandfather's office as a child. After activating a navigation app and typed in his desired location, the young teen smiled in relief when he found his destination was so close and quickly made his way there. Once he did, though, he could only stare in disbelief at all the people that were around. His home town wasn't small by any means, but it paled in comparison to what he was witnessing currently.

"…This is Shibuya? God damn, and I thought Port Island was crowded. How can so many people be in one district? The subway trains here must be constantly packed. Ah man, I am so not looking forward to being treated like a packaged sardine for a year…" Ren grumbled as he glared at the crowd when he felt and heard his phone ping. "Huh? A message? Are they checking in on me already…? What the hell is this?"

Ren stared down at his phone in confusion, focusing on a strange image that looked like a giant red eye over an explosion in the middle of his device. It wasn't anything he had seen before, and his confusion only grew when he noticed that the image suddenly grew bigger. Curiosity getting the better of him, he began pressing the red image as if it was an app, but frowned when nothing appeared to happen.

First day here and now my phone's infected with malware? That figures… Things never go right in my life… he grumbled mentally as he tried to move the app to no avail. He then let off a slight growl as he glared at his phone before shaking his head and closed his eyes in an attempt to calm down. Dammit… Why did it have to come to this? All I wanted to do was help and now I'm stuck here in the one place in the country that my family hates, separated from them and being forced to live in some random stranger's house while being checked in by one of Gramps' hard-ass associates that will probably shaft me at any chance they get. I can't believe I'm thinking this…but I'm starting to wonder if trying to save that woman was worth all this stupid crap I'm dealing with now…

Was it all a mistake, then?

Ren's eyes snapped wide open at the sound of a deep, echoing voice that sounded way too similar to his own. Panic began to set in as he started to look around to see who had spoken, but as he did, his blood began to run cold as he noticed another thing that was happening.

Everything was starting to slow to a crawl. People, vehicles, even the few birds in the sky were moving at a snail's pace before stopping completely. It was as if everything but him was frozen in time. Even the electronic monitors on the buildings were stilled. The only other thing that was functioning was his phone, and Ren was growing more and more confused with each passing second. He started to look around more frantically, desperate to see if there was anyone else who was moving, when he saw something in the middle of the street that…seemed to be calling to him.

A blue flame. A wild blaze in the middle of the street that seemed to be growing with each passing second. It was the oddest thing Ren had ever seen before…but for some reason, he felt drawn to it. Like…he should know what that flame was supposed to be. It was only a few moments later that the strange fire began to take shape, morphing to what was possibly a humanoid figure with…wings on its back. Crimson flames started to appear in what was possibly the head of the figure, giving it evil-looking eyes and a manic grin, but Ren didn't feel afraid at the sight of it. He was too mesmerized by the sight of the inviting flame, and almost started to take a step towards it when the 'face' started to disperse, revealing something that he was not expecting at all.

His own face looking back at him with a sinister grin and menacing golden eyes that looked ready to fight the world.

He gasped at the sight of it, breaking out into a cold sweat and placing his free hand onto his chest to try and calm his heart. It was only after taking a moment to calm down that he noticed that everyone was moving again, as if there was nothing wrong. The mysterious blue fire was also gone, further confusing him. Looking back at his phone, Ren stared at the weird crimson app that possibly started the whole thing for a moment before pressing down on it and moved it to his digital trash bin, slowly blinking as he tried to process what had just happened.

…What the bloody hell was that all about? Did I seriously just see myself in a pillar of fire? And why did everything freeze up like that? the confused teen thought before shaking his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Dammit, this is getting way to freaky for me. Is Tokyo always like this? Was this one of the reasons why Dad and Gramps stayed away from this place? Fucking hell, I seriously hope this year goes fast. I want to go home…

"Excuse me. Are you Ren Amamiya?" a stern female voice spoke up from behind Ren, causing him to stiffen slightly in surprise before turning around to see who had addressed him.

It was an older woman with long, silver hair parted to one side, staring at him with brown eyes so intense they were almost red to him. She wore a typical business suit that he had seen on other female workers and was holding what looked like a laptop case. The thing that caught his eye, though, was the necklace she was wearing. It was in the shape of the section sign, and it was then that he knew for sure who it was that called out to him.

"I am. You're…Niijima-san, right? The one Gramps asked to check in on me?" he questioned.

"That is correct. I'm Sae Niijima, your probation officer during your stay here. It is my responsibility to ensure you stay in line during your probation, so I suggest you do what I say, unless you wish to suffer the consequences," the woman confirmed in such a harsh and stern way that Ren couldn't help but stiffen up as he watch her look at her wristwatch briefly. "I see that you made it on time. I was informed by your father that you were going to stop at Tatsumi Port Island to take care of some business before arriving, so I was expecting you to be here a little later. Good to know that you're punctual."

"…Helping my little sister get settled into her new dorm didn't take too long. I actually had time to say goodbye to my old coach and his wife when everything was done. He took us to the local cemetery so that we could pay our respects to a friend of his that passed away during his high school years, but other than that, the stop was fairly quick," Ren explained in a soft voice, turning back to the crossroad briefly before looking back at his probation officer. "Um… Niijima-san? Is there…some kind of light show or something going on today?"

"…No. There shouldn't be. Why do you ask?" the silver haired woman questioned, her stare never losing intensity and causing Ren to grow more nervous before he shook his head and mumbled a quick 'never mind' in response.

Ok then… Doesn't look like she knows what just happened. She's as clueless as everyone else around here. Does that mean that I'm the only one who saw that weird blue fire? he thought as he thought as he stared at the pedestrians around him with a frown before hearing his probation officer call out to him.

"Amamiya-kun, I know the city is a new experience for you, but I suggest you not dilly-dally. I have to take you to your caretaker before the day is done…" Niijima said as she made her way towards a fancy looking silver car nearby. "Come. My car's right here. The man who you will stay with lives in the Yongen-Jaya district. Best to not keep him waiting."

"Got it," Ren nodded as he followed the woman towards her vehicle, the air around them tense and a bit awkward.

The drive to their destination was a silent one, with Niijima focusing on the road and Ren being unsure of what to say. He was well aware that the older woman did not want to be saddled with looking after him, not that he blamed her, but he at least wanted to make their arrangement a bit easier for each other. He just needed to find a way to break the ice. It was then that he noticed the section sign necklace again and a question came to his mind that he wanted. The subject of the question itself wasn't something he'd normally ask, but it was better than nothing, at least.

"Are you a lawyer, Niijima-san?"

"Excuse me?" she responded, her eyes turning to him briefly when they slowed for traffic.

"Your necklace. It's the section sign, isn't it? Gramps told me about it a while ago; said it was a symbol of the justice system. I know you're my probation officer, but I was wondering if you had another job on top of that, considering the way you dress. Your clothes remind me of the guys that Gramps hired to help plea for my case and I was wondering if you were like them, too," Ren explained while gesturing to her outfit.

"Hmm… I'm surprised you know about the section sign. I suppose I shouldn't be, though, considering who you're relative is…" Niijima said evenly before focusing on the road again, "Your assumption is correct. I do work as a lawyer. To be precise, I am a public prosecutor from the Special Investigations Unit, however I do work with the police force every now and again. My current work has me investigating the string of mental shutdowns that have been occurring lately, something I'm sure you're aware of considering your father and grandfather's…low opinion of the city. There isn't much I'm allowed to say, but I will admit that this case has been proving to be very difficult. I will solve it soon enough, though. It's just a matter of time."

What the hell…!? Gramps set me up with a prosecutor from the freaking SIU of all places?! One that's working on the shutdown cases on top of that?! I know he has a lot of clout and all but how the fuck did he manage that?! Ren thought as he looked at the woman in blatant surprise.

"I see you understand the significance of my job…and are curious as to why someone like me was asked to be your probation officer," Sae said evenly, causing Ren to stiffen a little and look away when he heard her speak again in a more somber tone. "I have…a history with your grandfather. He was my father's mentor for a time and taught me a few things when I started growing an interest in their line of work. He even helped me and my little sister out for a bit when both our parents passed away. I owe him greatly, so when he called me and explained to me your situation, I felt…obligated to help. I may be extraordinarily busy with my job and supporting Makoto, but looking after my teacher's unruly grandson who went and got himself arrested for causing trouble and interfering in a situation that he had no reason to be a part of shouldn't be too much of a hassle."

"…Well sorry for trying to stop a rape from happening," Ren couldn't help but mutter bitterly to himself. He admittedly did feel a bit guilty for adding more stress to her own heavy workload, but that didn't give her the right to take it out on him. He doubted that he'd be similar to her if the situations were reversed…probably.

"I'm aware of the specifics of the incident from your grandfather, Amamiya-kun," Niijima spoke up, catching Ren's attention. "While I may not agree with the methods that you used, I will admit that what you did was…chivalrous. I probably would've done something similar, if not worse, if I was your age. Especially if my sister was involved. However, even if you had good intentions, what you did was reckless and now you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. As your probation officer, it's my duty to ensure that your rehabilitation goes as smoothly as possible until the charges are lifted. As long as you behave yourself and don't cause any unnecessary trouble for me or your other guardian, the year should be over quickly and you'll return to your family. Do you understand?"

"…I understand, Niijima-san. I promise to not be a burden to you or my caretaker. And… Thanks for looking out for me," Ren said after a moment with a small smile on his face and, for a brief moment, he could've sworn he saw what might have been a faint smile on the woman's face as well, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

"Don't worry about it. I'm simply keeping a promise," Niijima said calmly as her vehicle slowed to a stop behind a delivery van. "We're here. Come on. Let's go meet your new guardian for the year."

With a nod, Ren followed the woman out of the vehicle and towards a nearby house that was surrounded by a fence. It was a two-story building that reminded him of one of those American apartments that he saw on television as a kid, but narrower. Shrugging to himself after staring at the place for a few moments, he turned his head towards his probation officer, growing curious when he noticed her looking at the speaker near the gate with an odd hint of…melancholy?

"Hmm… Looks like she's not going to answer. I was hoping to speak with her this time, but I suppose it's still too early," she muttered to herself, adding more to Ren's confusion, before she turned to him. "No one is available here at the moment, it seems. In that case, we are going to your guardian's workplace instead. It's around the corner here, so let's go."

Ren nodded mutely as he followed the woman towards their next destination, filing away her words in his mind while taking a look at his surroundings. The neighborhood felt so compact that it was almost suffocating to him, and he was surprised by all the different establishments that were so close to each other: A movie theater, a small grocery store, a batting cage (that he wanted to visit at some point), a pawn shop, and even a pharmacy. Rounding the corner near the pawn shop, Ren discovered even more establishments, including a café and bath house. It was a bit overwhelming to see so much in such a small place, but before he could think about it too much, Niijima stopped in front of the café and turned to him while gesturing to the building.

"This is Café Leblanc, your guardian's business and where he spends the majority of his time. Let's go in," she said before opening the door, the sounds of a ringing bell echoing in the establishment as Ren followed her inside.

The interior of the café looked quite nice in his opinion. It had an old school charm to it with the colors and design. The bar style setting was a nice touch and the booths actually look fairly comfortable and spacious. There was even a small television set on the far end of the restaurant that seemed to be set to the news, which made sense. To Ren, it looked like a nice, cozy little place for older people to come in and relax, and judging from the clientele, he wasn't far off the mark. There were only three people total not counting himself and Niijima: An elderly couple enjoying some coffee in a booth and an old man with slick black hair with a bald spot on the top of his head and a nice-looking black goatee, a pink shirt under a green apron and a pair of light brown khakis, sitting on a barstool with a crossword book in his hand. It was safe to assume that the old man was the one who was going to look after him, but wanted to confirm with Niijima first to make sure. He turned to her to ask, but paused when he noticed her staring at the television intensely. Curious, he turned his head to the set and blinked a couple times in quick succession when he heard what the news reporter was talking about.

{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!}

"We're working on it. People like him have no idea how much time and effort we're putting into stopping these crimes…" he heard the woman mutter darkly, and he swiftly decided it would be best to let her be for the moment. With that, he turned his attention to the other people in the room, specifically the man in pink. If that was the person who was going to take him in for the year, then it would be best to at least get to know him a bit. He just hoped the man wasn't as stern or harsh as Niijima was implying…

Ah, who am I kidding? Knowing Gramps, he probably set me up with someone as stubborn and hard-assed as he is. Ren thought wryly while shaking his head when he heard the man on the stool mumble to himself.

"Vertical is…the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…"

"It's oyster, Boss," Niijima's voice stated from right behind Ren, causing him to flinch slightly in surprise as the old man looked turned to her in confusion.

"Huh? Niijima-san? What are you doing…?" the man began before trailing off the moment he saw Ren, his mood dropping as well. "…Oh, right. You said it was today."

"I reminded you about it this morning, Boss. How can you forget about something like this so quickly?" Niijima questioned with a hand on her hip and a quirked eyebrow, her tone and body language making Ren think she was actually teasing him, much to his disbelief.

"Shut up. I'm old, cut me some slack," the man scoffed in a way that reminded Ren too much of his grandfather than he'd like.

It's like I'm watching a conversation between Aneki and Gramps. This is weird…

"We'll be going now. Payment's on the table," the elderly man from the booth said, snapping Ren out of his thoughts as he watched the elderly couple get up to leave and heard the man in pink thanking them. "This place is in the back alley, so there's no worries of a car crashing in here. We're quite grateful for that, you know…"

"A what now?" the man questioned, causing both Ren and Niijima to look at him oddly.

"Boss, have you not heard about the incidents that have been happening all over the city? The ones involving the mental shutdowns and such? It's been the only thing the news channels have been talking about for the longest time now," the silver-haired woman explained while Ren nodded along in agreement.

"She's right. There's been a string of those rampage accidents for quite some time. I just hope none of those happen here," the elder confirmed.

"Eh, it's none of my concern," the man responded in a nonchalant tone, much to Ren's surprise as he stepped away to let the elderly couple through before returning to his spot to see him adopt a more annoyed expression. "Geeze… Four hours for a single cup of joe…"

"Well, this is what happens when you go into food service, Boss. You don't get much work either, so I'd take whatever business I get if I were you," Niijima quipped with a hint of a smirk, her words and actions nearly caused Ren to do a double-take.

"Ah, who asked you?" the man scoffed before focusing his attention on Ren himself with a gaze of indifference. "So, you're the guy? Ren Amamiya, right?"

"That's me. Thanks for taking me in, sir," Ren confirmed before bowing to the man in respect.

"Uh-huh. At least you're polite," the man muttered before pointing to himself with his thumb. "I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody for the next year with Niijima-san here hounding over you every now and then."

"Did you have to say it like that, Boss…?"

"I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up. Wasn't expecting a demure-looking brat like you, but looks can be deceiving," Sakura continued, ignoring Niijima's complaint before rubbing the back of his neck in annoyance. "Have you been told? A customer of mine knows your family and—"

"He knows, Boss. His father and grandfather explained everything to him before arriving," Niijima said with Ren nodding again in agreement, the teen silently grateful for her interruption. He didn't really want to recall the talk he had about his arrangement any more than he had to.

It was one of the few times that he remembered his two closest relatives actually arguing with one another. His grandfather in particular was quite upset about it, but he did relent after learning who it was that recommended Sakura and doing a bit of digging regarding his past. The old man was oddly tight lipped about what he found, though, but Ren figured it wasn't really important for him to know at the moment.

Besides, if this guy was recommended by Uncle Shin, then it should be ok. Maybe I should check in on him at some point. I haven't seen him since… Since the accident happened, he thought with a frown before shaking his head. It wasn't the time to think about that now. Later, maybe, but not now…

"I see… Well, none of that matters now. Follow me," Sakura said gruffly as he walked towards the stairs with Ren and Niijima close behind, only for the two to pause the moment they reached the top.

The three of them found themselves in a very large…and very messy storage room. There was a thick layer of dust everywhere, even in the air, bags of trash and boxes scattered around, shelves and tables littered with books and bags that were probably filled with old coffee beans, old gasoline canisters, a heater, a possibly dead plant hiding in one corner of the room, an old couch at another end, and a shoddy excuse of a bed tucked away in the farthest corner. It was one of the dirtiest places that Ren had ever seen, right behind his father's workshop after a busy weekend, and he had a feeling it was going to be where he was living for the next year.

"I'll at least give you sheets for the bed," Sakura said, confirming Ren's suspicions and causing an eyebrow to twitch, which seemed to catch the man's attention if his expression was anything to go by. "You look like you wanna say something."

"Uh…"

"Boss, you can't honestly expect him to stay here! I know he has a criminal record, but this is too much! Look at this place!" Niijima spoke up in Ren's defense, much to his surprise.

"What, am I supposed to keep him in my place? There's no way I'm going to let a criminal sleep in the same building I'm in. Besides, the room's not that bad. He can get the majority of it clean in about a day," Sakura shrugged, which further irritated Niijima from what Ren could see.

"That is beyond the point! Amamiya-kun needs a stable environment to live in for the duration of his stay and this hardly qualifies as such!"

"Well in that case, just have him stay with you, then? If you think a punk like him deserves a better place, then why not the home of his probation officer?"

"I don't have the time nor the resources needed to watch over him. I'm swamped enough as it is. Besides, it's not my job to house him. I'm to simply check in on him to see if he's behaving at his grandfather's request. It is your job to give him proper housing for the duration of his probation, and from what I'm seeing, you're failing at it spectacularly."

"If I'm failing so badly at this, then go and find another place for the brat to live. No skin off my bones if I'm not watching over him."

Ren started to feel both uncomfortable and a bit annoyed as he watched the two grown adults argue about his living arrangement. While he felt bad for putting them in less than ideal positions, it was, admittedly, quite bothersome to hear them talk about him like a set of unwanted luggage from an airport. All he wanted to do was unwind a bit before starting his new life in the city, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen so easily. With a sigh to himself, he stuffed his annoyance aside and cleared his throat to get the adult's attention.

"Niijima-san. Sakura-san. It's fine. I don't mind living here. The room's not that bad, all things considered. It shouldn't take me too long to clean it all up, honestly. It actually looks a lot better than Dad's workshop back home. I'll be able to get things settled enough to get some rest tonight, at least," he said in hopes of placating the two.

"…I find it hard to believe a hobby shop owner's workshop is worse than this place, Amamiya-kun…" Niijima said in a deadpanned tone.

"I got before and after pictures of Dad's workshop during a busy weekend. Trust me, this is spotless by comparison," Ren countered with a deadpan of his own while pulling out his phone and waving it at her.

"Sounds to me like the kid's already used to dealing with places like this. Looks like things are set and stone now, Niijima-san," Sakura spoke up in a smug tone, getting an annoyed scoff from Niijima in response as the man turned to Ren. "I'll be leaving after I lock up each day. You'll be alone at night while in my custody, so don't do anything stupid while I'm not here. I'll toss you out and have Niijima-san here handle you on her own if you cause trouble, which I doubt she'd be happy with. Understand?"

"Not a problem, sir," Ren agreed easily.

"Good," Sakura sighed as he crossed his arms and stared at Ren more intensely. "I got the gist of your situation from our mutual acquaintance here. You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, and you ended up being sued. Right?"

"That's pretty much it, yeah," the teen shrugged nonchalantly, growing a little confused at Sakura's annoyed expression and Niijima covering her face with her hand while shaking her head.

"With that attitude, it's no wonder you got your ass hauled to the station. That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between adults," Sakura grumbled, prompting Ren to hum at him curiously with a quirked eyebrow. "You did injure him, yeah?"

"Um… Not really. You see—"

"And now that you got a criminal record, you got expelled from your old school and are banned from the private school you applied to before the incident," the café owner continued, much to both Ren and Niijima's annoyance. "The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your family approved. In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass."

"It was more of a reluctant approval on my family's part, actually. They hate it here. Considering it's where a lot of their close friends and relatives died, including my mom and step-mom, I don't exactly blame them," Ren admitted in a casual tone before growing confused at Sakura's stunned expression. "…Did I say something wrong?"

"…You just casually admit that your family has an extreme dislike towards your guardian's home city and said it was the place of your mothers' deaths. I think anyone would be shocked to hear something like that in such a flippant manner, Amamiya-kun," Niijima explained in a tired tone, as if she was expecting such a response from him.

Which…might actually be possible if his grandfather was as thorough as he usually was.

"Ah… Right… That might've done it. Sorry, Sakura-san," Ren apologized in a sheepish manner. He was well aware that his attitude towards certain things were more…blunt than most. His family didn't mind, considering they were more or less the same way, but other people always seemed to be put off with his casual outlook on more depressing topics.

"…You are one strange kid. Figures I'd get saddled with a nut," Sakura grumbled while scratching the back of his neck. "Listen, kid. It's best to not mention anything unnecessary while you're here. I'm in the restaurant business, you know. Don't cause any trouble for either of us for the year, alright? You do that, and your probation will be lifted."

"That's fine by me, sir. I won't cause any problem for you or Niijima-san. I promise," Ren assured them with a nod.

"Good. Now with that settled, take it easy up here for now. We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow to get things set up for you," Sakura said, causing Ren to look at him strangely before turning to Niijima.

"Shujin? Is that the name of the school you and Gramps set me up with after my transfer to Gekkoukan got nulled? That's where this uniform you sent me is from, right?" he asked while gesturing to his blazer and plaid pants.

"That's right. Shujin Academy is the prep school that the courts assigned you to be in for the duration of your probation. Be sure to wear that uniform tomorrow while we introduce you to the staff. I will be meeting both you and Boss over there and I will be bringing my little sister as well so that I can introduce the two of you. She's a third-year student there, the student council president to be exact, so she will be watching over you as well during school hours," Sae explained with a nod while Sakura let out a quiet chuckle.

"Hear that kid? You're going to be monitored wherever you go, so be sure to not cause any trouble," the man said with a small smirk before looking away with an annoyed expression. "But seriously, I have to spend an entire day hanging out with a delinquent, his stuffy warden and her kid sister in a school? What a waste of a Sunday…"

"You think you're the only one bothered by this? I have to go to work as soon as we finish getting Amamiya-kun situated in Shujin, maybe even earlier if my boss calls me in. If that happens, I'm going to need you to watch over Makoto and take her to the station if we don't meet up later," Niijima stated, getting an annoyed scoff out of Sakura in response.

"Seriously? Now I have to play babysitter for two brats? What a pain…" he grumbled before turning his attention back to Ren and gesturing to the box in the middle of the room. "Well, that's that, I guess This box here has all of your luggage. Have fun sorting everything out."

"Thanks, sir. I'll get right on that," Ren nodded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the man's dismissive tone.

"I have to get going as well. Makoto should be home by now and I promised to explain the situation to her as soon as I got back," Sae spoke up while looking at her watch before letting out a tired sigh. "Not to mention I have a lot of paperwork to do to make up for tomorrow's lost time. Looks like I'm in for another long night, again."

"I'll fix up a cup for you, then. You still have that thermos your sister got you in your car, right? Give me that and I'll fill it for you. It should help you focus for the night," Sakura offered, getting a grateful look from the tired prosecutor.

"I appreciate that, Boss. I'll take the house blend then, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

With those words said, the pair went to the stairs and left the attic, leaving Ren alone with his luggage, a multitude of things to clean, and his own thoughts.

"Shujin Academy… I still can't believe my new school is actually named that…" Ren muttered to himself as he went to his luggage and started shifting through it. "I mean, seriously, I know most people consider school to be a prison at times, but to go so far as to name an actual school 'Prison Academy' of all things? I know it's just a phonetic thing, but that's just messed up in so many ways. And with my situation the way it is, me attending that place is freaking god-level irony right there. Something tells me Mama Kotone is laughing her ass off up there at this with Mom. She always did have an odd sense of humor…"

With an exasperated sigh and shaking his head to keep from feeling too melancholic, Ren stuck a hand deeper into his luggage and started pulling out the things he was looking for; namely a bottle of disinfectant wipes and a feather duster. While most people would find it odd to find such things in their belongings, he knew exactly who would stuff such things in there and was quite grateful for their foresight.

"Heh, and Aniki said Sumi packing cleaning supplies with the rest of my stuff was a bad idea. Looks like she's got the last laugh this time," Ren muttered with a smirk as he stood up, looking around the room once more before tucking his supplies under his arms and cracked his knuckles.

"Alright, time to get to work."

Evening

-Unknown Apartment Complex-

Sae let off an exhausted sigh as she made her way towards the apartment she shared with her sister, a black thermos in one hand and her personal book bag in the other. It annoyed her that she had to pick up and drop off a kid just a year younger than her sister during one of her few days off, but thankfully it didn't turn out as bad as she feared. The young man, Ren Amamiya, seemed to be a relatively quiet and respectable individual, if a bit blunt in terms of his speech, just as his grandfather described. Smart as well if his school records were anything to go by, and the fact that he was aware of what her necklace signified and was at least somewhat knowledgeable of the specifics of her job seemed to solidify that. Were it not for his record, Sae was sure Amamiya would have become someone akin to his grandfather in the future with such intelligence.

A shame he not only inherited his grandfather's brains, but the family attitude as well. In fact, Amamiya is almost a carbon copy of his mother, right down to her penchant of helping others. At least he didn't share her fate in the end. I doubt his family would recover from losing another family member. His sister especially, considering last year's incident… the woman thought darkly as she climbed the stairway of the complex. She had to admit that she held a shred of respect towards Amamiya for doing what he could to help someone in need, but the methods he used was something she couldn't approve of at all.

His grandfather, on the other hand, seemed ok with how the boy handled things, much to her annoyance, and she couldn't help but recall the conversation she had with the old man a week ago. The one where she was asked to look after the child for the next year…

One week prior

"You want me to do what?!" Sae exclaimed into her phone, silently glad that Makoto was out at the moment so she wouldn't see her older sister freaking out in their own home.

[Sae-chan, please. I already told you about the situation multiple times now. Don't make me repeat myself again…] an elderly voice groaned from the other side of the device.

"I'm sorry, sir, but what you're asking me to do is not something that I can handle right now! I have my hands full already with my job and looking after Makoto and now you want me to take in a delinquent who couldn't keep his nose out of other people's business!?"

[I assure you that my grandson is not a delinquent. He was at the right place at the right time, but ended up dealing with the wrong people. I honestly commend him for what he did, but I'm afraid he is going to have to accept responsibility for his actions, no matter how unfair it seems.]

"You're actually commending someone who assaulted a man in the name of 'justice'? Sir, pardon my words, but you must be going senile if you're actually praising your grandson for something like this!"

[He has a good heart, Sae-chan. Just like his parents and my late wife. Even my granddaughter has the same heart as them despite not having our blood. In fact, if Kyosuke was still around, I'm sure he'd—]

"Don't you dare think about bringing my father into this, old man! I don't need to hear it!" Sae screamed, her temper finally reaching her boiling point, before realizing who she was talking to and tried to calm herself. "…Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to lose my cool like that. You know how I get when…"

[I understand, Sae-chan. I didn't mean to upset you by bringing Kyosuke up. I forget that he's still a sore spot for you and Ma-chan. I'm sorry…] the aged man's voice sounded much more tired than before, and Sae couldn't help but feel a little guilty for adding unnecessary stress to him. She still needed to get her point across, though, and stuffed that guilt aside for now to make it.

"Look, sir, I understand the situation your family is going through right now, but I just don't have the time nor the room to look after another person. My apartment is small enough as it is with just Makoto and myself. Adding an additional person now is—"

[Oh! My apologies again, Sae-chan, but it seems there's a bit of a misunderstanding. You're not going to take Ren in. You are to simply check in on him from time to time. He is going to be staying with someone else during his probation,] the old man interrupted, causing Sae to blink a couple times to process what she just heard.

"Excuse me?"

[My son-in-law just got an interesting proposal from…a friend of his and his late second wife. Apparently he was informed of what happened to Ren by my granddaughter and suggested that the owner of the café he frequents could take him in. I thought it was a horrid idea at first. I even scolded the both of them for suggesting it, but after doing a bit of digging, I relented and allowed Takuya to give the man the call. We already have the money ready to be wired to him within the next few days as well. All you need to do is pop in every so often to see how he's doing. That's it,] the elder explained, causing Sae to openly gape at his proposal.

"…Are you seriously going to allow your grandson to stay with a total stranger until his probation is over? Why don't you make the other person do it? It would make more sense for a family friend to take in Amamiya-kun than some random person off the streets?" Sae questioned with narrow eyes.

[Because the one who gave Takuya the suggestion to let the café owner watch over Ren was Shinichi, and you know very well why he wouldn't be able to take my grandson in…] the man said somberly, causing Sae to stiffen up in surprise. [We truly have no other choice, Sae-chan. If it was our decision, we would have kept our current arrangement and had both my grandkids live in Tatsumi Port Island and have the staff at Gekkoukan handle Ren's probation. Heck, even if he was barred from the dorms, he could've stayed with that odd baseball coach he's close to or even that clumsy therapist that helped the kids last year. The damn judge was adamant about sending him to Tokyo, however, and if I'm forced to send my flesh and blood over to that accursed city, then I want to make sure I have someone trustworthy to watch over him. I'm sorry to put you through this, Sae-chan, but we literally have no one else to turn to…]

"Sir…" Sae muttered as she listened to her mentor's desperate plea, her eyes downcast as she processed everything she heard. She was well aware that the situation his family was in was severe, but she had underestimated just how much of a toll it was on him. She knew better than most how difficult it was to deal with such painful moments, both as an observer and from personal experience. Despite her guilt and worry, however, she was still unsure on accepting his proposal or not. She was not lying when she said she was extraordinarily busy with her own duties…but she knew she couldn't leave the man alone in his time of need. He had done so much to help her get to where she was now, so it was only fair to return the favor to him. She owed him that, at least…

[If you truly can't do it, Sae-chan, then I understand. I can try and see if Shinichi could—]

"Alright… I'll be his probation officer," Sae interrupted, a hint of defeat in her town as she spoke before hearing the man let out a large sigh of relief.

[Thank you so much, Sae-chan. You have…no idea how much this means to me…]

"I think I have an inkling on that, sir," Sae said softly, a small smile on her face as she spoke before adopting a serious expression. "So, could you tell me who, exactly, has Takuya-san and Shinichi-san suggested to take your grandson in? I myself am a frequent visitor to some cafes, so there is a chance that I might know who you have to watch over Amamiya-kun."

[I was told that the café was called Leblanc. A bit of an odd name for a Japanese café, but then again, I'm not one to frequent such places these days…] the man answered, causing Sae's eyes to go wide for a moment before a small smile wormed its way onto her face.

"Leblanc, huh? You're in luck, sir. I happen to be quite familiar with the establishment myself. I'll meet up with the owner in a few days to discuss what's going to happen. The man is plenty capable of taking in your grandson and I'll do my best to watch over him when I have time," she assured with a firm nod as she heard her mentor sigh in relief.

[That's reassuring. And again, thank you so much for doing this for me, Sae-chan. You truly have my gratitude for this.]

"It's not a problem. I'm simply returning the favor."

To think that I've been pretty much guilt-tripped into this position… I suppose it isn't too bad of an arrangement, though. So long as Amamiya-kun behaves himself, everything should go smoothly, Sae thought as the memory of the conversation faded, pausing right in front of the door to her apartment. Although still a trifle bitter about her current situation with the young felon, at least he was willing to go through the process without much fuss. She just hoped nothing would happen that would mess everything up.

As much as she considered Tokyo her home, she will concede that Amamiya's family had a point with how dangerous it is. Especially with the mental shutdowns. Just another incentive to solve the string of cases…

"Makoto? I'm home!" Sae called out as she entered her home. It was a modest one, she had to admit, but it had all the necessities she and her sister needed for a comfortable life at the moment. Good furniture, a flat-screen tv mounted on the wall, comfortable beds, the works. It took a considerable amount of time and effort to get everything, but it was worth it in the end.

Now if only she had the time to actually enjoy the commodities she got for herself and her sister…

"In the kitchen, Sis! I was just finishing up my homework for the night!" A familiar voice answered, causing the prosecutor to smile slightly in pride at the sounds of her sister working diligently on her studies. Removing her shoes and putting on a set of slippers nearby, she made her way to the kitchen, finding the other resident of her home working away with a textbook on the table.

The young brunette sitting in the kitchen was only slightly older than Sae's charge by a few months, her auburn eyes focused solely on her school work, and was still dressed in her school uniform: a white turtleneck, black halter vest, brown stockings and her signature brown headband. Allowing herself to relax a little, the woman set her bag on the sofa nearby and pulled out her laptop from it before making her way to the table with her sister, who smiled brightly at her arrival.

"Hey, Sis. How did everything go?" Makoto asked.

"Honestly, not that bad, all things considered," Sae admitted as she took a drink from her thermos and turned on her laptop. "Amamiya-kun is situated at his new home now and plans have been made to take him to Shujin tomorrow to get him acquainted with the staff there. I'll be going over there before leaving for work. I am also planning on bringing you with me so that the two of you could get acquainted with each other early on. That shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"

"Not at all. I don't have any plans tomorrow and I'm more or less done with my homework now, so I have plenty of time to help you out," Makoto assured as she closed her textbook, prompting Sae to nod in approval before noticing the brunette's expression becoming pensive. "Um… Speaking of Amamiya-kun… Is it ok for me to ask what kind of person he is?"

"...Why do you want to know?" she questioned as she opened her laptop.

"Well, you told me you were going to look after him as a favor for your and Dad's old mentor. And I remember you saying that he has a record for an assault charge. I was…simply curious as to what kind of person he is. Do I need to be careful when I'm near him or have extra pepper spray on hand in case he lashes out?" Makoto asked nervously, causing Sae to look at her with a bewildered expression before allowing herself to chuckle.

"No… No, you don't have to worry about him in that way. If anything it's you he should worry about, especially considering your skills in self-defense," she assured after taking a moment to enjoy the look of surprise on her sister's face. "I've talked to Amamiya-kun about his arrest and what it meant for him during his time here. While he is upset about having to be away from his family, it's plain to see that he doesn't regret what he did. At least not fully. What he did was foolish and cost him his future for the most part, but I will concede that he has a good heart and a strong moral compass, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to help a woman from being assaulted. Hopefully he'll learn to reign in that reckless attitude he shares with his family during his time here. It's what got him in this situation in the first place…"

"Oh… So… He's actually a good person?" Makoto pressed, obviously growing more curious about Amamiya.

"From what I gather, yes. Intelligent as well if his school records are anything to go by and he knows when to be polite. He is, however, a bit blunt with his words, so don't be too offended by what he says," Sae confirmed as she recalled a little tidbit about Amamiya's current lifestyle and chuckled once more. "Although right now he's probably more annoyed than anything thanks to his current living arrangement. Not that I blame him."

"...What do you mean, Sis?" Makoto asked slowly.

"Well, if I were forced to stay in the attic of an old coffee shop that looked more akin to an abandoned storage shed than anything, I'd be pretty unhappy as well," Sae said evenly as she began typing away on her laptop, the screen hiding the small smirk on her face when she noticed her sister staring back at her incredulously.

"He's staying where now?"

-Leblanc Attic-

"Alright, got as much done as I could for tonight. Hopefully I have enough time to finish the rest of the room soon," Ren muttered to himself as he wiped the sweat off his brow and surveyed his work.

Having traded his uniform for a plain white shirt and a pair of blue jeans, the young 'criminal' spent the entire afternoon getting the attic as clean as he could get it to be. Dusting the windows, disinfecting the table and couch, moving his box to an empty spot at the coffee shelf, sprucing up the bed to make it more comfortable, and even giving the floor a good sweep and mop after finding the supplies hiding in the room. Sure the work desk and second shelf were still covered in dusty books and the corner with the plant was filled with junk, but all in all, it looked much better than it did initially, and Ren couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction for a job well done in his eyes.

"What the heck?" a gruff voice spoke up from behind Ren, causing him to turn to see Sakura standing by the stairway and looking at him in surprise. "I heard you making all sorts of noise up here, but I wasn't expecting you to actually be cleaning."

"I did say that my father's workshop was messier than this, remember? Having to clean it up was one of his favorite forms of punishment whenever my sister and I get in trouble, so I'm used to cleaning up places like this. Helps that said sister packed me a good amount of disinfecting wipes just in case," Ren explained while holding the yellow bottle.

"Really? Well that's interesting to know," Sakura mused as he looked around the room, nodding in approval. "Gotta admit, this place doesn't look too bad now. Old place actually looks somewhat livable now. Though it's only natural that you'd keep your room clean."

"Tell that to my Dad. His room is just as bad as his workshop sometimes, if not worse. It nearly gives Sumi a breakdown every time she sees it, since she's a bit of a neat freak…" Ren said while shaking his head, a wistful expression appearing on his face.

"I'll take your word for it, then," Sakura muttered while shaking his head. "Well, it's getting late. Why don't you head off to bed? You don't have anything better to do, after all. I'm going to close up shop and go home myself. And don't stay up too late, either. I'm not going to stick around and nurse you back to health if you get sick or something like that."

"Not a problem, Sakura-san. You have a good night," Ren said with a nod, Sakura grunting in response before leaving the attic. As soon as he heard the faint sounds of the building's bell, the teen made his way to his luggage and pulled out a plain black shirt and a pair of sweatpants, his typical sleepwear. He was honestly quite tired and was looking forward to getting some actual sleep. With all the stress that had been piling up lately and the hours of cleaning he had just done, he was exhausted in more ways than one. He had just finished changing his clothes when he heard his phone go off from a nearby table, and picked it up to see that his probation officer had just sent him a message.

[Niijima: Amamiya-kun. I hope you're doing well. I assume that you managed to get that hovel of an attic to be at least somewhat comfortable. Makoto and I will see both of you and Boss bright and early over at Shujin tomorrow. Have a good night.]

Ren couldn't help but smile slightly at the message while shaking his head. Although it was curt, he could tell that Niijima was at least trying to show that she cared enough to take her job seriously. It brought a bit of comfort knowing that his grandfather got someone reliable enough to check in on him, but he'd prefer someone that wasn't so uptight. Same with Sakura, if he was to be honest, but he could get used to them soon enough. Heck, they might even lighten up on him as time went off if he was lucky. Nodding to himself, the then made his way to the bed while sending goodnight messages to his family and set both it and his glasses on the floor near his bed before laying down.

Arrest… Trial… Criminal record… he thought, reflecting on everything that has happened to him so far as the sounds of drunken yells and police sirens echoed in his mind. As crappy as things are now, I just couldn't leave that woman alone with that drunk. It would've gone against everything Dad and Gramps taught me and Sumi growing up. Still… The guy I was dealing with was on a whole other level. Even Gramps' connections couldn't do anything for me. Seriously, what kind guy has so much power that he can call the police his bitches?

Sighing in frustration, Ren turned to his side in an attempt to get to sleep when he heard his phone go off again. Thinking it was his father or sister, he picked it up from the floor to answer when his eyes went wide at the sight of a certain icon returning on his phone.

What the hell? I thought I got rid of this thing…! he thought as he stared at the ominous looking red app. He had actually forgotten what happened in Shibuya for a moment, but the second he saw the familiar icon everything came back. He still wasn't sure if what he saw was real or his mind playing tricks on him, but he wasn't going to take any chances…

"This is creepy," he mumbled as he deleted the app again, his eyelids growing heavy as sleep to overtake him. As soon as he set his phone down, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to finally succumb to a hopefully restful sleep.

He had a long day tomorrow, after all, and he needed all the energy he could get to get through it.

?/?/?/?

"My, my. You've met with an interesting fate, haven't you?"

"Huh? What was that?" Ren said as his eyes flew open, the sounds of an unknown voice waking him, only to be greeted by the inside of a prison cell and the sight of blue.

Lots of blue.

Blue walls, blue ceiling, blue brick floor, even the chains he found dangling above him had a blue tint to it. Disturbed by this, and the copious amount of blue giving him a headache, Ren sat himself up on the cot he was suddenly on and held his head to try and alleviate the incoming migraine he believed he was getting. After letting off a few deep breaths, he looked down at himself to see that he was still in his sleep clothes. For some reason, he had a feeling that he was supposed to be in trademark prison wear, with black and white striped shirt and pants, shackles on his arms and even an old school ball and chain attached to his leg. He had no idea what was going on, and wondered if he was in some sort of nightmare when the sounds of giggling reached his ears.

He turned his head to the source of the noise; a large prison door with chains wrapped around it, and was surprised to see not one, but two similar looking, individuals appearing on either side of the sealed exit. The pair of young platinum blonde, near silver haired girls wore very similar clothing; blue prison guard outfits with matching black ties, hats and even odd eyepatches with the English letter V on it, but had enough differences to tell them apart; the one on his right had the letters X.M.R.N on her hat, had her hair in a bun, and had her eyepatch on her right eye, while the left one had the letters O.Y.O.O on her hat, her hair in a braid, and her eyepatch covering her left eye. Thoroughly confused, Ren got up from the cot and walked slowly to the door, a hand reaching out to it, but stepped back when the door suddenly opened inwards, nearly hitting him. He paused, looking at the chained door in confusion, then at the two mysterious girls before him, who were standing side by side with one other. The two nodded, which Ren assumed it meant to come out, and slowly walked out of the cell he was sealed in. As soon as he left the room, the pair split apart to either side of him, and the young man was greeted by a very unexpected sight.

There, right in the middle of the room, sitting behind a large table in what looked like a comfortable chair, was the strangest looking man Ren had ever seen. He was old and balding, with what little hair remaining on the back of his head and as white as snow. His eyes were large and bloodshot and had the largest grin on his face. He was dressed nicely too, wearing an elegant black suit with a pair of white gloves, giving him a bit of a refined look if it wasn't for the fact that he had some shackles and chains around his wrists and ankles. The most distinguished feature on the man's face, though, was definitely his nose. If Ren had to compare that monstrous, beak-shaped nose to anything, it would have to be a tengu. Those mythical things always had the largest noses whenever he saw illustrations of them in manga, but he wasn't expecting to see something similar to that in his life. Let alone in a dream. He couldn't help but stare as the old man was about to speak. Considering the man's appearance, he was expecting him to sound dark and imposing, as if he were a warden that was going to sentence him to death.

Instead, he was greeted by the sound of what he would eventually see as one of the friendliest old men he had the pleasure to meet.

"Ah, hello, young Trickster. Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Author's Note

Welcome back, everyone, to The Trickster's Trials. A little surprised to see it updated like this, eh? My apologies for making you lot wait so long. I've been very busy with my own things both IRL and with other fics that I haven't been able to work on this project as much as I used to. Hopefully I will be able to get back to revising Trials here along with finishing my BNHA fics. It will be a long while for me to accomplish both, but I will do my best.

As you all might have noticed, this chapter has been more or less reworked since it's initial version. You can thank P5R for that and giving me a bit of a drive in reviving this old project of mine. Hopefully as more info comes out, the more ideas that I might be able to implement here. Heck, P5R has already given me ways on how to incorporate an idea involving Ren that I was hoping to implement in the original draft, and there will be more to come. Once again, I apologize for making you all wait so long here, but hopefully, I will be able to bring out more chapters within the next couple weeks. Just give me some time and I will do my best to deliver. As always, thank you all so much for reading my works. I wish you all a wonderful day and I will see you in the next update

Until then, Tricksters, farewell.