Born in a different country, Mikono Tsutsui encounters difficulties when she moves to Japan with her parents. She becomes the target of rumors, but refuses to let them poison her mind. Eventually, she meets Ryuji and becomes close friends with him...
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Hunched over with his hands resting on his knees, Ryuji panted and gasped for air. Akira placed his hands on his hips as he tried to catch his breath. Mikono places a hand over her racing heart, waiting for it to calm down. Morgana was slumped against the ground in an attempt to bring air back into its lungs from the long sprint.
Once they all had calmed down and caught their breath, Ryuji was the first to break the silence. "Anyways!" He returned to his full stature and turned to the others while gesturing to his new outfit. "I don't remember changin' into this!"
"You look like a thug," Akira spoke honestly.
Mikono promptly covered her mouth and nose with a hand when an unattractive snort slipped from her nose after laughing at the comment. She cleared her throat when she saw Akira smiling and Ryuji frowning at her. "H-Hey, don't laugh! I-It's much better than his magician-lookin' one!" The blonde retorts.
"Sorry," Mikono said, smiling. "I couldn't help myself. I think you both look amazing. The outfits suit you both so well." Both boys began to blush, looking away from the smiling girl.
Their gazes soon landed on the locked front doors of the castle when they heard the sound of armor 'clanking' and a voice shouting, "Did you find them?!"
"Quiet!" Morgana hissed.
"No," another voice responded to the first. "Search that way!"
When the voices faded, Ryuji glanced down at Morgana with a puzzled expression. "So what's goin' on? I'm completely lost, man!"
"I told you before," Morgana huffed. "When a Persona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. It's to prevent you from being affected by distortions."
Mikono looked down at her own body. "How come I haven't been affected by distortions yet?"
"Effects only begin to show after long exposure to this place. You'll be fine, Lady Mikono."
"I see..."
Ryuji lifted his hands, tracing his fingers across the edges of his mask. "Is this...a skull?"
"Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within," Morgana informed. "...Not that you'll get it."
The boy hung his head with a heavy sigh. "Nope..."
"Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is."
With a pout, the student crossed his arms. "Easy for you to say." Then, he gasps dramatically before yelling, "Wait, we're in deep shit!"
Morgana, once again, yelled in a hushed tone with a sharp glare directed at the blonde. "I said to be quiet!"
"We might've gotten away here, but we're still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school," Ryuji commented just above a whisper.
