After class, Ren parted ways with his teammates, who all had their own preparations. He headed directly to the school library. All things considered, the school library wasn't the best place to start, the chances of it having the books he was looking for were minimal, but it was worth stopping by at least once to check what kind of things they had in stock. Once he had more free time he'd start going to the other libraries around the city.
Entering for the first time, he was greeted by a small library, just as he'd expected. Thankfully, it was relatively empty. Most students had left the school for the day, so it only left a few students who were getting ready to leave, and one singular brown-haired student who appeared to be engrossed in the book she was studying from. Not only that, but she also had a massive pile of different books around her, all on different subjects.
Ren approached her, tapping her shoulder gently. She was startled, flinching slightly as she turned around.
"Do you need help with something?" She asked him.
"Yeah, sorry for interrupting you." Ren answered, flashing her a friendly smile. "This is my first time in the library, so I am a bit lost. I need to find a few books, but I don't really know where to start, or if they would even be here. And well, you seem like an expert." He added, gesturing to the books around her.
With a nod, she stood up, leading him to the librarian's desk only to find it unattended.
"Hm…" She mused, walking behind the counter and turning on the computer. "I guess she's gone for the day. But I know how to operate it, what kind of book are you looking for?"
"Anything about psychology or cognition." Ren answered. "Or well, even anything along those lines."
"Psychology?" The girl echoed, raising an eyebrow curiously. "I actually do know we have a couple of those around here, what do you need them for?" She asked, leaving the computer and walking through the library to a specific shelf, her hand tracing over a few books before pulling one of them out to give to him.
"It's something that's always interested me, now more than ever." Ren answered, grabbing the book and examining it. Then, suddenly realizing he didn't even know who he was talking to, he gave her a charming smile "Oh, sorry, I almost forgot, my name is Ren Amamiya. What's yours?"
The girl in front of him flinched slightly as she heard his name, probably thinking about all of the rumors going on around the school about him. But after a moment, she hid away the hesitation.
"Makoto Nijima, student council president." She introduced herself, speaking a bit more robotically now. "I… I'm sorry for what happened to you. No student deserves to be attacked by a teacher. I wish you would have come to me for help, so that we could have confronted him together. If you need anything, just remember that the student council is here for you."
Ren opened his mouth to answer, but he stopped himself.
It probably wouldn't do well to remind the girl in front of him that the fact that Kamoshida was beating students was an open secret. So instead he redirected his words to something else.
"Well, I'm not sure if you would be able to, but since you are offering… would you mind helping me with these books? I am looking for some few specific things, and going through them myself might take a long time, or I might miss something if I rush through them. To be honest, I'm not used to researching from books, and well…" He trailed off, glancing back at the stack of books on her desk. "You seem to know your way around them."
Nijima hesitated for a moment, glancing back between her desk and him before nodding.
"I have to keep up with my studies, but well, in a way this also counts as studying." She answered him, grabbing a few more books from the shelf before walking with him back to her desk. "At the very least, it'll be good to get an early start on it."
"An early start?" Ren asked. "Are you also planning on becoming a psychologist in the future?"
Nijima looked slightly embarrassed at the question before shaking her head.
"No, I want to become a detective." She finally answered, standing just a bit straighter. "My dad used to be a police officer, so I have always been interested in law enforcement." She added, letting out a dejected sigh before continuing. "But well, depending on how things go, I might end up becoming a prosecutor, like my sister."
"A detective, eh?" Ren echoed, picking up on how she'd deflated slightly at the mention of becoming a prosecutor. Then, he stopped for a moment, locking eyes with the girl.
She looked as if she'd been caught off guard by how intensely he was looking at her.
"What?" She asked him with a slight blush. "Did I say something weird?"
"No, it's nothing." Ren answered her, giving her a nod and an encouraging smile. "I was just trying to picture you as a cop, and I think you'd be a good one. Call it a gut feeling."
With that said, he opened his first book trying to look at the appendix for information. Though out of the corner of his eye, he could see the girl smiling and blushing slightly at his words. But it was obvious she was trying to hide it.
"What are you looking for?" She asked him, opening another of the books she'd grabbed. "I don't mind staying a bit later too."
He explained to her the basics, even if he wasn't entirely sure of what he was looking for himself. Sure, it complicated things, but as always, you had to start somewhere. Then, the two of them began reading through their own books.
As they spoke, Ren noticed just how truly awkward the girl in front of him was. Sure, she hid it well, but he could tell that she wasn't entirely used to having long conversations with others. Judging by how he'd found her, it wasn't hard to guess that she probably spent most of her free time studying instead of going out with friends.
Then there was the other thing, she really wanted to be the smartest in the room. Either that, or she wanted to make sure he felt she was the most reliable person in the world. There was a thin line, but there was a difference.
Perhaps he should have focused more on studying and combing through the books, but he couldn't help but have some fun teasing Nijima. He'd give her a compliment after she found something in the books, and she'd get increasingly flustered. It was only after they'd spent a while together in the library that he felt the familiar sensation of forming a bond with someone.
He couldn't quite see the thread binding the two of them together, but he knew it was there now.
Without noticing, the two of them stayed so long in the library that one of the teachers, who had been doing their rounds before leaving caught them and promptly kicked them out. Yet, Nijima made sure to grab a few books to take home to keep on reading. It was funny, he was about to do the same, but she'd stopped him because he could only borrow one at a time according to the school's policy.
For a moment, he wondered whether she'd be a good addition to the team. It would be nice to have someone smart who he could work with to understand that world. Not that his other teammates were stupid, but they didn't have that same spark as the girl he'd met today.
Still, after thinking about it for some time, he couldn't help but sigh.
He doubted she'd be able to keep the secret. Hell, she might just go directly to the police and hand them the keys to the Metaverse if they brought her in. She was a bit too dedicated to following the rules. Hell, from their time in the library, he could tell that she was even a slight pushover. Well, as long as the person pushing her around was someone with authority.
Like he'd suspected, she'd known about Kamoshida, and though she mentioned wanting to step in to help the students, she'd been stopped by the principal. A principal who'd told her that he would get everything sorted, and that's where it ended.
No, she wasn't the right fit.
Stepping off from the train, he walked out into the vibrant heart of Shinjuku. He'd seen some pictures, but it was only now that he was walking in person that he could really feel the energy around him. There was neon everywhere, and the streets were filled with glowing signs and energetic crowds. He could even smell the cigarettes and alcohol in the air.
Now, where would that fortune teller be?
Wandering around the streets, he'd had to avoid a few people trying to wave him over to enter their "establishments." Maybe they wouldn't have if he'd worn his uniform, but Ren knew better than to come to a place like this with something so identifiable. Especially before he got a proper read of the area.
It was as he walked around that he saw a man walking up to him, a man wearing a black jacket and a face mask.
"Hey!" The man greeted him in a friendly tone as he stepped to his side. "Are you interested in getting a part time job? Let me tell ya, we pay quite well, and the job is really simple. All we need is a few minutes of your time."
As he spoke, the man next to him pulled out a stack of cash, waving it around like it was some big enticement. Which, to be fair, for most people it was. Hell, even he himself was broke at the moment.
"Ah, I can see you are interested." The man spoke up with a chuckle. "You could have this stack as your sign in bonus. And then we can pay you more money like this after every job, what do you say, kid?"
"Lemme guess, all I got to do is deliver a small package?" Ren asked the man, earning himself a chuckle and a few pats on the back from the man.
"Oh, you've done this before? That's weird, I don't recognize you from our people." The man asked, clearly fishing for information without asking him directly.
"I haven't." Ren answered, not even looking at the man as he continued searching for the fortune teller. "I'm not interested."
"Sheesh, if you say so." The man shrugged, keeping his friendly tone. "But we are looking to expand our business. A younger guy like you would be perfect for what we need. So if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."
The man slowed down, letting him walk away before going back on the prowl. Something for which Ren couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. He'd been surrounded by people like him in the past, so he knew exactly what the catch on that "too good to be true" deal was.
They'd give him some money to hook him, and once he delivered said package, they would take photos of him. It was then that they would reel him in and trap him in their net. They would use the photos as blackmail to force him to deliver for them for free, risking his neck and his future should the cops catch him mid delivery.
After all, the package he would be delivering would almost definitely be drugs, or something equally illegal.
Glancing back, he saw the man approaching another two younger looking men. Wait, he recognized them, vaguely. They were some of the students who were in the volleyball team that he'd tried to approach for information. Judging by the curious looks in their eyes as the man pulled out the stack of cash and offered it to them, Ren couldn't help but shake his head.
If they fell for it, then they deserved it.
Not long after parting ways with the shady salesman he found the fortune teller he had been looking for. She was a younger woman with a small table set up in one of the quieter corners of the district. She had bright purple eyes and long blonde hair adorned by a navy blue headband.
Waiting for his turn, he eventually sat down on the chair in front of her, offering her a smile.
"Welcome. Is this your first time getting a reading? I don't usually get younger people at my table" The woman asked him with a soft smile. "My name is Chihaya Mifune, and I will be reading your fortune today."
She pulled out a stack of cards from underneath the table, shuffling them in her hands. Ren introduced himself, looking down at the cards before speaking up.
"Actually, in addition to the reading, I was actually hoping I could learn a bit more from you."
"Ah, you want to sign up for my tarot classes?" Mifune asked him excitedly as she placed the cards down, her eyes were practically sparkling at the prospect. "It's been a while since I've had a chance to teach anyone. I'd be honored to teach you. However, do keep in mind that the lessons take some time, and that they do cost extra."
"That should be fine." Ren answered her with a nod. "I saw the prices online, so I brought enough for both of them, at least for today."
"That's great!" Chihaya's smile brightened as she cleared her throat. "Alright then, no time to waste, let's begin."
She took a deep breath, her excited eyes shining slightly as she reached for the stack of cards on the table.
"Oh divine power, bring forth this boy's fortune!" She exclaimed in a theatrical manner as she grabbed the top card and flipped it down on the center of the table. "The Reversed Death."
She paused, her finger tracing along the card for a moment before continuing.
"This card shows your past.This card signifies change, unfinished business, or a forced transition." She explained. "You must have recently experienced some major transformation in your life. The end of an era, and the beginning of another… But you experienced this change reluctantly, didn't you?"
Ren's eyes widened at her words. She was right. If he were being honest, he wasn't sure what to expect when he'd come all the way here, but now he couldn't help but look at the next card. Mifune must have noticed his anticipation, because rather than wait for his answer she flipped the next card.
"The Fool represents your present." Chihaya announced, nodding her head in approval as if it were exactly what she'd been expecting. "With the change brought about by the Reversed Death, you are now a blank slate. A man full of potential, yet blind to the path you must now walk."
Fool.
Igor had referred to him as such before. It was only now that he looked at the card in front of him that he finally understood him.
"As for your future…" Mifune continued, reaching for the final card and placing it down. "The Reversed Hanged Man."
She closed her eyes as she processed the cards before nodding and looking back at him.
"This card is not about ending your life, but rather, starting it." She explained with a soft smile. "The Hanged Man is a card which encourages you to slow down, to surrender and take a moment to reflect on what is around you. To try to see things from a different perspective. However, when it is reversed, it indicates that you are not giving yourself the time to rest and reflect. That your mind and body are begging you to slow down, but your mind keeps on racing."
She paused, her hand gently reaching for the card and picking it up as she analyzed it.
"You will have to make a choice soon. A choice that will forever change the course of your life." Chihaya spoke, her voice sounding far colder and robotic than the excited reading she'd been giving him. "This is not a choice you should make, but rather give into the hands of another. Or else…"
Chihaya suddenly flinched, losing her concentration and snapping out of the strange daze she'd found herself in. She even accidentally hit the stack of tarot cards with her elbow, causing the cards to spill over.
"I'm sorry, that's all I can see." She muttered, shaking her head to try to regain her focus before quickly picking up the cards she'd spilled. Strangely, only one of the cards had flipped over. "The Reversed Justice?" She asked herself before shaking her head once more and cleaning up the rest of the cards.
Ren wanted to ask what the sudden ominous tone was about, but before he could he was interrupted by the fortune teller's bright smile.
"Are you ready to start your first lesson?" She asked him. "I have a few different things we could start with. But if you have something you are particularly interested in, we could start there. Do you have anything in mind?"
He opened his mouth a few times to ask her about her reading of his future, but he couldn't find the right words. In the end, as he tried to piece together what to make of the reading, his attention was caught by a strange, almost ethereal butterfly.
It fluttered for a moment, landing on the Fool card in the center of the table. Its wings lazily beat for a moment before fluttering away once more.
"The Fool's Journey." Ren finally answered her, remembering one of the things he'd found on the internet before coming here. "Could you teach me about that?"
~Confidants~
Ren Amamiya/???????? (The Jester) Rank 1
Makoto Nijima (The Priestess) Rank 1
Chihaya Mifune (The Wheel of Fortune) Rank 1