Life Will Change (Ryuji x Akira AU)

Chapter 10 - I'm not a robot A.I. Challenging You

Akira's POV

Kamoshida's been pretty dang pissed for quite some time lately. Probably cause he's found he can't break Ryuji anymore. He's tried everything he can but, it's not happening. Heh, take that you jerk.

He's also tried picking on me along with Ryuji, a challenge to which I gladly accept. I was already doing everything with Ryuji anyhow, not much more Kamoshida can really do.

"I just wish there were something more we could do, you know? At this rate I'm worried he might move on to someone else, and then..." Ryuji trails off, but I know what he means.

"Ryu, listen, like I've told you, you've been the target for too long already. You need a break," I tell him.

"I know, but you can't expect me to just let him hurt someone else if I can stop him."

"Yeah, which is why we need to figure out a way to break him ourselves. Kamoshida's the main culprit of the corruption at this school, at least to our knowledge, correct? So if we get rid of him, you won't even need to worry about it."

"But how are we gonna stop someone like Kamoshida? The bastard's practically worshipped around here."

"You got a point there, but sitting around worrying about it isn't gonna help anyone. We'll figure it out."

"I just hope we do soon, before he really does move on to anyone else," damn this selfless idiot. That's the thing about him. He's only able to worry about the wellbeing of others. Yet every time I see him worry, I can't help but smile, and feel glad that I love him. I guess all I can do is hope that he always stays close enough for me to reach him.

It's been... two weeks almost since our first date, and ever since then he's been so happy. So free. He's been himself. In fact, he's so happy that at this point people aren't really bothering him anymore. They can't hurt him anymore, which is good. I'm so happy for him.

After school, we head to the arcade to play a few games. What we don't expect to see, however, is our screen taken over while we're playing. My phone gets a weird text from someone who calls themselves "Alibaba".

"You two... I want to recruit you for something," they say.

"The hell is this?" Ryuji asks.

"But first I must test you... so let's play a game. I warn you, however, I will not be as easy to beat as those robot A.I.s in your games. No, I have a very different game planned for you two," Alibaba tells us.

"Uh, Aki, what's going on?" Ryuji asks, and I look around to see... everyone disappeared.

"Where did they all... alright, Alibaba, what do you want?" I ask.

"Go outside." Alibaba directs.

Once we get out there, we find everything has changed.

"What the hell's going on?" Ryuji asks.

It looks like we've entered some kind of medieval war zone.

"Welcome to the Metaverse," Alibaba says... and then the number is lost, like it never existed.

"We gotta be dreaming, right? There's no way in hell any of this bullshit is for real," Ryuji says.

"Don't panic Ryu, we'll be okay. We gotta think," I tell him.

"Alright, well first let's think about hiding, I don't like the look of those guys over there!" Approaching us are what look like knights.

"Hey, over here!" An unknown voice calls us.

"That came from that alley over there, right? Come on, Aki!" I follow Ryuji to where the voice came from, only no one's there. No one besides... a cat?

"Good, you guys aren't as stupid as I thought," the voice again.

"No way, that cat can't be... talking can it?" Ryuji asks.

"Look around you! Is a talking cat really that strange?" The cat says. "If you're done asking stupid questions then listen, and listen well,

"We're in the Metaverse right now, a cognitive world," the cat goes on to explain all the complicated details of the world. Ryuji seems like he has a tough time grasping it, but I think I sort of get it. Maybe Makoto's rubbed off on me, despite our differences. Although we haven't really done much of anything together after that date with Ryuji.

"Alright, so then what should we do now that we're here?" I ask it.

"Just follow my lead. You were sent here by the phantom thief Alibaba, right?" It says.

"Phantom thief? I guess Alibaba did start talking to us before this happened but what's a phantom thief?" I ask. The cat sighs.

"I'll explain later, we need to leave for now the guards are coming," it says. A couple of knights are almost at the alley we're hiding in.

"We need go get to a safe room. Let's see... aha, looks like there's one over there! Come one!" We enter a building, one that actually looks like a pretty normal one unlike all the others, and find ourselves in a pretty standard home.

"We should be safe here," the cat says.

"Why didn't you get us here before you started explaining everything earlier?" Ryuji asks.

"Uh, well because... shut up! I'm not used to having to deal with new members alright! I wouldn't even be doing this if it wasn't for Futa-I mean Alibaba's insistence," the cat says.

"Alright, enough. Just explain everything to us, at the very least how to get out of here," I say. And so the cat explains everything. And what a story it is.