The deal that never happened

The four of us came to a halt on the drawbridge. The sky was a black marble expanse, moonless and glaring down at us as we caught our breath. I watched Ryuji pant heavily.

"You doing okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just gimme a sec," Ryuji assured as he managed to catch his breath before standing up straight and looking at me with a curious expression, "Anyways! I don't remember changing into this!"

"You look like a thug," I admitted with a small teasing grin.

Ryuji stared at me, offended.

"What the hell!? It's much better than your magician looking one!" he argued.

"Better a cheap magician than some total pirate reject." said "Ann".

"Did you find them!?" a voice from inside the castle shouted, making us go silent in surprise.

"Quiet!" Morgana whispered, gesturing with his hand to tell us to keep it down.

"No. Search that way!" said another voice.

"So what's going on? I'm completely lost, man!" Ryuji said in confusion after we heard the sound of footsteps fading.

"I told you before. 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." Morgana explained as Ryuji brought his hand to his face to feel his mask.

"Is this a skull?" Ryuji asked in confusion.

"Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within," Morgana said with a nod. "Not that you'll get it."

"Nope." Ryuji confirmed with his head dropping in shame.

"Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is," the cat stated with a glare, annoyed at the blonde's attitude and ignorance.

"Easy for you to say." Ryuji grumbled before letting out a gasp in shock. "Wait, we're in deep shit!"

"I said to be quiet!" Morgana hissed while Ryuji, "Ann" and I turned to each other.

"We might've gotten away here but we're still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school." Ryuji explained, looking extremely worried.

"That's sharp of you, for being an idiot," Morgana "complimented", missing the look of panic from me, before continuing, "Relax, the Kamoshida in reality can't possibly know about what happens here. A shadow is the true self that is suppressed, a side of one's personality they don't want to see."

"So we're okay?" Ryuji asked with a hint of hope in his voice.

"Did the Kamoshida in reality remember about the execution?" Morgana asked, making us go wide as we remembered that... No, the real Kamoshida didn't say anything about the last time we were in the castle. "There you have it. What I don't understand is why Kamoshida's cognition of Ann turned on him."

"Kamoshida knows I fucked Ann." I said.

"So explains it. I can see how that might change his cognition of her."

"So what do we do with her?" asked Ryuji.

"I wanna have sex with her so can she be taken to the real world?" I asked.

"I don't know," said Morgana. "Nobody has tried to taking a cognition of someone from a Palace into the real world before. She might vanish the moment she steps outside."

"Alright! Now that we know that, all we gotta do is-" said Ryuji.

"Wait, I guided you as promised. It's your turn to cooperate with me," Morgana interrupted, getting nothing but confused from us and getting irritated as a result. "That's why I was super nice about teaching you idiots everything."

"Huh? Cooperate?" Ryuji repeated in confusion.

"Don't you remember? I originally came here for an investigation. I need to erase the distortion from my body and regain my real form! That's why we must delve deep into Mementos and-"

"Whoa, hold up. What're you going on and on about? We never said anything about helping you out." Ryuji interrupted, looking incredibly lost by what the cat creature was saying.

And he wasn't the only one.

"Huh? Don't tell me... Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?" Morgana exclaimed in shock. "Especially you! You're going to up and leave, even though you're already part of my master plan!?"

"I never promised." I said.

"See? I wasn't lying." Ryuji said, which seemed to set the cat creature off.

"Is it because I'm not human?" asked Morgana. "Because I'm like a cat? Is that why you're making a fool out of me!?"

"We're busy!" Ryuji explained as he gave the cat a proud smile. "Thanks for everything, cat. You've got guts, being a cat and all! See you around!"

"Take it easy. See you later," I nodded with a smile grateful smile as Ryugi, "Ann" and I dragged ourselves down the drawbridge as Morgana called after us.

"Hey! What the hell!? Ugh, seriously!? Why're you wrapping this up like everything's all hunky-dory!? Oh hell no! Get back here!"