Persona BLEACHED 5: Chapter 9

Persona BLEACHED 5
Chapter 9: Welcome to Zoo Magnolia
August 22, 2036
Ikebukuro. One of Tokyo's largest entertainment districts, home to a host of shops and restaurants, as well as massive department stores. Most prominent among them was the 60-story skyscraper known as Sunshine 60, once the tallest building on the continent, that mostly housed office space.
A few blocks away from the entertainment center was a modestly-sized apartment complex. On the second floor, just past the elevator, was the abode of 40-year old salaryman Koga Tsurushi, whose office was located in the massive building. On this morning, the unassuming, bespectacled man with his sweater vest and khaki pants drank from his coffee mug.
"Morning, four-eyes. What's with the office getup? You do know it's Saturday, right?" Entering the living room was his wife, Lily Hanakotoba, wearing a navy blue jersey with the logo of Scottish football club Rangers, bought during her time living in Glasgow.
"Morning, dear. Don't need an excuse to look professional." Koga replied.
"(Translation: the ex-wife's coming by to pick up the 'princess' and I need to remind her that I'm still employed.)" Lily thought. "Well, hopefully you can have some fun without us here. Presumably filing papers and kissing up to the boss."
"There's only one boss around here I need to kiss up to. And I already left her some bagels."
She patted his shoulders. "Good boy."
As she ate her breakfast, her daughter was in her own room, preparing for a big day. Sakuya's room was well-organized and regularly cleaned, with the former maid taking significant care to prevent any kind of clutter. She had several large plushies of seals, most of which were gifts from Sahir. Dangling from the ceiling was a lantern shaped like a round, gray fish, with the words 'Fugu Frenzy' written on it. This was also a Sahir present, having won it in a lottery years prior. The lantern was affectionately named 'Hootie'.
Her most treasured possession, however, was much smaller. It too was a seal plush, but this was a gift from her mother. It contained a handwritten message: 'To my Saku, no matter where you are, remember that your mother loves you, no matter what'. For years, the two had been separated, with this plush the one thing that Sakuya had to her name. Not only was it a reminder of her mother's love, but it also fostered her adoration of the barking sea mammals she now dedicated her life to.
Already in uniform, she stood in front of the mirror to ensure that her appearance was adequate. This was a big day for her: after working at Karakura Zoo for about two months, she had been given the responsibility of speaking at the park's sea mammal show, to be performed three times this day. That would mean speaking in front of a crowd and imparting her knowledge of the pinnipeds she adored so much...without getting *too* enthusiastic.
"(You studied for four years to do this, Sakuya. Don't turn into a blithering fool now.)" she thought.
She grabbed her bag, and exited her room. "Mother, Koga-san, good morning."
"There's my little safari girl! Here, grab some nourishment." Lily, eating a bagel, offered her one.
"Thank you, Mother."
"All set for a fun day today, Ms. Saku? I'm sure your mom is going to be taking plenty of pictures." Koga asked.
"I'm fully prepared, Koga-san. I was up all night refreshing my knowledge. I only hope I don't get stage fright."
"And that's why I made these!" Lily brought out a stack of note cards. "You're not the only one with books of seal facts, Saku. We can totally refresh your know-how on the way there."
"Mother, you know I have my own cards...but thank you."
"Isn't it nice to have such an attentive mom?" Koga asked.
"Gee, wish every parent was *so* supportive." A girl's voice piped up from behind another bedroom door.
"Hey, peanut gallery, you know we can hear you, right?" Lily asked.
"You know I don't care, right?"
"Kabuko, can you please not antagonize her right now?" Koga asked.
"Fine, whatever. I'll be out of here soon anyway. I'm sure you're *so* devastated."
Lily looked like she was dying to say something. "...nope, not dealing with this today. Come on, Saku."
"Yes, Mother." Sakuya replied, thinking better of intervening. She bowed to Koga. "Have a fulfilling day yourself, Koga-san."
"Good luck today, ladies. See you for dinner." Koga bid.
The two women left the apartment. Lily hoisted her own bag around her shoulder, with two keychains dangling from it. One was a chip celebrating seven years of sobriety. The other was shaped like a heart, with pink, light blue and white stripes, reading 'I Love My Trans Kid'. "Okay, it's gonna be stress-free the rest of the day. Positive thinking, Saku."
"Are you directing that towards me, or yourself?" Sakuya asked.
The two went down to the complex's lobby. "So, is Speedy meeting us at the zoo, or is he going to jump out at us any second--" Lily asked.
"Say his name, and he appears!" Sahir jumped out at them.
"Gaah, you jerk! I could've pepper sprayed you, you know! Trying to scare an old lady like that..."
"You're only 38, Mother..." Sakuya pointed out.
"That's the thing you take issue with, not that she would've maced me in the eyes?" Sahir questioned.
"It would've been warranted."
"Anyway, back on track, I'm glad you're here now, kicker. I've got a bunch of flash cards to hit Saku with on the way to Karakura and two people means going through them a lot quicker. Uber's not gonna be here for a few more minutes, so we can start now." Lily directed.
"This really isn't necessary, Mother..."
"I want you to wow those crowds today, Saku. I want them to walk out of that zoo today thinking, 'Wow, that girl knows more about seals than anyone else in Japan! She must be a genius!'"
"C'mon, Saku, are you really gonna say no to this face?" Sahir asked, as Lily pouted.
"She was just about to pepper spray you, and now you're siding with her?" Sakuya sighed. "Very well. Give me all of your facts."
"Yippee, study session! Here, you take half, I take half." Lily handed Sahir some cards.
"Man, even when I'm not in class, I have to study..." Sahir sighed. 
"Okay, first question: in increasing order of size, what are the three largest species of pinnipeds?"
"The walrus, the northern elephant seal and the southern elephant seal." Sakuya answered.
"What's the largest species that can be found in Japan, and how big does it get?" Sahir asked.
"The Steller sea lion. The largest adult male was weighed at nearly 2500 pounds. Only the three I just mentioned can grow bigger."
Minutes of questions went by, and continued as they got into their Uber.
"Alright, cuz I just know you're going to get this one a lot: what's the difference between a seal and a sea lion?" Sahir asked.
"Sea lions have visible ears, while true seals have ear holes. However, fur seals also have visible ears. Sea lions also have hind flippers, while seals do not. That's why sea lions have an easier time moving on land, while seals plop around in that oh-so-adorable manner that they do." Sakuya answered.
"And where does the walrus fall into? Is it more like a seal or sea lion?" Lily questioned.
"Walruses possess traits from both. They have ear holes like seals, and their swimming motion is similar, but they have four flippers like sea lions."
"Alright, so..." Sahir pulled out a pair of straws, sticking them in his mouth in a manner that resembled tusks. "What's the big difference between the walrus and every other seal?"
Sakuya tried suppressing laughter. "It must be in their personalities."
"Sorry, just lightening the mood. Not like you're giving a graduation speech, you're teaching kids and their parents about sea doggos."
"I know it's nothing so grand, but I've never been one for public speaking. I don't want to come across as a mumbling buffoon, but I don't want to sound like I'm reading from a Wikipedia page, either. I want to be seen as...human."
"I know how hard that might feel sometimes, Saku, but you've got nothing to worry about. You know what might help in that department?" Lily took out a red ribbon from her bag.
"Oh, Mother..."
In days past, a red ribbon such as this was Sakuya's signature, used most often to tie her hair back. Since taking the zoo job, however, she had shortened her hair and avoided wearing the ribbon, as there was concern over the animals she'd be working with being enticed by something dangling in front of them.
"Just for one day, Saku. I know why you don't want to, but it's 'you'."
"Well I can't wear it in my hair now, Mother, it's too short for that."
"So we improvise. Let me work some Mommy Magic." Lily tied the ribbon behind Sakuya's nametag. "There we go. Now that's the complete Saku experience."
"Now if only we could get the maid costume back on--" Sahir chimed in, before Sakuya covered his mouth.
"Hush." she ordered.
They arrived at the zoo shortly after, and exited the car. Lily handed the driver their tip. "Thanks for the smooth ride. Sorry if it was a bit more educational than usual."
"Eh, don't worry about it. I'll take seal facts over 90% of the crap I hear people talkin' about." the driver replied.
With the transaction finished, Lily turned back to the pair. "Alright, so your first show's at 10, right? Guess that means we've got some time to kill, kicker."
"Worse places to try to find some fun." Sahir replied.
"I'm gonna head inside. See you for your lecture, Professor Saku~!" Lily headed off.
"'Professor Saku'." Sakuya repeated.
"Has a nice ring to it, huh?" Sahir asked.
"Not in a million years. I'll leave the full-time teaching to Kat-chan." Sakuya looked up at the sign. "It's funny to think about how our first real date was here, seven years ago now. Now I'm coming here almost every day. You know, Sahir-kun, given all the proposals we've been seeing lately..." She shot him a look. "Don't you think it's past time you asked me the vital question?"
He froze. "Uh, er, you know, when a moment comes along, and the mood is right, and the stars are aligned and allll that good stuff..."
Sakuya giggled. "I'm only joking. I won't pressure you when you're already so busy with school. Besides, another proposal would make Senpai think we're collectively stealing her thunder."
"What was that about Senpai?" Barbara approached.
"Well, look who stopped by for a visit! I would've thought you'd be packing for your tour right about now." Sahir said.
"I've still got a week until I have to leave. I have some time and I'm close by, so I wanted to bring some moral support~."
"You're far too kind, Senpai." Sakuya replied.
"You know you don't have to keep calling me that, Saku. We're out of school, and in different fields. I'd be happy if you called me 'Barbie-chan', or something else."
"It's more of a term of endearment at this point, but if you insist...Barbie-chan."
"That's gonna take some getting used to." Sahir commented.
On the opposite side of the entrance, a different gathering was taking place. "And so we have arrived at the den of wildlife! Thus we begin..."
Taylor pointed to the sky. "...'Operation Group Rapturous Experience'!"
With her was the rest of the class--a nervy Cobalt and a less-than-enthused Nu-wa included. "Or 'Ogre', I guess." Devon chimed.
"Someone want to clarify why she's in charge?" Todd asked.
"Were you gonna object to it?"
"I can hear you, you know!" Taylor exclaimed. "Professor Kubo insisted that we all take part in a group excursion so as to deepen our bond, and it is only natural that one such as myself lead the charge! Is that not right, dearest Serena?"
"It's a lovely morning." Serena responded.
"Noncommittal, gotta love it." Todd commented. "Well, should be a bit livelier with a bigger crowd, at least."
"Do...do they have a saltwater pool?" Cobalt, in a purple hoodie and blue striped shirt, asked.
"If we find a body of water, shall I toss you in to test its salt content, regardless of what manner of beast inhabits it?" Nu-wa answered, wearing an open red jacket with a red half-shirt underneath, along with gold earrings.
"(Talk about a shock that she actually came along. And I haven't heard a single complaint from her, either. Hopefully it stays that way.)" Todd thought.
As Taylor continued to air out their plan for the day, Cobalt had his eyes somewhere else. On a blonde, bespectacled woman with sea-blue eyes and white clothing, speaking with two others just across the way.
As he stared at Barbara, he became mesmerized. "Magical...angelic...siryn..."
"C'mon, fish boy, we've got bond deepening to do." Devon pulled him.
Nu-wa also looked towards the trio. "You can sense it, can't you?"
"Sense what, the humidity?" Todd replied.
"Fool. Probably can't even detect spiritual energy yet."
"Well you don't have to be rude about it."
"I'm talking about those three over there. The vast majority on this backwoods plane don't possess any energy whatsoever. But those three read identically to the Professor and the assistant. Not as high, but still far more than the average one of these drones."
"Can you say anything without being condescending? Those three are Ms. Kit's friends, I recognize them from the photo on Professor Kubo's desk."
"Well if I'm hit with a state of boredom today, I could always challenge one of them. The one in the park's uniform in particular reads...very promising." Nu-wa followed after the others.
"PLEASE don't pick a fight in the middle of a zoo..." "(So much for her playing nice all day.)"
A short while later, Sakuya, having changed into a full-body, black and blue wetsuit, was sitting on a stage, surrounded by a pool, with numerous seats facing towards it. 
"You nervous at all, Saku?" a male coworker asked.
"Just a little bit. I know what I'm supposed to say, I'm only really concerned about saying it in a way that gets people interested. I don't want to be seen as robotic."
"I've heard you talk about seals since the minute you walked into this park. Trust me, they won't think you're robotic. I'll be right there with you in case anything goes slanted. Let's just go over things one more--oh, I think we've already got a guest."
The seats were empty, save for one person in the front row: Lily. "Hi, Saku!" she waved.
"Mother, there's still over half an hour until the show. You don't have to sit here and wait, there's plenty to do until then." Sakuya advised.
"I wanted a front row seat. I'll have two hours to do everything until your next show. I can go see the meerkats whenever, my baby only has three shows and I'm not getting a bad seat in any of them. Don't mind me, just do your thing."
Sakuya sighed. "If you couldn't tell, that's my mother."
"The heavy enthusiasm keyed me in. It's alright, I get it. Let's just go over the show one more time." her coworker began. "So, you'll start by introducing yourself, welcoming everyone to the show, and talk a little about what a pinniped is. Just for clarity's sake, what are the three main families?"
"True seals, sea lions and fur seals, and the walrus."
"Good, good. It's the first three you mentioned that'll be most important for today. The first animal we'll be bringing out is Sonic."
"(Sonic is one of our ringed seals, a true seal that lives primarily in Arctic waters, including Japan's northern reaches.)"
"He'll primarily be in the water since he only plops around on land. Tell the crowd about how much they're affected by climate change, how they're losing the ice flows they mainly live around. We want our guests to be aware of the problems our animals face in the wild, and seeing their cute little faces in person will make people want to protect them. Once Sonic's done his thing, you hand him a fish, he'll swim on back, then we move on to Vera."
"(Vera is our Steller sea lion female. These animals live in a greater range of Japan and can grow to a considerable size. Vera is about two-and-a-half meters in length and over 500 pounds. She has a more curious disposition, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about with her.)"
"She's gonna come through the pool at first, and then hop up here so the crowd can get a good idea of her size and how different she is physically from a seal. Tell them about the main differences between the two, give a few more factoids about Stellers and how big they can get, give her her treat, and she'll be on her way. The last one on the docket is gonna be Alfred."
"(Alfred is our breeding male brown fur seal. He's a little shorter than Vera, and is very, very vocal. Most of the noise coming from the fur seal enclosure comes from him.)"
"Now Alfred is the one that we're going to be holding our breath with. His species is incredibly nervous and unpredictable with people on land, but much more curious and playful in the water. He's going to be in the pool the entire time, and you'll be in there with him. Luckily for us, he'll be away from his females and won't be as territorial, but he has shown some aggression in the past. I know you've got nerves of steel, but please remember that he's still larger than you, and you'll be in his domain."
"I can hold my nerve. I have an understanding with Alfred. He knows not to show me any kind of ill behavior."
"I don't know where that courage comes from, but it'll help you for as long as you're working around carnivores. I think you'll do just fine. I'm gonna go make sure your show partners are in the right mood. Sit tight, and it'll be show time before you know it." Her coworker went behind the stage.
Sakuya looked to the one guest currently present. "Already filming?"
Lily held up her phone. "You look so cute in that suit."
"You'll be out of storage space before the show even begins."
Outside of the theater, Barbara was on her phone, as Sahir drank a soda nearby. "...her show starts in a little while. Don't worry, I'll send pics. What else are sisters-in-law for? Even if I didn't, her mom is gonna have her camera on the whole time. Hehe, yeah, it is adorable. Mama was the same way at my first recital. And first middle school play. And high school. And college. And professional. Yeah, that is gonna be us when we start having kids. So hey, are you and Maxie still good for dinner later..."
From afar, Cobalt was staring.
"Bro, if you keep staring like that, someone's gonna call the cops." Devon warned.
"Such radiance...such an air of kindness and beauty...I've not beheld such grace since Princess Candice...maybe if I get on my knees, she'll acknowledge me as her servant..." the Lemurian uttered.
"This is like, next-level simping, dude. It's actually really sad."
Nearby, Taylor was ecstatic as she pointed into the penguin enclosure alongside Serena. Todd, meanwhile, was leaning against a fence close by. Nu-wa suddenly appeared next to him. "There you are. Finished visiting relatives in the reptile house?" he asked.
"Adorable. I wonder where you got that sharp tongue from." the wyvern pondered.
"I'm from Chicago. It comes with the territory."
"Oh, yes, I'm sure that's it." 
Todd noticed something about her. The color of her eyes had changed. They were now yellow, and more reptilian. "Hold up, what's with your..."
Suddenly, alarm bells went off in his head. Something she'd said earlier that was bothering him. "(Wait...oh, no. I should've guessed when she said she could sense spiritual energy. She shouldn't be able to with the dampener on her. Unless...)"
"Finally noticed?" She lifted up one pant leg to reveal a blue, cuff-like device wrapped around her ankle. "It malfunctioned this morning. My power has slowly been returning to me. Now I am all that I should be."
"We...we need to let Professor Kubo know about this, you shouldn't--"
Something flashed in front of his eyes--a lance, briefly materializing before fading away. "Would that really be wise in your current state? Now..." She kicked at his ankle, making a clanging noise. "If I were to break that, we could make this far more interesting. What sort of dark powers could you be hiding, eh?"
"You *really* don't wanna find out. You need to stop this right now, and let the Professor know, because this can only end very, very badly for you."
"Hahahaha. The bastard son of a demon is trying to preach caution and morality to me? You're in no position to dictate anything, especially with how powerless you are now. Call the instructor and her pet if you want, they're hours away from being able to interfere. Don't worry, I won't be doing anything...without surveying my potential prey, of course." 
Nu-wa walked away. "Enjoy ruminating on that...Prince of Wolves."
"....." Todd turned the other way.
Meanwhile, Taylor and Serena remained focused on the penguins. "Oh, they look so fanciful! Like little tuxedos..."
Todd poked Taylor from behind. "We have a problem."
"Aside from your lack of decorum in touching a lady without permission?"
"Sorry, did I forget to stick my pinkie out? We've got way bigger issues. Nu-wa's inhibitor stopped working."
"Oh...oh."
"Yeah. YEAH. She's already back to full strength and sizing up which one of Ms. Kit's friends to pick a fight with."
"What was that about picking a fight?" Devon walked over.
"D-Did you say the dragon girl's powered up again? Oh...oh, this was fifth on my list of 20 things that could've gone wrong today..." Cobalt uttered.
"So what do you suppose we do? Professor Kubo and any other help is hours from here..." Taylor asked.
"Maybe not. Those two over there should be able to help, or call up someone who can." Todd suggested.
"CAN I--" Cobalt spoke up.
"Down, boy." Devon held him back.
Back near the theater, Barbara hung up her phone. "Okay, want to find us some seats?"
"Here's hoping Ms. Lily saved us a couple..." Sahir replied.
Todd and Taylor hurriedly approached. "Hi, hello, sorry to interrupt, but are you two friends with Ms. Kit?" the former asked.
"Um, yeah, if you mean Kit So-yin." Barbara affirmed.
"Oh, hang on, are you two part of her class? You aren't dressed up like her, so she hasn't corrupted you yet, I don't think." Sahir joked.
"Apologies for the rudeness, but this is no time for pleasantries! We have a dire situation!" Taylor exclaimed.
"Calm down there, missy, just tell us what's going on."
"Okay, so, all of us in our class are wearing inhibitors to dampen our powers and make us seem 'normal'. But one of our classmates, hers malfunctioned. Now she's powered up and looking for a fight." Todd explained.
"Oh, no. Right in the middle of a busy zoo, too? Sahir, how should we handle this? Should we ask--" Barbara began.
"I'm *not* asking Saku. I won't make her pick up a sword again." Sahir replied.
"I don't want to, either, but between the three of us, she's by far the best fighter. If this girl goes looking for a fight, Saku's the best option we have."
"I can't do it to her. You know what they say about taking the genie out of the bottle. And at any rate, the place is way too crowded. The best way would be to get her into the Metaverse, but there's only one guy in town with the app still on his phone."
"Yeah...yeah. Okay. I'll call him and fill him in. He can call Cindy, and she can get the Defense Force over here."
"What do you want us to do?" Todd asked.
"Try to keep her occupied. If you can, get her away from people until our pal gets here to take her someplace where there's no danger." Sahir replied.
"Fret not! Keeping people occupied is my specialty!" Taylor proudly proclaimed.
"Can't believe we have to rely on you talking her ear off." Todd sighed. The two walked away.
"So what should we do now? Go in and act like everything's normal?" Barbara asked.
"It's the best thing for Saku. Let her have her happiness. If she doesn't have to fight, I won't make her. She's earned her peace." Sahir replied.
"Hehe. You're actually really thoughtful when you're not being a flirt." Barbara took to her phone.
"I dunno whether that's a compliment or not..."
Minutes later, the two went to sit down next to Lily. The theater was more than halfway filled by this point. "There you two are. You get lost on the way here?" Lily asked.
"Sorry, I was making dinner plans with my brother and Ibuki. She wants to see some Saku pics." Barbara replied.
"Oh, that girl's gonna get plenty if Ms. Lily's filming." Sahir said, maintaining an air of calm.
From behind the stage, Sakuya peered out. "Oh...there's more than I thought there would be."
"Nerves finally kicking in?" her coworker asked.
"I wasn't expecting such a large crowd for the morning show. And my mother is right there in the front row with my boyfriend and one of my best friends, all about to film me in a wetsuit. This may not be as simple as I thought it would be."
"Try to think of something that makes you happy. That usually helps."
Sakuya looked back out. Lily spotted her, and cheerfully waved. "You've got this, baby. I love you."
"...I think I'll be alright." Sakuya smiled slightly.
A good distance away from the theater, Taylor and Todd had managed to get Nu-wa behind a gift shop, out of sight.
"--now as much as I utterly adore dressing up, I've yet to find an occasion to truly show my fashion credentials. I brought this lovely golden party dress from back home, but sadly it may be confined to my wardrobe until the holiday dance, and that won't be for another four months! Oh, what is a burgeoning sorceress to do..." Taylor went on.
"Have you ever met someone who loves the sound of their own voice as much as her?" Todd asked.
"...this is a distraction." Nu-wa said, annoyed. "You pulled me aside to keep me from seeking battle. All you've done is thoroughly irritated me." She materialized her lance in full, an ornate halberd with a red tassle at its end. "The world will thank me for making you silent."
"J-Just wait one moment, I was getting to the real meat of the conversation!" Taylor panicked.
Todd got in front of her. "Alright. You want a brawl?" He tapped his dampener. "Break it. You wanted to see what kind of power I have, didn't you? Break it and I'll show you. Some people can only learn the hard way."
"Oh, how chivalrous of you." Nu-wa raised the lance. "Finally, some enjoyment."
Suddenly, someone landed behind her. "That won't be necessary." He grabbed the wyvern, and suddenly vanished into a distortion.
Todd put his hands on his knees and let out a breath. "Ohhh, that was a close one."
"Are you out of your mind?! She would have skewered you like a fish had the robot man not arrived when he did! You must be insane!" Taylor exclaimed.
"You're welcome."
---
The Metaverse. The world formed from the cognition of the masses. Here dwelled the Shadows, the innermost thoughts and feelings of people given unrestrained form. This was where the Artisans and every other Persona user faced themselves and obtained great strength. Its general appearance resembled the normal world, only tinted red and green.
Here was where Nu-wa was dropped. "Grrr...who dares..."
"Boy, howdy, Kitty Kat really wasn't kidding about some of her troop having behavioral problems." Before her was Max, now garbed in full-body, blue and black armor, with the Roman numeral 'IV' on his chest. "You wanted a fight, Lady Zilla? You've got one."
"What is this utter nonsense...where have you taken me?"
"'What is this utter nonsense'." Max mimicked her voice. "Sheesh, you even sound like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. As for where you are now, this is the Metaverse, the world of humanity's unconscious. Somewhere far away from where you might hurt anyone."
"You heroic types and your desire to keep the powerless lemmings safe. Your armor is unlike that of the so-called Defense Force. Who exactly are you to force authority upon one such as I?"
"One: quit with the archaic speak, missy, no one talks like that anymore. Two: I ain't forcing anything. I'm not the cops, or the P.D.F., or anyone with a badge. I'm just a guy who really hates bullies. Three: the name's Jadefang. Maxwell D. Jadefang if you want to be official."
"'Jadefang', you say?" That got Nu-wa's attention. "Now I am intrigued. If what I have heard is correct...then you must be the one who slew the devil amongst devils, Jonathan O'Donnell himself, yes?"
"I'd be lying if I took all the credit for that. But as far as landing the last hit on the old psycho, then yeah, that'd be me."
Elated, Nu-wa leapt into the air, halberd drawn. "You...will make fine prey!"
She brought it down at Max, who raised his arm up and grabbed it, holding firm in his posture as she continued to increase pressure. "Let me put this as delicately as I can."
"...?!"
"If I've already beaten your world's 'devil'...then what chance do *you* have?"
Suddenly, a giant, silver, phantom hand appeared from behind Max and pushed the wyvern away. "What in the realms...?!"
"Last warning. You can put down the weapon and wait for the P.D.F. to fix that goober on your ankle, or you can go with the option I just know you're gonna go with so why am I even bothering to lay it out."
"Put down the weapon? Fine. A true dragon doesn't need one to end a hunt. My body itself is the weapon!"
Nu-wa began a staggering transformation, her body growing to around twenty feet in height, her skin turning to clay-colored scales, her teeth turning to fangs, as dark horns sprouted from her head and a spiked tail grew out. She had taken the form of a bulky, wingless dragon.
"BEHOLD, THE TRUE FORM OF A CHILD OF THE IMMORTAL DRAGON KING! SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN JOKE AS I FEAST UPON YOUR--"
The same giant, silver hand came crashing down upon her, pinning her to the ground. The rest of the giant's form appeared, silver and red with a blue orb in its chest, its eyes also glowing blue. This was the alien hero, Ultraman--Max's Persona.
"No jokes, dragon girl." he said.
Nu-wa quickly reverted to her previous form, and lay on the ground, out cold.
"For all that chomping at the bit you were doing...any one of Genbu's troupe could've taken that hit."
Max bent down to his knees as the giant dissipated. "Well, least I don't have to worry about getting back to the studio late." He sighed. "I know you're as stubborn as they come, Kitty Kat...but you've got your work cut out for you."
---
As events unfolded in the Metaverse, back in the waking world, Sakuya finished preparing backstage, putting on a microphone. "Testing, testing..." she said. 
"Sounds good. Ready to talk about some seals?" her coworker asked.
"I've prepared my whole life for such a moment. I hope I can make this enjoyable."
"You'll be fine. Just don't forget to turn on the charm."
"(I may need to channel Kat-chan for that. Would it be appropriate to say 'Gucci' at a show like this?)"
Out in the nearly-filled theater, Lily already had her phone out to film. "Ohhh, this is so exciting! I'm about to float out of this chair."
"You look like a teenager at a concert." Barbara said.
"My old man has a saying, 'Every parent thinks their kid's a rock star without the drugs and alcohol. Unless their kid does drugs and alcohol, so then they're just a rock star.'" Sahir added.
"Your dad has some, uh...profound phrases."
Promptly, Sakuya stepped out onto the stage. "Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Zoo Karakura. My name is Sakuya, and I'll be your host for our pinniped presentation today."
"Yeeeeeee!" Lily stomped her feet, unable to contain herself.
"She's gonna jump in that pool at this rate..." Sahir shook his head.
"Now, what exactly is a pinniped? Well..."
Sakuya paused as she looked at the crowd. So many eyes on her left her hesitant. She looked to her mother, who gave two thumbs-up. 
"...pardon me, I had a hiccup. A pinniped is a furry, sea-faring mammal, most of which have whiskers and the most adorable, pokeable noses. There are three main types: seals, sea lions, and the walrus. Unfortunately, we won't be bringing out a walrus today, but we will be bringing out three brilliant creatures to demonstrate the differences between the groups. Let's meet the first, shall we?"
In swam a small, gray seal, its coat covered with dark spots surrounded by gray rings. Many of the kids in the audience started going 'awww' at the sight of it.
"This little bundle of fluff is named Sonic. He's a ringed seal, and one of the smaller kinds of seals that you'll find. There are two different groups of seals: true seals, and fur seals. If my friend would be so kind as to hop up here..." Sakuya blew a whistle. The seal hopped onto the stage. "Good boy." She gave it a fish, and pet it on the head. "The ringed seal is what's called a true seal. He has two front flippers, but no back flippers, so when he comes on land, he can only plop about really slowly. He also doesn't have visible ears. He has two little holes on either side of his head that he uses to hear."
"She's rolling now." Barbara whispered.
"Hard not to when she's talking about her favorite thing. And with the president of her fan club watching." Sahir motioned towards Lily.
"Now, for this next part..." Sakuya whistled, and the seal hopped back into the water. "...I'll be joining him for a swim." She went into the pool, up to just below her shoulders. "So--" She began, but the seal came up close to inspect her. "Oh, no no no, I'm flattered, but I'm already spoken for."
The audience laughed. "She means me!" Sahir waved, and they laughed again.
Sakuya giggled. "So, this seal is found in Arctic waters surrounding the entire globe. That includes the very northern islands of Japan. Unlike a lot of seals, it's largely solitary, and lives for most of the time on large ice flows. It mainly eats fish and crabs, and in turn, it's a favored prey item of both polar bears and the orca. And sadly, its main threat comes from temperature changes. Ringed seal mothers give birth to their pups and raise them on ice flows. It's a vitally important part of their lives, but the loss of the ice due to the warming environment means that they have less space to live. Unlike whales which are built to live entirely in the water, seals need to come onto land at some point. This is why it's so important to bring awareness to these animals. If you lose their habitat, you lose the seals, and then the environment completely falls apart. And besides..."
She held up the seal to present its face. "...would you really want to lose a face this precious?" The animal suddenly pecked her on the cheek. The crowd laughed.
"Heeeeey." Sahir grumbled.
"Better watch yourself, kicker." Lily elbowed him. The proud mother gave her daughter another reassuring smile and thumbs-up.
At last comfortable in front of the crowd, Sakuya returned the affection. "Now, as much as I would love to keep playing with this charming fellow, we do have some more furry friends to meet. Let me get back onto dry land and keep this going..."
---
Outside of the theater, the five students remained waiting. "A-Are we going to be in trouble?" Cobalt asked.
"For what? Crazy's the one who came here with a busted ankle bit. She's probably getting locked up for trying to stir up trouble." Devon replied.
"Good riddance, I say! Such a brute has no place among civilized people such as us! Is that not right, Serena?" Taylor asked.
"No." Serena responded.
"No?! What do you mean 'no'?!"
She typed a message into her phone.
"Wyverns only know about fighting. She probably doesn't know how to be anything else."
"That's...a sobering point, to be sure."
"Didn't you guys say there aren't a lot of dragons left where you're from?" Devon asked.
"Outside of Commander Genbu and his family, she's the first one to come up in a long time..." Cobalt replied.
"Must be pretty lonely. I'd feel sorry for her if she wasn't always picking fights with everyone."
"....." Todd remained silent.
A light flashed from behind the nearby gift shop. Max, out of his armor, walked out. "Okay...that's that, then. You kids are in the clear. Crisis averted."
"Oh, thank the Mother Goddess!" Taylor exclaimed.
Serena tugged on her sleeve.
"What is it, Serena?" Taylor looked and seemed to recognize Max. "Ah, wait a minute! Aren't you on that bizarre program with the Anchor people?!"
"Um, yeah, I am. I'm McCready, aka Anchor Blue." Max confirmed.
"So you're actually a powered individual in real life? And not Australian?!"
"The *second* one's more surprising to you?"
"Wait. You're...you're Max Jadefang, aren't you?" Todd approached. "The man who took out the Wolfpack boss four years ago. That's you, isn't it?"
"It's a bit more complicated than that, but yeah. You kids are all in Professor Kubo and Ms. Kit's class, right? The Professor's helped me out a ton over the years, and Ms. Kit is someone very near and dear to me. She told me that most of you are related to people from the Wolfpack." Max gave Todd a closer look. "You look...very familiar. What's your name?"
"I'm Todd Dangerfield, sir. I'm..." Todd paused, then took down his hood, revealing his hair. "I'm Johnny O'Donnell's son."
"...! You're..." 
"Whoa, crazy..." Devon blinked. "...who's Johnny O'Donnell?"
"The former leader of the Wolfpack. One of the most feared criminals in our world's history." Taylor answered.
"Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Anna always thought he had other kids somewhere. You, uh...you've met her, haven't you?" Max asked.
"Yeah. She's been looking after me since I got picked up. My mom's...not around anymore. So I was bouncing between shelters and juvie until the New York branch found me." Todd explained.
"So the whole clan knows about you, then. Well, I can see it in your eyes that you're more like your sister than your old man. We all need it to stay that way. Same goes for all of you. Your friend's been scooped up by the P.D.F., and early signs are that she's in for it now. We're not asking for much. Just that you all stay on the straight and narrow. Professor Kubo and Ms. Kit are the two best people to have helping you. I wouldn't waste the chance."
"We will heed your advice, Mr. McCready." Taylor said.
"Sweet. So, if you kids excuse me, I need a place to hide and get my armor back on."
"Won't it be weird for people to see you flying around?" Devon asked.
"Our uniforms make us invisible to people without powers unless we want them to see us. And I can't walk out of here because One, my lunch break's almost over and I need to get back quick, and Two, I don't have a ticket. So I'm technically trespassing."
"Ah. That is a problem."
"Yeah, it is. So I'll be taking a quick flight out of here." Max turned to leave. "And, Todd?"
"Yes, sir?" Todd asked.
"When the going's tough, and you're feeling too close to your asshole dad, tell yourself three words that helped me out tons. 'I'm not him'. It'll help you as much as the people around you." Max saluted as he walked away. "Catch you around."
"He really has that same 'trying too hard to be cool' air as Ms. Kit and the Professor. Guess that's why they get along so good." Devon said.
"Um..." Cobalt gestured towards the theater. "T-There's a seal show going on that just started, you think we can catch it?"
"I almost forgot we were in a zoo. I'm down for it." Devon said.
"Fluffy, aquatic goodness on display! Perfect and a needed distraction! Let us be off, Serena!" Taylor directed, tugging her silent roommate along.
Todd sighed. "All of that drama, and it's back to normal just as quick. Hopefully it goes back to staying quiet for a while." He followed after his classmates.
---
"And now, for the premier of..."
"Sensations of Serenity, with your host, Grandmaster Sidd."
A robed man, head covered by a Komusō basket hat, walks into view. The room is a dimly-lit temple hall, the only illumination caused by candles. Buddhist iconography and statues adorn the hall. The man sits at the top of the room, speaking in a calm, soothing voice.
"Hello, my students, and welcome to Sensations of Serenity. My name is Grandmaster Sidd, and I am here to impart my knowledge onto all of you. Oh, how I have missed having a class to teach. How many years has it been...?"
"Now, starting from this point forward, I am going to teach you all about the secrets to living a peaceful life so long as peace reigns on this Earth. The first step towards achieving such a life is to understand the core tenet of my teachings:"
Suddenly, his voice took on a deeper, distorted tone.
"PeACe iS tEmPOraRy"
His voice returned to normal. "Accepting my teachings is to accept that very few things last forever, and that we must appreciate what we have now, because at any moment...it can all be taken away. You will come to understand two inescapable facets of existence:
He raised his hands up, revealing that they were now covered by black gloves. The area seemed to distort slightly, as two words appeared in the palms of his hands: 'Anicca' on the left, 'Dhukka' on the right.
The distortion ceased. "Impermanence, and suffering. Now I must be truthful with you all. I was once responsible for some truly deplorable acts. But that is all in the past. Now, mine is a path filled with meaning, and purpose. I am no longer that *MInDleSs, pAtHetIC LoSer* I once was. And I am happy to teach my secrets to all of you."
"Well, that is all the time we have for today. Now remember, my students. Mine is the path towards peace. All you have to do...is come with me."
He waved. "See you next time!"