17Disclaimer: I own neither the Persona, My Hero Academia or Yakuza series.
The Mad Dog's Code
Izuku felt a bead of sweat trail down his cheek. He felt powerless, unable to act in this tense moment. Makoto had acted far too rashly. And now, she was at the mercy of Kaneshiro and his goons. The student council president was pinned to the ground by a thug, gritting her teeth in pain and frustration. Izuku and the rest of his friends had come to try and save her, but now they could only stand there, hoping not to piss the gangster off too much.
"Let her go!" Izuku demanded, growing more tense by the second. Kaneshiro merely glanced at him, unimpressed, before looking at his girlfriend.
"That bag the other day. The crocodile one? How much was it?"
"Hm… about three million yen," She said with a ditzy smile. Kaneshiro bent over and flipped a case open, revealing a huge amount of cash.
"Holy moly!" Morgana guffawed from Ren's shoulder.
"For real~?!" The woman squealed when he handed her a fat stack of cash.
"Better thank those guys," Kaneshiro said, causing the group to blink.
"What..?" Ryuji muttered.
"I'm really pissed right now. Can't you tell? They say that spending cash helps relieve stress," Kaneshiro said, a devious smirk spreading across his lips. "After all, you brats go sniffing around like dogs and barge in here like you own the joint. It pisses me off beyond belief. So much so that there's now a three million yen gap in this suitcase. Just seeing that empty space is making it worse. I'm a perfectionist after all."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke demanded in frustration. Kaneshiro answered him by pulling out his phone and taking a picture of them all, causing them to flinch from the flash.
"Look at you all, so tense!" Kaneshiro smiled, looking down at the photo closely. "I think I'll call it 'Debauchery of Minors at a Club'. So, can I send this to your school?"
"Th-That's…" Makoto mumbled in fear.
"Oh, no! I got cigs and booze in the shot! Maybe even some drugs?" Kaneshiro let out a dry laugh, leaning back in his booth and wrapping an arm around his girlfriend. He shifted his gaze down to Makoto, eyes narrowing. "I feed on dumbshits like you. Understand, little miss student council president?"
Izuku swallowed a lump in his throat, realizing what had just happened. We might be able to change his heart, but this situation isn't looking good.
"Ah~ man, Kaneshiro-chan. That's some real bad form, don'tcha think?"
Izuku blinked, he and the rest of his friends shifting their gaze to the left.
"Hey, who has the balls to-" one of the grunts growled before immediately freezing in place, his words getting caught in his throat. A man strode leisurely up to the table, humming a care free tune.
Izuku raised a brow as he took in the man's appearance. Wild would be an understatement for how he looked. The man wore a snakeskin jacket open at the front with no shirt under to hide his toned body or the tattoos on his chest. He wore black leather gloves and pants with steel toed snake skin boots. His hair was cut into a bob, and his left eye was covered by a black eye patch. He leaned an old black metal bat on his shoulder.
Wh-Who is that? Some sort of villain? Or maybe a hired gun? Izuku thought, disturbed by the man's sudden presence.
"M-M-Majima-oniisan!" Kaneshiro suddenly sputtered out, causing the students to spare a look at him in confusion. The fat gangster was suddenly standing up, sweat trailing down his face as he put his hands together. "Wh-What a sudden surprise! How can I help you today?" He looked at his men in a panic and glared. "What do you lot think you're doing?! Let the girl go and greet Majima-oniisan correctly!"
"W-Welcome, sir!" The thugs all greeted, the one pinning Makoto down releasing her before lining up with the rest, bowing in respect.
"Holy shit…" Ryuji muttered, he and the others shocked by Kaneshiro's sudden submission.
"W-Who… are you?" Izuku dared to ask, looking at Majima cautiously. The yakuza boss spared Izuku a one eyed glance, his expression stoney and unreadable.
"I-I'm sorry to have these children disturb you during your visit, sir! Don't mind them! My men wil-"
"Nah, it's cool. They can stay," Majima waved him off, shifting his gaze from Izuku to Kaneshiro, giving the fat gangster a playful smile. "After all, these kids are some of your new 'customers', right?"
"U-Uh… I… well…" Kaneshiro tripped over his words.
"Which is actually kinda why I came here, Kaneshiro-chan. I've been hearin' some funny things through the grapevine lately," Majima took slow strides forward, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Stuff about some new kinda business model you've been usin'. Like usin' kids as your mules and stuff… I hear it brings in a pretty yen!"
"Y-Yes sir! It has been quite a profitable turn. And it leaves us with no possible connection!" Kaneshiro said, smiling as he hoped to please the gangster.
"You know, that does sound like a pretty good set up. I'd say you got your business etiquette down to a T!" Majima complimented, placing a heavy hand on Kaneshiro's shoulder, giving him a pleased grin.
"But then… I also heard that you started blackmailin' those kids…" Majima's grin fell, and the grim expression replacing it sent chills through Kaneshiro, his men and even Izuku and his friends. "Even had a few of 'em beat on to make a point. Includin' some of their families. Now you wouldn't do somethin' like that, would you Kaneshiro-chan?"
"I-It's simply a precaution, Majima-oniisan! W-We just don't want any squealers!" Kaneshiro explained, wiping the film of sweat building on his head. "B-Besides, by using the leverage we have on them, we can even make money off their families by-"
It happened in a blur. Majima gripped Kaneshiro by the hair and slammed his face into the suitcase of cash in one fluid motion. The impact caused the table to collapse under the pressure, causing Kaneshiro's girlfriend to cry out in fear, Izuku and the others paling in disbelief.
Majima picked him back up and threw Kaneshiro back against the booth, the fat gangster whimpering in pain. Majima took a slow stroll to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, giving a fake sympathetic frown.
"Ah, Kaneshiro-chan. You're really breakin' my heart. Almost as bad as your nose is," Majima gave a small, amused giggle as he patted his shoulder. "Don't you know that we yakuza got some standards? Pickin' on some minors and shaken 'em down for money… now that's just ice cold."
"B-But s-sir…" Kaneshiro mustered out pathetically, his voice quiet and muffled as he still held his bleeding nose. "A few of the other families d-do worse than me!"
"You're right. You definitely ain't the worst out there. But you know what those families got in common?" Majima tightened his hold around Kaneshiro's shoulder, his expression becoming grave again. "Ain't none of them allowed to work in my territory. Unlike you."
Kaneshiro visibly trembled. Izuku wouldn't be at all surprised if he ended up pissing his pants at this point. His men looked like they weren't faring any better, and none of them had even been hit.
"So long as you work in my territory, I don't wanna hear jack squat about you shakin' down some kids. Got it?" Majima said, his voice deep and intimidating. Kaneshiro furiously nodded his head in understanding. The yakuza boss smiled, patting his shoulder. "Good! That's all I had to say!"
Majima let him go, standing from his seat before looking at Izuku and his friends. His one eye went wide and he clapped his hands together. "Ah, I know! As a token of apology, we'll give these kids a little parting gift!"
"H-Huh?" Kaneshiro blinked in shock.
"Hey, kids. How much debt was Kaneshiro-chan about to hit you with?" Majima asked, his voice returning to the playful, borderline manic tune it had in it before.
It took a moment to realize what he was talking about, Makoto and Izuku looking at one another in question before Izuku looked back at him. "W-Well… three million yen."
"Yeesh. Three million yen between a bunch'a kids? That's real harsh, Kaneshiro-chan!" Majima cooed before flipping open the case of money. "Tell you what: you kids can forget that 'debt', 'kay? And~, to show some good manners, Kaneshiro-chan will give give ya three mil in return!"
"Wh-What?!" Kaneshiro wailed in displeasure.
"Huh? Is that a problem?" Majima asked, the glare he fixed the fat gangster with immediately silencing him.
"N-No! N-Not at all, Majima-oniisan!" Kaneshiro shook his head, making no effort to rebel.
Majima stared at him for a moment longer before giving a mad grin. "Good! Then it's settled~!" Majima fished out a stack of yen, whistling as he stepped over the broken table and walked directly up to Izuku. The green haired teen took a step back, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"Here, kid. No hard feelin's for my associate here," Majima said, holding the stack of bills out for Izuku to take. Izuku looked down at the money, tempted to take it. Not out of any sort of greed, but out of fear for what might happen to him and his friends should he not. But, unable to go against his morals, Izuku took a deep breath.
"I-I… I won't."
"Huh?" Majima blinked, raising a brow at Izuku. "Whatdya mean ya won't?"
"I… I'm not going to accept… dirty money like that," Izuku mustered his courage, hands trembling at his side as he met Majima's gaze. The yakuza's single eye narrowed, leaning in several inches closer to Izuku.
"Oh~. Is that right?" Majima asked, his voice becoming deep and menacing again. Izuku felt sweat dripping from his scalp. He strengthen his resolve, nodding slowly.
"Y-Yes. W-We… We don't want your money."
Majima stared him dead in the eyes, unnerving Izuku beyond belief. Majima slowly drew back from Izuku, and to his surprise, a smirk played at the corner of his mouth.
"Heh. Ain't that somethin'. Talk about some serious balls on you, kid," Majima chuckled, his single eye glazing across the rest of his friends. "Is he speakin' right? He talk for all of you?"
"Y-Yeah! W-We don't want that money!" Ryuji spoke up, stepping up next to Izuku.
"We all feel the same!" Ann said, stepping up with him. Makoto and Yusuke followed suit, straightening out next to their leader. Majima's eye trailed across each one of them, assessing every inch of them.
"Heh… Hehehe…. heheheHAHAHAHA!" He suddenly broke out in laughter, grinning almost manically. "What a fuckin' group o' kids! You don't see this kinda spunk in most squirts these days! Man, ain't this somethin'?!" Majima said, grinning as he walked back to the table and put the stack back into Kaneshiro's suitcase. "Look at that, Kaneshiro-chan! Now yer the one in debt three mil to those kids! Funny how life works out, huh?"
"Y-Yes, sir…" Kaneshiro mumbled, still nursing his broken nose.
"Man, what a fuckin' day. Still, we gotta give these kids somethin'..." Majima crossed his arms, leaning back in the booth again next to Kaneshiro humming. "Ah, I got it! How about instead o' cash, Kaneshiro-chan here will give you guys a favor! Could be whatever you want! From now on, you kids'll be his special customers with no strings attatched!"
"E-Eh?" Izuku mumbled, unsure how to respond to that.
"It's the least Kaneshiro-chan can do after all the trouble he's been makin'. And if he doesn't do what you kids want, well…" Majima wrapped an arm around Kaneshiro's shoulders again, making the fat gangster shake again. "You just let uncle Majima know and he'll take care of it, 'kay?"
Izuku hadn't been expecting this turn of events at all. But seeing as how they likely wouldn't be able to leave without satisfying Majima, he decided to accept it. "O...Okay."
"Perfect! Looks like we're all done here~!" Majima jumped from his seat, grinning again. He walked back over to Izuku, reaching into his jacket pocket and producing a card. "Here you go, squirt. You can call this number should lil' Kaneshiro-chan misbehave."
Izuku took the card. It was solid black with the name Goro Majima written in gold kanji across the front. A symbol similar to the pin on his jacket was printed across the back with the number under it. "Th-Thanks…"
"No problem! Now off you go. Me an' Kaneshiro-chan gotta discuss some more business," Majima waved for them to leave. Not wanting to push their luck, Izuku quickly nodded, he and his friends quickly jogging toward the club exit. "Now, Kaneshiro-chan. Let's talk about the other kids yer shakin' down…"
Izuku and his friends didn't hear the rest, quickly reaching the outside and letting the doors close behind them. They collectively breathed out in relief, the group having held in their breath without realizing it.
"What… the hell… just happened?" Ryuji asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Somethin' wrong, kid? You've been movin' like a snail all night," Iwai asked, watching Izuku curiously as he dusted the shelf.
"Huh? O-Oh, sorry about that. I-I was just a little distracted…" Izuku admitted, having been debating on the question he had for Iwai for a couple hours.
"If you got somethin' to say, just say it. You're drivin' me nuts," Iwai huffed, picking up his newspaper again and beginning to read.
"... I-I know this might be a bad question to ask, but… you used to be a yakuza…" Iwai's newspaper slowly lowered as Izuku spoke, eyes narrowed. "S-Sorry if I shouldn't be asking this, b-but… do you know a Majima Goro?"
The newspaper in his hand immediately fell limp, his eyes bulging out of his head. "Where the hell'd you hear that name?"
"Y-You do know him?" Izuku blinked in shock.
"Of course I know him. The guy's a yakuza legend," Iwai said, setting his newspaper down on the display glass. "He's known as the Mad Dog of Shimano, a family he used to be under. He's got his own now and is honestly even more feared than his previous family. It's mostly because of him that there are even still Yakuza left in Japan. Guy's as strong as they come. Apparently he can tussle with some of the strongest Pro Heroes, even. I don't doubt it. I saw him fight a few times before I retired."
"R-Really?! He's that famous?!" Izuku blanched.
"Infamous is more like it. The only reason you don't see stuff about him in the news is because the police don't wanna acknowledge the fact that the yakuza still have a presence. It is small now, but it survives. Him and another family still survive and keep the subfamilies afloat under their umbrella."
Izuku's gaze fell to the ground, absorbing the fact that Majima was actually as big as all that. He had no idea that they had actually dealt with what the criminal underworld might consider a legend.
"Still, as crazy as he can be, guy's got a code," Iwai said, crossing his arms over his chest. "He was hard to read or predict, but he never crossed certain lines. It's probably part of why he's been able to keep the families under his alive. He keeps 'em from doing shit that goes too far. So, where exactly did you hear that name?" Iwai asked, obviously curious.
"W-Well… I guess you could say I… met him not long ago…"
Majima sat in the comfort of his apartment, his feet kicked up and one good eye watching TV. He let out a laugh as he watched a horde of zombies swarm some hopeless bastard, the yakuza watching an old film from before the age of heroes.
"Boss! Boss!"
Majima's good eye trailed to the door, narrowed in annoyance. "What is it?! Can't ya see I'm tryin' to enjoy a classic here?!"
"B-Boss, it's Kaneshiro-san! A-Apparently he was… well…" the grunt trailed off, looking nervous.
"Spit it out already, damn it! What about that rotund ton of fun?!"
"H-He had a change of heart! He-He was a victim of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!" The grunt exclaimed, causing Majima to raise a brow in interest.
"Is that right? Huh. And here I figured that I'd be a target for that kinda thing…" Majima mumbled, scratching the top of his head. "So, Kaneshiro rat on us?"
"N-No, sir. From what we gathered, he's only confessed to the crimes he himself committed," The grunt explained. "S-Still, this could be bad for us. Should we have him taken out?"
Majima tilted his head to the side in thought, humming for a moment. "Eh. Nah. If he was gonna rat on us, he'd 'a done it by now from how those change of heart thingy's seem to work. But keep a close eye on him. If he spills his guts, have our contact handle it."
"Yes sir!" With that, the grunt scurried off.
"Heh. Phantom Thieves of Heart, eh?" Majima smirked, picking up his reomote and flipping it to the news.
"I probably shouldn't be, but I'm kinda a fan."
The End
Well, this was a fun little multi-cross one-shot! I've actually had this idea on the burner for a while and thought I'd finally put it into place! As some of you may know already, I love the Yakuza series and I LOVE Majima. And part of me thinks he'd be a bit of a fan of the Phantom Thieves… so long as they didn't cross him XD
Anyways, there's that little one-shot for fun. I hope you all enjoyed!
