Life Will Change - AkaneMinori (2024)

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

"Talking", 'Thinking', "Igor Talking", "Caroline/Justine/Lavenza Talking", "Morgana Talking", "Persona Talking", "Jose Talking"

"Do you really have to go?"

It was a nice night in Inaba. The air was cool, a light breeze flowing through the town. The branches of trees swayed under the dim glow of hanging streetlamps, casting shadows upon the faded gray of the road below. On that road, a simple blue van stood still, a group of teenagers staring out at one boy. The boy grinned, and shook his head.

"Sorry guys. I have to do this."

A set of bittersweet smiles all around. The now-disbanded Phantom Thieves of Heart ask their leader one more time... only to receive the same answer.

"Well..." a blond young man sighed, "That's our Leader for you. Once his mind's made up, that's that."

"Quite," agreed the blue haired boy next to him, "That iron will... He wouldn't be our Joker without it."

The brunette in the driver's seat could only nod, as she gazed upon him with heavy eyes.

"Got everything?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course," he replied, adjusting the bag over his shoulder, "There's only one thing in here anyway."

"Hey..." the bag's resident muttered, revealing his head, "I resent that. I'm not a 'thing', I'm your partner!"

The round of laughter his indignance evoked only makes him sigh.

"Mona-chan..." A bubbly young woman reached out her hand and pet the cat on the head. "Of course, we'll miss you too."

"For sure!" An orange haired blur tackled the boy and cat in a hug. "But don't worry! We'll be sure to visit you both!"

"That's right!" a blonde girl cheered from the car, "We're on spring break, so we can even come back later this week!"

"Um, that may be too early..." Makoto sighed again...

...

"Hey man..." Ryuji spoke up, breaking the silence, "Your parents, they—"

"I know." Akira confirmed his thoughts, whatever they may be. "I know what they're like, but…"

He looks around at his friends, staring back, expectantly.

"We've done so much..." he said, "We battled fear and corruption. We brought down evil and prejudice. We fought our own demons, confronted our past mistakes, and we came out the other side."

He scratched his cheek, with a sheepish grin.

"What's another change of heart?"

And everyone smiled back.

Their Leader would be just fine.

"Oh... man..."

Akira let out a breath of relief, as he flopped onto his mattress.

"It's my own bed..." he sighed, "I can't believe it's been a year since I've seen you!"

The leader of the Phantom Thieves rubbed his cheek against his pillow affectionately. Morgana quirked a proverbial eyebrow, but didn't question his partner's dorky behavior.

"Was the bed that Boss gave you really that bad?" the cat asked, leaping up and sitting next to him,"It felt alright to me."

The boy chuckled. "You slept on top of the blanket, so you wouldn't know..." He rolled over, onto his back. "The thing was like a brick. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful and all, but..."

He snuggled into the soft bedding. It was like a cloud to him, after so long.

"...I guess I'll take your word for it." The hope of humanity stretched out his tired legs and curled up next to his friend."So? Shall we sleep?"

Akira glanced at his closest confidant. "Oh? You tired?"

"I'm glad you guys believed in me and all..." Morgana left one eye open."But did you have to 'believe' that I was a cat? If you had just listened to me when I said I was human, then I might've actually become one."

He scratched his ear with a rear leg."...And I wouldn't have to walk around in this puny body. It's tough getting around, you know? Being so small."

The boy frowned, scratching his friend behind the ear for him. "Sorry about that..." he mumbled, "If we knew, maybe we could've—"

"I was joking," the cat laughed that laugh of his,"But it's fine. I'm just glad I'm here with you."

Akira's thoughts moved elsewhere, as he started to scratch beneath Morgana's chin.

...

"...Hey..." he murmured, "Are you really okay, coming with me? You could've stayed with everyone else in Tokyo."

His gaze wandered to a box, in the middle of the room. A box with all his belongings from his year away. He could see a few things spilling out over the edge. The set of Documentary Plans he got from Mishima, the Recipe Notes from the Boss, the Fashion Magazine that Ann gave him... or even Desire and Hope leaning against the wall. Yeah, he had a lot of stuff.

"Of course I'm staying with you!"The voice was matter-of-fact as always."Someone's gotta' look after our Leader! Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into out here?"

"Inaba's a pretty quiet place..." He stopped himself. "Well, there was that weird thing a few years back, but nothing really happens here."

"And yet, you managed to run into, knock over, and publicly shame the would-be prime minister..." Morgana shakes his head. "I wasn't talking about the town. After that you entered a school with a sleazy teacher who almost got you expelled. Even with all the palace rulers aside, you confronted literal demons, turned the Diet upside down, altered reality, and got into a knife fight with god. Face it, Joker. You're a trouble magnet."

He had a point. "I can make pretty good coffee though."

"What's that got to do with anything?" The cat looked at him funny. Akira shook his head.

...

His eyes landed upon one final item.

A key. A glowing key. Something that shouldn't exist, yet... there it was.

...

"Hey, Morgana..." he mumbled, "Is the Velvet Room… really gone?"

The cat's eyes popped open at the question. Not in surprise, but genuine interest.

"Well... no." He shook his head. "The Velvet Room always exists. The form may be different, and Master's assistants may change, but it's always there. Why do you ask? Fusing Personas won't really help you anymore, now that the Metaverse is gone, and buying them from the Compendium is just a waste."

"...I dunno'. Guess I was just curious."

He closed his eyes. He could picture it in his mind.

The World.

The final arcana, bestowed unto him by the true Igor, and his true assistant, Lavenza. Now that he had it, the Journey of the Fool had come to an end... or so they said.

Ah, well. He had the rest of his life to ponder those questions.

As if he'd read his partner's thoughts, Morgana spoke up with familiar words.

"You must be tired after today. Let's go to sleep."

And for the first time in his life, Akira Kurusu had no complaints. He shut his eyes...

Brick.

He felt it against his back. The cold, hard feeling not unlike the mattress at Leblanc. There was a terrible pain in his neck, like he'd slept without a pillow...

'Oh well. I'm probably imagining things,' he thought, 'I'm cold because Morgana's hogging the covers again. I'll just try and steal 'em back...'

...

His hand grasped at nothing. Where'd the blanket go? 'Don't tell me he kicked them off the bed again.'

He reached out further, far as he could, when he heard a familiar sound.

Clink.

Clink Clank.

The sound of chains.

He shot up quickly, leaping out of bed and onto his feet in one swift motion. Or, that was the plan anyway. There was a sharp tug on his leg and he tripped, face smashing into the floor.

'Ow... What's going—?'

"Pfft!And what wasthatsupposed to be, Inmate?"

"This is to be our prisoner for the next year? Such idiocy."

"Well… heisthe 'Fool', after all."

Oh.

Oh no.

He knew that voice.

Akira knew that voice. But, what was he...? Didn't they...?!

His head rose, shakily, confronting a truth he didn't want to admit.

Caroline... Justine... and...

Someone he never wanted to see again.

"Trickster..." Yaldabaoth smiled. "Welcome tomy Velvet Room."

Chapter 2: Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There

Chapter Text

"Talking", 'Thinking', "Igor/Yaldabaoth", "Velvet Room Attendant", "Morgana", "Persona/Shadow", "Jose/Phone"

"Trickster. Welcome tomyVelvet Room."

Words he never wanted to hear again...

Especially in that voice.

Akira Kurusu stared down his former "mentor" turned adversary, as he gripped the bars of a rusted iron cell. It was very familiar. The weight around his ankle, the chains around his wrist. The faded stripes of those humiliating rags, its collar caked with dirt and grime. The twin wardens, the long-nosed deceiver, and this prison... he knew it all too well.

A year of your life doesn't just fall off the calendar.

"So, you've come to, Inmate!"

"The you in reality is fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream."

The Rulers of Power instructed him to stand up straight, as their "Master" went off on aloooongspiel, complete with false pleasantries, gilded truths, and an existential diatribe on destiny and ruin— the whole shebang. It was a decent speech, sure.

...But again, he'd heard it all before.

He couldn't care less what the three were saying. 'What the hell is going on?' he grit his teeth, 'I'm back in the Velvet Room, Lavenza is unfused, and... that Holy Grail thing is still alive?'

The impostor rambled on and on, Caroline and Justine standing at attention. But the demon's words fell upon empty ears, as Akira's mind ran a mile a minute.

'I'm not in my Thief clothes… and the door is still here. Am I imprisoned in my own heart again…?'

A thought struck him.

"Igor!" he shouted, slamming a fist against the cell door, "Where the hell are my friends!?"

!!

...

The outburst was so sudden and unexpected that everyone in the room froze. Yaldabaoth's gravelly voice faltered as he paused, his two underlings so utterly stunned by the prisoner's audacity that for a moment— just a moment— they forgot their position, and could only stand there in shock.

"What did youdoto them!" he roared, shaking the bars, "Answer me!"

Caroline was the first to recover.

"Y-You... Such insolence! " Her mouth twisted into a snarl. "Youdarespeak to our Master that way? You worthless scum of a prisoner! Know your place!"

With a rage and fury he'd never seen, the warden's baton crackled to life as shesmashedit into his hands. But the inmate barely flinched. Even as his knuckles blackened, and nearly shattered from the force, he glared down the man with a burning fire.

"At ease, Caroline." Yaldabaoth closed his eyes and chuckled. "It seems our Trickster is rather defiant. Fitting, forthe one who will change the world."

At her Master's order, the girl scowled... before reluctantly turning away. Justine, though without a weapon, returned to her post as well. Her anger was less like her sibling's thunderous rampage, and more of... an icy blizzard. A blizzard that almost slashed his fingers with a clipboard.

"I do not know the 'friends' of whom you speak..." his voice rumbled, "If you refer to those who stood by you until now, they have long since abandoned you. Left behind, in that town you called a home."

Akira growled, and shook his head vigorously.

"That's not true…" he muttered, "They'd never!"

"Oh, but they did." The deity split a crooked grin. "One by one.Society scorns you. They spit upon you. They deny you. And as you stand in this prison, Trickster, you are alone."

"Shut up…" Akira grit his teeth. "Shut up! I'm not. I'm not alone! I will always have Morgana! I will always have the Phantom Thieves! And I will never be alone!"

A deafening silence tore through the Velvet Room.

...

"...Morgana? Phantom Thieves?" Justine tilted her head, inquiring. "What are those supposed to be?"

"Hah! Nothing, that's what!" Caroline huffed, crossing her arms. "Just the Inmate, rambling something crazy. Delusional."

"It seems our Trickster is still disoriented..." Yaldabaoth drummed his fingers upon his table. "Very well. We shall meet again, at a later time."

"What? Hey!" Akira shook the bars again. "What do you mean!? What the hell's going on?!"

"You are at a crossroads, Trickster." The false god ignored his plea. "A Fool who holds The World in his hands. The fate of humanity—glory or ruin—is on your shoulders."

A wave of his hands, and alarm bells rung. Akira felt the Velvet Room begin to fade from his mind.

"N-No! Wait!" His vision blurred. "Answer me, damn you!"

"Let the game begin."

Akira Kurusu has had better mornings.

Granted, he's had mornings where the heater turned off in the middle of the night, and he'd woken up with a cold. He's had mornings where he woke up to a juvenile hall detention cell. Worst of all, he's had mornings where he'd wake up to a needed-to-be-cleaned litter box. So perhaps his standards were low.

And yet, even his partner's feces seemed more appealing than this.

He'd woken with a shout, and a leap, and a cold sheen of sweat across his body. And so, a rush of cool air hit him in the face like a jetstream. The leader of the Phantom Thieves sat up in bed in a flash, having to catch himself from falling over— he'd moved too quickly. Blinking away the cobwebs, he let his mind (and blood) catch up to themselves, as his senses returned, and he began to understand what he'd seen.

"...Oh, man..." He slammed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead. "It was just a dream. Just a nightmare."

Of course it was. Of course it was a nightmare. Lavenza was saved. Yaldabaoth was dead. The prison of his mind was gone. Broken out of. The chains upon his heart had shattered that day, three months ago. The Velvet Room had disappeared, and he had the key to prove it.

"Sorry Morgana..." he muttered an apology, "I had this crazy dream..."

...

And he froze.

Akira Kurusu began to process his surroundings. And while they were familiar, they werenotas they were mere hours before.

The rock hard mattress. The stench of dust in the air. The blinding light of the sun, through an open window. The lack of warmth at his side.

It didn't make sense. It couldn't be.

A pair of cobalt eyes cracked open, slowly.

But no. It was.

The cluttered workdesk, still covered with a dusty tarp. The shelves along the wall, crammed tight with all sorts of books and boxes. A floor specked with dirt and paint chips. The rickety old windows, the creaky wooden bar that ran across the ceiling, and the hanging light bulb mere inches from his face. This was the musty old attic of Leblanc.

...

"...I'm dreaming again," he murmured, "I've gotta' be."

After all, Morgana wasn't there.

"I'm dreaming... It's a dream within a dream," he spoke slowly, as if convincing himself, "I just have to... go to sleep! Yeah. I'll go to sleep, and I'll wake up back home, in my bed. In Inaba."

And Akira Kurusu rolls up in his moldy comforter, lays down, and closes his eyes.

...

...

...

Approaching footsteps.

"...Looks like you're up."

And a familiar voice.

White coat, pink shirt, white shoes, tan pants, white hat, slicked-back hair with a chinstrap goatee, and a voice like liquid gold. It was Boss, owner of Café Leblanc, ally of the Phantom Thieves, father to Futaba Sakura, and his guardian for the past year. But why was he here? Well, actually it made sense for Boss to be at Leblanc, but why washehere!?

Such was our hero's inner plight, as he tore off the blankets he'd swathed himself in and sat up. His muscles screamed and his head ached, but maybeBoss of all people could give him the answers he so sorely needed. And sore, he was...

"Mornin' Boss..." His own voice was very much still muddied and dull. "This your way of sayin' you're gonna' miss me?"

"Hm?" The man stopped short, his face unimpressed. "Are you still half-asleep? Well, rise and shine. You're going to be waking up around this time, so you'd better get used to it."

That was... pretty cold, even for Boss. What had him in such a bad mood? Wasn't even that early... Had he done something to make him mad? Did leaving really hurt that much? Or...

Did he leave more behind than he'd thought?

Akira shook his head harshly, like there was water in his ears. That wasn't right, he must've just misheard. After all, it wasn't unlike the old codger to act like a hardass and cover up his feelings. What did Futaba call it again? Tsun-something?

Oh, wait. That was probably it.

"Did Futaba put you up to this?" He rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. "Is this about the year-supply of yakisoba? I told her, stores don't really do things like that, even the online ones. Besides, I don't thi—"

"Stop."

There wasn't an ounce of humor in his voice, barely a teaspoon. His eyes were closed beneath the brim of his hat, and he could see the man's fists clench and twist around the fabric of his coat. Any sort of warmth or familiarity he might have expected from his old friend was gone— hardly the first sign something was off, but far from the last.

With a piercing glare, he finally spoke.

"I don't know who you think you are..." Sakura's voice wavered. "...But you stay the hell out of my business."

That woke him up. The boy shot to his feet.

"Boss, I…" he shook his head, "I don't understand—?"

"Save it!" The man crossed his arms, with a tone of finality. "I don't know what kind of crap you got away with out in the country, but none of that flies here. Keep messing around and I won't hesitate to throw you out, got it!?"

"...B-But I don't—"

The look in his eyes shut down any sort of hope he might've had. All Akira could do was breathe, then swallow, and...

"...Okay. I'm sorry."

The man's gaze softened just a moment, before tightening up again.

"As long as you understand," Sakura sighed, "Now get up and get dressed. We're introducing you to your teachers today."

Akira frowned. "Teachers? Why? I've already met most of them."

"Have you?" Boss shook his head. "News to me. Still, I've already made an appointment with your principal. I'll be downstairs. Don't keep me waiting."

The Hierophant tossed a wave over his shoulder before he disappeared down the old attic stairs, leaving the boy alone with his thoughts.

...

And he sure had a lot of those.

'Alright. Boss is mad. Like, really mad. I have no idea why. Also Futaba seems to be a touchy subject. Did something happen?' Our hero stood and made his way toward the corner of the room where he kept his uniform. It wasn't there. 'Oh cool. Something else to worry about.'

'Also I'm here in Leblanc. In Tokyo. That happened.' He crossed the room again, pulling out a box from underneath his bed. Sure enough, it was there. 'Where do I even begin with that? How did it happen? And why? Andwhyis nothing where I left it?'

It was true. In his effort to dress himself, he'd had to reach into several different boxes, all in different spots than he'd remembered. Also not packed the way he'd packed them. What was up with that?

Hell of a lot of effort for a prank.

...

'I've got a bad feeling about this.'

The car ride over was...

"..."

"..."

...terse.

"And now, another update regarding the psychotic breakdown incide—"

The radio gave an awkward sputter as Sakura reached over and shut it off, mid-sentence.

...

And now the terse was worse.

Akira shook his head free of... whatever those thoughts were. If he had time to make stupid jokes, he had time to figure out what the hell was going on.

"..."

"..."

Although... that was hard, given the circ*mstances. Seems that even the Trickster who changed the world falls prey to the Megidolaon that was "awkward silence".

...That wasn't even funny. And again, if you have time to make jokes...

'Right.' He reached into his pocket— hard to do in those pants, by the way— and opened up his phone. 'If I can't get it out of Boss, let's see what Futaba has to say...'

He felt a bit dirty, going behind his friend's back like that... but it was for a good cause. Besides, helping out a tsun-whatever like Sakura was always a hassle and a half—

...

...That's weird.

'First all my stuff's in the wrong place, and now my contacts aren't loading? Fantastic,' he grumbled, scrolling through the mostly-empty list, 'Today just gets weirder and weirder.'

He sighed under his breath. His companion didn't seem to care.

'Guess I gotta' go straight for the chat log?'

Surprise, surprise, it wasn't there either. In fact, it looked like nearly his entire message history from the last year had been wiped.

'Fun! Fun fun fun. So fun. Love this.' He ran a hand through his frizzy hair. 'I hope she kept them, at least. I liked looking back through it all.'

He swiped through the phone's... hm. What's that button called? The one that like, lets you move between your recently used apps. Multi-tasker? Something like that. Anyway, he swiped through his Multi-tasker™, looking for some other way to contact his fellow Thieves.

...

...

...Was that the Meta-Nav?

"We're here."

Looking up, the familiar sight of Shujin Academy looms in the distance. Yet the view from the car, on today of all days, looked just as imposing as it did on day one.

Akira jammed his phone back in his pocket as they pulled up to the curb. When he stepped out and stood up, and the full weight of the phone settled on his leg, he could feel it burning a hole in his pants like it was overheating, as the never-blinking eye of the Meta-Nav bore a hole into the back of his mind.

Also, his shoes were untied.

God, could this day get any worse?

Yeah. Yeah it could.

"To reiterate, just so we're clear, you will be expelled immediately if you cause any problems."

Principal Kobayakawa was... dead, right? At least, he should've been. Well, that sounds wrong. They said he'd passed on the news. If he remembered right, the man had been taking orders directly from Shido, and was... let go, after failing to catch the Phantom Thieves.

"In my opinion, you're nothing but a liability, but we had our circ*mstances to consider."

Oh! Come to think of it, he probably only ever got accepted to Shujin in the first place because it was part of Shido's whole coverup scheme. It'd be easier to sink a teenager with a criminal record if you had a place to put 'em when it was done.

"Whatever you might've gotten away with in your hometown... those days are over." The man adjusted his tightly-tied... tie. "If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind."

Why did everyone think he was some kind of habitual delinquent? He'd had decent grades and no reported conduct issues on his file, all throughout grade school. And middle school. And junior high. Wait, are those two the same thing?

"This is the teacher in charge of your class."

That got him to look up.

"I'm Sadayo Kawakami," she said, dully, "Here's your Student ID."

She slid his student handbook across the de— wait, was that a flyer for Victoria? She just walks around with those in her pocket? No wonder Ms. Chouno caught on so fast.

Seeming to realize her mistake, Sadayo snatched it up and hid it behind her back. Stealthily, of course.

"Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office."

Akira thumbed the edge of his frizzy bangs. "Did we have one of those?"

"...Yes. Yes we do, Kurusu-kun."

...He said that out loud, didn't he?

"So try not to cause any problems," she sighed, tucking the flyers back into her pockets. Discreetly. "I won't be able to protect you if you do."

Sadayo looked to her boss. "Thatisyour promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?"

The man started talking again, and so he couldn't help but… space out again. Kobayakawa was one of those people you just… couldn't help but tune out. Nothing against him (except for the fact he was taking under-the-table black market favors in exchange for assassinations and prestige), he'd just heard it all before.

...Huh.

That's right. Hehadheard this all before. Word for word.

...

Things were starting to add up, and he didn't like it.

"If you're done explaining things, mind if we get going?" Boss turned to face the man, "I got a store to get back to."

He looked over to Kawakami, who was... doing everything she could to avoid eye contact. Like she was still ashamed of him. Like before she even got to know him...

"Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him," a boring noise that sounded vaguely stern, "Don't let him cause any trouble outside."

...

...He didn't like this.

Pranks aren't usually this... elaborate. Even if his Thieves were in on it.

"Well, I'll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he's in."

Why do this in the first place? What could be so funny about putting someone through a hell they'd endured once before? Where's the joy in it?

"Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow."

And if it wasn't a prank, then...

"I'll show you to your classroom."

...

Oh, this day SUCKS.

In case you were wondering if the next day would be better, here's your answer: no. No it was not.

It's one thing to feel crappy about your first day of school, it's another to live that same first day like it never happened in the first place.

It's one thing to get pissed off when the train's running late because you're on a time limit and you don't know your way around, it's another to get pissed off when the train's running late because you know exactly who ordered and orchestrated its conductor's Psychotic Breakdown.

It's one thing to lose everything, and another to lose everything, gain something worth having, then losethattoo.

It's the kind of frustration that puts you somewhere between crying and tearing your hair out. Depending on the kind of person you are, maybe it's some combination of both.

Well, no matter the kind of tears, Akira Kurusu wasn't the kind of person to just… roll over and die at the first sign of conflict. He was the kind of person to roll over... get roped into a year-long conspiracy web of lies involving an interdimensional murderer and his deadbeat murder-man of a dad, then take each hit like a champ until an old letch in a cape and panties threatened a stranger long enough that his heart did a kickflip and awakened to its superpowered other self. Then die.

Repeatedly.

Okumura was stupid tough.

It didn't help that his body was still sore, his heart was a mess, and his brain felt like jello (but like, the off-brand kind with too much sugar). Really, he wasn't in a good place, in any sense of the word.

In the end, he couldn't really blame her for how she reacted.

"...Sorry, can I help you?"

Ugh. Ofcoursehe was staring. You spend the whole night thinking about what you're gonna' say to your once-and-future friends, then you see them, you see them without that familiar light in their eyes, and you freeze up. You choke, and you're left standing there like an idiot. A stupid, sweating idiot. God, this sucks.

Damn it. He could be mad at himself later. Right now, he couldn't afford to screw up.

"Sorry..." He scratched his cheek and offered a small smile. "But do you remember me?"

Ann blinked.

Looked him up and down.

Tilted her head a bit.

"...No. I'm sorry, have we met before?"

...

It took a lot of time. A lot of happy accidents. A lot of support, from every single avenue, and most of all... It took a lot out of him, to get as far as he had.

And to let it end here would be like throwing it all away.

Throughout history, in the face of insurmountable odds, Tricksters would rise and challenge the status quo. Not because it was easy. Not because it was convenient. But because it needed doing.

Those Tricksters were scorned. Labelled outcasts, ostracized for going against that which was set in stone. Those who would forge their own path, make their own fate, were mankind's greatest blessings... though they were never received as such. At least, while they were still alive, around, and Trickster-ing.

Tricksters faced opposition at every turn. And yet they carried the torch as beacons— guiding lights for progress.

As long as they possessed the spark of rebellion.

...

...

...

"Sorry."

He looked away.

"You just... reminded me of someone I knew."

That despair which crushed the light of hope. Was it always there? Or did it bloom in the light's absence? No one can say for sure.

But as she walked away, into that same car, he tried. He tried so hard to move.

Do something.

Say something.

Anything.

But his legs wouldn't move. His voice wouldn't work. Worse than the weights of his spiritual prison, with every step she took toward that hell, thatsame hell... it felt a thousand times worse than that day.

And just like that day, all he could do was stare. Stare at the hand he'd reached out, unthinkingly, unconsciously,reaching for... some tiny, little, tender bit of hope.

"Ann... wait..."

And just like that day, the world moved on without him.

She was gone.

And he felt like he faded away.

"Dammit... Screw that pervy teacher."

...

It was Ryuji.

He didn't notice last time around, but the blond kicked a couple of rocks at the car as it drove off.

Last time...

...

...Could he really do this?

Could he live an entire year of his life again? Could he endure the pressure? The pain? The heartache? Could he really do it all over? The betrayal, the loss... Just one split his heart in half.

He'd have to do all that and more.

Did he really have that in him?

...

When he looked up again, his friend was gone.

'Is this... my punishment?

My penance... for robbing the people of their wishes?

...

...If that's true...

...was it worth it? Everything I did... Did it matter at all? Any of it?

Is this the world's way of telling me, I've made a mistake?'

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

...Damn it.

...

'...How far 'The Trickster's fallen, huh?' He shut his eyes and shook his head. 'If any of them heard me right now, they'd be pissed.'

He slowed his pace and took a moment to lean against the outer wall of the campus. He idly pressed the tip of his shoe to the pavement and ground it into the asphalt, taking the sound it made and burning it into his ears.

'...I have to try. I know I do.'

He kicked a rock. It looked fun when Ryuji did it. It was mildly entertaining.

'...If not for my sake, for theirs.'

He leaned his head back, looking up at the clear spring sky. The rain had long since passed; the only thing in the sky were trails of clouds and drifting sakura.

'...I felt so helpless. Ifeelso helpless, even now.'

He let his head tilt all the way, tapping the wall with enough force to jostle his brain in skull.

'...It may be pointless. And I know it's only going to cause me pain.'

Off came the glasses. In his mind's eye, a mask was all that remained.

'...But I've gotta' keep going. I can do this.'

And soon, even that burned away.

'This is a second chance. I can't waste it. I won't waste it.'

With firm resolve and head held high...

'You hear that, false god? Iwillsave everyone. I'll leave this world better than I left it!'

Akira Kurusu took his first step toward tomorrow.

'I'll do my best until the very end.'

I am thou,thou art I...
Thou hastbirtheda bond clad in the heart's strength.

This union, born and embraced bywillunyielding,
shall become thebeacon that lights thy path.

With therebirthof the World Persona,
thou hast obtained the winds ofblessingthat
shall guide thee through all life's splendor.

"...You would stand judged against the World's Law for thine own dream?

Well done, child of man.

I shall become your mask once more."

By the time he realized, his glasses were already back on his face.

Nice to know Satanael had some manners.

The first step into the school building was... strangely nostalgic. He'd been there only yesterday, but... the halls, so full of life. The trees in the courtyard, he could see from his shoe locker. The ever-familiar school store that was... yep. Still out of the yakisoba bread. Some things never change.

And then that air. That tense, overwhelming, revolting air of Kamoshida's iron grip on this place.

He couldn't wait to beat it down for good.

Switching to his school shoes from the uniform ones, he shut his locker with a click. Oh right, he hadn't done this yesterday. Well, he hadn't read the school rules yet, so at least he had an excuse... Actually, wouldn't Boss have known? Wait, these lockers got assigned this morning, so he's fine. Okay then!

"Live an honest student life"? Check.

At least one thing would be easier the second time around. Already knowing how each Metaverse target would react was a huge boon. All he had to do was keep his head down in the real world, and most of 'em would be none the wiser.

In the meantime though, class was about to start.

'Round the corner, then up the stairs. His classroom was on the right, but he was told to go to the faculty office fir—

!!

...

...

...It washer.

Shewas there.

Hands clasped gently before her, she let her body sway back and forth, as she leaned with her back to the wall. With a furrowed brow, cute lips pursed in thought, she let her ponytail fall from one shoulder to the other, as her eyes skimmed the crowd.

Why was she here? Was she looking for someone?

...Was she looking at him?

"Senpai!"

With speed that'd make an athlete jealous and grace that'd make a gymnast look twice, the girl who happened to be the best at both those things crossed the space between them in a flash.

"Kasumi?!"

"Senpai!!"

Her eyes were so full of light. Her smile lit up the room. He could see it in her very being. Hope. Faith, personified.

Then she stopped herself.

In an impressive show of balance, her momentum went from a hundred to zero. She ended up a few steps further away than he would've thought, but—

Her face...

It was an expression he'd seen once before.

Once. The day she shared her story...

It was strange. She was always so calm. Confident. If you didn't know her, you'd never realize her heart was in turmoil. But eyes never lied. And he could see it now, what was once so full of light and hope... there was doubt. Hesitation. Fear.

So he steeled himself for what was to come. In hopes that he could help cast her doubts aside, just like she always did for him. Hoping that whatever truth he could give her was the one she needed most right now.

...He didn't expect it to be the other way around.

"...Akira-senpai." She looked him right in the eyes. "Do you remember?"

His breath stopped.

...

And he almost broke down crying, right there.

"I do."

From the looks of it? She felt the same way.

And so, national-level honor-student gymnast Kasumi Yoshizawa tackled notorious law-breaking delinquent Akira Kurusu, in the tightest hug he'd ever had. She landed on top of him with a happy laugh, and a thud that echoed through the crowded hallway.

...So much for keeping a low profile.

Chapter 3: Our Beginning

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, "Morgana", "Persona/Shadow","Jose/Phone"

“I’m so, so sorry!!!”

So she said, once she realized what she’d done. She snapped to her feet in a flash— without using hands by the way! If he wasn’t still reeling from the fact that Kasumi Yoshizawa of all people had kept her memories from the past year of their lives, he’d probably be really impressed.

Oh, who are we kidding. He was still impressed.

She leaned down, offering him a hand— one he gladly took. Oh! She pulled him up in one go. Wow. That’s a lot of torque for...

He looked down at his Kouhai, only half a head smaller than he was.

...actually, what the hell did he know about torque? Good on her.

“I-I was just excited and everything was happening so fast and I didn’t know what to do and—”

She started bowing. Over and over again.

“I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’mso—”

“Wh-Whoa! Calm down, Kasumi!”

The... already sizable crowd, piled up from the hustle and bustle of the first day of school, had stopped in their tracks the moment someone like Kasumi Yoshizawa spoke to the school’s new and notorious delinquent criminal-they-never-bothered-to-learn-the-name-of. The crowd only got larger when she tackled him, and larger still when she started her best impression of a robot arm from Okumura’s Palace.

Not that any of them would know what that looked like. It was a sight to behold, nonetheless.

“But it was really rude, and I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, and—”

“I-It’s really fine, please stop bowing!!”

It was the kind of crowd that grew larger the longer it went on. So like, most crowds, I guess. People had actually started leaving their classrooms to see what was happening. With every bow, the already-tight hallways of Shujin Academy became ever-more-suffocating.

“Kasumi!”

He’d caught her while she’d had her head up. She stood at attention.

“Yes, Senpai!?”

...

“...It’s good to see you.”

She beamed.

“It’s good to see you too!”

...

He sighed.

“It seems like we have a lot to talk about.”

She nodded fiercely.

“Right! I was wondering if you had some time after school, so we could talk about it?”

He nodded back. Not quite as fired up, but just as enthusiastic.

“Say the word and I’m there.” He grinned, pulling out his phone. “...Mind if I get your number again? My contacts got wiped by...whatever this is.”

“Oh! You’re right!” She pulled out hers as well. “I thought it was just mine acting up. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

He held his up to hers, and their Chat IDs were synced. Gotta’ love infrared.

“I think that’s my line.” He laughed, pocketing it. “Stay safe until then.”

“Of course!”

And the two turned around to head to their respective classrooms.

And the two were greeted by dozens of gaping faces.

And the two realized exactly what had just occurred.

And the two turned a shade of red that can only be described as “somewhere between Akira’s gloves and Kasumi’s hair”.

“I still can’t believe it, dude.”

“Didn’t he kill someone? What’s Yoshizawa-san doing with someone like him?”

“Yoshizawa-san? She’s got perfect grades, perfect looks, and a perfect score on the last meet! Do you think she would hang out with him if she knew he was like that?”

“What, so he’s lying to her, on top of all that? Messed up.”

The Shujin Academy rumor mill was ever-a’-milling.

It didn’t take long for their little exchange to spread throughout the entire school. Honestly, it felt like the entire school had been at that “little exchange”. Even now, as he made his way down the stairs to the school store for lunch, he could feel eeeeeveryone’s eyes on him. Like, even more than last time around. And as someone who very much preferred to fade into the crowd, Akira was in a perpetual state of embarrassed and dead-inside.

He could only imagine how Kasumi felt.

The two had texted during class (he’d dropped her a line almost immediately after sitting down) and they’d made plans to meet after school. Kasumi said she’d have practice in the afternoon, so she probably wouldn’t be able to make a trip too far off campus. The pair had settled on the rooftop, which was still unlocked around this time of year.

He shook his head. He was... really getting used to this time travel thing quickly. It was only a few hours ago that he’d felt so crushingly desperate and alone.

He couldn’t be gladder that it wasn’t the case.

Then again... Kasumi Yoshizawa. Why was she the one to keep her memory, out of everyone involved? Not that he was complaining of course! Not by a long shot. He’d genuinely been on the brink of something... terrifying, for a minute there. Despair beyond his imagination. And even though he’d taken his first step on his own, her presence had done nothing but help him out of that. If anything, he was glad it was her.

...He’d always regretted not being able to work together. Shido was definitely their most dangerous foe, but he still couldn’t help beating himself up over it.

Ever since they’d hung out at the batting cages, it’d sort of felt like their relationship had... stagnated. What they had was great! They hung out at Destinyland and Inokashira, and grabbed lunch together and stuff. But it always felt like... there was something more he could’ve done.

When he left, they’d shared a small goodbye. Nothing much, just a few words of a chance meeting at the train station.

But still...

...

...God, how selfish could he be?

Thinking that this would be a good time to become closer friends? Thinking that taking on Masayoshi Shido, Japan’s most dangerous criminal of the past decade, was a good excuse to bond? Thinking that after all he’d done to put her in danger, that he had a right to ask more of her?

It was April. Her sister had just...

...

...Oh god. How long had she been here? Was it longer than he had?

Nothing could be more cruel.

Kasumi was uninvolved. She wasn’t a Phantom Thief. She was given the offer, and decided not to join. More than that, she had always disagreed with their values. With all she was going through, it wasn’t right to drag her into this.

...

...But it only made him wonder.

‘Why is Kasumi here?’

“Kurusu-kun!”

The sharp tone of a familiar voice called out to him from across the hall. Slowly, he turned to face it.

There stood Sadayo Kawakami with her hands on her hips, one hand miraculously holding a folder of papers together without spilling any, the other crushing two school sandwiches together so they’d fit in her palm. She let her foot tap the floor with an expression that went beyond her typical exhausted one into new, soul-crushingly-done-with-her-job territory. Also known as “retail”.

“Faculty office. Now.”

Her tone left no room for argument.

...Damn it. Oh well. At least it would take his mind off everything. Plus, he hadn’t had a good chewing-out since yesterday.

“Being half a day late on your first day?” she sighed, “Can you explain yourself?”

This... wasn’t what he’d been expecting.

“Sa— ...Kawakami-sensei?” He had to catch himself. “I’ve been here since first period.”

...

“...What did you say?” She looked a bit stunned.

“Yeah, I got here right on time.” He nodded, not sure where this was headed. “You can ask Chouno-sensei. You can... ask anyone else too.”

He mumbled that last part under his breath, cheeks a bit flushed. But she still didn’t look too pleased.

“If you’d forgotten, I’d told you to come to the faculty office before school, so I could show you to your class.” She narrowed her eyes. “...And wait. How’d you know which class was yours? Your name isn’t on the bulletin board with everyone else’s— your transfer was too sudden for that.”

She looked him up and down and—

“And your shoes!” she exclaimed, “I was supposed to tell you your locker number too!” She turned her eyes up and glared, “Don’t tell me you just took someone else’s!”

“Wh-What!? No!” He shook his head and waved his arms in denial. “I just… asked a teacher! Who, uh, happened to be passing by.” He scratched his cheek, desperately trying to come up with... something.

“Well, which teacher was it?”

“Uh...”

Like Arsene always said, “The key to a good lie is confidence, and plausible deniability.”

Er, was that Arsene who told him that? Or was it the book he read about Arsene? No wait, it was that sleazy Charm-raising book about picking up women.

A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

...He’d really needed that SP Adhesive 3, okay? Kaneshiro’s Palace really took it out of you, and for some damn reason, Tae didn’t share her secrets with the mere “Suave”.

“I don’t really remember?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “He was an adult in the school building, and seemed to um… know who I was, at a glance.”

Sadayo raised her eyebrows before they furrowed. Was that... pity, in her eyes? No, it was sympathy. He just hadn’t seen that look in a while.

“Well... fine. As long as you showed up, that’s good enough for me.” She acknowledged, crossing her arms. “Just… in the future, be sure to keep track of your appointments? It’s a useful skill to have.”

He nodded obediently, “Yes, Sensei...”

“Alright. Oh, just one more thing,” Sadayo said, as she moved to put her folder away, “Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident.”

...sh*t.

That’s right. Akechi was still out there, killing innocents as an extradimensional hitman-for-hire.

Damn. He needed to talk to Kasumi as soon as possible. Akechi seemed to have his own code, but... he couldn’t take any risks. The two knew each other after all, and...

...

...Akechi had been murdering people for years now.

If this really was a second chance, could even someone like him be... “saved”? Was that even his place to decide that? Futaba and Haru were the ones who had lost their parents’ lives. To him, Akechi was a... Well, he was a murderer with no doubt in his heart or mind about what he was doing— he had a Persona after all. But before all that, when it had been just the two of them playing pool, or getting sweets, or drinking mocktails until the club closed down, Akechi was... his friend.

That felt weird to say, but it was (for better, for worse) the truth. He knew that in his heart.

And so, it was hard to be impartial on the matter. Not that he’d ever felt comfortable with someone else’s fate in his hands.

!!

“Oh! The bell.” Sadayo stood up, letting her sandwiches tumble onto the desk. “...Ugh. I didn’t even get to eat lunch.”

...

The sound of two growling stomachs in harmony.

“...You didn’t get to eat either, did you?”

“I...” Akira let his shoulders heave. “I was actually on my way to do that, before...”

...

...

His teacher gave him a look.

“I’m teaching your class next period, so...” She tossed him a lump of bread wrapped in plastic. “...We’re in the same boat.”

She pat the empty seat beside her, as the faculty office began to empty.

“You won’t be late if the teacher isn’t there yet.” Sadayo offered him a small smile. “Eat up. Take it as a reward for good behavior.”

He blinked in surprise.

“...Thank you... Kawakami-sensei.”

She grinned.

“You’re welcome, Kurusu-kun.” She then took a faux stern expression. “You’d better keep it up throughout the year though.”

“...If free food is involved, I’d be happy to oblige,” he joked, unwrapping his sandwich.

...

“...Hey, do you mind if we swap?”

“What?!” Her eyes were wide. “You don’t like Yakisoba Pan? What kind of a kid are you?”

“I like it! I just...” He pointed at her sandwich. “...like Katsu better.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I hope you're not taking advantage of my kindness,” she huffed, handing it over, “You’re lucky I like Yakisoba more, too.”

He couldn’t help but grin. He figured she’d have bad memories of it, even around this time. Katsu was one of the foods that Victoria expected their workers to be able to make for their customers, and Sadayo wasn’t... the best at that one in particular. He still remembered the mess he came home to, and the immortal stain that Boss grilled him about ‘til the day he left.

“You know...” she said after a few mouthfuls, “These are really popular here. They sell out super fast. So it’s probably good that it’s not your favorite.”

“...And you gave it to me?” He might’ve known, but he was honestly touched. “Thanks teach. You sure are nice.”

She didn’t say anything, but let out an appreciative noise through a mouthful of delicious noodly goodness. He smiled, and went back to his food.

The two enjoyed the rest of their meal in comfortable silence.

Let it be known that Akira Kurusu had a terrible case of shaky leg.

It was the kind of tick that was barely a tick in the eyes of the general public. Lots of people did it, after all. But like a cat wagging its tail, the greater the anticipation, the faster it went.

...What do you mean, that’s not how cats work? Oh well. Morgana must’ve been a special case.

Either way, the moment the bell rang, he was already standing with his bag slung around his shoulder, and walking off with a focused look in his eye. To be honest, classes had been a bit of a drag (they’re bound to be when you’re Erudite, and especially if it was your second time through), and there was only one thing on his mind right now.

...Well, there were several things on his mind right now, but he had the one lead.

“Ah—!”

“Oh!”

In his hurry to round the corner up to the stairwell, he’d bumped into someone carrying a stack of papers.

“I’m so sorry...” she bowed, “I wasn’t looking where I was going...”

“No, it’s my fault,” he shook his head, kneeling to help gather everything, “I was in a hurry and—”

...

...Shiho Suzui.

She blinked slowly, and gave him what must’ve been an appraising look. But with the way she looked right now, it just seemed... tired.

“You’re... the transfer student...” she muttered. The moment she realized, it was like her eyes were on anything but his. “...The one from class D...”

“Hm? Uh... yeah. I guess so.” He nodded lamely, continuing to collect the papers. They didn’t need to be all face-up, did they? “I’m Akira Kurusu. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh...” she mumbled, moving to kneel and help as well, “I’m Shiho Suzui—!?”

As she did, her knee must’ve given out as she stumbled a bit, leaning against the wall for support. Without thinking, he’d reached out and...

“!!”

...caught her. The two stayed like that for a moment, neither knowing exactly what to do.

“...Sorry,” the words left his mouth before he could think, “...You’re hurt, aren’t you?”

“Huh?” She blinked, before curling in on herself, “Ah... um... just a little.”

She pushed off the wall gently, letting his hands drop back down to his sides.

“I’m alright... thank you.” She squeezed her forearm a bit. A nervous habit? “...Oh. The papers...”

He looked down at the floor. Ah. He must’ve dropped them again, when he moved to catch her. He knelt and swept them up quickly this time. Guess there’s a second time for everything...

“...Thank you.” She bowed again, this time a bit stiffer. “I can take it from here.”

...

His eyes couldn’t help but meet her legs.

Her legs...

...

He still remembered that day.

No matter how much it sickened him, he couldn’t forget. He wouldn’t forget. He wasn’t allowed to forget.

...

“Hm? ...Kurusu-kun?”

He shook his head.

“Here. I’ll take these wherever they need to go.” Akira waved the stack dutifully. “I think you should go see the nurse.”

“...Huh?” Her eyes widened. She shook her head as hard as she could. “N-No! I’m fine, see?”

She tried to stand up straight, but her knee twitched. Even under the brace she wore, he could the faint mark of a bruise about the edges.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” he assured, “Take it as an apology for bumping into you.” He offered her his arm, “Here. I’ll even walk you there.”

“...”

Her expression seemed to darken as her eyes squinted, and her brow furrowed. Under the bruise on her forehead, it seemed like guilt continued to weigh on her mind.

...

He wasn’t sure what the turning point was, but after a moment of deliberating, she finally took his arm.

“...Thank you.”

“Sure.”

And the two made their way to practice building.

“There you... go...” He managed to let her down on the bed gently. “I think the nurse is out for lunch right now, but she’ll be back soon.”

“...I see. Thank you...”

He’d put her down in a sitting position, but she’d already fallen onto her side. It seems she was in more pain than she’d let on...

“...Kurusu-kun?”

His attention was drawn back to her face. She’d finally looked him in the eye.

“Um... this might not be any of my business...” she swallowed, “...But don’t let the rumors get to you. Okay?”

He blinked. “...Thanks.”

“...Yeah.”

...

She squeezed her elbow again.

“My... my best friend is often misunderstood too... all because of her looks...” Shiho let the words spill out. “So um...”

...

“Thank you.” It was all he could say. “I really do appreciate it.”

He scooped up the papers he’d left on the bedside table, and made to stand up.

“Alright, I’ll let you get your rest.” Akira organized the stack so it was nice and orderly. “Where are these going?”

...

“...Oh,” her eyes closed, “They’re going to... um...

...Mr. Kamoshida.”

...

Ah.

“I’ll tell him that one of the teachers needed you for something,” he assured, ever quick on the uptake, “And that they sent you to deliver some worksheets to... someone who was home sick today. Since it was on your way home.”

“...”

Shiho sat in silence for a while, before she finally nodded and...

“...Thank you, Kurusu-kun. You’re... really kind.”

He gave a small smile. “I could say the same to you. If we ever get the chance, maybe we could... hang out sometime?”

...It was a bit of a juvenile approach, but it was honest, in the end. Besides, he’d had all kinds of experience with juvie.

“...Sure. Some other time...”

That made him really happy. He offered her another smile and a wave, as he left the office, ready to run a quick errand before his meeting began.

Yes, he was taking Sadayo’s advice. Get off his back.

“Oh, Suzui! ...What?”

The shovel-chinned man he’d love to hit in the chin with a shovel turned around in his chair as he entered the office. His expression went to a fake-happy one to a real-annoyed one. Oh, this was gonna’ be fun.

“Who are you? Where’s Suzui?” Kamoshida stood and crossed his arms. “Wait… you’re that transfer student from Class D, aren’t you?”

Here we go.

Flexing his Trickster muscles (those were his fingers and his brain, by the way), he got ready to do what he did best.

Piss off old men in power.

“Guess so.” Akira shrugged, before holding out the stack of papers. “Suzui got sent off on another errand. One of the teachers asked her to, ah...” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Something about worksheets and a sick student on her way home from school?”

Kamoshida’s eyes narrowed. “And which teacher was this?”

“Hmm...” Akira rubbed his chin in thought. “I’m not quite sure. I’m still pretty new here, and I haven’t met everyone on school staff yet. She told me, but...” He playfully tapped his fist to his head. “Oh well. Why? Was it important?”

...

“...No.” The man growled out.

Damn. This was easier than he thought.

“You better not be lying to me...” Kamoshida glared him down. “I’m sure you heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you’ll be expelled. Understand?”

“Perfectly! I even read the handbook and everything!” He nodded, pulling out what Sadayo had given him. He flipped it open to the first few pages. “Fascinating stuff. It says one of your values is ‘The preservation of law, order, and justice throughout both the staff and student body.’ It’s a good code of conduct!”

“Well. I’m so glad to hear such nice things about our fine establishment.” Kamoshida’s eyes didn’t change, but his voice took on that sarcastic tone he’d heard so much, last time around. “Even from someone like you.”

“Of course!” Akira nodded again, excitedly. “It also says that ‘Any who fail to comply with these values are subject to disciplinary action, pending expulsion.’ Now that is interesting.”

Kamoshida ground his teeth. “Yes. And it’s by that same rule of law that any of your little… tricks will get you kicked out faster than you can say—”

“You know it goes both ways, right?”

“...What was that?”

Akira idly checked his nails, having put the book away a while ago. “The rules. Rule of law. Those kinds of things. You can’t expect one side to follow it, if the other side won’t uphold their end of that deal.”

Kamoshida’s eyes narrowed further. “...What is it you’re trying to say?”

“Just that.” He put his hands in his pockets. “As long as there’s nothing on the staff’s end, there’ll be nothing on mine. We all want to get through this year without any… accidents.”

The man approached.

“...Are you threatening me, scum?”

Akira tilted his head.

“Why would any of that sound like a threat?” he asked, innocently, “I just said that justice goes both ways...”

Akira lowered his voice.

“...Why, you haven’t done anything immoral, have you Kamoshida-sensei?”

He was in striking distance now, and he knew it. He could feel it in the very fibre of his soul. He knew how desperately this disgusting stain on humanity wanted to just... hit him. Break his leg. Break his spirit, and be done with him.

And so he stood his ground, defiant.

“...No.” Kamoshida shook his head, “Perish the thought.”

“That’s what I figured,” Akira nodded, turning to leave, “I’m going to head home now... oh!”

He turned back and snapped his fingers, like he’d remembered something. When he did, Kamoshida looked like he had been ready to lash out.

“I overheard the principal when I passed by his office. Something about a surprise investigation from the Board of Education?” Akira let the words fly. “They’ll be coming sometime this week, and they’re quite interested in your team. They won’t say when they’re coming though, so... stay sharp!”

And with that, he disappeared into the hallway.

It wouldn’t be long before Kamoshida realized he’d been lying.

The choice in words was made under two assumptions. The first being that Kamoshida knew that Principal Kobayakawa was an absolute pushover— one who tried to sweep everything under the rug, in cowardly hopes that it would never surface. So no matter how much Kobayakawa told Kamoshida that the visit was a lie, the abuser would never believe it.

The second assumption was that during that week, all beatings and assaults on his students would stop. It was a real opportunity for them to get ahead; the school’s reputation was on the line. The players all needed to be at their best, to leave the absolute best impression.

So he had a new deadline. It was about a week at most.

Was it risky? Absolutely. And he was doing what he hated most— taking others’ lives into his own hands. It sickened him.

But what sickened him more was the thought that those beatings and assaults could go on for even another second. That is what made the decision for him.

Besides, it was only Kamoshida’s Palace. He’d confirmed its reappearance with the Nav last night. Traumatic experiences aside, it was among the easier, more simple Palaces they’d had to pursue. After all, Kamoshida was no mastermind. There was no scheme. Just a disgusting little man, indulging himself. It would be easy to take down Kamoshida, even all by himself.

All by himself...

...

...Well, he didn’t have to be alone.

Ann and Ryuji might not remember him... but Kasumi did. And while she wasn’t a Phantom Thief, she was strong. She was strong, all on her own.

But did he have the right to ask that of her?

...

“ It would seem thou art at a crossroads, Trickster. ”

“!!”

“ True strength of heart is born from bonds, forged in flame. Is this not what thou hadst learnt? ”

‘...Are you just… going to talk to me? In broad daylight like this? Is this going to be a thing?’

“ I speak not to thee, Trickster, but thy troubled soul. What troubles thee, troubles Us all. ”

He could feel… a bunch of people nodding. Which was a very strange sensation, considering he was alone on the way to the rooftop, and also how could he feel people nodding —!?

“ Trust in those that trust in thee. Place thine trust in the oaths of blood thou hath made. This is the answer of thy soul. ”

‘Okay, but like. You really shouldn’t do that.’ Akira ran a hand through his hair, ‘Like, talk without warning. Your huge, booming, multi-layered voice almost gave me a heart attack.

“ Do not change the subject, Trickster. ”

‘Sorry for getting caught up on the fact that a deity can just… talk to me. At any time.’ He nodded. ‘You’re totally right. I’m the problem.’

“ I am thou, thou art I. Thy thoughts and desires art mine own. If thou do not wish to speak with us, then We shall abide. However, know that We are always with thee, as the mask upon thy very being.

Thy true self, We know best of all. ”

‘Cool. Got it. Thanks.’

...

The voices had stopped.

This was really gonna’ take some getting used to.

When he opened the door to the roof, he was prepared to see her.

He wasn’t prepared to see her.

“Oh! Is this your friend?”

Haru Okumura stood up from her position by the planters, dutifully dusting the dirt off the pants of her tracksuit. Beside her, Kasumi Yoshizawa stood as well, brushing whatever dust had gotten on her skirt. It seems the two had been gardening together.

“Yes, he’s who I’ve been waiting for.” She bowed. “Thank you, Okumura-senpai.”

“I should be the one thanking you!” Haru beamed. “Thank you for your help moving the planters. To be honest, I was really surprised! You’re very strong, Yoshizawa-san!”

“I get that a lot.” Kasumi blushed. “Thank you, again.”

And with that, Haru gave her a little nod, before moving to leave...

“Oh! Where are my manners?” She extended a hand to him. “My name is Haru Okumura. And who might you be?”

...

What kind of face was he making right now? Whatever it was, he hoped it didn’t betray his thoughts.

“Akira Kurusu,” he said, taking her hand and shaking it. “Pleasure.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Kurusu-kun!” She bowed, before addressing both him, and Kasumi. “Well, I’ll be going then!”

And she made her way down the stairs.

…

...

“...She didn’t… remember either.”

Kasumi’s voice was on the edge of breaking.

“...”

He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t say anything. What could he say? What was there to say?

...

...

...Damn it.

Okay. Time to put on your big boy pants and make tough decisions.

He closed the door behind them, and put his hands in his pockets.

“Let’s sit down,” he said, nodding his head toward the spare chairs and desks lying around. He took a seat, and she followed his lead, taking the seat right across from him.

...

...

“So.” Akira started. “Before we get into, ‘what’s going on?’, I think we should get our stories straight.”

Kasumi nodded, slowly. “Okay. So, what do you want to know?”

He rubbed his chin in thought.

“...What’s the last day of the year that you remember?” he asked, after a while, “From last time around, I mean.”

She scrunched up her eyebrows. Huh. Cute.

“I think it was... the 19th? No, the 20th,” she confirmed, “The 20th of March. I remember, because I was headed to a week-long training camp, and...”

She twiddled her thumbs.

“...I saw you. At the station.”

He grinned.

“And you scolded me for not looking where I was going.”

“Wh—?!” She blushed. “I did not! It was… um, what are those things with double meanings? You do them all the time?”

“It’s a double entendre,” he said, “Isn’t your Persona from France?”

“I-It’s not like I speak the language, or anything!” She pouted. “Anyway, I got to my training camp and after working through some routines, we broke for the day and I went to sleep… and when I woke up, it was April.”

He nodded. “The same sort of thing happened to me. After we met at Shibuya Station, I met up with my friends near station plaza. They dropped me off in my hometown and I went to bed, and then… boom. April.”

His leg shaking stopped. He hadn’t realized he’d been doing it.

“Kasumi, I... I have to ask.” His fist twisted into the fabric of his pants. “...What day did you wake up?”

She tilted her head. “Yesterday. Why? Was it different for you?”

He shook his own, no.

“Sorry, just... confirming something.”

She nodded... slowly.

“I wake up, ready for another day...” Her voice was soft and strained. “And I’m in my house. And I go out into the living room, and...”

She trailed off. He... didn’t quite know what to say. He tried putting a hand on her shoulder, but she shook her head.

“My parents were still in mourning. I was so confused. And scared. So scared. It felt like...” She wrapped her arms around herself. “It felt like a nightmare. But I couldn’t wake up from it.”

She began to tremble.

“Everything I’d been trying so hard to... to move on from. To live for...” Her voice began to quiver. “It was all there, right in front of me. And I had to experience it, all over again.”

Her eyes began to tear.

“I began to think... Have I been running away, all this time?” The tears began to fall. “Is this the gods’ way of telling me that I was wrong?

Is this my punishment, for leaving her behind?”

She couldn’t take it anymore. Her body wracked itself with sobs. This time, he held her. All she could do was cry.

“They put me here... just out of reach...” she choked out, “...They gave me this... this miracle, knowing that no matter how close I was, I could NEVER undo what happened...”

“I... I...”

...

And all he could do was hold her, as she fell apart at the seams.

“...I’m... so sorry, Kasumi.”

They stayed like that for a long time.

“...Sorry,” she sniffed, rubbing at her eyes with her sleeve. “I know this is the least of your problems right now, and—”

“Kasumi...” He cut her off. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here for you, okay?”

“Senpai...”

...

After a few more minutes, she finally let go of his jacket. Oh. She’d cried into it quite a lot. Once he’d made sure she was okay, he took it off and laid it across the back of his seat.

“...So... what happened to you?” she asked after a while, “When you woke up, I mean...”

“Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It was um... about the same.”

He told her about Boss, and how he’d acted. Then about his trip to school and the MetaNav reappearing. Then about his encounter this morning...

And of course, how everyone he loved had treated him like... like a nuisance.

Everything he'd lived for. Risked his life for. Everything he'd done...

“Today was supposed to be the day I first entered Kamoshida’s Palace with Ryuji...” He grit his teeth. “But in the end, I was too scared to even talk to him.”

“I couldn’t... I couldn’t face him.” He admitted. It broke him to say even that. “I couldn’t face Boss. I couldn’t face Sadayo. I couldn’t face Ann... even when she needed me most.”

He clenched his fists tight.

“I felt like...” He could feel his glasses getting foggy. “I felt like if I couldn’t do even that, then I didn’t... I didn’t deserve to have them back. That everything that had happened up to now was... an accident. A mistake.”

And now he felt something wet drip onto his arms.

“I was really... really ready to give up...” The words tumbled out. “...I thought I was alone. All alone again...

I thought I’d lost everything...”

He looked up at her. She was crying too.

“...But I didn’t. You’re here.”

He smiled through the tears.

“It’s selfish, but… I’m glad I’m not alone.

Thank you.”

She could only smile back, as she took his hand.

“...So... what happens now?”

That was the question, wasn’t it?

The two had spent about an hour now, just sitting there, enjoying each other’s presence. They may have been close in their past lives, but not this close. Still, in this nightmarish world of wrongs, it couldn’t help but feel so right. To have spent all that time, thinking that your life, your world, everything you fought for had crumbled to ash... And to find the one thing in this life you could hold onto. To say you weren’t crazy. To say that everything that happened up to now was real. That it mattered. That was all they needed and more.

But still...

“...I don’t know,” he admitted. “Neither of us know why we’re here, or how it happened...”

Kasumi looked up at him, “You and Morgana-senpai were working as Thieves in that Metaverse place, right?” She leaned forward. “Do you think it could have something to do with that?”

He fiddled with a lock of his frizzy hair.

“It’s definitely the first thing I thought, too.” He nodded, bringing up the MetaNav on his phone. “...But if it’s true, it’d be unlike anything we’d ever seen before. I wouldn’t even know where to start…”

She deflated.

“So... what should we do?”

...

“...I have a feeling about what caused all this...” He let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. “I think it’s at the core of Mementos.”

“Mementos?” she asked, “The Palace of the people, right? It has a core?”

“Yeah. And a treasure too.” He nodded. “The Holy Grail that grants people’s wishes. He called himself 'Yaldabaoth'... I looked him up afterward. It was the name of God of the Old Testament.”

She blinked.

“Um...” she started, “I’m sorry, did I... hear you right? You... met with a God?”

“I...” He looked away, sheepish. “I kind of shot him in the face.”

“Senpai!!”

He would laugh at her response, if the matter weren’t deadly serious.

Was still pretty cute though.

“I don't think he was actually that God." Akira remembered Lavenza's words. "From what I was told, Gods can't interfere in the human world. So he must've just been using the name... But anyway, long story short? He was controlling people and trying to bend the world to his will.” There was something else. “He even offered me a deal. He said if I chose not to fight him, that he’d rebuild the world in our image. He’d make the Phantom Thieves the heroes of all humanity.”

“...Wow...” Kasumi could barely think straight. It was a lot to take in. “He could do that?”

“Probably. But I didn’t want to find out.” Akira rolled out his arm and neck. “I rejected his offer, outright. I don’t make deals with devils. Especially ones like that.”

Kasumi didn’t say anything. She shook her head.

“You’re... a very strong person, Senpai,” she said slowly, “I don’t think most people would have been... able to resist something like that.”

He shook his head. “I’d like to think I was just doing the right thing. Something like that goes against... well, everything we’d fought for.”

The roof was silent again, as Kasumi lost herself in thought.

...

...

“If we get to the core of Mementos...” she began, “...Would we able to get back to our time?”

His brow furrowed.

“It’s hard to say...” It was the Metaverse. It seemed like nothing and everything was impossible. “I’m not even sure if it’s why this happened— it was just a hunch. And even if it was the reason, it still doesn’t explain why it happened when it did, a whole three months after we’d killed him... or why it happened to you.”

“...Um, Senpai?” She raised her hand, like she was in class. “...When exactly did you kill the... fake God?”

“Christmas Eve.”

“Oh. I see.”

...

“...It was honestly just coincidence,” he admitted, “But it is pretty ironic in retrospect.” He blinked. “Though actually, did you know Jesus was born in the summer, not the winter?”

...He mentally slapped himself. “Actually, that’s not the point. What I mean is, while it’s as good a guess as any, I don’t have any proof. And besides, there’s still the matter of how to get to the core of Mementos...”

She tilted her head, and gestured for him to continue.

“To go further down into the Palace, you had to be really well known,” he explained, “Deeply ingrained into the hearts and minds of all people. It took almost a year to do that, even with all the little coincidences and happy accidents working in our favor.”

Kasumi looked him in the eye.

“...So we might be stuck here for...”

“...another year. Yes.” He sighed. “I’m sorry.”

...

...

“...If that’s the case,” she said after a while, “Do you really want to go back?”

Huh?

“What did you say?”

“I-I’m just saying that... um...” She struggled to find the words. “If it’s going to take about the same time to get there, as the time we’ve lost... Then why go back?”

“B-Because...” He seemed to be having the same problem. “My friends are there! And everything we worked for—”

“But you’re going to have to do it all again anyway!” she asserted, “And you know things that you didn’t know before! Isn’t there something you can do with that?”

He took a moment to think on it.

“...That’s only as long as this world stays the way it is,” he pondered aloud, “The more we change the future, the less we’ll recognize it.” His brow furrowed. “That’s... typically how it goes in the movies.”

“And your knowledge wouldn’t apply anymore...” She seemed to follow his train of thought. “Even so... don’t you have any regrets?”

He frowned. “No. Or at least, I don’t think so…”

There were definitely parts of his time as a Phantom Thief that could’ve gone better. Shiho’s fate, for one. And President Okumura, no matter how vile he might’ve been, he didn’t deserve to die. He deserved to be brought to justice, just like...

...Akechi.

“...Even if I did, I promised myself I wouldn’t look back.” Akira nodded. “I can’t change what already happened, but I can do things in the present.”

“Even if your present is the past?”

...

Well, she’s got him there.

“...It’s scary.” Akira would admit it. “I’ve gotten used to being thrown out of frying pans and into bigger frying pans, but this one really takes the pancake. Of course, I want to do something. I want to make a better future, just like before, but...”

He trailed off.

...

“...You’re not alone.”

He looked up.

“Last time, I... I couldn’t help you.” Kasumi was looking aside. “At least, not in any way that really mattered. But now... I’m here.”

She looked him dead in the eye, fire burning in her own.

“I spent all of yesterday crying in my room.” It sounded hard for her to admit. “I was so sure that this was... my punishment. I thought the gods were punishing me for my... my mistakes.”

Her hands found their way into fists.

“But I decided something.” Her voice rose. “I decided that I had something that I didn’t have back then, and that I’d use it. I’d give it back to the one who gave it to me.”

He could only ask.

“...And what was it?”

“Hope.” she said. “You gave me hope. And now it’s my turn.”

She stood up.

“Akira-senpai, you were always there for me when I fell. I can’t thank you enough for that.” Kasumi Yoshizawa extended her hand. “And now, I’m going to do the same and stand by your side...

...as a member of the Phantom Thieves.”

Wind swept across the rooftop, letting her hair sway in the breeze. She smiled at him as he stood, finally seeing each other eye to eye. Soul to soul.

“...I’ve already said, you don’t owe me anything.”

“And I’ve already said, I don’t care.” She wouldn’t back down. Ever. “I owe you a debt I can never repay. This is just my starting line.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“...It’ll be dangerous, you know.” The smile wouldn’t leave his face. “Gods, grails, police, politicians... you’ll have a lot of enemies at your back.”

“I’ll be fine.” Her fire only grew brighter. “...Because I’ve got your back, Senpai. And you’ve got mine.”

His smile just wouldn’t stop.

“Are you sure? Once we start, there’s no stopping.” Akira Kurusu saw it. “We’re going to fight, until the very end.”

He could see the blue flame of rebellion burn in her.

“As long as we’re together,” Kasumi Yoshizawa broke her chains... “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

...and ignited.

“Then it sounds like we’re in business.”

He took her hand.

“Welcome to the Phantom Thieves, Kasumi Yoshizawa.”

I am thou, thou art I...
My vow stands renewed in pursuit of the truth.

This union, born and embraced by will unyielding,
shall become the beacon that lights thy path.

With the rebirth of the Faith Persona,
thou hast obtained the winds of blessing
that shall guide thee through all life’s splendor.

Within his heart, he could feel... a path that was blocked, slowly open up again.

“I swear to you, Akira-senpai. I’m with you to the end!”

And the flame leapt from one torch to another.

“Let’s do this together.”

She smiled brighter than he’d ever seen.

“Yes! Together!”

And she tackled him again.

Kasumi Yoshizawa has chosen to walk with you on your journey.

Your World Confidant has reached Rank 2!

Chapter 4: Cinematic Tale

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, “Morgana Talking”, “Persona/Shadow”, “Jose/Phone"

“I’m so, so sorry!”

So she said, when she realized she’d done it again. Honestly, if he didn’t know any better, he’d think doing things twice over was his new lucky charm.

“It’s fine. Really,” he assured, a bit less frantically than last time. “I’m just… glad you’re excited. Besides, I’m not one to turn down a hug, anyhow.”

“S-Still...”

It was around four in the afternoon, which meant the day was still young for our Phantom Thieves. Perhaps too late in the day for an infiltration, but definitely enough time to do some prep work. With that in mind…

“Kasumi...” He’d waited for her final bow. “Do you still have time today? There’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Oh!” She perked up. “I have practice around five… Actually, I should be going soon. But I’ll be free after that, if you don’t mind talking in the evening?”

He nodded. “That’s fine by me. We can grab dinner somewhere… Oh.”

In his excitement to bring his newest comrade up to speed, he’d forgotten. Back in April, Boss wouldn’t let him out of Yongen in the evening. Actually, he wouldn’t let him out, period. That could be a problem…

...or not.

“How about Leblanc?” He grinned. “You don’t mind curry, do you?”

“Your curry? I’d love to!” she chirped, clapping her hands together, “Definitely something to look forward to~!”

He winced.

“Ah... it might not be mine...” He gave her an apologetic look. “I’ve only just met Boss this time around, and I don’t think he trusts me in the kitchen yet.”

“Oh...” She deflated a bit. “Some other time then. Your curry, I mean.”

He grinned... “I’ll try not to keep you waiting.” ...and grinned further as her face brightened.

...?

The two turned their attention toward the rooftop door. Opening with a creak and shutting with a crash, it gave way to the figure emerging from the dim light of the hall.

“This area is off-limits, you know.”

Makoto Niijima crossed her arms, fitting the two with her typical no-nonsense expression. Kasumi looked to her friend, saw his face... and decided to take the lead.

“We’re sorry, Niijima-senpai.” She bowed. “But we didn’t know. This is our first day here, and the door was unlocked.”

Makoto’s eyes narrowed. “There’s a sign on the door.”

Kasumi stumbled. “...The door was open when we arrived.”

...

“...I suppose you wouldn’t have known, if that’s true,” she conceded after a while, “I’ll let it go this time. But this is your only warning. Shujin Academy isn’t kind to rule-breakers.”

She glared. “That goes double for you, Kurusu-kun.”

Akira flinched.

Kasumi put her hand on his shoulder and stepped forward. “We’ll be careful, thank you. Let’s go, Akira-senpai.”

She grabbed their bags and his jacket, throwing all three over her shoulder, before offering him a hand. Numbly, Akira took it and let her lead him down the stairs.

Makoto held the door open for them as they passed, glaring right at him when they did. He didn’t have to meet her eyes to know she had.

He didn’t notice his hands were shaking until Kasumi gave his a small squeeze. She looked back at him with a worried look.

“Are you alright, Senpai?” she asked gently, “...I know it’s hard for you to face them.”

...

“...I’m alright now. Thank you.” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I… It’s hard to describe what it feels like… to get those looks from them .”

Bitterly, he wondered if Haru had been the one to report their rooftop meeting. He scolded himself for thinking like that.

“I can only imagine...” She looked aside. “I... feel the same, whenever I...”

She trailed off. He ran a consoling thumb over the back of her hand. She squeezed a bit tighter.

“...Anyway...” Kasumi shook her head quickly, trying to clear whatever thoughts she might’ve had. Her ponytail bounced all over the place. “I should probably be going to practice now.”

Oh, that’s right. She said it was around five when it started, and it was…

“Um...”

Her voice, so small, pulled him from his thoughts.

“Akira-senpai...” She looked up at him. “Do... do you have plans?”

He blinked. “Like, for while you’re at practice?”

She nodded. So he thought for a bit.

“...None in particular,” he admitted, “I was probably going to reconnect with some old... business partners...” He scuffed the bottom of his shoe against the hallway floor. “But the more I think about it, the more I feel like putting it off... at least for another day.”

“...I see...” She knew the feeling. “Well, if you’re free... and if you don’t mind!” Her voice got away from her. “Would you... be okay, coming to practice with me?”

He tilted his head. “Like... just walking you there? Or... actually participating?”

“Just walking me there!” she clarified quickly. “You don’t have to stay with me the whole time. There’s a lot to do in Kichijoji, so...”

She curled up on herself.

“...I just... don’t want to be alone right now.”

It was the kind of feeling you didn’t know you had, until someone pointed it out to you. But Akira knew how she felt. Finally finding something to hold onto— an anchor that kept him in place, as the swirling tide of regression tried to sweep him away… It felt like all he could do was cling to it. Fight to protect it with all he had.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. Of course, I’ll come with you.”

Her face brightened. “Really? Thank you!”

She gave her phone a glance. “If we leave now, we might be able to get there early. There’s a part of the gym that’s accessible to the general public, so I can show you around!”

He grinned. “That sounds great. I’ve grown out of that Shibuya one, anyhow.”

There were only so many times you could hit the same old dummies and get results. Maybe some new equipment would do him good.

“No time like the present, then.” He nodded, “Lead the way?”

And with a smile, off they went.

It occurred to him about halfway to the station.

The lingering connection they’d shared. One established what felt ages ago, now held stronger than ever. Not something merely mental, nor spiritual, but a physical, tangible connection that kept them closer than they’d ever been.

Kasumi hadn’t let go of his hand yet.

It’s another of those feelings that you don’t notice until you did. And then it was all you could think about. But when you start to think you should maybe say something about it, then you think about how embarrassing that might be, and how it might make things more awkward, so you decide not to. You wonder if they’re thinking about the same thing.

Well, he wasn’t complaining. After everything that had happened over the past two days, it was... it was nice.

It wasn’t until the station platform she seemed to realize. In the corner of his eye, he saw her head turn and felt her hand tense. But even then, all she did was smile to herself and pretend like she hadn’t noticed.

Eventually, the train arrived. It was off-hours about now, so they had no trouble finding seats next to each other.

Kasumi spoke up first, in a lower voice since they were on the train.

“So Senpai,” she started, “What was it you wanted to discuss?”

He blinked.

“Oh, you meant later,” he clarified, to which she nodded. “I wanted to tell you... well, everything. Everything I was up to last year. I figure it’s best that you know, if we’re going to be working together and all. Then you’ll be just as equipped as I am.”

“Oh!” She smiled. “That makes sense. It’s like that book, ‘The Great Thief’!”

He grinned.

"The most important tool in a thief's arsenal is information."

They recited it in unison, as their smiles widened.

“If you already know that much, then I don’t have to tell you why it’s important.” He nodded sagely. “You’re doing marvelously as a thief so far.”

Her cheeks pinked a bit from the praise. “Why thank you, Senpai!”

The two spent the rest of the ride enjoying each other’s company, listening to the gentle clatter of the tracks.

“Here we are!”

“Whoaaa...”

It was huge. He wouldn’t have expected anything less from one of the country’s largest specialty-gyms. Actually, being honest, he wasn’t sure what to expect, but hanging out with Yoshizawa always seemed to put how amazing she was into newer, grander perspective.

Seriously. First place in sectionals, then on the podium in nationals? Obviously results weren’t the end-all-be-all, but there’s no denying she was impressive.

Speaking of impressive.

“Whoaaaaaaaaa...”

The inside was even crazier. From the people on machines above them, to the phone-bound receptionist who looked like she was trying to set her notes on fire with her pen, this place just oozed dedication. If he’d tried to come here last April, he had no doubt he would’ve been chewn up, spit out, and stepped on. Not even necessarily in that order. In the back of his mind, he could hear Kasumi giggle at his childlike wonder.

As they approached the receptionist, she made eye contact with Kasumi. The two shared a look, before her eyes shot to the new face.

“Guest today?” Even her voice was to the point. “Sign here.”

“Yes!” Kasumi took the tablet and signed her name, before passing it to her partner. “Mind signing in, Senpai?”

He blinked. “Uh, sure.” Definitely an improvement from the last time he had to do that. He’d always wondered what’d happened to those dirty cops once Shido gave up the ghost. Hopefully taken a mint, at least. All the yelling and spit flying had given him new appreciation for toothpaste.

Dropping that memory in the mental ‘let’s-not-think-about-that-again’ category, Akira handed the tablet back to Kasumi, who handed it back to the receptionist, who was still on the phone. While he wasn’t sure what happened next, he didn’t have to worry long, as Kasumi started walking toward the stairs.

“So this is the area of the gym open to the public,” she said, as they ascended, “From what I heard last year, you’d been working out with your friends in a local gym, right? So I assume you’ve structured a workout schedule before.”

He blinked. He was doing that a lot lately. Well, he always did. But blinking in surprise, he meant. Anyway.

“Yeah, I guess so.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “There wasn’t much around though, so we had to make do with what we have.”

She smiled as the reached the last step. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem here.”

...!

If Ryuji were here, his jaw would hit the floor. The'For real!?' that followed would have echoed for miles.

There were all kinds of machines, and so many! From the familiar treadmills and benchpresses, he could see a machine for leg extension, a pulldown for lats, and... he didn’t even know what that one did!

“They offer classes here, every half hour,” she explained, “All kinds too. There’s a group dance class, a yoga instruction... They last about an hour or so. Feel free to pick whatever sounds interesting!”

He nodded. “Will do. To be honest, they all sound interesting.”

...

“Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my workout clothes today,” he sighed, “So maybe next time.”

“That’s okay!” She smiled. “Here, you can—”

She cut herself off.

“...Kasumi?” He reached out. “Is something wrong?”

...

She shook her head.

“It’s nothing, it’s just...” she sighed.

“My sister... Sumire would forget her clothes sometimes, and...” Her grip tightened around her bag. “I would always bring a spare set just in case.”

Ah.

He squeezed her hand again. She squeezed back. It was a small gesture, but it was nice to know he was there.

The clock struck five.

“Oh no!” she sulked, “I haven’t even warmed up yet!”

Kasumi turned to him, “Here, I’ll show you where we used to practice.”

And so she pulled him along, just a bit more.

Have you ever been to an open gym for gymnastics? Have you ever been to a serious open gym for gymnastics? Because they were definitely different things.

Gymnastics classes were offered all the time to kids much younger than they were. Akira’d been to a couple, over summers where his parents hadn’t been around. He’d messed around on the equipment like all the other kids... But to see them used to their true purpose, much less their true potential...

Someone on the balance beam did a flip. Someone on the rings did a flip. Someone on the pommel horse did a flip. It seemed older gymnasts really liked their flips.

All the while, Kasumi stood out on the open floor in her workout clothes, holding a swan pose for who knows how long. Meanwhile, he just sat here on the bleachers, eating a granola bar he bought in the gym store for 800 yen. It had all kinds of nutritional benefits such as...

He glanced at the nutritional facts.

...He couldn’t read this. But the text was certainly big and fun-shaped.

“Pardon me. Food isn’t allowed in the gym.”

Akira could only look up lamely at the woman who’d scolded him. She had piercing black eyes, hair in a bob, and a single pearl earring he could see. She was likely one of the staff by her age...but her clothes made him think otherwise. A coach, maybe?

“Sorry about that,” he replied sheepishly, “This is my first time here, so I didn’t know. I’ll finish this up outside.”

The woman sighed. “That’s alright, you can eat it here. But just this once, okay? And try not to leave any crumbs.”

He... nodded thankfully. Then got back to doing his best impression of a chipmunk.

The woman walked off through the open floor. Huh. She was approaching Kasumi. Oh. She was talking to Kasumi. Kasumi started talking too. She stood up and pointed at him. Now the coach was pointing at him. Ah. Getting talked about from afar. That was always fun. He just hoped he hadn’t embarrassed his friend.

It didn’t seem to be an issue though, as the woman sighed, and Kasumi clapped her hands together cheerfully. She looked over and waved, which he smiled and returned.

‘All’s well that ends well, I guess...’ he thought, as he bundled up the wrapper and tossed it in a nearby trash can. He made his way back up to the stands and—

Oh.

Kasumi had begun her choreography.

“Senpai! Ready to go?”

Huh?

He blinked away the cobwebs enough to make out his Kouhai, leaning in with her hands behind her back. She was still in her workout clothes, a thin sheen of sweat letting her skin glow.

“Are you alright?” she asked, looking up at him, “You’ve been glassy-eyed for a while now.”

He shook his head, still not a hundred-percent aware.

“Sorry... I must’ve blanked out,” he mumbled, “What time is it?”

She hummed. “Around eight o’clock. Practice just finished, if you’d still like to grab dinner?”

He shot to his feet.

“I’ve been spaced out for three hours!?”

A hearty laugh broke through his panic. He let his heartbeat slow, as the coach from earlier approached him and Kasumi.

“It seems your boyfriend found your performance quite enthralling,” she said with a smirk.

Akira sputtered. Kasumi just shook her head.

“Oh, he’s not my boyfriend.” She gestured to the boy, still standing awkwardly. “This is Akira Kurusu, my Senpai from school. He’s helped me a lot over the past year.”

Akira bowed formally, still a bit flushed from the “boyfriend” remark. “Nice to meet you.”

“Really? First I’ve heard of it.” The woman nodded. “I’m Marina Hiraguchi. I’ve been Yoshizawa’s coach for many years now.”

Kasumi nodded. “And it’s been amazing! I wouldn’t be where I am without her help.” She looked between the two. “I’m going to get changed, Senpai. I’ll see you at the entrance?”

He could only nod. “Sure. See you then.”

The girl nodded happily, gathering up her things before she walked off. Akira moved to do the same.

“Thanks for taking care of her.”

He turned at Marina’s voice. “Sorry?”

The woman was looking aside... and shook her head.

“She... hasn’t been herself, since...” her voice trailed off, “I’m sure you understand. Just yesterday, it seemed like she was taking it harder than ever...”

His eyes wandered to the familiar head of auburn hair, happily bouncing along toward the front of the gym.

“But now, she’s got a bit of her spark back. And I think that’s because of you.” Marina bowed to him. “Thank you.”

He waved his hands in front of him.

“I-It’s really nothing I did...” He shook his head. “If anything, we work through it together. But whatever progress was made, it isn’t mine. It’s all thanks to Kasumi.”

...?

That got her to sigh, putting a hand on her forehead.

“...That’s exactly what I’m afraid of...”

He blinked. “What do you mean by th—?”

!!

“Ah...” An alarm on her watch went off. “I have to get to my yoga lesson.”

He tilted his head. “You take those too?”

She laughed again. It was nice, melodious sort of sound.

“I teach them, actually,” Marina explained, “I heard you’re thinking about joining our gym. You should drop by one of my classes, if you’re interested.”

She offered him a hand. He finally stepped off the bleachers and took it.

“I’m sure I can find some time.” He smirked. She rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

...!?

"Oh? I sense the stirrings of something... intruiging."

Well that wasn’t ominous at all. He’d have to check out her class one of these days.

Oh! She used his hand to pull him in a bit closer.

“I am serious though,” she said gently, “Thank you for taking care of her. She needs friends like you, especially now.”

He nodded, slowly. “Of course. I’ll do anything I can.”

She blinked, then smiled. “Shame about the boyfriend thing. You two’d be cute together.”

!!

The coach let out another laugh, as Akira hunched himself over and coughed up the dry remains of his granola bar. She pat him on the back as she passed. “Take care, kiddo.”

It took a while for him to finally regain his composure, wipe his mouth (there was nothing there), and watch her go.

‘Damn...’ he groaned, ‘So it’s gonna’ be that kind of Confidant, huh...?’

“Yongen-jaya. This is Yongen-jaya.”

So the digitized announcer-lady said. Doors opened up on the left, and... they were the only ones to get off or on. Seems like Yongen wasn’t too popular with the 9 PM crowd.

He glanced at his phone, confirming it. “I’m fine with sticking to our dinner plans, but are you gonna’ be okay getting back? I’m alright postponing the history lesson for another day.”

“I’ll be fine,” she assured, “Worst comes to worst, I’ll just call a taxi.”

He frowned. “I wouldn’t wanna’ make you do that. At least let me pay for it.”

“It’s okay!” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to trouble you. Besides, it’s important.”

“...You’re right, it’s important, but still...” he sighed, “If it does come down to it, I’m paying. All my... ‘part-time’ work last year got me a decent nest egg.”

“In that case, I’ll humbly accept the offer,” she said, bowing formally, “I’ll be in your care.”

He could only sigh again, walking off, as she giggled and fell in stride.

A spring evening in Yongen was definitely the district’s best time of year. The streets were dim and quiet, the sounds of the day long since wound down. Cats stared quietly from their alleys as the breeze swept through their little nook in the concrete jungle. It was that same breeze that rustled Kasumi’s hair, ever bound by her red ribbon, swaying gently in the wind.

Walking with a friend down your street in the evening... it wasn’t intimate, per se. But it was a fond memory he’d keep, for sure. He felt the same with Tae, and Futaba, and even Ryuji. It was... the combination of something so everyday and personal, with someone you cared for so much. Whatever it was, it was special.

“Do your parents know you’re staying out late, at least?” Akira looked at his partner, walking beside him. “You mentioned they’re a bit... overprotective.”

“I told them I’d be out tonight, yes.” She nodded. “I’m prepared to stay the night, if that’s what it takes.”

He stopped in his tracks. Kasumi kept walking a moment before turning to him. “Is something wrong, Senpai?”

“...Nothing.” he shook his head. “I... appreciate the dedication. Really. But it probably won’t come to that. And even if it does, I’d still take you home, at least.”

Seeing her confused look, he sighed again.

“I've... seen the whole overprotective parent thing,” he admitted, “And having you sleep over with a friend they’ve never heard of, especially now? Definitely doesn’t seem like something they’d be down for. And I don’t need you getting grounded when there’s a heist to be had.”

‘...or getting in trouble for my sake...’

He’d had enough of that for a lifetime.

It wasn’t a long walk from the station, but they’d taken their time to enjoy the evening, as he pointed out the different shops and stores on the walk in. But finally, they were at the door.

He held it open and gestured with his hand. “After you?”

She smiled and made her way inside.

Leblanc was just like he remembered. Rustic. Nostalgic. It had a smell that was always either coffee and curry, but somehow never both. There was one customer in the booth farthest back, the TV was on, and the Boss of the establishment was behind the counter, greeting him with a cigarette and a glare.

“You’re back late,” he grumbled, before his eyes widened. “Oh?”

Kasumi stepped in before he did, offering the man a polite bow. “Good evening. You must be Sakura-san?”

“...”

The man’s eyes jumped from her to him. Then back to her.

“You a friend of his?” he asked with a bit of his gruff demeanor, “Or is he just holding the door?”

“I’m a friend,” she affirmed, gently leading Akira in by the hand. He shut the door behind him, “We met last year, and he just transferred to my school! Thank you for taking care of him.”

She bowed again, getting a genuine start out of the man.

“Really? This punk?” He jerked a thumb at his new tenant. “Color me surprised.” He couldn’t help a smirk though. “Either of you had dinner yet?”

The pair looked at each other, then to him, and shook their heads.

“We were actually hoping to eat here, before heading upstairs,” Akira explained, pulling out his wallet, “Can we get two of the Leblanc Special Curry to start? The coffee combination, too...”

The man chuckled and held his hand up. “Keep your pocket money. I’ll treat you, just this once.”

Akira frowned. “Uh... if you’re sure. Let me know if you change your tune in a plate or three.”

Boss quirked a brow. Behind him, Kasumi gave her thanks with a playful smile, then took a seat in a booth by the door.

“Oh, uh...” He leaned in, sliding a bill over the counter. “I was gonna’ pay extra for this part, but she likes Brazilian Bourbon straight, and extra f*ckujinzuke with her curry... if that’s alright?”

The man fixed him with a look... then relented with a sigh.

“You better not be taking advantage of my kindness,” he muttered, pushing the bill back, “I’ll let it slide this time. Only because you happen to know the little lady’s favorites, and I can respect that.”

The man gave him a huff of approval, and turned back to the beans. Akira pocketed the bill with a grin, and sat across from his new partner, eagerly awaiting the meal to come.

“That was delicious!”

Her sigh of joy bounced off her four empty plates, coalesced into a Kougaon, and knocked him flat on his ass. Or at least, that’s what it felt like. It was always a sight to behold, watching Kasumi Yoshizawa pack it away.

...No, seriously.

As a proud champion of the Big Bang Burger Challenge, Akira Kurusu understood. The Guts it took to persevere. The Knowledge of one’s limits. The Proficiency with which you managed each bite, making sure no effort was wasted. And the roguish Charm it took to never look back.

He may have been her Senpai at school, but she was his culinary idol.

On top of it all, she was the Kindest person he’d ever met. As a person, it was no wonder that Kasumi’s heart was strong.

He grinned through a sip of his coffee. Hm. Salvadoran Pacamara. Or was it a Mocha Matari? Ugh. Boss would never let him live this down.

“I’m glad you enjoyed,” the man approved from behind the counter, “Always brings a tear to this old cook’s eye.”

Boss glanced his way, gesturing to the plates with his cigarette. “Why don’t you kids head upstairs? I’ll take it from here.”

Kasumi stood and bowed again. “Thank you sir!” Before she took his hand. “Ready, Senpai?”

“Always.”

He nodded his thanks at Boss as he passed. Together, they made their way up the stairs.

“Wow...” She looked around the room. “I feel like this place gets bigger every time I’m here.”

The attic was definitely spacious. But without the little decorations he’d put up through the coming year, it just felt... empty. As she sat on the sofa he’d spent all of last night dusting, and he sat at the desk he’d spent all of this morning clearing, it really felt like the two were... camping. Like travelers huddled around the smallest bit of warmth the room had to offer— warmth they’d brought themselves.

“I just haven’t had the time to put anything up yet,” he laughed, “You should’ve seen this place two days ago. Typical attic.”

He let the corner by the stairs prove his point— the only part of the floor still boxed up, covered in paint chips. It wasn’t bad for a day and a half of cleaning, but there was still much to be done.

Speaking of...

“...Okay,” he began, “So, I’ve sort of figured out how to do this. While I’d like to tell you absolutely everything... There’s a problem there.” He sighed. “A lot of the evil we faced in the past year was... extremely personal. Deeply intertwined with someone’s pain and... trauma. So I won’t go too in depth about the details of heists.”

She nodded at the consideration.

“So while there’s a lot of finer details we can iron out later,” he continued, “I’m going to focus on the grander scheme of things. The Metaverse, Mementos, the... Conspiracy, and Yaldabaoth. As far as targets go, I’ll give a brief profile. Just the things you need to know.”

She nods once again. “I understand. Thank you for trusting me with this.”

“Of course.”

...

This was only the second time he’d had to do this. The accommodations were nicer. So was the company. No interrogation. No time limit. No impending threat of a traitorous bullet between the eyes. Still, it didn’t keep his nerves from twisting up in knots.

...!

She gave him a reassuring look, and a small nod.

“Whenever you’re ready,” she said. “Take your time.”

...

He took a breath.

“...Okay. I think I’m ready now.”

“You know the terminology,” he led with that. “Personas, the Metaverse, Palaces… but there’s one thing I don’t think I had the chance to explain to you. The Velvet Room.”

She tilted her head. “The Velvet... Room? Is it a place?”

“...Yes and no.” He smiled at the little crinkle in her brow. “Just like a Persona is the manifestation of your soul, the Velvet Room is the manifestation of your heart. It’s a dimension that exists between...” He tried to remember Igor’s exact words. “...dream and reality, mind and matter.”

Kasumi frowned. “Is it like the Metaverse, then?”

“...Yes and no.” He couldn’t help but smile at her pout. “The Velvet Room exists in the Sea of Souls, the same place Personas and Shadows come from. It’s part of the... collective unconscious in a sense, but the Sea is not quite so tangible to be made manifest, beyond that one place.”

The girl raised her hand again.

“You have a question?” he asks, and she nods.

“You said Personas come from the Sea of Souls... and Shadows too?” Kasumi asked, “Can you tell me more about that?”

“Sure,” he agreed, “Though it didn’t come up too often, so I’m sorry if there are some parts that don’t make sense.

The Sea of Souls is part of the collective unconscious, just like the Metaverse. However, it exists on a separate plane,” Akira explained, “Shadows can move from the Sea to the Metaverse, but not vice versa. When we defeat Shadows in the Metaverse, they return to the Sea of Souls. They tend to be lured out when a powerful Shadow is causing trouble... In our experience, that Shadow tends to be a Palace ruler.”

Kasumi spoke up, thoughtfully. “The way you say that makes it seem like...”

He gave her a thumbs up. “That’s right. It’s not always the case. Shadows like to populate Mementos, the Palace of the Masses, without there being a proper ‘ruler’.” Yaldabaoth notwithstanding. “But we used Mementos to deal with smaller targets all the time— we just had to send a Calling Card, and they’d show up somewhere down there. They’re plenty powerful once they take form...” He thought about it some more. “Though then again, the deeper we went into Mementos, the more the Shadows changed. We encountered all sorts, and they were always ones we’d fought before in Palaces. So it’s likely that those Shadows fled to Mementos when their Palace collapsed, since they can’t go back to where they came from.”

She nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Then there’s the matter of Personas,” he continued, “A Persona is a person’s Shadow, tamed and harnessed. Once a person becomes aware of their Shadow, and contracts themselves to it, the formless Shadow coalesces into an identity. A Persona.

From my experience, Personas take the form of someone or something that most embodies your perception of ‘rebellion’.” He pointed to his partner. “In your case, it was the princess of ashes who chose to live her dreams, Cendrillon. For me, it was the pillager of twilight, Arsène.”

Kasumi blinked.

“Arsène? Like, Arsène Lupin?” she asked, “From that book in the library?”

“The very same.” He grinned. “Arsène is a Curse Persona, specializing in Physical Attacks. He’s kind of like Cendrillon in a way, but her complete opposite in others...”

He trailed off. Kasumi tilted her head. “Senpai?”

“...It’s strange,” he said after a while, “The more I think about it, the weirder it is.” He pulled out his phone and started drawing something on it. “It goes way beyond Red and Blue, or Curse and Bless. I mean, they both use a lot of Physical moves, but...” He looked at her. “Have you noticed that our Metaverse outfits are really similar?”

He held out the sketch he’d made. Dark clothes, black coats, heeled boots, and the distinct red gloves.

“I did notice that!” she exclaimed, “But wait, what does it mean?”

“A Metaverse outfit is like your Persona,” he explained, “It takes the form of whatever you think a rebellious hero would be.”

She tilted her head. “So we think alike, then?”

He grinned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we admire each other.” She smiled at that. “But in all honesty, it’s hard to say. I’ll just put it on the back burner for now.”

Kasumi nodded. “Right. You were saying, about the Velvet Room?”

“Yes!” He perked up. “The Velvet Room was a place that exists in the Sea of Souls. It only reveals itself to those with the Potential to change the World. They called those people Tricksters, and they possessed the power of the Wild Card— the ability to wield multiple Personas.”

She nodded, recalling their battle at the Palace in Odaiba. “And... you’re one of those people, Senpai?”

“Apparently,” he confirmed her thoughts, “The Velvet Room is a facility meant to guide the Trickster on their Journey. Not just with advice either— they employed special rituals to develop my position as the Wild Card.”

He listed off on his hands. “There was Persona Fusion— the ability to combine two or more Personas into one. There was Persona Strengthening, which sacrifices a Persona to give another Persona its experience and skill. There was Persona Itemization which turned a soul into an item. Persona Training that improves a Persona’s handling of their weakness. And through everything, there was the Persona Compendium, the ability to ‘register'and ‘summon' Personas I had held before.”

Kasumi nodded along. “I see! Those all sound so powerful!”

“They were plenty of help,” he agreed, “The master of the Velvet Room was a long-nosed man named Igor. He had two assistants at the the time, amnesiac twin sisters named Caroline and Justine. Caroline handled most of the rituals, but Justine was in charge of the Compendium. They all helped me out so much...”

...He clicked his tongue.

“So now that you know all that...” His voice turned grave. “Let me begin the story.”

Kasumi sat up, attentively.

“The Metaverse is a physical manifestation of the public’s collective unconscious,” he explained, “So how long has it existed? Is it a recent development? Had it always been there? Or was it born when mankind became capable of rational thought?” he posed these questions. “These are the questions researchers like Wakaba Isshiki sought the answer to.

The Metaverse was discovered recently, only within the past five years,” he recalled, “Wakaba Isshiki was performing research into this phenomenon known as Cognitive Psience. But her lab was funded by the government, and some of that crowd heard about what the cognitive world was capable of...

Mental Shutdowns. Psychotic Breakdowns. The murder of anyone who stood in their way.” He gripped his leg. “They wanted to use the Metaverse to advance their political power, by any means necessary.”

Kasumi glared. “That’s horrible!”

“They were. But they didn’t care.” He nodded with grit teeth. “Their ringleader was a young politician at the time, Masayoshi Shido. And around... two years ago, at this point,” he said, referring to their current place in the timeline, “He was approached by someone claiming to have special powers. This... person would send out Calling Cards, then go into Mementos and kill the Shadows who appeared, causing Mental Shutdowns.”

She gasped. “A Persona-user?”

He nodded grimly.

“One with the ability of the Wild Card. A dangerous person, and a powerful opponent.” He rubbed his side in phantom pain, running fingers along a scar he didn’t have yet. “More than that, his Persona had the unique ability to... turn his victims Psychotic.”

“That’s terrifying...” She shivered. “What kind of soul did he have to develop an ability like that?”

...

Akira avoided her gaze.

“He was... He’d been through a lot,” he let slip, “Not that it justified any of the messed up... sh*t he did, but...”

He shook his head free of those thoughts.

“With his help, Shido was able to remove anyone who threatened his rise to power.” Akira moved forward. “He... forced Wakaba Isshiki to have a Psychotic Breakdown, so she’d... dispose of herself.”

He took a breath.

“With her gone, he quickly defunded her research, had it encrypted, and took it for himself.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “And with all the knowledge of the Metaverse, and complete control over what happened there, he created this... organization.

It doesn’t have a name...” He shook his head. “...At least, none I remember. But essentially, he would reach out to important people like politicians, company presidents, and division directors... and he’d offer his services— the assassination of people in the Metaverse— in exchange for whatever he needed from them. Money, influence... anything.”

Kasumi shook her head. “This just gets more and more awful...”

He nodded. “It’s sickening. But we put a stop to it.

It was just coincidence at first,” he explained, “But almost every single one of the Phantom Thieves’ major targets happened to be in Shido’s inner circle. Ichiryusai Madarame— the famous artist with a forgery ring, Junya Kaneshiro of the Shibuya mob, and Kunikazu Okumura— CEO of the Okumura Foods Conglomerate. They all funded his black-market schemes with their blood money, and losing them meant we put a lot of pressure on Shido. So he was invested in our removal.”

Kasumi covered her mouth with her hand. “Did he send that killer after you?”

“He did, but it wasn’t so simple,” Akira tried not to get ahead of himself. “Persona-users can’t be forced to have a Mental Shutdown, because their Shadow can’t be killed. It’s a Persona, after all. So they tried... different methods.”

He tried to remember exactly how it went down. “After we defeated Kaneshiro, there was the threat of Medjed. The anonymous group of hackers declared that if the Phantom Thieves didn’t surrender themselves, then Medjed would crash Japan’s economy.”

“I remember that...” She nodded. “But didn’t the Phantom Thieves beat them?”

“Sort of.” He made a so-so motion with his hand. “There were a few things weird about that. For one, the code that hacked the Phan-site? Wasn't even that good. From what our group hacker said, it was a mishmash of lines and scripts made by someone who was barely a hacker at all." He listed them off on his hand again. "Second, and more importantly? The Medjed we fought wasn't even the real Medjed. It was an IT Company that Shido had his hand in... And third—most importantly— the Phantom Thieves' victory was by design."

Kasumi’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Shido had always meant for the Phantom Thieves to win,” he continued, “What was supposed to happen, was the fake Medjed would act defeated and declare us the winners. Either way though, they got what they wanted, and the Phantom Thieves’ popularity exploded.”

“But why do something like that?” she asked, “If he was just going to... ‘crush’ them anyway?”

“They figured if we were popular enough, that we’d listen to what the people had to say. That they could control us. And we fell for it,” he admitted, “There was a feature on our website where you could request a change of heart to someone who needed one. And the most popular request on the poll was President Okumura.

What we didn’t know at the time...” he went on, “...was that those numbers had been artificially inflated by Shido’s group. He wanted us to target Okumura.” Akira’s leg started shaking. “Apparently, Okumura had been a member of Shido’s circle for a long time, funding their operations, but recently he’d been interested in entering the world of politics. Shido didn’t like that. So he thought to kill two birds with one stone…”

He squeezed the leg of his pants.

“Shido had Okumura’s Shadow killed, so he would have a mental shutdown, live on TV. Right after the Phantom Thieves had declared him a target...” He twisted the fabric. “He got rid of a potential political rival, and pinned the blame on the Phantom Thieves for the Mental Shutdowns. And we were devastated.”

He remembered how difficult it had been for Haru... and took a moment to calm down.

...

“...The director of the Special Investigations Unit, under Shido’s command, had begun an investigation into us, using a reputed public prosecutor, Sae Niijima,” he recounted, “Sae didn’t know any of this Shido stuff, but the SIU director threatened her career if she would fail, so... she was desperate. That desperation birthed a Palace— one where she would do everything she could to achieve victory.”

Kasumi blinked. “Was that...?”

“Yep. That was the casino.” He nodded. “Thank you again, by the way.”

She smiled brightly, as he continued.

“But the casino was a trap,” he recalled, “The entire time, we’d been forced to team up with... the Mental Shutdown culprit. We didn’t know it was him at the time, but we knew he had ulterior motives.”

“How so?” she asked.

“You remember how only people who have heard Morgana talk in the Metaverse can hear his voice in the real world?” he asked, and she nodded, “Well, this guy made a mistake. Long before he knew we were Phantom Thieves, we met in a TV studio, on a field trip. Me, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana were talking about something, then he rounded the corner and repeated something only Morgana had ever said.”

“Wow...” Kasumi’s eyes were wide, “That was lucky!”

“Definitely. It ended up saving my life,” he agreed. “Knowing he was suspicious, we had our hacker, Futaba, plant a bug on his phone before we started the Casino infiltration. Through that, we overheard him discussing plans for my...

...

...my assassination.”

Seeing her worried look, he waved it off.

“I’m fine now,” he assured, “Though it’s still... hard to talk about.”

He took another moment to compose himself. Kasumi gave him a small, reassuring smile. He nodded thanks, and continued with his story.

“We discovered his plan,” This part was tricky. “On the day we would steal the Treasure, he would have Shido’s dirty police officers with really bad breath surround the Palace and capture us.” He ignored her confused look and kept going. “We needed a diversion to keep the Shadows away from the rest of us, and...” He pointed at himself. “That was me. That’s when you came by, too.”

Kasumi nodded cheerfully.

“I was able to shake them off long enough for my friends to escape, but ended up being captured. I was taken to an underground interrogation chamber...”

He stopped.

“...This part’s a bit hard to get through,” he admitted. “But they... tortured me. They drugged me and beat me for about two days... I couldn’t move for a week.”

“Senpai...”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. Her expression twisted in guilt.

“But it was necessary, for our plan to work.”

She looked up.

“Sae Niijima requested to interrogate me,” he explained, “The interrogation was key. She had me explain my activities over the past year, just like I’m doing now.” He grinned. “By the end, she believed my story, but there wasn’t much she could do. She offered me a plea deal, but... I refused.”

He shook his head.

“It was... difficult to remember our plan through... the drugs. And the pain.” He looked aside. “But I managed to remember enough to make it work. I made a deal with her. I told her to take my phone, and show it to the person she met outside the interrogation room. That would be the true culprit. And he was coming to kill me.”

“In a police interrogation room..."Kasumi said breathlessly, “There’s nothing they wouldn’t do...”

“Lucky for us, Sae had grown to trust me enough to follow through on her promise.” he explained, “She showed him the phone, which pushed them into the Metaverse— Sae’s Palace to be exact.”

“But wait!” Kasumi interrupted, “Didn’t the Palace collapse when you took the Treasure?”

“Truth is, we never took it.” Akira grinned. “We needed the Palace in order for our plan to work.”

Her brow furrowed. “But if Niijima-san didn’t have a Change of Heart, how did you convince her to help you?”

“That was the hard part,” he affirmed, “And really the crux of our plan. If I had failed to convince her, I would’ve...”

He trailed off. He didn’t need to say it.

“Palaces form from twisted desires,” he said calmly, “It’s true, that most of the Palace rulers we faced were terrible people, but...” He recalled the pyramid. “There are others too. Palaces formed from a desperate desire to live, for example. Or to succeed.

So we knew it was possible to get through to her, and we did.” He nodded. “She showed the traitor the phone, bringing both of them into the Palace, thanks to a script that Futaba developed for the MetaNav. If you remember,” he pointed out, “...the scenery around a Palace might not change alongside the Palace proper. Sae’s was like that. So the underground interrogation chamber looked exactly like it did in reality.”

Kasumi’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean...”

He grinned. “That’s right. The traitor entered the Cognitive version of the room, killed Sae Niijima’s Cognition of Akira Kurusu, and exited the Metaverse at the same point he entered, without ever realizing what had happened.”

“...So...” Kasumi leaned forward. “You... gambled with your life, and managed to get away!” She shook her head. “Senpai, you’re amazing...”

“...Not really,” he disagreed. “I remember, I was shaking like a leaf the whole time. I was so scared...”

He stopped short.

Realizing she might’ve touched a nerve, she reached out and... put her hand on his shoulder. He gave her a thankful look, putting his hand on hers.

...

“...It paid off though...” He leaned back, letting her hand drift away. She gave him a questioning look, but he assured he was fine, thanking her again. “I made it out with my life. Sae returned to reality and managed to trick the guard into leaving his post. She snuck me out and took me back to Leblanc.

Now that we’d thwarted the immediate threat of my... removal...” He swallowed. “It was time to take it to the top. We’d overheard the traitor on a phone call again, talking to someone named Shido.

Boss confirmed our suspicions, from his past as a government worker. Masayoshi Shido was the person responsible for everything.” He affirmed. “And in a bizarre twist of fate...”

He stopped himself. “Kasumi, do you remember the story of how I got arrested?”

She tilted her head, ponytail following. “In the Metaverse...? Oh! You mean, in your hometown? Yes, I remember.”

He nodded, moving on, “Well, it turns out, Shido was the drunk who fell over. He used his circle to arrest me on assault charges, and his connections in Tokyo to send me to Shujin.”

“No way!” she exclaimed, “What are the odds!?”

“Incredibly low. That part, I’m used to,” he laughed, “I was already more than ready to take this guy down, but this just made it so much sweeter.

It was around this time that you offered to help me, in the Metaverse,” he explained, “...You can see why I couldn’t do that. Shido was too dangerous, and there was already a bounty on my head.”

She smiled.

“Thank you for looking out for me,” she bowed. “I’m just glad I can help you now.”

He smiled back.

“So we went through Shido’s Palace, but we were stopped by the traitor,” he continued, “He had deduced that we’d outsmarted him, and so he faced us in combat himself.

It was... a tough battle.” He could feel the pain where he’d taken blows from Loki’s searing blade. “He used his ability to turn other Shadows Psychotic and sent them after us. And when he faced us himself, he...” His fist clenched. “He turned himself psychotic.

It made him unbelievably powerful. We were able to stop him, as a team, but...” His eyes narrowed. “Then it was over. Shido’s Cognition of the traitor appeared, and killed the traitor himself.”

Kasumi winced. “How cruel...”

...He chose to omit the fact that Shido was the traitor’s father.

That Shido got his mother killed.

That it was the first life Shido ruined.

That Shido didn’t even remember it.

“It was just tying up loose ends to him.” Akira stated, “But it was personal for the traitor. I... won’t go into why. But he begged us to put an end to Shido’s crimes.”

...

Kasumi was silent.

Seeing his concern for her, she shook her head, and motioned for him to continue.

“So we did,” he said simply. “We sent out our Calling Card, spread it across the country, and took down Shido’s Shadow. We changed his heart, and his confession to all the crimes should’ve been enough to null the election...

But Yaldabaoth had other plans.”

“The fake God?” Kasumi asked, “What does he have to do with all this?”

This part was... a lot. He mustered up the energy to plow through it.

“Apparently, around two years ago, the core of Mementos— its Treasure, the Holy Grail— developed a consciousness. As the receiver of humanity’s wishes, it deemed itself the only one capable of ruling the world. That being was Yaldabaoth.

He used his powers over cognition to manipulate the real world, behind the scenes. Firstly, he granted the traitor and myself the MetaNav. He treated it like an experiment, in which we were fated to clash. Depending on who won, me— who would save the world, or the traitor— who would tear it down and build a new one, he would grant the miracle they sought.

But in the end, it was all a game to him. One where he rigged the outcome. Even though we’d defeated the traitor, he decided to manipulate the public into believing that Shido was still trustworthy, and that the Phantom Thieves never existed at all.”

“...Could he really do that?” she asked.

“He held all the power in the world,” Akira sighed, “And he wasn’t pleased when things didn’t go his way. We descended into the depths of Mementos in a hurry, riding the coattails of our nationwide Calling Card, before we’d disappear from the public’s cognition completely. Unfortunately, by the time we reached the Grail, our worst fears were realized...”

He hated this part.

“We fought the Grail, but it was too strong. Every time we took it down, it was revived by the Will of the People. Eventually, it had enough and kicked us out of Mementos.”

He really hated this part.

“We ended up back in Shibuya... but these... eerie bones and towers started sprouting up everywhere... And people couldn’t see us.” His leg stopped shaking. He gripped it tight. “The Grail had fused Mementos with reality, and was going to enforce its will upon the entire world.”

He...

“And the first thing he did was undo our very existence.”

He remembered.

It was a scar carved into his brain. Burned into his heart. His teammates... his friends, one by one...

There was nothing he could do. He’d lost it all.

He led them to their deaths.

It was all his fault.

...

He didn’t notice it. Not until she reached out. She gently removed his glasses, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

“O-Oh...!” his voice broke, “Sorry, I just, um... I need a minute...”

And for a while, the attic was silent.

At some point during their break, Boss had come upstairs with a cup for each of them. Kasumi thanked him for his kindness. He didn’t comment on Akira’s state, just... kept to himself, and left them to their business.

...

He knew he had to get back to it eventually.

But it was nice to just sit there with Kasumi, making small talk over sips of coffee.

Unfortunately, the coffee ran out. And they had to move forward.

“When he... erased us from cognition,” he began again, “I was sent to the Velvet Room. Igor deemed my journey a failure, and... he assigned Caroline and Justine with my execution.”

How long had she been holding his hand? It must’ve been while they were chatting. But she squeezed gently, and he knew she was there for him.

“I... couldn’t fight back.” He said it like a fact. “Not against my friends. And not after I... I lost everything...”

He shook his head harshly, and swallowed.

“But it wasn’t for nothing. I couldn’t fight, but I refused to die,” he asserted. “And that awoke something in the Twins.

They realized their true purpose wasn’t to bring death to those who failed, but to guide their ward through life.” He sounded more confident now. “And they remembered that they, as twin sisters, were originally one person, split in half by an evil force.

As it turned out, the Igor I knew was actually Yaldabaoth in disguise. Not only had he given me the MetaNav, but he’d been in my ear the whole time, giving me advice that would lead me down this path. The game was rigged from the start.” He sighed. “I used the Persona Fusion device to combine Caroline and Justine, restoring them to their true form, Lavenza. Together we banished the false god from the Velvet Room, allowing the true Igor to return.

The real Igor told me that my teammates were here, as souls who disappear from cognition have nowhere else to go,” Akira explained. “So I spoke to them, and they gathered the determination they needed to break the locks on their cages. The chains on their hearts. We reassembled, and set out to take back Shibuya once and for all.

We climbed the tower and fought the false god. And he was stronger than before...” He recalled the Rays of Control, “But we were prepared. We cut the connection that joined him to the Will of the People, forcing him to unleash his true form. We had him on the ropes, but...

...he was too strong for us alone. Luckily, there were still some people down there who believed in us.” He smiled, remembering their voices. “They got the ball rolling long enough for regular folks to take notice. And with everyone’s power put together, we were able to pull off a miracle.

I channeled that power, and Arsène awoke to a new form. Satanael, the archangel banished for bringing freedom to mankind.” He remembered that power coursing through him. “And with the Will of the People on our side, Satanael was incredibly powerful. His power combined the Seven Deadly Sins that we had stolen from each of the seven palaces— sins that Yaldabaoth himself had orchestrated, and condensed them into a bullet. We used that bullet to kill Yaldabaoth, destroy the Metaverse, restore everyone’s cognitions to normal, and save Christmas.”

He finished with a smile. Kasumi couldn’t help but laugh.

“With everything back to the way it should be, all that was left was... the matter of proof,” He smiled again. Resigned, this time. “With the traitor dead, there was no one left who could testify about Shido’s crimes. So that responsibility fell to me.

I turned myself in to the police, and got Shido convicted,” he said proudly, “And it felt like that was it. After everything that happened, I was... fine with that. It felt like there was nothing left to do, so... I was satisfied.”

“Senpai...”

Her voice came out softer than a whisper.

“It’s not fair...” she said, “After everything that happened, you still…”

He smiled, and shook his head.

“You know, back then? I had a thought,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is how it should be.’ If it meant that everything got resolved, and that everyone was safe, then of course I would take it.”

She shook her head, “But still...”

“It didn’t really matter what I wanted though,” he sighed, “The thieves wouldn’t take that lying down. They picketed, protested, and petitioned, doing everything they could to pressure the cops into releasing me. After all, I hadn’t done anything illegal.”

...That the cops knew of.

“And come Valentine’s, I was free. It was nice to be out of solitary.”

She looked aside.

...

“I’m... sorry I couldn’t see you,” she said after a while, “I dropped out of school around December to pursue my gymnastics career.”

He waved off her concern. “It’s fine. After all, I got to see you again.”

She appreciated it, but still...

“I won’t let it happen again.”

He gave her a strange look.

“I won’t let it happen again!” she said firmly, looking him in the eye, “I won’t let you get hurt like that! I’ll do everything I can to protect you!”

He blinked. “K-Kasumi, I—”

“No! You don’t have to say it, Akira-senpai!” She refused to back down. “Things are going to be different this time. So no turning yourself in, got it!?”

He looked aside. “Kasumi, I don’t know if—”

“I need you to promise me.”

He looked back. She stared him down.

“You keep risking your life for everyone else.” She squeezed his hand. “So promise you won’t do it all alone. Promise you’ll depend on me.”

"B-But—"

"Promise!"

...

...It would seem that he hadn’t been considering his friend’s feelings.

“Okay...” he nodded, truthfully. “I’m sorry to worry you. And... I promise, I...

I promise I’ll rely on you.”

I am thou, thou art I...
Thou hast birthed a vow tempered in thine own heart...

Thy bond shall become the Wings of Rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of stagnation...

With the birth of the Aeon Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and true power...

He blinked.

The what Persona!?

He heard Kasumi’s voice. “Senpai?”

...

He shook his head.

“Sorry...” He nodded. “I’m alright now. I think a new Confidant just opened up.”

“Confidant?” she tried to remember the term, “You mean like, the people you shared a bond with? One just opened up with me?”

“Um... sort of?” He frowned. “I’ve actually already opened a Confidant with you. One of the Faith Arcana. But this one’s of the Aeon...” He looked deep within his soul. “And it feels like the one I already have with you is still active...”

“ The Aeon Arcana bestows unto those who hath yet learnt their place in this world, and wouldst seek this Answer. ”

He fell out of his chair.

“S-Senpai!?”

“Sorry!” he squeaked out, “But Satanael likes to... talk to me sometimes. Without warning.”

“If we were to warn thee, would this not be considered ‘talking’ with thee? ”

“...And he’s got a sense of humor, apparently.”

He got to his feet and shook off the haze. Meanwhile, footsteps approached from the stairs.

“Everything alright?” Boss asked, “Thought I head somethin’.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine sir,” Kasumi assured, “Akira-senpai just... took a fall.”

The man quirked a brow, but again, didn’t say anything. He did check his watch though.

“...Come to think of it, isn’t it getting a bit late?” the man asked, “Don’t you two have school tomorrow? The last trains will be running soon.”

“Ah...” Akira looked to his partner. “I think that was everything I wanted to discuss. So...”

“Oh!” She stood up as well. “Okay then! Thank you for sharing with me.”

Across the room, the Boss of the café ruffled his slicked back hair. “Here, why don’t you walk her to the station? Hope her folks aren’t mad you dragged her out after dark.”

The man descended the stairs, preparing to close up shop.

...

The two shared a look.

“Thank you, Senpai. I mean that.”

He nodded, with a genuine smile.

“Thank you,Kasumi. For being there for me.”

It wasn’t a long walk from the station. But sometimes, he really wished it was.

Chapter 5: Autonomy

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, “Morgana”, “Persona/Shadow”, “Jose/Phone”

Being in the past was weird.

There were the big differences. Your life being turned upside down, for one. Losing everything you fought for. Being cursed with knowledge you hope may never be realized. Knowing the fate of the world as you knew it, was forever in your hands.

Then, there were the little things. Anticipating an album that you’ve listened to ten times over. Being mad about plot twists an author had yet to think of. Your favorite food, being a seasonal one.

...Oh, how he missed Melon Bread.

But beyond that, there were things that were just plain odd. For example:

‘Why the hell is this here?’

In his effort to make space for future belongings, Akira had spent his morning throwing out old souvenirs and shuffling boxes around. Then came one he didn’t know he had.

Stuffed to the brim with junk, the moment he opened the box by the stairs, it exploded. Its contents flew everywhere, bashing against the walls, crashing to the floor, and smashing him in the head.

Apparently it knocked him the hell out, because Boss had to come upstairs and wake him up for school. He vaguely remembered being scolded about the mess... but to be honest, he was more concerned with the bruise he felt forming on his face.

...Or he would have. If not for the Recov-R: 100mg he’d found on the floor.

It was amazing. Everything he’d owned from his last time around— every piece of equipment, all his gear, consumables, every bit of treasure, each weapon and firearm, customized and armed to the teeth... It was all there. All the money he couldn’t carry, too.

He didn’t have much time to think about it, with his train pulling up to the station. But with a good chunk of cash in his wallet, and a schoolbag loaded with food, meds, pistols, and pointy things, Akira felt… good. Extremely prepared to put that Kamoshida in his place.

But...

...seriously, what the hell?

Why of all things did his items come back with him? Equipment? Treasure? Money? Bullsh*t! He’d give up all that crap in a heartbeat, if it meant getting back to where he came from!

But in the end, there was no one to answer his questions. And so, it just became another mystery on the pile.

...Speaking of mysteries.

‘Hey. Satanael.’

"...Art thou speaking to us?"

‘...Yes. Or should I call you something else?’

The train from Yongen to Shibuya was alright, but the ride from Shibuya to anywhere was packed tighter than... well, that box this morning. Akira had managed to find a seat, but... he didn’t have any books left to read. Besides, there was an elderly woman clinging to a pole nearby, so...

“Our name and title shall suffice.” He could feel the voice nod. “For what reason hast thou called upon us?”

‘I... don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way you talk.’ He sighed, hefting the woman’s bags for her. ‘I was just wondering if you knew anything about...’ He gestured vaguely. ‘...our current situation.’

“Thou speaks of thine current position, against the World’s law?” the voice rumbled, “We have not the answers thou seeks, Trickster. I am thou, thou art I.”

‘...So you don’t. Got it.’

...

"...Thou doth seem... dissatisfied with our answer."

‘I mean, I’m not.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m just... frustrated. So much of this makes no sense, and... I feel like the more I learn, the more lost I get.’

"..."

For a while, the only sound was the murmur of the crowd, and the clatter of the tracks beneath his feet. Oh. The old lady from earlier told him that her stop was next, so he gave her back her bags. She thanked him for his kindness, complimented him and his generation, then gave him some hard candies. Ooh! Cherry flavor.

“We understand thy hesitation, Trickster,” Satanael spoke unto him, “But decisive nature is thy true strength. This counsel belies the utmost of our ability.”

‘...Your Sinful Shell says otherwise...’

It made sense though. Unsure of what was to come? Holding fate in his hands? It was exactly the same as before.

Well, maybe a bit different. Last round, he was the Beggar. Now, he was the Tycoon.

...He wasn’t sure if he liked that.

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This truth thou hast witnessed with thine own eyes,” the archangel said, “Then we ask of you Trickster, what of those who would take fate into their hands for thine own justice?”

He frowned, popping the candy in his mouth. ‘There’s a difference between deciding what’s right, and standing up for what you believe in.’

“Thy doubts art rooted in thine own heart,” Satanael made his voice heard, “If thou wouldst truly fear becoming that which he denounced, that is something we cannot abide.”

Akira blanched. ‘Do you think... thatI could become someone like that? A Palace Ruler?"

“To be aware of thy doubts and fears, to be conscious of thy desires and limits— these qualities set thee high above the putrid souls thou hast reformed. Thou doth not need fear treading their paths.” Was that... reassurance? “If thou would still doubt thyself, we have but one word of counsel.”

‘...And that is?’

“Hold fast to the bonds thou hast forged,” he said simply, “That which came before, those who whilst come again. Bonds, new and old, are timeless in the chamber of thy heart. They too, are your strength.”

‘...Bonds, huh?’

He thought back to the three Confidants he’d awakened in the past day. The World. The Faith. And the newest Arcana, the Aeon.

The World was formed when he made his resolve to fight. It advanced when Kasumi did the same.

The Faith had been raised to its highest level last year, but Kasumi's determination had reawakened its potential. He could feel the heights of its new strength, holding nearly double its former level of power.

Lastly, the Aeon Arcana. That too, was a mystery.

‘...Satanael...’ He may as well ask. ‘...What is the Aeon Arcana, exactly?’

“The Aeon awakens within those who hath yet found their place in this World,” the voice explained, “Before the strength of the Fool, it represents the awareness of one’s limits, and the human desire to belong. Tis an interpretation of the Judgement Arcana, and bestowed upon those whose Journey hath yet truly begun.”

‘...So Kasumi still has a long way to go?’ He hummed. ‘That’s kind of strange, considering.’

“...Arcana need not correspond to a single soul. Nor to a soul at all,” Satanael said slowly, “Just as The World tis the sum of thy Journey, the Aeon tis a vow tempered within thine own heart. If thou hast acquired this vow, tis indeed a personal one.”

‘Within my own heart?’ He swirled the candy with his tongue. ‘A personal vow?’

"Thy vow is the key to thy heart. As thou hath done for thy mask, thou must live by the truth of thy word."

‘I-I don’t understand what you’re trying to say...’ He shook his head. ‘I get that I have to keep my word, but... the Aeon is... my own bond? My own promise?’

"The vows made unto thyself, shall become the beacon that guides thy path.

The Aeon Arcana is thine own."

‘The Aeon is actually my Arcana...’

That single sentence plagued his thoughts from the moment he left the station. Gone were the fears of fulfilling the future, or concerns of the carried-over cache. No F's or C's. Only A's. Except no amount of Erudite Knowledge would’ve prepared him for this.

...That was a stupid joke, even for him. Alliteration was the least of his concerns.

‘How is this possible? A vow formed within your own heart?’ He let the sound of his footsteps fade into the back of his mind. ‘So that promise I made Kasumi to rely on her... is a promise I’m making myself?

Actually, that kind of makes sense...’ He stepped over a sakura-laden puddle. ‘But it’s never happened before, so why now? What significance does it hold?’

The walk to school was ever-quiet, with Shujin students unwittingly forming their usual, evenly-spaced line along the side of the road. Someone before him, someone behind, going at the same old pace. Good time to think. Great time to space out. Perfect time to consider the fundamental truths that define all of existence.

‘Should I eat my time-travelling curry for lunch? Or should I save it for the infiltration...?’

Ah, the age old dilemma. Food? Or one hundred spirit points to each of your interdimensional thief friends, prolonging their ability to sling bouts of nuclear fission at the face of God?

Atomic Flare costs too much. Way too much.

“Oh! Senpai!”

A familiar voice, bright and lively, pulled him from his thoughts. Just the sound of her jogging over made him smile, as he turned to face his newest partner in crime.

“Morning, Kasumi.” He nodded with a grin. “Candy?”

He held out one of the cherry candies he’d jammed in his pocket. Kasumi gave him a strange look.

“No thank you.” She shook her head, graciously. “I can only have one dessert a week because of my training. So, I have to make it count!”

He shrugged. “More for me then.” And stuffed them away in his bag. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too!” She smiled, falling into stride with him. “How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, actually!” He replied with unusual cheer. “It felt... really good getting that stuff off my chest. Thanks again, by the way.”

“Oh, of course! If anything, I should be thanking you,” she said, before leaning a bit closer, “So... thank you. For sharing that with me. I’m really grateful.”

“I feel the same way.” Akira nodded, confidently. “I’m glad we can trust each other.”

The pair walked along for a while, rounding a corner to Shujin Academy in the distance.

“...So, we’ll be... infiltrating the Palace today?” Kasumi asked, “I’m a little nervous!”

“Try not to overthink it,” he assured. “Today’s just a scouting session. We’ll drop in, see if anything’s changed since last time around, and if they haven’t? We’ll do a bit of exploration. Nothing strenuous, just to get our feet wet.”

“I see...” she murmured, “...Come to think of it, I haven’t been to a pool in a while!”

He blinked.

“I... guess I haven’t either,” he admitted. “I haven’t gone swimming since that beach trip with my friends last summer.”

“You went to the beach?” Kasumi gasped, “I’m so jealous! If I remember, I was still practicing for the meet around that time...”

As she spoke, her arms started moving absentmindedly. Seems she was running through the meet’s choreography in her head.

He smiled. “This time around? I’ll make sure it works for your schedule.”

She smiled back as the bells tolled.

Screw winter and summer, lunch was the best break of all.

You got one every day of the school year. Combined? It was way less time off than either of the others. But after spending all that time at a desk, wearing out your wrist? Any break at all felt a thousand times better.

He wore that sentiment as a smile, making his way down the stairs toward the school store. He didn’t have a choice yesterday, so he was excited to get a sandw—

“Aah—!”

“Whoa!”

Feeling a sudden pressure on his back, Akira Kurusu took a facefirst tumble to the floor. Rolling down the stairs with a thump, he felt his limbs tangle with whatever had pushed him, as they crashed to the bottom in a heap.

...

“Oww...”

Akira shook his head, glasses lost somewhere in the scuffle. Damn it. What the hell was that about? Unravelling himself from whatever started this, he rolled off and sat up on his knees.

...Yuuki?

That wasn’t a face he expected to see anytime soon. The timid boy lay, battered, bruised, and... unconscious. Huh. Well this was a situation. Had he fallen from his injuries? Or was this Kamoshida lashing out at him for yesterday?

“Oh my—” a familiar voice trotted up, “Are you two okay?”

It was Sadayo.

“That was a nasty fall...” She shook her head. “Here, let’s get you both to the nurse.” She looked around for a male student nearby.

“Sakamoto!”

“...Huh?”

Akira’s heart stopped.

His eyes met the floor faster than he’d fallen. But no matter how much he tried, he could still see it at the edge of his view— the familiar white sneakers and rolled-up pants.

“Mishima-kun is unconscious...” Sadayo’s voice grew distant, “Can I trust you to take him to the nurse? Kurusu-kun too, if he’s feeling unwell.”

...

He could see the left white sneaker grind itself into the floor.

“...Fine.”

A rough hand reached out and rattled his shoulder.

“C’mon. Help out, will ya’?”

In a daze, Akira stood and did just that.

It was silent on the way to the nurse.

It was silent when they laid Yuuki down.

It was silent when Ryuji moved to leave.

...

“You two’re okay or whatever, yeah?”

The blond grunted in their general direction. Whether he felt obligated to, or was actually concerned, it was a nice gesture.

It would’ve been, if Akira had heard him.

He could feel the springy mattress of the bed. The cold metal of the railing. The flimsy fabric beneath his thumb. He could smell. Floor cleaner. It always smelled like that before Takuto came.

He could hear. In vague, buzzy tones, with a ringing in his ear. He could see. In blurry patches, but he could see. He could see clearer on the ends, just the ends. His eyes wouldn’t focus, he wouldn’t let them focus. Because if they did, they’d focus on—

“Can you hear me? Hey.”

He could see light, fading in and out. In and out. Something was moving back and forth. Oh. It was a hand.

“Ah, geez. Where the hell’s that nurse lady?” a grumble. “Guy’s gone all quiet.”

...

He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t say anything. What could he say? Nothing. So he said nothing.

He said nothing.

Nothing.

...

“Hey, uh...” a voice that stumbled over itself. “You’re not... dyin’, are ya’?”

...

Damn it.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

He promised he wouldn’t be scared. He promised he wouldn’t run away.

...He promised he’d rely on her.

...

That’s right.

He wasn’t alone. Not in any way that mattered. He had her in his heart. He had him in his heart. So...

...

Damn it.

Okay.

Okay!

Okay.

...

It’s okay.

It’s okay.

He took a breath.

And let it out.

It’s okay.

You can do this.

Do what you do best, Trickster.

Fake it, ‘til you make it.

“...Sorry.” His voice came out quiet. Hoarse. “...I just... My brain’s all shaken up.”

And his vision cleared.

Ryuji Sakamoto sat at the edge of the bedside chair, elbows resting on his legs. He looked pretty worried, by April-Ryuji standards... but that cleared up pretty quick once he heard him speak. The ex-track traitor let out a loooong sigh.

“Maaan...” he groaned, “Don’t do sh*t like that. Last thing I need is every sh*tty teacher in this place coming after me any harder.”

Ryuji Sakamoto shook his head. Ryuji Sakamoto put his hands to his knees and stood up. Ryuji Sakamoto turned around to leave.

“Alright then, I’m outta’ here.”

And he began to walk away.

And he was halfway to the door.

And he was turning the doorknob.

“H-Hey!”

His voice broke. It was small, and weak, and brittle, and soft. It was no surprise that it broke. If anything in this room were to break, it would be his voice. Of course, it’d be his voice. What else would it be? It was never easy for him. Never. But it was all he could do. It was all he had. So he took the broken pieces, piled them up, and humbly offered with all his heart...

“...What?”

And it was enough.

Akira shook his head.

“Sorry for... spacing out on you there.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s just... y’know. First day of school, I get tackled and called into the Guidance Office. Second day, I get tackled and put in the Nurse’s Office. Even my record leaked somehow. Everywhere I go, they just talk, talk, talk...”

He trailed off. Ryuji didn’t say anything.

...

“...Yeah. This place is like that.”

The blond boy turned around, idly kicking up the tiles of the floor. Wasn’t much doing though. All he got for his effort was the squeak of his sneakers on linoleum.

“Everywhere you go, it’s rumors this, gossip that,” he grumbled, “Some assholes just say whatever sh*t they want.”

“...Sounds like you know from experience,” he probed.

Ryuji scoffed. “Whatever. Don’t pretend like you don’t know.”

...

“...I’m just thinking,” Akira tried again,”...we’re in the same boat.”

Ryuji’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t know me, man.”

He flinched.

...

“S-Still...” The boy had already made his resolve. “I dunno’. Thanks for helping out. I’ll treat you to... a beef bowl, sometime.”

The blond’s eyes softened.

“...Whatever.” Ryuji shook his head. “See you around, I guess.”

And he left.

...

...

Out came a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

It wasn’t anything like they used to have. Nowhere close. But this? This was progress.

Progress.

A first step.

And you know? With everything going on— the world turning full on its head?

That look. His words. Seeing just a hint of the friend he used to have, no matter how small.

It was more than enough to make his heart soar.

...!

He pulled his phone from his pocket. A text? Oh! It was Kasumi.

"Are you alright, Senpai? I heard you took a bad fall."

Akira shook his head with a smile.

"I'm alright." He wrote back. "But Yuuki took the fall with me. The nurse is out, so I'm sticking around 'til he wakes up."

The phone went off again.

"I'm glad you're okay. And that's very nice of you!" her message read."Will you be alright for today's infiltration? Would you like me to bring you anything?"

"I'm fine here,"he assured,"That's considerate of you, though. Thank you."

"Of course!" she replied,"I'll see you at the hideout, then?"

"It's hardly a hideout..." he sighed,"We'll establish a proper one, later. For now? School gate."

...

Kasumi wasn’t responding.

"That's exciting! I'm looking forward to it!"

"That's exciting! I'm looking forward to it!"

"That's exciting! I'm looking forward to it!"

...Ah. He had one of those phones that could play its notification sound over itself, so... it hit him like a wall of sound.

"Sorry! It's hard to tell whether my texts have sent or not."

He breathed a laugh. “It’s all good.”

...A thought struck him.

It might be a problem if he needed to get in contact with her, but her phone didn’t work. And with all the money he’d just come into, a new one wouldn’t be too expensive... He’d talk to her about it later.

“I’ll see you then.”

"Yes! Take care, Senpai!"

And the chat ended there.

...

Hm. Let’s see.

He wasn’t about to go into a Palace on an empty stomach. And he had a schoolbag full of food. But all that food was for work, not play. Still, risking Hunger in the Metaverse had devastating effects on performance. So technically,it was a work-related use.

And that’s how he ended up with one of Houraku’s Nikuman in his hands.

...Yes.

The soft, yet springy texture of the bun. The piping hot pork within. The juiciness that flooded everywhere in between. It was exactly as good as the moment he bought it. And it was magical.

...Literally.

It was something he never quite understood. Once you took food to the Metaverse, it just… stopped aging. More than that, it restored itself to exactly how it was, the moment it was made! Morgana told him it had something to do with cognition.

“It’s like our guns, being reloaded after every battle,” Morgana had said, “When people think food, they imagine it freshly made! Simple, right?”

...Simple? Yeah, that was a word. The Metaverse sure was a strange place.

If you ate food in the Metaverse, you got a bunch of benefits. Extra health, a bit of spirit, maybe even cure a status condition! But there was a trade-off: it had no nutritional value at all. And despite that, it still maintained its taste. That part might sound like an upside... but when you’re shotgunning Arginades back to back, it starts to taste like vomit a couple cans in.

You could still take that food out of the Metaverse. It even kept that freshness, too! But the nutritional value stuff didn’t go away. So even with these Nikuman, he may as well have been eating air. Delicious, doughy, meat-flavored air, but air nonetheless.

Well, that wasn’t true. Apparently it got back half its original nutritional value. But only half. It never went above or below that. When he asked Morgana, all he got was a shrug. Which was hard to do with feline shoulderblades. Or so he’d been told.

...?

A pained groan found itself muffled by the shifting of bedsheets. Akira turned to see Yuuki Mishima, blearily sitting up.

“...Oh. The nurse...”

The boy’s voice was quiet. Broken. Akira didn’t know quite what to say.

...

“...You took a pretty nasty spill,” he started. “Are you okay?”

“!”

The boy recoiled, put his arms up...

...

...

“Oh. S-Sorry, I—”

...and shook his head.

“I thought you were someone else.”

...

Akira did the same.

“No worries. Are you alright?”

...

The boy averted his gaze.

“Y-Yeah. I’m fine...”

It was everything the athlete could do not to look sullen. But he couldn’t help it. And Akira couldn’t blame him. After all, Yuuki was the one that Kamoshida forced to—

...

He shook his head free of those thoughts.

“Hungry?” Akira offered his bunkmate a Nikuman. “I think you might have practice later.”

Yuuki’s brow furrowed. “Practice... yeah...”

...

The blue-haired boy looked up.

“Oh! Y-You’re... giving this to me?”

Akira shrugged.

“Why not? I’ve got an extra.” He jerked his thumb over at the wrapper he’d set down. “And you fell over near the start of break, so I doubt you ate anything. Go ahead.”

...

Yuuki tenderly reached out, and took it.

“Th-Thank you, Kurusu.”

“No problem.”

...

The room was quiet while Mishima took his first bite.

“Oh wow.”

“Right?”

“!”

The words must’ve slipped out of his mouth, because the sound of his voice made the boy flinch again.

“Oh, sorry to surprise you,” he apologized, taking another bite of his own. “I bought these from Houraku in Kichijoji. Aren’t they good?”

He continued eating in relative silence.

“...Yeah. It’s really good.”

Akira smiled up at his old friend, through another bite of his bun.

“They’ve got like, three different kinds there,” he happily explained. “There’s this one that’s suuuper juicy, and then there’s one that’s Napolitan? Like, ketchup based? It’s better than it sounds. And then, there’s this super spicy one. It’s really pricey at like, 1500 yen a pop? But it’s soooo good.”

He said all that through a mouthful of bun, so he figured chunks of it were unintelligible. Then again, the words didn’t really matter— the sentiment did. And looking at Yuuki’s face, it seems he’d gotten through. At least, a little.

“...You... sure know a lot...” Yuuki swallowed a bite. “...This is good though.”

Akira grinned again. “I’m glad! Hope you’re okay, by the way. Those bruises look rough, man.”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks...”

...

...

“Hey, Kurusu?”

Akira looked up. “Yeah?”

...

Yuuki looked away.

“You’re... a nice guy.”

Akira tilted his head. “Thanks. You seem cool too.”

The boy’s eyes fell. He looked more in pain than ever.

...

...

“I’m sorry.”

Akira waved him off. “Ehh, it’s fine. Accidents happen.”

“N-No, I...”

...

It seems he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“...Never mind. It’s nothing.”

Akira nodded. “If you say so.”

And the two kept eating ‘til lunch ran out.

You know how they say hours fall off the clock?

It’s something people use to describe time passing faster than you expected. But where does that phrase come from? Akira always thought about the hands of a clock, spinning out of control until they just... broke off. Then fell down. A very literal interpretation, for sure.

That... wasn’t the case today.

There were two class periods that stood between lunchtime and freedom. Just two. For Tuesday’s class 2-D, it was homeroom lit with Kawakami, then math with Usami. It was just two classes. Easy. But the moment Kawakami began her lecture on Sei Shonagon’s ‘Pillow Book’, he swore the second hand of the clock started moving in slow motion.

Tick.

...

Tock.

...

Tick.

...

Tock.

It’s funny. He was always the one saying “Take Your Time” and all that. But right now, he really wanted to take time by the shoulders and throttle it.

There was something about being in the past that just… wore out your patience. Akira wasn’t the kind of person to hate being told twice. At least, not last time around. Last year, if there was a lecture on something he’d already covered? He’d either pay attention to the lesson and review, or space out and do something else. No stress! But there was something so pressing about these new circ*mstances. This supremely unsettling sense of... déjà vu that permeated every moment. It made him feel sick to his stomach.

It was hard to tell where he was in the stages of grief. But he had to wonder what “Acceptance” would look like. Was it attending school, letting lectures fade into white noise? Or was it not attending school at all? Either way, he hoped this... apprehension would pass.

Then the bell rang. And he realized what it had been, all along.

Anticipation.

A one for one with yesterday— in a single, practiced movement, Akira Kurusu was standing with his bag on his shoulder, ready to go. Weaving through the crowd was simple. His shoes were off before the locker opened. He heard the bang as it closed when he stepped into the sunlight.

Twirling his phone on his finger, he let it settle in his palm. The eerie red eye of the Metaverse Navigator won their little staring contest. Back to the outer wall of the Academy, he awaited his new companion.

He didn’t have to wait long.

“Good afternoon, Akira-senpai!” His ever-cheery Kouhai gave a little bow. “You move fast!”

The once-most-wanted criminal blinked in surprise. Then had the decency to look sheepish. “You... saw all that, huh?”

“It was beautiful!” Kasumi leaned in with stars in her eyes, “You looked so confident! Every step you took was so...amazing! It was like watching a gymnastics routine!”

That... felt like a bit much. Especially since he was still embarrassed. “It’s a routine, I guess, but it’s nothing that impressive. It’s just... something I have to do a lot.” He’d walked this route so many times, it felt like he’d carved a trench with his footprints. “Morgana says I’m like a different person when I’m... focused, like that. And it tends to happen whenever we... have work to do.”

He couldn’t help but flush a little.

“It’s certainly an interesting ‘part-time job’...” She smiled. “I’ll do my best to keep up, Senpai.”

“I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with that.” Akira shook his head. “Come on. We should get going.”

Kasumi nodded. “Let’s!”

And with the press of a button, the world melted away.

Oh, how he loved the feeling.

The sensation of entering the Metaverse. The throb of a pulse, as the Palace ruler tried to twist you to their will... but you stood your ground, defiant.

It started at your core. The center of your chest. Your heart bled in flames, coating you in ethereal blue fire. Your power, your resolution washed over you, bathing you in light. Your light. And it left unto you the image of a rebel.

...There was a small, childish part of him that brought Featherman to mind. Futaba always made those little comparisons. The transformations were cool to watch, but experiencing it yourself was something else entirely.

“Wow...”

Looking over to his partner, he saw her shiver in excitement. “That’s quite the rush!” she said. “Does this happen every time?”

He nodded with a grin. “Never gets old. That’s the ‘Will of Rebellion’ emerging from your soul.”

“It’s like a runner’s high!” She moved her arms about. “Oh! My clothes changed.”

They had. It was the familiar bolero tailcoat with puffy shoulders and ruffled sleeves, over the slim black leotard. Lace stockings went halfway up her thigh, trailing to black heeled shoes— almost like ballet slippers, the longer he looked. An elegant chain belt held her rapier in place, a black ribbon kept her hair back, and her pure vermillion eyes shone bright past the mask of masquerade. The red of her gloves, adjusting the choker she wore, tied the look together. She looked ready for a dance.

He ventured a question. “Do you like them?”

“I do!” She smiled. “Morgana-senpai told me they ‘embody my image of a rebel’. The moment he said that, I just knew it was true!”

Akira rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I’m glad then. I know some people who didn’t like theirs, starting out...”

He shook his head. “But never mind that. We’re starting our infiltration today.” The castle before them looked daunting as ever. “Just like we discussed. We’re here to assess the Palace’s current state. From the looks of it, nothing’s changed much. But we’ll need to get inside to be sure.”

“Roger!” She smiled a little. “...I’ve always wanted to say that.”

He smiled back. “I appreciate the enthusiasm.”

It was only a few thoughts ago, but there really was some childlike joy in... all of it. Suiting up, sneaking around, using your superpowers to beat on evildoers and their minions. And yes, while there were... a lot of things about his job that sucked— fighting for his life, the full weight of the law coming down on them, being targeted by real world criminals well within their means to kill him— there was... a lot to love about it too. Taking those “above the law” and bringing them crashing down to earth. Doing something only they had the power to do. Even having superpowers at all! His job was serious, sure. It was a matter of life and death. But on some level, he enjoyed being... a hero. Not for the adoration, not the accolades, just...

Knowing all you had to do to make the world better was use the truth in your soul? To be yourself? It was the most important lesson he’d ever learned.

He held those words close, and smiled again.

“First things first!” Akira spun his finger before pointing, “You need a codename.”

Kasumi perked up. “That’s right! Mor—” she caught herself, “Um, Mona-senpai said something about that. He said yours was... 'Joker', right?”

“That’s right.” He grinned. “Codenames are necessary to make sure we don’t register in the Palace ruler’s cognition. Nothing bad has happened before, but... it’s just a precaution.” He didn’t know what would happen, and he didn’t want to find out. “My codename, ‘Joker’, comes from my position as the ‘Wild Card’, or the ability to use multiple Personas.”

She tilted her head. “So... what would mine be?”

He looked her up and down. “Well, our outfits are similar. Personas too. Maybe something similar to Joker? Like... ‘Jester’?”

“Hmm...” She tapped her chin in thought. “I like the suit of cards idea, but I don’t see myself as the... ‘Jester’ type.” She thought a bit longer. “How about... Queen?”

“Ah...” Akira scratched the back of his head, “That one’s taken actually.”

Kasumi gasped. “No way! What are the odds...?”

“I... guess I should tell you everyone else’s. Just so there’s no overlap,” he laughed sheepishly. She nodded agreeably and gave him the go ahead. “They were... Joker, Mona, Skull, Panther, Fox, Queen, Oracle, Noir, and... Crow.”

“Ooh, Noir!” She seemed to latch onto that one. “That’s French for black, isn’t it?”

He smirked. “So you do know the language.”

“Just a couple of words!” She pouted. “But I like that... My codename should be a color!”

“Interesting...” He nodded to himself. “A color in French then?” She nodded back. “Well, Noir is taken...”

He glanced at her gloves.

“Maybe something like rouge? Or vermeil?” he suggested. “Vermeil is like the bright red of your gloves. Rouge is closer to that royal red of your hair.”

“Oh! That’s it! I like it!”

He quirked a brow. “Which one? ‘Rouge’ or ‘Vermeil’?”

“Neither!”

She cheerfully shook her head, then stepped forward and took a bow.

“My name is Royale. Pleasure to meet you!”

A mighty wind kicked up about her, rustling her clothes in the breeze. A name that stoked her inner rebel. She’d chosen well.

“It’s like you said, a royal red!” Royale asserted, “And it fits with the suit of cards theme we have! How is it?”

He gave her one of those roguish grins. “Fits you like a glove.” He extended his own. “Welcome to the team, Royale.”

She smiled, took his hand, and shook it. He could feel the World Arcana pulse in approval.

“Now that we have your name squared away...” he continued, “There’s a few more things to do.”

Akira took a seat outside the castle gates, patting the spot beside him. Kasumi looked a bit confused, but obliged nonetheless. She spread out the tails of her coat first, so she didn’t have to feel the cold of the cobblestone on her skin. Huh. Leotards must be chilly.

“Now,” he began, sitting cross-legged, “I need to get a grasp on Cendrillon’s strength. You should already know how to fight— that much is instinctual. But I need to know her specific stats, her Trait, and her skills.”

The champion gymnast nodded eagerly. “Okay! How should we do that?”

Wordlessly, he removed one of his red gloves. It vanished in a sea of blue flames. He offered the hand to his partner, gesturing for her to do the same.

“We call these ‘heart-to-heart’s,” he explained, “It’s something Mona taught me. If we take off our gloves, hold hands, and remove our masks, we can sort of... communicate, soul to soul. It’ll help me understand Cendrillon a bit more... and vice versa.”

“I see...” she murmured, “Well, I do want to know more about Arsène-senpai. And if it will help...”

Tentatively, she did the same, removing her glove and letting it burn away. Kasumi took his hand.

Ah...

There was something about doing this that just... calmed him down. Made him feel at peace. Like he wasn’t alone. Yesterday probably had something to do with that... He was glad for it, either way.

“Okay...” Akira removed his mask, letting Arsène free. He felt his other self manifest behind him. “Now just remove yours, and we can get started.”

So she did. Cendrillon appeared in a glow of white light.

“Bonjour messieurs,” Her skirt twinkled like glass as she curtsied. “So nice to finally make your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is ours, Madamoiselles,” Arsène took the bow of a thief. “Please forgive the late introduction.”

“I hadn’t realized our Personas were both French!” Kasumi remarked, “We really are alike, aren’t we Senpai?”

Akira blinked. “Huh. I didn’t notice either. How ‘bout that?” He glanced up at the pair, chatting it up. “C’mon, why don’t we let those two get... ‘acquainted’?”

She nodded, a bit of pink in her cheeks. The two closed their eyes...

...and felt their souls wash over each other.

So kind.

So caring, so gentle, so pure. And so strong. Like the very sea of souls, so calm and beautiful... yet such depth. Such power. He could feel her resolve. Her determination. Her dream. The fire that drove her every move. It was like light, so blindlingly bright.

...There it was.

Holding those words in his heart, he dove deeper to what he’d been searching for.

Cendrillon, the Princess of Ash.

Level 50, the Faith Arcana

Veil of Midnight: Increases chance of ally not being Downed when attacked.

Available Skills

Kouga, Makouga, Tempest Slash, Vorpal Blade, Diarama, Dazzler, Apt Pupil, Bless Boost

Blocks Bless. Weak to Curse.

Current Statistics

Strength: 38
Magic: 32
Endurance: 24
Agility: 37
Luck: 30

Wow. That was... an amazing Trait. With an Evade Curse skill far into the future, it would make covering for weaknesses a significantly lower priority. Extremely helpful. And the Agility! Did she even need an Evade skill? She’d be twirling through attacks like nobody’s business! But the Endurance... Hm. One hit and she’d be in trouble... Luckily, that could be mitigated with armor— he even had a particular piece in mind. He’d had a lot of experience with that, after all.

...Wow, she really was a lot like him. He remembered Arsène was much the same at the beginning— all Evasion, low on Defense. But as they fought on, his Endurance rounded out, and Akira learned to roll with the punches. Fortuitously, his Agility remained on the higher side.

...Come to think of it, how was Arsène doing?

Arsène, the Pillager of Twilight

Level 73, the Fool Arcana

Pinch Anchor: Allows use of ambush-only skills after a Baton Pass.

Available Skills

Eigaon, Maeigaon, Brave Blade, Thermopylae, Curse Boost, Curse Amp, Adverse Resolve, Angelic Grace

Resists Curse. Weak to Ice and Bless.

Current Statistics

Strength: 51
Magic: 41
Endurance: 46
Agility: 61
Luck: 27

Looks like nothing had changed from their last battle. Oh, Cendrillon wasn’t far behind him. That was good. Then again, growth rates tend to differ among Personas... Not to mention, she was still pretty close to her level when she first Awakened. So only time would tell. Regardless, he had a pretty good handle on where she was going, and what gear she would need.

Knowing this, he opened his eyes, gently letting their connection fade.

...

...

...

Huh?

Akira Kurusu had seen many things through his Phantom Thief tenure.

He’d seen Personas on toilets. Roasted birds with onions for heads. Human-sized flies, pyramids of golden sacrifices, a face made of paintings, and... whatever Sae’s Shadow was. Those were weird.

This was... strange. Not in a bad way. Just... odd.

Floating about in an elegant dance, Arsène and Cendrillon were doing just that— dancing. They made the courtyard of the castle their ballroom, swaying gently to and fro. Cendrillon let out a laugh at something Arsène had said, something he couldn’t hear. And yet, he was fine with that. A stolen moment, just for them. How romantic...

...

...Wait, nonononono. This was still weird.

“Apologies, Trickster,” Arsène spoke to his mind, “But your souls resonated so! I could not but help myself.”

‘Well, it takes two to tango...’ Akira sighed, ‘As long as you’re both having fun.’

“Oh, but we are!” That was new. Cendrillon, in his head? “Mon monsieur has been nothing but a gentleman.”

‘Glad to see you’re hitting it off...’

By his side, he could hear Kasumi stir. He watched her eyes flutter open, and her gaze met his.

“Wow...” she let out, “That was your soul?”

“More or less,” he smirked, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, “And those are our souls.”

And so, she was treated to much the same scene. Arsène held his partner close, as the pair twirled gently in a lovely waltz. It was beautiful, truly. Serene. But in context, it was... just a bit embarrassing.

Sensing that feeling, the two slowed their steps. The couple turned to face their other selves.

“A thousand pardons, mademoiselle.” Again, he took the bow of a gentleman thief. “But the union of your souls moved me so! To ignore this feeling— this height of passion! There would be no truer crime.”

“Of that I have no doubt, mon monsieur. Though I hear stealing hearts is your trade.” Cendrillion giggled, “It will be my pleasure to fight at your side.”

“The pleasure is mine, my dear,” he knelt and kissed heR HAND?! “I’ll be trusting you with my back. And my heart.”

And the two vanished into light.

...

Externally? He was fine.

Internally? He could feel his face burn from his nose to his ears.

Personas talking, he was still getting used to. Personas flirting!? That was something else entirely. Honestly, of all the things to go off the rails today, this was one he hadn’t expected.

“Aww, that’s so sweet!”

He looked to Kasumi, ever-chipper. She was smiling like she’d just won a raffle prize. Or bought the last melon bread. Well, maybe not that last one. He might just be projecting.

“Our Personas get along! That’s good, right Senpai?”

Huh.

Well, if she wasn’t gonna’ make a big deal out of it, then everything was fine. Still, some tiny part of him couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“Sure is,” Akira nods to himself, “Although... being honest, I’ve never seen anything like that before. I think this is progress...!”

That answer seemed to satisfy her. He stood and offered her a hand. As she took it, their gloves and masks fell back into place.

“Alright. So I’ve got a pretty good idea on where your stats and skills are gonna’ take you. Nothing set in stone, but we can always go to the church for that.”

She tilted her head. “...I’m sorry?”

Ah. He should probably explain that too.

“Sorry, I should’ve led with this,” he rubbed the back of his neck again. “Persona users... we’re strong. But we can’t do everything alone. Not even me, and my twelve masks.” He pulled it from his face, calling forth Ishtar. “There are things we just... naturally can and can’t do. There will be things we’re good at and things we’re bad at. It’s just how it happens. No soul is perfect.”

Ishtar spread her arms, invoking an Amrita Shower.

“So Personas fall into certain classes, and beyond that, certain roles.” He gestured to the goddess behind him. “For example, Ishtar is an exemplary healer. Most of her skills are healing or support based. In fact, only one of her skills is an attack: Maziodyne.”

Of course, he’d swapped Maziodyne for Thunder Reign with a Skill Card, but that wasn’t the point.

“Then, there are Personas like... say, Skull’s for example. Seiten Taisei, the Monkey King.” Ishtar vanished, to let him make his point. “Seiten Taisei never learned a single healing spell. But he was unbeatable when it came to Physical damage. And his Endurance was off the charts.

Then Panther with Hecate, our strongest magic user. She learned status skills like Matarunda and Lullaby... and she had a few healing spells too, but only single target ones. Her fire skills though, were unstoppable.” He recalled her most powerful move, Blazing Hell. “Then there was Mona with Mercurius, a balance of the two. He had a nice Physical skill in Miracle Punch, strong wind attacks, and every kind of healing spell there was.

So...” he thought to tie the point together, “Personas tend to fall into categories, and their users fall into roles on the team. We had a lot of teammates by the end, but we always had five on the frontline. There was myself, as the leader. There was a strong magic user with support, like Panther or Noir. There was a strong physical fighter to soak up damage, like Skull or Fox. Then a dedicated healer, like Mona or Queen. And we always had Oracle as our Navigator, helping us out from the backline.”

“I see...” she murmured, “And which of those roles do I fill?”

He rolled the question around in his mind a bit. Hm. How to explain it...?

“I think you’re like Skull and Fox... but not quite,” he admitted. “Those two are typically called ‘tanks’, but you’re more of... an ‘evasion tank’. Or an ‘instigator’, it’s called sometimes.” He really hoped he was making sense. “Tanks draw the enemies’ attention. It’s normally done by hitting them, taking their hits, and shrugging it off. In your case, you would draw the enemies’ attention by hitting them, then just... not get hit.

They would mitigate the threat of an enemy’s attack by baiting it, then soaking it up." Akira summarized, "You do the same by baiting it, then dodging. So functionally, it’s the same! Does that make sense?”

...After a while, she nodded.

“So I’m an ‘instigator’...” she tasted the word on her tongue, “...Is that helpful?”

“Very.” He nodded. “A tank is the foundation of the team. And actually, I’m technically an instigator too. You’re the first one I’ve met, other than myself.”

“I see! I’m glad!” Her brow crinkled. “But, is it okay to have two... ‘instigators’ on the same team?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed, “In fact, it’s probably the best possible formation we could have right now. Since there’s only two of us, dodging is much more important than being able to take a hit.”

“Oh...” he saw the little light bulb in her head, “Got it! We’ll just follow your lead then, Joker-senpai! Arsène-senp—...”

Her face lit up.

“Arsènpai!”

...

...Bless this girl’s heart.

“Like a match made in heaven,” the thief’s voice resounds in his mind, “You two are quite compatible, you know.”

Akira shook those thoughts loose and grinned.

“Right. I’ll be counting on you both.”

And the two made to depart.

Kasumi was a natural.

In fairness, they all were. Every Persona user awakened with the instinctual knowledge and means to fight. And some of them were terrors, right from the get go. Johanna’s first battle came to mind. Necronomicon’s, too.

But Kasumi had a knack for infiltration. Sticking to the shadows, hiding from Shadows... Even just sneaking around! You’d think she was a pro, just from the way she moved. Then again, considering how much her gymnastics training had already helped him, he really shouldn’t have been surprised.

The two were currently behind cover, in a hallway leading up to a door. A lone shadow stood guard, armored head swiveling left and right. Behind that door was the prison. And in that prison...

“Alright. You’re doing really well so far,” he whispered. “Just beyond that Shadow is the dungeon. That’s where we need to go.”

Behind him, Kasumi nodded. “I see. Are we going to fight?”

“Not much a choice,” he admitted, “Normally, I like to look for air vents or something to pass sentries like this. But it’s fine.” Akira peeked around the box they hid behind. “It’s all alone right now, and so are we. So this is a good time to run you through your first combat.”

He saw her straighten a little. “Okay. What do I need to do?”

“We’re in a good position right now. We’re hidden, they’re out in the open. Which means it’s time for an ambush.” He tightened his gloves, “I’m going to pull the Shadow’s mask off and surprise them. When that happens, they’re going to dissociate into a group of enemies. While that’s going on, all you have to do is step out of cover and join me.”

She blinked. “...Is that it?”

“Pretty much,” he affirmed. “Shadows can be tough, but we are the better fighters. All their strength is instinctual. Ours is refined. As long as we don’t get too in over our heads and fight a bunch at once? We’ll be just fine.”

...Kasumi nodded.

“Okay. Lead the way, Joker-senpai!”

He grinned.

A dash.

A twisting backflip.

"What the!?"

And the mask came off.

The Shadow lost its form, pooling into a mass of black ooze. From that ooze emerged three individual souls. Two were the same— a blonde woman with bat-like wings in a leotard, and the last was a red-haired girl with fairy wings, also in a leotard. A Pixie and two Succubus’. Succubi? Succubuses?

The two Succubodes spread their wings and hissed in his general direction. Good. Both were weak to Bless, so he could teach her about that too.

“Royale!” he called, “The first move is ours!”

“Right!” She unmasked. “Persona!!”

Cendrillon appeared in a flash of light and glass. “Tempest Slash!” With a twirling kick, she knocked one of the Succubeese flat on its back. A critical on your first hit? That was a good sign.

“You made an opening!” he nodded, “Pass the Baton, and I’ll follow up!”

“Got it!”

With an impressive aerial cartwheel (in heels!) Kasumi flipped up and over her opponents, landing right by her partner. With a touch of their hands, Cendrillon stepped down and Arsène took the stage.

“Persona!!” he called, “Showtime, Arsène!”

The great gentleman thief came to life, slamming his palm into the floor. Wisps of powerful dark energy burst forth in a geyser— the powerful Eigaon wiped out the Pixie entirely.

“That’s another down. One More!” he looked to Royale, “All yours!”

They touched hands again. “Allow me!” Her mask was already off. “Let’s dance!”

Cendrillon let her legs cross as she fired off two crossing bolts of light. The Succubus was no more, just one enemy left. And they were Down!

He looked over to Kasumi. “You remember this part?”

“How could I forget?” she nodded with a grin, “Let’s go!”

“All-Out Attack!”

And in moments, the Shadow was no more.

“Nice!” Another Baton Pass. Oh. The battle ended? Then it was just another high-five. “You were amazing, Royale!”

“Thank you! Wow, that was exhilarating!” Kasumi nodded, her breathing steady, “You do this every day?”

“Not every day...” he smiled, “But often enough. How was it? Any questions? Concerns? Have time to take a survey?”

She laughed, “I think I’m alright for now. Thank you, Joker-senpai.”

He grinned, turning to face the doorway.

Before the dungeon came the... “training” area. That’s what it said on the map.

...

It really wasn’t any less horrifying, the second time around.

A boy is strung up by his heels, arms tied behind his back. A cannon fires directly into his body. He’s long lost consciousness— all you could hear was the crack of gunpowder, the bone-crunching thud of an impact, and the horrible sound of air leak out. Over. and over. and over again.

Across the hall, two boys stood with their hands tangled in a volleyball net. Behind them, faceless knights crushed their spines with their swords. Over. and over. All they could do was cry out.

Further down, several athletes ran, and ran, and ran down a treadmill that never stopped. At the far end, a single drip of water. At the other, a whirling iron blade. One boy tripped. The others let him fall.

They were cognitions. There was nothing he could do. He knew that. And yet, he found his eyes desperately searching for a door to this cage— one that he knew didn’t exist.

“This is...” Kasumi grit her teeth, “This is what he thinks of the volleyball team?”

“It’s much worse...” Akira looked aside. “I want to help them too, but... these are only cognitions. If we really want to help them, we have to change Kamoshida’s heart.”

Her fists clenched. She bit her lip and swallowed. “There’s no justifying it. No athlete deserves this from a coach. No one deserves this at all!”

“I know.” He nodded. “I know.”

All they could do was move forward.

...

...

...

The cell was empty.

They arrived in the dungeon. The cell was empty. Lines of cells stretched up and down the hall. The cell was empty. There was another Shadow to deal with on the way. The cell was empty. He thought it was good time to show off what she’d taught him. The cell was empty. He started the ambush with his grappling hook, tearing its mask off. The cell was empty.

It was a Jack o’ Lantern and another Pixie. The cell was empty. She knocked the Pixie down with a well-placed gunshot. The cell was empty. A Baton Pass let Arsène tear the other apart. The cell was empty. They high-fived again after the All-Out Attack. The cell was empty.

They made their way down the hall to where Morgana would be.

The cell was empty.

...

...

...

“...Senpai?”

He felt her hand on his shoulder.

...

...

“...Sorry,” he mumbled, “I just... need a minute.”

Akira gripped the bars of the cell as his legs gave out. He pressed his head into the metal, feeling the throbbing pain grow against his skull.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

What the hell?

He shouldn’t have waited. He should’ve gone right away. If he’d gone to the Palace yesterday— even if he’d gone alone, then... Morgana...

Morgana...

...

His friend wasn’t dead. He knew that. Morgana was too stubborn to die like that. Especially to someone like Kamoshida. He could hear his voice now. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I am Morgana— the hope of all humanity! And hope will never die!” Yeah. Something like that.

He shouldn’t doubt him. He wouldn’t doubt him. He’d never doubt his friend. He never did, he never had, and he wasn’t going to start now.

His friend...

...

Right.

A Trickster wasn’t one to believe in destiny. Their very existence undid the thralls of fate. But something tied them together. Something beyond time and space. It was a bond that could never be broken. A blood oath. A vow upon your very soul.

They would meet again.

...

...

Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t miss him.

“...Okay.” Akira picked himself up. “Sorry. I’m... alright now.”

Kasumi looked worried. “...Are you sure? It’s okay if you need time.”

“No, it’s fine.” He shook his head, confidently. “He’s not here, but... I know Mona’s okay. He’s gotta’ be.”

...

For now, they had to move on.

“So... this is a Safe Room?”

The pair had made their way back through the dungeon, leaving the empty cell behind. On the way out, Akira’d noticed a gap in cognition— one he’d already marked on the map.

“That’s right,” he gestured to the hazy scene of a classroom, fading in and out, “Safe Rooms emerge within a Palace Ruler’s cognition when that person doesn’t feel they have a ‘hold’ on that place. This is one of the third year classrooms, and I don’t think anyone from 3-C is on the volleyball team.”

“I see...” Kasumi poked at one of the illusory chairs. Her finger went right through. “So there are places even someone like him can’t reach.”

“Not even in his mind,” Akira confirmed. “Kamoshida isn’t particularly powerful, nor disciplined. There’s no scheme, no greater purpose. Just a pathetic old letch taking out his insecurities on children who can’t fight back.” He didn’t know he’d been making a fist, but he let it drop. “But that means there’s going to be a lot of Safe Rooms around. Lots of gaps in cognition. And we can use that to our advantage.”

“So the more Safe Rooms someone has, the weaker they are?” she summed up, “How many did... Shido have then?”

“Well, that one was a bit different.” Huh. He’d never heard her omit an honorific before. “Shido’s reach spread across Japan’s whole political sphere. There were bound to be places he missed.”

“Oh! I see,” she murmured, “So... was he an exception? Or is there just no correlation?”

“I don’t know, honestly.” He had no trouble admitting it. “We only ever went through seven Palaces. Safe Rooms always had logic— a reason behind them. But I don’t have enough to go on, as far as patterns go.”

Kasumi nodded. “Do you think we’ll explore Palaces you haven’t infiltrated before?”

“That seems likely,” he shrugged, crossing his arms, “There are probably tons of them out there. Most of the Palaces we’d encountered ended up having something to do with Shido though, so his confession made it real easy to round up his underlings. Or at least, that’s what Sae told me.”

“So there wasn’t a need.” She finished his thought. “If stealing Shido’s heart will... ‘round up’ those Palace rulers, will we be going to his Palace next?”

That gave him pause.

He knew Shido’s Palace was the endgame. That’s where everything led. At least, everything they’d dealt with up to that point. But was it a good idea to go right for Shido?

There were ups and downs to the idea. Er, what are they called again? Pros and cons. Perfect for Akira Kurusu: Professional Convict.

Anyway.

One one hand, taking Shido down now would throw the entire conspiracy down the drain. If the leader of the United Future Party was outed as a criminal, his underlings would fall with him. They had no leader, no chain of command outside Shido himself. That included Akechi. The black-masked killer wouldn’t take orders from anyone else. So it was likely that both the Mental Shutdowns and Psychotic Breakdowns would stop.

On the other hand...

There were tons of little things that’d go wrong. But the most prominent thing he could think of was simple— they’d be changing the future drastically. And of course, while that was the entire point, if they did too much too fast? They might end up in a world they didn’t recognize. All his knowledge would be useless. And that... that was the worst case scenario.

“I don’t think it’ll be right away,” he started, “There’s still Mementos to consider. If we take Shido down, a lot of our problems disappear. But it becomes significantly harder to get through Mementos without Palaces.” He stopped. “Er, that doesn’t sound right. What I mean is...”

He drummed his fingers on the side of his arm. “When Shido was removed, Yaldabaoth didn’t like it. So he just... put someone else in charge of the conspiracy, even though it didn’t make sense.” His brow furrowed. “Our main goal is to get to the bottom of Mementos. So as long as Yaldabaoth has power, Shido’s group will have power. So we should go after Shido once we get close to Mementos’ depths, and take the two out, one after the other. That way, we’ll be best equipped to deal with them, since it minimizes ‘unknown territory’... or the time between heists where our future knowledge might not apply. Does that make sense?”

She nodded after a while. “It does. Thank you.”

...

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“For now? Our main focus is two things— helping people in immediate danger, and getting you into top shape.” Akira affirmed. “You’re super strong, trust me. Out of all my Thieves, your Awakening made you the strongest. But you don’t have a lot of experience yet. That’s why we’re here.”

He gestured around them. “It’s two birds with one stone. Uh, scone.” He got the words mixed up all the time— he blamed the Treasure demon. “We’re helping folks in need, and you’re learning on the job. Trust me, when all this is over...

You’ll be as strong as I am. Maybe stronger.”

...

She was silent for a while.

“...Uh, I know that’s not your goal or anything,” he assured, “But—”

“It’s alright,” she held her hand up. “I know what you meant.”

He nodded, wordlessly.

...

“...It’s true. I didn’t join your cause to fight. Helping others was part of it...” she looked him in the eye. “But most of all, I wanted to help you, Senpai. It’s... my own regret, I think. I hope that’s not selfish.”

“Not at all,” he let his arms fall to his sides, “Besides, an ally is an ally. I appreciate the help. Really, I do.”

That seemed to satisfy her. She nodded with a smile.

...

“Come to think of it...” Kasumi tilted her head. Her ponytail followed. “How strong are you, Senpai? You said this Palace and its ruler weren’t very powerful, right?”

“That’s true...” he sighed, “Kamoshida definitely wasn’t the toughest Shadow we ever faced. But it was... personal, to us.” Akira looked away. “It was our first heist too. I remember everything felt so... cathartic. I don’t think I really felt that again until Shido.” His eyes lit up. “Oh! Not that beating the other Palace rulers wasn’t! It’s just...”

She waved off the concern. Akira sighed, gratefully.

“As for your question? Um...” he frowned. “I’m... pretty strong. I think? I don’t know.” He removed his mask in service of the question. “Hey Satanael, can you still grow Kaiju-sized and shoot bullets of sin?”

The archangel manifested with his arms crossed. Oh. He was large. Satanael had to hunch over to fit in the tiny Safe Room. His little halo spun slowly, its tiny wings clinking each time it hit the chandelier.

“Good day, Trickster. Trickster’s beloved.” Akira choked on air. “As per your questions— no. We forsought the sins thou hadst pillaged when we slayed the God of Control. Our stature as well, were a product of the People’s Will. That too, we relinquished.”

“Wow…” Kasumi regained her composure and bowed. “It’s nice to meet you, Satanael-san! Thank you for helping my friend.”

Akira sweatdropped. “What a cool customer…”

“The pleasure is ours, young one.” The great archangel nodded his head. “Though we would humbly request more...adequate accommodations for when next we meet.”

“To be fair, I didn’t think you’d still be this big,” Akira scratched the back of his. “Next time I summon you will probably be in battle, so...”

“A room larger than this shall suffice,” the Persona began to fade into flame, “Though we advise thou wouldst use our strength wisely.”

“Bosses only. Got it.” He shot a few fingerguns at the Champion of Freedom. “There’s one of those coming up though, so be ready.”

“We are ever vigilant, Trickster,” he was gone, but his voice still echoed, “Call forth our might for the sake of thine justice!”

“Okay! Okay!” he sighed, “I’ll make it count. Thanks.”

And the presence vanished from his mind.

...

“So that was Satanael.” He said curtly. “He’s... very excited.”

“He seems very polite!” Kasumi nodded excitedly, “I’m looking forward to seeing him in battle.”

“Well, you won’t have to wait long...” Akira fixed his gloves, preparing to set out, “There’s a boss before the next Safe Room. I’ll teach you basic boss-battle tactics, then I’ll bring him out.”

Seeing his temperament change, she stood from her chair. “There’s still more to learn then?”

“That’s life for ya’,” he grinned, “It’s just positioning stuff. With normal battles, we can get away with surrounding our enemies and beating ‘em that way. With bosses, we either stick together, or if they’re real dangerous, we stay behind cover.”

Kasumi frowned. “What if there isn’t anything to hide behind?”

“Then it turns into a brawl. We try to avoid that.” He moved to the door. “There should be cover in the Throne Room behind the pillars. If he ends up knocking those down... just stay close, and you’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do that,” she agreed. “Any weaknesses? General strategy?”

“He’s strong against gunfire,” he remembered after a while. “He’ll be flanked with two enemies of the same type, weak to Electricity. Let me take care of that.”

“Roger!” she let a little smile shine through, “I’ll be counting on you, Senpai!”

He nodded with a grin. “Likewise.”

With that, they were back on the job.

They ran into a few more Shadows on the way.

“Cendrillon!!”

A single Vorpal Blade was enough to deal with them. They moved on.

“Cendrillon!!”

A Tempest Slash knocked them flat, and she finished with a Makouga. Off they went.

“Cendrillon!!”

Two critical hits in a row, then a well-placed gunshot. Another encounter, done and done.

“Cendrillon!!”

“Cendrillon!!”

“Cendrillon!!”

And so went the next three or so. Each and every one had been dealt with in a flash— two moves or less. They had the initiative every time. No one could sneak up on him after all. And if they did, he’d Tumble away, just like she’d taught him. So…

“Cendrillon!!”

Down went another.

“...Royale?”

“Hm? What is it, Senpai?”

The two of them stood in what was once a posh dining room, now a smoldering mess. Fine tapestries lay in tatters, long tables were in pieces, and the fire of the hearth had long since been snuffed.

Not that he was sympathetic. He’d tear this place apart, brick by brick, if he could. Just...

“How’s your Stamina? You used a lot of moves just there.” And everywhere. “I know it’s a short infiltration today, but we still have a boss to fight.”

“I’m feeling great! Never better!” she said proudly, “Every time I summon Cendrillon, I feel... so strong! Like nothing can stop me! Like I’m making a difference!”

Ah.

So that’s what it was.

“You definitely are.” Akira was sure to agree. “You’ve been a huge help so far.”

He looked around the room.

“Um... do you remember when we started hanging out?” He led with something small.

...She nodded after a while.

“Right. It was because...” Her eyes drooped. “I was in a slump... at the time.”

“...I think the Metaverse might be good for you.” he said. This, he truly believed. “You said your coach recommended some time off? I think this will be a good way to get inspiration.”

...!

Her eyes slowly widened.

“You’re right!” she took his hands, excited, “Fighting in the Metaverse is so freeing! I’m not tired at all— my body feels so light! I could plan all sorts of programs in here...!”

He could see her mind run wild with possibilities. Well, as long as he could turn that energy into something positive.

“We’ll keep trying new things while we’re training you as a Phantom Thief. Different tactics, new ways to fight. See what sticks.” He nodded. Yusuke would be proud. “Let me know what I can do to help. I’ll be backing you up, like always.”

Her smile was so bright.

“Thank you Senpai!” she bowed, “I’ll do my best!”

And so, they passed the Baton again.

The Throne room was empty, save for that Golden Knight.

“He heard about us last time around, too.” Joker recalled, from their place behind the pillar. “And we weren’t the stealthiest back then, but it still surprised us. Now? We’re ready for them.”

“...Senpai?”

He turned to look at her. “Yeah?”

Kasumi let out a yawn.

“I’m feeling tired... suddenly.” Royale said, one eye closed. “...It must’ve been all those Vorpal Blades. You wanted to use Satanael-san, right? Why don’t you show me what... the ‘Wild Card’ can do?”

He squinted.

“...You’re a bad liar, you know. You have more Stamina than anyone I’ve ever met. Do you know how sore I was, trying to keep up with your daily routine!? And I’d been a Phantom Thief for months!!"

He didn’t raise his voice beyond a whisper, but she had the decency to look sheepish. “...Was it that obvious?”

“Just a little. But being a bad liar isn’t a bad thing.” It was cute, actually. “Besides, what kind of leader would I be— much less a thief, if I didn’t honor my treasured ally’s personal request?”

She giggled. “Well then. Show me what you can do.”

He grinned, as Arsène appeared."It would be our pleasure!"

And with a flip and a twist, they were off.

"What the!?"the Shadow barely got a word out, before a gunshot silenced its cry. The knight in grey dissociated into a pool of sludge. Following their lead, his comrade and the golden knight moved to do the same.

“Hi there. Joker here. Y’know, the Phantom Thief of Hearts? Maybe you’ve heard of me.” They definitely hadn’t. “If you want to call for reinforcements, be my guest. I wouldn’t blame you for being scared.”

"!?"

The two Bicorns looked at each other. Then to their leader, for orders. Eligor’s beady red eyes narrowed beneath his helm.

"Asinine knave!" The knight roared."To sully the Castle of the great Kamoshida so brazenly! We are more than enough to deal with insolent brats like you!"

“Suit yourself.” Joker rolled out his neck. “No backsies.”

"Rrrrragh!!"

By his side, the two Bicorns rushed forward, headfirst. Dodging the first was a simple matter. Like a bull, you stood in place ‘til the last moment... then stepped to the side! A simple twirl on his heel, and the wicked horse had plowed right past him. Then came the next. Probably won’t fall for the same trick. Alrighty. Like a bull it was, then.

Holding his hands out before, him, all he had to do was wait... wait... not just yet...Now! A quick leap forward, and he’d flipped up and over the thing— a perfect aerial cartwheel, just like she taught him. Royale wasn’t lying: in the Metaverse, your body felt light as a feather.

He heard a crash from behind him, as the first Bicorn ran headlong into the Palace door. The second tore its head about wildly, desperately searching for its prey. They wouldn’t be a concern. At least for the next ten seconds.

That was plenty of time.

"You fools!!" Eligor spat,"I'll do this myself!"

The mounted knight spun his lance and thrusted it forward. Simple. Another sidestep from him. Then a wild swing left. He ducked this time. A slash straight down? He barely had to move his body. Ooh, maybe time for a bit of flair.

He planted his foot on the spear’s tip, keeping its point buried in the tiled floor. “How’s that goin’ for ya’?”

"!!"

The Shadow let out a growl in its deep, garbled voice."You little... Stay still!"

Joker grinned, as the sound of galloping grew louder and louder. Meanwhile, the armored soul struggled to lift its mighty pike from beneath his heel. Oh! He could help with that. A sudden step to the side, and Eligor raised his lance hiiiigh above his head. Ah. That was too fast. The knight in red struggled to keep his balance atop his steed, juxtaposed with the sudden weight of his mighty spear.

And that opening was all he’d needed. Two birds with one scone. Hey, he got it right that time!

A charging Bicorn couldn’t see where they were going— they were using their heads, after all! And so the poor thing, so deadset on skewering him, had trampled its leader with its own two horns.

"Gah!! You worthless beast!" Eligor and the two steeds had fallen flat."Unhand me this instant!"

They didn’t have hands, but he was trapped under the Bicorn regardless. It was another ten seconds, at most.

A distorted snarl behind him was all he needed to hear. With his feet planted like roots, he turned and raised it forth.

The Tyrant’s Pistol. Born from the soul of Lucifer, the Morning Star. The most powerful firearm he owned, brought to even further heights by the force of a Fusion Alarm. It made his Magic stat fifteen levels higher, just by holding it. One shot was stronger than a Megidolaon. And he had eight of them.

Seven now.

Its head was dust before it reached him. Its body came next. Even its rear hooves, clinging to life, barreled forth without purpose. Joker gave no ground, staring straight ahead, as the charging Bicorn evaporated before him. The fine black mist of its departure never reached his face.

...Ohhh, he felt socool.

"You fiend!" Eligor had freed himself."Enough of your cowardice! You die NOW!!"

Joker pouted. “How is dodging your attacks ‘cowardly’? Do you expect me to just roll over and die?”

"Yes!!"

He didn’t know what he expected.

The other Bicorn was back on its feet. With a snort and gnash of its teeth, the beast ground its hooves into the floor, preparing to charge. Sheesh. Did they know how to do anything else?

Oh well. Time to try something new.

With a guttural roar, the Bicorn charged. Again. Joker stood tall in anticipation, waiting for the moment to strike.

‘...I can see it.’

With the power of his Third Eye, the world slowed down. Colors bled away. The galloping of the one-horse stampede slid to a standstill. Slowly. Ever so slowly. All he had to do was wait. Wait until he could juuuuust reach...

...Now.

Another spin on his heel, and he’d stepped out of the way— this time, with an arm reaching out. As the steed stomped on by, he let the side of its horn slap into the palm of his hand, curling into a fist around it. With the grace of someone way more qualified, he threw himself onto the raging Bicorn’s back.

“Whoa there!” he pat the side of the beast’s mane as it bucked wildly, “Easy now!”

He saw Eligor’s glowing eyes narrow."What trickery is this!?"

“Oh, just— whoawhoawhoawhoa— horsing around!” he got out between soothing the beast, “Or is it ‘horseplay’? I dunno’. Which would piss you off more?”

The knight in red snapped at his reins."You'll pay for your foolishness! En garde!"

Eligor and his lance were ready and waiting. A jousting match, was it? Sure. He’d done weirder things in his life. Turning into a mouse to eat cognitive spiritual cheese on a Tokyo cruise was forever at the top of that list.

“Let us go, faithful steed!” He nudged its horns in the right direction. “Hya!”

Was it coincidence? Or just instinct? Either way, when it was given the order, off it went. Joker and the knightly spirit were locked in for a deadly collision.

‘...Let’s see. What do I use as a weapon here?’ the Phantom Thief casually stroked his chin in thought. ‘My knife is too short. And Tyrant’s Pistol just feels unfair. So...’

That only left one thing.

"Die!!"

Eligor moved to run him through. But he’d miscalculated. A simple tug of his arm was all it took. Joker used his grappling hook to pull the knight forward— too far forward. With a cry of shock, the crimson knight tumbled off his horse, the cognitive being vanishing without its spiritual tether. He was trampled beneath the Bicorn, as the two-horned beast stumbled over its master’s body, tripping, falling, then expiring. It seems Eligor’s lance had pierced its side as he fell.

Clicking his tongue, Joker let himself roll to his feet. His opponent was still on his knees, spear gripped like a cane, as the knight struggled to stand.

"You... YOU!!"

It was another lance strike. Then another. And another. Each he dodged with ease. Barely a step in any direction, and the thing missed by a mile.

"Damn brat... If I could just... hit you!!"

He blinked.

“Okay.”

The knight paused."Wh-What?"

Joker spread his arms, invitingly.

“Sure, since you asked so nicely.” The Phantom Thief flexed his fingers. “One free shot. No strings attached. You fight for Kamoshida? I’ll show you how strong that makes you.”

Eligor roared with fury."Don't mock me!! You bastard!!"

It was a thrust like lightning. The spearhead moved to pierce his heart. At this distance, trying to dodge was useless. So there was only one thing to do.

He closed his eyes.

"...What...?"

When he opened them, he could see clearly. No mask at the edge of his vision. It had burned away in the seconds passed.

What he saw was that spearhead, pushed far as it would go. It lay right before his eyes unmoving, despite the mountless knight’s best efforts.

"H-How...?"

As if to answer his question, a spectral hand began to form about the head of the pike. Holding it in place, keeping him from harm was his heart’s armor— Arsène, the Pillager of Twilight. And with a flick of his wrist, the spear snapped, it too vanishing to the Sea from whence it came.

“It makes you weak. Weaker than him.” He answered his own question. “Taking orders from someone who gets his power beating on kids? A lowlife who throws his weight around, knowing they can’t fight back? You’re lower than low. You’re nothing.”

"You... You...!" The knight made a fist, but that too dropped."What... are you!?"

Akira shrugged.

“Weren’t you listening?” he tapped a finger to his temple. “I’m Joker, the Phantom Thief of Hearts. And you’re history.”

Behind him, he felt Arsène give way to his other self. The mythological Trickster. Satanael spread his arms, as a pit of darkness opened beneath the lone knight.

“Begone.”

And the soul was swallowed by the Black Viper.

...Was that cool? Or did it make him look like a crazy person?

"It was 'cool'." Arsène assured. "You were 'cool', Trickster."

“Are you sure? Because you’re me. So I don’t know if that’s an unbiased opinion.” Akira furrowed his brow. “Also when you say ‘cool’ like that, you just sound facetious.”

The gentleman thief put his hand to his chest, in mock offense."How rude! You would accuseme of personal bias? Truly?Moi?"

"We wouldst consider such behavior to be expected of thee, child."Satanael rumbled."Thou hast displayed partiality on several occasions of great import."

"Ah... Monsieur Satanael, that is what we call... a 'joke'." Arsène said quietly."It is something clearly false, spoken in jest."

"We see." The archangel stroked his chin."We do not understand."

“You’ll get there, buddy,” Akira assured the fallen angel, before turning to Arsène. “And hey, I notice you didn’t deny the facetious part.”

"Sharp as ever, Trickster. Sharp as ever."

“Senpai!!”

The familiar voice of his Kouhai brought their little talk to an end. Arsène took the opportunity to slink away, unpunished.

“That was...”

He could see her struggle with words. Oh. This was either about to be really heartening or really heartbreaking.

"...amazing!"

Ahh, thank god. Though, he couldn’t help but feel a bit worried, for her sake.

“You moved! And then you dodged! And then you used that aerial I taught you! And you rode that horse! And then! And then...!”

“Deep breaths, Royale.” He grinned. “But I’m glad you enjoyed the show.”

“I learned so much, just watching you! Oh, I have so many ideas!” Kasumi clapped her hands together, “That twisting flip onto the horse! And the way you twirled your grappling hook like a ribbon!” She took his hands, in excitement. “Our infiltration is over for today, right? Are you free? Would you like to come to the gym with me? I want to start practicing, right away!”

It seemed even her usual politeness fell away when she was excited. What pure passion.

“If you think it’ll help.” He nodded with a grin. “We got a good amount done today. Tomorrow, we secure our route to the Treasure.”

“Yes! I’m looking forward to it!” Royale shook both his hands. “Shall we go, Senpai?”

“Lead the way.”

And the two left the Palace behind for the day. He was ready to take on Kamoshida. He was ready to take on the world!

“I have a general idea, but I want you to show me how you did that mounting flip! Do you have any experience with a pommel horse?”

...On second thought, he could really use a nap. Maybe he could squeeze one in on the train ride over...?

Chapter 6: The Whims of Fate

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor Talking ”, “Caroline/Justine/Lavenza Talking”, “Morgana Talking ”, “Persona Talking ”, “Jose/Phone Talking ”

"Akira... Hey, Akira!"

“C’mon bro... You can’t just... food coma forever.”

“Heh! I totally get it though. Dad’s curry is a total knockout!!”

What...?

He cracked open an eye— Oww... Holy crap. You know when you get that gross sleep crust? Yeah. It’s the worst. And it felt like he just got an eyeful. Ohhh god. Yep. Definitely in his tear duct. And no amount of blinking seemed to help. Ughhhh... This sucks.

A permanent notch in his brow, he sat up— apparently, he’d fallen asleep sitting down— removed his glasses, and rubbed. And rubbed. And rubbed. At some point, whatever hell had wrought upon him had finally subsided, and he could see clearly.

The dim hanging lights of Leblanc slowly faded into view. A couple of plates, some empty, some half-full, dotted the tables and counter... The TV droned on and on about the nation’s stock market, and how the rich-people’s-feelings graph was doing today. Meanwhile, nine sets of eyes were on him. Including those of his favorite rich person.

“Are you tired?” Haru asked, “I can’t quite blame you, considering the hour.”

“You kiddin’? The night’s just begun!” Ryuji let out a whoop, “Party on ‘til dawn baby!”

“I must thank you again,” Yusuke turned to Boss and bowed his head, “For allowing us all to the spend the night.”

The man barked a laugh. “It’s my pleasure. You kids don’t get too crazy now.”

...What? What’s going on?

The Phantom Thieves littered Leblanc like they owned the place, Futaba and Morgana together at the counter, the rest of them in booths. Boss stood in his usual spot by the bar, a rare smile on his face.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Ann’s concerned voice broke him from his thoughts. “This whole sleepover was your idea. Are you still half asleep?”

"Give him a break! He's been planning all day." Morgana laughed from a stool by the counter,"We've been running all over town, buying ingredients and supplies... I could barely fit in the bag when we were done!"

“You’re such a trooper, Mona.” Futaba stretched out his feline cheeks. “Watching over our leader like that.”

"G-Gah! Hey! My poor whiskers...!"

...

‘...This was... my idea?

A Phantom Thief sleepover...’

He blinked.

And looked around the room.

On the left, behind the counter was Boss, dutifully cleaning a glass like a bartender. Sitting on the high chairs were Futaba and Morgana, each with an empty plate of curry, an empty cup of coffee, and hearts full of home. At the booth toward the door sat Makoto and Ryuji, talking about scholarships of all things, with Ann sitting across from them. At his own booth, discussing the merits of rooftop beansprouts were Haru and Yusuke. The seat beside him was... empty.

A Phantom Thief sleepover...

Futaba. Morgana. Makoto. Ryuji. Ann. Haru. Yusuke. And...

...

“Hey...” his voice was soft. Confused. “Aren’t we missing someone?”

A crowd of heads swiveled in unison. They looked to each other. Stared. Then back to him.

“Nah, this is everyone.” Ryuji trailed off... “Unless there was someone else you wanted to invite?”

“Ooh!” Ann clapped. “Could it be Yoshizawa-san? ”

He blinked.

“She helped you out a great deal this past year.” Makoto nodded approvingly. “And she knows about our group. It would be nice to get to know her better.”

And blinked again.

“She seems really nice!” Haru chirped. “And any friend of Akira’s is a friend of ours!”

He felt like he was forgetting something important.

“Hey, not just that!” Ryuji put up his pinky finger. “Isn’t she his...y'know?"

Yoshizawa...

“Ryuji!” Futaba whapped him on the arm. “You can’t just say things like that!”

Yoshizawa...

"Honestly, Skull. Have a little tact, why don't you?"

Kasumi...

“Now now, that’s enough of that.” Boss laughed. “Cut the kid some slack. He’s been running around all day.”

Kasumi...?

“It is a shame she couldn’t be here today.” Yusuke shook his head. “But it is most reassuring to know she is there for you, when we can’t be.”

‘...Huh?’

He blinked once more.

That’s right... Kasumi was...Kasumi was...

“Right here.”

His head turned.

Kasumi was right beside him, in the booth seat. Her hand gave his a gentle squeeze, to let him know she was there.

“I’m right here.”

The lights were off in Leblanc. The café was empty. The dim blue light of the streetlamp was all they had.

“I’m here for you, Senpai.”

And soon, even that faded to black.

...

...

...

It was all a dream.

...

Funny how life worked out.

You know that phrase, “Living the dream”? Tends to be positive, right? Well, what if you lived a dream, then lost it, then the whole world moved on? Like it was a dream. Like it didn’t matter. And then the same world that robbed you had the audacity to make you dream about it? To relive it? To have it stolen away all over again? You’d feel like you were going insane.

...

Akira ran his palms over his face, leaving them tented over his mouth and nose.

...

...

He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there. But eventually, his alarm went off.

He had to get moving.

God, he needed therapy.

It was a thought that struck him between the clatter of the tracks. The train to Shibuya was always packed, even the line from somewhere like Yongen. Akira adjusted his hold on the bag at his chest, hugging it tight, as fellow passengers squished his poor, sore body from all its poor, sore sides.

Yeah. Going into the Metaverse had its consequences. Sure, you could move however you wanted during an infiltration. If you could think it, you could do it! And it was super helpful. But there was a price to pay.

There’s a bit of natural disconnect between your brain and your body. Sort of like, a mental feedback barrier to keep the two from overloading. Not in the Metaverse. In the world of cognition, your body was in perfect sync with your brain. There was no disconnect, no delay. If you could think it, you could do it. No, seriously. It was why Akira could do a one-armed pull-up into a flip in Kamoshida’s Palace, months before his body had developed any sort of muscle definition. But like we’ve mentioned, it came at a cost.

First-time travelers of the other world return to reality exhausted beyond belief. Moving according to cognition is something neither your brain, nor your body was built to do. You could do it for a while, safely. With enough training, it became second nature! But on your first few outings,boy,you were sore beyond belief. After every infiltration, he had vague memories of stumbling home in a daze, crumpling his clothes on the floor in a heap, and passing out until morning came.

Of course, he’d gotten used to it over time. The human body was surprisingly adaptable. The pain had grown less and less apparent as months went by. So by the time Kawakami had introduced him to the concept of a massage, he was capable of doing... something other than crashing for fourteen hours straight. And that was a huge boon. Though, the most he ever did with that time was take a niiiice long soak at the bathhouse across the street.

Unfortunately, while his memories, his experience, his brain had come back with him? His body hadn’t. Neither had his ability to ask his homeroom teacher to his room in a maid outfit. And so, Akira Kurusu was left high, dry, and full of lactic acid.

He really needed to start frequenting that gym. Maybe not after an infiltration though. Kasumi had run him ragged yesterday, trying to learn that mounted flip he’d done.

And besides, Coach Hiraguchi said something about yoga. Maybe he could start there?

"Shibuya. This is Shibuya."

The pleasantly distorted voice of the train informed him so. Akira let himself be swallowed in the crowd, gently swaying to and fro as they departed the train toward Station Square.

Eventually though, they stopped bearing his weight. He had to stand on his own feet, as the Ginza Line gate finally appeared ‘round the corner.

...He was thinking about something, wasn’t he?

Right. Confidants.

God, he needed therapy.

For better, for worse, there was a Confidant who could help with that. Unfortunately, Takuto Maruki wouldn’t arrive at Shujin Academy until around mid-May. No... That’s not right. He would be there the day Ann awakened her Persona. That was…

Friday. This coming Friday.

He could work with that. If he remembered right, Takuto closed his private practice around this time, after Kobayakawa invited him to become the school’s therapist. So it’s not like he could call ahead, or anything. It was Wednesday today, so that meant... two days. Just two days.

Two days...

...

Last night was...

...

It was probably the first of many.

...

...

He really hoped that Takuto could help him. Even a little.

Lunch break is a munch break!

So he hummed to himself as the school bells tolled. It was a rather boring day today; the lectures went by in a flash! Though, all the coffee this morning had been... a poor decision. As soon as classes let out, he made a quick little trip to the bathroom.

It didn’t take him long. Though, they were out of paper towels, so he had to flick the water off in the sink and wipe his hands on his pants. That’s always fun.

In any case, today was another infiltration. As per his “No Metaverse-ing on an empty stomach!” rule, Akira made his way down the stairs to the school store. Maybe today, he could finally get his sandwich.

“Sorry, son. Just sold out.”

Or not.

Akira let out a long siiiiigh, as he nodded thanks to the polite lunchlady. It seems his delectable Yakisoba Pan-tasy was not to be. At least, not today. They sure sold out fast... Ugh. Fine. No bathroom break tomorrow. He was going straight for the gold!

“Oh! Kurusu-kun?”

He turned at the familiar voice.

Shiho Suzui had tapped his shoulder with a kind smile. She had a little cloth-wrapped bento in one of her hands.

She also looked... much better. The bandage on her arm was gone, and the bruises she’d had a few days ago seemed to be fading.

“Hey Suzui.” He nodded. “How’s... it going?”

“Good,” she said, “I... noticed the store sold out.”

“Y-Yeah, it did,” he breathed a laugh. “I brought something to eat just in case, but... I’ve heard thelegends, y'know?"

He wiggled his fingers like sparkles at the word. She smiled a bit.

“Well, in that case...” Shiho held up her bento. “Would you... like to have lunch together? With my friend and I?”

...What?

“Huh?”

“I... just thought I’d... take you up on your offer,” she said simply. “To hang out? And um... to thank you. For helping me.”

Oh.

“Uh... sure. Okay,” he agreed. “You... really don’t owe me though. I was just trying to help.”

Shiho shook her head, motioning to follow her. “So you’re that kinda’ guy, huh?”

Akira squinted. “And... what’s that supposed to mean?”

She just laughed, as the two made their way down the hall.

“There you ar—! Huh?”

Ann Takamaki stood from a bench in the courtyard.

“Shiho, who’s... this?”

Ann Takamaki looked him up and down. Ann Takamaki met his eyes. Ann Takamaki scrunched up her eyebrows and squinted.

“...Do I know you from somewhere?”

Oh, if only.

“This is Kurusu.” Shiho introduced him. “He’s the one who... helped me out, the other day. Remember?”

“Oh yeah!” Ann Takamaki’s face brightened. “So you’re the one! ...And hey! You sit behind me in class, don’t you!”

...

Trickster time.

“...I am the transfer student, yeah.” Akira rubbed the back of his neck. “And you’re... Takamaki, right? I think I saw you in a magazine once.”

“You have!? No way!!” Ann gasped. “Oh my gosh! It’s so nice to meet a fan!”

“He didn’t saythat," Shiho ribbed her friend. “But I’m surprised. I didn’t know you two knew each other.” She sat, and patted her place on the bench. “Come on, sit down! Break’s gonna’ be over soon, if we just keep chatting.”

“Oh! Right.” Ann took the place on Shiho’s left. “We only have twenty minutes!”

So said the standing clock in the courtyard. Man, this place never changed. It felt like the grass between the buildings was green, no matter the season. Hm. Wonder what kind of treatment that took? Sounds like something Haru might’ve known...

“That’s still plenty of time...” Shiho chided, invalidating her own point. She pat the other side of the bench. “Kurusu?”

“Huh? Oh.” He... glanced at the other bench nearby. “I can just... use that one.”

“What? No need to be so formal!” She pat, decisively. “Come on, sit with us.”

“It’s... really okay.” He frowned. “But... if you insist, I guess.”

She gave him an amused look as he took a seat. “You seem like the kind of guy who isn’t honest with his feelings.”

Akira choked on air. “E-Excuse me?”

Ann laughed.

“Sorry about her. Shiho’s always been like this.” She unwrapped her own lunch. “In middle school, the first thing she ever did was say my painting sucked.”

“It did!” Shiho’s eyes were wide. “It sucked so bad! We were painting fruit that day and you made your apple orange! ”

“It was just the lighting!” Ann pouted. “It wasn’t that bad. Besides, I ended up with a higher grade.”

“That’s ‘cause Kanou-sensei sucked.She hated having fun. Hated me too!” Shiho grumbled. “Just ‘cause I laughed when we found out she pads. It wasn’t fair to begin with, so who’s the real winner here?”

“My GPA, that’s who!”

Akira sweatdropped. “Are... you two always like this?”

“More or less.” Ann laughed. “Sorry if it’s too much.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s... nice, actually.” he admitted. “You two seem like really good friends.”

“Besties!” She flashed a peace sign. “But enough about us. Tell us about yourself, Kurusu!”

He blinked. “Me? Uh...”

Where to even begin?'Well,I’m a time-travelling interdimensional god-killing super-powered criminal with the ability to force bigger criminals to confess their crimes against humanity. Also, I make good curry.' Yeah. Not a great first impression.

So he shrugged. “...What do you wanna’ know?”

“Um...” Shiho looked thoughtful between bites. “What do you like to do for fun?”

'Forge tighter bonds with my comrades, bolstering our strength of heart for when we confront the dregs of collective unconscious in the other world.'

“Read, mostly.” He took a bite of his Venus Salad. “The library’s got a bunch of weird novels.”

“Oh! What kind of books do you like?”

'Biographies of my thieves’ Personas — accounts of their skills and deeds. It gives me a better grasp on their personality and capability, allowing us to better coordinate in the Metaverse.'

“Historical fiction?” he ventured, “Though honestly, at this point it’s a little of everything. I just finished'Tidying the Heart' the other day.”

“Oh! The one from that celebrity, right?” Ann chimed in, “Was it good? I see it in the window whenever I pass Taiheido, so I’ve been wondering.”

'Well, it bumped my Proficiency from Skilled to Masterful, letting me pick the lock on my friend’s old house.'

“It’s pretty helpful. The room I got when I moved here was a mess. Still is.” He sighed. “I’d be happy to lend it to you, once I finish unpacking.”

“Really? That’s so nice of you, thanks!” Ann beamed. “Oh, that’s right. You transferred... How has it been, living in Tokyo?”

'It's been the most eventful year of my life.'

“I’ve gotten used to it.” He grinned. “Everything’s so... busy here. So fast. And socrowded."

“The subway is a lot to take in...” Shiho lowered her rice ball. “Let us know if you need any help. We could... show you around sometime.”

He blinked.

“That’s... really nice of you.” He poked at his salad a bit. “Thanks, Suzui.”

“No problem,” she assured, “And... just ‘Shiho’ is fine.”

“Same here!” Ann piped up. “We should totally hang out more often, Kuru—”

She stopped.

“Um... come to think of it, I never did get your name...” Ann laughed nervously. “I should pay more attention in homeroom.”

He shrugged. “It was early. I don’t blame you.” And held out his hand. “My name is Akira Kurusu. It’s... nice to meet you, Ann.”

She took it. “Nice to meet you, Akira.”

...

She blinked.

“...Hm?” Akira saw the look in her eye. “Is... something wrong?”

...

Ann shook her head.

“No, it’s just...” Her brow crinkled up. She shook her head. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

He frowned. “I-If you say so...”

...

...

Shiho raised the rice ball to her mouth, clamping her inner elbows over their joined hands. Ann squeaked and pulled her hand back, while Akira just... sat there, dumbfounded.

“What?” she shrugged. “I’m hungry.”

She was an odd one, that’s for sure...

Today was the volleyball rally.

It had come up during their little chat before the bell had rung, but today was just that— the volleyball rally. He remembered it well. Last time, Ryuji‘d gotten him to ditch halfway through, and asked for his help gathering info for the abuse victims. And when they didn’t find anything, Morgana emerged from the Metaverse to scold them, after they’d left him behind in the castle.

Oh, how the turn’s have tabled.

Now, he was meeting up with Kasumi. Going into the Metaverse to put end to it all.

From what he’d seen from Shiho (and heard through the rumor mill), he knew his plan had worked. Kamoshida had stopped beating and... violating his students. But it wouldn’t last forever. The man had only grown more irritable and short-tempered with the loss of his... ‘outlet’. The thieves’ week-long deadline inched ever-closer. Just four more days...

No. He shouldn’t think like that.

Four days from now, everyone will be safe. He would do everything he could to make it so.

The moment he entered the Metaverse, he felt the pain wash away.

“Ahh...” he rolled out his shoulders. “Good to be back, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely!” Kasumi did a standing split!? “I know I said it before, but that rush! It’s incredible...”

He closed his mouth. He’d been staring.

“I think that’s incredible...” He gestured to her legs, “Why’re you doing that, anyway?”

“Hm? Oh!” she let her leg down, and swapped to her other one. “I’m just stretching. I noticed I was a bit sore after our infiltration yesterday, and I realized we hadn’t stretched! I was so excited, I just forgot!”

He blinked.

“...Stretch... huh?”

...

...

She blinked.

Gently lowered her leg.

Looked at him.

“Senpai.”

“...Yes?”

She stepped close. Too close.

“You do... stretch before a mission. Right?”

“...”

"Senpai!"

“I’m gonna’ be completely honest with you?” he avoided her gaze. “You are thefirst— and I mean, thefirst— person to ever think of that. And there were nine of us.”

“And you’ve been doing this for how long?”

He visibly shrunk. “...Like, a year?”

“...”

Kasumi Yoshizawa smiled sweetly.

“Senpai? I just had a great idea.” Her voice was saccharine. “Every day, before an infiltration, you and I are going to stretch together! Are we clear?”

“W-Well, we don’t want to wear ourselves out bef—”

"Are we clear?"

Her hand was on her sword. He gulped.

“Y-Yes ma’am.”

“Great!” she chirped. “Here. I’ll run you through my daily routine.”

He balked. “Th-That again? I ended up on the floor last time...”

“You can move however you want in the Metaverse!” she said, smiling, “So move with me Senpai. I don’t want you stiff and sore all the time. If something happens after we leave, I want to know I can depend on you.”

...That was. pretty convincing.

“...Alright, fine.” He relented after a while. “But... please take it easy on me.”

“No promises!” she clapped her hands together. “Now. Do you remember the swan pose?”

“Ughhhhh...”

He didn’t want to admit it. But he felt pretty good.

It was nothing compared to yesterday. Now, his body felt lighter than light! His head was clear! His limbs felt... limber! And it was all thanks to...

“Honestly... I can’t believe younever stretch."

Royale.

“Are you gonna’ be like this the whole infiltration?” he whispered jokingly from his spot behind a pillar. “I said I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mean to feed a fed horse,” she whispered back, “But it’s just...unbelievable. It goes against everything I know as an athlete! You do all those acrobatic moves, and you never once thought you might pull a muscle?”

He shrugged, moving to a spot behind a sofa. “I’ve never pulled a muscle in the Metaverse.”

“You haven’tyet!" She moved to an adjacent one. “After everything you showed me yesterday, if you’d tripped up even once against that Shadow, you could have gotten really hurt!”

They moved toward a locked door. “But I didn’t.”

She unlocked it. “But you could have!”

He grinned."But I didn't."

She groaned, as he took the lead again.

“Look, I get why you’re concerned. And I’m sorry to worry you.” He hid behind another pillar, as a Shadow knight approached. “I’ll stretch with you from now on, okay?”

“I’m glad.” She stuck out her rifle as it passed. “Sorry for giving you a hard time.”

“It’s fine.” He threw his grappling hook across its mask and pulled. “I know it’s because you care.”

The knight dissociated into Shadows. A blonde winged woman, bound and blinded in leather. A winged knight, in chainmail and plate. Two Angels and two Archangels. Pfft. What lazy grouping.

Royale had the initiative. “Do you think the others felt as sore as you did, after a heist?” She pumped one of the Angels full of lead. “I remember you said some of them weren’t very active.”

He shrugged, accepting her Baton Pass. “I remember Oracle had a hard time keeping up, at first.” Arsène knocked them all flat with Maeigaon. “So she’d just ride along in her Persona, Prometheus.”

“Ooh! The Titan who stole fire from the gods?” She shouted to him, over the All-Out Attack. “That’s amazing! A Persona that’s a deity…”

“...Oh. That’s right.” He adjusted his gloves as the Shadows burst. “I don’t think I ever told you— or, I haven’t had the chance, more like. But Personas can actually evolve. They can grow further, into a new form after a ‘Second Awakening’.”

“R-Really?” she gasped, returning to their old hiding place. “So… I can get even stronger than I am now?”

“It’s like I’ve been saying,” he grinned, continuing their path forward. “You might even be stronger than me. Just for frame of reference— Satanael was my Second Awakening.”

Kasumi paled a little. “Are all of them so...large?"

“No, no,” he waved her off, stopping at the next door, “Satanael’s just... special. Most Personas are about Arsène’s height.”

Akira opened the door, to a large dilapidated staircase. Grabbing some loot from a nearby crate, the two continued to press on.

“So... Arsènpai became Satanael-senpai...” Kasumi breathed. “Is there... a reason for—? Um, how should I say this...?” The two arrived at another doorway. “Does the... identity of a Persona affect who it reawakens to?”

“I’d assume so,” he said after a while, “They tend to be pretty similar, at least. Arsène and Satanael are both forces of good that walk the line of evil. Or at least, others think they’re evil.” He scratched his cheek. “...I guess that’s who I am?”

“I can definitely see it." Kasumi nodded. “Still... I wonder who Cendrillon’s other self could be?”

“It’s hard to say,” he admitted, moving forward. “Personas draw from every mythology you can think of, and there are a lot of goddesses out there.”

Kasumi blinked.

“G-Goddesses, huh?”

“No doubt about it,” he nodded, finding another Shadow in the hall. “And honestly, I’m just as excited as you are to find out!”

So he said, as he tore off the knight’s mask. Out came a Cait Sith, a Kelpie, and a Silky. Nothing they couldn’t handle.

“Ishtar!!” he called. “Ravage them!”

The Nordic spear Gungnir planted itself deep into the Palace tile, calling forth a wild storm of lightning. The maiden and half-horse disappeared with the thunderclap, leaving the puss in boots behind.

“Just one more!” he passed the Baton, “And it’s all yours!”

“Got it!” she spun and struck a pose. “Cendrillon!!”

The power of a Baton Pass was more than enough. A single Kouga was enough to send the Cait Sith packing.

“What a workout!” she smiled. “We’re doing well today, Senpai!”

“Yeah.” He agreed. “Really well...”

...

“...Is something wrong?” Kasumi leaned in, hands behind her back. “Did you pull something?”

“...No.” He deadpanned, lightly tapping her on the nose. “I was just thinking... weren't thereway more Shadows yesterday?"

It was true. Just a day ago, it felt like there was no end to them. The pair had swept them up no problem— Royale’s Vorpal Blade had done wonders cleaning up. Though, maybe the Shadows had simply been drawn to how loud they’d been? They had left a huge mess in the dining room.

Still. Something about an vacant Palace rubbed him the wrong way.

“I noticed that...” Royale hummed in thought. “Do you think your battle with the Eligor yesterday might’ve scared them off? Or maybe we defeated most of the castle’s soldiers already!”

He sighed. “It’s... rarely that easy for us. We should be on guard. There might be an ambush waiting ahead.”

Kasumi straightened, nodding firmly. “Let’s be careful.”

And the two continued on.

No Shadows here either.

He pulled the collared chain of the goat head shoulder-mount. Huh. What a mountful.

Extremely stupid jokes aside, the iron portcullis rose about the room with a creaaaak. Looking left and right before he crossed the suite, he relaxed, knowing there were no Shadows lying in wait.

Well, his body relaxed. His mind didn’t. Also, that joke went beyond stupid into just plain sad.

“Senpai look!” Royale pointed, “It’s a map! A map to the castle!”

At the desk in the middle of the room, it was just like she said— a castle map. At a glance, it confirmed everything he needed to know: the Palace hadn’t changed a bit from last time around. Perfect! Knowing everything to come was a huge advantage, even more that he’d actually experienced it. Today, nothing stood between them and the Treasure.

"Still. How did the slaves manage to escape?"

"!!"

“Shadows!” Kasumi squeaked. “Quick, hide!!”

"Wh-Whoa!!"

She looped an arm around his waist and yanked him under the desk with surprising force. His back hit the floor, knocking the wind out of him, as stars clouded the edge of his vision. Oof... She was really strong. Especially here!

"It must be the doing of those thieves from yesterday,"the garbled voice muttered,"When we discovered those slaves, I felt the readings of an intruder."

Huh?

“Someone freed the volleyball team...?” Kasumi whispered. “That could be...”

His face brightened. “Morgana...!”

She looked back at him with an excited smile.

...

...

He blinked.

Oh.

She was soclose.

In her rush to pull them to a hiding place, she’d pushed him to the floor and... sat on top of him. Even now, she was smiling down at him, her eyes so near, her breathing quick with excitement— he could feel it on his skin. The hair from her ponytail draped his vision and tickled his chest. She was...

...

‘Okay, don’t make this weird. It’s only weird if you make it weird.’

“Thanks Royale. I would’ve been caught without you.” He pat the outer edge of her thigh, pinned to his chest. “Do you mind letting me up though? I wanna’ hear what they’re saying.”

She blinked.

“O-Oh!” Kasumi let him up quickly, kneeling beside him. “Sorry about that.”

“No worries,” he assured. “Come on. Let’s follow them, before they get too far.”

And so he led by example, departing the empty room with nary a sound. Huh. Why didn’t the guards re-lock the cage? The bars were clearly up. Was it not important to them, or did they just not notice? No... Shadows weren’t stupid .

Could they be walking into a trap?

"It doesn't matter,"one of the Shadows said. Oh. He had golden armor too."The slaves will be executed for their treachery. King Kamoshida has already sent knights to the dungeon for their sentencing."

A cognitive execution? He shuddered at the thought. Still, why had Morgana freed the cognitions? He was the one who explained their existence, last time around— he already knew that saving them wouldn’t help. So why...?

"King Kamoshida, himself?" the lower knight said,"If his majesty is present, I’d very much like to be in attendance."

"He's not going to be there, you dolt! They’re keeping them in the basem*nt, with the rats!" The golden knight scoffed."The slaves are in that special holding cell, deep within the prison. The one we used for that slippery, feline intruder." The Shadow snarled."Thatdamn cat. He too will soon be in our grasp."

...

...Morgana was alive.

Well, he already knew that. But it was nice of the world to throw him a bone.

The two knights descended the winding stone stairs, their conversation having ended quiteominously.From their hiding place in the doorway, Joker looked to Royale in concern.

“I’m worried about Mona...” he murmured, “But those cognitions he freed. I think there might be something special about them.”

Royale nodded. “Mona-senpai wouldn’t have helped them otherwise. Should we go see them?”

“We should. And we’d better do itfast." He was already on the move. “Because if that execution goes through...”

Their lead would go down the drain. The two quickly made their way toward the prison.

It would quickly become apparent that was no easy task.

“Cendrillon!!”

A single Makouga blasted five Shadows away. Five more soon took their place.

“Zaou Gongen!!”

A swath of heat like no other, immolated the enemy. Thirteen Shadows vanished without a trace, the lingering flame of Blazing Hell driving the rest of the guards back.

What awaited them in the prison was a swarm of knights. Each one had turned into at least three or four Shadows each. So that left... about fifty enemies to fight at once. He’d love to take them one at a time, but they had no choice! They were running out of time.

"You fools!"A golden knight roared."Do not let them through!"

The Shadow quickly dissociated into a giant green throbbing... monster . It was Mara. And you couldn’t pay this author enough money to describe it further. Just Google it.

“Oh hell no!” Joker fumbled with his gun, emptying three bullets into its amorphous body. “You stay the hell back!”

Sandalphon emerged from his psyche, blowing a gaping hole right through the... monster. One-Shot Kill tore past its body, driving into a Incubus behind it, slaying them both.

“Cendrillon!!”

Another Vorpal Blade thinned the crowd, but it wasn’t enough. There were still about twenty left, and they were closing in.

‘Damn it!’ He cursed under his breath. ‘I can blow them all away now, but Kasumi...’

She was still fighting by his side. If he let loose a Megidolaon, there was no guarantee she could get to cover safely...

“Senpai! Up there!”

In his daze, Royale had raised her rifle and shot at something gleaming in the rafters. Her bullet knocked over a short metal chain with a hook at the end, swinging slowly back and forth. On his wrist, he could feel the blue glow of the Grappling Hook pulse to life.

There’s an idea.

He extended his hand. “Royale! With me!”

“O-Okay!” She ran up to him and took it. “What’s the plan?”

“Just hold on, and follow my lead!”

With a flick of his wrist, he’d latched on to the hanging chain. Sensing what was about to happen, she put his hand around her waist, and wrapped an arm around his neck. With her free hand, she drew her rifle.

“It’s Showtime!”

The star in his pocket flashed.

Suddenly, they were in a grand, elegant cathedral.

Bright light spilled through pale stained glass, bathing the room in a gentle glow. Beneath them, pews and pillars littered a floor crawling with Shadows. The cognitive beasts looked left and right, bewildered by the sudden change in scenery.

A breathtaking sight. The last thing they’d ever see.

A quick bout of gunfire at their feet was enough to corral them all into one, tightly packed group. Perfect for what he had in mind. Whispering his plan to his partner, she nodded fiercely with a smile, stowing her gun and drawing her sword.

He reached the lowest part of their swing, and flipped to the apex.

“All yours!”

She let herselffly,spreading her arms in a swan dive. The Shadows never stood a chance.

“Let’s show them, Cendrillon!!”

And her partner appeared. The two spun in a graceful dance of blades— sparing not a glance at their enemy, never once taking their eye off their partner. It was a dance, a world just for them.

And by the end, with a final twirl it was over. The Vorpal Blade struck them all at once, and Akira swooped down to his friend as the battle ended.

She smiled so pure. “We nailed it, Senpai!”

And the world faded to white.

“...Wow.” Kasumi let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “What... What was that?”

“It’s called a ‘Showtime’ attack,” he grinned. “It’s a special sort of move th—”

He shook his head. “N-Never mind that. I’ll explain later.” He waved forward. “Right now, we’ve got an execution to stop!”

“O-Oh! That’s right!” She broke into a run, as he matched her pace. “Do you think we’ll make it in time!?”

Akira didn’t have time to respond, as they rounded the corner to the deepest part of the dungeon. From their spot, they could see across the water: a golden knight and an underling, fiddling with several keys on a ring. There was still time!

He looked above to see the empty cages, hanging about the sewer. The Grappling Hook’s glow sparked anew.

“I’m gonna’ grapple over to them from here,” he ordered. “I want you to take the land route, and cut off their escape, okay?”

“Got it!” she rapped him on the shoulder as she ran ahead. “I’ll meet you there!”

He nodded, and got ready to shoot. The world bled grey, as his Third Eye opened.

Consecutive grapples were… difficult. But they weren’t impossible. And with the Third Eye’s deceleration and his rougelike quickness, he could make that miracle his! Mere seconds after Kasumi had started running, he was already in place, tearing the golden knight’s mask off.

“Show me your true form!”

The knight in grey followed suit, dissociating the group into seven Shadows total. Two Beriths, Three Jack-o’-Lanterns, a Pixie, and a Belphegor. Okay. He had about two moves before Kasumi joined him. He just had to hold out until then.

...Wait. This might actually be really quick.

“Satan!!” He called upon the prince of Hell. “Ice Age!!”

Six of seven froze solid, then shattered like glass. Even the Belphegor had perished, bringing the fight to a close.

Huh. Well that was... anti-climactic. A common weakness could make encounters a little too easy.

"..."

...Yeah. Common weakness. That was totally it. Akira let the rumbling form of Satan return with a sweatdrop.

“Amazing, Senpai!” Kasumi had slowed to a jog, before she stopped. “You beat them all so fast!”

“S-Sorry...” he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll leave some for you next time.”

She shook her head at his teasing. “Never mind that. Who’s in the cell?”

Oh right.

Just a little ways down, the two approached Morgana’s old cell to find...

...

...

...

Oh.

“H-Hey! Is that you, Akira?” The cognitive Shiho Suzui stood from her spot on the stone bed. “Are you okay? Where did those weird, masked knights go?”

He blinked.

“You... know me?” He pointed at himself. “And... you recognize me? Even in these clothes?” He pulled at the hem of his long black overcoat. “...Crap. Am I that prevalent in Kamoshida’s cognition?”

There was no way Kamoshida could’ve known who he was, under the mask— that’s just how it worked! Or at least, that’s how it happened every time before... You had to be extremely familiar with someone, or at least seen them without a mask on to identify a Metaverse rebel! That’s how it was for Haru, Ann, and Ryuji. And he’d never taken his mask off, short of summoning his Persona! Well, there was that heart-to-heart. But Kamoshida couldn’t have seen any of it!

Kasumi’s hand on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts. “Senpai...” she breathed, “She’s a cognition, right? And on the way over, you mentioned it could be a trap...”

!!

That’s right. This could be another ploy to lure them in...!

He stared the Shiho down. She flinched under his gaze... so he faltered a bit.

“I...” Akira shook his head, “Even if it is a trap, I think I’ll play along. If this leads to Morgana, I have to risk it.” He put his hand over hers, reassuringly. “But if it gets dangerous, you should run. I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

“If I get hurt, it’s because I chose to be here.” She brushed off his concern. “We’re partners, so if you’re doing it, I’m doing it. It’s fine to ask me what I think, but we’re in this together. I won’t leave you behind.”

“...Right. Sorry.” He sighed again. “Geez, I’ve really gotta’ get used to this whole ‘partner’ thing again...”

He couldn’t explain it, but for some reason… It was different than before. He had no problem sending Ryuji off alone to knock over Kamoshida’s crown, or splitting up in Shido’s Palace to gather information. But the idea of Kasumi getting hurt just felt… awful. Er, not that it didn’t tear him up inside, every time Makoto took a nasty blow, or Yusuke got too careless. But…

He really just... couldn’t explain it. Was it because there were more of them, at the time? Because he knew no matter how hurt they got, they’d make it out by sheer numbers alone? Or was it that she was the only thing he could hold onto in this crazy, backwards world? Either way, he wasn’t treating her like an equal, and that was unacceptable.

He slapped himself across the face a couple times, in service of that goal. She... looked at him like he was crazy.

“...Sorry.” Akira grinned, with slapped-red cheeks. “Just getting my head in the game. I’ll be counting on you.”

“I-If you say so...” she nodded. “And... thanks.”

He turned back to the cognitive Shiho.

“Uh, sorry to you too.” He grabbed the keys on the floor. “Here, I’ll let you out and we can talk, okay?”

“Talk!?” she shook her head, “Are you serious!? Those weird knights will kill us if we just stand around! We need to get out of here!”

“Sure. We’ll get you somewhere safe.” It wasn’t an empty promise. He’d bring her to the castle courtyard, where the knights wouldn’t chase them. “Just... follow us, stay close, and stay quiet, if you can. We’ll protect you if anything happens.”

He wouldn’t let this lead slip through his fingers. He needed to find Morgana... but his questions could wait for now.

“O-Okay…” She nodded nervously, as he finally found the right key. “B-But wait, what about Mishima-kun?”

Akira blinked, having just opened the cell door. “What... about him?”

She shook her head wordlessly, pointing to the stone bed behind her. On that bed, lying slumped and unconscious was…

“Yuuki...” Joker murmured. “What happened to him?”

“He got knocked out when those knights came and grabbed us.” The cognition’s voice was shaky. “One of them slashed my leg with their sword...” He finally noticed her torn sleeve, and the white cloth wrapped around her knee brace. More than that, she sported a new bruise on her brow— a matching one with Yuuki’s. “So I can’t carry him. I can walk, but... I’m going to need help.”

Joker’s brow furrowed in thought. “I... have an idea.” He looked to his partner. “Royale, do you mind keeping watch for a minute? I might be able to wake him up.”

“Of course.” Kasumi bowed her head a little and took a position at the front of the cell.

Akira knelt by Yuuki’s head, observing the boy’s pained breathing. The cognitive Shiho joined him, taking a seat with some effort by the foot of the bed. He dug around in his coat pocket, looking for what he needed.

That was another Metaverse oddity— inventory space. The pockets of your rebellion outfit were bottomless. Not the kind your hands would fall through, either! A Metaverse rebel could store anything in any amount in their pockets, including but not limited to: medicine, food, weapons, and firearms. Seriously. He’d seen Ryuji pull out a shotgun with his left hand, and a beef bowl with his right. It was hilarious. Ryuji was laughing too, ‘til a Valkyrie hit him with a Deathbound and he spilled it all. Captain Kidd learned Ziodyne that day.

Right now, he was looking for a particular piece of medicine... Ah! There it was. An Alert Capsule. He held it over Yuuki’s sleeping form, letting it glow... then disappear.

“What...?” the cognitive Shiho gasped. “What was that? How did you...?”

Her thought was cut off by the sound of the boy stirring. Mishima groaned… rolled over, and put a hand to his forehead.

“Agh...” he moaned in pain. "My...head..."

“Mishima-kun!” The girl’s attention shot to him. “A-Are you okay?”

“S-Suzui...?” he mumbled. “What... What’s going—”

He seemed to remember, as he shot up in bed. Way too fast. Yuuki clutched his head even harder than before, as the blood started catching up to him. Wait, did cognitions have blood? Uh... He didn’t wanna’ find out.

“You shouldn’t strain yourself!” the cognitive Shiho fretted, “You got hit by that shield really hard. And... even before that...”

“...Where are we...?” Yuuki’s brow twisted into different shapes. “Those knights... and this castle...!”

Hm?

“You’ve never seen the outside before?” Akira couldn’t help but pity them. “Well, it’s true. This dungeon and the... ‘training area’ are both part of a castle.”

The girl shook her head.

“That’s what I don’t get...” she started. “How...? No. What is this place? We turned around and suddenly the school was...this!"

...

“Excuse me?”

Did he hear her right?

“You know this place is a school?” he asked, “And not a castle?”

“What? What are you talking about?!” The cognition shook her head again. “Of course it’s a school! Or... it was,until everything went all crazy!”

Huh. So before a Palace formed, the area around it was the same as in reality? Then it devolved into what it was? That was... awful. It must’ve been horrifying for everyone inside.

“Senpai...!”

He looked to Royale, signaling he should hurry. “Right. We can talk more when we get out of here.” He looked to the cognition of Yuuki. “Can you walk, Mishima?”

“I... I think so.” Shakily, the boy stood up, wobbling a few steps forward. “Not... very fast, though.”

“That’s fine.” Joker dug around in his pockets again. “Here. This should help.”

He fished out a Takemedic-All V, letting the tablet dissolve in the air. The sparkling light of its potency surrounded the two cognitions in a soft blue glow. Slowly, he saw the wounds on their foreheads heal... Oh. The cognitive Shiho’s didn’t fade all the way, matching the bruise she’d had in reality. Yuuki’s was completely gone though.

“My leg...!” she bent it at the knee and back again, surprise on her face. “What... what did you do?”

“Was that...magic!?" The cognitive Yuuki stared in awe. “That was so cool! And—”

Without his eyes half-shut from the pain, it seemed the boy had finally noticed who he was.

“K-Kurusu!” he cried, “It’s you! And you’re... What’s with that outfit? And what is this place!?”

“Nice to see you too,” Akira grinned. “I’ll explain what I can later, I guess. For now, you want to get out of here, right?” He got a set of nods all around. “Good. Then stay behind us, and bequiet.We’ll protect you if we run into trouble, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“P-Protect us?” the girl shook her head, “How? You can’t fight them— they’ve got swords and armor!”

“We fight in other ways.” He left it at that. “Just trust us for now. I’ll make sure we get out safe.”

The two looked at each other... then back to him.

“O-Okay...” the cognitive Mishima nodded. “But you need to start explaining. At least on the way.”

Akira sighed. “...Fine. But I’ll be keeping my voice down, so stay close.”

Royale nodded to him as they approached, having heard everything. “So we’re going to get these two to a Safe Room, then?”

“The courtyard, actually.” He clarified. “They’re cognitions, so I don’t know if any place inside the Palace is safe. And I don’t think we can take them back to reality with us...”

The cognitive Shiho looked bewildered.

“Wh-What?!” she gasped. “What do you mean'back to reality'? And what do you mean you won’t take us with you?!”

“I-It’s not that Iwon't, it's that Ican't!"Akira put his hands up. “I’ve never taken a cognition out of the Metaverse before— I don’t even think it’s possible!”

“Cognition...? ‘Metaverse’...?” the blue-haired boy muttered. “You’re really gonna’ need to start explaining.”

“And you’retaking us with you!" cognitive Shiho affirmed. “I don’t want to spend another minute in this place!”

“Alright, alright...” he relented. “Again, just... stay close.”

And the four departed from the cell.

“Um... where do I begin?” Akira peeked around a corner as he began his tale. “...Okay. I guess that’s a good place to start.”

He crossed over to a nearby pillar, motioning them to follow.

“There are two worlds. There’s the ‘real’ world, where we’re from...” He pointed between himself and Kasumi, as the group approached. “...and there’s the Metaverse. That’s what this place is called. In this world, the... desires, or wills of people in the real world can manifest into physical things.”

“Another world...” the cognitive Yuuki mumbled. “That’s insane...”

“In the Metaverse, when a particularly... twisted, or distorted person has a powerful... ‘desire’?” He made airquotes as he peeked his head out again. “Their desires coagulate into a Palace. The ‘Palace’ is centered on wherever the person, or ‘Palace Ruler’ feels most in control. Or, more generally, it serves as a stomping ground for their distorted heart.”

“Distortion? Stomping ground?” the cognitive Shiho followed, as Akira made his way forward again. “What does that mean?”

“Well, right now? We’re in Kamoshida’s Palace. Inside his heart.” Akira explained. “In this case, Kamoshida considers himself the ‘king of a castle’, and the place he feels most in control is at school. He thinks of the students and the volleyball team as ‘prisoners’ or ‘slaves’. That’s why you got locked up. In this place, everything the real Kamoshida thinks or does, manifests as what he truly feels.”

The leader held up a fist over his shoulder to let them know to stop walking. Royale, familiar with his hand signals, did so. The two cognitions bumped into her, but got with the program quick enough for a knight to pass them by.

“This is... This isunreal..." the cognitive boy breathed, “It’s hard to believe what you’re saying, but...”

“I can’t deny it...” the other cognition finished his thought. “It’s too weird of a story to be a lie.”

The four of them crossed a bridge over the sewer. It wouldn’t be long before they reached the main floors.

“So if this is a Palace... if we’re inside K-Kamoshida’sheart..."the cognitive Shiho started, “Then... how did we get here? How did you... go from reality into this world?”

“We used an app on our phones, called the Metaverse Navigator.” Kasumi took over a bit. “It’s a bit complicated, but it allows us to traverse this other world, and investigate Palaces.”

"Aphone app?" the cognitive Yuuki shook his head. “Can something like that even happen?”

“It’s a long story...” she crinkled her brow. “But it works. We’re here, after all.”

The four had finally escaped the dungeon. The staircase up to ground level was long and winding.

“But... why are you here?” the cognitive girl asked. “Why would you go into...that man's heart?"

“To change it,” Akira shrugged. “His desires are made manifest here. Physical. If we can literally steal away his distorted, twisted desires? He’ll become an ‘honest man’. Kamoshida will confess his crimes, and all the... awful sh*t he does in reality will end.”

The two cognitions stopped. Dead in their tracks.

They looked him right in the eye.

“Are...” cognitive Yuuki’s eyes were wide. “Are you... serious?”

“No. This... has to be a joke.” The Shiho cognition shook her head, bitterly. “There’s no way it’s that f*cking easy.”

...

He bit the inside of his cheek. It was... hard to see them like this. Yuuki, so... full of desperate hope. Shiho so...jaded. So deep in despair.

But he didn’t blame them. Even these cognitions must’ve endured… hell. No, something worse than hell. Every single hour, of every day, for who knows how long.

“...It isn’t easy.” He said softly. “But it’s something that needs doing. Kamoshida’s a disgusting, inhuman stain on this world. And we’re going to take him down.”

"Don't give me thatsh*t!!"

The cognitive Shiho took him by the collar, and shoved him to the wall.

“Do you know how long we’ve suffered!? What we’ve had todo!?"She screamed in his face. “Our teachers, our friends, our own parents let this happen! And you think you can just... swoop in and solve all our problems!? HUH!?”

She shook him again.

“You have no...f*cking idea what we’ve been through!” She jammed a finger into his chest. “Don’t f*ck with me. Don’t come in here with your god damn savior complex sh*t and say it’s that EASY!!”

With a final shove, she let him go. He could see it all on her face. Pain. Fear. Anger. Hatred. And her tears... She chewed her own lip until it bled, turning sharply away. Shiho slammed a fist into the other wall, pressing her head into the cobblestone beneath it as she slowly fell to her knees, shoulders trembling with emotion.

“Suzui...”

The cognitive Mishima couldn’t say anything else. His own fists were clenched at his sides— Akira could see the skin around it pale to white, under the pressure.

“Kurusu...” the boy mumbled. “I... I don’t know if you’re lying, but that...” His face darkened. “It just sounds too good to be true. Suzui’s right. After everything we’ve been through...”

...

He should’ve been more considerate.

This was his fault.

“...I’m sorry. I was... really insensitive. To both of you.” He knelt from where she left him, bowing his head to them. “Here, um...” He reached into his pocket, pulling out an old cloth handkerchief. He laid it in her lap. “Take your time. Royale and I will make sure the area’s clear.”

Kasumi looked up and nodded, solemnly. She descended to the bottom of the stairs, while Akira went toward the top. As they left, they saw the cognitive Mishima walk up and put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. The sound of her anguish echoed endlessly through the cold stone hall.

“...Kurusu?”

He didn’t know how long had passed. But eventually, it was over. Shiho approached him sitting at the top of the steps with her eyes puffy, nose rubbed red. She held out the handkerchief, folded and damp.

“...Sorry for... that.” She didn’t quite know what to say. “I… I don’t know why I said it. It’s just…”

She trailed off. She didn’t say anything for a while.

...

“...It’s okay.” He took the lead. “I should be apologizing to you. I should’ve known better than to… say something like that so… casually. It was awful of me, and extremely disrespectful to you. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

She shook her head wordlessly, taking a seat on the steps beside him.

…

“...Were you telling the truth?”

Such was her question to him. She asked without looking his way, staring off into space.

“...I was.” He said with trepidation. “This world is… magical. I used some earlier to heal your leg. We can do all that and more, here in the Metaverse.”

He held out his hand, letting a little blue flame dance about his palm. The spark of rebellion. It caught her eye, and she stared as it flitted from finger to finger.

“It’s… a lot to take in.” She admitted. “So you’re some kind of… magician?”

“Not… exactly ,” he let the flame dissipate. “But I do have powers. Royale down there, she has them too.”

They couldn’t see her from here, but she knew who he meant.

“...How did you get them?” she asked, “And how does it work?”

He smiled wryly.

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, after we get out of here.” Akira stood, offering her a hand. “Are you okay to walk?”

“I am.” She nodded, taking it. “Sorry to keep you waiting… that was dangerous, wasn’t it?”

“It’s fine,” he assured, “Again, it was my fault. For now, we shou—”

“Senpai!!”

Kasumi’s frantic whisper cut him short. She ran up the stairs, the cognitive Mishima behind her.

“There’s a lot of Shadows coming…” she reported, “And I don’t think we can fight them here!”

He nodded. “Time to move.” He turned to the cognition. “Are you okay, Yuuki? Can you walk?”

The boy nodded back. “Y-Yeah. I should be fine.”

“Good. We need to get moving,” He opened the door to ground level. “Follow me.”

They were at the castle door. They were almost home-free.

Then the Shadows appeared and it all went to hell.

“Damn it!” Akira cursed, “Shiho, Yuuki, get behind us!”

But it was no use. In pools of sludge, the knights appeared behind them too. Then on the left. And on the right. Soon, the entire foyer was drowning in its own Sea of Souls.

“No…” Kasumi grit her teeth. “There’s too many…!”

“K-Kurusu?” the cognitive Shiho asked, “Is this…? Are we…?”

The cognitive Yuuki only whimpered, as the crowd of grey closed in. An endless wave of faceless armor with swords drawn… Things were looking bleak.

“Hmph. So these are the vermin, scuttling about in my castle.”

“!! ”

Atop the grand staircase stood the Palace ruler— the Shadow of Kamoshida himself. Flanked on both sides by golden knights, the pedophilic sex offender strolled casually down the steps. His tiny cape parted with each stride, displaying his stolen panties to all.

“K-Kamoshida…!?” the cognitive boy stammered. “Wh-What the hell!? ”

“That’s KING Kamoshida to you, slave.” The man spat. “No, you’re worse than that. At least a slave would know their place in this world— beneath my heel! ”

The Shadow stopped at the edge of the stairs, the crowd of knights parting to let him through.

“Still, I’m surprised,” Kamoshida grunted, “To think, you’d come all this way just to get captured. So pathetic. No wonder my foolish guards thought you were mine.”

Joker had his hand on the Tyrant’s Pistol, ready to start fighting at any time. It’d be tough, but he would get them out alive. He had to!

“But it looks like I need to teach you some manners,” the debaucherous king nodded at his guards. “Bring them in! ”

The crowd parted the way they’d come, from the prison. There, two golden knights emerged with—

…

...What…?

What the hell was this?

The knights stepped before Kamoshida with two bodies over their shoulders. They dropped them on a floor in a heap, falling in line with his royal guard behind him. And the bodies… they were…

Shiho and Yuuki looked on in shock, as another Shiho and Yuuki sat up in a daze.

“What is this…?” The Yuuki behind him sputtered. “Is that… us!? ”

“His cognition multiplied!?” Kasumi looked to her partner, “Is that even possible, Senpai?”

“It’s never happened before…” Akira swallowed. “But… what does this mean?”

“Hah! Slow on the uptake, are you brat? ” The Shadow of Kamoshida howled with laughter. “Those little friends of yours aren’t cognitions. They’re the real deal— intruders, just like you.”

What…?

His eyes shot to Shiho, then Yuuki. “What is he talking about? Is that true?”

“I-I don’t know!!” Yuuki shook his head, “I mean, I think it is?”

“Are you real?” He asked them, straight out. “Are you from reality? Did you come from the real world to enter the Metaverse?”

And to his worst fears, Shiho nodded.

“Y-Yeah… We passed you in the hall during the volleyball rally.” She stuttered. “Mishima got hit by a ball and I was taking him to the nurse when we saw you… We said hi, but you walked right by us! We thought something was wrong, so we followed you, and…”

No…

No!

“Then…” he pointed feebly, “You’re… really…!?”

“That’s right.” The man’s smug voice pulled him to reality. “You brought them right to me. And now…? ”

Kamoshida waved his hand. His knights held the captive cognitions’ lifeless bodies by the backs of their collars. Their faces contorted in pain. Fear. And soon even that was extinguished, as they were shoved into the ground once more.

“Your precious friends are gonna’ die. All thanks to you.”

The two disintegrated into ashy black mist.

Damn it…

“DAMN IT!!! ”

He ground his heel into the tile of the floor.

‘No… It happened again …’ His mind pulled him back to that day. ‘I did this. I led them to their deaths. I can’t protect them all, I can’t …’

His words rang hollow through his mind. His Personas said nothing. They must’ve had nothing to say.

...

‘No…’ He clenched his fist. ‘There has to be something I can do… I won’t give up. I can’t give up! It’s my fault, so I’ll save them. Even if it costs me my life!’

…

“Royale.” His eyes were shadowed by his mask. “Get those two out of here.”

“...Senpai?” her voice was quiet. “What are you going to do?”

“...Something stupid.” He didn’t look her in the eyes. “Don’t worry. Just take them to where we entered, and the Nav’ll send ‘em home.”

“...Senpai.” She wouldn’t budge. “What. Are you going. To do?”

“...”

“Senpai! ”

“Just go, Royale!” Joker yelled. “Don’t worry about me, just go!”

“I’m not leaving without you!” she cried, stepping forward. “We’ll fight them together, we can do it!”

“No!!” He refused. “This isn’t the time for grandstanding. I’ll be fine, I promise!”

“!! ”

...She slapped him. Hard. His mask went flying off his face.

Kasumi looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“...I won’t leave you. I won’t…!”

She glared right at him, lips quivering.

“I won’t let anyone die for me, ever again!! ”

Her mask exploded off her face in a burst of blue fire. Cendrillon manifested in a flash of light, arms shining with golden power.

“...If you intend to fight, Trickster,” Arsène spoke, “Then we are with you to the bitter end.”

…

The world slowed down with his Third Eye. He looked around.

Before him, Kamoshida stood with four golden knights. Throughout the whole room, he saw eight more golden knights, and at least… fifty regular ones. Golden knights were typically one Shadow each, but the grey ones could go up to five . So there were anywhere between sixty-two and two hundred sixty-two enemies to fight— twelve of which were Bosses, and that wasn’t even counting Kamoshida . They’d nearly been outmatched by fifty in the prison... Now there were even more, and they had to people to protect! The odds were... against them.

‘Oh, Morgana…’ he prayed, ‘If you’re doing the whole ‘heroes-arrive-at-the-last-minute’ thing, now would be a great time to show up…!’

…

Nothing? Damn. Well if he wasn’t here, Mona was probably much safer than he was.

Oh. If Shiho and Yuuki weren’t cognitions, that meant they came in from the outside. Morgana had never freed them. The cat was never here. Damn it. Another dead-end. it’s like the world was trying to rob him, of every last bit of hope he had...

“...Perhaps not him,” Satanael rumbled, “ But fear not, Trickster. With thy failure, therein lies… opportunity. ”

What…?

“Look yonder! To thy treasured allies! ” the archangel commanded. “Pray tell, art they prepared to die? ”

He forced himself to look. Shiho and Yuuki were on the floor, on their knees. Their eyes were empty, their faces blank. But their bodies shivered. Tears ran down their cheeks. And…

…

...He saw it.

In the sea of grey, he saw it. The butterfly of hope. It fluttered around them, unseen by all.

…

No way.

No way!!

‘Are you serious…?’

“Heed our words, Trickster,” Satanael spoke thus. “Dost thou recall thy sacred truth?

Vows of the heart, art thy true strength.”

…

…

‘Thank you, Satanael.’ He truly meant it. ‘I know what I have to do.’

Akira Kurusu returned to reality with a breath.

“Satanael.” He removed his mask. “Protect us.”

“ Of course. ”

The archangel descended upon the castle hall, wrapping his wings about the group like a shield. With his Firm Stance, he could withstand the knight’s assault far longer than most— maybe thirty seconds.

That would be enough.

“Shiho. Yuuki.”

He called them by name. They said nothing. Their eyes were still hollow, faces still frozen... but their gaze was on him.

He breathed once more.

“The world has been cruel.” Akira knelt, at their eye-level. “You know that better than anyone. Your teachers, your friends, your parents. It’s just like you said.” He grit his teeth. “They look away. Avert their eyes, while you— you are the one who suffers. They act like your feelings never mattered. They treat you like you’re nothing .”

He was getting through to them. He could see Shiho’s mouth twitch, and Yuuki’s brow crumple.

“The world is cruel. It creates positions of power so high that no one could ever reach them.” He continued to speak. “And those kings and queens on lofty thrones, piled so high from the bodies below? They laugh. They know they can never be challenged— they know they’ll never be punished!

But not here.”

Their eyes were focused now.

“This isn’t the world you’re used to.” He felt the Shadows charge forward. “This is a world of desires. A world of dreams! It’s a gift— a world left to us, to punish evil we could never reach! They rigged the game, so we flip the board! That is what we do. That is who we are! We are those who punish the evil plaguing the world…”

Their tears had dried.

“Kamoshida is that evil!” He felt Satanael, taking their blows. “He’s abused you! Cursed you! Ruined you! He tramples upon everything you hold dear! He threatens all you know and love! And now, it’s his turn to lose everything.”

He could see a spark in their eyes.

“Now’s your chance to take it all back. Make him regret it!” He felt the archangel begin to give way. “You have all the tools you need. It’s right there, in your own heart!”

He felt Satanael give out. The angel’s wings dissolved in light, revealing Kamoshida’s ugly, sneering face.

“Execute them! ”

Akira smiled.

“So will you sit there, and accept your fate?” He asked, “Or will you stand and fight? ”

Their spark grew into a flame. The Shadows closed in.

“This world is ours for the taking! Now take it!”

That flame burned into their eyes. Their hearts, made manifest.

“Show him who he messed with!

Show us who you really are!! ”

“Have you finally made up your mind? ”

A voice echoed in the depths of their souls.

“About time you grew a backbone.”

“You certainly kept me waiting, darling.”

The voices parted, resonating deep within their hearts.

“All your life, you’ve stood on the sidelines. You thought yourself weak.”

“You seek power, do you not? Power to topple the thrones of man? ”

It pulsed like a heartbeat. They clutched their heads in pain...

“But you weren’t standing still, child. You were lying in wait.”

“You’ve been trampled on all your life— how’s a shoe on the other foot? ”

But slowly, they rose to their feet.

“Watching… waiting for your moment! ”

“I can grant you all that and more, darling. Vow to me! ”

“I am thou, thou art I... ”

The blue flame of rebellion coalesced.

“All it takes is one moment! One shot! ”

“The strength to tread paths, not people! To turn foes to friends! Duels to dances! ”

Their hands reached for their masks and began to pull .

“Show them, what you’ve been holding back! ”

“May the love you hold be your sword and shield.”

And soon enough…

“Show them the might of a life yet lived! ”

“Now and forevermore! ”

The mask came off.

And the two screamed.

A torrent of fire burst forth, enveloping them in flame. The powerful shockwave knocked the approaching Shadows to the floor— strong enough to vaporize those closest to the blast. Joker stood his ground with a smile, Royale finding her footing enough to do the same.

And from the pillar of light emerged two figures.

On the left, a boy in black. Arm bracers, shin guards, and a combat vest. Across his back was a quiver, a deep blue that cut through the darkness. Behind him knelt the ethereal form of a sniper, with a pelt wrapped about her waist. Her skin was pale, her hair was tied back, and her massive bolt-action rifle rested on a pyramid of skulls— one had an old-fashioned soldier’s helmet, a bullet lodged in the insignia of a twisted cross.

On the right, a girl in white. A small pink heart sat proud upon her left breast, and her white dress blouse lay half open at the base, baring her midriff. Its tails billowed in the breeze, over her loose black duelist’s pants. Behind her stood a slim woman made of pure, embroidered lace, wielding a rapier. Her torso was hollow— a hole in her chest lay her heart bare, a deep red shape that seemed to beat . Her skin was stark white, her hair flowed free, and her eyes lay masked behind a cloth blindfold.

“...This is my power …” Yuuki whispered. “It was with me… all this time…!”

“I won’t bow my head again. Ever! ” Shiho glared ahead with fire in her eyes. “My life is mine to live!”

Akira grinned.

“Then it’s time to go.” His own mask fell away, calling forth Lucifer. “Show us what you’re made of.”

They smiled right back.

“Shoot for the sky, Lady Death!!”

“Rob them blind, La Maupin!!”

And the battle began.

“I’ll handle support!” Joker called, “Royale, I want you to thin out the crowd with multi-target moves. Yuuki and Shiho? Go wild!”

“Roger!”

“Got it!”

The Shadows had recovered from the initial shockwave, returning to their feet. Seeing the new threat, two of the golden knights escorted Shadow Kamoshida to safety, the pathetic man whimpering at the show of force. The three figures fled the main hall, removing them from the coming conflict... Still, it was a long road yet.

Yuuki was quick on the draw. He reached his mask first— a black visor with a reticle on the right eye— and called forth the sniper, Lady Death.

“Let’s go, Persona!!” He pointed straight ahead, at some flying Agathions. “Shoot ‘em down, Lady!”

The sniper appeared, firing off a salvo right into its face. The wind of her Garu skill knocked them down and out.

“Pass the Baton!” Joker called. Knowing what to do on instinct, Yuuki ran and ducked through Shadows, sliding over to Shiho and doing just that.

“Persona!!” she called, removing her blindfold. “Together, Maupin!!”

A powerful blast of Electricity destroyed a Kelpie. Wow, good eye for weaknesses!

“Keep going everyone!” he called, “Yuuki, Shiho! Target the Shadows closest to us! Royale, focus the ones behind us! We’re going for the exit!”

“Okay! Dance, Persona!!” Royale spun and summoned Cendrillon. “Vorpal Blade!”

Her Persona spun with the grace of a figure skater, wiping out an entire wave. Knowing it was his chance, Joker threw his mask aside, calling Lucifer once more. “Persona!!” A Masukukaja raised the team’s Evasion. He didn’t know the newcomer’s stats yet, so he couldn’t afford to take any risks.

His efforts paid off. An Eligor charged forward, lance ready to run Shiho through... But she quickly stepped aside, taking the chance to strike the Shadow with—

“Stand aside!!”

A giant ball, on a chain. What the hell? That was her melee weapon!?

It seemed to work though, as she twirled her body, spun it high like a lasso, and clocked it across the face. The Shadow’s helm bore a sizeable dent as it fell from its horse, the form vanishing to the Sea of Souls. Shiho merely pulled on the tether, and the ball of the meteor hammer flew back to her waiting palm.

“Nice shot!” Mishima called, “Here’s one from us!”

With a flick of his wrist, his visor was off. The sniper of his soul loaded one more bullet.

“M-Mishima-kun! Look out!”

Royale pushed him aside, taking a Bicorn’s Lunge. She seemed no worse for wear, as she let loose another Makouga, tearing through the crowd once more.

They weren’t far now. The door grew closer with every inch they took…!

“I-I can help!” Shiho called, “Come, Maupin!”

“With pleasure ,” the temptress laughed, twirling her blade. A ball of light emerged from its tip and split into glowing streaks. The energy flew right to their hearts— he felt his body fill with stamina.

‘Wow… A Media skill, this early…?’ He shook his head, ‘Wait, there’s no time to stand around!’

“Oh no!”

Royale found herself the target of two debuffs: a Tarunda and a Rakunda. Joker quickly switched masks to get her back in fighting shape, but—

“Leave it to me!”

Yuuki’s Persona fired into the air, showering the team in light. In his mind’s eye, he could see those conditions disappear.

‘And a Dekunda too…’ He switched to Lucifer once more, calling forth the fallen angel. “Masukunda!” Hopefully it’d be enough!

He thanked the stars that it was. With each passing moment, the sea of Shadows grew smaller and smaller…! And finally, they reached the door!

“W-We did it!” Royale cried, “Come on, let’s go!”

They did it…

They did it…!

She barreled open the castle gate, Cendrillon knocking the thing right off its hinges! Yuuki and Shiho let their masks rest, as they turned tail and followed their junior’s lead! Soon, it was just him on the edge of the doorframe, a mere twenty-ish Shadows left.

“Senpai! What are you doing? Let’s go!!”

...

He turned with a grin.

“I’m comin’.” His mask fell away, as he walked down the steps. “Just cleaning up the stragglers.”

“!! ”

There was a flash of white, and a mighty blast shook the earth, as Lucifer’s Morning Star blew the main hall to pieces. He didn’t have to see it to know the foyer lay in charred ruins— grand chandeliers crashing to the ground with the sound of shattered glass.

Kasumi puffed out her cheeks.

“Senpai...” she huffed. “You couldn’t have done that earlier?”

“I was enabling the newbies!” He held his hands up, “Besides, I can’t use those big skills when I’m in a group. They’re really unfocused, so someone might get caught in the crossfire.”

She squinted. “Are you sure we’re not just holding you back?”

“Hell no!” he grumbled, “Do you know how much spirit that takes!? I feel like I’m gonna’ vomit out of my soul…”

“I was joking … ” She laughed. “...Good job. And thanks.”

“Yeah, of course…” he sighed, mask appearing once more. “Now, Shiho…”

…

...Oh.

Shiho and Yuuki lay flat on the cold stone of the courtyard. Their Metaverse outfits had dispersed, and their eyes were shut tight with exhaustion. The rhythmic sound of their heaving breath was all he could hear. Royale simply stared at their sleeping forms, at a complete loss for words.

…

Huh.

“We should… get them to a hospital.” she murmured.

“Or the Nurse’s Office,” he offered. “We’ll be at the school gate anyway. Besides, I bet they’ve got… a lot of questions.”

Gently, he scooped up his old friend in a fireman carry. Royale bent down and did the same, carrying Shiho bridal-style. The two Phantom Thieves put the old castle behind them, the Palace’s Treasure left for another day.

Lady Death, Mark of a Woman

Level 7, the Moon Arcana

Quiet Resolve: Increases allies’ chance of inflicting Dizzy/Forget/Sleep. (25% chance)

Available Skills

Garu, Dream Needle, Dekunda

Resists Wind. Weak to Electricity.

Current Statistics

Strength: 6
Magic: 3
Endurance: 5
Agility: 4
Luck: 6

Compendium Entry:

The first female sniper, named for her place as one of the deadliest in history. Dropping out of school among the first to enlist, she rejected the role of a nurse thrust upon her by gender, and became the Russian army’s deadliest marksman— killing over three hundred Nazi soldiers. After the war, she became a powerful voice for gender equality, becoming fast friends with the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt.

La Maupin, Mistress of the Sword

Level 7, the Hanged Man Arcana

Captivation: May lower target’s Accuracy/Evasion after attacking. (25% chance)

Available Skills

Zio, Media, Makajama

Resists Electricity. Weak to Wind.

Current Statistics

Strength: 5
Magic: 6
Endurance: 6
Agility: 5
Luck: 3

Compendium Entry:

A famous French opera star of the 17th century. She courted hundreds of women with but her beauty and wit, turning even royalty to her side. Ever-clothed in fine white lace, La Mademoiselle Maupin was named for her rapier and its pinewood hilt— her chosen weapon in countless duels with her lovers’ disgraced husbands.

Chapter 7: Invitation to Freedom

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor ”, “Caroline/Justine/Lavenza”, “Morgana ”, “Persona/Shadow ”, “Jose/Phone ”

There are two types of people who don’t care about their reputation.

There are those who, yes, actually genuinely didn’t care. And frankly, they were a rarity. Because for most people his age, when they said things like “I don’t really care what other people think of me,” or something to that effect? It… tended to be the exact opposite. You had to be conscious of something to comment on it, after all. So it was… a teenage rebellion sort of attitude, where you’d had your buttons pushed enough times that you just pretended not to care anymore.

...Well, that itself splits into two schools of thought. There were those who cared about their reputation because other people cared about that sort of thing, and they wanted to appease those folks? And there were those who cared about their reputation because they were the type to judge others by their reputations.

So for that teenage rebel sort, what happened more often than not was that folks would have enough of being judged, and retreat into their own little “world”. In this “world”, they are the ones in charge. They have control over what’s “cool” and what’s “in”. It’s a reclamation of agency, being able to call the shots, when in the “real world” that sort of thing is way over your head— out of your control.

Meanwhile, as you’re doing this, you’re actively pushing others further away, and pushing yourself further into this pit you’ve dug. It’s this sort of catch-22 that teaches people that the world couldn’t be changed, that real life was hopeless, and that the only way to cope was to make your own little hidey-hole.

...He didn’t blame people who thought that way.

It was… arrogant (or at the very least profoundly naїve) to assume that people could just… wake up in the morning, tug on their bootstraps, and deal with it. Life was cruel. The world was cruel. Everyone struggled with something. Everyone had their issues. No one was perfect after all. And it followed that the types of trials and tribulations each person dealt with were as varied as the people themselves.

Look at himself, for instance. Robbed of everything he knew and loved, because he wanted to help someone in need. He lost everything, and he meant everything. Every friend in his hometown broke ties, his own family wouldn’t speak to him, and he got shipped out to somewhere he’d never so much as set foot. Every thing and every one in his old life had turned their proverbial backs on him. He truly was alone , with nothing but the morals— the ideals he chose to stand up for, that day.

And you know what? For him, that was enough. Even though the entire world told him it was wrong, in his heart and soul he knew he was right. Still, losing everything took… a toll on him. Being honest, that thought— the idea that his decision was NOT a mistake— was the only thing keeping him sane some days. Especially toward the beginning.

Eventually he found friends… eventually the cold world warmed up to him. Eventually, he’d found— no, he’d made his place in the world. A place built from nothing but an ideal. A place he could call home.

…

...But not everyone had the strength to do that.

It was a lesson he’d had to learn, in his Journey as the Fool. To be able to step outside yourself, and see things through another’s perspective. Hell, even being able to step outside yourself at all! You’d be surprised how easily the simple concept of empathy was lost on people. There were folks who genuinely only ever considered themselves, and interpreted the world solely on the basis of how it would affect them.

He didn’t pity them. Not at all. Again, it was a lesson he had to learn. And just as not everyone had the strength to do what he’d done, not everyone had the opportunity to learn that important lesson.

So… what then? If teaching that lesson is the goal, how would it be done? It’s not a universal truth. A concept like that couldn’t simply be taught with a one-size-fits-all broad brush. It was a lesson learned from reflection. Introspection. And hell, not everyone had the opportunity for that! Some people were too busy working forty hours a week with hour long commutes, barely getting enough sleep to not drop dead. They didn't have time to breathe, let alone think! And therein lay the problem.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Important, life-changing lessons didn’t come from being told. They came from you. An Answer that emerges from your own heart. To teach all of humanity the same lesson would erase that which makes us unique. To solve someone’s problem for them, is to rob them of the opportunity for growth.

That was something he… understood, but couldn’t agree with. Again, it came from a place of… ignorance, or naїvete. Just because you could solve your own problems, doesn’t mean you should expect other people to have the same strength of heart. First of all, they’re a different person than you, and you can’t expect them to be as “strong” as you! Second, they’re a different person than you! They’re probably going through a different problem than the one you overcame! Whether it’s easier or more difficult, they might even be dealing with a larger or small amount of them too! Er, what he was saying was, you can’t judge someone so easily.

So… where was he going with this?

Oh, right.

Carrying Yuuki Mishima around like a sack of potatoes made him really glad that neither he, nor Kasumi were the type to care about reputation.

It was well after four, and the afterschool Shujin crowd gaped and gawked at alleged-elephant-tusk-trafficker Akira Kurusu and national-podium-level-gymnast Kasumi Yoshizawa, as they carried the unconscious bodies of Yuuki Mishima and Shiho Suzui to the school infirmary. They’d already made their way past the courtyard on the way to the Practice Building, so they were in the home stretch! Just another few steps down the hall…

And they’d arrived.

Opening the door with his foot, Akira poked his head inside to check for the nurse. She was out. Huh. When was she ever in? Come to think of it, had they even met before? The only person he’d ever seen in the Nurse’s Office was Takuto, and the occasional student dropping by for counseling.

Well, he hoped she didn’t mind if they used her beds. Because damn, this kid was heavy.

Letting his ‘passenger’ down on the mattress with shaky arms, Akira wiped the sweat off his brow as Kasumi did the same. With. Noticeably less effort. Damn, that girl was fit.

“So…”

He looked up, at his partner’s nervous voice. Ah. He didn’t blame her. A lot had happened, and so quickly too.

“I’m gonna’ wait here, until they wake up.” Akira took a seat by Yuuki’s bed, same as yesterday. “And… I think I owe them an explanation.”

Kasumi’s brow crinkled. “About the Metaverse?”

“...Yeah.” He nodded. “They deserve that much, at least.”

The room was silent, save for their breath. The newly minted rebels had stabilized as they slept, though his own was still harsh from exertion. Man, he was out of shape. First chance he got? Yoga with Hiraguchi.

“...Are you going to ask them to join you?”

Her question was… quiet. The girl was looking to them, not at him.

“...No,” he shook his head. “I… I don’t ask people to join, after they awaken. Usually, they ask to join us. At least for whatever Palace pissed them off enough to awaken in the first place. Afterward, it’s up to them.”

They’d asked to join permanently every time... Then again, it’d only happened twice or thrice, so who knew how this would go?

“...I see.” Kasumi looked to him. “...And if they ask to join?”

…

He looked over their sleeping forms. Bruised. Battered. Yet… so calm.

“...We typically made decisions as a group,” he said thoughtfully. “So? What do you think?”

...

“...I’d like to hear your thoughts first.”

…

He sighed.

“As a leader? They’d be great assets.” Akira’s leg began to bounce. “They’re Electric and Wind, so two elements we don’t have easy access to right now. Having more teammates would take a lot of the burden off of us. Plus, they know each other pretty well. They’re already on a team, so they’d probably work well together.”

He crossed his arms.

“As a person…? I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I knew Yuuki really well, last time around. He’s got a good heart, if not a little… misguided at times. Though aren’t we all?” He laughed humorlessly. “Then Shiho…”

He trailed off.

“I… didn’t know her very well. Barely knew her at all,” he admitted. “But she’s a kind person, I think. I wouldn’t mind working with either of them.”

…

“If they ask to fight Kamoshida, I don’t think I’d turn them down.” He stopped his leg. “If they ask to join us afterward…? I’d have to tell them about our goals. And… too much can happen between then and now for me to give you a solid answer.”

Akira looked to her. She’d been standing there, idly thumbing the hem of her skirt.

“How do you feel?”

…

“...I think they’d be good to have too,” she said after a while. “Even… permanently, if they wanted.”

He furrowed his brow. “I’m sensing a ‘but’, here…”

…

“This… sounds selfish. And heartless,” she started. “But… Suzui-senpai and Mishima-senpai aren’t… as strong as us.” Kasumi looked aside. “From what you told me about spells and… ‘tier-levels’... They’re both still at the first one.”

...That was a fair point.

From what little he’d gleaned of their Personas, La Maupin and Lady Death used Zio and Garu skills, respectively. Those were considered ‘first-tier’ spells. Kasumi’s faithful Kouga skill was a second-tier spell. Something like Agidyne was third-tier, and his own Blazing Hell or Ice Age were fourth-tier ones. Black Viper was a fifth-tier, though it was rare for a fellow thief to ever reach that level.

Personas all grew at different rates, but in general, they weren’t so far apart that he couldn’t guess when they’d rank up a tier. Ann and Carmen had gotten Agidyne around Level 46 and Kasumi was Level 50. So she was probably really close to third tier skills. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be ‘til around Level 25(?) that second-tier skills began to appear. The gap between her and the two newbies grew only wider.

If they took on these two new teammates, they’d have to slow down on their plans a bit. Not that rushing things had ever been a priority. Still, it was… at least something to consider. Especially since the next Palace he planned on infiltrating was…

…

“Do you... have any other concerns?” He asked gently. “Just to make sure I’ve considered everything.”

…

“I trust your judgement, Senpai. And you’re right, they do seem like nice people.” Kasumi seemed to come to a decision. “I agree, they would be good teammates, and…” She smiled a bit. “...it might be fun to learn alongside everyone else.”

He grinned. “Y’know, when it comes to this stuff? Technically, you’re their Senpai.”

She gasped. “What? N-No, I couldn’t be…”

“By definition, you are~” he teased, “I’ll be sure to let them know.”

“Wh-Wha!?” she caught herself and pouted. “You’re not making fun of me, are you?”

“Perish the thought,” he put his hands up, “But still. There’s a long way to go before we even have that conversation. Let’s take things one step at a time.”

She nodded, gratefully. “That sounds good. Thank you.”

…?

A thought occurred to her. She reached into her pocket and withdrew her phone.

“Oh my gosh, look at the time!” she cried, “I have to go to practice soon…”

“Ah…”

He looked to the two, still sleeping.

“...I’ll be fine by myself today.” Kasumi bowed. “Thank you for accompanying me the past few days.”

“Of course,” he accepted her thanks, “It was fun. Honestly, I might… actually want to tag along with you, every now and then. If… that’s alright with you?”

!

Her face brightened.

“Absolutely!” she said happily, “Just say the word and I’ll be there!”

Akira grinned. Her smile never failed to cheer him up.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The clock in the nurse’s office was an old, analog thing hung over the door. And it was… loud. Or at least, it was the kind of loud that, once you heard it? It was the only thing you could focus on. So it was loud, in the annoying kind of way.

Luckily for him, his many days spent at the Kichijoji temple had honed his ability to focus. Seconds ticked to minutes, then to hours, as the two dozed ever so calmly. The nurse had yet to return.

“Trickster. Might we have a word? ”

The rumbling voice of the archangel pulled him from his thoughts.

‘Sure, Satanael.’ He sat up in his chair. ‘Thank you for earlier, by the way.’

“Tis but our duty. Nevertheless, we acknowledge thy gratitude.” He could feel the spirit nod, “We come bearing a matter of great import. Art thou of proper mind to receive information that might cause thee duress? ”

…

‘...Did you just—?’

“We hath searched thy memory to better acquaint ourselves with thy manner of speech. This phrase, amongst others, was present among those that ‘spark joy’ within thee. ” What the hell is happening. “Present as well was the phrase ‘spark joy’, meaning to elicit great happiness. We would hope this improvement is to thy liking.”

‘...I appreciate the gesture— on both counts. But it’s fine, you really don’t have to go… that far.’ Satanael scanned his brain for memes? Sure. Today was already so damn weird. This may as well happen. ‘So what’s up? What’s this important thing?’

“It concerns the God of Control.”

Ah. Hence, the trepidation.

‘...Go on.’

“T’would seem that he endeavored to enter thy dreams, with promises of counsel.” What? “We swiftly spurned his embrace, most heinous. However, twas not without… consequence. We regret thy foul dream which bloomed as a result.”

He blinked.

‘Wait… that’s why I had a nightmare? Because Yaldabaoth tried to summon me?’

“When couldst not he establish such, other avenues sought he, to taint thy mind.”

…

‘So he gave me a nightmare ‘cause you slammed the door in his face?’ Akira scoffed. ‘What a petty god.’

“Indeed. We thought prudent to relay these events.” Satanael nodded once more, “In addition…”

‘Hm?’

“Trickster,” Oh. Arsène? “Do you recall the false god’s… scrying? ”

‘...His what? ’

“The method by which he kept tabs on you. Observing your every action, as if he were always there? ”

…

Akira shot to his feet.

‘You can’t be serious!’

How could he have forgotten!? If Yaldabaoth could see everything he was doing, then—

“Be at ease, Trickster,” Satanael spoke again. “T’would seem fortune favors you.”

...What?

“Though we are not quite certain the cause…” Arsène explained, “It would seem that Monsieur Satanael’s presence is… obscuring the fiend’s vision. The false god cannot interfere with your life, Trickster. Of that, you may rest assured.”

…

‘...Wow.’ He was stunned. ‘...Thank you. Thank you both.’

“But of course! ” Arsène let out a hearty laugh. “Though, that brings us to another matter… ”

‘Another?’ When it rains, it pours, I guess.

“We simply wished to inquire as to your thoughts on the subject,” the gentleman thief supposed, “Should this… ‘Yaldabaoth’ contact you again, I would think to inform you immediately. Though, if you wish to simply ignore his correspondence, I would not disagree.”

Hm.

The thought gave him pause. It wouldn’t be wise to constantly ignore the impostor’s summons— if the Grail got suspicious, his whole plan went down the toilet. And if he could control when the God of Control reached out to him… Well, it was just another tool under his belt. Hell, with enough panache, he might even trick the false deity into a scheme or something. It was… certainly worth considering.

‘For now, just let me know when he contacts me.’ Oh. There was an idea. ‘Actually, when you do that, can you activate my Third Eye? Just in case I’m doing something important, and need to come back to it later.’

“Thou wouldst entrust us with thy vessel? ”

‘...You haven’t given me reason not to.’ He squinted. ‘Although, please keep it that way. I don’t want to come back to… Arsène sweeping Royale off her feet or something.’

“Perish the thought! ” the thief threw Akira’s own words back at him, “Though… would you truly find such an act so… disagreeable? ”

Akira sighed.

‘It’s just weird, ‘cause she’s a teammate. I don’t want to complicate things.’

“You’ve yet to say ‘no’, Trickster.”

‘Fine. Then ‘no’,’ he huffed. ‘Honestly… do you flirt with all your allies?’

“To think you’d mistake it for mere flirting! ” Arsène continued to be a facetious little sh*t, “No, my dear Trickster— I intend to court the Mademoiselle.”

…

What.

‘What.’

“Let it be known Trickster,” Satanael crossed his spiritual arms, “We doth not endorse such… impudent behavior.”

“Oh, hush you virgin.” Akira choked on air. “The heart of Madame Cendrillon — there is no greater treasure! Let a thief’s business be his own, hm? ”

“Such… folly concerns us all,” the archangel grumbled. “I am thou, thou art I.”

“He’s right, we’re all the same person.” A new voice. Was that Cybele? “And I say you go for it, dear.”

“Seconded! ” Erm, Ishtar?

“Marvelous! ” Arsène said happily, “A goddess’ blessing! And two, at that…”

Satanael sighed. “We art surrounded by utter fools…”

“I am what thou are, but thou art I.” Arsène...

“...We art starting to hate it here.” Satanael ended the conversation there.

…

His head hurt. Maybe twelve Personas was a bad idea...

…?

Ah. Shiho had begun to stir.

Doing his best not to stare, he saw the girl’s brow crinkle up… Her nose wrinkled. Her lips parted slightly as she took a deep breath in… and let it out. She rolled over a little… Then her eyes opened, just a crack.

She blinked.

Blinked again.

Blink blink.

The girl seemed to get a grasp on her surroundings, as she moved to sit up. Sadly, even that proved to be too much for her, as she slowly put a palm to her forehead and began to rub.

…

He said nothing, simply waiting for her to acknowledge his presence. Oh. Maybe he should pretend to be on his phone. Would that make it less awkward?

Discreetly slipping the thing from his pocket, he began to scroll through his texts. Nothing new. Just the conversation he’d had with Kasumi earlier, and one from the day before. Oh! He didn’t have a contact photo for her yet. He’d had one in the past, but… evidently, phone data couldn’t time travel.

“...Kurusu?”

He glanced up from his phone.

“Good morning,” he waved calmly. “How are you feeling?”

…

The girl looked aside. She squeezed the elbow beneath her brace.

“...Tired. And… confused.” Shiho squinted. “I feel like I had the strangest dream…”

“Oh?” He pocketed his phone. “What about?”

The girl shook her head. Her ponytail didn’t bounce as much as Kasumi’s.

“It was… weird,” she said, “I saw you in the hallway, and then... there was a castle, and…”

…

...

Her eyes widened.

“...Oh my god.”

Ah.

It would seem that she’d realized. Hoo boy. The moment he was looking forward to… and dreading, at the same time. He’d hoped Yuuki would be awake for this too— he didn’t mind repeating himself, it would just be nice to save the time— but it didn’t look like Shiho was about to wait.

She looked right at him with stars in her eyes.

“You’re a superhero!”

…

Huh.

“Um. Not the response I was… expecting.” He scratched the back of his head. “Is… that really the first thing you wanna’ talk about?”

“Oh, no. I’ve got tons of questions,” she pointed at him, moving to get out of bed. “And you’re going to answer them, right?”

He blinked. How assertive.

“...?”

The two were interrupted by Yuuki, starting to wake.

“...Huh? The nurse? When did I…” The boy clutched at his head. It seemed he was going through the same mental steps that Shiho—

“HUH!?”

—did. Yep. There it was.

“Kurusu!” The boy pointed excitedly. “You’re a superhero!?”

He made a face. Shiho laughed.

“That’s what I said!” The girl finally stood. “I can’t believe I asked you what you did for fun and you said you liked reading! ” She huffed with a smile. “I… guess I can see why you lied though.”

He squinted. “It wasn’t a lie. I do like reading.”

“It’s a lie by omission!” she caught herself. “Wait, that’s not the point. You’re a superhero!”

He winced.

“I’m… really not.” He crossed his legs. “Anyway, that aside. I assume you both have… questions.”

The two shared a look. Then looked back to him.

Yuuki spoke first.

“Are we superheroes?”

Akira put his head in his hands.

“...You know? Depending on how this conversation goes, sure.” He relented. “Any other questions?”

They looked to each other again. Then back to him.

“What is that place? How did you find it? How did you get your powers? Did you get your powers from that place, or did your powers lead you there? Do your powers only work there, or can you use them here too? What about your partner? Who was that girl with you? What’s her name? Is she single?”

They talked over each other, back and forth. Yet somehow, they managed to say that last one in perfect sync.

He cleared his throat.

“In order: I’ll tell you later, I’ll tell you later, I’ll tell you later, sort of both, sort of both, she’s a friend, I’ll tell you later, I’ll tell you later, and…” He blinked. “...I’m pretty sure she is. But I don’t think she’s interested in dating right now.”

Not to speak for her, of course. It’s just… whenever the topic came up, she didn’t seem like she had much to say, this way or that. A-Anyway, that wasn’t the point.

“Whaaat?” Shiho’s shoulders drooped. “When’s later? I think we deserve to know that much at least.”

“And I’ll tell you,” he assented. “Just… not here. If that’s alright.”

Yuuki frowned. “...What’s wrong with here?”

“We could get interrupted,” he shrugged. “And this is pretty sensitive information. You definitely deserve to know… pretty much everything, so I’ll tell you, but…” His expression soured. “This stuff is dangerous. Even just knowing about this stuff can get you really hurt. Are you prepared to carry that… weight?”

And so, he gave them an out. If either of them wanted to bail, again, he wouldn’t blame them. This sort of thing wasn’t for the faint of heart after all— mere knowledge of the Metaverse was enough to get you an Laevateinn-shaped bullseye on your back. He shuddered at the thought.

“...If it means getting a shot at… him? I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Damn. There was Yuuki’s answer. He looked to Shiho. “And you?”

…

Her expression hardened.

“Yeah. I feel the same way.”

The two glared him down with fire in their eyes. He could almost see the hazy forms of their masks, burning bright and raring to go.

…

“Okay then.” He stood from his chair, taking a moment to observe the three-hour old imprint of his butt. What? We’ve all done it, at least once. “Come with me. We’ll grab dinner somewhere and talk about it.”

The two nodded, standing to follow him as he left. They couldn’t see it with his back to them, but… he couldn’t keep that little smile off his face. Ah, well. A little excitement never hurt anyone, childish as it was.

“Good evening, what a surprise! For how many?”

The friendly man behind the counter greeted them with a smile and a slogan, as they entered Shibuya Central Street’s family restaurant, Bikkuri Boy. Ah, the nostalgia. Akira’d been planning to come here soon— the renovations started in a few days, and would last about a month! So now was as good a time as any. Lucky for him, the two athletes seemed pretty enthusiastic about the idea.

“Just three,” he held up three fingers. Oh, there was something between them, too. He slid the thousand yen note across the counter. “And, can we get a booth near the back? We’re going to be studying a bit, so…”

The man blinked. Then discreetly slipped the bill off the counter and into his pocket.

“Of course. If you’d follow me, dear customers.”

Ah, Japanese restaurant manner didn’t really translate well. But the man did as he’d hoped, leading them to a booth in the back corner of the restaurant, away from both the kitchen and the restrooms. Most of the customers were toward the front, and there was no one in earshot. Plus, his time around Iwai let him know that this place wasn’t bugged.

You could never be too careful though. As soon as the server had left them to their menus, Akira took a peek behind the napkin dispenser. Then pretended to drop one, and used the chance to peek under the table. Nothing. Looks like they were good to go.

“Order whatever you’d like,” he said with an easy smile. “It’s on me.”

“R-Really?” Yuuki looked up from the menu. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he grinned. “You should try the fancy fruit juice. Think you’ve earned it, after today.”

The boy’s face and eyes brightened, as he flipped to the drinks section. Ahh. Making a positive difference in the world.

As it was, he sat alone on his end of the booth with his back to the corner, giving him a nice open view of the whole building. Shiho and Yuuki sat opposite him, neither too close together nor too far apart. Oh. Shiho looked like she was having trouble deciding.

“You too,” he nodded to her, “Go wild. We can go next door and pick up some crêpes afterward, if you’d like.”

“That’s awfully nice of you,” Shiho narrowed her eyes, playfully. “What are you scheming, Kurusu? Trying to buy our silence with food?”

“Perish the thought!” He said, putting his hands up again. “...Why, is it working?”

“No,” she simply shook her head, “I might take you up on the offer though.”

“Drat.” He snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue. “So close.”

“Yet so far.” She finished the thought, laying down the menu. “Now. Are you going to tell us what we want to know?”

“Yes, yes,” he closed up his own, having made up his mind long ago. “We should at least order first, though.”

She shrugged and hit the call button. Yuuki looked at her, bewildered. “H-Hey! I haven’t chosen my drink yet!”

“Watermelon’s the best one,” Akira grinned. “Though I prefer mango myself.”

Shiho nodded sagely. “Truly the king of all fruits.”

Yuuki frowned. “Isn’t that durian?”

She looked offended. “In what universe? ”

“Actually, I’m with Mishima on that one.” Akira stroked his chin. “It might not smell… appetizing, but it’s pretty good. You’ve never had a Durian Au Lait? They have some in the vending machine outside.”

“Obviously I haven’t!” she scoffed, “You can’t just mix fruit and milk and call it a day!”

Yuuki glanced aside. “Someone’s never had strawberry milk…”

“Damn straight!”

Akira laughed. “Wouldn’t have taken you for a... fruit purist, Suzui.”

Shiho opened her mouth to retort, when the waitress showed up with a notepad. “What a surprise! Thank you for dining with us this evening.” She pulled a pen from her apron. “What can I get started for you?”

The two looked to Akira. He shrugged and nodded to them. Just like the battle this afternoon, Yuuki took the first move.

“I’ll have the Chicken Katsu Namban Taru Don, and a… Watermelon juice.” He said, after a bit of deliberation. “...and some crab cream croquettes too.”

“Okay!” she’d written it down quickly, “And for you, miss?”

Shiho looked back at her menu. “Can I get the… Teriyaki Salmon Cha-han? And some water.”

“Of course!” the waitress jot (jotted? jotten? jote?) it down, and turned to him. “And you, sir?”

“Oh!” He pretended to have been thinking about something else, so it didn’t look like he’d been impatient. “Can I get the Kaki-age Don, with some Agedashi Tofu? Extra katsuoboshi if you can.”

She smiled. “Got it. So I have the Chicken Katsu Namban Taru Don, a Teriyaki Salmon Cha-han, a Kaki-age Don, crab cream croquettes, an Agedashi Tofu with extra bonito...” she somehow said it all without biting her tongue, “...and a watermelon juice. Anything else?”

Akira blinked.

“Oh! Can I get a durian juice, for my friend here?”

Shiho jolted. “H-Hey—! ”

“One durian juice…” the waitress nodded. “Okay! I’ll have those out for you soon.” And walked off, leaving them to their devices.

Shiho glared sharply at him.

“Just take a sip,” he shrugged. “If you don’t like it, I’ll drink the rest.”

Her glare dulled a bit. Not by much though.

“If I hate it, I’m spitting it out.”

“Fine by me.” He said with a grin. “Just don’t get it on Mishima.”

The boy blinked, then scoot away from her. Shiho just looked indignant. “Keep this up and maybe I’ll spit on you , Kurusu.”

He smiled innocently. “Promise?”

She kicked him in the shin. He just laughed it off.

“So!” he clapped his hands together. “This is as good a place as any to tell you what’s up. That said, it’s still a public place, so I recommend keeping your voices down.” Though he doubted he’d have to worry about that. Anything below ‘For real!? ’ levels was fine.

The two nodded in sync. And so…

…

Here we go.

“Before we get started, I should properly introduce myself.” He performed the bow of the gentleman thief. “My name is Akira Kurusu. I’m the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.”

“Phantom… Thieves?” Yuuki mumbled. “What are those?”

“The Phantom Thieves are outlaws on the side of justice,” he nodded firmly. “Or at least, that’s what we’d like to think. We’re a group that uses the Metaverse to steal away the distorted desires of the wicked, forcing the corrupt to grow conscience, and confess their misdeeds.”

“...I see,” Shiho had a thoughtful look. “You mentioned… stealing hearts, back in the castle.”

“That’s right,” he confirmed once more. “By stealing someone’s heart, they lose what made them foul in the first place. Buried under the weight of their sins, they have no choice but to confess their crimes. It’s very effective, especially at punishing people in power— ones who answer to no authority but themselves.”

“Wow…” Yuuki’s eyes sparkled. “With that power, you could take down real villains! Like crime bosses, or crooked politicians!”

“That and more,” Akira grinned at the thought of Shido, grovelling before them. “As Phantom Thieves, we use the Metaverse for two reasons. Firstly, we aim to help those in need, who struggle to help themselves.” He put up his index finger, as he listed them. “This sort of thing is typically the product of— like I mentioned— people in power, who abuse their power, thinking they’ll never be punished. They’re wrong. People like us, we live to take them down. And no matter how powerful you are, if it takes place in another world? You’ll never see it coming.” Hey look, he said the thing. “No one to catch us, and there’s one less asshole in the world. It’s the perfect crime.”

“Amazing…” Yuuki blinked. “And… what’s the other reason?”

“This one’s… a bit more broad,” he admitted. “But by doing that first part, we accomplish two things. One, the deposition of the corrupt puts the fear of god in people like them. It makes assholes think twice about abusing their power, knowing that someone out there could do something about it.” He shrugged. “And it’s only natural. Like I said, people like that… they got as far as they did, and did as much as they did, because they wrote the rulebook. They stacked the deck. Rigged the game. They made it so nobody could ever reach them just by playing fair. So? We don’t. Simple as that.”

Shiho gaped a bit. “...That’s… wow.”

Akira grinned again. “The second thing? We hope our actions inspire others. The strength to overcome your problems… It varies from person to person.” He recalled his thoughts from earlier. “But we’d like to think we’re helping people, even when we’re not directly helping them. If that makes sense.”

“I can see why they’d feel that way…” Yuuki swallowed. “Phantom Thieves… of justice. Wow, Kurusu. That’s really something.”

Akira nodded his thanks, before glancing up. Across the diner, the waitress from before had stepped out of the kitchen with their drinks and some of their food.

“Thanks man,” he said gratefully, “Looks like our food’s on the way, so I’m gonna’ wait until the waitress leaves before I start talking about this stuff again.”

It was… straightforward, but the two seemed to understand. The woman set down the two juices, his tofu, and Mishima’s croquettes. As she left, they both offered one of each to Shiho.

“I’m fine, thank you,” she said, warily eyeing the durian juice. “Do I really have to do this?”

“You could at least try it,” Akira slid the drink across the table. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, though.”

She gave the glass a staring contest. The winner was unclear.

But with a sigh, she took a sip with the straw.

…

She smacked her lips a few times.

“...It’s not bad.”

“See?” Yuuki tapped her elbow with his. “What’d we tell you?”

“Oh, save it, fruit-milk boy.” She smiled through the straw as she sipped again. “I’m keeping this, by the way.”

“By all means,” Akira laughed. “Now, before I go on, was there anything in particular you wanted to know?”

“Ooh!” Yuuki raised his hand like he was in class. “Tell us about Personas!”

“Fine by me.” Now without a drink, he reached for one of the upside-down teacups on the side of the table. “Within the Metaverse live beings called Shadows. As the Metaverse is a physical manifestation of people’s minds, Shadows are the part of people’s minds that they subconsciously suppress. Some might call them a person’s ‘dark side’... though that’s not always the case.”

He pulled out the matcha container from the table’s little basket of condiments. “Everyone has a face they show to others. How’s that phrase go? ‘There exists within mankind three faces. One they show to others, one they show their loved ones, and one just for themselves.’ Something like that.” He opened the jar, fishing out the little spoon. “And for the most part, that’s true. A Shadow is a physical reflection of someone’s soul. And because they exist within human cognition, Shadows tend to take the form of famous creatures or people from folklore, as those types of stories are really prevalent— lots of people know them.”

He dropped two spoons of powder into his teacup, then put the spoon back in the jar. “The power you’ve just awakened to is the power of Persona— the acknowledgement, understanding, and taming of one’s own Shadow. Wielding the power of a Shadow ourselves gives us the ability to fight other Shadows in the Metaverse.”

“So, La Maupin is… my Shadow?” Shiho murmured, “...Hey, Kurusu. Does the identity of a Persona… mean anything?”

Akira scrunched up his brow. “Uhh… it depends on what you mean.”

The girl’s cheeks flushed a bit. “I… I just wanted to know, if…” Shiho shook her head. “I’ve only ever heard of La Maupin in… passing, before. So…”

“Oh yeah!” Yuuki piped up, halfway through his croquettes. “I’ve heard of my Persona too! Lady Death! ” He said the name with gravitas. “She was so cool! She’s one of the most skilled snipers in history!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Akira grinned, “And, to answer your question Shiho? Yes and no.” He put his teacup under the table’s hot-water spigot and let it fill. “A Persona… or a Shadow will take the form of whatever… famous person, beast, or being that it… identifies most with? If that makes sense?” He pulled the cup away once water neared the top. “Basically, you don’t need to have heard of it before. Your soul will… reach into the thoughts of mankind and pull out whatever fits best.”

Yuuki nodded approvingly. “Zeitgeist-assigned kin, huh? Interesting.”

…

“Oh, ignore me.” The boy sipped his fruit juice. “You were saying?”

“... Anyway.” The sooner they moved on, the better. “The power you’ve awakened to today is just that— the power of Persona. With the strength of your other self, you can traverse the other world safely. Oh. And just as your Persona takes the form of someone you admire, your outfit in the Metaverse takes the form of… what you, deep down, think a ‘rebel’ looks like.”

“A rebel, huh…?” Shiho’s hand gravitated toward her stomach. “So… my idea of a rebel is… some Victorian-era fencer?”

“With a belly button window.” He took another foot to the shin. “Some people’s outfits are related to their Personas, others’ aren’t. For both of you, it looks like you lucked out with the coordination. Go you.”

He blew on his tea, still piping hot. “Any other questions?”

“Yeah,” Shiho spoke up again. “Why were you… in that man’s Palace?”

…

...He should handle this with care.

“... That man,” he followed her lead, not mentioning the name. “...is a terrible person, doing unspeakable things. If that wasn’t enough, he fits the bill— someone who the authorities won’t touch. So…”

He trailed off. The table was silent.

…

“...What you said about… changing hearts…” Yuuki started. “You’re going to… make him confess his crimes?”

“That’s right.” Akira nodded slowly. “Someone like him… needs to be stopped. I want to do everything I can to make sure he rots in prison.”

“He f*cking better…” Shiho growled. “I won’t settle for anything less.”

Akira regarded her, softly. “...Shiho?”

…

She looked him in the eye.

“Hey, Kurusu.” No hesitation. “How do you steal a treasure?”

Ah. Palace infiltration.

“...Well, first, we use the Metaverse Navigator app on our phones to locate a Palace.” He took out his phone and held it out. “To find one, we need the name of the Palace ruler, the place they think of as their Palace, and the distortion— what that place is to them, in their twisted heart.” He took a sip of his tea. Still a bit hot. “In the case of… that man, his Palace is the school, and he thinks of it as his castle.”

“Right,” Yuuki remembered that much. “So… how do you start?”

“After we find an entrance? We head right in. Sneakily, of course.” He checked the door to the kitchen again. No waitress. There was still time, then. “We infiltrate, with the acquisition of a map as our first priority. Information is power, and all that.” He idly drummed his fingers on the table. “Once we do that, we make our way through the Palace, typically fighting as little as necessary until we find the Treasure Room. When that happens, and we’ve secured our route, we typically go back and… get into some fights.”

Shiho blinked. “...Why do that? If you found the Treasure, why not just take it and run?”

“Uhh…” he had to double-back. “Firstly, before taking a Treasure, we… typically have to fight the Palace ruler. It’s not a requirement, but it’s just how it ends up going, most of the time.” His brow crinkled. “So fighting enemies, without the treasure route weighing our minds, is good training for that. As for taking the treasure, there’s an extra step to that…”

Yuuki sipped his juice. “...And that is?”

“A calling card.” Akira grinned. “The mark of a thief. In the real world, we inform the Palace ruler of our intent to steal their distorted desires. Anonymously, of course. This causes the Treasure in the Palace to physically manifest into something we can steal.”

“Wow! So retro…” the boy hummed. “Oh! Um, how many times have you done this?”

Akira winced.

“That’s… a complicated question,” he sighed. “Around forty, I’d say. You won’t find any record of it though…” He looked aside. “As to why, I… can’t say just yet.”

“Huh?” Shiho leaned forward. “You’re still holding out on us?”

He flinched.

“Uh, it’s not so much that …” Akira checked again for the waitress. Still nothing. Good. “Look, I told you what I did because you deserved to know. And… I wouldn’t mind… telling you about the rest. But…”

Yuuki frowned. “...But what?”

“...Like I said earlier, it’s… dangerous.” He shook his head. “The Phantom Thieves pick fights with very powerful people. Even just knowing about the Metaverse can get you into trouble, so…”

Shiho’s eyes narrowed. “With who?”

“...I can’t say that, either.” He wouldn’t budge. “If I were to tell you, then… you’d be on the hook for… a lot. There’d be no turning back. You can’t unlearn something, after all.” As far as he knew, at least. “So… as you are now, that’s all I can tell you.”

“As we are now…” Shiho twirled the straw in her now empty drink. “So… if we wanted to know. What would we have to do?”

He fixed her with a look. “Again, let me remind you how dangerous this is. Like Mishima said, we go after crime bosses and politicians…”

And he wanted to leave it at that. But she wasn’t convinced. “You didn’t answer my question.”

…

He sighed.

“If you… joined my group, I’d have no reason to hide it from you. But!” He said quickly, seeing her face brighten. “Again. I cannot stress this enough. We are quite literally picking fights with the world’s most powerful people. And while it’s a fantastic tool, the Metaverse does not makes us invincible. We’re fighting for our lives, constantly. That castle we were just in? That’s on the lower end of the power spectrum. I’ve fought things ten times more powerful than that— Shadows the size of skyscrapers.”

Yuuki’s jaw dropped. “No way…”

“It’s true,” he nodded. “And so, there’s no way I’m telling you that stuff. At least not now.”

“Even though I want to join you?”

Such was her bold declaration. Even Yuuki looked stunned.

Akira smiled. “I can’t accept that answer from you. Not yet.” He finished his tea. “I appreciate the enthusiasm though.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You’re taking a shot at that bastard, right?” She glared. “I’m coming with you, like it or not.”

“And I’d be glad to accept your help.” He put his hands up. “Tell you what. We’ll kick that crap out of that asshole, then I’ll consider it. Think of it as… a trial run. Because it won’t be easy.”

“Gladly,” she grinned. “I’m gonna’ tear him to shreds.”

Ah.

“One thing though, about a change of heart?” This was important. “While regular Shadows are fine... A Palace ruler, or a Shadow still tethered to its host? We don’t kill those.” He recalled the gruesome sight of President Okumura. “Everyone needs desires to live. The want to eat, drink, or sleep, for instance, are essential to survival. So if a Treasure, or the Shadow is destroyed, then… there’s the possibility that person might die.”

Shiho glared. “...”

“...And as much as he deserves to suffer,” Akira read her thoughts, “Scum like that isn’t worth becoming a killer over. You’re better than him.”

“...”

The table was quiet. Yuuki too, looked like he was deep in thought.

“...We’re still going to beat the sh*t out of him,” Shiho muttered. “Right?”

“With extreme prejudice.”

She grinned.

“Be sure to hold me back once we get there,” she said easily. “With all this new power, I might not know my own strength.”

Yuuki shrugged. “I might trip and fall and shoot him where it hurts. Because I’m just so clumsy.”

“Hey.” Akira glared. “I’m being serious here. Get all the catharsis you want— I won’t stop you.” He looked them in the eye. “But if you kill him, we’re going to have a serious problem. Don’t make me your enemy, okay?”

…

The two had the decency to look sheepish.

“S-Sorry…” Yuuki was first. “It’s just… it feels so good . Knowing we can finally… do something about him.”

“I’m sorry too…” Shiho looked aside. “I feel the same way. I just…” Her face darkened. “I want to make him pay. I want him to suffer.”

“And you can. And you will,” he assured. “Trust me, there are fates worse than death. He deserves no better.”

That seemed to satisfy them. The three collectively took a moment to breathe.

…

“I would… like to join you,” Shiho looked back at him, “...if the offer’s still on the table.”

“Me too.” Yuuki nodded firmly. “Even if it’s temporary, I’d never pass this up!”

…

“I’ll accept on two conditions,” Akira said after a while. “One, no killing. I know we just established that, but I can’t stress it enough.” The two nodded at that. “And two, I want to make clear that this is a trial period. This is a temporary alliance for… that man’s Palace. Up until we change his heart, and he confesses? If you want to back out at any time, you can.”

“Seriously?” Shiho huffed, “I already promised myself I’d do this. I’m not gonna’ run away now.”

“We just got the power-up of a lifetime,” Yuuki grinned. “And I know just where to plant my combat boots.”

…

“So long as you understand.” Akira extended a hand across the table. They shook it, one at a time.

“Shiho Suzui? Yuuki Mishima?” He looked between the two with a smile, “Welcome to the Phantom Thieves.”

And they smiled right back.

Shiho Suzui has chosen to walk with you on your journey.

Your World Confidant has reached Rank 3!

Yuuki Mishima has chosen to walk with you on your journey.

Your World Confidant has reached Rank 4!

Ooh, a double rank-up! He hadn’t seen one of those since… Was it Goro? Eh, who cares. It was awesome, and that’s what mattered.

… !

A buzz and a ring led his eyes to the phone.

“I’m here, Senpai! You said you were sitting in the back, right? ”

Oh! Kasumi’d finally made it. It was around nine o’ clock— she must’ve headed straight here from Kichijoji.

“Perfect timing! My teammate’s here.” He moved to stand up. “I’m gonna’ pick her up and walk her over. Watch my stuff?”

“Huh?” Shiho blinked. “Oh, yeah. Of course.”

So he pat the table and got up to get her. Yuuki nodded to him as he went, finishing up his last croquette.

He weaved through the empty walkways, making sure to stand aside for the occasional waiter, and a mother walking with her child. The little boy pointed at his funny plaid pants as he passed, putting a dopey smile on his face.

“Oh! There you are, Senpai!”

Kasumi tucked her phone away into her skirt pocket. Huh. Did the Shujin uniform have those? Good for them.

“Glad to see you made it,” he nodded to her as she approached. “How was practice?”

“Great!” she nodded back. “Coach Hiraguchi complimented me on my form! It’s been a while since she’s done that.” Akira began to lead her toward their table. “But enough about me— how are you? Or, um… how are they? ”

He grinned, seeing the tops of their heads over the booth seats. “They’re doing well. They’ve… actually just decided to join us. For this Palace, at the very least.”

Kasumi’s face brightened. “Wow! That’s great news!” She looked to the two, as they got closer and closer. “And… how much have you told them?”

“Just basic Metaverse things,” he assured. “Although… they wanted to join full time. So I told them they’re on probation, for the time being.”

She smiled a little at the irony, as they finally arrived. The volleyball duo looked up, recognition flashing in their eyes at her familiar auburn hair.

“Shiho, Yuuki, this is my partner, Kasumi Yoshizawa.” The girl bowed as he introduced her. “She’ll be your Senpai for the foreseeable future.”

“H-Hey!” she rose from her bow with a pout. “This again…?”

It didn’t matter to Shiho, as she put out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Yoshizawa-senpai.”

His junior took it, tepidly. “It’s nice to meet you too, Suzui-senpai. Although, I’m... really not your Senpai at all. I’m your Kohai, actually.”

“W-Wait!” Yuuki froze. “You’re… you’re that Yoshizawa, aren’t you?” He pointed, unconsciously. “The first-year honor student?”

“That’s her,” Akira gestured she sit down, which she did. “One of the hardest workers I know. She’ll be your senior in the Metaverse, so make sure you listen to her.”

Yuuki nodded eagerly. “R-Roger that! Pleasure to work with you, Yoshizawa-senpai.”

Kasumi frowned. “...If I’m charge, then my first ‘order’ is not to call me that.”

“She’s right,” Akira nodded sagely. “Make sure to call her Royale-senpai, okay?”

She looked at him incredulously. “S-Senpai…”

“I’m team leader, and that’s my ruling.” He laughed to himself, taking the seat beside her. “Seriously though. Once we enter the Metaverse, there’s no need for formality. No matter who you are out here— in there, you’re one of us. Simple as that.”

Shiho nodded agreeably. “That sounds good to me.”

“Me too!” Yuuki said, “But… I noticed you called her… Royale, was it? And back then, she called you something else too.”

“Good observation,” he agreed, seeing Kasumi drop out of the conversation to look through the menu, “It’s another one of those Metaverse safeguards. Shouting your real name inside someone else’s mind is… probably a bad idea. So as Phantom Thieves, we use codenames.” He pointed to her. “She’s Royale, and I’m Joker.”

She gave a little wave as he did, then looked to him. “Oh, did you order already?”

“Ah, yeah.” Akira nodded. “So just go ahead, it’s my treat. Sorry we couldn’t wait up.”

“It’s alright,” she assured, pressing the call button, “And thank you, for the generosity.”

“It’s official thief business,” he shrugged, eating his tofu. Ah, it was perfect. “Besides, you worked really hard today. Eat as much as you like.”

“...If you insist…” she had a playful little smile as the waitress approached. And when she was asked what she’d like to order, “Can I get some Edamame to start, and the Ebi Taru Salad? Then the Unagi Kabayaki, the Wafu Oroshi Chicken Katsu… and a Takoyaki set.”

The… waitress stopped short at least twice, thinking her order was complete.

“O-Okay…” she started. “So I have the Wafu Oroshi Chicken Katsu, the Unagi Kabayaki…” she gulped. “The Ebi Taru Salad, the Edamame, and… the Takoyaki.” She looked to Kasumi. “Will that… be all?”

“...Oh! I should order a drink too…” she quickly flipped through the pages. “Um… just a water with lemon is fine.”

“...Y-Yes, of course.” The waitress bowed. “I’ll be right back with your order.”

She turned and walked away. Kasumi looked to the rest of the group, ever chipper. “So, you’ll be joining us on our infiltration, then?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right…” Shiho was the first to recover. “So… when are we going to start?”

“If everything goes right?” He crossed his arms. “I’d like to get going as soon as tomorrow. We have… a time limit, after all.”

That was news to Yuuki. “We do? Why? And how long do we have?”

Akira made a face.

“I was hoping to get this done by Monday, at the very latest,” He offered the last piece of his tofu to Kasumi, who politely declined. Oh well, more for him. Delicious! “And… that’s right.” He finished it, before he spoke next. It was important after all. “There’s something else…”

He leaned in, face grave. His teammates did the same.

“I… I don’t know what you were planning for the next few days,” he said seriously. “But I think it’s best that you skip volleyball practice, until this is over. And…” He looked to Shiho. “This is gonna’ sound weird, but… do you think you can get Takamaki to ditch school for a couple of days?”

Shiho’s face darkened.

“...Why? ”

…

His face twisted.

“Our target…” he glared off into space. “...is a piece of sh*t. I just don’t want to take any chances.”

That was enough for her. She nodded, just as revolted. “I’ll call her tonight.”

“Good. Thank you.” He sighed in relief. “We’ll meet tomorrow by the main gate, as soon as classes end. Don’t forget, okay?”

A set of nods all around. Oh. One more thing.

“Here, I should get your numbers too.” Akira lay his phone down and slid it across the table, “Just in case I need to contact you.”

“Good idea!” Yuuki nodded, doing the same. Everyone else seemed to follow their lead, swapping phones and numbers ‘til they were all squared away.

“Alright then,” Akira nodded. “And with that, I think that’s it. Let me know if you have any other questions, you two.”

Yuuki and Shiho seemed to turn that over in their heads for a while before Kasumi spoke up.

“Okay!” she clapped her hands together. “In the meantime, I’m going to wash up before our food arrives.” Akira let her out of the booth as she stood. She gently reached and touched his shoulder as she passed. “Please excuse me.”

“See you in a bit,” he smiled after her as she went. He watched her walk ‘round the corner and out of sight.

…

… !

When he turned back, Shiho was staring at him with the widest grin.

He squinted. “...Can I help you?”

“No, it’s nothing.” She swirled the straw of her drink, smile plastered on. “So… Kasumi-san is single, you said? She’s not seeing anyone?”

He squinted further. “...Yeah. Why do you ask?”

She smiled.

“You like her, don’t you?”

He paled.

“What? No!! I mean. I do. I mean!” he waved his hands wildly, “I like her, yeah. But as a friend! Just a friend! Not in... that way.”

She only smiled wider.

“Really? Are you sure? ” Shiho tilted her head, innocently. “With the way you look at her…?” She trailed off. “I haven’t known you too long, but I’d recognize that smile anywhere.”

“Th-That’s just because… she’s my partner!” He stumbled, seeing her smile grow. “Uh— not in that way! She’s like…” He struggled to find the words. “She’s my teammate! My partner in… crime.”

“Partner in crime?!” Shiho squeaked, “Oh my god, that’s so cute. Did you come up with that?”

“What? How’s that cute?!” he leaned forward, “That’s—! That’s literally what we are!”

“Riiiight,” she pretended to check her nails, smile still wide. “So if… Kasumi ever called someone else her ‘partner in crime’...” She glanced at him. “...You’d be okay with that?”

…?

He tried to reply immediately. But something in his stomach did a flip. Ugh. He must’ve eaten too fast.

“It wouldn’t… be any of my business.” Akira shrunk into the collar of his turtleneck. “So… I guess… not.”

The girl simply shook her head.

“That thing you’re feeling right now?” she twirled her finger at him. “Jealousy.”

“What?” he grumbled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you like her, stupid!” Shiho looked to Yuuki. “C’mon, back me up here.”

“Wh-Wha? Me? ” the boy pointed at himself. “You’re the ‘matchmaker’— how should I know!?”

“Come onnn, you’ve seen movies,” she ribbed him, “The way he talks to her, how he looks at her? You saw him watch her go!” She listed off on her fingers. “The dreamy breath out? The twinkle in his eye? The smile? Face it, he’s textbook lovestruck!”

Yuuki thought it over for a while and frowned.

“But Suzui, you and Takamaki do that all the ti— Ow!? ”

“That’s different,” she pulled back her elbow, before pointing at Akira. “There’s no point denying it, Kurusu! I saw your pupils dilate!”

“You—? My what!? ” he put his hands up to his eyes. “You’re like, three feet away! You can’t see my pupils from there!”

“I can and I did!” she crossed her arms, triumphantly, “So just admit it, Kurusu— admit that you’re in love!”

“L-Love!? ” his eyes were wide. “Aren’t you missing a few steps?!”

“It’s like I said, Trickster,” Arsène chuckled, “You two are quite compatible.”

‘You stay out of this!’

He… glanced up at Shiho, still fired up. Yuuki had his hand on his ribs, nursing the spot where he got jabbed. Kasumi… had yet to return.

“Look…” he sighed. “Even if I did like her…” He held a finger up before she went off again. “I… don’t think I’d do anything about it. She’s… I don’t think a relationship would be a good idea, right now.”

…

Realization started to dawn on Yuuki’s face. Shiho looked… really ashamed.

“Oh…” Yuuki winced. “That’s right… she just…”

“Yeah.” Akira squeezed the fabric of his pants. “So… she needs space. And… friends, I think.”

“...We can help her with that,” Shiho said softly. “I’m… sorry for being insensitive.”

“It’s fine…” he assured. “Don’t worry about it.”

…

“Okay. I’ll lay off for now.” Her gaze fell. “ But this conversation isn’t over.”

“H-Huh?”

She looked right at him. “You clearly care about her. Even if it’s ‘not in that way’, like you said.” Shiho huffed to herself. “It’s good that you’re conscious of how she feels, but when it comes time to show you care? You better not hold back.”

His brow furrowed. “And… what does that mean?”

“It’s like I said earlier,” she shook her head, “You’re the kind of guy who isn’t honest with his feelings. So when she needs you, you’d better be there for her.”

Akira scoffed. “Of course I will! I don’t need you to tell me that.” He crossed his arms. “Besides, I doubt it’ll be anything like… you’re imagining.”

“Who knows?” Shiho shrugged hopelessly. “A woman’s heart is a fickle thing. Take the hint, when the time comes.”

Yuuki squinted. “You sound like an old man, Suzui.”

“...Mishima-kun, you don’t have a lot of luck with the ladies, do you?”

Ooh, right for the throat. Yuuki simply crossed his arms and huffed. “I do! I mean, I just haven’t… found the right girl yet.”

...What an unexpectedly wholesome response. Even Shiho nodded approvingly. “Fair enough. Carry on.”

“Wh—!?” Akira gaped, “He just insulted you to your face; why does he get a pass!?”

“Because you’re in denial. At least, more than he is.” Damn, this girl was vicious. “And no, I’m not letting this go.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the waitress, who walked up with all their food on a tray. All but Kasumi’s, at least. The woman doled out the dishes and set his Kaki-age down in front of him.

“Here you go!” she smiled, “Your girlfriend’s will be right out.”

Akira slammed his face into the table, as the two burst out laughing.

“Are you alright, Senpai? You’ve barely touched your food.”

So said Kasumi when she came back from the bathroom. Akira merely rolled his still-on-the-table head to face her.

“I’m fine,” he reported, voice breaking a little. “Just… a bit of a headache.”

“That’s not good!” she gasped, “It might be the heat from the tea… Here! Would you like some of my water?”

His brow crinkled, hearing Shiho giggle from across the table. “N-No, it’s… really okay. Thank you though.”

“...If you say so,” she pouted, taking another bite of her salad. “Will you be okay for tomorrow? You’ve been through a lot, the past few days. We can always take a break!”

“I should be fine,” he sighed, sitting up. “Sorry to worry you. Just a lot on my mind.”

Kasumi seemed to accept that, as she nodded happily. “Okay. Well, let me know if you need someone to talk to. I’m always happy to help.”

His brow only furrowed further, seeing Shiho grin from ear to ear.

“Yeah…” Akira sighed once more. “I may take you up on that…”

He split his chopsticks and mumbled a quick thanks before digging in.

The group had been at the diner for nearly an hour now— Kasumi had only arrived twenty minutes ago. They’d had about ten minutes with their food, and as their plates neared empty, everyone’s appetites started winding down.

Well, mostly everyone.

He watched in reverent silence as Kasumi picked apart her meal like a pro. Two bites of the eel, a spoonful of the cha-han, a single strip of katsu, and an edamame palate cleanser. Sometimes, she’d switch it up— starting with the cutlet, finishing with the eel. And every now and then, she’d swap the soybeans for her salad. But the rice was always in the middle, and she never once let down her pace. The takoyaki was long gone. Slowly, the mountain of food had dwindled to hills, then mounds, until finally…

“That was delicious!”

She did a little victory stretch, smile on her face. Looking to his new companions, it seemed that neither Shiho nor Yuuki had the guts to comment.

“I’m glad,” he nodded between bites. “If you’re still hungry, feel free to get more.”

“R-Really?” She pat her slim stomach. “Well, if you’re offering…” She blinked and shook her head. “Actually… never mind. I can almost hear Coach scolding me…”

“Fair enough,” he shrugged. “You are burning the candle at both ends though, going to practice after the Metaverse. Let me know if you need a break.”

She smiled. “Thank you Senpai, but I’m fine.” Oh. Her hand brushed his, on the booth seat. “Sorry to worry you.” Oh! Now she was holding it.

…

Um.

Huh.

…

‘Damn it Shiho,’ he grumbled, ‘Don’t put these thoughts in my head.’

Regardless, he turned his palm upwards, taking her hand in his. She smiled a little, still staring straight ahead. Their two new members didn’t seem to notice, Shiho focused on finishing her plate as Yuuki downed the rest of his refill.

Hm. Somehow, knowing they hadn’t been caught… It made his heart beat in a weird way.

“...”

‘...Shut up.’

“I didn’t say anything.”

‘I can feel you smiling, damn it.’

Eventually though, everyone had finished, and conversation picked back up. It started simple, with Shiho asking about gymnastics. Then Kasumi asked about volleyball, and they talked about that . Then Yuuki asked him whether he did any sports and he had to say no, unless they counted combat. Apparently, they didn’t, so he mentioned that he’d started going to the gym with Kasumi. And then that led to…

“So, how did you two meet, anyway?”

...a difficult question.

“We met about a year ago, on the train,” Kasumi said, “He helped me out, so I thanked him… then I started seeing him a lot, and we got to talking.” She gently squeezed his hand. “He’s helped me so much since then… I really owe him a lot.”

“Th-That’s a bit much, I think…” he laughed a little. “We help each other, if anything. She’s done so much for me too. I don’t know what I’d do without… her...”

Ahh, he got away from himself. Curious, he glanced at Shiho. Yep. She was smiling again. Great.

“...Anyway,” he stopped before she started. “It’s getting a bit late. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Agh, you’re right…” Yuuki yawned, “...So we’re meeting at the school gate, after school?”

“That’s right,” Akira nodded. “Oh, and be sure to eat during lunch. No going into the Metaverse on an empty stomach.”

“Yes!” Kasumi agreed. “That’s really important. Just as important as stretching.”

He rolled his eyes, jokingly. “This again?”

She playfully ignored his whining, as she leaned in. “Did you know he never stretches before an infiltration? And he’s been doing this for over a year? ”

“...Are you serious? ” Yuuki looked betrayed. “Kurusu, I thought you were a professional!”

“A professional thief, not an athlete!” Akira grumbled. “Oh, great. I’m the only normal person on a team of jocks.”

“You should be grateful,” Shiho crossed her arms with a grin, “That just means we’re capable.”

“We’ll catch you when you fall,” Yuuki smirked, “Or when you pull a muscle. Whichever comes first.”

Akira groaned, letting his head hit the back of the booth seat.

“Oh, there’s one more thing.”

He spoke up when they left the restaurant. Nightlife in Shibuya was a time like no other, but there was still work to be done.

“Just before we leave, I wanna’ stop by somewhere.” He pointed ‘round the corner. “There’s an airsoft shop in that alley. We’ll be working tomorrow, so pick out something you like.”

“...Huh?” Yuuki scratched his head, “Why? They don’t sell any real guns, do they? What’s the point?”

“Cognition’s a funny thing,” was all he said. “Just take my word for it. Come on.”

That seemed to grab their attention. The three of them filed down the backstreet, as Akira opened the door to…

Untouchable.

The place was impressive as ever. Models of all kinds hung on the walls— everything from scopes to slingshots, blades to boomsticks. Seriously, this place had it all. It was hard to imagine a reason any store would carry something like threaded whips or armor for cats… and yet, he’d been proven wrong at every turn. It was the good kind of surprise, for sure.

“...You know what you want yet?”

The surly store manager, Munehisa Iwai glowered at him over a magazine.

Akira took a breath.

And let it out.

“We just got here,” he quirked a brow, “Let us look around a bit, at least.”

“Hurry it up then,” the man waved him off. “I don’t need casuals in my store. This is an enthusiast’s shop, you know.”

“We’ll make it worth your while.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m only as serious as you take me.”

…

The man lowered his reading material and leaned in.

“...Alright, punk.” He crossed his arms, folding the magazine into his armpit. “Just what is it you’re looking for?”

“A rapier and a semi-auto lever action for her,” he jammed a thumb over his shoulder at Kasumi, browsing the knives, “A hunting bow for him. A simple recurve is fine— no bells and whistles.” Yuuki was looking at the katanas on the wall. “And for her…” He glanced at Shiho, examining the model grenades. “...Do you… know what a meteor hammer is?”

…

“I’ve got something in back. Heh. Never thought it’d sell though.” Iwai stood, adjusting his cap. “If you’re an enthusiast, you could’ve just said so.”

Akira shrugged. “Actions speak louder when heard. Or something like that.”

The ex-yakuza barked out a laugh as he disappeared into the back room. Comfortable with that, Akira leaned back against the clear plastic of the counter, watching his thieves make their selections.

His thieves…

His thieves…

He smiled.

Who would have thought? Back in April, old Palace, new team… A completely new team, with a whole new roster. And yet, these little pre-heist jitters felt the same as ever. Nostalgic in a new way.

“Senpai?” Kasumi asked, looking away from the daggers, “Are you buying anything?”

“I’m all set,” he wiggled his fingers with a grin. “If this place has anything better than my current gear, I’d be shocked.”

“Hah!” Iwai returned with a box and a half-scowl, “Like you’d find a better place that sells to punks like you.” He set it down on the counter with a plop. “Do you want the thing or not?”

Drawn by the commotion, Shiho walked over as Iwai pulled it from the box. “It’s just a model, like everything else here,” he stipulated, “But this is the only one I’ve got. If you want more like it, I have to custom order it.”

It was… two metallic looking spheres, linked by a chain. The difference between this and the one she had? The weapon before them bore wicked looking spikes, like some kind of medieval flail.

“...I’ll take it.” She had the smile of a schemer. “And some of those pellet bombs too.”

“The firecrackers?” Iwai adjusted the mufflers about his cap. “Sure, I’ll box them up for you. How many do you want?”

Shiho looked to Akira, who shrugged. “Don’t look at me, buy as much as you want. Wait, is that what you’re using for Gun damage?”

“There’s gunpowder in it, isn’t there?” she had her hands on her hips, “More than you can say for your stuff.”

...She had a point. Iwai’s eyes narrowed.

“...You’d better not use it to pull a prank,” he growled, “Do whatever you want with ‘em, but don’t get busted with my gear. Last thing I need is every damn pig in the district on my doorstep.”

Shiho shrugged. “We hate the cops.” Damn. Straight out, huh?

With another bark of laughter, Iwai did what he promised. A wad of bills and a paper bag later, Shiho Suzui was fully equipped for her first mission.

“This one looks good!” Mishima called across the shop. Iwai and the others made their way over, seeing the boy point at a slim, camo-patterned bow. “Do you sell arrows too?”

“They’re models, kid.” Iwai grumbled. “You couldn’t shoot that thing if you tried.”

“You don’t need arrows, Yuuki,” Akira assured. “Just like we don’t need bullets.”

“Oh… Oh! ” The boy’s eyes brightened. “Okay then! I’ll take this one.”

...Munehisa crossed his arms. “Again. Make any trouble for this store and I cut you off, got it?”

“Loud and clear,” Akira waved the man off. Iwai grumbled to himself about punks and manners, returning to his seat. Meanwhile, Kasumi was…

He walked over to her, examining a épée. “Find something you like?”

“Hm? Oh, no. Not yet,” she shook her head. “I’m still looking.”

“All good,” he fished some bills from his pocket and placed them in her palm. “Pick whatever you like. I’m gonna’ grab something to drink. Anyone want anything?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Yuuki nodded. Kasumi said the same. Shiho looked over and, “Oh! I’ll come with you.”

He blinked.

“...I’m just going to the vending machine down the street. It’s not far.”

“I know, she said, having walked over, “But I still want that crêpe, and I saw the line when we left.”

Iwai laughed again, turning a page in his magazine. “Good call, kid. Damn place always clogs up Central.”

Akira grinned. “Didn’t take you for a sweets guy.”

The man laughed harder.

“You’ve got guts, punk. If you wanna’ keep ‘em, keep your mouth shut.”

“Duly noted,” The aforementioned punk held the door open for his fellow thief. “After you?”

Shiho smiled, waving to her teammates, as she and Akira stepped out into the night.

“Here.”

He tapped the girl’s elbow with a can of soda. Shiho jumped at the cold and slapped his arm like a reflex.

“Geez, don’t scare me like that…” she sulked, seeing who it was. “I thought you were Sakamoto or something.”

Mere steps after departing the weapon shop, Shiho’d gone to wait in line at the crêpe stand, Million Sweets. She’d been right about the line. He hadn’t been gone long, grabbing his drink, but it seemed like she hadn’t moved an inch.

Akira blinked, before remembering with a fond smile. “Oh yeah. He loves to do that, doesn’t he?”

“Oh?” She tilted her head. “You know him, Kurusu-kun?”

“A-Ah…” he rubbed his neck. Or he would have, if his hands were free. “Something like that. I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

She squinted, taking the drink from him. “You sure have a lot of secrets.”

“What kind of thief would I be if I didn’t?” he smirked. “But don’t worry. I won’t keep it that way for long. For now, we need to focus on one thing.”

“Kicking Kamoshida’s ass,” she popped open the can harshly. “I can’t wait to make that bastard pay.”

A dark look in her eye, she raised the drink to her lips and took a swig.

…

Then looked at the label.

“Are you serious?”

“What?” Akira shrugged, “You said you liked it.”

“Durian juice, not durian milk,” she grumbled, handing back the Durian Au Lait. “Gimme the other one.”

“What?” he hugged the 1UP to his chest, “No way. This is a collector’s item.”

She quirked a brow. “A can of soda?”

“It’s not just a can of soda; they put promo codes on here.” He showed her the base of the can, like Futaba’d taught him. “You can get lootboxes for Innocent Sin Online.” He read it again. “Oh wait, they rebranded. It’s Devil Busters Online, now.”

“Then take a picture of the thing, so I can drink it.” She huffed. “Can’t I just give you the can when I’m done?”

He blinked. “I guess.” He swapped the two drinks at her suggestion. “Thanks.”

“Yeah…” she eyed him warily.

…

He felt her gaze on him. “What?”

“I’m trying to figure out if you’re dense…?” she regarded him curiously, “Or if you just don’t care.”

“About what?” He took a sip.

“...About indirect kisses.”

He spit all over the street. Pedestrians fled in fear. Those in line gave him a wide berth as he coughed the liquid from his lungs. Shiho smiled.

“Why… *cough * would you say that?”

She shrugged. “Thought it’d be funny.”

He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, eyes incredulous. “Was it?”

She nodded. “Very.”

He sighed.

“Honestly…” Akira swirled the can in his hand. Still about half left, though he’d spilled. “I haven’t thought about that stuff since like, the third grade.” He blinked. “Wait, you indirect kiss with Ann all the time. You shared your tamagoyaki at lunch today, remember?”

“And?” Shiho stepped forward, as the next customer got their order. “That doesn’t count. We’re both girls.”

He squinted. “So? Why does that matter?”

…

...

Shiho took a deep chug of her drink.

“...You’re a good guy, Kurusu.” She said after a while. “Thanks.”

…

...

He said nothing, jamming a hand in his pocket as he sipped from his can.

…

...

...

“If you don’t mind me asking,” his voice was quiet, “...How long have you known?”

…

...

“...A while.” She sighed. “A long while.”

…

“Does… she know?”

“Who, Ann?” Shiho shook her head and scoffed. “No. I never told her. I’ve never told anyone.”

“Nobody?” he whistled. “That’s… tough. I’m sorry.”

“...Don’t be…” she looked away. “I’m used to it.”

…

…

“Do you… wanna’ talk about it?”

“Honestly? I’m surprised I haven’t started crying yet.” Her voice was only a little shaky as she swallowed. “...I might’ve dried up the well, back in the castle.”

He could see her leg twitching beneath its brace. Her arm was squeezing her elbow so hard it turned white.

“...Sorry,” he said. “I’ll back off.”

“N-No, it’s fine. Really.”

She still wouldn’t meet his face.

...

“...You’re the only one. No one’s ever noticed before.”

He frowned.

“I…” his hand crinkled the metal of the can. “Sorry. Were you... trying to hide it?”

…

“Yes? No? I don’t know.” Shiho ground the toe of her shoe into the pavement. “As soon as I found out, I just… tried not to think about it. But it keeps… coming up.”

…

“I see.” Akira bit the inside of his cheek. “...Do you… want to be…?”

He couldn’t find the words. He’d never done this before. Shiho just laughed a bit, as they took another step forward.

“I don’t think it matters,” she admitted. “I’ve accepted it. I know that it’s true, and I… I want to be happy.”

…

He could see on her face, the way her heart twisted.

“...If it helps,” the can was empty now. “She… really cares about you. Even I can see that.”

And he knew it, better than he’d admit. The Phantom Thieves existed because of Shiho Suzui. Ann lived and breathed and fought and bled for her dream— she did all that and more because she knew Shiho was watching. Shiho was her everything. Shiho was her world.

…

“...Thanks.”

She took the last sip of her drink and finished it.

…

…

“Hey, Kurusu?”

He looked up. “...Yeah?”

She was a bit pale now. He could see her shake, just a bit.

…

“...Can I… talk about this stuff, with you?” Shiho murmured. “I don’t… have anybody else.”

…

He nodded.

“Of course.” He gave her his kindest smile, true to his heart. “Let me know, and I’ll be there.”

…

...

“Thanks.” She smiled and sniffed. “Can you... do me a favor and order for me?” Her voice cracked. “A mango-mousse crêpe with whipped cream and mango stars?” She clutched at her stomach. “I… need to use the bathroom.”

“Sure.” He nodded again. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.”

Shiho gave him a thankful smile and ran, the faintest hint of wet on her cheeks.

...What a day.

Akira leaned against the wall of the alley, crêpe in one hand, boxed castella in the other. The cake was for Boss— the old man was probably pissed he was out so late. Though, now that he thought about it, didn’t something like this happen last time too? He’d spent the evening with Ann, trying to calm her down after…

He shook his head. There was no point, getting lost in the past. Right now, Shiho needed him.

“...Hey.”

He looked up, seeing her walk over. Her eyes were a bit puffy, nose a bit red.

“...Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I… got it all out.” She held out a hand. He put the pastry in her palm. She tore at it with her teeth, “Thanks.” Her voice was muffled by whipped cream and baked bits. “What’s that?”

“...Oh, this?” he held up the box. “It’s for my guardian. I… sort of, kind of, maybe forgot to tell him I’d be out late.”

Shiho’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. How pissed is he?”

“Somewhere between ‘I’m reporting this to your probation officer’ and ‘That’s it, you’re out on the street!’,” Akira did his best impression of the man, “So, not great, either way? But nothing I can’t handle.”

“...If you say so,” she licked the cream from her lips. “Let me know if you get kicked out. You can crash on my couch for a few days, at least.”

“Oh. That’s nice of you,” he nodded his thanks. “Your folks would be okay with it?”

“Ha! They’d have a field day,” she chuckled darkly, “My parents would love it if I brought a guy home.”

He winced. “They’re that type, huh?”

“Yeah.” Shiho smacked her lips. “Sorry. That was heavy.”

“It’s fine,” he assured, “I’m here to listen.”

…

…

She sighed.

“Thanks again, by the way.” Shiho took another bite. “And… sorry in advance, if it’s too much.”

“You’re fine,” he reassured with a nod. “Again, that’s what I’m here for.”

And she smiled, through a mouthful of sugar.

I am thou , thou art I…
Thou has acquired a new vow.

It shall become the Wings of Rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of stagnation.

With the birth of the Pillory Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power...

Oh. That was new. He’d freak out about it later though.

“You really are a nice guy, Kurusu.” She smiled. “Kasumi’s a lucky girl.”

He groaned. “This again? ”

Shiho only laughed.

“I’m just teasing,” she reached the end of her crêpe, “You two would be cute though.”

“...Thanks.” He took the compliment. “She’s an amazing girl.”

…

…

The door to Untouchable had opened. Kasumi held the door while Yuuki walked out, a long paper bag in his arm.

Akira grinned. “...What’d you buy, a baguette? ”

“It’s a bow , Kurusu,” the boy mock-glared. “You saw me pick it out.”

“I wasn’t there. Maybe you changed your mind,” Akira laughed away the ire. “Anyways… Tomorrow’s the day. Don’t be late.”

“Of course.” Shiho nodded, firm. “You couldn’t keep me away from this.”

“Same here.” Yuuki hefted the bow on his arm. “We’re gonna’ take him down.”

“I’ll be watching your back, Akira-senpai,” Kasumi smiled. “Same as always.”

He smiled right back.

“Then what are we waiting for, Phantom Thieves?” His glasses bled away into a mask.

“It’s Showtime.”

Chapter 8: Road Less Taken

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth ”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, “Morgana ”, “Persona/Shadow ”, ‘Jose/Phone’

Akira didn’t know what to expect when he got home.

A lecture? A stern talking to? His allowance taken away? Wait, he never had one of those. Um… curry duty, for the next six months? Dish duty for the next six months? Mop duty for the next six months? Not that he would mind— he’d always liked cleaning. Still, there’s a difference between doing what you love because you love it, and doing it because you had to.

But no, it was none of those things. Quite literally, none.

Because the lights were off. The Boss wasn’t there. Café Leblanc was closed for the evening.

Well. This is a problem.

He could barely remember from last time around, but he had the vaguest memory of the man scolding him for being out too late. He did that a couple times back in April, but eventually the old codger’d had enough and made the boy his own keys. In the interim though, Boss had promised to lock him out if he ever came back past closing. And apparently , that chicken’d come home to roost. Huh. Wonder if it got locked out too?

Leaving the metaphor behind— the quicker he’d move on, the better— Akira twirled the Perma-Pick in his pocket.

‘Let’s see…’ he let his head tilt back, exposing his throat. ‘I could just pick the locks and leave them on the counter. But then he’d know I picked them. I don’t wanna’ get reported over something so small.’ He squinted. ‘Wait, is it breaking and entering if it’s my own house?’ A quick online search told him very much so. ‘Ugh. Are you serious?’

…

Well, it wasn’t a crime without any proof. He could make this work.

There was the narrowest of alleys along Leblanc’s right wall. How narrow, you ask? Well, the only thing in that alley was… a brick wall that came up to his shoulders. Nothing else would fit, save the stray cat he could see, staring back at him. The little tabby sat comfortably between the two buildings, pleased to have found a respite from the cold spring breeze. Ah. Unfortunately, he’d have to borrow that respite. Just for a moment.

He took a moment to dig around in his schoolbag… there it was. A tiny cat treat from his time with Morgana. Akira had never gotten around to giving him one— the noble little thief had always been too prideful to partake. But oh well. Waste not, want not. Besides, the moment he saw his friend again, he’d buy him all the sushi he wanted.

Holding the treat out on his open palm, he wagged it slowly back and forth. Making a whispering noise with his lips, he left the little pellet on the edge of the wall toward the street, gently patting the stone around it. “Here, kitty… come on!”

…

It took a good minute and a half. But eventually, the cat had grown too annoyed to ignore him. The stray stalked out of the alley slowly, eyes on him the whole time. Akira simply stared with calm eyes, trying to assure it was safe.

A few sniffs, a paw or two, and the cat had finally eaten it. It let out a little mewl of approval, before it walked off toward the laundromat. Huh. Mona had always liked sitting on the machines while they ran. Said it was fun, feeling all the vibrations. Akira had to disagree. The cold, hard metal just hurt his butt.

Oh well. He could reminisce later.

Hefting himself up, Akira stood atop the thin brick wall, shimmying into the space the cat had left. Once in place? He simply lifted his arm and let the grappling hook fly, silently cheering as the thing wrapped around the beam of the attic roof. Proficiency level max, baby.

Oh. The cat had returned, curious at the commotion. He simply gave it a thief-like, two-fingered salute of a wave, as the powerful wire slowly reeled him up and over the windowsill.

‘Thief-like, two-fingered salute of a wave. Huh. There’s gotta’ be a better way to say that.’ Akira rolled off the mattress to sit on the edge. ‘Thief salute? Two-fingered wave? What do you think?’

“...A thieves’ salute,” Arsène suggested. “I can certainly respect your commitment to aesthetics.”

‘What a high compliment,’ He joked, unbuttoning his uniform jacket. ‘Especially from you.’

The lights in the attic were off, as expected. Moonlight’s odds and ends spilled aimlessly through the windowpane, cloudy glass blocks raining light on his back. Not that he needed it though. He knew this room like the back of his hand— especially since he’d finally finished cleaning last night.

His shoes unlaced, socks in a pile, and belt undone, Akira stood and walked, feeling the knobby wooden boards of the attic creak beneath his bare feet. Taking the coat hanger off the top of his desk, he got to work hanging up his uniform for the next day.

‘...Hey, Arsène?’ A thought occurred to him, between folding clothes. ‘...You know how Yaldabaoth ruined my dream yesterday?’

“Of that, I am regrettably aware.” The gentleman thief was a bit more reserved. “Why do you ask? ”

…

He felt his brow crinkle up.

‘How did he… do that?’

“...Well,” he began, “I would suspect the fiend had altered your cognition as you slept. Not a particularly arduous endeavor, juvenile as it is.”

‘...I see.’

He chewed the inside of his cheek.

‘...Another question.’

“...Yes? ”

…

‘...This is… going to sound childish.’ He sat at the edge of the bed. ‘But… is there any way…’ He shook his head. ‘You said it was… easy to do, right? So does that mean you could... Is it possible to have a… a happy dream? Just for tonight?’

…

“Your wish… is well within our power.” Arsène’s voice was calm. Sympathetic. “However… I fear it may not be wise.”

…

‘I see,’ Akira sighed, pulling on his pajamas. ‘I should’ve known it was a bad idea…’

“Your ire is misplaced, my friend.” The thief explained. “I am thou, thou art I. To lay rest that tumultuous mind of yours would be a deed most gratifying.” Then…? “However, to simply… forget yourself in gilded paradise? Lull yourself with... hollow ataraxia…? ”

…

‘I’d be lying to myself. Running away from my problems.’ He finished the thought. ‘...Still. I’m already… fighting so hard. Do I really have to…?’

He trailed off.

…

“...The world of dreams is our domain.” He spoke as a former Shadow. “But to denounce conflict? To denounce pain? It is to end growth. To deny progress.”

‘Can’t I catch a break?’ It was no pathetic whine, no childish complaint. It was the word of a tired, journeyed soul. ‘Why can’t I rest when I rest? Do I really have to… grow all the time? Progress all the time? Surely, there are means of growth that… don’t involve…’

Confronting your trauma, when you’re not ready.

...

“...I understand your position, dear friend.” Arsène was calm as ever. “But you are stronger than you know, Trickster. Do not abandon hope so readily. Tonight’s slumber is not bound to be plagued by fear, just as tomorrow is not destined to rain. While certain hardships are inevitable, you must not lose faith. In yourself, and in your world.”

…

‘I know you’re right.’ He grit his teeth. ‘I know you’re right. I know it. I know.’

…

He brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He lay his forehead to his knees and breathed.

…

‘I just have to believe.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Just like always.’

He let his body fall, head bouncing against the pillow.

‘Don’t lose hope, huh? Hold tight to your wish? Even as the world crumbles around you, stay true to what you believe in?’

It was so simple last time. It came to him so easily. He’d risk his life for his own justice, and he’d do it without a second thought.

But now… Now… As the world he’d cherished began to slip away?

“Keep your faith...”

His eyes closed with a sigh.

How was he supposed to do that?

…?

When he opened them, he was somewhere else.

A Tokyo skyline. Thousands of lights, flickering high and low. An office building finally closed for the day. A car on the highway made its exit. Outlines of rooftops merged in the night, shapes clouded by reflections in the glass. The glass…

He was in a small room. A cabin, of sorts. Shifting his body, he felt it sway beneath his weight. Was this… the ferris wheel in Odaiba? Why was he…?

She squeezed his hand.

“What’re you thinking about?”

Kasumi. Her head lay on his shoulder, as his head lay on hers. He could feel her thumb, rolling gently over the back of his hand. He could hear her voice in his ear, like he spoke it himself. And most of all, the beat of her heart that thrummed with his.

A perfect fit, like pieces of a puzzle. A perfect sound, so pure and true. Perfect sync. A perfect harmony. A perfect moment.

A perfect partner.

“Oh, nothing…” His mouth moved before his mind caught up. “Just… enjoying the moment.”

She breathed a laugh.

“That’s just like you.” He could feel her smile. “The team’s grown so much lately. It’s nice to spend time together, just the two of us.”

He let his eyes close.

“They’ve settled down a bit, now that we’ve got Makoto,” he laughed. “Still. I know what you mean.”

Their cabin began to move again, slowly on the rise. The hustle and bustle of city streets finally left their vision, leaving only the twinkling lights of a Tokyo sky.

“...Akira?”

She called him by name. He hummed in reply.

“Do you ever think about… the future?”

And he thought for a while.

“Honestly? I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime,” he smiled. “I’m doing my best to live in the present— just like you taught me.”

She smiled again.

“Then… if we’re living, day by day…” she squeezed his hand a bit tighter. “Then do you promise to stay with me tomorrow?”

“Of course.” He squeezed back. “Tomorrow, the day after... and all the tomorrows after that.”

Their cabin reached the apex. Even the sky was out of sight.

“Good.” Kasumi let her head up to look into his eyes. “Because right now…

I don’t want this moment to end.”

She leaned in… and touched her forehead to his.

He smiled.

“Well… there’s still some time, ‘til midnight.”

And she smiled into his lips.

Kasumi Yoshizawa woke up before her alarm.

It was a wonder she ever set one. Not like she needed it. She and her sister had woken up at the same time, every morning since they were kids. They’d discovered gymnastics at four, started gymnastics at five, and were winning competitions by six. And ever since that fateful night— their first sight of a twirling ribbon? Their days began at seven.

It was the perfect hour. School began at eight for them. Nine for her, as an honor student of Shujin Academy. Who had time for homeroom when there was a meet next month? No. Kasumi Yoshizawa spent her mornings training. Stretching, running, working up a sweat. Every moment, every movement was an opportunity. A chance to grow. A chance to learn.

It wasn’t simple enough to say she was dedicated. Kasumi lived and breathed gymnastics. Her calorie intake? She saved the labels to all her favorite foods. Her diet plan? She owned the requisite nutritional fact menu of every restaurant she knew. Her workout? Planned out perfectly and efficiently, professionally personalized by her coach for her body type. Her routine? Ingrained in her muscles, embedded in her brain. It was her every day— she didn’t feel awake without it. Nothing could stand in her way.

Save for a particularly troubling dream.

It’d been happening more and more lately. Dreams of them together… They came in all these shapes and sizes. Last week it was him on the bench, cheering her on at a competition. Last month, it was a picnic with him and all his friends. Before that, it was a day at the beach, and before that was a trip to the mall. But each and every time, he was there. And she woke up feeling… so happy. To have spent that time together, even in a dream. She didn’t have the time when she was awake, so... it was all she could ever ask for.

Until now.

Now, they spent every day together. And not just in the Metaverse, but the real world too. Simple things like walking to the station, or sharing a meal… Even just passing each other in the hallway. She loved and cherished every moment. It was a dream come true.

Or so, she thought. Because suddenly, she couldn’t trust her dreams to be… appropriate.

‘What an odd dream.’

It occurred to her somewhere between the fiftieth crunch and the twentieth jumping jack. The past few dreams had all been delightful. She’d had so much fun! But that last one was… different. They’d spent time alone before, even in reality. But that night and the ferris wheel… it felt so… real. So intimate . So intimate that she’d leaned in and…

…

She blushed to the tips of her ears.

Well, you couldn’t trust in dreams, after all. They didn’t mean anything. Dreams were piles of scattered fragments, lying around your brain. Fantasies spun by little threads of thought— no matter how good, bad, or intrusive. And if she let herself be bound by fraying strands of doubt, how could she ever hope to achieve her dream?

Her dream…

…

That dream…

She shook her head on the thirtieth squat. It didn’t mean anything. You couldn’t control what you thought, after all, and of course she’d thought of him that way, at least once. It was the sort of feeling that bloomed around anyone you spent a lot of time with— your mind just started to run wild, without your permission. It wasn’t anything new; she’d considered the idea of a relationship for years. She just… never had the time for one.

And besides, your brain couldn’t create new faces. Everyone you met in your dreams, you’ve at least seen somewhere before. So it was perfectly reasonable for her formless, vague idea of a boyfriend to have Akira’s face! She’d seen it so often lately, it should be no surprise that it was him. It was only natural that it was him.

And yet…

The warmth of his hand. The scent of his hair. The way her heart leapt when she leaned in and…

…

She slapped her cheeks lightly, pulling her back to reality.

‘Get it together, girl!’

He didn’t know which was worse. Expecting something awful, and getting something decent? Or expecting something good, and getting something awful?

How about expecting the worst and getting nothing at all?

It was the kind of feeling that just rubbed you the wrong way. You spent all that time, worrying and fretting over nothing. Sure, that in itself was a blessing. Nothing to worry about! But that’s just it. You worried for nothing. There was something so… disappointing in preparing yourself for something that you forgot could just… not happen. Honestly, you’d think at this point, he’d be used to getting the rug pulled out from under him.

‘I can’t believe I went through all that, just to not have a dream in the first place.’

Such were his thoughts, frustratedly pushing the bristles of a toothbrush to and fro. He heard the humorous chuckle of a thief, echo in his mind.

“Such are the whims of fate,” Arsène replaced him in the mirror as Akira spit into the sink. “The winds of blessing favor whomever they so choose. On occasion, they may not choose at all.”

‘That’s… its own type of disappointment.’ He wiped his mouth on a small towel. ‘Still, maybe a clear head is what I need for today…’

This day— Thursday, April 14th— marked the first official heist of the new Phantom Thieves. Today, he, Kasumi, Shiho, and Yuuki would storm Kamoshida’s castle and secure their route to the treasure. Or re-secure it, at the very least.

‘Any advice today?’ He stowed his toothbrush back in its case. ‘Teaching new thieves, I mean.’

“I’m certain you’ll do splendidly, Trickster,” the gentleman bowed within the mirror, “Just as you’ve done countless times before.”

‘I don’t think that counts as advice…’ He turned off the lights, leaving the bathroom behind, ‘But thank you.’

Arsène simply laughed in reply.

He walked out to a man’s surly glare.

“Well, look who it is,” Boss grumbled. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“...There’s a castella in the fridge,” he stood there awkwardly, “As an apology.”

A gravelly sigh.

“That’s hardly the point.” The café owner chomped his cigarette with a scowl. “Do you have any idea how long I waited for you? I already told you not to screw around, now you’re doing it on my time? ”

Akira felt the hot flood of emasculation wash over him. God, there was something about being scolded by someone you held dear, that… Well suddenly, you’re like a little kid again, getting told off for knocking over a vase or something. It was so visceral— the sensation of disappointing someone you wanted to impress, even subconsciously. As childish of an impulse that it was… He was lucky the café was still empty, or he might have actually taken Psychokinetic damage.

“...Sorry.” He bowed a little. “It’s just… a friend needed me.”

…

The man took a long drag.

“This ‘friend’...” he glared, “...was it that Yoshizawa girl?”

“...Her and… another, actually.” He scratched his cheek. “A… mutual friend. I couldn’t leave them alone… Again, I’m really sorry.”

…

“Fine.” Boss set a plate of curry on the counter. “I’ll let it go just this once, but don’t make it a habit. And call ahead next time.”

“Y-Yeah. I’ll do that.” Akira bowed, gratefully. “...I don’t have your number though.”

“And we’re keepin’ it that way. Call the public phone.” It was a cup of coffee next. “Now eat. You better not make your teachers wait as long as you make me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” The boy took a seat at the bar. “Thanks for the food.”

“You’re welcome.”

…

…?

The man had opened the fridge, hummed at the cake, and tucked the box under his arm. Glancing at the clock, Boss put out his cigarette in an ashtray behind the countertop, and threw on his hat and coat.

“I’m headin’ out for a bit,” he said. “Watch the store until I get back.”

Akira managed a nod, as the old Hierophant let the door swing closed behind him.

…

He knew it was Boss’ favorite. Hopefully Futaba still liked sweets.

‘So. The Pillory, huh?’

The train ride was packed as ever. Have you ever gotten so used to something that you fell out of being used to it, and had to acquaint yourself all over again? Because that’d been his whole life lately. And as excited as he was for the day, that didn’t stop it from being terrifying. Or at least, a little unsettling. Mostly just upsetting.

“Sometimes known as Prudence.” Arséne explained. “It is an alternative reading of the Hanged Man. Those of this Arcana find themselves between worlds— the moment before a leap of faith. And they would do anything for the sake of what they love.”

‘...That seems to fit,’ he sighed. ‘Still… another new Arcana? How many could there be? I thought there were only twenty-two.”

“In theory, the number is limitless. The ‘classification’ of souls would demand no less.” The thief did the spiritual equivalent of a shrug. “The twenty-two you are familiar with belong to the traditional Rider-Waite tarot. The Aeon you have just discovered— the Thoth tarot. The Faith first appeared in the Minchiate, along with Prudence, before later surfacing in the Visconti-Sforza tarot. The Councillor belongs to the El Gran Tarot Esoterico, from which the Pillory hails as well.”

‘I see…’ A thought struck him. ‘Wait, if they’re alternate readings, then what’s Faith’s true form? And the Councillor?’

“The Councillor takes the place of the Magician.” Ah, Morgana then. Interesting. “However, that of the Faith has no equivalent.” Huh? “It was not uncommon for new Arcana to come about, across several countries, by several artists, through several centuries. Faith was one of those Arcana.”

‘Really…?’ he hummed. ‘So… Arcana can just… appear?’

“Just as an island is there before it is mapped, an Arcana exists before it is discovered.” Huh. That’s a good way of putting it. “They merely acknowledge that presence with a name. And like an island, that map or name can change through the years. Evolve. There are records of new Arcana coming and going— fusing to become one, splitting to become several, even vanishing altogether. Much like the Personas with which you’re quite au fait.” What? “That is to say, familiar.” Oh. Why not just say that then? “Forgive the patois.” What!? “Nevertheless, was my meaning conveyed? ”

‘For the Arcana? Sure. It’s as good an example as any.’ Akira sighed with a laugh. ‘I guess I’ve just never thought about it before.’

“Shibuya. This is Shibuya.”

The voice of the train announcer pulled him from his thoughts like always. The door on the right side opened, and the passengers started to pile out. Just like yesterday, he surfed the crowd, letting them push him up the escalators to the station above.

‘So the Faith is a new Arcana, huh…?’ Atop the escalator, he began to walk with his own legs. ‘But the others are… interpretations? I have to say, the Prudence name suits Shiho a bit better. Pillory just sounds… depressing.’

Taking a moment to step out of the way, Akira leaned against the wall of Kiyasuku, one of the station’s many kiosks. Wait. Is that just “kiosk” in kana? How creative. Anyway, he pulled out his phone, curious about the tarot decks Arsène had mentio—

“Oh? It’s you.”

He blinked.

Athletic trainers with low cut socks. Black chino pants. A thin white belt. A simple peach sweater over a loosely tucked white blouse. That was the order he noticed, before his head tilted high enough to meet the eyes of…

“Oh, good morning. Coach Marina, was it?”

Kasumi Yoshizawa’s lifelong gymnastics coach let out an amused smile and a huff.

“That’s Coach Hiraguchi to you, kiddo.” She crossed her arms and leaned on one foot. “Still, I’m surprised you remember at all.”

The woman stepped aside, joining him in his little loitering spot as the crowd passed by. Oh. She had a small gym bag on her shoulder. Was she heading to work? The Inogami line was just past here.”

“We saw each other like, two days ago,” he smirked. “Besides, you’re an important person to… an important person of mine.”

“Huh. When I was your age, we called them ‘girlfriend’s.” she grinned as he choked on air. “I didn’t see you around yesterday. Hope the big scary gym wasn’t too much to handle.”

“Would it be so wrong to say it was?” Seeing her quirk a brow, he waved it off. “Kidding. I had something really urgent come up last night. I do intend to take you up on your offer. Yoga classes, right?”

“Every weekday: ten, two, and eight.” She hefted the bag on her shoulder. “That includes today. Should I be expecting you? Or should I hold my breath?”

“A-Ah…” he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll be busy until… probably next week. I’ll try and stop by then.”

She blinked with another little huff.

“The most important part of exercise is routine,” Marina recited. “It’s fine not to work out everyday, but if you slack, you’ll pay for it when you get older.”

“I’m not slacking,” he frowned. “I really do have a lot to do. And besides, I get a workout every day in—…”

...

Her head tilted. “...In?”

He gulped.

He could just lie. But there was that childish feeling of approval-seeking again. Plus, she could probably teach him something useful for infiltrations. Ugh. Well, if it helped his cause...

“I…” Come on, think. What’s the key to a white lie? Confidence? No. A half-truth. “I do… freerunning, in my spare time. Yeah. It’s nice to get the soul moving— body and mind.”

That was good, right? Navigating the Metaverse, fighting all those Shadows? It was close enough. Besides, he had looked to the sport for inspiration before… Wait. No. This could be bad. How the hell was he supposed to fool a professional!?

“Oh…?” Apparently it was impressive. “Aren’t you surprising? You’ve certainly got the physique for it. You stand like one too.” She held out a hand. “I’ll be waiting for you next week, Mr. Freerunner. Can’t wait to see you move.”

...He took it.

“Yeah. I’ll be there.”

I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.

Thy bond shall become the Wings of Rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of stagnation…

With the birth of the Charity Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power...

Ooookay. Damn, that was like… the fourth new Arcana in four days? Five, if you count Faith’s renewal. Then again, he was back at the beginning. The first few had shown up quickly last time, too...

“I’ll be seeing you, then.” The coach let a wave over her shoulder as she went. “Say hi to my student for me.”

“Y-Yeah!” he called after her. “You got it…”

…

Welp. Time to see how fit he could get in four days. Probably not very much...

The day passed by in a blur.

The first thing he noticed upon entering the classroom? Ann’s seat was conspicuously empty. Yes! Great going, Shiho. That was one less thing to worry about. With a mind free to wander, Akira let the hours slip on by.

Hm.

It felt like such a waste, spending his classtime doing nothing but daydreaming. But… what else was there to do? He couldn’t make infiltration tools without Kawakami covering for him. Actually, he didn’t need to in the first place; he still had all his gear from last time! He could read , but… he’d already gone through all the interesting books in the library. The bookstore had nothing cool either. Ahh, geez. Was this how his year was gonna’ go? Staring out the window from his desk, like some kind of broody main character?

“...Might we offer a word of counsel? ”

‘Ah. Satanael.’ He sat up in his chair. ‘Sure, anything to keep me busy. What do you need?’

“Thou wouldst seek to further strengthen thy mind? ” the archangel nodded. “Very well. We hath prepared the use of a special ritual.”

‘Ritual?’ He crossed his arms. ‘What kind? Nothing that’ll get me in trouble, right?’

“Nothing of the sort! ” Oh. Arsène again. “What we’ve arranged is a more advanced form of meditation. It’s called ‘image training’.”

‘Image training?’ He frowned. ‘Like, the studying method?’

“Of sorts,” the thief conceded. “With naught but your imagination, we as your Personas may organize simulated battles in your mind. Artificial opponents with which to train your soul.”

‘Really? Wow, that’s—!’

“Hey! Are you listening?”

Ushimaru’s stern accusation was punctuated by chalk. Thrown. At surprisingly high speeds, considering the distance. Still, not fast enough— Third Eye makes everything a cinch. He simply caught the chalk, turned on a dime, and without standing up? Tossed it across the room into the wastebasket. When faced with a sterner glare, Akira simply shrugged. “I don’t like to litter.”

A couple of laughs slipped out around the room. Nothing more to say, the man simply ground his teeth and continued his lecture.

‘Anyway. That’s really helpful!’ He readjusted his seat with a smile. ‘So my mind will get stronger by fighting in my own… cognition?’

“Essentially. Though, we cannot promise substantial growth.” Oh? Why not? “Your mind is sharp, Trickster. Your soul is strong. While there is always room to improve, you may be fast approaching the limit of what is possible.”

Ah. That was… both reassuring and disappointing. Hm. Maybe he’d be better off reading a book or something. Some of Wakaba’s old research materials were still in the attic, from when he cleaned…

“We would insist on partaking but once,” Satanael rumbled. “Beyond, we leave to thy judgment.”

‘Fair enough.’ He rolled out his shoulders. ‘Let’s get started then!’

Well this was an odd experience.

He could feel his body, sitting down. He could hear Ushimaru’s lecture. And it was like a segment of his vision was dedicated to the view of his classroom. But he was wearing his Metaverse outfit, save for his mask. Oh. The view of the classroom didn’t change when he looked down, so… his head didn’t move in reality? Ohh, this was weird.

“Take a moment to adjust.”

Arsène waved from a short distance away, leaning against… something. The world around him was pure black, though it seemed there were still objects hidden in the shadow.

“A-Arsène?” he mumbled, looking around. “Where are we? Is this my mind?”

“As it is now, yes.” The thief rolled his back off the wall and stood. Oh. He’d been leaning against a wall. “In some traditions, this place is referred to as a ‘mindscape’ or ‘memory palace’.”

“A Palace, huh…?” Akira slowly spun on his heel, taking in his surroundings as they came into existence. “So even people like me can have one…”

It was… the beach. He was at the beach. Or at least, the road overlooking one. As he was, Joker stood at the edge of a bend in the highway, atop a carved stone staircase leading down to a beach below. Arsène, ever the gentleman, had been leaning against the guardrail that separated drivers from a rocky plummet. Wow, his mind was… nice. The sun was high in the sky, but the breeze from the ocean was really refreshing.

“Not quite, Trickster.” The thief chuckled. “The terminology may be similar, but one’s mind and heart — while connected, are separate entities.”

Looking around them, there wasn’t a car in sight. So Akira decided to indulge his inner child and step into the street, feeling the difference of pavement beneath his boot. He would’ve kept it up, but the man in red pointed to a sparkle in the distance.

Across the ocean was… something. He couldn’t quite make it out. But it gleamed in the light of the sun. And it was… moving. It was slow, but it was moving. Right to left, it was. East to west.

“...What is that?” He put a hand above his eyes to shade them from the sun. “Some kind of… boat?”

“That would be the state of your heart.” Arsène nodded. “As of now, it takes the form of that vessel — The Daybreaker.”

“Whoa…” he crossed his arms. “So, my heart is a ship now? Wasn’t it a prison before?”

The thief shrugged. “Times have certainly changed.”

That they had. It made enough sense to him; a boat was its own prison, in a sense. You could go wherever you wanted, but you were still trapped in place for the journey. Still, it was a big step up from that tiny old jail cell. Probably. Only one way to find out.

“So…” he fiddled with his gloves. “How do I get there?”

“A complicated question, that.” Arsène folded his arms. “While the heart and mind are connected by one’s soul, you cannot simply… reach one from the other. They remain separate for good reason.”

“...Fair enough.” He filed that away for later and looked to his inner self. “So? You said something about a battle?”

“Ah! Yes.” The gentleman flapped the wings of his cape. “Now that you’ve acquainted yourself, let us begin! ”

From the street around him pooled three masses of black sludge. And from that sludge emerged… a Slime? A Black Ooze? No, it was something different. The shadow-like creatures had hands and fingers, but their faces were covered by frowning blue masks.

“What… are these?” He asked, ready to fight. “They look… pitiful.”

“These creatures are called ‘Maya’.” Arsène explained, walking about them. “Although, they themselves are not. These are mere facsimileswe have created to train your mind in combat.”

“Huh?” He dropped his stance. “So… they’re modeled after something?”

“Older, more primitive Shadows, yes.” His other self nodded. “You needn’t worry though. They are merely enemies to overcome, as always.”

“...If you say so.” He called forth his power. “Persona!!”

Bearing the faceless form of a grin, the great phantom thief spread his wings and leapt into the air. With the grace of a gentleman, he descended upon his other self with a bow.

“This battle will serve as an introduction to a new form of combat. Within this place, I will be ever by your side.”

“A new form?” Akira glanced to his Persona. “How so?”

“Simply attack with your blade as you would. All will be revealed.”

“You’re not usually this cryptic…” he grumbled, brandishing his Misericorde. “But alright. Here we go!”

The boy rushed ahead with a simple move. Three slashes. The first swings down, left to right. He spins into the second, going straight up. The third splits the Cowardly Maya down the middle, ending its cognitive existence.

But…

In the corner of his eye, he saw it. With every strike, Arsène had moved in perfect sync— his hands drove forward, crackling with a strange blue energy. The Maya had died to a simple melee attack.

He turned his back on the opponents. “What was that!? ”

“Like I said. A new method of fighting! ” The Persona flexed his fingers carefully. “One founded on fighting not as ‘other selves’, but as allies.” He spun and flared his wings. “This technique is called ‘Synchronicity’! I've no doubt it will prove useful in your many heists.”

“I’m definitely interested in learning,” he admitted, looking back toward the Maya. “So this will strengthen my mind?”

“Quite so! Within the realm of hearts, your body moves precisely as your cognition commands. Therefore, should we improve your cognition…? ”

“My skills will improve!” He nodded, excitedly. “Wow, this is great! I can get all kinds of training done in here… Oh, wait.” He deflated a bit. “This won’t help with Coach Hiraguchi, will it?”

“...It might.” The thief shrugged whimsically. “The development of one’s proprioception is a worthwhile pursuit. Your body within your mind will reflect that of your true self. Muscle memory is memory, after all.”

“...You’re right!” His face brightened again, before he turned back to the Maya. “Okay! Let’s keep it up!”

“But of course! ”

For the first time ever, lunch break was a bit of a mood killer.

He’d made decent progress for his first day of training! That’s what Arsène said, anyway. Still, there was a lot of potential here— he could feel this… well of power left untapped. ‘Synchronicity’, huh?

Was it really possible? He thought he’d hit the wall, but he could grow even stronger? Again, that was… both exciting and disappointing. Either way, it was a humbling experience.

But the bells had tolled. So he had to move on.

He’d sent another reminder to his teammates. The infiltration was today, after all. Oh! Shiho wanted to meet up for lunch. Sure. That was fine by him. But food came first! Down the stairs and ‘round the corner. Akira sure was excited to get his hands on a sandwi—

“Kurusu. Guidance office. Now.”

Ushimaru. The man stood sternly at the base of the stairs, glaring up at him with his arms crossed. Wait, was this about the chalk thing? How petty could he be?

Well, as the man rambled on and on, and seconds ticked to minutes? It was looking to be an entire lunch break’s worth of spite. Ugh. Looks like that sandwich would have to wait…

“...He isn’t responding.”

Shiho Suzui pouted at the three little dots on her phone screen. Beside her, Kasumi Yoshizawa offers a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sure he’s just focused again,” the redhead assured. “Senpai gets so excited on the day of a heist, he can barely sit still! He’s probably just busy right now.”

The two sat in the familiar Shujin Academy courtyard, at Shiho’s usual spot by the vending machines. Kasumi had her bento, neatly unstacked and spread across the bench, ready to eat. At the moment though, Shiho was… a little tied up. Her bento too.

“...If you say so,” she tucked her phone away and sighed. “You seem to know him really well, Kasumi-senpai.”

“Th-This again…?” Kasumi felt her cheeks pink. “Really, just ‘Kasumi’ is fine...”

“Fair enough,” Shiho gave her that. “You seem to know him really well, Kasumi- chan. ”

“Th-That—!” Her cheeks only tinted further, before she looked away. “...That’s… a little better, I guess.”

The volleyball ace flashed a “V” for victory with a big, goofy grin. She took her bento into her lap and started digging her nails into the large knot of fabric. “Never been called ‘chan’ by an upperclassman before?” Shiho looked up, “...Or does Akira call you that?”

“Wh-What!?” the kouhai stuttered. “Akira-senpai? N-No, Senpai wouldn’t…”

The auburn-haired gymnast let her chopsticks down as she stared off into space. In the back of her mind, she heard Shiho laugh to herself.

“Lighten up! I was only kidding,” she joked. “Or is it that you want him to call you that? Kasumi- chaaaan? ”

“A-Ahh…”

The tips of her ears started to color, just imagining it. His gentle voice… Her senpai… Her Akira-senpai… calling her…

...

She shook her head a bit. Ugh! Of all the days for a dream to get to her. Pull it together, Kasumi Yoshizawa!

“Hey everyone!” A familiar head poked itself around the corner. “Sorry I’m late. I just got your text.”

“Hey Mishima-kun!” Shiho waved, patting a spot on her bench. “It’s fine; at least you read yours. Akira’s not even here yet.”

From the boy’s eyes, it looked like he remembered something. “O-Oh! About that. I saw Kurusu get… pulled aside by Ushimaru. I think he’s getting scolded in the Guidance Office.”

“What?” Kasumi leaned in. “Is he okay!? What happened!?”

“It’s the Guidance Office, not the Nurse,” Shiho teased. “Besides, it’s Ushimaru-sensei. Doesn’t take much to set him off. Besides, Akira’s just that kind of troublemaker.”

A fair assumption. Yuuki confirmed her thoughts. “Yeah… Ushimaru got mad at him for not paying attention in class, so he threw some chalk like he always does.” He snickered a bit, remembering. “Kurusu just caught it and threw it in the trash can, without even blinking! I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before.”

“And Ushimaru-sensei scolded him for it?” Kasumi gasped. “How horrible! We should change his heart!”

Shiho laughed. “I’m definitely not against it. Do you think he’d drop my last history paper if we did? I only got a seventy-eight.”

“ Only!? ” Mishima scoffed, sitting down. “What kinda’ history-genius are you, Suzui? I got like, a sixty on mine!”

“I’m not a genius , I just… used the sample essay format he gave us last year.” She crossed her arms. “And I still didn’t get a high score, so does it really matter?”

“I’ll take a free twenty percent, yeah!” Yuuki unwrapped his Katsu Pan. “Or, um. Eighteen, I guess. Maybe I could use some math help too…”

“Oh please, you’re like… top of the class with Usami-sensei.” Shiho shoveled a scoop of fried rice into her mouth. “I should be the one asking you …”

…?

As their conversation went on, Shiho could Kasumi’s ponytail bob all over the place, as she looked back and forth at whoever was talking. Huh. Come to think of it...

“What about you, Kasumi-chan?” she asked her fellow athlete. “Are there any subjects you feel you’re good at?”

“Hm? Oh, me?” the first-year pointed her chopsticks at herself, between bites. “Um… I don’t think I have any particular… forté. I have been liking the Home Economics course though!”

“Mm!” Yuuki looked up from his sandwich. “Do you like to cook, Kasumi-san?”

“I do!” she nodded happily. “Not just that, but I’ve always really enjoyed more… ‘practical’ lessons at school. I… think it has to do with my gymnastics training.”

“Wow…” he swallowed a chunk of katsu. “So you’re the ‘hands-on’ learning type?”

“I suppose!” she chirped, finishing off her first bento. “What about you, Mishima-senpai? Have you always been an athlete?”

“Me? Uh…” He shook his head, no. “I… only started when I got to high school. In junior high, I was… part of the go-home club.”

“Same here,” Shiho added, “There wasn’t an official volleyball club at my junior high, so me and a few of my friends tried to start one. We only managed to get enough members by the start of my final year, so…”

Kasumi nodded. “How long have you been interested in volleyball?”

“Almost all my life,” she said, putting her spoon down. “I started when I was young, maybe… nine years old? It was just me and some kids in the park when one of the aunties showed us how to play.” She smiled at the memory. “I remember we used my mom’s old laundry pole, and a ruined bedsheet for a net. It was way too high for us, so we only ever made a mess of it…”

“That sounds nice.” Mishima nodded with a grin. “Somehow, I can see it.”

Shiho squinted. “That better be a compliment I’m hearing.”

“O-Of course it is!” he stammered. “Besides, I… know the feeling.” He fiddled with the bread in his hands. “Toward the end of middle school, I had a friend of mine whose sister was in an inter-high tournament. I went with him to cheer her on, and…” He scratched his cheek. “I’ve always thought volleyball was cool, but that was the tipping point. I made sure to try out for the team as soon as I entered high school.”

“Wow… It’s true— your first memory is always the fondest!” Kasumi smiled too. “I remember when Sumire and I first discovered rhythmic gymnastics… It was the Summer Olympics in Athens. Mom had the TV on in the background and…” She laughed. “It was inspiring. We started trying all the spins and flips in the middle of our living room. Then Sumire knocked over a vase. We were put in time-out for hours…”

She trailed off, lost in the memory. Shiho simply smiled, knowing exactly how she felt.

“The Olympics in Athens, huh?” Yuuki mumbled. “So you were… four? Wow, that’s a really young age to start a sport.”

“That’s what my mom said!” Kasumi laughed again. “There weren’t any coaches that would take us, we were so young! We had to wait ‘til we were five… It was the longest seven months of my life. I’m not sure I even knew what ‘months’ were until then!” She breathed a smile. “But finally the day came, and our Coach Hiraguchi took us as her students. It’s been that way ever since.”

“Wow…” Shiho murmured. “So you’ve had the same coach since you were little? That must be really… rewarding.”

“I’m so grateful to have her!” Kasumi agreed. “She’s been with us since the beginning. She would praise us when we did well, and scold us when we slacked… She made exercise regimens and diet plans just for us. She even bought us ice cream after every meet! We’ve been through so much together…” She put her hands together. “She really is a wonderful coach!”

“That’s great to hear, Kasumi-san.” Yuuki nodded. “She must be like a second mother to you, huh?”

“Yes! To me and Sumire,” she said, “I don’t know where I’d be without her.”

The three ate in comfortable silence for a while after that. Soon enough, they’d all finished. At the same time. Yuuki had the last bite of his sandwich the moment Kasumi shut the lid on her fourth empty bento. And that was just… impressive, in and of itself.

“That’s a cute bento design, Kasumi-chan!” Shiho finished wrapping up her own. “Did you pick it out yourself?”

“I did!” she happily replied. “I’ve had them for a long time though. My sister and I bought matching sets, in different colors.”

“A-Ah…” she stumbled. “I… see…”

“...?” Kasumi tilted her head as she put her chopsticks away.

Shiho decided to change the subject.

“Anyway!” she clapped her hands together. “Today’s the day. We’re going into… that place, right?”

“Yeah.” Yuuki nodded, determined as ever. “Is everyone ready? Got all your stuff?”

“Of course!” Kasumi nods as well. “Though, it was hard to sneak them onto campus. I put mine in my gym locker; what about you?”

“Hm? Oh. Same for me,” he rubs the space between his mouth and nose with his index finger. “We’re lucky they make them so tall. The bow curves twice already, I don’t think it can handle another.”

Shiho snorts at the joke. “Did you spend all night coming up with that?”

“...Was it funny, at least?”

And so, she laughs even harder. Soon, Kasumi joins her, and even he cracks a smile.

“So, Kasumi-san…” he started. “You have experience going… places like that, right? What can you tell us about it?”

“Oh! Yes! Um…” The little Kouhai was ever eager to be relied on. “It’s... dark and twisted. You can feel the evil in the air and… it’s a very dangerous place.” She stopped short, seeing Yuuki’s face fall. “B-But as long as we follow Senpai’s orders, we’ll be fine! He’s really strong, and he’s an amazing leader!”

“That’s some high praise,” Shiho had that little smile again. “You must care about him a lot.”

“Of course!” Her dedication was second to none. She nodded enthusiastically. “He’s really important to me. Akira-senpai has helped me so much… I’m just returning the favor!”

So she said with a little fist pump, and a twinkle in her eye. Shiho’s eyes gleamed in return, pleased with her excitement.

“He’s an interesting guy, that Akira…” she said evenly, before she sighed a bit. “It’s a shame, with all the rumors. If people actually got to know him, I’m sure they’d realize what a good person he is.”

“Yes!” Kasumi nodded readily. “Though, I can’t help but admire that about him. Even with all the awful things people say, he doesn’t give up. It’s really inspiring…!”

“I don’t doubt that,” Shiho nodded, before shifting gears. “Say, you’ve known him for about a year now, right? What’s he like?”

“What’s he like? Hm…” The redhead let her head tilt as he ponytail followed suit. “Well, he’s… really caring. And so kind. He’s a very dependable sort of person— the type who’s always there when you need him. But he’s also… so much fun. He’s always smiling, and trying to make you laugh…”

She began to twirl a lock of her ponytail.

“He’s so sweet… and thoughtful. He’s the type to remember your favorite food when it came up in passing, or know your favorite color without even telling him! He does so much...” Kasumi smiled. “He tries so hard, for everyone else’s sake. It’s like he can’t keep his nose out of someone else’s problem. When he sees someone in trouble, he just has to help them. But at the same time, he’s… really respectful. And considerate about boundaries...”

She found her cheeks pinking a bit more.

“He can be so brave…” she said. “It feels like he’s saved me so many times... But it’s funny. He’s the type of person who helps others so much that it freaks him out when they try to help him .” She remembered something else. “He can be brash too. Hardheaded. Sometimes he gets overwhelmed, trying to do things on his own… And when things don’t go his way, he… pouts and huffs for a while. I didn’t know him then, but I feel like he was probably that kind of kid.” She laughed. “When he gets knocked down, he takes some time to himself, stands up again, and goes for it! It’s… inspiring. In a childish, earnest sort of way.”

She breathed a smile.

“He’s… he’s done so much for me. We’ve been through a lot together,” she said. “He’s one of the most important people in the world to me. He’s my best friend, and... I...”

…

…

It suddenly occurred to her that she’d been talking for a while.

Shiho’s grin threatened to split her face in half. Yuuki’s jaw was slightly agape. The courtyard was completely silent, save for the chirping of birds on the rooftop. Kasumi opened her mouth to speak, but Shiho beat her to it.

“...Do you like him?”

!!

Suddenly, Kasumi was very aware of the dryness in her mouth, and the beat of her heart in her chest. It felt like she just finished three practices in a row, or like she ran a hundred laps up and down Meiji Shrine, or like she leaned in and...

She shook her head wildly as that dream resurfaced. “Wh-What makes you say that, Suzui-senpai?”

Shiho scoffed. “Because I asked you what he was like and you talked for what, five minutes!? ” Her voice rose. “You talked about your coach for ten times less than that, and you’ve known her since you were four!! ”

Kasumi could feel heat rise in her cheeks, as her words tumbled out in a heap.

“Th-That’s just because I’m with him a lot!” It didn’t help, seeing Shiho’s smile widen. “I mean! We’ve been hanging out more lately, so he’s just… been on my mind! That’s all!”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

…

Kasumi sighed. There was no getting out of this, was there?

“W-Well, I don’t dislike him…” she blinked and shook her head. “Wait, no, that sounds rude. Um…” She let her head tilt back a bit. “Um! I think… I wouldn’t mind if I liked him! But I don’t think I do. Or I don’t know if I do. Do you know what I mean?”

“A little,” Shiho nodded sagely. “He’s probably the first person to make you feel this way… or at least, the first in a while.”

...

“...The first in a while.” Kasumi would admit that much. “I don’t know much about… liking someone. So…”

“And that’s fine,” Shiho assured. “I… I’m willing to bet he’s the same way.”

Her breathing hitched.

“Do you think so? Did he say that?” Kasumi wasn’t sure. “It’s just... It always feels like he has so much experience. With… everything, really.”

“He didn’t say anything, not to me. But have you ever asked?” Shiho pressed on, “About his… love life? What kind of girls he likes, if he’s dated anyone… That sort of thing?”

…

It’s not like she wasn’t curious.

It wasn’t unusual for guys and girls to be friends. Not somewhere like Tokyo, and especially not these days. With the advent of the internet, the availability of information, and the ease of communication? That old traditionalist ‘modesty’ crap was ancient history. And good riddance! Seriously, why was it so scandalous to hang out after school? Or hang out during school? Or even just talk at all?! It was insane — it made you wonder how people lived back then. Or if they really ‘lived’ at all.

Still… while ‘tradition’ was one thing, social stigma was another. When you saw a boy and a girl together, it was always your first thought. And who could blame you? You couldn’t help it— that’s just how you were raised. That’s what society taught you. And yet, it was wrong. Because unlike what some people would lead you to believe, boys and girls could and would be friends. No romantic strings attached.

And yet, that subconscious thought. A jump to conclusions, like a reflex. It was the first thing you noticed, despite your best efforts. And of course, the subject of rumors only multiplied that tenfold.

So it was no surprise that seeing the delinquent Akira Kurusu hang out with the likes of foreign model Ann Takamaki, student president Makoto Niijima, and conglomerate heiress Haru Okumura got the Shujin Academy rumor-mill working ‘round the clock.

Kasumi wasn’t the type to put stock in rumors. Not at all. She’d been through her fair share, and so she knew how awful it felt. That’s why, seeing Akira with his friends, and her first thoughts being… that? It was so much worse. Not just for her Senpai— it was like she was betraying herself.

So, had she asked him about his love life? “N-Not really, no. But...”

Kasumi frowned.

“It’s… strange. I feel like, if I asked him that…”

“That you’d be losing something important?” Shiho finished.

“Y-Yeah.” she slumped. “How’d you know?”

“Woman’s intuition.” Shiho winked. “You worry you’re not their type... Or worse, that they have someone else in mind. Trust me, we’ve all been there.”

Kasumi straightened a bit. “Oh! Do you like someone, Suzui-senpai?”

“I’m the one askin’ the questions here.” Shiho grinned. “You might not know how you feel. And that’s fine. But if he asked you out, what would you say?”

“Wh-What...?”

“Suzui…”

Mishima fixed her with a look. She blinked. Oh. Right, she promised Akira. Damn it. Just when things were getting good. She was so close, too! Ugh… Fine. But this wasn’t over!

“Sorry.” She bowed. “That was too far. I get really carried away, sometimes… I just want my friends to be happy.”

“S-Suzui-senpai…”

Shiho smiled. “I’m ju— Hey!! ” Yuuki gave his teammate a little bonk on the head.

“You’ve really just gotta’ stop while you’re ahead sometimes.” He scolded, before looking to Kasumi. “It’s great to be open about your feelings, but there’s no rush, right? Just take your time, Kasumi-san.”

The girl nodded.

“Y-Yes. Thank you, Mishima-senpai…”

!!

And so the bells tolled once more. Wherever their conversation was going, they’d have to pick it up another time. Or… they could just, not . Kasumi’s little heart’d had enough for the day.

“Guess we should get going then,” Mishima stood, tossing his wrapper into the nearby trash can. “I’ll let Kurusu know we’re ready when he gets back to class. Don’t forget!”

Shiho snorted. “Wouldn’t dream of it. I was born ready.”

“Let’s give it our all!” Kasumi cheered. “I’m looking forward to working with you!”

And the three went their separate ways, with a promise to meet again. Next stop, Kamoshida’s Castle. By tomorrow, it’d be gone for good.

…

…

…?

A head of orange hair poked her head out the door.

The usual tray. Curry rice. An apple. A glass of water. A cup of cocoa to finish. And…

A strange box.

Hm.

She looked left.

Then looked right.

Then left again.

Gingerly, she took the tray from the floor, shut the door, and withdrew into her room.

Ooh! Castella!

Chapter 9: Axe to Grind

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, “Morgana”, “Persona/Shadow”, “Jose/Phone”

Bored.

Bored, bored, bored.

Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored.

Ann Takamaki was...

Bored.

Another glance at the heart-shaped clock was self-fulfilling prophecy. Yep. Still the same. Despite her best efforts, nothing had changed.

The day had yet to end.

“Ughhh…”

Honestly… You’d think cutting class would be a bit more exciting than this. But noooooo, she had to be responsible and stay home. Who knew that part of being a good friend meant feigning sick and risking expulsion? She sure as hell didn’t— not ‘til last night.

“‘Just stay home, Ann.’ ‘Don’t ask questions, Ann.’ ‘Do it for me, Ann.’ Ugh.” she punctuated every quote with the toss of a heart shaped pillow. Up and down. Up and down. And in a whiny voice, “‘Ooh, look at me, I’m Shiho! I’m gonna’ send you weird messages at midnight and not text you back all day! Haha~!”

*whap*

She let the pillow fall into her face and roll off the bed.

And she let out a sigh.

And she checked her phone again.

And she checked the clock again.

And she groaned into her hands.

“So bored...”

Takuto would be here tomorrow.

It was a thought that bounced around his head like... Hm. Do you know those old DVD players? The ones you left alone too long that went on standby? They had a logo bounce around the edge of the screen until you used it again? Man, that logo was like, allergic to the corners, huh? Akira had the vaguest memories of sitting in front of the TV as a kid, hypnotized by the mere possibility. He’d never seen it before, but he’d heard the legends from the kids on the playground. When the logo hits the corner perfectly... if you made a wish? It was sure to come true.

Akira didn’t remember what his wish was. Probably because he never got the chance to make it. Definitely one of the most disappointing things to ever happen to him in his life. Aside from helping a stranger and going to jail for it. Or living a full year of his life and having to repeat it, for some reason. Though somehow, choosing either of those felt like cheating.

...Anyway.

Takuto would be here tomorrow! Ahh, it’d be nice to see him again. Takuto had been a really good friend, and a fantastic Confidant. Even though Akira’d never gotten around to telling him that was the case. Their time together flew by so fast…

…

He’d been busy.

Sae’s Palace had been particularly challenging. Between the arduous infiltration, the accommodation of a new party member, the flawless act to fool the traitor, the preparation for their greatest heist, and the foiling of his own assassination? Akira had been… busy.

So when Takuto had to leave, with his paper still unfinished? Akira could only feel guilty.

He could feel it, even now. The Councillor Arcana thrummed with power… yet it never reached the heights of its fellow Confidants. There was still a ways to go before it achieved its full potential. Akira knew that. He knew it, even then. But what could he do? Once Takuto left, he never saw him again.

…

Well, maybe a second chance wasn’t so bad.

Akira breathed a laugh to himself, idly spinning a pen across his fingers. Back and forth. Baaaack and forth. It was something he’d taken to last time around— a simple exercise to train his Proficiency during class. Now, it was just a habit. Even as Mr. Hiruta went on and on about allele frequency and mitochondrial DNA, Akira found himself… oddly calm. A welcome change considering how he’d felt, not two hours ago.

“Yes, the wonders of image training!” Arsène declared. “It would seem our time together might alleviate that stress of yours.”

‘How long have you been planning this, exactly?’ Akira narrowed his eyes jokingly, still staring straight ahead. ‘It seems awfully elaborate to have just, come up with on the spot.’

“Since our… conversation, last night.” Ah. Fair enough. “While there is much we cannot do, we hope to provide what assistance we can.”

‘...Thank you. I appreciate that.’

“But of course!” He felt the thief bow, within his mind. “Simply give the word, should you ever wish to partake.”

Akira nodded to himself, contently. He had some great partners.

...Partners.

Kasumi, Shiho, and Yuuki.

Their operation began less than an hour from now. Akira ran down the mental checklist again. Everyone had their gear. He’d brought enough food and medicine for their journey. They knew the basics of infiltration, and the basic of basics in combat. All that was left was the finer stuff. Things like battle formations, Palace navigation, and…

Codenames.

That was pretty important. When Hiruta turned his back to write on the board, he fired off a quick message to the group chat. Oh. Yuuki got the notification, but didn’t check his phone. What a responsible student.

“Just to give you a head start,” his text read, “Shiho and Yuuki, you need codenames to use for later.”

“oh yeah you said that yesterday,” Shiho was the first to reply. “so whats ours gonna be?”

“That’s why I’m asking.” He sent off another. “I tend to leave it up to you. Anything you like should be fine, as long as it’s easy to say.”

...No response for a while.

“ill think about it,” Shiho said. “hey wheres kasumi-chan? yuuki too”

“Being good students, I guess.” Akira smirked at Yuuki, taking notes. “Mishima’s not checking his phone.”

“he might regret that later,,,” He could almost hear Shiho’s laugh. “ill let you know if i come up with anythung”

“amything”

“ANYTHING”

“skflknhjsnh”

He grinned. “Having trouble there?”

Oh? A direct message.

“im gay shut up”

Fair enough.

“But yeah, you got it. Just let me know.” Akira sent to the group chat. “See you then.”

And away went the phone. Thirty minutes left? Nothing he couldn’t handle. Back to pen-twirling, it was.

“Wha—!?”

Akira stifled a snort, seeing Yuuki check his phone when the bell rang. The boy swung his head around incredulously, giving his leader the stinkeye as they exited the classroom.

“You guys were texting during class?!” Yuuki hissed, “Why?! You could’ve gotten caught by the teacher!”

“Relax, man. It’s not like we said anything incriminating.” Akira scrolled through their messages to show him. “So what can they do about it?”

“I dunno’, take your phone away?!” he whispered harshly, as they passed a teacher in the hall. “The thing we need, to start our mission today?!”

The two continued to bicker, as they stepped and weaved through the Shujin Academy afterschool crowd. Well, Yuuki was bickering. And Akira was doing most of the weaving— the other boy was just tracing his steps. Still, he was happy to see he’d kept up at all. Everyone was in a rush, just like always— to their clubs, to their lockers, and especially to the exit. Hm. Who knew this many people were in the go-home club? Wait, the shoe lockers were this way, weren’t they? That was probably it.

“We could just use Kasumi’s phone.” Akira shrugged. “Or yours, for that matter. It doesn’t have to be mine.”

A blink from Mishima. “Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

The thought was lost, as Shiho jogged up to them. “There you are!” she looked to Akira eagerly. “I came up with my codename!”

“Did you really?” their leader looked impressed. “That was fast. Good on you.”

“No, not ‘good on you’!” Yuuki butted in, once again, as they descended the stairs. The three of them side by side were too much for the hall, so he fell behind a bit. “Why were you texting during class!?”

She quirked a brow over her shoulder. “Are you serious? Because it was important.”

“So important that you’d risk your phone over it?!”

...

Akira and Shiho shared a look.

“...You’re such a dad, Mishima.” she laughed while they rounded the corner. “I’m being careful. And I’ll bet Kurusu is, too.”

The three of them had finally made it to the first floor. Among the first students to arrive, they went their separate ways to change shoes at their… Oh. Their lockers were all pretty close to each other. How convenient.

“I have my share of experience.” Akira shrugged cryptically. “I doubt they’d catch us anyway. I… heard a rumor that a Shujin student kept a cat in his desk all year, and never got caught.”

Yuuki scoffed. “What kind of rumor is that!?”

“Truth is stranger than fiction.” Kasumi smiled as she approached. “I think that’s how the saying goes.”

“Hey Yoshizawa,” Yuuki nodded knowingly. “Glad to see you weren’t texting in class, like these two.”

The girl blinked in confusion as Shiho snorted. “You’re really stuck on this, aren’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” he crossed his arms. “It’s a huge threat to our secrecy! Or, um… secrets. See?” He gestured toward their first-year comrade who blinked once more.

“Oh! Did you text me, Akira-senpai?” Kasumi realized as she pulled out her phone, “Sorry! I didn’t get the notification...”

Akira and Shiho shared a high five as Yuuki facefaulted.

“Come onnnn,” he groaned, standing up. “I can’t be the only one who’s worried about this!”

“While I appreciate the uh… ‘enthusiasm’?” Was that the right word? Akira shook his head. “Really, it’s alright. We’ve been doing this for ages, and—”

Actually, come to think of it...

“Well, we never got caught on our phones.” Seeing their confused looks, he waved ‘em off. “Long story. I’ll tell you later. Just take my word for it: we’ll be totally fine.”

Shiho frowned. “Still all the secrets?”

“Yuuki was right. Secrecy...” Akira flitted his fingers dramatically. “...is important. You never know who’s listening, so I won’t say anymore here.” He let his locker door creak shut, nodding at the two new thieves. “There’s a lot to go through before we start, so save your… ‘enthusiasm’ for the exciting stuff.”

The boy scoffed. “Weird thing to worry about.”

“I’m always worried.” Akira flashed a grin. “That’s why I’m the leader.”

Kasumi blinked.

“Is that... really why you’re in charge, Senpai?”

“Of course. I’m our greatest worrier.” He grinned. “And our greatest warrior.”

A set of groans all around, as the thief’s grin grows ever wider. Nice to know that some things never change.

“Whoaaa…”

Yuuki checked himself out as the flames of rebellion enveloped his body. His outfit from yesterday! So cool. He fiddled with some zippers and straps, adjusted his visor-mask, and popped his collar a bit— all with a goofy grin on his face. Meanwhile, Shiho reached over and pulled his collar back down.

“A-Ah! Hey!” He pushed her hand away. “What’re you doing?”

“It looks better down, trust me.” She shrugged with a smile. “God, you look like some kind of video game hero.”

“Is that so weird?” Akira offered from his place, leaning on the gate. “I mean, I’m dressed like a street magician.”

“And you make it work. Both of you do.” she nodded, conceding that. “But popped collars haven’t been cool since… well, ever. Actually.”

“Harsh.” Joker laughed, patting his collar down. “Don’t let Skull hear you say that…”

Ignoring their confused looks, he looked to Kasumi. Who was… stretching, behind him. On an exercise mat.

He pointed lamely.

“That’s new.” And squinted. “Wait, shouldn’t we be doing that together?”

“We’re going to be doing this every day, so I came prepared!” She said happily. “And we will do it together. Soon. You asked me to take it easy on you,” she teased, gesturing to her current pose— a difficult one he recognized as the ‘Half-Moon’. “So I’ll ease you in to my daily routine. Is that alright?”

“Works for me!” He wiped away a phantom sweat. Dodged a bullet there. “I’ll work with the rookies while you get warmed up?”

“Sounds perfect!” she said it with a smile, nary an ounce of effort. “Take your time.”

And so he elected to do just that. Huh? ‘Procrastination’? Never heard of it.

“So!” He clapped his hands together, turning to his new teammates. “Like I said, there’s a lot to talk about today. First of all, for those of you who don’t text in class: Codenames!”

Yuuki groaned as Shiho threw up a V for victory. Akira acknowledged her efforts with a nod, “You said you’d come up with one already, right?”

“That’s right!” Shiho takes a step forward.

“My name is Spinner! Don’t forget it!”

“Right on!” He nodded with a grin. “I’ll try not to— it’s a good one. What gave you the idea, anyway?”

“Oh! Well…” she looked up, as if into her brain. “Well, La Maupin is made of lace… and wore a lot of lace… and spinners make fabric…” Her eyebrows scrunched up. “...That’s it, really.”

“Good a reason as any,” he agreed, before he stopped. “Huh. I just noticed that’s... three out of four of us.”

She blinked. “Athletes?”

“No. Well, that too, I guess.” A sigh at the reminder. “French Personas, I meant.” A pointed finger to each of them. “La Maupin, Arsène Lupin, and Cendrillon…” A blink of his own. “Oh look at that. We rhyme, too.”

A collective fist bump. They had to crouch to receive Kasumi’s. Meanwhile, Yuuki raised his hand like a student. Akira stifled the growing smile and gave him the go ahead.

“So… Joker? What’s my codename gonna’ be?”

That was the question, wasn’t it?

Joker looked to Spinner, who shrugged. Then to Royale, who did the same. Or, she tried her best, at least. Hard to move your shoulders in a basket stretch.

So he followed their example and threw in a shrug of his own. “Well, that’s up to you, man. Did... you have anything in mind?”

The newly-minted thief froze beneath his visor. “Is it bad if I don’t?”

“It’s not a big deal.” He assured. “But you do need one. Safety measure and all. Don’t want to go mouthing off our names when we tear the place apart.”

“I… guess that makes sense,” Yuuki’s eyes narrowed. “But wait, didn’t old thieves used to do that all the time? They’d rob a place and make sure everyone knew who… did the deed?”

“Ahh… that was back when news couldn’t travel very far. Or very fast,” he explained. A good point though. “It was to build reputation. Also, kind of an ego thing.” He snapped his fingers, remembering something. “Also also, there’s a difference between robbery and thievery.” Wait, that wasn’t the important one. “Also also also: while we are trying to build a rep? Confessing who we are, directly to the victim’s brain is… not ideal.”

“Ah…” the boy looked aside. “...W-Well, what should my name be then? Is there like, a theme or something I should go for?”

“Well, you look like some middle-schooler’s OC.” Spinner smirked. “So something kinda’ heroic would be nice.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I’ll take the ‘heroic’ part…” Yuuki grumbled, “But why are you making fun of how I look? You’re blindfolded.”

“Not well enough, apparently. Your sense of style is powerful. I could probably see you through walls, if I tried.” Spinner said with a teasing smile. “Kidding. Besides, I can see perfectly fine in this.”

“Oh yeah?” Yuuki put up a hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

Shiho stared blankly.

…

…

…

Then turned to Akira.

“He’s flipping me off, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, no sh*t.”

So he said. Shiho returned the gesture, putting up the same finger and shoving it in Yuuki’s face. The boy was happy to oblige, doing the same. They went at it for a while, Yuuki bringing up his other hand, Shiho summoning her Persona (who used both its hands), before he followed her example and the two thieves reached a veritable stalemate— having exhausted their arsenal of potential fingers to flip. All the while, childish faces and stupid noises galore. And frankly, Akira was content to leave it there...

But along came...

...a troubling thought.

…

…

...

“...Hey, Spinner?”

She looked away from the current pissing contest. “What’s up?”

“You can see, right?”

…

…

…

“Spinner?”

“Yeah?”

“Answer the question, please.”

…

The girl merely looked aside and pretended to whistle.

Akira’s jaw dropped.

“You can’t see!?”

“Whaaaat? I caaaan,” she scoffed, far too drawn out for his liking. “...sort of.”

“Sort of—!?” he cried. “It’s a yes or no question!!”

“It’s not a problem!” Spinner assured. “I have to take my mask off to fight, right?” She puffs her chest out and puts her hands on her hips. “So I’ll be fine! I don’t have to see to beat up bad guys— just point me in the right direction!”

“That’s not the point!!”

The two mops of black hair went back and forth about the importance of vision in a fight to the death, how valuable sight was while sneaking around monsters that could kill you, and whether or not Shiho’s nose could totally substitute for her eyes like she said it could. Meanwhile, Yuuki exchanged glances with Kasumi, who looked just as concerned as he did.

“...Is this… gonna’ be a problem?”

“I... hope not. Senpai’s right— vision is really important. For balance, and…” Royale winced from her spot on the ground. “...most things, actually.”

“Who the hell cares!?” Shiho yelled, bringing their attention back. “You saw me yesterday! I can fight! I’m super strong!”

“No one’s saying you can’t!” Akira threw his hands up. “If you can’t see, we’ll work with it, but why the hell didn’t you say anything!?”

“Because I can see! I’m not lying!” She crossed her arms. “I’m being serious— I can! It’s not… with my eyes, I think. But…” she squeezed her elbow. “It’s weird, but I just… know where stuff is, okay? I don’t know, it’s… hard to explain.”

“...Oh.”

His gaze softened.

…

“...Okay.” He nodded. “...Sorry for yelling.”

“It’s… fine.” she looked away and huffed. “You weren’t like, actually mad. So it was kinda’ funny.”

…

…

“...Did you—” he squinted. “Did you do all that just to mess with me?”

“...Would you get actually mad if I said yes?”

His eye twitched.

“Weird sense of humor you got…” Akira grumbled, hand on the back of his neck. “Though somehow? Can’t say I hate it.”

Shiho grinned. “Give it time.”

His playful scowl deepened as she only laughed harder.

“Jokes aside, if you can really… ‘see’ behind that thing,” He waves a hand in front of her face that she snaps her teeth at. “...then your Persona might have a unique ability. Could be worth looking into.”

“Ooh!” She perked up. “Is that good?”

“Almost definitely,” he confirms. “But I’ll put that aside for now.” Akira looked to the other new addition, who perked up under his gaze. “Back to your codename.”

“Right!” Shiho clapped agreeably, ‘looking’ Yuuki up and down. “So, something heroic, right?”

“...If that’s okay.” Now the center of attention, the unnamed Phantom sort of kicked his boots back and forth against the cobblestone. “But anything’s fine, really.”

“Don’t say that,” Royale had stood up, in her typical standing-split. “It’s your name. And if you join us, it’ll be your name for a long time!”

“That’s… fair. And stressful.” He sighed with each remark. “So… any suggestions?”

“Ooh! What about ‘Hero’?” Shiho started. “Or… um, what do heroes use? ‘Sword’? ‘Saber’? Wait, you use a bow…” She snapped her fingers. With gloves on. Somehow. “What about ‘Archer’?”

“That’s... not too bad, but…” he admitted, scratching his head. “Not really… feeling it.”

“Something gun-related then?” Akira’s two cents. “Since your Persona’s a sniper.”

“...So like, ‘Bullet’?” Yuuki went through names in his head. “Or ‘Gunsmoke’? Maybe ‘Crackshot’?” He thought about it a bit more and shook his head. “...Nah, that’s a bit too much.”

“Hey, let’s keep at it. I think there’s something there,” Akira put his hand on his shoulder. “We have... six, so far. Did you like any of those?”

“Huh? U-Uh…” He wasn’t expecting that. “I guess… ‘Saber’, ‘Archer’, and… ‘Gunsmoke’?”

“Hmm…”

The four of them sat in silence for a while, stewing it over.

…

…

…

“Caliber.”

Akira pointed right at Yuuki.

“It’s the size of a bullet. Primarily, it means ‘quality’.” He recited. “And it derives from the chosen weapon to England’s King of Knights. The Sword in the Stone— Excalibur.”

Yuuki was floored.

“...That’s really good.” he breathed. “You’re good at naming things. You should join the newspaper club.”

Akira blinked. “Um… thank you?”

“No, thank you.” The boy stepped forward, fist in the air.

“My name will be Caliber. I’ll wear it proudly.”

And his fellow thieves let out a cheer.

Workouts feel much nicer when you’re not working alone.

The lack of coordination. The stuttering and stumbling. The way your limbs trembled as you moved muscles you didn’t know you had. One on one was sensory overload. At least this way, they could all be embarrassed together.

Well, that would be the case. But all his teammates were career athletes.

“Feelin’ the burn, Joker?” Shiho smiled, all smug. “You look out of breath.”

He glared.

“You’re… *gasp*... a sad*st, Spinner…”

The four were currently engaged in Kasumi’s ‘daily routine’— a series of stretches, poses, and various positions meant to move muscles otherwise unused. Basically, it was a conditioning exercise that required lots of stamina, while training endurance and flexibility. Shiho and Yuuki, while outside their wheelhouse, had little trouble keeping up. Akira on the other hand…

“Ughhh…”

...collapsed on the floor with a whimper. Shiho flashed the peace sign.

“Don’t lay down yet, Senpai! If you let your blood sit, all our work goes to waste!” Kasumi cheerfully extends a hand. “Come on! Let’s keep that body moving!”

“If I move…” his face purples. “I’m gonna’ throw up.”

Shiho smirks. “Promise?”

She and Yuuki bump fists again, as she throws last night’s words back at him. Akira rolls over and moans into the pavement. Kasumi just looks nonplussed.

“S-Senpai?”

“Leave him,” Yuuki manages between laughs, “I was the same when I… started… volleyball…”

…

And just like that, the mood had soured. Collectively, everyone seemed to remember why they were here.

“...So, Joker.” Shiho prods him with her foot. “Are we pounding that bastard’s stupid face in today? Or tomorrow? Please say today.”

“Two days from now, at the earliest.” He mumbles into the ground. Shiho hooks her foot beneath his stomach enough to flip him over. “Thank you. But yeah, the day after tomorrow is the soonest we could possibly fight him. Today, we’re doing all we can to make sure we win.”

“And that includes fighting, right?” She pounds one fist into the other. “Like, real fighting?”

He finds himself squinting again.

“...Yes.” Akira moves to sit up. He makes it about halfway before his abs give out. “Ugh… How is this, ‘easing me into it’?” He half-glares at Kasumi. “You made us plank for like, five minutes!!”

“It was only two,” she pouted. “I do it every day; I know the length by heart.”

“That’s still a lot for a beginner, okay?!”

“Guys…” Yuuki interjects. “Sorry to interrupt, but can we focus?”

…

His thieving-Senpai stare back at him.

“...Fair enough.” Akira pushes himself upright with his arms. Then to his feet with his legs. “First things first: battle formation!”

“Persona!!”

Caliber and Spinner threw aside their masks in unison, calling forth their other selves. La Maupin twirled her rapier idly, staring down her three opponents. Lady Death breathed into her scope, flexing her trigger finger on the side.

“This is your typical battle!” Akira called, across the way. “We started with an ambush, and the enemy’s surrounded! That means the first move is ours!”

“Got it!” Yuuki nodded. “Then I’ll—”

“I got it!!”

Wham! The meteor hammer coils like a snake and strikes like thunder. Shiho lets it fly right into a Berith’s face, killing him instantly. Damn, that thing was strong. She pulls the hammer back and does a little fist pump.

“Um, Spinner?” Yuuki spoke up. “I think it was my turn first.”

“Huh?”

She spins around and swings again, cleaving a Pixie in two. Some firecrackers to the floor, and the Angel is Down!

“Alright!” she cheers, “Ready to go!”

“W-Wait, it’s still my tu—”

“All-Out Attack!”

She threw her hammer up and spiked it, right into the crowd. The Shadows vaporized under its force, as the words of her soul rang out.

“Exit Stage Left!”

And the battle ended.

…

...

Akira coughs.

“Good… job out there, you two.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Nice hustle, Spinner.”

“Thanks!” she grins widely, “Did you see the way I crushed that guy? And I knocked the other one Down, just like you taught me!”

“Yeah! Yeah…” That much was true. But… “Spinner? Remember how I explained Initiative?”

“Yup!” she nodded, twirling her hammer around. “The order we move in, right? And I’m up first!”

“...You’re close.” Well, it’s nice she remembered that much. “You were second. But even if you were first, there’d still be a turn after yours.”

She blinked.

Turned to Caliber, who waved nervously.

...

Turned back to him.

“...I think I made a mistake.”

“Y-Yeah…” he put a finger up to explain. “When you take your turn, you make one move. We do this to cycle through our party quickly.” He drew a circle with that finger. “Not only does it confuse the enemy we surround, but it gives each of us a chance to rest.”

“...A chance to rest?” She fidgeted. “Like, what do you mean?”

“Look at it this way.” He reached into his coat tepidly and withdrew one of his pistols. “When you fire a gun too many times, too fast? The gun can jam. Worse, you can get a misfire.” He didn’t demonstrate, merely holding the weapon in his hands, far from the trigger. “Likewise, if you do too many things at a time? You could trip up and hurt yourself. Or even someone else.”

“Oh…” she rolled out her shoulder. “...But, wait. I did three attacks in a row and felt fine.”

He moved to speak again, when he felt Kasumi’s hand on his upper arm. She gave him an assuring look, as she stepped forward past him.

“This was our first battle of the Palace,” she took over for him. “An infiltration isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. We’re going to be here all day, Spinner-senpai. You need to conserve your strength.”

…

The girl crossed her arms and curled in on herself. Like a child, scolded by her parents.

“...Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I know it’s exciting,” Kasumi gave a gentle smile. “But Joker-senpai was right. If you had attacked while Caliber-senpai made a move? You could have gotten really hurt. Both of you. So I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

…

She seemed to shrink even smaller.

“...Right.” Shiho bowed her head to her teammate. “Sorry, Caliber.”

“It’s… fine. I don’t blame you.” The boy scratched his cheek. “Let’s just all be careful, okay?”

...

“...Okay.” She nods to him, and bows to Kasumi. “And thanks, Royale-senpai.”

“Of course!” Kasumi nods agreeably. “We’re all here to learn.”

Shiho nodded at that, walking over to Yuuki and talking with him about the battle. What went wrong, what to do next time, who was going first and why. In the meantime, he nodded to Royale with a whisper.

“...I see you learned your lesson from the other day.”

“You noticed?” she giggled. “I just thought she should hear what you told me. I hope you’re not too mad.”

Somewhere between the Eligor battle and the pommel horse routine, Akira had gotten around to lecturing Kasumi about overdoing it in the Metaverse. Not to curb her enthusiasm, just for her own safety. The still-smoldering remains of the dining room stood testament to that... Regardless, he was glad to see she took his words to heart.

“Mad? Far from it.” He nodded approvingly. “You told her what she needed to hear, and made her feel welcome. More than that, you took Caliber’s feelings into account.” He listed them off on his fingers with a smile. “You make a wonderful Senpai.”

“Wh-Wha?!” Her cheeks tinged pink. “We’ve been through this, I’m not—” she shook her head. “I thought you said we’re all equals in the Metaverse?”

“And yet, you still call us ‘Senpai’,” he poked her on the forehead, lightly, “Maybe practice what you preach, huh?”

Her jaw dropped. “H-Hey!!”

“Just teasin’,” he ruffled her hair a bit. “Seriously though, thanks. You’re a great partner.”

…

She sighed.

“...That, I can accept.” Kasumi smiled lightly. “I hope you can continue to count on me.”

“I’m the leader, but you don’t need my approval,” He smiled right back. “If there’s ever anything on your mind, let me know. Second-in-command means you’re the Second Opinion.”

She blinked. “Is… that my role? Second-in-command?”

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” he shrugged. “Sort of like a literature club’s treasurer, or a sports club’s secretary. It’s just a nice title that’s there, if you want it.”

...

“...I’ll think about it. I don’t know if I’m right for it.” She rested her palm on the hilt of her sword. “Sometimes I get tired just watching you, Leader.”

“Somethin’ somethin’, pot, kettle. I feel that way watchin’ you and your coach.” He let out an amused breath. “Ah well. At least we can always learn from each other.”

She smiles too. “That sounds nice. I’ll remember that.”

And so, the two turn to the others, their conversation long since over. Yuuki hefts the quiver on his shoulder, while Shiho greets them with another co*cky smile.

“You two lovebirds ready to fly?”

Akira stumbled. Kasumi blushed. Yuuki looked at Shiho incredulously. “That’s the best you could come up with? You had like, two minutes!”

“Shut up, I’m off my game today.” She crosses her arms. “But don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of chances to practice.”

The two ‘lovebirds’ elected not to comment, as the group proceeded to the next room.

“Persona!!”

Yuuki called forth Lady Death with a flick of his wrist. The visor in his hands dissolved in blue flames.

“The enemy’s off-guard— now’s our chance!” Akira reported. “Caliber, you’re up first!”

“Right!” He scanned the three targets. “Let’s see… a Pixie, a Silky, and a Cait Sith…” He stroked his chin. “Pixie’s weak to Gun, I remember that. And Silky’s weak to Electricity…”

Akira blinked. “U-Um, Caliber?”

“Cait Sith is weak to… something.” He frowned. “Is it Electricity too? No, it was strong against that…”

“C-Caliber…”

“Is one of them weak to Wind?” He scratched his head. “I feel like I remember one of them was weak to Wind.”

“Dude!”

Yuuki looked up just in time for Akira to tackle him. A powerful Zio spell streaked through the space above their heads. The Phantom Thief leader sat up in air that reeked of ozone.

“Dammit!” He kipped up into a crouch. “Royale, take over!”

“O-Okay!” She stepped up to the plate. “Persona!!”

Cendrillon twirled into existence, hands glowing with orbs of light. She let them loose one after the other, striking the ground beneath them. The Shadows fled from the attack, leaving only smoke behind. Perfect cover for Akira to pull Yuuki to his feet.

“Spinner-senpai!” Kasumi stepped back and called the name. “Go for it!”

“Alright!” Shiho rushed in, mask falling away. “Come, Maupin!!”

There were sounds of a scuffle. Nothing he could see through the smoke. Akira looked to Yuuki in concern. “You good, man?”

“Y-Yeah…” the boy seemed to shake off the cobwebs, “S-Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Good. We can talk later.” Akira made to move away. “We’re sitting ducks out here, so back to position!”

“G-Got it!”

The two abandoned the smoke cloud, each in a different direction. A glance at the battlefield told him Shiho’d taken out two on her own.

Akira grimaced at that, before he spoke up. “Spinner! Pass the Baton to Caliber!”

“What?” she turned, seeing Yuuki standing again. “Oh! Sure, on my way!”

She ran across the room, blocking the Shadow’s strike with the chain of her hammer. Twisting the cord, she trapped its blade in her grasp and yanked it away. The little fencing foil fell to the floor and she kicked it by the handle, letting it skitter across the room. The Cait Sith hissed and scampered off after its sword.

“Your turn!” she ditched the little critter and gave Yuuki the next move.

“Roger!” he accepted it gratefully. “Let’s go, Persona!!”

Lady Death burned bright once more. She put an eye to the scope and a finger to the trigger.

Yuuki punched his fist forward, finger straight out. “Shoot ‘em down, Lady!”

And she was happy to oblige. Mishima’s other self took a breath, took aim… and fired. The ringing crack of a rifle filled the room, as the Cait Sith fell flat to the gust of Wind. Yuuki pumped his fist, before he drew an arrow from his quiver.

“It’s my turn now!” He ran forward, giving the signal.

“All-Out Attack!”

Everyone charged in, weapons at the ready. The poor Shadow never stood a chance.

Yuuki nocked two arrows and fired them, one after the other. In one swift motion, he spun on his heel into a low stance— last arrow drawn for the final blow. He let it loose and stood tall, turning away from the end of the battle.

“All according to plan!”

…

The boy put a hand over his mouth.

“...Why did I just say that?”

Akira relaxed, with the battle over. “Do you want the long answer or the short one?”

“...The short one.”

“Got it.” He sheathed his dagger as everyone walked over to him. “You know how you get a burst of energy when you knock an enemy Down? That’s called a ‘One More’,” he repeated what he’d told them earlier. “When you finish an All-Out Attack, there’s still a bit of that energy left in you. And it has to go somewhere, so it manifests as… words of your soul. Something that resonates with you. Your body’s on that high, so your heart will sorta’ say whatever it wants.”

“...Seriously?” Yuuki laughed nervously. “That’s a little embarrassing.”

“Only if you let it be,” Akira shrugged. “It’s one of the things you get over pretty quickly. Our Personas are our hearts, our outfits are our souls… There’s no shame in being who you are.”

Shiho bristled at that.

“So your heart will just talk for you, huh?” Her eyes wandered. “...Anyone ever said anything… they might regret?”

...Oh.

“Nothing like that, don’t worry.” He could see the relief on her face. “It’s limited to something you’d say when you’re excited, or… proud of yourself.” He snickered. “One of my old teammates was really into stuff like Buchimaru and Wanna-Wanna-kun? So one time she beat a bunch of Shadows and yelled about her ‘Fists of Justice’.” He smiled. “...Good times. Miss that girl.”

“A fan of police mascots? Your friend has weird taste.” Yuuki squinted. “Not bad. Just… odd.”

“That’s the Phantom Thieves, for ya’.” He shrugged. “And to be honest? I like us that way. Wouldn’t feel the same without it.”

…

“...Oh, sorry.” He laughed to himself. “Just feeling nostalgic, is all.”

“If you say so…” Shiho crossed her arms, unconvinced. “Are you ready to move on?”

Ah…

That was the last thing he wanted to hear right now. She didn’t mean it that way. Still… it was the kind of feeling that ran right through your chest and stayed there. He couldn’t help but grimace as his stomach did a flop, his heartbeat jumped, and his vision started to blur…

For a moment, Yuuki’s blue spikes seemed a shade lighter. Shiho’s ponytail had split in two.

Times were simpler then...

“Senpai...?”

Oh.

Kasumi’d put her hand on his shoulder, concern in her eyes.

Ahh… what was he doing? Right now, they needed him.

Gently, he put his hand on hers. Akira turned to his partner, and nodded his thanks. She simply smiled lightly, leaving the words unspoken.

“...Sorry about that.” He lets her hand down, “I’ll be alright now.”

Joker looks to his thieves, ready and waiting.

“Caliber. About that last battle…”

“O-Oh…” His face fell. “Um… Sorry… about that…”

“It’s fine,” Akira assured him. “Really. I’m glad to see you’re paying close attention. Enemy weaknesses are super important, and it’s good that you’re considering them.”

Yuuki just stood there awkwardly, knowing there was a ‘but’ in all this.

“But…” There it was. “If you don’t move in time, a Shadow can take advantage of that.” He explained. “The purpose of an Ambush is to take the first move, yes. But it has to be quick. When we surround an opponent, we try to beat them as fast as possible— ideally within the round. If we don’t, whatever Shadows are left will strike back, and strike hard.”

...Akira sighed.

“I’m not gonna’ chew you out or anything. This was your first battle, and you’re thinking tactically. That’s great.” He shrugged his hands into his pockets. “Just a bit of advice, though? Don’t overthink it. Just go with the flow. Besides, your first instinct tends to be your best one.”

Yuuki frowned. “My ‘first instinct’ is to run.”

“And that’s not a bad thing!” Akira grinned. “We get in tons of fights as Phantom Thieves, but if we try and beat on every Shadow we find? We’ll never get anywhere.” He nodded to himself. “That’s the whole reason we sneak around and stuff. It’s not just for aesthetics.”

“...Okay.” Yuuki bit his lip. “So… what should I do from now on?”

“For now? I think I’m gonna’ give Spinner the first move.” He laughed as the girl cheered. “And while she’s in there, wreakin’ havoc? Use that time to plan your attack.” Akira grinned. “So from now on, the Initiative will be Spinner, Caliber, Royale, then Joker. Sound good?”

“Sounds great!” Shiho pumped her fist. “Throw me in there, Coach! I’m ready!”

Yuuki squinted. “You know you’re the bait, right?”

“Who cares! Early bird gets the worm!” She whooped. “And if I’m up first, those Shadows’ll be worm-food! Or bait! Because bait can be worms, sometimes!”

“Smooth.” Akira snickered. “Really had to stretch for that one, huh?”

Shiho smiled like she just won the lottery. “At least I stretch at all, Kurusu.”

Dammit. Walked right into that. Akira could only sigh while Yuuki and Shiho exchanged the highest of fives. Even Kasumi had to smile, pleased that her new teammates were of the same mind.

“Alright, alright…” Joker brought their attention back to him. “Seriously though. Caliber, it’s alright if you need time. You don’t have to take every shot you can. And don’t be afraid to pass your turn either— something like that can trip up enemies too.” He nodded firmly to the boy, seemingly taking mental notes. “Just do what feels right. And… when you do shoot your shot, make sure Spinner isn’t caught in the crossfire.”

“Crossfire!” Kasumi said suddenly. “That’d be a great codename.”

“You’re right!” Yuuki perked up… before he deflated again. “Ugh... I like Caliber though.”

The thieves went back and forth on the merits of each one, as the group made their way toward the castle’s tower.

“Persona!!”

La Maupin spun from thread into lace. Her other self made manifest, Spinner charged headlong into Shadows, hammer at the ready!

“Let’s see…” Yuuki’s eyes flit from one foe to the next. “A Berith, an Incubus, and a Succubus. That means…”

Bam! Her first strike pummels into the knight’s flank. The Shadow’s horse whinnies with a start, rearing up on its hind legs and bolting off. With a grin, Shiho pulled her chain taught and blocked a swipe of the Incubus’ claws, the gangly things gleaming with magical power.

“Two Bless, one Fire…” his brow furrowed. “An Ice, and a Wind.”

Another swipe. Then another. The little devil’s Life Drain skill missed its mark twice over, as Shiho bobbed and weaved with the finesse of a dancer. She dodged wide on the first, tipped her head back on the last, letting it soar above her head. She let her body curl as she fell on her back and rolled, snapping a firm kick to the Shadow’s chin. The little imp squealed, trying desperately to right itself on those bat-like wings it had.

“Spinner!” Yuuki called. “I’m ready!”

“Got it!”

Still on her knees from that little maneuver, Shiho kept her head down as the crack of Lady Death’s rifle filled the room. As the Incubus flailed wildly, Caliber’s Garu shot past them both and struck the unsuspecting Succubus, tearing her wings to shreds. Fully flightless, the she-devil fell to the ground before her with a whimper.

“One Down!” Caliber threw a fist up. “Go again, Spinner!”

She grinned at the familiar sensation of One More, filling her body with power. “Right!”

True to her name, Spinner gripped the ball of her hammer, spun around, and slammed it right into the fallen demon’s chest. The Succubus was crushed beneath the iron ball, screeching in pain before it vanished. In the same motion, Shiho lobbed a handful of snappers at the Incubus, the firecrackers pelting its defenseless body ‘til it hit the ground and dissolved.

Shiho grinned and pumped her fist. “Hell yeah!”

“Behind you!”

Called on by her leader, Shiho’s head shot to attention. Spurned by the girl’s first blow, Berith made the run-around. The knight’s shadowy steed had looped back and galloped right for her, spear at the ready. But as it reared back to strike…

“Cendrillon!”

Two pillars of light shot through the floor like trees. The Berith yanked on his reins and screeched to a halt, lest he be consumed by its radiance. Seeing his chance, Akira lined up a shot with his wrist… and fired. The thief’s trusty grappling hook pierced straight through the Shadow’s helm, lodging itself firmly in the knight’s upper point of balance.

He shouted her name and pulled. “Spinner!”

“Gotcha’!”

And with a fistful of fireworks, Shiho Suzui threw the first punch of her adolescent life— the first of many to come. The powerful uppercut tore through the air and caught the Shadow right in the head, sinking deep into the demon’s cheek. The creak of the metal, the crash of an impact, and the crack of gunpowder sang in harmony, as Shiho’s fist exploded across his face. The Shadow flew through the air— it was dust before it ever landed.

The battle was over.

…

“Oww, f*ck!!”

Spinner held her wrist in pain. Her gloves were still smoking from the blast. “Why the hell did I do that?”

“Why did you do that?” Akira jogged up with a healing spell ready. “It was awesome, but like... why?”

“I dunno’!! Agh…” she rubbed her aching palm under the soothing light of Diarahan. “I was just following your advice! ‘Your first instinct’s the best’ and all that…”

“That was for Caliber!” He laughed, still in shock. “You blew up your hand just to kill a Shadow!”

Shiho grinned through a wince. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“It wasn’t even weak to Guns!” Yuuki had walked over, eyes wide and incredulous. “Berith is immune to Gunfire— he died to your bolo punch!”

...

“...Oh, I knew that. Totally.” She said just a bit too confident for anyone to believe. “Yeah, it was planned. Calculated. I was just boosting the power of my solo punch with gunpowder. I’m the best.”

“It’s a bolo punch…” Akira sighed, ending the spell. “Also, you just said it was your first instinct.”

“It was!” Shiho flexed her fingers, glad to see they were still attached. “I just… punch people all the time! That’s all.”

“If that’s true, your form could use some work…”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Kasumi, the last of them to arrive. Akira gave her a skeptical look. “You know about boxing forms too?”

“Of course I do!” she nodded swiftly. “Before she was my coach, Hiraguchi-san was the featherweight champion in the JASDF.”

…

“...What.”

She tilted her head. “Have I never told you that?”

“No! No, you did not!” He ran a hand through his hair. “Oh god… She’s not like, some vigilante of justice who beats up liars, is she?”

Kasumi blinked.

“Um… not that I know of. Why… do you ask?”

“No reason! No reason at all.” Akira wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up. “Anyway… good job everyone! You did great, keeping them busy Spinner.” He nodded to her, and then to... “Caliber? Nice eye for weakness. Good call on that follow-up, too.” He turned to Kasumi. “And thanks for looking out for them, Royale. That Makouga was a huge help.”

“It’s no problem!” she said happily. “We really felt like a team there, didn’t we?”

“Yeah! It was awesome!” Yuuki cheered. “Spinner was like pow pow wham! Then I came in like, whoooosh with my Wind stuff! And Royale was all like pshooo-pshoooo with the light attack, and Spinner was like BAM with that punch!” He clapped his hands together. “Ugh… So cool!”

“...I’ll take the compliment.” Shiho grinned, shaking out her singed glove. “Ready for the next fight, Joker!”

“Sounds good to me,” he nods with a smile. “Onward we go!”

“Whoa…”

What once was a magnificent sight lay in ruin, charred and ravaged beyond repair. The group had emerged from the hall to the rafters above the castle foyer. A castle foyer razed to the ground by a certain somebody’s Megidolaon.

“...Crap.”

Yuuki looked to his leader with a new respect. “So this is what you did with that attack?! Holy…” he stared down at the wreckage in awe. “All of this… in just one move…”

“I-It wasn’t really anything special…” Akira frowned, a little miffed by the circ*mstances. “It’s one of my crowd-clearing moves. I can’t use it when there’s anyone around, so I fired it off when we left the Palace grounds.”

“Oh! I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” Kasumi leaned in. “Why did you use it at all? Would the Shadows have chased us into the courtyard if you hadn’t?”

“Huh? Um, I guess I…” he scratched his cheek. “I figured I could get away with it… so I thought I might as well. Once everyone was safe, there was no danger. Those Shadows were just free experience.”

“Experience?” Yuuki repeated. “Like, experience points in a video game?”

“Sort of…?” Akira rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a combination of both. First of all, yes. Even just getting into fights makes us stronger— I’m sure you’ve noticed by now.” He nodded to Shiho. “That’s the ‘experience’ part of it. But when we beat a Shadow and it returns to the Sea? Its soul passes through our Persona. That’s what really drives our growth.”

“...Wait.” Shiho crossed her arms. “Have we been absorbing people’s… souls this whole time?”

“It’s not like that,” Akira assured. “Shadows in the Metaverse, aside from Palace Rulers, aren’t associated with any particular person. When we beat them, we’re not… sucking their souls out like vampires. It’s more like…” He frowned, trying to remember how Morgana explained it. “Our Personas learn something new from them. Like how you become wiser as you gain more life experiences? Only… it’s not metaphorical. Does that make sense?”

...She nodded.

“Okay. If you say so.” Shiho grimaced. “As long as they get purified or whatever, like you said. I don’t want any part of that bastard’s… soul anywhere near me.”

“You don’t have to worry.” He nodded. “...Speaking of, we’re getting pretty close. There’s something up ahead that I wanted to show you…”

He turned and was met with the ruined chamber.

...Right. This was a problem.

Last time around, it was simple. They’d climbed up on that shelf there, and used the chandeliers as footholds to cross the room to the other side. Unfortunately, time travel only ever made things more complicated. Because those very chandeliers were smashed to pieces, burned and blackened on the foyer floor.

“...Senpai?” Kasumi spoke up. “What are you looking at?”

He looked up. “Oh! Well, with those bars in the way…” Akira pointed to the portcullis blocking off their path. “I’m looking for a new way forward. The next door is across this chasm, so…”

She blinked. “Is there anything we can swing on to get across? Or any way to get down from here?”

“Uhh…” he looked around the room. “Those chains, the ones the lights were hanging from? I thought we could try those, but…” He shot his grappling hook, which latched firmly onto his target. He pulled gently, and the whole thing fell apart. “...It doesn’t look like we’re crossing this way.”

Akira clicked his tongue. Damn… If not this way, where else could they go? Was there any other route to the tower? He moved to pull out the map, just to double check—

“Wait, Joker.” Shiho called. “What about that door?”

“Huh?”

He followed the girl’s… Well, he couldn’t follow her eyes with the blindfold and all. But her head was facing a certain way, so it was just guesswork from there. It seemed like she was interested in… what was once a grand tapestry— a portrait of Kamoshida hung up on the wall. That, it was no longer. The canvas was scorched and muddied by the dust and debris, but…

He looked back at her. “Um… what door?”

“What do you mean?” She frowned. “The big one, right there!”

…

…

Oh!

That’s right! There was a secret passage behind the painting— they’d found it last time around. There was an elevator and the path to the third Will Seed... But wait, how did she know that? They’d only ever discovered it on accident, ramming into the thing from the other side. And with the painting in the way, it’s not like she could see—

…

…

Oh.

“Spinner?” He faced her, seriously. “You haven’t taken off that blindfold, have you?”

“...Not since that last fight.” She shook out a phantom pain in her wrist. “Why? Should I have?”

…

“...No. You’re just fine.” He laughed a little. “Better than fine, actually. Here. I’ll show you what I mean.”

Reeling in his grappling hook was no trouble at all; it came installed with its own little winch and crank. Once it was close enough, he wrapped the cord several times around a nearby pillar, and with the heel of his shoe? Pushed the tip into the ground. Tugging a bit to make sure it was secure, he stepped back from it, satisfied.

“Joker?” Yuuki blinked. “What are you doing?”

“We’re heading down,” he said simply. “To that big door. That’s our ticket forward.”

Ever the gentleman, Akira extended a hand to Kasumi. Smiling, the little thief walked over and took it, wrapping her other hand around his shoulder. He put his arm under her legs and swept her off her feet, holding tight to the cable with his other hand.

“Ready?”

“Always.”

And with a step off the balcony, they began their descent toward the entrance hall. Behind them, he could hear Shiho break out in applause as Yuuki choked on his own saliva.

Gently, the pair touched down together. He let her down slowly, making sure she had her balance. With both her feet to the floor, she stood on her own and pulled her hand back… trailing her fingertips on his shoulder all the while. He smiled at her touch, as she nodded thanks to her courteous escort.

He looked up at his thieves. “Alright, now you two. You can take the Joker Express, or you can jump down yourselves, so what’ll it be?”

Yuuki looked down at them. “...It’s a bit high up to jump, isn’t it?”

“Ugh... Here, you big baby.” Shiho removed her blindfold, letting Maupin appear. The Persona of lace unraveled, wrapping the ribbons of its arm around the same pillar. “Are you coming or not?”

...He gulped.

“...Fine.” Yuuki stepped in closer, as Maupin’s lace began to wrap around them. “But if you drop me, I’ll haunt you when I die.”

Shiho shrugged. “Never believed in ghosts anyway.” And jumped off the edge with Yuuki in tow.

The boy could only shut his eyes, feeling the wind pick up and whip at his face. Then, with a jerk, everything stopped. Cracking an eye open, he was face to face with Akira, though the thief was upside-down. Or um, he was upside-down.

“So glad you could join us,” Joker laughed. “Though, I never would’ve thought to use La Maupin like that.”

Shiho shrugged as they righted themselves. “I don’t really use her to fight, anyway.”

“A shame, really…” The Sword Mistress’ lament. “Though I’m quite looking forward to our duel, darling.”

Yuuki blinked, having been let down from the lace cocoon. “Duel? With who?”

“The Palace ruler, who else?” La Maupin reformed, twirling her blade in hand. “The craven dastard who ruins all he touches. It will be my pleasure to rob him blind.”

“You and me both,” Shiho grumbles, turning to Akira. “Now, what about that door— Gah!!” Free of her blindfold, she pointed accusingly at the painting. “What the f*ck is that!?”

The portrait was a very exaggerated portrayal of Suguru Kamoshida, pushing up his pecs with his forearm as he flexed toward the viewer. The man was in his Shadow attire, with a flimsy cape around his shoulders, a gaudy crown atop his head, and no shirt to speak of. The man’s face was twisted in this victorious smile that only highlighted how big his stupid mouth was. The little shoujo sparkles on the edge of the frame really nailed it home.

“...It’s the door you pointed out.” Akira began to walk toward it, waving them over. “You see why I was confused now.”

“Y-Yeah…” She reapplied her blindfold, preferring not to see the pedophile’s narcissus on full display. “Ugh… I’m gonna’ need some brain bleach on aisle me?”

“If it’s any consolation, we can set it on fire when we leave,” Akira shrugged, surprisingly eager to commit arson. “But yes. This is the hidden passage. One you saw, without… seeing.”

He put his palm to the painting’s canvas and pushed. The portrait spun within the frame to reveal just that— a secret passageway. Yuuki looked to Shiho, bewildered.

“W-Wait, I don’t understand…” he gulped. “How did you know it was here?”

“Because she doesn’t see with her eyes,” Akira grinned. He put his finger near the girl’s forehead and watched her flick it away. “Preternatural vision. Or at least, some limited form of it. Fascinating… It’s just like you said, Spinner.”

“...Maybe not in so many words.” She crossed her arms. “But I told you I could see. Sort of.”

“I’m still confused…” Kasumi frowned. “I get that she can see behind the blindfold… but how far? And what does it look like?”

“We can work out the details later,” Akira eased off the questions. “A heart-to-heart would be great, but not when we’re on an infiltration. For now? Let’s keep going.”

Yuuki sighed. “Roger that…”

Behind the painting lay a crossroads. And not of the Lala-chan variety.

Before them were two flights of stairs, and two elevators. If he remembered correctly, the one on the left took them to the sewer underground— the Mara guarding the final Will Seed. On the right, the lift would take them…

“...directly to the tower.” Akira grinned under his breath. “This is… really good for us.”

“Hm?” Yuuki turned his head. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, you heard me?” he smiled. “I was just saying this is great for our mission. That elevator on the right takes us to the tower where the Treasure is hidden.”

“Really? That’s great!” Kasumi chirped. “But… wait, what’s the one on the left?”

“That, actually…” he turned to his team. “...is what I wanted to talk about. Up ahead, there’s… a powerful Shadow.” He could almost see Shiho’s eyes sparkle behind her blindfold. “We don’t have to fight it to proceed, and… it’s pretty strong. So it would be a test of our teamwork to beat it.”

Yuuki’s brow furrowed. “Are we... ready for something like that? We’ve only fought… what, like six battles? Seven, tops?”

“It’s seven.” Akira confirmed. “Eight, if you count yesterday’s… though that feels like multiple fights, all on its own.” He shook his head. “Anyway… you’re right that it hasn’t been too long, but this is a good opportunity for us. The Boss is alone— it doesn’t have any support down there. No chance of reinforcements.” He nodded to each of them. “A nice, controlled environment for our first big fight. And if things get bad, we can always just turn around and leave.”

Yuuki squinted. “And it’ll just let us?”

“It won’t have a choice.” He grinned, pulling a Smokescreen from his pocket. “I’ve got a bunch of these things from…” he squinted. “...my past, as a thief. Basically, they’ll create a smoke cloud to cover our escape. Easy getaway.”

Shiho snorted. “You’re really prepared for this.”

“Like I said. Greatest worrier.” He pointed to himself with his thumb. “The most important tool in a thief’s arsenal is information. For with information, comes chance for preparation.” He recited the lines that defined him. “As your leader, I’m responsible for all of you. I don’t wanna’ take any chances, but it’s part of the job. So I’m just doing my part, shifting the odds in our favor with my…” He hefts the Smokescreens again. “...prep work.”

“...Wow, I feel so safe.” Yuuki deadpanned. “We’re only fighting for our lives out here.”

“That, I can’t do much about.” Akira sighed. “But I have been doing this for a long time. As long as we stick to the plan— stick together? We’ll be fine.”

...

“...Alright,” Yuuki groaned. “Let’s fight this… Boss or whatever.”

Akira nodded. “All in favor?”

Shiho’s hand shot up. Kasumi’s was soon to follow.

“Alright then.” Akira grinned, “But first, we have to activate this elevator…” He thought back to his excursion last year. “I think there’s a switch down the hall. Follow me.”

And off they went.

“Persona!!”

La Maupin wove into existence, ribbons spiraling into place as she did. The Mistress of the Sword prepared herself for the throes of battle by… idly checking her nails. After all, she was merely the superfluous byproduct of Shiho Suzui’s fighting style— tossing aside her blindfold and running in like a woman possessed.

That was her plan anyway. Because she got an eyeful of her opponent and damn near vomited.

“When you said it looked like a dick?” Shiho growled, spinning her hammer. “I thought you were f*ckin’ joking!”

She swung her weapon forth, plopping it right in the center of the Mara’s… head. The thing merely deformed around it, expression unchanging, groaning with its gooey mouth. Spinner growled and pulled the chain back, ripping through its amorphous body. Again, the Shadow looked no the worse for wear.

“I would never joke about potentially traumatizing imagery!” Akira shouted back. “Or spiritual penises!”

“Does that mean—” She dodged a thrust of its Assault Dive. “—that physical ones are still on the table?!”

“I sure as hell hope not!! ” he yelled, “Frankly, I’d really like this conversation to be over!!”

Boom! The powerful snap of Lady Death’s rifle fills the chamber, as a bullet tore through the Shadow’s face. Satisfied, the ethereal sniper let out a breath of ghastly smoke, pumping the bolt on her rifle. The white hot shell hits the floor with a clink, rolling across the brick path to the sewer below. Unfortunately for them, the Mara reforms yet again, turning its focus to Yuuki.

“Oh god…” The boy’s mouth felt very dry. “I don’t like this. I need an adult.”

“Adults are what got us into this mess! Keep attacking!” Joker called, preparing an attack of his own. “Mara’s a slime— he can take way more hits than your average foe!”

“Yeah, I noticed!!” Shiho chucked another salvo of fireworks. The explosions were swallowed by its viscous body. “And who the hell says ‘foe’!?”

“Cendrillon!!”

Their attention turned to the Princess of Ash, twirling into being with bolts of light in her palm. “What a dreadful sight!” she turned up her nose. “Do not falter, dear friends! Formidable our foe may be, but our bonds are strong! We shall overcome this together!”

“I stand wildly corrected!”

Spinner rolled out of the way, as Mara shoved its bulbous head into the ground. She grinned as the trap was sprung— several firecrackers she’d left in her place, exploding violently against its face. She pumped her fist at the sound… before the thing rose again, holes that littered its form slowly regenerating.

“f*ckin’ hell…” she put up her hand. “Can I get an out?”

“Got it!”

The grappling hook flew forward, pinning itself into the Mara’s gelatinous body. Shiho merely closed her palm around the air as it passed, catching the cable perfectly between her gloved fingers. With a heave and a ho, Spinner was back with the party. The Shadow moaned at the loss of its prey.

Shiho shivered. “Well, that was all I really had. Anyone have any bright ideas?”

“Arsėne!!”

The gentleman thief spread his wings, descending upon the team of Phantoms with his arms spread wide.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Madamoiselle! Monsieur!” He bowed to the new additions. “Leave this foul miscreant to us!”

As one, he and Akira swung their arm forward.

“Brave Blade!!”

The powerful slash bifurcated the phallic fiend down the middle. The tip of the beast sagged in opposite directions… before it began to melt. Its perpetually gloomy maw fused shut, as the Shadow’s form shrunk considerably.

“Yes!” Shiho cheered. “Holy sh*t! You beat it in one hit, Joker!”

“It’s not over yet,” He grimaced as his mask reformed. “I just evened the odds.”

Literally. True to his word, the puddles of muck began to throb. From the remains of one spawned two Mara— slightly smaller, but no less revolting. Shiho glared daggers at her leader.

“Oh, great. More dicks.” she deadpanned. “I officially withdraw my compliment.”

“The smaller it is, the easier to deal with.” He blinked. “Er, never mind. These things seem to be weak to Physical attacks… or weaker, at least.” Akira nodded to Yuuki. “So here’s the plan. Spinner, Royale, and I are gonna’ go in there and hack ‘em to pieces. Caliber, I need you to watch our backs. If that Shadow keeps splitting, pick off the stragglers from afar. Put that bow of yours to good use.”

“...Roger that.” Yuuki pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it. “I’ll keep an eye out. Be careful.”

“Spinner? That hammer of yours is strong. Try and use that chain to choke him out—” He wrinkled his nose. “...Ugh. What I’m saying is, try and bisect the thing. Don’t let it catch you, and try and save your pellet bombs. Use ‘em for distractions, not damage.”

He looked to Kasumi next. “Royale, you’ll do the same. That sword of yours ain’t made for slashing, but it’ll have to do. My dagger isn’t long enough to cut ‘em through, so I’ll just support whoever needs it most.” He stared straight ahead, as the slimes inched ever closer. “Okay. Everyone know what they’re doing?”

“Yes!” Royale agreed. “Ready to go, Senpai.”

“Perfectly not confusing!” Shiho nodded. “Surround the thing and pound it into paste, yeah?”

“...Close enough! I’ll take it.” Akira pulled away his mask. “Now!”

The three of them rushed forward, weapons at the ready. Two blubbering moans in perfect sync, and the ‘Torn Kings of Desire’ split their attention among the trio’s approach. Ever the strong starter, Shiho lobbed her hammer straight forward, catching one of them in the mouth.

“Joker, gimme’ a boost!”

He didn’t have time to ask why. “Gotcha’!”

And so he took a running dive, landing on his knees with hands together, palms up and fingers interlocked. Shiho didn’t hesitate for a second, running straight for him and planting a boot into his hands as he stood and lifted as hard as he could. The girl went flying over the Mara, flipping in midair to yank the chain with all the strength she had.

“uuuuuu…!!”

The sphere of her hammer burst through the Shadow’s back as it moaned in… what she assumed was pain. In the same motion, she sent that same sphere back where it came from, swinging her hammer straight down into the slime’s head. The resounding crack of the cobblestone below was muffled by the gelatinous goop that was the Mara’s body— she’d punched a hole straight through.

“Hell yeah!” she whooped, as La Maupin’s hands reached over to catch her, mid-air. “You see that sh*t!?”

“Yes, very impressive darling.” the woman sighed. “But the curtain has yet to fall. Stay sharp!”

“Senpai!”

From his right, Royale had gotten her sword about halfway through the olive green ooze, but struggled to finish the job. He could see the tip of her blade, sticking out toward him. Thinking quickly, Akira shot his grappling hook up to Shiho, who caught it in her hand. Pulling himself up for momentum, he threw an axe kick at her sword and sent the tip into the ground. The Mara had split, once again.

He could see her face, through the cavern she’d carved in its body. “Nice work, Royale.”

“Thanks for the support!” She nodded. “Not much longer now!”

“Hyah!”

Behind them, Shiho had wrapped her chain around one of the smaller Shadow and tore through, separating the Mara top from bottom. Across from her, a slime no bigger than a watermelon inched toward her, eager to swallow her leg. Akira leveled his pistol to stop it, when an arrow split its face in two. Oh!

Actually, now that he looked, there were puddles of goo everywhere, each with an arrowhead lodged at the heart. Had Yuuki really taken out that many, so quickly? He glanced to Caliber, loosing volley after volley. Each struck their mark dead in the forehead— tiny slimes splitting from the larger Mara he hadn’t even noticed. He looked back to Yuuki, whose eyes met his. The boy offered a nervous little wave.

Huh. Better not to underestimate a bow, then. Or Caliber, for that matter. Silent but deadly, was it? Scary.

!!

A scream rung out, as Spinner took a blow right to the chest and flew right past him. What!? Some of the slimes had fused back together!! Shooting his grappling hook straight into the ground, Akira took a leap off the edge of the stone path and caught Shiho before she could fall into the sewer below.

“Gah… thanks…” She held her ribs, gingerly. “Are all Boss Shadows this… annoying?”

“Honestly, no. Most are pretty receptive to an iron ball to the face,” He grinned as the chain of her hammer jangled beneath them. “Ready to get back in there?”

She rolled her eyes. “As I’ll ever be…”

The two climbed back to ground level, emerging to the sounds of battle. Lady Death’s rifle pumped another slime full of lead while Yuuki nocked another three— wait, he’s been firing three at a time?!— arrows and let them fly. Two simply turned a pair of little Mara blobs to puddles. One of them struck the hilt of Kasumi’s rapier, pushing it all the way through the Shadow’s body! The gymnast shouted her thanks as the Shadow split, and cartwheeled over a swarm of mini-Maras to retrieve her sword. Things were looking good.

“Joker! There you are!” Yuuki called, “Got a second? I think I have an idea.”

Oh? Well, this was surprising. “Let’s hear it.”

Caliber nodded. Across his visor, you could see the reticle spin and focus on each of his distant targets.

“When Mara’s big, he’s strong. But really slow!” He loosed another arrow. “And when they’re small, they’re weak but really fast!” Yuuki reached into his quiver that never seemed to empty. “The smaller ones die quicker too! So if we make a bunch of small ones and put ‘em in one place, we can…” He pulled the bowstring back. “...take ‘em out, all at once. We’ll have to be fast though. What do you think?”

…

“Not bad! I like it!” Akira turned his gaze forward. “Okay then. Spinner, I need you to use Maupin and get Royale outta’ there. She’s got our strongest physical attack, but she can’t use it while she’s surrounded.” He drew his dagger. “I’ll draw their attention and keep them from reforming. Caliber, once Royale is out, I need you to call it. I’ll be too busy to look for myself.”

“Got it!” Yuuki blinked. “...Wait, what about you? How will you get out?”

“When she gets out, tell Royale to use Vorpal Blade.” Akira nods. “Spinner, when that happens I’m gonna’ toss my grappling hook straight up. Use Maupin to pull me out. Sound good?”

“...Right.” She calls her Persona to her side. “Okay. I’m ready when you are.”

Joker grins and assumes a sprinter’s stance— a token of his training with an old friend. The crack of Yuuki’s rifle worked like a starter pistol, sending Akira dashing forward with his blade drawn.

“Royale!” Spinner ran up beside him, Persona at the ready. “Take my hand!”

An arm of lace ravelled quickly through the chamber, reaching all the way through the crowd. Recognizing the familiar move, Kasumi let herself be pulled by the waist, out of the battle and back to safety. As she passed, she reached down and held her hand out— a Baton Pass in all but name. “It’s up to you!”

He tapped it with his palm. “Here goes!”

“Synchronicity!!”

Arsène emerged from the Sea of his Soul, hands crackling with power. The gentleman thief spread his wings and flew by his side, as Joker stepped into the ring. Amalgamate globs of Mara goo turned just in time to be eviscerated by his dagger with a single blow… no. It was two. Arsène moved as he did, delivering the powerful strike in perfect sync. The Pillager of Twilight filled his soul with a vigor that overflowed, coating his body in blue flame.

“...What the hell is that?”

“S-Senpai…”

He spun on his heel to face the two, offering a thieves’ salute and a wink... “Ladies? AGH!!”

Before promptly being dogpiled by a million tiny Maras. Yeah, okay. He deserved that one. Oh god, one got in his mouth… He spit out what goo he could before spinning on his back to a crouch. Flaring his power, the larger globs of Shadow flew away, knocked to the ground. Opposite his Misericorde, Akira drew the Tyrant’s Pistol. One bullet became three, multiplied by the strength of his soul— the muzzle flash shone bright blue with every shot. Rapid-fire rounds tore into Mara’s body, bisecting it just as well as his blade ever did. But it wasn’t over yet. Each of the little Shadows came up to about his hip; for the plan to work, they’d need to be knee-height or less.

Seeing a pool begin to take form, he slid forward on his back and lashed out with his heel. The Mara dissolved into sludge. With that momentum, he tossed his knife up to Arsène, the great thief snatching it out of the air and bringing it down on another Shadow. As he did, Akira threw his leg forward in a low sweep, boring into the slime before him. Another two slashes of his own and Arsène merely dropped the knife where he stood.

Catching the hilt without looking, Akira rolled and raised his gun. Arsène slammed the ground, his Eigaon erupting like a geyser that sent the Mara blobs flying. For Joker, it was target practice, blowing holes in each floating soul ‘til he ran out of ammo. He grinned, reaching into his coat for another pistol—

!!

A single arrow flew over his shoulder, slaying a Shadow poised to strike from behind. Large as it was, the Mara fell in one blow, hitting the floor with its amorphous body intact— a Critical hit! With a Ranged weapon? Caliber really was full of surprises.

“Joker!” Yuuki shouted his name, putting a fist to the sky. “Now’s your chance!”

“Right!” Akira nodded, pulling out his grappling ho—

!!!

…

...

...Maybe it was too early to use Synchronicity in battle.

Maybe he thought too highly of himself.

If only he’d been patient.

If only he’d been a little more cautious.

If only he wasn’t such a show-off...

Maybe this could’ve been avoided.

He’d been thinking in what-ifs a lot, lately.

But as his body exploded with power… more than he’d ever felt in his life… stronger than an Awakening, stronger than a Second Awakening, rivalling that of the Will of the People? He couldn’t help but think this had all been a big mistake.

The flames burned white. His vision clouded.

The last thing he saw was Kasumi’s face…

...and he heard her scream.

For a moment, everything was amazing.

Her Senpai… Her Akira-senpai was so strong! So fast! The way he spun and flipped and twisted his body like it was his canvas… Perfect control— an absolute command over his physique. The way he spun the dagger in his grip. The way his pistol always found its mark, firing faster than her eyes could track. Every motion was polished, each movement calculated. He twirled about in a dance, his internal and external obliques in perfect harmony, just like she taught him. And it was… beautiful. He was beautiful.

And then, it all went wrong.

Beside her, Yuuki raised his arm… and called his name. Akira turned... and he smiled.

And he burst into flame.

She didn’t know how it happened. One second, he was on top of the world. The next, he was falling. And her body moved. Her legs began to run— she’d never make it. Her hand reached for him— her heart beat out of her chest. The word tumbled from her lips.

“AKIRA!!!”

And he hit the ground.

Just like that day.

Her mask was off. Cendrillon was there. The Shadows rose again, eager to feast on their prey. But they didn’t matter. None of it mattered. Because her eyes were on…

“Don’t touch him!!”

She heard her voice scream. She felt her soul blaze with power. Light and white filled the air, as her other self destroyed them all. Everything was a blur. It all happened so fast...

But she was with him. She’d made it. She cradled his head to her body and pressed an ear to his chest. A heartbeat. All she could do was smile. She pulled back and lay his head in her lap, brushing his matted bangs from his eyes. He was breathing. Steady too. And on his cheek fell a tear she didn’t know she’d been holding.

“Oh, thank god…”

He was safe.

...Warm.

Not too hot. Not at all cold.

It was… really warm.

‘…?’

A set of lovely eyes fluttered open. She was… floating. From waves of light above flowed a familiar shape— the surface of water. She was… submerged? But she felt perfectly dry, and she could see clearly. Breathing came easy as air.

Yet, below…? Below lay an ocean of depth. As light sunk beneath the rolling tide, the water so clear became the lightest of blues. And the deeper you went, from blue turned to black. She couldn’t see the bottom.

‘Where… am I…?’

She tried to move her body. It came slower than before. Gently, calmly, she swam about the sea, basking in its warm embrace. So warm… so kind... If she moved into the light, would it feel warmer? Kinder? She had to know. She let herself float into place, as she started to kick toward—

“...”

‘...?’

She stopped. What…? What was that?

She listened again.

…

…

Nothing.

So she turned her eyes to the surface and—

“...w...t…”

A voice?

It was a voice…

She looked around. No one was there. No one she could see… She peered into the depths, as far as the light would let her.

‘...Hello?’

“...r...m…”

It was too faint. Too far. Shadows of syllables formed and faded, fragments of meaning lost and never found. She reached further in.

‘...Can you hear me?’

“...p...th…”

It spoke once more, quiet in the abyss. It was… familiar. But she’d never heard it before.

‘I can’t understand what you’re saying…’

“...y…h...t...mb…”

She moved closer. The light grew farther. The water grew colder. She reached as far as she could go.

‘Who are you?’

The voice reached back.

“I… th…”

And she woke up.

Naps were great.

It was like sleeping, but less of a commitment. Sleep-lite™, if you will. Naps revitalized you. Refreshed you. There were all sorts of health reasons and fitness benefits, but most of all? They were the best at killing time. You can’t feel bored if you can’t feel anything! That’s some free advice for ya’. Naps were great.

…

“What a weird dream.”

Ann rolled over on her side, putting her back to the setting sun. The light glared through her window an angry red, bathing her room in a crimson glow. Through that glow, she reached for her phone on her nightstand and scrolled.

...Nothing. Still nothing.

“Dammit, Shiho…” she grit her teeth. “...What are you doing right now?”

“...So, what should we do?”

Shiho Suzui idly drummed her nails on the desk of a Safe Room. Across from her, Yuuki quite literally sat on his hands, rocking back and forth in a chair. And on her knees in the corner of the room? Kasumi lay Akira’s sleeping head upon her lap, the boy without a care in the world. He just… smiled softly, as his partner’s fingers ran gently through his hair.

“...Royale.”

She looked up at Shiho’s voice. “Oh. I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Spinner’s gaze flattened. “Can you stop canoodling with your boyfriend and help us think of a plan, here? We’re kind of up sh*t creek without our Joker-shaped paddle.”

“O-Oh! Right.” She pulled her hands back to her lap, as if keeping track of them. “So, what should we do?”

“What else can we do?” Yuuki sighed. “We just gotta’ wait for him to wake up.”

“And how long’ll that take?” Shiho groaned. “You saw what happened back there! I don’t know what it was, but if that happened to me? I’d be out ‘til next morning!!”

Things had gotten awful tense for a minute there. When Joker fell, they’d feared the worst. Luckily, their friend and leader was just fine— merely exhausted by the ordeal. With the Mara dead and the Will Seed secured, the three had made their way to a nearby Safe Room to await the boy’s recovery. Thirty minutes had come and gone… with no end in sight.

“He’s going to be okay. But after all that, I think we should let him rest.” Kasumi looked down at his sleeping face. “Interrupting a REM cycle can cause a decline in attention span,” she said matter-of-factly, posture perfect despite the circ*mstances. “There’s only going to be more enemies as we go on, and Joker-senpai is our secret weapon. We need him at his best.”

“We need him, period.” Shiho sighed. “Didn’t he wake Yuu—” She caught herself. “Didn’t he wake Caliber up yesterday with some… magic pill thing? Can’t you do that for him?”

“...Sorry,” She shook her head, no. “Joker-senpai carries all the medicine. He left me some basic ones when we started, but…” Kasumi reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of Takemedics. “These are for wounds, not for… sleep.”

“Should we check his pockets then?” Yuuki offered. “If Spinner remembers what the pill looked like, we can try and find one.”

Royale’s cheeks pinked beneath the mask. “I-Isn’t that a little… intrusive?”

“You’re the one with his head in your lap,” Shiho said pointedly. “Though I doubt he’d mind. Besides, it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission.”

Yuuki squinted. “That’s awful advice.”

Spinner shrugged. “We’re burning daylight here.” She jut her chin in the direction of their leader. “If you feel bad about it, apologize to him later. We’ve got work to do.”

Caliber scoffed. “What’s the rush? It’s a marathon, not a sprint, right?” He looked to Kasumi who nodded in approval. “We’ve got time. Just sit tight.”

Shiho glared.

“It’s hard to ‘sit tight’ with that… bastard on the loose.” She seethed. “My friend is in danger. Every second we waste is a second she isn’t safe.”

“H-Hey, we’re all in the same boat here.” Yuuki said nervously. “I want to beat his face in just as much as you do, but…” He shook his head. “What can we do? You said it yourself, Joker could be out ‘til next morning. We might have to call it here, for the day.”

“I know, that’s the problem.” Shiho scuffed her heel into the floor. “It feels like we’ve… barely gotten anything done in the past two hours.”

“We just fought a Boss shadow! And it’s your first day,” Kasumi assured. “The battle yesterday was an accident. It never should’ve happened. Most days will be just like this one.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better…”

...

…

She tilted her head back and groaned.

“Fineeeeee,” The girl pushed her chair out from the table. “You guys wait around if you want. I’m gonna’ go for a walk.”

“Wh-What?” Yuuki blinked. “Spinner, it’s not safe!”

“I won’t go far. Just gotta’ clear my head.” She turned away. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”

“Twe—!?” Yuuki stood up. “Spinner!?”

“Sit down.”

!!

Shiho froze.

Kasumi stared her down.

“I know you’re worried about Pa—… your friend.” Royale spoke clearly. “But throwing yourself at the problem isn’t going to solve anything. You’re strong, Spinner— of course you are. But you’re not alone, either. So please, don’t act like it.”

…

…

Shiho closed her eyes.

“...Sorry.”

...

She swallowed.

“I just… I guess I didn’t feel too... useful in that last battle?” her voice wavered. “I know it was just a bad matchup, and I know I did my part, but then I got hit…” She grit her teeth, “And he had to save me, and then he got hurt, and I saw him fall, and I…”

…

“...I’m sorry.”

She looked away. They both did. The room was silent for a long time.

…

…

…

“...I just feel helpless.”

Kasumi looked up.

“We’ve… lost so much…” Shiho squeezed her elbow tight. “Our friends, our families… Every day it’s just… more and more of our hearts that’s just… RIPPED out of us.” Her hands found their way into fists. “And now that we have our chance to… to do something— anything?! I… I just...”

A drop of wet upon the table.

“I can’t lose it. I can’t waste it, no matter what.” She bit her lip. “I want to do something. I want to make things right, I…”

She closes her eyes.

“...I just want it to end.”

…

…

“I can’t… imagine how you feel.” Kasumi admitted. “And I know it’s different, but... if I…”

…

She breathed.

“If I could take back what I lost, I wouldn’t let anyone stop me.”

…

The room was quiet. There was nothing to say.

...

“But…”

Kasumi looked down at the boy, resting softly in her lap.

“...I have a new life here. A second chance.” She brushed aside a strand of hair from his bangs and tucked it behind his ear. “And I’m going to make the most of it. For those who never could.”

…

…

“I guess what I’m saying is…” Kasumi spoke softly, not to wake him. “Your past is a part of you… but so is your future.”

…

…

“...You’re right that we’re different,” Shiho said. “I won’t lie and say revenge isn’t on my mind.”

…

“Baby steps.” Yuuki spoke up after a while. “I’m right there with you, Spinner. We’ll take him down, and... we’ll figure out our next move after that.”

…

…

Shiho sighed, finally sitting down. She put her head in her arms, groaned into her elbows, and pressed her forehead to the table.

“One thing at a time... I guess…”

Soft.

A very pleasant feeling that filled his heart with warmth. A delightful sensation that set his mind at ease. Feeling himself smile, he nuzzled his cheek into the soft, soothing comfort of his pillow.

“...Is he awake?”

Well, now he was.

He cracked an eye open. Yuuki was sitting down. On his side. No, wait. He was on his side. He’d been sleeping? Why? The last thing he remembered was being in the Metaverse and—

…

...

He turned his head.

Royale waved at him.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

“...Good morning.” He mumbled, half-awake. “...Your lap is comfy.”

She smiled. “Why thank you! I train regularly.”

“Sure. Okay.” He nodded, feeling his hair rub back and forth with the motion. “Quick question though.”

She tilted her head. “Yes?”

“Why am I in your lap, exactly?”

He heard some snickers from across the room. Ugh, those two… he’d deal with them later.

“There wasn’t anything else to use as a pillow,” Kasumi explained. “And I didn’t want to put your head on the floor. Even while sleeping, posture is important!”

“...Gotcha’.” He smiled a bit at how proud she sounded. “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

She smiled back. “Of course!”

…

…

Shiho squinted. “So are you gonna’ get up, or…?”

Akira rolled over and shut his eyes, peacefully. “Maybe just five more minutes…”

“Ughhhh…”

He grinned. Good to know he’s still got it.

“So…” The thief leader frowned, turning over to face them seriously. “What did I miss? Anything happen while I was out?”

…

The three thieves looked to each other, not a word spoken.

“...Nothing much.” Yuuki decided to take the bullet. “After you… fainted, we took the Will Seed and brought you to this Safe Room. It’s the one down the hall from the elevator switch.” He scrunched up his eyebrows. “We’ve sorta’ just… been sitting here, since then.”

“...I see.” Akira sat up, leaving the warm embrace of Kasumi’s lap behind. He bowed his head, sincerely. “Thank you for taking care of me. I’m sorry to worry you all.”

…

“...It’s fine.” Shiho was the first to speak this time. “We’re just glad you’re alright.”

“But what was that back there?” Yuuki frowned. “You started fighting, and your Persona started fighting too, and… suddenly you passed out. Is that normal?”

“N-No, not exactly…” Akira sighed. “Guess I gotta’ come clean, huh? I was trying something new— a fighting style I learned recently, called Synchronicity. I thought I had trained enough to use it today. I… was wrong.” He bowed again. “I’m sorry you had to pay for my mistake.”

“...It’s fine. Just don’t do that again…” Kasumi smiled, resigned. “Running in by yourself like that… it’s just like you.”

Shiho snorted. “Like you didn’t do the exact same thing.”

“I-I…!” she pouted with a blush. “That was different! I was trying to save him.”

“And it worked!” Spinner put her hands up, “I’m not complaining. Just laying out the facts.” She grinned. “I wish you could’ve seen it. When you went down, she went ballistic. Took out all those Shadows in like, a second. All to keep you safe~”

“...Is that so?” Akira looked to his partner, a bit flustered by the news. “...Thank you. That… kinda’ makes me happy.”

“O-Oh!” She looked away, with a little smile. “W-Well, it was nothing. I know you would’ve done the same for me.”

He smiled.

“I’m sure I would have,” He looks into her eyes. “But that doesn’t matter right now. I really mean it. Thank you.”

…

“You’re welcome.” Kasumi smiled, truly. “Thank you, for coming back to me.”

!!

Somehow, the meaning was lost on the two lovebirds, perhaps too exhausted to care. For the others? Shiho simply glanced at Yuuki, a knowing look on her face. The boy could only sigh. Even he had to give her this one— how much more lovey-dovey can you get?

He cleared his throat. The hopefully-soon-to-be couple shot to attention, turning to face him with a lingering tint in their cheeks. “Yes, Caliber?”

“...About what happened…” Yuuki frowned. “...with your ‘sync’ thingy. Did you… lose control? You had this… aura when you fought, and right before you blacked out, it changed color.”

“I… have no idea,” Akira admitted. “I just remember fighting. Splitting the Shadows just like we planned, and you gave the signal.” He rubbed his temples. “Then I raised my grappling hook and… then I felt… really strong. Stronger than before.” The boy frowned at the memory. “And I think it was too much for me to handle, so I fainted.”

It was Kasumi’s turn to frown. “Why did you get stronger? Do you have any idea what could have caused it?”

“...None, really.” He sighed. “I only started training with it this morning and—”

!!

The temperature in the room suddenly rose several degrees. The shadows in each corner appeared to recede, as every color in the room seemed to brighten. A cold sweat formed on his forehead, combat instinct telling him he was very much in mortal peril. Akira’s head slowly swiveled to face the source of this phenomenon— a very pleasant Kasumi Yoshizawa, smiling sweet as can be.

“Senpai?”

“Yes, dear?”

She ignored it. “How long did you say you’ve been training with this style?”

He gulped.

“S-Since this morning?”

!!!

Reds became pinks. Grays became white. It was getting hard to see, as Kasumi’s smile only grew more strained.

“...And Senpai? How long have you known about this… style?”

…

He shrunk into his coat.

“...Since this morning…”

Everything was white now. Color seemed to drain and the room felt even hotter, as the glow about her form threatened to swallow them.

“Senpai?”

“Yes, dear?”

She took his hand in hers. Or, that’s what it felt like, anyway. Hard to tell with the spots in his vision, and the room burning with the fire of a thousand suns.

“You learned a new martial art this morning…” she spoke slowly. “And the first time you thought to use it… was against a Boss Shadow… while training our thieves?”

…

His mouth was very dry. He swallowed. It didn’t seem to help.

“...I figured it’d be nice... if we were all... learning something...?”

…

…

The light faded. Color began to return to the room as the heat died down, and Kasumi Yoshizawa let out a sigh of resignation.

“...You really need to stop doing that.” she huffed. “...You know it makes me worry.”

“...I know. I’m sorry.” He sighed. “Really, I am. I wasn’t thinking, and I got carried away. Next time, I’ll… let you know what I’m doing, before I do it.” He closed his eyes and bowed his head again. “I’m sorry. I won’t let it happen again.”

...She sighed again.

“Apology accepted.” Kasumi smiled lightly. “...But I’ll hold you to that. Do that again, I won’t forgive you, got it?”

“...Got it.” He squeezed her hand, gently. “I promise, I’ll be more careful. Thank you.”

“Oh, just kiss already.”

The two practically choked on air, as Shiho burst into their little heart-to-heart like a wrecking ball. The girl hummed with her palm to her chin, sh*t-eating grin plastered across her face. Yuuki simply facepalmed, ‘chivalrous’ as ever.

“But now that I’ve got your attention…” Shiho crossed her arms. “Joker. About that power boost you got. I think I know why it happened.”

That, he didn’t expect. “Oh? Do tell.”

He fully sat up, inadvertently scooting a bit closer to Kasumi as he did. Not seeming to mind, she simply stared straight ahead with the slightest of smiles, squeezing his hand once more. He smiled, following her lead, as Shiho began.

“Before you passed out, your… aura changed color. Blue to white.” she started, “As far as flames go? I’m pretty sure white is more intense than blue. And blue is the color of our flames, when we awakened our Personas.” The girl nodded to herself. “But your Persona… ‘Arson’, was it?”

He stifled a grin. “It’s ‘Arsène’, but yes.”

“You were both on fire, okay? It made sense.” she grumbled, “Anyway, I figure whatever... empowered you? It wasn’t anything related to your… ‘Sink Crocheting’ thing.”

“It’s ‘Synchronicity’...” His eyes narrowed playfully. “...And you’re just doing this on purpose.”

“Right. Your ‘Sim City’, then.” Shiho nodded. "When you turned from blue to white, your Persona— ‘Arsenal’? Didn’t react.” She pointed. “From what I saw, that ‘Synchro Summoning’ stuff lets you fight together, right? So if whatever it was didn’t affect ‘Arsenic’...”

“...It would be something else— not Synchronicity.” He followed her train of thought, jokes aside. “If that’s the case, then what could it be? I’ve never lost control like that before...”

Kasumi frowned. “Well, what happened right before that? Could it have been some trick by the Mara?”

“It did get in my mouth…” He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, I don’t wanna’ think about it... But if I remember right, we’d just followed through on our plan and Yuuki gave the signal.”

“Oh yeah,” Caliber nodded. “I said we were ready, and passed the Baton.”

…

…

…

“...What?” his brow furrowed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“...Um?” Akira blinked. “Not… wrong. Just a bit weird.” He squinted. “You said you passed the Baton, but… how? We didn’t touch hands.”

“Oh. Is that a thing?” Yuuki began to sweat. “I… I just thought you did that to feel cool.”

“N-No, man.” He shook his head, slowly. “We have to like… touch, to transfer that power. You can’t just send it… psychically.”

“Wait, really?”

He turned to Shiho, who’d spoken out. “Yeah, really. Why?”

She made a face. “Well… when you first explained it, you had Royale pass to me— we touched hands n’ stuff. And later, Caliber passed to me and... I felt the same thing! But he was standing way in the back, like you asked him to. We didn’t like… touch hands at all.”

…Huh.

Okay.

“...Okay!” Akira tented his hands over his nose and breathed out. “...Caliber?”

The boy stiffened. “Y-Yeah?”

“I don’t think Spinner’s the only one with a unique ability.” Joker clapped his hands together. “You might’ve just stumbled onto something amazing.”

Yuuki’s eyes brightened behind his mask. “Really? You think so!?”

“Only one way to find out!” Akira let one of his gloves bleed away— the one that wasn’t holding Kasumi’s hand. “Here, take off your glove and take my hand.”

…

“...Okay?” He did just that. “What’s this about?”

“It’s called a ‘heart-to-heart’,” Kasumi explained, as Yuuki took a seat. “It lets Senpai understand your Persona better. It’s really enlightening!”

“I usually do it at the beginning of an infiltration…?” The Phantom Thief leader sighed once again. “But I… sorta’ got a read on your Personas yesterday, when we carried you out of the Metaverse. I didn’t think there’d be more than that, though.”

“...So I might learn something new about Lady Death?” Yuuki smiled, excitedly. “Cool! Can we get started?”

“Right away,” Akira nodded, taking his hand. “Now. Just take off your mask, close your eyes, and relax…”

And the world faded to black.

...Ah.

So earnest. Patient. Brave. Yuuki’s soul seemed to flicker in his hand— a quiet strength that lay just beneath the surface. It seemed there was more to him than met the eye, a fact he’d been made well aware of, confronting the boy’s Shadow in the Metaverse.

The Shadow of Yuuki Mishima was the only cognitive being they’d ever encountered in Mementos to change their heart without a fight. Perhaps it was because Yuuki wasn’t too far gone. Maybe it’s because they knew him, and knew him well. In reality? It was probably some combination of both... But with just a simple conversation, Shadow Yuuki had come around all on his own, shedding his fear and fixations, and confronting his abuser head-on… with a courage worthy of his name.

And… while he never knew it, Yuuki Mishima had saved his life. The idea to change Sae Niijima’s heart without stealing her Treasure, to keep her Palace intact? It was directly a result of that encounter— an idea that Shadow planted in their heads. Without that Shadow— without Yuuki’s strength of heart, it’s hard to say whether Akira would be alive right now. He owed Yuuki a lot. He owed that Shadow a lot.

And so, here he stood before that very Shadow, bowing his head in thanks.

“...Please raise your head, sir.” Lady Death’s voice was quiet, but firm. “You are my Captain. I have done nothing to earn such respect.”

‘...I suppose it might seem that way to you,’ he conceded. ‘But I owe you a debt I can never repay. Just take my word for it.’

“...Roger that.” She nodded. “In that case, permission to speak freely, sir?”

‘...Go ahead.’

“I am sorry I could not be of more help, in your last battle.” She bowed at the hip. “Our strength is on the sidelines, and Yuuki is not good with crowds.”

Akira stifled another grin. ‘You both helped plenty, even where you were. Because of where you were, more like. You picked off the stragglers and kept us from getting surrounded. If it wasn’t for you, the battle could’ve went on for hours…” He snickered. “Call that a ‘Mara-thon’.’

She stood tall and did the same. “If I wanted to be surrounded by a thousand tiny dicks, I would attend a Nazi rally.” Damn, topical. Fair though. f*ck Nazis. “It is revolting that scum like that made it out of the war. A lot of good men did not.”

‘...Thank you for your service.’ He nodded. ‘I… don’t know if that’s the right thing to say, but I appreciate it, nonetheless.’

“I will not complain.” She shrugged, squaring her shoulders. “Now. I was told you needed something of me.”

Ah. That’s right.

‘Yeah. Mind if I take a look?’ He held out his hand. ‘I’ve seen enough to know there’s somethin’ special about you.’

“...Save the sweet talk for the ladies, my Captain.” She held out her rifle by the stock. “If there is one thing I will put pride in, these eyes see right through you.”

He grinned, putting a hand to the barrel. ‘I’ll take you at your word.’

Lady Death, Mark of a Woman

Level 11, the Moon Arcana

Quiet Resolve: Increases allies’ chance of inflicting Dizzy/Forget/Sleep. (25% chance)

Available Skills

Garu, Dream Needle, Dekunda, Dekaja

Resists Wind. Weak to Electricity.

Current Statistics

Strength: 9
Magic: 5
Endurance: 7
Agility: 6
Luck: 8

Unique Ability

Independent Action

Allows for the exchange of One More through Baton Pass without need of physical contact. This Persona can act while separated from its other self, and communicate over great distances.

Optics

Allows clear vision of targets near and distant, while improving passive perception. Increases the effective range of Critical hits. At higher levels, it—

???

???

...Huh.

Well, one of those was only half complete. The other wasn’t there at all. So sure, he’d learned something. And he got what he came for— ‘Independent Action’, right? Still… ‘Optics’, huh? Heightened vision while Shiho couldn’t even see. How ‘bout that. He could only imagine what the other one was.

“My eyes are second to none.” Lady Death nodded, as he pulled away from the rifle. “...But those words are beyond even my own. I regret that I could not be more help.”

‘...Nah. You’ve done plenty, don’t worry.’ Akira shook his head. ‘Thank you. I think I’ve got all I need for now.’

“...Roger that.” She saluted, holding her gun at the base. “Until next time, my Captain.”

And the world faded to white.

“...So you were right, Spinner.”

Akira returned to the room with a grin. “Caliber, you have an ability called ‘Independent Action’. It lets you—”

“Act from a distance,” Yuuki finished, pulling back his hand. Right, they experienced something similar. “Is that good? I mean, you told us all about surrounding your enemy and why that’s important and…” The boy shrugged. “I dunno’. I feel like I won’t contribute to that if I’m far away.”

“...I mean, your Persona can be far away,” his leader shrugged. “You don’t have to be. And hey, even if you were? Distance support is super important. I saw you in the battle with Mara— you had… incredible control of the battlefield.” He nodded. “Taking out all those Shadows… it was really helpful. I didn’t even notice there were… so many stragglers.”

“O-Oh! It wasn’t… that impressive…” Yuuki frowned, putting his glove back on. “You guys were drawing their attention. Without any of that, uh… ‘pressure’ on me, I could just focus on looking for an opening.” He scratched the back of his head. “If anything, you’re the helpful ones. I was… scared, but I was never in danger. Not once.”

“The fact remains…” Shiho cut in, a bit of a smile playing at her cheeks. “That Joker got knocked out by a Baton Pass.”

“...Yeah. It’s kinda’ embarrassing, when you say it like that,” Akira laughed nervously. “But it’s true. Handling Synchronicity… it’s a delicate balance between body and mind. I guess a Baton Pass… or even a One More is enough extra power to throw a wrench in that. Guess I need more practice.”

“I’ll say…” Kasumi gave him a look. Oh. They were still holding hands. “No more of that today. For a while, at least. Until you learn to use it properly.”

He sulked. “Yes, dear.”

“You two are adorable,” Shiho smirked, taking off one of her gloves. “Mind if I get in on this? I wanna’ find out about my… ‘Peter Parker’ vision.”

“It’s ‘Preternatural’ but… honestly, close enough.” Akira groaned. “Get over here, let’s do this.”

She stuck her tongue out and did just that.

Kind. Considerate. Determined. It seemed the soul of Shiho Suzui was—

“...Hand.”

He blinked. ‘H-Huh?’

His little blurb of surprise echoed through the void of Shiho’s mind. La Maupin, a stark white, stood before him in the darkness, offering a hand of ravelled lace.

“You came for something. Don’t beat around the bush, monsieur.” She gestured with her hand, outstretched. “Nothing a lady hates more than being kept waiting.”

‘...Noted.’ He reached out and took it. ‘...I feel like you’re trying to tell me something.’

“Shiho and I are sides of a coin,” the woman said simply. “Take the hint, monsieur.”

He flushed. ‘I’m more of a ‘take your time’ kinda’ guy…’

La Maupin, Mistress of the Sword

Level 11, the Pillory Arcana

Captivation: May lower target’s Accuracy/Evasion after attacking. (25% chance)

Available Skills

Zio, Media, Makajama, Rakunda

Current Statistics

Strength: 7
Magic: 9
Endurance: 7
Agility: 8
Luck: 4

Unique Ability

Instinct

The ability to always ‘feel’ the best course for oneself during combat. Gives way to senses beyond normal means— including at its basest level, a cognizance of one’s surroundings despite obstructions.

Thread of Fate

This Persona possesses a unique structure similar to fabric, and may assume some limited control of her form so long as her core is intact.

???

???

Oh. Her Arcana had turned from the Hanged Man to the Pillory. Why? Had something changed between now and yesterday? ...The establishment of the Confidant, maybe?

And then there was the matter of her abilities. ‘Instinct’, huh? That made enough sense— every Persona user had some innate sense of how to fight, from the moment they Awakened. It seemed this was just some… heightened form of that. Still… it would be very useful in the coming conflict. That is, if she still planned on joining the Thieves when this was all over.

“We will, don’t you worry.” the woman said simply. “She’s waiting for you, out there. Isn’t it time you made good on your word?”

‘...They’ve been waiting here a while, haven’t they?’ He let her fingers slip through his own. ‘Don’t worry. From here’s it’s practically a straight shot to the Treasure Room. After that, we can fight to our heart’s content. The day is nearly done.’

...She sighed.

“Not quite what I meant. Though, I suppose Shiho was right about you.” La Maupin began to fade from his sight, “Take care of my darling, would you? You hold a treasure in her trust— mind you don't lose it.”

‘I’ll do everything I can.’ He grinned. ‘...on both fronts.’

“You can see through walls.”

His eyes opened to Shiho’s rather flat expression. “Well, yeah. Haven’t we established that?”

“Fair enough.” He nodded. “You’re eager to fight, and I’m eager to test it. Why don’t we get back on track? With the path behind the painting you discovered, there isn’t much farther left to go.”

She grinned, pounding a fist into her palm. The glove appeared in a burst of blue flame. “Then what are we waiting for?”

Akira moved to stand—

Oh.

By his side, Kasumi squeezed his hand once more. “...Are you sure you’re okay, Senpai?”

...

“I’m fine, Royale. Thanks to you.” Akira smiled. “I’ll take it easy today. Promise.”

She seemed to accept that, nodding to herself as she stood. He rose to meet her, never once letting go of her hand. Ah. In his periphery, he saw Yuuki stand from his chair, ready to go.

“Alright team,” he nodded to each of them. “Let’s get out there.”

“Next time, bring your friends!”

Another battle in the bag. Shiho pulled the hammer back, letting the iron ball fly into her hands. “That thing was a Boss Shadow? I barely broke a sweat.”

“Like I said, Mara was a tricky target.” Akira holstered his pistol and sheathed his knife. “Something like an Eligor, on the other hand… that’s more up your alley.” He nodded to a nearby column. “Nice shot, by the way. You caught me by surprise.”

“Thanks!” Yuuki poked his head out from behind that pillar. “...My eyes hurt though. I feel like I forget how to blink, holding a shot for that long.”

“I hear that’s a common problem!” Kasumi spoke up, helpfully. “Though, I’m sure your tolerance will improve over time. It helps that you have a visor to protect your eyes, too!” She then bowed. “Thank you for protecting me, back there. I’ll return the favor!”

“O-Oh! Yeah!” Yuuki puffed his chest up with pride. “I sure did, didn’t I? What’s a cavalier without his lance, right?”

“I think… the horse is the important part there,” Shiho crossed her arms and grinned. “Still, good thinking. It was a lot easier once he couldn’t fight back. Never played keep-away with a spear before, though...”

As they spoke, Akira knelt by the fallen form of the crimson knight, ashes long since scattered to the air. There in its place lay a gaudy gemstone, one he recognized from previous experience as a key. If he remembered right, there was a statue up ahead with some gem-shaped eyes missing…

“This Shadow was holding a key,” he reported, "One of a set. There should be another, somewhere around here…” He stood up. “We need it to move forward, so keep a lookout for golden knights.”

“Like you gotta’ ask?” Shiho pumped her fists. “It’s way more fun fighting those guys! Can’t believe I let that Mara sh*t get me down.”

“In that case, you better hide.” Yuuki ducked behind his pillar again. “We’ve got another one, incoming. Five o’ clock.”

The three frontline thieves quickly found their place among the segments of the floor, rising and falling like the pulse of a heartbeat. Peeking around the corner, the Phantom Thief leader held up a closed fist, waiting for the Shadow to appear. He didn’t have to wait long. As soon as the gilded guard entered his vision— and burned into his retinas with its golden glare, mind you— he gave the signal.

“Show me your true form!”

The guard’s mask flew across the room, smacking against the tower wall with a splat. Wait, what? Oh. Apparently, it turned to Shadow goop before it ever reached its little landing zone. In the time it took to travel, the knight captain had dissolved, reforming as the familiar red frame of Eligor. And… if you were hoping it was missing some body mass or something, with its mask across the room? Akira was right there with you. Unfortunately, the Phantom Thieves were never quite so lucky.

“Asinine knaves!” The cavalier brandished his pike. “You will pay for your insolence!”

“Funny,” Shiho twirled her hammer, co*cky smirk ever-present. “That’s what the last three said.”

“!!”

The Shadow roared and snapped at the reins. With an earsplitting bray, the cognitive steed reared up on its hind legs and charged, deadset on running them down. The thieves prepared for battle— Shiho threw away her mask, rushing forward to meet them.

“Persona!!”

La Maupin spun her blade with graceful flourish. As she did, the mounted knight seemed to… shake, as an orb of negative energy sapped his strength. Her job complete, the no-stress noblesse merely stepped aside, taking cover behind a nearby tile slab as the battle commenced.

“Show them, Cendrillon!!”

Softened up by the Rakunda, the Eligor found no footing against Cendrillon’s powerful Kouga spell. The knight was blown from his horse, though he rolled to his feet with surprising dexterity, given… y’know, the armor and all. The Shadow simply rose to full height and thrust his spear forward.

“Damn you, mongrel!” Eligor swung his weapon forth, again and again. “To think, I’d have to stoop to your level!”

“If it’s any consolation?” Akira dodged each of his swipes with ease. “You’re still very tall without the horse.”

“Bastard!”

“Oi, Caliber!” Shiho whistled. “Got something for me?”

Seemingly at her beck and call, an arrow flew as if from nowhere. Wise to her tricks however, the knight moved at the sound of a bowstring and deftly whirled the shaft of his spear to block it. “Fool! I will not fall for such paltry ploys!”

“Then why did you?”

“!?”

The knight turned a moment too late. A spiralling sphere of blue wisps filled his vision as the will to fight fled his body, leaving only confusion behind. Or Forgetfulness, rather. Confusion was a different thing.

“It’s called a distraction,” Shiho smirked triumphantly. “...Wait, you can’t hear me right now, can you?”

“...Hm?” The knight shook his head. “And who might you be? Have you lost your way, wandering our King’s noble halls? Allow me to assist you.”

...The girl wrinkled her nose. “You can ‘assist me’ by giving me that key you have. Then be on your merry way.”

“...Why yes, of course.” Eligor nodded, despite himself. “Here. Take it.”

Reaching into his pocket— an impressive feat in armor, that— the knight withdrew a gleaming jewel. He placed it in her hand without a second thought.

“Thanks,” Shiho turned around and began to walk away. “Get ‘em, Maupin.”

The knight’s eyes widened with clarity behind his helm. “Wh-What? No, wait—!!”

Whatever pleas he could muster were lost to the breeze. The bolt of lightning struck true— with all that armor, he was practically a lightning rod. The crimson knight was fried like a lobster, shell and all. Smoke billowed from the gaps, his metal tainted the color of rust... But soon even that turned to black, as the soul departed this realm for the next.

Shiho saw none of it. She just walked up and plopped the eye right into his hand. “There ya’ go. Thank me later.”

“...Or I could thank you now.” Akira breathed a laugh. “Nice work, Spinner. And great plan, Caliber. You seem to be doing well, on that front.”

“Y-You think so?” The boy poked his head out again. “Then I’m glad I can help! I feel like I’m getting the hang of this!”

“Good! Because I think you’re ready.” Joker looked ahead. “Normally, after securing a Treasure route, we do a second pass of the Palace on the way out. Just for some extra training.” He looked to them. “And we can still do that, if you like. But so far… I think you’re all doing great. I’m feeling really good about this.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” Shiho smirked. “More fighting means more heads to smash.”

“...I can’t tell if you’re an ally of justice, or just a battle junkie.” Yuuki sweatdropped. “But it’s getting kind of late, isn’t it? Royale-senpai probably has practice soon.”

“Oh!” Kasumi gasped. “How considerate of you! I still have a bit of time before I have to leave... But thank you!”

“I know I’ve asked this before, but will you really be alright?” Akira frowned. “Even toward the end when I was used to it, going into the Metaverse still… really… tough...”

!!

He saw the way she smiled. He knew what she was going to say. And from the knowing grins all around, he definitely wasn’t the only one.

“...Don’t you say it.”

Three smiles widened.

“...Don’t you dare.”

Three breaths were taken.

“C’mon, don’t do this to me, please!!”

And in perfect harmony— a Synchronicity of its own?

“Noooooooooooooo—!!!!!”

“It’s because you don’t stretch!”

His cry of anguish could be heard for miles.

Chapter 10: Another Ideology

Chapter Text

“Talking”, ‘Thinking’, “Igor/Yaldabaoth”, “Velvet Room Attendant”, “Morgana”, “Persona/Shadow”, “Jose/Phone”

Another sh*tty day off the sh*tty calendar.

Ryuji Sakamoto grumbles to himself, letting his stupid school shoes slap their stupid school soles into the stupid school floor. Three whole goddamn hours of his life, wasted. Wasted. And for what? Some sh*tty teacher’s ego trip?

“f*ckin’ Ushimaru…” The blond let his shoe locker slam open. “Not my fault your teaching sucks ass…”

A twenty-three percent on a pop quiz wasn’t… the greatest score in the world. But to his credit, the bottle-blond track traitor didn’t have an absence to his name. Not this year, at least. He’d attended every lecture, every day for the past however-many weeks... Tardies notwithstanding. And apparently, that fact had not worked in his favor. Because if he was there? If he was present, but everyone else scored well?

That just meant Ryuji Sakamoto was… ‘lazy’. Or ‘stupid’. Or ‘slow’. Usually that last one— it doubled as a barb toward his track team days. And boy, did Ushimaru love that. Someone must’ve sh*t in his breakfast or somethin’, ‘cause the old man was on the warpath today. He and that sh*tty ‘guidance counselor’ had a f*ckin’ field day, tearing into him; they dropped the S-bomb at least a hundred times. Seriously... what kinda’ teacher takes time outta’ their day to rip on students? Don’t you got papers to push, asshole? Predators to ignore?

“Now, all the trains are gonna’ be f*ckin’ crowded…” he kicked off the school slippers and reached for his sneakers. “And I gotta’ call my mom and tell her why I’m late…”

Bang! The locker door shuts with a metallic crack, and the telltale creak of a busted hinge. No surprise. The thing’d been broken long as he could remember… it’d always been that way. Not like the school was in any hurry to fix it. They had more important things to worry about, like their precious volleyball team.

God, just thinking about it pissed him off.

On went the shoes, laced tight and steady. Did he forget anything? Putting one leg over the other, he stood and pat the pockets of his pants— left, right, and rear. Nope, he had his keys, his train pass… and some spare change from lunch. Huh.

...You know what? Today sucked. He could go for a drink. Maybe somethin’ fizzy would take his mind off it all.

Scooping together what he could, Ryuji jammed the two coins back in his pocket and made his way toward the school gate. Just down the street were two vending machines— a landmark he’d used plenty of times on races ‘round campus, back when he… was still…

Damn it.

Kickin’ a rock down the road was second nature— the worn sole of his sneaker made barely a sound against the pavement. The small stone bounced along ‘til it hit the curb and fell through the gutter. Perfect shot. Years ago, he’d pump his fist and smile. These days… well, little victories weren’t much. But they were all he had to count on.

That thought in mind, he stepped around the corner.

“And that’s when the new kid caught the—… Oh. S-Sakamato…”

A young couple quickly shut their mouths at the sight of Shujin’s infamous idiot punk. All he had to do was stand there with his typical scowl, as they quickly dropped their drinks in the trash and walked off— heads down, eyes anywhere but his. From the sound, those cans were still half-full… But what’s a few wasted yen when there’s Sakamoto to deal with. Right?

Tossing that thought in the trash where it belonged, Ryuji stepped forward with his coins out. A hundred and a fifty. Manta was a hundred thirty, so… He popped the two in and made his choice.

“Wh-Whoa!”

All he did was hit the button and suddenly the whole thing lit up like a firecracker. There was music playin’ outta’ nowhere and… Oh. Looks like he won a prize. A free soda! Lucky him.

‘Nice! Let’s see…’ Ryuji rubbed his hands together. ‘Second Maid, Earl Green, or… wait, that’s it?’ he scratched his head. ‘...Dammit, I don’t like either of these. And neither does mom…’

A girl cleared her throat.

‘The Manta button’s red... Did I really get the last one?’ he frowns at the bottle in his hand. ‘Or maybe they just don’t let you pick the same thing twice?’

“...Excuse me.”

‘Nah, there’s no way,” he shook his head, ‘I’ve totally doubled up before, so I guess they’re just sold out… Still. What should I—?”

“Sakamoto-kun.”

“Huh?”

Jerking his head around to whoever the hell was actually talking to him, Ryuji Sakamoto found himself face to face with…

“...Oh.” he slumped. “It’s just you.”

Makoto Niijima crosses her arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” she huffed. “You could afford to treat your Senpai with a little more respect.”

“Yeah, sure.” he waved her off, turning back to his dilemma. “Did you need something, my esteemed Madame President? Or can this lowly peasant get on with his day?”

“Esteemed—?!” she scoffed. “...Fine then. I was going to use the vending machine, Sakamoto. Would you stop being so slow?”

…

…

He grit his teeth.

“Whatever. Knock yourself out.” Ryuji tucked the Manta into his bag. “I’m outta’ here.”

True to his word, off he went. Makoto simply glared as he stomped away, around the corner and out of sight… Then she sighed, all to herself.

“...What a bother.”

Reaching into her school bag, she withdrew her little Buchimaru coin purse. An Earl Green was a hundred and thirty… huh? The buttons had already changed from white to green— waiting for a selection. And… hey! There were still some coins in the change slot. But Sakamoto was holding a drink… had he meant to buy another?

...Great. Now she felt guilty.

Ordering her tea and pocketing the change, Makoto Niijima stares out to the street where he’d gone… Another frown set in. Ugh. This was going to eat at her, wasn’t it?

Tomorrow then. Tomorrow she’d make it right.

“...A-Aaaa…”

The team’s triumphant return from the Metaverse was punctuated by the croak of a dying soul. Akira and Kasumi turned to see… Shiho and Yuuki, eyes wide but frozen in place. The Phantom Thief leader couldn’t help but laugh, knowing exactly what was going on.

“Oh? Having trouble there?” he smirked. “What’s the matter? Perhaps you didn’t… stretch enough? Ow!”

Kasumi had poked him on the forehead. “Be nice.” She looked to her teammates. “It looks like your bodies are catching up to you. You’ll adjust over time…” The little athlete hummed, reaching into her bag. “...but for now, I recommend a warm compress, and a massage to sore areas if you can. If that doesn’t help, try taking an ice bath tonight, and stretching again before bed.”

“...A massage sounds nice.” Yuuki squeaked out. “...Hey, Kurusu. When you said we should take a break tomorrow, and I got all bummed out? Sorry. Totally get it now.”

“...As much as I wanna’ say ‘I told you so’...” Akira shriveled under a pointed look from his partner. “...You’re right. I did mean what I said. Two days of action, back to back isn’t good for us. Not this early on.” He stood tall, as their leader. “If we want our odds high as they can be, we’ll take the weekend off and do the op on Monday. No earlier than that.”

He glanced toward the school as he said so. The group had emerged safely within the alley before the school gate— far from the notice of any passerbys. Passersby? Passersbyes? Um. Onlookers. That was a word. And there weren’t many of them. It had been a full three hours since school had let out. Club meetings were coming to a close, and team practice was winding down… So the grounds at large were practically empty. The thieves were in the clear.

“...Monday’s good. I’ll take it,” Shiho nodded, attempting to roll out her shoulder. “Oh god, I haven’t felt this bad since prelims last year.”

“You and I remember prelims very differently…” Yuuki muttered, trying to get his fingers to work. “I think I was too drunk on victory to feel anything else.”

“Oh,” Akira offered a hand, which the boy took. They began unlocking each of his digits, individually. “That’s right. You guys won the championship last year, didn’t you? Nice going.”

“Pfft. Like we had a choice.” Shiho spat. “That dickwad coach of ours wouldn’t accept anything less.”

...Another sore spot then. “...Sorry,” he said, “If it’s any consolation, he’ll be gone by Tuesday.”

!!

A set of pops and cracks as Shiho forces her hand into a fist.

“If this is what I gotta’ do to kick that bastard out,” she glared, determined. “I’m willing to do all this and more.”

…

…

“Good. I’ll be counting on you.” Akira nods. Then squints. “...How are your fingers?”

“...in excruciating pain.” she whimpers in a tiny voice. “That was cool though, right?”

“Yes, Senpai. You were very cool.” Kasumi smiles, finally withdrawing a heat pack from her bag. “Here. Take this home with you. It’ll help with the swelling.”

“Thanks…” Shiho grimaces. “This was the hand I blew up, isn’t it? Ugh… why do I keep doing this to myself?”

“Instinct, I guess?” Akira shrugged. “Although… it’s a pretty impractical ability if it makes you hurt yourself like that.”

“Again. I’d do all this and more.” the volleyball ace waggled her fingers to show she’d recovered. “Now, are we doing anything else today? Please say yes.” then froze as they cramped up again. “Or don’t. Actually, please don’t.”

“...No. We’re done for now.” their leader looked to the group. “You’ve all done great work today. Really, I mean that.” he smiles. “Take the next two days to rest. Saturday, we’ll meet up after school and prepare the Calling Card. Monday, we make our move.”

“Sounds good,” Yuuki nods. “What about practice? Should we keep ditching?”

“...I’ll leave that to you. If you want my opinion, you definitely don’t have to.” Akira addressed them both. “But whatever you do, be careful. Staying safe is our highest priority.”

“Roger that,” he laughs. “Ditching it is, then.”

“What about me?” Shiho speaks up, “Should I keep telling Ann to stay home, or…?”

...That was a good question.

Last time around, today was… the day. In theory, it should be safe now… but still. If there was any chance she could get hurt— any chance at all— it was too risky. There was too much at stake to stick to half-measures.

“I think the worst of it is over, but...” Akira shakes his head, “You can never be too careful. If you can convince her to keep it up ‘til Monday, that’d be great.”

“...Got it.” she nods to him, “Any idea what I should say?”

“You know her best,” he shrugs, “I’ll leave that to you, too.”

Shiho hums in thought.

“...I’ll think of something,” she sighs, pulling out her phone. “It looks like she’s been texting me all day… I should go see her.”

“That’s a good idea! I hope Takamaki-senpai’s okay...” Kasumi checks her phone as well. “...I should be going soon.” She bowed. “Thank you for your hard work, everyone! Take care not to fall asleep on the train home~!”

She departs with a smile and a wave, her three comrades offering the same. The gymnast’s bouncy red hair and bouncier red ribbon soon turned a corner to the street, well on her way to the station. Akira faced the others, ready to do the same.

“Alright, I texted her. I should go too.” Shiho beat him to it. “...Actually, Akira. Do you wanna’ come with me? To see Ann, I mean.”

...

Akira shook his head. “It’s probably better if I don’t. She doesn’t know me too well, and… today must’ve been confusing. Whatever she needs to hear, it should come from you.”

“...You’re lucky I agree,” she grins, “Otherwise, I’d be pissed you hung me out to dry.”

Shiho throws a wave over her shoulder, walking toward the Oedo Line. Soon, she too was out of sight, leaving only Akira and…

“...Hey, Kurusu?”

Yuuki. Standing around, grinding his heels into the pavement like he had in this very spot, not three hours ago. In the Metaverse, anyway. It seemed the ‘Caliber’ name and all its bluster hadn’t bled over to this world. Not quite yet.

So Akira nods. “What’s up, man…?”

…

…

The boy says nothing. Just… scrapes his shoes a bit more.

…

…

“...Hey, Kurusu?”

“Yes, Yuuki?”

…

…

He finally looks him in the eye.

“Are you busy?”

…

Akira shakes his head. “C’mon. You wanna’ talk, right?” He tilts his head toward the station. “Here. Let’s grab dinner. You like curry?”

The new thief swallows, nodding wordlessly. Together, the two boys make their way toward Yongen-Jaya...

A knock on the door.

Thinking quickly, Ann frizzes up her hair, scrunched up her bedsheets, and double-checks the blush she’d applied about her nose. Looking down, the unused, crumpled up tissues she’d stuffed into the trash can spilled out on the floor. Everything was in place. The stage was set. The self-proclaimed masterful method-actress was ready to go.

“Who is—? *ahem*...” she coughs into her hand and sniffles dramatically. “...Who is it?”

“Terribly sorry to disturb you, Ann-dear.” Her caretaker, Nagato-san. “But Suzui-san is here to see you.”

!!

Quickly, she sits up straight, running a hand through her hair. Checks her clothes and smoothes out any wrinkles. Glances around the room. Still a mess. Throws her pillows back on the bed. Straightens out the carpet. Crumples her laundry and throws it in the hamper. Makes her bed. Checks the mirror. Looks good. Perfect.

Ready.

“O-Okay!” she calls. “Y-You can come in now…”

The door opens up to Shiho Suzui, proudly flashing a grin she just couldn’t hide. Behind her, Nagato bows and disappears down the hall, leaving them to their business. Ann just stares, completely… dumbstruck that the girl who’d been on her mind all day— kept her waiting all day was suddenly… here. Fallen right into her lap, so to speak. And she was just… standing there? Smiling? Like nothing was wrong? Like nothing had happened?

Ann crosses her arms. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“I know.” Shiho strolls in, casual as ever. “You’re not gonna’ believe this.”

And shuts the door behind her.

The bell rang as the door closed.

“Welcome… Oh?” Sakura’s voice as they entered. “Who’s this? Another friend of yours?”

Café Leblanc was the same as ever. Same comfy atmosphere, same coffee/curry/smoke smell, same old customers, same old Boss. The man stood behind the counter with his usual cigarette and trademark scowl. Was it… safe to smoke in a restaurant like that? It was legal, sure. And it never got too bad with the windows open in the attic, but… still, it felt like a health code violation.

“G-Good evening sir…” Yuuki bowed behind him. “I’m Yuuki Mishima… a friend of Kurusu’s. Sorry to bother you.”

The man’s eyes narrowed at his live-in ward.

“You sure make a lot of friends for a delinquent, kid.” he took a long drag, “...Polite ones, too.”

Akira quirked a brow. “Has this convinced you that maybe I’m… not a delinquent?”

“That ain’t what the papers say,” his guardian waved it off, cutting through the fumes as he did. “But whatever. I’m sure this’ll look good in my report.” Sakura grinned. “Now. You kids hungry? My treat.”

“O-Oh!” Yuuki held out his wallet. “It’s fine, I can pay.”

“It’s no trouble,” the man lets out a hearty laugh. “Just sit tight. Hope you like curry.”

And he disappears into the kitchen. Deciding to take initiative, Akira leads his friend past the entrance to a pair of seats at the bar. The two left their bags by their feet, and fell into a comfortable quiet… until the light of the TV caught their eye. Hard to ignore when the rest of the place is so damn dark.

“—for her upcoming tour, ‘Sapphire’!” the announcer said, “In related news, fellow TakuraPro idol Kanami ‘Kanamin’ Mash*ta has announced her new single ‘Dropkick’ just last Saturday, pitting her release date against rival company Lemniscate’s own Star Lilina...”

Akira hummed at the news. “You into idols at all, Mishima?”

“H-Huh? Me?” the boy’s eyebrows scrunched up. “...Not really. I mean, kinda’. But not more than anyone else, y’know?”

“...Uh-huh.” Sharp grey eyes gleamed. “That’s a shame. I brought a Risette poster when I moved, but I don’t have anywhere to put it. I was looking to give it away.”

…

“...I… guess I could take that off your hands.”

Ahh... what an honest reply. Akira could only laugh to himself as the plates were brought out, piping hot as always.

“Alright you two,” Boss set down two cups of coffee as well. “Feel free to head on up, once you finish. Got another errand to run.”

On went the white hat and coat. The man tapped the ends of his cigarette into the ashtray and strolled right on through, letting the doorbell ring as he passed. Looking around, it seemed that even the back booth was empty— the usual cinema critic must have left when their topic turned to idols. Pfft. That was just like him. Always ahead of the curve...

“...So,” Akira mumbled a prayer and began to eat. “...What’s on your mind?”

…

The cafe was silent. Boss had muted the TV before he left. All he could hear was the drone of the aircon, the hiss of the stove, and clink and clatter of flatware on plates. Apparently, Yuuki was the type to mix the curry into his rice before he ate it. And judging by the way his eyes lit up, he had no regrets.

“...Wow.” the boy swallowed. “You were right, this is good.”

“Think that now?” Akira took a bite of his own. “Try it with the coffee. It’s like, scientifically engineered to be better.”

Yuuki rolled his eyes, as he moved to take a sip. “Yeah, right. I’ll believe it when I—”

…

…

“...Wow.”

“Right?” It was only natural that he promote the recipe. He lived here, after all. “Sakura-san’s curry is a knockout. Crazy stuff.”

…

…

Everything he said had gone in one ear, out the other. Yuuki Mishima was driven, taking careful spoonfuls of rice and curry in equal measure, doling it out cautiously to pace his progress. He had to make his coffee last— the master of the cafe was gone, after all. There were no refills. No do-overs. Seems Yuuki was the type to appreciate a good meal…

…

...Ah, well. Whatever he wanted to talk about must’ve been important... but it could wait. Whatever it was, it could wait.

“Take your time, buddy.” Akira smiled to himself. “Just take your time.”

“Ran into your boyfriend today.”

It was the type of comment that leapt from your lips once you thought it. After all, to Coach Marina Hiraguchi? The Yoshizawa twins were a joy to tease— especially their youngest. And frankly, with… the accident barely behind them? A little levity would do her good. That’s what Marina thought, anyway.

“...Oh?”

Sumire Yoshizawa tilts her head.

“You ran into Akira-senpai? That’s great!” she smiled. “He’s not my boyfriend though.”

...And there went that plan.

It was… a sight to see. Sumire with that ribbon, tied into her hair. The way she stood, the way she moved, the way she smiled… The two were twins, but they’d never been identical. So, to see her— to see Kasumi… in Sumire’s skin? It was just… eerie. Something so… familiar. So routine. A near perfect imitation. And yet...

It was just that. An imitation. The slightest difference and the whole thing came crashing down. Sumire Yoshizawa was not Kasumi. A simple fact. A matter of course. So watching her act like… like someone she wasn’t? And with a face that bore shadows of that self… If it were anyone else, it’d be laughable. But with Sumire, it felt… so viscerally wrong.

Marina swallowed.

...But everyone deals with trauma differently. That’s what the doctor said. Or… what Shin’ichi said the doctor said. “If this is what Yoshizawa-san needs to cope, then who are we to judge? With everything that’s happened, her mind is struggling to understand. She’s just holding on to what she knows best.” These were the therapist’s words, verbatim. “In time, perhaps, she will come to realize. But as of now, her psyche is too fractured to try anything reckless. Let her reacclimate herself to daily life, and maintain her appointments with me. When I think she’s ready… we’ll broach the subject.”

So the man had said. Sumire’s first appointment was a few weeks ago, the last Friday of March. Whether it worked or not, it felt too early to say… The doctor suggested he meet with the girl every two weeks to gauge her progress— they’d just met again this past Friday. And Marina still had her doubts... but when Monday came around? The girl was… different. Happier. Brighter. Barging into the gym with that new boyfriend of hers. It wasn’t something Sumire would do… but it definitely wasn’t something Kasumi would do either. And to Marina? That was progress.

She was still… a bit uneasy, on the matter. Seeing her students rolled into one like that… It was a little disturbing. But if she was out there, making friends…? Maybe they could help her… in ways she couldn’t. And for that reason, despite her worries Marina Hiraguchi let it be. For now.

“Right. Akira ‘not-Sumire’s-boyfriend’ Kurusu,” she joked. “He asked me if he could attend one of my lessons… You didn’t tell me he was a freerunner though. Pretty impressive for a boy his age.”

…’Kasumi’ blinked.

…

Blinked again.

…?

Aaaand one more time.

…!!

Ding! The proverbial lightbulb.

“Oh! Yes! Senpai… freeruns!” the girl hid her sweat with a smile. “He’s mostly self-taught, but you’re right! He’s very impressive!” Her mouth twitched. “Though… his warm-up routine could use some work…”

...Marina tilted her head, gesturing to the gym. “You’re not judging him by our standards, are you?” Her student shook her head, no. “Then… how do you mean? Is he stretching the wrong muscle groups?”

The gymnast’s eyes gleamed.

“Something like that…”

...Akira sneezed.

“Wha—!?” Yuuki shot up in his chair. “O-Oh… you surprised me.”

The two had finished their curry in the minutes passed. Coffee too. All there was left was the hum of the fan, the TV’s closed captions, and the elephant in the room. One he dare not touch… Instead, Akira took some of Takuto’s advice:

“When someone suffers through a traumatic experience? It’s important to let them breathe.” the doctor had said. “Let them have the first word. Don’t try and rush them— they don’t need the pressure. When they’re ready to talk, they’ll talk.”

To that end, Akira had done his best not to… pressure the boy. Instead, he’d merely leaned into the counter with his elbow and… stared straight ahead, calm as can be. He wasn’t spacing out or anything; the other boy had his full attention. But throwing down for a staring contest and putting the kid on blast wouldn’t help anyone, least of all Yuuki. And if all he could do was wait? If that’s what Yuuki needed? That’s what he’d do.

…

…

…

“...Kurusu?”

Akira turned to him. Not too fast. Not too slow. “What’s up?”

…

Yuuki’s eyebrows were practically knit together. His hands were tense. His face was pale, paler than usual. And his eyes were…

...looking back at him, now.

“...Thank you.”

…

Akira kept his voice even. “...For what?”

…

Yuuki frowned. “...for… believing in me… I guess.”

…

Akira nodded. “I see. You’re welcome.”

…

…

“...Hey, Kurusu?”

He nods once more. “What is it, Yuuki?”

…

The boy turns to face him.

“I want to be a Phantom Thief.”

Akira breathes a laugh. “You already are… though, that’s not what you mean, is it?”

...He shakes his head.

“I know you said you wouldn’t… accept our answer, ‘til the change of heart… even though you know we want to. But still…” Yuuki leaned in. “I… I won’t let this go. Kurusu, in just the past two days, I’ve felt… more alive than I’ve ever been.” He stared into his open hands. “Being in the Metaverse, beating bad guys? Helping people? Making a difference? More than school, more than volleyball, it’s like... it’s like I finally know what I can do! Like I finally have a purpose! I finally matter!”

“I’m finally not a ‘zero’!”

His mouth didn’t move. He must not have said it. That was the old Yuuki talking— the Mishima he knew. Akira could never forget: the bullies, the extortion, the boy’s Shadow… and his courage. The courage that defined him, from then on.

Akira closed his eyes...

“Phantom Thieves! Can you hear us!?”

...and smiled at the memory.

“I hear your resolve.” His leader accepted that. Graciously. “...And as you might expect, my answer still stands.” But before the boy could slump… “However. You already knew that, didn’t you?” Joker crosses one leg over the other, and turns to face his precious comrade. “This is about something else… So how can I help you?”

...

“...I want to learn.” Yuuki grit his teeth, fire in his eyes. “Teach me everything. If there’s anything I can do, show me. Anything.” His hands found their way into fists. “I don’t just want to be a Phantom Thief who effects change. I want to be a Phantom Thief who leaves a mark. A calling card for the world to see. To remember. I want to be... the best that I can be.”

…

…

“I see.”

Akira breathed.

“Once more, I acknowledge your determination.” He did his best to remain neutral. “You want practical advice? I’ll help you with that. Physical training? You got it.” Akira leveled his gaze. “But if there’s one thing— the most important lesson I can teach you about being a Phantom Thief? It’s this.”

...Yuuki awaited his words with bated breath.

Akira sighed.

“Don’t let it consume you.”

...And he could only blink in surprise. “H-Huh?”

His leader smiled wryly.

“Before I gained this power, I was… less than worthless. At least in the eyes of my peers.” Akira closed his eyes, reminiscing. “I went from the guy no one cared about to... the guy everyone cared about. In all the wrong ways. ‘Criminal’, they called me. ‘Scum’ and ‘Garbage’ too.” He breathed a laugh. “It was like that for a while… I tried to run away but I couldn’t. It felt like… I was trapped in a box, on display. I could tip the thing over, any way I liked— any direction. But there was never a way out. Never an escape. And… it wore on me. It really did.”

His eyes opened.

“That’s when I got this power. And I used it for my own gain.” He stared off into the distance. “I said it was for ‘justice’... and it was, at first. But I… lost sight of what was important.” His eyes wandered to where the Sayuri would be. “I was the leader, with no one to reel me in. Worse still, I dragged the others into the same… hole, I’d fallen into. And worst of all...” He rubs a phantom pain in his forehead. “When it came down to it? It was everyone else, who paid for my mistakes. The people that relied on me. They were my responsibility, and… I failed. I failed them.”

He looks right at Yuuki.

“I let this power drive me.” Joker said simply. “But it drove me too far. The ability to change hearts is a dangerous one. You can’t brute force through your problems— there’s too much at stake. You have to treat each target with the gravity it deserves.” He spoke slowly. “Not to say we can’t have fun while doing it. Just that… we can’t lose sight of our goal.” He nods to him. “Phantom Thieves work in the shadows. That’s not an aesthetic choice. We’re not in it for the fame or fortune. At the end of the day, taking down scumbags like Kamoshida is what we do. It’s who we are. But it’s not all we are.”

He pointed to himself.

“As leader, I do all sorts of things in and out of the Metaverse. I manage our resources, maintain our network, lead us in battle…” He puts his hand down. “But I also like to read. I find time to help out around the store, or hang out with friends. Go fishing by the pond, or batting at the cages. What I’m saying is…

I may be Joker, yes. But before that, I’m Akira Kurusu.”

…

…

“...I might’ve…” Yuuki squints. “I’m sorry. I go… overboard sometimes. I’m working on it.”

…

“It’s fine. I… sorta’ went of the rails there, too.” Akira smiled sheepishly. “It’s just… you reminded me of me, is all. You tend to be familiar with your own problems, and… I have a lot to say to myself, apparently.” He shook his head. “But your enthusiasm is… Well, it’s not a problem or anything, man. If something makes you happy, then… isn’t that a good thing?”

“...That’s awfully positive of you,” the boy sighs. “But it’s gotten me in trouble before… and it’s just like you said. I have a lot to say to myself too. When you deal with it on a daily basis, you get… I dunno’, really aware of it. But also weirdly… immune, to it. Does that make sense?”

“If you can identify it at all, that’s plenty aware. Wouldn’t you say?” Akira shrugged. “I can’t speak to your experience, but from the few days I’ve known you, you seem just fine. Besides, that sort of… energy?” He breathed a smile. “I can work with that. You want to be a good thief? Let’s put that passion to use. What do you say?”

He held out a hand.

…

“...Do you believe in everyone you’ve just met?” Yuuki eyes the hand warily. “Or are you just the sweet-talking type of guy?”

“Not everyone. But I’d like to think I’m a good judge of character.” Glaring exceptions aside. “I’m serious. You’ve got heart, Yuuki. And if you’re worried about staying on track, don’t worry. We’ve got your back.” He jerked a thumb toward himself. “I’m your leader, right? Let me guide you. We’ll do this together.”

…

“...I guess you’re a sweet-talker then,” he sighs, taking that hand. “Is that the type of thing you’re gonna’ be teaching me?”

“No.” Akira made a face, “And I’m begging you to never call me that again.”

Their laughter could be heard through the streets of Yongen-jaya.

“Oh? Where’s your friend?”

Around an hour had passed. In the time it took for the Boss to return, his cafe’s attic tenant had taken the time to wash the dishes, running ‘em under soap in the sink and racking them to dry. Of course, he hadn’t started immediately. The boy had waited until—

“Yuuki had to leave,” Akira answered, without looking up. “But he told me to thank you for the meal. It was… ‘the greatest curry he’s ever had’.”

“Huh. High praise. Shame I couldn’t hear it for myself,” Sakura remarked, “Not like your other friend, who stuck around. How’s she doing by the way?”

“Oh, Kasumi? She’s great,” he dried his hands on a towel. “We hung out a bit after school today… she had practice though, so she couldn’t stay long.”

It was a half-truth, at best. Three hours is definitely more than ‘a bit’. But frankly, considering how much he’d imposed yesterday? Akira was rather keen on keeping that particular fact to himself. After all, Sakura was still pretty apprehensive about him staying out too late— or even going out at all! And... that could be a big problem, going forward… He really had to set aside some time and build the man’s trust again.

...Next week? Next week sounds good. Next week it was, then.

“Practice?” the man moved behind the counter, pressing some buttons on the register. “So Kasumi-chan’s an athlete then? What’s she play?”

“Rhythmic gymnastics. She’s really good, too!” Akira finally turned to face him. “Her specialty’s the ribbon, and it’s… awesome to watch. I think I have some clips on my phone—?”

His once-surrogate father let out a hearty laugh.

“...Don’t have to prove it to me. I’ll just take your word for it,” he smirked. “You seem awful fond of this girl. You said you’ve know her ‘bout a year?”

“...Around that much, yeah.” Akira shifted weight from one foot to the other. “Why do you ask?”

“Her birthday’s coming up, isn’t it?”

…

…

What?

“No. No, it... just passed. The twenty-fifth of last month.” Akira squinted. “Why did… What made you bring that up?”

The man shrugged. “Spend enough time with the ladies, and you get a sense for important dates.” Um… seriously? “...Still, a whole two weeks off, huh? I must be losing my touch.” He grinned through his cigarette. “Ah, well. Hope you got her somethin’ good.”

…

…

The man’s eyes narrowed.

“...You’re awful quiet.” He crossed his arms. “Kid, you got her something for her birthday. Right?”

…

…

The glare only darkened, as Akira began to sweat.

“...Seriously?” Sakura sighed. “What is wrong with you?”

“Hey, I was kinda’ busy that week! Y’know, with my trial and all?” the boy huffed, “So I guess it just... slipped my mind.”

Not to mention he hadn’t exactly met her yet… Ugh. Just another secret to keep. Damn shame, too. ‘Because I’m from the future’ was... really just the wild card of excuses— you could use it in almost any situation. Or at least, it should’ve been. Unfortunately, his identity as a time-travelling crime-fighting Phantom Thief of Hearts was... decidedly not the ace in the hole you’d hope it was. Unless jailtime and a psych eval ended up on his to-do list, for some reason. Until then? He’d play it by ear.

“Even so…” the man shut the register with a clack. “That doesn’t let you off the hook. Look at it this way.” Boss took his cigarette between his fingers and pointed. “You have this friend, let’s call him… Akira.” Wow. Subtle. “Akira missed your birthday, but now he’s back in town. You figure it’s probably some kind of mistake. You wait a few days… then days turn to weeks and he hasn’t said a word about it. You start to worry. You start to wonder if… Akira is really your friend. Catch my drift?”

...The boy’s face soured.

“Kasumi isn’t like that.” Akira grumbled. “And that’s a hell of a snowball from one misunderstanding.”

“Y’know what, you’re probably right— she seems like a nice girl. This is just… ‘worst case scenario’.” Sakura made a wide gesture with his hand, wisps of smoke trailing his fingers. “But trying couldn’t hurt. If you got her a present, I doubt she’d just turn you down.”

“...I guess you’re right,” Akira sighed and tilted his head back. “Alright then. I’ll get her something. I’ll start looking on the way home from school tomorrow…” he quirked a brow. “...with your permission, of course.”

“You have my blessing. Just don’t stay out too late, y’hear?” the man gruffed out through his cigarette. “It’s gonna’ be Friday night and all. Don’t get carried away.”

“I’ll... try my best sir, thank you.” He nodded, hanging up the towel. “...Where should I go, though? Somewhere in Harajuku, maybe?”

He mumbled that last bit to himself. Unfortunately for him, when it came to matters of the heart, the old man had ears like a hawk.

“...If you’re looking for my advice? Try… Roppongi. Maybe Akasaka, or Kichijoji.” the man waved dismissively. “Forget the popular places like Ginza and Shibuya. If you’re looking for somethin’ to really move a girl’s heart? You’ll find it where she’s never looked.”

“...Thanks.” His eyes narrowed. “Though… Kasumi’s not my girlfriend.”

“Never said she was,” Sakura grinned. “Shame though. She must care a lot… to hang out with a punk like you.”

“Oh, how far I’ve fallen.” Akira rolled his eyes. “Will the details of my love life make it to the probation report? Or is this just for your own satisfaction?”

“Ha!” smoke billowed through his laugh, “If it mellows you out any, my job will be a lot easier. Maybe you should get yourself a girl.”

“...I’m starting to hate this conversation.” the boy’s eye twitched. “I’m going to go to bed now. If that’s alright.”

There weren’t enough creaky stairs in the world to stop Boss’ laugh from ringing in his ears.

Shujin Academy was… a rather judgemental place.

Most high schools were, by virtue of being… y’know. High schools. But Shujin had the rather unfortunate combination of being a private institution, and a rather prestigious one at that— meaning its students were both exceptionally smart, and incredibly insulated.

...Well, the students thought they were smart, anyhow. That much was dangerous in and of itself. But more than that, it bred a rather toxic mindset: among which was the expected (but certainly not excused) superiority complex. That, with their narrow perspective and narrower population density? Rumors were especially damning. Judgements that could make or break careers were made at the drop of a hat, and often spread faster than their source could follow.

Worse still, they’d warp and mutate into truly hideous things. Why, just this week, a juvenile delinquent with a criminal record had transferred in and turned the whole school upside down! ...Since, as you might expect, something like that was prime gossip material. How a single boy could somehow be a burglar, murderer, and elephant tusk trafficker all at once… At some point, it went past ‘unlikely’ into simply asinine.

Not that Makoto Niijima was one to believe everything she heard through the grapevine. It was just her duty as student council president to consider all the facts. And right now, between fact and fiction? Makoto Niijima standing by the school gate— eyes closed, arms crossed, foot and finger tapping as one— like she was waiting for somebody… Forget Akira ‘Killed-a-Man’ Kurusu, this was a scandal for the history books!

Every thirty seconds, a ruby red eye cracked itself open long enough to scan the morning crowd. And every thirty seconds, dissatisfied, the girl would sigh and close her eyes and go back to her brooding. It would seem the object of her interest had yet to arrive.

…

…

The tapping of her foot accelerated. The constant glances grew more frequent. A tick began to form on the girl’s brow, a twitch at her lip, as person after person passed with no sign of stopping. And yet, still no sign of him… The students gave their president a wide berth, as her ire grew seemingly more and more palpable… No, seriously. A rather unsettling blue aura started to radiate her body. It billowed forth like shadowy tendrils of anger, as if to lash out at all who dare approach.

A fellow-third year waved.

“Oh! Good morning Niiji—”

!!

Suddenly, all that ire and anger had somewhere to go. The full weight of her wait, three hours worth— yes, Makoto woke up early for this— bore down on the boy like fire. An invisible pressure that threatened to crush him to the very ground he walked upon.

So he began to sweat.

“O-Oh, um... never mind.”

And the boy kept on walking. Other than the… near visible ire that seemed to take a mind of its own, the younger Niijima sister had barely acknowledged the greeting. So it was only natural that she went back to leaning against the wall with a huff.

“...That stupid Sakamoto…” she muttered, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. “Where could he be…?”

Ryuji showed up around lunch.

And who could blame him? Just yesterday, he’d taken the tongue-lashing of the century. Not to mention, Ushimaru was his homeroom teacher. Two classes, back to back, with that asshole? After making his afternoon a living hell? f*ck that. Ryuji’d drag his damn feet as far as his legs would go… which admittedly, wasn’t very far. At least, not so much these days.

‘...f*ck. Why’s my sh*tty brain gotta’ do that…?’

The blond cursed his own damn self, stomping through the empty hall— yet to open for the schoolwide lunchtime rush. He figured if he waited ‘til lunch ended, he could probably sneak into fifth period without Inui-sensei noticin’. And he was probably right. Of all the rotten teachers in this place, the guy didn’t seem the type to hold a grudge. Or break a leg...

Damn it. Again...?

The boy rapped himself on the forehead with the thumb of his fist, trying to clear the thoughts away. He squeezed his eyes shut, crumpling his brow into a pile, as he walked forward right into—

“A-Ah!” she squeaked. “E-Excuse me!”

“O-Oh! My bad!” he caught himself, taking a step back. “Sorry about… that?”

!!

Standing there, delicate hand held lightly to her chest, was… a girl. A pretty girl. Fluffy auburn hair framed a cute round face— it parted at the center, resting gently on the collar of her puffy pink cardigan. Her lips were parted, chocolate eyes wide, and her gaze was… decidedly not apprehensive. Huh. Even if she was just too surprised to notice who he was? It was a nice change of pace. ...Pathetic as those prefaces made him feel.

“It’s… quite alright,” she breathed, “Pardon me. I was lost in thought…”

How proper. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

“Don’t sweat it. Same here…” Ryuji shifted from one leg to the other. “...What were you… thinkin’ about?”

!?

His mouth had moved faster than his brain. Ugh. Damn it, Sakamoto. The hell are you askin’ her that for!? Nice goin’, dipsh*t— now she’s gonna’ think you’re a weirdo!

“H-Huh!?” she perked up at the question. “Oh… um…”

The girl crossed an arm beneath her elbow, idly fluffing her pretty hair. The chestnut locks bounced gently against the back of her hand, her dainty little eyebrows scrunched together in thought.

...

“...I suppose… yes.” she nodded, mostly to herself. “Perhaps you can help me.” She looked to him, resting that hand on her shoulder. “Might you have any experience with animals? Pets, of any kind?”

...He wasn’t expecting an answer. Least of all, that. “Animals, huh…?” he crossed his arms behind his head. “...Nah, not me. Dogs bite me. sh*t in my shoes ‘n all that.”

“A-Ah… is that so…?” the girl lowered her head. “You see, I’ve noticed some… stray cats, around the school grounds lately. Near my home, as well.” the hand about her shoulder tightened. “I haven’t the heart to chase them away… but if I don’t do something, my precious garden will…”

She trailed off. Across from her, Ryuji could only bumble through a reply.

“...Have ya’ tried feedin’ ‘em?” the boy offered, “I know you’re not s’pposed to… but it might get ‘em to leave you alone.” he squinted. “...Or it could make things worse. I dunno’. Not really an idea guy.”

“...I see.” she seemed to turn the idea over in her head. “I suppose it might work. Perhaps if they felt safe, they wouldn’t be quite so agitated…!” Her face brightened. “I think I’ll try it! Thank you so much!”

Ryuji flashed a goofy grin. “Y-Yeah, sure. No problem… uh…”

The girl blinked.

“...Oh my! That’s right, I’ve yet to introduce myself!” she bowed, ever so slightly. “My name is Haru Okumura, a third-year. Pleased to meet you!”

The blond’s grin grew a bit goofier.

“...Older then, huh?” He mumbled to himself, before moving to face her. “Cool. I’m—”

“Sakamoto-kun.”

!!

Way to steal his thunder. Ryuji slumped at the familiar voice, scolding out his name in that sharp, no-nonsense tone of hers. Yep. It was…

“...Hey, Madame Prez.” he groaned in her general direction. “Did you need something?”

Makoto crossed her arms, leaning on one leg enough that her hip jut out. “I do, actually. Would you mind following me to the Student Council Room?”

“What!?” Ryuij’s jaw dropped. “Why?! I haven’t even done anything— I just got here!”

“...That’s exactly the problem,” she sighed. “Would you stop complaining and come quietly? I’m sure Okumura-san would appreciate it if you left her alone.”

He scowled. “The hell!? I ain’t botherin’ her—!”

“S-Sakamoto-san…”

Haru’s quiet voice. The blond’s anger died in his throat.

…

...

The girl bowed her head.

“Sakamoto-san is right. He wasn’t bothering me. In truth, I had asked for his help…” Haru looked aside. “...for which I’m most grateful. But I must be going. I didn’t intend to step out of class for too long…” she bowed once more. “I’ll leave you two alone. Thank you, again.”

And like that, she was gone.

…

…

Ryuji glared.

“...Gee, thanks Prez.” he grumbled. “Y’know, we were havin’ a nice conversation.”

“I’m sure you can pick it up another time.” she spoke with a smile that belied little remorse. “Now, come with me.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Ryuji muttered under his breath, staring after the hall where Haru had gone. Damn… this sucks. Nevertheless, the two made their way toward the Student Council Room, on the third floor...

...and shut the door behind them.

“Now,” Makoto started, turning and leaning against the desk. “I’d imagine you know why you’re here?”

The boy sort of shuffled from foot to foot, hands jammed in his pockets with the usual hunch. “...I dunno’. To get scolded or some sh*t.” Ryuji shrugged. “So would’ja just get it over with? I’ve got a class to skip.”

“...While I admit, your conduct has been… deplorable in the past,” she reached into a small pouch on the desk. “...and that last statement isn’t doing you any favors? Here.”

The council president held out her hand, expectantly. Observing his lack of reaction (or urgency), she gestured with the other. “Go on. Take it.”

Ryuji frowned, warily. “...What is it?”

Her fingertips brushed against his palm as one, two, three, four-five-six little coins clinked into his hand.

…

He stared at them.

...

And back at her.

“I dunno’ what kinda’ guy you think I am?” Ryuji said flatly, “But ain’t it s’pposed to be… y’know, a lot more than this?”

“It’s a reimbursem*nt for yesterday.” She didn’t dignify that with a response. “You were ordering from the vending machine, right? I wasn’t sure which drink you intended to purchase, so I took each price and calculated the average. Plus, the two ten-yen pieces you left in the coin slot.” She sighed her hands into her hips. “And now, my debt is repaid. You can go now.”

…

...

“...That’s it?” the blond breathed. “This is why you called me here?”

Makoto tilted her head a little. “Yes. Why? Was there something else you wanted to talk about?”

“Something e—!?” he scoffed. “That’s my line, dammit! Why’d I have to come all the way here for some spare change!? Just give it to me in the hall, next time!”

“I don’t intend for there to be a next time,” she said simply. “...But I’ll remember that. Was that all, Sakamoto?”

!?

This girl…!

“...Yeah. I guess it is.” he put the stack of coins on the table. “Keep the change or whatever. I’m leavin’.”

“Wh-What? But you…”

He didn’t bother to listen. Ryuji turned and walked right out, slamming the door behind him.

…

…

The girl slumped into her seat. And in a small voice, only she could hear.

“...I was only trying to help...”

He’d woken up to a text this morning.

“Please don’t make me lie to my coach.”