Haru Okumura found herself at her wit's end. Her life was over. Forced, into a life of servitude by her father. All for his own selfish political gain. She was running. Running as fast as she could, to try and avoid the oncoming disaster. Maybe if she found a place to hide! But it was no use. Eyes were locked in on her. There was no escape. Haru was panting, crying, wanting to be free, to be away from the destiny she despised so much. That's when she saw the figure gaining speed. Rushing towards her. The sinister eyes, the sharp-toothed grin. The large hat. That wasn't her fiance'! Arms extended from the shadowy figure and enveloped her. It was the Phantom Thieves! She was swept up into the mysterious embrace as both her and the figure took off, spiraling into the sky. She couldn't do much but laugh. She was soaring through the sky, overlooking the scenery of Japan at night. Free from the fate that once shackled her down. The dark figure was met with several other dark figures, flying in an almost bird-like formation. She was safe, free to pursue a future of her own...The figure opened up its mouth, and started blaring a screech that made Haru wince. What kind of noise was that?!
Haru then opened up her eyes to find herself back home, in her luxurious king-size bed. ...Oh. It was only a dream. Haru sighed. Just another day. She shut off her alarm and got out of bed, yawning. It was a little over a month until she was sold off to Sugimura-san, the son of one of her father's political associates. Haru figured she might as well enjoy her freedom while she still had it. She had put in a call to the Phantom Thieves to help stop the deal, but she hadn't heard anything back. They must have been too busy for her. Haru had tried to convince her father herself to call off the deal, but he never thought highly for her opinion anyway. She looked at herself through her vanity mirror. She looked absolutely miserable. She picked up a brush and started to gently comb her hair. People always said her poofy hair was one thing that made her stick out. She donned her class uniform, which she then covered with her zip-up sweater, and left her room.
Of course, there was a maid waiting outside for her. "Oh, good morning, Kiko!" Haru smiled. One of Haru's many talents was how she could appear upbeat, no matter how bad she was feeling. "Good morning, Hau-chan!"
"Is Father awake?"
"Oh, he never came home last night. Must be working really hard."
"Oh...well, hopefully I will see him tonight."
"Do you have time for breakfast?"
"Sorry, no. I'm running a bit late. I promise to tell Hiromori-san to stop for something on my way to school."
"Of course, milady. Here's your school bag." Kiko handed Haru her bag and saw her off. Haru waved goodbye as she left in the Okumura town car.
While her father didn't think very highly of her daughter, she was still an Okumura. And an Okumura should depart and arrive with luxury and style. Haru didn't care for throwing money around, though. Their wealth should be used towards bettering others, not frivolous luxuries. Either way, she was taught to accept her fate, so she rode to school in silence.
Haru always kept to herself when it came to school. Her focus was rarely on socializing. She had actually recently come back from a trip to Hawaii. She enjoyed the sun and the fresh air, but she spent most of the trip on a chair or on a bench while all the other students spent time with each other. It must be nice, to be able to confide in others. Class came and went without anything exciting happening. She quietly left class and went to the ladies' locker room to change into her freshly laundered gym uniform. The locker room was empty, not a soul to be seen. Haru sighed happily. Most city girls her age would find the silence worrisome, but not Haru. She preferred quiet areas. She changed into her baggy sweater and matching sweatpants and made her way to the roof.
"I'm back!" She announced, opening the door to the roof of the school. Nobody was there, except for her own man made garden. This part of the day was her favorite part in her routine. No absentee father, no fiance she didn't love, nothing but her and her babies. She put on her digging gloves and got to work. She watered her plants and dug spots for new ones. Her babies looked so happy and healthy! She spent her entire afternoon up there, tending to her garden, nurturing her garden. Her hopes were to introduce her homemade vegetable dishes to her father. Maybe it could be a new recipe to be used in food production! Something that would help the reputation of her father's company. She thought it was a great idea, but her father was always rather...cold. She had to work up the courage just to say good morning to him most days. Haru looked up and saw the sun setting from the roof. Maybe it was a good idea to call it a day here. She decided to text Hiromori-san and let him know he could take the night off.
She changed out of her gym uniform and into her casual outfit. A frilly purple tanktop and a black skirt. She took the train back to her neighborhood, but due to construction work, she needed to transfer in Yongen. Shame the stations weren't connected, but it was only a few blocks she had to walk.
She wandered down the street until she heard some mewing. Was that a kitty? Haru started to walk slower, hoping not to scare the cat. It was definitely mewing. Was the kitty hungry?, she thought. While she was thinking, the cat darted off in the other direction. Haru turned around, watching it go. "Huh...that kitty…" she said aloud. She didn't fully understand why, but there was something special about that cat. The voice in the back of her head was telling her to follow that cat, so she took chase.
The cat was moving pretty fast, but she had to not lose it! She panted, running after the cat. It would duck between alleyways and around storefronts, but Haru was determined not to lose it. Maybe this cat would help her! She couldn't explain it, not even to herself, but she needed to find out where this cat was going. She started to recognize the area where the cat was taking her. This was near Father's job! The cat had stopped running. Why was it leading her here? Is this a sign to get more involved in father's corporate dealings..? As she pondered this, she heard a crash. The kitty took a rock from the garden and threw it through the window, leaping through the hole it created. "No, kitty come back!" she ran up to the broken window, avoiding the sharp edges of the glass. This wasn't gonna stop her from chasing the cat there had to be a reason this cat was so determined to get inside. There was more to this that just a random cat, there had to be! "...Please forgive me, father.." she grabbed a larger rock from the garden and broke the rest of the window, climbing inside.
After dusting the broken glass off of herself and out of her hair and looked up. But what she saw wasn't the front desk, or the waiting area. Everything looked so alien to her. Just a large platform in the center with a big handle in the platform. She looked up and saw the LED sign of "BIG BANG BURGER", swirling in a circle. "Where did that kitty go…? And what is this place?" She walked forward and pressed the handle in the center. She had no idea what it did, but it didn't look like there was any other way out. The platform whirred and started moving down. Haru yelped and clutched the lever. She was not expecting that to happen.
Once the platform stopped moving, Haru gasped. What she saw confused her. A small, large-headed monster was on the ground, straining to stay up, surrounded by what looked like security drones. "SHALL WE DISPOSE OF IT?" one robot asked the other. "LEAVE IT BE. WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO WASTE ON A SOLITARY FELINE." they then wheeled off into different directions, away from the monster. Wait, feline? Is this the cat I've been chasing..?, Haru thought. "Is this really impossible...alone?" the creature said to itself. It strained to look up. "How horrible…" Haru was tentative to walk over to it. Cats can attack when they feel cornered. "Who's...there…? Mas...ter…?" the monster cat then blacked out, going limp on the ground. Haru walked up to it and picked it up. The poor kitty..Haru needed to make sure it got first aid, and fast!
She went back the way she came, her knees buckling from the pressure and speed of the elevator going up. She rubbed the kitty's back gently. She couldn't tell if it had any injuries, but it was still necessary to make sure the cat was okay. She went through the front door, that was surprisingly unlocked, out into the night. Wait...she was back here? Haru shook her head. There wasn't any time to worry about that, she had an emergency! She took out her cell phone and called Hiromori. "I'm sorry, Hiromori-san, but I need you to meet me at father's headquarters! I need to get somewhere fast!" She put her phone away and gasped. The cat monster that she was holding now looked like a normal house cat, the bandana that it was wearing now resembling a yellow collar. She turned him on his back to inspect the tag. "Morgana…" There wasn't any other information on the tag, but at least she had a name for the kitty. She had a lot of questions. Hiromori pulled up and Haru quickly got inside.
"Please, Hiromori-san! We need to go to an animal hospital, and quickly! I don't know what's wrong with this cat!" Haru cried out to her driver.
"...With all due respect, Ms. Okumura, it's just a stray cat."
"It's more than that! I can't leave an innocent animal to suffer when it's clearly in pain!"
"As you wish."
Haru strapped herself in, still cradling the poor cat in her arms. "Don't worry Morgana, I'll make sure you're safe…"
The town car sped along the mostly empty streets, until stopping at the Daktari Animal Hospital. Haru didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before getting out and running to the front desk. "Please! You've got to help my cat! He blacked out and hasn't woken up!" without saying a word, the receptionist motioned over a nurse to take the house cat from Haru's arms. Haru followed the nurse into the back. "Now fill out these forms, and the doctor will be with you shortly." the nurse ordered. She gently placed the cat on the table and gave Haru a clipboard. Haru began to fill out the forms, making up what she didn't know when she heard a groan coming from the table.
"Uurgh, my head…" Morgana got up and shook his head. "Where am I?" he looked over at Haru, who dropped the clipboard in surprise. D-did that cat just talk…?!, her eyes opened wide.
"H-how...can you...am I going crazy..?!" Haru shook her head. The intensity of tonight must be getting to her.
"It's a long story. Now where am I?"
"Y-you're in an animal hospital."
"I'm WHERE?!"
"I'm sorry, but you blacked out after jumping through that window! I was worried you might be hurt."
"Oh yes, and the Shadows attacked me! ...You saw that, huh? That must've been embarrassing to watch."
"Oh no, you were very brave!"
"...thanks. I'm Morgana."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Haru. Haru...Okumura." Even though she was talking to a cat, she still winced. That name was in the news a lot more than she wished it was. "So...you're a talking cat…" The cat got up into a hissing position.
"Don't call me a cat! I'm a human! ...Or, at least I think I was…"
"Oh no! What turned you into a cat?" Haru couldn't believe she was actually saying those words out loud.
"I'm not sure. I've been on a search to find out why. I...had a bit of a falling out with my old group. Do you want to team up? Maybe you could help me get my identity back."
"Hm…" This was all too crazy. A human that turned into a cat looking to turn back into a human. Maybe he was a handsome prince looking to whisk her away from her arranged marriage? Pffth, yeah right. "Okay, I'm glad to help!" Haru nodded with a smile. Then they heard a voice coming from down the hall.
"Now what seems to be the trouble with your cat, Ms…?"
"O-okumura!"
The veterinarian perked up. "Oh, Ms. Okumura! A pleasure to have you at our humble hospital. Is this your cat?" Morgana hissed at him. "I'm not a stinkin' cat!"
"He's a feisty one!" the vet chuckled. I guess only I can only understand him.., she thought. She had to act fast to get both her and Morgana out of there quickly. Haru came up with a plan. She wagged her finger at Morgana.
"Now now Mona-chan, play along and be nice for the doctor!" Haru motioned to Morgana. He grumbled and complied.
"Wow, he's trained well! I expect only the best for the Okumura household." the vet said with a smirk.
"Y-yes. So he had blacked out at my home and was like that for a long time. At first I thought he was taking a nap, but he appeared to be limp. Is there anything I should be concerned over?" The vet put a stethoscope to Morgana's chest, feeling his heartbeat.
"Tell me, Ms. Okumura. Do you know what your servants serve Mona-chan?"
"Yes, it's Mon Petit'." Haru had seen that commercial too many times to count.
"Ah, okay. Healthy diet. Has he been feeling bouts of exhaustion?"
"Yes! I've seen him wear himself out running around the house."
"That there, is the root of your problem. Poor little Mona-chan has been wearing himself thin. He must have tired himself out."
"Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried." Haru clapped her hands together, picking up Morgana.
"I would recommend you buy a cat toy and give him more attention. I know you must be a busy woman, Ms. Okumura, but please. Make sure to spend more time with him." Haru bowed. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry sir!"
"..Have a good night, Ms. Okumura." she quietly walked out of the office, Morgana in tow.
Haru made her way back to the car, letting Hiromori know that the danger was over. He drove her back to the mansion, the divider raised at her request. "So how come I could understand you, but the vet could not?" Haru asked Morgana. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think you might have a special power. A power to enter Palaces." Now Haru looked even more confused. Morgana sighed. He forgot he was dealing with a newbie. "Palaces are physical manifestations of the dark desires in people's hearts. Where you found me was your dad's palace."
"So that dungeon, all those robots, that's father's heart?" Morgana nodded. She knew her rather had been through a large amount of scandals, but to be targeted by the Phantom Thieves? The situation with Okumura Foods must have been worse off than she had thought. Haru nodded. "I don't fully understand, but, if I have the power to right father's wrongs, then I will do it!"
"Great! You'll be the next best Phantom Thief!" Morgana declared. Phantom Thief…! Haru didn't realize how she didn't connect the dots before. "Those Phantom Thieves that're all over the news...that was all you? Amazing! How did you do it?" Haru had stars in her eyes.
"Well, I can't take full credit. I had some muscle helping me, but I was the brains of the operation!" Morgana smirked. "I suppose I should tell you if you're going to help me. We're gonna steal his heart by taking his treasure, the object that means the most to him. Once we take away the object of his desires, he'll overcome with guilt and confess to his sins all on his own." Haru stared, open-mouthed. "That's incredible…" she said. "I'm excited to steal hearts!"
"It won't be easy. He's not gonna give up without a fight, and it will be up to you to bring that fight to him! We'll start tomorrow." Morgana yawned, causing Haru to yawn in return. "Aren't you tired? You should get to sleep as soon as you get home."
Once they had gotten to the mansion, Hiromori opened the door for Haru as she got out. She thanked him for his trouble and headed inside, where she was greeted by a stern look from her father. "Where have you been? I hope you're not out soiling our family name."
"Father….I-"
"And what is that?" he pointed to Morgana who was nestled in her arms. "Some flea bitten animal, out to give me whatever disease it might be carrying?" He sighed, shaking his head. "I know it must be another one of your little projects, but I want it out of my sight at all times."
"Father, it's a stray cat! I'm trying to find his owner."
"One week. I will allow it one week in my home until it is out on the street where it belongs. Understood?"
"Yes, Fath-" Haru was interrupted by his phone going off. Her father put the phone to his ear. "Yes, what is it? ..Calm down, what do you mean 'broken into'? We have security for this, don't we?" he walked away, continuing the conversation out of sight. Morgana sighed. "That's the target...man, they're really scary up close. What are you gonna do when a week goes by and I'm still here?"
"I'll just have to...keep improvising." Haru was nervous. What exactly did she get herself into?
Haru walked her way to her bedroom, her footsteps echoing throughout the mansion. She made her way to the door and let Mona down on her bed. "Mona-chan?"
"Hm?"
"What are the other Phantom Thieves like? Were they all human once too?"
Morgana winced. The wounds created from whatever separated them were still fresh.
"T-they are…" Morgana curled up into a ball on Haru's sheets. "I just..we got this new person on our team. And she's really good. She did stuff I couldn't do. And I was feeling...inadequate. And that bone-headed monkey saw right through me. I was hurt. But I'm a Phantom Thief! And I'm gonna get stronger so the others will acknowledge me!" Haru had gotten changed into her nightgown while he was talking and got into her plush bed.
"I'm sorry, Mona-chan." she said, her arms outstretched. "Come here." Morgana nestled into her arms as she gave him a hug. "We'll go after father tomorrow. He needs to atone for his crimes!"
"Yes, it's getting late. We should get some rest."
The next day, Haru woke up and brushed her hair, getting ready for the day ahead. She had just gotten changed into her uniform when she heard Morgana yawn and stretch. He may not actually be a cat, but his cat self was so adorable.
"Good morning, Mona-chan!" Haru said, reaching out to rub his belly. She always had a way with animals.
"Meowrrrr…" Morgana purred. "Gah, what. What am I doing?" Morgana batted Haru's hand away and turned over. "You shouldn't be in your uniform! We don't have a lot of time, so you need to cut class today."
"Cut...I've never done something like that before!"
"Well, things are going to have to change if we're going to steal the treasure before the other Phantom Thieves do."
"I suppose you're right. I'll do my best!" Haru pumped her fist.
"Do you have any weapons you can use? Any replicas, fakes, something that people won't notice?"
"I can check Father's old weapons cabinet! He's a collector in his spare time."
Haru decided to keep her uniform on not to arouse suspicion. She left her room, only to be stopped by Kiko. "Off to school today, Hau-chan?"
"Y-yes! I just need to stop at the East Wing before leaving. And, if you could, please contact Hiromori-san, thank him for the emergency assistance last night and let him know he can take the day off."
"As you wish, milady. Have a great day!"
Haru waved to Kiko before retreating deeper into the mansion, making her way to Father's old study. He rarely went in this room anymore, he did most of his work wherever he went. She opened up the creaky door and saw all the expensive looking weapons in their cabinets. Pistols, shotguns, swords, lances! "Which one should I pick? They look so old and rusty, I'm not sure they could fire anymore…" Morgana smirked. Time to flex his intelligence.
"Since everything in a palace is a cognition, they don't actually have to fire. All you need is something that looks like it could. It'll be able to work in the metaverse, I assure you."
"Oh! Then how about this?" Haru picked up a dusty replica grenade launcher. She sharply exhaled on the weapon, blowing the dust off of it. "If we're going to fire weapons, we should go for some heavy firepower! Do I need any other weapons?"
Morgana looked nervous. Maybe the choice was a bit too much? "U-uh, you should use a melee weapon, in case you run out of bullets. How about this axe?" Haru smiled and clapped her hands together. "Wonderful idea, Mona-chan!"
Haru managed to scoop up Morgana while holding her heavier than normal bag under her arm, heading for the train. On the way, Morgana explained to her all about her newly acquired metaverse navigator app, and the entire concept of the Metaverse. Haru didn't fully understand how the Metaverse worked, but she was still excited to help nonetheless. The pink sweater-clad girl was getting stares on the train for holding an axe behind her back, but she was too focused on listening to her cat to notice.
Once she got to Okumura HQ, she started ducking behind poles and hiding in bushes. "What are you doing?" Morgana asked, watching her hop around. "People know who I am here! I don't want anyone to know I'm…" Haru looked around and whispered "Cutting class…" Morgana rolled his eyes and hissed at her. "Turn on the app! That's how we go to the metaverse!" Haru blinked and nodded. She took out her phone and opened the app, putting in her father's name. Once the match was found, she looked up and saw all of reality bend around her, shifting until all she could see was cold industrial steel. So this is how father sees his job.. "C'mon, let's move!" Morgana waited at the elevator as Haru stumbled ahead.
Once they came down from the elevator, they were greeted by a familiar face. "Father?!" Haru gasped, covering her mouth. But there was something different about him. His eyes were glowing a bright yellow, he was in some kind of space suit, and his skin was blue. And those robots were around him too! She walked ahead trepidatiously, Morgana by her side. "Restrain the cat." Okumura commanded. The robots did as they were told, collapsing onto Morgana. "N-not again…am I really this useless…?" Morgana grumbled.
"F-father…?"
"Why must you try my patience time and time and time again?" Okumura scowled at his daughter. "I have tried giving you independence, but all you've done is annoy me with your very existence."
"Y-you don't mean that!"
"But I do. I never wanted a daughter anyhow. At least, not as something to love and care for. You were always a tool to be given away when the time was right. And that time is near at hand! Restrain her as well." Okumura glanced over to the remaining robots, who used their nozzles to hold Haru's wrists. Her head slumped down, destroyed by her father's words. I'm a mistake...Haru thought. I was only meant to be used and given away… Then she heard a strained voice cry out. "Don't listen to him, Haru! You're your own person! You shape your own destiny!"
"M-mona-chan!"
"Do not let the threads of fate hold you back!"
Haru felt a twinge of pain course through her body.
It's time to sign the contract, princess. It's time for that freedom you yearn for.
Haru started to scream in pain.
"B-but…!"
I see. You aren't ready yet. You must betray someone to gain what you truly want. I will give you a fraction of my power as an incentive.
Haru's eyes turned yellow as she continued to scream.
I am thou, thou art I.
The figure appeared before her. It was of a woman in a large colonial dress, her head missing, but her eyes attached to a mask raised to where her head would be. Blue flames began to engulf Haru as she began to change.
When the flames had dissipated, she adjusted the brim of her newfound dark purple cavalier hat, dusting off her corset and bloomers. She made a sly grin. This was the look of a Phantom Thief. "Milady!" she tore off her mask, causing a psychic attack to push off the robots that were restraining Morgana. "Th-thank you, Haru.." Morgana said, getting up.
"Where did my father go?" Haru asked.
"He must've left in all the commotion. We've got to find him!"
"And what am I wearing?" Haru was glancing herself up and down. She loved the outfit.
"It's your Phantom Thief costume. It looks good on you!"
Haru adjusted the brim of her hat. "I feel like a heroine of justice!" she grinned. She always wanted to be a costumed hero ever since she watched those old action shows on TV.
"G-good, use that while you're fighting. It'll make you seem more poetic. Oh, and you're gonna need a code name. If you use your name in the metaverse too much, people are gonna find out what you're doing."
"Okay! You can call me...hm...Noir. Because I am the night! Just like a heroine of justice!" Haru giggled. Mona-chan never told her that being a Phantom Thief would be so much fun!
The robots that Noir knocked over managed to gain their footing back into an upright position.
"ELIMINATE INTRUDERS."
"Scatter!" Mona and Noir split up, drawing attention away from each other. Noir was getting the hang of her new persona, using Milady's power to push the robots away from her, following it up with a blast from her grenade launcher. This thing really does work!, Noir beamed as she saw the robots fall to pieces from her gunfire. She laughed as she evaded the wheeling robots, climbing her way into the rafters. She was definitely safe, and it was all because of her own actions! This is what freedom was like…
Noir climbed through the rafters, trying to look for Mona. Last time he was alone, he got into trouble. "INTRUDER DETECTED! AFTER THEM!" Noir saw from above the robots speed off in pursuit of Mona. She jumped down and all of a sudden heard "ANOTHER ONE HAS BEEN LOCATED. BE ON GUARD." She saw Mona across the hall, running towards her.
"This is where we hold the line!", he called out, breaking out a cutlass. "Are you ready?" Noir nodded.
Out of the corridor Mona appeared from, there were about a dozen robots, wheeling out one by one. "INTRUDERS DISCOVERED. COMMENCING PURSUIT PROTOCOL." The robots began to change at the two when Mona leaped up and called out.
"This is my resolve! Zorro!" A broad grey figure appeared from out of Mona, thrusting its rapier at the robots. One by one the robots were cut into pieces. Noir was awestruck at Mona-chan's footwork. "Finish the job, Noir!" Noir shook herself from her daze and aimed her grenade launcher at the robots, firing off a blast. The resulting explosion scattered the robots into pieces.
"Nice work!" Mona nodded, Zorro fading behind him. Noir put the grenade launcher away, dusting off her bloomers. "You think so?" she beamed. "It's a good start. Your persona is rather weak, though." Mona started pondering to himself, walking ahead. "W-wait!" Noir stumbled, running after him.
"It's weak?" Noir asked.
"All you did was push the shadows aside. Personas can do real damage."
Noir thought about this too. Maybe it's because she didn't sign the contract…she leaned on a railing to ponder her weakness when she looked down. She saw what looked like people, but they were robots. They were shaking and sparking. One managed to fall over and was quickly picked up by another robot with a dolly cart and wheeled off.
"What's going on down there?" Mona peeked over the railing with Noir.
"They're probably how your father views his employees."
"That's awful! Those poor workers… are they even given breaks, or lunches?"
"...Doesn't look like it, if they're collapsing."
"How horrible...then the rumors are true…" Noir let out a pained sigh, holding her chest.
Mona looked up at Noir. "C'mon, let's keep moving. We can't help them if we don't steal the treasure." "R-right.." nodded Noir, the two of them moving ahead.
For a palace, father's was very...cold, Noir thought. It was futuristic, sure. But there was no warmth to it, no heart. She shivered as she looked at the holograms flying across the steel grey walls. Moving ahead, there was one giant hologram. But she couldn't tell what it was. A plate, a bowl? It was big, blue, and rotating. "What does this mean, Mona-chan?" Mona just shrugged. He had no idea either. It didn't look like anything that would be used in Big Bang Burger, that's for sure. Mona glanced over at the other side of the room, at what looked like a steel reinforced door. He ran over and pawed at the door, looking for anything. A knob, a switch. But there was nothing there.
"Did you find something, Mona-chan?" Noir called out. She walked towards the door as she heard what sounded like a computer turning on. She froze in fear. What was happening…? "PERFORMING BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION" the computer announced. Noir didn't move an inch. "ACCESS GRANTED. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT OKUMURA." the door slid open with a whirring noise.
She jumped back in surprise. The door opened! "Goodness!" she covered her mouth. Mona leapt down from the rafters. "Good, now we can get further than anyone else can. We should head back for today, though. Take it slow, you're nowhere near full power yet. And last thing we need is for you to get hurt." Noir nodded, walking back with stride. She defended herself today, She was able to handle herself. And she had Morgana with her. Someone who cared about her for more than her money. She never had anyone like that. Someone she could even call...a friend? Maybe. But it was the closest thing she could call a friend in a really long time.
Once leaving the spaceport, Haru found herself outside her father's headquarters, back in her normal punk sweater and skirt, complete with white flower printed leggings. "...M-Mona-chan? What happened to my thief outfit? I really liked the hat…" Morgana, now back to resembling a house cat. "That's the will of your rebellion, taken form."
"My rebellion…" Haru was going back to the words of that figure...the faceless woman in the large dress. "I must betray someone to gain what I truly want...could that mean…" she mumbled to herself.
"Are you okay, Haru?"
Haru shook her head, her puffy hair swaying from side to side.
"It's nothing, I'm fine.."
"Good. You must be tired. You sho-."
"Yes, I should get some rest tonight. Thank you, Mona-chan."
She walked towards the subway station, Morgana nestled in her arms. Being in her father's palace must've taken a lot out of her. Then again, she did deal with a lot today. She ended up quietly napping on the train, waking up a step before she was supposed to get off. Without a word between her and Morgana, she left the train, taking the casual route back to the house.
When getting back to the house, there was no sign of her father. The lights were off, and the manor seemed quiet. She tiptoed into the house, making her way to her bedroom. Morgana looked up at her, noticing her nervous expression. "Har-" Haru put a finger to Morgana's lips. Last thing she needed to happen was another vicious tirade from her father.
As she makes it into her bedroom, Morgana hopped out of her arms and landed on her plush bed. "What's the next plan of attack, Mona-Chan?" Morgana stretched and yawned. "We should set up an attack after school where we can move further, thanks to the door that you opened." Haru changed into her nightgown, responding to Morgana's yawn with a yawn of her own.
"Do you think the door was DNA coded? It might be why the machine thought I was my father."
"That might be why, which means that we can get further than the other Phantom Thieves!"
"The other Phantom Thieves...they must miss you a lot." Haru sat down on her bed, scratching behind his ear. Morgana started purring, nuzzling into Haru's open palm. "Rrrrowr…ah...augh!" Morgana pushed himself away from the enticing scratching. "I, think they might...maybe...but it doesn't matter. They shouldn't have to worry about taking care of someone as useless as me..." Haru grabbed Morgana and hugged him tight. Morgana blushed, his whiskers tickling her skin. "You're not useless, Mona-Chan. You never have been! If it wasn't for you, I'd still be alone. I'd still be afraid. Thank you. Thank you for giving me hope." Haru sniffled, holding back tears.
"Don't ever call yourself useless."
Morgana blinked, stunned by what happened. He's supposed to be the stoic teacher, but a single hug made him stumble. "A-anytime." Morgana curled himself into a ball, facing away from Haru. "It's getting late. We really need to get to sleep."
Haru had the same dream as before. But instead of running, she was dressed as her Phantom Thief alter ego. She was firing round after round from her grenade launcher. Any shadowy figure she could see was destroyed within an eye shot. "I am not your subservient puppet! I control my own path!" she screamed, destroying everything in sight.
Haru woke up ahead of Morgana, no memory of the dream she had the precious night. She went into the bathroom, taking a hot shower, and getting changed into her school uniform. There was no cutting class this time! She rubbed Morgana's tummy, Morgana stirring from his sleep. "It's time to get going! Boy, you're one lazy kitty." Haru giggled. Morgana opened his eyes. "I'm not a cat!" Morgana hissed, pawing away Haru's hand. Haru giggled again, covering her mouth. "My mistake, Mona-Chan."
"Do you have a school bag? I could hide in there before class, and stay in the desk."
"That's a good idea!" Haru clapped her hands together. "I think I have a bag for my gym uniform...would that be okay?" Morgana nodded, hopping into the open bag. "J-just keep it partially unzipped! I need room to breathe!" Haru smiled and did as Morgana commanded. After saying goodbye to Kiko, Haru got into the town car and was driven to school.
During class, Morgana mostly kept to himself, except for when he rattled the desk. Something must've freaked him out. She decided to stay after class, making sure everyone else left. She saw the last girl leave, and then said "Okay, Mona-Chan, the coast is clear!" Morgana shuffled himself out of the desk, sitting on the seat.
"Are you okay? You freaked out earlier today."
"Y-yeah, I just thought I saw someone I knew.."
Haru gasped. Are the Phantom Thieves Shujin students? She had no idea!
"So are you ready to go back to the palace?" Haru nodded, holding the bag out for Morgana to hop in to. She quickly left the school, noticing a small group of kids grouping up together. A blonde boy and girl…? There's not too many blondes at Shujin, she thought.
After a train ride, which mostly consisted of Haru psyching herself up, she made her way to the HQ doors, taking out her phone. Morgana started shaking, his head popping out of the bag. "Wait! ...I hear something. Hide!" Haru leaped into a bush, her eyes peering through the branches.
"Holy crap, this place is huge!" a rough, male sounding voice yelled out.
Haru's eyes widened. That blonde boy from before, and a bunch of other people. She couldn't see all of them, but they were definitely students.
"It is the headquarters of a large corporation, after all.", a more elegant-sounding man responded.
"If anything, getting into the real building is impossible..." a squeaky female voice said with a sigh.
"Mona seriously went into a palace based on something like this…?" the rough voice asked.
"It's definitely on a different scale that the ones we've dealt with previously…" a commanding female voice chimed in.
Haru recognized her. She forgot her name, but they were in the same class. And she remembered seeing her at the beach. Was she a Phantom Thief..?
"I searched Okumura online. He's totally up to something. Don't you think he's guilty too?" the rough voice asked again.
"I dunno…" a confident sounding male voice said.
"Whaaaat? I'm totally sure of it!"
"We're here for Mona." the squeaky voice chastised the male voice.
Mona…? So these are definitely the Phantom Thieves!
"Quickly!" Morgana whispered, hitting his paw on her phone, shifting them into the metaverse.
When they had made it to the spaceport, Mona charged ahead, the doors opening for him. "M-Mona-chan!" Noir reached out, seeing her furry friend book it. She quickly chased after him. "Please, wait!" She used her power to push the motorized robots aside as she followed Mona..
She made it to the giant steel door, which swung open after scanning her DNA. Noir called out to the distance. "M-Mona-chan? Where did you go?"
"Up here!" Mona chimed, waving from the top of the shelves.
"Oh, uh…" Noir looked around. I wish I could jump as high as him, she thought. She climbed up the shelving, pulling herself up. She made it to the top of the shelving, panting softly. She really needed to work out more, she thought.
"So, are we moving ahead…?" Mona shook his head. "No. We're going to ambush the Phantom Thieves. I'm gonna need to use you to deter them from following us."
Noir tilted her head. "How would I do that?"
Mona got mad, his patience wearing thin. "J-just be the anime hero you said you felt like! Play a character! Be mysterious! They don't know who you are."
"O-okay…" Noir put her finger to her chin, thinking about the old cartoon heroes she saw. Paragons of justice. How would they stop the bad guys without hitting them? She can do it. She's got the power now! She's Noir, the Beauty Thief! Noir smiled to herself, climbing up to a beam out of sight.
Noir's heart was beating pretty hard. Thump, thump, thump. She had never confronted anyone before! Could she really handle it..? She had to, she couldn't let her friend down! It had to happen!
Mona poked Noir, getting her to look over at him. "If we start to lose them, give them some hard truths. Like that they need to take a hint...and that they're vulgar and stupid! And they need to go to sleep earlier! And stop hurting their friends!" Mona was still hurting, she could tell. Noir nodded confidently to him. "Absolutely, Mona-chan!" she whispered. Her thought was interrupted by a collection of voices.
"Hold on a sec, Joker!" Noir clutched to the beam, seizing up. Oh my goodness, the Phantom Thieves are here.
She peeked over the side of the beam to see the metal doors slam shut in front of their face. Their costumes were so stylish and colorful! That must be the will of their rebellion too, she thought.
"The door has closed. Is there any way by which we can open it?" She heard a voice say. She didn't wanna look, just in case they spotted her.
A tall figure with a black jacket stepped forward towards the door. "PERFORMING BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION." the robotic voice coming from the door stated.
"What does it mean by that?" The girl in the biker-looking outfit stated. Wow, they all look so cool. I wish I had such a tough looking outfit, Noir thought.
"AUTHORIZATION ERROR. ONLY REGISTERED PERSONNEL MAY PROCEED PAST THIS POINT."
"This security system might be a bit of a problem…" The Red head lamented. Looks like it's what Mona-chan said, Noir thought, peering over to Mona, who was watching the Phantom Thieves intently. The boy wearing a leather jacket started charging towards the door, slamming his shoulder into it. "The hell's up with this?!" he said. Noir did her best not to giggle at him.
"Look at it, there's no way to force that thing open…" the Cat Girl said. Noir was looking at her skintight bodysuit. A cat suit...is that what Mona-Chan used to look like?, she pondered.
The Dog boy turned away. "We've hit a blockade quite early." he stated. "Will we have to control the real Okumura's cognition to pass…?"
"Oh, that means Mona hasn't been able to proceed any further either." The biker girl pondered. "So if he's here in the Palace, he would have to be somewhere before this door…"
"Go, Noir!" Mona whispered, hitting her ankle with his paw. It's now or never, she thought, clearing her throat.
"Halt, Vigilante!"
Noir jumped down to the top of the shelf, shrouded in darkness. They all noticed her, their undivided attention drawn to her.
"Wh-Who's that?!" The boy in the leather jacket blurted out. Oh, he's got a Skull mask. He looks so thuggish, she thought. She stepped out of the shadows, making herself known to the rest of the group. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, her body frozen in intimidation. These were the students who changed the world. They're so amazing, but she has to antagonize them. Now's not the time to gush…! She thought.
The girl in the biker outfit gasped. "Those clothes...Could she be…?"
"A black mask!?" The cat girl started to panic. "Wait, is she the one that Madarame and Kaneshiro were talking about…?!"
The Skull boy got into a fighting stance. "So...she's the reason for all those people goin' brain dead…?! It was a girl this whole time?!"
Brain dead?! She was internally panicking. She wouldn't ever hurt anyone, much less make them go brain dead! She sighed, showing a pained expression. Now the dog boy got into a fighting stance. "Are you the one who has been following us?!"
"Say something, dammit!" the skull boy shook his fist. It's no use, she was way too nervous! All the words were lodged in her throat.
"Enough of your misunderstandings!" Mona called out, possibly tired of watching Noir be a nervous wreck. He hopped down off the beam, landing next to her.
"Mona!" The red head yelled.
"You're okay!" the cat girl sighed with relief.
"Long time no see, Panther." Mona scowled.
"Uh, it hasn't been that long." The Skull boy mumbled.
"If you've come for the treasure, you should just go home with your tail between your legs." Noir looked down at Mona. He's trying to be so tough...she thought.
"Actually, we were looking for you…" The Dog boy lamented.
Mona grimaced, scowling. "The Treasure will be taken by me and this…this Beauty Thief!"
The biker girl stood up, a look of confusion on her face. "Beauty Thief…?" Mona shook his paws at her. "And I'll have you know she's a Persona-user too!" He then tapped Noir's shoe.
"My name is Beauty Thief!" Noir blurted out. Pather nearly stumbled at the name. "She really called herself that…?" Even the dog boy got out of his fighting stance. "Any tension that was in the air has gone right out the window…"
Mona looked over at Noir, who did a flip off the top of the shelving, sticking the landing. She held onto her hat brim, pointing dramatically at the Phantom Thieves. Even she was impressed with that move. "We will take the Treasure!" she declared.
"Mona already said that…" The red head said, scratching her cheek.
"You are not qualified to be a Phantom Thief!" Noir responded defiantly, the point being more accusatory. "Do you even understand what it means to be a Phantom Thief? An admirable Phantom Thief is.."
"Yeah, tell 'em!" Mona folded his paws with a smug look on his face.
"You!" she motioned to the handsome boy in the black jacket. "What do you think it means?"
"One who helps the weak." the boy said, hands remaining in his pockets.
"Yes, that's right…?" she said, confidence wavering. I thought they all lost their way, she thought. She shook her head. She was losing them! "Enough with the idle chitchat!" she declared.
"You started it…" Panther mumbled. "Mona, who the hell is she?" Skull boy asked.
Mona's eyes widened. "Wait! I'll fix this…" he looked up at Noir. She nodded. Alright, time for the emergency maneuver… She pointed at the Dog Boy. "You!"
"Me?" he said, tilting his head.
"Learn to take a hint!"
"...Huh?"
She pointed to the skull faced boy next. "And you! You're very vulgar...and very stupid!"
"What…?"
Her eyes peered over to Panther. Wow, she's gorgeous. Is she a model…? "Um…" she mumbled. Noir looked down to Mona. "What was it again…?" she winced.
The biker girl shook her head. "You came all the way here just to say that?" The skull boy scratched the back of his head. "I dunno...it kinda feels like she ain't dangerous at all…" Noir grabbed her hat brim and dramatically pointed again. "We will take the Treasure!"
"You already said that…" the redhead sighed.
"We don't have time to chat!" Mona scowled, running towards the door. Noir followed after him, putting her hand on the door.
"No point, it won't open-" The boy was interrupted by the door whirring open. "ACCESS GRANTED." the robotic voice announced.
"Don't underestimate us." Mona declared, both him and Noir facing the group. The door swung open, a near army of Floating eyes and motorized robots waiting on the other side.
"Behind you!" Panther gasped.
Noir and Mona looked, completely caught off guard on the security they must have triggered.
"Here they come!" The dog boy called out.
Noir was frozen in fear. She wasn't fit for fighting on her own! This definitely isn't good..her thoughts were interrupted by a paw on her pants leg. "Snap out of it! We need to go!" Without thinking, Noir's legs started moving, scattering with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. The robots gave chase. Mona managed to get to the elevator first, waving Noir in. "C'mon, we don't have much time!" Haru quickened her pace, passing the other Phantom Thieves. She made eye contact with the handsome boy in the black jacket. He was so scary looking, but confident, strong. He must have been the leader. She made it to the elevator before the other thieves, Mona slamming down on the button, getting away before the other team could.
Once getting out of the elevator, they kept moving quickly. "We need to keep moving! They can't learn your identity!" she booked it out of the metaverse, heading for the train, Morgana holding on for dear life in her gym bag. Haru made it right at the last second, the train doors closing behind her. Panting and huffing, she took a seat, wiping the sweat from her brow, unzipping her sweater. "Ho...oh goodness...that was…" Morgana, now resembling a housecat popped his head out of the bag. "That wasn't as great as I thought it would be…" he lamented.
"At least *pant* they know you mean *puff* business! And we're gonna...take the treasure together!"
"Not for now. We've raised the alarms too much. We need a day or two for it to calm down. We can't get caught, we'll be in some serious trouble if we do!"
Haru shook her uniform shirt, trying to fan herself. "Okay, then we can have a break. I'm so glad! I was starting to worry about my babies!"
Morgana perked up. "Your babies…?"
Haru blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I do have a small garden on the roof of the school. I was a bit worried that they might be tired and need to be watered. I can take care of that tomorrow!"
Mona sighed. "..Oh. That's a relief."
Haru giggled. "Did you think I was just a neglectful mother?" The notion alone was enough to tickle her.
"No, I, uh-"
"It's fine, Mona-chan. It's way too early to think of motherhood for me."
Morgana hid in the bag.
"I'm sorry I froze up. Th-The Phantom Thieves were heroes of mine, so I became pretty nervous. They're always so noble, I don't know what I expected them to look like."
Morgana scoffed through the bag, popping his head back out. "Some noble thieves. You know they're only doing this because Okumura was voted as the most corrupt man in Japan? They've lost their direction!"
Haru tilted her head. "Was there a vote? I haven't looked at the site in months…"
Morgana hissed. "Look at the website! On your phone!"
Haru took out her phone and put in the Phan-Site on her browser. And all the comments were there.
we all agree on Okumura
This should be easy~
Too slow, hurry, do another
Take him out. It's an order.
Haru gasped, her eyes not leaving her phone. These people didn't want justice. They just wanted a show! While her father had become a demonic shell of his former self, stepping on the spines of others for his own personal gain, stealing his heart wasn't just some….some sideshow attraction! And the Phantom Thieves were more than eager to put that show on for them.
Haru let out a pained sigh. "Now you know why it's more than just hurt feelings." Morgana scowled. "The Phantom Thieves should be helping the weak. Not following a popularity contest."
"Not to worry, Mona-Chan!" a smile peering across Haru's face. "We'll just have to take the treasure ourselves!" She pumped her fist. "If the Phantom Thieves are insistent on becoming celebrities, well, then we'll have to do the stealing ourselves!"
Haru glanced over and noticed most of the train was staring at her. Oh...right, they must all think I'm nuts, talking to my cat like this.., she thought, picking up the gym bag and leaving at the next station.
Haru made her way back to her manor, her father likely still not home. All of this Phantom Thief talk may have him feeling tense, she thought. She entered the manor, heading her way to the meeting room. It was a nice place to relax and watch television. She went up the stairs and ran into Kiko, who was adjusting the pillows on the couch. She looked up and saw Haru, looking a bit disheveled with her gym bag under her arm.
"Hau-Chan! Goodness! Are you okay?"
"Oh...Kiko. I'm fine."
"What's in the bag?" she smiled.
"Oh, let me show you!" Haru unzipped the bag and pulled out Morgana, holding him by his back. "He's a very sweet kitty! I've been looking for his owner."
Kiko's eyes lit up! 'What an adorable kitty!" she started scratching under Morgana's chin. "Meowrrr.." Morgana mumbled, keeping up the act. "Does your father know about this?" Kiko asked.
Haru nodded. "I have a few days until he takes action and sends Morgana to an animal shelter."
"Oh my...I hope you can find Morgana's owner by then!"
"I hope so too...this little guy doesn't need to suffer any more.." Haru cradled Morgana in her arms, letting him on the chair. "He doesn't shed, so he should be okay on the sofa."
"You know best, Hau-chan. I should continue working."
Haru nodded and Kiko was off. Haru sat next to Morgana, laying back on the cushiony couch. She leaned up again to grab the remote, turning the television on. It was automatically switched to JNN.
"-Burger. The employee posted a selfie, nude, cooking in a Wild Duck Burger kitchen. This has called into question the sanitary methods of the famous food chain."
Haru sighed. Did she have to hear any more bad food stories? She quietly pet Morgana, who curled up into a ball on the sofa.
"In similar news, rumors have surfaced about poor treatment of employees for Okumura Foods. The conglomerate allegedly has poor safety practices, poor work conditions, and unforgiving hours. We have reached out to the Okumura Foods CEO, Kunikazu Okumura for comment."
The feed cut to a video outside of Okumura Foods HQ, a camera being pushed towards Haru's father, his hand pushing aside the lens. "I HAVE NO COMMENT A THIS T-" Haru shut off the television. She couldn't take it anymore. Things weren't going well, tensions were running right, and the dam might be about to burst.
"Murr...Lady Ann…" Morgana was sprawled out on his back, paws to his chest, fast asleep. Haru chuckled. Mona had the right idea. Maybe it might be better to just head to bed for the night, rather than worrying about things that's already going to change. She will change his heart. She's going to restore her family name!
The next day was rather quiet. Morgana said he had some business to take care of, so he wouldn't be joining her for the day. Something about a Memento? She decided it was best not to pry until it was necessary. Morgana would tell her when he was comfortable, after all.
Haru's thoughts during class were rather clouded, focusing on fantasties of blasting away robots and cutting them into pieces. No evil Shadow was gonna stand in the way of her goals! The bell ringing interrupted her daydreams. She quickly and quietly left, making her way to the girls locker room. She changed into her PE Uniform and made her way to the rooftop, bursting the doors open. "My babies, I'm back!"
She took her watering can and trimming clippers and went to work. She would talk out loud to them, making sure every square of soil was moist, and every plant wasn't too shaggy. "And Milady said I need to betray someone to untap my power. But who am I to betray? Morgana? ...Father? I suppose I'll know when the time comes."
Haru opened up the formerly locked shed to reveal bags of fertilizer. She needed to take care of the hedges in the front of the school. Plant some flowers, make Shujin look more beautiful! The incident earlier this year didn't help the school's image, but maybe some violets could help! She lifted the 5 kg bag of fertilizer over her shoulder, grunting from the exertion. She then traveled down from the roof to the front of the school, tossing the bag onto a dolly by the entrance. She made 3 more trips, carrying equally as heavy bags. She wiped the sweat from her brow. Now comes the hard part, she thought.
She thrust all of her weight into pushing the dolly. "Hnnnngh….! Uuuurrrrgh…!" Haru grunted. But the dolly would not budge. She wasn't ready to give up on it, though. She pushed even harder. "Mmmmmgh!" the dolly moved forward a few inches. She kept pushing harder, but the dolly wouldn't budge. People started to gather, watching the hopeful gardener struggle. "Come...on...move!" Haru was using the last of her strength to try and move it.
"Are you okay…?"
Haru turned around to see a student. He had fluffy black hair and large glasses, obscuring his eyes.
"Um. Would happen to be interested in gardening?" she asked.
"I've never done it." the boy responded.
"Want to give it a try? ...If you could help me unload this." she glanced over at her nearly 20 kg of fertilizer. The boy smiled and walked forward, pushing the dolly with ease. Haru tried not to look surprised, but just followed the boy pushing the dolly. He unloaded all the bags, laying them next to the dolly.
"Boys sure are strong. Thank you." Haru sighed, relieved she didn't have to push it herself. She looked the boy up and down. "You're a second-year, aren't you? That makes me just a tad older." She couldn't put her finger on it, but his fluffy hair looked familiar. Was it during the trip to Waikiki? Or maybe…
"Um...have we met somewhere before?" she asked. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm-"
"Haru Okumura, correct?" A beautiful young woman with short brunette hair walked up to both her and the boy. "The only daughter of Kunikazu Okumura, CEO of Okumura Foods. Care to explain why you were inside your father's Palace?"
Haru perked up. That's where she saw them from! They were Phantom Thieves! The leader, and the biker girl. "Ahh...so that's where we met. Wow, you figured it out in just a day. You looked really good in that biker gang outfit!"
The girl's face flushed. "Let's...not talk about that…" she then looked around, to see if anyone was watching her. "So why did you become a Phantom Thief?"
Haru let out a deep sigh. She'd never talked about this with anyone other than her flowers. "My father's highly regarded as a manager, but I had various...doubts about him. Things have grown quite serious lately. That's why I want to make amends, even though it may be for my own satisfaction. ...But I wonder if this is just running from the problem."
The girl didn't react to Haru's response. "Where did you meet Morgana?"
Haru held her right arm. "It was pure coincidence. I found a lonely-looking cat in front of our office building."
"And that was Morgana?"
Haru nodded. "And when I found him, I ended up in the Metaverse. There's no way for me to change my father's company, but if I became a Phantom Thief, I thought I'd at least be able to change him."
The girl put her hand on her chin. "Isn't there any way we can work together?"
Haru looked down at the ground, shaking her head. "I can't cooperate with people who don't know what they want to do. What you're doing is unnecessarily causing a stir among the public! Besides, the Phantom Thieves, who should be helping the weak, are not helping their teammate."
That struck a chord with the pair. The girl stammered, while the boy looked over to her for support.
"I just want my father to atone for his crimes. And help Mona-chan, who gave me a chance to do just that."
"But aren't our objectives the same? It'd be better if we work-"
"No thank you. I will do this with Mona-Chan, and him alone." Haru glared at the girl, her heart beginning to race.
And without another word, the pair left, making their way off the school grounds.
Haru sighed, cutting open a bag of fertilizer, and emptying the bag into the plot alloted for her. There's no way this can properly end well. She would butt heads with the Phantom Thieves again. She needed to stand up for herself, Especially when it came to this.
Not long after, Haru put her tools away, changed back into her normal outfit, and made her way home, Hiromori keeping quiet. He usually wasn't talkative when Haru had a lot on her mind. She made it back home, seeing her father's limo parked right at the head of the manor. Oh no, Haru thought. He was definitely home, and probably not in a great mood. She tentatively walked up the stairs, into the main area. "I'm home, father." Her father was on the phone, but motioned for her to stay.
"Drive them away." he commanded. "...That's right, make it a priority." he hung up the phone and put it in his breast pocket. "I finally get a foothold into politics and then this happens. Phantom Thieves…? Hmph!" he turned to his daughter. "Did the media ask you anything?"
Haru looked down, feeling herself shrink from his gaze. "...No, not at all. Um, what's this about Phantom Thieves?"
"It seems I'm ranked first on the forum of these so-called Phantom Thieves."
"Is it because of the news coverage?" Haru asked.
"It's jealousy of the successful. Nothing but barks from the masses who lack the resolve to sacrifice what's needed for their well-being." Okumura sat down. "Both the young and the old are overjoyed with some foolish idols. This country has no future."
"What if they do exist?" Okumura looked over at Haru. "What if the Phantom Thieves can really steal hearts?"
"Are you still having doubts about me?" Her father raised an eyebrow, crossing his legs.
"...No…"
"More importantly, I hope things are going well with that young man." She had almost completely forgotten. Between meeting Morgana and fighting the Phantom Thieves, her arranged marriage felt like a lifetime ago that never truly arrived. Haru put her hands behind her back, a pained expression on her face. "...Yes, Father." she complied.
"He may not seem like it, but he's still the son of an influential politician. Be cordial with him. He'll eventually become a necessary connection for this company-or rather, me."
Haru felt her heart stumble, the feeling she felt not short of a week ago. "...I understand. I will do the best I can."
Okumura's expression softened, his tone still remaining somewhat sinister. "Good. That's how the daughter of an Okumura should be." He ended the conversation by going back on his phone and walking out of sight.
Haru couldn't stand any further emotional turmoil. She couldn't stand to see her father spiral down any further. Something needed to be done. "Haru!" she was snapped out of her own thoughts by Morgana, who leapt onto the couch.
"Oh, Mona-Chan. How was your day?"
"Good. I've taken care of some Phan-Site requests and stolen some hearts of our own!"
Haru sighed happily. "I'm so glad! We should do the right thing and let them know we've taken care of their problems."
Morgana thought about it, clearly lost in his own mind. He then nodded. "Yes, we should. Tomorrow after school I'll show you a Phantom Thief secret. The heart of the collective unconscious. We can steal the hearts of thugs and the corrupt alike!"
Haru clapped her hands together with a warm smile. "I'll finally be making a difference!" she took out her phone, going to the Phan-Site. She looked over the requests. "Was this one? 'At my last rope, being blackmailed by boss?'" Morgana nodded. Thank you for using the Phan-Site!, she wrote. We were more than happy to take care of your request. Your boss' heart has been stolen! We hope your life improves from here on in!
"How about this one? 'Home life complete hell' ?" Mona nodded. Haru beamed, stars in her eyes. Thank you for using the Phan-Site! Your parents hearts have been stolen, and we hope your home life improves starting today!
Haru retreated to her bedroom, Morgana following in tow. She changed into her nightgown, not breaking eye contact with her phone, tapping away her thank yous and reassurances with her thumb. She fell onto her canopy bed, feeling the warm embrace of her soft sheets. She kept tapping more and more, full of warm sentiment.
She was finally doing it. A heat began to radiate over her entire body. She missed this feeling. Something she hadn't felt in a long time. It was hope. She had the power to change the world, to make a difference. She wasn't going to be like her father and profit off the expense of others. She was gonna use that power to make him atone for his crimes. She pet Morgana's head, who had already sunk into the plush mattress.
"Stupid Phantom Thieves!" Morgana chuckled, his eyes getting heavy. "I wonder...why they've.." he yawned. "...never shown gratitude before…." Morgana started to snore, already fast asleep. Haru smiled, he was such a cutie. Too bad he wasn't really a handsome prince. She put her phone away,
She got under the covers, staring at the roof of her canopy bed. She found it hard to believe she was the same woman she was a week ago. It certainly didn't feel it. While everything may not have been resolved, she was determined. No, she was confident she could handle whatever troubles would await her in the coming weeks. She slowly drifted off to sleep, the smile not leaving her face.
Little did Haru know how strongly her courage and resolve would be tested in the coming days….
*TO BE CONTINUED IN PERSONA 5**