15 April
Ryuji and Jessikah met at Shibuya Station.
"Yo, you ready, chica?"
"Yes. After class. Meet in the alleyway."
"Got it."
It was only through chance that Ann had caught the conversation. Were they talking about their plan against Kamoshida? If that was the case, she wanted to be part of it. She still remembered Shiho, the rape , the Suicide attempt, her parents telling Ann Shiho was transferring schools. Now he had done it to Jessikah, Ann couldnt let it go for any longer.
Just so they knew.
"Enough is enough. Next time I meet that bastard, it will be my hand in the face and my foot in the gonads."
She couldn't act as if nothing happened. Not anymore. Jessikah met her as they entered class.
"How are you ?"
"Fine. I havent really dealt with what happened."
" Wait until we're done with Kamoshida."
"We?"
Ann looked her dead in the eyes.
"I want in on your plan. You and Ryuji have something planned with Kamoshida and I want to help."
"You can't." Jessikah said sharply.
"Why?"
"Too risky. The less people know about it, the better, and what we're going to do is dangerous. You can kick Kamoshida once we're done with him, you deserve that much. But you can't go with us."
Ann didn't argue, but her glare spoke for itself.
'Try me.'
School happened as usual. During midday break, however, Kawakami caught up with Ann.
"Takamaki-chan, may I have a word?"
"What do you need, Sensei?"
"I noticed Shiomi-chan is herself today. Is she sick?"
"Kamoshida's the sick one." Ann muttered under her breath.
"Sorry?"
"Nothing., Sensei. Shiomi-chan isnt sick. Kamoshida tried to rape Jessikah yesterday. Given what I saw on the video, he screamed pretty loudly when the cat clawed his ass. If you want to know more, ask Ryuji. He was trying to get footage of Kamoshida's abuse and got this instead. I'm sure he still has the video."
Kawakami froze.
"…Rape? Are you sure? This is serious accusation."
"As I said, go ask Ryuji. He must still have the video. And don't be surprised if I attack Kamoshida on sight the next time I see him."
Kawakami watched her leave. Rape attempt? Seriously? She knew about the rough training, everyone did. But rape? This was different.
Kawakami prided herself in having standards, even if they were low. She didn't like the thought of working with an abuser, but working with a criminal – a rapist, which was already bad, but Kamoshida had targeted a teenager of all things! – was an absolute no. She went looking for Ryuji.
She found him quietly eating his lunch in the courtyard. The teen raised his head when he heard her.
"Sensei? What do I owe?"
"Takamaki-chan said you may have a video… of what happened to Shiomi-chan. I was hoping to see it."
Ryuji gave her a blank look.
"Even if I did, how would this matter to you? You're the one who said it couldn't be helped." The teen shrugged. "Even if you knew, what would you do? What could you do?"
Kawakami was taken aback. The teen had a point. Even if she knew, what could she do? Kamoshida had the favor of Principal Kobayakawa. He was untouchable. Except…
Except she was a teacher. She had her duties, and one of them was to ensure the well-being of her students. The weight of guilt hit her all at once. She had failed her duties. She was meant to watch over her students and she had let her coworker hurt them. Then he had tried to go beyond that. He had tried to commit one of the most horrible crimes in the world. And it had been another student that had stopped him, albeit indirectly.
It wasn't the children's duties to ensure their safety. It was the adults. But the adults had failed them, so they had gone and taken their safety in their own hands. To a teacher, there was no greater failure, no greater shame, especially when said children did a better job than them.
Ryuji seemed to notice how she felt because he gave her his phone. She watched the video.
Shame, disgust and guilt mixed in her mouth. They left a bitter taste. She was unable to focus for the rest of the day.
Class ended, and Ryuji and Jessikah gathered in the alleyway facing Shujin. Morgana emerged from Jessikah's bag.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah." Ryuji solemnly nodded. "Let's get serious."
Jessikah took her phone, opened the Meta-Nav and activated it. The air shifted around them as reality and the Metaverse superimposed and the trio shifted from one world to the other. The air became lighter. The sky took a purple shade. Shujin became a castle. Morgana became bipedal.
"Alright." Ryuji looked at the feline. "Igor said you were meant to be our guide. Ready to do your job?"
Morgana chuckled in his youthful, boyish voice.
"Listen to what I say, do as I do and, in no time, I will make real phantom thieves out of you."
Jessikah smiled.
"Right behind you. Come on, we have twisted desires to steal."
They headed to the airshaft.
In the meantime, Ann looked around in utter bewilderment. She new Ryuji and Jessikah were up to something, and it didn't involve the videos. Jessikah had been clear the plan was dangerous, but the girl was stubborn. More than that, she was vengeful. Kamoshida had hurt her friends and she wanted to make him pay. Simply kicking him wasn't enough. It was personal to her.
So, she had followed them after class to see what they were up to. Finding herself in another world was the least she'd expected.
"What is this place?"
Jessikah was about to enter the airshaft when she heard her. She turned, unsure if her ears were playing tricks on her…
They weren't. She held Ryuji and called Morgana.
"Guys, we got company."
Ryuji turned and saw Ann.
"Takamaki? Ann? What's she doing there?"
"I could ask you the same, Sakamoto." Ann retorted. "I knew you and Jessikah were up to something with Kamoshida. I know Jessikah already refused to take me in, but that bastard hurt my friends. I want to make him pay. And I would like to see you two stop me."
"I already said no." Jessikah shook her head. "Ann, when I said it was dangerous, I wasn't joking. This place is filled with monsters, and the structure itself can twist you by simply spending too long without protection. This is why Ryuji and I have these clothes. They aren't just fancy outfits. They are armors. You have neither the protection nor the skills to come along. So, my apologies but you cannot come with us."
Ann looked at the pair. Indeed, they were dressed in weird clothes. Jessikah looked like Mad Moxxi from boarderlands with red gloves while Ryuji looked like a biker. Then there was the cartoonish cat. Wait, black and white with a yellow collar and blue eyes…
"Jessikah… That thing is Morgana?"
Morgana winced.
"I am not a thing! What I am is… complicated. You can say I'm Jessikah's magical companion."
Ann raised a brow. A magical cat companion? Seriously? She yelped when the two held her arms.
"It's for your own safety." Jessikah apologized.
" Careful where your touching me !"
They took her to the other end of the alleyway, left the Metaverse with her, then ran back to Shujin and entered the Metaverse once more.
"That was not planned." Ryuji breathed.
Jessikah nodded.
"I can understand she may want revenge, but the Shadows are genuinely dangerous, especially without a Persona."
"And don't forget there is a cognitive version of Ann in Kamoshida's Palace." Morgana added. "She is a key part of his heart, and thus more vulnerable than anyone else to being corrupted."
"True enough."
Before they entered the castle, however, Morgana held them.
"Wait, there's a precaution we need to take before getting started since we're in for real, this time."
"What is it?"
The feline grinned.
"Code names. This place is Kamoshida's subconscious. I know it's a bit late, but we have no idea what would happen if we kept using our names in the Palace. And besides, it's a cliché of phantom thieves, so why pass?"
"…Uh, right."
Morgana looked at Jessikah.
"So, as our dear leader, from now on, you will be Joker."
"Alright. May I ask why, though?"
"Well, the Joker is considered the strongest card in a deck, the ace-in-the hole, if you want. And jokers and tricksters are both known for their mischievous nature."
"Hmm, well thought." Ryuji admitted. "As for me… I really like my mask. And there's the whole skeleton motif Captain and I share. So, how about Skull? Since I'm going for the hellish biker look, might as well go the whole length."
Jessikah smiled earnestly.
"It fits you. Just like your outfit."
Ryuji grinned awkwardly.
"Chica, keep going and you'll make me blush! Now, we need Morgana… Mona? It's simple, short and easy to remember, and it makes for a good nickname. Also… I read a bit about Captain Kidd, and they say Mona's the name of the island where he buried his treasure. So, in a way, it kinda fits the theme?"
Morgana gave him a weird look.
"You actually read, Blondie?"
"I got curious about the Captain. Didn't expect him to be based on a real character."
Jessikah smiled in amusement. Morgana shrugged.
"Alright. From now on, we're Joker, Skull and Mona. Now, let's get started, and don't forget to use your code names."
They climbed the airshaft. Once they were in the castle, they snuck a peek in the entrance hall. The place was crowded with shadows. Ryuji winced.
"O-kay, not that way. Mona, any idea where Kamoshida's desires may be?"
"No, and that's why we're here. First, we need to find the twisted desires. Then, we need to secure our escape route to get away quickly once we got them. After we've done that, we can go to the stealing."
"Go it." Jessikah nodded. "So, for now, we explore.
"Yes. And let's call his desires the Treasure to make it simpler. After all, we are thieves."
The entrance hall couldn't be crossed, but a nearby door that had previously been locked was open. There was a Shadow in the room, but between the three of them, it wasn't really a problem.
"Actually, I am going to show you something. Remember how I showed you Hold Up last time?"
"Yes, we gave that Shadow a vicious beat-down."
"Well, Shadows are as sentient as you and I, if only mentally twisted by the Palace. They can be bargained with, but you'd want to be in a position of power to do that. So beat it up, hold it up and let the negotiations begin."
Jessikah put a hand on her dagger.
"Can do."
The Shadow had its back turned. The teen snuck behind it while Ryuji and Morgana watched. The Shadow only noticed it was attacked when Jessikah jumped on its back and ripped its mask off its face. The armor dissolved, revealing a red-haired fairy. Morgana immediately shot her down. The blow stunned her, allowing the trio to surround her. The fairy gulped.
"Oh, not good…"
"You tell me." Jessikah held her at gun point. "But we are thieves, not murderers. We might be open to … suggestions. Preferably valuable ones."
"Valuable… But I have nothing on me! I'm just a low-ranking servant of king Kamoshida! I don't have a single yen in my purse!"
Ryuji glared at the creature.
"Dude, she's lying through her teeth."
"You know it isn't a good idea to try and fool someone who has you at their mercy, right?" Jessikah cocked her gun. "Tell us again, how much do you value your life?"
"But I am a victim too! King Kamoshida treats me so poorly…"
"He treats his slaves even worse." Ryuji retorted. "Don't play the misery poker with us. It's not gonna work. Cough up something or go to hell! We're on a mission here."
The fairy froze. Then her eyes widened.
"His slaves… Yes, I am a slave too. I remember. I was drifting in the sea of mankind's souls when I was enticed by this place… and the corruption twisted my mind. I am not a servant of King Kamoshida. My name is Pixie. This is who I am. I am not a Shadow anymore."
They could feel the moment the entity freed herself from the Palace's influence. The air around her felt different, fresher, as if the corruption affecting the place had lost its hold. The safe rooms felt the same. Pixie came to Jessikah.
"You helped me remember who I am. I owe you for that. I can sense you have the ability to wield the power of beings like me, spirits of the Sea of Souls… A Wild Card. I heard about them. Let me lend you my power. This is the least I can do to repay the favor."
Jessikah hesitated.
"…Alright. I accept your help."
Pixie smiled. In a flash of blue light, she turned into a mask that merged with hers. Morgana couldn't believe it.
"Igor mentioned you had a special talent as a Wild Card… Is it what he meant? The ability to command the spirits of the Sea of Souls along your Persona? That's a powerful gift."
Pixie's voice echoed from within Jessikah.
We spirits have tales about the Wild Cards. They are akin to legends to us, bearers of mystical powers chosen by the gods themselves in time of strife to protect the souls of Humanity as a whole. They are called Wild Cards in part because of their unpredictable nature, and in other because of the ability to harness our power despite having a Persona.
"We'll still have to ask Igor and Lavenza about it." Jessikah decided. "But it's good to know I have that ability. It seems useful."
"Of course it is!" Morgana glared at her. "You've seen the Shadows we met before. If you manage to free just half of them, you're going to be a real powerhouse through versatility alone!"
"Good. This will make our exploration safer."
They turned to the exit… and found themselves face to face with a pair of two-horned horses. The Shadows glared at the trio.
"Kill the intruders!"
Bicorns, Pixie's voice echoed. They are weak to lightning. I can use Zio and Dia. Let me take care of them.
Jessikah turned to Ryuji.
"They are weak to lightning. You take the left one, I take the right one. Pixie wants to show off."
Ryuji nodded.
"Blast off, Captain!"
"Pixie, take flight!"
The pirate and the fairy appeared. The two Shadows lunged, but were stopped dead in their tracks by lightning bolts to the face. Jessikah walked to the pair.
"Alright, what should we do with them? They started the hostilities… Beat up or shake down? For information, I am a Wild Card, if the name means anything to you."
One of the Bicorns gulped.
"A Wild Card? I… vaguely remember something. A ghost of a legend. But my memory's so cloudy!"
"I'll help you remember, then. How did you end up serving Kamoshida?"
The Bicorn frowned.
"I remember… a light. It was bright, just like the sun. So beautiful! So powerful! I was drawn to it."
"We are the servants of King Kamoshida!" The other Bicorn frowned. "Our allegiance to him is absolute!"
"Servant… or slave?" Jessikah asked. "Did you enter his service on your own free will?"
"Free will… I remember the king. He was so beautiful! So vibrant with desire and emotion! But… the emotions tasted strange. There was something off. The more I tasted them, the less I wanted to leave, until I was twisted by his power! I remember now!"
The Bicorn rose. The air around him lost its corruption as the spirit shook it off.
"This place is a trap! It radiates with desire and emotions, but the entity that rules it twists those who wander within and enslaves them! I am not a slave. I am Bicorn, and my power is yours if you so wish, Wild Card. I shall serve you if you would have my allegiance, but it is because I offered it!"
Jessikah smiled. Bicorn turned into light and merged with her mask. The other Bicorn raged.
"Traitor!"
Ryuji shook his head.
"I guess this one's too far gone."
"Then we don't have a choice. Pixie?"
The fairy appeared. One burst of lightning later, the Shadow was dissolving in black and red goop on the floor. The trio kept walking until they passed a barred passage. Jessikah and Morgana turned to it at the same time.
"This area feels particularly corrupt." The feline shuddered. "This is an important place of Kamoshida's psyche."
"It feels… wicked." Jessikah frowned. "Whatever's at the end, it gives off a feeling of perversion. Almost… lust? I'm not sure I want to know what's over there."
"Then we don't go." Ryuji shrugged. "Simple enough. The Treasure isn't this way, anyway, right?"
"Right."
The next area was an armory. Here armors were patrolling inside. Jessikah took a moment to observe their path.
"Let's remain stealthy. Come on."
They hid behind pillars and walked in the Shadows' back, furtive as ghosts. For Jessikah it was easy since she grew up in Inaba. Ryuji had more trouble. If he listened to himself, he would have jumped on each Shadow and beat them to a pulp, but they were thieves. Thieves only fought when they had no choice. So he followed his friend, his club close at hand. They managed to make it through the other side without being noticed and hid in a safe room.
"That was close." The blonde breathed.
"Yeah, sneaking around isn't easy. But if we barge in, we'll get caught and goodbye the Treasure." Morgana argued.
Jessikaj was sitting by the door, listening to them. This is how she overheard two guards.
"But what was the princess doing outside the castle? I could have sworn these were the readings of an intruder."
"It doesn't matter. Let's take her to King Kamoshida."
Jessikah paled. She was positive they had taken Ann out of the Metaverse. How had she ended back in? She couldn't have returned, not without the Meta-Nav.
Except they had no idea how people obtained the Meta-Nav in the first place. But, right now, it didn't matter. The guards had gotten their hands on Ann and she was in trouble. She looked at Ryuji and Morgana.
"Skull, Mona… Ann found her way back in. The guards caught her."
The two turned to her together.
"You sure? I'm certain we took her out."
"If she has the Nav and used it, it would have been a non-issue."
Ryuji winced.
"Okay, that sucks. We gotta save her, and fast. Between the Shadows and the distortions, she won't last long without us."
Morgana was able to sense the girl. He guided Ryuji and Jessikah past the armory and to the passage that had been previously barred. From what Ann was saying, it was obvious she had no idea what was going on. Jessikah looked at the passage and scrunched her nose.
"I can sense it better, now. Whatever's ahead reeks of lust."
"Dude, we know Kamoshida's lusting for Ann something fierce. I mean, you've seen his heart-Ann."
"Heart-Ann?" Morgana asked.
"The cogni-stuff. How he sees her."
"Oh. Right. I admit, your friend is quite gorgeous. I can understand why Kamoshida would have his eyes on her. But still, lust and love aren't the same. What he feels toward her is wrong."
"And you aren't even human."
"So? I can appreciate a meow-velous girl when I see one."
"Guys." Jessikah called "Less bickering, more rescuing. Ann needs us."
They didn't barge into the room. They were thieves, and thieves acted from the shadows. Instead, they peeked inside. Ryuji held back a curse.
"The f –! That's what he thinks of the girls on the volleyball team?"
There were several scantily-clad girls, bare-chested and moaning on the floor in provocative positions. Jessikah shook her head, growing more and more disgusted.
"It's official." Morgana cringed. "That guy's a pervert."
Ann was tied to an X-shaped post. Kamoshida and his princess were watching her struggle, wondering how they should kill her as the girl wondered how to escape.
'I should've listened.' Ann thought bitterly. 'Jessikah warned me the place was dangerous. She told me there were monsters, but I didn't listen. And now, here I am. Stupid me.'
Jessikah counted three armors, two silvers and one gold. She looked at her friends.
"Skull, you take the left. Mona, you take the right. I'll take the middle one. Penthesilea, give Kamoshida a good hit to distract him while we deal with the Shadows."
Gladly.
The teen counted to three. At three, they jumped. Each got on an armor's back, tore the mask and attacked the Shadows that emerged from it. Penthesilea emerged from Jessikah and sent red light to Kamoshida, forcing the Shadow king back. Ann watched as the melee began.
They were fighting. They were doing something. They had been from the very start. May it be taunting Kamoshida, questioning his authority and his methods or gathering evidence of his misdoings, it had been Ryuji and Jessikah who had acted, the only ones who believed something could be done against the man. They hadn't given in, hadn't surrendered to fatality. They had struggled – they still were. And not just for their own sake, but for the sake of all those the man was tormenting.
Ann had fought, too, however weakly. She had resisted Kamoshida's advances, refusing to surrender to the teacher's desires. It had cost her best friend. And why so? Because she thought nothing could be done and he would get her in the end, something she didn't even believe. In a way, she had been weak.
Weak to believe she was weak.
Not anymore.
My… It's taken far too long.
A feminine voice echoed in her head as pain coursed her body. Kamoshida's Shadow turned to her and paled.
"Oh, not again…"
Ann thrashed against her restrains as the voice echoed, her eyes a vibrant gold as blue flames danced around her.
A last, you realize: passivity will achieve nothing. Words become useless once they lose their meaning. Only actions matter. Tell me, have you finally gained the will to act on your own?
"Why ask when you already know the answer… Carmen?" Ann asked between her teeth.
The pain was nigh-unbearable. Carmen laughed.
Indeed I do! You were never going to give in. It was never an option. You merely lacked the means to strike back. Well, now you have them. I am thou, thou art I. Let this disgusting man experience your new strength firsthand!
A crimson cat mask appeared on her face. Ann balled her fists and shattered her restrains. The mask came off in a crimson shower as blue fire engulfed her. When it faded, she was wearing a bright red cat suit with pink gloves and a large cleavage window. Behind her stood a woman in a red and black flamenco dress, a black feline mask akin to Ann's and a cigar in her mouth. Her black ponytails reminded of her user, and so did the large cleavage of her dress. Finally, she was holding a heart-headed slave by a leash while another was being stepped on.
The fight had stopped dead, Shadows and thieves observing the girl as she awakened to her Persona. Ryuji whistled.
"Dang… She's hot."
Ann would have quipped something back if she wasn't completely focused on Kamoshida. She made a gesture. The next second, Carmen's flames had utterly consumed the cognitive version of the girl.
"So this is what you think I am? Some brainless toy you flaunt around like a trophy?"
"No." Shadow Kamoshida breathed. "You are my princess. My one and only. Your beauty, your grace, I want them for myself. The other girls are just outlets compared to you."
"This doesn't give you the right to treat them like this. Like you did with Shiho! And Jessikah Who you tried to rape...when I am the one you truly wanted! You scumbag! You are truly a monster! Carmen, end this now!"
The Persona laughed threateningly.
With pleasure.
There was fire. Fire and screaming. Carmen made no prisoner. Kamoshida's Shadow narrowly escaped the onslaught with his coat ablaze. Ryuji gulped.
"Hot in every sense of the word. Wow."
Jessikah had to agree the display of power was impressive. She also released the sinking feeling in her chest. She should have guessed… But what did she expect, anyway? Ann eventually collapsed. Awakening one's Persona was always exhausting. Jessikah knelt to her side.
"How are you feeling?"
"Drained."
"Small wonder. Come on, let's get out."
Ann painfully rose. She accepted Ryuji's support and, together with Morgana and Jessikah walked out of the castle and the Metaverse. Jessikah shook her head.
"I told you it was dangerous. Why didn't you listen?"
"I thought you were telling that stuff to deter me."
"Well, I didn't."
"I noticed. What is this place?"
Ryuji came with three bottles of soda. Morgana shot him a look.
"You didn't get me anything?"
"Dude, you're a cat. You can't taste sweetness and sugar's dangerous for you."
"I only look like a cat."
"Still not taking the risk. I'll get you a water bottle, though."
Ann looked at Morgana as he left.
"Your pet… talks?"
"Morgana is more than a pet. He was literally created to help me."
Ann shook her head.
"I don't understand any of this."
"We didn't at first. Ryuji actually doesn't get most of it either. But I'll explain since you're one of us, now."
Ann was about to ask, but decided against it. Instead, she let Jessikah explain.
It took time.
