A/N:
Well guys, here it is as promised, Chapter 36. I do hope you like this chapter, it's a bit more light hearted at the end than the previous ones have been. Let me know what you think in the reviews.
Persona 5
Codename: Songbird
Chapter 36
Infiltrate the Palace Finale: Ryoutaro Shimizu
Date: Monday August 1st 20XX
Time: Afternoon
Location: Ryoutaro Shimizu's Palace
Weather: Torrential Rain
Objective: Infiltrate Futaba's Palace
Infiltrate Shimizu's Palace
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
After the grueling battle with Shouji, the Phantom Thieves returned to the safe room to rethink their strategy. Since Shouji had shown quite a lot of resistance, it told them that what lied ahead was most likely going to be the most grueling battle yet. Without a rifle, Songbird couldn't uphold his task as a scout. He was utterly pissed that Shouji snapped his rifle in half. He felt useless, being unable to fulfill his role as the scout of the group was disheartening. Yes, Rise was an excellent scout but she wasn't an official part of the time, so he felt more like a crutch than anything. Without his rifle, he wouldn't be able to take out shadows from a far, meaning they would waste more energy battling their true forms instead of just moving on. He frowned as he sat back in his chair, his legs being propped up onto the table, his hat covering his face. He still felt oddly out of place with his outfit, he looked more like he belonged in a theater...then again, this was what his heart reflected, so in the end he felt like he was just an actor on stage, with various masks to wear. It made him laugh at the sheer absurdity of it all. Even now, while they were planning to tackle the rest of Shimizu's palace, here he was thinking about insignificant things. He briefly wondered if Queen and the others had managed to find a way to Futaba's treasure and if they did, were they already at home? Or were they waiting somewhere they could all meet up?
His frowned deepened a bit, he had trusted Joker's judgment and he still did...but splitting up was most likely an error on his part. He had unknowingly made the team weak by pulling off something like that. In hindsight, it was a good idea, but in practice it wasn't. They had time before August 21st, so they could have focused on Shimizu's Palace first and then Futaba's, instead of the opposite. Alibaba would understand if he explained it, she was just a damaged girl after all. Someone who was blamed for something she had no hand in. Who just blames a little girl for the death of a person? Especially a suicide? It just made his insides burn, and he was surprised the Phantom didn't burst out in that very instance. He felt someone poking his cheek, causing him to tip his hat back, a single eye glaring at the one who had disturbed him.
"Are you alright Taku-kun?"
"Beauty Thief, remember the code names." he said, causing her eyes to widen. She cleared her throat, a small smile on her face.
"Sorry, I'm still getting used to all of this. I couldn't help but notice you're looking a little down. Is something the matter?" she asked curiously. He glanced over at the table, where Rise was sketching out a map of the eighth floor since they currently lacked one. He already knew what the tenth floor looked like, so he didn't have to worry about it.
"I feel useless...my role doesn't serve a purpose without a rifle. It carried me through Kaneshiro's palace, as well as parts of Futaba's and Shimizu's. But now that it's broken...I just don't know where I fit in."
"You don't have to worry about it too much you know, you are still an avid fighter. That spell you used was super cool! You were zooming back and forth." Beauty Thief said, an excited look on her face.
"What good is zooming around when you have no direction? I thought as the scout I didn't need to fight as much. I was wrong, that last battle proved to me just how weak I am physically. I have to get stronger, so I can use that strength in conjunction with my persona. I would just be a burden to the team at that point."
"You aren't a burden to the team you know. What happened to you could have happened to anyone, you got up close. Shouji had increased his physical capabilities so it was bound to happen. But there is one thing you have to control, your emotions." Joker said firmly, causing the boy to sit up in his chair.
"My emotions?" he asked, brow quirked.
"I hate to agree with Joker, you let your emotions get the better of you. You had a justified reason however, in the future, try to keep a handle on them, lest we have a tragedy on our hands." Duchess added, earning a frown from the boy.
"I'll keep it in mind."
"Songbird, I have a question for you, I never really bothered asking...well mostly because I forgot. Where's Kanami, right now?" Rise asked, causing the boy to glance at her.
"Kanami is...she's in a safe place." the boy said, glancing at Joker, who had a frown on his face.
"Yeah...she's at my place, eating my guardian out of house and home...sleeping on my bed and going through my stuff. Shimizu doesn't know where I live, so I figured we could hide her there." the boy said, causing Yukiko to laugh.
"You have no idea what you just brought into your house...once she finds a place she likes, it's really hard to get her to leave. She's really sweet though, only if you speak with her as Kanamin. If she's herself, then she's shy and barely talks to people."
"She was most definitely Kanamin, she was making cow jokes and eating all of Boss's curry." Panther added, finally finished loading the magazines for her MP5.
"Then yeah, that man is screwed...don't worry, I'll make sure she pays back every yen. Still...even after all of the crap she's been through, she was able to pull through. It shows just how strong she is."
"You and I both know Kanami is a very patient person. Despite everything that's happened, she's turned down all of the company's offers to replace Ayane while she recovers. She said she wants her friend back in her idol group, not just some random stand in idol. She cares quite a lot about them." Yukiko added, a fond smile on her face.
"Kanami has always been like that...when she was younger, she would always wait patiently for agencies to contact her. She would call here and there but she said patience is a virtue. If the job isn't meant for her, she isn't gonna stress about it. I guess that applies to this, despite the pain she faced, she was patient and calm about it. She had faith that someone would put an end to her and the others suffering...which is why we can't fail her...she's been waiting far too long." Songbird said.
"Yes she has, not just that...we have to get back at Shimizu, for what he did to those people, especially for what he did to Yukari Masuda. I still can't believe he beat a pregnant woman so hard she lost her child. A man like that shouldn't be allowed to live, but it goes against my beliefs, so making him confess is the only punishment I can bestow upon him." Joker said, the audible click of his gun being heard before he placed it back in his holster.
"We were able to scan the eighth floor, it is as Shouji's shadow said. The final place in our journey to the treasure...that means that floor is most likely Shimizu's personal room, or the one that belongs to the Shrine Maiden." Rise said.
"You think she has a room here?" Panther asked, earning a nod from the idol, who finished sketching the map, handing it to Joker.
"I believe so...she seems to be an important part of Shimizu's cognition. She may even be his treasure, I would certainly think so...seeing as he views her as his star. There's also that video Songbird was able to recover, didn't he call it his holy grail?" the auburn haired idol asked.
"He did...he said if anything were to happen to it, his life would be over. He also said that we would have to replace every single scene in that video until it was finished. I believe he is close too, Kanami is the one he wanted to use in the final act, which is why she's the Shrine Maiden. It could be that there were others before her, all of them being disposed of after the job was done." Duchess said, placing a finger on her chin as she thought.
"You've given a lot of thought to this haven't you?" Beauty Thief asked, causing the young ravenette to look up at her.
"Indeed, if I wish to be a psychologist in the future, I must study all aspects of the mind. Cognition is but one view point, for as hard as I try, I can never view the world through the eyes of another. No matter how it is explained, I shall never have the same views as them. Similar ones yes, but our cognition will never be the same...it is a fundamental part that I do as much research into the target as I can, it makes an interesting subject for my thesis."
"Ah...such a complex statement coming from a little girl...it melts my brain!" Panther cried, rubbing her temples. Duchess sighed, turning to face her brother.
"Why did you pick someone that wasn't on your level of intelligence? Are you attracted to her looks?"
"Huh? Why are you asking me that right now?" the boy asked, a flush on his face.
"Emotions are the basis for our many actions. Through love we become better people, through hatred we commit acts of vengeance, through rage, we commit acts of violence. It is all very fascinating things...makes me wonder what would happen if an individual didn't inhibit any of these emotions, could we still err? Or would we just be a catatonic doll?"
"Okay, enough of that...we didn't come here for some science project. We came here to defeat Shimizu...I believe we should take care of him while we can. Joker...if you'd please?" Rise said, earning a nod from the boy. He reached behind his back, handing the girl a black gun, a Black Star Type 54, which Songbird wasn't even aware he had.
"You are defenseless in this world, so please take this for your own safety. I only have a spare magazine for it, so use it only if you have no other choice." he said. She nodded, swallowing hard as she grabbed a hold of it.
"It feels odd holding a fake gun, knowing it works like a real one. I gave mine to Yukiko because I knew she would be fighting more than me." she replied, glancing at her friend who was loading bullets into her .38 Special. She spun the cylinder before flicking it closed, placing it in the waistband of her skirt.
"Let's go...it's time for us to end this." Songbird replied, racking the slide of his 1911. He sighed, as he followed Joker out of the room.
They started moving in the direction of the elevator, scanning the entire area. Thankfully, the shadows hadn't returned making the trip that much easier. Once inside the elevator, Joker swiped the card in the slot that had been installed inside it. The button for the eighth floor lit up, and he wasted no time in pressing it. The elevator started moving up, slowly moving past the seventh floor. As it was rising, the elevator started to slow down, the lights flickering on and off only for the entire thing to stop moving. The lights shut off, throwing the room into darkness, which made both Rise and Beauty Thief scream in fear. A second later, the emergency lights came on, throwing the room into nothing but crimson lights.
"The elevator stopped working...why?" Panther asked.
"My guess is, there was a change in Shimizu's cognition...we elected to remain in his palace. Had we left, perhaps we could have witnessed something change. That means Akihiko Shouji had a change of heart and must have said something to him. That makes this quite difficult for us." Duchess said. Songbird sighed, kneeling down, he wrapped his hands around the little girl's waist, lifting her up.
"Try to reach that panel, once you are up there, find a vent." he said. She wordlessly did as he asked, easily pushing the panel open. She grunted a it as she pulled herself up, her dress giving her a bit of trouble. He heard the sound of a lighter being flicked on, and mentally made a note to bring flashlights the next time they came to a palace. She glanced around the darkened shaft for a few moments, seeing the elevator doors to the eighth floor not that far from where they were, about three meters. Glancing around, she spotted a ventilation shaft, about a meter above her. She jumped up, trying to reach the panel, but wasn't able too, her weight caused the elevator to jerk a bit, but thanks to the brakes, it didn't move.
"Big brother, we're stuck halfway between the seventh and eighth floors. There's a ventilation shaft a meter above me, perhaps we can use it to our aid."
"Rise, Yukiko, you two go first. You'll be able to scan for shadows if you do, I'll give you a boost." Songbird said, earning a nod from the two girls. Thankfully, Joker was able to assist in lifting the idol toward the ceiling of the elevator. Once through, they sent Yukiko after her.
"You know...I've always wondered what an elevator shaft looked like...guess I have an idea now." Yukiko muttered, slowly moving toward the shaft. She reached up to it, being able to reach the bottom part of it.
"Allow me, I shall assist you." Duchess said, climbing onto the young woman's shoulders. Yukiko felt a bit weird, especially with the poofy dress wrapped around her shoulders, but she didn't complain. After a few seconds, the grate came off, and the young girl made her way into the shaft. Yukiko followed suit, gun in hand as she jumped up, grabbing onto the edge of the shaft.
"Alright, Yukiko and Duchess are through, start coming up!" Rise said cheerfully, proceeding to climb up herself. Joker and Songbird steadily worked, sending Panther and Beauty Thief first. Once Songbird was up, he held his hand down, pulling Joker through the hole and onto the elevator's top.
"You know...we should invest in torches...I can't believe we forgot something so basic." Joker said, earning a nod from Songbird.
"Trust me, I never thought we would be climbing an elevator shaft. But we should be used to this, Phantom Thieves have to use everything they can. We can buy some later, I know a place that sells them cheap...anyway, leader's first." he said.
"Such a gentleman." Joker said, earning a punch to the arm from the actor. Once inside, they followed the shaft, continuing aft until reaching a turn.
"Be careful guys, Duchess said there's a vertical climb." Panther said, glancing behind her.
"Alright, thanks for the information...I doubt I'll have an issue climbing up." Songbird replied, earning a nod from the girl.
They reached the climb that the raven haired girl had mentioned. Thankfully, the sections of the shaft, had indentations on it, which could be used as a ladder of sorts. They started climbing up, coughing a bit from all of the dust around the. Songbird was sure his allergies were going to make him stuffy, but he couldn't focus on something trivial like that. After what felt like hours, they managed to reach another horizontal shaft, making it easier on their arms. A loud bang echoed through the shaft, which caused them all to stop for a moment.
"Apologies, I had to kick the grating out." Duchess called out, causing them all to sigh in relief. It wasn't long until they were all out of the vent, and inside the eighth floor. They all glanced around, prepared to fight if needed.
"Hmm...how strange, there aren't any shadows up here." Rise informed, causing Songbird to swallow hard.
"That isn't good...what about rooms, were you able scan the area?" Joker asked, standing oddly close to Rise holding his Desert Eagle in his hands. Kanzeon appeared behind her, the girl having a placid look on her face as she searched the area, the small scanners attached to the persona spinning around wildly.
"There aren't any rooms here, there's only one in the middle...there seems to be one shadow in there." she said.
"Alright everyone, be prepared...we could be walking into an ambush, so be ready to run if you need it. There isn't a safe room on this floor so we can't run there and the elevator is out. Have your Goho-M's ready just in case." Joker said, having already prepared his own before hand. Songbird handed Rise and Yukiko some spares he had brought with him, giving them a nod.
Without missing a beat, the Phantom Thieves walked toward the room in the center of the floor. Songbird kept a hold on his gun, worried that something was going to happen. Paranoia was a best friend when it came to things like that, always assuming something bad was going to happen, was a good thing to have. Sometimes, it could save your life, others it could prove a hindrance. But he knew in his mind that something was going to happen, whether that was inherently good, or very very bad, that would be up to chance. They came to a stop before a set of doors, being made out of glittering white diamond. It was obvious that this door and the room itself was going to be much different than the previous too. With a methodical and surprisingly calm movement, Joker swiped the diamond card, getting entree into the room.
Songbird peered inside, seeing it was surprisingly well lit. This one however looked entirely different...no, it was familiar to him. It was the same set that he had seen when he had first auditioned for Shimizu's movie. The house set was right in the center of the room, with the kitchen and bedroom sets attached to it. There were refreshment tables at the very back, where he had been standing trying to memorize the lines he had been given. The director's chair was right in the center, along with a large camera that was on a rail, allowing freedom of movement for when the actors would walk from set to set. He glanced at Joker, who just gave him an odd look, not understanding why he was seeing something so normal.
"Well don't just stand there, you came this far...why not go all the way...come, come...I won't hurt you." a familiar voice said. The young actor took a deep breath, stepping into the room first, keeping his hold on his gun firm. He spotted Shimizu's shadow not long after he entered, standing off to the edge of the set. He was still dressed like a Kunnashi, which was the ultimate insult to them, but he had grown used to the Metaverse versions of people already. He looked surprisingly calm, which made the hairs on his neck stand on edge.
"So...I guess I should be asking how you were able to defeat Kaburagi and Shouji...but I already know how. You guys are Phantom Thieves after all...you should know there's no escape for you. Just return what you stole and nothing bad shall happen. Simple as that." Shadow Shimizu said, holding his hands behind his back.
"Your Holy Grail right? I'm not returning it, that's evidence of your disgusting crimes. How did it feel? To kill your own computer for your own selfish lust?" Songbird taunted, causing the man to grit his teeth, so hard that his jaw cracked.
"I must admit, it is a minor hiccup but something that can be fixed. My editor is gone, and so is my enforcer...but there is still a light at the end of the tunnel you see. I have found someone who is willing to buy the unfinished product, for a billion yen..."
"A b-billion yen?" Yukiko stuttered, a look of disbelief on her face. Shimizu looked at her, licking his lips with a smirk on his face.
"Of course, I would be payed a lot more if I finished it...you look like a perfect subject my dear. Look at those long legs, in that cute school girl skirt, that pretty face, the curves, the breast size...you accentuate innocence down to a T...might you be looking for a prince my dear? I've got someone in mind for you...all you have to do is help me with the completion of my holy grail." Shimizu said. A loud gunshot echoed through the room, throwing it into silence right after. The man reached for his cheek, seeing a bit of blood on the palm of his hand. He turned to face Songbird, who held up his smoking gun, finger on the trigger.
"Shut your fucking mouth...what the fuck is wrong with you huh? Do you actually think you can objectify women like that? Do you think you can just walk down the road and say "Damn, look at her tits, they're fucking amazing!" and not piss anyone off?"
"Hahaha...you're hilarious boy...what do you think women are here for? They're here to make the whims of mortal men true, they are here to be our servants. If I want a sandwich, that bitch better get in the kitchen...if I want my floor vacuumed, she has to do it. If I want my coffee with Soy milk instead of cream, then she will get what I ask. Or else I'm going to beat her until she loses her kid." the man said, a sadistic grin on his face, eyes glowing a fierce yellow.
"So...we have a sexist in our midst...but why is that? What happened to you in the past that made you view women so objectively?" Duchess asked curiously, a pensive look on her face.
"You wanna know why I'm like this? It's simple really...you see, there was once this woman, that I fell in love with. She promised me she would be there...I was in love with her, I wrote her letters, scripts, promised to make a movie with her as my star! Five years over seas, and when I come home, ring in hand to marry her...she was gone. Not only that, she had lied to me, everything was a lie...she wanted me for money, she had two kids, and was married...the entire time I knew her, she was trying to get money for herself! So I grew to hate her...it was a shame, but she needed to go."
"She needed too...oh my god, tell me you didn't!" Rise cried, earning a laugh from the man.
"I did my dear...the barrel of that gun felt so cold, but I was so happy when I pulled the trigger. Watching the blood flying in all directions, seeing as she woke up from her sleep, her heart struggling to function due to the gunshot...watching her choke on her own blood, it was so fulfilling. It was more entertaining to see her seven year old daughter, watching her slowly bleeding to death. I rid myself of the one that had broken my heart, and with her I begun my career...let's just say, I needed to make money fast, and I was a director...so I put her daughter to work...that's when I got my first idea." he said, spreading his arms as he glanced toward the ceiling.
"To make millions, I needed a holy grail...so I would use my skills to write romance films, and I would cast teenagers for the roles. When I had their trust, I would force them to be the stars of my own project! The holy grail of dark cinema, the greatest feature length pornographic film the world had ever seen! People would pay serious bucks for that...so I had to plan, I needed tools for that, so I procured the best ones on the market!"
"Kaburagi and Shouji." Songbird hissed, earning a deranged chuckle from the man.
"Ahuh...Shouji was one of the first to be on film. He hated it at first, but slowly started to change, I believe it was when I gave him heroin for the first time. I should confide with you this...I was actually looking to hire you as well, Mashita-kun. You were an uprising star and needed a bit of an outlet...but your pesky father ruined your career...I couldn't have that in my film, so I instead set my sights on your beautiful sister...but alas, she turned me down." Shimizu said, a frown on his face as he spoke.
"You sick bastard...how could you do this? It's one thing to objectify women...but taking it out on innocent children? What is wrong with you?!" Beauty Thief shouted, her grip on her axe tightening by the second. Songbird feared it would snap just from how hard she was squeezing it.
"Children are not innocent...especially those little girls...they're just budding women. They're gonna grow up and become bitches like Yuri, they're all fucked in the head. They're there to ruin your life and steal your money...they're a goddamn baby factory, bringing even more women into the world. All of them need to die, all of you women need to die!" he shouted angrily, sending chills down their spines.
"You're just a disgusting fucker with a broken heart. Instead of looking for a solution or accepting your feelings, you decided to do something gross. What is wrong with you? Heartbreak sucks, but forcing kids to be in porn? Killing a woman before her child? You are such an asshole!" Panther shouted, her face red with rage.
"Yawn, spare me your dribble...I care not for the objections of women...I did what I did because I wanted revenge. On people like Yuri, on every woman on this planet. After all, I'm not the only one who shares this view...I mean, why does the dark web exist? So that people like me can search for these things. Besides, I'm sure the people I sold those kids to are taking excellent care for them...maybe."
"Joker, take my hand right now...I don't know how much longer I can hold myself back." Songbird hissed angrily, causing the leader of the Phantom Thieves to grab a hold of his arm, holding him in place. Yukiko did the same with his other arm, taking the gun he had been squeezing out of his grasp.
"Hmm...I believe I have gathered sufficient information on your standings. You feel betrayed by this Yuri woman, so you exacted revenge on her...by killing her and prostituting her seven year old daughter. Not just that, you created your films just so you could find young actors to abuse in your pornographic film? That is an insult to the academy, and those who value the romantic films you sought out to create."
"Like I care...all of those romance films that I made were just a front. Why do you think I film them all in a month? Because the rest of the time, I'm pushing the actors to be in my Holy Grail...sure, most of them commit suicide right after, but Kaburagi did his best to hide that from the public. I had to spend a lot of money to shut the mouths of those reporters, and well you know how that one guy ended up, hanging around for his daughter's birthday...wish I could have seen her reaction, it must have been precious."
"Something tells me there is more...creating a holy grail like this, just to sell it for money? There needs to be some gratification for you somewhere...could it be that there is something you aren't telling us? Like the fact that you are sexually confused, so you force these kids to live out the fantasies within your mind?" Duchess said.
"Huh? What did you just say?" Rise cried out, eyes wide with shock.
"It's just an observation...I believe that Yuri didn't fulfill some sort of fantasy that you had. No that isn't it...it was simply that you were confused about your sexuality, so you didn't know if you could be with Yuri, which made her confused. When you left for those five years, it could be that she considered those options and made an educated decision...to continue her life without you in it."
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up your little slut! You don't know shit!" Shimizu shouted, his voice rocking the entire room.
"So...you did all of this because you were confused about your sexuality? Seems a little extreme don't you think?" Yukiko asked, earning a sigh from Songbird.
"It's a little harder to understand than you think...I hate to admit this, but the two of us have something in common. I was at that stage myself a few years back, and those conflicting emotions...they're very real and very scary. I however came to grips with myself and accepted them...I guess this the monster I would have become had I bottled them up." the young actor said, a frown on his face.
"Whoa wait...what? Songbird you like boys?" Beauty Thief asked, clearly confused.
"Remember how I turned down our engagement because I didn't wanna get married early in life? Yeah...the true reason was I was facing the same conflicting emotions this fuckstick was dealing with." Songbird replied, causing the heiress's jaw to drop.
"But...but...we kissed...and we messed around."
"We did not mess around!" the boy cried, pointing an accusing finger at her.
"We took a bath together and started making out, I'm sure that counts as messing around."
"Can we have this conversation later? As riveting as it sounds, it isn't important at this moment." Joker said, causing the two Phantom Thieves to stop bickering.
"Oh...this is so interesting...you know, I had considered giving you a role in my movie. I haven't had many bisexual actors in it...come on, wouldn't you want to try the forbidden fruit? That sweet delectable piece of Kanami Mashita that I'm sure your craving? Or could you want something more? A handsome man perhaps?"
"I'm gonna stop you right there buddy, first off...I would never in a million years, sleep with my sister. We may not be blood related, but she is still my sister. She means the world to me, and I would never put her in that place. Second, I am not going to be in your disgusting smut film, baiting me with men isn't going to work asshole. I may be bisexual but I have a girlfriend, and her wants and needs come before me." he said firmly, causing Panther to squeal. The Phantom Thieves all turned to her, and she glanced away, an embarrassed look on her face.
"Hmm...perhaps I have to get a little more physical. Shrine Maiden, your presence is requested!" the man shouted. From behind the man, the Shrine Maiden, Kanami, walked out, still dressed in her traditional garb. She gave a bow to the man, kneeling down before him, her forehead resting on the floor before his feet.
"What do you need of me Kunnashi? I shall fulfill all requests as your maiden." she said softly.
"I tire of these pests, so I wish for you to show them what it would mean to be within my holy grail...starting with the man who happens to be your brother." he said, a smirk on his face. The young woman slowly stood up, pulling her sash, letting it fall to the ground. She started tugging on her outfit, slowly pulling it off of herself, until she was wearing nothing more than pink lingerie.
"I know she's a shadow...but goddamn it, this is pissing me off! How dare you do this Shimizu? You bastard...if you wanna send a message than stand on your own two feet and fight!" Songbird cried. The man chuckled, reaching into the sleeve of his own garb, pulling out a rolled up scroll which was glittering a bright gold, and distorting a bit. Joker let out a gasp, eyes focused on the scroll, which was attached to a golden chalice, that was lined with various glittering gems, a literal holy grail.
"The treasure...he holds it with him." he said.
"Indeed, this is my holy grail right here...if you wish to steal it from me, well...you're gonna have to fight. But I grow tired of these games, so I thought I'd give you some motivation...for when you fail, you will come crawling to me, begging me to end your meager existence...you shall be in debt to me for an eternity, my puppets who shall do whatever devious sexual acts I want! I shall have more holy grails than I can count!"
"I am a puppet to no one! Fight on your own two feet you fiend!" Beauty Thief shouted, aiming her axe at him.
"Nah...I'm not about that life...Kanami dear, make sure you treat your guests with kindness, you've got a crowd after all." the Kunnashi said, turning toward one of the doors.
"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Songbird shouted, about to follow him, only for two dark chains to come out from the ground, wrapping around Kanami's wrists and ankles.
The chains seemingly floated in mid air, only for them to fling back toward a shadow that had appeared in the middle of the room. A large octopus like creature had formed behind the helpless idol, slowly lifting her into the air, her chains being pulled until her arms were behind her back, her legs being spread. The octopus seemed to be eager about this action, and started wrapping his tentacles around her, only for Songbird to realize that the tentacles were actually in the shape of male genitalia, and one large one was slowly inching its way between Kanami's legs.
"You know you want to save her Mashita, she's your sister...or you could sacrifice her and come after me...it's your call. Though it's not gonna let you leave this room...what will it be? Facing me alone for revenge? Or saving your sister with your friends?" Shimizu taunted. Songbird growled angrily, his mask bursting into blue flames around his face.
"You'll get yours...just you wait." he said, placing a hand on his mask, ripping it off his face.
"Persona! Debilitate!" he chanted, earning a dark laugh from the Phantom, who sent an eerie green wave at the octopus creature, causing it to hiss in anger.
"Lady Loveless, aid with our attacks, Matarukaja!" Duchess chanted, summoning her own persona. Lady Loveless snapped her fingers, a swirl of golden light surrounding the Phantom Thieves. Joker wasted no time, dashing straight toward the octopus, with Songbird at his side, sword drawn ready to attack.
"I know it's a shadow, but facing Shimizu alone isn't a wise idea...I can sense this thing's power." he said.
"Yes, I understand...let's take it down together, leader." Songbird said, flashing a smile to his friend.
He took the lead, swinging his sword as hard as he could, slicing off some of the phallic tentacles that were wrapping around Kanami. Her moans of pleasure were disturbing, but he wasn't going to let them mess up his concentration. His sword started glowing slightly, and he pulled it back, the energy racing across the blade.
"Vorpal Blade!" he shouted, slashing several tentacles off at once. The octopus screamed in pain, slamming the larger appendages onto the ground. Several more appeared from behind it, being flung directly at the two Phantom Thieves, who were quick to react.
"You know...I've been calling this thing an octopus in my mind...but this thing is closer to some sick, twisted Cthulhu." Songbird said, placing a hand on his mask. Joker did the same pulling his off entirely.
"Then it might be weak to lightning attacks. Ame-no-Uzume, Zionga!" he chanted. His persona flashed before him, forming a giant ball of lightning above the creature, willing it to explode. The magic coursed through its body, only for a deep guttural groan to come from it. It's tentacles tightened around Kanami, a loud moan leaving her body.
"Oh...you're squeezing me so hard~" she moaned, throwing her head back, chest rising and falling with her pants.
"Panther, let us combine our attacks!" Yukiko said, earning a nod from the red themed phantom thief.
"Carmen, let's try that new attack you told me about. I'm confident we can pull it off!" she cried, earning a nod from her persona, who had a smirk on her face.
"Now then, let us attack with our own firepower! Sumeo-Okami!" Yukiko cried, slashing her tarot card. The two fire using personas stood back to back above their summoners, flames swirling beneath them the intensity of the flames making everyone start sweating. With a snap of their fingers, both persona threw their attacks forth, combining into a giant fireball.
"Agidyne!"
Kanami's cries of pain melded with those of the Cthulhu like creature, causing it to fall down to the ground. Without even waiting, the Phantom Thieves all ran forward, throwing a myriad of slashes and gunshots at it, slicing and dicing any and all tentacles that attempted to grab a hold of any of them. They all jumped back, allowing Beauty Thief to have the final attack. With a firm shout, she ran forward, stabbing the barrel of her grenade launcher right under one of the thicker phallic looking tentacles, with a pull of the trigger, the creature was launched into the air. Panther flung her whip forward, wrapping it around the creature, pulling it back down hard. It slammed into the ground, once again being stunned by the combination of attacks.
"Please...stop hurting us...we mean...you all no harm." Kanami cried, clutching her sides in pain. Songbird walked up toward the stunned shadow, standing right in front of the Shrine Maiden. He pressed the barrel of his gun to her forehead, making her go wide eyed.
"You aren't my sister, begone with this shadow." he said, pulling the trigger. The bullet sailed through her head, causing her to fall back unmoving, shortly before bursting into smoke. Cthulhu remained, growling angrily as it forced itself back up.
"It's weaknesses have returned to normal, it seems your spell has worn off Songbird, get away from it!" Rise warned, causing the young actor to jump back, just in time to avoid one of the tentacles, which was aimed straight at him. He dodged it again, only for him to hit the wall. It started wrapping around him, squeezing hard as the tip started oozing white fluid.
"Oh...this is so gross! Why do people like this shit?" he cried, unable to move his arms.
"Hyah!"
Cthulhu shouted in pain as its tentacle was severed and quickly pulled back. Songbird breathed a sigh of relief, giving a thankful look to Beauty Thief who hefted her axe onto her shoulder, turning to face the creature. It let out a growl, flinging even more tentacles out at the Thieves, who all did their best to dodge them. Yukiko let out a scream as one of them wrapped around her waist, lifting her up into the air.
"Let me go you sick bastard!" she cried, trying her hardest to break free from its grasp. She tried reaching for her fan, only for it to fall out of her pocket.
"Lady Loveless, Freila!" Duchess cried, snapping her fingers. Her persona let out a hum as she pulled her hands back, forming an orb of crackling nuclear energy, flinging it toward the giant tentacle monster. It swelled as it struck its face, causing it massive damage. As a result, Yukiko was flung into the air, though she was caught by Joker who with the aid of his persona, was able to safely grab her.
"Sorry for the wait milady, I had to wait until the moment was right." he said, voice smooth as he wiggled his brows. She pushed him back, grabbing the fan from his hands.
"I have a boyfriend, but thanks for the save." she said, cheeks tinged pink. The creature let out another growl, pointing all of its tentacles at them. Songbird noticed all of them were pulsing slightly, the tips dripping with white fluid.
"Oh god, it's about to do something!"
"No shit, can you tell us what it's going to do Rise?" the actor cried. She grit her teeth, holding Kanzeon's visor as she tried scanning it. The tentacles started growing stiff as they dripped more liquid.
"Rise!?"
"I'm trying dammit! I can't find anything!"
"It's about to cum." Duchess said, causing all of the Thieves to look at her. She had a firm look on her face as she met their gazes.
"What did you just say?" Panther asked.
"It is a creature with penises for tentacles, the heads are dripping...it's quite obvious what it is preparing for, in context."
"Jesus Christ...we gotta fuckin kill it before it does!"
"Yukiko?" Songbird asked, causing the girl to shudder.
"I need time to set up for Burning Petals, if you can slice some of those things off, that would buy me some time." she said.
"Alright then, Joker, Beauty Thief, it's up to us to prevent this thing from ejaculating!" Songbird said, dashing forward.
"Ew...why did you have to put it that way?" Beauty Thief cried, earning a chuckle from Joker.
"We should have brought hefty bags with us, we could have used them as rubbers and put them over the heads!"
"Hefty Hefty Hefty!"
"Shut up! Hyah!" Beauty Thief shouted, slicing off one of the tentacles with her axe.
Songbird jumped up, slicing another one off in rapid succession. Cthulhu growled angrily, slapping the three teenagers back with its appendages, aiming them right at them. A single drop fell down next to Songbird's head, a loud hissing filling his ear. He glanced at the area where the drop had fallen, seeing the hole that was left behind.
"Holy shit, acidic cum...move back, this thing is gonna blow it's load!"
"Stop making puns goddamn it, Carmen, Agidyne!" Panther cried angrily. The dancer felt her summoner's anger, and launched the fireball right at the creature, willing it to explode setting it aflame.
"Now we're talking, Joker let us combine our spells." Duchess said, earning a nod from the man.
"Persona Change: Byakko." he chanted, changing his mask. The white tiger appeared, standing firm next to Lady Loveless, who glanced at the tiger with a smile on her face.
"Garudyne!" the two Thieves cried in unison. Byakko let out a roar that shook the room, a swirling funnel of wind forming around the creature. Lady Loveless did the same, forming a ball of wind that she shot at the tentacle monster, willing it to explode.
"I'm ready!" Yukiko cried, causing the Thieves to clear the field.
"Go for it Yukiko, give it everything you've got!"
"Lady Loveless, Agi Boost!" Duchess chanted, snapping her fingers. An orange light swirled around Yukiko's feet as she walked forward, pressing her fan to her lips.
"Sumeo-Okami, it is time for us to show our power once more. Fill the room with your Burning Petals." she said, fanning her face with her weapon. Cthulhu forced itself back to an upright position, its tentacles charred as it once again aimed its tentacles at them. Petals started floating around it, confusing it greatly. It let out a hearty laugh, the tentacles pulsing as if gearing up to fire.
"Everyone, guard up!" Joker cried, holding his arms in front of his face. The others followed suit, they trusted Yukiko's power, but they were getting ready just in case.
"It's time...let us unleash our power, Sumeo-Okami, Burning Petals!" the black haired woman cried, snapping her fan closed. Her persona let out a heavenly melody as it detonated all of the petals, an ocean of flame burning the shadow to a crisp. It tried to weakly move, its tentacles having been burned completely off. A lone gunshot from Songbird was all it took for it to disappear.
"No flesh shall be spared." he said, blowing the smoke from his gun before placing it back into his holster.
"Holy shit man, that was pretty good."
"Thanks! Jesus told me to say it." Songbird said, causing Joker to give him a confused look. He shook his head, turning to the door that Shimizu had escaped from. He broke into a sprint, running toward it, pulling it open, he was about to step inside when he realized it was a blocked stairwell. It was filled with desks, manikins and various other things that prevented anyone from climbing up the stairs.
"Shit...he blocked the stairs! The elevator is out of commission too...how exactly are we gonna get to the Tenth floor from here?" he called out, slamming his fist against the door frame. The shatter of glass filled his ears, and he spun around, seeing Joker had broken the window across the room. He moved toward it, watching the young man stick his head out of it.
"Well...looks like we can use the fire escape." he said, pointing toward the metallic structure that had been attached to the side of the building, leading up to the garden attached to the very top of the building.
"It seems we're at the final stretch...allow me to solve this little conundrum." Duchess said, reaching into her dress for her Grapple gun. She took aim at the railing of the fire escape, launching the hook toward it. Giving it a firm pull, she pull the rope free from the gun, tying it firmly onto the base of wooden support beam.
"It just had to be on the top floor of a tenth story building...oh, can we just go back to the Elevator shaft? Isn't there a ladder up there?" Panther asked, shivering a bit in fear. Songbird placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring look.
"Hey, it's gonna be fine alright...with your lithe movements, you'll make it over there in a snap. Just keep your eyes on the fire escape, not the ground." he said. She sighed, giving him a nod.
"Fine...but you're buying me some cake when we leave this hellhole." she said. He chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Consider it done...now then, Joker take Duchess with you. I trust you with my sister's life bro, so don't drop her or I'll push you myself." the young actor said firmly, earning a salute from the leader.
Duchess frowned as she looked at her dress, reaching for the corset that was tied around her. She started pulling the laces, undoing them entirely, tossing the garment aside. She pulled the zipper of her dress down, pulling her arms through the sleeves, before shrugging it off, remaining in her petticoat and undershirt. She brushed her hair out of her face, glancing at the others who had been watching her curiously.
"What? You actually think I would wear that while scaling the side of a building? You are out of your minds. The dress shall return to me when I summon Lady Loveless, she was the one who suggested it. Now stop looking at me weird!" she snapped, glaring at her brother.
"I'm sorry, it's just...weird seeing my little sister undressing like that." he admitted, glancing away from her.
"You know...I keep forgetting you are only nine years old. You carry yourself with such regality, you really do know how to fill out that dress." Yukiko said, earning a blush from the girl, who poked her fingers together.
"Fill out? My apologies Yukiko, I haven't particularly filled out my dress, I still lack the necessary chest size in order to make it look proper." she said.
"Chest size?" Rise exclaimed.
"Ah...you're one of those girls...those who wish to grow up fast so they can get breasts. Trust me Duchess, you don't want big breasts...all they bring you is misery, lecherous stares and back pain." Beauty Thief said, rubbing her back as she spoke.
"Maybe for you, I've never had back pain with mine." Panther said, causing the heiress to poke her breasts with her fingers.
"That's true...but they are really squishy...not to mention super bouncy. I can't help but be entranced whenever you run."
"Let's get this moving, before I get a boner." Songbird muttered, earning a nod of understanding from Joker. Duchess jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck, making sure her legs were wrapped firmly around his body. The young man took a deep breath, grabbing the rope and climbing up with ease, not at all bothered by the little girl's added wait.
"That man has balls...I can't believe he just went for it without even saying anything."
"He has brass balls forged in the line of duty as a Phantom Thief." Songbird said, earning a glare from the girls. He let out a chuckle, glancing out the window. Once Joker and Duchess had made it across, he sent Rise next.
"I'm scared Songbird, I don't want to fall." Panther said, stepping away from the rope.
"Honey, I know it's scary, but we don't have any other way of getting up there."
"But I can't...I just can't okay?" she screamed, turning away from the boy. Yukiko gave the boy a concerned look, he shook his head, gesturing for her to go on ahead.
"Panther...I'm scared too...I don't like heights as much as the next person. But remember, if we don't do this, we won't make it to the treasure room. We won't be able to save Kanami, and we won't be able to avenge those people that were murdered. Come on! You're the fearsome Panther of the Phantom Thieves! You and Carmen kick loads of ass, believe in yourself and in your persona. After all of this shit we've been through, are you gonna let a pesky building climb stop you?" he asked.
"I...you're right...I was much more scared when I was climbing Kamoshida's tower...I was able to scale that castle with ease. It's just...I look out this window, and I remember Shiho's suicide attempt...it makes me wonder, was this the sight that she saw when she was on Shujin's roof? Just looking at the far off ground and thinking that would be her exit? It makes me want to burst." she said. The boy wrapped his arms around her, giving her a firm hug.
"Hey...I'm right here okay? Shiho saw something like this yes...but she's become a total badass. She lived through it, and she's still kicking ass...remember, we're out here, risking our lives for people like her, victims of society. Don't be scared of this, be scared of Shimizu, and the lives he has ruined, and the lives he will continue ruining if he goes unstopped." he said, earning a shy nod from her. She lifted up her head, looking right into his eyes. She pressed her lips against his own, catching the boy by surprise. He smiled inwardly, kissing the girl back with equal vigor. She pulled away, taking a deep breath.
"Alright, now I'm ready...thank you Takumi, for being an awesome friend."
"No problem Ann, let's just get outta here." he said, taking a hold of her hand.
He grabbed a hold of the rope, biting his lip as he started climbing up the rope, legs wrapped around it. He could hear the cheering crowd below him cheering loudly at the twisted movie releases Shimizu had made. That just served as motivation to end this charade of his. He held his hand out to Joker, who grabbed a hold of it, helping him over the railing. They did the same for Panther, who quickly scurried over the railing, hugging the boy tightly. He smiled, hugging her back.
"See...? You were awesome out there."
"T-thanks...l-let's go...I still have the heebie jeebies."
"Ha! You said it, you said people doesn't say that anymore." he teased, earning a glare from the girl.
"You got me to say it, whatever let's just go!" she said, taking the lead as she started climbing the stairs. Joker shrugged, following after the blonde.
It didn't take them long to reach the top of the building. They walked across the rooftop, jumping down onto the garden from above. It was completely empty, they didn't see a single thing, not the Shrine Maiden and not Shimizu. Songbird walked up the wooden steps, opening the shouji that led into the Shrine. He walked toward the center of the room to the small raised platform, which still had the burning incense sticks he had seen the first time around. He saw a glowing orb above it, which was flickering between reality and distortion. He stuck his hand into it, almost feeling the Holy Grail that he had seen Shimizu holding.
"This is it...the treasure will appear right here...or it should seeing as that fuckstick Shimizu has it with him." Songbird said.
"This is the treasure? It doesn't look like much." Yukiko said, pulling her glasses off her face.
"Hmm...it seems this is not the treasure. This is the place where it is kept, in order for it to appear, we must make the real Shimizu aware that it exists. In order to do that, we must send out a calling card." Duchess said, glancing at her fellow ravenette. Her body was covered in blue flames, her dress returning to normal.
"A calling card...you mean those things that were all over Shibuya not that long ago?" Rise asked.
"Mhmm...just so you know, I was the author of that particular card...or rather, partially. This time, I shall be the sole writer of Shimizu's calling card...I owe him that much. But in order to pull this off, we need to give Futaba her change of heart...only she can help me create it without fail." he said, turning to Joker who gave him a nod.
"Our infiltration route has been secured. I have set a pad that will warp us straight to the garden, we won't have to come back here through the fire escape. It's time for us to reconvene with Queen and learn of her findings. Rise, Yukiko, you're free to join us if you wish...you are honorary Thieves after all."
"If our assistance can aid you in any way, then I shall gladly give it. I am quite exhausted though...I'm happy I was able to help so much." Yukiko said, earning a frown from Rise.
"I am annoyed though...how come Sumeo-Okami didn't revert back to Konohana-Sakuya?" the girl said.
"Ehehe...well, you know how personas are our other selves? Which evolve with strong bonds right? My heart grew strong by befriending Yu, and all of our friends. But after he left, I felt a little empty...it wasn't until I met Alex that my heart regained its strength. You have no idea how sweet he is to me...what can I say? I'm totally, happily in love."
"Aw...that's so cute~" Panther said, earning a blush from the ravenette.
"Hmm...so love can help a persona evolve? Does that mean our hearts are ever changing? Will the strength of our hearts help us achieve the ultimate strength in this world?" Duchess said, though it was mostly to herself.
"So...that means Kanzeon had an evolution beforehand huh?" Songbird said. Rise nodded, bowing her head dejectedly.
"Kouzeon, that was her final form...I'm still recovering from my break up with Yu. I guess my heart grew weak, and with it so did Kouzeon. I don't want her to devolve anymore...I have to get stronger...it's because of my own weaknesses that I was unable to fight for Kanami. It took meeting the Phantom Thieves to actually kick my ass in gear."
"Rise, you are a strong young woman in your own right...it took a lot of guts to do what you did. Following someone into the Metaverse, especially with a Persona not geared to fight. Just being there for Kanami is enough, she'll be thankful for that. But you can leave the fight to us, we will make sure Shimizu knows not to mess with us." Joker said, earning a smile from the idol.
"Thank you...all of you...I'm sure Kanami would still be getting hurt if it wasn't for all of you." she said. Songbird chuckled, wrapping his arm around the young woman.
"I should be thanking you! Without you getting me into contact with Yukari, I wouldn't have had the physical evidence that drove me to come here. I know you're still hurting, but I'll be there for you. We all will, you're an honorary Thief now. That and Joker there is single and ready to mingle." he said.
"I am, if you like cake or chili cheese dogs, I'm your man." the boy said, brushing his hair back with a single hand. Rise burst into giggles, only to be drowned out by Yukiko's boisterous laugh. Songbird couldn't help but laugh as well..after everything that had happened to him during this entire day, he needed something to light hearted to prepare for the battle that was yet to come.
xxx(Confidant Ranks)xxx
Ren Amamiya 0 The Fool(Rank 6)
Morgana I The Magician(Rank 4)
Makoto Nijima II The Priestess(Rank 4)
Haru Okumura III The Empress(Rank 3)
Yusuke Kitagawa IV The Emperor(Rank 4)
Ann Takamaki VI The Lovers(Rank 7)
Ryuji Sakamoto VII The Chariot(Rank 4)
Billerica Isoshima XI The Strength(Rank 2)
Kotone Otonashi XV The Devil (Rank 3)
Ayumi Isoshima XVII The Star(Rank 1)
Mitsuhide Isoshima XVIII The Moon(Rank 4)
Rise Kujikawa XIX The Sun(Rank 4)
Igor XX The Judgment(Rank 4)
Justine & Caroline XXI The Aeon(Rank 4)