A/N:
Hello and welcome to chapter 38! Now ten, before we start, I'd like to explain some things. First off, the Skill Riot Gun, in my story, Riot Gun will have a different effect, it will increase gun skills. As you probably know, Riot Gun originally is a skill that does massive Gun damage to all foes. But in my story it is nothing more than a firearm buff. The actual Riot Gun has been renamed Orbital Cannon, but I haven't used it yet. The name was suggested to my by RosyMiranto18.
Another thing I have decided to do revolves around the Confidants. At the end of this chapter you will see the entire roster, From the Fool Arcana down to the Adjustment Arcana. I have decided to add all of them in so you all see the full roster, but the missing ones will remain with the ? until Takumi meets them in the story. Also, I will briefly explain the Adjustment Arcana.
It is an arcana that combines the Magician and the Priestess arcana, and is given the number 8 in the tarot deck, it is actually from the Thoth Deck. It is also known as the Justice Arcana in the normal tarot deck. However for this story, the person that will represent this arcana will be split between moral senses of Justice, let's just say she will struggle between The Justice of the Government, the Justice of the Phantom Thieves and her own Personal Justice.
The Adjustment Arcana represents Will for knowledge, harmony between reality and instinct and objectiveness, clarity, perspective, and personal truth. These will be the traits represented by this Confidant which will be introduced in the next arc of the story. In the original deck, it is the 8th card in the deck, but for the sake of keeping it simple, I have made it the 22nd Arcana. I might change it later on so it is the Twenth, and comes after the Sun but before Judgment.
Yes, the reason I have done this is because I grew sick of writing the name, the trump and the rank of every new confidant so I figured I would make it easier for myself if I wrote all of them beforehand and just plugged the name and rank when they were added in while also being able to change the ranks of those who leveled up during that chapter. It just makes it easier in my opinion. In the next few chapters, the Heirophant, the Wheel of Fortune, the Tower, the Temperance and the Adjustment Arcanas will be added to the roster, so look forward to seeing those confidants. They will be the only ones who will rank up whenever Takumi makes an effort to go see them, since everyone else is part of the Phantom Thieves or is family and will level up regardless. Everyone gets to see their story through the game and I will expand on those, but it's the original confidants that will shine a bit more in this story. Yeah, it might be a dick move but whatever.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me but I am not going to share names or anything because those would be story spoilers, though I'm sure you all understand how Arcana's work and what their meanings are. If not, then check out a site called BiddyTarot, this is actually where I get most information on the Major Arcana, also known as the Fools Journey, if you didn't know. It's a good way to learn the meanings behind all of the arcana and what traits are tied to which arcana, along with the Zodiac signs. If you wish to know, the Adjustment Arcana falls under Libra. The Tower actually doesn't have a zodiac sign attached to it, as far as I know. But yeah, it's always interesting to learn new stuff about this. So without further ado, here's chapter 38, I hope you all enjoy it!
Persona 5
Codename: Songbird
Chapter 38
Steal the Treasure II:
Futaba Sakura
Date: Tuesday August 2nd 20XX
Time: Afternoon
Location: Futaba's Palace
Weather: Sunny(Heatwave)
Objective: Steal Futaba's Heart
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
The stairs leading up to the treasure looked oddly intimidating. The feeling that Songbird was getting reminded him of the time he infiltrated Kaneshiro's bank. Everyone was on high alert, any shadow that they ran into wouldn't waste a single moment in tearing them a new one. That was why he bought his new rifle the night before, because he knew that the palace infiltration would be a lot harder once the calling card was sent. Rise and Yukiko looked nervous as well, it was the first time that they were going to steal a treasure, it was most likely different from whatever they were used to. Neither girl had wanted to share their story yet, since they were too busy planning out everything. It would be a much better story afterwards anyway.
They continued walking up the Great Stairs in silence, no one wanting to say anything. Joker was to Songbird's left, ready to pounce anything that dared attack him, while Panther covered his right, holding her SMG in her hands just in case. They finally arrived at the top of the stairs, reaching the door at the very top. It looked exactly like the one that lead to Futaba's room, it even had the caution strip and the keep out sign as well. Before he could even ask, the door started glowing a bright green, disappearing entirely, revealing nothing but a darkened room with pulsing green lights.
"Look, the door opened." Mona said, an eager smile on his face.
"Well...looks like we did well...what do you think is beyond this door?" Skull asked curiously, glancing at Queen.
"I'm not sure, but if you recall, Futaba's shadow said that her mother existed here...we might run into her. So be careful...especially you two, you don't have spirit armor, but your personas should be enough. Rise, think you can scan the next area for us?" the brunette asked, earning a nod from the idol.
"Leave it to me...we should get up there though, it'll make the scan a little easier." She said. Songbird walked into the room first, followed by Joker and Panther, slowly everyone piled in, the room glowing a bright green color. Ever so slowly, the lift started moving up.
"You know...this reminds me a lot of one of my favorite games. When the time comes, everyone piles in an elevator, and they head to the class trial court room. Where they have to find the one among them who murdered their classmate. It gives me a bad case of anxiety." Songbird said.
"Oh, you play Danganronpa? What a surprise...I didn't think you'd be into murder mystery games." Skull said, earning a surprised look from the boy.
"Dude are you for real? I totally love that series, Junko Enoshima might just be the best villain I have seen in a game in awhile. I mean, driving an entire class into despair by spearing their class rep, totally brutal, not to mention everything in the game is just top notch."
"I bet neither of you got past the entire game without using your concentration bullets." Panther said, a smirk on her face. Both boys turned to face her, giving her surprised looks.
"You play Danganronpa?"
"Mhmm...Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is my favorite one, the whole Remnants of Despair thing was the best part of the series."
"Not that this conversation isn't riveting, but we should focus. You can talk about your game later." Queen said, getting groans from the three teenagers.
"Buzz kill." Skull muttered. A glare from the brunette was enough to shut him up for awhile. It didn't take long to arrive at the top of the Pyramid, they walked off the lift, seeing a lengthy path leading up to another winding set of stairs, that lead even higher into the pyramid.
"Jeez, how big is this place?"
"Remember, this was built to hold the mummy of the Pharaoh. I'm not sure if it's perfectly to size, but knowing Futaba, she must be at least aware of the actual size of the Pyramids at Giza. This is perfectly to ratio after all." Fox said, glancing around the room, most likely taking in all the scenery. Rise summoned Kanzeon, scanning the entirety of the room they were in.
"It seems this is the last room, there's a lot of branching paths all of them being occupied by shadows. They're very powerful and on high alert as well. It seems if we take the very left path, the winding stairs will take us to the summit."
"Left path it is, by your leave Songbird." Joker said. The young actor grinned as he walked forward, tipping his hat back. He uncapped his rifle's scope, slowly walking up the stairs.
He found a fallen pillar on the path that they were going to take. It stretched at least six hundred meters until the next winding stairwell. There were two powerful looking shadows walking back and forth, their glowing red eyes scanning up and down the path. The boy opened his bipod, placing Viper on the fallen pillar. He peered through the scope, quickly lining up the shot.
"Cover your ears." he said, glancing back at his friends. Panther was quick to follow his advice, giving him a nod.
"Um...why should we?"
"The gunshot is enough to blow your ears out, or at least cause you to lose your hearing. My brother is wearing special ear plugs, he can hear our conversation but he's also protected from this shot. With this model of rifle, the target will be neutralized before they even hear the gunshot." Duchess said.
"That is quite the gun."
"You haven't seen anything yet Fox, seriously, cover your years...I don't you to go deaf." he said.
The Phantom Thieves did as he asked, earning a thumbs up from the boy. He turned back to the shadows, which were still walking around aimlessly, he took a deep breath squeezing the trigger. The muzzle flared as the crackle of the gunshot echoed through the tomb. The first shadow burst into smoke before it even knew what hit it. The second one took notice, but was quickly taken care of. Songbird stood up, letting out the breath he had been holding, ejecting the spent shell casing which echoed as it bounced off the ground.
"Holy shit! I heard that even with my ears covered!" Skull said.
"Which is why I told you to cover your ears. At close range like that, a gunshot from this rifle could blow your ears out. Come on, it's gonna be a little harder up ahead without a place to put my rifle down. But I can deal with a bit of recoil. Thankfully, the muzzle spreads out that recoil making it that much less of a burden on me. Let's go." he said, walking around the pillar. He started jogging toward the next stairwell, followed by the others.
Songbird wasn't bothered much by the change in firearm. Sure, the Savage was a bit heavier than his Super Mach, but this one was a legitimate sniper rifle. The other was an assault rifle converted to serve as a sniper rifle. But now that he had Viper with him, he felt like his role as the scout was much more defined. He couldn't wait to start messing around with the extra parts he bought for it. He had gotten another barrel for the gun, chambered in .308 for more close range shooting, but he doubted he would ever need it. Not to mention he needed to fix his accuracy with his side arm first. He paused behind a pillar, exchanging the spent magazine. The downsize to having changed firearms, was that he had less rounds in the magazine, and the palace was crawling with shadows. Kaneshiro's palace had been a straight shot, down the elevator straight into the second elevator, but Futaba's palace was bigger, wider and that meant more space for shadows to move around.
"You gonna take the shot or what?" Skull said, once the boy had raised his rifle to his shoulder. He sighed, glancing at the blond.
"You wanna fuckin shoot it? Since you're in such a damn hurry?" he asked.
"Sure, I'm game. Hand that puppy over, I'll take a crack at it." he said confidently. He glanced over at Joker who just gave him a shrug, a small devious smirk on his face. Songbird handed his rifle over to the boy, who quickly rose it to his shoulder, peering through the scope. Songbird fixed his posture a bit making sure the stock was firmly against his shoulder.
"Alright, I've zeroed the scope to my sight...can you see it clearly?" he asked.
"Yes, can I take the shot already?" Skull asked impatiently. Songbird sighed, pulling the bolt to ejecting the spent shell casing. He slammed the bolt back into place, patting his shoulder.
"Go for it, it's a stationary target, even Helen Keller could nail this at five hundred feet."
"Okay, that joke was just in poor taste." Queen said, earning a chuckle from the actor.
"Just like her poor eyesight."
"That was a sick burn!" Beauty Thief said, high fiving the boy. Queen sighed, rolling her eyes at their antics. Skull licked his lips as he peered through the scope, pulling the trigger back. He let out a yelp of surprise as the gunshot thundered through the room. Thankfully, the shadow was killed so nothing else was alerted.
"I think I'll be a little patient about getting up there." he said, handing the rifle back to its owner.
"Glad you see things my way Skull." Songbird replied, ejecting the spent shell as he walked forward.
"I want a turn." Rise said, shyly holding her hand up.
"Sorry sis, you'll have to wait until later. I'll let you shoot it, don't worry." the boy said, earning a frown from the idol.
They continued moving upward, this time with little trouble. Any shadow that got close was blown apart by the scout, or taken down with ease by the others. They made it to the final door, pulling it open only to be lead to another lift. They quickly piled in, slowly being taken to the summit of Futaba's Tomb.
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
Futaba sighed as she finished Takumi's calling card. She had listened to the audio several times and she had to admit, the script he had written was brilliant. How he had delivered it and barely contained his rage, emphasizing all of his hatred with eloquently chosen words while speaking the ghastly horrors the man had committed, it was amazing. She was sure it was going to piss the man off, and allow them to steal his heart. She had easily masked his voice, with so many different programs that it would take too long to actually trace it. Not to mention she put a self destruct timer on it. Once the video was played once, it would self delete upon completion. It made it almost like a spy receiving a message from HQ, which self terminated to ensure no one could see it. Just thinking about it's delivery made her shudder, she wanted to see it in action.
Since she was finished, she sent it to his email, along with detailed instructions on how to retrieve it without ruining the file. She still had the hard copy if he messed up, which he was going to give to him the next time she saw him. She glanced away from her computer, seeing her phone not that far from her hand. Reaching for it, she unlocked it with her thumb staring at the opened Meta-Nav that had appeared not that long ago. She saw the three search bars on it, as well as the option for vocal input.
"Hmm...a name...a p-place...and a distortion...that's all it takes huh...alright...guess I'll try it. F-Futaba Sakura...Sojiro Sakura's house.." she paused, seeing the loading bar spinning around.
"Candidate Found."
"It really does work...a distortion...distortion...what is...oh no...please, not again." she cried, clutching her head.
"You're a monster!"
"You killed her!"
"Say something!"
"It's all your fault!"
"Gah! I please, just leave me alone!" the young girl cried, bursting out of her room, only to see the darkness of the hallway around her. She clutched her head, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"That's right...when Takumi came here...he asked me what I thought of this place...I said this was my tomb." she muttered, clutching her phone. Another wave of voices hit her, and she clutched her head hard, falling to her knees.
"Please...I just...stop!"
"Palace has been located, beginning navigation..."
"Huh?"
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
"This is it?" Skull said, glancing around the pyramid summit, seeing it was dark, being illuminated by the green scanner codes on the ground. A few streaks of sunlight from where the blocks met up was peeking through, but the entirety of the room was almost pitch black.
"We're you expecting glittering jewels or gold bars?" Fox asked.
"Well not really...I was expecting a Sarcophagus...since Futaba's shadow is the ruler, wouldn't she need one of those? They're made with gold and other previous metals after all."
"Holy fucking shit...did Skull actually learn about Ancient Egypt?" Songbird asked, eyes wide as he replaced his spent magazine. He heard a growl from the blond track star, who just glanced away from him.
"He's right though, I don't see anything like that here." Queen added, glancing around the chamber.
"There's that though...right in the center of the room, that might be the sarcophagus...or at least where it's kept." Panther said, pointing to the metallic box in the center of the chamber.
"The treasure must be inside...hmm, we never got an insight on what it could be. You said for Kamoshida it had been an Olympic medal, and for Madarame, it had been the real Sayuri. Kaneshiro's was a golden briefcase...and Shimizu's is a Holy Grail. Is there anything that Futaba would value enough for it to be a treasure?" Duchess asked curiously.
"We barely know her, so there isn't anything compound...maybe her computer? I mean she is a hacker. Maybe she values that computer because it's her only link to the world...and memes." Mona said.
"Definitely the memes...ah man, I saw some zesty ones earlier. Guy Fieri slathers a bullet in barbecue sauce and loads it into his gun and then places it in his mouth. "One last trip" he whispers, "To Flavor Town" and then he pulls the trigger." Songbird said, earning a laugh from Yukiko who clutched her sides, almost falling to the floor.
"Come on Songbird, you know how hard it is to get her out of her laughing fits!" Rise snapped, the boy just brushed the invisible dust from his shoulders, high fiving Joker.
"Whatever, let's hurry up and take it." Skull said, walking toward the center of the room.
"Be careful." Fox said with worry, only for the blond to brush it off.
"T-treasure!"
"Hey, the cat's going crazy, look at his eyes."
"Don't worry Rise, that always happens." Panther reassured, earning a nod from the girl. As soon as Skull placed his hand on the tablet that kept the metal box closed, an ear splitting shriek echoed through the chamber, the entire place shoot, causing everyone to look around.
"The fuck was that?" Songbird cried.
"I'm not sure, but whatever it is...it's power is through the roof. I don't usually get anxious, only when Kanzeon senses something super strong!" Rise said.
"Brace yourselves, we might not be fighting an average shadow." Yukiko warned, pulling her fan from her pocket. Suddenly, the chamber started to shake, as it took a blow from an outside force, punching a hole straight through the blocks. A glowing beam of sunlight flooded the darkened chamber, partially blinding the Thieves. They all watched with curiosity, only for a piercing golden eye to peer into the hole. It let out another shriek, causing them all to block their ears.
"Fuuuutttaaaabaaaa!"
"Is it a shadow...? That can't be!"
"If it's not a shadow then what is it?" Fox cried out, bracing for impact. The giant creature slammed its giant paws into the pyramid, ripping the top of it clean off, sending large limestone blocks in all directions.
"It isn't a shadow! It's a cognition! It's a cognition that Futaba's mind created!" Mona called out, eyes wide as saucers. The creature let out another ear piercing scream, batting its large wings as hard as it could. Songbird knelt down, stabbing his bayonet into the ground, his hand firmly wrapped around Duchess's wrist to prevent her from flying away.
"Hey look out!" Skull cried, just as a large part of a pillar broke. Queen remained still, unable to move as the large object came flying at her. Thankfully, Joker was able to tackle her out of the way, saving her from certain death.
"Here it comes!"
The giant creature slammed its heavy paw into the top of the pyramid, knocking everyone off their feet. The Phantom Thieves were stunned by this one attack, unable to withstand the shock waves. The creature bat its wings, gaining some distance from the pyramid, though it was still circling it, like a vulture circling its prey.
"Do not approach the Pharaoh's Tomb! Misfortune will rain upon you!"
"Look at it fly about, there's no way we can get physical with it. There's no other option, we're gonna have to combine our guns and skills to bring it down." Mona said firmly, clutching his scimitar tightly in his paw.
"Then allow us to support you. We shall manage your health and defenses, you all focus on bringing it down. Do not waste use your magic recklessly however, there is no way to replenish stamina with magic. Rise, are you prepared?" Duchess asked, once she had regained her bearings. The idol nodded, backing away from the center of the chamber.
"I'll scan for it's weaknesses, it's the only real thing I can do." the idol said, having summoned Kanzeon to battle. Duchess placed a hand on her mask, pulling it off as she summoned her own persona.
"Lady Loveless, aid us in our endeavor! Matarukaja, Marakukaja, Masukukaja!" she chanted, instantly, everyone's Attack, Defense and Agility rose exponentially. The little girl grit her teeth in pain, an after effect from using so many spells at once.
Songbird quickly moved toward one of the fallen limestone blocks. He placed his rifle on top of it, pulling out the pod from the stock. Thankfully the block was long enough for him to lay down on, but not long enough for him to fully rest on it. It didn't matter to him just as long as he had the perfect place to snipe. The giant Sphinx, as he had mentally named it, was flying around in circles making it hard to get a good shot. His friends were already using every spell they could muster, timing them with perfectly aimed gunshots, but at their range, they weren't gonna do anything.
"Joker, can you keep it in the middle? I only need four seconds!" he called out, shifting his barrel a bit.
"I can try, Persona Change: Lilith!" he chanted, summoning a new persona. This was of an almost bare naked woman, with tattoos on her arms and thighs, a large boa constrictor was wrapped around her body, she had a smirk on her face as she turned to face the Sphinx.
"Mabufudyne!" the frizzy haired lad changed, placing his hand over his mask. The snake like woman let out a hiss, forming a large ball of ice in her hands before launching it forward, striking the Sphinx on the side. It let out an angry cry of pain, having slowed down from the attack.
"Hope you like the taste of tracers, asshole." Songbird cried out, pulling the trigger of his rifle. Small bits of dust were kicked up from the recoil as the bullet flew forward, striking the Sphinx in the base of the left wing. It let out a screech, rising up into the air, paw aimed at them.
"It's coming in hot, everyone guard up!" Rise cried out, causing everyone to brace themselves. Even though they did, the impact was strong enough to knock almost everyone off their feet.
"That didn't hurt at all." Skull said, picking himself off the ground. He pulled out his shotgun, pulling the trigger only for it to click loudly.
"I gotta reload, someone cover me!"
"I got you, don't worry. Sumeo-Okami, Agidyne!" Yukiko cried, summoning her persona into the battle. Panther followed suit with Carmen, standing beside the ravenette.
"Go Carmen, Agidyne!"
"Aid them with Psiodyne, Milady!" Beauty Thief cried, following their attack with one of her own. The swirling mass of rainbow psychokinetic magic melded with the twin fireballs, causing it to explode in the Sphinx's face. It let out another angry growl, spreading its wings to their full span before shooting into the air.
"Where did it go? I can't even see it anymore!" Mona cried, panting a bit from the stamina he had spent. Songbird got off the limestone block, holding his rifle straight up into the air, peering through the scope. His teeth were grit, sweat pouring down his face from the heat.
"I can't...I can't see it! It must have gone further than a thousand meters, an attack from that high up would kill us!"
"Rise, do you think you can find it and tell us when it's coming down?" Yukiko asked. The idol nodded, placing a hand on her visor, Kanzeon looked straight into the sky, the satellite like appendages glowing brightly as it scanned the skies above.
"I can't find it, it's out of range...if only Kanzeon hadn't devolved, I could easily find it. I'm so useless!"
"Hey don't say that! Remember what could happen if you keep calling yourself weak, Kanzeon could rebel against you. That's the last thing we need happening to you. You can at least tell us when it's coming in right?" Queen asked.
"I can try that...for now just brace yourselves for impact." she said.
"Joker, I believe we should focus on healing and increasing our strength. If we want to survive through this attack, we have to prepare." Duchess said, earning a nod from the boy.
"Persona Change: Kikuri-Hime, Mediarama."
"Lady Loveless, let us focus on support...we shall pour every ounce of strength into our attacks." the young girl said, earning a nod from her other self, who was ready to follow her summoner's commands.
Songbird sighed as he summoned the Phantom, he didn't have many healing spells, but he did have the skill Heat Riser, which would increase three of their stats at once. The downside, it could only be cast on one person at a time due to the strength of the spell. With Duchess's support spells being active, Heat Riser would double the length of the effects, at least that's what he was hoping for. Suddenly, the otherwise windy area was filled with a shrill alarm causing the Thieves to look around, only to see Kanzeon's satellites moving about, the very tip of them glowing red.
"It's coming down! Quick, brace for it!" Rise cried, causing Yukiko to jump before her, using herself as a shield.
"Die You Brats!"
The Sphinx came down on them full force, slamming down on the top of the pyramid, knocking everyone back to the ground. Even with their raised defense, they stood no chance at the attack. Songbird forced himself up to his knees, glaring at the Sphinx who was glaring back at them, raising a single paw into the air. He pulled out his handgun and fired at it, round after around, the creature was still charging up its attack. His gun clicked empty, causing him to reach for a magazine. He saw the Sphinx almost grin as it moved to attack. Songbird's eyes widened when he noticed Panther was directly in the path of the attack. Even though he couldn't fully stand, he found the strength to pull himself up, sprinting toward the girl.
"Panther, look out!" he cried.
She looked up in time to see the incoming attack but was too late to move. Songbird pushed her out of the way, taking the attack head on. He let out a scream of pain, slamming right into one of the limestone pillars. He dropped to the ground in a heap, completely unconscious from the attack.
"No, Songbird!" she cried, running toward him. She slid to a stop beside him, shaking him slightly. The boy groaned in pain, but didn't wake. She noticed the cut on the side of his head which was bleeding profusely.
"Big brother?" Duchess muttered, kneeling down next to the boy.
"He's just knocked out, we need to concentrate our healing magic to stop the bleeding. Can you do that?" Panther asked, earning a nod from the little girl, who wiped her tears away.
"There's no way...there's no way to beat this thing." Mona said, dropping down to his knees. Even Joker had a look of helplessness on his face, though he didn't give up, the crackle of his gunshots filling the battle field.
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
"So...this is the inside of my heart...I didn't think it'd be like this." Futaba muttered, glancing around the chamber.
She had been hoping to run into the Phantom Thieves, but hadn't run into them. She had entered the tomb and after climbing up a very lengthy stairwell, found herself near the top of the pyramid. As she walked, a large holographic monitor appeared before her, showing her a rather peculiar image, a Pharaoh being presented a piece of papyrus by two owl men dressed in suits.
"Huh...?"
"Do you remember?"
Futaba jumped back at the appearance of the shadow. She glanced at her, eyes widening when she saw it was a shadow of herself. She was dressed just like the image on the monitor, like a Pharaoh. She was slowly understanding what was happening now.
"I..."
"Do you remember?" the girl asked again, earning a nod from Futaba.
"This is the day...those men in black showed me the suicide note. Right after mom died."
"That's correct, look at the next one." Shadow Futaba said, calling forth a second image, one of a woman jumping in front of a car.
"The day my mom killed herself...we just went for a walk...and she just...jumped in front of that car."
"That's correct, now look at the last one."
One final monitor dropped down before the orange haired girl. She glanced at it, almost at the verge of tears. She remembered that day now, the day she had asked her mother to go out as a family. She remembered, clutching her shirt tightly, not wanting her to leave.
"No...I can't."
"Don't run...I thought you made up your mind when you asked the Phantom Thieves for help."
"Fine...I'll look...it's me complaining. My mom was so busy with her work, that I felt ignored. She scolded me for bothering her." Futaba said, bowing her head in shame.
"Yes."
"I knew it...I really did kill her...I killed mom. I was a bad daughter, I weighed her down, prevented her from completing her research. She hated me for it, it's just like I remember!" she cried, earning a frown from the shadow.
"Are you sure?" the shadow asked, earning a confused look from the girl.
"What do you mean?"
"Remember, do not avert your eyes...when did this happen?"
"Um...just a little before mom died. I whined about going on a family trip, she scolded me and said no." she replied.
"Was that all she said?"
"No...she said, I'm too busy right now. I need to finish my cognitive research as soon as possible."
"And what did you do?" the shadow asked, causing the girl to look away, clutching her arm in embarrassment.
"I threw a tantrum. Told her she thought her research was more important than me. That's when she scolded me."
"What did she say afterwards...? There was more"
"She said...she said...I'm almost done with my research, once I am we can go on that family trip. We can go where ever you like, I'm sorry I've left you alone Futaba. Please try to understand though, this research is important, I must complete it, even if it costs me my life."
"Did she hate you?" Shadow Futaba asked, causing the girl to look away.
"No...she didn't." Futaba replied. The monitor in front of her glowed brilliantly, showing the smile that was on the woman's face. She gasped, covering her mouth.
"She smiled...she was smiling...gah...my head...which is true?!" the girl cried, falling to her knees from the intense headache. The shadow spread its arms, jumping into the air.
"Your memory is." she said softly before she disappeared.
"Fuuuttttaaabaaa!"
"Huh? It's calling me?" the girl muttered, rising to her feet. She noticed the stairs not far from where she stood, and started sprinting toward them. She didn't normally run that hard, but the sheer adrenaline was driving her forward. It was time she faced her demons, not hid from them. Now that the truth was clear, she wasn't going to hold herself back.
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
"Gah...we ain't doing shit to it!" Skull cried, pushing himself upright.
"Even my...sniper rounds, aren't penetrating the skin." Songbird said, clutching his head in pain. Thanks to Panther and Duchess, he had been healed from the previous hit, but his head still hurt. The blonde model lay beside him, having taken one of the heavy attacks for him.
"I hate to say it, but we might have to retreat, better safe then sorry." Yukiko said, holding Rise upright after the attack she had taken.
"We can't just leave, we only get once chance at this or we won't be able to change her heart. We have to keep fighting, even if we die! We have to change her heart!" Songbird cried, hoisting his rifle to his shoulder. He pulled the trigger hard, the last round he had chambered in sailing forward striking the Sphinx in the shoulder. That only seemed to aggravate it even more.
"Huh...Futaba? What are you doing here?" Beauty Thief cried out, causing everyone to glance behind them, were the orange haired girl had appeared.
"You came into your own cognitive world?" Queen asked, disbelief written on her face.
"I did, I got curious...sorry." she muttered.
"Oh no...this is bad...if a person comes into their own palace..." Mona begun, only to be cut off by the increased distortions. A suit wearing man appeared before the girl, causing her to shy back.
"You're a monster!"
"Ah!"
"Say something you murderer!"
"It was you that killed her!"
The girl dropped to her knees, clutching her head in pain. Queen and Beauty Thief were quickly at her side, checking her over for injury. The Sphinx let out a shrill cry as it approached the pyramid, glaring at the young girl.
"That's right...it was you...you killed meeeee!" the creature screeched loudly. Fox's eyes widened in shock, his grip on his katana tightening.
"Don't tell me...that creature is her mother?"
"Futaba's guilt and desires must have distorted her memories of her. The wish that she was still alive is mixed in there as well. Along with those eerie jeers." Mona explained, a frown on his face as he looked between the girl and the Sphinx.
"You are nothing but a demon who stood in my way! I wish you had never been born! That way, I could have announced my results on time, without having to worry about you! I poured my heart and soul into that report, it would have been the discovery of the century!"
"What does she mean by that?" Queen asked curiously.
"Could she be talking about Cognitive Psience? She was researching this after all." Duchess added, bowing her head in thought.
"You're going to die! There is no meaning to your life! No one needs you!"
"No one cares about me." Futaba muttered, clutching her head in pain as another distortion appeared before her, holding a sheet of paper in his hands.
"I should have never had Futaba, she was nothing but a bother. It seems you caused your mother a great deal of trouble, Futaba-chan. She must have had some kind of maternity neurosis."
"Hey! None of it is real Futaba, don't listen to any of it! It was all fake bullshit created by those motherfuckers! They took advantage of your mother, wanted her research for themselves, and then she was eliminated! Do you think your mother could hate you? Do you think she's really the one who write that bullshit? That's all it is! Stand up on your own two feet and fight! Fight it, fight it with all of your strength, and when you can't stand up anymore, then let your friends help you! We're all here for you, open the door and step out of the shadows! Only you can do it!" Songbird shouted, causing the girl to look up, tears streaking down her cheeks.
"It's her shadow." Mona said, pointing to the shadow that had appeared before the girl. Queen and Beauty Thief backed away slightly, not knowing what it was going to do. She knelt before the girl, placing a hand on her cheek, giving her a smile.
"Remember." she said softly, causing the girl to shake.
"I...I..."
"You got in the way of her research...you're the reason she committed suicide. Do you know now? That it was a lie? What made you think it was a suicide?" the shadow asked, earning a sigh from the girl.
"Because of the note..."
"Exactly, and who wrote that note? Was it the mother that birthed and raised you? Was the mother that scolded you, and promised to take you on a family trip, the same woman who would complain about your existence?"
"No...those men in black...they just read that note and didn't stop. Every complaint just weakened me...until I just couldn't take it."
"Indeed, the shock and pain made you avert your eyes. But now, it is time to wake up from this foul nightmare. The suicide note was not real, she would never have said those horrible things to you." the shadow said, causing the girl to finally stand up, her fists balled tightly.
"You're right! She scolded me when I threw tantrums, but she cared for me. She never once hit me, she never once yelled at me, she never once told me she hated me. She always showed her kindness and love to me. That suicide was just a farce created as some sort of sick vengeance on an innocent child!"
"That's right...they forged her suicide note and used it against you. They trampled over your young heart! Never forgive them, it's time to break the chains of rebellion that hold you back, pull the mask off your face. Now is the time to get back at those rotten adults, the same ones who destroyed your heart!"
The girl clutched her head in pain, grabbing a handful of her hair. This time, it was much stronger than before, as if someone had plunged a knife right into her brain. She let out a scream, her eyes glowing a brilliant yellow, as her shadow slowly disappeared, flowing back into her body.
"What denies you is an illusion...a curse put upon you by the heartless. You knew from the very beginning...and yet, you cowered in fear."
"Ugh...that's right, I knew it all this time...it was all fake, the note, her suicide...I was a coward. I'm not gonna let others voices lead me astray, I'm going to use my own eyes to find what is truth from lies. I'm not going to hide, I'm going to take back everything those rotten adults to from me. I'm not going to stop until they all pay for what they did!" she shouted. A pair of glowing goggles appeared around her eyes, blue flames erupting from around them, with a single hand, she ripped them clean off her face.
Her shadow appeared from within her, being swallowed by the flames of rebellion that had come from the young girl. Everyone watched in awe as a glowing saucer like object appeared above her, casting a shadow over the makeshift battlefield. Long arms came down from the center, wrapping around Futaba's arms and legs.
"Whoa...what is this?"
"Great, as if Cthulhu with penis tentacles wasn't enough." Songbird muttered dryly. The girl was lifted from the ground, the glowing green light disappearing once she was inside the ship.
"Contract...I am thou, thou art I...the forbidden wisdom has been revealed...no mysteries, no illusions shall deceive you any longer!"
"Necronomicon...allow me to assist my friends, that monster has to go! Are you all ready?" Futaba cried, earning a smirk from Joker, who nodded to the rest of the Thieves.
"Let's kill this monster!" he said.
"Hehe...you read my fuckin mind man. Phantom of the Opera, Riot Gun!" Songbird shouted, ripping his mask off his face. The large man appeared with a chuckle drawing his flintlock from his pocket, aiming it at the sky. He pulled the trigger, a rain of light showering around all of his allies.
"What...what skill is this?" Panther asked.
"I'm not sure...but the Phantom told me that he had just received it...I guess my little peptalk to Futaba made my heart just a little stronger." he said, giving her a wink.
"It seems our gun skills have increased in power...we'll be able to do more damage now." Rise cried out, holding onto Kanzeon's visor. She felt something wrapping around her wrist and glanced at it, seeing a holographic chain leading back to Futaba's Persona.
"Don't worry, Necronomicon sensed your Personas scouting abilities, she'll get a boost straight from me. This is my cognition right? It's time to take down this monster!" she cried, hovering to the back of the field. Several ones and zeroes swirled around it, only for a giant ballista to appear there.
"Is that a ballista?" Mona cried, surprised at it's appearance.
"Shoot it down with this, when you do beat the crap out of it!" the orange haired girl cried.
"Allow me, the scout should be able to snipe something from that far. Duchess you keep the support spells up, once it's down you all need to beat the fuck out of it. Kill it with fire and nuke it just to be safe!" the boy cried, running toward the giant crossbow.
"At this rate we might have to." Queen muttered, trying to ignore the fact that she was the one with the nuclear persona.
Songbird glanced around the ballista for a few moments, before finding the operation crank. He started cranking it as fast as he could, getting the entire thing to move toward the center of it. It was moving slower than he would like, but that was something he couldn't help. The fizzling spells and gunshots served only to urge him on.
"It's going to attack, brace yourselves!" Rise called out, crossing her arms before herself. The others did the same, just as the Sphinx slammed its paws down on the top of the pyramid.
"Is everyone alright?" Joker called out after the creature had retreated.
"We're fine, thanks for those buffs Duchess, we would have been knocked out by that!" Panther cried out, earning a blush from the girl. Yukiko stepped forward, using her magic to heal their injuries.
"How are we doing back there man?" Skull called out.
"I almost got it, get it to come toward us." Songbird cried, adjusting the vertical alignment of the ballista.
They continued attacking the Sphinx, launching all of the minor spells they could. They were trying to bring its attention to them, and were quickly running out of bullets. The ploy worked, causing the creature to fly straight toward them. Songbird chuckled, grabbing a hold of the lever.
"Yippee ki yay, motherfucker!" he cried, pulling the lever back so hard it almost snapped. The arrow shot out with such force that he was knocked off his feet. He arrow sailed forward, slamming into the Sphinx's side a loud screech erupted from its mouth as it slammed into the pyramid, it's claws digging into the ground.
"All-Out-Attack!" Joker cried out, causing the Phantom Thieves to jump back.
Everyone took turns attacking the giant creature. Joker and Fox timed their slashes backing away in time for Skull to slam his club right on one of its wounds. Panther flicked her whip back and forth giving all of the lashes she could muster, followed by Beauty Thief's powerful axe swing. They all backed away, just in time for Songbird to kneel before his target, lining up his shot.
"You're a disease, and I'm the cure." he said, pulling the trigger. The gases of the bullet escaped through the muzzle break, kicking up some of the dust and dirt that had gathered around the field. The Sphinx let out a scream of pain, but resisted the shot, earning a growl from the teen.
"That was a pretty badass line, but try to save it for when we actually kill it." Skull said, earning a glare from the boy, who slowly stood up.
"Trust me, we're not that far off. Phantom of the Opera, Megidola!" he chanted, snapping his fingers. The Phantom appeared before the young actor forming a large ball of violet light in his hands. They burst into thick beams striking the creature right in the face.
"Follow his lead, here's a bit of Moral Support!" Futaba cried, increasing all of their abilities to max.
"Lady Loveless, Debilitate!"
"AAAHHH! Fuuuutttaaaabaaaa!"
"It's on it's last legs! A few more attacks should do it!" Rise cried out, urging the Phantom Thieves on.
"Ladies." Joker said, gesturing for the girls to attack first. Panther and Yukiko high fived, standing back to back holding their hands outward.
"Sumeo-Okami!"
"Carmen!"
"Agidyne!"
"Go Johanna, Freila!"
"Milady, Psiodyne!"
All of the spells were launched forward, blending into a giant ball of magic that struck the Sphinx right in the face. The resulting explosion was enough to make them all cover their eyes. It screamed in agony as its skin and fur was set ablaze, its bloodied claws buried into the ground, charred wings flapping weakly in a vain attempt to get away from its attackers.
"Let's Go Captain! Ziodyne!"
"Goemon, Bufudyne!"
"Duchess, let's do a joint attack!" Mona cried, earning a nod from the ravenette, both of them taking off their masks.
"Zorro!"
"Lady Loveless!"
"Garudyne!"
"Fuuuutttaaaabaaaa! If only I had never birthed you! YOU KILLED ME!" the creature screeched, trying to reach up to the saucer where the orange haired girl was safely locked away.
"No...I didn't kill you...I'm sorry I let you become a monster in this world. I'm sorry, but this isn't you...do it Joker." the girl replied, earning a nod from the frizzy haired young man, who rose his Desert Eagle.
"Long Live the King." the boy said, pulling the trigger, the bullet struck the Sphinx dead in the forehead, killing it instantly. The body fell back, striking the sides of the pyramid until it hit the ground, disappearing in a wave of dark smoke and sand.
"Are you fucking shitting me?" Songbird cried, turning to face Joker who just looked at him, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were the superior actor here. Surely you would have had the better one liner..."
"Man fuck you!"
"Whoa, are you alright Futaba?" Queen asked, causing everyone to turn around. The young girl had appeared in the center of the pyramid, wearing a black and green body suit, along with a pair of goggles on her face. She stood up, glancing at her gloved hands.
"What in the world am I wearing?"
"Spirit armor...that's what your rebellious heart created to protect you." Mona replied, causing her to look at him.
"Kitty? What are you doing here?"
"He's our friend Mona...we'll explain everything later. Still, you awoke to a badass persona...are you alright? I know it could be a little tiring." Songbird said, looking concerned for the girl. She gave him a grin.
"I'm perfectly fine...but there's something I've been meaning to give you." she said.
"Huh? Give me? It isn't the calling card I asked you for is it?" he asked.
"Nope...it's this." she said, upper cutting his stomach, causing the boy to fall to his knees. He gasped in pain, slamming his fist onto the ground.
"The...fuck...?"
"That's for calling my memes trash asshole."
"Oh my god...you held...a grudge...? But I...apologized." he wheezed. The girl brushed the invisible dust from her hands, a smirk on her face.
"Mwhehehe! I only hold a grudge when my memes are called trash. Now you know not to mess with me."
"Futaba."
The girl whirled around at the sound of her name, eyes widening a bit as she saw an image of her mother standing before her. Everyone prepared to fight, only for Joker to hold his hand out, remaining silent, but ready.
"Mom."
"Thank you...for choosing to remember the real me."
"I'm sorry Mom...I didn't mean to turn you into a monster." she said, taking a step toward her.
"Don't come closer...this isn't where you are supposed to be, is it?"
"But mom...I finally got to see you again." the girl replied, earning a smile from the woman.
"Are you being selfish again?"
"No...I love you mom, I miss you...and your hugs."
"I miss you too Futaba...keep me close in your heart, where your memories of me shall never be tainted. You've become such a beautiful young woman...don't let yourself be blinded by lies...and tell Sojiro to stop smoking, it's bad for his health."
"Hehe...okay, I'll give him the message...goodbye mom." Futaba said softly, watching the woman slowly fade away. She felt someone pat her head and glanced up seeing the smile on Songbird's face.
"Don't worry kiddo, she's looking down on you and smiling now. You got your wish, your finally free of your burden."
"Mhmm...thanks to all of you. As I said before, I will fulfill my promise and take care of Medjed. I'll be going home now...I know how to use the Nav now...so um...see you later." the orange haired girl said.
"Wait...Futaba." Queen cried, reaching a hand toward the girl, only for Joker to stop her.
"Leave her be, she needs time alone to think. Her change of heart must be conflicting her emotions...let's not forget she awoke to a persona as well." he replied.
"Hmm...that girl marches to the beat of her own drum, doesn't she?" Fox asked, earning a smirk from Skull.
"Like you're one to talk."
"I must say...that was stronger than anything I have ever faced in the past. The cognitive world sure is different from the Midnight Channel." Yukiko said, glancing at the claw marks where the Cognitive Wakaba had clung to the building.
"Tell me about it...who knew a cognition could be just as strong, if not stronger than a shadow?" Rise added.
"The Midnight Channel? Wait, you mean that rumor about meeting your soulmate on TV at midnight on rainy days?" Panther asked, earning a nod from the idol.
"Oh right, we haven't told you the story yet have we? I guess we could tell you about it now if you'd like?" Yukiko said.
"Hey, what about the treasure?" Duchess called out, causing everyone to look at her.
"Oh yeah, Songbird, Panther wanna give me a hand?" Skull asked, running toward the metal case. The couple shared a look before going to his aid, helping him lift the heavy cover off of the case. He looked inside, but didn't find anything.
"The hell...it's empty?" Panther muttered.
"Then what happened to the treasure?" Queen asked, only for the entire building to shake. A loud rumble echoed from deep below them, causing them all to look down.
"Ah...I get it, Futaba's Shadow was the treasure, and she became Futaba's Persona, making her the treasure by proxy...and now that she's gone..." Mona said.
"Fuck...this place is gonna collapse! We gotta get outta here!" Skull cried. Everyone moved toward the stairs, only to see they were blocked by debris.
"Uh...anyone got a parachute?" Songbird asked, a hopeful look on his face. The pyramid rumbled again, the pillars all around them breaking apart.
"There's no time, we're gonna have to run for it!"
"There's no where to fuckin run, genius!" Skull cried, glaring at Fox. Joker sighed taking the lead as he jumped over the edge of the pyramid. Songbird followed suit, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he followed the leader, running down each block as if it was a stairwell.
"Running in the 90s is the new way I like to be!
I'm just Running in the 90s, come on baby run to me!"
"Shut up!" Duchess cried loudly.
"Oh god, running here sucks!"
"It's catching up to us!" Fox cried, glancing briefly over his shoulder.
"Mona! Hurry up and turn into a car!" Panther cried.
"I'm trying, I can't...I!"
Their feline companion couldn't get enough footing to transform...he was suddenly lifted up by Panther, who threw him into the air with all of her strength. His loud mewls echoed loudly around them as he transformed into his car form, landing hard at the bottom of the pyramid.
"Jump!"
The pyramid started caving in below their feet, causing them all to jump forward. Mona managed to catch all of them just as the last of the pyramid started to break apart. Queen slammed her foot into the gas pedal, swerving too and fro as she tried dodging all of the falling blocks. The pyramid finally disappeared, exploding into a large torrent of sand that cashed like a wave behind them. They all screamed as they reached the end of the cognitive world, being dumped back into reality.
xxx(Take Your Time)xxx
"Ugh...my head." Takumi muttered, pushing himself up from the ground. He felt something squishy in his grasp, and opened his eyes, seeing his hand was clutching someone's chest, not just anyone, Ann's chest. The girl just looked at him with widened eyes before pulling her fist back, punching him right in the face. He flew back, slamming into the potted plant beside the door to Leblanc.
"FUCK, GODDAMN IT!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it, it was just a reflex!" Ann cried apologetically, kneeling down next to the boy who was rubbing the new goose egg that had formed on his head.
"What's going on here? What was that crash?" Sojiro cried, having come out of the store, glancing at all of the kids before him.
"That was my head being cracked open by your pot. Don't worry, I'm sure the pot is fine." Takumi sarcastically replied, forcing himself to his feet.
"Hey...where's Futaba?" Ryuji asked, glancing around the area.
"What about Futaba?"
"Oh um..."
"We came all this way, why not grab some coffee right?" Makoto asked, earning curious looks from everyone.
"But I'm not thirsty though." Yusuke replied, only to get elbowed in the ribs by the brunette.
"Come on Yusuke, we traveled here for Boss's delectable coffee right? You even went to the trouble of asking Rise to join you here personally, right?" Takumi asked, causing the blue haired artist to look up at him.
"I...I did, yes...I would like to discuss the subject matter of my next art piece. I was hoping to capture your childlike charm and wonder on canvas. I'll even pay for the coffee."
"Sure...Kanami said the coffee here is great, and I didn't get to try it the last time I was here." the girl replied enthusiastically. Everyone else started walking into the cafe. Takumi was about to follow suit, when Makoto grabbed his hand.
"Let's go check on Futaba." she said softly. He nodded, following her and Ren toward Sojiro's house.
It didn't take long to reach the small house, finding Futaba sitting down on the ground next to her gate. She had a far off look on her face as they approached, which quickly changed to a smile. She stood up, holding her hands behind her back as she glanced at the three.
"I was wondering what was taking so long. Everything went smoothly right? Did you steal the treasure?"
"Um actually, you were the treasure so you stole yourself. As soon as you left, the pyramid collapsed and...well I gotta thank you." Takumi said, earning an odd look from the girl and his friends.
"Thank me...for what?"
"This whole thing with your palace...about finding the truth behind what happened to your mom...it reminded me a lot about my mom. How I was just like you growing up, not understanding her death, and not being able to face it. The only difference is that you were lied too, while I had to learn to accept the truth. Maybe we're not that different, but we're not the same either...you've made me stronger, made me remember all of the wonderful things that I missed about my mom. You were able to face your demons...and you're gonna keep facing them. As long as you let me be your sniper, I'll make sure the path to the truth is clear for you."
"Well...I wasn't expecting to see you get all sentimental but...alright, I'll let you clear the path for me. I actually have something for you, as a thank you gift." she said, walking into her yard. She was gone for about a second before coming back, handing him the Blazblue Collectors Edition he had been looking at before.
"You're giving me this?"
"Mhmm...I can easily get a hold of another one...plus this is my favorite game in the series, and the one where we met. So I hope you're ready, because I'm gonna show you my mad combo skills the next time you are online." she said, earning a grin from the boy.
"Count on it...I'm glad to finally have another otaku I can relate too. My girlfriend plays video games, but she's not well read like I am. Get ready to talk about anime fights, video game characters and memes. If you can't handle me at Palms are Sweaty, then you don't deserve me at Mom's Spaghetti." he said, earning a giggle from the girl.
"Okay, that was a good one."
"I am thou, thou art I, thou hast acquired a new vow...
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh
thy chains of captivity...
With the Rebirth of the Hermit Persona, I have obtained the winds of
blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."
xxx(New Confidant Acquired: The Hermit)xxx
"Sorry about saying your memes were trash, that was a lie. I just didn't want to admit defeat and have to file for dankcruptcy."
"I know...you can't defeat a girl who's been memeing for years now." Futaba replied with a grin.
"Are you alright Futaba? You aren't tired are you? I know awakening to a Persona could be very debilitating at times." Makoto asked, causing the girl to look up at her.
"I am a bit tired, but I couple days of sleep and rest will be alright. I don't exercise much, I mean...I've been cooped up here for months. I just...gotta get back out there. It's what mom would want."
"You're a brave girl Futaba...we'll be there with you every step of the way. I'm sure Sojiro is going to be happy to see this turn around." Ren said.
"I know...and I have all of you to thank...do you...think you could help me?" she asked.
"With what?" Takumi asked, concern in his voice.
"Getting back to my room...I'm a little dizzy." she replied. Takumi nodded, handing the box to Makoto. He took the girl into his arms, lifting her off the ground.
"I'll make sure she's has everything...I think we can close this case."
"What about Medjed?" Makoto asked.
"Don't worry...I'll take care of them...once I'm well rested, I'll let you in on my plan. Don't worry, it'll be sick, I promise." she said, giving the two a wave as Takumi took her back into the house.
Once inside, he brought her back into her room, setting her down on her bed. He looked around the room, frowning when he saw all of the piled up trash bags, sheets of news paper and various other boxes.
"This place is a mess."
"Thanks, in all honesty...I've been meaning to clean it out...I've just been scared to go outside." she said, laying back on her bed, grabbing a hold of her bedsheets.
"I can take care of it...all of the trash bags at least. The rest will be up to you, it'll do you good to at least exercise. Oh right...about the calling card?"
"The flash drive is next to my computer. I've emailed the file to you so you can see it yourself. It's self destructive, so once you view it, it will delete itself, don't worry...it can't be traced." Futaba assured, earning a nod from the boy, who grabbed the flash drive from the desk, hooking it to his necklace.
"I wanted you to be there for the delivery...but your too weak right now from that awakening. I'll make sure to have some cameras around to record it, the master should be able to see her handiwork in action."
"Mwehehe! Of course she should...just let me know and I'll give you my phone. Trust me, I've broken my phone in...have you ever played the game Watch Dogs? My phone is like that, but on crack." she replied.
"Well then...it'll be good to have something like that with me. Welcome to the fold Futaba Sakura...we usually host a celebration for the new members. We'll go where ever you want, alright?"
"Okay...I'm gonna sleep now...thanks again Takumi."
"No problem." he said, tucking her in, making sure her glasses were at her night table. He turned around, sighing as he looked at all of the trash. He smiled a bit, nodding to himself.
"Time to get my cleaning on...good thing I brought my Mr. Clean magic eraser with me...mwehehehe!"
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)
? V The Hierophant(Rank ?)
Ann Takamaki VI The Lovers(Rank 7)
Ryuji Sakamoto VII The Chariot(Rank 4)
? VIII The Justice(Rank ?)
Futaba Sakura IX The Hermit(Rank 1)
? X The Wheel of Fortune(Rank ?)
Billerica Isoshima XI The Strength(Rank 2)
? XII The Hanged Man(Rank ?)
? XIII The Death(Rank ?)
? XIV The Temperance(Rank ?)
Kotone Otonashi XV The Devil (Rank 3)
? XVI The Tower(Rank ?)
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)
? XXII The Adjustment (Rank ?)