"The Jester is moving at a wonderful pace in his Social Links," Margaret hums. "He has already unlocked new understandings of many of his bonds."
Philemon, the handsome figure Tohru had met in his first Velvet Room stay, watches her carefully. Tohru Adachi interests him, amuses him, and he wants to know more of the man straight from the one person he knows that may know him best.
"Open the book," he says softly, "I wish to see his progress. With most, if not all, of his bonds."
"Which one would you like first?"
"Hanged Man. Munehisa Iwai. And do explain at least some of what they're attempting."
Margaret chuckles. "They've been modifying airsoft guns together. Apparently Tohru came up with a special design they've been finishing up."
Margaret opens up the book, flipping to the page as the scenery flows out before her..
Tohru's been working at this special airsoft gun mod with Iwai for months. Iwai's patience has been tested once or twice in the process, but he hasn't snapped at Adachi yet.
It's clear they've been in the backroom of Untouchable for a long while. Wrinkled Big Bang Burger wrappers litter the space, as well as a few sucked upon lollipop sticks.
Iwai's stripped down to a tank top and some combat pants, while Adachi's got rolled up sleeves and an apron that bears the phrase "Get Smoked." They're both bent over the gun as they tinker with it. Iwai leans over, adjusting the lamplight.
"One more turn of the screwdriver, and we'll have finished," Iwai murmurs.
Tohru's beaming. "Wanna do it together?"
Iwai can't help but chuckle. "Sure thing, buddy."
"Hey, when did I become your 'buddy'? You've been calling me 'kid' for months."
Tohru takes a grip of the screwdriver, Iwai quickly following suit. Iwai's eyes crinkle with amusement.
"You became my 'buddy' 'cause you earned it. Not many people can say that."
"You're just impressed at the coin tricks I did for your kid."
"It was sudden, y'know? Didn't think some skinny stock-broker lookin' ex-convict would have a knack for that sorta thing."
"Well.." Tohru chuckles, a little more anxious. "I learned it for my ex-boss's daughter."
"Nanako, right?"
"... you remembered?"
Iwai's face melts to a smirk as his tone goes into pure sarcasm.
"You've got a picture of her in your wallet. Of course I'd remember. Just like you remember my kid's name. Right, buddy?"
Iwai reaches over, putting his hand on Tohru's shoulder, and Tohru is delighted to find that Iwai's also become a master of the firm father's shoulder squeeze, just like Dojima is.
"Kaoru," Tohru blurts out through the pain, and he seems visibly surprised that he was even able to recall that so quick.
Iwai throws his head back and laughs.
"Alright, alright. Enough banter, let's get this thing finished and let's fire it. I've got a bottle of champagne I haven't opened that we can sip, too."
Their hands grip, turning in sync, and Tohru feels like it all locks into place. Once they've got it turned, they pull back to stare at their masterpiece.
"Y'know, Tohru.. no matter what happens, I do wantcha to know something."
"Yeah, Mune?"
"Mune.." Iwai chuckles, shaking his head. "Man, you've got some real nerve calling me by my first name.." he says, with a grin that shows he's joking.
"Anyway, Tohru, lemme finish."
Tohru goes quiet.
"Now, I'm not an idiot. Akira? That kid's like a son to me, I'd go to war for him. He's the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he's a little punk, and he's got a way with people."
"And this pertains to me.. how?"
"I'm gettin' to it, I'm gettin' to it. I said lemme finish."
After a moment of Tohru's silence, Iwai continues again.
"You and Akira have the same sort of way with people. Though you're still workin' on it."
"Am I, now?"
"Yeah. I can tell. You're not as uncomfortable as when we first started talkin', those few months back."
Iwai pauses, blushing a little as he takes his hat off. "What I'm tryna say, Tohru, is that you're part of my family too, now. Just like Akira is. And, well.. I want you to take this."
The gecko pin Iwai places in Tohru's hand is warm, and it makes Tohru's heart soar.
I am thou, thou art I..
Thou hast turned a bond-vow into a true blood-oath.
Thy bond has become the eyes with which the truth may be seen, and the wings of rebellion that break through the hungry, binding chains..
Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret of the Hanged Man, granting thee infinite power..
Philemon laughs softly, a sound that slides through the air like silk.
"Why does it surprise me so, that the first one he would get to the full understanding of a Fool's Bond with would be that of Iwai…?"
Margaret nods, her tone dry and acrid. "The two have indeed become.. as one could put it.. thick as thieves."
Philemon laughs even more, smiling wide.
"Excellent wordplay. As I will ask for all these bonds you convey to me: what has our Jester gained, from this bond of his?"
"The Yakuza connections Iwai has, which will become invaluable in the planning of Tohru's.. gambit."
"You speak with such hesitance. You will have to describe to me later the full nature of the Jester's plan. Onto the next one."
"Which one now?"
Philemon smiles. "The one who opened his heart to the nature of bonds entirely in the first place.. Ryotaro Dojima, the Emperor."
"And you would like me to explain this one's basis, as well-"
"Yes. No need to cover the full beginnings, but only what builds their bond now."
Margaret clears her throat. "It appears that our Adachi has been.. practicing a martial form of fighting with Dojima. He saw a rather old series, and.. He was inspired to learn how to fight in sync with Dojima, to the sounds of music."
Philemon laughs again, unable to contain his amusement as he claps slightly. He leans forward.
"Now this I would love to see. The book, if you will."
It opens up to the scene..
A strange song is playing through their headphones, and the two men are in Mementos.
They both take a deep breath, timed exactly so.
They step forward towards their enemy - an Angel - timed exactly so.
Steps fall in unison, faster.
Their weapons raise at the same time, hearts beat at the same time, their breaths go in and out, in and out at the same time -
And the two lunge.
Tohru might not be very strong, but he is fast, especially as a Thief, where his acrobatic skill is unmatched. Likewise, what Dojima lacks in speed normally, he almost certainly makes up for in strength. Gifted with the youthful quickness of the Thieves, he becomes a menace.
Put those two together, and what happens is nothing short of calculated carnage.
They slash into the Angel in unison.
It's more than their hearts beating in sync, more than the footsteps they step in sync.
These two bleed into each other whenever they practice.
Dojima can feel Tohru's hunger in his chest, twisting and livid and raw like an ache he can't ignore, and it makes him shiver with excitement. Tohru can feel Dojima's hardened, terrifying patience, worn like a mountain that refuses to bend, and it makes a grin spread on his own face.
In the heat of battle, Tohru Adachi and Ryotaro Dojima are alchemy - two fusing into one.
The Angel cries out as the two simultaneously pierce into its wings with their weapons. There's a horrific precision to how the two do so.
Two weapons - a harpoon-like grappling hook and a firework lance - tear their way out of the wing and raise up at the same time.
They fall, and the Angel cries out one last time before vanishing.
They share panting breaths together, the blood of Shadows painting their faces.
Tohru's hand ghosts Dojima's in the afterglow.
I am thou, thou art I.
Thou hast already understood the ultimate secret of the Emperor, a bond-oath transcended into a hungry blood-oath that breaks the yoke of thy heart..
Philemon places a few fingers to his lips, still grinning.
"What a strange loyalty these two have to each other. Love and lust and loyalty and life, in a single pairing."
Margaret rubs her temple with two fingers. "For how bold he can be sometimes, he can be so frustratingly dense. Neither will speak the words aloud to confirm a truth they both know in their hearts."
"He needs to stop meandering and spit it out."
"That's what I've been thinking for the past several months, Master." Her tone is getting increasingly more weary.
"I suspect we do not need to dwell on this truth further - I know already what the Jester gains from this, after all. Inaba's heartbeat serves him well. Onto the next one."
"That would be.. Kunikazu Okumura. Hierophant."
"And what has Tohru Adachi done with him?"
"While Okumura has tutored our Jester in the ways of eloquence, refining his high mockery, Tohru has helped Okumura understand a new way to bond with his daughter."
"Which is?"
"... video games."
Kunikazu stands on the landing of the Okumura mansion with Tohru, watching the crowds of people mill around below them. Haru's smiling, waving in her wheelchair as she greets all the other professional gamers that come into the mansion. They seem to be rather familiar with her, judging by their cheerful faces.
Kunikazu is smoking a cigar as he turns his head slightly towards Tohru.
"She's really gotten better," Tohru chirps.
Kunikazu can't help but laugh. "Almost like you have."
Tohru lets out a "pfft," chuckling along with a grin. "That's bullshit."
"You're no murderer, not anymore. Would the Tohru Adachi of the past make the choice to save my life, even knowing what I've done?"
Tohru can't help but go quiet at that.
His response is a quiet "... no, no he wouldn't."
Kunikazu turns towards Tohru, his shoulders relaxed as he leans against the railing.
"I'm aware you've most likely.. seen the worst I have to offer. You made that packet, after all - the one with all those pictures."
"No kidding," Tohru sighs, "I saw some pretty fucked-up shit, for lack of a better term. You were like a tyrant back then."
"You know, Adachi, I also took the liberty to research your crimes when we began talking, those few months ago." Kunikazu takes a deep drag from his cigar, letting the smoke drift through the air. "People hanging from television poles.. How did you do it?"
"Shoved them into a TV."
And Kunikazu throws his head back, letting himself laugh.
"There were no marks on the bodies, though!"
"It's the usual sort of cognitive nonsense. Y'know, like how the Metaverse works.. Except I didn't need some fancy app on my phone, I could just shove my hand and body in and boom, there I was. Had full control over it, too."
A somber look falls onto Kunikazu's face. He looks to the side.
"... do you ever think about the fact, Tohru, that we should not be alive?"
Tohru tenses up.
"How?"
"We're.." Kunikazu laughs again, but it's mirthless and hollow. "We were genuinely awful people back then. Both of us."
Tohru pinches the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, but things are different. You got your ass kicked by some stupid kids, I got my ass kicked by some stupid kids, we understand where we went wrong and how to 'fix' it - or already have it fixed, in your case - and now we're here, trying to figure ourselves out."
Kunikazu shakes his head. "So you chose to save me because someone reached out and saved you, is that what you're telling me?"
"Something along those lines, yeah."
Kunikazu's face quirks up in a smile. "Tohru Adachi.. You truly are a strange, strange sort of man. And yet.. I consider you a trusted friend of mine."
He walks up to Tohru, putting his hand on Tohru's shoulder. "You're the only person who will ever truly understand what I went through and how I changed. That's why I give you my bond of trust.. and why I give you this."
He puts a little box into Tohru's hands. Tohru opens it up to find a pair of shiny golden cufflinks.
"... Mr. Motivational's passing on his heirloom cufflinks to his student at last, heh?" Tohru jokes, trying not to seem too touched by the sentiment.
Kunikazu chuckles. "I swear, I'll be lowered into the grave and you'll still be calling me Mr. Motivational."
"Whaaat? It's a good nickname. Why not wear it with pride?"
"I should start calling you something equally as embarrassing."
"Such as?"
"... Paperboy."
"HEY!"
"Regardless. These cufflinks.. My father gave them to me, yes. I swore I'd never give them to anybody else, but.. Times have changed. You deserve them more than I do."
Tohru's face quirks in a smirk.
"You really are something, Okumura.."
I am thou, thou art I..
Thou hast turned a bond-vow into a true blood-oath.
Thy bond has become the eyes with which the truth may be seen, and the wings of rebellion that break through the hungry, binding chains..
Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret of the Hierophant, granting thee infinite power..
"What interests me the most about this specific bond of the Jester's is the fact that, Margaret.. Kunikazu was destined to die. I could see it in the cards, I could see it in the stars.. And I'm fairly certain the man himself even knew it, on some level, that his time was running out." Philemon picks up a card, 10 of Swords.
"The worst sort of defeat possible awaited him. And yet in a single, destiny-destroying instance, the Jester did something near-unprecedented for himself. For a second, he did what his counterpart, Narukami, would do.."
Philemon throws the card aside, hard enough for it to pierce into the floor of the Velvet Room.
"With two bullets, he changed fate entirely and saved Kunikazu's life. The damned saving the damned."
Margaret seems to grow particularly irritated at this.
"He is nothing like Narukami. Narukami is a better boy than the Jester can even dream of being."
"He is everything like Narukami."
"You're spinning truth into lies."
The corner of Philemon's mouth raises in an eerie grin.
"It's no coincidence that he holds the Jester Arcana where Narukami holds the Fool. In another circumstance, another time.. He very well may have turned out like your beloved Wild Card."
Margaret bares her teeth, closing the book and gripping it tightly.
"Say that again and Master or not, I will slap you."
"Margaret, what distresses you so about this truth? Is it because of your feelings for Narukami?"
Her eyes flash with shock and fear.
"My feelings are not your concern." Her voice wavers slightly, eyes wide.
"Then it is your feelings on the Jester."
"No," she says, but her eyes betray the truth.
"Your tone holds the timbre of a lie. Give me the book."
"No. NO!"
"Give me the book," Philemon repeats, stepping closer. There is no change in his tone, his face eerily placid.
"I refuse! I will not let you see this -"
"Give me that which is mine."
Philemon grabs the book, flipping it to the Empress page, getting a brief glimpse -
"Look, I just need your help with this plan.."
"All you want to do, Jester, is use people. It's sickening, and I won't play into it - even if I wanted to, it's not allowed.."
"Bullshit. I know you helped that Narukami brat, didn't you?"
"I did not break the rules of my position for him!"
"... you did, didn't you?"
"No! You get out, you get away from me!"
"I need your help if I'm going to win!"
"Never -"
Philemon closes the book up.
"... I will allow him this small victory, Margaret. Whatever plan he wanted you to co-operate upon with him, let him carry it out."
"Why? It seems like you're favoring him."
"Make no mistake, Margaret - I do not play favorites."
His smile is still that same, eerie calm as he grabs Margaret by the shoulder leaning in. "Have you seen into the future like I have? Have you seen the threat of control, the Crawling Chaos rising once more?"
He shakes his head. "I am humanity's benevolence, but I worry. I worry deeply. I allow him this small mercy in service of all that comes next. I allow him this because I am no longer going to stand by and watch - I am going to help, as much as I can, because they will need it for what is to come."
"It does not change the Jester's hunger. It does not change his vice."
"Then show it to me. Show me the man's worst vices, and I shall give to you my rebuttal."
"... Very well, Master."
"No - call me Philemon, if you will."
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks a ton to salmonandsoup, writer of the Spectral Redeemers au which is another really good au you should check out, for helping me write the Kunikazu part!
Another thank you to my good buddy Snap for doing the first art we've seen of Marquis/Phantom Thief Mishima in this au! Snap's art is always so damn good.. I'm sad that I can't link it here.
Sorry for how long it took to upload this chapter. I'm 18 now! Yay!
I had art block, holiday stuff.. hopefully we can get back to weekly updates as usual. Also hope you guys enjoyed the Evangelion reference here - been delving back into old anime a ton.
To new readers: Welcome to this fic! I hope you're enjoying it!
To old readers: Welcome back to this fic! I'm glad you've stuck around! Your due patience is gonna be rewarded with some absolutely firecracker chapters coming up.
To all readers: Thank you for your continued support and patronage!
NEXT CHAPTER: We tackle the planning for Masayoshi Shido's Palace! Perhaps the Investigation Team's research might truly pay off..