We're getting closer to the end as one more issue in Inaba is resolved. I thought I'd do something fun for the first scene. Hope you like it. Disclaimer: I don't own Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, the Persona series, Lupin the Third, or any other referenced media.

Fifty-Second Caper: To Steal A Goddess, Lilac Brooch

The world as we know it is but an illusion. To put in perspective how large it really is, imagine everyone as living in a small single room with the door locked, with the world as the rest of the house. Now, most people think that room is all there is to the world. The door's locked so they can't get out, meaning that's all there is, right? But there are people out there who are more observant. We can observe that the lock on the door is on the inside, where we are. We can open the door... And see the world outside for what it really is. Metahumans, Magi, Miraculous holders, Gigan, those who practice Hamon, Stand users... And gods... -From the journal of Phantom Thief Joker

"Someone kidnapped the local weather girl?," Sumire asked. It had only been a day since Adachi had been recaptured, but it looked like their copycat was not yet done with their escapades. Yu nodded. "Marie had been acting as weather reporter here for several years. She's so skilled that many think she can actually control the weather." Ren held back a snort. He knew there was a Stand user out there that really could control the weather. "Do we know where she disappeared from?" "Actually," Yu said, "She was heading up to the mountains for the ski season."

He tapped his finger for a moment. "Although... The last time this happened, it was after we had already dealt with Adachi." "Did he have any collaborators?," Ren asked. "Yeah, but they had nothing to do with Marie's disappearance," Yu clarified, "She actually left on her own for whatever reason. When me and my friends went after her, she said that she had finally remembered herself. You might find her in the same spot were she was last time. Though... Why is she doing it this time?" Ren and Sumire looked at each other, deciding to find out.

Up on the mountains, the couple decided to check in with the lodge first. "Ah yes," the manager said, "She did come up here. Actually, she left a message to be delivered to anyone who came asking for her." Ren took the message. "To Phantom Thief Joker... Prepare a calling card and send it to Sasuke Mineta, a corrupt land developer. He has a piece of the Joestar Collection called the Lilac Brooch. You'll find him at the end of the forest just outside the lodge. But be warned... The forest was developed by me. If you can accomplish this task, I will tell you of the copycat."

Ren and Sumire looked outside, and sure enough there was the forest. As soon as they entered, they realized something. "Our Stands...," Sumire said, "We can't access them." 'You will need to start walking on your own,' came the voice of a young woman, echoing through their ears, 'Stand users are said to hold the power of gods. Well, let's see if you even remember what it's like to be human.' As the couple started through the misty area, several strange entities appeared. They were more fragile than they appeared, however, and few solid blows dispersed them like shadows.

With each opponent defeated, the duo felt their Stand energy slowly build up again. "How did it drop in the first place, though?," Sumire wondered, "I don't think there's any anti-Stand material in the area." Ren was starting to get a strange premonition. "There are more powers out there besides Stands. There's Hamon, there's magic, and in recent years many humans got a jump start in evolution, becoming what are known as Metahumans, the homo superior. Given all that... Perhaps even gods can be real. That voice did mention the old legend that Stand users have the power of gods."

In the next part of the forest, the two thieves felt their Stand energy return in full force, letting Joker and Violet unleash their gear. 'You've done well,' the voice said, 'I know you're not murderers by nature, but sometimes killing becomes necessary. Like now for instance. Mineta's goons are lurking about. Of course, murder is not necessarily the only way to proceed. I'll leave it up to you how you deal with them, but you'll be going around in circles unless you take them all out.' "I get the feeling we're being tested," Violet said. "I was under the same impression," Joker admitted.

Joker pinned the last goon to the wall, holding his knife to the man's ear. "See, it's always best to intimidate like this," he explained to Violet, "A threat is more viable if you prove you're willing to follow through, and if you just shoot you're liable to kill the target." "And dead men tell no tales," Violet noted, "But horribly maimed people could... So long as you don't break their jaw." Joker chuckled and turned to the goon. "Can you see why I love her? Now why is your boss Mineta after this forest?"

The goon gulped, feeling the blade right beneath his ear. "He... He heard about a goddess statue that was said to house the guardian of the forest. He decided he had to have it for himself. And he intends to threaten the goddess into complying by threatening to take out the whole forest and turn it into condos for the ski resort." Joker narrowed his eyes and blasted the goon in the face with his pistol. "Does he really think a goddess resides in the forest?," Violet asked. "I don't know," Joker admitted, "But at least we have justification for targeting him."

Mineta growled at the calling card he had been sent. "Sasuke Mineta, we are the Phantom Thieves Joker and Violet. Today we will steal the Lilac Brooch from your possession." "That brooch is to be a wedding present to that gorgeous goddess!," Mineta declared, "I won't let any petty criminal steal it from me! Gorgeous! Gorger!" A rather effeminate man dressed like a king and a rather tall man with a wide mouth approached. "You're my most talented guards, skilled Metahumans. Go and take out those thieves, and make it messy." The two of them nodded and headed out.

"How many tests have we gone through?," Violet wondered, "I've honestly lost count." "I for one am wondering who our mysterious proctor is," Joker noted, "And how she knows about us. If she really wants us to steal from Mineta, then why the heck is she making us jump through so many hoops just to get to him?" 'Let's just say I need to make sure you're ready to handle the information I'm going to be offering you upon your success,' the voice chimed in, 'And don't worry, you'll know who I am before long.'

Before long, the two thieves soon found a young woman wearing a white priestess robe. "Sooner than I thought, it seems," the woman said, using the same voice that had been echoing in their heads. She turned around, and the duo gasped. "You're that weather girl!," Violet said, "Marie!" "That's only my human name," Marie admitted, "My true name is Izanami-no-Mikoto." Joker's eyes widened. "As in the creation goddess who was the husband of Izanagi-no-Okami!?" Marie smiled. "The very same, finally resurrected eons later to reunite with my husband. And heavens have I missed him."

Violet was shocked. "You mean you're a real goddess!?" "Don't act so surprised," Marie said incredulously, "Don't forget that humans once thought you Stand users held the power of gods. Obviously they needed a point of reference to think like that." "Okay fair enough," Joker allowed, "But why are you acting as a weather girl in a small town in that case?" "Try weather goddess," Marie said, giving a playful wink, "I'm a goddess of creation, after all. Do you really altering the weather is beyond me?"

"Once again, fair enough," Violet decided, "So why are you here?" "Last time it was to reunite with my husband at long last," Marie explained, "This time it's to keep one of my daughters away from that pervert Mineta! When I saw he had a piece of the Joestar Collection, I decided to bring you two in to help." "So you really know who the copycat is?," Joker asked. Marie nodded. "I can see everything that happens within Inaba, so I know exactly who's been causing trouble."

"Speaking of trouble," came an effeminate voice. "We're here to deal with two such individuals," came a more gruff voice. The two thieves turned to see the thugs Mineta had been talking to earlier. "Oh, I know these two," Marie said, "The king-looking guy calls himself Gorgeous, while the wannabe beefcake calls himself Gorger. They're two of the world's first true supervillains. Give it a few centuries, and there will be hundreds of them." Gorger rushed at Joker with his mouth open wide, only to get shocked when Joker phased through him easily. Gorgeous lit up the area with a blinding light, only to get slugged by Violet. "Trying to blind a light manipulator is like trying to burn the sun," she quipped.

Joker delivered a spin kick to the back of Gorger's head to knock him out. "Hope there aren't any more surprises from Mineta." "Nah, this was the biggest threat he had," Marie said, "Speaking of, his mansion should be just past us at the other end of the forest. Let's finish this up quick, I've scheduled a heavy rainstorm to help the rice fields in the area." The two thieves nodded. The idea that gods and goddess could really exist wasn't so strange, since the Kwamis were essentially tiny god creatures. It was the fact that more human-sized ones existed that caught the duo off-guard.

Mineta was impatiently tapping his finger while his arms were crossed. Things had gone silent with Gorgeous and Gorger, and most of his men actually. Plus the forest was giving off a bizarre feeling that he was frankly uncomfortable with. Just as he was about to try contacting them, a sudden shadow darted into the room and grabbed the Lilac Brooch. "Hey!," Mineta called out, "That's my wedding present!" "Wrong," Joker said as he manifested, "It was never yours to offer to anyone."

Mineta then blacked out when Violet blasted him with a stun shot from her rifle. "The ironic thing is his line will one day produce a valiant, if somewhat perverted, superhero," Marie noted, "Though for now he'll be suffering for his crimes." She looked at the two thieves. "The copycat you're looking for... He's someone who moved to Inaba only recently. I don't know his name just yet, he's skilled at hiding himself, but I do know that he's the bastard son of a man named Donatello Versus."

"That complicates things," Joker said, "Versus was a son of DIO Brando, who gained a connection to the Joestar bloodline by stealing the body of George Joestar II." "Oh, this man has already disowned himself from the Joestar line," Marie assured Joker, "He's even gone so far as to have his birthmark surgically removed. As far as he's concerned, the Brandos are his real family line." "Conundrum solved then," Violet noted, "If he's disowned himself from the family, then we won't have to worry about stealing from the Joestar clan." Joker nodded. "We'll have Alibaba let the Inaba police know about him. They'll be able to track him down."

Back in Paris, Fu took the Peacock Miraculous and handed it to Aurora, who would use it to become the hero Pavo. "To think I would live to see all nineteen Miraculous used to create heroes," Fu said. "I'm sure we'll do you proud," Aurora said. Fu nodded. "Of course, this will be the last time I am in Paris. Once I am done training Marinette as the new Guardian, I will be leaving for London to be with the woman I love. I have been the Guardian for almost two centuries. I think it's about time I retire..." He looked out the nearby window. 'Violet has proven the perfect balancing point for Joker. Without her light, I fear he would have fallen too far into darkness...'

Next time, Joker's journey comes full circle as he and Violet join Team Miraculous in New York. When a dangerous supervillain appears, it's revealed that another Miracle Box exists. And this revelation could come with a great surprise for the two Phantom Thieves. Read and review.