Wandering alone, trying to buy some time
It's been all done, I hope things end alright
And there's a dreadful sound, now I feel far gone
In a while I might run, run, run, run
"Hey, no talking! I'm still teaching here!"
Uchimaru growled, clutching the stick of chalk in his hand. Not a soul in the room could be bothered to pay attention to what was written on the board, the whole class abuzz with rumor.
To Suguru Kamoshida, the False King of Shujin, for crimes of serial abuse, manipulation, harassment...
Mishima read off the card, a remnant of the red and black windfall that had swept through Shujin, a huddle of students over his shoulders. Hundreds of them had flooded the school, plastered on walls and falling through the central courtyard like a second autumn of polygonal red leaves.
We are the Phantom Thieves...
Kamoshida's reply was almost as loud, his voice shaking the walls of the Principal's office as they desperately tried to get a hold of the situation.
"And we've come to take your heart!" He ripped up the declaration nailed to the wall of the teacher's lounge and tossed the scraps aside. "What the fuck does that mean?"
Kawakami was sure glad to be on the other side of the door listening in for this particular rant, but it was worth it to see their delicate balance of power topple like a house of cards.
"Somebody talked." The bald man's head was sweating bullets like a hard boiled egg.
"Yeah, no shit." Kamoshida rubbed his eyes. "Question is, who?"
"You mean you have no idea?"
"If I did, don't you think I'd be out there wringing their little necks right now?"
"Easy now, everything we say from here on out is permissible in a court of law."
"You throwing me under the bus, is that it?"
"Not if I can help it, but if my name comes up during an investigation, you will be hearing from my lawyer."
"Way to kick a man when he's down."
"Drop the innocent act, Suguru. You knew this day was coming, and it's poor form to blame others because you couldn't keep it in your pants." Kobayakawa lowered his voice, his next words all but drowned out by the torrent of rain against the window. "Take the day off. Hell, take the rest of the week. You keep your distance from this mess and let the big boys handle it."
Sadayo felt her heart catch in her throat, arms tight around the books at her chest like they were the only thing keeping her above water.
"I sure hope so."
She heard a chair scrape against the floor and jumped, quickly detaching herself from the door.
"God, what a shit show." The taller man hardly noticed his coworker crouched down on the floor, picking up another handful of calling cards. "Oh, it's you."
"Yeah, it's me." She stood back up, roughly at chin height, holding up one of the cards. "Looks like you have some secret admirers."
"Oh, fuck off, Kawakami." The coach pushed past her, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't have time for this."
These days, Becky wouldn't have stood for such a slight, but knowing that their efforts in the Metaverse brought him real anguish bolstered her. Kamoshida wasn't quite sure from where, but he could feel the screws tightening, shadows in the dark reaching for the crown atop his head. For an apex predator, his eyes sat wide with fear, sweat darkening the creases of his shirt as he stalked the halls.
"Say hello to your fans for me."
She waved goodbye, hopefully for the last time.
"You really said that?" Ren chuckled, joining his teacher for an afternoon chat on the roof.
"Why, you think it was too much?" Kawakami bit the nail of her index finger. "It was just- I've never seen him like this before. I know I don't want to draw suspicion, but it felt so good, being able to twist the knife."
"Nah, I don't think he suspects anything. If he's smart, he'll do like he's told and stay far away, which is just enough time for the change of heart to take effect."
"Do you think we've done enough?" Sadayo asked Ren, her fingers sliding through the holes of the chain link fence that separated her from the three story drop. "He's disgraced, he's running scared. You should have seen everyone's faces in the teacher's lounge. All the shock, the disgust, not a lot of surprise though, if you catch my drift. Seems like those rumors got around more than I thought."
"The truth was always going to come to light sooner or later." He stood beside her, enjoying the respite from the fervor bubbling on the lower floors. "But 'later' doesn't exactly help the people suffering right now. And that's assuming the case goes to trial and he gets convicted. What if he worms his way out of this and just starts the same cycle anew in some other place?"
"You would think they'd have enough for an open and shut case."
"Call it erring on the side of caution. I want to make sure that what happened here never happens again."
"You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, right?" She looked to him, their fearless leader facing the sun. "You can't change the heart of every bad guy in Tokyo any more than you can stop the tide from coming in."
"Well..." He shoved a pebble in the gap between the fence and the roof with his foot, sending it tumbling down to the streets below. "At least I can say I changed one."
Sounds of commotion from the stairway drew their attention, growing louder by the second. Ren swiftly grabbed Kawakami's arm and took her behind one of the industrial ventilation units, putting a finger to his lips.
"You don't have to tell me to be quiet!"
"Shh!"
BANG.
The rooftop door swung open, kicked by a mighty foot as a haggard looking girl came stumbling out of it in a softball uniform, followed by a voice.
"IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT?"
"No, please-!" Shiho shielded herself with her hands as Kamoshida emerged from the shadows, looking for all the world like his menacing Metaverse counterpart.
"You little bitch!" He closed the distance between them in two strides and took the girl's arm by force, practically lifting her off the ground. "All this time, now you wanna go and run your mouth?"
"I'm sorry, please!" Her voice warbled with barely restrained tears. "I didn't say anything, I swear!"
"Didn't I tell you what would happen if you couldn't keep your trap shut?" He shook her violently. "Now your friend Takamaki is gonna get it too. Is that what you want-"
"That's enough, Kamoshida!"
Sadayo stepped out from behind their cover, throwing off Ren's grip and calling the man out.
"You let go of her right now!"
"What the fuck?" Kamoshida expressed befuddlement, but refused to let go of his captive. "Oh, it's you."
"Yeah, it's me." Sadayo walked towards him. "You let go of her this instant, Kamoshida."
"Or what, you gonna nag me to death?" Shiho struggled, but couldn't break the former Olympian's grip. "You gonna run and tell the boss man? News flash, Becky, nobody gives a shit."
Kawakami's face blanched, but her stance remained resolute.
"Oh yeah, that's right. Kobayakawa told me all about your little side gig. I thought being a substitute teacher for a living was humiliating enough, but you'll get on your hands and knees for anybody, won'tcha?"
His smug grin ate at her soul, but the tears streaming down Shiho's face told her to push onward.
"I mean hey, if you need the cash, I got a knob you can polish right here-"
"That's enough." Ren stepped out from behind the other side of the ventilation unit, his phone held high to show he was recording.
"Ah, I see what's going on here." It dawned on Kamoshida how compromising his position was, and his hold on the girl began to loosen. "You two in cahoots with each other, is that it?"
"It's over, Kamoshida." Ren declared flatly, taking a few steps forward of his own. "Let go of her now, or this gets live streamed to the whole school."
"Please." He shoved Shiho away, who Sadayo caught in her arms, trying to comfort the poor girl in her ordeal. "You seen that deepfake software they got now? You could make it look like I'm saying anything."
Even he didn't seem too sure of that defense, judging by the steps he was taking towards the exit.
"Plus, who's going to believe some delinquent dipshit and a washed up whore?"
"Get the fuck out of here, Kamoshida." Sadayo trembled, holding the girl close. "Get the fuck out right now!"
He didn't have a response to that, unused to the sight of raw, uncut rage lighting up the mild mannered woman's face. In his deep seated unconscious however, it touched a familiar nerve, a vision of a woman in black spreading its wings behind her.
"I'd do as the lady says." Ren advanced with the phone up, finger on the trigger.
Pits of sweat formed on his shirt, the look of a man who was well and truly fucked darkening his eyes. Kobayakawa could make a lot of things disappear, but even he wasn't a magician.
"This won't end well for you." He threatened, slowly backing away. "Either of you."
"Keep talking, I'm sure the cops would love a confession on air."
"Aw, fuck this." Kamoshida finally turned tail and sprinted down the stairwell. If they never saw the man's face again, it'd be too soon, but they still had work to do.
"Thank God." It was as if the strings holding up Sadayo's shoulders had been cut, and she nearly collapsed with Shiho in her arms. "Shh, shh, it's gonna be okay. You hear me? It's gonna be okay now."
"I- It's just he- He-" Shiho could barely form words in between her deep, heaving breaths, leaving a damp spot on Sadayo's sweater where she had cried.
"It's alright." She kept patting the girl's head. "You don't have to say anything."
They stayed like that for a minute, Sadayo trying to comfort her in her time of need, trying to process what they just witnessed.
"Kawakami..." Ren appeared at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know what happens now, right?"
The woman looked up to his face, dark features in shadow, the reign of the golden afternoon sun coming to a close.
"I do." She took Ren's hand and rose to meet him, gently bringing Shiho to her feet.
"Good, cause that video was a bluff." He breathed out, letting his shoulders drop as well.
"W-wait, what happens now?" Shiho sniffed, eyes red and puffy, but safe in her teacher's arms.
Two pairs of eyes met in tacit understanding.
We go to work.
The striped yellow bus bounded across the cracked, reddened asphalt, rumbling with anticipation. True to its appearance as an organic entity, the Metaverse hungered for their arrival, the thousand tendrils above just missing forks and knives for the feast. Careening along in a cartoon van packed to the brim with costumed vigilantes, Sadayo had a newfound empathy for sardines.
"Is it always like that?" Ryuji stuck his head out the window, observing the storm clouds gathering over Shujin Castle in the distance.
"The Metaverse is a reflection of the world through the lens of our emotion." Ren answered mechanically, shifting gears on their approach. "His secret's out, and he knows it. Kamoshida's Shadow will be waiting for us on high alert."
"And here I thought we'd be able to take the Treasure and dip right after." The blonde hung his head.
"Cheer up, Skull. This is where the fun begins."
"Oh I'm ready." He planted the baseball bat in his palm like a gavel, waiting to pass judgement. "That fucker's gettin' what's coming to him, right Panther?"
Their fiery feline friend had sat in silence for the trip thus far, staring down at her boots and contemplating the state they had left Shiho in.
"Hey." Kawakami got her attention from the opposite seat, feeling a little ridiculous in a fairy tale version of her Becky costume, but sure in her words nonetheless. "How are you holding up?"
She reached out but Ann moved away, still refusing to look up.
"Let's just get this over with." The girl muttered, her gloves tensing around the edges of the seat. "I'm not leaving until that bastard pays for what he did."
"You tell 'em!" Ryuji rhythmically tapped his bat against the floor.
"Thank you, for being there for her." Ann turned her eyes to the woman in front of her, stoic blue and shimmering. "You didn't have to do that."
"I'm a teacher, Takamaki. It's my job." Sadayo replied softly, but also as a point of pride.
"Yeah, well, in here it's Panther."
"Hi Panther, I'm Becky."
"That's what you're going with, huh?"
"I thought Teach was a little on the nose, and this name is a part of me too." Kawakami leaned forward. "It's something I slip into when I have a job to do."
"Did Joker pick it out for you?"
"Why? Is he responsible for Panther and Skull too?"
"No, we choose for ourselves."
"Well there you have it." She tapped the wall of the van twice to get the driver's attention. "Are we there yet?"
"Just about." Ren grunted and shifted down harshly, bringing the Mona bus to a squealing halt outside the castle walls, its lopsided shadow looming over them all.
"About time!" Ryuji reached from under his seat and pulled out a heavy looking harpoon gun, big brother to Ren's personal grappling hook. "You think he'll be expecting this?"
"I don't think he has a clue, brother." Ren clapped him on the shoulder and let the blonde go wild, watching their lifeline sail over the wall and hook onto a stone parapet.
"What happened to Thieves don't take the front door?" Sadayo asked their leader, standing beside him as Skull tested the slack in the rope.
"That was for the infiltration. Now that we've secured the route, all that's left is a smash and grab."
"You make it sound easy."
"Guys, c'mon!" Ryuji waved them over, Ann having nimbly climbed up halfway already, with a hastily transformed Morgana not far behind.
"Don't wanna keep them waiting, Becky." He teased.
"Oh shut up." She poked the front of his mask. "I was just trying to cheer her up, it's not gonna stick."
"Yo Becky! Joker!" Ryuji hollered again. "We ain't got all night!"
Ren shrugged as she stomped away.
"I don't get paid enough for this..."
The cavernous depths of the castle bustled with activity, the many soldiers scurrying like metal ants to the tune of their Ruler. Their footsteps clanged and knocked the dust from the walls, scouring every corner for their quarry.
"Find them!" The cognitive Kamoshida roared, making even his most devout knights tremble in their rusted armor. "Bring them to me, alive or dead!"
While the Thieves couldn't quite hear his declaration, they could certainly feel his presence reverberate throughout Shujin. The quintet had scaled up to the topmost spire, hanging over the grounds below at an architecturally impossible angle that left each of them dangling like a daisy chain from each other, to a single window above their heads. From there they swayed in the breeze, in profile against a gaunt yellow moon.
"Mona!" Ren grunted, thankful that those bedroom pull ups were paying off as he held onto the combined weight of four fully grown Thieves, and one pint size one scurrying up the chain. One slip of the hand, and they would find out for real what a fatal blow in the Metaverse would do to one's corporeal form, or a thirty story drop.
"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time!" The cat yowled, clawing his way to the top, much to the chagrin of the other Thieves. "Coming through! Sorry, Lady Ann!"
"Just unlock the damn thing already you stupid cat!" Ryuji was losing his patience, and his grip.
"I'm not a cat!"
"Really not the time here, fellas!" Ren shouted over them, his left arm beginning to go limp.
"Okay, okay." Morgana popped out a silvery claw and fiddled with the lock on the window, popping it open in the span of a few seconds. "Alright, everyone inside!"
Once the Thieves had all climbed aboard, they took a minute to survey their surroundings, while Ren made sure his arm was still in its socket.
"Hey, don't push yourself." Sadayo touched his chest, noting how hard the boy was breathing.
"I'm fine." He gently pushed her hand away. "We've got to keep moving."
"Ren's right, we've got Kamoshida with his tail between his legs, but he's unpredictable." Ryuji pointed out, wondering what all this unused crap in the attic represented in the man's psyche. "If he decides to cut and run, we could lose our only chance to stop him for good."
"How about you, Ann? Ann?" Kawakami looked around to find the girl had disappeared.
The attic was full to bursting with all sorts of things pushed to the mind's periphery, including items unbecoming of a medieval castle, like old trophies and jerseys. She turned a corner to find the blonde girl staring at a wall plastered with faded black and white photographs, each one swirling in and out of existence like fallen leaves in a stream. A collage of the same young man stared back at them, brimming with strength and vigor, the pride of a nation carried through his jawline and winning smile. ATHENS 2004 announced the banner above it all, itself torn and yellowed, like the pages of a book long forgotten.
"I remember watching this on TV." Sadayo commented after a moment of silence, the shimmering collage not unlike a museum exhibit. "It was a big moment for us, not really the kind of sport you expect Japan to show up for, but he brought it home. They all did."
"I was just a kid then." Ann shook her head. "But he looks like a completely different guy. How could someone like that do what he did?"
Behind them, Ryuji stepped up to give the wall art a piece of his mind, until Ren's hand dissuaded him.
"Every day we wake up, we're given a choice. I don't think he ever came to Shujin with the intention of becoming a monster, but by degrees..."
"So you expect me to feel sorry for him?"
"No, and I sure as hell don't. I just think it's important to understand that no one is born evil, and even those who walk the path should be given the choice to walk away."
Choice being the operative word. She thought, looking back to Ren.
"He's had plenty of second chances. Third and fourth too, every day we wake up, like you said." Ann huffed. "You can't live like he does and not expect any payback."
"Revenge is a slippery slope, Takamaki. It's not something I want you kids to fall down."
"I'm not doing this because it's fun, or even just because it feels better than doing nothing." Another shimmering caught her eye, deeper within the wall, calling to Ann from beyond. "I'm doing this because I want to, and this is my justice, my chance to make things right."
Ann's gloved hand glowed as she reached into the wall, the pictures threatening to swallow her whole. Immediately, the Thieves were at her side, trying to pry her away in vain.
"Ann! Hold on!"
"Don't let go!"
She didn't listen to them, gritting her teeth and pulling hard, the stonework around them beginning to shake.
"Just… a little… more..."
POP.
The four Thieves were launched back from their tug of war against the wall, seemingly victorious. Ann's hand shot up, hefting a golden medal, dripping with a light coat of black ichor.
"No way!" Morgana stood, slack-jawed. "She got the Treasure!"
The Castle didn't take kindly to that, the bones of the ancient thing rattling as it felt its heart ripped out, and zeroing in on the Thieves responsible.
"Is- Is that it?" Ryuji asked, watching the walls around them begin to shift and moan, as if the place itself were on its deathbed.
"Stealing the Treasure compromises the integrity of the Palace." Ren confirmed. "We're going to have to move fast if we want to get out of here before it collapses in on itself."
"Leave it to me!" Skull puffed up his chest. "Let's get the hell out of here!"
He opened the nearest door only to come face to face with Kamoshida, or rather, the amorphous mass of flesh and gold that called itself Kamoshida, its many voices addressing them from all around.
"FOOLISH THIEVES!" He forced himself through the opening tearing the door off its hinges as the extent of his grotesque form became clear to them, its enormity straining the walls and knocking over shelves of knick knacks. "YOUR TRESPASS HAS LED YOU HERE, THE END OF THE LINE!"
As he squirmed and squelched forward, they found themselves with their backs to the gap from which they climbed, and nowhere to run.
"YOU CAN'T TALK YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS ONE, TRICKSTER!"
"This isn't a negotiation." Ren touched his mask, wings of blue flame unfurling behind him. "Arsene!"
"Carmen!"
"Zorro!"
"Caaaptain Kidd!"
Sadayo watched them call forth their Personas, bringing the fury they'd kept bottled up and unleashing it on the monstrous parody of a man slavering at them. In truth, it was less of a fight and more a melee of teens wailing on an amorphous blob as it howled and swung wildly. With little recourse but to join in, she drew her sword in righteous anger.
"Cendrillon!"
"Hyaa!" Ryuji brought his bat down from on high on a protruding limb that resembled a leg, inverting the intended angle of the joint with a well placed strike. "That's for my kneecap, asshole!"
Kamoshida weathered their attacks, the volley of bullets from Ann's machine pistol being absorbed into his many folds of skin and fat.
"IS THAT YOUR BEST SHOT?" He gurgled, lumbering forward with a gaping, toothy grin. "YOU PUSSIES COULDN'T FIGHT YOUR WAY OUT OF A PAPER BAG!"
The King summoned a roar from within that knocked them flat, his rancid breath blowing the Thieves away.
"Joker, what do we do?" Ryuji coughed, narrowly avoiding an oncoming slam from the Ruler's fist.
Ren took a good look at the ugly head upon which the crown sat, mouth wide and yawning, neck bulging with veins.
"GET OVER HERE SO I CAN PICK MY TEETH WITH YOUR BONES!"
"Shut the hell up!" Ann cracked her whip along his skin, leaving a mark where the skin had seared, that hit seemingly hurting more than the rest as Kamoshida visibly recoiled from the flame.
"THE AUDACITY OF YOU CHILDREN TO THINK YOU CAN TAKE AWAY A MAN'S PRIDE! ALL I'VE WORKED FOR!"
The force of his yell pushed them farther back still, his medal scraping against the floor as they neared the edge. A spark lit up from behind Ren's mask, and he pulled Ann aside, providing covering fire all the while.
"I've got an idea, Panther. Give me the whip, and make a break for it with the medal."
"This better work." She pressed the coiled leather into his chest, effortlessly sliding on the hardwood floor and scooping the Treasure back up. "Hey asshole, looking for this?"
Kamoshida roared, extending his throbbing neck that much further in her direction.
"Agilao!" Ren dragged the whip along the dry ground, igniting it with a cry and wrapping it around the Ruler's throat, drawing howls of pain. He thrashed and stomped, nearly crushing Ren in the process as he valiantly hung onto his end of the leash. "Give it up, Kamoshida! You can't run away from your sins forever!"
"LIKE HELL I CAN'T! I'M DRAGGING YOU BRATS DOWN WITH ME!"
Sadayo panted just watching them, at the limits of her physical exertion, her sword having separated limb from limb only to see them grow back before her very eyes. Fire, it seemed, was the only tool that could cauterize, and cleanse for good. Her elbow bumped into a vacuum cleaner to her right: an old, bulky model partially on wheels, with a long hose at its side.
Believe it, and make it real.
"Hey Kamoshida!" She brought his bulging eyes and slavering mouth to her direction. Hefting one strap over her back, she felt the heavy cognitive fluid begin sloshing around, the plastic nozzle in her hands becoming metal, a wispy, match-like fuse at the end. "Lighten up."
FWOOM.
Dragon's breath consumed the rotten king's visage, roasting him alive as the man portable flamethrower spooned napalm into his open mouth. Skin seared and bubbled in great boils, the subcutaneous layers of fat melting away to reveal bone. Ren's hold on the whip had relaxed enough to let Kamoshida go. The Thieves covered their mouths to stem the waft of burning flesh, acrid and sticking to the back of the throat.
"Kawakami!" Ren reached through the clouds of smoke to grab her shoulder, startling her just enough for her finger to let go of the trigger. "That's enough..."
As the stream of flame subsided, the unearthly groan of inevitable collapse revisited them, and Kamoshida's giant head slammed into the floor in front of them, totally charred on one side. His teeth were blackened kernels and his tongue was a dead lump. The mouth hung open with apoplectic, but impotent rage, one eye staring ahead while its brother was a hollow recess in his skull.
"Leave me..." He begged, the twisted vestiges of limbs twitching from his body. "Don't leave me..."
Sadayo was still shaking, tossing aside the flamethrower only for it to revert to its harmless Hoover form.
Did I really do this?
Evidence of their destructive handiwork smoked around them, the five Thieves gathered in front of the helpless king to dispense justice.
"Is he gonna be alright?" Their teacher asked, not getting too close for fear that it might be a feint on Kamoshida's part, though he seemed incapable of licking his own wounds.
"He ain't dead yet." Ryuji brought a bloody bat to his shoulder, still contemplating ending things here and now.
"He'll live." Morgana confirmed, the ground quaking beneath them once again. "But we won't if we stick around any longer."
"Noted." Ren put his hand on Ann's shoulder as the girl took in the pathetic, smoking remains of the monster who'd terrorized her. "Panther, it's your call..."
"We all have a choice." Her whip hung limp at her side, glowing with the embers of violent retribution. "Kamoshida made his, and he should live with them. It doesn't help anyone if all that we've done so far dies with him."
"Aye." They all nodded in unison.
"Don't… leave..." The Ruler gurgled his last, his body gradually being subsumed into the ground by a black void, like some unfortunate creature caught in a pit of tar. The supports beneath them audibly creaked once more, the sounds of crumbling masonry filling the air as the false Shujin faced the absurdity of its own creation and began to implode.
"What's our exit strategy?" Ryuji dodged a portion of the ceiling with his name on it, the rest of it not far behind. "Can Mona turn into a helicopter or something?"
"I can't just flap my wings and start flying!" The cat yowled, waving his arms for emphasis. "It doesn't work like that!"
"Morgana." Ren picked up the cat and held him up at eye level, addressing him as seriously as he would any peer. "Please tell me you have something in your bag of tricks that can help us."
"Umm..." The cuddly cartoon gulped, unused to being the subject of this much attention. "How does everyone feel about balloons?"
As the grand, imposing castle caved in on itself, a distant speck flew out of its tallest tower. A minivan in the rough shape of a cat hurtled towards the courtyard below at terminal velocity, when suddenly, a giant yellow parachute popped out of the rear end, slowing its descent and throwing the passengers against the windshield. Behind them, the red earth swallowed up the decaying ruin, the Metaverse returning to its state of ethereal calm as the warm breeze carried them home. Between them, one sentiment reigned.
I think I'm gonna be sick.
Ryuji watched the dark waters churn under the bridge, the white spray almost high enough to reach them. The two lane road that traversed the river was bare at this time of night, intermittent street lights lining the way. It was here that the Thieves convened, the proximity to the water heightening the evening chill.
"So that's it, huh?" He was the first one to break the silence, the others still contemplating the violence dealt. "It's done."
"In one way, yes." Ren leaned over the railing with him, looking to the faraway lights of the city. "The way I see it, we're just getting started."
"All the more reason to lay low." Sadayo offered her counsel. "They'll be looking for you now, not just the cops but Kobayakawa too. So I'd keep all chess club activities to a minimum until the media storm passes."
"Any idea when we can expect a confession?" Ann opened the flap of Joker's bag to address Morgana.
"He'll need some time to adjust, maintaining a Palace places heavy strain on the mind, so losing one is bound to put him out of commission. I'd say give it a week."
"Sounds good to me." Ryuji popped a stick of gum in his mouth and began chewing, trying to relieve himself of the imagined taste of burnt flesh. "Don't see what we gotta be worried about, ain't no evidence that can tie us to anything. Won't stop Humpty Dumpty from tryin' to cook something up outta thin air, but he'll have the cops so far up his ass I don't see it being a problem."
"Be that as it may, we can't afford to get cocky now." Ren admonished him. "And there is still one piece of evidence..."
He gestured towards Ann, who opened the wing of her jacket to reveal that she was carrying Kamoshida's Olympic medal, glinting in the faint light.
"Holy shit." The gum nearly fell out of Ryuji's mouth. "When you said steal the Treasure, I thought it was gonna be like, metaphorical."
"Is there some sort of exception made for things of monetary value when bringing objects back from the Metaverse?" Sadayo inquired.
"No, but just as Palaces as tied to physical places and people, so too are Treasures bound to material things."
"So this is the actual medal. Won't Kamoshida notice that it's missing?" The rules of that place had yet to make it clear as to whether this was the real thing or a convincing replica.
"I think he's got bigger problems at the moment, and considering all the material desires attached to this, it's probably for the best that no one has it."
"So… do we pawn it or what?"
"And create a paper trail leading back to us? No, that's making it easy for the cops." Ren dismissed the idea entirely. "The calling cards are one thing, but just holding onto this makes me an accessory to robbery, and the same goes for all of you."
"Alright, alright, I get it."
"Let's dump it in the river." Ann spoke up, the three of them turning to her. "It's like Ren said, no one should have this thing, and I sure as hell don't want it."
No one made any objection as she held it out over the edge, the once brilliant blue and white band taut around her fingers..
"Any last words?"
"Good riddance." Kawakami offered, and the rest agreed.
Ann let go, looking over the edge as the medal disappeared beneath the rushing waves, washed away and disappeared into the night.
"Huh, I expected something more dramatic." Ryuji admitted, the sound of the splash nearly inaudible.
"I'm just glad it's over." She rested her chin on her hands and scooted closer to her fellow blonde. "Not just for me, but for Shiho too."
"Yeah, that's what's important, right?" He took the much needed hint and went to put his arm around her instead of going for the classic clap on the back. "Hey so uh, we were gonna head to Big Bang Burger after this, not sure if you guys are down."
"You're thinking about food at a time like this?" Kawakami rolled her eyes, though her own stomach grumbled in reply.
"Actually, I am kinda hungry." Ann looked to be on a similar wavelength. "Sure you don't wanna come with?"
"I think I'll pass." Ren politely declined. "We should hold off on being seen out in public together for a bit. But I promise, once this all blows over, we're gonna celebrate for real."
"It's a deal. Later, bro." His brother in arms departed with what looked like a handshake known only to the two of them. "You too, Teach."
"Bye, Miss Kawakami."
They waved off the blondes on their departure, headed for the hustle and bustle of Shibuya nightlife. It was a Friday, after all.
And then there were two.
"You were right, they do make a good couple." She spoke, lest they stand vigil until dawn.
"Told you, all they needed was a nudge in the right direction."
"Maybe not to Big Bang Burger, there's classier places for a first date."
"That's just the kind of guy he is. Where would you want someone to take you?"
"Why, are you taking notes?"
Oh, she's good.
"Just trying to help out a friend. Maybe next time I could keep LeBlanc open past closing, cook a plate of spaghetti with one long noodle so they can meet in the middle."
That got the laugh he was looking for, and it was then that she realized that she had been walking in step with him for some time without thinking to ask where they were going, but she had a pretty good idea.
"You've got to branch out too, you know. Even LeBlanc gets old after a while."
"Cool, you should show me sometime."
"Wait, I didn't say that-"
"Not tonight though, I'm pretty beat." He yawned for effect. "Might just curl up with a cup of coffee and watch a movie. You in?"
"Ren..." She was beginning to sound like a broken record with him. "Do I have to say it?"
"What else are you doing tonight, honestly?"
Friday night stood before her like an open highway, the passenger side door on Joker's wild ride open for her to take. In truth, she had planned to do more or less exactly the same thing once she got home.
Then why can't I just come out and say it?
Salvation came to her in the form of a phone call, buzzing a hole through her pocket.
"Shit." Sadayo muttered under her breath. "Work call."
"I understand." Though she wasn't in any hurry to pick up, the angry red icons indicating multiple missed calls. "Another day, maybe."
"Perhaps." Her silent interrogation of his irises only elicited a smile, more fuel for the fire.
"Good night, Kawakami."
"Night!"
As she pressed the decline button on yet another incoming call, Sadayo asked herself what exactly it was she was running away from.
The maid service rep must have gotten the message, as her phone failed to buzz once on the train ride home. Good thing too, as her eyelids hung even lower than usual, the chimes of the doors that winked open and closed keeping her awake until she reached her destination. Once inside, Sadayo fell to her mattress on grateful knees, lying face down and wordlessly kicking off her flats.
"Ugh..."
She felt like a sweaty zombie, propelled by some arcane mysticism, and the need to make rent. It sure looked like a dicey proposition now, flaunting the company two nights in a row. The Takases would certainly pay her a visit regarding that, and so she supposed she could sympathize with Kobayakawa in at least one way.
Cops are gonna be so far up his ass, they'll be wearing him like a Muppet.
It was a comforting thought, and with any luck, they'd haul his ass out of Shujin too. Ren's words from the rooftop returned to her, as did the fierce look in his eyes, always set somewhere on the horizon. He'd been mistaken, in a way, as their actions touched more than just the lives of his targets. While Shiho might never learn of the arcane knowledge that led to the abdication of King Kamoshida, no doubt she would be just as glad that it was over.
And so will I.
A striped yellow sweater flung itself against the wall and fell into a hamper, as did the skirt she slid off her legs. She threw on a white tee and called it a night, throwing her head back against the pillow and looking up at the ceiling she knew so well.
And there she lay, breathing in, breathing out, feeling the tightness exit through the cracking of her toes. Weary muscles took to the tangled web of bedsheets, sticking to her skin as the vampiric drain of the Metaverse threatened to take her under. And still, her eyes resisted, her body tossed and turned, leaving the woman in a state of interminable limbo that felt like it lasted for hours..
This is annoying, I blew off work so I could get some rest and now I can't even fall asleep.
Reflex demanded that her fingers seek out her phone, nearly dead but charging. Her timeline was ready and waiting to dispense all sorts of distractions, to be consumed at the speed of a scrolling thumb. Out of curiosity, she checked her contacts on her new device, landing on a depressingly short list in the single digits.
Work. Parents. "Other" Work. And…
Ren. There he was, worming his way into her thoughts again, almost like she had a little Thief running around in a Palace of her own. She checked the time and wondered if he really was at home watching a movie like he said, and not out causing more mischief.
There's one way to make sure.
Biting her lip, her finger landed on the phone icon under his name. For a few throat-clenching seconds, it seemed as if she could reel back this line she had foolishly cast out, until she got a bite she couldn't take back.
"Hey." Ren yawned on the other end.
Pfft, "Hey." Who does he think I am, one of his little friends?
"Hey." She attempted to play it casual. "You up?"
"I answered."
"Right, silly question. What are you up to?"
"Watchin' a movie." The faint sounds of a television accompanied his voice. "You?"
"Laying here in bed." She sighed in an exaggerated fashion. "Can't sleep."
"You and me both."
The more she shifted in her bed, the more her fingers craved something to wrap around, like a cord.
Or a cigarette.
"So, skipped out on work, huh?"
"Yeah, I took a rain check. That Palace really takes a lot out of you." Sadayo settled for making her curls even curlier by twirling one around her finger. "Kinda wish I picked the movie now."
"Oh?" That sure got him to sit a little straighter. "Door's always open, you know."
"I'm very comfortable in my bed, thank you."
"If you say so, I'm pretty worn out myself. They say it gets easier the more you train, but I still feel like I've been put through the wringer."
"Tell me about it. And hey, maybe if your training consisted of more than home runs and hot dogs, you'd be getting somewhere."
"I may have embellished the benefits of the batting cages to take you out on a date."
"Gasp. I can see why they call you the Prince of Thieves."
Am I giggling? Why am I giggling?
"Do they now? I'll have to tell Ryuji to put that on the calling card next time."
"Trust me, the things I hear in the hallways, you wouldn't be surprised."
"It's nicer than most names I've been called. The more rumors, the better, actually. Throws them off the scent. I mean, who would believe that Miss Sadayo Kawakami moonlights as a crime fighting caped crusader?"
"Anything to stop the maid rumor from getting out. I've had some close calls."
"Your secrets are safe with me, don't worry."
"I know..." She held the phone close to her ear. "Hey Ren?"
"Yeah?"
"What are you going to do once Kamoshida's dealt with?"
"Take a break, catch up on school, maybe get a part time job or something." He talked as if describing a return from a trip abroad, though their jaunts in the Metaverse did tend to leave one somewhat jet lagged. "Then get back to work."
"You want to tackle another Palace? Belonging to someone you don't even know?" She scoffed. "Most villains don't exactly advertise themselves like Kamoshida."
"True. If it was up to me, I'd put the screws on our dear principal, but Shujin is about to become a hotbed of police activity, and two Metaverse related crimes in the same place is too great a coincidence to pass up. Even with the lack of concrete evidence, I daresay by next week there'll be a picture of you and I on a bulletin board connected by red string in the basement of the nearest precinct."
"And yet, knowing all of that, you want to move forward with this Phantom Thieves business?"
"I've got to."
"Says who?"
"Why did you become a teacher, Sadayo?"
Here we go with the whole "answer a question with a question" thing.
"I wanted to help people, kids specifically. It's something I discovered I had an aptitude for and I chased and chased it until I ended up catching it. I'd been working at a public school for a few years out of college when I saw the job posting at Shujin, I knew I had to reach for it." She touched her arm, as if she would feel the singe of the imaginary flame from before. "Well, that's not entirely true, I also failed to protect a student while I was there, and I've had to carry that weight with me ever since. I thought Shujin was a chance to start over, but instead of learning from my mistakes, I started making all new ones."
"I don't think Ann or Shiho or anybody blames you for what happened."
"I blame me. For not seeing what was right in front of me, that it took you and all this Metaverse nonsense to make me see clearly. I thank you for that, but I also kind of hate you for it."
She hoped that wasn't too honest, but he seemed to take it in stride.
"I'm glad you were able to find your voice again, Sadayo. I have no doubt some people will hate us for it, but the only way they win is if we do nothing."
"And who is 'they' in this scenario?"
"Kamoshida. Kobayakawa. The bad guys, the rotten adults, whatever you want to call those who get their kicks and line their pockets by abusing their power. You're right, they won't make themselves known immediately, but if this city's taught me anything, it's that I won't have to look too hard to find one."
"Okay, Robin Hood, just don't bite off more than you can chew, or expect me to follow you on every wild goose chase."
"Your participation is entirely voluntary. You could leave right now if you wanted to and we'd never speak of it again." Ren paused. "Would you?"
"Hell no. Not when I've seen the kind of havoc you kids are capable of unleashing, it's practically my civic duty to make sure you aren't fooling around with this power like a chimpanzee with a machine gun."
That actually got a laugh out of him.
"Well then, what else can I say but welcome aboard."
"Thank you." Her eyes landed on the digital alarm clock beside her bed, reminding her that it was nearly midnight.
Jeez, have we really been on the phone that long?
"It's getting kinda late, I think I'm gonna call it a night."
"Sure. You know, you should swing by next time, I'll let you pick the movie."
"Goodbye, Ren."
"Sweet dreams."
She let the phone drop beside her, the darkness of her bedroom that much darker now that her eyes tried to adjust.
What are you doing, Sadayo? You said you weren't going to get any closer and now he's got you kicking your legs up and talking until sunrise like you're the one who's in fucking high school.
Still, talking with him lifted a weight off her chest, leaving her mind free to wander as she settled back into the pillow. There was a cool tinge to the air that had her hair stand on end, a possible result of her body returning from the melting pot of the Metaverse. It started from her soles and traveled up through her legs, building to her head where the spell of slumber was cast, and she released her grip on this realm. She supposed that entering the world of Shadows was a lot like dreaming, you couldn't force your way into it, you had to let it find you, and leave the door to one's imagination cracked open just enough to let the demons in.
"Un, deux, trois, quatre!"
A four clap sounded off the start of the ball, the many waxen mannequins twirling their dresses in tune with their male counterparts. The dance floor was wide and ornate, the alternating tiles of light and dark wood evoking a chessboard that lay at the foot of a great white staircase. So tight was the timing of their steps with the piano, she had to wonder if there was some wind up motor in every dancer, moving them across the board with clockwork efficiency.
Sadayo observed them from the top of the marble staircase, descending with one hand on the bannister in a power blue dress. A feathered mask in the shape of a moth's wings hid her face, standing in sharp contrast to the featureless faces of the multitude before her. A dark figure approached her, clad in crimson and black, a set of familiar eyes beneath a top hat.
"My lady." He took her white gloved hand and bowed. "May I have this dance?"
"And who are you, prince?"
"That would ruin the spirit of the masquerade, wouldn't it?" He tapped his own mask, a splot of Rorschach ink on a wide "V" the color of bone.
"Have it your way."
She found herself roped into his arms, bent backwards at the waist as he dipped her low, one glass slipper in the air.
"I shall."
Sadayo didn't remember much of the dance, only that her formal steps gave way to his lead, a gentle grip on her hand and a firmer one at her waist. One by one, and two by two, they waltzed from the ballroom to the courtyard, their masks mere inches apart.
"Just like a Thief, stealing a woman away from the party." Once at arm's length, her palms against his chest were now an invitation, toying with the lapels of his shirt.
"Figured me out, have you?" His magical hands undid the bindings behind her, allowing the woman to breathe in the chill night air.
"Enough to know you're no Prince Charming."
"And I know you're on the older side for a princess." He teased, watching her shoulders fall, before he raised her chin to look him in the eyes. "Hey..."
"Don't say it, I know I'm-"
"Perfect."
Their lips met and her eyes went wide, and she swore she saw a glint of golden yellow in his, before pulling him closer. What happened next was a series of flashes, each one hazier than the last, as lust overcame the specificity of her mind's eye. She was against a wall with her dress hiked up, his hand seeking the Treasure below. Then she had her hands against that same wall, her skin bared and blue in the moonlight, as he placed a kiss on the nape of her neck.
"Say my name."
"Master!" Thinking and formulating a reply was a difficult prospect, as he placed his fingers in her mouth for her to suck and him to hold onto.
"Not quite." Sadayo felt a swift palm strike her rear, leaving behind a red handprint. "Try again."
"Joker?" She winced, the pain not quite as sharp as the jolt of electricity it sent up her spine.
"I know you can do better." He leaned in close to her ear. "Say it."
"R-"
"Raaagh!"
Sadayo awoke with a start, eyelids snapping open. She became acutely aware of the sweat pooling around her, the flight of fancy leaving her more frazzled than a trip to the Metaverse. There were thankfully no embarrassed roommates to explain her outburst to, but that didn't make her any less insecure about calling out to him twice in one night. While her head cleared from the dream, certain parts of her felt markedly less chaste about the matter.
Guess I woke up before the good part, whatever that is.
She was tired, she was hungry, and now on top of that, she was horny too. A dangerous cocktail to imbibe on a Friday night, but if her years as both student and teacher in public education had taught her anything, it was how to curtail her emotions and keep on trucking.
The dispassionate red display of her alarm clock read 2 AM, in that twilight zone gray area of an all nighter where she had to decide whether to go back to sleep or stay up for good. Given the kinds of movies her mind was playing tonight, she wasn't sure which was the better option.
But it felt so real.
That was the scary part, the part that made her want to get her head checked. It was one thing to flirt, albeit jokingly, but it was another thing altogether to fantasize about the logical endpoint of entertaining his crush.
You're losing it, girlfriend.
Sadayo got up off the tangle of sheets and went to brew herself some tea. She'd need it to face herself in the morning. While she waited for the water to boil, she took her pointer and middle finger and placed them in her mouth, sucking on them as the Joker in the dream made her do.
Of course it isn't that hot when I do it. Blech.
She concluded it must have been a one off, a trick of emotions generated by spirits running high being played on her lonely mind. That had to be it.
For the sake of my sanity.
Either way, she saw a trip to Dr. Takemi's office in her near future. Cradling her tea, she looked out to the bleary lights of Tokyo, as if she expected to see a similar dream cloud hanging over LeBlanc. One thing was for sure, she wouldn't be able to look at him the same way again.
Now I'm on fire
She won't let me go
Feral desire, now I've been on my own
And there's a werewolf, werewolf, comin'
Now I'm a werewolf
I'll be running home
Song: Boxed Wine - Feral
A/N: Short update this time, I promise. I'd like to start off by thanking the friends I had look over the draft of this chapter as it was in a pretty rough state beforehand. You know who you are. With their help, I think I've been able to chart a course for this fic so it doesn't immediately crash once we leave the narrative confines of the first Palace. I don't find the following Palaces as compelling so expect the PT stuff to take a backseat to the relationship stuff, which is supposed to be at the heart of this fic anyway. I also included a touch of smut there at the end just cause it's fun, and it won't be the last time Sadayo explores her submissive side with Joker. See you next time.