Chapter 7: Castle of Lust: Act Four
(Late Afternoon)[Tuesday] April 12th 20XX
Shujin Academy
Hallway
'Jeez, after being in that place yesterday and that phone call last night, I couldn't sleep a wink. I'm just glad that the meeting didn't run long. Would have been even shorter if Ms. Chuno kept her big trap shut.' Kawakami thought to herself irritably as she made her way through the mostly vacant hallway. 'I hope those kids are alright. Did I make the right decision in letting them go alone? I mean, it's not I could have done anything if I was there, but I can't help but feel guilty. If they don't return, I'll be the only person probably alive that knows what happened. Ugh, I can't think like that. They just have to pull it off,' she mused as she shook her head, not paying attention to her surroundings as she rounded the corner and walked directly into someone. She dropped her lesson plan book on the floor and was about to immediately fire off of an apology until she realized who stood before. "S-Suguru."
The man bent over before collecting the dropped book. "Ah, Sadayo must have your head in the clouds. I hope you're doing better today?" he asked before holding out the book to her as he gave her what seemed like a warm smile.
Kawakami hesitantly nodded her head. "I'm fine, sorry for spacing out," she uttered stiffly before taking the book from the man.
"Oh, it's really no trouble at all," he remarked as he rubbed at his chin. "I hope you're still thinking about what we discussed yesterday."
The dark-haired woman immediately hugged the book against her chest before diverting her gaze. "I-I haven't forgotten about it. It's just that I-"
The man held up a hand to cut her off. "Oh, don't worry so much. I said you had until the first of the month, and I meant it. I've got other things to occupy my attention right now anyway."
"The tournament, right?" Kawakami questioned in a subdued voice.
"Exactly, and my students need a lot more of my personal attention. Though I've got a feeling that they won't let me down," Kamoshida remarked, his expression never faltering.
Sadayo felt her eyes widened ever so slightly as she could help but feel a chill run down her spine. "Suguru wha-"
Again the man interrupted her. "Anyway, I did have a question for you. Have you heard any more about your absent student? Takamaki?"
A look of irritation shone on the woman's face, but she fought the urge to lash out at the man. "...As a matter of fact, I received an email not long ago. It seems Takamaki's phone was damaged, but she was indeed sick. Though she seems to be feeling much better and hopes to be in school tomorrow."
"Oh? Well, that's wonderful news! And here I was afraid that irritating transfer student and Sakamoto might have had something to do with her sudden absence,"
"Suguru, I understand your history with Sakamoto, but why do you have it out for Amamiya?" the woman asked with a hesitant edge to her voice.
"Don't tell me you didn't know? His mother is a big hot shot out-of-town defense attorney. From what I understand, her firm also works for our school board. Didn't you find it strange why a school like this would take on someone with a record?" Kamoshida scoffed. "Kobayakawa can provide whatever excuse he pleases, but in reality, I do not doubt that she cut a deal with someone. Probably someone even above his head."
A look of surprise colored the woman's face. "So that's how he got into Shujin..."
The Coach smirked slightly. "Yes, well, that's my reasoning for disliking him. The punk might have gotten here without deserving it, but it's clear that if he steps out of line that he won't have any more safety nets..."
Kamoshida's Palace
Chapel
Broken Altar
Morgana offered a wry grin as he plucked what remained of the shattered will seed off the ground. "Heh, nice going, gang. That was a little too close for comfort, but it did make for a stylish finish."
"Hell yeah! Shiho really saved our asses back there," Ryuji added as he placed a hand on the black-haired girl.
Shiho nodded with a small smile. "Oh, of course, I couldn't just keep sitting around while others were in danger."
"That's so totally you!" Ann giggled before glancing around the small group as her expression sobered a bit. "Despite what...uh, Morgana said, I still can't believe you all came here like this. Thanks," she murmured before looking away with a hint of embarrassment.
"Hey, don't sweat it. I'm sure you would have made the same choice if the situation were reversed," Ren replied with a faint smile. "Not to change the subject, but how are you both holding up? When the rest of us first awakened, it left us exhausted and more than a little drained."
"That's true. I actually passed out after the first time I tapped into Cendrillon's power," Kasumi admitted.
"Yeah, I'm definitely feeling a little light-headed," Shiho explained.
Ann nodded her head in agreement. "I feel like I just ran a marathon, and I absolutely hate exercise. Shouldn't we use this chance to get out of here, though?"
"Actually, there are several things I need to discuss with all of you, Lady Ann. I know it might be asking a lot, but there is somewhere safe nearby. We should talk more there. Because I don't think any of you should leave just yet," Morgana responded as he crossed his arms.
Ryuji frowned as he crossed his arms. "Huh? But you were all about us leaving last time. What are you up to, cat?"
Morgana audibly hissed as he waved a paw at the blond. "How many times do I have to say it? I'm not a cat! I'm a human, just like the rest of you. Do you still not trust me still after what's happened here?"
"Morgana Sensei, please don't be upset. I don't think Sakamoto Senpai meant to hurt your feelings," Kasumi said as she knelt over before picking the cat-like critter off the ground.
She proceeded to hug him, eliciting a purr from Morgana, who immediately flushed at the involuntary reaction. "H-Hey, don't baby me! Look, don't all of you want to make sure the real Kamoshida has to face his crimes and own up to them? What if I said we could do that? That we could stop him from hurting anyone else?"
Shiho's brow furrowed slightly as she looked at Morgana with a severe expression. "Wait, would we really be able to?"
"That does sound almost too good to be true," Ann admitted with a slightly skeptical expression.
Morgana, who was still in Kasumi's arms, shifted to look between the whole group. "This world is created by the real Kamoshida. His deepest twisted desires gave it form, but if we target the source of those desires, we can bring about what's known as a change of heart."
"So if we remove what's essentially corrupted him, we can make him into a better person?" Ren questioned.
"You got it! I mean, there's way more I need to explain, but that's it in the most simple explanations. You all have to decide for yourselves if that's what you want? There's no shame in walking away. This will probably be even more dangerous going forward, but it's unlikely that he'll change for the better on his own. Not when things have become this twisted.."
"No, he won't," Shiho replied with a frown.
Ryuji nodded as he scratched his neck. "No kidding. If we have this kind of chance, we gotta take it, ya?"
"...if I never saw what I'd seen the last two days, I would never agree to the idea of changing someone against their will, but only more people will suffer if we don't stop him," Kasumi said in a reserved manner.
"No kidding! He's been hurting so many people. Most have been too scared to do anything. For the longest time, I've been the same way. I couldn't live with myself if I just let things go back to the way they were before," Ann stated.
Ren offered a wry grin before nodding at their strange guide. "Seems like we've all of the same minds. Morgana, you said you had more to go over?"
The cat-like creature nodded emphatically. "Sure do, so why don't we make our way back to that safe room? Everyone could use a pause, and that way, we won't have to worry about any more shadows ambushing us..."
"That sounds nice..." Shiho said with a sigh. "I feel like I just finished practice, so a chance to sit down would be great." The athlete stopped for a moment and adopted a curious expression. She stepped forward and quickly brushed a hand along Morgana's cheek and chin. "Oh wow, your fur is really soft. You must groom it a lot."
"Meeeooowww!"
(Late Afternoon)[Tuesday] April 12th 20XX
Shujin Academy
Front Garden
A third-year student with light auburn hair hummed softly to herself as she gently tilted the watering can in her hands. She watched each plant within the school garden, taking care not to neglect any of the plants. She was seemingly lost within her own little world and would have likely remained there if not for a sudden commotion not too far away from her.
She almost lost balance of the tool in her hands as she lifted her chin to stare at the entrance. There on the school's steps, she saw a girl seated there clearly distraught, and her sobs were far from restrained. The girl, even from a distance, seemed to be shaking too.
'Perhaps I should check on her. I'm not sure I could say anything that would help, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't at least try.' she thought as she sat the watering can down, but before the third-year could so much as take a step towards where the girl sat, she heard a familiar chime from her pocket.
The girl frowned as she retrieved her phone from her pocket and accepted the call as she raised the device to her ear. "Hello, Father, I hope you've had a wonderful day."
A preoccupied man's voice ignored much of her comment as he interjected himself. "Haru, I trust you didn't forget about your fitting this evening?"
"Fitting?" Haru asked as her eyes widened a bit as her expression paled.
An audible sigh of annoyance came from the other end of the phone. "You forgot? Fortunately, I anticipated that already. The tailor must take your measurements as soon as possible. You need to be presentable for Madarame's Exhibit next month. I will not have you disgrace me by wearing rags to such an occasion. It would reflect poorly on yourself and, most importantly me."
The auburn-haired girl meekly responded. "Y-You're right of course. Forgive me, Father, for letting it slip my mind."
"Apologies mean little Haru. Make it right by cooperating with the designer. I will send a limo to you. I trust you're wasting your time at Shujin still?"
"Yes, sir, I'll be outside when the driver arrives," she responded flatly and almost devoid of emotion.
The man on the other end seemed to accept the response. "Good, I don't know why you waste your time with menial things like that garden. Just make sure you conduct yourself as an Okumura should. I won't be in till late," he offered curtly before the call suddenly ended.
Haru let out a weary sigh as she let her arm holding the phone fall to her side before allowing her gaze to return to the stairs.
It was then that she realized the sobbing girl was nowhere to be seen now.
'Maybe one of her friends showed up? Or maybe she just needed a good cry. If that's the case, I hope it helped her. It never did me any good, though.' she thought as she cast at the garden around her.
The faintest of smiles returned to her lips. 'Maybe it's a waste to you, father, but I'm happier here than anywhere else.'
Kamoshida's Palace
Maid's Quarters
Safe Room
"So if we like steal this treasure, it will cause the real person to have a change of heart?" Ann asked as she stared at Morgana, who sat perched on a nearby shelf. "Do we know what it'll look like or anything?"
Morgana shook his head. "Unfortunately, it takes a different form for every person, Lady Ann, but luckily for all of you, I can smell treasure. So have no fear that once we've reached the treasure, I'll know exactly what it is. Usually, the ruler of a palace keeps their treasure in the deepest and most secure location of their palace."
"I guess that explains why you were so adamant that we not take shortcuts? Because when we retreat to the exit, we need to make sure we have a clear path in the first place," Ren said as he leaned against a nearby wall.
"Exactly. Now fortunately for us this time, I managed to secure a path pretty far on my own. You see, I was trying to find Lady Ann in the Tower, so I had my hands full. When you're all ready, we'll just have to make a final push to the Throne Room. I'm almost certain it's just beyond there where his treasure is."
"Alright, but that's going to be dangerous, right? Don't get me wrong, I wanna put a stop to that asshole just as bad as anyone, but if that place is the most secure, shouldn't we come back when we're back at a hundred percent? Then we can just grab the treasure as soon as we find it," Ryuji countered.
"Ryuji Senpai does raise a good point. If we run into another one of those strong cognitions or a powerful shadow, we could be in a lot of trouble. Especially if they have the final will seed," Kasumi pointed out.
Morgana raised a paw to his chin. "Well, you're both not entirely wrong to be cautious, but I do think this could be our best time to act. The reason why I say that is because Shadow Kamoshida is scared for the moment and shaken. That might even affect the other shadows in this castle. If we put this off and wait, we might return to find that he's bolstered security even more."
"So if things go well, we can just grab the treasure now and fix everything with Kamoshida?" Ann asked.
"Not exactly. This is where things get a bit more complicated. Reaching the treasure and securing the route is only part of what it takes to enact a change of heart. Once we have the path to the treasure secured, we have to inform the real Kamoshida that we intend to steal it. I guess you could refer to it as a calling card," Morgana explained. "Since this is a world created by the real Kamoshida when he's confronted with the fact someone will take his treasure, it will become tangible and take a physical shape in this palace. We'll only have a window of time, but if we steal it during that period, it will lead to the said change of heart."
Shiho paled as her expression fell. "So we'll have to confront the real one too... That's going to be hard, but it's important, so I'll just have to get myself ready when the time comes."
Morgana hopped down from the shelf before waddling over and lightly poking at the girl's side. "Hey, don't worry so much. We're thieves, the real Kamoshida nor anyone else needs to know that we're directly involved."
"Speaking of which, didn't you mention something about us being Phantom Thieves?" Ren asked with a slightly bemused expression.
The critter shuffled in place with a look of embarrassment. "I can't think of anything better to describe it. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. A group that steals the hearts of wicked people to make the world a brighter place."
"It almost makes us sound like superheroes," Ann remarked with a wide-eyed expression.
"Hell yeah! We already got these outfits and magic and junk, so aren't we already superheroes?" Ryuji said, leaning forward excitedly.
Morgana blinked as something seemed to dawn on him. "Oh, that's right. Ryuji actually said something useful. We all should probably come up with some sort of code name for each of ourselves."
"A code name?" Kasumi questioned as she glanced around the group. "Should it be something fitting or can anything do?"
The transfer student shrugged. "Probably no reason to overthink it, but coming up with a code name does make this feel a lot more legitimate. Anyone have any ideas?"
"Code names? Well, let's see," Shiho mused as her mood perked up again. She glanced around the table at everyone before stopping on Ryuji. "You could go by Skull!"
"Huh? Skull? Oh, because my persona is like a skeleton pirate thing?" the blond asked.
"Oh, that totally works!" Ann agreed with a grin as she leaned forward. "I mean, it's not just your Persona, but your mask is an actual skull too..."
Ryuji's eyes widened in shock. "IT IS?!"
Ren offered a deadpan expression. "...maybe we should just settle for Numskull."
"Senpai, be nice!" Kasumi chided lightly before holding out an open compact mirror. "Look, Ryuji Senpai, don't you think it looks fierce?"
"Oh fuck yeah it does! Sure, I'll go with Skull, that works for me!" Ryuji added with a smile.
"So that's one down, five to go. Anyone else has a suggestion or name in mind?" Morgana asked as he glanced around the gathered group.
Ren leaned back in the chair he was seated in before eyeing the volleyball player. "Shiho, your Persona seems to be based on defense, and even your mask looks like a medieval...Knight? Huh, how bout just using Knight?"
The armored girl nodded as she looked over her gauntlets. "Heh, that sounds pretty good to me! Hmm, if we are going off of masks, how about we call you Kitty, Ann?" Shiho joked as she smiled softly.
"Huh? No way! Knight and Skull sound cool, but Kitty just sounds super childish," Ann pouted slightly as she stared at her best friend.
"So something more mature, ya? Well, how about Sexy Cat?" Ryuji added while smirking.
Ren adjusted his mask slightly. "Come on, Skull. You've got to take this more seriously. You can't just throw out the first thing that comes to mind. How about Cougar?"
One of Ann's eyes twitched. "Uh, no way in hell, and that applies to both of you. Jeez, it can't be that hard. Look, just call me Panther. Yeah, that sounds cool, right?"
"I think it's perfect An- I mean Panther Senpai," Kasumi said as she corrected herself.
Morgana laughed as he scratched at his cheek with one of his paws. "Panther is a great choice Lady Ann," he said before shifting his attention to the gymnast. "But I don't think you have to use Senpai when we're using our codenames Kasumi. It kind of defeats the purpose. While we're still in here, we can just use our normal names. Though while I'm thinking about it, do you have any thoughts about your name? I don't know if I trust these guys anymore to pick names."
A notable silence fell over the room a moment as the ordinarily bubbly girl seemed to withdraw into herself visibly. Her expression grew notably somber, and when she finally did speak, her voice was quiet. "Violet. I like the name Violet. It reminds me of my sister."
"Aw, that's nice! So that just leaves Ren and Morgana, right?" Shiho asked, placing a finger against her chin.
"Yup, just us!" Morgana said, nodding his head excitedly. "So please don't let us down."
Kasumi's demeanor seemed to return to normal as she stared at Morgana. "Hm, well, I doubt you'd like any name that refers to cats, but unfortunately, your mask doesn't give us much to go on beyond that. Oh, I know! What if we came up with a code name by shortening your name? How bout something like Mona?"
The Cat-like being frowned. "Nyeh, but that's way too simple and doesn't sound nearly as cool."
"Aww, but I like it. It's kind of cute, don't you think?" Ann asked as she nudged Shiho.
"Hehe, it is, but it's a shame we already know a few cuter names we could suggest would get shot down," the dark-haired girl remarked.
Morgana cleared his throat. "W-Well, if Lady Ann likes it, I guess there's no way around it. When we're on the job, I'll go by Mona. That just leaves you," he said as he shifted his attention to Ren. "...I'm drawing a blank."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. We haven't known each other long, but even still, nothing is coming to mind," Ann admitted with a sheepish expression.
"Well, I only had one immediate suggestion, but I think I probably call him that enough as it is. Besides, it might get confusing if everyone were to start calling him Senpai," Kasumi said before chuckling softly. "Sorry if we're not helping much."
Ren audibly sighed as he crossed his arms. "I'm beginning to think that I don't make any impression as a person. To be fair, I don't have any suggestions myself. Maybe we can circle back to that..."
"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find a suitable name in no time," Morgana said before stretching slightly. "Though we do have to cover a few more things. First of all, we didn't finish our earlier discussion. Are you all willing to secure the route before falling back today? Just know that if we put it off to another day, not only will we risk security getting raised, but it will require us having to enter at least one more time afterward to steal the treasure. Whereas if we secure the route today, we'll only have to enter one final time when we're ready to steal Kamoshida's Heart."
"Well, I think I can push through, Kamoshida puts all of the team members through some rough practices, and that might just come to bite him back today. But what about you, Ann? how are you feeling?" Shiho asked, turning to the blonde worriedly.
The model smiled as she offered a thumbs up. "I mean, I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight, but I'm okay. I feel a little better from what you did with your Persona and just having a chance to sit down for a few minutes. I don't want to put this off any longer if it means that creep is allowed to go around unchecked."
Ren nodded his head slightly. "That reminds me. Kawakami Sensei mentioned that Kamoshida is blackmailing her. You see, when we disappeared yesterday, we had to come up with an explanation for what happened. It seems like he didn't buy it and is using some sort of leverage. From the way she put it, she could be dismissed. The only thing working in our favor is that we have until the end of the month to get this done."
"She's done a lot for us considering the position she's in. I'd hate to see her punished, just for looking out for us," Kasumi mused as she glanced over at Ryuji. "Ryuji Senpai, what do you think?"
A giant scowl was plastered across the blond boy's face. "I think it's a load of bullshit! Kamoshida thinks he can just step on whoever he wants and doesn't have to deal with any consequences. So we need to get back at him as soon as possible!"
"Glad to hear it. Now that we're on the same page let's secure that route. From the moment we walk out that door, we use our code names. We must move before Kamoshida has a chance to recover!" Morgana exclaimed with a severe expression.
(Evening) 20XX
Tokyo
Interrogation Room
The Prosecutor frowned as she folded her arms. "It's clear to me that you're omitting certain pieces of information. How can I trust you when it's clear you're hiding things for me, Amamiya?"
"Anything I've obscured has nothing to do with the truth you're really searching for. It's merely to protect certain people that could get needlessly dragged into this."
"It's my job to decide what is and isn't important. In any case, this seems to be the moment where things began to shape into a more structured group. Your motivations shifted from merely saving someone brought into that world and to bring about this famous change of heart. Did you or any of your associates have any idea what would happen next?" Sae asked with a serious expression in her eyes.
Ren shook his head vehemently. "No, though I still wish we had been able to anticipate it somehow. That still keeps me awake some nights."
"I can certainly imagine why. However, it's important to distinguish between guilt and blame. You may feel guilt for that incident, but you're not the one to blame for it. Of that, I'm quite sure," the woman offered in a surprisingly sincere manner.
A dry chuckle escaped the boy. "Maybe you're right. Still doesn't change anything about it, though. I think it was the first moment that shook us but also reaffirmed why our decision was right, to begin with."
"I see. So that event helped the newly christened thieves to believe they were justified in their activities? While I disagree with that sentiment, I can see why some might," the woman offered as her expression hardened once more. "However, recent events have brought a lot more to the forefront. You must have felt very torn with what came as a result of that incident."
The boy's expression grew somber as he laced his hands. "It certainly wasn't the reunion I was expecting."
"...While it's not my place to judge, it would seem your relationship is far from ideal. Despite how quiet this is being kept, I would be amazed if she didn't know you were detained at the moment."
"I'm sure she knows, but my mother won't take a case she feels she can't win. To be honest, I'm not sure she'd defend me even if she were certain of victory. But we're not here to discuss my personal drama, are we?" Ren questioned.
Sae eyed him for a moment. "That depends on whether or not said drama becomes relevant to this discussion, which it may very well. For now, why don't you walk me through what happened in the following days? The Phantom Thieves had their hands full long before Kamoshida's change of heart, didn't they?"
The dark-haired boy offered a tight-lipped expression before nodding. "That's certainly an understatement. Things had seemingly turned in our favor as we raced to secure the route to the treasure. We had no idea what was brewing in the real world..."
Kamoshida's Palace
Top Floor
Hallway
"What the hell was that for? You thugs! Ruffians! Such brutes!" the female creature exclaimed as she sat surrounded by the Phantom Thieves. Despite the beating they'd given the other defeated shadows, this was the first one that had seemingly engaged them in normal conversation. The tiny creature still looked less than pleased, though, as she stared up at the group with an irritable expression.
"Whoa dude, she freaking talks! What's going on?" Skull asked with a confused expression.
"Maybe she's scared? I-I feel sort of like a bully ganging up on her," Knight admitted as she fidgeted in place.
"Hey, don't forget that she and those other shadows weren't pulling any punches. If we didn't overpower them, then we'd be toast," the Cat-like creature remarked.
Panther nodded. "I guess Mona is right, but it still feels sort of wrong to attack her if she's not fighting back."
"Maybe we can just let her go so long as she promises to leave in peace?" Violet suggested with a halfhearted smile.
"So what's it gonna be? life or death?" Ren asked as he brandished his blade before pointing it towards the creature.
"Whatever, I'll go and won't bother you again, are you satisfied? Looking at you all is enough to piss me off," the tiny creature responded with a high-pitched voice.
The dark-haired boy offered a simple nod in response. "Thank you."
The female creature suddenly flushed as her demeanor suddenly shifted. "Hey, what the...What kind of response is that? You're throwing me off my game."
"Jeez, what's with the sudden change in attitude? I guess these things ain't so different from real girls. If ya know what I mean?" Skull asked before receiving a dark look from a certain other blonde.
Ren smirked, ignoring the banter as he continued to focus on the creature. "Sorry if I caught you off guard."
The creature seemed to fidget in place shyly. "Maybe it's not so bad. I guess humans aren't all the same..."
A split second later, the creature shimmered a moment before its eyes widened. She slowly levitated off the ground as she stared directly at Ren. "That's right. I remember now. I don't just belong to King Kamoshida. I drift about the sea of the human heart. My name is Pixie. From this day forth, I'll live within you!" As she finished speaking, she glowed brighter before taking the form of a glowing mask that raced forth before seemingly combining into Ren's mask.
"Dude, what the hell was that?" Skull asked with a slack jaw expression.
One of Mona's ears twitched as he tried to process this new information before ultimately shaking his head. "I have no idea. I've never seen anything like this before."
Ren touched his mask as he closed his eyes. "I can feel her. Pixie and Arsene are both with me now. I don't know how else to describe it. I think I can call on her in the same way..."
"Senpai, that's incredible! Something like that could really help us if we get into a tight spot again," Violet commented with a look of wonder on her face.
Panther rested a hand on her side. "Considering what I've seen so far, that just seems inevitable. I wonder if you can do that with other shadows or if there was something special about that one?"
"I think we're all in the dark An-... I mean Panther. Though it definitely seems like it might be an ace up our sleeves," Knight commented with a timid smile.
Mona scratched at his ear. "We can figure this out later. Come on. We're almost to our destination. The smell of treasure is calling me!"
(Early-Evening)[Tuesday] April 12th 20XX
Tokyo
Mishima Residence
Yuuki found himself lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a somewhat vacant expression in his eyes.
The light from the waning sun spilled into his room as the bedroom door slowly creaked open, his mother poked her head into the room with a worried expression. "Yuuki, I called a few times, but you didn't answer. You have a phone call. I didn't quite catch her name, but I believe she said she was a girl from the volleyball team. She seems pretty upset."
"I don't have anything to say to her mom," the boy said dismissively as he turned away from the open the door to face the opposing wall.
"What's going on with you? You're not eating, you're coming home later and later, and you've become so distant. Not to mention you keep coming home with all these scrapes and bruises. Honey, are you being bullied by someone at school?"
The boy squeezed his eyes shut. "...I'm fine. It's just been a difficult semester between classes and sports."
A skeptical expression remained on the woman's face, but she finally seemed to relent as her shoulders visibly slumped. "Alright, well, if you do need to talk, you do know that your father and I are always willing to listen."
"...Thanks, mom, but there's nothing worth sharing. Just tell her that she can tell me tomorrow. I don't feel like talking to her right now."
"Okay, Yuuki. I'll pass it along and get started on dinner. I hope you have a big appetite because I'm making your favorite!" the woman exclaimed as she tried to muster as much enthusiasm as possible.
The teenager merely responded with a halfhearted nod and barely registered the door shutting a few moments later.
'She has some nerve. I know she's being put through hell like the rest of us, but doesn't she realize that when she ditches practice, he makes it worse for everyone else? Doesn't she care what burden that leaves on her teammates?' he scowled slightly as he reached up and touched his bandaged face.
Kamoshida's Palace
Top Floor
Throne Room
"Hah, it's like I was saying! The path is wide open!" Mona exclaimed as he darted forward through the extravagant throne room before pushing open the door that lay in the back. "The King must still be reeling after being handed such a loss earlier."
Violet shook her head. "Mona, we shouldn't get too cocky. It's not like we got through that mess easily. Actually, we just barely scraped by."
"Hey, let's just take the win, girl," Panther said with an encouraging smile as she peeked into the room that lay beyond. Her eyes widened at the treasure trove filled with precious gems and gold. "No doubt about it. This is definitely the vault."
"TREASURE!" Mona cried as he bounded into the room before running around in a circle and making loud mewls as he encircled a strange orb that shimmered in the middle of the air.
"Holy shit, dude! Look at all this! Where do we even start?" Skull shouted as he squatted down to shift through the mountain of treasure.
"Uh, Mona... what is that?" Knight asked as she nervously pointed to the odd floating sphere.
"Meeoowww!" the cat-like being exclaimed as he continued lapping around the floating anomaly before he finally seemed to collect himself to register the volleyball player's question. "Look no further. This is our goal, everyone. This is Kamoshida's treasure!"
Ren walked forward, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he raised a gloved hand before brushing it through the intangible air. "So that's why you said we needed to send a calling card? Because this hasn't taken shape yet."
Mona nodded as he cleared his throat. "That's right! All the routes in the palace are useless if we don't make this take physical form. Now we can figure out the details of the card later. What we will need to do before our heist is to make sure we're properly equipped."
"What do you mean by 'properly equipped'?" Panther asked as she stared at the shimmering orb with a curious expression.
"For one, we need to keep upgrading our weapons and armor. There's something to keep in mind; even a toy will function differently here as long as it looks even a little real. Remember, this is a cognitive world. You saw how I have a slingshot? The rest of you need some ranged weapons. Also, while we're at it, we could use some medicine. We shouldn't rely only on our personas for healing. That will drain them and ourselves really quick," Mona replied.
Ren's brow furrowed slightly. "I might have a lead in regards to medicine, but I don't know about everything else."
"So even if it's a toy, it could work here?" Knight asked as she rubbed her chin.
Skull's eyes widened as he snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know a place that sells model weapons! They're cool, and some of them even look pretty freakin' real! That kinda stuff work here, ya?"
Mona nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, it's just like I said. It doesn't matter if it's real or not. In this world, it will function differently. That should suit our needs perfectly."
"It's also a way better alternative than us having to try and find real weapons. If we're discovered with models, it won't raise too much suspicion," Kasumi pointed out.
Ren nodded slightly. "Sounds like we have a plan then. What now, Mona?"
The small creature grinned. "For now, we fall back. Kamoshida better be ready because the next time we step in here, we're not leaving without his treasure!"
(Evening) [Tuesday] April 12th 20XX
Shujin Academy
Parking Lot
Sadayo let out a groan that was a mixture of frustration and anxiety as she rested her head on the steering wheel of her car. "Why the hell didn't I go with them? Sure, I couldn't have done much in that world, but if something happened to them, isn't that on me?" she asked aloud before nearly jumping out of her skin as her phone began to ring.
The woman hurriedly reached for the device before pressing the accept call button before even looking at the number. "Uh, hello? Is everything alright?" she asked, doing little to hide her panic.
However, what she received in return wasn't a response from one of the teens she'd been anticipating.
Instead, an older male's voice responded in a gruff manner.
"Is everything alright? You tell me, Miss Kawakami. We're still waiting on this week's payment to be transferred. What's taking you so long?"
The woman's expression darkened as she tensed. "Oh, Mr. Takase...I'm really sorry. I promise I'll be able to make a payment by Friday. This has just been a difficult week."
A grunt came from the other end, accompanied by a woman's voice shouting something unintelligible in the distance. Finally, the man spoke yet again. "Save the sob story, you picked up a second job, right? Then there's no excuse. Unless you want us to have a long conversation with your boss at Shujin?"
Kawakami bit her lower lip before shaking her head. "That won't be necessary. I promise I'll have the money. Just please give me till Friday?"
"Tch, you have till Thursday evening; otherwise, we'll have to renegotiate how much you owe us each week," the man chuckled slightly.
"Renegotiate? B-But it's all I can do to make these current payments," the woman stammered slightly.
The man offered a flippant response in retort. "That will be your problem to sort out, not ours. This is what you get for failing Taiki. I'd suggest you ask for overtime," he added before suddenly the line went dead.
A look of resignation filled the teacher's face as she let her phone drop to the adjacent seat. 'Taiki, did I really fail these kids as I did with you? Maybe I deserve this. Everyone who seems to rely on me is always hurt in the long run...'
(Evening)[Tuesday] April 12th 20XX
Yongen Jaya
Backstreets
"Why do you keep staring so much, huh? Is there something on my face?"
Ren stared blankly down at his backpack at the head poking out. "...I don't know if it's more unnerving with you as a cartoon cat or a real one. Kasumi, are you sure your dad would say no to you adopting a stray? I'm already on thin ice with my caretaker..."
"Well... I'm not completely sure, Senpai. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't, but um..." the Gymnast started to explain as she flushed slightly.
"Ren, you bonehead! Think of her feelings. It's only natural that a young woman would be uncomfortable with the idea of having a guy move in with her so suddenly. Ladies deserve their privacy. Also, don't treat me like I'm some nuisance. Remember, it's been my amazing tutelage that's helped us this far." Morgana pointed out.
The dark-haired boy scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, you two, I guess that was pretty thoughtless of me. I do appreciate you coming this far out of your way Kasumi. If you're interested, I'd be happy to buy you dinner as an apology and a way of saying thanks. The boss looks pretty scary, but he knows how to make some amazing curry."
Kasumi's blush deepened a little as she moved to partially cover her face. "O-Oh... well, that does sound nice, Senpai. Though I don't know if I should be out too late or else my dad might start worrying."
The transfer student seemed fairly clueless to her plight. "Oh right. I guess it is getting pretty late. I'm just thankful you're with me," he admitted with a chuckle. "Something tells me Sojiro is the type that wilts pretty quickly when faced with a pretty girl."
Morgana eyed Kasumi before quickly clearing his throat. "Hey, you two, check your phones! I think the others are texting right now."
"Huh?" Kasumi quickly fished out her phone and clicked it on. "Oh, they are, good catch Morgana."
Ryuji: Yo, I think that's everyone. Wassup?! Oh that's right. Teach we did it. We got a lot of shit to tell ya, but the mission was a success
Kawakami: ...
Kawakami: Amamiya. Sakamoto. Yoshizawa. How long have you been back?! And what are with all these other numbers?! Do you have any idea how long I've been sitting in Shujin's parking lot? Waiting to see if you all returned in one piece?!
Kasumi: I'm so sorry, Sensei. We didn't mean to make you worry. After we all made it out, we felt exhausted again and wanted to get home to rest.
Ann: Woah is that you Kawakami Sensei?! This is totally crazy... o_O
Ren: ...Yeah like Ryuji was saying we have a lot to talk about. Sorry we didn't message you sooner. Things nearly went really bad for us. The good news is we got out in one piece and Ann as you can see is alright. With her and Shiho we have two more persona users on the team.
Kawakami: Shiho? Wait is that the girl I ran into earlier this evening? Ann's friend? You know what? You all can explain in detail tomorrow. I have somewhere to be and I'm late because of you brats. You better sleep tonight because if you fall asleep in class, there will be consequences...
Shiho: Oh yeah, I don't think you have to tell me twice, I almost felt like I was going to fall asleep on the train...
Ann: SHIHO! I totally would have rode with you then. Though to be honest I'm pretty beat too...
Ann: Hey Ren, you think your guardian is going to be alright with Morgana?
Ren: No clue. Pretty sure he's not going to be happy with me coming back this late. On top of me asking for a favor. If you don't hear from me, it's because I've been turned into coffee grounds.
Ryuji: Oof, rip
Kasumi: Well, I'm hoping that if he has a friend with him, Mister Sakura will be more understanding.
Ann: Hey I'm sure he'll understand if he thinks you were looking after a stray cat all evening. Don't tell Morgana I said that by the way...
Ren: Fraid he already knows. Either way, I can't put this off any longer. I have to face the firing squad. We'll talk in the morning. Goodnight guys and thanks for everything.
The dark-haired boy shoved his phone back into his coat before he gestured at the door that now loomed a short distance away. "Here we are. Last chance to back out," he offered with a tired grin.
"Aha, thanks for the concern, Senpai. But I think it would honestly be better if there was someone here with you to help explain," Kasumi countered, giving a determined nod.
"Yoshizawa is right. You seem to either be a smooth criminal or as clueless as Ryuji, from what I can tell. With not much middle ground. So we should be happy she's here," Morgana added.
Ren offered a somewhat distant expression. "Believe me, I am happy. It's a nice feeling to have someone that has your back. I'd forgotten what that was like," he mused before shaking his head. "Anyways, enough stalling. Leblanc awaits," he said as he reached for the door handle.
No sooner had the pair crossed the threshold into Leblanc, and the bell chimed that they were greeted with a man's voice.
"Hmph," Sojiro grunted as he pointedly kept his eyes down at the counter as he lightly shook his head. "Kid, I get that this whole situation is hard for you, but you are really trying my patience. Late to school on your first day and now not getting back here until way after dark. Do you want me to kick you out of- Huh?"
The serious expression left the older man's eyes as he looked towards the entrance. "Wait... You were out with a girl? Already?"
Ren rubbed the back of his head in a somewhat sheepish manner. "Uh right, sorry for causing trouble again. We were heading back from Aoyama-Itchome when we discovered this little guy," he explained as he nodded at Morgana, whose head was still visible from his bag. "Oh right, this is my friend and junior, Kasumi Yoshizawa. We sort of lost track of time but couldn't bring ourselves to leave him so close to the subway station."
"Yes, sir, I'm sorry we were out so late! We spent some time trying to find out if anyone had lost him, but we didn't have any luck," Kasumi explained as she deeply bowed towards Sojiro.
"Ah, please, you can calm down," the older man muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Jeez, kid, you seem to keep getting yourself into these kinds of situations. And on top of that, you pulled this poor girl here into it. Hell, you almost made me bite your head off in front of her..."
"Hey, what's the big idea with making me sound like I'm an idiot? I can look after myself, ya know?" Morgana pointed out indignantly. "You're giving this guy the wrong impression."
The transfer student caught himself from responding to the critter as he settled instead for patting Morgana's head. "I know I'm not worth the trouble, sir, and I really am sorry. I didn't know what else to do. I think Kasumi's father is allergic to cats. She was practically in tears begging him, but he still said no. So I told her that I would ask you, but I know it's asking a lot. Especially since this is so soon..."
The redhead stopped for a moment before giving the boy a slight nod. She sniffed and turned away from the others. "I'm sorry we are dropping this on you all of a sudden, sir."
Sojiro sighed as he crossed his arms. "Alright, alright, you two can cut the waterworks. Look, you can let it stay here, but it will be your job to take care of him. And you do realize this is a restaurant, right? So make sure he stays up there unless you are taking him with you, got it?"
"Whoa, that was actually pretty smooth. He seems like a pretty nice guy, though," Morgana pointed out.
Ren bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Boss! I promise he won't be any trouble at all, and thanks for this."
"Thank you so much, sir. This is a huge relief!" Kasumi exclaimed with a bright smile.
"Right well, I need to get this place closed up so I can get home," Sojiro explained as he turned to head back towards the tiny kitchen.
"All according to plan," Ren said quietly with a slight smirk before adjusting his glasses.
Morgana yawned. "Well enough patting yourself on the back. Kasumi did most of the work. Now we really should try and get some rest. Tomorrow will be another busy day for us."
"Tch, that little guy sure is chatty, isn't he? Here, I'll help feed him just this once so he can have these leftovers," Sojiro said as he walked around the counter and handed a plate with a small pile of meat and curry sauce.
Morgana's eyes widened. "That's for me?! This man has a heart of gold!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Boss, I think you have a new fan," Ren laughed before his attention shifted to the redhead. "Thanks again for all the help."
Kasumi nodded before responding. "Of course, Senpai! I should probably get back before my dad starts to worry, have a goodnight!"
"Hey, are you out of your mind? You aren't seriously about to leave a girl to walk by herself through a city, are you?" the guardian called back as he shot a sharp glare towards the dark-haired boy.
Ren paled slightly at the man's harsh expression. "Uh, of course not! That would be thoughtless of me. Morgana, behave okay? I'll be back soon. Kasumi, shall we?" the boy asked in a bit of a hurried manner as he gestured towards the door.
The cat paused from feasting to look between Ren and Sojiro. "It's hard to believe this man doesn't have a persona. What a commanding presence."
"Hey wait, here take this. I don't plan on waiting here for you all night. And I don't need you getting into trouble because I locked you out," Sojiro called out as he jogged up to the teenager and handed over a key.
"Oh, good point, and thanks again, sir," Ren offered somewhat stiffly as he took the key before again fixating on the redhead. "We should probably get going. I don't want your dad to get the wrong impression if we take any longer. Everyone at school already thinks I'm a delinquent..."
"R-Right, um, thank you again, sir!" Kasumi said as she gave a tiny bow.
Before Sojiro could respond, the two teens disappeared out the door with only a chime of the bell following in their wake.
Morgana continued to stare at the Café owner with a look of awe. "Now, if only I could command that kind of respect. I need to know your secrets..."
Sojiro sighed as he turned down towards the cat. "Well, looks like that kid has dragged you into all this. Do me a favor and look after him when I'm not around, okay?" The man leaned down and gently patted Morgana's head before he moved back behind the counter.
"Leave it to me, Boss. I'll make him and the others excellent phantom thieves in no time. They're in good hands!" Morgana boasted before returning to his food with even more gusto.
*Author Note*
As always a big shoutout to my beta and co-writer extraordinaire Petty for all her help with these chapters and the editing. I also want to take a chance to full admit that I goofed on the distinction of using shadows as a term rather than cognitions. To be honest it slipped my mind till I saw the mentions in the reviews. I think it's probably due in part to the way shadows are a more loose term in the earlier games. Regardless I tried to catch the earlier flubs and edit those mentions to be cognitions. I'll be more mindful going forward. Thanks to everyone who caught that. Much appreciated!
OC PERSONA COMPENDIUM:
Name: Suzui Shiho
Persona: Antigone
Social Link: ?
Physical Description: A tall woman shrouded in a white gown with no visible legs beneath her flowing dress. Her face remains covered by a silver mask that depicts visible anguish and pain set with a deep frown. Around her shoulder is a blood-red shawl that reaches out to both of her sides, almost forming arms. They are twisted and wrapped around to lift up two large circular shields. Her actual arms tend to remain clasped in front of her as if in a constant state of prayer.
Background: The tragic heroine from the Theban trilogy of Greek plays. A woman who put herself in danger to defend the honor of her loved ones against a cruel king.
Powers: Antigone is a persona that relies solely on defense. Through the use of her two shields she can both block and repel physical and magical attacks. However reflecting attacks especially stronger attacks requires more magic than simply blocking. Theoretically she can be used to protect from almost any type attack save almighty attacks. However while she doesn't have an elemental weakness like most persona, she has zero attacks and is solely able to defend. This ultimate defense though has to be used sparingly or is its user can burn out swiftly. The only other ability she posses is a limited group heal. However since it too burns magic, it has to be used sparingly or Shiho will be left unable to heal or defend anyone.
Review Section:
Peregrine 2K: Glad I happened to come in check this. You and your beta/partner are off to a hell of a start, absolutely worth and fave and follow, and I'll be eagerly awaiting more. I've had a few thoughts myself (like many in the Phandom) as to possible Persona and Palaces/awakening for the Confidants, so I'm always happy to see other's people's explorations of them and what they came up with, and this is incredibly intriguing. And the overall writing is pretty top notch.
I would 100% agree that character writing is a strength of yours. As much as I love the game and it's characters, their friendship/camaraderie together is a bit lacking compared to past games in the series, especially P4. Royal addressed this somewhat as you mention, but over all, still didn't quite hit the found family notes I think they were going for, IMO. But definitely you have a strong foundation here so far.
You're actions scenes are pretty good, though I'd say the one with Kawakami was slightly better. One thing I would say is that description could be buffed up here and there, like for example some of the Principal's ice spells felt lacking. But I mean you're averaging like... 8K words a chapter so I can't complain too much
Thank you so much for your kind words along with the constructive feedback it really helps. When I started floating ideas around for this, I knew I wanted to make sure that it had some classic moments from the original but that it wasn't just a beat for beat retelling. I think being able to add new ideas keeps people invested because no one knows how everything is going to play out. I'm definitely excited to do more unique interactions in this story. With the main character of course, but a lot more interactions with the rest of the cast. Seeing how they relate and connect in different ways could be a lot of fun. Anyways, thanks again for your review, favorite, and follow. I hope you enjoy things going forward!
Zekyram: Well, then. That bastard Kamoshida decided to set his sights elsewhere. That's bad. Especially if Shiho has to go back to him. How will that be handled, I wonder? Also, I just barely realized that you are using the Will Seeds in a new way. Nice. That would provide more difficulty in the Palaces, which is kind of needed with the group the size you are planning. And if there are butterfly effects, could we perhaps see new Palaces? Or have the group split and tackle multiple palaces at the same time! But then, who would be the leaders of the groups that are not led by Joker? Makoto maybe...but then there would be a need for more than one navigator for each group if we want things to go smoothly, unless Futaba can coordinate all of them at the same time. Either way, I'm excited to see where this story is going! We might even see a crossover with previous Persona games! Keep up the good work!
Yeah I wanted there to be good and bad consequences of things being changed. I've seen and read a lot of works that try to always approach scenarios where everything goes perfectly. I think the problem with that is it sort of sucks the tension and drama out a bit if things always go the way the heroes want. I'm definitely going to strike a balance going forward of classic and new story beats. I just think that's fun for everyone. Being able to recreate iconic moments in slightly different ways and then create completely new scenarios too. In any case thanks again for your review, I really appreciate it. =)
Bag of Holding: Right before shadow kobayakawa transforms when morgana talks he says he's is which you can fix if you want later. Changing the cognitive versions to be shadows is making this palace a lot more interesting and is a cool idea.
Thank you so much for pointing that out. Unfortunately we missed a few things while working late that evening. Also I did make a correction in regards to cognitions vs shadows. I have to confess that I simply blanked on that. That's totally my bad, but I'll try to be more vigilant to not make that kind of error again.
Wendel Santana: Continue, pls!
You got it chief! Hah it may be a short review, but it's always encouraging when someone's comment is just asking for me to continue. Makes me feel like I did at least something right.
UltimateCCC: Is this where the codenames will be coming in? Does Shiho have a love for cats?
It is indeed my friend. Also yeah, I could see Shiho definitely being soft on Morgana or any other critter.
RosyMiranto18: To be honest, i don't think the scene you would have warned on would be worse than what happened in Canon, so enough sugarcoating and let's go.
I still think that Pervert should not be counted as a keyword since all Palaces after this onky have 3 keywords instead of 4.
Does that mean if say, Sojiro is holding your Phone, Ren, does that mean he got the MetaNav as well?
Pretty sure Kobayakawa is not talking about Sae (Which would have a much worse implication) so... Who is this Attorney he speak of?
Okay, at this point, i should have told you this before the misunderstanding spiraled even further. That Kobayakawa and Kawakami in Kamoshida's Palace should have been referred to as Cognitions, not Shadows. Cognitions is what Kamoshida thinks of Kobayakawa and Kawakami, now the latter's repressed self who i don't think can appear in someone else's Palace either.
Uh... Kay, Making Ann dressed like that is already a red flag that this is worse than before. *Pause* Oh, we're not even entering the warned scene yet.
I thought Safe Room here takes form of Classes, not Janitors. Also, weird that they coincidentally entered the Palace through a Safe Room.
Oh, that explains why i wondering where is Kawakami and i thought she will get her Persona before Shiho, if Shiho will ever get one. Especially since this is literally Shiho's first visit. It's quite bizarre, isn't it?
Though i wonder what Kawakami's reaction on what she just missed here. I'm also worried about the content of that meeting as well.
Sighs... How much i willing to bet that instead of Shiho, this Hikari girl will be the one who tried to commit suicide... And that's the price of just saying yes to Kamoshida.
If he has that commitment to marry, then Kamoshida would have a wife to reign him in long before this. -_-
So... AnnXShiho confirmed?
Antigone? *Checking* Not sure about the allusion win Shiho here, but i like her character.
Uh... What kind of name Bufurakarn here? Why not just use either Ice Wall or a standard Makarakarn? Both can work though the latter is a late-game spell. Unless if this is somehow a Signature Spell.
Agreed. Butterfly Effect doesn't mean all changes are positive. Good idea to put bold or italic on the next Keywords too. For Shiho's Social Link, i'm suspecting either Art or Aeon. We'll see. And so Antigone is a Tank/Healer Persona. Interesting concept, a really creative one, but i already used that idea myself so it's not unique. Your idea is more extreme though since Shiho can only repel attacks not just tanking them with additional minor magics.
And fair enough, the only way to know is to wait. And yes, this game's beginning made a great job for you to remove any doubt in the idea of Change of Heart, because your target is so vile, yet so realistic, unlike the later ones like Kaneshiro or Shidou.
Anyway, i think that's all for today, so see you later and Keep Update!
P.S.: Please tell me that Kawakami really going to get a Persona, i start to dread that she might never does.
Yeah I mean in retrospect it wasn't that bad. However everyone has different levels of tolerance for that kind of scene, so I try to be respectful about it. As for the safe room it wasn't a janitor's room. It was meant to be a reference to a servant's quarter. A maid's room if you will. Because it was Kawakami's classroom. And he views her via his cognition as a servant even down to the maid attire. As for Antigone I think it was spelled out decently well, but the idea is for the girl who has been fragile and has had to be defended constantly, being the person to manifest the Persona that's capable of protecting others. It's why there were so many references to her being saved prior to her awakening. The point was to show a change in the dynamic when she emerged. As for your final question, I wouldn't worry too much. =)