Chapter Twenty-Six
New Recruit

Thursday May 19th

By the time Madarame got to the front door Yusuke and that girl were nowhere in sight. He immediately called his security company but tried to put on the air of someone who was concerned, if not mildly inconvenienced. After a few minutes, they sent him several pictures of the girl with her two friends, the thuggish boy and the girl with glasses.

A handful showed the three by the bench across the road, in conversation. And then Madarame spotted her. Ichiko Ohya, that reporter had been trying to find dirt on him weeks before the exhibition even started. One image showed her approaching the school kids, and another showed Ohya handing something to the girl with glasses.

The date and timestamps showed those same three kids in the same spot, looking like they were trying to plot something. It's not concrete evidence, but it's enough to make the police suspicious. And that was all he needed.

Mona and Panther checked the lobby over once for any remaining Shadows before Skull and Joker eased Kitagawa onto one of the green couches. Things between them remained silent as they allowed Kitagawa a chance to calm down and catch his breath. When the silence amongst them dragged on too long to become awkward Panther cleared her throat and asked, "You've known for quite some time, haven't you?"

With a slight incline of Kitagawa's head, Joker thought he would try to put off an answer. But Kitagawa's shoulders rose as he took a breath in "I'm no fool," he said. "Strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair. But… who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?"

"Why didn't you leave, Kitagawa-kun?"

"Well," he leaned forward on his forearms, "he is the one who painted the 'Sayuri.' On top of that, I owe him a great debt."

"You mean 'cause he raised you?" Skull asked tentatively.

"I… never knew my father," Kitagawa confessed. "I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three. That's when Sensei took me in. I heard he helped my mother while she was still alive."

"Heard?" echoed Panther.

"To be honest, I don't remember much about my mother either. I did everything I could for Sensei. I thought of him as a father… but he changed." Joker saw Kitagawa's hands ball uptight. "To think he would treat the 'Sayuri,' the very foundation of his art, like that!"

A silence fell upon the Shujin trio and Mona as they contemplated everything Kitagawa had said. His core story was different from theirs, but there was a tinge of familiarity to it. "A lot's happened to you, huh?" asked Skull.

"When you mentioned plagiarism… deep down I knew you were right," confessed Kitagawa. "That's why I so vehemently denied you… I was simply running from the truth. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Joker said gently.

"…Thank you. I'm grateful for the chance to face what I have been denying all this time."

Chortling slightly, Skull shook his head. "You're way too serious, man. That's why you're always gettin' stuck in your own head. Look at me! I just go with the flow."

"For real," Panther said, borrowing a catchphrase.

"So what are you going to do now?" Mona asked, standing on the couch beside Kitagawa.

Kitagawa glanced down at the floor. "I don't know…"

"We can't help the fact that Madarame's gone and changed," said Skull. "But we can change his heart. We'll make him pay for his crimes."

"That reminds me, you mentioned something about that 'change of heart' earlier…"

"Have you heard the rumors? The ones about the Phantom Thieves that steal hearts?"

Kitagawa's gaze bounced from Skull to Joker, to Panther, then to Mona. Behind his mask, his brow rose and his eyes lit up as he finally put two and two together. "Don't tell me…"

"Yeah, I doubt the media is expecting the Phantom Thieves to really be a group of high schoolers and their… mascot?" Joker pondered for a moment. What was the best way to describe Mona?

"Not a mascot!"

Black splatters appeared on the floor behind the couch as four Shadows appeared behind them. Kitagawa stood up, ready to run as the others sunk into defensive positions. Something caught his eye, the blue gloves on his hands, then the sleeves of his jumpsuit. His hands traveled up to his eyes, meeting the firm material of his mask. "When did my clothes change?"

"You just noticed that now?!" exclaimed Skull.

"Save it for later!" snapped Panther. "Let's go!"

It was still raining when they ran into the real world, right outside Madarame's shack as always. They ignored the fact that they were getting pelted on by fat raindrops as they continued running until they reached the hustle and bustle of Shibuya. Ann suggested they continue their conversation at the dinner as they were going to need to explain their story to Kitagawa. When they got to their table, Chiyo placed her bag on the table beside her by the wall, allowing Morgana to get some sight of what's was going on through the open zipper.

The Shujin students proceeded to sum up their tales about their previous experiences. The castle, Morgana, Kamoshida's physical abuse, his sexual assaults and harassments, the threat of expulsion and the ultimatum, the Treasure within his Palace, and Kamoshida's public confession in front of the student body. Each member of the trio would take over the story every now and then, with Morgana injecting his opinion on the matter once in a while.

Now and then the story would come to a halt whenever someone got too close to their table. Or when the waitress stopped by with their drinks, ice water for Ann and Kitagawa, soda for Ryuji, and coffee for Chiyo.

Kitagawa remained respectfully silent thought the tale. Even when the three stumbled over how much to omit, mostly in an attempt to keep Suzui's privacy. The most they said about her was that she was Ann's friend, who tried to kill herself after Kamoshida was particularly cruel to her. If Kitagawa put two-and-two together based on what the news was saying about Kamoshida and the female students, there wasn't much else they could do about it. "I see," he murmured at the end of their tale. "And because of that, this PE teacher's had a change of heart… The Phantom Thieves who steal hearts… To think they truly exist."

"You said yourself that the truth is stranger than fiction," Chiyo said shrugging lazily.

"True. I have to believe your words. Especially after seeing a world like that… So your plan with Madarame-sensei-" He stopped himself abruptly and stared at his hands for a moment. "-with Madarame is to force a change of heart, correct?"

The group remained silent, which was enough of an answer for Kitagawa. It was their turn to remain silent as he stared at his hands again, intently. His jaw clenched and unclenched twice as he thought. No one said anything to Kitagawa as he thought, he needed a moment after all of that. Even then, after that initial modeling session, they didn't think they would be able to break his concentration anyway

"Let me join," Kitagawa said at length, "as a member of the Phantom Thieves."

At that request, Morgana started to paw at the opening in Chiyo's bag, widening it a bit more. "Are you sure?" asked Ann.

"Had I faced reality sooner, this may have been avoided. I must put an end to this for the sake of the others whose futures as artists were robbed, as well." Kitagawa paused a moment to release a rueful sigh. "That… is the most civil thing I can do for the man who was… in some manner, my father."

"Civil, huh?" Ann echoed under her breath. She hadn't thought about it like that before.

"Sounds fine to me," injected Ryuji. "We're gonna deal with Madarame anyways."

Chiyo pursed her lips to the side. She got what Ryuji was saying, but did he have to word it like they were going to do this with or without Kitagawa's approval? This affected him directly, after all.

In the corner of her eye, she could see her bag moving again, as Morgana pawed the zipper back more. "He may have a mental shutdown if we're not careful," he warned. "We have ways to prevent that, but we don't have any guarantees."

"Madarame is a man who has the art world under his thumb," Kitagawa reasoned. "He has connections to many organizations. If someone like me were to raise their voice, it would only be snubbed out. We have no other option but this."

Another silence fell upon the group. The Shujin trio exchanged looks, each of them recognizing the familiarity in Kitagawa's reasoning. Hadn't they each said something similar when dealing with Kamoshida? Wasn't Kitagawa's situation not unlike any of theirs? Someone who was let down by the adults in his life, the adults who should have known better? "We'd be happy to have you onboard," Chiyo said at length.

"Yeah!" Ann clapped her hands together once. "I hope we get along, Yusuke!"

"You better not slow us down," Ryuji said grinning.

"I'll do my best," said Kitagawa.

"Just no more nude paintings," Chiyo joked with a playful wink.

Kitagawa stared at her for a moment, then his brow suddenly rose. "So that was all a plan?" He turned his gaze back towards Ann. "That's quite daring, Takamaki-san."

"It wasn't my idea – it was theirs!" She gestured to Chiyo, Morgana, and Ryuji in a swooping arm gesture.

"What else were we supposed to do?!" Ryuji asked defensively. He proceeded to jerk his thumb in Kitagawa's direction. "It's his fault for goin' on and on about the nude modelin' thing!"

"I haven't given up on that yet, though," quipped Kitagawa.

Ann rounded a glare upon him and hissed, "Give it up!"

"We're a lively bunch," Chiyo said in a syrupy sweet tone.

"Oh, that reminds me," Ann said after taking a sip f her water. "I wonder what's going on with the real Madarame. Yusuke and I were in a pretty tight situation…"

"Actually, I contacted him on our way over here," Kitagawa said casually. "He believes that I continued pursuing Takamaki-san… And, just as you explained, it appears he knows nothing about his Shadow."

"What did he say?"

"He was complaining to the security company how they couldn't even catch one high school girl. However, he's still furious about it, and said he's going to take legal action against everyone."

Chiyo wondered if the sensation she felt right now was anything like being on a roller coaster. With her stomach plummeting deeper into her digestive system, her blood running cold. Did she really think Madarame wouldn't wise up to the machinations and take precautions? "Dude, all of us?!" Ryuji's voice cracked.

"It's because we've been together in a group." Chiyo removed her glasses to rub her eyes. Her left leg started to jiggle under the table. "He probably put two and two together after Ann ran for it…"

"Talk about bein' completely on guard…"

"He's acting way too desperate," noted Ann. "Maybe he still has more secrets."

"If he were to act, it'd be after the exhibit is over," Kitagawa explained. "Any scandal during the show would be his loss."

"Right when I think the talk about being a nude model is over, this happens…"

"We'll have to force a change of heart before then if we're to dodge this 'legal action' thing," quipped Morgana. Chiyo had put her glasses beside her bag on the table. Her hands still over her eyes as she tried to keep herself calm.

"What'd you have to worry about?" Ryuji asked, eyeing Chiyo's bag. "Between the lot of us, you're the one most likely to be overlooked."

"I think he just wants to be included," Chiyo murmured, putting her glasses back on. She didn't want to think about their fates if legal action was taken. If she did now, Chiyo was afraid she'd want to stay under her bed covers for days on end. And for another, this kind of thing made her head spin.

Why was she even nervous? They until after the exhibit. That gave them plenty of time. They had time to kill even!

"No!" Morgana snapped, sinking deep into the bag. "I'm screwed in my mission if my pawns are behind bars! I don't even want to think about how long it'll take me to find more Persona users!"

"Uh-huh."

"By the way," Kitagawa pointed in Morgana's direction, "what is this?"

"A cat," Ryuji said bluntly.

"But it's talking."

"You have a problem with that?!" snapped Morgana.

"No, not really."

"Why not?!" Ryuji's voice cracked again.

"He's just on a different wavelength than other people," said Ann.

"Do you wish to draw me?" Morgana asked, purring as Kitagawa stared in his general direction. "You better bring about the best of me, in that case."

After a moment of silence, Kitagawa stood up and reached his hand out in Morgana's direction. The cat lowered his head into the bag. If this kid was going to treat him like an average housecat then-

Kitagawa brought his hand down on the buzzer Morgana just happened to be behind. "I was thinking of ordering some black bean jelly," Kitagawa explained, sitting back down.

"Bet he got that idea from a 'black cat,'" muttered Ryuji.

"Oh!" Kitagawa gasped suddenly before he looked crestfallen. "I didn't bring any money…"

"Never mind," said Ann. "He's just weird."

The group ended up ordering a bit of food anyway, the bill was split between the Shujin trio. When they parted they gave Kitagawa one last assurance that Madarame would have no idea what conspired in his Palace. Though Chiyo had the sense that some of it was for their own sake as well.

After Chiyo saw that she still had a bit of time before the last train left, and headed for Untouchable. If they were going to have a new teammate, they needed to make sure he was well-prepared for their next infiltration. She had a discussion with Iwai on what she should get, all while still trying to come across as an enthusiast. Iwai convinced her to get a replica AR, a rather generic riffle but had the power of a real AR. Chiyo gave Iwai ¥1500.

Hiding the rifle on her person, Chiyo tried to make herself inconspicuous as she took the train back to Yongen-Jaya. In Yongen, she recalled the diminishing bottle of Recov-R and realized it was likely going to empty sooner rather than later with the five of them now. She couldn't put off another visit to Takemi's clinic much longer, not without serious risk in the Palace, anyway.

Takemi was seated behind the desk in the waiting area. Did Takemi really not have any other staff working for her? The doctor was reading a magazine, only tearing her attention from it when she heard the door open. Takemi's brow rose when she spotted Chiyo walk in. "Well, wonders never cease," she said, closing her magazine. "I was just hoping you'd come in soon."

"I was looking to buy more medicine," said Chiyo.

"Sure. But first, you mind playing guinea pig this evening?"

"…Sure…"

The doctor gestured for Chiyo to walk through the door. She seated herself on the cot as Takemi rummaged through a small refrigerator in the corner of the room. She took out a bottle, and a plastic cup, pouring a bit of the medicine inside. "Here you go." She handed the concoction to Chiyo. "I made various adjustments to the previous drug, based on your trial results."

Chiyo eyed the plastic up hesitantly. She could still remember how bitter the last drug tasted. And this one smelled terrible like someone threw a various array of cleaning products together.

She licked her lips before she brought the cup to her mouth and downed it in one gulp. It was both bitter and sour, just as overwhelming as the last drug. Chiyo realized soon that it was a struggle for her to breathe. The lights in the room suddenly looked brighter.

When Chiyo opened her eyes again, she was on her side. Takemi was writing something down on her clipboard nonchalantly. She was laying on the cot, her glasses slightly askew. "Your reaction to it was absolutely perfect," Takemi said, briefly flashing her gaze in Chiyo's. The girl wasn't in a hurry to sit up, the room spinning around her. "Bet you feel a bit dazed, hm? I mixed in some special… components."

Slowly, Chiyo rolled onto her back and readjusted her glasses. "Okay," Takemi said, placing her clipboard down. "Let's take your temperature and blood pressure. I'm also going to draw some blood." Chiyo felt faint when she heard that. "I also want to perform a few motor skill tests. But those might be too much for you right now. Anyway, since we're in the final stages, I should first stabilize the fundamental formula…"

Chiyo suddenly heard the exam room door open. "Oh, so you are here," said a new, gruff voice.

Slowly, Chiyo sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the cot. Her palms started to sweat at the sight of the officer in the doorway. Or maybe it was just Takemi's drug making her sweat. "I'm in the middle of an examination," Takemi said firmly. "I've told you before, Officer. If you want to investigate me, you need to show me a warrant."

"I'm here because we received a report," replied the officer. "I'll need to see a detailed statement of medical expenses and full medical records." The officer's lips pulled back into a smug sneer as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I bet you didn't have enough time to hide any incriminating documents, huh?

Unaffected by the officer's threats, Takemi's fingers fluttered through the notes on her clipboard. "Must be under the orders of the Medical Chief of Staff," she said thinking out loud. Without another word, Takemi pulled out a file and held it out to the officer. "Here you go."

"Huh?!"

"This kid here is my only patient today." Takemi cocked her head in Chiyo's direction. "If you're asking for her medical expenses, I'm guessing I'm under suspicion of improper billing? But without a receipt, I'd say you've been sent on a wild goose chase."

The officer looked down at the file Takemi held out to him and back to Takemi. "Wh-What's going on here?!"

"You're being manipulated. That 'report' is fictitious. It's nothing but an attempt to harass me." Takemi's words were blunt, but her tongue was sharp. Gorgeous, whip-smart, and level-headed, Chiyo would have loved to be like that.

"What?!" shouted the officer. His face was steadily growing red. He whipped his attention to Chiyo, her pulse quickened instantly. "You! What're you doing here?! You don't look sick. Are you up to something illegal?!"

She tried to meet the officer's eyes, try to show an iota of confidence. "I-I know my rights."

"Do you also have a warrant for disclosure, Officer?" Takemi asked cooly. "If not, I'd be happy to report this. So, is there anything else? As you can see, we were in the middle of an exam."

"Fine!" spat the officer. "You're infuriating, you know that? But I'd expect nothing less from the Plague."

The officer turned on his heel, marched out of the exam room with a slam of the door. It wasn't until the second slam and the loud footfalls as he marched downstairs disappeared that Takemi released an aggravated sigh. "I'm so over this…"

"Is someone trying to harass you?" Chiyo asked tentatively.

She almost wished she didn't ask as Takemi tilted her head back and released a groan. "You couldn't infer the meaning from the conversation? I get so irritated whenever it comes up." Sighing again, she held her hand up as though to placate Chiyo. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm sure it was my former superior who made that false report. You eavesdropped on our conversation last time you were here, remember?"

Chiyo felt her face heat up instantly, a reaction that amused Takemi. "He's just trying to put pressure on me… by having the police investigate me and my practice. Anyway," she stood up, "I need to draw some blood. There'll be some mild anemia, but only temporary. You'll be fine, just make sure you eat a bit of protein afterward."

Chiyo turned her head towards the wall as Takemi readied her for the prick. She jumped slightly twice, once when the needle pierced her skin and a second time when it was retracted. Chiyo didn't mind blood and technically didn't mind needles. It was just the thought of a tiny little needle just under her skin and poking a vein that unnerved her.

When she was able to sit up, Takemi gave Chiyo a list of her meds to look at. She took a tube of Nohar-M, an ointment that cures burns and frostbite. And, though she ended up buying the All version, Chiyo had to side-eye the name of the Takemedic-All. It was a drug that replenished the consumer's energy. She gave Takemi ¥2400 and dropped the pills and ointment into her bag with Morgana.

She bought a package of cup ramen and a week's worth of canned cat food before they returned to the Leblanc. Chiyo and Morgana ate quietly, both a bit worn out from the eventful day.

Until Ryuji sent Ann and Chiyo a text.

Ryuji: Legal action!? This ain't funny!
Ryuji: If the police hear about this, they'll totally get in touch with the school.
Ryuji: We'll get expelled for sure this time.
Ann: School would be the least of our worries… We'd end up arrested. Unlawful entry, defamation…
Chiyo: Only if we fail to steal the Treasure.
Chiyo: There's still a bit of time between then and now.
Ann: Yeah, from here on out is what really matters. Let's do it!
Chiyo: If Kitagawa's up to it, we'll meet up after school tomorrow and go from there.
Ann: All right I'll let him know.
Ryuji: And we shouldn't have to worry about that security system anymore.

Her dreams that night showed her the Security Shadow made of multi-colored paint, every step it took left rainbow spotted footprints. Little bearded men followed in its wake with needles and tubes.

Friday, May 20th

It had been as they said, Madarame had no inkling about his Palace nor anything his Shadow self may or may not have revealed to Yusuke. He returned to the artier, giving Madarame the story that he'd lost Takamaki in the crowds of Shibuya. A partial truth, he supposed.

Takamaki had contacted him on the way to school, asking if he wanted to meet up with the others at the walkway in Shibuya station. Yusuke found that staying in the atelier was like trying to breathe through dust, choking, and suffocating on it. He answered yes instantly.

He had just slipped his phone in his pocket, when he spotted Kusakabe, much like he had yesterday, reading something. "Good morning, Kusakabe," Yusuke greeted.

She looked up to find him approaching him. With a fluid movement, she clipped her book closed and slid it under her arm. "Morning," she said cheerily. There was a subtle earnesty compared to her artificial greetings yesterday. "Everything go okay last night?"

"Yes, as you said, Madarame had no idea of what happened."

Kusakabe nodded, readjusting her glasses at the same time. She tapped the toe of her boot against the floor twice. "Y'know," she began, gripping the straps of her bag in one hand. "Since we're going to be working together now, you can call me Chiyo if you want."

Yusuke scrutinized her. She was avoiding his gaze, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. She seemed a bit more confident yesterday while they were facing Madarame's Shadow. Unperturbed by everything he said, a contrast to how she presented herself now. "Very well," Yusuke said at length, "then it would only be fair if you started calling me Yusuke."

Chiyo's gaze met with his. "All right then," she said, grinning. "Ann let you know about meeting up?"

"Yes, I'll be there."

"All right, we'll pick up this conversation then. My train should be coming soon."

"Very well. I'll see you later."

Chiyo started that morning by putting money aside for her phone bill. It hurt a bit to part with the money, but she had to remind herself that it was difficult to get by without a phone. She ran into Yusuke at the train station and left referring to each other by their given names.

At school, she found a crowd of students in front of the corkboard. She heard some whispering about their grades, how someone's dad was going to give them a lecture, how someone's allowance was safe. Chiyo pushed her way through the crowd to get a good look at the board. She looked for the second years, then scanned for her name. She got a passing score, but it wasn't anything to brag about.

That was what Ryou always wanted from her, passable. Just get a decent enough score, if they were lucky Chiyo would be able to get into college through gymnastics. With that life plan bust, Chiyo felt like she should have found a different career path for herself. She just wasn't sure what.

It was cloudy by the time lunch rolled around. Chiyo was about to get the sandwich she bought on the way over out from her bag when her phone started to buzz. Her brow must have shot straight up to her hairline when she saw Dr. Maruki's ID.

Maruki: How have you been since our last talk?
Chiyo: Okay, for the most part.
Maruki: For the most part?
Chiyo: Well exam results were posted today.
Maruki: :)
Maruki: If you've got the time, I'd be happy to chat with you again during lunch.
Chiyo: Sure. I'll be there in a minute.
Maruki: Thank you. That'd be quite helpful.

So, Chiyo gathered her bag, her lunch, and her cat, and headed straight for the nurse's office. Maruki had gotten Chiyo a cup of peach tea, and let her take a few bites of her sandwich before he spoke, "I've been getting a lot of students coming in ever since I arrived here. To be honest, it's been… kind of a relief."

"Hm?" Chiyo inquired, mouth still full, with the back of her hand blocking her lips.

"That whole mess with Kamoshida was the reason I was called here, after all… They warned me a lot of students had been impacted. I knew there would be a lot of free-floating anxiety. But when I actually got to talk to everyone, I was pleasantly surprised. Most of the things on everyone's minds were college entrance exams, relationship problems… In other words, typical worries for high-school students. Some did open up about deeper issues, but not the majority. Some students were still struggling with the scars from the incident, yes… But at the very least, I'm glad the ones who came to me have taken some steps towards recovery."

"I'm a little surprised," admitted Chiyo. "There is a bit of a stigma about needing to speak with a counselor or a therapist."

"There is," Maruki agreed with a nod of the head. "But I've noticed that it's starting become a bit more normalized as the years go by. Not so much when someone, usually a man, has to 'fix' another, usually a woman, by loving them." He rubbed at the back of his neck and released a heavy sigh. "Recovery varies from person to person, but it's never that easy."

"Plus, doesn't that imply you can't recover with your own inner power?" Chiyo asked. Her face twisted slightly. "I think that's what I want to say…? This whole thing's kinda new to me."

"I think that's an interesting way of putting it. And I think it's something high schoolers should be mindful of as a rule. For better or worse, we are a people who tend to emulate what we see in media."

Almost instantly, Chiyo thought about Arsene, the other her. Had some part of Chiyo subconsciously emulated Arsène Lupin somehow? Had she even heard of Arsène Lupin before all of this? Maybe?

Okay, Chiyo couldn't say for certain one way or the other.

Maruki leaned forward in his seat slightly. "You remember how I asked you to help me with my research?" he asked.

"Mm-hm," Chiyo uttered as she took another bite out of her sandwich.

"I said you'd be helping with my research, but don't worry. It won't be anything too difficult or intensive."

"Isn't a counseling session kind of intensive by default?"

"Well, yes. But I just need you to listen to what I have to say, and work through some questions with me."

If that was all there was to it, wouldn't it be better for Maruki to find a colleague to do this with? How much could he get from working off a high school student?

"Let's see…" He took a moment to think, leaning back in his chair again. "Maybe I should start at the beginning. I can tell you a little about what this research is for. What I'm studying now is pain felt in the mind. Or perhaps more fancifully, in the heart? Some specific examples include the pain of someone saying hurtful things to you, or being separated from those you love… Maybe this would be clearer – pain defined by abstracts, like trauma or stress."

Chiyo's brow rose as she finished her sandwich.

"But what about the pain felt within one's heart? That pain isn't born from anything tangible problem in our bodies, right? It's something strange and immaterial. I guess it goes to show there are still a lot of mysteries in our own hearts and minds. And I… well, I want to learn more about these inertial, psychological pains. Now, this is my question to you… When do you truly feel pain in your heart, Kusakabe-san?"

The question, so simple, suddenly made Chiyo want to throw up her sandwich. It was a personal question. Not that she didn't understand why Maruki would ask this. But Chiyo wasn't expecting them to just dive right in.

But why should she expect to be buttered up in this kind of thing? Odds were they were going to pick off where they left off next time. Or was their conversation beforehand Maruki's way of easing her in.

When did Chiyo feel pain in her heart? When she and Sojiro had their argument last month? Though Chiyo came close to hurting herself over it, she wouldn't say it hurt, hurt. Not like… everything her parents did to her while she was growing up.

"My mom basically disowned me," Chiyo explained, rubbing her temple. "Pretty much told me not to bother coming home to her when my probation's up. I don't know if she really believes I did anything I was accused of or if it's more the stigma that's bound to follow me."

"I see…" Maruki said tentatively. "I can sympathize there. When we're small, it's our parents we rely on the most. So when they let us down it's easy to turn into intense pain. It can be rough. It doesn't feel good to struggle with pain in your heart. But with that in mind… How about the pain of a broken heart, then? After all, that kind of pain is only born because we fall in love, right?"

"Eh," Chiyo chuckled weakly, bringing a finger to her temple. "If we're talking about something like that, I don't know if anything I have to say can actually help."

"Well, you don't have to speak from experience. Just tell me what you think of that kind of pain from an outside perspective."

"Experiencing it sounds like it royally sucks. But it also sounds like a necessary part of the experience."

"True. It proves and validates the love that came before it, after all. A very fitting answer from you. Internal, emotional pain can be difficult to deal with. Though some say it's always coupled with other feelings. And I agree, of course. I think that's a fair assessment. Though personally speaking… I'd think if pain can be avoided, it should be. Maybe it shouldn't exist at all."

Chiyo wasn't sure what to make of that. She couldn't see how such a thing would be possible. Physical and internal pain, both were inevitable one way or another. People were fragile creatures, and they said 'you are your own worst enemy' for a reason.

"Wounds of the heart are much harder to detect," continued Maruki, "and in a way, they're far more complex than physical injuries That's why I'm doing this research… To save people who are suffering from the internal pain they keep holding onto. You helped me realize that purpose again. Thank you."

Chiyo tilted her head to the side. "Again?"

The doctor waved his hand. "You get older, you meet new people, not all of them the right people, responsibilities keep piling up. Sometimes you need a reminder of why you chose the life you did. I think that'll do for today. Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"

Chiyo's eyes wandered to the clock, wondering if they would even have enough time for that before class started again.

"Oh! Your mental training!" Maruki brought his palm to the side of his head with an audible tap while also knocking his glasses a little askew. He looked a little panicked when he noticed Chiyo staring at him through the rims of her glasses. "That is to say… I didn't forget about our promise, of course! I'll teach you tricks for mental discipline, and you help me with my research! Just like we agreed upon, right?"

He took a moment to glance at the clock before he sat down.

"Though it sounds fancy, it's not all that difficult to sharpen your mental acuity. But like most things, you need to stick with it. Something like jigsaw puzzles, listening to music can help improve your acuity. How are you at cards?"

"Not great."

He took a few minutes to teach Chiyo Solitaire and recommended a game store for her to check out if she developed an interest in playing cards or jigsaw puzzles.

Chiyo finished 'The Gentleman Thief' with Arsène successfully escaping prison by making himself look like an impostor through dieting. She would have to remember to return it tomorrow.

Yusuke was already at the walkway waiting for them with the Shujin trio arrived. Chiyo let Morgana out of the bag and gave him a few minutes to stretch his legs. The kids each leaned against the railing by the massive window as though they were a group of high school students discussing inane things.

Having shaken off any stiff feelings in his bones, Morgana climbed upon the railing between Chiyo and Ryuji. "We still need to explain the basics to Yusuke, don't we?"

"Oh, right. The Metaverse and the Nav," murmured Ann. "Yeah, I guess that stuff is pretty important."

"Please elaborate," Yusuke encouraged simply.

"Okay, let's start from the beginning," declared Morgana. "First, the Metaverse spots where we act as Phantom Thieves are called Palaces. Palaces are worlds that take form from someone's cognition. A materialization of their reality."

"To a pompous teacher, the school where he teaches can become a castle. To Madarame, a shack can become a museum," explained Chiyo.

"So do we each hold Palaces within ourselves as well?" asked Yusuke.

"Actually that's a good question," said Ryuji.

All eyes glanced at Morgana, who shook his head. "Not for Persona users. We have a good, clear grasp on our desires. That's why we're in a good position to steal a Palace's Treasure. And not just anyone will have a Palace. It's primarily those with strong distorted desires."

"They basically gotta be criminals," surmised Ryuji.

"Sounds more like they're the opposite of Persona users," Chiyo said thoughtfully. "If Persona users have a clear grasp on our desires and Palace rulers have distorted desires…"

"That actually sounds kinda cool. Oh yeah!" Ryuji pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed it to Yusuke. "And we use the Metaverse Nav app here on our phones to get into that world!"

"Ah, yes. I found that on mine last night," mused Yusuke.

"It's actually pretty simple to use," Ann took over. "Just say a person's name, location, and distortion, then you're in."

"Location?"

"Uh… So like Madarame's would be 'shack, then his distortion is that he thinks it's a 'museum.'"

"How do you know what their Palace is going to look like if you have never set foot in it before?"

"It helps to have a good read on the target in question," Chiyo explained. "Right now we're dealing with an artist, so his Palace would likely be a museum. Well, that or you have pure dumb luck on your side…"

"You gotta put it like that?" Ryuji asked almost whining.

"It's true, though. Kamoshida was dumb luck."

Yusuke, leaning his back against the rail, kept one arm crossed over his midsection, his other hand gripped his chin in thought. "I feel as though I have a good grasp on the basic concepts. If anything arises which I fail to understand, I'll rely on those more experienced than myself."

"Yeah!" Ryuji punched the air. "I gotcha covered, newbie!"

"Thinking back to Madarame though…" Morgana mused, his tail lazily swaying from side to side. "I can't believe he'd consider pressing charges."

"Yes, I've never seen him show such anger before," agreed Yusuke. "He is most likely quite serious about that."

"How long do we have until the exhibit ends?" Chiyo asked, ignoring the chill that ran down her spine. "At least two weeks?"

"About three," corrected Yusuke. "The final day of the exhibit falls on June 5th."

"Alright then, we just steal the Treasure before then," said Ryuji. "Plenty of time."

"So, do we want to head over today?" Morgana asked. "We've already covered a bit of ground, but it'd be foolish to assume we're in the clear."

"I am okay with going back today," said Yusuke.

"So we're in agreement?" asked Chiyo. "If we are, we should head to shack now."

The group headed to their usual spot across the street from the artier. Ryuji fired up the Nav. Yusuke looked a little dizzy as the changes took place, but it was forgotten by the time the shack transformed into the golden museum. He barely noticed the change in his clothes once again as he scrutinized the outside of the museum.

"Oh yeah," Morgana exhaled, staring up at Yusuke. "We haven't decided on our new recruit's code name yet."

"It has to be 'Kitsune,'" Panther said immediately. "You know, with that kitsune mask and everything."

"Hell yeah!" agreed Skull. "That really leaves an impression."

Finally tearing his gaze off the building, Yusuke turned around. "Are you talking about me?"

"What do you want your name over here to be?" Panther asked.

"We've been going by code names here as a precaution," Joker explained. "Just in case shouting our real names enough times has an adverse effect in the real world. I'm Joker, Ryuji's Skull, Ann's Panther, and Morgana's Mona."

"Then I'd say 'Da Vinci,'" Yusuke said without a second thought.

"Nope," Skull said instantly. "You've got that mask like Panther said… and there's that weird tail… Got it, you're Abura-age!"

Instantaneously, Mona's body twitched as he snorted. There was no way Yusuke would go for something like-

"Very well," said Yusuke.

"Seriously?!"

"Whelp, we got that outta the way," Skull said, grinning boldly.

Panther shot that notion down. "Nuh-uh! Not happening! Suggestions, Joker?"

Pondering, Joker crossed her arms over her chest. "It's gotta be in English to match the rest of us," she said at length. Wait where did 'Mona' originate from? "So… how 'bout 'Fox?'"

Skull's head bobbed. "Yeah, not bad."

"What do you think, Fox?" asked Mona.

"It's acceptable."

"It's set then." Skull clapped his hands together. "Let's go."

"Hold on," Mona took a black cuff out of his utility belt. "We need to make sure, Fox has the proper gear. Now put this on."

"What is it?" Fox asked, taking the cuff into his hand.

"It's a grappling hook. We've had to use it to get out of or get to certain areas. So, it only makes sense for everyone to have one."

"There's something else too," Joker said, taking the AR replica into her hands. "We use airsoft models, but they look convincing enough to Shadows that they behave like real guns. Hope you don't mind this kind, I have to convince the guy I buy them I'm just an enthusiast."

Wordlessly, Fox took the rifle into his hands. He scrutinized it for a moment before he nodded his head. "It will suffice."

Being the third time the senior members had gone in, it was a straight shot from the entrance to the central garden. They were stalled slightly when Fox paused to scrutinize his portrait. He didn't say anything, but his mask did little to hide his conflicting emotions.

The system of the Central Garden was still down, allowing them easy access to the next building. In the lounge were two powerful-looking security guards. Joker managed to get the drop on one of them, revealing another Bringer of Misfortune. "This is the same kinda Shadow that gave us an especially difficult time last time," Mona cursed, slinging his scimitar over his shoulder. "I don't think we have anything weak against it. Unless Joker happens to have something up her sleeve."

"I don't think so," murmured Joker. She removed her mask. "Shiisaa! Zio!"

The beast opened its mouth as though roaring, a volt of electricity striking the Bringer of Misfortune. Skull followed up with a similar Zio attack. Immediately, Panther and Mona struck the Bringer of Misfortune with their melee weapons. When it came to Fox, he summoned Goemon and struck the Shadow with a Bufu.

The Shadow widened its stance, brambly, Skull cried out, holding his upper arm, cursing. "Skull!" shouted Panther.

"It's fine. Let's get this thing outta the way first."

Without another word, Skull removed his mask, beckoning Captian Kidd to use another Zio attack. Panther followed up the attack with a crack of her whip. A bang was heard as the Bringer of Misfortune tried to attack Panther. Joker summoned Shiisaa for another Zio, then followed up the attack with a flurry of a gunshot. In the corner of her eye, she could see Fox get his riffle out, following Joker's lead. A third round of gunfire was heard as Skull got his gun out. And finally, came a boxing glove on the end of an accordion arm as Mona summoned Zorro.

With that last attack, the Bringer of Misfortune disappeared in a haze of miasma and money. The group wasn't given much time to celebrate their victory as a second security guard came barreling up towards them. The group separated, getting out of the way while Joker maneuvered herself under the Shadow's arm, upon on its back, and removed its mask, revealing a Shadow similar to the Security Shadow she and Skull fought last time.

"Fox, stick with physical attacks on this one," Mona instructed. "Goemon won't be able to help us with this one."

"Understood." Without another word, Fox readied his katana.

"Panther," called Joker, "I think this one's weak to fire, so try to use Carmen a couple of times."

"Got it!" Panther shouted, already reaching for her mask. "Dance Carmen!"

The Romani flipped her skirt from one side to the other as the Night Chimera was attacked with a Maragi attack. Orobas suddenly appeared, casting a similar attack. A couple of pelts suddenly bombarded the Night Chimera as Morgana fired away. The Shadow suddenly threw its head back. "Everyone watch out!" shouted Skull.

He and Joker leaped out of the way, though the other three were not so lucky as the Night Chimera slammed its head down upon them. "Orobas, Maragi!" Joker shouted, removing her mask.

A burst of fire struck the Night Chimera causing it to howl. Skull sprinted towards the Shadow, rearing his arm back to strike with his rod. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Fox in the corner of his eye. Fluidly, he took his katana out and elegantly slashed into the Night Chimera. The beats slumped its shoulders, its head hanging low. "Now we go in for an All-Out Attack!" Mona shouted.

The Night Chimera cried out as it was bombarded with physical attacks. A crack of the whip against its chest. A bludgeon to the head. Daggers to the arm. A katana to the back of the head. A scimitar to the other arm. The group broke apart, each landing in a semi-circle around the Night Chimera. Fox landed gracefully, his arms crossed elegantly over his chest as the Shadow burst into miasma.

With the area safe, Panther clipped her whip back on her belt, threw her arms in the hair, and released a loud whoop. She knelt onto the floor with Skull, collecting the money left behind by the Shadows. "Joker has two Personas?" Fox asked.

"More than two," Mona said boastfully. "Joker's able to talk down Shadows and convince them to join with us, on top of her initial Persona. That's why she's called Joker. Her ability is our triumph card."

Listening, Fox gripped his chin in thought. "So, theoretically," he said at length, "is it possible for other Persona users to have such an ability?"

Joker's brow knitted together as soon as she heard it. That was a good question, was it possible for others to have the Wild Card ability? For that matter, why did she specifically have this? Because she made a contract with Igor? Was she the only one to do that, though?

She looked down at Mona, who looked down at the floor as he mulled over the question. "I… don't know," he said at length, his voice barely audible. "Maybe I'd have an answer if I understood it more."

"It seems like such an ability would be useful," Fox mused. "But I have the inkling we'll get nowhere just standing around pondering it. I'm satisfied with Goemon, anyway."

"Hey, will we be able to split all this between us evenly?" Skull asked, struggling to keep the coins in his hands.

"Well, if the total comes up uneven we can probably put the odd stuff in with our battle funds," suggested Panther.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"That can't be real, is it?" Fox asked, gesturing to Panther and Skull.

"It is when we leave the Palace with it," said Joker.

As she explained how the money worked and how they decided to split it amongst themselves, Mona found that he couldn't get Fox's initial question out of his head. Could there be more Persona users with Joker's ability? Or at least people with the potential?

Saying it out loud felt like a possibility. But Mona couldn't fathom why something like that felt so familiar. Could he even be sure of the possibility when he wasn't sure where his knowledge came from?

The Death Rank 2
The Counsellor Rank 3

Authors Note: Writing for Maruki right now is… it's not bad per se. But I noticed that I'm looking to my own counseling sessions, especially for the moments the conversations goes a little off scrips. And I'm not sure if I should be doing that. Or at least not completely rely on it. I'm going to assume Maruki does have some training in counseling so he has some idea what he's doing. But I'm also assuming he doesn't have the full schooling and experience needed for this line of work.