Thieves in the Shadows
Chapter 18: Cry of Cthulhu
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Yogen-Jaya, Tokyo
"Damn it!"
When they split up, he immediately went to the Sakura residence. As if the attack on Leblanc didn't drive the nail home. If they knew that the boss was looking after him there, then they must believe he's involved with the Phantom Thieves.
And so, he hurried to the Sakura residence. But when he got to the door, it had already been broken down, meaning that somebody broke in. Ren was prepared to transform to fight the intruder, but there was nobody inside. When he got to Futaba's room, it looked worse than the rest of the house. Futaba's computer equipment is missing, likely stolen by the home invaders. To his relief, there wasn't a puddle of blood or freshly dead bodies.
"They're not here," Ren breathed out, but he didn't relax just yet. "But if they were able to find me and Ryuji, they can find the others. I have to get to them first!"
With that, he quickly rushed out of the house. He was more than tempted to transform and use his powers. But the last fight greatly weakened his psyche. He didn't show the others that he could barely run with the migraine he's been afflicted with since his first transformation. It got worse after his second one, only he nearly lost consciousness. He wasn't going to do much if he wanted to find the Sakura's and keep them safe.
That thought came to a full stop as a horrifying thought occurred to him. What if he pushed it so much that he'll die? Morgana said that their powers are fueled by their psyche. When they first summoned their Persona's, they felt weak afterward. It was one of the reasons that they trained to handle the strain. Of course, manifesting their powers outside the Metaverse is a different story.
Ren shook his head to banish the thought for now. It was too much to ponder and this wasn't the time to be thinking about that. He decided to reserve his powers unless he needed them. Like when he encounters another assassin. Already, he vetoed the idea of calling the police for their safety. What good can Japan's finest do against metahuman assassins? That's just like asking for more bodies to the count. If these assassins live up to their name, they'll want to eliminate any eyewitnesses. Which begged the question of how far are they willing to go.
Not to mention that he and his friends must explain to the authorities why they are being targeted. Most of the police are probably still after the Phantom Thieves to save face.
From what Morgana told him, Futaba's been having problems with her Goode Goggles. She couldn't figure out what the problem was so she and Sojiro decided to go and get some new ones. There was one area that he can start his search. He and Futaba went there when she was still trying to overcome her fear of the outside world. Futaba would affectionately call it her first dungeon. Something told him that's where they are and that it's about to become something worse than a tabletop dungeon.
As he ran, Ren prayed that he'll find them before it's too late.
Akihabara, Tokyo
"Thank you so much for my new item!"
The Sakura's stood in front of the counter in her first Dungeon in real life, Akiba Electronics. It was where she got most of her computer parts. Frankly, she had to get her parts delivered to her when she was a shut-in. But ever since she had her messed-up heart stolen, she was able to pay a visit to shops on her own.
She and Sojiro came to purchase a new set of Goode Goggles. Fortunately, the warranty they recovered from the house is still valid. But to their surprise, the moment they pulled it out to show it to them, the cashier left his station. After a few minutes, he came back with a box of Goode Goggles.
"Believe it or not, you're not the only one who came to visit," the cashier said. "We've got the same complaints from the customers about something pricking them on the cheek. When we checked, there wasn't anything wrong. But we kept getting the same complaints. Eventually, Goode World had issued a recall to fix the issue."
"So, they were listening to the complaints," Sojiro drawled. When Futaba kept experiencing the mosquito bites, she went online to complain about the Goode World Studios website. She practically yelled at her computer at such a volume the whole neighborhood could hear her. Frankly, he couldn't blame her as he experienced the same stinging sensation when he tried on those goggles.
"Appears so. Honestly, they need to do a better job in customer reviews if they want to keep running. This model just came in yesterday. Sorry about the inconvenience you were experiencing. I hope that you don't have to come back here because of it."
"It's no fun experiencing the same quest over and over again," Futaba said in agreement. "Thanks again, shopkeeper!"
Futaba happily skipped away from the counter and to the exit. Sojiro just shook his head in amusement at the cashier's look of confusion before following her. To Futaba, it was like Christmas came early. That gamer is rooted deep into her mindset that she's started throwing game terminology in her speech. She even called Ren Amamiya her 'Key Item'.
His face became forlorn as he remembered the kid. Futaba had begun to relapse into her former reclusive self after all these years. It was fortunate that her Goode Goggles snapped her out of it before it got worse. She came out of her room completely irritated by the goggles malfunction. The orange-haired girl went on a lengthy rant before Sojiro calmed her down. Any thought of Ren has been forgotten if not completely.
But happiness is like a candle. Eventually, it would be snuffed out when Futaba remembers that Ren is missing. It would be like giving up on the kid. They can only hope that he's alright and come back home.
Then, his phone vibrated in the front pocket of his pants. Pulling it out, he saw that the caller ID is XXXX-XXX-XXXX. The elder Sakura frowned at the unfamiliar number. It must be another one of those phone salesmen. Shaking his head, he accepted the call and held the phone to his ear.
"Listen here," Sojiro began. "I'm not interested in whatever product you're—"
"Boss! It's me!"
The words died on Sojiro's tongue before he could finish that sentence. Even at this age, he knew that voice anywhere. It was something that filled him with relief and worry at the same time.
"Kid?" Sojiro yelped, causing Futaba to look at him. "Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me," Ren confirmed over the phone. "I am more than relieved that you didn't hang up. I lost my phone, so I had to borrow someone else's. Well… 'borrow' is pretty much a polite term. Listen, I don't have time to explain…"
"Explain? Kid, do you know how worried we were?" Sojiro demanded. "How could you vanish like that?"
"Ren?" Futaba croaked when she heard his voice. Dropping the box of Goode Goggles, she snatched Sojiro's phone out of his hands and began talking rapidly. "Is this you? Are you alright?"
"It's nice to hear from you again, Futaba," Ren said with a sigh of relief. The bespectacled girl noted that his tone had barely restrained panic. "But like I told the boss, I don't have time to explain. Where are you two now?"
"We're in Akihabara. Just a few feet away from Akiba's Electronics," Futaba answered.
"Good. I guessed it right on the mark. I'm heading there on the metro as we speak. Stay there until I can get to you guys."
"I have no problem with that," Futaba said. "But why do you have the skip button enabled for your speech?"
"Because both of you are in danger!" Ren finally yelled out, making Sakura's eyes widen. "We're all in danger! Somebody is sending assassins to kill us and anyone we're associated with!"
"Hang on!" Sojiro cut in. "Danger? Assassins? What are you talking about?"
"Boss, I know this is sudden and I sincerely wish I'm making this up. But I recently came back to Leblanc to find a guy, who can move objects with his mind and read them by the way, waiting to kill me! And it wasn't just me. Ryuji was attacked as well. Someone put out a hit on the Phantom Thieves."
"Are you serious? Sojiro asked. The silence only added to their growing terror. "Hell…you're serious, aren't you? In that case, shouldn't we call the police?"
"I thought of that as well, but I don't think that's going to stop them from turning them into a massive body count. Right now, just blend in with the crowd and try to make the body count unacceptable to them until I can get to you. I have a way to get us to safety…"
"HELP!"
A nearby scream drew their attention away from the call. The Sakura's turned to the source of the outburst. Running towards them is a man in a red and white tracksuit. His skin was perspiring with that terrified look on his face. But what caught Sojiro's attention, however, was the object gripped tightly in his hands. Goosebumps rippled throughout the elderly man's body as he caught a glint of reflected light.
It was a large kitchen knife. And it was aimed right at Futaba, who was standing still like a sika deer in headlights with wide eyes.
"Futaba!" Sojiro screamed out her name. His body seemed to move by itself as he reached out a hand to knock Futaba to the ground. His breath became short as he felt sharpness intrude his chest. In his haste to protect Futaba, he had put himself in the path of the knife.
Futaba had just looked up in time to witness the altercation. Her eyes widened and her face pales in shock. She couldn't move as her elderly adoptive father trembled before falling to the ground.
"Sojiro!" Futaba cried out with her voice breaking. Scrambling to her feet, she came to his side and held him tenderly. The knife is still stuck in his chest, sealing the blood vessels that have been severed, so it won't get any worse. She glared at the man responsible with angry hot tears.
"WHY?!"
"I-I didn't mean to…" the man stammered, tears at the corner of his eyes. "I swear…damn it, it's happening again! Please…you have to get away from me!"
But she wasn't listening nor was she watching him as he reared back a fist to punch her. Her thoughts were on Sojiro, who lay on the ground cold and clammy. First, her mother was murdered by the Antisocial force. Then Ren, her key item, was kidnapped and had just returned. Now, Sojiro was going to…going to…
"NOOO!" Futaba screamed to the heavens in anguish. The mournful wail rebounded throughout Akihabara. Then, something spoke in the back of her mind.
"Beginning download…"
"Futaba, are you there?" Ren yelled into the phone frantically. "Talk to me! What is happening? FUTABA!"
A few minutes ago, he was running to the train station to get to Akihabara. On the way, he snatched a phone from the hand of a passerby. He dialed the number of Sojiro's phone. A number that he had to rack his brain to remember in the heat of the moment. When it connected, he was filled with relief when he heard the voices of the Sakuras.
That relief was short-lived when he heard the noise on the other end. He heard Futaba scream and the call ends. No sooner did the train's doors open than he bolted out. He had just exited the metro station when he stopped.
Right in front of him was pandemonium with everyone at each other's throats. Someone threw a chair into a nearby store and a horde of people began ransacking it. There looked to be a couple trying to strangle each other to death. Ren watched all of this with abject horror.
"What is going on?" Ren croaked out loud before something else caught his eye. "And what is that!"
Towering over the district of Akihabara is a black pyramid. An unfinished pyramid by the looks of things. It appeared to be in the process of constructing itself. Flying around it in a circumference was a multitude of black bricks. If it weren't for the glowing neon-green outlines, Ren would've missed it against the night sky.
"When did that get here?" Ren wondered. But he didn't have time to wonder about the structure. Because at that moment, he heard a scream. An overweight man was threatening a little girl with a smashed beer bottle. This situation is hauntingly familiar to the night where Shido was drunkenly assaulting a woman. Baring his teeth, he rushed towards the man in a full-body tackle. Knocking him to the ground, he grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the beer bottle.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ren demanded. He didn't turn around, but the would-be murdered girl seized the chance to run away.
"I'm not doing this!" The man protested. "My body is moving on its own! I can't control it!"
"Huh?" Ren spoke that out loud. It was then he realized that the man didn't look malicious or mad typical of a murderer. Rather, he looked scared and confused.
"It was that lady in red…she did something to me…to everyone…please, you have to help me! I didn't want to kill her, but that lady didn't give me a choice!"
Ren just stared at him, making sure to keep him pressed to the ground. He blocked out the noise as he tried to piece everything together. From his words, it appeared a metahuman had put him under a spell. That would mean she's an assassin associated with Threshold's team. He had to find Futaba and the boss and fast.
But first, he had to take care of the man pinned to the floor. The phantom thief couldn't just leave him alone. Then something occurred to him. It was risky, but it's better than having people kill each other.
"I don't know if this will help…but give me a second…"
In a flash of blue fire, he switched into his phantom thief attire. Immediately, he switched to the power he acquired from Threshold. In a split second, his head was bombarded with voices. Voices filled with terror and confusion. Ren gritted his teeth as he felt his migraine grow worse. It was too much. That moment of weakness was enough for the man to sucker punch him in the face. Ren reeled back as the man pushed him off.
"I'm sorry masked man!" The man immediately apologized as his body moved to attack Ren. "Also, I promise that I won't tell anyone your identity."
"Don't worry about me…" Ren assures him as he steeled himself. "Just go to sleep."
As he read in manga, he pressed two fingers to his temple as he said that. The man's eyes glazed over before he fell backward. Ren winced as the back of his head hit the ground. He rushed over to him and checked him for injuries. Luckily, he wasn't hurt badly, and his pulse is stable.
"Hmm…maybe I should've told him to lay on the ground and then go to sleep," Ren commented. "Well, at least I know what to say now…"
When he obtained Threshold's ability, he got telepathy as a bonus package. That's to be expected considering the assassin read his mind during their fight. Naturally, he was curious if that meant he could control minds like those characters he read in a manga. Now that he confirmed it, he can quell the riot while he searched for Sojiro and Futaba.
Which is what he did as he searched Akihabara. Whenever he encountered an out-of-control person, he ordered them to sleep. As he continued to remain in his Phantom Thief form, his vision began to swim. It took sheer willpower for him to stay on his feet. If he reverted to his normal form, he'll likely pass out. He couldn't let that happen as he still have to look for his loved ones. Especially the metahuman who caused this mess.
He was getting close to Akiba's Electronics, which is where the black pyramid is standing when he saw her. A woman dressed in a hoodie and jeans gave orders to a group of civilians. Everything except her skin is red, including the diamond-shaped tattoo on her left cheek.
The woman in red.
"Hey! Are you from N.O.W.H.E.R.E.?" Ren demanded as he approached her. When she turned to face him, her face shifted at the mention of the organization that abducted him. Her reaction was enough to answer for him. "DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE!"
Her eyes glazed over as she stood still. Unnaturally still. He quickly commanded the group of bystanders to go to sleep before focusing on the woman. Just to live up to tradition, he pressed a finger to his temple and began diving into her mind.
Thanks to obtaining Threshold's skill with the power, he was able to navigate through her memories. After the brief overload of stray thoughts, he managed to grasp a few things from the woman in red. First, her name is Gem Antonelli AKA Copycat. Her ability allows her to take control of other people by making eye contact with them (Ren quickly turned her head as a precaution). Which would explain why everybody is going crazy.
But therein lies the weakness to her powers, which is dubbed neuro-domination. They allow her to control the people like puppets, but not their minds. This weakness would've allowed him to put her under his control even if she managed to get him with her powers. If he were Threshold, he would've blown up her head.
Speaking of the psychokinetic assassin, he found out that an incident between him and Copycat ended up shattering her mind into different personalities. There was a Soldier, who is rough and tough and does whatever it takes to get the job done. Nihilist, who is completely paranoid and hates everything including herself. The cold and calculating Spy who analyzes every situation. Finally, Gemma is more like a five-year-old kid prone to fits and whining.
Which would probably explain why she was able to kick him out of her head. It felt like he was punched in the face with a solid fist. Ren stumbled back from the red assassin. Somehow, she managed to break free of his command. She lunged at him, but he recovered quickly and held out his hand in a closed grip. Immediately, Copycat found her arms pinned at her sides and lifted off the ground.
"I'm going to assume that was your Soldier personality that forced me out of your head," Ren assumed, making sure to avoid eye contact with the red assassin. "If my deduction is correct, you switched personalities to escape my command. Quite ingenious if it weren't for my psychokinesis. Which is courtesy of your friend Threshold."
Then, Ren felt his migraine again, but he steeled himself to not break his hold.
"Much as I love to chat, I have people to find. So why don't you GO TO SLEEP!"
Copycat's eyes rolled to the back of her head as it sagged. Satisfied that she isn't waking up, Ren gently lowered her down. He hoped that by taking her out, everyone will regain control of their bodies.
"I wonder why she chose to call herself Copycat?" Ren wondered. "Personally, Puppeteer would've been appropriate."
Shrugging that thought off, he focused on what he managed to glean from Copycat's mind. Much to his ire, she came here looking for Futaba. Then she received an order from an encrypted transmission to abandon stealth and cause a scene. By which, she ordered anyone she encountered to cause chaos. Whether it be murdering, pillaging, or just beating the tar out of anyone. To his disgust, it was a surefire way to kill Futaba and make it look like a rioter did it.
But then came the Black Pyramid, which was after she started turning people into her murder puppets. Ren felt her confusion from the memory of when it suddenly started building itself from out of nowhere. It wasn't her and she didn't know anyone that could do that. So, unless there was another metahuman running around…
Ren suddenly freeze up as realization dawned on his face. Could Futaba have awakened? So far, each of them was able to manifest their powers after they went into a state of duress. Except for Ryuji as he died before awakening. Not to mention that her palace took the form of a Pyramid in a hot desert. Is the Pyramid her doing?
"Only one way to find out," Ren said as he began circling the Pyramid for an entrance. Out of the corner of his eye, a piece of buildings floated outward and turned into black bricks. He found one right where the entrance to Akiba's Electronics should be. But instead of electronic sliding doors, its obsidian pillars hold up a square frame. Ren activated his Third Eye ability to get a glimpse inside. He could pick out two auras. One of them is faint while the other is strong.
"There you are," Ren said as he approached the entrance. He didn't get more than two steps before the green became red. Then, an artificial voice spoke out.
"Intruder detected! Deploying Sentries!"
The pyramid's symbols glowed intensely two thin beams shot out and hit the ground in front of him. But the lasers didn't damage the ground. Instead, a flurry of pixels shot out from the spots they hit. Each of the pixel swarms solidified into a humanoid form about three stories tall and with a white tunic wrapped around their waist. Where a human head should be is instead a Jackals. Their snout pointed downward at him, and their lips curled back into a snarl. Both spoke in a deep artificial voice that is equally menacing.
"Eliminate the intruder."
The Jackals advanced upon him, each conjuring a hooked-shaped sword that Ren knew as a Khopesh. Instinctively, Ren leaped backward to avoid the slashing strike of the first one. He tried reaching into their minds only to find a void. So instead, with both hands, he lifted them with his telekinesis and slammed them against the pyramid. The Jackals struggled against his grip as he began to close his hands.
Then, he felt a pang of pain from his migraine.
"Dammit, not now…"
That break in his concentration was enough for the Jackals to escape his grasp. They landed on the ground with a small tremor and once again thundered towards him. Quickly recovering, Ren reached out with his telekinesis again. To his astonishment, he was having more difficulty lifting them than before.
"When did they get so heavy?" Ren muttered as he bent backward to evade a vertical slash from the right. Seeing as it wasn't working, he switched from Psionic to Firebreak. He conjured a ball of fire and threw it at one of the Jackals. The fireball exploded against its chest, sending it back. He did the same to the other Jackal, getting a hair's breadth.
Then, something unexpected happened. The obsidian body of the Jackal shifted until the texture is reminiscent of coals. From the chest, a red-orange glow emanated from the cracks, giving the appearance of magma as the body is ablaze. Fire blazed in the Jackals eyes as it stood up straight. The same thing happened to its comrade. When Ren threw another fireball at them, it absorbed it. Both drew back their head and breathed out a plume of fire at the phantom thief. Ren was able to save himself from being burned to a crisp by manipulating the flames into a ring around him.
"Great, these guys are adapting to whatever I'm throwing at them," Ren groaned as he struggled to combat both his headache and the murder jackals in front of him. "I'm feeling more lightheaded by the minute."
This is a waste of time. He could be at these guys for hours and they will have victory by endurance. He still needed to find Futaba and Sojiro. He was pondering on what to do when he caught sight of the shadows being cast by the flames. A realization came with a mental slap in the face.
"Of course, how stupid of me," Ren muttered as he dispersed the flame ring around him. When the Jackals stopped breathing fire, he switched powersets from Firebreak to Night Lord. He felt the shadows envelop him and the wings spread. He dove into the nearest shadow and reemerged from behind a pillar of the Pyramid entrance. While the Jackals are looking around for him, Ren ran inside the temple, shifting out of Night Lord.
"A true thief decides the battles worth fighting," Ren declares as he ran along the tunnel. After what seemed like ten seconds, he came to the center of the pyramid, which is a square room about the size and width of the electronics store which had undergone a major renovation. The walls have the same intricate symbols as seen outside the Pyramid. Where aisles and counters holding electronic appliances are…what Ren could assume are high-tech sarcophagi complete with the look of a face. Further back in what appeared to be…
"Are those…bodies…?" Ren asked. Laying on the ground or the bodies of random strangers. Each of their clothes is ragged and torn, which exposes the bruises and cuts they suffered. A quick scan with his Third Eye told him that they are still alive. But before he could approach them, a swarm of technological parts such as cables and circuit boards flew past him. They're all obsidian black like the pyramid and have circuitry that gave off the neon green glow. They formed into a cluster around a body until they became a sarcophagus. Curiously, its design is reminiscent of the body it encased. Come to think of it, each of the sarcophagi is unique in design.
His attention is turned to the center of the room, which is the source of the soft green glow. Sitting there is a massive computer apparatus. But compared to the stuff he has seen when he'd last been to Akiba Electronics, it looked high-tech like the rest of the place. Neon Green holographic screen floated in a sphere. It was also the convergence of most of the moving parts.
It was there he spotted Futaba. Sure enough, she is dressed in her Phantom Thief attire, meaning she has reawaken. She is operating the apparatus like she knew how to use it, occasionally selecting a screen to look at before dismissing it. Looking on the screens, he saw displays of individual bodies and their injuries. He watched with fascination as the injuries are slowly fading away. Some of the injuries were broken bones that mended themselves back together. Even life-threatening injuries are slowly being treated. It was at that instant that he realized what is happening.
"She's healing them…" Ren whispered. Then, he spotted a sarcophagus right behind Futaba. Upon a closer look, it resembled an elderly man with glasses and a goatee. One disturbing detail is the detail of a knife stabbing into the chest. It closely resembled…
"Boss!" Ren cried out as he approached the sarcophagus. His outburst drew the attention of Futaba. She stared at him for a split second before going back to the screens. Pressing a finger to the screen, it turned red. A klaxon sounded, and the whole pyramid glowed red. Right on top of the sarcophagus, a Jackal sentry materialized and knocked him away.
Ren tumbled on the ground three times before he regained his footing. But by then, several more Jackals materialized. They let out a low growl as they advanced upon him, slowly drawing their khopesh. The phantom thief stood up to fight…
"Argh!"
…only to take a knee from the painful migraine and the increased light-headedness. His phantom thief attire flickered, briefly revealing his ruined casual clothing. It was even beginning to show signs of wear and tear. Even his vision was beginning to show black spots.
Time is running out. He pushed his powers to their limit. Jackals are advancing upon him, and he wasn't sure if he can fight them off. His eyes returned to Futaba. In a crazy act of desperation, he called out to her.
"Futaba it's me!" Ren cried out as the Jackals finally reached him. "I don't know if that's you, but I know you're in there! It's me! Your friend…your brother!"
Futaba only watched with cold and calculating silence. Behind the ruby-colored goggles, her eyes are glowing an ethereal gold. As if responding to Ren's cries, the golden glow faded, and her eyes returned to their original brown. Her demeanor is replaced with drowsiness.
"Huh…what happened?" Futaba wondered in with a drowsy state. That faded when she saw the Jackals ganging up on Ren. Especially when one raised a Khopesh and bring it down to chop his head. "Ren? No! STOP!"
Futaba screamed out the last part. Immediately, the Jackal stopped in its downward swing, just inches away from Ren's face. Ren could see the fog forming on the edge of the blade. After a few seconds, Ren fell on his butt breathing heavily. Then came the sound of running footsteps as Futaba tackled Ren and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Her face was buried in his chest, and he can feel the wetness of tears. Smiling softly, he returned the hug and held her.
"You're back…you're back…"
"Yes…I am back," Ren said calmly.
"Download complete. The Eldritch Truth package is now installed. I am thou, thou art I…thou shalt hast access to the forbidden knowledge shalt put it to use."
"Huh?" Futaba looked up, recognizing the voice of her Persona, Necronomicon. She looked down at her attire. "What happened?"
"You've reawakened," Ren answered. Seeing her look of confusion, he elaborates. "It's not the final term, but it's all we can come up with. Somehow, we're able to manifest our powers into the real world. As far as we know, it happens when we are under extreme duress."
"Duress…?" Futaba wondered before something clicked. "Sojiro! Where's Sojiro? He was…oh no…he was stabbed! Sojiro was stabbed!"
"It's alright," Ren quickly said upon seeing Futaba about to break down. When she glared at him, he had to elaborate. "He's right in there."
Futaba followed his finger to the sarcophagus. Getting up, she approached it and laid her hands on it. Her eyes found the
"What is this? Is Sojiro really in there?"
"It's some kind of healing capsule," Ren answered as he limped towards her. "Believe it or not, you created something incredible. You created everything in this room. I bet that's your power."
"Wait…I did this?" Futaba asked, looking around at the sarcophagi, the apparatus, the Jackal sentries, and the pyramid. He couldn't see it, but Ren knew her eyes must be wide with awe and curiosity. Her attention turned to the screens, spying one with Sojiro's name on it.
"Yep. Which reminds me, you need to exit your form otherwise it'll take more of a toll on your psyche," Ren said as he swayed. "Just…will your form…away…"
"Ren!" Futaba cried out as Ren collapsed on the floor. In a flash of blue, his form broke away, reverting him to his normal form. Futaba was at his side in a heartbeat. The hacker was fussing over him in concern.
"What's wrong with you?" Futaba asked. Then, her goggles began to display their own HUD, detailing Ren, and his current condition. How that happened, she didn't care right now.
"I guess I'm at my limit…" Ren groaned. "Listen…we have to get to Shujin Academy…everyone will be…waiting…there…"
Those were the last words he said before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His body became limp and unresponsive. Futaba shook him, despite her newfound HUD telling her that he's stable.
"Ren? Ren?" Futaba kept shaking him until she gave up on getting a reaction. "His condition is stable, but he needs a resurrection."
She looked at herself and the technology in the room. The technology that Ren believed she created. Maybe there was something here that she can use to help him. Like, create another sarcophagus for him to recover in. Before she can act on it, the alarm sounded again.
"Proximity Alert. Enemies approaching."
One of the screens displayed the outside world. At the base of the pyramid, two heavily armored vehicles pulled up. The Special Assault team filed out the back of the vehicles with riot shields and various firearms. In response to the danger, the Jackal Sentries materialized again and began to attack.
"Oh no! I can't let those guys die," Futaba said as she began rushing over to the apparatus before stopping. "But if I deactivate the sentries, then they'll be able to come in and arrest us."
This put her in a dilemma. She never wanted people to die, that was part of the code of the Phantom Thieves. But she once played a video game where people with powers become infamous and end up in prison. It didn't take a genius to know what would happen if the Special Assault Team found their way in here and see her looking like a super criminal. Especially when they find out that they are part of the Phantom Thieves.
They had to get out of here.
"Come on…" Futaba gritted her teeth as she dragged Ren's body to the apparatus. She was by far the weakest in terms of physical prowess out of the rest of the thieves. So, Ren's body is like a sack of bricks. When she managed to get him to the apparatus, she turned to the holographic console.
Somehow, she could understand the symbols displayed. As far as she knew, nobody else knows where they came from. Shrugging it off for a moment, she began typing in commands.
First, she requests the deactivation of the sentries to prevent further fatalities. Then, she requested fast travel to Shujin Academy like Ren requested. The apparatus also acted as a transporter. She didn't know why Ren or the others wanted to go there, but she knew he had his reasons. Something was going on and they need to meet up.
When she finished typing, she turned around to face the sarcophagus containing Sojiro. She wanted to bring him with them. But that sarcophagus looked too heavy, and she didn't have time to find a way to open them up. Not to mention the fast travel point is right where they are standing (or laying) upon. She decides that she'll find him after Shujin Academy. Last she checked his injuries should be fully healed and he'll be safe inside the sarcophagus if there's still danger.
"I'll be back Sojiro…I promise" Futaba said as she turned to activate the FT. Before she could her eye spotted something. It was the box of Goode Goggles that she got before this whole mess. Her goggles analyzed the box and the goggles inside. In a split second, it displayed the specs of the goggles.
"Wait…what?" Futaba muttered as she found one disturbing detail about the goggles. She looked at Ren and back at the Goggles. The orange-haired girl recalled that conversation two days ago back at the airport. Back when Mona was explaining Ren's disappearance.
One minute, he was going to play with his Goode Goggles, then he just took off somewhere. He hasn't been back since!
Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped off the apparatus and snatched the box off the ground. She threw the box onto it and climbed back up. It was then she finally pressed the button to activate the transport.
The moment she pressed the button, she was disassembled into specks of light along with Ren. In a few seconds, they vanished off the apparatus. The moment their creator vanished, everything stopped working. The green glow of the machines died out, casting the Pyramid into darkness. In a moment, the SAT will be swarming inside, trying to open the sarcophagi.
Little did she know that her promise is one she may not be able to keep.
[~][~]
Greetings and Bienvenu readers.
Tragedy has befallen the Sakura's as Sojiro had taken a knife for Futaba. This has caused her to awaken her powers and save his life. This also includes a heartwarming reunion with Ren, who has lost consciousness due to overexerting his powers. All that's left is Haru and the Phantom Thieves will be reunited!
Now, deciding Futaba's powers was a no-brainer. She's a hacker and a gamer chick. Of course, technology will be her thing. She can create new technology and apply the forbidden knowledge of the old ones to upgrade them (if she has the materials). I mean, her Persona is the Book of the Dead after all. I know how that sounds, but I have no intention of giving her necromancy. She will reprise her role in providing technical support for the Phantom Thieves in their future endeavors.
Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Until next time.