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Just Like You
Sunday—July 20, 2021
Goro smoothed down the old Shujin uniform, trying not to get distracted by the familiar scent of Ren that overwhelmed his senses. He twisted this way and that, examining his reflection in the mirror with a highly critical eye, realizing he felt more than just self-conscious in this attire. He felt too dirty to wear it.
Still, he did not have time to ponder his self-worth; Ren insisted on sending out a two-man search party for Yaxley now that Goro had promised him a location and he could not decline now. He sighed and pulled out his phone, checking the bar for notifications. Other than the pointless ones he got from his blog and social media, there was nothing of importance yet.
Goro pocketed the device and made his way out of his room, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, neither Ryuji or Yusuke were awake this early in the morning after having such a late night in Mementos. Even he was still sore and moving stiffer than usual after that particular visit and he hardly tired after fights.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ren in his own school's uniform, finding the sight to be too strange to not stare. The ravenette looked up from his phone and jerked his chin up in greeting, gesturing him over with a wave of his hand.
"Fix my—your tie," Goro said and pointed to his own neck for reference. "Make an effort in your appearance."
"This was your idea," Ren stated as he tightened the knot around his throat, frowning when it simply got messier. "To 'remain inconspicuous' in your words, remember?"
"I will explain for the last time," Goro said impatiently, going around the counter to adjust the tie himself. "Wearing a uniform to a foreign school will prevent Yaxley from assuming which school we attend and will coax him into checking schools that have international exchange programs, yes? He will start with the public education system and work his way from there."
Ren lifted an eyebrow. "And this is all assuming he'll be that invested."
"Well, I think it's a fair idea," Goro said and tilted his chin up at the other defiantly. "Going after a criminal was your idea, Amamiya."
"I never said it wasn't," Ren said with a laugh and put a hand on his chest. "Were you not just lecturing me while attempting to strangle me with a tie, not thirty seconds ago?"
"I rely on tactics."
"How many times have I played you in chess to know you are a strategist? That every choice you make has a reason?" Ren said with fondness.
"Hopefully enough to know by now," Goro retorted but he allowed himself to smile for a second or two. "Not bad. It will take a while to get there, so we best leave now if we want to make good time."
Ren sighed and looked down the hall to their bedrooms.
"And you are sure you want to leave Morgana here?" Goro inquired, knowing the Leader of the Phantom Thieves hardly left the townhouse without his feline companion. "Since when are you so willing to have him stay behind?"
"He doesn't need to be involved in this," Ren said and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What station are we going to?"
"The one just outside is fine," Goro replied and pulled up the navigation app on his phone, taking note of the not-so-subtle subject change. "It will take us a while to get there."
"It would be easier if you would care to share said address," Ren said as they made their way out the front door and into the already-bustling streets of New York City.
While this was smaller than their home city, it felt more crowded and far busier than Tokyo. Goro was used to the fast pace of the city, but even here, he felt slow. Fortunately, the station was not too far and the heat discouraged people from coming down here to stay long.
"I'm surprised at how comfortable you have gotten with the subway system," Goro noted lightly, remembering Ren's hometown and how small it was that it only had one train station. Then it dawned on him. "We have to wear these uniforms at Centralview."
"And?" Ren said, clearly not seeing the issue.
"This is your Shujin blazer but you did not apply to study abroad through that academy," Goro concluded and put a hand to his chin. "You will find yourself in trouble for it sooner than later."
"How would they know?" Ren asked, unconcerned. "They make us wear our original to represent our schools back home; they wouldn't know if I was from there or somewhere else."
Goro raised an eyebrow and clicked his tongue. "Don't be so careless."
"Don't care so much," Ren said simply, throwing him that irksome, flippant, and lazy smile.
"I always do," he said approximately a second or two too late. "Don't start trouble for yourself before the semester begins."
Ren blinked, frozen, then regained his composure. That lopsided grin returned to that face and those hands came out of their pockets, casually brushing against his own. Goro bit his lip hard and walked like this the entire way to the station; the moment they were underground, he let out a huff and tugged at the collar of his shirt, regretting the moment he agreed to wear a turtleneck in the summer.
"I heard some schools don't require a uniform in America," Ren said sluggishly, pulling hard at the knot of his tie, trying to loosen it.
"Don't you dare," Goro said and readjusted it for Ren, pushing his hands away. "And I suppose that would look like chaos."
Ren shrugged his shoulders. "I like the idea of no conformity."
The train approached with a screech and opened its doors with an AC-filled whoosh . Ren and Goro found seats before the former pulled out his phone, handed the latter an earbud, and started playing music. Goro allowed the melody to fill his head once more, falling into that comfortable routine of sharing these kinds of moments with him. The Detective was admittedly new to this sort of casual lifestyle—taking the subway with a friend to go where they pleased when they pleased….it was inviting—his newfound freedom. It was something foreign to him back home.
"Do you miss home?"
"As in Tokyo?" Ren asked, taken aback by the sudden question. He sat there looking thoughtful for a few moments before nodding. "Of course I do."
"Has the novelty of a new setting worn off?" Goro asked teasingly although there was a note of seriousness to his tone.
"Yes," Ren said and held up a hand before Goro could respond because he must have known he had something to say about that. And it's been replaced with something much better."
"What's that?" the auburn-haired teen asked curiously.
"Freedom," Ren stated simply, flashing him a quick smile before letting his features fall back to neutrality. He gestured to their surrounding area with his hand. "All this….traveling….it reminds me that there's more to the world than Tokyo. It's easy to forget because it's such a big city."
"I see," Goro said with a nod of understanding, following Ren's gaze out the window and taking the time to really consider his words.
"What about you?" Ren asked, now twisting to look at him with a surveying look.
"I see the world for what it is," Goro said and tapped his finger to his lips, unable to quite meet Ren's eyes yet but working on building up the courage to. "A place I must constantly wander….a place where I will get no sleep."
"You don't have to see it that way," the ravenette replied softly and started bouncing his knee. "We—"
"Amamiya," Goro cut in shortly. "There is no 'we' in this. I—"
"Haven't you already learned?" Ren said in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose underneath his glasses, bumping them askew.
Goro looked at the tips of his shoes, recalling that conversation very well.
"Any distance between us never works out in the end," he quoted word-for-word, clenching his jaw as he stared hard at the floor of the train, hating the strangely patterned carpet and the way it made him dizzy (or maybe it was not the carpet at all). "I don't understand."
"What's so damn confusing?" Ren demanded.
"You," Goro said and earned himself a genuine laugh. "Your desires."
"Doesn't sound so bad to me," Ren said quietly, crossing his arms over his chest and his legs at the knees. "As long as I'm making my own choices, where's the bad? It's a big world. I don't mind some exploration."
"You find that sort of rootless existence charming?" Goro snorted with a shake of his head. "You aren't even going to try and settle down for a normal life?"
"The idea of normalcy is subjective" Ren deadpanned.
Goro inhaled deeply, reaching far within himself for the patience he was so steadily and rapidly losing to this man. He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, eyes watching the fluorescent bulbs flickering on occasion. He wanted to shake the stubborn kid by the shoulders and make him understand that if they shared a future together, Goro would never let him go. That freedom he wanted would be gone in an instant…
Fortunately, it did not take long for their stop to come by after that, but Goro was already drained. He heaved himself to his feet and pulled out the earbud and handed it back without a word. Ren followed close behind, winding up the wires as they walked.
"Where are we?" Ren asked after a pause, looking around and narrowing his eyes at the sign above. "Newark?"
"New Jersey," Goro said with a nod of confirmation, pulling out his phone. "It's not the safest part of town, so stay close."
Ren's fingers brushed against his as they walked side-by-side, eyes scanning their surroundings. Goro was mildly surprised at the other's blind faith and the fact he was essentially following him into the unknown, but something sparked his protective instincts and he inwardly promised he would not let anything happen to him.
Goro led him away from the station and down the winding streets until they reached an abandoned warehouse; Ren gave him a quizzical look, but Goro pulled him aside and put his fingers to his lips.
"It was an old batting post," Goro whispered, still pinning Ren to the wall behind them. "Now it's used for whatever skeezy shit these slums do to make a living. But, we'll be able to find your man, Yaxley, but getting him alone is the issue."
"Okay," Ren said slowly frowned as he peered into the boarded-up window. "What's your plan?"
Goro closed his eyes and let out a long breath before he swung the bag off his shoulder and unzipped it to show the contents inside. Ren looked down at the pair of clothes tucked away neatly and hummed in confusion.
"I'll explain later," Goro said hastily and closed it quickly, hoisting it back over his shoulder and straightening up. "I've also requested backup. The others are coming tonight. That's when we'll get him."
Ren smacked his lips as he looked at Goro in disbelief, knitting his eyebrows with a troubled expression. "I didn't want them involved—"
"Shut up," Goro said flatly. "We need the support and everyone has agreed to do this. They are coming so there is no point in arguing. But, let's not linger; I will answer whatever insipid questions you have while we walk around Newark."
"Where can I begin?" Ren quipped, but he followed Goro back out onto the streets and away from their targeted destination. "What was the point of these uniforms?"
"To wear during the day in the worst case scenario of getting caught on surveillance," Goro said and adjusted his glove, trying to flex away the soreness in his fingers from earlier. "The change of clothes is for later."
"Are we doing something illegal?" Ren asked cautiously.
"Nothing short of what the Phantom Thieves have done in the past," Goro muttered and began wondering how he was going to start the long-winded explanation of their 'elaborate' plan.
"Will this involve the Metaverse?" he asked next.
Goro couldn't help but roll his eyes at that one, giving him a very astounded look. "Are you that dull? Of course it will, but later."
"Are we stealing his Treasure?"
Goro nodded in a wordless response.
"And the calling card?"
"Leave it to the one who does it the most," Goro said knowingly and pulled up the messages app, holding it out for Ren to see. "Read through. And Leader….don't slow us down."
Ren grinned.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Ren slid alongside the outside of the building covered by the shrouding darkness, listening to the voices coming from inside. The conversations, which were mingled, were impossible to understand alone, but he could pick up on a few words here and there, none better than the last. He crouched low, thighs burning from having to keep this position, but he slowed and quieted his breathing to distinguish the faceless voices.
"Two grams was worth way more than that!"
Ren pressed himself harder against the wall and held his breath.
"Who'd y'all sell it to?" the voice demanded, sounding enraged. "I'll shoot up the damn place myself and get it back if they don't pay the difference."
He looked over his shoulder at Yusuke, who merely gritted his teeth and pursed his lips into a thin line. Evidently, he was as displeased to hear it as Ren felt.
"Once this is done cookin', I'll sort you out," the voice growled low, cold and unfeeling. "For now, make yourself useful. Check the perimeters. Make sure the po aren't around. This stuff stank like shit. It's a dead giveaway."
Ren tapped Yusuke's knee and nudged him away from the window, wanting to put some distance between them and the opening until their little perimeter run was finished. The taller nodded in understanding and leaped away with the practiced grace of a Phantom Thief, using the fire escape to vault himself up and out of view. Ren followed in suit, doing a kip to get himself up. Yusuke moved to make room for him, stepping to the side and immediately clapping a hand over their Leader's mouth. Ren didn't make a noise, but he was certainly taken aback by the sudden contact. Yusuke's eyes travelled right underneath their feet, where they saw a silhouette of a man walking beneath.
"Let's get going," Yusuke whispered, voice barely audible. "We're supposed to meet them upstairs."
Ren went first, grabbing onto the drainpipe and using it to wedge his feet and provide leverage as he grabbed the window sill; his fingers gripped the rotting wood and gave it an experimental tug. He could feel a few of the nails give way to the pressure, but it still held fast. He looked down at Yusuke, who gave him a nod, and yanked the boards right off its fasteners; Ren winced at the loud noise, but he immediately slipped in, coming back around and extending a hand for Yusuke.
The taller had less trouble reaching, accepting the hand held out and pulling himself through the small gap. Below, both teens could hear the man startle and mutter something inaudible (most likely to himself).
"Well done," Yusuke said with a chuckle, awe lacing his tone. "We were able to get in without issue."
Ren hoped the rest of the night would go as smoothly as the infiltration.
"There ya are," a new voice whispered from the doorway.
Ren and Yusuke both turned with stiffened spines, but relaxed when they saw spiky, blonde hair. Behind him, there was another flaxen-haired girl, a redhead, and the one he came to Newark with.
"Here," Ryuji said and held up the duffle bag, looking at it mournfully. He pulled out baseball bats, all tucked away neatly into the bag. He passed them out and looked to his partner. "I ain't worried about the shit we're doing….I'm worried about what they're gonna do."
"Valid," Goro said with a nod and held the bat in his left hand, drumming his fingers on the handle. "We'll split in pairs for now to draw them apart, then regroup here."
"One of us gotta target Yaxley," Ryuji said and tapped the bat to his hand a few times, a grin spreading across his face. "I'm all for demolition, so I'll let one of you handle that."
"I'll go," Ren said with an affirmative nod, pushing up the sleeves of his jacket as he gripped the bat tighter.
"So will I," Goro said at once, giving him a hard but determined look.
"Morgana, where'd you say he was?" Ann asked, looking at the feline, who padded around their ankles, lifting his head and opening his jaws to drink the scent in the air.
"First floor and in the back," Morgana said importantly, sitting on his haunches and flexing his claws. "There were three others with him inside."
"Okay," Ryuji said slowly as he counted on his fingers. "Four downstairs, one upstairs—"
"One outside," Yusuke added.
"That makes six in total that we know of," Ryuji said and looked at the group. "One for each and one of us to spare for the calling card."
"Assuming he doesn't have a Haven," Sumire pointed out rationally, shuddering as she buried herself in her jacket. "I hope not."
"We'll cross that bridge when it comes," Ren said before anyone could interject. He looked around and walked over to Goro's side. "Let's go."
The Phantom Thieves split up accordingly; Ryuji went with Sumire and Yusuke and Morgana followed Ann out, leaving Ren and Goro to make their way to the first floor. It was an eerie place and one that made him nervous to be in for too long, especially since their vision was limited by the night and lack of lights.
"Seems like the perfect hideout for ghosts," Ren muttered uneasily.
"Ghosts?" Goro echoed.
"Don't believe in them?"
"I signed my soul to an alternate reality, of course I do," Goro said and frowned as he looked around, trying to peer through the darkness.
Ren could feel the other tense; he put a hand on Goro's shoulder as a fleeting gesture of comfort, then realized he might not appreciate it and withdrew his hand with haste. Instead, he lifted his bat and began to slowly make his way down the stairs, listening to the unnatural silence.
Whoever said their lab smelled was neither lying nor exaggerating. Ren's eyes watered at the overwhelming scent of burning chemicals and something rotting. He buried his nose in his sleeve, trying not to gag.
"Damn…." Goro choked out, wincing terribly. He looked around the corner and nodded. "They're there."
Ren peered around the blindspot and counted all six men surrounding the man he recognized as Yaxley. He wanted to storm in and demand they talk, but he knew it would not be logical. Instead, he pulled back and looked at Goro; with a snap of his fingers, the pair took off, slamming their bats into whatever they could reach.
The bangs echoed off the empty walls and resounded throughout the building. Ren could hear the exclamations of surprise come from the men behind them and he picked up the pace. Goro took his bat and slammed it against a window in a broken door. The glass shattered with a clatter. Ren grinned and heaved his into the door before using his heel to kick it off its hinges.
"Someone's in here!"
"Probably delinquent kids!"
"Get 'em out of here!"
"Y'all sure we can't use 'em, Yaxley?"
"Go!"
Ren could hear rapid footsteps behind him and Goro; the Detective looked up at the ceiling and grabbed onto the nearest and lowest wooden beam in reach; he knew they did not have the time to check if it could support their weight, but their choices were limited if they wanted to avoid getting caught. Ren followed Goro up the beams, grimacing as they creaked and groaned.
Beneath him, Ren watched two men run underneath their feet, passing right by them and down a different hallway. Goro put a finger to his lips before jumping back down with a bit of a thud. Ren followed in suit, pausing only when he was sure they were not doubling back.
He could hear the others beginning their demolition work; he could definitely hear Ryuji's loud voice shouting profanities from the floor above. If he was not mistaken, he could hear Sumire's voice, too.
"All right," Goro said quickly and quietly. "Let's head back to Yaxley."
The pair retraced their steps and sneaked back into the main room, where Yaxley was pacing around the table with a troubled look. He lashed out and kicked a hole in the already-molding wall and grabbed the gun off the table, tapping his temple with it.
"Shit…" the man said and shook his head in dismay. "Shit…we lost so much money."
Goro gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and a nod. Ren inhaled sharply and let it out through his nose, tightening his grip on the bat. He rounded the corner and used the cover of the shadows to obscure him from view.
"Yaxley, right?"
His own voice sounded foreign even to him.
"What the hell?" Yaxley growled and whipped around, gun aimed nowhere near him. "Who's that?"
"I just want to know what happened to Gahr," Ren said and pressed his back against the pillar he was hiding behind.
"I ain't answering that," Yaxley snapped, his slow and deliberate footsteps hardly making any noise.
He could hear said footsteps getting closer, but he had little options for escape. Ren crouched low to the ground, trying to stay out of sight while moving around the pillar.
"Was it really a suicide?" Goro inquired from the other end of the room.
Bang.
The first bullet rang out.
"How many of you are there?" Yaxley demanded and aimed his gun away from Ren, stopping in his tracks. "I know who you are! You're those guys from the park—the ones who targeted Gahr first."
"Answer my question. Was it really a suicide?" Goro repeated himself, sounding more above than on ground-level.
"What do you think the answer is?" Yaxley grunted as his footsteps picked up again, quicker this time.
"So it was a cover-up?" Goro murmured, his silky voice carrying across the room. "Who was responsible? Or was it more than one?"
Ren tried scurrying past, but his foot nudged a loose piece of metal that skidded across the ground. Immediately, Yaxley sent two bullets in his direction, missing by quite a bit but startled nonetheless. He needed to get that weapon from his adversary, but he would risk exposing himself by doing so. Instead, he tried melting back into the shadows, but every movement was traced and more bullets would fly.
"Stop!" Goro shouted.
"I ain't afraid to gun a dog down on the road," Yaxley snarled and cocked the gun audibly. "You're nothing more than rats I gotta get rid of."
"All to hide Gahr's secrets?" Goro said, sounding unconvinced. "Or perhaps it's something else."
"That—that fairy meant nothing to me in the end," Yaxley spat, retreating to the desk to brighten his little lamp, hoping to shed some light in the room. "I'm damn glad someone's gone and got him."
"Enough to murder him?" Goro inquired.
Ren found a decent-sized rock, chipped off from the wall most likely and held it in his hand while his eyes travelled to the bat—and an idea sprung to mind.
"You wouldn't believe what I say."
Ren seized it and the rock, tossing it in the air before sending it straight at Gahr with the greatest swing he could muster. Fortunately, the rock was heavier than a baseball, making it a bit easier to hit.
Yaxley yelped as the rock sailed past his left ear and smashed into the wall behind him, leaving a nice hole upon impact. The armed man began shooting in the dark before he stopped and realized he was wasting bullets. He reloaded and held it up defensively, only to have a second rock smash the lamp.
"Let's play with the lights off."
The darkness was a welcome cover, allowing Ren more mobility. He moved freely, able to get closer to Yaxley and close the distance. He swung his bat and knocked the weapon out of his hand. Ren leaped forward and grabbed the gun in the middle of his somersault. He had abandoned his bat in favor of his acrobatics, but made a grab for it when a bullet whisked past his hand and hit the metal part with a ring.
This time, he could feel the heat from the shot.
"Stop shooting. You'll draw attention!"
Ren could hear another shot go off, followed by Goro's grunt. Blood rushed to his head as he rose to his feet, firing out a warning shot. It was the first time he ever handled a gun in the real world, but it felt eerily similar to the ones in the Metaverse and that he was well-versed in.
Ren tucked and rolled when Yaxley started shooting at him, able to spot his artful-dodging silhouette. He twisted midair and fired another bullet, purposely missing because he knew he wouldn't miss if he didn't try.
"The hell..." Yaxley gasped at the acrobatic display. "You fucking missed."
"I'm not trying to hit you," Ren said in the darkness, landing neatly and out of sight while still keeping his eye on the man. "I just wanted to know about Gahr."
"Given the guy's past, you shouldn't be surprised at what he's capable of," Yaxley grunted callously and jerked the weapon back, tapping it hard against his head. "He wasn't quite right up there but I'll be damned if I let him ruin what we've made."
"A man so dedicated to his vices that he is willing to abandon his own morals," Goro said, sounding strained. "How low can you stoop?"
"Don't act all high and mighty, you fuckers, and show yourselves," Yaxley hissed as he aimed another bullet at Ren, who dodged it without issue. "What the hell are you guys?"
"High and mighty he says," Goro said, the pain and sarcasm (and maybe a hint of hurt) easy to detect in his tone. "I thought like that, too…"
Ren pulled out his phone after the timer on his watch started to buzz, indicating their time in this world was coming to an end. Goro fell silent on his end and the room was unnaturally noiseless once more. No one dared breathe or make the first move, but that's when the MetaNav activated itself.
Ren waited patiently, catching fleeting glimpses of gold in the warping black. He narrowed his eyes until his surroundings became more than a blurry haze. He found the rest of the Phantom Thieves waiting near four new portraits, different from the ones for Gahr, but the same amount.
"I didn't think we'd all make it," Ann said earnestly and jutted a thumb at Sophia. "Look who joined us?"
Makoto, Haru, and Sophia were standing amongst the rest of the group.
"The world went wowhohwohowohowowoh for approximately four minutes according to Earth's time," Sophia said pleasantly.
"Sure didn't feel like four minutes," Ryuji said earnestly. "Felt like a couple of seconds actually."
"Time stops when we're in the Metaverse," Goro pointed out logically and removed his red mask as he examined the portraits, staring long at each one.
Ren followed his gaze and studied each image; the first depicted a house in the middle of a grassland, the second showed a golden throne, the third was the interior of a closet, and the fourth was a child's playground. They were random at most and seemingly meaningless; while everyone was jabbering and throwing suggestions, Ren stared at the second, captivated by the strange colors.
"What do you think?" Goro asked softly.
"The house has gotta be a childhood one or something," Ryuji said and pointed to the first portrait. "Gahr's thing was all about the secrets of his past so it makes sense that it's the same for this Yaxley guy."
"Look at the difference of pastels used for each image," Yusuke murmured and put his chin in his hand thoughtfully, stepping up to Ren's left with a hum. "But this one portrays something exquisite—honesty."
"What? D'you reckon it's this one?" Ren asked, jerking his head to the throne room. In fact, it was the one that stood out to him the most as well.
"I know so," Yusuke said simply and held up his hand, fingers spread but pointed in a very particular angle. "Each tip of the digit highlights the focal points of the image."
"I dunno if that's what we should go off of," Ryuji said skeptically.
"I cannot explain the intricacies and intimacies of this portrait, but I assure you it is the one we are looking for," Yusuke said confiendly.
"He mentioned sanctimony earlier," Goro said in agreement, snapping his fingers. "Perhaps he sees the world as an ensemble—or perhaps a hierarchy."
"Astute observation, Crow," Sophia said and tilted her head, pointing to the throne room. "Let's go through that one."
"I mean, if everyone's sayin' that one, then there must be a reason," Ryuji said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's unanimous then, right? We're wasting time."
"We didn't get a calling card in either," Morgana grunted and pinned his ears against his head. "I don't know if we'll be able to get his Treasure."
"We should be able to," Ann said as she strode over to the rest of the group. "I think I have an idea. Just trust me when the time comes...Leader?"
"Of course," Ren said after a short pause, looking into those blue eyes with a sense of mutual but limited understanding.
The group of Phantom Thieves leaped into the portrait of the golden throne room, immediately experiencing the feeling of cold water washing over them. Ren shivered at the temperature difference, but it left as soon as it came. He emerged on the other side of the picture, staring at what appeared to be the Shadow of Yaxley.
"Who the hell are you guys?" the Shadow demanded, rising up from his seat and pointing a finger at them.
"Yaxley? This is our guy, eh?" Ryuji said and turned to Makoto. "What say you? Can we make quick work of this and be home in time for dinner tonight?"
"Aside from the fact time stops in the Metaverse, yes," Makoto said and sighed in exasperation. "Please focus. We know nothing about our enemy right now so it's best to air on the side of caution."
"This is Mementos," Ren said as he stepped forward, hands in his pockets. He didn't feel the need to be defensive—not yet at least. "A place of collective cognitions. A place that holds secrets."
Yaxley glared at the Leader and bared his teeth.
"Target….Xavier Yaxley. Nature of charges….the truth of Bernard Gahr's death," Ren continued, unperplexed. "You refused to tell the truth, so we'll unveil it ourselves."
"Impressive," Yaxley said suddenly, a sinister smile growing on his face, widening to the point where it was unnatural. "I wasn't expecting some punk-ass kids in masks to figure me out so quickly. Gahr was just someone's bitch. He may have called himself the leader of our gang, but he was never the brains of the operation. I was."
Ann swelled at his side and stiffened, brandishing her whip. "All those crimes you and your men committed….and it sounds like you are bragging about it. How disgusting."
"Truly a revolting person," Yusuke said in agreement.
"Those men snivel at my feet," Yaxley snarled and put his face in his hands. "They're like common dogs, but I am their alpha. I will always be on top."
"That is your true cognition," Goro said with a nod. "You view the world through its worth. The ones who you consider of value are the ones you prioritize."
"But the ones who you don't see as equal or worse…." Sumire said softly, looking saddened and disturbed. "Like all those women….you treat them like they're expendable."
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Ren asked, looking directly at Yaxley, who snorted with a twisted laugh.
"What do I have to say for myself?" Yaxley howled as his eyes rolled around in their sockets. "You've said it all, haven't you? You've got me figured out from A to Z so why bother with the chit chat? Let's get to it."
"You seem eager to fight," Goro drawled as his lips curved into a smile. "A request I am only too happy to oblige….come, Robin Hood!"
"Goemon!"
"Captain Kidd!"
"Milady!"
The Shadow of Yaxley burst forth into a Mitra, one Ren had never seen before. He observed carefully as his friends began to battle. It was a test of brute strength at first, neither side relenting in their offensive attacks. Ryuji would send showers of lightning to try and weaken the Mitra, but the strange creature would simply reflect it.
"Nothing's working," the flaxen-haired teen panted as he dodged another attack. "He ain't budging."
"Show your might, Zorro!" Morgana cried, leaping into the air and calling upon his Persona. Zorro emerged with a mighty swipe of his sword, hitting the Mitra with a backswing. "Garudyne!"
With another swish of his long blade, Zorro released a gust of strong wind that knocked the Mitra off its feet, leaving it sprawled out on the ground. Haru and Makoto went in for a swift follow-up attack, using their weapons as their main sources of power. The Mitra managed to throw them off but not before they had done substantial damage.
The Mitra, however, healed itself and launched another series of attacks. Goro jumped backward to avoid a particularly heavy blow and threw his mask into the air.
"Eiga!"
Robin Hood sent an arrow into the chest of the Mitra, slowing it but not stopping it.
"Megidola!"
The damage was heavy, but it still was not enough. However, it did give Ann time to send Carmen after it.
Once again, the Mitra merely healed itself and returned to battle, unscathed from the previous attacks.
"Carmen, agilao!" Ann cried as fire erupted from the ground and set the Shadow ablaze. "We can't take him down long enough before he heals himself."
"Shit, at this point, it's whoever has the best stamina," Ryuji shouted, dodging an attack. "And we ain't gonna win fighting like this!"
"Joker!"
Ren's hand brushed against something heavy in the breast pocket of his tailcoat. He pulled out the silver handgun he had stolen from Yaxley in the real world. He held it in his hand before he twirled it on a finger. For now, it was the best replacement to his weapons. He stepped forward and faced the Mitra with an even gaze.
"You're a pompous bastard," the Mitra growled as the snake that was coiled around its body flicked out its forked tongue. "I hate you the most."
"I am thou….thou art I."
Ren's ears pricked at the sound of Arsène's ghostly voice—but...it wasn't his Persona speaking.
"Thou has chosen to veil the truth," the Leader said, his own voice unrecognizable. "How craven you are to hide behind a mask of lies. I will reveal your true form!"
The Mitra sent out a blast of light that seized Ren's heart, making it feel like it was going to stop on the spot. However, he closed his eyes and doubled over, accepting the blessing that struck him. While it was his weakness, his determination kept him fighting.
"Arsène! Return!" he cried out and wrapped his arms around himself before throwing them out with a shout.
His Persona burst out of him like a cannon, wings flared and furled around him to act as a barrier. Arsène raised a clawed hand and sent a heavy curse to the Mitra, taking it down on its knees.
"Finish him, Persona!"
Arsène lunged forward as Ren did, adding power to the shots Ren was firing. The Trickster sprang into the air, twisting with his arms aloft; bullets poured from the barrel of his gun, one right after the other, hitting its mark until it was overwhelmed. The Mitra rumbled in anger and flared out its own wings, baring its lion-like teeth.
Ren's front flip made it easy to dodge the oncoming attack; he came forward with one last shot, which went straight into the eye of the Shadow. The Mitra moaned in agony before it shattered into thousands of beads of blackness. Stirring feebly underneath the debris, Yaxley was on his hands and knees, whimpering.
"What the hell are you guys?" Yaxley asked weakly, having no strength to even lift his head.
"The Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Ren answered.
"How….how do punks like you beat me?" Yaxley whispered, looking and sounding defeated. "I don't understand."
"I used to think the same way," Goro said suddenly, but not stepping forward right away. "That I could see the world only for what it's worth...the people in it, too. I learned fairly quickly that outlook will cost you everything."
Ren's heart felt like it did stop this time and no amount of blessings or attacks could ever emulate this feeling. He watched as the Detective Prince finally stepped up to face the Shadow, himself.
"You will lose. People like us are fated to fail," Goro murmured and got down on his knees to be on eye-level with the Shadow of Yaxley.
"I've already lost," Yaxley said in a hollow voice, eyes deadened and empty. "There was no foul play. Gahr did end his life...by his own hands. It's what he wanted in the end. He confessed to the police and died right after. I can't understand why..."
"It was me," Ren admitted not from his mind but from his own heart, hanging his head as he pocketed his gun.
"No," Yaxley said abruptly, shaking his head and running a hand down his face. "He had a change of heart. He confessed. He had guilt. But in the end, he just didn't want to lose his freedom."
Ren listened carefully, not daring to say anything and risk interrupting something important.
"Like Kamoshida during his confession in the gym," Ann breathed and grabbed Ren's arm so tightly, it hurt. "Joker...it wasn't your fault!"
Ren finally let himself breathe.
"Return to yourself in the real-world," Goro instructed, turning his attention back to the weary Shadow. "Rest and you will repent."
"I don't have a choice," Yaxley replied and began to fade.
"Violet, get us out of here before this place collapses," Ryuji barked and danced on the spot. "I ain't about to start running!"
She activated the MetaNav, evidently pre-prepared, and sent them all back to reality. At first, Ren felt the shuffling of his friends' shoulders bumping against his, but then he felt nothing. Once again, he was alone but back behind a pillar in the dead of night in an abandoned warehouse.
He could hear Yaxley's muffled sobs and broken down sniffles. Ren slipped past the man, grateful for the darkness, and went straight to Goro, who met him halfway across the room. Ren gripped his arm tightly and led him out through one of the broken-in windows.
He could see the rest of the Phantom Thieves all taking turns clambering out onto the fire escape and down the rest of the way. Yusuke landed first, followed by Ann and then Ryuji. The blonde boy grabbed Sumire by the waist and helped her down while the human version of Sophia held Morgana in her arms as she jumped down.
"We've got everyone," Ann said breathlessly and held a stitch in her side. "But let's not wait around."
Ren nodded in agreement and turned to face his friends.
"Thank you."
At first, no one knew what to say. They all stared at him with mingled adoration, exasperation, and respect until Ryuji walked up to him and clapped him on the back.
"Course, man, but let's save the sentiment for home."