PROLOGUE: DARK NIGHT

-Are you sure you want to do this? - says Joker, looking worried.

-Yeah… are you sure my ma' will be safe?

-Don't worry. I made sure she was out of town for now and I had help… you know my contacts – said Joker, smiling then, the smile disappeared-… Ryuji, I…I wanted to….

-There is no other way, right? We don't have time to change the plan and if he catches you is… well, is over- said Skull who then gave a small smile to his leader-… come on, don't look so worried, it will be fine. I have your back and you have mine, right?

-Always…

Skull and Joker clap hands and look at each other before the moment is broken with a small shadow, from a cat, appears in front of them, looking annoyed.

-Can we move? Is almost time.

-Yes…

Joker looks towards his best friend and first companion for a few more seconds before he follows Morgana. The cat is not happy as he walks beside his leader towards the rest of the group.

-I still don't know why Skull has to do it. This was not part of the plan- said the cat, looking towards Skull as he jumps into his position.

-Are you worried about him? – said Joker, looking at Morgana, amused.

-What!? Of course not, is just…- said Morgana, looking away.

Joker nodded, he understood the implications of changing the plan but it had to be done, they couldn't let him win and Joker knows there will be people helping Skull along the way. He just hopes the rest of the team manages to forgive them for lying to them.

-Ok… let's go with our private plan once more- said Joker as soon as he reunited with the team.

-It is safe to do it here? – asked Fox, looking left and right.

-It is, he is still discussing stuff with Shido – said Oracle through their comm.

Queen took a step forward, looking at their leader, there were two people there, one was against them and the other was on the top of the building, ready to start their secret plan.

- Skull will attract the guards so we can escape with the treasure then he will be caught and my sister will take care of him until is time to get him out of there, is that correct? – said Queen.

-Yes, he will reunite with us at LeBlanc and we will take down both of them before they discover this was a trap- said Joker.

-You are giving him way too much responsibility… are you sure he can handle it? – said Panther.

If Joker didn't know better, he would be angry at her implication but Panther, like Skull, didn't measure her words when she tried to control her emotions, especially when talking about Skull. Joker smiled when he heard a groan through the comm.

-For real? Give me a break, Panther.

-Just be careful out there, Skull, we can't lose our fastest runner- said Panther.

-Yeah…

For a second, Skull sounded sad and even if Joker knew why, it didn't make it easier, the sadness in his voice wasn't lost to any member of the team, since they all knew what was happening between the Panther and the Dragon but they let it go as Skull's voice took them out of their thoughts.

-I'm ready. Let's do this- said Skull, doing his best to remain calm.

-You heard him… let's do this – said Joker.

Everybody took their positions and then… the show started.

Ryuji hit the ground so hard that he believe some bones of his face broke with the impact but the men in front of him didn't seem to care as one of them grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him against the wall.

-Write your name here and be a good boy or the bones of your face will be the last thing you will need to worry about.

The man pushes a document towards Ryuji and lets him fall to the ground. Ryuji groans but part of him is happy Ren is not here to go through this… this is torture and Ryuji is glad his friend is safe, at home. Ryuji looks down, towards the document and writes his name, trying his best to write it right as his vision is a little blurry and he feels as if one of his eyes was going to pop out from his face.

Suddenly, the door opens and another man walks in as the first collects the document and spite at Ryuji before turning around.

-Prosecutor Niijima is here… she wants to see him- said the man that just walked into the room.

-She has no business here…

-She… we have to let her talk to him- said the man looking at Ryuji with disgust.

The first man walked towards Ryuji, grabbing him by the hair and forcing Ryuji to look at him before he smiled.

-We will take care of you later, punk.

He smash Ryuji's face against the wall behind him one more time before he walks out, followed by the rest of the men that were in the room, a few moments later he could hear steps towards him and sighed when a cold but gentle hand touched his face.

-Sakamoto… my God, what the hell those bastards did to you?

Ryuji didn't have the strength to answer as Sae Niijima helped him to get up and sit down in a chair in front of her. How she got dragged into this… she still wasn't sure but seeing the boy in front of her made her realize that the others were right. They needed her help even if she didn't know exactly what they were doing. She looked worried at the blond boy while she heard the turmoil in her hidden comm, letting her know the rest of the boy's team were as worried as she was for his condition.

WHAT THE FUCK!? – that was definitely Futaba.

I'm going to murder them… - that was Haru, without a doubt.

I can't believe it… -Yusuke, sounding shocked.

Those monsters… -Makoto… Sae could recognize the anger behind her words.

You better not die there, monkey! -the talking cat Sae just started to understand.

I'm so sorry, Ryuji… -Ren with a voice that Sae never heard before, between angry and devastated.

Ryuji… - Ann's broken voice.

Sae forced herself to stop hearing their voices as she looked at the young boy and took a closer look at his injuries… They didn't have any mercy with him and even Sae was angry. He was only a teenager, for the love of God.

Go with the plan, Prosecutor… create the illusion…

-Can you speak?

-Yeah…

Sae sat down in front of him and did her best to look as the Prosecutor she was supposed to be as she got her documents and grabbed the first file, opening it and turning it around so Ryuji could see it.

-To be honest, I wasn't surprised to see you involved in all these crimes… you are that kind of guy, right, Sakamoto? – said Sae, falling back into her Prosecutor attitude.

-Guess I am…

- I want the truth, Sakamoto, no games, and no lies because right now, I am the only thing standing between those guys and you, understood?

Ryuji nodded and Sae was not sure if it was because he understood her or because he was merely following the plan, in any case, as long as no one suspected anything, all would be ok.

-From the start… tell me everything.

Ryuji sighed and he started to tell the story of how he became part of the best group he ever knew… The Phantom Thieves.