Rivers in the Desert

Shido's Palace, Conference Hall

The Thieves rush into the room and they see Shadow Shido standing behind a podium on a stage. He laughs seeing them come in, "So it's the Phantom Thieves...I hear you guys have a problem dealing with the negative press. Because if you got complaints, I got the answers."

Skull glares at him, "Yeah we got complaints! Why the hell did you make your own son a killer!" "I may 'ave turned into a pirate! But I at least took care o' me sprogs!"

S. Shido laughs, "That's what I thought I did. He looked like that woman." Everyone looks at him in shock because he knew that Akechi was his son, "That's right...I knew Goro was my son. I figured the reason Goro got close to me was to set me up. He was smart, but in the end, he was just a brat. I praised him a little, he got fond of it and danced for me." He starts walking back in forth, "I was planning on disposing of him as soon as I was made PM of Japan. He knew my past so I couldn't let him live. I'm surprised that Goro knew what I was thinking so having him kill himself up saved me the time."

Ann looks down, "That's terrible! You're a horrible person!" "You just wanted to kill your own son just because he knew you!?"

"You stole my mother's research and her life!" "You're just a big fat meanie!"

"You did whatever you wanted just to benefit yourself! What do you think people are? Even my father...I won't forgive you!" Haru yells. "I used to admire you people for using people for your own gain. But now I see why everyone hates people like you!"

S. Shido shrugs not caring about their accusations, "Sacrifices are required for revolution. The fools should leave it to the elite like me. I'll lead you all!"

Ryuji stomps his foot in anger, "Who the hell said that you are the elite!?" "More like a piece o' shit scallywag!"

Ann shakes her head, "If it wasn't for Akechi's help! You wouldn't have made it this far!" "You can't do anything by yourself! You're like a child who has everything handed to you!"

"The fact that Goro showed up was because God expected much of me!" He says thinking that he was handpicked by God to lead everyone, "Because of me, Goro used his power effectively and by you changing the hearts that you guys did caused a fervor in the populace."

Yusuke scoffs, "What are you saying? You're just a loser who couldn't win in a straight on battle. You used dirty tricks." "You make even the most pathetic, less pathetic..."

Makoto glares at him, "You have no right to be standing and leading anyone. You used people like tools and you kept climbing up the ladder of crimes!" "You think you're some kind of God!? I bet God would use you as a toilet paper to wipe his ass!"

He laughs, "The lives of a handful of sacrifices and the life of a nation? They don't even compare to showing the foolish masses about their happiness!"

Joker growls, "So that's why you went after me!?"

S. Shido looks at him in confusion when he said that he sued him, "And who are you supposed to be...?"

"You know damn well who I am!" He then takes off his mask.

S. Shido looks closely at him, "Wait... Could you be...the one from back then..."

"Yeah...You ruined my life! Just so you can save yourself!"

He glares back at him, "I know you! You're that damn brat that stood in my way when I was with that woman!"

"You're damn right! But now I finally have you! I'll make you pay for your crimes!"

He starts laughing sadistically, "You'll make me pay...? I'll show you how worthless that thought is!" That's when the room starts transforming and S. Shido dons a military outfit with a spiky helmet with a red cape riding on a giant gold beast that features human bodies and faces, "You will all bow down to me!"

Joker looks at them, "You guys ready!?" "I've been ready for this!"

Skull nods, "Damn right I am!" "Aye! He ain't fit t' be a captian o' this ship!"

Mona nods, "I'm always ready to change an evil heart especially one that's as evil as him!" "I will make sure that you are not as strong as you think!"

Panther nods, "Of course, I am! We'll end this together!" "He will get a taste of where he will be going from my flames!"

Fox nods, "We shall make him pay for his crimes." "And that is a lot he has to pay for!"

Queen nods, "Yes, someone as evil as him should not be free." "God my ass! I will show you the power of a Goddess!"

Noire nods, "I will avenge my father!" "You're going to look great full of holes!"

Oracle nods, "We'll make him pay for everything he caused!" "Especially for what you did to our mother!"

"Then let's go!"

After they take down S. Shido's transforming beast and finally taking down his muscular form, he starts breathing heavily like he was running out of energy, "How are you lowlife brats beating me...!?"

"Here's our chance!" Oracle yells, "Let's take his treasure!" "Do it before he recovers!"

Joker nods and quickly rushes to grab the treasure but as soon as he goes for it, S. Shido starts charging up pushing him back, "Damn you!" "He's still ready to fight!?"

That's when his harness blows off of him and he his skin becomes red as well as his muscles growing even bigger, "Tch...Die!"

Oracle gasps, "H-He's even stronger than before!" "How is that possible!?"

He then glares at all of them making them fearful of his stronger form, "You really think you brats will stop me!" He then roars again and starts charging up an attack.

Everyone was starting to get too weak to fight against and their items were depleted from the trial and error from his beasts. So, everyone decides to use their strongest attack on him but he still was standing even after using the last of their strength.

"I-I'm all out o' power lad..." Kidd looks down. Skull slams his fist on the ground tiredly, "Damnit...This can't be it..."

"I can no longer can fight Makoto-san..." "It is okay Anat...You did enough..."

"Damn it...Are we going to lose!?" Noire nods, "I couldn't get revenge for my father..."

"We can at least say that we almost did it..." "We were so close..."

"How...How can someone as great as me lose at the end!? "How could we lose!?"

"I'm sorry Ann dear...I have no more energy..." Panter looks at Joker, "I-I love you...I'm sorry that we couldn't get him to change... "

"I love you too, Panther...It's okay...as long as we tried..." He looks up at S. Shido, "Damn you..." "It's your turn..." Arsene says to himself.

They all close their eyes waiting for their deaths, "Now die!" Once S. Shido says that, he releases an explosive wave.

"Nah! I don't think they will!"

Anat instantly opens her eyes hearing the voice, "Satanael!" After she says that, everyone opens their eyes and indeed see him but he was covering all of them with his wings. Then he gets up like it didn't affect him.

Satanael gives them a hardy laugh, "Hello my goddess! And my little friends!" Joker looks up at him letting out a sigh of relief, "How's it going Satanael? "Joker! Arsene brought me out just in a nick of time!"

Carmen smiles, "Oh Arsene! I should have known he would find a way to save us!"

Satanael laughs again, "Oh yes! He actually planned for this to happen if you guys were going to die! But before we talk..." He looks at Shido, "So you think you are chosen by God? I have a problem with Gods..."

S. Shido glares at him, "Yes! I was chosen with God to rule over the masses! Don't think you can win just because you saved those brats!" He rushes to him and throws a strong right hook but to his shock, Satanael just catches it, "What!?"

"Even though I have a dislike for Gods...I absolutely hate ones that use God as an excuse for committing atrocities like what you have done!" He punches him in the face making him reel back.

"Gah!" But Shido recovers and punches him right back but Satanael doesn't flinch at all, "What in the hell!?"

Satanael does another hardy laugh , "It is what this the power that this God gave you? Hahahaha. Don't make me laugh! Oh wait! I already did!" He smiles at him, But I think I'm bored of you!" He starts punching him repeatedly and then grabs him by the neck. He smiles big and then throws him up high which was even easier because he was already damaged from the other personas. He then aims his gun up at him, "Get Smoked! Peasant!" He then shoots him multiple times raining up bullets into him till he felt satisfied.

S. Shido falls down covered in holes and unable to stand, "D-Damn it all..." He tries to get up but he transforms back to his original self, "H-How could I lose to you brats..."

Satanael smiles, "I see my work is done! Next time, you would learn not to use God for your atrocities..." He walks up to Anat and kisses her deeply then pulls away, "I will see you again, my lovely goddess!"

Anat holds on to him, "What!? No! I need more love! We almost died! I need surviving, death love!"

"I'm sorry my love...But Arsene doesn't have enough energy..." He backs away and transforms back to Arsene but he falls to his hands and knees breathing heavily, "That was the last of my energy...I used to summon him...Sorry Anat."

But as soon as Akira sees Shido change back, he, all of sudden, starts holding his head in pain, hearing voices in his head.

"KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"

He then starts growling and suddenly rushes him, "Now I'll finally get my fucking revenge!" He gets on top of him and starts wailing on him with the intent to kill.

Ryuji and Yusuke quickly try to pull him off, "Knock it off, Akira! You're going to kill him!" "It isn't worth it! You're going to lose everything!"

"Get off me!" He knocks them both back and starts going again making Shido's face look like a complete mess but that's when Akira stands up and puts his gun to his head, "I will make you pay for everything you've done to me!"

Makoto looks over at Ann, "He's become psychotic again! Are you going to do something...Or let him kill him!?" She could have the personas do it but she wanted Ann to stop him.

And to her surprise, it worked because before everyone goes to stop him, Ann stops them and steps up to him, "Akira! Please! Don't do this!"

Akira doesn't turn to her, "Why!? If it wasn't for him! I wouldn't have had to deal with all this shit!"

She steps closer to him, "But because of him! You never would have met everyone! You wouldn't have met Arsene! And...you wouldn't have met me! I would have been Kamoshida's puppet! I-I would have given myself to him and I would have been the one committing suicide!"

His hand holding the gun starts shaking like she was getting to him, "I-I lost my old friends and had everyone look down on me...They hated me...all because I saved a stranger..."

She finally gets to him, "You did it because you have a kind heart and you're willing to put your life on the line for others." She puts his arm down, "And I know you being a labeled a criminal when you were falsely accused would destroy anybody...But you have people that understand what you're going through. Especially one who loves you for it and that happens to be your Panther...So please, don't kill him, not just for your freedom but for me..." She then kisses him.

Akira instantly drops his gun and starts kissing her back forgetting that they had a broken down Shido to take care of especially when Panther wraps her legs around him making Makoto look away in sadness.

Ryuji clears his throat, "Uh guys! Didja forget that we have to make him admit his faults!" "Jus' let 'em 'ave thar moment! Naught will happen 'til he admits his faults."

Carmen cheers, "Forget that! Work that tongue in his mouth, girl!"

They both quickly pull back blushing with Joker coughs nervously, "U-Um thanks for getting me out of the psychotic rage...Ann..."

Ann unwraps her legs from his waist and steps down, "Y-Yeah...You're welcome..." "That was the most intense kiss we've ever had...I definitely want more of that!"

They proceed to make Shido confess his sins and admits to what he did to Akira. But when the treasure starts floating down but the ship starts collapsing on itself making everyone look around in shock.

Ryuji looks at Morgana, ""What's going on!? We didn't take the treasure yet!"

Morgana shakes his head, "I don't know! Maybe the real Shido did something!"

Makoto looks at the treasure, "Anat! Can you grab the treasure!?" Anat nods and grabs it, "Here..." She says sadly. "Now is not the time for that!"

After they grab the treasure, they run through the hall seeing water starting to rise and after taking time to find an exit. They make it outside but the ship was sinking and they had no way to get off the boat.

Everyone looks overboard then Akira looks at Ryuji, "Kidd! Do you have the energy to make your boat bigger!?"

Kidd speaks out of Ryuji, "No...I don't 'ave enough energy!"

Ann spots a lifeboat hanging from a crane over at another part of the ship, "Wait! There's a lifeboat!" "But how do we get to it!? The ship is sinking too fast for all of us!"

Ryuji smiles, "I think I can get to it!" "Are ye sure!?" "Yeah! I'm sure!" Before anyone can say anything, he jumps over the railing and starts running as fast as he could to the crane handle. Once he grabs it, the crane swings towards them and the lifeboat flies off of it right at them making everyone cheer when he does it.

"Nice job Co-captain!" Akira yells and Ryuji gives them a thumbs up.

They then get on the boat and start heading toward him but explosions start going off making it almost impossible.

"Ryuji! Jump down! We'll catch you!" Akira yells but just as Ryuji is about the let go, an explosion goes off next to him and the force makes the boat get thrown out of the Metaverse.

Diet Building

Everyone falls onto the ground from getting thrown out of the Metaverse and with surprise luck, there was no one around.

Akira quickly gets up, "Where's Ryuji!? Did he make it!?" "I-I don't see him or hear Kidd!"

Ann gets up and looks around, "I-I don't know...! But he's supposed to be fast!" "Don't tell me he's gone!"

Futaba takes out her phone and tries to go back, "We can't go back..." "Noooo!"

Morgana shakes his head, "No...It's impossible to go back..." "He was an idiot! But Kidd was still one of us!"

Makoto looks down, "So he died...Just for this badge..." "That's such bullshit! I can't believe we lost Kidd too..."

Yusuke sighs, "He sacrificed himself to save us all..." "Kidd truly went down with the ship like a true Captian..."

Haru looks down, "I-I can't believe he's actually gone..." "Damn Kidd...Just when I started to tolerate him..."

The girls start crying but that's when Hifumi walks up to them.

"You guys made it back!" She notices the girls crying, "Did you not succeed?" But that's when she doesn't see Ryuji, "Wait...Where's Ryu-kun...?"

Akira walks up to her close to crying himself, "I...I'm sorry Hifumi...He-He didn't make it back..."

Once he says that, her face drops, "W-What...?" She then slaps him while crying, "You promised me that you'll protect him and bring him back!" Everyone gasps seeing her slap him.

Akira looks down, "I-I know...He sacrificed his life to save us..."

"Stop! Don't make excuses for him dying! You're supposed to be the leader!"

"Mannnn, that hurt! I wake up and I'm lying on the grass! But that was close! Reallll close!" "I feel so disgracful! I was supposed t' be going down wit' the ship! Wha' Cap'n doesn't go down wit' the ship!" Everyone turns hearing Ryuji and Kidd's voice.

"Ryuji!" Everyone says happily.

But Ann walks up to him angrily and slaps him "You dick! Why didn't you say something earlier!?" "Kidd! We were so worried about you!"

Ryuji holds his cheek, "Why you slapping me for!? And why you crying!? Akira wouldn't think you're cute now!" "Arrr! Even when ye well-nigh sacrifice yourself. Ye get slapped!"

"We thought you died!" Haru says wiping her tears. "I actually felt sorry for you! And that's saying a lot!"

But Hifumi pushes between the two girls and walks up to him not saying anything.

Ryuji gulps scratching his head, "H-Hey Fumi...I uh...Forgot that you were waiting here..." He braces himself to get slapped.

That's when she charges up a slap on the ready if he says something stupid, "Y-You jerkface! I can't believe you would just sacrifice yourself without thinking about how I would feel! I mean, do you even care what will happen to me if I lose you!? No, I'm sure..." Ryuji stops her by kissing her.

He pulls away after a bit and holds her cheek, "Of course I did...When I ran to get the lifeboat for them. I knew that I may die and I thought about how much you made me into a better person. Like when I said, I wanted to give up track but you convinced me to go back into it. But what worried me the worst...Was leaving you behind. Cause, you know...I love ya and I can't stand to see you sad!"

Hifumi was still recovering from the kiss but once she heard is whole speech about what he thought during what could have been his final moments, she could only say one thing, "My mother isn't going to be home till late tonight...So you better turn off your phone when we get there..." She grabs his hand and drags him away.

"Finally! Me lad be going t' get some booty tonight! 'n I don't me treasure!" They hear Kidd yell.

Akira laughs wiping away his tears both happy that Ryuji was still alive and that he was going to be rewarded in being a hero, "Too bad Hifumi took him...I was going to give him the biggest bro hug ever." He hears sniffling, "Are you crying, Arsene?" "I'm just happy that Ryuji and Kidd are alive...I can't lose another friend..."

Ann smiles, "Well I don't feel so bad about slapping him! He's going to have a fun night!" "I can't believe he's making love before you and Akira!"

"I do not want to hear it! I only got to kiss Satanael!" Makoto sighs, "I'm just going to keep hearing this, aren't I...?"

Akira laughs, "Well, let us go rest...It's been a long day...We all earned it." "Yeah...I feel the same...and summoning Satanael made it worst..." Akira walks up to Ann and hugs her, "Thank you for stopping me from killing Shido..."

Ann hugs him back, "Of course...I couldn't let you kill him and Makoto was right. I needed to be the one to get you out of your psychotic breakdown..." "Aw! This is so cute!"

Akira lets her go, "And I'm glad you are the one to do it." "That it is Carmen. It" reminds when we would scream out our love for eachother!" Him and Morgana say their goodbyes to everyone but Akira says it a little bit awkwardly to Makoto and they head home.

Once he leaves, Ann turns to everyone, "Alright! Akira's birthday is coming up! So, we got to plan something for him!" She wasn't going to mention her late night present for him to them.

Futaba smiles, "Oh! We should do that buffet place that you guys went to for your first celebration!" "Yay! We should get him something nice!"

Makoto smiles, "I think he would like that. I'm sure my sister would like to come congratulate him. If you would allow her." "Oh, that would be divine!"

Yusuke nods and looks at Ann, "May I paint a picture of you? So, I can give it to Akira? And do not worry about being a model. I have it memorized in my head." "But shouldn't you ask Haru if you can do it first?"

Haru shakes her head, "I don't mind it. As long as it isn't any nudity involved." "Well he painted a naked picture of you!" Haru blushes a deep red, "Milady!"

Ann looks at both of them, "Did you guys actually!?" "Even those two did it before you two!?"

Haru quickly shakes her head, "N-No! I just let him paint me..." "Yeah...It was really weird. Yusuke didn't even get turned on seeing her."

Yusuke nods, "It was because it wasn't in a sexual way. So why would I be turned on by it?" "There is a time and a place for that!"

Ann's mouth was wide open, "That makes no sense!" "You must have strong will power to not be able to get turned on by seeing a naked woman you love..."

Yusuke looks at them all confused, "Why are you all confused by it? If you would allow me to paint anyone of you naked, then I would show you...

"No!"