Act 4
The Exhibition
"The twins are really cute," Minako told Ren.
It was a surprise to discover that Ren was a Wild Card, just like her. The Phantom Thieves had elected to be their leader, much like Mitsuru-senpai had asked her to be the field leader. Though it seemed that Ren called the shots. Makoto did seem to be a… lieutenant of sorts?
Ren then cocked his head. "Miyuki and Kaito are cute," he agreed. "Though Caroline and Justine are definitely… characters."
"Okay, I have to admit that they're pretty cute," Minako giggled. "Miyuki-chan and Kaito-kun, I mean." Then she folded her arms. "…Though I have to wonder why they're here to begin with. What do they have in common with us…?"
There was… something about those two that she couldn't put her finger on. Sometimes the way they bickered reminded her eerily of Yukari and Junpei.
…Well, Yukari and Junpei bickered like siblings. That was probably it…
Ren just shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Minako-san."
"Oh, come on." Minako stopped in her tracks, to give Ren an incredulous look. "Minako-san? We're the same age! Just call me Minako, okay?"
"Okay… Minako," Ren said slowly, as if he was tasting the word on his tongue.
"That's better!" Minako beamed at him, before her eye was caught by Theo attending the shop. He was handing a small cup of popcorn to Kaito, who accepted it with gravity. Miyuki stood by him, happily slurping on some soda.
"What do you say?" Makoto coaxed.
"Thank you," Kaito chirped, before flashing Theodore a bright smile.
Minako just giggled, before pressing a hand to her cheek. They were too adorable.
"Ah, Ren, Minako-san," Makoto turned to greet them. Minako fought the urge to groan. She would have to convince everyone to drop the honorific… It was especially weird since Makoto was older than her. "So, Ren, I was wondering…"
Ren then sighed. "Just let us relax a little before jumping back in, Makoto. We'll rescue Ace and Noir, I promise."
Makoto sighed, before closing her eyes. "…I apologize. I'm just…"
Miyuki then tugged on Makoto's hand, looking up at the older girl with big blue-gray eyes. "Don't be sad, Auntie Makoto!" she said earnestly. "Uncle—I-I mean, Ace would be sad if you're sad too!"
…Uncle? What was that supposed to mean? And… was it her imagination or did Miyuki look a little nervous…? Though Minako had to really wonder why exactly Makoto was their auntie, compared to the other girls.
A small smile tugged onto Makoto's lips. "I suppose you're right, Miyuki."
"Well, duh." Miyuki giggled before flashing Makoto a big smile.
Makoto quickly ushered the twins away, so Minako turned to Ren. "So… is Ace Makoto's boyfriend, then?" she asked. "And… you and Anne-chan are dating, aren't you?"
Though she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at that. Ren and Anne were very comfortable with each other, not particularly caring if people saw them cuddling. Meanwhile, her crush was just so… so oblivious.
Ren nodded. "Yeah, Anne and I have been dating for nearly three months. It'll be three months in a week, actually. Makoto and Ace have been more recent, though."
It was still kinda weird how Makoto was fine with no honorifics from her underclassmen. Just thinking of addressing Mitsuru-senpai with no honorific was just so… weird to Minako. Though granted, Yusuke was from a completely different school but still…
"So are the twins her niece and nephew then?" Minako asked.
"Oh no… no, it's not like that." Ren shook his head. "They're the kids of Ace's senpai, actually. She thinks Ace of a younger brother, so the twins call him Uncle." Then he smirked. "They adopted Auntie for Makoto because they know Makoto and Ace are dating now."
Minako giggled. "And they've been dating for how long?"
"About a week." A smirk spread across Ren's face. "You should've seen the look on Makoto's face when they started calling her Auntie. I really should've snapped a picture of it."
"Don't be mean, Ren-kun!" Minako gasped, before giving him a light shove. "Especially since they haven't been dating for long!"
"But it's so fun to tease her," Ren sighed. "You understand that, don't you?"
"Well…" Minako hesitated for a moment. It was pretty fun teasing Yukari, she had to admit. "…Okay, I do," she relented.
…But god, she missed Yukari. And everyone else… The Phantom Thieves were nice. They had welcomed her with open arms. But she couldn't help but feel that she stuck out in this group. It really was accented when they were in the labyrinth. She was the only one sporting a red SEES armband. She was the only one that wielded an Evoker.
She missed joking around with Junpei. She missed diffusing Akihiko-senpai and Shinjiro-senpai's bickering. She missed cuddling with Koromaru. She missed the sound of Fuuka's gentle voice, guiding her in the Shadow nest. She missed fussing over Ken. She even missed Aigis's unique wake-up calls and Mitsuru-senpai's chastisements.
She just… missed everyone. How long ago had she even been separated from them? Were they okay? Minako swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, before looking towards the Phantom Thieves.
Just seeing everyone just chatting made her heart ache. She wanted that feeling back… She wanted her friends back.
She… She couldn't lose face, though. "I think I should sit down," Minako said quietly. "I, um, feel lightheaded."
"What's wrong?" Ren frowned in concern.
"I'm fine, Ren-kun." Minako tried to force a smile. "I… I just need to be in a quiet place right now."
Ren frowned. "Okay." Then he touched her shoulder. "…But we're here if you need to talk."
"I appreciate it, Ren-kun." Minako tried to smile again before turning on her heel.
She walked towards the theater. She sank right in front of the door, before she pulled her knees to her chest. She tried to look on the bright side when it was there but now… she had nothing.
She was being ridiculous… Ace and Noir were in danger, but none of the Phantom Thieves were falling apart with this knowledge.
God. This was why Ren was still the leader. She was simply a… mess. A complete mess.
"…Are you okay?"
Minako snapped to attention to the sweet childish voice. Miyuki and Kaito were standing in front of her, concern written all over their round faces.
"I… I…" Minako stammered out, but she was unable to find her voice.
Looking at the two of them just… made her think of back when Minato was alive. He was her best friend as well as her twin brother, opposite as they were. Like the sun and moon, their dad used to say. As much as Miyuki and Kaito bickered with each other, they were clearly joined by the hips.
Miyuki just hugged her, snuggling close to Minako. "It'll be okay," she said sweetly. "You miss your friends… right?"
Minako's breath caught in her throat. "Wait… how did you?"
"You try and talk with everyone, but you look sad sometimes," Kaito said quietly. "You smile at everyone but it's like… you're crying on the inside."
Was she… that obvious? For two six-year-olds to read her like this…?
"Mommy sometimes gets that way when she thinks about Daddy…" Miyuki said sadly, a small frown on her face.
Oh… she had assumed… Minako's heart ached for these two kids, for having lost their father already.
"We miss Mommy sometimes," Kaito told her. "She calls us a lot but I miss her hugs…"
"And her kisses…" Miyuki added softly.
Minako swallowed hard. She just… had to cheer them up. "W-Well… I'm not your mommy… but I'm always open for hugs."
Kaito hesitated for a moment before joining his sister in hugging her. Minako bent her head, pressing a kiss against both of their foreheads.
"You can be sad about not being with your friends," Kaito murmured, looking up with big brown eyes. "We miss Mommy… lots and lots. W-We know it's 'cause of her job, and it's so we can be together later but… we miss her."
"What does she do?" she asked.
Then their faces broke out in identical smiles. "Mommy's the Pink Argus on Feathermen!" Miyuki said cheerfully. "She's so cool! She can do so many tricks with her bow!"
Minako giggled. A pink archer, huh? She probably has a lot in common with Yukari, then. Though she had no idea that the twins' mother was a celebrity.
"Where are you staying at, then?"
"W-With our auntie and uncle," Kaito said after a moment of hesitation. "They're cool too! Auntie says her job's a big secret! But if we're good, she'll tell us one day!"
"And Uncle's a cop!" Miyuki jumped in.
Minako just giggled. "They sound like they have pretty cool jobs."
"…You make us think of our auntie," Kaito said quietly.
Minako's eyes widened. "R-Really?" When they nodded solemnly at her, she then smiled. She may still be worried for her friends but… maybe she should focus her energies somewhere else. "Why don't you call me Auntie then?"
"A-Are you sure?" Miyuki stammered out.
Minako giggled before ruffling their hair. "Of course I do. I mean, I'm a bit young to be an actual auntie, but you're just so cute! I wish you two actually were my niece and nephew! I hope your auntie knows how lucky she is to have such an adorable niece and nephew."
The twins then exchanged a look, before nodding at each other. "If that's what you think, Auntie Mina," they chorused.
Mina. Nobody had called her that since Minato had died.
No. She wouldn't dredge up sad memories. She had things to focus on. She couldn't stay stuck on the past.
"What did they say to Minako?" Morgana hissed at Ren. "Why are they suddenly calling her Aunt?!"
Ren could only shrug helplessly. "I have no idea, but at least Minako's in better spirits."
She had looked really sad back then… He had no idea what even triggered it. But now Minako was staring at them curiously. Then
"…Is something wrong, Minako?" Ren asked.
"I can't hold back my curiosity anymore!" Minako declared. "I really have to know!"
"Uh… go ahead?" Anne asked, blinking at Minako.
"How did you guys pick out those masks and costumes?!" Minako's hands clenched into fists. "They… They're so cool! And so unique!"
"Um… well…" Makoto then sighed, shaking her head. "How to put this…?"
"It's rather simple to me," Yusuke stated. "Our costumes are the outcome of bad events, not something we choose ourselves."
"Oh…" Minako said softly. "Wait, does that mean you don't like them?"
"W-Well, that's not completely true," Makoto admitted. "I… I thought mine was kinda embarrassing at first but… I felt empowered by it over time. This… represents a part of me."
"Oh, that's good, then!" Minako flashed them a bright smile, making Anne giggle. Ren shot his girlfriend an amused look. He couldn't help but think that those two girls would be good friends, even though in their time, Minako was a woman seven years their senior. "Though how do you uh… transform? Is it like… Neo Feathermen? Oh, or maybe like magical girls!"
"Has she been thinking 'bout this a lot?" Ryuji muttered.
Ren just snickered. When Minako said magical girls… his mind couldn't help but veer to how Ken's outfit was very… Tuxedo Mask-esque.
Makoto then shot Ren a sharp look. "Not a word, Joker," she ground out.
"…Huh?" Minako blinked owlishly at the two of them. "But seriously, how do you do it?!"
"Um… pass," Ren stated.
"Pass for me too!" Anne cried out. "It's on you, Skull!"
"Pass," Ryuji stated. "Take it away, Fox!"
"Oh, you're being ridiculous, all of you!" Makoto quickly reprimanded, before shaking her head. "Honestly…"
"Really missing Ace, huh?" Futaba snickered.
"Huh?" Minako tilted her head.
Morgana just sighed. "Ace and Queen… well… they share the role of scolding the more… rambunctious ones."
"Hey, I resent that, Mona!" Futaba quickly protested.
"Am I lying, though?" Morgana retorted.
Akechi then chuckled. "Shall I explain, then?" he asked. "I may be the newest member but I believe that I've picked up enough to explain it to you."
"…Ugh," Ryuji grumbled out.
"Know it all," Miyuki mumbled to Kaito, just soft enough so Akechi didn't notice, before flashing Akechi an annoyed look.
Ren couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. While both of the twins weren't… fans, Miyuki almost seemed to… resent Akechi, for some reason.
"Simply put, they're manifestations of our will of rebellion," Akechi stated. "Our desire to defy and change the distorted world."
"…Why do you look like a Destiny prince then?" Minako cocked her head. "It's not exactly rebellious."
"W-Well…" Akechi sputtered for a moment. "It's a manifestation of justice, over rebellion."
…Shouldn't he be wearing something more typically detective then? His regular clothes fit that image better…
"Hmm… I think I get it a bit more…" Minako mused, tapping her chin. "…But not completely."
"So much for explaining," Ryuji grumbled under his breath.
"I-I did my best!" Akechi protested.
At his hurt expression, Ren almost pitied him. Almost. If only Akechi wasn't plotting to murder him.
"But anyways…" Minako then turned to look at all of them. "I'm a bit jealous of you all! The Phantom Thief outfits are so cool! And you have those codenames!"
"Maybe we should give you and the twins one then," Yusuke suggested.
"Superhero names!" Kaito bounced up and down, his voice filled with glee. "I want one!"
"I want one too, then!" Miyuki cried.
"Okay, okay!" Ryuji laughed. "Calm down!"
Miyuki's expression suddenly deadpanned. "Only Mommy can tell us what to do."
"Okay, okay, sheesh…!"
Ren nudged him in the side, casting his best friend a sly smile. "Like you can talk, Skull. You're a huge mama's boy."
"Shuddup, Joker!" Ryuji retorted.
"That's enough, boys!" Anne quickly chided, hands on her hips.
"I mean… your mom's the Pink Argus… what about bird names?" Minako asked.
…Shit. What did they tell Minako?! Though Minako hadn't freaked out on them or anything so maybe… she didn't know. Shit, if Minako knew the truth, he was so dead. Ken would murder him.
"Joker… breathe," Anne whispered to him.
Ren turned his head before he smiled weakly at his girlfriend.
"How about… Sparrow for you then?" Futaba asked before the apparition of her pointed to Kaito. "Oh, and Lark for Miyuki!"
"Oh oh oh, I like that!" Kaito cheered.
"I like it!" Miyuki said cheerfully. "What about you, Kaito?"
"Me too!" Kaito nodded enthusiastically.
"Well… at least they're satisfied with them," Akechi sighed. "Good work, Oracle."
"I try," Futaba snickered. "I mean, if Skull tried to do it, we'd be stuck here forever."
"HEY!" Ryuji protested.
"Shoulder Pads." Makoto stared flatly at Ryuji.
"Don't forget Tux Boy," Ren quipped.
"Hey, you wanted to call Panther Sexy Kitty…!"
Akechi coughed, before looking down at the twins. "I mean… they're just children," Akechi said. "You think that they'd be picky about this?"
"Clearly, you have not seen kids eating their dinner," Minako giggled.
Morgana then huffed. "So now that's taken care of… shouldn't we get going?"
"You're just a huge wet blanket, Mona," Miyuki stated, looking unimpressed.
"W-What's that supposed to mean?!"
"You know, Joker, this map is shaping out rather nicely." Yusuke raised an eyebrow at Ren. "Would you consider becoming an artist?"
"Nah." Ren shook his head. "That's more of your thing, Fox. Thanks, though. That's high praise from you."
Minako nodded. "Those sketches of Ace and Noir were so nice!"
"We should really be going, though," Makoto reminded, a tightness in her voice ever being present.
Makoto was really being uptight about this. Maybe she would chill a little once she got to kiss Ken again.
"Avoid the right path," Futaba warned. "It's crawling with FOEs."
"Yeah, that's a hard avoid," Ryuji grumbled out.
"Why would it be filled with FOEs…?" Makoto asked.
"They should be guarding something if that is the case, would it not?" Akechi mused.
"That's sound logic," Yusuke added. "A treasure, perhaps?"
"We can focus on that later," Anne interjected. "Our priority is rescuing Ace and Noir!"
Morgana suddenly stiffened. "Everyone, hide!" he barked out. "Someone is coming!"
They quickly scrambled around for hiding spots. Ren ended up squishing behind a trash can with Anne. Due to the tight space, he was pressed up against his girlfriend.
"You know, I'd normally enjoy this…" Ren wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Anne rolled her eyes at him. "Down, boy," she said. "Maybe later."
"Is that a promise?"
"Did you hear me say maybe?" Anne tapped his nose. "Now be a good boy and shush."
"Yes, ma'am."
The someone Morgana had heard ended up being a pair of policemen.
"We'd better set up flashier lighting for the exhibition," a serious policeman stated, looking at his companion, a fat policeman.
The fat policeman nodded. "Yeah, that'll do a number on Kamoshidaman's power and his control on the city."
Ren felt his stomach churn at that. He sounded so… so happy about that. That was screwed up. Anne let out a soft little growl at that.
"For the sake of Kamo City's peace and safety, we must have the best lighting for this exhibition!" the serious policeman exclaimed, his hand clenching into a fist.
"This really seems quite a production," he heard Yusuke mumble from his hiding spot.
"That awful execution exhibition…" Anne growled out.
"Shh, just continue to eavesdrop!" Futaba urged. "This is our chance to gather info!"
Then the serious policeman seemed to hesitate. "…Hey, is Kamoshidaman really doing the right thing…?"
"Don't say that!" his companion scolded. "Are you questioning Kamoshidaman's judgment?! You better watch what you're saying…"
"I mean… yeah…" the serious policeman trailed off for a moment. "Those two criminals do deserve to be punished, especially with how they seem to be mocking Kamoshidaman… But do we have to make a spectacle out of it?"
"It's better that way!" he argued. "The public executions are how we're able to keep the peace! Witnessing the punishments sets the citizens right and so they know what will happen if they step out of line! It just makes our jobs easier!"
There were people punished this way before?! Ren grimaced. Ugh… What an asshole. And he had the entire city brainwashed. Did this guy even know what he was saying? It was just… so sickening.
"I guess so," the serious policeman relented before nodding. "If we get to live in peace, I suppose sacrificing criminals is a cheap price to pay."
Ugh… they were completely bowing to Kamoshidaman's will. Just like Shujin had been to Kamoshida's whims. And judging how tensed up Anne was… she was probably thinking of Kamoshida too.
"So, let's get to prepping up the lightwork so the show will be a success!"
It was then their conversation ended, and they headed off again. Ren crawled out of his hiding spot, before standing. He helped Anne to her feet before they rejoined their friends.
"How could they be so… so flippant about that?!" Makoto seethed, her hands clenching into fists. "They're talking about killing Ace and Noir! Don't they have any empathy?!"
"Queen, try and calm down," Anne pleaded, reaching out to touch Makoto's arm.
"Seriously!" Ryuji huffed. "They ain't even criminals! Everyone just has it in their heads that Ace and Noir are criminals 'cause Kamoshidaman says they are!"
"They didn't do anything wrong…" Miyuki wrung her hands. "Why are they saying that it's okay…?"
"Because they're the bad guys!" Kaito said firmly.
"That's right!" Morgana nodded. "It's kinda sad that a couple of little kids understand better than the adults here…"
"Nothing new where we come from," Yusuke murmured.
"Hm? You really feel that way?" Minako asked.
Ren nodded. "Yeah… We had to step up to the plate because we've been screwed over and over again by adults. Adults who were supposed to protect us."
"Huh. I can't say I went through the same thing," Minako admitted. "That sounds really rough…"
"What the policemen were saying was so screwed up!" Anne folded her arms over her chest, before scowling. "Like it's okay to kill criminals to keep the peace…?"
"Sacrifice is fine as long as it's for justice…?" Yusuke shook his head, not bothering to hide the disdain from his face. "It's certainly not any justice I wish to partake in."
Akechi shifted on his feet for a moment before he spoke. "Oracle, how close are we to the square? I think we should make haste if we are to save Noir and Ace."
Ryuji then smacked a fist in his open palm. "I'm so ready to kick his ass!" he declared.
"Get in line," Makoto said darkly, all while scowling.
"Okay, okay, sheesh, calm down!" Futaba scolded. "But… you guys are in luck. We've made it! We're literally right outside the gates of the square. But be careful, everyone!"
"Yeah, it's not like he'll just hand us back our friends," Ren agreed.
Minako's eyes brightened. "We'll just have to give them a good thrashing then." She then pumped her fist. "Should we get going then, Joker?"
"Let's head back, actually," Ren said. "I want us in our tip top condition. This is gonna be our hardest fight since we've gotten here."
Morgana nodded. "A good idea, Joker. Let's head back, everyone."
Makoto slid the gauntlets over her knuckles before closing her hand in a fist.
"How does it feel?" Ren asked.
Makoto looked to him. "It's sturdier than the last one I used. Lighter, too."
"I'm glad." Ren grinned at her. "I think we're good for now."
"I'm ready." Makoto slid the gauntlets off before handing them to her friend. "…Are you?"
Ren winced. "…We will have to get Ken up to speed… somehow."
"Are you ready now?" Kaito demanded. "We gotta save Uncle K—"
"Ren-kun!" Minako-san suddenly called out, making Kaito flinch. Then she approached them, before she ruffled Kaito's hair.
"What's up, Minako?" Ren seemed to let out a breath he was holding in. Makoto couldn't help but hope that Minako-san hadn't heard what Kaito was trying to say…
"Oh, I just thought I'd offer to carry Noir's weapon," Minako-san explained. "Since I'm used to carrying naginatas on my back."
"…You want to carry an axe?" Ren asked dubiously. "Can you even manage that?"
…Dammit, Ren! Why? Makoto had to struggle to keep a straight face, since that would give them away even more.
Minako-san frowned. "Wait, I thought Ace used the axe. Doesn't Noir use the spear?"
"Damn, I must be out of it." Ren forced a laugh. "Yeah, Ace uses the axe."
Minako-san blinked at him, before suspicion seemed to creep into her eyes. "…Is there something you're hiding from me, Ren-kun?"
"Whaaaat?" Ren gasped, pressing a hand against his chest. "Don't be silly, Minako!"
Ken was one hundred percent killing Ren for this…
Kaito looked between Minako and Ren, looking suddenly anxious. Makoto then reached out, stroking his hair. Kaito seemed to relax a bit at least…
Minako then sighed. "…We really need to talk about this afterwards… Promise me, okay?"
"…Okay," Ren mumbled out.
"Ren, should we get going?" Makoto interjected.
"Though there's the twins to think of…" Ren said slowly. "We'll be all participating in this fight…"
"Miyu and me are going!" Kaito stomped his foot. "We're not staying behind! Auntie Makoto, tell 'im!"
"Okay, okay, you don't have to sic Makoto on me!" Ren held up his hands in defeat. "Just… be careful, okay? You can get hurt and your dear uncle would probably murder me for letting it happen."
"It won't happen," Kaito said adamantly, lifting his chin.
Makoto sighed, before kneeling in front of him. "Promise me you'll be careful, Kaito," she said seriously. "You and your sister. I… I don't want you to be hurt."
"Promise!" Kaito said cheerfully before abruptly hugging her.
"O-Oh!" Makoto was taken aback but she quickly hugged him back. "It's a promise, then."
"Do you want a pinky promise?" Kaito asked before offering her his pinky.
Makoto laughed. "That's not necessary."
"Ne-sees-huuuh?"
"It's not needed," Ren translated, before ruffling Kaito's hair. "But yeah, Makoto's right. Let's mobilize so we can get this rescue operation started!"
Ken… Haru… they would rescue their friends.
Kamoshidaman's statue was garishly bright, not to mention the pose.
"Yeah, we're definitely here." Ryuji then scowled. "Figures he's got an ego as big as the original," he huffed out.
"It definitely has… presence," Akechi said.
"I don't like it," Miyuki announced, her face screwed up in disgust. "The Buchiko statue is way better!"
"No kidding." Anne wrinkled her nose. "Just look at that pose… it screams this is it!"
"It's a disgrace!" Yusuke declared, shaking his head.
"What do you mean by that, Fox?" Kaito asked, blinking up at Yusuke.
"It's horrible! Just horrible!" Yusuke said firmly.
"Oh boy, you set him off…" Futaba sighed.
"Just look at it!" Yusuke swept an arm towards the statue. "It's simply reprehensible!"
"Re… what?" Miyuki asked.
"It's a sacrilege to beauty!" Yusuke continued to rant. "It's nothing but a blight to my eyes!"
"You're not making any sense, Fox," Kaito said flatly.
"That's truly rich coming from you!" A familiar voice rang out. "You're the reprehensible ones!"
Makoto immediately reached out, drawing the twins closer to her.
"Though I suppose you should be applauded," Kamoshidaman sneered. "Well done in coming this far, evildoers! As a reward… I think I'll allow you to witness your comrades' public execution."
He then snapped his fingers, signaling for two policemen to drag Ken and Haru forward, before thrown forward to the ground. Kamoshidaman then planted a foot against Ken's back, shoving him harder against the ground.
"Ace!" Makoto shouted, unable to stop her voice from cracking.
"Why are you hurting him like that?!" Minako-san demanded. "They didn't do anything wrong! Just let them go!"
Ken's eyes weren't on them though… It was on the twins and then Minako. The shock was clear on his face, despite the distance.
"Noir!" Yusuke shouted.
"Everyone!" Haru called out, her voice cracking.
"You're worse than trash!" Kamoshidaman seethed before stepping over Ken. "What were you thinking, corrupting two innocent children?!"
"You're thebuttface!" Miyuki retorted, her hands clenching into tiny little fists. "What you're doing is wrong! Completely wrong!"
"I see they've truly corrupted you and your brother," Kamoshidaman sighed. "But no matter! I will punish the trash of society soon enough!"
"Who are you calling trash?!" Morgana retorted. "You're the one who has it all wrong! We're not the ones brainwashing people!"
"Yeah, you're nothing but a goddamn asshole who spews nothing but self-centered crap!" Ryuji spat out.
"Self-centered, you say?" Kamoshidaman asked. "What say you, people of Kamo City?!"
"You're the one who named the city after yourself!" Ren shouted.
"But they're criminals, aren't they?" one man asked.
"If Kamoshidaman is saying they are… they've gotta be…" his companion answered. "Take them down, Kamoshidaman!"
"What…?" Makoto breathed. "Why are they agreeing?!"
"That's what I want to know!" Minako chimed in.
"That's right!" Kamoshidaman gloated, before pointing at them. "Though I suppose I should give you credit for not abandoning your comrades like cowards! But… you have all defied me! And that must be punished! Such rebellious rebels will be punished at my hand!"
"You're being a bit repetitive," Makoto bit out, her grip on the twins' shoulders tightened. "And you have no right to judge us, just because we disagree with you! Just blindly following authority's example allows for corruption!"
She knew that, first hand…
"Yes, all you do is abuse your authority, suppressing any dissent from citizens because you have to be right!" Yusuke snapped out.
"Hmph, you don't even have the brains to comprehend your misdeeds," Kamoshidaman sighed, shaking his head.
"You're the one to talk about brains," Ren drawled out before unsheathing his knife and tossing it in the air. He deftly caught it, narrowing his eyes at Kamoshidaman. "I bet you're all brawn, no brains."
"Why you…!"
"Everyone, prepare yourselves," Akechi said grimly.
"Come at us, then, Kamoshidaman!" Ren taunted with his trademark smirk.
"Queen, Fox, when you see an opening, you're to free Ace and Noir," Morgana said lowly. "We'll distract Kamoshidaman for you."
"Understood," she and Yusuke murmured back to him.
"I'll show you!" Kamoshidaman hissed out. "I'll give you a good thrashing!"
"We'll see about that!" Ren cried out, before he tore his mask off. "Arsene!"
"Dance, Carmen!"
"Whip 'em, Captain Kidd!"
"Zorro, show your might!"
"Goemon, strike!"
"Charge, Johanna!"
"Now, Robin!"
"Eurydice!"
But Kamoshidaman just struck a pose. Ken's head suddenly jerked up.
What… What was he looking at?
"Absolute Power!" Kamoshidaman declared.
But then multiple colored lights struck all of them. Makoto suddenly felt weak and she collapsed to her knees as Johanna disappeared. She could barely detect Johanna's presence in her mind.
"That's cheating!" Miyuki cried out.
Makoto tried to push herself up, but her muscles immediately began to scream at her. She felt so… weak. Lightheaded, even…
Then Kamoshidaman struck. The force of his strikes sent all of them flying backwards.
What was going on? Where was the source of Kamoshidaman's power?
"Arsene!" Ren shouted.
But Kamoshidaman seemed to shrug off the darkness spell.
"Wha…?!" Futaba gasped out. "H… He's resisting all elements?!"
What?! How was that possible?! Makoto pressed her forehead against the ground. She had to think… There had to be a secret to this…
"What are you doing?!" a harsh masculine voice demanded, only to be followed by two identical shrieks.
Makoto's head jerked up, her heart already leaping into her throat. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight.
A policeman guarding Ken and Haru had snatched both twins. His grip on them was tight even though they were squirming in his grasp, even trying to lash out with kicks.
"You ASSHOLE!" Ken's voice was filled with rage as he seemed to glare at the policeman. Somehow he had managed to push himself into a sitting position. "Drop them! NOW!"
"What are you going to do about it?" the policeman mocked. "You're a bit… tied up."
"I'll show you," he hissed out. Then blue flames flickered around Ken, before Kala-Nemi appeared with a flash.
"What the…?!" Ryuji yelped. "But Ace can't rip off his mask! How can he summon his Persona?!"
There was a blast of golden light before the policeman screamed. "My eyes!" He then dropped the twins, clamping a hand over his eyes, and they quickly scampered to safety.
Kala-Nemi disappeared with another flash. Ken seemed to sway for a moment before he seemed to steady himself.
"Ace!" Noir gasped.
"Uncle Ken!" Kaito cried out.
"UNCLE KEN?!" Minako-san gasped out before she pushed herself to a sitting position. "N-No, it can't be… Ken-kun?! How is this possible?!"
Kaito quickly slapped his hands over his mouth. "U-Uh, I mean…" he stammered out.
"Shit," Ren breathed out.
"We need to focus!" Morgana snapped out.
"But how are we gonna beat them?!" Anne cried out.
"There has to be some kind of weakness…" Akechi breathed out. "We… We just need to discover what it is…"
"There is no weakness!" Kamoshidaman burst into boisterous laughter. "You fools!"
"Are we really so powerless…?" Minako asked before her eyes traveled over to Ken.
"Crow's right… there must be a weakness!" Yusuke protested.
"But if we keep at this…" Morgana said. "We'll be defeated…"
Makoto whipped her head. "No! We're so close!" she protested. "We can't-"
"Everyone, go!" Haru shouted at them. "W-We'll be fine, I promise!"
"I…" Ren hesitated.
"Listen to her, Joker!" Ken snapped at them. "Flee for now!"
"We can't—"
"You can't win now!" Haru cried out. "Please… just run! We'll be okay!"
"Do you really think you can win?" Kamoshidaman gloated. "Ever?"
Ken was silent for a moment. "Oh, really?" he said coolly. "I know your weakness."
Kamoshidaman choked for a moment. "D-Don't bluff!"
"It's no bluff," Ken said boldly. "You see, one of your men said that you were unbeatable with a certain thing in your arsenal… I figured out what that thing is… You can't miss it with how garish it is, really…"
It took a moment for it to click in Makoto's brain. "The statue?" she asked. "Is that it?"
"Hit it right on the nail," Ken called out to her. Makoto found herself blushing a little at the pride in his voice.
"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Kamoshidaman shouted. "I have no weakness! And it's certainly not connected to my statue!"
"Uh, yeah, bullshit," Ren said flatly.
"Ace's really got you squirming," Futaba said.
"So, go, Joker!" Ken snapped. "I know you'll be able to figure out a plan to take down Kamoshidaman! But you can't, right now!"
Ren grimaced and Makoto could feel her heart sink. Ken had convinced him… But… how could she walk away? When she had vowed to not turn a blind eye anymore?
"Queen, we're retreating!" Morgana snapped at her.
Makoto swallowed hard. This wasn't permanent… They would be back to rescue Ken and Haru… and soon.
…Didn't mean it didn't hurt to walk away.
How could she be so… so dumb? Especially with that sketch? How they called their kidnapped teammates by their codenames?
Minako stumbled out of the movie screen, before she whipped her head towards Ren. "Explain," she demanded. "Now!"
Ren then hung his head. "I'm so sorry…"
"Then Ace…" Minako trailed off.
"…Yeah," Ryuji sighed. "He's… Ken."
"I… I don't understand," Minako said. "Ken-kun is only eleven. But back there, he was what…"
"Eighteen," Makoto said somberly.
She was… Ken's girlfriend. The idea was just… hard to wrap her mind around. Especially since uh… her Ken had a pretty obvious crush on her. Though the twins… Ren had said that they were Ace's senpai's children. They had to be the child of one of her friends, then. But the question was… who? Maybe she had to ask Ken after they rescued him and Haru…
"We're sorry…." Anne said sorrowfully. "We knew that you would freak out… and we wanted to avoid any questions. Since we're from the future…"
Minako swallowed hard. Kamoshidaman had captured their friends… but now…
It was personal.
"I… I forgive you. And… I have a better reason to save your friends." Minako then slammed her fist into her palm. "It's personal to me now too!"
"Minako-san…" Yusuke said softly.
"Ken-kun is like a little brother to me!" Minako said fiercely. "He's not gonna be executed! Not on my watch…!"
"But question is…" Ren looked between them, "…how do we do that?" He shook his head. "Damn, Ken really had loaded on the pressure…
"One more thing…" Makoto then sighed, before crouching in front of the twins. "…Why did you not listen?" she asked quietly. "You promised that you would try and keep yourself safe!"
The twins then hung their heads. "We wanted to untie Uncle Ken and Miss Haru," Kaito said quietly. "W-We were just trying to help…!"
Makoto then sighed. "Well… I have done some foolish things before," she admitted. "But… we can't allow a repeat of that, okay?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Ken had a mini heart attack," Ryuji grumbled.
"Though I must say that I'm curious about how he was able to summon his Persona…" Akechi murmured.
"Ken's already gonna kill me anyways," Ren deadpanned. "How soon do you think I have before he comes after me?"
"Oh, Ren, don't be a drama queen!" Anne sighed.
"Though… how is Ken-kun able to summon his Persona like that?" Minako asked. "He has a Evoker just like me in my time…"
"He ended up in the Shadow nest and he ended up… re-awakening, I guess?" Ren scratched the back of his head. "I dunno, I don't pretend that I understand."
"The Metaverse is rather… complicated," Morgana admitted.
"Though, Ren… if you're so concerned about Ken…" Futaba then flashed a wicked grin at him. "Just have Makoto distract him for you!"
"Hmm… not a bad idea," Ren said, stroking his chin.
Imagining Ken… making out with someone. And with someone as serious as Makoto… That was hard to picture.
"Y-You're exaggerating!" Makoto stammered out.
"Oh yeah?" Ryuji cocked an eyebrow at Makoto, before smirking. "So how come Shinjiro-san says he's walked in on ya, then?"
Wait, Shinjiro-senpai? Why would he witness that? She was so confused… And considering she has never heard of Shujin Academy… this had to be in a different city. But what happened for Ken to "reawaken"? And to move away…? And Shinjiro-senpai was there too?
"I still wish you would allow me to paint you…" Yusuke lamented.
"Y-You misunderstand!" Makoto suddenly shouted, her face flushing. "S-Shinjiro-san's exaggerating! We haven't—it's not like that!"
"Auntie Makoto…" Kaito looked at her seriously. "Are you and Uncle Ken doing mommy and daddy things?"
"N-NO!" Makoto shrieked out. "No mommy and daddy things!"
"Oh, that's too bad," Miyuki said, oddly flippant for a six year old. "We want another baby to play with."
…Another? Maybe Junpei had a baby already. She wouldn't put it past him…
"Stop…" Makoto moaned out, hiding her face with her hands.
Minako couldn't stop herself from giggling. Makoto being so embarrassed… was honestly really entertaining to see. "B-But anyways, guys, focus!" She coughed. "We need to focus on what to do for our second and final rescue operation!"
"Yeah, you're right, sorry," Ren agreed. "We need to get rid of that statue."
"Come on, Ren, we can do that with more style!" Morgana scoffed. "We're Phantom Thieves! We won't shame the name!"
"Um…" Miyuki raised her hand.
"…Miyuki-chan, you don't have to raise your hand." Minako giggled. "This isn't school."
"Oh. Okay." Miyuki shuffled on her feet. "Um, but I do have an idea…"
"What is it?" Akechi's tone turned almost… indulgent, but Miyuki didn't appreciate that, slightly turning away from him with a huff.
"I'm not stupid!" She stomped her foot. "I… I thought we should try and find the light! 'Member those cops talking about the lights? And they said Kamoshidaman wanted all these kinds of bright lights!"
"Hey, that's not a bad idea!" Anne perked up. "But hey… how are we gonna steal that?"
"I did notice something odd," Yusuke stated. "The statue swayed in the breeze."
"So it must be pretty light!" Minako said.
"…Doesn't Theodore's shop have balloons?" Makoto asked. "Perhaps we can ask him if we could use them."
"Okay, we've got a plan…" Ren said. "So let's put it in action!"
"RIGHT!"
We're getting close to wrapping up the Kamoshidaman labyrinth! It'll be really fun to see Ken and Haru rejoin the team.
Also yeah, I'm using the typical fanon that Minako's Persona is Eurydice over Orpheus. I thought the two Orpheus's was too confusing so I'm changing it. And speaking of Minako, she's discovered the truth of Ken. So... next chapter will be interesting.
