[13th April, Evening]

After sending Shiho to her home in Shibuya, Akira went back to his apartment in Yongen-Jaya with tiredness like never before.

Akira's apartment was like other middle-class apartments in Yongen-Jaya. It's not too big or too small, consists of two bedrooms opposite to each other, a bathroom and an open-style kitchen.

"What a day..." Akira went straight to the sofa once he was back in here, ignoring the groan from his stomach, "I should text Ann first, she deserves to know."

With that said, Akira quickly took out his phone and opened iM, messaging Ann.

Akira: Hey Ann.

Akira: I want to talk about something serious.

A few seconds later, Ann responded.

Ann: I'm all ears.

Akira: Ok... So I crashed into Shiho a while ago.

Akira: I decided to walk her home and...

Akira: She told me everything.

Ann: What did she say?

Akira: She said that she just wanted to escape from it all, like stuff about volleyball or such.

Akira: And she lied about me helping her with her injuries because she doesn't us to worry about her.

Akira: She doesn't want you to follow Kamoshida's word just to keep her in regular on the team.

Ann: Shiho...

Akira: I don't know is this the right thing to do but... don't give to Kamoshida, please.

Ann: I'll try

Akira: I'll keep my eyes on her tomorrow, I'm afraid that she would try to... you know, 'escape from it all.'

Akira: But she also worried for me getting expelled too...

Ann: I think Shiho cares about you, maybe even more than me sometimes.

Ann: Just... don't let her heart be shattered, promise?

Akira: I promise.

Akira: But if Kamoshida tries to land his fingers on her... I'm not sure then.

Ann: I can kinda understand that...

Akira: Sorry to bother you in times like this, tomorrow?

Ann: Yeah, see you tomorrow.

With that, Akira pocketed his phone with a sigh. But his mind still lingered on Ann's words.

"Why did I promised Ann to not shatter her heart?" Akira mumbled with a single tear from his eyes, "I'll just break that promise too, just like the others..."

"Why..."


[14th of April, during class]

Ren was listening to the class and jotting down notes when his phone suddenly buzzed. He checked his phone and it was Ryuji.

Ryuji: So about witness...

Ryuji: I was wondering if we could her something outta Takamaki.

Ren: Since she's forced to be with Kamoshida?

Ryuji: No, that ain't why.

Ryuji: Just hear me out.

Ryuji: You know how we didn't get a thing outta the volleyball team?

Ryuji: I figured it'd be a good idea to talk to someone who knows them.

Ren: We can ask Ichijou about that.

Ryuji: I know! But he looks like he's busy with something else today.

Ryuji: Uggggh, we're sidetracked again.

Ryuji: Takamaki's BFFs with a starter. A girl named Suzui.

Ryuji: I tried to talk to that girl during break, but I got nothing.

Ryuji: That's why we should have Takamaki talk to her

Ryuji: Then again, I guess it'll be hard getting her to help us.

Ryuji: Sorry, Lemme see what else I can come up with.

With that, Ren pocketed his phone and turned his attention toward the teacher again.

In the meantime, Akira's mind can be described as... A huge mess.

'So I have to look after Shiho after class, but don't let her notices me...' Akira pinched his nosebridge in annoyance and frustration, 'I'm going to look like a creep, for sure...'


[After School, Courtyard]

Ann, Akira and Shiho were sitting on the blue bench. Shiho's in the middle, Akira in her left and Ann in her right. The setting sun was mostly blocked by the pillars, but still shined for a bit on them.

"Shouldn't you be heading to volleyball?" Ann asked.

"Uh-huh..." Shiho, who was now even more injured than before, nodded in response.

Ann noticed the bruise above her eyes and leaned toward her, "That bruise above your eye... Is that from practice, too?"

"How did I not noticed that from yesterday..." Akira internally cursed at himself for not noticing that yesterday. And held her hand to give her comfort.

"Y-Yeah..." Shiho stammered for a bit.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?" Ann asked.

"I'm OK... Volleyball's the only thing can do right..."

Akira and Ann looked at each other with a worrying glance at her response, 'She's not improving at all...'

Then, out from nowhere, Ann phone suddenly rang, earning a sombre look from her.

"Shouldn't you take that?"

"It's probably just my part-time job... I think."

"I... should get going."

"Shiho... Are you sure you're OK?" Akira and Ann asked unanimously.

"Uh-huh..." with that said, Shiho got out from the bench and walked away, leaving only Ann and Akira.

"I'll look after her..." Akira patted her shoulder and quickly followed Shiho.

Once both Akira and Shiho were gone, Ann reluctantly answered the call, "Today won't work... I'm... I'm not feeling so good..."

"Sorry, bye."

[School Hallway]

Shiho was checking her phone when Ren suddenly walked up to her.

'Amamiya?' Akira who was now hiding behind a corner saw that and wondered, 'Why are you here?'

"...What?" Shiho quickly pocketed her phone once she saw Ren approaching, "Oh... I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry..."

"Are you hurt?" Ren asked calmly.

'This is so you, Amamiya.' Akira thought while eavesdropping, 'At least someone other than us cared for her, even just for a bit.'

"Huh...?" Shiho stammered, "Um, well..."

She then finally noticed who was talking to her and asked, "Hm, you don't look familiar. Could you be that transfer from Class D?"

Ren nodded.

"Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let don't let the rumours get to you, OK...?"

Hearing this kind word from Shiho only made Akira's wound in his heart started to hurt again, 'Got dammit...'

"Why do you said that?"

"Well, I've helped with some similar situations before..." Shiho clutched her right arms and said, "...Both of my best friends are often misunderstood too...one was because of her looks while the other one was because of his actions..."

'It's Takamaki and Ichijou...' Ren thought.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to drag on like that." Shiho suddenly came to a realisation and said apologetically. "Anyway, I have to go to practice... I'll see you around."

With that said, Shiho walked away with a defeated look with Akira following closely behind. But not before giving a nod toward Ren, earning a confused face from him.


[Back to Courtyard]

Ryuji was waiting impatiently when Ren arrived, "Dammit. What the hell..."

"Did you find someone?" Ren asked while pushing his glasses.

"Is that what it looks like?" Ryuji said with a deep sigh, but not before punching the vending machine, "All of 'em kept sayin' the same shit Mishima was talkin' about...!"

"Kamoshida had to have told 'em something!" Ryuji continued, "At this rate... it looks like we'll have to go to him directly..."

"We should've started with that."

"I know..." Ryuji only sighed in defeat at Ren's response, "But seriously, isn't there something we can do?"

"No way I'm gonna give in like this!" Ryuji said, "Ren, can you think of anything?"

"We should call the cops." Ren said.

"So you wanna tell 'em about the castle? They'd never believe us." Ryuji sighed again at Ren's idea, "You got any other ideas...?"

Ren thought for a short while before pushing his glasses again, this time with a small smirk, "Let's punish the king."

"The king...? You mean that other world's Kamoshida?" Ryuji scratched his head for a bit, "I didn't think of that, but..."

"Is there any meaning to-" Before Ryuji can complete his sentence, an unknown voice rang from behind. Catching them by surprise.

"I finally found you..."

Ryuji looked around and asked Ren, "... You say something?"

"No."

"Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you." seeming out of nowhere, a black cat with blue eyes and a yellow collar jumped onto the table and 'said'.

"That voice... Is that you, Morgana?!" Ryuji stepped back in awe.

Morgana didn't respond to Ryuji's word, merely shook his head and continues "How dare you, up and leaving me the other day!"

"The cat's talkin'?!" Ryuji turned to Ren and shouted, "Renren?"

"I... think so."

"Dude, why are you so calm about this!"

"Well, what can I-"

Before Ren could answer. Morgana turned around and looked at Ryuji furiously, "I am NOT a cat! This is just what happened when I came to this world!"

"It was a lot of trouble finding you two."

"Wait..." Ryuji walked towards Morgana for a few steps, his eye's still open-wide, "You came to our world?!"

"Does that mean you've got a phone?!"

"What." Ren was dumbfounded at Ryuji's question and processed to smack him in the back of his head, "You're serious, Ryuji?"

"DUDE! What's up with that!"

Seeing this dumb image of Ryuji shouting at Ren, Morgana just sighed and processed to use his pawn to scratch his face, "You don't need one when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost making my escape thought..."

Ryuji now regained his composure, leaned towards the cat and said, "That aside, why can you talk?! You're a cat!"

"How should I know?!" Morgana retorted, grazing his ear with his legs.

"Meow?" Out of nowhere, Ren suddenly unironically meowed for some reason, earning a dumbfounded look from Ryuji.

"This is no time to be jokin' around! Renren!"

"Please don't call me that."

"Wha- We are so not going to talk about that!"

"huh..." Morgana just sighed.

He subsequently started explaining how to change Kamoshida's heart by stealing the treasure from the palace in the other world. But with the risk of killing him in the process in the form of a mental shutdown.

With that said, Ren and Ryuji decided to think for a while before answering Morgana's plan and call it a day.


[After a While, School hallway]

Akira was still following Shiho everywhere, earning some whisper from those who passed by.

"So, he's a creep for Suzui-san..."

"Switching his target, huh?"

"Creep..."

Even though he was irritated from those whispers, but Akira decided to neglect them, 'Akira Ichijou, just forget about them, OK?'

Shiho was safe, for now. But with the look of her which seems like she's dead inside, it unsettled him.

'Please don't have any troubl-' before Akira can complete his thought, his phone whirled unexpectedly and caused him to jump for a bit, "Who is it?"

He took out his phone and checked. It's messages from Ann.

Ann: Kamoshida just called and tell me to go to his place...

Ann: Don't worry, I'm now with Amamiyain Big Bang Burger.

'Wait, what?!' Akira couldn't believe what he just read and replied instantly.

Akira: That MOTHERF%#ER!

Akira: So what did he say other than telling you to go to his place.

Ann: He said that he would take Shiho off as a regular on the team...

Ann: Is Shiho alright?

Akira: I think so... but she looks dead inside.

Akira: Holding Shiho's dream as a hostage to force you to sleep with him... what a piece of shit.

Ann: Just... If anything happened, call me

Ann: Alright?

Akira: I promise.

And with that, Akira was back to his work of keeping Shiho safe.


[On the other hand, In big bang burger]

After Ann messaged Akira, she directed her attention back Ren who was currently sitting in front of her. "...You're so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me."

"But at the same time... You kinda reminded me of Akira..." Ann got a hold on her iced water and asked, "Are you really a bad person as the rumour says...? You just don't seem like it..."

"I'm bad to the bone." Ren joked, earning a small giggle from her.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" But then her face quickly became sombre again, "I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations."

"You seemed lonely—almost like you didn't belong anywhere..." Ann continued, "We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it was so easy to talk to you."

"Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...?"

Ren wanted to tell her about the castle and the 'Change of Heart' stuff but ultimately decided to keep his silent posture at the last second.

"I wish he'd just change his mind..." she looked down to the ice on her cup of water. "Like, forget about me, and everything..."

"As if something like that would happen..."

"It could happen." Surprisingly, Ren disagreed her with a nod, but merely earning another small giggle from her.

"I wasn't asking for a serious response." Ann said with a sigh, but a one with relief, "But I do feel better now... I'm gonna head home."

With that said, Ann stood up from her seat, taking the water with her, "Don't tell anyone what I told you, OK?"

"I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida."

"Well... Thanks."


[School hallway.]

Akira was starting to think she'd be OK when Mishima suddenly ran up to her.

"Suzui..." Mishima said with a scared tone, making Akira raised his eyebrow, "Are you leaving...?"

Shiho turned around and asked, "What is it?"

"Mr Kamoshida's asking for you..." Mishima said while avoiding her glances, "He's in the PE faculty office."

"What did he say?"

"...I don't know." Mishima looked up, the word 'guilt' seems to be all over his face, "Well... I have to go."

With that said, Mishima swiftly turned around and ran away, leaving Shiho alone.

"Ann..."

Shiho than reluctantly walked toward the PE faculty office. And Akira who saw it all quickly took out his phone and contacted Ann while following her.

"Akira, did something happened?! Is Shiho hurt?!"

"Ann, Shiho is in danger," Akira said.

"What! Akira!"

"Kamoshida just called Shiho to the PE faculty office. I'm going to see what happen." With that said, Akira swiftly opened the recorder of his phone and put it into his pocket on his school jacket.

'Please don't be what I'm thinking...'


[PE faculty office.]

Once Shiho was inside the gloomy illuminated office, Kamoshida instantly closed and locked the door.

"So... Suzui, your friend just refused my request..." Kamoshida said with a disgusting smirk on his face, "If I can't have Takamaki, I'll let her know the consequences of turning me down."

"Mr Kamoshida, what are you sayin-" before Shiho could finish what her word, Kmoshida suddenly pushed her to the table of the office. Forcing himself to kiss her and tearing off her clothes.

"He-HELP!" Shiho's eyes widened in horror and tried to resist him, but Kamoshida just laughed.

"It's no use, Takamaki and that brat are not going to save you!"

When all hopes seem to lose for Shiho, the lock on the door suddenly clicked. Gaining Kamoshida's attention.

"Wha-"

"Thanks... Moriarty." With that said, the door suddenly slammed open by someone else.

"Who..." It took Shiho a few seconds to register who's on the door, "No way..."

It was Akira.

"Kamoshida...you bastard..." Akira said with a low-tone and started to crack his knuckles, "Lay. your. fingers. away. from. SHIHO!"

Before Kamoshida could act, Akira swiftly leapt towards them and shoved Kamoshida away, punching him in the face in the process.

"Shiho, you're OK?" Akira turned and asked her in the process.

"Aki-Akira, you'll get expelled from this!"

"I don't care!" Akira retorted back, "You're more important than my place in the school!"

"But..." before Shiho could complete her word, Kamoshida suddenly laughed from behind.

"Oh my... It seems that you're going to be expelled." Kamoshida said with confidences, getting into his nerves, "And this time not even Kirijo can save you!"

"Huh?" Akira only smirked in return, "You know, I'm recording this."

"Wha-"

Exploiting this only opportunity, Akira quickly picked Shiho up in bridal style and ran towards the door. But only to be stopped from another laughter from Kamoshida.

"Do you know Shujin merely exists because of me? Do you think you'll be capable to convince anyone with just that recording?" Kamoshida laughed, "I'm the king here, know your place!"

"You're the king...huh." Akira only shrugged before leaving the office, "If you're the king... Then I'll be the thief."

[School enterance]

Once Akira and Shiho left the school's front gate, he carefully places her back to the ground and apologizes, "Sorry... for doing that."

Shiho just silently mumbled, "It's all my fault..."

"No, it's not your fault!" Akira grasped her hand with his reassuringly, "Don't worry about me... I think I still have sometime before the expulsion comes."

"But..."

"I'll be fine." Akira smiled, tried to brighten her up, "Now let's go home, I'll walk you there."


[15th April, Classroom]

Mr Ushimaru was teaching class 2-D as usual. But even he could notice that something's wrong today.

"Anyone knows why Ichjiou is not here with us?" he asked, but no one answered.

"Huh..." Mr Ushimaru sighed with annoyance and continues his lesson. Until someone else suddenly shouted.

"Hey... What's that...?!"

"Wait... she's going to jump...!"

The whole class quickly evolved into chaos with Mr Ushimaru desperately tried to regain order. Mishima overheard those words and opened his eyes in horror

"Suzui?"

"Shiho...?!" Ann, who was already extremely worried about Shiho and Akira, instantly stood up upon hearing her name from Mishima. And ran out from the classroom with Ren following her soon after.

Meantime, Shiho was standing on the edge of the rooftop of the school, looking down to the ground.

With nothing had said, she jumped.

But then, she could feel that someone else was gripping her arms. She looked up to see who prevented her from falling.

It's Akira, again.

"Ju-JUST IN TIME!" Akira, while struggling to pull her up shouted between heavy panting, "Don't let go of me, Shiho!"

And from the ground below, everyone was shocked as Akira came out from nowhere to save her.

"Ichijou-Senpai! Don't let her go!"

"Come on! We have to help him!"

"Why was he there?"

"Wh-Why?" Shiho could feel tears forming in her eyes, because of guilt? Or because of something else? "I-I'm the reason of you and Ann getting into trouble..."

"It's OK! I never blamed you!" Akira could feel Shiho was slowly slipping out from his grip and decided to add his other hand to the grip, "Suicide can't fix anything!"

"But I just too tired of being the burden!" Shiho shouted back, "Please... let me go..."

Shiho tried to shake her arms to break free from Akira's grip, but Akira just clutched his grip in response.

"I WON"T LET YOU DIE! I'm not going to let you go!"

"A-Akira... You'll fall as well..." Shiho said between sob.

"I DON"T CARE! YOU MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME!" Between those words and shouting, Akira is gradually losing his strength to hold on to her, "I...I can't just see you like this and do nothing!"

Subsequently, just before Akira lost his grip on Shiho, Ann had hastily come and helped Akira by gripped Shiho's arm. "Shiho! Don't give up!"

Next Ren and Ryuji ran up, helping Akira to save Shiho from falling.

Akira saw the help from then and smiled, "Everyone! Pull her up now!"

With the strength of for people, they successfully pulled Shiho back to the rooftop. Once Shiho was back to the rooftop, Ann quickly hugged her close and sobbed.

"Shiho... Why?" Ann managed to get that out between sobbing.

Before Shiho could open her mouth, the exhausted Akira explained the question for her, "Kamoshida tried to rape her yesterday."

"What?!" the trio of Ann' Ryuji and Ren shouted unanimously.

"if not that I stepped in and punched that F#!ker in the face, she would already be another victim of that motherf*&ker." Akira sighed and said in a sombre tone, "But because of that, I'm going to be expelled."

"For real?!" Ryuji said with eyes open-wide in awe, "This can't be real!"

"Unfortunately... It's real." Akira kneeled beside the sobbing Shiho and Ann, "Ann, I think we should get her to her home first."

Ann only nodded in response and release Shiho from her embrace.

Akira decided to take her hand and aided her went to the medical room.

After a short while, Shiho allowed leaving prematurely with Akira by her side to supervise her. But once they left the school entrance, Shiho decided to ask him about something she'd wondered for a while.

"Akira... About that one time that I found you in the alleyway..." she noticed that Akira tensed up from her question almost instantly, " I saw you appear out of nowhere..."

"Is there something you're hiding from me?"

Akira tried making up an excuse to keep her away from that 'palace' business. But in the end, especially after what happened, he decided she deserves to know.

"...Where should I start first..." With a sigh, Akira hastily entered the dark alleyway from before, dragging Shiho along, "So... If I told you that I can change Kamoshida's heart, would you believe that?"

"Change Kamoshida's heart?" Shiho just stared at Akira in some form of horror, "We're going to blackmail him?"

"No, not like that." Akira pulled out his phone and opened the 'Navigator', "But I think you should see this for yourself."

"beginning navigation"


[Kamoshida's Palace]

Once Shiho senses were back to normal, she just couldn't what she just witnessed.

"Is... What is this castle?!"

"This is how Kamoshida's sees the school." Akira, now in his 'Phantom Thief Outfit' explained, "If I'm capable to steal the treasure, Kamoshida's heart would be changed."

"Huh? wha-"Shiho noticed that change in Akira's costume and interrupted herself, "Akira... Why were you dressing like this..."

"Actually... I don't know either." Akira sighed, "Now you know I have my way to fight back. I think you should go back to the real wor-"

"No! I'm coming with you!" Before Akira can complete his words, Shiho retorted with determination filled inside of her eyes, "I can't just stand there and do nothing..."

"But Shiho, this is no joke! We can be killed if we're not careful enough!"

"I have to redeem myself... from me!" Shiho just shouted back in an even more substantial volume, "How can I just stand here and do nothing when you're risking your life to fight!"

"It's because of the fact that... you mean a lot for me..." Akira clasped Shiho's shoulder with his both hands, "I can't put you in danger, in the real world or not."

"I-I don't want to be a burden for both of you!" Shiho clutched her hand into a fist, "Please... let me join you."

Ultimately, Akira still has a soft spot for Shiho in his heart and compromised, "...Fine, you can come with me... But stay close, OK?"

With a nod from Shiho, the duo sneaked into the castle.

The infiltration went smoothly with Shiho's agility. After all, she was a volleyball player herself. They were capable to secure the ground of the second floor of East building, a massive leap from yesterday.

After a few sneaking and fighting shadows, the duo (more likely by Shiho herself) decided to retreat and went back to the real world. But subsequently, as they passed through the entrance hall, the presence of Kamoshida's shadow and a bunch of guards greeted them.

"My Oh My, It's the Brat again." Kamoshida's shadow laughed upon confronting them, "You do have some guts you know, coming back to get yourself killed."

"Stay behind me Shiho."Akira pushed Shiho to his back and summoned Moriarty with his scythe, "Moriarty! Garula!"

The Persona obeyed his command and sent out a barrage of Wind attack toward those guards, but unable to do enough damage to knock them down, "Dammit, they resist to wind attack..."

"Do you think I'll let you go easily this time? Guards!"

Before Akira and Shiho can act accordingly, the guards knocked them down and held Akira up in the spot, and got Shiho to be in front of Kamoshida's shadow.

"Ready for round 2?" the shadow looked at Shiho's terrified face and proceed to laugh.

"Let her go you f$#ker!" Akira tried to break out of the guard's binding, but only earned multiple beating from them, "Don't give in! Shiho!"

"...I'm a burden..."

"No you're not! You're my friend! You'd never be a burden to me!" Akira shouted desperately, tried to get some senses to her, "Listen to your true self!"

"...Listen...to my true self?"

As if something inside of her clicked, a voice spoke to her.

"You've finally come to your senses, my dear."

Shiho felt like her head's going to split into half and struggled in guards bind, she tried to scream, but nothing came out.

"Wha- What is happening?! Not again?!" Kamoshida's shadow recognized the sign of Shiho and stepped back in fear, "Guards!"

"You've strayed away from your true-self for far too long..."

"Now you're going to show who is really in charge!"

"N-no way... She's got a Persona too?" Akira couldn't do anything other than staring at her with awe, "Damn..."

"Together, we can alter everything! Even fate!"

"Yes... Jeanne!" A mask formed on Shiho's face, A white bird-like mask.

"Let us form a Path, a path of accepting your true self!"

Shiho gripped the edge of her mask with both hands and ripped it off in one go. She can feel a sense of newfound power overwhelmed her. A sense of power liked never before.

Her Shujin outfit was consumed in the blue flame and changed into a pure white leotard with a small blue flower pinned on her chest, a pair of high heels with white stocking which reaches her thigh, a white ankle-length tailcoat and a light blue gloves. She looked at the sabre in her hand and smirked.

And her Persona was a woman entirely made by crystal, with a mask which was the same as Shiho's won act as her face. She wore a set of silver armour which made her looked like a member in the royal family in fifteen century.

"I am thou, thou art I. Thou who seek real justice, with great determination!"

"I am Jeanne, the saint and warrior! One who fights for our true desire!"

Akira quickly break away from the guards and rushed to her side, "You can fight, right?"

Shiho took a deep breath and nodded, this time with confidence. "I've been running away for too long..."

"It's time to let Kamoshida have a taste of his own medicine!"


So this is the third chapter of P5: Another Thief! Thank you for reading!

Shiho's Persona: Jeanne

Jeanne- lv. 12

Main elemental type: Bless, Electric and Physical

RESIST: Bless AND Electric ATTACK

WEAK: Curse AND Wind ATTACK

SKILLS:

Giant Slice: Medium Physical damage to 1 foe.

Zio: Light Electric Damage to one foe

Kouga: Medium Bless damage to 1 foe.

Makouha: Light Bless damage to all foe.

Dia: Slightly restore 1 ally's HP.

(Unique Skill)Requiem of Rebellion: Moderately restore party's HP and Cure all Mental Status.

The next chapter would be the start(At least the official one) of the Phantom Thief. However, a certain duo was assisting them in the shadow!

Hope you would enjoy this story so far, reviews are welcome!