"Can I join you as well? As a part of the Phantom Thief?"
The trio froze from her words, mouth opened from shock, or disbelief. After a few long moments of total silence, Akira finally spoke up. "Uh... You know, we've told you that we are risking our lives every time to change someone's heart-"
"Yes, I understand that." Hifumi intervened him, determination leaking from her eyes. "But nevertheless, I still want... no, need to save mother from herself! Please, let me join!"
"You don't have a Persona..." Shiho trailed off, looking downward as she struggles to find a way to persuade her from joining them. "You'll just get yourself killed..."
"I know!" She shouted back, causing both Akira and Shiho to take a step back. Regaining her composure quickly afterward, the Shogi player apologized before continuing. "Sorry... I just let my emotions get the better of me. However, I am still serious about my decision."
"..." The two thieves glanced at each other in uncertainty, then looking back at Keiko. "Keiko, what do you think?" Akira asked.
After a few seconds of pondering, the mixed-blood boy nodded at Hifumi. "I think we should let her join. She does not get the Nav for no reason at all."
"where are you leading to..." Shiho muttered, narrowing her eyes.
"Think about it, the Nav only show up on someone who possesses the potential of awaking a Persona." He explained. "There must be something working at backstage to give her the Nav... As if fate is gathering us together."
"Yeah..." Akira trailed off, deep in thought as he started to think about why would she had the Nav. "I got the Nav because of being dragged into Kamoshida's palace by accident and awoke Moriarty afterward... Everyone I met all has awakened their Persona, Ann, Ryuji, Shiho... It seems really like that the Nav only appeared on someone who has the potential of awaking a Persona..."
"Akira?" The volley player said worryingly as he stayed silent, seemingly deep in thought. "You're OK? It's scaring me for a bit..."
"Huh?" Finally coming back to the world of the living, the persudo-detective blinked in confusion for a brief moment. "I... Just deep in my own reasoning... Sorry."
She raised an eyebrow in doubt for a second, but shrugged it off in the end. "You can be weird sometimes."
"I know." He dryly said, turning back toward Hifumi. "So Hifumi... You can come with us."
Hifumi sighed in relief at his answer, a faint smile crept onto her face. "Thank you... Uh... How should I call you?"
"What do you mea-" Keiko interrupted himself mid-sentence, realizing they have never done a proper introduction to her like... ever. "Oh, we've never properly introduced ourselves to you..."
"I am Keiko Kamisaki, or Roi in the Metaverse." He briefly introduced himself, eyeing Akira and Shiho to introduce themselves as well.
"Shiho Suzui, or Swan."
"Akira ichijou, or Jester." Finishing his brief introduction, he swiftly opened the Nav and selected the location. "Let's not waste any more time... Ready?"
Receiving a slight nod from everyone, he pressed the 'navigate' button, sending everyone to the palace.
[Mitsuyo's palace, entrance]
After the feeling of vomit passed, the three thieves turned toward the golden palace. "Well, nothing changed." Roi shrugged, readying his grappling hook.
"Yeah..." Jester nodded, but his attention was focused on Hifumi. "Togo-San... You're OK?"
She didn't answer, merely keep staring at the palace. "Mother... This is... depressing." She whispered to herself, looking down at her shoes.
"Depressing?" Swan questioned, tilting her head in confusion. "But it's luxurious... too luxurious."
"That's why it's depressing." Hifumi said, looking back up to the trio. "It's too luxurious... as if she is trying hiding something."
"trying to hide something..." Pondering for a brief moments, the gentlemen thief decided to shrug it off for now and focus on the infiltration. "Let's not think about it for now. We have a whole palace to infiltrate after all."
With that said, he tapped the Nav again, teleporting them to the latest saferoom.
Once they were in the saferoom, Hifumi finally noted the change in their clothes. "Wait a minute, your clothes..." She trailed off, observing their thief attire closely.
"We still don't know why, but our clothes changed after awaking our Persona." Swan explained. "Besides, it looks cool, right?"
She nodded in response. "I can see that."
"Can't we just... put those little talk aside for a moment?" Roi questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course!" The white thief exclaimed back, forcing the two toward the door. "Just go!"
After leaving the saferoom and entered the brightly lited hallway again, they decided to adopt a alternative approach. (mostly because of Hifumi) Hopping from one cover to another, they avoid most of the guards entirely and only fight when needed to.
After a few lasting hallways and some unavoidable battles, they reached a room with a huge (as big as a person) dark blue safe on the wall, a number from 1 to 26 was craved on the steering wheel lock. seeing that there are no guards or any trap in the room, they relaxed for a bit and walked up to investigate.
"Hmm... Strange..." Roi mumbled to himself, stroking his chin as he examines the safe. "Why would a safe in here for no reason at all?"
"Well, it could be anything." Swan shrugged, noticing there are a few pieces of paper hanging on the wall. "Wait! There's some notes over there!"
Jester nodded and walked up to the notes on the wall, tearing them down and examined them with others. "It's all numbers..." He murmured, quickly flipping through the papers.
"Yeah, '7 18 9 5 6', '8 5 12 16', '8 1 20 5'... What does it all mean?" Hifumi said, narrowing her eyes on a particular piece of paper. "But this one... why did it have 'Togo' instead of those numbers?"
"Huh?" Roi and Swan tilted their heads in question, examining the paper Hifumi was holding as well. "Yeah, this one only has 'Togo' on it... Weird." Swan agreed, holding the pape under the light source above, trying to find some clue on it.
"Maybe one of the numbers on the paper is the code for the lock?" Roi suggested, approaching the safe and decided to input the code on the paper to the lock. "7... 18... 9... 5... 6..."
As a result... nothing happened.
"Nothing happened..." He sighed, inputting the other numbers on the paper to see if it works.
Unfortunately, nothing happened.
"Man..." Sighing again in defeat, Roi took a step back and let Jester try.
Seeing there's no clue on the paper, Jester shifted his focus back onto the safe, especially the steering wheel lock. "Hmm... There's only number 1 to 26..." He mumbled to himself, trying to uncover any connection between the safe and the paper.
Thankfully, he quickly figured out the real code for the safe. "That must be it!" He exclaimed, twisting and turning the lock. Unlike what happened when Roi tried those numbers, the door opened with a 'pop', revealed a map inside.
"So I'm right..." The gentlemen thief sighed in relief. "Turning the alphabet to number..."
"There's the map!" The royal thief said, taking out the map and examined it close. "Hmm... Good news, we don't have to find another map!"
"And it seems like that we're already halfway through this palace!" He finished, earning a stunned look from everyone.
"Halfway already?" Hifumi asked, tilting her head in confusion. "But it seems like we only covered a few floor..."
"Maybe the palace is not as big as it seems." Jester suggested, diverting his focus on the door on the other side. "But whatever, let's go."
With a nod from everyone, they run out to the other side of the palace and continued their infiltration. Slashing and sneaking their way through the shadows, they found another saferoom on the 5th floor.
Taking a short break in comfortable silence, they decided to quickly back in action. Reaching another set of stairs, they entered the 6th floor and only to found that its pitch black.
"...Jester, I have a bad feeling about this." Swan whispered to her leader, shivering slightly.
"I know... I got that feeling too." Jester nodded, preparing his scythe for a battle. "Roi, Togo-San, you're OK?"
"I'm OK..." Roi said, hand gripping tightly on the handle of his longsword.
However, there is no response from Hifumi.
"Togo-San?" He asked, starting to get worried about her. "Where are you?"
"Hifumi-San?" Swan shouted into the darkness, taking out her saber and gripping it hard. "Please don't pull a prank on us-"
Before she can finish her word, the whole room suddenly lited up with blinding light, forcing them to cover their eyes with their idle hand. "What the eff?!" Jester exclaimed in surprise, quickly adjusting to the light.
"My my, thieves in my dear palace?" A distorted voice suddenly rang through the whole room, causing them to look behind them.
They were in a grand hall the whole time with Mitsuyo's shadow - A Shogi with heavy make-up and a comb on the back of her head. She was wearing a bright red Kimono with detailed goldfish all over and holding a white fan in her right hand.
"So that's the shadow... She's actually quite hot-" Jester mumbled to himself, but soon interrupted as they saw Hifumi in front of them, taking each step hesitantly.
"Hifumi-San/Togo-San!" The trio shouted in unison, but was unheard by the Shogi player herself.
"M...Mother?" Hifumi said in a low voice, eyes widening in disbelief. "Y-You're not like that..."
"Oh... you. 'Princess'." The shadow's tone suddenly changed from mocking to downright dangerous. "So you thieves brought her to MY palace..."
"Something's not right!" Swan shouted, trying to reach her. However, an invisible wall obstructed their way, forcing them to merely observe as the event unfold.
"Dammit!" Jester shouted, slashing his scythe to the wall. "Togo-San! Can you hear us!"
"Togo-San!" Roi desperately yelled, firing his evoker to the wall as well. "God Dammit! It won't break!"
"Hifumi-San!" Swan cried out, striking the wall with all her strength. "Come on!"
"It's useless... Thieves." The Queen said in a hostile tone, returning her focus back onto Hifumi. "Now 'Princess', how dare you coming to MY palace."
"Mother, it's me who requested them to change your heart." Hifumi answered, looking down at her shoes. "I just want to save you from yourself-"
"'Save me from myself'? ridiculous!" She yelled back in fury, standing up from her seat. "Don't you know why the king died?"
"King? What's she talking about?" Roi questioned, still firing his evoker.
"You mean father...?" The shogi player murmured, eyes widening in horror. "He died in a car accident... ten years ago, right?"
"But why would he not notice the truck coming for him!" The distorted Queen yelled. "It's because of you! You're the reason he died!"
"He was buying you a present for your birthday!" She continued her outburst. "If you were never born, everything would be alright!"
"N...No..." Hifumi took a step back in disbelief, eyes widening further.
"You're the cause of everything! Mamoru would be alive if you never existed!"
"I..." She slumped in despair. Tears start to fall along her face. "It's all my fault... Isn't it?"
"Hifumi-San!" Swan exclaimed desperately, summoning Jeanne to crash onto the wall with her. "Jester! Roi! Help me!"
"I know!" Jester shouted back, summoning Moriarty to aid him as well.
Crashing in synth with Napoleon, Roi cursed loudly in rage. "Come on! You effin' wall!"
"Still trying to save you... Pathetic..." Mitsuyo snickered, ordering her guard to grip her by her hands.
Abandoning all hope of surviving, the Shogi player turned back toward the three. "I'm sorry... For everything." She murmured.
But then, a voice suddenly rang out from her head, causing intense pain her hand as a side-effect.
"Give up now?" The voice spoke with an unusually steady tone. "Where's your resolve? You don't build that resolve for nothing."
Finally Crashing through the invisible wall, the three tried to reach her, However, a pair of guards halted them mid-way. "Hifumi-San! Don't give up!" Swan yelled, struggling to break free from the guards.
"You heard her, right?" The voice continued. "You've said you're going to save mother from herself..."
"Don't just say it, DO IT!"
With all these intense pain in her head, Hifumi managed to mutter some words out from her mouth. "Yes... Action... speak louder than words..."
"M-Mother!" She cried out, tone mixed with pain and determination. "I am not going to run away... ever again!"
"I heard you... DO IT!"
"That's right! That's my King!" The voice cried out in excitement. "Since you've finally built your resolve, let us form a contract!"
Head shaking frantically in pain, Hifumi clenched and relaxed her hand multiple times while screaming in pain.
"I am thou, thou art I... We're the king who fights against our fate!"
"I am Oichi! The one who fights for love and freedom!"
The pain disappeared and with newfound strength, she broke free from the guard's grip. Feeling something, a mask similar to the one in The Phantom of the Opera with a red flower drawn on it covering her face.
"A mask...!" Jester whispered, widening his eyes in surprise. "She's awakening..."
"So my theory is correct..." Roi muttered, smirking faintly.
Hifumi gripped the edge hard with both hands, with her new strength, ripped it off in one go. "AHHHHHH!"
Blue flame burst around her and sent a wave od shock wave, knocking the two guards down. Taking this as their opportunity, the three thieves swiftly rushed onward and killed the two guards. But another wave of flame suddenly burst out, covering the whole hall with fire.
The three instantly covered their eyes with their hands from the immense heat, clothes shaking uncontrollably as the hot wind blew through them. "That's... not what I've expected..." Swan murmured.
In the center of the blazing flame, Hifumi was standing proudly, holding a naginata with white flower-like patterns on it. Her Kosei uniform was replaced with a dark blue modified kimono with black sleeves, the lower part of the kimono itself was shortened to look like a skirt with black stocking and thigh-length high heels.
And behind her was a huge female figure with blue leather jackets with armor plate-like design and silver highlight, a pair of wooden geta(traditional Japanse wooden shoes) and multiple massive hoops with blades sticking out floating around her. Her face was covered with plain white mask with two eyeholes on it, dark long hair floating and wavering.
"Rejoice!" Oichi announced, spreading her hand outward in proudness. "This is the return of the true king of the Togo kingdom! Now with her new resolve and power, nothing is outside the realm of possibility!"
Rushing up to her side, Jester turned his head to her. "Togo-San, You can fight?"
"We'll be your back up, this time." Swan said, unsheathing her saber.
"I know." Hifumi nodded, pointing her naginata straight toward Mitsuyo's shadow. "Mother, I'm not backing down!"
Gritting her teeth in fury, she ordered an elite guard between her and the thieves. "Guards!"
"Yes, my queen." The shadow nodded, shaking uncontrollably and dissolved into black goo, revealing a red Oni.
Smirking in confidence, Jester spun his scythe in his hand playfully. "Le Fool, you're ready?"
"Yes!" The other three shouted in unison.
"Well, let's kill this goddamn Oni! Persona!" he announced, summoning Moriarty and discharged a few bullets on it. But doing basically nothing to the shadow.
"Oichi! Agilao!" Hifumi cried out, sending a massive fireball toward the oni. knocking it back
"Fly high!" Swan followed, dashing forward and jumped high, casting a Zio to the Oni, causing it to be shocked.
Taking this as his opportunity, Roi rushed forward and slashed the shadow a few times. Doing a single-handed backflip, he aimed his evoker to the head and fired. A blue energy beam impaled the Oni's head, knocking it down.
"I guess it's our time to finish it." The royal thief said, turning back toward the new Persona user. "Togo-San, it's all yours."
Nodding, Hifumi steadied her breathing and bent down, preparing for an All-out Attack. "...Now!" She announced, sprinting at the shadow with others following her. Moving in the speed of lighting, they assaulted the shadow with might.
Once the All-out Attack was finished, Hifumi jumped down elegantly with a paper umbrella in her hand. Spinning the umbrella and taking a few steps forward, she spread her left arms out and smirked as the Oni burst out his 'blood', dissolving into nothing. "I guess this is the end... Sayorana."
With the shadow's gone, the four Persona users turned their heads to the distorted queen. Taking a couple of steps forward, but ultimately collapsed in exhaustion, only to be held by Swan.
"Mother..." She muttered, panting heavily.
"Ugh... petty thieves." Mitsuyo hmphed, holding her fan over her mouth. "I will let you away this time."
Before anyone can say anything, she walked away with a flap of his Kimono, leaving the four in the grand hall.
"She... let us out?" Jester questioned, tilting his head in confusion. "That's weird..."
"Maybe she's not as bad as it seems..." Swan trailed off, observing the whole grand hall. "From her words earlier... Her palace seems to be formed from... grief and anger."
"She used to be like someone else..." Hifumi whispered, not caring if anyone heard her or not. "To think of it... She's like this after father's death."
"I know you got a lot to say, but we should be leaving by now." Roi suggested, taking out his grappling hook.
"Yeah." Hifumi agreed, struggling to stand up in two feet. "Mother's issue can be handle later... "
With a nod from the other two, they walked away together, leaving the palace.
However, unaware for them, Mitsuyo only left the grand hall by inches, back leaning to the wall. "...She only wants to save you, Mitsuyo..." She whispered, staring at the side of her fan which never showed to the thieves.
It was a portrait of better times, when her husband was alive and they're only a peaceful family. She can feel that times stopped, memories of the last few years of his husband surfacing in her mind.
Before she can realize that, tears slowly but surely started to form in her eyelids, dropping on the fan.
[After school, Big Bang Burger.]
After leaving the palace and back into the real world, the four decided to go to Big Bang Burger for a short meal. Akira and Shiho were sitting on the one side while Hifumi and Keiko on the other side.
"...Now I'm officially qualified as a member of the Phantom Thief, right?" Hifumi said, taking a sip of her water with a faint smile. "With Persona and everything..."
"We've already accepted that." Akira said, leaning back to his seat. "But now you have a Persona as well... A new teammate feels great! "
"Akira, you're too loud!" Shiho hissed, softly smacked the back of his hand. "I thought you're better than Ryuji."
"Sorry..."
"Back to business, OK?" Keiko deadpanned, but quickly returned to normal as he turned toward the young Shogi player. "Togo-San, now that you're officially and a Phantom Thief... I think you should have a codename."
"Codename?" She said, tilting her head in confusion. "Um... I'm not good at making names..."
"Well, how about 'Kimono'?" the persudo-detective suggested, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I remembered that you wore one."
"No, don't you dare." Shiho hmphed, smacking his head again. "Hifumi-San, how about 'Queen'?"
"Nah, I think this belongs to someone in Ren's group." Keiko refused, sighing as he tried his best to think a good name. "Maybe... 'Majesty'?"
"'Majesty'? That's good!" Akira and Shiho agreed in unison, giving Hifumi a look of questioning. "It's all on you, Hifumi-San/Togo-San."
"'Majesty'... I like it." the shogi player nodded with a faint smile, tilting her head in slight shyness. "Also, please just call me 'Hifumi' from now on."
"Of course." The three nodded in unison. "In exchange, please just call us by our first name."
Seeing a nod from her and now the business talk is over, Shiho decided to change their subject. "So now, how about that we have a small meal before calling it a day, OK?"
"Sure..." Akira trailed off, eyes widening in horror as the memories of their last visit to this place surfaces. "Wait, don't tell me that you're going for that challenge..."
The volleyball player snapped her focus on to him, realization painted on her face. "Oh yeah! Thanks for the reminder, Akira!"
"Wait, you're still doing this?!" Keiko exclaimed in disbelief, eyes widening as well.
"She's doing what?" Hifumi questioned innocently, tilting her head in pure confusion. "What challenge?"
"The Big Bang Burger Challenge!" The two boys exclaimed in unison, their tone filled with fear.
"Come on, it's not that bad!" Shiho refuted, pouting while staring at Akira.
"It's that bad!" He exclaimed again, holding her shoulder with both of his hands. "We're not gonna do it again!"
Even though she still wanted to do that challenge, but Shiho compromised at last. "...Fine." She sighed, still holding a pout on her face. "But in exchange, pay for my meal tonight."
"Huh?" Akira snapped his hands back in surprise, holding his hands up in defense. "Uh... I don't have much allowance left..."
Narrowing her eyes in doubt, she leaned in closer toward her old friend. "I smell lies here."
"I..."
"Guessed it, you're lying for the whole time." Shiho pondered for a moment, smirking as she came up with an idea. "OK, if you buy this meal for me, I'll give you a peck on your cheek."
"For real?" He hesitantly asked, narrowing his eyes as well. "From the look of it, I'm not believing it."
"Not believing me?" She paused for a moment, holding her hands on his cheek. "Turn away, just a moment."
Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Akira decided to follow her order, heartbeat slightly raising as he clenched his eyes in nervousness. "Shiho? What are you going to do with me?" He muttered.
Watching the whole event unfold in front of their eyes, Keiko and Hifumi turned to each other and nodded in mutual understanding, barely able to hold their giggle.
"Come on, I told you what I'm going to do." Shiho deadpanned, lifting her hands from his cheeks.
Seeing his cheeks visibly reddened from the anticipation or nervousness, she giggled lightly before giving him a peck on his cheeks. In response, Akira's cheek reddened further, opening his eyes in disbelief and surprise as he froze in place.
"Now I kept my promise, it's time for yours." She said, pushing him to leave the table. "Come on, stop just staying there!"
"H-Huh?" Finally back to the world of the living, Akira quickly shook his head to clear his mind. "O-OK, same as always, right?" He shuttered, exiting the seat and walked toward the counter, a faint blush still visible on his face.
"...I think you just broke him." Keiko commented, standing up from the chair. "Hifumi, I'll cover your meal, you're OK with that?"
"Me?" Hifumi said in confusion, but shook her head a moment later. "I don't mind that. Thank you"
Nodding, he left the two girls alone and went to the counter as well.
Shiho stayed silent for a while, faintly smiling as she remembered the feeling of giving him that peck. "He tastes nice... I guess he's never changed." She murmured, quiet enough to be unheard by anyone.
"You two sure looks like an old couple." Hifumi suddenly said, giggling lightly.
"Uh..." The volleyball player paused for a moment, blushing hard as she thought about what she'd just say. "We're actually friends, old friends."
"Friends? But you two... don't act like one."
"We've known each other since... year one in middle school?" She tilted her head in thought, trying her best to remember those times. "Whatever, we had been that close for a very long time..."
"..." The shogi player nodded, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Shiho, have you ever wanted to... be closer to him?"
"Closer to him-" She interrupted herself mid-sentence, blushing harder as she realized the true meaning of Hifumi's word. "...I guess, but he's kinda obtuse at times..." She sighed, head hanging low.
"Maybe." Hifumi said. "Or maybe he's just too shy."
"Nah, he's not like that." Shiho rejected, waving her hand disapprovingly. "I know him too well. He's not that kind of person."
"There are always two sides of one coin, same for a person." She explained, giving the volleyball player a look of encouragement.
Pondering for a while, Shiho nodded faintly. "I'll try my best..."
With that, chapter 17 had finished! Thank you for reading!
We finally got Hifumi's awakening! And we also got a better glimpse of how Mitsuyo really feel. With the nature of shadow being the oppressed side of a person, maybe there's something else other than hatred toward Hifumi.
However, let's us turned our attention to The Phantom, they also have done their infiltration for the Museum. But we still need a small breathing room before another big event.
Also, here's Oichi's stat:
Oichi- lv. 19
Main elemental type: Fire, Psy and Physical
RESIST: Fire AND Psy ATTACK
WEAK: Ice AND Nuclear ATTACK
SKILLS:
Agilao: Medium Fire damage to 1 foe.
Psi: Light Psy damage to 1 foe.
Vajra Blast: Medium Physical damage to all foe.
Tarukaja: Increase 1 ally's Attack power for a short period of time.
(Unique Skill) Queen's Dance: Light Physical damage to 1 foe 3-5x.
Hope you would enjoy this story so far, reviews are welcome!
