After exploring the ninth floor, which was the same routine of jumping from cover to cover, killing shadows, and finding the key to the next floor. They quickly dashed through the last stair and reached the treasure room.
The room was empty with four plain grey walls, with a white blob of light floating in the middle of the room. Majesty took a few steps ahead of others, observing the blob. "...Is that..."
"Yep, that's the treasure." Mona nodded, walking to her side. "Now the infiltration route is settled, we just need to send the calling card and finish it."
Majesty nodded, clutching her fist in determination. "I... no, we'll change your heart, mother."
Fox gave her a sympathetic look. "I know how you're feeling, but let's go back for now."
"...Yeah." She nodded, turning around and exited with her teammates.
[24th May, afterschool, Phantom Thieves' hideout]
Once they were back in the real world, Ren decided to wait for one or two days before doing the heist to prepare. "I'll look for new weapons and some more medicine, we don't know what's installed for us."
"I'll make some slight customization for our guns." Akira volunteered, adjusting his headphones. "Iwai-San told me that his customization table is open for me."
"I think we should send the calling card on the 26th." The fuzzy-haired boy announced, glancing at the team before landing on Hifumi. "Hifumi, you're OK with this?"
"As much as I want to finish this palace as soon as possible, I understand the need for preparation." The shogi player nodded. "I'm OK with this."
"It's settled then." Ren nodded, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "Let's call it a day."
With a nod from everyone, the thieves all separated and went on their ways. However, noticing the gloomy look from Hifumi, Yusuke quickly rushed to her side. "Hifumi-San, you don't look fine."
"Yusuke-Kun..." She trailed off, avoiding his gaze. "Are you sure that mother will be good after we take the treasure?"
"to be honest, I'm not sure either." Yusuke sighed. "But we should stay optimistic, everything will be fine."
"Everything will be fine..." The shogi player trailed off, clutching the strap of her bag. "I... I hope so..."
Knowing that she needs anything but more reassuring words, Yusuke patted her shoulder, not knowing whether doing something more or not.
The two walked in silence, before Hifumi suddenly said, "...I don't what to say but... I feel a little better now, thank you..."
"Your welcome." He awkwardly nodded, seeing that they've reached the Shibuya station. "Um... I think this is it, you are taking the train to Kanda, right?"
"Y-yeah..." She nodded, turning back at him. "I'll be fine... I think."
"If you say so." Yusuke sighed, giving her a wave as a goodbye.
[25th May, afternoon, courtyard.]
Having a nice lunch with Akira and Keigo, Ren and Ryuji decided to talk about something other than their other-worldly business.
"Park cleaning?" Ren asked, tilting his head in confusion. "Is this... a tradition for Shujin?"
"Kind of, it's necessary, after all." Akira shrugged, taking another bite of his lunch. "And we get a field trip to a TV station after that... it's going to be a busy month."
"I wish we can just relax for a single effin' day." Ryuji sighed, leaning back to the bench he was sitting. "And I still don't have the gut to ask Ann out..."
"You're asking Ann out?" Keigo questioned, raising an eyebrow. "You are asking for a date... with her?"
"It's my suggestion." Ren held his hand up, internally wincing at his best friend's glare. "Ryuji, we're all boys here, it's OK to talk about our relationship."
"Ren, don't you remember that Morgana is having a stupid crush on her?" The half-French asked.
"He's not here today." The fuzzy-haired boy shrugged, opening his bag to show that there's no cat in there. "And I promise, I won't tell him about your feelings toward Ann."
"I know..." The ex-runner sighed again, leaning back to the bench and stared at the ceiling. "By the way, all of you are havin' a crush on someone else, right?"
"Ryuji, you don't need to ask us about it." Akira deadpanned. "We're not going to break the 'Bro Code', right?"
"'Bro Code'?" Keigo tilted his head in confusion, glancing at the others. "Have we ever made one before?"
"No, not on all of us." Ren replied, standing up from the bench. "But it's automatically applied to everyone."
"The first rule of the Bro Code, is to not talk about the Bro Code.." Akira declared, earning a deadpanned look from The half-French. "And the second rule of the Bro Code, is to never, ever steal or sabotage your bro's crush or date."
Ren sweatdropped at his words. "...I think he is referencing something even I don't know about."
"Are we going to fight underground while being half-naked?" Keigo commented, smirking as he saw the knowing nod from Akira.
"Anyway," Akira announced, turning back to the ex-runner. "Ryuji, just ask her out. I bet you that she's going to say 'yes'."
"And this is coming from a long-time friend of her."
After a while of pondering, Ryuji nodded. "...Maybe."
[Afterschool, Shibuya Main Street]
After the end of the school, Akira decided to call Keigo and hang out in Shibuya Main Street. They stopped outside of the bookstore nearby.
Akira picked a novel from the shelf. "Hey Keigo," He asked, looking up from the novel to him. "I had been wondering for a while now... How did they react to my involvement with the Phantom Thief?"
"They?" Keigo blinked, realizing what he's talking about after a brief moment. "Oh, you mean the old SEES group..."
"When Kirijo-Sama told them about you, they were..." He paused, sighing. "Everyone had a different reaction..."
Keigo trailed off, remembering the meeting before Mitsuru sending him to Tokyo.
[6th May, HQ of the Shadow Operative]
"I'm sorry to call everyone here this hastily," Mitsuru said, glancing at everyone in the meeting room. "It was breaking news for me as well."
The old SEES glanced at each other in confusion. "Breaking news?" Yukari asked, leaning toward the table. "Is that about the new shadow nest in Tokyo?"
"Is it about that scandal in Shujin?" Minako questioned, tilting her head in confusion. "I heard that the PE teacher over there confessed on abuse..."
"You're both half right, Takeba, Arisato." The leader of Shadow Operative sighed, pinching her nosebridge. "Actually... It's about Akira."
Akihiko and Junpei widened their eyes in surprise. "Akira?!" The capped man, exclaimed. "Did he got expelled from Shujin?"
"Did he blackmailed that teacher to confess?" Ken asked.
"No." Mitsuru shook her head, taking a breath before continuing. "I got this news from Narukami that... Akira is involved with the Phantom Thief."
"Phantom Thief?" Fuuka pondered for a moment, remembering the news she had read about the whole incident. "But how did they forced Kamoshida to confess his sin..."
"They entered another world to change someone's heart."
"Wait, another world?!" Minako exclaimed in surprise, standing up from her seat. "Don't tell me that it's about shadow and Persona..."
"Unfortunately, it is."
"God damn it Akira, why do you have to involved with this kind of shit..." Shinjiro muttered to himself, sighing and looked down at the table. "I thought the Dark Hour was bad enough..."
"So he got a Persona as well..." Ken trailed off, leaning back to his chair. "Minato-San must have an influence on him..."
Mitsuru just looked down with a somber look. "...Yeah."
Aigis, who was silent for the whole time suddenly spoke up. "I don't want this to happen too but... We all know how special Minato-San was, right?"
"Have a bond with Nyx..." Yukari trailed off, wincing at she remembered that one day.
"Minato? Wake up!"
"Aigis, what happened to him!"
"He... I... I don't know..."
"Don't tell me that... He sacrificed himself for all of us..."
"I... I think so... S-sorry, Yukari-San..."
"Not only that," Aigis continued. "from that day on, Akira-Kun also has a special bond with Minato-San... I'm afraid that if he involves with Persona and shadow business..."
"'It' maybe come out and cause another world-ending crisis." Mitsuru finished, gritting her teeth in frustration. "I sent him to Tokyo to stay away from us... from shadow and Persona..."
"But now he threw himself to those things... Mitsuru," Akihiko said, keeping his gaze on the crimson-haired woman. "We need someone to look after him."
"But the Tokyo department was disbanded... Who can we call?" Fuuka said, twirling her hair. "Shido knows everyone here as a member of the Shadow Operative..."
"I can go." Minako suggested, raising her hand up with a determined look.
"No! You can't!" Junpei exclaimed. "Your wedding with Aragaki-Senpai is right around the corner-"
"We can delay the wedding, priority comes first."
"Shinji, say something." Akihiko said. "You don't want to delay the wedding too, right?"
"If Minako wants... needs to delay our wedding, I'm fine with it."
Ken widened his eyes in surprise. "Shinjiro-San..." He trailed off, eyes darting between him and Minako.
"We can call someone from the investigation team to look after him, right?" Aigis suggested.
"No, they are not able to look after him." Mitsuru refused.
"However, I have a trust-worthy person to look after him." The head of Kirijo Group turned around, facing the door of the conference room. "Kamisaki, you can come in."
The door opened, showing Keigo with Shadow Operative's uniform. He walked to Mitsuru's side, facing everyone in the conference room.
"He is Keigo Kamisaki, the new recruit from the Tatsumi port island department," Mitsuru explained. "He'll look after Akira for the time being."
"A newbie?" Junpei sweatdropped. "Kirijo-Senpai, did you know how dangerous Akira is-"
"I know, but he's the only person in the Shadow Operative who was still unknown by Shido." She sighed. "This is our only option..."
The group looked down in frustration, not sure whether to accept it or not.
"...Fine."
"Keigo? Are you here?"
Keigo snapped back to the reality from Akira's calling. "H-Huh?!" He shuttered, taking a few moments to recollect himself. "W-what happened?"
"You just spaced out for no reason." Akira deadpanned, crossing his arms. "And it's creepy, you know."
"I just remembered something, nothing too significant." The half-French waved casually, dismissing the worried look from him. "Anyway, I remembered something important."
"After Madarame's confession, what are we going to do about those paintings?"
"About those paintings..." Akira pondered for a moment. "I'll get a list of the old pupils and those paintings from Yusuke, and call Chidori-San to help us return those paintings."
"But who is going to return those paintings? I don't think Yoshino-San is enough to find someone to return those paintings for us."
"That's the question." The persudo-detective said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But I think I'll do it personally."
"Personally?!" Keigo widened his eyes in surprise. "But you got many things other than Phantom Thief and school..."
"Then who'll do it?"
"I'll tell Kirijo-Sama about that, maybe she can use her men to deliver those paintings for us."
"...That's a great idea, but I'm skeptical whether she'll accept or not."
"I'll try."
"Yeah..."
[Kanda, In front of Togo Household.]
After a brief train ride, Hifumi and Yusuke arrived at the Togo Household. They stayed at the street opposite to the household, staring at the house in silence.
Yusuke looked down and took out a calling from his bag. "I think you should be the one to give it to her." He said, handing out the card to her.
Hifumi nodded, taking the calling card and examined it.
"'Miss Mitsuyo Togo, the sinner of grief and hatred. You have clouded your true heart and blaming the cause toward your own daughter. We have decided to save you from yourself. We will take your distorted heart without fail. From, The Phantom Thieves of Heart- The Phantom/ Le Fool...'" She repeated, pocketing the calling card.
"Just let her see it." The young artist reassured her. "It'll be OK."
"I... I hope so." The Shogi player whispered to herself, gripping the strips of her shoulder bag. "But..."
She paused for a moment before suddenly wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "H-Hifumi-San?" Yusuke shuttered, a hint of a blush crept on his face.
"I just something to reassure myself..." She whispered with a muffled voice, still burying her face in his chest. "I... just let me stay like this for a while, will you?"
"Of course..." Yusuke awkwardly nodded, standing still in his position. "But please... Don't be too long, it is awkward..."
"Never heard a word like 'awkward' coming from you." Hifumi giggled, releasing her grip after a long moment. "But..." She trailed off, trying to find a good word to respond.
However, she couldn't find one. "Nothing." The shogi player muttered, turning around and walked back to her house, but not before turning around again and gave Yusuke a faint smile.
The two nodded to each other and she entered the household. Once the front door was closed, Yusuke took out his phone and text to everyone else in the newly formed "The Phantom/Le Fool" group chat.
Yusuke: I gave the calling card to Hifumi, let's hope that she's able to give it to her mother.
It only took a few moments before his phone buzzed, signaling a reply.
Ren: Actually, I have some doubt in her.
Ann: Me too.
Shiho: It's her idea to call us to save Mitsuyo, after all. I just hope she's able to give it to her without Mitsuyo's noticing.
Ryuji: C'mon, don't be this doubtful to her.
Ann: Why are YOU out of everyone defending her?
Ryuji: She's our teammate, and our friend.
Ryuji: I know you're goin' to say that 'I have a crush on her'.
Ryuji: But she's not my type, so am I.
Ren: That's... actually a great argument.
Ren: Morgana just said that 'You finally grew a real brain' or something along those lines.
Akira: Stop sidetracking, please.
Ren: You're right. We have a palace to finish tomorrow.
Yusuke: And from the weird action from Mitsuyo's shadow, it's going to be more complicated than we thought.
Ann: Yeah, about the shadow's behavior...
Shiho: I remembered that she let us go back when Hifumi awakens Oichi. For some odd reason.
Akira: Ren, Mona told us that a shadow is someone's repressed side, a side they don't wanna see, right?
Ren: Just asked Morgana again about this. Yes, it is.
Akira: If that's so... Maybe the mother nature of Mitsuyo was also repressed?
Akira: Hifumi told us that her mother wasn't a corrupted person from the get-go.
Yusuke: That's possible.
Ryuji: So every time she does somethin' weird, it's because of her mother nature acting on her?
Akira: That's exactly what I'm thinking.
Akira: Rare coming from you, Ryuji.
Ryuji: C'mon, I'm not that stupid.
Ann: You've grown, Ryuji!
Akira: Uh... Are you serious about it?!
Ren: This chat is a comedy gold mine!
Shiho: Totally agree with you, Ren!
Yusuke: The sense of romantic tension is visible, even through text.
Akira: You're so weird, Yusuke.
In the meantime, Hifumi snuck the calling card to her mother's table and quickly hid outside of her mother's bedroom, peeking through a gap. 'Please read it...' She thought.
Fortunately, after a few minutes, Mitsuyo walked up to the drawer, picking up the card and read it. "...We will take your distorted heart without fail. From, The Phantom Thieves of Heart- The Phantom/ Le Fool..." She trailed off, narrowing her eyes at the card.
"How did they know about those things..." The older woman paused, widening her eyes in realization. "Hifumi... She wants to save me and contacted with the Phantom Thief..."
"Whatever, it's just a prank, anyway." She finished, tossing the calling card to the drawer. Hifumi frowned at her unusual reaction to the calling card, afraid that she's not going to materialize the treasure.
But before she can turn around and leave, the air surrounding them suddenly buzzed, covering the entire space with darkness. Mitsuyo's shadow stood at where her real self was standing, eyes darting between the drawer and Hifumi.
"You're going to steal the treasure, right?" The shadow asked, sighing as she only had a surprised look as a response. "I'll be waiting for you, all of you."
With that said, the air around buzzed again and returned to normal, catching the Shogi player by surprise. "Is that it...?" She questioned, quickly took out her phone and texted in the group chat, informing everyone.
Hifumi: I think the calling card worked.
Ren: Fantastic, we'll be meeting at the hideout tomorrow afterschool.
Yusuke: We'll save her, Hifumi-San.
Hifumi: I know.
Akira: Just like the calling card said, 'We will take her distorted heart without fail.'
Shiho: We can do this, just like how we succeed with Kamoshida and Madarame.
Keigo: Just be careful and we'll finish this.
Ryuji: Don't doubt yourself!
Hifumi smiled at her teammate's word of encouragement, leaning at the wall and holding the phone on her chest. "It's OK... We can do this." She whispered to herself.
"We will do this."
And with that, chapter 22 of P5: Another Thief concludes! thank you for reading!
First, sorry for the short chapter. It's basically a setup for the battle of Mitsuyo's shadow.
Also, some more question and mysteries of Akira's past was revealed!
What was the 'it' Mitsuru and the SEES member talking about?
Why did Akira have a special bond with Minato?
Why is he dangerous to involve with Persona and shadow?
Unfortunately, these questions are not going to be answered in the near future.
Anyway, I hope you would enjoy this story so far, reviews are welcome!
