November 25th.
The Phantom Thieves wasted no time in continuing their operation into Shido's Palace. Joker was feeling much better after a good night's rest and the team was able to head back in immediately. The sooner they changed Shido's heart the better. Time was a factor with the election closing in. They were at the end of November, and they had until the middle of December to bring down Shido. They picked up right where they left off, heading to the central hall, and going from there into another area of the hall. It was similar to a restaurant, but not the one they were looking for.
"There are masked dudes in here, too!?" Skull said. Everywhere they looked, there was someone wearing a mask.
"We might be able to get intel from them." Mona said. "Just don't ask any suspicious questions."
"I'm surprised the people here don't think of us as suspicious already." Violet said. "Although, I guess I can see a few of them giving Skull-senpai a few strange looks…"
"Man…" Skull grumbled. He couldn't argue that.
"Come on, guys. The restaurant should be around here somewhere." Oracle said, wanting to get back on track. This ship was massive, so they didn't want to waste too much time messing around.
"We're starting with Mr. Ooe, right?" Joker asked. "The guy who frequents the restaurant."
"It's the closest one." Oracle confirmed.
The search continued, all while they carefully weaved their way around wandering security guards and dogs. Eventually they came to a door with a green sign in front of it. "Hm? What's this sign for?" Mona asked.
Panther tried to read the sign. "A members-only restaurant…Ristorante Elite…?"
"You really can't read that either? Aren't you suppose'ta be Lil Miss English or something?" Skull turned to Panther with a raised brow.
Panther gave Skull an incredulous look. That remark of his had her a little ticked off. "Yeah, Ryuji? That's not English, it's Italian. So get off my back…anyway! This restaurant is exclusive to members. Those without a membership card will be rejected.
"You have to be a member just to eat dinner?" The notion of food made Fox's stomach rumble. "…."
"…Did you skip breakfast again?" Dragon turned to Fox with a deadpanned expression.
"I…had to buy new brushes." Fox said.
"…" Queen sighed. "That aside, why don't we at least see what's ahead?"
"I think that's a good idea." Noir nodded.
Joker nodded and led the way. The door was pushed open and the group carefully walked to the front desk of the restaurant. "We're here to dine."
The waiter looked at the group. The size didn't bother him, but there was one important thing they needed. "Sir, if you wish to dine here, you will need to present your membership card. I believe our staff should have explained it to you when you boarded the ship. Would it be a bother if I checked your boarding pass?"
"…I think we should retreat." Queen whispered. If anyone on the ship found out they were lacking the credentials to board the ship, it could be bad for them.
Joker pretended to look around in his pockets. "Ah…I think I had it in the wrong coat. We'll be back." With a quick nod, he turned and walked off before the waiter could say anything. They had to retreat outside the restaurant. "…That didn't work."
"We need a membership card." Violet crossed her arms. "This could be a problem."
"…If worst comes to worst, we could always pilfer one of someone?" Dragon suggested.
"You just want to mug someone at this point, don't you?" Panther shook her head. Dragon's mind always went to pickpocketing someone whenever they needed an item.
"…I agree with Dragon-senpai. What are the chances we find something that valuable lying on the ground?" Violet looked to the others. She did have a point…"
Nearby, a group of people were having a conversation. "Are you okay? You've been acting a bit flighty now…" A masked woman asked her male companion.
"Oh, it's nothing, really. It appears that I've lost my membership card for the restaurant." The masked man said. "I'm not worried. I can ask the staff about it, but I also know Mr. Shido personally. So he can issue me a new one."
"Oh! I didn't know you had such lofty connections!" The woman laughed.
"…" Violet had a deadpanned expression. "…What are the odds that someone dropped their card…"
"We do not look this gift horse in the mouth!" Dragon quickly stated. "We must find it before they decide they want to!"
"You're really hung up on stealing from someone, aren't you?" Panther shook her head. But the point remained; they had a chance to find a card.
"Where should we start looking, though?" Skull asked. "It could be anywhere."
"I don't think searching blindly will help us." Noir said. "In big events like this, it's more likely that someone has already found it and turned it in. We would have better luck asking one of the bartenders if they have a membership card."
"I trust Noir on this. Let's ask around." Queen said. There were only a few bars scattered around this area. It was the second one they went to that yielded some results.
"Has anyone turned anything in?" Joker asked the bartender. "More specifically, a membership card?"
"Ah, so it was yours." The bartender nodded, handing the membership card to Joker. He didn't even bother verifying the owner's identity. Then again, nobody who was on this ship didn't deserve to be in his eyes. So it was only natural that a lost membership card would go to the person asking for it. "Here you are. Please go enjoy your meal."
"…That was a little anti-climactic." Dragon was a bit disappointed.
"I know I should be thankful that it was so easy, but I'm a little surprised it was that easy…" Violet scratched her cheek.
"Should it have really been that easy?" Queen was in the same boat.
"Who cares?" Skull was able to shrug it off. "It's all thanks to that dick Shido thinkin' everyone around him is incompetent."
"So he doesn't believe in anyone. That's why there are so many member's cards lying around." It made sense to Noir. Just another reason to completely hate this man.
"We got what we came for. We should try going to the restaurant now!" Oracle suggested.
.
.
With the membership card in hand, the Phantom Thieves were able to enter the restaurant. The table marked with a blue star was reserved for special guest, presumably for the one they were looking for: Ooe. "That must be the table." Fox pointed out.
"Right. That influential politician comes here." Oracle confirmed.
"Why don't we have a sweat at the table next to him and wait for him?" Queen suggested. "I'll go. He may become guarded if we go in a group."
"Wouldn't it be odd if one girl was sitting at a table alone?" Noir asked.
"Does someone want to come with me?" Queen asked the others. Noir had a point. Having another person at the table would appear less suspicious.
"Hold up!" Skull interjected before anyone could even open their mouth. "I'll go with her!"
"Er…" Violet was about to open her mouth, but Skull beat her to the punch.
"I mean, come on! It's a restaurant!" Skull said excitedly.
"What are you, a preschooler!?" Panther groaned.
"I was wondering why you were so excited about this…" Queen just sounded so defeated. Even the heavy sigh she let out told the story.
"…I think I should go with you two, just in case…" Violet said. Queen appreciated this.
"Everyone else, sit back until I give the signal." Queen told the others.
"Man, I wonder what I should eat…" Skull was already thinking about the food. Actually, that was the only thing he was thinking of.
"You can't get full off of food in a Palace." Oracle said with a deadpanned tone.
"Why isn't anyone asking me to do this?" Mona looked at the others.
Well, without further ado, Skull, Violet, and Queen made their way to the table and took seats. Skull looked at the menu and started to sweat profusely. "Uh…I can't read this…how 'bout you?" He turned to Violet.
"Um." Violet was trying really hard, but ultimately wasn't able to make sense of what she was looking at. "…No dice."
Queen called a waiter over. "I'll have a sautéed foie gras. A salad garnished with truffles and roasted lamb, please." The waiter nodded, while Skull and Violet just stared at her in amazement.
"That was incredible…" Violet said.
"No kiddin'." Skull agreed, before turning to look at the other patrons of the restaurant. "Say, ain't we kinda young compared to all the others here? They're all involved with Shido, yeah?"
"We're only children compared to all of them. It's a little unnerving, to tell the truth." Violet said. It was so obvious that they stuck out, but due to the nature of this Palace, nobody turned an eye to them.
"They seem to be major figures in the political and financial worlds." Queen stated.
Their conversation didn't go far as a masked man in a black suit approached them. "On whose permission are you sitting there, brats?"
"Whose…?" Skull stared at the man blankly. "Uh…I don't see anyone's name reserved here."
"It'd be a nuisance if you'd make a racket next to my table." The masked man said. "I wish to dine leisurely. Children like you who're simply hungry should leave!"
"That doesn't make any sense…" Violet mumbled under her breath. She wanted to say it louder, but she didn't want to put the plan at risk.
But then Skull stood up from his seat, ticked off at the man's words. "What was that!?"
"Skull! Be quiet." Queen held a demanding tone while she sat up. Skull immediately apologized and relented, sitting back in his seat. "I apologize for our discourtesy." Queen told the masked man.
"If you understand, then go home." The masked man said.
"Excuse me, but might you be Mr. Ooe?" Queen asked. It was best to leave the talking to her.
"Indeed I am." The man said.
"This may be an impertinent request, but…might you grant us a letter of introduction to Mr. Shido?" Queen asked.
"From the looks of it, you appear to be minors. Why do you need an introduction?" Shadow Ooe asked.
"We wish to be granted an audience with him. His political ideology resonates with us so much. As do yours, Mr. Ooe." Queen said with a polite tone.
"You've got quite the silver tongue on you, not that I mind." Shadow Ooe laughed. "From the looks of it, you appear to be high school students? You know, some high school principal passed away recently. Supposedly, he tried to leak Mr. Shido's name." Queen, Violet, and Skull's eyes widened at this news. "Had he simply obeyed, he could've remained in the upper echelons. To think he would cast all that away."
"You don't say…" Violet stared with wide eyes.
"Elites like myself have no idea why he would throw such a thing away." Shadow Ooe continued. "If you pledge your loyalty, you're given the honor of selecting those who would have mental shutdowns."
"Did you ask Mr. Shido to trigger a mental shutdown in someone as well?" Queen asked coyly.
"Ah, more or less." Shadow Ooe admitted.
"Considering your caliber, I would assume that the target must have been someone quite important…" Queen was pretty good at this.
"Important? No." Shadow Ooe laughed. "The target himself was nothing that important. Do you recall the subway accident last spring? I targeted that engineer. It was to take out the president of some company and a diplomat who sided with the current government."
"That was you!?" Skull and Violet jumped up at the same time.
"I see. That was very useful, Mr. Ooe." Queen had a scary smile on her lips. "You see, my sister works at the Public Prosecutors Office. I could pass along what you just said to her…unless you gave us a letter of introduction."
"She's scary…" Violet thought to herself.
"What…who are you!?" Shadow Ooe stared at Queen with wide eyes.
"A letter of introduction please." Queen repeated herself.
"You'll never have one!" Shadow Ooe said.
"But it looks like ya have one though!" Skull grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Time to use brute force!"
"Guys!" Queen shouted to the others. As she did this, Shadow Ooe transformed into a large hydra.
.
.
In the real world, Shido was on the phone, talking with the real Ooe. "…Yes, of course. I will continue accepting them even after I am inaugurated as prime minister."
"As expected from you, Mr. Shido. You are truly a reliable man." Ooe said.
"And in return, I only ask for your continued support. Standing up to the world does require money." Shido replied with a grin.
"Of course. I'll make sure to prepare compensation as thanks for your help in 'cleaning up'. The accident in last spring was very beneficial. This is all thanks to you." Ooe replied.
.
.
The Phantom Thieves were able to defeat Shadow Ooe rather easily. In turn they got the first of five letters they needed. Now they were en route to the pool area, where the former noble awaited them. As they traveled through the corridors of the ship, Oracle stopped. "Guys, wait…" She tried to warn them, but the others already stepped into a room, and in a puff of smoke…..they turned into mice.
"Why is everything so much bigger?!" Violet panicked.
"AGH!? AGAIN!?" Panther squeaked. Why was this the second time she was turned into a mouse!?
"Again?" Noir turned to Panther. There was a first time!?
"W-What the shit!? We're mice!?" Skull said.
"This is prepawsterous. Or something like that." Fox said.
"Please stop." Dragon would've face palmed if she could reach her face.
"Ugh, go to hell, Inari!" Oracle grunted. "Just come back here."
"But…there's cheese on the other side of the room…" Fox was looking at a wheel of cheese, which was kept within a clearly open cage that was waiting to snap shut.
"Are you seriously considering walking into that." Oracle just glared at Fox. "Get back here!" And so, everyone scurried back to the hallway and returned to normal.
"…That was unpleasant." Joker sighed.
"Thank goodness, we're human again…" Noir said.
Oracle gestured to the golden Shido statue in the middle of the room. "It seems that anyone in range of that Shido statue turns into mice."
"So we're nothing but rodents to him, huh? That's irritating." Mona grumbled.
"I want to break it." Noir said.
"If we're mice, I doubt we'll be able to put up a fight…" Dragon tilted her head. "As much as I dislike it, we'll have to be very defensive from this point on…"
.
.
After an arduous trek through the corridors, they finally arrived at the pool. Their hunt for the former noble was pretty easy. He was an older man, relaxing on a chair by his lonesome. Just like everyone else, he wore a mask. Before they could find a way to approach and talk to him, Skull was already stepping forward, "Yo, dude. Got a sec?"
"Skull!" Violet said in a hushed whisper.
"…" The shadow noble didn't even acknowledge them.
"Uhh…nice day today, huh? Actually…maybe not." Skull was floundering for a conversation topic and failing.
"I don't think he plans on talking to you." Dragon let out an exasperated sigh.
"…It's your turn, Panther." Skull said.
"What?!" Panther gasped. Why did he volunteer her!? Ah, whatever. Panther took a step forward. "Excuse me, sir. We'd really like to talk to you…"
"We won't take much of your time. Will you listen?" Queen asked.
"Please, sir." Noir added.
"Sorry, but please leave me be. I don't have time for you rowdy children." The noble replied.
"You're just sitting by a poolside…" Dragon muttered.
"You little…!" Skull said, irritated.
"No, we apologize for our lack of manners!" Queen had to reel in Dragon and Skull before they got too irritated. "Come on, we should leave." She had to usher Skull and Dragon away, so they could give the noble peace.
"What the hell was up with that dude! Did he have to act so high 'n mighty." Skull ranted.
"…You approached him and said 'hey dude'." Violet pointed out. "I don't think he appreciated that."
"Starting our conversation with a quarrel won't get us anywhere." Queen said. "We need to approach this tactfully."
"Our approach won't matter if he doesn't listen to us." Mona grumbled. "What are we supposed to do?"
Skull was looking around. There were a lot of women in bikinis at the poolside….wait…bikinis….suddenly, he began to laugh. "Heheh…I got it."
"…That's a scary laugh." Dragon said with a sweat drop.
"We gotta go to the bar!" Skull was already running off. The others had no idea what he was planning, but they followed him. When they arrived, Skull spoke to the bartender. "Yo! Can we rent out some swimsuits here? We need some ASAP!"
"Ah, but of course." The bartender nodded. "Just show me your boarding pass and I will lend you some."
"You idiot!" Panther had to drag Skull away. They didn't HAVE a boarding pass.
"Seriously, Skull. What were you thinking?" Oracle asked.
"You wanna go for a swim or something…?" Joker asked.
"Naw, this is just part of the plan. The fittin' room over there should work, we just gotta slip in!" Skull was really pumped for this…for some reason. He was already off. "We need a swimsuit…no, considering who we're talkin' two, we might need six…"
"…He seems oddly into this?" Fox said. The others noticed, but had no idea what was going on in Skull's head. They just had to follow him since he was the only one with a plan. Eventually, they were able to sneak into the fitting room, no closer to knowing what Skull was thinking.
"Okay…we're inside the fitting room now. But why?" Noir asked.
"Just trust me! Wait here and I'll be right back!" Skull ran off.
"…I have a really bad feeling about this." Panther gulped at Skull's snickering.
"Hehehe! Oh yeah, this is perfect! This'll totally work!" Skull said.
"…He looks scary…" Violet said.
"Downright creepy, actually…" Oracle said.
"Don't worry, this will totally work. Just trust me" Skull grinned. "Now come on, let's head back to that, er…noble guy!"
Trusting in Skull's plan…well, they had no choice. The boys waited outside, and when the girls stepped out of the fitting room, they were all in swimsuits. They didn't look too happy about it either. "I didn't think we were going with such a simple plan…" Makoto sighed.
"Do I have to do this, too?" Kasumi shifted about. This was the first time in a while she wore a swimsuit and she wasn't expecting it to be like this.
"I wanna go home…." Futaba groaned.
"Well, there's no way guys in a pool wouldn't check out girls I swimsuits." Mona pointed out.
"Must we go through with this?" Hifumi rubbed her arm sheepishly.
"We're counting on you." Joker said with a nod.
"I guess we have no choice." Haru sighed. But the girls were all staring at Skull.
"I-It's for our plan! I swear!" Skull held his hands up. "If you guys don't hurry, he's gonna go off somewhere!"
"Ugh. Come on, girls…" Ann sighed.
Once again, they approached the lounging nobleman. He didn't recognize them without their outfits, so he just saw a number of young women approach him in bikinis. That already had his attention. "H-Hello…" Makoto said sheepishly, feeling a bit exposed since they were going about things this way.
"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Haru asked.
"Beautiful swimming weather…!" Kasumi said, panicking a bit since she wasn't used to this.
"What do you want?" The nobleman asked the girls.
"Um…would you grant us a letter of introduction to Mr. Shido?" Haru asked.
"We realllly would like one." Kasumi added cutely.
"A letter of introduction, you say?" The nobleman chuckled. "I would never give one to such nobodies like yourselves."
"Nobodies?" Haru felt her brow twitch. Her arm instinctively moved like she was about to pull out her axe, and Makoto was the one to quickly pull her arm down.
"That's rude." Hifumi crossed her arm.
"I've made my decision to only introduce those with a prestigious lineage. No matter how beautiful you girls may look on the outside, your ancestry cannot be changed." The nobleman said arrogantly.
"What a jerk…" Futaba pushed her glasses up.
"That may be true, but…" Makoto was trying to find an excuse. "We're…!"
Suddenly, Ann acted. "Quite charmed to meet you, sir." Her voice had a fake British accent attached to it. "I'm Ann Windsor."
"Ann Windsor…!?" Makoto said with a genuine gasp of surprise.
"Ann Windsor…!?" Hifumi's power of lie detection was going off the charts. But she kept quiet…even if it was driving her crazy.
"My father is the descendant of British royalty." Ann said.
"I beg your pardon?" The nobleman stared at Ann more intently than before, even sitting up from his lax position.
"Seriously?!" Futaba gasped.
"These girls are the daughters of my retainers." Ann looked to the others.
"O-Oh yes…!" Kasumi nodded in agreement. She had no idea what was happening, but this seemed to be working. So she was going to do her part and play along. "Lady Ann treats us very well!"
"Are you half British, Ann-chan? Your features are definitely different from Japanese girls. One can easily tell at a glance." The nobleman said with growing interest.
Ann-chan? Hifumi didn't like that tone. Her brow twitched and her hand started to move back as if she was going to grab her staff. Kasumi noticed this and hastily tugged her hand down. "…."
Ann let out a small giggle. "People tend to have such misconceptions, but it certainly isn't true. My hobbies include tea ceremonies. Then again, my father forced me to learn that art."
"Where is she getting this?!" Hifumi thought to herself.
"I see. I sense a noble aura that is…different from your servants." When the nobleman said this, every girl that wasn't Ann too immediate offense.
"SERVANTS?!" Haru was about to strike. It took Futaba and Makoto to stop her from lashing out. Her, a servant!? She was the rich one here, and he wasn't even giving her the time of day! That was the most insulting part!
"She's so strong and angry…." Futaba grumbled. She wasn't even sure if she was contributing.
"Lineage is absolute." The nobleman said. "No matter how much effort a commoner exerts, it is a gap that cannot be filled."
"You're absolutely correct!" Ann smiled. "I do feel sorry for these poor girls."
"We'll let her go if you keep that up…" Futaba mumbled.
"By the by, about the letter of introduction…" Ann took a step towards the nobleman. "If you'd be soooo generous to give me one, I'll consider introducing you to my father."
"Oh? Then consider it my way of sending my regards to him." The nobleman nodded. He gave Ann a letter without a fuss.
"Thank you kindly~" Ann spoke with a wink. Somehow, she was able to bullshit her way into getting a letter with no issues.
The nobleman then began to eye Ann up and down. "But my goodness, you look lovely in that swimsuit. Such an amazing body as well. You look like you could be a model."
This was when Ann started to get a little uncomfortable. "O-Oh no…." Her façade was starting to crack.
Hifumi was at her limit here as well. Kasumi was trying really hard to hold her back, because they didn't want to blow their cover just yet. "She's so angry…and so strong…!"
The nobleman then reached out and took Ann's hand. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. "Did you make sure to put on sunscreen? As members of prestigious family lines, why don't we get on more…intimate terms?"
"Excuse me?" Ann's eyes widened.
The nobleman turned to look at the other girls. "Come now, you peasant servants should take off. You're making her embarrassed. You two have such poor tempers…" He was speaking to Hifumi and Haru. "You're bringing shame to this beautiful woman…as expected of mere commoners."
Ann waved a hand at the girls to tell them not to step in just yet, because she could hold her own. She didn't want to resort to violence unless she had to. She could see that Haru was at her limit. "Would you…kindly…stop this?"
"Why don't you come to my room? You can try on some swimsuits there…" The nobleman cooed.
Kasumi could feel Hifumi's rage reach a boiling point. Between that, and being referred to as a servant by this stuck up nobleman…she decided to let the Dragon loose and let her go. "Oops…"
Hifumi's Thief Attire flared to life instantly and she smashed her staff on the shadow nobleman's head with all her might. "Keep your filthy, perverted hands off of her!" She crushed the nobleman into the ground with that blow, surprising everyone.
"…Honestly, one of them was bound to crack sooner or later." Joker rubbed the back of his head.
Ann, Haru, Futaba, and Kasumi's thief attire returned to their bodies and not a moment too soon. Panther shuddered at what just happened. "What a creep that guy was…"
"She beat me to the punch…" Noir pouted.
"I must say, Ann. Your acting skills have improved considerably since our nude incident." Fox said.
"The what." Dragon and Violet looked at Fox.
"Stop bringing that up!" Panther huffed.
.
.
"Just for clarification, you aren't hiding anything from me, are you?" Shido asked, speaking to the nobleman on the phone.
"Good heavens, no. Everything is as written in the report." The nobleman replied.
"I hope you remember the conditions for our arrangement. Support me as best you can, understood?" Shido said.
"Yes of course! After all, I am thankful for your aid, Mr. Shido. I'll call in some favors from some acquaintances for Prime Minister Shido." The nobleman replied.
"I'll have you step down if I catch wind of any slack on your end. Are we clear?" Shido demanded. He was very serious about this.
"Crystal…" The nobleman replied hesitantly. "I'd rather not meet the same fate as those I've eliminated thus far…"
Shido smiled at this understanding. Everything was looking perfect for him. "Good."
.
.
Two letters down, three to go. Aside from dealing with some more heavily geared shadows, things were going smoothly. They were about to push through a door when a voice stopped them. "Hey you. Where do you think you're going?" It was an intimidating voice. When the group turned around, a man in a beige, stripped shirt approached them. "I'm talkin' to you guys. Come over here for a sec."
"…I don't want to." Violet said with a sweat drop.
"Does he mean us?" Panther pointed at herself.
"I don't wanna get involved with someone like him, even if he is a cognition!" Oracle shook her head.
"What're you punks mumblin' about? I hear you've been making quite a mess in here." The vulgar man said.
"W-W'ere totally not making a mess!" Mona gulped. "Who are you!?"
"I'M ASKIN' THE QUESTIONS HERE!" The vulgar man shouted. "Now, drink some salt water and reflect on what you did. I'm leaving this to you guys, I don't got time to be playing with kids." And suddenly, a Shadow spawned in front of him.
"Drink salt water?!" Dragon gasped. "He means to make us swim with the fishes…!"
"We can talk about this!" Violet waved her hands. But unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of talking things over…
.
.
Akechi was the special guest of a TV program today. Two hosts were questioning him and talking about the events concerning the Phantom Thieves. "I would never have imagined that their leader would commit suicide." The male host said. "Akechi-kun…did you anticipate this curious turn of events?"
"Oh. Certainly not to this extent." Akechi lied through his teeth, but his pleasant tone and current reputation as a hero made it so easy for him to lie. "Getting captured must have wounded his pride irreparably. Such things happen often to insurgent leaders."
"According to the police, the whereabouts of the other members are still currently unknown." The female announcer said. "Considering they no longer require testimony from the leader, the investigation will-"
"May I butt in for a moment?" Akechi asked, and he got a nod of approval. "I don't car eif they come after me! For the victims of their evil deeds, and for their families…" He stood up dramatically. "I will capture the remaining Phantom Thieves, no matter what!" Such a speech got the applause of the crowd. Akechi sat down and smiled. "My apologies, I didn't mean to get worked up…"
"It's no wonder they call you a hero of justice!" The male host said. "Now is a good time to poll the audience! Those who believe the detective of justice will destroy the phantom thieves, press your buttons now!" After a few seconds, it was revealed that the entire audience was won over by Akechi's charisma. "Looks like everyone agrees! You can't back down now!"
"I will do the best I can." Akechi said sheepishly. "Oh, but I do have to study for my college entrance exams. I might not be able to promise that." Everyone laughed. As they laughed, Akechi went deep into his thoughts. The entire world was foolish…
"None of these people know that I was an undesirable child. I wanted people to rely on me…I wanted to be needed. I devoted myself to my studies, acted as an honor student, and made my name as an Ace Detective…" And as he thought about this, for some reason, Hifumi's words rang into his mind.
"I wanted your aid. I thought if you were there, it would increase the odds of my mother being safe."
She…wanted his help. There was no obligated for either of them in that moment, but she still reached out to him…
"And thanks to the Nav app and the Persona bestowed upon me by the gods…I managed to dispose of any who got in my way. Though it took me some time to finally do so. Now, all that remains is to tell him, and to crush him…"
"But still, wasn't their leader's suicide a letdown for you, given how long it took to apprehend them?" The host asked. "I think if it were me, I would've collapsed from the shock."
Akechi was briefly caught off guard, because he was so into his own thoughts. "True. It did make me a little dizzy. Perhaps my mind was worked up from the task I had undertaken." Wait…when he thought back on it…dizzy? That was before…
A phone rang. "Hey! Whose phone is that?! If you don't silence it, the Phantom Thieves will come change your heart!" The male announcer said.
"A…phone…?" Akechi stiffened up. Suddenly, he started to piece together a few oddities he thought were unimportant. The phone Sae showed him, the dizziness that followed…it was the exact feeling as…
"See! Even Akechi-san has stiffened up!" The host laughed.
"Oh, I'm not bothered. Just make sure you turn it off before you go to the movies!" Akechi played it off for a laugh. But internally, he didn't like the connection he was drawing…
.
.
The Phantom Thieves were able to break through the strange attacker that was sent to them. Now, they were in the casino where the TV station president was located. Noir was their best chance at getting a letter of introduction, so she alone went to talk to him. "A letter of introduction? But you're obviously just a child." The TV station president said.
"I am Haru Okumura, daughter of the president of Okumura Foods." Noir said politely. "I believe we sponsored you as well."
The man's tune changed instantly. "Oh, you're her? It's true that I'm quite indebted to President Okumura. He funded us extremely well after all. However, it looks like he got a little carried away. My condolences."
"…" Haru remained silent. She felt her fingers twitch once again. Unlike the pool, there wasn't anyone to hold her back, but she restrained herself for now.
"Regarding his exploiting management,…Mr. Shido asked me to defend him as much as I could. I even through some extra security his way! But there were limits to what I could do." The TV station president explained. "The damage nearly reached Mr. Shido himself, so he had to be cut off."
"Cut off…?" Noir mumbled. They discarded her father just because of that!?
"It seems he didn't just cast him off the ship, but also used him to trap the Phantom Thieves!" The man continued. "Bravo, Mr. Shido. Truly a nasty maneuver."
Noir was at the limit of her patience. She needed that letter before she did a lot of things she would not regret. "Would you please give me the letter of recommendation? Once our company recovers, I will arrange for us to cooperate with you in a sponsorship role."
"You're the daughter of the late president. Do you really have the authority to do that?" The man chuckled. "Your employees probably resent you. But no matter, I do owe some debt to your father, so I can repay him this way." And so, Noir did get a letter.
"…." Noir grit her teeth, but forced a smile. "Thank you…very…much…" Her anger was reaching its bursting point.
"But my, your father truly was a fool." The TV station president sighed. "He could've lived a life of luxury if only he'd done what he's told. You know, I'm the one who broadcast the moment of his mental shutdown. Our ratings shot up because of that!" He then began to cackle. "If you'd like, we can get you a documentary! Overcoming death to rebuild a family company. You're so cute, you might just get good ratings!" He continued to laugh and laugh….and suddenly he stopped laughing. There was an axe lodged in his chest. "Grnk…!?"
"How dare you talk about my father like that?" Noir said with venom dripping from every syllable. "I've just decided…I think it's time Okumura Foods cuts you off. Allow me to do the honors." She then finished the job with another slash of her axe. She had no qualms doing this, because at the end of the day, this was only a Shadow. But it angered her that the one in reality probably thought like this too…
"…" There was a chill in the casino after Noir's actions.
"He's not dead." Noir said while walking back. "I won't take your life, so long as you make sure the information you've kept from the public is shared."
He may not have been dead, but Noir sure did make him wish he was. The TV station president gasped. "R-Remember that Kaneshiro guy…? The one from the mafia who ended up on the news a while back? Well…the money he was gathering…all went to Shido-san…same with that Madarame guy…"
"What?!" Dragon gasped. "D-…Did my mother know about this…?" After all, Mitsuyo was involved with Kaneshiro. That was a question for later…
"…I understand now…" Fox made a few connections. "So that's why…"
"Come on, we're not done." The atmosphere was still cold. Noir calmed down a little when letting her rage out…
.
.
Akechi was in the subway on the phone, speaking with Shido. "Every media outlet is vouching for the inevitable Prime Minister Shido. The public loves you too."
"We've only made it this far thanks to you." Shido replied.
"I'm honored to hear that." Akechi smiled.
"Now then, I've a favor to ask you. It's about the loyal customers of our mental shutdown business." Shido said. "How about you dispose of all the ones you think suspicious."
That was exceedingly out of character for Shido. "But the election is soon…" If anything, something like this should have waited until after the election.
"Precisely. The sooner the better." Shido said.
"Why so suddenly? Did something happen?" Akechi asked.
"Nothing in particular. But if something were to happen, it would already be too late." Shido replied.
"I can understand why you might be nervous…but why not stay calm and hold off until after the election?" Akechi asked. If things turned out poorly, he would never get his chance…
"I'd like to take out all the trash before my inauguration of prime minster of this nation. For the sake of absolute victory, I need all roots of anxiety to be pulled from the root." Shido explained.
Something was wrong. "Anxiety? You've never mentioned such things before now. Um…Shido-san…?" Akechi began.
"Do you understand what it means to cross me!? Just do as I ask. I'll be counting on you." This wasn't a request, it was a demand. After that, Shido hung up, leaving Akechi alone.
"…This is all too sudden." Akechi said to himself. Another piece of the puzzle started to fit into place. What were the chances that…. "Could it be…?" There was only one way to find out. He had to go and check for himself.
.
.
The fourth letter of introduction came from the IT president, who was revealed to have been the one to use the Medjed name to lure in the Phantom Thieves. Ultimately he wasn't a challenge after Oracle was able to goad the information out of him. The final letter of introduction was the Cleaner, the same man that tried to get rid of him earlier. They managed to corner the Shadow Cleaner and his goons in the ship's boiler room.
"We've got you now!" Dragon exclaimed.
"Damn, you lot are persistent…" The Cleaner groaned. "Is the hit on me really that big?" Suddenly, he threw his jacket off, revealing his tattoos. "What clan are you from?"
"Clan?" Violet blinked.
"Does he mean like…YAKUZA clan!?" Skull gulped.
"Does he clean up problems by making them disappear!?" Oracle felt her stomach drop.
"Crap…is he really Yakuza?!" Panther didn't like this at all. She and Violet huddled closer together, because this man became ten times more terrifying than he already was.
"It seems that bastard Shido has ties to the underground…" Fox grumbled.
"How are we supposed to get a letter from him!?" Queen had no ideas. A yakuza was not the type of person she was expecting to run into. "Do we have to prove our worth to him or something?"
"Hey, I'm a busy man." The Cleaner said, catching everyone's attention. "I gotta deal with cleanin' up problems and all them mental shutdowns, after all. If you got business with me, just spit it out already."
"Uh…a letter of introduction, please?" Joker asked.
"Why the hell would I do that?" The Cleaner asked.
"Because we are here to prove our worth to you! For we are from the Dragon Clan!" Dragon suddenly exclaimed.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Panther yanked Dragon to the side. "Do you really want to fight this guys!?"
"It's come to blows 4 times already, it feels inevitable…" Dragon replied.
"Buuuuut, it doesn't have to! After all, we're actually here to design a tattoo for you!" Panther turned to Fox. "After all, this guy's an artist!"
And suddenly, Fox was roped into this despite not wanting to be. "What!? Do not drag me into this!"
"I thought you'd be able to do it, Yusuke…!" Panther whispered.
"What're you squabblin' about?" The Cleaner asked.
"Just draw the damn picture…!" Skull told Fox.
"A tattoo, is it?" The Cleaner seemed interested.
"Fine…may I at least decided what I draw?" Fox asked.
"Nu-uh. I want a godly phoenix fitting for my godly personality." The Cleaner said cockily. Everyone's nerves prevented them from groaning at this.
"…I am not drawing that. I'd rather draw something else…" Fox replied.
"Still making excuses after all that? You're nothing but talk, Mr. Artist. People like you are a dime a dozen." The Cleaner scoffed.
Fox took offense to this. A jab at his artistic talents would not stand! "Very well. Bring me a brush and a piece of paper."
"…I promise you, this will end the same as the last four times." Dragon crossed her arms. It was only a matter of time until a falling out happened for one reason or another. Either Fox was going to be stubborn, or the Cleaner was. Either way, she fully expected a fight to break out.
.
.
Akechi made his way into Shido's Palace. With his growing reputation, he was extremely well received on the ship. Although he gagged whenever he was finished speaking with people. "Morons, the lot of them…" But his concerns were validated. Supposedly a group of teenagers were roaming around the ship, asking for letters of introduction. Based on their pattern so far, there was a single person left they had to get a letter from. So he was going to wait for them in the depths of the ship. A few minutes passed, and as he hid on the ceiling on some pipes, he saw them approach. "Right on time."
Joker stopped and turned around first, spotting Akechi up above. "…!"
Akechi flipped and landed in front of the Phantom Thieves, giving a fake smile. "Long time no see."
"You!" Skull grunted.
"Why is he here!?" Oracle gasped.
"He must have finally pulled the wool from his eyes." Dragon stated.
Akechi rolled his eyes. "Hmph. I'm impressed that you managed to deceive me. It seems I underestimated your abilities." His gaze went to Joker, Dragon…and then Violet. The mystery woman he was unable to identify, but they could hide her from him no longer. "And I see you brought your friend.
"Akechi…" Violet narrowed her eyes. The honorific was long gone after everything Akechi tried to pull.
"You truly are interesting." Akechi told Joker. "Quiet, yet possessing the courage and determination to take action. And you…" His gaze briefly went to Dragon. "Your conviction to improve…your determination to never settle. You've grown quite a bit as well. Under different circumstance, I think we would have been great rivals…maybe even friends."
"We're already rivals." Joker said.
"I cannot imagine being friends with someone as heinous as you, Black Mask." Dragon stated.
"Ahahahaha!" Akechi just laughed at their responses. "How wonderful! I'm truly impressed by the both of you! Neither of you allow yourselves to be enslaved by such things as human relations or past selves. You're looking directly at me, as I am in the present. And so, your hearts are always free. The exact opposite of mine. To be honest, I'm envious." His words dripped with dry sarcasm and a hint of honesty.
"That would be the first time you've been honest with me…or any of us, for that matter." Dragon said. Akechi still didn't know about her power after all.
"Akechi…" Panther frowned.
"But, there's no use talking in hypotheticals." Akechi shrugged. "That didn't happen in reality."
"Why are you working with someone like Shido!?" Violet asked. "Can't you see this Palace!?"
"That voice….Yoshizawa-san?" Akechi turned to Violet. If that truly was her, it would make a lot of sense. The way Violet suddenly stiffened up confirmed his thoughts. No wonder… "Cooperating with Shido, though? What are you talking about? I don't care about this, or this country. All of this is to make Masayoshi Shido, my father…acknowledge me. Then exact my revenge on him."
"What…!?" Such news shocked everyone.
"Shido is your father!?" Yusuke gasped.
"Remember how I said before, how my father was in a relationship with a good for nothing man? So I'm his bastard child. My very existence is nothing but a scandal…" Akechi laughed dryly. "My mother's life turned for the worst after she had me…and died. I was a cursed child for her, too."
"…." Dragon's eyes widened. So that's why their conversations about parents were on the opposite spectrum. "You…"
"And that's why you killed my father!?" Noir couldn't stand here and listen to his sob story. She took her axe, dragged it along the ground, sparks flying as she rushed Akechi down. She then raised her axe and swung at Akechi, but he countered with his glowing saber. The two clashed, Noir trying to overpower Akechi, but he was able to hold his ground against her rage.
"Noir!" Queen tried to reach out, but it was too late.
"That's right." Akechi said with narrowed eyes. But he did not smile or take pride in this. For some reason, the word 'regret' crept into his mind. The words from the faceless student he couldn't remember… "I resented him, but he was already a high-ranking official by then. A kid like me could do nothing. But, that's when IT happened!" He then started to laugh, a maddening smile appearing on his lips. "That's when I learned about the cognitive world! Someone, be it god or demon, gave me a chance! I couldn't contain my laughter!" He managed to push Noir back, but she jumped back, prepared to lunge at him again. She only saw red.
"You son of a…!" Skull said. Everyone was on guard now.
"Who cares!?" Akechi shrugged. "My targets were all doing the same thing in this eat or be eaten world, so all I did was remove them from society. How is that any different from the Phantom Thieves!?"
"We're not murderers!" Panther fired back.
"You killed my mom just for a shot at revenge! We would never do that!" Oracle yelled.
"SO WHAT!?" Akechi yelled angrily. His expression twisted into something heinous and malicious. "Masayoshi Shido is finally within my grasp! Once he reaches the apex of his power and acknowledges me, I'm going to whisper in his ear! I will tell him the truth of who I really am! And that's when I – an utter disgrace to the world – will rule over him! I will prevail!"
"What a twisted thought…it's almost pitiable." Fox sighed.
"Do you really think something like that will work!?" Dragon asked. "Is this the reason behind all of your actions, Akechi!?"
"In just a few short weeks, my plan would have come to fruition! But no, you all just HAD to interfere!" Akechi growled. "But that's okay! I can still take it back, though! I just need to kill you all!"
"Hah. We won't be killed for something like that." Mona said confidently. "You talk big, but you're nothing more than a little kid throwing a temper tantrum!"
"Don't lecture me you PIECE OF SHIT." Akechi pointed at Mona, scowling the whole time. "I'm going to personally thrust Masayoshi Shido into a living hell! So Joker…Dragon…and all the rest of you! Rest easy, and die."
"You think you can really do it?" Joker said while narrowing his eyes.
"Of course I can. I've already defeated you all once." Akechi's smile widened into something more twisted. "I couldn't help but test your abilities, and I was vastly disappointed by what I saw…but I knew then, that if this moment ever came again, I would be able to win. And besides, don't you want to finish what we started back then, Joker?" He was referring to their unfinished duel in Mementos.
"Oh yeah, asshole!? We ain't the same people we were back then!" Skull said while rotating his arm. "And we already know all your tricks from when you were workin' with us! Black Mask or not, we know everything you can do!"
Akechi sighed. "Joker…how could you be so successful while having such an idiot of a partner?"
"Wha…quit your bluffin'!" Skull said.
"It's no bluff." Dragon shook her head. "I can tell from the very beginning that he's always been tempering his strength, especially when he was working with us."
"After all, he hid his Black Mask and he was still powerful. The situation wasn't in our favor that time, but even so…it's likely we've only seen a fraction of his strength." Queen added.
"And it quite annoying having to level myself with the rest of you, especially in Mistuyo Togo's Palace. I could've ended that fight in a heartbeat, but I thought I would blow my cover if I did. It seems I never had to worry about that in the first place." Akechi replied, a sickening chuckle passing his lips. "But do you think I was so foolish to show you my power then? Now, though? I'll gladly tell you all about my power as you die. You can take that knowledge to the grave." As he said this, two Shadows appeared. A white lion and a spear warrior.
"It looks like we're really doing this." Violet took a deep breath. "It won't be like last time!"
"You're absolutely right, Yoshizawa." Akechi smiled. "Didn't you know? The mental shutdowns aren't the only incidents that people are talking about. There are also the breakdowns which cause people to turn psychotic, creating accidents and scandals. Those cannot be explained unless the true culprit has the power to make hearts psychotic. That's right! It's my power! One that you don't have! LET ME SHOW YOU! PERSONA!" Akechi summoned a Persona…but it didn't look like Robin Hood. In the next instant, a black mist covered the two Shadows, turning them berserk in the process.
"W-what was that?! Was that Robin Hood…!?" Oracle gasped.
"I don't care what it is, I'll crush him with my axe all the same!" Noir yelled.
"Even the feeblest existence can gain tremendous power when its chains are broken." Akechi then took a few casual steps backward. "NOW…KILL THEM!"