A/N Hello, Happy Friday everyone. I'm glad you all are still continuing to enjoy Until The Sun Sets, it makes me happy when life is busy. A few announcements: I will be starting a side story to UTSS which is going to consist of exerts and snippets of events before the start of the story. So its not necessary for the main plot but just something to add that couldn't be fit in the main story itself or due to time constraint. Just some ideas of Ren and Morgana in there younger years or the various events and showdown Ren drops. How some of the other characters meet or their life before joining the PT. It won't have a schedule for now and I'm not sure when it will be release but I do have notes for it.
Slightly longer AN as I will also be answering some questions a few reviewers asked but I couldn't reply to.
Kersplunk had asked: "what inspired you to place the Phantom Thieves in a Western setting of all places? Did it have to do with your interest in Western flicks and Persona, which lead to you just mashing them together? Was it perhaps, Red Dead Redemption?"
First and foremost thank you for your question. To start with the first one, imagining the PT in the Wild West was kinda a random idea I had when driving home from work one night ( I use to have loooong commutes at my old job, so it gave me time to think about stuff). It was originally an idea of an AU but with the PT in like mafia setting maybe 1920's, 1940s but then I thought it would be cool with Ren wearing a cowboy hat and in a gunfight with a bunch of bandits and outlaw and it sorta escalated from there. I got home and starting writing backstories for their character's but what it would be like without magic and modern technology. Backstories for even Haru and Futuba, even Akechi (yes I have plans for him). How I even wanted to incorporate the Velvet Room as well.
I do love western movies, I'm not a huge fan, like I don't go out of my way to watch John Wayne films or Clint Eastwood but I do enjoy some modern ones like Magnificent 7 and Django Unchained. I have gotten a few suggestions like "Ballard of Buster Scruggs", "True Grit," "The Kid". I mostly just like thinking of AU for fandoms I love so with Persona I feel I have more creative freedom by putting them in a world they are not from instead of following script by script.
Regarding RDR, I have played RDR and RDR2, I love the story mode of the game (I don't really play online people crazy there lol) but the emotion that happens between the characters are fascinating. Is this story inspired by RDR: NO. The only thing I've really taken from the games are the weapon knowledge. I didn't know what the hell a repeater was until I played the game, like you won't see me name a specific weapon but something vague like pistol, shotgun, rifle etc.
Hope my answer wasn't too long (XD), I like to be thoughtful in my answer and I hope covered everything. Thank you again.
Now onto the Chapter 22!
Chapter 22
Present Day 1885,
"It's nice to finally meet the younger Nijima. I'm Goro Akechi." The young ace Detective offered his hand to shake. Makoto took it anxiously as she tried to see the expression of the two outlaw brothers. "I must ask Miss Nijima, what are you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be in boarding school?
"I'm….well, I wanted to—"
"Miss Makoto here was helping us gather supplies and meat for our town," Ren said wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She was a bit rattled at being caught by an associate of her sister. "She's been very helpful and kind to us during this season. I'm sure her missing a few classes shouldn't interrupt her sister's work if you catch my drift Mister…"
"Akechi," he too offered his hand to the older brother whom is keeping his outward facade.
"My name's Ren." The two stared as they gripped together in a handshake, hoping to find a break in appearance. Akechi let go of Ren's hand with a smirk.
"So you're a meat farmer?" The Detective asked.
"Why yes, been doing it my whole life. My brother and I are taking over the family business," Ren continue with his persona.
"I see. You must get a lot of thieves attempting to steal your stock."
"Oh what makes you say that?"
"I've notice your right index finger is more swollen than the rest of your hand, not including scaring from calluses that tend to form from long gun use." Akechi points towards Ren's feet and continues, "You also stand like a soldier, ready to fire at a moments notice. I take it bounty hunting was to inconsistent to bring food to the table Mr. Ren?"
Ren had to force all of his muscles to not tense up after this federal agent highly observant description of him. "I'm afraid not Mister, Pa never liked it and Mama worries to much. Just an avid hunter for our store. Anyhow, I hate to hold you up on whatever important federal business you have."
"I'm not in to much of a hurry. I do have one more question if you don't mind. Have we met before?"
"I'm sure I would recognize an agent as young as you Mr. Akechi."
"Hmmm, maybe a visit at headquarters, or was it a train?" Akechi ponders to himself.
Ren too couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't their first meeting either. "A memory of a memory doesn't give the event much justice I say."
"Justice…..? What an odd thing to say."
"Is he always like this?" Morgana chimed in at the second rider on the horse.
"Oh Loki, he is mute I'm afraid but that doesn't stop him from doing his job." They could see the silent man hardly moved an inch. Burn scars littered his hands and forearms.
"I really should be going now. And Miss Nijima, please at least let your sister know you are safe and well. Sae may not look like it, but she truly does care. Goodbye, until our paths meet again." Akechi got back on his horse and rode down the dirt path with Loki following.
Releasing a deep sigh, Ren gather his bearings and finishes loading. "That Detective's a very dangerous man. It's best we don't meet them again. Come on, lets head back to town."
Hotel Inn
It was almost midday by the time Ryuji woke up starving. He's normally the first few people to get up and scarf down breakfast. The blond gunslinger tried to get up but had another body laying on top. He had the decency to remember putting a blanket over them in case someone walked in.
"Ann, wake up it's noon."
".….Five more minutes." She clung to him tighter as he tried to keep his blood flow staying North. He already made an irrational decision a few hours earlier. Ryuji knew he wasn't book smart but he learned to pick up on people along the way, Ann being one of them. She would get worried about him whenever he got wounded or in trouble. He really just wanted a talk with her over her concerns, but things started with a morning kiss, her hands caressing his body, Ryuji knew she was distracting him from their needed conversation. He was still in control even with her in his lap…..but then she did the thing he liked and reason went out the window. It was a blur between pleasure and the pain on his side. All of it leading to the moment now.
"It's been five minutes Ann, "Ryuji gently shook her awake.
"Mmmm, is it still morning?"
"No." He checks his pocket watch left on the dresser near the bed seeing it was 15 minutes after Noon.
"Ann you did it again," he sighs.
"Did what," Ann said feigning ignorance at him. The young blonde woman was now equally awake.
"Have I ever told you how bad of an actress you are?"
"A few times." Ryuji lets out a soft chuckles as he goes to grab her hand. That conversation can wait he thought. It was so surreal to him waking up beside her with no fear of being spotted by Kamoshida. Ryuji felt the life they have now is barely better than the previous options. They get to help sure, but still on the run from the law. She tells their comrades that they are just friends but he wants so much more…..
"Ann I…I'm feeling better today. I could use lunch if its ready." He lets go and gets out of bed to pull his underclothes and pants on. Ryuji eyes a note by the door on the floor and reads it to the best of his abilities.
Once you've concluded your "business," please join us downstairs.
~Joker
"It seems we been busted by our fearless leader." The gunslinger finishes getting dress and opens the door. "I'll see you downstairs once you're done." With the click of the door he lets out another large sigh. Now what…..
Ren, Morgana, and Makoto rolled the wagon full of dead game into town straight to the butcher to divide.
"Whoa how many did you catch there sonny?"
"Quite a few, do with them what you will and let me know when your done."
"Will do Mister."
Ren had gathered his active combatants to meet in the Inn's foyer. They needed to figure out what to do about the mine deposits.
"We can't leave the town defenseless, we don't know when Kaneshiro and his men will be back," Ren started off. "But there still must be men eyeing the mines, especially if he trying to dig out something specific?"
"Diamonds," the Inn Keeper had butted in.
"Toranosuke gave me the short version, think you can explain in more detail?"
"Well….this town was lively, we had some crime here and there but nothing of this level. There's a mountain base not far from town where small fragments of Diamonds were found some years ago. Some who were traveling believing there was gold left out west camped out here instead. The money people made from selling the material help build this town. We got a new Town Hall with a clock tower and a Bank that stored the Mayor's gold inside. The vault was commissioned and forged with special material diamond material and a mechanism….or so I heard. The building was our pride and joy. Then "he" came." The Inn Keeper proceed to gather herself. "About 30 of them came riding in during an attempt to rob the bank. First he wanted the gold in the Bank but didn't know how to open it, then he found out about the mines. He's been having the men dig and dig without them coming home hoping to find more diamonds to make himself rich. He taxes us whenever we do something he considers wrong. He already has his money, he should just leave!"
"I remember you from the Town Hall meeting, he took your son?"
"Yes…..please…..please bring my boy back."
"I will do what I can Ma'am," Ren tried to reassure her. He didn't want to make promises he wasn't sure he could keep.
"If its mines we're exploring I volunteer," Yusuke express.
"I will go as well brother."
"No,you will stay here Morgana, same to you Ann, Ryuji."
"If there are staying here, then I would like to join you. You'll need another pair of eyes anyhow."
"I thought you don't like outlaws Miss Makoto?"
"We share a common interest at the moment. If you don't let me come willingly, I can force my way to the mining deposits."
Ren preferred not to argue with her. She also had a point in dividing things up evenly, that would be the strategic plan. Making the decision before he second guess himself, Ren pulls out his secondary Revolver and hands it to her. Makoto makes a move to grab it before the elder Amamiya brother holds her wrist and stares her in the eye.
"Be careful with this, it's my lucky revolver. I won it in a game of poker after outsmarting a fortune teller and a chess master. Believe me, it wasn't easy."
"I'll take good care of it, I promise. Once I've regain my father's weapon, I will return yours," Makoto said holstering the gun in her own belt.
"Now before we split, we should make some ground rules to follow. Our group keeps getting bigger and bigger and can consist of different points of few.
"But aren't you the leader Ren?" Ann asked him.
"I don't want to leave you all in a plan you don't feel comfortable about. If we need to do something, we need to it together, I no longer have just the final say, we all will." Ren realize he wasn't leading a team of two where he made all the decisions. Others lives were at stake with this now. His comrades, he dare even say his friends so far with some. To survive they needed to agree together, to function as one.
"So….who wants to go first?"
A/N Shorter chapter this week, mostly setting up for what I want next chapter. I absolutely love writing Ryuji. I think on a scale of writing. Ryuji's the easiest to write and Ren's the hardest ( I like to think of Ren as a nice guy asshole. He likes to help but he can be a dick if he wanted to. Since he's dealing with internal things such as rage, he tends to wear a lot of "mask" around people. Morgana can see his BS though.
But for Ryuji I feel like there more to him than what the game gives. I feel the game portrays him as some bumbling angry idiot but he's really a loyal kind guy. Like its very subtle for him in the game from where he runs in front of a car so they can rescue Makoto or even when he yells at his team and calls everyone later to apologize. Thats some growth right there. Ryuji personality just tends to flow out of my hand. He's one of my favorite character for a reason.
Okay, I'll cut the outro note short. Thank you all for reading and see you next week. Feel free to review or leave questions (I love answering questions.)
