Saito Daemon: Trust me, it's coming. Something big. ... Next chapter though.

StevieBond: Good one!

delubyo420: The original.

PhantomDark: Yeah, eventually.

SacredKoopa: Glad you're loving it.

Mike Kromer: No.

chimchar14: He's gonna be REAL tired either way, haha!

UltimateCCC: No. They use birth control and are careful.

Kaito Aozora: That question. Had been asked. At least once. Nearly EVERY chapter. Answer... no.

Zeromaru Chaos Mode: No. It was just a case of Metaverse shinannigans.

Devad the Detective Overlord: The Hunger IS being used. We are just using it's alternate name, the Lust, and using it's alternative meaning. We are not using the others.

Here are some reviews answered by Ghost:

Saito Daemon: Trust me, it's gonna be worth the wait.

StevieBond: Hehe, yeah.

delubyo420: We'll get to Akechi when we get to him.

Neo Infinity: Don't worry, Haru's coming later on.

Mike Kromer: Wow, okay. Cool your jets, dude. Ren's still too young for a kid and Tae's not irresponsible to let Ren go without condoms.

chimchar14: Yep, the Monkey King is here to party.

UltimateCCC: Ren has something called 'common sense' and 'access to a pharmacy', he doesn't need magic on top of that.

Devad the Detective Overlord: ... We're not including those Arcana. It's good that you're an invested SMT/Persona fan, but that is just too much.

Disclaimer: We do not own Persona 5. That belongs to Atlus.

Co-written by GhostKaiser23


AUTHOR'S NOTE

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hello hello, buddies and friends!

This situation is REALLY kicking up!

Dealing with our OG Palace is kinda crazy. Hope we paced this well.

Enjoy!

Also, alongside this story, I am publishing a few other chapters.

First is the classic, "James Harem 2". The story of the son of Ben Tennyson in a new universe... or rather the sequel. Next chapter is up.

Then we have "Reunion, Regrets and Rendezvous" which is a oneshot. This one is based off the BOOM!Studios Power Rangers comics universe where Jason and Ranger Slayer have a heart to heart.

And finally we have "Reunion, Regrets and Rendezvous" whichis ALSO a oneshot. This one is based off the BOOM!Studios Power Rangers comics universe where Jason and Ranger Slayer have a heart to heart.


Persona 5 New Game Plus, Joker's Second Chance
Chapter 27:
Jail Rush, Attempt 1


It was the following day, Ren was waiting for everyone in LeBlanc... last night was... almost like a dream. He was relaxing calmly, his hands in his pockets

"So~, how was last night?" Morgana teased

"Great." He grinned

"Yeah, you walked in all... goofy." Mona responded

"That's none of your business now; is it?" Ren responded.

DING.

"Sounds like the guys are here." Ren noted while putting his bag on, heading out to meet us with the others

"Hup!" Mona leapt into the bag. "Let's go."

"Right." he smiled, exiting LeBlanc. Downstairs, Joker saw his friends, ready for him. And all out of their school uniform minus Futaba.

Ryuji was leaning against the wall, one hand in his pocket. The other flashed a thumbs up with a wide grin

Ann and Shiho where side by side, the two smiling at him. Shiho giving a small, shy smile, while Ann beamed and nodded

Yusuke has his sketch book and finished a masterful stroke, nodding to Ren

Futaba had been squatting on the ground in an awkward position, typing away at her computer. She gave two victory signs, her face spreading into a massive grin

They where ready.

"I am glad you're all feeling better." Ren commented with a smile "Everyone have everything they need?"

"Yep, got my stuff." Ryuji nodded.

"Got a new whip." Ann commented with a playful flick of her wrist

"I replaced my old sword." Shiho added.

"I had an upgrade to my own gun." Yusuke added.

"... Oh~, I don't have any guns or weapons." Futaba pouted. "But I did manage to update my notes on my laptop."

"Your notes?" Yusuke asked

"Err... Yeah. On... you guys. Ren told me and I wanted to help in my own way." Futaba lied. "Helps us work faster."

"Okay guys. So we meet with Makoto at the school and head in." Ren nodded

"Oh great. I forgot that we need her." Ryuji groaned.

"Come on, we need to bite the bullet. I'm sure she cannot be all that bad." Yusuke answered.

"You've not seen her in action..." Futaba muttered under her breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryuji asked

"Err."

"Futaba? What's going on?" Shiho inquired.

"I'll explain on the way." Ren sighed, knowing that this was going to continue. "Besides... we have another Palace to explore."


*time skip*

Makoto was waiting patiently for the Ren and his friends, she was honestly nervous that this was happening and... she needed all the help she could get. She was waiting outside the school gate "Where are they?" She whispered to herself, nervous about all this.

"Hey, Makoto!" Ren waved as they saw her.

"Ren!" she gasped happily

"Well, good to see you here, Prez." Ryuji remarked with a wiggle of his eyebrow

"What's that about, Ryuji?" Makoto asked

"Ren told us about your 'trip' with him and Futaba in the Metaverse." Ann explained "Including your cognitive self. Ignore Ryuji, he is being a perv."

"O-Oh. Right." Makoto gulped a little. "Thank you for helping me."

"Of course." Yusuke nodded

"I just... I'll help wherever I can." Makoto answered.

"Just stay near me. Necronomicron can keep you safe." Futaba smiled

"Thank you, Futaba." Makoto answered. "Are you guys ready?"

"Yes, we have the code-words and we're ready." Yusuke responded

"Hey!" A familiar voice snapped from the school

"Oh shit!" Ryuji panicked

"It's the Principal. Quick, behind the wall." Makoto asked. "Yes sir?" She called out.

"Ms Nijima, what are you doing here?" The principal frowned as he walked over

"Ah, you see, Sir. As this will be my last month here, I thought that-" Makoto tried to think of something on the fly.

"Your last month?" He frowned "So you've decided to go against your duties? You're going to shame your sister like that?"

"It's not that I want to. But... you've put me in an impossible-" Makto frowned.

"Very well." he snarled

"At the end of this August, you're done." He answered. "You're out of here!"
Makoto's eyes widened as she took a step back
"Now, grab your delinquent friends who're hanging around my school and get out!" Mr Kobayakawa ordered. He stomped off back towards the school, leaving Makoto in front of the gate...who looked like she was going to throw up.

"Dude... that is messed up!" Ryuji commented.

"Yeah. Manipulating you like that." Ann frowned

"I just... I can't talk back to him." Makoto mumbled.

"We're gonna fix that, don't worry." Ren answered "Trying to blackmail you like that."

"Is this going to be like with Futaba?" Makoto asked

"Exactly like with Futaba." Ren nodded

"Time to go!" Morgana called with a moan

"Morgana?" Makoto blinked as she saw the cat pop his head out of Ren's bag.

"Everyone get ready. We're going in hot." Ren spoke up, getting his phone out and activated the Metaverse App.

No one noticed Kawakami watching from around the corner, seeing them fade away. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw that, her students and a cat just... disappeared!

"Wh-what the hell just happened?" She muttered, while also remembering the conversation she had overhead. What... What was the principal doing? Her students must have been doing their Phantom Thief thing but... "What are they going to do? God, what's going to happen?" She needed answers, and only one person had those now.


*With the Phantom Thieves of Heart*

The group were outside of the prison-school, the group minus Makoto were all in their Phantom Thief costumes and ready to plunder this place of its treasure.

Ann moaned and stretched lightly "It feels good to be back in my costume."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Dove nodded. "Which is something I never thought I'd say."

"Yeah." Ann agreed as she continued to stretch, looking at Joker and winking

'Oh Mama. That girl.' Ren thought with a grin, shaking his head

"Right. So what the schoo... For REAL?! What the fuck is that? ALCATRAZ?!" Skull rolled his shoulder, ready to get into it...and then his eyes widened in shock.

"This... Is the Palace?" Fox blinked

"Yep, and it's a nasty place." Oracle answered. "Watch out for the lights."

"It felt like the burned." Mona agreed

"Oracle. Show us the schematics we have so far." Joker ordered calmly

"No problem, Joker." She answered, bringing up the first-floor schematics, showing a hologram produced by Necronomicon.

Everyone took a small relaxing position. Some sitting on what they could find, some leaning against walls. Joker took a seat on a bench... With Oracle taking a seat on his lap as she typed away

"Okay, this is the map of the first floor, it's got more than a few lights that I managed to take down the first time here." Oracle spoke up as she sat there, showing the hologram. The bottom floor was very similar to the similar to the real school.

"Jeez, what an asshole." Skull commented.

"Is this the base of the school?" Fox asked

"Yeah, the first floor." Joker nodded, confused about Oracle's sitting but saw nothing weird.

Panther and Dove saw this and knew that Oracle was enjoying the seating placement. She was being a 'little troll' at the minute, but they -would- have their time with Joker soon.

The two frowned at her lightly.

"Guards are settled: here, here and here." Oracle pointed at the three locations where Shadows were more frequent. "There's even a... err... 'classroom', here."

"Classroom?" Skull groaned

"From your tone, I suspect that it's not a one to one 'classroom'." Fox commented.

"It isn't. Not in the way you'd think." Makoto frowned.

"Skull, think of Kamoshida's prisons." Joker answered.

...

"No." He snarled

"You guys been in the gym yet?" Panther asked as she held herself

"No, we haven't gotten that far yet." Oracle shook her head. "Some of the downstairs classrooms, but not the gym."

"Are you gonna be okay, Panther?" Dove asked

"Yeah." She nodded

"I cannot believe this." Fox shook his head. "A guide of young minds thinking that they are prison wardens."

"Dude, welcome to school bullshit and politics." Skull rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, guys." Joker instructed "We gotta do this for Makoto."

"Thank you." Makoto wiped her eyes a little.

"Okay, plus... I've got some shit to work through." Skull added as he cracked his knuckles

"Then let's go." Joker got up, Oracle slipping off his legs... and felt the pins and needles kick in.

"You okay?" Mona asked

"Hnn! I'm fine." He strained, saving face as he stumbled, nearly tripping but holding himself

Dove and Panther got to their feet and looked at the prison school compound. "Let's do this." And soon, the Phantom Thieves were going in. Joker, Makoto, Oracle and Mona lead the way inside, using their most recent passage to get in.


*time skip*

It was a rush but the group made it to the safe room rather easily "Okay. What. The fuck? Is wrong with our principal?" Skull panted. "Shadows out the wazoo, spotlights?"

"Stop complaining." Mona rolled his eyes.

"This is the smallest Palace we've ever had to deal with." Panther commented "Only three floors, six if you look at both buildings, and the courtyard outside."

"Guess the Principal isn't that creative." Dove commented

"'Creativity' is subjective." Fox agreed. "This place was made for 'efficiency'."

"Whatever, we need to get to the treasure room." Mona agged.

"Anyone know where it is?" Panther asked

"Maybe... his office?" Makoto asked. "His 'Seat of Power'?"

"That makes sense." Joker agreed.

"Where is his office?" Oracle asked

"Third floor." Makoto answered. "The top floor."

"You mean we have to go through the whole building?" Oracle groaned.

"Calm down Oracle. Your Palace was much bigger." Dove assured

"Well... yeah, but... I haven't been to school for a long while." She admitted.

"You'll be alright." Joker rubbed her shoulder. "I promise."

"Alright... Let's do this." Dove spoke up, looking at the group as they were about to go to the second floor.

"Be warned. We haven't gone this far yet."

"Never stopped us before, Joker." Panther answered.

Joker nodded as they climbed up the stairs to the next floor and they saw row after row of classrooms that were like prison doors. Heavy metal barred doors with spotlights alternating between the hall and the doors. "Let's go." He stated proudly

The group nodded and headed through the corridor, dodging each light as they could. Though Makoto was doing her best to not repeat her mistakes.

"I must ask; is this how your principal acts daily-?" Fox asked, before his tail was caught in the light... and he was shot upon by turrets that followed the lights. "ARGH!"

"FOX!" Panther leapt and pulled Fox out of the light as Shadows were allerted to their presence.

Smoke rose from Fox's body as he stumbled a bit, clearly in pain "I'm. Sorry." He groaned, his back stinging like it was on fire.

"It's alright, you're gonna be okay." Dove responded, helping him with Panther.

"What the hell was that?" Joker hissed.

"Joker, we've got company!" Skull called out, seeing Shadows approaching.

"Fuck!" Joker hissed, blocking the strike of one Shadow

The Shadow guards exploded and turned into Shadows, forming into new Persona that Joker knew.

"Ugh! More of those ugly beasts." Oracle flinched

"Come on!" Skull roared, slamming his club onto the Shadow's heads.

"CIRCE!" Dove called out, summoning her Persona to help defend them.

"Ha!" The female Persona called dramatically as she was summoned. She unleashed a blast of holy energy, destroying a few of them

"There are too many of them!" Fox called as he slashed away at a Dwarf

Ann frowned as she reached up and grasped her mask "Looks like it's our turn!" She called, before ripping her cat like mask off with a powerful pull "Come! PERSONA!" Ripped from the flames of Panther's mask, Hecate rose from the flames, protecting the group all around them.

"What the-?" Makoto gasped

"No way!" Skull smiled.

"Yes." Joker smirked.

"Burn them, Hecate!" Panther called out. "MARAGION!" The flames licked around the area, striking the enemies and incinerating them on contact. Hecate was leagues ahead of Carmen! The magnificent flames where like an ocean, everyone stating in disbelief at the new Persona's power!

"Look out, more are on the way!" Oracle suddenly yelled

"Our turn!" Skull cheered and ripped his mask off "Let's kick some ass! PERSONA!" A crash of thunder rolled out, a sweeping strike from a red and nailed pole struck the Shadows away.

"Skull too?" Fox gasped

"Whoa!" Makoto looked on in shock.

"Come on, Seiten Taisei! MAZIONGA!" Skull laughed as he was getting pumped.

KABOOM!

"YEAH! That's what you get, you bastards!" Skull yelled out.

...

"I think Skull's gone cuckoo." Oracle whispered to Joker.

"Probably." Joker grinned at his friend

"YOU don't hurt MY friends!" Skull yelled out as the lightning attack he summoned broke a few of the turrets in the hall.

BOOM!

"Sa-Ryu-Skull!" Makoto called "That's enough!"

"GAHH!" Skull leapt back like an anime character, but not into a spotlight. "Jeez, prez. You've got a voice on ya." making her look embarrassed

"Fox, are you okay?" Panther helped him up.

"I think so... Argh. Whatever those bullets were... they weren't lethal." Fox groaned.

"Those lights are leathal." Dove commented

"What happened to you two!" Oracle yellows as she pointed at Panther and Skull

"Err... Joker?" Skull pointed at his friend.

"Yeah, Joker." Panther admitted.

"Yeah?" Joker asked in confusion

"What did you do to them?" Oracle asked

"... We just hung out." Joker admitted. "These Persona were lying in wait for Skull and Panther."

"... What?" Makoto asked in confusion

"I'll tell you later." Joker explained "But basically they found their true strength and resolve for the future."

"Wow, cool." Dove commented

"Thanks." Skull chuckled. "Fox, you okay to continue?"

"I'm fine." He nodded in exhaustion

Mona looked up at the turrets and saw that they were decommissioned for now. "I think we can probably break those if we're careful."

Joker nodded in agreement. "There's probably a safe-zone or second security room."

"Where, though?" Skull frowned as he tried to remember the lay out of the floor.

"We're on the first floor; right? So maybe our classroom?" Panther suggested.

"Our classroom is on the second floor." Dove agreed softly

"Hmm." Makoto frowned "The controls for the light are probably in the faculty office on the second floor."

"Meaning we've got to get there, now." Fox answered.

"You gonna be okay?" Dove asked.

"I'll be fine." He responded

"Okay. Fastest way up?" Panther asked

"Let me check." Oracle stated as her goggles flashed

"Gotta love super-speed searching." Joker remarked jovially.

"You aren't gonna like this." she hissed

"Oh no." Dove frowned.

"What now?" Panther asked

"The only way up... Is in the Gym." the red head said bitterly

"... Shit." Skull flinched as he heard that.

"I'm sorry." Makoto apologised.

"Come on guys, let's go." Joker urged softly

The group all nodded and got to their feet, seeing the connecting hall and headed to the gym. The hall was not as covered as the main halls, meaning they didn't have to worry about turrets... but soon they came to the gym's doors. Which were heavy metal doors with the sounds of prisoners screaming inside.

"Screams? Again?" Skull frowned, his hands shaking as memories filled his mind

Dove and Panther grabbed his hands, being there for their friend as they knew what this meant.

"Prepare for the worst. Queen, Oracle, stay back." Joker instructed, trying to protect them.

"Right." They nodded

Joker opened the doors and saw inside that there were student prisoners being forced to play volleyball or...or dodgeball with how fast these balls were going.

"What the hell?!" Mona gasped

BOOM!

The Phantom Thieves covered their eyes as they saw the volleyball being struck down by what seemed to be a humanoid, piledriving down the balls to strike the students.

"What the hell?" The Phantom Thieves gasped

"ClAsS iS iN sEsSiOn!" A shadow's garbled talk came through and it sounded like Kamoshida. Not exactly but it was close enough. It is like some sort of interpretation, a bad one.

Everyone looked slightly horrified, seeing the massive monster before them

It looked to be gilded Kamoshida, but with the lower half of a horse with the symbol of Shujin Academy branded on his side and two ram-horns coming from his forehead. Some mixed perversion of a centaur and satyr.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Skull took a nervous step back.

"WhO's ThErE?" The large beast snarled as it turned, facing them

"Kamoshida?" Panther gulped.

"Guys, we can do this." Joker spoke. "It's just like last time."

SMACK!

"Look out!" Oracle called out as the fake Kamoshida smacked down a large volleyball right at them.

"DECARABIA!" Joker called out, summoning a Persona. Spinning from inside of Joker's mask, bringing out a large shield was a large star-fish creature. It had a geode gemstone back but a plain red front with a single blue eye and black eyeliner.

Decarabia's shield came up just in the nick of time, blocking the attack from Kamoshida and repelled it right back at him... and right in his fool's gold face.

SMASH!

"Have I ever said that I'm grateful for your multiple Persona?" Fox asked

"You can thank me later, Fox." Joker answered, bringing out his gun. "We've got a jackass to kill."

There was a flash, and the group rushed forwards

'Kamoshida' saw the group beneath him, launching his fist forward, ignoring the pretence and just showed what it wanted to be. "BaD pRiSoNeRs!"

SLAM!

"You son of a bitch!" Panther glared. "HECATE!"

There was a blast of blue flames, her Persona rocketing upwards and catching Cognitive Kamoshida's attack

"ArGh!" Cognitive Kamoshida roared as he was being burned by the flames.

"Go! GOEMON!" Fox proclaimed. A large blast of ice rushed through the air, striking the large golden behemoth

"Oh, hell yeah! Nice one, Fox!" Oracle cheered as she was working on the tactics.

"Dove! Let's go!" Joker called as he switched back to Arsene

"Right!" She answered, getting into a pincer movement with Joker to strike against the Cognitive Kamoshida. They unleashes their Persona at the same time, launching a combination of Curse and Bless damage in one burst

Cognitive Kamoshida screamed as he was double-teamed by the two, leaving Skull to attack left.

"This is for my leg, you bastard!" Skull ripped off his mask and summoned Seiten Taisei. "ASSAULT DIVE!" His Persona jumped into the air, channeling it's energy

"hUh?" Cognitive Kamoshida blinked and screamed as Ryuji's Persona rocketed down, punching Kamoshida in the face.

KABOOM!

The Cognitive Kamoshida vanished, leaving no trace as it disappeared from getting some much-needed catharsis from Skull... Before Skull fell to his knees, gasping in shock

"OW! Oof! That hurt." He grabbed his chest.

"I'm... Tired." Panther muttered as she smiled against a wall

"Let's take it easy for a little bit." Dove asked. "Those attacks looked insane."

"Definitely." Joker agreed, helping Skull up.

"Well yeah, they have their Persona fully unleashed and launching their strongest attacks." Mona pointed out

"S-So we're... gonna be like this? All the time?" Skull panted, being brought to the side and helped by Makoto.

"No, not until you get used to it." Mona answered. "And if it's too much, use your Persona's weaker state."

"We can do that?" Dove asked in confusion.

"Yeah... But don't flick it on and off like a light. It screws you up much more." Mona warned as he summoned his Persona

"Zorro!" Mona called out, summoning a figure that was different from Mercurius.

It was a man with upturned pointed shoes, tight black pants with 'rivets' along the seam, a large red sash-belt around his waist with a silver belt over it and a large 'Z' in the centre; a black ruffled, popped collar shirt black leather gloves on large hands and chest. His face was blue with yellow eyes under a mask that looked like a pulled down hat with a large pointed moustache and a cape.

"Zoro?" Most of the others blinked

"Yeah, my Persona's original form." Mona nodded. "I learned this a while ago." He admitted proudly, not giving anything away. He slashed his sword and in a blast of flames, the Persona evolved back to Mercurius. The blue flame wasn't so big or bright that it was going to blind them, but it gave them a very good inkling on how they could do it

Panther and Skull blinked, looking at their Persona

"Alright... Captain Kidd!" Skull raised his hand, to try and switch them to their weaker forms.

Lightning sparked as the Persona changed forms, the pirate cheering to the sky 'YAR! Good ta be back!' Captain Kidd cheered, smiling down at Skull.

"Carmen!" Panther called out, allowing Hecate return back to her previous form.

'Ah~, wonderful!' Carmen purred as she regained her base form

"There we go. Back to 'normal'." Joker responded, passing over some of the drinks he got from the vending machined from around the city. "Drink up, everyone."

"Oh, you're a saviour, dude." Skull commented, opening a can and chugged it down.

"I can't believe this stuff heals people here." Makoto commented.

"You should imagine his curries being here. I bet those would be awesome*" Oracle responded.

"Curry?"

"Yeah, you tried it before." Ren smiled

"You cooked that?!" she gasped

Joker shrugged with a smile. "I'm a man of many talents."

"There's the stairs!" Skull grinned

"Okay so we need to get to the student council room, right?" Panther asked, the others nodding in agreement

"And from there that should let us into the facility office. Which is on the second floor on the other building, correct?" Fox asked

"You are correct, yes." Makoto nodded

"Which will let us turn off the lights and maybe give us a way into the principal's office." Mona smirked

"But this is the first floor." Joker stated "And the student council office is on the third, so there is still a whole floor to get through."

"Urgh, this school!" Skull groaned.

"Oh, please, Skull." Dove rolled her eyes. "Don't complain."

"You're lucky. I don't even know this school's layout." Fox responded.

"That's... true." Makoto commented as she looked away

"But that's what we need right now." Joker answered. "We need that advantage."

"I guess that makes sense." Makoto answered.

"Come on, we better find the way up." Dove extended her hand to Makoto.

The group all got up and headed out to the next rooms. They rushed up the stairs to the next level, seeing the new environment unfold before them. It looked like it was row after row of solitary confinement rooms, Shadows patrolling the halls and only shadowy corners were their allies.

"Oh god..." Makoto shuddered in horror. She... She should have been protecting people from stuff like this!

SNAP!

"Quiet, you rowdy bunch!" Makoto's voice came from inside the hallway as something reverberated upwards.

The group looked at Makoto just quickly as they heard that. "That wasn't me!"

"What the hell?" Skull mumbled

CLANG!

"Listen to the rules of our General!" Makoto's voice responded again, slamming a police baton's against the bars... and appeared the Cognitive Makoto in her skimpy prisoner guard's uniform.

Cognitive Makoto was wearing a pair of black leather high-heeled boots, long black stockings clipped onto a garter that was under a mostly black tartan skirt with red and white lines to make squares with the crest of Shujin Academy stitched into it, an exposed midriff that had a pair of black bracers clipped onto the skirt and was in an 'X' that seemed to also cross over her DD-Cup size and finally long black fingerless gloves holding a whip or riding crop in their hands

"Oh... Hubba Hubba..." Skull mumbled

"Skull!" The girls, except Oracle almost snapped loudly at him.

"Skull. I'm with ya." Oracle whispered.

"Everyone. We need to be quiet." Joker instructed

CLANG!

"Quiet prisoner!" Cognitive Makoto cracked her baton over a door. "Nothing but trouble!"

Joker flinched as he heard that, feeling the 'sting' from a memory about Justine and Caroline. And how this Cognitive Makoto was a bad parody of them

"Is anyone getting a horror game vibe from this?" Oracle whispered

"Shh!" The group hushed her and so they moved carefully and quietly

The wails and torment of the 'students' in the cells were helping, though it was like listening to a horror story, it definitely helped in their cover.

'God, what the hell is wrong with this guy?!' Mona thought in worry as he saw this and reminded when they were in the prison in Kamoshida's palace.

They slowly crawled further and further through the facility, preparing to go to the next floor. The floor was mostly empty, outside the cells

"Wait. Look at that door." Fox whispered pointing to a door that looked... distorted. More distorted than the rest of them.

"A safe room." Joker smiled.

"Something is weird about it." Panther commented

"A safe room's a safe room; right?" Oracle asked. "We go in and we can rest."

"Let's try it." Mona nodded

"Fingers crossed." Dove added, crossing her fingers as Joker opened the door. He held the donor's handle tightly and opened

Inside was a classroom. A normal looking classroom. It seemed to be the safe-zone on the second floor "Okay, everything looks good." Dove commented softly

"Finally, this is a relief." Makoto sighed as she pulled chairs out for the group.

Ann sat up on the table, crossing her legs calmly as she moved her mask up so it was resting on her forehead "Phew! This thing is hot." she mumbled while pulling at her latex catsuit's neckline

Futaba went over to a set of tables and jumped up, laying stomach down on them. The hacker pulled out her laptop, her legs kicking behind her as she typed away

Skull took the chair and sat down, spreading his legs out as he leaned on the back. "Ahh... that's a weight off."

Fox went into a corner and leaned against the wall as he felt more relaxed. The two lifted their masks like Ann did, calm and taking in some cool air

"Hoo... That feels better." Dove spoke, sitting as she leaned on the table with her chair.

Makoto looked around awkwardly, not sure what to do "Queen, what's wrong?" Joker asked.

"Just... I don't know what to do." She answered.

"Well, you're here; aren't you?" Joker asked, taking a chair to sit down and talk to her.

"Yeah." she smiled

"Then that's a step in the right direction." Joker nodded before he pointed at the door behind him. "That fake? It's not you."

"I know." She smiled, remembering the last time they where here

"Hey, no offence or pressure Prez... D'you think you'll get a Persona?" Skull asked.

Makoto frowned as she was mulling that over.

"Skull, learn some tact." Dove frowned.

"Hey, if she's got the app, that means she could. We got the app to and we became Phantom Thieves." Skull remarked.

"You know it's not that simple." Panther frowned

"... Yeah, I guess that's true. Sorry." Skull apologised.

"Is this about the... 'Spirit of Rebellion'?" Makoto asked

"Yeah, that's it." Oracle answered as she typed on the laptop. "It's what helps you be a Phantom Thief."

"What exactly... Is it?" Makoto asked

"I think it's different for each of us; right?" Skull asked. "Mine was yelling at Kamoshida for all the shit he pulled on me."

"Similar thing for me and Panther. Denying Kamoshida that we weren't his 'playthings'." Dove added

"Mine was confronting Madarame." Fox added.

"And mine was promising to get back at the bastards who lied to me." Oracle followed up.

"But it's not that simple." Joker reminded

"I guessed that it wasn't." Makoto frowned, wanting to curl into herself.

"... Your right." Skull sighed "It's not just shouting at someone you hate. Its not anger."

"But it is hard to explain." Panther added

"Hey, I'm sure you're gonna find it, Queen." Joker answered as he put a hand on her shoulder

"Thank you. And thank you for believing I have a chance." She answered gently.

The room suddenly began to shift and warp and quake

"Whoa! What's going on?" Mona asked as they tried to get their footing.

"Oracle, status!" Joker called out.

"Something is happening!" Oracle called "His cognition is changing!"


*elsewhere, a few minutes ago*

"Principal Kobayakawa, can I speak to you?" Kawakami asked as she approached the fat man, the two near her classroom

"What is it, Ms Kawakami?" Kobayakawa responded, stopping as she talked to him.

She nodded her head, opening her classroom door "It's regarding some of the students." She asked. "And how you've been treating them."

"Oh?" He asked suspiciously

"Just outside this morning, I saw you threaten Ms Niijima with expulsion!" She responded making him frown "What was that about? She isn't some... pawn for you to use!"

"She is disobeying the schools order and siding with the thieves." He responded, sweating quickly

Ms Kawakami scoffed at that. "'Siding with The Phantom Thieves'? Are you serious? She's a child! Not some sort of criminal!"

"Do not question me, Kawakami." He frowned

Ms Kawakami flinched as she heard that. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I am. 'Acting' like this. Because it's my job!" He answered. "Get out. I will deal with it. And if you ask one more question about this; you can kiss your pension goodbye!"

"I... You can't fire me for something like that!" She snapped "You've got no reason or proof to do so! And if you expell Makoto, I'll be reporting you to the school board! She is a straight A student and the Student Council president! And the sister of a prosecuter! You expell her? Fire me? You're going to have SO MANY lawsuits going your way!"

"And if YOU go to them, people higher than the board will have your ass, Kawakami!" he threatened.

"Oh? Like who?" She frowned, he had to be bluffing. This guy was just a fat pathetic school principal, no way he had friends who could protect him

Kobayakawa tried to stand tall and glared downwards at Kawakami. "Members of government." He answered, he couldn't say the name... but he knew who he meant.

"Bullshit!" She scoffed

Kobayakawa glared down at her with intense anger. "Get. Out."

"What?" She frowned

"I've noticed... You're awefully close to that criminal student, aren't you?" he said darkly

"I help him as a tutor." She defended, half lying but... she couldn't deny that she was close to Ren. "His name is-"

"I know his name. He's a criminal. And his friends are criminals." He continued "And you are very close to him. I'm sorry Ms Kawakami, but I must prepare to report you. I can't believe you tried such a thing after Kamoshida shamed this school! But I won't have anyone else sour this schools reputation."

Kawakami gulped in fear... how did he know? No, she'd done no such thing! Sure she was gaining feelings for... No! She did nothing wrong! ... At least she wasn't doing what he was implying!

"It is such a shame you had to give into your perverted desires like Kamoshida did." He tutted, clearly trying to gain ANY sort of upper hand "Abusing a student in such a way? How disgraceful. And then you let him away with such criminal acts? You cost the both of you your freedom."

"Now see here!" She snapped

"No." He responded "Who do you think they will believe? You have no proof. And after Kamoshida... You think they WON'T believe me, the principal doing his best for his school, revealing another so called teacher following in Kamoshida's footsteps."

Kawakami took a step back, eyes wide

"This... This is your one chance." He stuttered "If you don't back down and drop this... Then you are gone." And with that the overweight man left Kawakami's classroom

The teacher dropped to her knees in shock, wide eyed. What... What could she do?


*with the Phantom Thieves*

The Phantom Thieves where in a panic. The cognitive world of Principal Kobayakawa was warping and shifting, shocking them all. How was this happening?! They were within a Safe Room, but even that was being twisted and manipulated!

"His cognition is being distorted!" Futaba panicked "All the safe rooms are disappearing!"

"Grab your butts and move!" Joker and Mona called out, this had never happened while they were inside before. And not this violently.

Quickly everyone where on their feet, rushing off. The group had to run, they had to forego stealth for just a means of escape. Just bolting out of the palace and had to ignore the Shadows and the lights.

BOOF!
POOF!
BOOF!

Joker threw down smoke bombs to cover their tracks, even catching some in the Shadow's faces.

The Phantom Thieves ran as fast as they could, bounding through the Palace as they managed to get to the first floor. They were so close to the exit.

SLASH!

"Gah!" The group yelled as a whip cut into the ground before then, creating a cavern between them and the exit

"Whoa!" The group halted as they saw it.

"WHOA! That's deep!" Oracle screamed.

"Finally cornered you." a familiar voice growled

"Shit." Panther and Dove turned around and saw the Cognitive Makoto standing there.

"You..." Makoto gulped

"You dare tread upon the hallowed place of our glorious Warden?" Cognitive Makoto responded, snapping the whip in her hands. She looked more crazed than last time they saw her, even a bit injured "I have shamed myself before him, so I must reclaim his favour! I shall bring you all kicking and screaming to his might! Everyone should just obey and know their place as perfect students!"

The group looked at the Cognitive Makoto, it looked like she had jumped off the deep end and into fanatical worship to their principal. At the same time her form began to shift, grow and change shape. She began to grow larger, her clothes seemed to melt into her skin as her lower legs transformed into a wolf-like body with two dog heads protruding from her hips.

"For real?!" Skull yelled

"What is this?" Fox blinked in horror

"It-it looks like a guard dog-centaur." Mona hissed, his 'inner cat' showing as his tail flaired up.

"A weirdly kinky one." Oracle blinked as she saw the cognitive Makoto's outfit... And six breasts

"Oracle!" The team responded in shock.

'... She's got a point though.' One of the group thought... but weren't admitting it to anyone.

"This... Is now he sees me?" Makoto whispered, her hair blocking her red eyes from view

"Queen, get back! We will deal with her!" Joker called

"Come on!" Oracle called, gently guiding the older girl away

"FOR THE GLORIOUS PREISDENT!" Cognitive Makoto roared and attacked


CONFIDANT RECAP:

Fool: Rank 10

Magician: Rank 10

Lovers: Rank 10

Chariot: Rank 10

Strength: Rank 8

Lust: Rank 8

Death: Rank 6

Temperance: Rank 6

World: Rank 5

Hierophant: Rank 5

Sun: Rank 4

Devil: Rank 4

Emperor: Rank 4

High Priestess: Rank 3

Moon: Rank 2

Hanged-Man: Rank 2

Fortune: Rank 2

Star: Rank 2

Empress: Rank 1

Hermit: Rank 1