Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia nor the Persona series
Chapter 24
(Persona 5 OST: Hymn of the Soul)
"Welcome back, Trickster. I see your rehabilitation has been going well. Have you grown accustomed to infiltrating Palaces?"
"Y-Yes, I think so…" said Izuku, brow furrowing. "In fact, that's why I'm here. I want to prepare for the next infiltration our team plans to make."
"Good. As you are, you have yet to obtain a truly acceptable number of Personas. You are not utilizing the full potential of the wild card." said Igor, fingers linking in front of him. "But your timing is impeccable. This is the perfect opportunity to further your rehabilitation with a test of strength."
"A test?" Izuku repeated in wonder. "What exactly do I have to do?"
"You will bring us the Personas we specify," Justine spoke up, bringing his attention to the twins.
"You just gotta show us the Persona we ask for! Easy, right?" Caroline added.
"For your first assignment, we wish for you to bring us a Jack Frost," Justine began.
"Come on, don't start it off that easy! It should be a challenge." Caroline cut in, tapping her baton lightly on her shoulder. "Hm… Okay, I want you to bring us a Jack Frost with the ability Mabufu! Got that inmate?"
"I agree. Please bring us the specified Persona, inmate," said Justine.
"J-Jack Frost with Mabufu. Got it," Izuku repeated, quickly nodding.
"This task is not mandatory. Regardless, if you fulfill it, you will be rewarded handsomely," said Igor.
"I-I see. Okay, then. Can I see the compendium then?" Izuku asked.
"Oh, planning to get a head start on it now? Good! Let's take a look," Caroline smiled before handing over the book to Izuku. The green-haired teen poured through the pages, rubbing his chin as he looked at the possible fusions he could make.
"Darn it… it doesn't look like I can make it right now… I'll have to check again once I get more Personas."
"Do remember that you may also summon Personas you've previously owned," Justine reminded him.
Izuku's eyes shot up from the compendium. "I-I can?!"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Duh. Pay attention, would you prisoner? I'm pretty sure we told you that last time."
"Did you? I… I don't remember…"
"How dense can you be, inmate?!"
"Actually, we may have left that out, Caroline," Justine said, the smugness vanishing from her twin's face. "We brought up other rituals, but not the ability to summon his previous Personas."
"W-What?! No way! I could have sworn we… when he was… I mean…" Caroline's cheeks turned a rosy pink. She ground her teeth together and flashed a deadly glare at Izuku. "S-Shut up, inmate!"
"I-I didn't say anything!"
"Back on task, yes? Further in the compendium is a list of all of your previous Personas as well as the cost for bringing them back," Justine continued.
"'Cost'?" He turned the pages to find the list, quickly coming upon a list of every Persona currently in his possession as well as the two he dismissed for the fusion, Pixie and Bicorn. Next to their names were set prices of yen. "W-Wait, I have to pay real money to get them back?"
Caroline's predatory smirk returned. "We can't just give you your Personas for free, inmate. So we thought we'd take a bit of that money you gather up while going through the Palaces."
"But… what will you guys do with the money?"
"Does it matter? It's purely to make this an equivalent exchange! Get that into your thick skull!" Caroline snapped, smacking the dark iron bars of Izuku's cell with her baton.
I guess I shouldn't have expected to be given everything... Izuku sighed, opening the compendium back up to look through the names. To his relief, summoning his older Personas wasn't expensive, and he still had some money to burn.
"I'll take… both of them back."
"Done," Justine said, a faint blue light shining around the book. "You will now be able to summon either or use them for fusion."
"That was quick. What about-"
"We've already taken money from your wallet, inmate. Don't worry," Caroline giggled, causing Izuku to blanch.
"O-Oh, okay then…" Izuku flipped through the pages as he mulled over the possibilities. "Hm… I still can't make Jack Frost, but maybe… maybe if I fuse some more Personas, I will end up with something that can make it. I'd hate to do that to them, but I can always summon them back. I have to be careful not to make any unnecessary sacrifices because I don't have unlimited income and I still have to buy medicine…"
"Uh… inmate..?"
"-Well, maybe I'll just play it by ear, fuse one pair together and see the result of it. I shouldn't fuse too many at once without checking what they could possibly make after that. If I play this right, I can give up some Personas and only summon back ones like Carter. Yeah, that should work. Maybe I should also-"
"INMATE!"
Izuku jumped, dropping the book and clamping his hands over his mouth. His eyes darted between the twins. Caroline was grimacing at him with disgust while Justine merely had a brow raised curiously.
"All that mumbling was creepy! What the heck was that?!"
"O-Oh, sorry… I uh… tend to do that sometimes…" Izuku laughed sheepishly, cheeks heating up in embarrassment.
"I knew you were a peculiar one, inmate. Though I suppose I hadn't realized how much," Justine said, leaving her impression vague enough to make Izuku deflate.
"S-Sorry… but uh… I think I'm ready to make my fusions…"
"Hee-ho~!"
Jack Frost hovered before Justine and Caroline, the twins staring at it with some wonder before looking back at Izuku.
"It didn't have Mabufu at first, so I was afraid that it wouldn't have all the requirements. Thankfully, the links of the Personas I fused together were strong enough to grant him more power." Izuku's shoulders sagged in relief.
He had sacrificed Carter and Silky to make Succubus (which had made him a nervous wreck), thankful that he could fuse her with Pixie to make Jack Frost. His small bet ended up paying off, providing him with a strong Persona without having to get rid of more than necessary.
"I'll also summon Carter and Succubus back. Since I gave up Jack-o-Lantern, it would be smart to get her back for her fire abilities. Plus, overall, she's stronger than it was," Izuku said, looking through the compendium at their prices. "Good, they're not too much either. I definitely wanted to make sure I got Carter back, at least."
"U-Um… okay," Caroline muttered, tapping the book and making it illuminate blue.
"So, does Jack Frost need anything else?"
"No… I guess that we'll take it." Caroline muttered, looking back at the Persona with a small amount of disbelief.
"Well done making the Persona so quickly, inmate. You've surpassed our expectations," Justine congratulated him.
"B-But don't get cocky! Your Personas are still super weak," Caroline spat when he saw his eyes begin to glitter. She cast her gaze away from him. She was trying to hide it from him, but Izuku could swear she was smiling. "Still… I suppose you deserve some praise for finishing your penal labor in a timely manner."
"Yes. To further promote your growth, we shall allow you the use of a new facility," Justine declared, surprising Izuku and Caroline with a small smile.
"O-Oh, that's great! Thank you!" Izuku said, grateful to know that his effort (and yen) yielded results.
"Whoa, Justine. It's rare to see you smile," Caroline said.
Justine's smile turned into a wry smirk. "What about you, Caroline? You are the smiling one. Did something happen to make you joyful?"
"M-Me?" Caroline blurted She spared a glance at Izuku, who was still sitting cross-legged on the floor with a bemused look on his face. Caroline gripped her baton tighter. "What are you looking at, inmate?! Are you laughing at us?!"
He frantically waved his arms in the air. "Wh-What?! No, I swear! I-I'm not!".
"I certainly hope not. As wardens, we simply feel satisfaction in seeing your rehabilitation progress. That is the extent of it." Justine declared, her single eye narrowing at Izuku dangerously. "If you were to find that amusing, it would be most upsetting."
"I-I don't, I promise!" Izuku crossed his arms in front of him as sweat rolled down his cheek. He shrank more and more as the twins stared at him intently for what felt like a small eternity.
"Very well. You seem genuine in stating so," Justine conceded, earning a relieved sigh from Izuku.
"Still, I can't tell if you're gutsy or a spineless wimp…" Caroline added, crossing her arms. "You've made it through one Palace already, but… seeing you like this makes me think it was just dumb luck."
Izuku hunched over in embarrassment. "S-Sorry…"
"Moving on, we will give you the promised facility. And if you have the will to continue your penal labor, we will grant you even greater freedom in this prison." Justine continued on, bringing Izuku's attention back up. "This is a deal between us, the wardens, and you, the inmate."
"Not that you have the right to turn it down though! Hard work is what you're meant to do, inmate!"
"R-Right. I look forward to working with you both…"
*SMASH*
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Strength Persona,
I have obtained the winds of Blessing
that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Izuku wasn't surprised to see the new bond form. Justine had made it rather clear with her wording.
"Now, inmate. Onto your next task," Justine began, flipping through a notepad she held. "You are to bring us Shiisa with the ability Frei. When you have it, speak with us again."
"Since you seem so good at it, get to it! Stop wasting time," Caroline huffed, placing her hands on her hips.
"Understood. Once I've gathered more Personas, I'll be sure to look out for it," Izuku nodded, standing up from his seat on the ground. "I'll be going now. I've got a few other things to do before today's over… but…"
The twins took a step back when Izuku turned back around and gave them a deep bow.
"I know it's your job, but… thank you for your help. Knowing I can keep growing stronger with my Personas and my friends… it's really important to me." Izuku straightened out and beamed at them both. "Thank you."
Caroline and Justine gawked at him for a moment before the more rowdy of the two scowled at him even with the faint blush on her cheeks.
"W-Whatever, inmate! Your gratitude isn't necessary! I-If you're done here, just get out!" she exclaimed. Izuku rubbed his head sheepishly as he turned to leave again.
"R-Right. Well then, I guess I'll see you later…" He muttered before his body faded out of the room.
"I-I swear, the nerve of that guy…" Caroline grumbled, crossing her arms and tapping her foot anxiously.
"It seems to me that you were quite pleased to hear him say that, Caroline."
"Sh-Shut up, no I wasn't! Y-You're one to talk!"
"Perhaps…"
(Persona 5 OST: Butterfly Kiss)
"You're certainly buying a lot today."
"Y-Yeah, I've got a few things in school coming up. I want to be as prepared as possible." Izuku put on a nervous smile. He was sitting in Takemi's office, the doctor sitting cross-legged in a desk chair across from him.
"I see. Well, it's none of my business. But since you're here, why don't we do a clinical trial?" Takemi suggested, offering a thin smile as she leaned back in her chair. "I've made a few adjustments to the medicine from last time."
"Wh-What?! R-Right now?!" He paled. His stomach churned at the thought of his first experience alone. "M-M-Maybe next time… I don't want to feel like that right before my exams…"
"Well, if you say so," Takemi shrugged, spinning her chair back to her desk. "Then I suppose you can go without the medicine until you're ready."
"Wh-What?!"
"Heh. Sorry, kid. I'm a little eager to try out this medicine and would like to test it as soon as possible, and I need my special guinea pig to do that," Takemi explained, giving him a side glance with a devious smirk. "So, what's it going to be?"
Izuku slumped over in his chair. The doctor had him right where she wanted him. It had been some time since he came in for an actual clinical trial. He'd mainly done menial work on his last few visits while she worked out the kinks in her drug.
Izuku gingerly nodded. "Okay… let's do it."
"Good boy~. Keep this up and I'll give you a lollipop when we're done." Takemi got up and grabbed a full beaker from a nearby medical stand and held it out to him. "Don't worry, your reaction to the drugs won't be quite as strong as last time. As I said, I've made various adjustments."
Izuku's hands trembled as he slowly took the cup from her. He stared at the viscous blue liquid sloshing around inside with hesitation.
Takemi eyed him expectantly. "Just drink it down in one gulp. You'll be fine."
The green-haired teen took a deep breath before taking one long swig of the medicine. The slimy concoction was many times more bitter than Sojiro's darkest espresso as it crept down his throat. He tried to get it down as fast as he could, but the taste infested every corner of his mouth. His lips puckered as a strangely citrus and metallic aftertaste replaced it.
I-It's so sour and bitter at the same time… and whatever it is, it's filling my nose with that horrible smell!
Whatever was in it hit Izuku like a brick. His head spun and his stomach clenched as though he'd ridden one too many roller coasters. Unable to take it, Izuku let his body fall to the side in the bed. His vision swam and blurred before he finally blacked out.
Izuku woke with a groan, his nausea slowly subsiding.
"Oh good, you're waking up. You should be proud, you didn't black out nearly as long this time," said Takemi. She was writing notes on a clipboard with her back to him. "Your reaction to the drug was absolutely perfect. Do you still feel a bit dazed? I mixed in a few… special components."
"You… wanted that reaction?" Izuku asked groggily. He struggled to push himself up to a sitting position.
"That's right. Otherwise, the medicine wasn't potent enough for what I'm attempting." Takemi spun around in her chair, leaning forward on her knees. "Okay, take your shirt off. I need to take your blood pressure and temperature. I'll also have to draw some blood."
Those last two sentences woke Izuku up immediately. "A-All that?!"
"Come on, you're past the worst of it. I'd ask to perform some motor skills tests, but I doubt that you're up to the task right now," Takemi said, waiting for him patiently. Izuku groaned, moving to pull his shirt off.
"So you are here."
Izuku and Takemi looked up to see a police officer walked inside. Izuku's jaw clenched. Was the officer here for Takemi or him? Somewhat thankfully, his attention seemed to be focused on the doctor.
"I'm in the middle of an examination, officer." said Takemi, her expression weary. "And as I've told you before, you need to show me a warrant if you want to investigate me."
"Hmph! I'm here because we received a report." The officer puffed his chest out as if he thought it made him look tougher. "I'll need to see a detailed record of medical expenses and full medical records. I bet you didn't have enough time to hide any incriminating documents, huh?"
Izuku looked at Takemi with worry, but she didn't look impressed in the slightest.
"... Must be under orders from the Medical Chief of Staff," She sighed, sparing a look at her nails before motioning to a page posted on her computer. "Alright, here you go."
"Huh?" the officer grunted, peering down at the screen in confusion.
"This kid is my only patient today. I'm guessing that you were sent here based on an improper billing claim?" Takemi asked, the cop giving himself away as he tensed. "But without a receipt, I'm afraid you've been sent on a wild goose chase."
"Wh-What's going on here?"
"You're being manipulated," she said bluntly. "That 'report' is fictitious."
"Wh-What?!" The officer blurted, looking completely dumbfounded and embarrassed. His eyes finally shifted to Izuku, looking for one last escape from the humiliation. "H-Hey, you! What are you doing here?!"
"M-Me?! I-I'm just here for a migraine!" Izuku lied far faster than he ever thought he could.
I could get into so much trouble!
"A-A migraine?" The officer repeated, floundering where he stood.
"That's right. He's stressing over his school activities, so I'm giving him some medication to help him relax." A mocking smile crossed her features. As the officer looked to the side in embarrassment, she sent Izuku a wink in appreciation. "So, is there anything else? As you can see, I'm pretty busy here."
"Hmph… fine," The officer conceded, crossing his arms and pouting like a schoolboy. "You're infuriating, you know that? But what else can I expect from the 'Plague'."
Izuku's jaw fell a little as Takemi went silent. But the officer didn't push his luck any further, turning tail to leave. The two waited for the familiar tone of the closing elevator doors to breathe again.
"I'm so over this…" Takemi said with a sigh.
"That… didn't seem good at all," Izuku said, looking at the doctor with concern. He wanted to push the subject but knew better than to invade her privacy. Takemi would shut him down in a heartbeat. "Are… you okay?"
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just tired of this game they keep playing." Takemi shot him an appreciative smile. "Thanks. And not just for asking, but for helping make him look stupid."
"O-Oh, right… I just-didn't want to get you in trouble," Izuku said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I… I've dealt with cops like that before."
"I see. One mystery after another with you, huh?" she chuckled. "Not that I'm much better. It was likely just my former superior. You know, the one you saw when you eavesdropped on us?" Izuku winced at the mention of his blunder. "Well, it's nothing to be concerned about. Now, back to what we were doing."
"W-We're still taking tests?"
"I'll just draw some blood for now and send you off. You might feel anemic and light-headed, but you'll be fine as long as you drink plenty of fluids," Takemi smiled, though it did nothing to console him.
"It's not like I wasn't expecting this, I guess…" he mumbled. He stuck his arm out and rolled up his sleeve.
"Good to see you're behaving like a proper guinea pig," Takemi teased, holding his arm up and inspecting it. "Don't worry, once we're done here, I'll give you the medicine as promised. I'll even toss in a bit extra for the help today."
"Okay, then… thank you." Izuku smiled. Even though he was kind of forced into the clinical trial, Izuku felt some trust growing between them after today.
*SMASH*
Death Confidant: RANK TWO
"Alright, since you're a healthy boy, I think I'll draw a bit of extra blood."
"Eh?!"
"Fufu, only kidding. Relax."
(Persona 5 OST: A Woman)
"Do we have everything we need?" Izuku asked, standing in front of his team. After spending the previous day preparing, the Thieves were quick to jump into Madarame's Palace after school.
"Yup! Ann and I got us a buncha sports drinks and snacks for when we make a rest stop," Ryuji confirmed with a grin.
"Great. I got a bunch of medicine and made a couple of thermoses full of coffee last night," Izuku explained, smiling at his teammates.
"Where did you get this kind of medicine from?" Makoto asked, looking at the packs of medicine stuffed away in a shoulder bag. In place of her Shujin uniform, Makoto had donned a slim black hoodie, a pair of leggings and tennis shoes. A black bandana with eye holes cut out completed the makeshift disguise.
"T-That's not important right now…" Izuku nervously laughed, earning him a suspicious glance from his childhood friend. "A-Anyways, I think that's everything. We should be fully prepared to infiltrate the Palace. Koto-san, one last time. Are you really ready for this? This won't be like last time. We're sure to run into trouble from here on."
"Of course. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," Makoto nodded. "I won't hold you guys back. I promise."
"Well, you certainly look the part now," Ann smiled, touching her chin with a thoughtful expression. "Still, if we're going to be entering the Palace with her, shouldn't we make up a codename?"
"Oh, right. I remember you all referring to each other with different names last time."
"Correct. As phantom thieves, we shouldn't be throwing our real names around so carelessly. Especially while infiltrating a Palace. We don't know what kind of effect it would have on the ruler's cognition," Morgana explained, placing his paws on his hips. "I'm Mona, Ryuji is Skull, Lady Ann is Panther, and Izuku is Hero."
"Oh, Hero, huh?" Makoto smiled at Izuku, the green-haired teen laughing sheepishly. "Are you sure you didn't want to go with something like 'All Might Jr.' or 'Super All Might'?"
"Huh?" Morgana, Ryuji and Ann blurted in confusion.
"K-K-Koto-san!" Izuku cried out in desperation, waving his arms in panic.
"I'm only teasing, don't worry," she replied through barely stifled laughter. She cupped her chin in thought once she calmed down. "A code name, huh? Let me think…"
"It's kinda hard since she doesn't have a Thief outfit yet," Ryuji pointed out, scratching the top of his head.
"Well, if you consider her Quirk and all… maybe something like… Sponge?" Ann offered hopefully.
"I… don't feel so good about that one," Makoto said with a hesitant laugh.
"Well… your old hero name is a bit long, but…" Izuku trailed off before smiling. "What about Queen?"
"Queen?" Makoto repeated, a small smile spreading across her lips.
"Huh. That's not bad. Though you wouldn't guess that from her outfit," Ryuji chuckled.
"I think that's a good one! How'd you think of that?" Ann asked curiously.
"W-Well, we used to make up hero names all the time and…" Izuku started, only for Makoto to place a hand on his shoulder and laugh awkwardly.
"I-I think that's enough information, don't you?" Makoto cleared her throat before looking at the others. "I think Queen is perfect, though."
"Alright then. From now on, you'll be called Queen during infiltrations," Morgana nodded. "So, any more questions before we enter the Palace?"
"Oh, I got one! Why are we already in our Phantom Thief gear if we haven't seen the Palace ruler yet?" Ryuji asked.
"Very good question, Ryuji. You're paying attention," Morgana smiled at the faux blond. "My guess would be that it's because Madarame doesn't trust anyone, so he's constantly on guard."
"That makes sense. He's famous, so if he lets his guard down, he might get exposed by the paparazzi," Izuku nodded.
"Or maybe he's just super salty about all those rumors going around about him?" said Ann.
"Either way, we need to proceed with caution. We shouldn't needlessly increase the security level as it will only make obtaining the treasure more difficult. Especially with our new recruit here," Morgana said before turning to Makoto. "Hopefully, you'll be able to awaken a Persona in the midst of all this. I'm sure your Quirk can hold up well enough on its own, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we'd feel better if you had one."
"Hopefully it won't hold me back too much," Makoto replied. "But I definitely won't let it stop me."
"Alright. If that's everything, let's move. We've at least got a good point of entry, so let's begin the infiltration from there," Izuku said, earning nods of agreement from the others. With that, the five of them moved forward, jumping along the wall before entering the Museum's premises. Shadows were still scouring the courtyard, but none of them noticed the Phantom Thieves as they hopped across the statues overhead.
Dropping through the skylight, Izuku quickly scanned the premises with his Third Eye active for guards lurking in the shadows. He stopped as he saw red beams of light stretching across the doorway.
"Hold up," Izuku told the others as they landed next to him. "It looks like security increased a bit since we last came in. I can see infrared lasers from the security systems around the door."
"What?! Why are they on now?! Does he know we came in?" Ryuji asked, looking at Morgana.
"No. Kitagawa must have told him about what happened yesterday. He's probably becoming more wary of people now that he knows," Morgana explained, eyes narrowing at the door. "Well, with your skill Hero, we should be able to deal with the lasers just fine."
"Right. Stay close, okay?" The laser closest to the floor was inactive. Seeing this, Izuku slid under the top two, waving for the others to proceed in the same way. Looking around the portrait exhibit, Izuku swallowed a lump in his throat.
"Careful. All the lasers are on in here. Follow my lead closely."
"Got it," they answered, the four staying close behind as he kept his Third Eye active. He paused when he heard faint footsteps just on the other side of the center walls. He raised a finger to his lips as he peeked around the corner. A lone Shadow was patrolling the hall with its back to him. Izuku moved back, looking at the others, specifically Makoto.
"There's a Shadow there. We'll have to take it out to move forward. Are you ready?" Izuku asked, the others looking at her as well. The brunette took a deep breath before reaching a hand out to a nearby security system. She touched the metal, her fist and face shifted into stainless steel.
"I'm ready. Let's go."
Izuku nodded back, peeking around the corner again to confirm that it still had its back to them. Izuku sprung onto its shoulders before ripping its mask off, leaping back as the black ooze fell to the ground and coalesced into Shadows they hadn't seen before. The Shadows resembled misshapen, expressionless green dolls with cylindrical heads and a white loincloth wrapped around their wastes. They each had beady white eyes and a yellow boomerang clutched in nonexistent fingers.
(Persona 5 OST: Last Surprise)
"Skull, Panther! Hit em' hard!" Izuku ordered, both teammates acting on his order and removing their masks. Makoto gaped in awe as Carmen and Captain Kidd appeared in a burst of blue flame.
"Dance, Carmen!"
"Tear 'em apart, Captain Kidd!"
Fire and electricity flew through the air, the Shadows recoiling back from the attacks. The fire did visible damage to one of them as it reeled back, but the one hit by Kidd's attack was almost totally unfazed.
"These guys are resistant to electric damage! Proceed with caution!" Morgana announced. "Fire hurts them, but it's not super effective!"
"Got it! Mona, hit one of them with wind!" Izuku reached up and peeling his own mask off. "Jack Frost!"
"Hee-ho!" The snowman Persona cheered, hopping in place before unleashing a blast of ice. As he prepared to strike it, the Shadow released a strange haze from its body that surrounded Ryuji before being forced back by Izuku's attack.
"A-Ah, crap!" Ryuji cried out in fear, the haze suddenly making him dizzy. He fell to one knee as the world turned upside down for him.
"Skull!" Ann cried, kneeling at his side as she and Makoto rushed to his aid.
"C-Crap, I'm seein' double…"
"Zorro, show them your might!" Morgana cried out, his Persona materializing before blasting a torrent of wind forward. He bore down on the Shadow that resisted Ryuji's attack, but the doll flew backwards this time and didn't move from its spot on the ground.
"Are you okay?" Makoto asked, looking back at Ryuji in worry.
"Y-Yeah… just gimme a second…" Ryuji mumbled, a hand on the side of his head as he tried to steady himself.
"Alright, cover him Taka-Panther! I'll work on this one!" Makoto said, dashing forward at the Shadow.
"W-Wait, Queen! Be careful!" Ann cried out in concern. Izuku grit his teeth, unable to shake his apprehension at the sight.
Makoto balled her fists as she approached, watching the Persona's body movement carefully. To her surprise, it moved faster than she thought something of that size and shape could, the Shadow moving to clash with her.
Remember what sensei taught you… anticipate your enemies movements…
Makoto watched as the Shadow reared its left arm back. She kicked off the ground as her opponent clumsily swung its stubby arm at her, launching herself into the air and narrowly avoiding a direct hit.
"HIYAH!" She slammed a metal fist down into its head. The blow staggered the Shadow as she fell to the opposite side.
She landed on her feet, preparing to crack it with another blow. To her shock, the Shadow was already bringing its other arm back. She winced as she put her guard up. Her body was still made of metal, so the blow was more surprising than painful. Still, it was strong enough to throw her to the floor, gritting her teeth as she looked up at the Shadow preparing to club its arm down on her.
"Bufu!"
Before the Shadow could land another blow, it cried out in pain as ice burst across its back, melting back into black ooze. Makoto lifted her head to see Izuku standing close by with his Persona in front of him. Izuku released a nervous breath, quickly jogging over to Makoto and kneeling beside her.
"Are you okay?" He extended a hand out to help her up. Makoto blinked, gaining her bearings back for a moment before slowly nodding.
"Y-Yeah. Thanks for the save there," She said, taking his hand and pulling herself up.
"Thank goodness. I saw that your Quirk was still active, but I wanted to be sure." Izuku sighed in relief before looking at Ann and Ryuji. "Are you alright, Skull?"
"Yeah, I'm all good. It didn't really hurt me, just made me kinda dizzy. It was obnoxious though, that's for sure."
"We're all good here. I finished off the other Shadow," Morgana announced, skipping over to the others. "Something to note is that those ones are weak to wind abilities. I'll be sure to hit them with that from now on."
"Okay, thanks for confirming that for us." Izuku nodded before looking back at Makoto. "Are you ready to keep going?"
"Y-Yes, I am. Just… I'm sorry for what happened. I wasn't much help." Makoto sighed, feeling embarrassed after being caught off-guard.
"It's okay. It was difficult for all of us at first. You'll get used to it as we go" Izuku said with a smile. "You'll start to get the hang of these fights as we go on. Just remember that our enemies' will get stronger, and certain ones will be even fiercer than a group of smaller Shadows."
"Understood. I'll try to be more cautious." Makoto nodded, trying to keep it from getting to her.
"Okay. Is everyone ready to keep going?" Izuku asked, looking at the others.
"All good here," Ryuji nodded.
"Same," Ann said.
"We're ready to proceed, Hero," Morgana confirmed.
"Okay, let's move," Izuku said, taking the lead again. Makoto allowed the others to take the lead, a frown spreading across her lips.
What's wrong with me? I need to clean up my act or I'll just drag them down.
Izuku led them to the next room, holding a hand up as he saw another Shadow lurking through the hall. He spared a look at the others to signal them to get ready. Seeing them nod, he rushed at its back before hopping up and ripping off its mask. The others quickly encircled the Shadows, which took the form of red-skinned fairies with glimmering gold and lavender butterfly wings on their backs
"We've got them surrounded! Let's open fire!" Makoto's jaw dropped as the Thieves drew their firearms, or slingshot in Morgana's case.
"G-Guns?!"
Each of the fully armed thieves let a shot fly, instantly grounding the fairies who were now crawling on the floor. With their opponents downed, the four moved in closer, keeping their weapons trained on them.
"We've got them all down. What do you want to do, Hero?" Morgana asked, looking up at Izuku.
"A-Alright, Shadow. If you want to survive, you should become my mask!" Izuku demanded, straightening up and glowering at them as hard as he could.
"I-I don't want to die! Why don't you think about how I feel?" the Shadow replied. Makoto blinking in shock as it spoke.
"W-Well, I don't want to take your life if I don't have to. That's why you should become my Persona!"
"For a stuttery guy, you're pretty pushy… Not that I hate that," the red-skinned fairy giggled before her body began to glow. "Well~, I guess I wouldn't mind. My name is Hua Po. I am now yours to use!" A blue light enveloped the Shadow before the shape of Izuku's mask. It then dispersed into energy that converged on his face and vanished.
He smiled as the other Shadows dispersed. "Welcome to the team."
"Good job, Hero. Another Persona to add to your arsenal," Morgana chuckled.
"I have… so many questions," Makoto declared, unable to shake her awed expression as she walking over to Izuku. "I don't even know where to begin…"
"O-Oh, I guess we haven't explained everything in detail, huh..?" Izuku trailed off, scratching his head awkwardly.
"We did kinda just show off some new stuff with that last one, huh?" Ryuji admitted, crossing his arms in thought.
"So… where should we start?" Ann asked.
"Well… for starters, where did you all get functional firearms?! Those are hard enough to get in Japan on the black market!" Makoto blanched, unable to hide her disbelief.
"Well, they're all technically just model guns," Izuku explained, pulling his 1911 replica and slowly handing it to Makoto. "The Metaverse can be influenced by one's cognition. If the Shadows think they're real, the guns will act like the real thing."
"So… just because they think they're real, they act real?" Makoto summed up, eyes lighting up with intrigue as she inspected the gun. "That's so fascinating… Dangerous, but fascinating." She handed the gun back to Izuku. "Alright, that's one question answered. But what exactly did you do to that Shadow?"
"Oh, right. I suppose we haven't explained that fully either, huh?" Morgana placed his paws on his hips. "You see, Hero here can wield multiple Personas. The ones you've seen so far aren't even his main one."
"W-Wait, really?" Makoto turned back to Izuku. "So… everyone else can only wield one Persona, but you can wield multiple?"
"That's right. It's some sort of… blessing, I guess, that I received at random while I'm in this world," Izuku explained. "I-I'd go into deeper detail, but I don't think we have that kind of time. We wouldn't want to get blindsided by a Shadow while we're standing here."
"O-Oh, right. My mistake."
"It's okay. If you have anymore questions, we'll try to answer them in the next safe room we find." It was obvious that this just gave her even more questions. "Y-You'll see. Let's go."
The group proceeded deeper into the hall, their backs close to the wall as they remained on the lookout for more Shadows. Seeing none at present, they trudged onward. Izuku guided them through another set of laser systems before arriving at the next door. Izuku ordered them to halt again, peeking around the corner to see two shadows patrolling the main lobby.
"Two Shadows ahead. But… I think we can avoid them."
"Are you sure? Wouldn't it be better to destroy them now?" Makoto asked eagerly.
"We'll only waste our energy. We only fight when there's no way around an enemy," said Morgana.
"O-Oh, of course. My mistake," Makoto nodded.
"Alright, stay close. We'll slip past them on my go…" Izuku whispered, peering inside the hall again. When the Shadows turned the opposite direction, he motioned forward. They quickly slipped past the Shadows with light, quiet steps. They made it into the main hall, the familiar golden statue looming above them.
"Alright, I think we're clear. Don't make too much noise, though," Izuku advised as he watched the door cautiously.
"This will be uncharted territory for us from here on out," said Ann.
"Remember, people. We don't need unnecessary attention. Try not to trip into any of the alarm systems or traps," Morgana said, his eyes hovering to a certain faux blond.
"Why you lookin' at me when you say that?"
"Come on. We should get going," Izuku waved for the others to follow as he moved to the rising path around the statue. The others fell in line next to him, scanning the next hall they entered cautiously. One end of the long corridor was blocked off by a security gate. Izuku pulled out the map they recovered to plot their next route.
"Looks like we'll have to take the long way around… come on, this way!"
They moved to the furthest end of the hall and took a left, entering a new red-walled gallery. Sparing a look around, the group silently noted the young faces in the portraits around them, understanding that it was another display of Madarame's pupils.
As they moved forward, Izuku slid under another security system, his team following suit before he stopped at a left turning corner. Just as he approached it, a Shadow strolled down the path in front of them. Izuku slid to a stop, spreading his arms out to stop the rest of them. Ryuji and Ann bumped into him at the sudden pause, but they caught on and held holding their breath. The Shadow didn't notice them as it turned back around and walked further down the gallery. The five collectively breathed once it was out of sight.
"That… almost gave me a heart attack," Ann groaned.
"At least we still have the element of surprise…" Izuku crept closer to the edge, peeking around the corner and seeing the Shadow. "Okay… its back is to us, I'm going in."
"Just be careful…" Makoto mumbled, touching the security system again to absorb the metal, though this time using her opposite hand to absorb electricity running through it.
Izuku nodded back before dashing down the hall, catching the Shadow off guard with his speed before peeling off its mask with a hard backward tug. The body fell to the ground before erupting into two small old men with long beards. They were holding leaves above their heads.
"I've got this!" Ann called out, drawing her mask off. "Agi!"
Fire swirled through the air, igniting one of the Shadows in flame and sending it hurling back.
"Alright, Panther! I'll-" Izuku started, only to widen his eyes as Makoto dashed past him. "K-Ko-Queen!"
"HIYAH~!" Makoto nailed the second Shadow across its jaw, metal humming with electrical energy as she smashed her fist into it. The Shadow reeled back in pain, staggered by the blow. Seeing a chance, Makoto kept up the attack, following up with four strong punches to the gut that made it collapse on the floor. Makoto hopped back, giving the others an opening to hold up the Shadow. "Alright, they're all yours!"
Izuku and the others looked on for a moment before quickly drawing their guns, making sure that the Shadows didn't get back up.
"W-Wait, don't! H-Here, take my money!" They cried out in fear, throwing out coins and bills of yen for the group to take on the ground.
"A-Alright. You can go," Izuku said, allowing the Shadows to scurry off. He moved to pick up the yen, raising his brow in surprise. "A thousand yen. That's pretty good!"
"Um… is it really alright to let them leave like that?" Makoto asked, looking at the others in confusion.
"Don't worry. Shadows don't make it far in those forms before dissipating back into that sludge," Morgana reassured before smiling. "But I have to say, that was quite an impressive display you put on, Queen. Good job."
"Yeah, I didn't think you'd jump in like that. It was badass," Ryuji noted, giving Makoto a thumbs up. "Looks like you're learnin'!"
"If you keep that up, maybe you really won't need a Persona," Ann smiled.
"Thanks, guys. I'm just trying to be helpful," Makoto said, allowing the metal and electricity to fade from her body. She looked at Izuku, blinking as she saw a frown on his face. "Is… everything alright?"
"Huh? O-Oh, no, it's fine! Really, you did great!" said Izuku. But she could easily hear the hesitation in his voice. "S-Sorry… I-I guess I'm still worried is all… But you were always the one taking care of me before, so I guess it's no surprise you're doing fine here."
Makoto felt a bead of sweat trail down her head, giving a hesitant nod. "I understand. But don't worry so much. I promise I can handle myself. If I can't, I'll speak up."
"O-Of course, of course. Alright, let's keep moving. We've still got a long way to go," Izuku told the others, earning a resounding agreement from them. As they moved again, Makoto lingered a moment longer before breathing out.
The group left the gallery without an issue, climbing up a set of glass stairs close by. It led them to another blue exhibit hall. Seeing a security office just ahead of them, Izuku slowed his pace. They approached with caution, crouching as they got closer.
Izuku peeked inside at the very edge of the window, relaxing when he saw no Shadows present inside. "Okay, we're clear."
"None in the hall either, far as I can tell," Ryuji announced, the others looking around the larger exhibit hall just ahead. Large paintings adorned the walls behind panes of protective glass on the left and right. At the center was a large golden vase sitting atop a pedestal.
"Keep your guard up. Shadows can appear out of nowhere sometimes," Izuku reminded them before moving forward with the team. On the other side of the glass, they saw a Shadow patrolling the paintings, but apparently paying them no mind.
As they crossed the center of the room, Morgana lagged behind, eyes fixed on the vase. "H-Hey, wait a second! You're just going to ignore that golden sheen?!" Morgana asked, looking at the others in disbelief as they halted.
He gazed longingly at the lustrous vase. His eyes sparkled and drool trickled from his mouth as he got closer and closer to it. "I know it would be hard to take with us, b-but… look at that luster! We could sell this baby for tons!"
"Hey, come on. We ain't here for big treasure like that, you know," Ryuji huffed, acting as the voice of reason.
"He's right, Mona. We only take treasure we can carry when we come across it," Izuku pointed out, though the cat seemed lost in the vase's reflection.
"Can you actually take loot out of the Palace?" Makoto asked curiously, more interested in the idea itself rather than the vase.
"Yup! That's kinda how we pay for all our stuff, actually. It's been really convenient," Ann explained for her. "Though we leave a lot of the spending to Hero. I don't think me or Skull would be that responsible with the money."
"Come on~! M-Maybe we try and break it up a bit! Some gold is better than none!" Morgana suggested, hopping up on the pedestal eagerly. Izuku's Third Eye picked up a hidden mechanism just as the cat landed on it.
"G-Get back, Mona!" Izuku cried out, a small clunk causing the group to widen their eyes. He managed to grab Makoto by the arm and yanked her back with him as the security system whirred to life. Infrared lasers formed a cage around the vase almost instantly, trapping Ann, Ryuji and Morgana inside.
"O-Oh no! I tripped the security!" Morgana cried out.
"Ugh, and you were the one tellin' us to be careful!" Ryuji grumbled in irritation. "But what should we do now? Risk it and book it outta here?"
"No, don't! You'll bring too many Shadows down on us that way!" Izuku called out. "Queen and I aren't caught inside the lasers. We'll figure a way to let you all out."
"Oh, thank goodness. We're counting on you two!" said Ann.
"Yeah, please… and sorry for messing up like that," Morgana sighed in embarrassment.
"It's okay. That security office might have a way to turn it off. Let's go, Queen," Izuku said, looking at Makoto.
"Right," The two headed back to the office they saw before, scanning the door for a way in. "Hm… doesn't look like we'll be able to make our way in from out here."
"Maybe there's another way to get in." He scanned the wall for another route, his eyes landing on a gated storage box standing by the edge near the glass. Looking up, he saw a small ledge that was reachable from the wardrobe.
"We'll climb up here and see what we can find," Izuku said, hopping on top of the storage and climbing to the ledge, Makoto close behind. Looking at the ground inside the glass, Izuku held a finger to his lips and motioned to it. Makoto nodded, staying close behind him and quiet as she could while moving. Izuku activated his Third Eye and gave the room another once over. He stopped when one of the paintings lit up and the guards' footsteps coming to and fro in front of it.
"I think there's something behind that painting," he whispered. "We'll have to get rid of the Shadow first. Ready?"
"Yes, but… I don't have anything to absorb," Makoto said looking at him with concern. "The walls here are made of plaster and won't be useful in a fight."
"You're right… wait…" Izuku pulled out his model gun, holding it to her. "Absorb the metal in this! It might be aluminum alloy, but it's pretty solid and should hold up well. You can use it too if you want since I have my Personas."
"Oh, thanks. But so long as I can use my Quirk, I should be fine." She touched the metal with her fingertips before melding it with her own body. "Alright, I'm ready. On your mark."
"Right…" Izuku looked back at the Shadow, moving into a position above it that gave him an easy shot. He hopped off, landing directly on its back and peeling the mask off with a quick jerk.
As he fell back from it, Izuku widened his eyes as he saw a larger than usual Shadow begin to take form. It was human in shape, but it was grotesque in appearance. Its skin was the color of freshly scattered ashes. A black leather apron fell past the knee of its one leg. It wore a bronze cap and mask that revealed a single, murderous eye with matching boots and spine on its shoulder. It held an iron hammer in one hand and a pair of blacksmithing tongs in the other.
(My Hero Academia S2 OST: Go Seize It!)
"You maggots… how dare you try and defile the magnificent Madarame's art?!" The Shadow growled, raising the hammer above its head and swinging down at Izuku. The Persona user quickly dodged to the side. He grit his teeth, watching as the ground beneath its hammer cratered.
"B-Be careful, Queen! This Shadow's stronger than the ones we've faced before!" Izuku warned, pointing forward with his staff as he prepared to engage.
"Got it!" Makoto nodded, raising her right arm and allowing the metal to liquefy. She shot it forward, striking at a greater distance thanks to the extended metal rather than entering a close range fight. The Shadow's head bucked back, but the Shadow straightened out without issue. Makoto felt sweat trail down her brow at the sight.
The Shadow let out a bloodcurdling screech. It slammed its hammer into the ground, this time on purpose. Waves erupted from the impact and rocketed toward both Makoto and Izuku.
"Carter!" Izuku called out, touching his mask and summoning his true Persona. The porcelain -Persona crossed its arms in front of it, eating the brunt of the attack. Even with Carter's protection, Izuku skidded backward. Makoto hardened her metallic body to take the attack head-on. As durable as her skin was, her body trembled as the shockwaves coursed through her. She couldn't hold her ground against the assault, flying into the wall behind her, the paintings shaking from the impact.
"K-Kot-Queen!" Izuku eyes blazed as he narrowed his gaze at the Shadow. Aiming forward, Carter put its fingers together in a flicking motion. "Quantico Smash~!"
A burst of physical energy blasted forth, colliding into the Shadow and sending it tumbling backwards, smashing a painting that had been propped up against the wall. Izuku felt his arm going numb, but he didn't feel any pain and could still move it just fine.
He took the opportunity to run to his fallen teammate while their enemy was down. "Q-Queen! Are you okay?!" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I-I'm fine, don't worry. Just a bit… shaken up," Makoto groaned, shaking her head in an attempt to regain her bearings. Izuku breathed a sigh relief before shifting his gaze back to the Shadow. It peeled itself from the wall, its body hunched forward as it started staggering towards them. Taking a step forward, Izuku willed Carter to attack again.
"Kouha!" Carter pitched the ball of light in his hand with all the speed and force of a cannonball. But the Shadow ate the attack without even flinching, hovering forward with its hammer raised.
"Crap! Bless attacks aren't effective!" Izuku cursed, raising his staff in preparation to attack.
"I'm going to pin it down. Hit it with whatever you can!" Makoto gripped her metal fists, shaping them into pointed blades as long as her forearms.
"W-Wait, Queen! We don't-" Makoto paid him no mind, rushing forward with her arms lowered at her side. As the Shadow raised an arm to strike her, she sidestepped the attack before burying her makeshift claws into its leg. The Shadow howled in pain as it tried to pry her off, but she would not let go.
"Now, Hero!"
Izuku couldn't hesitate. With Makoto so close to it, there wasn't a moment to waste. Touching his mask, Izuku summoned Jack Frost.
"Bufu!" Makoto released the Shadow just as she felt the temperature drop around her, diving out of the way as a block of ice slammed into the ground by a falling block of ice.
He had taken a chance on switching to Jack Frost, hoping alternate type of magic would be sufficient. His gamble paid off yet again as the Shadow didn't move from its spot.
"Let's finish it off!" With staff in hand, he and Makoto pounced on their hapless foe. They battered and diced the Shadow to pieces in a heartbeat, watching it explode into a pile of black ooze.
The duo was taking greedy gulps of air, gazing over at each other as they caught their breath. Makoto started to laugh out in relief, a warm smile crossing her lips. "W-Well… that was a bit rough, but… T-That wasn't too bad, huh?"
Izuku slowly put on a smile of his own, giving her a tired nod. "Y-Yeah. That could have definitely gone worse. You did a good job."
"Thanks. Though I will admit that was more difficult than I would have guessed." Makoto straightened herself out. "Now, shall we get the others out?"
From there on was smooth sailing. They uncovered switches behind the paintings that lowered the glass shields, freeing Ryuji and Ann from the cage. After breaking into the security room, they eavesdropped on two Shadows discussing the password to the security system and were able to shut it down.
"S-Sorry about that guys. I don't know what came over me…" Morgana's eyes remain firmly glued to the ground as he skipped to safety. "I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake. Even for a gold vase."
"Yeah, no kiddin'! You were actin' as loopy as when you saw the Treasure in Kamoshida's Palace. And you were the one tellin' us not to touch anything in the exhibit." Ryuji crossed his arms as he gazed down at Morgana. "What got into you?"
"I don't know… but just looking at it, I felt strangely drawn to it."
"That… does seem really strange." Izuku walked up to the vase and tilted his head as he looked it over. "Maybe there's something…"
He reached out and grazed it with his fingers. In that instant, the vase shattered into a hundred tiny fragments. The five backed away as an enormous gem hovered where the vase once stood.
"Wh-What the hell?!" Ryuji blurted out.
"I-Is that a diamond or a Shadow?!" Makoto asked, taking a fighting stance. Instead of rushing at them though, the diamond started to hover away.
"Oh~, that explains it! Don't let that thing get away! Catch it!" Morgana told them. Izuku jumped forward and slammed his staff into the jewel. It impacted against the ground before condensing into a pool of black ooze. From it, a pearlescent wisp that seemed to be made of liquid rose from it. It was shaped like a humanoid ghost with its tail end attached to a ruby the size of a bathtub.
"S-So it was a Shadow?! But why did it look like that?" Ann asked, pulling her whip out as she prepared to fight alongside the others.
"Never mind that, for now. Let's just destroy this thing! You'll see why I wanted to pursue it," Morgana told them, the team coordinating so that they surrounded the strange Shadow.
"If you say so. Captain Kidd!" Ryuji called out, the Persona hovering above him before shooting a torrent of lightning forward. He and the others blinked when it barely phased the Shadow, merely causing it to shake somewhat with little to no damage.
"Carmen!"
"Jack Frost!"
Fire and ice were dealt out one after the other, but neither had much of an effect on the Shadow. It showed no visible signs of wear, but it made no move to escape or fight.
"What's… going on with this Shadow?" Makoto muttered.
"Maybe we need brute force. Carter!" Izuku exclaimed, his main Persona materializing above him. "Smash~!"
Carter blasted the Shadow with another flick of its fingers. This seemed to do the trick, the Shadow falling to the floor as the Thieves surrounded it with their guns raised.
"Hehehe… wonderful," said the Shadow. "Go on, finish me off and claim your reward. You have earned the right to my riches."
Izuku glanced over at Morgana with an utterly bewildered look on his face. "This one doesn't care about dying?"
"This Shadow is different. Let's finish it off like it said!" Morgana proclaimed, raising his sword. The others looked at one another before following his lead, dashing at the Shadow and nailing it with a rush of strikes from their melee weapons. Almost as if it hadn't been so durable, the Shadow dissipated into black ooze in an instant.
Just defeating the Shadow seemed to fill each Persona user with newfound strength, feeling their Personas strengthen from the experience. Turning around, Izuku blinked as several yen bills floated through the air, quickly catching them.
"This is… f-five thousand yen?! Just from one Shadow?!"
"Wh-What?! For real?!" Ryuji blanched as he walked up to Izuku with the girls.
Makoto held the tip of her chin. "That certainly seems like a lot for taking down one Shadow. It seemed tough, but it didn't really fight."
"Hehe. Now you see why I wanted to pursue it," Morgana skipped up to Izuku. "What we just fought is what I call Treasure Demons. It's a special kind of Shadow that's found hidden away inside pricey items within Palaces."
"So wait… we can find those things around the Palace just at random?" Ann asked.
"That's right! As you saw, they come with a hefty reward for beating them. We should keep an eye out for them in the future," Morgana explained.
"That's intriguing… I wonder what would happen if I made one a Persona and used it for a fusion…" Izuku muttered to himself in thought. "Anyway, that aside, let's keep going. Hopefully, we'll reach a safe room soon and take a much-needed break."
"I am so glad we had a safe room before walking in here," Ann breathed out tiredly.
"Yeah, no kiddin'. Two Shadows in a row before Hero found that switch?" Ryuji grumbled, rolling his shoulder. "Not to mention one of 'em were tough as shit."
"It certainly helped me get more experience fighting them with my Quirk, but I can't argue that it hasn't exhausting," Makoto breathed out, flexing her fingers in front of her. "I've used my Quirk more times in these few hours than I have my whole life."
"Are you still able to keep going? I know using a Quirk over and over like that has a heavy toll on your body," Izuku asked in concern, wiping his forehead of sweat. He had been able to claim Koppa Tengu as his newest Persona from the fight, but it was a long, drawn-out negotiation after a grueling fight.
"I'm fine, thanks. I can keep going for now," Makoto reassured.
"Plus, we shouldn't have much to go before the map cuts off. We should explore just a bit further to see if we can get the second half of this one," Morgana suggested. Seeing the others nod in agreement, Izuku nodded back.
Makoto let the others walk ahead of her, trying to steady her trembling arms while no one was watching.
T-This is no big deal. I can keep fighting. I have to. She told herself, taking a tired breath before putting on a confident mask and following the others.
They continued into the next hall, looking around to see the aesthetic had changed from deep blue to almost garishly glittering gold. As they pressed on, they looked around to see a more open loft surrounding them. To their left was a small indoor pond lit with a yellow hue, furnished trees lining the edges. On their right, blue and yellow stained glass lined the walls with the exception of the opening at the center.
"Whoa, what's up with this place?" Ann wondered aloud as the group moved to the new open area. Ahead of them was a set of blue Japanese-style sliding doors mounted in front of a tall golden section some ways ahead of them. "It's even gaudier than everything else we've seen so far."
"Considering the design of a Palace, there's no doubt that something important is hidden that way," said Morgana. "I don't feel the Treasure's presence, but it's no doubt something he doesn't want anyone to know about."
"Well, let's go find out!" Ryuji said. With that, the five continued forward. The sliding doors drew back as they approached, revealing several layers of doors behind the first Once they reached the end of it, the group came to a sudden halt at the new sight before them.
A new set of security lasers blocked off the next area. These were bright enough to see even without Izuku's Third Eye. Electricity streamed across them periodically as if to warn intruders to stay out.
"Whoa, what the hell?!" Ryuji blurted, looking for any sort of way around them.
"These are the security lasers? They look completely different than the ones from before," Ann said, eyeing them all curiously.
Morgana's gaze narrowed. "This is just only further proof that there's something worth protecting past here."
"Hey, over here," Makoto called out, her attention drawn to a sign standing close by. "'All security personnel: this door can only be opened from the security room that lies beyond it. Please be cautious, as it cannot be opened from the outside'."
"Wait, what?! Then how're we supposed to get inside?!" Ryuji asked in panic.
"Hold on… I've seen that door's design before…" Morgana muttered before realization dawned on his face. "Oh, right! I remember seeing that door before in Madarame's shack! Come on, let's head back."
"Huh? What does the door in the real world have to do with this one?" Izuku asked.
"I'll explain once we're in a safe area. Let's fall back so we can plan our next move," Morgana suggested. Izuku looked over at Ryuji and Ann in wonder. Shrugging, the three began to follow the cat back out.
"W-Wait, that's it?"
Izuku paused and looked back at Makoto, the third-year student was still standing by the lasers.
"Just for now. If Morgana-san has a way we can get past, then we should see what he has to say."
"B-But shouldn't we at least try to get past on our own first?" Makoto asked. The others stopped in their tracks to gaze back at her. "M-Maybe I can absorb the electricity in some of the security systems long enough to open a way forward and then you all can use your Personas to smash the door down!"
"That's too risky. We might end up bringing a whole lot of Shadows down on us that way," Izuku said. He gazed over at the translucent blue doors emblazoned with a golden peacock feather design. "Even if we get past the lasers, smashing a door like that will cause a lot of noise."
"He's right, Queen. And considering that this door is likely protected by Madarame's cognition, muscling our way through likely isn't a possibility," Morgana pointed out. Makoto opened her mouth, looking around at the group before sighing.
"I… I understand," Makoto nodded quietly. Izuku could hear the dejection in her voice, but beckoned her to follow.
"Come on, we shouldn't linger! This area isn't safe," Morgana called out, pulling his attention forward. Realizing that he was right, Izuku decided to hold onto the thought.
"Come on, Queen. Let's-"
*BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEP*
Sirens blared as all the lights in the room turned red. Izuku and the others snapped their heads back toward the lasers. Makoto stood there, eyes widening in horror as her hand drew away from the security system.
"D-Dude, what happened?!" Ryuji exclaimed, the others looking around in fear.
"I-I'm sorry, I-I just reached out to touch the security bars, but it-it went off even though I didn't touch the lasers!" Makoto explained, turning to Izuku in a panic.
"S-Shoot, we have to…" Izuku began, eyes bulging as he saw a black ooze exploded just feet behind Makoto. "K-Koto-san, behind you!"
"What?"
Makoto turned just in time to see a giant white hand yank her backward and press her into the ground face-first. The Shadow that formed behind her was taller than Carter, its body blocky and angular as though it was an elaborate piece of origami. It wore a crescent crown on its expressionless face. A five-point star drawn on top of its head.
"You intruders have gotten far enough!" The Shadow growled. It pressed Makoto harder into the ground and made her cry out in pain.
"Get away from her!" Izuku growled, stepping forward and preparing to draw his mask off. Before he could get close, black ooze erupted in three places around him and the others. Three Koppa Tengu rose out of the muck, surrounding the rest of the Thieves and blocking their path.
"Get the hell outta our way!" Ryuji gripped his spiked bat tighter.
"You're all going to be judged by the magnificent Madarame! Don't resist!"
"G-Guys… don't…" Makoto coughed out as the Shadow continued to press her into the ground.
"D-Don't worry, Koto-san! We'll be there in just a second!" Izuku's teeth were grinding against each other as he summoned Carter to his side. "I'll blast through-"
"Don't bother!"
Izuku and the others froze, looking back down at Makoto. Tears trailed down her cheeks, her hands trembling against the ground.
"This… This is my fault…" Makoto choked out, her fingers digging into the carpet. "I… I was just so…"
"F-Forget about that for now! We'll get to you!" Carter's fist was already glowing as Izuku reared his own back.
It might drain me, but it'll be worth it if I can clear a path and kill the Shadow before it does any more harm!
"I was so desperate to be useful that I… acted against my better judgment…"
Izuku's heart sank, his attack coming to a grinding halt as his friend poured her heart out.
"I… I've always done what others ask of me… hoping that I can… prove my worth. Prove I'm not useless!" Makoto dug her face into the ground. "I-I thought that… that by helping you all, that I… I was finally being useful, but I'm… I'm not even useless. Whether it's you or my sister, I'm… I'm just a liability…"
"K-Koto-san…"
"Hahahahaha~!" the Shadow cackled. It leaned its head closer to hers. "At least you know your place, intruder! But if you want to be useful to someone, why don't you make your partners lower their weapons? Otherwise, they'll have to suffer consequences of bringing along someone so useless." It pressed down on her even harder. She could feel her bones creaking under the strain. "I'm sure I'd be doing them a favor, but they seem to care either way."
"I-I… I won't…" Makoto grated out painfully, struggling to breathe under the pressure.
"Koto-san… You…" Izuku began, dragging her fading vision back up to him. Izuku's fists trembled at his side and furious tears streamed down his cheeks.
(My Hero Academia S2 OST: From Me to You)
"What… What are you doing?!" ge snapped. His bewildered teammates all all turned him. "You're the one who encouraged me to keep trying! Don't you… don't you remember what you told me?!
Makoto felt a wave of nostalgia hit her, distracting from the pain.
What I… told him?
Makoto saw herself sitting on the swing sets in the park next to Izuku. Both were covered in cuts, scrapes and dirt from their latest tussle with Bakugou and his lackeys.
"H-Hey… Koto-san…"
"Hm? What is it Midori?"
Tears were already leaking from the corners of his eyes. "You know that I… I don't have a Quirk, right?"
"Well… yeah, but that's okay. It might-"
"It won't. I… I can't have a Quirk. Ever!" Any semblance of composure collapsed as he descended into hysterical sobbing. "A-And t-the doctor s-said th-that I should just give up! That I c-can't be a H-Hero! Not even m-my m-mom thinks I can!"
Makoto's eyes fell on the green-haired boy next to her. Izuku's crying fits were nothing new, but he seemed to be in physical pain as he clutched the part of his chest above his heart.
"M-Midori…"
"C-Can I… without a Quirk, can I…" Izuku's trembling gaze trailed back up to Makoto. "Can I still be a Hero?"
Makoto frowned in sympathy, gaze falling to her feet. A silence followed the question. Izuku bit his bottom lip, looking away from Makoto as he gave up hope on the answer.
"I don't know…" Makoto finally said, eyes meeting with Izuku's again as she spoke. "But… will you know if you let that stop you?"
"H-Huh?"
"Becoming a hero without a Quirk… it does sound hard. I won't lie," Makoto said honestly, standing up from her seat. "But… if you give up before you even try, how will you find out?"
"B-But… But-"
"My papa told me something: you only need one person's approval to be who you want to be. Yours!" Makoto declared, giving a confident grin. "So what if a doctor or even your mom says you can't be a Hero? You just have to prove it to yourself, don't you?"
"Even… without a Quirk?"
"Yeah! Give it your best shot! Prove it to yourself instead of trying to prove it to them! After all, isn't that what going Plus Ultra is?"
"K-Koto…san…" Even more tears welled up in his eyes that soon cascaded on either side of him. "Th-Thank you!"
"Hey, hey! Don't cry harder, you big baby." She pulled the younger boy into a hug, letting his grateful sobs soak her shirt.
Prove it… to myself. That's right… that's what dad told me.
"Quiet! Anymore and I'll crush this intruder where she lays!" the Shadow roared in anger before looking down at Makoto. "Now do as you're told and tell them to drop their weapons! Like a good little girl."
"I… I've… I've been doing what I'm told…"
(Persona 5 OST: Awakening)
A gale burst from beneath her body, who dropped her and recoiled at the unexplained force. It was almost as if a small storm was circling her body as she pushed herself off the ground as if she hadn't been harmed at all.
"I… I am sick of it. Sick of doing everything I'm told… I'm sick of lying to myself and trying to please others."
"Is she…" Izuku mumbled, a small smile spreading across his lips.
"I think she is…" Morgana smirked.
"Hell yeah," Ryuji chuckled.
"It's about time," said Ann. The four quickly touched their masks, summoning their Personas as they awaited Makoto's own.
"So shut your damn mouth, you monster! Because I'm not bending to your will or anyone else's!"
Have you decided to tread the path of strife..?
"Yes… come to me!" The words came almost naturally.
Very well. Let us proceed with the contract at once.
Makoto's eyes burned gold and her head began to feel like it would split in two. She screamed in agony, gripping her forehead.
I am thou. Thou art I...
You have finally found your justice...
Please… Never lose sight of it again.
Makoto took a heavy step forward, fragmenting the tile underfoot. A flash of blue materialized a pointed metal mask on her face.
This memorable day marks the graduation from your false self…
She knew immediately what she had to do. Makoto gripped the edges of the mask on her face. With a single, painful tug, Makoto ripped it off, her bloodcurdling scream echoing through the halls of the museum. But in that instant, blue flame erupted all around her. Izuku and the others covered their eyes, blinded by the furious blue light. As it started to fade, Izuku and the others lowered their arms, their jaws slackening as they took in the scene before them.
Makoto's Persona was nothing like they pictured it would be. She sat atop a silver and chrome-plated motorcycle that was armored in the front and back. The exhaust ports took the form of vents in the front rather than the back. A serene, maiden-like face encased in blue glass sat atop the front wheel. A few revs of the handle brought the engine roaring to life, the wheels spinning and ready to grind Makoto's foes into paste.
"I will never lose heart again. I'll go full throttle, straight ahead! Right, Johanna?!"
To be continued…
Thanks as always goes to my beta read reppuzan who has been working hard constantly with many different projects as well as this!
Hooo boy, what a chapter. That was certainly a lot to put in. What's funny is that it's actually not as long as I was expecting it to be, word count wise at least.
Basically, I've stuffed this chapter with two CL progressions AND finished off the first half of the Madarame Palace. Not to mention I've finally awakened Makoto's Persona.
I realize that the Kamoshida arc seemed to drag on for some, but there was a reason behind that. Izuku and the others were getting established as a group as well as getting into deeper detail as to what is pertained within a Palace. I was building up characters and their relationships, stakes and determining the building blocks for the story.
Now that all of those finer details are dealt with, I'm finally able to move this arc along at a much greater pace. The stakes are lower, and this is nowhere near as personal for the group as it was for them in the first arc. Of course, that's not including Yusuke, but even his moments are much shorter by comparison.
One last thing I want to address before finishing up is the little speech that Makoto gave Izuku when they were children. I'm aware that the idea of Izuku becoming a Hero despite being Quirkless is still a very dangerous path to take and doesn't really line up with what All Might told Izuku. But you have to remember that they were kids, and their innocence of the world around them was still intact. Makoto hadn't lost her father yet, so they were still both infatuated by the romanticized idea of Heroes at the time. In a world like theirs, would it be so hard to believe that even someone Quirkless might be able to be a Hero? While reality kicks in later, this also works as part of why Izuku was as fit as he was at the beginning of this story. Makoto's words stuck with him, and he was still going after his dream. To at least prove to himself whether or not he could do it.
Oh and on a smaller note, what I did with Makoto this chapter, with her learning smaller details as they went, I won't do with the other members unless it's something the whole group is unaware of. This was more for her case because of her special circumstance in the team.
But anyways, I hope you all liked the chapter. I hope that this doesn't feel too rushed for anyone, considering the difference between the arcs. Please be sure to leave a follow, a favorite, and a review if you'd be so kind! Later! :)