5/18/20XX
Sunday: Evening
Shadow Madarame's Palace

With the calling card sent, the Thieves went straight to Madarame's Palace and hurried to the treasure room. "Okay. Let's review the plan one more time." Imp said. "The treasure is protected by a security system. Madarame and a bunch of guards are all around it, so we only have one way to approach it: From directly above with one of the loading hooks. Since my curse can allow me to be very light, I'll be the one to steal the treasure."

"Maiden and I will be right next to the hook supporting you while Samurai operates the crane." Fox added.

"Warrior will be on lookout for Samurai while she's operating the crane." Echo added. "Meanwhile, Skull and I will handle the guard in the security room and then shut off the power."

"As long as we all know what we need to do, we should be in and out before Madarame can even tell what happened." Skull said.

"Alright team. Let's steal that treasure dess!" Imp cheered.

"Right!" Everyone replied.

Everyone quickly got into their assigned positions. Maiden and Fox helped Imp get securely tied to the loading hook while Warrior kept watch at the door leading to the room herself and Samurai were in.

As for Skull and Echo... "So, what should we do about the guard?" Echo asked.

"I'm gonna try and draw it out. Then the switch is all yours!" Skull said.

"You sure you won't get caught?" Echo asked.

"As an ex-runner yourself, you should know better than anyone not to underestimate what we're capable of." Skull said with a smirk.

"I guess you've got a point there." Echo said, getting away from the door and hiding behind the potted bamboo tree nearby. "Good luck."

Skull chuckled before he pounded on the door. "Hey! There's some weird people over here! Hey, I need some help!" He shouted in a deeper tone than usual before running away.

"What?! Where?!" The shadow guarding the security room asked, running after Skull.

Once Echo was sure that the coast was clear, she got up and walked into the security room. "You better not get caught..."

Back up on the hook, Fox and Maiden finish tying Imp to the hook. "Is this good?" Maiden asked.

"Let's find out." Imp said as they stepped off of the support beam the three of them were standing on, letting the rope be the only thing and part of her body was touching as she dangled high above the treasure. "It's perfect dess!"

"...You seem to be enjoying this." Fox said.

Imp chuckled pridefully. "Only the best can appreciate moments like this dess. That, and this makes it feel like we're really phantom thieves!"

"We're counting on you, Imp." Maiden replied. "As well as Echo."

"Speaking of her..."

Looking out the window of the security room, Echo saw Fox wave to her from above. "There's the signal." Echo said to herself. "Alright, here goes!"

Echo pushed a button on the panel in front of her, causing the whole room to go dark. Seeing this, Madarame and his guards were shocked. "What's this? What happened?" Madarame questioned, completely unaware of Imp lowering towards him. "What are you fools doing?! Get the lights back on, now!"

Seconds later, the lights flashed back on. However, the guards were quick to notice something was wrong. "Lord Madarame! T-The piece!" One of the guards gasped in panic.

"What?" Confused, Madarame turns around to look at his well protected treasure, and to his surprise, it was gone. The twisted artist became furious. "Lock all the doors at once! Don't let any of those thieves get out of here alive!"

11/20/20XX
Interrogation Room

"So that was how you managed to steal Madarame's 'Treasure'." Maria said. "And after that, he had a change of heart?"

Miku was hesitant to answer. "...Not quite..."

Maria was confused. "What do you mean 'not quite'? Did something happen after you stole the treasure?"

5/18/20XX
Sunday: Evening
Shadow Madarame's Palace

Escaping the treasure room with ease, the Phantom Thieves kept running for the exit of the palace. That is, until they felt that something was off... "They're not following us." Warrior stated.

"Does that mean we're in the clear?" Maiden asked.

Hearing this, Imp began to shake. "Well... If that's the case..."

"Crap, she's gettin' excited again!" Skull said with concern.

"This is normal for her after heists?" Samurai asked.

"Well, we've only really done the one with Kamoshida, so..."

"For the moment, yes, it's normal." Echo said, finishing Warrior's sentence.

"I can't take it anymore!" Imp shouted as she placed the wrapped treasure on the ground. "I've gotta see what it looks like! TREASURE DESS!"

Imp carelessly ripped the cover off of the treasure to take a look at it. However, once she did, her excitement turned into shock as the thieves all looked to see a basic painting of a face. "This is the Treasure?!" Skull gasped.

Everyone was confused by the painting. Except for Echo, whose attention was quickly directed towards a bright light approaching the group. "Look out!"

Everyone quickly dodged out of the way of a fireball that came out of nowhere and disintegrated the false painting. Once the smoke from said fireball dissipated, the group looked in the direction the attack came from and saw Madarame with two of his shadow guards, one of which had a golden frame in their hands.

"Meddlesome vermin..." Madarame said callously as he looked over to the shadow holding the frame. "Is this what you're looking for?"

"So you had a fake prepped, huh?" Skull asked.

"Counterfeits are accepted in the world of Japanese art." Madarame retorted.

"To speak of counterfeits with so little shame..." Samurai scoffed.

"What made you change like this?! Is it because you became famous?" Fox asked. "Can't you understand how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father?!"

Madarame looked at Fox. "Now that I think back, the only reason why I took you in was due to my ties with your mother." He said. "That woman never lost her passion for painting even after her husband died. Her skills and talents were quite astonishing... That's why I decided to look after her. Your mother, and the artwork she created, are all my works of art!"

"Just how low can you sink?" Maiden asked.

"I suppose I can grant you a glimpse before you die." Madarame said. "A glimpse at the hidden treasure you were after... The first painting that built up my fame and influence: The genuine 'Sayuri'!"

With a nod from Madarame, the shadow guard held up the painting he was holding, and it shocked everyone. "That's... The real 'Sayuri'?" Fox said, shocked by what he was seeing. "This can't be... Mom!"

"Huh?!" Warrior and Skull both gasped.

"Indeed it is. This was painted by your mother. It's a self-portrait." Madarame explained to Fox. "A woman who knew her death was coming painted her last wishes, for the son she would leave behind. That is the truth behind the mystery of 'Sayuri''s expression!"

"Kitagawa..." Samurai said to herself.

"You stole something that personal?!" Echo asked.

"I knew at first glance." Madarame continued. "I knew it'd be a huge success if I added a touch to the painting and announced it under my name!"

"But the baby in the picture... Why did you paint over it?" Fox asked.

Madarame smirked. "It was all to stage it. If the babe is erased, the reason for the woman's expression will become a mystery!" He explained. "That is what the general public is drawn to! Each of those parasitic critics wrote the same thing!"

"Now it all suddenly makes sense... If you really treasured that painting, you wouldn't have even thought once about replicating it for profit!" Echo says.

"I might not know a lot about art, but even I can see how low something like that is!" Warrior added. "Unlike all of the pupils that came to you to become better... You don't love art at all!"

"You may have a real Treasure, but your true skills are nothing more than the scribbles on that fake dess!" Imp said.

"It makes me laugh, asshole!" Skull mocked.

"So you'll defy me no matter what..." Madarame scoffed. "Well then, since you're my work of art, Yusuke, I'm going to reap you for the sake of my future... Along with those insolent friends of yours there."

"To treat both mother and son as if they were mere objects..." Samurai scoffed, before looking over at Yusuke who had gone quiet. "Fox?"

"I've heard that you destroy your 'art' once they outlive their usefulness... Did that include my mother as well?" Fox asked, shocking the thieves.

Madarame, however, grinned at the question. "She just so happened to have a seizure right in front of me. At that moment, a thought crossed my mind... If I don't call for help and leave her be, I could obtain her painting without any strings attached."

"No... You let her die?!" Maiden gasped, echoing the thoughts of every member of the Phantom Thieves.

"I kept you around so you wouldn't realize the truth behind 'Sayuri'." Madarame continued. "Your artistic talents were an unexpected blessing, though."

"You killed her..." Fox growled.

"But thanks to your talents, it gave me an idea." Madarame said. "If I'm to steal ideas, it's much easier to rob the future of brats who won't talk back than adults. You have my gratitude for that, Yusuke!"

All of the Phantom Thieves were angered by this. All of them, except Fox, who startled to chuckle. "Kitagawa?" Samurai asked Fox, who only responded by laughing louder, turning the thieves' anger into concern for their teammate.

"...I thank you, Madarame... Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a trace at this very moment!" Fox said. "You aren't some rotten artist... You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist!"

Madarame was angered by Fox's words. "All you good-for-nothings... Barging into my museum and doing whatever the hell you want..." Suddenly, the room around them started turning red as a red and black pool emerged beneath Madarame's feet. "Those who have the connections make the rules; those who don't, follow them!"

"Be careful dess!" Imp warned the group. "Here it comes!"

"I make the rules in the art world! I am the supreme being!" Madarame shouted as he became engulfed in shadow. "I am the god of the art world!"

The shadow around Madarame burst open, revealing four giant floating paintings of the con artist's eyes, nose, and mouth. "I'll paint all over you!"

"Rend them asunder, Baiken!" Samurai shouted as she summoned her Persona to slash at the paintings with her blazing blade. Baiken's attack wounded the paintings, but all of the damage they caused was quickly healed. "What?!"

"ORYAAAA!" Warrior shouted as she charged ahead and punched the mouth painting, knocking it backwards. Unfortunately, it resulted in the same outcome as Samurai's slash: the mouth healed itself before laughing at the attempt. "It didn't work?!"

The paintings retaliated while the thieves were in shock. Samurai was blasted away with an attack from one of the eyes while the mouth spat out an ooze of black paint at Warrior, which Maiden threw one of her chakrams at in order to deflect the attack. While the chakram dealt with a majority of the paint, some splotches still ended up landing on Warrior's clothes.

"Are you alright?" Maiden asked.

"Yeah. I'm oka- w-woah!" Warrior replied before suddenly falling to her knees.

"What's happening?" Maiden asked with more concern than before.

"I... I don't know..." Warrior said. "I feel weak..."

"His attack saps our strength!" Imp realized. "Everyone! Don't get hit by that paint dess!"

With Imp's warning, everyone does what they can to avoid the barrage that the mouth painting was letting out. "You like that? Here, have some more!" Madarame laughed.

"His cognition covers things with paint. Because of that, Madarame is convinced he can control anyone!" Imp stated.

"We're getting nowhere like this!" Fox commented as he continued to avoid cover.

"There has to be something we can do to stop this..." Echo thought as they ducked for cover. As she did, however, she found something interesting. "Is that..."

"The same stuff Madarame is using on us dess?!" Imp asked as she noticed what Echo had found: buckets of black paint. "If we can find a way to use it on him, we can end this!"

"Kitagawa and I can handle this." Samurai said, with Fox nodding in agreement.

Echo gave them a smirk. "I'm counting on you two."

Finally ending his barrage, Madarame laughed at the thieves. "What's wrong? Giving up already?" He taunted.

However, they were far from done as Echo, Skull, Imp, and Maiden regrouped and charged right at the paintings that made up Madarame's face. Seeing this, the eyes let out another blast to knock them back, but the thieves were ready for this.

To counter, Skull shot at the right eye with his shotgun, Maiden threw her chakrams at the left eye, and Echo and Imp stuck at the paintings with their dagger and scythe. But much like before, it ultimately did nothing to the paintings as he knocked Echo into skull and blasted away Imp and Maiden. "Is that really your best?!" Madarame taunted once again. "Time to finish you off!"

"No! You're the one who's finished, Madarame!" Samurai shouted as she and Fox ran towards Madarame's paintings from either side and covered them in black paint.

"My strength... It's fading..." Madarame said.

"Alright!" Miku said, taking the opening the artists of the phantom thieves had given them to summon one of her newer personas. "Come, Leanan Sidhe!" Echo summoned a persona that took the form of a fairy woman with long blonde hair that was wearing a long purple dress. The fairy woman pointed her hand towards the Madarame paintings and shot out multiple fireballs that made Madarame reel in pain.

Seeing this, the other thieves summoned their personas to follow up the attack, with Warrior returning to the fray alongside them.

"Van Brunt!"

"Captain Kidd!"

"Xena!"

"Kazama!"

With the attacks from the other thieves' personas, the Madarame paintings clattered to the ground and sunk into a pool of ink that emerged soon after. Moments later, a wounded Madarame emerged from the ink. "You vermin... I'm the great Madarame! The Madarame who gathers a full crowd every time he opens an exhibit! " He shouted. "I'm not someone that worthless brats like you are allowed to defy!"

"Enough of your egotistic ranting!" Fox retorted. "It's time that you are brought to justice for the sake of all those you've preyed upon!"

Madarame grimaced. "I'm the great artist, Madarame! If you brats can't fathom that... Then you'll witness it for yourselves!" He shouted as four pools of ink emerged beside him. "Behold my master craft!"

Suddenly, the sky darkened as four pillars of light emerged, revealing four alternate copies of himself surrounded by four different elements. "He made copies of himself?!" Imp gasped. "I see. Creating duplicates is his specialty!"

Without hesitation, the copies let out blasts of lightning, fire, ice, and wind attacks at the thieves. "We need to deal with the copies if we're going to have any chance of taking down the original!" Samurai stated.

Immediately, the thieves do their best to fight the copies, struggling to find a way to deal with them... That is, until Imp manages to deal a major blow to the one that was surrounded by ice with her persona. "Wait a minute... How did I not realize this sooner dess? Everyone! Their weaknesses are the same as normal shadows!"

Echo gasped as she had come to the same conclusion as well. "Alright. Skull, you and Warrior deal with the wind copy. Samurai, you and Imp deal with the ice copy. I'll assist both Fox and Maiden with the fire and lightning copies."

"Got it!" Everyone said, fighting the copies they were strongest against, with Echo helping Fox and Maiden with two new personas: A white elf with blue jester-like clothes that could cast ice magic and a winged humanoid creature wearing a mask that could cast wind magic.

With their teamwork, the copies were dealt with, which annoyed Madarame. "Stop this... Is this how you show your gratitude to the man who raised you?!" Madarame asked.

"Silence!" Fox retorted coldly. "Don't waste your breath!"

"Tch..." Madarame scowled as he created more copies of himself, driving them forward to deal with the thieves once again, but they were dealt with quicker than the last batch. "Dammit! Dammit!"

Madarame kept creating copies of himself, sometimes making more than four, other times making more of one element than others, but each time, the copies were dealt with. However, when he made the next batch of copies, they all came out with various deformities or looked as though they were worse for wear than Madarame himself.

"Wait, did he just..."

"What?!" Madarame gasped. "I, the great Madarame... Made an error?!"

"So this is the true limit of your skill..." Fox scoffed. "To think you'd fail to produce even one of your counterfeits... Please, don't disappoint me any further!"

Madarame continued to send his greatly weakening copies to their deaths at the thieves' hands until he could barely muster the strength to produce anymore copies. "Stop it, you brats... Or else!"

"You really think we'll be daunted by such threats?" Samurai retorted. "It's time to end this! Fox!"

"Right behind you, Senpai!" Fox said as he and Samurai summoned their personas for one final attack.

"Baiken!"

"Goemon!"

The personas cast their fire and ice spells at the main Madarame, disorienting him and leaving him open to a combined strike from the duo of artists.

"Madarame!"

The strike connects, knocking Madarame flat on his back. With what little energy he had left, he crawled over to the true 'Sayuri' and held it close to himself. However, while he was doing this, Fox was looming over him. "W-Wait! I'm a victim, too!" Madarame pleaded. "No one cares about true art. All they want are easily recognizable brands!"

"Excuses now?" Skull said aloud.

"Yusuke, You and Tsubasa understand, right? Being a poor artist is truly miserable." Madarame said, continuing his excuses. "I'm sure you can-"

"It's all over for you. Along with this wretched world!" Fox interrupted, grabbing Madarame by the robes. "A fiend like you has no right to speak about the world of art!"

Madarame began to panic. "N-No, please! Don't kill me!"

Fox tossed Madarame to the floor. "Return to your real self and confess your crimes... All of them!"

"Y-You're not going to kill me?" Madarame asked.

"Swear it!" Fox shouted, ignoring Madarame's question.

"A-Alright... Alright!" Madarame replied in a panicked tone. "Wh-What about the other one though? The one with the black mask?"

The question confused all of the Phantom Thieves. "Who?" Echo asked.

"A black mask?" Warrior wondered. "Wait, who's he talking about?"

"Hold on... There was someone other than us within this Palace?!" Imp gasped.

While their thoughts had now turned to the mysterious black masked intruder, they were brought back to the scene in front of them as the ground started to shake. "There's no time!" Skull shouted. "We need to get out of here!"

Quickly, Imp summoned the vehicle the thieves use in Mementos. "Everyone, get in dess!"

"Samurai! Fox!" Echo called out to the artist duo, who nodded as they walked over to the car, with Fox taking Madarame's Treasure from his grasp.

"W-Wait, Yusuke!" Madarame begged, which made Fox stop walking. "What should I do now?"

Fox glanced at his former mentor. "...Put an end to all of this and use your own artwork for once." With that said, Fox joined the other thieves in the car and drove away from the collapsing Palace, listening to Madarame's cries as they left.

5/19/20XX
Monday: Early Morning
Shibuya

The next day, a broadcast played on the screens over Shibuya central. It was a press conference of Madarame, and he was crying. "I... I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist."

"What's that?" A male passerby asked. "Is that geezer crying?"

"Is this the news?" A female passerby asked, just as curious.

"Plainly put... I, um... plagiarized work... I tainted this country's art world... and even 'Sayuri'..."Madarame continued. "How could I possibly apologize to... to everyone for what I've done..."

Past that point, Madarame was a babbling mess and the broadcast went back to an anchorwoman. "As you saw, this was from a conference where Madarame admitted to the abuse of his pupils and plagiarizing. The police have begun an investigation into the matter." The woman said. "He also admitted to the theft of 'Sayuri', his most well-known piece, as part of a fraudulent ruse. Reportedly, individuals identifying themselves as 'Phantom Thieves' posted a strange statement all over Mr. Madarame's exhibit. The police have stated that they are looking into any possible connection between the two incidents."

"Phantom Thieves, huh?" Akechi asked aloud.

"First a school gym teacher, now a world-renowned artist." A woman with long blonde hair walking with Akechi said. "What's next? A politician with ties to the Mafia?"

Meanwhile, Makoto and Serena were also passing through Shibuya when the new broadcast was happening. "The Phantom Thieves again..." Makoto said.

"So Kamoshida wasn't their only target?" Serena thought aloud. "But why did they go after him of all people?"

5/19/20XX
Monday: After School
Thieves' Hideout

Following the broadcast, the Phantom Thieves went about their normal school routines with plans to meet up after school at their hideout. "Ain't this just the best?" Ryuji chuckled. "We're famous and we changed Madarame's heart!"

"And Kitagawa was able to reclaim what was rightfully his, the true 'Sayuri'." Tsubasa added.

"Yes. But now I know how my mother felt." Yusuke said, holding the painting close to himself. "I was moved when I first saw this painting, and that feeling was no mistake. I'm grateful to all of you."

"So, we're gonna go after our next big catch. What about you two?" Ryuji asked Tsubasa and Yusuke.

"Why do you ask?" Yusuke asked in response.

"Well, now that Madarame's been dealt with, I wanna know what you two plan to do now." Ryuji answers.

"I asked before to let me join you, and I have no reason to abandon the Phantom Thieves." Yusuke said.

"The same can be said for me." Tsubasa added. "I believe I only have more to gain by staying as a member of the Phantom Thieves, both as an artist, and as a person."

"Regardless of your reasons, I'm glad that you two will stay with us!" Miku said.

"However, I must state that I won't participate in any plans that are inelegant." Yusuke stated.

"I can assure you that inelegance won't be an issue with our team." Miku chuckled.

"Plus, we always unanimously choose a target, so there's no need to worry about going after someone you don't want to dess." Kirika added.

"Again, I look forward to working with you all." Tsubasa said, shaking Miku's hand.

"Moreover, if we investigate these Palaces, it may expand my artistic repertoire." Yusuke thought aloud.

"You really only think about art, huh?" Ryuji sighed.

"By the way, Yusuke, Tsubasa, I've been meaning to ask... What's with the luggage?" Hibiki asked.

"We've left that house." Yusuke answered. "I'm sure I speak for both of us in saying that I can't draw in such a place anymore."

"I don't blame ya for that..." Ryuji said.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Shirabe asked.

"Actually, yes." Tsubasa answered. "I made a call to my uncle in Yongen-Jaya this morning and asked if we could stay with him until we're up on our feet again. Thankfully, he was able to spare us some rooms at his home."

"That's a relief." Miku said. "But wait, who's your uncle?"

"Well, we're actually supposed to meet with him at his work later today. You're more than happy to join us if you want." Tsubasa said.

"Works for me!" Ryuji said. "Besides, after we meet up with your uncle, we can celebrate changin' Madarame's heart."

"Good idea! Not to mention we can have it be a welcome party for them joining the Phantom Thieves as well!" Hibiki added. "I know just the place, too!"

"Would that be alright with you two?" Miku asks.

"I don't see why not." Tsubasa answered. "Kitagawa?"

"It works for me as well." Yusuke replied.

"Well? What're we standin' around here for? Let's go meet your uncle, Tsubasa!" Ryuji cheered.

"Very well. Let's get going." Tsubasa said, as she led everyone out of the hideout and down to the train station.

Monday: Evening
Yongen-Jaya

Following Tsubasa, the Thieves started to recognize where Tsubasa was heading, and once she stopped walking, the original Thieves, especially Hibiki and Miku, started to realize something. "Hey, Miku, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hibiki whispered to Miku.

"Yeah." Miku replied. "We may have met Tsubasa's uncle before."

As they talked amongst themselves, Tsubasa walked up to the door of C.A.F.F.E. Café and knocked on the door.

"Hold on!" Ryuji shouted. "Tsubasa, does your uncle own this place?"

"Yes." Tsubasa answered. "Why do you ask?"

Before Ryuji could answer, the door to the Café opened, revealing Genjuro Kazanari, who was overjoyed to see Tsubasa. "Tsubasa! It's so great to see you in person again!" Genjuro cheered.

"Hello, Uncle. It's great to see you too!" Tsubasa said with a smile.

After they gave each other a hug, Genjuro was quick to notice the others. "Are these your friends, Tsubasa?" He asked.

"Yes." Tsubasa answered. "This is Yusuke Kitagawa, my Kouhai at Kosei that I told you about over the phone."

Yusuke stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for allowing Senpai and myself to stay at your residence for the moment." He said. "You have my word that I shall repay your kindness tenfold in the near future."

Genjuro chuckled at Yusuke's gratitude. "There's no need for you to owe me anything, Yusuke-kun. I'm more than happy to help anyone who's friends with my niece." He replied. "And that goes for you five as well. Although, I'm pretty sure some of you know my kindness firsthand."

"Sure do, Master!" Hibiki chuckled.

"Hold on. You know my uncle, Tachibana?" Tsubasa asked.

"Yeah!" Hibiki answered. "Kanade-Senpai recommended him to me as a martial arts teacher and I've been his pupil ever since."

"That, and she helps out here at the Café from time to time." Genjuro added. "You remember how I mentioned having a pupil who worked part-time here? That part-timer is Hibiki-kun."

Tsubasa was still surprised by the fact the Thieves knew her uncle already, but smiled when she heard who Hibiki was to Genjuro. "I was wondering when I would get to meet this part-timer you spoke so highly of." Tsubasa said.

"And I've always wondered what Master's awesome niece that he would talk about sometimes was like, too!" Hibiki replied. "Seems like we were meant to meet up one way or another, huh?"

"It would seem so." Tsubasa chuckled.

"So, Tsubasa, are you and Yusuke-kun ready to go?" Genjuro asked.

"Actually, my friends and I were about to get something for dinner before we settled in at your residence." Tsubasa said.

"Funny enough, I was gonna recommend eating here at the Café, that is, if you're still open, Master." Hibiki added.

"Well, it is technically closing time, but for my niece and her friends, I'm willing to fill out one final order." Genjuro said. "After all, there was a surplus of ingredients for some of the dishes on our menu, so that helps ensure the ingredients don't go to waste. And while you and your friends eat, I'll take your things back to my house so you all can have some privacy. "

"Thank you, Uncle." Tsubasa said.

"You're welcome, Tsubasa." Genjuro replied. "Now, come inside so I can prepare you all some of C.A.F.F.E. Café's finest meals!"

True to his word, Genjuro prepared several dishes on his Café's menu, which left the thieves in awe to look at all the food on display. "Thank you so much for this, Master!" Hibiki cheered.

"If anything, I feel guilty having all of this for free." Ryuji added.

"Please, there's no need to feel bad. You can pay me back by cleaning the dishes after you're all done." Genjuro replied.

"Of course, Genjuro-san." Miku said.

"Thank you for the meal!"

Without wasting any more time, the thieves started to eat the food Genjuro made for them, a sight that made Genjuro very happy. "Well, I'll let you all have some privacy now. Tsubasa, just call me once you and Yusuke-kun are ready to head out."

"I'll be sure to do that. Thank you again, Uncle." Tsubasa replied, getting a thumbs up from Genjuro as he took both her and Yusuke's luggage with him.

Minutes later, the literal buffet that Genjuro had prepared for the thieves had been nearly halved from what it started out as. "Ugh... I don't think I can eat another bite..." Ryuji groaned.

"But we still haven't had dessert." Yusuke said.

"We can save it for next time." Ryuji replied, before looking over to see Hibiki finishing off what was left of the remainder of the food as if it were her first serving. "You're still eating?!"

"Master made this special for us. I wouldn't want his work to go to waste." Hibiki said.

"Seriously?"

"Trust me, Ryuji. Hibiki is not one to leave leftovers when she's given food." Miku added. "Especially when it's given to her by someone she trusts."

Eventually, the thieves (mainly Hibiki) finished the rest of the food Genjuro had prepared for them. Seeing as the majority of the thieves were too tired from how much they ate, Miku and Hibiki decided to wash the dishes for everyone.

"Your uncle is very kind for doing this, Tsubasa." Shirabe said.

"You can say that again!" Hibiki added. "Master's the best!"

"He really is." Tsubasa agreed. "Even when I was little, he would always do things like this for me when father and I would visit him. We were pretty much a test run for what you see here."

"Even the action movie and comic rental idea?" Kirika asked.

"Well, no. I'm pretty sure that aspect comes from his personal interests." Tsubasa answers. "I'm honestly still surprised that he has been able to learn martial arts thanks to it, doubly so for the fact he has trained people through that same method."

"Considering how useful Genjuro-san's training has been thus far in Palaces, I'm not as surprised as I was when I found out how Hibiki trained." Miku commented. "Say, what was your life before becoming Madarame's pupil like, Tsubasa?"

"Why do you ask?" Tsubasa asked.

"Well, up until showing up here at the Café tonight, all we really knew about you is that you wanted to take down Madarame for what he did to the other pupils." Miku stated. "I was just curious what life was like for you growing up."

Tsubasa chuckled. "Well, my childhood wasn't exactly normal. As a matter of fact, the only reason why I'm even able to pursue my dream of becoming an artist is because I had to prove to my grandfather that I could live up to our family's legacy."

"Your legacy?" Miku asked.

"You see, my family comes from a long line of warriors who upheld the peace of feudal Japan, and my grandfather was far too proud to let go of that legacy." Tsubasa explained. "The only way I was going to be allowed to follow my dream was by besting him in single combat. I tried training myself as a swordswoman to best him, but I never could..."

"Damn..." Ryuji said. "Wait, if you couldn't win, then how are you still able to become an artist?"

"That is because, a few years ago, my grandfather passed away from a heart attack." Tsubasa answered, shocking everyone. "When this happened, my father took over as the head of the Kazanari clan. Because of that, I was given a different kind of test to allow being free to follow my own path: Investigating the rumors of one Ichiryusai Madarame's alleged abuse and plagiarism. My father gave me this test because of my dream to become an artist."

"So that's why you needed our help." Kirika replied. "Hold on, does that mean..."

"Yes." Tsubasa interjected. "Thanks to our efforts, I am now able to pursue my dreams. In fact, my father called me today to congratulate me for doing so."

"That's wonderful, Tsubasa!" Miku said. "I'm glad that we were able to help you and Yusuke both."

"There's still somethin' that doesn't add up, though." Ryuji said. "Why did your dad give you that kind of a test when your grandfather wanted you to fight?"

"Unlike my uncle and grandfather, my father is more interested in how the Kazanari clan works in the modern era: Working as a Japanese criminal police taskforce." Tsubasa said.

"Well, let's hope we don't end up on their radar..." Ryuji joked.

"But enough about me, what are the rest of you like?" Tsubasa asked.

"Us?" Ryuji asked.

"This is a great opportunity to get to know each other better." Tsubasa said. "You know every detail of mine and Kitagawa's pasts at this point, but we hardly know anything about any of yours."

"I guess that's fair." Shirabe replied. "For me, there really isn't much to say. Although, much like you, Yusuke, I never really knew my parents. All I really know about them is from what my grandparents have told me. Other than that, I'm pretty much your average, quiet girl who keeps to herself in public, aside from hanging out with you all, Ann-san, and Shiho-san."

"As for me, my life is pretty much just a normal story about a rotten kid." Ryuji said. "My dad left when I was young... Ever since then it's just been me and my mom. I was actually tryin' to get a track scholarship so I could make things easier for her. But when I was a first-year, I took a swing at Kamoshida. I couldn't help myself. Thanks to that, my mom got called out to the school, and all the teachers hounded her for what I did. Despite that, she stayed quiet through it all... I'll never forget the look she had on her face... On the way home, she... She apologized to me. For bein' a single mom and all..."

"So that's what happened..." Yusuke said. "They say at school that everyone is equal, but in reality that's a gross oversimplification... I understand how you feel."

"What about you two?" Tsubasa asked Miku and Hibiki.

Hearing the question, the two girls looked at one another. "Well, Ryuji and Kirika already know my story, so it's only fair that we tell them." Miku said.

"And I guess I should tell them about my past, too." Hibiki agreed. "Like Yusuke said, we know everything about his past, after all."

Nodding, the two girls look back at the group and tell them everything from when Hibiki's father died to when Miku moved back to Shibuya following her parents' deaths. "I see. You've had it rough, as well..." Yusuke said.

"To lose both of your parents at once like that... You have my sincere condolences, Kohinata..." Tsubasa added.

"Did the police know who the other driver was?" Shirabe asked.

"Not that I remember hearing them say." Miku answered. "Although, I've tried seeing if I could find anything about the other driver, but every article I looked for had nothing about them. But the weird part about it all is that it had everything about my parents' deaths in the accident."

"That's odd..." Kirika said. "Why would they go through the trouble to talk about your parents but mention nothing about the driver responsible for the accident?"

"Sounds like someone wanted that driver's identity to remain anonymous..." Tsubasa stated.

"What are you implying, Senpai?" Yusuke asked.

"This anonymous driver could've been set up by someone in an attempt to get rid of him." Tsubasa said. "My theory is that someone drugged them with the hopes that they would get in an accident, just so they wouldn't have to worry about being traced back to the crime."

"Just the thought of Miku having to suffer as a result of someone else's shitty dealings pisses me off..." Ryuji replied. "This world is so messed up!"

"Can't we fix this though? Nobody would even know." Yusuke said. "We just need to show the world what true justice is. We'll make them come to their senses."

"You're right, Yusuke!" Ryuji said. "That's gotta be what our powers are for!"

"Sounds good to me." Kirika added. "After all, the flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking dess!"

Listening to all of this, Shirabe chuckled. "It's funny..."

"Huh? What's up, Shirabe?" Hibiki asked.

"Despite only knowing most of you for the past two months, in this moment, it feels like we've known each other for so much longer than that." Shirabe replied. "Perhaps it's because of our similar backgrounds?"

"If it is, then it ain't because of anythin' good, that's for sure!" Ryuji chuckled.

"Similar, huh... I guess that makes me the odd one out..." Kirika sighed. "I don't have any memories to look back on."

"What're you talkin' about? We could search the entire world and still not find anyone who's a bigger misfit than you are." Ryuji said. "And besides, the whole reason why we're even goin' to Mementos is to get your memories back, right?"

"I'm sure your past will be just as troubled as ours." Yusuke added.

"No doubt."

"Heh... We'll just have to see about that dess." Kirika chuckled.

"Actually, I feel like I've known Kiri-chan for a really long time, too." Shirabe said. "It feels as if we were childhood friends in another life. I don't really know how to describe it other than that..."

Kirika began to blush profusely. "D-Don't get me wrong! I'm only helping you guys out for my own sake!" She said. "If you guys don't get stronger, investigating Mementos will be nothing more than a pipe dream dess!"

"Well that sure got you out of your funk." Ryuji chuckled.

"Joking aside, let's be serious. We should go as far with it as we can." Shirabe said. "I want to punish those corrupt adults and give courage to those who need it most. Only we can do that!"

"You can say that again!" Ryuji added.

"Being a member of the Phantom Thieves will surely help me grow, both as an artist and as a person." Yusuke said.

"Of course. You're under my tutelage, after all." Kirika said confidently. "There's nothing we can't accomplish!"

"Well... I hope we can keep this up." Tsubasa added. "But with Kohinata leading us, that shouldn't be an issue."

Miku smiled at Tsubasa's vote of confidence. "Leave it to me."

With that said, Hibiki looked at the clock on the wall and gasped. "Woah! It's much later than I thought!"

"We better get going before Tachibana-san gets worried." Miku said to Hibiki.

"Yeah, it's probably best if we let Tsubasa and Yusuke get settled at Genjuro-san's place sooner than later." Kirika said.

"Have a good night, everyone." Tsubasa said as she saw everyone off.

Once the others left, Tsubasa called Genjuro to come pick up herself and Yusuke. Genjuro showed up minutes after Tsubasa hung up the call. "Ready to go?"

"Yes." Tsubasa said, before turning to see Yusuke looking at 'Sayuri' again. "Is everything alright, Kitagawa?"

"Yes. I was just thinking about what I wanted to do with this painting..." Yusuke said. "Kazanari-san, would it be alright for me to leave this here in the Café?"

Genjuro and Tsubasa were surprised by this request. "Well, I don't see why not, but are you sure you want to leave something like that here? I wouldn't want it to be put to waste in a place like this." Genjuro said.

"It'd be a bigger waste if I held onto this for myself, and I doubt it would want that." Yusuke replied. "Besides, I want to be able to repay your generosity for allowing us to stay in your residence."

"Still, are you sure you want to do this, Kitagawa?" Tsubasa asked. "I mean, this piece means a lot to you after all."

"And that's exactly why I want to give this to Genjuro-san's Café." Yusuke said. "Adding a hint of color to an otherwise ordinary day... I'm sure my mother would've done the same."

"...I see." Genjuro said with a smile. "I'll hold on to this for you then. Let me just put this somewhere safe and I'll put it up in the Café first thing tomorrow morning. You two go on ahead to the car while I put this away."

"Thank you, Kazanari-san." Yusuke said.

Saying this, the two artists head out of the Café while Genjuro put the 'Sayuri' in a safe place, but not before getting one good look at the art piece. "Hmm... Not bad."

A/N: And with that, we end the chapter!

First off, I just gotta say, It feels great to finish off the second arc of Symphogear R on its anniversary. (The first chapter being posted exactly 1 year ago from today (with the original one shot posted 6 days prior)). Thanks again for sticking with me on this fanfic, and I hope you continue to enjoy what is to come!

Speaking of fanfic, I have one final announcement for my upload schedule. If you follow me on twitter, you probably know that I am planning to prioritize work on my first fanfic, Superb Song of the Fate-Defying Valkyrie, once again. I figured, with FDV being farther along than my other major fics, it's better that I can focus on those chapters that way I can make my upload schedule go back to the way I had it before sooner than later.

What does that mean for Symphogear R? This fic will continue to get additional chapters, but they will be on an altering schedule with my other fanfic, Sympho-Ball.

That aside, onto my last topic: explaining how the Kazanari men work in this AU:

Genjuro: Unlike the commander we all know, Symphogear R Genjuro is an amazing cook, mainly for the sake of giving his Café some options aside from Action Movies and comics. (After all, the "Food" part of C.A.F.F.E. Café has to come from someone, and Elise is a little busy with school to really be a chef for her father's Café 24/7).

Yatsuhiro: As mentioned, he is the current head of the Kazanari Clan. Although he won't be making an appearance in the fic, his relationship with Tsubasa is a lot closer than canon Symphogear (for reasons I cannot say without spoiling a certain detail in canon, but I'm sure you can guess if you know).

Fudo: He's dead... Moving on...

With that out of the way, that's pretty much everything I have to add for this chapter.

Anyways, thank you so much for reading this chapter, and I shall see you all in the next one! (Happy anniversary, Symphogear R!)