crook & coquette
iv.
.
.
Eyes everywhere.
Ann gently rubbed the back of her neck, making small, anxious movements inside the car while Morgana and Makoto guided and drove them around the Path of Akzeriyyuth, looking for the Shadows of Shinjuku animal offenders Yagami Kensuke & Hikaru. Brothers.
The silence in the cat mobile was unnerving; she could feel the accumulating sweat between her skin and the red latex.
A loud growl came from her behind, alarming Ann and everyone else.
"Sorry," it was Yusuke. "that was my stomach. I must have forgotten to eat last night while I was painting,"
The declaration earned him grunts and huffs from the others, with Makoto glancing behind as she gripped the steering wheel. "You need to eat, Fox."
"My apologies," the artist said candidly. "I merely forgot."
Ann glanced at her side, sensing the student council president's slightest shifts of mood by the way she stomps her feet on to the pedal. Makoto made a sudden break, pushing the rest of them forward. Akira, in his Joker suit, accidentally brushed his fingers on the blonde's shoulder as he held on the seat for support.
"Sorry," he muttered, retreating to his former position.
The rather simple interaction made Ann even more nervous. Everyone was watching them, waiting. She couldn't wait to have this request be done for and leave Mementos.
The pressure on Akira wasn't any better. Sitting in between Yusuke and Ryuji, whom both looked at the window whilst Futaba and Haru just behind him, he could sense the weight of their apprehension on him and Ann – especially on him.
Much to his surprise, his Saturday escapade with Ann seemed to slip by from the rest. Akira scoffed at the idea being unnoticed. Impossible.
When he, Ann, and Morgana came back from Ginza, he found LeBlanc empty. He did find a message from Makoto on the group chat, stating their relief that Morgana has been found, and that they should deal with the abusers by Tuesday.
Ann came clean that she was with him, too; and yet there seemed to be no question regarding their sudden disappearance or Morgana running away in the first place. Not even a single 'why' from Makoto.
It was fishy. Although, Akira already had his own theories reserved. It was only a matter of time when one of the Thieves will point it out. He's hoping either Makoto or Ryuji to bring it up. The elephant in the room.
"I think it's near this area," said Morgana.
"Definitely here. Make the left turn at the end, Mona." confirmed Futaba.
Makoto continued to drive them to the depths, looking for a miasmic opening. Akira clicked his tongue, his mind preparing for battle. He glanced at his seatmates, Ryuji still cozy as he yawned; Yusuke, still framing the railway with his fingers for a painting inspiration.
Akira's hands went over his belt, feeling up both pistol and dagger. Not for long they entered the beckoning portal, Morgana transforming back into his feline form as they encounter two teenage Shadows.
The leader turned to Ryuji and Makoto. "Are these the guys?"
"It's definitely them," nodded the president, crunching her fists as she prepared for battle.
"'Nuff chitchat, let's deal with these sadistic losers," smirked Ryuji as he ran towards the Shadows of Yagami Kensuke and Hikaru. The rest followed.
"Ahh, the sound of howling puppies are like music to my ears!"
"Not as harmonious as crying kittens, oni-san. It's like an orchestra of babies!"
"Yagami Kensuke and Yagami Hikaru," called out Makoto. She was trying her best not to unleash blasts of nuclear too soon. "Is violence how you two bond over your brotherhood?!"
"Why do you do it?" Akira probed.
"Why?" the Shadow of Kensuke repeated. "Simply because we enjoy it!"
"Humans are the superior creatures!" Shadow Hikaru rejoiced, his arms up in the air.
"God's favorite!"
"That's what our parents say after all! Ha ha ha!"
"These guys are sickos!" exclaimed Ann as she clutched her whip and readied with her position.
"Disgusting. Come on guys, let's finish this quick!" said Futaba from behind.
"There really are people who find joy by perverting nature and its creatures." Lamented Yusuke as he slightly lifted his sword from the sheath.
Haru's gaze darkened, now lifting the axe as she held on to her mask. "Unforgivable."
Morgana would have almost shed a tear, had he been not so enraged. "I'm not going to allow your violence to continue any further!"
Shadow Hikaru turned to the cat. "Huh? And who do you think you are, little kitty? Why don't you come over here and let us play with you? He he he.."
"Fuck, I've had enough of you two assholes," cursed Ryuji, growing impatient. He looked at Makoto and Akira, asking permission for their signal. Akira had nodded; Ryuji reached for his mask, smirking. "Seiten Taisei!"
The summoning of Ryuji's persona also caused the eruption of the human Shadows into monsters. They took the form of two red ogres wearing blue garments.
"Positions, everyone," commanded Futaba. "We're clearly in advantage, but they have no weaknesses! That means no charging, Skull!"
"Got it!" the blond began attacking the Shadows with by raining bolts of lightning instead. The heavy damage angered the Shadows just enough to cause a wave of physical strength, knocking out Ann; the blonde didn't take that long to recover, however.
"Now I'm pissed," Ann jumped up from the ground with Hecate reappearing as she concentrated for her next attack.
A devilish grin forming across Akira's lips as he summoned Onmoraki.
"Pulinpa," The confuse spell was cast on one of the ogres. The ailed monster released a handful of yen to the ground, coins and banknotes on the floor.
"More money! Good thinking, Joker." smirked Yusuke. He raisied a hand, blue light emancipating from him. "Kamu Susano-o!" blocks of ice formed upon the ogres, causing the other one to freeze.
"Woah Fox!" Ryuji exclaimed at the sudden change of Yusuke's Persona. "is that new?!"
"I believe so," replied the kitsune-masked artist.
The confused ogre attempted to hit them with another wave of physical damage, but instead left out an item that rolled across the floor.
"Save the dilly-dally for later, Skull!" exclaimed Futaba. "Noir, Queen, we need heavy damages here!"
Psychic and nuclear damages both swirled together and collided; the enemies have now lost half of their energy spans. The ogre was released from his icy prison, attempted to hit Morgana but missed.
"T-that's also new!" noted Ryuji as he gazed at Makoto's mecha-sized Persona. Akira chuckled at his friend's amusement before refocusing on the battle.
"Skull, it's not like yours hasn't transformed," retorted Ann, now ready to unleash her inhibited power. Hecate blew dancing flames, burning the enemies almost to crisp. The heat severely injured the Shadows, with one already on its knees.
Securing victory was a critical hit away.
"Let's finish this," said Akira. "Mona," With no hesitation further, the cat's Persona immediately launched out a punch, weakening the remaining Shadow. The monstrous forms of Shadow Kensuke and Shadow Hikaru vanished, returning to their human forms.
"I wonder what sort of lame excuse they have this time," muttered Ryuji under his breath, waiting for the Shadows to speak up.
"Doesn't matter, as long as we changed their hearts," replied Makoto. "but let's hear what they have to say,"
"I still feel angry," blurted Morgana as he looked away from the Shadows. "if I'm actually just a regular cat, then.. most likely I wouldn't survive from street violence at all."
"It's all right, Mona." comforted Haru. "we've done something for the betterment this time."
Akira lowered his gaze, watching the miasma coming from the Shadows' feet. It was true that he found it difficult to empathize, for whatever story this one may come out with.
"I.." Shadow Kensuke began. "We've always been beaten up by my drunkard of a father. He told me that to be a man, I must live in violence, and respond to violence as well!"
"That's really stupid," spat Akira. "those who measure their manhood by violence can't call themselves men."
"There was nothing we could do.. we can't fight back!" cried Shadow Hikaru. "We could only express our hate and anger to animals.."
"That's inexcusable," interjected Makoto. "You can't compensate your bad experiences towards innocent creatures!"
"Well?! What can we do! We're helpless!" retorted Shadow Kensuke.
Ryuji turned away this time, couldn't the rationale behind the abuse. "This is disgusting.." he muttered, earning him a nudge from Makoto.
"You should have called the police." answered Ann sternly.
A pause befell them.
"The police, huh.." wondered Shadow Kensuke.
Akira looked at Ann for confirmation before he spoke. The blonde nodded in agreement as she sensed a feeling of remorse from the Shadows. "Report to the police, and swear you won't hurt anyone – animals or humans – ever again."
"Break the cycle of violence." emphasized Yusuke. Futaba raised her brows as she looked at the artist, surprised at his rather sensible comment.
The Shadows chuckled. "You Panthom Thieves surely know the right words to say," said Shadow Hikaru. He turned to his brother. "I guess we're really wrong after all, oni-san."
The older brother had his last laugh. "I guess so."
The two Shadows instantly vanished, with nothing but an itemized remnant that Akira took with him.
"What a drag," Ryuji broke in the silence.
"And another one bites the dust!" cheered Futaba as she put a fist on the air. The others fell onto their knees and rears, resting. Ann and Makoto began to collect the cash and items found all over the floor.
They decided to stay in the area for a bit, recovering from the battle. The heavy silence the group shared as they entered Mementos earlier returned. Akira looked around everyone, eventually realizing that Noir and Futaba were looking at him, but turned the other way once he caught them.
"So.. this is weird," the cat whispered.
"No one's asking." shrugged Akira.
"You gotta fix this, Joker," hissed Morgana. "this might actually cause a rift between you and Lady Ann, and the Phantom Thieves."
"Jesus.." Akira sighed, looking at Futaba and Haru again, who were trying to feign their cluelessness. "This is getting ridiculous."
"I think they grew a cup size bigger," with heightened senses, he caught Ryuji and Yusuke whispering something about his girlfriend's breasts. He looked at Ann freely chatting with Makoto about God-knows-what as they collected the goods from their recent victory. They were both kneeling, and with Ann's Panther get-up, the generous exhibition of her cleavage would usually have the boys snickering.
Akira's gaze fell from her face to her chest, noticed the slightly unzipped part of her latex suit; the felon of the unconscious display.
"What are you guys talking about?" Akira joined, feigning innocence as he dipped his hands in his pockets.
The artist lifted a finger knowingly. "We were talking about your–"
"N-n-nothing! Nothing at all man! Just some boy talk over here! Ha ha ha!" interrupted Ryuji as he nudged Yusuke to the side. It was paired with a nervous laugh.
Akira raised a brow, his smile flattening. Conspicuous, for usually they (mostly Ryuji) would invite him to their peeping Tom shenanigans; even if it was about Ann. He usually didn't mind when the boys talked about Ann and noticed her features, especially when they still hid their relationship. Look, but don't touch, was how he drew the unspoken boundaries. But now that the reckoned everyone else knows, waiting for someone to just confront them was becoming too agonizing. Akira scratched his cheek, mustering all the charm and guts he had left to pull off what he was about to do.
Not a chance in hell, he thought sternly, walking towards the girl in red.
"Panther," he called, with everyone's eyes suddenly darting to them, expecting. He knew they were.
"Yes, Joker?"
With one sweep, he took off his coat and placed it on Ann's shoulders. He tugged it closely to hide her chest. His lips curved to a smile, pride and embarrassment mixing him. "There."
Her face began to match the color of her mask.
"H-hey!" the blonde panicked as she held on to the coat. She didn't know if she should take it off and return it, or just let it be.
"Calm down," mouthed Akira to Ann, his eyes signaling her to look at their teammates.
"Oh my!" Haru's eyes went full circle as her hand instinctively reached for her mouth.
"Joker.." lamented Morgana. He was trying to fight his jealousy despite already having dealt with the couple last weekend. "Lady A—Panther.."
"Is this a pink film?" muttered Futaba as she hid her face with her palms. For some reason the gesture heated her cheeks; perhaps she wasn't used to the romantic, cheesy stuff, the hacker reckoned to herself.
"M-m-my, I didn't notice Panther's chest got bigger!" fake-exclaimed Yusuke as he clutched his heart.
"You're hopeless!" retorted Ann with an accusatory finger.
"Okay I can't stand this anymore," huffed Ryuji as a blush on his cheeks crept, scratching one side of his face. He glanced at his two friends, trying to avoid directly looking into their eyes. "just come clean, why don't you,"
Makoto stepped in with an authoritative posture, her hands on her waist. The Queen's eyes held no anger or ill-intent, but they were inquisitive. "Panther, Joker. Mind telling us what's going on?"
There we go, thought Akira.
"I guess the cat's out of the bag," the raven-haired boy said with a smirk as he put an arm around Ann. "She's my Kitty Woman."
The gestured earned him flabbergasted expressions and gawking from the others with the exception of Morgana, whose resentment came back.
"W-w-who are you calling Kitty Woman!" stammered Ann.
Akira laughed nervously, realizing that it was more awkward to be affectionate on Ann while around people he actually knows than with the general public. He swallowed the lump in his throat, remaining calm. "Sexy Cat, then."
"No!"
Akira rolled his eyes, tightening his hold on her. "You're not cooperating very well today.."
"I knew it!" exclaimed Ryuji, although his pupils were close enough to dilate. "And I thought I was just over-reading things!" the blond's thoughts now drifted back to the moments he spent with them together.. the one in Hawaii..! "Was I a third wheel all along?!"
Ann chuckled nervously. "Not all the time.."
"My, my," even Yusuke felt flustered as he gazed over his muse and leader. He lifted his mask so his scrutinizing eyes could see them better. "..then again. They do make nice aesthetics together,"
Morgana and Futaba grunted in unison as the artist began framing the couple with his fingers – the typical Yusuke.
"So it is true," Haru's cheeks were pink. "I thought it was strange that Panther and Joker were both out together most of the time,"
Ann bit her lower lip, the sudden spotlight on them, on her, scaring her off. Her blue eyes glanced to the boy beside her. She could tell the dancing mirth in his masked eyes, neutralized by the smug curve of his lips. She sighed.
"I'd really appreciate it if you tell me your plans first before executing them.. baby," she gritted through her teeth, withholding her anger.
"Sorry," he whispered to her, his hold comforting her, fingers brushing on her shoulder up and down. "but you felt it earlier too, right? It was suffocating." he scoffed.
"I have to agree on that," she conceded. She tugged the coat closer to her as she felt the chill coming from Makoto's gaze on them. "But I thought you'd at least confront them outside the Metaverse,"
Akira looked away, blushing from recent memory. Thankfully his mask hid his embarrassment. He turned to her again, eyed her from her face to her chest.
"J-just cover up." He reached the collar part of his coat and closed it on her. She reckoned it was perhaps the boys were talking about her again. The realization caused her cheeks to turn pink as her gloves, a smile creeping across her lips.
"At least we don't have to hide it anymore.. right?" Ann hummed, shifting her weight to the other side as she inched closer to him.
"Yeah." he smiled.
"It's really real." they heard Ryuji blurt out loud. "I can't believe it!"
Futaba scratched her head. "Skull, we've been watching them for days and you're still surprised!"
The heiress looked around to find Morgana, who sulked in a corner. Haru knelt down beside him, sighing. "Is this why you ran away?"
"N-no!" Morgana turned around, feigning a strong, determined look. "I.. I will get over this!"
Haru smiled pitifully as the cat's own words failed him.
Out of the bag indeed. Makoto sighed, folding her arms as she looked at Akira and Ann. She did infer something between them even before she joined the Phantom Thieves. There was nothing to doubt anymore, once again proving her intuition on point. She tried to hide the congratulatory smile beckoning across her lips, knowing there were other matters and issues to discuss regarding their relationship and the Phantom Thieves.
She cleared her throat to silence everyone. "Usually, I would consider this none of my business,"
"It still isn't, Queen," Akira enforced with a smug smile, already sensing something disagreeing from the student council president.
Makoto's red eyes darted to his gray ones, warning him. "It isn't, Joker. But -"
They were interrupted as the area began to shake, the ceiling cracking with debris about to fall on them. They have outstayed their welcome.
"Discussion later, let's get out of here first!" Makoto yelled. They passed through the miasmic opening, bringing them back to the Path of Akzeriyyuth.
They dusted themselves off, grunts and sighs heard. Morgana had switched back into his mobile form. The others have already gone in, excited to meet the comforts of the real world after a long day.
Unfortunately, Ann knew it was far from over. The flan waiting inside her fridge would have to wait a little longer.
"We should sort this out by today," she whispered to Akira before taking the passenger seat. The leader sighed, conceding as he recalled Makoto's words earlier. Even he couldn't deny she was somehow right.
He walked to the other end and turned to the student council president, who was about to hop in the driver's seat. "Let's head back to LeBlanc first."
The two ogres were in the form of Oni. I'm sure it wouldn't have taken that long nor that much effort for them to defeat those, especially now that both Ann and Ryuji have learned Concentrate and Charge here, plus insta-kill spells, man. But I wanted everyone to have their own 'contribution' and 'moments' in battle so, lol. Literary license applies Also, I did say this was a four-parter.. originally. But this chapter came out too long. Haha. I think I'll have one more chapter or two to conclude this. Thanks to everyone reading. :)
