A/N: Time for some good old-fashioned Phantom Thief fun. Hope you guys like what I have in store so far and are looking forward to seeing what the other OCs have to bring to the table when they're all added to the roster. Speaking of which, I've decided that the cutoff date for characters will be at the end of the month. So if you're still interested, better get started. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Persona.
Chapter III: Birth of a Phantom Thief
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
"Are you okay?" someone asked Seiko. She looked up and saw that the person who was concerned about her was the weird rabbit-thing that she was hallucinating.
Seiko chuckled in a deadpan tone. "No. I'm not okay. I'm hallucinating because of something that was in that ramen I had for lunch."
"Hallucinating?" the weird rabbit-thing repeated in confusion.
"Either that or a fever dream. I must have had a bad reaction to one of the ingredients and now I'm imagining talking rabbits dressed up like magicians, people dressed up in weird outfits, and an old steam locomotive. Oh and what else?" Seiko looked up and saw that the sky was an unnatural color as were the buildings that surrounded her. "Is this Ogikubo or not? I can't tell."
"What do you mean? You're a Phantom Thief so you should have some idea of how this works, right? This isn't reality. We're in the Metaverse, inside a Palace. The Palace projects a scenery that seems different from the actual Ogikubo but in reality it doesn't seem to extend that far. The true location of the distortion is Ogikubo Station. In this distortion, the station has been closed down and left abandoned while that new train station has taken its place," the weird rabbit-thing explained.
"Oh, is that all? So this isn't reality? I'm in a…what do you call it…Palace?" Seiko chuckled in her deadpan tone again. "And you think I'm a Phantom Thief? You mean like that group that was around a couple of years ago? Is this all because I bought that mask on a whim yesterday? Is that and learning about the fire and the Skyrailway making me hallucinate this."
"This is no hallucination, young lady," the weird rabbit-thing replied. "This is…well, not technically real…but this is really happening."
"You're a rabbit! Rabbits don't talk or look like that! How can any of this be real?!" Seiko exclaimed. The weird rabbit-thing walked up to Seiko and then grabbed ahold of Seiko's cheeks and pinched them really hard. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop! Stop!" Then the weird rabbit-thing stopped and released Seiko's mouth. Then Seiko rubbed her cheeks in order to get the pain to stop.
"Do you believe me now?"
"That pain was definitely real. Okay, let's say for argument's sake that this is all real. What are you exactly?"
"Well, I'm not a rabbit. So please stop calling me that."
"Umm, I'm sorry, but you are definitely a rabbit."
"I may look like a rabbit, but I am not a rabbit. My name is Clover, and I'm a Phantom Thief."
"..." Seiko didn't know how to respond to that. She sighed. "Okay, putting the whole rabbit debacle on hold for now. What do you mean you're a Phantom Thief? I thought the Phantom Thieves were all human. You're clearly not human."
"How rude. I could be a human for all you know. I might just look like this currently."
"You don't seem too sure of that yourself."
Clover seemed flustered. "Th-That's because I lost my memory, okay?"
"You lost your memory?"
Clover nodded. "I woke up a few months ago inside one of the Palaces with no memory of who I was or of where I came from. I could only remember my name and that I am a Phantom Thief who is supposed to get rid of the Palaces littering the Metaverse."
"You keep throwing out these weird terms. Palaces. Metaverse. What does it all mean?"
"You are a Phantom Thief as well, so you should know, correct?"
"Umm, I'm not a Phantom Thief."
"What?!" Clover exclaimed in surprise. "But you have that shirt. That's the Phantom Thieves of Hearts' logo is it not? And then there's that app on your smartphone. It's the Metaverse Navigator used by the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."
"I got this shirt a few years ago and that app just installed itself on my phone without my knowledge. I'm not a Phantom Thief." Then Seiko's eyes widened. "Wait! Are you actually affiliated with those Phantom Thieves?!"
"N-Not that I recall. I could've been. Maybe. Anyway, the larger issue here is that you tricked me."
"I didn't trick you. You just assumed I was a Phantom Thief and stole my phone. Then you made me mess with that stupid app and dragged me here. Where is 'here' anyway?"
Clover grunted. "Ugh. Like I keep telling you, this is a Palace."
"And I keep telling you, I don't know what a Palace is. Not a Phantom Thief, remember?"
Clover sighed. "Fine. I'll try to explain this all in very simple terms. Hidden within the real world is another world called the cognitive world. The cognitive world is made up of people's thoughts, feelings, and senses. This cognitive world houses a kind of Collective Unconsciousness. Meaning that every single person in the world shares a piece of this cognitive world. They're just unaware of it."
"So we're in this cognitive world right now?"
"Correct. This world is also referred to as the Metaverse. It's a place that is inhabited by cognitive beings as well as Shadows. Those people that you see are not real people. They are merely cognitive beings that exist here."
"And what are these Shadow things?"
"Negative entities that patrol the Metaverse and wreak havoc. Every person has a Shadow, whether they're aware of it or not. A Shadow represents the side of themselves that a person tends to hide from others. Despair, hatred, and any manner of sins. Sometimes, a person's Shadow can become so powerful that it can gain control of their own section of the Metaverse. These sections are called Palaces."
"A Palace, huh?" Seiko looked over at the train station and the steam locomotive. "It doesn't seem like a Palace. When I hear the term, Palace, I think of something more like a castle or a mansion."
"Palaces come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Think of it like an umbrella term. But make no mistake, Palaces do have Rulers. And my job as a Phantom Thief is to take them down."
"Is that what you meant by robbing the train?"
Clover nodded. "Correct. You pick up fast, young lady. Palaces are created around a Shadow's desire. The desire comes from what the Shadow's host values the most above all else. People who possess Palaces become so warped by desire that they end up doing horrible things to others in an effort to satiate that desire. Take the Ruler of this Palace for example. The fact that this Palace exists in the first place means that they're involved in something rotten. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to investigate thoroughly on my own."
"So did the other Phantom Thieves go to these places too?" Seiko asked.
"No idea. But from what I know, all Phantom Thieves possess that app, and that app allows people to come to the Metaverse, so it's pretty likely."
"So this is what they were doing," Seiko muttered to herself. Seiko pinched her arm. "Ow! It still hurts." Then she sighed. "Yep. Definitely not dreaming. This has to be a hallucination then, right? Wait. Do hallucinations work the same way as dreams?"
"You're still doubting me?!" Clover exclaimed.
"Excuse me for thinking this was all too ridiculous to be true! Another world made up of thoughts?! Wicked people becoming literal monsters?! A group of thieves that can travel to these worlds and stop them?! Give me a break! There's no way any of this is real!"
"And I'm telling you that this is real!" Then Clover sighed in exasperation. "You know what? Believe or don't believe. I don't really care. Either way, you should get back to the real world," said Clover as she turned away.
"Huh?"
"You're not a Phantom Thief. It's not a good idea for you to roam around a Palace if you aren't one. You could get killed very easily."
"Wait. How do I get back to the real world?"
"I thought you said this was just a hallucination?" Clover sighed again. "Just use the app. It should take you home."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find a way to get on that train. I was hoping for some backup, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I'm sorry for dragging you into all of this. Take care of yourself," Clover replied. Then she scurried off towards the train station.
"..." Seiko was left alone to ponder what just happened. She pulled out her smartphone and saw that the Metaverse Navigator was still open on her screen. There was a button that read: Return to the Real World. "I can get back if I use this, huh? I'm still half-expecting to wake up in a hospital bed due to food poisoning." Seiko looked back over at the train station. "A Palace only exists because the Ruler is doing something bad in the real world." She sighed again. "What are you thinking, Seiko? This isn't real."
She stared at the train station. "..." Then she grunted. "Ugh! Dammit!" Then she chased off after Clover. At the very least, Seiko had to find out what was going on here.
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
Seiko ran over to the train station and saw that it was packed with people in old outfits. "So these aren't real people, huh? They sure look real enough," she said to herself. Then she accidentally bumped into someone.
The person she bumped into was an older woman dressed in a flamboyant dress. "Watch where you're going."
"Sorry," Seiko replied. The woman turned back to face the crowd. "What's everyone lined up for anyway?"
"You don't know?" the woman asked in a suspicious tone.
"I…just moved here," Seiko muttered.
"Hmph. If you must know, we're all in line to enjoy a ride on the most luxurious train to ever grace the Earth. The Mirai Express."
"All these people are here just to ride a train?"
The woman laughed in a smug tone. "Don't be silly. Only the crème de la crème are allowed on the Mirai Express. The owner is very picky about his passengers. Anyone wishing to ride must undergo an intensive screening process to keep out the riffraff. If I were you, I'd move along. They won't allow trash like you onboard."
"Trash?" Seiko repeated as she glared at the woman.
"..." The woman started to ignore Seiko, thinking the conversation was over.
Then Seiko was pushed back out of the line as other people joined it. "Ow! Hey! Watch it!" Finally, she managed to escape from the crowd of people. "Like I want to ride your damn train in the first place," Seiko muttered under her breath. "God people like that piss me off." Seiko turned and looked at the outside of the station. It was unbelievably garish and yet at the same time it looked like it was something straight out of a Western film. Seiko had never really seen a Western before, but the visual aesthetic wasn't lost on her. "...!" Then Seiko spotted a familiar weird rabbit-thing up in the rafters of the train station. Clover appeared to be silently hopping from rafter to rafter, getting a good vantage point of the crowd below. Seiko followed her gaze and saw several beefy security guards dressed in Western outfits that included white dress shirts, blue and black striped vests, black pants, black shoes, and black cowboy hats. The security guards seemed to stick out from the rest of the people in the crowd, and Seiko also noticed that they had this really dark aura about them.
"Hey! No cutting in line!" someone shouted at Seiko. Seiko turned to see one of the beefy security guards had appeared behind her. "Everyone will have their chance to be screened for boarding. Get to the back of the line."
"Umm, I'm actually not interested in riding the train," Seiko replied.
"...? Train? The Mirai Express is not just a simple train. The Mirai Express is the future itself. Transportation will never be the same again and it's all thanks to the boss. Anyone with half a mind would know not to demean it as such. Who are you? What business do you have here?" the guard asked in a suspicious tone.
"...! I was just…"
"What's the problem here?" Another guard appeared and started asking questions.
"This girl is suspicious. Her clothes are peculiar and she doesn't understand the true genius of the boss' creation. She says she doesn't want to ride it," the first guard replied.
"What?! Who wouldn't want to ride this mechanical marvel?"
"Maybe a spy working for one of the boss' competitors?"
"Trying to steal our boss' secrets, huh?" It was clear that the guards were very suspicious of Seiko.
"Look, I don't want to cause any trouble. I'll just go," Seiko replied, trying to escape the intense situation she found herself in.
Then one of the guards grabbed her. "Not so fast. You're coming with us. We're going to get to the bottom of this."
"Wait! Please! I didn't do anything!" Seiko exclaimed.
"Shut up! Stop resisting!" one of the guards exclaimed. Then the guards incapacitated Seiko, and she fell to the floor. "Take her to the station holding cell. The boss will want to have a word with her." Then Seiko, still unconscious, was dragged off to the holding cell.
Clover watched the whole encounter. She sighed. "That girl really doesn't listen, does she? No choice but to rescue her, I guess. I can't just let her die."
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
Seiko regained consciousness a little while later and found herself in a small holding cell with metal bars. "Ow. My head is killing me. What happened?" She took in her surroundings. Huh?! What the…?!" The holding cell was situated in a small brick-laiden room, with the only entrance and exit being a single metal door. There was a bench chained to the wall and a barred window in the holding cell as well.
The metal door creaked open and two guards entered the room, followed by another man who wore a different outfit. The man had a stern expression, gray hair, and evil-looking gold-colored eyes. He wore an all white Western-themed suit, complete with a white dress shirt, white jacket, white bolo tie, white long pants, white cowboy boots, and a white cowboy hat. He also wore several gold rings on his fingers, and he was holding a lit cigar in his right hand. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? You boys didn't tell me that our little troublemaker was such a pretty young thing."
"Wh-Who are you?" Seiko replied.
"Why, I happen to be the owner of this here train station as well as the creator and operator of the Mirai Express. And you darling, are in a whole mess of trouble with me," the man in white replied.
Seiko stared at the man's face until a memory flash overtook her brain. She recalled seeing this same man on the local news broadcast the night before "...! You! You're that guy who runs that development company! Yasuhiro Shinohara, right?!"
"Shinohara" chuckled boisterously. "Half-right, darling. Half-right. 'Round these parts, people call me Big Boss Shinohara. My only lot in life is making sure my beautiful train runs smoothly and keeps bringing in the passengers. You see, the Mirai Express is my crowning achievement. People come from far and wide just for a single ride on my baby. So as you can imagine, suspicious characters like you roaming around causing trouble is bad for business. I know you're not interested in being a passenger. So tell me, darling. Who are you and what are you really doing here?"
"I don't understand where 'here' is," Seiko replied. "I was brought to this place by…well I don't really know what. She said her name was Clover. Anyway, I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I was just curious about what's going on here."
"Aha. So you're a spy then. Sent by one of my competitors no doubt. They're jealous of my success. Jealous that I have become the Transportation King of Ogikubo." He walked up to the holding cell and got closer to Seiko. "Now tell me, darling. Who do you work for? Be honest and this will go a lot easier for you."
"I don't know what you're talking about. No one sent me here. I came by accident."
"Shinohara" sighed. "So that's how it's going to be, huh? Pity." He put his cigar in his mouth and then took a puff. Then he turned to his guards. "We're about to depart again, so I have to leave. You two do whatever you have to do to make her talk. I expect to hear her singing like a canary by the time I get back."
"You got it, boss," one of the guards replied.
"Wait! You can't just leave me in here!" Seiko exclaimed. "This is kidnapping! I'll report you!"
"Shinohara" chuckled. "Please. The police wouldn't dare touch me. My baby and I are Ogikubo's future. The country's future. I'm much too important to be caught up in some flimsy charges. Besides, you're trespassing. I have every right to detain you. Now be a good little girl and stay put. I'll be back soon and we can continue our little chat." Then "Shinohara" walked out of the room.
"We're going to get some 'supplies' for our interrogation. We'll be back in a few minutes," said one of the guards. Then they left the room as well and closed the door behind them.
"Seriously?!" Seiko exclaimed in disbelief. She tried to rattle the cell bars. "Hey! Get back here! Let me out!" Of course, the bars wouldn't budge. Seiko grunted. "This can't be happening." Seiko slunk back into the cell and sat down on the bench. "I have to face facts. This is real. This is all real. I met a talking rabbit who claims to be a Phantom Thief. I saw a train that's clearly not from this time period. And now I'm being held hostage by a lunatic developer who is dressed up like some kind of millionaire cowboy." Seiko knocked her head against the back of the cell. "I should have just left well enough alone and gone back home like Clover told me to do. Now I'm stuck here waiting for them to do God knows what to me."
"Well whatever they're planning on doing, I guarantee it's not going to be pleasant," said a familiar voice.
"...!" Seiko's eyes widened and she turned to where she heard the voice to see a familiar weird rabbit-thing standing on the window ledge. "Clover!"
"Shh. Keep it down. We don't want to alert the guards," Clover replied, motioning for Seiko to be quiet.
"You came to rescue me?" Seiko whispered.
Clover nodded. "It's my fault that you're in the Palace in the first place. I couldn't just leave you alone to be attacked by the Shadows."
"Wait. That's what those guys were? Shadows?"
Clover nodded. "Yep. And that one in the white that you called Shinohara, he was a Shadow too."
"What?"
"Remember when I said that a Palace is created when a truly twisted person is overcome with desire? Well that person's Shadow becomes the Ruler of that Palace. A Ruler in every sense of the word. Judging by the way he was carrying himself, I think it's safe to say that he's the Ruler of this Palace. Now that the Ruler has you in their sights, sneaking around is going to be a lot more difficult. We need to get you out of there pronto."
"How? This cell seems really sturdy."
Clover giggled mischievously. "Leave it to me. I happen to be a master of escape artistry." Then Clover squeezed through the bars of the window effortlessly. It was almost as if the bars weren't even there."
"H-How did you…?!"
"No questions please. Just observe and be amazed," Clover said in a cocky tone. Then she produced a small object from her suit. It appeared to be a mechanical lockpick. Then Clover hopped up and grabbed a hold of the bars to the holding cell and shimmied down to the cell door. Then she started picking the lock to the cell door and within a few moments, the cell door opened. "And voila!" Clover pushed open the cell door and freed herself and Seiko.
"Wow. That really was impressive," Seiko replied.
"Thanks. But it's not over yet. They're coming back. Quick. Follow my lead." True to Clover's words, footsteps could be heard approaching the door. Clover ran to the other side of the room and clung to the wall on the side of the door hinges. Seiko followed Clover's lead and did the same. Then the door opened and hid Clover and Seiko as the two guards entered the room.
"Okay, Miss Spy, it's time for you to…huh?! Where did she go?!" one of the guards exclaimed.
"There's only one way in and out of this room! She couldn't have just vanished!" the other guard exclaimed. Then the guards entered the holding cell to investigate, and Clover popped up from behind the door. She crept up to the cell, and then she closed the cell door and locked the guards inside.
"What the…?!" one of the guards exclaimed. "Intruder! Get back here!"
Clover winked mischievously and then grabbed Seiko and dragged her out of the room. "No time to lose. Let's make our escape." Seiko and Clover closed the door behind them, drowning out the guards' shouts.
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
After leaving the station holding cell, Seiko and Clover found themselves in a back area of the station. Guards were patrolling and chatting amongst themselves. "So far so good. But we can't afford to lower our guard yet. If we get spotted here, we're finished. Stay close and stick to the shadows," Clover whispered. Then she crouched down to the floor.
"Got it," Seiko whispered back and mimicked Clover's actions. Then they slowly crept around the area, using furniture and the shadows they cast as cover. Thanks to Clover's guidance, Seiko was able to avoid all of the guards despite her size difference with Clover. Finally, they reached a door.
"This will take us back out to the station lobby. We can use the crowd as cover to flee," Clover whispered.
"But what about Shinohara's Shadow and the train?" Seiko asked.
"What about them? You're not involved in this. My main priority is to get you back to reality safe and sound. I'll return later and work something out. Now when we get out of the station, I want you to immediately use your smartphone to head home. No more surprises. Are we clear?"
"Yes, I understand. And thank you again for rescuing me," Seiko replied.
"Don't mention it. Now let's go," Clover replied. Then the duo headed back out into the station lobby.
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
Unfortunately, their plan to use the crowd of people as cover was in vain as the station lobby was completely empty aside from an ambush of Shadows. The ambush was led by none other than Shadow Shinohara. When Seiko and Clover appeared, he chuckled boisterously. "What did I tell you, boys? I knew that pretty young filly was working with that little venison intruder of ours."
"Dammit. It was a trap," Clover swore.
"Of course it was a trap. Did you really think I had no idea of what was going on in my own Palace? God forbid. I just used the girl as bait for you, my little rabbit friend. You've been a thorn in my side for far too long. Your days of sneaking around and causing trouble are over. You and your friend are in for a world of hurt." He took a drag off his cigar and then pointed at Seiko and Clover. "Make 'em bleed boys!" In response, the Shadows started to encircle Seiko and Clover, getting ready to attack them.
Clover grunted. "Looks like we're going to have to fight our way out." She looked up at Seiko. "Listen, I'm going to distract them and when you see an opening, make a run for it."
"But what about you?" Seiko asked.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," Clover replied. "I've been fighting Shadows for months now. They won't bring me down so easily."
"But I…"
"No buts. It's a teacher's job to look after their protégé. Just stay back and wait for your chance to escape. Okay?"
"..." Seiko went silent. Then she nodded. "Okay."
Clover smirked and then she turned back to face the Shadows. "Okay, you ugly freaks! Get ready! Because I'm not going down without a fight!" A fiery blue aura encircled Clover. The aura blinded Seiko and pushed the Shadows back. A few moments later, Seiko's eyes adjusted and she saw Clover perform another amazing trick. She ripped her mask off of her face and then shouted, "Persona!" Then the fiery aura grew and a translucent figure appeared behind Clover. It was a lanky man with scraggly black hair and a twirly mustache. He wore a dark white straitjacket and a tall black tophat, and his entire body was wrapped in chains. He was also holding a black and white magician's wand in his teeth. The man seemed very eccentric. The man chuckled and an eloquent voice filled the air.
"So the time has come for another performance, has it? Very well. I admire your courage in coming this far. Protecting others, revealing the secrets of this world of illusions, and fighting every step of the way. So I will do my best to aid you in your journey. I am thou, thou art I. I am the magnificent Houdini! Let us give our audience the show of a lifetime, my dear assistant!"
"Dazzle them, Houdini!" Clover shouted. "Living Chains!" Then the lanky man's chains became unbound and then fell to the floor. Then the chains snaked around the station lobby and wrapped themselves around several of the Shadows, binding them where they stood.
"What in tarnation?!" Shadow Shinohara exclaimed.
Clover produced a large stage magician's wand from her person and then waved it in the air. "Now be amazed as Houdini and I make the bad guys disappear! Vanishing Act!" Then the Shadows that were bound by the chains suddenly disappeared, and white doves took their place. Clover took a bow. "Ta-da!"
"How in the hell?!" Shadow Shinohara growled. Then he turned to the remaining Shadows. "What are you idiots just standing around for?! Get 'em!" The Shadows answered Shadow Shinohara's call and rushed towards Clover, Houdini, and Seiko.
Clover smirked again. "Maeiha!" she shouted. Then Houdini waved his head, waving his wand in the process, and several large blasts of reddish-black energy burst out of the ground, destroying several of the Shadows that got too close.
"..." Seiko just watched in awe, too shocked to even process what was going on.
Shadow Shinohara growled again. "Enough of this! Time to bring in the big guns!" Then he produced a silver conductor's whistle from his person and blew it. A sharp sound filled the air.
Then the Shadows stopped rushing forward and went completely still. Slowly, their bodies started to vibrate and then they began to morph shape until their skin disappeared and a sticky-looking black ooze took its place. Their faces also distorted and became masks. Then the Shadows began to merge and form an even larger Shadow. This one was wearing the same outfit as the others, but had much larger muscles, black ooze for skin, and a matching mask. Then the Shadow began to morph again and turn into something else entirely. A few moments later, the Shadow had turned into a large demonic-looking humanoid elephant. The elephant had one monstrous eye, curved tusks, and a potbelly. He wore a black loincloth, and several gold armor plates. He also carried a large sword in his right hand. This was the Shadow known as Girimekhala.
"...!" Seiko and Clover gasped at the sight of the intimidating Shadow.
Shadow Shinohara chuckled in delight. "Now let's try this again. Take 'em out!" Shadow Shinohara ordered Girimekhala. The elephant Shadow trumpeted in reply. Then he charged at Seiko and Clover and started slashing wildly with his sword.
Clover grabbed ahold of Seiko's hand and quickly dragged her away from Girimekhala's charging path. Then he slammed into the side of the station, leaving a lot of structural damage behind in his wake.
"Hey! Don't trash my station, you big idiot! That damage is coming out of your pay!" Shadow Shinohara shouted.
Girimekhala got back on his feet again and shaked away the leftover rubble on his body. Then he charged at Seiko and Clover again. Clover pushed Seiko back to a safe distance and then faced Girimekhala head-on. "Houdini!" Clover shouted. "Living Chains!" Houdini's chains came unbound again and then fell to the floor. Then they came to life and tried to snake around and bind Girimekhala. But after a few moments of struggling, Girimekhala easily broke out of the chains and continued to charge. "Damn! Eiha!" Houdini fired off another blast of reddish-black energy but it didn't so much as faze Girimekhala. "Curse-resistant too?!" Clover exclaimed. "Fine. Looks like we'll have to use brute-force. Come and get me you big, ugly pachyderm!" Clover charged at Girimekhala and got his attention. She started to run circles around him, taunting him and avoiding the swing of his sword. Then when he was distracted, Clover hopped up to his head and brandished her wand. "Get a load of this, jumbo!" Clover's wand fired off bright red sparks right in front of Girimekhala's large eye. This made the Shadow trumpet in pain and cover his eye with his open hand.
Unfortunately, this gave Girimekhala the opportunity to get a lucky hit on the mischievous rabbit Phantom Thief. He swung his sword and managed to knock Clover back like he was swatting an annoying fly. Clover yelped in pain and landed hard on the floor. A few moments later, Girimekhala uncovered his eye, which now appeared to be swollen and blood-shot. Then he slapped his potbelly with his free hand and an aura surrounded him. Then he fired off a large fireball from his free hand and hit Clover, who was still disoriented from the last attack. Clover took the attack head on and then received another slash from Girimekhala's sword, which swatted her back again. This time she ended up getting knocked back against the wall, and crashing hard into it.
"Ugh!" Clover grunted in pain and exhaustion. Then she collapsed to the floor and Houdini disappeared. Clover's mask had also reappeared on her face. Girimkehala walked up to her and grabbed hold of her. Then he raised her up in the air and squeezed her tight in his clenched fist.
Shadow Shinohara laughed maniacally. "That's the ticket! Crush that little rabbit like a bug!" Girimekhala's grip tightened in response to Shadow Shinohara's command.
"...!" Clover's eyes widened and she let out a painful scream.
"...!" Seiko's eyes widened in horror as she watched Girimekhala try to crush Clover. Then she realized that both Girimekhala and Shadow Shinohara were distracted. This was her chance to make a run for it. Seiko looked over to the Station entrance. 'She told me to run as soon as I saw an opportunity, but…' Seiko turned back to the horrible scene in front of her. Clover appeared to be in horrible pain. If nothing was done, the elephant Shadow would surely kill her. 'She's going to die if I just leave her here.' Seiko was conflicted. 'She rescued me, even when she didn't have to. She's in this mess because of me. But what can I…?' Seiko noticed that she was shaking in fear. Her feet wouldn't move in either direction. She couldn't force herself to escape or to help Clover. 'I…I'm so scared. Even if I wanted to help, what could I do? Do I just leave and forget about her and this place? But then…' It was easy to figure out what would happen if she just abandoned Clover and returned to reality. 'I don't know what to do.' She was frozen in fear, unsure of what to do.
Then Seiko heard a cool, confident voice whisper in her ear. "What's this? Are you really so much of a coward that you would leave an innocent to perish?"
"...!" Seiko's eyes widened and she doubled over in pain. A very sharp and intense pain reverberated through her head. She held her head and massaged her temples in an effort to stop the pain. But it proved too much for her to handle and she ended up falling to her knees.
The mysterious voice continued to speak to her. "To think the one who would dare to summon me would be so selfish and cowardly. Have you no shame? Refusing to help those in need. Watching on as they suffer in silence. After everything that you've endured in your own life, I find it hard to believe that you would be so cold."
"...!" Seiko's eyes widened again. The pain began to subside and memories flooded her mind. Memories of Seiko and her mother being forced to live in squalor. Her mother being overworked by horrible bosses. Seiko doing her best to comfort her mother. Seiko getting into fights with her bullies. Seiko being called a problem child and a delinquent by rotten adults who didn't know any better. Seiko standing over her mother's grave all alone. Then her mind cleared and she looked back to Clover, struggling for her life. "I don't want that. I don't want anyone to ever suffer the way I have. There's so many awful people in this awful world. They won't hesitate to kick you when you're down. To crush you if it satisfies them in some way." Seiko glared at Shadow Shinohara. He was laughing and taking great pleasure in Clover's torture. "That bastard's no different. Forget about what he's doing in the real world. Right now, he's hurting someone who helped me and laughing about it. I can't stand bastards like him! I won't forgive him! I'll make him pay!" A fiery blue aura began to surround Seiko, and a white and gold mask that was shaped like a pair of angel wings appeared on her face.
"Hmm?" Shadow Shinohara turned to see Seiko. "What the…?!" Girimekhala stopped crushing Clover and looked over to Seiko as well.
"...! N-No way," Clover managed to breathe out as she saw Seiko as well.
The owner of the mysterious voice chuckled in delight. "Excellent. I knew you wouldn't take this injustice lying down. You are much too caring to do such a thing. When you see injustice in the world. When you see the little guy being picked on. You can't help but become enraged. I offer you the power to right those injustices. In this cold, dark world, people need a symbol they can count on. They need someone to guide them and rescue them from the evils that plague their lives. You shall become that symbol. A saint to spread light and combat the darkness of this hellish world. You have to be a very good, and usually very dead person to become a saint. And more importantly, you need to work three miracles. Now get to work. I am thou, thou art I. I am the saintly thief known as Simon. Let us work together to trick and steal the darkness of mankind's heart." The blue fire roared and Seiko ripped her mask off of her face. She shouted, "Persona!" as the fire consumed her.
A few moments later, the fire subsided and took Seiko's clothes with it. She was now wearing a very striking outfit. She was wearing a snow white ankle-length tailcoat, a silver waistcoat with black accents, white thigh-length semi-transparent hose, silver high-heeled boots, a pair of black gloves, and a pair of diamond earrings. A beautiful gold halo was also floating above her head. Another figure stood behind her. He had from top to bottom: a series of gold halos of varying sizes that formed the shape of a tophat, neck-length silvery hair, a light blue crystal angelic-looking mask for a face, a neat, shiny all white suit that included a white tie and white shoes, a pair of silver gloves, and a pair of large white, crystal-like wings. Seiko smirked. "Let's get to work, Simon!"
She immediately darted off towards Girimekhala. She seemed both quick on her feet and graceful with her movements. Seiko almost seemed like some kind of white and silver blur. When she reached her target, Seiko jumped up high into the air and delivered a powerful kick to the left side of Girimekhala's head, making the large Shadow stumble slightly from the force of the attack. Then Seiko followed up by grabbing ahold of the halo that was floating above her head and throwing it at Girimkehala's eye, piercing it and causing him great pain. Seiko grabbed ahold of his head and then swung her body back and kicked the halo, lodging it further into Girimkehala's eye. This caused the Shadow even more pain, and caused him to drop Clover. But before the rabbit could fall to the floor, Seiko dove down and caught her in midair before gracefully landing on the floor. "...!" Clover was too shocked to even speak.
"Kouha!" Seiko shouted. Then Simon fired off a blast of light from one of his hands and hit Girimekhala, causing it even greater pain. Then Seiko called back her halo and it dislodged itself from Girimekhala's eye and returned to her. Then she immediately threw it again, this time cutting Girimekhala's legs and making the Shadow fall to its knees. A few moments later, it returned again. "Finish it. Just Desserts!" Simon produced a series of Calling Cards from his suit's jacket and then threw them all at Girimekhala. The Calling Cards stuck to the Shadow and then began to glow. Then they exploded and blew up Girimekhala. Seiko had won the fight without the Shadow even making one counterattack. She looked down at Clover. "You okay?" She seemed so different compared to just a few minutes. She was cool and confident, with the skill to match.
Clover blushed. "Umm, I…" She seemed to be at a loss for words. She had been trying so hard to protect Seiko, and in no time flat, she single-handedly defeated a powerful Shadow and rescued her. Plus, she looked so cool doing it.
Seiko smiled at her. "Guess I do have what it takes to be your protégé after all, huh?"
Clover's blush seemed to deepen. "Y-Yeah, I guess you do." She covered her face with her top hat.
"..." Seiko shifted her gaze over to Shadow Shinohara. Her warm disposition turned hostile immediately. She gently put down Clover and stood up. "You're next." Seiko grabbed ahold of her halo again and brandished it at Shadow Shinohara. She started to walk over to him, getting a terrified reaction out of him.
Shadow Shinohara let out a terrified squeal. "W-Wait. Let's talk about this. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just protecting my interests. Why don't we call it a draw? If you leave right now, I won't hold anything against you." He started to slowly back away to the platform staircase.
"You threw me in jail and were planning on torturing me. Then you and your cronies hurt my friend. I'm not going anywhere until I make you pay," Seiko replied.
Then a loud noise echoed through the air, and Seiko immediately knew what it was. "...!" She looked to the side and saw that the train was coming back into the station. When Seiko looked away, Shadow Shinohara used that opportunity to make his escape.
"Time to vamoose!" Shadow Shinohara exclaimed and ran up the platform stairs.
"Huh?" Seiko replied. She turned back around to see Shadow Shinohara already halfway up the staircase. She growled. "Get back here!" She chased him up the staircase but he was quicker than he appeared to be. He ended up making it to the top of the platform and jumping onto the back of the train as it passed. Seiko made it to the top, just in time to see him get away.
Shadow Shinohara chuckled boisterously. Then he took off his hat and waved it at Seiko. "Adios, darling! And don't you even think of coming back here! If you cause trouble for me again, you'll be sorry!"
Seiko got a good look at the train as it passed out of the station again. It really did look just like an old steam locomotive. Though it also had a very garish and ostentatious appearance, and the words: Mirai Express were painted on the side of one of the middle cars. Another odd thing she noticed was that the tracks the train was running on appeared to be the Skyrailway train line. But the tracks on the line looked like the kind you would find on an old railway line. When the train reached the end of the station, a large tunnel appeared out of thin air, and it went through it. Then the tunnel disappeared when the train had completely gone through it. The train had literally disappeared. "Dammit!" Seiko swore.
Clover hopped up onto the platform and saw what had happened. "He got away, huh?" She sighed. "Well that's to be expected. Palace Rulers are twisted individuals, but they're real cowards when they're on their own. They only fight unless absolutely necessary. The fact that he retreated to the train tells us something though. That must be the rest of his Palace. That's probably where the Treasure is too, just like I theorized."
"It just disappeared. How are we supposed to get on it?" Seiko asked.
"Good question. We're probably going to have to find a way to sneak on board when it's picking up passengers. Something tells me if we just try to force our way onto it, it will leave the station immediately." Then Clover realized something. "...! Wait a minute. 'We'? When did you get involved?"
Seiko scoffed again. "You got me involved, remember? I was just a normal…well semi-normal girl, before I met you. You said I wouldn't be any help if I wasn't a Phantom Thief, but just look at me now. Sharp threads and a fancy mask. I am definitely a Phantom Thief."
Clover sighed again. "I can't argue with that logic." She smiled. "Well it was a little hectic, but it looks like I found my protégé after all. You were very cool out there." Clover blushed again. "Very, very cool."
"Thanks for the compliment, Teach," Seiko replied.
"Teach?" Clover repeated.
"You said that you're my teacher, right? If you don't like it I can…"
"No. No. It's fine. More importantly, we should leave while we can. The Palace Ruler may be gone, but he could send reinforcements after us if we let our guard down."
"Got it. Let's head back." Then Seiko and Clover left the train station. When they were a safe distance away from the Palace, they used the Metaverse Navigator to return to the real world.
"Ending navigation. Returning to reality."
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
After using the Metaverse Navigator to return to reality, Seiko found herself back in front of a still open Ogikubo Station. There was no sign of another train station or a steam locomotive anywhere. Just the new Skyrailway going from Ogikubo Station out to Central Tokyo. The sky and the scenery around her was the same as it was before, and none of the people walking around were wearing out of place outfits. She looked at her smartphone and saw that the Metaverse Navigator had closed itself, but the app icon was still there. "..."
"Before you say anything, no, that was not a dream or a hallucination. You were really in another world and you really became a Phantom Thief," a familiar voice said to her.
Seiko looked down and saw Clover, only now she looked like a semi-normal rabbit again. But for some reason, she was still talking. Seiko scoffed. "No worries. I've decided to just roll with the craziness for now. But why can I understand you now just like in the Palace?"
"Hmm, good question," Clover replied. "I'm not so sure myself, but it might be because you experienced a change in your own cognition. You saw that I could talk in one world, so now you assume that I can talk in this one."
"But you look like a regular rabbit again," Seiko replied.
"That's just how I look over there. This is how I look in reality. You're the same way. See." Clover motioned to Seiko's clothes. She was no longer wearing her Phantom Thief outfit.
"Huh. What do you know?" Seiko looked back at Clover. "So I'll only turn into that form in Palaces?"
"It depends. But for the most part, yes."
"Hmm." Seiko checked the time on her phone. She was in the Metaverse for quite a while. Almost two hours had passed. Then she looked around at the crowded area, before turning back to Clover. "I still have a little time before I have to be back home, and I have some more questions. Can we go somewhere quiet to talk about them?"
Clover nodded. "Sure, no problem. Lead the way."
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
Seiko and Clover ended up going to the park that Seiko had been to earlier that day to continue their conversation. They found a quiet spot where no one was around, so Seiko could converse with the rabbit without looking crazy.
"So the original Phantom Thieves did all these crazy things in order to change people's hearts. Who knew?" Seiko said aloud.
"It's like I said before. I can't say for sure if they did these exact things, but from what I understand, stealing a Palace Ruler's Treasure results in a change of heart. So it's a pretty safe bet they did. I also know that the app you have on your phone is what they used to gain access to the Metaverse," Clover replied.
"And you don't know how you know all of this, right?"
Clover frowned and shook her head. "No, I don't. When I woke up in the Metaverse a few months ago, I was all alone. All I know is that my name is Clover, I'm a Phantom Thief, and I also know about everything that goes along with that."
"What can you tell me about those things that appeared behind you and I? Persona, right? I just shouted out the name at the time, but I have no idea why. And when I did, I knew exactly what to do. It was like my brain was on autopilot."
"Well if you'll recall my explanation on Shadows being the negative parts of ourselves, Personas are the positive parts of ourselves. Just like everyone has a Shadow, everyone also has a Persona. But the only people who can wield a Persona are people who are fully in control of their Shadows. You and I aren't overrun with desire so we can manifest them. Personas are what give us the power to fight the Shadows. Having a Persona is mandatory for a Phantom Thief."
"I see. So this 'Simon' is a manifestation of my inner self. It's true. When I was scared and didn't know what to do, he appeared and talked some sense into me." Seiko frowned. "But me not having an out of control negative side is kind of a shocker. I've always hated this world. It's a selfish, rotten world. Full of arrogant, selfish people who won't hesitate to step on you and screw you over just to get ahead. Until recently, I've only ever met people like that. If anybody should have a twisted world-view, it's me."
Clover shook her head. "You're not so shallow. I saw it first hand. Beneath that gloomy world-view, is a very kind person with a savior complex."
"Savior complex? I wouldn't go that far."
"What I mean is, that you care about other people. You want to help others even if it means putting yourself in danger. You didn't even know me for a full day and yet you still risked your life to save mine. You're a hero. There's nothing selfish or twisted about you. Trust me, I've seen a lot of horrible people over these past few months. You don't even come close."
"Thanks. But I'm still not so sure of it myself." Seiko was silent for a few minutes before she continued to speak. "Why exactly are you going into these Palaces and fighting these Shadows? It seems dangerous."
"It's just a feeling I have really. Something tells me that if I destroy the Palaces and steal their Treasures that I can regain my memories. Plus, the Palaces need to be destroyed anyway. All of the Rulers are horrible people who are doing horrible things in reality. As long as they hang onto their Treasure, they'll just keep making everyone else around them miserable to suit their desires." Then Clover sighed. "But a little while after I got started, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to do it on my own."
Seiko smiled. "Well you have your protégé now. With the two of us working together, we should be able to manage."
"Are you sure? This is no simple task. I could use all the help I can get, but the life of a Phantom Thief is dangerous. It's my fault that you nearly got hurt in the first place."
"Regardless of that, you saved me. And I saved you. So we're even. No more feeling guilty, okay?"
"Okay."
"Besides. The fact that Shinohara has a Palace means he's doing something really bad. I can't just…" Seiko sighed. "I can't just sit back and do nothing, knowing that. I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to find out what that bastard is doing and put a stop to it." She looked at Clover. "I'm not sure about what comes after that, but for now, that's my goal. I'll help you bring down Shinohara and steal his Treasure. Deal?"
Clover smiled. "Deal."
Seiko sighed. "I really just wanted a normal life. I thought coming to Tokyo was going to be the fresh start I needed, and now I'm a Phantom Thief. Go figure."
Clover chuckled. "Being a Phantom Thief is a grand calling. You should be grateful for being bestowed such an honor. I promise to turn you into one that rivals, nay surpasseses the originals."
"Whatever you say, Teach. Whatever you say," Seiko replied with a scoff. Then Seiko saw that the sun was starting to set and the sky had turned purple and orange. She checked the time on her smartphone. "I better get going. Rose-san will be wondering where I am."
"Okay then. In the meantime, rest up and prepare. Awakening to a Persona for the first time is pretty exhausting. You may feel fine now, but it's going to hit you hard pretty soon."
"I got it. So when do we hit the Palace again?"
"I'll come and get you when it's a good time. Just be on the lookout."
"But how will you…?"
"Trust me. I'll find you."
"Okay. See you later then, Teach." Seiko got up and started to walk off.
"Wait."
Seiko turned back to look at Clover. "Yeah?"
"It just occurred to me with everything that happened that I didn't get your name. It's rude of a teacher not to know their own protégé's name."
Seiko smiled again. "It's Seiko. Seiko Amasaki."
"Looking forward to working with you, Seiko-chan." Clover waved goodbye to Seiko.
Seiko returned the wave. "Same here. Later, Teach." Then Seiko turned back and headed home.
Sunday, 12/25 20XX, Night
Almost nine months later, Seiko's mission had come to an end and she was facing a lengthy prison sentence for her actions as a Phantom Thief. The only thing she could do now was tell her story to the two Public Security Inspectors who had caught her.
Inspector Yagami slammed his hand down on the desk. "That's enough! I won't sit here and listen to these flights of fancy anymore. Do you honestly expect us to take this as your confession? A mysterious app that suddenly appeared on your phone? A talking rabbit? A world that exists with our unconscious mind that's full of monsters? Changing a person's heart by stealing their Treasure? Give me a break."
"I told you before that you probably wouldn't believe me. I'm not lying though. This all happened," Seiko replied.
"It does sound a little hard to believe. A talking white rabbit brought you to another world? It sounds like the start of Alice in Wonderland," Nishitani replied.
"Tell the truth. Are you just making this ridiculous story up to stall for time?" Yagami asked.
Seiko shook her head. "I'm not making it up and I'm not stalling for time. You asked me to tell you what happened, and that's what I'm doing. I promise you, nothing I have said so far, and nothing that I will say is a lie. It's all true. Believe it or not."
"..." Yagami and Nishitani exchanged looks.
"I mean, you said it yourself, Senpai. The Phantom Thieves' cases are notorious for involving strange events. Those select few who actually know what happened are pretty tight-lipped about it too. Especially Chief Inspector Hasegawa," Nishitani replied.
"..." Yagami was silent at first and then he sighed. "Fine. Then let's continue." He turned back to face Seiko. Then he picked up the first file in the pile and opened it so Seiko could see the contents. The file was full of documents, but a photo stood out at the front of it. It was a photo of Yasuhiro Shinohara. "Your first documented target was the CEO of a small development company based out of Ogikubo. Yasuhiro Shinohara. Though we can all agree what he did was monstrous, at the time no one knew the breadth of his involvement in what occurred in Ogikubo that Spring. But you're saying you suspected his actions because he was one of these so-called 'Palace Rulers', correct?"
Seiko nodded. "That's right. Though at the time, we didn't know what exactly he had done. Only twisted people can manifest Palaces. The fact that he had one in the first place meant there was something dark he was hiding."
"I see, and how exactly did you discover what he was doing behind the scenes?" Yagami replied.
"I didn't discover anything actually. The person who found out what happened and brought it to my attention was someone close to him. To be more precise, his nephew," Seiko replied.
Sunday, 4/3 20XX, Afternoon
On that same day that Seiko had officially become a Phantom Thief, a young man was struggling with feelings of guilt and regret. At that time, the young man was being treated at a nearby hospital in Ogikubo. The young man in question was Kodaka Kouenji, the person that Seiko had a brief encounter with earlier that day.
Kodaka was wearing a blue hospital gown and was lying down in a hospital bed while a nurse bandaged his arms. "You can't run off again like that, okay? Your injuries are very serious. If you don't properly rest, they're never going to heal," the nurse chastised Kodaka.
"I'm sorry, I just…" Kodaka looked down at the bed.
"Come on now, we've been over this. There was nothing you could've done. You were lucky enough to escape that fire yourself. The fact that you sustained these burns in the first place is proof that you tried to save them. You can't keep blaming yourself."
"How?" Kodaka looked at the nurse. "How do I stop blaming myself? My friends were at my apartment in the first place because of me. I stopped going to school and they were just checking up on me. They weren't supposed to be there. They didn't know I wasn't there. I can just imagine it. The fire started and they were looking for me, trying to get me out of the building. I showed up later and ran in after them, but there was so much smoke and it was so hot. I burned my arms just stumbling around." Kodaka began to tear up. "They weren't supposed to be there," he repeated. "And now they're dead and I'm not. How can I not blame myself?"
"..." The nurse didn't respond. She finished changing Kodaka's bandages and then got up. "Listen, it might not be my place to say, but I think your friends would be happy that you're okay. And I don't think they would want you to waste the second chance you were given on feeling sorry for yourself. From what you say, they died trying to rescue you because they thought you were in trouble. Don't disrespect their sacrifice by acting this way." She turned to leave. "You should be good until tomorrow. Please stay in bed, and press the 'Call' button if you need me." Then the nurse left without another word.
"..." Kodaka silently examined his bandaged arms. To him, his arms were now symbols of his failure. 'Part of me hopes that I'll never be able to use them again. That would be a fitting punishment.' Then his dark thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Another nurse came into the room.
"Kouenji-kun, you have a visitor if you're up to it," said the nurse.
"A visitor?" Kodaka replied. 'Is it their parents? What am I going to say to them?'
Then another person appeared in the doorway. It was a large stern-looking gray-haired man. This was Yasuhiro Shinohara. The real Yasuhiro Shinohara. He was holding a bouquet of flowers and appeared slightly concerned. "Hello, Kodaka."
"Uncle?" Kodaka replied.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get away sooner. The company's still dealing with the fallout of the fire," Shinohara replied.
"I'll leave you two alone to talk," the nurse replied. Then she left the room and closed the door behind herself.
"..." Shinohara gave his nephew a disinterested look. It was the same kind of look that you might give a bug or a piece of garbage.
"..." Kodaka couldn't look his uncle in the eyes. There was a noticeable amount of fear.
"I think it's about time the two of us sat down and had a nice, long talk," said Shinohara. "We have a lot to discuss, including what we should do going forward."
"..." Kodaka couldn't bring himself to respond at first. Then he nodded and said, "Yes, Uncle."
A/N: That's all for now. Next time, the introduction of the Velvet Room, Seiko's first day of school, more Palace exploration with Clover, and more backstory on Kodaka and Shinohara. And just to reiterate, I'll accept submissions up until the end of this month. Midnight on May 31st/June 1st is the cutoff date. If you're still interested in making a character please submit it by then.