8/2 – Tuesday
Evening
Kichijoji

Unknown Number
Hey Ren
uh
so I thought about it
I'd like to come with you tomorrow.
If that's still okay.

"You aren't procrastinating your shot, are you?" Akechi asked, his tone dry, holding his pool stick like a cane.

"Just give me a sec," Ren said, "can't type and talk at the same time."

Over his phone, he could see Akechi roll his eyes.

Ren
I'll let everyone know
I'm proud of you Futaba
Try and get some sleep

Unknown Number
Okay.
I'll try.
Thank you.

Ren pocketed his phone and aimed his cue. Without saying a word, he struck the center of the white ball, sending it spinning into an orange, which bounced twice off the corner and settled near the center of the table. "There."

Akechi gave slow, mocking clap. "What a shot," he droned. "Truly worth the wait."

"Oh shut up and play," Ren said, smirking. He stepped back, giving the detective free reign over the table.

Rather than take a shot immediately, Akechi wandered from one side to the other, as if analyzing his options carefully.

"Who's procrastinating now?" Ren quipped.

Akechi glared at him and positioned his shot. "I didn't get to be a detective at seventeen," pausing to strike the cue, sinking a yellow-striped ball, "by being careless."

Ren considered his next move, but Akechi's words rang around in his skull. "How did you, then?"

"Hm?"

"How did you get to be a detective at seventeen?" Ren positioned his pool cue. "I get it, you're some prodigy genius, whatever."

"That's precisely it," Akechi replied, before Ren could continue. "I had the skills and the desire to apply them. It would have been foolish for the SPD to deny my help." He adjusted his tie, eyes wandering across the room. "My age has proven somewhat of a burden, I won't deny that. There are many who despise me for those same qualities they find so useful."

"Okay," Ren said, sinking the orange ball, "then why rush it? If everyone at your job treats you like shit because you're a high schooler, then why not just take your time? Get hired after you're graduated."

Akechi burst out laughing, and Ren glanced at him. "Spoken like a soon-to-be washout."

He raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Akechi said with a condescending smirk, "that you don't have any career goals, correct?" He scooted past Ren, positioning his next shot. "You're likely going to coast on decent grades into a middling university, waste the rest of your life without anything to show for it." He chuckled. "Coddled children like you tend to wander into wage slavery–"

The insulting assumptions drew Ren's ire, but it was some feeling beyond that which pushed words into his mouth. A disappointment, as if Akeci should have known better. "My parents haven't spoken to me once since I got convicted. I spent a year in prison and they never came." Cold words, hand tight on the pool stick. "What makes you think I was ever coddled?"

Akechi's cue clipped the ball. It spun off to the left, missing the red-striped ball completely. He swore under his breath. He picked a chalk cube off the table's side and twisted it on the tip of his cue, silent for a moment. "Last time we talked," he said, voice neutral, "you mentioned feeling some degree of shame. I expect some of that may come from them, yes?"

Ren felt the urge to shut down the conversation, tell Akechi it wasn't any of his business – and it wasn't, but he held his tongue. Something about the inquiry felt honest, or deserving of honesty. "Sure," he replied. "Guess I'm ashamed of them. Being their kid, being a burden. Sometimes I wish I'd been a better son. Not that it matters much now."

"I suppose not," Akechi said, thoughtful. "We all have our regrets. But I expect you've learned to swallow them, to hold back those parts of yourself in order to do what must be done."

He wasn't talking about Ren, that much felt clear. But in lieu of specificity, he couldn't reply with much more than "yeah, that sounds about right."

The detective cleared his throat. "Well, enough of the past. It's your move, Ren."


8/3 – Wednesday
Afternoon
Sojiro's House

"Did you sleep well?" Ren asked. Her room was as dark as ever, but the monitor glow was enough.

Futaba swiveled back and forth in her chair. "I didn't much," she admitted. "I, uh, um..."

He smiled. "Yeah, me neither." He leaned against her door. "But I'm still here for you. All of us are."

"Mhm." Futaba pressed her closed hands together, knuckles of one hand rubbing back and forth against the other. "Um...card?"

"Yep." Ren reached into his pocket and pulled out the calling card. He paused. "Are you ready? We can wait, if you need to."

She was quiet, like she was considering it. Then she shook her head. "I'm tired of waiting," she said, "and making people wait for me. I don't know if I'm ready, but I need to do this."

He nodded, and handed her the card.

She took it, turning a little to better catch the light from the monitors, reading aloud. "Futaba Sakura, we are committed to forcing the distorted few to face their sinful actions. You have committed a grave sin, and and we ask of you to face it now. Not a sin of sloth, but of wrath, for you have judged yourself worthy of suffering an unbefitting death. However, we shall free your head from the guillotine. We are the Phantom Thieves, and we will steal every last one of your distorted desires. Futaba Sakura, we sentence you to live."

It was heavy-handed, perhaps, but Ren could definitely appreciate Yusuke's artistry. "How do you feel?" he asked.

Futaba put the card down on her desk. "I dunno." She considered that. "Awake. I think. Still nervous." She glanced at him. "Is that normal?"

"Very." He pulled the phone from his pocket, offering a hand out to her. "Shall we go?"

Futaba looked down, hugging herself. This wasn't easy for her, that much was clear. After a long silence, Futaba reached out and took Ren's hand. "Okay," she said.


Futaba stared up at the inverted staircases, at the crumbling tomb her mind had built for her. "This is my head," she said. Then she glanced at Ren. "Joker." As if she was making sure she remembered.

"You got it." He gestured with his head to the others; they were standing a little ways off, giving Futaba some extra space to adjust. "You haven't met everyone else in person, right?"

She shook her head. "Introduce me?" she asked.

"Happy to." He crossed the sand, making sure to match Futaba's slow pace. "Let me see...I guess, starting off. Red mask there is Ann Takamaki, but she goes by Panther in here."

Panther gave a little gentlemanly bow. "It's really nice to meet you, Futaba."

Futaba stared at Panther, first seeming to take in her entire costume – from the boots and leggings to the red jacket – before her eyes fell on the tail hanging from Panther's belt. "Kitty," she said, seriously. "Handsome kitty." She fiddled with her headphones, averting her eyes. "Wowie."

Panther raised an eyebrow and then burst into giggles.

Mona's expression soured from thoughtful to annoyed. "At least she's not calling me kitty anymore," he mumbled.

Futaba glanced down at Mona. "Oh, right," she said. "You're the kitty who can talk." Mona's large blue eye twitched.

"That's Mona," Skull cut in, crouching down to pat the feline's head, as if trying to calm the impending irritation. "He's not a cat though, he just looks like one sometimes. We're the only folks who can hear him, now you can too." He grinned, standing back up and jamming a thumb into his chest. "And I'm Ryuji Sakamoto. Call me Skull. I'll keep you safe, so you can lean on me!"

She tilted her head a little, then glanced at Ren. "He seems nice. You have good taste."

Ren felt his cheeks heat up. "Uh."

Skull blinked, still pointing at himself. "Yo, I'm standing right here."

Fox chuckled, patting him on the back. "She's not wrong, you are exceptionally kind." Then, he addressed Futaba. "Hello, Miss Sakura. I'm Yusuke Kitagawa: artist, student and the Phantom Thieves' physical specialist. You may refer to me as Fox. I look forward to working together."

"Okay," she said, tone neutral. Futaba's gaze immediately went towards Queen. "Hi. Um...you look really cool. I like your..." She gestured towards the softly glowing boxing wrap on her right arm. "Punchy thing."

Makoto chuckled, and adjusted the wrap. "Thank you," she replied. "If you couldn't tell by process of elimination, I'm Makoto Niijima, codename Queen."

Futaba made a little hum that almost sounded like a giggle. "Queeeeen," she whispered.

"We should start heading up now," Mona said, crossing his arms. "I don't want to waste too much time. The less we risk Futaba's mental health, the better." With that, he scrambled across the sand towards the nearest door. Yusuke and Skull followed suit, but Panther and Queen seemed more hesitant, glancing between their allies and the single non-Thief among them.

Futaba swallowed hard, shifting her feet on the sand. Like she wanted to go, but was scared to.

"You gals can stick with the others," Ren assured, "I'll keep Futaba company, make sure she's got what she needs."

Panther nodded, then flashed a big smile. "Hey, we're gonna get through this. We're professionals at this, no sweat."

"I'll keep our rowdy boys from getting ahead of themselves," Queen said, cracking her knuckles. "Futaba, we're going at your pace. Don't rush yourself on anyone's account, especially not ours." And with that, the two girls jogged ahead.

"We can stay here for a bit," Ren said, "so you can get used to this. It's a big change, I know that."

Futaba glanced up again, shivering – though Ren had the feeling it wasn't from the cold. "I'm not scared. I don't know why, but this feels like me." She dragged her foot through the sand, kicking it up. "It feels so real. We're in my head right now, but it feels real." Futaba took a long breath. "I...want to meet the Futaba who lives here. I feel like I have to tell her something. She's waiting for me, and I need to meet her."

He couldn't help but smile, a proud little grin. "Would you like me to take you to her?" Ren asked.

"Yes please," she replied.


It was silent when they reached the peak. Even Futaba's excited mutterings had quieted to nothing. Ren had expected it to be as sweltering as the base, but it felt almost...cold here. The air chilled, warmed by nothing more than the sunbeams carried on a light breeze.

Her Shadow stood there. Twenty feet or more across that impeccably flat surface. The base of the pyramid, exposed to the sky. "I see," the yellow-eyed girl said, her voice no less hollow, "that you have chosen foolishness, not wisdom. You have come to die alongside me." The wind picked up, a low rumbling howl, some screech of unhallowed voices. Her arms up, as if praying. "I will–" Futaba's Shadow froze, and the gale ceased. Her eyes wide, lowering her arms. "Futaba Sakura," she said, staring right past the Thieves, right at their escort. "Why are you here?"

Ren could practically hear Futaba's heart beat. The Thieves parted, allowing the girl a space through them. Nothing between her and her antithesis.

"You don't have to–" Morgana started, but Futaba shook her head.

"I do," she said, breathing hard, hands clutched to her chest. One shaky step forward, then a second. "I need...to do this."

"Then we'll be right there with you," Panther assured.

"We've got your back!" Skull added.

Another step. Futaba shuddered, the breeze picking up for a moment.

"Murderer," the wind whispered.

She hesitated.

Fox drew his blade. "Nothing here will harm you so long as we draw breath. We will see tomorrow's sunrise, and so will you."

"We're not giving up on you." Queen stared down Futaba's Shadow. "We're going to save you."

Futaba shook herself off, as if ridding of something. Hands by her sides now, balled into fists. Eyes locked on the ground. Step. Step. Step.

"Futaba," Ren said. "I'm here. You're not facing her alone."

Slowly, her eyes raised towards the Shadow. Stared at her, maybe emotionless, maybe unsure. "Why do you want to die?" Her voice was quiet, unsteady.

Her Shadow's expression stoic, but fury flickered behind her eyes. "My mother's death rests on my hands. I deserve the same fate."

"That's not fair," Futaba said. "I didn't...choose that. I didn't want her to die."

"But she is dead," her Shadow said, "and I remain. A mother should not die before her child. Every day we live is a sin against her." The distortion in her voice wavered.

"Mom loved us."

The Shadow flinched. "She wants me dead."

"She loved us," Futaba said again, louder. "Mom never said anything like what was written in that letter. She was..." Futaba frowned, mouthing at words she didn't say. "She was loud, sometimes. She got mad. Sometimes she said I was being selfish." Ren's fingers tightened involuntarily by his side. "But she never said she didn't want me. Never ever." Futaba stared her other self down. "She wouldn't want us to die!"

Futaba's Shadow laughed. Quiet, at first, then louder, head back and one hand over her eyes as she howled her mirth at the heavens. "I see! You lied to them, Futaba Sakura! Every day, you pretend to be someone you're not!"

She shuddered, taking a step back. "That's not true."

"You pretend to be the scared damsel," the Shadow's voice twisted with malice and fury, "the little helpless waif, so they'd do what you want. So they'd do your dirty work for you, so they'd get rid of me so you wouldn't have to face me."

Panther shifted closer to Futaba. "She's facing you now," Panther said, insistant. "That's proof of her resolve!"

"She's not manipulating us," Ren added. "We'd help even if she was too afraid to face it. That's what the Phantom Thieves do."

Futaba shivered, but she still faced her other self.

"My point stands." Her Shadow slumped, as if all the strength had been taken from her. "You've worn a mask every day of your life, Futaba Sakura. What makes you think she was any different?"

A roar shook the pyramid, a sound like screeching agony.

"What was that?" Queen asked.

"Futaba!" bellowed a horrid voice, a distorted howl through the stone.

"No," Futaba said, backing into Panther, hands over her ears. "No no no no no."

Panther seemed a little taken aback, but held the girl close as the other Thieves rushed to their side.

"I can sense her Treasure," Mona yelped, "but I don't know where the power is coming from! She's channeling it somewhere!"

And a massive shape crested the pyramid. Two wings spread, some thing the size of a small building, covered in brown fur, with a body like a lion and wings like an eagle, a necklace with a jade pendant dangling from its neck. "You killed me!" it screeched. "It's all your fault!" A woman's face...

"It's her mother," he said, a shudder tearing through him. "That's Wakaba."

"It's a cognition!?" Mona gasped.

"What the fuck," Skull's voice was low, horrified. "That's what she thinks of her mom?"

"Twisted by the words in that letter," Fox said. "She must have wished her mother back to life, but..."

Queen grit her teeth. "We have to take that thing down."

The cognitive monster raised an enormous paw above its head. Her gaze not towards the Thieves, but towards...the girl standing with arms spread, as if trying to embrace her mother's engorged shadow.

"Futaba!" Ren dropped into a dead sprint. Across the pyramid's roof, right towards the Shadow, right as the Wakaba-thing started its descent. He grabbed Futaba's Shadow, pulling her into a tight embrace, his back to the monster, keeping himself between her and it. The last thought was a name, and he called it. "Kin-Ki!" The impact hit as the last syllable left. It was all encompassing, he felt the blow in his bones, it sent spots across his vision and shoved the breath from his lungs. But he wasn't dead. His Persona had deafened the damage, kept the Wakaba-thing from crushing him. He glanced away from Futaba's wide yellow eyes, over his shoulder to see the beast winding up for another strike, only to flinch away at a barrage of bullets.

"Get–" click-click, bang, "away–" click-click, bang, "from my fucking-" click-click, bang, "boyfriend!"

Ren grinned through the pain, turning back to see Skull and Fox unloading on the cognition.

Fox silently flicked a magazine out, replaced it, and kept firing.

"Come on," Ren said, half to himself and half to the Shadow, ignoring Wakaba's distorted screams behind him, "we've gotta go." Futaba's Shadow said nothing, but Ren barely had to steer her toward the Thieves before she matched his patch, almost jogging out of his reach and into Queen's awaiting arms, flattening herself against the Thief.

Queen's surprised gaze snapped from Ren to Futaba's Shadow, blinking rapidly. "I'll...keep her safe?" Queen offered. She gently patted the girl's head. "I'm not the best at long range, anyway."

Mona scrambled over to Ren, his paws growing green, and he placed one against Ren's leg. Strength seeped back into him, his wounds unweaving, and lucidity of thought replaced the pain. He turned back towards the Wakaba-thing, the sphinx monstrosity flapping her wings, starting to ascend once again. "We need something stronger. Let's try an adjusted Inferno Mortar. Queen, we're gonna need you to trade with Fox."

She nodded, gently peeling the silent girl off her closer to Fox. "Understood, Joker."

Fox stowed his rifle, extending a hand to Futaba's Shadow. "Miss, please come with me. It's not safe here."

The Shadow gave one lingering glance towards her shuddering other, then followed Fox's instruction, though did not take his hand.

"Futaba," Ren stepped closer, "I'm going to need Panther for this one. Skull's going to protect you, he'll keep you safe, I promise."

Futaba nodded, taking a deep breath and then shifting away from Panther, hands still clasped over her ears. "I'll be okay," she said, barely audible.

Panther placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, then nodded to Skull and jogged over to join Ren. "I don't think it'll be big enough for an Inferno with two fewer Thieves," she said, reaching a hand into her jacket.

"What's smaller than an Inferno?" Mona asked.

"I don't know," Ren replied, a little exasperated. "A bonfire, I guess? It doesn't matter. We'll take what we can get." He turned his attention past her. "Skull, stick to Futaba. Keep her safe."

Skull hurried to the girl's side, a little catch in his step. "I've got you," he said. "Like I said, feel free to lean on me."

"I never should have had you!" The cognitive Wakaba shrieked, throwing a stall in Futaba's own pace. "I never wanted to give birth to a freak! You make me sick!"

Panther let out a shuddering laugh through grit teeth. "Yeah. Doesn't matter what we call it, right?" Azure flame billowed out between her fingers as she cracked the skill card in one hand, her mask shattering an instant later. "So long as it shuts that bitch up." She faced the Wakaba-thing, palms facing each other but a gap between, and a roiling fire burst into that empty space. Spinning and twisting, first red, then orange, then pale blue, humming with barely contained energy.

"Thunderbird, empower her!" Ren called, and the two other Thieves' voices joined his.

"Zorro!"

"Johanna!"

Wind and light engorged the flame, Panther's hands moving farther apart, clearly struggling to keep the fireball contained as an orange glow surrounded her. "Hey Joker," she said, voice strained, "good idea for the name. I think I'll use it." The Wakaba-thing poised her wings, as if preparing to send a gale their way, and Panther grinned, her eyes aflame with blue. "Bonfire." And she let go.

The sphere shot faster than Ren could track, catching the cognition in the chest. The heat of the explosion washed over him, with enough light to blind the sun itself, sending the Thieves reeling in unison and Futaba crumbling in on herself. When Ren could finally see again, the Wakaba-thing was...still there. Screaming even louder, batting blue fire from its fur, but refusing to fall.

"Oh come on!" Skull shouted from a dozen feet behind them. "For real!? What's it gonna take to ground that thing!?"

"You can't kill her," Futaba's distorted voice echoed impossibly, those yellow eyes locked on the Thieves. She was crouching down behind Fox, hands around her knees. The same way Ren had seen Futaba perch on her chair, the real Futaba. "Didn't you listen?" A twisted smile, both giddy and queasy. "Futaba is the only one who can kill her."

"You're just another leech on my genius!" The sphinx flapped its mighty wings, and the wind slammed into Ren's face, forcing him to brace himself against the smooth floor. "You screwed up my life! It it wasn't for you, I could have finished my research!"

Ren's veins were more fury than blood, and he felt it boil up into his throat like so much acid. "Ars–"

"I'm not going to hurt her!" Futaba shouted. All eyes turned towards the girl. She was clutching onto Skull's arm as if the gale would tear her off the side of the pyramid, her eyes screwed shut. "Mom wasn't perfect, but she wasn't a monster!"

"My mother lied to me–" Futaba's Shadow began.

"I don't care!" Futaba retorted. She opened her eyes, staring right at her Shadow. "Parents lie all the time. Even good parents!" She let go of Skull's arm, stumbling for a moment as the wind caught her, but she steadied.

The howling gale abruptly silenced, as if the wind itself had flinched back to stillness. Ren dared a glance at the Wakaba-thing to see it stalling in midair, half-frozen, as if refusing to disturb this moment.

A chime echoed through the air, dragging Ren's gaze back to Futaba's Shadow. There was something in the air behind her, off the side of the pyramid. A stone wall hovering in place, covered in heiroglyphs and a single massive image. A carved tapestry of a woman yelling at a girl.

"Mom lied," Futaba continued. "She hurt you. But she always apologized afterwards, right? She made..." Futaba flinched at the sound of another resonant chime, the sound of a bell slowly tolling. The tapestry shifted. The girl crumpled and crying, and the woman kneeling down to hold her. "Mom made lots of mistakes, but she didn't make the same one twice."

The Shadow straightened up. "Her research..." She shivered, taking a step back, closer to the edge. Fox moved towards her and she swung an arm at him, sending him scrambling away. Another chime. The tapestry morphed into the woman caught between the girl and a computer. "I interrupted her research!"

"I love cognitive psience, and I love Mom." Futaba took a step forward. Step after careful step. "Wasn't it the same for her? She said you inspired her." Chime. The tapestry shifted. A man with a goatee working on the computer, as the woman and girl played together.

Futaba's Shadow shook her head. "No, no that's not true. She hated me. She must have hated me, that letter said so."

Futaba's hands balled into fists and she gathered her breath. "Fuck that letter!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. The tapestry dissolved, as if the sound of her voice itself had turned it to sand. "Mom wasn't lying her whole life! She loved having a daughter! She loved being your mom!" Her voice caught, and she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, walking forward once more. "Mom loved you. Don't you get that?"

The Shadow stepped back again. Matching Futaba's pace, every step closer to the drop.

"Futaba–" Fox took a step, one hand out. Futaba's Shadow swept out a violent dismissal without so much as looking at him. Before Ren could blink, the young man was a foot farther away, on his back against the pyramid.

"Fox!" Skull rushed over, helping his ally up.

"Don't hurt them!" Futaba demanded.

"They don't get to save me," her Shadow snarled. "They don't get to absolve this. I'm going to die, and they're not going to stop me."

"Fine," she said. "They don't save you." Futaba faced her Shadow, one foot in front of the other. "But you're not going to die."

Her Shadow's heel was against the sheer drop. "I deserve to die."

"You don't want to, though." Futaba slowed, careful now. "Not really. You just want your mom back."

Futaba's Shadow wavered. "That's not true," she said, quieter. Almost a plea.

"I know it's true," Futaba insisted, taking one final step forward, within arms distance of her doppelganger. "I know because you're me! And I miss Mom so badly every single day, but I don't want to die anymore!"

The final chime shook the world. A palpable resonance, shaking Ren's teeth in his skull, setting his ribcage shuddering.

Yellow eyes up towards Futaba – for a moment, they looked almost green. "You made me," the Shadow said. "So I could hold your pain." She wavered. "I could bear what you couldn't." Finally, she took a step away from the edge, back onto solid ground. Ren felt himself finally breathe again.

"Thank you," Futaba said, firm despite the tears in her voice. "I'm sorry I made you do that. We can hold it together now. I'm not alone anymore."

Futaba's Shadow glanced towards the Thieves, as if seeing them for the first time. "You aren't alone." She turned back to her true self. "Futaba." And she extended her hand, palm up. "Will you be lead astray again?"

Futaba hesitated. "Maybe. I don't know. I don't...always make the right choices." She reached out, hesitant. "If I make a mistake, that's okay, right? Doing a dumb thing...is just the way I learn to do smart things next time." Futaba took her Shadow's hand. "I won't make the same mistake twice. Just like Mom. I promise."

"As it should be," her Shadow replied. And night fell with a single breath. In that instant, there was no sun in the sky, but a radiant moon amongst a billion stars, shining nearly as bright.

"It's beautiful," Fox said, in awe.

Futaba's Shadow was gone. Futaba was standing alone near the edge of the pyramid, holding out her hand to the night itself. She paused. Brought that hand up to her face, to the goggle-like mask resting atop her eyes.

"No way," Mona gasped. "In her own Palace!?"

Variables: inverted. True-false. False-true.

Futaba shuddered, clinging to the mask as if it would anchor her.

Ren took a step forward, his heart in his throat, but Queen grabbed his shoulder. "Give her space," she said.

Title: Death Scrawl. Author unknown. Title: Future . Author unknown. Accept circumstances? [Y/N]

"I was scared," Futaba said. Each breath sounded like a burden. "I just followed...what they told me."

Trust...variable undefined. Enter earned parameters now.

"I'll kill you," came that horrid screeching voice, that timbre of fury, though the sphinx's mouth did not move. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you."

Futaba laughed, quick and manic. "My mom didn't write that note. She didn't want me dead." She grit her teeth. "I trust Mom. I trust me!"

Parameters accepted. Hello World. Database unlocked.

Futaba jolted fully upright, her arms hanging limply by her side, her mouth slightly open. As if she'd been physically shocked.

I = Thou. Thou = I. Title: Future. Author: Futaba Sakura.

"That's right. They don't get to decide if I live or die." One hand up, onto her mask. "I get to choose." Second hand, grasping the goggles. Her breath was shallow, focused, furious. "I'll...never...forgive them!" Futaba pulled her mask free.

A physical ripple shot across the pyramid roof as a pillar of azure light burst forth from the girl. Blue flame shot through the cracks between the stone as chunks of brick tore themselves free. Skull and Fox scrambled backwards, but both flame and distortion beached itself before reaching them. Even as they faded, a cloud of dust rose up from the impact.

"Futaba!" Ren couldn't help the word, couldn't help the concern that bubbled out of him.

A green-gloved thumb poked out of the cloud. And Futaba Sakura waved away the dust, walking towards the Thieves with a big grin on her face, clad in an outfit Ren recognized from the parcel's picture. A bodysuit, neon green lines tracing her nervous system, baggy cargo pants, gloves with neon green fingers and crimson red lenses in her goggle-esque mask. "Sorry I made you worry," she said, "but I'm okay!"

"You did it," Panther said – Ren couldn't look away, but he heard the grin in her voice. "I'm so proud of you Futaba, you did it."

"You've realized your 'True Self'," Queen added, "isn't that right?"

Futaba nodded excitedly. "I think so! Joker said a True Self was probably a Persona." She tapped the side of her mask. "And guess what I got." A little sing-song tone.

Ren couldn't think of anything to do but laugh.

"You," came a hollow voice, barely alive, like some haunting echo clinging to death, "murdered me." The Wakaba-thing still hovered there, barely flapping its wings, its form wavering in the moonlight. "You murdered me. You murdered me."

Futaba's expression soured. "Right. Not done yet." She turned to Ren. "Hey, Joker. Uh, I don't think my Persona can really do the whole..." She mimed punching. "Do you mind killing that for me?"

"Not at all." Ren faced the sphinx, one hand on his mask. "It'd be my pleasure."

She giggled. "And I'll give you a boost!" The familiar sound of a mask shattering.

A hollow green glow hit Ren like a spotlight. He glanced up to see something floating above above him, a pentagram of five otherworldly lanterns. No, not lanterns, lights. Chartreuse text beyond them, scattering across a curved surface.

"That's a fucking UFO!" Skull shouted, sounding both amazed and overjoyed.

"Her name," Futaba corrected, "is Necronomicon!"

The light surged, glowing brighter until Ren was forced to look away. But the overwhelming didn't hurt. It shot through him, a glow through his skin and igniting his nerves with ethereal fire, sharping his perception into a single point. He tuned out everything, the hum of the Persona to the smell of dust to the light above him. All he needed was a name. "Arsene!" A glint of moonlight on steel, and a burst of black blood. The Wakaba-thing broke. Like a clump of dirt in the water, it darkened and warped and then simply faded away.

The light above him dimmed, and he turned to see the mask reform on Futaba's face. "That was amazing," he said, less winded than he expected, but far more exhilarated.

But Futaba wasn't looking at him. Ren turned, following her gaze.

There was a woman standing there, near the edge of the pyramid. He could see the moon through her, but she was there. Black hair in a bob, wearing what Ren could only describe as royal garments, with that same jade pendant around her neck.

Futaba took a step closer, and Ren backed away, giving her whatever space she needed. "Um," she said, quietly, "hi mom."

The woman smiled. "I'm glad you chose to remember me this way," Wakaba said.

Futaba took an unsteady breath. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you before," she said, quietly. "I know you didn't hate me. I'm sorry for getting tricked."

Wakaba frowned, but her gaze was still so painfully loving. "You did trust me, Futaba. That's how you found your way back. You kept looking for the truth, even though someone else told you they had the answer." She reached out to brush a strand of hair off Futaba's mask. "You're my daughter, after all. You're smarter and braver than you think. "

"I wish you could come back with me," Futaba whimpered, pushing her visor up to wipe at her eyes, "or that I could stay with you here."

"I'm not supposed to be in that world anymore," Wakaba said. "And you're not supposed to be in this one."

Futaba swallowed what must have been a sob. "I love you. I really love you, Mom."

"I love you too." The woman glanced towards Ren, towards the Phantom Thieves. "Please take care of my daughter. She loves you all very much, so please treat her well."

Futaba spluttered. "Mom!"

Ren smiled. "We'll do good by her. I promise that."

The woman reached behind her neck and undid the pendant, holding it out to Ren. "Here. It wouldn't be right to leave without it." It shimmered in the moonlight, catching it and glowing with a golden hue.

"Her Treasure..." Mona mewled.

Ren reached out for the necklace, holding it in a careful hand. "It was an honor to meet you, Miss Isshiki." But she was already gone.

Futaba took another long breath, drying her eyes. Then she pulled the visor down. "Alright Ren," she said, as the pyramid began to shake, as the stones began to crumble. "Let's go home."