AN: I forget to say it a few chapters ago, but the Shadow enemy the group faced during Loona's awakening was a Chupacabra, the blood-sucking, goat eating cryptid of Central America.

Chapter 7: The Holy Knight and the Femme Fatale

Location: Outside the Castle of Lust

"All right! Time to bust on through!" Ryuji said as they arrived at the Palace of Lust.

"What is this!?" Ann shouted, looking around in shock as Collin hyperventilated.

"T-Takamaki!?" Ryuji said in shock.

"And her wimpy little friend too," Loona said, eyeing Collin. Her eyes grew wide as she saw that, much like when they first entered the Palace, Collin too had reverted to his true form. "What the Hell? That kid was an angel the whole time!?"

"Collin…?" Ann said in confusion, before looking at the boy who was still panicking. "What the- What happened to you!? You're a sheep man now!?"

"D-demons… D-D-D-Demons!" Collin shouted, pointing at Loona and Octavia.

"We're so fucked now," Octavia sighed, wishing she had her beanie to hide in. "Ren, how are you so calm right now?"

"Well, if demons and Hell exist, then angels and Heaven would too," Ren shrugged.

Ann turned back to them. "That voice… Are you Amamiya-kun!? And you… Sakamoto!?"

"Why are you here!?" Ryuji questioned.

"How should I know!?" Ann shouted back. "What's going on? Hey, where are we? Isn't this the school!?"

Morgana got a lovesick gaze before shaking it off. "I see. Perhaps she was dragged in because of that app thing. If multiple people can enter with the person who uses it, it stands to reason it'll pull anyone nearby."

"For real?" Ryuji said.

"Wait, so this is related to Kamoshida!?" Ann exclaimed.

"Anyways, you gotta leave!" Ryuji said.

"No!" Ann stamped her foot.

"The Shadows are going to find us if you make a scene," Morgana warned.

Ann jumped back in shock. "No way! It talked!?" She then realized what Octavia and Loona looked like. "Oh my god, it's a monster cat! And you two are a werewolf and bird person!"

"Monster...?" Morgana said, clearly offended by the remark. Loona just growled in annoyance.

Ann pointed at the boys. "You better explain what's going on! I won't leave until you do!"

Ryuji turned to Ren. "Looks like we gotta force her. But… how are we supposed to do that?"

"Just take her back to where we came in. That's how it worked last time, right?" Morgana said.

"Oh, yeah," Ryuji remembered. He looked to Loona. "Can you give me a hand."

"I feel bad…" Ren said, watching as Loona and Ryuji approached Ann, dragging her back to the entrance and kicking her out of the Palace.

"She'll just get in our way of dealing with Kamoshida if she stays here," Octavia said. She then looked at Collin, the cherub still in disbelief and shock. "Plus, now we have this guy to deal with…"

Ryuji sighed as he and Loona got back. "We better be careful from now on when we use this app…" he said.

"You should've checked the tools you use!" Morgana chided. "Why do I- the one who was just watching- know more about it than you four!?" He pointed at Collin. "And why didn't we kick him out as well?"

"Because if we do, then he can tell on us to the Guy Upstairs, and that means me, Octavia, and probably you guys by extension will be wiped off the map before you can even say a prayer," Loona said. She roughly picked up Collin, smacking him on the head. "Hey, how long have you been onto us!?"

"I-I-I didn't even k-know there were d-demons at this school! At least, not actual demons…" Collin said, stammering up a storm. "P-Please don't kill me! Oh, this is worse than that time with the imps that started my troubles…"

'Imps? Does Blitz know this wimp?' Loona thought. 'Yeah, I'm just going to put that thought away for later.'

"Collin, was it?" Octavia approached.

"Oh my gosh, you're a Goetia!" Collin gasped, recognizing the distinct bird-like visage of the demon before him.

"Yeah, Princess Octavia Goetia. You might have heard of my dad, Stolas Goetia," Octavia explained. "Look, Loona and I are here on an important mission helping these guys out, and it would be nice for you not to tell any of your higher authorities about it. We already promised not to kill any humans so you can put that thought out of your mind."

"W-Well, Prince Stolas is one of the more agreeable demons I've heard of," Collin said. "Besides, I'm banished from Heaven, so I can't tell anyone up there anyways. I'm at this school in the first place because I'm supposed to investigate an ordeal of some kind…?"

"That's what Octavia said when we first came here," Ren noted. "We're going bring justice to Kamoshida for the crimes has committed."

'Justice…?' Collin thought, that word sparking a memory of the letter Deerie had given him.

"Hm… Maybe Uncle Raoul has some allies in Heaven that sent you to help us out," Octavia wondered.

"You aren't seriously thinking about letting this shrimp in on the mission, are you?" Loona said, squeezing Collin like a plushy.

"Your grip is very strong, Miss Hellhound Mam!" Collin exclaimed as the air was forced out of his lungs.

"The name's Loona, lambchop," Loona growled.

"L-L-Lambchop!?" Collin exclaimed, his face going red before Loona finally dropped him to the floor. He brushed himself off and looked at Octavia. "Well, Princess Octavia, while I don't like the idea of working with demons, if you say that your intentions are for good, and that you fight for Justice, then I believe you." He looked down at his feet. "What Kamoshida did to Shiho… is unforgivable! And while it's against my nature to harm humans, if we can do something in this place that will make him pay for his sins, then consider me your ally in this fight!"

"I'm not keen on working with an angel either, but I've learned quickly to expect the unexpected in this ordeal," Octavia said. She shook hands with Collin, signifying their alliance. "Just to be clear, we go back to being enemies when all of this is said and done, okay?"

"Oh for sure!" Collin nodded.

"Geez, this all too much for us starting off," Ryuji shook his head. "Takamaki found out right away, and now not only do we have demons in our school, but an angel too? We gotta deal with this fast!"

"That girl's name is Ann Takamaki, right?" Morgana asked. He gave wistful sigh. "Lady Ann…"

"Don't make it weird," Octavia groaned.

[***]

Location: Entrance

After explaining the basics of what a Palace was to Collin, the group moved further into the Palace just outside the doorway, with Loona keeping Colling firmly in the back. "Looks like the Shadows are onto us," Morgana noted. He turned to Ren with a confident grin. "We're counting on you, Joker!"

"Joker? That a nickname?" Ryuji questioned.

"Don't refer to it in such a lame way. It's a code name," Morgana explained. "What kind of stupid phantom thief would use their real name!? I'm not down for that! And there's no telling what kind of effect yelling our real names will have on the Palace… It's just a precaution."

"So… Why is he Joker?" Octavia asked.

"Because he's our trump card when it comes to fighting strength," Morgana replied.

"That's embarrassing, considering we have two literal demons with us," Ren said, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't think I'm anything special, besides the half-demon thing…"

"The what now?" Collin asked.

"We'll explain later," Octavia replied.

"Just go with it!" Morgana insisted. "You're Joker!"

"It's ain't too bad, yeah?" Ryuji said with a grin.

"Next up is you, Ryuji," Morgana said, facing the blonde. "You'll be… Let's see…"

""Thug"," Loona said with a smirk.

"Are you picking a fight with me!?" Ryuji shouted at her, the hellhound jut laughing. "I'll chose it myself! Hm… When it comes to me, it's gotta be this mask. Honestly, I kinda like it. What if we named me after this?"

"Fine…" Morgana sighed. "I had a better name in mind, but… Why not "Skull" then?"

Ryuji pumped his fist. "That sounds awesome! I'm Skull!"

Morgana looked to Octavia next. "Now for you, I think that outfit is quite the statement."

"Maybe something like "Plague"?" Joker suggested.

Octavia shook her head. "No, that doesn't feel right." She thought about what she would like to go by. "Plague doctors were healers, but could also be seen as an omen of death to the houses they visited…"

"Oh, I like that word!" Morgana exclaimed. "I think "Omen" would be great code name for you!"

Octavia hummed, then nodded. "Okay then. Call me Omen."

"I'm not going to let the cat attempt to pick one for me," Loona said, shaking her head. "Here, since I look like a werewolf to you guys anyway, just call me "Lycan", okay?"

"Lycan it is then," Morgana nodded. "And I am not a cat!"

Skull looked to the not-cat with interest. "What do we do about this one's code name?"

"What do you think?" Joker asked.

"How about "Mona"?" Skull suggested, Joker giving a nod of approval.

"Well, if Joker thinks it's easier to call me that, then I'll go with it," Morgana, now Mona, said. "All right. From here on out, we're Joker, Skull, Omen, Lycan, and Mona. We need to be absolutely thorough about using those code names from now on!"

"Do I get a code name?" Collin asked, raising his hand.

"Do you have a Persona to fight with?" Lycan asked.

"What's a Persona?" Collin questioned.

"Then that answers your question," Lycan stated, making the cherub look crestfallen.

With their code names picked out, the gang went into the Palace to start their mission. "All right! Time to go steal this Treasure thing!" Skull said. "Let's make a dash for it!"

Going in through the infiltration spot they'd used the last two times they were in the Palace, the gang noticed a group of Shadows were gathered in the main entryway being ordered around by Shadow Kamoshida. "Those intruders the other day were quite entertaining," the Palace Ruler said. "However, I can't allow that trash to ransack my castle!"

"It's unsettling seeing Mr. Kamoshida like that," Collin whispered. "He really thinks of himself as a king?" Omen gave a nod.

"Strengthen the security! Kill them on sight! I'll reward whoever brings me their heads," Shadow Kamoshida ordered.

"Praise be to King Kamoshida!" the Shadows cheered. "Death to the intruders!"

Lycan turned to Mona. "Hey Mona, can't we just beat the shit out of that guy and go home so we can deal with the airhead we just kicked out?"

"Look at all those soldiers, idiot!" Mona chided. "It'd be suicide. And I'm sure you don't want a repeat of last time. Besides, don't you want him to confess his sins? There's no point in beating him up. We need to steal his materialized desires… The Treasure."

"Confessing his sins sounds nice," Collin smiled.

Lycan rolled her eyes. "Of fucking course, the angel likes that idea. Fine, then tell us where this Treasure is."

"Well, it has to be hidden somewhere in this castle," Joker speculated, getting a nod from Mona.

"Right! So, let's infiltrate further in while he's out here!" the not-cat said. With that the gang went to the nearest door, only to find a Shadow inside the room

"Damnit, there's a guard over here too…" Skull cursed. "Whaddya wanna do? Should we kick its ass?"

"Hold on…" Mona hummed. "This might be a good opportunity to teach you something…. All right, Joker! Let's go!" The gang jumped into battle, revealing a Beguiling Girl underneath the Shadow's mask. "Remember how I taught you about All-Out Attacks? Well, there's more you can do when an enemy is knocked down. You can get then to give up money and items, since they don't want to die. So, let's knock 'em down and start a Hold Up!"

It only took one bullet from Joker's gun to knock the Beguiling Girl down, with the team surrounding her at gunpoint. (Collin awkwardly stood to the side while this was happening). "Seriously!? You guys are the intruders that King Kamoshida was talking about!?" the Shadow lamented. "It can't get worse than this… What're you going to do to me!? Joker just stayed silent, freaking the Beguiling Girl out. "Wh-Why aren't you saying anything? At least let me know if you're planning to kill me!"

"Something along those lines," Lycan smirked. "Now, cough up some cash or items before I put a bullet through your skull!"

"But, this happened so suddenly… I actually don't have anything on me…" the Beguiling Girl said. "I-I usually do though, you know!?"

Mona looked flustered at that. "W-Wait, what? Oh… This isn't how I was planning this to go. Uh, if that's the case… I guess it's time for you to go to hell."

"W-Wait!" the Shadow pleaded.

"Sorry, but we're in a hurry," Omen shrugged, powering up her staff.

"No, wait up!" the Beguiling Girl cried. "Can't we work something out? Don't kill me, please! Won't you let me go?"

Joker looked at the Shadow, feeling a strange pull in his gut as he did so. Omen noticed a red tinge come to the boy's eyes as he lowered his weapon. "Fine," Joker said.

"What?" Lycan tilted her head in confusion.

"Are you the type who can't say no?" Beguiling Girl asked. "I totally know how you feel. I'm the same way." The Shadow suddenly perked up as Joker's eyes flashed red again. "Whoa, I feel different! Something happening!"

"What the…" Omen whispered.

"What's going on!?" Mona exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, I remember now!" the Beguiling girl said, fluttering back up. "I don't belong to just King Kamoshida… I'm an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity's souls… My real name… is "Pixie"!" The newly remembered Pixie went up to Joker, her aura becoming that of his blue flames. "I'm Pixie! From now on, I'll live on inside your heart!" With that the Shadow transformed into a mask, Joker's demonic aura briefly flaring as he took the mask into himself.

"What was that just now? What happened!?" Mona exclaimed.

With the battle concluded, the gang gathered around Joker to talk about what had just happened. "Wh-What the hell was hat all about? The enemy got sucked into Joker's mask!" Skull said.

"I-I have no idea!" Mona exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting that either…"

"I think I might know what happened," Omen said, looking to Ren. "The part of you that's half-demon, it flared up when you took in Pixie as your mask. Maybe that could mean-"

"Hey, where'd the angel go?" Lycan asked, looking around. She was answered shortly afterwards by the sound of a scream from the other room. "Shit, he's going to get himself killed…"

Hurrying to where Collin was, the team looked to see him backed into a corner by one of the guards. "Found you, intruder!" the Shadow shouted. The sheep summoned a crossbow to try and fight back, but his shaky hands and nerves left him paralyzed in fear.

"Fight back, dumbass!" Lycan shouted, her ears twitching as another Shadow came up behind the group. "Damnit, now we have more of them to deal with…"

"N-No…" Collin whimpered, gasping as his crossbow was knocked away and he was slammed into the floor. "Ann, Shiho… I'm so sorry…"

"Now isn't the time to be sorry for yourself!" Skull shouted. "If you're going to help us, then fight back!"
"B-But I don't what that Persona power you guys have!" Collin squeaked. "Every time I try to help, I just make things worse for everyone. Maybe… I deserve to die…"

"Do you believe that?" Joker asked. "You stood up to Kamoshida in the real world alongside us. Don't you want Shiho to get her justice? Show these Shadows what you can do!"

"You're a freaking angel!" Omen shouted. "Are you really going to let these knock-off demons get the better of you?"

"I…" Collin said, looking up at the Shadow. Finding his strength, the cherub rushed into the guard, pushing it away as he recovered his crossbow. "You're right! I'm tired of doubting myself, of being the weak link! I am a warrior of the Lord, and I will enact His will to deliver these villains to justice!"

"Spoken a true man of God," said a voice in Collin's mind, his eyes turning yellow as he flinched.

"J-Joseph...?" Collin asked, recognizing the voice.

"Not quite. I am but an aspect of yourself that has taken on his form," the voice corrected. "You have always had the power to defend others, Collin, but now is the time for you to act with that power. Be more than a follower: become a Shepard that will lead to glorious victory in the name of the Lord!" A mask appeared on Collin's face, taking the form of a blue face scarf. "I am thou, thou art I… With my power you will be able to chart a course to a bright future and avoid the ruin of the world. Now then, call my name and let your power be free!"

Collin nodded, using his free hand to pull off his mask, blood dripping from his mouth as he shouted, "Zaphnath-Paaneah!" In a burst of blue flames, the Shadows were pushed back, the team looking at Collin in shock as he awoke to his Persona.

"Damn! Didn't think he had it in him," Lycan said, almost impressed.

As the flames fell away it revealed Collin in a new outfit alongside his Persona. The cherub was now wearing long white robes with a hood and blue accents, a large sash wrapped around his waist with a golden cross at the center, along with a cape held in place by a gold pauldron and gloves the color of deep blue. His Persona, Zaphnath-Paaneah, looked to be a young man wearing traditional Egyptian garb, though in place of Egyptian symbols were those written in Hebrew instead, a crook being held in his hand.

Collin stepped forward as the Shadows took their true form, becoming a small yellow-winged demon with antenna alongside two Dirty Two-Horned Beasts. The cherub held up his hands, summoning a spear almost twice his size that he effortlessly twirled around. "Okay guys, let's do this!" Collin shouted.

Joker nodded, taking a stance next to Collin alongside Skull and Lycan. As they did so, Joker tilted his head as he felt Pixie stir within him. Holding out a hand, his eyes flashed as he calling out her name. "Pixie!" With a flash of fire Pixie appeared, casting Zio and knocking one of the Dirty-Two Horned Beasts down.

"Isn't that the Shadow you absorbed?" Omen questioned. "Looks like my theory was correct. Your half-demon nature lets you take in Shadows and use them as Personas!"

"That's crazy!" Mona exclaimed.

"Let me show what I can do, Joker!" Collin said. He called on his Persona and pointed his spear at the lead Shadow, a Diminutive Pest. "Aqua!" Zaphnath-Paaneah pointed his crook forward, calling a blast of water that knocked the Shadow down. "Yes, I did it!"

"Don't get cocky now," Lycan said. She attacked the other Dirty-Two Horned Beast, with Skull using his own Zio to knock it down. Once the Hold Up started, Joker called on an All-Out Attack, with the battle soon being over as their enemies stood no chance against the attack.

"Show's over!" Joker shouted, adjusting his gloves as their enemies faded away.

"H-Hey, Mona! What was that about!?" Skull asked. "What did Joker do?"

"He sealed the enemy's appearance and powers into his mask, and made it his new Persona…" Mona said in awe. "Is such a feat even possible? Even I've never seen anyone pull that off!"

"It's nothing important," Joker shrugged.

"Only one heart can exist per person, so normally a person can only have one Persona," Mona explained.

"Either way, I guess you can live up to the Joker name now. A true wild card power, that one is," Omen said, giving her cousin a thumb's up. "That ability, be it your demonic heritage or not, will give us a huge advantage in battle. If you can collect more masks from Shadows, then you might just be the most powerful member of the team."

"It's almost cheating how broken that could be," Lycan said. "Guess Kamoshida won't expect us to turn his minions on him, huh?"

"Hell yeah! We'll hold every last one of 'em up!" Skull cheered.

Mona laughed. "I like you even more now! I really do have something special after all!" The not-cat then turned to Collin. "Good job getting your Persona as well. I feel a kinship between us somehow, kid. Now all you need is a code name, and you can officially join the team."

"I'm ready to help, Mona!" Collin said with a nod.

"How does "Lambchop" sound?" Lycan said, making the cherub flustered.

"P-Please don't…" Collin sighed, his face going red underneath the mask. Even with his new power, he was still the same cherub underneath the new outfit. Looking at his clothes, he pulled at his hood in wonder. "Wow, I look like some kind of some kind of holy knight…"

"There's something we could use," Omen said. "There was that group back in the day that fought in God's name… What were they called… Oh, right, the Templars. I think "Templar" would be a good fit."

"I agree," Joker nodded.

Collin smiled. "Okay then, you can call me Templar from now on! Let's go find that Treasure now!"

"Lead the way, Joker," Mona said.

[***]

Location: First Floor

With a new team member on their side, the gang went back to infiltrating the Palace, passing a weird iron-barred door that gave Skull an uneasy feeling. Templar also got help out, showing that his Persona had healing abilities just like Mona. Along the way Joker picked up more new Personas, a Bicorn and Jack-o'-Lantern, before ducking into a new safe room to regroup. "Aren't there even more Shadows that before?" Skull asked. "Just getting this far's been a real pain in my ass!"

"It's all because you guys provoked Kamoshida, you know," Mona sighed. "Still… he seems to be awfully on guard…"

"Anyway, how are we going to take this Treasure you keep talking about?" Lycan questioned.

"Let's not be hasty," Omen said.

Mona nodded. "She's right. First, we'll need to secure an infiltration route."

"A what?" Templar asked.

"A path to the Treasure's location," Mona explained. "With the group we have, I'm sure that we'll be able to pull this off! Lucky us that we have a sizable group already. Safety in numbers and all that."

"Hey, you say you don't have your memories and all, but somehow you still know about that kinda stuff?" Skull questioned. He turned to Joker and whispered, "Do you think this thing's really got amnesia?"

"I believe in Mona," Joker affirmed

"At least you're a step above that moron," Mona said smugly.

"Don't call me a moron!" Skull shot back. "You sure talk big, but what if it turns out you're just some stray cat in the end?"

"That can't be," Mona shook his head.

"If that is that case, I'm sure my dad has some magic that could rectify that," Omen suggested, making Mona smile warmly at her.

Suddenly, the group could hear voices talking outside. "Still, why was the princess in such an odd place?" out guard said.

"Princess…?" Templar whispered, leaning against the door to hear better.

"I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder," the guard continued.

"It doesn't matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida!" the other guard said.

"Who's this princess they're talking about?" Lycan asked.

"I should probably look into this," Mona said, sneaking out of the safe room.

Skull sighed. "And yet another question goes unanswered… Stuff like the castle and that navigation app are mysterious… but Morgana's got 'em both beat."

"Code names," Joker said.

Skull flinched. "Crap, sorry! What was I again…? Oh yeah- Skull!"

"Dumbass…" Lycan sighed.

"It's an easy mistake…" Templar said, trying to ease tensions.

Mona suddenly reentered the room in a panic. "This is bad!"

"That was fast," Omen said.

"You're friend… Lady Ann! She's been taken by Shadows!" Mona exclaimed.

"W-What!?" Templar shouted. "But you sent here out of this world earlier!"

"Oh shit," Omen cursed. "Remember how we all got the navigation app on our phones after leaving the Palace? The same must have happened to Ann. It's a possibility, at least."

"Damnit! We let her out for her own safety, and she just came back in by herself!" Skull said. "We don't got time to be taking a break!"

"We need to hurry and rescue her!" Mona nodded.

The group followed Mona to where Ann had been taken, her voice being heard as she complained to the Shadows that had captured her. "She totally doesn't get what's going on!" Skull sighed as he heard Ann's voice echo through the halls.

"Let's hurry! We have to save her!" Templar stated.

Going back to where the iron-barred door had been, the gang entered the now open walkway and went through the door on the other side. There the gang found Ann tied up to a stretching board, with two Shadow guards watching over her. "What's all this about!?" Ann complained. "I'm gonna call the cops!"

"So, this is the intruder," King Kamoshida said, approaching on.

The girl reacted to the Palace Ruler in shock. "Kamoshida!?" Ann was even more shocked, though, when her Shadow double appeared as well. "Who's that!? More importantly, what is this place!? Why's the school turned into something like this!?"

"I can't believe you mistook my Ann for someone like her," Shadow Kamoshida scolded before laughing at Ann. "Are you afraid?"

Ann sneered. "What is that outfit? Have you lost your mind?"

"I do as I please here. After all, this is my castle… The world of my desires," the Palace Ruler stated.

"What the-? Wait… Is this some red-light district!?" Ann pulled at her restraints harder.

"What a lively slave," Shadow Kamoshida mused.

Ann snarled. "This isn't funny! Enough of the bullshit, Kamoshida!"

He gave a tisk. "The girl's decided to tell me off. What do you think of that?"

Shadow Ann had a vacant look as she spoke. "Talking back is, like… totally unforgivable…"

The king turned back to his prisoner. "In that case… she should be executed." Ann gasped as a guard captain approached her. "Now then, how should I play with you? Shall I tear you into little pieces?"

"Are you kidding me?" Ann whispered.

"This is effed up…" Skull said, looking at the half-nude cognitions of the volleyball girls that were strewn across the floor. "Is that what he thinks of the girls on the volleyball team!?"

"Well, I'm not joining a sports club at your school, that's for sure," Lycan said.

"Look, over there!" Templar exclaimed, pointing to where Ann was captured.

"Takamaki!" Skull shouted as the group ran over.

Shadow Kamoshida sighed. "Just when I was about to start enjoying myself…"

"What's the deal with this guy!?" Ann shouted.

Skull clinched his fist. "You little…"

"How many times are you gonna come back?" the Palace Ruler questioned. He turned to Ann. "I bet you're just like those thieves. You came because you're pissed at me, huh? But ah… I forget that chick's name, but it's your fault she jumped, you know." Ann gave a confused noise. "You were so reluctant to throw yourself onto me that I had her take your place."

Ann got pissed at that statement. "You bastard!" Her bravado faltered when the guard captain approached.

"No!" Templar shouted, only to be stopped by one of the guards.

"Take one more step and I'll kill her on the spot," Shadow Kamoshida warned.

"Damnit…" Lycan cursed.

"Just sit back and enjoy the dismemberment show," Kamoshida smirked.

"No! Don't!" Ann pleaded.

"Maybe I'll start with the clothes…" the Palace Ruler licked his lips in lust.

Shadow Ann giggled. "You're such a perv!"

"What are we going to do?" Omen asked, not getting an answer as the guard captain stepped forward.

"Takamaki!" Skull and Templar shouted.

"Is this… my punishment for what happened to Shiho?" Ann questioned herself.

"That's more like it. You should've looked like this from the start," Shadow Kamoshida mused.

"Shiho… I'm so sorry…" Ann cried.

"Don't give in," Joker stated, catching her attention.

"You're not a fault here! Kamoshida is!" Templar exclaimed.

"Collin…?" Ann said, looking past the mask of the cherub to recognize him. Her gaze became more focused. "You're right. Letting this piece of shit toy with me… What was I thinking!?"

"It's like I always say," Shadow Kamoshida said. "Slaves should just behave and-"

"Shut up!" Ann cut him off. "I've had enough of this… You've pissed me off, you son of a bitch!"

"My… It's taken far too long," said a voice in Ann's head, her eyes turning yellow as she struggled against her restrains.

"Here we go again," Omen said, a grin coming to her face.

"Tell me… Who is going to avenge her if you don't?" the voice asked. "Forgiving him was never an option… Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within… I am thou, thou art I… We can finally forge a contract."

Ann's held fell down. "I hear you… Carmen." In flash of blue flames, a red cat-like mask appeared on her face. "You're right. No more holding back…!

"There you go… Nothing can be resolved by restraining yourself," Carmen said as Ann broke through her restraints. "Understand? Then I'll gladly lend you my strength." Ann ripped off her mask and her Persona appeared, Carmen taking the form of a voluptuous woman with pink skin and a large red and black dress, her heels stepping on one servant while holding the other on a leash.

"Talk about a dominatrix," Lycan mused. "Kinda reminds of Verosika Mayday."

"The succubus pop star?" Omen asked.

"Yeah. Blitz used to date her," Lycan said.

"You'll have to tell me about hat fact later," Omen said. "It's time for battle!"

Like her Persona Ann was wearing red as well, though her outfit took the form of a red latex outfit with pink gloves and a generous boob window. With her new power Ann kicked a sword from one of the guards and jumped into the air, bringing the weapon down on her Shadow double, defeating it in one blow. Shadow Kamoshida backed away behind his guards as Ann's glare turned to him.

"You know what? I'm not some cheap girl you can toy with… you scumbag,"Ann said.

"Bitch," the Palace Ruler spat.

The others gathered behind Ann, ready to battle as she continued, "You stole everything from Shiho… You destroyed her…Now it's your turn!" She pointed at the Shadow with confidence. "I will rob you of everything…!"

"How dare you! Enough of your insolence!" the guard captain shouted, bursting into its true form… A giant demon man on a toilet?

"What the fuck is that?" Lycan asked.

"I think we shouldn't ask questions…" Templar sighed.

"I've had enough of you," Ann stated to the Shadow. "No one's gonna stop me now! Let's go, Carmen!"

As the battle began, Ann took point alongside Joker, Mona, and Templar. "How dare you deny King Kamoshida's love, you selfish lass!? Pay for this insolence with your life!" the Shadow said.

"That dirtbag just sees women as sexual outlets!" Ann shot back. "Don't make me laugh with that "love" bullshit! Come on, Carmen! Let's give 'em hell!" Using Carmen's Agi skill, Ann knocked the Guard Captain down in one shot, with the gang not even trying to negotiate as they went for an All-Out Attack, doing massive damage.

Joker switched to Jack-o'-Lantern, using his own Agi skill to repeat the process. Mona and Templar attacked with what they hand, but it wasn't enough as the Guard Captain was able to attack with Magaru, which knocked Joker down from the hit.

"Right. If we can hit with effective skills, they can do the same for us," Omen noted, tagging in while Joker righted himself. "With your Persona switching ability, Joker, be careful about how your weaknesses change as well."

"Noted," Joker nodded. He then looked at the Guard Captain in disgust as it used Dia to heal itself.

"Tell me that thing didn't just shit itself to heal…" Lycan groaned.

"Let's finish this now!" Ann shouted, using Agi to burn the Shadow to cinders.

With one last All-Out Attack, the gang finished the Guard Captain off, with Collin landing the final blow. The cherub comically fell on his back before righting himself, taking a praying stance as their enemy burst into goo. "Rest in peace!" Collin shouted.

"To think… there would be a woman… who could stand up to King Kamoshida…" the Guard Captain gasped out before falling

Ann scoffed. "Outside of school, that guy's nothing but a pathetic loser!" With the battle over, she turned her attention back to the Palace Ruler.

"Oh shit…!" Shadow Kamoshida cursed as all attention was turned to him.

The group would have chased after him if Ann didn't fall to the group in exhaustion. "Wait…!" she shouted.

"Why'd you come her, man!? And more importantly, how!?" Skull questioned.

"Hey, is that how you speak to a woman!?" Mona chided. "Are you all right, Lady Ann!?"

"Lady Ann…?" Ann questioned.

"Don't think about it too hard," Omen sighed.

"Wait, what is this thing? Is it alive? How can it talk?" Ann asked. "And… where in the world are we!?"

"Just calm down, Ann," Templar said, coming up next to Mona. "Everything is going to be okay; don't worry."

"How am I supposed to calm down!?" Ann shouted, using the two short boys to push herself back to her feet. She then noticed that her outfit had changed. "Why am I dressed like this!? When did I-" She covered her chest in embarrassment. "What's with this!?"

"Calm down," Joker said.

"How can you expect me to be calm!?" Ann shouted at him.

"Well, I'm stumped…" Mona crossed his arms. "A search party will be coming for us soon. There's no time to explain. We don't have a choice. Let's retreat for now!"

"We were just getting fired up, and you had to go and get in the way," Skull said.

"Just drop it," Lycan sighed.

Templar went to Ann's side with a smile. "Here, I'll help you out," he said. "Skull, help me out, please?" With that the two boys helped Ann as they all exited the Palace together.

[***]

"Thanks," Ann said as they all returned to the real world.

"Looks like we made it back safely," Octavia said.

"You okay, Ann?" Collin asked.

"Well, pretty much…" Ann said. "Wait, I lied- I'm still confused about all of this."

"You may be safe now, but a lot sure did happen there…" Morgana said. "At any rate, we stand out too much here. Let's relocate to a safer spot."

Everyone agreed to that, meeting up in the subway to continue their conversation. Octavia even got everyone sodas to drink as they did so, (though Ann insisted on a non-carbonated beverage). She even got Morgana some water, which the not-cat appreciated greatly. They explained everything to her, from the Palace to the fact that demons and angels were real. She'd seen it all, so it was only fair that she be filled in.

"Have you calmed down, Lady Ann?" Morgana asked.

"Um… Morgana, right?" Ann asked. "I really am talking to a cat… That feels so strange… Oh, sorry! You're not a cat, right?"

"Did you forget that you meet two demons and an angel today as well?" Octavia questioned. "Surely that's stranger than a talking… being that just so happens to look like a cat."

"After everything I saw in that castle, angels and demons being real is pretty believable," Ann mused. "I guess cats are so normal that a talking one- or a thing that looks like one- really threw me off."

"It's only natural that you're confused," Morgana assured Ann. "Demanding that you understand all this right after what you went though is asking too much."

"Honestly, I still can't believe what happened…" Ann shook her head. "And that power… my Persona…"

"It's the will of your rebellion, Lady Ann," Morgana explained. "With it, you'll be able to fight in that other world."

"So, if what you told me is true, we can make Kamoshida have a change of heart, right?" Ann asked. "Is it really possible? Can we actually force him to confess his crimes?"

"The volleyball team's keeping quiet about this, while teachers and parents turn blind eye," Ryuji said. "If guys like us try and complain, they're just gonna shoot us down. Going all in on this plan is the only choice we got."

"Then let me help too," Ann said firmly. "I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho. He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her… I'll never forgive him."

"Sure, why not?" Octavia said, much to Ryuji's shock. "The more the merrier, I say. She showed that she can fight, so she's not going to slow us down, either."

"Have some faith, Ryuji," Loona smirked. "And not the belief in God kind, but the trusting this girl to kick some ass kind."

"She'll be great," Ren agreed.

"I agree as well," Morgana said.

"We're in this together now!" Collin cheered. "And if anything bad does happen, I'll protect her, and the rest of you. Think of me as your guardian angel, Ann, Shiho's as well!"

"I'll protect you too, Lady Ann," Morgana nodded.

"Even if you said no, I'd just go in alone," Ann said.

"I would be more dangerous turning her down then, if she can just go in with the app…" Ryuji said.

"Then it's decided," Ann said. "Well, I hope we get along! I'm going to make Kamoshida atone for what he did. Not just for Shiho's sake… but for everything he's done. I won't let any more people suffer because of him. I'll do whatever it takes! Just let me know when you're heading back in... Oh wait! We don't have each other's info. Hey, give me your number and chat ID. And, um…"

"I'll give you all mine as well," Collin said. They all pulled out their phones and exchanged numbers. "I'll be counting on you guys!"

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Ann," Morgana said with a smile. As Ann walked off, he sighed. "What a kind girl… Such admirable consideration for others… And the innocence to cast herself into the jaws of death to achieve her goal… She cares about her friends, and she's beautiful to boot… What a girl! She's captured my heart…"

"Dude," Ryuji shook his head, Loona making a gagging noise.

"You better not try anything until we get you back to being a human," Octavia muttered.

"Of course not!" Morgana exclaimed, Octavia swearing that he was blushing as he did so. "Lady Ann only deserves to have me at my best, in my true form!"

"What kind of group did I get myself into…" Collin sighed.

"You know, it'd be better if this group could get together quick from now on…" Ryuji mused.

Morgana nodded. "Ture. Our best option would be to make a secret hideout where we could discuss these things."

"I like the sound of that," Loona grinned.

"The school rooftop would work," Octavia suggested. "No one ever goes up there. Plus we all go to school already, so it's convenient for all of us."

"I agree," Morgana nodded. "I can't contact you from inside a Palace, so I'll stay in this world. That being said, I'll need someone to take care of me." He looked at Ren. "I'm personally nominating you. You should feel honored."

"This all you. There's no way I can at my place," Ryuji said.

"No pets allowed in the building where I'm staying," Collin said.

"I'm not living with this guy, so pass," Loona stated.

"Guess I don't have a choice, then," Ren shrugged.

"Well, we now have our hideout, so let's meet there tomorrow!" Ryuji said.

With that the group broke off, though Loona caught Collin by the collar of his shirt before he could get far. "You remember our deal, right Lambchop?" Loona said, a growl coming to her voice.

"O-O-Of course I do!" Collin exclaimed. "Not like I can really tell anyone in Heaven about you anyways… I was banished, so I have no way to contact any of my superiors."

"Can't you just pray and be heard by God or whatever?" Octavia asked.

"It doesn't work like that," Collin shook his head. "God gets so many prayers every day that mine would just be lost in the shuffle Outsourcing those that need to be answered… a lot of red tape and stuff. Not like I deserve to be heard since I got banished…"

Octavia couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the cherub. "I get it, losing your home sucks. Maybe…" She shook her head. "Nah, I got nothing but my condolences, I guess. You certain don't fit the bill for what I was always told angels were like, that's for sure."

"And you don't fit what I think demons are like either," Collin chuckled. "And hey, once we finish this ordeal, I was promised my spot back in Heaven, so I'll be okay in the end. Especially now that I've found the person I was sent to help." He brought a hand to his face. "Although, I feel like Ren is an odd choice to be Justice…"

"Eh, Justice can come in many forms. Not the worst choice, trying to change that bastard Kamoshida's heart, and better than whatever 'justice' you can get in Hell," Loona shrugged. "Just don't hold back when we're fighting, Lambchop. I want to see if you can change my mind about you angels."

"Wow Loona, that was almost a compliment," Octavia said.

"And if you fail, then I'll laugh as you eat dirt," the hellhound smirked.

"And there's the other shoe," Collin sighed. Their alliance may be uneasy, but the cherub got an odd feeling that these new friends of his might be ones to put him back on the right path.

New Compendium Entry

Name: Zaphnath-Paaneah

Arcana: Sirius (variation of Star)

Background: The name of a vizier given to him by the Pharaoh. He was a man of God that could interpret the dreams of others and became the Pharaoh's most trusted advisor.

Initial Moves:

Aqua Spells (Water-based magic. Technical damage on Burned and Rage enemies)

Dia Spells (Healing magic)

Author's Note

Collin and Ann join the party! It will be an uneasy alliance between the angel and demons at first, but I'm sure being Phantom Thieves together will lighten the tension between them.

The PTs got their code names this time as well, and from now on within Palaces I will be using their code names. Omen is one I've had chosen since the start, and I think it fits Octavia very well as she's an omen of how this story will change from the original P5R plot as it goes on. Loona was originally going to be "Wolf" but seeing as one of the new characters in Persona 5 Strikers gets that code name, I went with Lycan instead. Collin being Templar is also fairly obvious, though a bit ironic as well seeing as I based his Phantom Thief outfit on Ezio from Assassin's Creed, whom fights the Templars.

Speaking of which, Collin's Persona! Zaphnath-Paaneah is the name that Joseph of the Old Testament was given by the Pharaoh when he became the vizier. I knew Collin should have a biblical figure for his Persona, but finding a "trickster" character that would fit him was hard work. Luckily I remembered that Joseph did use a different name so he fits the disguised character theme at the very least. Water powers also make sense for an angel I think. Like with Loona, Collin has a variation of an existing Arcana, in his case "Sirius", a variation of the Star Arcana found in the Court de Gebelin deck.

The demon the gang fights during Collin's Awakening is an Imp. They look a lot different in SMT than they do in Helluva Boss, but I'm sure that Octavia will comment on that as they meet more Shadows she'd be familiar with.

Next Time: The Phantom Thieves start their Palace infiltration, properly this time!