Chapter 20: Justice Encounter
June 5
Yoshida: I'd like to request your help with another speech. I've been feeling more courageous with you around. How's your schedule looking today?
Ren: I'll be right there.
Yoshida: Thank you. Please come to the front of Shibuya Station. I'll be waiting.
"It's funny. Usually going to church is my Sunday ritual, but lately it's been coming here to help Mr. Yoshida with his speeches," Collin mused. "Hm, maybe I need to see if there is a church nearby..."
"Good luck with that. Japan isn't big on the whole Christianity thing," Octavia said.
"Shh! He's starting," Loona shushed them.
"That you possess free will does not mean you can always do as you please," Yoshida proclaimed. "To make your decisions based simply on loss and gain is to act like a heartless machine. The reason so few people care about their fellow man is because so few have the energy to do so. We politicians have fallen short of our goal to change society. We need your support more than ever!"
"That approach isn't going to work! You have to get voters more excited!" a man in a suit said. "You're going to completely lose the hearts and minds of the people."
"Again, what I'd like to say is-" Yoshida gasped as he looked at the man. "Councilman Matsushita!"
The man stepped forward. "It's been so long since we last spoke. I wanted to stop by to see how you were doing." As Yoshida ended his speech and brought the man over to the side to talk, he looked at the quartet with surprised eyes. "Oh, you have high schoolers volunteering for you, huh? My, times have changed. Do you know about the Kuramoto Children?"
"No, and I don't care," Loona said plainly.
Matsushita laughed. "Well, at least you're honest, kid. I was a member of the Kuramoto Children back in my dayl. Yoshida and I joined the same year. I made an amazing career change, going from a pro wrestler to a diet member."
"Sounds like a story out of an American film," Octavia mused.
The councilman chuckled. "I was elected easily, but I had no idea what I was doing. I realized I wasn't elected on my own merit when I failed to be re-elected for a second term. That was true for the both of us."
"You made a great comeback, though. You're truly and inspiration," Yoshida said.
"As are you, old friend. You're working harder than anyone on the campaign trail," Matsushita replied.
"Oh, there's no need for false praise to impress the kids here," Yoshida said bashfully.
Matsushita turned to the kids. "Yoshida's well-informed about the inner working of politics, so I'm sure he'll be a great teacher. However, I suggest you only do as he says and not as he does, if you want to become a Diet member."
Yoshida raised an eyebrow. "And what might that mean?"
"I'm guessing they don't know…? You really think you can win an election by being completely honest and making good arguments?" Matsushita questioned.
"I mean, that's how it should work…" Collin said.
The councilman shook his head. "You've got to secure votes! Or else you'll be forever known as No-Good Tora!"
"Without honesty and good arguments, there can be no political justice!" Yoshida argued.
"Heh… It's been a while since I've heard one of your grandiose speeches," Matsushita mused. He looked to Ren. "Amamiya-kun, was it? Tell me, what about Yoshida here drew you in?"
"It's hard to say," Ren said honestly.
Matsushita nodded. "That's wise. Not revealing your thoughts can be the right decision at times. You address matters quite directly for a young person. It seems you have been taught well."
"I intend to teach him and his friends everything I know," Yoshida said. "That's what we agreed on."
"By the way, how are things between you and old man Kuramoto?" Matsushita asked.
"We're still not on speaking terms," Yoshida sighed.
Matsushita hummed. "There's something I'd like to get your opinion on, so I'll be in touch."
"Very well," Yoshida nodded.
As the councilman walked off, here turned back to them. "Oh, that reminds me. You may still distrust me because of what happened with the missing party funds… But I am not the one who pointed the finger at you. That's all I'm going to say."
"Why did he have to mention that…?" Yoshida muttered.
"Geez, they're never going to let you live that down," Loona shook her head.
"Ah, my apologize. That's all for today," Yoshida told the kids. "Good job…"
[***]
June 6
In class the next day, students were talking about Madarame's confession on TV the previous day. Needless to say that the Phantom Thieves were getting more of a reputation now. As rain fell outside, Ren, Ryuji, Octavia, Collin, and Ann were all eating lunch together as they listened to the students' banter with each other. With the summer months here, the gang had all switched over to their summer uniforms as well.
"Did you find our next target yet, Ryuji?" Collin asked.
"I just started looking yesterday. No way I'm gonna find one that quick," Ryuji said.
"I guess that's true," Ann nodded. "By the way, Collin and I decided on the TV station. What about you three?"
"Huh?' Ryuji tilted his head. "Oh crap, the social studies trip! Ugh, I just wanna ditch it…"
"You better go to your school activities. Didn't I tell you not to draw attention to yourselves?" Morgana said, popping out of Ren's desk.
"Wouldn't me turning into a good student stand out more?" Ryuji weakly defended.
"Quit stalling and just do it," Octavia said. "Why don't we all go to the TV station. At least then we can suffer together."
"I heard we're gonna get to watch them tape a show! Maybe there'll be actresses there!" Ann said excitedly.
Ryuji shrugged. "Oh well. Not like I got anything better to do than waiting for info to come on online. Plus, Morgana's right. Showing up'll keep the teachers from getting all suspicious of me. All right, I'm gonna head back. TV, huh… Maybe I should get a new haircut…"
"I should go too…" Collin said. "Oh, I hope Ryuji doesn't do anything crazy on this field trip…"
Ryuji: Feels pretty great having everyone talk about us, huh?
Yusuke: Madarame is the only topic of conversation at my school. And as I'm his pupil, most of my peers have chosen to ignore me.
Loona: For real? Sucks to be you, then.
Octavia: Loona!
Loona: What, I'm just being honest? …Fine, sorry. But it is bullshit.
Ann: Are you going to be OK?
Yusuke: There is no need to worry. They had already been treating me differently from others as it stood. This is nothing new to me.
Loona: See princess? Nothing to worry about.
Octavia: Still doesn't make it right…
Yusuke: More importantly, do we have any leads on our next mission?
Ryuji: You kidding? There's no way we'd find a target that quick!
Ren: To Mementos we go!
Collin: Great idea!
Yusuke: I will keep myself free. Please tell me if anything comes up.
[***]
Location: Mementos
"A new area has been confirmed in the depths. Updating guidance information."
"What's this?" Fox asked.
"It sounds like we can go further down now," Omen mused. "Probably because we got rid of Madarame's Palace."
"Most likely… I think," Mona nodded.
"You seem rather uncertain," Fox noted. "How far does this… Mementos run, anyway?"
You think we know the answer to that?" Lycan scoffed. "All we know is that it's freaking huge… Look, Mona is the one being vague here!"
"It's like he's kinda flaky as our chief of operations," Skull said. "Don't you want him to try a bit harder too?"
"He's doing his best," Joker defended.
"You truly are different from that moron over there," Mona smiled.
"There, there…" Panther sighed.
"I don't fully understand, but Mementos and the Palaces are related to each other, correct?" Fox asked. "Then all we must do is continue changing the hearts of evildoers to ascertain its full expanse. I don't believe there's a need to quarrel over it."
"Agreed, Fox," Omen nodded.
As the Phantom Thieves hopped in the Mona Bus to explore the new area of Mementos, Path of Aiyatsbus, Mona warned the team of a fearsome Shadow known as The Reaper. It was heralded by the sound of rattling chains and was a foe that would mean certain death for the team. If they did ever run into it, they were to turn and run away as fast as possible to escape to a different floor. Along their exploration and taking out Request targets, they also ran into Jose as well, the little boy still looking for more flowers.
"Hey Jose!" Omen greeted as she and Joker hopped out of the van to greet him.
"Hey, good job," Jose waved to them. He suddenly perked up as he saw the Crystal of Lust hanging from Omen's belt. "Huh, whatcha got there? That's really neat."
"This? We found it during our time in one of the Palaces," Omen explained.
"We have another one as well," Joker said, pulling out the Crystal of Vanity.
"Wow, this is amazing," Jose said, taking the crystals and looking at them. "I recognized them from my studies! I'm feeling strong human desires coming from these accessories… But it still hasn't reached its full potential. May I see them? I promise I won't do any damage to it. I promise."
"Sure, go ahead," Omen said. "I want to see what you can come up with."
"Great!" Jose said. "If I just do this… and then this… Done! Here you go, Mam! Now that accessory can use its full potential." The boy handed the two a pair of rings, the Ring of Lust and the Ring of Vanity.
"Huh, these have totally new effects on them," Omen noted.
"Let me know if you find any others like it, okay?" Jose requested. "Learning about desires also teaches me more about humans." After that, Jose explained to them more about his services, such as trading flowers for items and collecting stamps in Mementos to change how the realm worked. Saying their goodbyes, the Phantom Thieves went back on the hunt for the bottom of the new area. Changing the hearts of the cat hoarder, a school bully, and a rowdy old man, the team soon got the bottom the area where their last target was waiting for them.
"There. That's the Shadow of the girl named Shimizu," Mona said, pointing to the entity just ahead of them.
"She really seems like a sadist…" Templar said nervously.
"She's calling someone her slave and ordering him around, right?" Lycan recalled.
"In a way, she's denying his existence. I certainly wouldn't want to be a victim of that," Fox said solemnly.
"Let's go talk to her," Panther said as the gang approached the Shadow.
"So you're the pigs who wrote that calling card online? Why do I deserve this, hm?" the Shadow questioned.
"It's 'cause you're making some guy your slave! That's all kinds of wrong there," Skull exclaimed.
"That's what he wants! He worships me more than any god, you know," Shadow Shimizu said.
Panther sighed. "I don't even know where to begin to explain how you're wrong…"
"I beat him and I hurt him, and he sees it as a sign of our love and friendship! He's so happy!"
"Yep, she's delusional," Lycan shook her head.
"I'm pretty, and my grades are good! It's my right to order people around! I'll start by giving orders to you pigs! Lick my shoes, peasants!" With that the Shadow took its true from, Yaksini, while the Phantom Thieves got into battle stances. "I'll never give up M-Moto! He belongs to me! Being my slave is what makes him happy!"
Lycan charged in with an attack, only for her hit to be weakened. "Looks like we're gonna have to use magic on this one," she said.
"Allow me," Fox said, calling on his Persona to cast Bufu. The attack hit and had the added effect of freezing the Shadow!
"Now she's weak to our physical strikes!" Templar cheered, knocking down their foe with a technical attack. The gang exploited elemental skills after that, and soon enough the Shadow was down.
"No, no, no… No! I don't want to lose him. He's mine. He's mine, isn't he?" Shadow Shimizu questioned.
"No, he's not," Omen said.
"Keep this up, and he'll hate you," Joker warned.
"I could never stand that…"
"Why did you start treating him like that?" Panther asked.
"He just kept going along with it, so I misunderstood and thought I could do anything I wanted… Actually, I… wanted to be more than friends with him."
"More than friends? You mean like as a boyfriend!?" Templar gasped.
"Yes, I had a crush on him, but then I got possessive. Those feelings went out of control…"
"Be careful that you don't make things worse for yourself than they already are…" Panther said as the Shadow returned to its true self. Joker picked up the Treasure that appeared, revealing itself to be a Whip Sword.
"Looks like you go yourself a new weapon out of this, Panther," Lycan said. "And that's a request complete for the Phan-Site. Now, let's go check out that door over there…" The Phantom Thieves approached the door, which quickly moved out of the way to reveal a path further into Mementos. "Whoa, we did it!"
"This is because more people believe in us, right?" Templar asked.
Mona nodded. "That has to be it. Now then, let's get in there!" With that the Phantom Thieves headed into a new area, the Path of Chemdah, taking out Shadows and gathering loot until they reached the bottom of that area as well. Mementos continued to get stranger as they went along, but that didn't stop the team from reaching their goal.
Joker put his hand on the door blocking the way forward. "It doesn't look like it's going to open," he said.
"I guess we'll need to get more of the public to accept us," Mona guessed.
"So that means we're still not so popular, huh?" Skull sighed.
"Is that a surprise?" Omen raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, perhaps somewhat…" Fox admitted.
"She was asking me!" Skull shouted.
"If this is as far as we can go, then we'll just have to turn back for now," Mona said. "Good job today, team!"
Ann: You haven't heard anything from the student council president, have you?
Loona: Miss Honor Student must be busy kissing ass somewhere.
Ann: You don't have to be so harsh…
Yusuke: What's this about a student council president?
Ann: The one at our school has kinda been keeping tabs on us. I think she's suspicious of us.
Yusuke: Are you sure it is not merely a result of Ryuji's general misconduct?
Loona: Boom, roasted.
Ryuji: Shuddup!
Yusuke: Though to be honest, many of our number most certainly stand out. Do try to be careful. I cannot be there to look over you at school, you know. That duty rests on your broad shoulders, Ren.
Ren: Don't worry.
Octavia: I'll make sure Ryuji and Loona don't do anything stupid as well.
Loona: Way to single us out, princess…
[***]
In her dreams, Octavia found herself in Club Velvet once more. Sitting up from the couch, she could hear the soft sound of a piano playing. Following the sound, she saw that a grand piano now occupied a space in the club, with a blindfolded man playing away at the keys of the instrument.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Philemon asked Octavia, appearing at her side.
"That man wasn't here before, nor was the piano," the princess pointed out.
Philemon nodded. "Indeed. As your inner strength grows, so too will Club Velvet. I will allow my associate to introduce himself to you."
The blindfolded man 'looked' in Octavia's direction as he continued to play. "I am Nameless… The piano player who opens the closed doors of the heart… Your consciousness becomes my music, and I spend thousands of nights, days, and nights again in a dialogue with my piano."
"His name is… Nameless?" Octavia questioned.
"Yes, for he does not need a name when his music speaks for him," Philemon explained. "Now then, how have you been, Octavia?"
"I'm… fine…" she responded. "To be honest, I feel like I should be doing more to help than I already am… It's almost like being a background character in a book."
"Not everyone is meant to be the star, but I understand your frustration," Philemon said. "You were chosen to assist Ren, but you wish to do more than just be his aid. Perhaps it is time that you explore yourself as well."
"Explore myself…" Octavia repeated.
Nameless hummed as he played. "How I miss Her voice accompanying my playing… but if I may offer the girl some advice? A warning of the future, that comes in threes: three Palaces, three seeds, and three demons will set you on the right path."
"Three Palaces… well, we've already conquered two, so a third one makes sense, and with it, three more Will Seeds," Octavia said to herself. "But three demons? There's Loona and I, but Collin is an angel. What does that mean…?"
"That is for you to decide, young Aeon," Philemon said. "Now then, I believe it is time for you to awaken from the realm of dreams. Expand your horizons, and your true potential will be yours to obtain…"
[***]
June 7
Octavia: Ren, I think it's time for us to train more of your demon skills. Come by my place whenever your free.
Ren: We can do it today. I'm free.
Octavia: Good. There's a lot we can discuss…
Octavia had multiple tomes strewn out across the coffee table in their apartment. She and Ren were currently looking over some of the books, discussing various topics in relation to the Goetia family. "…and you should be able to use some of these powers for yourself, in theory," Octavia explained. "Since your dad's duty is to watch over the Collective Unconscious, that means you should have some domain over it as well."
"I guess being a Wild Card is part of that," Joker said, before explaining what he meant. "I was told in that Velvet Room that I have a special power called the Wild Card, which is why I can have more than one Persona."
Octavia nodded. "Yes, that does seem like a way to translate a demonic power into human form. I know Grandfather can shapeshift, so maybe it's related to that somehow? Either way, it doesn't seem like you can call on your Personas here in the real world, just the other Phantom Thief powers like hiding in shadows."
"What exactly do your parents do?" Ren asked.
"Well, Dad is supposed to read the stars for predictions of the future, as well as observe the human world with his grimoire. As for Mom… You know, I don't know if she has a given purpose, other than giving birth to me," Octavia said.
"That's kinda sad," Ren said.
"It's unfortunate, but not uncommon when it comes to arranged marriages," Octavia shrugged. "Her brother is the one that got to carry the family name and fortune. I'm just lucky that I'm an only child so they have to pass on the mantel to me…"
"Is that what you want?" Ren asked.
Octavia paused, looking away before sighing. "Honestly, for as much as I love my parents, they make being part of the Goetia unbearable at times. You have all this pressure put on you to be a noble, but I still just want to be… me. I'm not saying I don't want to make my family proud, but I want the chance to grow up and find my purpose first outside of being an heiress. And Dad hasn't made that easier with what he did…" She looked to Ren. "I'd rather not talk about that incident right now."
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Ren stated.
Octavia gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks. For now, I want to focus on being a Phantom Thief, but I also want to figure myself out. I've been letting you take the lead, Ren, but don't forget that I'm co-leader of this gang alongside you. I can lead us just as well as you can… hopefully."
"I'll be counting on you to do that, Omen," Ren said. "I don't know what I'm doing all the time either, and it's the support of you and the others that helps me clear my head."
"Hm… Making bonds so you don't only have to rely on yourself," Octavia mused. "Well then, if we're going to make this co-leader thing more mutual, how about I teach you some basic spells that I know? Then we can be on the same level in that aspect."
Ren nodded, and the two spent the rest of the night pouring over the tomes to teach the human-Goetia hybrid some of his inherited magic. The bond between cousins was slowly growing stronger.
[***]
June 8
"Sounds like a lot of people are going to be on that trip to the studio tomorrow," Maruki commented in class that morning. "Do you guys get to see the show, too? I wouldn't mind seeing that. I like talk shows… oh, and variety shows! Wonder if they'll talk about the Phantom Thieves. They certainly get plenty of attention on TV and the internet. Though I'm a little worried about what might happen if the media gets people too riled up… Oh, that reminds me. Have you guys covered totalitarianism yet?"
'I've heard of it from other royal families before,' Octavia thought.
"It's a government structure that unites its people under a single ideology and authoritarian control of the masses," Maruki explained. "In theory, it brings the people together under one ideal. That definitely comes with logistical benefits… But it also means forcing ideals onto people. Assimilating the unwilling. And that's how wars get started." He looked to Ren. "All right, Amamiya-kun. Here's a question. Where does totalitarianism take things a step further than authoritarianism?"
"Controlling the thoughts of others," Octavia whispered.
Ren gave a small nod. "Controlling public thought," he answered.
"Wow! I'm surprised you knew that," Maruki said. "Yes, a totalitarian government tries to control the culture, morals, and even thoughts of its people. To minimize dissidence, they try to assimilate everyone into one ideology. Even reading the room can be seen as a form of personal assimilation. You all do that too, right? I try to, though I'm not great at it. It's not a bad skill to have. It can even help you survive the modern world. But you can't do it too much. If you make an echo chamber, then the people whose opinions differ might get hurt."
'Gee, I wonder why nothing ever gets done in Hell politics…' Octavia thought, rolling her eyes.
"I'd like to remind you all to keep a strong sense of self and an open mind, so we can disagree and still live in harmony," Maruki said.
"A strong sense of self, huh…? We need to make sure we don't lose sight of what we believe in, too," Morgana noted.
Ryuji: You know how we're going to that TV station tomorrow, yeah? I'm thinking we might find our next target there.
Ann: Oh, that's right! We're always hearing gossip about the dark sides of celebrities…
Ren: I haven't heard that.
Loona: With that much money, people like that always have their fingers in all sorts of dirty business.
Yusuke: Hm... That phrasing has quite the immoral ring to it…
Collin: Yeah, you can't just assume that everyone in a particular perfusion is awful!
Ryuji: You guys react to the weirdest stuff…
Octavia: Anyways, we get to watch a show be recorded live, yes? We might just get to be on TV.
Ann: We'll just be in the crowd, so any TV appearance would be for like, two seconds.
Yusuke: Hm. Try not to pull any fanciful stunts to garner attention, OK?
[***]
June 9
"…And that's why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows. I'm sure you know about commercial breaks? Well, those are actually sponsor-related product placements" the PR woman said to the class. The gang were on their school trip to the TV station, and needless to say they were bored out of their minds. "To sum things up, ratings are vitally important for a station's production funding, and…"
"Huh…" Ryuji muttered.
"I don't think he's listening…" Octavia giggled, shaking Ren's shoulder as their fearless leader started to fall asleep.
"For example, soap opera reruns are shown in the day, whereas alluring newswoman are broadcast at night," the PR woman explained. "Thus, the scheduling department is where we decide what time we broadcast which program. I suppose you could say it's the place where the scheduling is determined."
"Could this get any more obvious?" Ann sighed.
"It's easy to understand… maybe too easy…" Collin rubbed his head.
"So sleepy…" Ren yawned.
"Yeah, I don't think he's listening…" Octavia shook her head.
"So, the best parts are taken from the footage in order to cut down the program to the desired length. The place where this filmed footage is edited would be the editing room," the PR woman continued.
"Hey, how much longer does this go?" Morgana asked.
"Loona is lucky to not have to be here. I swear, I'm not gonna last…" Octavia yawned.
A newscaster suddenly pushed past the kids. "What's going on? I can't stand all this noise."
"Hey assho-" Ryuji started, only for the PR woman to speak up.
"My apologizes! I'll have them leave right away! Now then, it's time for a bit of hands-on experience!"
"Damnit… Who does that jerk think he is?" Ryuji cursed as the newscaster walked away.
"Hey there," an AD approached Ann. "You wanna be on TV? You've got a slamming bod, after all." He chuckled as her perversely stared at Ann.
"We're on a school trip," Octavia said, coming to her friend's aid.
"Just give me a call if you're interesting. I'd greatly welcome a message from you, day or night," the AD said.
"I think it's time for you to go," Octavia said, giving the man a glare.
"He should be ashamed of going after someone so much younger than him," Collin whispered. "Do these kinds of adults care about anything more than looks!? I'll make sure every one of them has their hearts changed!"
"Collin, I expect better from you! You're supposed to be good students today!" Morgana chided, eyeing the annoyed look Kawakami was giving their group.
The cherub shook his head. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me…"
The A finally seemed to get he hint. "Well then, uh… Let's have you see what it's like to be an AC. Oh, that stands for "assistant camera." When we're moving cameras, we need people who can keep the cables from getting tangled up… The blond will do. He seems like he's got energy to spare anyway." He looked at Ren. "Guy next to him, you can come too if you're feeling lonely. C'mon, hurry up and grab the cables."
"Damnit… This sucks!" Ryuji seethed. "What a pain in the ass! This is totally killing my vibe…"
[***]
"There you guys are," Octavia said, catching up with Ren and Ryuji sometime later in the hallways of the studio.
"I'm so pissed off!" Ryuji shouted. "Aren't we supposed to be guests? Why the hell do we hafta be doing manual labor!? This is bullshit! Going to the bathroom didn't even make me feel better!"
"Quiet down, will you?" Ann said, arriving behind Octavia with Collin in tow. "I get how you feel, though… That sucked for the both of us."
"We have to do more of this tomorrow too…" Collin sighed.
"No flaking out, guys," Morgana said.
"I know, I know. I gotta be a "good boy," right?" Ryuji said sarcastically. "Being phantom thieves ain't easy…"
"That reminds me, we get to go home straight from here today," Ann said. "We don't spend much time in this area, so why don't we relax and check out some shops beforehand?"
"Oh, I know a place!" Morgana exclaimed. "I wanna go to that huge pancake-looking place we passed on the way here! It looked delicious! What was that?"
"Oh… You mean Dome Town?" Ryuji said. "The round part is a baseball stadium, then along the outside they've got an amusement park."
"It's right in the middle of a business area, but they have some pretty hardcore rides there too," Ann added.
"It's probably better than Loo Loo Land at least," Octavia shrugged.
Morgana put on a serious face. "All right… Let's go! I'll show you just how courageous I am!"
"Going on a scary ride doesn't really prove any kind of courage," Collin pointed out. "And can you even get on with your current state, Morgana?"
"Aw, seriously?" Morgana sighed.
"Really," Ryuji nodded. "You might be able to sneak in if you stay in the bag, but you'd totally puke if you did that. But uh… Let's just go to Dome Town! I'm really feeling it now!"
"Me too! My stomach's ready for roller coasters!" Ann replied.
"Uh… I think I'll pass on the puke rides…" Morgana said warily.
Suddenly, a boy in a brown outfit walked down the hall opposite to theirs. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your uniforms. Are you students of Shujin Academy?"
"Yeah. What about it?" Octavia asked.
"I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you. We'll be filing together, after all," the boy explained. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi."
'Huh… he's kinda… cute?' Octavia seemed intrigued by this boy's appearance.
"Akechi?" Ann repeated.
"Are you a celebrity?" Collin asked.
"Only to the extent of appearing on TV a couple of times," Akechi clarified.
Ann gasped in recognition. "Oh!"
Akechi suddenly looked at his phone. "My apologies, I truly was just passing by. I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend. So, you're going to go have cake now?" I missed luck today, so I'm quite hungry myself…"
The gang all looked confused at each other. "Cake? What are you talking about?" Octavia asked.
"Oh, am I mistaken? I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes…" Akechi said. "No matter. Welp, see you tomorrow."
"That guy's gotta be some kind of start-up entertainer or something," Ryuji said as Akechi left. "He's never gonna get popular with that kinda hair though."
"You don't get it…" Octavia said.
"Eh, it's fine. We'll see him again tomorrow anyways," Ryuji shrugged. "C'mon, let's go to Dome Town!"
'Delicious pancakes… But only Morgana… Wait, could it be…?' Octavia wondered. 'Is he… a Metaverse user!?' She looked at the others, but didn't see recognition in any of their eyes, besides maybe Morgana. 'I'll keep this to myself for now to see if this Akechi is a friend or foe. We'll get to know him more on the show tomorrow, after all…'
"H-Hey, can we skip the vomit machines and get cake instead?" Morgana asked.
[***]
June 10
"Mr. Akechi's coming on!" the AD said. The Phantom Thieves were back at the TV station for the second day of their social studies trip. As soon as Akechi came on, a bunch of girls in the crowd started freaking out.
"Ain't that the guy from yesterday?" Ryuji questioned.
"Cutting back from commercial!" the AD called. "Seven, six, five seconds till start, four, three…"
"And now, onto the "Hottest Meet-and-Greet" segment of our show…" the female announcer said to the camera. "After his las appearance was so well-received, we decided to bring back his fine gentleman today. It's the high school detective, Goro Akechi!"
"Hello there," Akechi greeted the sound of fangirls squealing.
"That you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun. Your popularity is stunning," the male host said.
"Even I found it to be quite a surprise. It is a bit embarrassing though…" Akechi admitted.
"Moving along, we've been told there's a case on your mind right now. Care to share, detective?" the female host asked.
Akechi nodded. "Ah, yes. That would be the scandal involving the master artist Madarame."
"There it is! All of this phantom thief excitement has caught your attention too, Akechi-kun!" the male announcer said with excitement. "Allow me to be blunt for a second. What do you think of these justice-oriented Phantom Thieves?"
"If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist," Akechi replied.
"Oh, so you don't deny the possibility that they're real?" the host questioned.
"I may not seem like it, but I sometimes wish that Santa Claus actually existed," Akechi said, which made Collin squirm a bit, the cherub thinking about how he actually knows the real Saint Nick. "Although if he did, I'd have to arrest him for breaking and entering." That got the crowd to laugh.
Ryuji grunted, vocalizing his discomfort. Akechi continued as the laugher died down, "But hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are real… I believe they should be tried in a court of law."
'Woah… his whole demeanor just shifted…' Octavia thought.
"That's quite the statement. Are they committing crimes?" the host asked. "Some people even say that the Thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways."
"What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime. However, they are taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice," Akechi stated. "More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart."
The host nodded. "You have a point. These people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, after all. Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for day! You have the most radiant charisma!"
"I have to say though, I would be embarrassed if it turns out these Phantom Thieves don't exist. If that were the case, I'd summarize it into a report as a school project," Akechi said, getting a laugh from the crowd.
"Now then, let's try asking some students the same age as Akechi-kun about the Phantom Thieves!" the female announcer said." First, please press your button now if you think the Phantom Thieves exist!"
"Of course they do!" Ryuji whispered, pressing his button.
The number on the set flashed, coming up to a 17. "About 30% or so?" the male host noted. "What are your thoughts, Akechi-kun?"
"I'm a bit surprised. That's higher than I was expecting," Akechi said.
'That's even higher than the percentage on the Phan-Site,' Octavia thought.
"I'd love to hear some more detailed opinions on the Phantom Thieves' actions," the boy detective said.
The female host stood up, walking into the crowd and stopping in front of Ren. "All right, let's try asking this student here. Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real?"
"They're necessary," Ren replied.
Akechi chuckled. "I wasn't expecting that."
"This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried by law, Akechi-kun," the male host noted.
"Indeed. It's rather intriguing to hear such a strong acknowledgment. In that case, there's one more question I'd like to ask…" Akechi said. "If someone close to you, for example, your friend next to you… If his heart suddenly changed, wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves?"
"They only target criminals," Ren pointed out.
"I see. But how can you be so sure?" Akechi asked. "Whether the Thieves' actions are good or not, I feel there is a more important issue at hand."
"What do you mean?" the male host asked.
"The matter of how they change people's hearts," Akechi pointed out. "If they honestly possess that ability… if could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seem to be ordinary crimes are actually being perpetrated by these methods…"
"You know, you're absolutely right," the host nodded.
"Oh, please don't misunderstand. This is all purely hypothetical…" Akechi corrected him. "It is only if people who can use such a power truly exist. Either way though, this cannot be ignored. The existence of the Phantom Thieves would be nothing but a threat to our everyday lives. To be honest, I'm already working alongside the police to help sort out this matter." The program soon ended after that, with the gang moving to leave. "It kinda seemed like what he was saying might be right…" Ann sighed.
"He made it sound like we're the baddies. I don't like it," Ryuji said.
"But that stuff about the police… Do you think it's real?" Collin asked.
"He can say whatever he wants. The justice of it all is something we can decided for ourselves," Morgana stated.
"Oh sorry, I gotta take a leak," Ryuji said. "Can you guys wait here? I'll be right back."
Ann sighed. "Oh my god… I'm gonna keep going, okay?" She walked off as well, just as Akechi suddenly walked into the picture.
"Oh, it's you!" the boy detective said, coming up to Ren. "I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis…" He laughed. "My apologies. What I mean is that our discussion was quite meaningful. Frew people around me as so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier. Adults are only interesting in using the young, while they simply do as the adults say. There are too many irresponsible people in these modern times. I can understand why you'd support the Phantom Thieves."
"You know, it is possible that the Phantom Thieves are truly acting with the best of intentions," Octavia said, speaking up.
"I suppose," Akechi nodded. "Since they have special talents, I assume their hearts must be burning with a sense of justice and duty… But that justice is merely a façade concealing their lack of true strength. That's why I believe, if a truly powerful opponent were to corner them, they would flee without a second thought."
"They'd fight to the end," Ren countered.
"Oh…?" Akechi smiled. "You really are intriguing. I bet you'd make a worthwhile debate partner on the subject. If it's all right with you, would you continue sharing your thoughts with me?"
"Just him?" Octavia asked.
Akechi glanced at her. "You seem to have similar convictions to your friend, don't you? I appreciate the sentiment, but I prefer to have my debates to be more one-on-one."
Octavia just nodded before Ren gave his answer, "That's fine by me."
The two boys shook hands. "Thank you, that's great news," Akechi said. "I sense something in you that's quite different from other people. I guess you can call it my detective's intuition?" He laughed. "Kidding, of course."
As they shook hands, Ren felt a bound forming between them, as well as something else deep down. With his slowly awakening Goetia bloodline, the glasses-wearing teen felt a similarity between himself as Akechi. 'I feel like I'm meeting my equal in some way…' Ren thought. 'Something almost like… the Wild Card…?'
"Ah, yes- we should exchange contact info," Akechi said, pulling Ren from his thoughts. The two pulled out their phones and exchanged numbers. "And, registered. Well, I hope to see you again sometime soon."
"A detective's intuition, huh? We shouldn't underestimate that," Morgana said as soon as Akechi left, the not-cat locking eyes with Octavia as the two shared a knowing nod. "On that other hand, there's an awful lot we could learn from him. If he contacts you, try hanging out with him."
"I'm guessing you formed a Confidant with him?" Octavia asked her cousin. "What Arcana did he fall under?"
"…Justice," Ren replied, making Collin gasp.
"Does that mean… he might have been the one I was sent to help!?" the cherub said, trying not to yell.
"It's possible," Octavia nodded. "I think the three of us can agree that there is more to the boy detective than meets the eye. As Morgana said there is a lot we can gain from him, but at the same time, we should make sure he doesn't catch onto us. If my guess is correct, and Akechi has the power of Persona like us… he could either be a secret ally, or a foe that'll strike when we least expect it."
"But we should keep this between the four of us," Ren stated. "I don't want the others to worry or overreact until we have all the facts."
"Agreed," Morgana nodded.
"I think that's for the best," Collin agreed. Once Ryuji got back, the gang soon left for home.
Ryuji: That Akechi bastard… Thinking about what he said is just pissing me off again.
Ann: He clearly tried to discredit everything we're doing.
Ryuji: And he just has to say it on live TV too!
Yusuke: Don't be so sour. There, without a doubt, people we have saved. Those people could not have been saved if not for the heroics of the Phantom Thieves. I am living proof of that.
Collin: Amen.
Ann: Still… was what Akechi-kun said actually wrong? I feel like he had a point.
Loona: You seriously feeling guilt over helping people out of shitty situations and making those bastards pay? You humans are weird…
Ann: I mean, is really OK to be doing this to people just because they're criminals? Doesn't it seem a little selfish?
Octavia: Ann, in Hell demons will do much more deprived things that are truly selfish. Think of the volleyball team we saved from Kamoshida, or how we saved Yusuke from Madarame. Is it "selfish" that we improved society and made so many other lives' better in changing the hearts of scum like them?
Ann: That's true, but…
Loona: No butts, Ann! Ren, tell it to her straight.
Ren: We're helping people.
Ann: I guess I can't really think of any other way…
Yusuke: Hm. I believe our best path forward is sticking to our justice, not that of the law. Shouldn't that be enough? And with the unanimous decision rule in place, I doubt we'll lose our way.
Collin: I'll doubly make sure of that. It's a promise!
Ann: …Yeah, you're right. Sorry for bringing that up. And don't worry, I'm not thinking about quitting the Phantom Thieves or anything.
Ryuji: Just you watch, Akechi. Someday you're totally gonna see who was right!
Octavia: OK, let's drop the subject for tonight.
[***]
June 11
"…Man, that detective from yesterday really pissed me off! We're some kinda threat?" Ryuji vented at lunchtime as the Thieves gathered at the outdoor vending machines. "Let's seem him do it, then! If someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doing stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!"
Loona smacked the blonde upside the head. "Dumbass, keep your voice down."
"Who cares? Everybody's talking about this stuff anyways," Ryuji defended himself. "It'd jus be more suspicious if we were whispering." He looked to Ann, who was just causally eating her snacks. "Hey, you really just gonna keep eating and eating and eating those things all by yourself!? Gimme some!"
"Sorry, just ate the last one," Ann said with a hint of smugness.
"You guys are too laid back. The police are getting involved now, you know," Morgana pointed out.
"We'll be okay of we keep doing this… right?" Collin asked.
"Like I'll let the cops scare me out of being a Phantom Thief," Loona scoffed.
"To be fair, there is still a lot about the Metaverse we don't know," Octavia admitted. "Like the Black Mask figure in Madarame's Palace…" There was a flash, and the gang all whipped around to see Nijima standing there with her phone out.
"The hell?" Ryuji gasped.
"You five seem to be having so much fun. I'm a little jealous," Nijima said. Growling, Loona stomped up to the student body president and ripped her phone from her hands. "Hey, you can't-!"
Loona pointedly deleted the photo from Nijima's phone, as well as a few other ones for good measure. "Oops, my hand slipped… Oh, and it looks like that audio file you were recording is gone too. Such a shame…" the hellhound said with a smug grin. "Guess you should have thought about before snooping, Miss Student Body President."
"You can't just do that! I will tell the principal about this!" Nijima seethed.
Loona got in her face and growled. "Why don't you tell us what this really all about? I thought we said either that we don't know anything about the Phantom Thieves other than what the media is blabbing on and on about? And don't give me any bullshit about you feigning ignorance. I've be noticing how you've been stalking me and my friends for the past two weeks, creep. Hiding behind a book everywhere isn't very conspiuious, you know."
"I bet the principal put her up to this," Ryuji said, crossing his arms.
Nijima pulled herself away from Loona as Ann spoke up, "You're really that hungry for a good letter of recommendation? Of course you are. Nobody would take on your annoying job if they weren't."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nijima questioned.
"You're student council president, right? Wouldn't you have known about all the shit Kamoshida was pulling?" Loona asks rhetorically.
Nijima shook her head. "Of course not! He honestly was a good teacher until that day…"
"Oh, but you always take the teacher's side. That's what a good council present does, right?" Loona said sarcastically.
"Then… how about you?" Nijima questioned, looking at Ann and Collin. "What did you do for your friend? You were much closer to her than I was, so how did you help?"
"There wasn't any way to help!" Ann shouted. "By myself… I couldn't do anything for her!"
"There's no need to shout," Nijima stated.
"But the Phantom Thieves did help. They made Kamoshida pay for his crimes," Collin stated. "Is it wrong to support those that are actually making a difference in the world? At the very least, they seem more dependable than you." The cherub thought his words harsh, but they were what his heart was telling him to say.
"Oh, that's a sick burn…" Loona said, giving the cherub a grin.
Thoroughly hurt by their words, Nijima simply turned away. "…Just make sure you show up to your classes, all right?" She walked off after that.
Collin turned to the others. "You know what I asked earlier about whether we'll be okay if we keep this up? I take it back. I'd be ashamed to let it end now…"
"Hell yeah! It's about time we find our next target too," Loona nodded. "And if I see Miss Student Council President sneaking after us again… I'll make sure she doesn't mess with us.
[***]
After school, the gang met up with Yusuke to discuss the new popularly the Phan-Site had garnered from the Akechi interview the other day. "Comments are coming in at an alarming rate. However, negative ones seem to be more prominent," the artist pointed out. "A criminal group with unknown goats that does whatever it wants in the name if justice." Huh…"
"It's prolly because of Akechi… TV's got some crazy sway," Ryuji guessed.
"He's free to deny our actions, but being cursed by his influence is another thing entirely," Yusuke said.
"Just when we were starting to get people to believe in us too…" Ann sighed.
"All we gotta do is take down another hot shot, yeah?" Loona asked. "Do you guys have any ideas who our next target could be?"
"I mean, I've heard rumors of students getting scammed in Shibuya, but I don't have all the details on if there's a bigger plot behind it or not," Collin said, scratching behind his ear. "By the way, Yusuke, why are you carrying around a suitcase?"
"Oh, I decided to leave the school dorms," the artist explained. "They were not only filthy, but too noisy as well… No true art could come from such a place."
"Where are going to go then?" Octavia asked. "You can't go back to Madarame's place- and I don't have an extra room at my apartment either."
"I just have a single room for myself…" Collin sighed.
"I was planning on staying at Takamaki-san's- I mean, Ann's house," Yusuke replied. "I've even prepared a thank-you gift. I hope it's to your parent's liking."
"What!? There's no way that's gonna happen!" Ann exclaimed.
"Impossible…" Yusuke breathed.
"You're the impossible one!" Ryuji shot back.
"But I spent everything I had on these delectable Japanese sweets…" Yusuke looked down.
"That's not the issue here!" Ann said. "Seriously though… what're we gonna do about him?"
"What about a manga café?" Ren suggested.
"I don't have the money," Yusuke said simply.
"Then why'd you leave?" Ryuji questioned.
"Well, seeing as Yusuke is an important member of our team… I'll lend a hand!" Morgana said. "Come stay our place! It's dirty, but at least you'll have somewhere to sleep!"
"Wha-?" Ren said in shock. "Morgana, what about Sojiro?"
"I was about to say… I don't think you've got room in that dusty attic you're crashing in," Loona said.
"Oh yeah, you two live in a café, right? I've been wondering about that for a while," Ann said. "Yongen's not too far, is it?"
Morgana shook his head. "Nope! And the café's only a minute walk from the station."
"Leblanc is a cozy place," Octavia said. "You know, I think at the very least we should all go there together. It'd be fun. We could even have a party to celebrate Madarame's change of heart."
"Oh, good idea! We can make it a welcome party for Yusuke too!" Ann added. "All right, it's decided!"
"Sorry to cause you trouble," Yusuke apologized. "By the way… I prefer sleeping on a futon."
"It'll be up to you to convince the chief," Morgana said to Ren, who gave the not-cat a bop on the head.
[***]
"Ah, what a nice smell…" Ann breathed as they all entered Leblanc.
"I love how vintage is looks in here!" Collin said as he looked around the café.
Sojiro gave a hum as he looked at all the new guests. "Who are they?" he questioned Ren.
"Hello!" Ann waved.
"A girl too…? No, multiple girls," Sojiro noted.
"Ren's helped up all out a lot lately," Collin explained.
"Heh, I bet you're the one's doing all the helping," Sojiro chuckled.
"No really, he's been great," Ann insisted.
Sojiro smiled. "Sit down. This round will be on the house." He looked to Ren. "You're helping though."
"You guys have to try the coffee here," Octavia said as they all took a seat at the counter. "Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves, since you weren't here when I can in. I'm Octavia Goetia. I believe we met briefly when you chaperoned Ren to Shujin?"
"Ah yes, you were there with the other girl as well," Sojiro nodded in recognition.
"Sup, I'm Loona," Loona waved lazily. "Heard you make the good shit here."
"Excuse the vulgarity of our friend," Collin sighed. "I'm Collin Pastor. It's nice to formally meet you, Chief!"
"Already passing that nickname around, huh?" Sojiro said to Ren.
Loona took a sip of her coffee, sighing at the taste. "Holy shit… this is delicious!" She quickly finished her cup, letting it clink on the table when she was done. "Another round! I'll even pay for this one if I have to!"
Yusuke nodded. "Indeed, there's great depth to its acidity."
"Oh yeah, I remember now! I think I've seen Leblanc mentioned in a magazine before…" Ann said.
"That was a long time ago," Sojiro said.
"For real? Gimme a taste," Ryuji said, grabbing Ann's cup for a sip, only to spit it out right after. He set the cup down and washed out the taste with his soda. "It's so bitter! This has gotta be cruel and unusual punishment!"
"Eh, I didn't drink coffee when I was a kid either," Sojiro chuckled. He looked to Ren. "These're your friends, yeah? Go on and take them up to your room. No need to stay down here."
"Oh, I wanna see!" Ann said excitedly.
"It's only an attic," Sojiro shook his head.
"Man, that bitter taste just won't leave my mouth…" Ryuji blenched.
"This way," Ren said, leading the gang upstairs.
"Thank you very much for the drink," Yusuke said.
"Thanks for the soda!" Ryuji added.
"So, you're Octavia, yes?" Sojiro asked as the owl stood up.
"Yes," Octavia nodded.
"Octavia-chan… that's a nice name." His face got serious. "You got a boyfriend?"
Octavia blushed. "Oh geez, not this again… I can assure you sir, that I do not have a boyfriend, nor have I ever had one. Ren's actually my cousin." Sojiro's eyes went wide at that statement.
"Hey, you gotta get up here! This place's freaking insane!" Loona called.
"Go on," Sojiro said.
"I'll make sure they don't get into too much trouble, Sojiro-san," Octavia said with a smile. "Oh, and thank you for the coffee!" She then went upstairs, making sure to grab Morgana before going up.
"Huh, sweet girl," Sojiro mused. "Hard to think that she's related to the kid, though…"
"Whaddya think of this room?" Ryuji asked. "I dunno where to begin…"
"It seems quite ordinary to me," Yusuke said.
"For real?" Ryuji raised an eyebrow.
"Your bed is hard as shit," Loona said, having already decided to flop down on it.
"Huh, it's cleaner than I thought it would be," Octavia mused, coming up the stairs and looking around.
"I know, right?" Ann said.
"Well, sit wherever you like," Morgana stated. As everyone got situated (with Loona still laying on the bed, Ren sitting on the side, Ryuji leaning up against the desk, Collin taking the wooden chair, and Ann and Octavia taking the couch while Yusuke just stood), they decided to check for any more Phantom Thief updates.
"We're all over the news," Yusuke said, looking at his phone. "Even those who previously believed in us have been influenced by the comments made on TV."
"This is all that effin' Akechi's fault!" Ryuji shouted.
"Keep it down, dumbass. We don't want anyone hearing us," Loona chided.
"At this rate we're just going to worry everyone instead of giving them courage," Ann sighed.
"We need to find a way to make our rightfulness know to society," Morgana said. "It's time to think about our next more. You were planning on discussing that today, right?"
Collin nodded. "Yes. First, we need to search for a candidate. But it's not like we're just going to stumble up an important target out of the blue…"
"You guys don't know anyone, do you?" Ryuji asked.
"I don't…" Ann shook her head.
"Me neither…" Yusuke said.
"I wish we just had a hotline where people could call in their problems for us to solve. That's how it worked at my old job," Loona said.
"You do know realize that you used to work for a gang of contract killers, right?" Octavia pointed out.
"Damn, so that's why you're so good at fighting," Ryuji said.
"Eh, I was just he secretary, but yeah, I know how to throw down as you've see before," Loona grinned. "So, if we're out of idea, what do you think, Leader?"
"What about the news?" Ren asked.
"Well… there probably are a lot of famous targets on TV…" Morgana said.
"However, anyone that's a known criminal on the news is already being investigated by the police, and we're trying to avoid them, remember?" Octavia said. "And even so, if we make one of those criminals confess, the police will take the credit. That won't do."
"Damnit… We're never gonna prove Akechi wrong at this rate!" Ryuji cursed.
Before they could go any further a loud grumble came from Yusuke. "What the…" Morgana questioned.
"Sorry… I haven't eaten anything since yesterday…" Yusuke apologized.
"And you spent all your money on that box of sweets!?" Ann exclaimed.
"Dude, how much did you have?" Loona asked.
"Anyway, we'll just have to sit tight until we can find another target," Ann sad. "So… How about that welcome party?"
"Someone's excited," Ryuji noted.
"Oh, I think I've found something!" Collin said, pointing to the corner of the room. "Isn't that a portable stove?"
"Can't we make hot pot on it?" Ann gasped.
"That sounds great! I've heard that eating hot pot together brings people closer!" Morgana stated.
"Anything with meat's fine by me!" Ryuji grinned.
"Ditto," Loona agreed, sitting up from the bed.
"I only ask that we finish it off with porridge. Extra parsley, of course," Yusuke requested.
"So, what do you say?" Octavia asked Ren.
"Fine by me," Ren nodded.
"Okay! Hot pot it is!" Ann cheered.
"C'mon, let's go buy ingredients," Octavia said. "I'm pretty sure I saw a local marketplace just down the way from here."
"Well, I'll need gingko nuts, wonton wrappers, and…." Yusuke continued to list of ingredients before being stopped by Ann.
"We'll take care of the shopping. Could you borrow a pot from downstairs while we're out? We can split the cost later."
"Looks like this welcome party is going to turn out quite lively," Morgana smiled. And in no time at all, the Phantom Thieves were all enjoying the hot pot, making small talk and just stuffing their faces with food.
"I can't eat another bite…" Ryuji said as he leaned back in his chair.
"That was delicious, Lady Ann," Morgana said. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful bride some-" He got cut off by Octavia lightly swatting his head.
"Don't push it," the princess whispered.
Ann let out a big yawn. "Sorry, I'm gonna have to borrow the sofa.," she said, laying down on the couch and taking a nap.
It was then that Collin noticed Yusuke looking down. "What's wrong, Yusuke?"
"We haven't finished our meal. What about the porridge, or even udon…?" he asked.
"Just leave it for next time, man," Loona shook her head. She perked up as Ann began to snore. "Woah, she's asleep already!?"
"It'd be weird if she wasn't tired. We should let her sleep," Ryuji said.
"By the way, Ryuji… how do you know Ann?" Yusuke asked.
"Oh, I been wondering the same thing for a while now," Octavia added.
"Huh? Oh we went to middle school together," Ryuji explained.
"What was Lady Ann like back then?" Morgana asked.
"Not so different from now," Ryuji shrugged. "Once we got into high school, we ended up in different classes and stopped talking… I don't think she had many friends. I mean, she grew up overseas, plus there's her looks. The popular kids hate her; the quiet ones stay away."
"I see…" Collin hummed.
"What about the rest of you?" Yusuke asked. "This is a great opportunity to get to know each other better. You know every detail of my past at this point. It's only fair you tell me every detail of yours."
"So you got nothing to lose, huh?" Loona crossed her arms. "All right, I'll tell you. Just don't cry to me if Hell society makes you want to puke."
"How about we let Ryuji go first?" Collin intervened.
The blonde shrugged. 'All right, I'll tell you. It's just a normal story about a rotten kid though. My dad left when I was young… Ever since then it's just been me and my mom. I was actually trying to get a track scholarship so I could make things easier for her. In the end, I just screwed it all up. Turns out I'm a pretty bad son, huh?" He laughed mirthfully. "Back when I was a first year, my mom got called out to the school for me raising my hand at Kamoshida. All the teachers kept hounding her for what I did, but she just stayed quiet through it all… I'll never forget the look she had on her face though… On the way home, she… she apologized to me. For being a single mom and all…"
"So that's what happened…" Octavia said.
"They say at school that everyone is equal, but in reality that's a gross oversimplification…" Yusuke stated. "I understand how you feel."
"When it comes to getting labeled though, nobody here's got it worse than Ren," Loona said.
"Is this about his past?" Yusuke asked.
"Now that I think about it, we never have heard the details," Morgana said.
"I mean, Ryuji, Loona and I know it, but you should fill everyone in, Ren," Octavia said.
The leader of the Phantom Thieves nodded, taking a breath before he gave his story. "I heard screaming and a saw a woman being forced into a car by a man. I went to confront him, and when he tried to retaliate against me, he hurt himself and threated to sue me for his own injury. The man then bribed the woman to lie to a police officer and had his name stuck off the record of the incident, so I never found out who the guy was, other than the fact that he has a lot of power."
Just listening to it pisses me off…" Ryuji slammed a fist against the table. "Goddamnit!"
"You got an assault on your record just for that?" Collin questioned.
"The woman sounds quite horrible as well. She's stayed quite this whole time…" Yusuke frowned.
"That man is just the kind of person whose heart we should steal!" Morgana stated.
"But he doesn't know who he is," Octavia said. "And since it happened at night, I doubt he has a clear picture of the man's face either in his mind."
"I understand all too well the pain of not being able to remember important details of your life," Morgana sympathized.
"The victim's personal information is always kept secret. Identifying that man will prove difficult… Besides, the courts already made their ruling, didn't they?" Yusuke said.
"And even if we get revenge, that wouldn't change the strike on his record," Loona growled. "I can't stand it… This world- human realm or Hell- is so fucking messed up! The weak are left to fight for themselves, while rotten adults get away with whatever they want!"
"And those in power don't do anything to help the situation," Octavia added, gripping her shoulders in discomfort. "Can't we fix this though? With the power of the Metaverse, nobody would even know…" She sat up straight. "Yeah… We just need to show the world what true justice is. We'll make them come to their senses."
"You're right, Octavia!" Collin said, standing up from his chair. "That has to be what our powers are for!"
"Sounds good to me. The flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking!" Morgana agreed.
"You've all taught me so much," Yusuke said with a smile.
"What're you guys getting all excited about" Ann asked, getting up from her nap.
"Oh, sorry… Did we wake you up?" Ryuji asked.
Ann shook her head. "Nah, not really. I've been up for a while now. Still, this weird feeling came over me while I was listening to you guys… It almost feels like I've known you all forever… Do you think it's because our backgrounds are so similar?"
"Well… it sure ain't 'cause of anything good," Ryuji said.
"Similar, huh… I'm the only one who doesn't fit in…" Morgana said. "I don't have any past to look back on… No memories…"
"Morgana, you know that's not true," Octavia said. "If I had to make a guess, I'd even say that your memories being missing is because of this ordeal we're meant to solve. That's why we're going into Mementos, to solve the problem at hand and get your memories back." She picked up the not-cat and stoked behind his ears. "Besides, I don't think it's a coincidence that Ren ran into you. I'm sure your past will be just as troubled as the rest of us."
"No doubt," Loona nodded.
"We'll see about that," Morgana said, looking up again.
"I actually feel like I've known Morgana for a really long time too," Ann said. "It's so strange… I can't really put it into words."
"Look, I'm helping you guys out for my own sake. Don't get me wrong!" Morgana suddenly said. "If you don't get stronger, investigating Mementos won't be anything but a pipe dream!"
"Don't give us the tough guy act, Morgana," Octavia chuckled. "It's okay to show your feelings around the people you trust… In fact, I think it's better to be fully honest about them than to hold back just because you think it'll hurt someone else…" The princess thought of how Stolas couldn't get out the words back at Loo Loo Land, how she just wished he had been honest about everything going on between him and Stella. "But that aside, we should go as far with our mission as we can."
Ann nodded. "I want to punish those corrupt adults and give courage to people in trouble."
"And only we can do that!" Collin exclaimed.
"You can say that again!" Ryuji grinned.
"Being a member of the Phantom Thieves will surely help me grow, both as an artist and as a person," Yusuke mused.
"Of course. You're under my tutelage after all," Morgana stated. "There's nothing we can't accomplish!"
"Well… I hope we can keep this up," Ann smiled. "We should be all right with you as our leader."
"Leave it to me," Ren nodded.
As everyone nodded, Loona looked outside to see the sun had already set. "Woah, it's this late?"
"I guess now's a good time to call if for the night!" Ryuji said.
"Oh, that reminds me! The owner said you're free to crash her, Yusuke," Ann stated.
"That's… very kind of him," Yusuke replied.
"You convinced him, didn't you?" Ryuji grinned. "You go, Miss Older-Dude-Charmer!"
"What kind of crap nickname is that!?" Loona questioned, giving Ryuji a smack on the head. "This is why you'll never get a girlfriend…"
"I won't be able to sleep unless I take a bath…" Yusuke muttered to himself.
"There's a bathhouse nearby, so you can go there. I won't be able to join you though," Morgana said.
"Oh, that sounds great! I wanna come too!" Ryuji said. "How about you, Ann?"
"You guys go on head, I should get going," Ann said. "Well, goodnight, Morgana!"
"Damnit… I need to turn back into a human soon," not-cat cursed under his breath. "I can't let her get taken by someone else!"
"Hey Ren, how about I take Morgana back to my place for the night and you can make the bathhouse a guy's night thing?" Octavia offered.
"Oh boy… Bathing with… other people…?" Collin said nervously.
"Don't be a pussy, Collin. It's only weird if you make it weird," Loona laughed. "Have fun, you guys! And don't drop the soap!"
"D-Don't act like I don't know that inuendo!" Collin shouted, blushing furiously at Loona's jab.
"Heh, too easy to tease…" the hellhound said to herself. 'And… he does look cu- Nope, don't think that!'
Confidant Rank Up
Confidant: Octavia Goetia
Arcana: Aeon
Rank 3 Description: You studied spell books with Octavia. She told you about Goetia duties and vowed to be more proactive as a co-leader of the Phantom Thieves.
Rank 3 Ability: Follow Up- Chance to perform a follow up attack of Joker's attack does not down the enemy.
Author's Note
This is a long one, so let's break it down! First of all, let us all welcome Pancake Boy into the story! Akechi is one of the most popular and simultaneously divisive characters in the entire Persona fandom, so I hope that my take on him will do Justice (hah, a pun) to his character. The big change here is that we get vocalization of some of the PTs being suspicious of Akechi way earlier in the story. I wanted Octavia especially to notice his "pancakes" remark, and also to have Collin know since he was sent to find "Justice" by Deerie, after all.
Next, Loona totally derailing Makoto's snooping on the gang. With her hellhound senses it makes sense that Loona would have noticed the girl's stalking of the team, and both her and Collin lay it on thick with Makoto. I know it seems harsh right now, but remember that at Loona already doesn't like Makoto, so she's not going to hold anything back. This will change in the future, but for now our Student Body President will have to come up with some new leads in her investigation.
Octavia gets another trip to Club Velvet, and meets another resident of the Velvet Room as well, being Nameless. He's from the first 2 Persona games, much like Philemon, and is the in-universe provider of the main Velvet Room theme from the games. Just like Philemon, the game developers have stated that Nameless still lives in the Velvet Room in the modern games, he's just off-screen, playing at his piano.
I was informed by a kind reviewer that up to this point, Octavia has been falling behind when it comes to characterization as part of the team. Part of that is because her personal arc that I've planned happens a bit further into the story, but I wanted to address that fact here in her Confidant with Ren. I set up Octavia to be a co-leader of the team, and I want to make due on that promise come the next Palace. Expect our princess to step it up from here on out alongside Joker!
Next time will be out first introduction to the next Palace arc, so be prepared!