Chapter 26: Cleaned Out Heart of Gluttony
July 1
Loona idly looked up from her phone, smirking as she saw Ren approaching. "So, you finally got enough guts to finally ask about the gun?"
Ren nodded. "Yeah, let's do this." The two entered Untouchable, approaching the desk with confidence as Iwai flipped through a magazine.
The shop owner looked up at the two. "You again? So, what're you here for?"
"We want to talk about the bag," Ren said.
"S'that right?" Iwai hummed. "That was a custom gun that I modified to make it look as real as possible. I had a customer who was interested in it. You helped me out by smuggling it outta here so that I didn't get caught by those detectives. You're accomplices now, so don't go snitching. I got everything on my security camera."
"We'd like to see more of what you got," Loona said.
"Huh…" Iwai looked around before taking a serious face. "Wanna talk in the back?" He led the two into the back room where they could speak in private. "Who the hell are you?"
"Heh, interesting word choice," Loona snickered.
"A couple of gun enthusiasts," Ren replied.
"At your age?" Iwai raised an eyebrow. He hummed, "Well, I guess you got the heart of an enthusiast. Heh, you're a strange pair, kids… Wait a sec." He chuckled to himself. "Yeah, this could work."
"What could work?" Loona crossed her arms.
"Hey, I can grant that wish of yours… But you better have the money. These things are worth hundreds of thousands of yen per unit," Iwai said. "Sometimes they even reach into the millions, depending on how I feel."
"Suspicious…" Loona muttered.
"I'm not sure I follow," Ren said.
Iwai chuckled before standing up. "Look, I ain't a bad dude. I've been known to compromise from time to time. For example…" He got closer to the two teens. "You help me out with my "business"… Smuggling goods, destroying evidence… And as a reward, I'll introduce you to the special menu, with good prices for a couple of punks like you. Whaddya say? Not bad, huh?"
"First of all, that's a terrible deal," Loona said, getting equally up in Iwai's face. "And secondly, what's your goal here?"
"That's on a need-to-know basis, and you don't need to know," Iwai replied, pulling down his hat. "Gotta fight evil with evil… I need a few pawns of my own. Don't talk to no one about this. Got it? Just follow my orders."
'We won't be able to get much stronger if I don't accept this offer…' Ren thought.
"Now what's it gonna be? You gonna take my offer or not?" Iwai asked.
Loona looked to Ren, who gave a nod. "Fine, we'll do what we can, as long as it doesn't get us into any shit."
"That's fine," Iwai smirked. "Okay, I'll work on that special menu for you. You should be grateful."
'We've made a deal with Iwai…' Ren and Loona thought, the half-Goetia feeling the formation of new Confidant in his soul. 'We should be able to modify our guns now, in exchange for helping him out…'
"Oh, yeah. When I don't got any business going on, I'll have you do some miscellaneous chores," Iwai added. "Clean… Run errands… There's plenty for you to do around here. Mist be pretty exciting for enthusiasts like you two, huh?"
'Great, more work to do…' Loona rolled her eyes. The two soon exchanged contact info with Iwai and went home for the night.
[***]
July 2
"Hey, Amamiya-kun, Goetia-san. Good evening," Akechi greeted in Kichijoji. "There's actually a prolific café right over there. I was hoping we could discuss things over some tea, but… Unfortunately, my television appearance has earned me the attention of a rather extreme fanbase. As far as they're concerned, anyone in my company must meet their standards of intelligence and attractiveness… If not, well, they take it to social media, denouncing and harassing the people in question. I wouldn't wish that on you."
"Gee, and I thought sharing controversial opinions about your favorite shows was the fastest way to get cancelled," Octavia said sarcastically.
"I don't think it should be a problem," Ren said.
Akechi nodded. "Yes, I expect you two will pass muster easily. The place is quite popular. It should be open right now… Let's get going." The trio soon went over to the café, ordering some coffee and small cakes to snack on. "The cake here is fairly popular. I've been wanting to try it myself."
"Got a sweet tooth, huh? Come here often?" Octavia asked.
"No, I only learned about it recently," Akechi admitted. "Fads tend to be fairly similar, so I'm more curious about its popularity than its taste. Well, why don't we give it a try?"
The three dug into their cake, Octavia letting out a satisfied sigh after doing so. "Mmm, that was good. Compliments to the chef."
"It was delicious after all…" Akechi nodded. "I actually enjoyed that more than I thought I would."
As the three conversed two girls walked by, stopping as they noticed Akechi. "Hey, look! Isn't that him?" one of the woman asked.
"Oh, you mean that guy who's on TV these days… Who was he again?" her friend asked.
"Wasn't his name Akechi-kun? You know, the next-generation Detective Prince…? Should we ask him for an autograph? Might be something worth bragging about…"
"Uh-oh. Looks like I've been spotted," Akechi sighed.
"Should've figured," Ren shook his head.
"She's just here for the cake, I'm guessing," Akechi said. "I'm sure she doesn't mean any harm, but I don't want to cause any trouble for the store…"
"Huh? Is someone important here?" a man on the street wondered.
"Who's is it?" a woman gasped. "Is it a celebrity!?"
"Great, more people…" Octavia groaned.
"Looks like I'm out of time. I wish I could've relaxed a bit longer, though," Akechi said. "We should go."
"You've done nothing wrong," Ren said.
"Sorry, but I think it's best to leave. I'm only going to cause problems if I stay," Akechi shook his head. "A shame I don't have glasses like you. Maybe I would have been able to get out of this situation."
It was then that Octavia had a lightbulb moment. "How about we find out? Come here a sec…" She grabbed Akechi by the hand, snatched Ren's glasses, and ran off to the bathroom.
"Heh? Hey, what are you-!?" Akechi exclaimed. When the two returned, Ren had to hold back from laughing as he saw Akechi now had messy hair and his glasses on. Octavia looked particularly pleased with herself.
"Oh, he's back. This time, I'll get his autograph for…" the woman started to say. "Hey, is that boy really Akechi-kun?"
"You know… Now that I see him up close, I'm not sure…" her friend said.
"Maybe you were seeing things? I don't remember the show too well, but I'm pretty sure he didn't look like that."
"Aw! If he was the real thing, I could've bragged about meeting him!" The people soon all walked off, with Akechi removing the glasses and straightening his hair back out.
"I can't believe you actually did that," the Detective Prince shook his head. "I suppose I'd better learn to watch what I say around you."
"You looked great," Ren said with a grin.
"I should've taken a picture…" Octavia added, grinning as wide as her cousin.
"Is that so? Well, who else could make a peasant of the Detective Prince? Still… there's no knowing how things may go unless you give it a try, hm?" Akechi mused. "I think I've learned a valuable lesson. Thank you. Looks like our coffee's gone cold. Why don't we order new ones?"
"Sounds like a great idea," Octavia said. The three enjoyed their time together before going home.
[***]
July 3
Loona: Yo, Ren. You, me, and the batting cage next to where you live. Got it?
Ren: I'll be there.
Loona: Good. We have a lot to talk about…
Loona swung her bat as hard as she could, hitting the baseball with such force that it made the cage rattle as the ball struck the homerun target. "Hell yeah! That's how you do it!" the hellhound cheered.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Ren mused.
"Well, they don't have any shooting ranges in Tokyo, so I figured the batting cage would work to get my aggression out," Loona replied. She lowered her bat and went over to where Ren was watching. "You know, Blitz was the one that taught me how to shoot a gun. Back in the orphanage, all I had to rely on was my claws. If you weren't acting like the top dog, you got kicked around like a puppy."
"Must be where you get your demeanor from," Ren said. "I can't imagine how hard it would be growing up without parents…"
"Eh, I think I turned out fine," Loona said. "And I was going to be fine before Blitz adopted me anyways. They always kick out hellhounds after they turn eighteen. I was tough in the pound, I could be tough on the streets."
"Being tough isn't everything," Ren noted. "You've proven yourself as a Phantom Thief, and as a friend. Even to Collin."
"Hey, I only tolerate him because he can't go and rat us out to the Big Man Upstairs," Loona said, crossing her arms. She frowned and looked away. "Still… you guys are my only friends. Before this, I had one friend, a hellhound named Vortex. We still chat, but its… different than you guys."
As Loona ran a hand over her arm, Ren noticed how tense and uncomfortable she seemed to be. 'I get the feeling she isn't telling me everything about her past… I'll have to ask her more about this "pound" at another time… Until then, I feel my bond with Loona growing deeper…' he thought.
Loona scoffed. "Damn, this is supposed to be about us hitting balls, not getting sentimental and crap. Come on, frizzy hair, show me what moves you got."
She held out a bat to Ren, who smiled and took it. The two spent the rest of the afternoon at the batting cages, competing to see who could hit the most home runs.
[***]
That night, Octavia, Loona, Collin, and Ren all gathered by the train station to help out Yoshida with his speeches once more. Tonight's speech was to be different, including the fact that there were to be cameras, which Yoshida thought wasn't a good sign. "Acting not ins elf-interest, but for the greater good… That is the mindset we politicians must instill in our constituents!" Yoshida said.
"Okay, all cued up," the cameraman said as he approached.
"Here comes trouble…" Loona grumbled, her ears picking up their conversation.
"Okay, we should be able to get a lot of interesting footage. It is No-Good Tora, after all," the director said.
Yoshida continued his speech. "Advocate an overly optimistic policy only to lure in voters during the election season… That's how No-Good Tora thought and operated twenty years ago, making unachievable pledges."
"Hm, this isn't how I saw this going…" the director muttered. Loona just smirked.
"If you make a promise, you must keep it. If you make a mistake, you must atone for it," Yoshida insisted. "These are basic human principles that we have all learned from the youngest of ages…"
"Boring," the director yawned.
"He's making some pretty good points, don't you think?" the cameraman asked.
"That's why It's all useless!" the director scowled. With a lift of her finger Octavia sent out a small spark spell, hitting the director in the butt as he left, making the man jump in surprise. Loona gave her a high-five for that.
"It seems like they only wanted to get some footage of No-Good Tora. Very disrespectful," Yoshida laughed after his speech as over. "However, I've been distancing myself from that. Do you think I've regained my confidence?"
"I think so!" Collin nodded.
"But don't let your guard down, even if what the media thinks doesn't matter," Loona warned.
"Don't worry. I've had enough bad experiences that I won't let it go to my head," Yoshida promised. "Can I tell you a story? I mentioned this before, but twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to become a Diet member. However, I wanted to be a politician for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to be in a position of power and I was obsessed with the glamourous lifestyle. I thought only of being popular. I truly was "No-Good Tora"…"
He looked at the kids. "Learn from me. Don't let being a member of the Diet be your only goal in life. Voters are much more sensible than we give them credit for. Being ambitious and striving to advance in the political world will change your outlook on life."
"Sound advice," Octavia nodded. 'And one I'll hold to heart when I go back to Hell. The Goetia surely need some changing as well… I just don't know what or how….'
A man suddenly walked up to the group. "You've given some good speeches, Mr. Yoshida. I can't believe you lost the last two elections."
"You're… Mr. Kuramoto's grandson?" Yoshida recognized.
The man nodded. "That's correct. I'm his grandson, Benzo."
"Does he know that you're here speaking with me now?" Yoshida asked.
"I'm aware that you and my grandfather are on bad terms, but that doesn't concern me," Benzo replied. He looked at the kids. "These must be your helpers, huh? I heard they've been helping you out a lot lately."
"You know them?" Yoshida said in shock, the kids equally as surprised.
"My grandfather was recently hospitalized, and you've become the topic of conversations," Benzo explained. "I'd like to talk with you again sometime. I learned a lot from your speech today." He walked off after that.
"Mr. Kuramoto… spoke of me?" Yoshida said. His phone suddenly rang. "Matsushita…? Sorry, I have to take care of some business. Let's wrap this up for today." The kids went home after that.
[***]
July 4
"I can't wait to see Yusuke's new painting," Collin said as he walked into the Uneo Museum with Octavia. "He's been working very hard on it."
"True. Ren's told me he had a hand in it as well," Octavia nodded. "Oh, and it looks like Yusuke and Ren are here too." She waved to their friends, getting one back from Ren.
"Congratulations on getting accepted into his exhibit, Yusuke," Collin complimented. "Which one is yours?"
"That would be this one," Yusuke said, pointing to a painting. It depicted a swirling mass with red flecks around the edges. "I call it "Desire."
"…Oh…" Collin said, his excitement turning to confusion.
"It looks kinda like Mementos," Octavia noted.
"Well, we did go there for inspiration," Ren admitted.
Yusuke was still caught up in his own world. "In addition to the exhibition aspect of this show, there is also evaluation portion. Hm, I believe my piece truly stands out among the sea of art here. And yet, nobody has come to see it… Perhaps they are so afraid of the truth held within that they dare not take a closer look."
'Maybe because it does stand out… but for the wrong reasons…' Octavia thought. She didn't think it was bad- Yusuke had more artistic talent than she did- but at the same time, the princess couldn't see herself having this painting in her house. It was then that two museum patrons walked up to the painting to inspect it.
"What is this supposed to be…?" the lady wondered. "There's a dark, almost sinister aura emanating from it."
The man looked at the title. "Hm, the title is… "Desire"? I see no desire here. Ah, I understand now. This area is for students. The artist likely decided to paint this on a whim."
The lady nodded. "Indeed. There is neither elegance nor emotion in this piece. Come, dear. There are much more detailed paintings over there."
Yusuke looked down, but shook his head as the couple left. "There is no need to worry. I am not bothered in the slightest," he said, but almost more to himself than the others. "That was nothing more than the drivel of unrefined commoners. I needn't pay any mind to them. As long as those who are in the know understand my work, I will be happy."
'I mean… I'm not an art enthusiast, but even I think this painting is a bit confusing…' Collin thought. Another old man came up to inspect the painting next.
"This is… Hm…" he muttered to himself.
"Look! A knowledgeable patron has arrived!" Yusuke said.
"Hm?" The man turned to look at Yusuke.
"I would like your opinion, sir… What are your thoughts on this piece?" the artist asked.
"I can see quite clearly why it was accepted into the exhibition. This technique is excellent," the man replied. "However… the composition as a whole is mediocre at best."
"How dare you!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Ah, are you the artist?" the man asked. "The title is listed as "Desire"… bat that idea is quite overused. Some may even call it stale. If you want to paint an abstract work with such an old theme, you mist inject some individuality into it."
'Huh, that actually sounds like good advice, if a bit blunt,' Octavia thought.
"What…?" Yusuke said.
"Take another look. Try and remove yourself from the artist's bias," the man said. "These brush strokes are splendid, given your age… but does the painting really tell you anything? It is empty, devoid of meaning. I suggest you take a more critical eye to your work in the future if you truly want to progress as an artist." He walked away after that.
"My work is… empty?" Yusuke repeated.
"That was harsh…" Collin said.
"Don't let it bother you," Ren tried to comfort his friend.
"Indeed," Yusuke nodded. "But… why? I put my heart and soul into this piece, captured the very essence of desire… It was supposed to lay bare the reality of the world! Perhaps… Perhaps he was right. It may be empty after all… These colors, these brush strokes…. They do not convey the true meaning of desire, only my conception of it! I haven't captured desire… Desire has captured me!"
The artist sank to his knees, hands on the ground as he bowed his head. "How could I have fooled myself into believing otherwise!? It was though I have been forsaken by the gods of art! This grave mistake shall be the end for me!"
"Come on, Yusuke, it's not that bad," Collin said.
"Stop exaggerating," Octavia added.
"This is no exaggeration! I am well and truly finished!" Yusuke cried out. "What is going to happen to me now? Without art, what will remain of my being!?"
"You're really giving up?" Octavia questioned. "Stand up, Yusuke."
"This isn't like you," Ren said.
Yusuke lifted his head up. "Ren, Octavia… You are correct. Surrendering myself to fate after only one failure would be very much unlike me." He stood back up and faced his friends. "Still, be criticized by someone with such a keen eye is truly painful… But that is all the more reason I must break out of my slump. I must prove my ability to him…!"
"That's the spirit!" Collin cheered, his friends nodding in agreement.
"I will start my painting. After that, I will paint, beyond which I shall paint even more," Yusuke said. "That is the only way I will learn to capture the essence of emotion. After all, you can only accomplish so much in using logic to analyze the contents of the heart. I hope you will allow me to continue my skill card services as well, Ren. I shall conquer this!"
'Yusuke seems especially motivated… I know he can do this!' Collin thought. 'I need to be confident that I can earn my spot in Heaven back too!'
"Now then, let us head home. I wish to start anew," Yusuke said.
"You guys go ahead. Collin and I want to see the other exhibits," Octavia replied. As the kids split off, none of them noticed the man from before return to the painting, looking at it once more…
Ann: Kaneshiro got rid of those photos, right?
Makoto: That's what he said.
Ryuji: You think we can trust him?
Octavia: I doubt he'd lie if he really had a change of heart.
Ryuji: Looks like we're in the clear then.
Loona: I wouldn't be too sure. Even if we took do their boss, his gang are still around, and they might still have the photos. On top of that, I haven't heard back from Blitzo if they've done their part yet either…
Collin: I get the feeling that it'll be obvious when IMP doing their thing…
Loona: LOL yeah they suck at being subtle about… anything.
Makoto: On your previous point about Kaneshiro's gang, the opposite sometimes holds true as well. Some groups that lack a strong guiding hand will simply crumble.
Ann: So this all depends on which way it goes.
Ren: We'll be fine.
Collin: All we can do now is pray the pieces fall in our favor.
Yusuke: Hopefully Kaneshiro's confession motivates the police to crack down on the mafia… I would love nothing more than to see them defeated once and for all.
Ryuji: That part'll be up to Makoto's sis.
Makoto: That aside, we've done everything we can for the time being. All that remains now is to wait until the result becomes clear.
[***]
That night, Ren decided to investigate the shogi player, Hifumi, at the church in Kanda. Collin tagged along as well, the disguised cherub greeting the priest before pointing to where Hifumi was. "There she is. Feel free to talk to her, Ren."
"Togo-san?" Ren asked the girl.
Hifumi looked up at him in surprise. "Um… yes…?"
'Ren really has a certain charm about himself today…' Collin noted. 'Hifumi doesn't get distracted like that for just anyone…'
"I'm Hifumi Togo," the girl introduced herself.
"Playing shogi by yourself?" Ren questioned.
"I'm doing some research, so… Experimenting with new tactics is best to do alone in a place like this," Hifumi explained. "Well, I suppose that doesn't sound terribly plausible to someone who doesn't play… Don't mind me; please go ahead and pray."
"Why don't you teach us?" Ren asked, gesturing to himself and Collin.
"Wha- me?" Collin gasped.
"You're the boy that keeps coming here… Pastor-san, was it?" Hifumi recalled. "And while I'm flattered, you don't necessarily have to learn from me, you know… There are other options… such as playing online."
"Please," Ren insisted.
Hifumi shook her head. "So, I just can't. Well then… Um… So… you like shogi?"
"Well, I think your skills are admirable," Collin said.
"Huh…? Oh, um… thank you very much," Hifumi accepted the compliment. "Um… Okay, just a quick game then. Twenty second per move… If that's all right with you."
'I don't know how to play…' Ren thought. 'But saying that will likely make her lose interest. I guess I'll have to play her. I'll just move the pieces randomly…'
"I'll start," Hifumi said. The game began, and it was clear to all of them that Ren had no idea what he was doing. Granted, Collin didn't know shogi either, but it was a massacre in Hifumi's favor. "So, this is your skill level, huh? The dragon which governs the bly sky has fallen into my hands. How do you intend to survive this?" She moved a piece with great force. "Check! It's checkmate no matter how you look at it. Please concede."
"I can still keep going," Ren said.
"To concede is an act of admitting that you have lost, with grace," Hifumi explained. "If you aspire to become a shogi player, I recommend that you take your study of the game to heart." She gave a bow. "Thank you for playing… Well then, that will be all for today… If it's all right with you, may I request another match sometime?"
"Really?" Collin asked in surprise.
"I feel… a gambler's spirit emanating from him," Hifumi said. "Which is strange, since your style of play is that of a complete novice…"
"Sorry I'm a beginner," Ren apologized.
"Huh…!?" Hifumi exclaimed. "Oh, I-I'm sorry… However, I will instruct you under one condition… You become my playing partners so that I can research new moves. Is that agreeable?"
"Bring it on!" Ren said with passion.
"I'm a bit scared by your determination… but I'll do it," Collin nodded.
"That's precious," Hifumi smiled. "Well then, it's a deal. I'll teach you how to play, and you'll assist me with my new moves."
'We've made a deal with Hifumi…' the two boys thought.
"…Okay, let's end here for today," Hifumi said. "Pastor-san, I'll teach you the next time you're at this church. Before you head home, though, would you like to exchange IDs with me? There is no obligation, of course…"
"Sure," Ren nodded.
"Thank you. All right then…" The three exchanged contact info. "Let's see… Ah, yes, it went through. I'll let you know if I come up with any new strategies."
[***]
July 7
"Come on, Loona," Octavia said, dragging the hellhound along down the streets of Kichijoji. "There's some many shops I want to check out!"
"You don't have to pull me along, princess," Loona rolled her eyes. "Where do you want to go first- and don't expect me to carry all the shit you buy!"
"How about… that place!" Octavia said, pointing to a glasses shop. "I've been meaning to get a new pair of sunglasses."
"Sure," Loona shrugged. As they entered the store, she noticed a familiar frizzy-haired teen inside. "Hey, isn't that Ren?"
"Looks like he's with Kasumi as well," Octavia noted, smirking a bit. "He totally has a crush on her, even though he won't admit it. Oh Ren, Kasumi!"
"Oh, hello, Goetia-senpai!" Kasumi greeted. "Are you looking for a new pair of glasses too?"
"Sunglasses, yes," Octavia replied. "This is Loona, by the way, a third year at our school."
"Sup," Loona greeted.
"Nice to meet you, Loona," Kasumi smiled.
"What are you looking to buy, Kasumi? You kinda dragged me into this store without warning…" Ren asked.
"I want to get my dad a present," Kasumi explained. "You seem like a real glasses buff, so I wanted to get your advice. Could you try on a couple pairs for me? I'd like to get some visual reference."
"Sure," Ren nodded.
"Thank you so much! Let's see…" Kasumi started looking at different pairs of glasses.
"Oh, this'll be fun…" Loona whispered to Octavia, the two demons smiling at what was sure to be some good antics.
"How about his pair?" Kasumi said, putting a pair on Ren's face. "Wow, those really work for you. You look so cool! What do you think?"
"A pretty modern look," Ren replied.
"I know, it's so fashionable! And it's good that it'd help your vision, too," Kasumi said. "This could be a good one… hm…"
"But do they suit your dad, though?" Octavia asked. "You are buying for him and not Ren, remember?"
Kasumi blushed a bit. "Right- maybe a little too hip for my dad. But your input's been really helpful so far! Would you mind poking around with me a bit longer?"
"Of course," Ren replied.
"We'll help too," Octavia offered.
"Thank you all! This is actually kind of fun!" Kasumi smiled. "let's pick up the pace!"
First Ren tried on a half-frame pair. "You look like a dorky salesman," Loona snickered.
"It doesn't feel right, somehow…" Kasumi mused. Second was a funky pink leopard print pair with wings on the sides.
"Those definitely leave an impression," Octavia giggled. "If you wore those, people would remember the glasses more than anything else about you!" The third pair was a nice all-black pair of shades.
"You're like a star right out of Hollywood!" Kasumi said. "But if my dad wore then, he might look a little… shady." Finally, Loona put on a pair of glasses with a fake nose and mustache. The hellhound promptly started laughing at the sight.
"Why are these even here…?" Octavia sighed.
"I… kind of want a pair," Kasumi giggled. "Sorry… I can't decide. A lot of them are good, but none of them have really clicked with me yet…"
"Don't overthink it. Trust your instincts," Octavia suggested.
"You know, you're right! I'm the one who has to make this call!" Kasumi said. She looked around and picked up a pair with red frames. "I'm just going off a gut feeling, but… I'll pick this pair. I don't know how to describe it. It just seems perfect for my dad somehow."
"Good choice," Ren said.
"Yes, I know I can be confident in this one. In fact, I know he'll like it!" Kasumi smiled.
"Well, you two have fun. We still have to pick out our own pairs," Loona said. As Kasumi and Ren left to go purchase the glasses, she looked to Octavia nodded. "Oh yeah, I smell the chemistry between them."
"Oh, is that a hellhound ability of yours?" Octavia joked, getting a playful hair ruffle from Loona.
"Not literally, you dork!" Loona laughed.
[***]
July 8
Collin: The deadline's tomorrow… will we be okay?
Yusuke: The pictures are gone. He was no avenue to threaten us anymore. That is, if we're able to trust what Kaneshiro said.
Ann: Don't say such scary stuff.
Octavia: We can't relax just yet. We still haven't heart from IMP about their side of the deal yet…
Loona: It's weird that it's taken this long, actually.
Makoto: Kaneshiro may still end up released from police custody…
Ryuji: For real!?
Makoto: That is, unless they have decisive evidence like a confession.
Ren: It'll be fine.
Makoto: True, there does seem to be some movement. Sis actually sent me a message saying she won't be home tonight. There's a chance that the police have found their breakthrough.
Ryuji: Ooooh, does that mean it happened!?
Octavia: Huh, perfect timing.
Ann: I guess let's just hope for the best?
Ryuji: I'm gonna stay up all night watching the news to find out!
[***]
July 9
"Hell yeah! Kaneshiro finally confessed!" Ryuji cheered at the hideout after school. "People've been making a huge deal of it since the police announcement!"
"It's difficult to accept that the authorities are taking all the credit for the arrest," Yusuke admitted.
"People are going nuts about the Phantom Thieves only though. Look!" Ann held up her phone for the others to see.
"It's all coming together for us," Loona nodded. "Now we just have to let Blitz do his part…"
"This is all a big turnaround for us. Suddenly, people are expressing their long-standing belief in us," Collin said. "Hm, I guess this is why Makoto wanted the calling card posted everywhere, so people could see it."
"Pretty smart move on her part," Octavia nodded. "By the way, where is she?" Ren's phone suddenly went off, the leader of the team putting it on speaker for everyone to hear.
"Hello? It's Makoto. My apologies, but I won't be able to join you today," Makoto said. "I've been called into a meeting with the principal. There's no need to worry though. More importantly, there's a special on TV about the Phantom Thieves!"
"For real!?" Loona exclaimed, flipping on the TV to try and find it.
"They were talking all about our calling cards," Makoto explained. "Anyway, my apologies about today. I'll have to see you all another time."
"This whole thing is freaking crazy!" Ryuji shook his head, grinning like a maniac.
"I hope all this excitement doesn't place us on the police's radar," Yusuke said.
"It'll be fine! No way they'd find out about the Metaverse," Loona scoffed. "What are they, paranormal investigators? I think not."
"True, but…" Yusuke was still worried. "Do you remember what the fake Kaneshiro said towards the end?"
"Another Metavese user… and there was that mysterious biker we saw in Mementos as well…" Ren recalled.
"It's all very concerning," Octavia hummed.
"Eh, not gonna let it bother me. Far as we know, he was just pulling that shit out of his ass and got a lucky guess," Ryuji shrugged. "I mean, what if that biker ain't even a bad guy?"
"I hope that's the case…" Octavia sighed.
"Anyways, in your face, Akechi!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Now whaddya wanna do about our next target!?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Ann said. "Still, people might expect a lot from our next more considering how excited they're getting."
"We can't just pick any old schmo no," Loona nodded.
"There is no need to hurry though. We've got three wins a row now, so we should just let the excitement cool down first before finding another target," Collin said.
"In that case, how about we have another celebration?" Ann suggested.
"Good idea! We can make it a welcoming party for Miss President too," Ryuji nodded. "By the way, that briefcase? It's pretty damn expensive! Let's sell it and drop the cash on our party!"
"Wow… Seems like the "lay low and wait" idea has gone completely out the window," Morgana sighed.
"You know we're not going to leave you out of this, Morgana," Octavia said, petting the not-cat on the head.
"I was just saying we should keep our party on the down low…" Morgana said, leaning into the pets.
"That's the spirit!" Ann laughed. 'Well, I'm gonna let Makoto know!" She pulled out her phone. "Hi, Makoto? There's something we forgot to tell you! So- Oh…"
"What's wrong?" Yusuke asked.
Makoto was put on speaker again. "Hello? I hope you remember we have finals next week. Yusuke and Morgana excluded, of course. If you wish not to stand out, you had best not get bad grades, okay? That is something I simply would not be able to overlook as student council president! For now, behave and concentrate on your studies. We can have fun once finals are over… Understood?"
The group all let out a collective groan as she hung up.
Makoto: The reaction is incredible. I'm honestly shocked to see it.
Yusuke: It is only natural that people are surprised. Even the police were struggling to catch him.
Ann: Yeah. By the way, you said you were called in by the principal? Did something happen?
Makoto: it was regarding my investigation of the incident with Mr. Kamoshida. Don't worry. I didn't mention a world about any of you. I essentially told him I was unable to find any information.
Ren: Are you going to be OK?
Makoto: I will. I've graduated from my role as the exemplary honor student. From now on, I'm going to be more honest with myself. It's quite a refreshing feeling.
Loona: What are you gonna do now? Wanna stay with the Phantom Thieves?
Makoto: That's my intention, assuming it wouldn't be any trouble.
Collin: Not at all!
Ren: Welcome aboard.
Octavia: I think it'd be more of a problem if you didn't stay with us.
Makoto: Well then, I hope I can continue getting along with all of you.
[***]
Kaneshiro stared blankly at the walls of his cell. After giving the police everything they could know about his Yakuza organization, they had stuck the man in a holding cell before he would be transferred to an actual prison the next morning. There was no need for a trail of any sorts, seeing as Kaneshiro had willing confessed to all of his crimes and even refused to have a lawyer try and defend him in court.
"Hey, you still awake in here?" called a voice. Kaneshiro turned to see a familiar lanky man with a birthmark on his head.
"You…?" Kaneshiro said in confusion.
"Good, you're still awake," Blitzo said. "So, how's prison life for ya? I didn't think that change of heart Loony was telling me about would do anything, but damn if it wasn't effective… Oh right, you don't know anything about that, do ya?" The imp slipped into the cell and dropped his disguise, making Kaneshiro gasp and back himself up against the wall.
"D-D-Demon!" Kaneshiro shouted. "You're just like Barbie before I fixed her!"
"Yeah, about that…" Blitzo shot Kaneshiro in one of his legs, making the man scream out in pain. "Yeah, shout all you want. I had Stolas set up one of his spells on this specific cell before you were tossed in here. No one can hear of see you until the morning, so I can do whatever I want with you…" The imp leered over the groveling man, pushing his gun against Kaneshiro's forehead. "This was supposed to be a simple hit, but you just had to go and make it personal. That imp you had slaving under you? Yeah, that was my fucking sister, so now I'm going to take great pleasure in making sure you suffer for what you've done to her."
Blitzo fiddled with the trigger of his gun as he leaned in to whisper in the man's ear. "Once I kill you here, I'm going to track you down in Hell and torture you for what you did to Barbie. I'll make you wish that you were at the mercy of an Exorcist, and when you've finally had enough… well, I'll be the judge of when you've had enough." He pulled the trigger, and Kaneshiro died at that moment, blood pooling at Blitzo's feet.
"Sir, is it done?" Moxxie asked from outside the cell.
"Yeah, we're done," Blitzo said, taking a photo of Kaneshiro's body. "M&M, make this look like a Yakuza hit. I'm sending our handywork to Saburo. Then, we have a fat fly to track down in Hell…"
Confidant Rank Up
Confidant: Loona Nyx
Arcana: Twilight
Rank 4 Description: You went to the batting cages with Loona. While she started to open up about her past in the orphanage, you couldn't help but feel like she's hiding her true feelings from you.
Rank 4 Ability: Follow Up- Chance to perform a follow up attack if Joker's attack does not down the enemy.
Author's Note
Despite the title of this chapter, the Kaneshiro fallout is really only at the end lol. We're in the lull between Palaces, which means a lot of time for Confidants and character building. We've got one more of these before the start of the next arc, and it's one I know a lot of you have been waiting for.
The Hanged Man Confidant is finally started, and like I hinted at in the past, Loona gets to join in on this one. I like Iwai, and I think Loona is going to find his story VERY relatable as it goes on. Speaking of which, our favorite hellhound is slowly opening up to Ren, but she's not being entirely truthful about her time in the orphanage, is she? Hopefully she'll come to realize that she can trust her fellow Phantom Thieves with the knowledge of just how badly she was treated by the system and come to terms with what her true feelings regarding Blitzo are. She got her "follow up" skill as a reward as well.
And hey, Akechi and Kasumi show back up for some Confidants! I had to get Octavia in on the tea shop meet with Akechi, and I figured her and Loona would work well with Kasumi at the glasses store as well. Oh, and Collin and Octavia showed up to comment on Yusuke's Confidant as well. There are certain scenes in particular Confidants that I want the HB cast to be a part of, and thankfully we're now at the point when I can start doing those scenes here.
Blitzo also got a bit intense there at the end with Kaneshiro, huh? That's why you don't mess with his family, folks.
Next time will be some more confidants as well as the start of the next story arc. I think you'll be surprised as to what I've changed in regards to what instigates the next challenge for the Phantom Thieves...