AN: This is a chapter I've been waiting to write! I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 34: Swan of Discord
August 10
Today was an important day for Ann and Collin, as it was the day Shiho was finally getting out of rehab. The three of them and Ren met up at Shujin, going up the rooftop as Ren and Collin helped the girl make her way up there. "Ann, Collin, Ren-kun… I'm pretty heavy, huh? Thanks for the help," Shiho said, panting a bit from the effort.
"Isn't Ren super reliable?" Ann asked.
Shiho giggled. "Mm-hm, just like you were telling me." She walked over to the edge of the roof, peering out of the gates towards the ground below. "We're so high up…"
"Shiho, why did you want to come here?" Collin asked.
"I think… to settle things," Shiho replied. "To tell you the truth… I wanted to reenact that moment. Wearing these clothes, standing here again… I wanted to know what it would feel like."
"What about back then? What were you thinking?" Ann asked carefully.
"I… I didn't want to die," Shiho admitted. "I just needed to escape… It was like another person inside of me was screaming, telling me to come up here… It almost felt like that person was trying to kill me…"
'Shiho…' Collin thought.
"But I know that person was a part of me too… My weakness," Shiho continued. "So, I wanted to see if she would show up again now."
"And?" Collin asked.
"She's gone, isn't she?" Ren said.
"Yeah… She doesn't exist anymore," Shiho nodded.
"You're so strong, Shiho. The only reason you can stand here now is because of how hard you worked for your rehab," Ann said.
"Maybe… but that was all thanks to you, Ann," Shiho replied.
"Me?" Ann gasped.
"Because I saw how hard you were trying, too. Trying to be strong, to be cool… Wanting to be an action star… Striving to be a better model… You were so positive… Your eyes sparkled with motivation," Shiho said with a smile. "With you putting that much effort in, I couldn't just let my life go to waste in a hospital bed. And Collin as well, his words helped get better too. That's why I wanted to stand again… It was because of you both. Being able to change others… That's what true strength is."
"Shiho…" Ann and Collin whispered.
"I'm not strong…" Ann shook her head. "I'm nothing without you. I'm just a lonely, scared girl…"
"Ann… I'm sorry… for deciding to transfer schools…" Shiho apologized.
"Shiho… I'm… I'm going to become a real model!" Ann declared. "That way you'll be able to keep seeing me… and giving life your all… I'm gonna be in a bunch of magazines, and I'll say toms of good stuff in interviews… So… So…" Ann started to cry a bit, even though she kept smiling. "Stay healthy. Work hard, but not too much… and keep in touch."
"Just… take care of yourself…" Collin said with a sad smile.
"Ann… I love you…" Shiho said, giving her best friend a hug. "Once I can smile again from the bottom of my heart, I'll come visit…"
"Y-Yeah…" Ann replied.
After some time, Shiho let go, with Collin following her to make sure she got back to ground level safely. Once they were outside, the cherub reached into his pocket and placed the object in Shiho's hands. "I know you're not religious, but I wanted you to have this to remember me by," Collin said. Shiho opened her hand to see that it was a pendant that depicted a lamb with a cross behind it, the lamb wearing a mask of some kind. "A friend of mine knows how to make charms, so I have her make this one for you."
"Thank you, Collin," Shiho said, giving him a smile. "We didn't know each other for a long time, but I'm glad to have had you as a friend. My own guardian angel…"
"Yeah, I guess I- wait, what was that…?" Collin said, doing a double take.
Shiho giggled and gave the cherub a kiss on the forehead. "Keep Ann and the others safe for me, okay? The Phantom Thieves have more work to do, after all…" She left with her family after that, leaving Collin standing there in stunned silence.
"She knew about the Phantom Thieves, about what I really am…?" Collin said to himself. He closed his eyes and smiled. "What a strong girl…"
[***]
August 11
Yoshida: I have something planned after my speech today. I'd like your help with both… Are you available today?
Ren: We'll be there.
Yoshida: Thank you. The truth is, Dietman Matsushita bas been asking for me. Remember when he asked me to be his right-hand man last time? He's likely waiting on my response. Well then, please join me after the speech.
After the speech, Yoshida and the kids met up with Matsushita. "What did you ask me here to discuss?" Yoshida asked the dietman.
"I heard you met with Kuramoto's grandson," Matsushita replied.
"You have ears to the ground, huh?" Yoshida questioned. "And to think that he's the candidate the party is backing to ruin my chances of winning…"
"I'll be completely straight with you, since I already asked you to be my right-hand man. We're currently fighting the Kuramoto group," Matsushita said.
"You're fighting with Mr. Kuramoto!?" Yoshida said in shock.
"I have ambitions of my own, you know. I owe him for all he did for me, but I don't want him to have influence over me forever," Matsushita explained. "All the more, now that he's secretly working with Diet members from other parties. I know he asked you to join his group, but I think you should decline his offer. They want to keep you on a leash, so you won't reveal any damaging information."
Matsushita looked around before saying his next line, "The real culprit of the expense misappropriation case you were blamed for… is old man Kuramoto."
"What did you say…!?" Yoshida gasped.
"I searched through the party's off-the-record accounts from twenty years ago. There's no doubt," Matsushita said. "Can you still forgive him? He led you into the political world and kicked you out in the worst way!"
"But why…?" Yoshida questioned.
"Seems he bought his popularity, and as a result, he was having some serious financial trouble," Matsushita explained.
"I sounds as if you're saying that this is my opportunity to clear my name…" Yoshida crossed his arms. "And so you need an answer from on whether of not I'll be your right-hand man, yes?"
"His own grandson has already tried to persuade you. Therefore, I can't wait any longer," Matsushita said. "If you join me, you can accuse Kuramoto of his crime. You can clear your name and put No-Good Tora behind you. This is your best and last chance!"
"Join with Matsushita and take my revenge against Mr. Kuramoto, but drop out of the election…" Yoshida mumbled.
"Don't do it," Ren said.
"I see… so that's how you truly feel about this…" Yoshida said. "…Matsushita. I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse."
The dietman looked shocked. "You have no conceivable reason to refuse!"
"My goal is to become a member of the Diet, not a right-hand man. I will not cast aside my beliefs. On that I stand firm," Yoshida stated.
"This information would be the deciding factor in taking down Kuramoto…" Matsushita said.
"I'm sorry," Yoshida apologized.
"Don't worry about it. I was simply offering you a deal. I assumed you might decline it…" Matsushita replied. "Very well. Please forget it. I apologize for bringing it up so suddenly. I'll take to the party and provide support for your next speech about the Phantom Thieves."
"Woah, seriously?" Octavia said in shock.
"Why are you doing this?" Yoshida asked.
"I don't want a debate about the Phantom Thieves. I simply want to draw attention to them," Matsushita explained. "And you can assert your innocence there, on a grand stage. To be frank, I'll be happy as long as the Kuramoto's group influence diminishes. Kids… Don't speak of word of this to anyone, for all our sakes."
"We'll keep quiet, we promise," Collin nodded, making a zipping motion over his lips.
"Very well, then," Matsushita nodded before leaving.
"It feels like I'm caught in the crossfire of a political conspiracy," Yoshida sighed. "My friend is trying to take advantage of me, while my former mentor is trying to win me over. To achieve my dream, I have to set aside my beliefs. What should I do?"
"Get elected… Clear your name… Those are fine, I guess, but you gotta keep sticking to your beliefs," Loona said. "That's how you got this far, right?"
"You're right. Betraying myself means betraying my supporters. Which also meanings betraying you," Yoshida nodded. "For some reason, just talking with you always helps me make up my mind. It's as if my heart is being manipulated. Perhaps…"
"Perhaps what?" Collin questioned.
"If the Phantom Thieves truly do exist… then I'm sure they're very much like you," Yoshida mused.
"Uh…" Ren and the others looked at each other awkwardly.
"For some reason you stood by me, No-Good Tora, who didn't have any supporters. I've been thinking about this for a while, actually," Yoshida said. "You must've experienced cruelty and injustice in this life. I can tell by the look in your eyes. That's why I sense your desire to help the weak. And the strength to stand up to the hecklers, to Matsushita, and to Kuramoto's grandson. You're not ordinary high school students. Even I know that much. Would you care to… talk about it?"
"And if you are right? What good would that do?" Loona asked, crossing her arms.
Yoshida crossed his own arms, getting into a staring contest with the hellhound before laughing. "Just a joke. Sorry. I crossed a line there. I've always lacked restraint in these situations… See what I did there? I relieved the tension by making fun of myself. Think of it as an advanced technique for winning people over."
'Our bond with Yoshida has grown deeper…' Ren thought.
"All right then… Well, I'll at least make good use of Matsushita's help setting up my next speech," Yoshida nodded. "I feel like I'll be able to fully express my beliefs if you're there with me. We can discuss it again at the speech."
"See you then," Octavia said as the gang split off for the night.
[***]
August 12
Octavia: Ren, can you come over to my place today? There's something important I need to discuss with you.
Ren: I'll be there.
Octavia: Thank you… Oh, and we'll be having a guest with us as well. Just thought I'd let you know.
When Ren arrived at Octavia's apartment, he could feel an odd tension in the air. Octavia was sitting on the couch alongside a tall, thin man that looked oddly similar to her. 'Oh right, I've met this man before… Octavia's father, Prince Stolas,' Ren recalled.
"Ren, you're finally here," Octavia greeted.
"It's good to see you again, dear nephew," Stolas waved. "Though I'm unsure as to why you called me here today, Octavia. Is something the matter with your Phantom Thieves business that requires my assistance?"
"Yes- I mean no, I mean… it's complicated," Octavia sighed, hands to her face. She pulled out her phone and opened up the Meta-Nav, showing it to Stolas. "Dad, as Phantom Thieves, me, Ren, and the rest of the team use this navigation app to enter the Cognitive World and change the hearts of those we target, usually done on request by those that post to our Phan-Site."
"It's truly a mysterious but marvelous little app, isn't it? To just open up your phone and travel between realms," Stolas mused. "Hm, I wonder if I could do something similar with my grimoire, though I'm sure Father would be displeased if he learned I turned the thing into a smart tablet or something of the like…"
"Yeah, I'm sure he would," Octavia chuckled. "Still, we've only used the Metaverse to search for hearts of humans, but I was wondering if it would work on demons as well."
"Where are you going with this?" Ren questioned. "Why would we need to change the heart of a demon? What would that even do?"
Octavia took a deep breath before looking at her dad with the most serious face she could muster. "Dad, I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer with full honestly. Don't try to sugarcoat your answer or downplay the severity. Even if it would hurt me, I need you to tell me the truth."
"Um, of course, my Starfire," Stolas said with some nervousness.
Octavia nodded at the response. "Prince Stolas of the Ars Goetia, have you ever felt like Princess Stella of the Ars Goetia would have attempted or has attempted in the past to kill you." The air in the room suddenly became a couple of degrees colder, Ren freezing up as Stolas' eyes went wide.
"M-My Starfire, what in the Seven Rings would make you ask that question?" Stolas asked.
"That isn't an answer," Octavia said.
"Well, you see, Via, I-I can't just-" Stolas stammered.
"Answer the question, Dad," Octavia growled.
The older demon wilted a bit. "I mean, she has been angry at me, sure, but- but I don't see how that would give you the conclusion that-"
"Dad, I have reason to believe that you will die if I don't deal with Mom, so I need you to answer the question before I move forward!" Octavia shouted. "Has Mom ever tried to kill you!?"
"Possibly!" Stolas blurted out, hands instantly covering his beak as soon as the world slipped out. Octavia looked like she'd been punched in the gut, while her father turned his head away in shame. "After the previous Harvest Moon Festival, it was brought to my attention that an assassin had been sent to take me out. Of course, I had Blitzy and his friends to deal with him, but the fact that the assassin had an angelic rifle… concerns me greatly. The night after your mother was ranting on the phone, and while I didn't catch what she said during the call… It isn't hard to make a possible connection between the two events. I wouldn't put it past her to have been the one to call the hit on me."
'To have your own mother put a hit on your father… even if their relationship wasn't good, to go that far…' Ren thought darkly.
Octavia closed her eyes, tears falling in thin streaks as she sucked in shallow breaths. "I've been visited by Philemon in my dreams, and in one of those dreams, one of his companions warned me of a prophecy of sorts. "A house divided, at crossroads you stand, not willing to choose a side. To mend the fractures in your heart, my song you should abide. Accept the truth you shied away from, and dive in deep to find the hidden depths. Free the swan from her cage of vines, lest the prince shall lose his head. But a heart is not so easily stolen, when within the grasp of such a fiend. You must decide for yourself if it's worth the effort to tame the hatred that freezes over her soul."
"You think this has to do with your parents," Ren guessed.
Octavia nodded. "A swan in a cage, taming the hatred in her soul, or else a prince shall die… I wanted to think that, even if Mom hated Dad, she'd never go as far as to try and take him from me in that way." She held her head in her hands. "But I needed to know the truth, so that's why I asked the question that's been plaguing my mind for months ever since Loona brought up the possibility to me…"
"I know that it's a hard truth to swallow, Octavia," Stolas said, reaching out a hand to comfort his daughter. "But your mother has never been the kindest demon, and-"
"She has been to me!" Octavia shouted, backing away from his embrace. The owlet stood up and glared at her father. "Mom might be distant, but I know she still cares for me, that she loves me! I still remember those good moments from my childhood of us being together, even if your true feelings were hidden behind false smiles. They were real to me! I've seen the cracks in the mask Mom wears, how she spits out venom but is dying from it herself. The prophecy says she's in a cage of vines, and that must mean that her heart is being strangled from within. If could change her heart, then maybe I can make sure that she doesn't try to kill you… that she can just be Mom again…"
Stolas closed his eyes, letting out a sigh before looking to Octavia again. "That is a choice for you to make, my Starfire, and you alone. I have made my mind out about that woman a long time ago, but I will not try to turn you against her. If you truly want to help Stella, then I will support your efforts to do so."
"What do you think, Ren? Could we try to change Mom's heart?" Octavia asked.
Ren gave a nod. "We've changed the hearts of Yakuza, of people that have committed murder or goaded people into taking their own lives. I haven't met your mother, Octavia, but if you believe that we should change her heart and that will make things right, then I support you. If I found out my mother had done terrible things, I'd want to change her heart as well. I'm sure the other Phantom Thieves would agree as well."
"Thank you…" Octavia said, wiping away her tears. She held up the Meta-Nav before giving a sigh. "Okay then, let's try this… Stella Goetia."
"Candidate found," the Nav said, Octavia's breath hitching before an error message suddenly came up on screen. "Error, candidate outside of current parameters. Please update the app and try again later."
"Update the app?" Ren questioned. "How are we supposed to do that?"
"I'm not sure… This app just magically appeared on our phones, so it's not like we can just open up the app store and update it…" Octavia muttered.
"Hm… If it was given to you by magic, do you perhaps know who gave it to you?" Stolas asked.
"The long nose…" Ren muttered, before gasping. "Wait, follow me! I think I know where we can go to get that update."
The three were soon out on the streets of Tokyo, heading to Central Street to a back alleyway. There they found a glowing blue door that no one else seemed to notice. "Isn't this that blue door you go through to fuse Personas?" Octavia recalled.
Ren nodded. "This is the doorway to Velvet Room, which is the closest connection to the Metaverse we have outside of Mementos. The guy that gave us the app, Igor, lives inside. I could just go in and ask him…" His demon senses suddenly flared up, making his clutch his head. "But something tells me that's not a good idea."
Stolas hummed, before going up to the door and putting a hand to it. "My brother- your father, Duke Raoul- is more knowledgeable about the Collective Unconscious than I, but I wonder… Via, could I see your phone?" Octavia handed her phone over to Stolas, the demon prince muttering a few words as he used his free hand to open a portal back to Hell. Flowing magic into his hand holding the phone, Stolas' eyes glowed blue as he closed the portal, drawing energy from it before pushing said energy into Octavia's phone.
"New domain located… Expanding Mementos entry points… Updating… Updating… Update confirmed!" the Meta-Nav chimed.
Handing Octavia's phone back, the princess looked to see that there was a new tab had opened up in the main part of the app. Highlighted in red was "Mementos" while the new option, highlighted in black, was labeled as "Mortis". "Mortis… like the Latin word meaning "to death"?"
"That's a bit on the nose, if that's the name of the Mementos of Hell," Ren chuckled.
"All I did was redirect the energy of my portals into the navigation app. I do hope that works for you, my Starfire," Stolas said.
Octavia opened up the Mortis part of the app, seeing that it had its own search feature within. "Stella Goetia," she said.
"Candidate found," the app chimed.
"Okay, so this will work then," Octavia nodded. "Now then, as for her distortion… That's the place where her Treasure will be held."
"Knowing your mother, a castle would be fitting," Stolas said.
"Location not found."
"Hm, I don't think it's that obvious," Octavia muttered. "Do you have any ideas, Ren?"
"What if… she doesn't have a Palace?" Ren suggested.
"From what you've told me about Palaces, I highly doubt that," Stolas huffed.
"Dad…" Octavia said in a warning tone. "Let's see. For anyone that doesn't have a Palace, their Treasure in in Mementos, so for a demon's Treasure… Stella Goetia, Mortis."
"Candidate found. Please enter Mementos to cross over into Mortis," the Meta-Nav said.
"So, it won't just automatically take us into Mortis like it does with Palaces or Mementos," Ren mused. "At least that gives us time to prepare."
"That's good. We can gather up the gang and change Mom's heart tomorrow," Octavia said. "At least since she doesn't have a Palace, we don't have to worry about sending a calling card. You should warn Raoul to keep her in a safe place tomorrow, Dad, just in case something happens."
"I will pass the message along," Stolas nodded. "Oh, but before I go, I just wanted to say that by touching this doorway here, I was able to get a reading on the magic held within. It's still a mystery to me, but I'm sure that there is a way to manipulate it with your own demonic magic."
"Huh, changing the cognition of the Velvet Room…" Ren mused.
"Good thing we've been working on expanding your demon powers then," Octavia said. "You should give it a try the next time you go in there, Ren. But for now, let's prepare for our mission tomorrow." She looked at her phone before whispering, "We're going to save you from yourself, Mom, I promise…"
[***]
August 13
Location: Mementos Entrance
"Here we are," Mona said as the Phantom Thieves gathered. "We all know the mission here, right?"
"We're going to change the heart of Omen's mother, yes?" Fox recalled.
"That's the plan," Omen nodded. She pulled out her phone to open the Nav, only stopping when Lycan put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yo princess, I just wanted to let you know that no matter what happens with your mom, I'll back you up," the hellhound said. "I never knew my own parents, so I'm going to fight like Hell to make sure you don't lose yours."
"True that," Skull nodded. "I have my own shitty parent, but I never gave a rat's ass about my dad. If changing your mom's heart will let you keep both of them, then I'm in."
"We're all here for you, Omen," Queen said, getting agreements from the rest of the thieves.
Omen smiled. "You guys… Okay then, let's do it." Booting up the Mortis part of the Meta-Nav, the air in Mementos became superheated before a blue portal door similar to the ones Stolas uses suddenly appeared on the tracks.
"That's the land of Mortis, right?" Mona said. "I've never heard of it myself, but then again, I've only delt with the human subconscious up until now. Let's go, team!" The not-cat transformed into his bus from, letting everyone hop in before driving through the portal to Mortis. This new realm was like Mementos, but instead of the air being filled with red, this land's primary color was green. The walls were tangled with vines and roots, and the train tracks were replaced with concrete roads, almost like they were driving through abandoned mining tunnels.
"This place doesn't seem as big as Mementos," Ren said.
"Well, the Nav isn't showing any additional floors… though it doesn't have any set rooms either," Queen said.
"I don't like this… it feels like the path is changing wherever we go," Panther shuttered. "Is this realm… alive in some way?"
"At least there doesn't seem to be any Shadows," Templar said.
"I bet that's because in Hell, our Shadows are kept closer to our true selves than humans are, or at least demons are better at hiding it," Omen guessed. "When we first went into a Palace, Lycan got jumped by her own Shadow, and since I had already had my Potential unlocked before then, I never had to directly face mine."
"Fascinating…" Fox said.
"Head's up! I'm sensing the target up ahead," Mona warned. The Mona Bus pulled up to a large ornate gate with a demonic sigil on it. The seal broke before the gates swung open, the Phantom Thieves driving inside before they closed behind the team.
"Over there! I see Stella's Shadow," Templar pointed out. The gang all got out of the car before approaching the Shadow, with Joker, Omen, Lycan, and Mona taking the lead on this one.
"Mom…" Omen said. She steeled herself before stepping forward. "Stella Goetia, we are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. We have come to take your heart and steal the Treasure that you hold most dearly to you!"
Shadow Stella turned around and looked at the Phantom Thieves. "So, a group of thieves are trying to take my Treasure? Just like every other plebian in this world, you just want to have what I've got! Well, I won't let you! I'll…I'll…" The Shadow suddenly started to shake, the walls around them shaking as well.
"Woah, what's going on here!?" Skull exclaimed.
"No… it can't be!" Mona gasped. Suddenly, vines shot out from the walls, wrapping around the room and forming into three small saplings around Stella.
"Warning! Palace formation in progress!" the Nav suddenly chimed.
"A Palace is forming… here, now!?" Panther panicked.
"Oh no, this is bad, this is really bad!" Templar shouted.
"We need to stay calm, team," Joker commanded. "If we can defeat this Shadow before the Palace forms, then we can take Stella's Treasure. With me!"
"You can try, but you'll fall just like the rest!" Shadow Stella exclaimed. Her body transformed into one that was similar to regular Stella, though now wearing a toga with her eyes closed and a golden apple clutched in her hands. The enemy started off using a fire spell on Joker, but the fearless leader had a Persona equipped that nullified the magic attack.
"Eat lead!" Lycan shouted, unloading her clip on the Shadow. Shadow Stella cried out as she took the hits. "Woah, that felt like it did a lot of damage."
"Hurts… that h-h-hurts, you l-l-little brat!" Shadow Stella screeched.
"That did a lot of damage, Lycan. Good job!" Queen complimented.
"Hm…" Mona hummed.
"Is something wrong?" Omen asked.
"I feel like that attack did way more damage than it should," Mona said.
"Are you seriously complaining about us getting this mission done and over with faster than normal?" Lycan raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, even if this were a regular Mementos request, the Shadows usually put up more of a fight," Mona pointed out. "I wonder… does this have to do with the Palace being formed right now?"
"You think that the Shadow's power is being focused on bringing the Palace into existence rather than defense?" Omen guessed. "That could be bad for us. Normally we can just beat up a Shadow to make it calm down and have a change of heart, but if Mom's Shadow is weak enough…"
"We could accidentally kill the Shadow all together and cause a mental shutdown," Templar finished grimly.
"Well shit. What're we supposed to do now then? We can't just let the Palace form; that'll make our jobs ten times as hard," Skull said.
Joker looked around, trying to figure out if there was something they were missing here while the team played defensively against Shadow Stella's attacks of slaps and fire spells. The half-Goetia then took note of the saplings that had formed at the battle, and how they looked like… "Will Seeds," he gasped.
"What do Will Seeds have to do with anything?" Lycan asked.
"Those plants that formed, they look just like where we grab Will Seeds from," Joker pointed out.
"Woah, they do! I wonder… do those plants make Will Seeds, and then form the Palace around them?" Mona speculated.
"I have a feeling that if we take out those saplings, we can stop the Palace from forming," Joker said.
"Cut out the weeds by burning them at the source… Let's do it, Joker!" Omen nodded. Switching their targets, the Phantom Thieves focused on the Will Seeds, poking around for any weaknesses that they might have. The first seed for them to take out was weak to fire and nuclear spells, the sapling exploding before a voice suddenly rang out.
"Honestly sister, you're lucky that you have your beautiful looks," said a voice familiar to Omen. "Because if you we're gorgeous, my little snow vixen, then you'd be nothing but a stupid. Fat. Cow!"
"That was Uncle Andre's voice," Omen noted.
"Ugh, he sounds like a total creep," Panther shuttered. "Why would you call your own sister a "vixen"? That's totally gross!"
"Be glad that you're not related to him," Omen shook her head in disgust.
"Andre… I swear, I'll prove that I'm worth something!" Shadow Stella suddenly said, as if the voice affected her.
"That seems to have affected both the Shadow and the growth of the Palace," Mona said. "Let's keep going, team!"
The second seed had weaknesses to lightning and water, giving Skull and Templar time to shine as the sapling exploded, letting another voice ring out. "Darling you simply have to suck it up and smile!" a haughty voice said. "All you have to do is be the perfect princess and push an egg out, then you're done. You can do that for mother, yes?"
"But mom… he's such a… such a… argh!" Shadow Stella winced as the voice affected her, even harder than the last one. "Why can't you marry off Andrealphus? I should be the one that inherits, not him!"
"That must have been Stella's mother," Fox guessed.
"I knew that Mom and Dad had a marriage of convenience, but to be told that you have to be happy with such a raw deal…" Omen frowned. "Mom is the older sibling, but she was sold off to be married to my father instead of taking the Marquis title, which went to my uncle instead."
"Tsk, sexist pricks," Lycan scoffed. "If I were your mom, I'd be pissed to that I had to get married off to a guy that I couldn't stand too."
"We've still got one more sapling to take care of. We're almost there, team!" Mona said. The third and final seed was weak to both ice and wind attacks, leaving Mona and Fox to tear it apart with magic. As it exploded, a deep ominous voice echoed out.
"Lady Stella, if you bother me about your upcoming marriage to my son, then will not hesitate to have both you and the rest of your family's heads served on a platter! You will marry Stolas or suffer the consequences, is that clear?"
"Y-Yes, King Paimon…" Shadow Stella stuttered out, before screaming and falling to her knees.
"Grandpa Paimon… I knew he was scary and a piece of work, but to threaten Mom into staying in the marriage…" Omen gripped her staff tightly in anger.
"Your parents had an arranged marriage, and your mother wanted to get out of it," Queen said. "The rulers of Hell are truly vile if they'd threaten a child with death for something like this."
"It almost seems like they put your folks together because they couldn't work together," Skull said.
Omen gave a grim nod, before noticing that the room had stopped shaking. Looking down at Shadow Stella, the princess pointed her staff at the enemy. "We have broken your will, figuratively and literally, so give up your Treasure."
"No… status is all I have left… Without it I… I…" Shadow Stella shuttered.
"You still have a daughter to look after," Joker aid.
Shadow Stella looked up in shock. "Yes… How could I forget… Via…" her body turned to light as she returned to her true self, leaving behind a treasure that Omen grabbed. It was an old book, faded with time but well used all the same.
"A book of fairytales?" Fox said.
"Mom wanted to have the perfect life of a princess… but no one in Hell can be truly happy or perfect, get their happily ever after," Omen said bitterly. "We're done here. Let's go home." Before the Phantom Thieves could move out, though, another portal suddenly opened in front of them, this one spewing out red mist as it pulsed ominously. "What the…?"
"That's our way out, right?" Skull said. He went up to the portal and tried to walk through, only to get zapped and flung back, falling flat on his back. "Ow! What the eff was that!?"
"This portal is different from the one we used to get to Mortis," Mona noted. "Is there an additional step to changing hearts in this place that we didn't know about?"
Omen put a hand up to the portal, watching as it effortlessly went through. "This feels like the portals that Dad uses… I think only demons can go through it."
"That's just you and me, then," Lycan said.
"I think Joker could go through it as well," Omen said. She looked to her cousin. "I feel like this is a point of no return for this mission. Either we go through now or miss our chance to see what's on the other side. You in?"
Joker nodded. "Yes. Let's go. Queen, Mona, take everyone else back to the real world. We'll catch up when we're done."
"We trust you, leader," Queen nodded.
"You better not die on us!" Mona joked before the trio leapt through the portal into the unknown other side.
[***]
Just a bit before the Phantom Thieves stole Stella's Treasure, down at his mansion Duke Raoul was keeping a close eye on the swan demoness as she drank tea by herself in the garden. Ever since the divorce she'd been living with the duke, Raoul making sure she was well-provided for. Despite his brother's insistence that Stella was "a lot" to put up with and the rumors he'd heard about the woman over the years, Raoul's experience with her had been amicable for the most part. He figured part of that might have to do with her not-so-subtle crush on him, but other than giving her some light reprimanding for her rude behavior towards some of his staff, Stella had been as well as the other house guests he'd hosted.
"Anything yet?" Stolas asked, sitting across from Raoul. The prince had secretly decided to come over without Stella knowing, wanting to see exactly what a change of heart would entail.
"Nothing that I can tell," Raoul said. "If I may ask, brother, what do you think about the recent happenings in Hell?"
"I assume you're referring to the rumors going on about Lust, Gluttony, and now Wrath," Stolas said. "I have no comment on the matter. I assume that Lucifer is just working the Deadly Sins extra hard right now."
"Yes, but what of the rumors going on about Bee-lzebub?" Raoul asked. "Ozzie and Satan have made appearances, but none have seen her as of late."
"True, but I don't think we have a reason to worry," Stolas shrugged. "Besides, with the way Ozzie looked so haggard, I think that just fuels my overworking theory. I'm sure that Bee-lzebub just finally ran out of energy. Hah, imagine that; the Queen of Gluttony getting a sugar crash!"
"It is amusing," Raoul chuckled. Their lighthearted conversation was suddenly stopped when the sound of fine China shattering came to their ears. Raoul whipped around to see Stella on the ground, her teacup shattered on the floor as she doubled over in pain. "Stella?" Raoul called, only to feel a foul presence in the air as red and black energy wavered up around her.
"No… N-N-No…" Stella muttered, tears coming to her face as unimaginable agony came over her body. Her mind was abuzz with overstimulation, every action she'd ever taken, every word she'd ever said, all her sins were being thrown back in her face tenfold. The swan screamed as the strange energy consumed her, transforming into a massive, monstrous form of black and glowing pink energy that took on the vague shape of a swan, it's wings having serrated claws and its beak filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"What the- why is she in her true demonic form!?" Raoul gasped.
"I'm surprised she even has one of those," Stolas said in shock.
As Stella screamed so loud that multiple windows in the mansion, a portal opened nearby, with Omen, Lycan, and Joker all coming out of it. The trio looked to see the demonic swan stomping around the garden. "Woah, what is that?" Lycan asked.
"That's… Mom!" Omen gasped. "She's in her true demonic form… but that doesn't make sense, why would she be in this form?"
"What about the psychotic breakdowns," Joker suggested. "Those cases where people lose control of themselves, like the subway accident at the beginning of the school year. Since a change of heart compels the person to repent for their sins… What happens whenever a being made from vices is forced to repent?"
"Well shit," Lycan cursed, before looking at Joker and doing a double take. "Dude, since when could you take on a demon form?"
Joker looked down in confusion, before taking out his phone and looking at himself in the mirror. While he was still wearing his Phantom Thief attire, mask and all, the half-Goetia was not exhibiting more demonic traits, his pale skin replaced by black feathers that still maintained his frizzy hair style, though two tufts stood up where his ears used to be. His eyes were also framed with white feathers and a small black beak replacing his mouth and nose. Joker had taken on the form of a true Goetia, a Great Horned Owl just like his father.
"Humans aren't supposed to be able to visit Hell on their own, so your demonic blood must have activated your Goetia genes to let you pass between the realms," Omen guessed.
"Huh, neat. Hope I can turn back into a human after this…" Joker said. He put his phone away and turned back to the Stella, still rampaging around the garden. "I think the reason we were called here is to calm her down."
"I was thinking that fight with her Shadow was too easy," Lycan grinned, pulling out her chain-scythe. "So, we just have to beat the crap out of her until she turns back to normal, right?"
"I don't like the idea, but luckily only angelic weapons can truly harm her in this state," Omen said. She brandished her staff while Joker flipped his knife in his hands, ready for combat.
"Children! Over here!" Stolas called, running over to the trio. "I don't know what's happening, but somehow Stella's taking on a true demonic form and-"
"That was us, Dad," Omen said. "There was a caveat to changing a demon's heart we weren't aware of, and now we've got to calm Mom down before she loses her mind in that state."
"Octavia? I almost didn't recognize you in that outfit," Stolas said in surprise.
"It's Omen right now. That's Lycan, and he's Joker," Omen corrected. "We could use your help if you want. We're kinda down one person at the moment."
"Of course," Stolas nodded, calling on his grimoire as he let magic dance across his fingers. "Now then, Stella, we aren't here to hurt you, but this is for your own good!"
Stella screeched as she turned to face the Phantom Thieves, the four of them jumping into action as the battle began. "Since Morgana isn't around, I'll take up navigation!" Omen declared before pointing her staff forwards and casting a gravity spell at Stella. "Well, good to know our Persona skills still work here in Hell."
"You mean I have magic powers now? Wicked!" Lycan grinned, calling on Madame Queen to use an earth spell. Stella screeched as her body was pelted with magic attacks, swiping a claw to attack the group.
"Keep on your guard, children!" Stolas warned, waving his hand as he erected a magic barrier to block another attack.
"Persephone!" Joker called, switching his Persona before casting a Bufula spell, which made Stella flinch from the attack.
"Weird, that attack seemed to do the same damage as hitting a weakness, but it didn't knock her down," Omen noted. "Her true demonic form must be resistant to getting knocked down. Now I wish Fox was here to help with the damage, unless…" Thinking quickly, the princess switched out the gem in her staff, the weapon now emitting an icy chill from the end. "There! Pass the baton to me so we can get in some more damage.
Joker nodded and gave Omen a high-five, the princess then firing off three magic bolts that did extra damage after the Baton Pass. Giving her turn to Lycan next, the hellhound pulling out a Freeze Spray and tossing it at Stella to keep up the ice damage. "You're next, old man!" Lycan shouted as she gave Stolas a high-five.
"You're all doing well at working as a team," Stolas complimented. "Hm, I can feel the limits of my magic expanding… or is it changing to what you're using, my Starfire? Either way, have at you!" Thrusting out his hand, the demon prince cast a Megido spell, the powerful magic making the teens step back as it exploded against Stella's body. "Is it wrong that I feel a sense of catharsis doing this?"
"She's put you through Hell, Stolas, and if Panther got to fight back against her abuser, then it'd only fair you get a good hit in this fight," Lycan said.
"Just don't hurt her too, much, okay Dad? I still want my mom to be in once piece after this," Omen added.
"Of course, my Starfire. I'd rather Stella lives with her guilt than die for it," Stolas nodded.
The Phantom Thieves and Stolas kept up the pressure, using a mix of Ice and Almighty skills to deal damage, with Stolas setting up defensive shields while Joker would occasionally cast a healing spell to keep the party alive. Stella was fighting like the rampaging beast she currently was, using claw swipes, tail sweeps, and break strikes to attack the thieves. After dealing a good amount of damage, Stella stumbled a bit, her eyes flashing as a strange marking appeared on her forehead.
"Isn't that the same sigil that was on the gate leading to her Shadow?" Joker recalled.
"It is," Omen nodded. She looked at the sigil before a voice suddenly spoke to her.
"Now is your chance! Release her from the psychosis, or else she'll be lost in this state forever!" Hua said.
Omen took on a determined look, turning to Joker and shouting, "We have to do this now! Let's go!" Joker grinned and nodded, the two jumping into the air as one before the world seemed to shift around them, transforming into an elaborate hallway filled with portraits of the Goetia families. Omen twirled her staff around, tossing it into the air before Joker caught it, doing a flip as he landed beside her. "We cast away the darkness of our past…!"
"And carve a new way towards a brighter future!" Joker finished, dropping his knife into Omen's open hand. The two suddenly rushed forward, with Joker casting a dark spell at their enemy while Omen jumped over it, dipping his knife into the spell before unleashing a few slashes. Stepping backwards, the two switched weapons again, both holding onto Octavia's staff as visions of Stolas and Raoul appeared behind them.
"The show's over!" the shouted, both raising the staff as it fired out a massive beam of swirling pink and red energy. The blast hit Stella, the demon screeching as the sigil on her head glowed brightly before breaking. As the world turned back to normal, Stella gave one final cry before her demonic form fell away, her body shrinking back to normal as her eyes became clear of the darkness.
The swan looked around dazed, before kneeling over and coughing up black sludge. "What was…?" Stella started to say, before coughing up more sludge.
"Mom!" Omen called, running to Stella's side as she brought her mother up to a sitting position.
"O-Octavia…?" Stella said, looking at her daughter.
"Yes Mom, it's me," Omen replied, going rigid as Stella suddenly pulled her in for a hug.
"I'm sorry… for all the times… I made you feel like… I never loved you…" Stella whispered, tears flowing down her face. "I've said so many terrible things about your father, done so many things just to slight him… Everyone is right about me. I'm just a callous, stupid, ignorant woman that deserves all the pain I'm feeling right now, and the words I've said echoing in my ears… I deserve to be alone…"
"No," Omen said firmly. "I won't say you were the best mom I could have had, but I don't think you deserve to be alone either. No one does." She gave a smile. "You've made mistakes, but I know that you've been hurt by so many people wanting you to be perfect that you felt like you had to act that way. It doesn't excuse your actions, especially those you made against Dad, but these new feelings you have, this change of heart… it's a chance for us to start over, to turn over a new leaf and be a family again, even if it won't be the same as when I was a kid."
Joker smiled as the mother and daughter embraced again, before Stella turned to look at him. "You're Raoul's son, yes?"
"Joker," Joker greeted.
"Joker, your father has given me undeserved kindness, and I can see that you've taken care of my daughter during her time on Earth just as well as he has for me. Thank you," Stella said. "And the hellhound… Loona, was it? Thank you for protecting her as well."
"Just doing what you paid me to do," Lycan shrugged.
Stella turned to Stolas next. "Stolas I… Words can't properly convey what I'm feeling right now. I don't think any form of apology I give could make up for what I've put you through."
"You're right, and I wouldn't accept an apology from you either," Stolas replied. "You've hurt me deeply, both physically and mentally, and I can't say if I'll ever be able to forgive you for those actions. But… our daughter loves both of us very much, so regardless of how I feel, I will not selfishly keep Octavia to myself either. She's growing into a fine young woman, and she deserves to make that choice for herself."
Stella just gave a nod. "Fair enough… Satan, I've got a lot of changing to do."
"And we'll be here to help you through it," Omen said with a smile.
"You could start by calling off any potential hits you have on me, though," Stolas added.
"My one assassin hasn't been responding to any calls, so I don't believe he'll be an issue," Stella muttered.
"So… is that mission accomplished?" Lycan asked.
"I believe so," Joker nodded.
"I'll provide a portal back to Tokyo for you three," Stolas said.
As the demon prince went about flipping to the portal spell, Joker looked back towards the mansion and saw Raoul standing in the doorway. 'Duke Raoul… my father…' Joker thought. The teen wanted to talk to him, to get the know the man that had birthed him, had given him these demonic powers… but another part of him was scared as well, not moving an inch as they just locked eyes. 'No… Now isn't the time to meet him. We've still got a job to do as Phantom Thieves,' Joker shook his head, Raoul just giving a sad nod and stepping back inside.
"You have to promise to visit me sometime on Earth," Omen told Stella as Stolas opened the Earth portal. "I want you to meet my friends, the ones that helped me make this change in your heart."
"I will," Stella promised. "I just need time to get used to these new feelings first. I'm sure you understand."
Omen nodded, giving her mother a big hug before doing the same with her father. "See you later!" the princess said as she and her friends left through the portal.
"Well, that was quite the experience," Raoul said, finally coming outside. "You did well, brother. And was that cognitive magic I saw you use? The Megido spell is one that only those that venture through the Collective Unconscious know the secrets of."
"Is that what that was? Curious," Stolas mused. "I've never felt anything like it, but it could prove useful in my studies."
"Your journey is only beginning, young prince," a voice in his head said. "Soon you will embark on a new adventure, one that will bring you another step closer to home. By your wits and wisdom, I will be there when you most need me."
"So, you have the Potential now…" Raoul mused. "I'm curious as to this will play into the future." He went over to Stella and took her by the hand. "Now then, Stella, let's go inside and take things easy for the rest of the day. I'm sure you're feeling quite tired after that experience."
"Yes… Thank you, Duke Raoul," Stella said.
"Just Raoul is fine," the duke chuckled, getting a small blush from the swan.
"Even after all that, she's still pining after him," Stolas shook his head in amusement. "I guess not everything in her heart changed… Though if that means her love for our daughter remains, I can live with that."
[***]
"Did you do it? Did she have a change of heart!?" Morgana asked excitedly once the trio returned home, regrouping in the hideout.
"Hell yeah we did!" Loona cheered, giving the not-cat a tiny fist-bump. "Joker and Omen even pulled out a new Showtime attack out of nowhere, and Prince Stolas helped us beat the sense back into his ex-wife. It was epic!"
"We should be careful about targeting demons from now on, though," Octavia said. "If a change of heart is enough to cause a demon to go into their true demonic state, then imagine if a more powerful demon were to have that happen to them."
"Do you know why that would happen?" Yusuke asked.
Octavia shook her head. "My best guess is this: a change of heart makes a person confess to their crimes. However, since demons and Hell itself runs on sin and vices, it causes a violent and explosive reaction in their body. A change of heart is making a demon reject their true nature, and as a side effect, it causes a psychotic breakdown."
"I'm sure Futaba could help explain it better once she wakes up," Makoto mused. "It is a dangerous power, though. We should be lucky that humans don't start lashing out whenever we change their hearts."
"But that's what the Black Mask does," Collin said with a frown. "We're certain he's the one causing the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, right? That's why we're on the lookout for him, to stop those events from happening."
"Not much we can do without any leads," Ryuji sighed. "What I wanna know is what Ren-Ren's demon form looks like. Come on, man, show us the power!"
"Ren-Ren…?" Ren shook his head. The teen put a hand to his face and concentrated. "I'll reveal my true form!" he called… only for nothing to happen.
"Uh, you didn't change at all…" Ann pointed out.
"I don't think your powers are strong enough to call on your Goetia form at will yet," Octavia guessed. "We'll still have to work on it."
"It was worth a shot…" Ren sighed.
"For now, we can turn our attention back to DHORKS," Morgana said. "That's all I have to say. Good work today, team. I knew we could do it!"
As the gang left for the day, Ren stopped Octavia at the stairs. "You going to be okay?" he asked.
The princess smiled. "Yeah, I think I am… I feel like some weight's been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you, Ren, for everything."
"Anytime," Ren smiled back.
Confidant Rank Up
Confidant: Octavia Goetia
Arcana: Aeon
Rank 7 Description: Octavia confronted her father, Stolas, about the true nature of her mother, Stella. She vowed to save her mother with a change of heart.
Rank 7 Ability: False Alarm- When a Fusion Accident happens in the Velvet Room, Joker now gets the chance to retry the fusion before getting kicked out.
Author's Note
A lot of stuff happened here, so let's break it down! I originally didn't have Ann's Rank 9 event here, but considering that Shiho shows up in it, I figured that Collin deserved to get that closure with her character. And Shiho knows about him being an angel and about the Phantom Thieves, which she figured out after he gave her one of his blessings during her time in the hospital. I feel like Shiho would figure out that Ann is a Phantom Thief, even if she never says it out loud.
Finally, we get to the majority of this chapter, the new Mementos Mission with Octavia's character arc coming to a head. Stolas admits to the possibility of Stella trying to kill him, and Octavia gains the resolve to change her mother's heart. Her time with the Phantom Thieves has made her believe in reforming society by changing the hearts of the wicked, and after Futaba's Palace Octavia knows it can be used to heal a hurting heart as well. With some help from Stolas the Phantom Thieves unlock a new part of Mementos connected to Hell, the mysterious Mortis (which is not named after the planet in Star Wars, but rather the Latin phrase "To Death").
For the Rank 7 Aeon ability, Ren gains access to the "False Alarm" that can be used in the Velvet Room. Ever get annoyed by Fusion Accidents? Now you have the ability to retry a fusion when an accident occurs, but only one time with slightly increased chances of success. This might be the most broken power I've come up with.
In Mortis the Phantom Thieves confronted Shadow Stella, and got to witness the start of a Palace forming! Rather than being a normal Mementos boss I wanted to try a more puzzle-focused angle, with the Will Seed saplings needing to be destroyed in order to defeat the boss (if this were a game there'd be a fail state if Shadow Stella dies before the saplings are destroyed, leading to Octavia leaving the party permanently and breaking her Confidant Persona 3 style). We hear the voices of three people that most affected Stella growing up: her brother, her mother, and King Paimon. Also yes, the comments made about Andealphus by the Phantom Thieves are referring to his weird dialogue towards Stella in "Western Energy", I really don't know why the writers went for an icest joke of all things.
As a twist, we find out that demons react rather poorly to a change of heart, going into a psychotic breakdown from the experience of having their sins thrown back at them. This leads into the proper Stella boss fight, with Ren gaining his full Goetia form to travel into Hell and Stolas aiding the teens in the fight. We even got to see Ren and Octavia's Showtime attack, which I'm calling "Goetia Legacy". Once the battle is over with, Octavia assures her mother that they're going to help in her reform post-change of heart, which will come up in one of Octavia's future Confidant ranks. I felt it was important that Stolas doesn't accept an apology from Stella, as while she has had her heart changed, the pain she inflicted on Stolas still happened. For their daughter's sake though, he is willing to at least let Octavia and Stella continue their familial relationship.
A small scene I wanted as Ren seeing Raoul for the first time. Our fearless leader wants to know his father, but at the same time hesitated to meet him. There's a lot of feelings there, and Ren simply didn't think now is the time for that moment.
With all of that going on, there was also a bit of foreshadowing for future stuff. Raoul mentioned the Deadly Sins are starting to act strangely, most likely connected to the Palaces the Phantom Thieves have defeated. Stolas also has had his Potential awoken from this experience. I wonder what kind of Persona the demon prince will awaken to?
Next time we'll be wrapping up the DHORKS and Futaba arc, so see you all then!