A/N: The update train keeps moving! As we near the third anniversary, I just wanted to thank you all for your support. I know I haven't had the most consistent update schedule for this one, but I want to reassure you that I'm in this for the long haul. No matter how long it takes, I will see this through to the end. This next batch of chapters was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy!
Editing done by Ghost Fire 6
Chapter 22: Beneath the Mask II
11/20/20XX, Unknown Location
"And just like that, the Phantom Thieves secured their notoriety." Sae analyzed, crossing her arms. "Kamoshida I can understand. After all, you made friends with two of his victims, not to mention his actions welcomed animosity. But Madarame…you had no connection to him. You were sent away twice, threatened with legal action, and yet you still wanted to punish him? All to save his pupil?" Sae asked, Jolyne signed.
"You wouldn't understand…"
"Then make me." The prosecutor ordered, earning another sigh.
"Madarame…he didn't care about his pupils. He wanted to drain them for every last drop of talent before tossing them to the side. He didn't care what happened to them, only worrying about his bank account. His last pupil…we couldn't let that happen to him."
"And I'm sure it didn't help that targeting a world renowned painter such as Madarame would have boosted your reputation, and kept you in the public eye." Sae finished, earning a small smile from Jolyne.
"That may have been how it started, but in the end, what mattered was breaking the grip Madarame had on the young artists of this country."
"I don't suppose you'll tell me the name of his last pupil?" Sae asked, already knowing the answer.
"Where'd the fun be in that?" The prisoner remarked, earning a scoff from Sae.
"Fine, play your games. Just know that your stubbornness will only damage you in the long run." The grey haired woman retorted, leaning forward. "The identity of Madarame's last pupil can be easily found out with a little investigative work."
"But that would take time you don't have, right?" Jolyne asked, earning a set of narrowed eyes. "Let me guess, we've got…fifteen? Twenty minutes left before they kick you out?"
"You're smarter than you let on."
"Let's just say I had a good teacher. So let's not waste time, and get down to business, hm?" Sae's eyes burrowed into Jolyne. Sae was the interrogator, yet at the same time, it felt like Jolyne was playing a game with her.
"Alright, fine. Not long after Madarame's confession, a series of bizarre incidents broke out that summer. The overpass mass pileup, the mysterious fire in Inokashira park, the mass blackout in Yongen-"
"Stop, stop. You're…telling it wrong." Jolyne state's, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "It's…it's hard to think. I can't…remember it in that order. Whatever your friends drugged me with-"
"Trust me, they are not my friends." Sae frowned. As sharp as Jolyne was, whatever she was drugged with was clearly affecting her recall."So, what's the right order."
"That stuff with the overpass, the park, Yongen…was that after the space station? No, that was before. After Madarame was…the Pyramid? No, that's not right…" Jolyne responded, frowning. "I can't…I can't keep it straight. Before, I was going in order, but now it's all…jumbled up." The grey haired prosecutor bit back a cursing, regretting her answer. She'd gotten Jolyne confused.
"Then let's get back in the right order. Walk me through it step by step, show me how it's all connected." Sae asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. Jolyne was right, she was running out of time, but Sae didn't want to risk confusing her again. For now, it was the best to follow the story in a linear fashion. She reached into her bag, pulling out another file. "After Madarame's announcement, the Phantom Thieves experienced a boom in popularity. Lies, rumors, and exaggerations flooded the internet. 'The Phantom Thieves saved me,' 'I received a calling card,' 'my boyfriend had a change of heart.' Truth be told, it made gathering intelligence about ten times harder. But it became easier to sort truth from fiction after your next major target, a man even the police had trouble apprehending." Sae recounted, and as she opened the folder, Jolyne's eyes narrowed at the picture of a portly man with a slicked back haircut and a cheap, purple suit.
"Junya Kaneshiro." She growled out, causing Sae's eyes to widen.
"So you remember."
"I remember everything, the order's the tricky part. But still, you'd have to get me really messed up to forget this piece of shit."
"I don't find that difficult to believe at all. After all, compared to him, Kamoshida and Madarame were small time. Drugs, guns, counterfeiting, fraud, extortion…there were even rumors of human trafficking. He's been a thorn in the side of the Public Prosecutor's Office since before I joined, and we didn't even come close to getting a solid case." Sae explained, Jolyne frowned as the detective learned closer. "How did a notorious Yakuza end up in your group's crosshairs? How were you able to take down a man who was above even the police?" She questioned, Jolyne sighed.
"This one's…a bit more complicated. Are…you sure you want to know?" This question perplexed Sae. Until now, the transfer student had been forthcoming, even if she'd refrained from mentioning the names of her accomplices.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Then don't say I didn't warn you. It started back in May, right after we took down Madarame…"
Saturday, 5/28/20XX
Jolyne was startled awake by the clinking of chains above her, letting out a sigh. "Well, it's been a minute. And here I was hoping you'd all forgotten about me." Jolyne snarked as she sat up, seeing Igor and the twins on the other side of the bars that were the Velvet Room. "Spooky. Shorty. Justine. It's been a while." She greeted, Igor's grin not faltering for a moment.
"Congratulations, my Trickster. You have expelled one who was twisted with vanity, meaning you are one step closer to rehabilitation. A momentous occasion, indeed." Igor congratulated.
"Our master is pleased! You should be grateful, inmate!" Caroline scolded, but Jolyne ignored her.
"You going to tell me what this 'rehabilitation' thing is, or are you going to keep speaking in cryptic rumors?" The prisoner asked, looking Igor directly in his bulgy eyes.
"The specifics shall emerge as your journey progresses, and your power increases. Rest assured, your journey is still far from over.." The warden stated, tapping his fingers on the desk. "However, I find myself concerned by the news you received as the Museum of Vanity crumbled." The statement caused Jolyne to think back to what Madarame had said.
"The man in the black mask. The one Madarame mentioned intruded into his Palace." She recalled, frowning. "You mean you don't know who that is?"
"I am afraid I do not. As you have been made well aware since our last encounter, the world you inhabit is full of strange, otherworldly powers beyond my own."
"So you think the guy in the black mask…is a Stand user?"
"I do not know for certain. What I do know is that your rehabilitation is progressing smoothly, and should you remain on your current path, all shall make itself clear." The long nosed being explained, leaning into his hand while the other tapped the table. Just as it had in all of Jolyne's previous visits to the Velvet Room, a chime rang from nowhere. "And it seems our time is once more at an end. Until next time, my trickster…"
Sunday, 5/29/20XX, Early Morning
"Stupid…long nose…" Jolyne grumbled as she came down the stairs, her hair a mess compared to how it normally was. Sojiro raised an eyebrow, seeing the messy bun it was in.
"I didn't know your hair had different shapes." He greeted, his ward rubbing her eyes as she sat at the bar.
"Had some weird dreams last night. Kinda left me in a bad mood." That was putting it mildly. In the time since her last visit with Igor, she'd actually gotten used to pleasant dreams, and the return of the long nosed man and his riddles had put her in a particular mood. "Curry. Coffee. Please."
"Well, when you put it like that…fortunately, I just put a batch on." Her guardian responded, getting down the bowl and coffee cup. "So, how's school? Keeping your studies up?"
"As best I can. Between all that stuff with Ka…that pervy coach, the teachers have been on us like crazy." She explained, earning a grimace from Sojiro.
"That was a real nasty piece of business. Honestly, I never suspected something like that was happening there. Shujin seemed like such a nice school, too…" The proprietor mumbled, crossing his arms. "Midterms are back by now, right? How'd you do?" At this, Jolyne just grimaced.
"Well, I made it into the top fifty percent…" She replies, thinking back to the listings that had been posted. "Let me guess, my parole officer wants to know?"
"Bingo. He wants to know if you're actually putting effort, or if you're just slacking off." He explained, as Jolyne's phone chimed. "Sheesh, you kids and your phones…"
"Hey, it beats having to unplug the modem or whatever you dinosaurs had to do." Jolyne mocked as she pulled out her phone, reading the message as she began eating her curry
RS: you guys see the news?
RS: They're actually talking about us this time!
YK: this comes as no surprise.
YK: Madarame was a world renowned artist. For a group such as ours to challenge him was bound to garner attention.
AT: I wonder if it'll keep up…
AT: we kinda faded out of conversation not long after Kamoshida confesses.
JC: Kamoshida was small fry, remember?
JC: Yusuke already said he was known around the world.
JC: let's meet up at the hideout to discuss our next move.
"Guess it's a good sign you're buried in that phone. Means you've got friends you're talking too." Sojiro remarked.
"You should put that on a pillow. All the moms in America would eat that up." Jolyne remarked, finishing off her curry. "Thanks for the meal, I've gotta get dressed."
"Just stay out of trouble!" He warned, as she headed back into her room to get dressed.
Shibuya Square
"Guys, we're killing it!" Ryuji cheered, looking at his phone. "You guys take a look at the Phan-Site? It was starting to slow down, but after Madarame confessed, it's blowing up again! We're getting all sorts of requests."
"And they actually mentioned the Phantom Thieves on the news now! And not just local news either! I checked an international news site, and they were talking about us in a headline!" Ann informed the group. "I mean, the headline called us 'mysterious group,' but they did name us in the article!"
"I guess that's progress…" Jolyne muttered.
"Given Madarame's reputation, it comes as no surprise that we have garnered international attention. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether or not we can sustain this is another matter entirely." The group's resident artist analyzed.
"Then that just means we've gotta keep changing people's hearts!" Their former track star exclaimed, but Jolyne's eyes went to two officers, standing not too far away.
"Hey, keep your voice down." She warned, indicating the officers' presence.
"Hm. How curious. I have seen more police officers than usual around here lately." Yusuke remarked, causing Ann to frown.
"It's been like this ever since that accident last month. It feels like the cops have been on every corner lately…"
"And the alleyways, too…" Jolyne muttered, thinking back to her last visit to Untouchable. Speaking of which, she'd never followed up with what the shopkeeper had given her…
"We need to be extra careful going forward!" Morgana spoke up, rousing her from her thoughts. "I mean, look at us! It hasn't even been a day since the last Phantom Thieves incident, and the victims of the two perpetrators are meeting up in public!"
"Calm down! It's not like those guys over there are going to know that!"
"That doesn't mean you should blurt out what we're doing for the world to hear!"
"Oh come on, like anyone's paying attention to a bunch of kids in the middle of Shibuya!" Ryuji retorted, earning a sigh from Ann.
"It doesn't take much to get them going…" she muttered, as Jolyne turned to Yusuke.
"Did Madarame say anything to you? Maybe something about the guy in the black mask?" She asked, earning a shake of the head as the artist leaned against the railing.
"No. After we stole his heart, he barely said a word to me the entire time. And after the press conference…'incoherent' feels like an understatement. He would start a sentence, but then degrade into sobs and recounting his crimes. To see him like that…I started to pity him." The Kosei student stated.
"That's not surprising. After all, we did remove his distorted desires. Without those, he fully realizes what he did." Morgana explained. "And it's not surprising he doesn't know anything. After all, the Shadow knows what the real person knows, not vice versa."
"Still, think he'd know something…" Ryuji muttered, and Yusuke's lips creased into a frown.
"Madarame's lawyers were at the atelier when I left. They mentioned the possibility of him being sent to prison. We won't be able to get any answers from him then…" He replied, letting out a sigh.
"Do you…think that would happen?" Jolyne asked.
"I'm not sure. Technically speaking, plagiarism isn't against the law. And while they were sold under false pretenses, the sale of the false 'Sayuris' wasn't illegal. However, according to the lawyers, the police are looking into his various holdings. At worst, they feared he would be imprisoned for fraud."
"I guess that makes sense. I mean, he did mention having a house under someone else's name." Jolyne responded. "So what'll happen to you?"
"Even if he manages to keep the house, the thought of painting in that shed, where he ruined so many in the name of his own greed…it makes me sick to my stomach. That's why I've decided I won't be staying there anymore."
"Where'll you stay?" The feline Phantom inquired.
"I'll be staying at the Kosei dorms. It shouldn't be a problem, as my scholarship should cover the cost."
"Oh yeah, you did mention you had a scholarship back when we first met…" Ann recalled. "So you'll be living there?"
"Yes, but fortunately the campus is right here in Shibuya. I should be able to meet up here without too much trouble. I do have an 8 PM curfew on school nights, but I don't anticipate that being too much of a problem."
"Speaking of, I think we need to start planning our next move." Ryuji spoke up, causing Jolyne to sigh.
"I agree with what Morgana said a minute ago, about being careful. We get too many eyes on us too fast, someone will put two and two together. It could be the police, it could be a Stand user, it could be anybody." Jolyne pointed out, remembering what Ishigami has told her about the man who hired him.
"Takamaki-San already informed me of the existence of Stands the other day. To think that such fantastic, otherworldly powers exist outside of the Metaverse…it sounds like something out of science fiction." The blue haired artist remarked. "And you said you've been attacked twice now? I wonder…could the man in the Black Mask have such a power as well?"
"I considered that too. Simply put, we still don't know a lot about how the Metaverse works, and if there's any overlap between Stands. I kinda want to ask the Speedwagon Foundation, but I don't want to reveal anything to them until I know about them." Jolyne responded, her brow furrowing. If they were going to keep acting as the Phantom Thieves, they were bound to draw more attention. And that wasn't even considering the man named Whitesnake, who had hired Ishigami to try and kidnap her. If he hired more goons, and they targeted her friends…
No. The idea that came to mind was too crazy, too risky. She couldn't put them through that. But try as she might, Jolyne couldn't shake the thought out of her head. She'd have to think on it for a while. In the meantime…
"For now, we keep our heads down. Try to be normal students, keep our Phantom Thief activity to Mementos. At least until this Madarame stuff cools down." The leader ordered, earning a nod from her teammates. "The other day, Mishima told me he's found a few interesting leads. I'll check with him later this week, see what he has. Until then, I guess that's it."
"Alright! See you guys tomorrow!" Ryuji declared, going off as Yusuke nodded.
"I shall keep you informed of Madarame. Until then." He bid farewell, heading off in his own direction, leaving Jolyne, Ann, and Morgana.
"I feel bad for Yusuke. All he wanted to do was paint me, but then we went and blew his whole life up…"
"Same here. But compared to when we first met, he looks…freer now." Ann commented, and Jolyne nervously rubbed the back of her neck. It'd been a while since the two had been alone together, and their embrace in the hallways of the hospital when Josuke healed Shiho came to mind, causing her face to turn red.
"So…how's Shiho? You said she was planning on coming back a few weeks ago, right?" Asking about another woman wasn't exactly the best icebreaker, but it did the trick, as Ann's face brightened into a smile.
"Oh, she's actually doing really good! She's been working with a therapist, and she'll be back around the start of June!" Ann cheered, earning a smile from the Phantom Thief leader.
"That's really good to hear." She declared, yet Ann's smile faltered.
"Hey, do you…have any plans today?" The model asked, causing the transfer student to frown.
"I've got some stuff I got to follow up on that I've let slide too much. Now's as good a time as any, I guess…" Jolyne explained, causing Ann to frown.
"…I see. I'll uh…I'll be in touch. Later!" And with that, Ann was gone, leaving behind a confused Jolyne and an irate Morgana.
"What did you do?!"
"What did I do?! How should I know?!" Jolyne asked, earning a scoff from Morgana.
"You clearly did something to upset Lady Ann! I expect this from Ryuji, but not from you!"
"Will you calm down?! I have a lot to do today!" Jolyne snapped back, letting out a sigh. What did Ann want to talk about? She'd have to figure out later, as she had business to attend to.
The Hanged Man
Untouchable, Lunchtime
The bell above the door rang as Jolyne entered Untouchable, immediately shivering at the menacing vibe. It was almost designed to be the opposite of welcoming…
The bell ringing stirred the shopkeeper's attention from his magazine, his eyes lighting up in recognition. "Well well, look who came back. I was starting to think I scared you off." He greeted Jolyne as she approached the counter.
"I've been busy."
"School stuff, right? I've got a kid a little younger than you, and he has to hit the books pretty hard. I understand bringing back weird shit to weird places isn't at the top of your priorities. Plus, you wanted to make sure the coast was clear." Iwai responded, taking his feet off the counter. "So, you still got it?"
"Yeah, I do." Jolyne responded, removing the brown paper bag and setting it in front of her.
"You look inside it?" He asked, causing Jolyne to swallow nervously.
"Y-yeah. That a problem?"
"Nah, it's only natural. Some creepy guy hands you a bag, tells you to keep it away from the cops, makes sense that'd you look." The shopkeeper answers, looking inside the bag. "Just like I remember it…"
"Do you...mind if I ask what that was about?" Jolyne asked, causing the older man to sigh.
"Eh, those guys just like coming in here and see what they can shake loose. They never get anything, but that doesn't seem to deter them." Iwai explained, glancing at the bag. "I don't like givin' 'em reasons to hassle me, so I figured it wouldn't be a good idea for them to see that, it looking so realistic and all."
"Why do you have something like this?" Jolyne asked, earning a shrug from Iwai.
"Customer wanted it. Market for realistic airsoft guns in this country is a lot bigger than you think, and it's not just here in Tokyo. I ship out to Kyoto, Sapporo, Osaka, Nagasaki…anywhere there's a buyer." He explained, causing Jolyne to frown.
"Did you…need this back at any particular time?"
"Nah, guy flaked out on his payments, something about his wife gettin' pregnant or something. It happens." Iwai stated, pursing his lips as he thought something over. "You can have it, if you want." He stated, causing the transfer student to blink in confusion.
"Wait, seriously?"
"Seriously. That piece was custom made, so I'd have a hard time selling it to anyone else. Plus, I don't like keepin' something that realistic laying around. Anyone sees that for more than a second, it's obviously a fakes, but the average cop in this town lacks those fine reasoning skills. So consider it a token of my appreciation for getting it out of here when you did." He justified, Jolyne shrugged as she took it and put it back in her bag.
"Thanks, I guess." She responded, earning a hum as Iwai stared at her.
"I wonder…" he muttered, scratching his chin. "So why my shop?" The shop keep asked, catching Jolyne off guard once more.
"What?"
"C'mon, there are hobby shops like this all over town. You could get something pretty decent for your cosplay group at one of the nerd shops in Akihabara, or order something online. What brought you here?" Jolyne had almost forgotten her story from her first visit, and searched for an answer. Might as well go with a version of the truth.
"Because just any old gun won't do. We need something that looks realistic, good enough to pass as an actual gun for a second." She explained, leaving out everything about the Metaverse. Iwai hummed to himself, leaning back.
"So, you're an enthusiast. You don't half ass anything, and you need only the best." He surmised, and gestured to the back. "Wanna head back there with me?"
"Whoa, buddy, you might wanna calm down there."
"Get your head out of the gutter. You're way too young for me anyway. Plus, I like a woman with a little meat on her bones." Iwai retorted. "I've got something back there I wanna show you. Interested?" This question caused Jolyne to purse her lips. This guy was shady as hell, but there was something surprisingly trustworthy about him. Plus, if he tried anything, she'd use Stone Free to break him in two.
"Alright, fine." Iwai smirked at that, opening the counter and allowing her behind the counter. She followed him into the storage room, and her eyes widened as she saw what was inside.
"See anything you like?" The storeroom in question was lined with realistic looking guns, ranging from pistols to rifles to even grenade launchers.
"This is…a lot." Jolyne remarked, looking over the pistols. She opened a box, revealing what appeared to be an oversized revolver pistol. "Is this…?"
"Nah, it's a replica. Let's see, this one…" Iwai pauses, checking the box. "Right, this one is going to some film buff in America. He wanted something that looked like the gun in one of his favorite movies, and I was more than happy to help."
"This is from…Filthy Larry, right?" She asked, causing Iwai to smirk.
"Well, you know your stuff." He responded, crossing his arms. "I got all sorts of customers just like you. People who won't just settle for any old model gun, but something that looks and feels real. They're willing to lay thousands, sometimes millions of yen for the right one." He explained, as Jolyne examined the merchandise. "I dunno what you heard about me, but I ain't a bad guy. I've been known to compromise from time to time, for the right customer."
"And that means…?"
"That means I'm offerin' you a deal. Help me out here and there, and I'll give you a special discount on high quality goods." Iwai explained, earning a raised eyebrow from Jolyne.
"'Here and there?'"
"Nothing illegal. Just errands, stuff like that. In exchange, I'm offering a special menu, just for a cosplay enthusiast like yourself." Iwai explaiend, causing Jolyne to frown. This was shady as hell, no matter how she sliced it…but Iwai's products were no joke. And from what Morgana had told them so far, the realer something looked, the more damage it did in the Metaverse. And if they were going to keep finding more Palaces…well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
"Alright, fine. But if I get even a whiff of trouble, I'm out. Got it?" She stated, causing the airsoft shop owner to grin.
"Had a feeling you'd say yes." He replied, sticking his hand out. Jolyne hesitates for a second, before shaking his hand.
I am Thou, Thou Art I
Thou hath acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakers they chains of captivity.
With the birth of the HANGED MAN Persona, J have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
"Now get out of here. This ain't no place for kids to be hangin' around."
Afternoon
"What have you gotten us mixed up in?"
"Hey, we need weapons for the Metaverse. And did you see how expensive some of that stuff was? The pistol I've got barely did anything to those shadows in Madarame's Palace." Jolyne justifies, walking through Shibuya. "If these Palaces are going to get tougher, we need all we can get."
"Still, I don't like this. Didn't Ryuji say something about that guy being ex-Yakuza? If you get caught with a guy like that-"
"Trust me, I know. Which is why I told him I was out of anything shady happened." The transfer student explained, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Morgana was about to say something else, when her stomach grumbled. "Guess it is about lunchtime, huh?"
"I say we go get sushi! I overheard some of the other students talking about this amazing place not too far from the station!"
"Sushi's expensive, and I'm on a transfer student budget. Let's see…" Jolyne tapped her chin, looking around Central Street. "Let's see, today I'm feeling like…"
Ore no Beko
Now seated in the beef bowl shop, Jolyne watched as the sole cashier scrambled between customers ready to pay at the cash register, taking orders on the line, and delivering customers their food. "Sheesh, I would not want to work here." Jolyne muttered, watching the worker juggle multiple tasks. "Poor guy…"
"I agree. It's such a shame to put a young person through an ordeal like this." A voice stated beside her, and Jolyne turned to see an older man with dark hair, a suit and tie, and kind eyes that looked oddly familiar. "Honestly, you'd think that a company like this would be able to hire more workers, rather than try and cut down on labor costs…" the old man stated, before he caught himself. "Oh, apologies, young lady. I didn't mean to ramble on like that."
"No, it's fine. I was honestly thinking the same thing." Jolyne reassured, watching the worker. "Honestly, it feels like the only option people my age have sometimes is to play the game, but the people in charge always bend it to work out in their favor…" Even discounting her own history that lead her to Tokyo in the first place, Jolyne had watched her friends nearly suffocate under the grasp of both Kamoshida and Madarame.
"I see. So you feel like the ones in charge bend the game in their favor…" The man hummed, scratching his chin. "Tell me, miss, how old are you?" He asked, catching her off guard.
"Uh, I'm 16."
"I see, so you're a ways off from being able to vote. Alright, answer me this: were you able to vote in the general election this coming December, what would be the issues you pay attention to?" He asked, Jolyne blinked as she thought about the question. While she'd never paid much attention to Japanese politics since she'd moved to Japan, she supposed she should start thinking things over. And since there was no reason to answer dishonestly…
"I guess…I would vote for someone who I thought had my best interests in mind. Not someone who's just saying stuff to get a vote."
"Very interesting. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." The man stated, Jolyne's face scrunched confusion in confusion.
"Why would you-?" And that's when Jolyne noticed the green sash the man wore, her brain finally recognizing where she knew him from. "You're that guy who gives speeches outside the station." She realized, earning a warm smile from the man.
"Toranosuke Yoshida, at your service." Yoshida greeted. "I've seen your face in the crowds a time or two. I usually don't remember everyone, but…well, you tend to stand out." He stated, gesturing to her hair, causing her to sheepishly chuckle.
"Yeah, I've gotten that before…" She sheepishly admitted. "So if you don't mind me asking…who exactly are you? I see you giving your speeches all the time, but I don't actually know who you are."
"Heh, no harm done. After all, high schoolers have so much to worry about now that you hardly have time to focus on some yelling old man." The older man reassured. "I used to be a member of the Diet, and am planning on running again in the general election later this year. Those speeches you see me giving are my way of campaigning."
"I'm not going to act like I know squat about politics, but aren't there better ways to do that than standing outside Shibuya Station?" She asked, earning a chuckle from the politician.
"To someone as young as yourself, I can see why you'd think that. However, I think it's important to try and build a rapport with potential voters, and that means spreading my message myself, rather than some computer screen." Yoshida explained.
"Does that actually work?" At this, Yoshida's smile faltered, and he let out a sigh.
"Well, considering I've lost seven elections in twenty years, I suppose one could argue that it doesn't…" he muttered, and Jolyne frowned. However, Yoshida wasn't down for long, as his smile quickly returned.
"But I haven't let that dissuade me yet! All I can do is have faith that my message will reach the right people." He explained, smiling brightly, before wincing slightly. "Oh dear, I'm afraid I've rambled on again. I'm terribly sorry, miss. You came in here to eat a beef bowl, and you had to listen to me pontificate."
"No, it's fine. It actually got me thinking about some stuff."
"I'm glad to hear it! I always consider it a win when I can get our youth thinking about these things!" The hopeful politician stated. "If you're interested in what I have to say, I'm planning on giving a speech in an hour."
Shibuya Square
Jolyne was now in the crowd outside Shibuya Station, watching as Yoshida got on his soapbox. "Here we go…"
"The lines of what have been considered right and wrong have been blurred! More and more, we're told to abandon common sense, to make decisions based on our own greed and self interest! This has lead to a rise in people taking advantage of those less fortunate against them, leveraging their own strength in order to climb over the weak! Why, just yesterday, a famous artist confessed to taking the work of his own pupils, all to further his own reputation!" The politician pontificated, looking out over the crowd, and Jolyne flashed him a reassuring thumbs up. "This is the world we live in! A world wherein is acceptable to trample ok the rights of others for your own benefit! A world where the young only exist to be exploited by the old! However, it does not have to be this way! Together, we can work together to make a brighter future for our children!"
"Hmph! Easy for him to say. We old folks have enough to worry about as is just taking care of ourselves…" An older woman to Jolyne's right said, as a young businessman to her right simply sighed.
"He raises a few good points, but he never gets too far. No one's going to vote for a no name like him…"
"That's an understatement!" A middle aged man with a grim face spoke up, folding his face. "You honestly think a wannabe politician like yourself can get anything done on your own? Just step aside and leave things to the Liberal Co-prosperity Party!" The man scolded, Toranosuke looked at him.
"When voting in an election, one should base their decision on a candidate's policies, rather than what party they belong to. If I am chosen to represent the good of the people, then I promise to make decisions that I feel are in the best interest of all, rather than the few!"
"'Best interest of all?' Ha! That's rich coming from No-Good Tora!" The man stared, this clearly threw Yoshida off.
"I-I…w-well, you see, t-that…" What the man said had clearly thrown Yoshida for a loop, and the charismatic, well spoken man Jolyne had been watching a moment ago was replaced by a red faced, stuttering man. "T-that's all in the past now!"
"Like some washed up hack could ever make it in the government…I'm done wasting my time!" Many others seemed to share the man's sentiment, and the crowd soon dispersed. Within five minutes, Jolyne was left alone with the flustered politician, who simply sighed.
"Oh dear, I wasn't expecting that…" Yoshida asked, Jolyne raised an eyebrow.
"What was all that about?"
"That man was referring to an incident that occurred in my past, back when I was a member of the Diet. Well, rather a string of incidents that all collided in a most spectacular fashion…" He answered, sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. "Every time I think I've put that behind me, someone brings it up, and I become all flustered, like you saw back there. Honestly, sometimes I don't even know why I bother…"
"Well…" Jolyne spoke up, replaying Yoshida's speech in her head. "You were making some good points. There was a young guy, probably only a few years older than me, who seemed to like what you were saying. Honestly, if that man hadn't spoken up, you might have won over a few."
"I see…" Yoshida mused, thinking over what she said, before an idea seemed to cross his idea. "If it's not too much trouble, would you mind lending me your ear from time to time? I feel like my campaign would benefit from the insight and perspective of a smart young woman like yourself. I'd pay you for your time, of course."
"Uh, sure. It's no problem at all." Jolyne usually never cared much for politics, but she considered the act of meeting an adult who appeared to be the sole opposite of Kamoshida and Madarame to be a blessing. Plus, the man appeared to be a charismatic speaker, something that could come in handy when recruiting Shadows in the Palaces. "My name's Jolyne. Jolyne Cujoh."
"It is my pleasure, Cujoh-San."
I am Thou, Thou Art I
Thou hath acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakers they chains of captivity.
With the birth of the SUN Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
Their deal made,Yoshida offered her a warm smile. "Today has given me much to think about. I'll see you again soon, I hope."
Operation Maidwatch
Monday, 5/2/20XX, Shujin Academy
"…and so, while the two lines appear to be of different length-"
"Dude, did you see that press conference the other day?"
"You mean with that old artist dude crying on tv? How could I miss it?"
"I heard that he got a calling card, just like Kamoshida."
"Wait seriously? You don't think-"
"That's quite enough of that!" Ms. Usami declared, spinning around and glaring at the class. "If I hear one more student talking about the Kamoshida incident, I'll take you to the principal's office myself!" The stern woman declared, before turning back to the chalkboard. "Now, as I was saying…" as Usami resumed her lesson, Jolyne's phone vibrated in her desk. She pulled it out, seeing a message from Yusuke.
YK: I assume Madarame is the talk of Shujin?
JC: that's putting it mildly.
AT: I thought our math teacher was about to bite someone's head off…
RS: dude, don't even mention it around Ushimaru.
RS: though I guess you're probably getting swarmed with questions, Yusuke.
YK: actually, the student body has kept their distance from me.
YK: though I do hear whispers.
YK: perhaps they don't wish to offend me by asking me directly?
AT: oh no, I'm sorry, Yusuke!
YK: oh, it's no worry.
YK: for some reason, they kept their distance from me beforehand.
YK: so this is nothing new to me.
AT: if you say so…
"That Yusuke sure is an odd one…" Morgana muttered as he read the messages.
Lunchtime
The vending machine shook as it deposited the can of tea for Jolyne to reach down and take it. "Man, yesterday was nuts…" She sighed out as she opened the can, sitting down and preparing to drink it…
"Hey, Jolyne!"
"Good grief, now what…" She sighed out as Ryuji approached her, a weird look on his face. "What's up, Ryuji?"
"Hey uh, I got a weird favor to ask…" He said, looking around nervously. "I uh…I found this weird flyer stuffed in my mailbox…" Jolyne's ears perked up at this.
"Something relating to our next target?"
"Not…exactly." The former track star pulled the flyer out of his back pocket, and if Jolyne wasn't confused before, she was now as she read the dryer's contents.
"'Miss Mariko's Housekeeping Service?'" She read aloud, reading the glitzy pink flyer with a girl in a maid outfit in the bottom right. "Ryuji, why am I looking at this?"
"Dude, it's a maid service! You call them, and they send a maid! An actual maid to come clean your house! And the flyer says they'll do anything you ask them to!" He excitedly explained, and Jolyne raised an eyebrow.
"And you think I'm interested in this because…?" She asked, and Ryuji blushed.
"I mean, because…yknow, b-because you're…I mean, you're, yknow…" He started to stutter out, and Jolyne just sighed.
"It's ok, Ryuji, it's not a bad thing, you can say it. I'm not going to hit you or anything." She reassured, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Say it with me now: I'm into women. I'm attracted to some guys, but that's it." Jolyne stated, causing her friend to let out a sigh.
"I mean, yknow, I didn't wanna like…assume or anything." He explained, causing her to chuckle. At least Ryuji didn't tell her the real reason he'd figured it out…
"It's ok. I've never tried to hide it, but at the same time I don't advertise it. Trust me, you're fine." She reassured, looking back at the flyer. "So what, you wanna hire a maid to…clean your house?"
"It ain't about the cleaning! Dude, a cute maid who'll do anything for us? I mean…c'mon! Don't tell me that that doesn't interest you!"
"I mean…you do know they don't mean anything, right? Cause that'd be, y'know, illegal." Jolyne explained. "Besides, would your mom even let you bring some strange woman into your home?"
"That's the best part! The guy right above us moved out last week, so there's a totally empty apartment no one's using! The landlord leaves the key behind the mailbox, so the place is practically all set!"
"I heard that!"
"Oh good grief now what…" Ryuji and Jolyne both turned to see none other than Mishima approaching them, a rather mischievous look on his face.
"Can I Uh…get in on this?" The Phan-Site administrator asked, his face flushed as Ryuji grinned.
"Ohoho, Mishima! I never woulda thought you were into this stuff!"
"I-I never said I was! I-it's just for research!"
"Uh huh, I'm sure it is!" Ryuji teased, but Mishima ignored him.
"I mean, the flyer says they'll do 'anything.' What does that mean? Deep cleaning? Vacuuming? Maybe…other services? A-and do the maids look exactly as advertised?" Mishima had to pause to wipe away blood leaking from his nose. "I-I mean, if this company is just pretending to offer cleaning services, then that means they're taking advantage of customers!"
"That seems like a bit much…" It was clear that Jolyne's pleas were falling on deaf ears.
"That's what I'm saying!" Ryuji declares, clasping Mishima on the shoulder. "I mean, if someone's using pictures of cute girls to cheat people out of their money, we gotta check it out, right? I mean, if that isn't a job for the Phantom Thieves, then I don't know what is!"
"I don't know about that…and keep your voice down!" The leader scolded, letting out a sigh. It was clear that Ryuji was laser focused on his goal, and now Mishima was onboard. She guessed it fell to her to keep these two from getting into trouble. "Alright, fine, I'm in."
"Hell yeah! My mom works late tomorrow, so we'll do it tomorrow night!" Ryuji declared, and Mishima tapped his chin.
"Let's see, a sting like requires a name…I know! We'll call this operation Maidwatch!"
"Hell yeah!"
"Gimme a freaking break…"
Monday, 5/30/20XX, Evening
Take down a plagirizing artist. Helping an ex-Yakuza sell realistic airsoft guns. Lend an ear to an ex-Diet member running for office. These were all things Jolyne had done in the past week, and yet all of those things paled in comparison to Operation Maidwatch. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever been a part of…"
"You say something?"
"Uh, no. Nothing." She answered, as Ryuji retrieved the key from the mailbox. "So where's Mishima?"
"Ah, he's running late. Don't wanna start without him."
"Makes sense, I guess." As they entered the empty apartment, Jolyne's phone chimed.
AT: hey.
AT: What are you up to?"
JC: helping Ryuji with this dumb thing he's gotten me wrapped up in.
AT: oh, you mean the maid thing?
JC: how do you know about that?
AT: I saw him and Mishima giggling over the flyer at lunch today.
AT: they were really unsubtle about it…
Jolyne chuckled at the message, before an embarrassing thought crossed her mind.
JC: I'm not into that stuff, btw.
JC: I'm just trying to make sure he doesn't do something stupid.
AT: I figured lol
When did Ann text like that? Weird…
JC: So what are you up too?
AT: oh, I'm doing a shoot in Kichijoji.
AT: I got called in at the last moment.
JC: really? I thought they gave you more heads up than that…
At: well, they normally do, but apparently the original model had to call out at the last minute.
JC: well, if you ask me, they upgraded.
Oh god, was that too desperate? Too obvious? Clearly, Ann didn't think so, as the speech bubble resumed.
AT: lol I don't know about that.
AT: at least it gave me something to do!
Jolyne smiled as she read the message from the team's model, only for a knock at the door to distract her from her messaging. Ryuji opened the door, grinning as he saw Mishima.
"Was wondering when you were gonna show up!"
"I'm sorry, I got lost. Your directions weren't exactly the best…" he explained, closing the door behind him. "S-so, have you called them yet?"
"Nah man, we were waiting on you!" The former track star answered, pulling out the flyer. "So, come on, call it!"
"W-wait, I thought you were calling them!"
"It's my idea, and you just tagged along! Cmon, don't be a baby!"
"Good grief…"
One back and forth conversation later, Jolyne had somehow ended with the phone in her hand. "How did I end up with this thing…?"
"Because we flipped a coin!"
"There's three of us!" She scolded, and sighed. "Ok, fine, I'll do it. If only to put an end to this stupid thing…" She muttered. The boys both flashed a thumbs up at her as she dialed the number, hearing it ring.
"Miss Mariko's Maid service, where our girls are mag-nya-fient! How can I help you?" The cheerful voice on the other side declared, Jolyne cleared her throat as she put on a fake voice.
"Uh, yes, hello, I want to order the cleaning services."
"S-services?" Mishima eeked out, before Ryuji shushed him.
"Excellent! Do you have anyone specific in mind, or is this your first time?"
"It's uh…it's my first time." Mental note: wring Ryuji's neck out later.
"Hm, let me see who I have available…oh! You're in luck, Becky's available! Is that alright with you?"
"Uh, that's fine."
"Great! Can we have a name for the order?"
"Oh! Uh…" Jolyne frantically searched her brain, looking for a good fake name. "Akira…Kurusu."
"Great! Just give me your address, and Becky will be there in nya-bout twenty minutes!" Jolyne shared the address, letting out a sigh as the line hung up.
"Well?" A grinning Ryuji asked, and Jolyne sighed.
"She's on her way."
"Hell yeah!" The Phantom Thief cheered, as the one normal person began fidgeting with his hands.
"What should we have her do? Cooking, cleaning…or the Uh…other services." He remarked, a bit of blood leaking from his nose.
"They said twenty minutes, right? I gotta go take a leak." Ryuji remarked, causing Jolyne to rub her temples. Morgana has the right idea in staying home. What was he doing right now, anyway…?
Yongen-Jaya
"I am the emissary of Justice! The scourge that makes demons cry at night! I am…Morgana!" Morgana declared, following along with the movements of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman episode playing on the CRT TV that Sojiro has given them (well, given Jolyne) the other week. "Evil doers beware, for the great Morgana will punish you!"
Apartment
Fifteen minutes later, Jolyne's eyes were about to glaze over as Mishima told them about the Phan-Site, when there was a knock on the door. "Shit, she's here already?" Ryuji muttered, as Mishima nervously swallowed.
"S-she's here early!" He exclaimed. "Oh man, it's time…wait, are we even allowed to be doing this?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean are high schoolers even allowed to use this service?!"
"How the hell should I know?!" Ryuji asked, earning an exasperated look from Jolyne.
"You mean we got all the way here, and you don't even know if you're allowed to do this?"
"What does age have to do with housekeeping?!" Aaaaand this is why she decided to stick along.
"We would've been screwed if her number had shown up on the caller ID…" The doorbell rang, and a voice came from the other side of the door.
"Excuse me, Kurusu-Sama? This is Becky, with Miss Mariko's! Can I come in~?" The voice on the other side beckoned, and the boys nervously swallowed.
"What do we do?!"
"I don't know! I didn't think we would get this far!"
"Good grief…" Their eyes all widened as the door knob juggled, and the door clicked open.
"Oh, you left it open? I'm coming in~" The maid beckoned, and Ryuji and Mishima went on to behave like the competent and mature young man they were.
"Oh man, I can't do this!"
"S-same! Quick, Sakamoto, the balcony!"
"Wait, wha-" Before Jolyne knew what was happening, Mishima and Ryuji escaped on to the balcony, leaving Jolyne all alone in the apartment. "What the fu-"
"Oh, there you are~" The maid's sweet (and oddly familiar) voice called out, causing her blood to run cold. "Hm? Oh, you're a woman? Well, that's fine! Miss Mariko is welcome to all!"
Oh god, this was really happening wasn't it? Jolyne had come along just to make sure that Ryuji didn't do anything stupid, but now that the maid was here…well, she wasn't a saint.
As the maid stepped closer, Jolyne's knees began to shake, her face turning red as the maid bowed behind her. "Welcome home, master! I can't wait to help you fill your energy and feel replenished!"
"I-Uh, thanks, B-Becky." Jolyne replies, trying to avoid looking directly at the maid.
"First, let me go over our services! The basics include cooking, cleaning, laundry and…" The maid stopped mid sentence, as if something had occurred to her. "Well, while Miss Mariko doesn't discriminate when it comes to our full range of services you seem a bit…young. Almost like a high school student…"
"Oh, uh…I'm a late bloomer. I just turned 18."
"Wait, that voice…" the maid muttered, before Jolyne heard a light gasp. "That hairstyle. Oh no. No no no no no no…" The sweetness left Becky's voice, and Jolyne's eyes widened as she spun around. The woman before her was caked in makeup, to the point she couldn't recognize the woman underneath, but that clearly wasn't shared. "C-Cujoh-san?!" Becky declared, eyes widened as saucers, and Jolyne's eyes widened as she recognized the woman through the makeup.
"Miss Kawakami?!" The transfer student gasped out, and her homeroom teacher groaned.
"Ugh, this is unbelievable. And I've been so careful up to now, too…" The older woman groaned out, before her face sharpened into a glare. "Did you ask for me specifically? How'd you find out about this? I bet it was that harpy Chouno, wasn't it?!"
"Whoa whoa whoa, calm down. I am just as confused as you are." Jolyne reassured, Kawakami just sighed.
"Oh god, I'm finished. I knew I should've taken a job outside the city…" she groaned out, pacing the apartment. "I just had to take a job close to the school. It's not so convenient now, is it…?"
"Calm down, Miss Kawakami." Jolyne beckoned. "I have no idea what's going on either. Ryuji found this flyer, and I tagged along to make sure he didn't do anything stupid."
"Oh god, Sakamoto's here too?!" She panicked, but Jolyne shook her head.
"He panicked and went out into the balcony when you showed up."
"This is exactly why I asked them not to hand out those fliers near the school…" the maid groaned out, letting out a sigh. "You can not tell Chouno about this."
"The…English teacher?" Jolyne questioned, and Kawakami nodded.
"She's like a bloodhound when it comes to gossip, and ever since what happened with Kamoshida, she's been on the prowl. And word has it, Kobayakawa's been under a lot of pressure from the school board to remove any 'controversial elements'. If he gets wind of this, I'm gone." The teacher explained, and clapped her hands together. "Please, keep this a secret, and I'll do whatever you want! If you want to skip school, get answers on a test…name it! Just don't tell Chouno!" At this, Jolyne felt a pang if guilt. From the sound of it, Kobayakawa had gone into overdrive since Kamoshida, meaning she was, in part, ag fault about her current level of job security.
"Alright, calm down, there's no need for that. I'll keep your secret, I promise." she reassured, causing the maid/teacher to let out a sigh.
"Thank god…" she sighed out. "I promise, I'll make this up to you. Now, as for this…" Kawakami bit her finger, thinking. "We'll say you cancelled, so you won't be charged. And…we'll act like this never happened. Deal?"
"Deal."
I am Thou, Thou Art I
Thou hath acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakers they chains of captivity.
With the birth of the TEMPERANCE Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
And with that, Kawakami sighed. "Alright, I'm off to go Square things with the agency. I promise, I'll explain later. Just…pretend nothing happened, ok?" And with that, she was gone, leaving Jolyne wondering just what the hell her life had become.
Yongen-Jaya
Jolyne sighed as she walked up the steps to her attic home, slinging off her bag and placing it on the desk. "Morgana, I'm home. Honestly, that went-Jesus!" She yelled, shielding her eyes at the sigh on her bed.
"What?!"
"Don't do…that…on my bed!"
"How else am I supposed to clean myself in this body! I can't exactly walk to the bathhouse like this!"
"Just…don't do it on my bed!" She requested, letting out a sigh. "Sorry. The whole maid thing just took…a really weird turn." She explained, Morgana's ears perked up at this.
"Oooh, tell me about it!"
"In the morning. I'm wiped…" Jolyne stated, crashing on the bed. Surely life couldn't throw any more curve balls at her, right?
Tuesday, 5/31/20XX, Early Morning
Jolyne let out a yawn as she stepped off the train, rubbing her eyes. "Man, what a day…"
"Oh, hey!" A familiar voice greeted, and Jolyne looked over to see Ann approaching her, a bright smile on her face. "How'd the maid thing go? Ryuji sounded pretty dejected when I texted him a homework question last night…"
"Oh, uh, she saw we were high schoolers and walked out. Not sure what they expected…" That's what she'd told Ryuji and Mishima when they came in from the balcony, and that's the story she would stick to. "How's modeling go?"
"Oh, pretty good. Well, the photographer was an idiot, but I still got paid, so…" Ann trailed off, earning a giggle from Jolyne. Jolyne was about to say something else, when her phone chimed with a call. Raising an eyebrow, she pulled her phone out, eyes widening at the caller id.
"What the hell…? Why's she calling me this early?" Jolyne wondered aloud, earning a raised eyebrow from Ann.
"Who is it?" Before Jolyne could answer, her eyes widened.
"Oh god, I hope something's not wrong…!" She muttered out, answering the phone. "Hello? I'm good, just a little tired. What's up?" Ann and Morgana exchanged a glance as Jolyne spoke on the phone. Her eyes widening. "Wait, you're on your way now? But…oh, you're already on the bullet train. Yeah, you would get here right after school…you wanted to surprise me? Yeah, that is a very nice surprise…no, I don't have any plans today. Yeah, I can meet you in front of the station. Uh huh, sounds great. Ok…love you too, buh-bye." And with that Jolyne hung up, and immediately began to panic. "Shitshitshitshit…I wasn't expecting this…I shoulda called her more.…"
"Whoa, calm down." Ann beckoned, grabbing Jolyne by the shoulder and looking her in the eye. "Who was that on the phone?"
"That…was my grandma. She and my grandpa just got on the bullet train. She's…on her way. Here. To Tokyo."
"Shit."