A/N: Welcome back! Pretty straightforward chapter here, so sit back and enjoy! Also, can you spot the Yakuza reference I snuck in here?
Chapter 26: I Want to See Justice with My Own Eyes, Part One
Monday. 6/13/20XX, Afterschool, Shibuya
"Man, where is she?" Ryuji asked, leaning against the rail of their makeshift hideout on the walkway. "It normally ain't like her to be this late."
"I have to agree with Ryuji. I've observed Jolyne to be quite punctual." Yusuke remarked, earning a sigh from Ann.
"She'll be here as soon as she can." She replied, it was then that Ryuji felt a shiver go down his spine. Like there was a dark, menacing presence barreling towards him, with nothing but malicious intent…
"Hm? Is that girl a friend of yours?" Yusuke asked, causing Ann to frown.
"Girl…?" She muttered, turning to see Jolyne walking towards them...with Makoto in tow. "The hell is she doing here?" Ann spat, but Makoto wasn't phased by it this time.
"I simply wanted to observe a Phantom Thieves meeting in person." She stated, causing all of their jaws to drop.
"I don't-"
"Don't bother, she already knows. Apparently somebody doesn't know how to keep his damn mouth shut." Jolyne grimly stated, glaring at Ryuji. Said false blonde merely gulped, shirking back.
"When you say she knows…"
"She knows enough. She saw me and Ryuji fight Ishigami last month, and she has a recording of our conversation on Saturday." The leader explained, Yusuke frowned.
"So, you're the infamous Niijima-san."
"And it's a pleasure to meet you too, Kitagawa-kun. I just wish it was under better circumstances."
"I'm sure. Tell me, what do you intend to do with this information?" The artist asked, Makoto turned to Jolyne.
"Should you tell them, or should I?"
"Let me set it up. It'll be easier if I warm them up." Jolyne admitted, stepping forward. "Ok, so Miss President here has some pretty damning evidence. Even if it's not enough to charge us, it'd be enough to get people sniffing around where we don't want them. She's agreed not to turn us in...so long as we handle a request from her." Makoto was about to take over...when Ann scoffed.
"Please, she probably just wants to get some solid evidence before turning us into Kobayakawa. I mean, he is the one who asked you to look into this, right?" She asked, scowling. "He turns a blind eye to sexual abuse and harrassment, but when it comes to covering his own ass, he sics the loyal teacher's pet on us. Honestly, I pity you for not even realizing what he's doing."
"...you're right." The student council president's admission took all of them off guard, especially Ann.
"Wha…?"
"You're right about the principal. Not long after Kamoshida's confession, he asked me to look into the Phantom Thieves. At first, I thought it was to get to the bottom of the allegations, but I've recently realized that he simply wants to absolve himself of any wrongdoing. He doesn't care about the student body, at all."
"Damn, sure does suck to be right. Never liked that guy…" Ryuji muttered. "So, what's your request?"
"Put simply? I wish to witness your justice with my own eyes." She stated, earning surprise looks from all of them.
"That's...a little more abstract than what we're used to. You'll have to be more specific."
"The other day on television, when Goro Akechi expressed doubt over whether or not your actions were just, you defied him. You told him that the Phantom Thieves were the weapon of last resort, to be used against those who can't be brought down by normal means. I'd like to deploy said weapon."
"So, you wish to enact a change of heart, is that it?" Yusuke asked, the president's eyes narrowed.
"So such a thing is possible. Tell me, do you use your Stands to do so?"
"So she knows that much..." Yusuke muttered, and Ryuji furrowed his brow.
"But the Stands don't-" Ann elbowed Ryuji in the gut before he could say anything else.
"Don't tell her anymore!" She whispered, something that didn't go unnoticed by Makoto.
"So, what exactly is the point of all this?" Jolyne alone up before another question could be asked.
"Since Madarame's confession, there's been much debate about whether or not your methods are just. Are you 'heroes of justice' helping those in need, or are you criminals lashing out? I want to determine that for myself." The president explained.
"And the best way to do that is to change someone's heart." Jolyne finished, getting a nod from Makoto.
"That's correct."
"How do we know this ain't a trap? That you ain't already ratted to the cops, and you're just keeping us here?" Ryuji asked.
"I have no interest in doing that just yet. No one else knows about the video or the recording, and no one knows I'm here. Once I get my answer, one of two things will happen: I am satisfied with your definition of justice, and I delete the video and the recording. Option two, I find that you are not on the side of justice, and I take my findings to the authorities." She explained, Jolyne sighed.
"So that's the situation. Prove our justice, or get ratted out. I wanted to tell you all before making a decision."
"It seems we don't have any options...tell us, who is the individual whose heart you wish to change?"
"I...can't tell you that just yet." Makoto admitted, earning confused expressions.
"Wait, so you came all the way out here to make all these threats, and you aren't gonna tell us what you want us to do?" The platinum blonde asked, frowning.
"I simply wanted to tell you all what the terms of our deal was. It's only fair that I give you a day or so to think things over." The brunette explained. "Let's talk tomorrow, on the rooftop afterschool. If there's nothing else, I'll see you all tomorrow." And with that, Makoto walked off, leaving Ryuji to sigh.
"Talk about a pain in the ass…"
Diner
"You were careless, Ryuji." Yusuke scolded as they got seated in their usual booth in the diner. "Talking about our activities in public like that...what were you thinking?"
"I'm sorry, man, I got carried away. How was I supposed to know she was stalkin' us?"
"I've noticed her a lot more lately, but I didn't think too much of it. We should have all been more careful." Ann stated, Jolyne sighed.
"Look, there's no point in assigning blame. The only reason she figured out as much as she did was because she saw me and Ryuji fighting Ishigami. A smart girl like her, she was bound to figure it out. Especially after I went on tv and said all that stuff to Akechi." The leader reassured. "If anything, this means that going forward, we need to be extra careful."
"Like I warned you!" Morgana scolded from his spot in the bag, nestled comfortably in Jolyne's lap. "Right after Madarame, I warned you all that we needed to be extra careful! And yet we've been walking around, talking about the Phantom Thieves like nobody cares!"
"Still, at least it was Miss Prez and not Akechi. At least we have some sort of way out." The false blonde stated, earning a frown from Yusuke.
"Enacting a change of heart on a target chosen for us by someone else...I can't say that I'm thrilled with the idea. What if Niijima-san's target doesn't possess a Palace, or even an area of Mementos? Even worse, what if her target is someone completely innocent?"
"I...don't think either of those are the case." The model spoke up. "I mean, if Niijima wanted to blackmail us to get rid of someone who pissed her off, she wouldn't have fed us all that stuff about 'seeing justice with her own eyes.' I think...she has good intentions."
"Seriously? After all that stuff you said to her the other day, you're the last person I expected to defend her." Her middle school classmate stated, earning a sigh.
"I know, but...I thought that she was just Kobayakawa's lap dog, there to clean up after his mess. But the way she flat out agreed with us about him...I think I was wrong." She admitted, frowning.
"We could discuss her motivation all day, but what I'm more concerned with is her evidence." Morgana spoke up. "Shaky footage of a Stand battle, a grainy recording...it's not exactly solid evidence. Niijima already admitted that the footage itself wouldn't hold up, but that recording...it's not solid either, but it would get people sniffing around."
"There's no way they could prove the Metaverse or Stands. But with Jolyne's probation...this ain't good." Ryuji sighed out.
"Look, I'll be honest...I think we should take the deal. We know what we're doing is right, so we just have to prove it to her. It's exactly what we talked about doing Saturday." Jolyne rationalized. "What do you guys think?"
"It's as you said: we know what we are doing is right, and we do not have any other options. I shall agree to this."
"What Yusuke said."
"Same here."
"Then it's settled. Sounds like tomorrow, one way or another, we'll have our next target."
Tuesday, 6/14/20XX, Afterschool
Makoto took deep breaths as she paced along the school rooftop, wringing her hands as she did so. To say she was nervous was an understatement. If she said the wrong thing, the entire deal would fall apart, and she would be up out of luck entirely.
Before she could dwell any further, she heard the door open, and she saw the trio of Phantom Thieves arrive on the rooftop. "Good afternoon. I take it Kitagawa-kun couldn't make it?"
"We couldn't think of a way to get him up here without raising too many suspicions. We've got him on speaker, though." Jolyne explained, Ryuji holding up his phone to show Makoto there was a call active. "So, let's get down to it: whose heart do you want us to change?"
"Straight to the point. I respect that. Very well. The target whose heart I want changed...is a
yakuza boss." To say that they were surprised was an understatement, as all jaws dropped.
"For real?!"
"You want us to take on the yakuza?! That's how you want us to prove our justice?!" Ann asked, earning a shake of the president's head.
"Of course not. Even I know taking down the entire yakuza is outside of your abilities. Rather, our focus is on the leader of one, specific group." She explained. "This group is primarily active in Shibuya. I have reason to believe that they're responsible for the recent rise in phishing scams."
"Did you say they were in Shibuya?" Yusuke's voice asked from the phone.
"That's right. I don't know the specifics, but this group obtains sensitive information, which they then use to blackmail their targets into taking part in their scams."
"Yusuke, doesn't this sound like what you were telling us about the other day?" Jolyne asked.
"Indeed." The artist's voice answered, and Makoto's brow furrowed.
"You're already aware of this?"
"Not quite. Last week, I noticed a number of posts from individuals stating that their friends had begun to behave oddly after taking jobs in Shibuya. At the time, we didn't pay it much thought."
"I can see why. After all, people complaining about jobs is hardly anything new. I probably wouldn't have paid it much thought either." The president answered. "However, after the announcement Kobayakawa posted last week, the student council received a number of complaints about how they were being blackmailed, by people asking for money or demanding their compliance in scams."
"Wait, they're blackmailing students here?!" The model gasped out, earning a sad nod.
"I'm afraid so. I took this to the Principal, but he brushed it off. Said it wasn't our concern."
"Which you clearly disagree with." Jolyne surmised, earning a nod.
"That's right. It's the duty of the student council president to address the concerns of the student body, and if the administration won't help, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands."
"Heh, that sounds familiar…" Ryuji muttered, as Jolyne spoke up.
"What's their leader's name?" She asked.
"I don't know. Even finding proof that the yakuza were involved was difficult." The president answered, Jolyne crossed her arms.
"You're asking a lot. If you want us to take on yakuza, we need more than that."
"If it was easy, anyone could do it." Makoto responded. "Finding out their leader's name and changing his heart should be no problem for 'heroes of justice' such as yourself. And it's not like you have any room to refuse."
"Well, you're right about that…" Jolyne muttered.
"You have two weeks. On the 28th, if I'm still not satisfied, then I'll report you all to the police." Makoto dictated, gathering her bag. "Any questions or updates, you know where to find me. If there's nothing else, I must bid you all farewell." And with that, Makoto Niijima departed, leaving the Phantom Thieves to ponder her offer…
11/20/20XX, Unknown Location
"Bullshit!" Sae declared, cutting Jolyne off as her professional appearance momentarily crumbled. "The student council president from Shujin Academy? You're telling me Makoto stuck her nose into this Phantom Thief business?!"
"Don't tell me this is a surprise. Were you so absorbed in your work that you didn't notice what your own sister was up to?" Jolyne asked, getting Sae to winc.
"Back then...I noticed she was staying up later than usual. I knew she was researching something, something she thought I didn't notice. I...meant to ask her about it, but I had just begun my investigation. Are you telling me that she was also researching things such as Stands?"
"Bingo. You know, I really see how you and Makoto are sisters. When you both set your minds on something, it's like a dog with a bone. You won't stop until you're satisfied." The prisoner answered, Sae was about to respond, before she scowled.
"You're talking like you know her. I don't like that insinuation."
"Then don't let me insinuate, and let me explain. I'm about to get to the good part." Jolyne stated. "After our conversation on the rooftop, me and the others didn't debate too long. After all, we already made up our minds to accept the offer the day before. We started not long after that…"
Wednesday, 6/15/20XX, Early Morning
RS: Alright, so I stayed up all night pouring over the Phan-Site.
YK: Are you sure that's wise? Improper sleep routines tend to have a negative effect on one's academic performance.
RS: I don't wanna hear lifestyle advice from you, Mr. Forgets to Eat Lunch.
RS: Anyway, in my expert opinion, I think our first suspect is Iida, from Class 2-D.
AT: Oh, I think I know who you're talking about.
JC: I'll be honest, beyond you and Mishima, I know nobody else in our class.
RS: Seriously? You've been there like three months.
JC: Being a pariah doesn't exactly make me a social butterfly.
JC: Anyway, why do you think it's him?
RS: Dude's been spending left and right. He's got a fancy smartwatch, and some shoes that I know for a fact are worth 50,000 yen.
AT: That's more than we got from Kamoshida's medal…
YK: That still seems like quite a stretch. What's your evidence?
RS: Well now that we know what we're looking for, I started lookin' at the site.
RS: And I found a post saying that this guy did some odd jobs for this shady lookin' guy in Shibuya, got paid a lot, and then got strongarmed into doin' more shady stuff.
AT: That does sound like what Niijima told us…
RS: Right? So I texted Mishima, since he pays attention to that stuff.
RS: Supposedly, Iida's got some fancy part time job. Thing is, he won't tell anyone what it is.
YK: It is odd that he doesn't share any details like that.
JC: It's better than nothing.
AT: I'll try talking to him tomorrow.
JC: You sure he'll talk to us?
AT: Not to us, but most guys tend to lose their cool around a pretty girl.
RS: Uh, you sure about that? I've seen you act.
AT: Then you do it!
RS: You know what? You've got this.
YK: I will also look into things on the Kosei side, but many of the students here don't have a need for part time jobs.
YK: We're putting our faith in you and your acting skills, Ann.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Morgana muttered.
After School
Jolyne sat in her desk, pretending to look at her phone as Ann approached Iida. Morgana stuck his head out the desk, watching their blonde teammate. "Here goes nothing…" He muttered, and Jolyne set her right hand inside the desk. She activated her Stand ability, her right hand unraveling into strings and traveling towards Ann, allowing her to eavesdrop.
"Hey, Iida-kun!" Ann greeted, earning a confused look from the boy.
"Uh…hi, Takamaki-San. Can uh, can I help you?"
"Oh, well I hate to bother you, but I'm looking for some extra cash. I heard you had a part time job that was pretty easy, and I was wondering if you could help me out!" Iida was silent, but Jolyne took note that he went pale. "Please? I really need the money."
"…you don't need my help. I mean, with your looks, you could easily get a good job anywhere. I heard the maid cafe in Akihabara's hiring." The boy responde, and Jolyne frowned as Ann flinched. This was about to get interesting.
"Uh…" The model stammered our, her mind clearly going into overdrive as she drummed up an excuse. "It's…for my cat! Mr. Whiskers, uh…got hit by a car, and…and he has a rare disease! If he dies, I don't know what I'll do!"
"How's it going?" Morgana asked, Jolyne chortled.
"If Iida sees you, you were hit by a car and have a rare disease."
"I'm sick and I got hit by a car…?" The mascot muttered, as Jolyne focused back on the conversation.
"Please, Iida-kun! He's…he was a gift! From…my grandmother, who was…hit by a bus!"
"Your grandma and your cat were both hit by a bus…?" Maybe they should have given this to Ryuji…
"It's…been a bad year. Please, I heard you know a good way to make a lot of money!"
"Who told you that? Was…was it Nishikiyama?"
Jolyne's ears perked up at this, and Ann's dropped her sickeningly sweet smile.
"Nishikyama? From Class A?" Iida went pale, gathering his bag.
"I uh…I gotta go. Good luck with your grandma, or whatever…"
"Hey, wait!" However, before Ann could get anything else out of him, Iida departed, causing Ann to sigh.
"That went about as well as I expected…" She muttered, spying a string returning to Jolyne as she walked over. "You heard all of that?"
"Yup. I can't believe both your grandma and Mr. Whiskers got hit by a bus. Did you break a mirror or something?" Jolyne teased, earning a blush from the model.
"It was the best I could do on short notice!" The blonde justified, leaning on Jolyne's desk. "So, it sounds like Nishikiyama might know something."
"Sounds like. Any idea where he is?"
"Not really. I don't really know what he looks like, other than he has glasses."
"A Japanese boy with glasses? That'll narrow it down…" Jolyne sighed out, rubbing the back of her neck as she thought. "Let me try finding Mishima, he may know."
"You need me for anything else?" The blond easked, earning a small smile from Jolyne.
"No, you're good. If I find out anything, I'll call you and the boys to the hideout."
"Alright, I'll be window shopping until then. Let me know!" And with that, Ann went on her way, leaving Jolyne to gather her bag and stuff Morgana into it.
"So, how're you going to find Nishikiyama?"
"Maybe Mishima knows something? I could try him, or that newspaper club girl I always see lurking around…" Jolyne mused, heading towards the stairs…when she noticed Kawakami being chewed out by Chouno by the faculty office. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but it didn't look like the English teacher was happy. Jolyne frowned, hugging the wall and extending a string from her finger towards the two.
"…of time before someone starts asking questions. I mean, you've been late to the last three faculty meetings, and Hiruta said he saw you napping in the storage shed."
"I-I've just been real busy lately."
"I'm sure. Let me guess, new boyfriend?" Chouno asked, and Jolyne noticed Kawakami tense up.
"It's…complicated."
"C'mon, you can tell me! Ever since Kamoshida got exposed, Kobayakawa's been on the prowl for anything with even a hint of scandal to it, and it's only a matter of time before he notices. Wouldn't it be better to have someone who has your back?" Jolyne had a feeling that Chouno's intentions were less than pure. She reminded Jolyne way too much of soccer moms and housewives who did nothing but spill the dirt on the people around them.
"Uh, Miss Kawakami?" Jolyne spoke up, approaching the two. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could ask you another question?" She interrupted, and Chouno raised an eyebrow.
"Another question?"
"Another…?" And it was there that Kawakami picked up on the transfer student's cue, working up with a smile. "Oh, right! Cujoh-chan's questions about the homework I give are pretty complex, so I started giving her some help at night."
"Uh, yeah. I didn't grow up speaking Japanese, so I kind of have trouble with some of the more formal stuff." A threadbare excuse, one that could be easily debunked, but it was clear that it was good enough for Chouno.
"Giving lessons after hours? I have to say, I didn't expect that! And taking the time to help our transfer student no less…I can't believe I ever suspected you. Though I'd be careful, if I were you. If the wrong parents find out, they could claim you're playing favorites."
"I'll uh, keep that in mind."
"Well, I'll leave you two to it!" As Chouno walked away, Kawakami put on a cheery smile, only to drop it as soon as the English teacher was gone.
"Jeez, she's relentless. And now Hiruta's snooping around? Those two are the worst…" The teacher sighed out, rubbing the back of her neck. "Thanks for that, by the way. That should throw her off for a little while, at least."
"No problem. And don't worry. I won't tell anyone about, Uh…you know." Jolyne couldn't help but blush as she remembered the sight of 'Becky.' "If…you don't mind me asking…"
"Look, it's not what you think. I need the money, and it's the only night job I could find that pays decently." Kawakami explained. "Plus, it's not like I do anything dirty. They just have us talk like that to get more money out of the customers."
"Hey, I'm not judging. Gotta do what you gotta do to get by." Jolyne responded, Kawakami winced.
"…yeah, what I have to do." She muttered, letting out a sigh. "Look, I'll give you some proper answers later, but not here. You live above a cafe, right? Just…call the service one day, and ask for Becky."
"Uh, sure…" What was she getting herself into now? Before Jolyne could take the easy way out and let Kawakami go off, an idea occurred. "So before I go, do you know anything about Nishikiyama?" She asked, earning a confused look from her home room teacher.
"From Class A? What do you want to talk to him for?"
"I uh…heard he was the one to go to for social studies notes." It was clear that the secret maid didn't believe that for a second, but given how the transfer student had just bailed her out from Chouno, she didn't see it pertinent to ask questions.
"Well, he didn't do so good on the exams, so I noticed he's been studying in the library lately. I'd look there if I were you. Just…stay out of trouble, ok?"
Jolyne made no promises, instead heading up to the library on the third floor. As they did wherever she went on school grounds, rumors about the scary transfer student popped up, but Jolyne had long since stopped caring. Instead, chartreuse eyes scanned the library for her target, settling on a boy she vaguely recognized from the hallway. Taking a hunch, she walked over to the boy, clearing her throat. "Nishikyama?"
"Yes?" He absentmindedly asked, only for fear to cross his face as he recognized Jolyne. "Holy…y-you're the transfer student!"
"Yeah yeah, I know the drill by now. Don't worry, I'm not here to mug you or whatever." Jolyne reassured. "Look, I just want to ask you a question about the part time job in Shibuya. You know, the one Iida has?" As soon as Jolyne mentioned her classmate, Nishikiyama's eyes widened, his face going pale.
"Y-you know about that? I-I swear, I don't-"
"Look, I'll just get to the point. You don't want to be talking to me, so just tell me what I want to know, and you'll never have to talk to me again." Jolyne beckoned, and Nishikiyama sighed.
"…a few weeks ago, me and Iida were walking out of the arcade on Central Street, and this guy approached us. He asked us if we wanted an easy part time job, something that paid a lot of money for very little effort. The guy said that they needed people who didn't stand out, who could move around without attracting too much attention. He seemed really shady, so I said no, but Iida…"
"He said yes, didn't he?" This earned a nod from the glasses wearing student.
"Y-yeah. He was really interested, and started asking the guy a bunch of questions. I…got nervous, so I went home. Ever since then, Iida's been…weird. He's always busy, and whenever we hang out, he acts all weird. I can't ever get him to tell me what's going on." Nishikiyama explained, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Why are you asking about him? Is…is he in some sort of trouble?" Jolyne had a feeling Iida was already in some sort of trouble, but she didn't say that out loud.
"Just trying to find a part time job. That's it." And with that, Jolyne walked away, letting out a sigh. "Well that went nowhere…"
"I wouldn't say that." Morgana piped up, sticking his head out. "He gave us some specifics we didn't have before. Whatever job that shady guy has him doing, it's something that doesn't take a lot of effort, and needs people who can move around without attracting too much attention. And judging from what Niijima told us about the yakuza being involved…"
"I wonder...you don't think it's drugs, do you?"
"That's what it sounds like to me." The not-cat mused, frowning as Jolyne descended down the stairs. "If only we could have gotten Iida to stick around. That would've been a good-"
"No way." Jolyne cut off as she arrived back on the first floor, spying a particular set of blonde pigtails talking to a familiar face right in front of the door.
"Please, Iida, Francois doesn't have much longer! If I can't get the money soon, he'll...oh god, I can't even bring myself to say it!" Ann pleaded in the fakest sad voice she could muster, earning a confused look from Iida.
"I thought his name was Mister Whiskers…?"
"Good grief…" Jolyne muttered out, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth as she approached the two. "C'mon, Iida, just tell us what we want to know."
"You too, Cujoh?" Iida asked, letting out a sigh of frustration. "Look, like I've told Takamaki for the last ten minutes, I don't know anything about any part time jobs."
"C'mon, I see those shoes. And that brand new smartwatch? Not exactly something a high school student can afford." Jolyne stated, causing Iida to shirk. "Besides, Nishikiyama already told me everything." At this, the boy's eyes widened.
"Nishiki told you…?" He gasped out, looking around. "Not here. Let's go somewhere quieter." A short while later, the three were outside the gymnasium, behind the shed where the athletic department kept it's equipment. "Alright, what do you know?"
"Nothing, really. Just that you took a job from a shady guy in Shibuya, and that it needs people who can move around without being noticed." The transfer student stated, earning a sigh.
"...I'm guessing you've already figured it out, so why don't you go ahead and say it?" He meekly stated.
"You're smuggling drugs, aren't you?" The transfer student's question caused a pair of widened cerulean eyes, as Ann's jaw dropped.
"Wait, seriously? I never thought it was something like that…" She commented, as Iida looked at the ground.
"I...I didn't know that's what it was. That guy just told me that he'd pay me twenty thousand yen just to drop off this package in this coin locker in Kabukicho. I had no idea what was in it, but I didn't ask. I mean, twenty thousand yen for dropping off a package? I mean, what would you do?" Iida explained, and Jolyne frowned.
"When'd you figure out what you were transporting?"
"About a week later, when they put the money in my account. The guy...he called me out to this hostess club in Shinjuku, and he showed me all these pictures he had of me with the...package. He told me what was in it, said he'd show the police and my parents if I didn't keep doing jobs for them. They still pay me, but it's more like hush money. They're always reminding me that they have dirt on me. And if I slip up even once…"
"They release the pictures." Ann grimly stated, earning a nod from Iida. "Have you tried telling the police?"
"You kidding? These guys own the cops. Trying to report them is practically suicide." The blackmail victim responded. "There was this girl. She was smart, had a bunch of scholarships lined up to go study overseas. Anyways, she decided she'd had enough, and tried going to the cops. They told the guys running it, and they released all these photos. All her scholarships disappeared, and I heard from one of the other guys that they forced her to become a prostitute."
"Jesus…" Jolyne muttered, earning a nod from Iida.
"These guys don't mess around. You cross them, you're done." He flatly stated.
"What about their boss? Know anything about him?" Jolyne asked, earning a shake of the head.
"I only meet with one guy-he's like a manager or something. He oversees all of us in a certain area, and we have to pay a percentage of everything we earn to him. But their boss...the stories I've heard make my stomach churn. I'm getting sick just thinking about him…" Iida groaned out, but Ann placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, it's ok. You don't have to tell us anymore."
"So do you get it now? These guys will fuck your life up beyond belief. If you need money for your cat or your grandma or whatever story you tried to sell, I'd look somewhere else and stay the hell away from Central Street." Without another word, Iida grabbed his bag, preparing to storm off…
"Is there anything you can tell us about the guy?" Jolyne asked, making Iida paused.
"…if you ever see a guy with a big scar on his forehead, head in the other direction." And with that, he was gone.
"It sounds like Iida's in real trouble…"
"I agree. Let's call the boys and head to the hideout."
Shibuya, Hideout
"Damn, I didn't think it was like that…" Ryuji commented, Jolyne having just finished explaining what Iida had told them.
"I was wondering why these guys were going after high schoolers. After all, the police wouldn't pay attention to high schoolers going about their day to day. Not to mention that, if they're stopped, the victims can simply claim they're on their way to visit a friend. It's quite the ingenious strategy..." Yusuke remarked.
"What I can't believe is that Ann's acting actually worked. I thought for sure she blew it with her bad acting…" Ryuji commented, earning a frown from Ann.
"Hey, it kept him in one place long enough for Jolyne to talk to his friend!" She protested, as Jolyne cleared her throat.
"So, we know that this shady guy acts as a manager for the victims in Central Street, and that they're looking for people who don't stand out."
"I don't think this group would have a lot of luck with that…" Morgana muttered, as Jolyne continued.
"Iida didn't know the boss's name, which I guess would have been too easy. So, we'll have to do a little homework." Jolyne explained, causing Ryuji's ears to perk up.
"Oooh, are we going to Mementos? We never woulda gotten Madarame's name without Nakanohara!"
"Mementos would be a waste of time, especially without the name of a target. We'd be stuck wandering around the tunnels forever." Morgana piped up. "What Jolyne means is that we'll have to do some old fashioned research." He explained, causing Ryuji to deflate.
"I was afraid you were gonna say that…"
"Hey, wipe that look off your face! Any decent Phantom Thief knows that intel gathering is an important part of planning any heist!"
"Yeah yeah…"
"I guess it would've been too easy if everything fell into our laps like Madarame…"
"Indeed. I suppose there's nothing wrong with a little investigative work." Yusuke commented, looking out at the rain soaked Shibuya. "Hm. This weather makes such a task rather difficult."
"Yeah, I doubt a guy like that will be out in this weather. I guess we can't really do much today." Jolyne analyzed. "Alright, our investigation into the yakuza...starts tomorrow!"
Thursday, 6/16/20XX, Afternoon, Central Street
"Hey there, little lady." A shady looking man in a tacky looking jumpsuit spoke up as he approached Jolyne with a sleazy look on his face. "You look like a lady in need of some fine jewelry. Lucky for you, I've got some stuff here that looks like it's just your style."
"Sorry, not interested." She responded, only for Morgana to speak up.
"Didn't Iida say that these guys were shady? I'd say this guy qualifies."
"Good grief…" Jolyne muttered, swallowing her pride. "Uh, I don't have a lot of cash right now."
"That's all good! Just so happens, my shop just got a lot of extra inventory. My boss wants me to practically give this stuff away." Sleazy Man stated.
"Still, I dunno. I don't have a lot of money, and I'm really in the market for a part time job." Jolyne hoped that this would be the phrase needed to open the metaphorical door, but no dice.
"Aw, that's ok! My shop's just around the corner, and I'm sure we can work something out."
"Yeah, I'm good." Jolyne walked off without another word, letting out a sigh. "I hope the others are having better luck…" She muttered, before stopping. Who was that familiar head of brown hair with her face buried in a manga…?
Underground Mall
"Oh, I think Takuya would like to see you in this!"
"I dunno, I don't really like the color…" Two Shujin academy students were in the underground mall, looking at clothes in the mall…
"Excuse me." A voice said, and the two girls turned to see Yusuke approaching them. "I couldn't help but notice you looking at those expensive clothes. By any chance, are you working a part time job to help pay for such things." Yusuke asked. The two girls exchanged a look, scurrying off without another word. "Was it something I said?"
Underground Walkway
"Man, having a girlfriend is ridiculously expensive. I'm burning through my allowance like crazy. I think I'll have to get a part time job. " A Kosei student stated, causing Ann's ears to perk up.
"You gonna do that thing I've been hearing about around here?"
"You mean that delivery gig? Hell no. That shit's sketchy as hell." Kosei One stated. "Heh, maybe I'll try and solve a crime. You know, give that Akechi douche a run for his money."
"Dude, no way. He's got like...actual brains. I'd try to pass social studies before you try to solve any murders. You'd be better off at like, Big Bang Burger or something." Kosei Two countered, earning a sigh from Ann. Maybe Ryuji was having better luck…
Inogami Line
"Excuse me, young man?" An elderly woman asked Ryuji clutching her bag close. "Could you help me find the line to Akihabara? I'm trying to buy a gift for my grandson, but I'm afraid I've gotten turned around."
"Uh, sure. See, you wanna go past this red line here and…"
Shibuya Square
"Ughhhhh that was pointless!" Ryuji groaned out, as they took their seat in the karaoke room. The karaoke lounge in Shibuya wasn't a traditional meeting place, but it had a private room where they could talk freely and not risk being overheld. "I tried askin' around about the guy, but I ended up helpin' this old lady get to a line…"
"At least you actually did something. I followed these Kosei guys for a while, but didn't find out anything."
"And I tried asking around the Underground Mall. I...don't think I should go back in there anytime soon."
"And I got hit on by a creepy guy trying to sell me jewelry that I'm sure was fake. So sounds like a productive day." Jolyne sighed out, sitting on a bench. "Never thought this would be so hard…"
"I guess it would've been too much to hope it would fall into our laps like Madarame did…" Ann commented, Ryuji was about to say something else…
"Take over, it's time to boogie down!" A high pitched, off key voice wailed from the other side of the wall, earning a wince from Jolyne.
"God, they suck…"
"Can't we ask Miss Prez to mix it up? You know, change her request?" Ryuji asked, but Yusuke shook his head.
"I don't see that working. Even from my one in person encounter, I can tell Niijima-san isn't someone who can be easily persuaded." He commented, wincing as the next room over commenced wailing. "He truly is tone deaf…"
"And even if we could get her to change her mind, I don't think we should. There are criminals out there strong-arming kids into doing illegal stuff. I mean, if that's not a target for the Phantom Thieves, I don't know what is." The model replied, frowning as a new voice began wailing from the next room. "Can even one of these guys sing?"
"Who woulda thought that karaoke could be so loud if you weren't singing…" The former track star muttered, letting out a sigh. "I know it feels like we're just giving up after one day, but this is going to be pretty tough. There's gotta be something we missed…"
And that was it. The sentence that came out of Ryuji's mouth got Jolyne's brain going into overdrive, pouring over her conversation with Iida. Central Street, Shady Guy, people who didn't stick out, package with drugs, girl with her life ruined, guy with a big scar. There was something else, something she can't believe that she's forgotten about…
"Shinjuku." The leader blurted out, earning their attention.
"Wuzzat?" Ryuji asked, as Jolyne thought.
"Iida said that the guy he reports to called him to a hostess club in Shinjuku. I thought it was weird that he'd invite a high schooler to a hostess club, but I didn't think about it too much." Jolyne analyzed, and Yusuke tapped his chin.
"That's certainly a bizarre place to bring someone for a meeting, especially a high schooler. It's possible that the man we're looking for could have a preference for clubs like that." The artist analyzed.
"Still, Shinjuku's a big place. I don't even know where we'd start to look for a place like this."
"Hey, Jolyne, didn't we see the redlight district back when we were exploring? Wouldn't that have a place like that?" Morgana asked, earning a nod.
"That seems like as good a place as any to start looking."
"Are...you sure about that?" Ann spoke up. "Shinjuku's pretty seedy. I don't like the idea of you going there by yourself…"
"Fear not, Lady Ann. I'll be there to guard her every step of the way!"
"No offense, Morgana, but you can't really do a lot in that body…"
"Heh, Matsumoto's eye would beg to differ!"
"Much as I appreciate the thought, Morgana, but Ann's right. I don't really like the idea of going to a red light district by myself."
"If it'll make you feel better, I'll go with you." Ryuji spoke up. "I mean, two badass Stand users should be more than enough to handle any creepy guys."
"Hey, we're users too! Mine just...isn't fully formed yet." Ann protested, sighing. "I guess if Ryuji goes, it'll be alright…"
"So, it sounds like our plan is set." The group's painter remarked. "Will you go tonight?"
"Nah, not tonight. I kinda bombed on the last exams, so my mom's been on me about studying more. I gotta at least try to make the effort, you know?"
"Hey, no explanation needed. We'll just meet up there tomorrow afternoon."
Niijima Apartment
"Sis, I'm home!" Makoto called out, leaving her shoes by the door as she set her bag down. "How was work?"
"Hm? Oh, it was fine." Sae spoke up from her spot at the kitchen table, looking at files on the computer.
"Is your investigation proceeding alright?" Makoto asked, and Sae gave a nod as she examined her files.
"Yes, it's proceeding rather well." The older sister answered, and the younger one smiled.
"I'm glad to hear it." She said, and was about to go to her room…
"Oh, before you settle in for the night, you should know that the school called me." Sae stated, stopping Makoto in her tracks. "They asked if you've made any lifestyle changes lately."
"Huh?" Makoto's brow furrowed, as she frowned. "How so?"
"According to your teachers, you've been acting like you're obsessed with something."
"Oh, that. I've...been thinking pretty hard about the entrance exams lately. I didn't do so hot on the practice exam I took a few weeks ago, and I've let it get to me." The President justified, and Sae frowned.
"That's what I told them, but I'm worried that's not quite the whole story. I've noticed you've been staying up late the past few weeks, and you've come home late the past few nights." Sae recounted, turning to her sister. "You're not mixed up in anything shady, are you? I've heard stories from some of my colleagues about girls your age getting coerced into illegal prostitution rings."
"I've...heard something about that as well. People have been talking about stuff like that at school."
"Hm. So it's reached Shujin…" Sae muttered, offering a small smile. "Don't worry. We're close to a breakthrough that'll let us put an end to all that. And then you can focus on your studies, and put all that stuff about the practice exam behind you." She reassured, earning a smile from her sister.
"Thanks, sis. I'll...try to keep that in mind." Makoto replied, getting a nod from her sister. As Makoto headed into her room, neither sister was aware just how true Sae's statement was: soon, there would be a breakthrough that would put an end to it all.
A/N: I'm counting this and next chapter as a two parter. Until next time, wash your hands, wear your mask, and stay safe!