Chapter 43: Black Mask Investigation
October 4
After everything that happened with Kasumi, Ren and the others that were there that night decided to not tell the others about Kasumi's awakening for now due to the craziness going on with the public regarding Okumura. Instead, they let Octavia focus on her investigation into who the Black Mask was. "Hm…" Octavia hummed to herself as she sat around in Kichijoji, going over all the possibilities for who the Black Mask could be.
"Ah, Goetia-san!" Akechi greeted, startling the princess. "Oh, pardon my sudden appearance. I have the day off and was looking around Kichijoji at my own leisure."
"It's fine, Akechi," Octavia replied, catching her breath. "I was just out here doing some thinking. I'm working on an… investigation of sorts."
"Well you know, I am something of a detective myself," Akechi replied with a chuckle. "What is it you're trying to figure out?"
"…The identity of the Phantom Thieves," Octavia lied. She knew she couldn't tell Akechi, a detective with ties to the police force, about who her true target was. 'But if I misdirect him, maybe he can give me some ideas…'
Akechi gave a hum and a frown. "You know it could be dangerous going after them. They could "change your heart" if you do so, or their fans could come after you… as they've been hounding on me as of late."
"I somehow doubt I'm even on the Phantom Thieves' radar," Octavia said. "But still, I need to find out who they are, or at least a way to contact them in person, away from… prying eyes."
"You sound like you have something to hide," Akechi accused, crossing his arms.
Octavia took Akechi by the hand and moved to a more secluded area. "I know you're working the Phantom Thieves case, and that must mean you've been tracking their targets, right?"
"Yes, and at least two of the confirmed cases involving them has ties to your school, Shujin Academy," Akechi nodded.
"I noticed that too. It made me think that someone from or associated with Shujin might be involved," Octavia said. She was really just feeding Akechi things he probably already knew, but the next part was going to be important based on how he answered. "There's also the case of the Phan-Site. I don't know who runs the site, but for the most part it seems that minor cases have been solved by the Phantom Thieves through it judging by certain responses to particular posts on the site."
"Yes, and since everything is done anonymously, besides the targets' names, we have little use of it," Akechi replied.
"But if you didn't notice, there's been one name that's been at the top of the latest poll: the CEO of Okumura Foods," Octavia said, showing Akechi the poll.
"It seems that a lot of people have a bone to pick with that man. Have you heard that he might be trying to get into politics?" Akechi asked.
Octavia shook her head. "Not important. What is important is just how many posts have been made about this guy. The Phantom Thieves have been getting more popular, sure, but something about this target seems… artificial, in a way."
"Are you suggesting that people are using bots to skew the poll?" Akechi questioned.
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way, even if Okumura did have some dark secret about him, it feels like this is a setup in some way," Octavia said. "And if the Phantom Thieves are kids from my school, what if something happens to them?"
"Then they'll finally face justice for their crimes," Akechi dismissed.
Octavia frowned. "Are you really that heartless, Akechi? The Phantom Thieves have frankly done more work at solving crimes here in Tokyo than the detectives have by my track record. I know vigilantism is frowned upon, but…"
"…But what?" Akechi asked.
'There. This is where I get some answers,' Octavia thought. "The Phantom Thieves are doing good in the world, but I've also noticed that their "change of heart" tactics are eerily similar to what I've read online as "mental shutdown" cases. The methods for either are unknown, but both of them cause a radical shift in the target."
"Yes, it is possible that the Phantom Thieves are the cause of the mental shutdown cases," Akechi admitted.
"Or- and hear me out- there is another group that's behind the mental shutdowns working on the background," Octavia said. "If the Phantom Thieves have a power of some kind that lets them change hearts, then who's to say that others can have a similar power?"
"It sounds like you're deflecting the blame off of the Phantom Thieves," Akechi said, shaking his head. "I think in all honesty you should leave the detective work to the professionals, Goetia-san. I mean, what would this supposed third party even gain from the mental shutdowns?"
"…I don't know, but it just doesn't fit the Phantom Thieves' MO," Octavia sighed. "Look, if you're not going to be any help then you can leave, but…" She paused, suddenly recalling the fact that Akechi might have some idea about the Metaverse. "Pancakes…" Octavia muttered.
"Pancakes? I think it's a bit late in the day for those," Akechi laughed.
Octavia shook her head. "Ugh, look, if the Phantom Thieves were to come out of the shadows, do you think they could, I dunno, work for the government, or at least be recognized as some sort of private eye group? Change the hearts of criminals in a legal way."
"Hm, and interesting thought, but unlikely given current circumstances. This is an election year, after all. Not much room for a radical change like that, especially after all the discourse they've caused." Akechi said.
"It was worth suggesting, at least… Well then, I guess I just have one last thing to ask you," Octavia said, taking Akechi's hand in her own. "I have a friend who's in a bit of a jam, and Ren and I are trying to help her. If you have the time, do you think you could meet us on the tenth of this month? I know some of my other friends don't trust you, but I think your intuition and could be a great help to us, even as just support."
"Hm… I'd have to check my schedule, but I'll call you and let you know if I can make it," Akechi said.
Octavia gave him a smile. "Okay, that's all I need. We'll hopefully see you when the time comes, Akechi."
"Until we meet again, Goetia-san," Akechi said.
As the detective prince walked off, Octavia frowned and looked at her hand, her eyes glowing as she detected the energy coming off of it. "Oh… Akechi…" she sighed, closing her eyes and punching the wall next to her. "Why did it have to be you of all people…?" Octavia took in a deep breath. 'I know what I felt then I subtly scanned you aura, Akechi. The darkness from before… I can't tell the others, not yet, but I will be making some plans. The Black Mask will be revealed whether it really is you or not, Detective Prince…'
[***]
Chihaya: There's something I really want to talk to you about! Oh, it's nothing you need to brace yourself for. I just want to tell you face to face. Can I see you?
Ren: We'll come see you.
Chihaya: Thanks so much! I'll be waiting at the shop.
"The members seem to be doing well now," Chihaya informed Ren and Octavia when they arrived at her usual table. "I do a phone consultation with them from time to time, and they're all very cheerful… That goes for my fortune teller customers as well. I've been getting thanked a lot more lately. Even by the people who get bad fortunes. Particularly when I tell them they can alter their fate!"
"You seem to be well. You've changed," Octavia noted.
"Thanks… but I've still got a long way to go," Chihaya replied. "I had a best friend in the town I used to live in… She was the first person I read a fortune for. When she started avoiding me, I read the fortune of our fate. It was a terrible result, but I prayed that it would somehow work out. However, that never happened… That's when I started to believe that fate couldn't be changed."
She shook her head. "No surprise though, right? Because I didn't take action on my part to try and change it. I haven't talked to her in years… Maybe I'll try contacting her sometime."
"It's never too late," Ren said.
"Yeah, you're right!" Chihaya smiled. She suddenly gasped, looking to her cards. "…Oh, could this be!? …Aha! The power of conviction is amazing. Her fate and mine are connected! I will no longer be swayed… by names like Monster or Maiden. I am simply a fortune teller who provides advice to people with broken spirits. So that they will have conviction and face their future without getting pushed around by fate. That's the fate I've chosen for myself!"
"We support you," Octavia and Ren said together.
Chihaya giggled. "Thank you. Now, it's your turn to speak. What would your conviction be… as a phantom thief? Sorry, I used fortune telling to find out your true identity. I couldn't help but think that you had something to do with the chairman's confession. Then I discovered that you're the Trickster who causes a sensation in the world, and your cousin is a demon fated to help make that change. It was the same pair of cards as the figures who helped me take down the chairman. It finally struck home for me…!"
"You're pretty sharp," Octavia confessed, looking around to see that no one was around before dropping her human disguise.
Chihaya laughed. "I got you good, didn't I? But I don't care what your true identities are. As long as you're around… I can always be my true self. So, it's fine. Only… the fate of the Phantom thieves is rather unclear. The arcana is set in a tricky position. You can almost say it's facing both heaven and hell… This is the first time I've ever seen anything like it."
"What does it mean?" Ren asked.
"I'm sorry. I really can't read this sequence," Chihaya apologized. "However… I'll be by your side! As the fortune teller who changes fates, I will guide you so you can avoid misfortune!"
"Thank you," Ren said with a smile. 'I sense a strong bond with Chihaya…'
"Still, what a strange sequence the cards were in when I read the fortune about your true identity," Chihaya admitted. "Several cards with strong personalities gathered around the Trickster. It's quite improbable… It was almost as if it were trying to connect them together. You either have amazing charisma, or you're a trouble magnet."
"It's definitely both," Octavia giggled, ribbing Ren a bit. "Chihaya, there is a question I've been wanting to ask you, and seeing as you know my true identity now, I think it makes sense to ask it now… Do you have any demon lineage of some kind?"
"Huh?" Chihaya gasped in confusion.
"It's just that whenever you use your fortune telling, I feel a faint sense of magic from your cards," Octavia explained. "I was wondering if you knew anything of your origins."
"Both of my parents are human… however…" Chihaya muttered to herself as she looked at her cards again. "Wait, could it be… I can't be certain, but there could be a possibility of my family having Yokai ancestry. Could that be where my power comes from?"
"Yokai? Hm… I'm not as familiar with Japanese "demons," though I believe that some of them are considered aligned with Heaven," Octavia hummed.
"Either way, you're just Chihaya to us, regardless of where you get your powers from," Ren said.
"Thank you both for everything you've done for you," Chihaya smiled. "The verification tests are over, but don't forget about me, okay? Please, visit again sometime."
Before they left, Octavia left one of her charms with Chihaya, a special card that depicted the Wheel of Fortune with a great white beast on it, the Hakutaku, bringer of good omens and warder of evil. The fortune teller felt a connection with the beast of legend, and from that day forward, whenever Chihaya doubted herself, she made sure to include her special card in her readings to steer her to the right path.
[***]
October 5
Heading to Leblanc to hang out after school, Loona and Ren found Futaba sitting outside the café by herself. "What's up, Futaba?" Loona asked.
"Um, well…" Futaba looked down. "Sorry about what happened in Akihabara. I really messed up… That police officer… He was a way higher level than me…"
"Girl you just started going out and being social. It's okay to eff up a bit," Loona shook her head.
"You did well all the same, Futaba," Ren added.
"Yeah… I guess you're right…" Futaba held her head up. "I mean, I still managed to buy some stuff after that. But that was only 'cause you two were there… Anyways… Can we go up to your room? I wanna talk to you some more."
"Any time, Futaba," Ren nodded.
Futaba smiled. "Okay. Let's go, you two." Up in Leblanc's attic, Futaba took the couch while Ren and Loona sat off to the side. "Akihabara was lots of fun. I think I wanna try going somewhere else sometime."
The hacker adjusted her glasses. "…It really sounds like Sojiro wants me to go back to school. But online classes are better for studying! I wouldn't even have to leave the house."
"That's a great idea," Loona said. "You wouldn't have to deal with idiots all the time."
"Ain't it!? I can attend classes without even getting out of bed!" Futaba nodded. "Though… I dunno if Sojiro'd really consider that going to school. School… Um, to be honest… I really do wanna go back. Do you think I'll be able to?"
"If we work together," Ren replied.
"…Yeah!" Futaba cheered. "I… I'm gonna do my best! Oh, I should make a promise list!"
"A promise list?" Loona repeated in confusion.
"My mom used to have me do that all the time," Futaba explained. "She'd write all my goals for the month, like cleaning the house or running errands for her. Then when I'd finish one, she'd mark it off with a big stamp. She always used to write comments too… Those were the best. Oh, and once I finished all my goals, she would take a day off work to spend time with me. It's decided them! I'm gonna make a promise list! Time to get my ideas ready!"
Futaba went and grabbed some pen and paper, making a list in a journal. Loona watched as she did so, chuckling a bit as Futaba muttered to herself while she wrote. 'She's really into this…' Loona shook her head.
"…All done!" Futaba declared, putting her pen down. "So, these are my promises. 1. Go somewhere with lots of people. Getting used to big crowds is key. 2. Go to school. I wanna see what the inside of a normal high school looks like. 3. Learn about my generation. I definitely need more info… 4. Have a normal conversation with a stranger my age. How's that?"
"Sounds good to me," Ren said.
"Ditto," Loona nodded.
"I'm not setting a deadline for this, by the way. I wanna try and finish all of them someday!" Futaba said. "You're gonna have to help me though. I'll work even harder with my navigation in return!"
'I can sense Futaba's trust in us…' Ren thought.
"S-So, um… If I finish all the promises, do you think I could have a reward?" Futaba asked. "I know it's kinda weird to ask… but having a reward waiting at the finish line will totally push me onward! Anyway, I got this! Though I'm kinda exhausted from making the list, soooooo… Tomorrow. I got this… tomorrow."
"Never change, Futaba," Loona laughed, patting the redhead on the head.
[***]
October 6
Octavia: Hey Ren, can you meet me near Leblanc today? My dad wanted to try some of your coffee, and I wanted you to be there when he comes by.
Ren: Sure, I can meet you there.
Octavia: Great! I'll let him know.
"Oh my, what a quaint little establishment!" Stolas hooted as he walked into Leblanc. He looked around the place in awe, eyeing the "Sayuri" on the wall. "Oh, and this painting! Whoever made it is a great artist! I might have to commission them for our home!"
"Kinda hard to do that when the artist is dead, Dad," Octavia muttered. "And please try to be a bit normal, will you?"
"Sorry dear, but I don't get to come up here and have fun… at all really," Stolas chuckled. He turned away from the painting and noticed Sojiro and Ren behind the counter. "Oh, and you're the man that's been taking care of my nephew!"
"Ren, who is this man?" Sojiro asked.
"Octavia's dad," Ren replied.
"Stoyan Goetia, a pleasure to meet you," Stolas said, taking Sojiro's hand and shaking it. "You run a good shop here, sir, and my lovely daughter has told me of your wonderful blends! I was hoping to get to try some for myself."
"I'm sorry about him, Boss," Octavia sighed as her father sat down and started rattling off a complicated order to Ren. "My dad is… eccentric, to say the least."
"Most rich types are," Sojiro shook his head. "I'm surprised at how normal you turned out, Octavia."
"I ask myself how that happened every day as well," Octavia muttered.
"Here's your order," Ren said, setting down the coffee in front of Stolas.
The owl prince took a sip of the coffee, his eyes going wide before giving a moan of pleasure, quickly taking another sip. "Oh heavens above this is delightful! I can see why you like their coffee so much, Via. Much better than what the servants make back home."
Sojiro shook his head at Stolas' antics. "Well, I need to go out to pick up food for Futaba. You're in charge of the shop while I'm gone, Ren."
As soon as Sojiro left, Octavia let out a sigh. "Dad, please don't embarrass me like that. Boss is really cool, and that… was not."
"I'm sorry, Starfire, but, well, you know that socializing isn't my strong suit," Stolas apologized. "But this coffee really is delicious. Care to tell me the recipe you use?"
"Trade secret," Ren replied.
Octavia giggled. "I'll see if I can get Boss to give me some tips before the ordeal is done, Dad, promise. And… there's something else I wanted to talk to you about." She turned to Stolas and put a hand on his. "It's about home, and what it will be like when I get back. I know we already helped Mom get back on the right path, but I have to know if I'll still be able to call your place home when I return."
"Of course, Via. My house is your house," Stolas said.
"No, Dad, I mean will you see me for who I am and not just as a little kid," Octavia shook her head. "Remember when you took me to Loo-Loo Land and made the promise to never leave me? Well, I wasn't just mad at you that day because you were flirting with Blitz the whole time- though that was part of it. I was also mad because you've always treated me like I'm still five-years-old. But I'm seventeen now, almost eighteen, and I don't want to come home to find you acting like everything is the same as when I left."
"Starfire…" Stolas said.
Octavia felt tears coming to her eyes. "I love you, Dad, but you keep everything bottled up and act like it's fine when it's not. I had to pry out of you how you really felt about Mom, and it hurts knowing you couldn't be open and honest with me about that until we backed you into a corner. I know how much it hurts to hold in your true feelings- Hell, I've seen it hurt my friends like Yusuke. But as a Phantom Thief I've also seen how liberating it can be to show your true self."
"My dear, my true self… it's not easily accepted by the other Goetia…" Stolas said.
"Well then, screw them! They never really cared about us, so why should we care about what they think of us?" Octavia asked. "I have half the mind to try and change their hearts after all of this is over. Mom is trying to be better now, and I know you can be too, Dad. And that starts with Blitz."
"What about him?" Stolas questioned.
Octavia sighed. "I won't say I like him, but… I can at least see that he means something to you, Dad. I want you to be happy and true to your heart, and if that means… courting Blitz, then I won't stop you. Just, please don't be so creepy and perverted in your flirting, especially when I'm in the room."
"Oh, Starfire…" Stolas whispered, coming her mouth as his own tears started to form. "I'll admit that I've tried to shield you from the cruelties of Hell, and maybe I did too much. I never had a real childhood, but it seems I may have overcorrected a bit and even failed in a few areas as your father. So then, allow me to make you a new promise: I will be the best father I can be for you, and in return, I want you to be the best version of yourself. I've seen how your human friends have let you grow, Octavia, and I don't want anyone, not even the other Goetia, to change the strong and beautiful woman I see before me now."
"Dad…" Octavia smiled, giving her father a big hug.
'I sense the bond between Octavia and her father growing stronger…' Ren thought.
"It won't be easy, but if you think you could change Hell, then I will support you," Stolas said. "And if what my brother is saying about your mother is true, I'm sure Stella will help you as well."
"Thanks, Dad," Octavia said. "So, is there anything else you want to see while you're in Tokyo?"
"Oh, I've always wanted to see one of those bathhouses they have here in Japan," Stolas said.
"There's one just across the street," Ren said.
"Then there's no time to waste!" Stolas exclaimed. He took out some human money and slapped it on the table before going out the door, almost hitting Sojiro on the way in.
"Woah there!" Sojiro shouted, moving out of the way as Stolas ran out. "What's got him on a hurry?"
"Just Dad being Dad…" Octavia shook her head.
Sojiro sighed and went back behind the counter, before doing a double take at the bills Stolas placed on the counter. "What the-!? This is way more than a single cup of coffee! Rich people, I swear…"
"Just take it, Boss. Dad isn't going to take no for an answer," Octavia giggled. "I'll see you later, Ren!"
[***]
October 7
"Ah, Goetia-san, right?" Dr. Maruki said as Octavia entered the room.
"You can call me Octavia, doc," Octavia replied, taking a seat. "So, this is a therapist office, huh? Probably could have used one of these growing up…"
"Sounds like you have things to talk about…" Maruki chuckled nervously.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to just trauma dump on you, doc," Octavia assured him. "I've just… been on a journey, as of late. My parents went through a divorce, and it wasn't until recently that I found out just how toxic they were towards each other."
"Ah, family revelations can be hard," Maruki said with sympathy.
"I guess I'm lucky that they both care about me still. I know not everyone has that luxury," Octavia sighed. "Part of why they sent me here to Japan was so I could get away from the drama, but I wish they had been more open about their feelings to me growing up. I'm not stupid, I could see the cracks forming, but I wanted them to be the ones to tell me that something was wrong? And I know that our family is a bit old-fashioned, but in all honesty, they should have had this divorce done ages ago."
"Hm… It sounds to me like you have some guilt for things out of your control," Maruki said. "Children often blame themselves for marital problems, thinking they are the reason for their parents fighting. However, it's ana unhealthy way of thinking. The adult world can be complicated, and sometimes children unfortunately get caught in the crossfire."
"I know… I just wish it could have been different," Octavia said. "Either Mom and Dad actually loved each other, or they could have worked out a way to be separate but still be my parents…"
"We all wish certain circumstances in our life were different," Maruki nodded. "I know there are events in my life I wish were different or didn't happen, but all we can do in the present is learn from them. You said your parents still loved and cared for you, right? Then I believe you should focus on renewing those bonds with them."
"Yeah, that makes sense," Octavia nodded. "What about you, doc? I don't know if it's okay to ask, but how did you learn from your past?"
"Well, it's part of the reason I am a counselor. I'm writing a paper to finalize my research right now, actually," Maruki said. "I really think it'll expand the field of healing trauma."
"We could use more of that in this world," Octavia smiled. "Thanks for listening to me. I never knew talking about this stuff with a third party would help me sort out all of my final thoughts. I was working on ways to connect to my parents again, but now I feel like when I go back home, I'll be able to do so with confidence."
"That's the spirit," Maruki said. He held up a juice box, the princess happily taking it. "Here's to renewing your bonds."
"To reforged bonds," Octavia nodded.
[***]
Late that night, Loona and Ren went to Untouchable once again, ready for their next assignment with Iwai. "This time, I'm going to have you gather some info. You'll be on your own, though. I gotta take care of some other business," the gun shop owner explained. "The guy you're looking for is homeless, but he knows what he's up to. He'll be somewhere in Shibuya. Get info on the "rumor about the underground deal," and don't act all suspicious. I gotta take care of some other business, so I'm counting on you kids."
"Hey, this'll be easy," Loona laughed as they stepped outside. "With my nose, I can sniff out the guy we're looking for."
"Makes sense, since you're a hellhound," Ren nodded.
"Yep. My nose is so good, I can track someone down with only their name. Magic and all that junk," Loona said. It didn't take long for the duo to find their target, true to her word, and soon they got his attention. "Yo, we're here about rumors with an underground deal."
"So you want to know about some underground business deals, huh?" the homeless man mused. "Y'know you can find anything you need on the internet, right…? Or are you looking for something a little more? I can see it in your eyes… Who sent you here?"
"Nunya," Loona replied.
"Who?" the man raised an eyebrow.
"None ya business," the hellhound replied, chuckling at her own joke.
The homeless man shook his head. "Sure. Anyways, I'll tell you… but just this once. You're getting into some shady business here." He looked around a bit. "All right, just act like I'm mumbling to myself, you got it? No promises I'm going to say anything useful either. So, an exec for the Hong Kong mafia came to Japan some time round New Years of this year. Apparently something big went down with a huge Asian investor. Deal was worth about… 100 million yen. Though you'd figure something that massive woulda got more people talking about it… Maybe they leased some kinda high-end club to keep it as private as possible…? I didn't hear a thing about that though."
The man turned away. "All right, we're done here. Go."
Heading back to the shop, Loona sniffed the air and growled. "Someone else is in there with Iwai…" she warned Ren.
He nodded and carefully opened up the door, the two hearing an intimidating voice coming from the back. "Your store is impressive as always. Great stuff, Iwai!"
"It's nice to hear that coming from you, Tsuda-san," Iwai replied.
"I bet you could start a war with realistic models like these," Tsuda praised. "Seriously, these are incredible. I should get going now though." Tsuda walked out of the back, a man in a pinstripe suit and sunglasses. He gave a confused hum when he noticed Ren and Loona standing there.
"Welcome," Iwai said, treating them as customers to not arouse suspicion.
"All right Iwai, I'll take one of everything you showed me today. I'll need and entire arsenal," Tsuda said. "How long will that take?"
"Depends on how quick the parts come in. Some stuff's prolly gonna have to go through customs…" Iwai replied. "How long things get stuck there's totally outta my control though…"
"Tell me, Mune… What's your son's name? Kaoru-kun, was it?" Tsuda asked.
"…That's right," Iwai nodded.
"Well then… if you don't deliver on time, I might just have to let Kaoru-kun in on your little secret," Tsuda threatened.
"Tsuda-san, please…" Iwai said.
"I wonder, how will an adolescent boy like him react to finding out his father was in the yakuza…?" Tsuda questioned. "I guess if things go sour, we could always try to sell him again…"
'Sell him… What the fuck!?' Loona thought, Ren sharing equally concerning thoughts.
"Fine… I'll put a rush on your order. Happy now?" Iwai sighed.
"Very much so," Tsuda nodded. "Well then, I look forward to hearing for you again… soon. Sorry to make you wait, kids…"
As soon as Tsuda left, Iwai slammed his fist on the counter. "God dammit!"
"What did he mean "sell" him?" Ren asked.
Iwai shook his head. "Just forget about it. Sorry you had to see that. Anyways, how'd it go today? You learn about anything good?"
"A 100-million-yen deal," Loona replied, explaining what they had heard from the informant.
"Huh. So someone made a big deal with the Hong Kong mafia worth 100 million yen…" Iwai repeated the information. "And it happened sometime round New Years… Wouldn't surprise me if Tsuda had something to do with it. I hear he's been bragging all over about a big score he made right near the start of the year. I've gotta do some more research into it myself…"
Iwai smirked. "Anyways, nice job. I'm gonna be able to give Tsuda a real scare thanks to the info you gave me!"
"Where's our reward?" Ren asked.
Iwai chuckled. "Anyone ever told you how demanding you are? But, uh… another time, yeah? Man, I can't wait to see the look on Tsuda's face. It's been ages since I've felt this excited. And it's all cause of you kids. Turns out you're pretty useful. Well, I'm gonna head home early and spend some good ol' quality time with Kaoru to celebrate. Damn fine job again, kids. Get on outta here."
As the two left, Loona looked to Ren with some concern. "I know we only met the kid once, but I don't like how that Tsuda guy was talking about Kaoru."
"Agreed. If the yakuza try anything…" Ren held out his hand, calling on his demonic powers to blast apart a can on the floor.
"Yeah, we'll tear down the whole damn organization if they fuck with that kid," Loona nodded, pounding her fists together with a feral grin on her face.
[***]
October 8
Octavia: Everyone, emergency meeting at my place. It's important.
Ryuji: Did you find out who the Black Mask is!?
Octavia: Possibly, but that's not the important part. What is important is our plan for dealing with him.
Collin: We'll be there as soon as possible, Octavia.
Yusuke: I'm interested in learning about this dangerous individual.
Loona: I just want to know who you point at so I can beat them up.
Octavia: That might be a problem, considering who they are. IT might get us in hot water if we don't time this right.
Ren: Let's all gather at Octavia's apartment. We can discuss things further there.
Futaba: Eye, eye, captain!
Once the Phantom Thieves were all at Octavia's place, the princess stood before them, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Okay, I know we're cutting it close to the deadline, but I believe I may have an answer for who the Black Mask is."
"You keep saying "believe" and "may have." Are you not certain of who this Black Mask is?" Haru asked.
"It's… complicated," Octavia sighed. "Ann, Ryuji, remember when we visited the TV station for our school trip?"
"Yeah, Ren got to go up against Akechi challenge him on live television," Ryuji nodded.
"Well, while we were there, Ren and I sensed something within Akechi," Octavia said.
Ren gasped. "Right! I didn't remember it at first, but he had a strange aura about him."
Octavia nodded. "Yes, and just the other day I meet Akechi again and poked at him with a few questions regarding the Phantom Thieves as my cover story. When I touched his hand, I got a better reading on his aura… and it was the same strange one I felt following us in Okumura's Palace."
"So Akechi is the Black Mask!" Ryuji exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. "I knew that guy couldn't be trusted!"
"Now that you mention that day, didn't he also say something about pancakes?" Ann recalled.
"Oh yeah, I wanted to try some pancakes, and then Akechi conveniently mentioned wanting to have some when he came around the corner," Morgana nodded. "Hm, if Akechi is the Black Mask, this could get tricky. Not only does he have ties with the police, but it also means he has the same Potential as all of us."
"A rogue Persona user, and one that's apparently also a hired hitman to get rid of people in the Metaverse," Yusuke hummed with worry.
"Oh dear. If he was in Father's Palace, could be possibly…?" Haru gasped.
Octavia gave a grim nod. "Yes, it's very possible that someone may have hired the Black Mask to take out your father, Haru. And What's worse is how convenient is that Okumura is at the top of the poll on the Phan-Site as well."
"…This whole thing is a setup," Ren frowned.
"Looks like it. He steal Okumura's Treasure, and then the Black Mask kills his Shadow, framing us as the ones that killed him," Morgana said.
"So just like everyone else, Akechi has another face he puts on, his is just contrasting a boy detective with a hired gun," Collin said. "You've been spending time with him, Ren. Did you ever get a sense of his other side?"
"…He's good at light gun games, and at billiards. He also has a sharp eye, and it wouldn't surprise me if he already knew about at least myself and possibly Via as being Phantom Thieves," Ren said. "If he does have a Persona, he could very well be our toughest target yet."
"And that's why I want us to recruit him to our cause," Octavia said.
"What!?" everyone exclaimed at once.
"You want us to work with the guy that might have killed my mom!?" Futaba shouted, her eyes going red as her anger bubbled up.
Loona put a protective arm around Futaba. "Octavia, you better explain what your plan is to these guys. I can see where you're coming from, but I'm also a freaking demon who's dad is a hitman."
"Right…" Octavia sighed. "Look, if the Black Mask is a hired gun, that means that he has someone higher up the food chain he's working for, right? Someone that wants to get rid of Okumura, possibly due to him wanting to enter the political world. That guy at the top is our true target, and while the Black Mask has done terrible things, his power would be more useful working for us at this point in time rather than turning him into the police."
"Hm… You do have a point there. It's not like we have substantial evidence to even convict Akechi in the first place if he is the Black Mask," Morgana said. "Still, I don't think we'll be able to recruit him so easily."
"And that's why we're setting a trap," Octavia said. "I invited Akechi to a "support meeting" for Haru on the tenth of this month, which we're going to have take place at the Okumura Foods building. Tomorrow, we'll send out the calling card for Okumura, baiting Akechi into coming to the building if he's the black mask or not."
"I think I get it," Ann nodded. "If Akechi is the Black Mask or not, he'll come to where we enter the Palace anyways."
"And he'll be walking right into the lion's den," Futaba said.
Octavia nodded. "Right. From there we'll need to split into two teams: a strike team to apprehend Akechi, and the rest of us to take down Okumura and steal his Treasure. By doing this, we at least stall the Black Mask long enough for you all to complete your task and collapse the Palace before he can attack Okumura's Shadow."
"But who will be on the team to face the Black Mask?" Makoto asked.
"Indeed. It'll be rather tricky to face another Persona user without the whole team being present," Yusuke added.
Octavia looked to her friends with a serious expression. "Ren and I are the co-leaders of this team, and that means that each of us need to spearhead these two forces. I'll be taking Loona, Collin, and Morgana with me, while the rest of you go after Okumura's Treasure. I know it's risky leaving you guys with only Makoto as a healer, but I'll need the protection of both Collin and Morgana's magic as a buffer in case anything goes wrong."
"I've been wanting to give that detective prince a piece of my mind," Loona said with a grin.
"But what if Akechi isn't the Black Mask?" Collin asked.
"If he is, we beat him into submission and force him to help us go after his boss, which should be easy to do since we can just overpower him in the real world with our demon powers," Octavia said. "And if he isn't Black Mask, then we just blackmail Akechi into helping us find the real Black Mask and haul ass into the Palace to stop the potential assassination attempt on Okumura. So, sound like a plan? We all have to agree to this before we put things into motion."
"I'm in," Ryuji said, putting his hand forward.
"You have my sword," Yusuke nodded.
"We do this to stop the Black Mask at his own game," Ann said.
"And to save Haru's father's life," Makoto added.
"Yes, let us do this!" Haru cheered.
"I'm with you all the way, Via," Loona said.
"And we'll make Akechi see our way, weather he's the Black Mask or not," Collin said.
"You know I'm always on your side, cousin," Ren said. He looked to Futaba. "What do you say, Futaba?"
The redhead looked to the group. "…You have to promise me that, if Akechi is the Black Mask, we make him pay for his crimes," Futaba said. "If he has a Persona he can't have a Palace, but we can at least turn him in to the police and get a confession out of him."
"Deal," Octavia said. She put her hand on top of the others. "Well then, let's break for today. We've got planning to do and little time to make it happen. By the tenth, we'll have our answer to the Black Mask case!"
Confidant Rank Up
Confidant: Octavia
Arcana: Aeon
Rank 9 Description: Octavia has a heart to heart with her father, both of them promising to be better for each other and support their respective goals in life as a family.
Rank 9 Ability: Protect- Chance to shield Joker from an otherwise fatal attack.
Author's Note
So, before we talk about the big topic this chapter, I want to start by giving my opinions on Chihaya and her Confidant as a whole as I did with previous Confidants. To be honest on my first playthrough of P5R, I didn't like her that much, but I've found more appreciation for the fortune teller as I wrote her in this story. She has some really good skills in-game that help (she's saved my ass when it comes to getting bonds faster with other Confidants on multiple occasions) and her story of not only choosing her own fate but helping other people break out of a cult is really inspiring. And while I left it ambiguous as to if she does have demon ancestry or not, I did pick a real Yokai to be related to her on Octavia's special Tarot card, that being the Hakutaku, which fun fact was an inspiration for the Pokemon Absolve (fitting for Chihaya I think).
And now, for the big part of this chapter. Octavia having a chance encounter with Akechi leads her to finding out he has the same aura as the intruder in the Palace, and telling the others about her theory and a plan to capture the supposed Black Mask. I wanted to make sure that everyone had their own opinions on it, especially with Futaba being the most volatile since I think the game downplays both her and Haru's justifiable anger at Akechi for murdering their parents. I also wanted to have Loona and Octavia be on board with "recruiting" (read: blackmail) Akechi into joining the team to take down whoever hired him since as demons their morality is slightly different from that of humans.
Of course, just because a plan is made doesn't mean everything will go well for the team. We'll see just how well the Phantom Theives do fighting on two fronts next time...