Heart of Justice

by ShadeJak

Teen detective Kyoko Kirigiri had strived to get into her father's school since she was a child, but one fateful night changed everything and she found herself forced to move and stuck on probation under false charges. But fate had other ideas, for her to take on the role of a trickster and topple corruption. Inspired by EpicLinkSam's P4/DR crossover fic "Nothing But The Truth"

15. To Be a Phantom Thief

Heart of Justice Chapter 15

---

Kyoko's eyes fluttered open to the familiar, and unwelcoming dank and musty smell of the Velvet Room prison in what seemed like mere seconds after she'd drifted off to sleep in her bed at Leblanc. Looking over from her cot, she could see Igor seated at his desk, that unnatural grimace still fixed on his face as his bulbous, bloodshot eyes maintained that unsettling leer. Slowly standing herself up, Kyoko could feel the weight of the chains shackled to her prison scrubs as she made her way to the barred door, returning the warden's gaze with glare of her own.

"I trust you wish to speak to me again?" she asked.

"Indeed," Igor replied, his fingers drumming across his desk in an unnaturally precise motion. "First off, I would like to begin by congratulating you, Trickster."

"To think, our master would give such words of praise," Justine mused from her spot on one side of the cell door.

"Yeah, so treasure this moment, inmate!" Caroline snapped in her sharp tone as she glared up at Kyoko with her one good eye.

"Would this have to do with my recent success?" the young detective asked.

The warden let out a low chuckle. "Many things, on the contrary," he said. "You have encountered allies who share your ideals, and you have found your place in reality! The time has come, Trickster, your rehabilitation will soon begin..."

The teen's gaze narrowed in suspicion. "You've continued to remain vague on that matter," she stated coldly.

"Would you shut up and just listen, inmate?!" Caroline shouted suddenly, smacking her baton on the bars and causing Kyoko to release her grip on them briefly.

Igor's piercing gaze, his relaxed slouch that belied the tense drumming of his fingers, all remained unchanged. "...You have a special potential, however, that must be refined into a useful power. Despite your victory, it is still weak and undeveloped, thus refining it will be of necessity to gain the strength necessary to stand against the coming ruin. That," he explained, his tone gaining a hint of emphasis on the final word, "...is the rehabilitation cast upon you."

Kyoko looked away a moment as she gathered her thoughts, she recalled the times the strange warden had mentioned "ruin", and it had been one of the questions at the forefront of her mind regarding all of this. Did she risk ruin to her family, her life and future, or... was something of a far greater scale that had to do with the metaverse approaching that only she could stop? Morgana had spoken of more Palaces, and she had begun to suspect they may have been connected in a way, perhaps to the strange incidents of mental shutdowns and fits of madness...

"...Worry not," Igor said suddenly, as if he could read her thoughts. "There are various means by which you may gain the power to resist the ruin. Fighting the Shadows that dwell within the cognitive world and gaining experience is certainly one of them, and the fusion process I have granted you is another..."

"Understand this is all possible because of our master's guidance!" Caroline snapped as she turned to face Kyoko.

"...And while it may be presumptuous of us," Justine explained as she, too, turned to face the teen. "We have words of wisdom for you as well..."

"...When you're out in reality, be sure to hone your relationships with those you have contracts with!" Caroline stated.

"Indeed, spending time with those people will lead to the cultivation of your relationships with them," said Justine.

Kyoko remained silent for a moment. In her life she'd had few, if any close relationships. Her grandfather had minimized them and told her to keep them professional, and then there had been one she'd cared for, the closest thing to a sister, but that had ended... badly. The pursuit of the truth, and of justice, Kyoko had learned, led to seeing those around around her lose their lives, and made her grandfather's teachings and expectation to be emotionally distant become a means of coping with such things. "Relationships in my past have not always ended so well," she said.

"Well then you'd better change that outlook!" Caroline said sharply. "Are you gonna withdraw again from the ones you've already started?"

Kyoko remained silent. She had come to care for Ryuji and Ann as friends already, perhaps more then she'd expected after what they'd experienced together already, and it was evident the feeling was mutual. Sojiro had also warmed up to her more and was clearly concerned for her well-being. All of them trusted her. Morgana may have had his own goals, but he still showed care and concern for her even when it wasn't to his immediate gain and she'd opened up to him a little in turn. "...No," she said at last. "I won't."

"Those connections are another source of power to evade the ruin our master has mentioned," Justine added. "The more you choose to reopen your heart, the more you allow the opportunity for their strength to be added to your own."

"...And in turn, the power of opposition within your heart steadily grows," Igor explained. "It seems the rehabilitation is in fact already going well! This is truly a joyous occasion!" The warden's fingers drummed more steadily as his grimace seemed to spread. "I can sense the growth in your power, and may it continue to do so..."

Kyoko heard the sound of a chain breaking somewhere within her mind, and a second after, the faint sound of an alarm clock that grew louder and louder.

"The time as come," Justine announced as the panopticon slowly grew dark. "Return to your brief moments of rest."

Blackness enveloped Kyoko and her surroundings.

"...And don't forget to spend time with your contractors, inmate!" Caroline shouted as the last traces of the Velvet Room faded into nothingness.

---

5/6

"...Before we begin, class," Ms. Kawakami announced at the start of home room. "Just as with last week, P.E. will be cancelled, today, instead I'm supposed to give you some guidance..."

Murmurs started amongst the students. Kyoko, however, remained silent as she looked over at Ann, who also kept her attention on the teacher and said nothing, and Mishima, who had been glancing over in her direction before quickly turning his head back to the front of the class when her eyes met his.

"...Anyway, the gist of it is, don't go around talking about the incident. That is all," Kawakami explained. "The police are investigating Mr. Kamoshida, so I can't say anything, myself... though as a teacher, I'm ashamed for not having noticed a student suffering like that..."

She paused a moment, as if trying to think of how to word things. "I'm not defending him, nor am I at liberty to give a full personal account on the matter, but as a colleague he seemed... normal. I guess people can really have multiple sides to them we don't see..."

Kyoko watched Kawakami's body language, the way she spoke, and recalled the previous conversation she'd had with her teacher regarding Kamoshida. Kawakami seemed to have some degree of discomfort about him, and things she suspected but was probably was too afraid to lose everything over. Due to that she was never complicit to any of Kamoshida's crimes as far as Kyoko could tell, and the matter of Kamoshida's hold over the school and the principal, she could not entirely fault her. In a way, Kawakami and possibly other teachers were just as helpless as many of the students were.

"...Which reminds me," Kawakami continued. "I remember something I learned about psychology, namely about how there is the belief that humans hold many different personalities hidden in their subconscious... and so we're clear I'm not referring to the disorder of multiple personalities. Recall how different gods, monsters, and other mythological beings were first based at least partially on the human image? If you were to look at those personalities, many being of different age, gender, or form of the one who holds them, they may indeed look like monsters."

"Hmmm, personalities, huh?" Morgana mused from within Kyoko's desk, prompting the teen to glance down at him briefly.

"Kirigiri? You seem more alert then usual," Kawakami said, glancing in the girl's direction, smirking. "I'm glad to see I've been able to bring up a subject that takes your interest! I'm only reciting what I've heard, after all. What's your take on the matter?"

"The works of Carl Jung," Kyoko replied. "The conscious self carries the Shadow, which represents the repressed self that one hides from others, often thoughts and emotions they'd rather others not see, and the Persona, which one shows openly to others, even if it is entirely fabricated for the purpose of societal acceptance. The Persona, whatever its form may be, is brought forth to protect the individual from outside threats, such as judgement it feels they may otherwise receive."

Kawakami blinked in surprise, before giving a nod. "Very impressive. It feels like I just now understand what I learned long ago..."

The murmurs started up again, shock and disbelief from students over how could a "delinquent" know that and others wondering if she'd cheated somehow.

"Quiet down, class," Kawakami ordered. "...and let's continue..."

---

Kyoko and Ann had followed the message Ryuji had sent them moments before lunchtime started and found him waiting for them by the stairs with a wide grin on his face.

"So, what's this all about?" asked Ann while Kyoko folded her arms and looked at him with a slight raise of the eyebrow.

"Well, it ain't much," Ryuji explained as he showed his phone screen to Ann and Kyoko. "But we've been gettin' even more postings on the Phantom Aficionado Website!"

"I want to make my friend apologize for not returning the stuff I lent him?" Kyoko read aloud as she looked at one of the posts Ryuji pulled up, prompting the boy's enthusiastic expression to quickly fall as he turned the screen and looked at the message himself.

"What? Seriously?" he asked as he read it over. "Ugh! Deal with that yourself!"

"Hey, you know that Phantom Thieves rumor?" a girl asked her friend as she emerged from the classroom, gaining the attention of all three Thieves. Kyoko even felt a slight shift in her bag telling her Morgana had intended to eavesdrop as well.

"The one about stealing Kamoshida's heart?" the girl's friend asked. "It's gotta be made up! You seriously believe they could exist?"

"But you saw what happened to Kamoshida!" the first girl replied.

"Please, he probably just couldn't keep hiding it after that girl tried to kill herself!" her friend said.

The first girl sighed. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I guess there's no way they could exist and do something like that."

"But more importantly," the second girl stated, "...it seriously sucks that our school is going to be known for stuff like this!"

"I wonder if it'll affect our college entrance," the first girl mused aloud as the two began walking off down the hall.

Ryuji frowned. "That's probably a normal reaction for now, but hey, we're gonna show 'em soon enough!" he said. "We just gotta take down two or three really famous guys, then that'll get be all over the news in no time, and people'll have to know we exist!"

"So, about these "bigshots"," Ann said, looking a little uncertain. "...Do we have any leads on any? Then there's the rumor of you two threatening Kamoshida..."

"Well," Morgana said, squeezing his furry face out of an opening in Kyoko's bag. "...That just means you'll need to live an honest, high school life for the time being until we find one! Just be prepared in case anything does come up!"

"I'll keep an eye out for any info that pops up about any bigshots and run 'em by ya!" said Ryuji.

"I'll try and dig up some dirt, online, too!" Ann said with a smirk, though her expression grew concerned shortly after. "Kyoko, you may wanna just lay low for the time being. I mean..."

"Probation. Assault charge. I'm aware," Kyoko replied. It did bother her a little that she would not be able to put her detective skills to use for the time being without potentially drawing attention to herself, and in light of Kamoshida and the rumors floating around, there was already enough of it on her, so Ann did have a point.

"Yeah, there's still that," Ryuji said with a dejected frown. "...And here we are formin' the Phantom Thieves and we can't even find a new target... guess sometimes things just don't go the way you want 'em to."

"There, there," Ann said, playfully patting Ryuji's shoulder, the gesture doing nothing to raise his spirits.

"We'll find something, eventually. Trust me on that!" Morgana said. "And once that happens, I have something to show you."

"Why not just show us after school?" Kyoko asked, glancing back at the cat in her bag.

"There's no point until we have a new target," Morgana replied. "...But don't worry, I don't think we'll have to wait too long..."

---

The fallout of the Kamoshida scandal had been a strain for the whole school. This meant, unfortunately, for the Student Council President Makoto Niijima, the troubles had splashed into her own duties as well. Truthfully, she had mixed feelings on the matter, Kamoshida's crimes were nothing less then unforgivable, and he deserved to pay for them. On the other hand, Principal Kobayakawa seemed to have come to the decision that she had to help clean up the mess, and now he had summoned her to his office with another request.

"I already have so much on my plate... why me?" she muttered to herself, letting out a tired sigh as she reached the door leading to his office and slid it open.

"You wished to see me, Principal Kobayakawa?" Makoto asked, entering and sliding the door shut behind her.

The headmaster wore a frustrated scowl on his face as he glared at her from across his desk. "You already recall the state Mr. Kamoshida was in, don't you?" he asked sharply. "It was as if his entire personality had changed! Something is definitely wrong, here!"

Makoto was a little taken aback by his terse tone, though she supposed she could hardly be too surprised with having to deal with a scandal as big as this one that was now all over the news.

"Yes, I recall the school board meeting, but I'm not sure I follow," she said, her tone cautious.

"From what I've heard, some students were meddling in his business!" Kobayakawa replied. "If whoever was responsible had done something to him... who could they be?" Kobayakawa asked, raising an eyebrow as if expecting Makoto to offer possible answers.

Makoto brought her hand to her chin, raising her eyebrow as well in curiosity. "Are you saying these students had somehow caused Mr. Kamoshida to... change?"

The headmaster gave a nod. "That is what I wish to know, even if it takes some probing into student matters," he explained. "As our Student President, I would like you to look into this."

Makoto's expression changed to a look of uncertainty. "It is true there are a lot of rumors surrounding Mr. Kamoshida, and many students have gone on TV sharing their stories of their... experiences with him, but... is this about all this talk about "Phantom Thieves"?

"A week prior to the... incident," Kobayakawa explained, "...Mr. Kamoshida came to my office and brought it to my attention that some strange, threatening cards were placed around the school. I trust you had seen them as well?"

Makoto gave a nod. "I have, yes."

"...And how the senders identified themselves as such?" the Principal continued.

Makoto remained silent. When those cards had been posted, she'd assumed it merely a prank. She already knew Kamoshida wasn't exactly liked by some people, but the testimonies from students who were interviewed on the news made it evident that he'd hurt many, so there were plenty of people who would have cause to anonymously threaten him.

"...It is undeniable that Mr. Kamoshida has changed in some way, and I would like to have a grasp of the cause," Kobayakawa explained. "This will also ensure that I handle the mass media and the police in the correct fashion."

"I see..."

"I will continue to speak to Mr. Kamoshida myself whenever possible, but unless you do your part and find whomever did this, these irresponsible rumors will never die, understand?" Kobayakawa asked.

"Of course, I... can't argue those points, sir," Makoto replied, "But... why me?"

Kobayakawa placed his elbows on his desk and folded his hands. "I'd think the reason should be obvious enough, you're our top student. Always finishing the year at the top of your classes since you first came here. Your conduct is good, your GPA is remarkable, and teachers here favor you. With these commendable qualities, I could easily write you a letter of recommendation that would guarantee you entry into any college of your choosing upon graduation, Niijima-san."

Makoto stared in shock, barely able to find the words of gratitude she meant to give. The principal's smile was there, but was something suspicious about his tone and how he brought all of this up.

"...Furthermore, your lineage must certainly play a part in this excellence as well!" Kobayakawa continued as he glanced at the awards, trophies, and certificates that adorned the wall of his office. "Your sister was an alumni of ours, and though still young, she now holds an admirable position at the Public Persecutor's Office, doesn't she?"

"What are you... getting at?" Makoto asked, her voice once more becoming cautious.

"...I'm saying, if something disappointing were to happen here, it wouldn't reflect very well on your sister, or her career, now, would it?" Kobayakawa asked. "I trust you understand?"

Makoto felt a chill run down her body. The principal still wore an amiable smile on his face as he'd spoken, his tone unfailingly pleasant, making all he had said come off as nothing less then passive-aggressive, sugarcoated threats to the girl that he knew she was powerless against.

"Yes... I understand," she said softly as she looked down at the floor.

Kobayakawa chuckled. "How wise, it's no wonder you're our Student Council President," he stated. "I'd appreciate that you look into this matter as soon as possible. The way I see it, sooner you come back to me with answers and this can be resolved, the less likely anything will get worse for everyone... wouldn't you agree?"

Makoto gave a slow, defeated nod, knowing exactly what the Principal was implying. "I will," she replied. "If you'll excuse me, I should be returning to class. I'll get started as soon as classes end for the day."

As soon as Makoto had left, the Principal took his cellphone from his pocket, his smug smirk fading to a look of worry as he speed-dialed a number and let it ring.

"...It's me, sir," Kobayakawa said, his voice trembling slightly as he heard it pick up. "...My apologies for troubling you at such a busy time!"

He paused as he listened.

"Y-yes, it's about the matter we discussed earlier," Kobayakawa explained, a nervous twitch on his face as he listened again to the man on the other end of the line. "...Oh, no worries, I assure you! I have all bases covered! The investigation will begin immediately!"

Kobayakawa listened once more as the man on the phone spoke, his nervous twitch spreading to an anxious smile. "Mhm, of course!" he replied hurriedly. "...Yes, I will get results! I should be able to update you very soon! Thank you very much for your-"

The Principal stared at his phone in shock, the man he'd been talking to having hung up before he could even finish.

---

"...H-hey, Kirigiri?" Kyoko had stopped nursing her latest Ushimaru-inflicted welt on her forehead as she turned and glared Mishima's way as he approached while the others filed out of the classroom, Ryuji had since shown up and stood by Ann watching as both lingered near the door.

"Aww man, he really nailed ya good this time, huh?" the dark-haired boy asked with a light-hearted chuckle.

Kyoko narrowed her gaze at the boy. "...It won't happen again," she said bitterly.

Mishima did not seem to notice her annoyance. "I dunno, I bet even that Kuwata guy's pitching skills would come in second to Ushimaru-sensei's!" he said.

"Is there something you need?" Kyoko asked sharply, perhaps more so then she intended as she folded her arms and fully faced the boy. She had noticed quickly that Golden Week had apparently given Mishima all the time he needed to finish recovering and no longer had a bruise or bandage on him, and his sullen, downcast look he'd once worn had been replaced with a relaxed, confident one, at least until he seemed to notice he probably wasn't improving her mood.

"Heh, sorry," he said scratching the back of his head. "So I was wondering, have you seen the Phantom Aficionado Website?"

Kyoko blinked, curious as to why he'd ask. "I have, yes. Why?"

"Well, I'm the one who started it!" Mishima replied proudly.

Before Kyoko could even react, the boy suddenly and abruptly leaned forward, causing her to jerk back slightly.

"...Do you mind?" Kyoko asked before he could speak, running her gloved hand through her hair.

"R-right, sorry," Mishima replied, stepping back and blushing in embarrassment. "I was just..."

"If you're trying to ask me out, I'll have to decline," Kyoko replied, her tone cool but not hostile. "Nothing personal, but I have far too much going on in my life to add any further complications to it, and I doubt it would do your own reputation here much good, anyway."

"No, no, nothing like that!" Mishima replied frantically. His voice became hushed. "...Though, by "too much going on in your life", it's gotta do with being one of the Phantom Thieves, right?"

Kyoko prided herself on her ability to normally maintain a flawlessly neutral look on her face to keep others from knowing what she was thinking, but Mishima's blunt question asked with so much certainty it was clearly rhetoric did make the slightest hint of surprise form on her otherwise poker face. Unfortunately, it seemed Mishima noticed and that was all the evidence the boy needed, apparently. Kyoko wondered if she was getting careless or if Mishima was sharper then she gave him credit for.

"Heh, don't worry, I'll keep it a secret. Especially with how things are, right now," he said, looking down at the ground as his expression began to fall. "Look, Kamoshida used me. With threats, blackmail, and... well, you've seen the bruises... he made me do something terrible to you... I was scared so I caved..."

Kyoko sighed a little, closing her eyes. "...I'll be frank that aiding him in outing my record to the school has caused me no small amount of grief every time I come here," she explained. "...But as a trained detective I am no stranger to situations of misdeeds committed under duress. I have no reason to think your situation was any different."

"...Even still," Mishima said, still looking at the floor. "...This isn't much of a way for me to apologize for it, so if there's anything I can do to help, I want to!"

The boy turned his gaze to the window. "Look, there's tons of evil adults just like Kamoshida out there, hurting and taking advantage of people just like he did! I'm sure the Phantom Thieves would want to do something, no way they'd let this end after just one target, right?" he asked. "That's why I made this website! To make a forum where people going through the same kind of hell Kamoshida put us through can be heard! I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who already have high hopes for the Phantom Thieves' next move."

Taking out his phone, Mishima fiddled with it and brought up the website, turning to a poll and showing the screen to Kyoko. "...I even implemented this poll: "Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves or not?"."

Kyoko gave no response, though by her observation, the boy had been busy.

"I wanna work on a forum so eventually it'll be packed with tons of supportive posts!" Mishima explained as he put his phone away, a determined look on his face. "I'd really like to help in the Phantom Thieves' acts of justice however I can! Will you let me do this? Even if you say I..." He paused, looking downward again. "...Even if you don't fault me for it, I still feel like I have to make up for all I've done... especially to you."

Kyoko brought her hand up to her chin as she looked at the boy standing before her. Seeing him looking in a better place emotionally after all Kamoshida had put him through as if a great load had been taken off his shoulders did manage to ease her earlier frustrations a little and assured her she had helped make a difference here. Furthermore, his website would be potentially beneficial in helping them find another target.

"Very well," she replied.

Mishima nodded. "You won't regret this!"

---

?/?

"Besides the public's reaction to your group, there were others who supported you," Prosecutor Niijima stated, her arms folded as she looked down at the girl across the table.

Kyoko stayed silent. She could still feel the dizziness caused by the serums she'd been subjected to, and the inspector's earlier abuse.

"...Perhaps even someone who enthusiastically cheered the Phantom Thieves early on," Niijima continued. "...Someone who was able to get quite close to you..."

Kyoko listened to the prosecutor's words, but again gave no response.

"...What would you have to say about that? Would you say that I'm correct?" the woman asked.

---

5/6

The soft, gentle voice spoke once more in Kyoko's mind as time seemed to temporarily stand still...

I am thou, thou art I...

Thou has acquired a new vow

It shall become the wings of rebellion

That breaketh thy chains of captivity

With the birth of the Moon Persona

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

Shall lead to freedom and new power

The sound of a chain breaking could be heard within her mind, as reality returned to normal.

"Anyways, I should get going," Mishima said, "I got a lot of work ahead of me! Seeya!"

As he left, Ryuji and Ann finally approached.

"Geez, it was a little awkward tryin' to figure out when we should come over," Ryuji said as he looked towards the door as Mishima walked out.

"So, Mishima-kun made that website?" Ann asked.

"Apparently. He's even figured out our identities," Morgana said from Kyoko's bag that still lay on her desk. "Or at the least, he seems to have figured out Kyoko. Ryuji, too, probably."

"Even so, I think it'll be fine," Ann replied. "I don't think he's planning to tell anybody."

"We're still probably gonna need to have a little... chat... about it later," Ryuji remarked.

"I will say, though, having a forum where people can post their problems may be unexpectedly useful!" Morgana stated.

"My thoughts exactly," Kyoko replied. "It seems to be his intention, after all."

"Yeah, but so far all I saw was petty shit they can solve themselves like earlier. That ain't worth our time!" Ryuji protested.

"Give it time, Ryuji," Morgana replied. "I'm sure sooner or later a new target will come to us! We'll prepare till then!"

"Oh my god, prepare?!" Ryuji cried out suddenly. "Shit! I almost forgot we have exams comin' up!"

"Is this a problem?" Kyoko asked, folding her arms at him.

"I'd say so," Ann replied. "Judging from his reaction, I'd say he's gonna struggle. Again."

"Oh c'mon! Like you're any better?" Ryuji snapped. "You bomb every subject 'cept English!"

"Better that then all of them!" Ann retorted.

Kyoko let out an agitated sigh as she closed her eyes and brought her hand to her forehead. "We'll arrange a study session," she said.

"Right! You're like a straight-A student, arent'cha?" Ryuji asked excitedly.

"I could definitely use the help!" Ann said, clasping her hands and sporting a smile on par to that of a child pleading their parents into buying them something.

Kyoko wondered what exactly she was getting herself in to. "...Just try and keep up," she muttered.

"That goes double for you, Ryuji," Morgana quipped.

"You sayin' I'm slow?" Ryuji asked. "The subject I'm havin' the worst trouble on is the one on whether you're human or not!"

Morgana hissed from within the bag. "Wanna take this outside?" he asked indignantly.

"Bring it, cat!" Ryuji snapped.

"Call me that again!"

Kyoko repeated her previous gesture, this time escalating it into a fully executed facepalm as the two continued arguing. "That's enough, you two. I said I'd help, and I will. We'll work out a time later."

Ryuji shook his head and relaxed a little. "Yeah, yeah. I don't need to take any more of that from a furball, anyway," he said, taking out his phone and seeing a message. "...I should get going. Looks like Mom's gonna be workin' late so I'm gonna go find somewhere to grab a bite before I head home. Catchya guys later!"

After watching Ryuji leave, Ann turned and looked back at Kyoko. "Hey, um... Kyoko?"

The young detective raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I'm... sorry I didn't bring it up earlier, but ever have those times you feel like you're being watched?" the blonde asked.

"As a detective, I keep myself on guard whenever possible as a natural instinct," Kyoko replied. "Why?"

Ann looked unsure. "I dunno, I just... this morning I felt like someone was watching me. Following me, even. Am I just being paranoid after dealing with Kamoshida? Or maybe... should I ask?"

"Have you spotted anyone who would give you that impression?" Kyoko asked.

"Maybe?" Ann wondered. "I'm not really sure. Maybe it's just a feeling. It's probably nothing, right?" she asked with an anxious smile.

"Possibly," Kyoko replied. "Though, if it helps, between the subways and school, you are in crowded areas, it would be foolish for anyone to attempt anything."

Ann looked down at the floor. "Maybe you're right," she said. "Um, you think maybe we could... hang out, today? I just have a bit on my mind besides that."

"I'm fine with that," Kyoko said.

"Great!" Ann replied, her face lighting up. "There's a diner on Central Street in Shibuya, maybe we can talk there?"

"That would be an honor, Lady Ann!" Morgana said, poking his head out of Kyoko's bag again.

"Umm, honestly, I'd like a little... "girl time", if that's alright?" Ann asked, giving Morgana an apologetic look.

The cat's ears drooped. "That's fine. Once we get to the diner I'll walk around a bit and meet you outside when you're ready to leave."

"That works!" Ann replied. "Thanks for being so understanding, Morgana!" she said, reaching out and scratching the cat behind the ears.

"Just sneak out something for me, too, alright?" Morgana asked as he purred.

"We'll try! Let's get going!"

---

Kyoko had recalled seeing the entrance to the diner on her first trip to Untouchable, but now having had the opportunity to experience the place, admittedly she rather liked it. The place was not as rustic as Leblanc nor remotely as upscale as the hotel the group had celebrated at, but it had a nice, quiet environment to it that the young detective kept a mental note may be good to study at.

Ann had been mostly quiet until their food had arrived, both having ordered a "Surprise Sando" special.

"So," Ann said as she drank her hot cocoa. "I mentioned I had stuff on my mind, and there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes, go on," Kyoko replied, taking a bite from her sandwich.

"It's about Shiho," Ann explained. "I went to visit her in the hospital before school, today."

"I'm sure she appreciated it," Kyoko said. "...How is she?"

Ann looked down at her sandwich, having not started on it yet. "Doing better, just... when I came in, she said... she was sorry,"

"She apologized again?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah... she did," Ann explained, her voice soft as she continued to look at her food. "...Sorry for not telling me about Kamoshida... about all the things he was doing to her. But I wanted to apologize, too. It was my fault, too. I never fully realized then how much trouble she was in... I wasn't there for her when she needed me most."

"It couldn't be helped. I trust you both came to understand that only Kamoshida truly deserves blame?" Kyoko asked as she drank her coffee. It wasn't Leblanc's quality, but at this point Kyoko was certain nothing would be, all the more reason to master Sojiro's methods. Still, she smiled faintly. "Still, what you told me the other day, how is she about transferring, and the steps ahead of her? Did you discuss that?"

Ann gave a nod as she looked back up at Kyoko. "Mm-hm! I know it means I won't... see her as often, but... she's going to do it. All of it. I'm sure it won't be easy for her, but she's going to do whatever it takes to put this behind her and give herself a fresh start."

"She's very strong," Kyoko replied. "I'm sure she's happy to see you finally able to get past this as well."

Ann giggled a little. "Yup! She's a great girl. I'm really lucky to have her as a friend."

"I'm sure she feels the same way about you, as well," Kyoko said, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Yeah..." Ann glanced down at her food again, deciding to finally start on it. "I'm just glad I was able to tell her everything, as well," she explained after finishing a bite. "All the stuff I couldn't bring myself to say before."

Taking another bite, Ann's expression fell once more before she spoke up again. "Hey, you remember how Kamoshida threatened to take Shiho off the team if I didn't... sleep with him?" she asked. "He figured I'd say yes so... I wouldn't ruin Shiho's dreams..."

Kyoko's gaze narrowed. "I'm certain Shiho would never have wanted you to do that, for any reason. Least of all for her sake," she replied.

"You're right," Ann replied. "...I'm sure she'd blame herself. Now that I think about it, though, I doubt he really would have benched her. She was his best player and it only would have cost him games in the end. Maybe if I were more confident, then, I would have dared him to take her spot, and just believed in her ability, then maybe..."

"Perhaps," Kyoko said. The young detective noticed her words didn't seem to have the intended effect on the girl sitting across from her, however, and took a breath. "...As a detective, I've had experiences where I have said to myself "If only I had done this", or "Why did I do this instead of that". Experiences where I have lost people I came to care for, no less," she explained. "...But while there are those I do take responsibility for, there are also those which I came to accept there was nothing I could have done, and blaming myself was the wrong choice."

"...What about those you do feel responsible for?" Ann asked, a concerned look on her face as she took another sip of her cocoa.

"My grandfather told me I must come to terms with what was my responsibility, and use it to gain an understanding of how I can prevent it from happening again. I cannot do that if I let the past control me as it cannot be changed," Kyoko replied as she, too, took a sip of her drink as well.

To her surprise, Ann was smiling again. "You're right. I said before I need to change, too, and that's what I should do, too! I can't undo what happened back then, where I believed Kamoshida's authority would outweigh Shiho's ability, and I can't keep beating myself up about what I could have done, either... but I can learn from it, and keep myself and my friends from being taken advantage of again!"

Kyoko gave a faint smile. "I'm usually not good with giving advice, but I am pleased I could be of help," she said.

"Ummm, you remember also, the last time I talked to you like this? When I got that... phone call from Kamoshida and I just... broke down and cried?" Ann closed her eyes, putting her hands on her lap as she mulled over that time. "I remember how alone and scared I felt, then... but because you were there for me, because you gave me someone to talk to... I decided not to go. I was a little surprised how pushy you were about it, but I see how you just wanted to help... even when you had no reason to, so thank you for that..."

"I couldn't just ignore you," Kyoko replied.

Ann smiled again. "You're a kinder person then you give yourself credit for, Kyoko."

"I can't ignore injustice," Kyoko replied, her expression neutral once more. "It's served me well as a detective..."

"Yeah, I remember you telling us that back at our celebratory dinner," Ann replied. "You know, back then, people used to call me all sorts of names and make assumptions about me. I guess you know how that feels. It's why I guess I felt bad for you when you first came here. I'd get called "Kamoshida's Girl", and "Prissy Bitch", I got tired of it so quickly."

"I've gotten rather tired of "Delinquent", "Psycho", and quite a few other claims and labels, myself," Kyoko said.

"Yeah, but I want to be able to one day just take labels in stride," Ann replied. "By the way... I've been wondering..."

"Yes?" Kyoko asked, raising an eyebrow as she took another sip of her coffee.

"...What happened? Like... you say you were like this teen detective, right? Like that boy they talk about on TV?" Ann asked. "...But now you're at Shujin with a criminal record and everyone calling you a violent delinquent? How do you go from that to this?"

Kyoko paused from drinking her coffee, though her gaze seemed to go right through Ann.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be nosy," she said.

"No, you've trusted me enough to share a lot with me, I suppose it's only fair I return the favor," the young detective replied, taking a final sip of her coffee.

---

Ann blinked in shock as Kyoko finished her story. She'd gone from eager to hear, to astonished, to horrified, to disgusted as Kyoko shared the tale of how she had gone from an up-and-coming prodigy detective and successor to her family name with a promising opportunity at Tokyo's top school to a shunned outcast.

"That's terrible! All you were trying to do was protect that poor woman!" Ann protested. "I'm sure anyone who deserves to call themselves dedicated to justice would have done the same!"

The blonde let out a sigh as she sat back and folded her arms. "I guess... after how long Kamoshida got away with... everything he did... I shouldn't surprised that man was able to do that, and could scare that woman into covering for him," she said. "Still... that's so awful. To work so hard for something then have someone take it all away from you so easily..."

"There's nothing I can do to change it," Kyoko replied, her tone regaining its neutral state despite the hint of anger at the memory of that night. "...All I can do is try to overcome this with the chance it will be wiped clean after and I can resume once it's over."

"In the meantime, though, we can still help others having their lives taken advantage of by terrible adults as Phantom Thieves, right?" Ann asked.

"Indeed," said Kyoko. "...Despite Mishima-kun's... enthusiasm, his website may yet bring us our next target."

Ann smiled a little. "Yeah, it is kind of ironic like you'd said; from ace detective to phantom thief. Having to go from one side of the law to the other, using the skills you've gained from the former for the latter in the name of exposing truth and pursuing justice!" she giggled. "You could make a manga out of that!"

"I don't read manga," Kyoko replied. "...But that is what I intend to do. Tarnished reputation or not, I will never abandon the principles that being a detective entails and look away from the evils of society."

"Right," Ann replied, her smile growing. "And I refuse to be a bystander again."

After Ann finished her sandwich, another question popped into her mind as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she folded her arms. "So," she asked. "Personas are the power of the heart, right?"

"To my understanding, yes," Kyoko said, finishing her own sandwich.

"Then that'd mean if my heart gets stronger, then my Persona will, too," Ann replied.

A determined look came to the blonde's face.

"...In that case, I want to strengthen my heart, and use that strength to help the people around me," she explained. "I hope that, as Phantom Thieves, we can save people in trouble, just like we did when we changed Kamoshida's heart!"

The girl's determined look, however, soon faded to uncertainty. "Though honestly, I don't know what "strong" is," she muttered. "...But I'm going to find the answer, I promise!"

"I'm certain we all will," Kyoko replied, another faint smile forming on her own face that gave Ann reassurance.

"Thanks! I feel like I'm a little stronger, already!" the blonde said with a big smile. "...Even if that probably doesn't really count. But we can train together, and make our hearts get super-strong! I'll be relying on you!"

Kyoko felt a chain link shatter in her mind as she saw Ann's heightened resolve.

"How to start, though," Ann mused. "Maybe... no refills on fountain drinks?" she offered.

Kyoko's subsequent, silent stare made it perfectly clear to Ann that no circumstance would make her dignify such a question with a response.

"Well... they're free, right?" Ann asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "So... not getting any would mean you have a strong heart!"

Once more, Kyoko refused to dignify her with a response and instead elected to take what remained in her coffee mug as she continued to stare silently across the table at the blonde.

---

"Well, thanks for listening to what I had to say, earlier," Ann said as she and Kyoko came out of the diner. "I think I have a better idea now of who I want to be, and I'll try to figure out how I'll strengthen my heart."

"I'm sure you'll come up with something," Kyoko replied.

"Totally!" Ann replied with a smile. "When I do, I'll let you know, and I hope you'll join me, too!"

"Of course," Kyoko said, giving Ann a small smile in return.

"I'll hold you to that!" Ann said, turning and looking at the crowds of people walking about the late afternoon Central Street. "I should probably be getting home. If any really good ideas hit you, run 'em by me, alright?"

Kyoko gave a nod. "Very well. Have a good evening, Takamaki."

"Just Ann. We're friends, now, remember?" the blonde asked with a smile, adjusting her grip on her school bag. "I'll seeya later!"

"Lady Ann... her smile makes my day every time I see it," Morgana's voice said from behind Kyoko, the young detective turning and looking down to see the cat walk up beside her as he watched her head off in the direction of the subway station. "So, what shall we do, now?"

Kyoko glanced back in the direction of the alley leading to where Untouchable was situated. "Let's return to Leblanc, there's something I need to pick up..."

---

No sooner had Kyoko entered the cafe when Sojiro called out to her, prompting the teen's attention.

"I have something for you," Sojiro stated, Kyoko blinking in curiosity as Sojiro reached into his pocket and tossed something to her.

"I had a copy made of the key to this place," Sojiro explained. "I can't keep waiting for you to come back home late, so you get to lock up from now on."

Kyoko glanced down at the key she was now holding in her hand, then back at Sojiro. "Thank you, sir, I appreciate this," she said.

"Just don't go starting any fires or anything, alright?" Sojiro asked. "...Though I guess you wouldn't do something like that... and I told you, no "sir", just "Boss" or "Sojiro" is fine."

"Of course," Kyoko said with a nod as she slid the key into her blazer pocket. "Thank you, again."

"Quite a stroke of luck, I'd say," Morgana said from within Kyoko's school bag as he poked his head out once they'd gotten upstairs. "That holdup in the subway coming home sure set us back but now we can leave at night! Seems Boss really trusts you a lot more, now!"

"Indeed," Kyoko replied, opening the cabinet of the work desk and finding the paper bag right where she'd left it. Looking over at her things, the young detective elected that it may have been best to change clothes as well before doing this.

"Even still, this probably would be the best time to take that there," Morgana mused as he climbed the rest of the way out. "Wonder what it's all about?"

"That's what I intend to find that out," Kyoko said as she changed out of her uniform and into her casual clothes while Morgana turned away to give her privacy. "There is likely more to this then simply using me as an unsuspecting mule."

Morgana gave a nod. "Think you can do it?"

"I'm certain I can," Kyoko responded, finishing with the longsleeve top and skirt she'd replaced her uniform with. "Let's go," she stated as she took the paper bag from its hiding place and into her school bag, Morgana climbing back in after as she took the key from her discarded blazer and put it into her skirt pocket and headed back downstairs.

---

"Back so soon?" the Untouchable manager, Iwai, inquired as he glanced up at Kyoko from his magazine as she entered the store and approached the counter. "Here to sell me somethin' weird again?"

"I think you know what I'm here for," Kyoko replied, folding her arms and gazing back at the man.

The man scoffed a bit. "That so? Enlighten me," he said. Kyoko's gaze narrowed, it was obvious to the young detective he was simply playing dumb and was daring her to follow through on this confrontation all the way.

"I looked in the bag you gave me the other day," Kyoko replied.

Iwai let out a low, sharp exhale, the lollipop stick in his mouth turning from one corner of his lips to the other. "So, you saw what was inside, huh?" he asked.

"Yes," Kyoko said. "A model gun. A very convincing one. Had I not examined it more closely, even I may have been fooled into thinking it was real."

A smirk crept onto Iwai's face, as if amused by the whole situation. "...You got some guts, young lady. Yeah, it's somethin' like that. It's a custom gun I modified to look as real as possible," he explained. "...I had a customer who was interested in it."

"...And you got me to smuggle it out of here before those two detectives could find it," Kyoko replied. "You're lucky they didn't come with a search warrant."

Iwai gave a slight chuckle. "I know my rights well enough to get under those pigs' skins every time they come pokin' around here, but ya never know. As for that customer, change of plans. It's all yours, so you can keep the gun if you want," he said, though his expression hardened soon after. "...Just don't go snitchin' about this. I got everything on my security camera, you know."

Kyoko's eyes widened slightly. She'd forgotten about that. If her last visit had been fully recorded then to all the world it would have looked as though she'd come in and traded an expensive object to a man already being eyed by the police for money and a very authentic-looking model that was probably one or two alterations away from being a functional weapon.

"...That's right, missy, you're an accomplice, now," Iwai said with a smirk, his lollipop stick switching sides once more. "...Don't worry, not tryin' to blackmail you or anythin'. Just a little leverage so ya don't go runnin' to the pigs. They're always sniffin' around here tryin' to gimme trouble, I don't need anyone causin' more."

"Is that so?" Kyoko asked. At least the manager didn't seem to be trying to extort her in any way so much as simply protect himself and his business, shady as it was. Still, she recalled what Morgana had mentioned earlier. "...In that case, can you show me some more?"

Iwai raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I asked if you could show me some more," Kyoko replied, placing her hand on the counter and looking the man in the eyes with a piercing stare, though her lips turned to a faint hint of a smile. "...I proved to you weeks ago that I'm an enthusiast, remember? I'm impressed how the one you gave me nearly fooled even my eyes. Do you have any others like that?"

The manager was silent, his lollipop stick sliding to the other corner of his mouth once more as his face went from a look of mild curiosity to a glare of suspicion for a few seconds. Kyoko simply stared back, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"This some kinda joke?" Iwai asked, his tone deeply skeptical.

"If you asked anyone who has spent time with me, you'd find out very quickly I am not the type prone to making jokes," Kyoko replied.

Iwai looked up at the girl another moment, remaining silent the entire time. Far as he could tell, the girl appeared absolutely serious. The man looked over at the door, and the clock on the wall, before looking back at the girl before him and letting out a deep breath. "Let's talk in the back," he said, his tone neutral as he got up from his seat, heading over to the sign on the front door.

Kyoko folded her arms and eyed him silently, prompting a chuckle from the man.

"It's fine, kid. Just got some questions first..." Iwai gestured to follow as he opened a door to a small room that by Kyoko's observation seemed to be for both storage judging from the boxes and discarded ladder near the many shelves, and for the customization he'd spoken of as she noticed a workbench with several tools and parts strewn about an assembled assault rifle model, with a barstool that Iwai sat himself down in as he turned and faced Kyoko, who remained by the door leading back out.

"Alright, kid, who the hell are you, exactly?" he said sharply, the look of suspicion back on his face. "A young lady lookin' and actin' so damn proper but knowin' an awful lot about the law and firearms for some high school student. Not to mention showin' a lotta guts back there. An actual gun enthusiast? At your age? There's no way you're anywhere past a second-year, kid."

"That's hardly important," Kyoko replied.

"Heh, suppose not," Iwai said, smirking. "You're one strange kid, but I can't deny you know your stuff..."

He rubbed his stubbled chin with his finger a moment as he looked at Kyoko thoughtfully. "Hmm, you know, this might actually work out!"

Kyoko blinked in response, but said nothing.

"I think I can grant that wish of yours," Iwai explained, smirking once more. "...But you better have the money. The one I gave you was a courtesy; they normally run up to hundreds of thousands of yen per unit... and sometimes even reach the millions, dependin' on how I feel. That said, I've been known to compromise from time to time, as well..."

The young detective frowned as she looked down at the man seated before her. "...If you're suggesting..."

Iwai shook his head and stood up, scowling in disgust. "Get'cher mind outta the damn gutter, kid! I ain't like that!" he replied sharply. "...I'm talkin' about stuff like I had ya do last time you were here that helps with my... business. Smugglin' goods, destroyin' evidence. As a reward, I'll introduce you to the special menu, complete with prices even a high-schooler like you can afford. Deal of a lifetime."

Kyoko's gaze narrowed in suspicion. She could feel Morgana shift about in her schoolbag but he said nothing, so by her guess he was leaving the decision up to her. "You're asking me to break the law for you? I hardly consider that a reasonable deal."

Iwai chuckled. "You kidding? It's a great deal," he replied. "You saw the bullshit those pigs put me through last time. Got no choice but to fight evil with evil and I need a pawn of my own."

"Fight evil with evil?" Kyoko asked, Iwai's response having raised more questions. "Are you implying someone sent those policemen over to harass you?" She recalled the time the doctor, Takemi, had gone through a similar situation.

The man simply smirked. "That's on a need-to-know basis and you don't need to know," he said. "Take the offer, maybe one day you will. Just don't go talkin' to no one about it, understand? Just follow my orders on whatever task I give ya."

Kyoko brought her hand to her chin, her eyes flickering downward as she thought it over. If she and the others were going to take on more Palaces and more Shadows, they'd need all the firepower they could get. She couldn't believe she was getting involved in whatever business Iwai was caught up in, but as it seemed, she had little option if the Phantom Thieves were going to carry out the promise they'd made and help others who suffered like those who had under Kamoshida.

"Well, what's it gonna be?" Iwai asked. "You gonna take the deal or not?"

Kyoko blinked, her eyes now meeting his. "Very well. I accept."

A smirk came to the man's face. "Good to know. It's what you came for, right? I'll get to work on that special menu for you right away." he said. "...You should be grateful."

---

?/?

"It seems you also had model guns in your possession when you were arrested, Kirigiri," Niijima explained, her arms folded on the table as her cold gaze remained on the girl across from her. "Their detail goes far beyond a simple hobby..."

Sitting back in her chair, the woman continued. "As the heir to a generations-spanning clan of renowned detectives, would I also be correct in assuming you have, in fact, been fully trained in firearm proficiency as well?" she asked. "With these two qualities I'm sure you had little difficulty making people believe they were real..."

Kyoko gazed back at the prosecutor, her vision briefly doubling. "Very... perceptive of you."

Niijima's own glare narrowed. "Then you'll tell me how you procured them, won't you?"

---

5/6

The gentle voice spoke once as Kyoko saw time seem to slow down around her once more...

I am thou, thou art I...

Thou has acquired a new vow

It shall become the wings of rebellion

That breaketh thy chains of captivity

With the birth of the Hanged Man Persona

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

Shall lead to freedom and new power

As the world around her returned to normal, Kyoko could hear the sound of a chain shattering within her mind.

"One other thing," Iwai explained. "When I don't got any other business goin' on, I'll just have you help around with some miscellaneous chores. Y'know... cleanin' up, run errands, there's plenty to do around here, you know. Plenty to help earn ya the prices I'll give ya."

Kyoko gave a nod. "I won't disappoint you," she replied.

"Heh," Iwai chuckled, smirking. "Must all be pretty excitin' for an enthusiast like you, right? At any rate, I think I've kept ya here long enough..."

He walked past Kyoko, opening the door and leading her outside before taking out his phone and turning the screen to her. "This is my contact info. I text ya, it means I need help around the shop..."

Kyoko took out her own phone, fiddling with it a bit as she made her way to the contact screen and copied the number down. Kyoko was relieved she'd gotten better with it after getting other new numbers added that it wasn't a hassle anymore, having no desire to embarrass herself in front of someone like Iwai. "It's done," she said, sending a text with the same words. The man looked at his phone's screen and nodded.

"Just know if you get caught or anythin', I never met ya. Nothin' to do with me, got it?" he asked sternly. "You want better stuff on the higher menus, and be able to afford it, you gotta work for it."

Kyoko's gaze narrowed. Far as she was concerned with her set of skills and experience, Kyoko, for the time being, felt certain it wasn't something she could not handle. "Trust me, I'm more then capable," she replied, prompting a laugh from Iwai.

"A girl like you, willin' to get involved in that kinda shit? Heh, you're definitely a strange young lady," Iwai said with an amused smirk as he took out his lollipop, revealing the stick had gone nearly bare before sliding it back in. "We'll see if you're really up to it, but point is, we got a deal, now, so be ready to put in some work when I call ya up. For now, it's startin' to get late, head on home, part-timer."

"Hm, I'd say we sure got a lot done, today!" Morgana said proudly, poking his head out of Kyoko's bag as Iwai headed back inside his shop. "You sure handled yourself well back there, too."

"I am a detective, Morgana," Kyoko replied, brushing her hair back as she made her way out of the alley and in to Central Street. "This is far from my first experience around contacts of less then favorable repute... Though to be fair, this was my first time really doing it alone..."

"A detective making a deal with someone like that..."

"...It's more common then you'd expect," Kyoko replied. "...Furthermore, you told me the models he makes would be more effective then the ones we have when we're in the metaverse, I'll see to our team's efficiency."

Morgana chuckled. "Those detective skills you got really make you a natural as a Phantom Thief, Kyoko!" he said. "Still, a Phantom Thief's power also comes from their will to rebel... what you dealt with that got you sent out here..."

Kyoko closed her eyes as she froze in place for a moment. "...Would not have happened had I not rebelled against my grandfather's orders that I am never to leave the house after dark. It was minor, simply wanting to walk around the neighborhood a little for some air and to get my thoughts together before I went to bed for the evening," she explained. "...I'd never have imagined I'd come across what happened next."

"...And you acted," Morgana replied. "But still, it's like you said, if you hadn't chosen to rebel before then..."

"...All my life, I did as my grandfather told me. Thought as he told me. Behaved as he told me. I believed he was always right, and why wouldn't I? He was renowned all over Japan. He founded the Detective Shelf Library and specializes in any case," Kyoko explained. "...If I am fulfil my own goals to succeed him and our family legacy after my father left to pursue his own goals, then I'd have to learn all he knows and follow it properly. He would say detective work comes before anything else, even family or any form of attachment."

"I see," Morgana replied, climbing out of the bag a little and looking up at the girl, showing as much concern as a cat's face would allow. "...And you don't agree with him on that, do you? If you really believed everything he told you to, you would never have left the house, even for a little while."

Kyoko did not answer for a moment, remembering how furious he was when he had to pick her up after she'd gotten arrested that evening. "...We should get home."

Both remained silent the rest of the way back.

---

5/7

"Today's train headlines," a news reporter said on the tv screen overhead as Kyoko held Morgana close during the train ride to school, packed as ever with the morning rush. "Volleyball Beating Investigation! The school the scandal is surrounding has continued to deny any knowledge of the abusive, leaving teaching methods entirely up to its staff!"

Kyoko scowled, it seemed Principal Kobayakawa had elected to save his own skin, now.

"People are still talking about the Kamoshida incident!" Morgana said excitedly.

"It would seem so," Kyoko replied.

"And no one here knows where the ones who made it happen!" the cat said with a chuckle.

"...Now for Hotspots in Tokyo!" the reporter continued. "Do you love art? Then come and experience it in Shibuya! The Madarame Exhibit opens next week! The renowned "Master of the Traditional Japanese Arts" will even be appearing in person to meet his devoted fans!"

---

"Maaaaan, none'a these posts're any good!" Ryuji moaned as he leaned back in a rooftop chair while looked at the many requests on the Phantom Aficionado Website. "It's just a buncha kids complainin' about their parents or someone they're datin'. Not even a hint-of-a-hint of anyone bad enough to have a Palace!"

"We can't get everything online, unfortunately," Ann said, downcast, sitting on one of the discarded desks. "Finding a post with a name and a location would be asking a lot..."

"Then we gotta find one ourselves, then?"

"Are you seriously suggesting we look for a target that even the police have overlooked?" Morgana asked as he groomed himself.

Ryuji let out a sigh. "Yeah, guess you're right..."

"Exams are next Wednesday," Kyoko said, her arms folded as she turned her attention towards the small makeshift garden nearby where it appeared whatever was being grown there had been maintained quite well. "Perhaps it would be best we held off until after they are over."

"Right, I still gotta study..." Ryuji grumbled. "We can worry about comin' up empty-handed after..."

Kyoko and the others' heads turned sharply at the sound of the doorway leading to the rooftop suddenly opening, Morgana scurrying away quickly as a familiar sight stepped out and approached the small group.

"You are aware this place is off-limits, correct?" Makoto Niijima asked, a stern look on her face as she observed the three students before her.

"We'll get outta here once we're done chattin'," Ryuji replied with an annoyed sigh.

"Can we help you?" Kyoko asked, her tone neutral but her gaze showing a hint of annoyance.

"Hm," Makoto replied, smirking slightly as she folded her arms and showed no hint of feeling intimidated. "...The delinquent, the center of gossip, and the infamous transfer student?" the girl brought up her hand and tapped her chin in thought. "...Quite an interesting combination..."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kyoko asked, her gaze hardening into a glare. "Wouldn't students who fit such terms be expected to be found bending the rules?"

Makoto approached her, now just barely a few feet from the other girl. "...I understand you got to know Mr. Kamoshida pretty well, correct?"

"Why would I?" Kyoko asked, though her glare was still evident, as if challenging the Student President, her tone remained completely neutral.

"To my understanding, he nearly expelled you and Sakamoto here after harassing him and the volleyball team. That story went around the school rather quickly," Makoto explained. "...Furthermore, I heard about how Mr. Kamoshida had one of the members of his team spread details about your criminal record on your first day, here."

"...I'm sure you could figure out exactly what his intentions were, in light of his confession," Kyoko replied.

The brunette looked the girl in the eyes, not faltering. "Indeed, so I can imagine you'd have every reason to hate Mr. Kamoshida."

Kyoko stared back. "I saw you at the assembly, and I'm sure you saw the interviews. I'd think, then, you'd know Mr. Kamoshida had made himself a lot of enemies," she said coldly.

"I'll have you know, Miss Prez," Ryuji snapped. "...my friend here's no troublemaker! Maybe you oughta look at her GPA an' stuff! I betcha she's already at the top'a her classes! Or ya wanna wait till exams?"

"...Sounds like a pretty dedicated student to me," Ann added in.

"I didn't mean to offend," Makoto replied as she looked from Kyoko to the others. "Many students are shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida. Plus the rumors about that odd, calling card-esque posting aren't going away either."

"...I wouldn't think tactless stuff like that was any concern of yours, Niijima-senpai," Ann replied.

"...Wouldn't say it was tactless," Ryuji mumbled, before sitting back at his chair and glaring at the brunette. "Anyways, we done here? We can't leave if you don't stop talkin' to us."

"At least try to understand my position!" Makoto snapped, the anger very present on her face despite her efforts to remain calm. "...Being forced to deal with this horseplay!"

"...Would I be correct..." Kyoko asked in a stern tone as she took a step closer to Makoto, "...in the presumption that you are accusing me and my friends of being involved in that somehow?"

Makoto stood her ground. "I'm not accusing anyone of anything," she said. "...But the fact remains that this has caused a serious stir and a lot of unwanted attention towards the school, whether it was a prank or something more was involved..."

The brunette turned to leave, but then paused and looked back at the three with a small smirk. "Oh, by the way? Barring exceptions granted specifically by permission from faculty, it's been decided this place will be closed off indefinitely due to the incident... considering I've heard people have been coming up here without it."

Kyoko glared silently at the girl as she watched her leave.

"Sorry to have interrupted you," Makoto said dismissively without looking back as she reached the door. "You may wish to clear out before anyone else comes up here..."

"What the hell was that about?!" Ann asked as she got up, an annoyed glare on her face.

"I swear, was she tryin' to piss me off so much?" Ryuji snapped.

"That girl's on to us," Morgana said, coming out from his hiding place.

"Indeed. Fortunately, though, it's clear she has no proof of anything or she would have already reported us without the risks of any kind of confrontation," Kyoko explained. "...Still, she may attempt to catch us in the act."

"Yeah, she seems pretty sharp, too," Morgana said. "...We'd best not underestimate her."

"Great, talk about a real pain in the ass!" Ryuji grumbled.

"Speaking of pains, there's still exams to worry about," Ann said.

"Yup, goes double for you, Ryuji!" Morgana stated. "Keep in mind that everything you all do in your daily lives affects your abilities, and there may be traps we'll face that need to be solved with brains."

"Ain't Kyoko the one who can handle the brainy stuff?" Ryuji asked.

"I will function to the best of my ability, but we will function better as a team if everyone hones their skills," Kyoko replied.

"So maybe studying won't be so bad if we just think of it as preparing ourselves better as Phantom Thieves!" Ann declared with a smile.

"Guess ya got a point," Ryuji said with a defeated sigh. "Still, we gotta do that study session, I mean, we are a team an' all like you said, right?"

Kyoko gave a slight smile. "I said we would. We'll work it out."

"I ain't gonna bomb this time!" Ryuji said with a grin, though it faded quickly. "...Just... man, here I was so fired up about bein' able to help people an' all... and instead I get studyin'..."

"Well, about that, actually..." Morgana stepped forward as he looked at the three. "I did promise to show you all something. After all, you guys did originally promise to help me out on my own mission, right?"

"Mission?" Ryuji asked.

"It's better I take you there, first," Morgana said, climbing back into Kyoko's schoolbag. "Let's head to Shibuya, I'll show you where we need to go..."

---

"Here we are!" Morgana suddenly shouted as Kyoko and the others walked towards the exit out of the underground walkway of Shibuya.

"So, what now?" Ryuji asked, looking around at the crowds of students and workers filing in and out of the subway.

"I'll explain," Morgana replied. "Bring up the Phantom Aficionado Website."

"Okay, it's up," Ann said, taking out her phone.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Kyoko asked.

"A post with a full name in it," Morgana replied.

"There ain't any bigshots in here, though!" Ryuji protested as he scrolled through some posts, his expression growing more concerned, however, the longer he looked. "...Oh damn! People are goin' and puttin' someone's full name in here? That's some scary-ass shit!"

"..."He won't do as I say"... no, there's no name here," Ann muttered as she read one post.

"Hmm, "Someone's bad-mouthing me online in chat rooms"?" Ryuji asked, reading off another. "This one's got a name."

Morgana let out a sigh of disgust. "Ignore those. Let's find one that's about more serious trouble!"

"Hey, what about this one?" Ann asked suddenly. "..."I don't know what to do anymore, my ex won't stop stalking me! His name is Natsuhiko Nakanohara". It says that he's a teller at City Hall!"

"A government worker's stalkin' someone?!" Ryuji asked, scrolling through and pulling up the post.

"I'd say we've found our target. Who knows what he might do next if we don't stop him," Kyoko said, reading over the post. "I trust we're in agreement?"

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji replied. "This is just what we need!"

"Count me in, like you said, Kyoko... this can get a lot worse if we don't do something," Ann said.

"So what next?" Kyoko asked, looking over at Morgana.

"Simple," Morgana said. "Get the Meta-Nav ready!"

"So, just a name and a place, right?" Ryuji asked.

"We don't need a location, this time, actually," Morgana explained. "Instead, the keyword will be "Mementos". Just use it, it'll work... I think."

"..."I think"? That shit again?" Ryuji protested. "Fine, here goes nothin'... on three everyone?"

"Seriously?" Ann asked.

"Mementos," Kyoko said, choosing not to wait as she spoke into her own phone. "...Natsuhiko Nakanohara."

"Candidate found!" the app stated.

"We got a hit?!" Ryuji cried out, eyes wide in shock, before slowly noticing their surroundings had become much, much quieter.

"Wha?! Everyone disappeared!" Ann shouted, looking around frantically.

Kyoko brought her hand to her chin as she scanned the once crowded Shibuya. The people had vanished completely, replaced by an eerie silence and a strange, faint red hue different from the waning sun now provided the only illumination. The fact that everything looked otherwise normal somehow only added to the uncomfortable atmosphere of the place.

"So, we in that Nakanohara guy's Palace, now?"

"That's half right, and half wrong" Morgana explained. "This place is a type of Palace, but it's different from the others."

"How so?" Kyoko asked, looking down at Morgana, noting that he was still a normal-looking cat.

"You'll see. We need to head down into where the subway is first. The Shadows here are all lurking underground..."

Kyoko glanced towards the stairs leading down. It looked much darker down below, almost a black abyss with only the faintest hints of red providing any sort of illumination. Narrowing her eyes, she noticed also strange formations on the tiling that the illuminations permitted her to see that spread all the way up to the stairs. Formations that looked like... veins? "Why would they remain there?" she asked.

"I don't know why but it's like the Shadows are drawn to something," Morgana explained. "Anyway, let's go!"

Before anyone could respond, Morgana sprinted past Kyoko and rushed down the stairs into the darkness that awaited below, Kyoko and the others following quickly after.

"Hey! Get back here...!" Ryuji cried out, before coming to an immediate stop when they'd reached the bottom of the stairs. "W-what the hell is this place...?!"

The subway was bathed in a dim red light, now, with every screen that once showed various advertisement only displaying silent static. The veins Kyoko had spotted from outside were now more prevalent, creeping all along the floor, tiles, and ceiling as they pulsed and throbbed with the red light that gave the place its illumination like overgrowth. Strange protrusions jutted out of the walls as well, tipping and tearing away chunks and décor, like something much larger and very much alive were growing out of this place from within.

Looking down, Kyoko took notice of something else. "Our clothes have changed, as well," she said, noticing her Phantom Thief costume had appeared on her, as well as Ryuji's and Ann's respectively for them. Morgana, she noted, had also become the odd, super-deformed anthropomorphic form he normally appeared as in the metaverse.

"...Then the Shadows already know we're here?" Ann asked, looking back at Morgana.

"Since the moment we stepped in," Morgana explained. "They never come up to this floor, but once you go further down, it's a very different story! The place is absolutely teeming with them!"

"Okay, but what exactly is this Mementos place? It's time you started explaining everything!" Ann replied.

"In the shortest description, Lady Ann," Morgana said. "Mementos is... everyone's Palace."

"Everyone's?" Ryuji asked, raising an eyebrow behind his mask.

"Then why did Kamoshida have one that belonged exclusively to him?" Kyoko asked, folding her arms.

"A Palace as grand as Kamoshida's castle only forms when a person's wishes and desires become extremely distorted," Morgana replied. "The majority, however, collectively exist in one gigantic Palace, which is Mementos, where we are, now."

"Collectively? Like they're all just put in here together even though they're strangers?" Ryuji asked.

"Basically, yes," Morgana replied. "Think of it as the collective unconscious..."

"Collective unconscious?" Ryuji inquired, confused.

"Nevermind. You wouldn't get it," Morgana said dismissively, shaking his head. Ryuji gave a growl of annoyance but Ann then spoke up.

"...So then you brought us here because in this place we can change hearts of people who don't have Palaces, right?" Ann asked.

"Yup! Though the method will be slightly different," Morgana explained with a smile. "I'll explain when we find where our target is."

"That said," said Ryuji as he walked over to the inactive escalators and looked down at the waiting darkness below, feeling a slight draft waft up from it. "...How we gonna get around? The subways're pretty damn huge, and if this place is anything like 'em, I mean we really gonna get around just by walkin'?"

Morgana's ears flicked, and a smile game to his face. "Then it seems the time has finally come!" Leaping high into the air, Morgana struck a pose with his paw extended as he landed, raising his paw up above him. "MORGANAAAAAAA... TRANSFORM!"

With a sudden poof of smoke, what was once Morgana now sat a black van with a yellow stripe running down the middle and across the roof. Its headlights shared the same bright blue color as Morgana's eyes and a catlike tail poked out the back of the new vehicle, along with a gold hood ornament resembling Morgana's smiling face on the front.

"Panther? Ace? Ladies first~!" Morgana sang cheerfully, his voice coming from the grill in the front. Needless to say, both Ann and Kyoko were far too busy staring in shock to give any response or take Morgana up on his offer.

"How did you...?! ...You're a car!" Ryuji shouted, his face carrying an equal amount of absolute shock on it from what he had just witnessed.

"Courtesy of a bit of extra training and how cognition works in the metaverse," the Morgana-van explained. "Not that dissimilar to how you guys transform!"

"Right, 'cept turnin' into a car is kinda different from changin' clothes, ya know!" Ryuji replied.

"For some reason, cats turning into busses is an extremely widespread cognition around here, I suppose," the cat-van explained, bobbing up into the air in a manner Kyoko suspected was an attempt at shrugging.

"This would have been helpful in escaping the castle," Kyoko remarked as she stared at the talking van.

"Hey, if I could do it then, I would have," Morgana replied. "The castle was cramped, plus with the stairs and falling debris and all, it wouldn't have done us much good."

"Fair enough," Kyoko said.

"Well, if we got wheels now I guess that's all that matters!" Ryuji said with a grin, rushing for the door.

"H-hey! He said ladies first, you know!" Ann protested as both of them climbed into the back seat. Shaking her head, Kyoko opened the back door as well.

"A-hem!" Morgana's voice stated. "In case you forgot, I'm a car! I can't drive myself! I need someone to drive me or I'm not gonna be able to go anywhere!"

"I don't have my license," Ryuji said. "I can't even ride a moped yet."

"Me either," Ann said. "I don't even have video games as an excuse to lean on."

Kyoko noticed the two both look in her direction, and she could sense if Morgana were physically able to do so, he would be looking her way as well. "Very well, I'll drive us."

"You... have experience, right?" Ryuji asked nervously as Kyoko climbed into the driver's seat.

Kyoko gave no response as she noticed a switch where the key ignition would normally be and by her guess was what she needed to use. Pressing it up with her finger, Kyoko and the others quickly heard the engine purr to life.

"Mmmmm! That feels soooooo good!" Morgana cooed as his blue headlights flicked on as well. "Let's go full throttle! Witness the might of my meow-tery engine!"

"You... have experience, right?" Ryuji asked Kyoko once more.

"...I've watched my grandfather drive," the young detective replied, prior to the van suddenly and abruptly launching itself across the escalators at full speed and plummeting into the foreboding corridors that waited below. Morgana's subsequent yowl echoed throughout the dark halls.

"Kyoko," Ryuji muttered as he climbed over the seat.

"Ace. Remember, we're in the metaverse again, so use codenames!" Morgana's voice said from the speakers within the van.

"Right. Ace," Ryuji, AKA Skull, stated. "...Please... take it easy, next time?"

"I'm gonna have to second that request," Ann, or Panther, added.

Ace took a breath. "I'll do my best," she said, placing her foot more gently on the pedal and the van began to move, its headlights providing more light to their eldritch surroundings.

"Whoa... this place does kinda feel like a Palace," Skull remarked as he peered out the window.

"Look at that! We really are in the subway," Panther remarked as she looked out the other window. Train tracks were present where they had landed, providing one of the few things that still looked remotely normal in this twisted mockery of reality as the red veins continued to grow from the platforms and ceiling, the subway lights flickering about as the train tracks lead to a far more dimly-lit corridor awaited up ahead. "So... I'm gonna guess Nakanohara's somewhere in here, right?"

"Mm-hm, most likely in a segment of his own creation," Mona explained.

"Like a Palace?" Ace asked as she came to a stop at the corridor, noting the odd, ash-like debris that seemed to be blowing from it.

"Sorta," Mona replied. "Much more distorted Shadows can be found in a place where reality here twists and warps into a sort of isolated area for them, nowhere near the size of an actual Palace, but if it goes unchecked for too long and their heart and desires grow more distorted, then that may eventually give birth to one. We just need to find the entrance to this segment, and trust me, you'll know it when you see it from the strong distortions, even compared to all this..."

"Then we have to find him ourselves," Ace stated. "Any idea of where to look?"

"I can sense something, like with a Treasure, so if we come to any turns just go where I say," Mona said.

"Then we'd best get moving," Ace replied, hitting the gas pedal again.

"GENTLY!" Mona cried out as the van bolted down the hall ahead before coming to a stop inches from a wall.

"My apologies."

"Hey! Check that out!" Skull said, pointing at a slouched, pitch-black humanoid figure in the distance.

"That's a Shadow!" Mona explained. "Like I said, this place is full of them!"

"They don't look like the ones we've seen," Ace said.

"Since this is Mementos, they have a less defined form, but otherwise they're no different then the ones we fought in Kamoshida's Palace," Mona replied.

"Then let's give 'em what-for!" Skull cheered.

"I got an idea if we wanna get the jump on it," Mona explained. "Ace? Turn me towards it and floor the pedal. On purpose this time! Ram 'em!"

Immediately, the van accelerated at high speed towards the apparition, it barely having time to turn and face them, revealing its body to be covered in strange white masks resembling screaming faces before it was knocked off its feet and sent tumbling across the tracks several feet away before exploding apart in a cloud of red and black smoke and forming into a quartet of viscous green mounds of ooze with faces, each one smelling as foul as they looked.

"Ugh... let's get this over with," Ann stated, reaching for her mask. "CARMEN!"

The elegant dancer appeared above her, and with a twirl of its glowing gown, a blast of fire struck one of the slimes, causing it to cry out in pain and topple over, engulfed in flames.

"Nice! You hit a weakness!" Mona shouted as he rushed to join the group, back in his chibi-esque catlike form. "ZORRO!"

The buff swordsman appeared as well, swinging his rapier as a gust of powerful winds formed a cyclone that engulfed the burning slime, causing the flames to erupt and with one last shriek, the creature exploded in a burst of smoke.

"So, it's weak to fire and wind," Ace mused. "CAIT SITH!"

The catlike swordsman struck, burning another slime and causing it to recoil. "Skull, go!" Ace shouted, raising her hand as Skull slapped a high-five, calling forth Captain Kidd as a bolt of lightning struck the enemy down and finished it off.

The remaining slime's droopy face looked noticeably panicked as it slithered up to Ace. "Wait! Please! Can talk? I offer anything!"

Ace stared down at it, drawing her gun on it. "Anything? Lend me your power, then."

The slime bobbed, as if nodding, and looked noticeably more relaxed, now as it began to glow with a bright light. "Yes! I remember! Me Slime! My power now yours! Use well!"

In a flash of light, the creature vanished, becoming a glowing ball of energy that flew into Ace's mask, and she could feel the Slime's power now added to her own, and its power even growing a little as well as it bonded with her, as thoughts of her last outing with Ryuji came to mind.

"Aw yeah! Another fight won and a new Persona to the mix!" Skull cheered.

"You took on a talking blob of sludge as a Persona, Ace? Not sure how I feel about that," Panther said, retching a little from the smell of the viscous bloblike entities the team had just defeated.

"He offered, I accepted. If we're going to face potentially bigger challenges, then I need to gather more," Ace replied matter-of-factly as Mona changed back into a van.

"Let's get going. I can sense Nakanohara's Shadow is really close!" Mona stated as the group filed back in and resumed driving.

Indeed, it did not take long, as another few turns around the darkened corridors soon led to a dead end, a very peculiar one at that. The train tracks appeared to have been uprooted and pulled into the air into a spiraling shape, leading into a pulsing red vortex that covered the entire wall.

"This is it!" Mona shouted. "He's right through there!"

"Damn, what the hell's up with that?" Skull asked.

"Due to the way this Shadow is growing more distorted, this part of Mementos is distorting with it!" Mona explained. "I mentioned before how if it goes unchecked, it could eventually grow into a Palace, but right now it should just be a small isolated section. We defeat the Shadow, and get it to return to the person, it'll leave behind something similar to a Treasure that we take and it'll disappear. Is everyone ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Skull said.

"Bring it!" Panther cheered.

"Let's go, then," Ace stated as she drove the cat-van forward and through the waiting vortex.

Reality around them twisted and warped, forming into a larger tunnel of cold gray stone, vein like formations growing along the walls and shaping into odd patterns. The ceiling, however, was especially strange, as long, glowing red tubes resembling larger veins or arteries hung above, red glowing liquid of some sort faintly seen through them feeding into some distant corridor further ahead as though they were now inside some sort of living organism. Ace stared at it for a moment, before turning her attention to a figure standing at the end of the large open area, wreathed in black and red smoke. By her assertion, that was their target.

Emerging from the van with Panther and Skull, the van transforming back into Mona shortly after, Ace slowly approached the figure, her dagger appearing in her hands as she and the others drew closer and getting a better look at him.

It was a young man in a black business suit, perhaps in his mid-twenties, with thin build and his dark hair kept in a bowl cut, rectangular glasses framing his luminescent gold eyes. He seemed to not notice them as he looked down at the floor, scowling.

"You're Natsuhiko Nakanohara, correct?" Kyoko called out, glaring at the man through her ivory mask.

The man promptly turned, his otherworldly yellow gaze glaring back at her. "Who are you? The hell do you want from me?!" he snapped.

"You've been stalking your ex-girlfriend. Harassing her repeatedly and making her fear for her life," Ace explained.

"She's my property! I can do whatever the hell I want to her!" Nakanohara snarled, gritting his teeth as he waved his hand dismissively at Ace's accusation.

"What?! Haven't you ever stopped to consider how she feels?!" Panther asked angrily. "She's terrified of you!"

"I'd say the bitch deserves it!" Nakanohara replied. "You know she treated me like a damn plaything the whole time we were together! Why can't I return the favor?!"

"You can't just go an' treat someone like shit just 'cause they did it to you!" Skull snapped. "The Phantom Thieves are gonna change the hearts of all the bastards just like you!"

A tremor briefly shook the halls as Nakanohara's Shadow grew angrier, the smoke building up around him more. "There are millions of people out there far worse then me!" Nakanohara snarled, his face twisting into a look of pure rage. "You wanna go after someone who really deserves it, what about Madarame?! Why not go after him?!"

"Madarame...?" Ace brought her hand to her chin in thought, feeling certain she'd heard that name recently.

"That's right!" the Shadow snapped furiously. "...That lying bastard ruined my life and stole EVERYTHING from me and God knows how many others! Why the hell you lettin' scum like him off the hook, huh?!"

The tremors began once more as the smoke engulfed Nakanohara, before bursting apart and revealing an orange-skinned, goblin-like creature with suction cup-like growths on its hands and chest, its black hair obscuring its eyes and trailing off into a long braid and its mouth pulled back into a wide sneer filled with rows of fangs.

"Now that I finally have what's rightfully mine, I won't let you take it away from me!" the transformed Shadow screamed in a rage as it began to dance about in place.

"Is that so?" Ace asked, she and the others taking their fighting stances.

"This is a winner-takes-all world we live in! I learned that long ago! I'll be glad to show you what I mean!" the Shadow declared, snapping its fingers and a giant hammer suddenly appeared before it, swinging at at the Thieves at tremendous speed. Ace leaped into the air, trading her dagger for her gun as she fired down at the creature causing it to stumble back a little.

"DAMN! That little guy hits hard!" Skull cried out as he got up from the corner the hammer had whacked him in to.

"We'll see about that! CARMEN!" Panther shouted, calling forth her Persona as it unleashed a blast of flame at the creature. It yelped in pain but seemed to otherwise not have taken too much abuse from it.

"Zorro!" Mona called out, his own swordsman Persona bathing Skull in a green light.

"Trust me, I'm gonna take you all down!" the Shadow sneered, raising its arms as a blue light engulfed it. Suddenly, in a blur of motion it darted past the group in a blur of motion, and Ace, Mona, Panther, and Skull cried out as they felt themselves get struck by hidden blows before the Shadow backflipped through the air and landed in front of them.

"Ughh... maybe you weren't kidding, Skull," Mona grumbled, smarting from the blows.

"I've only started!" the creature gloated as he was once more bathed in a blue light and in another blur of motion, the Thieves were once again struck by a flurry of hidden blows before the diminutive creature frolicked back in front of them, chuckling.

"SLIME!" Ace shouted, touching her mask as the bloblike being she'd recently acquired appeared before her, a dull blue-gray energy engulfing the creature and causing it to suddenly slump as if it were fatigued.

"Tell ya, this little punk's REALLY pissin' me off!" Skull snapped, nursing his side. "CAPTAIN KIDD!"

The pirate Persona materialized immediately, unleashing a blast of lightning on the Shadow before it could make another move. The Shadow screamed out in agony as the lightning struck it, sending it tumbling backwards and flat on its back.

"Good move, Skull," Ace said, pointing her gun at the fallen Shadow as the others promptly did as well, cornering their enemy in a holdup.

"Heh, no prob!" Skull replied with a laugh, his shotgun trained on their foe.

"We good?" Ace asked.

"I'm just fine," Panther replied, her uzi ready to fire as well.

"W-wait! No!" the creature before them protested as it struggled to get back up.

"Let's see how YOU like it!" Mona snapped, his slingshot loaded. "Let's do it!"

As one, the group leaped into the air, the Shadow barely having time to scream as it was struck repeatedly as its assailants moved in a blur of motion, pummeling it till the creature finally fall on its back when the Thieves landed before it.

"Freakin' boring!" Skull taunted with a grin as the fallen creature reverted back to the form of Nakanohara. "Ready to call it quits, man?"

"Yeah..." Nakanohara staggered up, clutching his chest. "I'm... I'm sorry... please forgive me..."

"That's not my place," Ace replied. "Why did you do this?"

Nakanohara looked down at the floor. "...I guess I just... couldn't stop obsessing," he explained. "...There was this person I trusted, he just... used me and then disposed of me! It's all thanks to him, everything I ever wanted to be in life... i-it never happened..."

"You're blaming others?" Ace asked, folding her arms.

"You don't get it," Nakanohara replied, shaking his head and still looking down at the floor. "With his connections, once he was done with me... I lost it all..."

Ace's features softened at the Shadow's words, and she gave a slow, understanding nod. "...I do believe I get it..."

"Wait," Skull asked suddenly. "...Were you talkin' about that Madarame guy, again?"

The Shadow looked over timidly at Skull, and gave a silent nod in response.

"So some selfish bastard made you suffer, too, huh?" Panther asked. "...Still, that doesn't excuse you stalking your ex like that!"

"You're right," Nakanohara replied. "...I-I was so scared of being thrown away and forgotten about again, like some worthless thing. I guess I just... assumed she was doing the same thing to me..."

Standing back up, Nakanohara sighed. "...Thank you, for setting me straight. I'll put an end to my obsession with her. By the way," the Shadow asked, looking around at the Thieves. "...You can change peoples' hearts, right?"

"That's right," Mona replied.

"We ARE the Phantom Thieves, after all!" Skull stated with a smirk.

"...In that case, won't you please change Madarame's heart?!" the Shadow asked, light beginning to eminate from its form. "Please... y-you have to... before more people fall victim to him..."

Before anyone could respond, the Shadow of Nakanohara vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind a glowing, hovering ball of shimmering energy.

"Whoa... that's the bud of a Treasure!" Mona explained, staring at the glowing sphere in awe. "You remember what I said earlier about how especially distorted sections like this would eventually become Palaces? This thing is why, had we left it be..."

Ace brought her hand to her chin as she looked it over. "Then it functions similar to a Palace's Treasure? We take it, this chamber disappears?"

"Yup! Soon as we clear out it'll vanish since the root of the distortion is gone," Morgana replied, a grin spreading on his face. "This'll make a perfect reward, Ace! Go on and grab it!"

Ace gave a nod and stepped forward, reaching out for the sphere and grasping it in a single swipe of her hand. Opening her palm, she saw the sphere had become a silver woman's ring with a pearl at the center.

"So, Nakanohara had a change of heart, then, right?" Skull asked.

"If this is anything like with Kamoshida," Ace explained, looking the ring over as she held it between her thumb and index finger. "...I should imagine so."

"But how will we know?" Panther asked.

"I figure, well, his ex posted his name on the board, right? She'll prolly comment again if he's changed," Skull replied. "Still, fightin' against Shadows down here's gotta make for great prep for our next major Palace-rulin' target!"

"It's also nice to be able to give courage to the people who post problems like this online!" Panther said with a smile.

"...And, on top of that, we can probably sell whatever treasures we find down here for some cold, hard, cash!" Mona stated. "Right, Ace?"

Ace nodded, closing her hand around the ring and sliding it into her coat pocket. "Indeed. Things such as this will fund our operation more effectively," she said.

"Heh, yeah, tell me about it! I can't go blowin' my whole allowance even for this!" Skull said with a laugh. "It sounds to me like things are goin' pretty great for us!"

"Before we leave, though," Mona explained. "...There's one last thing I want to show you guys..."

With that, the catlike creature was suddenly once more a catlike van in a burst of smoke. "Hop in!" he said. "I'll help guide you there!"

---

"Right here! Ace! Stop! STOP!" Mona shouted as the van came to a very abrupt halt at what looked like a darkened subway platform. Stepping out, Ace noticed up ahead was a set of inactive escalators leading downward into darkness, and to the right was a stone wall with several barred windows.

"Hey... you hear that?" Skull asked as he and Panther stepped out as well, glancing over at the windows. "Whoa, are those... peoples' Shadows?" he asked.

Crowds of people stood on the other side, their glowing golden eyes shimmering in the darkness as they remained silent and still on the platform beyond as a distant rumbling grew louder and louder before a large black train with glowing red windows suddenly came into frame through the windows, pulling to a stop with a loud, whistling hiss.

"The trains... they're still active?" Skull asked.

"Of course!" Mona replied, transforming back into his catlike form. "This is a subway, after all!"

"Yeah, but I thought this was a Palace," Panther said, watching the sight beyond the bars in bewilderment.

"Maybe it's how the public views this place, then? I dunno," Mona replied.

"Then... people are going through this... darkness... every day?" Panther asked, her expression falling.

"That aside," Skull cut in abruptly, "...Shouldn't we be worried about runnin' along train tracks, then?"

"So long as we're on the other side, we shouldn't have anything to worry about!" Mona replied. "How should I know, I'm no train expert!"

"The section we're on seems to be separate from it," Ace said.

"For now, anyway!" Skull muttered.

"So what are we looking for?" Ace asked, glancing down at Mona.

"It should be right down past those escalators," Mona replied, gesturing with his paw.

"Then we should proceed," Ace said, making her way to the escalators, paying one last glance back as the train on the other side of the wall roared back to life and proceeded down the hallway ahead of it, the crowds that had been there before were now nowhere to be seen...

---

The darkness below parted to a more well-lit area that looked more like a full two-way subway platform, though just as dilapidated as the previous floors. Rotted platform signs hung barely to their cables, their numbers shining a red glow as the flickering lamps ahead buzzed faintly under the vein-like overgrowth that threatened to consume them and the support columns nearby. Trains with opaque, red-tinted windows passed by in a seemingly endless chain of cars.

The real thing of note, however, was the strange wall ahead that seemed to be made of an obsidian rock, a series of strange, glowing red glyphs carved into its face and the floor and ceiling before it, making it look less like part of a subway to Ace and more like part of some ancient, eldritch temple

"That's it, right there!" Mona shouted, gesturing ahead at the strange wall. "The thing I want to make sure of is inside! Let's go!"

"So... what is this place? It's kinda creepy," Panther asked as the group approached, folding her arms nervously as she looked at the odd glyphs.

"And a dead end," Skull remarked. "Why'd we come here?"

"Hold on, and just watch," Mona said.

Once more, a great tremor shook the foreboding surroundings of the eldritch subway. Ace looked about, then at the wall before them as it suddenly split apart, pieces of it sliding up and inward while others slid away into its frame, revealing a new pathway with another set of escalators leading even further down before the tremors slowly ceased.

"Hm, it's opened up," Ace remarked, tapping her chin with her gloved finger, before suddenly feeling her phone vibrate in her coat pocket and took it out in response.

"A new area has been confirmed in the depths!" her phone declared as the Meta-Nav briefly shimmered. "Updating guidance information!"

"Just as I thought!" Mona replied excitedly.

"What happened? Why did this wall suddenly open up?" Panther asked.

"That's the thing! It wouldn't budge the first time I came here!" Mona explained. "That said, it'd be weird for the deepest part of Mementos to be a fairly normal place like this, right?"

"Indeed," Ace replied, looking at the escalators ahead in intrigue. "I'd hardly imagine Nakanohara's Shadow would be the only one here to have become especially distorted, as well, let alone for a place that you say represents the collective unconscious to be so much smaller then Kamoshida's castle."

"That makes sense," Skull replied before looking down at Mona once more. "So, then... you were always thinkin' there's more of this place, Mona-Mona?"

"Yeah! And now with Kamoshida's heart changed, people are already starting to talk about us!" Mona explained. "I figured that'd make things change down here."

"Like with Kamoshida, you mentioned how affecting his cognition would affect his Palace," Ace replied. "You're saying the same would apply here, too. The more people become aware of our success, the further in we'll be able to explore..."

"Right!" Mona said. "And if we continue to go after big targets and take requests from the site, then more doors like this may open."

"Then... how deep is it, exactly?" Panther asked, glancing over the escalators into the darkness below. "...Should we try going further down?"

"Let's not," Mona replied, shaking his head. "It's not what we're here for, today, remember? We should head back and I'll explain more once we're home..."

---

The sun had long since set over the Shibuya Station as Kyoko and the others emerged from Mementos and up the underground stairway, the blanket of nightfall having already fully set in over the city and making the streets a little less crowded.

"Mementos, huh?" Ryuji asked, as he leaned tiredly against a nearby kiosk. "...I still don't really get that place... and what was up with that wall thing at the end?"

"Whatever it was, it was there for a reason," Morgana explained, before glancing over at Kyoko. "And I think we may be on to something. If Mementos is the public's Palace, their belief in us may be what affects it and how far we can progress."

"But why do you know so much about it, Morgana?" Ann asked.

"I... I don't know... My memories are so foggy in that regard," the cat replied, his ears drooping a little. "I just know... that I need to get to the deepest depths of Mementos, no matter what..."

"So if there is a bottom, do you have any idea what might be down there?" Kyoko asked, folding her arms.

"I don't know that, either," Morgana replied. "What I do know, however, is Mementos is not just everyone's Palace, you saw with that distorted room and that Treasure bud, it's the source of all Palaces..."

"Yes, and in time, Nakanohara may have developed one of his own if his obsession grew worse," Kyoko said.

"That's right," Morgana said. "See, it used to be that Palaces like Kamoshida's, where there was only one ruler, didn't exist. Mementos is formed from the distortion of the collective unconscious, though..."

Kyoko brought her hand to her chin in thought, looking downward. "Then whatever's at the very bottom of that place may be the cause of the distortions..."

"It's very possible," Morgana replied. "If it is, it's the greatest cause of distortions, and if we can do something about it, then I'm certain... my appearance will..."

The cat went silent, looking down at his paws.

"...You wanted someone to save you, too," Ann said.

Morgana's tail poofed, his eyes widening in a surprised, defensive look. "I-I just... I needed pawns, that's all!"

Ryuji smirked. "Oh, I see! So that's why you were pokin' your nose with us!"

"Hey," Ann approached, smiling down at Morgana. "...I'll help you, and I hope you'll be able to regain whatever it was you lost."

Morgana remained silent a moment again, looking downward before finally turning his head back up to Ann, then Kyoko and Ryuji. "I'll... be counting on you guys!" he said, looking much more relieved. "But more importantly, we've discovered we can indeed make minor changes of heart in Mementos! So, if we come across any eye-catching leads on Mishima's website, or even anywhere else, it may be worth dealing with them for a bit of practice!"

"Furthermore, it would also help make the public believe in the Phantom Thieves more," Kyoko said.

"True, but there weren't any other outstanding ones, though," Ann replied.

"...But I bet we could get tons of 'em if we change the heart of some scumbag who's really famous!" Ryuji said with a grin. "That'll do wonders in makin' the Phantom Thieves well-known! If we're gonna get our names out, the big fish gotta be our main targets."

"Just remember to also be ready to get through your exams, Ryuji," Morgana said playfully, promptly the boy to immediately hang his head in exasperation.

"Right... studyin'... Whatta joy..."

Kyoko, meanwhile pinched her chin lightly, glancing downward deep in thought as she remembered what Nakanohara's Shadow had mentioned. "Nakanohara... his Shadow mentioned a name, Madarame..."

"What about it?" Ann asked, curious.

"...It sounded familiar. I'm absolutely certain I heard it before, recently," the young detective replied. "Nakanohara's Shadow described him as someone very well-connected. Enough so to sabotage him and many others' lives after exploiting them and getting away with it. Perhaps we should honor his request and look into this name further once exams are over..."

"That's a good idea," said Morgana, before letting out a yawn. "...At any rate, we should all head home."

"Right, forget studyin' tonight! Think I'm gonna crash once I get back!" Ryuji said.

Ann chuckled. "Just don't put it off!" she said.

"Like you're one to talk!" Ryuji grumbled.

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!" Ann protested indignantly. "I don't fail all my subjects!"

"Only 'cause ya already know English!"

"We had this discussion already!"

"Doesn't mean it ain't true!"

"Say that again!"

Kyoko closed her eyes and took a deep, exasperated breath as she let Morgana into her school bag and led the way as the other two continued to bicker as they followed behind her down into the subway to catch their respective rides home, unaware they were being watched...

---

A/N: Thanks for waiting and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay tuned for when I manage to churn out the next one! I wasn't sure whether or not I should include Jose, as other then the star which isn't really plot-relevant at all until the very end, he's mostly just an optional bonus sidequest and a shopkeeper. What's your take?

The Fool: Rank 3

The Magician: Rank 2

The Hierophant: Rank 2

The Lovers: Rank 2

The Chariot: Rank 3

The Hanged Man: Rank 1

Death: Rank 2

The Moon: Rank 1

Kyoko's Personas: Agathion, Bicorn, Cait Sith, Succubus, Saki Mitama, Slime