Heart of Justice Chapter 29
6/7
"...I must say, this place is very unsettling," Fox remarked, looking around at the dark, foreboding surroundings of Mementos, noting the vein-like growths and fleshy protrusions on the walls, floor, and ceiling, and the odd breeze that seemed to be going in the direction of the stairs leading further down. "...It feels like we're being drawn into the gullet of some monstrous organism... is this the true form of human desire?"
"Yeah, it is kinda creepy, honestly," Panther said.
"We're instantly regarded as a threat, so our appearances change right away as well," Mona said, now in his cartoonish, anthropomorphic form.
"Hey, reminds me," Skull said, "We never sent calling cards to the ones we're goin' after!"
"I don't think it's necessary," Mona replied. "Ace was talking to Mishima earlier. He was apparently posting comments announcing the targets the Phantom Thieves will be going after. It affects the public's cognition and suffices as a calling card as these peoples' Shadows aren't nearly on the same level as Palace Rulers."
"For real?" Skull asked, surprised. "I mean, it's Mishima doin' it but hey, if it makes our job easier not havin' to track these people down ourselves then that's cool with me!"
Before anyone else could speak, the chamber was suddenly, and briefly bathed in a strange red glow.
"A new area has been confirmed! Updating guidance information!" The Meta-Nav announced from Ace's phone as the strange glow subsided.
"What just happened?" Fox asked.
"Mona, you mentioned the more well-known the Phantom Thieves became, then the more parts of Mementos like that gate we encountered last time would open?" Ace asked.
"That's right! After we defeated Madarame, the Phantom Thieves' fame really went up!" Mona replied. "Which means since we're in the public's mind even more, we can go further in!"
Ace gave a nod. "Then this brings us a step closer to solving the mystery of this place," she said, bringing her hand to her chin as she pondered her encounters with Igor and the twins in the Velvet Room, as well as the nature of the Palaces and Mona's familiarity with them and lost memories that compelled him to get to its depths, recalling the conversation they'd had after the first trip into this place. "...Further in we've noticed the strange wind that leads deeper down, and those odd red tubes resembling arteries. It has to lead to something much further in."
Mona nodded. "I have to reach the deepest depths of this place, it's all I can remember," he said, looking down.
"Then perhaps whatever's down there, whatever these features that lead and draw us deeper ultimately end at, must be what all of this is linked to," Ace replied. "We'll have to continue as Phantom Thieves also for the sake of progressing further to finding out what that is."
"Don't gotta tell me twice!" Skull said with a grin. "So we get big from doin' this and takin' on big dogs like Kamoshida and Madarame, we got a better chance of doin' that!"
"In that case, let us proceed, and change these troublesome peoples' hearts!" Fox said with a nod.
"The more hope we inspire, the more people will believe in us!" Panther cheered.
Ace adjusted her gloves and stepped forward, only to notice a blue gateway appear nearby, along with Justine.
"Hello, inmate," she said. Ace noticed again how no one seemed to react to the childlike guard or the gateway. "Before you begin your mission, perhaps you'd like to pay a visit?"
Ace looked at her teammates, who now appeared to be in a trance, and gave a nod, approaching the gate. The doorway swung open, Justine leading her inside and Ace relieved she was able to enter normally for a change.
Ace felt herself drift in dim blue light, chains drifting about around her before suddenly finding herself once more in her cell, dressed in shackles and prison scrubs.
"Nice of you to accept our invitation, inmate!" Caroline said, quickly pocketing something that, Kyoko was certain was a small, toy spaceship into her uniform.
"So, you're returning to the Palace of the masses to change the hearts of distorted individuals. Your rehabilitation is progressing quiet well," Igor said, his uncanny grimace spread wide across his face as he spoke, his fingers drumming in unnatural precision on his desk. "...Remarkable incentive, Trickster. Would I be correct in the assessment you're here to create new Personas?"
"I am," Kyoko replied, standing close to the bars.
"Very well, let us begin, then..."
In moments, following the instructions of the names and requirements of the registry, Kyoko beheld two new Personas, one a great knight in red armor with a lance mounted on a black horse identifying itself as Eligor, the other... a tall and muscular anthropomorphic creature with the torso of a man and the hind legs and head of a horse which called itself Orobas.
"These will do," Justine said, giving a nod of approval.
Kyoko took note of the Personas' abilities, and noticed something else in the registry, a name that came to mind she recalled the twins discuss before and, raising her shackled hand, managed to point to it.
"Fuse that one," Kyoko said.
"Very well, if you wish," Justine said. The twins proceeded to bundle the recently-made Eligor and Orobas, as well as conjuring a Berith like the Kyoko had just sacrificed, placing them in three large guillotines. The blades came crashing down, the Personas suddenly transformed into glowing spheres of energy that drifted together to form a singular being.
In a flash of light, Kyoko was greeted by a tall entity with red fur and a white stomach, resembling humanoid leopard with its head growing out of its chest and biting down on a spiked bit. Its arms and feet were covered in black armor with large cylindrical shoulder armor jutting from its shoulders and the hilt of a large sword embedded into the top of its back where a neck should have been, the hilt sporting a skull ornament at its end. The creature raised its fists, revealing the knuckle dusters in its armored hands.
"I am Flauros!" the creature said. "I will become a fiery mask of thine, with my powers to see the past and future..."
The creature vanished, a tiny speck of light floating towards Kyoko and to where her Phantom Thief mask would normally be, adding its power to her own.
"Oh, looks like you've brought us the Persona we asked for," Caroline observed.
"And it seems it carries the Tarukaja spell within itself," Justine added. "Very well, this completes your current assignment."
"Seems you're better then this then I thought, inmate," Caroline sneered. "I had thought you might have missed it and given up."
"Considering her set of skills, I'd say it was to be expected of the human our master saw potential in," Justine replied with an approving nod.
"Well, so long as she keeps it up!" Caroline stated, turning her remaining eye on Kyoko. "You're dedicated, I'll certainly give you that..."
"I intend to be," Kyoko said, narrowing her gaze. As far as she concerned, whatever games were sent her way by this place and its odd residents, she'd continue to play along as there was little other choice if she was to get closer to getting answers to her questions, which it'd become clear so far did not come freely.
Justine smiled knowingly as if she'd read the young detective's mind, or at least had some suspicion of what she was thinking despite the girl's cold expression. "Rehabilitation is the only way, inmate," she stated. "Everything we put before you carries purpose towards achieving that."
Caroline chuckled. "With a heart still so closed up, it's an accomplishment she's not thrown in the towel yet! Still, though..."
"What do you mean?" Justine asked.
"The task list you wrote, the assignments. They've helped her grow and improve!" Caroline said with a grin.
"Odd, I was certain you had written it. I don't recall doing so," Justine mused, bringing her hand to her chin and looking rather confused.
"Excuse me?! I don't know anything about that thing! You're the one always handling it!" Caroline protested in surprise.
Justine took a moment to flip through the pages, a flustered look briefly crossing her face. "Now that consider it, I suppose it is too precise for you to have written it," she said, still looking uncertain.
"You need to put it that way?!" Caroline snapped indignantly.
"But then... who wrote it?" Justine asked.
"...Was it him?" Kyoko offered, looking past them at Igor, who remained at his desk, his fingers, for a moment, stopped their consistent drumming but his wide grimace did not waver in the least. The young detective frowned at him, it felt as though, for a moment, he was mocking her somehow, dangling some valuable clue or perhaps the answer itself just out of her reach and there was nothing she could do about it. Perhaps it was her frustration at the questions and unsolved mysteries surrounding this place and her role in this.
"No, it wasn't him," Justine said, looking back at Igor a moment before turning her gaze back to her. "I have not heard him mention anything of the sort..."
The childlike guard looked confused again, glancing at her twin. "...How long have we had this list?"
Kyoko closed her eyes, looking down, it seemed another mystery had come to her. She noticed Igor had offered no response, he just sat there, with that unsettling grin as he drummed his fingers. Neither of the twins didn't seem to know the answer to their question.
"You got something to say?" Caroline suddenly snapped at her, bringing Kyoko out of her thoughts. "Just mind your own business and focus on finishing your tasks, inmate!"
"Caroline, perhaps we should consult our master about this?" Justine offered.
Both girls turned, looking over at Igor, who remained where he was, his bulbous eyes seeming to gaze right through them, and Kyoko herself as he watched them. The young detective wasn't sure what to make of this, but despite his unchanging expression, it felt as though the way Igor was looking at the twins was in a way as if he were judging them, or perhaps daring them to ask.
"...All our master told us to do is oversee the inmate's rehabilitation, and it's our duty to follow orders" Caroline stated as she glanced over at her twin, her tone unusually soft compared to her normally aggressive temperament. "...We needn't waste his time on such trivial matters."
"Indeed, it doesn't matter who conceived the list," Justine agreed with a nod.
Kyoko noted the childlike guards seemed uncomfortable, as if they were simply afraid to ask, but they quickly recovered as they turned to face her once more.
"Hey, inmate! Forget what you saw. You needn't pry on pointless matters!" Caroline stated, her harsh attitude back in place.
"Indeed, focus instead on rehabilitation. We'll offer more benefits to you as you continue with these tasks," Justine said. "Work hard on the duty you were assigned... we will do the same."
What had transpired still remained on Kyoko's mind, but she could see Justine and Caroline were serious in their role in aiding her, even if it was clear they had questions of their own, now.
The young detective felt another chain link shatter within her mind.
"As promised, you now will be granted a new ability. You can place a Persona in "Lockdown" here to meditate, and it will gain new skills in a few days, how's that for hospitality?" Caroline explained. "...And between us, that chamber's rather musty. If you can find something that might improve the smell in there, it'll be more effective in strengthening a Persona!"
"Now, for your next task," Justine began, "...A Phoenix, with "Counter". Remember it well."
"One more thing," said Caroline. "...Remember that card we gave you? You can use them to grant a Persona a skill. Easy right? Just hand it over, pick the one you want, and we'll do the rest. You have any that might need it? Or perhaps you can fuse another more worthwhile..."
Kyoko studied the registry, the Kodama was rather weak, but she noticed a potentially useful fusion if she brought back an older one for the job. "That one," she said. Justine gave a nod of approval.
In place of the paper-like Persona and the re-summoned Genbu, came a majestic-looking red peacock-like Persona that introduced itself as Suzaku.
The card appeared in Kyoko's shackled hands before drifting over to Caroline, who held it out. The card burst in a red light that floated into the new Persona, before the Persona itself vanished into a light that floated into Kyoko.
"It is done," Justine said. "Will there be anything else before you leave?"
Kyoko looked at her registry, noticing the blank spaces reflecting how many her heart was able to hold within itself from how she understood it, recalling the two she'd fused to create the one to bring the twins earlier and pointing at the names on the registry, getting a nod of approval from Justine and Kyoko felt the two new Personas become added to her arsenal.
"Expect to hear from us again, soon, inmate!" Caroline stated as the Velvet Room and its inhabitants faded away.
"Hey, Ace, you with us?" Mona asked, causing Ace to turn.
Ace gave a nod. "Yes. Let's go."
Once more, Fox was in awe as the group came down the stairs, though more specifically, at one happened next.
"Did Mona just... become a van?" he asked as he looked over at the transformed cat.
"Yeah, he does that," Skull said, opening one of the back doors and climbing in while Panther and Ace took the front. "But hey, means we don't gotta walk! This place is pretty damn big!"
"I see. Very well, then," Fox said, not making any further remarks on it as he joined Skull in the back, taking one more look around at the group's eldritch surroundings.
"People believe that sort of thing about cats, for some reason," Mona's voice stated from the van's speakers. "...Not that I'm a cat, of course!" he quickly added.
"Any idea where our targets are, Mona?" Panther asked.
"Well, they're not in this part, so we'll probably need to go and check the next section that opened up the last time we were here!" Mona replied.
The van suddenly lunged forward, producing a chorus of startled yelps from everyone within and the van itself.
"...My apologies," Ace said quietly, closing her eyes in embarrassment as she took a breath before slowly putting her foot on the pedal and moving the van forward at a more reasonable speed.
The Morganamobile hit the concrete floor with a resounding thud as it emerged from the undulating red vortex, Ace climbing out of the driver's seat as Skull, Panther, and Fox joined her, the bus transforming back into Mona as he came up behind.
"What kind of place is this?" Fox inquired, looking about.
"The Shadows we target in Mementos essentially have gained their own little niche due to how distorted their hearts have become!" Mona explained. "The post that acts as a calling card puts them on alert and allows us to track them to where they've isolated themselves."
"...And from the looks of it, we've found our first one..." Ace approached the figure at the end of the chamber. "Mr. Heiji Ono, correct?" she demanded.
Standing before them was an elderly man who appeared to be perhaps in his 70's. He folded his arms at them in disgust, glaring at them with glowing gold eyes as black smoke slithered around his frame.
"Yeah, and who the hell're you brats?!" the old man demanded in a snide, condescending tone. "You got a problem with me, Heiji Ono?!"
"First thing that comes outta his mouth. Must really think highly of 'imself!" Skull muttered.
"You're the old man harassing bar patrons in the alley in Kichijouji. It seems you've upset a lot of people with your behavior," Ace stated, glaring back at the Shadow.
"...Including you kids!" the old man sneered, grinning at the Thieves. "Even with those silly masks on I can tell you're annoyed! Shows how interested you are in me, Heijo Ono, right?"
"This isn't funny!" Panther snapped. "You're ruining businesses because people don't wanna put up with you!"
"That's right! Get mad and look at me, Heiji Ono!" the old man cackled, the ground beginning to tremor.
"He's certainly disturbed," Fox noted in disgust. "Let's deal with this troublemaker at once, Ace!"
The old man's grin spread, the ground's tremors grew as his form twisted and warped into black and red ooze that reformed itself into a squat, gnome-like creature in purple robes with a long, flowing white beard holding up a gigantic green leaf over its head like an umbrella.
The gnome chuckled deviously as it leaped into the air, drifting in place with its leaf. "Hmm, hmm, hmmm! What sort of trouble shall I cause today?" it inquired, laughing even louder. "Let's see..."
The gnome raised his hand, swirling blue winds of cold gathering only for the creature to double over and cry out in pain. "Ackk! My hips! My shoulder! Damn this rain!" he protested as it struggled to stand, its spell fizzling out.
"Looks like we were right! Him associating joint pains with the rain in the real world's affected his cognition!" Mona said with a smirk. "ZORRO!"
The topheavy swordsman appeared above the cat thief, swinging its blade and unleashing a powerful, cutting blast of wind at the Shadow, causing him to stumble backward a bit.
"H-how could you? P-picking on a defenseless old man!" Ono cried out indignantly.
"Screw you, geezer! Can't take it when people you hurt start fightin' back?" Skull retorted. "CAPTAIN KIDD!"
The pirate Persona appeared in a flash of flame, aiming its cannon arm and firing a powerful bolt of lightning at the Shadow, doing far more harm and causing the transformed Ono to tumble on his back, dazed.
"I-I'll... get you kids...!" Ono stammered, struggling to stand only to cry out again and clutch his hip in pain. The moment he opened his beady eyes, however, he saw the five Phantom Thieves standing around him, guns drawn. "Y-you cant! Ohhh if I could just move I'd...!"
"Spare it," Ace replied coldly, and she and the others, as one, leapt into the air, melee weapons drawn and striking the Shadow in rapid succession of swift and fierce attacks. Ono jerked and grunted and screamed in pain as he was struck repeatedly from all directions before falling flat on his face to the ground, the five Thieves landing before him as smoke engulfed his form and he returned to his original, human state.
"Ready to call it quits with this behavior?" Panther asked, approaching as Ono slowly attempted to stand himself back up.
"Indeed, you've no right to make such a nuisance of yourself like this, nor does your age excuse you from it in the least!" Fox said sternly, causing the others to look at him in concern, but knowing why he was likely particularly angered by this man.
"Fox..." Morgana's ears drooped as he regarded him with concern.
"Dude, ain't denyin' this guy's a real jerk, but he's no Madarame," Skull said. "Least... I don't think he is..."
Fox let out a resigned sigh and nodded in agreement. "...You're right, he isn't, but my point stands. His behavior is unacceptable and it was clear how he avoided consequences," he said, looking at the shaking form of Ona again. "...What could have lead you to act out like this? Did you ever think of the businesses you've affected, or the people you've upset?"
Ono looked down at the ground in shame. "...It started with something small," he muttered. "...Whenever I did something stupid, then my family worried about me... any other time, my son treats me like I'm worthless."
Ace folded her arms and glared at the old man. "...So this was all for attention?" she asked, her tone stern and with a hint of disgust. "That's incredibly selfish of you. As we've said, your actions have hurt others, and affected businesses. Neither were looking for trouble and didn't need this in their lives."
The old man nodded. "...You're right. I was being selfish... because I didn't think of other ways I could have gotten it without hurting anyone, I ended up causing so much trouble," he said. "I suppose it just felt so good to have his notice and concern that I started seeking that kind of attention everywhere..."
Fox looked down a moment, sympathy now in his eyes as he looked at the old man again. "...An unfortunate consequence of such isolation. I know how it feels, to feel like you matter so little to those you care for."
Ono began to weep. "W-what am I supposed to do? I've caused all this trouble, how can I live with this? It's too late to apologize..."
"No, it's not," Fox replied, approaching. "What you must do, is show you mean it, and start making up for it." He gave the old man a small, assuring smile. "...I'm certain that's what your family wishes, as well. Instead of taking it out on others, communicate your needs with them directly. Start by telling them you're lonely, before it's too late."
Ono looked at him, giving a nod and wiping away his tears. "Yeah... I'll do that..." the Shadow's form began to glow and vanished in a bright flash of light, leaving behind a shimmering orb Ace quickly grabbed.
"Looks like a... belt buckle." Panther remarked, looking at it.
"Looked like the one to the belt he was wearing," Mona replied. "Maybe it was a favorite of his?"
"Maybe we can pawn it off like the other stuff, looks pretty valuable!" Skull said with a grin.
"You gonna be alright, Fox?" Panther asked, concerned.
"I will," Fox replied, nodding and glancing at Skull. "You were right, as deplorable as his behavior was, he was no Madarame. If anything, perhaps he had more in common with myself then him in some ways."
"Mementos targets are usually not as monstrous or carry hearts as distorted as those of Palace Rulers," Mona explained.
"At any rate," Ace stated as tremors began to occur around them, signifying the chamber would crumble into nothingness soon, "...That takes care of this target, let's go look for the others."
Mona nodded and leaped into the air, once more transforming into a van, Ace pocketing the belt buckle and the group climbing in and driving back out through the portal as the chamber began to collapse, and begin their search for the next target that awaited them...
Ace froze a moment as she and the others came to the bottom of the stairs that led into the next floor. The air was colder, what lighting there was, had become a dull blue and the fleshy red growths on the walls seemed to spread more. The winds had grown as well, tattered scraps and flecks of blackened substance that may have been paper or something else billowed in the air, carried further into the labyrinthine corridors that waited ahead with an unearthly howl.
Fox's description felt all the more apt for it. To the young detective, the place felt less as if it were truly window and more almost as if it were drawing in breath, making it all the more unsettling and leaving her wondering what could have been at the end.
"Ace, you alright?" Panther asked, looking over at her.
"Yes, just..." Ace began.
"Yeah, it's seriously creepy," Panther replied.
"I've been to and investigated my share of crime scenes, many of them unpleasant in ways you wouldn't want to think about, but this place..." Ace looked at the dark tunnels ahead, briefly pausing before speaking again. "...There's something about this place... something that unsettles even myself..."
"The atmosphere of this place is very oppressive," Mona remarked. "Don't let it get to you and remember my warning if we stay on a floor too long!"
"Hm?" Fox looked confused.
"There's a powerful Shadow that patrols this place," Mona explained, transforming into a van again. "...If we linger too long, it may find us, so hop in and let's go!"
"Is that the one?" Fox asked, pointing at a hovering shape in tattered, billowing robes and wreathed in glowing red mists at the end of one of the corridors, drawing closer.
"Y-YES! EVERYONE! IN! NOW!" Mona cried out, a distant rattling that sounded like chains creaking and swaying in the air could be heard in the direction of the malevolent specter as it drew ever nearer, a single, glowing yellow eye gazing from where its head seemed to be right at the group, a pair of guns gripped tight in its hands.
Immediately, Ace and the others hurriedly climbed in, the young detective hitting the gas pedal and the van took off down another corridor.
"Dude, the HELL was that thing?!" Skull asked, looking behind them out the window with wide, panicked eyes and seeing no sign of what had been coming towards them earlier.
"Whatever it was it looked seriously scary!" Panther remarked, gripping her seat as Ace moved the van down the tunnels as fast as she could and trying to avoid the creatures resembling humanoid masses of tar covered in white masks lumbering about.
"It's not very fast when it's roaming but if it forced us into a fight, it would have killed us all!" Mona's voice explained through the van's speakers. "It's not something we can beat, it's way too powerful, so if we see it, we run like now!"
"Can it get us when we're in those places our targets are in?" Ace asked.
"No, it doesn't go in those places," Mona explained. "The Shadow self that inhabits it controls it, so it probably doesn't really pay it any notice. I think."
"I really wish you would stop sayin' that last part," Skull grumbled as Ace gave a sharp turn and brought them to another set of stairs.
"Are we safe, now?" Fox asked.
"It's probably still coming straight for us because it already sensed us, but it won't follow if we go down the stairs! Let's go!" Mona ordered as he transformed back into his small, catlike form and scurrying for the waiting stairs, the others right behind him.
"...Oh, hello again!" A boyish voice called them from ahead right as they'd reached the bottom, causing the group to stop in their tracks. Before them, standing atop his over-packed buggy was Jose.
"What manner of being is this?" Fox asked, intrigued by the strange puppet-like boy.
"We're... honestly not sure, actually," Panther replied.
"It's nice to see you again!" Jose said, hopping cutely off his buggy and approaching. "I hope you've been well!"
"We just ran from a scary killer ghost-thing just up those stairs!" Skull stated, catching his breath.
Jose walked over to the stairs the Thieves had come from and glanced up in curiosity, but there was no sign of anything coming.
"Well, whatever was pursuing you I don't see it," Jose remarked, almost nonchalantly. "The things in this place tend to leave me be, anyway."
"With any luck, we're safe for now," Ace replied, brushing back her hair and glancing back up at the stairs in concern, though looking at the boy in curiosity. "Why is it they don't attack you?"
"I'm not really sure, actually," the boy said, putting his hand to his chin. "Either way, it makes my exploring this place easier..." Jose's eyes seemed to widen despite appearing to be made of wood. "Oh! That reminds me, have you found any of the flowers?" he asked, an eager smile on his face as he looked up at her.
"We saw them, yes," Ace replied, and suddenly a pile of them materialized before the boy. She recalled how each one they'd encountered in the Mona-van's path would vanish in a puff of sparkles when they'd touch them.
"Oh, wow!" Jose approached the pile and held his hand out, a drinking cup appearing in it and the flower petals swirling into a small yellow whirlwind feeding into the cup and transforming into an orange-gold smoothie-like substance. With a pleased smile, Jose took a straw out of his robe and placed it into the mixture and drank it down.
"Uh..." Skull remarked, breaking the silence.
"Delicious!" Jose said, closing his eyes as he savored the taste and giving a content smile. "Thanks so much for collecting these! Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
"Would you by any chance know where any really strong distortions are on this floor?" Ace asked. "Any irregularities in this place?"
"Oh, there is one, actually. It's down that long tunnel and make a left at when it splits. It looks all weird at the end and has this strange opening like it leads somewhere, but I didn't go in. Maybe that's what you're looking for?" Jose asked.
"That's it!" Mona said. "One of our targets must be there!"
"We appreciate it," Fox said.
"You're welcome! It's nice to meet you, too, Mister! I like making new friends!" Jose replied with a smile. "Oh, I also found this!" he reached into his robes again, taking out a small ofuda talisman with the word Rasetsu inscribed on it. "Maybe it can help you?"
"Thank you," Ace replied, accepting it and placing it in her coat pocket.
"Well, I'm off to search some more! Good luck everyone!" Jose said, jumping into the air and landing in his buggy, and with a loud revving of the engine, sped off down the corridors ahead and disappeared into the darkness.
"He seriously weirds me out, man," Skull remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Still, he's pretty nice!" Panther replied with an amused smile. "...Wonder what that thing he gave us does?"
"It appeared to be some kind of talisman," Fox replied.
"It might carry a spell of some kind of it's used. Hold on to it for now, Ace," Mona said. "Let's find out if he was telling us the truth about where our target was!"
Once more, Mona transformed into a van, and the group was soon driving further into the eerie tunnels to find their destination.
Several fights and turns later, the cat-van landed in the large, isolated chamber with an irritated yowl before transforming back into Mona, the other Thieves standing around him before Ace took the lead and walked forward. At the end of the chamber, much like the others which resembled the end of a subway tunnel dimly lit by the eldritch red glyphs and engravings on the walls, and the artery-like tubes feeding into a large hole in the wall ahead, stood a young man in a Shujin uniform, wreathed in smoke and facing away from them.
"That must be Sakoda's Shadow," Mona observed.
"Lookit him, thinkin' he's some kinda hotshot," Skull fumed.
"Be that as it may, he's the one Mishima said was behind the bullying," Ace replied.
"Then let's change his heart and put an end to it!" Panther said.
"We were fortunate with the conditions that weakened Heiji Ono's Shadow," Mona warned. "This one will likely be more challenging to take down."
"It doesn't matter, we've already dealt with worse then him," Ace replied. "Let's deal with him now..."
The young detective and her fellow Thieves began to approach, and soon the Shadow self turned its attention to them, his gold eyes narrowing angrily at them.
"You're the Phantom Thieves, right? I saw that post about me! You think you can blame me for what I've done?" Sakoda demanded.
"You think yourself superior to the bullies you've blackmailed?" Ace asked, folding her arms and glaring back at him. "...Especially when you do it to make them bully others for you?"
"It's a dog-eat-dog world, get it? Only might makes right and idiots like you just don't get it!" Sakoda sneered. "The weak who can't survive in this world become prey for the strong! Nothing's wrong with what I'm doing!"
"Strong?! You're an effin' coward scared to get his hands dirty is all!" Skull snapped. "What's wrong, afraid someone's gonna give ya a well-deserved ass-kickin' if you try and bully 'em yourself?"
"Yeah? You're just a stupid dog who's all bark and no bite!" Sakoda yelled indignantly, tremors beginning to shake the chamber as smoke began to engulf his form. "...Actually, dogs are stronger then cats and mice, you all're just TRASH! Now die!"
The Shadow's form melted down into black and red ooze as the smoke rose around it, reforming into a creature similar to the Jack Frost the other bully had transformed into, though this one was twice its size, and colored a jet-black with red eyes and a gaping, fanged maw, wearing a purple hood, collar, and shoes.
"HAHAHA! I'll help you understand what "survival of the fittest" means by devouring you all!" the transformed Shadow taunted, stomping its feet and swinging its fist as it launched itself forward at Skull, who quickly weaved out of the way.
"Jeez, man!" Skull cried out, swinging his mace to strike the creature in the face, causing it to grunt in pain, nursing its cheek where it'd been hit.
"GOEMON!" Fox cried out, gripping his mask as his robed Persona appeared above him, unleashing a blast of ice at the creature. The Shadow, however, simply thrust forward its hands, the icy blast dissipating into mist before it could reach it.
"Ah-ah-ah! See, I'm not such a weakling after all!" the creature cackled as it pointed up, icy winds gathering at its fingertip and suddenly spreading out to strike the Phantom Thieves all at once, causing them to stagger back, though Fox was less harmed, Panther recoiled more though Angie's charm had helped her recover quickly, but she noticed it crack and crumble, likely as its protective power having been exhausted.
"CARMEN!" Panther shouted, summoning her red-clad dancer Persona who blew forth a blast of flame at the creature, who unfortunately did not appear overly bothered by it either.
"Immune to ice and resistant to fire!" Mona shouted. "Be careful everyone!" he warned, leaping into the air and firing his slingshot at it to try and get its attention.
"SUZAKU!" Ace shouted, the regal red peacock deity appearing above her and opening its beak to fire a blast of blue fiery-lightning energy at the enemy, causing it to stagger back but it did not appear to have suffered severely from it either.
The Shadow cackled again, raising its hands as more icy winds gathered around them, thrusting its hands forward and unleashing another intense blast of cold at the Thieves.
"I can't take much more of this!" Panther protested, barely able to stand and shivering noticeably.
"Damnit!" Skull cried out, crossing his arms in front of himself to protect from the hailstorm of ice. "How we supposed ta handle this asshole?!"
"He's certainly strong, I'll give him that," Ace said, lowering her arm once the blizzard subsided. "He believes himself a "bigshot" it must make him formidable here..."
She remembered the gift Jose had given them, their foe was clearly very tough and they were starting to run low on options with the onslaught.
May as well...
The ofuda scroll appeared in her hand, Ace raised it up in the air as she and the others were suddenly bathed in a red light. Ace felt as though she'd just been given an adrenaline shot as she experienced a rush of strength, noticing the others seemed to have felt the same sensation, the Shadow seemed confused, but began to charge up its icy magic once more.
"Let's go!" Ace ordered.
"CARMEN!" Panther cried out, her Persona appearing once more and bathing her teammates in a refreshing green light.
"GOEMON! GIANT SLICE!" Fox shouted, his Persona once more appearing and swinging its pipe, a giant spectral blade suddenly came crashing down and struck the creature, disrupting its spell.
"AW YEAH! PAYBACK TIME!" Skull cheered. "CAPTAIN KIDD!"
The pirate Persona formed above him, launching itself at the Shadow and striking it head-on, causing it to cry out and stumble back.
"NO! NO! NO! I'M NOT A WEAKLING! I WON'T LOSE!" the Shadow screamed out, snapping its finger and five blood-soaked straw dolls suddenly materialized out of the ground in front of it, several large blades appearing around them and began to ram themselves into them. One by one the Thieves doubled over in pain as if they themselves were being repeatedly stabbed.
"OH NO!" Mona cried out in alarm. "QUICK! ZORRO!"
The top-heavy swordsman Persona swung its own rapier to swat away the blades, a giant boxing glove appearing above the Shadow itself and launching itself forward on its spring to sock the creature in the face, knocking it clean on its back in a daze as the straw dolls crumbled away.
"What was that?" Ace asked, surprised by what she'd just seen as she and the others stood back up, feeling okay again and the pain of being skewered by blades having disappeared completely.
"Just be glad I stopped it! Let's get him now while he's down!" Mona replied urgently.
Ace nodded, taking out her dagger, the others drawing their own weapons as they leaped into the air and struck their enemy in a flurry of blows from all directions causing substantial harm to it thanks to the ofuda scroll's spell, before landing around it in kneeling positions as the Shadow toppled over with a final scream, exploding in a burst of smoke.
Standing up and turning around, Ace watched as the mass of smoke from where the fallen creature once was reverted back to the form of Sakado.
"I-I'm not a loser... I'm not!" the boy sniffled, staggering to his hands and knees. "I-I'm... I'm strong... I'm strong... aren't I?"
"Didn't you call this a dog-eat-dog world?" Ace asked, approaching and staring down at him.
"Y-yeah... I did," the Shadow muttered, ashamed. "I gotta... be a bigger dog though..."
"Admit you lost. Don't act all pathetic!" Panther stated, approaching as well.
"I... am pathetic... I was always pathetic," Sakado said softly, looking down at the floor.
"The strong eat the weak, right? Looks like it's time for you to be eaten!" Skull replied.
"It can't feel too good, being at others' mercy, now," Ace asserted, folding her arms.
"Please! Please forgive me! I'm sorry!" Sakado begged, trembling in fear and starting to cower away from them.
"I rest my case," Ace replied, glaring at him. "Do you get it, now?"
"I-I do! I do! I'm sorry! Please, let me go!" Sakado lowered his head submissively, weeping.
Skull chuckled, putting his hand on the Shadow self's shoulder. "Hey, cool it. We're not gonna hurt'cha. You don't owe us apologies anyway. You wanna make things right, apologize to everyone you really need to apologize too."
Sakado managed a small, but appreciative smile as he stood, his form beginning to glow in a white light. "I will. I promise..."
In a bright flash, Sakado's Shadow was gone, leaving behind a glowing ball of energy that Ace reached for and took, watching it change into a strange black snowflake-like crystal.
"Well, that takes care of that request!" Mona said with a smile. "Good job, everyone!"
"He was pretty tough, but it went well in the end," Panther replied.
"We have one request remaining, correct?" Fox asked. "That student from my school who abuses her boyfriend?"
"Yes," Ace replied, looking around as the chamber began to tremor and crumble and stashing away the crystal. "We should go."
"Way ahead of you!" Mona said, transforming into a van again and the group soon driving back out of the portal and into the tunnels of Mementos once again.
Moments later, the group had found themselves in a small tunnel resembling a train platform, with a vestibule on the side between them and the next set of stairs.
"This place doesn't look so bad," Skull remarked, noting the absence of veinlike growths and billowing winds. "Looks almost normal."
"Normal as this place gets," Panther replied.
"Right, these places are kind of like the safe rooms that exist in Palaces," Mona explained. "We can stay here and rest a bit before we continue."
"To be honest," Ace said, taking a breath and brushing back her hair, "...That last fight had been significantly tougher and I could use a break."
"I agree, I could as well," Fox said.
"Then it's settled!" Mona said. "I can sense our target is definitely further down, so let's take a rest."
The group gathering in the vestibule and seating themselves on the benches, Skull quickly reclining back and stretching his legs out, Panther leaning back as well and crossing hers, while Fox sat himself down and began to finger-frame his surroundings. Ace, meanwhile, had sat a little further and folded her arms in silence.
"You alright, Ace?" Mona asked, hopping on the chair next to her.
"I'm fine," the young detective replied. "I just have a lot on my mind. There's so many things about this place I still can't understand..."
"None of us do," Panther said, looking over. "It's nothing to feel guilty about."
"A detective, who requires an understanding of how others think and what they desire, and I have so many answers eluding me," Ace replied. "As Fox had said, this place feels like we're slowly descending into some living creature's body... if this is "Everyone's Palace" then there has to be a "heart" or "core" in it, correct? I keep thinking about those strange tubes we see and wonder what it is they lead to."
Ace brought her hand to her chin, a stern, analytical gaze in her eyes. "We discussed it earlier, but I'm just... bothered, I suppose... that this place is a mystery whose answer is kept out of my reach. Are we connected to it? Why us?"
Mona shook his head, his ears drooping. "...I can't remember a thing other then just... how this place, Palaces, and Treasures work..."
"But we use our powers to give people hope!" Panther pointed out.
"...And not to mention reform this shitty society where shitty people get away with pushin' others around!" Skull chimed in.
"Perhaps," Ace replied. Was this why she was chosen? Because as a detective she had the qualifications for this daunting task and the proper motivation to want to do so? Her questions swam in her mind in a maelstrom the more she thought about it. "Where did this black masked person... who has to have the same powers we do to survive in the Metaverse, gain them? If they are behind the incidents, then why so much sooner then us?"
"If I'm understanding it correctly, it'd require the Meta-Nav app that is now on my phone, correct?" Fox asked, glancing over his shoulder at the others.
"Possibly. I've been able to do it on my own," Mona said. "...But you know it can't be me! I've been with you even when this stuff happened, and Madarame would have said something if it were!"
"No one's suspecting you, Mona," Ace replied. "Our enemy is sure to notice us eventually. Assuming they haven't already, and may perceive us a threat. Furthermore..."
The young detective closed her eyes, entering her thoughts again as she thought about Igor and the Velvet Room. "...This instinct you have that tells you that you need to reach the depths of this place. As a detective, I follow my intuition... and it tells me that there is more then coincidence at play, here... how much of it, though, I still don't know..."
"We'll figure it out!" Mona said, a determined look on his feline features. "Maybe not today, but we will! I know we will!"
"We're all with ya on this!" Skull said.
Ace gave a nod. She hated not knowing, and not having enough to go on that'd be in a position to demand more answers from Igor, whom she was more certain had many. For now, until she did have more, Ace elected to drop the matter and store it for another time. "...How is everyone? Are we ready to continue?"
"Yeah, I think I'm good, now!" Panther said with a smile. "...Let's go find that mean girl abusing her boyfriend and change her heart!" she added, clenching her fist.
"Yes, let's do that," Ace replied, standing up and leading the group to the waiting stairs.
Several floors with no sign of their target later, the Thieves had found themselves in another area resembling a subway platform, trains with red-tinted windows rolled by providing extra illumination to the dark, dank corridor. More red veins covered the columns framing the pathway separating the train tracks, and at the end stood another massive gateway with strange red engravings. More notable, however, was the teenage girl standing before said gateway, red and black smoke swirled about her form as she glared at them with piercing gold eyes off-setting her otherwise attractive looks.
"Is that her?" Mona asked. "This girl Hikari Shimizu?"
"It most certainly is," Fox remarked. "I recognize the Kosei summer uniform, and she does look familiar."
"She doesn't look very nice at all," Panther said, crinkling her nose in disgust at the girl's menacing grin as she looked back at them.
"She most certainly isn't from what I've heard of her," Fox replied. "In a way it seems she denies her boyfriend's existence. He is more a toy then a human being to her."
"Ex-cuse me? Are we done talking about me, yet?" the girl sneered with a cruel, condescending laugh. "Would I be right in guessing you pigs wrote that calling card post online? The hell makes you think I deserve this?"
"It's 'cause you treat your boyfriend like a damn slave!" Skull growled back. "That's all kindsa messed up right there!"
The girl, Shimizu, laughed again. "He deserves it if he doesn't meet my needs!" she stated. "Besides, he clearly enjoys it if he's still with me, after all! He worships me more then any god, so tell me how that makes him a victim here!"
"...I don't even know where to begin on how wrong you are," Panther replied flatly.
"I beat him and I hurt him, sure, but he sees it as a sign of our love, and I remind him of his place!" Shimizu said, smirking and folding her arms. "He gives me whatever I want, and in return he gets to tell everyone he dates me. Everyone wins."
"Is that how you rationalize it?" Ace asked, approaching and glaring darkly at the Shadow. " He clearly deserves better then this if he cares for you enough to go out of his way for you despite all you put him through."
"No, I rationalize it with the fact that I'm pretty, tons of boys want me, and my grades are good!" Shimizu explained. "...I'm Kosei's Queen, so It's my right to order people around and he knows it's an honor to be with me!"
"You're an abuser, nothing more," Ace replied coldly. "...And we've come to change that."
"Is that so?" Shimizu chuckled as the ground began to tremor, the smoke rising up around her. "I'll make you fall in line with everyone else! ...I'll start by making you pigs lick my shoes!"
Shimizu's form melted down into red and black ooze, before bursting apart and reshaping itself into a tall, blue-skinned female humanoid with long black hair covering her chest. It wore gold bracelets and anklets and a golden helmet resembling a skull and a crown, a pair of katana swords in each hand.
"I won't give up M-Moto! He belongs to ME! Being my slave makes him happy!" the transformed Shadow declared with a fanged smile, clashing her blades together.
"You're completely delusional!" Fox stated. "GOEMON!"
The robed Persona appeared, blowing a blast of ice at the Shadow from its pipe. The Shadow recoiled back, before leaping at Fox with her blades, parried by Goemon's pipe before she turned her attention at Panther and Kyoko.
"Plan to steal him from me, you little skanks?! I'll show you who's the Queen here!" she shouted, a red light bathing her form before she swung her blades wildly at them.
"CARMEN!"
"FLAUROS!"
The dancer and tiger demon Personas appeared, parrying Shimizu's blades but the Shadow's increased power gave her the advantage, eventually overpowering both and chopping through them. Panther and Ace felt a sharp pain, staggering from the feeling as Shimizu's Shadow sneered down at them, preparing to take them both down.
"No you don't! CAPTAIN KID!" Skull shouted, his pirate Persona appearing and charging at Shimizu, striking her from behind and knocking her back.
"You think you're something you basic loser? You should be bowing to me!" Shimizu declared, crossing her blades and swinging them at the Persona in front of her wildly. Captain Kidd suddenly split apart, quartered by the Persona's blades and it dissolved away, Skull doubling over in pain as well.
"Anyone else want a go?" Shimizu asked. "How about you, kitty cat? You wanna try your luck?"
"I think I will! ZORRO!" Mona shouted, his topheavy swordsman Persona appearing and swishing his blade, but instead of engaging Shimizu, the others were bathed in a green light.
"Thanks, Mona!" Panther said. "Payback time! CARMEN!"
Panther reinvigorated, she summoned the dancer Persona once again, unleashing a blast of fire at the Shadow. Shimizu screamed out in pain as she was engulfed by the flames, which seemed to do far more damage to her and she staggered backwards, falling to her knees.
"What the hell?! ...You think you're... better then me?!" Shimizu demanded, out of breath as she looked up and noticed the Thieves standing around her, guns drawn.
"Fox was right, you are delusional," Ace stated, her pistol aimed at the Shadow's face.
"You think someone lame as you can talk to me that way?!" Shimizu demanded indignantly.
"Your tyranny over others at Kosei ends now!" Fox declared. "Shall we?"
Ace gave a nod, and as one, the Thieves leaped into the air, striking the Shadow from all directions in a flurry of blows before landing all around her. Shimizu gave out one last scream as she exploded in a bust of smoke, the Shadow reverting back to human form.
"No... NO! I can't lose him! He's mine!" Shimizu protested, slamming her fist on the floor, trembling. "He's MINE... h-how can he not be...?"
"By my assertion," Ace said, approaching. "He clearly does care about you, misplaced as those feelings clearly are considering his choice to keep enduring all you did to him..."
"I-I was so horrible... to him... to so many people..." Shimizu stammered, weeping as she looked down at the floor, trembling even more.
"Why, though? Why would you treat him like that?" Panther asked.
"He always went along with it no matter how mad I'd get. I thought it meant I could do whatever I wanted to him," Shimizu said softly. "...And I got so caught up in people envying me... other boys calling him lucky... and all I did was treat him like complete shit..."
The girl began to weep more. "I-I'm so embarrassed! I got so possessive and out control and all he ever did was love me! H-how can I ever make up for everything I've done?!"
Ace folded her arms. "...It's not my place to say," she answered. Romance, in all its forms, was just too foreign a concept for her with how she was raised the way her grandfather forbade it, aside from analyzing crimes and cases it was at the center of.
"Well for starters, you gotta apologize to him big-time!" Skull said. "A guy who's tried everything he can to be his best for ya doesn't deserve all that shit!"
"You're right," Shimizu replied. "I don't deserve him, though... there's a lot I gotta change about myself first before I deserve anyone."
"You're on the mark!" Panther said with a smile. "You know what you did was wrong, now go and turn your life around. Don't make things worse for yourself then they already are."
Shimizu looked over at Panther, wiping away her tears and nodding as she vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind a glowing ball of energy that transformed into a bladed whip, which Panther picked up and looked at.
"Cool, a new weapon!" she said with a smirk, holding it up.
"Just don't go usin' it on us!" Skull said, chuckling. "Save it for the Shadows!"
"Don't worry. I hope she'll become a better person, now, though," Panther mused.
"With her heart changed, she has a chance like the others," Mona replied.
"Look!" Fox announced suddenly, pointing ahead as the gateway began to slide open, the ground tremoring as it parted and revealed a pathway beyond.
"I guess beating Madarame really did it!" Mona said, before folding his arms and cocking his head as he looked at the foreboding passage leading down into the darkness. "...Still, I think we've come far enough and we don't have any more targets, so it's probably best we head back."
Ace silently walked forward, glancing into the dark abyss that awaited them. More veinlike growths seemed to spread from its walls, a dim red light illuminating it faintly. It was as if the deeper they went, the more... organic... the place seemed to become. The teen brought her hand to her chin, thoughts of what could be waiting at its inner-most depths in her mind once more. One day, she'd have her answers.
"Very well," she said, turning to face the others. "We've done all we can for today. Let's return to reality."
The group nodded in agreement, turning to head back to the surface. With any luck, their mission would make a difference, and spread word of them even further...
6/8
Kyoko still felt fatigued the next day from yesterday's Mementos missions as she walked to school. Thankfully Sojiro had made her a cup of coffee that morning when she'd gotten up out of concern after seeing her the previous night that had admittedly helped her get an extra energy boost. The young detective's attention, however, soon turned from her thoughts of making it through the morning to the two girls in front of her deep in conversation regarding Madarame.
"So, that calling card sent to the Madarame exhibit," the gentle-voiced brunette girl on the left said. "You don't think..."
"I kinda do actually!" her friend, a more upbeat girl said, "It reminds me of the one Mr. Kamoshida got! People online are saying the Phantom Thieves did it!"
"Oh yeah?" the brunette asked.
"Yup! There's already that Phan-Site online that's got, like, a ton of requests on it!" the upbeat girl replied as a disheveled girl rushed by, nearly bumping into Kyoko as she passed but paying no notice. Kyoko paused a moment, as did the girls in front of her before they resumed walking, issue having come and gone.
"...I don't get her," the girl on the left mused, shaking her head. "...But on the whole Phantom Thieves thing, it's really neat there's real-life superheroes!" she said, deciding to resume her original subject.
"Tell me about it," the other girl said. "It's happened twice already, I can't wait to see what kinda big name bad guy's gonna be next!"
Even Kyoko wasn't sure of the answer to that question, though with any luck, they'd have it soon.
"Well, it sounds like a lot of you will be going on that trip to the TV studio tomorrow!" Maruki said as he stood before the class. Sure enough, Kyoko and Ann could see many of their female classmates were watching the man in a way that likely had little to do with his lecture.
"So, any chance you'll be getting to see the show as well?" the doctor asked. "I admit, I wouldn't mind seeing it. I actually do enjoy talk shows... that and variety shows!"
Maruki brought his hand to his chin in thought, a small smile of intrigue on his face. "I wonder, though, if they're gonna talk about the Phantom Thieves. They certainly are getting plenty of attention both on TV and the internet," he mused, though a frown came to his face shortly after. "...Though I admit I'm a little worried about what might happen if the media gets people riled up at this rate."
Maruki's words did bring back some thoughts in Kyoko's mind as he allowed the students a moment to process what he'd said. Namely that if they were indeed up against a criminal who could use the Metaverse to harm others, the added attention was sure to get theirs, or potentially lead to the authorities suspecting this criminal and the Phantom Thieves were one and the same... mental shutdowns, fits of uncharacteristic madness were still a sudden and unexpected phenomenon and criminals and other such individuals suddenly changing drastically were not without some degree of similarity, after all.
Maruki, however, interrupted her thoughts as he spoke again. "That all said, that reminds me, have you guys covered totalitarianism yet?" he asked. "It's a governmental structure that unites all its people under one single ideology and complete authoritarian control over the masses. In theory, anyway, it brings people together under one ideal. Now, it'd definitely come with logistical benefits, but it also means forcing ideals on people, assimilating the unwilling by force... this is often how wars get started, actually..."
The doctor turned and glanced in Kyoko's direction. "Kirigiri, here's a question: Where does totalitarianism take a step further then authoritarianism?"
Kyoko closed her eyes, bringing her hand to her chin as she thought of the possible responses before thinking of what he'd discussed. "By controlling public thought," she replied.
Maruki smiled, giving a nod of approval. "That's correct, Kirigiri! I'm impressed!" he said, turning to address the rest of the class. "Yes, a totalitarian government tries to have absolute control over the culture, morals, and even thoughts of its people, resorting to various forceful or coercive measures to do so. To minimize dissidence they try to assimilate everyone under one ideology: Theirs."
"...Even reading the room can be considered a form of personal assimilation," Maruki explained. "You all do that too, right? I try to, but I'm not very good at it. It's not a bad skill to have, it actually can even help you survive the modern world... but I wouldn't do it too much, though, because if you just make an echo chamber, then those whose opinions differ may get hurt. This is why I'd like to remind you all how it's very important to keep both a strong sense of self and an open mind, so that we can disagree and still live in harmony."
Maruki glanced over at the clock on the wall. "...Well, I guess class is almost over, isn't it? That'll be all for today."
"A strong sense of self, huh?" Morgana mused from within Kyoko's desk, getting the girl's attention. "We need to make sure we don't lose sight of what we believe in, either!"
Fighting injustice that society ignored. Inspiring hope for those who experienced it. Kyoko thought to herself. Two concepts she'd given little thought to before during her time as a detective with what he grandfather had taught her, where it was only about uncovering the truth, all else was merely secondary at best. Yet, the more she'd begun to connect with others, from her fellow Phantom Thieves to the others, she felt those concepts resonate more and more...
"Did you hear? The Principal's been trying to get info on the students!" Ann heard a short-haired girl seated on a bench ask her friend nearby as the blonde had been getting a drink from one of the outside vending machines.
"I wonder why he's doing that?" the short-haired girl wondered.
"I bet it's because of Mr. Kamoshida, considering what happened to Suzui-san," her friend replied.
The mention of her best friend, who had been hurt by Kamoshida more then anyone else, immediately gained the blonde's full attention and prompted her to eavesdrop.
"Thing is, I heard Principal Kobayakawa knew all about the sexual harassment but always turned a blind eye to it!" the other girl said to her seated friend. "I'm betting he wants to snuff out all the rumors. Even the volleyball team was told to be quiet!"
"That's the worst!" the short-haired girl protested. "It's like he doesn't care about us or anyone Mr. Kamoshida hurt at all! Think that's what he's been using Niijima-senpai for?!"
Ann's interest swiftly grew, hearing the name of the Student President who'd been keeping an eye on them for a while.
"Oh yeah. Know what else? Rumor is she knew about what Mr. Kamoshida was doing, too!" the girl's friend said. "Can you believe it? She knew what was happening this whole time but acts all noble about it!"
Ann could feel her hands clench into fists as the girls kept talking, gritting her teeth hard enough her jaw began to hurt.
...She knew?!...
The girls barely had time to notice Ann storm off back to class, livid.
Makoto Niijima herself, was also angry, as Kobayakawa could see as she stormed into his office, a crumpled flier in her hand that she placed on his desk.
"What is the meaning of this, Principal Kobayakawa?!" Makoto asked, her voice tense but not raised so much she'd risk the principal's wrath. "Why did you post this notice?!"
The principal, however, merely smiled widely, reclining back in his chair and resting his hands on his large stomach. "It was all for your sake, Niijima!" he said. Though he was smiling, the man made no attempt to hide how condescending he was being with his tone. "I simply thought that the more information you had, the easier your investigation would go!"
Makoto frowned, but said nothing. Despite what he'd said to her, it was clear she wasn't particularly in agreement with it.
"...So tell me," the principal said, his smile fading as he spoke, "...Did any information arise about the case I asked that you look into?"
Makoto sighed lightly, looking down at the floor. "N-no... not yet, sir," she said. "I will pass the details if anything comes up, but right now, there's a much more pressing issue."
"...And what might that be?" the principal asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned forward.
"It appears there are a lot of students at this school who are being threatened by a criminal organization," Makoto explained.
The principal eyes widened, his face in shock at what he'd been told.
"The thing is, a student who saw your posting... came to the Student Council room... looking for help," Makoto continued. "...He was terrified, sir. I'd like to request a countermeasure for this."
Principal Kobayakawa blinked, astonished. "...Isn't this some sort of mistake?! I can't believe this would happen to the students in our very academy!" he protested. "Now is no time for such problems! We still have lingering concern regarding these Phantom Thieves!"
"But... sir! We... we received a request for help!" Makoto insisted, taken aback by the principal's response.
"I'm rather busy at the moment, Niijima! If you wish to do something about it, you will need to act on your own!" Kobayakawa replied hastily, a nervous look on his face as he spoke.
"W-what?! Sir?!" Makoto was in complete disbelief at what she was being told. "Don't you care about this?! I'm still investigating your case regarding these Phantom Thieves as well!"
"W-why yes! That's correct! See? It all works out perfectly!" the principal said, his tone sounding jovial and triumphant, yet superficially so. "My intentions have clearly borne fruit! Surely this criminal organization you speak of must be the connecting factor!"
"I... I don't follow," Makoto said anxiously.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kobayakawa asked. "If you pursue this criminal issue, you'll surely find clues about the Phantom Thieves! Perhaps they work for this organization, and now target our students!"
"This is all absurd, sir!" Makoto protested. "Do you even realize what you're asking of me?!"
The principal's hollow smile grew into a dangerous, threatening scowl, as did his voice. "So, let's say this rumor you've come to me about is true, do you intend to ignore all those students who are in trouble?"
"...I..." Makoto felt her confidence begin to deflate once more.
The principal chuckled, it was all too evident to her that he knew he'd won, a condescending smile spread on his rotund face. "Your sister, now she would have solved this problem easily if she were in your position!" he said, glancing over at several plaques and awards on the wall before his gaze turned back towards Makoto. "...With the achievements she's made during her time here, I think you can see why I have such high expectations of you, Niijima. I certainly hope you won't disappoint me..."
Makoto wilted under the man's passive-aggressive tone, but couldn't manage a response right away.
"...I'll... do my best, sir..." With a polite bow, Makoto left the office without another word, wondering how in the world she was supposed to handle all of this.
With class having resumed, Kyoko felt her phone hum, indicating the Thieves' chat log had activity. Watching for when Kawakami turned around to face the blackboard, she quickly slid her phone out, holding it so Morgana could read as well from inside her desk.
[So, what kinda person would be a bigger target then Madarame?] Ryuji's message asked.
[Someone who's the talk of the town?] Ann replied.
[That's a vague prerequisite.] Yusuke chimed in.
[Anything more specific?] he added.
Kyoko sighed a little. This was hardly the time to discuss something like this, and the look Morgana gave her made it clear he agreed with her sentiment. She waited until Kawakami faced the board again and hastily replied.
-Without a lead, there's little point in discussing it. she messaged.
[So we gotta just look for one as we go?] Ann replied back.
[If only there was a big target just layin' around for us!] Ryuji answered.
-Culprits of larger-scale crimes tend to be even more careful and elusive then Madarame was, Ryuji. Kyoko answered.
[This sucks! Doncha got that detective network that can hook us up?] Ryuji replied.
Kyoko let out another sigh.
-I've been severed of all connection and contact with the Library until my probation is over and my license is no longer suspended. she answered.
[It's unfortunate, but all we can do is wait.] Yusuke answered.
Kyoko saw Ann put her phone away and did the same as Kawakami turned back around. The conversation had gotten to her a little, her grandfather had essentially all but outright disowned her after that humiliating trial until she was off of probation.
Yet at the same time, she did understand some of Ryuji's frustration, and having a chance to use everything she'd been bred and raised for again while already being forced into a waiting game for more clues regarding the other matters she'd sworn to investigate and solve to surface.
Yusuke was, unfortunately right. All they could do was wait...
"So, we got that trip to the TV studio tomorrow!" Morgana said as he climbed into Kyoko's school bag. "Hey! Maybe we'll find a target there, like a celebrity or something?"
"Anything's possible," Kyoko replied, taking up her bag and suddenly feeling her phone hum. Taking it out, she saw Kasumi had messaged her.
[Senpai! Hi! You have time today?] she'd messaged.
[I was thinking it's been a while, so maybe it's time I make good on our deal! No time like the present, right? We can hammer the basics!] she asked.
"All we can do otherwise is wait till tomorrow, you may as well," Morgana said, climbing partway out and peering at Kyoko's phone screen.
-Very well. She answered.
[Great! Thank you so much!] Kasumi replied a second later.
[Get your gym clothes and meet me at Inokashira Park. You know, where the cleanup was? I'll see you there!]
With her plan set, Kyoko headed out to change and meet up. She decided she may want to also check the vending machines as well.
"Not bad at all, Kirigiri!" Kasumi said with a smile as she wrapped up training, both girls in their red Shujin gym tracksuits. "You're actually pretty flexible, I'd say you've caught on pretty fast! Way I see it, you'll have the fundamentals down in a heartbeat!"
Kyoko did her best to continue standing. By now it seemed the coffee and some new energy drink she'd bought during lunch she was running on had fully run its course and yesterday's fatigue had returned with a vengeance. While she considered herself in shape thanks to the routines and diet she'd followed under her grandfather's strict supervision, the poses and moves were new to her, and things her body was not ready to properly mimic.
"Oh, are you alright? I'm sorry if I overdid it for you!" Kasumi said, quickly bowing in apology.
"I'll be fine. I'm just... new at this," Kyoko replied.
Ahh, I see," said Kasumi. "For what it's worth, I meant what I said, you catch on fast. It all comes down to the harmony between the internal and external oblique muscles. I can't get enough of it!" she said with a giggle.
Kyoko closed her eyes, smiling faintly. "That's good to hear," she said, managing through the fatigue.
"Of course, those were just the beginner moves. Expert-level gymnastics, though, they're both very beautiful and demand a lot of stretching," Kasumi explained. She blinked in concern though, as she noticed Kyoko wobble slightly and smirked in amusement. "Something tells me you're a little more worn then you want me to think, Senpai! Howabout we cut it short and go sit down?"
"My apologies," Kyoko replied. "My last few days were a little... strenuous."
"Aw, well I hope it was doing things you enjoy!" said Kasumi, leading Kyoko to the nearby bench.
"Some things," Kyoko said as she sat down, recalling the horrible Big Bang Burger experience the day before yesterday. Thought of that made her feel a passing queasiness.
"Don't feel too bad, you made a great effort, Senpai!" Kasumi said with an approving smile. "Truth be told, as much as I'd like to continue with our training, well..."
Kyoko noticed the other girl's expression start to fall. "You're concerned about your performance?"
Kasumi nodded, looking more and more downcast. "Yeah... I'm really not doing so great at the moment, so I'm not sure I could manage something too strenuous..."
"You're referring to the decline you've told me about?" Kyoko asked.
Kasumi nodded quietly. "It's like I'm in this... slump or something that I can't seem to get out of no matter how hard I try." The girl shook her head, closing her eyes. "I don't understand. No matter how much I practice, I can't get better! No matter how much I study, my academics don't improve! I went to my coach about all this, but..."
"What did your coach have to say on the matter?" Kyoko asked, urging Kasumi to continue.
"...She told me I need to take time off from gymnastics," Kasumi explained. "I don't know what she meant by it but... according to her, I really need to take that time to think about who I really am..."
The girl looked almost ready to cry. "I really don't understand it. There was never an issue more practice couldn't solve," she said softly. "...But now... I have no idea what to do... what if taking time off just makes me do even worse? I have my scholarship to think about, after all!"
Kyoko brought her hand to her chin, closing her eyes and thinking it over a moment. "...Maybe you are overworking yourself. That can sometimes do it," she said. "I can tell you I've done cases where I stayed up for nights, I was immersed in solving them, but then my grandfather would make me stop and rest. He'd tell me I was useless if I didn't always see to it I investigate at a hundred percent."
Kasumi looked up at her, surprised. "Wow... that's... a rather harsh thing for him to say, Senpai," she said.
Kyoko glanced down this time, sighing and closing her eyes again. "...I can't do what I was raised to do properly if my mind is not at its most astute."
"Still," Kasumi replied, looking unsure if she agreed as she looked back down again. "...I guess it's... possible... that that's why, but it's like I said, nothing changes no matter what, and I don't want to risk my performance getting worse and losing my scholarship if I take a break from it..."
The girl shook her head, looking more distressed. "We made a deal, right? I'm so stressed out and it's leaving me at a loss, so... w-will you can help me, Senpai? Even if we're not doing gymnastics, spending time with you... maybe that can help me figure things out?"
"I can try that," Kyoko said, giving the girl a faint smile. With Kasumi apparently friendless, it was possible that some form of support may have been what she needed. "...It may also help me assess what is going on as well."
"Thank you so much!" Kasumi said, her face lighting up. "It really means a lot to me, and yes, maybe that can crack this mystery! Maybe then, I can face my coach with the confidence I need again... I heard my coach praising me before, saying "Kasumi's greatest weapon has always been her boldness!"," she explained. "It used to be true, actually. I used to be totally fearless. Gymnastics was a fun challenge."
"What changed?" Kyoko asked, looking over at her.
"Well, it started ever since I began high school. It's like all of a sudden I was in this slump. I've grown a little, for one." Kasumi said, looking away and her smile fading again. "...Then there were some other... complications. It's so weird it's like suddenly I can't move how I want to anymore, like I'm not even in my own body. That's when I fell into a depression... it got pretty bad."
Kyoko regarded the girl, the way she talked and described things was rather odd, and the fact she did not seem able to adapt despite how much time had gone by was very unusual that it seemed there was more to it then a growth spurt. Still, she had nothing to really go on to discern it, and apparently visiting Dr. Maruki was somehow having no effect on her either. It was possible it was why he'd looked concerned about her at the cleanup event.
"W-well, anyway," Kasumi said, managing a smile. "When you helped me in Shibuya, something occurred to me! Seeing another girl be so completely fearless and confident, it made me think of the person I remember being, so I guess it was like then I was sure you were right for the job." She giggled a little. "...Of course, you being a trained detective, I guess I know why!"
Kyoko couldn't help but feel a small amount of flattery, perhaps because of the other girl's sincerity. "I've encountered far worse then him," she said with a faint smile as she rested her chin on her gloved fist
"Well, I'm sure now, if I stick with you, Senpai, I'm sure I can learn to be confident again!" Kasumi said. "I guess what I mean is, I want to be more like you were back there."
"If that will be of any help in your recovery, then I can work with that," Kyoko replied.
Kasumi giggled. "I admit I wasn't sure you accept. You're always so..."
"Cold?" Kyoko asked, her neutral expression.
"I was actually gonna say mysterious," Kasumi said. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't offend you..."
Kyoko shook her head, "No, it's just what I'm used to being called. I was trained to hide my emotions to make myself more difficult to read, so it comes naturally."
Kasumi couldn't help but giggle again. "Well, remind me never to play you in poker, then!" she said with a playful smile. "Still, I can't thank you enough for helping me. I'll return the favor as much as I can!"
Kyoko could see the sincerity in Kasumi's words, and her intent to make it all worth her while, and her own intent to use her skills to help her new friend as well, came with the sound of another chain link shattering within the young detective's mind.
Her thoughts were interrupted, however, by a ringing from Kasumi's phone. "Oh, please excuse me," she said, taking out her phone and looking at the screen. "It's from my coach! I have to get going, I've got a meeting with her she needs to see me."
The redhead stood up and bowed. "I'm sorry I need to go, now, but I'll make sure to make all of it worth your time! I promise you won't regret this!"
Kyoko's smile faded as she watched Kasumi rush off to the station. The other girl's story only brought up more questions about her Kyoko intended to solve.
Still... the young detective asserted as she gathered her things as well, Morgana arriving from the bushes to join her, Kasumi really valued her friendship and it seemed to be something keeping her chin up other things did not whenever her mood seemed to suddenly drop. Hopefully she could fulfil that need as well despite her limited experience.
By the time Kyoko had changed clothes and returned to Leblanc, a hot bath on her mind as soon as she gathered her necessities as soreness had quickly hit as yesterday's fatigue and today's workout made a combined move against her.
Before she could open the door, her phone rang, and taking it out Kyoko saw Kasumi was calling her. "Hello?" she asked, answering it.
"Oh, hi! I just wanted to say thanks again so much for joining me today, Kirigiri-senpai!" Kasumi said. "Hope you're not still feeling too sore from it all."
"A little," Kyoko replied.
"Well, you're in luck, I was actually calling regarding that as well, remembering earlier," Kasumi explained. "You were already a bit worn, but you also placed stress on muscles you probably don't use as much. Just be sure to massage them down before you go to sleep, alright?"
"I appreciate it," said Kyoko. "I'll be visiting the bath house near where I live as well."
"Good idea," Kasumi said. "That's neat, though, a bath house right near you? Oh, sorry! Off-topic! Thanks again for accepting my request. I got so relieved my stomach started growling, and kept at it all through the meeting!"
"Working out and having a growth spurt can cause that," Kyoko said.
"Yeah, maybe that's it," Kasumi replied. "Would explain why an excessive diet seems to have the opposite effect on me that it would others! I felt like I could win that Big Bang Burger challenge if I went!"
Kyoko felt a brief pang of nausea at the mere memory of that experience but said nothing.
"...Well, I probably shouldn't, though. My coach would give me quite an earful if I ever put that kind of food in my stomach!" Kasumi said with a laugh, her description and choice of words only bringing back more unpleasant memories for the young detective.
"...Thankfully, I've got you helping me, so I'll do whatever it takes to maintain my shape," she said. "I hope you can help me again next time, I'll reach out again, soon!"
"I appreciate it," Kyoko replied. "...I hope the rest of your night goes well."
"Oh, it should. I'll talk to you later, Senpai. Enjoy your bath!" Kasumi said.
Once Kasumi had hung up, Kyoko put her phone away and made her way inside the cafe to gather her things for the bath house. Time would only tell what tomorrow's trip would have in store for her and the others...
A/N: Another chapter done with some promised Metaverse antics and buildup for what's to come! Hope you all enjoyed, next time comes the moment I've waited for, where I intend to cover the TV station trip! I know I get lots of questions and such about upcoming stuff, and to which I say... stay tuned! Regarding DR cameos, I'll say some may show up soon, others much later.
0 - The Fool: Rank 3
I - The Magician: Rank 3
V - The Hierophant: Rank 3
VI - The Lovers: Rank 4
VII - The Chariot: Rank 5
XI - The Strength: Rank 3
XII - The Hanged Man: Rank 2
XIII - Death: Rank 4
XIV - Temperance: Rank 1
XVIII - The Moon: Rank 3
XIX - The Sun: Rank 2
1 - The Councillor: Rank 4
? - Faith: Rank 2
Kyoko's Personas: Eligor, Shiisaa, Kusi Mitama, Suzaku, Jack Frost, Ame-No-Uzume, Orobas, Flauros