Captain Blues: AND HERE IT IS. The final chapter of this Mini-arc. I hope you all enjoyed this because the Kaneshiro arc is about to get dark.

Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Seventy-Eight

[Opening Scene: Metaverse - Unknown Palace
Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]

"So," Sumire began as she eyed down the three opponents. "Any objections if Cendrillion and I take on the bumblebee thing in the middle?"

"Works for me, I've weakened him enough," Mona replied. "I'll take on a teddy bear. Finally, an opponent my height."

"The Chimera is mine," Joker through gritted teeth.

"It seems our request is granted, sister," Cendrillion laughed as she held out her left hand, allowing for shards of crystal-blue light to coalesce in her hand. When Cendrillion gripped the light, A crystalized swordbreaker, which dagger with large, deep serrations along one side of the blade, resembling the barbed teeth of a comb, formed in her hand in a reverse grip. "Let's make this short."

Sumire grinned and without hesitation, Sumire dashed toward Evil Synthetic Organism while Cendrillion flew beside her. The shadow glided backward and held out its left arm. "Burn to the ground!" Evil Synthetic Organism shouted as a large fireball flew toward Sumire and Cendrillion.

Cendrillion spun in front of Sumire as her swordbreaker gleamed with light and slashed through the fireball, scattering the flames before it could touch Sumire. Sumire jumped over Cendrillion, pulled her rapier back, and then lunged it forward, striking the Evil Synthetic Organism in its chest.

The shadow moved back from the strike and lunged its arm forward, only for Cendrillion to glide from Sumire's left and use her dagger to parry the arm into the air, where Sumire took a step forward and rapidly stabbed her rapier through the shadow three times.

The shadow growled and swung its right arm at Sumire, who sidestepped the swing and performed two quick jabs to its upper chest with her rapier, only to jump back, point her blade downward, and stab at its leg, sending the shadow floating down, where Sumire shouted, "Cendrillion: Kouga!"

Cendrilion pointed her right palm at the shadow's face and a shard of crystal blue light pierced through its chest and then exploded in a blinding flash, sending the shadow sailing backward through the room.

Evil Synthetic Organism recovered and fired another fireball at the pair, which caused Sumire and Cendrillion to glance at one another and quickly separate, with both of them performing a graceful leap to their left and right respectively, leaving the attack to explode into a pillar of flames between them.

Once Sumire landed, she ran forward from the right as Cendrillion glided to the left and once they met, the two jumped into the air. "Care to dance?" Cendrillion asked.

"I'd be honored," Sumire replied.

Cendrillion took Sumire's hand and launched Sumire down toward the shadow, where she performed a twirling slash as she landed on the ground in a crouch. Cendrillion smirked as her form changed into a shard of light, which darted through the shadow and solidified back into Cendrillion, who twirled her swordbreaker to its normal grip.

Without hesitation, Sumire and Cendrillion stabbed into the shadow from the front and the back three times in rapid succession before Cendrillion flicked in front of Evil Synthetic Organism while Sumire twirled on one leg behind the shadow, where Sumire performed a downward slash and Cendrillion performed an upward slash.

Sumire then jumped and shouted, "Cendrillion: Getsu-ei!"

A beam of light flickered and then exploded to life around Cendrillion's swordbreaker that stretched from its hilt past Cendrillion's elbow as the persona returned her dagger into the reverse grip and with a shout, Cendrillion performed a diagonal slash from the shadow's right hip to its left shoulder.

The moment the attack ended, the shadow jerked as beams of light exploded from its body.

Sumire glided her left fingertips against the blade of her weapon as it gleamed a bright light and with a shout of her own, she glided over the ground and performed a powerful lunge that pierced through the shadow.

Sumire slid to Cendrillion's side, where her persona grabbed her right arm and twirled the laughing girl around before the two Sumire stopped with her back to Cendrillion's. As Cendrillion snapped her right fingers, Sumire winked as she said, "Too late to be sorry!"

And behind them, the shadow exploded into an inky black substance.

[Theme of Victory: Victory from Persona 5]

"That was amazing!" Sumire cheered as she looked at Cendrillion, who smiled as well.

"You were an excellent partner, Sumi. I look forward to our next dance. But I think we should get out of here. I'm feeling mighty tired," Cendrillion said.

"Agreed," Sumire sighed as a worn-out Ren and Mona walked up from behind them. Sumire then turned around and asked, "You both won your battles as well?"

"Joker had that teddy bear on the ropes. It only took two of Zorro's punches to beat it," Mona said.

"The chimera went down with one burst of lightning," Ren sighed.

"With that said, I never want to stop foot in here again," Both Mona and Ren said in unison.

"Neither do I," Sumire admitted with a yawn. "So let's get…" Sumire took a woozy step back and then fell forward, only for Cendrillion to catch her.

"She's worn out," Cendrillion whispered as she held her sister. The persona then smiled at Ren and Mona and said, "Thank you both for your help. I couldn't have gotten through to her without either of you."

"You're welcome, it's pretty weird to talk to a persona like this," Mona said. "Then again, you aren't a normal persona, are you?"

"I don't think so. Then again, neither are yours," Cendrillion replied. She handed Sumire's unconscious body to Ren, who moved the girl's body over his shoulder. "I hope to see you both again soon. Until then, take of her…We may have woken her up, but that won't fix any of this."

"I know," Ren sighed. "For what it's worth, we look forward to working with you, Kasumi."

Cendrillion smiled and said, "Likewise. Now go."

Ren nodded as Cendrillion faded away in a shimmering flash of light. "Alright, Mona, let's GTFO. This place is way too tough for us to handle right now."

Mona grinned and nodded.

[Scene Change: Shibuya – Niijima Residence (Afternoon)
Theme of Friendship: Time from Persona 3: Portable]

Four glass mugs filled with root beer float clanked against each other above the table as four voices shouted, "Cheers!"

Makoto lowered her glass with a small smile as her team cheerfully talked about a job well done on today's excursion. 'Things went very smoothly," Makoto thought to herself as she sipped the smooth and cold mixture of soda and ice cream.

Ryuji was right.

This was very delicious.

'But I wonder when the other shoe will drop….' Makoto frowned. For a moment, she could feel a pair of eyes watching her from behind. She turned her head and looked back at the balcony door window, where she saw her Shadow.

Watching.

Waiting.

Stalking her.

"Makoto," Eiko called.

Makoto turned away and replied, "Yes?"

"I was going to say that Oribe and I were about to head home," Eiko told her.

"Same here, actually," Eleanora agreed. "I have school and then another photoshoot to head to."

"Alright. Same time next time?" Ryuji asked.

The three girls nodded as they stood up, finished their drinks, and headed toward the door. "Be careful out there," Makoto warned.

"We will," Eiko replied with a smile as she opened the door and held it open for Oribe and Eleonora, who walked through it. "Later!" Eiko chirped as she closed the door behind her.

"I gotta say, today went smoother than I thought it would," Ryuji commented.

"It did, but I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop," Makoto admitted. "Thinking back on it. What we did was far too overt. I just hope he didn't have a lookout or anything…"

"Hey, don't be so negative," Ryuji said. "Let's think positive."

Makoto sighed and replied, "Yeah. Maybe you're right…Maybe I should think more positively. It's just hard to do lately…"

"I get that, but you just gotta take it one step at a time," Ryuji said. "Anyway, you should come hang out with us. And bring Eiko, Oribe, and Eleonora too. Maybe play a little DnD?"

Makoto wanted to refuse him but Ryuji's optimism was infectious. Not to mention, she did want to see Shiho and Ren again. "Alright. Maybe we can plan it tomorrow or something?"

"Right on," Ryuji said with a grin.

Scene Change: Shibuya – Outside Niijima Residence (Afternoon)
Theme of Immediate Danger: Disintegration from Persona 5]

As Eiko, Eleonora, and Oribe walked out of the building, two figures sitting in a car observed the girls.

"Looks like the brunette and the blond one aren't with them, Boss," one man said through his cellphone. "Should we still do it?"

"Don't kidnap the TV Star," the voice on the other side of the phone answered. "The two girls are just enough. You can rough up the star enough to send a message to the brunette and the blond. Do it quickly, but quietly. Oh, and leave a business card. I'm sure those two will want to meet with me after this…"

"You got it, boss," the man said as he looked over to his partner and nodded.

"Time to go to work."

[Scene Change: Shibuya – Café LeBlanc (Afternoon)
Theme of Café LeBlanc - Beneath the Mask From Persona 5]

"All of that sounds dreadful," Sojiro said to Minako, who sat at the counter with a cup of coffee and a plate of curry and rice in front of her. "I knew that man wasn't a right fit for you."

"I wish I had known," Minako sighed. "I really thought he was a good person. To see him so ready and willing to throw Ren away to appease such a man sickens me."

"Well, at least you and Ren are far away from him," Sojiro offered.

Minako sighed and said"Yeah. But now I wonder what will happen. I left him and I'm with Ren, but I'm now in a city I can't remember. I don't even know if any of our old crew hangs around here."

"Most of them aren't around anymore," Sojiro revealed. "The only two left that I have tabs on are Munehisa and Akemi."

Minako blinked.

Munehisa Iwai was someone she often butted heads with when she was younger and she really didn't want to see him again, unless she wanted to fight again.

Samonosuke Akemi was a different story. Akemi and her were best friends growing up before her hus—that man swept her off of her feet. She often missed Akemi a lot.

"It's been so long since I heard of both of them," Minako said as she looked down at her coffee mug. "How have they been?"

"Munehisa has a kid now. His wife passed away some time ago. Sweet woman, she was," Sojiro answered. "So does Akemi. Seen her kid hanging with Ren, actually."

"Small world," Minako murmured.

"Unfortunately, she made the exact same mistake you did and pregnant young. She wound up with Sakamoto Magoichi," Sojiro continued.

"She wound up with that bum?!" Minako exclaimed. "That's really awful. She was such a sweet girl, too."

"She's doing well for herself now. She left Sakamoto and recently came into some money. It would do you some good to visit her sometime. As for Munehisa…I know you two didn't get on when you both were brats, and He's still the same surly guy. I recommend keeping your distance."

"Don't gotta tell me twice," Minako said.

The bell on the door opened, followed by a friendly voice asking, "Excuse me?"

Minako and Sojiro turned around to see a tall, bespectacled man with brown, short unkempt hair and a small stubble underneath his chin.

He wore a blue dress shirt tucked into his upturned khaki slacks with a checkered dark blue tie. He wears a white lab coat over the top.

On his feet, he wears open-toed sandals without socks. In his suit's chest pocket, he has a yellow pen and a staff ID that's further tied around his neck with a red strap.

"Sorry for interrupting, but I'm looking for Shujin Academy and I think I wound up lost," the man said with a sheepish but friendly smile. "Mind giving me some directions?"

[Roll Credits: Dream of Butterfly from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona]

Captain Blues: It's like that.