Update on the Alatreon thing…still haven't beaten it but I'm deciding to try and go at it solo once I have Armour Spheres. Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona. Welp, school is starting back up and my crappy internet is going to put a serious damper on lessons. I wish I could go in person before I feel so unfocused when I'm in my room, pantsless, chugging Coke Zero with my Switch taunting me to play Yu-Gi-Oh! I really need to get my sleep schedule back on track too.
Anyways, let's get to the reviews! To Yu Narukaze: Well, actually… um… I didn't write (or read) that part, or at least the majority of it, my collaborator did, drawing inspiration from Kill la Kill. But I do see where you're coming from and I admit, they probably weren't as bad as we make them out to be from canon…but this FanFiciton and it's too deep ingrained into the story.
Anyway, that's it! Let's confess our sins of vanity.
Load Game…Start!
Chapter 44: A New Dance
(6/4, Evening)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
The day had been a particularly slow one with nothing better to do.
School was a drag, the students were annoying, the teachers somewhat condescending...all that came from their less than stellar reputation at Shujin.
Still, they tried to have fun. Asuka and Homura decided to go to the arcade that day and...get absolutely murdered at Gun About by someone going by "The King". And almost getting banned because of Asuka's magical luck and skill.
At least the food at the diner was good as always.
On the other hand, despite Homura's emotional breakdown the night prior, she had recovered, though had a more positive air to her now, surprisingly attracting guys to her at school, though she turned them down as politely as possible, but that in turn started getting her more attraction points from the males at Shujin. She even got the right question when the teacher asked her in class.
You know, it was actually quite nice to spend what possibly could be their last day of freedom before their asses were sued to hell or thrown in jail.
BZZT! BZZT!
Asuka snapped out of her thoughts as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Without delay, she pulled it out to see what was going on as she began typing.
[All4Painting: Hello, everyone.]
[SushiRoll23: Any news, Yusuke-kun?]
[All4Painting: Yes. I'm listening to Madarame right now. He's on the phone.]
[TheWildJ0ker: With who?]
[All4Painting: Most likely the media. I haven't heard anything yet about pressing charges.]
[Negative8Degrees: That sounds promising.]
[Shut7heFUp: Guess we just gotta wait then.]
[FireGirl20: Let's meet in Shibuya tomorrow.]
[Negative8Degrees: I agree with Homura-san. If he still presses charges, we'll need to be together.]
[SushiRoll23: OK! See you then!]
[TheWildJ0ker: Have a good night's rest everyone.]
(6/5, Morning)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
A usual Sunday morning like this was meant to be spent relaxing inside and getting some sleep. And that's what the two roommates did, staying in bed a little longer until they knew they had to get up. Though, it was probably to ignore the tension in the air on whether or not Madarame confesses his sins of vanity.
"Today's the day..." Homura muttered out as she finished cleaning the dishes.
"Yeah. The exhibition should've ended today. Let's hope he doesn't go through with suing us." Asuka got out as she put on her shoes. "So, where in Shibuya are we meeting again?" She soon asked.
Homura blinked as she put away the last dish to dry. "...Probably should've asked that last night." She mumbled to herself.
BZZT! BZZT!
"Ah!" Asuka got out before she swiftly pulled out her phone and answered the call. "Ah, good morning Yumi-chan." She soon greeted her fellow shinobi over the phone.
"Hello, Asuka-san. Am I interrupting something?" Yumi replied followed by the question.
"No, not at all." Asuka responded. "So, why are you calling?" She soon asked.
"Well...Why don't we meet with each other before we head to the Phantom Thieves meeting?" Yumi suggested.
"Really? Don't you want to check on Madarame?" Asuka asked.
"...Let's just say I know what I'm doing today." Yumi vaguely revealed. "I'm at the Bachiko statue right now. Don't keep me waiting now." She then informed.
"Okay, see you later Yumi-chan." Asuka replied before hanging up. "Come on, Homu-nee! We need to go!" She then called out.
"Yep! Coming!" Homura called back before pulling on her jacket. "Alright, time to face the music, Sis." She soon breathed out as she grabbed her bag.
"Hai." Asuka replied with a nod before heading out, prepared for whatever today had prepared for them.
(Station Square)
It wasn't long until the two roommates found the light grey haired girl by the Bachiko statue like she said, anxiously glancing at her phone like she was expecting a call.
"Hey Yumi-chan!" Asuka happily greeted.
"Asuka-san. Homura-san." Yumi replied with a quick nod as she put away her phone. "How has your day been so far?" She soon asked.
"Um...kinda tense, Yumi-chan." Asuka admitted as she scratched the back of her head. "I mean, there's still nothing from Madarame?" She then questioned in concern.
Yumi shook her head in response, causing the roommates to sigh. "Well, we still have all day. Let's go get some aoijiru and then meet up with the others." She then suggested.
The brunette however winced slightly to the mention of the drink. "Moh...I can already feel the stomach ache..." Asuka groaned out.
"Hold on, you drink that stuff too?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. It does wonders to my complexion." Yumi answered with a pleasant filled sigh as she rubbed her smooth cheek.
"Hey, what's up with that old geezer?" A passerby suddenly asked, their head turned towards the sky
"Eh?" The three shinobi got out in confusion as they saw people beginning to look up as well.
Yumi eventually narrowed her eyes before looking up herself. "Oh, look up there." She soon got out as she pointed up at the large jumbo screen on the building.
On it, sobbing and shaking, was Madarame, surrounded by microphones and blasted flashes of light.
"Is that...?" Asuka gasped out.
"He's doing it...just like Kamoshida..." Homura muttered with a grin gracing her face.
"I...I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist." Madarame suddenly began. "Plainly put...I, um...plagiarized work..." He soon revealed.
"Oh...my...goodness..." Yumi breathed out.
"I-I tainted this - this country's art world and...even Sayuri...I stole it off the cold dead hands of a pupil!" Madarame confessed, now on the brink of crying. "Stained it...copied it...sold it! H-How could I possibly apologize to - to everyone for...for what I've done...Aaaaaahhhhh...!" He soon declared and questioned as he began sobbing like mad before the image stopped on that frame.
"...And that was from the urgent apology conference by Madarame that took place just a moment ago. After reporting to the association, Madarame has agreed to the police's request to turn himself in." The news reporter informed.
"Wasn't he on TV the other day?" The three shinobis then heard a nearby bystander ask.
"On top of charges of abuse to his pupils, Madarame has confessed to plagiarizing the works of his students, and claims to have let some die to steal their work for himself - including his supposed maiden work; Sayuri. This large-scale criminal act has caused a great shock to the art world, and..." The reporter continued.
"He...He even confessed to letting Yusuke-kun's mother die." Asuka whispered out, a smile breaking out on her face.
"After the conference, Madarame was taken to a police hospital for interrogation due to his age. However, initial psych evaluations state that he is mentally sound and likely responsible for his actions." The reporter continued.
"They perform those psych evals quick, huh." Homura idly muttered out.
"There's no need to be nice to an old geezer like that. Throw him in a cell and let him rot." Another bystander got out in a harsh tone.
"Why'd he spill the beans himself? Doesn't that seem weird?" Their friend pointed out.
"We've just received word on Madarame's exhibition that was to originally end today. It's closure was caused by a group claiming to be called the Phantom Thieves; spraying graffiti and ruining billions of yen worth of artwork as well as leaving calling cards around the area. The police are currently investigating the identities of these vandals. If you have any information on these Phantom Thieves, please report it to your local police station." The reporter soon concluded.
"Phantom Thieves? Do these punks have somethin' to do with that old geezer's apology?"
"Ohh, I've heard of them before. They supposedly steal evil hearts; it's why the culprits apologize."
"Wait, what? Steal hearts? That's impossible though."
"But I feel like I saw somethin' about that online too. They sent out a calling card for real."
"So it was like, We're going to take your heart? That's impressive if someone really did that."
Meanwhile the shinobi girls had watched the entire thing. "So Yumi-chan, what did you think?" Asuka soon asked, only to see the light grey haired girl with her head down, her body shaking. "Y-Yumi-chan?" She then called out in concern.
"...Hehehe..." Yumi suddenly began giggling out, raising her head to reveal the widest smile of satisfaction she ever had. "Hahaha...HAHAHAHA! We...We did it! We did it Asuka-san! Homura-san! That was justice! That...was...RIGHTEOUS!" She laughed out and declared as she turned to the other girls.
"Whoa!" Asuka yelped out as the light grey haired girl hugged them. "Hehehe...calm down Yumi-chan!" She then got out, though she couldn't help herself from laughing too.
"Yeah! You're gonna make a scene!" Homura soon reminded, though there was no hiding the shit-eating grin on her face.
This in response caused the light grey haired girl to calm down as she took a step back while wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry but...Seeing Madarame crying like that, confessing to all of his crimes felt...right..." Yumi admitted, still in shock and awe at the confession, but nonetheless happy. "Was it like this for Suguru Kamoshida?" She soon asked.
"Yep, and it sure ain't the last." Homura answered with a smile, wrapping an arm around Yumi's neck, before spotting a familiar face in the crowd. "Let's go and meet up with the others." She soon suggested.
"Eh?" Asuka got out before looking to see the Shujin Student Council President staring up at the screen.
"Phantom Thieves again." They heard Makoto mutter to herself.
"Do you know her?" Yumi asked.
"She's a friend of mine, Shujin's Student Council President, Makoto Niijima-senpai." Homura revealed.
"Niijima..." Yumi repeated with a frown.
"Yeah, our principal is currently trying to force and pressure her into finding information on the Phantom Thieves after the Kamoshida incident by holding college recommendations over her head." Homura explained.
Yumi's eyes in response widened to hearing that. "...Are you serious Homura-san? She's a high school student. That is an impossible task." She asked and reminded.
"Unfortunately..." Homura replied.
"Guys, we should go now before she notices us." Asuka ordered as the others nodded in agreement before they started making their way to the meeting place.
Just as Makoto looked behind her, the shinobi had vanished in the crowd as if they were never there in the first place.
(Accessway)
The shinobi had quickly spotted the other Thieves hanging out and talking amongst themselves, probably waiting on them to arrive to really start talking about the confession.
"Why are we meeting up here?" Homura deadpanned as the three shinobi arrived. "Didn't I tell you guys this was a terrible hideout?" She then reminded.
"Hey, we're all here already. C'mon! You guys see the news about Madarame!? It's just like what happened with Kamoshida!" Ryuji replied and declared with a grin.
"And they mentioned the Phantom Thieves!" Ann happily reminded.
"I totally forgot those paintings were worth money." Akira admitted. "Well, they aren't worth anything anymore." He then added.
"Man, this is startin' to get interesting...If we do it right, we can change people's hearts." Ryuji then stated. "With this power...we might be able to do more than just gettin' back at society. It'll be a big deal!" He soon declared.
"Yes, but the police are searching for the Phantom Thieves now. We did just ruin billions of yen worth of art." Yumi meanwhile reminded. "Which is why we should lay low for now and let this die down so we do not draw attention to ourselves." She then instructed.
"That's a good idea, but that doesn't mean we can't change a few more hearts." Akira replied in agreement.
"Yeah! Let's keep pushin' on then!" Ryuji got out with a fist pump. "As for me, I hope we just keep gettin' more and more famous!" He then added.
"Yep. We proved our existence, now we can work on changing the world." Asuka declared.
"Something like this happening twice is massive too. It's too great a coincidence to occur normally." Morgana meanwhile pointed out.
"If we continue doing this, we'll definitely be able to give courage to everyone who needs it." Ann soon declared.
"And that is indeed a noble goal." Yumi replied with a smile to the ash blonde's words.
"Guys, keep it down!" Homura warned in a whisper as she spotted an officer and a detective walk up near them. They were obviously trying to eavesdrop on them. "Uh...Yeah, but water bras don't work that way Ann." She then loudly stated.
"Wha?" Ann got out in confusion before noticing the police. "U-Uh...Oh yes they do, H-Homura! I even tried it out last night! With my boobs!" She then bragged in a stiff tone.
"W-What was that, Takamaki-san?" Yumi got out in disbelief.
"That monotonous acting of hers never fails to send a chill down my spine." Morgana remarked.
"Er, yeah. But my mum keeps complainin' 'bout leaks n' shit. They're totally busted." Ryuji spoke up, hoping that if they talked about nonsense that the attendance officers will get bored (or weirded out) and walk away.
"...What's a water bra?" Yusuke asked in genuine curiosity.
"Hush." Yumi whispered.
"Hello there." the Officer with Sunglasses greeted as he approached the Thieves. "May I speak with you for a moment?" He soon asked.
"H-H-H-Hello, officers!" Asuka squeaked out before the Leader placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down." Akira got out in a comforting tone. "We're not in trouble, are we?" He then asked the officers.
"Ah, don't be alarmed. We just wanted to know why you're all here." The Officer with Sunglasses explained, trying to sound friendly and relatable and hip with the youth.
"Oh, we are just hanging out since we do not have classes today sir." Homura maturely informed while getting into a prim and proper stance with a polite tone of voice.
"Indeed, we were just talking amongst ourselves." Yumi also informed in a similar tone and manner.
"How can she change herself like that so quickly?" The others minus Asuka and Yusuke thought in unison, impressed by the shift.
"Well, all right." The officer got out. "Just make sure you disperse before it gets too late, OK? There have been some odd happenings lately, and the news about that artist has caused quite the stir." He soon advised.
"We'll be careful sir." Homura and Yumi replied in unison.
Soon, the two attendance officers walked away, leaving the group alone.
"Impressive work Lady Homura, Lady Yumi." Morgana praised.
"Thank you." Homura and Yumi replied at the same time as they smiled at one another.
"Yeah, but why are they bothering us? It's still light out." Ryuji grumbled out with a frown. "Man, those guys must have way too much time on their hands." He then added.
"Urgh...this is why we don't meet in public..." Homura groaned out.
"Eh?" Yumi got out in confusion.
Homura then pointed her thumb to the dyed blond. "This guy here wanted to make it so this spot right here was our next hideout before we turned it down." She simply explained.
"Hey, you don't gotta mention that!" Ryuji got out in embarrassment.
"Homura-san does have a point though Ryuji-san, we are out in the open here." Yumi pointed out in agreement.
"And we continue to be out in the open." Yusuke added. "We should seperate for the day." He then suggested.
"He's right. The previous victims of the last two targets meeting up soon after a change of heart would raise suspicion." Morgana stated. "Anyone could be listening to us right now." He then advised.
"Hey wait a minute. What 'bout Black Mask?" Ryuji soon asked. "Come on, Yusuke, you got anything from Madarame?" He then added to the question.
"Well...I pressed him for answers, but he doesn't even understand what happened to him to begin with."
"Yeah, expected that much." Akira sighed out.
"It's not like he actually saw his desires get stolen, after all." Ann added.
"It's rumored that he may be sent to prison. In that case, gaining information will be difficult..." Yusuke then informed.
"So, what're you gonna do now?" Ryuji had to ask. With Madarame in jail, Yusuke went from having little support to none.
"I'll be leaving that house. I can't draw in such a place anymore." The young artist answered.
"Oh, you'll be living with Yumi-chan then?" Asuka then asked.
"No. I'll be going to the school dorms. I can stay free of charge until I graduate thanks to my fine arts scholarship." Yusuke replied. "Besides, Yumi-senpai has given me so much. I do not wish to burden her any further."
"And I don't have anywhere to store his equipment." Yumi added with a sweatdrop.
"That too." Yusuke admitted. "Though, Takamaki-san's or Apartment 269 would be nice." He then added.
"No." Homura and Yumi instantly denied in unison.
"...Wait, WHAT!?" Ann exclaimed in shock and confusion.
"You know, you could ask her to model for you whenever you wanted!" Ryuji got out with a sly look on his face.
"You moron!" Ann yelled out.
"Then again, now that Yusuke'll be livin' alone, it'll be easier for us to meet up whenever we want." Ryuji then pointed out.
"For the time being, we should wait and see how this case plays out." Morgana soon suggested.
"And it'll prolly take some time findin' a target as big as Madarame." Ryuji then admitted.
"Anyway, we should just act like normal students while we look for our next target, OK?" Ann soon suggested.
"We'll be entrusting that to you again, Ryuji." Morgana replied.
"Actually, why not have Yumi take over." Ryuji suggested. "She's the one with connections. I only got the internet, ya know." He then pointed out.
"We can both do it Ryuji-san." Yumi soon offered with a smile. "Everyone has to contribute after all." She then added.
"All right." Ryuji replied with a nod. " Guess it's just more prep and training 'til then." He then decided.
"Oh God..." Ann groaned out, her bones already aching as they grabbed their bags and left the Accessway...not noticing a familiar face nearby.
"Yusuke Kitagawa..." Makoto muttered as she walked off in another direction. "Homura-san...what is going on?" She then asked herself in concern for her friend.
(Fast Forward)
Sae narrowed her eyes as Akira finished his story of how the Phantom Thieves took down Madarame.
"So after Shiho Suzui, you did it again for someone you barely knew." Sae summarised. "You were sent away twice, almost reported to the police...and yet you still wanted to save him?" She then questioned. "Moreover, you ended up in a museum instead of a castle this time...You're still going to maintain this rubbish about changing someone's heart by stealing their Treasure?" She soon stated and asked.
"Believe what you will." Akira however responded.
The prosecutor had to resist letting out a groan. While his recollection did match up with the key events in the timeline she managed to figure out, this talk about the Metaverse was still outlandish. "Very well. The truth behind this tale of yours will be clear once your conspirators are in custody." Sae stated. "Now then, tell me about this new member who joined your group. There's no point in being stubborn. It will only damage your position. The identity of Madarame's pupil can be easily discovered with a little investigation." She then requested and informed.
"..." Akira only glared at the prosecutor in response.
They won't let her have the chance if it comes down to it.
"So you won't sell out your accomplice?" Sae got out before sighing in annoyance. "...Fine. There's still much more that I want to hear. It was around this time that the Phantom Thieves began to truly gain popularity. Lies flooded the internet—things like The Phantom Thieves saved me too or I got a calling card...For heaven's sake...those lies made the collection of intel take almost ten times longer." She soon stated in a frustrated tone before she flipped through her binder. "Now, your next target was this man..." She continued as she opened the folder.
A portly appearing man with slicked back brown hair, dressed in a nice suit that could only have been tailor-made for him.
"Junya Kaneshiro." Sae informed.
"...Oh." Akira got out. "Him. The mafia boss." He then muttered, an angry look flashing on his face.
"He doesn't compare to the previous two. Even the police had been struggling to apprehend him." Sae explained. "So, exactly how did you take down such a well-guarded criminal? Tell me." She soon questioned and requested.
"You're not gonna like it." Akira bluntly stated.
"Try me." Sae simply replied, not wanting to waste more time than necessary.
"You really wanna know?" Akira asked in a serious tone.
Sae narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward. "Try me." She repeated in a more forceful tone.
Akira had to fight down the rebellious smirk.
Well, she asked for it.
Akira only looked at her directly in the eye and answered her demands.
"Well it all started... with Makoto Niijima." Akira declared as he continued with his story as he saw the prosecutor's widened eyes filled with shock.
(Rewind)
(Hebijo Base)
The place was silent after Haruka turned off the television, the confession still fresh in their minds.
Such a frail old man, performing such heinous crimes for the sake of money and fame. It was sickening, more so to the second year blonde.
"Mmm...What in the world was all of that?" Mirai asked as she paced around in confusion. "That confession was out of nowhere." She then added.
"No kidding." Hikage replied as she was on her phone.
"That man did deserve it though..." Yomi darkly got out. "Extorting others selfishly for the sake of money...he brought it upon himself." She then added.
"Coward. He should have committed hara-kiri right then and there." Haruka however got out in disapproval. "And what are you doing, Hikage-chan?" She soon asked.
"I'm on a website dedicated to these Phantom Thieves." Hikage answered as she showed her phone to the others.
"Huh, we have really good Wi-Fi down here, huh." Mirai noted.
"Why are there so many pictures of that artist crying already?" Yomi questioned. "Is this what they call a may-may?" She muttered to herself, only causing the first year to groan as if she was shot.
"Look at that..." Haruka muttered out. "The public is going wild over these people..." She then added. The comments were filled with people either calling them attention seekers, criminals or even heroes.
"We also heard about the Phantom Thieves at Shujin Academy." Yomi informed. "And this sounds just like what happened to the school. The news didn't mention them though." She soon added.
"This is starting to get interesting..." Haruka got out. "I mean...is Homura-chan involved in these incidents?" She then wondered in a curious manner.
"It...It can't be a coincidence, could it?" Yomi got out. "You guys know how much Homura likes red." She then reminded.
"Crimson." Hikage corrected.
"Same thing." Haruka off-handedly responded. "But...it would make sense on how the exhibition was ruined in a similar manner." She then added.
"So...are you suggesting that Homura-chan is part of the Phantom Thieves?" Yomi soon asked.
"No...I'm suggesting Homura and her student are both Phantom Thieves." Haruka replied. "It makes sense. She's the only one we know to have the physical capabilities to paint the school so thoroughly overnight and the skill to break-in and destroy that art. Not to mention the possibility that she could be training her student to be a thief. And she could easily find out any information to use against that gym teacher and con artist." She soon deducted.
"But what about the motive?" Mirai soon asked while crossing her arms over her chest. "Homura doesn't have any reason to blackmail that gym teacher or that con artist." She then added.
"...Because she's the one being blackmailed." Haruka realised. "Maybe he found out somehow, and is using her to change hearts and such. He may be the mastermind behind these Thieves." She then stated.
"But that's not something a shinobi can do." Hikage pointed out.
"Because he isn't really changing hearts. He's blackmailing them too or he has a brainwashing technique. And we can't deny the use of drugs and such." Haruka explained. "They aren't changing their ways and confessing out of their own free will, Akira Kurusu is forcing them to confess somehow." She theorised.
"I'm not sure, we could just be jumping to conclusions..." Yomi got out.
"Maybe. But we can't rule out the fact that Homura is connected to the Phantom Thieves somehow." Haruka stated. "So why not go with that angle? Find evidence she's a Phantom Thief." She soon suggested.
"And kill her for it?" Yomi then asked with an uneasy expression. "I mean...that con artist deserved it..." She soon pointed out as she narrowed her eyes.
"Yes..." Haruka responded with a nod. "However only if she is indeed a threat to us." She then stated. "But...we also can't deny the possibility she has betrayed Hebijo as well and sees us as the enemy now." She soon reminded.
"And what do we do then, Haruka-sama?" Mirai asked.
"...I honestly don't know." Haruka admitted in an uneasy tone.
"...Can we all just say that we don't actually want to kill Homura-san and be done with it?" Hikage bluntly asked. "We can just lie and say everything's fine." She then suggested.
"And what if it isn't? What if it all comes to bite us in the future?" Yomi argued. "Hebijo could or will find out it's a lie and will kill us all." She then pointed out with a frown.
"We'll deal with it then." Hikage replied.
"So...Are we giving up just like that?" Mirai soon asked.
"We're still gonna gather info on what's going on." Hikage replied. "But only for us. We need the truth before we decide what we should do." She then added.
"Right. This is becoming a rather complicated mission." Yomi replied with a nod. "Do you think we should ask for an extension?" She soon asked.
"No, I feel that a week is long enough and Suzune-sensei may send us back here. Besides, someone spent all our money on clothes and beauty products." Haruka reminded while glancing at the greennette.
"Bite me." Hikage simply and bluntly replied.
"Um, speaking of which Hikage-san...are you alright?" Yomi suddenly asked. "Something seems...different about you." She then pointed out.
"Hm?" Hikage got out in a flat tone.
"...Do you still have a pe-" Haruka began to inform, only to-
WHOOSH! CLANG!
Only for a knife to be embedded in the wall right next to the other third year.
"...You're still upset about the other day, aren't you Hikage-chan?" Haruka guessed with a sweatdrop.
"You think?" Hikage bluntly countered with a small blush on her face while narrowing her eyes before going back on her phone. "Still, this incident with the Phantom Thieves...they're going to catch the attention of both Good and Evil Shinobis soon enough." She then added. "Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves?" She whispered out.
[Yes/No]
[26.9%]
Hikage then tapped on her phone.
[Yes]
(6/5, Evening)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
Asuka and Homura let out a breath as they shut the door behind them.
It finally hit them that the threat of Ichiryusai Madarame was over.
"We did it, Homu-nee! We...We saved Yusuke-kun!" Asuka cheered out.
"More than that, we avenged everyone who was deceived by that fraud!" Homura then reminded her with a wide grin on her face.
"Oh right, I hope Nakanohara-san gets back into the art world now too." Asuka soon remembered. "I guess Madarame's word no longer means anything anymore now." She then added as she stretched her arms. "Now we can also relax and not be so stressed out from anticipation...I could use a bath for that." She concluded with a sigh.
"Well, I'll go get it started." Homura replied as she headed for the bathroom. "What shampoo, Sis?"
"Surprise me!" Asuka answered as she sat down on the couch.
"Alright. Gonna go with Violet Leadership this time Sis." Homura informed.
"Sounds great!" Asuka responded.
BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!
"Aw come on! Really?" Homura groaned as they took their phones out.
[All4Painting: You have my gratitude.]
[Shut7heFUp: Why're you bein' so polite all of a sudden?]
[All4Painting: I am just thankful for all of you for allowing me to come to my senses.]
[Negative8Degrees: I'm thankful too. If it wasn't for the Phantom Thieves, I would've continued having to ignore Yusuke-san by his request.]
[TheWildJ0ker: You're exaggerating. Actually, we should be thanking you guys.]
[SushiRoll23: Yeah. We're two members stronger now as well as new friends! :3]
[All4Painting: Thank you.]
[Shut7heFUp: Come on, you're one of us now, man. We'll be counting on you two, mkay?]
[FireGirl20: Let's keep going with this and change the world for the better!]
[All4Painting: Of course.]
[Negative8Degrees: Hai.]
[Sweetkat06: And if anything comes up, we won't hesitate to lend a hand.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Don't be afraid to talk to us. That goes for everyone here.]
[All4Painting: Thank you. Well then, see you all at our next meeting.]
Smiling at that, both roommates connected their phones to the charger before they finished stripping themselves down and got into the bath, feeling as though a weight was lifted from their shoulders as they washed themselves down with the lavender scented shampoo.
Asuka soon felt her Leadership increasing as a result. "I should really take charge more and lessen the burden on Akira-kun." She thought.
Homura however felt as though her Elegance was increasing as a result. "Mmm~...That is the good stuff...it is as though I am changing for the better, though there is room for improvement..." She offhandedly thought.
"Ah...~" Asuka and Homura sighed in relaxed unison as they then washed their bodies.
"So, what's coming up soon...?" Asuka asked as she tried to remember if there was anything major occurring soon.
"Nothing that I currently know about." Homura replied as she stood up. "I believe we have been in the bath long enough Sis." She then suggested.
"Yeah." Asuka replied with a nod as she got up, getting their towels as they started drying themselves off.
Homura then went and turned on her phone as she dried herself off. "I need to make it up to Yumi-senpai." She thought as she started messaging her.
[FireGirl20: Hey.]
[Negative8Degrees: Homura-san.]
[Negative8Degrees: Is there something you want?]
(...)
[FireGirl20: I am requesting another lesson if that is alright.]
[Negative8Degrees:...Of course, meet me at the rooftops like where we were at for our last lesson.]
[FireGirl20: Of course Yumi-senpai. I will see you there.]
The tan skinned girl sighed as she took in a deep breath. "I'm going to see Yumi for the night Sis." Homura informed as she got herself dressed in her casual clothes.
"Yeah. I'm going out too." Asuka replied as she grabbed her bag. "Akira-kun invited me out for celebration darts at Kichijoji. The Dart Queen is coming back, baby." She soon declared with a rebellious grin and a determined expression.
"Have fun Sis." Homura replied with amusement in her voice as she headed out.
"Hai!" Asuka playfully replied with a salute before heading out herself.
(Rooftop)
The slight grey haired girl was sitting on the edge of the building while looking up at the night sky as she thought through the day's events, still feeling happy that she was able to help her junior along with making new friends as a result of what she did.
"You do remember that we're only friends because you attacked us, right?" A familiar reminded, their voice echoing in the wind.
Yumi soon groaned to being reminded of that. "Please don't remind me. That was inelegant of me to attack without asking questions first." She then muttered in shame.
"Well, I can not exactly blame you. I probably would have attacked too." Homura mumbled out. "Anyways, let's get started." She then added.
The light grey haired girl then sighed with content and smiled softly. "Ah, sorry. Good evening Homura-san." Yumi politely greeted.
"To you as well Yumi-senpai." Homura replied with a bow.
"I'm honestly surprised you wished for me to train you after the other day Homura-san." Yumi admitted as she turned around to look at the tan skinned girl.
Homura however in response sighed to that. "I know what me and Akira did was wrong...and now I am owning up to it." She responded. "Please do with me as you wish Yumi-senpai." She then calmly requested with a bow.
Yumi in turn narrowed her eyes to hearing that. "So you wish to atone for the sin you had committed." She soon stated in a serious manner.
"Yes ma'am." Homura calmly replied with a nod. "I know that despite the reason for it, keeping what had happened was wrong and now I must make amends for it." She then declared.
In response, Yumi's eyes widened as she saw the sincerity in the tan skinned girl's eyes. "Homura-san..." She muttered to hearing that. "Well, at least she sounds sincere..." She meanwhile thought.
"Still, y-you're not actually gonna break me...right Yumi-senpai?" Homura soon asked in a more nervous tone, breaking the tension instantly as a result.
Yumi in response giggled to hearing that nervousness. "Oh no Homura-san, I would never actually do that. That would be more of an act a truly Evil Shinobi would do." She replied in amusement. "...Unless you want me to." She then offered.
"U-Uh...that's fine." Homura awkwardly replied.
"Are you sure? I'll be riding you like a pony before midnight if you wish." Yumi promised.
"Thank you, but please no." Homura sighed out.
"Hehehe...I'm just joking, Homura-san." Yumi giggled out before she leaned closer with an amused smirk on her face. "Unless..." She then began.
"Please stop. Please teach me Yumi-senpai." Homura all but begged at this point.
"Okay, fine. If you wish." Yumi replied.
"So, what shall we be doing this time?" Homura soon asked.
"I shall be helping you with your dance." Yumi revealed in a tone similar to a teacher.
"A...dance?" Homura repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Um, senpai, I can already dance. I have been teaching Akira how to incorporate dance into his fighting style." She then informed.
"Really? Well, I must see how he's progressed the next time we are in the Metaverse then." Yumi replied in a curious and fascinated manner. "But that is not what I'm talking about. What I am talking about is your motions in fighting." She then informed.
"So you are criticizing how I fight?" Homura assumed with a raised eyebrow.
"Homura-san, if I may be honest, we fought before, I felt as though your fighting style was that of a savage." Yumi admitted.
Homura in response sighed to that. "Well, I can't help it. Every attack, every dodge, every skill I execute, I feel blood pumping through my veins. I mean, I know it needs some refinement but when I go wild, nothing survives." She then explained while rubbing the back of her head. "I mean, come on, my Persona is a wolverine. What did you expect?" She soon reminded and asked.
"Which is understandable Homura-san," Yumi admitted with a nod. "However during that battle we had, I had noticed flaws in your moves that you yourself probably never knew about." She then revealed.
"Like...?" Homura then questioned in a curious manner.
"When you executed some of your attacks, there have been windows of opportunities where an enemy can strike," Yumi revealed in a serious tone as she suddenly vanished before reappearing right behind the tan skinned girl with her hand at her neck. "And relentless attacks will only burn you out." She then informed.
"But that's my style. Overwhelm and overpower my opponent before they even have a chance to counter." Homura explained.
"And what if they do?" Yumi however questioned. "What if they do have the chance to counter and leave you vulnerable?" She soon added.
Homura's eyes in response widened as she realized she never really thought about it. "That's...I attack harder and..." She started, but trailed off at the end when she realised that probably wasn't as good of a strategy now that she was saying it out loud.
"For shinobi, every battle is a dance of death against one another, but you merely act on pure instinct and adrenaline. An animal on a kabuki stage." Yumi stated in a slightly disappointed tone. "However when I fight,
"Right, when we fought, your battle style was essentially a dance." Homura remembered. "And you basically had us on the ropes before Akira got back into the fight..." She then admitted.
"Correct, an elegant and graceful dance." Yumi responded with a nod. "Mine is based on traditional noh dance." She then revealed. "My style isn't perfect and I admit to that, but it suits me well. I am as hard as ice, but crack easily, however with my freezing capabilities I can turn any situation around at any given moment. I can stop you in your tracks before you even land a strike." She soon declared.
The tan skinned girl in response was speechless as she could instantly feel as though the light grey haired girl was right.
"So you understand what I am saying, Homura-san?" Yumi soon questioned in a more concerned manner.
"I do." Homura soon responded with a nod. "So...how do I refine my six sword style into a dance..." She then asked.
"Well, I'm going to teach you. Shinobi Kekkei!" Yumi declared as the two vanished from the rooftop.
(Yumi's Shinobi Kekkei)
The two soon arrived at the light blue tinted snow covered field as more of it kept falling in a gentle manner. "We are doing this in the Kekkei?" Homura asked while looking around.
"Hai, the Shinobi Kekkei are ideal areas for training." Yumi replied with a nod.
"True, there have been times where I trained Akira in mine." Homura admitted in agreement. "So, what do we do now?" She then asked. "...Wait, why are we in a Shinobi Kekkei to begin with? I only put up a Kekkei to keep things secret and without any collateral. We're not sparring, are we?"
"Oh, no. This is still Elegance training." Yumi assured.
"Nope! Don't buy it, you could attack me while I'm distracted!" Homura declared as she silently used her Shinobi Tenshin. "Come on, Yumi-senpai, you should've asked!"
"Homura-san, we are not sparring!" Yumi stated once more, slightly miffed.
Homura narrowed her eyes in suspicion before letting out a sigh. "Hmm...okay, fine. But I'm not letting my guard down." She replied as she put away her katanas.
"So this is your Shinobi Tenshin appearance." Yumi started in a fascinated tone. "It's very reminiscent of a military general, Homura-san." She then admitted.
"Well, this Tenshin is pretty recent actually. My original original one was just my old Hebijo uniform with arm guards." Homura sheepishly revealed.
"I can see why you don't want to wear that anymore."
"That and...I see Sis's friend, Ikaruga-senpai as an inspiration as someone with a strong will." Homura soon confessed.
"You seem to take inspiration from many people, don't you?" Yumi soon pointed out.
"Well, they're a lot better than me in a lot of respects." Homura replied.
"Me being one of them?" Yumi then questioned in a curious manner.
"Of course." Homura responded with a nod.
SLAP!
"Ow!" Homura yelped out as she was suddenly slapped across the face. "What was that!?" She soon asked.
"I am not better than you. Anyone you think is better is not. We are simply from different walks of life and have gone through different experiences from you. Do not sell yourself short, Homura-san." Yumi informed and advised.
"You didn't have to slap me though..." Homura mumbled out as she rubbed her cheek.
"I apologize, but you must learn to appreciate yourself more Homura-san." Yumi replied as she took the girl's hands into her own. "Ok?" She then asked.
"As long as you don't slap me to instill life lessons, yes." Homura replied as she winced slightly.
"Thank you. Now please temporarily change Tenshin attire to match my own for your training." Yumi soon requested.
"You mean...like a kimono like yours?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Hai, this is essential for this training Homura-san." Yumi replied with a nod. "Shinobi Tenshin!" She declared as her outfit glowed before it became her Shinobi Tenshin attire of her white and light blue loose fitting kimono.
Homura in response nodded back as she turned back to her normal clothes before closing her eyes and concentrating. "Exactly like your right Yumi-senpai?" She questioned in a serious tone.
"Well, it doesn't have to be the same colors persay, I don't believe my colors would work for you." Yumi replied and confessed.
Nodding to that, Homura went back to her concentration, taking in a deep breath. "Shinobi Tenshin." She calmly declared as she glowed in a crimson light, soon dying down to reveal herself in a black kimono with red lining similar to the light grey haired girl's, the back of her hair even holding a black and red ribbon in it like hers. She then opened her eyes. "Well, how do I look?" She soon asked.
"Beautiful." Yumi thought to herself at seeing her friend in that attire. "Hm...It will do." She vocally answered with a nod of approval. "This will be your new training attire every time you request me to train you." She then revealed.
"Is there a point to changing into a kimono though?" Homura asked. "I mean, it's not like my outfit hinders my movement. None of ours should." She then pointed out.
"It's to get you into the mindset." Yumi simply explained before she then brought her phone out as she turned on the music player app as it then started playing japanese fan dance music. "Now, watch me dance. This is the base of my fighting style." She soon instructed and informed as she took her fans out and began dancing, following the rhythm of the music.
Homura in response quietly nodded as she did and instructed and watched.
It was slow, methodical. Something carefully over years of training and studying. Homura could not help but recall that noh dancers would start at age three, so this was obviously something Yumi has been doing for a long time. Maybe even when she started her training.
Which presented a problem. Homura was starting this at age sixteen and shinobi training was not going to help her here.
Once it ended, Yumi took in a deep breath and relaxed herself. "What do you think?" She soon asked
"Elegant." Homura immediately replied.
"Thank you. Now then, attempt to mimic my dance while wielding your blades and dance alongside with me." Yumi instructed. "This test...will show me how strong your will is, Homura-san..." She meanwhile thought to herself in a serious tone.
"Hai, Yumi-senpai." Homura replied with a nod as she did as instructed, readjusting the way she held her blades as such.
Then...the music started once again, this time however with lyrics.
"The sun will rise and we'll bid farewell to forever! All our happiness will only be a dream...Oh darlin', won't you stay with me~?"
The tan skinned girl soon began trying to dance in a similar manner though she kept making mistakes as a result. "Dammit!" Homura quietly cursed as she scratched herself with her own katana.
"Focus, Homura-san! You're not feeling the rhythm, only focusing on my movements." Yumi instructed. "Now...will you lose yourself to the dance...or will you surpass it?" She meanwhile thought.
However, Homura didn't take the advice and just ended up growing more frustrated as more and more cuts appeared on her outfit.
Soon enough the music ended and the two in response stopped.
"...You failed." Yumi bluntly stated.
"I know." Homura replied in shame. "My katanas keep scratching me with my movements." She soon got out in frustration as the tears vanished from her kimono. "This style is meant for fans, Yumi-senpai. Not swords." She then pointed out.
"Which is why you must adapt your sword style in a way to it seems as though your swords are fans. It is all about imagery." Yumi instructed.
"It's not as simple as you say." Homura muttered out.
"What was that saying again..." Yumi mumbled to herself before remembering. "Ah yes. Don't think, feel Homura-san." She then informed as she prepared herself once more.
Nodding to this, the tan skinned girl also prepared herself again before the music started once more. "...Don't think." Homura mentally chanted to herself as she began dancing again. "Don't...think..." She slowly continued chanting in her head as she kept going as the music started again and she allowed it to flow through her body.
Then as one, the two started again as the lyrics of the song echoed throughout the Kekkei.
"'Cause all these seasons aren't the same without you! In the darkest times you'd always light the way...So darling, won't you stay~?"
Soon, the tempo of the music started to pick up as Yumi flowed into a new rhythm while Homura rolled her body with the music in a more elegant manner.
"My head...feels empty..." Homura unconsciously thought to herself.
"Flowers start to dance! Welcoming the spring time...The fields, endless! The summer's bringing on the sunshine...! Dazzling moonlight! Just wishing you were here this autumn night...Should winter arrive I'll still be waiting for a sign~"
"What...am I doing?" Homura soon thought as she then mimicked the light grey haired girl instinctively.
"The sun will rise and we'll bid farewell to forever! All our happiness will only be a dream...Oh darling, won't you stay with me? 'Cause all these seasons aren't the same without you! In the darkest times you'd always light the way...So darling, won't you stay~?"
"This person I am dancing with...who is it?" Homura then thought in a curious manner, though she kept going with the dance. She was beginning to feel stiff, so she began to stretch her limbs with twirls and flourishes that the other girl didn't perform.
Yumi meanwhile noticed that the tan skinned girl was beginning to deviate from her dance, beginning to move in a different way than she had instructed. But even so, she kept going on with her own dance as the two remained in sync with one another.
"It's seven on the dot! Here we are, living free! I wish tonight would go on for eternity. Will we ever meet again? Tell me that it ain't the end. My tears start to flow, oh baby, please don't go...~"
Yumi then started gliding on the snow with a trail of ice following her as she did so like she was a figure skater.
However for the tan skinned girl, it was a whole nother story...
"Who...am I?" Homura unintentionally and suddenly began thinking as she kept dancing as if she was a master of the dance, a trail of flames forming beneath her as she began gliding as she skated across the fields of snow in a similar manner to the light grey haired girl.
"But now it's all becoming clear to me, that if we're truly even meant to be. Our love won't fade. And I will break free from all this pain, tearing down all the walls like a mighty hurricane~!"
Soon, the light grey haired girl glanced as she saw the change occurring in her friend. "As I thought, Homura-san is in the trance and becoming one with the dance..." Yumi thought in a serious tone, noticing the hazy expression in the tan skinned girl's eyes.
The light grey haired girl then watched as the cyclone of crimson flames surrounded her, first taking the form of a Japanese Rat Snake as it hissed in an echoey manner.
"The sun will rise and we'll bid farewell to forever! All our happiness will only be a dream...Oh darling, won't you stay with me? 'Cause all these seasons aren't the same without you! In the darkest times you'd always light the way...So darling, won't you stay~?"
Yumi soon noticed that the tan skinned girl was now doing a noh dance like her own and she had not cut herself even once the entire time.
Soon the music soon began to end.
"Homura-san, that's enough." Yumi ordered as she finished her dance.
Homura only responded before spinning around and posing with elegance as the last note played.
"King Crazy! FC'd like it was nothing!" Fūma praised within the light grey haired girl's mind.
"Excuse me?" Yumi mentally responded with a raised eyebrow. However, her Persona didn't respond. "Fūma? Fūma!" She then mentally called out.
Still not hearing a response, Yumi shook her head and turned her focus to the tan skinned girl.
"Homura-san, are you alright?" Yumi questioned in concern.
"Hai, I am well Yumi-senpai..." The dazed Homura responded in a similar tone.
"And...how are you feeling?" Yumi soon asked as she noticed the girl's stance and tone of voice was perfectly identical to her own.
"...Zen." Homura calmly revealed without any concern. "This...I feel...so calm...peaceful..." She then explained before she began to fall over, only for the light grey haired girl to catch her before she hit the snowbed.
"Easy now Homura-san." Yumi calmly instructed.
Suddenly, Homura began taking in deep, over exaggerated breaths. "What...in the world was that?" She breathed out as she held her head.
"So you returned to normal?" Yumi however asked. "You became so deep into the trance of our dance that you made yourself forget everything around you." She then explained.
"H-Huh?" Homura got out in confusion.
"You were so focused and were concentrating so much that you didn't know what you were doing." Yumi revealed.
"I...I almost lost myself...but it felt so...peaceful...serene..." Homura confessed in a gentle tone. "Even if I don't remember it, I can feel that dance flow through me." She then revealed.
Yumi meanwhile helped her friend to her feet. "
"Still, ironic as it is...I almost broke myself this time..." Homura soon admitted. "I guess this means I failed today's training, right?" She soon asked in an ashamed manner.
"I wouldn't exactly say that Homura-san," Yumi responded, gaining a confused reaction from the other girl. "Your dance was beautiful in its own way." She then revealed with a proud smile.
"Y-You're just saying that." Homura muttered out with a blush. "I probably looked pretty goofy..." She then got out.
The light grey haired girl smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. You were as elegant as I was when I dance." Yumi responded.
"...Thank you." Homura got out as she stretched her cheek.
"There's no need to. Congratulations are needed for you Homura-san, you are a natural master of noh dancing." Yumi soon praised in an impressed manner. "It took me years to learn from Ojii-sama, but you mastered it in only a couple hours." She then revealed in an amazed and fascinated tone.
"I've never seen noh dancing before..." Homura awkwardly giggled out before blinking. "Wait, a couple of hours!?" She exclaimed.
Yumi however giggled to this. "Yes, time can pass when you enjoy a dance, even in a Kekkei." She soon informed.
The tan skinned girl soon sighed to hearing that. ""How...long has it been?" She soon had to ask.
"Two hours exactly." Yumi responded.
"Oh thank God, I thought it was longer..." Homura breathed out in relief.
"A dance with no form, where every move flows into another without thought or hesitation." Yumi calmly revealed. "Once more, try and imagine the dance you achieved and and show me." She then requested.
"And not lose myself this time?" Homura soon added.
"Well, it's better than losing yourself to bloodlust, but preferably I'd like to have you focused." Yumi replied.
"Yeah, anything is better than bloodlust..." Homura had to admit before preparing herself.
Yumi simply nodded in agreement to that as she played the music once more, with Homura quickly getting into the rhythm before moving her body once more, even skating again on crimson flames that came from her feet.
Soon, Homura finished her dance and Yumi couldn't help but smile when she saw the tan skinned girl smiling all throughout.
"You've done well, Homura-san." Yumi praised once more. "That unpredictability will give you an edge over many opponents." She then stated.
"Like you?" Homura soon asked.
"Oh, I wouldn't say-" Yumi started, but then...
RIP!
And with that, the light grey haired girl ended up in nothing but her light blue underwear.
"Say what, Yumi-senpai?" Homura asked in a taunting tone.
"Clever Homura-san, however..." Yumi countered with a smile.
RIP!
Homura was suddenly in her crimson underwear now, causing her eyes to widen. "Eh?" She got out in shock.
"You forgot you have the same weaknesses right now." Yumi finished.
Soon enough, the two then looked each other in the eyes, both seeing fire within them.
"...You do realise this is war now Homura-san." Yumi stated as she prepared her fans.
"Heh, well, I do need a training dummy to try out my new style." Homura replied with a cocky smirk as she readied her blade, now holding in her new fan-like style.
"I will purify you of that overconfidence Homura-san." Yumi soon declared.
"Not after I burn away that arrogance." Homura countered.
And with that, the two charged at one another with determination, trails of fire and ice following behind them as their weapons soon clashed.
(Rooftop)
Yumi and Homura reappeared in their casual clothes, both panting and sweating.
Their fight ended rather quickly, considering they were already in their underwear when it started. So it was a fight that would be determined in one blow.
However that one blow wasn't easy persay since the two kept clashing and parrying their weapons with each other in a dance of fire and ice.
It actually ended in a draw, since neither of them wanted to be there all night.
"You...were splendid...Homura-san..." Yumi panted out.
"Thank you...Yumi-senpai..." Homura breathed out. "And...my dance?" She then asked.
"Well done. We will continue to refine next time." Yumi simply answered and informed.
"Oh, I could go for a steak right now...it's nice to have a home-cooked meal that you didn't make." Homura admitted with a soft smile. "Sis's mom is such a good cook..." She then added.
"Oh, Asuka-san's mother visited?" Yumi asked in a curious manner. "What was she like?" She then added to the question.
"W-Well, she was nice. Like...standard motherly." Homura awkwardly revealed.
"It must be nice to have a mother like that..." Yumi admitted with a smile. "It makes me feel a little jealous...but also happy." She then added.
"How come?" Homura soon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I have not known a shinobi who knows no strife or heartache." Yumi confessed. "Only people with enough determination, or mental instability, are willing to follow this path to the death. Asuka-san has had a rather peaceful life despite being a shinobi herself and...I can't help but feel like the universe favors her over all others who deserve such opportunities. To uphold a great legacy, to have such nice friends, to have people like you protecting her." She then added to the confession while listing off each aspect. "However...the world needs people like Asuka-san, not held down by the weight of tragedy and the darkness but still does what she does to make the world better. Taking that darkness herself and transforming it to light. To still smile even after seeing the worst humanity has to offer." She soon concluded.
"Sis is basically like the sun, warm and bright." Homura got out with a smile. "You Yumi-senpai are like the moon with its own kind of brightness." She then added.
"The moon reflects the sun's light." Yumi pointed out with a giggle. "But I understand what you mean Homura-san, it is a good analogy." She then added with a smile.
"Thank you," Homura replied as she stretched her limbs. "Well, I am honestly in the mood for a crepe, would you like to get one as well Yumi-senpai?" She then offered.
"I would love to...if only my train isn't leaving soon." Yumi sighed out.
"Yumi-senpai, we are shinobis, we only use the trains as part of our covers." Homura reminded her as she took her hand.
"I know, but I'm honestly tired. I don't feel like running all the way to Shinjuku." Yumi confessed in a slightly saddened tone.
"Tomorrow then?" Homura soon suggested.
"If I have the chance. I honestly would love to get crepes with you Homura-san." Yumi replied with a smile.
"Then it's a deal then, I'll even invite Sis." Homura replied with a smile of her own.
The two then stood up as they looked at one another. "That would be nice. I'll see you tomorrow, Homura-san." Yumi got out with a nod.
"To you as well." Homura replied as the two vanished from the rooftop.
(Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
"Wow, Akira-kun's really good." Asuka got out as she arrived at the apartment, shutting the door behind her. "Hehehe...he was such an encouraging teammate too. He worked so well with me and Ann-chan." She then giggled out as she began taking off her clothes. She was ready for bed after everything she did today.
When she got to the bedroom, she saw the tan skinned girl was already dead asleep, probably tired from her training session.
Asuka smiled before yawning. It was probably best to follow her roommate's lead. A quick check of the time on her phone indicated that it was almost midnight, so it was definitely time to hit the hay.
However, she saw what date it was and remembered something."Ah that's right. It's summer uniforms starting tomorrow." Asuka suddenly remembered. "Right, I laid out the wrong uniform for the next day..." She then sheepishly added.
Well, she'll just dig them out of the closet tomorrow. She needed sleep now as another yawn escaped her lips.
So with that, she stripped down and joined her roommate on the futon, enjoying the warmth as she drifted to sleep.
(Niijima Residence)
This had to be...the worst idea she would ever have in her seventeen years of life.
She didn't have a lot of options here. With the news of Madarame's confession and the involvement of the Phantom Thieves, Makoto knew that the principal would make her ramp up her aggression in her investigation, putting more things on the line to make her do what she was told, upping the pressure on her neck.
That recommendation letter meant everything to her, and the principal was abusing that with glee, especially since the Phantom Thieves covered the school in graffiti. She was trapped with no obvious way out and if she were to fail...
Why...Why did that fucking bastard of a teacher had to go and ruin her life and the lives of so many others...
"Homura-san...help me..." Makoto whimpered in despair as she held her knees with her phone in her hands as she looked at the lit screen being the only light source in her darkened room.
Why did it have to come to this?
This move would betray her trust, possibly destroying their growing friendship regardless of the results.
To someone she began to consider a friend who understood her and what she was going through.
But...there was no other way. She needed to know the truth.
For her sister. For herself. For her future.
So with a heavy heart, she pushed down the guilt, tried to ignore her imagination of the consequences of her actions...
And hit Buy on her phone.
Thus, Makoto Niijima's fate was sealed. There was no going back for her now...
Save Game…Quit!
Asuka/Yin's Social Stats:
Leadership- Outspoken (Level 2)
Knowledge- Informed (Level 2)
Proficiency- Decent (Level 2)
Diligence- Persistent (Level 2)
Courage- Reliable (Level 2)
Homura/Yang's Development Stats:
Maturity- Adolescence (Level 2)
Knowledge- Learned (Level 2)
Femininity- Effeminate (Level 2)
Elegance- Skillful (Level 2) - Disciplined (Level 3)
Understanding- Kindly (Level 2)
Whew! Done! And what a way to end it! Makoto is now becoming a more active character! I kinda wish we could do the same with Haru but…Wait, why can't we just give Haru more screen time…? Ah, whatever.
UknownHero signing off, my friends!
