And thus, the saga ends. Hey, UknownHero and I am tempted to jump into this because it's been a long time coming! Actually, yeah, there's no questions to answer so let's do this!
It's time to nuke your inhabitions!
Updated! 25/02/2021!
Load Game…Start!
Chapter 57: La Papesse's Breaking Point
(6/20, Early Morning)
(Niijima Residence)
SLAM!
Makoto had woken up to the sound of a door being closed, though didn't say anything as she looked around with hazy and dead eyes as she then noticed the time.
5AM.
She had stayed up till 1AM to eat ice cream after last night and still woke up after only four hours of sleep.
"..." Makoto however said though when she opened her mouth, but no sound came out as a result before she decided to get herself ready.
Useless...
Useless...
Useless...
The Shujin Student Council President then winced in pain as she held her head. "I'm not...I'm not dammit!" Makoto mentally denied.
Useless...
Useless...
Useless...
"Shut...the hell...the hell up..." Makoto sobbed out as she went to her knees and covered her ears. "I'm not useless...I'm not..." She whispered to herself in denial.
She had to tell herself that...because if she didn't, she'd never go to school...
...And burden her sister even further...
Useless...
Useless...
Useless...
Makoto had to leave.
If she saw her sister...she would just...just...
She just couldn't.
Makoto simply went back to her room, put on her uniform and ran as far away from home as possible.
(6/20, Morning)
(Shujin Academy, Classroom)
"You guys see Makoto-senpai today?" Homura whispered to her friends.
"No, not really." Akira answered with a frown. "Why? What's wrong this time?" He soon asked.
"I dunno, but when I saw her this morning-" The tan skinned girl began in a nervous tone, however...
"Shinkukage! Please save your conversations for after class." Kawakami called out.
"My apologies ma'am." Homura responded with a respectable bow.
"Don't get formal with me. You're making me feel old..." Their homeroom teacher soon groaned out.
"S-Sorry..." Homura then apologised with an embarrassed blush.
"You know, language is odd yet beautiful if you think about it." Kawakami suddenly got out. "Look at Japanese for example. We can use kanji to create words with many different meanings depending on how it's used, or we can make up through onomatopoeia. Take chotto for example, it can have several different meanings just depending on the context, or how gachapon is derived from the sound the machine goes when twisting the dial and from the pod being dispensed." She then explained.
"All language is weird if you think about it too hard. English itself is a fustercluck." Ann muttered to herself.
"Alright...who am I picking on today...?" The teacher soon mumbled to herself as she looked around the room. "Ah, Shirokage." She soon decided.
"Yes, Kawakami-sensei?" Asuka politely asked as she stood up.
"What other kanji could be used to make the word shinobi?" Kawakami questioned.
"...Beauty in death." Asuka answered in a serious tone.
She only knew that because Daidōji-senpai would always spell it that way. She was quite the poet.
"Correct." Kawakami got out in a pleased tone. "Usually, shinobi is spelled to mean hidden or a sneaky person. However, it can be spelled using shi - meaning death. And if you aren't superstitious, that's why some buildings don't have a fourth floor, they simply skip to five. Four sounds very similar to death in Japanese and it's our version of the number 13 in the US." She then explained students began to whisper to themselves.
"Aren't we getting a lot of questions about ninjas and stuff?
"Is it really part of the curriculum?"
"Is her brain stored in her boobs?"
"Maybe she's sucking on her own milk..."
"Hey!" Asuka loudly exclaimed in an offended tone. However the whispers continued on, causing her to sigh. She wasn't going to be more than the big boobed girl around here, isn't she?
"Alright, settle down. The people who just said that are staying after school." Kawakami soon informed, causing said students to wince and other students to giggle and chuckle at their dismay. "In any case, to think we ruin counting just by paranoid belief in luck alone, even with something innocuous as the number four." She then continued her lecture. "If you want to be successful, you can't rely on luck to pull you through life." She then revealed.
"Ehehe, noted..." Asuka mentally replied in a sheepish manner, feeling her Knowledge increased.
"...I just realised Kawakami is teaching Japanese Language." Akira got out in amazement. "Like, she's not going onto another topic or something - she is genuinely teaching us our language." He then stated.
"I mean in America, they have English classes." Ann meanwhile pointed out. "It's more about books and stuff though..." She then muttered out as classes went on.
(6/20, After School)
(Shibuya, Teikyu Building Ginza Line)
The Thieves decided to meet up as soon as school let out to discuss how to get to the flying bank, and right now everyone looked either miserable or frustrated.
"So does anyone have any ideas on how to get to Kaneshiro's Palace?" Akira asked despite knowing the answer already. As expected, the rest of the Thieves shook their heads. "Dammit. I'm drawing a blank too." He soon admitted.
"Hmm..." Asuka hummed out as she was deep in thought.
"Still thinking about the flying bank and how to get in?" Homura guessed. "Because I have my own ideas on the next visit. It involves either a slingshot or a cannon..." She then vaguely revealed.
"One, where can you get those things? Two, that sounds like cartoon slapstick humor shticks that would probably kill us all." Akira pointed out.
"I know! That's all I can think of!" Homura suddenly yelled out in frustration. "We. Are. Fucked. I can't figure out a way to get us up there and I can't figure out how to make it land without military grade artillery. And even then, I'm sure it won't fucking work! We are fucked, guys! FUCKED!" She got out, looking more and more frazzled as she ranted on, nearly pulling her hair out.
"Homu-nee, we can't give up yet!" Asuka got out while taking hold of her hand.
"Oh, but we're close to it! And it bonus sucks since I'm the head of discipline and I can't do anything about it to help the students!" Homura then confessed. "Damn, this must be what Makoto-senpai's going through right now...feeling so useless like this..." She then grumbled out.
"Homura-san..." Yumi got out in concern for the tan skinned girl.
"She's effin' right though. We are so screwed..." Ryuji groaned out. "We ain't got nothin'..." He then admitted.
"Are we really out of luck...?" Ann muttered to herself.
"It's not fair that his Palace is up in the sky..." Morgana sighed out.
"It is a difficult situation to say the least..." Akira admitted.
"Maybe...Maybe we should give up on changing Junya Kaneshiro's heart." Ann hesitantly suggested.
"...That is becoming a more tempting idea." Yusuke admitted.
"We can't give up now! We just need...something, anything!" Homura called out before frowning intensely as she tried to think. "...Maybe we can change his cognition like we did with Madarame...?" She soon got out.
"But we'd actually need to find Kaneshiro himself." Akira pointed out. "And that's a whole other thing and much, much more dangerous for us normal folk." He then added.
"Godammit...!" Ryuji growled out. "It feels like nothin' short of an act of God or somethin' will help us..." He then added.
"Who knows..." Yumi muttered out with a sigh. "Maybe a solution will come from the most unlikely of places." She then got out as the Thieves kept talking with each other...
...While not noticing the miserable girl approaching their group.
Makoto was a distance away as she had looked at the group. She was going to approach them, but decided not to out of guilt and shame as she walked away. "No...I-I can't..." She muttered to herself as shadows covered her eyes.
She had betrayed their trust.
She gave into her own dark thoughts and the voice tempting her to do so.
But she could make no excuse.
Despite some of them forgiving her...
...She was still worse than scum.
Right now you're useless to me. All you do is eat away at my life.
"Ngh...!" Makoto winced out as she held her head in pain again while the shadowy haze formed around her limbs and neck.
What her sister said yesterday...
She...She didn't love her...
She only took care of her out of obligation.
And that hurt worse more than anything else.
But she wasn't useless...
Right?
So you're just the good-girl type of pushover.
Right now, you're useless to me.
Useless.
Useless...
Useless...!
FUCKING USELESS!
IF SHE REALLY WAS, THEN MAYBE SHE WAS BETTER OFF DEAD!
SHATTER!
Suddenly, it hit her.
She...They were right. She was useless.
Wallowing in her own guilt, feeling sorry for herself...
What the fuck did that accomplish while people her age was suffering under the might of some buttfuck douchebag!?
No...No, that was going to stop today.
She had nothing left to lose after all, why not go for broke?
She was going find this adult asshole who thought bullying high school students out of their family savings was fun and rip his fucking spine out just to see if he had one!
All that sadness...all those tears...
All gone.
There was nothing but rage left inside.
"You want Kaneshiro, Phantom Thieves?" Makoto thought as a fierce expression appeared on her face. "Fine. I'm going to give you his heart myself." She promised as she made her way to Central Street, the shadows fading away from her neck and limbs.
"Uh...we could use our Personas to fly?" Asuka got out.
"We'd lose all our energy before we even make it a quarter of the way up." Morgana informed. "Plus, not all our Personas can fly." He then reminded.
"Should we just gun for the principal instead and save this for later then? There are plenty of other big shots prolly abusin' their power." Ryuji suggested.
"We can't!" Asuka snapped. "Kaneshiro's a current problem! We can't just put it off! We have to do something! We need to do something but we fucking can't! We can't and we've failed everyone!" She soon declared. "If we can't do this...it's all over..." She then concluded.
"Only a miracle would save us now." Yumi mumbled out.
BZZT! BZZT!
"Hm?" Homura hummed out as she took out her phone. "Makoto-senpai?" She openly got out in confusion, getting the attention of the others as she responded to the call and put it on speaker for them to listen in.
"Hello."
"Makoto-senpai, why are you-" Homura started.
"Stop calling me that. I am not someone more learned or better. I am nothing. I...am useless..." Makoto however interrupted, confusing the tan skinned girl for the sudden self-insult. "But not any longer. I hear you've hit a wall in your plans." She then added.
"Did you bug us again!?" Ann exclaimed.
"Believe what you want to believe. I'm sure words will make no difference." Makoto however responded. "But action will." She soon stated.
"What are you‐" Homura started, however...
"Even if they decide not to forgive me...I'm going to make it up to you in the only way I can. Homura-san, you are more worthy to be Shujin's Student Council President then someone as useless as me. I'll get the info you need on Kaneshiro and then you will never see me again. Goodbye." Makoto confessed and concluded in a serious tone over the phone before hanging up.
"Makoto-senpai?" Homura called out before realizing the call ended. "Oi! Makoto-senpai! Dammit, why did she hang up on me!? And why was she calling herself useless!?" She then added in disbelief.
"Hold on, how did she know about Kaneshiro!?" Ann meanwhile asked in confusion.
"I don't know!" Ryuji got out in shock.
"Well we didn't tell her!" Homura however declared.
"What does she mean...when she said she'll get info on Kaneshiro?" Yusuke soon questioned.
Suddenly, Akira and Asuka's eyes widened.
"Shit. Does anyone have any idea where she is right now?" Akira asked in a serious tone.
"Excuse me?" Yumi meanwhile got out in confusion.
"Did anyone see her on their way here!?" Asuka exclaimed, only for everyone to shake their heads and shrug. "Dammit! Akira-kun!" She then called out.
"Already on it! Open your senses, c'mon!" Akira whispered out as his eyes flashed gold. Suddenly he could see a trail of footprints. "She was here?" He thought in surprise before shaking his head. "Everyone! Follow me! I know where she's going!" He soon ordered.
"Dude, what's happening!?" Ryuji soon asked.
"Our comeuppance." Akira responded.
"...Shit. Shit!" Homura swore out in realization. "Everyone fucking run!" She soon exclaimed in a panic as she, Asuka and Akira ran off.
Seeing their freaked out expressions, the other Thieves realised what was happening and followed after them.
(Central Street)
Soon enough, the group made it to the shopping district of Shibuya as they began looking around.
"Fuck! Where the hell is she!?" Homura got out as they looked around, but the street absolutely crowded with people and noise.
"There's way too many people around!" Morgana stated as he tried looking as well.
"Goddammit, she had to pick now to do shit? We're never gonna find her!" Ryuji got out. Why couldn't she do this shit before or after the lunch rush!?
"Yes we can!" Akira replied as his eyes flashed gold once again. "Focus Akira!" He muttered as he began to look around some more.
BZZT! BZZT!
Suddenly, Akira's phone rang.
"I'll get it for you. You just keep searching for her." Homura informed as she grabbed Leader's phone and answered it. "For the love of God, Makoto-senpai, you better not-" She began, however...
"Just stay on the phone and listen. Make sure you record the call as well." Makoto instructed over the phone.
"When did she get my phone number?" Akira asked.
"Shut up! Keep searching!" Asuka ordered.
"Student registry." Homura bluntly reminded. "Serious invasion of privacy though." She then remarked before turning her attention to the phone. "Makoto-senpai, why did you hang up on me!?" She then questioned in a panic.
"Sorry. But it only just occurred to me to relay the information now then later." Makoto answered.
"Then why didn't you just keep the call going!? Or call me back!? No wait, none of this fucking matters! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!?" Homura called out, trying to delay her friend from confronting Kaneshiro. However, they only got silence. "Hello? Hello!? Dammit, she put us on mute!" She soon informed in a panic.
"Do you guys know Kaneshiro?" Makoto bluntly asked.
"What!?" A tough voice questioned in shock and confusion.
"Shit, she's already talkin' to Kaneshiro's goons. Hurry, man!" Ryuji got out.
Akira was already doing so, but the stress of the situation was causing his focus to falter. "Calm down, focus and you'll find her." He thought before he took a deep breath.
"I heard I could find someone named Junya Kaneshiro if I came to Central Street." Makoto then stated.
"She's around here somewhere..." Akira whispered to himself before his eyes widened, spotting footprints leading into an alleyway. "There, by the Protein Lovers Gym!" He soon informed as he shut off Third Eye.
"Move!" Yusuke shouted out as they shoved their way through the crowd and sprinted to the gym...just in time to see the Shujin Student Council President being shoved into a car.
"No!" Asuka got out in shock.
"Hey...aren't they..." Ryuji started, recognizing the men getting into the car and driving away.
"It's the guys that messed with us the other day!" Morgana finished, realizing the same thing. "So they were connected to Kaneshiro!" He then declared.
"Is she still on?" Ann asked.
"Yep." Homura answered as she turned on the speaker.
"Contact Kaneshiro-san. Tell him we got a good one." The grunt ordered.
"Where are we going?" Makoto meanwhile questioned.
"I guess we can't do anythin' to her if she's Kaneshiro-san's customer." The other grunt got out.
"Hey, I asked a question here. Where are we going?" Makoto once more questioned in the same serious tone.
"Shut the fuck up. Be a good little girl or do I have to gag ya?"
"A good one?" Homura repeated as she gripped onto the phone tighter, knowing what it implied. "Those fucking bastards...!" She soon swore.
"We're going after them!" Asuka called out as they ran down the alleyway.
(Roadside)
"Dammit Makoto-senpai...I can't believe you're doing this...! What the hell happened!?" Homura thought as they stopped by the road.
"Ryuji, get a taxi! I'll-" Yusuke ordered as he pulled out his sketchpad and a pencil, quickly scribbling it down. "Okay, I've got their license plate. My sketching skills have come in handy." He remarked as the dyed blond tried hailing a cab, only for it to shoot by him.
"Agh, shit, he ignored me!" Ryuji got out in frustration.
"Ugh, we're gonna lose them." Homura growled out as she looked at her fellow shinobis, who nodded back to her.
Ryuji, having enough, threw himself in front of an oncoming taxi which stopped at the last moment. "Dammit, I said STOP!" He ordered.
"Ryuji!" Ann exclaimed, her heart stopping after almost seeing her friend get run over.
"Hurry up and get in!" Ryuji told everyone as he entered the cab. "Hey, buddy! I don't care how much I have to pay, just follow that black car!" He soon requested in a frantic manner.
"...What? Fuck no! Get the fuck out!" The taxi driver however shouted out.
"Wait, what?" Ryuji got out in surprise.
"I'm not gonna fucking go through a car chase just because you ran in front of me! Get the fuck out of here right now before I call the fucking police!" The taxi driver angrily stated.
"O-Okay man, sorry alright!" Ryuji apologized as he stepped out of the car.
"This ain't a movie, kid! Don't ever do that again! Fuckin' kids these days, tryin' to body slam cabs like it's the 80s..." The taxi driver grumbled out before driving away, the Phantom Thieves watching it disappear into the distance.
"...That went well." Akira got out in an awkward manner.
"Hm, in hindsight, it was obvious that a taxi driver won't just do what we tell them automatically. We're actually very lucky we managed to find a taxi that would've fit all of us in the first place." Yusuke pointed out.
"But now we can't possibly catch up to Makoto!" Ann exclaimed in despair. "I can only imagine what they might do to her! What can we do!?" She soon asked
"There's nothing we can do." Akira stated...before smirking.
"Why are you smiling!? This is not the time to be devious! We don't have a plan, Makoto is prolly gonna be hurt or worse and where did Asuka, Homura and Yumi go?" Ryuji started to yell, only to end up confused as everyone but the Leader and the not cat looked around to notice that the shinobi had disappeared.
"Oh, they're chasing the car right now." Morgana casually informed just as the Leader's phone rang. "That must be them." He then got out.
Instantly, Akira pulled out his phone and answered it. "Hello, Phantom Thief Joker speaking. You have our target?" He muttered in a serious tone.
Some distance away from the group, the shinobi were in pursuit of the black car speeding down the highway.
"Yes, we're currently following them by rooftop. We'll send you the location as soon as possible. Just sit tight and call a Tuber once we do." Yumi informed before hanging up to focus on the car.
"This is why we don't need to drive! We're so much faster on foot!" Homura called out.
"Don't worry, Makoto-chan! We'll save you!" Asuka declared as they sped up their pace to catch up with the car.
(Shibuya, Club)
It took half an hour for the mafia's car to reach their destination. On a rooftop near an inconspicuous club, the three shinobi girls were looking down at where the black car had parked.
"Alright, we're here." Homura got out as they watched the Shujin Student Council President being escorted inside the cabaret club. Probably a front or their favorite hangout. "Of course they'd be in a place like that." She then muttered in disgust.
"Asuka-san, send Akira-kun the address." Yumi ordered.
"Already sent." Asuka replied as she put away her phone. "Alright, let's save Makoto-chan." She soon declared.
"Okay, the plan will be a simple smash and grab. Homura-san, I want you to cut the power on my signal while Asuka-san and I will go and get Makoto-san. Make sure to destroy any backup generators too. We'll regroup there on that rooftop." Yumi instructed as she pointed at a building a few blocks away.
"Sounds easy enough. We shouldn't play around so we better do this in under 30 seconds." Homura replied with a nod.
"Oh, and remember: no blood. We want them alive." Yumi stated as they stood up.
"Of course!" Asuka and Homura replied in unison.
"And once inside, codenames only. Shinobi Tenshin." Yumi added, transforming into her shinobi outfit with the addition of her mask, before disappearing.
"Hai, Widow." Asuka replied with a nod. "God, my heart is pounding...I'm scared that I might screw this up..." She soon admitted.
Homura in response to hearing that rubbed her roommate's head in an affectionate manner. "Calm down. You're an amazing shinobi and an even more amazing thief. Trust yourself, Sis. Now go." She replied while encouraging her roommate.
"O-Okay." Asuka breathed out with a nod as she walked away. "I can do this. You can do this, Yin! Shinobi Tenshin!" She declared while making the hand sign, disappearing in the blink of an eye as her black full face mask formed over her face.
"And while you guys do that, I have my own goal." Homura whispered to herself. "Shinobi Tenshin!" She declared while her shinobi attire formed with the addition of her mask before vanishing as well, leaving only a small wisp of crimson flames behind.
Within the club...
Well, to say things did not go as planned would be an understatement...
Considering the fact that she had no plan to begin with.
"So...you're seriously the Student Council President of Shujin." A fat, yet well-dressed man stated as his gold digger of a girlfriend sat beside him. "You know what happens to anyone who snaps at me, don't you?" He then questioned in a threatening tone.
"Stupid stupid stupid..." Makoto thought as she laid on the ground face-first, arms forced behind her back by mafia boss's goons.
"So, whose number is this? Your boyfriend?" Kaneshiro asked as he looked through her contacts and found the last person called. "Akira Kurusu huh?" He soon read out.
"I'm going to die aren't I?" Makoto thought in fear as she tried to get out of the men's hold, to no avail. "Sis...Homura-san...I'm sorry...save me...!" She soon thought in a fear filled manner as the mafia boss continued to taunt her.
Suddenly, everything went black as the gold digger screamed.
Makoto quickly got out of the men's grasp and dove for cover as soon as she heard gunshots. Kaneshiro's goons were firing blindly in the darkness while getting beaten up by two mysterious assailants.
Makoto only saw glimpses of who was attacking the mafia with every shot fired. Someone with a black mask and another with a kimono too small for their size.
"I'll get her! Yin, photo!" She heard a familiar voice call out.
"Got it!" Another voice called back as the Shujin Student Council President saw a camera flash, allowing her to see the mafia head's freaked out face as the girl in white grabbed her phone out of his hands and gave him a black eye for good measure.
Makoto jumped in her skin when she felt someone grab her arm, thinking it was one of his goons. However, the hand felt softer and more gentle.
"Don't ever do this again." A stern yet gentle female voice ordered.
And then, Makoto was blinded by the bright light of the setting sun.
(Rooftop)
Makoto breathed deeply as she fell to the ground. The world around her was still spinning as she tried to reorientate herself. Everything happened so fast.
Only thing she could really grasp was the sight of three familiar girls in masks.
"Dammit, I couldn't get a good photo. His flash countered mine..." Asuka mumbled out.
"It's alright Sis, you did great." Homura however encouraged while rubbing the black masked girl's head in an affectionate manner.
"What...What happened back there!?" Makoto exclaimed, getting the attention of the others.
"Makoto-san, are you hurt?" Yumi however asked in concern as she kneeled next to her.
"N-No." Makoto breathed out. "Just...who are you?" She soon asked.
There was a pause before letting out a sigh as she took off her mask. "Yumi Tsukikaze. Kosei High's Student Council President. Shinobi. Phantom Thief. It is nice to meet you again, Makoto-san." Yumi formally re-introduced herself while the Shujin Student Council President calmed down.
"Yeah...um...surprise?" Asuka awkwardly got out.
The Student Council President of Shujin Academy meanwhile narrowed her eyes to the three girls. "...So what Ryuji said was true...you...you three are...shinobi..." Makoto muttered as she relaxed herself, the last part feeling foreign and unbelievable to her.
"Yes, and if we weren't, you wouldn't be here so I advise you to keep it a secret." Yumi soon informed in a serious tone.
"Um, where exactly are we?" Makoto soon asked.
"Away from Kaneshiro." Homura vaguely revealed.
Makoto merely blinked before looking around. "We're on a rooftop..." She muttered out before glancing over the edge. She quickly backed off once she realized they were several stories high in the air. "M-My goodness..." She squeaked out in a nervous manner.
"You don't like heights Makoto-senpai?" Homura asked with hands on her hips.
"I-It's not that, it just surprised me." Makoto revealed. "But it would be nice to be on ground level." She soon admitted.
Yumi in response nodded to that. "Of course Makoto-san." She calmly replied in agreement. "Asuka-san, we should descend now." She then suggested.
The Vice Leader in turn also nodded to that. "Yeah." Asuka replied as she picked up the other brunette and held her bridal style. "Hold on tight Makoto-chan." She soon informed in a calm tone.
"W-Wait, what are you doing?" Makoto however got out in panicked confusion. That was quickly answered by the girl holding running towards the edge, causing her to pale. "Y-You're not gonna-!?" She then exclaimed in shock.
"Hold on!" Asuka warned once more before leaping off the building, with her fellow shinobis following soon after.
"WaitwaitwaitwaitwaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH...!" Makoto screamed out.
(Shibuya, Alleyway)
As soon as they landed, Makoto shoved herself off of Asuka and stumbled around.
"W-We could've taken the stairs!" Makoto called out before collapsing onto the ground as her legs gave out.
"True." The trio simply replied in unison.
"But that was faster." Homura added.
"Um...you wouldn't have a change of pants too?" Makoto sheepishly asked.
"Huh? Oh..." Homura got out, noticing how wet the girl's skirt was. "Did that happen while at the bar or..." She soon asked, however...
"The fall. And the crying. And the begging. To survive the fall." Makoto interrupted. When she blinked, she suddenly noticed that she was wearing a new skirt. Actually, all the clothing from her waist down was replaced. "How did you-" She started to ask.
"Shinobi." Homura reminded once more in a deadpan tone while Yumi threw the wet clothing into a nearby trashbin.
"R-Right." Makoto got out, still processing that fact.
"In any case," Homurs soon started as she placed both hands on the Shujin Student Council President's shoulders. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING PULLING A STUNT LIKE THAT!? YOU COULD'VE KILLED OR WORSE!" She then roared in fury and concern before embracing her in a tight but tender hug. "You reckless idiot...don't ever do something like that again..." She then chided in a softer tone.
Makoto however decided to not say anything before wrapping her arms around her friend before softly sobbing.
"Hey! They're over here!" A familiar voice called out.
To that, Asuka looked up to see the dyed blond at the end of the alleyway. "Ah! Ryuji-kun! Guys!" She called out as she waved to them.
"You took your time getting here." Homura remarked in amusement.
"The stupid Tuber driver took the long way around. Effin' drove up the price..." Ryuji grumbled out.
Akira ignored her and went up to the Shujin President, who had let go of Homura to allow him to see her bloodshot eyes. "Are you okay? Did Kaneshiro do anything to you?" He asked in concern as he helped her up to her feet.
Taking in a deep breath to calm her, Makoto soon sighed as she looked at the group. "I'm...I'm alright. All he did was get his goons to hold me down and taunt me..." She hesitantly replied. "I'm...I'm so sorry. I...I wasn't thinking and..." She admitted before trailing off.
"For real." Ryuji immediately replied in agreement.
"I was stupid and reckless...I didn't learn from the last time..." Makoto soon admitted in an ashamed manner.
"I must agree. You should've easily imagined this happening. If it weren't for our friends here, this could've gotten much worse." Yusuke stated in a serious yet chiding tone. "However...we are at fault too for pushing you over the edge." He then admitted.
"Indeed, that was thoughtless from both sides." Yumi replied in agreement.
"Ahem..." Homura coughed out.
"Save for Homura and Asuka..." Akira then corrected.
"Hey, guys..." Ann started, only for Shujin Student Council President to interrupt her.
"I was so caught up in trying to be useful..." Makoto continued. "And...I'm so sorry for causing so much trouble again." She soon apologized.
"All right, enough of the blame game! What's done is done." Ryuji casually informed. "You ain't in any danger. That's all that matters." He then added.
"Oh...Sis is gonna kill me if she ever found out about this..." Makoto groaned out.
(Fast Forward)
"Oops." Akira awkwardly got out as the older Niijima's eyes widened. "Don't worry, though. That's not the worst thing that happened to her." He soon revealed.
"WHAT!?" Sae exclaimed in shock after hearing this.
Akira ignored her as he kept telling what had happened.
(Rewind)
"My older sister has a commendable job she fought so hard for, and she's a much more remarkable person than me..." Makoto admitted. "A lot happened after we lost our father three years ago, so it's just us living together..." She soon revealed.
"Another person with dead parents..."Akira thought in a serious tone.
"But I'm still a child, so all I am is a useless burden to her..." Makoto continued as she closed her eyes, tears starting to form in them.
Asuka however blinked in confusion upon hearing that. "Useless? But Makoto-chan, you work so hard." She got out.
"Yeah, don't be like that." Homura added in agreement.
"Was that why you did all that?" Akira asked. "Because you thought you were useless?" He then added.
Makoto nodded in response. "I just wanted to be useful in some way...in any way..." She whispered out in a frustrated manner.
"Y'know, I might not get your whole situation, but ain't it a bit off saying that you're useless to her? I mean, it's not like she hates you..." Ryuji got out.
"It's the truth though. I think she wished I was never born..." Makoto got out in a depressed manner.
"Never born? Does her sister really think that...?" Morgana wondered out loud.
"She told it straight to my face that I was useless...That I was eating away at her life...There's no other way to see it." Makoto replied to where the not cat was. "...Wait, who was that?" She soon asked in confusion.
"Me." Morgana responded as he popped out of the Leader bag and rested on his shoulder. "Looks like as suspected, you hearing me in a Shinobi Kekkai has the same result as hearing me in the Metaverse." He then stated.
"..." Makoto just silently stared at the not cat.
"Explain later. Continue pouring out your feelings." Akira simply requested.
"Akira-kun..." Asuka chided with a puffed up cheek.
Makoto however shook her head to that. "No no. It's alright just...I just need to get this all off my chest." She said before turning to the ash blonde. "Besides, I have to apologize for what happened to you most of all again." She soon admitted.
"Eh...?" Ann got out in surprise.
"I...I never really apologized back at school. I just...unloaded all my sadness and worries. And now that I think about it, the truth about Kamoshida must've been covered up by the whole school. I had my suspicions, but...I couldn't do anything about it." Makoto declared in a ashamed manner.
The tan skinned girl however crossed her arms over her chest to that. "Most of the school you mean, like our no neck principal." Homura then stated as she narrowed her eyes.
"Stop thinking I'm blameless in this, Homura-san. I couldn't do anything about it. No, it's more like I didn't. Had I cared enough, I could've done something..." Makoto sobbed out. "People like me...must what others call scum of the earth." She soon concluded in a depressed manner as she dropped her head. "Go ahead and brainwash me or whatever. I don't care what happens to me anymore." She then got out in despair.
"...No." Asuka soon declared in a serious tone. "...You have a stake in this now." She then stated.
"And only real scum wouldn't call themselves that." Ann then added.
"Huh?" Makoto got out in confusion.
"I'm the same. It's just like you said before: I was closest to Shiho, but I didn't do anything..." Ann sighed out. "Besides, Kamoshida's the one to blame. Shiho understands that...and I do too." She soon revealed.
"Takamaki-san..." Makoto muttered.
"You didn't have a place to belong either...isn't that right?" Yusuke spoke up.
"Me either...?" Makoto repeated in confusion.
"We know what it's like to be used as mere tools for the powerful." Yumi admitted. "Taken down a path that would ultimately leave us dead." She then revealed as the other shinobis nodded in agreement.
"We won't let anyone fall victim to that again." Ann soon declared.
"Now...what to do next?" Asuka muttered in a thoughtful tone. "We got Kaneshiro's attention but he doesn't exactly have a reason to go after us..." She then reminded.
"Oh, um, hehehe..." Homura suddenly started awkwardly giggling out.
"Hm? What is it Homu-nee?" Asuka asked.
"...So, I may have gotten a souvenir from our resident crime boss..." Homura casually got out as she held up said souvenir.
It was a silver suitcase. A suitcase Makoto very much recognized.
This in turn caused the others, save for her fellow shinobi, to look on in disbelief and shock. "...You stole from Kaneshiro!?" Morgana exclaimed with stars in his eyes.
"It's not his money in the first place." Homura stated. "I plan to anonymously return the money to the victims." She then explained.
Upon hearing that, Yumi placed a hand on the tan skinned girl's shoulder. "That is a good idea Homura-san." She praised in a proud tone. "I'll help you track down the affected. However, I'm sure there will be a good chunk left." She then added.
Homura in turn smirked. "I'm liking the way you think Yumi." She soon admitted in amusement.
"Why thank you, I am glad you want to return the money as well." Yumi replied with a smile.
"Wait a moment. Wouldn't that mean Makoto will be targeted by the mafia since she's the only connection they have to these assailants?" Yusuke however pointed out.
"Who just stole several million yen from him." Akira added.
Everyone quickly winced as they realized what that meant.
"True..." Yumi got out as she went into a thinking position. "All the more reason now to target him. But if only we could get into the Palace so we can change his heart..." She then muttered.
"You can stop going after Kaneshiro, you know. I'll take care of him by myself." Makoto stated.
"Oh no missy, we're all in this together now." Asuka responded in a more motherly tone as she chided her fellow brunette.
The dyed blond nodded in agreement to that. "Yep, no can do, Prez. We're in too deep. We can't let an asshole like him get away with this." Ryuji got out with a smirk.
"Not after what he tried to do to you." Yumi growled.
"My fellow Shujin students' lives are getting ruined by this, so I'm not letting it go and you can't make me." Homura stated in an authorial tone.
"We can't have you rushing into things on your own anymore and making the situation worse." Yusuke stated. "Our comrades may not be there to save you again." He then reminded.
"But we can't exactly do much right now." Akira reminded everyone.
"Yeah, the stupid flying bank in the middle of Tokyo. God, is the slingshot thing still an option?" Ryuji complained.
This however caught Makoto's attention. "Um, flying bank?" She repeated in confusion.
"...Oh, right, Niijima-san doesn't know about the Metaverse." Yumi mumbled out.
"Wait...that's it!" Morgana realized. "She isn't useless at all! She may be our key in!" He openly declared, getting everyone's attention.
"Huh?" Makoto got out in confusion.
"Because of the shinobi's stunt from earlier, we're wanted. Especially Makoto, since she's the only one he knows." Morgana informed. "We took money from Kaneshiro's bank. He'll be hunting us down to get it back." He then stated.
"...And in his mind, Makoto is in debt to him because she let the shinobi take it." Akira got out. "Which makes her a customer of sorts." He soon revealed.
To that, Asuka's eyes widened in realization. "So if we take Makoto-chan, we might be able to get in!" She soon declared.
"And I'm guessing she's considered a VIP so we might be getting a red carpet straight to the entrance." Homura added. "Looks like you're coming with us senpai." She soon stated.
"Huh? Where?" Makoto asked in confusion.
"We will explain on the way, Makoto-san." Yumi replied. "Akira-kun, please activate the Nav." She soon requested.
"Wait what?" Ryuji got out in confusion as well. "Hold on, I don't follow. Where are we going?" He admitted as he felt as though he was out of the loop.
In response, Akira pulled out his phone. "To the Metaverse." He simply informed as he activated the Nav.
"Meta-what?" Makoto managed to get out before reality warped around her.
[Now entering Kaneshiro's Bank of Gluttony...]
(Kaneshiro's Bank of Gluttony, Shibuya)
Makoto couldn't help but feel disoriented as everything changed around her into this sickly green tint. "Urgh...what the...?" She got out before looking at the group in front of her. She then gasped as she noticed the dark blue haired boy's outfit. "A canine!?" She asked in confusion.
"It's Fox..." Fox corrected in a slightly whiny tone.
Nodding to that, Makoto then looked towards the others, especially the girls and their wonderfully revealing outfits. "..." She said nothing as she just stared at them.
"I know, some of our outfits are revealing..." Yin awkwardly replied as she rubbed the back of her head. "But hopefully yours will come with underwear at the start." She then got out.
"Huh?" Makoto asked in confusion.
"Be quiet. The Shadows are going to notice us." Mona however warned.
"This is what happens when we come here. There is a reason why we end up like this." Panther informed.
"Okay..." Makoto muttered out as she simply nodded. "Um, where are we?" She soon asked.
"Right, welcome to the Metaverse, where the true self comes to life." Joker introduced. "It's here where we steal the distorted desires of the corrupt and change their heart with a power beyond your imagination." He soon informed as he then placed a hand on his mask. "PERSONA!" He called out as blue flames surrounded him.
In an instant, Arsene appeared besides him before returning back to his soul.
"That was Arsene, my Persona. One of the physical manifestations of my soul and will. Everyone here has one, apart from you of course. And right here, specifically, we're in Kaneshiro's subconscious. His heart." Joker then revealed.
"Ugh, this is gonna take a while to explain..." Yang sighed out. "Basically the mafia boss thinks of all of Shibuya as his personal revenue stream and takes all the money to his bank up there." She simplified as she pointed upwards behind the Shujin Student Council President.
To that, Makoto turned around and gasped at the sight of the hovering structure. "It's...floating in the air!? Th-This is reality!? My goodness..." She got out in disbelief.
"Are you okay Makoto? This is a lot to take in..." Joker asked in concern.
"I'm sorry, it's just...But since this really exists, I can't really doubt it..." Makoto breathed out.
The Vice Leader in turn nodded to that. "It's understandable. We were in disbelief when we learned about Kamoshida thinking the school was his personal castle with the students as his slaves and concubines..." Yin soon revealed as her fellow brunette paled slightly to hearing that.
"And Sensei's museum of vanity with his former pupils being paintings within his gallery." Fox then added.
"A reality that one's heart shows..." Makoto muttered out. "I-Is it like the application of optical illusions in social cognitive psychology...?" She soon asked.
The tan skinned girl in response blinked to that. "...Huh?" Yang asked in confusion.
"That's something we have no idea about..." Panther stated in an awkward manner as they continued to explain everything they knew about the Metaverse and such as they made their way to Central Street.
(Central Street)
"I see, so stealing one's heart...That may be like overwriting their cognition..." Makoto theorised as Yang stored the suitcase she stole underneath some dead ATMs. "I think I kind of get the logic behind it..." She soon admitted.
"Man, she's picking this whole shit up fast." Skull got out in an impressed tone before turning to the not cat. "Ain't she more amazing than you?" He then asked in a witty tone.
"W-We're about the same!" Mona called out in an offended manner.
"Then, does that mean there's an ATM version of myself somewhere in this world too?" Makoto wondered in a curious manner.
"Maybe?" Widow replied. "I mean, from what I heard, Panther, Yin and Yang met their versions of themselves inside Kamoshida's castle. Which they shot. Repeatedly." She then revealed in a rather accusatory tone.
"We couldn't help it...they disgusted us..." Yin muttered in an awkward manner.
"Plus, it was kind of fun." Yang admitted, causing the others to sweatdrop.
"Regardless, we can change Kaneshiro's heart and make him confess if we steal his Treasure." Mona informed. "...If all goes well, that is." He then added.
"We'll make it go well." Skull got out in a cocky tone. "Everyone'll notice us for sure if we take someone like Kaneshiro down." He then reminded.
The tan skinned girl however sighed. "Don't get cocky Skull." Yang however remarked.
"Our justice will also become resolute to the masses." Fox meanwhile stated.
"Indeed it will." Widow replied in agreement.
"Think we'd be able to give courage to those in need if it happens?" Panther soon asked.
"Hey, if what I said can spark a few rebellious souls, I'm sure the Phantom Thieves will ignite a revolution." Joker replied with a smirk.
"Justice..." Makoto repeated as she soon smiled. "You sound just like my father." She revealed in a nostalgic filled tone.
"...Your father?" Panther soon asked.
The Shujin Student Council President however shook her head to that. "...No, don't mind me." Makoto replied. "You want to go to that bank, right? Let's go then. If I've become a customer of that bank, then they'll have to let me in." She replied as she stepped out of the alleyway.
"What the..." Yang muttered out as she pulled down a piece of paper off a window.
It depicted Makoto from her shoulders up with only two very dangerous lines.
WANTED ALIVE
ACCOMPLICE TO THIEVES
"Wanted posters. That's nice." Joker sarcastically got out as Yang tore it to pieces.
"But it confirms to us that Kaneshiro wants Makoto." Mona pointed out. "Which means..." He started as they saw the bank land and extended a bridge to the ground.
"Kaneshiro probably wants to see her." Yin finished with a serious tone.
"That's both a good and a bad thing." Joker muttered under his breath.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go see him." Makoto replied as she walked forward just as the bank began to lower.
"Alright, Makoto's safety is our top priority. She might be killed instantly should she face Shadows." Widow stated, causing the President's stride to stumble a little before continuing onwards.
"...Who wants to bet Makoto awakens to her Persona?" Yang meanwhile muttered in amusement.
"Well, it has certainly become a pattern..." Mona admitted in an awkward manner.
"Uh, we better get going. She's getting pretty far ahead." Joker suggested as they started running to catch up to the girl.
(Kaneshiro's Bank of Gluttony, Front Entrance)
"Kaneshiro Credit Bank." Yin read out the sign as soon as they arrived at the entrance.
"What is up with Palaces and unnecessary amounts of stairs!" Skull complained, resting on his knees.
"Well, they are necessary considering how large Palaces can get." Joker pointed out as he caught his breath. "And it looks like we're gonna have to climb even more stairs here." He then informed.
"For real, you guys are just lazy." Yang chuckled out.
"Hey, not everyone has the stamina of infinite in the real world Yang." Skull groaned out.
"I do not have infinite stamina but I can beat off a hundred guys ganging up on me without breaking a sweat!" Yang got out in a confident manner.
This meanwhile caused Makoto to blush scarlet. "W-What!?" She squeaked out in disbelief.
"Oh dear lord..." Panther groaned out.
"Phrasing..." Joker mumbled.
"Can you all please focus on what's happening right now?" Makoto sighed out, although the blush on her face told the knowing Thieves what she was thinking. "I thought the Phantom Thieves would be more...professional." She then admitted.
"We are professionals, we just...have our quirks. Don't worry, Niijima-senpai, you should be safe with us." Joker assured in a serious tone.
The Shujin Council President wasn't sure if she could believe him though, but just went along with it. "You know how you can use your card to get into banks after hours?" Makoto asked. "I thought that I'd be able to get in since I have the same identity as such customers. I'm one of Kaneshiro's sources of revenue after all." She then explained.
"Ah, that makes sense..." Yin stated.
"You...You can do that?" Fox got out in disbelief.
"But wow...this place is huge." Panther got out in awe.
"I rarely gotta go to the bank, so...this is makin' me kinda nervous." Skull admitted as he adjusted his scarf and gloves.
"Being in a bank with costumes like these is so obvious..." Panther got out. "We're totally robbers." She then added before glancing at the Vice Leader and light grey haired girl. "Well, most of us..." She then corrected.
"Hey!" Yin and Widow got out in offended manners.
"You got that right." Skull agreed.
"I thought we were robbers back at Madarame's Palace." Joker muttered out.
"Heisters, then?" Yin awkwardly suggested.
"Crackers?" Yang then suggested. "You know, like safe crackers." She soon explained in a casual manner.
"Yeah, but with places like these, his Treasure is most likely going to be in a vault in the deepest part of the Palace." Joker pointed out.
"Can we please not get sidetracked." Makoto requested. "Please act professionally here." She then added.
"Yeah." Yang replied in agreement. "Sorry about that." She then apologized as they all looked towards the bank.
"It seems there will be a lot of Shadow from here on out." Mona stated.
"Huh, what's that about?" Makoto soon asked.
"Well, Shadows are our enemy here. They take the form of demons, gods, fictional characters and legends from history...all of them wanting to kill us one way or another." Yin soon explained.
"I see...I've trained in aikido. You don't need to worry; I can defend myself." Makoto assured the group.
This in turn got the others attention to hearing that. "You know aikido?" Yin asked in a curious manner.
"Uh, yes. I just said that." Makoto replied a little awkwardly.
"Er...Yeah...no..." Joker responded. "That won't work here. Yin and Yang almost died in their first encounter with Shadows. I don't think martial arts will do much, especially against a ten foot tall demon who's resistant to physical attacks." He then informed.
Yang on the other hand smirked underneath her mask to that. "Until she awakens to her own Persona..." She meanwhile muttered to herself.
"Well, it's better than nothing, but leave most of the heavy lifting to us." Mona suggested. "We're professional Phantom Thieves after all." He then reminded.
"Hey, maybe we should give her a gun just in case." Skull suggested.
Makoto's eyes however widened to that. "A g-gun?" She exclaimed in disbelief.
"They're fake but they fire real bullets here." Yin explained as she gave one of her pistols to the Shujin President. "Now, be careful. A few of us here are weak to Gun damage." She soon instructed in a serious tone.
"You mean like most humans?" Makoto pointed out.
"It's actually more complicated than that Makoto." Mona responded as the others nodded in agreement.
"I wonder what kind of gun she'll get when she joins the group officially?" Yang meanwhile thought to herself.
"Well, I know how to use a firearm safely. Sis taught me how to when she took me to a firing range last year." Makoto soon revealed as she made sure the safety was on and the chamber was empty before unloading the pistol and placing it to her side.
"Oh good. At least you're better than some people here!" Yang then remarked as she glared at the ash blonde.
"Will you let it go already!?" Panther got out in annoyance.
"Calm down, both of you." Makoto ordered, though planned to question them about that after this ordeal. "We have to go in from the front, don't we? I'm a VIP customer, so I better act like one." She then reminded.
"Okay then. I guess you're in charge here." Joker quipped out. "We'll follow your lead for now and act like your bodyguards. Hopefully, this won't end too badly." He then added.
"And you just jinxed us..." Yang muttered in annoyance.
"No, that's not jinxing it when you're already expecting the worst. Jinxing it is when you think nothing can go wrong." Joker explained. "Now, let's get going. It's starting to get late in reality." He soon ordered.
"Right." Makoto replied with a nod before looking at the bank. "I will be useful for you guys..." She then whispered out as the Thieves made a box formation around her.
"Hey, move it! VIP coming through!" Yang shouted out, causing the ATM humans to get out of their way.
However, the dyed blond stopped as he looked closely at the trees. "Hey, look. That tree is made of money!" Skull exclaimed.
"Hmm...I thought they were cherry blossoms from a distance..." Fox admitted.
"I wonder if we can steal a seed or something..." Yang mumbled to herself.
"It would be useless in the real world." Mona simply pointed out with a deadpan expression.
"You don't know that!" Yang cried out in denial.
Yin however giggled to this. "Yang-nee is silly sometimes." She got out.
"Sorry, just...I think the place is making me feel greedy with all the money around..." Yang got out.
"Don't pull a Mona on us, Yang." Joker warned.
"Sorry I don't have paying jobs like Sis..." Yang muttered in annoyance as she crossed her arms over her chest.
The ash blonde however sighed in slight annoyance. "Getting off track everyone." Panther soon reminded.
"Sorry..." Yang apologized before turning to Makoto. "As soon as you step inside, there's no backing out. Are you ready?" She had to ask before noticing Makoto's language. "...You're scared, aren't you?"
"How can I not be?" Makoto replied before looking serious. "...No, seriously, how can I not be? I want to look brave in front of Kaneshiro and I feel like I'm about to have a panic attack." She then confessed.
"Take deep breaths, challenge whatever thoughts you may be having and relax your body." Joker advised before going up to the door. "Don't worry, in-and-out and you'll be fine." He then assured allowing the Thieves in.
(Front Hall)
As soon as they went through the front door, a guard came up to them. "What business do you have here?" The guard demanded.
"I had a feeling this would happen." Panther muttered out.
Makoto quickly went into a battle stance as she put her hand on her gun. "Come at us!" She suddenly challenged in a determined manner.
"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down Makoto-senpai." Yang quickly got out as she pulled the Shujin President back. "No need for violence...yet." She then added in a whisper.
"She's one of Kaneshiro's customers." Fox explained to the guards.
Makoto nodded as she stepped forward. "Yes. I'd like to speak with the bank president." She soon requested.
"Excuse me, but do you have an appointment?" The Security Guard questioned.
"I need to talk to him. Now let me through!" Makoto demanded in a forceful tone.
"Makoto-senpai, what did I say about-" Yang started, only to be interrupted by a voice coming over the speakers.
"Let them pass." A menacing voice ordered over the speakers, the guards automatically following them and stepping aside.
"That voice...It's Kaneshiro." Makoto got out.
"Again. Both a good and bad thing." Joker muttered out.
"Hey, do banks usually have presidents?" Skull had to ask as he turned to the other Thieves.
"They make good money." Fox answered with a frown.
"Yep. And that's why shinobi have secret funding from them in case their school needs a little more money." Widow got out as they walked past the guards. "You may want to load that gun Makoto-san." She suggested in a whisper.
To that, Makoto nodded and did just that, making sure that the safety was on.
"Please wait." A guard spoke up, stopping the group in their tracks. "Reception is further in, to the right. I strongly advise that you do not attempt to go elsewhere." It then instructed.
"Thank you, sir." Joker thanked the guard. "Can't wait to rip your mask off..." He quietly added to himself.
"Agreed..." Yin also got out in a mutter as the Thieves continued on.
"Reception is just down the hall and to the right. Don't go anywhere else." The guard then advised.
"Yes, we got it you stupid asshole. We know where we're going, you don't have to guide us every two feet..." Yang mentally grumbled as they kept going.
"Stay calm people. There's no need for aggression. Let Joker and Makoto do the talking and we should come out fine." Mona got out as they went down the hallway.
"This place is gigantic...To think such a large bank is floating in the sky." Makoto remarked.
"Well, anything goes in the Metaverse." Skull got out with a shrug. "Just wait 'til you see Mementos." He then added.
"Mementos?" Makoto repeated in confusion.
"It's a thing we will introduce to you later." Panther answered. "Now keep focused. I think I see the place." She then got out.
"This is the reception office. Hurry on inside." The guard standing by the door ordered. "The boss is waiting." It then added in a rather dangerous manner.
Joker and Makoto nodded to that as they entered the room first with the others following suit.
When they all entered the Reception Office, they quickly noticed the mountain of cash just lying on the table. "Holy shit..." Yang whispered out. "Temptation...rising...must not stuff pockets full of money...!" She thought to herself.
"How many beef bowls could I eat with this...?" Skull wondered out loud.
"Is that all you think about, Skull?" Mona deadpanned as he jumped onto the table. "Alright, where's Kaneshiro?" He then demanded.
"Unauthorised entry, property damage, assault on staff, and other such disturbances. And let's not forget the theft of a large amount of money from me. That comes to 100,000,000 yen in total." A very familiar voice listed off. "You're here regarding that, correct, Miss Beautiful President?" He then deducted.
"WHAT!? I STOLE THAT MUCH!?" Yang exclaimed before coughing after gasping too hard.
"I think most of that is payment for the damage we caused..." Widow mumbled out.
"But that has to be inflated." Yin assumed with a frown as they all turned to the television, which turned on to reveal the man of the hour, having violet skin, a silver business suit, black, slicked back hair and a mustache.
"It will be quite tough gathering so much money. I'd be willing to do something about that." Shadow Kaneshiro soon offered.
"...Why the hell is he purple?" Yang meanwhile muttered in confusion as she looked at the mafia boss' Shadow.
"You gonna call it off then?" Skull however asked.
"No, a loan. The interest rate is ten percent a day." Shadow Kaneshiro answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Ten percent interest a day...Um...Uhhh...That means...One day is..." Panther muttered out as she did "quick" (read: slow) math in her head.
"That's ten million yen a day..." Makoto answered as she shook her head. "That's not even possible for an average adult, let alone a teenager..." She then stated.
"We would have to rob an actual bank..." Widow got out in disgust.
"There's no need to be alarmed. I have a more manageable option for people like you." The ruler then assured, looking at the girls with a lecherous grin.
"That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?" Makoto however accused in a blunt manner.
"Quite the impressive insight..." Shadow Kaneshiro complimented. "...Niijima-san. It would be quite a shame if your older sister found out about your little predicament." He then added.
The Thieves gasped before getting out their weapons.
"How do you know that!?" Makoto demanded.
"Please don't underestimate our intelligence network." Shadow Kaneshiro replied. "My, what wonderful goods have come falling into my lap." He then declared in a satisfied tone.
"You sick bastard!" Yang growled out.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Makoto growled as she put a hand on her pistol.
"Young women are so useful. They lack muscles and brains. It's as if they only exist to be devoured by the strong. That just might be the rule since the dawn of history." The Shadow then remarked.
"What a sexist pig." Widow remarked in disgust.
"You truly are despicable..." Fox spat out.
"I dunno, they kicked your ass only a few minutes earlier..." Joker pointed out, causing the ruler to grit his teeth.
"You better be ready, Kaneshiro! 'Cause your heart's already ours!" Skull declared.
"Don't make me laugh, you petty thieves." Shadow Kaneshiro growled. "My bank's security state-of-the-art. Allow me to show you!" He then offered.
Joker's eyes widened at that and tried to shout to everyone to run out of the room, but it was too late security guards spawned around them. "Shit." He swore out.
"This guy is definitely going to be harder than Madarame..." Mona muttered out.
"Anyone will do anything for money. I'll rob you of your lives as easily as I breathe air." The ruler Shadow snickered out before turning serious. "...Get them." He then ordered in a cold tone.
"So much for in-and-out..." Joker sighed and shook his head as the Shadows transformed around them.
"Two enemies! Chivalrous Fiends!" Mona informed as the Thieves jumped back.
"Oni..." Joker whispered out as he frowned.
"Makoto-senpai, stand back." Yang meanwhile ordered while getting her katanas ready.
"...How is Homura-san using six katanas at once...?" Makoto thought before being pushed out of the way of an attack, taking it for herself.
"Gargh!" Panther grunted in pain, holding onto her chest. "She said stay back, Makoto! CARMEN! MARAGI!" She soon commanded as her Persona appeared behind her.
"W-Whoa...!" Makoto got out in awe, feeling the heat from where she was. "This is insane!" She then exclaimed.
"You get used to it." Panther casually replied as her other self set their enemies aflame.
FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
The Shadows grunted as they took the attack, but didn't falter. "They aren't weak to Fire!" Panther informed as her mask reappeared on her face.
"Then let's strike it with fear! Persona!" Yang shouted out as she ripped off her mask. "Terror Claw!" She commanded as her own Persona slashed at an Oni with purple glowing claws.
SLASH!
"Gah, it resisted it!" Yang got out in frustration.
"Physical attacks won't do us much good here! Go for magic!" Mona called out.
Widow nodded as she gracefully tore off her mask. "Fūma! Aqua!" She commanded.
SPLASH!
A bubble of water soon formed in front of one of the oni and it then burst, damaging and splashing the enemy
"They're dripping wet! Your turn, Skull!" Widow called out.
"Sweet! I got this!" Skull responded before ripping off his mask. "Zio!" He then ordered as his Persona casted lightning upon the enemy.
ZAP!
"Paralyzed!" Skull announced. "Follow it up!" He then called out as he looked towards the young artist.
"Got it!" Fox replied as he dashed towards the Shadow before...
SLASH!
"One down!" The young artist declared as the Oni collapsed to pieces. "Joker! You're next!" Fox called.
The Leader in turn nodded to that. "Let's do this! Jack Frost! Bufula!" He ordered.
Suddenly, the Oni turned blue as ice crystals formed around it. "It's frozen! Someone tear it to pieces!" Joker commanded.
"Nyahahaha! This is my chance to shine!" Mona declared in excitement. "Zorro, Lucky Lunch! Wait, I mean Punch!" He then commanded as his Persona got out his boxing glove.
BOOP!
"GGGGAAAAHHHH!" The Shadow cried out in pain. Unfortunately it was still alive and
"Ha ha! Way to go, Mona!" Yang praised before ripping off her mask."This is the finale! Go Wolverine! Gokuentou!" She soon commanded, summoning her Persona to her side as it then charged in.
SLASH!
You know, Makoto should've been horrified as she watched her best friend's ghost thing slice a demon in half with superheated claws...but by this point, she had gone fully numb.
"And that's that!" Yang declared, however...
"The first squad's been taken down! Send in backup!"
"The target is still alive! We must deal with them at all cost!"
Forcing down a groan, the Leader switched Personas in preparation for their next obstacle. "Round two, people!" Joker called out.
"Bring 'em on!" Skull yelled out as another set of Oni spawned.
"I want status effects! Mona, Widow!" The Leader soon ordered. The two in mention nodded as they ripped off their masks.
"Hey, is anyone keeping an eye on Makoto-chan!?" Yin meanwhile called out in concern.
"I-I'm alright, Asuka-san!" Makoto responded from under the table. "What are those!?" She soon asked.
"...Shadows. The side humanity doesn't want to see." Yin answered before seeing an Oni charge at them with its kanabō club raised. "Oh CRAP!" She yelped out before pulling the Shujin Student Council President out from under the table, barely saving from being crushed.
"AAAAHHHH!" Makoto screamed before pulling out the gun the Vice Leader gave her and fired into the Shadow's face. "DIE DIE DIE!" She then shouted at it, only to see that the bullets only left dents in its skin. However when one bullet struck its eye...
"GAH! YOU BITCH!" The Shadow wailed out in pain.
"Way to go, Makoto-chan! Now GET OUT OF HERE!" Yin cheered and ordered.
Makoto didn't need to be told twice as she headed for the door...only to bounce off it instead of crashing through it. "Ow..." She groaned out in pain.
"Of course, they'd lock the room..." Yang got out in annoyance.
"I got it! Keep them off me!" Mona called out as he dashed over to the door to pick the lock.
"Got it, Mona!" Yin replied as she removed her mask. "Kaeru! Magnara!" She soon commanded.
RUMBLE! STAB! STAB!
Immediately, two stalagmites of earth shot up from the ground and stabbed the Shadows, but didn't do much damage to either of them. "Someone take them down already!" Yin called out her request.
"Please let them be the last of them..." Panther panted out.
"Next wave!" Widow announced as she jumped back, causing the ash blonde to groan.
"How many guards is Kaneshiro sending at us!?" Fox growled out as he ripped off his mask at the same time the next set came.
"Uh...Hey, Makoto? Are you feeling a little rebellious right now?" Joker soon asked.
"AAAAHHHH!" Makoto screamed in fear as barely managed to dodge an attack and countered by firing wildly, managing to graze the enemy.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Okay, I'll take that as a no!" The Leader groaned out before twirling around his Evoker. "Come, Orpheus Picaro! FLAY THEM ALIVE! MARAGION!" He soon ordered.
"This is the end of your melody!" The Persona declared before playing on his lyre.
FWOOOOOSH!
"They're burning up!" Joker calming declared with a smirk. "Mona, so you mind?" He soon asked.
"Can't...use...Persona...while...doing something...!" Mona however struggled out while still picking the lock. "Wait, we have something! In the duffle!" He then informed.
Nodding to that, the Vice Leader rushed over to the bag and began rummaging through anything she didn't recognize before noticing something. "Mona-chan, what is this? A magatama?" She asked and guessed while pulling out the green item mentioned.
"Yes! That thing! Focus your energy into it!" Mona replied and instructed.
"Uh...Okay? But I don't think a green magatama will-" Yin started, however...
WWWWOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH
Suddenly, the magatama exploded in the Vice Leader's hands, releasing a powerful gust of wind, worsening the effects of the burn and causing the Shadows to go up in flames.
"WWWAAAAHHHH!" Yin yelped out as she tried to stop her kimono from flying off her body before the wind died down. "Moh! A little warning next time!" She then exclaimed.
"Sorry, but..." Mona began as he turned the lock...
Click!
"I got it!" Mona announced before leaping off the doorknob. "Now you just need the chance to run, Makoto..." He then added.
"I suggest we all get out of here when you defeat this wave." Makoto meanwhile suggested. "Kaneshiro isn't going to let up anytime soon, so we need to time it perfectly." She then explained.
"Yeah, this is getting ridiculous..." Joker muttered out as another set of Oni jumped into the fray. "Come on..." He then grumbled.
"Moh, enough already..." Yin got out in annoyance.
"I'm running on fumes here..." Yang groaned out in frustration as she stepped back.
"What the..." Mona meanwhile panted out as the two Oni slowly approached the group. "There's no end to them. How much money does Kaneshiro have? And how much is he paying these guys!?" He then asked.
"Urgh...We got what we came for and they just keep coming..." Joker muttered out. "Ah, screw it! Everyone, RUN!" He soon ordered.
"Got it, Joker! We are cheesing the hell outta here!" Skull replied in agreement.
"You aren't going anywhere!" One of the guards declared as they blocked their only exit.
"Yes we are! SMOKE BOMB!" Yin declared as she took said item out from in between her breasts before throwing it to the ground...
POOF!
And engulfing the area in smoke, allowing the Thieves and their charge to run past the guards and out of the room.
Makoto coughed as she stumbled out of the room. "A little more warning would've been nice, Asuka-san." She got out.
"It's Yin here in this world." Yin corrected before shaking her head. "Gah, we'll take care of codenames later! We need to leave ASAP!" She then declared in a panic.
"R-Right..." Makoto replied with a nod before they began running for the exit. "So that was your power..." She whispered out.
"Hurry! They're catching up to us!" Yin called out as they ran for the exit, managing to make it to the front area only for more security guards to spawn right in front of them. "No no no! Back back back!" She then ordered as the Thieves switched directions...only to see Shadow Kaneshiro and his goons behind them. "Aw come on!" She then exclaimed.
"Huh, I guess this is why thieves don't use the front entrance..." Joker mumbled out.
"There's no end to them...!" Panther complained as the Student Council President of Shujin pulled out her gun.
"Step back or I'll shoot!" Makoto demanded as she and the Thieves aimed their guns at the guards.
"You seem to be in quite a pickle..." Shadow Kaneshiro tauntingly remarked.
"Grrr...! How dare you sneak around, Kaneshiro...!" Morgana growled out.
"That's my line." Shadow Kaneshiro however stated. "However, I do thank you for providing me with such wonderful goods...It's time you disappear." He then added.
"G-Goods?" Yang whispered out before glaring at the ruler. "You mean your sex rackets! We aren't as weak as you think!" She soon accused and declared.
"Yin...you have more smoke bombs, right?" Panther meanwhile had to ask in a quiet tone.
"I do. I just need-" Yin replied with a nod.
"Don't. They're expecting it this time." Widow however warned as she narrowed her eyes. "We're surrounded. We'd only be killed." She then informed.
"Managing a bank is tough enough, that's why I make it a case to kill troublesome customers. Having one impertinent brat disappear is enough to set an example in that other world." Shadow Kaneshiro declared and revealed.
"Wait, d-did he just mention reality?" Yin whispered out.
"Please stop!" Makoto however begged. "Don't you dare touch any of them!" She then added.
"I'll eliminate others besides my goods." Shadow Kaneshiro however stated. "You've no need to worry." He then reassured. "Your sister is quite a beauty though. I'll make sure to make her my personal slave." He soon declared. "Once I get bored, I'll just sell her off. Oh, poor Sis...She could've been successful, if only her younger sister wasn't so dumb." He concluded in a taunting manner.
"My sister has nothing to do with this!" Makoto countered, disgusted to hearing what he was planning to do.
"Then you better start taking customers tomorrow. All you gotta do is endure it and do as you're told." Shadow Kaneshiro soon ordered. "Come on, it'll go faster if those lovely ladies beside you join too." He then suggested, leering at the more large-breasted and attractive girls.
"Bastard..." Yang growled out, trying very hard to keep her trigger fingers from twitching.
"Endure it...Do as I'm told..." Makoto however repeated in a mutter, hearing those kinds of orders time and time again as she clutched her chest.
What...What was this feeling...?
It was different from rage...it was different from sadness...
"You'll earn one hundred million yen in no time." Shadow Kaneshiro reassured before smirking. "Although, your life and everything along with it will be a complete wreck by then! Gwahahahahaha!" He soon declared before laughing maniacally. "I can only imagine the look on your shitty father's face..." He then declared in amusement.
There was a deafening silence as the Thieves stepped back.
"What...what did he just say?" Yin breathed out in shock.
"You know about my father as well!?" Makoto exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Oh...right..." Shadow Kaneshiro chuckled out. "I forgot about him until now. That righteous, holier-than-thou attitude, that damn smile...It was great to finally wipe that all away..." He then revealed.
The brunette's eyes soon widened as she realized what this meant. "You...You killed him." Makoto muttered in shock.
"He murdered her father...bastard..." Yang growled in rising anger.
"What? Oh no...It was one of my men who stole a truck and ran him and his squad over! He burst like a blood bag, you should've seen it. " Shadow Kaneshiro laughed out. "I just...suggested the method." He soon revealed.
"You're just dodging the blame asshole!" Yang roared as she almost went and stabbed the bastard in the heart, only for the Leader to shoot her a glare.
"Hey, it's just business in the end. He interfered and I did something about it. Plain and simple." Shadow Kaneshiro simply stated with a smirk. "I respected him too. A worthy opponent. I even went to his grave...and smashed it to pieces." He then added.
"You son of bitch!" Skull roared as he pumped his shotgun.
Makoto's eyes however widened even more to that, remembering that one visit to her father's grave, only to see it shattered to pieces. "So you did that!?" She exclaimed while balling her hands into fists.
"Maybe visit it tomorrow night...and make him watch as his youngest daughter becomes part of my business." Shadow Kaneshiro soon suggested before he then began to laugh in a more maniacal manner.
"..." Joker remained silent as he lowered his gun.
"Joker?" Mona whispered.
"...Leave." Joker ordered, his hair overshadowing his eyes.
"What?" Shadow Kaneshiro got out.
"I said, leave." Joker ordered once more. "Before I rip your heart out of your chest." He threatened as his eyes glowed blood red.
"Go ahead and try! I have connections and if I die, my guys will hunt you down until the ends of the earth!" Shadow Kaneshiro taunted.
Joker seriously began to consider his offer as he stepped forward...only for the Shujin Student Council President to stop him.
"Leave. Him. To me." Makoto suddenly demanded, the heat in her heart flaring within.
Joker frowned before stepping back.
This...This was going to be explosive, wasn't it?
"I've been listening to you go on and on...How you'll use everyone as another source of income...how you disgraced my father's grave...well I've had enough..." Makoto growled out as she stepped towards the man. "SHUT YOUR FUCKIN' DAMN MOUTH YOU MURDERING MONEY GRUBBING PIECE OF SHIT!" She soon roared as a small crater suddenly formed under her feet, white fire flaring in a circle around her.
"W-Whoa!" Yang got out in shock as they all stepped back. "Oooh I know what's coming now!" She mentally declared in excitement.
"Huh?" The ruler hummed out in slight surprise.
"You act like you're invincible...like you're above others...But all I see is just a pathetic being not even worth the gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe." Makoto stated as walked forward, the Shadow stepped back in fear. "So go ahead, threaten me...try and make my life a living hell...It'll make watching you grovel all the more sweeter." She then admitted as she threw away the gun as the Vice Leader caught it. "I AM TAKING BACK MY LIFE!" She soon declared.
WHAM!
Immediately, a guard Shadow struck the girl with its baton. "Bitch! That's what you get." Shadow Kaneshiro spat out.
"MAKOTO-SENPAI!" Yang screamed out as the girl picked herself up from the ground, blood leaking out of her mouth, she spitting some of it out to the floor before wiping the rest of it away.
"Have you decided to tread the path of strife...?" A voice echoed within the girl's mind.
"Yes. Come to me!" Makoto answered, knowing what it was.
It was that voice...the other self that she had lost control of...
Now it was hers to use.
"Very well. Let us proceed with our contract at once." The mysterious voice replied before feeling something stab into her brain, causing Makoto to scream and clutch her head as her eyes glowed gold.
"I am thou, thou art I...You have finally found your own justice...Please...Never lose sight of it again."
"I promise...I will never..." Makoto thought in a calm manner, despite all the pain she felt surge through her body.
"This memorable day marks your graduation from your false self..." Her Persona declared as she glared directly at Shadow Kaneshiro, stomping on the ground and leaving a crater behind.
"Why aren't you idiots doing anything!? KILL HER!" The ruler ordered, making his guards charge at the girl.
"MAKOTO!" Joker exclaimed.
"MAKOTO-CHAN/SAN!" Yin and Widow cried out.
"SENPAI!" Yang called out as they began to run over to protect her before-
GRIP!
Coming to a stop at the sight. "H-Holy shit..." Skull got out in awe as he saw the girl hold back the Shadow's fist, barely letting her glare off of the ruler.
"Weak." Makoto spat out as her nails dug into the Shadow's skin before twisting its arm, pulling it towards her, then...
WHAM!
Taking the Shadow's head off in one punch.
It was only then the Thieves noticed the metal mask on the girl's face.
"Makoto-senpai! Are you ready?" Yang called out.
The Student Council President then took hold of the mask. "I always was." Makoto responded in a dead serious tone.
"PERSONA!"
KABOOM!
And with a swift move, Makoto ripped off her mask and was consumed by an explosion of pure white flames. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" She soon roared.
Immediately, everyone and everything was blown back a few feet as the Palace flickered from the Metaverse to reality while the ground shook under their feet.
When the flames finally started to die, it revealed the rebirth of Makoto Niijima as a rebel.
"What the hell...!?" Shadow Kaneshira exclaimed in shock and confusion to the sight.
VRRN! VRRN! VRRN!
Glaring at the Shadow, Makoto now wore a dark blue and black skintight suit with a long black scarf, a dark gray corset-style leather breastplate, shoulder and knee pads with spikes mixed with boots that sport metal heels and toes, and pure white gloves.
And with her...was a silver motorcycle with a woman's face under the windshield.
"I am the steed of light, the engine to defy the world! I am Johanna!" The calming voice of the Persona revealed as the engine was revved.
"Is that...her Persona?" Fox soon questioned.
"No dude, that's a bike!" Skull however answered.
"Hahahaha! Now that's what we're talking about!" Joker cheered out. "Damn she looks good..." He mentally admitted while giving her an up-down.
"Go, Makoto, go!" Panther called out.
"...Damn, now that is badass..." Yang admitted in amazement to the Shujin Student Council President's Persona.
"Her Persona is a motorcycle?" Widow got out in a curious yet amazed tone.
"Awesome..." Yin meanwhile muttered in awe of the sight of this.
"I can feel it...My true self...Me!" Makoto soon declared as she revved her Persona's engines. "GUN IT JOHANNA!" She roared as she charged straight at Kaneshiro.
His guard tried to protect the ruler, only for Makoto to swing her motorcycle around to hit the Shadows away before trapping one of their heads under Johanna's back tyre.
Without remorse, she revved her Persona's engine, causing it to grind the guard's face until it burst, splattering Kaneshiro in its blood.
"Brutal." Joker could only say.
"Wow...nice!" Panther got out in amazement.
"Wh-What is that!?" Morgana exclaimed as he looked on in awe. "I've never seen anything like that before!" He then admitted.
Meanwhile, Shadow Kaneshiro looked like he just ruined his suit's white pants and turned to his remaining guards. "You better earn your keep or you'll be wishing you could die!" He soon demanded.
"I will not lose heart again, ever. I'll go full speed, non-stop!" Makoto soon declared. "Right, Johanna!?" She then asked as she readied herself, white flames appearing in her hands as her weapons started forming.
Johanna revved her engines in response, white flames coming out of her exhaust.
Makoto then looked towards the others as they went to her side. "Everyone..." She began as she soon smirked. "Thank you...for giving me the chance to do this..." She then got out.
"We should've done it sooner then." Skull got out with a fist pump.
"You think!?" Yang countered as she ran up next to the newest Persona user. "Come on...Let's go!" She soon ordered as everyone summoned their Personas.
(Cue Let's Try Together by Kamen Rider Girls)
"Two Oni and a new enemy!" Mona started before smirking. "We've got this!" He then declared.
"You dare defy our president!? Where is this rebellious attitude coming from!?" The central Shadow demanded in a furious manner. "No matter...we will crush you under our heel, just like the president has done countless times!" He soon declared.
"Don't get cocky because I normally behave myself." Makoto however growled out as she revved her Persona's engine. "I am DONE PLAYING NICE FOR SHITSTAINS LIKE YOU! LET'S GO, JOHANNA! FULL THROTTLE!" She then declared, warping the cognition around her.
"Man, she has some lungs on her." Joker remarked in an impressed manner before turning to the others. "Alright, everyone! Follow my command!" He then ordered.
"Right! How do you want to do this, Joker?" Fox asked as he pulled out his katana.
"Let's see what our senpai's got!" Joker got out before turning to their newest Persona-user. "Makoto, give 'em hell!" He then ordered.
"Got it...Joker." Makoto replied with a nod before focusing all her hate at the Sui-Ki. "FREI!" She then called out.
BLAST!
"Ha ha! Nice!" Yin cheered out.
"Nuclear. Her element is Nuclear!" Mona called out.
"Another element off the list." Joker remarked with a smirk. "Now we need Psychic and Bless and we have the full set! Go again!" He then added and ordered.
Makoto nodded as she checked her new equipment. "Brass knuckles and a magnum revolver..." She muttered to herself as she returned her Persona, the metal mask reforming on her face as she glared at the enemies with her piercing red eyes. "Perfect." She then declared as she charged into one of the other Shadows, pulling off a combo of punches and kicks before quickly shooting the Shadow.
BANG!
"GAH!" The Shadow wailed in pain.
"Another knocked down!" Mona called out. "Go again!" He then declared.
Nodding to that, the new Persona user took out her gun and readied herself. "Focus..." Makoto began as she aimed her revolver. "And fire!" She declared as she fanned the hammer and pulled the trigger.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
And with that, the remaining Shadow fell.
"They're all knocked down!" Widow exclaimed with a smile.
"Nice shootin', Prez!" Skull called out.
"A natural gunslinger!" Mona got out in awe.
"Thanks." Makoto replied with a rebellious smirk as she twirled her revolver around with ease.
"Go in for a Hold Up!" Panther shouted out as everyone aimed their guns at the fallen Shadows. "What's the call, Joker?" She soon asked.
"Hm..." Joker hummed to himself before letting out a smirk. "You know what, let's have our newest member blow off some steam a little more. Does that sound good?" He then suggested.
"That sounds perfect." Makoto replied with a rebellious smirk.
"You got this, senpai! Let 'em have it!" Yang meanwhile encouraged.
"Gladly! Johanna! Varja Blast!" Makoto commanded as her Persona blasted the enemies in front of her, stunning and giving her the opening she needed."COME HERE YOU PIECES OF SHIT!" She then shouted out as she charged in.
"She is definitely not using aikido..." Joker mentally noted with a sweatdrop as he watched the pissed-off girl bash the Shadow's head in...with her Persona like a club.
"DIE YOU PIECES OF SHIT! DIE!" Makoto meanwhile roared.
"Told ya she shouldn't be messed with." Yang quipped out.
"Y-Yes ma'am..." Panther nervously responded as the Shujin Student Council President jumped back over to the group.
"Don't worry, she won't hurt us." Joker assured before turning to the newly awakened Persona-user. "You won't hurt us, right?" He then whispered in a nervous tone.
"Nope. But I am gonna rip Kaneshiro's skull out and beat him to death with it." Makoto countered.
"Yep, she's good." Yang replied with a nod of approval. "Still feeling it right now?" She then guessed.
"I dunno. Are you?" Makoto countered.
"Hehehe...Let's do this, senpai." Yang giggled out as she ripped off her mask. "WOLVERINE!" She soon began.
"JOHANNA!" Makoto continued as she removed her mask.
"STRIKE!" The two Shujin enforcers commanded at the same time while rushing in.
"Is it just me or those two are really in sync?" Panther meanwhile asked.
"Well, it looks like they both love fighting with all their heart..." Widow answered before watching the two punch and slash at one of the Shadows...in the crotch. "In the most brutal ways possible." She then added with a sweatdrop.
"Um...Yeah, they've got this." Joker muttered out. "...Anyone want some coffee?" He soon offered.
"Ooh! Me! Me!" Yin called out as she raised her hand. "Good luck Yang-nee! Makoto-chan!" She then cheered out as the Leader passed her a thermos full of Leblanc coffee while Panther heated it up.
"Thank you, Sis!" Yang replied. "COME HERE YOU STUPID FUCKER!" She then demanded.
"HOLD IT DOWN! KEEP IT STILL!" Makoto meanwhile shouted out before grabbing the Shadow from behind and...
WHAM!
"Never thought I'd see the day a 164 cm girl do German Suplex to a 10 ft tall demon." Joker got out with a sweatdrop.
"Aren't...Aren't they resistant to Physical?" Mona however asked.
"I think they're having too much fun to notice." Joker suggested before wincing as they saw the two do a brutal tag-team move straight out of a pay-per-view wrestling event. "I almost feel sorry for the Shadows." He awkwardly added.
"Really?" Widow asked.
"I said almost." Joker reminded. "Let's just continue watching the show." He then suggested.
"Yang! You ready?" Makoto soon asked while offering a hand.
The white masked girl in turn nodded as her smirk was hiding her mask. "Ok!" Yang replied in English while taking her friend's hand as she was pulled up and got on the new Persona.
Instincts and adrenaline were purely driving the Shujin forms of authority as they had excited and rebellious grins on their faces.
And nothing was gonna stop them as the area began heating up. Literally!
"TAKE THIS!" Yang declared as she spun the katanas fast that it was like they were flame buzzsaws now.
Widow meanwhile looked in amazement as she recognized what the tan skinned girl was doing. "She was able to meld my fan spinning part of my fighting style into her own using her katanas! Incredible!" She thought to herself.
"Let's wipe 'em out! Drive!" Yang soon ordered
"On it!" Makoto replied, revving the engine before charging in. "This is our finisher!" She began as she began spinning the bike, adding the Frei spell to the mix.
"Think you can take the heat!?" Yang then tauntingly asked as the flames intensified as a tornado of flames was created, enveloping the Shadows before she tossed her spinning blades into the air, also mixing with the new Persona user's spell.
"Cause we're just getting started!" Makoto continued as she kept seeing more Nuclear spells upward while doing a wheelie.
"THIS IS THE END!" Yang and Makoto called out in unison as they threw down the nuclear fire bomb.
KABOOOOOOOOM!
When the Thieves stopped covering their eyes, they saw there was only one Shadow remaining...and ashes.
"Huh, a burnout fallout..." Joker remarked.
"Damn! That was awesome!" Skull declared in awe.
"What an artistic display." Fox admitted. "I must keep that mentally display in mind for a piece." He then added.
"Hey, there's still one alive!" Panther however announced.
"WHAT!? That's a load of bullshit!" Yang and Makoto declared in frustrated unison.
"Too bad for it, then. It could've had a quick death." Joker got out as he aimed his gun at the remaining enemy. "Any last words?" He then asked.
"Your debt to Kaneshiro...will never be repaid..." The Oni growled before coughing up black blood.
"Then we'll pay it a thousand fold...with his own blood! THERE'S NO CHANCE FOR FORGIVENESS!" Makoto declared as they rushed the Shadow.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! WHAM! CRACK! SLASH! SLAP! WHAM!
The newly awakened Persona-user soon landed back on the ground, turning her back to the enemies and stomped on the group, cracking it underneath her heel. "Justice has prevailed!" Makoto declared with fury as the Shadow burst.
(End Music)
When the Thieves finally had a chance to catch their breath, they noticed how...annihilated the bank's main hall was.
As in, everything was dead except for Shadow Kaneshiro.
"Huh, violence did solve this problem..." Joker mumbled to himself.
"That was...liberating..." Makoto breathed out, adrenaline still coursing through her body.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Yang meanwhile declared in excitement as she high fived the newest Persona user.
"You two are dangerous together." Joker remarked in an amused tone.
"Like we weren't before." Yang countered as the Student Council President of Shujin nodded in agreement.
"Alright, we know how to get in now. Our objective's been accomplished!" Mona announced. "There are no enemies in the area so this is our perfect chance to leave!" He then got out.
"But how are we getting out?" Panther asked.
"There's only one exit, right?" Makoto responded as she narrowed her eyes.
"'You got somethin', Champion of Century's End?" Skull got out.
"Champion of Century's End...?" Makoto repeated before shrugging as she got on Johanna. "Huh, I like that." She then admitted before turning her Persona around. "I'm going on ahead, so follow me!" She soon ordered.
"Hey, what are you-" Joker started in confusion, however...
CRASH!
"...Oh." Joker got out as he saw the newest member crash through the front door and out the bank. "Well, that was easy." He then admitted.
"Dammmnnn..." Skull got out in amazement.
"Pent up aggression at its finest." Yang remarked.
"Okay, we have a path!" Mona got out before turning into his car form. "Get in!" He then ordered.
"...You know, we probably should've driven up here instead of walking..." Joker suddenly realised as he got behind the wheel.
"So you'll stand against me, no matter what. Very well, I'll wait for you all." Shadow Kaneshiro growled out. "There's no escape in reality, nor will you break through the security system here. There's not a chance in hell that a bright future lies ahead for you- OH SHIT!" He began to declare, only to dive out of the way as he was almost run over by the Morganamobile.
"Sorry, I had it in reverse." Joker apologized before flooring it out of the Palace.
(6/20, Evening)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
The group soon returned to the apartment to have some dinner and talk about what to do next while also letting the newest member rest.
However, when the pizzas arrived...
Well...the Thieves didn't get to eat much pizza themselves...
"Ooooh~ I needed this..." Makoto breathed out as she kept eating. "I'll just burn all this off at the gym..." She then added.
"That's your tenth slice Makoto-senpai." Homura awkwardly got out.
"Yeah, we only have two boxes, Prez." Ryuji pointed out.
"My, you are eating quite a lot, Makoto-san." Yumi admitted.
"Hungry. Haven't eaten since this morning." Makoto responded. "...1AM counts as this morning right?" She then asked.
This however shocked the others to learn and hear this.
"Okay so guilt, self-loathing, feeling of worthlessness and hunger...Yeah, I'd probably throw myself at the mafia." Akira nodded while sweating.
"Why were you up at 1AM!? You should've been sleeping!" Morgana however questioned and advised in disapproval.
"Eating ice cream out of depression again after Sis went to bed." Makoto answered.
"That's unhealthy." Morgana soon stated in disapproval.
"Have you ever heard of comfort food, Morgana?" Ann got out with a sigh. "Still, isn't that something only depressed girls do after getting dumped by their boyfriends?" She soon asked in an awkward manner.
"It felt as though I got dumped by my best friend because of my own selfish and petty reasons as well as my own sister calling me useless." Makoto countered in a blunt tone.
"Makoto-senpai..." Homura awkwardly muttered. "I'm sorry again about before..." She then apologized. "Still friends?" She soon asked with a smile.
"...No." Makoto simply answered as she shook her head. "I...I don't want to be considered your friend...at least not yet. I'm going to earn that right back. Not be given that right." She then explained in an ashamed tone.
"Makoto-senpai..." Homura muttered.
"And don't call me senpai. I'd rather you treat me as an equal." Makoto soon requested and explained.
"No way, I still consider you my senpai." Homura countered in disagreement while shaking her head.
"Homura-san..." Makoto sighed out. "...Look, I betrayed you guys, you had every right to be angry at me for my own selfish decisions. I rather not be put on a pedestal. From now on, I'm just a normal girl...who can now summon a motorcycle that can nuke people." She then stated. "Am I ever going to get used to that...?" She then thought. "And I'll do everything I can to help out as a member of the Phantom Thieves." She soon concluded.
"Yeah...I mean, holy shit did you guys see her out there?" Ryuji got out in an excited tone. "That was no aikido. That was some good ol' fashioned, hardcore ass whoopin'!" He then declared,
"I am so not pissing her off...I feel like she'll rip off my arm." Ann admitted in a nervous manner.
"She does exude that aura..." Yusuke meanwhile muttered in an uneasy tone.
"Homura-san's instincts on the matter were spot on." Yumi meanwhile stated while nodding in approval.
"...Oh, stop it!" Makoto however sputtered out with a blush before groaning. "This is the most exhausted I've ever felt these past few years...But...it felt pretty great. I didn't think I'd ever become part of the Phantom Thieves after what I did..." She then confessed.
"We...We all have a lot of apologizing to do." Akira mumbled out as he scratched the back of his head.
"Ahem..." Asuka and Homura however coughed out.
"Don't start acting smug here." Ann sighed out with a pang of guilt. "I'm...I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I never let go of my own feelings of uselessness and just...put it all on you." She then got out in a guilty manner.
"I know but...I do know now you tried to protect me from getting into something really dangerous." Makoto replied with a sigh. "I'm sorry for worrying all of you..." She then apologized back.
"You were pushed to a breaking point, it isn't your fault." Asuka however reassured.
"Sis might faint if she found out." Makoto soon admitted.
"You mentioned her earlier." Yusuke pointed out.
"The one that called you useless..." Homura however got out in anger.
"She's a prosecutor for the district and she's investigating the Phantom Thieves and maybe some other case." Makoto revealed. "Ever since you defaced Madarame's exhibit." She then added.
"Wait, ain't that bad!?" Ryuji exclaimed.
"No need to worry. A normal investigation would never lead them to a world like that." Makoto assured. "Then again, it must've been fate for this to happen..." She then started.
"What do you mean...?" Ann asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I can't be like my sister. I had a feeling that there'd come a time when we wouldn't see eye to eye anymore and well...that's today." Makoto explained. "I'm thankful to have a sister who works so hard, but...there are times I feel sorry for her too. And after hearing my Persona's voice, I clearly understand how I feel now." She then stated.
"It appears you're not as reserved as you make yourself seem." Yusuke noted.
"I was just doing whatever the adults told me to." Makoto replied with a frown before turning to her best friend. "But not anymore. I'm going to make it on my own. Screw them." She then declared.
"Spoken like a true rebel." Morgana meanwhile praised with a grin.
"Though you won't be alone, you'll have us now." Homura however reminded. "Your place is here now, with us." She then reassured.
"...Thank you." Makoto got out in a grateful manner, feeling good to hear that.
"Won't she be perfect as our advisor? She's fearless and has a sharp mind." Yusuke soon pointed out.
"Sounds good to me! We've needed someone like that for a while now!" Ryuji agreed with a fist pump. "Yumi's already doin' so much shit with her network, so now she doesn't have to worry 'bout that anymore!" He then added.
"Eh?" Yumi got out in confusion.
"You know, to lessen the burden and that kind of shit!" Ryuji explained.
"Hm...Well, it was sort of a on-the-spot decision back in Mementos..." Yumi admitted. "Okay then, I will be glad to step down from the role." She then stated.
"I'd be honored if I can help out." Makoto replied with a smile.
"You know, it feels nice to have a girl who isn't a shinobi join us." Ann admitted. "No offense." She then got out.
"Hey!" Asuka exclaimed. "I'm becoming more than just a shinobi now!" She then reminded with a pout.
"And...offended." Akira deadpanned. "So...any questions, Makoto?" He then asked to change the subject.
"So, the Kaneshiro over here doesn't know what happened inside the Palace, correct?" Makoto meanwhile deducted.
"That's right, but his Palace will be affected if the real Kaneshiro's cognition changes. We can't be lax." Morgana soon warned.
"It seems it'd be best to avoid unnecessary contact with him until then." Makoto stated with a frown.
"I would like it if we avoided all contact with that murderous scumbag." Akira muttered out. "You guys said they had guns, right? The next time we meet someone might end up getting shot." He then questioned and assumed.
"Yeah..." Ann sighed out as she shook her head. "Kaneshiro is definitely gonna pressure Makoto into paying that hundred million by any means necessary, so we have a time limit now." She then added.
"And there's that security system too." Yusuke reminded.
"But if we pull this off, it'll definitely be great!" Ryuji soon declared.
"We'll crush him like a fly. I'll make him regret making me angry..." Makoto soon declared while narrowing her eyes.
"Hey, save that for the Shadows." Akira however advised before realizing something. "Um...Do we have those pamphlets ready yet, Yusuke?" He soon asked.
"...You were serious?" Yusuke however questioned.
"I'm always serious, Yusuke." Akira replied in a serious tone, although it was betrayed by the grin on his face.
"Dude, you can't even keep a straight face." Ryuji pointed out. "Anyways, let's begin our operation tomorrow!" He then declared.
"First, we need to secure a route to the Treasure like always." Ann stated.
"You guys are finally starting to get used to this." Morgana complimented with a smirk.
"Hey, this is our third infiltration. This is gonna go as smooth as butter." Akira assured with a smirk. "Hopefully." He mentally added.
"Or Sis' butt." Homura muttered out before slapping her hands over her mouth while her roommate tried to melt into the couch.
"...Are they-" Makoto started in an awkward manner.
"NO! IT'S SISTER LIKE!" Asuka and Homura immediately answered.
"Why does everyone assume that!?" Asuka cried out as her roommate comforted her.
"I never thought you'd betray us like this, Makoto-senpai." Homura got out.
"S-Sorry, it was an on the spot assumption." Makoto got out with a wince. "In any case, I'll be waiting for the call then." She soon informed. "Still, that outfit I wore was pretty...revealing in its own way..." She then confessed with a blush while recalling her new attire.
"It left little to the imagination." Akira admitted. "But then again, so are all the other girls' outfits..." He then mumbled under his breath.
"Yours is more modest compared to ours Makoto-senpai." Homura casually stated. "The muffler's a nice touch too." She then added.
"T-Thanks. I guess my inner self has a nice fashion sense." Makoto giggled out. "The spikes are a little excessive though." She then muttered out.
"Just think of it as another sign for you not to be messed with." Homura soon stated.
"H-Homura-san, you don't need to keep praising me..." Makoto however mumbled out with a pink blush gracing her face.
"Hey, the seniors I had at my old school were a girl that barely had any emotions and another girl that showed off and used her body as a weapon of charming others." Homura soon explained. "They have respect, but they need to work a little bit harder for me to call them senpai like you Makoto-senpai." She then explained.
Yumi meanwhile felt touched to hear her say that. "Aw...she respects me that much?" She mentally cooed out.
"Well...I still don't think you should call me senpai, but I won't stop you." Makoto soon replied. "But in the Metaverse, we are equal. I won't tolerate it there." She then got out in a serious tone.
"Deal." Homura got out with a nod.
"...You know...we have an extra head now..." Ryuji spoke up. "That means she can help figure out the last keyword." He then added.
"Hm?" Makoto hummed out with a raised eyebrow.
Homura only pulled out her phone and gave it to their newest member. "We have two out of three words needed to access Principal Testihead McPebbledick's Palace." She soon revealed.
"...What?" Makoto however asked.
"Kobayashi." Yumi answered.
"Kobayakawa." Ann corrected, though giggled at the blunder.
"Kobayakawa...Shujin Academy..." Makoto read out. "So the reason you couldn't go after Kobayakawa right away was because you didn't have the keyword for his distortion, correct?" She soon deducted.
"Hai, that's all we need." Yumi replied.
"And you haven't figured it out yet after all this time?" Makoto then asked in disbelief.
"Hey, it's really really hard finding the distortions! It can be anything!" Asuka however revealed as the others nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, we're kinda stupid." Ryuji admitted. "So uh...You got any suggestions?" He then awkwardly asked.
"...Sorry. I don't know him all that well." Makoto apologized and revealed. "Our relationship is purely business, twisted as it is." She then explained.
"...I'm gonna kill the principal." Homura suddenly declared, though that didn't shock the Thieves at all. "Fuck the Palace, I want his head to roll like the bowling pin it is." She then added.
"Bowling ball." Ann corrected.
"Tomato, tomato." Homura waved off.
"Don't you mean toe-may-toe, tah-ma-toe?" Akira then quipped out.
"Kazoo-tight." Homura responded in an off-handed manner.
"...Don't. It'll just cause more trouble." Makoto stated after thinking it over before chugging down some water.
"...Stupid no neck principal..." Asuka meanwhile mumbled out in an angered tone. "He's already caused so much trouble for us..." She then added.
The Shujin Student Council President however shook her head to that. "No, that was my fault too. I was reckless and I wasn't thinking straight, especially after-" Makoto stated only to stop herself.
"Stop apologizing. We don't care, as long as you weren't hurt." Ryuji stated.
"Still, it could've been so much worse." Makoto sighed out.
"Yeah. I had half a mind to just run into Kaneshiro's hideout and start swingin'!" Ryuji admitted.
"I wish we could, but we'd probably make things worse." Ann sighed out. "I mean, what was our plan when we got to Kaneshiro? Just charge in and ask him to let her go?" She then asked
"Indeed. I'm actually thankful that the taxi driver kicked us out instead of letting us do something reckless." Yusuke admitted.
"...He was kind of a dick though." Akira soon admitted.
"Still Makoto-senpai, you could have told me about the mafia situation earlier when you first learned about it." Homura pointed out.
"I actually brought up the topic for you to be involved and help me with it, Homura-san." Makoto admitted. "But he thinks you are, as I quote, the worst candidate to represent the school due to your association with a dangerous criminal and known delinquent, your strange obsession with your roommate to the point of concern, a violent attitude that is not fooling anyone, and the looks of a third class prostitute. It is a miracle her committee hasn't collapsed in on itself after the first month." She then repeated what the principal told her.
"How dare he call Lady Homura a third-class prostitute!" Morgana however declared in anger. "She's first-class at the very least!" He then called out before realising what he just said. "...That came out of my mouth before I could even think." He soon mumbled out in a guilty manner.
"He does not deserve to be a principal of a school for putting people down like that!" Yumi meanwhile stated in anger.
"Ah! That's right! He was one that told me and Homu-nee about Akira-kun's record in the first place when we first transferred to Shujin! Asuka soon remembered in realization.
"Oh...That's illegal..." Makoto however informed while narrowing her eyes.
"Bastard! That was not his right to tell!" Akira got out in an angered tone.
"Defamation." "We can't catch him now for it because we got Kamoshida for the same reason. He'll just push the blame to him. God, that guy is an asshole..." He then groaned.
"Yes. He is, indeed, the personification of an asshole." Homura got out, her eye twitching. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find his address, break into his shithole and punch the fat out of his eyes." She calmly declared.
"Homu-nee, no, he's not worth it..." Asuka replied, though her eyes were narrow in anger and her hand twitched.
"Oh he isn't. But I'm increasingly starting to care less about that." Homura stated.
"Go break his window later, we need to focus on our local mafia boss." Akira reminded, however he was promptly ignored.
"How about balloons filled with paint?" Homura then suggested.
"Oh! Maybe we should do another graffiti run!" Asuka soon spoke up with a gleam in her eyes.
"Revenge later. Mafia now." Yumi sighed out. "Please do not get distracted over something so petty." She soon requested.
"I agree..." Makoto replied with a nod.
"Erm, sorry..." The two roommates sheepishly apologized in unison.
"That reminds me...how are we gonna return all that money?" Akira had to ask as they all turned their gazes over to the silver suitcase, which sat along with their bags.
"I'll get my informats to find the victims and the amounts they had to pay." "However...I realise now that may not even be a fraction of what Kaneshiro has stolen from students."
"We better fence the case as soon as possible too." Yusuke soon advised. "We'll be in serious trouble if we're found with it, especially with Kaneshiro's men most likely hunting it down." He then pointed out.
"I'll take care of that as well." Yumi offered. "It's quite high-quality so it will contribute significantly to our Phantom Budget. I will need to clean it thoroughly though. It does have our fingerprints on it after all." She then informed and advised.
"Thank you." Asuka replied with a smile. "Oh yeah! What's Makoto-chan's Arcana Morgana-chan?" She soon asked in a curious manner.
"Uh...give me a second." Morgana replied as he focused his gaze on the new Persona user. "Hm...Number 2. High Priestess." He soon revealed.
"What does that mean?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a symbol of hidden knowledge or other untapped power, wisdom, female mystery and patience." Morgana explained.
"What the eff does female mystery mean?" Ryuji got out in confusion.
"Well...girls have to have their secrets, right?" Ann guessed with a shrug. "Now come on, give us your phone number and IM." She then requested.
"Alright." Makoto replied with a nod before hesitating. "Hold on." She then started.
"What is it?" Yumi soon asked.
"My IM is probably compromised. Kaneshiro might be able to see my messages. I'm going to make a new account real quick." Makoto responded as she began typing on her phone for a bit.
Once she was done, she quickly gave the Thieves her contact info.
["Road2Queen" has been added to your contacts.]
Immediately, the other Shujin students blinked at the Chat ID as they then looked at the Student Council President.
"That's a pretty goofy name, senpai" Homura giggled out.
"I-It was the only thing I could think of!" Makoto got out in a flustered manner.
"Well, at least it's more creative than Homura S." Ann teased.
"I still feel violated from that..." Homura groaned out.
BZZT! BZZT!
Upon hearing that, the Student Council President of Shujin took out her phone and narrowed her eyes. "I just got a text message. 100,000,000 yen by July 9th or else." Makoto informed before turning it off. "They must've got my number while I was captured too." She then got out.
"Not even giving her a fighting chance...Probably a trap for her saviors..." Akira muttered out as he clenched his hands into fists. "Our deadline is July 7th to infiltrate the Palace and find the Treasure." He soon declared.
"So our deadline hasn't really changed then." Homura responded. "No rest for the wicked." She then added.
"And no rest for the Phantom Thieves." Akira added with a rebellious smirk.
"With the mafia after Makoto, we're gonna have to make sure they don't go after her or her sister." Morgana pointed out. "We may need one of our shinobis to watch over them just in case." he then stated.
"No, they'll definitely not go after Sis. The mafia may be powerful, but they aren't going to go after someone closely connected to the police. After killing my father, they must've become much more secretive." Makoto however responded in a serious tone. "Maybe it would be best if I sleep at one of the shinobi's places for a while, at least until we change Kaneshiro's heart." She then suggested.
Asuka then looked towards the light gray haired girl. "Yumi-chan?" She suddenly asked.
Yumi in response smiled softly to this as she already figured what the Vice Leader was suggesting. "I will gladly house Makoto-san for the time being. She will just need to create an excuse for her sister." She replied.
"Well, you're both Student Council Presidents and you need to study for college and such. The excuse can write itself." Akira stated.
"Y'know, I'm excited to take down the mafia but shit man, kinda puts into perspective what will happen if we fail." Ryuji admitted. "Makoto's basically goin' into Witness Protection or somethin' like that." He then added.
"All the more reason to hurry up and take Kaneshiro down." Yumi stated.
"You know it's really bad when going into witness protection is a way better situation than where she was a few weeks ago." Akira muttered out.
"Sorry..." Makoto once more apologized. "That stupid voice...it got to me and it was the reason all this happened with me attempting to blackmail you guys...and then Sis telling me I'm useless being the breakpoint for me..." She soon confessed.
"That was definitely your Shadow." Morgana stated. "There's nothing to be ashamed about. Everyone has their dark side and people do fall into it. What makes you a good person is digging yourself out of it. And now, you have full control of your Shadow - Your Persona: Johanna." He soon informed.
Makoto nodded before letting out a smile. "I was weak at the time...but not anymore." She soon replied. "Still, it was my actions and my thoughts. I will take responsibility for them." She then promised. "Homura-san, about the Student Council President position I mentioned..." She began.
"No." Homura interrupted in a blunt manner. "Mainly because one, I won't be here to take it next year, and two, I can't just take it if you could just give it up. There would have to be a reelection campaign, or the position is given to your runner-up and I do not like my chance if there was a vote. And three, I won't just leave my committee like that." She soon explained.
"Well...that seems to be running with my problem of not thinking things through." Makoto mumbled out.
"Curse you politics!" Akira suddenly called out in an over dramatic manner as he shook his fist at the ceiling.
"...Is he..." Makoto began to ask as she turned to the other Thieves.
"Yes." The Thieves bluntly answered before she could finish.
"...Just what am I getting into?" Makoto sighed out. Well, at least the rest of the year won't be boring.
"Welcome to the garden of madness." Akira soon declared with a smirk.
"Well...it certainly beats just studying for college." Makoto admitted. "Still, I am so gonna scare the principal into submission though." She however confessed with a gleam in her eyes.
"I wanna watch that." Akira admitted.
"Hey, record it for us." Ryuji requested.
"Gladly." Makoto replied with a rebellious smirk.
"Well...I guess our meeting's over." Akira breathed out as he looked at the time. "You better call your sister, Makoto. Yumi should probably go to your place and get your things just in case the mafia's watching over it." He soon advised and ordered.
"Probably a good idea." Ryuji agreed as everyone stood up and stretched.
"Oh goodness...I never slept over at anyone's house before..." Makoto awkwardly admitted.
"Well, I'll make sure to pack the essentials. Clothes, cleaning supplies and such. You might be staying until we take down Kaneshiro." Yumi soon instructed. "I hope you do not mind staying in Shinjuku right?" She then asked in concern.
"Well, that is rather far from Shujin," Makoto admitted. "Though I can accept it. I'll just have to wake up earlier than usual. Although, my student pass doesn't cover from Shibuya to Shinjuku." She then added.
"I will make sure you are alright while you are staying at my place." Yumi soon reassured. "We can even exchange tips on how we run our school." She then added.
"Sounds good." Makoto agreed.
"Makoto-senpai...after this is done, do you think we can visit your father's grave?" Homura soon requested.
"We'll all go." Makoto answered as she looked at the others. "If you're alright with going, that is." She then added.
"Hey, your father needs to see how many friends you've made." Ann got out as she nudged her senpai's shoulder. "Come on, it's getting pretty dark out. See you tomorrow at school?" She replied and asked.
"...Yeah. Definitely." Makoto replied with a nod, leaving with the ash blonde.
"We start preparing tomorrow and wait for the Leader's call." Morgana soon reminded and informed.
"Right. Good night everyone." Asuka got out.
"You too." Akira replied before everyone left the apartment.
The two roommates soon sighed as they were alone in their apartment.
"Finally! Makoto-senpai's part of the team!" Homura cheered. "And like I thought, she was a total badass!" She then declared.
"A rideable Persona...Do you think we'll see another Persona like that? Like a boat or maybe an air balloon?" Asuka wondered out loud. "Actually, couldn't Ryuji-kun ride on his if he wanted to?" She then got out in a curious manner.
"Probably, but I don't think he'll ride it well..." Homura then pointed out.
"Oh...Right..." Asuka got out in a sad tone. "I hope Yumi-chan and Makoto-chan are going to get along well." Asuka got out in concern.
"Eh, I'm sure they're gonna be fine Sis." Homura casually replied without any concern. "Now come on, we need to wash off the smell of dirty money and desperation off of us." She then suggested.
"...Desperation?" Asuka repeated in confusion before sniffing herself. "Huh, smells like ink and whisky." She then revealed as they went to the bathroom.
(Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc)
"Well, that was a thing." Akira breathed out as he laid on his bed. "Homura was right with Makoto becoming a member." He then admitted.
"Yeah." Morgana got out. "Despite Makoto being in serious debt and may or may not be killed or worked as a prostitute, things are way better than yesterday." He then added.
"Never a perfect awakening, huh." Akira sighed out.
"So, what are we doing tomorrow? Prepping for the Palace or diving in?" Morgana then questioned.
"Honestly, I'm thinking of visiting Takemi and Haruka tomorrow night." Akira soon confessed.
Morgana however narrowed his eyes to that decision. "Are you sure about that? Who knows what she's got planned." He asked and reminded in a serious yet concerned tone.
"Well, we need better medicine for the Palace and Haruka aren't selling those Blank Dolls for cheap." Akira stated as he changed into his pajamas. "Plus, I'm worried about Takemi and her research." He then added.
"Well that's understandable from what you told me." Morgana admitted with a sigh. "Just be careful around Haruka. Not just cause she's a Hebijo shinobi, but also that attitude of hers." He soon advised. "It just reminds me of one of those flirty older women from Shinjuku..." He then added.
"Hey, I wouldn't have a knife on me at all times if I wasn't careful." Akira assured. "And she does ever hurt anyone, I'll just go out of my way to ruin her life." He then declared.
"...Are you sure we can do that?" Morgana however asked.
"I dunno." Akira replied. "I certainly don't want to reveal she's a shinobi. Hm...maybe I should give her a dose of her own medicine. Or Takemi's medicine. I'm sure she'll need another guinea pig for her next drug." He then suggested.
"You really are a glutton for...whatever you do with your friends." Morgana soon remarked with a sweatdrop. "Are you actually trying to become friends with Haruka though?" He then asked.
"I try to be friends with anyone willing to give me a chance." Akira replied in a no nonsense tone. "Gotta at least try right?" He then added.
Morgana however sighed to that. "Just don't do anything too reckless, we got a lot to do from here on out." He then replied and reminded in concern.
"Don't worry. It's not like Haruka will kill me..." Akira replied. "...Well, at least Doctor Takemi will fix me up." He meanwhile thought to himself before heading to bed, but not before getting his phone.
(Shinjuku, New Moon Apartment Complex)
At the same time, the two Student Council Presidents of Shujin and Kosei had arrived at the apartment with a bag full of the Shujin President's stuff in tow.
"Your underwear is quite cute." Yumi giggled out in a teasing manner.
"Please stop..." Makoto mumbled in embarrassment with a scarlet blush on her face.
"But there is nothing to be ashamed of, I'm just making an observation." Yumi explained in a polite manner. "I also note that there is a rather worn Buchimaru-" She then began, however...
"E-Enough!" Makoto yelped out. "Just um...please unlock the door." She soon requested.
"Hm? Ah, right." Yumi got out as she got out her key and unlocked the door, letting the other girl in.
"It's...quite cozy." Makoto admitted as she looked at the apartment.
"It's small, I know..." "This is why I can't let Yusuke-san stay here."
"Well, a male and a female living in the same apartment together might give people the wrong idea." Makoto however stated.
"True, but I also live in Shinjuku, near the Red Light District, and with breasts my size I would be labelled as a whore or the like." Yumi replied and admitted with a sigh. "Which is why I tend to keep my address a secret despite my school know and respecting me more as someone strong-willed enough to live in that particular area." She then revealed.
"You are far from that though." Makoto declared.
"People may not think that, though." Yumi stated. "People can make assumptions about you without even meeting you, and their opinions can change in an instant, even if they're true or not." She then added.
"Spoken like a true leader." Makoto admitted in a impressed manner with a smile.
"Well, given how you experienced it yourself, I thought you would know this already." Yumi replied in a curious manner.
"I do." Makoto admitted once more with a nod. "But...the public can be a wall, and you can just keep screaming and screaming at it but all it does is bounce back." She then stated.
"We're not here to wax philosophy, we're here to settle you down here for the night." Yumi soon reminded.
"Right." Makoto breathed out before seeing the other girl take out her kitty panties. "Why is the first thing you take out is my underwear?" She then asked.
"It's...so soft...and cute..." Yumi confessed as her eyes sparkled.
"...Really? They aren't too childish?" Makoto meanwhile asked.
"Look, the only ones who would see it is yourself, other women in the changing room and maybe family members...unless you don't wear anything under your skirt and a breeze blows it up..." Yumi replied.
"That sounds like personal experience..." Makoto got out with a sweatdrop.
BZZT! BZZT!
Before anything else could be said on the matter, their phones began to ring. "Wow, that's different..." Makoto admitted as she pulled out her phone.
"It takes getting used to having friends contact you, right?" Yumi deducted. "Don't worry, I was like that too until recently. It is a welcoming change." She reassured with a smile as the two looked at the group chat.
[Shut7heFUp: Damn, motorcycles are cool...]
[Shut7heFUp: I wish my Persona was like that.]
[All4Painting: Yours is on a ship though.]
[Shut7heFUp: Dude, you kidding!? Motorcycles are way cooler than dumb boats! It'll be just like the song! "I'm a phantom, on a steel horse I ride..."]
[Negative8Degrees: I think those aren't the lyrics...]
[Road2Queen: Don't say such things. And for the record, I am most certainly not "wanted."]
[FireGirl20: Except in the Palace.]
[Road2Queen: That's an exception Homura-san.]
[TheWildJ0ker: And I don't think Captain Kidd will appreciate that.]
[Shut7heFUp: Dude, he's cool wiotbiejskbnjlfds]
[Shut7heFUp: Sorry about that. I had a brain fart for a second.]
[FireGirl20: Karma at its finest! XD]
(...)
[FireGirl20: ...Oh Goddammit...Wolverine could weaponise that...]
[Road2Queen: ...I'm...not going to ask...]
[TheWildJ0ker: For the sake of your sanity, don't.]
[Sweetkat06: Honestly, I'm mostly just surprised you know how to ride a motorcycle at all, Niijima-senpai.]
[Shut7heFUp: Do you got a license?]
[Road2Queen: A regular one, yes. I don't own a car or a bike though.]
[Shut7heFUp: Niceee...I can't wait to get my hands on one too.]
[SushiRoll23: Do you mind giving us driving lessons, Makoto-chan?]
[Road2Queen: I'm happy to help. Although, I don't think I have the time right now...]
[TheWildJ0ker: Prepare a will.]
[Sweetkat06: Wow, you're being mean today...]
[Road2Queen: That aside, mind if I change the topic for a moment?]
[All4Painting: What is the matter?]
[Road2Queen: I'm sorry, everyone. I know I'm not in any position to be saying that. I truly do...However, I must apologize. I was my actions that dragged you into this mess. On top of that, I misunderstood your true intentions in this. If only I could have realized what was happening to Suzui-san too...]
[SushiRoll23: Makoto-senpai, you aren't writing an essay. Relax.]
[Sweetkat06: Yeah. Come on, we don't need to talk about that now.]
[FireGirl20: Yeah, we'll clear things up later.]
[Negative8Degrees: It seems there are still lingering issues on everyone's minds.]
[Shut7heFUp: Now's not the time to be talking about that shit though! Don't we gotta be doing something about Kaneshiro?]
[Sweetkat06: He's right.]
[Road2Queen: Very well, I understand.]
[Road2Queen: Anyway, I will do my best to make sure I don't slow you all down.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Hey, you're the one speeding and revving us up now.]
[Sweetkat06: Ugh...you're gonna make motorcycle puns now, aren't you...?]
[TheWIldJ0ker: You can't stop me.]
[SushiRoll23: It's all on you, Joker! We're ready when you are!]
"So...Akira-kun is the leader of your merry band of thieves..." Makoto stated.
"Yes." Yumi replied with a nod. "He can use multiple Personas, you see. Although, I could see a little bit of jealousy in his eyes when you summoned Johanna." She explained and revealed.
"Hm...I see." Makoto responded with a nod of fascination before realizing something. "...Oh, right! Sae must be worried about me. I haven't seen her all day!" She then got out.
"It would be best if you contact your sister now Makoto-san." Yumi soon advised.
"Right." "Hopefully sis hasn't gotten any calls from the mafia...But I doubt she would be all that-"
"WHERE ARE YOU!?" They both heard Sae shout out, nearly overloading the speakers in Makoto's phone.
"...It seems like she's worried." Yumi whispered.
"S-Sis! I'm fine!" Makoto replied as she tried her best to calm her older sister. "...No, I would never run away! Look...I...I'm staying over with a friend for a while. We're both studying for university and it...it just sort became an on-the-spot decision." She soon explained. "...The address of where I'm staying at?" She repeated as her eyes drifted over to the light grey haired girl.
"You can tell her." Yumi whispered out.
"Um...I'm staying at the New Moon Apartment Complex." Makoto quickly anwered. "...No, I wouldn't dare go near the Red Light District. It's simply where she lives." She tried to placate her older sister, only for her to sigh.
"Is something wrong?" Yuna soon asked in concern.
"...My sister demands to talk to your parents." Makoto awkwardly informed, causing Yumi to wince.
"That...isn't possible..." Yumi responded. "...My parents passed away when I was eight." She then informed.
"...My condolences." Makoto replied in a soft tone. "But Sis will come here soon if she doesn't get a response from someone." She then stated in an urgent manner.
"...Hand me the phone." Yumi soon requested while holding her hand out.
Makoto blinked at the sudden request before handing the light grey haired girl her phone.
"Hello? Ms. Sae Niijima, my name is Tsukuyomi Tsukikaze." Yumi introduced herself over the phone in a more mature and formal tone. "I am my daughter's mother, Yumi Tsukikaze." She then got out.
"...What?" Makoto whispered as her jaw slightly dropped.
"...Oh, you're quite the flatterer Niijima-san, but I am indeed 38 years old." Yumi replied and reassured. "I apologize for not contacting you about this. I was at work when Yumi-chan asked me to let your daughter stay over." She soon apologized and explained. "...Oh, she's your sister! I-I do apologise! I-In any case, I'll be taking care of your little sister for a while. Yumi-chan desperately needs a study partner for college entrance exams and she thought it would be the best way. There is no need to worry." She then apologized and explained once more in a reassuring tone.
"How is she pulling this off!?" Makoto mentally exclaimed, amazed and a little scared at the display.
"...I'll be sure to update you if there's anything wrong with Makoto-chan. I need to go and prepare dinner right now. I'll hand the phone back over to Makoto-chan now." Yumi replied as she offered the phone back to her friend. "You're up." She then whispered.
"..." Makoto in response gulped as took her phone back and placed it to her ear, "...Yes? ...Yes, I'm over it. I promise. We made up. Don't worry Sis, I'll be fine, you continue with your work. I just won't be around to make dinner for a while." She replied before nodding. "...I...love you too Sis." She hesitantly replied as she hung up.
"Are you ok?" Yumi soon asked in concern.
"I'm...just a little nervous about this Yumi-san." Makoto admitted. "You...got away with lying to my sister..." She then got out in disbelief.
Yumi in response giggled in amusement to that. "A shinobi must be able to deceive anyone." She advised in a wise tone.
"...I-I've never lied to my sister like that before..." Makoto however admitted. "Is this going to be like this from now on?" She soon asked.
"We do a lot of unpleasant things to protect those we care for. A little white lie here and there won't hurt anyone in the long run." Yumi assured. "Now then, let's get you settled down for the night."
"Yes Mom." Makoto instinctively responded with a nod before blinking a couple of times. "I-I mean m-ma'am!" She soon corrected herself with a scarlet blush on her face.
Yumi however snorted in amusement to that. "Hehehe, sorry. I guess my act was a little too convincing." She got out.
"Y-Yeah..." Makoto awkwardly responded. "...And please stop studying my panties!" She soon requested in embarrassment.
"Sorry." Yumi replied in amusement as she placed them down.
Soon enough, Makoto's stuff was put into a nice little corner of the living room and after a few snacks, they decided it was time to prepare to sleep.
"I believe it would be more efficient if we wash up together, if that is alright with you Makoto-san." Yumi soon suggested in a no nonsense and mature tone.
"I-I...um...I'd rather do it privately, thank you." Makoto stammered out.
"Nonsense, we are both girls here Makoto-san," Yumi reassured. "I always bathed with my friends back at my old school before I began attending Kosei." She then revealed.
"Look, I'm sure you're comfortable with that but I'm not. Now can you please let me go and shower." Makoto soon requested.
"Hm, you never did it with your own sister?" Yumi soon asked in a curious tone.
"...Only when we were younger. B-But I grew out of that." Makoto replied in an awkward manner.
"I see." Yumi replied with a nod. "Very well then." She added as she headed into the bathroom.
Makoto let out a sigh before getting her school bag. She had a lot of homework to do and she wasn't willing to let that hang over her head while dealing with the mafia.
Now that she was more focused, she was able to finish it all by the time Yumi came out of the shower...in just a towel that barely covered her.
"Um...Yumi-san," Makoto stammered out with a hot red blush on her face. "A-Aren't you...ashamed at not covering yourself more around others?" She soon asked.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of. We're friends after all. Plus, we shinobi cannot afford to be ashamed given the nature of how we battle." Yumi replied and explained.
"...Shinobis are incredible..." Makoto soon confessed in amazement. "But also dangerous..." She then added.
"I can describe you as that now." Yumi countered. "A nuclear motorcycle is not something you see every day." She then reminded in amusement. "In any case, it would best if you go and wash up now." She soon suggested.
"Hai..." Makoto responded, almost forgetting about showering as she quickly got her pajamas and headed into the bathroom. It had been a long day so far as she ran the water and stepped in. "Ah~" She breathed out.
"Do you need help washing your back?" Yumi soon offered.
"No no, I'm alright..." Makoto responded in a relaxed tone while washing her hair. "But thank you for the offer." She then got out.
"It is not a problem. I'm just trying to be a good host and a friend." Yumi replied and explained.
"Well...maybe in a bathhouse or something of the like. The shower is too small for two people." Makoto suggested while getting the shampoo.
"Ah, I have the perfect place then." Yumi replied. "We can even invite Asuka-san and the other girls as well." She then added.
To that, Makoto smiled as she lathered her hair. "That would be nice." She admitted. "...I forgot to take off my headband again!" She got out.
Yumi however blinked to that. "...You...You wear a headband?" She soon asked in a confused manner. "I thought that was a braid!" She then confessed.
"...Maybe I should use a different color..." Makoto mumbled to herself as she finished her shower and turned off the water.
"In any case, your headband should dry off in the morning." Yumi replied while offering a towel.
"...T-This towel seems a bit small Yumi-san." Makoto got out as she wrapped the light blue towel around her, though it barely covered her body.
"Yes, and keeps getting smaller." Yumi sighed out. "I think it's because my bust size keeps growing." She then admitted.
"Or they shrunk in the wash." Makoto however deducted.
"...That is also a possibility." Yumi replied in a sheepish tone.
"...They are quite large though." Makoto admitted.
"Yes, I am aware of that." Yumi sighed out. "It's quite a bother at times, both personally and socially." She then revealed.
"Are more female shinobis like that?" Makoto soon asked in a curious manner. "I mean I'm surprised they don't damper your duties as one." She then added.
"It's only because of our intense training. Our spines would be in constant pain without it." Yumi replied and explained. "I pray you are never afflicted with the curse of shinobi." She soon confessed.
"I...I'll try to avoid it then." Makoto got out. "I mean it isn't going to happen any time soon." She then added.
Yumi in response giggled. "True." She replied in agreement. "Anyhow, you should finish drying off so we head to bed." She then advised.
Makoto simply nodded and started to do as such, however she noticed one thing after getting into her pajamas...
"I...I apologize for the single futon." Yumi apologized in an awkward manner as they both laid in it.
"...I feel like you're trying to recreate Asuka and Homura's living arrangement." Makoto soon stated in a slightly accusing manner.
"Not really. It is just that I was alone in this apartment for an entire year so far." Yumi then revealed. "I never made any real friends since I was so focused on my mission." She soon admitted.
"So how did you become the Student Council President at Kosei?" Makoto soon asked in a curious tone.
"Well, I held a rather strong and straight forward campaign that resonated with the other students." Yumi explained. "And when that didn't work as much as I hoped, I just manipulated the ballot." She then admitted.
Upon hearing that, Makoto's jaw dropped at how blunt and how casual she revealed that information.
Yumi however giggled to that. "I am only joking, Makoto-san, I won fair and square for the voting." She soon revealed. "I...actually gained a lot of support for the females at Kosei due to my well mannered ways and for the guys...my appearance." She then admitted.
Makoto in turn sighed in relief. "At least yours went rather well. I'm starting to think the principal manipulated the results of mine. Everyone in Shujin doesn't exactly like me..." She admitted in a shame filled tone.
Yumi in response to hearing that rubbed the other girl's head. "It is alright Makoto-san, things will turn around." She replied in a reassuring tone. "All you need to do is appeal to the other students and learn more about them." She then instructed.
"Hmm...appeal to the other students." Makoto repeated in a curious tone. "I'll have to consider it." She then replied with a nod. "But besides you and the others...everyone at Shujin still hates me..." She however sighed out.
"Then stop thinking about them." Yumi soon suggested. "You can't please everyone, and you can't help everyone. Who cares if people dislike you, as long as you have people who love and care about you they can all go-" She began rambling before stopping herself and calming down. "Ahem. Sorry, I mean...being a good person is a thankless job at times. Your reputation means nothing to the person you are." She soon apologized and explained.
"..." Makoto went silent before nodding. "You know Yumi-san...you're right." She admitted in agreement. "Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be my own person, not what everyone expects of me. Especially the principal." She then decided.
This caused the light grey haired girl to nod in approval with a smile on her face. "A wise decision Makoto-san. That is the first true step you must take." Yumi praised and advised.
"Right. Awakening to my Persona...makes me feel as though I really woke up now." Makoto replied and confessed.
"Hai, I had the same feeling I had at my awakening."
"How did yours go, anyways?"
Yumi in turn sheepishly scratched her cheek. "Ehehe, I unintentionally wandered into Madarame's Museum of Vanity, attacked the Thieves, got knocked out, got sick, then met Madarame's Shadow and well...awakened my rebellious soul." She soon revealed with an awkward giggle.
"Your awakening sounds way worse than mine." Makoto admitted. "I mean, you came to be acquainted with Madarame, correct?" She then deducted.
"Yes. I...I had my suspicions but...no, I knew something was going on but I refused to help." Yumi admitted in a shame filled manner.
This in turn surprised Makoto as she then gave a soft smile. "You and I are quite similar, huh?" She then got out.
"I guess so." Yumi admitted in agreement. "...Ah...I just remembered..." She then mumbled out.
"Hm?" Makoto hummed out while tilting her head.
"Nothing, you shouldn't worry about it." Yumi got out. "Hopefully, Yozakura-san won't come while you're here." She then mumbled to herself.
Makoto however heard that. "Oh, a friend of yours?" She soon guessed.
"Yes, from Gessen." Yumi replied. "She messaged me saying she will be coming for a visit since it has been a while." She then explained.
"Is that bad?" Makoto soon asked.
"I told you to not worry about it. I've got it covered." Yumi soon reassured.
"Wait...do you even know where she'll be staying?" Makoto however questioned in a more concerned manner.
"Most likely at one of the hotels or inn owned by the Good Shinobi Council." Yumi replied and explained.
"That seems a little...insecure..." Makoto got out. "I thought shinobi would stay in places like hidden bunkers or caves." She then added.
"Hiding in plain sight in places no one would expect." Yumi soon stated. "Plus being guarded by shinobi 24/7 doesn't hurt." She then added.
"Oh..." Makoto replied, becoming more and more fascinated by the shinobi system. Although, as much as she wanted to learn, she didn't want to spend all night talking and end up coming to school without a shirt again.
"Ah, it would best if we get to sleep now." Yumi soon suggested as she laid down. "Good night Makoto-san." She then informed while closing her eyes.
"Yeah...good night." Makoto replied with a nod of she did the same.
And when tomorrow comes, it would be the first day of her new life...as part of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
Save Game…Quit!
(Persona Tracking)
Joker
Level: 26
Personas: Arsene (Resist: Curse) (Weak: Ice, Bless), Jack Frost (Null: Ice) (Weak: Fire), Orpheus Picaro (Resists: Bless) (Weak: Electric, Curse), Ame-no-Uzume (Absorb: Fire) (Weak: Psy).
Persona Trait: Arsene- Last Stand (Allows use of ambush-only skills after Baton Pass), Jack Frost- Ice Lineage (Chance to halve costs of Ice skills), Kin-Ki- Avenger (Doubles damage from Counter Skills), Orpheus Picaro - Circle of Sorrow (Activates Endure up to 4 times), Ame-no-Uzume- Elec Bloodline (Decreases SP cost of Elec skills by half).
Skills: Eiga, Maeiga, Snap, Speed Master, Tarukaja, Bufula (X2), Mabufula, Ice Break, Baisudi, Rakunda, Freeze Boost, Recarm, Varja Blast, Rakukaja, Regenerate 1, Dodge Psy, Sledgehammer, Bad Beat, Counterstrike, Freila, Diorama, Mazio, Tentarafoo, Divine Grace, Shock Boost, Cadenza, Maragion, Matarunda, Endure, Agidyne, Matarukaja, Fire Boost.
Accessory: SP Adhesive 2 (Skill: Invigorate 2)
Yin
Level: 26
Persona: Kaeru (Resist: Earth, Fire) (Weak: Wind, Gun)
Persona Trait: Path of Light (Gain some HP when using support/healing skills)
Skills: Magnara, Media, Sukukaja, Lucky Punch, Mamagna
Confidant Rank: Rank 5
Accessory: Chakra Choker (Effect: +SP 10)
Yang
Level: 26
Persona: Wolverine (Resist: Physical, Gun, Fire, Wind) (Weak: Water, Earth, Bless, Psychokinesis)
Persona Trait: Path of Crimson (Gain some HP when using Physical/Magic skills)
Skills: Agi, Cleave, Gokuentou, Regenerate 1, Terror Claw, Triple Down.
Confidant Rank: Rank 5
Accessory: Yin Yang Pin (Effect: +Reduce Curse and Bless damage (Low))
Mona
Level: 25
Persona: Zorro (Resist: Wind) (Weak: Elec)
Persona Trait: Proud Presence (Increases effect of allies' healing skills)
Skills: Garula, Diarama, Patra, Media, Lucky Punch, Magaru, Me Patra
Confidant Rank: Rank 4
Accessory: Attachment Pearl (Null Forget)
Skull
Level: 25
Persona: Captain Kidd (Resist: Elec) (Weak: Wind, Earth)
Persona Trait: Raging Temper (Might increase allies' physical attacks by 40%)
Skills: Lunge, Zio, Tarukaja, Headbutt, Adverse Resolve, Rampage, Mazio, Bad Beat
Confidant Rank: Rank 6
Accessory: Rakshasa Belt (Attack Master)
Panther
Level: 25
Persona: Carmen (Resist: Fire) (Weak: Ice, Water)
Persona Trait: Mastery of Magic (May decrease SP cost of allies' magic skills)
Skills: Agilao, Dia, Dormina, Tarunda, Maragi, Dekaja, Fire Break
Confidant Rank: Rank 4
Accessory: Crimson Necklace (Fire Amp)
Fox
Level: 25
Persona: Goemon (Resists: Ice) (Weak: Fire)
Persona Trait: Scoundrel Eyes (High chance to evade Phys attacks for all allies.)
Skills: Bufu, Giant Slice, Sukukaja, Vicious Strike, Mabufu, Counter, Rising Slash
Confidant Rank: Rank 2
Accessory: Bold Eyepatch (Effect: +Evade Physical (Low))
Widow
Level: 25
Persona: Fūma (Resists: Ice, Water) (Weak: Fire, Curse)
Persona Trait: Dance of Justice (Chance to trigger a Baton Pass for the next ally when hitting a resistance.)
Skills: Bufula, Aqua, Ice Boost, Water Boost, Dazzler, Makajama.
Confidant Rank: Rank 2
Accessory: Engraved Dog Tag (Gun Boost)
Makoto
Level: 25
Persona: Johanna
Persona Trait: Gaia Pact (Increase allies' chance of inflicting Burn/Freeze/Shock by 25%.)
Skills: Frei, Mafrei, Vajra Blast, Diarama, Rakukaja, Makajama
Accessory: Black Tights (No effect)
Whew! Done! That's it for now! Hopefully it's cathartic enough! Next chapter, more confidants and genderbending!
UknownHero signing off, my friends!
