Whew! This chapter is long! Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona. This is a longer chapter than usual! 31K!
Senran Persona has a TV Tropes page! Also, check out the Ao3 version. It's been updated a lot! And have some mistakes corrected!
And that's it! This is long enough. Time to slay a god.
Load Game…Start!
Chapter 107: Progenitor
(9/5, Early Morning)
(Hebijo Academy, Elites Room)
Hikage woke up, petted Poochie, then got out of bed and put on her uniform like she did every morning for the last few months. Hebijo had actually become a little more peaceful these past few weeks. Of course, students still died, there were still screams in the night that would cause nightmares to civilians, and the coffee still sucked, but for the first time in years she felt like she could kick back and enjoy the sun...if the clouds were ever to part in this always dreary and miserable feeling atmosphere.
Now that she thought about it, that was completely unnatural in terms of the weather. But given their lives, strange weather wasn't the weirdest thing she's seen.
Also Imu was there, camping in front of her little sister's bedroom door as she had been for the past two weeks.
And of course, everyone else living in the Elites area couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to the girl.
"I made you breakfast, Imu-san." Yomi offered as she handed her a plate. "It's made from the finest ingredients available...for 400 yen including discounts." She soon informed.
"...Is that grass?" Imu bluntly asked as she studied the creation.
"I decided to splurge a little bit." Yomi confessed. "Do you know how hard it is to obtain such a luxury ingredient in this day and age?" She then questioned.
"...Ugh, buy real fucking food, dumbass." Ryōbi quietly deadpanned with her arms crossed and her expression discouraged.
"Well, you wouldn't eat beansprouts last night so this is the best non-beansprout dish I could make." Yomi responded as she handed the brunette her plate.
"...This is your best." Ryōbi pressed as she stared at the pile of crap on the plate.
"It's digestible." Yomi assured.
"That is not the goal!" Ryōbi called out. "...Well, maybe it's a goal for you. No one, even as mentally fucked as Ryōna-" She then started.
"Hello~" Ryōna greeted in a singing voice.
"Shut the fuck up, Ryōna. As fucked up as her will be willing to..." Ryōbi tried to continue before seeing the glasses-wearing blonde getting her chopsticks and doing a quick prayer. "...You're eating it." She deadpanned.
"I've eaten dried cockroaches and crickets." Imu informed as she chewed on the extremely chewy food. "This isn't the worst thing I've eaten." She then confessed before her gaze slowly turned towards the greenette.
"...Why are you looking at me?" Hikage asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Two words: Rat food poisoning." Imu answered with a glare.
"...That's three." Hikage corrected. "And the rat poison was mixed into Kool-Aid, not your eggs. It was your rice." She then added.
"Oh no, I've drunk way worse and you had nothing to do with it." Imu admitted with a shake of her head.
"Really?" Mirai asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, when the only source of liquid is dung from a-" Imu began to explain.
"Okay, I think I've lost my appetite." Ryōbi interrupted with a groan.
"Oh, so you didn't lose it at seeing my dish this time!" Yomi happily noticed with a smile.
"How did you even get grass? Most plant life around here is dead." Hikage questioned and reminded.
"Hey, we don't know if Haruka-san's last pet plant is still out there." Yomi pointed out before her eyes shifted away from her friends. "Watching us..." She then got out in a suspicious tone as she saw a purple and pink vine hide into the shadows.
"...And here I thought Gessen was full of weirdos." Ryōbi muttered under her breath.
"In any case Imu-chan, you've been here for the past two weeks. I don't think she's coming out." Yomi sadly pointed out.
"Yeah, for all we know, she could be dead inside." Mirai stated.
"We're all dead inside to some degree." Ryōbi spoke up as she patted her chest.
"Physically dead, not emotionally." Hikage corrected. "I should know." She then added.
"I won't accept that." Imu responded as she narrowed her eyes. "Murasaki is stronger than all of you combined, she needs more strength in herself. And I won't rest until she opens that door from her own volition." She then declared.
"Good morning, Onee-chan." Murasaki simply greeted as she appeared from around the corner with her luggage in tow, opened her door, muttered an apology for rudely interrupting whatever conversation they were having before sliding her door closed, all while everyone (except her own sister) stared unblinkingly.
"Hey Murasaki. Morning." Imu casually replied before turning back to the greenette. "Anyways, as I was saying-" She then continued.
"Hey, dumbass." Ryōbi however interrupted. "Who was that just now?" She soon asked in a blunt manner.
"Murasaki, of course. We were just talking about her." Imu off-handedly informed.
"...Uh...What the actual hell." Mirai muttered. "She had bigger boobs than Haruka-sama!" She mentally exclaimed in disbelief.
The blonde beansprout lover meanwhile opened her mouth, only for Hikage to place a hand on her shoulder and shake her head. "Let her figure it out by herself." She soon ordered.
"Let who figure it out by her- wait..." Imu asked, then faltered as she did an inner refocus of things on what just happened while trailing off her words. "...Was that Murasaki just now?" She eventually asked the second time.
"Shinobi reflexes and reaction time, everybody." Hikage got out in a flat tone.
Imu blinked...before scrambling over to the door and pulling it open. "MURASAKI!?" She screamed in disbelief.
The purplette jumped frantically in surprise. "WAH!" Murasaki yelped out.
CRASH!
...Before tripping over and landing in her giant pile of half-eaten instant ramen. "Moh! I-I can feel it wriggling!" Murasaki whined, feeling the wet noodles scaling over her body.
"Ack! This place is worse than a dump..." Mirai gagged as she pinched her nose close.
"Oi! She was gonna clean up before you all came in, ya loli chuuni!" Bebeby meanwhile remarked on the purplette's bed.
"C-Chuuni!?" Mirai exclaimed in an offended tone before pausing. "...Wait, did the bear just talk?" She then got out in disbelief.
"Murasaki, you...you..." Imu meanwhile tried to comprehend what just happened, however her mouth wasn't exactly cooperating right now due to everything she knew falling apart.
"So this is her." Hikage noted in a curious manner.
"U-Um...Hi?" Murasaki shyly greeted.
"You...You left your room." Imu realized as she processed this.
"H-Hai." Murasaki responded with a nod. "A while ago actually." She then corrected.
"W-Why?" Imu stammered.
"To go to Tokyo..." Murasaki mumbled as all the attention began to get to her.
"H-How...!?" Imu breathed out in disbelief, unable to comprehend this reveal.
"I asked." The purplette simply answered.
"You- You asked?!" Imu repeated in disbelief. "Since when!? From who!?" She then questioned in a frazzled manner. What the hell happened to her sister!?
"Um...two weeks ago from Suzune-sensei." Murasaki simply answered.
"Excuse me!?" Imu exclaimed with a squeak in her voice. "YOU'VE BEEN IN TOKYO FOR TWO WEEKS WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING!?" She then screamed.
"...Essentially." Murasaki responded with a nod.
"And...And you didn't tell me?" Imu questioned, eye still twitching.
"I...I didn't want to worry you." Murasaki mumbled, averting her eyes away from her sister.
"Well, you did." Imu groaned. "Damn, two weeks we could've spent actually talking..." She then stated.
"I...needed some time to train myself physically and mentally." Murasaki soon confessed. "I needed to be outside alone." She then added.
"Ahem." The plushie coughed.
"Erm...mostly alone." Murasaki corrected.
"And you used your trip to Tokyo as a means." Yomi concluded.
"Hai." Murasaki responded with a nod.
"So Suzune-sensei was the only one who knew?" Hikage soon questioned.
Imu's eye twitched. "Where is she?" She soon asked in a threatening manner, ready to give the teacher a piece of her bo staff.
"Right here." Suzune spoke up from behind the group, holding up a stack of papers that reached the ceiling.
"AHH!" Imu yelped out.
"Jeez, this place is messier than Magatsu...Ah, you've returned." Suzune got out in disapproval as she then adjusted her glasses, easily keeping the giant stack of papers steady with one hand.
"Hai, Suzune-sensei." Murasaki responded with a nod.
"How was your stay?" The teacher soon asked.
"Entertaining." Murasaki replied in a pleased tone.
"Why is no one telling me anything!?" Imu exclaimed as she clutched her hair.
"It was up to Murasaki to inform you of her departure." Suzune responded with a shrug. "It was her choice if she chose not to." She then added.
"I...I didn't think anyone would notice when I left and came back." Murasaki then admitted in a sheepish manner.
"Until you blatantly walked in front of us." Hikage pointed out.
"Bebe-tan thought it would be funny..." Murasaki informed.
"And it was extremely hilarious to me." Bebeby quipped in amusement.
"...Do you need to see a therapist?" Mirai asked in concern as the brunette snorted.
"Ryōbi, we will get one...eventually...if we have the budget." Suzune sighed as she shook her head. "God, everyone in this school needs a Narukami in their lives..." She couldn't help but think.
"That'll be the day." Ryōbi mumbled under her breath.
"So uh...is there any reason you're here right now other than scaring the shit out of us?" Ryōbi soon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. I would like to inform you all that Murasaki-san has finally decided to return to classes as an Elite candidate." Suzune announced.
"Please treat me well." Murasaki requested as she bowed to the group.
"EEEEEEEHHHHHHH!?" Imu meanwhile exclaimed.
"Murasaki, introduce yourself." Suzune soon ordered.
The purplette blinked and nodded before turning to the group. "I'm Murasaki, Imu's little sister. Erm...hi." She then introduced herself a little awkwardly. She was pretty sure they all knew who she was.
"Little she says..." Mirai and Ryōbi enviously grumbled at the sight. At least they have better asses than her.
"Yo." Hikage greeted with a peace sign.
"Arf!" The puppy meanwhile barked out.
"And this is Poochie. Their..." Imu began before trailing off. "...M-Mascot? Um...Ninken?" She then started.
"Yes." Hikage simply answered.
"Hi there." Murasaki eventually greeted.
"Arf!" Poochie barked out.
"Hello there." Yomi responded with a pleasant wave. "Are you a fan of beansprouts?" She soon asked.
"They go well with my ramen...so I do find them delicious." Murasaki replied and admitted with a nod.
A gleam soon appeared in the blonde's eyes while giving a thumbs up of approval.
"Oh, she's definitely the freak that made that beansprout patch from the hideout..." Bebeby deadpanned.
"...I-Is no one paying attention to the talking teddy bear?" Mirai spoke up with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh! Did they finally grow!?" Yomi asked in anticipation with a starry look in her eyes.
"Hai." Murasaki responded with a nod.
"Way too much." Bebeby added. "Pink too." The plushie revealed.
"...Pink?" Hikage and Mirai repeated with raised eyebrows.
Yomi meanwhile still had the starry look in her eyes . "Beansprout supremacy is at hand, my dear friends." She got out.
"Didn't you get into wanting to cook other foods though?" Ryōbi bluntly reminded with a sweatdrop.
"That does not mean I will abandon the way of the sprout." Yomi responded.
"Should've guessed." Hikage and Ryōbi sighed out.
"Hello~" The blonde first year meanwhile greeted. "I'm Ryōna. Will you punish me~?" She then introduced herself and asked.
"U-Um...I get the feeling I'd rather not know you." Murasaki admitted as she stepped away from the masochist.
"Aaaahhhnnnn~" Ryōna moaned, the pain of rejection stabbing her heart.
"Oh shut it, ya bimbo." Bebeby remarked.
"Smart move." Hikage and Ryōbi deadpanned at the same time.
"Is there a voice box in there? Or is it possessed?" Mirai questioned as she began feeling up the plushie.
"The only thing in me is fluff and anger that's slowly rising." Bebeby stated, quickly causing the eyepatch-wearing girl to back away.
"Wait, why do you have that giant stack of papers then?" Ryōbi soon asked before turning to see several more stacks outside the door.
"This is her catch-up homework." Suzune informed in a clear and concise manner.
"...My what?" Murasaki got out in confusion and worry.
"You haven't attended a class since you started attending Hebijo." Suzune reminded. "You are essentially a civilian who has just started training as a shinobi by our standards. If you wish to graduate in a reasonable amount of time, consider yourself an Elite, or not die, I suggest you start now." She then advised before...
THUD!
The floorboards cracked under the weight of paper dropped in front of Murasaki's room as the wind caused all their skirts to flip up, revealing everyone's panties...except for Ryōna, who wasn't wearing any to begin with.
"You have one week before all of this is due. Then we can work on your physicality. And then we'll if you're even fit for missions." Suzune informed, taking a moment to grab the purplette's arm and frowned. "And lay off the junk food. Have a good day, everyone." She then got out in a polite tone before taking her leave.
Murasaki, still smiling, sobbed as tears fell down her eyes in a steady stream.
"Motherfucker..." Bebeby meanwhile swore. "I guess you ain't playing that new game anytime soon...or do anything other than hitting the books." She then stated.
"I think she implied you're fat too~" Ryōna happily added.
"Please don't spell it out for me..." The purplette groaned. "...Is it too late to take back what I said...?" Murasaki mumbled in depression.
"...I wanna be her when I grow up." Ryōbi admitted, sparkles in her eyes as she watched the teacher leave. Not only did she hurt someone without touching them, but both her boobs and booty were amazing...
"In your dreams, washboard." Bebeby remarked.
The flat-chested brunette whipped her towards the bear plushie with a dumbfounded look before feeling the urge to whip out her rifle with gritted teeth. "HAAAAAH!? Can you say that again for me, you fucking toy!?" She screamed in anger with a fire in her eyes.
The purplette however grabbed him and clamped the plushie's mouth shut. "S-Sorry! Bebe-tan doesn't know when to be quiet..." Murasaki soon apologized while bowing rapidly.
"How is she even doing that?" Mirai meanwhile muttered with a raised eyebrow.
"Arf! Arf!" Poochie barked out as she looked at the purplette.
Murasaki soon kneeled down and began petting the puppy with her free hand. "Yosh, yosh." She got out with a smile.
"Looks like Poochie approves." Hikage stated with a nod.
"Anyone can be charmed by Poochie-chan though." Ryōbi reminded.
"Is this really all the work she missed? No one is that thorough enough to keep track of everything from since she got accepted to now, right?" Mirai eventually questioned as she went through a few of the papers. "...I just realized how dumb that sounded." She then muttered.
"Hebijo staff are talented in pettiness." Hikage got out.
"Was Haruka-oneesama only being nice when she complimented my muscles...?" Murasaki soon wondered under her breath.
"What was that?" Mirai got out with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing." Murasaki responded.
"Everyone stop talking to her!" Imu suddenly shouted out before turning to her sister. "We only have a week to complete all this work, so we need to get started now." She then got out in a commanding manner.
"We?" Murasaki repeated as she blinked a couple of times.
"Yes. I'm helping you." Imu stated as she put her hands on her hips. "You're not going to finish by yourself in time, and I am not letting you become a shut-in again. I'll teach you the material the best I can while filling out a few answers for you." She then added.
"Eh?" Murasaki got out, surprised and confused to hear that.
Imu nodded before accidentally breathing through her nose, causing her to gag. "But first, we need to clean this place up." The glasses-wearing girl coughed out. Weeks old, half-eaten food wasn't exactly great for a study environment. "...Is that pizza supposed to be green?" She eventually asked.
"It was supposed to be an ice cream pizza, actually..." Murasaki answered a little too casually.
"...Good to know." Imu muttered before turning to the others. "Thank you for all your help. Now, please get out of here."
"What?" Mirai got out in a dumb tone.
"OUT!" Imu demanded before kicking everyone else out of the room before shutting the door and locking it.
"...I think she's going to be a shut-in for a few more days..." Yomi stated in a flat tone.
"At least she's gonna be out more when she's finished." Hikage pointed out.
"We should get to class now." Yomi soon suggested.
"Yeah..." Mirai sighed out.
"Can't wait to go to Tokyo, for sure~!" Ryōna meanwhile happily declared.
"Uggghh..." Ryōbi groaned as she palmed her face. "Fucking pig..." She then breathed out in annoyance.
That made Hikage, Yomi, and Mirai watch as the twins went on ahead.
"She's really going to Tokyo, isn't she?" Hikage stated with a passive expression as always.
"Maybe we should pray for Akira-nii's sake..." Mirai soon suggested. "...I wonder how he's doing?" She then asked.
"Should we contact him after classes are done for the day?" Yomi questioned in a curious manner.
"We'll contact Haruka first." Hikage stated. "We need to give her an update on the current situation." She then explained.
"Good call." Yomi agreed with a nod. "Now let's get to our classes, stat." She then got out, the rest of the squad nodding before heading out.
(Tokyo, Train)
Akira had a flat expression as he was pressed up against the window. "Asuka...your hand?" He told her, repressing certain thoughts given his current situation right now.
"I know." Asuka got out, blushing as she tried to avoid clutching onto his...hard thing.
"Why can't people enter trains in an orderly fashion?" Homura grumbled before being moved around as some asshole decided that this train car wasn't for him.
"The Phantom Thieves have been so popular lately!"
"What is the Phan-Site?"
"Ooh, they have new merch!"
"We have merch?" Homura whispered with a frown.
"Please don't have a store page on the site, Mishima..." Akira groaned as he pinched his nose and shook his head.
"The Phantom Thieves are amazing..."
"I mean, even the harshest TV commentators are praising them. A lot of celebrities are talking openly about the Phantom Thieves."
"The Phantom Thieves fight for the people! Anyone opposed to them is just behind the times. Just look at that Akechi kid. He's catching a ton of shit for what happened with Medjed."
"Justice can't exist so long as the Phantom Thieves do...Big talk from someone who can't even catch them. Even politicians are claiming the Phantom Thieves are dangerous...They're all full of hot air, though. The Phantom Thieves are totally trustworthy."
"Looks like people are coming around to us..." Morgana remarked. "It's encouraging." He then admitted.
"They believe in us, but are they going to take action like us?" Homura however questioned with a frown.
Suddenly, the train shook and caused several people to stumble around despite the tight space...including the Thieves.
BOING! SMOOSH!
"...Afthuka?" Akira got out, his voice muffled by the tan skinned girl's boobs.
"I know." The Vice Leader whimpered. "Homu-neechan?" She began while looking at her sister.
"Sorry, Akira." Homura whispered in a sympathetic tone, not minding the Leader's face on her breasts. "Just endure it for a while." She then advised, hopefully no one inside the train would notice this.
For Homura, at least it was someone she knows very well instead of some random stranger, otherwise, there would have been a news report about attempted murder inside the train sooner or later.
For Asuka, however, she did not want to think about where her hand was for the rest of the trip.
(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy Front Gate)
Asuka and Homura soon met up with the other girls in their group after they got off the train and started having conversations about whatever was on their minds (other than the earlier train incident). Currently, the girls were talking about old shows they used to watch.
"I dunno, I really liked that one with all the rocks and alien girls." Ann admitted with a smile. "You know, I don't know if it's my memory or not but those girls bounced a lot and their outfits were kinda...inappropriate." She then muttered to herself.
"Ooh! I loved that show!" Asuka got out. "The moon was scary though...it had a really off-putting face." She then confessed while cringing.
"Oh I've always wanted to shoot down that moon!" Makoto freely admitted. "Hanging in the sky like that...Mocking me..." She soon growled.
"...You worry me sometimes, senpai." Homura confessed with a sweatdrop.
"What shows did you watch as a kid, Homura?" Ann soon asked in a curious tone
"Well...there was Shin-chan, Popee The Performer, Surviving Edged Weapons, Arsonist's Guide to Pyromancy, The Worldful World of CBT & CUT Interrogation Tactics for Toddlers..." Homura casually listed off as her friends grew more and more freaked out.
"Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion. She never heard of Popee.
"I know. The lessons they taught aren't relevant these days, but I remember Shin-chan was fun to watch after training when I could get away with watching TV." Homura sheepishly got out while blushing a little.
"C-CUT?" Ann repeated with a raised eyebrow.
"Cervi-" Homura began to inform automatically without much thought.
"That's all I need to know." The ash blonde instantly interrupted, protecting her already fragile mind.
Meanwhile, Akira was hanging back alone, hands inside his pockets while practicing his eavesdropping skills by listening in on the various conversations going on around him. While he heard the usual gossip and Phantom Thieves stuff, a lot of people were talking about the exposé on the principal and his crimes.
The Leader couldn't help but frown. He was expecting a lot more parents and cameras to be here.
"Everyone knows about the cover-up." A random student got out as he talked to his friend. "It's no big deal anymore." He then added.
"You know what is a big deal? My Gun About rank going up." His friend responded, sounding slightly proud.
"Gun About: The Super Real? That's the one with the gun-shaped controller, right? Everyone's talking about it." The random student then spoke.
"Yeah, the multiplayer's sooo good. The arcade on Central Street has it. So does the one in Akihabara." His friend replied, remembering that moment. "You should give it a try sometime. I played against someone really good the other day...I couldn't land a single shot on them." He then added.
"Must be the cheater then." Akira thought with a frown. "So many requests. We'll need to explore Mementos today." He then muttered as the Thieves finally arrived at school.
(9/5, Afternoon)
(Gymnasium)
Akira blinked as he looked around the gym. It was still covered in red paint and stuff, but the floor had been cleaned. It felt weird being here.
"Huh, this is actually our first real gym class." Homura realized as she adjusted her gym attire.
"Without Kamoshida breathing down our necks and looking down our shirts." Ann added with hands on her hips.
"Actually...in general for me and Homu-neechan." Asuka corrected.
"What do you mean? Like...civilian gym classes?" Akira whispered.
"Meaning we haven't had a real gym class since we first started Shujin." Homura responded. "We went to the volleyball rally and that was the only time we ever changed into these." She then added, gesturing to her and her stepsister's gym attires.
"Moh...mine was all dusty..." Asuka muttered as she wiped her uniform, showing some of the remaining dust as an example.
"No wait, there was at least a week before we stole his Treasure. We had a gym class then, right?" Ann pointed out before rubbing her head in frustration.
The three founding thieves soon looked at one another before shaking their heads. "Nope." They responded in unison.
(Fast Forward)
"Is this really that important?" Sae questioned with a sweatdrop.
"Give me a moment, Niijima-san. I'm trying to remember if we ever actually had a gym class before." Akira insisted before closing his eyes. "So, the volleyball rally was on April 13th, and we stole his heart on the 26th, then the next day sensei informed us that gym was being replaced with free periods so that's...13-14 days...wait, that's the potential for two gym classes..." He then muttered to himself while racking his brain.
"Has this bothered you since then?" Sae asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Akira bluntly answered.
Sae sighed in slight annoyance. "Just skip to the actual gym lesson already." She then demanded in an impatient tone.
"Alright, alright. Bossy, bossy..." Akira grumbled with a pout as he continued.
(Rewind)
"Alright, students. Welcome to your first gym class since the...unfortunate circumstances that befell my predecessor." Daidōji got out as she stepped in front of the students in a decent authoritative manner with crossed arms under her large chest.
"Fuck Kamoshida!" One student suddenly yelled out.
"Yeah, fuck his ass!"
"I hope he's been dropping the soap in prison!"
"Soap?" Asuka innocently repeated in a whisper.
"I'll explain later, Asuka-chan." Ann offered with a sweatdrop and a blush. "Homura too." She then added.
"No. I got it." Homura assured. "And that's not funny. You do not joke about that type of stuff." She then stated seriously.
"Eh?" Asuka innocently got out in confusion.
"All three of you who yelled at the start, detention." Daidōji meanwhile casually stated. "Do not interrupt me. Anyways, before we begin, I've been required by the principal to tell you..." She then informed before pulling out several papers from her cleavage and began reciting the legal jargon and warnings on it.
"Is she gonna have to read that every time?" Akira whispered to his friends.
"The principal has to cover his ass somehow, and he's making every teacher do it for him." Homura grumbled as she mentally tuned out for the next three minutes.
"Blah blah blah...by participating in gym class you have legally accepted that this is for your health...blah blah blah..." Daidōji soon started before she threw the papers away, already sick of reading off a script. "Ah, screw it, just don't sue us and everything will be fine." She eventually simplified.
"Can we get to dodgeball now!?"
"Detention." Daidōji droned out with a sigh. "And that's after you all return from Hawaii." She then revealed.
"Is Asuka the Nutbuster gonna return?" Mishima joked as he raised his hand on instinct.
"You actually raised your hand. You get water instead of juice later." Daidōji remarked.
"Aw..." The generic boy then whined.
"Oh dear god, don't tell me that's a thing..." Asuka mentally pleaded.
"However, before we begin our activities, we'll have a daily question to ask to ensure that all of you have been studying." Daidōji soon announced, causing the class to get worried. "After all, a strong body and a weak mind will never survive out there in the world. Kurusu!" She soon called out.
Akira suddenly felt a rush of fear, different from the usual fear he would feel everytime he dived into the Metaverse. "Yes, m-ma'am?" He stammered out.
"What was the year that had the first ever Olympics here in Japan?" Daidōji questioned.
"Huh, a topic on point with the class." Akira thought before taking a moment to think. "Uh...the summer of 1964. It was also the first Olympics in Asia as well." He soon answered.
"..." Daidōji remained silent before quickly pulling out her phone to review her notes. "...Correct. We also won 16 gold medals that year." She then informed.
"She didn't know it already...?" The students thought with a sweat drop.
"However, simply remembering dates can only get you so far." Daidoji soon got out before pointing at the Vice Leader, who squeaked as soon as everyone's attention was on her. "Shirokage?" She then got out in a lower, more commanding manner.
"Yes, senp-sensei?" Asuka responded, blushing at her near blunder.
"What's it called when you gain more muscle after getting sore through exercise?" The teacher questioned.
"Overcompensation. Easy." Asuka answered instantly.
"That is right. If you rest for a couple of days after getting muscle soreness, you'll have more muscle than you started with! If you use this to your advantage, you can gain muscle efficiently." Daidōji responded with a nod of approval. "So, we will do just that for the next hour or so. Afterwards, I'll let you rest before your next class begins." She then stated in a slightly kinder tone.
"No pain, no gain huh." Homura remarked with a smirk.
"Correct, Shinkukage. But since you spoke out of turn, you'll be doing an extra 12 laps." Daidōji then got out in an impressed manner.
"Eh?" Homura got out in surprise.
"20 LAPS AROUND THE GYM NOW BEFORE A PACER TEST AND A TWENTY MINUTE WALL SIT AND THEN WE'LL BREAK FOR JUICE!" Daidōji suddenly screamed before getting her custom-made whistle.
TWEEEEEET!
"Y-Yes, sensei!" Homura responded as she went at it.
"I didn't ask you to respond, I asked you to GO!" Daidōji shouted out. "EVERYONE GO NOW!" She then ordered.
And with that, the students scrambled to their feet and started doing their laps.
"Wow, this already hurts." Akira admitted as he looked back at the other students in their class that were falling behind.
"Asuka-chan...I'm scared." Ann squeaked in a nervous manner.
"Me too." Asuka replied, whimpering along with her fellow Thieves as the teacher cracked her knuckles, her intimidating aura never fading as the class went on.
(Hebijo Academy, Elites Room)
"Are these classes getting easier, or am I getting stronger?" Yomi wondered with a smile as the Crimson Squad headed into the room.
"That's because you're getting something called nutrition into your diet." Hikage deadpanned as she spotted Poochie napping on the floor. It seemed like she tuckered out from amusing herself while they were out. "Good girl. Rest up." She soon praised and encouraged.
"Why are you encouraging her to keep sleeping? That'll only wake her up." Mirai pointed out.
"Suki Suki Daisuki~!"
"...That's your ringtone?" Hikage got out with a raised eyebrow.
"I-I thought I'd put that on vibrate!" Mirai stammered as she fumbled with her phone. "Ah! It's Haruka-sama!" She soon informed.
"Oh! An update?" Yomi assumed in a curious manner.
Meanwhile, Hikage was petting a sleeping Poochie while the youngest of the group set up the video chat. "Seems like it." She replied.
Soon enough, Haruka's face was on the phone. "Hey, Haruka-sama!" Mirai soon greeted.
"Hello, Mirai! I'm currently on my break right now. There's a really nice ice cream shop in Shibuya that I just had to try." Haruka greeted before scooping some ice cream with her spoon and popping it into her mouth. "Mmm~ it's like an orgasm every lick!" She soon revealed in satisfaction.
The other girls couldn't help but notice in the background several people staring at the busty blonde.
"That's...one way to say it." Yomi confessed with a sweatdrop.
"You guys should really come here again. There's a nice little spot by a window with a lovely view of the sun. It's great." Haruka suggested and revealed with a smile.
"Unlike here where it's always cloudy." Hikage bluntly reminded with envy. "Poochie hasn't seen sunshine since..." She then began before pausing with an eye twitch. "...Oh my God, I don't remember the last time I've seen sunshine." She eventually confessed.
"Um...well here's the sun." Haruka awkwardly offered, pointing the camera on her end towards the sun.
"Aaaaahhhh..." Hikage, Mirai, and Yomi breathed out pleasantly, seeing the sunshine through the phone and imagining such an experience of sunshine hitting on skin after a long while.
The greenette's eye however then twitched in frustration. "This isn't the same Haruka!" Hikage soon declared in annoyance. "Please tell me when we're-" She then began.
"When we're what?" Ryōbi suddenly asked, passing by them with an ice pop in her mouth.
"Um...going to the beach?" Mirai awkwardly responded.
"Actually, I don't give a shit, I just wanted to waste your time a little." The sadist admitted before continuing on her way to her room. "...The beach does sound good though..." She then muttered to herself.
"...Please tell me when we're blowing this place up." Hikage whispered in growing frustration.
"In due time." Haruka replied in an assuring tone.
"In due time, she says." Hikage repeated with a sigh. "We've been ready to go since we decided this thing. All we need is a plan and to have the Yoke technique removed. Do you have either of those things taken care of yet?" She then stated and questioned.
"...No, but I am working on it." Haruka responded.
"Haruka-sama..." Mirai got out in concern.
"I-I-It's just that I've been busy and-" Haruka stammered as she tried to explain.
"Don't you want us to be free...or do you just want to enjoy your freedom?" Hikage asked with narrowed eyes.
"...I've been busy researching a cure for cancer. Sue me..." Haruka muttered with a frustrated twitch in her eye.
"...Cancer?" The trio repeated in disbelief.
"Yes. And it's been a very, very frustrating process. But we're getting there. Just...it needs at least a couple more years of research." Haruka insisted in a tired tone, but it only caused her teammates to feel even more annoyed.
"We'll be dead by then." Mirai however got out. "Screw that, I wanna leave now!" She then declared.
"Don't you know how much this would help the world!? I need to focus on this!" Haruka insisted, sounding a little desperate to keep her teammates from turning on her.
"But what's the point if we can't experience the world ourselves." Hikage pointed out with a glare. "I know we're being selfish here but...we can either do this with or without you." She then stated.
"I...I...I just need a little more time..." Haruka pleaded.
"And how much time would that be?" Yomi questioned. "We don't need promises, we need answers. We need action. And if you can't provide that, then what was the point of even talking about this in the first place?" She then stated and questioned.
"It's...a little girl's grandfather is dying, and I...I couldn't let her-" Haruka hesitantly responded and began to explain, however...
"People die all the time, Haruka-san." Yomi however reminded. "As cold as that may be, it's a natural part of life. Plus...this also implies you'd rather help a complete stranger than your friends." She then stated.
Just as the blonde was beginning to feel guilty due to everything being thrown at her, something hit her. "...Hold on, am I doing all the work here?" Haruka suddenly realized.
To that, the trio blinked and glanced towards one another before sweating a bit.
"...I-I am, aren't!?" Haruka soon accused in an offended tone as she then noticed the three wincing. "Why aren't any of you guys making your own plans!? Oh, is it because I'm outside and essentially exiled from the school, is that it!?" She then questioned and accused once more as her eye began twitching.
"H-Haruka-sama..." Mirai stammered, never for once seeing the third year blonde of their group like this.
"And while you're all back in there doing nothing, I'm out here actually making a difference in the world without needing to kill anyone! And now you have the gall to have me plan out an entire betrayal plan by myself, when I have barely any time to even eat more than takeout most nights." Haruka soon muttered as she processed this information.
Hikage opened her mouth to speak, however...
"DON'T YOU DARE INTERRUPT ME!" Haruka loudly ordered. "I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE HAVING PEOPLE RELY ON ME FOR EVERYTHING! JUST BECAUSE I'M THE ONLY ONE OUT HERE DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING! SNEAK OUT! LEAVE! CUT OUT THE SKIN THAT HAS THE GODDAMN TECHNIQUE ON IT! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I DESERVE THIS FUCKING RANT BECAUSE...BECAUSE...I'm so tired..." She complained and rambled before finally finishing her rant and slamming her forehead...right into her ice cream.
PLOP!
Haruka then slowly raised her head, the cup stuck on her forehead. "...I...I may have lost it a little back there." She soon confessed as the ice cream melted down her face.
"...Ok yeah, you deserve that rant." Hikage admitted. "We really abused your trust, huh?" She assumed.
"Yes. A little." Haruka responded. "We need to work together as a team. For real this time." She then stated.
"H-Hai..." Mirai replied in agreement. "I guess we've been fragmented for so long, we forgot why we work so well together." She then admitted.
"...If only Homura-chan was here..." Yomi muttered.
"Heh, if she was around, she would've gotten us out months ago." Hikage remarked in amusement.
"Well...she's not here or aware of what we're going to do. We're shinobi, we can fight our own battles." Haruka declared.
"Speaking of which, have you heard about anything she is doing?" Hikage soon asked.
"Well, thanks to darling, I learned that Homura-chan's class is going on a school trip on Wednesday." Haruka revealed. "And get this, it's to Hawaii of all places." She then added.
That trio's eyes soon widened upon hearing that. "S-So...expensive!" Yomi snapped in disapproval...before being smacked over the head by the greenette. "Ow!" She yelped before pouting with a puffed up cheek while rubbing the sore spot.
"Why is everyone but us getting sunshine...?" Hikage grumbled under her breath as she petted the sleeping puppy between her breasts to calm herself down.
"HUH!? She's going to Hawaii!? Right after summer vacation!?" Mirai exclaimed in a whiny tone.
"Hai, it was a surprise to me too when I learned about it." Haruka responded.
"Guess the principal's trying to save face after his own screw-ups." Hikage guessed while petting Poochie, who was resting in between her bust like usual.
"Hai, I would say I'm envious to hear that Homura-chan and darling are going on such a trip, but knowing it's just a means for their principal to try and have less witnesses testify against him somewhat sullies it." Haruka soon admitted.
"...It would be the perfect time to kill him though..." Hikage pointed out.
"Don't be ridiculous. Who would kill someone as pathetic as him?" Haruka responded and questioned. "He's not worth the effort. Let the media coverage and a rope take care of him. From what I've heard about him, he cares a lot about his reputation and with it gone, he's got not much left to live for." She then stated.
"...Yeah, you're right." Hikage replied in agreement before they all blinked upon what they just decided. "Huh, we're deciding to not want to kill someone. I think that's a first for us." She then realized.
"The best way to kill someone is to never be involved." Yomi stated.
"...I think we're changing for the better?" Mirai noted, unsure if that was the right term.
"Well, the next step up is becoming Phantom Thieves." Haruka joked.
"That'll be the day." Hikage giggled in amusement.
At that moment...
"Whew, finally finished cleaning my room and showered." Murasaki breathed out in relief as she entered.
"Aren't you supposed to be doing your homework?" Hikage reminded.
"This might be the only time I'll be outside for a while, so I'm taking a moment to take it all in." Murasaki responded as she took in a deep breath and sighed with relief.
"Ah, you made it back, Murasaki-chan." Haruka happily and pleasantly got out in relief.
"Hai. Good day Haruka-oneesama." Murasaki responded and greeted with a bow with a smile on her face.
"...What did she just call Haruka-sama?" Mirai questioned.
"...Oneesama?" Murasaki repeated before poking her fingers together. "P-Please don't tell Onee-chan..." She soon requested.
The loli soon glared at the purplette in an envious manner. "I'm watching you..." Mirai growled while doing the eye thing popular girls did in older movies.
"So you two met up." Hikage stated.
"Hai. I happened to stumble upon her at the Hebijo Base while going to check on Yomi-chan's sprouts." Haruka replied and confirmed. "They're doing really well, by the way. I need to build a second box to fit them all." She then informed.
"Well that's a relief." Yomi breathed out.
"Why do you have an ice cream cup on your forehead?" Murasaki meanwhile noticed.
"Huh?" Haruka got out in confusion before suddenly tasting vanilla on her lips. "Whew, not all of it is melted..." She breathed out before getting a napkin to wipe her face.
"So...what were you guys talking about?" Murasaki soon asked in a curious manner.
The trio soon began to sweat. They could not answer truthfully here. "Ah, we're just talking about...a friend." Yomi responded.
"Akira Kurusu-kun, I'm assuming?" Murasaki guessed.
"Eh?" The trio got out.
"You know about him?" Hikage guessed.
"He was really nice." Murasaki confessed with a smile and a blush on her face.
"...Just nice?" Mirai repeated with a raised eyebrow.
"She fell for-" Bebeby began before the plushie's mouth was covered instantly but the scarlet faced purplette.
"...Why is everyone wanting to fuck him?" Hikage bluntly asked with a flat look on her face.
"Hey!" Mirai exclaimed in an offended manner with a red face. "I-I don't think of Akira-nii like that!" She then declared.
"I was just saying in general." Hikage countered with a raised eyebrow. "Mirai...?" She then got out in confusion.
"Moh! Akira-nii is Akira-nii to me!" Mirai soon declared while flailing her arms in a rapid manner.
"I...I don't want to do anything to him..." Murasaki denied as she blushed shyly. "He...treated me more like a person than my own family..." She then confessed.
"...So you had it rough and he helped you out in some way too, huh?" Hikage simplified, a smirk on her face.
"Hai." Murasaki responded with a nod. "And...I also know what you're going to do." She then confessed, getting the trio's attention.
Instantly, the trio pulled out their kunai. "So...are you an enemy or an ally?" Yomi eventually asked in a serious tone.
"Girls, calm down." Haruka suddenly ordered, getting their attention as they looked at the screen. "Murasaki-chan has known for a while even before coming to Tokyo." She soon revealed.
"Ehhhh...?" The girls got out in surprise.
"I...eavesdrop sometimes. Sorry..." Murasaki responded and apologized. "You guys talk a lot about random things. I even know about Mirai-chan training-" She then stated and started to reveal.
"No one needs to know about that!" Mirai quickly declared, once more flailing her arms in a panic.
Murasaki then blushed. In all honesty, she actually discovered that by sniffing her laundry. "It's...actually how I heard about Akira-kun...and became curious about him..." She then confessed.
"...You went to Tokyo hoping to meet him..." Yomi breathed out in realization.
Murasaki in turn nodded. "Hai...it helped me realize I needed to change...and I discovered things about myself I never expected to learn." She responded in determination. "Lessons I will never forget thanks to Akira-kun." She then concluded with a smile.
"God, he really is a miracle worker..." Yomi breathed out in awe.
"So, what are you?" Hikage soon questioned as she crossed her arms.
"You could say Murasaki-chan's...both Hebijo and Crimson Squad." Haruka concluded in a serious tone.
"...She's half-going to betray the school?" Mirai assumed in a confused manner.
Murasaki however shook her head. "I understand why you want to leave...and I won't stop you." She responded. "But...I won't leave with you guys. I want to be here. Not just for me, but for my sister."
"I guess that's fair." Hikage admitted.
"Besides, if you're gonna leave over one mean girl, you're all just a bunch of crybabies." Bebeby added.
"Hey!" Mirai exclaimed once more, this time in annoyance.
"Bebe-tan, be quiet." Murasaki ordered. "I really am sorry about Bebe-tan, she doesn't know when to stay quiet." She then apologized with a sigh of frustration.
"Seriously, is this thing alive!? Am I the only one here wondering that!?" Mirai demanded, but was promptly ignored.
"Mirai...there are talking dogs in the basement. You fed them yesterday." Hikage reminded the eyepatch-wearing girl.
"A PLUSHIE IS TALKING TO ME AND CALLING US MEAN THINGS!" Mirai yelled out. "AN INANIMATE OBJECT CAN'T TALK! At least Haruka-sama's abominations of nature are backed by science!"
"Abominations is such a harsh word, Mirai-chan. I prefer happy little accidents done on purpose." Haruka stated with a sweet smile.
"...She can also be perverted too..." Murasaki shamefully confessed.
"Pssst! When are you gonna tell them that these are all your inner thoughts?" Bebeby whispered to her owner.
"B-Bebe-tan, not now." Murasaki squeaked. Curse her own inner thoughts. Why was she so mean!?
Oh god, she just admitted she was perverted too...it wasn't like that at all!
"What was that?" Yomi spoke up as the others turned to the silently panicking girl.
"Nothing!" Murasaki squeaked before hiding behind the bear.
"Murasaki, are you ready to start work on your homework!? We're burning daylight here!" Imu called out
"C-Coming!" The purplette responded. "Sorry about this everyone, I'll see you tomorrow." She then added.
"It's 10 AM." Hikage reminded.
"I knooooooow..." Murasaki moaned in despair. "Moh...why can't I play games or work out while I'm at it? I gotta at least stay in shape..." She then grumbled.
"One, two weeks of working out isn't a lot. You're still flabby in places. Two, come on, you only need one hand to write down your answers." Bebeby pointed out. "I mean, you've done things with one hand plenty of-" She then began.
"I'm leaving! Goodbye everyone!" Murasaki squeaked before hurrying back into her room and locking the door.
"...That bear is perverted." Hikage bluntly stated with a sweatdrop. "I mean not like Ryōna, but you get what I mean." She then corrected.
"Hikage-chan, no one is as perverted as Ryōna-chan." Yomi deadpanned, gaining an even flatter stare as she heard the aforementioned girl moan very heavily in the distance.
Maybe they should start working on those escape plans now.
(9/5, After School)
(Practice Build 2F, Hallway)
Homura stretched her arms out in an exhausted manner as she looked around. "The search for trouble never ends." She thought to herself.
CRASH!
However, as she kept an eye out for any sort of trouble, she heard a loud crash just further down the hallway.
"What the!?" Homura got out in confusion as she rushed over to the source, only to find her committee member lying down on the floor as she struggled to stand back up.
"Ow...damn limp..." Emica muttered as tries to pull herself up.
"Sato-san!" Homura exclaimed as she rushed over and helped her out. "Are you alright!? What in the world happened!?" She then questioned in concern.
"I lost my balance and fell down." Emica answered while still in pain. "My leg decided to give out at the worst possible time and I just couldn't stand up." She then explained.
Homura in turn winced at that as she got her committee member's arm over her shoulder to support her. "In any case, let's get you to the nurse's office." She soon decided as the two began walking.
"Thank you, Shinkukage-san. Really glad that you came when you did." Emica replied with a smile as she allowed her to help.
"It's not a problem." Homura replied as the two kept walking.
(Nurse's Office)
"And there we go." Homura concluded as she got her committee member to lay down on one of the beds.
"Thanks again, Shinkukage-san." Emica replied in a grateful manner as she laid on the bedside. "Sorry you had to see that. That was just really embarrassing of me to just fall over like that." She then got out.
"It's ok Sato-san." Homura reassured. "I'm just surprised no one else tried to help out." She then added in disapproval to the behavior of the other students that had passed her.
"It's not like this hasn't happened before. No one really wanted to help me whenever I struggled." Emica got out and revealed in a despondent tone. "I was always seen as a burden that everyone just ignores." She then added.
"Sato-san..." Homura responded, shocked to hear that.
"Like a sick or injured animal, I was ignored by the rest of the herd and was left to fend for myself." Emica sighed out as she looked down at her casted arm.
"Jeez..." Homura breathed out upon hearing that.
"Even my own mother thinks I'm a burden." Emica thought to herself.
Homura soon went over to her and placed a hand on her shoulders. "Sato-...Emica-san, you are not a burden." She then stated in a serious tone.
"Shinkukage-san?" Emica turned to face her, shocked to hear.
"Emica-san, don't you dare say that you're a burden in any sorts." Homura soon ordered as she then went in and hugged her, pressing her breasts against the girl's head.
"S-Shinkukage-san..." Emica struggled out, a small pink blush on her face from the contact.
"The people who see you as a burden are just a bunch of idiots. They just only think of themselves." Homura soon stated. "They only see you as a burden because they don't bother to help you when you need it." She then added as she rubbed the girl's head.
"Shinku- Homura-san..." Emica responded as looked up at her.
"Don't let them make you feel like a burden. You're more than that." Homura continued on in a comforting manner. "I know that you're trying to live your life, but don't let what others say bring you down. You're a lot stronger than you believe, I just know it." She then encouraged as she hugged her into her breasts more.
"Homura-san..." Emica mumbled out while blushing more from feeling how warm the cleavage is.
"I'll be here to support you if you ever need me." Homura reassured. "Me and the Shujin Disciplinary Committee." She then added.
"Homura-san...Thank you..." Emica started to tear up.
Homura meanwhile just smiled softly as she continued to rub her committee member's head, feeling her bond with her improving a little more.
RANK UP! HANGED MAN RANK 2!
"Still, why does she think she's a burden in the first place?" Homura mentally wondered as she narrowed her eyes in a serious manner.
"I feel a lot better, Homura-san. Thank you for your kind words." Emica replied as she then smiled.
"It's not a problem at all, Emica-san." Homura replied as she ended the hug.
"You have no idea how much that means to me. Hearing you saying that I'm not a burden, I really wanted to hear someone say that." Emica mumbled as she smiled softly.
"Because it's true." Homura replied as she then pushed her committee member down to lay her head on the bed. "Rest up here for a while before heading home, okay?" She then instructed.
"Okay. Thank you again, Homura-san. I really appreciate you going out of your way to help me." Emica nodded as she laid down on the bed.
Homura in response just winked with a smile before heading out.
BZZT! BZZT!
"Alright, what is it this time, gang?" Homura muttered as she opened the IM.
[TheWildJ0ker: Everyone head to Mementos, I'll meet you there. Requests and money await.]
"About time, Leader." Homura muttered in approval.
(Library)
Asuka and Makoto had decided to have study session together
"Okay, time to test your knowledge." Makoto began. "I'm going to give you a few false statements. I want you to identify what is wrong and correct me." She then instructed.
"Hai. Give it to me." Asuka replied as she steeled herself for whatever brainbusters her senpai had in store.
"Ahem." Makoto soon cleared her throat before holding up her papers. "Knowing when to water your plants can make all the difference for healthy plants and environmental choices. Water infrequently, but thoroughly, adding it gradually, and ideally at night to avoid excess evaporation." She read out.
"Hmmm..." Asuka hummed as she began digging into her long-term survival training. "Um, actually it is better to water plants around dawn or dusk." She answered.
"Correct. If you water them at night, the water may evaporate too slowly, which will lead to mold and fungus." Makoto praised. "Next. Sharp kitchen knives are essential for fast and safe food preparation. You should use a honing steel like this every 2-4 uses of your knife to keep it honed and a whetstone like this to sharpen your knives every 1-2 years." She soon got out as she showed the Vice Leader a picture.
"...Makoto-chan, I own a few whetstones myself. That doesn't look like anyone I've ever seen." Asuka got out as she narrowed her eyes.
"Another one correct. That is a brake pad for a car." Makoto informed. "One last statement. If you want to stop heavy bleeding, your best option is to apply a tourniquet a few inches above the wound and tighten it until the bleeding stops."
"Oh, I know this. The best option in heavy bleeding is to apply gauze and pads and pressure to the wound." Asuka excitedly answered without needing a moment to think.
"Good job, Asuka-san." Makoto got out. "I assume it's because of your training?" She then guessed.
"Hai! Every shinobi at Hanzō Academy are all CPR certified and given a crash course in medical treatment." Asuka stated with a fist pump. "Are these statements all in the exam?" She then questioned.
"No." Makoto answered curtly.
"Eh?" Asuka gasped.
"These are all generally good tips to have in life after high school." Makoto revealed as she flipped through her notes. "I've actually been studying this in between all my required studies. I've focused so much on my academics that I was ignoring other aspects of my future." She then admitted.
"You're...learning to be an adult?" Asuka asked in a curious manner.
"Yes." Makoto responded with a nod. "Time doesn't slow for anyone. I'll have to go out into the world one day, so I need to ensure that I can take care of myself." She then stated and explained.
"I see..."
"Plus, I need to be the next generation's role model. Can't repeat the mistakes of all the horrible adults we've met over the year." Makoto soon added as she flipped over to the Phantom Thieves section of her notebook. It was full to the brim of drawings of Shadows they've encountered and her Persona.
"Hai. It's important." Asuka admitted with a nod of agreement. "Still...it can't be all business and serious stuff. We need to live first before we pass our lessons onto the next generation." She then added.
"I know. And I plan to spend my time wisely...for my future and my present." Makoto stated.
"That's good to hear." Asuka replied with a nod.
BZZT! BZZT!
Instinctively, the duo pulled out their phones and checked the message. It was time. "And perfect timing too. Let's go, Asuka. We have a job to do." Makoto instructed as she closed her book.
"Right behind you, Makoto-chan." Asuka replied with a smirk as they packed up their things and headed out of the library.
(Mementos, Entrance)
"How's the new move?" Joker asked as the Thieves walked down the stairs into Mementos.
"Mabufudyne? It's...wonderful." Widow responded with a smile. "Homura-ah, sorry, Yang taught me pretty well."
"Honestly senpai, I was mostly going off the Skill Card." The tan skinned girl sheepishly confessed as they arrived.
"...What is this place?" Serpent soon enough asked as she looked around while walking further in with the rest of the group. "This place is definitely different from Futaba's Palace." She then stated as the girl in mention nodded in agreement.
"Welcome to Mementos. The subway of humanity's subconscious." Yin answered while her fellow Leader handed out the weapons to the others. "Basically, not everyone will have the same level of corrupted desires like Futaba-chan or our previous targets, so they end up merged together into this giant, ever-changing Palace." She then explained.
"A randomly generated dungeon?" Oracle got out with a raised eyebrow.
"Basically." Skull replied. "Oh shit, did we give Oracle the pamphlet?" He soon asked.
"Meh, stole a copy from Inari's account in Kosei's servers." Oracle casually informed. "By the way, Sayuri1 isn't the greatest password. Especially since you use it for every single thing that needs one." She then revealed.
The Thieves blinked before turning to the young artist. "Um...give me one moment please." Fox requested before exiting the Metaverse.
"...He kept the pamphlet on a server where the school's computer techs could see?" Yang groaned while the light gray haired girl covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.
"Don't worry, it's hidden from them. I made sure of that as soon as it was created." The navigator assured.
Suddenly, the young artist reappeared. "I'm back." Fox informed.
"Finally, we can get a move on." Serpent sighed as she stepped towards the escalators, only for everyone's phones to go off.
[A new area has been confirmed in the depths. Updating guidance information.]
"That didn't happen the last time I was here." Joker mentally remarked as he glanced over to the light gray haired girl, who was giving him the same look.
"It's gotten even bigger." Mona noted.
"This happened because we stole another Treasure...right?" Panther assumed.
"It's what happened last time." Yang reminded.
"I feel like it's gonna keep gettin' bigger and bigger." Skull admitted, sounding a little excited.
"But why is it connected to the Treasures we steal? Aren't they in a completely different space from Mementos?" Widow questioned.
"I don't think Mementos's territorial expansion is caused by us stealing a Treasure." Oracle spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "I bet it's things like the number of searches for Phantom Thieves, the ranking of trending words, and the traffic count on Mishima's website and stuff. Even now, it's slowly expanding." She then theorized.
"The more we become the topic of conversation, the more Mementos spreads...?" Fox summarized.
Oracle simply nodded in response.
"Maybe it's the other way around..." Queen soon suggested.
"Whaddya mean?" Skull got out with a raised eyebrow.
"We're the ones expanding it...Or perhaps, Mementos grants further passage as we become more prevalent in the general public's cognition." Queen soon deducted and explained.
"Like...gettin' free admission for bein' popular?" Skull guessed.
"That's rather well-put." Fox remarked.
"For real? That's amazin'! Actually, you're amazin', Futaba! How'd you figure that out?" Skull praised and asked.
"Piece of cake." The navigator got out with a smirk.
"That's...not an explanation." Serpent pointed out with a sweatdrop. "This is gonna bloat her ego..." She thought in concern.
"I didn't know at all...What have I been doing...?" Mona muttered to himself.
"Wait...but how does Mementos know we're the Phantom Thieves?" Serpent asked with a frown. "It's not like people know it's specifically us or else we would've been arrested or killed by now. Is just saying we're the Phantom Thieves enough? Can someone not part of our group reach deeper into this place if they believe they're a Phantom Thief?" She then continued.
"Don't question it and move on." Panther answered.
"But these are really important-" The white haired woman insisted, however...
"Serpent, shut your mouth. You're distracting me." Oracle interrupted as she summoned Necronomicon to do a quick scan of the place.
Serpent blinked as she saw the UFO pick the girl off the ground with its tentacles. "Huh? Fu- dammit, Oracle? What are you...?" She soon got out.
"W-What the!?" The navigator suddenly exclaimed before she fell out of her Persona from shock. "AH!" She then screamed as she flailed her limbs around.
"Oracle!?" The Thieves exclaimed before the white haired woman caught her before she hit the ground.
"I-I'm fine but..." Oracle panted before she set her feet on her ground to catch her breath while the white haired woman helped her steady herself. "I just tried scanning the depths to see how big my range is and Necronomicon's sensors are going wild at um...Chemdah. No, wait, Kaitul!" She then informed and then corrected in a panicked manner.
"Is it...moving?" Fox assumed with a raised eyebrow.
The navigator nodded before getting back into her UFO. "Yeah. Well, it's not accurate in the slightest but I can't get a good read on the level. I can just see that there's something, and it seems...angry." Oracle informed before as the Leader and Vice Leader began to get worried. "I'm gonna guess that this isn't normal." She then assumed.
"No, not at all." Mona replied as he frowned in thought. "Closest thing I can think of is probably the Reaper." He then got out.
"The what?" Serpent and Oracle got out in disbelief.
"Representation of humanity's wish for death and blah blah blah, it's not important." Yang off-handedly explained while waving it off before spotting her sister worriedly glancing at the Leader. "...Sis, why are you-" She soon began in concern.
"Guys, we need to get to Kaitu! Now!" Yin suddenly ordered.
"Yeah. This takes priority. We need to get going." Joker meanwhile stated in agreement, dead seriousness in his voice.
"Whoa! Hold up!" Panther exclaimed, confused by the sudden orders given.
"Leader, Vice Leader." Queen however started. "Do you know what's causing Oracle's sensors to act up?" She soon questioned.
Yin and Joker looked at each other and winced. "It's...a hunch, but it's something we can't ignore. Not now, not ever." The Vice Leader responded as she picked up Mona.
"H-Hey, what did I say about not throwing the human!" Mona nervously got out.
"Guys, slow down!" Widow called out, stopping the two. "You need to explain yourselves first." She then demanded in a stern tone.
Yin nervously glanced over to Joker, who only stepped back. He didn't feel like it was his responsibility to inform the group. This was a shinobi after all.
"Ahem. Well, you see...Jii-chan visited Leblanc the other day and um..." Yin began.
"Gramps did?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow. "About what?" She then questioned.
"I was getting to that, Homu-neechan." Yin got out in a harsher tone than she liked before taking a breath to calm herself down. "S-Sorry." She then apologized, both for her tone and forgetting their codenames.
"Asuka," Joker spoke up. "It's fine. You're not alone here." He then whispered in a comforting tone.
The Vice Leader nodded before putting on a brave face, despite her mask. "Shin is here in Mementos. And we're going to kill it." She soon stated.
"SHIN!?" Mona repeated with widened eyes. "You can't be serious!?" He then questioned in a panic.
This however confused the others. "What's a Shin?" Oracle asked in a confused tone.
"It's the large-ass bone in the front of your lower leg." Skull answered as he gestured to it with a swing of his leg.
"Not that shin, dumbass." Yang deadpanned.
"Shin...is our greatest enemy. Good and Evil." Widow informed in a serious tone. "It's a demon that creates lesser creatures and feeds off the blood of conflict." She then added.
"Yōma." The Leader assumed.
"Yes. Shin is their progenitor." The gray haired girl replied.
"And you think the creator of all the Yōma is here?" Serpent pressed while narrowing her eyes. If this was a trick...
"Yes." Yin replied in a serious tone, making no room for lies. "This could be our only opportunity to kill it." She then informed.
"And the Nav confirmed that it is here." Joker confirmed. "It's glitching out, but it's indicating that it's somewhere. I guess Oracle's Persona is a little more accurate." He then stated and assumed.
"And you need our help?" Panther guessed as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts.
"Well, that or at least have someone tell our story...and deliver our remains should that ever come to pass." Yin mumbled out, poking her fingers together.
"That won't happen." Joker stated with a determined expression on his face. "But...you know...it pays to be prepared." He weakly murmured, looking away from the group.
"So killing it will just...kill the rest? Just like that? Like a final boss or like an ending to a superhero movie?" Skull asked.
"I...I think so..." Yin answered, although she seemed unsure.
"You do realize you're asking us to potentially sacrifice our lives for a fight we weren't aware of until recently?" Queen pointed out.
"I...I know..." Yin got out in a sad tone. "You can leave right now if you want. You don't have to throw away your lives for-" She then began to offer, however...
"Stop stop stop." Oracle quickly interrupted. "Who said we're running away?" She then asked in a blunt manner.
"Oracle?" Yin got out.
"You really think we're just gonna let you and Joker have all the fun?" Skull meanwhile got out with a smirk. "Come on, we're changin' the world with every heart we take, and I'm sure this Shin thing will be nothin' compared to us." He then added.
"That is so much confidence for some who's about to die." Yang got out in a deadpan tone. "But still count me in. I'm not backing down from killing Shin." She then declared.
"Guys, Yōma are way more different than Shadows. We don't even know if our Personas will be effective against them." Yin however pointed out. "I...We..." She hesitantly started
"Asuka," Serpent started, lifting her mask up over her head. "If the Phantom Thieves run from this, there will be no one to stop this thing wrecking havoc down here. It'll be a problem, not just in the near future but it could be generations before anyone even sees the damn thing." She soon reminded while placing a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, like you said, this could be our only chance to rid the world of a great evil. Even if I die trying, at least I know in my heart I'll die helping the world. So shut up, clean your guns and let's go kill this thing." She then concluded.
"Guys..." Yin breathed out.
"So...everyone is in agreement?" Joker hesitantly asked.
"Hai!" the Thieves answered, with some of them even saluting.
"Oracle...no, Futaba, you recently just got your Persona. Are you sure you can handle this?" Joker then asked the navigator.
"Guys, I've been listening and watching you guys throw yourselves into situations with the likely chance that you'll all die." Oracle however reminded while crossing her arms over her chest. "It's my turn to risk my life now. Even if I can't fight, I'll lay down my life for you guys." She then declared.
"Same as me." Panther spoke up.
"Come on...we either go out in a blaze of glory or make history. Let's do it." Queen declared as she pumped her fist.
"Thank you...everyone." Yin sniffled out.
"No problem." Skull replied with a nod and a smile.
"So...how exactly are we going to lure out Shin?" Widow eventually asked.
"Well, we do know that Shin is somewhere in Mementos, but there's no way it'll stay in one place for very long." Yin answered as she looked at her phone.
"It's definitely going to try and hide so I don't think we can locate it normally." Queen muttered out. "Anyone have suggestions? Maybe from the shinobi?" She then questioned.
"Hey, this is our first time trying to kill something thousands of shinobi have failed and died doing." Yang got out. "Your plan might be as good as ours." She then added.
"Well...what do we know about Yōma?" Queen soon asked.
"They're created from the blood spilled in Shinobi Kekkai, and can break through into reality if there's enough. There are several types, like spiders, crabs, and minotaurs..." Serpent began explaining before listing off the various types. "The fact that Shin hasn't broken through yet is both a blessing and a curse..." She then admitted.
"Then there's no time. We have to get going." Panther stated.
"Not without a battle plan, and it's not like we'll be running into it. It's even possible it might gain access to levels we aren't allowed to go to." Queen however instructed. "How can we find this thing?" She then muttered.
Suddenly, the Leader got an idea. "...Why should we go and find it?" Joker suddenly questioned, getting the others' attention. "Why don't we get it to come and find us?" He then suggested.
"And how do we do that?" Mona soon asked.
"...Bloodshed." Joker answered. "We need to lure it out with blood spilled." He then stated.
"Does it have to be our blood or Shadow blood?" Fox soon asked.
"...It doesn't matter. We just need to draw enough blood to draw it out." Widow stated.
"That sounds...w-wait." Yin began to agree only for her mind to suddenly go back to that conversation at the cafe. "Jii-chan said the council was in talks with the Evil Shinobi. They know that Yōma are created from blood and they're planning to throw as many shinobi as they can at it." She soon mumbled to herself as she began to feel light-headed.
"Yin, what are you talking about?" Fox got out in concern.
"...It...It didn't really until now..." Yin mumbled. "Good and Evil...they're really a lie." She then whispered, her form shaking.
"Yes, we've known that since-" Serpent began to say as she rolled her eyes, however...
"No! We...We..." Yin mumbled as she tried to think. "Shinobi...all shinobi...we're all trained to kill Yōma...to create Yōma...all to kill Shin!" She then exclaimed.
"Asuka?" Serpent got out in concern.
"We...each side...there's nothing different. Not even Good or Evil...we all have the same goal...we're all meant to die..." Yin shakily got out as she went to take a seat.
"...I knew we were tools, but not to this extent..." Yang muttered with an empty smile.
"..." Widow however remained silent, simply closing her eyes while processing this revelation.
Serpent meanwhile balled her hands into fists in anger upon hearing that. "I always felt that was the case...I guess I denied it myself when my father revealed it to me...after mother died at their hands..." She reluctantly confessed.
"What the shit, man..." Skull meanwhile got out. "So...does that mean...your gramps..." He then started before trailing off.
"...I don't know anymore." Yin admitted as she took off her mask.
"...Even so, that doesn't change the fact that Shin needs to die." The light gray haired girl soon pointed out.
"Widow." Fox breathed out.
"You don't care?" Yang asked in concern.
"My grandfather was a renegade still working towards the good of the world." Widow reminded in a serious tone. "We all have a responsibility to use our gifts to better the world, even if they were forced onto us." She then added.
"But...what happens after?" Serpent soon questioned. "We all know that conflict between the factions won't just end because Shin is dead." She then reminded.
"...Then we'll make them end it." Yin spoke up as she got onto her feet. "We'll work out the details later but...I'm sick of needing to hate someone over who they side with. It's time we make our own decisions." She then stated and confessed with a fire in her eyes.
"You got over it pretty quickly." Panther remarked.
"I won't let this put me down." The Vice Leader stated, glancing at her sister briefly before looking back to the group as a whole. "I've still made friends, people I'd lay down my life for just to see them smile again. Being a shinobi...it may have ruined the lives of many, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Besides...if Shin is dead it's one less thing out to kill us, right?" She then got out.
"Sis..." Yang breathed out, a smile under her mask. "You're going to be an amazing...I don't know what you'll become." She then began to compliment, but then confessed.
"Hero? Thief? Shinobi?" Mona guessed.
"...Person." Joker answered. "An amazing person." He concluded with a smirk.
The Vice Leader nodded to that as she headed for the escalator. "This pointless cycle...will end..." Yin soon declared.
"And we'll be there to help you." Joker stated. "Ready?" He soon asked.
"Ready." Yin responded with a nod before putting her mask back on.
(Kaitul, Area 5)
Joker slowly pressed the brakes, causing the Morganamobile to a stop...allowing the dead Shadow still splattered on the hood to slowly slide off. Without much thought, the Leader turned on the window wipers to clean up the blood.
"You ran over...a lot of Shadows..." Queen panted out while steadying herself.
"That...was...awesome!" Oracle cheered. She didn't think running over Shadows would be so cool!
"That is not something you should be excited about." Fox got out in concern, suddenly fearing the day the hacker gets a driver's license.
"I feel like I threw up a couple of times..." Panther groaned, her hair a little frazzled from the Leader's...excitement filled driving.
"Why can't I drive? I'm the adult here!" Serpent complained from the back of the car. She didn't sound all that bothered by the rough ride.
"Have you ever driven a car before?" Joker questioned as he twisted his body and faced Serpent over the others in the car.
"...Does a golf cart count?" The white haired woman then asked.
"No, and I'm not going to ask why." Widow responded as she straightened out her outfit.
"Hey, does this place look kinda...weird to you?" Skull suddenly asked as he looked out the window.
"Dude, this place was weird from the get-go." Yang reminded.
"No, not weird but uh...different?" Skull explained. It still looked like subway tunnels but there was a distinct pinkish hue to the place, in contrast to the sickly green from the previous areas.
"Huh, now that you point it out, the walls do look a little...fleshy?" Queen remarked with a grimace.
"Aw gross!" Panther got out in disgust.
"Oracle, do you mind scanning the area?" Serpent soon asked.
"Alright." Oracle replied with a nod before opening the back door and stepping out of the car. "What the- the floor is frickin' bleeding under my feet! It's...kinda soft too..." She then added as she tested the ground with her boots.
"That's...not good." Mona got out in a worried tone. "I knew my tires felt weird." He then added.
"This...is concerning..." Widow confessed. "Could this be Shin's doing?" She then assumed.
"It's possible." Yang got out with a shrug of her shoulders.
The navigator soon summoned her Persona and got into it. "Ah! My sensors are going wild." Oracle got out, seeing tons of red error windows and static inside Necronomicon. "But...it's the same static and noise, just way stronger. It's here. Shin is definitely here somewhere." She then informed.
"You don't have a specific location?" Widow questioned.
"Nope, Necro hasn't mapped out the entire floor this time. Looks like we have to stick with Plan A." The navigator responded.
"Be careful everyone. The Yōma could be wandering on the tracks of Mementos along with Shadows, so battles will be even more intense now." Mona meanwhile advised.
"We just need to spill enough blood to attract it, right?" Queen remembered. "Then we'll need to get into fights." She then stated.
"That also means we need to confront Shadows head on." Widow added. "More Shadows means more blood to attract Shin." She then informed.
"Erm, I really hope we don't spill too much of our own while we do this..." Panther admitted in a worried tone.
"Alright, let's start hunting. Come on, Oracle." Joker declared and called the orangette.
"Yep." Oracle replied as she entered back into the van before closing the doors.
With that, the Phantom Thieves' Leader drove the Morganamobile around into the floor's depths.
It didn't take a lot of time to find one, actually...as one accidentally slammed into the side of the car.
"AH!" The Thieves yelped as the Morganamobile nearly tipped over.
"Ow! My chassis!" Mona called out.
"Holy shit!" Skull and Serpent exclaimed at the same time.
"I think something ran into us!" Panther exclaimed.
"It's a Shadow!" Queen informed.
"Well, that was convenient. Let's go!" Joker declared and ordered as everyone jumped out of the car as the Shadows spawned.
"P-Please have mercy!" The enemy begged in a fear filled manner.
"Oh, that's what they all say." Joker got out as he rolled his eyes.
"Alright, we have-" Mona began to announce, however...
"A Corpse-eating Corpse and a Bearer of the Scales." Oracle informed from her UFO.
"A cannibal?" Serpent assumed with narrowed eyes.
"Pisaca and Anubis. We've already encountered them in your Palace." Joker remembered. "Thanks Oracle. I know their weaknesses." He then got out.
"No problems, Leader." Oracle replied as she readied herself.
"G-Gah...well, everyone, use-" Mona began.
"Status effects on the Anubis. It has no weaknesses we can exploit." Queen informed as she gripped her tekkos. "For Pisaca, Bless and Fire will do." She then added.
"Urk!" Mona winced out, now becoming slightly depressed.
"Hm?" Yin and Yang hummed out in concern as they looked at the not cat.
"Yang, you're up!" Joker called out.
"Huh? Oh, yes, Leader!" Yang responded, regaining her focus as she ripped off her mask. "Wolverine, Gokuentou!" She called out as she summoned her Persona.
FWOOSH! SLASH!
"GAH! IT BURNS!" The Corpse-Eating Corpse screamed in pain as it collapsed in a burning heap.
"Pass it to me!" Mona called out, jumping into the air and waving his tiny hand.
"Don't worry, Mona, we got it!" Yang responded.
CLAP!
"Thank you." Panther got out before going into her battle stance. "Hecate! Put 'em to sleep!" She soon commanded while ripping off her mask.
"Sweet dreams~" The Persona sang out in a seductive manner.
"N-No, we were...only...trying...to...Zzzzzz..." The Bearer of the Scales tried to say, only to collapse to the ground asleep.
"Fox!" The ash blonde soon called out, missing the fact that Mona has already summoned his Persona.
"I am already prepared!" The artist declared as he gripped his mask. "Strike, Kamu Susano-o!" He then commanded as his Persona swung its mighty weapon.
"GAAHH!" The Anubis cried in pain.
"Hah! That was easy!" Oracle cheered as Mona silently winced.
"We apologize, but you're not coming out of here alive!" Widow declared as everyone aimed their guns at the fallen Shadows.
"Any last words?" Joker asked as he twirled his pistol around.
"Please, we were only trying to defend ourselves!" The Anubis pleaded.
"Hm?" Serpent hummed out with a raised eyebrow.
"Well...whatever your reason is, you'll have to be a sacrifice for the greater good." Joker responded. "No hard feelings." He then added.
"NO! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" They both screamed as they shielded themselves.
Suddenly, for once in godforsaken reality, the Leader hesitated...but only for a moment. And from the looks of it, so did his allies. "A-All-Out Attack!" Joker ordered.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! WHAM! CRACK! SLASH! SLAP! WHAM! SLASH!
And with that, the Shadows screamed as they were cut down.
"Everyone's at full HP! SSS rank battle, everyone!" The navigator praised. Although, she quickly felt like she was the odd one out here upon seeing everyone's expressions.
"Yay..." Joker awkwardly and uncomfortably cheered in an uneasy manner.
"I...I didn't even get a turn..." Mona mumbled to himself in disappointment.
"That...honestly didn't feel right..." Widow confessed with guilt.
"No Yōma this time..." Yin muttered as she sheathed her swords.
"Those Shadows though...they seemed panicked..." Fox noted with a frown. "As they were..." He then began.
"Running away. Fleeing." Queen concluded, looking uncomfortable.
"Yeah...that...that felt dirty..." Yang admitted as she rubbed her arm.
"Still, it's more blood to the blood god." Skull stated as he rolled his shoulders, getting ready for the next fight.
"Shin is no god, Skull." Serpent however declared in a dead serious tone.
"I-It's a saying." The dyed blond muttered.
"From who? Cultists?" Panther questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Everyone, quiet down!" The not cat suddenly got out as he narrowed his eyes. "This feeling...The distortion is getting worse..." Mona noted in concern.
"I'm getting more static here too." Oracle reported, frowning as she worked on tracking it. "Be careful everyone." She then advised.
"Oracle, stay inside Necronomicon. You're a lot safer up there than down here." Joker advised, getting a grunt of confirmation from the hacker.
"How is that fitting underground, anyways?" Skull soon asked with curiosity.
"Necro can change size pretty easily. It's a slider, look at this." Oracle informed as her Persona went from nearly wedging itself between the walls to the size of a small car. "Big. Small. Big. Small. Big- Okay, okay, I'll stop! I'll stop!" She then began before suddenly exclaiming in a panic.
"Did your Persona retaliate in there?" Serpent assumed in concern.
"No, j-just keep fighting Shadows." Oracle struggled out her order, as if she was swatting something away in annoyance.
"Alright..." Joker muttered as they climbed into the car and drove around, hunting for whatever enemy or treasure chests they encountered, Necronomicon in tow hovering behind them.
"Hm? Look at that." Yang suddenly got out as she pointed out the window, causing the Leader to hit the brakes.
"Yang?" Queen got out in concern.
"Over there. The twitchy, different-looking one." The tan skinned girl informed as she pointed towards what she was looking at.
"That's a very..." Panther got out in a sarcastic tone from the horrendously vague description before managing to spot what the tan skinned girl noticed. "...Accurate description." She concluded, her voice cracking at the sight.
It was a gray writhing, bleeding mass of limbs, many of them not human, floating around and making moans of pain and...pleasure.
"Yep, that's going in the nightmare folder..." Skull bluntly stated.
"That Shadow...that looks way more different than the usual ones we find down here." Fox noted, katana at the ready.
"I...I don't even think that even is a Shadow." Mona stated. "I don't like this..." He soon admitted. "Should we really ambush this enemy?" He then asked.
Joker narrowed his eyes and began to think.
"...As Queen once said, full throttle!" Joker declared. "Hold onto your buttons!" He then called out as he floored it on the gas.
CRASH!
(Cue The Duty of Good by Mutsumi Ishimura)
"There...There has to be a better way than just running them over..." Serpent groaned as she stumbled out of the car.
"Everyone, get ready!" Widow warned as everyone got out their weapons as the mass of limbs writhed in pain before bursting.
Out came a few Pixies with red skin and several other creatures they've never encountered before.
A Skull, a Flower Sprite, Tree Sprite, and a Snow Maiden.
"Wow, they're much cuter than I was expecting." Joker admitted while readying his knife.
"Ah! What the hell are these things!?" Skull exclaimed.
"These don't feel like Shadows!" Mona declared as he narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me..." He then realized.
"Yōma..." Serpent growled as she glared at the demons. "I recognize them from the past...I guess Shin's been busy." She then stated.
"So these are the Yōma..." Queen got out as she readied herself.
"I really hope our Personas can hurt these creatures." Fox muttered as he gripped his katana.
"There's only one way to find out." Yang got out before tearing off her mask. "PERSONA! RIOT GUN!" She then commanded as Wolverine appeared behind her and aimed at the red skinned Pixie.
BANG!
The Pixie was blown backwards, but it didn't collapse like all the other ones they've encountered.
"Eh?" Yang got out.
"Oracle, we need info!" Joker called out as they engaged the enemies.
"Scanning!" Oracle announced. "Whoa...Those Pixies are mega buff! They have different weaknesses too!" She then revealed.
"Any clue what they are?" Queen asked as she dodged the Skull's attack and countered with a quick punch.
"Um...nope. There's still stuff interfering with Necronomicon's sensors. Can't get a read on the Yōma either. I'll do my best to fight it, but you're probably better off just charging in and seeing what works." Oracle responded as she kept typing.
"Got it." Serpent responded with a nod while glaring at the enemies. "I'm gonna guess Shin managed to turn some Shadows into Ayakashi." She then deducted.
"What!?" Yang exclaimed.
"Yōma with a human appearance." Serpent revealed, surprising everyone else besides the not cat. "They kill and possess dead bodies. They're abominations, twisting the natural order of life and death, and they all deserve to die." She then informed, unable to fight off the memory of the last time she fought one...
"So zombies, great..." Joker muttered in a sarcastic manner. "No one die right now." He then advised.
"Way ahead of you!" Skull shouted out as he knocked away another Pixie and summoned Seiten Taisei to finish it off. "Effin' shit, they're hard to kill!" He grunted.
"Yeah, kinda expected it!" Panther responded as she blasted the Snow Maiden with Agilao, causing her to melt. "Hah, but they're still something we can kill!" She then added.
"I was expecting a lot more resistance from Shin." Widow admitted as Fūma washed away the Yōma to give them some breathing room. "We'd often take down dozens of lesser shinobi at a time." She then confessed.
"That's what I've been wondering!" Serpent called out as she sliced off the last Pixie's head. "These are grunts! Fodder! I've taken down hundreds in my first real fight with them!" She then revealed.
"Please don't jinx this..." Oracle deadpanned before looking at her readings again. "Whoa! Yin's on a roll!" She then announced in an impressed manner.
The Vice Leader didn't respond as she was going at the enemies with everything she had, mixing in both her Persona and physical abilities.
Serpent in turn smirked at the sight. "Not bad." She admitted in approval.
"One left!" Oracle informed.
"Finish it, Yin!" Joker ordered as the Vice Leader coated her weapons in green energy before slashing away at the last enemy, splattering blood all over her clothes before she jumped back to perform a few hand signs.
Serpent's eyes meanwhile widened. "Wait, Yin! Hold on!" She called out.
POOF!
"A toad!?" Mona exclaimed.
"Crush them!" Yin ordered as the summon rushed in while she then ripped off her mask."Persona! Magnara!" She then commanded.
CRUSH! CRASH!
The Vice Leader soon landed back on the ground and did a celebratory flip. "Woo!" Yin cheered while high-fiving her toad before disappearing.
"That was excessive." Fox muttered. So much energy on one enemy...
"Hey! What's with that fancy stuff!?" Oracle exclaimed.
"That was...a Ninja Art..." Widow breathed out.
"Oi, I thought our techniques were useless here." Serpent reminded everyone, gaining a frown on her face.
"Looks like our Ninja Arts are effective on Yōma and Shadows now!" Yin gasped in surprise.
"Could Shin be unintentionally changing the environment to our advantage?" Widow deducted. "And is this permanent change or does it merely apply to this area?" She then questioned in concern.
Suddenly, a chill went down everyone's spines. "Hey, about more resistance..." Joker began.
"Don't say it." Serpent grumbled as more Yōma and Shadows entered the fray. "Just start killing! Purgatorio of Good and Evil!" She then declared as she raised her left hand above her head and she summoned a nest of blood-red snakes in it before letting them bite and slash everything around her.
"WAH!" Skull yelped as he leapt out of the way. "Oi! Watch it with that one!" He demanded.
"You dodged it just fine." Serpent simply reminded in a nonchalant manner.
"That's not the point!" Skull countered as he shoved away some Shadows and blasted them away with his shotgun.
"STOP ARGUING AND KEEP FIGHTING!" Mona demanded as he was grabbed by a Blue Oni, only to sling some buckshot into her face with just enough force to mangle it into unrecognition.
"WHY IS THERE SO MANY ALL OF A SUDDEN!?" Panther exclaimed as she fired blindly into the hordes of enemies.
"No idea!" Yang countered as she dodged and weaved while slashing at them. "But this is good practice though! It's been ages since I've faced this many enemies!" She then admitted.
"Indeed." Widow admitted in agreement.
"Hai!" Yin responded.
"It is nice to shake off the rust." Serpent got out.
"You've all fought this many Yōma before!?" Queen asked in awe and disbelief.
"Well, actually most of them were other shinobi." Yang corrected with a shrug as she reloaded her twin machine guns. "They barely last a full combo usually before retreating off the battlefield in puffs of smoke."
"You take on armies...by yourself." Fox deadpanned as he sliced a Red Oni in half.
"Not on a daily basis, but..." Yin answered after finishing an aerial attack. "Every...week and a half? A fortnight?" She then tried to recall.
"It's an expected standard for an Elite." Widow stated. "Even Minori-san can easily take out hundreds. If only her mentality could match her strength." She revealed, adding that last bit in a mutter.
"Are we seriously having a casual conversation while doing all this!?" Panther exclaimed as she swung her whip around to get the hordes to back off.
"Hey, it's better than panicking and making mistakes!" Joker pointed out before tearing off his mask. "Queen Mab, Mazionga!" He commanded.
RUMBLE! ZAP!
"Whoa! That's a ton of shocked enemies! Way to go, Joker!" Oracle cheered.
"Hey, do you have guns on that thing!?" Skull meanwhile asked.
"Nope. I'm not a very violent person." Oracle responded.
"Bullshit!" Skull called out. "You have bombs!" He then reminded.
"For special occasions." Oracle countered.
"Like what!?" Panther asked.
"An All-Out Attack!" Oracle soon declared as they noticed all the Shadows and Yōma were down. "GO GO!" She soon ordered as the Thieves rushed down the horde with everything they had.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! WHAM! CRACK! SLASH! SLAP! WHAM! SLASH!
"And here's the pièce de résistance!" The hacker declared before dropping out of her Persona along with a bomb. However, nothing happened despite the fuse burned out. "Oh, come on, I thought I fixed this-" She grumbled in frustration before...
KABOOOOOM!
Blowing up.
"AGAIN!?" Serpent exclaimed in a panic as she rushed over and caught the orangette before she crashed. "You ok?" She then asked in concern.
"Hey, the stars look funny tonight..." Oracle got out in a daze as Necronomicon took her out of her hands.
"Maybe work out those kinks first..." Joker suggested before guarding against an attack. "Crap, they're not all dead!" He then informed.
"How much blood are we spilling!?" Queen eventually called out.
"That's not something I can track!" Oracle responded. "But I'm guessing a lot. I'm not detecting any backup coming, so this should be the last of them!" She then informed and stated.
"But there's still too many!" Panther called out.
"I-I'm not ready to die yet! I'm feeling it now!" Yin declared, feeling her combat high kick in.
"Come on! We're only getting started!" Queen taunted with a smirk.
"Joker, looks like they're pumped up! Are we about to see a combo move?" Oracle informed.
"Give 'em hell!" Joker called out as he pulled out the star. "Showtime!" He then declared.
SHINE!
Soon, Queen and Yin landed back on the ground with guitars in their hands on a stage, the Shadows and Yōma amongst the crowd.
"We will rock you!" The two declared as they began playing their instruments...terribly.
"BOO...!" The crowd soon called out along with complaints. "YOU SUCK! GET OFF THE STAGE!" It then demanded.
"Huh?" Yin got out in confusion before noticing that their guitars weren't plugged into their amps. "Whoops." She sheepishly realized.
"Hold on." Queen instructed as the two went to fix things in a cloud of smoke, hammers and nails before jumping back to admire their work...of the massive, suped-up amp that took up the entire stage. "Should be good now." She soon declared in approval
"Okay." Yin replied in agreement and with a nod before the two raised their guitar picks in the air before...
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
And with that single unified strum, the hordes of enemies were blasted away or had their faces melt.
"ROCK AND ROLL!" Queen and Yin declared while pumping their fists into the air before they continued playing to a cheering crowd...or what was left of it.
(End Music)
"Mission...complete!" Yin declared as she flicked off the blood on her wakizashi before sheathing her weapons.
"...Should I ask what that was?" Serpent questioned.
"Nope." Joker simply answered as he dusted off his coat.
"That...That sucked." Panther panted out with her hands on her knees.
"Better get used to it, those Yōma were grunts compared to some of the others." Serpent advised in a serious tone while rolling her shoulders.
"Everyone take a quick rest." Joker ordered as he sat down while the orangette took this moment to analyze the data she collected throughout the battle.
"No money or item drops, but they are making you guys stronger at an accelerated rate." Oracle meanwhile revealed. "Ooh! I just leveled up! Nice~" She then informed in satisfaction
"For real!?" Skull asked in a shocked manner.
"About 50% from Necro's calculations." Oracle responded.
"Huh, I guess we get experience for fighting anything in the Metaverse." Joker soon deducted.
"You really see our strength like an RPG?" Serpent asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep. Wanna know your HP?" Oracle soon offered.
"That's...kinda morbid. I'll know I'm dead when I feel it." Yang admitted and stated.
"Alright, that's enough downtime. Onto the next bunch of demons." Joker got out as he stretched his limbs and downed a soda. "We need more blood to spill." He then stated as Mona transformed into his car form.
"You think so? We killed, like, a hundred of those things." Skull questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"We're luring the progenitor of all Yōma, we're gonna need more than a hundred bodies worth of blood." Yang stated as she climbed into the car.
With that, the Thieves got into the Morganamobile and started driving around once more.
It was mostly a quiet ride, actually, wanting to save that energy for the next set of enemies and Shin. Plus, it was a good time to rest their bodies.
Finally, the Leader broke the silence after half an hour."We've been driving around for a while, by now we should've encountered some Shadows..." Joker muttered with a frown.
"Yeah. This is highly unusual. We should even be hearing the Reaper approach..." Mona admitted.
"It must be Shin's influence on the area." Widow assumed. "It could prevent Shadows from coming here."
"Or it wiped them all out." Serpent pointed out. "Either way, we need more bodies..." She then concluded.
"Ah! Over there!" Oracle suddenly called out. "Northwest from your view!" She then informed.
"I see it!" Joker responded while narrowing his eyes. "Get ready, everyone!" He then ordered as he shifted gears and slammed down on the gas.
CRASH!
"Crapbaskets! A bunch of enemies!" Oracle swore and informed as the Thieves jumped out of the car. "And a lot more Yōma!" She then added.
"They're all just blood pinatas to us and Shin!" Joker called out as the Thieves charged in.
That battle was mostly a blur to the group. There were just so many enemies coming from every side that strategy was not an option other than using their most powerful skills to take out as many enemies as they could.
Eventually, the waves of enemies died down. With their clothing torn and covered in blood and viscera, the Thieves decided to head back to the entrance platform to take a break, repair their clothes and heal
"Whew!" Skull breathed out as he wiped some sweat off his brow as the Thieves stumbled out of the Morganamobile before the not cat transformed back. "Hey, Joker, are you feeling okay over there?" He soon asked, seeing the Leader putting his hands on his knees and panting heavily.
"I'm fine. That was nothing compared to killing the Reaper yesterday." Joker assured with a tired thumbs-up.
"You did what!?" The rest of the group minus Widow, Serpent and Oracle exclaimed.
"By yourself!?" Mona questioned in shock. "Akira, what in the right mind made you go by yourself!?" He then demanded.
"I-It was my idea." Widow meekly confessed. "I uh...I wanted to fight the Reaper." She then admitted.
"What!? Why!?" Yin exclaimed. "B-By yourself!?" She then pressed.
"I...I brought Joker with me...but that was the plan." Widow muttered as she awkwardly looked away.
"You intentionally endangered an innocent?" Serpent questioned with a glare.
"It...No, I won't defend my actions." Widow stated. "I was simply dragging others into my grief. It was a mistake on my part and I shall accept that."
"Grief?" Yin and Fox repeated in concern.
"My...My grandfather passed away...on the day of my debut." Widow hesitantly and shamefully revealed.
Instantly, everyone gave the gray haired girl a sorrowful look. "Oh..." Skull got out in a soft tone.
"Lady Yumi..." Mona whispered with widened eyes.
"I-It's fine. I'm...I'm getting through it. A friend of mine is staying over to take care of me." Widow informed. "It still hurts if I think about it, but I won't let this distract me from the mission. I assure you I will not hold you back."
"Yumi, you should've brought this up earlier." Queen pointed out, giving the girl a comforting look. "You can take a break from Phantom Thief activities." She then advised.
"And leave my friends alone and miss my chance to kill Shin? No, I cannot." Widow responded as she shook her head. "Do not worry. I may still be grieving but I am well enough to continue. I am fine." She then assured with a smile.
Still, the Phantom Thieves went up and gave her a comforting hug and whispered into her ear that they were all there for her. It was...a nice moment.
"So...how much money did you get?" Skull had to ask.
"Skull!" Panther called out.
"Didn't get any." Joker answered, instantly stunning everyone.
"Uh...loot?" Mona asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nope." The Leader instantly replied.
"...Did you get any stronger?" Fox then questioned.
"Didn't feel any different afterwards." Joker admitted with a shrug.
"So...0 money, 0 EXP, 0 items." Oracle simplified.
"Yes." The Leader replied with a nod.
"So you beat the Reaper...for nothing." Yang summarized in a flat tone.
"It was a little more than nothing." Joker responded with a shrug as the light gray haired girl blushed and looked away. "The life experience was worth its weight in gold anyways." He then added.
"It dropped gold bars!?" Skull exclaimed as the artist suddenly fumbled with his katana in the middle of cleaning it. "We are killin' the next one we find, Leader." He then declared.
"Like hell we are!" Mona spoke up.
"Ah! Something just opened up on this floor!" Oracle suddenly interrupted.
"Eh?" Yin gasped. "Is it Shin?" She then asked.
"I don't know. We'll need to see for ourselves." The navigator responded. "I'll guide you to it. Marking it on the map now." She added and informed.
"Thank you, Oracle." Joker got out with a nod. Looks like they did it.
Meanwhile, Mona was beginning to look worried. "Why didn't I detect it first...?" He then muttered under his breath.
"Mona! Car!" Serpent soon ordered.
"R-Roger that!" The not cat got out before transforming. "...Is this just my purpose now...?" He then thought as everyone entered and drove off into the area.
Eventually, the Thieves made it to opening. However, it looked...off.
The twisted remains of the tracks were there, but there were also hands clawing at the edges and there seemed to be shards of glass floating around. However, they didn't seem to be solid.
"Whoa, this is way different than the usual openings." Skull got out as the group looked at the sight in front of them.
"God, what am I reading here!? Necronomicon is having trouble even measuring its power. Whatever this Shin thing is, it is not going to be easy to fight!" Oracle declared in shock. "Is this one of those post-game bonus bosses!? New Game Plus!?" She then began to ask.
"I don't know anything about that, but it certainly won't be easy to defeat such a creature." A familiar voice spoke up as a small car with tons of bags drove up next to them.
"What the!? A kid!?" Serpent got out in surprise.
"Jose-kun? What are you doing here?" Yin meanwhile asked in a curious manner.
"I felt something was affecting Mementos in a most unusual way and came here." Jose answered as he studied the portal.
"Like how you change it to give us more money and items?" Joker assumed.
"No, more like...forcing it to act." Jose corrected before looking at the strange portal. "That over there was created to keep the rest of Mementos safe." He soon informed.
"Mementos is...containing it?" Widow repeated.
"Not for much longer, though." The mysterious boy added. "It's not affecting the other side right now, but I doubt that will be true very soon." Jose then informed.
"What do you mean?" Panther got out with a raised eyebrow.
"What it's doing to this place is slowly driving the Shadows mad. Soon, it'll include the ones that might create their own places or have already." Jose explained.
"Our request targets and Palace rulers." Joker stated while narrowing his eyes.
"But why have I been detecting it moving if it's contained here?" Oracle questioned.
"This isn't the first cage it's been trapped in." Jose answered. "But this will certainly be its last if you don't do something." He then added.
"Like we needed the extra motivation..." Skull muttered under his breath.
"You're not helping us, are you?" Yang assumed with hands on her hips.
"I'm afraid that I can't go in." Jose explained as he shook his head. "But I'll make sure those Yōma things won't break into reality." He then assured.
"You can fight?" Serpent assumed with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm learning a lot while I'm down here, pretty man." Jose responded with a smile as he climbed into his car.
"P-Pretty!?" Serpent sputtered, red beginning to dust her cheeks as she looked away with a smile on her face. "Hehehehe...um...I appreciate the complime–...wait, what?" She then got out before realizing. "M-MAN!? OH COME ON!" She roared in frustration and depression before going into a fetal position.
"I'll see you guys later. And I hope you bring me more flowers." Jose meanwhile got out before driving away.
"...What a weird kid..." Oracle muttered.
"Oh, like you're any better." Skull deadpanned.
"And proud of it!" Oracle declared before seeing the white haired woman sobbing and crying. "...Uh...is someone gonna check on big sis" She awkwardly asked.
The other soon sweatdropped at the sight as the Advisor went over. "Um...there there..." Queen awkwardly got out as she patted the woman on the shoulder.
"WWWWWWWWHY!? I'M A WOMAN, DAMMIT!" Serpent cried out to the uncaring void of Mementos before planting her face again on the ground.
The Vice Leader soon turned to the Leader with a serious look in her eyes. "Joker, this might be the toughest battle we'll face in our lives. Some of us, or all of us, might not even have a body to recover if we manage to win." Yin warned in a grave tone. "We can always come back here once you feel like we're ready or you don't want to do it. Are we ready to face Shin, Leader?" She then asked.
Joker closed his eyes in thought. He had to make the right call, or else this could all end in their deaths.
We need more time to prepare.
We're ready. Dive in.
Joker was quiet for a long time, weighing his options. It was seriously tempting to just leave and do it another day but...
He knew they couldn't.
"Let's go." Joker ordered before diving into the portal...hoping that they would go out the same way.
(Sanctum of the Damned)
Joker rolled once he made it to the other side of the portal, swiftly getting onto his feet without missing a step. Soon enough, everyone else was doing the same as they came with him.
"Why does everything have to be so...visceral with this thing?" Panther questioned, turning a little green at the mere smell of the place.
"My god..." Queen breathed out in disbelief. "It's like...the walls are bleeding..." She then stated.
"Yeah, we're definitely in the right place." Panther responded. "But...where is it?" She then asked.
"It's probably further down this tunnel." Yin assumed. "Everyone, keep your guard up. Who knows if Shin can pull some tricks of its own." She then ordered and explained.
Everyone nodded as they walked down the tunnel, hands on their weapons as they remained vigilant for any ambushes or attacks against them.
However, nothing happened. It was just a very long walk down a dark tunnel...until the end.
"Holy shit..." Skull got out in awe and horror as they reached their destination.
In front of them was an industrial excavator-sized crab made out of bones and meat, which seemed to be glaring at them. However, it pales in comparison to the giant-ass tree growing out of its back, which broke through the ceiling revealing an unnatural sky full of black and red.
"This...This can't be it...can it?" Panther nervously mumbled.
"No...I can feel it." Serpent replied as she glared at the creature. "That's it. That's Shin." She then declared.
"The creator of all Yōma is giant dumb tree!?" Yang exclaimed.
"Yōma come in many shapes and forms..." Widow pointed out.
"Huh, I was expecting something more...eldritch." Oracle admitted. "Like...it'll drive you insane just looking at it." She then added.
"It's still not great to look at for too long." Fox stated as he cringed.
"I...I don't even think I can figure out a strategy here..." Queen muttered in shock.
The not cat soon noticed the floating chunks of the tunnel and slightly shimmering air, as if reality itself was made of glass...and it was cracking slowly but surely. "The Metaverse is breaking down...It's very presence is destroying Mementos!" Mona realized.
"No...it's breaking free from it." Serpent stated as everyone got into battle stances.
"This thing needs to die now." Yin declared before glancing over to the Leader. "Ready?"
"Ready." Joker responded with a nod before taking a deep breath. "...Persona."
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!
(Cue FAITH by MADKID)
With that, the Thieves summoned their Personas and charged straight at the monstrous tree. However, they quickly stopped when an army of Yōma spawned in front of them.
"Aw, come on!" Skull complained.
"Of course it would spawn Yōma..." Joker cursed.
"Take care of the add-ons! We can't focus on Shin with them around!" Oracle advised.
"Already on it!" Queen responded as she revved her Persona's engine. "Johanna! Mafreila!" She soon commanded.
KABOOOOM!
"Heh, I doubt they've faced anything nuclear!" Oracle got out with a smirk as the horde was blasted away...or for several stronger Yōma to burst through. "Okay, maybe they have!" The hacker exclaimed in a panic.
"Face the darkness! Nobunaga, Mamudoon!" Serpent commanded as she ripped off her mask, her Persona casting a giant glyph on the floor of the battlefield.
DOOOOOOM!
...Only to miss as a result.
"...Okay, that was just pathetic." Serpent muttered in disbelief.
"Uh...I can confirm that instant kills aren't going to be our magic bullet." Oracle informed in a matter-of-fact tone. "They are immune to it. Bless and Curse do work though."
"Aw, come on!" Skull complained before guarding against a few Yōma. "Looks like we ain't cheating here." He then muttered.
"Hey, it's not cheating if you're facing a literal demon." Joker pointed out before leapt into the air and onto a Snake Lady and twisting her neck around, snapping it. "Wow, that was scarily easy." He then admitted.
"Guys, on your six! More Yōma are coming from behind!" Oracle called out.
"Ambush formation!" Joker ordered as everyone got into a large circle with Necronomicon in the middle above them. "Watch each other's backs! If any of us goes down, I want them up and fighting before they even hit the ground!" He then added.
"Got it, Leader!" Mona responded with a salute before seeing all the Yōma glaring at him. "Oh boy that's a lot." He got out with a wince.
"But as long as we still have energy, we can win! ATTACK!" Yin declared before they started fighting off the Yōma.
"Wow, this is way more than what we're used to!" Skull remarked as he whacked a Blue Oni over the head before decapitating it with a baseball swing. "How many are there!?"
"Uh...54 North, 39 West, 69 South, 41 East!" Oracle informed.
"...203 total." Queen concluded in a dead serious tone.
"And increasing." Oracle added in a worried tone. "You guys aren't killing fast enough! We're going to be overwhelmed!"
"We need everyone on the offensive! Full Assault!" Joker ordered.
"We kinda already are!" Skull called out as he had his Persona charge through the horde.
"Mona, Yin! Keep us fighting! I want buffs on everyone!" The Leader then ordered before switching to Yurlungur. "Revolution!" He then commanded.
"Hai! Kaeru, Masukukaja!" The Vice Leader also commanded.
"Werecat, Matarukaja!" Joker called out as he summoned a naked woman with pointed ears and a cat-like tail to strengthen his team. "Thank you, Fusion Accident..." He then thought. Who knew keeping a Persona whose skills all changed to buffs would be useful?
"You have some serious perverted Personas, Leader!" Panther called out as Hecate burned waves upon waves of enemies in front of her.
"Oh, they could be way worse!" Joker responded.
"Worse?" Serpent got out in a confused manner.
"DO NOT! FUCKING! MENTION IT!" Yang screamed as she and Wolverine clawed through a group with Terror Claw. "I'LL KILL YOU BEFORE SHIN DOES!" She then threatened.
"C-Calm down, Yang-neechan!" Yin advised.
"Actually, she's fighting harder now." Skull quickly noted, seeing several Yōma flying and splattering their heads on the floor and walls. "...Should we piss her off more...?" He then suggested.
"I wouldn't advise it!" Joker called out before getting shot with webbing. "Shit!" He swore before being pulled away.
"Joker! We need support here!" Queen called out as the formation began to break down, separating the group into two.
"Leader! HELP!" Panther screamed before getting tackled down by several Yōma.
After breaking out of the webbing, he saw his friends divided, barely holding off the waves of enemies. "Dammit, I can't be in two places at once..." Joker grumbled. "Yin! You're in charge of the group over there! I'll take care of things here!" He then ordered as he made his way to the closer group.
"Hai, Joker!" Yin responded as she headed over to her team, consisting of Yang, Widow, Skull, and Queen. "Yang-neechan! Widow group up! Skull and Queen, you too!" She soon ordered.
"What are you planning!?" Skull called out as they back into each other's chosen partner.
"Working on it!" The Vice Leader responded as she slashed away at the enemies before pulling out her guns. "Yang-neechan! Widow! Burn and freeze the enemies to gather them all in one spot while Skull and Queen use the frozen enemies to take them all out!" She then ordered.
"Hey, my favorite sport! Demon bowling!" Yang got out with a smirk as she ripped off her mask.
"Do not get too cocky though." Widow however advised, ripping off her mask as well.
"We're losing, we need some cockiness right now! WOLVERINE! GOKUENTOU!" Yang reminded as her Persona shot forward.
"Lambs to the slaughter!" Wolverine declared before slashing up the hordes, cutting off sections of them into more manageable armies.
Widow meanwhile sighed at her friend's remark, but also understood. "Fūma! Mabufudyne!" commanded.
CRACKLE!
"Froze them rock solid!" Oracle cheered! "Now shatter them!" She then ordered.
"They're getting wiley over here!" Yang however called out as Wolverine was circling around the gathered enemies, killing stragglers and throwing some more in. "I'm barely keeping them together! They're like those annoying wolf shinobi grunts!" She then added in frustration.
The Vice Leader growled. "Stay still! Mamagnara!" Yin soon commanded as she Kaeru appeared above the horde.
RUMBLE! CRACK!
Suddenly, several holes in the ground cracked open, swallowing a few of the smaller enemies and burying the bigger ones halfway. "Now! Send them back to hell!" The Vice Leader soon ordered.
"Come on, Queen!" Skull called out as he flexed his good leg.
"Do not leave any of them alive!" Queen declared as the two dash forward and picked up a frozen enemy each before throwing them at the gathered hordes.
CRASH! SPLATTER!
"Whoa! 164 enemies down in one go!" Oracle reported. "You guys are killing it out there! Ooh, but Joker's team is catching up!"
"It's not a competition!" They heard Serpent shout out.
"It's a motivator!" Oracle countered.
"Way to go, Leader! Ah, I mean, Vice Leader!" Skull cheered as they began to push back the hordes.
"Hehehe...thanks." Yin giggled, feeling her Leadership finally reach its pinnacle.
Eventually, the waves of Yōma died down, allowing the Thieves a moment of rest.
"We aren't getting anywhere!" Fox called out. "We haven't even managed to touch the demon yet. We need to kill Shin before these things overwhelm us!" He then stated and reminded.
"But...we have...no idea how to..." Panther panted as she wiped the sweat off her brow.
"Crap, crap, crap." The navigator suddenly began to swear rapidly.
"Oracle?" Queen got out in concern.
"Shadows are coming our way now!" Oracle soon exclaimed.
"What!? Why!?" Mona questioned in a panicky tone.
"I don't know other than being friggin' jerks!" Oracle responded as she checked everyone's stats. Their health was good, but their SP was beginning to dwindle down.
"Dammit, and more Yōma spawning too..." Yang grumbled as she saw pools of blood beginning to bubble. "If someone has a plan, it better be now!" She then suggested.
However, no one had the chance to speak as the next wave of enemies were upon them. They were barely holding them off at this point as Yin began throwing out items to keep everyone in top fighting condition.
"This is getting worse...!" Queen panted before forcing her body to punch through a Shadow's chest then throwing it into some enemies to give her some breathing room...before delivering a roundhouse kick to a Yōma that attempted to sneak up on her.
"I don't think...Shin needs...to worry about...running out of...things..." Fox wheezed out...right before struck with confusion. "Huh...wha...?" He muttered.
SLAP!
Widow let out a breath as she put away her paper fan. "We can't keep this up for much longer. We'll surely die if we do so."
Suddenly, Skull ripped the duffle bag off Yin and shoved the Leaders towards Shin, just as the enemies began to swarm them.
"Huh!?" Yin yelped as she stumbled forward, falling into the Leader's arms.
"JOKER! YIN! GO!" Skull shouted at the two as before turning around to kill some Shadows. "KILL THE DAMN THING! WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THESE GUYS FOR YA!" He then called out while he kicked away some Yōma.
"Wait, what!? That's your plan!?" Panther exclaimed in shock.
"You got anything else, Panther!?" Skull called out as he summoned his Persona to splatter a bunch of enemies all over the walls.
"...Dammit, GO!" Panther relented before burning a group down to ashes.
"We're not leaving you to fend for yourselves!" Joker called out.
"Believe in us!" Mona responded as he sliced a Shadow in half. "Just like how we believe in you! NOW GO END THIS THING!" He then declared.
"But...we can't! I won't abandon my comrades!" Yin responded in concern as she stepped towards the group.
However, the Leader took a moment to look around the battlefield. On all sides, they were being swarmed. It was unlikely they were going to have a chance to regroup and rest. They needed to end this now before any of them were killed...or at least get as many of them out alive.
With a heavy heart, the Leader put his hand on the Vice Leader's shoulder. "Yin...trust them." Joker advised, staring directly into the Vice Leader's eyes.
"...Hai." Yin finally agreed...right before being nearly blindsided by an attack, dodging only by a hair's width. "DAMMIT, WE NEED AN OPENING!" She then called out as she retaliated by firing her pistols.
"We're a little busy right now!" Queen responded as she used her Persona to turn some Shadows and Yōma into roadkill, with the rest of the team beginning to fight with renewed vigor.
At that moment, the tan skinned girl soon took in a deep breath as she sheathed her six katanas. "SENPAI!" Yang called out, her eyes glowing a fiery red.
Meanwhile, the light gray haired girl closed her fans. "Hai!" Widow responded, her eyes glowing an icy blue.
FWOOOOOOOOOSH! SLASH! SLICE! SLASH!
The two were soon enveloped in tornadoes of fire and ice before dashing out and sliced up the opposition, now in their Awakened states of Crimson Lotus and Ice Queen.
"Holy shit!" Skull exclaimed in awe. "That's awesome!" He then cheered.
"It's just like Serpent's thing from the pyramid..." Panther remembered before gasping. "Wait, Oracle! What's their vital signs looking like!?" She then questioned in a panic.
"Uh..." Oracle got out before she scrambled to check the data, having been too busy staring in awe at the two. "Low but...steady. They aren't actively dying. Is that supposed to happen? I kinda thought it was one of those power at a price type of things." She then informed.
"No, that's how it's supposed to happen." Serpent grumbled in envy. "How the hell..." She thought.
"AAAHHH! I need help over here!" Mona screamed as a bunch of enemies began to dogpile him.
"Mona!" Yang and Widow called out, dashed over with their guns at the ready.
"GET OFF HIM!" The crimson haired shinobi screamed as she fired her twin machine guns.
RATATATATATATATATA! BOOM BOOM BOOM!
"AAAHH!" Mona yelped as he covered his head, with the bullets burning and blasting all the enemies on top of him, easing the weight on top of him just enough so he could crawl his way out.
"Huh, explosive fire bullets." Yang noted before giggling. "Hehehe...this is way too much power for a teenager." She confessed in amusement.
"Yang, focus." Widow instructed as she continued firing her ice rounds, blasting the enemies and sticking them to the nearby walls or into other enemies.
"Hai, senpai." Yang responded as she gripped Engetsuka with two hands. "CRIMSON SUN!" She then declared before swinging her sword violently in one motion, with an immense amount of crimson energy forming around the blade, unleashing it in a ball-shape form, mowing down and burning everything in front of her.
BOOOOOOM!
"Leave some for me, Yang!" Widow requested before taking a deep breath while holding up her katana before skating forward, leaving a trail of ice at her feet. "Ultimate Secret Ninja Art: Ice Queen's Blade!" She then declared as she disappeared, leaving only icy blue slashes in her wake that cut down enemies before they even knew they were dead.
SHIIIIIING!
"Holy shit that's a massive power boost from them!" Oracle exclaimed as she watched their kill count rise.
"Would you say it over nine-" Joker began with a smirk.
"DON'T EVEN FINISH THAT!" Oracle ordered, interrupting the Leader. "Also, on your left." She then informed after calming down.
"Shit." Joker swore as he leapt out of the way while Yin stabbed the sneaky Yōma to death. "Come on, Shin, do you need thismany assholes to kill us!?" He then complained.
"Given our kill count so far...yes." The navigator answered.
"It was rhetorical!" The Leader growled as he tackled down a Shadow that was about to attack the Vice Leader.
SLICE! SHING! SLICE! FWOOSH!
Meanwhile, the duo of literal fire and ice continue the assault in perfect synchronization as if they were two sides of a mirror.
"So this is Crimson Lotus, magnificent Yang." Widow assumed and praised with a smile.
"Senpai, is this-" Yang meanwhile assumed with awe in her voice.
"Hai," Widow responded as she slashed and froze a Yōma. "My Awakened state, Ice Queen." She revealed.
The fiery girl then looked at the icy girl's weapon. "...You're proficient with the katana?" Yang soon asked.
"I've had some practice." Widow reassured. "Now, shall we give these pieces of garbage a dance?" She soon suggested with a calm smile.
"We shall." Yang responded as they got themselves ready.
SHINK! SHINK!
"Going forth..." The two soon declared, their eyes glowing red as their Personas appeared behind them.
"We shall bring order to chaos!" The two Personas declared at the same time while releasing their power.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
Immediately, there were a lot less enemies around as flames and glaciers were all that remained.
"So coooooool~!" Yin got out in awe at the sight...right before being blindsided by a blast of wind. "AAAHHH!"
"We really have to stop staring at big attacks..." Joker muttered to himself as he rushed over to pick the Vice Leader up.
"Tch. Show-offs." Serpent scoffed at the sight as she rolled her eyes.
"Hey uh...are you gonna do the-" Panther began to ask.
"Can't." The white haired woman interrupted in a flat tone. "I already have a death wish by being here, I'd rather have a chance to die than a guarantee." She then explained.
"...Well, I can understand that." Panther got out with a shrug. "By the way, behind you." She then warned.
"Give me a sec." Serpent sighed as she casually dodged the attack and sliced the Shadow in two. "ALRIGHT, WHO LIKES EATING LEAD!" She then screamed as she pulled out her minigun and started firing into the hordes.
Wwwhhhhiiiiirrrrrrlllllll...RATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!
"GET SOOOOOOOOOME!" Serpent soon roared with a battle crazed grin on her face while mowing down the enemies.
"Looks like Serpent's having some fun." Yang remarked before turning to the info broker, who was staring at her. "...What?" She got out with curiosity.
"You have a frowny face on your mask now." Widow eventually commented in concern.
"Not the time, Widow." Yang sighed before the two froze and burned two Yōma at the same time with perfect synchronization.
The two then looked at the Leaders. "NOW!" They soon commanded.
"That's our opening! GO GO GO!" Joker shouted out as he and the Vice Leader began jumping and climbing up the tree.
(Cue I Believe by Lyn)
"Are we really sure we should be leaving them behind?" Yin called out as they jumped before branch to branch, occasionally shooting up higher with their grappling hooks.
"Hey, Skull was right!" Joker responded as he boosted the Vice Leader up before she helped him climb up. "We aren't getting anywhere by just killing all the fodder. We need to cut it off at the head!"
"Does Shin even have a head to cut off!?" Yin soon wondered.
"We'll see!" Joker grunted out as he dug his fingers into the bark (if that was the right material).
"Leader!" Yin suddenly warned.
"Whoa!" Joker exclaimed, the razor sharp branch grazing his suit and leaving a large tear in it, revealing his toned chest. "Okay, you're finally getting your hands dirty, Shin. Glad you respect us like that."
"RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"I don't think it understands!" Yin assumed as they kept climbing.
"Yin, on your left!" Joker ordered.
"Hai!" Yin responded as she slashed through a branch that was about to grab her. "Shin isn't giving up without a fight, huh?"
"Makes our victory a lot more satisfying!" Joker responded and fired his gun at more branches coming at them.
Slowly but surely, the Leaders fought their way up the tree, barely stopping to rest. They were actually beginning to regret letting Skull get all the items as they were beginning to run low on health, SP, and ammo.
"Come on! We're almost there!" Joker declared as they ran up one of the larger branches.
"You've said that eight times already!" Yin called out as she kicked some branches away.
"It'll be true eventually!" Joker responded. "There has to be a weakness. There has to be!" He then stated and declared.
"What makes you think it'll be easy to find!?" Yin questioned with a raised eyebrow.
The Leader blinked...before his eyes turned gold. "Focus..." He muttered as he searched. Hoping to find-
"HOW ABOUT THE BIG FAT GLOWY SPOT RIGHT THERE!" Oracle remarked as she pointed a tentacle at the point of mention, a crack in the bark that glowed a red light.
"..." Serpent's eye immediately twitched to that. "I-It couldn't be that easy, could it!?" She thought to herself in disbelief.
"Hey, that might be its anus or something." Joker pointed out. "...But we may as well tear that shit open." He then added.
Nodding to that, the Vice Leader sheathed her blades and got into a stance. "DUAL SLASH!" Yin announced.
SLASH! SLASH!
Once the Vice Leader weakened the bark, Joker summoned a Persona to charge through it, creating a hole large enough for them to climb through...where they saw a giant, beating...thing. It wasn't made of flesh, but it was certainly keeping something working in Shin.
"Oh my..." Yin whispered in awe and horror.
"You think that's the heart?" Joker asked in a casual manner.
"Only one way to find out." Yin answered as she rushed into the chamber.
"Hey, don't just-" The Leader began, however...
WRAP!
Suddenly, Joker's eyes widened as he looked down to see a vine wrapped around one of his legs. "Shit." He swore before being dragged into the other direction.
"JOKER!" Yin cried out as the Leader was dragged back.
"Don't worry about me!" Joker struggled out as he tried to break out from the branch's hold on him. "This is your legend, not mine." He soon reminded.
"Akira-kun..." Yin whispered with widened eyes.
"Now stop standing around and get a move on!" Joker ordered.
"H-Hai, Leader!" Yin responded with a salute.
"Nah, just someone to pass the story along." Joker responded with a smirk. "GO!" He then shouted out as the branches began to engulf him.
And with that, the Vice Leader ran.
Meanwhile...at the bottom of the tree...
"We're being overrun!" Fox called out as he sliced through several enemies at once. His katana was beginning to dull, feeling it tear through flesh instead of gliding through it.
"I can see that, Inari!" Oracle shouted out. "Yin and Joker are in the heart chamber! We've got this!" She then encouraged.
"Not for long!" Serpent responded in a tired manner.
"Shit, outta ammo!" Skull cursed as he dug through the duffle...only to find how empty it was. All they had was two Sewing Kits. "What!? Shit, shit, shit...we're out!" He exclaimed in a panic.
"Of what!?" Fox called out.
"EVERYTHING!" Skull yelled in extreme panic.
"Oracle, we need help here!" Panther got out as she started to sound more worried. "Give us another bomb or something!" She soon requested.
"Deploying!" Oracle declared as she grabbed hold of the bomb just as it dropped.
KABOOM!
"Ohhhhh..." the navigator groaned as she stumbled around, not noticing she was missing pants. "Hey, it went off when it was supposed to this time~!" She got out in a dazed manner before...
THUD!
"Dammit, that barely took care of any of them!" Skull exclaimed.
"Don't falter here! We can...we can...oh no..." The tan skinned girl tried to encourage, only to stumble back as her vision began to blur.
"Yang!?" Widow called out in concern before faltering herself. "Ngh!" She groaned.
"A-Agh..." Yang soon got out as her crimson hair faded back into its normal color and Engetsuka returned to her back resheathed. "Dammit...out of time..." She grimaced.
"Me too..." Widow informed as she took a knee as her power faded as well, with her ice katana melting in her hands. "I don't know how...how much longer we can keep this up..." Shet then confessed.
"Mediarama!" Mona called out, wincing at the heavy drain of energy as he healed everyone. "We...We can't give up now...we've come too far..." He then stated.
"That...is a fallacy..." Widow however panted out.
"We just have to believe in our leaders! They can do this!" Mona insisted as he fired off the last of his slingshot ammo at a few Yōma.
"Belief isn't enough!" Serpent called out. "Despite it sounding really good right now!" She mentally admitted.
"It's all we can rely on!" Mona snapped before looking up the tree. "Come on...I know you can do it...please..." He then prayed before taking his scimitar and jumping into the fray.
Back at Shin's heart chamber...
"Dammit, let go of me!" Joker growled as he sliced away the branches wrapping around his limbs and neck, stumbling forward in a futile attempt to catch up to Yin, who was nearly at Shin's heart.
"Come on...come on! I'm almost there!" Yin told herself as she fought through, only mere feet away from the heart...only to be pulled back. "Wha...No. Nononononononono!" She screamed as she felt herself being pulled into the darkness, the branches wrapping around every part of her body.
"ASUKA!" Joker screamed as he tried to break out, but it wasn't enough to break Shin's hold on them.
However, the Vice Leader felt oddly...calm.
Even as the branches wrapped around her neck and tried to stab their way into every orifice she had...she felt at peace.
She was destined to die like this, right?
Well...funny thing about being a Phantom Thief...
They liked to defy it.
"I used to have this feeling...a premonition of falling short. Now I have no fear since we're here..." Asuka thought, emerald flames at her feet. "Fighting together! PERSONA!" Yin commanded while ripping off her mask.
SHATTER! FWOOSH!
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Yin roared, green flames engulfing the area as she charged at Shin's heart, leaving nothing but an emerald streak.
WHOOSH!
Joker gasped.
As he saw on Yin's black mask was a bright white smile.
Yin moved in the air, slicing off every branch that tried to grab her as she got closer and closer. "I can do this...I can do this!" She soon declared.
"She's dancing through them all..." Joker couldn't help but note.
"No more pain..." Yin whispered as she leapt into a sprint.
Tu-tump...tu-tump...tu-tump...
"No more...war..." Yin panted as Kaeru shielded her true self from Shin's branches, holding them off even as she limped towards her objective.
Tu-tump tu-tump tu-tump!
"No...more...SUFFERING!" Yin declared as she stabbed her swords directly into the heart, covering her mask in its black blood.
TU-TUMP! TU-TUMP! TU-TUMP!
STAB!
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Shin screamed, its roar shaking Mementos and even destroying a few Shadows below.
"A-Ah..." Joker struggled out. God, that roar felt like it scrambled his brain. "Don't let up, Yin! Keep going!" He then encouraged.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The Vice Leader let out a primal scream as she kept stabbing the heart over and over again before feeling a few branches grasp at her kimono, tearing it up as it attempted to pull her away.
However, Yin sliced off the branches before she sheathed both of her swords, slowly leaned forward...
SLASH! SLASH!
"Dual Slash!" Yin declared. "Kaeru! Hit it with everything you've got!" She then commanded, expending every drop of her Spirit Pool to shoot spires of earth like a machine gun.
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The screams of Shin's pain burrowed into their brains, however it did nothing to stop Yin from ending it, even as Shin's blood began to disintegrate every stitch of clothing on her body.
"One more!" Joker shouted out as the Vice Leader twirled around her glowing green pistols.
"That...is your last dance!" Yin calmly stated as she aimed her guns.
BANG! BANG!
"FSEOFNIEOESWMFOWEFMASKCMRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
SPLATTER!
And with that...Shin's heart exploded, the branches spasming around before dying in mere seconds.
Yin couldn't help but smile, even as Shin's form turned to ashes around her. However, that was all she could do before she went to her knees, peacefully accepting what was about to come next.
Joker...was less complacent.
The Leader managed to stumble over to the weakened shinobi and got a hand on her shoulder. "Hey." He greeted.
"Hey." Yin responded without giving him a look.
Joker quickly fired his grappling hook up and over the hole before it got caught by something. After a quick tug, he offered his hand. "Let's go home." He then got out.
The Vice Leader smiled as she held onto the Leader before they both shot out of Shin's dying corpse.
(End Music)
The group soon watched the creator of all of the Yōma in existence, the true reason and purpose as to why shinobis fought each other slowly began to disintegrate into nothingness.
"Holy shit..." Serpent whispered.
"They did it." Widow stated, not even believing her own words.
"Wait, where are they?" Queen asked as the Thieves looked around.
"WatchitwatchitWatchitWatchitWATCHIT!" They suddenly heard the panicked yells of their leaders before they all moved out of the way and...
THUD! THUD!
"Urgh..." The two leaders groaned in pain, both in nothing but their masks and bracers for their grappling hook.
"Sis!" Yang called out in concern as she and the others rushed over. "You guys ok?" She soon asked as they used Sewing Kits on them to give them some decency, although the blood that was still on them did disintegrate it a little, leaving them just as indecent as the rest of the team.
"...We killed it." Yin simply answered while the others helped them back onto their feet and looked at everyone. Everyone's clothes were in shreds, barely giving any of them modesty. Although, at this point they were all too exhausted to even be embarrassed.
Serpent simply stood still while staring at the space where Shin was disintegrated...before tears of joy started to form in her and falling down to her knees. "Shin is...gone. He's truly gone. I...I...I have finally avenged Mama's death! WOOHOO!" She then whispered and cried out in a state of inner peace and resolve.
The others glanced at the white-haired woman...before Widow approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We...We avenged...everyone." Widow breathed out before her legs gave out underneath her, causing the white haired woman to instinctively catch her. "My legs..." She winced as she rubbed her thighs.
"Ugh...I never wanna do this again..." Panther groaned as she intentionally fell backwards onto the ground with a thud.
"Even for all the experience we just got?" Oracle asked. "Cause we just got a lot..." She then informed.
"Kill...easier...Shadows..." Panther coughed out. "Urgh, hopefully...that was the last time anyone will face Yōma..." She then muttered.
"Not to mention, we actually fought Yōma, even though most of us are mere civilians." Fox pointed out.
"Hawaii after tomorrow is gonna be so worth it now..." Skull remarked before remembering certain people who won't be accompanying them on their soon-to-be trip. "Ah, sorry, Mona, Serpent, Oracle." He awkwardly apologized.
"At this point...I just wanna go and sleep." Mona mumbled to himself, still a bit dazed after that life-threatening fight while swaying back and forth.
"...Maybe I should go to a shrine to pray for avenging my mother's death or something..." Serpent soon decided.
"Maybe I should too." Widow whispered to herself. "If only my grandfather was here to know we achieved such a feat." She then muttered.
"Ugh...I wanna go home to my beloved PC-kun and watch and hack some crap." Oracle groaned as she fell onto her glutes on the ground in slight fatigue.
"Is that your idea of resting? You should be sleeping when we get back, young lady." Serpent soon questioned and stated in a lecturing manner.
"Well it's better than almost dying!" The hacker called out. "Add that to the fact that I'm still new here in Mementos or something, and that includes you, Serpent!" She then pointed out.
"Yeah...not exactly the easiest first mission for you two." Yang giggled.
"That just makes ya more of a badass though!" Skull called out.
"Badass, huh...I like that, hehe." Oracle repeated and added with a small laugh in the end.
The Leader laughed as well before spotting a small pile on the tracks that didn't fade along with Shin. "...Hey, look. Money." Joker got out as he went up and got the 1,000,000 yen on the ground. "...Why did Shin drop money?" He then questioned.
"...So let me get this out loud...did we just kill an effin' god?" Skull asked as it finally began to hit them.
Even Oracle hadn't escaped unscathed, though she didn't seem to mind much as she glanced at the others...and obviously enjoyed it. "Holy cr-...oooh, reaaally wish I had a working camera right now...wait, can I use my...?" She then thought and realized something before taking something out in secret with a grin on her face.
"No Skull, we killed a true demon..." Serpent declared with narrowed eyes. "And Yin gave it the final shot..." She then added in a slightly envious tone.
"We won't even get any credit for this, will we?" Mona guessed.
"Yep." Joker replied as he then showed the money to the Vice Leader. "Here. You, Yang, Widow and Serpent deserve it more." He then offered.
"Aw, what!? MMMPH!" Skull exclaimed before the not cat shoved his ruined scarf into his mouth.
"Well...we didn't kill Shin for the money anyways..." Queen stated before attempting to use her muffler to hide her exposed breasts.
"I...I cannot in good conscience accept it. The destruction of true evil is...reward...enough..." Widow tried to deny the money, only to see the tan skinned girl and white haired woman taking their cut.
"250,000 yen each." Yang stated as she pocketed her cut.
"Hey if you don't want your cut, Widow, I can always use it." Serpent then offered.
"Joker, Fox, you can have my cut." Widow quickly informed as she handed the boys 125,000 yen each.
"Sweet." Joker replied with a smirk.
"Thank you, senpai." Fox got out in a grateful tone.
"Aw, what!?" Serpent exclaimed in disappointment as the others couldn't help but laugh a bit.
"Oh, come on, not fair!" Oracle called out, getting everyone's attention and noticing the orangette holding her phone while tinkering with it with a disappointed expression.
"Uh, Oracle, why'd you pull out your phone?" Queen asked. "You know that if you're trying to use the app while we're still here, we're gonna end up somewhere unpredictable, right?" She then explained.
"Oh, uh, um...I was just..." Oracle stammered since all the attention was on her now before keeping her phone away.
"Doing what, exactly?" Serpent questioned with her arms over her chest.
"N-Nothing, forget about it." Oracle responded while waving her hands in front of her before glancing away. Her companions don't need to know that she was trying to take a picture of their exposed states for her own satisfaction. Unfortunately for her, the camera on her didn't seem to work for some reason. Maybe someday though.
"Anyway, holy shit, we effin' saved the world!" Skull realized as he pumped his fist. "Eat that, Akechi and lame-ass detective shit!" He then declared while pumping a fist into the air.
However, it was at that moment Joker noticed something. "Uh, guys?" He spoke up as a freaked out expression began to grow on his face.
"You're seriously thinking about him after all that?" Panther groaned as she lifted up her mask to pinch the bridge of her nose.
"Everyone, look behind..." The Leader tried to tell everyone. He could've just outright told everyone, but his overworked body and brain were falling back onto movie cliches.
"Well, now he's got nothin' on us. Dude, we gotta post this on the Phan-site." Skull suggested.
"No one will believe us, Skull. They won't even know what a Shin is." Fox pointed out. "Plus, we'd probably get placed higher on the threat level to shinobi..." He then added in concern.
"EVERYONE, TURN AROUND!" Oracle however exclaimed, pointing behind the others.
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
From its very roar alone, the Thieves were blasted away. Some of them managed to cover their ears, but it meant nothing as they felt the roar crack their bones and pierce their heart...or at least, it felt like it.
"What now!?" Serpent growled in frustration before stopping at what she saw.
A large red wolf-shaped entity with glowing yellow eyes and black drool dripping out of its mouth...and it was glaring at them with all the hate of the world.
"G-G-GHOST!" Yang screamed in terror as she dived behind her sister.
"Uhh...I think that's Shin's soul!" Oracle exclaimed as she started back away.
"Aw, COME ON!" Queen growled as everyone took out their weapons once again.
"Well, it couldn't be that easy! Let's go!" Widow declared as she tried to go into her ultimate form...only for it to sputter out. "Oh...that's not good..." She then thought.
"I don't think we have enough go left at this point..." Mona groaned.
Suddenly, something began to glow in the Leader's pocket. "Joker, I think the star is reacting to something!" Yin pointed out.
Joker's eyes widened before pulling out the star, feeling it pulsating with energy and hum. "Okay...Well, here goes nothing." He then got out with a shrug before raising the star high into the sky. "I wish...to seal Shin's soul!" He soon declared, causing the shinobi's eyes to widen.
And nothing happened.
Joker blinked. "...Please?" He soon muttered.
SHINE!
Suddenly, the star shone brightly as Joker felt it begin to crack in his hands. However, the cracks healed as the Thieves saw the star suck Shin's soul into it, turning the bright blue star into a nice blood red before turning back to its original blue coloring. Soon, the light died down and things went silent.
"...Huh." Joker dumbly got out, staring at the star. "I guess that solves that..." He then mumbled out, tossing the star into the air before placing it back in his pocket.
"...Did...Did the star just absorb Shin's soul?" Serpent got out in disbelief.
"That feels..." Panther began.
"Contrived?" Oracle guessed.
"I was gonna say relieving since I do not want to go a second round but I guess that works too." Panther muttered out with a shrug before her boot's heel snapped, causing her to fall over. "Ooof!" She grunted.
"I believe...We should go home..." Fox sighed out, with the Thieves gently nodding as the not cat transformed into the Morganamobile.
"Hai...I don't...I don't think I have the energy to do anything else..." Widow groaned while she limped over and crawled into the back, wanting to lie down for the trip back.
"Yeah. Everyone, go home and sleep. We'll do the requests tomorrow." Joker ordered as everyone got into the car and drove the hell out of there.
[Now leaving Mementos...Have a nice day!]
(Shibuya, Underground Walkway)
"Here's your order. Have a good day!" The cashier got out in a happy tone as she handed the customer a small cardboard tray of two cups of ice cream.
"Thank you." Akira responded with a kind smile, quickly paying for the ice cream before walking over to the Vice Leader, who had chosen to sit on the floor rather than find a proper seat anywhere else.
He couldn't exactly blame her though. His legs were in-between falling asleep and cracking in two. And with everyone else going home, there was no one else to save him from his inevitable crash.
Still, he kept a pleasant smile on his face as he reached the Vice Leader. "Here." Akira soon offered.
"Mochi ice cream?" Asuka guessed as she was given a green-colored ice cream by the Leader.
"Nothing but the best for our resident Demon God Slayer." Akira stated as he handed the cup to her. "A-Ahhh..." He then winced as he slowly sat down next to the Vice Leader.
"Akira-kun?" Asuka got out in concern.
"I'm fine, just my bones crying out in pain..." Akira assured in a joking tone before letting out a groan. "Oh, Haruka-chan's gonna grill me over the coals...maybe literally..." He then grumbled.
"You mean Homu-neechan's friend working at Takemi-sensei's?" Asuka assumed.
"Yup. If today didn't kill me, she certainly will. And that's not to say how Takemi might react." Akira responded with a shrug. "Still, my happiness outweighs any and all pain I am experiencing right now. We did it." He then got out as he lifted up his cup.
"Hai..." Asuka half-heartedly cheered as she tapped their ice creams together.
The Leader frowned. "You don't seem happy." he noticed.
"I'm just...still processing what we did..." The Vice Leader admitted in a mumble.
Looks like his job wasn't done yet. Although the physical fight was over, now it was time to face the fight within. "Asuka, talk to me. No one is listening." Akira insisted.
However, the Vice Leader wasn't having any of it. "...Shinobi Kekkai." Asuka simply stated...but nothing happened. "...Eh?" She got out in confusion.
"Try again?" Akira suggested with a raised eyebrow.
And she did so again. "Shinobi Kekkai!" She then got out in a louder voice.
Still nothing.
"W-Wha...?" Asuka felt a rush of panic run down her spine.
"Maybe you ran out of energy after that fight back there." Akira guessed.
"Yeah, I guess so." Asuka let out a small giggle before groaning in exhaustion.
"You know what, let me handle this instead." Akira offered.
"Huh? What do you-" Asuka began before cutting off as she noticed the Leader started making hand signs...that seemed all too familiar. "Wait, huh?" She soon got out.
"Shinobi Kekkai!" Akira suddenly announced.
"Eh?" Asuka barely responded as the two vanished.
(Akira's Shinobi Kekkai)
Almost instantly, a very familiar feeling came over the Vice Leader as the people suddenly disappeared without a trace. "Eeeeeehhhhhhh!?" She squeaked in disbelief.
"I uh...I've been practicing." Akira sheepishly admitted as the area shimmered with a red tint before returning to normal. "Every morning, every night, sometimes in class. Actually, this is my first successful one." He then added.
"A-And you managed to learn it all by yourself?" Asuka gasped. "Creating your first Kekkai should've been done under supervision. They're dangerous if you do something wrong!" She then scolded.
"It's a wonder what you can find on the internet." The Leader informed, shocking the Vice Leader. "I just looked up how to channel my chakra, and it took way too long to find a tutorial that wasn't a thinly veiled attempt to scam people. Then it was just doing the hand signs. And I've seen you guys do it plenty of times." He then explained and reminded.
Ignoring the very possible breach in security of shinobi secrets, Asuka pouted. "You still should've had someone to watch over you." She then pointed out.
"You're supervising now." Akira pointed out, only for the Vice Leader to glare at him. "...Sorry..." He soon got out in an apologetic tone.
After another glare, Asuka gave him a smile and a quick hug. "But still, I'm really proud of you, Leader. You'd make a good shinobi." She eventually admitted.
"Think I can transfer to Hanzō after my probation is up?" Akira asked in a joking tone. "It might be a good excuse to stay in Tokyo and I don't want to lose contact with everyone I've met here." He then admitted in a more serious tone.
"It is a nice thought, but I don't think your parents would let you." Asuka pointed out, letting out a sad smile.
Akira let out a sad sigh. "Yeah..." He replied in agreement. "Now, what's bothering you?" He then asked.
"..." Asuka's smile then dropped, preferring to look at the ground of the false area. She had hoped that he would forget.
"Vice Leader, is there something wrong you need to discuss?" Akira insisted with a frown.
In response, Asuka sighed. "Akira-kun, we just destroyed the creator of all the Yōma and now all that's left is gonna be the stragglers. And eventually, they'll all die out and no more Yōma will be left." She began. "No shinobi...will ever have to worry about them again or suffer by their hands. No danger of demons coming out of pools of blood after a massacre. We just saved...millions..." She then stated in awe.
"But...?" Akira pressed as he leaned a little closer.
"...But now...what's the point of fighting? What's the point of being a shinobi?" Asuka wondered. "Good...Evil...we only exist to kill Yōma, and we did just that at its source. Now what?" She then mumbled.
"Asuka, I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons shinobi still exist in the modern day." Akira stated in a reassuring manner. "We aren't in the Warring State period after all." He then added.
"But like the Warring States, everyone has their own ideology too." Asuka reminded. "It's not like we can just end all that hatred in one go. People just won't let go even if it would be a better option..." She soon stated. "And if other shinobi found out about the real reason why there are different sides..." She then began before trailing off.
"It would just be like before...killing each other over and over again." Akira guessed with a frown.
"Hai, just like how Miyabi-chan said it." Asuka responded with a nod. "There'll never be peace, will there?" She then mumbled out as hugged her legs.
"Humans like to fight. But they love to dream too." Akira reminded. "And if you can remember, the Warring States period eventually came to an end." He then added.
"Until the next war. And the next. And the next..." Asuka droned on as she rolled her eyes. "I wish I could be happy, truly happy...but at the end of the day, barely anything is going to change." She then stated in a bitter tone.
"I wouldn't say that. This year has certainly changed my life." Akira got out in a relaxed tone, leaning back at the wall.
"But that's your life. Not mine." Asuka countered.
"And you're saying after everything, from our first history to literally stabbing Shin in the heart, that you're not feeling accomplished?" Akira asked in a somewhat frustrated and offended tone.
"I did...for a while..." Asuka answered. "But when I think about it-" She soon began.
"There's your problem." Akira interrupted. "You're thinking too hard. And your ice cream is melting." He then stated and informed.
"Ah!" Asuka yelped before licking the ice cream that melted on her hand. "Moh...and I'm not thinking too hard." She then insisted.
"Yes you are." Akira responded.
"No I'm not. I-I'm just...I'm scared of what will happen in the future." Asuka confessed.
"And that's for our future selves to worry about. Sometimes, today especially, you have to live for the here and now." Akira soon stated. "There's going to be both good and bad times, but that's life in the end." He then added.
"Live for the here and now..." Asuka muttered as she thought back to everything she had been doing since coming to Tokyo.
Becoming a Phantom Thief and taking on the true evils of the world, a cafe employee learning many new skills, a model going through new experiences.
And she was still only in high school too. What would her adult life bring...?
"We only have a century at best in this world. There's no way we'll be able to experience everything life has to offer. So stop thinking, and live in the moment." Akira concluded. "Be you...and be happy."
"...Happy...?" Asuka slowly repeated while processing this.
"Only if you want to. There's nothing bad about being sad." Akira assured...right before the Vice Leader wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing into his chest. "Whoa!"
"Thank you. Thank you for...Thank you." Asuka got out, tears running down her face.
"I...yeah. Thank you." Akira responded as he returned the hug.
They remained like this for a while, finally able to just live in the moment, before letting go.
"Still, it would be nice to brag to your grandfather that you ended the greatest threat to humanity since Kawakami on her time of the month." Akira admitted with a smile before it turned into a cringe. "...Why do I keep saying these things?" He then groaned as he covered his face.
"Ugh! TMI Akira-kun!" Asuka exclaimed in disgust, despite the grin on her face. "And...I'd rather not take the credit. It was a group effort by all of us." She then admitted. "Also...no one would believe us." She soon pointed out.
"Well...there is one thing we can turn in for proof." Akira reminded as he pulled something from his pocket.
"The star?" Asuka whispered, seeing a small pulsing red glow contained within the usually blue glowing item.
"Do you want it?" Akira soon offered. "It would make a nice trophy. Or a nice-ass necklace. Or keychain. Ooh, maybe even something to hang on your bag." He then suggested.
"Erm...I doubt even Jii-chan would believe Shin's soul is in that. He'd probably think of it as a cool souvenir though." Asuka awkwardly responded. "We might still have uses for it. Still...Thank you." She then got out.
"It's no-" Akira began to play off his involvement, only for the Vice Leader to put a finger to his lips.
"No...I'm thanking you...for everything. From when I met you to now. Thank you." Asuka corrected as she gave a grateful smile.
"No, thank you." Akira insisted. "For making this year the best one in my life." He then added before making certain hand signs to dispel his fresh, new Kekkai.
"The best one so far." Asuka corrected with a giggle as the Kekkai fell, returning them to reality with a stronger bond than before.
SHATTER!
RANK UP! Happy Squirrel Rank 9
Unlocked Deep Shadow!
Activates at critical health. Get a 1 More, regardless if an enemy is knocked down or not, for three turns.
(Shibuya, Underground Walkway)
"Yosh." Akira mentally cheered for himself.
"I...I still can't believe we actually did it, Akira-kun." Asuka got out as she cleaned up her face. "I-I think I'm just gonna go home, take a bath with Homu-neechan and sleep. See you tomorrow." She then added with a smile.
"Definitely." Akira replied with a smile of his own.
Suddenly, there was a yawn from his bag as Morgana popped his head out. "Mmm...nothing like a nap after beating an almighty, multiverse destroying demon..." He sighed out in satisfaction.
"Hear, hear." Akira agreed with a nod as he got up, making a note to fuse some new Persona though...and see if there were any new ones for the Electric Chair.
He was starting to think he had a hoarding problem with all the things he needed for the Electric Chair. Still, it was for the good of the team, with all the new Skill Cards and equipment so why is the floor approaching so fast?
THUD!
"Joker!?" Morgana exclaimed, jumping out of the bag just before the boy landed face-first on the ground.
"I'm fine! I'm fine..." Akira assured in a muffled tone as he managed to pick himself off the ground. "Home and sleep first...maybe a pit stop at the clinic that is worryingly becoming too frequent...then in a few hours, visit...Ohya..." He mumbled as he stumbled his way over to the train station, with Morgana following on foot while guiding him to his destination along with the usual scolding.
Yup, Haruka was definitely gonna get on his case for this, just what he needed...
(Fast Forward)
Sae pushed her chair back and let out a breath. "So from my understanding of this entire tale..." She began as she tried to understand what the boy was saying. "You and your merry band of thieves...saved the world several months ago."
"Two or three months ago. Yeah." Akira added while shrugging his shoulders. "It's not stopping shinobi from killing each other but at least we won't have to worry about blood demons crawling out the ground or wrecking shit inside humanity's collective consciousness."
"...Your friends are right. You do say these things too casually." Sae got out in a flat tone.
"Oh, you wound me, Niijima-san." Akira got out in a playful tone.
"Just keep going." Sae soon ordered with a glare.
Akira shrugged and continued his tale.
Although, he might be misremembering about what happened on that day though. Sae didn't need to know that though...
(Rewind)
(9/5, After School)
(Mementos, Sanctum of the Damned)
Joker wheezed as he watched the Vice Leader scream and struggle to make it to Shin's heart, with the Yōma itself doing everything it could to stop her.
He felt...so helpless...so weak...
Damn brat, I'll sue!
No...No, this wasn't going to be a repeat...it was never in his nature to leave someone by themselves...
Not again. Never again!
"I'm...not...LETTING YOU GO!" Joker roared as he ripped himself free from the branches, leaving most of his outfit behind as he ran after the Vice Leader.
"Joker?" Yin gasped in surprise.
"I've seen...way too many people...left to fend for themselves..." Joker managed to get out, every single one of his confidants flashing through his mind. "I will not...let them...go through anything without a friend..." He then declared.
"...Akira-kun..." Yin whispered, feeling her heartbeat hasten a little. Just then, Shin roared, returning them back to reality. "Joker!" She then got out in a more serious tone.
"You focus on destroying Shin, I got this here!" Joker got out as he turned to face the branches, already summoning a Persona to burn them away. "Tlaltecuhtli and I will keep them off you." He then added.
"Hai, Joker!" Yin responded before turning her attention to the objective. "As for you..." She then growled as she stomped over to the beating heart.
This will not end until one of them is dead.
"No more pain..." Yin whispered as she leapt into a sprint.
Tu-tump...tu-tump...tu-tump...
"No more...war..." Yin panted as Joker wiped out as many branches as he could, throwing every spell he knew at them.
Tu-tump tu-tump tu-tump!
"No...more...SUFFERING!" Yin declared as she stabbed her swords directly into the heart, covering her mask in its black blood.
TU-TUMP! TU-TUMP! TU-TUMP!
STAB!
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Shin screamed, its roar shaking Mementos and even destroying a few Shadows below.
"I have not...Come this far...To die now!" Yin roared as she and Kaeru stabbed it over and over again, even as its blood splattered all over her and disintegrated her clothes.
"Agidyne!" Joker called out before going down to his knees. "Yin, running low here..." He then got out in a tired manner as he struggled to his feet.
"Tag out!" Yin responded before the two high-fived and switched places.
CLAP!
The Leader smirked as he watched Yin destroy more branches. "Alright, let's break some hearts." Joker got out as he cracked his knuckles before tearing off the last remains of his coat. "PERSONA! Kougaon!" He then called out, summoning Horus to his side to blast it with light.
SHINE!
"RRRRRAAAAAAHHHHH!" Shin roared in pain as the two kept fighting, neither them faltering.
"Faster...harder...we need to do this NOW!" Yin suddenly declared as she ripped off her mask. "Kaeru!" She called out.
"Arsene!" Joker responded by ripping off his mask as his other self held Yin's Persona's hands.
"Let us steal your life away!" The Personas declared as they danced with each other before casting their spells.
DOOOOOOOOOM! CCCRRRRRAAASSSSSHHHH!
"RRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Shin screamed in pain as it felt darkness and shards of earth seep into its heart.
The Leaders, meanwhile, smirked as the branches started to die around them. One last push. "Nice try but..." Joker started as he chambered his last bullet into his pistol.
"...You've already lost when our sights were set on you." Yin continued while twirling her twin pistols.
"This dance...is over!" Joker and Yin called out as they aimed their guns.
BANG!
"FSEOFNIEOESWMFOWEFMASKCMRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
It roared. It cried. It tried everything to prevent its death.
But in the end it was futile.
SPLATTER!
Its heart was gone.
Yin couldn't help but smile, even as Shin's form turned to ashes around her. She was about to collapse on her knees, but the Leader was there to catch her before she fell. "Asuka, are you okay?" He soon asked.
"I-I'm fine..." Yin assured with a nod. "And you?" She asked back.
"Heh." The Leader could respond as he gave her a small smile.
Suddenly, the world seemed to fade around them. The destruction was gone. The screams had gone silent. And the battle was like it never existed in the first place.
In the end, it was only them.
Without a moment to think, the two lifted up their masks and kissed. It wasn't of passion, or lust, or just gratification of making it through this day...
It was simply happiness that they existed.
Suddenly, a giant chunk of Shin landed right next to them, causing them to pull back. However, they were still smiling.
BOING!
Joker then looked down and blushed. "...We're naked." He soon got out.
Asuka blinked before looking down as well, blushing but for some reason sporting a bigger smile. "Yeah, we better get out of here." She then suggested.
"Lead the way?" The Leader soon asked with a smile.
The Vice Leader nodded before firing her grappling hook, holding onto Joker before the two zipped away.
(Shibuya, Underground Walkway)
"Here's your order. Have a good day!" The cashier got out in a happy tone as she handed the customer a small cardboard tray of two cups of ice cream.
"Thank you." Akira responded with a kind smile as he reached for his wallet until the cashier shook her head. "Huh?"
"This one will be on me." The cashier stated. "Ah...I just adore young love blooming." She then gushed with a dreamy look on her face.
"L-Love!?" Akira coughed out, nearly gasping in enough air to choke. "I-I...uh..." He then stammered with a blush.
"Don't worry. Stay calm. You got this." The cashier assured. "Have a nice day." She then got out.
"Y-You too..." The Leader weakly responded as he took the tray and headed over to the Vice Leader, who was sitting down on the ground with her back against a wall. "Hey." He greeted.
"Hey yourself." Asuka responded with a wave. "So...we really killed Shin...and trapped its soul in the star." She muttered, still a little in awe of what they did only an hour before.
"Yep." Akira replied as he handed her ice cream to her and sat down. "And hopefully it'll remain like that for all eternity." He then hoped.
"Hai..." Asuka breathed out before eating some of her dessert.
"...Although, given humanity's track record, we might be better off sending the star into space." Akira suggested. "Let it float around in the infinite darkness or let some other alien deal with it."
"You believe in aliens?" Asuka asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a possibility." Akira pointed out. "The universe is vast. We can't be the only intelligent species in the galaxy." He then stated.
"I guess so..." Asuka responded with a shrug. "But I think we should keep it for a while before we seal it away. The star is still useful for us. Who knows, maybe Shin's soul empowered it." She then got out.
"Or every Showtime causes it to break free just a little." Akira pointed out. "But who knows. We'll deal with it if that ever comes up." He then stated.
"And if Shin does break free, we'll just kill it all over again." Asuka got out with a fist pump. "And now it's one step closer to...to...oh who am I kidding..." She then mumbled in depression.
"Asuka, talk to me." Akira got out with a frown.
And so...they did, after Akira set up a Shinobi Kekkai. It wasn't a very long talk, but it was an important one.
Asuka meanwhile was focusing so much on the future that she couldn't enjoy her present.
However, Akira did his best to make her realize that the journey was more important than the destination, and even if she didn't make it, her will would remain for generations to come. While she was still a little worried, she took their discussion to heart and finally let out a genuine smile.
The Leader smiled back as he leaned against the wall. "Thank you...for making this year the best one in my life." Akira declared before making certain hand signs to dispel his fresh, new Kekkai.
"The best one so far." Asuka corrected with a giggle as the Kekkai fell, returning them to reality with a stronger bond than before. However, there was one more thing they had to take care of...
"Ah...so...back in Mementos...about what happened after we killed Shin..." Akira began as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I don't know what came over me but-" He then got out in an apologetic tone, however...
"Akira-kun..." Asuka mumbled out as she looked at her friend in a meek manner.
"Hmm?" Akira replied, but suddenly...
CHU!
Asuka soon gained a pink blush on her face as a result of her kissing her friend, er...boyfriend, on the cheek.
This in turn surprised Akira as he looked at the girl. "Asuka." He got out as he touched his kissed cheek, soon remembering his confession to her. "Is...Is that a yes?" He soon asked.
"I would move the stars if that's what it took to convince you too. But I guess killing Shin will suffice today." Asuka replied with a blush on her face. "I...I love you, Akira-kun." She soon confessed in a soft tone while taking his hand.
"And I love you too." Akira replied before giving her a kiss on the lips.
He had entered a relationship with a shinobi. He knew that there was no going back.
SHATTER!
RANK UP! Happy Squirrel Rank 9
Unlocked Deep Shadow!
Activates at critical health. Get a 1 More, regardless if an enemy is knocked down or not, for three turns.
(?)
In another place and location, there were three girls wearing shrine maiden outfits sweeping the front area of the large shrine they are currently residing in right now.
On the wooden platform of the shrine sat two interesting looking people. One was a young female child with black hair while wearing a long white and red overcoat with pink bloomers that have red-colored etchings among them, sitting freely with her legs swinging playfully like a young child. The other was a rather short girl wearing a black tank top (civilian attire)
Afar from the two of them on the left side of the shrine stood an old woman wearing a 5-parts finery, with a long, green hakama skirt, a white kimono shirt, beige sleeves and a dark gray jacket, held by a dark brown ribbon as a makeshift belt. She also had a cane-like staff on one hand and a thin, long pipe used for smoking on her mouth.
The young female child jolted up with eyes wide open in surprise. 'Hm?" She hummed out.
"Is something the matter, Kagura-sama?" The pale green haired, red eyed girl questioned in concern while chewing some bubble gum.
The child named Kagura stood up with a surprised look on her face. "Naraku...I feel...something...disappeared." She soon responded as she looked out into the distance with a wistful look on her face.
That made the three female shrine maidens stop what they were doing and shifted their attention towards the child.
"What do you mean?" The bubble gum-chewing girl questioned with a frown.
"...Yōma." The child answered in a surprised manner.
"Hm, come again?" The youngest shrine maiden asked.
"Yōma...they're...starting to disperse." Kagura informed.
"E-EH!?" The middle shrine maiden exclaimed.
"What!?" The oldest shrine maiden also exclaimed.
"Tha-That's impossible!" The elder shrine maiden countered.
"Would you care to elaborate on that, Kagura-san?" The old woman asked with a hint of interest.
"They...they're just...disappearing in droves..." Kagura informed as she was processing this feeling. "T-There might be stragglers though but...but...whoa..." She then got out, stumbling around a little and nearly falling over.
"Kagura!" Naraku exclaimed as she kept the Yōma slayer steady.
"...D-Did we just...win?" Hanabi slowly questioned in a confused manner.
"We didn't even do anything L-O-L." Kafuru reminded. "Did someone else take care of it or was there some sort of natural thing happening?" She then wondered.
"That...I don't know..." Sayuri admitted with a frown. Nothing like this has ever happened across all shinobi history.
"Wait, didn't you say your husband was in Tokyo due to Yōma activity?" The elder shrine maiden recalled.
"Indeed Renka, that he did. As well as the so-called mental shutdown incidents at the very city as well. However, I doubt he had anything to do with it." The old woman replied before taking a hit on her long pipe. "Renka, Hanabi, Kafuru, be prepared. Something tells me that there's more brewing around in Tokyo than we usually suspected." She then ordered.
"Like the ones in the reports who called themselves the Phantom Thieves?" Renka assumed.
The old woman grunted as she heard the name. "That name...it really became popular in Tokyo." She soon noted. "From what I've heard, they began appearing sometime around the month of April. Even the Good Shinobi Council took notice of their existence." She then recalled.
"I also found their personal website while surfing the net in my spare time. Something called the Phan-Site." Kafuru got out as she brought over a laptop. "Name's creative, I gotta admit."
"Is that...a poll?" Renka noticed with a frown. "Are they outsourcing their targets now?" She then muttered.
"Most of these names are not worth even bothering with..." Sayuri stated without any concern. "Being famous has its problems."
"But they're probably making bank with all the merch." Kafuru assumed.
"I know! I even bought a poster of them online!" Hanabi freely admitted.
"You...bought merchandise about them?" Kafuru glanced at her older sister with a half-lidded gaze.
"Yeah! It was 75,000 yen! What a steal!" Hanabi happily stated with stars in her eyes.
"...Dafaq? Posters are 3,400 yen." Kafuru however reminded.
"It was a steal...as in they are stealing your money, teyandei!" Renka called out.
"Come on, Renka! I was simply buying what I like. What's wrong with that?" Hanabi whined.
"Oh, so many things." Kafuru replied as she rolled her eyes.
"In any case," Renka interrupted before turning to the elderly woman. "Sayuri-sama, do you think these Phantom Thieves could be involved somehow?" She eventually asked.
"I'm not sure, but we should never leave a stone unturned. It is possible that they are a group of shinobi as well." Sayuri stated. "Very likely they are renegades. For what reason and why their actions are so public is the question." She then added.
"It sounds like we need to go there to investigate." Renka got out.
"STFU. Right now?" Kafuru grumbled.
"No time like the present I say, and I'm not getting any younger." Sayuri stated. Besides, she was long overdue to visit her granddaughter...and her new granddaughter.
Old bastard...didn't even give her a call to discuss it until after everything was done and dusted. And as far as she knew, he just made their daughter adopt a random orphan from off the street. Of course, that wasn't an uncommon practice amongst shinobi but still...
"Oooh, I'm starting to feel excited about what's coming next!" Kagura soon admitted cheerfully. "Just hope there's no bloodshed happening around Tokyo, 'cause that would be a problem." She then added with a smile.
"If what you're feeling is right, then there might not be any bloodshed Kagura-sama." Naraku responded.
"Nonetheless, we'll be on your side, Kagura-sama." Renka assured. "I guess we should start packing. I better also place the reservations for the hotel for us to stay in" She then decided.
"Woo! Vacation! DOKAN!" Hanabi cheered while pumping a fist into the air.
SMACK!
"Ow!" Hanabi yelped out.
Renka in response sighed as she dusted off her hands. "This isn't a vacation." She bluntly stated.
"Well, it's going to be if there's no Yōma around." Kafuru pointed out. "These Thieves are nothing but noobs compared to us." She then declared.
"But what if they did somehow take down the Yōma?" Kagura innocently asked with a tilt of her head.
"Throw them a party? I don't know!" Kafuru answered with a shake of her head. "They might be a good challenge..." She then added in a mutter.
The old woman couldn't help but smile at their antics before letting out a breath. "Shin..." Sayuri muttered to herself as she looked up at the sky.
"...Does that mean the Shinobi Bon Dance is off?" Hanabi eventually asked, only to get smacked over the head by her older sister once more. "Ow!" She yelped out while rubbing the sore spot again.
"Hmm...that will hold at a later time." Sayuri answered. "We still need confirmation on the state of the Yōma and who the Phantom Thieves truly are. I just hope my dear granddaughters are safe..." She then added.
"Oh right, you have a new granddaughter." Renka recalled. "Do you know her name?" She then asked.
"..." Sayuri opened her mouth only to pause as her eye twitched.
POOF!
"...That stupid old BASTARD!" A much younger and attractive woman screamed in frustration followed by the sound of an elephant bellowing...and somewhere in Tokyo, the Legendary Shinobi shivered.
(?)
BOOM!
"Another cell eliminated. Well done, everyone." A gray haired girl in a deep dark purple and black suit breathed out as she wiped the blood off her fists.
"They were barely much of a challenge, Onee-san." A girl with an identical face wearing a gold and black suit responded.
"Hopefully the stragglers will tell the tragedy of the shinobi." The girl with pale skin muttered as her black kimono was quickly replaced with a tattered gray one.
"Is that why you ordered us to let them go?" Senkō assumed with a raised eyebrow.
"There are many shinobi in this country alone, Senkō, Gekkō. Making them leave such a life is much faster- Agh!" The girl in the ruined gray kimono began to explain before she suddenly cried out in pain and fell to her knees.
"Fubuki-sama!" Gekkō exclaimed as the two sisters rushed over to the weakened girl.
"Are you alright!?" Senkō asked in concern.
"I...I..." Fubuki panted as she clutched her breast. This feeling...why did it feel like...half her just died...?
"Fubuki-sama, you're sweating..." Gekkō noticed.
"I...I'm fine..." The half-Yōma assured as the two sisters helped her to her feet. Her weakness was fading, but it still was not a pleasant feeling. "I just...I felt something...like...like..." She tried to form her thoughts into words but the headache was making it hard.
"Like what, Fubuki-sama?" Gekkō urged.
"Something...that shouldn't be possible..." Fubuki breathed out in sudden exhaustion. "Like millions of voices suddenly crying out in terror and were suddenly silenced." She then revealed.
"...Is that from...?" Gekkō soon began to ask, however...
"I'm being serious." Fubuki interrupted with a glare.
"Wait...Fubuki-sama, do you mean that..." Senkō questioned, slowly realizing what happened as her eyes widened.
The half-Yōma could only nod. "...Only the strongest of us have survived..." Fubuki stated.
"What could've caused this...?" Gekkō wondered out loud.
"I don't know..." Fubuki responded before remembering a report they managed to intercept. "But...I might know where it may be..." She then stated.
"Wait...what about Rasetsu-sama!?" Senkō gasped.
That made Fubuki gasp with widened eyes. "...Senkō, Gekkō, stay here and wait for my return." She ordered in an urgent manner.
"Ha-Hai, Fubuki-sama!" Gekkō responded with a straightened posture along with a hand on her chest.
"We will await your return." Senkō replied with a short bow.
And with that, Fubuki herself disappeared on the spot without a single trace.
"...Fubuki-sama..." Senkō muttered to herself in pity and worry.
(9/5, Evening)
(Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
"Safe at last..." Asuka breathed out as she entered the apartment. She had decided to take the long route home, simply to enjoy the scenery and the people. It wasn't every day you got to stop a great threat to the world.
"Ah, welcome back Sis." Homura greeted with a smile as she looked up from the book she was reading.
"I'm home Homu-neechan." Asuka replied with a smile of her own. "Can we save the celebration for...next week? I'm too tired to be proud right now."
"Sure, think you can get the bath ready for the both of us?" Homura replied and requested. "Just because you got the killing blow doesn't exempt you from chores."
"Hai. I'm going all-out for this." Asuka responded with a fist pump before heading into the bathroom.
As the Vice Leader undressed herself and got the bath ready, she smiled as thought back to everything she had been through since coming to Tokyo. She had indeed changed ever since she came to the city and there was no way she was going back to how she was before.
However, as the Vice Leader got the Violet Leadership shampoo, she felt that it was empty. "...Hm, I guess we need to restock. After we return from Hawaii." She soon got out and decided as she tossed the empty bottle. "...Or maybe get some from Hawaiii! They have to have souvenir shampoo, right!?" She then realized and wondered.
"That's a good idea." Homura got out as she entered the bathroom, already naked with a towel around her shoulders. "But that also reminds me, if we wanna buy anything we're going to have to exchange our money for American."
"Oh, right. We'll do that once we get there." Asuka got out with a nod. "Anyways, the bath is ready. Jump in." She then informed with a satisfied smile.
"Of course." Homura responded with a nod as she placed her towel aside.
SPLASH!
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh..." The two sisters breathed out in relief as they settled in.
"Nothing like a bath to end the day." Homura sighed as she sank lower into the hot water. "And what a day it was." She then added.
"I...I still think I'm dreaming a little..." Asuka admitted as she stared up at the ceiling. "We...seriously killed Shin." She then stated.
SPLASH! SMOOSH!
"You killed Shin. I was just here to support you." Homura reminded as she hugged her sister. "I'm so proud of you, Sis." She then praised in a proud manner.
"Well, I couldn't have done it without you and everyone else." Asuka stated.
"But now...Where do we go from here...?" Homura eventually asked. "Not all shinobi know about Shin or Yōma. We're still in the middle of a pointless war..." She then reminded.
"...We'll figure it out." Asuka simply answered as she looked down at her. "It won't be today, or tomorrow or even in the next decade, but we will find a way to end it one day. I know it." She then stated.
"You're awfully relaxed about it." Homura soon pointed out. "It's not going to be easy." She then added.
"I know. But accepting that is better than worrying about it for the rest of my life." Asuka stated. "I think...I'm going to do what my heart tells me from now on...and take the paths I see before me." She then admitted, closing her eyes as she listened to her heart.
"And what does it say now...?" Homura asked with a smirk.
The Vice Leader soon smiled as she closed her eyes. "...Deep Shadow." Asuka and Kaeru responded as one.
FWOOOSH! SPLASH!
"Ah!" Homura yelped as she covered her eyes, feeling heat and water going everywhere in the bathtub. "Aw, the water's everywhere now." She then complained. They were definitely going to need to clean the bathroom now.
"S-Sorry." Asuka stammered as she stood up. "W-What is this...I feel an incredible power coursing through me..." She then muttered to herself as she looked at her hands as they gave off a green aura.
Homura meanwhile looked on at her roommate with widened eyes. "S-Sis...just...look at you..." She got out in amazement as she stood up. "A-Awakening..." She quietly breathed out.
"Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion as she looked in the mirror, clearing the steam away to see that her hair went down to her back like her sister's and now had green streaks in it. However, the most striking was her bright yellow eyes now. "W-Whoa, my hair's almost as long as Ann-chan's..." She then stated in amazement.
"Beautiful." Homura soon admitted in a dazed manner, still in shock at this change before realizing something. "...Why didn't you activate this thing earlier!?" She soon enough asked.
"I-I didn't even know I could do this, Homu-neechan!" Asuka responded. "I don't even know what I can do now..." She then confessed as her form returned to its normal appearance.
"Well...we'll deal with it tomorrow." Homura replied as she sat back down in the tub.
"Hai." Asuka responded in agreement as she joined her sister and the two began washing up before heading to bed. "...We still have Mementos requests to complete tomorrow though..."
"And school. And tests. And studying. And...urgh..." Homura soon listed before groaning in exhaustion."Can't we take the day off tomorrow?" She then asked.
"No rest for the wicked, Homu-neechan. No rest for the wicked." Asuka giggled before drifting off to sleep.
And thus the era of Shin's reign ended...and a new age of the world of shinobi was born.
Save Game…Quit!
Asuka/Yin's Social Stats:
Leadership- Mastermind (Level 4) → Paragon (Level 5)
Knowledge- Professor (Level 4)
Proficiency- Masterful (Level 4)
Diligence- Rock Solid (Level 5)
Courage- Heroic (Level 5)
Homura/Yang's Development Stats:
Maturity- Adult (Level 4)
Knowledge- Professor (Level 4)
Femininity- Natural (Level 4)
Elegance- Yamato Nadeshiko (Level 5)
Understanding- Saintly (Level 5)
(Persona Tracking)
Joker
Level: 49
Personas: Arsene (Resist: Curse) (Weak: Ice, Bless), Jack Frost (Null: Ice) (Weak: Fire), Werecat (Resists: Curse, Physical) (Weak: Bless, Water), Queen Mab (Null: Fire) (Resist: Electric) (Weak: Wind), Tlaltecuhtli (Resists: Physical) (Drain: Electricity) (Weak: Ice)
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), Werecat- Relief Bloodline (Reduce cost of Support skills by 50%), Queen Mab- Static Electricity (Increases chance of inflicting Shock on downed foes), Tlaltecuhtli- Relentless (Damage that strikes foe weaknesses increases)
Skills: Eiga, Maeiga, Snap, Speed Master, Tetrakarn, Tarukaja, Bufudyne, Mabufula, Megidola, Ice Break, Baisudi, Rakunda, Freeze Boost, Null Fire, Matarukaja, Marakukaja, Masukukaja, Heat Riser, Debilitate, Matarunda, Marakunda, Masukunda, Megido, Mazionga, Agidyne, Null Ice, Rakukaja, Deathbound
Accessory: SP Adhesive 3 (Skill: Invigorate 3)
Yin
Level: 48
Persona: Kaeru (Resist: Earth, Fire) (Weak: Wind, Gun)
Persona Trait: Path of Light (Gain some HP when using support/healing skills)
Skills: Magnara, Mediarama, Sukukaja, Miracle Punch, Mamagnara, Masukukaja, Earth Boost, Makajamaon, Null Fear, Tetrakarn, Tetraja
Confidant Rank: Rank 9
Accessory: Skanda Belt (Speed Master)
Yang
Level: 47
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: Agilao, Cleave, Gokuentou, Regenerate 3, Terror Claw, Triple Down, Swift Strike, Fire Amp, Charge, Riot Gun, Bloodbath
Confidant Rank: Rank 6
Accessory: Tough Belt (Defense Master)
Mona
Level: 46
Persona: Zorro (Resist: Wind) (Weak: Elec)
Persona Trait: Proud Presence (Increases effect of allies' healing skills)
Skills: Garula, Diarama, Patra, Mediarama, Miracle Punch, Magarula, Me Patra, Samarecarm, Wind Break, Wind Boost,
Confidant Rank: Rank 7
Accessory: Attachment Pearl (Null Forget)
Skull
Level: 46
Persona: Seiten Taisei (Null: Elec) (Resist: Fire) (Weak: Wind)
Persona Trait: Raging Temper (Might increase allies' physical attacks by 40%)
Skills: Lunge, Zionga, Tarukaja, Headbutt, Adverse Resolve, Rampage, Mazionga, Bad Beat, Assault Dive, Swift Strike, Shock Boost, Elec Break
Confidant Rank: Rank 10 (Max)
Accessory: Rakshasa Belt (Attack Master)
Panther
Level: 46
Persona: Hecate (Null: Fire) (Resist: Electric) (Weak: Water)
Persona Trait: Mastery of Magic (May decrease SP cost of allies' magic skills)
Skills: Agidyne, Dia, Dormina, Tarunda, Maragion, Dekaja, Fire Break, Lullaby, Ambient Aid, Fire Boost, Matarunda
Confidant Rank: Rank 10 (Max)
Accessory: Crimson Necklace (Fire Amp)
Fox
Level: 46
Persona: Kamu Susano-o (Null: Ice) (Resists: Wind) (Weak: Fire)
Persona Trait: Scoundrel Eyes (High chance to evade Phys attacks for all allies.)
Skills: Bufula, Giant Slice, Sukukaja, Vicious Strike, Mabufula, Counterstrike, Rising Slash, Dormin Rush, Speed Master, Tempest Slash, Heat Wave
Confidant Rank: Rank 10 (Max)
Accessory: Queen's Necklace (All stats+1/+30 SP)
Widow
Level: 47
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, Mabufudyne, Aques, Ice Boost, Water Boost, Dazzler, Makajama, Malaques, Snipe, Dormina, Fortify Spirit, Lullaby
Confidant Rank: Rank 9
Accessory: Clear Crystal Necklace (Water Amp)
Queen
Level: 46
Persona: Johanna (Resist: Nuclear) (Weak: Psychic)
Persona Trait: Gaia Pact (Increase allies' chance of inflicting Burn/Freeze/Shock/Soak by 25%.)
Skills: Freila, Mafreila, Vajra Blast, Diarama, Rakukaja, Makajama, Energy Shower, Flash Bomb, Dekunda, Defense Master, Nuke Break, Nuke Boost
Confidant Rank: Rank 8
Accessory: White Headband R (Life Surge / Endurance +8)
Serpent
Level: 46
Persona: Nobunaga (Resist: Curse) (Weak: Bless)
Persona Trait: Self-Destructive (Increase cost of skills when health is low)
Skills: Eiga, Maeiga, Kouga, Mamudoon, Mahamaon, Megaton Raid, Heat Wave, Foul Breath, Endure, Ominous Words, Stagnant Air, Evil Touch.
Confidant Rank: Rank 4
Accessory: Shackles (Null Rage)
Oracle
Level: 46
Persona: Necronomicon
Persona Trait:Explosive Scheme (All-Out Attacks may defeat all foes and restore 25% HP to all allies)
Skills: Analysis, Subrecover HP
Confidant Rank: Rank 2
Accessory: Headphones (High fidelity for real audiophiles.)
Whew! Done! The Phantom Thieves have slain Shin, but that doesn't mean their troubles are over. Next is Mementos, then maybe a housekeeping chapter, then it's Hawaii!
UknownHero signing off, my friends!
