Okay, time to prepare for flak. Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona. So, quickly, I know. I think we worked on this part of the story a lot. Please note that if you have problems with the story and where we're taking it and continue to have problems with the story and where we're taking it, feel free to stop reading because you are definitely not going to like the next chapter after this one.
Oh, something to note, I have eaten my Keyblade because someone has managed to figure out the principal's Palace. Congrats. Not saying who because (spoliers) but I'm eager to see the shock in the reviews.
Anyways, onto the reviews. To a random Guest: Fubuki? Uh…We…We have plans for her much, much later. To Dartz: Thank you for reminding us of plot points and some inspiration for calmer days unlike this part of the story.
And that's it! Time to…eat chips. That's what I'm doing editing this chapter.
Load Game…Start!
Chapter 51: The Storm
(6/13, Early Morning)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
Today felt like any other day for the two roommates when they woke up that day and got out of the futon and headed for the bathroom.
"Which shampoo do you want to use today Sis?" Homura asked as she looked through the bottles.
"Mmm..." Asuka hummed out as she thought about it. "Courage on Parade." She replied. "I wanna smell like oranges today." She then added with a giggle.
Homura in turn smirked to that. "Sure thing." She replied as she got the orange bottle and ran the water. "Mmm, hey Sis, how come we never shower together?" She soon wondered all of a sudden.
To that, Asuka began to think about it for a moment. "Hmm, I guess it's because...we like sitting down to wash up?" She guessed.
"...Nah, that's probably not it." Homura responded. "Maybe we really just like washing each other and cuddling one another?" She then guessed.
"You know, we don't have to explain everything." Asuka stated. "We can just like baths because we just like baths together. Is that so hard to understand?" She then added.
"...You know, you're right Sis." Homura admitted in agreement. "Though now I'm imaging us showering together and holding each other close to one another." She then confessed with an embarrassed blush on her face while poking her fingers together.
"Hehehe...maybe you are becoming a perv...one towards me." Asuka giggled out as she stripped herself down.
That immediately embarrassed Homura. "S-Sis!" She yelped out as she ran the water before stripping herself down as well.
Asuka simply giggled to that. "Just kidding! But it is kinda pervy..." She then pointed out.
That immediately caused Homura to pout with a puffed up cheek. "Moh! What's with you this morning!?" She soon asked.
"Just feeling a little teasing today. Now, to the bath!" Asuka declared before jumping in.
SPLASH!
The two then got into the tub as they started washing themselves off with Courage on Parade, lathering it into their hair.
As she washed herself, Asuka felt as though her Courage was increasing as a result.
Meanwhile, Homura felt as though her Understanding was improving.
After the bath, they made themselves a quick breakfast after getting dressed and headed out the door.
"I really hope Makoto-senpai's okay today." Homura mumbled out as Asuka locked the apartment.
"Don't worry, things will turn out a-okay." Asuka assured.
Homura nodded to that, although there was something holding her back from really believing her roommate.
Hopefully things will go well today...
(Niijima Residence)
Today was a big day for Makoto Niijima as she stepped out of the shower, dried herself off and got dressed in her uniform before sighing to calm herself down. "That felt good..." She breathed out before she then glanced towards the briefcase and grabbed it. "No turning back. This has to happen." She told herself.
Everything she's been doing, everything she's collected...it was all leading up to this day...
"Don't jump the gun...don't jump the gun..." Makoto whispered to herself as she placed her phone in her bag before heading to school.
Hopefully things will go well today...
(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy Front Gate)
"Akira-kun! Wait up!" Asuka called out as she turned back to her roommate. "I'll see you in class Homu-nee." She then informed before she went and caught up to her fellow Leader.
"Tell him to gimme my money!" Homura called out.
"Hai!" Asuka replied before turning to her fellow Leader. "Akira-kun, I need the money you promised Homu-nee." She then requested.
"Did you bring the sushi?" Akira asked.
"Yup!" Asuka replied as she brought the food in mention. "Here you go, one set of Asuka made sushi." She informed with a playful wink as the two went off to class, Homura watching from the vending machines with a smile.
"How come someone as cute as her hangs out with people like him?"
"Never going for nice guys like us, huh?"
"Why does every time I come to this place, it tries to ruin my good mood?" Homura groaned before heading to the entrance, where she spotted the Student Council President looking around with a black briefcase in her hand. "Ah, good morning Makoto-senpai." She politely greeted as she approached the girl.
"Ah, good morning Homura-san." Makoto greeted back.
"You're early, huh." Homura soon noted.
"Yes, because..." Makoto began as she lifted up the briefcase. "A delivery came in yesterday." She then revealed.
Homura however raised an eyebrow to that. "A delivery?" She repeated in confusion and curiosity.
"Yes. For Shujin Academy's Disciplinary Committee." Makoto answered as she handed over the briefcase. "Despite the idiocy of our principal, your committee has indeed been improving the school for the better Homura-san." She then admitted. "...More so than what I've done..." She mentally added in slight depression.
"...Is this money? Are you giving the committee a budget?" Homura got out with wide eyes and an excited smile, yen signs replacing her eyes.
"How...How is she doing that?" Makoto meanwhile thought in confusion. "Uh, no. We don't have the budget and you certainly won't get it in a suitcase. They're new armbands." She answered and revealed.
"New armbands?" Homura repeated in a curious manner as she took the briefcase and opened it up. Inside were fifteen red high quality armbands, although the one one top had a metallic red sheen to it.
"There's even a personal one just for you Homura-san." Makoto informed as she pointed to the one in the center. "Wear it with pride, Homura-san." She then added, feeling both proud...and terrible at the same time. "I'm...hating this..." She mentally confessed.
"Whoa..." Homura got out in awe as she grabbed her personal armband and replaced her current one with it, placing the old one in her bag. "Hm...there was some weight to it..." She thought to herself. "Ah, probably because of the material...I hope..." She then added to her thoughts as she remembered the discussion she had with the light grey haired girl last night.
"You like it?" Makoto asked in a curious tone.
Homura meanwhile couldn't help but grin widely as she then hugged the other girl. "I love it! Thanks Makoto-senpai! You're the best!" She declared as she forced the other girl's head into her breasts. "I gotta get the committee to meet up today so I can distribute them properly."
Makoto however became flustered by that praise. "R-Right Homura-san..." She shyly mumbled out before a smile came across her face "Um, I'll definitely see you later." She got out as she headed into the school.
Once she was inside, the Student Council President took her phone out and pressed on an app. "Time to start..." Makoto thought in a serious tone.
(6/13, Lunchtime)
(Shujin Academy, Classroom)
"Your armband is glinting into my eye whenever I look at it." Akira awkwardly informed.
"Sorry, but it looks nice, right?" Homura got out as she shifted her metallic red and black armband a little.
"So why did Makoto-senpai give you a new armband?" Asuka asked in a curious manner.
Homura in response to the question smirked in a satisfactory manner. "Oh, the old ones were made of a lower quality due to how sudden the forming of the Disciplinary Committee was. So she arranged to make better ones. They're really awesome!" She declared as she showed off the armband that had Shujin Disciplinary Committee embedded in black.
"That's awfully nice. You'd think that to save money the school would just keep using the old ones." Akira noted as he examined the armband. "Hmm, it also looks like its good quality as well." He then added.
"Well, Principal No Neck is desperate to increase the school's reputation by any means." Homura then pointed out in amusement and a smirk on her face.
"Including threatening students with their futures..." Akira reminded while narrowing his eyes.
"Like every adult we've been encountering lately." Asuka sighed out in a saddened tone. "I know there are good adults out there like Jii-chan, but the more I meet here, the less I trust them." She then confessed.
"You should see Toranosuke Yoshida. He'll give you hope for humanity again." Akira suggested. "He's the politician on the soapbox at Station Square. You wanna hear his speech tonight?" He then explained and offered.
"Uh...Sure. Sounds fun." "He sounds like the type of person who would make a wonderful principal, but since he's a politician, he's aiming for bigger goals." She soon added.
"Well, when the bar's already buried six feet underground by Principal Megaball, that isn't that hard." Akira pointed out.
"We should really make up new names for Kobayakawa. I don't want to repeat previous names." Asuka admitted.
"Even if it is true about him Sis?" Homura then asked.
Asuka in response nodded to that. "Yeah, but it's also true that he's a fat, lonely potato of a man, who had a hard-on for a disgusting pervert, probably still has that hard-on for that disgusting pervert, is kind of an idiot, already has one foot in the grave due to how fat and heavy he is that I swear he can probably make his own grave through gravity alone, I can smell his farts from over here, is really shady at the best of times and he looks like if a defect cue ball and a troll hate-fucked for twelve days straight, but it turned out they were brother and sister but still kept going anyways, gave birth to him in the sewer 6 months later and then got ran over by a drunk truck driver who really hated his face and just kept running him over trying to fix it but it kept getting worse and worse until he gave up and offered him a terrible plastic surgeon who didn't have a medical license." She continuously insulted without any guilt whatsoever. "Do you want me to continue? I can keep going for the rest of lunch." She soon offered.
"I think we get it Asuka." Akira remarked, although he was chuckling at the brunette's blunt insults towards the principal.
Ann however giggled to hear that. "Man Asuka-chan, you really let Homura influence you outside of school." She got out in amusement.
"Yeah..." Homura got out in agreement as she pretended to wipe away a tear. "It makes me so proud." She soon declared in pride and satisfaction.
"What?" Asuka got out in confusion.
"...What are we talking about again?" Akira soon asked.
"Homu-nee's new armband for the Disciplinary Committee." Asuka soon reminded.
"Oh." Akira simply got out. "...I'm gonna go to the bathroom." He soon informed as he then walked out of the classroom.
After that admittingly slightly awkward exit, the two roommates turned to each other. "...You know Sis, I kinda want to hear what you can say about the principal." Homura suddenly admitted.
Asuka smirked before she cleared her throat like she was about to launch into a speech. "Well, Homu-nee, the principal is nothing more than cu-" She soon began once more, however...
"Don't worry, Prez! I have 110 ready!" A student called out.
"Hm?" Homura hummed out to hearing that as the door opened to see a familiar face. "Ah, Makoto-senpai." She politely greeted.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary." "And hi Homura-san." She then greeted.
Homura raised an eyebrow to the informal greeting. "Um...are you okay? Is the Troll-Cueball Lovechild giving you trouble again?" She soon asked.
Makoto in response couldn't help but snort in amusement. "No, but...it's something important." She vaguely responded. "So, can I talk to you?" She soon requested. "You can bring your lunch if you want." She then offered.
Blinking to that, Homura then noticed her roommate smiling at her. "Is it alright Sis?" She soon asked.
"Sure. Go ahead Homu-nee." Asuka replied with a nod.
Homura nodded back as she followed her friend out of the classroom.
(Student Council Room)
Makoto had led the tan skinned girl to the Student Council Room and sat down.
"You know, when you said later, I didn't think it would mean in the middle of lunch." Homura muttered out.
"Sorry, It's just...needed to talk to you about something important..." Makoto apologized, unintentionally bowed her head a little too low, but it was too late when...
BONK!
That happened. The Shujin Student Council President hit her head against the table, causing her to wince in pain as she began rubbing her head. "Ooooow..." Makoto quietly got out.
Homura meanwhile had to hold back a snort of amusement to the sight. "Y-You ok Makoto-senpai?" She soon asked in concern.
"Don't worry. The only thing I hurt was my dignity." Makoto winced out.
Homura also winced as she noticed the dark spot from the impact. "It looks like that hurt then you say it did." She then informed before getting up and walking over to the girl, getting close as she brought out her hand and lightly touched the other girl as she lifted up the brunette's hair to see the wound. "Yeah, it is definitely bruised more than your dignity Makoto-senpai." She soon stated.
"H-Homura-san..." Makoto got out in a flustered manner to how close her friend was. "C-Close...very close..." She thought.
"Don't worry," Homura replied with a gentle smile. "Let me just help out a little to get rid of the heat this is releasing now." She then offered.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Makoto's blush soon became a deeper shade of red and glowing as the tan skinned girl began to gently blow on her forehead. "W-Wha!?" She squeaked out.
Homura meanwhile just giggled to the reaction as she then went into her breasts and took out some gauze. "Alright, now just to wrap it. You can just tell your sister you got a head injury from something other than what happened. Okay?" She then informed and suggested while starting to wrap the gauze around her friend's head, making sure it was hidden within the brunette's hair as she did so.
"R-Right..." Makoto mumbled out. "...T-Thank you Homura-san..." She then added. "She's...so nice to me...But I don't deserve it..." She mentally added in shame.
"And...finished." Homura informed as she tightly knotted the bandages before going back to her seat and started eating her lunch. "So, what do you want to talk about?" She soon asked.
Slightly touching the bandages, Makoto soon sighed as she tried to relax herself. "...It's just..." She soon started before shaking her head. No beating around the bush. "...Are you or are you not a Phantom Thief?" She quietly asked her friend as if it was a life or death situation.
Homura immediately stopped eating when that was asked. "...You still think I'm one of the Phantom Thieves?" She soon questioned in a hesitant tone. "Why?" She then asked.
Makoto then started to go and eat her own lunch. "I...I just want to know..." She responded. "After everything the principal has put us both through...I don't care anymore about what he wants..." She soon confessed.
"...Is it eating away at you that much?" Homura suddenly asked in concern.
"Yes...it is..." Makoto responded in a depressed tone.
"And...what would you do if I was one?" Homura then asked.
"I...I honestly don't know." Makoto responded. "I keep telling myself that it'll be okay or that nothing will change but...I know I can't control what I would feel then..." She soon confessed. "And I don't want to come up with my own conclusions without knowing all the facts either..." She then informed. "I...just want to learn the truth...for the sake of just knowing..." She eventually concluded.
"Makoto-senpai..." Homura breathed out, surprised to hear that. She could practically feel the honesty coming from her friend. "I want to tell her...she deserves to know..." She mentally confessed as she nibbled on her bottom lip. "But...I can't just tell her...It would have to be a team decision..." She then added to her thoughts.
The tan skinned girl soon felt as though there were only two choices she could make right now.
I am a Phantom Thief.
I am not a Phantom Thief.
It would be so easy to just say so. To resolve this whole situation. But...she knew the consequences.
"I am...not a...Phantom Thief." Homura struggled out with a heavy heart, having great difficulty adding not to her sentence. "I don't know why you keep assuming I am one. Don't you trust me?" She soon stated and asked.
"I-I do Homura-san...which is why I wouldn't even care if you were one..." Makoto responded.
"...I'm sure you would." Homura mumbled out. "But I just...I'm not. I may have been one of the people against Kamoshida, but...look at the school! Do you think I can do all that? That me and my friends could cover the school by ourselves? There had to be at least a job for a dozen people. Plus, I can't draw that well." She then pointed out before sighing. "...Maybe...Maybe you're letting the rumors get to you. Let's be honest, we don't exactly have the best reputation here." She soon added and reminded.
"W-W-Wait I...I have..." Makoto started.
"Do you have any solid evidence? We just let out our feelings rule us for just that second." Homura questioned and stated in a wise tone. "You're chasing a red herring." She soon added.
"No...I...I know you are! Please stop..." Makoto began in a panicked manner.
"Listen, I understand that you want to find them, but making accusations like that is just going to push others away." Homura soon informed. "Makoto-senpai, you are my friend, don't forget that. And I will never be dishonest with you." She once more reminded.
Makoto stared at the tan skinned girl straight in the eyes with a begging look...only to slump.
No matter how she looked at it...she was not going to get anything from it. What she was saying made way too much sense honestly.
"I...I am sorry for suspecting you." Makoto sighed out as she looked down in shame. "I just...want to know the truth...for the sake of the truth...no other reason..." She then got out.
"But what would you do with that truth Makoto-senpai?" Homura soon asked.
"...I don't know..." Makoto answered before shaking her head as she noticed that they finished their lunches. "Thank you for your time. Please feel free to head back to class." She soon requested.
Homura nodded at that and got up from her seat while packing up her empty bento box. "Thank you. I'll see you around, Makoto-senpai. And thank you again for the new armbands." She got out before leaving the Council Room.
However, once she made sure she was alone, Homura went and slammed a fist against the nearby wall and sobbed. "...Dammit...I want to tell her everything..." Homura choked out.
Meanwhile, once she made sure she was alone, Makoto went and slammed her fist against the table and sobbed. "...Why can't you be honest with me...? And why can't I be honest either?" Makoto choked out.
(6/13, Afternoon)
(Classroom)
Classes had soon continued as the lecture went on. Akira had decided to do his homework from last class right now instead of paying attention...and quickly got everyone in the Thieves to do so as well, under the guise of writing whatever bullshit the teacher was spouting.
BZZT! BZZT!
However, the phones of the Phantom Thieves members started going off, causing them to take them out.
[FireGirl20: AAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!]
[FireGirl20: I WANT TO TELL MAKOTO-SENPAI EVERYTHING GODDAMMIT!]
[SushiRoll23: H-Homu-nee!?]
[Shut7heFUp: Huh? What's up?]
[Negative8Degrees: Oh no...it didn't go well Homura-san?]
[FireGirl20: NO! IT DID! AND THAT'S WHY I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS!]
[FireGirl20: WHY CAN'T WE JUST TELL HER!?]
[TheWildJ0ker: One, it's a huge burden to place on her.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Two, it makes her an accomplice.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Three, we put her and her loved ones in danger.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Four, there is a very likely possibility she will be targeted by shinobi.]
[FireGirl20: BUT I ALREADY KNOW SHE'S HIDING SOMETHING FROM ME! I COULD SEE IT IN HER EYES THIS TIME!]
[Negative8Degrees: Homura Shinkukage! First, please stop typing in capital letters please!]
(...)
[FireGirl20: Sorry.]
[Negative8Degrees: Second of all...Akira-kun is right in some sense. Telling her is a heavy and deadly burden. Your identity as a Phantom Thief is a loaded gun, and you have to be one hundred percent sure they can be trusted with it.]
[Negative8Degrees: Do you trust her?]
[FireGirl20: Yes.]
[Negative8Degrees: No, I want you to really think about it.]
[Negative8Degrees: Do you trust her?]
[FireGirl20: Again, yes. Just as much as I trust you guys.]
[FireGirl20: And I know you guys don't want a repeat of what happened with Ann when we brought her in...but still...]
[TheWildJ0ker: True, that was reckless of us. And it will still be reckless to do it.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Don't even think about it, Homura.]
[FireGirl20: Which is why I brought it up in the first place...]
[FireGirl20: Makoto-senpai's mind and heart are at war with each other, you guys...]
[All4Painting: What do you mean by that exactly?]
[Shut7heFUp: Yeah, I don't follow.]
[Negative8Degrees: It means her heart wants to do one thing while her mind is telling her not to, causing her inner self to be in turmoil.]
(...)
[Sweetkat06: Ok yeah, that sounds bad...]
[FireGirl20: We need to tell her.]
[Shut7heFUp: I dunno...It's still a big secret.]
[FireGirl20: You guys know the existence of real life shinobi.]
[We do, but only because there's no real use hiding it among us since we're friends.]
[FireGirl20: And Makoto-senpai is our friend too for the Shujin Academy part of the Phantom Thieves.]
[TheWildJ0ker: ...Are you going to tell Makoto you're a shinobi too?]
[FireGirl20: If she joins the team, it's inevitable either way.]
[Negative8Degrees: Hai, I must admit that is true.]
[SushiRoll23: Same here.]
[Shut7heFUp: Well with our luck, she ain't wrong.]
[All4Painting: It isn't going to be easy.]
(...)
[TheWildJker: Fine.]
[TheWildJ0ker: We'll discuss it more tomorrow.]
[FireGirl20: Thank you. That's all I ask.]
[FireGirl20: I just hope Makoto-senpai doesn't try anything until then...]
Homura let out a sigh of relief as the Thieves put away their phones.
Now to pay attention to class.
"You can't break the kneecaps of babies! Wait until they're three!"
...Okay, nevermind.
(6/13, After School)
(Central Street)
"So, what movie do you wanna rent?" Asuka asked as they stood outside the video store. They had seen their Leader suddenly scream in the middle of a conversation after class and start running all the way over here. They managed to catch up to him, only to hear "MEMBERS DON'T HAVE LATE FEES!?" and walking out of the store happily with his new DVD.
"I dunno." Homura replied as she looked through the shelves. "Uh...what about Trial of the Dragon: Revengeance? That looks interesting." She then suggested.
"Sure!" Asuka replied happily. "I heard it's good. I think Katsu-nee stole a few moves from it." She then revealed.
"Oh no..." Homura got out in a concerned tone. "If Katsuragi suggested it, then it's probably full of boobs..." She then added.
"Oh no, I'm pretty sure it's just a martial arts movie. Come on, Katsu-nee isn't that obsessed with groping." Asuka assured. "I mean look at the cover." She then pointed out.
"O-Okay...but I'm going to watch it with caution Sis." Homura got out.
"Well, you can always look up a review online before you do." Asuka stated. "Anyways, do you want to watch it over dinner or homework?" She then asked.
"Dinner." Homura automatically answered, "You know, out of all the stupid assignments we have to do this week, we get one about a children's book..." She then sighed out in annoyance.
"Come on, Homu-nee. Give The Pink Alligator a chance! I heard it's pretty good! And it's about alligators! Who doesn't like alligators? ...W-Well apart from the ones who get eaten by those alligators...or the people who have loved ones eaten by alligators... or the people who don't like alligators in general..." Asuka tried to convince her roommate, only to glance behind her back, gaining a worried expression on her face.
"Is something wrong Sis?" Homura soon asked in concern.
"Hey, don't look behind you but I think Makoto-chan is following us." Asuka informed her roommate.
The tan skinned girl's eyes widened at that. "Huh? No...Dammit...she is in that much turmoil..." Homura muttered in concern.
"She's getting desperate...just like you said..." Asuka mumbled out in a saddened manner. "But doesn't she just want to know? She shouldn't be going this far." Asuka pointed out as she looked at her roommate's armband.
"Look, even if we're gonna talk about it, she can't learn we're Phantom Thieves yet, Sis." Homura pointed out in a whisper as she quickly formulated a plan. "Come on, if we can pull this off, we won't have to worry about her anymore." She then offered.
"...It's for the good of the Thieves..." Asuka admitted before sighing. "Moh...I still really don't like doing this..." Asuka stated as she grimaced.
"Me neither. But like Leader said, we don't have a choice. If she follows us to the hideout or sees us use a Shinobi Kekkai or...gets pulled into the Metaverse..." Homura got out in a worried tone. "Look, we need her to leave us alone until we decide on that." She then added.
Asuka had a guilty expression on her face before she sighed in defeat. "We're apologizing to Makoto-chan after we tell her." She mumbled out.
"Yeah, of course. Now come on and follow me." Homura soon instructed as they continued walking.
Makoto had been tailing the two since they left Shujin. After Akira approached her yesterday, she decided to change targets just in case he was catching onto her. So far, her targets went to pick up smoothies, shopped around a little and chased away a creepy old man. Nothing too suspicious but she knew that they would slip eventually, especially since...
Where did they go?
"They were right there!" Makoto thought in confusion while looking up from her book. How could she lose them so easily!? She blinked and then they were gone!
"Hello Makoto-senpai~" A voice from behind her greeted her, causing her to jump in surprise and turn around, only to see the smiling face of the Disciplinary Committee Head standing a little too closely to her.
"Whoa! W-Where did you come from!?" Makoto asked her friend as she jumped back a little.
"We were spending the day together, Makoto-chan~" Another voice from behind her answered. "We noticed you walking around and wanted to say hi." Asuka greeted.
"W-Well, um, hi." Makoto awkwardly replied.
"You know, reading while walking is dangerous. You'll get hurt and we don't want that, now do we Makoto-senpai~?" Homura informed with a sweet yet concerned tone that unnerved the Student Council President. "What are you reading anyways?" She soon asked in a genuinely curious manner.
"Oh, just...uh..." Makoto started as she looked at the cover of her book. "Summer-Colored High School Adolescent Record — A Summer At School On An Island Where I Contemplate How The First Day After I Transferred, I Ran Into A Childhood Friend And Was Forced To Join The Journalism Club Where While My Days As A Paparazzi Kid With Great Scoops Made Me Rather Popular Among The Girls, But Strangely My Camera Is Full Of Panty Shots, And Where My Candid Romance Is Going...The Manga." She hesitantly replied. Maybe she shouldn't have bought the nearest book to the register...
The two roommates meanwhile blinked to that extremely long title. "Uh...Okay?" Homura got out, wondering how that title managed to fit into the front cover. "I...I heard it's a great story...I think." She awkwardly replied.
"Yes, it's...quite gripping." Makoto got out as she coughed into her fist.
"However, maybe you'll get a different story if you change your perspective." Homura suggested.
"Excuse me?" Makoto got out. "What do you mean?" She soon asked.
"You're holding that manga upside-down." Homura informed as she flipped it right-side up. "Okay, we better go. Good luck with whatever you're doing." She then got out as she left.
Makoto took a few seconds to wonder what the hell just happened before snapping herself out of it. What were these two talking about? "Hey, wa-" She tried to call out to them, only to realize that they had disappeared. "...Change your perspective..." She mumbled to herself before putting on some earbuds and plugging it into her phone. She then tapped a special app on her phone.
"Huh? No...Dammit...she is in that much turmoil..."
"She's getting desperate...just like you said...But doesn't she just want to know? She shouldn't be going this far."
Makoto's eyes immediately widened in shock as she also winced to hearing that. So they knew she was following them...
And they were concerned over her about it?
"Look, even if we're gonna talk about it, she can't learn we're Phantom Thieves yet, Sis. Come on, if we can pull this off, we won't have to worry about her anymore."
"...It's for the good of the Thieves..."
"Homura-san..." Makoto whispered out, feeling her heart break at the words.
(6/13, Evening)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
The roommates entered the apartment with pretty sad looks on their faces. Lying and having to mess with a friend wasn't going to put anyone in a good mood.
"We forgot to rent a movie..." Asuka awkwardly realized.
"Ugh..." Homura groaned out. "Well, there's always TV." She awkwardly suggested.
The two then soon fell silent as they looked at one another. "...I'd rather stare at a wall." Asuka soon admitted.
"Yep." Homura replied in agreement. "Makoto-senpai really isn't making it easier, huh." She then sighed out.
"Well, once she joins the Thieves, we don't have to worry about it." Asuka assured as she went to the kitchen.
"Sis...you are with me on this right?" Homura soon asked while hugging her roommate from behind. "Not asking out of doubt...just want confirmation on the situation." She then explained.
Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Don't worry. I'm with you every step of the way." She replied in reassurance and with a smile.
This caused the tan skinned girl to sigh in relief. "Thanks Sis. I hope the others vote yes." Homura muttered out.
"Don't worry, they will. And tomorrow, we're gonna tell Makoto-chan!" Asuka declared as she pumped her fist.
Unaware to the two however, the disciplinary committee armband blinked as a small red light briefly flashed.
"Come on, we should get into the bath before heading to bed, we got a big day tomorrow witht the others." Homura replied as they two stripped down and headed for the bathroom.
"Hai, Homu-nee!" Asuka responded. "Oh, right, the Toranosuke thing! I need to go before I'm late!" "Do you want to come?" She then offered.
"...Sure, why not?" Homura replied. "It's good to be reminded to have faith in humanity after all the scum we've fought and changed." She then admitted. "After the bath though." She quickly added.
"Of course." Asuka responded with a smile before going to the bathroom.
(Niijima Residence)
Makoto laid flat on her bed, staring at the ceiling as she listened to all the evidence she had just obtained with a hand over her mouth.
It never really hit her until now, but there was no other way she could convince herself otherwise.
Her friend was...a criminal.
Her only friend...her best friend is part of the Phantom Thieves. Maybe even a founding member.
She already knew despite her denial...despite the lies straight to her face...but just hearing that just...shattered her will and her heart.
Did she start the committee to throw her off, to put the school under the Thieves' thumbs and control it from within?
To lead her around an endless maze of lies and deceit until she gave up on her own?
Was...Was everything, from Homura's friendship to their worry...was it all a lie?
Or was she overthinking it?
But from how they were talking at the end...Were they planning to ask her to join them?
But why?
Did her best friend care for her that much that she put in a good word about her?
"Me...a Phantom Thief?" Makoto soon muttered before shaking her head.
No...No, she just couldn't.
She was...
She was...
She just...couldn't.
"I...I don't deserve to..." Makoto muttered in shame as she began to think about the actions of the Phantom Thieves.
Whatever they did to Kamoshida...to Madarame...it couldn't have been peaceful or legal. Scum of the earth don't admit to such crimes so easily.
What was their method? How did they figure out what those men did? And how did they manage to get them to confess so...honestly?
People like them would never just snap and confess their sins and given what they've done and managed to do, they would've taken those crimes to the grave.
This...This...
"Is not worth it. Maybe...I should stop..." Makoto whispered to herself. She was in over her head with this entire situation.
Ever since this started, that recommendation letter was becoming nothing but a carrot hanging on a stick while the Principal Fatfucker rode her to the finish line...when and wherever that was. Not even graduation would let her escape from his fat fucking fingers.
She could see it now. The principal would expel the Thieves, claiming to have figured it out on his own, and send them to juvie while reaping the publicity and fame.
Or...he could blackmail them. Threaten them and make them do his bidding, just as he did to her. That also sounded like something he would do as a corrupted and shitty adult.
No...A shitty human being.
A shitty demon she just wanted to choke the life out of him and watch the life leave his-
Makoto soon gasped as she sat up and took in deep and heavy breaths, unaware of her eyes flashing gold before gritting her teeth and flopping back on the bed.
No...
Death would be nothing more than a mercy for him.
She didn't want him to die.
She wanted him to suffer.
"And it's not like the Phantom Thieves have done anything bad." Makoto told herself as she rolled to the side. Apart from their bigger targets, they've also dealt with a few problems around school.
She noticed some students acting differently, being kinder and more helpful. She knew the committee could never do that in such a short amount of time. Those students had to have their hearts changed.
Plus...She would be convicting her first friend.
The first person to care about her.
Who didn't see her as a burden.
Who...wanted to help her...
"...I...I should give up. That's..." Makoto muttered to herself. "That's the best..." She then added.
Yeah, this was fruitless pursuit anyways.
It was simply better to...
Give up...
"If this goes on, I might have to rethink making you the starter next week."
...Wait.
"As long as you can keep quiet until I'm finished Suzui..."
No...
"K-Kamoshida-sensei!? W-What are you..."
Then she remembered.
The video of Shiho Suzui.
Suddenly, it hit her.
Did they...did they film her?
Did they let her be destroyed?
Did they intentionally withhold evidence that would've convicted Kamoshida in an instant?
Even if it was obtained illegally, even if the principal tried to suppress such information getting out, Kamoshida would've resigned in disgrace.
Makoto sat up, her body shivering and sweating as something inside her began to roar as those questions came to mind.
Did they practically let Shiho Suzui jump off the roof on that fateful day? Or was she jumping the gun?
No...No, she couldn't be. She knew everything she needed to know.
It may have been her fault...but they were just as responsible!
They didn't release the video just to rub it in when that bastard was down in the dirt, the cost being Shiho Suzui's life.
To think...Ann would let her supposed friend suffer while she took her revenge on the man.
She wanted to scream, she wanted to explode.
They...betrayed her.
Her best friend...betrayed her.
Her other self was right.
They were liars, cheats. Scum meant to rot away in prison.
No, in the deepest holes she could find where no light would ever reach them.
They weren't her friends. They never were.
They were enemies. To her, to Suzui, to all of society.
And they managed to convince her they were allies of justice.
If they were justice, then they wouldn't have let what happened to Suzui happen in the first place.
Pathetic.
It was up to her now.
To show the world who the Phantom Thieves truly were.
Makoto then gained the most serious and deadly expression on her face as her eyes glowed a bright gold as she changed for bed.
She will be the hero the world needs.
She was going to get the truth she wanted.
And she was going to make the Phantom Thieves see what true justice is.
(Mementos)
"Nehehehe~ I'm back bitches~"
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
Homura suddenly gasped as she sat up from her sleep, a cold sweat running down her body as she took in heavy breaths to try and calm herself down.
"Whazza? Homu-nee?" Asuka groaned out tiredly. "What happened?" She then mumbled out.
"Just uh...Just a nightmare. Go back to sleep Sis." Homura quietly got out as she rubbed her roommate's head before laying back down.
Asuka made some sort of noise of agreement before going back to sleep.
Homura meanwhile sighed as she calmed herself down and looked out the window. "What was that? That intense pressure..." She soon thought as she narrowed her eyes in a serious manner before groaning. "Maybe it's like what Makoto-senpai is going through. I'm just getting stressed about this..." She then thought as she went to sleep...until a red glint hit her eye. "Wha?" She got out in confusion.
She looked around to see where it was coming from...only to see it coming from her armband, which was carefully placed on top of her prepared uniform.
"Sis...is that the sun?" Homura quietly asked.
"Mmm...The sun set hours ago Homu-nee." Asuka mumbled out in her sleep as she cuddled up to the tan skinned girl's waist before fully falling back asleep.
"Right..." Homura muttered as she slowly got out of her roommate's hold before slowly getting up and walking over to the table. "Then why is my new armband glowing?" She however thought to herself as she saw the red blinking light.
"It's your phone's low battery light. Please go to sleep." Asuka whined out as she turned over.
Homura however then looked over to see that her phone was charging next to her roommate's on the nightstand before looking back at her armband. "I'll be right there Sis." She quietly replied as she nibbled on her lip a little before picking it up and examining it in further detail. "Makoto-senpai...you didn't..." She thought in a fear filled manner.
She was all too happy before about getting the new armband that she never really got the chance to get a feel for it. This time however, she soon felt something solid within it, and a roughly sewn-in seam as she then pushed pushed something that appeared to be a switch of sorts.
Click!
Suddenly, the light went dead and everything was once more blanketed in darkness.
RIP!
And with that, she tore the patch off the armband...and took out the listening device hidden within as she held it in her hand.
"...We...We just can't catch a break, can we?" Homura thought as she looked at the item in her hands, her eyes already adjusting to the darkness. "She...actually allowed herself to fall into temptation..." She then quietly muttered to herself.
It was too late to text anyone.
And they wouldn't like this and turn against Makoto in an instant.
"I...I can fix this...no, I will fix this..." Homura muttered to herself, narrowing her eyes as she hid the listening device before going to sleep and holding her roommate tightly.
She wasn't going to back down this time.
Things were going to change...and she was going to be the better person between the two about this...
Save Game…Quit!
Asuka/Yin's Social Stats:
Leadership- Outspoken (Level 2)
Knowledge- Informed (Level 2)
Proficiency- Decent (Level 2)
Diligence- Persistent (Level 2)
Courage- Brave (Level 3)
Homura/Yang's Development Stats:
Maturity- Adolescence (Level 2)
Knowledge- Learned (Level 2)
Femininity- Effeminate (Level 2)
Elegance- Disciplined (Level 3)
Understanding- Generous (Level 3)
And that's it. This…This is gonna suck, isn't?
Once Makoto gets her Persona, things will go a lot better. I promise.
UknownHero signing off, my friends!