Captain Blues: IT'S TIME. The Kaneshiro arc has begun. Are you all ready because I am not!
Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Eighty-Four
[Opening Scene: Shinjuku – Stairwell to the Heartbeats Bar (Morning)
Theme of Shinjuku: City 2 from Megami Ibunroku Persona]
Tucked in a little alleyway with descending stairs to their destination, the group of Makoto, Eleonora, Ryuji, and Guernica stood at the top of the cement stairs. "I have to admit, it's ingenious," Makoto muttered with disdain. "Perfectly hidden away from the outside world."
Guernica shrugged and said, "And they don't make a bad drink either. Well, I've held up my end of the bargain."
"And I'll take care of our end," Ryuji promised with a grin. "Plus, you'll like Yusuke. He's eccentric, but the guy knows his art. I'm sure he'll help you with your inspiration."
Guernica smirked and replied, "If you're vouching for him, Cutie, I have no choice but to believe you."
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Ryuji flush.
"W-Well, yeah," Ryuji stammered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "As for the other thing, my mom gave the okay for you to stay there for as long as you need, So just go there anytime."
Makoto narrowed her eyes as she heard Guernica say, "Your mom's pretty nice in taking in a stray like this."
"That's her. Nice to a fault. She couldn't bear to see someone a year older than me go through something like homelessness," Ryuji replied with a smile in his voice.
While Guernica and Ryuji spoke, Eleonora walked next to Makoto, stopping to her right, and asked, "So, how will we handle this?"
"Truthfully, I'm going in there swinging," Makoto told her.
"I doubt that's a good idea but considering the circumstances? I don't blame you," Eleonora told her. "And I'm not good with hand-to-hand but I'll back you up."
"Alright, it's all ready to go then?" Ryuji asked as he stepped to the left of Makoto.
"Yeah," Makoto answered, her eyes flickering yellow. "Let's go."
Eleonora and Ryuji nodded and together, the trio went down the three flights of steps, took a left turn, and then a right one, before they made it to the ground, where a lone man sat. "Tch, what the fuck? What are you three milk-drinkers doing here?" the man asked. "The daycare is back in Shib—"
Makoto lashed out and punched the man in the throat, sending him down to one knee, where she grabbed his head and kneed him in the face, sending his head hitting the back of the wall, where he fell to the ground.
"Guess that's a guy we aren't questioning," Ryuji muttered as Makoto approached the door and noticed there was a keycard reader on the side of the steel door.
"A keycard, Joy," Makoto muttered in annoyance. "Eleonora, check him for a keycard." Makoto rolled her shoulders as Eleonora bent down and ruffled through his pockets until she pulled a keycard out in between her fingers.
Makoto snagged the card and swiped it through the reader, causing the door to pop open. "Eleonora, stay out here and keep watch," Makoto instructed as she walked inside.
"Wait, you want me to keep watch?" Eleonora asked with surprise.
"You aren't a fighter like Ryuji and I are," Makoto explained. "Besides. Once we get in there and find Oribe and Eiko, we'll need the door open so we can all run."
Eleonora looked unsure but then nodded. "Okay," Eleonora murmured.
"Thank you," Makoto said. "We won't be long."
She and Ryuji nodded at one another and quickly walked inside.
[Scene Change: Shinjuku – Streets of Shinjuku (Morning)
Theme of Inner Turmoil: Bar Attacked by Harem Queen from Megami Ibunroku Persona]
Guernica couldn't believe her luck.
One minute, she was homeless, cashless, and lacking the inspiration to fight against the injustice of the world that she and her sister began when they were kids, and now she had a place to stay and potentially someone to help her get that inspiration back.
And all it took was to lead those girls and that blond cutie to the man who was causing misery everywhere he walked. She didn't know why they were looking for him but he was a dangerous man who led dangerous men.
Men she had fought several times for trying to get too fresh with her.
But that time was over. She would have a safe place to rest her head for the first time in ages and…and…
Guernica stopped and stared back at the side street that would lead her back to the bar's entrance.
Was this right?
Allowing them to take on someone like Kaneshiro?
They were three kids her age fighting against a known Yakuza member and yet here she was, someone who fought against injustice for years with her older sister, and now she was just walking away while they did what she swore to never stop doing?
Why was she hesitating like this?
"You know why," a voice echoed within her mind.
Guernica scowled.
No, it wasn't that.
She had to survive.
Luca wasn't here anymore to watch her back.
She had to survive…
She had to.
Guernica turned around and walked away, not paying any mind to the group of kids rushing past her.
She just hoped that those three would be okay after this…
[Scene Change: Shinjuku – Heartbeats Bar (Morning)
Theme of Defeat: Shadow – Sirus from Megami Ibunroku Persona]
"So…The famed Niijima Makoto. I knew your name sounded familiar. And you bought me a member of the Shujin Six, Sakamoto Ryuji. If Movie Star was here instead of cowardly hiding away somewhere, I'd congratulate her on a job well done for leading you both to me."
Makoto growled in sheer hatred as she, along with Ryuji, was pinned to the ground by the arms and knees of two men. It had all gone wrong so fast. The minute they got inside the club, they were ambushed. They fought as hard as they could but in the end, they got overrun.
Another failure.
Makoto looked up to see Kaneshiro sitting in his booth, with his left arm wrapped around the shoulders of a woman, who had her face nestled against his neck.
"It's insane how fate comes together, isn't it?" Kaneshiro asked as the blonde girl that was hugged up on him kissed his neck. "The daughter of that maggot-food cop, pinned down at my mercy after falsely accusing me of two crimes."
Makoto scowled with yellow eyes of hatred as she struggled against the men pinning her down. "How dare you?!" Makoto yelled. "You have no right talking about him!"
"No right? I have all the right, unfortunately," Kaneshiro grinned. "If that idiot had not stuck his nose into my affairs, he would still be around to see as his daughters, both of them, became stress relief. But since he's not around, I guess you watching that fine piece of ass that is Niijima Sae suck my dick will be more than enough. Well, after you've done it, of course," Kaneshiro taunted.
Makoto stilled in absolute horror.
"Or maybe, I'll pass you both off to my men. After all, you've caused them quite a lot of trouble, you, and your friends here," Kaneshiro taunted.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ryuji stared at her with concern before he nodded to himself and sneered at Kaneshiro. "God, you've just started talking and I already want to punch you in your fucking jaw," Ryuji told him without fear.
"Ryuji!" Makoto gasped.
Kaneshiro chuckled again and said, "You. Boy. You have a big mouth for someone whose life is in danger."
"Eat shit and live," Ryuji replied. "You think I'm afraid of a bitch like you? You can't even fight us on your own like a real man. Had to get your little toys to jump us."
Kaneshiro laughed but Makoto could see the anger in his eyes. Kaneshiro motioned for the two men holding him down to lift him off the ground. Kaneshiro stood up and snapped his fingers. The blonde woman stood up and removed his jacket as she said, "Here you are, Kane-kun."
Kaneshiro stroked her cheek and approached Ryuji while rolling up his sleeves. "You know, student council president, I've heard you're quite the fighter, right? Well, tell me what you think of my form?"
Kaneshiro lifted his arms and began to relentlessly jab at Ryuji's midsection. "Stop it!" Makoto yelled as Ryuji grunted in pain with each blow Kaneshiro delivered to his stomach and chest.
"No, in this line of work, you talk shit and you get hit. He's talked his shit, now he's getting hit," Kaneshiro grunted out as he then aimed at Ryuji's face, landing blow after blow on his Ryuji's face for a minute before he stopped. "Now, have you learned to play nice, Schoolboy?"
Ryuji, whose left cheek and right eyebrow had been cut by Kaneshiro's knuckles, spat in his face and said, "I got worse from Kamoshida."
Kaneshiro rubbed the spit on his right cheek off of his face and chuckled again. "It's a shame…In any other situation, I'd ask you to join us. But, considering the business you and Niijima's whores drove away recently, I've decided to just use you as my punching bag!" Kaneshiro shouted and relentlessly wailed on Ryuji's face and body.
Makoto watched in pure horror, her irises shrinking as blood, Ryuji's blood, splattered against her right cheek as Kaneshiro's laughter filled her mind.
[Scene Change: Shibuya – Streets of Shibuya (Flashback-Morning)
Theme of Defeat: Shadow – Sirus from Megami Ibunroku Persona]
A six-year-old Makoto sat on the ground in horror as her father's blood, which had splattered on her right cheek, slid down her face as her right arm reached forward where her father was just falling.
She could hear the laughter of that chubby brown-haired man as he was led away to the squad car.
"Daddy?" Makoto whispered as a tear fell down her face.
[Scene Change: Shinjuku – Heartbeats Bar (Morning)
Theme of Defeat: Shadow – Sirus from Megami Ibunroku Persona]
Tears fell down Makoto's face as she watched Ryuji's body continue to get beaten.
It was happening again.
She was watching someone die again.
And there was nothing she could do about it.
Once again, she was useless to save someone important to her.
"Please…" Makoto feebly begged as Kaneshiro continued his relentless assault. "Stop…"
Kaneshiro paused right before his fist collided with Ryuji's face one more time.
"M-Makoto," Ryuji wheezed out, his right eye visible through the blood on his face while his left eye was closed. "Don't you…fucking say it…Don't give this…bitch…the sat…is…faction…" Ryuji's head slumped down as he drifted off.
"I give up," Makoto whispered through blurry eyes. "Just no more…"
Kaneshiro smirked and lowered his hands. "Let him go," Kaneshiro commanded. The man dropped the beaten and unconscious Ryuji to the ground.
Just out of her reach.
"Now, was that so hard?" Kaneshiro asked as he reached down and wiped his bloody hands on Makoto's back. Once they were clean, he walked back to the couch and leaned his head back to let the woman he was with wipe the sweat from his face. "It must have been hard, watching your little boyfriend get beat like that. But, hard lessons are required in this line of work. Now, let's talk business because you and your little group owe me a lot of money, girl."
Makoto continued to stare at Ryuji's face. She was aware that Kaneshiro was talking to her but all she could hear was Ryuji's shallow breathing.
This was her fault.
All of this was her fault.
"Niijima-san!" a familiar voice shouted out.
Makoto watched as Ren, Shiho, Ann, Mishima, Hifumi, Yusuke, Haru, and Eleonora barged into the room. "Oh my god," Eleonora gasped as she covered her mouth in horror.
"Ryuji!" Ann screamed.
"What have you done to them!" Ren shouted.
"Oh, I get it," Kaneshiro chuckled. "You all brought back up. Genius, if a tad too late." Without warning, Makoto felt her head get tugged up, only to feel the cold steel of a knife being pressed against her neck.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see them do the same to Ryuji's unconscious body. "If any of you move, they die," Kaneshiro warned.
"Makoto!" Shiho and Hifumi exclaimed while Haru and Ren scowled in anger.
Kaneshiro laughed and said, "Well, the gang is all here. The rest of the Shujin Six, The Venus of Shogi, Movie Star, and the student of Madarame. This has been a fantastic day." Kaneshiro reached over to the briefcase that sat on the table in front of him and said, "Harleen? That bag you saw the other day—the crocodile one. How much was it?"
"Oh, I dunno Kane-kun," the blonde answered. "About three million."
"I see," Kaneshiro said. He reached into the briefcase and pulled out three million yen and held it up to her.
The blonde woman squealed in delight and asked, "For reals? For me?"
"For you," Kaneshiro confirmed. "You better thank these guys."
"What?" Yusuke asked.
"In fact…" Kaneshiro then grabbed the briefcase and tossed it to a man who sat to his right. "Take this to the soapland where those two little whores are located and trapped in. It's a bonus for the amount of work they are putting in. Tell them to thank these guys too."
"What is going on?" Yusuke asked as the man quickly walked passed them.
"Can't you all tell? I'm royally pissed right now," Kaneshiro revealed with a smarmy smirk. "You know how I relieve stress? By spending money." That smirk then faded to a look of rage as he shouted, "Because the last I checked, I only had an appointment with the student council president here and her blond boyfriend here today! Not a bunch of goddamn brats barging in my club like you all own the join!"
"Now, you saw my briefcase just now? That's as good as empty. I'm so pissed that it's going to be empty. It pisses me off even more if I don't get it all refilled. I'm a perfectionist after all," Kaneshiro told them. "And that's after the Twelve million yen Movie Star was supposed to have them delivered today. So that is looking to be….fifty-four million yen. So…Good luck."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke asked while Eleonora paled.
Without hesitation, Kaneshiro took out his phone and snapped a picture of the confused group. "Come on, you all look so tense," Kaneshiro taunted. "I think I'll call this one…"Debauchery of Minors at a Club." So, I can send this to your schools?"
"What?" Ann whispered.
"Oh damn, I got booze and cigs in the shot! Maybe some drugs too? Oh, forget the school. The police would love to have this," Kaneshiro continued before he laughed. "Ah, this is so priceless. I've been feeding on dumbshits like you runts since I was young. Now listen up. I own all of you now! Run your mouth to anyone, and I'll break all of you, just like I did this little pretty student council president, starting with all of your families. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," Ren said with gritted teeth.
"Now, I said three weeks when I spoke to Movie Star when I had her captured. But, considering the heir of Big Bang is here, I'll give you all two weeks. Fifty-four million yen by then. No less. And as I promised Movie Star, those two future whores won't be touched unless two weeks have passed without my money." Kaneshiro then smirked. "Now get these two losers and get the fuck out of my sight. I'm about to have some fun."
"The hell with that!" Ann screamed but Ren held out his arm to stop her.
"Makoto and Ryuji and those two girls are too important to let our emotions get the best of us," Ren told her before he glared at Kaneshiro. "But trust me, this is far from over."
"We'll see in two weeks," Kaneshiro laughed.
Ren motioned his head toward Makoto and Ryuji as the men around them moved away, with two of them unpinning Makoto. Mishima and Yusuke quickly ran to Ryuji and hoisted him off the ground while Shiho and Hifumi helped the visibly broken Makoto to her feet.
Things have taken a serious turn for the worse…
Captain Blues: Until the next chapter, time to set sail.