Happy New Years! As is, I'm writing this note about 30 minutes before New Years. Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! Holy crap, splitting a part of this chapter did not do anything to reduce word count to something manageable. It's actually kind of a mess. There is so much crap here.
Nothing to really respond to, and to be honest, the Ao3 version is going to be hell to edit so…time to start 2023 off right!
Load Game…Start!
Chapter 116: Desperation At Its Finest
(9/14, After School)
(Hebijo Academy, Rocky Terrain Examination Room)
"Shinobi Tenshin!" The five declared at the same time as their uniforms glowed and their Hebijo uniforms bursted away, leaving them in the nude for a moment before being replaced with their Tenshin appearances.
The four opposing girls had varying Shinobi Tenshin appearances. For Hikage, she wore a dingy torn up yellow and black striped shirt with a snake patterned and black frill trim that is very short, stopping at the bust line that shows a lot of cleavage, a thin necklaces around her neck, black leather constricts going down her arms and legs, which carry knives, blue jeans having gashes and rips with the zipper is down and the belt unbuckled, with leather constricts below the knees and a red snake pattern on the left thigh.
For Yomi, she wore a teal green dress with a white slip underneath where the top of her dress only comes up to the bustline, and a single white collar wrapped around her neck. On her arms, she had long white gloves and green diamond-shaped arm sleeves with white frill underneath. Around her waist was a small white apron with a shuriken-pattern on them, and a belt that held a brown bag and a strip of replacement darts for her crossbow weapon. She also wore a teal beret with a large white bow on the back of it and an even larger bow on the back of her dress. Under her dress was a pair of white stockings covered by long brown boots with black bows at the top, and her signature giant broadsword rested on her back.
For Mirai, she wore a black, white and dark teal frilled dress and bonnet with cat ears, cat tail, and what looked like black angel wings on her back. She also wore white stockings and black dress shoes with black ring anklets with cat heads. Lastly, as usual, her tomoe eyepatch was still there in her left eye. Meanwhile in her hands was her usual umbrella-gun hybrid.
And finally for Imu, she had medium-green boots with a black cross pattern, stockings going slightly above her knees, and a pleated white skirt with a red line on the down part of her body for her lower part. On the upper part, she wore a green coat with black lines and crosses, black collar and shoulder pads. Lastly, she also wore a green beret and her usual glasses.
"Show us everything you have, Murasaki!" Imu called out as she slammed her staff into the ground, a crack of thunder booming in the distance.
In Murasaki's case, her Shinobi Tenshin outfit consists of a long, black dress with gray trimmings. She then just nodded and remained silent...before going into a martial arts stance she had seen in her games and she researched online, though her legs were hidden.
(Cue A by SiM)
"And I thought my dress was poofy." Mirai thought to herself at the sight of the purplette's attire.
"She looks weird in that stance." Hikage admitted. "Is she trying to do something new?" She then assumed.
"Well, she certainly isn't dressed appropriately for such a style..." Imu got out with a frown of disapproval. "I hope I don't regret this afterwards..." She harshly and quietly muttered to herself.
"Are any of us really dressed right for this?" Hikage deadpanned while looking at the elegantly dressed blonde and the gothic loli.
Yomi however tilted her head in an innocent manner. "What do you mean? It is our attire for battle, right?" She then reminded in a curious manner.
"Your outfit is showing skin, especially in the chest area of yours." Hikage simply retorted back, half-lidded eyes while glancing at the blonde's Tenshin attire. "...And I admit mine reveals a lot of skin too." She then added in an awkward manner while pulling on her own outfit a bit.
"You just noticed that now?" Imu deadpanned in annoyance while rolling her eyes.
"Just saying what I observed." Hikage casually replied, twirling her knife in a professional manner.
"Alright we get it." Mirai quietly scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Now, are we gonna stand around or are we gonna do this thing!?" She then called out as she opened the battle by pulling out a grenade launcher and started shooting them at the purplette.
Imu meanwhile just narrowed her eyes. "You three, don't hold me back." She soon ordered. "And don't hold back towards my sister, either. She needs this." She then added to the orders.
"We know that." The three Crimson Squad members muttered to themselves in annoyance.
Murasaki meanwhile jumped away, expecting several explosions. However, suddenly those grenades began to spray black smoke around the battlefield in various colors. "Smoke grenades..." The purplette thought as she covered her mouth and closed her eyes.
Sniff sniff!
"Snakes and dog food on the east. Onee-chan's secret lock of Miyabi-san's hair in the south. Bean sprouts and trash..." Murasaki quietly noted before going wide-eyed. "Above me!" She soon realized.
"HAH!" Yomi grunted as her cleaver smashed into the ground where the purplette just was. However, she didn't let that deter her as she followed it up by slashing at the large breasted girl.
Murasaki instinctively raised her arms, sacrificing her sleeves before swinging her long hair around to cut the bean sprout loving blonde with her shuriken.
"!?" Yomi's eyes immediately widened as she brought her blade back to guard the strike, the fuma shuriken bouncing off, but still forced her back a bit from the impact.
Yomi frowned. She expected the attack, but not how fast and strong it came at her.
However, right behind her, Mirai came marching in firing her umbrella submachine gun, forcing the purplette to leap out of the way. "You're way too open!" She then declared.
"!" Murasaki's eyes immediately widened as she went behind cover as the bullets bounced off the rocks. "Good thing I played First Person Shooter games..." She thought to herself while catching her breath.
"Show us what you got, Murasaki!" The voice of her older sister, Imu, yelled out. "Don't make us force you out." She soon stated. "Yomi, bring her out now." She then ordered.
The blonde reluctantly nodded to this as she took in a deep breath. "Sigmund!" Yomi soon declared as she brought her sword up above her head as she then charged green energy into it while it extended, becoming massive in size.
Murasaki glanced from behind the cover, only for her eyes to widen at the enlarged blade. "Shit!" She swore as she quickly dashed away before...
CRASH!
Yomi's broadsword crashed to the ground, exploding the target area with chunks of debris flying. She then continued as she then swung horizontal to the area in front of her, slicing the top of the boulders in range.
Immediately, Murasaki ducked out of the way of the strike as she then leaped back.
"Don't let her get away!" Imu ordered aloud with her staff firmly gripped, proceeding ahead along with the rest of the Crimson Squad members with her.
"I know that! Niflheim!" Yomi declared as she fired her arm bow and hand cannon at the purplette, soon releasing cannon fire and shurikens upon her opponent.
In response, Murasaki leaped once again to the side to avoid the projectiles. But at that moment...
"Shanking." Hikage breathed out as she took out as many of her knives as she could carry before charging at the purplette at breakneck speed.
"!?" Murasaki's eyes immediately widened once more as she brought her large shurikens up using her hair to guard herself from the onslaught.
CLANG! WHIP! SWISH! CLATTER!
"Ngh!" Murasaki grunted out as the force from the attacks pushed her back a few inches.
Eventually, the greenette concluded her assault as she then back dashed before pausing and looked at her knife. "...I need to think of better names for my attacks." Hikage noted in a deadpan tone with a sweatdrop.
"You think!?" Mirai retorted, on guard for upcoming attacks with her umbrella machine gun in hand.
"Enough small talk you idiots!" Imu however yelled out the order in frustration. "Keep the pressure up! Don't let her relax!" She then ordered.
"Yeah, yeah. We were already doing that, leader." Mirai remarked in annoyance.
Imu blinked. "That felt...weird to be called that." She thought to herself before shaking her head and charged in. "Anyway, focus on defeating my sister first." She then added.
The trio from Crimson Squad merely nodded to that, deciding not to say anything else to the sandy blonde unless they want to piss her off.
"And Imu strikes again with her orders..."
"She does have the qualities of being a leader...despite some other things."
"Homura and Miyabi-sama are still the better leaders though."
"Guess there's no argument there. Wish they were here."
"Yeah. From what I've heard from Suzune-sensei, both of them are on a mission in Tokyo."
Murasaki tried to sock her sister straight in the face, but the sandy blonde simply extended her staff and pushed her out of arm's length away from her before whacking her over the head.
"Hikage! Now!" Imu called out.
"Che," Hikage grunted as she readied herself, brandishing her knife while feeling the other sharp blades equipped in her body through her black leather constricts. After that moment, she rushed in, preparing to attack the purplette.
In response, Murasaki tensed up as she prepared herself to attack as well, her large shurikens spinning rapidly in her hands. "I can't hold back, even if they're Haruka-oneesama's friends..." She thought to herself as she lashed the spinning shurikens out at them with everything she had.
WOOSH! WOOSH! CRASH! SHATTER!
Destroying more of the boulders that were in the area as a result.
Imu's eyes meanwhile widened to that as she quickly avoided the weapons, narrowly avoiding them, though felt her cheek being scratched as some blood trickled out. "Her throwing power is that strong?" She mentally questioned herself in a serious manner as the weapons returned to her sister's hands.
"Ngh! I'm going in! Haaaaah!" Murasaki grunted and cried out, rushing in towards her opponents.
TRIP! THUD! SMOOSH!
"W-Wah!" Murasaki got out as she tripped over her dress and fell flat on her face. "OMPH!" She grunted.
That immediately caused everyone else to pause as they looked at the purplette in disbelief.
"...Did that just happen?" Hikage asked with a sweatdrop.
"Hai." Yomi confirmed with a nod.
Mirai, meanwhile, just gave the girl a flat stare. She was shorter than her with a way fancier dress, and she still managed to trip on her dress?
"Hey Imu, your sister is fucked!" Ryōbi called out from the stands.
"Oh great, we have a heckler..." Hikage sighed out.
The blonde beansprout lover meanwhile narrowed her eyes in disapproval. "The remarks are not necessary..." Yomi muttered.
"Oof...bummer for her."
"Is she clumsy by any chance?"
"Well she was a shut-in before."
"...Did you see how her boobs were pressed on the ground?"
"H-Huh?"
"Owie..." Murasaki meanwhile mumbled with a groan as she got to her feet. She never expected to trip over her own feet like that. Maybe basing her Tenshin appearance off a dark princess wasn't as good as she imagined it would be.
Oh wait...she usually relied on the Root of Calamity controlling her hair to do everything for her before going to Tokyo...and now she felt ashamed for being so...lazy...
The purplette however shook her head. "No...I'm no longer that..." Murasaki quietly reminded herself in a serious tone as she lightly slapped her cheeks to refocus herself.
"Seriously Murasaki? Tripping over your own feet?" Imu questioned in disappointment with narrowed eyes.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Onee-chan." The purplette stated as she got up from her feet with no effort at all.
"Too many mistakes is a death wish for shinobis like us." Imu retorted back. "You should know that, sister." She then added.
Murasaki in response puffed up her cheek as she dusted herself off. "I already know that Onee-chan..." She grumbled in annoyance while preparing her shurikens once more.
The sandy blonde however narrowed her eyes to that response. "Then show us." Imu immediately demanded, flawlessly twirling her staff while electricity crackled around it. "Show me!" She then ordered before rushing towards her sister.
Murasaki perked up before shoving her large shurikens up front with her hair, guarding her potential attacks.
"Not worth it, sister!" Imu yelled as she leaped in an acrobatic manner before going down on the ground, stabbing her electricity-charged staff on said ground in front of her sister, resulting with a quick blast of yellow electricity exploding out of her staff.
Unfortunately, Murasaki reacted a bit too late, getting affected by the proximity of the blast as well. In response, the purplette got paralyzed by her older sister's electricity for a moment. "Gnnngh!" Murasaki gritted her teeth, feeling the shock across her entire body.
With a perfect opening, Imu charged ahead and went on for the attack without hesitation. With a leap and a graceful spin of her body along with her staff, she swung her weapon and went for a barrage of quick staff attacks.
RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! WHAM!
After a barrage of staff attacks, Imu landed the final strike with a heavy swing, launching her sister away from her and flying straight into a large boulder.
"GAH!" Murasaki got out in pain as she crashed into said boulder. "Yeah...that hurt..." She groaned and winced while forcing herself to stand once more, her clothes completely shredded as her black bra and panties were visible.
BOING!
And her entire figure was exposed.
"..." Mirai said nothing to the sight as her eye twitched in envy...and unintentionally began rubbing her own chest.
"GNGH!" Ryōbi got out in despair as her teeth gritted in complete anger and jealousy, as well as gripping her rifle even harder to the point of crushing it completely.
"Huh, she really is the biggest out of all of us." Hikage simply noted.
"She really is." Yomi admitted with a nod of agreement.
"Ooooh~" Ryōna moaned out while holding herself at the sight.
Poochie meanwhile was panting heavily and excited with a starry look in her innocent eyes at the sight of the bust while her tail was wagging like crazy.
Meanwhile, other students in the stands felt an instant ping of envy at the sight.
"...Big..."
"...The hell!?"
"She's supposed to be the younger sister!?"
"That's..."
"Not...fair..."
Suzune however sighed as she heard and witnessed all the reactions. They were expected, but she didn't think every other student would be this jealous of it...
The purplette meanwhile took in a breath as she readied herself while glancing down for a moment. "My clothes are out...looks like I'm going Frantic for this..." Murasaki thought to herself, knowing that it wasn't the time to be embarrassed. She had a fight to win!
"If you're thinking about going Frantic this time, let's see how you'll manage." Imu assumed as she readied her staff.
Murasaki clutched onto the scraps of clothing left on her and stumbled back, panting and sweating as a wave of exhaustion hit her. "I...I should be stronger than this..." She muttered.
"Murasaki," Imu got out as she appeared in front of her sister. "You aren't going to beat us with only a few weeks of working out." She soon stated.
"I know that...Onee-chan..." Murasaki panted out, her fists clenching in slight anger.
"Then why aren't you trying? I know you used to use it all the time back when you shut yourself in your room." Imu questioned in disapproval while the purplette winced at being reminded of those times. "Have you lost it? Murasaki, please! This can't end until you use it!" She then assumed and stated.
Murasaki in response shook her head. "No...no, no, no." She responded. "I promised myself...that I wouldn't use it ever again." She soon declared.
Upon hearing that, Imu gritted her teeth in anger towards her sister's stubbornness. "Then you're weak!" She finally relented in a furious manner. "And you always will be without that!" She then added.
The purplette's eye immediately twitched in annoyance at that insult. "I'm...not...weak without it!" Murasaki declared.
Fwoosh!
Imu perked up, noticing familiar flickers coming out from the purplette.
"E-Eh?" Murasaki got out, only flickers of her Root of Calamity appearing, causing her to pale. "N-No...gotta calm down...gotta prove...I'm strong without relying on it..." She mentally ordered and reminded herself while the flickers slowly began to fade.
Hikage meanwhile narrowed her at the purplette's actions as the other Crimson Squad girls paused. "What's up with her?" She quietly asked.
"I don't know." Yomi responded in concern.
"Well, whatever it is, we must complete our objective nonetheless." Mirai responded as well with a determined expression on her face. "And that is to defeat her." She then added, aiming her umbrella gun at the purplette.
"She's...resisting?" Imu however muttered in disbelief. This had never happened before. However, she then narrowed her eyes in disapproval. This was not supposed to happen and it infuriated her. "All of you, leave this to me." She soon ordered.
This however confused the Crimson Squad members.
"Wait, what?" Mirai got out in said state of confusion.
"Imu-san, wait." Yomi called out to her temporary leader on the battlefield. "There's something going on with Murasaki-chan. We should be careful about this." She then warned and advised.
"Oh, I already know exactly what the issue is." Imu responded in a harsh tone, gripping her staff even tighter.
"You...You do?" Mirai asked in an uneasy tone.
"She's my younger sister, and I know her very well." Imu responded with narrowed eyes aiming at her sister, nudging her glasses up with her free hand. "Come on, Murasaki! Use it! Use it to defeat all of us here!" She then yelled, spinning her staff rapidly.
The purplette meanwhile still felt the pulsating power of the Root from within her body as she struggled to hold it back. "No...No, no, no, NO!" Murasaki demanded to herself. "I'm...not gonna use it...not again. I can defeat you all...without it." She then continued, internally struggling with the power inside her.
"I'm sorry, but Hebijo requires proof of your strength." Imu apologized. "Now stop holding back, or I'll kill you myself." She then demanded in a strained manner.
Hikage meanwhile narrowed her eyes to hearing that, but said nothing as she gripped her knife tighter.
The purplette however clenched her teeth in response as sweat ran down her face. "I...I won't!" Murasaki responded. "Because of this...this curse...I realized...it cost me everything! I can't, no, I won't let it take over my life! NOT AGAIN!" She soon explained and declared.
Upon hearing that, the sandy blonde narrowed her eyes. "Is that so, sister?" Imu soon responded. "...Then it's time to actually give you a real fight." She then declared in a cold tone as she prepared a jab with her staff, rubbing it first as it was generating sparks of electricity around it.
Murasaki stared at her sister readying for her attack...before seeing her rushing towards her for a split second, surprising her for a bit.
Imu then launched herself up in the air with her feet, readying her staff by spinning it rapidly. With her sister at her sights, she went straight down and prepared to strike her down with a jab from her staff, however...
GRIP!
"!" Imu's eyes widened as her sister grabbed the end of her staff with her bare hands as she then felt herself being pushed back while still in the air. "N-No way..." She breathed out as she started to hear the end of her staff breaking. She wasn't expecting that!
"Don't...under...estimate...me...ever...again..." Murasaki grunted out with cold fury, holding back wincing from feeling the electricity from the strike.
Imu remained quiet before smirking. "First rule of being a shinobi..." She soon began.
Suddenly, Imu pulled herself in and headbutted her sister before channeling electricity through her staff once again, electrocuting her sister and burning off some more of her remaining clothes, leaving her stunned and smoking.
"Always be underestimated." Imu concluded before using a kunai to slice off one of the shuriken tied to her hair and kicked her away.
"Ah!" Murasaki grunted in pain as she rolled over the hard ground on impact and winced from it.
Imu then grabbed her sister's large shuriken and threw it back at her opponent, nailing her in the shoulder before dashing towards her and following it up with some attacks with her broken staff.
"Brutal." Mirai got out with a wince.
"But smart." Hikage added with a frown. "She's not holding back at all." She then remarked as she saw the sandy blonde rip off another shuriken and slam it into her sister's shoulder.
"Doesn't she want Murasaki-chan to win?" Yomi questioned, observing the fight between sisters.
"Not without a struggle." Hikage stated as the sandy blonde and the purplette fought over the last shuriken before they both decided to just throw it away.
However Murasaki, despite losing her weapons and some hair in the process, simply took in a breath and ran straight at her sister and kicked the broken staff out of her hands. "RAAAAAAH!" She roared.
Imu grit her teeth, the staff being kicked out causing some pain, but didn't think about it for more than a second as she faced her opponent.
With no other choice, the two then began to engage each other with hand-to-hand combat.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
At least that's what Imu thought, soon grunting as her sister got in various punches and kicks. "There's a lot of force behind it..." She thought after feeling the intense weight from her sister's strikes before parrying a punch and countering with a palm to her sister's chest.
However Murasaki didn't falter at that as she delivered another punch to her sister's jaw.
WHAM! CRACK!
"AH!" Imu got out, wincing in pain, feeling one of her molar teeth loosening. "...That...that seriously hurt..." She muttered in disbelief as some blood came out of her mouth.
"That's the results of my training!" Murasaki declared as she rushed in and threw another punch.
However, Imu simply slipped to the side and kneed her in the groin.
"!" Murasaki gasped out before growling and grabbing her sister's head...
WHAM! CRACK!
And slamming her own head against it, causing both of them to bleed.
"Gngh!" The purplette gritted in pain as blood painted on her forehead, staggering back from the impact of her own attack before shaking it off and acting as though she wasn't even affected by it.
Imu staggered back as well, blood painted on her own forehead as well. She then gritted her teeth in pain while taking heavy breaths before glancing at her sister in front of her, still wincing in pain. She was lucky her sister didn't actually break her glasses.
Hikage and the others meanwhile winced at the sight. "Ooooh, that's gotta hurt." She muttered.
"I...wasn't expecting a headbutt..." Yomi had to admit in disbelief.
"Well, Imu disarmed her weapons, so I guess she had no other choice." Mirai reminded and assumed. "She could've gone for another punch or a kick, but I guess, she literally used her head as a weapon." She then added.
A distance away in the stands, the purple haired teacher adjusted her glasses at the sight. "That headbutt from Murasaki was quite unexpected. Then again, she lost her shurikens." Suzune stated to herself as she looked at the purplette and the sandy blonde. "Still, she seems to be in a better condition than Imu..." She then noted.
Ryōbi sweatdropped, but also winced at the sight. "Who the hell uses a literal headbutt?" She soon asked.
Ryōna meanwhile pouted. "Aaaw~ I wish Murasaki-chan could headbutt me like that~!" She whined as her sister looked at her with a deadpan expression.
"Wow, a headbutt..."
"Haven't seen someone do that for a long while."
"A bit unorthodox, but I guess she made it work."
The purplette meanwhile narrowed her eyes as she looked at her sister. "Is that...everything you have?" Murasaki soon asked while wiping the blood away.
"No." Imu responded, though winced a bit from that last attack. "Not by a long shot." She then added. "Ugh, she had to have a hard head..." She thought to herself.
"Che..." Murasaki got out in annoyance. "Why don't you just stay down already? You're staggering from that last attack, sister." She then questioned in cold fury as she slammed her fist against a nearby boulder, shattering it as a result.
"If you're asking me to let you win, then you haven't learned anything, even with your training." Imu stated as she cleaned her glasses of her blood. "Besides, what makes you think you're winning right now?" She then in a taunting manner.
Murasaki however narrowed her eyes. "Yet you're still staggering from that headbutt." She noted.
"No." Imu denied as she flicked her nose and went back into a stable battle stance, despite still being shaky. "I'm just getting started." She then informed.
"Grrr...RRRRAAAAHHHH!" Murasaki roared before charging in once again.
While Murasaki was throwing more strength into her attacks, her sister was dodging each and every swing with barely any effort.
While the younger sibling was fighting, the older sibling was dancing.
"Not much of a shinobi fight, but still brutal."
"Are they sure Murasaki was a shut-in before?"
"Maybe they got their information wrong?"
"I doubt Suzune-sensei would do that. It was mentioned in her files about Murasaki herself."
"Then it needs to be updated. Like, right now as soon as this battle ends."
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
"Come on! COME ON!" The two sisters thought as they felt their bones ache (shattering in Imu's case) and their muscles burn as they went faster and faster.
"Why!? Are you!? Fighting!? So hard!?" Murasaki furiously demanded, grunting each word with every punch and kick thrown.
"We're shinobi, Murasaki! Fated to die at a flick of the wrist! Our lives only continue to serve the goals of those who use us!" Imu answered as she dodged and blocked each attack thrown at her before clashing with her sister, pushing against one another with their shoulders. "You lost your freedom as soon as you awakened the Root of Calamity. The least I can do is make sure you've earned that power." She then declared.
Murasaki however grit her teeth in response. "You think...I wanted that power...?" She growled out while grinding her teeth, a purple aura starting to form around her.
FWOOOOOOOSH! CRACK! SHATTER!
(End Music)
(Cue Blumenkranz by Cyua)
Heavy tension immediately filled the air, causing it to feel as though there was no oxygen at all as the arena and stands above began to shake.
"W-What the!?"
"I...I can't...breath!"
"What...What's going on...?"
"Hey, you alright? Get up!"
"We should get out of here! NOW!"
The sounds of more coughing and gagging filled the stands as the feeling in the air intensified to an unbearable level.
At that moment however...the purplette exploded...
"I HATE THIS POWER!" Murasaki furiously declared in a warp and distorted voice, eyes glowing purple as her hair levitated and sharpened into blade-like forms while the ground underneath her began cracking. "I WANT IT TO DIE!" She then added, lashing her hair out at everyone, all the memories of her suffering due to the training regarding the Root of Calamity all rushing in at once.
STAB! SLASH! STAB! SLASH! STAB! SLASH!
"!" Hikage's eyes widened as she dove out of the way.
"Wah!" Mirai yelped as she did the same.
Yomi meanwhile used her weapon to block the oncoming attacks. "NGH!" She grunted out.
However the attack wasn't limited to just the battlefield as it lashed out at the stands as well.
"Whoa!" Ryōbi yelped as she ducked out of the way. "What the hell!? Watch it!" She called out in a nervous manner.
"Ooooh~ Those hair blades are gonna hit my body right now~" Ryōna cooed as she stood up from her seat with open arms...only to get pulled down and smacked hardly by a harisen fan.
"Shut your trap and get down, you fucking pig! This is not the time for that shit!" The flat-chested brunette frantically ordered in annoyance.
"Holy-! Out of the way!"
"MOVE!"
"Look out!"
"Jeez, this is overkill!"
"HEY! We're right here! Watch it!"
Murasaki however ignored all of that as she held her head in pain. "DIE ALREADY!" She screamed out as the power inside her exploded out even more.
Imu was struggling to hold her ground from the familiar intensity of the power exploding out of her younger sister...while smirking in satisfaction all the while. "Now there's the power that I wanted." She thought to herself as she prepared to fight once more.
Hikage meanwhile noticed the sandy blonde's expression and narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me she planned for this to happen..." She thought to herself in disgust.
"Finally, my dear sister!" Imu proudly stated aloud. "You've finally unleashed the Root inside you!" She then added with the same tone.
The purplette however was having none of that as she lashed and glared at her sister, though also had tears in her eyes. "SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY, IMU!" Murasaki roared, balling her hands into fists that were coated in a dark purple aura as her hair mimicked the action, creating dozens of fists as well that were enveloped in the same aura before rushing in.
"Nevertheless, I've finally made you release the Root of Calamity once again! I knew that I wanted this power and I pushed you to use it since you awakened it, but that was all for-" She soon began praising and started explaining, however...
WHAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK! WHAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK! WHAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK! WHAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK! WHAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK!
Imu didn't have time to react right away before she was fatally struck all of a sudden...before being bombarded by multiple punches, both physical and hair, from all directions all over her body without any form of mercy.
Hikage widened her eyes a bit from the scene. Seeing the sandy blonde in her current state...she was not sure if she should react like she usually does towards her.
"The...The hell!?" Mirai got out in shock.
"Oh my...what is happening?" Yomi breathed out in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Suzune witnessed the current events and observed with a serious expression on her face. "Hm, I hope Imu knows what she's doing." She then stated."It has been a long while since I last witnessed the Root of Calamity." She soon added.
Imu was devastatingly struggling right now, getting pummeled by her own sister with a millisecond to no time at all to react and fight back.
"SOMEONE, SAVE ME!" Murasaki soon cried out in despair, her hair once more wildly lashing out in all directions as she fell to her knees.
"H-Huh?" Mirai got out, covering her face from the strong, dark purple colored winds and forces gushing out of the purplette while trying to hold her ground and not get blown away.
Hikage meanwhile narrowed her eyes while behind the remaining rocks for cover. "Oi, you all just heard that, right?" She questioned in a serious tone.
The blonde beansprout in turn nodded with a worried expression on her face. "She's...She's suffering..." Yomi breathed out with widened eyes.
"Not as much as Imu right now." Mirai pointed out as they watched the purplette's hair wildly throw her sister around like a ragdoll, tearing apart her clothes in massive chunks. "Um...should we help her at this point?" She soon asked.
"This is Imu's fight, Mirai." Hikage responded. "Besides...this is exactly what she wanted before the test even began." She then stated, her voice filled with disapproval.
"Hai." Yomi replied with a nod of agreement.
"B-But...n-never mind." Mirai began before shaking her head. "Alright, let's all stay back for a moment, guys." She then decided, the others nodding in agreement to this.
Murasaki meanwhile looked at her sister, her eyes completely glowing purple with the same purple aura flaring over her entire body. "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED!? IS THIS HOW YOU WANT ME TO BE!?" She soon questioned in a distorted voice. "IS THIS HOW YOU WANT TO DIE ONEE-CHAN!?" She then added in a furious manner.
"Uhhh..." Imu struggled out.
WHAM! CRACK!
"SHUT UP!" Murasaki roared her demands as she lashed out with tears in her eyes. "I SUFFERED LONG ENOUGH THANKS TO THIS DAMN CURSE THAT YOU AND THE REST OF OUR FUCKIN' FAMILY THINKS IS A BLESSING! GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD THAT THIS IS A CURSE! A CURSE!" She soon declared with a raised fist before bringing it down.
WHAM! CRACK!
"..."
"WELL!?" Murasaki growled. "SAY SOMETHING DAMMIT! I WANNA HEAR YOU SAY IT! SAY IT NOW!" She then roared her demands.
"..." Imu, however, was still in her growing pool of blood.
Everyone from the stands has various reactions, most of them in shock and disbelief.
"Jeez...that was...man..."
"Well, another shinobi going in the coffin..."
"This is Hebijo. Death is part of our training and routine."
"Still, that was brutal..."
"No way I'm messing with her now..."
"You don't kill your own flesh and blood though..."
"Despite the fact she probably can't control herself..."
Suddenly, Murasaki stopped her attacks, snapping out of her rage with her eyes returning to normal as her body began to shake while memories began to flood her mind. "It happened again." She whispered as she clutched her head. "N-No, Onee-chan, I...I...I..." She got out in an angered and fear-filled manner.
The Crimson Squad girls turned away. They couldn't bear to watch the girl break down.
"I-I'm sorry! Please, Onee-chan, wake up!" The purplette soon begged in a frantic manner. "Why did I do that!? Why did I...how could I let this happen again!? Please...please don't go..." Murasaki pleaded as she cried into her sister's warm chest.
Warm...and beating.
"...Eh?" Murasaki soon got out, her crying ceased upon this realization.
"Don't...cry for me...yet..." The voice of her sister weakly got out, clearly struggling to speak from the pain.
"No, Onee-chan stay down!" Murasaki exclaimed in a panic. Why was her sister being so stubborn and obsessed about this!?
"I...can't...I can't...and I...won't..." Imu struggled out as she slowly got to her feet, wince in pain with every motion she made.
"Eh!? She can still stand even after all that!?" Mirai exclaimed.
"Barely." Hikage confirmed, noticing the sandy blonde's shaky condition.
"B-Booooo..." Ryōbi weakly heckled from the stands...though she was the only one who did it.
That only made the members of the Crimson Squad group look at her incredulously.
"O-Onee-chan..." Murasaki breathed out in disbelief.
"Murasaki...despite...still being weak...I'm proud of you." Imu admitted, letting out a painful chuckle. Yeah, she definitely had some broken ribs as well as various other bones. "But you haven't changed one thing for the better." She then stated.
"...Eh?" Murasaki got out, confusion replacing her relief.
"You're absolutely useless against someone at long range." Imu informed as she snapped her fingers.
"!" Murasaki's eyes immediately widened to that statement.
"Satellite Gustav!" Mirai suddenly and loudly announced as her Orbital Strike Satellite parted the clouds above them.
Murasaki's eyes immediately widened as she paled for a new reason. "EEEEEEH!?" She exclaimed at the sight.
"...Where did you get-" Imu began.
"Boop." Mirai then got out as the satellite fired.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
"...How much does that thing cost to fire?" Yomi had to ask.
"Less than you think." Mirai answered with a shrug.
"I forgot you own a fucking space laser!" Ryōbi called out. "What kind of shinobi uses a space laser anyways!?" She then asked.
"I do! That's who!" Mirai declared. "...Um, we better check if Murasaki is alive..." She soon realized as the blonde beansprout lover nodded in agreement.
However the greenette raised her hand to stop them. "Hold up!" Hikage suddenly called out, stopping her comrades from stepping forward. "She still hasn't lost yet. Look." She then informed.
From the rubble, the purplette rose to her feet. Whatever was left of her clothes were distergrated, but the fire in her eyes hadn't died in the slightest.
"Not...done...yet..." Murasaki panted, her eyes glowing purple once more, though now flickering. "I have not...come this far...to fail here...!" She then declared in a more crazed manner, hair still levitating as her previous fear and sadness were once more replaced with anger and fury.
"Then...allow me." A familiar voice countered.
WHAM!
"AH!" Murasaki cried out in pain, holding her bleeding nose for a second before growling and furiously countering with her own punch striking her sister's face...
WHAM! CRACK!
...breaking Imu's glasses along with her nose in the process.
Without hesitation, however, Imu went right for the solar plexus and knocked the air right out of her sister's lungs before grappling her into a full nelson.
"Finish her!" Imu called out as she kept her sister in her grasp, preventing her from escaping whatever the final attack may be.
"Onee-chan! You!" Murasaki struggled out in anger.
"Don't waste your gifts." Imu simply responded before...
BANG!
(End Music)
Imu then finally collapsed to the ground, unconscious, yet her sister remained standing.
It didn't matter though, as the rubber bullet fell in between Murasaki's breasts, leaving a nasty purple mark on her forehead.
"Test...over." Mirai declared in an uneasy tone as she put away her rifle under her skirt.
"We...won." Yomi got out in an uncomfortable manner.
"I...I lost..." Murasaki quietly whimpered in realization.
"But at what cost?" Hikage concluded as she narrowed her eyes, just as the audience began to murmur from the stands.
"Aw! There goes my life savings!"
"She really did that to her own sister?"
"Someone put a leash on her!"
The girls glared at the audience before slumping and sighing. Not everyone was going to understand the situation after all.
"That's enough!" The distorted voice from the speakers announced aloud, alerting everyone present on the battlefield. "Everyone who fought on the battlefield, well done." It then added.
"Is that supposed to make us feel better?" Mirai questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"To the Elites, thank you for your participation. Murasaki, your test results will be announced in the evening. You may now vacate the area." The distorted speaker voice soon stated as the sounds of the speaker being turned off was heard followed by the sounds of footsteps leaving the area.
"..." Murasaki said nothing in response as she fell to one knee. "Dammit..." She soon swore in frustration as she slammed a fist to the ground, cracking it slightly. "GODDAMMIT!" She cried out.
The others meanwhile looked on in amazement. The purplette still had that much power in her?
"Um...is it safe to approach her now?" Mirai nervously asked, wary of the purplette's moment of anger.
"You put up a good fight, Murasaki, for all that's worth." Hikage got out, deciding to approach the purplette without a hint of fear.
"I still used that damn power though..." Murasaki countered in frustration.
"Murasaki-chan, you're a great friend and all but...I don't think you could've won without it." Yomi however admitted, moving forward to approach her as well and prompting the eyepatch-wearing first-year to do the same.
"I wanted to win without it though! It ruined my life to begin with! I lived in fear of myself because of it! I was lazy because of it! I hated myself because of it!" Murasaki declared in frustration. "I was completely pathetic when I went to Tokyo, and I'm still pathetic now!" She then cried out, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. "Why...Why did she push me into using it against her again...?" She soon asked.
"I don't think Hebijo would've liked it if you went the entire fight without using it." Yomi however pointed out. "Why do you think it was four against one? They needed to see if you still had it." She then added.
"Screw that!" Murasaki growled before glancing at her older sister's unconscious nude body for a moment. "I'm...I'm going back to my room. Tell me when they give me my fail." She then got out in a tired tone, storming towards the exit while leaving deep footprints in her wake. She was going to nap for a bit before working out some more.
However, there was a slight issue the youngest of the group noticed. "O-Oi! M-Murasaki! You're..." Mirai called out.
SLAM!
"...Still naked." Yomi finished in a weak manner.
"And she's gone..." Hikage stated. "Guess she was that pissed." She then assumed.
"You guess?" Yomi deadpanned.
Poochie whimpered as she came to the greenette's side.
"It's okay, Poochie. She's stronger than you think." Hikage assured in a comforting tone while picking up the puppy and holding her in her arms before glaring at the sandy blonde's unconscious nude form. "Without the Root of Calamity." She then added.
"Haruka-sama is not gonna be happy when she hears about this." Mirai then got out in concern. "So, who's gonna carry Imu to her room?" She soon asked.
"Leave her here." Hikage got out in a dismissive manner as she put Poochie in between her breasts and left without another word.
"Um...my bean sprouts need tending to right now..." Yomi excused herself before taking her leave as well.
"Am I the only one here willing to be responsible?" Mirai scoffed as she rolled her visible eye before looking down at the sandy blonde. "...She looks like she has a really soft butt." She had to admit before leaving as well.
Just because she said she was willing to be responsible, didn't mean she was required to be.
Especially after what she just went through.
(Gessen Academy, Elites Room)
It has been a quiet day for the four Gessen Elites ever since the constant mourning of their beloved Kurokage. For them, the funeral still awaits ahead with the preparations almost finished.
All that was left was the day itself to come...
Yozakura was sitting alone in their own kotatsu, holding a cup of tea while reminiscing about the memories she had with Kurokage. Murakumo, with her mask on, was standing in front of a cupboard, staring at the picture of Kurokage along with other pictures of her fellow Elites with him when they were young. Shiki meanwhile was aimlessly looking at her phone, not knowing what to do now in sadness.
However...the one who was the most depressed was Minori as she stared at the ground with a blank look in her eyes, which were also red from rubbing them after crying so much.
Silence, and only silence itself soon filled the air for the Gessen Elites. The four of them were at a loss for words during this moment for quite some time.
"Um...I know this is totes a bad time, but...how's everyone, by the way?" Shiki soon asked, straightening herself up and keeping her phone away in the meantime, all while finally breaking the silence.
"Terrible." Murakumo answered in a blunt yet serious tone.
"I...have nothing to say." Yozakura confessed with a sigh.
"Minori tried...tried to find a way to save Kurokage-ojiichan while Minori was in Tokyo..." The first year brunette however whimpered out. "But I...I..." Minori weakly stated between sniffs, while rubbing off tears trailing down from her eyes.
"Mi-Minori, you did your best." Yozakura tried to assure her, almost not knowing what to say to her.
"B-But...Kurokage-ojiichan could've been saved!" Minori cried back, tears slowly forming once again in her eyes
"We know, and you gave a fruitful effort for doing so in a way that Kurokage-sama appreciates what you did for him" Murakumo, in her deep voice, assured the childish Gessen Elite. "But the worst has already happened, and...I think the best thing to do for all of us is to accept it and remember him in our hearts for the rest of our lives." She then added, even if it pained her saying that.
"I don't wanna!" Minori soon cried out. "I want him here with us!" She then declared with tears in her eyes.
"Minori-chii..." Shiki got out, sympathetic to her fellow first year before an idea came to mind. "You want anything from the store? Some sweets?" She soon offered, slightly struggling to make a smile on her face for her sweets-loving companion as assurance.
"...Ice cream." The childish kunoichi eventually replied, sniffling.
"The biggest tub of ice cream it is then." Shiki responded with the same smile before pulling out her phone.
"...Aren't you going to go to the store?" Yozakura questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Nah, don't feel like it. I'm ordering it online." Shiki replied without facing her while on her phone. "There. Should be here in 30 minutes or less." She then informed, exciting her fellow first year.
Yozakura however sighed in disapproval at her tech-savvy companion's behavior. "At least try to be active once in a while, Shiki." She soon requested.
"Online shopping exists, so I think I better use it, Yozakura-chii." Shiki tried to counter with a lopsided grin. "But when it comes to sweet clothes, no doubt I would totes go out to get them." She then added with a hair flick.
"Shiki..." Yozakura sighed in disappointment while rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Oh, don't be a downer or else you're not getting any." Shiki responded.
"Mohhh..." Minori whined.
"...Okay, let me order another tub..." Shiki responded.
"Yozakura, I think we deserve to relax and be lazy, at least for today." Murakumo advised her friend. "Get our minds off the funeral for a bit and enjoy the life Kurokage-sama has gifted us." She then added in a comforting tone.
The others responded with agreeing nods.
"I just wish Wang-Pai-sensei was here." Shiki stated, lowering her phone for a moment. "We could all use his support. Maybe even some words of wisdom from here." She then admitted and suggested.
"You know he is helping out with the funeral as well." Yozakura however reminded.
"I know that, but like I said, some words of support would be good for all of us right now." The tech-savvy kunoichi stated. "Kurokage-sama passing away really affected all of us entirely...especially Yumi-chii." She then continued.
"...I was too harsh on her..." Murakumo suddenly confessed in a shameful tone. "She's growing more than any of us as a person and I blamed her..." She then added.
"Well, it's not like it's an everyday occurrence that someone we know becomes an idol overnight." Shiki pointed out. "I mean, how many shinobis could become idols?" She then asked.
Meanwhile, several shinobi sneezed in their recording booths, messing up the recording as result before they then quickly apologized for it happening.
Their producers died on the spot from cuteness.
"Not a lot, I'm betting." Shiki concluded.
"Still...thus lingering anger and sting of betrayal..." Murakumo muttered as she placed a hand on her chest. "At the very least she could've told us beforehand. It would've hurt so much less." She then added.
"I mean...maybe she unintentionally thought we'd disapprove of it?" Shiki guessed. "Or...maybe Kurokage-sama?" She soon muttered.
"And she said she did it for him." Yozakura soon reminded as she wiped the tears of her eyes. "Maybe she just wanted it to be a surprise. It doesn't matter anymore. It happened, we fought and cried too much already. It is important we remain open to each other at all times. No more secrets between us." She eventually assumed and stated.
"Hai." Murakumo responded in agreement with a nod. "...Does anyone have any secrets?" She eventually asked.
"Erm...I ate Shiki-chan's pudding and blamed it on Murakumo-chan." Minori sheepishly admitted.
"WHAT!?" The tech savvy blonde exclaimed. "I got my butt kicked for nothing!?" Shiki soon got out in disbelief.
"I use your shampoo all the time." Murakumo then spoke up.
"You! I buy way more bottles because of you!" Shiki exclaimed.
"I use your underwear when all of mine is in the wash." Yozakura soon admitted.
"What the- why is everyone taking me for granted!?" The fashionista exclaimed. "Alright, counterattack! I know Yozakura-chii and Murakumo-chii are crushing on someone hard! And it's a boy!" Shiki soon declared with a smirk...before looking horrified. "I...I may have overstepped your boundaries, I'm so sorry!" She soon got out and apologized.
That immediately caused the two in mention to blush scarlet with their heads steaming. In Murakumo's case, however, her blushing was not seen courtesy of her oni mask.
"EEEEEEH!? YOZAKURA-CHAN AND MURAKUMO-CHAN LIKE SOMEONE!?" Minori exclaimed with a starry look in her eyes.
"I-It's perfectly normal to have a crush." Yozakura meekly squeaked out.
"Y-Yeah." Murakumo responded while adjusting her mask.
"You both like the same boy?" Minori soon asked the steamy headed girls. "Is he a shinobi, too?" She then added.
"...Well, he...is..." Yozakura began before trailing off.
"Seductive." Murakumo couldn't stop herself and covered her (mask's) mouth.
"Eh?" Minori got out with raised eyebrows. "S-Seductive? Huh?" She then repeated, now sporting a slight blush.
"D-Don't get the wrong idea, Minori-chan!" Yozakura responded. "No need for you to learn those things." She then stated.
"Ehhhh~?" Shiki responded with half-lidded eyes and a lopsided grin. "Seductive, you say, Murakumo-chii~? I did not expect you to say such a lewd word." She teasingly added with a smirk.
Murakumo's head soon began steaming even more in response to that remark. "Th-That was a spur of the moment!" She then quickly responded.
"Riiiiight~" Shiki teasingly droned out with a smirk etched on face.
"E-Enough of that, Shiki-san." Yozakura ordered with closed eyes and furrowed brows. "I cannot believe you made us ask those kinds of questions. Don't make Murakumo and I inflict punishment on you." She then stated and warned, itching for her gauntlets.
"Have you two lovestruck gals even checked if he's dating someone already?" Shiki however asked.
The two immediately winced upon hearing that as they began sweating. "W-We were gonna ask..." Yozakura meekly responded.
"E-Eventually..." Murakumo quietly stated.
"When? At the wedding?" Shiki snarked. "You know, he's actually really cute. Have you even considered the possibility he even swings your way?" She then teased.
"S-Shut up!" Yozakura and Murakumo exclaimed at the same time.
"I'm teasing you, don't get your panties in a twist." Shiki giggled out, amused that she had the upper hand this time around. "Hehehe...but seriously, this is going to end in heartbreak unless you two actually make an agreement slash find out if he's actually seeing someone already. I've had my fair share of crushes and let me tell you, it is not as fun as you think." She then added in a quick and serious manner.
"Um, Minori's lost here...who are you talking about exactly?" The pigtailed first year soon asked as she tilted her head.
"I think you've met him already when you went to Tokyo." Shiki replied with a smirk.
At that moment, Minori blinked a couple of times as she then came to the realization of who it was. "Wait...E-EEEEEEEH!? YOU MEAN AKIRA-NII?! A-And...YOU TWO LIKE AKIRA-NII!?" She soon exclaimed in amazement. "Is Akira-nii actually gonna become my big brother if he dates one of you!?" She then asked in excitement with the same starry look in her eyes.
"NO!" Yozakura immediately replied with a blush on her face before seeing the disappointed look on the first year's face. "I mean, yes? Ah, I mean-!" She then began stammering out in a panic.
"Maybe?" Shiki teased with a smirk. "But he could already be dating Yumi-chii." She then pointed out.
"T-That's not...I mean, Yumi would never..." Yozakura sputtered out as she began to sniffle and sweat.
"Hold on, ladies, we're shinobi, remember? Civilian affairs are not encouraged and permitted." Murakumo reminded with a hint of sadness in her voice, catching everyone's attention this time. "We might get him killed if he gets involved with shinobi-related affairs, both from Good and Evil factions alike. And Yumi knows that, too." She then added with a serious tone.
"...Dammit." Yozakura quietly cursed, clearly stopping her thoughts about her crush.
"...I mean, Akira-nii's a civilian. And he's not a shinobi like Jii-chan..." Minori sighed out with her head down in slight despair. "It's...not fair..." She then whimpered.
"But so is life." Murakumo added with a shake of her head. "It's the sacrifice we have to make with this life until we retire or die." She then added.
"You two really like like him though, huh?" Shiki soon assumed with a softer smile.
"...Hai..." Yozakura confessed with a nod.
"...Yes..." Murakumo admitted with a nod as well.
"Well, you better protect him when he needs it." Shiki responded. "Even if you can't be together, you can at least make him happy with a safe and content civilian life." She then added.
"O-Of course I would!" Yozakura reassured.
"H-He wouldn't even g-give me a chance anyways..." Murakumo mumbled under her mask.
"Maybe if you took off your mask more." Shiki suggested...before swifty swiping it off the brunette's face.
"NO! AAAHH! Please don't look at my face!" Murakumo screamed in a panic with her high-pitched voice as usual as she panically covered her face with her hands for a moment before summoning her cleaver. "I'll turn your spine into a pretzel, Shiki-san!" She soon declared with her usual intimidating and deep voice this time...before realizing the mask wasn't on her face anymore.
"Aw, who would turn down such a cute little-" Shiki began as she waved the oni mask around, until...
THUD!
"Buttons pushed." Shiki concluded with a sweatdrop as the brunette passed out. "You know, she would've tried to find some other way to hide her face first. I...I think this is an improvement." She then admitted.
"Put it back on before she uses a cereal box or her panties again." Yozakura ordered with a shake of her head.
"Yes ma'am." Shiki responded with a sigh before placing the mask back on brunette's unconscious face.
"When is that ice cream coming?" Minori meanwhile asked.
"In 12 minutes. Have patience." Shiki informed as she turned on the TV. "Still, you and Murakumo-chii should still at least try. Shinobi or not, we deserve to be happy too." She then suggested and explained.
"S-Shiki-san..." Yozakura stammered once more. "I just...it won't be worth it if it gets anyone killed. M-Murakumo-san is right. We can't do such a thing to him." She then added.
Shiki in turn sighed with a pout. "Fine, fine. But at least make sure he isn't some casanova who has a woman sleeping in his bed every night." She replied.
"H-He wouldn't be like that!" Murakumo exclaimed as she woke up instantly from her unconscious state while holding the mask in her hands. "We all met him and we can tell he's not like that at all!" She then reminded as the bluenette nodded in agreement.
"That was fast..." Shiki stated in her head, noticing the quick recovery of the mask-wearing kunoichi. "Hey, Murakumo-chi. You sure about that?" She then asked out aloud this time.
"Yes!" Murakumo passionately responded.
"His eyes and demeanor don't count." Shiki however informed. "Just...go at it slowly and don't get your hopes up. You're letting it cloud your judgment." She then genuinely advised with a smile.
"...Since when are you the voice of reason Shiki?" Yozakura soon asked, not expecting the tech-savvy blonde's current behavior and mannerisms.
"Since you two didn't even ask him if he was dating someone in the first place." Shiki answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "You could call him right now and ask. I could call him right now and ask." She then offered with a cat-like grin.
"..." The two lovestruck girls were soon silent as they quickly got out their phones and began typing. "Error!? Cannot be sent!?" They soon exclaimed in shock and confusion.
"Huh. Odd." Shiki responded with a raised eyebrow before shrugging her shoulders and smirking. "But it looks like you two have to ask him in person. No biggie." She then stated.
That just caused the lovestruck duo to blush even harder than before with their heads steaming even more.
At that moment, something on the TV screen caught the giggling blonde's eyes, causing them to widen as she looked at the screen. "Whoa, what's this?" Shiki got out as she straightened up from her seat, catching everyone's attention.
"Hm?" Murakumo hummed.
"What is it this time, Shiki?" Yozakura soon asked.
"Look at the TV." Shiki responded.
"In other news, the mysterious owners of Bootyland have yet to make a statement on the protests against their adult-themed park." The female news anchor reported before placing a finger on her right ear. "Wait...ah, I have just corrected that it is a...family-orientated theme park? D-Did I hear that right?" She then questioned in disbelief.
"Shiki..." Yozakura growled through gritted teeth, a popped vein visible on her forehead.
"No! Not the news reporter! The news ticker thing on the bottom!" Shiki quickly corrected while pointing at the screen. "It's about a break-in!" She then revealed.
"A what?" Minori got out in confusion.
"A break-in at a major company headquarters in Tokyo." Yozakura whispered with a small frown while reading the ticker. "And this is important because...?" She then decided to ask.
"No one is stupid, brave, or skilled enough to do such a thing." Shiki responded. "Give me a sec, let me search this up on my phone." She then added.
"You think Yumi-chan has anything to do with it?" Minori questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Not every break-in involves Yumi-chii." Shiki pointed out before going for her phone to search the same news online. "And even if it did, why would she? This happened at the Okumura Foods HQ." She then stated.
Murakumo meanwhile stiffened at hearing the name.
"It doesn't seem really important. And besides, Yumi-chii would have reported to us of her plans before she went ahead." Shiki then added.
"The place that runs Big Bang Burger?" Yozakura "Isn't there some rumor that they inject estrogen into their meat?" She then recalled.
"Actually, you're thinking of Wacca's." Shiki responded.
"Is there any more information on what happened at Okumura Foods?" Murakumo questioned.
"Nothing much." The tech-savvy blonde replied. "Just some destroyed property. A few smashed windows and they managed to destroy a statue. Impressive." Shiki listed off in the information mentioned.
"Hold on...let me see the statue." Murakumo got out as she leaned in closer.
"Here." Shiki got out as she showed the online report article about the Okumura Foods HQ break-in incident to her, even scrolling over and expanding the image of the destroyed statue.
The masked girl studied it carefully, her mask doing nothing to obscure even the most minute of detail. "This doesn't look like anything a couple of disgruntled employees would do." Murakumo however stated in a serious tone.
"What do you mean?" Shiki decided to ask.
"I mean, there would at least be signs of something more powerful." The mask-wearing kunoichi explained with a finger in her chin. "That statue is too sturdy to be destroyed like that without something heavier like explosives or a vehicle of some kind. Security would've noticed long before they could even touch it." She then continued.
"You're right..." Yozakura responded with narrowed eyes. "Do you suspect shinobis to be involved with this sabotage?" She soon asked. "I mean if shinobi were involved, simply destroying a statue would most likely be a waste of resources...or a diversion." She then added.
"Or a take on mental warfare." Murakumo concluded.
"So it's either a threat, or they're after something bigger." Shiki assumed. "Curiouser and curiouser..." She soon remarked.
"Okay...and why would that be a major issue for all of us here?" Yozakura questioned.
"I dunno. Maybe...something's stirring up in Tokyo now?" Shiki responded while shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm not sure if I mentioned this already, but I have to remind all of you that Tokyo has been extremely hot since two years ago, and has only gotten hotter since the Phantom Thieves entered the picture." Yozakura "I have to admit, it almost makes me assume that the timing of these events happening around Tokyo are no mere coincidence." She then added.
"Hold on...the Phantom Thieves...do you think that...?" Shiki assumed out loud with a finger under her chin.
"Okay, first of all, does everything have to go back to them?" Murakumo however stated while facing the tech-savvy blonde. "And second, I think that's where you're wrong here, Shiki-san. The Phantom Thieves aren't going to target the CEO. The poll was rigged." She then reminded her companion.
"Sure, but isn't it such a coincidence that this Okumura guy got targeted and now this happens?" Shiki soon asked. "I think the Phantom Thieves are going to change his heart on their terms. A super double-double surprise attack change of heart!" She then declared with a grin.
"..."
"..."
Silence, along with staring looks, filled the Gessen Elites room.
"..."
"...What?" Yozakura asked.
"A super dou-" Shiki began to repeat, however...
"We heard you the first time." Murakumo deadpanned. "And probably not. The Phantom Thieves' vandalism involves them painting places as a calling card." She then reminded.
"I think the bigger question here is why the CEO in the first place." Yozakura spoke up. "I read his book. He's ambitious, and there are rumors of abuse of his employees, but this would only benefit the Phantom Thieves if they change his heart. Something doesn't add up if there is a conspiracy working to frame them." She soon revealed.
"Well, bots are commonplace on the internet, and it's not the first time someone has used a bot to manipulate a poll. Maybe someone really wanted Okumura to have a change of heart." Shiki pointed out.
"I guess." Yozakura responded. "We're still somehow in the dark here in terms of information about these incidents that made Yumi go to Tokyo in the first place." She then deducted.
"...You think Yumi-chan is going to come back to us this year?" Minori asked in a worried tone.
"Don't worry. She will." Yozakura reassured. "Even if she doesn't complete her mission, they'll send someone else to finish the job. Then we'll be one big happy family again!" She then stated.
"Uuuuhhhh..." Minori whimpered as her eyes began to water.
"I-Including Kurokage-sama! He is, after all, in our hearts." Yozakura quickly added in a panic.
"W-Will he?" Minori sniffled out.
"A-As long as we remember him for the rest of our lives, he will never truly die." Shiki stated.
"..."
"You'll see him again. He's...just not here right now." Murakumo added. "Don't be sad, Minori. It's just a part of life." She then added.
"I...I know." Minori got out in an understanding manner as she wiped some tears off with her hand.
"And hey, don't see the funeral as a sad time but as a celebration!" Shiki advised. "Have fun, smile, do what you would do when he's around." She then encouraged.
"...H-Hai." Minori replied with a nod before taking a deep breath. "Erm...what were we talking about again?" She then asked sheepishly.
"The Phantom Thieves." Yozakura answered.
"Oh yeah...Who's gonna be their next target?" Minori soon wondered in an eager manner.
"Probably some other evil bigshot like a well-known criminal or something along those lines..." Shiki replied with a smile while tinkering with her phone once again.
"You mean like someone else on the Phan-Site, Shiki-san?" Yozakura assumed.
"Maybe." Shiki got out with a shrug. "Whoever it is, it's gonna be exciting! Right, Minori-chii?!" She then got out with a fist pump.
"Hai! I hope we all get to meet them!" Minori squealed. "Hopefully get an autograph or something from them!" She then added.
"Oh, you and me both, Minori-chii." Shiki replied with a nod of agreement.
"...Let's hope it stays that way for them." Murakumo however stated. "Anything can happen, after all." She then reminded.
"Awww, don't be like that, Murakumo-chii~" Shiki sang out. "Maybe they'll go after that Goro Akechii guy since he's the real number one on the site." She then guessed.
"Again, probably not." Murakumo responded. "Say what you will about his views, but he's not a bad guy. I doubt he has committed any crimes. At best, they'll make him admit he likes them." She then stated.
"Well, whoever it will be, they're going to paint larger and larger targets on their backs. I just hope innocents don't get caught in the crossfire." Yozakura responded. "Too many have been caught in conflicts with shinobi over our history after all." She then added as a certain boy flashed in her mind.
"Yeah, but who knows? Maybe things won't turn out so bad." The blonde then got a ping on her phone and smiled. "Hey, the ice cream's here." Shiki suddenly spoke up, perking up her fellow first year.
"Yay! Ice cream!" Minori cheered before rushing out the room, leaving a dusty outline behind.
"And that is why I didn't go to the store." Shiki slyly declared with a smirk.
"Shiki-san..." Yozakura sighed out in disapproval.
"Hey, next time, you buy your own ice cream." Shiki responded with a huff. "And stop worrying. You'll get wrinkles and your boobs will sag." She then remarked.
Yozakura sighed once again before she sat down and started watching the TV with Shiki just as Minori arrived with the tubs of ice cream and some spoons.
"...I really hope Akira-kun/nii is alright..." The four soon thought at the same time in concern.
(9/14, After School)
(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy School Gates)
Meanwhile, at Shujin, Asuka and Haru were walking along the hallway towards the school gate. It felt...odd to Haru. Almost alien. When was the last time she had left school using the front gate?
"Moh...looks like it's going to rain soon..." Asuka muttered as she looked up at the growing gray clouds above them. "I hope everyone gets home safe." She then added. "Haru-chan, do you have an umbrella with you?" She soon asked.
In response, the fluffy haired girl shook her head. "No. Didn't have the need to bring one." Haru replied. "I usually get picked up, but I told my bodyguards to allow me to walk home today." She then explained.
"Well, more time for us to talk." Asuka responded.
"Thanks for offering to walk me home by the way, Asu-chan." Haru got out in a grateful manner.
"It's not a problem. It's a great opportunity to get to know each other!" Asuka happily replied with a fist pump. "Actually, I think this is the first time I've seen you leave school." She then recalled.
"Hai..." Haru got out as they walked down the steps of the school together. "About that..." She then began.
"Huh?" Asuka got out in confusion before remembering the fluffy haired girl's...unique experiences. "O-Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry. We should've noticed-" She then began to apologize and explain.
"It's fine." Haru replied in a reassuring manner. "You were most likely busy doing your own things." She then assumed.
"Y-Yeah." Asuka answered without much of a thought before quickly shaking her head. "No, wait, I mean...look, from now on, you are never going to be kidnapped again." She then reassured.
"But what if I want to get kidnapped again?" Haru asked in a whisper.
Asuka immediately paused. "Eh!?" She got out in shock. "W-Why would you say that?" She questioned in disbelief.
"I get to see some friends of mine while they get paid, and um...it's better than just going home and doing my usual routine." Haru explained and confessed. "Plus, it's also great to get some exercise!" She then added rather happily.
"...Getting kidnapped is exercise to you?" Asuka however asked in concern.
"You should try it!" Haru soon suggested in an innocent manner.
"Um...I'm good." Asuka nervously giggled as they continued walking. "Oh, right! Your father wrote a book right?" She then remembered.
"Hm? Would you like a copy?" Haru assumed in a curious manner with a raised eyebrow.
Asuka blinked as she remembered what Inui-sensei had rambled on about earlier in the day. "...Can I get it signed? If it's not too much trouble, that is." She soon asked. She wanted to do something nice for the teachers for once, considering all the trouble the Phantom Thieves put them through.
"I'll...see if that is an option." Haru responded, internally wincing. She almost never asks her father for things, and the few times she did, it was usually rejected due to him being too busy.
"I mean, not right now of course." Asuka soon corrected. "But maybe in the future." She then added.
"After we steal his..." Haru began to quietly add before noticing several students standing in their way. "Eh?" She got out in confusion.
Asuka meanwhile soon noticed the crowd too. "What's with this crowd?" She wondered in a curious manner.
"Oh no, did something happen?" Haru soon assumed in concern.
"Haru-chan. Listen." Asuka whispered as she closed her eyes and tuned into the various conversations around them.
"She's like a peep if she was fleshy and human."
"I need a picture! I need a picture!"
"Hey! Move, ya jerks!"
Asuka let out a breath. It wasn't anything bad, like...
No. She's safe and away from this place entirely. She couldn't dwell on those thoughts.
"Hey, you're blocking the way! Please get moving! This is not part of the school where you can just stand around and talk in! You will be held back if you do not comply!" Keiichiro called out as he ushered the students to clear the street as he then turned to whoever he was speaking to. "My apologies, miss. You may pass through." He then apologized and offered.
"Thank you!" A young voice thanked the committee member from within the crowd as it began to disperse. "Oh, excuse me! Yes, let me through! I need to meet someone!" They then requested.
"Whoever this is must be quite famous..." Haru assumed.
"Or really pretty." Asuka added, her mind going back to the volleyball rally at the start of the year.
At that moment though...
"Hi, Asuka-chan!" A familiar voice called out the the Vice Leader, causing her and the auburn, fluffy haired girl to see a familiar pinkette wearing a sleeveless pink and white shirt with a rabbit head on it, a darker pink skirt, thigh high white socks, white sneakers and had a backpack on her back ran up to them before coming to a stop.
And of course, the other students walking down the stairs and exiting the school had interesting comments about the pinkette's arrival.
"Huh?"
"Whoa, that girl's cute..."
"Uh, is her hair naturally pink?"
"She has the chest, too! Look at her!"
"Is she a friend of Shirokage?"
"Huh? Did you see...her eyes?"
"Cool contacts."
"Are they even allowed in this school?"
"Hm?" Haru got out...only to realize right away who she was the moment she noticed the girl approaching them. "Huh? Bari-chan? Why is she here?" She thought in a curious manner.
"Huh. So this is Shujin Academy." Hibari got out in awe. "It's so...red. Hibari thought it would be plain like most schools she knows of." She then stated, noticing the unique-looking graffiti on the front of the school.
"H-Hibari-chan!?" Asuka however squeaked. "Y-You're here!?" She then asked in a surprised manner.
"Yup!" Hibari replied with a happy nod. "Wow, you look so cute in your uniform!" She then complimented while giving her friend an up-down.
"Um...g-good to see you again, but why are you here?" Asuka stammered out.
"Oh, Hibari is uh...taking a break from work, and I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out today." The pinkette replied and revealed before seeing Haru next to her. "And...oh! You're actually friends with Haru-chan, too?! That's great!" She then stated.
"Oh, uh, hello there, Bari-chan." Haru reassured with a small wave. "It's been...quite a while since our last meeting." She then added.
"It sure has, Haru-chan!" Hibari happily replied with a smile.
"Eh? You two...know each other already?" Asuka asked in a surprised manner, glancing at both girls that were her friends.
"Yep!" Hibari confirmed with a happy nod. "We met during the summer. It was so fun going to the beach together with Yagyū-chan!" She then added.
"R-Really..." Asuka responded. "So...you know everyone?" She then asked.
"Everyone?" Haru innocently repeated.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Hibari suddenly got out as she slapped her forehead. "Um, Haru-chan, your dad told me to tell you that you need to avoid going to the HQ. It's too dangerous to go there unless you're with me!" She soon informed.
"I was already assuming such things." Haru responded with a nod of confirmation. After all, she contributed to that order.
"Hibari-chan?" Asuka meanwhile got out in a curious manner.
"Oh, don't worry about it, Asuka-chan. We're going to see a lot of each other for the next few days so all you need to do is focus on your, um...studies." Hibari soon assured.
"Eh?" Asuka continued to be confused.
"Um...how should I say this..." Hibari muttered with a frown before looking around to see several students around them trying to listen in. "Ah, right, I'm in a special program at Okumura Foods!" She soon informed.
"...Huh!?" The brunette and auburn haired girl got out in a surprised manner.
"Yeah, to look into uh...what was the word...to learn more about the industry and what future prospects I may have after I graduate. It's a very important project." Hibari revealed to the two. "Everyone else is in this program, but only one of us is coming at a time."
"E-Everyone?" Asuka repeated in disbelief.
"Hai!" Hibari happily replied with a bright smile. "We get to hang out with you again! Isn't that great!?" She then exclaimed.
"Uh, y-yeah! It'll be so fun!" Asuka awkwardly responded as she attempted to give her junior a convincing smile.
"So, where are you going now?" Hibari soon asked.
"Erm...to Haru-chan's home." Asuka answered truthfully. "Where is it again?" She soon asked the heiress.
"Don't worry. I know how to get there from here. Follow me!" Hibari informed before happily walking off.
With no choice, the two followed the shinobi. "Why do you look so worried?" Haru whispered to the brunette as the pinkette led them to the train station.
"We have codewords." Asuka answered quietly, hoping the noise around would drown them out. "The project she's working on is a mission. Prospect means protect, and very important project is VIP." She then stated.
"So she's on a mission to protect a VIP." Haru summarized. "...Wait, you don't mean..." She then began.
The brunette in response nodded. "I think Hibari-chan and my friends might be protecting your dad." Asuka whispered back.
"Which means..." Haru began once more.
"My friends from Hanzō Academy might be the greatest threat to the Phantom Thieves right now." Asuka concluded in a worried manner.
"Can't you convince Bari-chan and your friends to back off?" Haru soon asked.
"I can't." Asuka answered in a nervous manner. "If they suspect something is up...that I'm a Phantom Thief at a time like this..." She then added as the image of her friends looming over her, weapons at the ready. "...There would be no mercy for me." She soon whispered.
"Wait, am I gonna be involved with what you are doing now?" Haru then questioned.
"Well, you do have the power to fight in a Palace that time, sooo..." Asuka began before letting out a sigh. "I think there's no doubt about it. You're as much of a target as we are now."
Haru started to have a lot going on with her mind.
(Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc)
Meanwhile, Team Phantom had decided to meet-up at Leblanc as soon as school ended for the day. While they were planning to do it in Akira's room, they were given a boon in the form of Sojiro calling the Leader on his way back home.
Turns out, Sojiro had to close the shop early this afternoon to attend his doctor's appointment, letting Akira and his team have free reign of the place so long as they didn't blow anything up.
"Coffee, soda, coffee, coffee." Akira listed off as he put down each drink before sitting down on his seat at the counter.
"Whew, thanks, man." Ryuji breathed out in relief, hearing soda on the order.
"Alright, boys, let's get this party started!" Futaba cheered. "Go Team...uh...insert name or whatever." She then started before trailing off.
"You can't remember the team name you made up?" The boys mentally deadpanned.
"This party doesn't have any sort of foundation yet." Yusuke pointed out. "We need a starting point before we can do anything." He then stated.
"Yusuke's right. Which I have already taken care of." Ryuji informed as he pulled out his phone. "Spent a bunch of time today looking up bastards. Got a list of them so at least one of them should have a Palace."
"And you did it all during class." Futaba deadpanned.
"You really need other hobbies, Futaba." Akira muttered.
"I don't monitor you guys 24/7. More like...18/6." The hacker insisted. "...Don't tell Big Sis." She then requested.
"I don't think that will help. At all." Ryuji admitted.
"I need a false sense of security from Big Sis's lectures dammit!" Futaba called out before letting out a calming breath. "Now can you please list off all these assholes you found?" She soon asked.
"Okay, okay. Don't rush me." Ryuji got out before checking his list. "Let's see...uh...here we go! There's this guy named Taro Yamada-" He then started.
"Too generic of a name, hard to nail down, probably fake, try again." Futaba interrupted.
"Oh. Um...oh! There's this sleazy reporter named Ichiko Ohya-" Ryuji continued.
"No." Akira instantly shut that down. "Ryuji, you and the others met her before in front of Madarame's old place. She also told us about Kaneshiro" He then reminded.
"Oh." Ryuji got out, remembering the encounter. "...Well, what if she-" He then started.
"No." Akira repeated with a glare, his eyes flashing red.
"Okay, okay. Um...we could try the Prime Minister-" Ryuji soon suggested, obviously just going off the top of his head.
"Already going out the door." Yusuke stated. "Ryuji, have you checked if your targets were recent?" He soon asked.
"Not really, but a couple of months ain't so bad right?" Ryuji responded.
"Ryuji, from your search history, you didn't even check if the articles were from this year." Futaba informed while looking at her own phone. "Or even if these guys were already taken care of." She then added.
"Stop that!" Ryuji called out. "Aw, come on, I know there's someone I have on this thing that can be a target!" He then grumbled as he rapidly scrolled through his phone. "Uh...Murasame Houhou!" He then informed.
"He's clean. He only makes himself look like an idiot." Futaba quickly stated. She should know, she has his purchase history. "Ryuji, as much as it pains me to say this, but I don't think the internet will help here. Or, at least, not without focus." She then added.
"But there's gotta be someone we can target for a change of heart!" Ryuji argued as he put away his phone.
DING DING!
Everyone instantly tense when they heard the bell ring, for a second thinking it was Sojiro coming back from his appointment.
However, it was someone much, much worse.
The real number one on the Phan-Site.
"Akechi." Akira greeted, forcing a genuine smile for him.
"Hello, Kurusu-san." The detective greeted. "What are you and your friends doing this fine afternoon?" Akechi soon asked.
"The usual stuff. Serving coffee, school, homework, you know the rest." Akira casually replied. "Believe me, after school time can be quite tiring, especially when you're still a student." He then added.
"True, I suppose I couldn't deny that particular fact." Akechi said. "I hope you don't mind me intruding here." He then got out in an apologetic tone.
"Yo, didn't ya see the sign?" Ryuji spoke up with a glare. "Place is closed, man, and we're kinda having a thing here." He then informed.
"I promise it's only a short stay. Of course, you can also simply pretend I'm not here if you want." Akechi suggested before looking around. "Hm, where are the rest of your friends?" He soon questioned the group.
"Dunno. Somewhere, doing school stuff, maybe." Ryuji mumbled with a noncommittal shrug.
"Detective, is there something you want?" Yusuke questioned.
"Ah, right. I'd just like a cup before I head back to work. Anything will do." Akechi responded and requested.
Akira let out a sigh as he stood up from his seat. "Alright, but you're paying an extra 10%, considering it's already past opening hours." He then informed.
"Understandable. Although, I would gladly spend extra for this place's coffee." Akechi admitted. "I'm afraid the coffee maker at the precinct doesn't quite satisfy my taste buds." He then lamented.
"Well, I hope the police get a new one." Futaba whispered under her breath.
"You know, if you drink too much coffee, your teeth's gonna get pretty nasty." Ryuji pointed out. "That ain't gonna fly on TV." He soon added.
"I'm aware, but I need the energy. Actually, I haven't been eating all that healthily as of late." Akechi sheepishly admitted. "Late nights at work leave little time to prepare my own meals, and I wasn't much of a cook to begin with. I'm often eating convenience store lunches and Big Bang Burger at my desk, which is a shame. I do not wish to give money to Okumura out of principle." He then added.
"Okumura?" Akira repeated, feigning ignorance about the name while turning on the coffee machine to start brewing.
"Yes, Okumura Foods. Particularly the CEO." Akechi replied with a nod. "That man seems to be able to get out of any real consequences it seems." He then got out with a frown.
"How come?" Akira then asked, taking out a cup and saucer pair from under the counter.
"Well, he has quite a lot of money invested in many powerful people." The detective explained. "Any investigation into his company is shut down before we can do anything. Given all the reports on the abuse of his employees, this is one case I am willing to subvert the law to look into myself." He then added with a frustrated look on his face.
"That's a little hypocritical, don't you think?" Akira remarked, waiting for the brewing process to complete.
"Maybe, but there's a difference between thinking and acting." Akechi admitted. "We all sometimes dream of robbing a bank and making a clean getaway, but reality isn't quite so simple." He then stated.
"You know, bank heists are overrated." Akira got out with a shrug.
"I agree with you on that." Akechi chuckled out. "There are much more lucrative ways of making money these days than robbing a bank, many of them legal just...morally bankrupt." He then revealed.
"Hey, it's why the Phantom Thieves exist." Ryuji stated as he finished his soda. "If the law can't do shit, they're there to make sure someone pays." He then added.
"Even if it involves taking a life?" Akechi countered while hearing the distinct sound of the coffee machine finishing its duty before turning it off and taking the glass pitcher filled with hot, brown coffee.
"They said they didn't do it." Yusuke pointed out.
"And that can only go so far." Akechi countered. "We need to let facts determine the truth of the matter, not just feeling." He then explained.
"Hey, sometimes you just have to trust your gut." Akira suggested.
"Hm." Akechi hummed out with a shrug. "Well, many cases have been solved from mere gut feelings. Humanity's ability to discern that something was wrong is why we have survived for so long." He soon added.
Ryuji burped loudly all of a sudden. "Oooh! That was...quite the kick." He then got out.
"Ryuji Sakamoto, what the heck!? Did you have to take Akira's words literally?" Futaba exclaimed angrily in disgust while waving her hand in front of her face. "Also, aim it at the pretty boy, not me!" She then ordered.
"Sorry. Urp!" Ryuji apologized before covering his mouth. "You got any other cases?" He then pressed.
"Ryuji..." Akira sighed out.
"What's wrong with that?" Ryuji however asked. "Just curious, is all." He then added,
"I'm afraid that is all classified information." Akechi informed the group before pausing to think. "However, there is one case I might be able to divulge." He soon added.
"You're serious?" Ryuji responded in annoyance.
"It's merely a cold case, one long forgotten. Not even I could solve such a thing after so much time." Akechi revealed. "I think it went public a few weeks ago in hopes a citizen could shed light on the case." He then added.
"Pray tell, what is it?" Akira asked with raised eyebrow.
"Excuse me for a moment, let me get my laptop." Akechi simply replied before doing so and booting it up. "Ah, here he is. Shimizu Masahiro, 48 years old. Occupation: Manager of a Big Bang Burger location in Asakusa." He soon read out.
"There's a Big Bang Burger there, too...?" Akira questioned with a raised eyebrow. The place was known for temples and festivals, no way a fast food chain restaurant would survive long there.
"Yes." Akechi responded with a nod. "From what we were able to gather, he's been encouraging his employees to perform illegal acts such as adding hidden charges, and there is a rumor he's been running some sort of scheme out of the restaurant. However, we're not sure what it is as we were never able to get any evidence." He soon revealed while explaining what was occurring.
"And there hasn't been anything done to him?" Akira questioned in a curious manner.
"No. His employees' word is not enough in court." Akechi responded as he shook his head. "He seems like quite the pompous man. He admitted in a recent interview that he sees his place of work as some sort of money train. Such a ridiculous view." He then couldn't help but chuckle.
"Yeah...real damn weird..." Ryuji muttered.
"If I may ask, why are you all interested in such a case like this?" Akechi soon questioned as he narrowed his eyes.
The Thieves almost flinched at the question, but managed to keep their cool. "Uh...well, you know...it just sort of came out." Ryuji replied as he awkwardly faked a cough.
"A little too nosy for your own good, I guess?" Akechi remarked. "You will make a fine detective." He then chuckled out.
"Like Naoto Shirogane?" Futaba suggested, smirking when she noticed the brown haired detective's eye twitch in obvious annoyance.
"She's a fine detective. I'd like to work with her one day. She is, after all, the predecessor of my title. Although, I do not wish to take that from her." Akechi admitted. "But alas, she has commitments outside of Tokyo from what I hear. It'll be quite a while until we have the chance." He then lamented with a sigh.
"It sounds unfortunate." Yusuke got out.
"I agree. We could use her expertise right now more than ever." Akechi replied with a nod.
"Still, a cold case about something so serious...it's a little worrying." Akira muttered. "I hope someone helps out. Seems too big to let lie still." He then stated.
"As do I, but the public can be unreliable at the worst of times." Akechi pointed out before letting out a smirk. "Am I to assume that you'll use the Phantom Thieves' help to handle this case instead." He then questioned.
"Honestly, I'm feeling tempted to do so, but I'm worried it might affect your career as a person connected to the law." Akira answered with a shrug.
Akechi blinked. "Huh. Thank you. That's quite nice to hear, especially after hearing and seeing so many people say otherwise." He then admitted with a kind smile. "And admittingly, the thought of letting them deal with it did cross my mind. However, I will not compromise my position simply for convenience. This needs to be done by the book. Our judge, jury, and executioner are at least different individuals after all." He then confessed.
"We wouldn't need executioners if the book actually worked." Akira muttered under his breath as the detective finished his coffee.
"Well, it's about time I head back to work. Farewell for now." Akechi got out. "Looking forward to our next interaction once again." He then admitted with a smile before placing down some money.
"Sure, see you." Akira replied with a quick two finger salute. "Stay safe." He then added.
Once Akechi left and they waited a couple of moments, the Thieves let out a breath of relief.
"Jeez, that was tense, dude." Ryuji breathed out. "I can barely keep it together." He then admitted.
"Oh, you're not alone there, man." Akira replied with a sigh while he collected the detective's cash. Looks like he paid extra, even more than the 10% increase he made up.
"I know I haven't interacted with him more often, but I can clearly feel the tension he brings from the way he delivers his words." Yusuke responded and confessed.
"Looks composed most of the time while he's here. Maybe too composed." Futaba got out in a suspicious tone. "I don't trust him." She then bluntly stated while narrowing her eyes.
"Don't we all?" Yusuke muttered.
"A cold case, though..." Ryuji got out with a smirk. "That might blindside the Conspiracy." He then remarked.
"Didn't you just hear we don't trust him?" Futaba reminded the dyed blond with an exasperated expression on her face.
"Hey, this case is already public, right? So it wouldn't hurt to look into it." Ryuji pointed out
"But he just told us about it." Futaba countered. "It's going to tip him off if the Phantom Thieves target him." She then added.
"Meh, we could write it off as coincidence." Ryuji wrote off casually. "Come on, we won't have another chance like this. We get another one over the police, and we prove to the public we ain't killers. Plus, that scheme Douche-kechi mentioned has gotta lead to somethin' bigger."
"Hold on, is this even a real case?" Yusuke soon questioned.
"Hmm..." Futaba hummed out before pulling out her phone and searching it up. "Yep. All the info is right here." She then informed with a nod.
"So he's real and close enough for us to check out." Akira muttered with a frown. "I don't like this. It feels too perfect for us." He then admitted.
"But it's not like we have anyone else we could try." Yusuke responded. "Do you think we could just put it off while we take the time to do some more research before we dive head first?" He soon questioned.
"...The last time we didn't take the chance, someone died on our watch." Futaba however reminded. "We can't let that happen again. As much as I hate to...we have to at least follow this lead." She then stated.
"Futaba..." Ryuji muttered.
Akira knew they shouldn't really trust Akechi, he could be Black Mask after all, but it was better than running around town checking random names.
"This is now quite the predicament on our part." Yusuke started with a concerning look. "The only question right now is what we're going to do today. Everyone's been doing their part now." He then reminded.
"Leader, it's your call. We only have until nighttime where everyone in Tokyo's asleep." Futaba stated and reminded as she adjusted her glasses. "Are we gonna do this thing or what?" She then asked with an eager look on her face.
"Dammit, alright. We could at least check if it's a viable target." Akira finally relented. "Let's go get this done before sunset." He then ordered.
"Sweet! That bastard ain't gonna know what hit him!" Ryuji cheered as he and the rest of the team got off their seats and left the cafe.
(Shujin Academy, Classroom Building 1F, Hallway)
Homura stretched her arms out in a relaxed manner as she glanced around to see that everything seemed to be going well. "Yet hidden in the shadows, there will always be some ruffians at work." She thought to herself.
As she walked down the hallways, she soon noticed Naomi coming down from the opposite direction.
"Ah, Shingo-san, good afternoon." Homura soon greeted with a smile.
"And a good afternoon to you, Shinkukage-buchou." Naomi greeted back with a salute.
Homura in turn nodded with a smile. "Everything going well this afternoon?" She soon questioned as the two began to walk together.
"Yes, nothing out of the ordinary. Everything's been going well." Naomi explained as she nodded.
"Good, it seems as though some people are finally using their heads." Homura replied in approval.
"I wouldn't say that. I did manage to stop one student who was very disrespectful towards one of the teachers." Naomi however revealed. "So I had to step in and give him a painful reminder." She then confessed.
Homura however sighed on hearing that. "Jeez, disrespecting the tub of lard that's our principal is one thing, but the other teachers are a whole other story." She got out in disapproval.
"Unfortunately, but we can't do much against him other than what we're doing now." Naomi replied in agreement. "So far, it has worked in our favor but there are still those looming in the shadows." She then added.
"So true." Homura replied with a nod.
"However, as it turns out, the teacher was also to blame for that incident with the student." Naomi then revealed.
"Really now." Homura got out in a curious manner. "Is it a similar situation to Yamauchi?' She then guessed.
"Unfortunately, yes. As it turns out, he was accepting bribes from parents to let their children pass." Naomi soon revealed and explained. "He's kept all the bribes in his desk in the facility room and as you can guess, that tub of lard just looked the other way." She then added
Homura however rolled her eyes to that. "Why am I not surprised? The only good teachers here seem to be a select few...and then there's Ikki-sensei." She then stated and added with a sweatdrop.
"Yes, her. As much as I can appreciate her finally getting the students back into shape, she does seem to be someone who tends to go a little overboard in her methods." Naomi replied in agreement with a sweatdrop as well.
"Better than letting us get fat like the former principal." Homura however pointed out with a smirk.
"I suppose that's true. So I can't really complain." Naomi admitted with a nod. "I might even ask her to give me some private lessons whenever I'm not studying or patrolling." She then added.
"Really? Ikki-sensei did say she was going to bring back every sports club that Kamoshida and Kobayakawa shut down, so she might be busy." Homura asked and was reminded.
"Hmm...I suppose that you're right. She'll probably have too much on her plate with all the sports clubs that were shut down." Naomi responded as she thought about it for a moment. "Maybe asking her would be too much, even for her." She then added
"Yeah." Homura replied. "Not to mention if she's how Sis describes her, then no one would be able to fully handle her." She meanwhile thought to herself as she felt sweat running down her back.
"I see. Well, I suppose I shouldn't trouble her when she already has so much on her hands." Naomi nodded.
"Exactly." Homura replied in agreement. "Though we'll have to see when we get back from Hawaii." She then added.
"Right, I'll make a note of that." Naomi responded with a nod as she took out a notebook and jotted down a time to meet with the gym teacher.
"Right." Homura replied as the two continued walking down the hallways to the other building.
(Practice Building 1F, Hallway)
So far, all the students have been cleaning up their acts since the committee was first started and eventually, after a couple of months, much of the school has changed for the better.
And Homura couldn't feel even prouder as a result. "Hehe, Kobayakawa had nothing on my committee." She thought to herself.
"The students do seem to look pretty happy. More so than before." Naomi admitted. "I can still remember when this was once a hellhole for a lot of them. Not as much as Kamurocho, but still pretty bad." She then confessed.
"Is Kamurocho really as bad as some people say it is?" Homura soon asked. "I mean I only heard about it and all." She then added.
"Oh, it's worse than what most people think." Naomi responded as she nodded. "It's really well known for a lot of crimes and then some. But it's also where the yakuza calls the shots." She then revealed.
"Like Kaneshiro?" Homura guessed.
"Please, he doesn't hold a candle to these guys." Naomi however scoffed. "Sure Kaneshiro was a crime lord, but he was really just a greedy bastard. The yakuza are more than just a crime syndicate, it's the reason why Japan is what it is today. It's more like an organized family who takes their businesses seriously." She then explained.
"Noted." Homura responded as she took in the information.
"Good." Naomi nodded.
However at that moment, the two girls noticed something at the nearby staircase.
"Shingo-san." Homura started in a serious tone.
"You noticed it as well?" Naomi asked as they turned towards the staircase.
Homura simply nodded in response.
As the girls approached the staircase, they could see two silhouettes of students walking up the stairs into the 2nd floor. One of them was carrying a folder in his arms while making sure no one was around.
"So, any idea what they're doing?" Homura questioned in a whisper.
"It looks like they're making sure that no one is around the halls." Naomi answered in a whisper. "One of them is holding a folder in his arms, like he's trying to keep it out of sight." She then added.
"And thus seems sketchy as hell." Homura concluded as they watched the duo going up. "Let's go." She soon ordered.
"Roger." Naomi nodded.
As such, the two girls quietly followed.
(Practice Building 2F, Hallway)
The two students looked around to make sure no one was following them before entering an empty classroom and locking the door behind them. But the girls saw them enter the room and made their way to the locked door.
"Hm, alone together in a locked room, I wonder what they're doing?" Homura sarcastically questioned as she narrowed her eyes.
"Probably discussing the contents of that folder they were holding." Naomi sarcastically answered as she took out a lock pic from her pocket.
"Can you get the door open?" Homura soon questioned in a serious tone.
"Please, this is child's play. I can get it unlocked in no time flat." Naomi smirked as she started picking the lock on the door.
"Good, once you open it, we rush in and incapacitate them." Homura instructed with a nod.
"Roger that." Naomi responded with a nod in response just as she got the door unlocked and slowly opened it.
"Right, on the count of three." Homura ordered as the two prepared themselves. "One..." She began.
Naomi nodded as she readied herself.
"Two..." Homura continued as she slowly opened the door more. "...Three!" She declared as she fully opened the door and the two rushed in.
"What the-!?" The first student in the room got out.
"Drop the folder now!" Naomi shouted as she tackled the second student to the floor.
"SHIT!" The other student got out in a panic.
CRASH!
Naomi then puts him in an armlock to make sure he doesn't try to escape. "Gotcha! Don't think about escaping unless you want to break your arm!" She soon ordered.
"Fuck! It's the committee!" The first student got out as he was held down by the head.
"Remain silent immediately." Homura however demanded in a dead serious tone.
"Oh shit..." Was the last thing the first student got out as the tan skinned girl pinned him to one of the desks.
"Now then, be a good boy and explain what you were doing in here." Homura soon ordered as she got the folder and opened it.
"It wasn't our idea! We were forced into stealing that folder!" The first student cried.
"Dude! Shut up!" The other student got out in a panic.
"And who exactly told you to do so?" Homura then questioned.
"It was his older brother who's a third year! He forced us into stealing the answers for the exams!" The first student revealed. "I didn't want to be any part of it, I was actually studying for it! Honest!" He soon confessed.
"Is that so? Care to explain why you forced him into stealing the answers for the exams?" Naomi questioned as she glared at the other student.
"Confess your sins and receive proper punishment or you'll just make things worse for yourself." Homura meanwhile ordered with authority.
The other student sighed as there was no other way out of this. "My brother...wasn't a really good guy...I was always trying to make him look good so that he wouldn't take his anger out on me...It was mostly just to stroke his ego, but I didn't have much of a choice in the matter..." He then revealed to them.
Homura in turn smiled after hearing that. "See now? That wasn't so difficult." She questioned and stated in a calm tone as everyone else in the room could swear they saw an angelic light radiating off her.
"Beautiful..." Both boys thought to themselves.
"She really is the right person for the job." Naomi meanwhile thought with a smile.
Homura then went and released her captive. "Now then, please return these answers right away." She then requested, motioning her committee member to do the same.
Naomi nodded and released her armlock from the other student.
"Yes, ma'am!" Both boys enthusiastically responded as they nodded.
"Good boys." Homura encouraged as she then gave a playful wink.
BANG! BANG!
That caused metaphorical arrows to be shot into their hearts and smile in a giddy expression as they left to return the folder, feeling really happy to have spoken to a really beautiful girl like the tan skinned girl.
"Sounds like you got some admirers." Naomi teased.
Homura meanwhile tilted her head in response. "You really think so?" She innocently asked, however had a smirk on her face.
Naomi just giggled and smiled at her response. "Still, I'm glad that those two were able to explain the situation to us." She soon admitted.
"Agreed," Homura replied with a nod. "As one of my friends would say, violence isn't always the best way to resolve things." She then quoted as the light gray haired girl came to mind.
"Wise friend, you've got. I might use that advice for myself some time." Naomi nodded back.
"Then again, some force can be needed at times." Homura then admitted. "We should be glad it wasn't needed for this situation." She soon added.
Naomi meanwhile smiled in response to that. "Man your impressive buchou." She praised.
"Why thank you." Homura replied as the two left the room and closed the door.
"So what are we going to do with his brother who forced them into this situation?" Naomi soon asked as she then gained a serious expression. "He forced those two boys into stealing a folder full of answers for the exams. That can't go unpunished." She then added.
"We'll report him to a teacher for proper punishment." Homura answered. "...Though we did forget to ask for his name." She then pointed out in realization.
"Oh right, we did." Naomi facepalmed "So much for that. He's probably going to get off scot-free for this." She then deducted.
"Yup..." Homura awkwardly got out as she sighed. "Guess I still have a bit to learn about being the head of the committee." She then added.
"Hey, don't feel down. Not everyone can become a leader right then and there." Naomi reassured. "It's all about trial and error, you have to make mistakes so that you can learn from them. It's something my late grandmother taught my dad before he joined the military." She then explained.
To that, Homura smiled as she looked at her committee member. "You're right Shingo-san, it just means I must learn from my mistakes." She replied.
"Exactly. And no matter what happens, just know that we're here to pick you up when you're down." Naomi responded in an encouraging manner. "I'm sure that you'll be a great leader once you've become more experienced." She then declared as she pats her back.
Homura in turn nodded in response as she felt her bond with her committee member improving more.
RANK UP! Hierophant Rank 2!
Strike First: Decreases the chance of an Ambush.
"So with that done, what are we going to do now?" Naomi then asked her as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Continue our patrol before heading out for the day, Shingo-san." Homura replied.
"Roger that, Shinki- Homura." Naomi saluted as she then corrected.
"Then let us be off, Naomi." Homura replied with a thumbs up.
"Right." Naomi returned the gesture as they continued with their patrol.
The duo soon continued to walk the halls as they did their duties before heading out for the day.
(Asakusa, Big Bang Burger)
Meanwhile, in Asakusa, Akira and his team arrived at the Big Bang Burger where their current target was working.
"This looks like the place." Ryuji muttered with a frown as he and his on-the-spot Phantom Thief companions stood in front of a Big Bang Burger, probably in the middle of Japan.
"Gee, you don't say. Because there are dozens ofBig Bang Burgers in Asakusa." Futaba deadpanned while holding a laptop on her hands.
"Aw, don't go all sarcastic on me." Ryuji grumbled. "Now come on, Leader. Let's do this shit." He then added, patting the Leader's shoulder.
"We should be careful of what we're about to approach here." Yusuke warned. "Who knows what it's going to be once we enter the Metaverse." He then continued.
"Hey, we've beaten four Palaces already, what's another one like this to us?" Ryuji bragged.
"Remind yourself that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer, Skull." Futaba sighed out. "Let's not die today, okay? I still have my ongoing research about this Yuuki Rito person." She then advised and mumbled on that last statement.
"Huh?" The dyed blonde got out as he didn't clearly hear their hacker's final statement.
"Nothing. Like I said, let's not die today." The orangette immediately got out and added.
"We won't." The Leader declared as he pulled out his phone and activated the Meta-Nav. "Shimizu Masahiro. Big Bang Burger. Money train." Akira got out.
[Candidate found. All three conditions have been met. Beginning navigation...]The Meta-Nav announcer stated.
"Here we go..." Akira stated as the world around them shifted in discoloration.
(Masahiro's Money Train of Deceit)
Soon enough, the Thieves had their Metaverse outfits on as the world around them changed into a parody of reality.
"And here we are." Joker got out as he, along with Skull, Oracle, and Fox, stood on what seemed to be a train station of some sort, but with shiny gold platings as decorations. In fact, everything is shiny with no place to be left untouched.
"Ugh, this shining almost blinded my eyes for a moment." Fox complained to himself.
"According to my calculations here, this is the Palace." Oracle informed as she put away her laptop and pulled out her phone. "The Money Train of Deceit, it says." She then read.
"Huh? But this is just a train station." Skull got out with a frown. "His Palace is supposed to be a money train. So where's the..." He then continued before trailing off.
"TRAIN!" Fox shouted out as he noticed something fast approaching the rails in the train station they were on right now.
"Hit the deck!" Oracle added as she dived onto the ground and covered her head.
"WHOA!" Skull exclaimed as the Leader tackled him down.
ZOOOOOOM!
A large shiny train ran through the tracks in front of them like it was in a hurry.
"What the shit!?" Oracle swore. "Was that a bullet train!?" She then exclaimed as she got up from the ground.
"This is a complete and total difference from our actual bullet trains in the real world." Fox stated out of nowhere as he got up as well along with Joker and Skull.
"Jeez! This train tryna kill us or somethin'?!" Skull exclaimed.
"Uh, guys, I think this train is not stopping for us passengers here." Oracle guessed, noticing the train's continuous . "And I think I'm seeing the end of the train!" She then yelled, noticing said end of the train.
"Which means we have to get onto it before it leaves the station!" Joker yelled as he gritted his teeth and shot out his grappling hook, latching onto the last carriage of the train by sheer chance. "GRAB ON!" He called out as his grappling hook began to lose slack.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Skull got out in a panic before hugging Joker tightly.
"Hold on tight, Skull!" Fox advised loudly. "We're gonna fall from the sheer pit of darkness if we let go of Joker!" He then warned with the same tone.
"Not helping, Fox!" Skull yelled out.
Oracle instantly summoned Necronomicon and was lifted into her by the tentacles. "I'll navigate from the outside! GO GO GO!" She shouted out as Fox and Skull grabbed onto the Leader before they were whisked away.
"HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" Skull screamed as he held on for dear life.
This was going to be a long afternoon for the group.
(Okumura Residence)
"Oh wow, Haru-chan..." Asuka breathed out at the sight of her friend's home.
From the front, it was quite regal, as expected from a family of a rich and powerful company: it was a two-story home with a simple beige-colored roof along with arch-shaped windows on its wall in front. It also had a balcony on the second floor in front with some kind of small house with glass walls on it. The entrance door had some small steps in front of it, and the grass and greenery of her friend's home's front yard was trimmed to perfection, like their gardener knew what he was doing. But then again, Haru was also a gardener, which meant she probably helped, too. There was also a driveway on the side, with a black limousine parked on said driveway.
"It's...grand." Asuka commented, gazing at her friend's residence.
"That's what everyone says when they come here." Haru responded with a small smile. "Although, only two or three people have actually visited outside of my immediate family..." She then mumbled under her breath.
"Well, make that number three or four!" Asuka responded with a smile. "Now, let's go in." She then suggested.
"Of course." Haru replied almost immediately with a nod before the two of them continued.
The Okumura residence's front doors opened up, entering Haru and her friend, Asuka inside the former's humble abode.
"Um...I'm home, Father!..." Haru hesitantly called out.
The moment the two of them entered the room, Haru immediately noticed someone standing in their living room wearing a formal black suit and slacks with dark brown shoes with his back facing her.
Though the two of them could tell...he was both frustrated and furious.
"What do you mean the shareholders are calling for an emergency meeting!? That is an absolute waste of time!" Kunikazu responded over the phone. "Tell them that it is all under control, and that there is nothing to worry about. I will deal with them at a later date." He then ordered.
"Father..." Haru stated in her thoughts, looking at her sole family member in a slight state of pity.
"I can't believe this is still happening...Grrrgh!" Kunikazu grumbled and gritted his teeth in anger. "If I find out that-" He then continued rambling on before...
"Good evening, Father." Haru interrupted.
Biting back a curse, Kunikazu excused himself before hanging up his phone. "Ah. Haru. You're home."
"Yes, Father." Haru responded with a bow.
Okumura soon spotted the brunette with her, who was turning away at his gaze. "And who is this with you?" He soon questioned.
"Oh, um, Father, this is my friend from school." Haru quietly introduced as Asuka stepped forward. "We decided to go for a group study, if you really don't mind about it, Father." She then added.
Kunikazu couldn't help but take a good look over his daughter's supposed friend from school. "Hmm...your name?" He soon questioned
"A-Asuka, Okumura-san." The Vice Leader politely answered as she bowed respectfully. "Asuka Shirokage."
"Hmm..." Haru's father narrowed his eyes as he studied the girl. "Yes, I've heard of you." He soon muttered.
"Eh?" Asuka gasped.
"Excuse me?" Haru got out in confusion.
"Yes, your grandfather and sensei speak highly of you." Kunikazu informed. "But he did not mention that you know my daughter...or that you attend the same school." He then remarked.
Asuka didn't even know Hanzo had talked to the man either. "We, uh...I transferred over at the start of the year, and we just met a few days ago." Asuka nervously informed. "Erm, Haru-chan is really nice. A-And so is this place. You have a very good interior decorator." She then added and complimented.
"...Thank you." Kunikazu responded with a nod before turning to his daughter. "Haru, did I not say that you needed to call me before you bring guests?"
"I uh...um..." Haru stammered out.
"...Well, this is the first time you've actually brought someone here, but please inform me before you do so." Her father soon sighed out. "We don't want any...undesirables coming here." He then added.
"Y-Yes, Father." Haru politely responded with a nod.
"Now do what you have to do for your studies." Kunikazu soon ordered. "Just try not to interrupt me while I deal with business-related issues in the meantime." He then advised.
"Yes, Father." Haru replied again in the same tone.
"And please, do not abuse our hospitality." Kunikazu soon warned his daughter's friend.
"Yes, sir. Thank you for allowing me into your home." Asuka responded with another bow.
"Let's go to my room Asu-chan." Haru soon suggested before proceeding ahead, gesturing to the brunette to follow her.
Asuka nodded as she followed the heiress, frowning at the interaction she had with her father. "She barely even said more than two words..." She thought as they retreated to the bedroom.
When Haru opened the door to her room, Asuka immediately noticed how the fluffy-haired girl's room looked: it was neat and clean like any other rich girl's room, minus the classiness and sense of boastfulness. The walls were colored plain pale blue with the balcony ahead of them. A large white bed was placed to the side in between two white dressers. There was also a small table and chair set with a tea set on it beside the bed in front of the balcony. On the right side of her room wall was her study desk, along with a wooden cabinet filled with ceramic plates near the right corner of the room.
It was everything she imagined. Prim and proper, and the feeling that she was already dirtying it with her thigh-high socks.
"Feel free to take a seat, Asu-chan." Haru offered, gesturing towards the table and chair set. "Make yourself comfortable." She then added.
"Thank you." Asuka responded with a bow as she sat down on the bed instead. "Wh-Whoa, your mattress is really soft and squishy."
"Father bought it for my comfort." Haru explained with a nod. "He picked the best for me. The ones with the highest quality" She then added.
"Huh, at least you're not like some spoiled people who get what they want all because they're rich." Asuka stated.
"Oh no, I would never stoop myself down that low." The fluffy-haired heiress stated with a shake of her head. "If I were, I wouldn't have some genuine friends like you, Asuka-chan. And Mona-chan as well...despite being a cat and all, but I think you know what I mean." She then added.
"Sure thing, Haru-chan." The brunette replied with a smile. "Glad to be your friend." She then added with the same expression.
"I apologize for how my father was," Haru began as she sat down on her bed, both hands held on top of her lap. "He has just been stressed with everything that has been happening." She then explained with a mellow look on her face.
"And seeing that his name was hacked into being number one didn't help either." Asuka added. "And the break-in. And-" She then began to list off, looking more and more guilty.
"I get the picture, Asu-chan." Haru interrupted as she met the brunette's apologetic gaze. "Well, I did get involved in your attempted break-in back then, which was...somehow ironic, if you ask me, but still it's not something you should concern over anymore, Asu-chan." She then assured.
"Well, I still am." Asuka sighed out. "And I made your father in a pretty bad mood, so..." She then mumbled before trailing off.
"I'm sure Father will buy another statue someday, but I think...right now, he's...well..." Haru assured before trailing off herself, instantly sounding alarm bells in Asuka's head.
"Haru-chan..." Asuka interrupted as she narrowed her eyes. "Is he hurting you?" She then asked in a serious tone.
That immediately perked the fluffy-haired heiress up in slight shock. "W-What!? No, no, no. Father would never do that to me." Haru insisted. "Physically at least." She mentally added before shaking her head.
"I see. Sorry for assuming, Haru-chan." Asuka got out and apologized before bowing her head down in apology.
"It's alright." Haru replied. "You're just worried about me, that's all. And I can understand that. I assume the Phantom Thieves have dealt with such a thing in the past." She then assumed.
"You'd be surprised, or well horrified, how often abuse comes up on the Phan-site." Asuka mumbled out.
"That's...unfortunate, but rest assured that my father has not laid a hand on me in my entire life." Haru assured the Good Shinobi, shaking a little.
"Haru-chan, are you cold?" Asuka asked.
Haru coughed a little into her fist. "O-Oh, um. Yes. It seems the air conditioner is running quite high." She soon got out.
"There's an air conditioner in here?" Asuka gasped as she looked around. "I can't even hear it! That's so cool! Wish we had that in our apartment. "
The heiress giggled. "I'm going to change my attire, if you don't mind, Asu-chan." Haru stated as she stood up from the bed before approaching her chest of drawers.
"Oh yeah, sure thing, Haru-chan." Asuka responded as she patiently waited for the heiress to change into her casual clothes.
Haru began stripping off her cardigan and skirt, letting out a breath as she went as if she was slowly lifting a weight off her shoulders. Soon enough, she was down to her underwear, as her true form began to show.
"Wait...h-huh?" Asuka stammered as she noticed the heiress's figure in her bra and panties, recognizing the type of bra it was. "Her...chest..." She weakly got out in disbelief.
Haru glanced at her friend for a moment before noticing the look on the brunette's face. "Hm? Is there something wrong, Asu-chan?" She innocently asked in a curious manner.
"Um..." Asuka responded as she continued to stare.
This confused the fluffy haired girl before she looked down. "Oh, it must be because of my compression bra, isn't it?" Haru assumed, blushing a little. "I know it looks uncomfortable, but two-thirds of my outfits wouldn't fit, so I have to get a decent amount of custom-made compression bras. Besides, I have an image to uphold as an heiress and they're supposed to be...petite." She then confessed and explained.
"So...you're even bigger?" Asuka couldn't help but question.
"You...could say that. Hiding my big chest from anyone." Haru responded, the blush still gracing her face. "I mean, having the male students at school stare at my chest would make me feel a bit...uncomfortable." She then admitted and pointed out.
"Then, how big is your chest actually?" Asuka soon asked.
"...99...H-cup." Haru mumbled out her answer.
The Vice Leader's eyes immediately widened in disbelief. "S-Seriously?" Asuka sputtered out. She was almost the size of Daidōji-senpai! "Um, I know it's rude and dirty of me to ask, but...can you take off your bra?" She suddenly requested.
"W-What?" Haru yelped a bit, covering her chest in instinct.
"Ah! Sorry, it's just sort of...I'm just a little curious, is all and um..." Asuka tried to explain herself before groaning and covering her face. Oh no, she was turning into Katsu-nee...
"Mmm...I mean, we're both girls and...we're the only ones here, so..." Haru murmured before lightly slapping her cheeks.
"It's alright if you don't want to, Haru-chan..." Asuka reassured.
"You're my friend, Asu-chan. And from what I hear, skinship is the ultimate sign of trust sooo..." Haru soon declared in a determined manner before trailing off...and reaching behind her back.
Asuka decided to turn away for a moment. "Just tell me if you're done, okay?" She soon requested.
Haru decided to not respond, carefully unzipping her compression bra in front and releasing the confines on her actual large chest. "Phew, that's a relief." She breathed out in relief.
BOING!
Asuka soon heard her friend take in a breath of relief.
"Whew, that was tight..." Haru quietly confessed before placing the bra on the short table. "T-There...you can look now, Asu-chan." She then got out before covering her chest.
Asuka hesitated for a moment before slowly turning around, facing the heiress while her eyes were still closed. After mentally counting to three, she then opened her eyes slowly and noticed the sight. The fluffy-haired girl actually had a large chest like the brunette, the former's hands covering the parts where her nipples were supposed to be with a slightly nervous and blushing look on her face. "...You're not kidding..." The brunette breathed out in awe.
"Um...can I put on some clothes now, Asu-chan?" Haru meekly and awkwardly requested, covering her large breasts with one arm while her free hand went inside her wardrobe and took out a pale violet lace bra .
That immediately snapped the Vice Leader out of her trance as she then nodded. "Y-Yeah. Sure." Asuka replied.
"Thank you." Haru responded in relief as she went and got a loose white top on after getting said bra on, showing the fluffy-haired heiress her true appearance with the large breasts out of confinement from her compression bra.
"Haru-chan, while wearing that kind of bra, does it hurt?" Asuka questioned. "I mean, it really pressed your actual boobs entirely like it's being flattened. I imagine it's gonna be too painful for you." She then assumed.
Haru shook her head. "No, not at all, actually. All my pairs are custom-made to be as comfortable as possible for me." She responded as she took out a pair of shorts before putting them on. "Also gives out some sort of...illusion of having normal-looking sized breasts from others, which is very convenient." She then explained further.
"Well...at least it is a bra and not bandages like Homu-neechan used to wear." Asuka soon admitted.
"I tried it once or twice. It wasn't very practical." Haru replied.
"I know. They don't support you as well as a bra." Asuka got out.
"Quite, and it doesn't stop all the bleeding." Haru added with a sigh.
"...The what?" Asuka got out, her thought processes stopping for a second.
"Yes, it didn't perform as well as I thought when I almost lost my arm a few months ago. I at least lost a pint. Oh well, it was uncomfortable anyways. At least the hospital's have state-of-the-art medical equipment and highly-skilled doctors and surgeons, which Father insisted to have for my well-being." Haru then added, sighing wistfully as if it was a fond memory. "...Now are you going to show yours?" She soon asked.
It actually took a few seconds for her brain to catch up to the conversation after hearing Haru talk so casually about such a horrible injury. "E-EH!?" Asuka got out. "M-My arm!?" She then assumed.
"No, silly. Your breasts." Haru corrected, causing Asuka to blush a hot red. "It's the ultimate sign of trust, remember. If I show mine, you must show yours as well." She then clarified.
"W-Where did you even get this from!?" The Vice Leader sputtered out.
"Katsu-chan." Haru answered. Asuka instantly groaned. "She said it's the best and most efficient way to get to know girls." She then explained.
"...Mohhhh...I can't believe Katsu-nee taught her those things." Asuka mentally whined. "Haru-chan, you have been mis-" She tried to say, however...
"Hm?" The heiress got out with raised eyebrows.
"..." Asuka stared into the fluffy haired girl's innocent, almost-naïvely trusting eyes...and broke not even two seconds in. "O-Okay, okay...I'll do it. Trust, right?" She groaned out.
"Y-Yes. Like Katsu-chan said." Haru responded with a nod.
Asuka cursed her senpai inwardly before taking off her scarf and then her Shujin shirt. "Um, do you mind never mentioning this to anyone. Ever?" She then requested while neatly folding her shirt and scarf on the small table.
"What happens in this room right now stays in this room, Asu-chan." Haru assured. "In other words, our secret is safe with me. Also, you have some really cute underwear!" She then reassured followed by the compliment.
"Th-Thank you, Haru-chan." Asuka reluctantly responded before her hands were slowly reaching towards her back. "Um..." She then started before turning around with her back facing the heiress.
Haru couldn't help but blush a bit, glancing at the brunette's semi-nude figure and bra on the upper part of her body. "Wow...even though we're girls, it still makes me feel...mesmerized from seeing a girl's body." She couldn't help but think.
Asuka unclipped her bra and slowly removed it, revealing her back only in the heiress's eyes, before putting it on the bed as well and covering her nipples with her hands. After a short moment, she then turned around for Haru to see.
"Umm...ta-da...?" Asuka nervously got out.
"Huh, they really are big like mine..." Haru remarked...before suddenly approaching the brunette slowly.
"Uhhhhhh...Haru? W-Why are you. ;. .?" Asuka only got out before trailing off in confusion.
And then, without thinking, the fluffy-haired heiress poked at them.
"A-Ahn!" The brunette moaned all of a sudden before covering her breasts even tighter. "H-Haru-chan!?" She then called out in surprise.
"Oh, sorry! I don't know what came over me. They looked...squishy." Haru confessed with a small blush.
"I-It's fine." Asuka got out in an assuring manner. "I'm actually used to it." She then weakly added.
"Okay, you can now put your clothes back on." Haru soon got out.
"Thank you." Asuka replied before picking up her bra.
"Wasn't that wonderful, Asu-chan?" Haru breathed out.
"It was...an experience." Asuka awkwardly chuckled out.
"A wonderful experience." Haru added with a pleasant smile. "I would've continued further by having a feel of them with my hands, but I don't want to freak you out entirely, so I held back." She then continued with a surprisingly mature tone.
The Vice Leader blushed even more. "So...weird of me to ask, but...does your father know about it? Your...growth spurt?" Asuka tried to ask. Curse her curiosity sometimes.
"He does." Haru casually replied with a nod. "Why do you think I wear a compression bra in the first place? It's my father's suggestion, actually." She then revealed.
"I...see. I'm surprised he got used to it." Asuka got out, slightly puzzled by the revealed information. "Even supported your...chest predicament." She then added.
"Father knows a lot of women with such sizes." Haru admitted. "Considering he attended a lot of formal events where a lot of women were present, at this point, he doesn't even notice them most of the time. I mean, Father's always focused on nothing but business and the company's survival."
"So seduction won't work on him..." Asuka whispered.
She hoped Yumi's group wouldn't go that route. But then again, they weren't that desperate...yet.
"Um, it's a little weird to talk about breasts right now, especially when it involves your father." Asuka then realized with an awkward giggle.
"It's fine, Asu-chan." Haru breathed out. "I admit, it's quite relieving to talk casually like friends. Relaxing, even." She then admitted.
"Being an heiress must be really tough, then." Asuka remarked, giving the girl a sympathetic look. "I can't imagine myself running such a large company." She soon admitted.
"...To be frank, neither do I." Haru confessed.
"I mean, you're still a student, Haru-senpai." Asuka pointed out. "You're still not qualified to run a business yet." She then added.
"But I'm graduating this year and..." Haru replied before stopping herself before she gave away too much. " ...I'm going to have to grow up very soon. Eventually I'll take over the company and be the next CEO at some point." She then added.
"Hey, that's years away." Asuka got out in a comforting tone. "Enjoy the present, you're still free to do whatever you want, right?" She then encouraged.
"F-Free." Haru repeated, her voice cracking a little. "Y-Yes, you're right Asu-chan. I think...I think I needed that." She then got out with a rapid nod.
"You're welcome, Haru-chan." Asuka responded with a grin. "And don't worry, I'll make sure you'll enjoy every single moment from now on. It's a promise!" She then declared.
"I...I am flattered. Thank you." Haru responded as she smiled at her friend...before thinking of something else in particular. "I can't talk to her about him right now...why does Father insist on going so for me?" She then thought in her head, trying to keep the same expression.
An advantage of being an heiress and knowing shinobi: knowing how to keep up a fake smile even when her world was falling apart by the day.
"You know Haru-chan, you remind me of Ikaruga-chan. It's no wonder you're childhood friends." Asuka admitted with a pleasant smile. "How did you even meet in the first place?"
"When you're the heiress to a company worth trillions upon trillions, you get kidnapped and almost killed enough times to get to know certain people in certain places." Haru admitted, sounding like it was an everyday thing for her. "Also her brother rants about her a lot whenever there's a meeting between our companies. He's...not exactly subtle in a lot of respects." She then added with an awkward giggle.
"R-Really..." Asuka got out in a tone of disbelief. "I-I had no idea that Okumura Foods had contact with shinobi for so long." She then admitted. "Same with the thought that you've been kidnapped before Haru-chan." She soon added.
"Well, it does throw off my kidnappers about how casual I am during the ten seconds before they're neutralized or taken down." Haru then revealed. Besides, it was either that or have a breakdown she may never recover from, and that first option was way more fun.
"R-Really." Asuka replied, surprised to hearing that. "You...actually kind of worry me, Haru-chan." She awkwardly confessed.
"That's what my therapist says all the time." Haru happily revealed with a smile on her face.
"...Something tells me she's someone to watch out for." The brunette thought to herself with a sweatdrop as she stared at the auburn-haired girl in slight surprise.
"Is something the matter, Asu-chan?" Haru innocently asked with a slight tilt of her head.
"N-Nothing, nothing." Asuka responded while waving it off. "Just...I feel as though things are going to be interesting with you around. It's nice having a friend who's friends with my friends from Hanzō Academy. What a small world." She soon confessed with a smile.
"Hai, life is rarely ever boring because of it. Although, it can be quite difficult sometimes to not say that my friends are shinobi." Haru replied and confessed with a smile of her own.
"True, especially when keeping it from the public is a treacherous duty to perform every single day." Asuka admitted in agreement. "Still, since you know Ikaruga-chan, you must have some good stories about her right?" She then assumed.
"Hmm, from what I remember about her...I think she's more of a perfectionist in some way, and is fond of discipline." Haru recalled. "And her mannerisms are somehow similar to mine as well." She then added
"Hehe, sounds like Ikaruga-chan alright." Asuka giggled out.
"And I also noticed that she has exceptional table manners while we were eating at a dinner table at my father's inauguration party." Haru soon revealed. "In fact, I think she even brought food on her own: hornet larvae boiled in soy sauce. Said it is her favorite." The auburn haired girl then added to the reveal.
"Uh...what?" Asuka stammered out with a double take.
"The first time I heard about it from her, I was a bit disgusted." Haru admitted. "But she said it was her father's favorite and that it is a local delicacy. She encouraged me to try it as well, but I politely declined. I don't think my palette is refined enough to appreciate such a delicacy." She then confessed.
"Yeah. It sounds...exotic." Asuka responded before coughing/gagging from the mental image of such a dish.
"Are you okay!?" Haru exclaimed in worry.
"No! I'm fine!" Asuka quickly assured before covering her mouth to cough some more. "K-Keep going." She then urged.
The heiress blinked before deciding to let it go for now. "Nevertheless, she was a great friend to be with." Haru concluded in a pleasant tone. "I just wish we could meet under normal circumstances nowadays. Now it's only on missions." She then lamented.
"Don't worry, once everything has settled down, we all have to hang out together!" Asuka promised.
"I...I appreciate the offer, Asu-chan. I hope we do someday." Haru responded with an appreciative smile.
Asuka smiled before checking the time. "I better get home and start on dinner. I'm feeling like soba noodles tonight." She informed as she stood up. "And you better get a ton of sleep too, Haru-chan. We have to wake up bright and early for what we're planning." She then suggested.
"Hai. I will try." Haru responded with a nod. "It was nice to have you over. I hope we can have such a meeting like this again."
"We will. And I'll bring the others too." Asuka assured. "You're not alone, Haru-chan. Remember that." She then reminded the heiress.
"I know." Haru replied in a grateful tone. "You better get going now." She then got out.
"Right. See you tomorrow!" Asuka happily responded as she left the room.
"Yes...I will see you." Haru responded as she waved the shinobi a goodbye...right before letting out a sad sigh as soon as she left. "Asu-chan, I hope you forgive me..." She whispered as she placed a hand over her beating chest.
After all, it was the first time she ever had to lie to a friend.
(9/14, Evening)
(Hebijo Academy, Elites Room)
Meanwhile, at Hebijo, things were quiet.
Which was strange considering that it was usually never this quiet, outside of sleeping.
No one was actually doing anything, other than glaring at the girl in the center of the room, Imu, who was covered in various types of bandages and casts to keep her broken body together in the wheelchair she was sitting in.
This didn't really annoy her; the average shinobi would've broken every bone in their body at least once. No, she was mostly annoyed by the fact that her new glasses wouldn't come in until a couple of weeks later, her nose was itchy, and that these idiots wouldn't stop looking at her.
"Will all of you quit glaring at me like that?" Imu groaned out, trying not to move her body too much.
"After that test, not likely." Hikage responded in a dead serious tone. "Did you seriously let yourself almost be killed just so you could show Murasaki that she still isn't strong enough even after everything?" She then questioned with narrowed eyes.
"She isn't." Imu responded as she narrowed her eyes.
However this caused the Crimson Squad members and even Ryōbi to narrow their eyes.
"Seriously? After that shitshow where you were almost killed, she's still not strong to you?" Ryōbi remarked. "The fuck is wrong with you? Did you get brain damage from that fight?" She then questioned and guessed.
"The fact that I was almost killed is proof." Imu answered. "What makes you think it won't happen to you?" She then questioned.
"That's because you pushed her!" Yomi and Ryōbi exclaimed at the same time.
"Like an enemy would later down the line." Imu countered in a serious tone. "It happened before, it happened now, and it will happen in the future if you keep this up."
"It won't, because Murasaki will never use the Root again." Hikage declared.
"You can't just turn it off!" Imu declared in anger. "You're actually making it worse!" She then stated.
"And you nearly broke her." Yomi however accused in disgust.
"She was broken by you guys." Imu, on the other hand, responded.
"We broke her? Are you serious!?" Mirai countered in anger.
"We helped her as a person." Hikage corrected while Poochie growled at the sandy blonde.
"You would've let her win back there and let her die later down the line." Imu accused.
"That's just ridiculous." Yomi soon scoffed as she rolled her eyes.
"Am I?" Imu countered as she narrowed her eyes. Suddenly, the others went a little quiet, even though they continued glaring. "There will be a day where the Root will be necessary to use, but you refuse to accept it as anything other than trouble. It'll hurt you more than the enemy." She soon explained in a no nonsense tone.
"Your broken and battered body in the full body cast and wheelchair says otherwise." Hikage however reminded.
"I'll be fine with time." Imu waved off before her eye twitched. "Now, would you please stop standing around me like a dog in a cage! I still have stuff I need to do." She then added and declared.
"Like?" Hikage began, expecting an answer.
"Trying to think and find other ways to help my sister in her predicament right now." The glasses-wearing blonde replied.
"From the looks of it, you're not actually helping her at all."
"What I want to do with my sister is none of your business, you snake." Imu countered. "And neither do all of you here in front of me." She harshly added.
"It is our business now." Yomi however stated. "She's a Hebijo student like all of us and you know that, right? All of us should be helping her in any way we can." She then added.
"Do I have to get you a hearing aid, Yomi?" Imu questioned with narrowed eyes. "You heard me. And "
Mirai soon looked around as she noticed something. "Hold on...where's Little Miss Masochist?" She then asked out of nowhere
"Did Ryōna leave already?" Hikage soon asked the brunette.
"Yup, headed out right after that shitshow." Ryōbi casually replied before giving a sigh of relief. "Finally, I don't get to deal with her bullshit for a week! Thank you, O Mighty Kami of Butts!" She then declared to the skies above in relief.
"Eh?" Yomi got out.
"Did I ask you to listen, bean fucker?" Ryōbi growled with a hand on her hip.
"Something tells me things won't get any calmer around here..." Mirai groaned as she rubbed her forehead.
"Or in Tokyo for our friends." Hikage added.
The Crimson Squad girls meanwhile made the mental note to warn Akira and Haruka about this.
"So where is she?" Imu soon asked.
"Furiously training again in her room." Hikage answered. "She really didn't want to use it and she's forcing herself now." She then stated as she narrowed her eyes.
"It's only going to make it worse." Imu however warned in a serious manner.
"You don't get to talk right now after what you did." Yomi however growled as she narrowed her eyes.
"And you don't know Murasaki like I do." Imu countered.
"After what just happened, I'm not so sure." The greenette admitted as the other Crimson Squad girls nodded in agreement.
"For the love of- It's one thing to treat it as a curse, it's another to reject it entirely! Don't you know what it even is!?" Imu responded in frustration.
"It's a curse that ruined her life. Enough said." Hikage simplified.
"If it was a curse, our family would've gotten rid of it years ago." Imu responded. "Something is only evil if you make it like that. And did you forget that we're Evil Shinobis? You five are sounding more like Good Shinobis to me." She then reminded and accused.
The five in mention however narrowed their eyes. "Even Evil has standards." Yomi darkly declared.
"And sometimes Good ignores theirs." Imu countered. "Whatever is convenient to their situation, like what you're acting like right now. Even if you disagree with everything I've said, you know there's a kernel of truth in there." She soon accused.
"You're delusional from all your injuries." Hikage accused.
"And you're lying to yourself to be on the moral high ground." Imu stated. "I'm leaving." She soon concluded.
"We're not done here!" Yomi responded in anger.
"No. We are. It's over." Imu declared with a glare. "...Ryōbi, take me to Murasaki's room." She soon ordered.
"Ryobi-chan, just tip her out of the chair." Yomi meanwhile requested. "She doesn't have the right to see her right now." She then stated.
"I dunno...I kinda wanna see her hurt again..." Ryobi admitted as she really thought about it.
"Ryobi, I thought you were on our side!" Mirai exclaimed.
"Mostly when it amuses me." Ryobi admitted before grabbing the chair. "Let's go, Punching Bag~! She then sang out with a sadistic smirk on her face.
"Oh no..." Hikage groaned out as the rest of Crimson Squad followed after her to ensure the sandy blonde didn't screw up again.
When the group arrived at the sliding door to the purplette's room, they could tell something was off due to the waves of heat leaking out of it.
FWOOSH!
Suddenly, a wave of hot air rushed out of the room.
"Wha?" Imu got out, already feeling sweaty now.
"Why is it so hot!?" Ryōbi asked in shock as she then began coughing from a dry throat.
"Guess she turned up the heat in her room." Hikage assumed as she looked in.
"One thirty one...one thirty two...one thirty three..." A familiar voice grunted out from within the room. "One thirty four...one thirty five..." They continued counting up.
"M-Murasaki?" Imu called out in disbelief.
"Nope!" Bebeby responded from above where the purplette was. "Come on, chop chop! You gotta get to 200 before dinner to make up for losing! Work that body!" The plushie demanded.
"Hai..." Murasaki grunted as she continued doing her pull-ups...while completely in the nude while sweat dripped off her body with a puddle underneath where she was while her hair was in a ponytail held by her shurikens in a smaller form. "One forty...one forty one...one forty two..." She continued.
"Guess she's been doing this since she got back." Hikage assumed.
"This seems excessive..." Yomi confessed in concern.
"Guess instead of eating out of frustration, she's exercising out of frustration." Mirai got out...while looking at the purplette's toned rear.
"Nice butt..." Ryōbi and Yomi meanwhile got out at the same time.
At that moment, the purplette and her plushie noticed the Squad at her door. "'Sup, fuckheads." Bebeby greeted the girls as the purplette kept going.
"Okay, this is barely ventriloquism now!" Mirai called out. "Murasaki is breathing as if she nearly drowned a minute ago." She then added.
"Oh, shove it into your eye hole, Cyclops." Bebeby remarked.
"Murasaki, can you please tell Bebeby to settle down?" Imu soon requested.
However, the purplette whispered into Bebeby's ear instead, with the plushie nodding as she spoke while she went back to her session. "Uh, yeah. She's refusing to talk to anyone right now until she's done and is using me as her voice." The plushie then informed.
"Murasaki. Drop the ventriloquism now." Imu soon ordered in annoyance.
"And I'm telling you to fuck off and leave us alone." Bebeby responded. If the bear could blow a raspberry, it would be now. "You know, I was half expecting her to just read some Rapunzel the Shinobi, but then she turned up the heat to over one hundred and twenty degrees and went and started working out like a madwoman while being completely in the zone now! It's been weeks since she read an update!" The plushie soon revealed and declared.
"Pfft...!" Mirai suddenly blew out air, her heart and mind stopping at the mere mention of such a thing.
"You're going to hurt yourself." Imu soon stated.
"And I say, until Suzune comes with her test, she doesn't have any reason to be outside her room today." Bebeby countered. "And that's final." She concluded.
"And I'm here to announce the results of your test." Suzune spoke up from right behind the students.
"AAAHHHH!" The girls (save for Murasaki) screamed, jumping away into their battle stances together on instinct.
"How long have you been there!?" Mirai exclaimed.
"About two minutes ago." Suzune responded as she looked at the exercising girl. "Murasaki, stop doing that and put some clothes on." She soon ordered.
"One ninety one...one ninety two...one ninety three..." Murasaki however kept counting.
"Yeah, she's really focused at the moment. No way to actually get through to her." Bebeby remarked.
"You know, there is such a thing as too much exercise." Mirai pointed out in concern. "Especially in this heat." She then added.
"Two...hundred..." Murasaki concluded as she let go of the pull-up bar...
THUD! SPLASH!
And landed on the ground as she took a deep breath.
"You know, that's really fucking gross." Ryōbi grimaced.
"Honestly, you did well." Hikage admitted while patting the girl's shoulder...before wiping off the sweat on her uniform.
Suzune, however, was not amused. "Ignoring your superior's direct order?" She assumed in disapproval.
"..." Murasaki however narrowed her eyes as she went and got a towel. "Just tell me I failed already and be done with it..." She responded in a harsh tone.
"M-Murasaki!" Imu got out in disbelief upon hearing that.
The teacher however shook her head. "Murasaki, test...passed." Suzune announced.
"Eh?" The Crimson Squad girls got out in confusion.
"EH!?" The purplette was even louder with her shock. Even Bebeby was floored (although, it was probably because Murasaki stomped her foot)! "But...I lost!" Murasaki reminded in confusion.
"Winning was not necessarily the objective." Suzune informed. "She has shown the capacity to grow, and even without her unique ability she held up a good enough fight against opponents with better skills and experience." She then revealed and explained.
"That's surprisingly merciful for the school." Yomi remarked.
"Well, there is a caveat." Suzune then started.
"Oh no..." Hikage groaned.
"What is it?" Murasaki asked with narrowed eyes.
"If by next month she doesn't have control of her Root, she will be expelled." Suzune stated. "This is non-negotiable. The Root of Calamity is why you are here in the first place, Murasaki. Starting tomorrow, you must attend classes." She then added.
"So they want her to just use an out of control power that she hates that inflicted trauma on her in the past..." Mirai concluded.
"...That is just devastating." Yomi muttered in sadness.
"ARE THEY NUTS!?" Ryōbi however exclaimed. Heckling aside, even she had her limits to bullshit.
"That's just stupid and reckless." Hikage bluntly confessed.
Suzune however sighed to this. "It's their orders, not mine." She reminded. "But, that is the truth. They've tolerated her absences because of it, but now they want more." She then stated.
"Isn't she good enough on her own?" Mirai however asked.
"To be frank, no. Not at all." Suzune bluntly stated. "She's a fighter with bone shattering strength, but she will be killed on a real mission. You've seen how Mirai took advantage of her lack of range." She soon added.
"That's not true. Imu couldn't beat her and she kept her distance with her staff." Mirai however corrected.
"Imu wasn't fighting to win." Suzune sighed out as she shook her head. "She was fighting to prove to our superiors that she still could use the Root of Calamity. She was tasked with this objective when we told her of the test." She then explained.
"And why didn't you mention it?" Murasaki had to ask.
"Because you never consciously activated it." Imu answered. "And I know all of you would've stopped me." She then accused as she glared at Crimson Squad.
"Grrr..." Poochie growled at the sandy blonde.
"Now get dressed after taking a bath already and turn down the heat in here." Suzune soon ordered while wiping the sweat off her forehead. "And clean up your sweat on the floor. So unsanitary." She then added.
"Hai, sensei." Murasaki responded with a nod.
"And if you talk back to me like that again, you'll wish I'll give you permission to die." Suzune then threatened before leaving.
"...That went...better than expected." Ryōbi admitted.
"Actually, I think this is worse." Mirai groaned.
"I know." Imu sighed out. "I'm in no state to teach her." She then informed.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You are not going to be doing anything from now on." Ryōbi pointee out.
"But who else is going to help her? Mirai?" Imu soon questioned.
"Hey!" The ravenette got out in an offended tone
"I'm the only here who can help her control the Root of Calamity." Imu then stated...right before she looked down at her broken body. "...Fuck me." She swore out.
Ryōbi immediately snorted in amusement. "Yeah. Good going, genius. You hurt yourself getting the Root out, now you can't do anything else when she actually needs it." She then stated.
"I-I can still do something about this! I'm not giving up here!" Imu declared with a fire in her eyes.
"I think you're right. You can do something." Hikage realized with a gasp. "Leave." She then bluntly added.
"I will not abandon my sister." Imu responded as she narrowed her eyes.
"Who said abandon?" Hikage countered.
"You implied it." Imu accused.
"We don't need your help."
"I'm not helping you. I'm helping Murasaki!"
"I'm helping her better than you!"
"You would've let her win!"
"You would've killed her!"
"You are a bad influence on her!"
"You are even worse!"
"I'm thinking about the future!"
"You're ignoring everything I've already-"
"Fuck Up!"
"Dead Face!"
"STOP! Both of you!" Murasaki however called out. "Hikage, please stop escalating it!" She soon requested.
"Yeah, you're making it worse, snake girl." Bebeby chimed in. "You're getting to her level." She then noted.
"Thank you!" Imu breathed out...only to realize what the stuffed toy just said about her. "...HEY!" She exclaimed in realization.
"Quit yer bitching, you stupid fuck up." Bebeby growled.
The sandy blonde's eyes immediately widened. "...What?" Imu whispered in shock.
The purplette cleared her throat. "Onee-chan, I am still mad at you for what you did." Murasaki bluntly declared as she brought down the room's temperature to a reasonable degree.
"You don't have to tell me." Imu sighed out. "But it was-" She then began.
DOOOOM!
"Stop." Bebeby interrupted.
"Get. Out." Murasaki immediately ordered.
Imu in turn winced. "Murasaki, will you please listen to me! I-" She soon began.
CRACK!
However the purplette then cracked her knuckles in response. "I don't care if you are injured, I will not show you mercy if you don't shut up and leave..." Murasaki darkly declared, dark energy beginning to leak out of her body.
Imu stayed quiet before her hair covered her eyes, slumping in her wheelchair.
"...Fine. I'm going." Imu sighed out. "But whatever you're thinking now...it's just going to kill you." She soon advised before disappearing from the room...via the brunette wheeling her away to dump her in her room for the night.
"..." However, Murasaki stared at the spot her sister was on, her eyes watering a little before wiping it away.
"Good riddance." Yomi mumbled in anger and disgust as she looked at the purplette. "Murasaki-chan, don't worry. Whatever she just said was probably just a lie to make you come to her side." She then reassured in a comforting tone.
The purplette however shook her head in response. "No...she may be right in a sense..." Murasaki admitted. "This power...its dangerous...I'll hurt someone again...I'll hurt people I love with it." She then stated as she looked at her hand before clenching it into a fist.
"You're not going to shut yourself away again?" Mirai soon asked.
"No. After everything I've put myself through? Not a chance." Murasaki responded as she shook her head. "I did lose my freedom as soon as I awakened the Root of Calamity. I'm gonna have to earn it back." She then stated and declared.
"Earn it?" Yomi repeated in a curious manner. "Does that mean you're going to try and control it?" She then asked in concern.
"...I'll have to." Murasaki soon admitted regretfully. "But...it won't be in the hands of people trying to use me as some sort of weapon. I will not be their tool." She soon declared.
Yomi gasped dramatically. "That's traitor talk, Murasaki-chan." She then pointed out, resisting the urge to smile.
"Yes. It is." The purplette admitted with a nod. "...Still got spots on the Crimson Squad?" Murasaki soon asked.
Hikage in turn smirked. "There's always spots free." She confirmed.
"Wait, what about Tsumuji?" Mirai asked, though was glad to have a new member.
"She tried to kill Homura. How did you forget that?" Hikage reminded and counter asked.
"Well, she kinda sucked it!" Mirai countered. "I bet she's gonna die the minute she's out of Haruka-sama's safety." She then added.
"Or become her personal maid." Hikage quipped.
Mirai was about to respond before thinking about and then pouted. "Why does Haruka-sama get all the cool stuff?" She grumbled.
"Because Haruka-oneesama is not stuck here at Hebijo?" Murasaki suggested.
SHATTER!
The loli of the group immediately paled as she heard that while looking at their new comrade. "O-O-Onee-sama!?" Mirai exclaimed in shock.
"Haruka-oneesama is a better sister than my real sister right now." Murasaki mumbled with a blush on her face.
"Mirai, you need to stop being jealous of everyone calling Haruka something affectionate." Hikage deadpanned as Poochie gave her an unamused look.
"...I guess Murasaki's right though..." Mirai had to admit.
"Plus... she supported me more while I was in Tokyo." Murasaki added in a grateful manner. "I wanna make her proud of me." She then confessed with a starry look in her eyes.
"Well, you could start by washing up." Yomi suggested as she waved the air in front of her face. "You stink, and I doubt Haruka would be proud of someone so pungent." She then added.
"Bath it is." Hikage concluded.
"After you clean up that puddle of sweat." Bebeby reminded. "It's ruining the tatami floor." She then added.
"Erm...right." Murasaki awkwardly responded. "...At least I got to two hundred this time." She added in a proud sounding tone as she went to get a towel.
BOING! BOING! BOING!
"So uh...why exactly were you naked while exercising?" Mirai eventually asked as she couldn't help but stare.
It really was a nice butt as well.
"Not to mention why the temperature being that hot too." Hikage then added.
"Internet." Murasaki responded. "I learned that the best way to burn out excess fat was by sweating it out." She soon explained.
"Exercise junkie!" Bebeby called out.
"Also, not a good idea to use the internet for exercise advice." Mirai added. "We have trained professionals here! What ridiculous site did you go to? HowToKillYourself dot org?" She then reminded and assumed.
"No. It was HowBurnOffExcessiveFatAfterBeingAShut-in dot org." Murasaki answered.
"...What a shitty website name." Hikage deadpanned.
"Murasaki-chan, you are going to feel all of this tomorrow." Yomi stated.
"I know." Murasaki admitted with a nod.
"And what good will come of that?" Hikage soon asked.
"It means-" Murasaki began.
THUD!
And with that, the purplette dropped face first onto the floor. "Wow, is it midnight already?" Hikage sighed and shook her head.
"Murasaki-chan!" Yomi exclaimed as the girls crouched down next to her. "Are you okay?" She soon asked in concern.
"U-Um...I don't think I can move." Murasaki responded and informed.
"Eh?" Mirai got out in confusion.
"I...I can barely move my limbs." Murasaki revealed.
"...Murasaki, how many days have you worked out in a row?" Hikage asked in a serious manner.
"Erm...I started on the 27th so..." Murasaki mumbled as she struggled to remember the date.
"17 days." Yomi answered with a concerned frown.
"Over half a month without any rest!?" Mirai exclaimed.
"Yep, you're experiencing overexertion. Probably made worse by the heat." Hikage sighed as she shook her head. "It's a wonder this hasn't happened earlier." She then added.
"What!?" Murasaki got out in confusion.
"Your body has shut down because you pushed yourself over your limit without allowing it to actually repair itself and get stronger. Your muscles are probably equivalent to goop right now." Hikage explained. "Luckily we have medicine that can help with that, but we need to make sure you haven't done anything permanent. From now on you are going to have to moderate it and relax. Leader's orders." She then informed and instructed.
"Hai, I agree." Yomi responded with a nod.
"B-But if I don't get stronger..." Murasaki tried to reason, but given the pathetic state of her body, no argument was ever going to work.
"You'll die. Or at the very least, break every bone in your body." Hikage concluded in a serious tone. "Strength doesn't just come from muscle. Now, let's get you into some warm water. We all could use it." She then decided.
"H-Hai..." Murasaki mumbled in disappointment as the blonde and ravenette helped her out of her room.
And so, while Crimson Squad comforted their newest member together, in a dark corner of the Academy, Imu silently cried alone.
(Roppongi, Okumura Foods Headquarters)
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, four certain people hid within shadows near the front of the HQ, looking up at the intimidating size of the building.
"Wow...can't believe we're actually about to enter this one heck of a building." Ann muttered to herself, staring at the towering structure.
"Don't be." Miyabi got out. "It's only intimidating from the outside. Inside is just like any other building in this city. It's nothing special." She then assured.
"What are those paper bags for, Yumi?" Ann decided to ask, noticing said bags.
"For our mission here." Yumi answered, hefting up said bags. "Now come on, we have work to do." She soon instructed.
"W-Wait, you never sent us anything about the plan." Ann however reminded.
"No time. We'll explain when there's a chance." Miyabi responded.
"At least tell us where we're infiltrating." Makoto soon requested.
"The front entrance." Miyabi casually informed.
"The front- are you joking!?" Makoto exclaimed in shock. "People will see us, the cameras will record our faces! Places like this don't let anyone walk through the front door without a reasonable explanation!" She soon reminded.
"We don't need one." Miyabi however reassured before pointing her finger at something. "Look." She then got out.
"...There's no one there." Ann observed out loud, noticing that the
"Exactly." The white-haired woman with a nod of confirmation.
"But the cameras..." Makoto worryingly reminded before trailing off.
"Will be swiftly disabled with every room we enter." Yumi responded, the white haired woman nodding in agreement to this statement.
This in turn caused the non-shinobis of the group to gulp in nervousness, but also knew they had to do this for the mission.
"Alright, ladies. Time to go to the front entrance like normal people." Ann sarcastically instructed.
"You'd think there would be guards here..." Makoto remarked. "Are you sure we can actually just do this?" She soon asked in concern and caution.
"I'm sure. We scouted the place before you came here. We're good." Miyabi informed as the light gray haired girl nodded in agreement.
"Wait, you scouted it out? Then why didn't you-" Makoto questioned and began to ask.
"Are you guys going to try and poke holes in our plan?" Miyabi grumbled. "We worked out the details already. We're going to get this done tonight." She then got out.
"Yes. Please have some confidence." Yumi assured.
"Thank you, Yumi." Miyabi breathed out in relief.
"You two seem to be getting along well." Ann noted.
"Hm? You think so?" Yumi and Miyabi responded at the same time.
"Perfectly synced too." Makoto informed with a nod.
Yumi immediately blushed at that.
"That was just a coincidence." Miyabi deadpanned. "You guys really think that talking at the same time means we're super best friends who will do team attacks and combos without any practice?" She then assumed in a deadpan tone.
"Asuka-chan and Homura did." Ann responded.
"They're practically the same person. They don't count." Miyabi waved off. "Me and Yumi might be friends, but there's still a long way to go. Isn't that right, Yumi?" She then concluded.
"...I have thought of a Showtime attack for the two of us to use." Yumi confessed.
"Don't care right now. Tell me over some coffee, but can we please focus on the damn mission we've been planning all day?" Miyabi soon got out, looking a little irritated by the unimportant conversation despite being curious about what was mentioned.
The others in response nodded.
"Ok good." Miyabi replied in approval.
"You still haven't told us what the mission is." Ann reminded once more.
"We'll get there when we get there, Takamaki!" Miyabi responded.
The girls waited for the elevator to come to their floor. And from the looks of it, it was gonna take a minute.
"...Is there any reason why we're using the elevator and not the stairs?" Makoto questioned.
"..." Ann however gave a deadpan expression as a response.
"Oh. Right. Kaneshiro's Palace." Makoto remembered before shivering.
"Huh?" Miyabi got out in confusion.
"Nothing. Just some...PTSD-like stuff." Makoto mumbled her response.
"Involving a lot of stairs..." Ann grumbled with a twitching eye. "My legs are hurting a little bit just from remembering." She then added.
"You guys are wusses." Miyabi grumbled. "The great Phantom Thieves of Hearts...defeated by stairs." She then added.
"Did you get defeated by stairs in the pyramid?" Ann however reminded.
The white haired woman immediately blushed to that. "It was the boulder and that stupid Sphinx!" Miyabi countered.
"And the stairs." Yumi added.
"Oh don't you gang up on me." Miyabi groaned out.
"Ladies, let's just do this alright?" Makoto interrupted. "We don't need another reminder of our...thievery that time." She then stated.
DING!
With a simple dinging sound, the elevator had finally arrived in front of the girls before the doors opened between the middle.
"Open sesame." Ann muttered out of boredom as she noticed the opening of the doors.
"Open...sesame?" Yumi repeated in curiosity.
"Oh, just a saying." The ash blonde explained as they walked inside.
However, the elevator was not made for two extremely busty girls and one slightly busty brunette, along with one developing blonde. Add to the fact that there were a few people inside the elevator with them as well, making the whole elevator a bit cramped.
"Whoa, what the-!?" Ann yelped out, feeling something soft planted on her arm.
"Ah! Pardon me!" Yumi responded, her large breasts pressing the ash blonde's arm.
"Ah! My chest is pressing your..." Makoto mumbled with a blush. "Can you please stop moving so much?" She then requested.
"Easier said than done..." Miyabi however grumbled, struggling to find a comfortable position in the elevator.
The situation was not helped by the elevator music. Who knew that a bossa nova version of Lovefool would be so irritating.
As soon as the elevator arrived at their destination, all of the other people left the elevator normally...before the four girls in mention practically tripped over themselves to get out of there (with Ann's butt accidentally hitting every button on the way out).
"Not. A word. Okay?" Ann demanded the other girls.
"My apologies, Ann-san." Yumi had to apologized as she got up from the pile.
"Sorry, Ann." Makoto apologized, getting up as well.
"Yeah." Miyabi got out with a nod while getting up to her feet before swiping off her shirt with her hands.
"Let's just get this over with, alright?" Ann soon groaned out as they all got their bearings.
"So, what's next?" Makoto asked in a serious tone.
"Come on, let's find the women's bathroom." Miyabi soon instructed. "Or any bathroom, really. But preferably women's." She then added.
"Huh? Why do we have to go there?" Ann asked.
"A change of appearances for all of us." Yumi answered.
"Disguises?" Makoto guessed.
"You could say that." Miyabi responded.
"This seems a little...elaborate." Makoto remarked.
"Whatever it takes to complete the mission." Miyabi concluded. "Now let's get going." She then ordered.
"Well, it's right there." Makoto pointed over to the women's bathroom right by the elevators. "Are you sure you scouted this place out thoroughly?" She then questioned in concern.
"Yes. Stop asking questions and get in." Miyabi responded.
"Make sure no one's around the cubicles, Miyabi-san." Yumi soon instructed. "Ann-san, lock the door." She then added.
The ash blonde nodded as she did as told. "Okay. Now, can you guys finally explain what we're doing?" Ann soon asked.
"First, let's strip down and change here." Miyabi told them before she began doing so by removing her jacket.
"Right." Yumi agreed while doing so as well, unbuttoning her shirt and unzipping her skirt, revealing her underwear before neatly putting her clothes away.
Meanwhile, Ann groaned. Looks like they were being kept in the dark a little longer. "Here goes nothing." Makoto sighed out before doing the same, blushing all the while as she noticed her now-slightly-enlarged chest.
As the ash blonde continued stripping her clothes off, she couldn't help but notice the busts of the three, though the brunette's was slightly smaller compared to the others.
BOING! BOING! BOING!
She could've sworn she heard some weird, bouncing sounds, or maybe that was just her imagination.
"Is something wrong, Ann-san?" Yumi asked in concern after noticing the disappointed look on the ash blonde's face as she took out her supposed stealth outfit from one of the bags.
"Nothing." Ann responded...before sighing. "I'm just feeling...left out." She then suddenly confessed.
"Huh? Left out of what?" Makoto decided to ask as she unbuttoned her top.
Ann merely glanced down at their busts. "I'm...the slightly smallest one out of the four of us now..." She confessed.
"Oh, uh...sorry, Ann." Makoto awkwardly apologized.
"It's...fine." Ann responded with a sigh. "I don't mind a bit...I think." She then added.
"You know there's still Futaba in our group, right?" Miyabi reminded, finally removing her jeans off.
"I mean regarding the four of us here and now." Ann confirmed.
"...Oh." Miyabi responded in realization. "...Would you mind Katsuragi having-" She then began.
"Hell no." Ann immediately responded, knowing the context of her question. "I'd rather let it happen naturally." She then confessed.
"So more shinobi like training in the future?" Yumi soon assumed.
"Yes, please." Ann responded with a nod. "Honestly, I'm getting used to Homura's training." She then admitted with a smile.
"Just recently?" Makoto asked in a curious manner. "I got used to it after the first...two times I experienced it." She then admitted.
"...Strangely, I'm not surprised." Ann responded with a sweatdrop.
"Eh?" Makoto got out in confusion.
"Let's continue this discussion at a later time." Miyabi however decided as the light gray haired girl nodded in agreement. "Right now, we have a mission to attend to, so we should not waste some time here." She then reminded, getting nods of response from the others.
And they continued stripping their clothes off.
Yumi breathed out in relief as she took off her bra. "Okay..." She then muttered to herself as she took off her panties as well, leaving her naked.
Miyabi on the other hand set aside her civilian outfit neatly before taking off her black bra, and then her matching panties as well, leaving her naked as well.
The two non-shinobis immediately noticed and became confused. "Wait, why are you two naked right now?" Ann asked in slight disbelief and widened eyes.
"Hm? Oh, it's for our stealth outfits." Yumi responded before grabbing said stealth outfit, the white haired woman nodding in agreement.
"Eh?" The two non-shinobi got out in even more confusion.
"We have to be naked in order to properly wear them." Miyabi explained.
"...Say what!?" Ann exclaimed with a blush.
"N-Naked!?" Makoto repeated in shock.
"It's for the sake of movement." Miyabi soon stated. "Trust me. You have to bear with it. That is something a shinobi has to learn." She then added in a serious yet intellectual tone
Makoto blushed even more, trying to understand the situation, including Ann herself.
Did they really have to be naked to do this? Sure, it was like they were naked underneath when they first became Phantom Thieves, but this was different.
"H-Hold on, what kind of stealth outfit did you buy for all of u-?" Makoto began as she took the supposed stealth suit from the bag, only to be cut off as she realized what the outfit was.
"W-What is this?" Ann asked in puzzlement, grabbing the outfit in front of her.
"Something not too different from our usual Thieves outfits, apart from Yumi's." Miyabi answered as she fitted her outfit. "Yumi, can you zip this up for me, please?" She then asked as she then turned around, the light gray haired girl simply nodding in response as she did so.
Makoto and Ann looked at each other, then at their outfits, and then back again.
After that, the conversation ended as the ash blonde and the brunette had no choice but to strip themselves naked for their stealth outfits to fit, still struggling to deal with it.
The four girls exited the bathroom with their stealth outfits on, which were full-on black shiny latex bodysuits that were zipped up from the back apart from the head part that perfectly captured the body shape of each of the girls along with a glossy look.
"Uh..." Makoto only got out while flexing her hands that were also covered.
"What's with these get-ups?" Ann asked, glancing at their matching outfits. "It's...almost looks like my Thief outfit in a way. Skintight, even." She then noted, copping a feel on her outfit and shivering a bit as a result, but in a good way.
"Our plan to change Okumura-san's heart." Yumi informed as she adjusted the chest area of her outfit.
"Full-on bodysuits?" Makoto noted as she looked down on herself. "Where did you buy these?" She then asked in a curious manner while flexing her fingers again. "It...actually feels good, like my Thief outfit." She soon admitted in an impressed manner, not minding that she was naked underneath anymore.
"It honestly does." Ann also got out in agreement, impressed as well as she twisted her body to check herself out while smirking. She didn't even care anymore that she was naked underneath as well. It just felt that good!
"We bought them from the red-light district." Yumi admitted. "It was at the hidden shinobi shop there. These suits won't leave any fingerprints behind if she touches anything. The latest technology." She then revealed as the white haired woman nodded in agreement.
"A hidden shinobi shop?" Makoto repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Those actually exist?" She then asked in a curious manner.
"The shinobi world is vast." Miyabi responded with pride. "We are exceptionally good in terms of deception from the public when it comes to finding equipment and such." She then stated as the light gray haired girl nodded in agreement.
"Huh. Guess I'll buy one for myself, just in case." Makoto got out, curious about wearing what she was currently wearing right now.
Yumi in turn giggled at this. "I'll be sure to get you another one." She then offered with a smile.
"Me too if that's alright. And...should we buy some for the others, too?" Ann stated and suggested out of nowhere, getting even more curious.
"We'll ask them later if they want them." Miyabi responded.
"Great." Yumi happily replied. "Now, back to our mission here." She then added.
"Oh, by the way, all of us need these as well." Miyabi added as she pulled out two pairs of balaclavas, having a total of four as well as some kind of devices.
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot about those." Yumi stated as she took one of the masks and one of the devices. "Thank you, Miyabi-san." She responded.
"Masks?" Ann asked with a raised eyebrow as she took one of the masks. "Why exactly do you give us these?" She soon asked.
"Yeah, what are you guys planning here?" Makoto started and asked, grabbing a free mask and one of the devices.
"Nothing too complicated." Miyabi responded as she put her mask on. "We break in, grab the prick, get out and make him see just exactly what he puts his employees through." She listed off in a nonchalant manner.
"...What?" Ann and Makoto got out in confusion.
"Wait, we're going to kidnap the CEO!?" Makoto got out in disbelief, clutching onto the mask as she stared at the shinobi in disbelief.
"Do you have any better ideas?" Miyabi however questioned.
"Certainly less violent ones!" Ann called out.
"Hey, not all kidnappings involve violence." Miyabi stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Just gotta knock him out with some chloroform." She then explained.
"Doesn't chloroform take several minutes to knock someone out?" Makoto pointed out with a worried look on her face.
"Not this chloroform." Miyabi assured as she pulled out a small vial containing a green liquid with an airtight seal. "Always a useful tool in your shinobi emergency kit." She then revealed. "And these voice modifiers will also help, too. You should get one as well." She soon stated as she took one and placed it around her neck before turning the dial on it.
"Yumi-chan, why did you approve of this?" Ann meanwhile asked.
"We came up with it together. And please, use codenames." Yumi answered as the white haired woman nodded in agreement. "Now, I know it's a little extreme..." She then began while placing the mask on and got the voice modifier around her neck and turned the dial on it.
"Extreme is an understatement." Makoto interrupted in a flat tone.
"...But there isn't much we can do outside of blackmail. And if we do that, it won't be a real change of heart. We need to change his ways by making him understand the pain he has inflicted, rather than force him through fear." Yumi explained in her altered and deeper voice.
"I'm okay with fear if it doesn't involve kidnapping." Ann admitted. "Come on, let's go home and figure something else out." She then suggested.
However at that moment...
"Can't disappoint Okumura-san again." A slightly high-pitched female voice got out, perking the four's attention. "I have to prove my worth in the team. For Kiriya-sensei." She then added to herself.
This in turn caused the group to pale as they immediately recognized who it was.
"HIBARI!?" The group thought in disbelief and confusion as they all noticed the pinkette walking down the hallway, seemingly patrolling the area.
"Shit..." Miyabi swore out, her voice sounding deeper thanks to the device around her neck.
"Language..." Yumi mumbled as she looked on. "This...complicates things..." She then stated.
"H-How the heck is she here!?" Ann softly exclaimed.
"She lives in Asakusa. It's only a train ride away." Miyabi pointed out.
"Correction, why is she here then!?" Ann then whispered. "...Don't tell me that Okumura hired Asuka-chan's friends to guard him!?" She quietly added.
"That is a likely possibility." Yumi responded.
"He must be putting himself on guard in retaliation from any former employees." Makoto soon deducted, getting the mask and voice modifier on before turning the dial on it.
"Have others tried to do this before?" Ann muttered with a frown. "If it got to that point and still nothing has happened to him, we need to do something."
"So you're finally onboard on kidnapping him?" Miyabi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No." Ann bluntly replied. "Can't we just, like, fuck with him? Paint his office, write ominous messages? Make him think he's seeing ghosts? Come on, you guys did discuss all options, right?" She then questioned.
"The Conspiracy will catch onto what we're doing if we take the long route. This needs to be quick." Yumi answered with a frown.
"Guys, they're coming this way!" Makoto suddenly warned as she saw Hibari and a guard coming to their location.
"Over there!" Miyabi soon ordered as they rushed over into another hiding spot.
"Hibari-san, I am here to inform you that all is clear in our posts." One male guard informed her. "Any updates on your side?" He soon asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing out of the ordinary here." Hibari responded. "Coast is clear." She then informed.
"Okay. Please inform us if anything happens." the guard responded with a quick salute. "Farewell for now."
"Uh, sure. Okay. See ya." Hibari replied with a nod.
With that, the group of guards left the pinkette alone.
"Hmm...I wonder how Okumura-sama is doing..." The pinkette then wondered out loud. "Oh, I should check on his daughter as well." She then got out as she began to jog away.
Back to the four in hiding...
"Guys, this is so stupid." Ann groaned. "Can't you guys do this by yourselves? We aren't as good as you two!" She then reminded both the gray-haired girl and the white-haired woman.
"You're good enough. You're thieves, you can be shinobi too." Miyabi assured.
"In the Metaverse." Ann reminded.
"That's because you haven't tried." Miyabi pointed out. "We can fix any mistake you make, but we are both confident you two can do this. You just got to have a little faith." She then stated and encouraged.
"This would still be difficult either way." Makoto noted in her altered and deeper voice. "Dammit, why did it have to be Hibari of all people." She then muttered.
"Look, stop worrying. We just have to roll with the punches and execute our plan." Yumi got out in a comforting tone.
"Would she notice our hair?" Ann pointed out in concern.
"Which is why we have the mask to cover our heads and voice modifiers to alter our voices." Miyabi responded. "Just bundle your hair for now Ann." She then ordered.
To this, Ann groaned for a moment before doing as ordered, bundling her hair before getting the mask and voice modifier on while turning the dial on it. "Alright what do we- whoa, this is weird." She soon started to ask before stopping herself in a mutter, her voice sounding much deeper now like the others.
"Where did you get these?" Makoto had to ask.
"Online." Miyabi informed as she rolled her eyes. "Same day shipping. It's a wonder what you can find on the internet these days if you look hard enough." She then remarked. "Now stop talking and start moving. The CEO is leaving in fifteen minutes and I want him in five." She then ordered.
"We are not shinobi! We suck at that type of stuff!" Ann reminded the shinobi a little too loud for their liking.
"Shush!" Yumi quietly stressed.
Hibari suddenly looked tense before watching her current surroundings with focused eyes.
WHOOSH!
The four girls widened their eyes in shock, witnessing the pinkette disappearing on the spot.
"Nope. Nuh-uh. We're outta here." Ann whispered to the shinobi. "Abort the mission, or whatever the saying goes." She then added.
"I don't know. I don't mean to offend anyone but Hibari-san doesn't seem like the best shinobi." Yumi admitted. "Plus, we outnumber her. We simply need to get her in a Shinobi Kekkai and take care of her." She then assumed.
"That sounds good but um...who's going to tell our Vice Leader afterwards?" Ann then asked.
"We can draw straws after we knock her out." Miyabi scoffed as she rolled her eyes.
"Knock who out?" A familiar, childish-like voice asked out.
The Thieves instantly froze before slowly turning their heads behind their backs...to see the pinkette smiling sweetly at them.
"Hello. You don't belong here at this hour." Hibari greeted the four in a pleasant tone. "Are you lost? Or are you visiting someone still working late?" She soon asked.
"Ummm...We're visiting our father?" Ann answered with a nervous chuckle.
Hibari was not amused. "Hmm...wearing masks in a public building? That would mean you're not just some regular civilians. And you all dressed weird, too." She remarked.
"We're just...being self-conscious of our appearances, that's all." Ann replied for their safety.
"Oh, I'm sure you're really really cute under there. Why don't you take it off." Hibari ordered rather than asked.
The four disguised Thieves simply stayed silent while staring at the pinkette, not knowing what to respond back with.
"Shinobi Tenshin!" Hibari declared as her clothes glowed with a yellow colored light before being replaced with a light pink track jacket with the Hanzō emblem on the left chest area, dark blue biker shorts, black and white socks, and red and white sneakers. "Alright! Enough games! You're all under arrest!" She then declared.
The group meanwhile looked on as they blinked at the sight. "That's her Shinobi Tenshin appearance!?" Yumi and Miyabi thought in disbelief, though for different reasons.
"A gym outfit?" Makoto meanwhile noted with a raised eyebrow as the pinkette proceeded into a fighting stance.
"To be fair, our Metaverse outfits aren't much better." Ann quietly muttered. "Um...what do we do now?" She soon asked.
"We stick to the original plan." Miyabi answered...right before grabbing the nearest potted plant and throwing it at the pinkette's face.
"Whoa!" Hibari immediately dodged to the side from the projectile.
"CHEESE IT!" Miyabi immediately yelled as she and her fellow Thieves sprinted away to look for an escape route.
"Hey, get back here!" Hibari ordered them before chasing the four. "Guards! Guards!" She then called out
At that moment, a group of guards turned around a corner. "What is it, Hibari-sa-?" One guard started before noticing the intruders with the pinkette giving chase. "Intruders! Don't let them get away!" He then called and ordered his fellow guards to chase the intruders as well, including him.
"Crap!" Ann swore as they dodged past several guards who had tried to cut them off.
"Attention, all security personnel, we have intruders here on the 27th floor. I repeat, we have intruders here on the 27th floor." The lead guard called out. "Currently assisting Hibari-san with the chase. Block all potential exits." He then ordered.
"Ninto! Don't let them escape!" Hibari commanded as her Animal Guardian, a chibi, cartoonish bunny rabbit with a red scarf, charged forward on his little thunder cloud.
"Gotta find a way outta here!" Ann yelled out, sprinting for dear life.
"...Is that a rabbit?" Makoto and Miyabi meanwhile asked at the same time as they noticed the flying rabbit.
The rabbit flew fast before it jumped from its yellow cloud, aiming to land and latch onto one of the intruders.
"Shinobi Kekkai!" Hibari then declared.
"Eh?" Ann simply got out as she heard the term before...
(Hibari's Shinobi Kekkai)
The rabbit immediately got hold of the brunette before it latched onto her and started messing with her.
"GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!" Makoto screamed in a panic as she flailed around with the rabbit still latching onto the chest part of her bodysuit while her face was being slapped by its ears.
"Crap! Someone help her!" Ann called out.
"Take this!" Hibari however suddenly declared as she faced her backside before launching herself towards the masked brunette, rolling at her like a ball before her butt was in front aiming at her.
On cue, the rabbit leaped out of the way.
BONK! RIP!
Makoto got hit in the face with the pinkette's butt, launching her away. She then yelped as the chest part of her latex bodysuit was torn by the force of the attack, revealing her bare cleavage before she hit the ground. "Ugh...huh!? Ah! My suit!" She groaned in pain and exclaimed in instinctive embarrassment before covering them with her arm.
"Did just she...use her butt to hit her?" Ann observed in slight bewilderment.
"Indeed she did." Yumi responded with a nod.
"Hey! These outfits are expensive! You're paying for that!" Miyabi growled as she summoned her katana, but kept it in its stealth so she wouldn't slice off anything.
Asuka would definitely kill her if she did and she did not want her student hating her.
"Huh?" Hibari gasped. "You're a shinobi too!?" She then exclaimed.
"No, I'm the Tooth Fairy! Let me take some out!" Miyabi responded with a growl.
"Miyabi..." Makoto quietly chided.
"Sorry, I couldn't stop myself." The white haired woman soon apologized sheepishly.
"Um...what do we do?" Ann soon asked, seeing that she and the brunette didn't have their weapons.
"Stay down and don't get in our way, please." Yumi simply answered as she summoned her fans. "Serpent, please do your best not to seriously hurt her." She soon instructed.
"I won't. Trust me." Miyabi reassured with a nod. "I take her right, you take her left?" She then assumed.
"Hai." Yumi replied with a nod of her own. "Ready?" She then asked.
"Go for it." Miyabi responded with a smirk before the two disappeared.
"Eh!?" Hibari exclaimed in shock. "Wow, I've never seen anyone move so fast- WAH!" She got out before yelping as she stumbled over her own two feet, causing the experienced shinobis to hit each other as their attacks missed.
WHAM! CRACKLE!
Ann and Makoto could only watch as Yumi was spun around and hit the floor while Miyabi got her entire arm encased in ice.
Yumi groaned as she adjusted her jaw back into its rightful place. "I told you to hold back..." She soon reminded.
"I did." Miyabi groaned as she freed her arm from its icicle prison.
"That seriously just happened?" Ann had to ask in disbelief as she watched the pinkette rub her head.
"I think we might have better chances to fight her off than we thought." Makoto muttered, though still uneasy about this.
"Owie..." Hibari groaned as she then got to her feet.
"I don't think Hibari-san actually has a fighting style." Makoto soon assumed.
"How do you know who I am?" Hibari suddenly questioned as she narrowed her eyes.
"Queen!" Miyabi called out in an angered manner.
"You are...quite a legendary figure, Hibari-san." Yumi quickly made up an excuse. "How could we not know who you are?"
Hibari's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking. "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE MY EYES!"
"Eh?" Yumi got out...one second before her bodysuit was shredded in a flurry of kunai, exposing her breasts and legs. "What the!?"
"Enlarge!" Hibari suddenly called out just as her friend, Ninto, leaped onto her shoulder.
"...Eh?" The group got out in confusion before watching the pinkette as she started growing...and growing...and growing!
"Wha-!? What the hell!?" Makoto exclaimed in shock before backing away.
"SWEET LOVE OF CARMEN!" Ann yelled as she scrambled away from the giantess as her growing form began to wreck the place.
"...Oh." Miyabi squeaked with a pale face. She was definitely not expecting this.
"We're on a very high floor of this tall building! This is ridiculous!" Yumi meanwhile reminded in concern.
"WATCH OUT!" Makoto called out as she tackled the leader of the mission out of the way of falling debris. "MOVE! MOVE!" She then ordered.
"OH CRAP!" Miyabi exclaimed.
"You're not getting away from Hibari this time!" Hibari loudly stated while looking down towards the small four. "Hah!" She then got out as she raised her giant leg.
The group immediately blanched at the sight. "Is she...!? She's gonna stomp on us!" Ann exclaimed in a panic.
"SCATTER!" Makoto yelled in a panic as well, forcing her companions to separate to avoid the attack.
BOOM!
"I hate my life, I hate my life, I hate my life...!" Miyabi whispered to herself as she barely managed to get away from the pinkette's attack before continuing to run away.
"Horaaah!" Hibari cried in determination as she attacked by simply walking around, crushing anything and everything under her feet.
"WHAT DO WE DO NOW!?" Ann exclaimed in a panic.
"KEEP RUNNING AND DON'T STOP!" Makoto responded.
BOOM!
"Holy-!" Ann only got in shock from the impact of the attack.
"KEEP MOVING!" Yumi ordered as she shot some icicles at the giant girl, which proved ineffective.
"You meanies will never win! CHESTO!" Hibari soon declared before hopping into the air, her giant butt primed and ready to destroy her opponents.
"OH GOD!" Ann screamed as she dived for cover, only to see the gray haired girl frozen on the spot. "YUMI!"
"...Grandfather...please look away." Yumi thought before closing her eyes.
CRUSH!
"AAHH!" Miyabi screamed as she covered her head and coughed as more debris was sent flying around the place. "Is...Is everyone okay!?" She soon called out.
"No..." Ann coughed out her response.
"Yep, I was expecting that." Miyabi sighed out as the giant Hibari got onto her feet and shrunk back down.
"Why is it the butt?" Yumi groaned as the ash blonde pulled her out of the butt-shaped crater.
"Never seen anyone weaponize their own butt quite like this..." Makoto muttered with widened eyes.
"Well, we're lucky she doesn't have any other weapons..." Yumi pointed out.
"Let's do this!" Hibari called out as electricity began to crackle in the air.
Miyabi's eyes immediately widened. "She's a lightning user like Imu and a summoner!?" She thought to herself in disbelief.
"Well, she just keeps getting better and better." Ann groaned in disbelief.
"Stay calm. We can get through this like always." Yumi assured as she narrowed her eyes at their opponent. "Now, challenge us at your own peril."
Hibari puffed out her cheeks and glared at the Thieves, right before charging them while flailing her arms wildly like she was about to take part in an elementary school fight...at Mach 5.
At that speed, Ann and Makoto had no chance to react as they were swatted aside while Yumi and Miyabi jumped away.
While Hibari did trip over her feet, she quickly recovered and began to attack the info broker with everything she had. It was a lot of flailing and screaming as Yumi guarded against the attacks.
"She fights like a small child." Yumi noticed before the pinkette managed to touch her right breast with her fist.
ZAP!
"AARGH!" Yumi got out in pain before letting out a cloud of smoke from her mouth then collapsing onto the floor.
"Yeah, a small child with tasers strapped to her hands and feet." Miyabi sighed. "Oh boy, this is embarrassing." She then muttered.
Soon, the pinkette switched targets and went after the advisor, who had just recovered. "She's coming after us!" Makoto called out before going into an aikido stance, causing the pinkette to skid to a stop and step back.
The Shujin Student Council President thought she could take advantage of Hibari's moment of hesitation, but she simply wasn't fast enough to react to her speed as she uppercut her in the jaw before flailing her limbs around, with Makoto unable to put up a good enough defense to stop the onslaught.
And then suddenly, Hibari grabbed her boobs.
"..." Makoto couldn't help but stare in disbelief. Out of all places, she grabbed there!?
"..." Hibari stared back before using the leverage to throw the brunette to the floor. "Ninto! Paralyze her!" She then called out as her guardian animal rushed over to deliver a couple million volts to her opponent.
BZZZZZT!
"AAHH!" Makoto screamed as a lightning bolt nearly hit her straight in the face, but barely managed to get out of the way with only her mask burned.
"Queen!" Miyabi called out in concern.
"I'm okay- RABBIT!" Makoto began before exclaiming as she saw Ninto charging at them on a cloud.
The white haired woman barely managed to react and leapt out of the way of the attack. "We seriously need to take that thing out." Miyabi growled in annoyance and growing frustration.
"Everyone, retreat!" Yumi ordered. With a nod, the leader of the mission threw down a smoke bomb, blinding the pinkette before it cleared.
"H-Hey! Get back here!" Hibari got out as she rubbed her eyes and began searching the area. They couldn't escape from here, so It would only be a matter of time.
Meanwhile, the girls let out a quiet sigh of relief as they took the moment to breathe and take stock of the situation.
The Thieves were barely decent at this point, with their stealth outfits barely holding together. However, only Makoto's outfit was still smoldering from all the lightning casted down on them.
"Ah! My mask!" Makoto got out as she tore off her singed balaklava...only to reveal the familiar metal mask on her face.
"...Eh?" The others in the Thieves group got out in confusion.
"Wait, we're in a Shinobi Kekkai!" Ann quietly called out for the others in the group to hear, noticing the masks on their faces. "I think I heard Hibari-chan call it out." She then recalled.
"Couldn't you have told us EARLIER!" Miyabi yelled at the ash blonde, who winced at her tone. Although, it wasn't for the fact it was aimed at her...
"Hah! There you are!" Hibari cheered as she headed straight towards the Thieves.
"Shit!" Makoto swore.
Meanwhile, the leader of the group blinked. "That means..." Yumi whispered before stepping out of hiding and grabbing her mask.
RIP! TEAR!
To reveal her true mask underneath. "Eh!?" Hibari got out in confusion.
"Kaito...Change!" Yumi declared as ice blue flames engulfed her body. "PERSONA!" She then shouted out as flames died to reveal her Phantom outfit and Fūma appeared behind her.
"What...kind of Animal Guardian is that!?" Hibari gasped in awe, not noticing the changed outfit.
"Nothing of the sort." Widow quietly answered as she brandished her fans while covering her face to avoid recognition. "It's only me. Now allow me...to join you in this dance!" She then added.
"Hrrrnnnn...Hibari will show you a dance cloaked in shadows!" Hibari declared as the air crackled with electricity.
The Thieves looked at each other before tearing off their masks. "Kaito Change! PERSONA!" They soon declared as they were enveloped in flames before summoning their other selves.
"Whoa..." Hibari couldn't help but stare in awe. "...Why is yours a motorcycle?" She soon asked as she tilted her head.
"It's...a personal thing." Queen vaguely responded. "RIDE JOHANNA!" She soon ordered.
"Eh, you call your bike Johan- WAH!" Hibari questioned before yelping and jumping out of the way of the oncoming motorcycle. "Right, focus. You can do this, Hibari- AHH!" She began to encourage herself before soon screaming as the ash blonde jumped onto her back.
"Hecate, Matarunda!" Panther soon commanded, summoning her Persona to weaken the Good Shinobi just before she was thrown off.
"Excuse me?" Hibari got out before going to her knees as she felt something take away her strength. "Wh-What the..." She struggled in confusion.
"Her attack is down! Get her!" Panther called out as the veteran shinobis rushed in.
"Go down!" Serpent demanded as she grabbed the pinkette's face and threw her down to the floor while the light gray haired girl froze and each of her limbs. "There! Was that so-" She then started, however...
"Ninto! Help!" Hibari called out.
"Eh?" Serpent got out before the bunny jumped onto her head. "AW FUCK! GET OFF ME!" She then shouted out as Ninto began to pull her hair.
"Serpent, stay still!" Widow ordered as she got close and-
ZZZAAAAPPP!
...Had both of them be struck by lightning as Ninto leapt away.
"...Ah." Serpent and Widow squeaked before falling over onto each other, paralyzed.
"Way to go!" Hibari happily cheered as Ninto casted a few lightning bolts to free her from the ice. "Now let's take care of the rest!" She then requested.
"Oh crap!" Panther yelped as she jumped out of the way of the lightning bolt. "Queen, what do we do?" She soon asked.
Queen frowned in thought before looking around the ruins of the office and grabbing something off the floor. "Here. This might give you a little bit of an edge." She soon got out as she tossed something over to the ash blonde.
"I think this will do for now." Panther got out as she gave the extension cord a few swings. It wasn't a whip, but it was better than her bare hands. "Let's do our best!" She soon encouraged as she went into her usual battle stance.
"We won't let this end here." Queen declared as she wrapped up her fists with masking tape with debris from all the fighting stuck to it. "We can't win physically, so let's use both our words and our strength. GO!" She then instructed and ordered.
With that, Queen and Panther rushed down Hibari and engaged her in combat.
While Hibari was easily able to keep up with them, the Persona-users would throw in an attack skill or magic in hopes of getting the pinkette to falter even for a second.
"These strange summons...are getting too much!" Hibari thought before raising her guard to block an Agidyne from Panther, allowing Queen to summon her Persona.
"Johanna! Flash Bomb!" Queen called out as she revved Johanna's engine.
FLASH!
"AH!" Hibari yelped as she then started having swirls in her eyes. "Swirly~ Swirly~" She got out in a dazed manner.
"She's dizzy! Go!" Queen announced as she high-fived the ash blonde.
CLAP!
Feeling the power of the Baton Pass flow through her, Panther crouched low. "Sorry about this!" She quickly apologized before swinging her makeshift whip to knock Hibari off her feet.
"She's down!" Queen announced as the ash blonde threw over a stapler to substitute as a gun. After all, who wants to get staples in their face? "This is a Hold Up! Don't move!" She soon ordered.
"Mohh..." Hibari moaned as she sat up. "You people are too mean! Why are you doing this?" She soon asked.
Queen narrowed her eyes as she studied the pinkette's disposition. Maybe she could use some of the Shadow Negotiation techniques Joker employed. "Let's see, from her body language, she is likely rather gloomy right now..." She thought. "We...can't explain right now. We only wish for your cooperation." She soon began.
"Of course you wouldn't say anything about your Evil Shinobi plans! I won't ever work with the likes of you!" Hibari pouted. "Doesn't what you're doing bother your conscience?" She soon asked.
Queen winced at the response and decided to shift gears. "Now that you mention it..." She muttered.
"Ninto! Help me!" Hibari suddenly called out, surprising the two.
"Oh crap, the bunny!" Panther exclaimed in a panic.
ZAP! ZAP!
"AAAHHH!" The two Thieves cried as millions of volts were sent through their bodies, allowing Hibari to roll into a hug with her guardian animal.
"Thank you, Ninto!" Hibari got out in a grateful manner as she hugged her guardian animal.
"N-Ngh...I don't think...bunnies are all that cute anymore." Panther struggled out as she managed to her feet.
"Not that bunny right now." Queen groaned as she rolled her shoulders and took a stance.
"You're just angry that Ninto is better than you!" Hibari called out as her rabbit glared at the Thieves.
"A little. Now come here!" Panther called out as they engaged in combat once again.
At that moment, Widow and Serpent began to recover from their paralysis, with the gray haired girl recovering first.
"Urgh...did I lick lightning rod?" Serpent murmured in a dazed manner before shaking her head.
"Serpent, get up! Panther and Queen will not last against Hibari for much longer!" Widow called out.
"Give me...Give me a minute..." Serpent got out, her body still twitching a little out of her control. "Go on without me."
Widow nodded to that and headed over to help the non-shinobi fight the pinkette.
"AAHH!" Panther screamed in pain as Hibari grabbed onto her ponytails and threw her into a support pillar.
"Are you okay!?" Widow exclaimed as Panther picked herself off the ground.
"Never...never better...oh god, everything hurts." The ash blonde groaned. "Heal me, Hecate." She soon commanded as she tore off her mask.
Meanwhile, the advisor wasn't having much luck in convincing Hibari to stop fighting them. "Please, we can explain ourselves-" She then started.
SMASH!
Hibari only responded by smashing a nearby chair over head and kicking her into another to roll her away from her. "U-Urgh..." Queen moaned, dazed and bruised.
"Panther, on your left!" Widow exclaimed as she rushed over, but was too late to stop Hibari's assault.
"YAH!" Panther yelped as she barely managed to move her body out of the way of a series of punches and kicks. "W-We aren't here to hurt you! We only just want to talk to Okumura-san! Promise!" She soon explained.
"I won't trust someone hiding behind a mask!" Hibari however responded as she pointed a finger at the group. "I don't know who you are, but I won't lose to the likes of you!" She then declared.
"Eh?" Panther got out in confusion.
"Hibari-san...can't recognise us." Queen realized as she touched her metal mask. Was it because they were unknown in the public consciousness?
"That's convenien- AAAAAHHHHH!" Panther suddenly screamed as she forced to the ground with her arm twisted behind her back.
"Stay down, weird cat lady!" Hibari whined before an idea came to mind. "Oh...I forgot to get handcuffs..." She soon realized before thinking. "Ah! But Katsu-nee taught me I could just make some out of my opponent's clothing!" She then remembered.
"What!?" Panther exclaimed before feeling the pinkette grab onto her skintight suit. "Hey, wait, don't-" She then started in a panic.
"Fūma! Hose her down!" Widow commanded.
SPLASH!
"WAH!" Hibari yelped as the weird spider woman blasted a torrent of water at her, forcing her off the ash blonde. "Ah! That's really c-cold!" She then got out, shivering as her gym jacket began to show her bra underneath.
"Urgh..." Panther moaned as Widow helped her to her feet. "What do they teach over there?" She wondered.
"Nothing but trouble for us right now." Serpent answered. "Okay, how do we want to do this?"
"Well, our best option right now is to escape the Kekkai and love to fight another day." Queen responded.
"That's easier said than done, Queen." The white haired woman grumbled. "A Shinobi Kekkai won't let anyone leave so easily, unless you want to come out of the other side as a charred crisp." Serpent then explained and suggested in a sarcastic manner.
"Then how do we get out of here!?" Panther demanded.
"We have to take down Hibari herself." Widow replied. "The only way to undo a Kekkai is to make the creator drop it. Either with enough convincing or by force." She concluded.
"And I get the feeling that negotiation is off the table." Queen sighed out before raising her fists. "Alright, let's take down Hibari-san"
"Then let's end this as quickly as possible." Serpent whispered as she tore off her mask. "Nobunaga, Mamudoon!" She soon commanded.
DOOM!
"Eep!" Hibari squeaked out as a black and red symbol began to glow under her feet. With no hesitation, she and Ninto jumped away. "What kind of technique is that!?" She soon asked in a panic.
"Are you trying to kill her!?" Queen exclaimed.
"No, it's safe." Widow quickly informed before wincing. "Personal experience." She then mumbled.
"Come on, we have to have something we know we can use to subdue her!" Serpent called out as the pinkette charged at her and kicked her in the stomach before jumping back and raining down some kunai at her. "Shit!" She swore in frustration.
"Give her a status effect!" Queen called out. "Something non-lethal! Anything but Despair!" She then instructed.
Serpent nodded to that. No Ominous Words. "Nobunaga, Stagnant Air!" She soon commanded.
Hibari coughed harshly as the air began to turn foul. "Ninto, cover your nose!" She soon called out, her eyes beginning to water at the stench.
"That's it! Dance, Hecate!" Panther called out, taking advantage of the situation. "Dormina!" She soon commanded.
"Ack!" Hibari yelped out before diving out of the way. "Whew! That was close!" She breathed out in relief.
"Stay still!" Widow soon ordered. "This hurts you more than it hurts us!" She then confessed.
"E-Emotionally!" Panther corrected. "Physically is a whole different story!" She then added.
"No, I won't give up! This is for the friends that are cheering me on at home!" Hibari responded as she shook her head before raising a fist to the air. "Ninto Vroom!" She then declared as her guardian arrived next to her on a cloud, allowing her to hop on and drive straight towards the Thieves.
BZZZZZZZZZT!
"AAAHHH!" The Thieves cried out in pain as they were essentially run over by the cloud as thousands of volts of electricity wreaked havoc with their bodies.
"I-I can't move!" Panther struggled to say.
"P-Paralysis!" Widow winced as her body jerked around.
Hibari soon smiled happily and excitedly as she looked down at the twitching enemies. "Yay! I took down the bad guys!" She cheered with enthusiasm. "You're all coming with me!" She then declared as she ran in.
"Not...so...fast...!" Serpent struggled out as she forced her body to fight through the paralysis. "Oh, it really hurts just to move...!" She soon admitted. It actually hurt more than her best friend's own lightning!
"EH!? You should be down!" Hibari exclaimed in disbelief.
"Never underestimate your opponent." The white haired woman responded with a smirk. "Even you should know that, right?" Serpent then pointed out.
Hibari immediately puffed up her cheek in anger. "...BUTT GO BOOM!" She soon shouted out, growing in size once again.
Serpent's eye immediately twitched. "Aw man." She muttered.
"Serpent, the next time you tell our opponent not to underestimate us...make them underestimate us." Queen kindly informed as the pinkette hovered her giant foot over the group.
"Alright, I get that it's my fault!" Serpent countered before bracing herself. "In case I forget to say it later: ow." She then added.
STOMP!
However...
"RRRRGGGGHHHH!" Serpent growled through gritted teeth as she barely stopped the foot from crushing them all.
"Huh?" Hibari got out in confusion, feeling something underneath her foot stopping her. "Stop doing that!" She then demanded as she pushed harder.
"I will when I die!" Serpent responded as the floor began to give way under her feet. "In about ten seconds- fucking shit, I hate everything!" She then complained her muscles burned hotter than the sun. "HELP ME OUT HERE NOBUNAGA!" She then ordered, summoning her Persona to her side as he supported her to help.
Upon seeing the purple flames, Hibari soon puffed out her cheeks again and lifted up her foot. "I said STOP!" She then shouted out in frustration as she stomped even harder than before...
STAB!
...Only to feel something prick the underside of her big toe.
Hibari's eyes immediately widened as tears formed in her eyes. "OWIE!" She screamed as she hopped around, clutching onto her foot, which had a katana sticking out of her shoe...which damaged the floor enough to cause her to fall through a couple of stories.
"...Whoops..." Serpent got out as the group watched as the pinkette shrank back to her normal size before she rushed in and got her katana back before jumping back to the others.
"We...aren't damaging the office in the real world, right?" Panther asked as she began to recover from the paralysis.
"No. Shinobi Kekkai can copy environments to trap unsuspecting shinobi." Widow answered.
"Thanks for the reminder." Panther responded with a sigh of relief. Such destruction would not reflect well on them.
Soon enough, Hibari jumped back up to them and glared at the Thieves. The fall had caused a lot of damage to her outfit, from her jacket hanging open to reveal her pink bra to her biker shorts being completely gone and revealing her bunny panties. "You're...not getting away with this!" She called out as she went into her battle stance.
"Please give up!" Queen pleaded. "We'll leave and forget about this, just stop!" She then offered.
"But then...you'll just do bad things elsewhere..." Hibari pointed out as she wiped the dust off her nose. "And a Good Shinobi...protects justice no matter what happens!" She then declared in a determined manner.
The white haired woman soon groaned as she looked at the pinkette. "I was saving this for the CEO, but it looks like we have no choice!" Serpent shouted out as she threw the vial at the pinkette as fast as a bullet.
SHATTER!
The vial shattered at her feet, causing the chloroform to almost directly get into Hibari's lungs without her being able to stop it.
"Nice throw." Panther complimented.
"No big deal." Serpent responded with a nod.
Hibari soon began to sway from side to side as a yawn then escaped her lips before soon realizing what happened. "No...Don't...fall...asleep..." She mumbled out
SLAP!
"AH!" Hibari yelped as she rubbed her head. "Owie...you didn't have to do it so hard, Ninto..." She soon whined as the bunny patted her head.
The group meanwhile looked on in disbelief at what happened. "Oh, we forgot about the bunny..." Panther remembered.
"...OH COME ON!" Serpent exclaimed at the sight with a twitching eye. "Fuck it! EVIL TOUCH!" She then commanded as her Persona rushed forward with a glowing purple hand.
"Serpent!" Widow and Queen exclaimed in shock.
The Persona was moving too fast, the pinkette wasn't fast enough to dodge what was to come. "AH!" Hibari yelped as she braced herself.
However, nothing hit her.
"Huh?" Hibari got out before looking around...and immediately recognizing where she was. Was she...
Dread began to fill her body.
No...No, she couldn't be back here. She left, she should be...she should be...
"Hibari-chan, it is time for you to show the results of your training at Hanzō Academy."
She was back home.
And she had nothing to show.
SHATTER!
(Roppongi, Okumura Foods Headquarters)
SLAP!
And with one hard enough slap, Hibari was knocked out of the illusion and subsequently knocked out.
"There. That should do it." Miyabi sighed out as she dusted off her hands.
"Serpent..." Yumi began with disapproval in her voice.
"Even that rabbit got affected, too." Makoto observed, noticing said rabbit unconscious on the ground.
"Her Kekkai's down, and she's still alive. I call that a win." Miyabi countered. "Now come on! Reinforcements might be coming!" She then ordered.
"Right!" Ann responded with a nod before heading on their way. However, she stopped and looked down at the swirly-eyed and unconscious pinkette. "Sorry Hibari-chan, I'll make it up to you with some sweets in the future." She muttered before catching up with the others.
"Huh...?" However, Hibari began to stir just as the ash blonde left. "What...happened?" She mumbled out before snapping awake when she heard several guards run by her.
"H-Hey! Stop!"
"Holy- Don't let them get away!
At that moment, the white haired woman took the brunette's hand while the light gray haired girl did the same with the ash blonde's hand before turning around a corner, losing sight of the chasing guards, and...
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Vanishing without a trace.
"No! No!" Hibari cried out as she watched the intruders run away. "I failed to capture them..." She then thought in growing worry.
"We should inform Okumura-sama right away." The guard however stated. "All of you, run a clean sweep of the place! See if there's anything out of the ordinary this time." He soon ordered, the other guards nodding and running off before smirking at the pinkette. "Good work at least driving them away Hibari-san." He then added.
"Thank you." Hibari responded as she let out a huge sigh of relief. "Was that...the Phantom Thieves?" She then wondered.
"It was probably some former employees." One of the guards however replied. "They were wearing these weird masks though. Probably got the idea from them."
"...Huh?" Hibari got out in confusion as she looked back to where they were. "But they...nevermind..." She then started before shaking her head and standing up.
She really wasn't sure what just happened...
(Alleyway)
The recently escaped four had their breaths taken out of their lungs in complete exhaustion. They were now alone in an alleyway nearby, far from public attention.
"Oh my God...oh my God...I can't believe we got away..." Makoto breathed out.
"That went completely and utterly FUBAR!" Miyabi growled.
"Shinobi can grow into building size!?" Ann however asked.
"That is not something a shinobi can normally do!" Miyabi stated in shock. She was going to question her student about this when she got home.
"Well, I guess being punched in the face with her butt isn't normal either." Makoto grumbled as she rubbed her sore cheek.
"No, wait, I believe Homura-san told me she knew someone who could fight with her butt..." Yumi recalled.
"We outnumbered her!" Ann called out. "You two are shinobi, the leaders of your teams! How the hell did we almost lose!?" She then reminded and asked.
"Ann, don't get angry..." Makoto got out.
"I'm not! I'm in disbelief!" Ann insisted as she clutched her chest. "We didn't even make it to Okumura's office!" She then reminded.
"We...We were not expecting Hibari-san's fighting style." Yumi confessed in shame.
"Yeah. She can pack a serious punch..." Miyabi grumbled. "And what was with her bunny!? It was so cute until it tried to maul our faces off!" She then admitted.
"Mona has some serious competition." Ann had to admit before realizing something. "...You thought it was cute too Miyabi?" She then asked, causing the white haired woman to blush.
"I mean...so is Morgana, but that's besides the point!" Miyabi stammered out before groaning. "Ugh...for a first year, she's pretty good." She then muttered as she rubbed her forehead. "And while Yumi was definitely holding back, I was giving it my one hundred percent and it still wasn't enough..." She then mentally cursed herself for her weakness.
"Hai. It surprised me as well." Yumi confessed in agreement. "To think someone so cute could be that strong." She then added. Guess that held credence to her "cuteness is justice" theory.
"She's definitely earned her bunny guardian animal." Miyabi muttered as she rubbed her sore...everything.
"So...what do we do now? We can't do that again." Ann asked and pointed out. "And I don't want to fight Hibari-chan." She then added.
"Or any shinobi for that matter." Makoto added. "It would be best to return home for the night." She soon suggested.
"Agreed." Yumi responded with a nod.
"Hold up, girls." Miyabi interrupted just as they were about to walk to the nearest train station, catching everyone's attention and glancing towards the white-haired woman. "Uhh...everyone, our clothes..." She soon stated.
Her fellow teammates acknowledged it by looking down...and subsequently blushed as they realized they had essentially streaked over to their hiding spot...and may have flashed several guards before they escaped.
"KYAAAAAAA!" Makoto let out a mortified scream as she covered herself.
"Huwah!" Ann yelped as she covered herself as well. "W-When did this happen to us!?" She soon exclaimed in confusion.
"Quiet down, you two!" Miyabi scolded, trying to calm the two down a bit. "We don't wanna get people noticing us." She then stated.
"Ah, r-right, sorry." Makoto apologized right away. "B-But...did anyone see us naked?" She soon asked in concern.
"Well, those guards did..." Ann reminded, still blushing a bit while covering her nude state.
"Shouldn't you already be used to this?" Miyabi questioned as she narrowed her eyes. "The more important question you should be asking is if they have seen our faces or any distinguishing marks. But, if it provides you some comfort, it was rather dark in there and we were moving as fast as we could to take out all the guards. It is unlikely they saw anything private." She then pointed out in a serious manner.
Ann and Makoto's faces only grew even more red as they nearly fainted from the embarrassment.
Miyabi simply crouched down to avoid possible public attention. At least it was now night time. "Makoto, Ann, I have to remind you guys that you might wanna get used to these kinds of things from now on. Just in case." She then advised the two.
"...S-Seriously?" Ann got out in disbelief.
Makoto however sighed. "Honestly, I should have expected this." She soon confessed. "Well, at least no one knows about this, even the guys." She then added.
"You know they will eventually experience the same thing the more we do these kinds of things, right?" Miyabi responded.
That immediately caused the two non-shinobi female Phantom Thieves froze.
"Wait...does that mean that we'll...?" Makoto stated and trailed off, knowing the context of what the white-haired woman was saying.
"As much as I hate to admit, it is plausible. Inevitable, even." Miyabi admitted in a dead serious tone.
"Jeez, now I have to deal with naked boys, too? And I thought only the female shinobis get to witness these kinds of things..." Ann groaned.
"Aw, I'm sure you've seen either Akira or Ryuji's penis at some point." Miyabi dismissively got out, causing the civilians to blush even more. "Come on, it's just a body. You've taken health classes." She then pointed out.
"Real life is a lot heavier than a textbook." Makoto stated. "Just...I know it has been a couple of months since we had to endure this...this insanity, but it just feels..." She then started before trailing off.
"Overwhelming." Ann concluded, the brunette nodding in agreement as a result. "Now, can we please get back to the fact that we are screwed right now!?" She soon requested.
"We still have Team Phantom and Team Yin-Yang-Mo. We aren't completely doomed just yet." Miyabi reminded. "We just need a new approach. A new view." She then stated.
"That being...?" Ann pressed with a frown.
"We'll...figure something out. Eventually." Yumi reassured.
"Eventually isn't solving anything. We need something now." Miyabi got out impatiently.
"Yeah, and you better actually involve us this time when you start scheming." Makoto added
"Well, let's solve our clothing situation first before we do anything else." Yumi suggested. It was actually quite a cool night, so it felt...a little unpleasant to the tips of her breasts.
"...Oh crap, we left our clothes in the bathroom." Ann breathed out, holding back the urge to panic. "Um...do you think they're still there or..." She then started.
Miyabi immediately blinked before sighing. "Give me a moment..." She groaned before vanishing for a second before reappearing with the paper bags in hand.
"...I love knowing shinobi..." Ann and Makoto breathed out in relief as they got themselves dressed.
"Wait, these aren't our panties. Where's our panties?" Yumi asked in confusion as she pulled out a seemingly fresh and clean pair that looked their own.
"You don't want to know." Miyabi answered in a serious tone.
And that ended that line of conversation as the girls began to put on their civilian clothing.
"Too bad those bodysuits didn't survive." Makoto muttered in disappointment as she adjusted her hairband. "They look really good on us, too." She then added as the ash blonde nodded in agreement.
"We can just ask Akira to use his funds to buy for all of us this time." Miyabi replied.
"Only if he is interested in the idea of buying those kinds of suits." Yumi however stated.
"He might." Makoto responded before pausing. "But that would mean getting the guys bodysuits as well..." She then realized.
"W-What?" Yumi gasped in shock. "That's ridiculous. There's no way Leader would..." She then scoffed at the idea before trailing off as a red blush began to form on her face.
"I mean...he does tend to buy matching sets of armor for all of us..." Ann soon got out. "...And Akira would want to wear it just to mess with us..." She then added with a sigh.
"..." Makoto soon began to glow red as her imagination began to run wild...all while blood was beginning to trickle out her nose.
"I mean, you made the boys crossdress back at Mementos as their punishment, Ann." Yumi however reminded.
"Excuse me?" Makoto and Miyabi got out in confusion.
"Just be glad Futaba isn't here." Ann deadpanned as she shook her head. "Now let's finish up and go home already. I'm sore, tired, and miserable." She then groaned in an exhausted manner.
With that, all conversation ended, they got fully dressed, burned the bags until they were nothing but cinders and went home for the night.
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
Asuka and Homura had met up at the train station earlier and were telling each other everything that had happened to them over the day. Homura was, of course, pissed at Okumura and his treatment of his daughter but there was something else she was worrying about...
"Hibari's here!?" Homura gasped in concern. "Okumura must've hired Hanzō Academy to protect him..." She then deducted.
"Yep. He did." Asuka confirmed with a nod. "Things are becoming way too complicated..." She then admitted.
"I know." Homura sighed out. "The universe is really throwing us into the fire after summer and Hawaii, huh." She then remarked with mirth.
"I don't blame the universe, I blame the Conspiracy." Asuka corrected with a pout. "Stupid jerks. What did we do to them?" She then grumbled.
"Probably fear for their hearts." Homura assumed. "I bet every one of those bastards has a Palace ready to collapse." She then assumed.
"And we'll get to them later. But right now, we need to focus on stopping the Phantom Thieves from taking the blame for their crimes." Asuka soon stated. "We have to expose them somehow..." She then mumbled as she closed her eyes to think.
"Don't worry, Sis. They'll slip up. Everyone does." Homura assured her sister. "I should know." She then mumbled under her breath as she grabbed her keys.
However, at that moment, they saw a very tired and disheveled Miyabi limping over to her apartment, barely acknowledging the two as she patted herself down, hoping she didn't leave her keys somewhere in the city.
"Oh, good evening Miyabi-chan." Asuka greeted.
"You look like hell." Homura remarked. "Where were you?" She soon asked.
"I was at the Okumura Foods HQ with my team." Miyabi answered. "As you can guess, nothing went to plan." She then added.
Homura let out a groan. "What did you guys do?" She asked as she opened the door.
"Try to kidnap the CEO." Miyabi casually revealed as she headed into the sister's apartment and sat on the couch.
"You tried to what?" The sisters got out in disbelief.
"Like I said, try, but we didn't succeed at even getting to him." Miyabi informed as she rubbed her forehead. "Unfortunately, we ran into one of your friends guarding the place." She then revealed.
"Ah, you encountered Hibari-chan..." Asuka awkwardly got out as she scratched her cheek.
"Yeah," Miyabi responded with a nod. "She's...different in terms of techniques." She then confessed with a sweatdrop.
"Huh?" Homura got out in confusion
"We got our asses kicked by her ass." Miyabi responded in shame. "And that rabbit of hers..." She soon muttered.
"Ah, she used Ninto too." Asuka quietly realized with a sweatdrop.
BZZT! BZZT!
At that moment, the trio took their phones out.
[TheWildJ0ker: Mission sitrep, everyone.]
[Shut7heFUp: What? You mean stereo?]
[DarkEyeXI: Situation report. What did everyone do today?]
(...)
(...)
[Alibaba9: No one is talking.]
[All4Painting: We can see that.]
[Road2Queen: The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go to sleep.]
[Shut7heFUp: Rough day?]
[DarkEyeXI: You don't even know the half of it.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Okay, okay. To everyone who failed their objective, be honest and text "Waffles"]
[Road2Queen: ...Waffles?]
[TheWildJ0ker: It was the first thing I could think of.]
[Shut7heFUp: You getting hungry or somethin', dude?]
[TheWildJ0ker: Probably.]
[Alibaba9: Sojiro's waffles are the best!]
[TheWildJ0ker: They definitely are. Anyway, back to our current problem, text Waffles if you failed on your objective.]
(...)
[Road2Queen: Waffles...]
[TheWildJ0ker: Didn't go very well on your end, Makoto?]
[Road2Queen: Yes, Leader.]
[Sweetkat06: It involved kidnapping and terrible decisions.]
[Negative8Degrees: Miyabi and I will take responsibility for that.]
[DarkEyeXI: Hey! What do you- Ah, screw it. Can't worm our way out of this one.]
[All4Painting: It is a "Waffles" for us as well.]
(...)
[SushiRoll23: Waffles.]
[Alibaba9: Even your group failed Big Sis?]
[DarkEyeXI: Yeah...]
[Road2Queen: Did none of us succeed?]
[TheWildJ0ker: Like Yusuke said, failed on ours. Didn't even get anything major from it.]
[Alibaba9: Yep, Leader and Inari were right. Dumb person's Palace didn't even know crap.]
[Alibaba9: ...]
[Alibaba9: Except the guy's secret fetish, though. It was pretty weird if you ask me.]
[DarkEyeXI: Futaba Sakura, do you want me to come over to your house right now?]
[Alibaba9: Kidding, kidding.]
(...)
[Alibaba9: But seriously though...]
[TheWildJ0ker: Oracle, please. Enough.]
[Shut7thFUp: Man, this is bullshit! Frickin' Akechi...]
[Negative8Degrees: Language, Ryuji.]
[Alibaba9: But what was with that little bit of hesitation, Vice Leader?]
[Alibaba9: Something happened?]
[FireGirl20: Stuff certainly happened alright...]
[TheWildJ0ker: Okay, first off, did anything happen to Okumura?]
[Alibaba9: There was a report about a break-in at the headquarters.]
[Alibaba9: Nothing was stolen, but a ton of damage was done. They even smashed a statue!]
(...)
[FireGirl20: Really?]
[Alibaba9: Yup.]
[Sweetkat06: Did you know about this, Homura?]
[SushiRoll23: We...may have been the cause.]
[Negative8Degrees: You caused all that property damage?]
[FireGirl20: It was completely unintentional Yumi-senpai, I swear.]
[SushiRoll23: We were...shot out of the Metaverse really fast.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Guys. That happened last night.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Did you guys enter the Palace right after the meeting yesterday?]
[SushiRoll23: We will claim responsibility.]
[DarkEyeXI: You guys were the reason for the increased security!?]
[TheWildJ0ker: Morgana apologizes for that.]
[DarkEyeXI: Great. Literally every part of our plan has been jeopardized.]
[DarkEyeXI: It is a wonder we are even still alive.]
[Alibaba9: I think the problem here is that we should've communicated with each other about our plans...]
[Shut7heFUp: Shit, what do we do now?]
[All4Painting: Asuka, how much info did you get from the Palace?]
[SushiRoll23: Aside from its actual appearance and a few Shadows, not a lot.]
[Shut7heFUp: But you got the keywords, right?]
[FireGirl20: Kunikazu Okumura. The Okumura Food HQ in Roppongi. Space Station.]
[All4Painting: So we can infiltrate his Palace now...]
[Road2Queen: At least that's finally covered for all of us here.]
[Sweetkat06: What are we going to do about our next move?]
[DarkEyeXI: We don't have leads to other Palaces, Okumura is basically shut off from us, and the more time we spend running around screwing up, the sooner the Conspiracy gets an upper hand on us we can't steal away.]
(...)
[Shut7heFUp: I mean...Okumura has to know SOMEONE with a Palace that we can target...]
[FireGirl20: Guys, we've already talked about this. Okumura is a trap.]
[SushiRoll23: Not to mention Hibari-chan is here too.]
[Shut7heFUp: Hibari? That a classmate of ours?]
[Sweetkat06: Seriously, Ryuji?]
[FireGirl20: Of course you forgot about her already.]
[Shut7heFUp: Hey, sorry, alright? Don't remember much about people I didn't hang around with more often. At least gimme a break here.]
[SushiRoll23: She was at the beach that time with us, remember? Pink hair. Ring a bell?]
[Shut7heFUp: Wait...oh...Ohhh. The one with the weird eyes, right? Yeah, I remember her. And she was with Katsu-chan, too. Riiiiight. Sorry, sorry.]
[Sweetkat06: You just have to call her that, huh, Ryuji.]
[TheWildJ0ker: So Okumura hired Hanzō Academy now.]
[DarkEyeXI: Yep. And given the damage we've done, they're going to be a lot more cautious now.]
[TheWildJ0ker: We're not targeting him. We're using his Palace to gather information. There's a difference.]
[All4Painting: That might work. It'll be a quick infiltration. Get in, get what we need, get out. Easy as that.]
[FireGirl20: Whenever we say that, it never goes well.]
[SushiRoll23: Just let Team Yin-Yang-Mo scout the Palace. We'll get as much info as we can, and from there we can figure out our next move.]
[Negative8Degrees: That sounds reasonable. A smaller team would allow for better stealth.]
[DarkEyeXI: Hibari will be watching the area like a hawk though. How do we get past her without getting into another major fight?]
[Road2Queen: It's possible Asuka could do something about her.]
[SushiRoll23: But she's on a mission. I can't get her to just leave or look the other way if I ask nicely.]
[Shut7heFUp: Have you tried that or somethin'?]
(...)
[Alibaba9: There is only a negative thirty-two point three three, repeating of course, percent chance of that working.]
[Negative8Degrees: What sort of algorithm calculated that? How did you even get such a number?]
[Alibaba9: I didn't. I made it the hell up.]
[Alibaba9: But I'm saying the chances are slim to none.]
[FireGirl20: We can figure it out tomorrow.]
[FireGirl20: But I'm proud that you managed to survive a direct encounter with a shinobi. Ann, Makoto, you're lucky to be able to even walk.]
[Road2Queen: It was your training that helped us until we got access to our Personas.]
[Road2Queen: Although, I think I might need to stay away from bunnies for a while.]
[Sweetkat06: CAN WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HIBARI-CHAN BEING ABLE TO GROW TO THE SIZE OF A BUILDING AS ONE OF HER TECHNIQUES!? PLEASE!?]
(...)
[FireGirl20: Wait what?]
[Shut7heFUp: Huh? The hell are you talkin' about, Ann?]
[SushiRoll23: Oh, she mastered it? That's great!]
[SushiRoll23: Wait...oh...she used it against you, didn't she?]
[Road2Queen: We were lucky to be in her Kekkai...]
[Alibaba9: Waitwaitwaitwaitwait...SHE CAN BECOME KAIJU SIZE!? You're not joking from the looks of it. THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!]
[Sweetkat06: Not when you're on the receiving end of her ass on your face!]
(...)
[Shut7heFUp: Was it soft?]
[Sweetkat06: I am going to kill you tomorrow.]
[Sweetkat06: Homura, we're gonna need more training from you in the future.]
[Road2Queen: Agreed. We are going to need to keep up.]
[Road2Queen: And it has been a while since we did battle with one another.]
[Negative8Degrees: I admit, I've been slacking on my training if that fight was anything to go by.]
[DarkEyeXI: Yeah, I'm still not strong enough yet.]
[DarkEyeXI: You better challenge us to more fights, Leader!]
[Shut7heFUp: US!?]
[TheWildJ0ker: When we have the time, Miyabi.]
[TheWildJ0ker: Hey, would it be a jerk move if you told us all your friends' weaknesses just in case, Asuka?]
[SushiRoll23: I would never betray my friends like that!]
(...)
[SushiRoll23: But...for the good of the team and my friends, I can make an exception.]
[SushiRoll23: But not by traumatizing them with Brainwashing, Fear or Despair!]
[Alibaba9: Rage, Forget, Confuse, Sleep, Dizzy?]
[SushiRoll23: Fair game as long as they're temporary.]
[DarkEyeXI: Alright, from now on we will not inflict Brainwashing, Despair or Fear on your friends.]
[Negative8Degrees: You would say that after what happened to Hibari.]
(...)
[TheWildJ0ker: Hold on, hold on. Members of Yumi's group, you did not inflict Hibari with one of those three Status Effects, right?]
(...)
[TheWildJ0ker: What Status Effect did you apply to her?]
(...)
[TheWildJ0ker: Let me guess...one of you gave her Despair, right?]
[TheWildJ0ker: And from what Yumi just texted, it was you, Miyabi. Wasn't it?]
(...)
[TheWildJ0ker: Yumi. I think you're about to be an accomplice for murder.]
[Negative8Degrees: What are you]
[Negative8Degrees: oh]
[Alibaba9: Welp...so much for the innocence of cute, little Hibari...]
[DarkEyeXI: Oh God, Asuka is glaring at me like I drowned her goldfish.]
[DarkEyeXI: It's...a little cute actually.]
"STOP TEXTING!" Asuka suddenly exclaimed with a blush, causing the white haired woman to fumble with her phone.
"Oi! She's my sister! Not yours!" Homura declared in a possessive manner.
"Homura, I am not flirting with her right now." Miyabi deadpanned. "I thought you liked compliments like that." She then added.
"W-Well...shut up!" Homura got out in a flustered manner.
"The sister complex is strong in this one." Miyabi quietly remarked to herself.
"J-Just don't mess with me or my friends anymore." Homura got out, puffing out her cheeks. She then turned to see her sister grinding her teeth together. "...Oh, right, Sis. Your turn." She then reminded.
"GIVE ME YOUR BUTT!" Asuka demanded out as she jumped onto the white haired woman.
"O-Oi, don't get too- STOP PULLING MY PANTS DOWN!" Miyabi yelled out her demands as the Vice Leader managed to get her on her lap while pulling out her pants to expose her lace panty-covered behind.
TWACK!
"AAHH!" Miyabi cried out, as a red handprint was left on her right cheek. The Vice Leader did not hesitate to pull her hand back, preparing to make her left cheek match.
"Huh. To watch an adult be spanked by a teenager." Homura muttered out...right before aiming her phone at the scene and opening up the camera app. "This might become my new wallpaper." She then decided with a smirk.
"DON'T YOU EFFIN' DARE!" Miyabi growled, baring her teeth like rabid dog to scare the-
TWACK!
"OW!" Miyabi yelped out as her eyes dilated for a moment. "I'm sorry, mama!" She then cried out in a more childish tone.
SHATTER!
"...Eh?" The sisters got out at the same time.
The white haired woman soon realized what she said and slowly began to blush as she quickly began to pull up her pants. "N-Nothing. You didn't hear anything." Miyabi immediately retorted back, trying (and failing) to keep a straight face.
"Yeah. It was...it was nothing." Asuka quickly responded. "Miyabi-sensei's mama..." She thought to herself in a sympathetic tone. "Just...don't ever do that again." She soon ordered.
"Wouldn't. Dream of it." Miyabi assured with closed eyes and crossed arms under her chest.
"So...um...what were we talking about again?" Homura asked, attempting to change the subject back to something more appropriate.
"The fact that we're going to walk into a trap without trying to set it off." Asuka answered. "I mean...we've done this with bear traps before. This is...essentially that." She then concluded in a weak tone.
"Yeah..." Miyabi got out with a frown. "That does not sound as good of an idea when you put it like that." She then admitted.
"It wasn't even a decent idea in the first place. It's our only idea!" Homura called out before covering her face with her hands. "Ugh, why am I drawing a blank on actual good ideas now?" She soon groaned.
"There's no helping it right now." Asuka got out in an assuring tone. "All we can do is do our best." She then encouraged.
"Asuka, are you sure that you and Homura can handle this?" Miyabi eventually asked in a serious yet concerned tone.
The Vice Leader in response nodded. "Hai, we'll be alright Miyabi-chan." Asuka reassured. "We have Mona-chan too, after all." She then reminded.
"Who caused the Palace Security Level to go up in the first place." Miyabi groaned. "It takes time to die down, right? Two days probably isn't enough, and I know tougher Shadows will be wandering around. You need backup." She then stated and reminded.
"Don't worry. We have that covered." Asuka responded with a smirk. "We, uh, met a friend while we were there." She vaguely revealed.
"A friend?" Miyabi repeated with a raised eyebrow for a moment before narrowing them. "...A Persona-user?" She then assumed in a serious tone.
"They would rather remain anonymous right now, before you ask." Homura replied, her sister nodding in agreement.
"You met a Persona-user in there!?" Miyabi exclaimed. "...Is it Black Mask?" She then questioned in a more serious tone.
"No." Asuka and Homura instantly shut down.
"Are you sure?" Miyabi pressed as she narrowed her eyes. "Remember to look underneath the underneath." She then reminded.
"We're sure." Asuka got out with confidence. "Don't worry. Once they're ready to show themselves, you can trust them with your life." She then reassured.
"...Just remember to use everything you learned from me so far. You are my student after all." Miyabi soon instructed with some pride in her voice while patting the Vice Leader's head.
Asuka in response nodded once more. "Hai! Sensei!" She responded with determination. "Now, get out." She then requested in a blunt manner.
"I said I was sorry for that..." Miyabi responded.
"Say sorry to Hibari-chan!" Asuka called out as she pushed the woman out of the apartment before shutting and locking the door. "Whew, that felt good." She breathed out.
Suddenly though, Homura giggled.
"What?" Asuka got out with a raised eyebrow.
The tan skinned girl however shook her head in response. "Mmm...nothing much." Homura replied. "Just didn't expect such a tone from you." She then admitted.
"If Hibari-chan has any nightmares, I'll make Miyabi-chan's life a nightmare." Asuka darkly declared. "Only for a few days. I need her to be sane and healthy to help me." She then added with a smirk.
The tan skinned girl in turn giggled once more in amusement. "Sis. You both impress me and scare me." Homura confessed.
Upon hearing that, the Vice Leader blushed. "O-Oh, is that too much?" Asuka got out as she shyly poked her fingers together.
"Not at all." Homura responded as she shook her head. "It actually suits you rather well. Scary to your enemies, sweet to your friends." She then confessed.
"But I don't want to be mean to every enemy." Asuka admitted. "Everyone has a story leading them to why we're on different sides. We could be friends if I tried." She then stated.
"And I respect your ideology, but you also must remember that it might be possible not to." Homura responded. "Would you have attempted to do so with our targets like Kamo-" She then began.
"Oh hell no! Not after what any of them did!" Asuka responded in a furious manner, interrupting her sister. "Don't even try and ask anything like that ever again!" She then ordered.
"So you see my point?" Homura calmly assumed, not even phased by the outburst.
"Yeah, but until they do something unforgivable, it's all fair game." Asuka responded with a nod. "After all, I gave you a chance. And everyone at least deserves that." She then reminded.
"True. I will never regret what you have done for me Sis." Homura confessed.
"Same here." Asuka replied in agreement with a nod. "And there's no way I'll let anyone take away our chances at happiness..." She then darkly declared.
"Hai, you had brought me out of a dark path after all." Homura soon reminded.
"Ah you're just being modest Homu-neechan." Asuka sheepishly responded while rubbing the back of her head.
The tan skinned girl soon giggled as she then noticed it was getting late. "Come along now, it's time for our nightly bath before bed Sis." Homura soon instructed as she walked to the bathroom in a more elegant manner.
Asuka in turn smirked. "Sure thing, I could use a good soak Homu-neechan." She replied as she stretched her limbs before they both entered the bathroom together, the tan skinned girl elegantly taking her clothes off while the Vice Leader simply took off and tossed hers aside into the hamper.
They still have a lot to do in regards to their current situation right now, but they weren't going to let anything stop them.
Not even the person in the shadows that left without either of them even noticing they were there to begin with.
After leaving, Miyabi returned to her own apartment, closing and locking the door behind her. "Well, I guess I should take a shower before-" She then started as she stripped down before...
BZZT! BZZT!
"Hm?" Miyabi hummed out in a curious manner as she got her phone out. "Imu?" She muttered as she answered. "Miyabi speaking." She responded in a serious tone.
"Miyabiiiiii!" Imu cried out. "Murasaki hates meeeeeeee!" She then added while weeping.
"...What?" Miyabi had to ask in disbelief.
"She hates meeeeeee!" Imu cried out once more.
"Imu, you started a conversation like this years ago after accidentally eating her pudding and she wouldn't talk to you for a day." Miyabi muttered with a sigh. "Did that happen again?" She then questioned.
"No! It's way worse! Like...I sort of forced her to use the Root." Imu answered.
That immediately got the white haired woman's attention. "...Ok, explain what exactly happened between you and Murasaki." Miyabi instructed with a sigh.
And so, Imu had retold her best friend/secret crush about everything that happened that day.
And the white haired woman became completely livid as a result. "Imu! Why did you do something so dangerous and stupid!?" Miyabi questioned in anger. She may have been concerned for her friend now being in a wheelchair with her bones shattered, but that was not the topic of the discussion at the moment.
"Because the Root of Calamity isn't something you can just ignore." Imu responded in a serious tone. "I wasn't just going to let Murasaki win. The real world doesn't work like that. Plus, the higher ups wouldn't be satisfied if they didn't see it in action." She then explained and stated.
"Well she didn't exactly enjoy her life so far thanks to it in the first place. Her hating it and wanting to reject it was expected if she started thinking about it." Miyabi reminded, recalling one of mental discussions with Nobunga on the matter...despite it being more like him nagging her until she realized he was actually right.
"See? You can't just get rid of the Root once you have it. It's stuck with you for life, and now that we're in Hebijo, they're going to force her to use it or die." Imu stated with a frustrated groan. "I really wish there was a better way, I really do, but there's nothing I can do that can stop them. The only thing I can see working is that Murasaki starts killing a lot of staff right now."
"Well, killing does solve a lot of pro-" Miyabu began before shaking her head. "No! I want there to be something left that I can inherit! Wait, what did my father say about this?" She then stated and questioned.
"That it was out of his hands." Imu responded. "Investors or something." She then recalled.
"Ugh, Dōgen..." Miyabi quietly muttered to herself. "I keep hearing that my father can't do anything about...anything over there! I swear, I'm gonna kill him the first chance I-" She soon promised herself before remembering a certain hitch to that plan. "Grrr...!" Sheh growled out in frustration.
"Oh God, how did it all end up like this?" Imu mumbled. "Miyabi, please give me some good advice here. I-I don't know what to do anymore to get people on my side." She then pleaded.
The white haired woman soon groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I understand your point of view. If you have the power, why not use it for your own gain." Miyabi admitted, rubbing the back of her neck as she glanced over to her model minigun. "But...I'm not exactly the best person to talk to about dealing with siblings. If anything, you're probably the closest thing to a sibling I'll ever have in my life, and if you screwed up this much, then I haven't been doing my goddamn job." She then reminded and admitted.
"N-No, don't say that. It's my mistake, not yours in any way." Imu responded.
"Well, it sure feels like it. But if I haven't learned anything while here in Tokyo, it's that I think you need to understand each other first." Miyabi continued. "Lock yourselves in a room and not leave until all your issues with each other are resolved." She then instructed.
"Are you...are you basing your advice off TV again?" Imu questioned in an incredulous tone.
Miyabi blinked before turning off her television. "No, no I'm not. I just don't really have an answer here. If anything, maybe an apology should work." She responded and stated.
"I don't think she'll accept it though." Imu however replied in an uneasy tone. "And besides...I believe I'm in the right here. Just because I don't have any other friends doesn't invalidate that she is going to kill herself. They're encouraging such destructive behavior and I...I don't want to lose her." She then revealed and stated.
Miyabi however groaned. Her best friend just had to be so stubborn and now she could feel Nobunaga banging his head against her skull out of hearing the stupidity from her best friend. "Then you tell it to their faces, and if they ignore it, then leave yourself out of it. Let them learn the hard way." She soon ordered. "What is she even doing that you disapprove of exactly?" She then asked in a more curious manner.
"She's refusing to use the Root of Calamity and has been exercising like crazy." Imu revealed.
Oh, she felt the banging in her head intensifying now..." ...And you call that a bad thing because?" Miyabi had to ask in confusion. Even she knew how dangerous and destructive that power was.
"The Root of Calamity is strengthened by sadness and anger. And they're encouraging those emotions. The more she rejects it, the less control she has over it." Imu responded and explained.
Well, that wasn't exactly the most dramatic fuel source. Plenty of shinobi live through sheer spite and grief. She should know, she's been running from that for years. "Then tell them that!" Miyabi then called out.
"They won't listen to me anymore! I keep telling you that!" Imu countered.
"...Was this because you've been constantly nagging them and constantly persisting with them?" Miyabi assumed with a sweatdrop.
"..." Imu said nothing in response.
"Imu..." Miyabi groaned while palming her face.
"It's not like I'm entirely to blame here. The teachers needed all that stuff done and I was afraid that she wouldn't finish in time." Imu however stated in denial. "Plus, Hikage and the other two...I know they're plotting something. I don't know what, but they definitely are doing something behind the scenes." She soon declared.
"Imu, I think you're just being paranoid." Miyabi sighed out. "Plus you might've been the reason for this." She then added.
"..."
"I get that you dislike Hikage because of her bullying, but this has escalated too much and that was in the past. At this point, I don't care who started it. You're both to blame for letting it get to this point so either talk it out or die trying." Miyabi sighed out. "And this applies to the others. None of them tried to play mediator, did they?" She then added.
"They'd rather support one another at the expense of everyone else." Imu countered. "We're supposed to be comrades..." She then added.
"Well, comrades talk to each other and maybe they want Murasaki to be happy. Something a sibling should be doing as well." Miyabi stated, thinking about her fellow thieves for a moment before sighing. "Look, it's late, and I just got back from a big fight earlier. Can I please go to sleep now?" She soon informed and requested.
"A-Alright. Have a good night Miyabi..." Imu responded. "Wait wha-" She then started.
Miyabi however hung up and sighed in frustration. "One thing after another..." She muttered.
"Your childhood friend is extremely stubborn..." Nobunaga remarked.
"Thank you for the reminder, Nobunaga..." Miyabi groaned. "And you probably don't even know the half of it...or maybe you already have, considering you're in my mind." She then added.
"She learned from the best." Nobunaga however reminded.
"Probably." Miyabi sighed before blinking in realization. "...Hey!" She then got out in an offended manner.
Or still is, considering all the other unchecked mental issues the Metaverse probably jostled loose.
"Still, it's always wise to keep all your skills sharp, even your social connections as well in this day and age, considering things have started to...hit the fan, as you regular folk would say."
"I know..." Miyabi groaned out while rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration.
She had no idea what to do to solve things back home, and there was still everything wrong here in Tokyo...
Maybe a bath and some sleep would give her some ideas.
BZZT! BZZT!
"For the love of-!" Miyabi groaned as she answered the phone while not seeing who it was. "What now, Imu? You should be resting!" She soon questioned and ordered.
"Hello Miyabi-san..." A different yet familiar voice greeted.
Miyabi's eyes immediately widened as she recognized who it was. "M-Murasaki..." She breathed out in disbelief.
"We need to talk. Please." Murasaki soon stated in a dead serious tone, causing the white haired woman to freeze up.
Looks like the bath was going to have to wait...
Save Game… Quit!
Asuka/Yin's Social Stats:
Leadership- Paragon (Level 5)
Knowledge- Sage (Level 5)
Proficiency- Masterful (Level 4)
Diligence- Rock Solid (Level 5)
Courage- Heroic (Level 5)
Homura/Yang's Development Stats:
Maturity- Adult (Level 4)
Knowledge- Sage (Level 5)
Femininity- Natural (Level 4)
Elegance- Yamato Nadeshiko (Level 5)
Understanding- Saintly (Level 5)
Sorry about not really doing the other Palace, I kinda wanted to have a whole section but then I saw that we were hitting 50k words and knew we couldn't just do it unless we wanted to wait another…couple of weeks before it gets done. Anyways, next chapter is…I don't know anymore. Chapter 117 has just started and JG hasn't even transferred over any of the prewritten stuff - which includes actually infiltrating Okumura's Palace.
UknownHero signing off 2022, my friends!
