Chapter 52: Facing Judgement
November 15
"The vegetable planters are doing well. I could show them to you if you'd like," Haru offered on the cool November afternoon.
"Sure. Let's do that," Ren nodded, joining Haru and Collin in tending the rooftop garden.
"Soil is quite a mysterious thing. Within its gentle care, even a tiny seed can awaken, spread its roots, and grow up towards the sun," Haru mused. "It's almost like a mother… Perhaps that aspect is why I find this place so comforting."
"You certainly have a touch for caring for others, Haru," Collin chuckled as he brushed his hands clean of dirt.
"You know, I only started taking care of these planters because one of my teachers asked me to," Haru admitted. "I was hesitant at first… but I liked it so much that I kept them long past the original request. I started mixing my own fertilizer, adjusting soil ratios… Now I raise these plants in complete secret. But um, Ren-kun… I'm worried what the school might do if they found out about this."
"They won't find out," Ren assured her.
Haru giggled. "You're so bold! In that case, I guess this can be our little secret. Honestly, Ren-kun… I really enjoy the time we spend together… It's so different from how I feel when I'm around him."
"Him?" Collin repeated in worry.
"Oh, sorry… I meant my fiancé," Haru clarified. "That reminds me though, I wanted to ask your advice about him… This whole arrangement began when my father first introduced us, around the winter of my second-year in high school. I was told we were just meeting his friend for dinner… but then he said that "friend" was to be my fiancé. It was surprising… but I suppose I had always known I would someday be married off for political gain. So… I accepted, and that was the start of our relationship."
"Haru, your fiancé hasn't done anything… untoward against you, has he?" Collin asked nervously.
Haru gasped. "Oh, um… no, no "relationship" stuff happened! You don't have to worry there, Collin-kun! A-Anyway… I was never exactly fond of him to begin with, but now he has grown far worse. Recently he's been suggesting we go on an "early honeymoon" together to celebrate our coming marriage. I can't even stand to look at him though… let alone spend any actual prolonged time together. So, um… what can I say to decline his offer…?"
"I don't want to go with you"," Ren suggested.
"R-Right. I suppose it would be best to simply be clear about it," Haru nodded. "As you know, my father passed away before he could fulfill his promise to rescind the marriage proposal. So… any conversation about putting a halt to the marriage will have to come from me. To tell the truth… I've already mentioned it to my fiancé."
"Then this should be easy to resolve, right?" Collin said.
"But he refuses to listen to a single word I have to say," Haru sighed. "Apparently, he's even been telling the employees at Okumura Foods about the contract he made with my father… How the company would have to pay extreme reparations if it got called off for any reason… I just… don't know how to handle this. I can postpone while I'm still in high school, but after that…?"
She shook her head. "Thinking about it now, it seems my father's death has turned out to be quite favorable for my fiancé. After all, he's now engaged to the majority shareholder of a massive company… I suppose in the end, all he really cares about is his own personal gain… But that's not what a relationship is supposed to be built on. It should be something more… Something like… a love so intense that just seeing the other person makes your chest tighten up."
Haru looked at the two boys. "I've seen the way you look at Loona-chan, Collin-kun, but what about. You, Ren-kun? Have you ever experienced that?"
Ren though about Kasumi… but pushed those thoughts down and shook his head. "Not yet."
Haru giggled. "I just we're both in the same position then. But… there's no spark like that with my fiancé. Spending time with him is almost like some kind of training… Still, any hardship I go through now will surely help the Phantom Thieves eventually. I'll get through this!"
"I believe in you, Haru!" Collin cheered, Ren nodding in agreement.
Haru pulled out her phone and looked at the time. "Oh, it's getting late… I should probably get back to my gardening. Well, I think I'll be staying here a little while longer. See you later."
"Until next time, Haru," Ren replied as he and Collin left school for the day.
[***]
November 17
After school, Ren and Loona checked in with Futaba to see how the Kana situation turned out, meeting up in the hideout to do so. "So, I emailed Kana-chan… And believe it or not, she replied," Futaba said. "We even ended up taking on the phone about elementary school. She said the only reason she got mad at me about her diary was because she was embarrassed. Apparently she thought I would hate her if I knew about her secrets… so she ran away. I guess me and her are pretty much the same after all. Long story short… we made up! I finally apologized to her."
"I'm glad to hear that," Ren said.
"Hell yeah! That's another win for us," Loona grinned.
"Pretty awesome, huh!? Maybe I should've had a separate promise on my list for that," Futaba smiled. "Anyway, it's too far to actually visit each other, so we've been sending emails back and forth. We even made a promise recently… to both go to high school next year. Y'know… there's no way I would've been able to call her and apologize before. It's all because of you that I could do it, Ren and Loona!"
"Hey, you worked really hard too, squirt," Loona chuckled, ruffling Futaba's hair.
Futaba chuckled, blushing at the sisterly affection. "Y-Yeah, I guess you're right! It's kinda embarrassing to actually hear you say it though. Oh, I almost forgot! Kana-chan was really surprised the Phantom Thieves listened to her request. She'll never know the truth of the matter though…" She laughed a bit, "I've finally finished that promise. "Get along with Kana-chan"…"
Futaba shifted in her seat. "Um… This is really important, so I'm gonna say it again… Thank you, Ren, Loona. Wait a second… I never even said it the first time. I guess that means I'll have to say it again now! Thank you, Ren, Loona. Seriously."
"It's no biggie," Loona shrugged, Ren nodding in agreement.
"Um, is it okay if I ask you for a favor real quick? I mean, I just finished a super-old promise. S-So, um…?" Futaba said, turning to Ren and taking a deep breath before transforming into her hellhound form. "C-Can you… pat me on the head? Mom used to do it when she was happy with me- which I now realize might have been my hellhound side showing, heh." She looked over at Loona. "Uh, this isn't anything offensive in hellhound culture, is it?"
Loona shook her head. "No, but it's only okay if it's done by the people you love, okay?"
Futaba blushed through her fur before nodding. "O-Okay then… Just… pat pat… Can you do it?"
"Fine by me," Ren shrugged.
Futaba smiled, her tail wagging a bit as she put her head in Ren's lap. "All right, bring it on!" Ren gave her a pat on the head, only for Futaba to suddenly jump out of her seat in shock. "Th-That was totally different from how mom used to do it! M-My heart…! M-My face…! It feels like they're on fire! C-Calm down, Futaba…"
'…Well, that was weird,' Loona thought.
"Phew… Looks like that strange outburst is finally over," Futaba said with a calm sigh. "My heart's still beating really hard, but I'm totally good now. Sorry for making you worry. I just remembered… I still have one more promise to do. "Be okay without you around." …Is that really possible? Meh, I'll find out some other day!"
"Hm… Looks like it's time to get home," Loona said, looking out the window.
"Before you go, have you guys figured out the whole siblings thing yet?" Ren asked.
Loona shook her head. "Octavia's still waiting on her dad to get the results back. Plus I'd rather wait until after we're done with this Palace stuff to find out if we're related or not."
"Yeah, save the major plot twists for the next season," Futaba giggled, transforming back into her human form. "Well then, peace out!"
[***]
November 18
"So, Dr. Maruki's last day is today…" Collin said as the school gathered for an assembly that morning.
"I'll admit it, I might miss the guy once he's gone," Loona said.
"…And finally we would like Dr. Maruki to share a few last words with the student body," the Vice Principal announced. "Well, Doctor, if you will…"
Maruki stepped up to the mic, clearing his throat before speaking, "Good morning, everyone. As the vice principal has mentioned, today marks the end of my tenure at Shujin Academy. Over the past several months, I've come to learn about all sorts of conflicts that you students have faced this year. Troubles with romance, with studies- in fact, some of you have financial issues that are awfully similar to my own…"
The students laughed a bit. "But before I leave here, I want to offer you a final piece of counseling. If your situation ever becomes too painful to endure, remember: it's okay for you to escape your problem. I don't want a single one of you to think that an unfair reality you've been forced into is the only one that you have to live. Um, what I'm trying to say it, even if your life is full of worries, it's best for you not to obsess over them. Your existence in this world is an amazing miracle. You deserve to spend your days in happiness. I'll keep on rooting for all of you to have the best lives possible, even after I'm long gone."
Maruki leaned forward to bow, only to knock his head against the mic, making the students laugh again. "Heheh… I guess things don't always pan out like you expect. Well, that's it… Thank you for having me here this year. Good luck to you all!" He gave a proper bow this time before making his exit.
"Dr. Maruki!" a student bawled.
"I wanted to thank him personally… but it might be best to hold off on that for a bit," Makoto sighed.
Haru nodded. "I doubt we could get a word in edgewise, anyhow."
"Farwell, Dr. Maruki… and thanks for listening to all of us," Octavia whispered before leaving the room.
Ryuji: The Phan-Site's on fire as usual. Anyways, tomorrow's finally it! I hope everyone remembers!
Futaba: The date of our plan? Of course we remember.
Collin: that means we're sending out the calling card today, right?
Octavia: Yes, today is our only option. The police have yet to actually make a move, but I'm pretty sure we have reached our limits.
Haru: We wanted to wait as long as possible to make Makoto's sister panic… right?
Makoto: Yes. Taking that into account, today would be the best option. We can speak in more detail about this after school.
Loona: All right, see y'all at Leblanc!
"Boss said he reserved the place just for us. We're free to drink as much coffee as we want," Ann said.
"Ain't this place always empty though?" Ryuji pointed out.
"I'm telling Boss," Ren teased.
"Everyone here is a witness," Futaba smirked.
"U-Uh, I was just joking…" Ryuji panicked.
"Um, we're supposed to be discussing where we should send the calling card…" Haru reigned the group in.
"Considering how big the hype's gotten, she'll prolly just think it's a prank, won't she?" Ann worried.
"I could always put it on Sae-san's desk. People know me there, so I could gain access easily," Akechi offered.
Morgana shook his head. That's not a good idea. If you're the only one who can get in there, it'll be easily traced back to you."
"And since Striker is working in the investigation team as well, he could find it and off Sae before we can even change her heart, then put further blame against us," Octavia added.
"…I'll do it. I can just tell her it came for her in the mail. That would be the least risky method," Makoto said. "No matter what she asks, I'll tell her I don't know anything."
"But Makoto, that's…" Collin gasped.
Akechi looked to Ren. "You're our leader, so this will be up to you. Should we leave the calling card to Makoto?"
"I trust her with it," Ren said.
"Is that… really the only way?" Ann wondered.
"I'll be okay," Makoto assured the team. "I've already traversed far more dangerous ground than this."
"We will leave it to you then. Thank you for agreeing to this," Akechi said. "I'll will need to step up my game as well to make up for it…"
"Very well then. We'll enter from in front of the courthouse," Yusuke nodded. "Does six o'clock in the evening work for everyone?"
"Yup, got it," Loona nodded.
"Same as always," Haru agreed.
"Well then, let's get ready for tomorrow!" Dismissed!" Morgana ordered.
Makoto: Sorry for the wait. I believe it went well.
Haru: Thanks, Mako-chan. It's all going according to plan then.
Akechi: So, it has finally come to this. I actually feel somewhat nervous.
Loona: Don't freak out so much that you screw up, all right?
Collin: We're counting on everyone to do their part here!
Akechi: Don't feel the need to go easy on me then. Well then, see you tomorrow.
Futaba: Hold on a sec! Crow, go over the operation again before you leave.
Octavia: Right, we have to make sure this all goes well.
Yusuke: This battle will decide our future. We must ensure we're fully prepared beforehand.
Akechi: Very well. Our objective is stealing Sae-san's Treasure. We will meet at the courthouse at approximately 6 pm. After that, well… Joker is going to pull a miracle against the new Black Mask, isn't he? From there we can go after the real culprit without much issue.
Futaba: Good! Wanna give us one last word before we go, leader?
Ren: Let's go all out.
Makoto: We'll be relying on you.
Ryuji: Yeah! Let's do this thing!
[***]
"Welcome to Club Velvet," Philemon said as Octavia awoke in her dreams.
"Long time no see, Philemon, everyone," Octavia greeted.
"We've seen the progress you and your friends have made. All of us are looking forward to how this ordeal resolves," the Demon Painter said.
"Yes, though our ways of seeing the outcome have become clouded as of late," Belladonna admitted.
"We trust that you all will prevail in the favor of humanity," Nameless added.
"Yeah… We have a lot riding on our next heist for sure," Octavia nodded. "Do you have any advice, Philemon."
"Nothing that you don't already know, Octavia," Philemon shook his head. "Though I must tell you that this will be the last time for a good while that we will be able to summon you to this place. The entity's powers are growing stronger that not even I can interfere, I'm afraid."
"Then the next time you see me, we'll have overcome it," Octavia said.
Philemon smiled behind his mask. "I'm sure you will, barer of the Aeon. Now then, enjoy your rest, and prepare for what is to come…"
[***]
November 19
"The Day has come. Are you all prepared?" Haru asked the group as they met up.
"What of the calling card, Makoto?" Akechi asked.
"I showed it to Sis… she took it from my very own hands…" Makoto replied.
"Makoto…" Collin whispered.
"I understand how you feel, but you mustn't be so downtrodden," Yusuke said.
"Yeah… If we screw this up, we're done for," Loona nodded.
"It's way more than losing the place we belong… We could even lose our lives here, y'know," Ryuji added.
"It will be all right. I want to save my sister, no matter what," Makoto said.
"Is everyone decided?" Morgana asked.
Ann nodded. "All's well that ends well!"
"So much has happened since we first started… You guys have become quite the reliable team," Morgana said. "All right, Joker! This the Phantom Thieves' biggest heist! Give us the signal!"
"Let's do this," Ren said. "It's showtime!"
[***]
Location: Treasure Room
"Huh!? Where's the Treasure!?" Skull exclaimed as they burst into the Ruler's room.
"It seems you came, just as I had planned," Shadow Sae's voice echoed.
"As she planned…!?" Omen gasped. "No… Was the Treasure put on display to lure us here!?"
"So that's why we could faintly see its shape…" Noir guessed.
"first off, allow me to compliment you. I never expected you would be able to make it this far…" Shadow Sae said.
"We would much rather have the Treasure than your words of praise," Crow retorted. "Where did you hide it?"
In the back of the room, a vault door opened up. "Come. We shall put an end to this once and for all," the Shadow replied.
"It seems as though she us to pursue her…" Crow noted.
"Damnit, she's mocking us…! Let's go after her!" Lycan shouted. Racing into the new entryway, the Phantom Thieves found an elevator that would take them to where Shadow Sae was.
"Sis… I'll protect you, no matter what it takes," Queen said to herself as they all got in the elevator. It took the gang up to the highest point in the casino, the elevator sinking into the floor as they all stepped out. Shadow Sae then appeared on a large monitor in front of the team.
"What kind of game will it be this time?" Crow asked. "No matter what you bring out, we will emerge victorious."
"You're making a grave mistake if you think you have me cornered," Shadow Sae retorted. "I only guided you here because this place allows me to fight to my heart's content."
"Sis…" Queen gasped.
"When my father died in the line of duty, I hate his killer from the bottom of my heart. Dying to uphold justice sounds virtuous, but the ones left behind have to clean up the mess!" the Shadow said. "Can you imagine the hardships I had to endure!?"
"Perhaps I had overestimated her. I thought her reasoning would have been more noble somehow," Crow shrugged.
"She's lost control…" Oracle realized.
"This is wrong…" Noir said.
"Justice cannot yield to evil! I must win, no matter what!" Shadow Sae said.
"This is nothing more than self-righteousness…" Templar shook his head.
"All we need to do to determine who is right… is battle. Now, why don't we begin?" She snapped her fingers, causing panels on the floor to fold away, revealing that the floor the Phantom Thieves were standing on was actually a giant roulette wheel. "A clash of brute strength is simply uncalled for on this stage."
"What is she intending?" Crow wondered.
"No more coins or playing games! We ain't following your damn rules!" Skull shouted.
"Oh you will. There is no room for negotiation. You will no soon enough." As Shadow Sae said that, her form suddenly glitched briefly.
"What was that!?" Queen gasped.
"Now… come at me!" the Shadow demanded.
Queen looked down, but Crow put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll save her, right?" he asked. Queen smiled and gave a nod.
"All right, let's do it!" Oracle cheered. As the battle began, the Shadow made the roulette wheel start spinning with "Bet HP" coming up on the sceen behind her. "What the-!?"
"Now let us play a game of roulette. The stakes will be… our lives," Shadow Sae said. "Of course, acts of violence are forbidden here. One must follow the rules."
"We already told you, there's no way we're gonna follow your rules anymore!" Oracle growled.
"That's fine by me. Such troublesome people will just face the penalty…" the Shadow said. "You will predict which pocket the ball will fall into. Now, the time has come for our first round. Choose where you will place your bet!"
"I'm almost positive she's going to try and cheat, but even if we bring that up, she'd just ignore us," Mona said. "We should go along with the game for now and try to gain evidence on her methods of cheating."
"…I agree," Crow said.
"Joker, pick our pocket," Omen nodded.
"Well, how will you bet?" Shadow Sae asked.
"A red pocket," Joker answered, wanting to start off with a safer bet until they figured out the method.
"Have you made your decision? Then let's see the results!" The ball rolled around, landing in a red pocket… but then it suddenly rolled off the pocket into a black one, causing the team to all lose 100 HP.
"We lost… Have you figured anything out, Joker?" Mona asked.
"I most certainly have," the team leader replied.
"Really!? How is she doing it!?" Templar asked.
"There's a glass lid," Joker answered.
"I see… you're right! I did seem like the ball floated for a split second there…" Omen nodded.
"How humiliating…" Crow scoffed.
"Let's catch her in the act so she can't talk her way out of it!" Oracle suggested. "Have someone snipe the pocket when that glass lid appears! You're in charge of choosing who's gonna be the sniper!"
"Let us expose her treachery!" Crow exclaimed. "Leave it to me! I won't miss the mark!"
"Then get to it, Crow," Joker nodded, letting the detective prince take his position.
"The stuff displayed on the monitor changed…" Oracle pointed out, the sign now saying "Bet Money" as a new round began. "That must mean the betting changes every time… The sniper is in their designated spot. All that's left is to wait for the next roulette spin."
"Very well, time to make your bet!" the Shadow said. "Well, how will you bet?"
"Pockets 13 through 24," Joker replied, going for a high-risk bet this time.
"Hopefully your prediction will be correct this time," Shadow Sae chuckled. Crow aimed his gun, and as the ball went over a glass panel, he expertly sniped it, giving the Phantom Thieves the win! "Wh-What!?"
Oracle laughed. "Joker!" The team surrounded Shadow Sae in a hold up. "What was that about fair and square!? You were totally cheating!" The Shadow just grunted. "You coward! What're you so quiet for!? Say something!"
"Shut up… Shut up!"the Shadow shouted, transforming into a monstrous form as the world shifted into a beach resort, a tropical storm raging outside the dome.
"S-Sis!?" Queen exclaimed in shock.
"No… this is… Leviathan," Omen said.
"Cheating!? Unfair!? This is my world!" Leviathan shouted. "I am the law! I am everything! No one in this world deserves to win, except for me! If you still dare to defy my justice, then prepare to be totally crushed!"
"This… is my sister's true nature!? No…" Queen gasped.
"We're finally back to a normal fight… Good luck, Joker!" Oracle said. Despite the change in scenery the roulette wheel remained, though the panels suddenly shifted.
"What? The roulette panels changed?" Crow questioned. The wheel spun again, this time landing on the Electric symbol.
"My justice has revealed to me… I must strike at evil with my bolt of justice!" Leviathan said, using Lightning Judgement that Mona barely dodged.
"Well, at least we know how the wheel works," Omen said. "Mona, Lycan, use your magic to counter her attacks!" The team did just that, supporting the not-cat and hellhound as they attacked, while Joker also found out that not using the selected element's weakness only resulted in resisted damaged.
"Only victory matters! To guarantee it, you have to be willing to do anything! Doesn't might make right?" Leviathan said. "No matter what happens here, I need to keep winning!"
"Sis, why!?" Queen questioned. The wheel spun again, this time landing on the symbol for Megido spells.
"Wh-What the-!?" Mona gasped as energy surrounded Leviathan.
"I'm right… I'm always right… That's why I have to be the victor! All who stand in my way will be crushed!" the Shadow then started unleashing brutal attacks, putting Mona and Templar on healing duty to keep the team alive while Crow, Joker, and Queen put on the damage, with Noir and Omen supporting them with buffs and debuff skills. Eventually they managed to whittle Leviathan's health down enough to get reaction out of her. "I… I just need to win… As long as I can win… that's all that matters…"
"Sis…" Queen cried.
"Queen… let's finish this!" Crow called.
"…Right," she nodded, pulling out her revolver and unloading into the Shadow, doing the final hit that knocked Levithan out of its monstrous form, defeating her.
"So I've lost…" Shadow Sae said the world returned to normal.
"Sis!" Queen said, kneeling down next to the Shadow.
"That's only a Shadow. Why are you so…" Crow questioned.
"Quiet!" Panther chided.
"…Sorry," Crow apologized.
"We'll go grab the Treasure," Skull said, going off with Fox and Lycan.
"Makoto?" Shadow Sae said, looking at Queen.
"I don't think it's wrong to bring light to evils which can't be judged by law. That's all the Phantom Thieves have been trying to do too," Queen said. "But these aggressive investigations? Twisting the truth for your own personal gain? Please… You have to think back to the feelings you had when you first wanted to be a prosecutor. Think about your justice, Sis."
"My justice…" Shadow Sae repeated.
"Try to remember how you used to be…" Queen pleaded.
"How I…" Shadow Sae whispered.
"Nijima-san… She's just like my father…" Noir realized. "What caused them to change like this?"
"Hm… Even though their own desires were the cause, succumbing to such distorted thoughts is strange… Is there another reason they don't know of?" Crow wondered.
"We found it!" Lycan called, holding up a briefcase.
"The investigation will now be able to proceed. The suspicions against you will be lifted as well," Crow said.
"And now we can go after the real enemy…" Omen added.
"This deal we made… it's been a great experience for me," Crow admitted.
"Well it's not over yet," Joker pointed out.
"To think that I, your sworn enemy, would act alongside the Phantom Thieves…" Crow mused.
"All right, we don't need to stay here any longer!" Mona said. He looked over at Queen. "Are you all right?"
"I am. Let's go," Queen nodded.
"Huh!?" Oracle gasped. "Enemy readings! When did they…!? They're gathering outside!"
"For real?! The hell's going on!?" Skull exclaimed.
"Look at those numbers!" Omen gasped as Oracle pulled up her readings for the others to see.
"This doesn't look good…" Templar said with worry.
"We need to go now! Those guys in black suits are almost here. We'll be done for if we get surrounded!" Mona ordered.
"…So, it's time to execute our plan to get Striker off our backs," Queen said. "A team this large would be discovered immediately. We had best split up for our escape…"
"Then it's my turn. Go, everyone," Joker said.
"You really plan on distracting them by yourself!?" Templar gasped.
"Let him do it, Templar," Skull said. "He's quiet, but once his mind's made up, he's not gonna take no for an answer."
Lycan handed the Treasure over to Joker. "…I'm sure you ain't gonna die. It's you we're talking about here."
"Please don't do anything reckless, okay?" Noir asked.
"I'll never forgive you if you don't make it back," Panther warned.
"We still haven't fulfilled our deal, remember?" Mona reminded him.
"Even more are coming!" Oracle warned.
"I know this is part of the plan, but Striker really doesn't want us to escape, huh?" Omen shook her head.
"It seems we had best hurry," Crow said.
"…We'll see you later," Queen said to Joker as the group split up.
[***]
Location: Main Floor Lobby
Joker dashed across the overhead fixtures grinning as he got the attention of the security guards. With cat-like grace he made his escape. "Good. Now get running!" Mona ordered.
"This is our only chance!" Templar said.
"Stay calm! You can get away now!" Oracle said.
"We'll retrieve the briefcase on our end," Queen added. There was some garbled messaging that came in over the comms.
"Hm…? What was that?" Oracle wondered.
"Don't worry about us. Just concentrate on getting away!" Mona said. "But I have to say, showing yourself above that crowd earlier was an excellent move. Nice work as always, Joker."
"I bet Skull couldn't pull it off that smoothly," Panther chuckled.
"This happens because you have no sense for aesthetics," Fox said.
"Nobody asked you, Inari!" Skull exclaimed.
"There he is!" a guard shouted.
"Just run! Get out of there!" Lycan ordered.
"Okay, the enemy's focus is on him. Looks like the rest of us can slip away," Mona noted.
"Everyone remember where we're meeting up?" Noir asked.
"No worries, I can guide you all," Oracle assured.
"Stop right there!" a guard shouted as they got in the way. They were suddenly assaulted by a magic blast from Omen as she ran by.
"Take 'em down, Joker!" Omen shouted as she made her exit.
Joker nodded, before his power started building as Arsène appeared before him. "I am Arsène, another you that exists within… Ah, we meet once again," the Persona said. "You have progressed well through your recollections. Last spring, you awakened to this furious power. Now, use that power… and defeat the enemies before you!"
The enemy was no match for Joker and Arsène, the Persona giving a bow as soon as the battle was won against the Shadow. "Your fate will soon be determined… Recall everything… Remember the bonds you have forged with your friends… If you are fated to continue past this point, then we shall surely meet again…"
"Okay, pull out before their backup gets here!" Oracle said.
"Good. You defeated them with ease!" Mona cheered.
"There's more coming up. Be careful!" Omen warned. Joker skillfully dodged around them, getting to higher ground.
"Joker, behind you! Go through that door!" Oracle ordered. "You should be able to get out that way! Hurry!"
"Dude, can he even hear us?" Skull wondered.
"Don't worry, I'm picking up everyone's voices," Oracle assured him. "Just go, Joker! Hm? Wait a sec! What the- I'm getting a weird reading heading your way! C'mon, run!"
"Where'd they go!? Damn it!" an agent cursed as Joker snuck by through the backrooms. "I can't confirm the intruder's location." The skillful leader stuck to the shadows as he made his way around. "…Hey, are you sure he came in this way? Understood. I will continue to search!"
"Everything okay? The security level might rise if you take too much time," Crow warned.
"I know, I know! I'm looking for another route. Just hang on," Oracle said. "Oh, perfect time. Joker look up!" Joker looked to the ceiling and saw some scaffolding that he could use to grapple up to a higher area. "Joker- stop! It's an enemy- right near you!"
"Woah!" Joker exclaimed, looking around as Shadows appeared on all sides.
"Even you can take on this many…" Templar said with worry.
"Then let's hope that extra help I called on gets there in time," Omen said.
"Huh!?" The other Phantom Thieves exclaimed in confusion.
"Wait, Joker! That weird reading from earlier's closing in on you too!" Oracle shouted.
"I'll end this right now!" a voice called, and Joker looked over in surprise to see that Kasumi was standing there, the athlete tossing her sword to take out one of the surrounding Shadows.
"You asked her for help?" Lycan said, looking at Omen.
"I figured she would come in clutch if this were to happen," Omen shrugged. The Shadows rushed at Kasumi, but she used her gymnast skills to dodge around them and blow some of them away with her gun.
"My weak self relied on you so much… that ends today," Kasumi said as she took a stand next to Joker. She kicked her sword into the air and caught it expertly. "Let's do this, Senpai! It's been a while since we last fought side-by-side. But this time, it's my turn to come to your aid, Senpai. Now let's win this!" The duo easily defeated the Shadows, with Kasumi getting the honors of the All-Out Attack.
"I think… that's the last of them!" Kasumi panted.
"I genuinely have no clue what just happened, but I take it you're okay?" Oracle guessed. "Wait- bad news! Enemy backup's headed your way! You need to book it, right now!"
"Please go. I'm going to make it harder for them to track you down," Kasumi said. "…You still have something you need to do as a Phantom Thief, right?"
"Yes," Joker replied.
"Then I won't stop you. Since I'm not a member of the Phantom Thieves, I'm in no position to interfere," Kasumi said. "However… please don't forget the promise we made, okay?"
"See you later… Kasumi," Joker said with a longing smile.
"Joker, you need to get outta there!" Lycan shouted. "Go go go!"
Joker snuck through the rest of the backrooms, heading up the long flight of stairs until he came out just before the main lobby, stopping as he almost went over the railing. "Is something wrong? The exit should be up ahead," Oracle said.
"Over there?" Joker said as he looked towards the large stain glass window.
"That's just how it is. After that commotion, the bottom floor's completely closed off," Queen apologized.
"Hey, can you make it?" Panther asked.
Joker looked behind him to see some the agents closing in. Giving them a smirk, he hopped on the railing and ran over to the other side where the window was, his demonic powers keeping him in balance as he made it to the window. "See ya!" he called before skillfully diving through the window, landing on the other side in the roll.
"Hmph, what a show-off," Lycan shook her head.
"You're so reckless, you know that?" Omen sighed.
All wasn't well for Joker, though, as flood lights suddenly came on, revealing an entire squad of policemen in full riot gear. Joker ran to make a getaway up a ladder, but men were already stationed there to kick him back down to the grounder where he was apprehended and cuffed. "Didn't expect to find some kid," a voice with a distinct American Southern drawl said. "You have only yourself to blame for this. You think you're good, but I was able to figure you out first, and get the information I needed from an anonymous tip. It was probably from one of your so-called teammates, so have fun knowing you were sold out…"
[***]
Location: Police Lockup, Secure Underground Facility
After being taken into custody, things were not looking good for Ren. Whatever kind of cuffs that man- no, that Striker had put on him were suppressing his demon powers, meaning Ren had to endure the abuse of the corrupt detectives that interrogated him. He was beaten, forced to give over his name, and drugged with truth serum when he didn't comply. As he sat in the interrogation room, Ren looked numbly to the door as Sae Nijima walked in.
"…I didn't expect I'd be you. You'll be answering my questions this time," Sae admitted as she sat down. She looked over at the truth serum needle in disgust. "Those bastards. Can you hear me? It seems you've been through a lot. Almost anything can happen here… and I can't stop them. That's why I need you to answer me honestly. I don't have much time either.
"What was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident? I didn't think it was a prank from the get-go, but I couldn't assemble a case for prosecution. It's because I couldn't figure out the method behind it."
"Of course you couldn't…" Ren spat out, his voice hoarse in tone.
Sae chuckled. "True. There's no way I could be convinced of such a… "world" just by reading the reports. It seems you're coherent. When and where did you find out about that world? How is it even possible to steal another's heart? Now, tell me your account of everything… Start from the very beginning."
And so Ren did, recalling all of his adventures with the Phantom Thieves up to that point. He made sure to only use their code names, or aliases when it came to his confidants, but Sae kept pressing him for more answers.
…
"We found various charms on your person when you were brought in. They were high quality and custom made, making them untraceable as to who made them. I'm not the superstitious type, but something tells me those charms were connected to this other world. You will tell me who made them for you."
…
"To be a phantom thief you must have had some sort of training to be able to steal hearts and get away with it as much as you did. Someone who knows their way around the dark side of the underworld and can get a good read of the streets. Well, answer me!"
…
"You must be pretty cocky to have gone into this other world or had a death wish. We found a religious text on your person when you came in. I didn't take you for the religious type, unless you were seeking spiritual guidance for your heists as well. I'd like to know who was giving you their teachings."
…
"The other world sounds brutal from what you said, and the knife we found on your person meant you were ready to defend yourself in need-be. You must have had training from someone in how to defend yourself. You will give me the name of that person, now!"
…
Things started to take a turn, however, once Ren got to explaining the Kaneshiro case. Sae had been disbelieving in the involvement of demons, but finding out her sister had been involved really pushed her buttons. It did start making Sae question if Ren really was telling the truth, and thus the two made a deal for Ren to tell the truth and that Sae would hear him out, no matter what he said.
Sae started to believe Ren more and more as he told his story, even starting to connect the mental shutdown incidents to the other Metaverse users that the Phantom Thieves were opposing. Soon all had been told, until they finally got to explaining all that had happened in Sae's own Palace…
"…I see. So that's what led to you ending up here," Sae said as Ren finished his story. "What a disappointing end to the hero of justice. I still can't believe it… but now I have a general idea of the methods you used for your crimes. There's much more I'd like to ask, but my allotted time is nearly up… I do have a suggestion, though… Care to strike a deal? If you cooperate with me, I'll consider lightening your sentence."
"What do you want?" Ren asked.
"I have a responsibility to solve this case. I will win, even if it means brokering a deal with you. Your operation was leaked, and you failed to change my heart. There's no point in being obstinate now," Sae said. "You've corrupted the order of his country and caused an uprising against its very existence. You'll most likely be given life imprisonment or the death penalty… Unless you accept my proposal."
She sat up. "Going forward, I will read a list of people who are closest to you and this case. Tell me honestly whether or not the following are involved with the Phantom Thieves… First, the friend who you've been with since the day you transferred to Shujin- Ryuji Sakamoto. Your cousin who transferred to Shujin the same day as you- Octavia Goetia. The American transfer student- Loona Nyx. The other American transfer student- Collin Pastor. One of the victims of the Kamoshida case- Ann Takamaki.
"Ichiryusai Madarame's pupil- Yusuke Kitagawa. The daughter of Wakaba Isshiki- Futaba Sakura. The heiress to the Okumura Foods legacy and daughter of its CEO- Haru Okumura. And… the frequently-probing student council president of Shujin Academy- Makoto Nijima." Sae looked up at Ren. "Those are your accomplices in the Phantom Thieves cases, are they not?"
"Never heard of them," Ren shook his head.
"So you won't sell out your friends… Then let me change the question," Sae said. "I find it hard to believe that high schoolers could have pulled off these crimes by themselves. Were there not others outside your direct group who encouraged your crimes or lent their aid? Not to repeat myself, but remember that your life will be forfeit if your sentence is not lightened… You had the cooperation of people outside your group, did you not? Can you tell me about them?"
"There were no such people," Ren replied.
"…I see. So you won't speak a word about either your teammates or your collaborators? Do you even understand the position that you're in?" Sae questioned. "…Let's discuss one other person- Goro Akechi. There are reports that he was acting alongside the Phantom Thieves as well. Might he be a part of your team too?"
"That's impossible," Ren shook his head.
"So Goro Akechi wasn't one of you. Very well…" Sae sighed. "So be it. You clearly have no intention of bargaining with me."
"I don't know a thing," Ren said.
"Even know, you're still acting as though you're a hero of justice? Your teammates have sacrificed you in order to escape, yet you wish to defend their honor? Why won't you talk about them?" Sae questioned.
"It goes against justice," Ren answered.
Sae slammed the table. "Don't be ridiculous! You're not the one to decide such things!"
"You call this Justice?" Ren countered.
"…Justice? Then tell me! What is this "justice" you speak of?" Sae asked.
"Sticking to the right path," Ren replied.
"Sticking to the right path? That's no different from us!" Sae sighed. "You continue to stand firm… Are you implying that we have no evidence on you? …You're right- we have nothing. And it doesn't help that your story sounds like a fairy tale! But many people have fallen victim to this! We need to learn the truth. The truth, huh? I don't even know what's right anymore. And it's all due to your strange story!"
"What about the true culprit?" Ren asked.
Sae looked at him. "After all this, you're still- Are you listening? The side effects of the truth serum should be wearing off. I won't be deceived by such a poor act. Hey… Can you hear me? It seems your mind is clearing up… But unfortunately… my time has run out… Although I find your story to be quite interesting, I won't be able to speak with you any longer."
"You giving up?" Ren questioned.
"…Huh? What are you getting at?" Sae asked. "…That's right. No matter the results of this case, I won't be receiving credit. I even had to call in a large favor just to conduct this interrogation… Hey, are you listening? …Our time's up. We're done talking here… Goodbye."
"Why did you come here?" Ren asked.
"Why? Because this is my job. Don't ask me such odd questions," Sae replied. "Anyhow… there's one last thing I want to ask you. There's something that's been bothering me for some time now. Recently I was removed from my post as head of his investigation and was told to remain on standby. A short while later, I received word you were caught in the act… within some bizarre phenomenon… But that was all I was told. You were told someone sold you out, correct? If that's true, who could it have been? Don't you have any idea?"
Ren flinched as he remembered something important. "What's wrong? Might you have an idea of who sold you out?" Sae asked.
"…I want to make a deal with you," Ren said suddenly.
Sae gasped. "Yes, very well! Go on! If you know something, you must tell me! I won't allow things to end like this!"
"That right there…" Ren said, looking at the phone on the table.
"Do you mean this phone? It's yours isn't it?" Sae said. "I've been told the lock on it is quite complicated. But, it's only a matter of time until it's cracked. What's so important about this smartphone? Are you going to unlock it and show me the data? Hey… What are you trying to get at here? And what about this smartphone?"
"Show it to the true culprit," Ren said.
"The traitor?" Sae questioned.
Ren shook his head. "No… There is no traitor, only the one that killed Okumura."
A conversation in the past rang in his head. "Striker will want to make your death look like an accident since he can't reveal his true demonic nature to anyone. Public security will occur on the first day… and within that room, his task would be simple. And thus it would look like you would have taken your own life. At least, that's what I would have done if I was in his shoes."
"Please! I need you to be clear with me! Who am I supposed to show this to?" Sae asked.
"You have a new partner working with you on this case now, right?" Ren asked.
"Yes, he's a transfer from America, sent to help out after the DHORKS incident. But what does that…?" She gasped in horror, eyes going wide in realization. "My god… You're referring to him, aren't you?"
"You need to trust me…" Ren pleaded.
Sae gave a big sigh. "What are you plotting? I can't even begin to fathom it… But it appears my time is up. This is as far as our conversation can go. This will be my last involvement with this case… Heh… Very well. I've listened to your whole story, so I may as well play along to the end. And that honest look in your eyes… I used to view the world the same way too, once. I'll place my bet on you. I just need to show him the phone, right?"
Ren nodded. 'I feel as if Sae finally understands me…'
"I'll be going now…" Sae said, standing up and turning her back on Ren. "What good will this do though?" As Sae left the room, she took the elevator up out of the underground facility, only to be surprised when a familiar figure walked up to her.
He was a middle-aged man, though his hair had already gone white, with a small mustache and pink-colored skin. His eyes were an eerie yellow color, and ever since they had met, Sae had to admit that the man known as Roman Needus was off, even as an American working in Japanese law enforcement. "Needus!? Wh-Why are you here?" Sae questioned.
"Now then, why are you so surprised, partner?" Roman said with a grin that was also too pointy.
"I needed my director to step in to get access and I was directly responsible for this case. How did you get approval?" Sae pressed.
"For the same reason you did. I am head of the investigation team, after all," Roman replied. "It's only proper that I get to interrogate the culprit as well don't you think?"
Sae gasped. "They assigned you command!?"
Roman laughed. "Well, who else is more qualified than the one that was by your side when that Akechi kid flaked on us? Never did like dealing with brats anyways… I am surprised the interrogation is this far underground, though… There aren't any others being held in here, yes? No one would ever know if things went sideways…"
"If I remember correctly… didn't Akechi say there was another culprit besides the Phantom Thieves?" Sae mused.
"Oh please, as if you could believe what the kid was spouting. All hot air in that one," Roman shook his head. "Although… the tip I did get that finally nabbed our culprit did come out of the woodwork thanks to someone close to the Thieves. I guess the brat was useful after all in the end."
"So, it was him… Akechi was the one who sold out the Phantom Thieves," Sae said. She suddenly recalled what Ren had told her about Roman.
"Is there a problem, Miss?" Roman asked.
"Needus… Does this phone look familiar to you?" Sae asked, pulling out Ren's phone and showing it to him.
"Hm?" Roman raised an eyebrow, only giving a slight grunt as he looked at the device, not noticing the subtle shift in the air as he did so. "What is this phone?"
"It belongs to the leader of the Phantom Thieves. I believe you'll need it for your investigation," Sae said as she handed it over.
Roman shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I've got all I need on me right now."
"Well, this is truly a great accomplishment. Good luck in there," Sae said as she walked away.
Roman chuckled to himself as he went to the elevator. "Hehe… stupid wench…" He took the ride down to the level where Ren was held, only stopping to talk to the guard posted outside the room. "How's about you come in with me? Going in unarmed sounds like I'd be asking for trouble…"
The two entered the room, and as soon as the door closed, Roman- no, Striker dropped his human disguise and took the guard's gun. "Huh!? What are you-" but he was silenced as Striker shot him dead.
"Well, I guess I should be thanking you, kid," Striker said he turned to Ren. "You and your friends have been a mighty big help in our plans, but you've come to the end of the line. Your popularity was quite stunning, but that'll just make your fall all the more satisfying…"
Striker pulled out a glowing bullet and loaded it into the silenced gun. "I know all about your parentage, boy, and I have to make sure you can't go running to your daddy to get back at me. This here bullet will make sure that your soul is obliterated along with your body… Don't you understand what's going on? It doesn't matter if you got the boss man's kid on your side, this is how your "justice" ends."
He put the gun up to Ren's head… and pulled the trigger.
BANG!
Author's Note
Yes I just left you on THAT as a cliffhanger, I just couldn't resist. The story is really ramping up here as we're in the endgame for base Persona 5 content. You might be surprised that the Phantom Thieves are using the same plan as they did in the game, but honestly the plan was so good that all that really had to change was to make Sae suspicious of Striker instead of Akechi since, you know, Akechi is firmly on the Phantom Thieves' side this time around.
I also made the decision to speed run Sae's confidant a bit, since I didn't want to recap everything that's happened in the story. I did add in some dialogue of Sae interrogating Ren about the new Confidants, though, so that was fun to come up with. I watched a video compiling all of Sae's interrogation scenes as I wrote this chapter, and it's kinda funny how insistent she can get about Joker having some secret helper for every little skill he has. I mean, she's right, but out of context it's hilarious how Sae sounds.
And this is the first time we're seeing Striker fully. His human disguise name is a callback to "Seeing Stars" and how Blitzo got mistaken for an actor who was a parody of his VA, Brandan Rogers. For Striker I made his a parody of his original VA, Norman Reedus (and to give my quick two cents, I prefer Reedus to the new voice actor, but that's just my opinion). Also I know that he normally used blessed weapons and not bullets, but since he needed to make it look like a suicide Striker had to get creative and "acquired" a blessed bullet that could be used with the silenced pistol.
But this is isn't the end, obviously. We start the next arc... well, next time!