"A new mask!" Joker exclaimed excitedly, holding up his latest find. "Great! Another one to add to my collection and just the thing to fight off the Shadows in this Palace!"

"I don't think you should take that mask, man," Ryuji murmured.

"For once, I agree with Skull," Morgana added. "And that's not something I say very often."

"Huh?" Joker gave a puzzled glance at his fellow members of the Phantom Thieves. "Don't use take mask? Why not?"

"Well for one thing, it looks very different from the others you've gathered," Anne answered.

"It has a most unusual appearance," Yusuke remarked with a rub of his chin. "It looks very extraordinary."

It was true. The mask Joker had found wasn't anything like the other masks he'd been gathering. Rather than being small enough to just cover the eyes, it was large enough to go other the whole face. It was made of wood with colourful feathers sticking out of the top as well as a fierce gaze carved into the front of it.

"I think you should put that down, man," Ryuji suggested.

"Just leave it alone," Futaba added, "and walk away! Walk away!"

"No way!" Joker shook his head before lifting the mask towards his face. "I wanna see just how powerful this thing can make me!"

"No, Joker, no!" Haru cried in alarm.

"Cease and desist!" Yusuke hollered dramatically.

"Stop, Joker!" Ann wailed.

Joker took no notice of his allies. He was too anxious to find out just what this mask could do to him. He was just inches away from placing the it onto himself and let its powers take over him…

…when Morgana suddenly leapt in front of his owners, resulting in the mask being placed onto the cat's furry face.

"OOGA BOOGA!"

At once, the mask began to glow as it let out a cry, its magical abilities taking over the small feline. Everyone gasped and cried with shock as they all gaped at Morgana. they were all taking in the sight of his fuzzy face being obstructed by the mask's wooden one.

"Hey!" Morgana cried. "This mask makes me feel different…"

"You'd better take that off, Mona…" Ryuji reached out towards the mask, eager to pull it away from the little critter's face. "C'mon, lemme help you-"

"No way! Back off, Skull!"

With a hiss, Morgana leapt at Ryuji - causing the boy to be knocked aside as soon as the cat in the mask ploughed into him. The blonde yelled in pain and surprise as he was thrown off his feet. Everyone watched with shock as they watched the feline race down the hallway, his small body overtaken by the mask.

"Morgana, wait!" Joker cried, leading the others to run after him.

"Come back, Mona!" Futaba called.

Morgana took no notice. He charged further down the hallway before disappearing around the corner. At once, his voice reached the others as they heard him shout out from behind the mask he had on.

"Shadows!"

The teenagers exchanged worried glances. Their cute companion being seen by the lurking dark monsters wasn't a good sign. It would increase their chances of being kicked out of the Palace. They ran down the hallway, arming themselves with their weapons and preparing to summon their Personas. They leapt around the corner, ready to take on the Shadows - and froze.

"Get a load of this!" Joker cried.

Morgana was taking on the Shadows on his own - simply by running into them while still wearing the mask. The power that was flowing through him was eliminating each one at the slightest touch. The Shadows did not stand a chance as they were erased from existence by the mask being worn by the cat.

"Gosh!" Makoto cried. "Moan's suddenly become pretty strong."

"Just what is with that mask?" Haru squeaked.

"It appears whoever wears it becomes invincible," Yusuke whispered observantly. "Most extraordinary."

Joker's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He felt it should have been him rather than Morgana wearing the mask. Leading his underground squad while being unbeatable would lead the Phantom Thieves to knew heights. To think his team had been reluctant to let him put it on.

The last of the Shadows was wiped out by Morgana. He turned towards the stunned teenagers who had witnessed how mighty he'd become, the mask still covering his face.

"Mrawhahaha!" Morgana laughed. "It's almost scary how good I am-"

At that moment, the cat suddenly felt himself being grabbed by the scuff of his neck. A squeal escaped him as he was lifted off his feet. His blue eyes widened as he turned to face the one who had picked him up - who grabbed hold of the mask, trying to pull it off his face.

"What are you doing?" Morgana cried. "Unhand me! Let me go! Get your hands off my mask!"

The figure said nothing as he pulled the mask clear off the feline's face. The power of invincibility which had been flowing through Morgana's body ceased at once. The stranger held the mask in his one hand before releasing Morgana from his other one.

"Oof!" Morgana grunted as he hit the floor on his head - instead of landing on his feet as cats are known to do.

"Morgana!" Joker called as he lead the others to where the cat and the stranger were. "Are you okay?"

"Uhhhh…" Morgana groaned and rubbed his sore head with his paw before glaring up at the stranger, trying to reached up for what he was holding. "Gimmie that mask, you moron, or I swear I will rip your nose off!"

Unfazed by the little critters threat towards him, the stranger raised a gloved hand to point at the mask, then towards himself.

"What are you saying?" Joker asked. "That mask belongs to you?"

The stranger nodded silently.

"For real?" Ryuji's jaw hung open. "That crazy thing which turns whoever wears it invincible - is yours?"

The stranger nodded again.

"In that case, I apologise." Joker bowed. "I didn't know that mask is yours I don't intend to take what does not belongs to me."

"What are you talking about, Joker! Of course we take what isn't ours! We're the Phantom Thie-mmmfff!"

Morgana was silenced as Futaba picked him up before clamping a hand firmly over his mouth.

"Well, we'd better get going: we still have a mission to complete." Joker nodded towards his allies before raising a hand towards the mask owner. "See ya around!"

The mask owner cracked a wide smile, raising a hand to wave back.

The rest of the teenagers waved too before turning to head further on into the palace. The stranger watched them disappear around the corner - before his pointed ears perked up over what he heard them say.

"This palace sure made that guy look super weird," Joker told his teammates.

"Yeah, I thought our looks were crazy," Ann cried, "but did you see what this place did to him?"

"Well the important thing is that's not what he looks like in the real world," Makoto added

"Luckily for him!" Futaba cried. "He looked just like a rat!"

"Can you believe he had the nerve to pick me up by the back of my neck like that?!" Morgana scoffed. "I should've let me taken him on! I'd have dealt with him easily!"

"Oh I'm sure you would've, Mona!" Ryuji jeered. "Since a rat is no match for a cat!"

"I am not a cat!"

As he listened to the comments which were being made about his appearance, Crash Bandicoot watched his head. He couldn't believe these people thought he looked like a giant rodent! Didn't they recognise a marsupial when they saw one? This was not just a mere illusion of the palace he was in; this was how he naturally looked like, even in the real world. The mad mammal would not have it any other way.

Pleased to have gotten his mask of Aku Aku back, Crash continued on his journey through the palace. He had to find the crystal that was hidden around here somewhere before Doctor Cortex and Uka Uka - as well as those teenagers and their cat.

The brainless bandicoot couldn't have the Phantom Thieves stealing his crystal, mistaking it for treasure.