Chapter 55: Cruiser of Pride (Part 2)

November 29

Today Ren and Collin were meeting with Haru at Big Bang Burger to discuss her recent investigation at Okumura Foods. "Um, I looked into Takakura-san, but I didn't manage to find very much beyond those initial rumors…" Haru said. "Several people I asked said he often complained about my father… But just as many seemed to say the exact opposite. Once side has to be deceiving me, correct? I'm honestly suspicious of everyone at this point…"

"Someone has to be telling the truth," Ren replied.

Haru nodded. "I see… If there are two contradictory stories, one of them has to be right. I suppose I'll just need to learn the truth of the matter myself… To be honest, Takakura-san has been pushing the marriage particularly hard lately. He says it will provide vital backup for myself and Okumura Foods, both in public faith and in private… He's even started asking Sugimura-san into important company meetings… There's also the contract Sugimira-san made with my father…"

Haru sighed. "Is marrying him my only option? Though now that I think about it… that may be my best chance to help the employees my father left behind…"

"There has to be another way!" Collin exclaimed. "You marry for love, not business."

"You're right. Perhaps I shouldn't give up too easily…" Haru nodded. "Either way, graduation is quickly approaching… I'll need to decide my course of action soon enough… You know… before you two came along, I hadn't even considered not going through with this marriage. I believed I would simply marry the man my father had chosen, and let the rest of my life pass me by. I wonder what would have happened if my father didn't have a Palace… Would I have resigned myself to the fate he made for me…?"

"I don't think so," Collin shook his head.

"Collin-kun…" Haru blushed. "Thank you. You always know how to make me feel better. Honestly though, things would have been far worse for me if I hadn't joined the Phantom Thieves. Plus, I never would have had anyone to talk to like this… If there's anything I can do to return the favor, please tell me. I want to help you as much as I can!"

'I can sense Haru's trust in us…' Ren thought.

Haru let out a sigh. "I hope someday I can just look out at the sea with a nice cup of coffee and forget about all this… And… I hope you'll be there with me, Ren-kun, Collin-kun. We can forgo the elephants though, don't worry." The trio laughed at her joke and left the restaurant soon after.

[***]

November 30

Ren and Loona went to Akihabara with Futaba, visiting the same store they had when first starting her promise list. "I'm going to take a look around by myself," Futaba declared suddenly. "If I'm not back in half and hour… Just stay here and wait for me to come back. I'm kind of nervous… but here I go! Time to make like a tree… and branch out!"

"Okay. You've got this, Sis," Loona nodded, watching as Futaba went off on her own. She and Ren waited for Futaba to come back. Thirty minutes passed… Forty-five minutes passed… The two started to get nervous until…

"Sorry! I totally forgot to check the time!" Futaba exclaimed as she skipped up to the two. "I, um… I was having fun. Guess that means I beat my mission, huh?"

"Heck yeah!" Loona cheered, giving her sister a high-five.

"You know, it was the same Akihabara as before, but everything looked so different to me this time," Futaba noted. "It's not just here though. My whole world is expanding. Every day brings new and different discoveries. The direction of Sojiro's cowlick, the atmosphere of Yongen, the various types of coffee beans… Things might be the exact same as they were yesterday, but from my perspective, it's all spinning. I knew it was possible… but I never really felt that sensation before now. I just hope I can keep changing little by little… like everyone else does."

"You can do this," Ren nodded.

"Mm-hm. I know I can do it now," Futaba smiled. "Oh, by the way… I got a text from Kana-chan saying she got a job at a convenience store. It sounds like she's just happy to be living life like a normal teenager. Plus, she got study guides with the money she made! She's gonna take the high school entrance exam! Even Kana-chan's trying to step out into the world."

"She's pretty special you ya. Make sure you don't do anything dumb to lose her," Loona laughed.

"Yup! She's my new rival!" Futaba declared. "Hey! You said you'd give me a reward if I completed my promise listen, remember!?"

"I honor my promises," Ren affirmed.

Futaba smiled. "You da man. You know, I was looking in a bunch of stores thinking about what to buy... but it felt kinda weird. There were plenty of things I wanted, but it was all stuff I could get if I worked really hard. And after all… I already have something I wouldn't have been able to get on my own."

"Hm…?" Ren hummed.

"You don't think so? No… You're forgetting," Futaba shook her head. "You gave me something really important. You gave me my life back. It's thanks to you that I learned I'm fine just as I am… and that I learned to trust my mom again. I was as good as dead, but you resurrected me. I want to use my work with the Phantom Thieves to return you the favor. And when I remember all the friends I've made… it's like I'm tapping into some kind of unknown power!"

As Ren and Loona felt the bond between them and Futaba strengthen, they also noticed a change in her heart. 'Her Persona… it's changed!' Loona realized. Just as Madame Queen has evolved in Coyote, Necronomicon evolved into Prometheus.

"You gave me my life back, so it's my turn to risk my life for you," Futaba said seriously. "Feel free to tell me anything. I'll do whatever I can to help. I'm serious, okay!?"

"I'm counting on you," Ren said.

"But don't forget to also just be a kid, got it?" Loona added.

"I promise. Leave it to me!" Futaba cheered. "And…! I never said I was gonna let my reward go unclaimed! So, lemme see… How about a month's supply of instant yakisoba!? Pretty good deal, huh!? I don't wanna order it off the net though! Let's go look for it in the real world! Now I know how much fun walking around can be!"

"It's all going on your card, Ren!" Loona laughed as she put an arm around Futaba's shoulder, making their leader sigh and shake his head, a smile on Ren's face.

"Thanks, Ren!" Futaba said.

[***]

December 1

Haru decided to take Ren and Collin out to Jinbocho today, looking for books on coffee to purchase. "I see… So there are eight different ways to roast coffee beans," Haru read out of a book. "Apparently light roast is the most acidic. It says here that the type of roast you want should differ depending on how you want to drink your coffee.

"That's fascinating," Ren commented.

"It is. I think I'd like to try hand-roasting each type someday," Haru nodded. "You know, Okumura Foods didn't start out as a burger chain… Originally it was nothing more than a small café run by my grandfather. That particular shop closed before I was old enough to appreciate the finer intricacies of coffee… But that's where the real origin of our family business lies."

"I had no idea," Collin said. "…Though I don't know a lot about this kind of stuff in general, honestly."

"I didn't either. My father only mentioned it to me a year or two ago," Haru replied. "At any rate, after my grandfather passed, the company shut the café down due to its steady loss of revenue. He had never cared about turning a profit though. His only goal was to make people happy. He built a strong community around the café… He'd even give out free meals for those who couldn't afford it. They day it closed, people lined up for blocks to give flowers. They really loved that place…"

Haru looked down. "I wonder how many people would line up for Big Bang Burger if it suddenly went out of business… I know we need to do well to keep our employees paid, but I can't help but think we've lost something important… I mean, Takakura-san seems to only be focused on profits… At this rate, we'll never lose our black image."

"Black like coffee?" Ren joked.

"…Huh? Oh, I get it!" Haru giggled. "You're so funny, Ren-kun! You were trying to cheer me up, weren't you…? Thanks for that. I think what I really need… is to get stronger. I mean, I can act tough in front of my employees… but you know how weak I am inside."

"Haru…" Collin whispered.

"…I have a plan though. Before I can really determine who I trust, first I need to know what I means to have others trust in me," Haru explained. "So, I'm going to get stronger… strong enough for you and the others to rely on me!"

'I can sense a firm resolve from Haru…" Ren thought.

"Hm… but how am I supposed to gain the trust of my employees?" Haru wondered. "I'm not great at public speaking… and even just giving my opinion makes me a little nervous…"

"Haru…?" a voice called. The group turned to see her fiancé walking up to them.

"S-Sugimura-san…!? What are you doing here?" Haru gasped.

"I was just heading home from a business engagement when I saw you from my car window," Sugimura replied. He looked at Ren and Collin in confusion. "Hm? Do I know from somewhere? …! You're that brat with the cat from before…"

"Um, these are my friends from school. They're helping me look for some books today," Haru stepped in. "Anyway, we should be getting back to our shopping. Please excuse us."

"…Hold on, Haru. You think you can go date another man and leave your fiancé in the dust?" Sugimura said, glaring at Collin.

The cherub blushed. "I-I'm already dating someone else, sir!"

"Then it must be the quiet one," Sugimura turned his glare on Ren. The leader of the Phantom Thieves just gave him an equally icy glare back.

"You're not my fiancé… I already said I'm not going to marry you," Haru stated.

"Oh yeah? And what about the contract I made with your father?" Sugimura questioned.

"F-Father is… no longer here… Besides, marriage is something you go into with your own free will… A contract could never hold the same weight…" Haru said.

"Are you sure about this? Think about the reparations clause," Sugimura said. "If you back out of the deal now, you will lose everything you own. Okumura Foods, your estate…"

"Even so, I…" Haru looked down.

Sugimura went on, "And what about your employees? Are you really willing to put their jobs on the line for the sake of your selfishness? Besides, this marriage is exactly what Okumura Foods needs right now. My father would have no trouble managing your shares or sweeping away your company's tarnished image. That reminds me, did Takakura-san tell you about the wedding hall? He got us the Phoenix Wing at the Wilton."

"Wh-What!?" Haru gasped.

"He made a provisional reservation for ten days this coming spring. After all, the sooner the better," Sugimura sneered.

"W-Wait a minute!" Haru exclaimed.

Sugimura went on, "We'll have to look into our guests' schedules as well. There'll be over three hundred of them, you know. Takakura-san can handle Okumura Foods in the meantime. Why don't you go stop by the gym or something, Haru? I mean, if you have time to mess around with these punks, you damn well have time to get a little thinner. I'm out of here."

As he left, Collin had to resist the urge to shout at the man until he was completely out of sight. "I can't believe he said all of that to you, Haru! Commenting on your weight like that… you're completely healthy!"

"I'm sorry about that…" Haru sighed.

"That guy is horrible," Ren said angerly.

"You're not wrong about that… He has everything… Fame, intelligence, manners… The only thing he needs now is a wife he can control…" Haru said. "And I guess I'm the prefect target. He's going to get Okumura Foods as well as my entire inheritance… and I'm totally powerless against him…"

"But you're not powerless. Be strong, Haru!" Collin cheered.

Haru nodded. "You're right… I can't afford to drag myself down with such negativity… Thank you. Anyway, um, I hope I can share with you again some other time. For today though… I'm rather tired. Would it be okay if we departed here?" As the group separated, Collin followed Haru secretly to make sure she got home safely. He was determined to make sure she didn't come to harm by Sugimura or anyone else.

[***]

Iwai: I have a request for ya. It's about Kaoru… He wants to see you. Can you come to the shop right now?

Ren: I'll be right there.

Iwai: Thanks, man. He'll be happy to see ya. I'll call him over to the shop, so hurry over.

"Thanks again for last time!" Kaoru said to Ren and Loona. "I learned a lot about myself, so… I just wanted to show my appreciation."

"Hmph… Intruding in on another private family moment," Iwai scoffed.

"You're still droning on about that?" Kaoru questioned. "I mean, it was quite a shock… but that's what made you take me in, right? So who cares?"

"Whoa there, kiddo…" Iwai said.

"If you had just told me all of this sooner, you wouldn't have been threatened," Kaoru pointed out.

"Who your parents are and where you come from stays with you your entire life. Thanks to my loser parents, I got bullied by complete strangers and-" Iwai started.

Kaoru cut him off. "My father isn't a loser though! He's a brilliant business owner."

"It's up to you now, Iwai," Ren said.

"And Kaoru isn't about to lose either," Loona added.

"Yeah, there's nothing to worry about now…" Iwai nodded. "So in the end, I was just fighting my own demons… Stuck in my crappy childhood and all the problems I had growing up… My view of Kaoru was all distorted… cause of my rotten childhood memories."

"I forgive you," Kaoru said.

"Wow… You've really matured, huh?" Iwai said.

The kids laughed a bit before Kaoru looked to the duo. "Why did you help my father out? He told me you gathered info about Tsuda-san for him. You willingly got involved in a yakuza dispute… Would someone normally take that big of a risk?"

"We couldn't leave him," Ren answered, Loona nodding in agreement.

Kaoru hummed. "I'd understand if you were members of the Phantom Thieves. Fighting for the underdogs… like a gentleman thief, you know? People have their own opinions, but… I think the Phantom Thieves are super cool! I mean, the sexual harassment incident involving that teacher?"

Iwai noticed how uncomfortable Ren and Loona looked and spoke up. "You gotta go, Kaoru. The supermarket's about to close. Aren't you in charge of dinner tonight?"

"Oh crap! Please excuse me!" Kaoru exclaimed as he ran out the door.

"Sheesh… Kids grow up quick. They can be a pain in the ass, but they're worth it," Iwai smiled. "…All right, let's close up shop. Go pull down the shutter… Tsuda changed rather suddenly, huh? Seems like he had a change of heart, just like the people they've been talking about on TV. I can't be the only one who was saved by his change of heart. Wonder who else knows…"

"What if you're right?" Loona questioned carefully.

"Heh, I wonder," Iwai smirked. "Well, don't worry. It ain't really none of my concern. Man, you really had me fooled. That whole thing about being an enthusiast was all just BS."

"For Ren, maybe. I do like a good weapon," Loona corrected. "Comes from having a dad that works in shady businesses… He's a lot like you, actually."

"Maybe I could meet him one day, then. Tell him he raised a good kid," Iwai said. "I hired you both on as mere pawns… and now you're Kaoru's bro and sis… The Phantom Thieves are using my guns to take down bad guys, aren't they? They help people in need, huh? Interesting… All right, I'm gonna put all my effort into that special menu we talked about. I don't like to own nobody nothing, so I'll do my best for ya. Because that's the kinda support I can provide."

'I feel a strong bond within Iwai…' Ren thought.

"But what the hell are you gonna do with a model gun? You need a real gun in a shootout," Iwai questioned. "And the knives are just replicas. They're even less useful than a butter knife, y'know?"

"You now how she's a "kitsune" right?" Ren said. "Let's just say that our battles make these replica weapons just as real as she is."

Iwai laughed. "You're such a weirdo. We were in the middle of closing shop, weren't we? Well, let's get to it." With both their secrets safe with Iwai, Ren and Loona went home happy that everything had turned out well in the end.

[***]

December 2

Location: Cruiser of Pride Side Deck

"I'm seriously sick of all of these mouse traps…" Lycan groaned as they stepped out of the Safe Room.

"At least we got another Will Seed out of the last puzzle," Templar shrugged.

"Hold it right there, punks," a familiar voice said. The group turned around to see the cleaner walking towards them.

"Hey, it's that scary guy! We didn't cause any more trouble, did we!?" Panther gasped.

"Nope. But… You beat the crap outta my men, and I can't exactly let that pass. I'm gonna have to avenge them," the cleaner replied.

"Wait, you're the one who attacked us, remember!?" Skull recalled.

"Hmph, you sure do an awful lot of barking. I guess I could let you off the hook…" The Shadow snapped his fingers, summoning minions to his side. "But you're gonna have to survive against these guys first!"

"Get ready. Here they come…!" Mona warned. One quick battle later and the Phantom Thieves were left alone once more, the cleaner nowhere to be seen.

"We caused no trouble whatsoever, yet were met with the same end result…" Fox frowned.

"And on top of all that, he up and disappeared again!" Lycan growled.

"We should ignore him if our actions have no actual impact on the results," Crow suggested. "For now, let us focus on searching for the IT company president. We should find some clues about his whereabouts around here…" The way to finding their target would prove to be tricky, however, as going through the next series of hallways just brought the team back to the main hall without any new information to speak of.

"He almost never leaves his room! Nobody's even seen him around!" Oracle groaned.

"Hm. If he "almost never" leaves, does that mean there are times that he does in fact leave?" Fox wondered.

"Wouldn't he have to head out to go to the bathroom? That's how it was for me in my room!" Oracle said.

"But there are restrooms in the rooms here… What about meals?" Noir said.

"Just one call and your food gets delivered to your room," Crow pointed out.

"Wait… That's our in!" Omen gasped. "Even though this place is just a cognition, it has restaurants and bars as well. If the IT company president never leaves his room, somebody must be delivering the food to him."

"Oh, so you think we should get info at the restaurants too! Nice idea, Omen!" Panther said. Heading back to the restaurant, the gang tracked down one of the waiters to get the information they needed.

"Um, is it possible to have meals delivered to my room?" Noir asked the cognition.

"You mean room service. Yes, that is available only at this restaurant," the waiter nodded.

"Aha! So, is there one room in particular that always orders food delivery?" Panther asked.

"Pardon me, but why are you asking me this? I would like to see your boarding passes if you don't mind," the waiter said.

"O-Oh um, we've been asked to make a delivery. It's to the president of an IT company, I believe," Queen jumped in. "He apparently never leaves his room, but Mr. Shido has given us direct orders about this… Now then, this is a highly confidential matter, so we must take it to him ourselves."

"Ah, is that so? In that case, let me tell you the way to his room," the waiter said.

"Well done, Queen! Just as I'd expect from you!" Mona complimented after they got the information they needed.

"Isn't this pretty close? I suppose it's just upstairs," Noir noted.

"It seems to be above the side deck we passed through earlier. Is there a way up there?" Fox wondered.

"Honestly, guys, I doubt this is gonna be any use. If it were me, I'd never open that door," Oracle shook her head.

"Well, that's no good! What are we gonna do!?" Panther exclaimed.

"If only there was a way in besides through the door…" Templar hummed. "In any case, we should probably head back to the side deck. I'm sure we'll find another path." Backtracking to the side deck, it was Joker's Third Eye that noticed some climbable footholds that could take the team up to where the IT guy's room was.

"I see… I never would have thought to climb up from outside," Queen admitted.

"I mean, we are phantom thieves. We can use places that normal guests don't have access to," Oracle said. As they climbed up and around the ship, Joker found a spot where they could grapple over to the other side of a large gap, where the third and final Will Seed was located! The group readied themselves as a Shadow was guarding this one like always.

"Time for us to grab the you-know-what," Lycan grinned.

"I'm gonna you-know-what the whole lot of ya!" the Shadow retorted before transforming into Kali. The battle was a test of endurance as the Shadows had no weakness, leading the Phantom Thieves to exploit status effects to down their enemies. After the tough-fought battle the final Will Seed was theirs.

"Whew… Thank goodness we didn't get you-know-what'd," Noir sighed.

"Yeah! And now that the path's clear, let's grab the you-know-what!" Mona cheered.

"…I hate all of you," Crow grumbled.

Joker was the one to equip the Crystal of Pride, and soon enough the team went back to the mission at hand, finding the IT guy's room and confronting the cognition inside. "I'm gonna go!" Oracle declared as they arrived.

"By yourself?" Lycan raised an eyebrow.

"He'll be on guard if we all go together… Plus, it's IT stuff! This is my time to shine!" Oracle said.

"Should we leave it to her?" Queen questioned.

"Sure," Joker nodded.

"It's been left to me!" Oracle declared. "It's like that show where the kid goes shopping alone for the first time. Hehe, this is gonna be tough."

"She's feeling good enough to joke around, so maybe this'll be fine after all?" Skull grinned.

"Just yell if things get dangerous, okay?" Lycan said.

"You got it, Sis," Oracle saluted before marching into the room.

"What the!? Who're you!?" the IT guy exclaimed as he saw Oracle enter.

"P-P-Pardon my entrance sudden!" she stuttered.

"Those clothes… I-I mean, why did you come in from the window!?" the man asked.

"W-Well the door's locked and you weren't answering! How else am I supposed to get in here?" Oracle shot back. "Oh, but I get how you feel! There's totes nothing better than relaxing in your own room!"

"A-A girl?" the man questioned.

"You're an IT guy, right? I can tell we talk the same language!" Oracle said, casually sitting down and getting on her laptop.

"That's not what matters here- just who are… Huh!? Is that your laptop?"

"Hehehe… This little guy caught your attention, huh? I made it myself!" Oracle laughed.

"This is amazing… To think you could do this much on a mobile device…"

"Wanna see the benchmarks? It can punch out some awesome numbers," Oracle offered. "Although normally I just use this one as a sub-processor when I'm hacking into a tough system."

"Hacking? Do you mean like cyber attacks?"

"Hehehe… Ever heard of Medjed?" Oracle asked.

"Well, of course."

"Try not to be surprised by this. Actually, be surprised. I am Medjed! I'm the one who took down DHORKS!" Oracle announced.

"Huh?"

"Don't believe me, huh? Here, this is proof," Oracle said, pulling up a program.

"This it the project sever! You identified all of them!?" the IT guy gasped.

"If you want my skills, I'll need a letter of introduction," Oracle said.

"Man… To think the website we prepared got crushed so easily by a mere child…"

"Huh? Y-You prepared it?" Oracle gasped.

The Shadow nodded. "That's right. Why did you have to go and destroy our work?"

"Because I'm a Phant-" Oracle cut herself off. "I-It was just because I couldn't forgive someone exploiting the people of Japan with terrorist threats like that. So, why'd you send DHORKS after the Phantom Theives?"

"There was no reason to choose DHORKS per se. Their relative obscurity was convenient for us though. We knew the Phantom Thieves couldn't target an anonymous group, after all."

"That's why…?" Oracle whispered.

"Originally we were going to use the Medjed as an act to lure out the Phantom Thieves, but then DHORKS arrived on the scene, which surprised all of us," the IT guy explained. "But we quickly got in contact with them and co-opted their mission for our goal. Even so, their actual defeat was quite a shock to me. We were planning on shutting them down anyway though, so it really didn't conflict with our plans. The Phantom Thieves must've enjoyed their moment in the spotlight, not knowing it would be so short-lived. You see, you gotta abuse a tool like the internet. Well, the word "abuse" doesn't really describe it. The real charm comes in making use of the internet in innovative ways that circumvent legal restrictions."

"You little…" Oracle growled.

The man laughed. "I'm sure you understand. You're Medjed, after all. Isn't it wonderful manipulating all those information-illiterate idiots!?"

"…What a third-rate fool," Oracle scoffed.

"Huh?"

"Not only are your skills third-rate, but you stick worse than a third-rate person," Oracle said. "Don't treat me like we're equals. I'm gonna reform society!"

"…What a stupid idea. Don't tell me you got rid of those DHORKS for this so-called "Societal reform"?"

"That's right! It's because I'm a member of the Phantom Thieves!" Oracle declared.

"What?"

"Picking on the weak and calling that innovative? Looks like I just gotta ban the guy at the root of all this… Shido!" Oracle said. "Now, you're gonna give me that letter of introduction!"

"Why would I?" the Shadow questioned.

"H-How about a computer competition for it?" Oracle suggested.

"Huh? Don't be ridiculous! I'd rather just kill you!"

"G-Guys!" Oracle shouted, prompting the rest of team to run into the room.

"So this is still what happens in the end…" Crow shook his head. "Well, now that we know he has one, this should be easiest way to get it!" The Shadow transformed into Oberon, with his assistants turning into Titania to assist him. Queen and Noir were the stars here, targeting the weaknesses of their enemy until the letter of introduction was theirs for the taking.

"Co-opting DHORKS wasn't the only bad thing you did, right?" Oracle questioned the Shadow. "I want to hear your biggest secret."

"The cognitive psience research…"

"What did you do!? Spill it!" Oracle demanded.

"After extracting the results of the research, I deleted every last scarp of the original data. After that, I encrypted everything we had and put it on a domain inaccessible to normal people. Don't get me wrong, though. I don't know anything about all the mental shutdowns."

"Shido… What the hell was he researching?" Mona wondered.

"No matter what it was, we won't let him abuse it!" Oracle declared. "Aw yeah, we got the fourth letter! He might've been a third-rate guy, but he still had one somehow!"

"Just that cleaner dude left then. Wanna go cause a scene somewhere and lure him out?" Skull suggested.

"As I've already pointed out, we should avoid doing that if we can," Queen shook her head.

"But we've gone everywhere on the map," Noir noted. "Is there any place we haven't checked yet…?"

"The engine room," Joker and Crow said at the same time.

"Hm? I don't recall ever passing by such a place," Fox hummed.

"Wait, I found something… The engine room," Omen said. "I remember seeing smoke rising out a vent we passed by…" the princess brought the team to the vent in question. "Right here! This most likely leads into the engine room."

"I'm getting a reading from inside, but I can't tell if it's him," Oracle hummed.

"Huh? We ain't gonan be able to get in like this. Let me try breaking it down for ya," Lycan said, using her superior strength to tear off the vent cover. "Well? Let's go kick this guy's ass!"

The Phantom Thieves crawled through the vent into the Engine Room, where the cleaner wsa hiding out with some of his guards. "…Whaddya want? You come looking for trouble?"

"That's right," Joker smirked.

"I said you're off the hook, didn't I? You got guts, bro."

"Crap, this guy might be just a cognition, but he's damn scary!" Panther shuttered.

"I'm too busy to deal with you punks now. I'll be leaving that to my men here."

"Again? This better be the last time!" Skull growled as they took care of the minion Shadows once more. "Damnit, we're not letting him escape! Let's take that letter by force if we gotta!" The gang chased after the cleaner, eventually cornering him in the engine room's control room.

"We've gotcha cornered this time! No more running like a coward!" Lycan declared, pointing her gun at the Shadow.

"Let's clean this mess up," Joker nodded.

"It's time to put an end to this charade," Crow added.

"You punks… You snuck in again!?" the cleaner exclaimed. "You guys just don't know when to stop. Is the hit on me really that big? What clan are you from?" The Shadow removed his shirt, revealing his prominent shoulder tattoos.

"…Clan?" Skull questioned. "Does he mean like, yakuza clan?"

"Great, more yakuza trash for us to take care of," Lycan rolled her eyes.

"It seems that bastard Shido has close ties to the underground…" Fox nodded.

"How are we supposed to get the letter of introduction from him? Do we have to prove our worth?" Queen whispered.

"Hey! I'm a busy man. I gotta deal with cleaning up problems and all them mental shutdowns, after all. If you got business with me, just spit it out already."

"How much for a letter?" Joker asked.

"A letter of introduction? Why the hell would I give you one?"

"As I expected…" Crow sighed.

"Um… Actually, we're here to suggest a tattoo design for you," Panther spoke up.

"A tattoo?" the Shadow questioned.

She looked over at Fox. "Th-This guy is great at drawing… H-He's an artist!"

"What is the meaning if this!? I have no intention of designing a simple tattoo!" Fox exclaimed.

"I thought you'd be able to do it, Yusuke…" Panther whispered.

"What're you squabbling about?"

"Yusuke, draw something! Art's art, ain't it!?" Skull shouted.

Fox frowned but relented with a sigh. "…Very well. May I at last decide what I draw?"

"Uh-uh. I won't accept anything 'cept a godly phoenix fitting for my godly personality," the cleaner shook his head.

"A phoenix… I'd rather something else…" Fox said.

"I think Phoenix's are cool. I have a second uncle that's a phoenix, actually," Omen muttered to herself. "He always gives the best holiday gifts…"

"Making excuses now, mister "artist"? You're all talk. People like you are a dime a dozen," the cleaner scoffed.

"I am not all talk. I can draw anything you want," Fox retorted. "Bring me a brush and a piece of paper." The artist quickly drew up a sketch and presented it to the Shadow. "…It's finished."

"I doubt this design will work well for a tattoo…" Crow shook his head.

"I think it looks pretty badass, actually. I'd get it if Dad would let me have a tattoo," Lycan said.

"A truly… explosive piece…" Noir commented.

"This is my perception of a phoenix," Fox explained.

"There's no way this is gonna work…" Mona groaned.

"I ain't seen nothing like this before! I like it!"

"Thank you," Fox replied.

"It seems like… it went well?" Templar said with confusion.

"Well then, I request a letter of introduction," Fox went on.

"On one condition, kid. I want you to be my personal tattoo artist," the cleaner replied.

"He wants to recruit you!?" Mona exclaimed.

"I decline," Fox shook his head.

"No letter for you then."

"I must decide my own path as an artist. I will not receive aid from others any longer. Now, if you understand, hand over the letter," Fox demanded. "Otherwise we'll have to take it by force. By the way, you're more feral pigeon than phoenix."

"You cock-ass bastard! I'm gonna destroy you! I'll rip open and tear out your insides!"

"We're still gonna fight after all that!?" Lycan growled, firing off a shot from her gun and revealing the Shadow's true form, Ongyo-ki. The enemy had not weakness and resisted status moves, meaning the team had to rely on critical hits to knock the Shadow down. Joker's skills he learned from Shin came in handy here, as well as Mona's Lucky Punch and Noir's One-Shot Kill skills. Eventually Lycan landed a critical hit of her own, taking down the cleaner for good. "That's what you get!"

"Haha, you punks're tough! I like that!" the cleaner laughed as he was defeated. "You've got some backbone. All right, I'll give you my letter. Normally I'd have to "clean" you guys up for messing around on the ship, but… there's no point now."

"You're letting us go?" Templar questioned.

"This place ain't gonna last much longer if powerful soldiers like you guys got in here. Time for me to jet. The captain was great 'n all, but he's gonna have to go down with this ship alone. See you later, kiddos."

As the cleaner left, Lycan looked at him in wonder. "Well, that was weird for a Shadow to just let us go like that."

"Politicians never get too close to their shady connections. They must have only been linked momentarily," Noir explained.

"Reminds me of my mother's tactics," Omen nodded. "Well, we finally have all five letters. Time to get back to the main assembly hall. We're sure to find the Treasure there as well."

"We've been to most other places to gather the letters- there's no doubt about it," Noir added.

"We're gonna take his Treasure, no matter what!" Lycan declared.

"As I'm sure you all know, the important of this particular card is unlike any that's come before," Queen reminded the team. "Once we send it, our opponents will know that Joker, who they presumed dead, is in fact still alive. We will be putting our backs to the wall."

"If we lose, our lives will truly be over…" Templar said. "We can't let that happen, can we!?""

"Time for payback," Joker said with conviction.

"Yes. This is not just a Phantom Thieves matter for you or me. It is also a personal matter," Crow nodded.

"Then it's decided," Mona said.

"The real question is, how and where do we send the calling card?" Omen voiced.

"How about we make it super flashy! Our whole big plan was all for this moment, you know!" Panther suggested.

"Actually, it must be theatrically done. A minor leak will only be crushed by Shido's influence," Fox pointed out.

"Maybe it doesn't have to be in letter form this time," Noir said.

Oracle chuckled. "It's finally my turn to steal the spotlight."

"Oh, do you have an idea?" Lycan asked.

"Not telling!" Oracle laughed. "You have to wait like everyone else, Sis!"

"Well, there's no use in thinking about it here. Let's head back for now," Omen said. The team exited the control room to head back upstairs, only for a hail fire of bullets to stop them in their tracks.

"Well, well, well, lookie what we have here," a voice with a Southern accent said. None other than Striker jumped down to the floor, in both his true imp form and wearing his Black Mask attire. The outfit was actually similar to his normal cowboy clothes, though in all black and with a standard bandit mask over his face.

"You…" Lycan growled.

"Why's he here!?" Oracle questioned.

"I'm impressed you managed to get one over on me. Guess that's what I get for underestimating you humans," Striker said. "That leader of yours is an interesting fellow, ain't he? Quiet, yet possessing more courage and determination than any other human I've met. Though considering who your daddy is, I guess it ain't too surprising."

"Leave my father out of this. This is our fight, not his," Joker said.

Striker laughed. "So, you don't let yourself be enslaved by who yer related to or what you've done in the past… That, kids, is true freedom right there. Too bad you're still related to those Goetia scum I oh so hate with a burning passion!"

"Striker…" Crow growled.

"How much is Shido paying you work for him, huh?" Lycan questioned. "If you hate royalty so much, then surely this guy is just as, if not more corrupt than they are-"

"I don't care about Shido or any of his human bullcrap. I'm just taking place of his boy that my benefactor had me take the place of." When the team looked at the imp confused, he laughed. "Wait, did Akechi not tell you? Shido is his dad!"

"What!?" the team exclaimed.

Crow sighed and stepped forward. "It's true. Masayoshi Shido is my father, and I worked at his side so that he would acknowledge me. Then I planned to exact my revenge on him."

"Wait, wait, wait- Shido is your father!?" Templar gasped.

"Remember how I said before, how my mother had been in a relationship with some good-for-nothing man?" Crow reminded them. "I'm his bastard child. My very existence is nothing but a scandal… My mother's life turned for the worse after she had me… and died. I was a cursed child for her, too."

"That's horrible…" Panther said.

"I resented him, but he was already a high-ranking official by then. A kid like me could do nothing," Crow went on. "But… that was went I gained the power of Persona and learned about the cognitive world. I thought I could remove the evil of society… but in truth, the entity was just using me in their sick game. Just like you're being used, Striker."

The imp laughed. "Not so fast, Akechi! I have a direct link to this so-called entity, and I got these powers with no strings attached. I just have to take your place and I'll get what I desire most."

"I don't know how you learned of my relationship to Shido, but I've had enough of your bullshit," Crow growled.

"It seems Striker is just another cog in the machine of this conspiracy… It's almost pitiable," Fox said.

"Our plan was almost complete, but you kids just had to rear your heads back into our business," Striker shook his head. "I was gonna let the rest of you live, even Stolas' child, but now you're more trouble alive than dead."

"Hmph, we won't get killed by the likes of you," Mona scoffed. "You talk big, but you're really nothing more than a self-righteous hypocrite! We're making a real change in society, while you only want to kill to satisfy your own ego!"

"Don't lecture me, you piece of shit…" Striker growled. "I'm going to make sure that when you all die, you won't be seeing the pearly gates or the fires of Hell. So, Phantom Thieves… rest easy and die."

"I don't plan on dying," Joker retorted.

"Sorry, I didn't ask for your opinion," Striker smirked, cocking his gun.

"You sure sound confident, but don't go pressing your luck," Skull warned. "We already know all your tricks from the intel Lycan gave us."

Striker laughed. "How have you all been so successful with that dumbass as a sidekick? This is why I work solo."

"Huh? Quit bluffing!" Skull shouted.

"It's no bluff. If he's backed by the entity that gave me my powers, then he's just as dangerous as I was when I wore the black mask," Crow said.

"You all can see what power I was granted… while you die. You can take that knowledge with you to oblivion." Striker waved his free hand, summoning two Shadows to his side. "Kill 'em!"

"Careful, he has my old powers," Crow warned. "That means he can cause psychotic breakdowns with the power the entity gave him."

"Aw, why'd you have to spoil the surprise," Striker mocked cried. "Well then, let me show you what I've got!" A dark Persona appeared behind him, coating the two Shadows he summed in a dark shroud.

"What was that!?" Oracle gasped. "I've never seen a Persona like that."

"Even the feeblest existence can gain tremendous power once the chain on its heart is broken. We can't underestimate these two," Crow said.

"What did Striker do!? The enemies are way stronger now!" Oracle said. These berserk Shadows were no joke, being able to buff their attacks and having their weaknesses covered. The Phantom Thieves did push on through the battle, using effects like freezing paralysis to slow down the foes before knocking them over with technical damage. Once they were dealt with, Striker was forced to come and face them one-on-one.

"Tch, well done," the imp frowned.

"The power to make others psychotic… You used that on actual people?" Templar asked Crow.

"And I am making up for that now by taking down the one that currently holds the power," Crow replied.

"I shouldn't have expected you kids to go down that easily. You have escaped death before, after all," Striker said. "I'm not going to give up the chance to make sure the job is finished by my own hands."

"He's coming… Brace yourselves!" Oracle warned as Striker pulled out a blessed knife to wield alongside his gun. Striker called on his Persona to use Curse and Bless skills, as well as attacking with physical strikes. Queen and Templar kept the team buffed with defense and evasion spells while Mona focused on healing skills, leaving the rest of the team to deal damage: Panther and Omen using magic, Skull and Fox using physical skills, and Noir and Lycan using gun skills. Crow eventually found an open and fired his gun at Striker, getting a glancing bow on the imp's arm that made him drop his knife in shock.

"Ngh… Damn…" the imp cursed, clutching at the gunshot wound. "So… I guess I should stop holding back now, huh? Don't underestimate me!" He called on his persona, using a Megidola spell on the party, the group winced at the major damage but held on through it.

"Take this!" Joker called, rushing in and attacking with his knife. Striker tried to shoot him point blank, but the leader of the Phantom Thieves melted into shadow, dodging around the attack and getting off his own knife attack by hitting right where Crow had shot the imp.

"Damn it…!" Striker cursed as blood shot out from the wound.

"So he's able to turn people psychotic…. I thought it was some special thing like the Nav, but it seems to be a special power granted by the entity," Mona noted.

Crow shook his head. "No, that ability was born from inside my heart. The entity simply stripped me of that power as well and gave it to him."

"I'll kill you… You're all gonna die!" Striker spat out.

"Oh for the love of- Give up already!" Lycan groaned. "We have you dead to rights, you cowboy bastard!"

"If the entity could strip Akechi of his powers, then it can do the same to you," Queen said. "Killing us won't make you happy."

"But… I…! Damn it…!" Striker cursed.

"I thought gaining my father's acknowledgement was the only way I could gain fulfillment in my life, but the Phantom Thieves showed me another way," Crow said. "I am my own person, one who isn't going to bow down to anyone, not even an entity that fashions itself as a god. I suggest you do the same and cut your ties before you become useless to it."

'I can sense Akechi's resolve in our cause growing…' Joker though, smiling at his friend's words.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Striker shouted. "This teamwork, this "friendship" you all have is nothing but bullshit! I'm not about to be taken out by inferior humans like y'all! I'm one of the top assassins in all of Hell, but somehow you humans keep interfering with my work!"

"Is that what this is about? Fame and power? I cared about those things at one point as well, but I have a true, greater justice to fight for," Crow said.

"Akechi-kun…" Noir gasped.

"You… You're just measly humans that aren't bothered by the oppression of your society! How haven't you used your powers to take over this damn country already!?" Striker shouted.

"Because we're not fucking insane," Lycan rolled her eyes.

"We want to reform the system, to make it better and equal for everyone. You just want to kill those at the top because they "wronged" you, consequences be damned," Omen said. "The royal families are like a hydra: the heads will just grow back no matter how many you cut down. And every time you kill one of us, conditions for the lower class will just keep getting worse. That's why I vowed to make a real change in Hell, and in my world, there's no place for supremacists that only look out for themselves like you!"

"You should look inside yourself and see if what you're fighting for is truly the right way to go about it," Joker said.

"Don't give me that "look inside yourself" bullshit, boy!" Striker shouted, dark energy pulsing around him.

"What was that!?" Queen gasped.

"His Persona… is it awakening fully!?" Templar said.

"Oh, this is great…" Striker laughed, his eyes becoming unhinged as he held his face with one hand. "I'm surprised… I haven't felt this rush since fighting IMP back at the Harvest Moon Festival. I might have to go all out against you scum. You know… I just came up with a fun little idea… I wonder how far I can go with this…"

"Fun?" Omen questioned.

"I'm going to strike and strike again until all of you are dead!" Striker laughed. "To Hell with this! It sends tingles down my spine just thinking of how your daddy would react when I show him your severed head as I kill him in the slowest, most painful way imaginable. All I care about now is kill you… to prove I'm better than you!"

Striker threw out his arms as red energy consumed him. "Come! Deacon Jim!" A Persona appeared behind the imp, taking the form of a man in all-black priest robes, a sheriff's badge hung around his neck in the place of a cross. Its face was shrouded by a cowboy hat, double six-shooters in its hands as Striker laughed maniacally. "Don't make me laugh! Justice? Righteousness!? Keep that shit to yourselves! You, the Goetia, the whole lot of ya piss me off!"

"His power… Is just like mine was…" Crow warned.

"Get ready, team!" Mona said.

"You're going down… I'll destroy you… Go down with me!" Striker shouted.

"No way…" Templar gasped.

"That bastard… He made himself go psychotic!" Lycan exclaimed.

"Now, let's see you drop dead on at a time, in front of your precious friends!" Striker exclaimed.

"Damnit, he's lost it. Here he comes!" Omen said, holding up her staff.

"I will kill you! Destroy you! Crush you…!" Striker said, his voice warped by his power. "Allies are nothing but trash!" With his Persona fully out, Striker didn't hold back with any of his attack, going for big magic attacks along with high damage physical and gun skills. The team also had to worry about Striker's blessed bullets, which could instantly kill any of them if Templar didn't put up a nullifying barrier in time.

"You know, there's something ironic about this guy having a priest as his Persona," Lycan said.

"I think the "Deacon" name was more of a moniker than his actual profession," Joker replied.

"Nephthys!" Omen called, summoning her Persona and hammering Striker with a powerful Gravidyne spell.

"Robin Hood!" Crow called next, using a Megidola to add onto the damage.

"Grr… Damn kids, just die already!" Striker shouted, summoning Deacon Jim to use One-Shot Kill on Lycan, only for Templar to put up another protective barrier.

"Get away from my girlfriend!" Templar shouted, using Puck to unleash a Aquadyne spell.

"And get wrecked, asshole!" Lycan added, using Coyote to drop a massive Terradyne spell.

Striker staggered a bit on his feet but stayed standing as his will defied theirs. He looked over at Noir and sneered. "Say, ain't you the little missy who had her daddy killed? I must say, it was mighty satisfying looking him dead in the eyes as the life drained out of his Shadow. I haven't had a rush killing like that since I took out my first Goetia."

Noir flinched but stood firm in her resolve. "Everyone… let's end this now!" she called. "Templar, let's do the thing we practiced."

"Right!" Templar nodded. The star in Joker's pocket shined as the two rushed forward at great speed, surprising Striker as the world warped around them into a Showtime attack. The assassin found himself being thrown through a wall and into a realm of clouds.

"What the…?" Striker questioned, before Noir came out of nowhere and slammed him hard with her axe, followed by Templar peppering him with arrow shots.

"Whatever the storm brings, we'll be able to weather it all!" Templar exclaimed as the clouds around them turned stormy, whipping up a cyclone that sucked striker in.

"In the name of the Phantom Thieves…" Noir said, firing multiple grenades into the tornado.

"We punish you!" Templar and Noir shouted together as the cyclone exploded behind them like fireworks. Striker then fell through the clouds back to the ground as the two gave a dramatic bow, tossing their weapons in such a way that they comedically slammed into Striker once more before the world went back to normal.

"Talk about a storm of emotions!" Oracle joked.

Striker let out a cry as he went down, his energy all but drained… but not before aiming his gun and shooting Crow in the chest as he fell over. "Crow!" Omen gasped.

"I'm… fine…" Crow said, wincing at the pain of the blessed bullet. "He didn't hit… anything vital…"

"And we're all out of magic here… We'll have to get you medical attention ASAP in the real world," Templar said.

"You done with your hissy fit, bastard?" Lycan asked, looking at Striker.

"You kids… just got lucky…" Striker said, coughing up some blood as the dark energy around him faded away. "I'll never stop… going for my dreams… fulfilling her will…"

"Her?" Templar questioned, before gasping as Crow made his way over to Striker, the ace detective picking up the imp's weapon and put it to his head. "Wait, w-we don't have to-"

"He said he'll never stop… and I'm the only one here… who has the guts to put him out of his misery," Crow said.

Striker laughed, coughing up more blood. "You're just like me, boy. A lowly bastard that wants to get back at the top that put us there."

"…I have no intentions of forgiving you for what you did to my father, but… I sympathize with you," Noir said. "I wholeheartedly understand wanting to get back at the ones who took from you…"

"But when you gained the power to fulfill your desire, you only used it for your own self-benefit," Fox finished.

"You may have had the same power as Joker if you gained Akechi's abilities. But you trusted no one, so you only got one Persona: for all the hatred you have in your heart," Oracle said. "Still, you thought that was enough, right? That part I totally get."

"You had all of this power, but in the end, no one was standing by your side," Omen said. "Are you truly on the "just" side here?"

Striker just spat in Crow's face. "Well then, are you gonna do it? Shoot me, boy, I dare ya to-" A single gunshot put the imp out of his misery.

"Maybe in another world, he could have been a part of IMP. Dad seemed interested in him when we first met," Lycan mused. "But he let his hatred cloud everything that he sold himself out to the entity that started all of this."

The others gave their nods of agreement. "Omen, you're going to reform the hierarchy of Hell, right?" Joker asked.

Omen nodded. "Yes, and while I may hate Striker for all that he's done against my family, he serves as a reminder of why the Goetia needed to change. I'm going to make sure that another Striker never comes into existence again."

"All right, let's go back and get that calling card ready!" Skull cheered. "We're gonna take Shido down." Just as he said that, though, a new and very familiar face showed up. "Akechi?"

"Another one!?" Templar gasped. "Wait, is he…"

"That's… Shido's cognitive version of Akechi!" Mona realized.

Cognitive Akechi laughed and pulled a gun on Crow. "…I'll deal with the rest of you later. Captain Shido's orders… He has no need for turncoats. Well… this just moves the plan up a little. He was going to get rid of you after the election anyway."

"What!?" Crow growled.

"Did you truly believe you'd be spared after all the murders you undertook? Oh, by the way, the captain says it's time you receive retribution for causing the mental shutdowns."

"What the hell, man!? That bastard's the one who put him up to it!" Skull shouted.

Crow stared at his counterpart and laughed. "I see… I was wondering how he'd protect himself if I used my power to tear through his Palace. Turns out you're how. So he's making a puppet kill me… Sounds like something he'd do."

"That's right. I'll do anything. But look at yourself… you're the true puppet. You wanted to be acknowledged, didn't you? To be loved? You've been nothing but a puppet from the very beginning."

"You little…" Lycan growled.

"So this… is how Shido thinks of Goro Akechi?" Templar gasped. "It's… It's too horrible!"

"It's too late for you, Shadow! We're going to change Shido's heart with Crow at our side. As a Team!" Noir shouted. "Even if he's your father… no, because he's your father!"

"What's all this nagging about? Want me to take care of you first?" Suddenly more Shadows appeared.

"No… He's not alone! He has Shadows too!" Panther gasped.

"You know what? I'll let someone volunteer to take his place. Who knows, you might delay his death."

"Damn you…" Omen cursed.

"You guys are all about doing things for others, aren't you? Oh, that's just the same as me. I'm going to take all the blame for our captain. I'll die for him too."

"This is what Shido thinks of Akechi-kun, even after making him help with the murders!?" Queen said.

"Here, I'll give you one last chance. Shoot them," Cognitive Akechi said to Crow.

Crow laughed bitterly. "I was such a fool…" He pulled out his gun and aimed it at Joker.

"Crow!" Omen gasped.

"Yes… That's the you our captain wishes to see."

"…Don't misunderstand. You're the one who's going to disappear!" Crow exclaimed. Two gunshots went off, one landing in Cognitive Akechi, and the other hitting a power box.

"The watertight bulkhead door has closed. All personnel within the partition wall: evacuate at once," an announcement said as a wall went up, cutting off the Phantom Thieves from Crow.

"Whoa, what is this!?" Oracle gasped.

"Akechi!" Lycan shouted, pounding on the wall.

"Hurry up and go," Crow called.

"You fool! Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Fox shouted.

"The real fools… are you guys. You should have just abandoned me here a long time ago…" Crow said. "You would have all perished… if you had tried to face those with me weighing you down…"

"Akechi-kun!" Queen cried out.

"Let's make a deal, okay? You won't say no, will you?" Crow asked.

"Why at a time like this!?" Templar asked.

"Change Shido's heart… in my stead… End his crimes… Please!" Crow begged.

"…I'll hold on to your glove," Joker said solemnly.

Crow gasped, before giving a smile. "Heh… After all this, that's what you have to say? Seriously, you really are…"

'I sense a strong bond with Akechi…' Joker thought.

"You bastard…" Cognitive Akechi said, holding his side and raising his gun at his counterpart.

"So, my final enemy is a puppet version of myself…" Crow mused, holding up his own gun. "I…!"

"Akechi!" Omen screamed, her powers bubbling up as she threw everything she had at the wall. "Isn't there some way to get this open, Mona?" But a pair of gunshots cut through the room, making the princess gasp and fall to her knees in shock, tears on the edges of her mask.

"His signal is… gone…" Oracle whispered, her tail drooping as she went over and gave Omen a hug. "I'm only getting… the weaklings…"

"No…" Omen cried.

Mona closed his eyes and let out a breath. "Come on, you guys! We can't let a rotten criminal like Shido do what he wants any longer! We can't… no matter what!"

"Akechi…" Templar said.

"…We should get going," Lycan said. "He trusted us with his final words, after all…"

"Let's go, team," Joker said, turning away from the others as he wiped a single tear from his eye. The Phantom Thieves didn't say a word as they returned to the large, locked door, inserting the letters to get inside. After taking an elevator up, they arrived in a large room with a daruma doll head in the back.

"The hell is that!?" Skull exclaimed.

"It's pretty rocking!" Oracle admitted.

"So this… is the main assembly hall?" Noir guessed.

"P-Probably. Daruma are often used as symbols of election luck, plus everything else in here seems real…" Queen replied.

"Odd… There isn't a single person in here," Fox noted. "It sounded as though there was quite the crowd inside when we heard voices through the door."

"But given how it looks, this has to be the root of the distortion," Panther said.

Mona nodded. "Yes. I'm picking up on the Treasure's presence as well. There's no doubt this place is where it'll appear." With that, the Phantom Thieves left the Palace, though their hearts were heavy at the loss of one of their allies.


New Compendium Entry

Name: Deacon Jim

Arcana: Adjustment

Background: A sheriff, outlaw, and assassin of the old west who earned his alias by going to church and supposedly not smoking or drinking. He met his end at the hands of a lynch mob after killing a former U.S. marshal.


Author's Note

Firstly, I'd like to thank TalosLives for suggesting Striker using Deacon Jim as his Persona. I had been struggling to find the right figure to use as his Persona, and then Talos left a comment that was the perfect choice for Striker. Thanks for that, buddy!

Before discussing the rest of that scene, however, let's talk Confidants. Futaba's confidant is really cute, getting to see her come out of her shell and reconnect with her old childhood friend. Getting to have her and Loona develop a sisterly bond was also sweet as it allows both of them to make a new supportive connection in their lives.

Iwai is another favorite of mine, and as Loona pointed out shares a few similarities with Blitzo: both are guys with shady pasts and adoptive kids that have a hard time connecting with said kids but mean well and genuine care for them. I would say that Iwai is the better dad if only because he actually respects Kaoru's personal boundaries, but it was nice for Loona to recognize the similarities and help Iwai bond with his kid.

We finish up Shido's Palace this time, and not a lot changed other than what the IT guy was doing for Shido. Since DHORKS took over the Medjed arc, I had to be that the IT guy instead ran the website for DHORKS once they had to course correct when they arrived in Japan. Also when Octavia mentioned having a second uncle that's a phoenix, that's in reference to Marquis Phenex, another Ars Goetia memeber.

Now then, the big confrontation with Striker. He does try to use Akechi's past against the team, but Crow has truly changes and is trying to atone for his past actions. I actually think this change strengthens Akechi's character compared to the actual game, as I feel like his psychotic breakdown was a bit forced than it should have been. Striker does actually work as a good foil for Akechi, since both are fueled by revenge against a society that wronged them. However as the gang pointed out here, Striker is blinded by his revenge to the point that he doesn't see that killing the Goetia will only make life worse for the lower class instead of better.

Deacon Jim is in the Adjustment Arcana, which is the Thoth deck equivalent to Justice. I see it as similar to Adachi in Persona 4 having Hunger as his Persona, since they're both perversions of the "true" arcana. The Persona itself I find very fitting, as Deacon Jim (aka Jim Miller) fancied himself a honorable man while being an assassin, which is a lot like how Striker sees himself. Ultimately the Phantom Thieves do pity Striker in the end, if only because they can understand why he went down the path he chose, which only strengthens Octavia's resolve to reform the royal houses of Hell so another Striker never rises again.

But even if Striker took Akechi's place, he still managed to injure Crow just as Cognitive Akechi arrived to do in his real self. Crow sacrifices himself to save his teammates, which is devastating for them as they were all starting to see him as a real ally. They're going to make Shido pay for all his crimes and avenge Akechi for sure, but that'll have to wait for next time.