Author's Notes: Good welcome, one and all! Once again, the best Persona 5 fic on the internet humbly brings an update right to your computer screens, and there's a lot going on in this one. We have action! We have romance! We have a dogs and cats living together as the world ends!* And all of this and more is yours for the low, low price of free! Who can argue with that!?

*May not include actual dogs, cats or doomsday scenarios.

But before we can burrow into the bowels of this beauty, I first have to thank my wonderful reviewers:

UltimateCCC: But of course. That's why we love him, right?

DodemGM: Thanks for saying as much. I do strive to be memorable, if nothing else. You can always look forward to that in these stories, all across the board. Thanks for the review, and enjoy!

And now, on we go!

Shark in the Water

Akira stretched as he left his classroom. Finally, exams were over and he could give the studying a rest for a night. He had a good feeling about how he did, and he was interested in seeing where he ranked when the grades were released.

Ann followed a few minutes later, yawning as she joined him. "Glad that's over with."

"Was school eating into your time for life?"

"Yeah, and work and everything else."

They went down to the front doors to wait for their companion. They were chatting about nothing when Niijima-senpai passed them by to leave. She looked at Akira with an indecipherable look on her face, and he ignored the other upperclassmen around her and cheerily told her, "Enjoy the rest of your day, Niijima-senpai."

Some of the other students glared at him in passing, something Akira let pass him by completely. She, on the other hand, stopped to look at him, then replied with, "You too, Kurusu-san."

The glares intensified. How dare the school mongrel speak to her?! But she was either immune to the opinions of those around her or completely ignorant to them because she hitched her bag up and went through the doors.

Akira turned and shifted his view here and there so he could look past the other students and watch her – and those lovely legs and the sway of her skirt – leave. He couldn't wait to see what she looked like in a summer uniform.

"You like playing with fire, don't you?" Ann asked while he slaked his eyes. "Some of those guys looked like they were ready for blood when you talked to her."

Akira shrugged. "I was just being polite. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"I've heard of her. Fit, smart, serious. Is she your type?"

"I don't know. She's fun for all those reasons, so maybe?"

"She also dragged you in with Kawakami-sensei the other day, too," she pointed out.

He looked over and grinned. "That's the best part."

Ann rolled her eyes.

Five minutes later Ryuji joined them, rubbing his face. "I could go for ramen and a nap, but you wanted to check out Kitagawa and that art gallery, right Morgana?"

The cat popped out of his bag and nodded. He'd been doing reconnaissance at night while Akira studied, and he'd grown antsy as the exams went on. "I can't explain what it is," he'd said when Akira asked him why he was pacing the length of the attic yet again. "Just that it feels like something's getting ready to happen, and it involves Kitagawa-san."

Akira had no reason to doubt the feline's instincts. He'd made note of that and passed it onto the others. They unanimously agreed to check out the artist when they could, and that time was now.

"I have my ticket," Ann mentioned. "Do we need to stop anywhere first?"

The others showed their passes in turn. "No time like the present," Akira concluded. "Let's go."

They took the train and in half an hour were in front of the museum where Madarame's work was on display. Posters and streamers indicated the various exhibits and events going on, the most prominent of which was to take place in the first week of June. "Madarame again," Akira noted as they approached. "This guy really is a big deal if they're giving him this kind of treatment."

"That's just the start of it," Ann replied. "I've heard he's so skilled and prolific that he's breaking into the Western market and getting his stuff seen around the world."

"Pretty impressive," Ryuji commented. "Who's the last guy to do that?"

"I'm not actually sure," Ann admitted. "He's such a big name right now that you don't hear much about other artists in his field. That could just be the media making a big deal about the story of the day, but he's so huge that it's hard to get much context outside of what he's doing."

Akira tapped his leg in thought. The first idea that came to mind on hearing that was Kamoshida, how everyone was blinded by his Olympic accomplishments that no one considered how he could be an abuser on the side. Akira shook his head. Just because one or two points were similar didn't give him the right to think poorly of someone else, and a stranger at that. "Well, let's go," he said. "Let's see what we see."

They went in, standing out a bit for still wearing their uniforms, and were at the exhibit in short order.

"Big place," Akira commented, watching the crowds around him. "If these are all his pieces, then you weren't kidding about him being prolific."

"I wasn't expecting this," Ann admitted. "Let's split up, see if we can find Kitagawa-san."

They nodded and did so. Akira looked about for the tall student but came up with nothing. When he turned, he saw a familiar flashy suit pass by before it disappeared into the crowd. He didn't follow it, but it did remind him of something he'd have to try later.

Akira looked back to see Ryuji staring thoughtfully at a particular painting. This sort of place didn't fit the athlete that much, so Akira went over and asked, "Something got your eye?"

Ryuji was slow in answering. "Not sure. Maybe it's cuz we just had exams and I was studyin' stuff about geometry and history, but there's somethin'... off here."

Akira leaned closer, ensuring no one else could hear them. "What's off about it? Where's that feeling coming from?"

Ryuji was quiet for longer before answering, "Kidd. He says this isn't worth bein' here. He's not clear about why, just that it wouldn't be good loot in a raid."

Akira pondered that. A privateer would probably know what plunder was worth grabbing and what wasn't. Akira pulled at Arsene and focused on the portrait. The hairs on his nape and arms stood on end, and he got a brief sense of the Persona's impressions. There came a sense of aversion, the notion that something wasn't worth taking. A counterfeit would have made sense, but when Akira probed for answers, nothing clear came to him.

He said as much to Ryuji.

"Same reaction," the athlete noted, "and neither can tell us why. You'd think if these were forgeries, we'd know that. Somethin' simple like that should be obvious to them, right?"

"Should be, so this is different." Akira pulled his bag around in front of his chest and opened the zipper a bit. "Morgana, what do you think?"

The cat wriggled forward and looked through the crack. "Hmm… I'm thinking the same as you guys. Something's off, but it's not obvious. No one else is talking about this, so whatever it is it must be subtle."

"I'll see what Ann-san thinks," Akira said.

"Sounds good. I'll see if I can figure this out."

"You're getting better with Captain Kidd, Ryuji," Morgana pointed out.

"Yeah, seems so."

"Keep it up."

"Thanks, Morgana, I will."

Akira moved between the other museum guests and stepped up next to Ann where she was looking at a painting of a beautiful scenic shot. "Is this to your liking, miss?" he asked obsequiously.

She turned her nose up, playing along. "Why yes, I say it is… satisfactory. It needs more red, however. Everything needs more red."

Akira chuckled, then moved in next to her. "Ryuji and Morgana say there's something off about the painting back there."

She murmured, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. This is the fourth one I've had that feeling with."

"That many? What's the problem with them?"

"I don't know, and that's frustrating Carmen like you wouldn't believe. She says it's not worth the asking price, but she can't say why."

Akira hummed in thought. This many cases was a pattern, not a coincidence. "Interesting, those are almost exactly the words the others used. And these are all Madarame's pieces. Could someone be trying to defraud him, or maybe set him up? Replace genuine pieces with really good fakes and then hang him for it?"

"Carmen says she'd know a fake if she saw it. Maybe you're right, but she's pretty convinced it's something else."

"Keep on it, see if you can find out what."

Ann nodded.

Akira stepped away and slipped into the crowds, catching snippets of information here and there. Most of it was about how remarkable of an artist Madarame was to paint so well in so many styles. Talk of brush techniques, oil or water, different canvases, unique perspectives and other particulars that Akira recalled from Kitagawa-san's introductory lesson swirled around him. If Madarame could do all that people said he could, then his talent really was impressive.

Akira caught a stray bit of gossip just then. "That's his pupil over there, the tall boy in the Kosei uniform."

Akira looked to where the people were indicating and smiled as he walked over. "Kitagawa-san. Good to see you."

The student turned and looked surprised. "Kurusu-san. I wasn't expecting you to be here so soon. Or were your exams concluded earlier in the week?"

"No, we just finished today. Same as you, it seems."

Kitagawa looked at his school uniform and smirked. "I wanted to be here as quickly as possible. I didn't consider my attire."

"Well, we're here. By the way, you can call me Akira if you're comfortable with that. I'm not big on formality."

"Truly? Well, I could, but you must call me Yusuke in return."

"Deal. Well, Yusuke-san, where should I start? This isn't my usual haunt, if you know what I mean."

"Of course. Well, here, let me show you."

Akira got the tour. Yusuke was a wealth of insight, and his comments helped Akira gain a greater understanding of where Madarame was situated in the art world. They ended up at a piece that Ann and Ryuji were standing at. "Greetings, both of you," Yusuke said.

Ryuji grinned in reply while Ann's answering stare smoked as her smile smoldered.

"I'd still like the chance to paint you, Takamaki-san," Yusuke declared.

She chuckled throatily. "On that again, hm? Well, I like dedication in people. We'll have to see what you can do first."

"Please give me the opportunity to show you! I know you won't be disappointed!"

"I'll think about it. First, what can you tell us about this piece?"

The painting she indicated was a detailed contrast of light and dark, a sunrise behind some branches, the reds and golds setting off the canvas while remaining soft and subtle. Even to Akira's untrained eye it was an excellent piece of work.

He turned to say as much, but saw Yusuke's face warp. Anger and confusion flashed across his features, and he twisted his hands and looked away.

"That… is Madarame-sensei's," Yusuke said finally, a fake smile on his face. "He's a master of many styles."

"A lot of people say that," Akira added, watching more closely. "To work in so many styles, materials and angles, he must be a genius."

Yusuke's lips formed a different word before he pinched them together. "He is," he said instead. "Sensei is amazing, and he is a great teacher. I can only hope to follow in his footsteps someday."

None of those words sounded like the passionate guy Akira met at the library. They were the mouthings of habit and justification, excuses one and all.

Ann went on. "Well, hopefully he's doing okay. Some of these paintings feel like he was upset or sad when he made them, like he put something of himself on the canvas when he made them. This one feels like anger and frustration, even for such a soft picture."

"He must be pretty intense to get all of that out in his work," Ryuji added.

"He is… all of those things." Yusuke chewed on the words and nearly spat them out.

Akira knew that the conversation was about to crater or end abruptly. Before it could, he asked, "Do you have your phone with you?"

"Hm? I do, but why?"

"Could I get your number? If I need any help with my art class, I'd like to have someone I can talk to."

A bit of Yusuke's usual calm returned. "Of course. And you can let me know when Takamaki-san will allow me to paint her."

"Sure, I'll do that."

They exchanged numbers, and Yusuke hung around for a few minutes longer, looking at that particular picture, before he said, "I should go find Sensei. Thank you for coming, and please enjoy what you see here."

The three nodded or waved. Once Yusuke was out of earshot, Ryuji commented, "That was a big change, wasn't it?"

"A blind man could see what this piece means to him," Ann added.

"What do you think, Morgana?" Akira asked.

The cat shifted in his bag. "He's not as in control as he pretends. This painting's part of it but I think there's more going on. Good job getting his number."

"I have a feeling we'll need it." Akira looked at the other two Thieves. "Should we hang around anymore?"

Both shook their heads. They left the exhibition and were going through the halls when Akira pulled a 100 yen coin from his wallet and turned it through his fingers.

"Need a snack or somethin'?" Ryuji asked.

"Practice. May as well get it in where I can, right?"

They got outside and Ann huffed in frustration. "I wish I could have figured out what was up with those paintings. Carmen couldn't get anything else out of them no matter which ones we looked at."

"Same here," Ryuji put in. "Even if Yusuke-san knew somethin', he didn't drop what it was."

"Were they all like that?" Akira asked.

"Pretty much," Ann answered. "All the ones we looked at, there was something about them I couldn't place no matter how much I looked. That last one too, it was the same as the others."

Ryuji nodded.

"Weird," Akira muttered. "What's going on?"

"Hey!" a stranger called. "You kids just come from that exhibit?"

The Thieves turned to the speaker. She was a woman in her mid-20s, slim, dressed in sneakers and jeans and a shirt that read, "Low life fight the power." A tote bag was on her shoulder and a camera was around her neck.

"Yeah," Ryuji answered. "Who's askin'?"

"Ohya Ichiko," she replied. "Journalist."

"I know that name," Ann noted. "Some of my coworkers have had articles written by you. You're more into entertainment and click bait than strict reporting, aren't you?"

Ohya shrugged with a smile, taking no offense. "That's somewhat true. The boss said to switch what I was covering so here I am. Gotta pay the bills, right Takamaki-chan? Don't look surprised, there aren't that many foreign girls in the local modeling industry."

"If you're a journalist, are you looking for headlines and opinion pieces?" Akira asked.

"Kinda. I heard you guys talking about there being something odd with some paintings and figured I'd ask you a few questions."

"Like what? And why?"

"These paintings, were they the work of Madarame Ichiryusai?"

"Let's say they were. So what?"

"Because there've been some rumors about him and where his best stuff comes from, that's all."

Morgana shifted in his bag. Akira replied, "Go on."

"Have I got your attention?"

"Depends on what you have to say."

"You're quick, kid. I like that." She looked around them, then leaned in. Her tone went serious. "Fraud, blackmail, and extortion. How does that sound?"

Akira took a moment to reply. "Pretty far-fetched. We saw Madarame a while ago, he seems cheerful and upbeat for an old guy."

"Everyone says that. It's a lie. Have you seen any of his students?"

"One."

"How does he seem? As happy as his instructor? And I mean all the time, like he's got nothing big going on under the surface."

Akira paused, then answered, "Okay, you have my attention. What do you know?"

"Nothing. These are rumors, like I said, and they wouldn't be rumors if someone could prove them."

"Then what rumors have you heard? Obviously not nothing."

"Got you interested? Here it is then. Madarame takes in students and teaches them, sometimes even puts them up at his place in Shibuya. They're trained and pushed to become the best they can be, but once they do he steals their work, puts his name on it, and kicks them to the curb. He's got a reputation in the art world so people think he's a genius, and he's got a whole law firm on retainer so no one hears otherwise. The students are abandoned, and the worst cases are of them becoming seriously screwed up in the head. Some came from bad places before he took them in, and they never recover."

"That's some wicked shit if it's true," Ryuji muttered.

"Why haven't we heard about this up to now?" Ann asked. "Lawyers or not, wouldn't someone notice that happening over and over?"

"No, because it's not all of his students," Ohya explained. "The average ones? They'll never make it in the art world and Madarame knows it, so he teaches them and sends them off like any instructor would. They think they've gotten somewhere and it's just their hard luck that they haven't caught a break, but that's because they're not worth stealing from. Makes for a great cover. But the best ones? Those're the real victims. They sweat blood to get to the top, and once they're not useful any longer, they're gone."

Akira said, "This sounds solid so far – for a rumor – but how is he stealing entire works from these guys?"

"Madarame's a forger, so he's very good at imitating people. He gets his best students to put their hearts and souls into their work, but when they're almost done he finishes it on his own and puts his name on it. People call him a genius for working in different styles and everything, and no one questions it or thinks he might be lying to them."

"We heard that inside," Akira noted with growing horror. "Everyone thinks he's the real thing. They wouldn't believe you if you told them otherwise, no matter who was talking."

Ohya smirked bitterly. "I've gotten two interviews from guys whose lives he ruined. The details lined up too well to be a coincidence."

"That's why the pieces felt wrong," Ryuji concluded. "Why they wouldn't be worth the askin' price."

"Why are you telling us this?" Ann asked.

"The more people who know, the better, and you guys are willing to listen to me. More importantly, you're engaging with the information and working with it, and that's more than those dolts in the art world will do. I'm not sure they'd do anything even if they did listen to me."

"They're protecting an investment, aren't they?" Akira put in.

"I knew you were smart, kid. There's a lot of money in art, and Madarame's the big-ticket name right now. If he tanks, then there's a lot of angry people to answer to. People with power and deep pockets." She looked at them. "But you also seem to know his student. He must be a guy around your age in that case. Someone that young doesn't deserve what's coming to him, so if you can help him or show him what's coming, get him out of there however you can. Madarame's too big for anyone to take down, but that kid might have a chance. Maybe you can get through to him."

"This is a lot to take in," he noted.

"Yeah, not what you were thinking you'd hear when you woke up this morning, right? I get it, and sorry for dumping all this on you – I hope I didn't ruin your day."

"But I'm glad I heard it, nonetheless. Hey, you're a journalist; do you have a card?"

She handed one over with a flourish. "Right here, kiddo, name and number and credentials and everything."

"Thanks for the information. If we see Madarame's student again, I'll keep this in mind."

"If you can help him, that'd be great. Poor guy doesn't know what he's caught up in." Ohya stretched. "But that's all hearsay according to the cops, so we never had this conversation, right? Right. Have a good day, kids, and stay out of trouble." She waved and left.

"Pretty colorful," Ryuji commented. "Here and gone, just like that."

"If she's not making this stuff up, then she's a credit to her profession," Akira noted, putting the business card in his wallet. "It'd be nice if there were a way to know if she's right about this so we can help Yusuke-san."

"There is," Morgana told them, sticking his head out of the bag. "If there's proof, we'll find it."

"How're we gonna do that?" Ryuji asked. "Guy that rich is gonna have security up to here."

"This is the thing that Yusuke-san is in the middle of," Morgana established, "and I think I know how deep it goes. Let's go to that place she mentioned where Madarame lives. I want to see something."

7 7 7

They took the train the rest of the way. Ann and Ryuji spent the time on their phones, looking up anything to do with Madarame. By the time they arrived, Ann summed up what they'd learned. "There're rumors about Madarame like what Ohya said, the same ideas and stories of plagiarism and fraud, but nothing's really stuck. People say that the rumors have to be false because he beat the charges in court, the judge saying that there wasn't any resemblance in the paintings. Some people question the verdict because the judge has a distant in-law who is tied to that art gallery, but it's never gone any further. Some of his old students have come to his defense and said the rumors are all lies, and nothing's come up recently."

"So maybe Ohya's right," Ryuji noted, "or maybe she's spinnin' the story for some cash."

"Yusuke-san's reaction says there's something going on," Akira concluded, turning his coin through his fingers more easily now. "Let's see what Morgana can find us."

They asked around for directions to Madarame's place and ended up at a two-storey shack built from slanted wood and sheet metal, a rickety structure that more resembled a tenement in the skids than the abode of a famous artist. None of them could believe it, and Ann asked two separate passersby if they were in the right spot. "This is it." She shook her head. "How does a guy with a driver and a limo live here?"

"I have some ideas," Morgana told them. "Open the app on your phone, Akira, and let's move out of the way. Behind the trees at that park over there should work."

They went across the street as instructed. Nothing was showing up on the app. "What're we lookin' for?" Ryuji asked.

Morgana explained, "That navigator is how we get 'over there,' right? It runs on metaphysical concepts that are tied to who someone is rather than set directions like on a map. When you have a person, a place, a concept and an anchor, we can see if there's a Palace that corresponds to the combination. That's how we got to Kamoshida's Palace, and that's how we'll see if Madarame has one."

"Are we assuming the worst about him already?" Akira asked.

"I have a hunch. And if I'm wrong, then he's just a gifted old artist and that journalist is a liar."

"Okay, let's give it a try. Madarame Ichiryusai."

The app pinged.

"That's it," Morgana stated, cold anger in his eyes. "He has a Palace, and that's already bad news for Yusuke-san. Now we have to figure out what form his Palace takes, what it's anchored to and what his hidden side is that he doesn't want anyone knowing."

Akira looked over. "I don't remember anything with Kamoshida being this complicated. Did we do all this at some point?"

Ryuji shrugged. "We musta. Seems like a fluke, though, if we took all these steps without knowin'."

"The locals say that this is where he works out of," Ann mused, "and I heard the same thing at the gallery, so this should be his anchor point, right? That would make it… a house?"

Wrong.

Akira tried, "A studio?"

Nothing.

"Hm. How about a prison?"

Incorrect.

Ann commented, "It might be referring to how it really is or seems, which is weird because it's just a shack."

The app pinged, words filling in on the screen.

"Two out of four," Morgana said, leaning forward eagerly. "What's his secret? Who is the real him that he doesn't tell anyone?"

"If Ohya was right, then he sounds like a faker."

That wasn't it.

"Okay, how about a con man?"

Not that either.

Ann offered, "A forger?"

Nope.

"Well, that is what he's doing, apparently. What about an abuser?"

More nothing.

The three kept trying, but Akira chewed over the bits and pieces of conversation he remembered having with Ryuji back when they tripped across Kamoshida's Palace, the innocuous comments that seemed prescient now. Then he set that in the framework of how Yusuke acted, the sort of thing that might get a reaction like that from someone so dedicated to his craft. "Madarame's a plagiarist," Akira said firmly, "who is trying to climb the ladder for his own museum."

'Plagiarist' and 'Museum' filled in on the app. The four terms combined to reveal a new location similar to Kamoshida's Castle, only this one was labeled the Museum.

"That's it!" Morgana cheered, almost falling out of his bag in his enthusiasm. "We can see what Madarame's really like with this. No guessing or rumors now."

"We good to do this?" Ryuji asked. "I'm game for it – I could use something to take my mind off school. But are we ready if there's a fight?"

"We can just explore a little and come back if the waters are too hot," Ann suggested.

"That's for the best," Akira agreed. "If we're going to take on another Palace, we'll need gear and tools, but this way we'll have some idea of what to bring."

"Then check to make sure no one's around," Morgana told them, "and let's go."

They did, ensuring no one was nearby or coming up the street. Then they slipped in behind the cover and hit TRAVEL on the app.

The world darkened and shifted. A familiar unreality and oppressive weight greeted them as the Thieves were changed into their work attire.

"Feels different here from last time," Joker commented. "Maybe because no one's trying to kill us."

"Not yet, anyway," Skull replied.

"Good gods!" Panther flinched next to them. "Look at that!"

The three guys turned to look at Madarame's shack, only the shack wasn't there anymore. In its place was a massive multi-storey museum that would have spanned the length of Shibuya's Central Street and still needed room for parking. Searchlights turned and twisted, running across a large, gaudy sign reading Madarame's Magnificent Museum. The building's walls were angled in the visual abomination known as modern architecture, billboards could be seen with art pieces all with his name on them, and there was a crowd of eager fans that stretched far into the distance. There were even vans from news stations, local and national, by the entrance with cameras and drones all waiting for the man himself.

Mona breathed, "Wow is this ugly."

"I thought Kamoshida and that castle were bad," Joker followed. "But this… how in love with yourself would you have to be to think this way? If this is what he's hiding, you'd think the guy would never be able to get away from his own mirror."

Skull added, "He's a top-notch liar if this is what he's really like. Everyone thinks he's a saint."

"What now?" Panther asked. "Look at all those people. Will they be a problem?"

"They're part of the cognition," Mona explained, "no different from those cars or the signs. They aren't Shadows. Yet."

"Will they be if we have to steal Madarame's heart?"

"Anything's possible at that point, so I wouldn't be surprised. But they're not a threat right now and we're not here to fight him. Let's get inside and see what's there."

The front door was a lost cause. People were lined up and waiting to enter, all speaking about some 'grand show,' 'a reveal to rival all others,' and no one looked even slightly willing to give up their spot. There weren't any easy ledges nearby, but Joker caught sight of the TV vans and told the others, "Come on." They crossed the parking lot and were well out of the crowds, and he pointed up. "There, see it? The wall's lower, maybe enough that we could get up and tie an anchor."

Skull squinted. "That could work, but that's a ways up."

"Follow me." Joker went to the van closest to the wall, jumped onto the roof and pulled the others up after. "Give me a boost. Mona, can you get up the wall with the rope?"

The cat nodded. "Yes. Good thinking. Let's do it."

It took some doing to get everyone in place, but Skull knelt and cupped his hands. Joker hefted Mona into his shoulders and then bolted forward, jumped with the heave of a boost, and caught onto a thin ledge. He pulled himself up, then lifted the cat up. Mona used Joker's hands as a springboard, catching onto the smallest of holds and climbing up to the roof, even whirling the winds about him to make himself lighter. A few minutes later, a thin black rope came back down, a bag attached to the end. Joker caught it and anchored the rope, then fed it down to the others. The footing was narrow but the Thieves had been through worse.

In no time they were all on the roof, not far from a skylight that Mona had already worked open. "Good work," the little burglar told them. "We can get in here, and it looks like it's above a side room. Low security. We can use this as our way in whenever we need."

"This is already going better than Kamoshida's Castle," Joker commented.

"Low bar, man," Skull answered.

A new rope was anchored and dropped to a catwalk. They lowered themselves quietly and slipped down to the floor. Through the door was a hallway lined with statues and upright suits of armor – which the Thieves all skirted suspiciously – along with display cases holding shining jewelry and precious stonework, sculptures on stands, and even two racks of weapons.

The fingers of the Thieves itched at the sight of such wealth on display, but when they looked at the wall at the back of the room, thoughts of larceny faded fast. On the left was one line of portraits, the faces and names of those titled The Convenient. The plate naming them such was framed in bland, unflattering metal, the frames and surroundings lacking any decoration or flair. No thought or ceremony had gone into these displays, placed there as an afterthought if they'd been considered at all.

To the right, the display titled The Useful was quite different. The size and shape of each portrait altered with the person, each with a name beneath them, and the faces were darkened, looking thin and haggard. The borders were gilded, more expensive in presentation than the others and each lit and given full attention, but no matter how bright they should have been, they were instead drained of color.

"These are strange," Panther mentioned, approaching. "It's like they aren't just pictures."

Mona growled angrily. "They aren't. Look past the effects, at the faces and clothes. The people here are older. Would a painter take students of different ages? Some, maybe, but this many?"

"They're in real time," Akira realized in revulsion. "Madarame's keeping tabs on them."

"Worse, he's watching them suffer after he's used them up. He's enjoying this. Touch the pictures, but don't get too close."

Joker approached the portrait titled Nakanohara Natsuhiko and reached out. As his gloves contacted the painting, pain lanced into his head. Garbled voices churned between his ears, and when he focused past the noise, a conversation made itself clear.

"Again, Nakanohara. It's not enough yet."

"But… Sensei…"

"You're nearly there. You haven't come this far for nothing, have you?"

"No… but–"

"But nothing. A protégé of mine would never fall short of the mark at the last minute. You're nearly there, aren't you? And until it's perfect, it won't do."

"Y… yes, Sensei."

"Good. Now, again."

Joker pulled back, silencing the voices. The portrait shifted before his eyes into a striking scene of a hummingbird, so real that he could almost hear the wing beats. But the signature in the corner was Madarame's, and when it shifted back the face was sunken, the man's eyes dim and his head bowed. He looked empty. "Madarame took his passion from him," Joker spat. "Made it everything to this guy and then ripped it away, leaving him with nothing."

Panther and Skull touched the portraits closest to them and jerked back moments later. "This guy put his life savings into trying to get somewhere," she reported. "Worked nights and pushed himself into exhaustion, almost had a heart attack from the strain, and Madarame took his best work and dumped him."

"Same here," Skull growled. "He got inspired, but Madarame wanted more so he got this guy hooked on drugs to chase the high and stay in the zone. It paid off, but then he had to use harder and harder stuff to keep up the pace, ended up losin' his best work and couldn't afford to fight for it."

Joker looked down the line and appreciated how many people were represented. Eleven in total, each one a person with a story. Each one a victim, drained dry and tossed aside with a ruined life. "This is worse than Ohya said," he bit out.

Panther jerked back from a different one with a gasp, shuddering while she clenched her fists. "He… this guy died," she managed. "His art was everything to him. His parents were abusive, his sister put him down because she was an insecure cow, so he ran away. Madarame gave him the chance and he really flourished." She took a shaky breath. "But when he lost his art and no one believed him, all he had was the streets. He sharpened a piece of metal and… cut his stomach open."

Skull swore. "His eyes are black. Must mean he's dead." The pictures shifted. "And look at this! A year range here in the corner. There's… four in total. Four people, dead because of this piece of shit!"

"This is monstrous. We have to stop him."

Joker went to the last one in line. Yusuke. He touched it and braced against the upswell of frustration and pain.

"You can do better, Yusuke. You must do better."

"This… Sensei, this might be the most I can do."

"Nonsense. This is a speed bump, nothing more. You are capable of more, and you must bring that potential out. It can be no other way."

"I… yes, Sensei."

Joker pulled back. The portrait shifted into the sunrise that they had seen in the gallery, but the clouds were threatening and dark now. "He hasn't given up yet," Joker deduced, "but there's no way out. Meeting us, seeing Arsene and Carmen, might have given him something, but it won't be enough. Not if Madarame has this much experience." He looked at the other portraits, thought of what Niijima-san said at Leblanc, then turned back. "Ten people, living or dead, that we have to avenge, but there's one we can save."

"We will," Mona vowed. "No matter what it takes, we'll save him."

Skull looked around. "We're just at the start of this place. There's a lot more to go, which means we'll need gear to get through it all."

"And bags for anything that's worth anything," Joker added. "After doing this much damage, Madarame deserves to lose something valuable."

"Let's go back for now," Panther suggested. "Today's been a lot to take in, and if I see more of this I'll want to burn Madarame down the next time I see him."

"Agreed," Mona replied. "We have some time so let's use it."

They retraced their steps, stole as much as they could, scaled the wall down and returned to the real world. It was early evening, and the sun painted Madarame's shack with a sickly red stain. Akira didn't want to think about the misery and lies that those walls had seen. "Let's get some rest and start prepping tomorrow," he told them. "There's a lot riding on this one, so let's make sure we do it right."

The others nodded, not a doubt to be seen. There was work to be done.

7 7 7

Akira wasted no time making his preparations. After riding back with Ryuji and Ann and leaving them at the train terminal, he went back to Leblanc and assured Sakura-san that he'd done well on his exams. "We'll see when the marks come out," was the response. Akira let the surliness slide past him – he was already going up the stairs. He looked at the attic and planned out his training regimen. A solid floor was there for push ups, the rafter beams could be used for pull-ups and crunches, and Ryuji had mentioned a gym nearby that he could hit up when he needed to work on his cardio.

Next, Akira pulled some things from his bag. One was the components to make some different lockpicks from what he already had along with a few more locks to add to his disparate collection. A small tube of grease was next to use on his locks, as were a few lengths of rope to practice his knots, even while working blind.

Akira set on the end table by the couch a few hundred yen in coins to practice with, a Rubik's Cube, a deck of cards, and an empty soft drink can. Practice for manual dexterity was straightforward enough, but one idea came to him as he was leaving Shibuya with the others. He'd purchased a can of green tea and noticed the raised dots making up tenji characters for the blind on it, what Americans called Braille. Akira couldn't read the dots yet – he'd need sensitive fingers to, and that was what he was working toward. He'd look for some books on the subject the next chance he had.

Finally, he crouched by Morgana to make good on an idea that came from his time with Mr. Fidgets when the family cat slowed down and got sick. "You want to start now?"

"Sooner is better, right?" Akira replied.

"You're pretty driven when you want to be, you know. That's good." Morgana laid on his side and stretched his paws out. "All right, let's start."

Akira set a finger on the cat's outstretched paws and pet softly, feeling for any shift in movement. Faster than he could track, Morgana reached out and batted him before he could move. Red Hands, that was what the game was called, and what had been a childhood pastime with Akira's old cat now became a test for his reflexes. If he could dodge a cat, he could dodge a lot.

A few tries came and went before Akira said, "I hope this doesn't bore you."

"It won't, so long as you buy the fish flavor of canned food next time. Come on, try again."

It was long into the night before they stopped.

On Monday during lunch, Akira met with Ryuji. "You've gotten pretty good with that shotgun."

The athlete shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. It comes naturally, so I just go with it."

"I should get a gun of my own, in case I get to a point where my Personas aren't enough."

Ryuji grinned. "Like if we fight with Morgana again? Yeah, I hear ya. But we can't get you the real thing, y'know."

"No. He says that a good model or toy should do it. 'That place' will handle the rest, the same as with those little tricks he has up his sleeve."

"That's weird, but we've seen how strong those things are. If he's sure, then he's sure. Check out this place off Central Street in Shibuya called Untouchable. They handle air guns and hobby pieces like that."

"Thanks, I'll do that."

Akira left right at the bell with only Morgana that day. The others were making their own preparations for Madarame, getting tools from the list Morgana gave them. The pair went to the store Ryuji mentioned, but Akira looked down an alley and stopped.

There, deep in the gloom of the dead end, was a phantom door. The edges were thin lines of blue light, the handle with a heavy lock like those seen in prison cells. A familiar tingle went through him, and he could practically hear that mouthy little guard shouting at him.

"Is something wrong?" Morgana asked from his bag.

"No," Akira replied. Places like this had to exist, he figured after a second. If the way to the Palaces and Mementos was in the real world, then a place where the line between here and 'over there' was thin made sense. "It's nothing." Akira turned from it and went into the store.

And he was immediately lost in the selection.

Pistols, shotguns, rifles and submachine guns were set up on pegs and racks next to bows and imitation swords and even grenade launchers. Accessories like scopes, laser sights, grips, extended barrels and extra magazines were neatly set up in display cases, body armor and camo gear were set up on offer, and there were catalogs for more merchandise that could be bought and ordered in.

"Can I help you?" the guy behind the counter asked.

Akira turned to see a stocky guy in gray sitting in a chair. He appeared to be reading a book on guns, but he didn't seem like he missed much. The gecko tattoo on his neck gave Akira pause.

"I'm new to this," Akira began. "You came recommended, so I figured I'd come and see what you have."

"That so? Well, what do you think?"

"It's a lot. And it looks like you take good care of it."

"Of course. It's all for sale. Do you know what you're looking for?"

"A pistol," Akira decided. "Something with some kick to it, but not so much that it would knock me over if it were real."

"That's a semi-automatic, either a compact or a full size." The man got up and came around the counter. "Those're over here. Let me see your hand. Hm, I'd say you're looking at a Glock, or maybe an H&K. Here, try this and see what you think."

Akira took the offered gun. Even if it was an airsoft product, it was heavier than he expected. He tested the grip and held it up. "That's not bad."

The man smirked. "It won't be once you hold it properly. Here, put your hands like this, fingers here and here, bring it up to your eye and keep your elbows bent, and…"

Thus began Akira's hands-on tutorial on how to hold a pistol, how to aim and shoot, and a few quick tips and tricks on how to handle a firearm. "You know a lot about this stuff," he noted.

"I sell it, after all," the guy pointed out.

Akira was sure there was more to it than that, and the slight upturn to the corner of his mouth reinforced that. The name tag on the guy's jacket read Iwai – Owner/Operator. "Got it. Here, what about this one?"

Akira went through the selection with Iwai and got some good pointers. He bought one modeled after a Colt 1911 along with a thigh holster that had holders for spare mags. Iwai recommended some articles and online sources for firearm use, "So you don't look like an idiot with your friends," and Akira left with his gear and a lighter wallet in hand.

The alarm on his phone went off. He stashed his purchases in the bag with Morgana and made tracks toward Inokashira Park for the other appointment of his day.

Something he'd talked to the others about was Yusuke and what they'd seen in the Museum. Akira knew how 'that place' could be misleading, so he'd messaged the artist to get together and see how deep this rabbit hole went. Yusuke had responded positively right away, and was looking around the park when Akira met him. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting," he said as he approached.

"Not at all, Akira-san. This is always a wonderful place to come to." He looked at the trees and the passing families and even some girls around their age. "The scenery is excellent."

Akira smiled to himself, catching that the comment wasn't aimed at the girls. "Here," he offered. "I'm not sure if you've eaten yet, but Big Bang Burger gave me more than I expected, so hopefully you'll help me finish it."

It was technically true, though being given more food had come from ordering it. Akira had the impression that Yusuke didn't eat much, so he made sure the smells coming from the bag were heavenly. People were more prone to opening up when they'd been fed.

Predictably, Yusuke's eyes lit up. "I'd like that, thank you. Let's sit here."

They went to a bench and enjoyed the food, chatting about school and life in Tokyo. Yusuke had lived here all his life, but he couldn't offer much on the best places to hit up – his greatest focus was his art. He talked about different influences of his, different places he'd been to and the most inspirational moments that had informed his craft. After almost twenty minutes of non-stop talking, he looked a bit abashed. "I apologize. I've been talking all this time, but I'm sure this isn't as interesting to you as it is to me."

"That's fine."

"I get carried away when I'm talking about something I feel strongly about. Not everyone sees art in the same way I do."

"There's nothing wrong with being serious about what you're passionate about. It's actually refreshing. A lot of people I go to school with can only talk about sports teams or fashion, and even that's just so they'll fit in, you know? It's all so… fake. I might not know a lot about art, but I can tell you're being honest and that's worth a lot."

"Thank you for saying so. I understand what you mean about people being shallow, so to find something genuine always makes my wheels turn."

"Did you feel that way about the Phantom Thieves when you saw their logo? Is that a good comparison?"

Yusuke nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. When I saw it, I… I don't know what about it that's making things come into focus for me, but it feels so much more… real, I suppose. Like there's something to it, put there by the artist, that's telling me something that no other piece of art has. That must sound strange, but that's how it feels."

"Not at all. It's a bit surprising that something like that could have this effect, though. I'd think that being around so many great portraits, like at the art gallery the other day, would mean you're used to high standards."

Yusuke looked to the side. "Those are… different."

Akira chewed on a fry to mask how closely he was watching. "How? Everyone says they're Madarame-san's best works."

"And they… are correct. But those portraits are…"

Yusuke mouthed a word to the side. Akira caught it, however. Wrong. "Different," he stumbled out lamely. "I can't explain it very well. But that logo, and Takamaki-san, they're both so alive and real that I feel like I have to recreate them. That quality, I want to have it in my work, to show that to people when they look at what I've done." He smiled crookedly. "That's a high bar to reach, mind you, since I can't even really explain just what that thing is that I'm seeing. 'Real,' how is anyone supposed to understand that?"

"I think you'd be surprised. And isn't art supposed to be about conveying those thoughts and feelings instead of trying to explain them? Seems like they'd lose the effect if you got bogged down with words."

Yusuke chuckled. "You're right, Akira-san. That's the most basic rule of art, after all. In spite of all of Sensei's lessons, I still forget that sometimes." He sighed. "I have far to go, still. So far to go."

"Maybe, but this is progress."

"Do you think she would allow me to paint her? Takamaki-san, that is. If I could pull that off, then this might all become clear to me. No, I'm sure it would, and then I'd be able to prove myself to him and become what I know I can be."

Akira didn't ask who Yusuke was talking about. "She'd want you at your best if you did. She has high standards."

"So she said. I believe her."

"But I said I'd let you know if she's interested. I'll ask her the next time I see her."

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course."

"Thank you. This would be a great opportunity."

Akira had a feeling that it wasn't just the chance to expand Yusuke's skill set or paint Ann that was at stake, but the one thread he had free of Madarame that he could pull on. This was also the most dangerous step to take, because if Yusuke succeeded and Madarame stole it from him yet again, how would Yusuke respond? This was both his best shot and his most risky undertaking, whether he knew it or could admit it or not.

Morgana picked that point to squirm out of his bag and sit on Akira's lap.

Yusuke looked down and smiled. "A cat in a bag? There's a joke about that, isn't there?

"Yeah. This is Morgana."

The cat meowed in greeting.

"He's well behaved. And well groomed. Could I draw him?"

"Sure."

Yusuke brought out his pencils and notebook, and Morgana held as still as a premier art model would.

Akira went over what he'd learned, keeping to himself.

After ten minutes or so, Yusuke checked his phone. "I should be going. I have lessons with Sensei and I don't want to be late. Could I give this to you later?"

"If that works for you, sure."

Yusuke got his things together and bowed politely. "Thank you for meeting with me. We must do this again sometime."

"We will. You have my number, so if you ever want to, let me know."

The artist nodded and left.

Morgana watched Yusuke go, then curled his tail around himself and observed, "He let it slip. He can't talk about Madarame's art, and I think that's because he knows it's wrong. But he can't be honest with himself yet, either."

"He looks up to him," Akira added.

"The others are still getting everything ready, but in a few days we'll be ready to go further."

"Then in a few days that's just what we'll do." Akira got up. "Come on, let's go home. There's still stuff we can prepare for, and we'll need to be ready if we're going to pull this off."

7 7 7

The days passed fast and hard for the Thieves. They got the gear they needed, complete with more rope, a better grappling hook and more anchors, toys and charges like what Morgana used, and lockpicks, sacks for loot, and even a razor made to cut out portraits and carrying tubes to ensure their integrity during transport. The Thieves went down into Mementos and spent two days training against the Shadows they found there. They practiced their skills, honed their edge, and ensured they would be ready. Akira quickly became accustomed to using his pistol, and dry-fire exercises and the basics like trigger manipulation, reloading on the move, and quickly getting on target in his free time at Leblanc were added to his exercise regimen along with everything else. When they were set, they returned to Madarame's Museum and continued with their heist.

"Time to get paid," Skull muttered with a grin. "Even it belongs to a phony, it's all worth somethin'."

Mona slipped a sack full of loot over his shoulder and agreed.

"Let's keep going," Joker told them.

Past the hall with the paintings were two exhibition halls. Security began to make an appearance, and the Thieves kept to the corners where they could. Twice they took the Shadows down from an ambush, making it fast and relatively silent, allowing them to cut down several paintings and swipe display cases full of jewels and gems.

It was smooth going until they came to a wide open garden. There were lattices and climbing vines that led to a skylight, allowing them another way in, a number of expensive statues and art pieces, but when they turned to go deeper into the museum, they were stopped by a tall blue striped slab of something with gold in it.

Joker walked up to it. "What's that? A new piece he's working on? We haven't seen anything like this yet, though."

Panther offered, "A door? Maybe? I thought the rest of this stuff was gaudy, but this is actually hard to look at."

"You're right," Mona supplied, "and there's a reason for that."

"That it's an insult to vision everywhere?" Skull put in.

"That and it exists physically as well as here. Come on, try to touch it."

Joker did. The air hummed the closer he got to it, and trying to contact the surface caused his hand to cramp and slip to the side. He couldn't get close enough to get any kind of grip on it. The others tried and got similar results. "What's causing this?"

"This is a boundary in Madarame's mind," Mona explained. "Here and somewhere in the real world, this door is something only he has access to. It's also important enough to him that it serves as high-level security, a secret he keeps or a place he has locked away that absolutely no one else has access to."

Panther called fire to her hand. "Sounds like a good trick. How do we get through?"

Mona shook his head. "You couldn't blow it open no matter how hard you tried. Madarame consciously knows that his secret is safe, so this is impervious to anything we could do to it. But even though it seems like a door with no way through, it's really just an elaborate lock, and every lock has a key. We have to show him that this door, wherever it is, can be opened. The secret wouldn't be safe anymore and that would open it here."

Skull frowned. "Sounds complicated, but it makes sense when you explain it like that. If this door is here, and this place is supposed to be his idea of that shack, then does that mean the door is in the shack?"

"Precisely."

Panther extinguished the fire and commented, "You'd think something this loud would stand out to anyone who goes there."

Joker answered, "Not if only the students live there. If Madarame has them under his thumb, then they wouldn't go against him, and he'd be certain of it. That kind of certainty would explain why it's a solid lock here, right?"

Mona nodded. "Also correct. Good work."

Joker counted on his fingers. "So we need a plan to get into the shack while Madarame's around, find this door, open it and make sure he sees it, and then get out."

"While some of us are here to keep the door on this side open," Mona added. "Depending on how strong Madarame's mind is, he could reassert control over this place faster than we can get here otherwise. If we miss our chance, we might not get it open again."

"So we're splittin' up, runnin' the risk in the real world and over here." Skull mused. "That'll take some doin'."

"Two people could get into the house and case the place if they had an invitation," Joker mused. He looked at Panther. "Good thing that someone on the inside has a particular model in mind and a new friend that he'd probably let in, right?"

She, and Carmen, smiled.