A Phantom's Dance on the Edge

by Author of the Laurel Trees

A run of the mill Night City gig turns for the strange as V, River and Judy find themselves trapped. V has seen a lot in her time but a talking cat is probably in her top five. With the aid of a mysterious Fixer, V must help new found allies in their goal of social reform.

21. B Side - The Fall of Vanity Pt4

When Lynn studied the map, there certainly was sense to be made of the next area's layout.

However, all sense was thrown to the wind almost instantly. At first, it was a simple corridor that led off into different branches much like the map showed. The thieves split off into their teams and headed down their respective paths. Visibility wasn't the greatest and for a few twists and turns, Lynn was exceptionally careful.

There may have been plenty of little hideyholes and bits of cover dotting the various passages, but the very absence of any Shadow nagged heavily on her mind. Lynn felt like she was being watched.

And judging by the uncertain awkwardness in both Yusuke and Ann's movement, they felt it too.

They then crested a corner and were met instantly with a gargantuan, wide open space. Staircases and walkways bridged and twisted around each other at impossible angles. Interconnecting then branching off like a mess of stone roots or wires. The further in the distance Lynn looked, the more twisted the mess became. It was like there was no end. Thick white fog crawled through like clouds. Noxious smelling clouds.

"What the… hell…" Lynn only just managed to stammer.

Her jaw practically fell to the ground like a stone. The path they found themselves on led downward into the tangled mess. Into what appeared to be a looming stone archway. Ann looked just as flabbergasted, yet Yusuke was looking on in something similar to admiration. He also held a look of recognition.

"Interesting."

He muttered and took the first step on this new path. His boot tapped and the sound echoed through the space. Something then replied with a tap of its own. The mimicking echo almost seemed to wrap around the trio, bouncing around and mocking them. Like some kind of chittering laughter.

"Joker, you there? It's Skull. Are you… uh… are you seein' what we're seein'?" Ryuji's stammering voice crackled through Lynn's earpiece.

"I'm just going to say probably. Any contact?"

"None. This place is effin' messed up! Kind'a cool lookin' though."

"Keep frosty, Skull. We aren't sure if we're alone yet. Wait… is that…" Lynn caught sight of something way off in the distance. Just as the fog had started to grow thicker, she could just make out three figures standing on a walkway. There was no mistaking one of their general forms. She tapped her earpiece and patched Mona into the comms. "We see you, Mona."

"We were wondering if it was you. How the heck did we get so far from each other!?. What's the move, Joker?"

"If I may," Yusuke chimed in and cleared his throat, "I believe we've stumbled into a liminal space created from the works of Maurits Cornelis Escher. A Dutch artist known for… well… precisely this."

River's voice was next to crackle over the airwaves. "Alright, does that help us?"

"In a manner of speaking. Escher's work may be complex and - at first - completely nonsensical. However, mathematics is a large factor in his works. Tessellation, specifically."

"The hell does that mean!?" Ryuji - like usual - was completely lost. From his voice alone, Lynn could tell he was getting more and more frustrated. She had to admit it likely wasn't the best idea sending him with the two non-Japanese speakers. Even if they could somewhat communicate using text.

Yusuke grunted and rolled his eyes.

His opinion of the blond boy hadn't exactly improved, and it showed. Yusuke likely saw Ryuji as an uncultured idiot. Which - in some cases - wasn't a completely uncalled for assumption.

"Geometric sequences with symmetry."

The resulting silence was louder than any verbal response. Frustration flared and Yusuke pushed his mask up to rub his eyes.

"Look for repeating patterns. Shapes and passages that reflect one another."

"Oooooh. Why didn't ya' just say that?"

Both Ann and Lynn barely held their snorting laughter. Yusuke was less amused. Still, they had at least something to go on thanks to Yusuke. Even if it turned out to be wrong, it was still a start. Anything was better than aimlessly wandering the labyrinth before them. As such, the trio began their descent of the stairway they were currently on.

They passed through an archway and came upon several intersections. Each one leading off into their own routes.

Lynn focused and looked along each path as best she could. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't make any sense nor could she see anything obviously repeating itself. Ann was just as lost. Yusuke, meanwhile, raised a pointed finger. "We move toward that archway. In the distance." Even with that said, the arch he was pointing at was on a completely different walkway. It looked like it was miles away, yet that could have simply been down to Lynn's mind failing to make sense of the room. "See the four different paths splaying from it? They are perfectly mirrored with each other. We must navigate through this maze to find our way there."

"Easier said than done. Let's just… what the… Hunter?" Lynn made the mental note of their destination but was completely caught off guard the next moment. Not ten feet above them, Morgana, Shiho and River emerged from a small arch. Shiho was currently leading the way with her Contender drawn and senses alert.

Seeing them again wasn't what confused Joker.

No. It was the fact they were upside down as if walking along a ceiling.

Shiho looked down - up? - at Lynn and relief mixed itself with confusion and anxiety. A similar mix was brewing in Lynn's chest.

"I… guess we're on mirrored paths?" Shiho scratched under her hood. It was a logical assumption. The path the two were on did seem to follow each other. That was at least a small hint they were on some sort of track. Even still, the feeling of being watched refused to leave. Every step returned a chorus of mocking echoes. It was unnerving and infuriating at the same time.

Unfortunately, the lack of Shadow presence was promptly broken after distant gunfire echoed through the space. V's voice urgently called through the radio, regularly interrupted by static, gunfire and grunting; "we have contact! Fuck, they just rushed us. Watch the… ugh… watch the fog, they're hiding!"

The feed cut to static.

"Shit. Alright everyone, move! Try heading to that archway!" Lynn ordered and without another moment of hesitation, everyone bolted down their pathways.

It was somewhat jarring having Shiho's group running above them, but now was no time to get caught up in the strange and confusing. The gunfire in the distance rattled and roared as the fight proceeded. As it did so, fog began to roll in closer, licking at the steps and obscuring the view of Shiho's group.

"Contact right!" River called.

"Contact left!" Lynn responded.

"Contact everywhere!" Ann shrieked.

Sure enough, creatures emerged from the fog and swooped in. Long, serpentine bodies of pure white snaked through the air. At first, Lynn thought they were exactly that; snakes. Though her assumption was quickly proven wrong as gnashing canine fangs snapped and sank into her shoulder. She screamed in agony as teeth rendered flesh.

A sinister chorus of laughter danced around them as more of the creatures appeared.

Stone black Hyena-like heads were leading the long white bodies. Each one cackling and laughing with twisted grins and bared fangs.

"Inugami!" Morgana announced. "Lots of them!"

"Arsene!"

A roar of red and grey fire engulfed Lynn's mask and with a burst of energy, the spectral thief appeared, spreading his wings out and sending grey feathers across the area. [It has been some time since you called upon me, Trickster. Shall we rip and tear until it is done?]

Lynn grinned and fired the first shot.

The Inugami swarm was quick to respond, scattering like a school of spooked fish. They rushed in. Jaws snapped and combat ensued.

With such a limited and narrow battlefield, it was a struggle to even keep balance. Each attack threatened to knock the thieves off the path and into the abyss. As if it wasn't challenging enough, the Inugami were using the mirrored nature of the area to full effect. It made targeting almost impossible.

"Watch your fire! Mona, try looking for weaknesses!"

"On it, Joker!"

One Inugami swooped in, twisting itself into a drilling motion. Its jaws quickly turned into a razor sharp maelstrom. On instinct, Lynn threw out a gesture and Arsene moved in to intercept. The spectral thief chuckled as conjured a curtain of cursed fire.

In a swathe of red and grey, the incoming Inugami was completely engulfed.

Only to burst through both the conjured wall and Arsene himself. He howled in pain as the creature bore straight through his torso, forcing him to retreat back into Lynn's mask.

The Inugami was completely untouched by the attack.

Lynn braced for impact and threw her arms up in a futile blocking stance. The blow didn't come. At least not physically. She felt the impact, and then a sudden rush of cold that seemed to spread through her blood like a poison.

Her mind then grew fuzzy.

The fog grew thicker and strange lights started to dance around in her vision. Her knees felt weak. Where was she? Who were these people? Why were they shouting and yelling?

She couldn't focus. Adrenaline and instinct kicked in, setting off her fight or flight reflex.

In this case, it was flight.

She bolted down the stairs. Where she would end up, she had no clue. Anything was better than whatever was happening right now. As she ran, she couldn't help but feel like there was something important she had forgotten. It nagged at her brain but she urged herself forward. Voices called from behind her. Muffled and unfocused.

Wait, what was she doing?

Lynn stopped in her tracks, almost tumbling forward. She was running, but from what? Frustration took hold and she gripped her hair tightly. What the hell was happening?

A woman's voice spoke directly in her ear. Harsh and urgent, yet Lynn couldn't understand a word the voice said.

The next moment, her vision flashed white as a sharp, stinging pain struck the side of her face. More specifically, her cheek. The cloud fogging her mind blew away in an instant. When her vision refocused, Ann stood just ahead of her, arm fresh from the all out slap. It even had a subtle red glow.

"Wake up, Joker!" She yelled. "Don't make me slap you again!"

"I'm back! I'm back!" Lynn frantically shook herself free from the mind fog and backed up at the fear of another slap. Thankfully, Ann relaxed and relief melted her stern expression.

A relief that was short lived as an Inugami was charging in for another attack, taking advantage of Ann's back being turned. With a fluid motion and a harsh gesture, Lynn drew her pistol, deftly manoeuvred herself around Ann and opened fire. The spray of lead peppered the spirit and with a screeching bark, it fell onto the stairs and immediately dissolved into black vapour.

"So, one thing's certain; curse is out of the question."

"So's fire. Almost got hit with the same attack you did. Fox managed to save me, though."

Yusuke nodded in acknowledgement. However, their conversation was cut short. They were still surrounded and to make matters worse, the trio above were struggling to keep the Inugami at bay.

Guns flared, elemental blasts roared and blades clashed with teeth.

Mona leapt onto River's shoulder and belted a resounding "Zorro!". The barrel chested form of the Persona swept the area and with a boisterous laugh it slashed the air. Scythes of wind cut swathes out of several Inugami. The creatures shrieked and howled as - one by one - they burst into white vapour.

"That's what I'm talking about, Mona!" Lynn yelled and threw a thumbs up.

The horde of Shadows had thinned out enough for the thieves to regain footing. One of the remaining Shadows dove in for a mad last effort. With a grin, Joker readied her knife and in one smooth motion she cut through the Inugami's stomach. From throat to tail. The momentum carried through and with a spin, she launched it into a spinning trajectory. With a satisfying thunk, the curved blade sunk deep into the head of another.

Her fellow thieves followed suit.

Ann's whip cracked and snapped the air like gunshots. Together with her machine pistol, she was a veritable tornado of fiery pain and lead. Usually, the whip would have been wreathed in flame. Ann had cleverly adapted her approach. Instead of grappling and burning, she had taken to creating miniature explosions just as the whip cracked. The added force from the sonic boom completely bypassed the enemy's immunity to flame.

Yusuke's frigid precision made art of cutting the creatures to pieces. His blade not once falling still, in constant motion. Despite only awakening to his power yesterday, the boy was a natural. A keen eye and a great defence made for a powerful combination. He had even learned to flash freeze the air to create makeshift shields. Something Lynn hadn't even thought of attempting.

Intuitively, Ann had even combined the ice shields with her own power. With a snap of a finger, an explosion just behind the sheet ice sent razor sharp shards rushing through the air like flechettes.

Above her, Lynn spied Shiho deftly wielding her spear. With each thrust, its tip burst a flash of light. A trick she had picked up during V's training. Instead of letting all her power out at once, she had figured out a way to create bursts of blinding light. A technique she liked to call "Point Breaking Flashbang."

Her team was growing and it filled Lynn with pride. She was sure V felt it too. At least if the merc saw them in action.

Even on separate gravitational pulls, the six tore through the remaining Inugami.

Eventually, the battlefield fell silent. Even the fog abated. In the distance, the gunfire had also ceased. "All clear. You good on your end?"It was V. Although Lynn could hear the strained breath, it appeared the merc was uninjured.

"It was a little touch and go for a moment, but we're clear, too. Fox thinks he's found the exit."

"Nova. Badges, zip me the marker."

"One step ahead of you, Merc. Should be coming through in a nanosec."

The radio went silent for a moment. River's mechanical eye glowed a distinct blue. After that, V responded. "Got it. Preem. We'll… fuck me this place is confusing… we'll get there, somehow. Keep open coms."

"Skull, are you hanging in there?" Lynn asked mainly out of curiosity. Though she'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried about him.

"I'm good, boss! Merc and Mox are Grade A badasses!"

"Says the one man lightnin' storm. My boy's got moves!" That was Judy, a small chuckle following her compliment. Of course, Ryuji had no clue what she was saying.

"I… hope Mox didn't just make fun of me."

Ann grinned and simply couldn't help herself. "She said you're a useless idiot!"

"Wha… she did not!" Ryuji yelled back through the coms. Ann let herself laugh at his expense, then, when she had her fun, she found out that V had already typed up a translation for him. His tone was ripe with a smug grin. "Ha! Skull the Human Storm! I'm like a superhero!"

"Superzero more like." Ann giggled once again. "Just kidding."

Lynn - though happy everyone was in high spirits - was getting a little impatient. It was time they moved on. She definitely didn't want to get caught up in another ambush. "Alright, that's enough messing around. We still need to get to the exit. Let's get moving, people! We're burning daylight!"

Everyone responded at once.

"Yes, Joker!"

---

Confusing was an understatement.

Somehow, all nine of the thieves had arrived at the supposed exit at relatively the same time. After what felt like days wandering the maze, it was a welcome sight to see V, Judy and Ryuji once again.

They had a few scrapes and bruises, but all in all, they were still going strong. The same went for the rest of the group.

A combined effort got them through.

Next, it was to see if Yusuke's theory was correct.

The arch in question certainly wasn't like any they had come across thus far. Its stone was decorated by elaborate patterns reminiscent of an ornate picture frame. However, that wasn't the most unique aspect. Its opening was completely obscured by thick, seemingly impenetrable fog. It shimmered slightly as if glass was stopping it from escaping.

The presentation alone gave everyone pause.

"I'll go first. I'll radio the all clear." Joker stepped forward. No one stopped her. Somewhat annoyed at that, she took a deep breath and threw herself into the arch and through the fog.

Her stomach flipped and a squeezing sensation clamped down on her entire body. It felt like she was being forced through a tube she was way too big to fit into. Breath escaped her and for a moment, she dreaded the worst. Until the squeezing stopped abruptly and the girl was more or less spat out into what looked like a lounge area.

Ghostly cognitions idled around, paying her no mind. Featureless patrons of the gallery, it appeared.

Lynn jumped to her feet, looked back and gasped in shock and confusion.

Instead of the foggy arch - like she expected - she spied a large, ornately framed painting of the Escher maze. The frame definitely matched the patterns on the arch and she could recognise - at least partially - bits of the labyrinth.

She reached out her hand and touched the glass protecting the artwork. It was just that; glass. Perhaps she expected to be able to go back through. Lynn felt a strange sense of disappointment.

"Let's'a not… go. Lame."

"Hey… uh… you dead?"

"Yes, Skull. I'm super dead." Lynn shook her head with a smirk. At least the comms still functioned. She backed away from the painting and gave it a wide berth. From her personal experience, she suspected the others would be spat out with just as much force as she had. "It's safe to come through. No Shadows, just wandering Cognitions."

One by one, each thief flopped out from the painting in an identical fashion. It was like the painting was a water surface breaking and spitting out each thief before returning to its natural form.

Once everyone was through, recovered and caught up, Lynn studied the lounge in more detail.

There were several seating areas and even a pretty sizable bar. It held the atmosphere of an upscale jazz club, complete with a small stage tucked away just past the painting. Soft music lay a calming canopy over the area as the ghostly Cognitions partook in the various facilities. Much like the decor of the rest of the palace, there were busts, paintings and sculptures of Madarame dotted around.

On the far side was a large, gilded doorway. To its side was a staircase leading up and out of view. A signpost - pointing up the stairwell - simply read "Viewing Balcony."

"Strange…" Yusuke muttered under his breath. He was looking around at the various Cognitions and thinking deeply to himself. Each of the Cognitions bore little to no distinct features. They were - at least to Lynn - just walking silhouettes. "Some of these figures are… familiar."

"For real? They're just a bunch'a blobs to me." Said Ryuji.

"Well, of course someone uncultured like you wouldn't be able to look past the surface." Yusuke gave a wry smile. One that only widened at Ryuji's angry protests.

The artist continued his study. He was so focused, he had left everyone to awkwardly stand around waiting.

It seemed V was getting a little impatient and let out a growl. "If this is a bar, I'm getting a drink." She huffed and wandered over to the vacant bar. No one was manning it, yet as soon as the merc took a seat, a lithe, finely dressed Shadow materialised from a plume of black smoke. Like other Greater Shadows, this one had a mask that formed its head. Unlike other Greater Shadows, this one wasn't hostile at all. In fact it bowed to V expectantly. "Uh… tequila."

[Certainly, Ma'am! And may I say; welcome to the VIP Lounge. It is my pleasure to serve such a distinguished guest!]

"VIP, huh? Your clientele must be pretty interesting."

Lynn perked an eyebrow. It wasn't often they actually talked to Greater Shadows. Most of them didn't even have the mental acuity to hold a conversation. A point of interest, perhaps. Some Shadows had much more individuality than others. Usually those placed in positions of some kind of authority. A working theory Lynn had was that the more intelligent ones were much older than the rest.

The Shadow bartender nodded emphatically as it quickly poured tequila into a stylish glass. [Why of course! Only the most trusted of Master Madarame's patrons are allowed to enjoy the Lounge.]

"That's it!" Yusuke clicked a finger. "I thought I recognised some of these people. That man," he pointed to a Cognition sat alone at a small table, "he is a renowned art collector Sensei sometimes does business with. Oh, and those two women," he shifted his finger to a pair loitering around the far end of the bar, "they're famous art critics who always provide excellent reviews of Sensei's works."

"Huh… so he's solicitin' PR. That collector you mentioned is prolly one of the 'art snobs' he's sold forgeries to." Judy approached one of the Cognitions and attempted to touch it. Her hand passed straight through and the figure didn't seem to even notice. "Hah. He sees his VIPs as nothin' but hollow, mindless ghosts. Not exactly the shittiest thing we've seen."

River could only sigh. Partially in disgust, but mostly out of irritation. Although Lynn wasn't a mind reader - not by a long shot - she could safely assume he was getting a little frustrated. Perhaps he felt useless, or perhaps he was merely bored. Either way, he beckoned over to Ryuji; "Hey, Skull, we're going to scout that balcony. Might give us some intel."

"Hm? Oh, sure."

Going off alone definitely wasn't a good idea, so taking someone with him was probably for the better.

At least Lynn didn't have to make a whole thing of going to check the balcony out.

Instead, she could take a breather and recollect her thoughts. They were getting closer, that much was for certain. Morgana was growing more itchy and excitable by the second. Like he couldn't wait to get his mitts on the Treasure. It was the same back in Kamoshida's Palace. The cat more or less lost complete control of his senses.

At least temporarily.

Still, it was incredibly handy to have a walking, talking Treasure detector as a personal friend.

However, with that said, Lynn felt a pang of guilt.

She glanced down at her feline-like friend. Were they taking advantage of him? They relied on him and his abilities quite a lot, yet none of the thieves didn't really know that much about him as a person.

Granted, neither did Morgana, himself. But that was no excuse.

Without even thinking, she found herself patting his head affectionately. At first he made his confusion known, though he stopped when he saw Lynn's expression. With a look of concern, he resigned to simply enjoying the scratches.

The girl made a mental note to order him some sushi that night.

"This… actually tastes like tequila." V looked at the glass and a strange grin appeared. Appreciation, perhaps. "I was expecting some cheap knock off."

[Only the best for our customers.] The Shadow gave another bow. [However, seeing as you aren't approved customers, I may have served something a little… unsavoury.] Its sudden shift in tone sent a wave of dread over the bar. Black smoke wisped from its form as a wide grin crawled beneath its mask. Lynn could practically feel the intent to kill radiating from the bartender.

"The fuck do… you…" V shot to her feet, only to stumble and slur her speech. She grunted. "Oh fuck you…" as if she knew what had happened, she accepted that she was about to collapse and moved herself into a safer position.

Seconds later, she tumbled to the ground, unconscious.

"Babe!" A burst of speed caught Lynn off guard as Judy launched herself down to V's side. "Asshole, you make a habit of druggin' girls drinks!?" She scowled and drew her pistol. "What did you give her!?"

The Shadow laughed with a sinister chime. It twisted and morphed into a feminine giggle. [Oh, just a little special something of my own creation. It'll help her see things a little differently. Just a token of my undying affection.] The Shadow blew a kiss and disappeared into a plume of smoke. Its giggle continued and began echoing the lounge. Silence soon fell.

"Mona, Panther; try to get Merc back on her feet. Fox, Mox, Hunter; heads on a swivel." Lynn jumped to action immediately. She then hailed River and Ryuji over the comms. "We've got a situation here. Merc's been dr… huh?"

Before she could finish, Lynn noticed V beginning to stir.

The merc stumbled to her feet in a strange, jerking manner. Like she was being picked up with puppet wire. She hunched her back and her arms dangled, swinging slightly. A groan then fell through her open, drooling mouth.

Judy stepped back in shock and then fear.

A reaction that was soon shared by Lynn and the others. V's eyes were completely dull. Glazed over and unfocused. She was like a zombie.

"Spread out! Find that Shadow!"

[Do you have time to think about me… when you're fighting her?] The shadow reappeared, draping its arms around V's shoulders. It had now assumed its true form. That of a beautiful, pale skinned woman adorned in a purple dress that - frankly - showed way too much skin to be practical. Lustrous blonde hair swayed elegantly like a spectral mane. As far as Shadows went, this was definitely one of the more scandalous the thieves had faced against.

Her lips turned up into a sinister, sultry grin.

V stood motionless, hunched and completely dazed as the Shadow used her as a human shield. No one dared fire a shot out of fear of hitting their ally.

Twitching, V reached for her pistol, pulled it from its holster and levelled it at the thieves. Lynn specifically.

Judy called out but got no response.

The Shadow giggled and ran a gentle finger over V's jaw. [I don't usually go for women, but I couldn't pass this one up.]

"Merc… snap out of it. We don't want to fight you." Lynn called. The merc's pistol was still pointed directly at her. The fear of it crawled up her spine and into her throat. The thought of harming someone she considered a friend weighed heavily. She wasn't ready to do something like that. "Merc!"

The pistol's barrel twitched. A fraction of movement, barely perceptible under the naked eye. A heavy lump fell in Lynn's chest. Was she about to get shot by a real gun?

By a friend, no less?

The Shadow's sneer widened into a Cheshire smile. It revealed sharp teeth and an overwhelming sense of malice. She leaned in close to V's ear and whispered as if they were intimate lovers. [Now, my new toy, kill these trespassers for me, would you?]

"Fuck that." In a sudden blur of motion, the barrel moved with a shimmering flash. There was a click, and then Lynn saw what was happening. The gun's barrel had been shoved up, just below the Shadow's jaw. "Get fucked." The merc pulled the trigger. The Shadow's eyes widened with fear and a split second before the gun went off, she popped into a plume of black smoke.

The shot went off and the bullet struck the ceiling. Without hitting its mark.

[Impossible! How!? You should be under my complete control!] The Shadow coalesced in smoke behind the bar once more. Her hands raised in the universal signal of surrender. Although her tone was rife with anger, her delicate features were moulded with fear, shock and honest submission. [This can't be happening!]

For lack of a better term, Lynn was just as confused as the Shadow.

What she knew about the effects a Shadow can cause, it was incredibly hard to recover from out of one's own will. She had fallen victim to one such effect not ten minutes ago. If it wasn't for Ann's intervention, Lynn probably wouldn't have been able to snap out of it on her own.

Nonetheless, the moment the Shadow made herself visible again, everyone drew their firearms and held her at gunpoint.

[Wait, wait! I can help you! And… seeing as I'm now indentured to you… I don't have much choice in the matter.] That response certainly caught everyone for a loop. It was so out of left field, both V and Judy lowered their weapons. Confusion set in and the thieves had no clue what to do. V gestured to the Shadow to elaborate, making damn sure to convey her annoyance. [I know a lot of the dirty little secrets Master Madarame's patrons hide. You want to change Master Madarame's heart, yes? That won't be enough! There are many people within his circle that would be caught in his downfall. Self serving individuals who would do anything to discredit any sort of confession!]

"I'm afraid this woman is correct," said Yusuke, "Sensei's influence is widespread across Japan's art world. Should he come forward, all those under his thumb would be at risk."

"Meaning it's not just Madarame we have to deal with…" Shiho added. She sighed and lowered her Contender. "To make the change of heart stick, we have to expose everyone else in his web of lies."

Now, it was only Lynn's Beretta still trained on the Shadow. She hummed to herself in thought. "We already have a way to do that. Kimiko Ishida."

[Hah! That no good, spineless slave of Master Madarame's? She wouldn't dare defy the Master. If she did, all his crimes would simply be placed on her and her alone.] The Shadow laughed mockingly. An act that sparked ire in Yusuke once more. Despite not actually knowing how to shoot, he levelled the rifle back at the Shadow and snarled. Wisps of frigid air flared from his nose.

"That is where you are wrong," his voice grew cold and precise. An air of murderous intent washed out from his words. "Kimiko has broken from Sensei's grip and will stop at nothing to see him fall. A desire I will gladly aid in satisfying. You will not speak ill of her again."

The seriousness and complete confidence in the statement shut the Shadow up entirely. The fear of a hopeless situation returned to her eyes.

Calmer minds prevailed as V spoke up. "What exactly can you do for us?"

[I can lend my power. My knowledge of Master Madarame's patrons. Just don't send me back to the Sea of Souls…]

"Your call, Joker."

Lynn's eyes narrowed and glared at the Shadow. It was rare to see a Greater Shadow with so much autonomy. Not to mention genuine fear of death. According to Morgana, when a Shadow died, they didn't actually die. They were instead sent back to something called the Sea of Souls. A sort of melting pot of pure cognition. They would then be condensed and reborn as something else entirely. It still sounded like plain old death with extra steps, but apparently not, as Morgana insisted. Even still, most Shadows barely had any self preservation. So to encounter one so vehemently clinging to life, it was definitely curious.

And suspicious.

"Fine, we'll spare you." Finally, Lynn made the decision. Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the Shadow began to shine with brilliant light. Completely opposite to the black smoke it had been using up until now.

With a burst of energy, a beam shot towards V and struck her chest. The force knocked her back a few steps, but apparently, there wasn't any pain or cause for alarm.

Instead, V just watched as the Shadow was absorbed into her.

"Huh, Leanan Sidhe. Weird name." She flexed her hands and a ripple of power shimmered over her body. Hey eyes briefly flashed a lilac glow. The merc had gained a new ally, it appeared. "Badges can finally join the cool kids, now!"

"By the way, how did you snap yourself out of that brainwashing?"

"My Biomon picked it up. I ran a full system flush just before passing out, so all that Shadow managed to accomplish was a reason to see my Ripper. Gotta get my bloodpump emptied." She tapped the small metal disk on her neck with a strange look of pride. Each of the V team had the same thing. It was just something Lynn chalked up to being a standard thing from V's side of the Metaverse.

The fact it could do something like that was honestly impressive. Not to mention curious. Perhaps the Metaverse had an effect on cyberware much like it had an effect on Takemi's medicine.

"Your robo bits will never cease to amaze me…"

As if on cue, River and Ryuji finally appeared from the stairwell. "What happened!? We heard a gunshot and then a bunch of shoutin'. You guys get into a fight or somethin'?" Ryuji confirmed something Lynn had suspected for a while. Leanan Sidhe had somehow jammed their radio signal. Cutting off the two boys from everyone else. The how, why and when would have to wait. Lynn quickly brought the two up to speed. Their concern was quickly replaced by relief.

Once that was done, River came forward with his report. It wasn't at all reassuring.

"We got a look at that Sanctum. Damn thing's a giant ass middle finger to anything resembling taste. Like everything else in this damn Palace. Courtyard's a wide open space. Not a lot of cover but looks like it has our exfil route. Took some stills; flicking you the data, Merc."

The two held eye contact as blue glowed from their eyes. Something Lynn had gotten used to. That technology looked incredibly useful.

V spent a moment looking into space, gently humming a tune. "That gate's our exfil?" River nodded. "Looks like a straight shot to the Sanctum. You weren't kidding about the lack of taste. Jesus Fuckin' Christ that's so much gold." Her nose wrinkled in disgust. Still, she continued on; "doesn't look like there's any huscle around. Doubt that'll be the case for long. Can't see any other entry points, just the main door. Not ideal, but better than fuckin' nothing. Hmm… too many unknowns. Don't like it."

"Wide open space. How open?"

"Fuckin' huge. It's a whole ass compound."

The Silver Demon's grin returned. "I have an idea, but I'll need a day to get it ready. Mona, the Treasure is definitely in that Sanctum, right?" The cat nodded with resolute certainty. "Then let's find the next Safe Room and head out. Skull, think you can get a calling card ready for Monday morning?"

"Absolutely!"

"Calling card?" Yusuke butted in with some confusion. His query was then answered by none other than the Phantom Thieves' resident Metaverse expert; Morgana.

With a puff of his chest and an authoritative clear of his throat, Mona fell into the regular spiel about the inner workings of how a change of heart actually happened. "A calling card is a vital tool for a Phantom Thief. You see, a Treasure isn't a solid object until a key change in the Ruler's cognition manifests it. That change is brought about by using the Calling Card. It plants the idea of being targeted in the mind of the Ruler and therefore, it forces the Treasure to assume physical form. Unfortunately, the effect is only temporary and lasts about a day. If we don't steal the Treasure by the time the effect wears off, we won't ever get another chance."

"I see." Yusuke resigned himself into deep thought for a moment.

There was something Lynn suddenly realised; none of V Team had been told about calling cards either. It had completely slipped the leader's mind up until now. Granted she was pretty preoccupied with other matters. Having a new Phantom Thief served two purposes, thankfully.

However, Yusuke's next words granted him a round of confused noises; "I would like to create this calling card with you, Skull. If that would be acceptable?"

"Uh… sure? I mean… I guess, but why?"

"If this calling card is the key to Sensei's treasure, it must be filled with passion and intent. I can't explain why, but I feel compelled to pour my soul into this act personally."

"I'll just nod and pretend like I understood that. Swing by my house tomorrow. We'll make a boys day of it."

Amusingly, Yusuke looked wholly unimpressed at that thought. Yet he agreed nonetheless. With a plan set and a timeframe in mind, tomorrow was going to be a busy one. Conveniently, Lynn's little mystery idea involved the very person she had already made plans with. Munehisa Iwai.

"Hunter, Panther? Tomorrow, I need you on a full supply run. Mox, Merc and Badges? Think you could grab us some explosives? I have a feeling we'll need them."

V, River and Judy looked at each other. River held an unapproving frown, yet at the same time, V was almost like an excited little kid. A kid that had just been given free reign of a candy shop. Judy was somewhere in the middle. The thought of kids with explosives was a little hard to swallow, Lynn could agree. However, it was worth reminding River that he had given several grenades to Ryuji when they first crossed paths.

"We'll get you the goods. Standard fare, or special order?"

"Stuff that'll get us through solid concrete and gold in equal measure. Also, we need all the ammo we can get. Just in case." Lynn replied in English.

"Special order it is. You got it, kid."

With that, it was time to call it a day. As it turned out, there was a Safe Room just behind the lounge's bar. Hidden away by the wine rack. Thanks to V Team's new addition, it was clearly pointed out and opened up without issue. Monday was going to be one to remember. That was for sure.

---

Sunday - May 29th

Something about seeing Yusuke behind Le Blanc's counter still wasn't quite sitting right.

Even if this was only the second day Lynn was greeted by such a sight. The boy was kicked out of school way too quickly. Was it even legal? Or was it just another cover up and a demonstration of Madarame's oppressive influence? Either way, Kosei High sounded just as rotten as Shujin. Just another example of the injustices that plagued society.

Lynn gave a sigh. Since when had she become so cynical?

Still, what her half asleep brain failed to notice was that Ryuji was sitting at the counter directly next to Lynn's morning curry. She was almost half way through her meal when she finally noticed the grinning - barely holding it together - visage of the blond boy. She blinked, her eyes still bleary from sleep. "Oh. Morning, Sakamoto."

"Cold, man!"

"Come back in at least three hours if you want your regularly scheduled Rin."

"Definitely not a mornin' girl, huh? I can relate." Ryuji returned his attention back to his soda. His complete disgust with anything bitter always proved amusing. "I couldn't sleep much last night. Got way too wrapped up in designin' our little art project. Nothin' solid, just some drafts."

"Preproduction is a vital part of any project. You have surprised me, Ryuji." Yusuke quipped with a wry smile. "Not something I thought you would consider."

"Yeah, yeah. Uncultured and all that jazz."

In his own way, Ryuji was doing his best to welcome Yusuke into the group. It was honestly touching to see. Despite their first meeting not ending all that well, Ryuji's heart of gold simply refused to hold any grudge against him. For a while, Lynn didn't share the same sentiment. Even after discovering the extent of Yusuke's suffering, it was hard to put his actions behind her. Ann and Shiho especially so. Yet as soon as the artist awakened to his power, something in his attitude changed and so did everyone else's. Instead of disdain and disgust, Yusuke expressed nothing but understanding, compassion and determination.

Just as Lynn, Ann and Shiho stopped viewing him as a creepy stalker.

"Jokes aside, I assume you two have a plan?" Lynn asked and received a confident nod from both boys. As well as a sinister grin from Ryuji. "Good. Keep me updated. Ann and Shiho should be hitting the stores soon. If not already. No word from V Team yet, but no worries on that front. They are on the other side, after all."

Yusuke spoke up and asked; "What about you and Morgana?"

"I have a hot date with an older guy and his friend."

Soda gushed from Ryuji's mouth and nose with such pressure that it completely hosed Yusuke in sticky sweet goodness. The artist remained stoic as he reached for a towel and began to clean himself and the counter off.

"What!?"

"You heard me." Lynn's grin approached critical mass. She revelled in the confusion and shock for a few more seconds before patting Ryuji on the back. "I am - of course - kidding. Iwai needs a favour. One I'm going to cash in pretty much instantly. A result of a month's worth of work and investment. You'll see soon enough."

Ryuji spluttered and coughed, recovering from his sudden eruption. "You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days, Rin."

From within the confines of the tiny kitchen, Sojiro's voice called out into the cafe; "Shouldn't that be my line?"

[SCENE BREAK]

Iwai wasn't kidding when he said he needed a fly on the wall.

It was a meeting he wanted Lynn to secretly eavesdrop on. Between himself and a shady looking man with more bark than brawn. Thin and lanky, yet still managing to inspire fear into random passers by. It was so obvious he was some sort of gangster, it was almost funny. Why Iwai was meeting with him was a mystery, to be sure, but one Lynn didn't have to think too hard about in order to drum up some potential theories.

For one, she already knew Iwai wasn't exactly the most upstanding citizen. He definitely had the look of someone who had seen plenty and done plenty more.

Still, she had her orders, and she was damned sure to keep to them. The meeting was set in the cosy hospitality of the family diner. The very same where Yusuke had agreed to join the Phantom Thieves.

Lynn felt a little guilty taking up an entire booth for herself, but she needed to be as close to the thug as possible without literally sitting on his lap. Thankfully, it was before the midday rush so there weren't many customers just yet. The thug sat impatiently tapping the table, occasionally growling. Especially when a waiter had the audacity to try and take his order. Morgana was getting a little impatient too. From within Lynn's bag, he gazed curiously up at her. All he knew about the whole thing was that she was meeting Iwai.

Finally, after thirty minutes of waiting, Iwai drudged into the diner and took his seat opposite the thug.

"Fuckin' finally, Mune," the thug growled, irritation cutting his words into daggers, "when you suggested a diner, I thought you'd gone off your rocker. Place ain't all that bad, though. Some of the waitresses are bombshells!"

Lynn couldn't restrain her shuddering cringe at that last remark.

On the plus side, he was - at the very least - loud and easy to listen in on. Overconfidence was a boon in this case.

Iwai shrugged and grinned. "Food's decent. Cheap too. Don't count the place out 'cause of its usual clientele." As if to add to his point, he rang the service bell. A young girl Lynn semi-recognised answered the call and Iwai wasted no time in ordering coffee and a stack of pancakes. All the while, his companion eyed the poor girl with a lecherous gaze.

Once Iwai had ordered - and the thug once again growling to refuse service - the waitress trotted off. "Heh, that's comin' from someone who once beat the tar outta… like fifty rival asshats. Legendary."

Iwai grunted at that.

"Care to say that kind'a crap any damn louder? Exaggerated as it is."

"Yeah, yeah. Humble as always. Anyway, what are you draggin' me out for? Somethin' you need?"

Going right for the metaphorical jugular, Iwai bluntly opened with exactly what he came for. "How's Tsuda?"

"Same as always. Why?"

"No reason," Iwai sighed, scratching his stubble, "just saw him around the other day. Thought I'd ask."

"Didn't you two cut ties when you left the family? Not on the best'a terms the way I heard it."

There was a pause. Lynn wanted to look over the partition to see what was going on. But managed to resist the urge. It'd just end up blowing her cover and ruining the whole thing. Whatever the 'whole thing' actually was. The more Lynn heard, the more she didn't like it. She was getting a little too much information about Iwai's past than either of them would have liked.

Eventually, the silence was broken by Iwai's meal arriving. The scent of pancakes and honey made Lynn regret just ordering a salad and a glass of water.

"We were young back then. Stupid, hotheaded. Think it's 'bout time we buried the hatchet, y'know?" Iwai continued once the waitress left. His voice took on a remorseful vibe. Whether it was genuine or not remained a mystery. "But I can't just walk up out'a nowhere and talk to him. You get me?"

"Huh. Still a stickler for that old code of honour, eh? I getcha." Lynn heard a mischievous chuckle before the thug continued. "I'll tell him you wanna meet."

Iwai scowled into his coffee. "Moron," he muttered, "I just wanna happen to be in the same place as him, all coincidental like."

Just what was he planning anyway? Lynn had heard the name 'Tsuda' and it was obvious Iwai had a lot of connections to them. From the language the thug and Iwai were using, coupled with Lynn's own experiences with Iwai, it was safe to assume she was dipping her toes into the messed up politics of the Yakuza. That possibility alone was enough to send her adrenaline into overdrive. She wanted out right at that moment. Yet doing so would only arouse suspicion. Not to mention it would let Iwai down completely. That was something she simply couldn't afford. As a result, she forced herself together and pushed any anxiety deep down into the bottom of her soul.

Nonetheless, the meeting continued, completely unaware of Lynn's miniature panic attack. "Alright… weird, but if that's your play, Shibaura is your best bet. We're shakin' things up in that area. Developments and such. Tsuda's runnin' some of the bigger projects there."

A lull in conversation. Iwai mumbled something Lynn couldn't pick up. He then coughed twice. The agreed upon signal. It was time for Lynn to do her part of the meeting.

Quickly, she called Iwai and within seconds, the shrill tone rushed from his pocket. As planned, it gave him the excuse he needed to make a quick exit. It also gave him a means of keeping an ear on the thug. Once Iwai was outside, he ordered Lynn to keep the line open. She was still nervous and visibly shaking with fear, yet she somewhat felt better to have Iwai in her ear. As well as the ever faithful Morgana in her bag.

"He's probably callin' up Tsuda right now. Flick me on speaker so I can hear him, would ya?"

She did just that, keeping her eyes locked on her half eaten salad.

The thug had indeed gotten his own phone out and, with a worried shake to his voice, he began speaking. "Hey, Tsuda. Just met Mune, he was askin' after you, wantin' to meet. I think he heard 'bout your deal and is prolly lookin' to squeeze you for some green… No boss… yeah, I did what you told me to, boss… nah… yes, boss… sorry boss… right, I'll get on it… thanks boss!"

The thug left in a hurry. The bravado he had when he first came in was now replaced with an urgent timidness. Like that of a subservient office worker under the thumb of a tyrannical executive.

Which likely wasn't wrong given the assumption that this was actually Yakuza business.

"Damn… looks like somethin' funny's goin' on for sure." Iwai thought for a moment. Lynn could almost hear the cogs turning in his head. "Anyway, thanks, kid. I'll have to repay you la-"

"Now. You're repaying me now."

"... Excuse me?"

The grip on her glass tightened. It threatened to shatter at a moment's notice. Now she really had no guilt left in rushing her special project. This was way more than she signed on for. "I'm going to the shop. We need to talk." She hung up before Iwai had any chance to reply. With that said, she was far too frazzled to get up straight away. It was a mix of terror and anger that was now anchoring her to the seat.

After a few breaths, the fear was fading in favour of anger.

Granted there was no possible way the thug could have suspected Lynn of spying on him, the fact Iwai was willing to involve a highschooler in Yakuza business was enough to boil her blood.

It definitely changed her opinion of him.

Thankfully, it only took another few moments for her shaking to stop and her nerve to recover. "Rin, I don't like whatever you've gotten yourself into." As always, Morgana voiced his objections. She definitely agreed with him but now was not the time to poke at her.

Gathering her things and paying her bill, Lynn quickly sped through Shibuya with her head down. So much as a look in her direction set off a pulse of anxiety.

It wasn't until she finally burst into Untouchable that she actually took a moment to think things through. Sure, Iwai was a bit of dick for not warning her, but he made every precaution to not directly involve her. Plus, the whole conversation wasn't even that heavy on face value. A deal could have meant anything from harmless shifting of resources to out right arms dealing. If it really was dangerous, she was sure Iwai wouldn't even think of bringing her into the fold. That calmed her down somewhat. She really didn't have anything to worry about. At least for now.

With that realisation came another. She found herself frozen like a statue, hand still on the door to the shop. She was certainly inside, yet she looked like someone had pressed pause on her. The few patrons that were ambling about were staring and a flush of heat burned at her cheeks.

Iwai - like always - was casually back behind his counter, silently chuckling at her embarrassment.

"Should be callin' you the Crimson Demon with that blush," his chuckle was cut short at the piercing glare from the girl, "go on through, kid. Think I know what you're after…" Satisfied that she had regained her self-respect, she wandered on through to the back room, earning curious mutters and whispers from the two nerdy boys in the far corner. Luckily, they weren't students from Shujin. At least they weren't any she recognised. She really didn't need more rumours spreading.

After a few minutes of waiting, Iwai dragged his feet as he entered the back room. "Prolly should have given you a heads up. Sorry 'bout that. Pulled it off like a pro, though. Kudos."

"Just be lucky that helping people is sort of my thing." Lynn huffed, dumping her bag a little too heavily onto the desk. Morgana let out a yelp of pain and poked his head out to shoot her a death stare. To which she stuck out her tongue and scratched the back of his ear.

"Didn't peg you as a cat girl. Just keep it under control. Lots of delicate shit in here."

"I'm not a cat!"

"He's well behaved, don't worry." The scratches briefly turned a little more forceful. She wasn't particularly irritated with him, she was just reminded of the simulation she endured during V's training. With a grumble and a huff, the not-a-cat returned back into the confines of his bag and likely went back to his nap. "Anyway, is our little project ready?"

"It's in the crate over there."

Iwai nodded to the far end of the narrow workshop.

A cleared off worktop played host to a single, long wooden crate. The kind one might have found in a video game or old school warehouse. Lynn knew exactly what was contained within, yet she couldn't contain her excitement. Quickly, she approached and cracked open the hinged lid ever so slightly. She imagined a golden glow shining out from within, like some holy relic concealed in a nazi warehouse.

She took in the magnificence of the crate's contents, barely hearing Iwai's voice. "Hey Rin, I said; are we happy?"

Lynn turned back with one of the most starstruck gazes Iwai had ever seen. She nodded and the open mouth morphed into the signature sinister grin of none other than the Silver Demon. "Oh, we're happy. Very happy."

---

The small receiver sat on the foot of Lynn's bed. Silent with only the tiny green light signifying that it was actually turned on.

The evening wind brushed against the open window offering a pleasant flow of air. The days were on the cusp of getting warmer, which paved the way to - in Lynn's opinion - the best time of year. The slow, multi-month long transition from Spring to Summer. Even with that said, however, the girl's focus definitely was not on the weather. Lynn herself sat on the bed with her knees tucked to her chest. She was staring at the device with the intensity of Sauron's Eye. Waiting. Listening. Every slight sound she heard elicited a twitch or a skipped heartbeat. The twin to the device should have made its way to its destination by now. It was just a matter of waiting. Something that proved almost torturous.

The device in question was, of course, the radio V and Judy had gifted her.

A direct, untraceable line to her parents. Or at the very least, her father. Ideally, she wanted to speak to both parents, but the last she heard, her mother was still in the UK, finishing up what business she had left there.

It angered her that she had to jump through these kinds of hoops just to talk to them, but if she did it any other way, it'd either have to be under observation or not at all.

As the minutes dragged on, Lynn began to rock back and forth with impatience.

Mona had tried to occupy her a few times, but was met with a kurt - yet apologetically polite - refusal to engage. So, the not-a-cat took himself off to the attic's sofa and promptly fell asleep. It must have been nice to spend most of the day asleep like that.

Lynn's mind momentarily slipped to the thought of being a cat.

It almost caused her to miss the crackling static slowly leaking from the receiver. She jolted forward and lunged for the device, knocking it to the hardwood floor. The clattering woke Morgana up and with a yawn, he couldn't help but giggle to himself at the spectacle of Lynn getting herself tangled up in her bedsheets and falling to the floor in her mad attempt for the radio.

"This is Overlord Actual to Overlord 1-1, come in Overlord 1-1. Over." The unmistakable voice rumbled through the room and immediately, Lynn's struggle for freedom stopped.

She slowly let herself calm down and the sheets finally let her go. She picked the radio up in quivering hands. Honestly, she had spent so long waiting to hear her dad's voice again, she hadn't any clue what she actually wanted to say. A joyful tear ran down her cheek. Eventually, she managed to croak out two words.

"Hi dad…"

There was a long pause. Static crackled through the receiver for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, a low, warm and rumbling chuckle came back through. "What sort of response is that? Where's the snarky, rebellious little Infiltrator I know and love?" Slowly, Lynn's lips curled into a smile. He was the same as always. It brought comfort and a sense of stability.

"Alive and kicking," her voice had recovered and her heart had quickened, "just been… so long since I've spoken to you, Overlord Actual."

"I hope you're still fighting the good fight. Not letting this garbage beat you."

She paused for a moment. The urge to divulge her recent activities was strong, much like her conversation with Takemi the other day. However, again, she told herself that keeping it quiet was best for everyone. Besides, it was pretty absurd to suddenly start talking about alternate realities and metaphysical dimensions. "It's been rough, but I've made some good friends and Boss is treating me well."

Her dad barked a joyous laughter, warming her chest again. "That'a girl. Y'know, when your package arrived this morning, your mum and I were pretty shocked. This radio of yours, I've never heard of the make or model. Where'd you get it from?"

"Wait… mum's with you?"

"She got called into work urgently about an hour ago, but yeah, flew in a couple of weeks ago. Jet lagged as all hell. Cranky like you in the mornings." The knowledge that her whole family was back in the same country filled her with excitement. They hadn't done anything as a whole family in quite some time. After all, her dad's job kept him on the go and her mum's job wasn't any better. "She's pretty angry at her boss for ripping her away from the house so soon before our little meeting. Anyway, I'm curious about this radio."

"It's… a long story. I met some good people who have access to some pretty awesome tech. One of them is… uh… in private security like you."

Of course, her father definitely wasn't in the same line of work as V, but she couldn't exactly say that she was friends with a mercenary. At least this way it would provide a little explanation. Enough to satisfy his curiosity. "Well, aren't you a little social butterfly? I'd be interested in meeting these friends of yours!" That would definitely be an entertaining encounter. Lynn honestly would have happily encouraged it if only her probation didn't forbid it. "At any rate, it's damn good to hear from you again. I have to ask, though; did that scumbag gym teacher I saw on the news do anything to you? He was working at Shujin, right?"

Kamoshida wasn't exactly a subject she wanted to talk about, but Lynn honestly couldn't blame him for worrying. After all, it was only about a month into Lynn's enrollment at Shujin that such a huge scandal came to light. And a sexual scandal at that. Her dad had every right to be both concerned and curious.

"He uh… did some nasty things to my friends. Disgusting to say the least." She heard the low, guttural growl befitting of a protective bear looking out for its child. Kamoshida was definitely in good shape. Intimidating and physically overpowering. He was a product of athleticism and - admittedly - genuine talent. Lynn's father, on the other hand, was a very different kind of intimidating. The kind only a trained soldier could muster. It was largely the only reason Kamoshida didn't outright terrify Lynn. "We got him, though. Got him good."

"I knew you'd thrive! My girl's growing up!"

The conversation flowed on far longer than anticipated. There was so much to catch up on, it was simply too much for a single radio conversation. Especially when it came to time. Without noticing, the two had been talking well into the night. In fact, Lynn nearly had a panic attack when she noticed the time. It was already one in the morning. Not good, seeing as how Monday was the day of the big heist.

Everything was already in place. The calling card had been made and a plan was set in motion. So if Lynn turned up exhausted and sleep deprived, it'd only spell trouble for the others.

With a heavy heart, she bid her dad a good night.

Getting to speak with him again was exactly what she needed. A rush of strength filled her chest and a fiery determination kindled itself. Tomorrow - or rather today - was going to be one hell of a party.

---

Monday - May 30th

"Let's go over it one more time."

Lynn's authoritative tone garnered attention, yet this was the third time she insisted they reviewed the plan. Ryuji was getting more and more impatient and it showed. The same went for V. Even Ann was starting to get irritated. Of course, Lynn knew she was being a little too anal about everything, but she really didn't want anything to go wrong. She didn't want to put her friends in more danger than necessary.

The Calling Card - a joint creation between Ryuji and Yusuke - had been plastered all over several notice boards, street advertisements and even within Madarame's exhibit itself. A lot of Shibuya looked like some sort of convention dedicated to the Phantom Thieves.

Even if the writing was a little heavy handed, it served its purpose and - thanks to Yusuke's talent - it looked stylish.

"Sir Ichiryusai Madarame - A great sinner of vanity whose talent has been exhausted. You are an artist who shamelessly uses his authority to steal from his pupils, quash those who try to oppose you and inflict abuse on those that have no choice but to endure it. We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. We will take your distorted desires without fail. - The Phantom Thieves"

Advice from River informed the decision to keep any accusations of money laundering and the like out of the text. After all, it would just give him time to cover his tracks as well as send his inner circle into damage control overdrive. It'd force too many perpetrators to go to ground too quickly. They needed to keep the illusion that it was only Madarame under the magnifying glass for as long as possible. It would give Kimiko time to gather all the evidence she could and formulate a case for as many of the corrupt as possible.

So, with that done, the thieves mustered their strength and were now conferring within the final Safe Room.

Waiting for them beyond the VIP Lounge was the Sanctum.

"Seeing as we're unfamiliar with the inside of the Sanctum, it's going to be a standard smash and grab." Lynn pointed to the map. The front door of the Sanctum to be exact. "Merc and Badges will plant the breach charges here. The rest of us will cover them in case we're attacked. We're going to set up a firing line here and here." The two points marked with a red circle flanked either side of the Sanctum's main entrance. From the photos River had taken, there were small walls that offered cover. The huge courtyard left much to be desired in terms of any high ground, but that - in turn - played well into phase two of the plan.

"Good ol' crossfire." V grinned.

"Once we're in, we sweep the interior, find the Treasure, then take it. Security's going to be thick. No doubt about that. Keep your guns loaded and hot. Eyes and ears wide open. This is their turf, after all." Lynn ran a finger through the courtyard around a large fountain feature and through a clearly marked gate. "Our exit is here. Hunter and Mona already scouted it. Leads directly back to the Palace's main entrance. Once we're through this gate, we're home free. Mona, your bus form's going to be vital."

"Yup, yup!"

"We're probably going to have one hell of a tail. Most likely including Madarame himself. I've procured a little contingency for that. But, if we do get stopped, we're going to have to deal with Madarame. So hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Fox, if it comes down to the choice, it's your call."

"Should it come to that, it shall be my hand alone to deliver the final blow." The artist gave a resolute nod. Though deep under the stoic, cold expression, confliction was running rampant.

It just solidified Lynn's respect for him. Despite everything, he was still determined to see things through.

Definitely a quality vital in the coming battle.

"Alright, I think we've run through everything…" Lynn paused, her eyes scanned the map once again. Was there any better way to handle this? They needed more time. It was slapdash and counting a whole lot on things just working out. "Hmm… maybe…"

"Kid, it's fine. Trust me, you've planned more than a lot of gonk wannabe solos."

V's stern - and irritated - voice snapped Lynn out of her own head.

Sometimes, just going for it was the only way forward. She nodded and lightly clapped her hands against her cheeks.

"Ok, let's get this damn Treasure and bring Madarame down once and for all." Finally, Lynn folded up the map and gave the order to roll out. Much to the relief of V, Ryuji and Ann. All three of which were obviously raring to go. For various reasons.

As noted, the courtyard was absolutely gigantic. Far bigger in person. River's photos didn't nearly do it justice. Their escape was bound to be eventful given this much ground to cover.

As they passed through the area, they formed a compact formation with those most familiar with firearms at the edges. Lynn took point with V covering the rear. The merc's eyes were constantly trained down the sights of a rifle that resembled an AK-47. An Ajax as she called it. To the left flank was Ryuji and Ann. To the right was River and Judy. That left Shiho, Yusuke and Mona in the centre. Reserve fire power and support respectively. As powerful as Shiho was, she definitely wasn't suited for the front lines. At least not when it came to drawn out firefights. As for Yusuke, his experience with his new assault rifle was limited to a brief training session last night.

He could aim, shoot and reload but didn't have any actual combat experience. His strengths shined in more melee focused engagements.

"No contact yet."

After a full minute of walking, they reached the midway point. A huge, elaborate, two-tier fountain. Filigree decorated the pure white marble. Delicate shapes swirled and formed intricate patterns. All of which culminated into a large statue. Almost identical to the Gilded Guardian. The largest difference being a spout of water flowing from two outstretched hands. Closer inspection of the water revealed that shimmering flecks of glitter were mixed in it, giving the trickling waterfalls an otherworldly look.

"Such a garish display of vanity. How distasteful." Yusuke muttered as they reached its base.

Shiho chimed in with her own opinion. It was very much the same. Even without the eye of an artist, everyone in the group had the same outlook. "Much like everything else in this place."

"Eyes up." Lynn harshly ordered. She pointed over to the Sanctum which was now coming into view. Up until now, a gloomy fog had concealed it from view. Only when they moved past the fountain had the veil risen. Almost like the building itself was inviting the thieves into some dark secret. It felt off, the fact that they had yet to see any more Shadows.

It was either a foreboding omen, or a sign that Madarame was beginning to genuinely run scared.

The Sanctum was modelled to look like a luxurious feudal lord's manor house made of solid gold and marble. Instead of the usual sliding doors and screened panels, it was solid marble, gold and steel. A heavy, riveted door - much like that of a safe - barred entry. A large knocker hung from the sculpted maw of Madarame's shadow self. The heavy ring was about the size of a basketball as well as being thick and heavy looking. Beneath was an embellished pattern - also of Madarame.

Both V and River set about their tasks as soon as they approached. Expertly and efficiently placing several explosives around the doorway.

Meanwhile, everyone else took their positions behind the small, chest-high walls that ran the length of the Sanctum's garden. Picturesque as it was, it was still completely overpowered with gold sculptures and tacky decorative furniture. "Still no contact. Getting a little worried now…"

"I know what you mean, Joker. Everything's going too easy," replied Shiho.

"Way to jinx it, Hunter!" A wry grin on Ryuji's jaw was quickly wiped away by Lynn's silver glare. As much as joking around was a good way to relieve tension, now was not the time.

"Charges set, Joker. Give the order and let's pop this Scopshop!"

With a single gesture of Lynn's fist, V brought on a spectacle of explosions. A mix of breech charges as well as thermite reactions. The fears of this being another "impassable wall" were quickly washed away as a creaking, moaning sound rang out. Once the light show was over, the door slowly - but surely - fell inwards. It landed with a deafening clang and without another second wasted, alarms began to screech.

"Go, go, go! Fox, Mona! We're going in! Grab the Treasure!"

The pulsing noise and blasts had finally attracted the attention of Shadows. Within a matter of seconds, the courtyard filled with a horde of them. Both Greater and Lesser in equal measure. As Lynn, Yusuke and Morgana moved to the blown out entrance, she spared a glance back and her eyes widened. The security was either waiting in ambush, or this was a genuine surprise to them. Either way, they were here now.

Lynn roared her order; "Hold them off!" She then dove inside the Sanctum with her two allies.

Once inside, the chaos just outside was completely silenced. It left the three Phantom Thieves in total darkness. The blown out doorway remained in sight, but it seemed to refuse to let any light in. Lynn kept her pistol trained as she swept the area. Yet, there was nothing. It was like they had stepped into some kind of black abyss. An endless stretch of nothing.

"I… really don't like this, Joker…"

"Can you sense the Treasure?"

"Yeah… but…" Mona stepped ahead of the two and, with concern cemented over his face, looked around the abyssal dark. "I can sense it… everywhere. But… nowhere at the same time. Something's concealing it."

Yusuke grunted. Beneath his vulpine mask, his blue eyes narrowed. He glared into the distance and levelled his rifle accordingly. His finger twitched over the trigger, yet he refrained from firing. "Come to the light, you wretched man!" He bellowed into the dark. The voice echoed and rumbled.

Then, a sinister laughter replied. A whisper at first. With each swell of breath, it soon picked up into a roaring, deafening sound of pure sadistic elation.

[You think yourselves worthy of my Treasure!? Pathetic!]

A single spotlight blinked to life. It shone down onto a large pedestal. Only one object held centre stage. A single painting. A familiar one at that. However, it was definitely different to the ones Lynn had seen.

The Sayuri.

It didn't take an art genius to notice that this version was without the fog. The woman's wistful, mysterious stare soon became clear. In her arms was a baby. Wrapped in cloth. A picture of pure innocence.

Yusuke's rifle fell to the ground. He wasn't far behind as his legs buckled and he was thrown to his knees.

"M-mother…" he managed to stutter. His only reply was another cacophonous round of laughter. Another spotlight flicked to life. Its beam lit up the area just below the pedestal to reveal the shining, garishly dressed Shadow of Madarame. A twisted, elated grin warped his face, giving him a monstrous, holier-than-thou aura. He was looking down on the trio. Both figuratively and - thanks to his elevated position - literally. "This… this cannot be. How… could I have forgotten? Mother."

[Dear Yusuke, you seem to be upset. Perhaps I can forgive your transgressions should you beg for mercy. Though… I doubt that would help. Your usefulness has run its course. A pity, really. A flame that burns bright can sometimes snuff itself out before its prime.] The grin widened and revelled in Yusuke's growing despair. [Much like your mother. I will admit… allowing her to snuff herself out was quite genius. It solved many problems and gifted me a golden ticket. The Sayuri.]

"So even your supposed Magnum Opus is stolen? Is that what you're saying?" Lynn snarled, running to her friend's side. Yusuke wasn't responding. His head hung low and he was barely breathing. "What do you mean you allowed her to snuff herself out!?"

Madarame's gold clad body wracked with another burst of laughter. [Is it not obvious!? Hitomi Kitagawa was plagued with illness and seizures. One day - not long after her creation of the Sayuri - I simply forgot to call for an ambulance. Her death was labelled under Medical Complications. Perfect, really. Not only did her death pave the way to my glorious resurgence of fame, but she also left my progeny behind as such a dear bonus.]

Lynn's heart stopped.

She felt Yusuke's shoulders tighten. His body suddenly ran icy cold. The air - though stagnant - grew colder.

Madarame had straight up admitted to murder. Not only that, but something far, far worse. Something none of the Thieves could have dared to imagine. Yusuke fell forward, bracing himself against the never ending abyss. He looked like he was about to throw up and Lynn was right there with him. Madarame's little monologue was more than sickening.

"Are… you…" Mona tried to ask the question. He couldn't. The words simply refused to cross his tongue. In direct response, Madarame's smile had grown so foul and warped, he was more monster than man. Was he taking pleasure in this? Lynn's fist tightened around the grip of her Beretta as well as Yusuke's shoulder. How desperate she was to just open fire on him. The mistake V had made the last time stilled her hand. Kimiko's cognition was bound to be somewhere close behind. Just waiting to protect the filthy, awful man looming over them.

Madarame took a step down from his raised pedestal. The spotlight followed. Each movement was followed by opulent shimmers of gold flakes. His stature grew larger as he approached. The dizzying light was getting too much to bear and Lynn felt a sickening sense of dread.

Coming in with only three combatants was absolutely not the correct call.

[Look how small you are. You come bursting into my Sanctum, anger and determination filling your souls.] Despite Madarame's golden stare locking solely on Yusuke, it took Lynn's breath clean out of her lungs. Under her grip on Yusuke's shoulder, she felt him begin to shake. [And yet, now you quiver in fear over a few simple truths.]

The man drew closer and Lynn wanted nothing more than to grab Yusuke and run. Yet she was frozen in place. Like some weird, warped instinct was telling her to submit. To give up and let Madarame destroy her.

That was until Yusuke stopped quaking and a spike of frigid air made his body too cold to keep a hold of.

"Progeny…" Yusuke muttered. A tear fell from beneath his mask. His gloved hands - which had been pressed against the ground - curled into fists. Frigid vapour wisped from between his fingers. Frost spread out over the pitch black floor like sprawling, icy roots. "You… monster. I vowed to bring you to justice… but you do not deserve such mercy." His shoulders trembled and his breathing grew heavier. Without warning, he slammed a fist into the ground, rupturing the frost and rime. Dragging himself to his feet, he glared directly into the eyes of his sensei.

Pure, unfiltered hatred dripped from his words. Though he didn't yell. His voice was steady and his gaze was strong. It sent a shiver down Lynn's spine just witnessing it. Snow swept up into a spiral around him, covering him in a shell of diamond dust.

He took a step forward.

Frost and ice unfurled like flowers in bloom under his step.

Madarame, genuinely shocked, stumbled back. For a brief moment, genuine fear crossed the shadow's face.

Yusuke pushed his advance. More and more ice bloomed with each step.

The shadow fell onto the backfoot. He was losing and he hated it. His brow furrowed, and a scowling growl rattled his throat. It halted Yusuke's advance. [You would be wise to watch your tone, boy. I am your father, you are my progeny. You exist only to provide me with wealth!] Madarame really was a repeat of his own father. The gallery from before flashed back to Lynn's mind. The images of the boy and the adult. It almost felt like some sick, twisted cycle. Was Yusuke doomed to start it anew?

"Y-Yusuke…"

Not if Lynn could help it.

While Madarame was occupied, she gave a pointed nod toward Morgana, then to the Treasure. The feline returned the gesture and slowly backed off into the abyssal darkness.

The wind twisting around Yusuke pulsed with intense cold. His pure emotion was conjuring up a roaring blizzard. Its power began to form frost over Lynn's coat. Steam plumed from her lips with each breath, grabbed and pulled away into the snow drift. "You are no father of mine. You are a tyrant, a pathetic fool. Drowned in vanity and self love. All doubt in my mind has been washed away. Any hope of your redemption I held onto has been destroyed. I will break your chains and tear your lies asunder."

The wind and snow howled, enveloping the fathomless expanse of nothing. Lynn stepped back and readied her pistol and knife. It was time to back her friend up. This was his moment.

All the pent up frustration, sorrow and rage he had harboured over the last few days was finally getting its release.

"I will fucking kill you!"

With a resonating yell, the artist unsheathed his blade and charged. Goemon formed along the gust of glimmering snow, his stride matching Yusuke's. Both their blades raised for a two pronged attack. Lynn's yell to stop landed on deaf ears. It was too late as Yusuke swung. In a burst of light and a blast of frozen air, Yusuke was flung across the abyss.

As Lynn had expected, Kimiko's cognition appeared from the murky shadows to reflect Yusuke's attack right back at him.

"Fox! Are you ok?"

The boy struggled to his feet. It didn't seem like he had taken much damage. It was mostly the sudden shock of it all. He was dazed, but mostly unharmed. Goemon, however, was ready for another round.

His dazzling form dashed forward with inhuman speed, leaving a trail of diamond dust in his wake.

Kimiko - emotionless and without so much as a spark of life - leapt to meet the Persona's blade. Her frail arm clashed with sharp steel. The resulting sparks and screeching gave the impression of blade against blade. As the conflict sparked, Lynn spied Madarame making odd gestures, cackling and grinning as he did so. It was like he was conducting an orchestra or perhaps something else.

She jumped back and beckoned Arsene. His black wings unfurled and his usual laughter roused a primal sort of battle excitement in Lynn's chest.

Whilst Goemon - and now Yusuke himself - was busy with Kimiko's cognition, she deftly dashed around the conflict.

If her theory was correct, then Madarame was merely puppeting the cognition.

As powerful as that reflective ability was, it would be useless if the master was out of commission. She drew in close and lunged forward. Arsene's cursed flame wrapped itself around her body as she threw herself into a twisting corkscrew. Her knife cut something and she certainly felt resistance, but once she skidded to a stop and looked behind her, Madarame was completely unharmed.

"What the…" she blinked. There were two Madarame's now. Another second and there were now three. "Oh… well this is a thing. Arsene!" She called out and stumbled back. The two extra copies rushed forward and unsheathed glistening golden katanas.

Their blades made contact with a knife of pure cursed flame. The size difference between Arsene and the copies worked in Arsene's favour as he pushed them back. Their cackling laughter mocked the duo as they split off into more copies. Two had now become four. Desperation set in as they engaged.

Arsene and Lynn closed ranks and deftly dodged, parried and countered a storm of razor sharp blades.

A few cut through Lynn's defence and slashed at her extremities. Grazing and scratching away at her protective Phantom coat. They were completely on the defensive, entering into a desperate war of attrition. Despite Arsene acting at the top of his game, Lynn knew full well she couldn't keep this up for long. An opening. That's what she needed.

Notably, the newest two copies were a lot less shiny than the first two. Their lustre was more like bronze than gold.

One of their attacks thrust forward, aiming for her head. Her knife deflected it and with a nimble twist, the dulled katana snapped at the hilt. She carried the momentum forward, planted her shoulder against the copy's chest and - with an over-the-head motion - jammed the barrel of her weapon in its mouth and pulled the trigger.

The shattering bang rang in her ears but the attack worked. Black ichor burst from the back of the copy's head. Following the wound, the entire head exploded into the same ichor. Thick and heavy like ink or oil. It had a pretty strange scent to it too. It was pretty hard not to take it in as the whole act had caked her face in the substance.

Even still, it allowed her to break from the onslaught.

"Joker, I got it!" Mona yelled, sprinting at full tilt. He held the painting above his head and was practically screaming.

"Operation GET THE HELL OUT, go!"

Although Yusuke was still at the height of his raging strength, Lynn was thankful he held the sense to break engagement. They weren't going to win like this, they needed to escape and regroup with the others. Only then did they stand a chance.

Kimiko, the Madarame clones and Madarame himself were all hot on their heels. Kimiko at the forefront, throwing earth shattering punches into the ground.

"Everyone get ready for exfil! Mona, transform!"

"Yes, Joker!"

The feline dove out and back into the courtyard. His body poofed into a cloud of cartoonish smoke. An engine revved, ready to go. The cat-bus landed heavily atop the head of an unlucky couple of Lesser shadows, prompting a sickening splat noise. The fight against the encroaching army was a hail of gunfire and lobbed grenades. As soon as Mona landed, his doors swung open and everyone piled in.

Everyone except for Lynn.

Instead, she leapt atop Mona and anchored herself to his roof. A handy little wire contraption attached to her waist would keep her planted, for now. V floored Mona's gas pedal. His engine roared and quickly, the bus shot forward at full acceleration.

"The fuck took you so long, kid? And what the fuck are you doing on the fucking roof!?"

"Long story, step on it Merc!" Lynn barked.

The bus rammed and carved through the horde. Screams and shrieks pierced the air. Shadows were exploding on impact. Chaos and adrenaline kicked Lynn's brain into high gear. It was time to deploy her secret weapon. She stamped her boot against Mona's roof and with a grunt, his engine briefly stuttered.

The rear right window of the bus suddenly inflated with a yellow fabric. Like a balloon or bubble. From the bulge, a long, elastic protrusion snaked up and toward Lynn. It was holding a wooden crate, the very same from Untouchable.

With a grin, Lynn held her right arm out to her side.

The crate burst apart in a spray of wood, straw and plastic packing paper. Joker gripped at a handle and brought the crate's contents to bear. A restored and functioning custom piece modelled after a handheld version of the 30mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary autocannon.

Seven long, thick barrels arranged in a circle started to spin up, gathering speed the moment her left hand hit the second handle. The threatening, heavy whir of the gun in her hands sent chills down her spine.

"Oh… oh yeah…" she muttered just before the gatling gun unleashed hell down on the horde.

The lead storm tore through Shadows like paper. Reducing them to puddles of inky liquid. She swept the courtyard as though she was hosing a flower bed, all while a large, sadistic grin twisted her jaw. She could hear her friends speak through her ear piece, but the roaring, thumping sound of the gatling gun made it impossible to understand what was being said.

V swerved left and right, avoiding the largest of the Shadows.

Mona could handle a lot, but running head first into a Greater Shadow would have put a very abrupt stop to their mad dash escape.

Ryuji, River and Judy leant out of various windows and they, too, joined in on the fire fighting fun. Ryuji's Remmington had been modded with a new receiver and the results spoke for themselves. He was getting very good at handling it. Lynn caught a brief moment of eye contact with him and he looked like he was having the time of his life.

Soon, even Yusuke had poked out to lend his own gun to the fight.

Despite his complete lack of experience, the artist was almost perfect with his aim. Each squeeze of the trigger planted a bullet square in the centre of a shadow's head.

The keen eye of an Artist was a scary thing indeed.

The fountain drew nearer, marking the halfway point. They were almost home free. The path to the exit was in sight. Just a little more.

The Sanctum ruptured and with the force of an atomic blast, the whole thing exploded. It sent debris cascading over the courtyard. From her vantage, Lynn ceased fire as the sight before her completely stopped her heart. Madarame's opulent, golden clad body was growing to a colossal degree. His face was contorted with rage and a mighty yell resonated over the area so strongly it caused the ground to shake violently.

By the time the Shadow stopped growing, he was easily as big as a skyscraper.

The goliath raised a foot, making the motion of a step forward. The wind created by the movement rushed against Lynn, battering her and almost forcing her off of Mona's roof.

A resounding boom followed as the foot pressed down against the floor.

The ground cracked and ruptured under the weight. It proved too much for V. The merc tried to drift Mona in an attempt to avoid running head first into a sundered block of cracked earth and subsequently lost control. Mona spun wildly, shrieking all the way. "Shit! Brace!" Lynn heard V's urgent call over the earpiece seconds before a sudden impact.

Mona collided with the base of the fountain, violently throwing Lynn into the air. The anchor wire snapped free and Lynn was sent hurtling into solid marble.

This was the second time she had been thrown against a hard surface. Despite that, it still didn't lessen the surging pain along her spine. Her only relief came from the protective properties conferred by her thief attire. Even still, the air evacuated her lungs and with a brief fall, she splashed into the fountain's lower pool.

Briefly, her mind fixated on the gatling gun. During the crash, it had left her hands. Likely thrown into the encroaching army.

She shook herself back to the present and broke the surface of the gold flaked water. She clawed the air, looking for the edge of the pool. It was a struggle for breath as well as footing. The slippery marble refused to give her any sort of grip. Eventually, she slumped over the pool's edge and coughed, catching her breath. Quickly, she surveyed her team. Each thief had been laid out over the surrounding ground. Mona had been forced into his regular form and - from first glance - had been rendered unconscious.

Her eyes then looked up to where the colossal Madarame had been.

He was nowhere in sight.

"Everyone alive?" Lynn muttered. Her voice prompted a round of groaning and barely audible acknowledgements. Still, it was enough to note no one was seriously injured. Or worse.

"I've been through worse… ugh… fuck me. Mox, babe?"

"Alive… I think." Judy - despite laying on her back, half conscious - managed a thumbs up. "You kids do this a lot?"

Even if it was a joke, it was becoming alarmingly common for things to end up like this. Ann was the first to fully sit up. A small wound on her cheek trickled with blood. Everyone else seemed to have similar scratches and bruises. All things considered, that crash could have been a hell of a lot worse. "It's not like we like doing this!" Ann squealed. "If I get any more scars, I'm going to lose my job!"

"Oh the horror." Ryuji sputtered.

"Guys, the Treasure!" Shiho interrupted.

The girl frantically looked around. Joker joined in the search and took in two points of key information. The first was that the Treasure had been thrown a distance away and was now on the floor, surrounded by shadows.

The second was that the shadows had come to a complete standstill. The hundreds of figures were simply standing, looming over the thieves. Watching.

[Did you honestly expect such a foolish mad dash to work?] The mocking voice of Madarame parted the ocean of shadows. Like a black curtain revealing the star of a theatre show. [You are in my realm. Mine.]

Lynn was still fixated on the Treasure when the hem of Madarame's gilded kimono came to view. He stood over the painting and sniggered. "Don't you dare touch that!" Yusuke barked. He struggled to his hands and knees. He still hadn't completely recovered from the crash - the same went for everyone else. "You have no right!"

Madarame erupted in maniacal laughter.

[How laughable! I have the right to do whatever I wish to the Sayuri! Hitomi was my student and thus; my property. I held every right to squeeze every ounce of use from her. As I do with all my students! That is the Infinite Wellspring! My finest creation!]

Ryuji grunted, rolled to his side and glowered at Madarame. "Say whatever the eff you want. That's… just exploitin' and stealin'. Not to mention effed up!"

The shadow turned his nose up at that.

[Pot calling the kettle black? How laughable!] He smirked with mocking laughter. [Do not lecture me of thievery and exploitation. You are the ones exploiting the Metaverse. You are the thieves. Yusuke, my dear son, my progeny, how you have fallen to the depths of depravity.]

The cold wind picked up for a moment. It fizzled out quickly as Yusuke slumped from exertion. "I told you that you are no father of mine."

"J-Joker… ugh…" Mona stirred from his stupor and dragged himself over to Lynn. "That hurt… but I can try to get Zorro to heal us all." Madarame's sheer contempt for the group - his need to look down on them - proved to be a boon in the moment. He wasn't paying any sort of attention to Lynn, Ryuji, Mona, Ann, Shiho or the V Team.

That arrogance was a perfect smokescreen for the thieves to regroup.

[What a waste.]

In a rush of movement, Yusuke launched himself forward and lunged with his blade. "Wait! Fox!" A clash of steel against steel forced the boy to stumble back. He grunted in pain as a streak of blood fell from his forearm. Kimiko's cognition had appeared - once again - to block and reflect the attack.

So long as the damn puppet remained, Madarame was nearly untouchable.

"You ok, Fox?" Ryuji had since managed to rise to his feet and clamped a hand on the artist's shoulder.

"I'm… fine. A scratch, nothing more. See to the others."

Ryuji looked like he was about to protest. Though one look from Yusuke halted him. So, he backed off and knelt beside Mona. "Such a useless cat. Come on, get it together, Mona!" He grinned before fishing a small vial from one of his pockets. The clear liquid inside sloshed around. "Drink up. You got some work to do!"

Mona slightly hissed at the playful ribbing, but took the vial nonetheless.

Emergency medicine. Expensive but extremely effective. Lynn had made the habit of making sure Ryuji had at least a few doses on him at all times. Being the team's major front liner, Ryuji put himself in harm's way a lot more than the rest. It may have been a bad habit of his, but together with Captain Kidd, he was one hell of a force of nature.

Mona downed the liquid in one gulp and within seconds, his ears perked up and the scratches along his side - the equivalent of where his bus-form had collided with the fountain - began to close up and heal. "Thanks, Skull. Alright, time to get to work! Zorro!"

Sharp wind unveiled the Persona and with a dramatic flourish, laugh and another gust of wind, green energy rained gently over the whole group.

Lynn immediately felt a rush of energy and before her brain had caught up with her body, she had already leapt from the fountain, drawn her pistol and engaged Kimiko's cognition alongside Yusuke. Falling in sync with his movements, Lynn deftly kept the puppet engaged, juggling its attention between her and Yusuke.

"Phantom Thieves attack!"

Lynn didn't even need to give the order. Everyone had sprang to action the moment Mona's healing had taken effect. She blamed the adrenaline for the outburst.

Madarame grinned as he stepped back into the sea of Shadows. He had taken the Treasure with him.

Though it wasn't long before three duplicates of Madarame charged out from the horde. Their katanas glimmered with gold light. They were also wearing armour. Samurai armour to be exact. Made of solid gold and encrusted with radiant gemstones. They engaged the thieves alongside the army of Shadows. All out war erupted between the two forces.

The battle raged. Yet they were completely outnumbered.

"Captain Kidd!"

"Carmen!"

"Boudica!"

Lightning, fire and radiant light blasted and cut swathes through the horde.

A destructive backdrop for Yusuke and Lynn's confrontation with Kimiko's cognition. Its frail, lithe form hid quite the punch. With each clash and dodge, Lynn could feel the weight behind the blows. Deftly, Kimiko launched forward - propelled by an invisible force - and thrusted an arm. Yusuke shifted his posture and braced against his Katana, blocking the strike. Sparks flew like a firework. With a grunt, he pushed back and let a blast of frigid energy spray from his left palm.

The elemental energy hit her centre mass. Only for Kimiko's reflective ability to kick in a moment later.

An arching beam of freezing blue light streaked millimetres past Yusuke's throat.

With a crunching sound, the energy struck the fountain behind them, causing huge ice stalagmites to jut from the point of impact.

"Fox, focus! Stop trying to attack her directly!"

"I know, Joker. I know."

Kimiko surged forward for another attack. Ducking and weaving, Lynn and Yusuke fell back onto the defensive. Directly engaging her was getting them nowhere. Madarame was pulling the strings, that much was certain, yet they couldn't get to him with the horde and duplicates in their way.

Their best bet now was to keep the puppet occupied and hopefully restrain it somehow.

Then they could focus on helping everyone else.

"Wait…" Yusuke fell back a little further and allowed Lynn to keep the puppet's attention. From the brief glances Joker managed to get of him, it looked as though he was studying something. His eyes followed a specific movement. They narrowed. "Joker, jump!"

She didn't need to be told twice.

With a mighty leap, she gracefully catapulted herself into the air and - with the aid of Arsene - stayed aloft to watch a display of beauty unfold.

Yusuke slammed his palm down against the floor. A shockwave of sheer cold rushed over the battle and from his palm, ice ran across the marble floor, forking and converging like frozen roots or river systems. The moment Lynn's feet left the ground and Kimiko made a specific movement, the ice snaked forward and struck the cognition's foot.

She tripped and fell to the ground with a crunch. The ice sheet cracked. However, it wasn't over. As the cognition attempted to get up, Yusuke sent another surge of ice and snow foreward.

The wave of frigid energy completely encased the woman in thick, unyielding ice.

"Nice work!" Lynn called. She huffed as she landed just beside the artist and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Watch out!" The hand on Yusuke's shoulder suddenly yanked him back. In a blur of black and red, Lynn spun around him and slashed out with her knife. It clashed with steel. Or rather gold.

The duplicate of Madarame withdrew its blade and deftly thrust forward with a lunging attack. There wasn't enough time to completely deflect the blow, resulting in the gold blade cutting through her defense.

A surface wound. Not enough to hinder movement.

That said, her knife still had a grip on the katana. She forced the blade away and threw a sweeping kick at the duplicate's feet. It let out a grunt as the momentum toppled it to the ground. Quickly, Lynn stomped her boot heavily down onto the duplicate's chest, levelled her Beretta and pulled the trigger twice.

The same, strange smelling ichor erupted like a fountain. It was certainly a familiar smell, but she still couldn't place it.

The duplicate ceased moving and melted into a puddle of the substance. Unlike Shadows, who's remnants dissolved into vapour, the substance remained. "It's oil paint. Low quality at that. Disgusting." Yusuke muttered as he withdrew his own blade from the chest of a duplicate. "Or at least these ones are low quality. It appears that the more copies Sensei makes, the weaker they become. Much like his traitorous replica and forgery racket…"

"So we just have to keep killing them until he runs out of steam?"

"It appears so."

"That's preem and all, but there's still the matter of all these fucking gonk-ass Shadows! Little help, Joker?" The urgent, irritated and strained yell of V kicked Lynn back into the fight. They needed a way to clear a path, and fast. She surveyed the battle and a brief glint of silver caught her eye.

It was the gatling gun. Laying on the ground waiting to be fired once more.

She made a gesture to it and then to Yusuke. To follow and cover. He nodded and they charged headlong into the sea of enemies. Slashing and shooting their way forward. A few more duplicates tried to halt their advance. Quickly dispatched with elemental blasts, their remains coated the two thieves.

Finally, Lynn threw herself into a roll, grabbed the gatling gun and brought it to bare. "Eat lead!" The barrels spun up to speed. Seconds later, the gun unleashed its torrent.

Hot lead rained hellfire against the horde.

Together with the efforts of her team and now the added firepower, the shadow's numbers thinned out. So too did the duplicates. They were stemming the flow and turning the tide of battle. Slowly, steady and deadly. By the time Lynn's gatling gun chewed through the last of its ammunition reserves, the once gargantuan horde was little more than a smattering of stragglers.

She unloaded the gun into Morgana's yellow sack and got to work mopping up.

Some Greater Shadows remained among the stragglers. In a last ditch effort, they transformed into various forms. Slimes, Incubui, Archangels and even the odd Berith. It wasn't enough.

The battle had been won and only the frozen cocoon and a cowering Madarame remained. By some miracle, he had remained untouched by all the blasts of elemental energy and hail of bullets. The man had fallen to the ground, clutching his Treasure desperately. Any hint of bravado or superiority had vanished, leaving a quaking, horrified old man. It was almost pitiable.

Yusuke approached and with a long, dramatic motion, he drew his katana.

The V Team wanted to intervene. V made a move to stop Yusuke. Lynn raised her hand, shaking her head. This was Yusuke's call. His fight. Each of the other thieves looked on in understanding. Both Ann and Shiho had been through a similar situation to this with Kamoshida. When it came down to it, the choice of killing or sparing came down to the one with the most connections to the target.

The tip of the blade stopped a mere inch from Madarame's nose. A sinister sheen ran its length and a cold, hateful glint sparked from the young artist's eyes. Now, it was Yusuke who was looking down on Madarame.

The man gulped as his body began to shake.

[Dear Yusuke… you're not going to kill me… a-are you?]

The blade twitched. Yusuke's grip tightened.

"For years I willingly blinded myself. Submitted myself to your mercy." His voice ran cold as cool vapour plumed with each breath. "Aided you in your heinous exploits. Because I felt I owed you for taking me in. A pathetic excuse, really. I'm no better than you. However, now I ask a question. Was it worth it? Are you happy?"

[W-what… do you mean?]

"Wealth, fame, recognition. You have it all," Yusuke's blade drew closer, lowering to the man's neck, "yet can you truly say that you're happy? I saw your past. Your passion for the arts. Your childhood struggles under a tyrannical father. Somewhere deep down is that same passion. The passion to create beauty. You hide behind a gilded veil of false superiority. You hide atop your glass tower built on lies and fear, but I see you for what you truly are." He took another step, the blade's tip pressed against the skin.

Was he actually going to do it?

The two locked into a silent staring match. It seemed to drag on for an eternity. Until finally, Yusuke withdrew the blade and slid it into the sheath. A distinct 'shink' emphasised the action.

"You aren't worthy of my blade. I refuse to repeat this wretched story and I will not become like you. I still strive for true beauty. I still harbour the passion to create." The boy turned his back on Madarame and sighed. "I hope that perhaps one day you rediscover your lost passion. I hope you cast your obsession with vanity and wealth aside. I really do. Because even with all you have done, to me, my mother, Kimiko and so many others… you are still my Sensei. You are still… my father."

[I've been a fool.] Madarame's grip on the Treasure loosened and his shoulders sagged. His fear had been replaced with resigned defeat. [You've matured, Yusuke. Become a far better man than I ever was. I will relinquish my Treasure and return to my true self. However, I must issue a warning.] His gaze lowered to the floor and a sorrowful smile curled his lips. The makeup that had given him a monstrous feudal appearance had been washed away, leaving the wrinkled skin of an elderly, regretful face. [You aren't the only ones using the Metaverse. There are others out there, exploiting Palaces for their own nefarious ends. Be cautious of the Black Mask. And if you value your lives… avoid the Radiant Blue One.]

V moved in to say something, but was cut off. Madarame's form grew engulfed in light. Like Kamoshida's Shadow, this one had also willingly surrendered. Though not without leaving more questions than answers. Sure, the change of heart looked to be successful, but what the hell was this Black Mask nonsense? And wasn't the Radiant Blue One something to do with V's investigation? Questions, questions. Frustrating as it was, there was very little time to dwell on it now. The moment Madarame's shadow disappeared, the Palace started to crumble and collapse.

"Grab the Treasure and let's get out of here!" Ordered Lynn.

Yusuke scooped up the painting and - after one last look at where Madarame had disappeared - bolted after the group.

His last words to the old man still held a presence in everyone's mind.

You are still my Sensei. You are still my father.

---

Author's Notes:

So, this chapter took a lot longer to write than I thought. Life's been getting a little strained so my writing productivity's taken a little hit. Hopefully I'll pick back up soon. As always, feel free to leave a review! It keeps me going and I enjoy seeing people engage with my work. Next chapter is going to cover the aftermath and flow into some extra character interactions. V Team's story will pick back up soon, so keep an eye out!