Chapter 32: Delusion of Wrath
August 1
Hifumi: Are you free today? We can play a match right now… if you want. I'll instruct you while we play.
Ren: Yes, please.
Hifumi: Then please come to the church.
When Ren and Collin arrived at the church, they were surprised to find Hifumi talking to another guy. "Thank you for shaking my hand! I'm never gonna wash it!" the fan exclaimed.
Hifumi looked disturbed by the response. "Huh? Um, please wash it."
"I can't believe that you're really here… in a church… I read on the internet that you pray to God for victory. Is that true?" the fan asked.
"No…" Hifumi replied.
'Even if she doesn't, I can tell that His blessing is watching over her, at least,' Collin thought.
The fan then pulled out his phone. "Can I take a selfie with you and post it online?"
"Sorry, I've been turning down all such requests…" Hifumi responded.
"By the way, is it true that you're trying to become a professional shogi player?" the fan asked.
"Well, nothing's been…" Hifumi started to say before being interrupted.
"I'll be cheering for you to qualify! You'd be the first woman to surpass the third-dan league! I really believe in you!"
"…Thank you very much," Hifumi said simply. The man soon left, letting Ren and Collin approach her. "Oh… good evening."
"Are you okay? Was that guy bothering you?" Collin asked.
"Men like that approach me all the time," Hifumi said. "At first, I thought Ren was one of them… I really must apologize for being rude to you… It bothers me when people make such a big fuss over me… Considering that the priest is doing me a great favor by letting me play here…"
"Why did you pick a church to practice shogi in?" Collin asked.
Hifumi smiled. "You see, the priest is my shogi friend. And he's very kind. He once told me that he wanted to become a professional shogi player. And he doesn't laugh at my embarrassing habit when we play together."
"It's good to have friends you can be open with," Ren commented, getting a smile from both of them.
Hifumi suddenly looked a bit down. "So… I did the photoshoot. I'm embarrassed just thinking about it… Did you see it…? It was called "The Venus of Shogi"…"
"Describes you perfectly," Ren said.
"N-Nonsense… Please stop…" Hifumi blushed. "Ever since I won the female shogi league, I've been getting a lot of attention. I just figured I could contribute to the shogi world… Besides, my mother seems to be very happy…" She smiled. "Whenever I win, she rejoices as if it were her own victory… So I want to live up to the expectations she has for me… However, she's been a bit overzealous lately. She set up the interview and photoshoot. It's as if she wants to be the manager of a celebrity."
"Are you having a difficult time with all of it?" Collin asked.
"…A bit," Hifumi admitted. "But it's fine, because it's for my mother." She gasped. "Oh, sorry! I should be teaching you how to play, rather than be talking about my mother. Today, I'll be showing you something very practical… It's a tactic for using reserved pawns you've taken from your opponent in a more effective way. Nevertheless… I apologize. You're both such good listeners, I feel at ease speaking with you… Aside from the priest, you're actually the first people I've spoken to about my mother…"
'I feel Hifumi's trust in us growing…' Ren and Collin thought. The three spent the rest of their time together learning shogi techniques and enjoying their company in the sanctity of the church.
Loona: The calling card is ready!
Octavia: That's good.
Makoto: Loona was really passionate about this one. I just made sure Futaba would be able to understand it.
Yusuke: The real question here is when we should go to Futaba's room…
Queen: Well, um… I think our leader should decide. It really should be up to him.
Collin: Absolutely! We have to do this, for our sakes and Futaba's.
Ren: We'll get this done tomorrow. See you all at the hideout.
Ann: We've got this, everyone!
[***]
August 2
"When are we gonna charge into Futaba's room? There's no point in thinking it over now," Ryuji said as the group meeting began.
"I got the calling card here. Whenever we go, you decide, leader," Loona said, holding up the card for the others to see.
"This is different from past cases. We'll be handing the calling card directly to Futaba herself," Morgana reminded them. "Once we give it to her, we'll head straight into her Palace. There won't be any time for prep work in between, so make sure you're ready beforehand."
"Let's head out now, while Boss is running the café," Ren said.
"I'll get the portal ready," Octavia said. "Luckily since I already opened one there before, this should be easy…" Walking over to the side of the attic, the princess pulled out a large canvas that Yusuke had brought over on a previous day. Octavia drew up a portal sigil on it, turning the canvas into a hole on which Futaba's door awaited them beyond its boarder.
"How will we convince Futaba to let us into her room though? Even Boss isn't allowed in," Collin asked.
"We'll be honest," Ren replied.
"Yes, that is the best course of action," Queen nodded.
"You know a method?" Yusuke said in surprise.
"I think it's quite straightforward. Futaba doesn't know what we're doing inside her Palace, correct? Hence, if we tell her we've come to steal her heart, she'll surely open the door and let us inside," Makoto explained.
"Wait… that's it?" Ann questioned.
"Futaba wants to have a change of heart. After all, she contacted us for that express purpose. That desire should lead her to open the door as well," Makoto said.
"You're right…" Loona nodded. "Our feelings should get through if we just try to talk to her. I believe in Futaba! Come on, let's get this done!"
Everyone stepped through the portal, appearing just outside of Futaba's door. "We're sorry for sneaking in so many times, Boss," Collin apologized.
"There's no mistaking it. This is the same door as in the Palace," Morgana stated.
Loona knocked on the door. "Yo, Futaba! We know you're in there, so speak up already!"
"I doubt she'd answer…" Morgana shook his head.
"Alibaba, we know you're there. It doesn't matter if it's through chat messaging. Just answer us," Makoto called.
Ren got a text right then.
Alibaba: You should've told me you were going to come here.
"In order to steal your heart, we need you to open this door," Makoto explained. "We can't change your heart otherwise. Please let us in.:
Alibaba: I'm not mentally prepared!
Ren: You have to do this.
Alibaba: That's easy for you to say…
"The other you within your heart told us you have to open it," Loona said. "Deep down… you want to open this door, free yourself from this cage… don't you?"
Alibaba: The other me?
"Right," Loona nodded. "We have a promise to uphold, but you're the one preventing us from doing that."
Alibaba: Give me some time.
"Ten seconds," Loona warned.
Alibaba: That's too short! At least minutes. Please!
"Fine, but if Boss comes home, we're breaking down this door," Loona called. The group waited around, and ten minutes passed with nothing happening. "Time's up, Alibaba."
Alibaba: All right, I'll open it now.
"We need to change her cognition. Better to be completely safe than sorry," Makoto told the team.
"So she has to be the one to invite us in…" Yusuke mused.
"Futaba, you better open the door now," Loona warned. The door handle slowly turned, and the door gently swung open. "All right, let's go in-" The hellhound grunted as she ran into the invisible barrier. "Shit! That magic wall is still here."
Ren hummed, putting a hand against it before slipping through. The other humans in the group passed through with no resistance as well. "So it only blocks full-blooded angels and demons…" Ren muttered.
"Well, figure out what's causing the barrier so we can get in there," Octavia said.
The humans all looked around Futaba's room, finding no trace of the girl. "What is this…?" Yusuke said, seeing the floor strewn with papers and books, a large computer setup on the far wall.
"Medical science, information technology, biology, psychology…" Makoto read the titles on Futaba's shelf. "These are all technical books…"
"She keeps herself cooped up in a room like this all the time?" Ann wondered.
"Where's Futaba?" Yusuke asked.
"Where could she be hiding?" Ryuji wondered.
"if you take down the barrier, I could help with that!" Loona called.
Morgana looked around, before noticing a familiar statue sitting on top of one of the shelves. "Wait a minute…" the not-cat said, hopping up to get a closer look at the statue. It appeared to be the exact same as the Anubis statues from Futaba's Palace, though for some strange reason the statue was a white color instead of black. The statue was on a plaque of some kind, though the text was faded to the point of being illegible.
"I wonder…" Morgana mused, before casually knocking the statue off the shelf and onto Futaba's bed. The not-cat then covered the statue with a pillow, which seemed to make the vibes in the room shift.
"I don't sense the barrier anymore," Octavia noted, putting a hand on the doorframe and smirking as she could come through. "Whatever that statue was, it seems that covering it up got rid of its effects. Good job, Morgana."
"I try to impress," he beamed.
"Now then, as for Futaba…" Loona took a sniff of the air before going over to the closet, banging on it and causing something inside to squeak. "Yep, there she is."
"The closet!?" Makoto exclaimed.
"She'll shut herself in to the bitter end, hm?" Yusuke shook his head.
"Even if her room door is opened up, we'll get stopped again inside," Collin pointed out. "Some other kind of barrier could block us from the Treasure if she doesn't open up… again."
"Th-This makes no sense! Explain yourselves!" Futaba stuttered from within the closet.
"Whoa, she talked…" Ryuji said in awe.
"We needed to change your cognition. Unless we do so, we can't steal your heart," Makoto explained.
"I high doubt she would understand it even if we explained it to her…" Collin said sadly.
"So basically, my cognition is being a hinderance, keeping you away from the core of my cognitive world?" Futaba asked.
"Huh? She understood it?" Ann said in surprise.
"Why do you know about that? Who are you?" Makoto asked.
"Why do your call yourself Alibaba and make things for complicated for us?" Loona questioned. "If you wanted help, you could've just asked for it."
"…was …rrassed," Futaba muttered.
Loona nodded. "Yeah, I get embarrassed asking for help too. I feel you there. Asking someone for help isn't that easy…"
"Agreed," Ann nodded.
"Futaba, can you tell us more? How do you know about the cognitive world?" Makoto asked.
"Cause I knew about it," Futaba replied.
"Oh… That reminds me. Boss was talking about "cognition" or something before, right?" Ann recalled.
"You think this is related to how he was getting grilled by that one lady?" Ryuji questioned.
"Perhaps her mother was researching this cognitive science that was mentioned?" Makoto guessed.
"Cognitive psience" with a PSI in front! Less science, more supernatural. That's important," Futaba corrected.
"Well that certainly got her attention… It seems we're on the right track," Octavia mused. "So cognitive psience? Futaba, what was your mother working on?" No answer was given. "Please tell us. What happened?"
"She's not answering," Collin noted.
"Yo, maybe save this for later. Seems she's been through some serious shit, so… you know?" Ryuji suggested.
"True… She did say things like "die"…" Collin shuttered.
"Hold on… Futaba. Did you really kill your mother?" Loona asked.
"You moron!" Ryuji hissed.
"Wasn't her death an accident? What actually happened?" Loona pressed. "Maternity neurosis"? Is that really true?"
"Loona," Yusuke said in a warning tone.
"We saw what your heart is like, but we still can't figure anything out. The mother that Boss told us about is completely different from your cognition," Loona said. "We want to hear the truth from your mouth."
"…M-My mom…was…The…one who killed her…was…" Futaba stuttered out in pain.
"It's possible that she can't remember because her heart has become distorted," Octavia guessed.
Loona leaned against the wall and slid down to a sitting position. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this crap, Futaba. It's just that… I've felt something similar myself… this self-hatred for shit out of your control, and I… I'm sorry."
The closet door suddenly opened up, with Futaba jumping out, arms outstretched. "Th-There! Now steal it!" she exclaimed.
The group all looked at the orange-haired girl oddly. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Ryuji questioned.
"C-Come on, hurry it up!" Futaba stuttered.
"Uh… We did come to steal your heart, but we can't really do it right at this moment…" Loona said awkwardly. "All you really had to do was open that closet door… Sorry we made you jump to conclusions or something, but you really don't have to be so… extra…?"
"I-I see…" Futaba said, flushing a bit before backpedaling into the closet, shutting the door.
"She went back in!" Ann exclaimed.
"Wh-What's the meaning of this!? D-Did you guys trick me?" Futaba accused.
"No! Please listen! There's a reason we had to do this!" Makoto said.
"She's aware of the cognitive world, but it seems she doesn't understand how a change of heart works," Morgana stated.
"Um, Futaba, how much do you know about the cognitive world?" Collin asked.
"I know that there's another world based on cognition. But I don't know how to get there," Futaba explained. "Can you guys go there? You said you "saw my heart" earlier."
"Yes, that's right," Octavia nodded.
"How do you do it?" Futaba asked.
"We use a smartphone app," Octavia replied.
"An app?" Futaba questioned.
"Yes. By entering the required information, we can go to the cognitive world. A name, a place, and a distortion- those are the "keywords" you need," Octavia explained. "For you, it's "Futaba Sakura," "Sojiro Sakura's house," and…" she paused. "Futaba, you don't happen to have this app, do you?"
"…I don't," Futaba said after some hesitation.
"Thank goodness," Makoto sighed in relief. "Okay then."
"Can you take me with you?" Futaba asked.
"No. It's probably dangerous to take someone into their own Palace," Ren said.
"I gotta agree. Just leave this to us," Loona nodded.
"I'll leave it to you then," Futaba sighed.
"Good. And you better not forget about our promise, all right?" Ryuji said.
The group headed out of the room after that, but not before Loona slipped the calling card through the crack in the closet. "Here, read this. You need to if you want us to change your heart and steal your Treasure."
"Hm? A calling card?" Futaba questioned.
"Yeah, the one you gave us- with a few additions," Loona explained.
"I can't read it. It's too dark," Futaba said.
"You could just come out…" Loona egged.
"It's embarrassing," Futaba said.
"I'll make sure she reads it, so you guys go on ahead," Morgana stated.
"Futaba, make sure you read it, okay?" Makoto said.
"Okay," Futaba replied.
Once the Phantom Thieves were gone (and Morgana had found a hiding place), Futaba stepped out of the closet, holding up the calling card to read it. "Let's see… "Futaba Sakura has allowed the sin of wrath to distort her mind, drowning herself in sloth to hide away from the world. We will erase the false memories of her mind and rob every last bit of those distorted desires. She will be trapped in her cage no longer."
In a flash, Shadow Futaba responded to the card in the other world. "No. I'm going to die…"
"Good," Morgana said, popping out from underneath the pillow with the white Anubis statue. Futaba gave a shout of surprise, comically falling over onto the floor.
"Kitty! You again!?" Futaba shouted as Morgana ran out of the room. She looked over to where Morgana had been hiding, picking up the statue and setting it back in place. "And what was this doing under there? Did the cat knock the statue over?" She gave the statue a pat on the head. "Weird, but at least Wepwawet is back in his proper place now…"
[***]
Location: Pyramid of Wrath Entrance
"The Palace's security level is so high I can feel if from all the way out here…" Templar said.
"Futaba seemed totally up for getting her heart stolen… What's up with this?" Skull questioned.
"Hm… Something about this place really is unusual," Mona noted. "Either way, there's only one thing for us to do now that we've sent the calling card!"
"Hell yeah! No matter what we have to face, we're gonna take the Treasure and save Futaba from herself!" Lycan shouted in determination. The group made their way into the pyramid, running up the stairs to where the blocked-off door was. "Hope she read the calling card."
"I mean, after all the trouble we went through, she damn well better've read it!" Skull exclaimed. The barrier in front of the door, suddenly went away, revealing an elevator on the other side. "All right! It's open!"
"Well yeah, Futaba-chan opened the door herself," Panther giggled.
"Anyway, the Treasure is up ahead! Let's finish this!" Mona said. Taking the elevator upward, the gang were now at the topmost innards of the pyramid.
"So, this is the place that represents Futaba's room," Omen noted.
"Yup, this is the heart of a hacker all right," Skull said, seeing all the matrix-like designs floating about the walls. "Anyways, where's the Treasure?"
"I'm getting a strong signal from above us. The Treasure has definitely manifested," Mona said, pointing upwards from their current position.
"There's no knowing what might lie ahead, so let's be vigilant as we push toward the Treasure," Queen warned. Up the pyramid they went, sneaking around Shadows and grappling between ruins until they finally arrived at lore door at the top.
"There's no doubt about it: The Treasure is right past this point," Mona nodded.
"What may away us within?" Fox wondered.
"No matter what it is, we need to be ready for it!" Omen said.
"let's do this!" Joker nodded.
"We're coming to save you, Futaba!" Lycan exclaimed, opening up the door to a dark room only lit up by green runes on the floor.
"The hell? This ain't what I was imagining!" Skull sighed.
"Were you expecting a mountain of treasure of something of that sort?" Fox raised an eyebrow.
"There is the sarcophagus over there," Omen pointed out.
"That's it?" Skull questioned.
"The Treasure must be inside," Queen said.
"All right, let's take it," Lycan said.
"Be careful," Templar warned as the hellhound approached the tomb with Skull.
"T-Treasure…!" Mona said with excitement.
As they were about to open it, a screech came from somewhere above them. "There's something here…" Omen warned.
"I got a bad feeling about this…" Lycan growled. The top of the pyramid was suddenly torn off, revealing a giant human face glaring down at them!
"FUUUUTAAAABAAAAA!" the creature screeched.
"Is it a Shadow?" Queen asked.
"No… it's a cognition… of her mother!" Omen exclaimed, the group ducking for cover as the monster tore apart the room, exposing them to the outside. The Cognitive Wakaba took the form of a sphinx, flying around the air just out of reach. The landscape around them had changed as well, for even though they were still on a pyramid, the outer desert hand transformed into a red land with volcanos in the distance.
"Are we in Wrath or something!? This is insane!" Lycan exclaimed.
"I think this cognition… has taken on the powers of Satan himself…" Omen shuttered.
"Do not approach the pharaoh's tomb! Misfortune will fall upon you!" Satan warned.
"Ugh, look at it fly about! We can't reach it like this!" Mona groaned. "We've got no other option. Let's take it down with our guns and skills!" None of their attacks, magic or bullets, seemed to do anything, however, and Satan got to attacking them with paw swipes and wing beats. Soon the cognitive monster flew high up into the sky.
"H-How far did it fly up!? What's it gonna do!?" Templar fretted.
"Don't tell me… is it gonna dive attack us!?" Mona exclaimed. "Damn that thing… when's it gonna strike…!?"
"Stay on your guard 'til we can see it," Omen warned. The Phantom Thieves put up their guard, wincing as Satan smashed down on them with a Sphinx Dive attack.
"Shit that hurts!" Lycan cried out as Templar healed the team up.
"This isn't good. I can't tell at all when it's gonna attack…" Mona winced.
"Y-You can't tell…!? Mona, you've got tell us!" Fox said in shock.
"I-I can't help it! There are some things that even I can't do!" Mona exclaimed.
"We need back up here…" Omen grunted. She gasped and put up a defensive spell as Satan swooped in for another attack, but the gang were all still knocked down.
"The hell!? We ain't doing shit to it!" Skull cursed.
Lycan's ears twitched as the sound of footsteps came to her ears. She looked behind her and gasped as Futaba, the real Futaba, walked up the steps and out onto the roof. "Futaba!? You came into your cognitive world!?"
Futaba nodded. "The person themselves coming into their own Palace? If that happens…" Mona muttered, before Satan gave a cry.
Futaba looked out at the monster wearing her mother's face. "That's…" as she walked forward, a mirage of a man appeared before her.
"You killed her!" the man shouted.
"No…" Futaba hugged herself in fear.
"Why don't you say something!?" another mirage shouted. Futaba fell to her knees as more mirages appeared around her.
"It's your fault!"
"It's my fault…" Futaba muttered. "It's my fault that Mom…" Lycan ran over to Futaba with Queen, the two kneeling down to make sure she was okay.
"That's right! You killed me!" Satan shouted.
"Wait, is that monster her mother!?" Fox exclaimed.
"Really, you just figured that out even though I stated as such before?" Omen sighed. "Futaba's desires and guilt have distorted Wakaba's image into that thing. The wish that her mother was alive again is mixed in as well, along with those eerie jeers…"
"You are nothing but a demon who stood in my way! I wish you had never been born!" Satan shouted. "That way I could have announced my results without having to waste my time on you! I poured my heart and soul into that research! It would've been the discovery of the century!"
"What does she mean by that?" Queen questioned.
"Could she be talking about cognitive psience?" Mona wondered.
"You're going to die!" Satan shouted. "There's no meaning to your life! No one needs you!"
"Nobody cares about me…" Futaba muttered.
"I should never have had Futaba…" "She was always such a bother…" It seems you caused your mother a great deal of trouble, Futaba-chan…" the mirage said. "She must have had some kind of maternity neurosis…"
Futaba clutched at her head, while Lycan pulled the girl close to try and give some sort of comfort. "Futabaaaaa! Y-You… aaaaareeeeee…" the voice of Wakaba screamed out.
"Hey, we're gonna be in deep shit if this keeps up!" Skull exclaimed.
"So because she thinks she killed her mother… and because she thinks she deserves to die… Futaba have birth to a Palace where her mother wants her dead?" Collin surmised.
"Futaba, you need to look! That monster isn't your mom, just wearing her face like a fucked-up skinsuit!" Lycan said. "It's just an illusion you created!"
"B-But…" Futaba stuttered.
Lycan pulled Futaba up, paws on both sides of the girl's face. "She never abused you, did she!? Boss told us! He said she did her best to raise you alone! I knew something was off about this place… Isn't this just a false memory those guys in suits made you believe?"
"A false memory?" Futaba repeated. She winced as the mirages appeared again.
"You made your mother destroy her research, Futaba-chan… She had worked so hard on it as well…" the mirage said. "She lost her mind, and it's all because of you…"
"M-Mom… I-I…" Futaba muttered.
Lycan barred her teeth at the delusions. "Fuck off!" she shouted. It was then that Shadow Futaba suddenly made her appearance. "Her Shadow…?"
"Futaba Sakura! Remember!" the pharaoh demanded. "You're the reason she committed suicide. You were just getting in the way of her research. Why did you think it was suicide?"
"Because of that note," Futaba replied.
"Exactly," Shadow Futaba nodded. "The men in black suits read her suicide note to you, and what was written on it?"
"All of her complaints… about me," Futaba responded.
"Yes. The shock and the pain led you to avert your eyes. But they kept reading it aloud in front of your relatives," the pharaoh said. "Think hard. Was that suicide note real? Would the move you loved so much truly have written that? Did she ever say such horrible things to you?"
Futaba finally stopped groveling and stood up, Lycan giving her space to do so. "No! She scolded me whenever I had tantrums, but she cared for me!"
"Then what about the suicide note?" Shadow Futaba asked.
"A total lie!" Futaba exclaimed.
"You were used! They forged her suicide note and laid the blame upon you! They trampled all over your young heart! Get mad! Don't forgive those rotten adults!" the pharaoh stated.
"It's because I couldn't face myself, or Mom's death… Even then, why did they have to yell at me like that!?" Futaba exclaimed.
"You doing okay, kid?" Lycan asked.
Futaba suddenly winced as a voice came to her head, Shadow Futaba smiling as she faded away into her true self. "What denies you is an illusion… A cruse put upon you by the heartless… You knew from the very beginning… And yet, you cowered in fear…"
"Oh, I think it's time that Alibaba awoke to a new identity," Lycan said knowingly.
"That's right. I knew, but I…" Futaba responded to the voice.
"It's all your fault! This time, you'll be the one to die!" Satan shouted.
"Will you die as you are told?" the voice questioned. "Who will you obey? Cursed words spat out by a seething illusion? Or the truth within your own soul?"
"It's your fault! It's all your fault!" Satan screamed, kicking up a sandstorm.
"I won't let those distorted lies deceive me anymore…" Futaba stated. "And I won't be led astray both other's voices either… I'm going to trust my own eyes and my own heart to distinguish the truth from the lies." She stared down the cognitive illusion of her mother. "There's no way you're my mom! You're just a fake created by those horrid adults! I'll… I'll never… I'll never forgive them!"
Shadow Futaba floated out from Futaba's body, transforming into a UFO above Futaba's head. "What is that!?" Panther exclaimed.
Tendrils came down from the spacecraft, pulling Futaba up into its depths. "Contract. I am though, thou art I…" the voice said. "The forbidden wisdom has been revealed. No mysteries… No illusions shall deceive you any longer."
"Futaba!" Queen cried out.
"I'm okay!" Futaba called from within. Her appearance had changed, now sporting a full-body suit that was black with glowing green lines running over it, a pair of night vision goggles resting on her head making up her mask.
"Will you look at that…" Lycan smiled, crossing her arms and nodding with approval.
"Indeed. The kid has come into her own," Madame Queen added from within Lycan's soul.
"Please, help me! That's gotta go!" Futaba said, looking out towards Satan. Joker smirked, before the Phantom Thieves got into battle-ready poses to face Cognitive Wakaba.
"Futabaaaa! I know I didn't raise you to be like that! How dare you run around with such an awful crowd!" Satan screamed. "The only thing you should be doing is obeying my orders!"
"M-Mom…" Futaba flinched, before shaking her head. "No, that's not her. You're just a monster!"
"Talking back to your own mother!? You've spent too much time with these no-good punks, haven't you?" Satan accused. "I'll crush them!" The Shadow flew up high to divebomb the gang once more.
"Damn! It's going to swoop down on us again, isn't it? What can we do?" Mona cursed.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it!" Futaba stated.
"We're counting on you," Joker said.
"This is my heart's world, right? Hacking into my own distortion should be no problem!" Futaba stated. As Satan swooped down, the world glitched green around the Phantom Thieves, a green dome coming up and nullifying the attack!
"You goddamn brat!" Satan growled.
"Now it's our turn- here goes! I'm summoning our ultimate weapon to the battlefield!" Futaba said. Her Persona flew around and materialized a familiar weapon of the team to use.
"A-A ballista!?" Templar exclaimed.
"Shoot it down with this, then beat the crap out of it!" Futaba said.
"Ah, I get it now! Let's go!" Mona said.
"Let's shoot that thing down," Lycan said, running over to the device to prime it for firing.
"After all I did to raise you… You dare neglect your mother like this!?" Satan accused. "I am your mother!The one and only in this whole, awful world!"
"That's not true," Lycan growled.
"What!? Why won't you admit it!? Why, why, whywhywhywhy…"
"Mom is gone. No matter how much I wish for her to be with me, It'll never come true," Futaba admitted. "That's why I'll live in the real world, even if she's not there with my anymore! And I'm gonna live my life as free and happy as I can!"
"For a child to survive in your cruel world, they need a concerned mother figure- like me!" Satan claimed. "Understand!?"
"Geez, my own mother isn't even this bad…" Omen shook her head. "You're a fake!"
"I'm a… a fake!?"
"Listen my mom is so precious to me, and I still love her a ton… but, you're not her!" Futaba stated. "And I'll never live a life where everything gets decided by someone else!"
"Naughty children who defy adults should be punished!" Satan said. She tried to attack again, but Futaba blocked it once more.
"Aiming to shoot that thing out of the sky…" Lycan muttered.
"All right… fire!" Futaba commanded, the hellhound grinning as she fire the bolt, hitting true on Satan and bringing her down to the pyramid's level.
"How dare you…! Children that defy their mothers should… die!"
"Shut up! You're not my mom!" Futaba scoffed. "You're just a monster born from my own weakness… Everyone, keep attacking it! Don't let up!" The gang jumped in for an All-Out Attack, doing great damage and leaving Satan stunned. The Phantom Thieves laid in the damage on the Shadow until she flew back up in the air. Evading or tanking the hits Satan dealt out, it was clear she needed another round of ballista shots.
"I'll take it this time!" Queen said, running over to the weapon.
"Futabaaaa! It's all because I had you… You did this… You screwed up my life! All you did was get in the way of my research! I should've never had you!"
"You're wrong! All life born deserves to live!" Templar exclaimed.
"No, that's exactly what I've always thought! If Futaba wasn't around, I-"
"That's a lie. Mom told me herself!" Futaba interjected. "She said no matter what, she could keep working so hard because of me… The one who decided my existence was a burden on her- is myself! No one else!"
"No matter how much you struggle, you'll never escape me! You'll be tormented by your personal guilt forever!"
"We've got her back," Joker stated with confidence.
"B-But, that's impossible…" Satan said in shock.
"No! With them, even the impossible can be made possible!" Futaba exclaimed. She blocked another one of Satan's attacks while Queen fired off the ballista brining the Shadow down for more punishment. Soon enough the Phantom Thieves had their opponent down for the count, going for another hold up.
"Futaba! Futaba, Futaba, Futabaaaaa! It doesn't matter what you say! Futaba is my property! Defying one's mother is absolutely disgraceful!"
"We'll be taking Futaba. You're done for," Lycan said bluntly.
"Shut up! Shut uuuuuup!" Satan flailed about, though the Phantom Thieves easily dodged her attacks. "Futaba…" If only I had never birthed you!"
"No matter what you say to me… I will live!" Futaba stated. "Fire!"
Lycan pulled the trigger on her flintlock, getting a direct headshot and sending Cognitive Wakaba tumbling down the pyramid, the world returning to the desert as the Shadow was finally bested. Once the battle was over, the hellhound turned around and caught Futaba as her Persona faded away. "Woah there! You good, kid?"
"Damn, you're freaking incredible!" Skull praised.
Lycan set Futaba down as the girl looked over her new appearance. "Whoa! What in the world!? Ooh! It's totally skin-tight!"
Suddenly a flash of blue came about, revealing a familiar ghost, though the haze was now completely gone. "It's you from before…" Omen realized. "You're… the ghost of Wakaba…"
"Mom!?" Futaba gasped.
"Futaba. Thank you for choosing to remember the real me," Wakaba said.
"I'm sorry for being so selfish," Futaba apologized, taking a step forward. "Mom…"
"Don't come over here," Wakaba said. "This isn't where you're supposed to be, is it?"
"But I finally got to see you again…" Futaba's voice began to crack as she spoke.
"Are you being selfish again?" Wakaba smirked.
"Um, I… I love you, Mom…" Futaba said.
"I love you too, Futaba. Now, you should get going." Wakaba looked to the Phantom Thieves and smiled. "Thank you, for helping my daughter…"
"You're welcome…" Lycan said simply as the ghost of Wakaba faded away. "You gonna be okay, Futaba?"
The orange-haired girl gave a hum. "Oh, right. DHORKS." She started to walk off.
"Where are you going?" Templar asked.
"Home. I know how to use the nave now," Futaba stated.
"Huh? Oh… right," Queen said, watching as Futaba disappeared from the Palace.
"She left…" Panther said.
"That girl marches to the beat of her own drum, doesn't she?" Fox mused.
"Sounds like a certain artist I know…" Omen teased.
"Yeah, like you're one to talk, Fox," Skull shook his head.
"But if we have her on our side…" Queen muttered, before remembering something. "Wait, what about her Treasure!?"
"Oh yeah! We almost forgot," Lycan said. She went over to the sarcophagus and ripped off the lid, revealing…
"It's empty!?" the team exclaimed in shock. Suddenly the Palace starting to shake violently.
"What's going on!? Wasn't it supposed to be here!?" Skull questioned.
Mona gasped. "Futaba herself was the Treasure! And she's gone, so of course it's empty! Shoot… This is bad!"
"What's the matter?" Fox asked.
"Now only did the real person come into her own Palace, she awakened to a Persona while she was here! This place could collapse any second now!" Mona said.
"We've accomplished our mission if the Palace is collapsing. We should hurry and get back to the real world," Omen suggested.
"It's not a temple without the place collapsing as you escape…" Lycan sighed as the team ran off. The all screamed as they ran down the side of the pyramid, rocks tumbling down behind them as they booked it.
"It's gaining on us!" Templar exclaimed.
"Running like this is a bitch!" Skull cursed.
"Mona, turn into a car already!" Panther demanded.
"I'm trying!" Mona panted.
"That's it!" Lycan growled, picking up the not-cat and tossing him into the sun. "YEET!"
Mona flailed in the air before transforming into his car form, the Phantom Thieves piling in before Queen took the wheel and floored it all the way out as sand kicked up around them.
[***]
"Hey… You guys still alive?" Ryuji asked as they caught their breath. The gang had reappeared just outside of Leblanc, tired but safe.
"I thought I was gonna die in- Hey! Will you let go already!?" Ann gave Yusuke an elbow to the face, knocking him flat on his back. "Ah, sorry!
"N-Not again…" Yusuke groaned.
"What was that sound?" Sojiro asked, coming outside to investigate the noise. "Hm? What're you guys doing out here?"
"Oh, well, um…" Omen scratched the back of her head.
"That reminds me, where's Futaba?" Ryuji muttered.
"What about Futaba?" Sojiro asked in concern.
Loona have Ryuji a punch to the arm. "Nice going…."
Luckily, Makoto was able to bail them out. "Ah, yes! We came all this way, so how about we enjoy some coffee?"
"Oh! That's a great idea!" Ann said, playing along.
"That's fine, but…" Sojiro started to say.
"I'm not thirsty though," Yusuke said.
Loona went over and gave Yusuke a swift punch to the gut. "Oh, and I almost forgot! I have some business to take care of, so you guys go on ahead!"
"O-Okay, gotcha!" Ann said. The rest of the gang, sans Loona, Makoto, and Ren, went inside with Sojiro for some coffee.
"Let's go see Futaba," Makoto said. The trio made their way over to Sojiro's house, finding Futaba sitting outside by the gate. "Futaba? Can you hear me? Please, say something! Please… Could this be our fault? Is it because we defeated her monstrous mother?"
"No, that was nothing more than a cognitive being created by her mind," Morgana said. "Destroying it wouldn't cause memory loss or put physical burden on her…"
"I can still hear a heartbeat, so she's still alive," Loona said. "What should we do, Ren?"
"We could always take her to Takemi…" Ren said.
"Right, your doctor friend!" Morgana nodded. "Let's call on her, Ren."
Soon Takemi was over at their location, with Loona carefully putting Futaba in her bed as Takemi inspected the girl. 'I don't like doctors, but if Ren trusts her, then I'll put my feelings aside,' Loona thought. 'Besides, she helped out Via too, and she looks pretty punk rock for a normal doctor…'
"A house call is going to cost you, you know," Takemi said.
"How much will it be?" Makoto asked.
"That was a joke," Takemi chuckled.
'Oh yeah, I like this chick,' Loona smirked. "So, how's the kid doing?"
"Her pulse, breathing, temperature, and blood pressure are all normal. No ocular abnormalities either," Takemi stated. "I'm not sure why, but seems this girl is some kind of light stupor. Furthermore, she lacks muscle for her age. I doubt she has much stamina either."
"I see. The rebound from her awakening was too strong…" Makoto muttered.
"There may have been too many abnormal circumstances," Morgana added.
"If Futaba is in this state, we have to tell Boss about it," Loona said.
"Wouldn't he figure out our identities!?" Morgana feared.
"Still… we should tell him, shouldn't we?" Makoto asked Ren.
Ren nodded. "Let's go get him."
"I think that's for the best," Loona nodded. "Letting him know is the only option we have for something like this."
"I guess it can't be helped now…" Morgana shrugged. "Just keep the circumstances that lead up to this a secret, okay?" The group went to go grab Sojiro, bringing the rest of the Phantom Thieves along as well.
"Hey, Futaba? Hey?" Sojiro called to his daughter. She just grunted in her sleep. "Oh dear…"
"Um… About Futaba…" Collin started.
"Hm? Why do you guys look so down?" Sojiro questioned as he looked at the teens.
"Futaba-chan's condition…" Ann said.
"What, this? It happens every so often," Sojiro explained.
"Huh!?" The group exclaimed.
"She must have used up all her energy. It's like she ran out of batteries," Sojiro clarified. "I think it happens because she doesn't get enough exercise."
"What?" Ryuji groaned.
"She stays like this for a few days whenever this happens," Sojiro stated. "I'll make sure she gets plenty of rest. Here, keep an eye on her. I'm gonna go close the store."
"It's hard to describe how I feel right now…" Loona said.
"Yeah, I'm feeling pretty frustrated…" Ryuji admitted.
"I'm glad she's oaky… but what are we gonna do about DHORKS?" Octavia asked.
"Ah…" Futaba groaned, opening her eyes.
"She's up!" Collin said happily.
"DHORKS…" Futaba muttered. "Wepwawet… Tired. Gonna sleep for a bit."
"She fell asleep again!?" Collin gaped, falling over dramatically.
"Futaba-chan!" Ann exclaimed. "For a bit? How much is she planning on sleeping? We probably shouldn't wake her up either…"
"What to do…" Yusuke muttered.
"It's too late for us to find another hacker…" Makoto said.
"All we can do is wait for her to wake up…" Morgana shrugged.
"Wepwawet…" Octavia muttered, looking up to see the fallen Anubis statue from before.
"Hm? Does that word mean anything to you?" Collin asked.
"It is the name of one of the Egyptian gods, the wolf deity known as "The Opener of the Ways", leading the dead through the afterlife and being a protector of the pharaoh…" Octavia looked at the statue, took a glance at Loona, then back to the statue. "I'm certain this is what held the magic barrier in place before, but now it's power seems to be gone."
"Why she had something like this is a mystery…" Collin muttered.
As the Phantom Thieves left, none of them were aware of Wakaba's ghost appearing before her daughter, putting a loving hand on Futaba's cheek and smiling. "Such a beautiful and bright you woman you're becoming, Futaba…" Wakaba said.
"She has her friends and Sojiro to look over her now," said a masculine voice behind her. "And that hellhound girl… I never expected…"
"I think it's fate that brought them together," Wakaba said, smiling as she turned to face the masculine figure. "I only ever had Futaba, but now with Loona… she can have a sister as well."
"I might not be able to help them directly due to the laws of the universe, but it is comforting knowing that two of my children will be okay…" the masculine voice admitted.
Wakaba held out a hand to him. "Now then, aren't you supposed to lead me to the afterlife, Wepwawet?"
The wolf-headed deity rolled his eyes. "You haven't changed, Wakaba. But yes, let us finally put your soul to rest. I'm sure the pearly gates have been waiting a long time to open up to you…"
Ryuji: Just what's DHORKS gonna do?
Yusuke: It's hard for me to even fathom what it could be.
Ann: People have been up in arms about the whole cleanse thing…
Makoto: To think a global paranormal group would be targeting us…
Loona: Should we ignore them?
Ren: If only we could.
Loona: Yeah, I guess it'd be easy if that was one of our options…
Collin: No matter how you look at it, we need a solution.
Ann: Our best bet would be Alibaba…
Octavia: But she may not be capable of it in her current state… I guess we could think of some other ways too then.
Yusuke: Yes. It would be best to have as many solutions as possible.
Ryuji: Well we still got time, so let's come up with something good, k?
[***]
August 3
Octavia: I'll be over at Leblanc today, studying up on my spells. Feel free to join me if you want to learn more.
Ren: Sure, why not?
Octavia: I'll hold you to it, then!
After the craziness that was the Pyramid of Wrath, Octavia found it relaxing to just hang out with Ren and read some of her spell books together. The cousins had a natural flow whenever they were together, bouncing off ideas and jokes in a way that Octavia had never done with anyone else. 'To think that one of my strongest bonds would be with a half-human cousin from my dad's brother…' the princess thought.
"You seem really happy today," Ren commented.
"Yeah, I am. Just getting to do normal kid stuff is nice," Octavia said. "I mean, I guess studying spells isn't "normal" for humans, but for demon royalty I'd like to think it is. The Phantom Thieves… you guys are some of my only friends."
"Not a lot of royals having kids?" Ren asked.
"I mean, they do, but I never exactly fit in with them. Not dressing royal, not having the same interests…" Octavia frowned. "It's not that I didn't want to have friends, I just didn't want those kinds of friends, like my mom has." She put her book down and sighed. "Remember when we were at the hotel restaurant, and we heard all those demeaning things from the adults there? Think of that, but all the time. That's what my mother's friends are like, save for a few…"
"Suddenly glad I was raised by my mom instead of in Hell by my dad," Ren joked.
"You have no idea," Octavia chuckled. "I wonder if my parents realize that I pick up on how they act out in public. While I tend to avoid going to their parties and just hole up in my room, the few times I have gone I was able to see how miserable they both are…" She closed her eyes before speaking again, "My mother was always talking badly of my father and drinking heavily while doing so. Dad also drinks a lot at parties… I think they both wanted to drown out how bad they felt in their marriage. There was one time, however, that Dad was bold enough- or drunk enough- to give a jab back at Mom, and her friends started laughing at her instead…"
Octavia took a deep breath. "She got mad at him, but in her drunken state she wasn't nearly as destructive as usual. Ironically, my mother is less violent when under the influence… But I was there, watching in the back of the party, and I saw so many emotions flash over her face: embarrassment, sadness, anger, all mixed into one. Mom tries to be haughty about everything, but once she doesn't have control, she started to break down and default to anger…"
"Octavia… That doesn't sound healthy. At all," Ren said.
"You think I don't know that? But parties, her title as a princess, her reputation as Goetia… it's all she has. She doesn't have a position of power like Dad or Uncle Andre or even your father. Without status… she's nothing," Octavia said. "And when people don't have anything, they'll be desperate enough to do whatever it takes to regain what they had. That's her reason for being mad at Dad, because his affair ruined the image our family had. I don't care about image, but I do care about Mom… I just wish that… she could act like she cared about me as much as I do for her…"
The princess paused, looking at her phone that she'd set aside. "A Palace is the materialization of distorted cognitions brought about by strong desires… That's all," the voice of Morgana rang in her head. 'Do I dare see if…?' Octavia thought.
"You okay, Octavia?" Ren asked.
She shook her head. "I just… I…" The princess suddenly recalled the song Belladonna sang to her. "Free the swan from her cage of vines, lest the prince shall lose his head."
"Was that a song?" Ren raised an eyebrow.
Octavia, realizing she repeated the words out loud, suddenly stood up, grabbing her books and phone. "I need to go. I have… things to think about. Alone," she said. "We're still meeting with Chihaya tonight, right?"
"Yeah…" Ren nodded as Octavia left Leblanc. 'I feel my bond with Octavia growing stronger, but…'
[***]
Ren and Octavia did meet up to see Chihaya that evening, but the girl was still acting oddly closed off. "I'm fine…" she muttered. "Let's just focus on the fortune reading…"
"Recently, my reputation has really started shooting up," Chihaya said with a smile. "A lot my clients seem really happy now too! I even managed to use my own powers to alter some fates that had once seemed inevitable…! I suppose all you really need to change fate is a strong will, like what you have. I wish I could do more though…"
"Are you on break right now, Mifune-kun?" asked a man in a white suit approaching the table.
"F-Fukarai-san!?" Chihaya gasped.
He turned to the kids. "So, you're the apprentices I've heard so much about? I've been wondering… where are you so interest in Mifune-kun?"
"She's really cool," Ren replied.
Fukarai gained an odd look on his face. "Cool…? You're a strange one. That aside, I have to commend your judgement in choosing Mifune-kun. Her fortunes are like a light, guiding lost lambs through the unending darkness ahead."
"By the way Amamiya-san, Goetia-san… This man is Fukarai-san. He's, um… the chairman of the ADP."
"ADP?" Octavia raised an eyebrow.
"Oh right, you don't know about the ADP yet! It stands for…" Hifumi started.
"Assembly of the Divine Power," Fukarai finished for her. "Our goal is to relieve the hearts and minds of today's weary souls via healing events and seminars. We also sell Holy Stones, the well from which our divine power springs. They are a large part of our business."
'So… Chihaya is part of some weird cult organization that scams people with rock salt. Great…' Octavia rolled her eyes at the man's words.
"Fukarai-san, um…" Chihaya mumbled.
"That reminds me, Yokoda-kun was telling me you've been acting a little… strange recently," Fukarai recalled. "More importantly, it seems you've started falling behind on your Holy Stone sales quota. Is everything OK?"
"Y-Yes. I'll cover the decrease in revenue with my fortune-telling frees…" Chihaya replied. She was silent for a moment. "Um, Fukarai-san… I, um… I'm not sure how effective these Holy Stones really are…"
"Excuse me?" Fukarai raised an eyebrow.
"W-Well…" Chihaya tried to find the words.
"Do you remember who showed you the way when you arrived her from the countryside, lost and confused?" Fukarai asked. "Do you remember who saved you when you were stuck working in a seedy club with no place to turn? It was me. Are you saying you no longer have trust in someone who's done so much for you?"
"Th-That's not it…" Chihaya tried to defend herself.
"Then enough of the skepticism. Just focus on continuing your role as the Maiden of Relief," Fukarai ordered. "Read the fortunes of those unfortunate souls who come to us and lead them to salvation with the Holy Stones…"
"Maiden of Relief?" Ren questioned.
"That's a nickname I gave her over at the ADP. Beautiful, don't you think?" Fukarai explained.
"I…" Chihaya mumbled.
"You don't want things to go back to how they were… do you, Mifune-kun?" Fukarai asked. "Don't you remember breaking down in front of me? Telling me how everyone called you a monster? If you don't carry your weight as the Maiden of Relief, you'll be exactly that… A monster."
Ren suddenly stood up, getting between Chihaya and Fukarai, his eyes briefly flashing red behind his glasses. "Leave her alone," he growled.
"Amamiya-san…" Chihaya gasped.
Fukarai felt an ominous chill go down his spine but scoffed at Ren's tenacity. "Fine. If you want to spend your time fooling around with these children, go right ahead. But don't forget, Mifune-kun: the ADP is the only place you'll ever belong."
"Fucking gaslighter…" Octavia mumbled, crossing her arms as Fukarai left. "What was all that about you working in a club anyway?"
Chihaya started laughing nervously. "I-I've never actually worked at a night club! I did get tricked into walking into one though… Anyway, the chairman is known for exaggerating details." She looked down. "You must think I'm weird, huh? All this talk about me being a maiden or a monster…"
"You're just Chihaya to me," Ren said.
"Huh…? Nobody's ever treated me so nicely before…" Chihaya said in shock. "By the way, it was pretty amazing how we stood up to the chairman back there. I would never have been able to talk to him about the Holy Stones had I been alone. But your strength helped me speak up. I need to be strong like you more often…"
'Don't we both…' Octavia thought.
"Even so, the chairman seems serious about the whole Holy Stone issue," Chihaya frowned. "He'll make me pay a fine if I don't meet my quotas… and there's a huge penalty for resigning from my post… I suppose my fate is impossible to change after all…" She shook her head. "Anyway, I should close up for today!"
'You were doing so well, but then that man put you back into your despair,' Ren thought as he and Octavia left. 'I'll help you break the chains of fate, Chihaya… and I'll help Octavia with her problems as well!'
Confidant Rank Up
Confidant: Octavia Goetia
Arcana: Aeon
Rank 6 Description: Octavia expressed worry about her relationship with her mother, Stella. She also seemed to be distracted by some other thought as well...
Rank 6 Ability: Harisen Recovery- chance to cure status ailments inflicted on party members.
Author's Note
Oracle joins the fight as the Phantom Thieves have conquered another Palace! This chapter was a lot of fun to write and very emotional, so I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. On a fun note, I got to put in a reference to the P5 anime with Loona getting to YEET Morgana like Ryuji does during the Kaneshiro arc (additional fact: that line was an adlib from Ryuji's VA, and proof as to why the dub version of the anime is superior to the sub version, at least in my opinion. The VAs clearly had a lot of fun doing it)
And the big reveal of this chapter: Futaba and Loona are half-sisters! Though neither of them know it yet. Their father, Wepwawet, is a minor Egyptian god and the brother of Anubis, hence why their statues look so similar. The statue Futaba has will be explained once she wakes up, but it was a late gift from her father, since his relationship with Wakaba is considered taboo. I can't wait to do more scenes with Futaba and Loona in the future (Also, my condolences to their VA, Erica Lindbeck, who's been going through a lot lately due to Twitter drama. I only wish the best for her since she's really talented and doesn't deserve the flack she's been getting from certain groups).
Hifumi and Chihaya both got some advancements in their Confidants this time as well. Octavia has a big breakthrough, though, since she opened up to Ren further about the troubles that her parents have with the cruel social system of Hell and the Goetia families. I think looking at Stolas and Stella from Octavia's POV is the most interesting way to do so, since she clearly cares about both of her parents but doesn't understand all the context. Here she's already come to terms with her father, so now her mind wanders to how her mother deals with the changes in their lives, which is to say very poorly. Octavia might be checking for a certain name in the Meta-Nav in the near future if she wants to avert the terrible fate Belladonna predicted...
Next time will be a big Confidant-focused chapter, including a famous scene involving Yusuke and Ren. I think you know the one (Collin is going to be so traumatized...)