Chapter 47: Pruned Heart of Neglect

October 21

The Phantom Thieves gathered along with Stolas and Raoul in Octavia's apartment, ready to discuss the next step in their mission. "We have the path to the Treasure secured, and Paimon's Shadow even challenged us to steal it," Ren said to the team. "All we have to do now is send the calling card to make him aware of his desires being targeted."

"I'll deliver the calling card to Father and make sure IMP is ready for whenever his change of heart occurs," Stolas nodded. "By the way brother, I know you said something about helping Blitz and his friends summon their potential? I was curious about how you were going to do that, seeing as only my magic and the power of the Phantom Thieves were able to match Stella's rampaging form last time we did this and they awoke their powers within a Palace."

"I have all you need right here," Raoul said, pulling out a silver briefcase marked with a blue "S.O." on the front. "Inside here are special devices that allow for a person with the potential to evoke their Persona in existence. It's not my preferred method of unlocking the potential within someone, but we don't have time for any other method."

"How did you get such a device, and what does "S.O." stand for?" Octavia asked.

"Believe it or not, you all aren't the first group to deal with an ordeal of this type," Raoul said. "I've watched people just like yourselves face death on their journey to find the answer, and I've seen others reach out to the truth in a world of Shadows. Some of these other Persona users I've had dealings with before, including the ones I got these devices from, the Shadow Operatives. I may have also asked them not to get involved in this ordeal as to not arouse suspicion to the entity that brought it about."

"Having extra help would be nice, but I understand that it's risky to suddenly add more pieces to the board," Makoto nodded. "Still, I might just have to look into who these Shadow Operatives are in the future…"

"I'd be interested in meeting them too, as long as they're better than DHORKS was," Collin nodded. "I think I might be checked out on shady organizations…"

"Says the angel that's a part of a vigilante group," Loona laughed.

"I'm sure they'd like to meet you all one day too, Phantom Thieves," Raoul chuckled. "Perhaps you all will in the future, or even in a dream. Who's to say, really? For now, though, we'll deliver the calling card and be waiting for you to steal Father's Treasure."

"We won't let you down, Duke Raoul!" Haru nodded.

"I'll show you what I've got," Ren added.

"You don't need to prove yourself to me, Ren… but I'll make sure to do my part as well," Raoul replied. The gang broke off for the day from there, getting a good night's rest as Stolas took the briefcase and calling card back to his mansion.

[***]

October 22

At Paimon's castle, the king was sitting on his throne when the doors were suddenly flung open, revealing Stolas on the other side. "Father, I've come to make my case," Stolas announced.

"And what case would that be, Stolas?" Paimon questioned.

"I will not be giving my daughter over to you, but I will ask you to back off before I take action against you," Stolas said.

Paimon just laughed. "What is this, an ultimatum? You think you have the power to go against me, boy? Not even with that fool Raoul by your side would you be able to stand against me!"

Stolas sighed. "I thought you wouldn't take me seriously, which is why I brought you this as well." The prince tossed the calling card to Paimon, the king catching it in his grip.

"What's this…? "To Paimon, the King of sinful neglect. Your selfish actions have led to the stagnation of the Goetia houses, including but not limited to the stifling of the Collective Unconscious, the forceful limitations on form and magic, and the abuse you've personally brought upon those you call family. We will take what you most desire and steal your heart to show all of Hell how much of a coward you truly are. Signed, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

Paimon sneered, crushing the calling card in his hand. "So, you've put some sort of… bounty on me, have you? Let them try to take me, Stolas, for none can get past my walls." As the king pushed past Stolas to leave, the world shifted so the prince could see his father's Shadow. "My garden is open to all, but none may take my Treasure held within. Come now and let us see if your supposed power can influence the will of the great King Paimon!"

"It's all up to you now, my Starfire…" Stolas whispered as he pulled out his phone. "Blitz, have you and the others come to my location. It's time to execute our plan…"

[***]

Location: Conservatory of Neglect

"Okay team, it's time to steal King Paimon's Treasure!" Mona declared.

"We're going after an actual king… Think of how crazy that is, man!" Skull said. "How are we gonna top this in the future?"

"To be fair, no one in the human world will ever know about us doing this," Oracle pointed out. "Think of this as just a fun bonus mission."

"Either way, I'm ready to put an end to this," Joker said, flaring out his coat. "Phantom Thieves, let's move!" The gang made a dash for the front doors of the conservatory, with Lycan and Skull taking out the guards while Noir pulled out her grenade launcher and blew open the doors.

"Thieves in the main dome! Don't let them close to the Treasure!" a Shadow guard shouted, only to get curb-stomped by Queen.

"We don't have time for this. The Treasure is just up ahead!" the tactician shouted, calling on her Persona to make a path for the others to follow.

"Mako-chan is so cool…" Noir gasped.

"Says the girl always wielding an axe like its nothing," Omen laughed. The Phantom Thieves dashed through the garden until they made it to the huge tree in the center of the area. There they found Shadow Paimon, the Palace Ruler standing guard in front of the tree as he held the Treasure of the Palace in his hands. "There he is! It's time to give up your Treasure, Paimon!"

"…I've worked for a millennia to make this family perfect, to give the Goetia strength and power they deserve," Shadow Paimon said, holding up his Treasure to reveal it as taking the form of Solomon's Ring. "But it's never perfect! I've tried to bring Stolas back, but every time he makes the same mistakes, he never listens and falls in line with the path I set for him! And now he can't even stay with the wife I chose for him and runs off with a fucking imp!"

"Hey, leave my dad out of this!" Lycan growled.

"The reason Stolas doesn't listen to you is because you've neglected and abused him his entire life," Omen retorted the Shadow. "My parents hated each other because you forced them to be together, and it seems you never learned the true reason why none of the past Stolas' have listened to you either… To lose someone you love must hurt, Paimon, but the reincarnation trick you pulled is just that: a trick."

Templar stepped forward. "It's true. Reincarnating someone just reforges their soul into a new form. They may share similar qualities but that original soul is still dead. And honestly, I think you're more in love with idea of Stolas the First than who he actually was. I can tell you were close, but you've let your ambitions blind you to the children who so clearly wanted your love. Instead, you left them behind to pursue your false reality!"

"Enough of this!" Shadow Paimon shouted, his anger growing as the Treasure shone brightly. "I don't need lecturing from any of you! I will make the Goetia a perfect family, no matter how many weeds I need to pull to achieve it!" The ground started to shake as tree roots grew rapidly around the garden, destroying the area as the Phantom Thieves became trapped in a dome of tangled vines with the Shadow.

"Looks like it's time for the boss fight," Oracle mused.

"Omen, which sin does this Shadow embody?" Fox asked.

The princess shook her head. "He doesn't need to embody one… He is King Paimon, and we're about to face his true power…"

Shadow Paimon roared as his form shifted, transforming into an effeminate man wearing a large cloak and a crown made of bark carved to look like deer antlers. Paimon slammed a hand on the ground, summoning a Shadow camel to sit atop as the battle started. "Phantom Thieves, prepare to meet your master!"

As the team got into battle positions, Oracle did a scan to figure what they were up against. "Initial scans suggest… What they heck!?"

"What's wrong, Oracle?" Lycan asked.

"This guy's completely immune to our attacks! You'll have to find another way to damage him," Oracle explained.

"I bet it's the ring. He's using to amplify his magic," Omen guessed.

"But he's also using that ring to manifest his steed. If we could find a way to catch Paimon off-guard, we might be able to attack," Mona said.

"Then let's focus on getting rid of his camel," Joker said. "Focus your attacks there!"

The team leapt into action, targeting Paimon's camel with their skills. The camel was resistant to both physical and magic damage but was susceptible to status effects, meaning that an Agilao from Panther followed with a Garula from Mona managed to knock the camel down to its knees.

"Sweet, we knocked it down!" Skull cheered.

"We still can't use an All-Out Attack, though, since Paimon is still standing," Queen pointed out.

"My beautiful steed! What have you thieves done to it!?" the Shadow shouted, thrusting out his hand to cast a Megido spell on the party.

"Keep them healed, Puck!" Templar called, summoning his Persona to heal the team.

"Looks like Paimon is going to be more aggressive now while his camel is down," Oracle noted. "But while he's distracted his defenses are down, so go in for some punishment!"

The group jumped in, attacking Paimon who now only resisted their attacks instead of nullifying them completely. A well-timed shot from Joker landed a critical hit on the Shadow, letting the Phantom Thieves unleash an All-Out Attack, doing good damage to take their opponent down to around two thirds of his health. After the onslaught Paimon surged with magic, revitalizing his camel and calling on more vines to engulf the area, eerie-looking flower buds growing from them.

"What the hell!? Did he just make more Will Seeds!?" Skull exclaimed.

"It looks more like his power over cognition is greater than we imagined," Omen corrected.

"Either way, those freaky flowers are blocking us even more than his camel was," Panther pointed out.

"I have legions upon legions at my beck and call! What does a mere band of thieves hope to achieve by opposing me!?" Shadow Paimon shouted. He snapped his fingers, causing the flower buds to blossom into horrific Shadow-plant hybrids, all writhing around as they were puppeted to protect their king.

"How horrible… he's using his own servants as a shield for himself," Fox shuttered.

"This is just like in Father's Palace… We'll have to cut through them to get to our target!" Noir realized.

"Hm… It looks like Paimon's infused these servants with elemental power. Try using the opposite spell to get rid of them!" Oracle said.

Joker nodded and denoted which of the color corresponded to each element, giving the order for the respective element user to attack that Shadow: Panther took down the green wind enemy, Skull the aqua water, Mona the red fire, Fox the orange earth, Omen the teal nuclear, Templar the blue ice, Lycan the yellow lightning, Queen the pink psychic, and Noir the purple gravity. Joker meanwhile used support Personas to keep the gang healthy until they final broke through Paimon's defense of servants, with a Down Shot making the boss vulnerable to another All-Out Attack.

"Get wrecked!" Skull shouted as the gang landed from their assault.

"You're doing great, guys! Just a little bit more!" Oracle cheered.

"You should give up while you're ahead, Paimon! Just hand over the Treasure!" Lycan demanded.

"Never! I will not bow to anyone beneath me such as yourselves!" the Shadow roared. He held up his hand, Solomon's Ring shining as a nightshade plant rose from the ground, the plant twisting into the shape of the original Stolas. "Stolas, do me a favor and take care of these ruffians that oh so annoy me!"

As the Cognitive Stolas stood there, unspeaking, the Phantom Thieves remained on-guard for what was about to happen. "It's just like what Father did with his cognition of me…" Noir said grimly.

"Are we gonna have to fight off this guy too? I'm getting tired of bosses that don't just let us hit them," Skull frowned.

"Hm… I think we should stay vigilant, but hold off on attacking for now," Omen voiced.

"What are you thinking, Omen?" Fox asked.

"I think Paimon just made a critical mistake, but I need time to make sure I'm correct about it," Omen said, stepping back from the front lines and stabbing her staff into the ground. "Cover me while I focus my power. Nephthys, I'll need your strength as well."

"And you will always have it," her Persona replied.

"Okay, we trust you, Omen. Phantom Thieves, stand strong," Joker nodded. With the team on the defensive, they blocked and healed against Cognitive Stolas' attacks as well as the Megido spells Paimon would occasionally drop on them or cast a debuff on the party. Mona and Templar were sure to keep up the healing while Queen kept their defenses raised, Joker pitching in by debuffing their enemies attack to reduce the damage they were taking.

After three turns of keeping Omen safe, her staff shone brightly as a grin came to her face. "I knew it… Everyone, out of the way!" the princess shouted, running forward as she thrust her staff at Cognitive Stolas. The Shadow didn't flinch as the orb on the end of the staff went into its body, causing the plant-like body it held to become flesh and blood.

"What have you done?" Paimon questioned.

"As the sole heir of Stolas Goetia the Thirteenth, I have inherited the will of the House of Stolas, meaning my magic is far more tied to his cognition than yours ever was," Omen explained as Cognitive Stolas turned to face Shadow Paimon. "Deep down you know what you've done with his soul is wrong, and now's the time to face the music.

"What are you- Gah!" Paimon screamed in Paimon as Cognitive Stolas turned against him, "Fool, stop attacking me! I am your king!"

"N-N-Not… a-a-anymore…" the Cognition spoke. "Y-Y-You have lost your way, K-K-King Paimon… No m-m-more will I let my w-w-will be shattered by your h-h-hand…"

With one final strike Cognitive Stolas tore apart Paimon's camel, leaving the king vulnerable to a full-on assault from the Phantom Thieves. With one last magical blast from Omen, the Shadow was down for the count, his altered form reverting back to normal as Solomon's Ring fell from his finger, Joker reaching down and picking it up. "That's one less king lording his power over others," Templar said with a nod. "We really did it! We beat a demon king!"

"Too bad no one would believe us if we told them, though…" Panther sighed.

"I don't understand… How could Stolas turn against me?" Paimon questioned.

"Because you let your love for him become a twisted obsession with perfectionism," Fox replied. "You only saw Stolas for what he meant to you and what you could gain from him instead of what he and his descendants truly desired."

"You stole my father's childhood from him, when all he wanted was a family that would love him," Omen added. "He has that now in me and maybe someday in Blitz, but you…?"

"I just wanted his love… but I never showed that, did I?" Shadow Paimon realized. "No, I became too caught up in my misery of what the entity did to my Stolas that I was blinded by my ambition to what I was truly doing to the Goetia. I enacted so many laws to try and help keep them in power, but instead the families have been quietly suffering while I've done nothing but perpetuate a cycle of Stolas hating me…"

"Stolas never hated you," Joker said. "I don't know if that's true for the Stolas we know, but the original was clearly close to you. All you have to do is return his kindness to your people and be a good ruler. You may be a king of Hell but think about who should really be suffering under your reign."

"You're right… You're right…" Paimon nodded. "But what about Mortis, all the things I put in place to prevent cognition from corrupting the Goetia?"

"They're already suffering without it, dude. Forming Palaces and stuff will just make it more obvious who needs some straightening out," Lycan shook her head.

"And you don't even need our powers to make a change. Even demons can learn and grow, and the power to change your mental state, your cognition, is key in that growth," Templar added.

Paimon looked to the Phantom Thieves and nodded. "Then I will return to my other self and set things right… And granddaughter?" Omen looked at him with curiosity. "Take care of that ring. It is the true relic of King Solomon and the lifeblood of the Ars Goetia, which I hid here in the cognitive world so outside forces couldn't get to it."
"Speaking of that… do you know who the entity that killed Stolas was?" Oracle asked.

"I do not, but knowing what he saw in that vision, I believe you all might be the answer to that problem," Paimon replied. "Farewell… Phantom Thieves of Hearts." And with that the Shadow disappeared, the vines surrounding the team disappearing in a shower of flower petals as the Palace itself withered away, leaving the gang back in the realm of Mortis.

"Palace has been deleted. Have a good day!" the Meta-Nav said.

"Huh, so Palaces here in Mortis simply fade away and automatically boot us out instead of crumbling," Mona mused.

"But the violent reaction to a change of heart happens in the real world, remember? Now it's up to Dad and IMP to finish this," Omen said, watching a viewing portal to Hell opened in front of them.

[***]

Outside of Paimon's castle, Stolas, Raoul, and IMP were waiting in the back of Blitzo's van, the three imps readying their weapons while Stolas flipped through his grimoire, memorizing spells that were certain to come in handy. "So… you all drive around in this van?" Stolas asked.

"You've rode in this car at least twice, Stolas, remember?" Blitzo raised an eyebrow.

The owl blinked before shaking his head. "Oh, yes, when we went to Loo Loo Land and when you drove me home after… that night… This might be an awkward time to bring it up but where exactly is our relationship, Blitz?"

'At least he's not using that pet name…' Blitzo thought. "Uh, well… it's complicated, you know? I'm more worried about my Looney Tuney getting home safely to really think about that kinda stuff."

"We have been busy as of late," Moxxie nodded.

"You're telling me. How did I only just recently find out about us both having the same ex-boyfriend?" Millie shook her head.

"And Moxxie's dad being a total jackass. He even tried to have Fizz and I kidnapped just because Mr. King of Lust is feeling ill," Blitzo rolled his eyes.

"Yes, well, I'm happy that you managed to repair your relationship with your old friend at least from that," Stolas said. "I'm sure having Asmodeus on our good side after the incident at his place will be beneficial, as is your daughter's friendship with Beelzebub."

"Weird that we have two of the Deadly Sins in our good graces," Moxxie whispered to Millie, his wife nodding in agreement.

"Well, I wouldn't say Fizz and I are all good, but we don't hate each other at least," Blitzo shrugged. "My sister was easy to fix my relationship with, but I did kinda leave Fizz to die the day our friendship ended… Some wounds are easier to heal than others and all that crap."

"True, true…" Stolas sighed. 'Let your feelings be known when Blitz is in a better place, Stolas. The last thing you want is to look desperate.'

There was a sudden roar from the castle as Raoul took on a serious expression. "It's time. I can sense Father's connection to his Palace has unraveled, meaning we must move to calm his true demon form. Stolas, the case?"

Stolas pulled out the briefcase and gave it to Blitzo, the imp opening it and pulling out three identical gun-shaped devices. "What are these Evokers, you'll be able to temporarily summon forth your inner potential into a Persona," Raoul explained.

"So magic guns," Blitzo surmised.

"Not quite. You have to accept that death is a part of life and "pull the trigger" on yourself to invoke your Persona into existence," Raoul clarified.

The imps looked at the duke incredulously. "What kinda edgy 2000s bullshit is that to summon a Persona?" Moxxie questioned.

"To be fair the ones who used this technology previously were said edgy 2000s teens," Raoul chuckled.

"Eh, whatever. If shooting myself with a fake gun gives me superpowers, then sure, I'll bite," Blitzo shrugged, holstering his Evoker as Moxxie and Millie did the same.

The ground shook again as a roars became closer. "We're out of time. Get ready for a fight," Stolas warned as the group stepped out of the van. The prince levitated his grimoire in front of himself as the doors of Paimon's castle burst open, revealing the king in his corrupted true demon state. His body was a swirling mass of shapes and faces, obviously evident of his shapeshifting abilities. The main head of the beast was that of his owl form, with monstrous limbs coming off of the main body ending in serrated claws.

"And I thought my dad was a piece of work," Blitzo and Moxxie said at the same time before looking at each other. "Jinx!"

"Why am I the only one around here that doesn't have daddy issues…? Not that I have a problem with my loving family!" Millie said.

"Focus on the battle ahead," Raoul said, throwing out his arms to put up a barrier around the front yard. "This should contain Paimon within the area, but I would suggest doing this quickly. I'll be your navigator to help out, so let's do this."

"Indeed we shall," Stolas nodded, throwing out a hand and casting a gravity spell to attack Paimon.

Blitzo pulled out his Evoker and held it in his hands. "Well, I guess it's time to see if this thing actually does shit," the imp said. He placed the device to his temple, took a breath and pulled the trigger. When the Evoker "fired" it caused a wave of blue fire to swirl around Blitzo, forming into a Persona that manifested into a colorful figure wearing a jester's outfit.

"I am Clopin, the King of Truands. We may be fools, but those that mistake us for being foolish will surely learn their lesson," the Persona declared.

"Oh yeah, I can feel something inside me now," Blitzo grinned, pulling out his real gun and casting a mighty gun spell with his Persona. "Now you gotta teach me how to do more magic shit, Stolas, this fucking rocks!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Blitz," Stolas hooted. "Now then, my other imp friends, how about you show your potential as well?"

Moxxie and Millie nodded, both of them drawing their Evokers, with Moxxie putting his towards his heart while Millie put hers to her forehead. "Persona!" they shouted together, blue flamed emitting from the devices as the manifestations of their will formed behind them. For Moxxie it took the form of a rabbit in a pinstripe suit with a tommy gun in hand, the Persona looking light on his feet. Millie's Persona, on the other hand, came in the body of a woman wearing old west attire, a rose pattern covering her dress as she flared out her hip, revealing a hidden six-shooter strapped to her leg.

"The name's Jack, Jackrabbit. They had to make a whole new division of law to track me down, so let's make this a clean getaway, got it?" Moxxie's Persona said.

"I am Della Rose, the sweetest and last of the Wild Bunch. You better not think I'm some sweet thing, because this rose has thorns," Millie's Persona said.

Moxxie hefted his sniper rifle and grinned. "Oh yeah, wait until Dad sees me with this power! Let's do this, Jackrabbit!" The thespian imp took aim and fired a nuclear spell into Paimon, letting Millie follow up by tearing into the enemy with a physical skill.

"Shoot, I feel even better than after my daily workout!" Millie laughed.

"Do try not to let the power go to your head too much. We have a battle to focus on," Raoul warned.

Paimon roared and raised his claws up, attacking the team with swipes on both sides. Blitzo cursed as he was sliced up, but Stolas came in with a minor healing spell to patch his wounds. "We must stand strong, everyone!" the prince said.

"And here's something to help you out," Raoul said, holding up a hand as mystical chains started appearing around his arm. "If you can all give me an opening, in say… five rotations of attacks? Yes, I should be able to reveal Paimon's seal with my magic after that. You'll know what to do then, Stolas."

"Yes, brother. IMP, let's do this!" Stolas nodded.

The team went on the attack from there, with IMP all learning that their Personas had the special effect of imbuing magic properties onto their physical and gun skills, meaning they could bypass Paimon's resistances to those skills in favor of neutral magic damage. Blitzo attacked with fire and wind skills, Moxxie had nuclear and water, and Millie had lightning and earth. With Stolas providing psychic, gravity, and almighty magic in the mix, it was enough to hold back Paimon for the time Raoul needed to charge up his own spell.

"Just one more rotation and I'll unleash my power!" Raoul shouted.

"Then let's freaking do this thing! Clopin, use your Bonfire skill!" Blitzo commanded, his Persona flourishing a twirling cane before tossing it at Paimon, the weapon exploding into a wind-powered fire spell.

"Jackrabbit, it's time for your Obscuring Shot!" Moxxie called, his Persona shrouding the area in smoke before Moxxie used a high-powered sniper shot to deliver a piercing blow to their enemy, staggering Paimon.

"And while the king is on his knees, it's time for your Thorny Rope attack, Della Rose!" Millie shouted, her Persona pulling out a lasso of vines that struck Paimon multiple times, the king roaring in pain.

"Stolas, now is the time to show your own power!" a voice in his head called.

Stolas blinked as the echoes of his own Persona rang in his ear, but he closed his eyes and smiled. "Yes, it's time to finish this…" He held up his hands, creating a portal with his grimoire as he summoned down a small meteor shower to attack Paimon with. The demon crumpled to his knees as the attack finally started to wind the beast, and just in time for Raoul to finish preparing his spell.

"Chains of Rebellion!" Raoul called, the mystical chains surging out and tying up Paimon. The king tried to pull against them, but Raoul's will was stronger than Paimon's, leaving the demon trapped. The seal of Paimon soon appeared on his head, meaning it was time to end the fight once and for all. "Stolas, now!"

The prince nodded and transformed into his own true demon form, bringing a claw down on the seal and tearing it off Paimon's head. The corrupted demon roared once more as dark energy spewed from the wound, but soon enough the king shrank down into his "true" form that Stolas was familiar with. Stolas returned to his normal form as well, holding onto Paimon was his breath steadied out.

"St-Stolas…?" Paimon whispered, looking at his son with new eyes. "You… You look so much like him…" The king fainted soon after that, leaving the rest of the team to gather around.

"So, is that it? Did we win?" Blitzo asked.

"Yes, yes we did," Raoul nodded. "It'll take a day for Paimon to recover, but his change of heart is all but secured now. How do you feel, brother?"

"I'm unsure how to feel right now. I think I'll know once the Goetia Summit is over with tomorrow. I want to hear what Father has to say about all of this," Stolas replied.

"Then leave his recovery to me, young master," Reginald said, appearing from the house.

"Wait, were you here the whole time and not helping us?" Moxxie questioned.

"I knew that you and the young masters had everything under control," Reginald replied, causally picking up Paimon and walking him back inside. "I will see you both here tomorrow, Prince Stolas and Duke Raoul. It's sure to be a summit we won't forget."

"Man, that guy's super strong if he can carry the king like that," Millie said.

"Hollow bones. Bird demons are lighter than they look," Raoul shrugged. "For now, though, I'll be taking those Evokers back."

"Aw, but we won't be able to use our sweet Persona powers…" Blitzo groaned.

"Do not worry, Blitz, I'm sure you'll find your will of rebellion is not far out of your reach," Raoul said, returning the devices to the briefcase they were brought in. "I will contact the Phantom Thieves and tell them our mission was successful. I will see you tomorrow at the summit, Stolas. May this all turn out well in our favor…"

[***]

October 23

On a chilly morning in October, all of the heads of the Goetia families arrived in their transports to King Paimon's castle, looking a bit concerned after rumors of an attack having happened the other day. There were mutterings of if the rumors about the sickness afflicting the Deadly Sins getting to the other royal families, and the half-destroyed state of the front yard of the castle wasn't helping to soothe those fears. Stolas and Raoul arrived at the same time, with Stella coming with Raoul as she wasn't about to miss a Goetia Summit as big as this one was to be.

"And you're sure he had a change of heart?" Stella asked.

"I'm sure, Stella. He won't be touching our daughter any time soon," Stolas replied. The two still might not see eye-to-eye even after Stella's own change of heart, but Octavia's safety was something they both agreed on.

"If anything, him not instantly cleaning up this mess is proof enough for me that something is different," Raoul said.

As the families continued their mutterings, all went silent as the front doors opened wide, revealing Paimon on the other side. The king stepped out in front of the crowd, his head down as the doors closed behind him. Paimon took a deep breath before speaking, "My fellow Goetia, I have kept a terrible secret from all of you. For millennia I have tried to maintain order and stability within our seventy-two houses… and I have failed each and every one of you. But now more will I keep this to myself, for it hurts me deeply now that I see what it has wrought to all of you…"

"What is he talking about?"

"We all have secrets, why's his so special?"

"Shut up and listen to the king, why don't you!?"

Paimon waited for them to settle down before continuing, "As some of you may know, I was put in charge of our house affairs after the implementation of the Solomon Initiative, a set of laws I orchestrated in a vain attempt to regain control of my life and not let anyone else close to me suffer the pain I felt upon losing the original Stolas." The crowds started muttering again.

"Original Stolas…?" Stolas gasped.

Paimon looked to him with sadness. "Do not be so surprised. King Solomon's power gave us all the ability to reincarnate, so that there will always be seventy-two houses of the Ars Goetia. His ring was passed down to me, and I horribly abused its power to bend the wills of all the families to my liking. In truth I just wanted Stolas, the demon prince who I saw as my own son, to return to life… but reincarnation, while passing down magic and other traits, creates and entirely new being, one unique with each incarnation."

He turned his head from Stolas. "I was so caught up in making Stolas just as I remembered him that I forget the most important thing: to be a good father to my son. For that I am truly sorry, and I know that what I've forced you and all the other Goetia successors through is inexcusable."

The crowd was in more of an uproar now was Paimon went on, "Furthermore, from this day forward I will be calling for an end of the Solomon Initiative, as it has done nothing more than bring the Ars Goetia away from what made us truly great. We were heralded as those that worked with one of the great kings of old, and now look at us! A bunch of old birds that can't even rule our people without them hating us. Is this the Hell we truly want? Do we want to keep having precautionary heirs, to force marriages for the sake of power and not love?"

"The king has clearly gone mad!"

"Yes, he's surely been compelled to say these things!"

"The Paimon I know wouldn't go on about this! Our way of doing things is perfect!"
"Open your eyes and look at yourselves!" Paimon shouted, shutting everyone up. "I never should have forced our families to be what they weren't. At one point we were a great collection of the most powerful demons, and now… all I see are squabbling chicks, willing to kick each other out of the nest to stuff more food down their fat gullets."

The king raised his hands, summoning his own personal grimoire and tearing a page from it. "This is the doctrine I wrote the Solomon Initiative on, and with its destruction… I release the families of the Ars Goetia from its binding contract." Paimon crushed the document, letting it burn with hellfire. There was an immediate shock that went through the crowd as some of their members forms were changed, transforming from just being birds into humanoid shapes, those of felines, equines, and many, many more. Those that were changed panicked, while others just looked in shock as Paimon changed his own from to that of a humanoid.

"While I may be King Paimon, I have been both a terrible ruler of my people and a terrible father to my sons," Paimon said. "As of today, I will be stepping down as head of the Goetia families, and restructuring our houses so that all may have a voice in our rulings. I will also begin training a new successor to my house, while also reaching out and reconnecting with my children, even if it will take another millennia for them to accept me after all the abuse I've put upon them."

As the Goetia continued to gawk at their king's words, a figure stepped forward, a wolf demon with gryphon wings and a snake tail. "I am Marchosias, and I accept your decision here today. It's about damn time you did away with those laws of yours, Paimon."

The families started muttering to themselves as one by one the heads of the houses started stepping forward, voicing their own opinions on the matter. Paimon just looked to them, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I promise that, while our future may be different and uncertain, the Ars Goetia will rise again as good… no, better rulers of our domains that ever before. I hereby call this Goetia Summit to a close."

With that Paimon walked back into his castle as the families were left to ruminate on what had just happened. Some of the changed Goetia used their powers to shapeshift back into their avian forms, clearly preferring the old status quo, while others like Marchosias embraced their new freedom and started conversing with others about the change in regime. For Stolas and Raoul, they slipped past the others to see Paimon inside.

"Did you truly mean what you said? That you wanted to connect with your children?" Stolas asked.

Paimon nodded. "Yes… Stolas, nothing I can do will ever excuse what I've done to you-"

"And what you put me though as well," Stella added, getting a look from Stolas and Raoul. "What? I'm not saying I was a saint in all of this, but Paimon is the one that forced our marriage."

"…But I do want to get to know you, not as Stolas, but as Stolas Goetia the Thirteen, my son that carries on the legacy of my lost friend," Paimon continued.

"I'll admit, it's going to take a lot for me to forgive everything you've ever put me through. Reginald was more of a father than you ever were, truth be told," Stolas said.

"Yes, yes, I realize that now, but seeing as I won't be ruling over the families in the foreseeable future, it does give us time to make up for what we lost," Paimon nodded. "I would also like to say that as part of this new regime, the need for precautionary heirs is over. While I don't know why you would want to be with an imp, Stolas, I will not voice any grievances against him, either."

"Good, because I'm sure we'd have words about that if you did," Stolas chuckled. "As for where we can start with your apologies, I think going out for a day at Loo-Loo Land will do just fine."

"Oh Satan not Loo-Loo Land…" Stella groaned. "Did Octavia not tell you how much she hated that place?"

"Really? Hm… Perhaps I shall continue stepping up as a father too," Stolas said.

"And I as a mother," Stella nodded.

Paimon turned to Raoul next. "Duke Raoul, as my eldest living son, you do not have a proper house to your name despite being of the Goetia. I've seen the work you've done with the Collective Unconscious, and it is because of that and the way you rule your domain that I like to name you as my successor."

Raoul gasped. "You want me to take your place in the council of the Ars Goetia?"

Paimon nodded. "As I said it will take time, but we can use our… father-son time to prepare you for the duties of being the head of a house. Of course, you can always leave any dealings with Lucifer to me."

"Please do that, I want to be around that guy the least amount of time necessary," Raoul replied. "Still… I have some big ideas for how we can make the Goetia strong again, and not in a way that steps on those we rule. Let the Sinners be the ones that take the punishment Hell deals out."

In the coming days news of the sudden change in the Ars Goetia would get out, leaving Paimon to vocalize his change of heart to all of Hell. The change was controversial, and while there were many that saw this as a fall of the once great houses, others looked to it as a sign that maybe something might actually change for the better in realm of Hell. Whatever the future may hold, Octavia's dream of changing the Goetia became just a bit brighter…

[***]

On the outskirts of Tokyo, Raoul and Octavia stood by a train station, Raoul holding his S.O. briefcase. "So, why did you want me out here?" Octavia asked.

"I thought it would be good for you to meet the person I obtained these devices from," Raoul said. "She is an Aeon like you, after all."

"Another Aeon user? Now I'm interested," Octavia said with surprise.

The two didn't have to wait long, as soon enough an unmarked black car pulled up, with a woman stepping out of the back. She looked to be a teenager with blonde hair and an odd device on her head, but as she fully stepped out of the car Octavia noticed that her limbs showed obvious signs of being robotic. Raoul smiled as the girl approached, shaking hands with her as he passed over the briefcase.

"Aigis, it's good to see you," Raoul said.

"As it is you, Duke Raoul," Aigis replied, giving a bow. She looked over at Octavia with curiosity. "You must be the niece he mentioned to me when he reached out for use of our equipment."

"Hello there…" Octavia waved awkwardly. "So, are you, like, a robot or something?"

"I am an Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon, designed to fight against the Shadows, though I am also capable of feeling just as humans do," Aigis explained. "I trust the use of Shadow Operative equipment helped to complete your mission objective?"

"It did help, Aigis. Thank you for asking," Raoul nodded.

Aigis smiled and handed a card to Octavia. "If you or your team ever need assistance, feel free to contact the Shadow Operatives. We're making an effort to connect with those tied to incidents relating to Shadows, especially those that have the potential to wield a Persona."

'I bet Makoto would like that, joining a group that fights Shadows in a law enforcement type way,' Octavia thought. "I'll keep that in mind. It was nice meeting you, Aigis… Weird question, but do you like poetry?"

"I have some interest in human hobbies such as reading, yes," Aigis nodded. "In particular, the book The Golden Path was an interesting indulgence into what humans are capable of creating."

"I like that one too… I felt connected to it in a way…" Octavia replied.

"Aigis, we've got to head out soon! Mitsuru wanted us to pick up some things before we head back to base!" a manly voice called.

"Right away, Akihiko-san. We must make sure you don't spend our food budget on just protein again," Aigis replied, giving one last bow to Raoul and Octavia before getting back in the car and leaving.

"…So, are all Persona users crazy?" Octavia asked.

"Only the ones that are good at their jobs. But it's that difference in personalities that makes teams like yours and the Shadow Operatives stronger," Raoul chuckled.

New Compendium Entry

Name: Clopin

Arcana: Prison

Background: The king of the Truands in the book "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." He rules over the Court of Miracles in Paris and dies a courageous death trying to rescue Esmerelda at the end of the story.

New Compendium Entry

Name: Jackrabbit

Arcana: Lion

Background: An American gangster and leader of the Dillinger gang during the Great Depression. Nicknamed "Jackrabbit" for his swift moves, he gained great attention in the media and was used as rationale for the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

New Compendium Entry

Name: Della Rose

Arcana: Osiris

Background: An outlaw of the old west and member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch. She was known for using many different aliases and disguises and was the last surviving member of the Wild Bunch.

Author's Note

And with that my original Palace, the Paimon Conservatory of Neglect arc is complete! I hope you all enjoyed this special Helluva Boss focused event as I wanted to give that side of the crossover before we delve into the P5R side in the next arc. I'd also like to give thanks to TalosLives for helping me brainstorm some of the ideas for this Palace all those months ago when I initially pitched the idea of this story to him. It's been a bit over a year since I started writing this story, and I'm glad so many of you have enjoyed it so far!

On top of a two-part Paimon battle, the members of IMP also temporarily awoke to their Personas thanks to Raoul acquiring some Evokers from the Shadow Operatives! I wanted to include references in this story to other past Persona titles, and P3 was the last one on the list, so having Blitzo, Moxxie, and Millie use Evokers was a fun way to get in some P3 content, as well as having Octavia meet a fellow Aeon arcana in Aigis at the end of the chapter (anyone else excited for Persona 3 Reload next year?)

As with the other Helluva Boss characters I gave IMP their own original Arcana to go with their Personas. Blitzo has Clopin and is of the Prison Arcana, a varation on the Tower. Moxxie has Jackrabbit (which is based on both the gangster as well as the White Rabbit from "Alice in Wonderland") and is of the Lion Arcana, a variation of the Strength. And finally Millie has Della Rose (which funnily enough is also the name of my dog IRL) and is of the Osiris Arcana, a variation of the Chariot. If you're sad they had to give the Evokers back don't worry, as the imps will get their powers back in proper P5 fashion at another date.

Finally we have Paimon's big speech where he repeals the Solomon Initiative and names Raoul as his successor. This marks another shift in the landscape of Hell politics that will be touched on in the future as well, but for now it starts Octavia's dream of reforming the Goetia, and by the looks of it she'll have more allies in the future like Marchosias and other like-minded royals willing to find a new, fairer way to rule.

Next time will give us some downtime as the school festival is almost here, so expect some fun and cute moments for Ren, Octavia, and especially a certain cherub and hellhound duo.