Chapter 49: The Whims of Fate
October 27
Ryuji: Yo, you see the news?
Collin: I had braced myself for this possibility…
Ann: Actually having a wanted noticed out for us feels kinda weird…
Futaba: I'm not sure we're gonna get away this time.
Haru: Our backs are truly against the wall now.
Octavia: Discussing it here won't do us any good though. Let's talk more in person.
Makoto: Agreed.
"We're "wanted" now…" Ryuji said grimly as the gang gathered at the hideout. "And the reward's thirty million yen? What is this, a comic book? It feels so unrealistic, I can't help but laugh…"
"We're finally being treated as actual criminals…" Loona shook her head.
"I'm positive now. Remember all those what-ifs I mentioned before? All of this was truly set up," Makoto said. "How President Okumura ranked first, the fad before that…"
"I wouldn't be surprised if DHORKS suddenly coming here from overseas was part of it as well," Octavia added. "It was all to make us famous, and we were baited into targeting Okumura…"
"Yeah…" Morgana nodded. "The enemy likely planned to lay blame on us from the start, after we gained popularity."
"Then what about everything we've done until now?" Ann asked. "Are the people whose hearts we changed and thought were corrupt actually not?"
Makoto shook her head. "No. Because of Yusuke and I, the Madarame and Kaneshiro cases were coincidental… Wasn't that the case with Kamoshida too? Considering what happened with the rankings, only the previous target would have been used to lure us…"
"What a cheap trick to use…" Loona growled.
"Cheap? It's nothing of the sort…" Octavia frowned. "We took down a major international organization like DHORKS, and that scared the guys in power, so they set us up to fail. They might have even engineered the fad around us. So much time and effort has been put into this… President Okumura probably was their only target. They probably intend to blame all past and future psychotic breakdowns on us…"
"That's why I said we shouldn't jump into things so carelessly!" Yusuke chided.
"What, so this my fault!? Even you agreed to it in the end!" Ryuji shot back. "And there was that thing with Haru at the time. How're we supposed to ignore that, huh!?"
"…I'm sorry. This was all because I one-sidedly decided that my father was a criminal," Haru apologized. "All I could think about was my fiancé. If I had only been able to cope with it more calmly…"
"Haru…" Collin gasped.
"It's not Haru's fault! I should've spoken up too when Principal Kobayakawa died!" Ann spoke.
"Damnit!" Loona shouted, slamming her fist into the wall with anger. "This is bullshit! God! Fuck!" She screamed, her anger spiking enough to revert back to her demon form.
"Loona!" Futaba gasped, going to the hellhound and holding tight. "Taking out your frustration on things doesn't help anyone!"
"…Ren, what do you think?" Loona asked as she calmed down a bit. "Why did we lose? What did we do wrong?"
"They baited us," Ren replied. "We weren't acting like ourselves, and they let them get the advantage over us."
"Agreed," Morgana and Yusuke nodded.
"At the time we only cared about the opinion of the general public," Yusuke added.
"Yeah… that really is it," Ann sighed. "I was… so caught up in making a name for ourselves. I'm such an idiot! I became a phantom thief because I hated those same kinds of adults!"
"To think we had begun clinging onto fame and a place to belong that our eyes had become clouded…" Yusuke said.
"We were meant to be the righteous Phantom Thieves, but we lost sight of our original cause…" Collin said, hanging his head.
"I'm so irritated with myself!" Makoto said.
"Makoto…" Octavia gasped.
"Damnit!" Ryuji cursed. "I know that we've been set up, and that I was a complete idiot too. But still… it's so damn frustrating! Of course I wanna do something about this…"
"Yeah. We'll be in deep water at this rate…" Morgana noted. "However, we have no idea who we're up against… and whether they're an individual or an organization."
"Furthermore, they must be in a position of power with connections to Hell if they can summon a demon to help them," Octavia said with worry.
"Are we really a match for this?" Ann questioned.
"Should we… end this now?" Futaba asked. "I mean, things might get worse for everyone…"
Octavia looked to Ren, who put his hands together in thought. "Ren, what should we do?"
"Let's turn the tables," he replied, standing up from his chair.
Loona stood up. "Yeah… Running away with our tails between our legs is exactly what they want…"
"We'd be dumping everything we stand for just to save our own asses!" Ryuji added, standing up as well.
"…I see. I take back what I just said! I can't let it end like this!" Futaba exclaimed. "Absolutely not like this!"
"Looks like we're settled on "what" we want to do. All that's left is "how" we go about it…" Morgana said.
"Yeah…" Octavia nodded.
Makoto: I got a message from Akechi-kun. He wants us to gather at Leblanc tomorrow after school.
Futaba: Who does he think he is, trying to boss us around like that!?
Haru: Tomorrow…? That's sudden.
Yusuke: This is directly after the reward announcement. There must be a calculatd reason for this too.
Ann: We'll be OK, right?
Ren: I don't know.
Octavia: Our deal is still in place. I bet he saw the announcement and came up with a plan to get us out of this.
Haru: I'm sure there's a way. We decided to overcome this together, right?
Makoto: Regardless, I don't want anyone disturbing our pace anymore. Let's go about this calmly. Well, see you all tomorrow.
[***]
October 28
After school, the Phantom Thieves met up with Akechi to discuss what he had to say. "Okay Akechi, why did you call us all there today?" Octavia asked.
"That's a good question, but might I have a cup of coffee first?" Akechi said.
"Quit effing around!" Ryuji shouted.
"Please keep this short," Makoto crossed her arms.
"There's a bounty for information in addition to the arrest warrant… Those are quite desperate measures. I'm referring to Sae-san's actions. I assume all of you are at your wit's end as well," Akechi said. "She must be considerably vexed if she's gone that far. Make headlines with the arrest warrant, then use incentives to get testimonies. It's not a bad method."
"The police have nothing on us. There's no way they can make an arrest," Futaba pointed out.
"True. I'm the only one who's ascertained your true identities, though my hands have been tied due to your knowing mine," Akechi nodded. "However, the groundwork for fabricating testimonies and concocting a culprit are underway."
"We don't care about this stuff. Get on with it," Loona frowned.
"I'll be blunt. The new Black Mask is obviously manipulating Sae-san, like a devil on her shoulder," Akechi said.
"I got some information about him from Mom," Octavia spoke up. "His name is Striker, an imp-snake demon hybrid from the Wrath ring. He hates royals and is an imp supremacist."
"Supremacist? Aren't imps one of the lowest classes of demons?" Collin asked.
Octavia nodded. "Imps are only one step above hellhounds on the social ladder. But Striker thinks that killing all the royals and those that align with them will put imps on top, which is a flawed way of thinking. If you kill the Goetia, it will only make them more stigmatized against imps and make conditions worse for everyone."
"He's also got one of the biggest egos you'll ever see on a guy," Loona added. "Doesn't surprise me that he seems himself as better than everyone else. He just wants to be on top… But I have to wonder why he's here in the human world now."
"Mom lost contact with him months ago, so for all we know whatever conspiracy is going on here must align with his own goals in some way, or the entity gave him an offer he couldn't refuse," Octavia said.
"There's some irony there: a guy that hates the Goetia working for one," Ren pointed out.
"Regardless of that, Striker is supremely dangerous to us, and he will find a way to off us if we get caught. He's just using Makoto's sister now to further having us captured," Octavia said. "Then once we're out of the picture, the humans that summoned him will probably give Striker something that he wants."
"And this is where my plan comes in," Akechi spoke. "I'm thinking of triggering a change of heart in Sae-san. I've already discovered that she has a Palace."
"Huh? Really?" Haru said in surprise.
"Is this to prevent the investigation agency's recklessness?" Yusuke asked.
"Precisely," Akechi nodded.
"Still, there's no need to change her heart just for that…" Collin said.
"Indeed. It's hard to believe a single person- even one influenced by a demon- can fabricate all that," Yusuke nodded.
"Unfortunately, that's not the case. What if I told you that those around here would turn a blind eye to false evidence?" Akechi said.
"You saying the police would do such a thing!?" Ryuji gasped.
"It seems they're more trusted than I thought," Akechi said. "Their priority is settling the situation. They don't care who the supposed culprit is."
"No…" Haru gasped.
"They're completely rotten!" Loona growled.
"My objective now is to expose the true culprit and get rid of this "Striker" figure. That must be the vase for all of you too," Akechi said. "However, the current situation is extremely bad."
"If worst comes to worst, someone unrelated will be set up as the culprit, huh?" Yusuke asked.
"Our only solution to this is to make Sae-san come to her senses," Akechi said. "If she's in her right mind, she can stop this situation. Her sense of justice wouldn't allow it."
"So that's why…" Haru realized something.
"The truth will be covered up, and an innocent civilian's life will be destroyed…" Akechi finished the thought.
"We can't allow for such a thing to happen!" Collin exclaimed. "I won't stand for it!"
"I understand how you feel, dude," Ryuji nodded.
"And changing Sae's heart might protect her as well," Octavia said.
"How do you mean?" Makoto asked.
"The conspiracy put Striker in place to manipulate Sae, so they know that she's responsible for the investigation... that puts her right in their crosshairs if they decide that she's not useful anymore," Octavia replied.
"I'm certain that they'll aim for her life. She's the perfect target to place blame on the Phantom Thieves," Akechi nodded. "So how about it? Will you agree to my plan?"
"Even though you're willing to get your hands dirty, you seem particular about being just," Yusuke noted.
"I'm the one that decides my own justice. It can't be helped in order to ascertain the truth if I have to do things outside the law to get to my goals," Akechi said coldly. "There is also one more merit in changing Sae-san's heart. She'll be a fine warning to others not to meddle with you any further. They can't go public if someone in the investigations has a change of heart. It'd show their corruption. All that's left from there is for us to target the true culprit, whom I already know the identity of."
Makoto let out a huff. "So this is your terms, huh? You won't tell us who we should really be going after unless we change my sister's heart? I bet you're gonna tell us to announce our disbandment once the real culprit is arrested too… aren't you?"
"As expected from a Nijima," Akechi grinned maliciously. "I turn myself in along with arresting the true culprit, and you all stop being Phantom Thieves. An eye for an eye, if you will. So, what do you say? I don't think it's a bad deal for either of us."
"Makoto… what's your take on all this?" Ryuji asked.
"It's a well-made plan… It even takes putting an end to our team into consideration," Makoto admitted.
"I'm flattered to hear that," Akechi smiled mischievously.
"Why are you willing to do all this, Akechi-kun? Why do you seek justice, even after causing all those mental shutdowns?" Haru asked.
"Because of sickening human beings… Yes. My contempt for such people drives my sense of justice," Akechi replied. "It isn't some grand reason like society's sake or some lofty ideal. It's simply an absurd grudge… and extremely personal."
"Dude…" Loona shook her head. "You know, doesn't he remind you of us?"
"You think?" Ren asked.
"He's basically your dark reflection, Ren. But instead of forming a group of people to get back at disgusting adults, Akechi went on his own and got manipulated by the same adults he hated," Loona explained.
"We're similar, hm?" Akechi mused, looking at Ren. "Maybe that's why we've had this strange connection. I'm jealous in a way that you've been able to form true bonds. So then, won't you cooperate with me on the mission to change Sae-san's heart?"
"We will," Ren nodded, shaking hands with Akechi.
"…Thanks. I was actually rather worried there," Akechi chuckled. "This mission can't succeed without your cooperation, after all. I'm basically back to square one when it comes to my powers that I wouldn't be able to take on Sae-san's Palace alone."
"The Phantom Thieves will be disbanded, and you along with the true culprit will face justice for your crimes…" Collin said. "I pray that everything will work out."
"Mako-chan…" Haru said, looking at her friend with worry.
"I'm okay," Makoto said. "I never brought it up until now… but the reason I joined the Phantom Thieves is… Because I wanted to change my sister's heart. I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to it, though. I've also known for quite some time that she has a Palace."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ann asked.
"It was too selfish of a reason…" Makoto replied. "Though, I was too scared to look any further into it on my own…"
"Why don't we try going there now to scope the place out?" Loona suggested. "We have to make sure that Akechi can actually work well with your team anyways, and I want to see what Loki can do working for us."
"I-I'm sorry. I actually have plans today…" Makoto apologized.
"I see. That's unfortunate," Akechi said.
"Will you tell your sister about this?" Haru asked.
"Of course not. It' just…" Makoto tried to speak.
"You seem awfully evasive today. Is something the matter?" Yusuke asked.
"I just can't make time today," Makoto said.
"Let's call it a day then. We can investigate the Palace tomorrow," Octavia suggested.
"I'm sorry, everyone," Makoto apologized.
The group soon left after that, leaving Ren, Morgana, and Octavia in the café. "Wasn't Makoto acting a bit weird?" Morgana asked.
"I wonder why…" Ren hummed.
"Beats me. I hope it's just my imagination, though…" Morgana said.
"Regardless, it all starts tomorrow… I hope this goes well," Octavia said.
[***]
October 29
Ryuji: Where're we meeting today?
Haru: Oh right, we were never told where to meet up.
Makoto: At the courthouse.
Ryuji: Where's that?
Futaba: Hint: the government office district.
Yusuke: Kasumigaseki…
Makoto: Indeed.
Ryuji: Oh, I've heart of that place. Never been there though.
Ann: Me neither.
Octavia: Never had a reason to go there… until now, that is.
Haru: It's not somewhere normal people usually go.
Futaba: Whoa. Just looking at the map is impressive. The Police Department, Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecutor's Office, AND Public Security. The Diet Building is right near there too.
Loona: Well shit, that puts all of our enemies in one place, huh? And a demon is crawling around there too…
Collin: We won't get caught, right…?
Makoto: According to Akechi-kun, our identities haven't been discovered yet.
Yusuke: So we are just going to plunge head-first into enemy territory… Has anyone contacted Akechi?
Makoto: We're going to meet him there. Be on guard, everyone. We'll be heading into the lion's den.
Octavia: And if you see a guy in a cowboy outfit, DO NOT ENGAGE, JUST GET OUT OF THERE!
"So this is the courthouse… You can tell it's a revolting building just by looking at it," Morgana said as the gang gathered with Akechi at the meeting spot.
"Eh, the one in Hell is probably worse," Octavia shrugged. "I'm just glad Mom and Dad worked all their divorce stuff out so I don't have to be dragged there for some pointless courtroom drama… Let's hurry up and get started. Akechi, what did you find out?"
"I rarely get to see Sae-san directly, but I've figured out her course of action. On the 20th, an investigation will like be done at Shujin Academy… as well as the Sakura residence," Akechi explained.
"For… real?" Futaba gasped.
"…The that means our time limit is November Twentieth," Yusuke noted.
"Still, there'll be quite a bit of red tape involved. I doubt it'll take place before the twentieth," Akechi said.
"We'll take your word. For now, we need to focus on infiltrating her Palace," Makoto said.
Akechi nodded. "I concur. And we should probably get going soon. After all, people like us standing around here is quite unnatural. Well then…" He pulled out his phone, only for Futaba to grab it out of his hands.
"There we go! I was wanting to get my hands on this…" Futaba said, typing away at something.
"I'm so sorry. Until recently, Futaba was actually a… well…" Ann apologized.
"It's okay, Sae-san told me the gist," Akechi replied.
"Oh, right. Akechi, you should probably give your contact information to all of us so you don't have to keep going through Makoto," Octavia realized.
"That's true," Akechi nodded.
"I'll send everyone's contacts to you later," Makoto said.
"Thanks," Akechi smiled. "Well then, I hope we get along. I'll do my best."
"You better, or else we'll curse you something fierce," Futaba said, handing his phone back.
"Yo, what was that all about?" Loona whispered.
"Just setting up a "curse" of my own if Akechi tries to double-cross us," Futaba whispered back.
"Sweet. Magic hacking for the win," Loona smiled, the two sharing a fist-bump.
"Then shall we get started?" Akechi asked.
"We need to figure out what Makoto's sis thinks this courthouse is, right?" Ryuji recalled.
"I often hear her call it a "place of competition" in which she must always win," Makoto said.
"A competition, huh… That sounds like Sae-san," Akechi nodded.
"It'd be unbearable if we were put on trial for a reason like that," Yusuke said. "Although, a competition means it's a match of some sort. Might it be a martial-arts ring?" That didn't produce a result.
"Then… perhaps a stadium? Or maybe an arena?" Haru suggested, not getting a result either.
"There are other competitions besides fighting or sports," Octavia pointed out.
"Gambling, then!" Futaba exclaimed.
"How about a racetrack for horses?" Ann suggested. "Other than that, there's pachinko, but does that count as gambling?"
"They have it in Greed, so yes, yes it does," Loona nodded.
"We played cards during the school trip," Ryuji said.
"What else is there?" Haru wondered.
Collin looked at the others funny. "I mean, wouldn't a "casino" be the most obvious place for gambling…?"
"Candidate found," the Meta-Nav said, the world pulsing with distortion.
"I see that Nijima isn't the only one with smarts here," Akechi said.
"Makoto has more brains than me. I'm sure she would have said the same idea sooner or later," Collin replied humbly.
"Welp, it's time we head in then," Ryuji said.
Beginning navigation…" the app stated as the world fully distorted into Sae's Palace…
[***]
Location: Outside the Casino of Envy
"Head right past there and keep a low profile," Mona said as the gang approached the Palace.
Ann looked up at the Palace in surprise. That's it, huh? What's going on here…?"
"We are looking at the courthouse, aren't we?" Futaba questioned.
"Seems like it…" Makoto replied.
"Let's go," Akechi said.
"Right," Ren nodded, the Phantom Thieves moving forward. In place of the courthouse was a lavish Vegas-style casino, complete with a shining neon sign of Sae at the front.
"The courthouse is a casino…" Ann said in awe.
"Didn't we establish that's what her Palace was outside?" Loona raised an eyebrow.
"Everywhere else seems to be a normal cityscape," Akechi noted.
Yusuke turned around. "Isn't that-"
"The police station, yes," Makoto nodded.
"I didn't know that the station and the courthouse here next to each other," Haru said.
"Our attire hasn't changed… that must mean we aren't considered threats or hostiles yet," Akechi said.
"Right… Areas outside her courthouse Palace must not be worthy of her attention," Mona nodded. "…Wait, I always look like this! I'm special! Besides, I can't do anything in my cat form."
"The police station's also part of her work area though, whenever arrests are made for her cases," Makoto said. "I've brought her food and belongings when she was sent on loan to the police."
"We got no business with the cops, right? This might be the Metaverse, but I don't wanna go in a station," Ryuji shook his head.
"Hm… We already have a detective on our side, why not get a police officer as well?" Octavia mused.
"A cop Phantom Thief? Like that would ever happen," Loona laughed. Somewhere in another part of Japan, a certain glasses-wearing detective sneezed as if someone was speaking about him.
"That reminds me, he'll need a code name too," Octavia said.
"…Code name?" Akechi raised an eyebrow.
"Phantom Thieves can't go around using their real names, right? It ain't cool either," Ryuji said.
"Just for reference, what is everyone else's?" Akechi asked.
"Skull," Ryuji said.
"Mine's Fox," Yusuke replied.
"We pretty much decided on them with how we look, didn't we?" Collin chuckled.
Makoto noticed something off with Haru. "What is it, Haru?"
"O-Oh, it's nothing…" she replied, turning away.
"Then… perhaps "Karasu" will be best for me. You know, like a raven," Akechi suggested.
"I mean, your clothes are all black, so I guess that works…" Loona shrugged.
"That may not entirely be the case now, actually," Akechi said. "I can't feel Loki's power anymore, so the shock of losing the Wild Card must have reverted my Persona to a previous form."
"Your Persona reverted? That's the first time I've heard of that…" Ren said in shock.
"But I should still be capable of fighting regardless, just with less power than before," Akechi shook his head.
"So you had a different outfit before you became the Black Mask?" Collin asked.
Akechi nodded. "Yes, it was quite striking in design as well. But as my powers in the Metaverse grew I evolved my Persona and changed my outfit to better suit my mission. Hm… I suppose it was also representative of being more in his pocket as well, giving into my darkness. Regardless, if my powers have reverted, then you'll all be shocked by what my "Phantom Thief" attire is now."
"You better not disappoint then," Loona said.
"Karasu… He'd be the only Japanese-sounding one," Futaba pointed out.
"Why not go with "Crow" instead?" Ann suggested.
"All right, from here on out, you're Crow," Mona declared.
"Got it," Akechi nodded.
"Now then, let's head into the courthouse!" Mona commanded. "This is business as usual. First off, we'll need to find an infiltration route." With that the gang was off into the night, climbing up a set of stairs off to the side to take a side-entrance into the Casino of Envy. Once inside everyone's clothes changed to their Phantom Thief attire, including Akechi.
His outfit was a bright white military or princely attire with a small red cape, golden tassels on his shoulders and a red Tengu-like mask over his face with a long nose. Lycan couldn't help but snort at the appearance. "Damn, now I know why you decided to become Black Mask. No one would take you seriously in that outfit," the hellhound laughed.
"You plan on stealing stuff in that getup?" Skull snorted.
"It just means that's what he thinks a rebel looks like," Mona shrugged.
Crow shook his head. "No, this my mental image of a person who sticks to their justice."
"Well, I think your mask is more apt for piercing rather than sticking…" Noir joked. "That aside, the people in here look completely normal."
"But we're in a flashy casino. There's no doubt this is a Palace," Oracle said.
"At least Crow knows about cognitive stuff so we don't have to explain it this time," Omen said.
"In essence, since these look like real people, Sae-san's view of others is surprisingly undistorted," Crow noted. "But considering what I see before me, it's difficult to believe it is not actually a real casino."
"Not all cognitions are normal though. In Futaba and Okumura's Palaces, we had to battle them," Fox said. "People may look normal, but we should be careful… particularly of those in positions of power."
"And I can't just force my way through… Is this what you have to go through every time?" Crow asked.
"What of it?" Joker questioned.
"Sorry to be blunt but having to rely on others is still new to me, much less working with others that have a similar power to mine," Crow replied.
"Just don't slow us down, Crow," Lycan said.
"I will not allow that to happen," Crow said with arrogance.
"Okay. It's time to head inside," Mona nodded. "Our deadline for this infiltration is November twentieth. Any later, and we'll get caught in reality. Of course, we'll need to secure an infiltration route before we send out the calling card. As always."
"So the calling cards are necessary for making the Treasure materialize…" Crow hummed.
"Will you please stop interrupting?" Queen sighed.
"M-My apologies," Crow said, flustering a bit as his inquisitive side came out.
"Well then… let's go," Templar stated. With their infiltration started, the Phantom Thieves hopped across the chandeliers high above the cognitive people, making it over to the other side of the room. There they found an air duct they could travel through, coming out on the other side in a different part of the casino.
"Welcome. Come on out, you petty thieves," a distorted voice called out.
"She can see us!?" Skull exclaimed.
"You're after the Treasure, are you not?" Shadow Sae asked. She was dressed in black clothing reminiscent of flappers in the 1920s with gold jewelry, fishnet stockings, and tattoos on her back and shoulders. "Come on down and I will tell you where it is."
"Wh-What!? We're not going to fall for a trick like that…" Mona said.
Shadow Sae chuckled. "It's not a lie. I only wish to do this fair and square. You aren't going to run, are you…?"
"We should do as she says. There is no point in hiding any longer," Crow suggested.
"Fine," Joker said, hopping down to confront the Shadow.
"So you've come. The Treasure is located on the Manager's Floor, at the highest point of this building," Shadow Sae told the gang.
"…Why are you telling us this?" Queen questioned.
"It's as I said before… I wish to go about this in the fairest manner possible," Shadow Sae explained. "First, I ask that you come up to my location. We will continue this there…" She snapped her fingers and disappeared.
Lycan looked around in confusion before her nose picked up the Shadow's scent. "Damnit, over there!" she shouted, pointing to Shadow Sae in a nearby elevator.
"It seems we'll be able to use that elevator to reach higher floors," Crow noted. "Come, Joker, let us pursue her."
"Just so you know, I'm the one that's second-in-command here," Omen said, ribbing Crow. "Still, let's get after her, Joker!" Going down to the elevator, the gang found that it was locked with an authentication device.
"Authentication required. Please insert your member's card," the elevator said.
"Member's card?" Noir questioned.
"Perhaps it bears relation to a player's club of sorts," Crow speculated.
"I can't handle your technical speak! Just gimme it straight!" Skull shouted.
"Casinos typically have a membership system called a player's club. Some locations even have areas cordoned off for particular ranks of player. Considering the setup of this place, I thought thinks may be similar here," Crow explained.
"That'll make this shit simple," Lycan scoffed. "Come on, let's join this player's club, then."
"I would agree with you, but…" Crow started to say, only for a Shadow to suddenly pop up. "As I expected. Registration will not be such a simple matter."
"She must be daring us to challenge the security of this place to make it to her," Fox guessed.
"Here it comes!" Templar warned as the Shadow transformed into a Cruel Leopard.
Crow smirked and stepped forward. "No need to worry. I'll handle this. I need to prove my worth to you, after all."
"I have high expectations," Joker said.
"I promise to surpass even such lofty hopes as those," Crow replied. He pulled off his mask, revealing his Persona to be an archer with a superhero motif to him. "Well then, let us begin. Don't worry. You can leave this one to me. Take them down, Robin Hood!"
"…There's some irony in that being your initial Persona," Omen muttered. The battle wasn't really much of a fight, as Crow commanded Robin Hood to use Megidola on the enemy, blasting it to pieces with little effort.
"You're not bad in a fight," Mona admitted.
"And I am capable of much more," Crow boasted. "Now then, let us deal with the Shadows quickly."
"Wait. Doesn't it sound like we're gonna get ambushed based on what we heard earlier?" Panther questioned.
"…I agree. I'd like to deal with them as quick as we can…" Queen nodded. "But now that we have an infiltration route, I'd suggest we return for now and prepare."
Crow nodded. "Very well, I trust your judgment. I'll be a team player… for now." With that the Phantom Thieves left the Palace for the day, all of them wary of what Akechi would bring to their team on this mission.
Akechi: Today was certainly interesting. I hope we continue to thrive in our work together.
Haru: Agreed.
Yusuke: We will need to explain the steps we take though.
Akechi: That is unnecessary. First we secure an infiltration route, then send the calling card. Correct? In doing so, the core of the ruler's distorted desires will manifest into a physical form. By taking that core, the change of heart will be triggered. I deduce the steps would be something along those lines?
Futaba: A+.
Loona: It ain't as easy as it sounds. Don't underestimate this shit.
Akechi: I am not underestimating anything, I assure you.
Ann: By the way, Nijima-san's Shadow seemed really confident…
Makoto: Yes, there's no way of knowing what may await. Let's continue cautiously.
Akechi: Very well. You will let me know when you enter the Palace, yes?
Ren: Of course.
Akechi: Perfect. I will be available at any time you need me.
Octavia: That's enough for now. Let's prepare well for the Palace, okay?
Akechi: Ah, yes. My apologizes for somewhat derailing this conversation.
Collin: We will be counting on you, Akechi. Failure is not an option here.
Akechi: Yes. I'll do my best to live up to all of your expectations.
[***]
October 30
Location: Mementos
Since the team had some time to complete the Palace, Joker decided to do some training with Crow and complete requests in Mementos, since even if the Phantom Thieves' reputation was in the gutter they could at least still do good. "It looks like Mementos has expanded even further…" Mona noted as they entered.
"Hm? I thought public opinion of us determined Mementos expansion… and that has plummeted recently," Fox questioned.
"Our notability must still be on the rise, even if it's because of our currently bad reputation…" Mona replied.
"So we're like a celeb who gets more famous because of scandals? I don't like the sound of that…" Panther said.
"Either way, the further we go, the more powerful enemies we'll meet. We need to be cautious in here," Mona warned. With that the gang all hopped in the Mona Bus and got going to complete the requests.
First up was the Shadow of the journalist Ohya's boss, who was obstructing her investigation and keeping things hidden from the public eye even though people had died in the incident she was investigating. His Shadow took the form of Take-Minakata, but Mona's Wind skills tore him apart with ease. Up next was the Shadow of Fumio Akitsu, a man who used plastic surgery to change his face and escape debts he owed. Templar's Water skills were enough to put the Shadow in its place for good.
Up next was the supposedly "invincible" cheater they'd encountered before, but Joker had a new trick up his sleeve he'd learned from the King of Gun About. Using his secret Down Shot technique, Joker blasted through the cheater's defenses, and one All-Out Attack later sent the Shadow packing. After that encounter was the Shadow of Yohei Kiritani, an ex-mercenary who now worked as a professional assassin. It was a hard-fought battle, but the Phantom Thieves took the Shadow down, allowing them to move on to the next area of Mementos.
Now on the Path of Adyeshach, the Phantom Thieves had one last request to take care of, that being changing the heart of Shinya Oda's mother, whom was the kid that taught Joker his secret gun technique. She was the definition of a helicopter parent and a selfish one at that, and Shinya wanted his mother's heart changed so she could return to her normal self. The Shadow took on the form of Dakini, but with Panther's Fire skills, the team was able to change the target's heart successfully.
Eventually the team made it to the bottom of the current area. "It doesn't look like it's going to open…" Joker hummed.
"No good again…" Mona sighed.
"Does this mean there are still people who don't accept us?" Noir asked.
"Don't worry. As long as we stay active, It'll open eventually," Mona assured her.
"We'll just have to be patient until that actually happens," Omen said.
"I guess this is the end of the line for now," Loona shrugged. "By the way… how the Hell do you have a lightsaber, Crow?"
"Simple: using children's toys," Crow replied.
"Seriously?" Oracle raised an eyebrow.
"Weapons in the Metaverse work due to cognition, so it stands to reason that even the most out-there of fake weaponry can work as long as the enemy believes they can," Crow explained. "After all, Mona can transform into a Bus due to cognition, yes? So why can't I have a laser sword and blaster due to it as well?"
"Guess it goes to show that you know how this stuff works," Joker nodded. "For now, though, let's fall back for the day. Phantom Thieves, we're out!"
[***]
With their Phantom Thief business out of the way for the day, Ren and Loona decided to go do some more work with Iwai at his shop. "…There's something I need to talk to you about. Come to the back," Iwai told the duo. They move their conversation to the backrooms to hear the shop owner out. "Listen up, kids. I figured out Tsuda's weakness. While you and Kaoru were over at that diner, I was out getting info from a reliable source of mine. Turns out I guessed right. Tsuda was the one on the other end of the Hong Kong mafia deal. Apparently he paid them off for a huge arsenal of guns."
Iwai adjusted his hat. "This is where things start getting interesting though. If he was smuggling all that shit in, why would be come to me asking for modified guns? I mean, don't something about that seem off to you?"
"Absolutely. Sounds shady as shit," Loona nodded.
"Right? That piece of shit's trying to lord his position over me… but he ain't got shit now!" Iwai smirked. "What I'm really saying here is… I don't think those Hong Kong guys ever delivered on their end of the deal. They prolly just took his money and flat-out stiffed him on the guns. Masa told me something real weird back when you and Kaoru were over at the diner though…"
Iwai crossed his arms. "Apparently, the clan's been treating that Hong Kong transaction like some kinda massive business success. That means Tsuda's been lying to 'em this whole time… And now he's trying to use me to cover up his mistake."
"He's clever," Ren said.
"Yup. Everyone's always known he's one sneaky son of a bitch," Iwai nodded. "…Don't matter now though. Everything's gonna change once I tell the clan what's up. Tsuda's not gonna be able to keep intimidating me anymore. And I'll make sure Kaoru won't get labeled, like I was… He'll be a regular, respectable adult. Something I could never even dreamed of… I'm gonna have to talk to Tsuda himself first though. Gotta follow the yakuza code."
Iwai looked seriously at the two teens. "Hey, I got a favor to ask you. If anything happens to me, take care of Kaoru, okay? …Okay?"
"Wait, you're going in alone?" Loona questioned. "Isn't Tsuda seriously dangerous?" She didn't want to admit it, but the hellhound was getting attached the airsoft shop owner and his son.
"Yeah. I'd like to think he's above thug shit like that… But if he wanted, he could get rid of me no problem. Unless I had some kinda witness with me, that is…" Iwai said. "Wait a sec. I've got you. I want you to come talk to Tsuda with me. He's not gonna dare lay a finger on a civilian kid. It'd cause way too many complications for him. If you come as my witness, things'll be miles safer. I do only need one of you, though…"
"I'll go then," Ren said.
Iwai nodded. "All right then. It's settled. Oh, and lemme think of a reward. Gotta thank you for the info, and for being my witness. How about I work even harder on that special menu? That should be good for you, yeah?"
'I feel like my bond with Iwai is growing even deeper…' Ren thought.
"Well, I'll hit you up when it's time. Let's do this, kid," Iwai said.
As the two left, Loona looked over at Ren. "You want me to tail you guys, right? I can use my hellhound senses to make sure they don't notice me either."
"Sounds like a plan. We have to make sure this goes well without Iwai getting hurt," Ren said. His eyes flashed red as cursed energy surged around his fingers. "And I can intervene as well if need-be."
"We already took down one yakuza group, how about another?" Loona chuckled.
[***]
October 31
It was the end of the month, and while in places like America kids would be celebrating Halloween, it was just a normal day for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Haru had asked Ren to come check on the vegetables at the rooftop of the school and the leader of the Phantom Thieves agreed to meet her there. Up on the rooftop he found Collin helping tend to the garden as well. "Ren-kun, have you decided on any plans for today?" Haru asked.
"Let's hang out," Ren said.
"In that case, I'd like to use this opportunity to bring my most recent harvest to Sakura-san," Haru said. "I'd like to stop by Leblanc today… Could you join me?"
"Sure," Ren nodded.
"I'd like to come too," Collin offered.
"Of course, Collin-kun. You've been a big help tending the garden as well," Haru smiled. "Let us go then." The trio made the trip to Leblanc, where they greeted Sojiro and sat down at the bar. "Hello, Sakura-san. I'm sorry for asking this of you."
'It's all good. Not like I have customers to deal with," Sojiro replied. "So… this is what you grew?"
Haru nodded. "Yes. I'd like an honest opinion from a culinary professional."
"Let me see…" Sojiro hummed. He took the vegetables Haru and grown and cooked them up into a dish. "To be honest, both the taste and appearance are the opposite of what I'd call market-grade."
"I see," Haru said.
"But, it's impressive you managed to grow anything at all up on a rooftop of all places," Sojiro continued.
"I'm honored to hear you say that," Haru said.
"Y'know… I can't say it tasted good, but it was actually somewhat refreshing," Sojiro said. "Kinda like how you feel good after taking bitter medicine."
"Hm… I first came across the plant in my house… It's possible that it's an experimental breed created for use at Okumura Foods…" Haru noted. "Thank you very much for the input, Sakura-san. I'll take note of that."
Collin decided to try some of the vegetables for himself, scooping some of the dish onto his own plate and taking a bit. "They're somewhat bitter, but they also give off a strong energy…" the cherub said.
"…He's right. That was the same thought I had," Haru nodded. "I think I understand what Sakura-san meant when he said they were refreshing."
"They fill me with energy all right," Ren said, eating some of the dish. "Think they could be useful in the Palace?"
"I agree!" Haru cheered. "I'm so happy. I didn't expect this hobby of mine to provide value to the Phantom Thieves. This it actually the only thing I can honestly say I'm good at."
"I'm sure you're great at other things too, Haru," Collin assured her.
"It sounds like hard work," Ren mused.
"Thank you for worrying about me, but I find the work relaxing," Haru replied. "Hey, um… do you two think you could help me out again something? Like you did today?"
"We'd love to," Collin said, Ren smiling and nodding in agreement.
Haru smiled back. "It's a deal! We're like real phantom thieves! Okay, I'll do my best from now on!"
'Haru seems a little more enthusiastic than before…' Ren thought as he felt a new Confidant forging in his heart. 'The Empress Arcana…'
"Still, he was right… The taste leaves much to be desired…" Haru sighed.
"But we can always work on that," Collin said.
Haru nodded, with the trio leaving the café after finishing the dish. "Thank you for having me. Your feedback on the vegetables was a big help. Oh! If there are any vegetables you'd like in particular, just let me know," Haru said. "I certainly have plenty of seeds, so if you have a preference, I'll prioritize growing those first."
"That was our deal," Ren reminded her.
"Huh…? Oh, that's right!" Haru recalled, laughing a bit. "My, when you phrase it like that, it's oddly thrilling! All right, I'm going home for the day. See you later!"
"Catch you later as well, Ren," Collin said as he and Haru walked off the train station together.
[***]
Octavia: Tonight is when Shin is leaving Tokyo… I want to be there for him. Will you be joining me, Ren?
Ren: I'll be there.
Octavia: Okay then. I'll see if the others want to come as well. See you at the station.
At the station in Shibuya, the Phantom Thieves gathered to say their goodbyes to Shin. While most of them didn't know the guy beyond him being the resident bad boy and "Bully Reaper" of Shujin Academy, but they wanted to be there to support Octavia. The boy in question was already waiting there, leaning against a motorcycle as he looked up from his phone.
"I thought for a moment that you wouldn't show up," Shin said.
"I wasn't going to let you leave without saying goodbye," Octavia replied, giving him a hug. "I'm going to miss you, Shin."
"…I'll miss you too, Octavia," he whispered. He then looked up at her friends. "And it's good that you invited all your friends here. It gives me one last chance to say goodbye to the Phantom Thieves before I leave forever."
Immediately the group was on guard. "What did you just say?" Ryuji asked defensively.
"You heard what I said, Skull. I know all about what your group has been up too, and honestly, I'm impressed with how far you've delved into Mementos," Shin said causally. "I mean, I did have to save your butts that one time, but credit goes to you for putting wicked souls in their place."
Collin gasped. "Wait… you are Tensei!?"
"Me having the same bike as him didn't already tip you off to that?" Shin laughed. The world suddenly shifted around the group as they were dragged into the Metaverse, Shin now wearing his full biker attire. "I knew you all were the Phantom Thieves as soon as Ren asked me to train him in fighting. I just knew it was smarter not to say anything and let you all go about your business while I did mine."
"So, what's your angle now?" Omen asked. "Why are you only revealing yourself to us now?"
"Because tonight is when the Reaper will be the height of his power, and I won't be able to resist his calling," Shin explained. "You see, the Reaper was original just a persona created by an Angel of Death for him to use within the Collective Unconscious. Over time though, the people's fear of death corrupted the Reaper into a savage beast, but part of the Angel of Death still remained inside. The Reaper expelled its true self from within, and that's when I was created."
"You're an Angel of Death!?" Templar exclaimed.
Shin nodded. "Yeah, but I wasn't powerful enough to take down the Reaper, only keep it at bay from killing anyone that wandered in here. Only those with the power of the Wild Card and their allies have ever been able to take it on in the past. But the Reaper eventually made its way into the Metaverse, and I couldn't run from it any longer. On the night of All Hallows Eve, we are fated to become one and I'll be consumed by his rage once more."
"I won't let that happen!" Omen shouted. "You're my friend, Shin, and I care about you more than you know. I'm not just going to let you sacrifice yourself to that monster!"
"I don't have a choice… I never did," Shin shook his head. "I can't even remember who I was originally, which is why I chose the name Shin when I came to Japan. It's been so long since we separated, but time has finally caught up to me."
"Dude, you can't just give up like this," Skull said.
"Yeah, there has to be something we could do to stop the Reaper," Oracle nodded.
"It would take a miracle to stop this… Goodbye, Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Shin said, hopping on his motorcycle and driving off into Mementos.
"Well, I guess there's nothing to do here," Crow shrugged.
"Like Hell we're letting him run off like that!" Lycan growled. "He may be an angel, but Omen clearly cares about him, so we're not giving up here! Templar, is there anything we could do to stop the Reaper?"
The cherub shook his head. "Like Shin said, it would take a miracle, but even my powers wouldn't be enough to change his fate."
'A miracle…' Joker thought, touching the star that he held in his pocket.
"Oh, are you thinking of something, Joker?" Mona asked.
"The star…" Joker said, pulling out the stone. "It's allowed us to do impossible things in the past. Maybe it can help Shin change his fate."
"Hm… I suppose that's possible, but how the star works is still a mystery to me…" Templar hummed.
"Then why don't we ask Jose about it?" Panther suggested. "He was the one that gave it to us after all."
"Good idea, Panther. Let's talk to Jose and see if he can help," Queen nodded. With that the Phantom Thieves entered into Mementos, driving down into the depths until they found Jose and his car.
"Oh, hello Mister!" Jose greeted.
"Jose, your star can grant wishes, right?" Joker asked. "We have a friend who's fated to be consumed by the Reaper. Do you think we could use the star to change his fate?"
"Are you talking about Mr. Biker? He comes by and gives me flowers sometimes," Jose said. "I don't know if that star could change his fate, though."
"Then this really is a pointless endeavor," Crow shook his head.
"Shut up, Crow," Oracle growled.
"Is there anything we could do, Jose?" Omen begged. "I don't want to lose him like this…"
The boy hummed before going to back to his car. "Mr. Biker would sometimes share his poetry with me. He's really good at that kind of stuff. There was one poem he read me… Ah, here it is!" Jose pulled out a sheet of paper. "Ahem, it reads: The Reaper is the ultimate end, the apex predator in the world of Shadows. Once a beast of carnage, now split into the Self and the Shadow. Chains by the two in a never-ending cycle, for one cannot survive without the other. Only the power of the ones above and the ones below joining in union can soothe the savage beast."
"Ah, a free verse poem. I prefer haiku myself," Fox said.
"It almost sounds like a prophecy," Omen hummed. "A union of above and below… Could that refer to the powers of Heaven and Hell?"
"An angel and a demon working together," Joker guessed. "Maybe the star can't help us cure the madness of the Reaper, but maybe a new Showtime attack could break his seemingly invincible barrier?"
Templar and Lycan shared a look before stepping forward. "Give us the star, Joker. I think we could help with this," Templar said.
"You need a union of Heaven and Hell? Well you got one here," Lycan said as they both put a hand on the star, the object glowing as its power flowed through them.
"Oh, congratulations on being together!" Noir cheered.
"I was wondering when Templar would confess his feelings for Lycan," Panther giggled.
"You guys knew!?" Templar and Lycan shouted, blushing up a storm.
"It was fairly obvious," Joker shrugged.
"Even I noticed it," Fox said.
"You know it's obvious whenever Inari notices it," Oracle laughed.
"Well this just got awkward…" Lycan groaned.
Omen smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm happy that you and Templar found something special to share, Lycan. And with your union, you can help me save the one I love as well."
"Heh, I guess we're both playing for the other side with this forbidden romance, huh?" Lycan chuckled. "Okay then, let's go kick the Reaper's ass and get Shin back!"
"I can sense that the Reaper is close… Give the word and we'll go after it, Joker," Mona said.
"Phantom Thieves, let's roll," Joker ordered, the gang hopping into the Mona Bus and driving off.
"Before you go: Good job!" Jose called, honking the horn on his car.
[***]
Location: Mementos
Shin stood in front of the Reaper, the Shadow's chains rattling as it breathed heavy breathes. "Well, I'm here now. You know what comes next," Shin said. He took off his helmet and started down the Shadow. "If you're going to finally consume me, then do it!" The Reaper didn't say anything, only raising one of its guns and placing the barrel to Shin's forehead. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable to happen…
"Nephthys!" Omen shouted, summoning her Persona to cast a Gravity spell on the Reaper, making its arm drop the floor and miss the shot.
"Octavia!?" Shin exclaimed, whipping around to stare at the Phantom Thieves in shock. "What are you doing!? You can't defeat the Reaper!"
"We can't let you sacrifice yourself, dude!" Skull shouted.
"It would go against our code if we let someone bow down to an oppressive authority like this," Fox said.
"What's more oppressive than fate itself?" Mona added.
"We have a plan to stop the Reaper and pacify it so you don't have to be consumed by its rage," Templar said.
"You've got to trust in us. You don't have to be a lone wolf," Lycan said. "I know what it's like and it freaking sucks, man."
"Put your trust in us, and we'll give you your miracle," Joker said.
"Shin… you don't have to be alone anymore," Omen said gently, holding out her hand to him.
Shin looked at the Phantom Thieves. "You guys…" Suddenly the Reaper put up his guns again, but in a flash they were deflected by Shin, the angel now holding a scythe in his grip. "You're right… I've been running my whole existence from this monster, and now I'm suddenly going to turn around and give up? Why should I be "fated" to die when I have every right to live as much as you do, huh!?"
"That's the spirit! Show the Reaper who's boss!" Mona cheered.
"Shin, we've got a plan to soothe the Reaper, but we need to make sure we have an opening to use that miracle to break through," Templar said.
Shin chuckled. "I'm guessing Jose read you that poem I wrote. Sweet kid. I'll help you all out here." The Reaper roared, but Shin just smirked and hefted his scythe up on his shoulder. "You here that, Reaper!? We're gonna break the curse that binds us together so we can both be free!"
"Then let your true self run wild," a voice in Shin's head said as blue flames started to burn around his body. "For too long have you locked yourself away in your castle of solitude. Open up the gates of your heart and let love back inside. The roses are in bloom, and your time will soon expire."
"Is he… summoning a Persona!?" Mona gasped.
"Looks like we have a new Will of Rebellion awakening," Joker smirked.
Shin let out a feral yell as the blue flames consumed his entire body, transforming his biker attire into something new. His new outfit looked similar to that of the Reaper, being a large black cloak similar to plague doctors, but with red accents on the collar and cuffs, black gloves, and a pair of angel wings etched onto the back of the cloak similar to his biker attire. His mask appeared over his face, being a blood-red blindfold, which he quickly ripped off while calling on his Persona. "La Bête!"
The Persona, La Bête, appeared behind him, taking on the form of a beast with massive claws, a snake-like tail, and a boar-like head with long ox horns and tusks, all dressed in a rose-colored French aristocrat suit. "I am thou, thou art I… Thou wishes to reverse the curst put upon you, but only with the help of others will you achieve that goal," La Bête said.
"Then let's do just that," Shin nodded.
Omen smiled, taking a stand next to him as she leveled her staff at the Reaper. "Phantom Thieves, now is our time to strike!"
"I'll give you the intel!" Oracle called, scanning the Reaper as everyone got into battle-ready positions. "This guy doesn't have a weakness, and his powers are off the charts! Stay on your guard, everyone!"
"Remember, we don't need to defeat the Reaper, just weaken it enough for Lycan and Templar to use their Showtime against it," Queen reminded the team.
"If we can down him three times, it should give you an opening on the fourth down to use that miracle of yours," Shin said. "Now then, let me show you what I can do. La Bête!" His Persona came out and roared, rearing up a clawed hand and slashing at the air. This sent out a blast of intense magic, starting as a small ball of magic that exploded into shockwaves upon hitting the Reaper.
"Whoa! What kind of magic is that!?" Mona explained.
"That is a manifestation of pure energy. I call it the Blast element," Shin explained. "Instead of exploding energy like Nuclear skills, it forces energy through the target like soundwaves."
The Reaper roared as it was attacked, aiming its guns outwards and using a Riot Gun attack. The team guarded against the hail of bullets, with Mona dropping a healing spell to keep them all healthy for the battle ahead. This was to be one of their toughest encounters yet, as the Reaper pulled out skills of all elemental types, as well as the strongest physical and gun attacks. The Phantom Thieves stood ready, though, with Joker having enough items to restore SP and Templar and Mona dedicating all they could to keeping the party healthy.
"Damn beast, stay down!" Crow growled, pulling out his blaster and unloading the clip on the Reaper.
"Eat lead, sucker!" Lycan shouted, doing the same with her flintlock.
"That gives me an idea…" Joker hummed. He dashed around the Reaper as the rest of the team kept up the bullet assault, using his Third Eye to inspect the monster. "Gotcha!" he shouted, pulling out his pistol and using his Down Shot skill to incapacitate the Reaper.
"He's down! Let's do this!" Mona shouted, the gang going for an All-Out Attack.
"That's one down, two more to go!" Oracle cheered.
The Reaper roared, aiming his weapon at Joker and going for a Vorpal Blade. "Joker!" Noir called, quickly casting a magic barrier with Milady that protected him from the physical strike, sending the damage right back at the Shadow.
"Good save, Noir!" Templar complimented. "Puck, use Aquadyne!" The trickster Persona appeared and called down a waterfall rain down on the Reaper.
"We'll get in on this too!" Panther called as she, Skull, and Fox all used Agidyne, Ziodyne, and Bufudyne respectively to attack.
"And I'll let Zorro show his might!" Mona shouted, letting his Persona use Garudyne to finish the magical assault.
"I think… Yes, let's turn the tables!" Oracle shouted. With a press of a button she called on Necronomicon to send out its tendrils, grabbing the Reaper by surprise and crushing him, downing the Shadow once more. "You all know what to do! Time for some bloodshed!"
The Phantom Thieves launched their second All-Out Attack, leaving the Reaper thoroughly pissed as it aimed a gun at Oracle. "Hey, don't target her, you asshole!" Lycan growled, rushing forward and using her chain-sickle to wrap around and pull down the Shadow's gun.
"Fists of Justice!" Queen shouted, jumping off of Johanna and delivering a flurry of punches to the Reaper's face.
"Take this!" Haru called, spinning around with her axe in such a fashion that she was almost like a tornado, using the momentum to deliver a heavy slam on the Shadow.
"I'll finish this!" Crow called. "Robin Hood!" His Persona appeared and cast a double dose of Bless and Curse skills, leaving an opening for Omen to jump in, her eyes glowing brightly behind her mask as she held her staff high.
"Black Hole!" she shouted, slamming her staff into the ground as she summoned a large gravity well that forced the Reaper to the ground. "I'm holding it in place, so break through its guard one last time, everyone!"
"Impressive… You amaze me even now, Octavia," Shin said. The gang all jumped in for one last All-Out Attack, this one powerful enough to break off the Shadow's mask, revealing a crazed and bloodshot eye underneath.
"That was the last of its defenses… Lycan, Templar, now's your moment!" Oracle called.
The hellhound and cherub nodded, holding hands and posing before jumping up high, the power of the star altering the world around them as it activated. The two were now in a vast field of grey, the two on either side of the Reaper. "Your time is up!" Lycan shouted, rushing forward with great speed and punching the ground, summoning a pillar of hellflame to blast the Shadow into the sky.
"Face our divine punishment!" Templar exclaimed, raising his arms skyward as a massive lightning bolt struck down onto the Reaper, sending it to the ground again. Before the Shadow could land, Templar and Lycan rushed it, coming at it from both sides and delivering a flying kick, bouncing off the Reaper and flipping above it.
"The battle is ours to win!" the shouted together, screaming loudly as they both raised a fist, delivering a double punch the Reaper's face, smashing it to the ground so hard that it caused the land to explode as it made a crater. Lycan landed in a three-point pose before standing up and blowing hair out of her face, causally holding out her hands as she caught Templar in them.
"D-Did we do well?" Templar asked.
"It was perfect, Lambchop," Lycan replied, giving him a kiss on the forehead as he blushed, the world returning to normal afterwards.
"Is that it? Did we win?" Mona asked as the dust settled.
Shin stared at the Reaper, the Shadow not moving as the madness in its eyes seemed to dim. "I think… I think we actually did it…" he said. The angel held out his scythe, cleaving the Reaper in two before turning back to face the Phantom Thieves. He threw his arms out wide and gave a huge grin. "Your death was inevitable!" Shin cackled as the Reaper's body dissolved into light, the energy going into Shin as his Phantom Thief attire disappeared, being replaced by a traditional black cloak befitting of an Angel of Death.
"I've never seen an Angel of Death in-person before… it's amazing…" Templar whispered.
"Shin, is that still you?" Omen asked.
Shin smiled from behind his hood. "Yeah, I'm still here, Octavia. Having my power back after all this time… it feels good." His smile faded as he looked to the ground. "But I'm afraid this is still goodbye."
"What!? After we took down the freaking Reaper you're still just going to leave!?" Skull exclaimed.
"I have been absent from Heaven for… a very long time now. I need to return and speak to the head of the Angels of Death and explain where I've been all this time. They're going to notice that my aura has returned to the world, so it's better that I return to Heaven and talk to them before they come down here and find you guys," Shin explained. "I don't know if or when I'll return, but I thank you once again, Phantom Thieves, for helping me become my true self once more."
"You have to promise to come back to me!" Omen suddenly shouted. "Shin I… I…!"
"I know, Octavia. I feel the same way," Shin whispered, taking her hand and gently kissing it. "I'll do everything I can to come and see you again, princess. Hell, I might even take it to the Big Man Himself if I need to. But I know you'll be okay when I get back because you have a great group of friends to protect you. And Ren?" Joker looked at the Reaper in surprise. "You better put my training to good use, got it?"
Joker smirked and gave a simple thumbs up. Shin nodded before a brilliant pair of black angel wings appeared on his back, wrapping around his body before shooting up and out of Mementos. Everyone was left stunned at the display, as well as feeling very exhausted after the intensity of the Reaper battle.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to take a good long rest after what we just endured," Crow sighed.
"For once we agree on something, Crow," Oracle yawned. "Mona, take us home, please."
"One bus ride coming up!" the not-cat saluted.
"Hey Via? Are you going to be okay?" Lycan asked.
Omen looked up at where Shin had left, tears flowing down her face as she smiled faintly. "I'll manage. He made a promise to me, and I take my promises seriously. He said he'd do anything to get back to us, and I'd do the same for him. We will see each other again, Shin. This I swear!"
New Compendium Entry
Name: La Bête
Arcana: Void
Background: A prince cursed by an evil fairy to become a hideous beast. Only by finding true love would his curse be broken.
Initial Moves:
- Zan Spells (Blast-based magic. Hits technical damage on all status effects)
- Fatal End (Slash physical damage)
Author's Note
We're at the Sae arc of Persona 5, which is probably my favorite Palace in the entire game. The theming, the music!? I love it all. Since Akechi is more genuinely working with the Phantom Thieves this time, I gave an alternate explanation for Robin Hood and his PT attire: he always had those but evolved them into Loki and Black Mask, but due to the entity stopping him of his powers, Akechi has reverted back to Robin Hood. It also lets me have Loona roast him over his tengu mask, so that's fun.
If you're surprised about Akechi still wanting the group to disband, I needed him to still have something to get out of the deal/blackmailing that the PTs have on him. So in return for telling them about their next target after Shido and taking him down, Akechi is willing to turn himself in on the condition that the group disbands. It's a much more fair deal this time around than in actual P5 at least. Akechi also explains how his laser weapons work the group, which is just some fun worldbuilding that the game implies but doesn't outright tell the player.
Oh and we start the final Confidant I'll be covering in this story, which is Haru's! The girl needs her screen time, and since I've been pairing her up with Collin throughout the story it's only fitting that it's his last Confidant assist as well. Let's see our Noir blossom as a person alongside our favorite Cherub!
Finally, we get the big reveal at the end: Shin is Tensei from the Metaverse and he's actually an aspect of the Reaper, being a former Angel of Death that became corrupted by the Collective Unconscious. He tries to say his goodbyes to Octavia, but she's not going to give up on the guy she fell in love with, and neither are the other other Thieves going to stand around doing nothing. With some assistance from Jose the team found a way to break through to the Reaper with power of an angel and demon's union, in this case being Loona and Collin's Showtime attack, "When Angel Met Hellhound."
Shin is able to reclaim his powers as an Angel of Death and even awakens to his own Persona, La Bête. If you didn't notice before Shin is supposed to be a parallel to Kasumi, right down to having a fairy tale character for a Persona instead of a trickster/outlaw. La Bête is the French name for the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast", with his design being based more on traditional depictions of the character rather than the Disney one (with a bit of Behemoth from Final Fantasy thrown in as well). His Phantom Thief outfit is a mix of both the Reaper's outfit and his usual biker look, with the blindfold mask showing off his power that he doesn't even need to see to fight. He uses the "Blast" element of magic, which is the final unique magic from Persona 2. It's skills, the "Zan" line, are normally equivalent to the Wind/Force skills in mainline SMT, but I wanted to use them as a more shockwave/ pulse rifle type of magic instead.
Shin still has to return and report back to Heaven after being gone for so long, but he promises to see Octavia again. With the love the two have that's budding inside them, I'm sure he'll return right when she needs him the most...