Chapter 52: Holy Rock Salt

Ω • Ω • Ω

6/28, Tuesday

DEADLINE: July 9th

DAYS UNTIL PICS LEAKED: 11

Steal Kaneshiro's heart.

•Ryuji•

"Howdy, Ryu." He perked up when Akira appeared behind him as he walked down the stairs, his buddy clapping him on the shoulder. "Are you free to hang out? We could hit the arcade, or do you want to do something more about the track team…?"

He grinned at Akira, grateful that he was so worried about the team, even if he'd never been part of it. "Nah, 's alright, Aki. Actually, uh… I was gonna check if Haru was here today. I mean, the whole reason I could come yesterday, to, uh, the bank, was 'cause she was sick, yeah? Figured I should check if she's good and needs my help with the gardening today. Y'know. So that the teachers don't get on my case about not doin' the extra credit shit…"

"Oh?" Akira got a real shit-eatin' smile on his face that had him narrowing his eyes at his silver-eyed friend.

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well then." Akira clapped him on the shoulder again. "Guess I'll leave and text Yusuke or someone. Have fun with your gi—" Akira cleared his throat when he narrowed his eyes at him. "With your senpai, yeah?"

"If she's even here today," he grumbled at his friend's words.

"If she isn't I'm sure you could convince her teacher to send you to her home with the work she's missing out on. Wouldn't that be lovely? A visit from her precious kouhai who's oh-so-worried for her health."

"Eff off, man."

"Oh, how she'll swoon at the sight of—"

"I thought you were leavin'?!" Akira laughed again and walked away, leaving him to groan and slink toward Haru's classroom. At least, what he thought was her classroom. He was pretty sure it was 1A…? A bunch of upperclassmen were hanging around, and he awkwardly stepped around them to peer inside the room. Even if she was feeling better and did come to school that day, she might have already left…

"Sakamoto-kun!" Haru had apparently spotted him first as she appeared by his side, causing him to jump slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, uh… Well, you were out yesterday, so… I was wondering if you needed me to help with gardening today? If you still weren't feelin' one hundred percent… For, y'know, the extra credit… assignment…" He mumbled, slowly shrinking into his clothes as he looked away.

"Oh my, really, Sakamoto-kun?" Haru looked happy, clapping her hands together once as she beamed at him, causing his face to flush red. "That's so nice of you! I'm glad I'm the one that you're helping for your assignment!"

"'S not to help you specifically, just want to… Y'know, I need the extra credit, so it's better to not miss out or whatever…"

She just giggled. "Very well, thank you all the same. Come, let's head to the roof to do some gardening!"

"Right!" Haru was practically glowing as she led him to the roof and unlocked the door, and he grinned as she started teaching him about a new plant as they began watering them. She'd been teaching him things about plants every Monday. Wasn't exactly as interesting as pirate stuff, and he, uh… wasn't retaining most of it, but she looked real excited, so what was the harm? He was basically doing her a favor.

He couldn't hear Captain Kidd like Akira could apparently hear his Personas, but he thought he heard the Captain chuckle and give him an illusory but enthusiastic pat on the back. And also say something about a quest for booty.

He had to hold back a snicker. Wow. Maybe he really was kinda immature…

•Akira•

With Ryuji deciding to help out his senpai with her gardening that day, totally for the extra credit assignment and definitely not because Ryuji obviously thought she was cute and it might be an in for him, his afternoon was now completely open. Thankfully Yusuke answered his texts rather quickly, the artist having some free time too.

After some back and forth about their opened timetables, Yusuke wanted to use that free time to do some sketching with him, which is how he found himself at Inokashira Park, sitting in a rowboat with the artist. As Yusuke sat there, surveying the calm lake around them the sun serenely shone, Heh, on them and he handled the rowing.

Around the middle of the lake, he let go of the oars and rolled his shoulders, letting the boat slowly drift. Yusuke flipped a page in his sketchbook and smiled, looking around the lake. "Thank you for your assistance today. After all, it would be impossible to sketch while rowing."

"Of course. Knowing you, you'd have tried to do so anyway, and I'm not having you drowning on my conscious," he chuckled.

"I wouldn't go that far…"

He just grinned, before looking around the lake. "Still, taking a boat out onto the lake… I should take a girl here."

"A girl…? Does that mean you have a girlfriend?! You should have mentioned so sooner! I have missed the opportunity for a truly wonderful subject…" Yusuke sighed in disappointment, a look of sorrow crossing his face.

"No, but when I do have one I can bring her here… forget it." He knew Yusuke well enough by now that he wouldn't be dissuading him.

After a moment of mourning for the missed opportunity, Yusuke once more put pencil to paper. "That aside, I must thank you for your help today. This is the ideal location for my next motif."

"Look at all the ducks! They're sooo cute!"

Another pair of people were drifting by in a boat of their own, a man with light brown hair, and a woman with reddish-brown hair. He smiled at the sight of them enjoying the lake, the man chuckling at what he assumed was his girlfriend. "Don't get so excited. You'll fall off, you know."

"Perfect… This is it." He looked at Yusuke, and his friend elaborated. "My previous painting captured only one aspect of the heart: desire. As such, I was unable to arrive at a truly authentic representation… That is why we have come today. I shall paint a second aspect… The burning passion between a man and a woman! Fittingly, our theme today will be… The wonders of love!"

"Uh, I think you should ask their consent before you start sketching them…"

"You too will have an important role here," Yusuke plowed ahead, "While I draw, ensure the boat remains as steady as possible amongst these devilish ripples.

"Yusuke—"

"Ah, this angle… Incredible!" Yusuke was murmuring to himself like a maniac, an ecstatic gleam in his eyes. "That bashful side profile, those moist eyes… Their overflowing passion is wholly evident!"

He looked over at the couple. They were chatting amicably. He was seeing none of the… passion that Yusuke could. Perhaps it is Yusuke's ability as an artist shining through, Arsène chuckled.

'That, or the ability to see Personas also lets him see emotions that just aren't there,' he responded in amusement. 'Hm. Although… those two have some similar facial features, don't they?'

Uh-oh, Tangoo snickered.

"They are akin to Adam and Eve," Yusuke continued to wax poetically. "Yet in time, all lovers must come to know the pain of separation… Separation is the natural end to any such relationship… But even beyond that, love endures. Precisely… This is the truth of the human heart! It will make the most wonderful painting!"

"Uh-huh…" Now he was just wondering how those two weren't reacting to the madman laughing to himself in the boat next to them.

"It shall be adored by all who gaze upon it! It may even be given top prize in the next exhibition!" He gasped. "Wait, now is not the time to be thinking of such trivial matters!" Yusuke placed his pad and pencil into his lap and began to glare at his two subjects. "Can you please remain still?!"

The woman looked over in shock. "What?!"

"Return to your prior angle! I must capture your profile!"

"W-What the hell're you doing?!"

Yusuke dramatically swiped through the air with his pencil in response to the angry man's question. "Rejoice, for I shall preserve your beautiful love so that all coming generations may bask in its glory. Once I complete this painting, you will become new legends in the art world… A modern Adam and Eve!"

M-Myaster, should we cut in?

'No way, this is hilarious.'

"L-Legends? Art?"

"This dude's off his rocker… Come on, let's report him." He then realized just what Yusuke was saying, or finally saw the art pad. "Hold on a sec… Are you drawing us?!"

"What?! You're using us as models?!"

Yusuke shut his eyes, smiling contentedly. "A man and a woman intimately swaying in a dinghy of dreams… The blush of their cheeks, the bashful looks… Yes, this is the love I was so emphatically searching for!"

That got the two to pause. "Love…?"

The girl laughed awkwardly. "Uh, I guess you could call it that… But it's kinda weird…"

The man sighed and looked at Yusuke. "It's familial love. This here's my sister." He then blushed and groaned. "Ugh… I told you I didn't wanna come here with you. The only ones who do this crap are stupid couples."

"But I've always dreamed of coming to Tokyo and riding a boat here! Though it was supposed to be with my boyfriend… not my brother!"

Wouldn't riding a boat anywhere else be better than riding one in the middle of a metropolitan park? Leanan Sidhe asked with a sigh.

"So that overflowing passion was just a figment of my imagination?"

"Most likely," he answered. "I mean, I thought I saw some similar facial features. You know, the shape of the nose, eye colors…"

"I assumed that was simply two people wishing to date someone else who could be aesthetically symmetrical… It seems my bias has caused me to overlook the truth of the matter."

"It's like he said, love comes in all forms. Familial love is just as important and potent as Eros, or Philia."

"The Greek forms of love… Yes, I suppose it is as they say, love is a broad, multi-faceted beast… This only serves to prove how narrow my perspective can be… Hm, romantic and familial love… The two may be nigh indiscernible depending on one's point of view." A wry smile crossed Yusuke's face. "Perhaps… The truth of the heart lies in the eye of the beholder. Akira, I feel as though I've learned something today!"

He felt Yusuke's quiet motivation and heard the sound of crashing chains.

RANK UP!

Emperor Arcana, Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 4

"Wait, so only couples ride these things, right? That means those two…"

Yusuke looked confused at the woman's question, and her brother quickly shushed her. "There are people from all walks of life here in the city."

"Oooh, tell me more…"

Heheheh.

"Oh, shut up," he muttered at the various Personas snickering in his head.

"What are you talking about? Ah well… Come, it is about time we return home. Please, row us back to shore, Akira. Wait! No! Stay just like that! I have been struck by inspiration…"

He could only groan.

Ω • Ω • Ω

"Akira, thank you for all your help today. I've certainly come to realize my lack of experience. It would seem I understand nothing of love after all. Though I've progressed by one step, there is no doubt I will face many difficulties moving forward. When will I fully understand the heart? Even if I ever do understand it, will I truly be able to draw it?"

"You shouldn't get discouraged. It's incredibly rare that something is ever accomplished on the first try."

"You're right. I've no intention whatsoever of giving up. I will do everything in my power to get past this. Anyhow, today was a significant use of time. Impressive oarsmanship from your end, as well. I hope I can count on your help next time as well. For now, farewell."

Well, looks like he'd be practicing his rowing again soon. He snorted and walked up to the attic, collecting one hundred thousand yen. "So we're going to be buying that holy stone?" Morgana asked.

"Yeah. It still feels like a scam, but she does apparently have some powers. Hopefully, this won't be a complete waste of money…" He breathed in and held it, before rushing downstairs and out of the café before he could realize how bad of an idea this was. He jumped onto a train towards Shinjuku, and when he arrived the sun had well and truly set.

Akira walked to where the fortune teller had set up her stall the last time he'd seen her and found her waving away a customer after finishing a session with them. He sighed one last time, before sitting down across from Chihaya. "Hello again, Chihaya-san."

"Oh!" She looked surprised but then smiled genuinely when she recognized him. "Starr-san! Good evening, it's nice to see you again."

He bit the inside of his cheek and forced himself to continue. "Thank you, and same to you. I'm… here to purchase a holy stone."

Chihaya practically began glowing, clapping her hands together and closing her eyes as she smiled. "You want to purchase a Holy Stone, huh? That's great! Just think, for one hundred thousand yen, you're going to change your fate!"

"Ahaha… ha…"

"For that much, it'd better not only change your fate but also give you incredible luck," Morgana commented.

Not being able to understand him, Chihaya just giggled at the sight of Morgana popping out of his bag and placing his front paws on his shoulder. He just nodded at his companion's words, all while pulling out the wad of bills and handing them over.

"Thank you very much! Now then, the Holy Stone! Up you go!" She reached down beneath the table and grabbed something hidden by the tablecloth, picking it up and placing it on the table. He blinked slowly, opening his mouth to say… something, before closing it again. Even Arsène was so stunned that he broke character.

…What the fuck is that?

It looked like some kind of children's toy or doll. A round, bulbous creature with two small feet, a fat nose with whiskers, two bead-like eyes, and a tuft of hair atop its body. It also looked exceptionally squishy. It was also wearing a cartoonish version of Chihaya's outfit, and atop its head was the little box that had held the holy stone the last time he'd been here.

"βơ⟟ηg! ꔠ⟟-ꔠơ!"

"This is my assistant, Mr. Saturn!"

I… feel an inexplicable sssenssse of rage when I look at thisss thing.

"ᨓ⋲ ᨓr. یƌ⍭⊔rη! βơ⟟ηg!"

…It had to have been some kind of malfunctioning toy robot you'd buy for a kid, that was the only explanation for its weird tone of voice. A broken speaker. Definitely. "Rrrright… Well, if we're introducing our animal sidekicks, this is my cat, Meowilyn Monroe." Morgana hissed and scratched him, whether for calling him a cat or the terrible pun, he wasn't sure.

To be fair, it was probably both.

As he was leaning away from his angry not-cat and side-eyeing the Mr. Saturn doll… robot… thing, Chihaya took the box holding the holy stone off its head and gently handed it over. "Here you are! It's the smart thing to do, really, considering this is the only way to avoid misfortune. It's already charged with a happiness aura, so you'll feel the effects right away. Don't forget to recharge it with moonlight every three days."

"I'll be sure to remember."

"Please stop by again and let me know how your fate changed," she smiled. "Have a good night!"

He stood up, glanced at the… Mr. Saturn again then walked away. Morgana glanced over their shoulders back at the doll, a very perplexed look on his face. Which looked… very humorous considering the whole not-a-cat situation. "What the hell was that thing?"

"Same thought was going through my head, Morgana…" He hopped onto a train back to Yongen, still stunlocked by the robot-plushie, and when he walked into the café, Sakura was surprisingly still there.

"Oh, you're home. I was just about to close up shop, but I forgot to turn the stove off. I guess you start forgetting things more the older you get…"

"You? Old? You don't look a day over thirty." He smirked as Sakura scoffed, walking into the kitchen to turn off the appliances.

"You know, last time we saw Chihaya something good happened," Morgana spoke up. "I wonder what kind of luck we'll have this time around. It should be awesome, right? I mean, we paid a hundred thousand yen for this Holy— Ow! What the heck?! Hey, can't you keep this bag a little cleaner?"

"I clean my bag every day," he responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh please! I can't be comfortable with all this gravel at the bottom of the… Uh, I have a bad feeling about this." Morgana suddenly dove into his bag, causing it to bounce around his shoulder.

"Hey, do you mind looking over the shop while I—"

Morgana interrupted Sakura's question, suddenly yowling from inside the bag. "Th-The stone shattered!"

He wanted to react to that, but considering Sakura could only hear meowing, the man would probably react oddly to him suddenly panicking and asking his cat what he meant by 'the stone shattered'. Apparently, some emotion had crossed his face, as the café owner raised an eyebrow at him. "Something wrong?"

"Hey, this tastes… salty? The holy stone was just salt!"

"Starr?"

"It's nothing, I just remembered something that made me a bit… salty," he ground out.

"Sal…ty? Is this that modern lingo that Fu… kids use?" Sakura shook his head. "Ah, that reminds me, I was just about to head out and grab some salt for the shop. I'll be back in a bit."

He sat down as Sakura left Leblanc, burying his head in his hands. "One hundred thousand yen, down the goddamn drain…"

Morgana finally jumped out of his bag, licking his muzzle. "Hm… I think this is technically rock salt. I've seen the chief grounding some up before. Wait, in that case… Maybe the Holy Stone is supposed to help you get better at cooking!"

"No… I think Chihaya just tricked us," he growled.

"What?! You're saying she scammed us out of a hundred thousand yen?! We could have bought loads of fatty tuna with all that money!" He stared at Morgana, and the not-cat cleared his throat. "So, that Holy Stone really was just a Phoney Stone in the end… That Chihaya clearly has some kind of mystical power, but this is just unacceptable. We've got to get our money back!"

Hang her upside down at the docks and demand your money back! Oni roared.

Disembowel her! Nekomata cheered.

…Kindly ask for your money back? Nigi Mitama suggested.

NO!

Ω • Ω • Ω

6/29, Wednesday

DEADLINE: July 9th

DAYS UNTIL PICS LEAKED: 10

Steal Kaneshiro's heart.

It was a cloudy Wednesday, so with nothing else to do and everyone busy, he went to one of his part-time jobs, angrily counting down the hours until his shift was up and he could go to Shinjuku. However, he did try his best to not let it show on his face.

As the sun set he made his way into Shinjuku, marching his way through the streets with his features set into a glare that kept away any hawkers trying to get him to stop by their clubs or stores. When he approached the fortune teller's stand he found her talking with another customer, who hopefully had not been scammed with a holy stone yet. "How are you feeling?"

When the woman answered, he frowned as he noticed the bruise on her cheek. "I-I'm fine. It's my fault anyway, Yuya said so… He says he doesn't want to hit me, but I just make him so mad…"

"I suggest you break up with him," Chihaya immediately advised, surprising him slightly. But then again, she seemed like a genuinely nice person… Ignoring the massive holy stone scam. "Things are only going to get worse at this rate."

"B-But I'm the only person who cares about him! If I leave, how will he survive? Please, is there any other way?!"

Chihaya was silent a moment, closing her eyes, before looking down at her cards. "...Let us ask the tarot. O divine power, shed light upon her fate…" She flipped the cards and Akira was unaffected this time as the world bloomed and then clicked into place. "Yes, I've seen everything. Hm… I can sense a dark presence within your boyfriend. His heart seems to be possessed by a demon. This demon may hide itself away at times, but when it strikes, it will bring with it great misery."

"W-What kind of misery?"

"You will be hospitalized for severe injuries suffered in a domestic abuse incident, and he will be arrested."

"What? Hospitalized? Arrested!?" The woman looked like she was about to cry, her face falling into her hands. "I knew I shouldn't have let Yuya throw my Holy Stone away! He said I shouldn't be wasting my money on some dumb rock… That I should be giving it to him instead. This is my punishment for letting him do that, right? Please, let me buy another one from you!"

Chihaya looked very taken aback. "W-What? You want another?"

"My next stone will need to be even bigger. I'm a little low on cash at the moment… But you said I can pay in up to thirty-six installments, right?"

"Um, truthfully, I feel breaking up with him would be the best—"

"I can't abandon Yuya!"

"She really thinks her boyfriend will stop being abusive as long as she has a holy stone?" Morgana whispered. "There's no way that could be true… right?"

"No. It's just rock salt in the end. What would happen is she'd bring it back, he'd see it, and probably become so enraged that the future she saw, of her hospitalized and him under arrest for domestic abuse would come true. By buying it, she makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy. The holy stone is just an expensive sham."

"Wow… Yeah, if only it could be that easy. It would make our jobs a lot easier if you could change someone's heart with just a holy stone. It's clear she's got fortune-telling skills and some power, but that stone isn't doing anything… Hey, Akira! Why don't we change that 'Yuya' guy's heart ourselves? He's hurting this woman here, right? This is the perfect chance for the Phantom Thieves to save her!"

"That's why you're my second in command, Mona. You took the words right out of my mouth," he smirked.

"S-Starr-san?!" Chihaya apparently noticed him, amusing him since he'd been standing in the open right next to them for quite some time. "Were you eavesdropping on us? That's an invasion of privacy, you know!"

"You really won't break up with your boyfriend?" He asked, ignoring Chihaya completely. "That'd be the best solution in the end."

"Um…" She looked nervous as he pushed his way into the conversation, but shook her head. "I can't."

"Well, then I've got another way to save you, and Yuya as well."

"No you don't!" Chihaya stood up and glared at him. He just chuckled at her, finding her angry expression more cute than scary. "You see, some fates in this world are simply inescapable. The demon within her boyfriend's heart cannot be exorcised by normal methodologies. Fate is… absolute." She breathed in. "A-Although, I guess you might be able to control the demon's temper if you bought another holy stone…"

"Come now, Chihaya-san. Not even you believe that at this point. Well? Would you like to hear me out?"

"U-Um, I'm not entirely sure who you are, but… Do you know of any other way I can approach this problem?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle him. That is, if I could get his full name?"

"...It's Yuya Uchimura. But why do you want to know? What are you planning on doing?"

"Y-Yes! What do you expect to change with that meager information?"

"I'm a Trickster, you know." He turned to walk away and looked over his shoulder at her as his lips quirked into a grin. "I'm going to change Fate."

"What? You honestly believe you can do something?!"

"...I trust you."

"Excuse me?!" Chihaya was shocked by her response.

"It feels like he's telling the truth. Besides, Yuya has all my money. He's going to pay me back someday… But for now, I'd rather put my trust in this one boy than in thirty-six payments for a holy stone."

"What?!" He smiled as the woman bowed to them both and walked away, while Chihaya watched with a slack jaw. He looked forward again and began walking away, before the blonde ran in front of him, stomping the ground with her foot. "You! What do you think you're doing?!"

He tilted his head. "I'm pretty sure my awesome one-liner about changing fate described my plans… Morgana, I did say that out loud, yeah?" His not-cat just rolled his eyes in response.

"If you keep making false statements like that, the divine power will rain punishment down upon you!"

"Yeah? Tell the divine power 'bring it' for me, honey."

Oh, I see, you're not smitten with Ann, you're smitten with blondes.

'Oh shush.'

"Honey?!' Hmph… You look so pleased with yourself." She crossed her arms. "I've seen everything. A vision of you groveling on the ground."

"Is that so?" He leaned forward, lording his height over the older woman, and completely aware that the smug look on his face would make anyone want to punch him right now. "I suppose I'll have to prove that vision is wrong too."

Chihaya didn't back down at all, glaring him directly in the eyes. "Fate cannot be changed… and I will prove that fact to you! If that woman stays with her abusive boyfriend, she will meet with a horrible injury within a year's time! Now, if you honestly believe you can change her destiny, go ahead and try! But once you realize the error in your thinking, come back and let a true expert handle things. I will save her… With a Holy Stone!"

"Honey, you may be an excellent psychic, but you're terrible at fixing the problems people come to you with. Don't worry. You won't have to scam anyone else with those Holy Stones once I've saved her."

She puffed her cheeks out and was visibly trembling with anger before she stomped past him and sat back down at her booth. "Well then, get going! I'm way too busy for this!"

"Yeah, you've got such a long line waiting," he spoke with a raised eyebrow, looking at the non-existent crowd of people waiting. "Well, I'll be back once I've saved her to rub your cute nose into it. Have a good one, Honey! See you, Mr. Saturn!"

The little robot, doll… thing, popped its head out of Chihaya's booth. "Gơơɗβɣ⋲!"

"Don't pay him any attention, Mr. Saturn! He's a very rude boy!" He just laughed at Chihaya's rebuke, walking away from them and towards the station.

When they were a good distance away, Morgana popped out of his bag. "So, when will we deal with that?"

"We've got a little more than a week remaining to take down our current target, so let's focus on the mafia man for now. Once we're freed up? Ooh, we're going to be doing something about that trashy boyfriend. And I'm willing to bet the rest of our gang will happily take down scum like him," he spoke with a smirk.

Ω • Ω • Ω

•Anthony•

As always, he was working late. Sighing to himself, Anthony Andonuts rolled his shoulder to work out the kinks before refocusing on the holographic computer screen floating in front of him. Another day gone by with no progress made. Whoever it was that was taunting them through these websites about PSI and leaving little mockeries whenever he tried to track down their source was good. That, or they had a lot of money that they'd spent on cyberwarfare and security… Probably both.

An alert appeared in one of the lenses of his glasses, telling him that instead of just himself, there were now two people inside his office. He rolled his eyes as he continued typing, the haptic interface inside his thin gloves allowing him to interact with the non-solid hologram that was the glowing yellow keyboard. "Sapphire, please stop Teleporting in here to try and surprise me."

"What the hell kinda future tech do you even have in here?"

He groaned and looked over his shoulder at Sapphire, who was looking around the room wildly for whatever security camera or feature caught him. "It's only some weight sensing panels in the floor and heat sensors installed around the room. Of course, there are also some acoustic cameras that detect sound, the—"

"Dude, is this an office or a vault?!"

He scoffed and focused on the screen. "Considering I'm the owner of the largest company in the world, I'd say my office should be as secure as a vault, even if I'm the only one capable of accessing the most important files in here."

"I dunno, I guess knowing that someone broke in is good and all, but unless you've got guards that can teleport in here right away, it's kind of useless." He paused. "You… don't have teleportation tech, right?"

"I haven't managed to miniaturize the Phase Distorter's spatial teleportation yet, or made it work with living flesh, no."

"Oh, good. I can continue lording my ability to do so over your head, you pathetic normal human."

"I have a robotic exoskeleton I can suit up in," he absentmindedly threatened. "Besides, while the guards would be alerted and on their way, the security system has it's own method of dealing with intruders. It just didn't eliminate you because the AI in charge of it knows that you aren't a thief or a threat."

"You have an AI in charge of your— Alright, we're going off on a tangent!" Sapphire waved his hand through the air. "Listen, I've come by to ask if any progress was made. Y'know, that asshole who wrote that evil ass anime villain monologue as a response to you tracking their email."

He turned to Sapphire and raised an eyebrow. "A single line isn't a 'monologue'. 'Nice try, Genius of the Chosen Four' isn't even ten words!"

"Yes, but so much is packed into them! It's obviously a monologue in its own right." Sapphire laughed as he hopped up to sit on his desk, causing his eye to twitch. He only then noticed the six-pack of beers his old companion was holding. "You just don't have the right sense for these things."

"Right…" Knowing it was better to relinquish the argument with his stubborn friend, he quickly did so. "And why do you have a bunch of beers?"

"Eh, knowing you, I figured we could get shit-faced and then get some real sleep. You haven't been taking any time off, right?" Sapphire took one of the cans and pulled it off the pack, pushing the cold metal against the side of his head. He scowled and slapped Sapphire's hand away, the raven-haired man snickering as he did. "Honestly, neither have I. After, ah, activities with her, Willow goes to sleep and I've… well, been doing a bunch of different things instead of sleeping. Culling Wetnosaurs and Chomposaurs, training with Noct, practicing in Magicant, working out, meditating at Sanctuaries… No real rest there."

"I've been keeping my energy up."

"Yeah, but not by sleeping. You've been using your dad's… Uh, instant energy machine? Whatever it was called. You were using that to reenergize yourself and then get back to work immediately instead of sleeping, right?" He looked away from Sapphire. "Knew it."

"Yes, well, my work is important. Both for Andonut's Laboratories and tracking down the culprit behind the website, who I'm getting closer to. We agreed that whoever it is was a minion of Giygas after all. If they kept any alien technology who knows what they could do." He paused. "Thinking about it… Could it be Pokey?"

"No," Sapphire shot him down immediately, his face becoming serious. You didn't see it when I used Heart Bound and destroyed Giygas. Pokey was planning a tactical retreat, I could see it on his face. He might have been planning on doing something to us, or transporting to a time when we wouldn't be around to stop him, but… When he met my eyes, I think he knew what I was thinking. And… I hope… Nah. I know that he wasn't planning anything after that." Sapphire cracked the beer can and took a sip. "This ain't him."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair and shutting off the computer. "Well, if you're sure. That just means it's important we figure out just who this really is, then."

"That instant energy machine may give you energy, but you're the smart one here. You know that real sleep is better for you than that techno crap, yeah?"

"Hm."

Sapphire grinned, knowing he'd convinced him. "Great." The next thing he knew, the psychic had teleported them to Pink Cloud, sitting on the edge, feeling the soft yet somehow solid substance underneath them.

Rolling his eyes at the sudden transport, he tapped his glasses. "Ion, please lock down my office while I'm out." He got a confirmation from the AI through one of the lenses, then accepted one of the cans from Sapphire. "Honestly, I figured you'd get bored of doing that to people by now."

"Nah, that brief moment where someone's surprised by suddenly being somewhere else is still hilarious."

"Uh-huh. So, you wanted to get shit-faced off of only six cans? Make that three, splitting them evenly…"

"Well, I know you're a lightweight. But if these three ain't enough I'll drag you to a bar."

"Great. Loud music and obnoxious people all around us. Sounds lovely." Sapphire just laughed at his mutters, and they both began drinking as they looked out over the sea of clouds, Dalaam's altitude high enough that the world below simply wasn't visible on most days. And of course, the kingdom didn't have much electricity, nor many lights, so the Milky Way was visible above them. "So, how are you staying awake? I mean, if you're spending the time when you should be sleeping preparing for your vision, and you don't have my machine, I can't image you're of any use on the baseball field… Considering the time difference, won't you have a game in a few hours? How are you going to play while drunk?"

"Eh. PSI."

"Of course, it's always PSI with you. That crap is completely OP."

Sapphire shrugged. "Hey, if it works, it works. Push enough energy through your body and it's like giving yourself a shot of pure caffeine, sugar, cocaine, and electricity… except it's not destroying my body from the inside out because that jumpstart is from my mental energy and not a bunch of drugs," he chuckled.

"PSI really is bullshit."

"Hey, you're the one who made his own Titanium Man robot suit, don't come to me with that crap."

He turned to glare at Sapphire. "I'll complain all I want, even with that exoskeleton you damn psychics could just use a little bit of energy and crush it or freeze it or… whatever other random powers you have!"

"I could throw a black hole at it, see if it can withstand that," he commented nonchalantly.

He stared at him, downed the rest of the beer, then shoved Sapphire off the cloud and tossed the can down at him. Of course, a moment later Sapphire teleported back up while laughing, but it was the principal of the matter. "I'm putting all other projects on hold and upgrading that thing until I'm able to kick your ass in it," he grumbled.

"Told you that you were a lightweight."

He just snatched another can and started drinking. "Seen Akira lately?"

"No. Seven games a week. Even if I told him that you grabbed me with one of your aircraft, it'd mean that I skipped out on at least one game, and he'd realize that. And he's an observant kid, if I try and watch him from a rooftop or something to at least see how he's doing in the flesh, I'd bet fifty bucks that he'd somehow notice me," he spoke with a mixture of exasperation and a father's pride.

"This whole situation sucks… Ah. Why doesn't he come home to Onett over the summer?"

"Could he do that?"

He snorted at Sapphire's question. "Well, he's not supposed to, by the rules of his probation… But fuck them. We all know that trial was bull. As long as his guardian reports that he was still in Japan, we could sneak him onto one of my private airplanes so he wouldn't be seen at an airport and get him home, at least for a couple of weeks."

"Heh. Well, it won't be much help to me since I'd still need to go to games, but at least he'd be home with the rest of the family. And I'm sure they'd be able to catch a game or two… Hmm, we might have to try and make that work. Akira's probably the only one who'd be hard to convince with how much of a stickler for the rules he is."

"I really am a genius."

Sapphire gave him a side-eye, before looking at the side of the can he held. "What the hell is the alcohol content in these…? Eh, whatever. It'll be worth a try. Sakura is a chill dude, even if he tries to act cold. I'm sure he'd be fine with it."

"How did you even meet him the first time?"

"Remember that trip I took to Japan some years back?"

"Yeah, I remember you somehow getting separated from us and then disappearing for, what, a few days?" He laughed. "Only you, Sapph."

"Laugh it up. Anyway, I met him then. He helped me out, I paid him back, bada bing, bada boom. Now every time we visit the country I make sure to visit him, too. Makes the only cup of coffee that I can stand," he snickered.

"You're not exactly giving me details here."

"I was kidnapped and strapped to a torture device, where scientists—"

"You're terrible at lying." Sapphire smirked into the distance as he called him out. "As if you wouldn't pull some psychic power out of your ass and fight everyone off."

"I think you like my powers more than I do."

"You mistake hate for like." They continued to argue, laughing and drinking into the night, two friends enjoying a peaceful moment, while one hid a Shadow within.

While some important stuff was said in the Anthony section… I mostly wanted a quiet moment between two old friends. Also, realized I should probably be involving more advanced tech since, I mean, Earthbound already had some crazy future tech. So a couple decades after Earthbound of Andonuts making a full-on company, obviously there should be some advancements… Hell, technically Persona already has some pretty futuristic tech in it. Even disregarding Sophia and Emma, we had fully sentient robots back in Persona 3, which I'm pretty sure had hearts and souls of their own because of the Plumes of Dusk and all that.

I guess technically Sophia is more impressive because she's just pure programming that gained a heart of her own through her own means. Wanted to say more, but I'm realizing that people reading this may not have played P3 and I don't want to spoil shit if they end up playing P3 Reload in a couple weeks. Feel bad for Switch players that they won't get it, but P5/R eventually came to Switch, so maybe they'll get a port at a later date that's made specifically for the Switch's processing capabilities.

So, Ryuji helping Haru with no ulterior motives at all, none, definitely not, nope, some Yusuke Confidant, and more Chihaya. The Fortune teller was clearly the main part of the chapter. Managed to include some Earthbound shenanigans with the introduction of a Saturn wearing a Mr. Saturn version of her outfit, instead of just a reference like in the previous chapter where it's said that a Saturn is head of Research and Development, and I had fun writing Akira and the Personas' reactions.

Going to be a fun Mementos trip when that chapter comes around. Currently debating with myself whether to have them go back into the Palace next chapter because, on one hand, it would only make sense for them to hurry back with the time limit counting down, but on the other, the past chapter and a half was Palace shenanigans. I don't want to bore people with more dungeon crawling so soon.

Either way, let me know what you think of the chapter, or just leave a 'nice,' both are always great to read. See y'all next time!