Captain Blues: It's time…

Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Eighty-Eight

[Opening Scene: Metaverse – Okumura Residence
Theme of New Palace: To Another World from Persona 5]

"They've been gone for a long time," Lioness whispered to Panther as the two stood near the balcony doors while Makoto sat silently on the couch in the background.

"I agree," Panther murmured back. "Perhaps one of us should check on them?"

"And leave President alone? I don't think so," Lioness replied as she gazed at the girl. "Poor President. The guilt over everything must be eating her alive inside…"

Panther lowered her head, a brief look of guilt appearing on her face. "It's my fault she's like that. She went through so much traumatic stuff and I just…kept pushing…."

"You did," Lioness bluntly agreed while turning back to Panther, unaware of Makoto's head rising in the background. "She wasn't innocent when it came to needling you either but you tend to push things too far when your emotions get the better of you."

"Gee, thanks Lioness," Panther grumbled.

"We'll figure it out," Lioness softly told her as she turned her head to the balcony. "For now, we should stay here and—"

"What is that?!" Makoto exclaimed, causing both Panther and Lioness to jump in alarm.

Panther and Lioness turned to Makoto and shouted, "Don't do that!"

Makoto shrank and whimpered, "I'm sorry."

Panther winced as Lioness gingerly replied, "It's okay. You just startled us, that's all."

"I didn't mean to…" Makoto mumbled. "I was just taken by surprise by that floating in the air." To illustrate what she meant, Makoto pointed outside the balcony.

Panther and Lioness turned their heads and saw a UFO slowly coming toward the building. "Well…That explains where the money was going…." Panther muttered.

"But why is it coming toward us?" Lioness asked.

"No idea," Panther said. "I mean, who is to say that is coming toward us?"

The trio of girls watched as the UFO drew closer while lowering itself enough so the trio could see the top of it. It was then Makoto whispered, "Is that a bank on top of the UFO?"

Panther squinted her eyes and read, "Kaneshiro's Bank of Gluttony…" Panther's eyes then widened. "Wait, that must be Kaneshiro's palace!"

[Theme of Shock: Maze from Persona 5 Tactica]

"How could that be?" Lioness questioned. "We didn't enter any keywords or anything. And why would it trigger in Haru's apartment?"

Makoto narrowed her eyes in thought as life slowly returned to them. "Perhaps…" she started. "I remember seconds after my explosion, I heard Joker's phone chime out 'Beginning Navigation.' Perhaps something I said triggered it and brought us here."

"That makes sense," Panther said. "The same thing happened before we appeared at Madarame's palace with Mishima." Panther then crossed her arms. "If only our cellphones worked here so we could see the codewords we used."

"Regardless, we found his palace, but how can we reach it?" Lioness asked.

The three girls stood in silence for a moment before Makoto answered, "….I think I know how."

"Really?" Panther and Lioness asked in unison.

"Kaneshiro thinks he owns all of us by trying to blackmail us," Makoto said. "He's making us pay him money for something we didn't do. His palace is a bank. So what does that make us? His ATMs."

"A good theory," Panther sighed. "But how can that make his palace come to us?"

"This is Kaneshiro's heart," Makoto stated. "And if I remember the details of Ren's notebook correctly, He and Ryuji saw the cognitions of Shujin students in Kamoshida's palace. This means, that if Kaneshiro thinks of us as his ATMs, we must have a version of ourselves here in his heart as well that he sees as such. Meaning, those versions of us are the customers of his bank. Are you both with me so far?"

Both thieves nodded.

"Do you both know that you can use your card to get into banks after hours?" Makoto suddenly asked.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?" Panther asked.

Instead of answering, Makoto walked passed the two thieves and stepped out onto the balcony. In shock, Panther and Lioness watched as the UFO lowered itself closer to the city and in front of Haru's apartment balcony. Suddenly, a ramp folded out from the UFO and stopped just below the balcony railing.

"Bingo!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Whoa," Lioness breathed.

"How did you do that?" Panther asked with shock.

Makoto turned around and answered, "Since I have the same identity as my cognition self, which is seen as Kaneshiro's source of revenue, I used that thought the same way as using a card at my bank when it's closed."

"That makes sense," Lioness breathed. "You so smart, President."

Makoto bowed her head with a shameful expression. "If I was smart, I would have watched my words carefully and not put us in this situation to begin with…" Makoto murmured.

Lioness frowned.

"Well!" Panther hastily exclaimed. "Since we got our way in. Maybe we should go check it out? Get the lay of the land, so to speak."

"That would be a good idea," Lioness agreed.

"Then, I suppose we should go gather some information," Makoto said before she vaulted herself over the balcony's railing and onto the ramp of the UFO, where she then ran up the ramp.

"President! Wait!" Lioness exclaimed.

"So impulsive!" Panther shouted as she and Lioness hopped over the railing to chase after her.

[Scene Change: Metaverse – Bank of Gluttony (Courtyard)
[Theme of New Palace: To Another World from Persona 5]

Makoto made it to the top of the ramp and found herself in the courtyard of the massive bank. All around her, she noticed walking ATMs going through the gate in front of the bank and to its entrance. "My theory was correct then…" Makoto whispered to herself.

"President!" Lioness shouted from behind her.

Makoto turned around to see Panther and Lioness slowing to a stop. "You can't just do that," Lioness panted out with a frown on her face.

"Yeah!" Panther gasped out. "There could be Shadows around every corner!"

Makoto crossed her arms and informed them both, "While I haven't had the ability to use it, I know Aikido. I can take care of myself."

"Still, you've seen the Shadows in action, Makoto," Panther said, forgoing her codename. "You've seen us, with all of our powers, barely defeat them at times and even saw them defeat Pawn, Joker, and Fox! Your Aikido is practically useless against their powers."

Makoto placed a hand on her chest, visibly wounded by Panther's words. "Oh…" Makoto whispered as she looked away from them and at the ground. "I'm sorry…I forgot…"

Lioness shot a look at the apologetic Panther before she looked at Makoto and said, "What Panther meant to say was, you have to be more mindful. Being powerless in a palace is not an ideal situation for not only us but for you as we—"

"No, she was right," Makoto interrupted. "my Aikido is useless against those things. How stupid of me…For a moment, I forgot where I was…what….I was…"

Lioness sighed.

"But…man, is this place huge," Panther spoke, doing her best to cut through the awkward silence.

"I agree!" Lioness exclaimed, jumping on the change of subject. "I rarely gotta go to the bank so this is making me kind of nervous." Lioness then giggled. "But I have to say, being in a bank with these costumes is a bit much."

"Right?" Panther agreed with a wide, albeit fake, smile on her face. "Like, it's hella obvious that we're total robbers."

"Got that right," Lioness agreed.

"Well…" Makoto murmured. "I don't think we have to worry about that."

"What do you mean?" Lioness asked.

"We have to go in from the front, don't we?" Makoto asked. "I mean, I am an honorary customer after all. So I better act like one."

"Makoto—" Lioness started as Makoto turned away.

"I may be useless in a lot of ways but I will make myself useful in this one way," Makoto promised before she walked away at a brisk pace. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner they could find a way to stop him.

[Theme of Palace: Price from Persona 5]

"I guess we have no choice," Lioness said, more to herself than to Panther, before she turned to her best friend. "We should go after her. Hopefully, this won't end in us dying."

"Yeah…" Panther agreed before the two raced off after Makoto, who had just entered the building. However, once they entered the bank, they found Makoto standing in front of two security shadows.

"What business do you have here?" The shadow on the left asked.

"Oh boy," Panther moaned. "I had a feeling this would happen…."

"I apologize for the inconvenience," Makoto submissively began. "I am one of Kaneshiro's customers. I'd like to speak with the bank president regarding a certain matter."

"Tut," the shadow on the right tutted. "You got an appointment?"

"I don't but I need to speak to him. Please let us through," Makoto insisted.

"Sorry," the shadow on the right apologized, its tone not even apologetic. "Cute ass or not, the boss isn't seeing anyone…." The shadow then walked toward Makoto and trailed a hand against her right arm. Makoto flinched and then shivered from the cold touch while Panther had to stop Lioness from summoning her spear. "Maybe for the right price, I can let you pass…"

Makoto wanted to lash out as the guard's hand touched her ass but before anything could pop off, the speakers in the corners of the waiting area came to life.

"Let them pass," Kaneshiro's voice said through a speaker.

"Welp, you heard the boss," the left shadow said as it stepped aside. "Let them pass."

"Lucky," the right shadow grumbled and stepped aside as well. "Reception is to the right, towards the back. Don't attempt to go elsewhere. Otherwise…" the guard let out a lecherous laugh. "You'll have to pay that price."

"In your dreams," Makoto told him as she strolled passed them, with Panther and Lioness following behind. The trio followed the guard's directions and walked down the long hallway leading toward reception. "This place is gigantic," Makoto noted as she held her right arm where a mark was forming. "To think such a large bank is just floating in the sky like this…"

"Anything really goes when it comes to a palace," Panther stated.

"President….you're holding your arm," Lioness noticed. "Are you alright? Did that shadow hurt you?"

"Oh?" Makoto looked at her arm and noticed a burn make where the shadow had touched her moments ago. "That shadow's touch was so cold that it burned me somehow."

"I can heal it if it's bothering you," Panther offered.

"No, I'm fine. Let's just get to the reception office," Makoto insisted, only for Lioness to move in front of her. "Lioness…" Makoto softly growled.

"You're clearly hurting," Lioness told her. "Let Panther heal you."

"I'll be fine," Makoto firmly replied. "Besides, if things go sour, she may need to heal you during battle. I'm not worth the resources." Makoto attempted to walk past Lioness, but Lioness grabbed her left wrist.

"I will not take that answer," Lioness told her, only for Makoto to wrench her hand from Lioness' grasp.

"You have no choice but to accept it," Makoto told her. "We're wasting time and there is no telling what's around the corner. Let's go." Makoto walked ahead.

Lioness opened her mouth but Panther placed a hand on her shoulder and then said, "Later."

Lioness huffed but nodded.

With the directions of the security, the trio found themselves in the office staring at a large sum of money sitting near the end of the boarding room table. "What in the world?" Lioness whispered.

"What is with all of this money just sitting here?" Panther asked as she picked up a stack of money and ran her thumb against it.

"This has to be at least fifty-four million yen," Makoto murmured.

"An astute guess, Miss Beautiful President," Kaneshiro's voice rang out from the television at the other end of the table.

[Theme of Kaneshiro Junya: Dungeon ~ Black Market ~ Megami Ibunroku Persona]

The girls looked up to see Kaneshiro on the screen, except he had violet skin, black hair with a bang covering the right side of his face along with a mustache, and he wore a silver business suit with a black vest and purple tie.

"Unauthorized entry, property damage, loss of revenue, and other disturbances," Shadow Kaneshiro listed off with a dismissive look on his face. "Add to the fact that you took on another's debt, and that comes out to fifty-four million yen in total. You're here regarding that, correct?"

"Kaneshiro," Makoto hissed.

"It must be quite tough gathering so much money, even with your resources of the Big Bang Princess and the Movie Star. I'd be willing to give you all a loan, you know? I'm even so generous to make the interest rate ten percent a day. How does that sound?"

Panther's face scrunched up as she mumbled, "Ten percent interest a day…um…uhhh…that means…one day is…"

"It's Five million and four hundred thousand yen," Makoto answered.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Panther screeched in horror.

"There is no need to be alarmed. I have a more manageable option for people like you," Shadow Kanershiro told them.

"That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?" Makoto asked.

Shadow Kaneshiro smirked. "Look at the big brains on the school president. Quite the impressive insight," Shadow Kaneshiro praised. "You are as smart as your beautiful sister, Niijima-san."

Makoto balled up her fist.

"My, my, what wonderful goods have come falling into my lap," Shadow Kaneshiro continued. "Young women are such great assets. They lack strength—be it social, physical…or mental. It's almost as if they exist only to be devoured by the strong."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Panther exclaimed.

"There's nothing ridiculous about it," Shadow Kaneshiro shot back. "This has been the rule of nature since the dawn of history. Women have always been known to be nothing short of livestock. To be used until there is nothing left."

"You are truly despicable," Lioness whispered as Makoto stared at the screen.

"Perhaps. But when you have enough money like I do, people will often turn a blind eye to my acts," Shadow Kaneshiro chuckled. "For example." Shadow Kaneshiro snapped his fingers, and five shadows appeared with a burst of inky black energy. "Look at my men. Poised at the ready to slaughter three defenseless little fawns. And for what? Money." Shadow Kaneshiro laughed. "Here is a lesson, although I doubt you three fuckmeats have the capacity to absorb my words. Anyone will do anything for money. I'll rob you of your lives as easy as I breathe air." Shadow Kaneshiro then snickered. "…Get them."

The five shadows exploded, revealing four Chivalrous Fiends and a single Raging Water Demon. The five shadows spun their weapons and slowly advanced on the trio. "Fuck that noise! Scatter!" Panther exclaimed. The three immediately turned around, ran out of the room, and down the hall, leaving the five shadows to give chase.

"Don't get separated from us!" Panther advised Makoto as two shadows skidded into view. " Carmen: Maragi!"

As the trio ran, embers floated from Panther's footsteps before a tunnel of ethereal flames swirled in front of them and took the shape of a humanoid figure. With a burst of flames, Carmen appeared with her eyes glinting in fiery delight while her ensnared captives flapped in the air on the sides of the three girls.

With a puff of smoke from her cigar and a swing of ensnared man on her left, multiple bursts of flames flew toward the guards, who didn't even get the chance to morph into something more as they were turned to cinders.

Carmen faded away into embers as the three girls skidded around the corner and continued their retreat, only for three guards to explode into view. "Boudicca: Rampage!" A swirl of water appeared before the trio before it took a humanoid shape before it exploded in water and ethereal blue energy, revealing Boudicca.

Boudicca leaped into the air and launched her spear toward the guards, where the spear then exploded into raindrops that shot at the three guards, piercing their bodies and destroying them upon impact.

The trio made it to the exit of the bank, only to see more guards. "You have to be kidding me," Panther growled.

"There's really no end to them," Makoto said. "Have they really been hired with money to pursue us so doggedly?"

"This isn't good," Lioness muttered.

"You three seem to be in quite a pickle," Shadow Kaneshiro taunted, prompting the trio to turn around to face him.

"How the hell did he sneak up on us?" Panther muttered with a scrunched-up face. "You would think someone so fat would make some sort of noise."

"Those would be my words," Shadow Kaneshiro shot back.

"Did you really just call me fat?" Panther hissed with fire in her eyes.

"However, as fat as you three are, you all are wonderful goods all the same," Shadow Kaneshiro continued. "However, managing a bank is tough as it is. So it's my policy to kill clients who are more trouble than they're worth." Shadow Kaneshiro clapped his hands and four more guards appeared behind him and began to approach the girls. "Having you impertinent brats disappear is enough to set an example in that other world."

"Shit, we're surrounded," Lioness said as she summoned her spear.

"There's too many of them to fight with just the two of us," Panther added. "Damn it."

"This is all my fault," Makoto whispered before she looked up at Shadow Kaneshiro and pleaded, "Please! I'm begging you to stop this! I'll do anything that you ask. Just please don't kill us!"

Shadow Kaneshiro chuckled and replied, "Oh, I wouldn't damage an asset like you, Class President. Those two whores may be dead meat, but you'll be just fine. As I already said, you belong between my legs until I inevitably sell you off to focus more on your sister. Then again, who would bother with my useless goods?"

Makoto stilled. "…What?"

"Oh? Do you have cocks in your ears?" Shadow Kaneshiro asked. "I'll be using you until your useless goods, unable to get tight for even the largest dick around? It would be like throwing a hotdog down a large hallway." Shadow Kaneshiro then cackled. "But, if you're a good little fuckmeat, I'll keep your sister and all of your little girlfriends alive as my pets as long as you take customers and bring in some good money. Who knows, if you endure it and do as you're told, I'm sure they'll find some use for you. I mean, the young cock-starved daughter of that dead copper, who wouldn't find some use in a used-up whore like yourself?!"

Shadow Kaneshiro let out a boisterous laugh as Makoto stared at him, his laughter embedding itself into her mind, even as it started to fade away, along with the world around her.

"Well, this wasn't in the cards…"

[Theme of Thy True Self: Bomb Shelter from Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP Ver)]

Makoto whirled around to see Shadow Makoto, who looked genuinely surprised to see her. "It hasn't even been two weeks yet…" Shadow Makoto continued. "Which means you at that cro—"

Without warning, Makoto's fist lashed out but Shadow Makoto caught it. "—ssroads," Shadow Makoto finished as she tilted her head and smiled. "I could feel the power behind that blow. You look angry."

"Of course I'm angry!" Makoto shouted. "Haven't you looked around?! Ann and Shiho are about to die, Eiko and Oribe will be trapped, the others will be held under his boot, and who knows what sick fate he has in store for me and my sister!" Makoto's body trembled as tears built up in her eyes. "All of this is my fault…Every single bit of it…All because I tried to be something I wasn't…"

Makoto fell to her knees with her fist still in the grasp of her shadow. "I don't know what to do…I don't know how to make this right…"

"Tch," Shadow Makoto clicked her tongue before Makoto was kicked in the chest, sending her to the ground while her hand was freed from the shadow's grasp. "This has always been the problem with you," Shadow Makoto announced as she strolled up to the downed Makoto.

Makoto gasped as Shadow Makoto's foot slammed into her stomach, sending her rolling against the ground. Makoto hacked as she moved on all fours, only for Shadow Makoto to kick her again, sending her rolling once more. "The moment shit gets bad, you shut down and revert into a crying mess!" Shadow Makoto raged as Makoto struggled to rise.

Shadow Makoto stopped and kicked Makoto in the face, sending the girl to the ground. "It's time to lay it all on the table…" Shadow Makoto's foot slammed against her chest, causing Makoto to groan in pain. "You're like a little puppy. Looking for validation from anyone that will throw you that bone because of your own feelings of worthlessness."

"That's not true!" Makoto denied.

Shadow Makoto pressed her hands against her leg, adding further pressure to Makoto's chest, making her gasp out in agony. "Isn't it? Or do I need to remind you about how Sae blamed you that day when Kaneshiro went free."

Makoto sucked in a breath at this reveal.

"She said that you were useless as a witness and that your father's death would never be solved," Shadow Makoto revealed as Makoto struggled under her shadow's foot. "She blamed you…a small grieving and lonely girl, for failing to do something the adults should have done. It was then that your need to be valuable to someone, anyone, began. Wasn't it?"

"You were so desperate to prove to Sae that you were useful, that you went through hell to get the top grades in school, to become the principal's right hand, and be the shoulder that all the teachers could lean on. But Sae's words never went away. They haunted you, they ate away at your very soul. No matter what you did, it was never enough in her eyes or yours. And it only got worse when Kamoshida's reign of terror started. You were blind to what he had done and when it was discovered, Sae's words came back to you…." Shadow Makoto cleared her throat and in Sae's voice, she said, "You're useless."

Makoto flinched.

"When the Principal asked/blackmailed you to find out who the Phantom Thieves were, something we both knew he had no right asking you to do, you debated with yourself for a moment. Had I not graced you with my presence and your friendship with Ren had not taken off, you would have done, would you?"

Makoto stilled and slowly, she looked away, shame evident on her face.

"Do you know why I'm so hard on you?" Shadow Makoto asked, her voice still portraying Sae's. "Because I see someone who is always on the verge of forming a backbone only to fall back into the box crafted for you by every adult who has ever failed you. That is why I deem you useless, Niijima Makoto."

"Instead of standing up for yourself and your ideals, you fall back into being what everyone else wants you to be, all in an attempt to soothe the guilt Sae put into you after our father was murdered," Shadow Makoto concluded. "So what are you going to do now? Are you going to finally grow a backbone and fight back or will you surrender to another's whims once again?!"

[Theme of Realization: The Voice of Someone Calls from Persona 3]

Makoto was stunned into silence at her shadow's words.

Her shadow was right. Every step of the way, she had always backed down. When she had her suspicions about Kamoshida, instead of being the protector the students needed, she kept her head down and didn't investigate it.

When Principal Kobayakawa blackmailed her into investigating the Phantom Thieves, Instead of sticking to her guns and refusing, she debated with herself and would have done what he had asked had her shadow not stepped in.

When Sae spoke down about their father and hurt her feelings with her words, Makoto had just taken it instead of standing up for the ideals her father had instilled in her.

When her shadow told her that her life was over in two weeks, she didn't fight against her or even ask for help in stopping it. She had just accepted it.

Despite wanting to work alone, she had allowed Eiko, and later Oribe, Eleonora, and Ryuji to get involved without a peep.

When Ryuji told her not to bow down to Kaneshiro, despite being bloody and beaten, she allowed herself to fall under his thumb, thus forcing her friends into the position they were in now.

And now, in the face of death, Makoto had been willing to bow to Kaneshiro again and suffer a fate worse than death by following his orders if it meant keeping everyone alive.

And it all stemmed from the combination of Sae's cold and heartless words to her six-year-old self and the failure of the adults around her. "Well?!" Shadow Makoto shouted.

[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]

With glowing irises, Makoto gripped Shadow Makoto's foot and shouted, "No more!" Makoto shoved her shadow off of her and into the air, where she slammed into the ground.

Makoto slowly rose to her feet and said, "No more will I bend to anyone's whims but my own." Makoto balled up her fists as glowing, pulsating celadon green particles floated from them. "No more will I seek out anyone's validation but my own." Makoto walked toward her Shadow, who was now standing up off of the ground. "I don't care if the world crumbles around me, I will not allow myself to fall to anyone's threats or demeaning words."

Shadow Makoto's eyes glowed an ethereal blue as Makoto marched up toward her with a determined gleam in her eyes. "I will stand up for not only my father's justice but for myself as well. No matter what hell comes my way!" Makoto screamed as she launched her fist at Shadow Makoto's proud face.

The minute Makoto's fist slammed into her shadow's face, the dark void shattered and a glowing arc flew from her fist and collided with Shadow Kaneshiro's face, sending the shadow sailing past his guards.

Shadow Kaneshiro lifted his body off the ground as he held his face. "W-What the hell?!" Shadow Kaneshiro stammered out.

"I've been listening to you going on and on," Makoto hissed out with fury in her eyes. "Demeaning my father's memory, threatening my friends, my sister, and myself...And I'm sick of it…" The ground cracked beneath her as wisps of celadon green floated around her body in a fierce aura. "Shut your fucking mouth, you crude, money-grubbing, murderer!" A fierce wind exploded from around her, knocking all of the shadows to the ground.

"Whoa," Lioness breathed with wide eyes as Panther shielded her face.

Another gust of wind exploded from Makoto's body as celadon green energy rose from the bridge of her nose to around her face and forehead.

"Have you decided to tread the path of strife, Niijima Makoto...?" A familiar voice asked within her mind.

"Yes," Makoto answered with narrowed eyes. "Come to me, Johanna!"

"Very well. Let us proceed with our contract at once…" the voice said as the energy solidified into an iron mask. Makoto grabbed at the edge of the mask and began to tug on it violently as the voice continued, "I am thou, thou art I... You have finally found your own justice... Please... Never lose sight of it again."

"This memorable day marks your graduation from your false self..." the voice concluded as Makoto ripped off the mask with a scream filled with rage, causing a pillar of celadon green light to explode all around her.

Just then, the front doors to the gate opened and the Phantom Thieves, with Eleonora, stumbled into the room. "What is going on?" Eleonora breathed.

"Hey!" Lioness shouted. "You're just in time!"

"In time for what?" Noir asked.

The light faded and flickered away, revealing Makoto's form.

Makoto now wore an outfit consisting of a two-toned (dark blue and black) skintight suit that is worn with a long black scarf, a dark gray corset-style leather breastplate, shoulder, and knee pads with spikes mixed with boots that sport metal heels and toes, and white gloves.

And she now sat on a silver motorcycle with a face that had its eyes closed behind a blue windshield.

"For as long as I breathe, Kaneshiro Junya, I will see justice done!" Makoto swore as she revved Johanna. "Even if it means dying for it!"

Captain Blues: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter tbh. I just hope everyone enjoyed!