Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for OC's.
The Next Day
Fortuna Office
Aoi Itsuki entered the office only to be slightly startled a girl with glasses. He quickly remembered that girl from the EX-Labyrinth: long orange hair, wearing a green jacket, sitting casually on the sofa, typing what appeared to be Maiko's laptop.
Itsuki rub the back of his neck as he sighed, due to not being use to meeting new people casually hanging out here. Then again Futaba use to work for Fortuna Entertainment so… yeah.
Futaba Sakura waved at him.
"Um, Hi," Itsuki waved awkwardly, "How are you adjusting?"
"Great Its been awhile but it dose feel like home sweet home!" Futaba smile.
"Oh okay, um, I'm just here to check up on Tiki," Itsuki said.
"Yea, I know," Futaba made a grin, "You have a couple of more messages from Tsubasa-chan by the way."
Itsuki blinked in surprised, "Did you-"
"I hack into your phone messages, yup sure did!" Futaba exclaimed.
Itsuki sweat dropped, "Dose Kiria and Maiko know about this?" Okay that was a little wired question to ask, they already know this girl is a Hacker. It just surprising to him to know that she can even hack into phones as well.
"Dose Kiria know about this?"
"Well duh," Futaba Sakura burst out laughing, "It no secret to Kiria-Sempai and Maiko-San. They did tell you about my hacker talents, right?"
Itsuki scratching the back of his head, "I think I might of miss the memo…"
"But just to let you know that I am not a pirate."
"Well that's a relief…" Itsuki sighed in relief.
According to Tiki, Kiria's friends are from the past and apart from the Sky Garden Palace and the Vortex World they cannot leave the Fortuna Office. The laws of this universe prevents them from leaving the Office, except for Tsubasa's cat companion Morgana. Kiria's friends seem to be okay with it for as long as it takes in order to save the world plus, they wanted to spend as much time with the Fortuna group.
The Phantom Thieves seems to be as loyal friends to Kiria and Tsubasa. Itsuki and Chrom feel's they can trust them even though they have been a controversial group from the goverment in the past. The path to protect Tiki from what is to come, is very much important to him and the strength in numbers is a plus.
Maiko entered in with a big grin on her face, "Crises averted!"
"Did something happen?" Itsuki asked. "Oh nothing!" Maiko said with the cheeky grin, "And how's my adorable tech Idol?"
"Idol? You mean me right," Itsuki asked.
"Well, I only see one tech savvy one and she's sitting right here~!" The CEO cooed.
Futaba's face was red at being called 'adorable' and 'tech savvy'.
Maiko, Futaba and Itsuki talk for what felt like minutes. The CEO told them that she was able to avoid suspicion from Tsurumi Mahiro, for now. Futaba was kept in the loop from Maiko about the former politician. Itsuki had wondered aloud the other industry execs which Maiko replied, 'their less interested about the quake last time'.
It is also worth notating that Makoto Ninjima & Haru Okumura have taken of Ayaha mantel, voluntarily, while their real secretary is still missing. Since they cannot leave the office so they do the paperwork hand can ask Itsuki to send it.
"Futaba adjusted her glasses, "Oh and um thank letting me use your laptop, I've been meaning to check up on the lastus trends."
"No problem, I love you this much!" Maiko cooed. Itsuki sweatdropped, but it is best not to dwell on it.
"By the way I also looked up some strange occurrences like you ask me to do and well… I haven't found anything online, but I do sense something fishy in the Idolasphear."
"Yea, Chrom said the same thing to me," Itsuki said thinking aloud, "We did meet a girl last time at the Idolasphear."
"Well, it's different for what I'm sensing," The Headsets girl said, "Have you guys fought Grima before?"
"We fought the Shadow Dragon," Itsuki said.
"Let me rephrase that question: Have you fought the Fell Dragon?"
"No, but we know there are forces that are after Tiki and will do anything in our power to protect her," Itsuki said.
"And we will as long as we all stick together," Maiko said cheerfully. Both Itsuki and Futaba nodded in agreement.
Futaba bit her lower lip thinking about what getting Itsuki-kun so spook about Tiki's wellbeing. She figured everything will be a cake walk but with Akira, Ann and Ryuji thrown in the slammer at the Vortex World, unknown if they be out of confinement in a timely matter.
"Say Itsuki-Kun," Futaba said, "Could you do me a favor?"
"Um sure."
"Morgana might not want to hear this, but I think you might be the kind of person to help three of my friends… they seem to be in get a tight spot of the law of that other World. He was going to do some investigations on ways to get them out of bail but with you around I think there's a good chance that he might succeed."
"Hmmm, where is he? Itsuki asked.
"He's at the Sky Garden Palace, Tsubasa-Chan just drop him off here." Futaba explained.
"Okay," Itsuki nodded, "Then I'll go ask him." Futaba's face brightens, "Thanks, Itsuki-Kun, I'll be able to spot for you and Morgana if you need it."
"You go on ahead, I'll say here with Futaba-Chan and do some boring work," Maiko winked.
Itsuki nodded.
Tomorrow Tokyo(21)
Ester House Living Room
"What has got into you girls?" The Man paced back and forth near the fireplace. His daughters looked down in shame.
"Father I can explain," Tiffany said, "I was just trying to do my duty as an member of—"
"Yeah, well I was trying to help out a patient!" Patty glared at her older sister.
"That patient is dangerous!" Tiffany shot back a glare.
"Not anymore thanks to me and my Capser's magic!"
Tiffany was about to retort—
"Enough!" The Man shouted, he then pinches the bridge of his nose as he sunk back to his chair, "What am I going to do with you two—I mean grounding you both seem way too good for you both."
"You can fire Tiffany from the force," Patty suggested.
"HEY!"
The Askrian Noble sighed, "At least nobody got hurt at the park, but I did send miss Ayaha to a care facility." He muttered.
"Oh, so we can go now?" Patty asked.
"No, I still have to explain things to Maxwell on why my girls are out of control."
"Awe Man," Patty whined.
"Don't worry yourself Mr. G, I've already cleared it with the boss," Moza emerged from the shadows behind the Noblemen. Patty and Tiffany were started at her sudden appearance.
Graham did not bother to look the other way, "Thank you… Patty, you are free to leave."
Patty jumped up, "Thanks dad!"
"But no more of these rituals," The Noble said. Patty huffed, "Whatever dad, later!" the little blue haired girl ran out the door. Tiffany was left baffled that her sister was able to walk away just like that.
"Now let me think of your punishment…" He said thinking, "You are to swob the floors at the Demon Summoning HQ."
Tiffany saw the smirk of that Marshal lady's face. Well at lest it was not the worst thing in the world just if—
"And you will scrub some feet at the woman spa, both human and Demon."
Okay she stands corrected—but still not the worst—she needs to stop contradicting herself.
Outside the City Hall
Itsuki, Chrom and Sir Jack Frost has already met up with Morgana at the Sky Garden Palace. Haven been briefed by Futaba Sakura they expected for the talking Cat creature to refuse. But he didn't and instead he instructed Itsuki, Chrom and Sir Jack Frost to follow him out the Sky Garden Palace and to the City Hall of the Vortex World.
They watch Morgana pasted back and forth, "I still can't believe those two idiots got Ann-Chan got throw in the slammer with them… Now I must pay for bail…? Ugh, at this point I rather hang out with my Tsubasa-Chan then deal with this."
The three heroes exchange glances as the 'Cat' thief were rambling. Itsuki cleared his throat before speaking—
"Fortunately, I know a way a fast way I can pay for bail," Morgana turned his attention to the three.
Itsuki blinked, "Really, you do?"
"Of course, duh!" Morgana said thinking aloud, "I'm not the worlds greatest treasure hunter for nothing you know."
"I can sense danger," Chrom remarked.
"Heh, well I can sense that you guys have pulled these sorts of things before," Morgana said, "And besides its just one pick up."
"And where do we HeeHoo find it?" Sir Jack Frost said, "At the abandon construction site?"
"Correct a mondo snowman!" Morgana exclaimed, "Strange it's funny I was going to ask Kiria-Chan for help but I guess I could use a helping hand from any available Mirage Master, don't expect payment though."
"Great," Itsuki seem exited to head off, "Now we just need to find a map to that place." He reached for his phone in his pocket.
[Topic Message]
Tiki: So your going to the construction site to get some items?
Itsuki: Yea, I was hoping you can send me a map to the location.
Tiki: Sure! It should be a piece of cake for you guys, but you might need a guide big brother.
Itsuki: Right… Do you know who will be the point person?
Tiki: Yup Its Patty!
Itsuki: Patty?
Tiki: You meet her at the EX-Labyrinth after you help Sumie
Itsuiki: Oh, that little girl…
Tiki: Yeah, the one that has been cheering you on~ She should be somewhere at the main plaza, you can find her there.
Itsuki: Good thing Patty sent me her phone address. Thanks Tiki!
Tiki: Your welcome big brother~
[Topic Message End]
"Tiki just send me the address," Itsuki said. "Good," Morgana scrachted the back of his head, "Because I forgot to bring a map Her Highness gave me."
Itsuki raised a brow, he wondered why Morgana keep referred to Tiki as 'Princess'. Perhaps the Cat knows something about Tiki's past.
"How much do you have to pay exactly, if you don't mine me asking" Chrom crossed his arms.
"A lot," Morgana said, "But I really need three Meloc Gems to pay it off."
"Meloc Gems? What are those, valuables?" Chrom asked. "Meloc Gems are—wait you don't know about them?" Morgana facepalmed, "I thought this was common knowledge among Mirage folks."
"Yo Morgana is that you?"
Morgana blinked in surprise as he turned around to see a Capser with sunglasses and wearing a baseball hat sideways.
"DJ Wille… never thought I see you here," Morgana said.
"Yea man, I was in the neighborhood… that and I'm just here to file for unemployment," DJ Willie exclaimed.
"Uh-huh," Morgana turned his attention back to Itsuki, Chrom and Jack Frost, "Guy this is DJ Willie, he's basically a fanboy of ours."
The three waves at the newcomer.
"Whoa man I not a fanboy, I'm a Ninian fanboy," DJ Willie.
"Well I got news for you Ninian-Chan is going to be here and I'll give you front row tickets—"
"Nice try man but I'm not falling for it!"
"Okay then could you do me a solid and point to us where we can find Meloc Gems in this world, you see I have to spring a couple of idiots out of solitary confinement."
"Let me guess its Akira, Ann, and Ryuji!"
"Yup!"
The Casper burst out laughing for about a minute, "Your serious?" Morgana face deadpan.
"Yea, that's why I'm called a treasure hunter," Morgana stated, "Pules I got these guys are here to back me up," He pointed to Itsuki, Chrom and Jack Frost.
"Point taken… well good luck out there, it's great to see you again!" DJ Willie exclaimed as he floated inside.
"So that's DJ Willie," Itsuki thought. He recalled Kiria talking to him about this Mirage in the past.
20 minutes latter
The Main Plaza Restaurant
Patty was munching on a hot dog in a Restaurant filled of People and Mirage, followed by her Witch Doctor Casper who was reading on a magazine next to her.
"Sheesh… Mew… Your sister is on the front page… mew!"
Patty simply shrugged after swallowing her food, "Good thing Dad didn't ground me."
"But you didn't do anything wrong, mew."
"I know but Tiff tattled on me for helping out a patient ugh! I wish I didn't have to live with her…" The blue haired girl pouted. Her cell phone start to ring in her bag.
She digs into her bag to grab her phone, "Oh cool, I got a message from Mr. Itsuki."
"Mew what does it say?" the Casper asked.
"Hmmm… their looking for access to the forbidden construction site," Patty exclaimed, "Their waiting for us outside.
"I think we just about done with a little adventuring don't ya think, Mew?"
"We got Lady Tiki's stamp of blessing on the message." The little askar noble pointed out.
"Nevermind let's go!"
Burning Steel Site
{Play Scarlet Nexus Digital Soundtrack: An Illusiorary City Plan}
Patty showed her ID to the Archangels Guards which they let them pass through. The city itself appeared to be abandon and unfished not to mention it looks like a dessert compared to the rest of Tomorrow Tokyo.
"This place is a dump," Morgana remarked, "These guys owe me big time for this… like Ann should blow me a kiss."
"Its hot but not as HeeHoo Hot as eye candy Tsubasa-chan," Sir Jack Frost remarked.
"Hey, that's my little girl you're talking about!" Morgana shot a glare at the snowman.
Itsuki followed Patty, the Casper and Morgana while thinking to himself, "There's something bothering me about this place."
"I agree… and I don't think it's just the Mirage this time," Chrom said. "We'll have to keep our eyes peeled," Itsuki nodded.
Sir Jack Frost teleported back inside Itsuki's phone while they entered the construction complex. The area they are in remined him and Patty of some big sandlot for some reason. The Map on his phone pointed to a tall unfinish buildings at the end. Good. But they need to find a way to get there through a maze of trackers, sand and broken debris. Feeding off small monsters is easy to them at least.
{Switch to Scarlet Nexus Digital Soundtrack: An Illusiorary City Plan -the other-}
The trio encountered an animated tank standing four legs. It had spotted the trio and fired a cannon shell Patty blocked it with her blue spell magic. Itsuski wasted no time and changed into his Carnage Form and sprint to the tank with his rapier. Morgana joined in on the action as he brought out his Curved Sword.
Patty had identified the Tank Monster to a Shadow, which is stating the obvious. The Child Mage casted a bubble shield for Itsuki and Morgana.
The Tank Shadow used strike attack both Itsuki and Morgana was able to doge midair. Aoi Itsuki, while in midair dived down and rise his rapier and slashed down at the tank. Morgana summon his Persona to summon fire balls at the Shadow. The Shadow took a lot of damage form the attacks, it retaliated by charging at the human child.
Patty gasped but with smirk she wasted no time to summon her witchdoctor Casper. The said Casper huff and Puff and blow the Shadow back with his fire breath. Petty grinded at the close save from her Casper friend.
The Witchdoctor Casper in question shook his head in disapproval of putting herself in harm's way again.
The Shadow got back up and began to transform. Itsuki and Morgana became alarm when the saw the Shadow separate itself into two parts. Justice's true form was revealed to be a diminutive, winged Shadow whose entire body seemed to be a giant face covered by the cross-visored mask while Chariot is revealed to be the main hull of the tank, with the yellow mask of the Chariot Shadows displayed on its underside.
"They appear to be two different entities this entire time," Chrom spoke through Itsuki's and Morgana's mines.
Itsuki agreed to Chrom's assessment. Morgana was somewhat baffled that this Shadow could even do something like that, it might as well be a last dungeon encounter.
"Hey kid, I'll take care of Big and Smiley while you take care of that flying metal head," Morgana exclaimed.
"Got it," Itsuki said as he eyed the Flying Armor, "Alright Chrom!" He tosses his rapier up in the air. Chrom dived down like a meteor until impact. The Attack staggered both Justise and Chariot.
At the command of Morgana his Persona cast lightning strike the Chariot. Patty, holding her tome tight, conjured a large sharpen ice as the size of a bulldozer and directed it at the Chariot Shadow. The Shadow evaporated after it was impaled by the ice.
The Justise, despite being staggered, targeted Aoi Itsuki and fired its large shell at him. The Mirage Master was able to slice the projectile in half with precision and without blowing up. The Shadow then used missles and fired it at the Mirage Master. Itsuki dashed to doge the missiles fire, he then leaps in midair to the armor and slash its nozzle.
"Itsuki, watch out!" Chrom shouted.
Itsuki saw a stray missile heading towards him and was able to move out of the way, but it turns out it was directing towards the Shadow. With little time to react the Shadow got caught by the missile and was blown to pieces.
"Wait, that wasn't from the enemy," Itsuki looked around as his Carnage Form reverted to his normal clothes.
"Over here." Aoi Itsuki turn to the direction of the voice only to see an armored hooded figure on the top of the watch tower.
"Oh great more company," Morgana remarked as he and Patty ran up to Itsuki. The Figure in question climped down the tower and walked up to the trio.
{Switch to Scarlet Nexus Digital Soundtrack: An Illusiorary City Plan}
"Um, thanks for the help," Itsuki said awkwardly. "No mention it!" The figure chirped.
The raven-haired boy jumped when he heard that familiar female voice, "Kasu—I mean- Sumire!?" The figured flustered in response, which prompted her to remove her hood and face mask.
Sumire wears glasses and leaves her hair down, having accepted who she really is thanks to Kiria and Itsuki. The only downside that Konya does not improved of her nerdy look during a mission, it makes Konya looked bad apparently. The red head was unable to Carnage like her hero Itsuki, the link between her Mirage is too complicated and requires more training from Caroline and Justine. She cannot become a Dual User unless she overcomes her shortcomings with her Mirage. Therefore, her current powers so far are her Persona. However, it is worth mentioning that in battle her casual attires changed into her Phantom Thief outfit as well as her late sister's hairstyle, whether it is a side effect to her becoming a Dual User is a mystery to her, but it is best not to think about to much. Sumire can still communicated with Kronya anytime despite her inability to utilize Kronya's power.
Sumire Yoshizawa had developed a deep crush on Itsuki Aoi ever since she first meet him. It compelled her to be by his side and will do anything for him.
"Seems like we got ourselves a stalker," Morgana narrowed his eyes at the redhead girl. Sumire raised, "I-I can explain! About my get-ups I got from Nowi-chan—"
"Not that," Morgana, "How the heck did you learn how to fire a rocket launcher?"
"Well…" Sumire stammered, how in the world should she explained to them that she was once a member of their group. Morgana and the others still do not remember her because she is still forgotten.
"I've been taught by Kronya-san," Sumire looked down, thought it was the half-truth.
"Really? Okay," Morgana then shrugged to Itsuki which he done his thinking pose.
"So, for what I understand you been tapped by Tiki to help us?"
Sumire twiddled her fingers, "Kronya has been looking for any excses to leave the Sky Garden Palace, mostly because she's afraid of-"
"DON'T, say it."
"Fine, I won't say it," Sumire rolled her eyes, as Mirage Kronya appeared beside her supposed Partner. The humanoid female Mirage appearance's attire seem to accommodate the 'Natural Law Aliment'. Her attire is still like her old one, when she was still human, but in white with twilight lining that hugs her curves and showed her legs and upper ample cleavage.
"You better not," Kronya glared, "I didn't want you to do nothing and flood my mine with your erotic fantasy about—"
"H-Hey, shut up!" Sumire face was red as her hair.
Morgana scratched the back of his head, "normally I scoff at this convo but somehow I know this might not be a good time. So, if you two want to tag along then fine." He turned his attention back to Itsuki, "What do you think kid?"
"I'm fine with as long they know what they are doing," Itsuki shrugged. Sumrie's face brighten.
"Hey," Patty jumped up and down, "Hope you guys aren't forgetting about me."
"Oh yeah, we have this little chick following us," Morgana remarked.
"Yup, your friendly neighborhood guild and medic at your service," Patty chirped. The Witchdoctor Casper shook his head.
…
Unfinished Office Complex
"Hey boss your seeing this?" an onlooker at the window
"Yup guess we're about to have company, they came in a perfect time," said a female voice, "see them in, they can help us deal with those shadows in the basement."
"Are you sure about them?"
"Yes, I've worked with Morgana in the past."
"R-right away ma am."