"Who here was surprised that the Steam and Nature Universes were doing a collab at that last auction?" Ross asked.

"I think pretty much all of us. Shouldn't the ideals of those two universes be clashing and not cooperating?" Hope asked.

"I think it was wonderful," Perfuma said.

"Uh, you do Perfuma? Aren't you a Nature Princess?" Emo asked.

"I am, but I'm not overly against technology advancing. I didn't raise a hand against using First One's tech in our fight against the horde." Perfuma said. "Besides, I heard that the Branch Leaders of Dark Smog and Dark Forest, are good friends."

"Who told you that?" Bow asked.

"Esmeralda, of course." Perfuma answered.

"When was she able to? And how?" Trish asked.

"Yeah, I had a feeling something was going on when she saw Marek and Bolt Junior at the Battle of the Binded," David said. "Apparently, according to Cheetah, if what she told me is true, Esmeralda was once a member of Dark Forest before she became an assassin."

"Besides, steam isn't harmful to nature given it can be used as a natural energy source." Baril said. "Perhaps the two Universes working together is a good thing."

"What really surprised me, is what Merrin managed to snag from the Nature Universe section." David said.

"Oh? What did you get, Merrin?" Sakura asked.

Merrin showed the group a set of four armguards in a box. Inscribed in them are markings of a bull, white wolf, panther, and bear.

"Whoa, man. I can feel… Some sort of mystical energy emanating from them. Are you sure we're not dealing with some sort of cursed artifact scenario here? I mean, it happened to Barbara, who is to say it won't happen to whoever wields these?" Takeshi asked.

"This energy…it's the blessing of a Goddess." Laura said.

"Are you sure?" Jesse asked.

"Yes, I am certain of it. These artifacts don't feel cursed at all. While we still need to be careful who wields these… I think we can trust Merrin's judgment on this one." David said.

"How much did she spend on it, just so we're all in the know?" Zelos asked.

"30,000. Honestly, it was probably a steal if these are as blessed as we believe it is." David said.

"If that's the case, let's hold on to them for now. They might come in handy someday." Hope said.

"In any case, that's one stop down." Francisca said.

"Next we'll be exploring the exhibitions in Future City." Twilight said.

"Sounds like a plan." Mark nodded.

"Oooh! If there's any new technology or gadgets on display there, I call dibs!" Entrapta said.

"No fair!" Peridot-2 complained. "Save some for the rest of us geniuses, you clod!"

"Easy, easy. Let's see what's there before we start a bidding war, okay?" Scarlet proposed.

"True. It's better for you tech whizzes to check things out before you start buying." Akane said.

"Are you gonna try and buy anything, Hatsume?" Mahiru asked.

"Why would I? I just need materials to build my babies." Hatsume said.

"Well I know I'm gonna browse," Weiez said. "Maybe they've got some stuff that can help fine-tune my Arsenal Suit."

"And you, Miu?" David asked.

"I mostly build my own tech like Hatsume, but if anything does catch my eye, I might bid for it." Miu said.

"Well, as they always say…the future awaits!" Jexi said.

"Who says that?" Miles asked.

"Me…just now." Jexi said.


Future City….

"Ah…the bright and shiny future city." Jack said as they rode in the camper. "And coming up on our right…" he said as they stopped in front of a bright and shiny building. "The base of Dark Future."

"They live in that?" Skull asked.

"The branch leader, Mr. Spaceman, has a double life acting as a sort of respected company owner. They make products that are supposed to be a huge help in daily life." Techno said. "Rumor has it he's even working on a few in-development gadgets and weapons inside. Plus the Inventor is supposedly visiting him today."

"The Inventor?" Violet asked.

"He's part of the upper echelon of the organization. Specifically, the Five Points. They command the Branch Leaders and report directly to the boss." Crow explained. "The Inventor is a miracle worker. Able to craft anything without needing materials. He can create just about anything."

"Another reason to take the inventions inside while the iron is hot. The problem is all the Sub Leaders are probably inside too. And first, we'll have to deal with the security system. Oracle…" Jack said.

"Heh…as if you needed to ask." Oracle said as she was already getting to work on hacking into the system.

As the thieves were hacking into the system, a small figure was moving past the van and running right into the building without giving much care for the security system.


"What the hell?" a guard said as they saw the figure running in. "This could be troublesome. We should contact the boss, where is he?"

"He's in a meeting with the other Sub-Leaders and the Inventor in the conference hall." another guard said.

"Right. Replacing that chick who got arrested." the first guard said.

"Here, let me handle this." the second guard said as he approached the figure. "Excuse me, can we help you with something?"

"Uh…yeah. Could you tell me where the Spaceman is?" asked the voice of a young child.

"He's in a meeting right now. Who's asking?" the guard questioned.

"Someone who will get what they want!" they said as they thrusted a hand at the guard.

"Hey…what…ah!" the other guard said before seeing the second guard had become an old man. "Ah, shoot, this is gonna be one of those days…" he said as he hit the emergency button, causing alarms to blare. "Intruder in the lobby! Security Teams Alpha through Gamma, please respond! Suspect seems to be able to cause rapid aging at a touch. Repeat…"

"Oh…its more than making you older." they said coming at the guard from behind as the guard regressed to a child. "I can make them younger too. Now tell me how to get to Spaceman… now."


The alarms caught the attention of the Phantom Thieves.

"What the hell, the alarms?! We didn't even do anything!" Skull said.

"Meaning someone else has infiltrated the building," Fox said.

"Dang it…Oracle…how are we doing with security?" Jack asked.

"Uh…little difficult. Would be easy if I could do this inside too." Oracle said.

"Fine. No choice. Crow, Fox, Panther, take Norman and get inside and find the security room." Jack said.

"Yes, sir!" all four replied as they departed.

"I don't get it. Who'd be crazy enough to blitz this place?" Skull asked.

"Considering they took a frontal assault, its safe to say they aren't with the Lost Thieves or any thief faction. They would prioritize stealth before going for the attack. They must want something here. But what?" Jack pondered.


Inside the conference hall…

"An intruder?" Kuroshiki said. "No one is crazy enough to just barge in here."

"And yet, someone is." a man in armor with red markings reported.

Fordo

Dark Future 1st Sub-Leader

"They've already taken out two guards. Security is attempting an intervention, but according to our scanners, she's moving fast, heading for this hall." Fordo said.

"Question is why? What quarrel does she have with our leader?" a young woman in a suit asked.

Rose Anarbel

Dark Future 3rd Sub-Leader

The Sub-Leaders turned to their boss as well as their guest. Their leader being dressed head to toe in a space suit while the person next to him wore a bright white lab coat as well as goggles and a crazy hairstyle.

Mr. Spaceman

Dark Future Branch Leader

The Inventor

Head of Dark Garden's R&D, One of the Five Points

"No doubt. It has to be her." Mr. Spaceman said.

"Someone you know?" the Inventor asked.

"She and I met only a couple years back and became good friends. Back when I used to visit a number of respected scientists." Mr. Spaceman chuckled. "Though…what could she…"

It was at this moment that the doors punched down as they saw the figure in shadows bolstering a large muscular physique.

"I found you, Spaceman." they said.

Fordo drew two dual blasters while Rose unsheathed a rapier.

"Lower your weapons." Mr. Spaceman ordered the two.

"Sir, I don't-" Fordo started.

"It's fine, Fordo. Trust me." Mr. Spaceman assured.

The two sub-leaders slowly lowered their weapons, but remained ready to bring them back out at a moment's notice.

The hulking figure slowly approached them as they gradually started to regress with each step they took. They climbed onto the table before becoming a young girl around 12. Her hair was a bright pink and bore a piercing under one of them.

"So I was right. It was you. Hello….Bonney." Mr. Spaceman said.

The girl just stood there staring at him and the Inventor.

One of the Worst Generation

Big Eater - Jewelry Bonney

320,000,000

"You did the right thing, calling them off. Honestly, I would have gotten them even before they even attacked." Bonney said.

"Given you're a child, you probably would have. What I don't get is why you broke into my home." Mr. Spaceman said.

"I know you Dark Future guys are big time scientists. So…you have to be able…you have to be able to fix him!" Bonney demanded.

"Ah…so that's what this is about. Bonney, my heart bleeds for you. It truly does. But the procedure done on him…it's not something that can be reversed with a snap of finger." Mr. Spaceman said. "It would take decades of research, surgeries, and mental reconstruction to get him back to normal, and that's assuming he survives the process."

"You…you have to be able to do it." Bonney cried. "I…I'm running out of people to go to!"

"No…you do have one. He might be able to." Mr. Spaceman said. "Vegapunk was the one who did it to him…he might be able to…"

"Vegapunk…this happened because of him." Bonney said in anger.

"Bonney, with all due respect…you know there's only one person - or rather, persons - to blame for what happened." Mr. Spaceman said. "The Government has hounded him all his life. And what he…"

"I just want him back. I just…I just want my daddy back!" Bonney cried.

"I know, Bonney. We all miss him." Mr. Spaceman said sadly. "If I could bring Kuma back, I would. I can create a black hole, pull moons out of the sky, make supernovas…but I can't reverse this process. The only advice I can give is to find Vegapunk…and I can tell you where to go."

"Go? You're not serious trying to get her to go to Egghead, are you?" The Inventor said.

"It's the only place that may hold the way to fixing Kuma." Mr. Spaceman responded. "Vegapunk wouldn't leave the process irreversible forever. He must have spent time researching a way to reverse the process, even against Government orders."

"Are you sure? If the government found out he was doing that, he could be targeted." Fordo pointed out.

"True. But we are men of science. We do what we must to attain knowledge and share it with the world. Now…please go. I promise no one else will attack you." Mr. Spaceman said as the girl ran off crying out the door.

"Kuma…You're not talking about Bartholomew Kuma, are you?" Kuroshiki asked.

"I am." Mr. Spaceman nodded. "He was a good man. Getting him back would be a miracle. And it would take one as well."

"I can't believe it…the Tyrant of the South Blue, has a kid…" Fordo said.

"The Process…you mean becoming a human weapon. I see. From what I studied, a process like that is usually irreversible." Kuroshiki said. "Though he's not in Government hands anymore. I heard he was stolen during the attack on Pangaea Castle when the Revolutionary Army was there."

"Yes. That's true. Now that I think of it, someone matching Bonney's description was also sighted there." the Inventor said. "So she went to rescue him herself."

"She may be 12, but she is a very brave girl." Mr. Spaceman said. "I'm proud to call myself a guiding light for her." he said as it sounded like crying.

"You've always did have a soft spot for…" Kuroshiki said as they turned heads to see the Phantom Thieves with their hands full of inventions.

"Uh…ignore us. Continue your wonderful bonding moment." Jack said.

"Yeah…no." Kuroshiki said as he activated his IS unit and tackled Jack out of the window.

"Oh damn!" Jack said as he hugged close to the wall and slid down. "(He's using a mecha. I can't steal abilities involving weapons. Gotta avoid him for now.)" he thought.

"Look, we don't have to do this." Kuroshiki said as he flew down to match Jack's decent. "Put the tech back where you found it, and we can call it even."

"No need! I'll get a receipt for it afterwards." Jack said as he flung himself into another window.

Kuroshiki sighed. "Well, I guess we're doing this then." he said to himself as he flew in after him, into a large, barren room with white walls.

"Damn it, of all the rooms I had to jump into…" Jack seethed before Kuroshiki landed in front of him and pulled out a plasma blade.

"Just so you know…this isn't personal." Kuroshiki said as he held the blade with both hands.

Dark Future 2nd Sub-Leader - Kuroshiki

"You know that isn't original." Jack said. "Damn…could really use some backup right about now. Oh well…looks like I'll have to use that. Law of Thievery…the Bond." he said as his gloves glowed. "And here we go!" he said as his hands started to generate electricity.

"I see…so he can borrow abilities without needing to touch others now." Kuroshiki said. "I take it you used Bonney's blitz as a distraction to get inside and steal all that tech. You would've made a clean getaway if we didn't notice you."

"Yeah. We hacked through your system and made it to where your prototypes and finished products were and helped ourselves. Honestly, before you rammed me, we were planning to run like hell." Jack said.

"So… how much of our conversation did you hear?" Kuroshiki asked while dashing at Jack and swinging his plasma sword.

"Why does that matter? I'm a thief. I steal things." Jack said as he jumped before unleashing an electrical blast on the guy's chest. "Besides, I don't give a crap about that mushy feely stuff. My idiot of a brother eats that junk up though."

"More power to him." Kuroshiki replied as his IS unit absorbed the exhaust from its thruster and pressurized it, increasing Kuroshiki's speed as he dashed behind Jack and slashed him across the back.

"Ah…that really hurt!" Jack said as he unleashed a focused blast on the IS unit, disabling the right arm.

"What, you can take it, can't you?" Kuroshiki asked as he switched the using his left arm to hold the blade.

"I'm still a normal human being!" Jack said as he kept dodging attacks.

"(I won't be able to use the Yukihira if he shorts out the left arm. Well, if that comes to pass, I can still use my new ace. Best not to risk it, though.)" Ichika thought as his unit created a coating of energy around it. "Reiraku Byakuya!"

The energy shot out across the room. It seemingly caused no harm to Jack, but he felt the electricity around his fingertips fizzle out, leaving him unable to use it.

"Huh…didn't think that would work against energy attacks that didn't come from an IS unit." Kuroshiki remarked. "You ready to call it quits yet?"

"If I didn't call it quits when I was getting my ass kicked by Ira, I sure as hell aren't against you." Jack said.

"Eh, worth a shot." Kuroshiki shrugged as he dashed towards Jack once more, blade in hand.

"(Wait for it, wait for it…)" Jack prepared himself, as Kuroshiki was coming in just as the ceiling collapsed above them. "Right on time!"

"What the?!" Kuroshiki asked in shock.

"Hell yeah! We're coming at ya!" Skull called out as he and Joker crashed through.

"Persona!" Joker called, summoning Arsene out as he bombarded Kuroshiki with an Eigaon attack.

"Blow em away!" Skull said, summoning Captain Kid as cannon fire was fired right into Kuroshiki.

"Aw, come on!" Kuroshiki cried as his IS unit's shield barely held up against the attacks. "(I wasted Reiraku Byakuya by using it against Jack. Can't take another hit like that.)"

"Time we left, Jack." Joker said.

"We got most of the tech we swiped outta the building already. But we didn't wanna leave without you." Skull said.

"Thanks. And most is still better than nothing. Thanks for the tech, gundam rip off." Jack said as the three thieves jumped out the window.

"...God damn, I am a Gundam rip off." Kuroshiki said, before he activated his comm. "Hey, the lead thief got away. How're things on your end?"

"We managed to get some of the products back but the other thieves got away." Fordo said.

Kuroshio then noticed that there was a sour expression on Rose's face.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Kuroshiki asked Rose.

"The World Government… how many times have they overstepped their boundaries…" Rose remarked under her breath.

"Rose, the World Government won't try anything to cause further trouble." Mr Spaceman remarked. "From what I heard, they're already making a lot more enemies than they can handle. There is no need to throw the first stone… so to speak."

"...Oh, I think I get it." Kuroshiki remarked. "...It's about them, isn't it?"

Rose only answered back with a curt nod, as Mr Spaceman sighed gently.

"I can see the similarities." Mr Spaceman answered back. "...For now, just make sure that we don't end up causing more trouble for the Inventor."

"Well, I'd be more worried about the other Five Points, if you want to explain this." The Inventor casually remarked. "Meanwhile, I have to make my preparations for when Vegapunk and his works sink into the ocean. The World Government doesn't do things in half-measures, especially when it comes to destruction."

There was a tense silence between the Dark Future members.

"...Bastards, the lot of them." Fordo spat. "...They'll get theirs, whether it be through us or those heroes."

"I'm sure they will. Besides, I would never abandon a friend." Mr. Spaceman said before seeing the Inventor packing up. "Leaving already?"

"Yes. With all the excitement that just happened in the last hour, I'll need to head back and give Negativity a report. This is the second Phantom Thieves strike since the auction began." the Inventor said.

"Right. Of course. Then I wish you safe travels." Mr. Spaceman said.

As the inventor left, Fordo couldn't help but ask.

"You sure telling Bonney to go to Egghead was right? It's not exactly a vacation spot." Fordo said.

"I know. But I have no doubt she'll be all right." Mr. Spaceman said.


In the camper…

"Ugh…easy there…" Jack said as Mona was healing him as he was also being bandaged. "Damn…didn't think they'd be so quick on the attack."

"Least we made it out with the tech." Skull said.

"These heists we're making against Dark Garden are proving to be quite the challenge, aren't they?" Crow asked. "If nothing else, this isn't boring."

"Yeah, of course you'd say that." Jack said. "Anyway, we got some time before the next hit. We'll be heading to the Shinto Universe next."

"That is the home universe of Dark Temple, isn't it? I heard the Universal Villains raided them not too long ago, but all they stole was a surplus supply of matcha." Fox remembered.

"All that matcha they stole is gonna be chump change compared to what we'll be taking from them." Mona said. "Dark Temple's real business is acquiring rare swords and selling them to the highest bidder."

"Yes. Which is what we're targeting…the rarest swords kept in an inner chamber of the temple." Jack said. "Yes with that we'll be…" he said before the sound of a shot rang out across the city.

"What was that?" Emma asked.

"Sounded like a gunshot." Ray said.

The thieves quickly checked themselves before sighing in relief to find no new wounds on their bodies.

"As long as it's not us." Jack sighed in relief.


Ruined City, Darkness Universe, Dark Garden HQ…

"So…we're being targeted by thieves now. But that's not the only thing. Hex's involvement with Redwood….and the infiltration by Jewelry Bonney as well." Negativity said looking over the incident reports.

"Thankfully, Bonney didn't cause any harm. Only two personnel were affected by her Age-Age…" a guard said as Negativity snapped his fingers as the guard was dragged out.

"Ugh…more pirate obsessed idiots…we might need to rethink our hiring policies." Negativity said before seeing the Assistant run in. "Ah…now there's someone I actually don't mind…" he said before seeing a sense of distress on her face. "What…what's wrong?"

"Sir….it's the Inventor…he…he's been killed." the Assistant said.

"What?! Are you sure?" Negativity asked.

"We are unsure if it was an assassination or not. But he was found dead in the street near Dark Future's HQ. Cause of death was a bullet straight to the head. Death was instant." the Assistant said.

"Hmm…we'll question him on what happened when his soul enters the clone body." Negativity said. "In the meantime, send a notice to the other Five Points. If the Inventor was the target of an assassination, then the others may be targeted as well."

"Yes sir." The Assistant replied as she began to leave to do so.

"...You'll watch yourself if you have to go into the open, right?" Negativity asked.

"...Of course, sir." The Assistant assured as she left.

"...We've faced a number of attempted takeovers in the past…but this is the first that lead to three branches being put in lockdown and one of the upper staff killed. Could those thieves be behind this?" Negativity wondered before discarding the idea. "No. They don't go out of their way to kill their targets. Hmm…quite the mystery…"