Chapter 59: The Priestess

Ω • Ω • Ω

7/11, Monday

•Akira•

"What a refreshing morning. How are you doing?"

"Wah! Akechi jumpscare!"

After the small joke, they got to talking as they waited for the train. Akechi noted the similarities between Mental Shutdowns, Psychotic Breakdowns, and Changes of Heart. He grimaced, having noticed it too.

The day slowly passed and when school ended Makoto walked up behind him on their way to the station. "Akira-kun."

"Howdy, Makoto."

"Heading home? It's rare running into you at this hour."

"That's not surprising, I'm not part of any clubs, and you've got your student council duties," he laughed.

"True, having to handle my student council duties as well as our… activities is pretty tough. Such as— Oh, that reminds me. Do you remember the counseling Maruki-sensei's offering? It seems to be growing quite popular. I saw someone heading into the nurse's office just as I was leaving the school. The teachers say he's been well worth his time here, but I have a feeling there's more to his popularity than just talent… maybe I should find out for myself at some point…"

"We talk quite a bit, though I'd do so after the exams. It'd be embarrassing if your score dropped at all after being on Ruru's ass so much about them," he smirked.

"No need to worry there," she smiled. "My study routine's rigorous enough that I'm not panicking over it. I appreciate the concern, but how about you? Depending on the exam scores, there may not be a fireworks festival for anyone to attend— were you aware?"

"With how panicked Ruru is? Very aware."

They both chuckled, Makoto brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "In all seriousness, make sure you study well, all right?"

"I will. I'm not losing this time."

"Losing…? Oh, you mean your scores compared to mine. I wouldn't worry about that, I've always had top scores, so don't feel so bad."

His eyebrows rose at her sass. "Well, looks like someone's learning banter. All right, we'll see whose score is greater when exams are over."

"I'm looking forward to it. Now, I need to buy some test prep booklets on my way home. See you later."

Perhaps we should spend an afternoon with the Fist of Justice, I believe a Confidant shall soon form.

They split, and eventually, he reached Shibuya Square. As he was in the middle of transferring between train lines, he heard yet another person come up behind him. "Starr-senpai."

"Ah, Howdy, Yoshizawa-san."

The red-head smiled. "What a pleasant surprise. Are you headed home too?"

"That is usually what I do when school lets out. What about you?"

"Same here, I didn't have club practice today. That reminds me, there's something I wanted to report to you. Would now be a good time?"

Something to report to him? "Sure, I've got time."

"Thank you. Why don't we find a seat somewhere?"

"Hm? Starr-kun?"

"Twice in one day, Akechi-san?" He asked as he turned to see the detective walking up to them. "I'm starting to think you plan these 'accidentally' meetings."

Thou jokes, but I would not be surprised.

Dude's definitely a stalker, Oni barked out a laugh.

"Who's to say?" Akechi chuckled. "And you are…"

"It's been quite a while, Akechi-san."

"And the same for you… Yoshizawa-san, right?"

"You two know each other?"

Kasumi smiled and nodded at him. "My father works at a TV station," she explained. "Have you ever seen 'Good Morning Japan'? My father's the director."

"I've been brought into the show as a guest a number of times now. That's how I ended up becoming acquainted with Yoshizawa-san. I didn't know you knew her as well, Starr-kun."

"He helped me out of a jam before, and now he's been offering me guidance."

"Helped you out of a jam, eh? I see…" Akechi smiled. "So, what were you two up to?"

"I was just about to share some exciting news. It's nothing to keep secret, so I may as well spill it now. It's about that summer competition I mentioned to you before? I was chosen to be our club representative!"

"Congratulations," he spoke with a smile.

Kasumi smiled back, filled with determination. "This only feels like the beginning to me, though."

"Isn't your club's team considered to be quite prestigious?" Akechi asked. "And you're their representative? I must say, that's extremely impressive."

"Thank you! I'll do my best to make everyone proud."

"I'll be cheering you on as well. Ah, I have an idea— since all three of us are here, why don't we go somewhere as a group? We can call it our little celebration for Yoshizawa-san's success."

"That would be wonderful! Does that work for you, Starr-senpai?"

"If it's the same café as last time, be prepared to see an amazing disguise by Akechi-san," he grinned.

"Ahahaha. I have my own disguise should it be necessary." Kasumi looked very confused by his joke, and Akechi's subsequent monotone shutdown before the second detective prince led them right back to the café they had enjoyed some cake and coffee at just a few nights before.

Sitting down at the same table they used the previous time, they ordered some drinks. When they were delivered, Akechi and Kasumi having hot coffee while he ordered a soda, as he'd learned from his previous experience there that the coffee simply wasn't up to par, Akechi started the conversation lightly. "Yoshizawa-san, you drink hot beverages even in the summer?"

"I have to prevent my body from becoming too cold, since the meet's coming up rather soon."

"I see, you make sure you're covering all your bases."

"So what's your reasoning, Akechi-san? I can see the steam coming from your cup," he chuckled.

"Good point," Kasumi giggled. "Well, some people say coffee can cool you off, even when hot, so I try to avoid that. I had this image that you enjoy sweet things, Akechi-san. Is that untrue? I swear I saw you eating fried sweet bread on TV just the other day…"

Akechi just shook his head. "It's all part of a marketing strategy. That sort of stunt is an easy crowd-pleaser."

"You seem to have your own bases covered as well."

He just sipped his cola and raised an eyebrow at Akechi. "Weren't you just saying the cake here was delicious the other day? I feel lied to…"

"Presenting oneself in a favorable light is nothing surprising. More surprising is just how innocent you seem to be."

Seeing the two of them joking, Kasumi looked between them. "I've been wondering… How do you two know each other?"

"His social studies class visited the set of a TV show I appeared on."

"Ah, that's right, the second-years got to go to a TV station…"

"And I almost died of boredom there," he muttered.

Akechi grinned pleasantly around his cup of coffee. "He and I exchanged our opinions during the shoot and his way of thinking intrigued me."

He tries to make everything he does pleasant, doesn't he?

Several other Personas made various noises of assent.

"I can definitely see that! Starr-senpai's take on things often helps me as well."

"That reminds me, Yoshizawa-san. You had mentioned that he's been providing you with some guidance."

"Yes— like you just said, his way of thinking is intriguing. I figured I could benefit from his input."

"In that case, let's play a little game. Would you mind if I posed the same question to you that I first asked him?"

He raised an eyebrow at Akechi, but he was interested to see what Kasumi would answer with. "No, go right ahead."

"So, my question was… What do you think of the Phantom Thieves?"

"The Phantom Thieves? You mean in the case that they do in fact exist, yes?" She thought for a moment, adjusting herself. "I admit that the assistance of others in need is a truly great act… But I simply can't agree with their methods."

Both he and Akechi raised their eyebrows, the brown-haired boy smiling. "I see. Care to explain why?"

"I suspect the Phantom Thieves' existence isn't going to be beneficial to society in the long run."

"How so?"

"Well, for example, when someone's faced with a problem to overcome, I believe they need to do it themselves. Getting help from others is totally fine, but in the end, it takes a person's initiative to truly create lasting change. If society relied upon a safety net like the Phantom Thieves, I worry that people would stop making a conscious effort. Granted, this depends on how severe the problem is, and it's inaccurate to apply generalizations to an entire population… But I believe a society where everyone simply leaves matters to the Phantom Thieves wouldn't last for very long."

My brain hurts, Oni grumbled.

"I see… So, in the sense of a person's growth, their actions actually hinder it. Quite an interesting take on the matter." Akechi turned to him. "Let me ask you, then— what do you think of Yoshizawa-san's opinion?"

"She's certainly not wrong." He sipped his drink, shrugging. "A society that ends up relying too much on the Phantom Thieves would have problems. But the targets they've gone after so far, from what I can tell after what's been said on television, online, and what I've learned in person, have been people that had to be taken down by them. No one else was doing anything or could do anything, even when the victims were crying out for help. Still, like I said, I understand her position."

Please don't tell me we're about to have a full ideological debate, Not-Phoenix sighed.

Humans do seem to enjoy such things, Principality chuckled.

"Ah, so you think you should let others come to their own conclusions on the matter."

Kasumi looked surprised. "Wait… Could you actually be a fan of the Phantom Thieves, Starr-senpai?!"

"Fan? That's putting it mildly," he grinned. She flushed in embarrassment at the fact that she'd essentially badmouthed the Phantom Thieves right to a big fan's face, and Akechi laughed.

"I didn't mean to start an argument. I just can't help myself sometimes. Let's change the subject to something a bit lighter."

Ω • Ω • Ω

Their little pow-wow had ended quickly after that, and he retired to Leblanc as the sun set. He had planned on studying before bed, but a message from Iwai had him making his way to Central Street.

With a quick explanation of what he'd be doing that night, mainly finding a homeless man to interrogate them on a 'rumor about an underground deal', he found himself stalking the street. 'What the hell has my life come to?'

It's entertaining, I'll give you that, Sui-ki laughed.

It took some time but he eventually found the man Iwai had been talking about, in the general area he had been given, by some storage lockers near the gym. He took a moment to compose himself, before approaching. "Yo. I heard there's a deal going down soon, and that you'd have the deets."

It took a moment for the homeless man to respond, eyeing him up and down. "So, you wanna know about some underground business deals, huh? Y'know, you can find anything you want on the internet nowadays."

"Including deals like this one?" He asked with a scoff.

"…So you're lookin' for somethin' a little… more, huh? Yeah, I can see it in your eyes. Who sent you here?"

"That isn't your business," he replied to shut him down.

"Heh. Sure. Anyways, I'll tell you… but just this once. You're gettin' into some shady business here." He took a moment to actually say anything, sighing and turning to face the lockers. "Just… act like I'm mumblin' to myself, you got it? No promises I'm gonna say anythin' useful, either."

He nodded.

"So, an exec for the Hong Kong mafia came to Japan some time 'round New Years of this year. Apparently somethin' big went down with a huge Asian investor. Deal worth about… a hundred million yen. Though you'd figure somethin' that massive woulda got more people talkin' about it… Maybe they leased some kinda high-end club to keep it as private as possible…? I didn't hear a thing about that though. …All right, we're done here. Go."

Akira turned and walked away, 'accidentally' dropping a few expensive bills for his trouble. Rakshasa growled in his head. A deal worth a hundred million, huh?

That'sss quite a number.

I'm intrigued to see where this will go. What about thee, Trickster?

He just smiled in answer. Once he got back to Iwai's store, the surly owner wasn't behind the counter, but he could hear an unknown and intimidating voice further in the store, towards the back. "Your store is impressive as always. Great stuff, Iwai!"

"It's nice to hear that comin' from you, Tsuda-san."

"I bet you could start a war with realistic models like those. Seriously, these are incredible. Should get going now though." They walked out of the back room, Tsuda-san's looks matching his intimidating voice, as he wore a black suit and sunglasses, with a hard-looking face. "Hm?"

Seeing him standing by the door, Iwai nodded. "Welcome."

"H-Hello," he stuttered, lowering his head and using his fake glasses to make him seem more meek, hunching over slightly to obscure his height. "I heard you sell airsoft guns…?"

"Yeah, gimme a minute."

"Heh. I don't think you're cut out for airsoft. Quit while you're ahead." Tsuda nodded at Iwai. "All right, Iwai, I'll take one of everything you showed me today. I'll need an entire arsenal. How long would that take?"

Iwai chewed the stick of his lollipop. "Depends on how quick the parts come in. Some stuff's prolly gonna have to go through customs… How long things get stuck there's totally outta my control, though."

Tsuda shifted. "Tell me, Mune… What's your son's name? Kaoru-kun, was it?"

"…That's right."

"Well then… If you don't deliver on time, I might just have to let Kaoru-kun in on your little secret."

"Tsuda-san, please…"

"I wonder, how will an adolescent boy like him react to finding out his father was in the yakuza? I guess if things go sour, we could always try to sell him again."

He shuffled back a step as he watched, trying to seem intimidated by the conversation the adults were having. If he didn't have any reaction at all, that would likely seem suspicious.

"Fine… I'll put a rush on your order. Happy now?"

"Very much so. Well then, I look forward to hearing from you again… soon. Sorry to make you wait, kid." Tsuda smirked as he walked past him, and after he exited the store and several moments passed, Akira dropped the act, looking at Iwai in concern.

"…God dammit!"

"The hell was that about?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it." Iwai sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry you had to see that. Nice job, acting like you didn't know what was going on… Anyways. How'd it go? You learn about anything good?"

He explained what he'd heard, about the expensive deal and the Hong Kong mafia, causing Iwai to huff. "Huh. So someone made a big deal with the Hong Kong mafia worth a hundred million yen… And it happened sometime 'round New Years… Wouldn't surprise me if Tsuda had somethin' to do with it. I hear he's been braggin' all over about a big score he made right near the start of the year. I've gotta do more research into it myself…"

'Think it has to do with that order he just placed with Iwai?' He asked his Personas.

Wouldn't doubt it, Yaksini replied.

I would not be surprised, Leanan Sidhe agreed.

"Anyways, nice job. I'm gonna be able to give Tsuda a real scare thanks to the info you gave me."

"Thanks. So where's my reward?"

Iwai chuckled. "Anyone ever told you how demandin' you are? But, uh… another time, yeah? Man, I can't wait to see the look on Tsuda's face. It's been ages since I've felt this excited. And it's all 'cause of you, kid. Turns out you're pretty useful." He grinned at Iwai, all while he heard chains crash.

RANK UP!

Hanged Arcana, Weapons Dealer: Rank 4

"Well, I'm gonna head home early and spend some good ol' quality time with Kaoru to celebrate. Damn fine job again, kid. Get on outta here."

He turned and walked out, having given up on telling Iwai not to call him kid. When he was nearing Leblanc, his phone rang with Iwai's name on the screen. "Starr here."

"Yo, it's me. Just wanted to give you fair warning before I go home to Kaoru. You definitely got me some good intel. Honestly, I appreciate that… But now Tsuda knows your face. And that could be a real problem."

"Oh, trust me, I agree there."

"You catch on fast. Thanks to your actin' he doesn't know that we're connected, but he might have suspicions, especially if he sees us together again. Which means that stunt we pulled with Masa ain't gonna work on him. Well, what's done is done. If one method isn't gonna work, we just gotta find another. I'll think about our next move, until then, don't do anything stupid. When I need help, I'll get in touch. Hope you'll be ready."

"I'll be waiting," he grinned.

7/12, Tuesday

•Makoto•

"Pardon my intrusion," she entered the nurse's office and saw Maruki-sensei typing on a laptop.

"Oh, you're the student council president. Niijima-san, correct?"

"Yes, that's me. Um, if you don't mind, and aren't busy at the moment, I was wondering if you had time for a session?"

"Of course! Please, take a seat."

She placed her bag down as Maruki-sensei took his clipboard and sat down in his chair while setting the table with several snacks and a cup of tea. "Sorry for coming by so suddenly," she apologized.

"Oh no, everyone's permitted to stop by whenever they like! I know the phrase 'counseling session can make some people nervous, but don't be." He smiled. "Considering you're the student council president, I'd rather they didn't force you to come here at all, actually."

"Well, I was advised to come, but I still chose to do it on my own."

That made Maruki-sensei's smile even wider. He seemed genuinely happy to help her. Fitting for a counselor, she supposed. "Oh, good! Glad to hear it!"

"But please, there's no need to be concerned about my being here. Feel free to discuss anything with me."

"Ah, right. So I shall." Maruki-sensei cleared his throat. "Heh, you're sounding more like the counselor in here than I am." She smiled, and they began speaking. Several minutes passed as they discussed more mundane topics, and Maruki-sensei looked over his clipboard. "Excellent grades, exemplary conduct… Wow, you appear to be quite the ideal honor student."

"Oh, not at all. It's quite the opposite. I'm actually a bit of a mess, and I always have to turn to others for help."

"Well, you sure had me fooled. Even still, getting help isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, it's wonderful that you have a support system."

"Indeed… Especially lately. I feel like I can't do anything right by myself nowadays."

"Did something go wrong for you?"

"Yes, but it's nothing major. I've come to understand all too well that it's a bad idea taking on more of a burden than one should."

"You really do seem like someone with a mature sense of responsibility. However, that may be why people around you— especially the adults who should be protecting you— rely on you so much."

She balled her hands into fists atop her knees. "Adults… who should be protecting me? Had I been clever enough to understand that earlier; things may have gone a bit differently for me."

"You think so?" Maruki checked his chart. "Ah… You live alone with your older sister. I see. Pardon my saying so, but it seems you've been through quite a bit."

"Honestly, it only felt like the norm to me. But our lack of adult guardians has to have been hard on my sister— even now as well… And I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard for me, too."

"Do you still remember them? Your parents."

"Yes. Not as much about my mother admittedly. But my father, without a doubt. In fact, now that I think about it, I may well have grown to be a bit uptight because of that."

"Is that so… and are you doing okay now? Is your support system adequate?"

"It's not as if I have a team of employees or anything, but I do have people that I'm able to rely upon well. Of course, I'd never think of them as replacements for my father or my sister. No one could replace either of them. What I've lost won't ever come back. I just need to keep my chin up and push towards my future."

Maruki-sensei laughed. "Mm, I like the way you put that. No one can ever be replaced… yet we need to keep pushing towards our future. Should anything come up that you want help with, I'll be there to support you… Though, my skills are pretty limited."

"Thank you. I appreciate the kind words."

Once she was finished with the session she walked out feeling lighter. Yes, she had her friends to support her. Speaking of… she had noticed that Akira would sometimes spend afternoons hanging out with another member of the Phantom Thieves… perhaps she should do the same? It would be best to broaden her horizons, now that she was a member of the Phantom Thieves… and Akira and herself certainly didn't need much help studying…

Ω • Ω • Ω

•Akira•

He had been a bit surprised to be called out by Makoto like this, but he was interested to hear what she wanted to ask him. After receiving her text and meeting her at the student council room, he let Morgana head home by himself while following her down to the courtyard, then leaned against a vending machine. "Alright, Makoto, what's up? I'm all ears."

"How to begin…" The red-eyed girl cupped her chin, before nodding. "Up until now, I've been the quintessential honor student. I believe I've been handling my position as student council President with ease as well." He grinned, which she noticed. "A-And I don't mean that in a boasting way, that's simply how I've thought about it."

"Of course."

"…But in the end, I was unable to make any kind of impact with either Suzui-san or Kaneshiro. Turns out there's no use for a rule-abiding honor student when things get rough."

He grimaced but didn't say anything.

"Now that I'm a member of this team, I want to do everything I can to help you all. My studying up to this point has left me quite narrow-minded. I think… I-I will need to broaden my horizons somewhat."

"Way to take the initiative advisor," he chuckled. "So, how do you want to do that?"

She smiled. "Advisor…? Hmph, alright. My first step will be to learn more about the other students. But… I struggle with that. There seems to be a disparity between my tastes and those of my peers…"

"Well, you'd be right about that. Even in a prep school like Shujin, most students don't actively enjoy studying, especially to the point that it's all they do in their free time. Even I'm not that obsessed with it, and I love studying."

"I knew it…" Makoto groaned, looking downcast. "I don't even know where people like to go for fun… It would be nice to at least have a grasp of such concepts. Plus, the student council must be responsible for understanding the student body they serve, right?"

"That's a great idea. Just don't go about it like you did with me, upside-down manga and all," he smirked.

"Of course! I-I didn't mean it in a surveillance type way, I just want to know them as people! Honestly, Akira, I wish you wouldn't tease me…" They both laughed. "So… I may be a member of the team now, but that's no excuse for me to start ignoring my presidential duties. Now, back to the topic at hand… Where do people usually go for fun?"

"It depends on the person and the friend group. For Yusuke, we might go to the museum or the park. If it was Mishima or Ryuji, we'd probably go to the arcade."

"Ah, I often hear people talking about going to the arcade. To be perfectly honest, I've never been to one myself…" He was about to make a snarky comment that it wasn't a surprise, but her glare cut him off and he held up his hands in surrender with a chuckle. "So, do you think you could take me? I'm not sure if it will broaden my horizons per se, but simply studying won't get me anywhere."

"Sure. We can head over now."

"Thank goodness… I think I would have been lost in there had I gone by myself. Well, let's get going." He ignored the students that noticed them walking together, whispering about the 'delinquent' transfer student and student council president spending time together. Well, at the very least it wasn't as many whispers as there had been at the beginning of the semester. A combination of time passing, Kamoshida's confession, and his stellar grades had gotten plenty of students to be…

Well, they were still wary of him. But less so.

Ah, the woes of infamy, Arsène chuckled.

'Oh please, Arsène Lupin reveled in infamy.'

Eventually reaching Shibuya Square, he led Makoto to the arcade where he, Ryuji, and Mishima sometimes hung out. The sound of electronic beeps, tires squealing in the racing games, and zaps of guns filled the air. It was nostalgic, reminding him of the GAME arcade back home. It was too bad that he stopped going with his 'friends', but he made up for it by going with his mom and dad instead when his dad was in town.

"So, this is where everyone comes to enjoy themselves… There are more girls here than I expected."

"Well, plenty of girls enjoy a date to the arcade… and some probably just want to waste the day away," he shrugged. "I'm pretty sure Ann enjoys some games… she recognized a couple in my collection."

Makoto glanced at the cabinet labeled 'Gun About'. "Hey, over there… You play by aiming the gun at the screen, right? That actually seems somewhat realistic. Hm…"

"Let's try it."

She jerked, surprised, before smiling. "I-If it's okay with you… Do you think you could teach me?" He nodded and began leading through the game. She, of course, wasn't very good at first, but slowly learned as they played. "I did it! Wha—! Ah, no way! Ah!"

Her loud play was drawing a lot of attention, though.

When they were finished she hadn't noticed at all, too focused on the game. "So that's how it is."

"You're a real gamer now," he spoke semi-sarcastically.

Makoto didn't seem to have heard him, putting a hand to her chin. "Of course, that was just a game, but… I wonder if I could apply some of the techniques I learned here during battle."

"I'm sure you could. It's a world of cognition, after all."

"Hm. Perhaps going somewhere I don't normally frequent is what helped me come up with that idea." She smiled. "You know, it may only be a little bit… but I think I'm starting to understand how people pass time. Interesting. I would've never even thought about coming here before."

"It was like a new side of you, with how you were reacting while playing," he chuckled.

Makoto looked surprised. "I… Hey, do you think you could help me out again later? I might be able to give the team more ideas if I can gain increased knowledge outside of my studies. I need to live up to your expectations now that I've taken up your time. Perhaps it won't be immediately, but I'm sure I can be of use."

"I'll look forward to it. But stop worrying about being of use. Look at Ann and Ryuji. Besides their combat potential, they don't bring much to the team. It's not about being useful or being useless, you're one of us now. We weren't going to throw you aside if all you brought was your Persona and Aikido. I'd have thrown out Ryuji ages ago if that was the case," he laughed.

"Yes, I realize that… I suppose I still have to get over that mindset. Wait, what about Yusuke?"

"Oh, he makes skill cards for me."

"Huh." Makoto shook her head. "In any case… Let's all do our best from here on."

An analyst with her intellect will be of great assistance. Chains crashed to highlight his words, and he felt a bond form.

I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Priestess Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…

Priestess Arcana, Makoto Niijima: Rank 1

"By the way, you went to the red-light district when you were chasing after Kaneshiro, right? I'd like to go there as well."

He opened his mouth.

"No! N-Not for my own purposes," she immediately shut him down before he could say anything. "To tell you the truth, I recently got a report that one of our students was spotted there… I'm skeptical, but… I'd like to confirm firsthand for myself."

"Then I suppose we know where our next outing will be."

She smiled. "Thank you, Akira-kun. Well, it's getting late. Let's go home."

Splitting for the day he began to return to Leblanc, but a yell from down the alley by Untouchable drew his eye. "Inmate!"

He sighed, but still turned and walked down towards the door to the Velvet Room. "Caroline."

"Hm, the Magician isn't with you today… Have you been completing your rehabilitation?"

"As best I can, sure," he shrugged.

"Very well. Then you will be taking us on another outing," Justine nodded.

"I already have plans."

"Too bad," both twins spoke, one haughtily and the other monotone. No prizes for knowing which was which.

He shook his head and sighed, a smile wavering on his lips. "Alright, fine. Where am I taking you this time?"

Ω • Ω • Ω

"That was rather enjoyable, Inmate!" Caroline smiled as she stretched, probably wanting to move around after sitting in one place for almost two hours. "We won't underestimate the human imagination again."

A place of fantasies, where the cognitions of others could be witnessed by others. The place the twins had described sounded similar to the movie theater, so he walked them over to the one at the end of Central Street and bought three tickets. They'd been entranced by the movie, and he thought it was… decent.

"You may claim to have enjoyed yourself, but your screams told quite a different story— to anyone who could hear. It's no wonder how everyone mistakes us for elementary school students."

"Shut up! It was only because of that thing jumping out at my face… and you were just as scared, Justine!"

"…It certainly was startling. The eyes and nose seemed to stretch out right at me… and it all began the moment I donned those black glasses." The calmer of the two turned to him. "What exactly were those that we wore?"

"A Persona," he answered completely seriously.

"What?! Really?!"

Justine sighed. "That is clearly untrue. Please try not to be so easily fooled."

"Dammit, you tricked me! That's it— the death penalty for you!" Caroline leaped at him, and it was only by virtue of his wrestling with his younger sisters that gave him the reflexes to hold his arm out for her to clamp onto, before lifting her into the air. She kicked her feet violently, unable to reach the ground, and he just grinned at her as she struggled to hold on. "Damn you inmate!"

"If you want uppies, just ask next time."

"Do not treat me like a child, Inmate!"

"Caroline, I suggest you don't say that while you continue to hang from him."

She just grumbled as she continued holding onto him, and he waved his arm up and down to bounce her. "Why is it that humans even create such large and elaborate fabrications in the first place, though? Isn't the imagining of these things satisfying enough? Even dreaming seems like a superior pastime."

"Why do humans go so far as to spend their money just to witness fictional events?"

"For the fun of it," he shrugged. "Especially for people that just aren't that creative, they can enjoy the dreams and imaginings of others."

"What a naïve notion," Caroline huffed. "Humans are such simple-minded creatures."

"Perhaps humans immerse themselves in imaginary worlds as a means of escaping reality?"

"Escape, you say… that sounds rather human as well…"

"That would also be a good explanation," he shrugged.

Caroline glared. "You wouldn't be happening to plotting an escape of your own, would you, inmate!?"

"No matter how much you might rail against it, you shall remain our Inmate. Even the very thought of such a foolish endeavor is pointless for you… Or could that line of thinking be yet another avenue of escaping reality?"

"Hmph! What a pathetic fantasy! I'll bet you were thinking of blasting away the cell door, weren't you?!"

"Don't even consider such crassness, Caroline. If he were to attempt such a blatant jailbreak, either our master or ourselves would notice immediately."

"Oh? And how would you do it, Justine?"

"I would use a spoon to dig a hole through the wall, and conceal it with a poster of some distinctive image," Justine imagined.

"Blowing open the cell door seems much more impactful. They used that plan in one of the movie previews, correct? They wielded a bazooka and went about blowing everything up."

"Any recaptured escapee is executed on the spot. Freedom or death are the only options for an inmate on the lam." Oh, he was surprised Justine even knew what lam meant. Would giving her a pat on the head be appropriate? "Surprise and excitement are necessary elements of any escape. Did you learn nothing from the movie, Caroline? Or were you simply enjoying yourself?"

"Shut up! The Inmate'll settle this for us!" Caroline glared at him, even as she kept hanging from his arm. "Hey! Tell us how you'd try to escape! Would you blast the door open, or use a spoon?!"

"Hm… Well, when it comes to being a Phantom Thief, stealth and style are both equally as important… There's no point stealing from the evil if no one knows about it and is inspired by you. I'd blow my way out."

"Ha! You hear that, Justine! It's all about making the greatest impact!"

Justine sighed. "Very well, then. At any rate, he can't escape us, regardless of what he does." He kept his mouth shut, despite his thoughts on the matter. He'd be blowing that cell door sooner or later, and he wasn't letting them put his head under any guillotines.

"There's no harm in allowing yourself to fantasize a little bit, every now and then." Caroline pulled herself up, smirking at him. "You're hereby free to fantasize, but keep it in check, inmate! Your job is to focus on your rehabilitation!"

"That being said… Here is your reward." Justine handed over a few skill cards, and he slipped Caroline onto his back so he could grab the cards and pocket them. "I believe that will be all for today. It is time to return."

He just chuckled and adjusted Caroline, who sat smugly on him in a piggyback position. She'd stopped struggling when she realized how tall it made her, and that she could whack him over the head if needed.

Justine glared up at her more hot-tempered sister, crossing her arms. "Caroline, please get off the Inmate so that we may return to the Velvet Room."

"Don't be jealous of our height difference, Justine. It wouldn't do for the Inmate to see his Wardens fighting!"

"Wha— I am most certainly not jealous." He rolled his eyes in exasperation at Justine's defense, and picked her up, letting her sit on one arm. The people walking through the theater around them laughed at what probably looked like an older brother indulging his sisters in playing some form of cops and robbers.

"Alright, let's go."

"Hmph…"

"Yes, onwards, Inmate!"

Another outing with the twins done, and the third chapter in a row that involves Rank 1 of a Confidant… Didn't intend that, but fuck it, we ball.

Been a few wind-down chapters now, but I guess it'll give the MEDJED arc a bigger bang when it begins. Plus, we've had the rank ups, so it's not like nothing is going on. A big part of the story is the Confidants after all.

We get more Iwai, and Makoto's session with Maruki, those are always fun. And more Akechi and Kasumi. In any case, 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!