Chapter 11: Lovers' Faith
Kasumi had thought that today's trip to Mementos would be quick and easy! Just one request to change the heart of Nozomi Suemitsu, who had been drawn into a shady organization. There was just one problem.
No one had mentioned that the organization in question was a death cult!
"Death comes in many forms. War, famine, pestilence... one thing is certain. Death comes for all. Nyx will guide us to salvation! The sacrifice of the Messiah will be in vain!" Suemitsu droned. What had once been a disturbingly overweight salaryman had surged with cognitive energy and became four Shadows.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse.
"They're weak against Bless!" Ren said, thanks to a burst of inspiration. "Violet, take them down!"
Kasumi strode forward and called her Persona. "Come, Cendrillion! Makouga!" The blasts of holy energy knocked all four horsemen down with ease. She stole a glance at Ren and cocked her hips. "Shall we?" At her call, the Phantom Thieves leapt forward and battered the Shadows down with fist, gun, and blade. When the smoke cleared, the Shadows exploded and melted back into the goop that they typically did when they were defeated. However, instead of disappearing, it began to pool together again.
"Get back!" Morgana cried, "Something's coming!"
(Music Start: Persona 3 Reload OST - Battle Hymn of the Soul)
The cognitive energy surged again and coalesced into a new form. It was an idealized form of Suemitsu with no trace of his sizable belly to be found. He wore only slacks and shoes, leaving his new physique exposed. Twin black angel wings sprouted from his back, and he wielded a giant claymore sword. "You will learn of Nyx's might, unbelievers. You will learn the inevitable conclusion of all existence. And you will learn the greatest truth of all... that the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed."
Back in the real world, every former member of SEES sneezed. It was especially tragic for Ken Amada, who was about to kiss his girlfriend for the first time.
Ren drew his pistol, and the rest of the Thieves followed suit with their firearms. "Maybe death is inevitable." Ren said, "But that doesn't make it wrong to resist it. That doesn't make it wrong to live while you're alive! THIEVES! LIGHT 'EM UP!" They unleashed a withering barrage of bullets that barely seemed to faze Suemitsu.
The Shadow raised its hand and dark magic began to swirl around Kasumi. Ren recognized it immediately. It was Mudoon. "VIOLET! MOVE OR YOU'RE DEAD!"
Kasumi barely threw herself out of the way in time, causing Ren to growl in anger. One-sided crush on him aside, she was a friend. The gloves were off. "Let's see you deal with it. Come! POWER! Cleanse the wicked!" An angel clad in red armor appeared and stretched forth its hand. Holy power surged around Suemitsu's Shadow, manifesting as a myriad of charms. Once they were in place, they activated. They should have instantly killed the Shadow, but they did nothing of the sort. Instead, a barrier went up around Suemitsu and the power was reflected back onto Ren. Luckily, Power rendered Ren immune to damage from holy spells. The energy erupted harmlessly around him, leaving him more annoyed than anything else.
"Charge, Johanna!" Makoto rode in on Johanna and did a U-Turn, causing a nuclear reaction to blast the Shadow. It wasn't reflected, but whether it did damage or not was a whole other question.
"Dance, Carmen!" Ann blasted him with fire, finally causing the Shadow to flinch. "Finally!"
The Thieves closed in only to be blown back by a wave of power. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed."
"Huh?" Ryuji said. "He said that again?"
"Gah!" Morgana blanched. "You're kidding me! Any time we start making any sort of headway he just heals and reshuffles his weaknesses!"
"Screw this!" Ryuji groaned, "We just gotta pile on it, right? ASSAULT DIVE!"
"Fall." Suemitsu took his sword and swung it at Ryuji, sending him flying into Yusuke and Ann. Morgana immediately ran over to check on them.
Kasumi was about to instruct Cendrillion to attack with a physical skill when Makoto held out a hand. "Wait. Joker, attack with magic please."
Ren winked at her, "As you command, Queen."
Kasumi got a sinking feeling in her stomach. Why did Ren just wink at...
Ren removed his mask and took a deep breath in. A white furred monkey reading a book appeared, and magical energy surged around him. "Just a moment..."
Suemitsu took flight and stabbed down with his sword, but Kasumi danced out of the way just in time.
"MEGIDO!"
An orb of magical energy descended on Suemitsu and lingered for a moment before exploding. The Shadow violently flinched from the attack. "How? I was resistant to everything!" He turned his gaze onto Makoto. "You... you knew..." He stabbed his sword upwards as it began to glow with dark magic. In the next instant the ground underneath her began to glow.
"QUEEN!" Ren dove towards her, knocking her out of the way of the magic. Immediately after Makoto was out of the way, it exploded into a pillar of darkness, engulfing him.
Makoto could hear his scream of pain.
No more.
"Violet, take care of Joker."
Kasumi hesitated. She was beginning to see the glimmers of what was happening in their personal lives. "What are you going to do?"
"End this." She cracked her knuckles before summoning Johanna.
"I do hope you're not planning on blowing me up again, Priestess."
Johanna's barb was academic. Makoto knew that she could see what she had planned. "Listen here, Suemitsu, Nyx, or whatever you are. You will fall to me. No one hurts my friends and gets away with it. And NO ONE-" She dodged a blast of magic from Suemitsu. She was on a roll, nothing was going to stop her now. "NO ONE LAYS HANDS ON MY JOKER! I WILL END YOU!"
Kasumi's heart was poised to shatter. What did she mean, her Joker?
Johanna's engine revved, cloaking Makoto in nuclear energy. She dashed forward before unleashing a barrage of punches. Her blows hit with such force that they seemed to leave craters in Suemitsu's body where they landed. "Omae wa mou shinderu!"
The cognition of every anime and manga fan around the world compelled Suemitsu to respond appropriately. "Nani?"
Makoto leapt into the sky. "FIST OF JUSTICE!" She concentrated all of her nuclear power into her fist and brought it down, causing a giant explosion.
When the smoke cleared, Suemitsu was still standing, but only barely. "No... no... I'll take you with me!" His hand lashed out and grabbed Makoto by the throat. Then he began to squeeze. Makoto's eyes bulged as her ability to breathe was rapidly denied.
"NO!" Ren scrambled to his feet and ran over to the Shadow that was rapidly draining Makoto's remaining life. He drew his knife and slashed upwards, severing the arm. He caught Makoto with one arm and tore off his mask with the other. "Hecatonchieres! Finish this! Gatling Blow!" A many-armed, blue-skinned cyclops appeared and let loose with an onslaught of punches not dissimilar to what Makoto had just done a moment ago. "Mithras! Freidyne!" Another explosion went off, although much smaller.
(Music End)
Finally, Suemitsu fell to his knees, defeated. His enhanced form bled away, leaving only the overweight man once again. "I... failed... only one thing... inevitable..." He pulled out a gun and put it to his head.
Ren acted on pure instinct and kicked out. His foot caught the barrel of the gun and knocked it out of Suemitsu's hand. "I don't think so. It's not going so be that easy. Turn yourself in and admit to the fraud and suicide baiting. Got it?"
He nodded lamely. "Yes. Okay." He swallowed "I should've listened to that guy back in high school... and got out of this damn cult. Now look at me... my life is about to be ruined forever..." He began to fade away. He looked at Ren, "You're a lot like him, you know." He winked out of existence, leaving only his Treasure. Ren picked it up. It was a skill card for Curse magic.
Ryuji stretched his legs. "Well. That was friggin' weird."
"Indeed. That Shadow's ability to scramble his weaknesses made him rather formidable." Yusuke said.
Kasumi looked over at Ren and Makoto. She had her hand on his arm. He was asking if she was okay with such a tender look in his eyes. She could see what was going on, clear as day. Ren and Makoto were in a relationship.
"C-can we end here for today?" She asked. "I'm not feeling well."
Ren turned to look at her. There was concern in his eyes, yes. But that tenderness, that adoration, that devotion... he would never have that for her. "Did that Shadow do something to you?"
No, Sen- Ren. You did. I fell for you, because you're such an incredible, magnificent man. But I let my feelings blind me and lead me along by a flaxen cord around my neck. Now my heart is breaking. Not because you did anything to carelessly hurt me, but because I can see that your heart belongs to another. And I wouldn't dare intrude on that. "No, I'm fine."
After Morgana turned into the van, Kasumi subconsciously got into the backseat to be as far away from Ren as possible. She still considered him a friend, but... it just hurt too damn much right now.
She was startled by a hand on her shoulder. It was Ann. Didn't she usually sit closer to the front?
"You okay?" She said low enough so that no one in the front would hear over Ryuji's usual antics.
"Am I that easy to read?" Kasumi said. She shook her head. "Of course, I am. No. I'm... not okay."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No."
Ann said nothing further. Kasumi knew that she'd be there if she needed her.
Somehow, that made the tremendous burden of sorrow upon her a little lighter.
When Ann woke up the next morning, it occurred to her that she might not have the healthiest coping methods. They sure were fun though. But after that fight with that super avatar of death Shadow, she had to blow off some steam.
Which is why she had called Mika. And she had come over and made Ann lose several hours of sleep. She purred contentedly as she perused her memories of the night before. She casted her gaze over at where Mika lay next to her, only for her blood to run cold. Her back was to
She could see her ribcage. And her shoulder blades. Was she starving herself to maintain her figure? Oh no... Is this my fault? Because I've been egging her on?
"I doubt that apprentie." Carmen said. "But... is this normal for people in your line of work?"
Ann shuddered as she hauled herself out of bed. She was making Mika breakfast, and she was going to eat it if their arrangement was going to continue. Yes. I just won the genetic lottery. And I'm very lucky that all the crepes just go right to my ass.
"Ann, if you EVER try to starve yourself, I will force you to eat. No woman should ever torture themselves like that for the sake of beauty."
Carmen rarely used Ann's real name. That's how she knew that her Persona wasn't playing around. She grabbed a t-shirt from the floor and a clean pair of underwear before heading for the kitchen. "Okay, easy on the sweets... I know I have some of that super protein pancake mix..."
Soon enough, Mika woke up and found Ann just as she was putting the finishing touches on the pancakes. "What is this?" She asked.
"Uh... breakfast?" Ann said. "What do you want to go on your pancakes? I've got syrup, jam, peanut butter..."
"I'm not hungry."
Well, they were doing this. Alright, then. "After all the calories we burned off last night?" Ann said with a wink, "Come on, Mika. I swear they're edible."
Mika remained adamant. "I'm fasting."
Ann's eyebrow twitched. "Mika, I could see your damn ribcage this morning! Either sit down and eat your breakfast, or don't expect me to fuck you again!"
"Fine. Bye."
Ann recoiled as if Mika had just slapped her. "You can't be serious! Do you want to be dead before you reach thirty? Because that's where you're headed!"
Mika stopped at the door. "Do you really think that us fooling around gave you any authority to preach to me about how I live my life?" She shook her head, "Besides, do you really think I'm about to take diet advice from someone who's never had to diet a day in their life?"
"Mika-"
"Save it, Ann. Did you think that I was going to fall in love with you? That I was going to let you save me from my methods that you don't agree with?" She turned to leave, "Get real. I just wanted to hate-fuck you. You were nothing more than a glorified sex toy to me." With her final salvo delivered, Mika left.
Ann was left reeling. "I... just thought... damn it." Carmen was mercifully quiet. Ann ate her breakfast in silence before she threw Mika's in the trash. Stupid! Why did I think there was anything more. Why did I think she'd let me help her?
At least today was the day that Shiho was supposed to return to school. She picked up her phone and called her to see if she wanted to walk to school with her.
"Oh. Takamaki." Ann recognized Shiho's mother. Why was she answering her daughter's phone? "Hey, Suzui-san, can I talk to Shiho please?" Something wasn't right here.
"Why would I let the person that should've protected my daughter from that awful man talk to her?"
Ann's reply died in her throat. Shiho's parents... blamed her for what happened?
"We will be moving away shortly. Shiho will be blocking your number."
Ann found her voice. "You can't make that decision for her!"
Shiho's mother delivered the most devastating counter conceivable. "I haven't. I'm honoring what my daughter has decided. Goodbye."
She hung up, and Ann's phone tumbled from her grip. Between Mika showing her true colors and Shiho apparently not wanting anything to do with her anymore... she just couldn't. She shakily picked her phone back up and called the school and said she was sick and wouldn't make it in today. She stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the shower. As hot as it would go.
"Apprentie..."
"Don't." Ann spat. "I don't want to hear it. Not now." She stepped into the scalding water, just hoping to feel something. She felt the heat, felt it beating against her. But she couldn't... she couldn't even cry. She just felt numb. Numb from being told that what she and Mika had was just about the sex. Numb from her best friend deciding to cut her off because she felt that she should've done more to protect her from Kamoshida.
As the water went from scalding to lukewarm, Carmen interrupted her brooding. "Are you ready to hear me now, Ann?"
"If you're going to tell me I told you so, then go to hell." Ann muttered.
"Well, yes. But actually no." When did Carmen learn memes? That gave Ann enough pause to not interrupt. "This is why I tried to warn you away from that Mika. She never would've grown to care for you the way you crave from a partner. Under the right circumstances, love can bloom from such an encounter as you and Mika had. However, she had no respect for you."
Ann was forced to admit that Carmen was right. "I just..." She trailed off. There was no point. Her Persona was her. She knew.
"Yes, Ann. I know. You love fiercely and recklessly, and hunger for the same in return. Neither Mika or Shiho -for their own reasons- were ever going to be able or willing to reciprocate your feelings.
"My feelings- I never loved Mika!" Ann shut the water off, "It was just-"
"Because you gave into temptation. Now, I have nothing against you giving in to your... baser urges from time to time. But because you didn't have mutual respect for one another, there was no chance for your encounters to become anything more than what they were on a surface level."
"Alright, I get it!" Ann grumbled. "Don't bang anyone that isn't giving me heart eyes back." She weakly pounded her fist against the shower wall before getting out of the shower. Upon checking her phone, there was a practical barrage of texts from her friends asking if she was okay. She replied to them all saying that she wasn't feeling well and needed to stay home.
Then she got to Kasumi. She knew -sort of- what Ann was going through. She responded differently to her. "Going through a rough time right now. Could use someone to talk to."
A reply came back promptly. "Okay, I can meet you after school. There's no practice today. I'm... ready to talk, I think. About my... about Ren."
Ann sent her address, then crawled back into bed. With the promise of someone to vent at later, all she wanted right now was a little dash of oblivion.
Kasumi didn't know what to expect when she showed up at Ann's place. She even packed an extra change of clothes in case she ended up needing to stay the night for whatever reason. Thank goodness tomorrow was Sunday.
Ann opened the door and invited her in. She was just wearing a tank top and shorts. Whatever was going on with her made her of all people not care about how she looked. Kasumi walked in and put her bag down before taking a seat next to Ann on a couch. "What's going on, Ann?"
"Heartbreak sucks." She said.
Kasumi smiled sadly. "I think I know that better than anyone right now."
Ann looked at her for the first time. "Are you okay?"
"I'm better than I was, but not by much." She admitted. "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. It's an odd feeling. I want so badly to scream at him how he broke my heart, how I'm suffering because of him. I want to scream at Makoto how she stole the man I loved, how she's a bitch, how I hate her for robbing me off my happiness." The profanity sounded foreign coming from Kasumi's tongue. "But that wouldn't be fair to either of them. I just want Ren to be happy. He deserves that. If that's with Makoto, then I just have to learn to live with that. Even if it hurts."
Ann nodded. "I know what you mean. Sort of. I was... fooling around with a colleague. I thought that the rivalry we had going meant that there was some kind of mutual respect between us, but she doesn't give a damn about me. She just saw me as a plaything. On top of that, my best friend doesn't want anything to do with me anymore because she thinks I should've done more to protect her from Kamoshida. I... I just..."
Kasumi took her hand gently. "You just want so badly to love and be loved in return. I know. That's how I feel. Some guy from my class hit on me today, and I almost went along with it because I'm just so desperate for that in the wake of... of Ren, even though I knew he would never measure up."
Ann rubbed her thumb along Kasumi's hand. They looked into each other's eyes. They could do it. They could lean into it, right here and now. "Do you want to... do something to forget about it?" Ann started to slowly move closer to the younger girl.
Kasumi was like a deer in the headlights. "We shouldn't. We're both emotionally vulnerable. We'd just be taking advantage of each other."
"So what?" Ann said. "We're both hurting. We both understand, we care about each other, and we know what the other needs." She looked down at where their hands were. "And you're not pulling away, Kasumi."
Ann reached up with her free hand and caressed Kasumi's cheek. She leaned into it, her eyes fluttering at the contact. "I should..." Despite herself, she began to lean forward. The gravity between them was too strong. Kasumi wasn't the kind of girl that did things like this, but she wanted so badly to forget about Ren that it was overpowering her common sense. "What if I catch feelings?"
Ann released her hand and held Kasumi by the back of her neck. "It'll be okay. Honestly with how raw I feel right now, I'll probably catch feelings too."
(Music Start: Bad Romance - Halestorm)
No more words were exchanged. Kasumi continued to move forward, almost as if she were in a trance. Before her mind could offer up any more paltry resistance, her body and heart took over. She crossed the last of the distance between them and kissed Ann. The reciprocation her partner offered was enough to fry her brain completely. There would be no more hesitation here.
As they seperated, Ann took the lead. She pulled Kasumi closer to her and kissed her again. The mere act of her running her tongue over Kasumi's lips was enough to get her to give in. Ann smiled into the kiss as it deepened and she and Kasumi began to fight a battle where everyone involved would be a winner.
Kasumi moaned into the kiss as their tongues danced. After a few blissful moments that felt like an eternity. Ann broke away and began to kiss and lick at her neck. Kasumi pulled her closer. She didn't want this to end.
Ann responded in kind by palming Kasumi's breast through her school uniform. Her eyes rolled back as she moaned again, this time gloriously unimpeded. "Ann~"
Ann laughed before whispering in her lover's ear. "Go on, let me hear that pretty voice of yours make music for me."
With that, Kasumi's competitive spirit was ignited. As fun as it would be to just let Ann toy with her all night, she wanted to show her that she could give as good as she got. She grabbed Ann by the hands, interlocking their fingers. Then Kasumi got on top of her, straddling her. "If you think I'm going to let you do whatever you want, you've got another thing coming, baby." She had no idea what she was doing or saying. She was just following her instincts, what her body was crying out for and what her heart yearned for. She sprang at Ann, shoving her tongue in her mouth and doing everything in her power to make the blonde submit to her.
Ann laughed into the kiss before freeing her hands and squeezing Kasumi's ass. Then with the grip she had, Ann stood up and began to carry Kasumi to the bathroom. Kasumi locked her legs around Ann's waist as they went. "Really? In here?"
Ann smiled seductively, "Not at all. Just had to grab something." She opened up her makeup drawer and pulled out a tube of red lipstick. If there was one thing that Ann wasn't going to let Mika ruin for her, it was this. She set Kasumi down on the vanity as she put the lipstick on.
Kasumi didn't miss a beat, quickly stripping off her uniform jacket and shirt, leaving her in her skirt, leggings and bra. Ann was on her nearly instantly, placing kisses on every inch of skin she could reach. Cheek, neck, collarbone, shoulder, breasts... she even left a trail of kisses down her abs. She pulled Kasumi down from the vanity and spun her around so that she could see Ann's handiwork. "Look at you." She purred. "Beautiful."
Kasumi writhed in Ann's embrace before capturing her lips for another kiss. Then she reached for the lipstick. Ann laughed, "If you do that to me, I'm not going to be able to resist making you scream for me."
Kasumi smiled dangerously. She drew near to Ann's ear. "I know. I'm counting on it, Ann. Make me yours."
Ann moaned as Kasumi began to administer lipstick marks all over her body. "Careful, I might make you fall for me."
Kasumi looked up at her, her eyes burning with desire. "What makes you think I haven't fallen for you already?"
(Music end)
"Careful..." Morgana said. "One false move and it's ruined."
Ren wiped the sweat from his brow as he loaded more paint into his airbrush. This was the critical moment. He had came into possession of this model kit by complete chance. He hadn't even thought it existed until Iwai had told him about it. The man had been about to throw it out because he thought it was never going to sell.
Ren had eagerly flashed his credit card and pushed Iwai's grossly inflated price onto the Kirijo Group. Now, with the devotion only a lover could know, and the unerring hand that could only belong to a dedicated plastic model builder such as himself, he put the finishing touches on his magnum opus.
"That's it, nice and easy." Morgana said. "Just a dab there..."
He didn't need Morgana's commentary in the slightest, but it didn't matter. Ren Amamiya barely heard him. It was just about done...
With a final pull of the airbrush trigger, Ren took a step back and admired his masterpiece. A new revolver for Makoto. A perfect one-to-one scale model of a certain gun from the video game Destiny.
The Last Word.
"Looking cool, Joker!" Morgana said.
Ren grinned. "Yes, Morgana. It is very cool "
As Kasumi woke up, she realized that she vastly preferred this particular coping method as she woke up to her lover's smiling face. She also had no idea what to say. "Good morning."
Ann giggled and moved a lock of Kasumi's hair out of her face. "Is that all you have to say for yourself after last night?"
Kasumi blushed. In the heat of their night of passion, she had learned that all of the hellish training she had done for gymnastics had done wonders for her endurance in bed. "I hope you're proud of yourself, Ann. I'm sure that taking the picture perfect honor student's virginity is a fantasy of more than a few people at Shujin." She planted a kiss on Ann's cheek. "You better be prepared to take responsibility."
Ann took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I think I can manage."
Kasumi beamed. "I feel so much better about... you know. But that's probably just the afterglow talking,"
Ann snorted. "Hey, I don't blame you one bit for falling for him. If I had to pick a guy..."
"Nope." Kasumi said. "He can't have you. You're mine."
Ann leaned closer so she could whisper. "I think I left some hickeys on your neck that would prove that's the other way around, Kasumi."
Kasumi responded to her blatant lies by sending a pillow at her face. After they had a laughing fit, she looked pensive. "Ann, what exactly are we? I mean, we both threw I love you around pretty liberally last night."
"What do you want us to be?" Ann asked.
"I mean, girlfriends. But..." Kasumi trailed off, "When you look at things logically, it really isn't the best time for either of us to start a brand new relationship. Last night was... reckless and exciting. But hardly a foundation for-"
Ann shut her up by kissing her. "It can be a foundation for a lasting relationship, apprentie. In a perfect world, last night would've happened months into the future, and we would both be in a good headspace. But if I've learned anything over the last couple of days, it's that love is messy. There'll probably never be a perfect time. There will probably be days where you pine for Ren. There will probably be days where I mope around and wonder about what could've been. And that's okay. We're only human after all."
Kasumi heaved a sigh of relief. "Ok, but we take things... well, slower." Ann raised an eyebrow at her. "You know what I mean!" After a moment longer she asked another question. "Wait, what did you just call me?"
"Apprentie. It's the feminine French word for apprentice. Uh... my Persona calls me that a lot, so it kinda bleeds over when I get emotional. Sorry if that's weird." Ann said sheepishly.
"It is kinda weird." Kasumi admitted. "But it's also sweet. I like it." She regretfully got out of bed. "I'm going to take a shower."
"Want me to join you?"
Kasumi laughed, "What happened to taking things slower, mon amour?" She shook her head. "Not this time. You need to take responsibility for seducing me, remember? You can start with breakfast."
Ann fell back on her bed. I know you've been itching to comment on last night.
Carmen mentally rolled her eyes. "When I said that I don't mind you indulging in your baser urges, I did not expect you to take that as an invitation."
Ann smiled. Yeah, I know. But you were right. There's a genuine connection between me and Kasumi now. I see the difference between what I shared with her and what I shared with Mika. And now that I look back, I'm glad things flamed out with Mika, because if they didn't last night would never have happened.
"Very good, apprentie. You have learned how to navigate the hazardous shark tank of your chosen profession, you have learned how to reclaim your power from those who have wronged you, and you have learned who you should hold close and who you should let pass out of your life. I have nothing left to teach you."
Ann sat up suddenly. "Wait, what? What are you talking about?"
(Music Start: Our Beginning - Persona 5 OST)
"Your heart has grown stronger, Ann Takamaki. You have faced the perils of the reverse of your Arcana, the Lovers, and you are a better person for it. I cannot wait to see what you will become."
Ann drew in a sharp breath and placed her hand over her heart. She could feel it, Carmen was changing, no... evolving. Just as she, Ann Takamaki, had become stronger so too would her Persona.
"I am Thou... Thou art I..." Ann whispered to herself. In her mind's eye, she could see Carmen's new form. Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic. Um... Hecate?
"It's still me, apprentie. Did you become a whole new person altogether? No?"
Ann laughed. "I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to expect!"
"Stop gawking and go make breakfast for your lover, you silly girl."
Ann got up and scrounged up some clothes before going to make breakfast, her heart lighter than it had been in months.
(Music end)
"First a jazz club, now a picnic." Makoto mused. "You are truly full of surprises, Ren."
Ren grinned. With the advent of summer came the ability to do things outdoors without having to plan around the weather. They had gone to Inokashira Park to get away from the city for a bit. The food that Ren had prepared had to be simple due to a lack of extra curry ingredients at Leblanc, but he prided himself on his ability to make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "I try. How are things with you and Eiko?"
Makoto laughed. "Rocky. She blames me to some extent for her parents cracking down on her." At Ren's confused look, she explained further, "They found out about Tsukasa somehow. No, it wasn't me. But she had a talk with her parents, and they agreed to not force her into becoming a doctor as long as she goes to college seriously and starts attending cram school. They're probably trying to keep her from thinking about boys for the foreseeable future." She shrugged. "But the thing is, she's safe. She can be mad at me all she wants."
Ren took a drink of his water. "What about you, Makoto? We were basically walking in your father's footsteps for this job. Wasn't that hard on you?"
She shook her head, "No, in fact it helped me realize something. I know what I want to do with my life now. As you said, we walked in my father's footsteps while protecting Eiko from Tsukasa. I want to continue that. Not only do I want to become a police officer, but I want to become a police commissioner. There are thousands of victims like Eiko could've been, like I could've been were it not for the Metaverse. I will do everything I can to bring those who crush the weak and innocent underfoot down and make them face justice." She looked at Ren. "But only if you approve."
Ren blinked. "What? I don't think I have any right to tell you how to live your life, Makoto. I'm not some manipulative douchebag."
"I know, I'd kick your ass if you were." Her tone became somber, "You've suffered at the hands of the police and our justice system, Ren. I wouldn't feel right going forward with my goals while having you with me if you didn't approve."
Ren took her hand. "If I wanted to be really sappy, I'd say that it doesn't matter, because that suffering brought you into my life." His cocky smile faltered, "But I can't deny that it's been hard, especially on my parents. It's not like them to not communicate for so long." He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked. What I mean to say is that while I have suffered at the hands of those who should be protecting us, I know it was only because they were corrupt. I know that you would never let them change you, Makoto Niijima. For better or worse, you have my full support."
"Good. Now, I know that I've been relying on you through all of this. You can rely on me too. I want us to be equals. Father wrote in one of his journals that any good partnership -be it romantic or professional- only works when both parties come together and deal with each other fairly." She laughed, "No matter how extreme the situation that created the partnership is."
Ren frowned. Now was as good a time as any to tell her about Sae's Palace, right? She'd never forgive him for keeping something like that from her. "Makoto, there's something I need to tell you. It's about your sister."
Makoto sighed. "You checked too?"
Ren nodded wordlessly.
"Please don't tell the others until we're strong enough to take her on." She bit her lip before continuing. "It's comforting in a way, to know that she has a Palace. It means I have a way to save her, to bring back the Sae I once knew."
"We'll save her together, Makoto. You, me, and the rest of the team." Ren said. "And we'll find out whatever or whoever distorted her and stop them too. That's a promise."
A/N: Well, that was spicy.
Huh. That was an odd battle. Almost like they were fighting a mini-Nyx. I can't possibly be foreshadowing anything here.
Big oof for Yoshizawa here. Nothing like seeing your crush and his girlfriend protecting each other while fighting a miniature avatar of the concept of death to really rip your heart out.
Yes, Mika is a piece of work. This is known. Bless Ann's heart for trying her damnedest to try to help her, but if she doesn't want that help, there's nothing that can be done.
Oops, my hand slipped.
Okay, let me be real here. Are Ann and Kasumi moving dangerously fast, being reckless to a degree that makes Ryuji seem cautious, and teetering on the edge of having their relationship be completely unhealthy? Yes. The answer is yes. However, they know that, and they actively want to avoid that. It's like Carmen said to Ann, they have a foundation of mutual respect and admiration. They can build on that, but they will need to slow way waaaaaaaaay down if they hope to last.
Ren, you're a dork. He also knows all Makoto does is hipfire, so he got her a gun that makes that extremely potent. It's also going to grant her the One-Shot Kill skill because I say so.
We're doing P3 style Persona evolutions up in here. I don't like how much the party members are dependent on revolving around the protag in the games (You can see that with how I've written Ryuji's dynamics with both Ann and Haru) so we're throwing it back.
Until next time.