I'm baaaaaaaack! Heating problems are fixed and I'm back into writing! So without any further adew, lets continue on! (And for those wondering, the Update Chapter was deleted. It was a place holder until i could get the proper chapter ready. :) )

Chapter 17: The Counterattack Begins!

The team was silent as they made their way back to the hideout. Moving via the secret path they used while the rebels they rescued immediately rushed to the front lines to help. Granted, they still had to move slowly due to Teach suffering from post-awakening fatigue, but eventually, they made it back to the hideout. Where they found the rest of the Thieves waiting for them.

"Welcome back!" Erina calls to them as they enter the café. "How did it go?"

"Amazing." Tsuchiya remarks with a grin. "We rescued all of the rebels trapped in the prison and eliminated Kamoshida! And one of your friends awoke to that strange power you have as well." She motions to Kawakami as Ann and Ryuji help her sit down in a booth.

"Kawakami-sensei awoke to a Persona? That's amazing." Sumire remarks as everyone smiles at her. Even in her tired state, Kawakami smiles back at them as Sojiro gives her a cup of coffee. "As for us, we managed to hold the line. Isara even managed to take out three tanks as well!"

"It was nothing." Isara comments with what could be a smug look. If she had a face, that is.

"Yes, well, while that is all good and all there is one thing that has been bothering me." Toshiro suddenly speaks up, turning to look at Shiho. "What did Kamoshida mean that you were supposed to be dead? And that you jumped off a building?" At his question, everyone in Leblanc froze. The only ones who didn't were Erina, Yuki and Tsuchiya, who glanced at Shiho, who looked as though she was a dear caught in the headlights. "Not only that, what did Ryuji-kun mean by 'saving reality' back in Marie's Kingdom? Or that you said that Okumura died even though he is currently in jail? And didn't Ann-chan lay down a bet about a 'god' being behind all this?"

The Thieves all look at each other in silent debate before Ren lets out a long sigh.

"This has been a long time coming." Ren remarks before glancing at Toshiro. "Before we tell you, I have a question to ask. Did you see anything strange happen on the 24th of December last year?"

"Last year?" Toshiro asks, running through the memories he had recovered. Before slowly nodding at Ren. "Yes… I do remember something strange happened that day. Red rain fell from the sky while bone-like structures erupted from the ground. Yet everyone around me either could not see it or thought I was imagining things. And… There was this confrontation in the sky. A giant mechanical being attacked something on a floating platform before a giant six-winged devil descended from the sky and shot him through the face. Why?"

Ren glances at the others, nodding to them before returning Toshiro's gaze. "Toshiro. What you saw was what we thought was our final fight to save the world." At Toshiro's wide eyes, Ren begins. "That being you saw was a false deity calling itself Yaldabaoth, the God of Control. And he was the reason behind Shido's rise to power."

"What?" Toshiro replies predictably.

"It's true. Yaldabaoth was behind the rise of Shido, making his rise unstoppable and fooling him into thinking he was a master strategist." Makoto adds on. "And he was the one who ruined our lives. All so he could play a game."

"When we found out that he was the one behind all of our targets, we went to stop him ourselves. And, while we managed to beat him… it wasn't without a steep cost." Yusuke remarks with a sigh.

"Just as we managed to beat him, he pulled off a suicide attack and killed us." Futaba says bluntly.

"You died!?" Toshiro and Erina shout as Yuki and Tsuchiya gasp. Ren wondered why Tao didn't react before remembering that Sojiro already told her when they were facing Yaldabaoth again. "But… you are alive right now!"

"We did die. And because of that, we ended up right back at the beginning of our journey. Back to April." Haru replies, with Erina's jaw dropping.

"So you guys are time travellers!?" She asks in pure excitement while Toshiro shakes his head.

"But… time travel should be impossible!? It's scientifically not possible to achieve!" He replies before letting out a sigh. "Although considering how we are latterly travelling between different kingdoms in different time periods, it doesn't sound as crazy in perspective." Toshiro remarks before his eyes widen in realisation as he turns to look at Shiho. "Wait… Then, when Kamoshida said that you should be…"

"Yes. Originally… Kamoshida was going to rape me." Shiho replies as Toshiro goes pale. "And, following that, my will would have been broken, and I would leap off the building roof to end it all. But I didn't. Instead, it convinced Ren, Ryuji and Ann to go through and change Kamoshida's heart."

"Originally, we weren't going to do it when we heard that messing up would result in a Mental Shutdown." Ryuji admits, scratching the back of his head. "But after what happened to Shiho, that didn't matter anymore."

"And from that, we started our journey. Changing the hearts of Madarame, Kaneshiro, and then helping Futaba get over the pain caused by her mother's death." Ann takes over. "All the while, our fame and infamy grew. To the point that we started to lose sight of ourselves. With it all coming down with Okumura."

"That he died originally? How did that happen?" Erina asks as Toshiro is still processing the information.

"Because of Shido's assassin." Futaba replies. "A man who had an insane plan for revenge against Shido, who was his dad, and so committed all of the Mental Shutdowns and Psychotic Breakdowns in order to get close to him and control him. In this timeline, that was Sho, a rouge Persona user who is currently still on the run. But originally…"

"I was supposed to be Black Mask." Akechi takes over, shocking Toshiro and the trio as they turn to look at him. "Yes. Shido is my father, who abandoned my mother and left her to die when she became pregnant with me. Originally, she did die, leaving me to become a monster in the original timeline. But in this one, we were saved by Sumire's family. Who took us in and saved my mother's life." He looks at her, wrapping an arm around Sumire, who leans into him. "And I can never be more thankful for being spared that fate."

"But… what happened after Okumura died?" Toshiro asks hesitantly.

"What do you think happened? The entire country believed that we were the ones committing the Mental Breakdowns." Ryuji starts up with a frown. "It was a plan Shido and the SIU cooked up to use us as scapegoats. And Black Mask managed to blackmail us into stealing Sae-san's treasure or turning us all into the cops."

"You were a target of the Thieves?" Toshiro asks Sae, looking at her with wide eyes as she gives out a loud sigh.

"Yes. I allowed myself to be wrapped up in my own desires and become consumed with envy. Forgetting what really mattered all so I could get promoted. Without even knowing that I was the next one on the chopping block."

"But even that was a trap, all so they could capture us." Makoto adds, glancing at Ren. "More specifically, so they could capture Ren. Getting all of us would have been an added bonus. And when they did capture him…" Ren involuntary shakes, locking eyes with Toshiro.

"Let's just say that police abuse was not all they did to me." Ren replies cryptically, but it is all Toshiro needs to hear. To imagine what they did to him. But now he knew. And honestly, he didn't know how to take it.

"I think… I need a bit of rest to think on all this." Toshiro tells them, heading upstairs to the beds. They couldn't blame him. Being told about events that were supposed to happen instead of the reality he saw? And they hadn't even told him about the hassle they went through when Maruki was made Nyarlathotep's pawn and changed reality.

That was a headache they all wanted to forget.

"What do you mean the assault failed?" Ichiro asks with annoyance to the trooper. He had only just gotten a report about the assault had not only been repulsed, but they had taken surprisingly heavy losses. And he was not amused one bit.

"It is as the captain reported. They were about to break through when they were suddenly attacked by unknown reinforcements. Some of them were wearing masks and created creatures with an azure light. They even summoned a tank." The trooper replies, with Ichiro shaking his head in annoyance.

"How is this possible? Our spy told us nothing about this."

"Lord Commander! We have gotten a report from General Kamoshida's Prison! It's been attacked!"

"What!?" Ichiro shouts to the new troopers, who rushed up to the first. "How did that bitch pull off an attack when we launched our assault!?"

"A survivor reported that she was accompanied by people with masks and a person in a business suit. And the General… is dead." Ichiro growls at the report, turning around to glare out the window. One of his generals is dead, and a prison has fallen. This was NOT supposed to happen!

"Out of my sight!" Ichiro shouts as the two troopers run out of the room as he opens up a communication to the Crimson Tyrant. It wasn't long before Shido picked up, still in his crimson armour.

"What is it, Lord Commander?"

"My Lord, it appears that some uninvited rats have joined the Resistance. They helped to repel our assault and raided our prison. Taking out Kamoshida in the process." Ichiro reports, as the green glow from the lights on Shido's face intensifies.

"This is unexpected. And unwanted. Do we know who these rats are?" While his voice was neutral, there was a slight sense of anger behind the words.

"Their identities are unknown. It would seem our spy had no knowledge of them. All we know is that some of them wear masks, and that they have a tank with an emblem on it and summon creatures in azure aura."

"Creatures in azure aura? And a tank with an emblem? Do you have pictures of these?" The tone of Shido's voice was tense as Ichiro sent images over to him. While they were of poor quality, it did not stop the growl from escaping from Shido's throat. "So… the rats have found their way here… It would seem my chance for revenge has arrived."

"Do you know them, Lord Shido?" Ichiro asks, with Shido nodding his head in reply.

"I do, Ichiro… I know them all too well." Shido growls as the green lights glow even brighter. "The Phantom Thieves have returned."

"Still lost in your mind?" Tsuchiya asks Toshiro. Her sudden question snaps him from his gaze out the window. Clearly, he had not heard her approach him.

"Tsuchiya? I'm sorry I didn't hear you coming."

"Clearly, seeing how I managed to scare you." She remarks with a teasing grin before frowning. "Are you still thinking about their tale?" Toshiro lets out a sigh at her question, turning his gaze back out the window.

"How could I not? The entire thing sounds crazy. Too wild to be believed. And yet… The evidence is there. I can see it clear as day. My heart knows it, but my mind struggles to accept it. That…" He lets out another breath, shaking his head. "The untold pain that they all experienced. People like me should be helping them, and yet it was those same people who caused them untold harm. And that we failed to bring justice down on them, forcing the Thieves to take it into their own hands."

"Things are hardly ever in our control." Tsuchiya remarks. "While I don't have the entire picture like you do, I can understand partially as a leader. But, you know what I say when I encounter things like this?" Toshiro turns to look at her as she places a closed hand over her chest. "Take the punch to the chin, and move forward with the mark."

Toshiro gasps silently as she says that, watching as Tsuchiya turns around before placing a hand on his head.

"Let's go. We're planning the next operation while the Tyrant's forces are reeling." She tells him, heading down the stairs with Toshiro following after her. Finding everyone looking over a map of the city before glancing up at him.

"Welcome back, Toshiro. You got your mind back on straight?" Erina asks with a grin.

"Yes. Well, not in its entirety, but enough for me to understand what you all went through." Toshiro remarks before bowing to them all. "I am so sorry you went through all that. Hearing what it is that you went through… it made me realise how much we failed."

"What has happened has happened, Toshiro. There's no need to apologise to us." Ren tells him, arms folded. "Besides, what is more important is learning from the past so that such actions are never repeated in the future." Toshiro looks at Ren, taking the words in before nodding his head in acceptance.

"You are right. The failures of yesterday are the building blocks of tomorrow." Toshiro agrees before glancing over the map. "So, who is our next target?"

"I believe you mean 'targets', Toshiro." Sae tells him, tapping two blue squares on the map. "We're planning to strike two bases at the same time."

"According to Tsuchiya, these are the primary bases for the constant assaults on the defensive lines. We take them out, and we will have more breathing room." Yoshida remarks.

"I see…" Toshiro remarks, slowly nodding his head before glancing to Tsuchiya. "Do we know who is in command of these two bases?"

"According to my scouts, the on in command of the northern base is their Tank general, Marika." The moment Ren heard the name, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Marika? Are you sure that's their name?" He asks, drawing the eyes of all.

"What's wrong Ren? You know them?" Ryuji asks, seeing the frown on Ren's face.

"Oh… I know her, alright." Ren replies bitterly. "More accurately, Judge Marika Iwatsuki. The one who 'oversaw' my sham of a trial." His reveal shocked everyone in the room, the identity of the judge who passed down his verdict resonating around them. Before Toshiro dropped another bombshell.

"Marika Iwatsuki. The Chief Justice of the judiciary. It's said that she was appointed to the office sometime in May, at the request of Shido. It would not surprise me if she is also a supporter of Shido."

"For real!? The Chief Justice is a Shido supporter!?" Ann asks in shock while Ren growls to himself.

"We shouldn't be surprised. Shido was placing all of his followers into high ranking positions. It wouldn't surprise me if he tried to make himself Emperor." Makoto comments, frowning to herself. Akechi and Sae glance at each other, mentally acknowledging the next challenge ahead of them once this ordeal was done.

"So that's the commander of that base, but who's the other?" Kawakami asks Tsuchiya.

"Apparently, a mob boss who became the founder of a yakuza. Someone named Kaneshiro." Once more, the atmosphere of the café dropped as a chill went down everyone's spines. Only this time, the source came from Makoto and Hifumi.

"Kaneshiro? That dirty money grubbing fly?" Makoto asks in a calm fury.

"I take it you know him as well?" Yuki asks with Toshiro nodding his head.

"Junya Kaneshiro was the leader of a mob who roamed the streets of Shibuya. Targeting students to force them into drug trafficking or sex slavery. All the while, building up a considerable fortune. And like the last two, he is also a supporter of Shido and was the third target of the Phantom Thieves." Glancing around, Toshiro nods to himself as he forms teams in his mind. "Alright, I have an idea on our team line up." All eyes turn to him as he leans over the map.

"Considering the impact these next two have had on everyone, I suggest that Ren lead the attack on Marika, while Makoto and Hifumi join the attack on Kaneshiro. Futaba and Isara will go with Ren to combat any tanks Marika has. As for everyone else…"

"I'll go with Makoto." Iwai suddenly announces, pulling his hat down. "As a former member of the Yakuza, I've had encounters with the coward. It's time I fixed a mistake I should have cleaned up."

"I think that would be appropriate, Iwai." Hifumi comments, earning his gaze. "When we infiltrated his palace, your shop was not only not there, but the path leading up to it was blocked off. I believe that Kaneshiro fears you." That earned a smirk from Iwai as he leans back with a pleased expression.

"Well, if that is settled, then I'll list out the rest of the team." Toshiro comments, clapping his hands together. "Ren's team will consistent of himself, Futaba, Isara, Morgana, Sojiro, Yusuke, Haru, Akechi, Sae, Shinya, Sumire and Kawakami. While Makoto's team will have herself, Hifumi, Iwai, Tsuchiya, Tao, Chihaya, Mishima, Shiho, Ann, Ryuji, Tae, Erina and Ohya. Yuki and myself will stay here and plan our next moves."

"Splitting our strategists between both teams. A wise idea." Akechi comments, before glancing outside. "If we are all ready, I believe we should move now. Before Ichiro launches another assault on our lines."

"Agreed. Let's move Thieves!" Ren shouts as everyone piles out of the door, aiming for the two bases. While Toshiro and Yuki glance over the map, Yuki takes a moment to contemplate. Before the door jingles open as a hat person enters.

"Commander Tsuchiya! Are you here!?" He asks, before seeing the two looking over the table. "Who are you?"

"Please, do not be alarmed. We are allies of Tsuchiya." Yuki comments, kneeling down to the hat person. "My name is Yuki. And behind me is Toshiro. And we are friends of the commander." The hat person stares at her for a second, before bobbing its head up and down.

"All right. I believe you. My name is Kusumoto. I have important information for the commander. Do you know where she is?"

"She has just left with the rest of our allies on a mission." Toshiro replies.

"Mission? What mission?" Kusumoto asks, tilting his head. Toshiro was about to reply before something in his gut told him not too. It was only for a moment, but for someone like him, even a fleeting moment like that was more than enough to make him think twice.

"I'm sorry, but that is classified information." Toshiro replies. The look he got from the hat person was a disgruntled narrowing, but they refrained from questioning further.

"All right. I suppose I can wait here until she comes back." Kusumoto replies, making himself at home on one of the couches before falling asleep. While Yuki returns back to Toshiro's side, Toshiro continued to give the hat persona a weary glance.

Something did not feel right with him. At all.

Traversing through the ruined city was no easy feat. With patrols moving through the rubble filled streets, sometimes accompanied by a tank or two, the Thieves moved through the ruined buildings as they approached their goal.

A former judiciary building now turned into a forward command post. Complete with several tanks and what looked to be a company of troopers. Certainly fitting for someone called a 'Tank Commander'.

"Just looking at it gives me bad vibes." King remarks, glancing at the heavily fortified entrance.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say that going through the front is not an option." Violet comments. Joker nods, glancing at Oracle who had her map open.

"How about it, Oracle? Any way in?"

"No… There isn't." Oracle comments with a groan. "The only way in is through the front. All other passageways are blocked off. Not even an entrance from the roof."

"This is going to be a hard fight." Mona comments. Sensei strokes his chin, glancing around the area before glancing to Teach and Isara.

"Our main problem will be the tanks. Teach and Isara will be able to handle those while the rest of us can sneak inside and confront Marika."

"Tank busting duty? Well, Isara and I are the only ones equipped with heavy weapons." Teach acknowledges, turning to the mini tank. "You ready?"

"Born ready."

"In that case, we'll move on your signal. Oracle will contact you when we are in position." Joker tells the two as the rest of the team vanishes into the ruins. Leaving the two alone as they move for the empty street. Were they waited, watching the opposing forces move around. Completely unaware of the upcoming attack.

"All right, we're in position! Go wild you two!" Oracle chimes over the heads set with Teach nodding to Isara with a grin. It was the signal she needed as Isara rolled onto the empty street and, in a flash of azure flames, morphs into her main tank form. Immediately attracting the attention of the Anti-Social force before firing her main guns at one of the tanks. Destroying it instantly.

"Enemy attack!" One of the troopers shouts as Teach fires a rocket at a second tank, destroying it and sowing more chaos among their ranks with Edelweiss launching a barrage of missiles at them. As all of the troopers focus fire on Edelweiss and Teach, the rest of the Thieves sneak around. Taking out a few troopers before sneaking their way into the base just as four more tanks arrive to the fight. For a moment they paused, thinking of rejoining the fight, but ultimately decided to press on.

They had faith they would be fine.

As for the interior of the judicial building, it had apparently been hollowed out that it was only a shell of its former self. Tanks lined the sides, all leading up to an observation balcony above a giant door. Where standing atop, dressed in a judge's outfit, was Marika with long raven black hair.

"Phantom Thieves. So you have come here to be judged by me." Marika tells them, watching impassively as they enter as the door closes behind them. "Surely you must know that this will be your grave? For only the guilty will willingly enter this place."

"Guys, she's just like Kamoshida." Oracle whispers to the others. "There is a faint line connecting her to her shadow." While they didn't show it, it was concerning that such a connection was even there. The one with Kamoshida was attempting to undo his change of heart, so why did she have one when her heart was not changed? Not that it was something Joker was interested in finding out.

"We're not her to play any games, Marika." He tells her with eyes locked on her. "We're brining you and your false justice down."

"And on whose authority do you act with, criminal Amamiya?" Marika remarks, causing the team to stiffen. "Do not think I have forgotten about you. Or how your actions brought down my Shido. How I let that lawyer convince me to put you on probation, I will never know. I should have given you the death sentence had I known this would happen!"

"Her Shido? Don't tell me she is in love with him." Mona groans as the team shakes their heads. While Crow glares at her with a cold stare.

"Tell us, why side with him, Marika?" Athena questions, walking up to join Joker. "You were a respectable judge. So why? Why join a criminal such as him?" Marika scoffs at her.

"Why should I tell criminals why? Everything I did, was all for him and my dream to be the Chief Justice! And with Shido at the helm, the world would have been all ours!" She looks back at the Thieves, anger behind her eyes. "So why? Why did you get in the way? Why did you know accept the judgment passed down upon you and become the stepping stones towards our victory!? Why!?"

"You would never understand." Crow tells her bitterly. "You, who sat at the top and deemed yourself above all, will never understand people like us. Nor will I ever understand what you saw in that piece of filth that was my birth father." That drew her attention as Marika turned her gaze towards him.

"So, you are Goro. His worthless son." She spits as the balcony is swarmed with troopers while several brutes emerge from behind the tanks with the Thieves ducking into cover. "I will alleviate Shido's pain by destroying the two who ruined his life! Kill them!" She shouts, backing away towards a door as the troopers open fire at the Thieves.

As the brutes lumber forward, one of them is hit by a Garula spell from Mona, slamming it into one of the parked tanks as Noir grabs another with Psio and sends it flying into the balcony. Violet blasts the balcony with a Kouga, blinding those still on top as Sensei sends them flying with a Garula.

With the troopers landing on the ground in front of them, Athena and Boss blast them by joining Eiga and Kouga spells. Eviscerating them and clearing a path forward. But, before they could move on, the door below the balcony was destroyed. Sending metal flying over the room and slamming into tanks, setting of small chains as several tanks explode from the impacts. Causing the walls to crumble apart with the roof collapsing around them.

As for the Thieves, they dive for cover as metal and fire rain around them, somehow avoiding getting crushed by the falling roof. A low rumble echoes from the destroyed door. And from the fires, emerged what could be described as a monster.

Moving forward with a height of 8.17m, and a width of 10.03m, it has a lower shovel holding two small cannons while the upper body was a sloping curve. A giant cannon sat atop, while five small machine gun ports rested at the front and two along the sided above the large treads. While on the front, was painted the symbol of Shido's political party.

"This is the end for you, Thieves! Now… face the divine judgment that Shido had placed upon you!" Marika yells as the massive cannon aims directly at the Thieves. But before she could fire, the entrance was blown open as a flurry of missiles rushed inside. Colliding against Marika's tank and damaging the machine gun ports. "Who dares!?"

"I dare!" Edelweiss shouts, rolling into the destroyed building. "And I challenge you to a one-on-one fight!"

"You? Challenge me? In that? Don't make me laugh!" Marika shouts, aiming the giant gun at Edelweiss and firing a shot. The round misses her and collides into a building behind her. Demolishing it instantly and sending Edelweiss into cover. As she returns fire, only for her rounds to bounce off Marika's tank. "Is that all you have!?" Marika goats, firing the two lower cannons at Edelweiss's cover as her main canon slowly reloads.

"We have to help her! Edelweiss wont last long against Marika!" Noir comments with worry, seeing the rounds bounce off the armour. Just as Teach rushes up to join them, using the smoke as cover.

"I think I saw something that might help."

"What did you see?" King asks. Teach nods her head at the giant tank just as what looks to be a radiator retracts back inside.

"Those radiators emerged when it fired its main gun. I'm thinking that if we take those out, it will damage Marika's tank and allow Edelweiss a chance to take her out."

"How many are there?" Fox asks as Oracle brings up her screens.

"From what I can see, there are two. One on each side." She tells them, covering her ears as the main gun fires once again. Somehow missing Edelweiss's cover and slamming into another building. Just as Edelweiss fires another round, slamming into two of the machine gun nests and damaging them.

"No time to wait then. Noir, you head round to the other side and fire a grenade when the radiator is exposed. Teach, you fire at the one on this side." Joker tells the two, watching as the radiator exposes itself. "We need to take them out at the same time." The two nods at him as Noir heads off behind the giant tank. Fox and Violet accompany her for protection.

By the time they made it to the other side, the radiator had just retracted itself back into the tank. Unperturbed, Noir zeroes in on the area as Teach does the same, just as Marika's tank fires its third shot. Obliterating Edelweiss's cover and leaving her exposed.

"This is the end for you, toy." Marika gloats as the radiators expose themselves. Unaware of what was coming next. So focused on Edelweiss, she didn't notice Noir and Teach lock onto her sides, as the two launch their attack at the same time. Destroying the exposed radiators and rendering her main gun inoperable.

But at the same time, ruptures ran through the tank's hull, buckling and damaging the plating as smoke began to billow out from the sides. With Marika frozen in shock. "No! How could this be!? How could a bunch of criminal scum fight back against my judgment! My verdicts are absolute! Unobjectionable! Final!"

"Wrong." Joker calls out to Marika, who emerges from a hatch on top of the tank. "You are not absolute. You are a fanatic. Clinging onto a man who thought he could become a god. Your judgment is a sham, a farce. And we will be the ones to bring it down. Just like how we brought Shido down."

"And here's another fact." Edelweiss calls out, grabbing her attention. Just as she charges up energy in her guns. "I am NOT a toy!" With that, Edelweiss fires at Marika, her rounds piercing through the damaged tank and engulfing it in a giant blaze just as Joker and the rest take cover. As for Marika, she went down with her tank.

"Mission accomplished." King remarks as everyone gazes at the smouldering wreck, with Isara rolling up to them in model form.

"In here anyway. We have our work cut out for us back in reality." Athena remarks to Crow, who nods in agreement. Just more corruption they had to remove.

"Let's head back to the hideout. Ichiro won't be happy to learn we took out his tank base." Sensei remarks, with the team quickly leaving the ruined building. With Joker carrying Isara in his arms.

"You did a good job, Isara. You and Teach both." He tells her as they jump into the ruined building.

"Thank ye much. But still… I can't help but wonder. Even though I tell myself I'm not a toy, what am I really? Just a tank that can think and act by itself? And is this all I'm good for? Blowing up tanks? I just feel like om not doing enough."

"Isara… You are more than a tank. You are an important ally." Joker tells her gently. "I mean, look at Toshiro. All he can do is help with strategy, but that doesn't make him any more useless. It's the same with you. And who cares if you take the form of a tank. Mona takes the form of a cat, and we don't judge him. It's the same with you. You are you. No matter what you look like."

Isara tilts her canons up and down, contemplating what Joker told her before turning to look at him. Admittedly, it looked as though she was about to blow his face off.

"Yeah… you're right. Sorry, I just had to get that off my chassis." Isara replies, with the seventh star forming on her card in Joker's eyes. "Let's get back to the others and plan our next move! We've still got a tyrant to take down!"

"Yeah. We do, don't we." Joker replies with a smirk, racing to catch the others. All the while, he wondered how Queen and the others were doing at the second base, hopefully with the same amount of success as them.

Feels good to be back writing.