Tuesday - June 14th
Lynn hadn't managed a single minute of sleep for the entire night.
They had been rumbled and their freedoms now depended on the whims of Makoto Niijima. Each thief had a few choice words for Ryuji once Makoto left them to stew. Yet, Lynn was just as much to blame as he was. Exactly how Makoto managed to get that recording was still a mystery, but it didn't matter.
The raven haired girl blinked herself awake, her focus faltering for a moment. It nearly caused her to walk into a streetlight.
"Looks like you didn't sleep either. What do you think she wants? Maybe it's Kobayakawa she wants us to target…" Shiho had been unsure of herself ever since yesterday. More so than usual. Confliction was running rampant.
On one hand, the girl just couldn't forgive Makoto for her insinuations. On the other hand, Shiho had noted that Makoto was suffering.
Still, the group had to meet Makoto at the family diner after school. So here the Phantom Thieves were, making their way through Shibuya with unease permeating the air. They could have spent an eternity guessing just what was going through the President's mind, but at the end of the day, they simply couldn't afford to ignore her.
In response to Shiho, Lynn gave a shrug. "As long as whoever it is deserves it. I don't think Niijima is the kind of girl to lord power over innocent people."
"I hope you're right…"
Morgana popped his head out of Lynn's bag and frowned. "Just be careful. She has evidence on us, so if we anger her, she could turn us in at the drop of a hat."
"Screw that, I ain't kissin' ass for anyone!" Ryuji scowled. Everyone glared at him, shutting him up instantly. The rest of the trip through Shibuya was filled with a growing sense of not only dread, but morbid curiosity too.
Finally, they arrived at the diner. Makoto was already there scribbling down notes and reading passages from a textbook. Even when blackmailing the Phantom Thieves, she was still a diligent student. Lynn had to give her respect for that at least. When the President noticed the group's arrival, she looked like she was about to wave. However, she caught herself and assumed a stoic mask of authority. If it wasn't for the fact that she already had them cornered, it would have been laughable.
"My apologies for leaving you hanging, yesterday. The alcove wasn't the most private place to discuss things."
"And… a family diner is more private?" Lynn retorted. It earned her a restrained grunt from Makoto. A light dusting of pink tickled her cheeks as she tried hiding the embarrassment from her would-be victims.
"Anyway…" she cleared her throat, "I want to see your justice for myself. If I don't like what I see, I'll turn the evidence I have in to the police."
Ann narrowed her eyes at that.
So did Lynn. "That conversation was weeks ago. Why have you held onto it for so long?"
"That isn't important."
"Fine," Lynn shrugged and slumped back on the booth's bench, "be like that." She then craned her neck and scanned the immediate area around them. The diner was thankfully quite empty right now, and the patrons that were present were seated a fair way away from their booth. "Who did you want us to target?"
"A mafia boss."
Ryuji sprayed a fine mist of carbonated soda, covering poor Yusuke in the deluge.
The act failed to garner any reaction other than the artist casually wiping the mist away with a handful of napkins.
Stifling a giggle, Lynn turned back to Makoto. Her silvered eyes tried piercing through a bluff. There was none to be found. The President was completely serious. "We'll need a bit more than that. There's a whole catalogue of syndicates in Tokyo alone."
Nodding in agreement, Makoto rubbed her jaw with a thumb. "You've heard of the rising number of scams in Shibuya, right?" Each thief nodded slowly. "Well, I've had multiple reports of Shujin students falling victim to these scams, each one testifying similar claims of blackmail and extortion. I suspect there is a single organisation behind these scams."
"Pot, meet kettle." Ann whispered under her breath. If Makoto heard the quip, she didn't acknowledge it.
"Ok… so do you have a name?" Lynn asked.
At that, Makoto's face darkened and her lips fell into a sorrowed frown. "That… I don't have. Try asking some of the victims. The most recent scheme involves a part time job that supposedly pays extremely well for not much work at all. It's specifically targeted to students around our age."
"That's almost nothing to go on, Niijima." Shiho growled.
"Surely it wouldn't be too much for the five of you? The ones to expose not one but two hidden evils."
"I don't like your tone." Shiho's breathing strained as her eyes locked with Makoto's. Not even a reassuring nudge from Ann seemed to calm her growing anger.
Makoto broke away from her stern mask and looked genuinely apologetic. "You don't have to like it. I don't expect you to." She hesitated, trying to find the words. However, she quickly gave up. Anyone could see she was taking on the role of a villain. Lynn knew that much. It was just Shiho was still smouldering from the foul experiences she had with the President.
"Let me guess, we'll have a time limit." Ann tried to take the focus off of Shiho and put the conversation back on track.
"One week. If I don't see results by then, I'll report you."
"Fine." Lynn scowled. If Makoto was so insistent on playing the villain, Lynn was more than willing to oblige. Even with a deep urge to try and understand why Makoto was doing this. "However, I won't allow you to interfere with our work, alright? This is our investigation."
"If that's what you want, then I'll stay out of your way."
The President closed each of her books, packed everything away and excused herself. She had left the Thieves with quite the pickle. One week to take down a whole syndicate?
Once Makoto was safely out of sight, the whole table let out a sigh. There was still lingering annoyance directed toward a certain blond boy, but there was nothing they could do about it now. The only way forward was to begin this new task in earnest. "Do you think the mafia boss Niijima wants us to find is the leader of the Inoshishi?" Yusuke asked, his expression dark and stern.
"More than likely." Ann replied.
"Then I have no objections." Yusuke nodded with eyes closed.
"I don't think any of us can object even if we wanted to." Lynn groaned. Makoto really had backed them into a corner. It was - however - quite a relief to know the target was already on their radar. They just needed a name, location and distortion. Easier said than done. That said, they already had strings to pull. For now, they needed to gather more information on their own. "We should ask around the school tomorrow. Split up into teams. Ryuji, Yusuke, take the first year classes. Ann, Shiho, take the third years. Morgana and I will handle the second years." Each thief nodded their agreement. "Take the rest of today to gather supplies and conserve strength. We're running low on a few things, so Ryuji, I need you to swing by Untouchable. I'll text a list of what we need and wire some funds over. Also… we could use some help devising strategies. We've gotten by on dumb luck and recklessness for a bit too long for my liking."
At that, Yusuke grinned. "I have just the person in mind."
Lynn raised a brow. "Oh?"
"An acquaintance from Kosei. She should be at her usual spot about now. I'll happily introduce you."
During the day, Lizzie's Bar was essentially barren. Which wasn't too surprising. It technically didn't open for business until the night.
That said, the various members of the Mox still hung around. Mateo was serving drinks to Mox members, Suzie-Q was somewhere in the back doing her thing, and near to the back of the club's main floor, Judy, V and Panam sat around a terminal. V sipped her drink and offered a short grunt. Carol had come through for them and the files pulled from Carson's Seedling Palace were finally decrypted.
It also came with a promise that Carol hadn't read any of the contents. Which did make V feel a little guilty.
"So, what other little nuggets have Night Corp left us…" V muttered and pulled up the first file. From the looks of it, it was another archived conversation. A smirk of recognition crossed her lips.
[Rachel: Frank, I fucking told you something was up!]
[Rachel: Those energy readings we keep picking up aren't just some glitchy anomaly. Someone else can get in and out of the Shade!]
[Frank: Yeah. No denying that. Shit. Who the hell could it be? Arasaka? It was their tech to begin with…]
[Rachel: If it was, we would have run into their forces by now. No way in hell would Arasaka waste an opportunity like the Shade.]
[Frank: So…]
[Rachel: Some unknown individual. Gotta be. Fuck me, Dr. Parker's going to flay us alive when he hears about this.]
The rest of the conversation devolved into pointless circular arguments.
"Well… shit." Judy muttered. "It's a fuckin' miracle we've only ran into that one group." At that, Panam raised a questioning brow. "Couple days ago. We butted heads with a MaxTac." Panam's eyes widened before she nodded in respect.
"That's been bugging me for a while now. His own Persona killed him. I know the SAU only has access to synthetic Personas… but it's still pretty fuckin' crazy."
"SAU?" Panam asked.
"Shade Assault Unit. It's the offshoot of MaxTac. Night Corp's outfitting them with synthetic Personas so they can wage war with the Shadows. Fucking gonk if you ask me. Still, the MaxTac we fought wasn't a slouch."
"I still don't really know what a Persona is… but I know enough to get that it sounds bad."
"Think of it this way; I have a contract with a Persona who can control nuclear energy. So… that's fucking cool, I guess."
"Jesus, V…" Panam was shocked into silence. Truth be told, V didn't understand it either. However, she had decided to simply roll with it. The more tools at her disposal, the better. "So Night Corp is using stolen tech from Arasaka to exploit an alternate dimension to generate unlimited power at the expense of people's souls?"
"That's the gist of it."
"Why am I not surprised anymore…" Panam slumped back on the bench and massaged her forehead. "Fucking Corps…"
"Tell me about it." V shrugged. The rest of the files were sadly out of date. They detailed early excursions into the Metaverse, encounters with Shadows, casualty reports, requisition manifests, all dated to before they stepped foot in Carson's Seedling. Which, given that that was quite some time ago, any number of advancements could have been made.
Hell, they had even tangled with a fully outfitted synthetic Persona user since then. Who knew how many Night Corp had at their disposal now.
"A'ight," Judy cleared her throat and began noting things down on a scrap of paper, "we're gonna need some more supplies. If Night Corp's already usin' the kiddo's side of the Metaverse, then we have to assume they've got some sort of presence in reality over there." Judy's writing was quick, but barely legible. "I'll need some more tech. Transmitters, processors, RAM… everythin'."
"What are you cooking, Jude?" V slipped a hand around her partner's waste and perched her chin on Judy's shoulder.
"If they got people over there, they'll have a Subnet. That means data. That means more intel." Ever the tech head, Judy was already a hundred steps ahead of V. The merc planted a kiss on Judy's cheek and chuckled. Panam rolled her eyes at the PDA, but a half smile still crossed her lips.
Despite the affection, Judy had already entered the zone. Laser focused on something in her head.
"Pam, think you could get your hands on some of this shit?" V pointed down to the papers Judy had already filled with parts. The Nomad studied each one with intense focus. Despite the detail, Judy's chicken scratch was on par with an actual chicken's attempt at writing. Still, she hummed.
"Might take some time, but we have some sources. It's going to be expensive, though. Eddies make the world go round."
"I can cough up the scratch, but if there's any work available to lower the price, I'm in the market."
Panam thought for a moment. "If something comes up, I will definitely let you know."
"Preem."
After that, it was another study session of the decrypted files. A second pass would hopefully turn up anything they had missed. The only important bits of intel they could find were some key names attached to the project. Doctor Hank Parker; one of the key researchers assigned to Project Shade. He was responsible for managing to gain access to the Metaverse to begin with. V made a mental note about him. There were also a few MaxTac names. Soldiers who had successfully bonded with synthetic Personas.
Jerrod was among them.
Though, not anymore.
"Of fuckin' course we didn't get any names of people they're sucking energy from. God knows how many suckers they've already set up." V growled. "I have an idea, but… it's fucking risky."
"Risky how…" Judy's expression darkened and her writing halted.
"It might be worth digging into the original Mikoshi data… but to do that, I'll need to pull an old string."
"You're not talking about who I think you're talking about…" Judy frowned. V didn't like it either, but if they were going to get anywhere, then this would be a huge advantage for them. Perhaps they could even find a list of potential Mikoshi victims.
"I'm afraid you have lost me again."
"Goro Takemura." V replied with a long pause. "Gotta spark the rebel path against 'Saka again."
"Oh fuck me…"
"A… church?" Lynn's brow perked as she and Yusuke rounded the corner.
It was a small, unassuming building, nestled amongst the rest of the area. However, it was undoubtedly a church. As labelled by the small sign nailed to the old stone brickwork. 'Kanda Church. All welcome to seek guidance under the Lord.' The last thing Lynn expected to see in this district was a church. Yusuke nodded with a refined smile. "Indeed. Quite the alluring spot, don't you think? Peaceful, as if it's within its own bubble."
"Do you believe?"
"Personally? Not especially. Though I find the aesthetics of Christianity quite inspiring."
"So… what are we doing here, exactly?"
"You shall soon see." Yusuke grinned and motioned for Lynn to go in ahead of him. She hesitated, but decided to go along with it. Inside was pretty standard for a small church. Pews lined each side of the hall, leaving a space in the middle. The altar wasn't overly elaborate, but it still held quite a refined presence. Especially with the white and red fabrics and golden candlesticks.
However, there wasn't a sermon at the moment, so there wasn't any of the congregation present. All except for a single figure sat at the frontmost right pew.
Long dark hair was neatly combed and brushed, accented by a red hair ornament.
It looked as though she was doing something out of sight. A faint clacking of wood could be heard and the occasional humming and muttering of the girl, focused entirely on whatever she was doing.
Lynn quietly stepped down the isle. As she came closer to the girl, the sounds of clacking grew louder. Eventually, the sight of a shogi board caught Lynn by surprise. What was a highschool student doing playing shogi by herself in a church? Lynn watched her as she made various moves, playing both sides of the match. She didn't know the first thing about shogi, but even still, the girl was moving with such conviction, such confidence, it conjured the image of a ruthless commander ordering her troops into battle.
Finally, the girl noticed she wasn't alone anymore. Her head turned and Lynn was taken aback by just how refined the girl looked. Like a traditional picture of perfect beauty.
She smiled, though she was confused and slightly anxious. "I'm sorry, am I disturbing your praying?" The girl asked, tilting her head to the side. It took a few seconds for Lynn's brain to kick back into gear.
"Oh… no, uh, can I ask what you're doing?"
"Playing Shogi. Or rather… practising it." The smile relaxed a little. "Do you know much about shogi?"
Lynn shook her head. "Just that it's a thing that exists." This actually earned a short giggle.
"Would you like to learn? I can see a small spark in your eyes."
Is this what Yusuke was talking about? Lynn didn't see the purpose. How could Shogi relate to battles in the Metaverse? That said, Yusuke had gone out of his way to mention this strange girl, so the least Lynn could do was take the girl up on her offer. "Sure."
Lynn sat down on the pew on the opposite side of the Shogi board.
Then, the girl began to explain the basic rules. At first, it was all too complicated to even fathom. However, the girl knew how to break things down and convey them to even a complete beginner like Lynn. After a solid ten minutes, Lynn felt like she had a decent grasp. Enough of one to at least make it through a match.
So, the girl offered to play one with her.
The moment the match started, the girl's whole existence changed into something else. An intense focus washed over her and she made moves with the confidence of a real general. "I see your strategy! You fool, you've left yourself open!" -clack- "Such a simple ruse. I will break your line like a twig!" -clack- -clack- "Now for my ultimate move, Star Piercing Strike!" -clack-.
The girl had won. Handily.
"That was… certainly a thing…" Lynn muttered, absolutely baffled.
The girl gently cleared her throat and the intensity vanished as if it had never been there. Replaced by what looked to be embarrassment.
"Sorry… I did it again." She hung her head in shame and fidgeted with one of the shogi pieces. "When I play, I kind of get sucked into a world of my own. I start to imagine the board as an actual war, the pieces representing my troops and the enemy. It's weird, isn't it?" Her cheeks burned a faint pink as she tried avoiding eye contact. As jarring as the experience was, Lynn did feel like she learned something from this whole thing.
"I think it's pretty cool. It just means you have a vivid imagination. That's not a bad thing at all." Lynn was telling the truth. The passion ebbing from the girl had been contagious and as the match went on, Lynn actually began to feel a connection with her own shogi pieces, too.
It was then that she realised her heart was racing.
"I see the two of you have hit it off. Excellent!" Yusuke's voice cut through into the girl's and Lynn's bubble.
"Kitagawa! Where have you been!?" The girl shot onto her feet and glared at the artist. Yusuke did say she was a fellow Kosei student, though he didn't go into any other details. "Everyone said you were expelled!"
"Technically, no. However, my scholarship was renounced so I could no longer attend." Yusuke's grin turned into a sour frown. "After Sensei's downfall, I was reoffered the scholarship. I refused."
The girl stepped back at that. Shocked.
Lynn was just as shocked. He hadn't said anything about being able to go back to Kosei.
"I'm now attending Shujin Academy with my dear friend, here." He gestured to Lynn. The girl peered at her.
"Oh… I see."
For some strange reason, Lynn felt a tingle in her spine. Though as soon as she felt it, it vanished just as quickly. "My name's Lynn Amamiya, by the way. But my friends just call me Rin."
"Oh? You haven't introduced yourself, Togo? I thought you prided yourself on your manners." Yusuke smirked as the girl - Togo - stuttered and tried collecting herself.
"Right! My apologies. I'm Hifumi Togo. It's a pleasure to meet you, Amamiya."
"Just call me Rin. I don't mind at all."
Hifumi stumbled slightly, though she smiled once again. "Very well, then please, call me Hifumi." Lynn nodded in response. "I must say, Rin, for your first time, you weren't bad. You have the spirit of a true warrior, I can tell." The compliment - though quite over dramatic - made Lynn blush slightly. Despite getting slaughtered by Hifumi, the comment sounded genuine. "Shogi is all about having a keen and calm mind. You must predict what your opponent will do and formulate a plan to counter."
"I see." Lynn clasped her thumb and index finger on her chin. So that was what Yusuke meant. She glanced up toward the artist, his subtle grin said it all.
All things considered, Yusuke definitely had a weird sense of humour.
"Togo is actually a professional Shogi player with numerous titles under her belt." He spoke almost as if he were proud of it. "In that sense, the two of you are actually quite alike." Hifumi tilted her head and perked up a brow at Yusuke's statement. "Rin was - as I understand it - quite infamous among the global Airsoft community."
"Air… soft?"
"A sport in which you use replica firearms that shoot small plastic BBs at other players."
"They. Are. Not. Replicas!" Lynn growled.
"At least I didn't say toys."
She was just about ready to launch into another tirade about firearms and airsoft weapons when Hifumi's giggle cut her off.
"I knew you were passionate. I sensed a kindred spirit the moment I set eyes on you. Though our battlefields are different, our resolve is the same." Hifumi set a hand across her heart and bowed elegantly. The motion was fluid, practised and held a strange presence as if raw authority flowed through her movement. "From one warrior to another, let us both hone our crafts in pursuit of strength."
This girl was definitely a strange one. Similar to Yusuke, in that her flowery language and elegant mannerisms conveyed a serene refinement. Tempered with undeniable skill.
"Actually, I was wondering; could you… maybe teach me more? I really enjoyed facing you just now. Perhaps we could make a deal?"
"Oh?"
"Teach me more about shogi, and in return, I could share my own experiences. Perhaps we could both learn new ways to fight."
"Interesting…" Hifumi hummed, thinking deeply about the offer. "I have been meaning to look for a practice partner. I can only do so much on my own." She tapped a finger over her lips. Eventually, she smiled and nodded. "Very well, we'll be each other's apprentice. I look forward to learning and teaching."
A familiar rush of power swelled up in Lynn's chest. It no longer startled her whenever it happened. Instead, it brought comfort.
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 Star Persona, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
The feeling waned and Lynn gently coughed. The warm swelling of power filtered inward and through her whole body.
"I look forward to it too!"
Wednesday - June 15th
V looked out over the waterway, leaning on an old, rusted oil barrel. The little alcove under the street stunk to high heaven, but V had learned to tune out the stench years ago.
A barge slowly drifted by, disturbing the water as it passed.
It was barely sunrise, but the city still thrummed with life. Still, she let out a low growl. The chill in the morning air sent a shiver up her chromed spine. He was late. Or perhaps he was simply making V wait. That was definitely the most likely. When they had last seen each other, things didn't end amicably. So, V thought it was a down right miracle she got a response at all.
"You look well, V." The raspy, familiar voice dug its claws into V's mind. She turned her head just a fraction. She huffed. It was Takemura alright.
"I feel well. Some chooms managed to help me out."
Takemura joined her in the water watching. He used a street light to support a slouching lean. He grunted with a nod. If he was happy to hear it, he definitely didn't show it. His features were locked in a stoic, stern glare as his eyes scanned over the water way. As for his general bearing, he didn't look all that much different than what she remembered. A thin layer of grime clung to his clothes and his hair looked like it hadn't been properly washed in days.
"The fox hides among reeds and the crane flies overhead." Takemura cracked a half smile as he spoke.
"You and your fuckin' gonk ass codes."
"You are the one who suggested we meet here. Though Oda won't be joining us this time." The smirk vanished, his eyes turning to V. "He still has not forgiven you. But it is at your mercy that he is still alive to hold a grudge at all." The two shared a grimace at the memory of that night. The daring ploy to get to Hanako Arasaka ended in a harrowing hail of lead. The fact that either of them were still standing was a miracle. Let alone both of them. "I suspect you have not called me to reminisce. What is it you want, V?"
"I need data. Mikoshi data."
There was a fraction of a reaction. A very slight twitch of Takemura's eye. The very subtle downward curve of his lips.
"Mikoshi is a lost project. There is no data left. Your attack made certain of this."
"Then how in the fuck does Night Corp have it?"
"What?"
Takemura's head whipped to face V head on. His eyes widened. This time, his reaction wasn't hidden behind practised stoicism.
"Night Corp's stolen all the research and tech data for Mikoshi and now they're usin' it for fucking…" she wanted to tell the truth, but stopped herself, "... ugh… let's just say they're not in the Immortal market."
"This is…" Takemura took a moment to collect himself. His brow furrowed and the chrome running up his throat twitched. "This is worrisome."
"No shit."
He fell silent. His eyes shifted into a distinct blue glow. His pupils darted from side to side. A minute passed before Takemura focused once again. He let out a rumbling growl. The reluctance in his expression was like an open book. Whatever he had come to realise, he didn't want to share it.
"You going to spin it, or do I need to squeeze?" V glared at him. He returned in kind. "Goro, people are dying. Going missing. Losing themselves."
"Fine." His shoulders sagged and he sighed in defeat. "There is a possible answer. If what you say is true… I know how Night Corp managed it." He still looked very hesitant, as well as agitated. "Your attack destroyed everything related to Mikoshi. The AI you set upon our systems made sure of this. But… Arasaka has many data vaults. One particular vault stands above the rest."
"This vault some fucking miracle machine?" V knew that there was a possibility of backups existing. She grit her teeth and tried to force the harrowing memories of that assault back down into the depths of her mind.
"Its existence is classified on the highest level. The number of people who even know of its existence should be able to be counted on one hand."
"You telling me you're one of those people?"
Takemura shook his head. "No. However, Hanako Arasaka is. She has just informed me. To think, Arasaka still withholds secrets from me, even now." He sighed with a rough countenance. So that was what the Kiroshi activity was. "That said, even she is unaware of its location. The data contained within must be… quite valuable. I tell you this in confidence. In return, I wish to make a request." V nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "Discover how Night Corp obtained knowledge of this vault and put a stop to whatever they're planning."
"That… was the idea anyway."
V was suddenly hit by a familiar sensation. A bubbling power filled with warmth and crackling energy.
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 Hierophant Persona, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
She would never get used to that voice. Trailing along the outskirts of her mind.
"Deal. The vault- it got a name?"
"Kuroi."
Finally, classes ended for the day. Students were dismissed and everyone began going about their usual routines.
Some branched off for club activities. Some hung around the corridors, chatting. Others made use of the library. Lynn and Morgana had their work cut out for them. The others had already set off to their designated areas. Morgana shifted in Lynn's bag and peered through an opening in the zipper. "Just be careful, Rin. We don't want to rouse any suspicion." At that, Lynn rolled her eyes.
"I doubt anyone's going to talk to me anyway."
The girl stepped out into the corridor. These days, the number of eyes glaring at her had diminished. There was less muttering about her too. Finally, the rumour mill had moved on. That said, people still avoided her.
People were still terrified of the criminal transfer student.
She shrugged off any looming doubts and locked eyes with a familiar girl. Though almost immediately, the girl tried to look at anything that wasn't Lynn shaped.
"Sakaguchi!" Lynn called out. The girl jolted.
She fumbled with the papers in her hands and nearly lost grip of them all together. She groaned and stammered, trying to find a way out of talking with a fast approaching Lynn. It was too late. The transfer student had already ensnared the poor girl. There was no escape from the social interaction now.
"Y-yes… Amamiya? W-what is it?" Tanako Sakaguchi was trembling in her indoor shoes. Sweat began to pour down her forehead.
"I was wondering if you knew anything about part time jobs in the area? I need to make a bunch of cash really quickly."
"Jobs? Uh… I'm… not sure. Aren't there hiring flyers at the station?"
"Nah, they're all way too much work. Come on, Sakaguchi, you're the President of the newspaper club! You've gotta have some juicy nuggets. You can trust me! I need a job that pays a bunch but doesn't require any boring work." Lynn snaked an arm around Sakaguchi's shoulders. She felt gross doing this to her, especially when it was so obvious that the newspaper club president was scared out of her mind.
Lynn moved closer and grinned with an almost sinister glint to her eyes.
On the inside, she wanted to stop, apologise and scream to the mountain tops.
Sakaguchi's breath hitched as if she was about to cry. To the girl's credit, she held it together even when Lynn subtly tightened her grip on the girl's shoulder.
"Maybe… Yamada from 2-B can point you in a g-good direction?" Her breathing settled as Lynn's grip loosened. "I think he mentioned a friend of his finding a job matching your description." Finally, Lynn let go completely and gave her a cheery smile.
"Thanks Sakaguchi! I knew I could count on you! Do you know where Yamada is now?"
"I… think h-he's part of the Tennis club. They have practice in the gymnasium."
"Preem! Thanks again!" With that, Lynn bolted for the gym. Her stomach turning in on itself all the way.
She could feel the glare of a certain feline. Doing these kinds of things left her feeling slimy afterward, but she repeated that it was effective over and over in her head. If only to justify it to herself. Sakaguchi was a good person. She didn't deserve to receive the intimidation treatment.
"Did you see that?"
"She was threatening Sakaguchi, right?"
"What could she possibly want with Paper Girl?"
"Maybe Sakaguchi tried publishing something Amamiya didn't like?"
"Scary…"
Lynn huffed. It looked like she had stirred the rumour mill back up once again. She could only blame herself for this one. Still, she had to push on.
The gymnasium buzzed with club members already getting into the swing of their practice. Split between three different clubs, various sports equipment were being set up around the hall. A few curious eyes glanced over to Lynn, but thankfully, they were too busy to linger. She scanned the hall for where the tennis net was, spying it at the far side. "I guess it's a good thing this gymnasium is absolutely gigantic…" she muttered to herself.
"Who are those guys just sitting around? There's enough room for another club, isn't there?" Morgana whispered. Looking over to what he was talking about, Lynn spied several students in their sports uniform not doing anything but watching the others.
She vaguely recognized a few of the faces. Less battered and bruised, however.
"I think that's the remains of the volleyball club."
"... Oh. I see."
A cheery voice caught Lynn's attention. "Hey, excuse me!" She glanced over to see a girl jogging up to her. From the outfit, Lynn assumed she was a tennis club member. "You look out of place! Interested in tennis?"
It was refreshing to speak to someone who either didn't know about the rumours or just didn't care.
"Sorry, no. I'm terrible at it." Lynn gave a polite bow. Her pride was still wounded from the last time she tried Tennis. "Is Yamada around? I need to talk to him."
The girl turned back toward the other tennis club members. She called out Yamada's name and a boy responded. He began to make his way over until his eyes locked with Lynn's. He froze like a deer in headlights. However, a quick glance toward the girl's innocent confusion snapped him out of it. "W-what's up, manager?"
"This cute girl wants to talk to you! Lucky boy."
At the mere mention of that dreaded C word, a very distinct shadow fell over the two club members. Murderous intent clawed at their throats and they instantly began to shiver at some unseen icy wind. Just as the evil force appeared, it vanished. Leaving the two club members flummoxed. Lynn tried to smile with innocence, but it cracked and came out as manic. "I just have a question for you! It won't take long."
"R-right. Ok… what is it?"
The manager recovered from the primal fear with a shake of her head. She then smirked and planted a hand on Yamada's shoulder as she started walking back to the other members. "Good luck~"
Confused, scared and very out of his comfort zone, Yamada followed Lynn to one side of the gym.
"Remind me never to call you that…" Morgana whispered, his voice drowned out by the sound of sports and chatter.
"I need a well paying job that doesn't need much work. Rumours say you mentioned a friend that has a job exactly like that. I was wondering if you could fill me in." Lynn's words sparked a strange sense of suspicion from Yamada. His eyes narrowed and any fear he once had was now gone. As if what Lynn had said had completely shattered some illusion Yamada held of her. "It's an emergency."
"Yeah, I said that. In a private conversation. How did you hear about it?"
"Does it matter? I just need cash." Lynn glared at Yamada. Her intensity reignited his fear and he shrunk in on himself. Despite being taller than Lynn, the girl somehow managed to loom over him.
"Alright…" He took a step back and allowed Lynn to rein back her own presence. "Look, I'll be real with you. This job sounds sketchy as hell. My friend won't tell me a damn thing, like he's scared or something. He acts like he just doesn't want competition, but it's obvious something's up. You… sure you want to chase something like that?" He eyed Lynn for a moment before shrugging. "Don't know why I'm asking. Someone like you would probably do shady things exclusively."
"Sure. Believe whatever you want. Can I talk to your friend?" She could have done without the metaphorical slap to the face.
"Whatever. His name's Takeshi. I think he's in the Library catching up on studies."
Without another word, Lynn darted away and headed straight for the library.
Her bag shuffled and Morganna popped out his head. "All this running around is getting exhausting." He purred as if laughing when Lynn hissed at him. "Still, I think we're on the right track at least. Once we talk to this Takeshi guy we should regroup with the others." At his advice, Lynn nodded. That was the plan anyway. She remained quiet, however. There were too many people lingering around the corridors for her to openly respond. The last thing she needed was more rumours adding to her already extensive rap sheet.
Finding Takeshi didn't turn out to be that hard. There weren't many students hanging around the library, thankfully. The boy didn't seem to recognize her which made it easier to approach him. Otherwise, he'd probably run away.
"Hey, Yamada was telling me you got a new job. Said you were splurging on a bunch of expensive stuff."
His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. "What's it to you? I might have. What, you want in?" The beginnings of a sly grin tugged at his lips. The look in his eyes gave Lynn the creeps, however, she rolled with it. "Why waste the effort, cutie? I could be yo- urghk!" He was cut off as he was forced against the bookshelf behind him. Books toppled from higher shelves, crumpling on the ground. A hand gripped the collar of his uniform with white knuckles. No longer was he looking at a girl he was attracted to. What he saw was a monster.
Lynn's throat rumbled with a growl. It snaked through the cramped library isle. They were hidden away in the back, so no one witnessed the sudden violence.
Her heart raced and anger boiled over into hissing flame.
"If you like having testicles, I suggest you stop that line of thought right now." Her voice dripped with stinging venom. It forced a weak sob from the boy. He did his best to nod. Lynn let go and the boy took in a deep breath. Her heart thumped against her chest. She placed a hand over it to try and slow it down. Calm. Calm down. It's ok. "Now, you were about to let me in on this gig of yours."
Stay calm.
Takeshi still couldn't breathe properly, but after a few moments to collect himself, he nodded once again. "Just… don't hurt me. All I have to do is deliver an envelope to random places. The money is so good, but if I make a mistake, some scary dudes threaten me. Say they'll ruin my life. They had guns!" The fear in his voice conjured a small pang of guilt. It bubbled in her throat. Yamada wasn't lying when he mentioned Takeshi was scared about something to do with his new job.
"Do you have any names? Know where I can get hired?"
Takeshi looked mortified. "Are you insane? After what I just said, you still want a part of it?"
"I'm a thrill seeker, what can I say?"
"S-Shibuya. Dudes sometimes patrol the back alleys on the lookout for students. They offered a high paying job with barely any work. They're right about that! It's just delivering an envelope. It couldn't be easier!"
"Was that so hard?" Lynn muttered. At least now she had a solid lead.
She patted the boy on the shoulder and left to regroup with the others. Once they were alone, Morgana poked his head out once again. This time, however, he remained silent. He simply watched Lynn with a muted intensity. She tried ignoring it as they walked, but eventually, she huffed. Ducking into a restroom, she made sure they were really alone before she scowled at the cat.
"Out with it." It was a little harsher than she intended. Morgana recoiled from the hissing demand.
"Are… you alright?" He asked, almost as if he was scared to talk. His tone jolted Lynn like a punch to the gut. Was he afraid? She then looked up to one of the mirrors lining the wall of sinks. She gasped and staggered back.
Instead of her regular silver eyes, burning gold pulsed from around her pupils. Filled with rage as well as something hidden under the surface.
Not only that, her heart was still pounding.
She took several breaths and closed her eyes, removing her glasses. She quickly splashed water in her face and remained still, hunched over one of the sinks. "I'm fine now. Sorry…" Glancing up, the burning gold faded back to the regular silver. Her heart still raced and along with it, her hands were shaking. After a few more deep breaths, she regained her composure and she felt normal once again. "We should head back to the alcove and fill the others in."
"Wait, Rin, you're not fine. You were like a whole other person just then!"
Lynn let out a strained sigh. "I'll… tell you about it later. I promise." At this point, she felt like she had to explain. Morgana was merely worried for her wellbeing and she responded with hostility. "Alright, let's see if the others have dug anything else up."
"So the only lead he gave you was the name 'Kuroi'?" River furrowed his brow and tapped a chromed finger on the bar counter.
V huffed and nodded. "Yep." She threw back a shot of liquor and gestured for Mateo to pour another. With a wry grin, the bartender went about his duty. The fresh shot lasted a single second. Mateo wordlessy asked if she wanted another, however, V refused. "Apparently only a handful of people even know about its existence. Not much, but it's a fuckin' start."
"V… that's basically nothing." River grunted.
"Yeah." V looked around Lizzie's. The early afternoon crowd was much the same as yesterdays. Mox Members and other affiliates rather than actual patrons. "But it tells us the data still exists. As well as how Night Corp got their hands on it."
After a few moments of thought, River seemed to come up with something. "Maybe we could use the Metaverse?"
"Oh?"
"If only a handful of people know about it, maybe one of them has a Palace? Or at least a Seedling?"
The thought trickled through her mind. "That's… actually not a bad idea."
"You say it like I never have a good one!" River snarked in response. V shrugged with a shit eating grin. Either way, the idea wasn't without its issues. For one, who would they target? Yorinobu came to mind. He definitely had the hallmarks of a Palace ruler. Hanako was a close second. Although she wasn't as extreme as her brother, she definitely wasn't a woman to mess with. However, Takemura had already said that not even Hanako knew about Kuroi's location.
That left their options quite limited.
V then remembered a name from the data Carol had cracked. Doctor Hank Parker. The man responsible for piercing into the Metaverse. Perhaps he was the key.
V fished out her phone and opened up the Nav. A quick type of the name and the screen beeped a confirming tone. River gave a questioning look and stared down at the screen. "You come up with something?"
"Maybe. Hank Parker - he has a Palace."
"I see… might be our in, then."
"If we can figure out his keywords. Meaning we're still no closer to any actual fucking answers." V huffed and stowed the phone back in a pocket. "We'll talk more when we're all together. 'Sides, you haven't properly met Pam, yet. Few beers. Some Buck-a-Slice. Talk about breaking into a mad scientist's brain. Should be fun."
"Sounds like a real fucking riot. Life isn't boring with you around…"
"All the first years that we spoke to said they didn't know anything." Yusuke sternly reported. Frustration was evident on his stoic features. Ryuji was less reserved. He slouched and kicked at a loose bit of gravel.
Ann and Shiho shared a sigh. "Same goes for the third years," Ann muttered in bubbling irritation.
"At least, no one admitted to anything." Shiho added.
"I got a few bits… but I doubt it helped my shitty reputation." Lynn leant against the vending machine and cracked open a bottle of flavoured water. Taking a big gulp, she let Morgana pop up from her bag. He put his paws over her shoulder and nodded with a certain worried hesitance. "Not that it'd matter anyway."
The other thieves exchanged varied glances. It twinged and a spike of annoyance tugged in her chest.
"What did you find out?"
"My personal theory is it's a hybrid of two rackets," Lynn started and gave a mirthless smirk at the confused expressions of her friends. "The job is delivering envelopes to random places. The gang members lurk around Shibuya back alleys and look for students to tempt with high paying jobs with minimal effort. However, there's obviously a catch."
"No kiddin'... even I can tell that's just plain fishy." Ryuji frowned. As obvious as it was, the promise of money was always going to be alluring bait.
"Did you find out what the envelopes were?" Yusuke asked.
Lynn shook her head. "I have a hunch. But it's just speculation at this point."
Shiho tilted her head. "Well, what's your hunch?"
"One of two things," Lynn raised her index and middle finger, twitching the index finger, "money." The middle finger twitched next. "Or drugs. I hope it's not the second… I hope I'm completely off the mark."
"Unfortunately, if this is the Inoshishi like we suspect, then your hunch is likely correct." Yusuke's jaw clenched, hiding his growing anger. Cold shivers ran down Lynn's spine at the mere sight of his glacial gaze. "Perhaps we should continue this investigation in Shibuya?" At that, Morgana interjected with a hum.
"We should leave that for tomorrow. Otherwise, we'd risk raising suspicion."
"I… guess. Alright, let's meet at the Hachiko statue tomorrow after school. We'll use our Thief Radios so we can keep in contact." Lynn didn't really like leaving it, but Morgana was right. It was better to be safe than sorry. "For now, get some rest. Long day and all that."
With that, the team dispersed. Everyone except Ann, who looked a little troubled. Lynn's brow perked up as the blonde tried to work up the courage to talk.
Eventually, her shoulders relaxed and she looked into Lynn's eyes with piercing intensity. "I want to train!"
"Uh… train?" Lynn blinked, confused. The same went for Morgana.
"My heart! I want to train my heart!"
"Isn't that what cardio is for?" Lynn smirked. In response, Ann stamped a foot in frustration. Lynn knew what she meant, but a little playful teasing wouldn't hurt. "I'm kidding. What did you have in mind? If you want, I can bring you to Shiho and I's next boxing session?"
"No, that's for Shiho. Which I appreciate you for doing, by the way." A small wave of embarrassment crossed Lynn's chest. It faded when Ann glared directly at her. "Hey, Morgana, would it be ok if I stole Rin for a couple of hours?"
Mona looked honestly hurt.
However, he shrugged his tiny shoulders and gave a long sigh. "I guess I could wander around for a while… I'll see you back at Leblanc. I expect fatty tuna!"
Both girls giggled and rolled their eyes.
Then, it was time to leave the school properly. Their journey through the district was a silent one. Makoto's blackmail still weighed heavily in the air. The pressure the president had put them under really didn't help with their nerves. Lynn just had to keep reminding herself that they had a lead. They also had others looking into the matter too.
Eventually, Ann broke their silence with a single action.
Her phone beeped a familiar tone and reality warped around them. The sensation of entering the Metaverse washed over Lynn with unexpected intensity. A mere second later, her Thief attire sparked to life across her body. Azure embers circled the two girls as the transformation lasted. Confused, Lynn looked over to her comrade. Now clad in the outfit of Panther, Ann's piercing gaze seemed to dig deep into Lynn's whole existence.
"Uh… what gives, Panther?"
"I want to fight you."
"Fight me?"
Ann stepped into an open street. Once filled to the brim with people, it was now a desolate shell. Deserted and bathed in an oppressive red hue.
Ann was serious.
She lowered her body into a ready stance. Primed to pounce at a moment's notice. Lynn started to see what she was getting at. Their last conversation ended with Ann wanting to strengthen her heart. She wanted to summon Hecate again. She wanted to get stronger. Just as Lynn wanted to get stronger. Lynn's grin was small at first. It grew wider, cracking her face in two. Silver gleamed beneath her domino mask.
Silver that then turned to burning gold. "Arsene!"
"Carmen!"