Captain Blues: It's time for a little sidebar. I've been dealing with a little bit of writer's block for the official chapter so I decided to take a sidestep and introduce you guys to...Well, you'll see...
Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
X-tra Chapter
[Opening Scene: Shibuya – The Stray Dogs Guild (Evening)
(Theme of The Stray Dogs Guild: Guild Scene from Persona 5: The Phantom X]
"Welcome back, Nato-kun. Rue-kun. How was that jerk?"
Kurusu Minato let out a deep sigh as he plopped on the couch of the Guild as Ruferu perched on his shoulder.
Minato wore a white undershirt and white hoodie beneath his school's yellow blazer, black checkered pants, and red sneakers. Meanwhile, Ruferu was now a regular a great horned owl with blue-tipped tufts of feathers on his face, red goggles on his neck, and a black beak.
Across from the red-haired teen, sat his longtime friend, Arai Motoha.
The young woman had short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a black sweater with a light blue and rose graffiti design and yellow trim over her school uniform, knee-high black socks, and white sneakers with dark grey shoelaces.
"Blubbering," Ruferu groaned. "The Phantom Thieves truly have him running scared. Not as scared as he is of us, but pretty scared."
"They also increased in numbers," Minato revealed. "At this rate, Akechi-san will have to send us to quell their numbers."
"I hope not!" Motoha exclaimed as she punched her palm. "I kinda want to fight them!"
"Still, we should be careful," Ruferu told the girl. "There is no telling what type of power they could have or the true numbers they hold."
"Ah, well. Speaking of numbers, any clue where Yukimi is?" Minato questioned.
"Ah! She and the others are…taking care…of a whistleblower of Shido's," Motoha answered.
"Another one of those. I wonder who it is this time," Ruferu muttered.
"I don't question any target the Boss gives us anymore," Motoha cheerfully shrugged. "I just smile, nod, and do what I'm told to do. Life's easier that way."
Minato nodded but there was a displeased expression on his face. "What's on your mind, Nato-kun?" Motoha asked, noticing her second-in-commnad's expression.
"I don't know," Minato answered as he lifted his right hand to the air. "I just feel uneasy about all of this. I mean, when Akechi bailed us out during our battle with Kiuchi, he promised that our Personas would change the world…" he balled his hand into a fist. "Instead, we've become Shido's hounds, dispatching his enemies for his paradise…"
Motoha frowned as Minato lowered his hand and sighed. "Nato-kun, I get it," Motoha softly agreed. "But Akechi has a plan. We won't have to do this for long. All we have to do is follow his lead and when it's time…BAM! We'll strike him out!"
Minato couldn't help but smile at the exuberant smile on Motoha's face. "I hope you're right," Minato told her.
"Of course I'm right! My intuition never fails," Motoha boasted as she tapped her chest with her fist.
"You guys are way too loud," a cranky voice said, prompting Minato, Motoha, and Ruferu to turn to the stairs.
They watched as a tall young man with short cobalt-blue hair and gray eyes walked down the stairs. He wore a Kokatsu Academy school uniform (which was a yellow blazer and black checkered pants), except his collar shirt was open, exposing his blue T-shirt with a black design, black belt, and black leather lace boots.
"About time you woke up, Shun," Motoha admonished with a wag of her finger. "Dinner was supposed to be made by the time Nato-kun got back from that jerkoff's palace."
"Oh…I'm sorry," Kanou Shun apologized as he looked at Minato. "I didn't realize that was today. I spent last night into this morning with sensei and I lost track of time. Didn't even change out my uniform before I crashed."
"Hey, no skin off my bones," Minato replied.
Shun grunted as he made his way to the kitchen. "Is Akechi joining us for dinner or is he opting out again?" Shun inquired as he took off his blazer and put on his apron.
"I doubt it," Motoha answered. "You know how he is. He keeps everyone at a distance."
"Well…Not everyone," Shun corrected.
Motoha smirked and said, "Oh yeah, I forgot about her…"
[Scene Change: Shibuya – SIU Building (Evening)
Theme of The Next-Generation Detective Prince: No More What Ifs (Instrumental Ver) from Persona 5: The Royal]
Walking down the vast, opulent hall of the SIU Building, two teens walked. The first teen was a young man with shaggy, neck-length brown hair with bangs and reddish-brown eyes. He wore a tan peacoat with black buttons, a striped black and white tie, black pants, black gloves, and black loafers.
Trailing behind him was a young woman with pale skin, platinum blonde hair and gray eyes. She wore a loose white hoody with a frilly black turtle neck collar with a pink ribbon and pink trim on the sides, a pleated white hood with a blue stripe, baggy sleeves with pleated blue cuffs with a pink stripe on the edge and a pocket above the waistline.
She also wore black short shorts, pleated white socks that reached halfway up her calves, and white shoes with thick black soles.
"Tanemura-san, Shiratori-san, Montagne-san, Fujikawa-san, and Li-san have finished their missions," the young woman softly informed the leading young man. "I have not heard back from Kurusu-san yet. Should I try and reach out to him, Akechi-shuryō?"
Akechi Goro hummed thoughtfully and then replied, "Not quite yet, Sahara-san. We must meet with Niijima-san first to discuss the matters of her case and then I must talk to our Shido regarding our next target."
Sahara Miyū nodded dutifully as she gripped the handle of Akechi's briefcase. "Understood," she softly replied. The two continued to walk until they came upon Sae's office door. Akechi knocked on the door twice.
A few seconds passed and Sae opened the door. "Ah, it took you long enough, Akechi-san," Sae commented as she stepped aside.
"Forgive me, Niijima-san. I've been quite busy," Akechi apologized as he strolled into Sae's office with Miyū in tow.
Sae moved back behind her desk to sit down while Akechi sat down with Miyū beside him. "Did you have to bring your assistant along with you for this brief meeting?" Sae questioned.
"Of course I did," Akechi answered. "What else is an assistant for?"
Sae grunted and stared down at the folders on her desk. "Zenkichi and I have been going over these cases and yet, I'm no less close to any answers."
"Yes, these Phantom Thieves are a curious bunch," Akechi chuckled. "Quite active as well. If they are the cause of the shutdowns, they must be working overtime. But why did Kamoshida, Madarame, and Tōgō survive while the others perished outright? What makes them so special compared to the others?"
"Does it matter?" Sae asked.
"Anything Akechi- shuryō speaks of matters," Miyū sharply interjected.
Sae raised her eyebrow while Akechi placed a hand on his assistant's. "Please forgive her. She is frightfully protective of me," Akechi stated. "I was merely thinking out loud about their motives."
"Which is inconsequential at this point," Sae told him. "We are supposed to capture them and bring them to justice. Not question their motives."
"I suppose," Akechi chuckled once again. "Have you made any headway regarding your sister and Kaneshiro?"
"No. At this rate, I'm considering it a cold case until the Phantom Thieves are captured. Every moment I waste on anything else, they are closer to their next target. Whoever that might be. Why do you ask?"
"Well…" Akechi began. "I would to speak to her and her friend regarding Kaneshiro and what they know. Perhaps I can solve this befuddling case."
"Knock yourself out, Akechi-san," Sae told him before going into her desk, pulling out a folder, and tossing it to him. "Just…Take it easy on Makoto. Kaneshiro is a sore topic."
"Ah, yes, I understand," Akechi smiled before he motioned for Miyū to grab the folder, which she dutifully did. "I will handle her with the utmost care."
"Be sure that you do," Sae told him.
But had she looked into his eyes, she would have noticed a glint of malevolence in his eyes.
Captain Blues: And like that, we have met Akechi's crew. We will find out more about them at a later time. Until the official next chapter, time to set sail!