"Hello Dear Guest. An opportunity has presented itself to you," Igor informed. "Another attendant of mine, one created through the traces of human hope, is available to teach you for a brief time."

Missy tilted her head, wondering what this attendant would be teaching her.

"He is gifted in the arts of stealth, something I believe you will find quite useful."

Missy nodded. That would be very useful. Especially if she did start to do some of those jobs that Brad offered.

"Wonderful. Now meet him at this location. He will be waiting for you there. Also, make sure to come dressed in dark colors."

She smiled before closing her eyes and returning to the waking world.

The address Igor had told her to go to was apparently a very large storage facility that had long since been abandoned. The inside was almost labyrinthian with its raised walkways, scattered abandoned machinery, and countless numbers of rotting pallets blocking certain routes. It was the sort of place that would be easy to get lost in… and also a place that a person could hide easily.

Igor's attendant had certainly chosen a good place to practice whatever it was they were practicing.

"You're here then."

Missy's head swiveled upwards. Looking all around, trying to find the location of that voice. A bit higher pitched than she had expected, were they around her age?

"Hmph. Can't find me? It seems you have a lot to learn."

There! A moving figure, a shadow darting in the darkness! Missy chased after it, running to the spot it had landed on the ground and finding… a doll? Missy pushed some of its blonde hair back. Huh, it kinda looked like her.

*Bang*

Missy screeched as the doll exploded and covered her in a cloud of fog.

"Lesson #1. Question everything you see!"

Missy coughed and grabbed her Evoker in order to summon a Persona to blow away the mist. As she raised it to her head, something hard struck it, knocking it out of her hands.

"Lesson #2. Be wary of those who would steal from you too."

She dived for the Evoker only for the shadow to suddenly swoop in and swipe it off the ground before she could get to it.

"Lesson #3. Never rely on Personas alone. You must be skilled in both mind and body!"

"Give it back!" Missy screamed. She couldn't help it. She was scared to be separated from it, ever since Circus had almost stolen it.

"I will give it back to you in time. For now!" Large spotlights suddenly came on, blinding Missy. She began to blink spots out of her eyes as they turned to illuminate the figure standing above her. "You must contend with the great Phantom Thief. Mona!"

Missy could only just stand there and gape. When Igor had that one of his creations would come by the Velvet to teach Missy in the ways of stealth, she had many ideas of what this person would like. A Special Forces agent, a ninja garbed in the shadows, or a masterful Thief making off with their loot in the night. What she didn't expect was a talking anthropomorphic biped cat with an insanely large spherical head.

"Are you ready for your first lesson Recruit!" Morgana shouted as he jumped down. He stared at her ready for her response… and got nothing. Soon his confidence fell way to confusion. "Uh, recruit? Fool? Kid? Missy Biron? You okay there?"

Missy's reply was to snatch that cat out of the air, hug it tight, and smush its cheeks against hers. "OHMYSCIONYOU'RESOCUTE!" She squealed as she spun around holding tight.

"WAAAAAH! MRREEEEOOOOOW!" The cat screeched as it futilely tried to escape her iron grasp. Too bad for it she was never going to let it go. Never ever. Hers forever! "Stop I'm going to- to- *Bleeeeuuugh*"

"Oh… ew."

"What were you thinking!?" Morgana asked, or rather, scolded Missy as she sat in front of him in a seiza. It had taken some time to clean him up and get her a new change of clothes. After that he was, understandably, quite mad at her. "Doing something so improper for a young lady, much less a Phantom Thief!"

"I'm sorry," Missy replied. "You were just… such a cute cat."

"I'm not a- okay whatever," Morgana replied as his body erupted in flames. When the flames cleared his head had shrunk and the rest of his body adjusted so that he looked like any regular black cat. Still cute though. "But that doesn't change that I or rather was a Phantom Thief."

"What sorta things did you do?" Missy asked.

"We changed the hearts of the wicked and the minds of those who had lost hope," Morgana proclaimed. "We rebelled against wicked authority and an unjust society! Do you wish to do the same!"

"Hell yea!" Missy couldn't help but be caught up in his enthusiasm and be moved by his words. And no that had nothing to do with the fact that he was a talking cat.

"Hmph." Morgana turned and swiped his tail at her. "You have passion. But do you have the skill? The path of a Phantom Thief is fraught with danger and peril." He narrowed his eyes on her. "Are you ready to take it?"

"I'm ready, Master Morgana."

Morgana froze for a moment before quickly turning around.

"… Are you crying?" Missy asked.

"No!... My eyes are… moisturizing themselves out of pure pride!"

Kinda sounded like he was crying out of happiness, but okay. "What do we start with?"

Morgana faced her, having composed himself. "You've learned to observe people on your Patrols. Now you shall be unseen while doing so."

"Yessir!"

Missy was vengeance, she was the night, she was-

"Ow!" Missy rubbed her head as she was pelted in the head by a rubber ball, again. Morgana was a real sharpshooter with that slingshot.

"Sloppy!" Morgana shouted from the shadows. "It's not enough to move silently. You must also be aware of the traces you leave behind!"

"What traces?" Missy asked.

"Look behind you. That stick you stepped on. The handprint you left on that box. All indicators of your presence. A thief must be careful not to leave a trace of their infiltration or risk discovery and being hunted down."

Missy nodded as she crouched behind another box. She looked ahead, found the hidden path ahead of her, and began to leap from cover to cover. Her body moved like a blur, the only indicator of her presence that would be easily missed with a single blink. No sound this time and not a single bit of debris that was stepped on or a handprint left behind on the dust of a nearby shelf.

"Good! You've gotten the basics. Now for the fun part. Come! Diego!"

A swordsman of justice emerged, taking his place at the center of the facility. He was a man marked as a thief, who fought for the weak as a true gentleman.

Missy marveled at him, the Persona. A being of true might and justice. So much greater than the ones she could summon so far.

"Now avoid his gaze and evade his strikes!"

Wait, what!?

Missy shrieked as she was suddenly tossed into the air by a gust of wind and trapped midair by a vortex that held her in place.

"Caught like a rat! Are you a rat or a thief!"

"A thief!"

"Then prove it!"

The vortex faded and Missy landed lightly on her feet. She then dived into cover and worked to evade the Persona.

The sun had begun to set by the time Morgana had finished their lesson and sent her home.

"Now get home quick! A young lady shouldn't be out on her own at night!"

Not without some parting words of course. Morgana was a lot of things, including surprisingly protective. Missy heeded his words though and quickly began to make her way home.

Wait, Theo was also an attendant right? Did that mean Igor also created him? And why was one of them a cat? Also why did said cat need to scout and explore the neighborhood before he'd get back to her?

Missy mused over this as she walked, only stopping her train of thought when her phone rang. She took it out of her pocket.

Huh. Why was Jack calling?

"Yea?"

"Missy!" Jack shouted from his side. "Where's Viv?"

"How would I know?"

"She said she was hanging out with you!"

"Oh crap. No she isn't. How long has she been gone?"

"All day... Shit." There was a click and then suddenly there was just beeping on the line.

Did he just hang up on her!?

She immediately called him again.

"Did you just hang up on me!?" Missy shouted at the phone once he picked it up.

"No time Menina!" he shouted over the sound of a car being started up. Sounded like a real clunker too.

"I'm a fucking Hero! Get me in your car and we can cover the city in an hour!"

"Fine. Where are you?"

It didn't take long for them to meet up, mostly thanks to Theia and her ability, and for her to hop into his car. "Any idea where she went?"

"Viv had…" Jack winced. "Drugs and cash under her bed. Think she was selling."

"Merchant territory then." Missy put her Evoker to her head. "Theia!"

Theia floated above Jack's car and created a tunnel for them to drive through.

"Shit. This is weird," Jack commented as they quickly sped through the city.

"Just go straight. Theia's got you."

Jack did as Missy commanded and continued driving while Theia did her thing. Neither of them cared that they were probably making quite a commotion in the city when Missy had the car fly for a brief moment in the air to avoid a ton of traffic below.

Missy's phone rang again. She looked at the Caller ID and picked it up. "Hey Ro- Triumph."

"Missy… the PRT is getting reports of flying cars. Is that you?" Triumph asked.

"Yes we- Left left!" Missy shouted at Jack as they swerved to avoid the fourth-floor wall of an apartment complex.

"Would you… please not do that? You're causing a panic."

"Fine fine, we're lowering it," Missy replied as the car lowered in altitude. Not much traffic now that they skipped past the main streets. "Look, we have an emergency. Looking for a girl, my age. Merchant Territory."

"How long has she been missing?"

"All day," Missy told Triumph.

"Any idea what she's doing there?"

Missy did but she really didn't want to say. "She got uh… lost. Super lost"

"Lost in… gang territory." Triumph sounded very doubtful over the phone. "And you just happened to find out?"

"We're looking for her right now. Get back to you later."

"I'll inform the PRT. See if they can send help."

"Fine. Thanks." Missy hung up her phone. They continued driving until they reached Merchant territory where she finally dismissed Theia. Not that they were here, they needed to take the time to explore each and every street carefully.

"You're not asking why Viv was selling drugs?" Missy asked as they passed by a group of drugged out homeless.

"I know," Jack replied. "My fault. Should've kept an eye on her."

"You were busy with everyone else. She knew that… Wanted to help," Missy replied. Merchants were known to drug up random kids off the streets, turning them into addicts and customers. And also… other things. It was such a horrible risk for girls their age, powers or no powers, and they weren't supposed to go into Merchant territory. No sensible person did but Viv apparently thought the risk was worth it.

Before all this Missy had had no sympathy for drug dealers in general. Now though… She really didn't want Viv to get hurt or get thrown into jail.

Missy's phone rang again and she picked it up.

"Missy Biron, this is Armsmaster. I can adjust my patrol route to your general area in ten minutes," the Protectorate Leader now spoke over the line.

"Really? Wow we'd really appreciate it," Missy breathed a sigh of relief.

"You have another person driving the car. Who are they?" Armsmaster asked.

"He's Jack. He runs the Shelter Viv stays at. She's the uh missing girl."

"Description of the girl?"

"Brown hair. White. My age but a bit taller," Missy listed everything she could remember about her.

"And she's been missing for an entire day in Merchant territory. What was her purpose for being there?"

"She got lost," Missy replied.

There was a brief pause on the line. "High probability you're lying."

"No I'm not I. Uh…-"

"Tell me the truth," the Hero demanded.

"Viv did nothing wrong," Jack interjected before Missy could fuck up anymore. "My fault she's out there."

"… You believe that."

"It's the truth."

"We'll need to speak with you after this is over."

"Fine."

"I'm coming in from the north side," Armsmaster informed them. "Continue your search and we'll close the grid." He then hung out.

"Jack…" Missy looked up at the man. "I'm sorry."

"It's my fault not yours," Jack replied.

"You're always blaming yourself," Missy realized.

"Because I let it happen," Jack replied. The bags on his became so much more apparent. Everything about him screamed of a man who was simply too tired. "I let my kids sell drugs. Go to the Gangs just to keep the Shelter going. Because I couldn't give them a chance for anything better. Don't even try to stop them."

"You're trying to save Viv."

"Only because she's twelve. If she is older… I would've just accepted it. All the kids I'm trying to save. Eh. I'm just throwing them to the wolves myself, Menina."

It was a terrible thing what Jack had to do and let happen, but Missy couldn't judge him. The law might, but she couldn't. Not in a situation as hopeless and terrible as his was. When he had so few options available to him and his kids to take care of.

Missy decided to focus on the job. Best to think of the morality of the situation after they found Viv.

The streets were almost lifeless though. Just the occasional homeless person.

"Where are they?" Missy asked.

"Merchant's like to move," Jack explained. "They're pests that don't stick to one building. Always moving around and just choosing whatever building or trainyard works."

Missy pointed. "So would that place over there be one of their impromptu gatherings?"

Jack looked at the lone building with a few bright lights coming out of its broken glass roof. Around it on the ground floor were barrels with rubbish lit on fire and small groups of people walking inside. "That would be it, yes," he said as they subtly avoided it and parked in a nearby alley.

"And Viv would… probably be in there."

"Probably. Yes."

"Great," Missy sighed. "Welp stealth mission."

"Menina, you're not thinking of going there alone? That's a fool's errand," Jack said as he stopped the car.

"Who's the Hero here? And I'll text Armsmaster the location, so the cavalry's coming," Missy said as she got out. "Look there's a broken window right there. I can climb in and use the scaffolding."

"I'm not putting another child at risk." Jack opened the trunk to his car and pulled out… a double barreled shotgun!?

"You're uh well-armed," Missy commented.

"Not as well as you are," Jack replied.

"Look I'm going in stealthy. If something goes wrong then you can come in guns blazing, alright? Please just trust me," Missy begged.

"Asking a lot from me."

"Haven't I done a lot for you and your kids?"

"You have," Jack admitted, reluctantly. "Tch. Fine, you're in charge."

"Thanks."

Missy pulled up the hood of black hoodie. She was quite thankful she was still wearing the outfit she had worn when doing stealth lessons with Morgana. Right now she would need every advantage she could get.

"Well Mona did say practical experience is the best teacher," Missy muttered to herself as she began to analyze her route to the broken window. "Don't think he wanted to throw me in the shit this quick though."

She deftly leaped onto a nearby trash can, used the extra height it provided to grab the ladder of a fire escape, and quickly shimmied up to the rooftop of a neighboring building. Like a swift shadow she leapt over gap after gap, taking care not to look at the ground before making a jump and just barely grabbing onto the edge of the window. It took a bit of effort, but she was able to pull herself and get into the building.

She kept in the shadows of the scaffolding above as she watched the proceedings below. It was basically a makeshift market. There was a feeling of almost organized chaos about it. People were coming around with bags of cash and… drugs. There were those that bought, others that sold, and others that just shot up right at that location. It was… disgusting and probably half the people there weren't even Merchants. Just the average addict or desperate person caught up in all this.

Then Missy saw them. A few kids were running around as mules and Viv was there among them. Okay so she confirmed Viv's location, but how to get her out without causing any trouble?

Before she could formulate any plan though, a pair of Capes entered the building. Skidmark and Mush. Crap things just got a lot more complicated. She quickly texted her location to Armsmaster. No way was she taking two Capes at once without backup.

"Yo Fuckers you got the goods?" Skidmark shouted as a needle was handed to him. He only had to look at it for a few seconds before jabbing himself with it. "Aaah that's good shit."

The Cape was about as crude and disgusting as described. Missy was at an entirely different elevation and she still felt dirty being in his presence. She still made sure to watch what was happening the entire time as Skidmark walked through the market.

It was almost like a tithe given to a lord, Skidmark didn't have to pay for anything in fact money was put into his hands as much as drugs. The man was collecting his due as leader of the Merchants and everyone complied.

The kids thankfully were smart enough to stay out of his way. Unfortunately, there was something about Viv that caused the Cape to look in her direction.

"You're new."

Viv nodded.

"Where the fuck you from?"

"The Docks."

"And you selling shit in my territory?"

"Merchants recruited me."

"Nah you don't get it you little piss-ant." Skidmark gestured with his hand and one of his men grabbed Viv by the shoulder before she could run away. He then slowly approached the girl "I'm the fucking Merchants. It's all me and you're too clean for this shit. Show me your goods."

Viv put her bag on the ground for him. Skidmark flicked his hand and it would suddenly fly from the ground and into his hand.

His power then. Something to do with placing acceleration fields on the ground if Missy remembered correctly.

"Nah you see." Skidmark took out some white powder and took a sniff. "This is the good shit. We don't get brats to move around the good shit, just crap. Where did you get it from?"

Viv stayed silent.

"Here's what I think. We got a little thief here. This cum-stain stole these goods and started selling them back to us." He raised his arms and addressed the people around him. "Now boys, what do you think we should do with her?"

Missy raised her Evoker and pointed it to her head. "Jack-O-Lantern."

Personas weren't suited for stealth and everyone noticed her once her Persona was summoned. Unfortunately for them it was still too late.

"Maragi."

There was something to be said about starting a large fire in the middle of a building. Even if the explosion hadn't hit anyone and wasn't even that big, it was still enough to get most of the people to immediately scatter and run. Including Viv who made good use of Missy's distraction by taking her knife out of her clothes and stabbing it into the leg of the Merchant that held her. The girl left the man bleeding on the floor as she ran off to safety.

"Fucker!" Skidmark raised his hand and Missy barely had time to register him using his powers before a field was created under her feet and she was flung off the scaffold.

Missy pointed her Evoker to her head as she fell. "Theia!"

Her Persona reacted quickly, manipulating space and giving her the distance to safely land on the ground once more. The ground that she now shared with a pair of very pissed off Capes.

Two on one wasn't good odds for her but she wasn't trying to win. Just stall long enough for Armsmaster to get there. Skidmark would be an issue, but Mush was slow. Tough with his armor but still slow, so if she played her cards right she could just keep running away from them until backup arrived.

Mush stepped forward only to be stopped by his leader.

"Get the bitch that ran," Skidmark commanded.

"Huh?" Mush asked, slowly. "What bout her?"

"Little cocksucker's been watching. Didn't do anything till I threatened the cum-stain. Get her."

Shit. He was smarter than he let on.

"Theia!" Missy shouted as she dived into cover, hoping Skidmark's power worked on eyesight like hers did.

Her Persona attempted to trap Mush as he ran only for Skidmark to put several acceleration fields under his feet. Mush sped forward, rapidly collecting the nearby trash and debris that would quickly surround him in makeshift armor, before crashing through a nearby wall.

At that point Missy could only hope that Viv was fast enough to get away.

"Get out here!" Skidmark shouted as he placed fields all around the area, turning the debris into a field of flying projectiles. Theia redirected the debris so that they didn't shred Missy by sheer chance. "You think you're hot shit!? Going to grab you, and stuff all your holes while you and that chick suck my fucking-"

"Berith!"

Berith emerged on his steed and immediately charged at Skidmark's location. The debris simply broke against her armor and even the fields placed under his steed's legs only slowed him at best.

Her Persona swung his lance down at Skidmark, only for the Cape to suddenly fly right. He then reoriented himself and began skating along the ground with his fields. Holy crap that was a good use of his powers. Also bad for her.

"Theia!" Missy jumped on Theia's back and had her fly into the air to prevent Skidmark from creating fields on the ground that they could step on. They then began to fly around the building while Skidmark chased after them.

Jack knew something was wrong once the commotion started within the building that Missy, the crazy Menina, had snuck into. He was tempted to run inside with his gun but going at things guns blazing was why he had been forced to flee to America in the first place.

Brazil was a very corrupt country. The emergence of Parahumans had only exacerbated the issues. How could an old soldier ever match up to another person that could create earthquakes, fly, or tear down entire buildings with a single thought. Even a young eleven-year-old girl was something beyond him once she had gained powers.

Fighting a hopeless battle was why he had ended up here. Brockton Bay was a place with its own corruption that he could never hope to contend with. Just simply accept it as it slowly consumed so many people, so many kids that lived in it. The Shelter was him making up for past regrets, assuaging his guilt as he did nothing but watch.

So he stood to the side, gun in his hand, and watched as people ran outside. Watched until he caught sight of Viv and quickly followed her so that he could pull her out of the way.

Viv noticed him immediately. Didn't fight him as he took her away from the fighting, leaving behind the young girl that had helped them. Backup was coming. Heroes would come to support the little Hero. That was how he justified himself.

"Viv…"

Viv didn't answer. She just simply stared at the ground, her eyes wet. She didn't cry, she was never supposed to cry, not because of him.

"Viv… why?"

Viv didn't answer, even as he grabbed her by the shoulders. She wouldn't even look at him. That was how ashamed she was of him. A man who simply refused to do nothing.

"Vivienne…"

Jack felt it before he heard it. A loud thumping. He dragged Viv into cover and watched as a giant figure made of trash and junk stomped into view.

"Come out girl," a man's voice came out muffled from within the construct. "Skidmark wants you."

The metal giant stomped around breaking things, even grabbing and throwing a random dumpster into the air. Like anyone could've hidden underneath that. "Stole from us. Sold our Merch back to us. Come out so Skids can teach you a lesson."

Viv began shaking and Jack put his arms on her shoulders to try and comfort her.

So that's what happened. Did Viv happen to find a stash or did she stab a junkie and take his stash from them? He wouldn't be surprised either way. Viv had become ruthless because of Jack… for him.

Jack heard a shuffling and shouting behind him.

"What the!?"

Jack spun and slammed the butt of his gun into the Merchant's face. He went down in one hit but the giant had noticed their presence. He didn't even try shooting now, the gun wouldn't be much use now against that armor.

"There you are." The giant approached, with loud lumbering steps. Likely an idiot in the driver seat, but still an idiot with powers.

Viv acted first. Hurling her knife, the small blade flying true. She had always been good at throwing things around. Unfortunately, the knife simply bounced off the armored head of the Cape who simply tilted his head in confusion at the attempt.

"Dunno who you are." The giant addressed Jack. "But the girl is Skid's."

Viv was scared. She was still shaking, but she still pushed her way out of Jack's arms and slowly approached the giant. While all he could do was stand there.

"Jack… i-it's okay. It's m-my fault. Just go back please?" Viv begged him. It was the smart thing to do. Rather than both of them die here he could run back to the Shelter, still try to help out the kids there a little.

Flee like a coward. While one little girl chose to fight while the other was willing to sacrifice herself.

You finally understand.

Jack screamed, grabbing his head and falling to his knees as Viv froze to stare and look at him in horror.

"J-Jack!?" Viv trembled.

What is evil? When good men stand aside? When they too become accomplices of the guilty? Were you not too a victim when everyone stood aside and let you alone be evicted from your home? You were forsaken and when given a new life, took it for granted.

He did. He had.

No more.

Now live. Rise up. Show them all, your children, these Villains, true justice.

He forced himself onto his feet, a mask now plastered against his face.

I am thou, thou art I…

Jack grabbed onto the mask on his face and pulled. He screamed in apparent excruciating pain as each inch of the mask that he took off was followed by a torrent of blood from his face. Inch by inch, blood and pain, he continued even though it seemed like it was driving him mad.

"No more compromise," Jack screamed through the pain. "No more hiding. If there is evil-"

With one last pull he ripped off the rest of the mask, tearing it off his face. Free of his mask, flames erupted from his soul, exploding and enveloping his body. The light blinded those who had watched, forcing everyone to turn away. It was only when the flames faded and their eyes recovered did everyone turn to look again.

A man stood, clad in midnight blue and tanned leathers. His was a costume not for a Hero or a Villain, but for something else. In his hand was a giant hunk of metal shaped into a crude greatsword that he wielded and lifted to his shoulder in ease.

He walked forward, gently nudging the little girl aside, as he approached the Villain.

"Then I will purge the corruption. Burn it all, root and stem!"

Behind him stood a giant horned man wreathed in ash and flame. His armor inlaid and gold that rusted and turned black in the center. A figure of fortune that promised wrath and punishment.

"Come, Dantès!"

A/N

*Proceeds to play Will Power from Persona 5*

But yea I was a huge fan of Zenkichi in Strikers and Jack was largely inspired by him. Having an adult Persona user around is honestly pretty cool and something I wanted to try and write with.

Anyway will be taking a brief break to play FFXIV Dawntrail. You'll hear back from me… probably.