The Phantom Justice (Persona 5 Royal & Strikers / Young Justice: Outsiders)
Chapter 4: Naomi McDuffie
Hotel Markov, Markovburg, Markovia
July 25th, 2018 9:56 PM EEST
The Phantom Thieves have gathered in the boy's hotel room. When they had all settled down, Ren, Morgana, and Ryuji told them everything that had happened. They were, as expected, shocked at what they heard.
"I see," Yusuke finally broke the silence. "In short, you were taken to the metaverse by the MetaLauncher, the center of which happened to be Castle Markovburg, and came back with the Queen and Crown Prince themselves."
"Hearing you say it like that makes it sound like an insane story though," Ryuji mumbled.
"But it's the truth," Morgana said. "We saw it with our own eyes. It wasn't just the cognitive metaverse itself, it was also a palace. Only, the Goode Goggles called it an Arena."
"An Arena?"
"I know that it's hard to believe," Ren said. "I know it's been a while, but this is the third time that the metaverse has revealed itself to us. I don't think that this is a coincidence that we were taken to a place similar to the palaces and jails. Would we really trespass onto the castle's grounds?"
"Of course not, Ren," Makoto said. "We understand. You don't have a reason to make a joke like this after all. Anyway, the fact that there's a cognitive domain like that here in Markovburg does raise some concerns. What can you tell us about it?"
"It was like a big ass winery," Ryuji said. "Most of their vineyard takes up the entire city, surrounded by walls. And apparently that Baron DeLamb is the ruler. The guys an arrogant asshole both in and out. You should've seen the way the castle is."
"You're telling me," Ann said with a frown. "I can't believe he went as far as to threaten you with execution! All because you trespassed on the castle grounds!"
"Legally, they can deport tourists for crimes such as trespassing on royal grounds," Makoto said. "The only time that the ruling king and queen are supposed to give execution to the worst criminals. As far as I'm concerned, it hasn't been used for decades."
"What were they like?" Haru asked, referring to the king and queen of Markovia.
"They are good people," Ren answered. "Unlike Baron DeLamb, they seemed pretty reasonable. While I felt guilty about lying to them, they understood that we didn't mean to be in their home and didn't press charges."
"Even the queen herself went out of her way to see us back," Ryuji said happily. "She's a good lady in my book!"
Then his expression darkened. "It's a shame that she doesn't know that her brother is as shitty as Kamoshida."
"From the way she was talking, she seems to hold DeLamb in high regard," Morgana said. "He's got them fooled as a loving family man. Honestly his acting makes Lady Ann's look like a masterpiece."
"Thank you, Morgana," Ann said with a smile, scratching him behind the ears. The feline purred while the others cringed as she misunderstood the comment.
"I wouldn't say that his entire family trusts him," Ren said. "His nephew, Prince Gregor, doesn't trust him. He told me so back at the hotel entrance."
"After hearing what his shadow is like, he should," Yusuke said with distaste. "The man fancies himself as the ruler of this country. A king without a crown. I don't know if I should feel glad that we are not dealing with a Jail."
"This guy isn't stealing the desires of the masses to make himself popular," Morgana said. "Plus, the EMMA app vanished after our last heist. We're dealing with a threat that we are very familiar with."
"Is it going to be like Kamoshida?" Ann asked with a frown as the memories surfaced.
"Nah, as much as I wanted it to be, that ain't the case here," Ryuji said. "It looks like the bastard is viewing people like wine bottles. Like they are for sale."
"You mean like human trafficking?" Ann asked.
It was a disturbing thought to view people as objects for sale. They saw plenty of distortions where this occurred. Human ATM's, sex slaves, robots, anything to the seer that would dehumanize them. That was the horror of the distorted world.
"More like metahuman trafficking," Ren spoke suddenly, causing everyone to turn to him.
"I'm sorry?"
"Two years ago, Princess Tara was kidnapped," Ren elaborates. "Queen Ilona and her husband suspected that she was taken by a metahuman trafficking ring but could never prove it. After asking more about it, I can't help but feel like the Baron had something to do with it."
"I heard about that. Her second anniversary is coming in a few days," Makoto said with pang of sadness. "That would make sense. Metahumans are the top commodity for anyone looking for a human weapon. Warlords, terrorists, dictators, mob bosses, practically anyone who wants a superpowered army. Plus, he would have knowledge of the ins and outs of the castle. Not to mention that he controls the security detail."
"Would he really kidnap and sell his own niece?" Haru asked with her brows furrowed.
"Guess we'll find out when we explore the Arena," Ren muttered. He turned to Futaba, who had been typing away at her computer without saying a word throughout their conversation. "Futaba. Can you look into any missing person cases here in Markovburg?"
"Already done," Futaba chirped. "Aside from the kidnapped princess two years ago, I couldn't find any missing persons. Although, I found something else that would be considered similar. You guys aren't going to like it, though."
"What is it?" Ren asked. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what Futaba was about to share at all. He could feel that the others are likewise the same way.
"A single mother's blogger," Futaba said with seriousness. "She was ranting about how she never got to see her child after admitting him to this place…"
She turned her laptop around for everyone to see. On the screen is the image of a hospital.
"Markovburg Children's Hospital," Futaba said darkly. "According to statistics, this place has the highest mortality rate well above the norm. More than any hospital in this country if I may add."
"For real?!" Ryuji shouted. The rest of the thieves were as horrified as he was. "What the hell is wrong with the hospital staff over there?! Did they hire nothing but quacks or something?!"
"Keep your voice down! There are other people on this floor!" Ann hissed as she slaps the back of his head. She looked back at Futaba and said gently, "Futaba?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if what Ryuji just said is right," Futaba continued. "Nearly every patient admitted there ends up dead a few hours later. I have their medical records right here. Sepsis, cancer, heart disease, you name it. What's funny is how frequent these cases are. Way too frequent."
"You mean that they're faking medical records?" Haru asked.
"Sounds like it. I'm no medical expert but something is up," Makoto said with a frown. She was already seeing red flags. "There is no way a hospital would allow a mortality rate to remain that high. Especially a children's hospital. There should've been an investigation!"
"There has been," Futaba answered. "By the Security Force no less. They claimed that someone has botched several operations and have imprisoned him. He was later executed. The families of the children have received compensation. Sound familiar?"
Everyone knew what she is getting at. Her mother had been murdered just to obtain her research into cognitive psience. The perpetrator happened to be the same one who framed Ren. In an act of cruelty, he forged a derogatory suicide note and read it aloud to her, breaking her and causing her to become a suicidal shut-in. They may not be the families of the deceased, but the situation was beginning to feel similar to her situation. Something was going on, and they vowed to find out what.
Then, Ann tried to stifle a yawn.
"It's getting late," Ren declared. "We should get some sleep. Before doing anything else regarding the matter, we need to get back into shape. Morgana?"
"I'd say a few hours of exercise in the metaverse should do that trick," Morgana said. "As thieves, it's important to get the feel for our abilities and equipment. Especially with the new mechanics involved."
"Sounds like a plan," Makoto said. "Futaba, do you think you can hang back and do some more research into the hospital? Morgana can take over navigation duties."
"You got it!" Futaba grinned. "Besides, we got to keep our guest company somehow!"
"Speaking of which," Ren said as he got up from the bed. "I'd better go check on her. Do we still have the food we bought for her?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ren entered the room the girls shared with a brown bag in his hand. Behind him, Morgana moved in front of him. He closed the door behind him and walked to the runaway he met tonight. She was sitting on the bed, her hood down, with her legs drawn to her chest. Looking up she saw Ren with the bag. Her eyes were wary of him.
"Hello there," Ren said in English, waving a hand. He held up the bag. "I thought that you may be hungry."
Still, she said nothing. How could he blame her? She was taken off the street and into a room by a total stranger. Morgana hopped onto the bed and approached her. She saw him and reached out a hand to him. It stopped just a few centimeters from him. Morgana saw this and turned to Ren with a scowl.
"If you tell ANYONE about this, I will run you over in the Metaverse."
Ren just smirked. Morgana then turned around and butted his head against her palm. Taking it as an invitation, the girl proceeded to rub his head. A smile graced her lips.
"I didn't think they'd let cats in here," she said.
"This was the only hotel we could find that would accept pets," Ren answered with mirth. "We either have to cope with the extra price or an angry cat."
Morgana turned back around to give Ren a death glare. Ren laughed at this, and so did the girl. She was coming out of her shell, if only a little. Then her stomach growled, much to her embarrassment.
"So…you have food for me?" The girl asked, feeling hopeful.
Ren nods and handed her the bag, to which she took and opened it. The bag contained a big burger, a package of fries, salad, and a water bottle. Immediately, she began to dig in like a wolf.
"There happened to be a Big Bang Burger nearby," Ren explained. "We didn't know what you like so we got you the supernova special. A friend of mine was able to get it at a discount. You could say that she works with the company running it."
"Tell her I said thanks," The girl spoke with her mouth full. "This is so freakin good! I haven't eaten like this for a while."
"I can tell," Ren said. Then it was just silence between them as the girl finished her fries. Ren waited for her to come out to him. If he pressed her, she would clam up. Finally, the girl broke the silence.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Hm?"
"I mean, why are you helping me?" She clarified. Ren looked at her before shrugging.
"Do I really need a reason?" Ren asked. His response got an unimpressed look. "You looked like you needed help. So, I wanted to help you. What other reason could I have?"
"But you don't even know me," She pointed out. "You don't even know who I'm running from."
"A metahuman trafficking ring with Government connections?" Ren guessed. The girl stiffened at the mention of that, confirming his guess. "Thought so. Me and my friends were discussing it in the next room. Where are you from?"
"America," The girl answered.
"Me and my friends are from Japan," Ren answered.
"It should be no problem," Ren assured her. "As long as you know your Social Security Number, the American Embassy will bring you home."
"Don't you think I tried that?" The girl asked. "When I got there, they were waiting for me like vultures. The moment they saw me, they chased me away!"
"Then we have to take care of that won't we?" Ren said, thinking about Baron DeLamb. "Until it's safe, you might as well stay here."
"No, you don't understand!" She argued, standing upright on her knees. "They found me once and they can do it again. And these guys will make your life miserable if they find you sheltering me."
"Ugh, you should tell that to the last guy who ruined my life, which was only temporary if I might add." Ren said quietly, eyes narrowing as he met her gaze. "Over two years ago, this guy was assaulting a woman right in front of me. She cried for help and so I did. Furious, that guy used his connections to make sure that I would never have a bright future. Thanks to him, nobody wanted to be around me. My parents abandoned me, and everyone treated me like a criminal. They wouldn't even help. That man made me feel like I made a mistake messing with him."
Ren stopped talking as the memories came back. The girl was looking at him with sympathy for what he went through. He took a deep breath and continued.
"But it wasn't always like that," Ren continued. "I met people who looked past the rumors and saw the truth about my situation. They even went as far as to help me get my record straight. There, I knew that I wasn't wrong in helping that woman. Nor am I wrong in helping you. That's why I promise that we will get you home…uhm…well this is awkward…"
"You just now realized that you never asked for her name?" Morgana sweat dropped.
"Naomi," the girl said with a smile. "My name is Naomi McDuffie."
"Ren Amamiya," Ren said with a chuckle. "Well, I'm glad that we cleared that up, Ms. McDuffie."
Then, there is a knock on the door. He got up from the bed and said, "I'd better get going. This room happens to be for the girls and we're about to hit the hay. You yourself look like you are about to pass out. Have a good night"
"Wait," Ren stopped at Naomi's voice. "I probably should've said this earlier, but thanks."
"You're welcome," Ren said, and he meant it. "I hope you don't mind if the girls keep you company."
"Well, this is their room after all," Naomi said with a grin. "And I'm not willing to add to my already growing pile of debt."
They shared a laugh at that. Leaving those words to hang in the air, he walked to the door to the hotel room and opened it. Outside are the female members of the Phantom Thieves. When he opened the door, they backed away. It would appear they were trying to listen to their conversation. The way they tried to act inconspicuous is laughable.
"So…how is she?" Futaba asked nervously.
"She's coming out of her shell," Ren said.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ren woke up in the familiar sound of a woman singing. He stood up in his cell in the Velvet Room, dressed in his familiar prison uniform. He stood up from the plank of wood and approached the bars of his cell.
"Welcome back to the Velvet Room, Trickster," Igor greeted from his desk. At the front is Lavenza with her grimoire. "Not only have you done an exceptionally well in your first battle, but you have also formed a new bond."
"You have unlocked the power of the Star Arcana," Lavenza spoke, opening the grimoire in her hand. Above it, a glowing red card hovered over its pages. On the face is the image of someone drinking water from a pair of vases, in which the water was scooped from the body water shown before the figure. On the upper half, the card shows a red sky with gray stars, as well as the roman numeral XVII.
"The Star, huh?" Ren wondered. Could they be referring to Naomi?
"As you know, Trickster," Igor said. "The Star Arcana is known to be commonly associated with hope, self-confidence, faith, altruism, luck, generosity, peace and joy."
"With this newly awakened power, all thanks to meeting that special girl, you will be able to utilize personas associated with it." Lavenza said.
"Girl?" Ren thought. He supposed that meant that Naomi really is the new confidant of the Star Arcana.
At that moment, the siren blared.
"It would appear that our time has come to an end," Lavenza said. "Remember, the power of the wild card enables you to use multiple Personas. As you fight, you can gain strength from the souls that have forgotten themselves."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
July 26th, 2018
When the Phantom Thieves woke up, they finished breakfast fast. They brought some up for Naomi. At Ren's instructions, Naomi put up the do not disturb sign on the door to prevent anyone looking. Futaba is keeping her company while she did some research, declaring herself an expert in staying indoors due to years of living as a recluse. The girls had already gotten along with the girl before they went to sleep. They told her to not wander too far from the hotel in case. The rest of the thieves have gathered in the boy's hotel room.
"So, this is the MetaLauncher?" Ann asked. She is wearing her Goode Goggles and is looking at the app. "Why does it have to be on a virtual reality headset? Why not our phones?"
"We don't know," Ryuji said. "You have to admit, it's kinda cool."
"Do you think that Goode World Studios created it?" Haru asked. "You know like how Madicce developed the EMMA app?"
EMMA was a popular concierge application created a year ago. What the public didn't know was that it houses a Metaverse Navigator function that can be activated vie keyword. This led to the creation of the Jails.
"I don't think so," Makoto said. "Going from what we discussed, DeLamb isn't using it to steal the desires of the masses. If that were the case, there would've been more people disappearing."
"In other words, these Arenas are more like the Palace's again," Yusuke said, grasping his chin. "From what I can probably tell, is that it feels as though the baron views the entire city as his domain…"
"So how do we use it Ren?" Makoto asked.
"Just tap on it like any other app," Ren simply said.
"Got it," Ann said. "I bet Futaba would be geeking out right about now. It's saying that we are within an arena and is asking for a map code?"
"That's how we get into the Metaverse," Ren answered. "Ryuji accidentally blurted it out the code the first time."
"So, what's the code?" Ann asked. She turned to her right, where she knew Ryuji is sitting next to her on the bed. "Ryuji?"
"I think it was winery. It should be…"
The moment he said that their vision became distorted with red and black.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"…saved under… We're in the Metaverse aren't we?"
"You guessed it," Joker answered. "We probably should be careful about saying the code words out loud."
The distortion faded and the thieves found themselves in the distorted hotel room. It hadn't changed much the last time they were here. Like them, the Phantom Thieves attire had changed.
"So, this is the arena? It looks…foreboding," Ann asked. She wore a skin-tight red latex catsuit with a cleavage cutout and zippers, a matching red panther mask, pink gloves, dark red thigh-high boots, a clipped-on tail on the back of her catsuit.
"It's as if mother nature is retaliating. In a twisted sense that is," Yusuke commented. His attire consists of a traditional kitsune-style half mask, a black high-collared puff-sleeved jumpsuit with a striped sash worn across his hips, white motorcycle boots, and bright blue gloves. Attached to the jumpsuit is a white foxtail.
"So, the MetaLauncher drops us off depending on where we accessed it?" Makoto asked. Her outfit is a two-toned, dark blue and black, skintight suit with a long black scarf, a dark gray corset-style leather breastplate, shoulder and knee pads with spikes mixed with boots that sport metal heels and toes, white gloves and an iron mask.
"Mona? Do you sense any Shadows?" Haru asks as she examines a vine. Out of all their outfits, hers is by far the more old-fashioned of them. She wore a dark purple cavalier hat with a feather plume tucked into a royal purple hatband, a long-sleeved pale pink blouse with a white neck jabot (held there by a red gem pin), a black corset vest with gold buttons, bloomers that match her hatband, black pantyhose, a holster belt carrying ammo and lace-up pumps. Her mask and gloves are black and violet, respectively.
"Not on this floor," Mona said. "We checked the place out and there isn't a single Shadow on the floors above us. We haven't explored the lower floors."
"Why don't we start there?" Makoto suggested. "After we reach the lobby, we can go outside and explore what we can of the winery. Get a feel of the distorted land."
"Let's do it," Joker said. Together, they left the hotel room. For the next hour, they've been exploring the rest of the floors. With the rest of the Phantom Thieves here, it became less of a chore. On the way, the rest of the thieves took the time to get a feel on the weapon mechanic. By the time they reached the lobby, they came to one conclusion.
"There wasn't a single Shadow in sight," Mona said as they exited the elevator shaft. "The ruler's control over this area must be weak if that's the case."
"So, this hotel may be a Safe Room?" Ann asked. "Or would it be Safe House in this case?"
"Whatever fits," Joker said. "That would explain why we were only attacked the moment we stepped onto the roof. As long as we're inside, no shadow would attack us."
"Well, that's wicked," Skull whistled. "You think we can find more of these Safe Houses here?"
"This one's a first start," Yusuke said. "Shall we go outside? Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
The thieves agreed and walked out to the doors of the hotel lobby. They stepped outside onto the dirt street and gazed at the wall of grapes. Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing it is another. The buildings seem to converge to form a wall.
"The sight of these grapes provides some charm to this distorted place," Yusuke said, framing his fingers at the wall.
"Couldn't they have just used the post-and-wire system?" Ann asked with a frown beneath her mask. "The wall looks a little excessive."
"Actually, Grapevines growing on walls is much better than the post-and-wire system," Haru points out. "While they draw reflected heat and sunlight from the walls, they act as natural cooling systems for their homes. In addition, it helps reduce the risk of plant diseases and provides protection of a wind break and material that absorbs and gives back the sunlight's heat in the evening."
Everyone looked at her as she said this. Haru turned her head at their astounded expressions and chuckled.
"I did a lot of reading on them at the university," Haru said.
"Nobody is judging you. Your knowledge on plants is invaluable," Joker said, thinking back at how Haru would take care of the plants back in Shujin Academy.
"Thank you, Joker."
"The use of walls could reference the ruler's control," Ren continued, looking up at the wall. "From the way it's pattered, it's like a maze. It's as if nobody could escape from him…"
"Like a game of cat and mouse," Yusuke muttered with a hint of anger in his voice. Everybody is feeling angry at the sick mind of Frederick DeLamb. Makoto walked to the front of the wall and leaned forward. Her reddish eyes widened in shock.
"Is this a fertilized egg?"
"What?" The Phantom Thieves walked to where Makoto is and looked at the grapes that looked to be in the early stages of its growth. Upon a closer look, it looked like a fertilized egg than a grape.
"What the hell?" Skull exclaimed. "You mean those things that we went through before we are born?"
"There's no doubt about it," Ann said. She looked along the wall of grapes, which are growing the higher they are. "There are some who are 2-cell stage, 4-cell, 8-cell, 16-cell… oh my god…"
She pointed at an overly large grape. The Thieves tried to get a close look, but it was so high that they couldn't see.
"Hey Mona," Skull said. "I'm going to throw you up there so you can take a better look. Okay."
"What?" Mona asked before Skull grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Hey! What are you doing! Put me dooooowwwwwwn!"
Mona screamed as Skull threw him high up in the air. Everyone followed his black form before rounding on Skull.
"What the hell Skull?!" Ann shouted.
"We wanted a closer look, right?" Skull defended. "Besides, tell me that you are comfortable about climbing on a wall of what looked like human eggs?"
"That's not the point! You can't just throw Mona up into the air! What if a shadow gets him?"
"Then we can rescue him. He was light enough as it is."
Then, Mona came back to earth. He landed on top of Skulls head. The feline leaped off and gave the blonde thief a cross look.
"Don't EVER do that again!" Mona shouted. "I'm not some fluffy toy for you to throw!"
"You could've fooled me," Skull muttered. Mona became irked at this. Before he could argue, Ann stepped in.
"Need I remind you that you two could attract shadows with your yelling?" Ann scolded. Mona's ears drooped as if he disappointed her. Ann turned to the smallest thief and said gently, "Mona, are you alright? What did you see?"
"I'm right as rain, Lady Ann," Morgana cheered up. Then, he became serious. "I was able to confirm what we all fear. What we were looking at…was a human fetus."
Everyone felt their stomach lurch when he said that. They thought they heard him wrong. "What?"
"A human fetus about 20-weeks old," Mona said grimly. "It looks like the Baron views the people as his personal crop."
"For real?!" Skull shouted. "Wait… how exactly do you know about stuff like human fetuses anyway?"
"I overheard when I was in Joker's bag during school," Mona replied without pause. "But yeah, those grapes from further up are definitely human fetuses."
"That sick!" Skull shouted again. "I mean…mentally sick! What the hell is this guy's problem?"
"This wall represents the stages of embryonic development," Yusuke said. "It's highly likely that the higher the wall, the more human it becomes."
"Not quite," Ren said pointing. "Look."
The Thieves looked to where he was pointing. Hanging just above them was the biggest grape that they ever saw. But instead of a baby, it is a teenager. They saw even more grapes along the walls.
"I would've mistaken them for Kyoho if it weren't for the fact that they're human," Haru said with a small gasp. "Are they alright?"
"They're cognitive versions of this place," Mona reminded them. "Anything bad that happens to them won't happen to the real ones."
"Still…it's disturbing to seem them viewed as nothing more than grapes."
"We're all disturbed by this," Ren said with equal disgust. Just then, Monas ears perked up and he became still. Ren noticed his reaction.
"Mona?"
"Something's coming! HIDE!"
In an instant, the thieves vanished. A few seconds after they disappeared, two spots of light shined on the wall. A truck with a coat of arms pulled up. From the front, two ranch hand Shadows exited. Four more jumped from the back. They approached the wall, specifically the person trapped in the grape.
"This one looks ripe," one of them said.
"There are plenty all around," a second said. "Let's load them on the truck and take them to the processing plant. And be careful! We don't want to damage it!"
The ranch hands nodded and two of them walked forward. They grabbed the grape and gently tugged it off. Carefully, they began to load it onto the truck. Watching them load the grape onto the truck, from the roof of a supposed bakery, the Thieves crouched hidden.
"Why the hell are we hiding?" Skull hissed. "We could take them!"
"We need intel you idiot!" Mona hissed back. "Think about it. Instead of wasting time wandering around what seems to be FAR larger than the BIGGEST palace we've ever been to, we can gain insight to places of interest to the ruler."
"Like that processing plant they mentioned," Makoto said. She turned to Joker. "Do you think one of the shadows may know?"
"Let's wait until we can get one alone," Joker whispered. "Then we can interrogate them."
Shadows are beings born from people's hearts. Naturally, they can talk too, which means they can communicate with them. When they're cornered, they might offer anything since they don't want to die. This time, they hope they can obtain information.
Eventually, the ranch hands finished loading the truck. One of them drove the truck away while five of them remain behind to pile up more human grapes. One of the ranch hands wandered too far from the group to get another ripe grape. It had just grabbed hold of a grape when a red gloved hand gripped its white mask. From behind, Joker held it, grinning devilishly.
"Show yourself!" Joker declares as he rips the mask off. He leaps away as the Shadow transforms into its true form. A Sinister Scarecrow wearing a cloak and a conical hat stared at him with orbs of red light, otherwise known as Jack O'Lantern.
Taking advantage of its surprise, Joker fired a bullet at it. It struck the shadow, downing it. Before it had a chance to get back up, it's suddenly surrounded by the rest of the thieves. Each of them held a different firearm aimed directly at the Shadow. It feebly raised its white glove hand in surrender.
"Hee-ho…Ahhh, please let me live! Have mercy, ho!"
"Tell us everything you know," Joker ordered, keeping his handgun steady. "Where is the processing plant for the grapes?"
"Wait…that's what you're hee-here for, ho?" The Shadow asked. "Ho-Okay! Do you have a map, ho?"
"I do," Joker said. Earlier, they discovered a map interface via the menu HUD. One problem is that it's empty. The only place visible is the hotel they're staying. It's likely the more that they explore the winery, the more colorful the map becomes.
"Do you-ho, know why I am helping you, ho?"
"No, I don't," Ren said evenly. Every Shadow they negotiated with had to be elaborately convinced for it to go smooth. One wrong word and it can go south fast. What he said next caught him off guard.
"Because I hate this job, ho!" The Shadow cried indignantly.
"I'm sorry... What?" Joker was genuinely surprised. The rest of the thieves were shocked as well. This was something they weren't expecting.
"Do you-ho think I like working here?" The Shadow continued his pitch. "Every single day, the Boss would stick me up and expect me to scare away-hee any crows that come into the vineyard, ho!"
"Uh…"
"And don't get me-hee started on the wine, ho! That's not even part of the job, ho! Every single day, he would tell me-hee to get him a bottle of wine! Wine! Wine! WINE!"
"Okay, okay, we get it," Joker waved his free hand. "You want a new job, right? How about you lend me your power."
"Huh?"
"You wanted a new job, right? How about you work for me? Unlike the Baron, I'm not going to make you do anything that you don't like. You help me, I help you. What do you say?"
"That's actually not a bad deal, ho! Great minds think alike, ho… Hee!?" The Scarecrow gasped as if it realized something. "I remember now! I'm not a Shadow here, ho! I live in the sea of the hee-human heart! I'm Jack O'Lantern, hee-ho! I'm you, and you're me!"
Jack-o'-Lantern turned into light and became a mask similar to Jokers. Joker reached out to it and it fused with the one he was wearing. He felt a new power within him.
"Oh yeah. I forgot that you could do that," Skull muttered. "So... that means that you can obtain personas in more than just one way in places like this now?"
"I'd say so," Mona muttered. "So how does it feel Joker?"
"Like I've taken on a new Persona," Joker replied with the air of an old joke.
"Did you get the location?" Makoto asked. Joker took a look at his map interface. On a blank space, there is a black mark. He showed it to the other thieves.
"We have our heading."
"That's good to hear," Makoto said. "Since this place is a reflection of Markovburg, we can compare it with a real-life map to navigate this place back in the real world. We should go back."
"But we just go here!" Skull said. "Why not stick around and fight a few shadows? You know, help our leader expand his arsenal?"
"HEY! Who are you?!"
The Thieves turned around to see the rest of the ranch hand Shadows. They must have heard the commotion and came to investigate. Everyone looked at them before glaring at Skull.
"You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?" Ann asked quietly.
"You must be trying to steal our boss's grapes!" One of the ranch hands Shadows cried. "Trespassing into the Barons vineyard is punishable by death! A sentence we will gladly execute!"
The Shadows began to spasm before bursting into their true forms. There were a lot more Jack O'Lantern's like the one Joker had just absorbed. The one shadow that seemed bigger than the rest had transformed into a large Bicorn.
The Jack O'Lantern's brandished their lamps, sending out multiple blasts of fire. They barely had time to avoid them as the ground was immolated. The Thieves were able to regroup just in time.
"What are we waiting around for?" Skull brandished his pipe club. "Let's waste them!"
He was about to move forward when a red whip snapped in front of him. Nervously, he looked towards Ann, who held the handle of her whip. He was remembering the times where she got relatively good with wielding that.
"What the eff—?"
"You had your time to shine," Ann said in a voice so cold it shut Skull up. "I believe the rest of us should have our turn."
"That's right! You tell him, milady!" Mona cheered. To the side, Joker gestured towards the Shadows with a knowing smile.
"The floor is yours…Panther."
"Thank you, Joker," Panther said, stepping forward. Her mask burst into blue flames as she summoned her Persona. "Let's do this! Carmen!"
Rising up is a hot-pink buxom woman wearing rose-like dress that exposed her cleavage and hugged her curves. In contrast to her master, her pigtails and cat mask is black. Her mouth is chomping on a cigar. One delicate handheld a rose stem connecting two men wearing blue tuxedos and heart-shaped helmets.
Carmen dug her heel into one of the men's back. Their eyes flashed pink and a wave of fire shot towards some of the Jack O'Lantern's. They all cried out in pain as the flames burned them, making them disappear.
Panther smirked at this small victory and turned around. She walked towards Yusuke, who is doing likewise. The red-clad thief raised her hand.
"Your turn…Fox!"
Yusuke…now Fox, returned the high-five. Dramatically, he reached for his mask, making a show of taking it off as it burst into flames.
"Come…Goemon!"
Appearing in a flash is a tall, white-skinned man who took a pose like his master. He is dressed in blue kabuki robes, chest exposing an intricate black and white pattern, and tall wooden sandals. It would've looked like he stepped out of feudal Japan if it weren't for the pompadour. In his hand, he held a white and gold pipe with a blade on the end.
Goemon inhaled from his pipe deeply before blowing out smoke. The smoke traveled to where several more of the Jack O'Lantern's were coming from. The moment it enveloped them; ice slowly enveloped around their floating bodies. The ice shattered, destroying them.
"Queen!" Fox cries out as he twirled on his heel, and smacks the hand of Makoto, now Queen. She lifts her leg up as her iron mask burst into flames.
"Come to me! Johanna!"
Unlike her fellow thieves Persona's, hers did not take on a humanoid appearance. She straddled a silver motorcycle. At the head is a sleeping woman's face behind a dome of transparent blue glass. As the engine roared, there is the sound of rattling glass. Queen glared straight at the large Bicorn. Now that her mask is off, her ferocity is displayed for the world to see. Something that would've frighten anyone unfortunate to cross her.
"Gun it!" Queen roared as she revs the engine.
The tires squealed as she sped full throttle towards her target. Just as she was about to collide with it, she steered Johanna in a spin move. The Bicorn had gotten hit by a blue orb of nuclear energy. The Shadow let out a cry as she was knocked away. Queen sped towards a waiting Haru holding out a hand.
"The next strike is yours Noir!" Queen shouts as she grabs her hand. With a surprising amount of strength, she throws her into the air. Noir spun in the air as her mask turns into blue flames.
"Let's make our debut with a beautiful entrance! Milady!"
Noir grabbed a black feathered fan which swept her back down to earth. Right in front of the owner of the fan. Behind her stood a lady wearing an extravagant pink ball gown. This Persona had no head, rather one of its hands held up a pink masquerade mask with moving yellow eyes.
The front of her gown parted to reveal a metallic face with set in a grin. The mouth opened and out came a variety of guns. Gatling, bazookas, and even a missile! Noir gripped the brim of her hat and pointed directly at the Bicorn to which Milady fired upon. The Shadow cried out as it was hit by the barrage of bullets. Some of them hit some of the other Jack O'Lantern's that were coming around.
"Alright if we join in?" Joker asks as he stepped forward. "Seeing as how we are about to wrap this up?"
"Sure thing!" Panther said with a smile. "Let's finish this with style!"
"I concur," Fox agreed.
The next several seconds were a literal blur as they initiated their All-Out attack. Several black blurs bounced around the battlefield, striking the shadows mercilessly. Then, the Phantom Thieves reappeared. Everything was still before the shadows cried out as they disintegrated. The thieves stared at where the shadows stood for a moment. Then, the silence was broken by Panther.
"OMG! We are SO awesome!"
"That was exhilarating," Fox breathed.
"It felt good to let out all this frustration," Queen said with an air of satisfaction.
"I never realized how much I missed killing Shadows," Noir said with a grin. "It would've been sweet if they were begging for mercy like earlier."
Queen cringed at how she said that. Her fellow Thieves couldn't blame her, who is known for her vicious temper and knack for taking her anger out on the Shadows, for being unnerved. They almost forgot that Noir enjoyed killing Shadows like a stress reliever. She even admitted that Shadows begging for their lives excites her. Overall, she is somewhat sadistic.
"Do you think we can do it again?" Noir asked. "We have plenty of time, correct?"
"I think we should focus on finding that processing plant," Queen said quickly. "This should be a recon mission at the moment."
Mona then perked up. "Hey, guys! I think there's a Will Seed close by." That got everyone's attention.
"Whoa, really?" Asked Panther. "Wait, didn't you say that you sensed one in the castle where you, along with Joker and skull, ended up?" She continued.
He nodded. "Yeah. Like the Palaces that we're all familiar with, there's bound to be more than just one. Now, where is it?" Mona said, looking around.
Joker then noticed an unusually large bunch of vines and leaves covering a section of one of the nearby walls. "I believe it's right over there." He pointed at the section as the others looked. "Fox, would you do the honors?"
Said thief nodded. "Of course." He walked over to the wall before using his swod to slice away the vines and leaves in the blink of an eye, revealing a door.
The others walked up, as Mona spoke up. "There's no doubt about it. It's here."
Joker walked up before pushing it open, revealing a Will Seed on a red and black tentacle-like pedestal, giving off a bright green glow. This was the Green Greed Seed. He went in and took it, before walking back out to the others.
"All right, that's the Green Greed Seed down. if this is just like the Palaces, there's bound to be a red and blue seed in two other locations." Queen said.
"Well, we know that one of them is over in the castle. Just gotta figure out the third location." Said Oracle.
"HEY! What are you kids doing here!"
The Thieves looked to see that the truck had returned. More ranch hand Shadows stood in front of it, looking at them. The larger one at the front transformed into Mithra, while the rest turned into multiple Preta. Despite the numbers, they weren't intimidated.
"Well…it would appear that your request from a minute earlier has been granted Noir," Fox said, readying a katana.
"How wonderful," Noir cheered at this, holding up her axe.
"I don't believe this," Queen sighed, rubbing her forehead before she looked at the others, taking out her tekko. "But I still need to vent my anger about this place. Anyone in?"
"You can count me in!" Skull cried out.
"Me too," Panther said.
"What say you Joker?" Mona asked his leader.
"I need to gather more Personas," Joker said, tugging one of his gloves. He grinned as he flourished his knife. "Besides…somebody has to pay for interrupting our trip."
With everyone in agreement, the Thieves walked towards the Shadows. They looked unnerved by the aura confidence they were exuding. Most of it was coming from Joker as he grinned menacingly at them.
"Who are you?" One of the Shadows demanded.
"We're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Joker replied. "And we are here to rob you."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Hotel Markov, Markovburg
The Phantom Thieves reappeared in the boy's hotel room looking completely exhausted. They made sure to head back to the hotel room in the metaverse in order to avoid another incident like at Castle Markov. Despite feeling fatigued, they were grinning as they took off the Goode Goggles.
"That…was…AWESOME!" Ryuji shouts. This earned him a slap in the head by Ann. She held up her phone to show him the time.
"It's almost nine o'clock!" Ann scolded. "People are likely to be asleep by now! We are lucky we didn't get a noise complaint!"
"Oh, give me a break, Ann," Ryuji muttered. "When was the last time we felt such a rush."
"I have to agree with Ryuji," Haru said with a smile. "I say that it was a fun activity to spend in Markovia. Even if we didn't plan on it."
"There's still much we have to do," Makoto said. "I noticed during the battle our physical fitness and how we can improve it. Luckily this hotel has a gym that we can practice in. Maybe we can practice a few gymnastic lessons."
The sounds of the conversation were muffled as Ren looked down with a frown. The mention of gymnastics brought up memories of a red-haired girl with a talent for it. He remembered standing in the Shujin Academy Gym holding her as she became motivated to reach the international competition.
"Ren?"
Ren snapped out of thoughts and looked up. Yusuke was standing in the open door, looking at him.
"I'm sorry, Yusuke. I was caught up with my thoughts," Ren said. "What is happening?"
"We were going to the ladies' room to check up on Naomi and Futaba," Yusuke said. "Will you be joining us?"
"I catch up with you," Ren said. "I just need to check something really quick."
"Okay."
"And Yusuke?" Ren stopped his friend before he left the room. "You realize that the way you worded that makes it seem like you're referring to the woman's bathroom. Right?"
"Huh?" Yusuke jumped at Ren's point. He bowed his head in embarrassment. "Thank you for pointing that out."
With that, he left the room. Ren stared after him for a moment before reaching for the nightstand to grab his phone. He opened his contacts and scrolled through them before finding the name he was looking for. His thumb was over the call button. Despite how easy it would be to press it, he hesitated.
"Are you alright?" Morgana, the only one who stayed in the room, asks as he jumps onto the bed.
"I'm fine, Morgana," Ren said. He looked a little forlorn. "It's just…"
"You miss her, don't you?" Morgana asked as he read the contact info. "I don't blame you. I do too. Her lessons are a major contribution to the Phantom Thieves."
"It's just…we haven't been in contact ever since then," Ren said. "Not even during the Jails."
"Then why don't you call her?" Morgana said pointedly. When Ren stared at him blankly before breaking out in laughter. "I can't believe this. The awe-inspiring leader of the Phantom Thieves is afraid of making a simple phone call!"
"I don't know what to say to her after all this time," Ren defended. "Do you know how awkward this would be?"
"It would be awkward if you didn't," Morgana countered. "Look…the way I see it, you have two options. Either you make the call and risk embarrassing yourself or I will do it so that you DEFINITELY risk embarrassing yourself. What's it going to be."
Ren stared into the blue eyes of the feline thief. Despite the absurdity of the threat, he had a point. The worst that could happen was that her phone number had changed. Chuckling, he moved his thumb to make the call…
BANG! BANG! BANG!
And nearly jumped out of his skin from the knocking on the door. Ren looked at it and back at his phone. Deciding to temporarily hold off on the call, he put it back on the nightstand and walked to the door. Opening it, he found Futaba standing outside with a serious look on her face. In her hands she held a laptop.
"Hey Futaba," Ren waved. "How was your time with Naomi?"
"Fine actually. I spent a good chunk of the day showing her the wonders of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R," Futaba said with a smile. Then it turned back into a seriousness. "I finished my research into the hospital and found something."
"What is it?"
"The systems were easy to hack into," Futaba said as she pushes her way into the room. "Personally, I wouldn't blame them for not thinking a hacker would tap into their network. I was going through their list of employees and I found someone that stands out."
She showed him her laptop screen. Displayed is a Staff Employee's Medical file. The picture showed a brown-haired man with a pencil mustache and dark glasses sharply dressed in a tuxedo.
"Doctor Simon Ecks."
And here's thee next chapter for you all. Also, nevermind what I asked regarding the Will Seeds in the previous chapter. I managed to look online and find out the order their all found in. Green, Red, & Blue. Anyways, as you all know from before I adopted the story, the Thieves end up in Port Oswego, Oregon, USA, before heading out to find more Arenas. I Am The Prophet told me what he/she had planned for a way of transportation for them, but I may need to ask his/her permission to tell you all. What I originally had in mind was a large transport vehicle, the size of a semi-truck, with the insides renovated to make it feel kind of homey. I planned on having it based off of The Hauler from the Fast & Furious Spy Racers Netflix cartoon. and before anybody asks, no. I don't own Netflix, Fast & Furious Spy Racers, or so much as a bit of the very Fast & Furious film franchise. They all belong to their respective owners. Still, I may want to hear out some ideas from you all on what to do for a mode of transportation. please tell me on the comments. Also, you all read what I asked on my updated bio, right? I'd like to hear what you'd all say through private messaging, please. Oh, and before I forget, here's a list of confirmed Arcana representative so far.
00. Fool Arcana = Ren Amamiya, AKA Joker
01. Magician Arcana = Morgana, AKA Mona
02. Priestess Arcana = Makoto Nijima, AKA Queen
03. Empress Arcana = Haru Okumura, AKA Noir
04. Emperor Arcana = Yusuke Kitagawa, AKA Fox
05. Hierophant Arcana = Sojiro Sakura
06. Lovers Arcana = Ann Takamaki, AKA Panther
07. Chariot Arcana = Ryuji Sakamoto, AKA Skull
08. Justice Arcana = ?
09. Hermit Arcana = Futaba Sakura, AKA Oracle
10. Fortune Arcana = ?
11. Strength Arcana = ?
12. Hanged Man Arcana = ?
13. Death Arcana = ?
14. Temperance Arcana = ?
15. Devil Arcana = ?
16. Tower Arcana = ?
17. Star Arcana = Naomi McDuffie
18. Moon Arcana = ?
19. Sun Arcana = ?
20. Judgement Arcana = ?
21. Councillor Arcana = ?
22. Apostle Arcana = ?
23. Hunger Arcana = ?
24. Aeon Arcana = ?
25. Faith Arcana = ?
26. Hope Arcana = ?