Chapter 2: Parliamentarian
A parliamentarian is responsible for upholding the rules within a legislature through advising the presiding officer and members of the body. And contrary to the name, even non-parliamentary systems use parliamentarians. While parliamentarians' advice can be ignored by the presiding officer of a legislature, doing so is rare and often controversial. One of the most important functions of American parliamentarians is for the US Senate, where the parliamentarian is the one who determines what can and cannot be done during a budget reconciliation under the Byrd Rule.
Monday Evening, July 25th
The girl sitting across from Rio was still a mystery to her. They had spent the night retelling their stories to each other. She felt for Ryuko. In a way they both went through similar things. Losing family and finding one again.
"So, Lavenza said there wasn't any way for you to get back to your world?" Rio asked.
Ryuko leaned back in the booth, Leblanc long closed, "She said that her master told her to find a way. That's all she'd say though."
"I see." Rio said, "Maybe Igor's thinking he's done too much already."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryuko asked.
"Igor, Lavenza, and the other attendants in the Velvet Room aren't meant to be super active in reality's affairs." Rio explained.
"I'm still tryna wrap my head around all this stuff." Ryuko said, rubbing her temple, "Gods of Control, Metaverses, Personas, it's all so weird."
"I know what you mean." Rio said, "It might be easier to get once we actually go into the Metaverse."
"How?" Ryuko asked.
"With a phone app." Rio said, placing her phone on the table.
"I don't have mine anymore." Ryuko said, "All's I got is my clothes and my scissor blade."
"Scissor blade?" Rio asked.
Ryuko nodded and dug around in her skirt's pockets. She slid a small red scissor blade across the table. Rio inspected it.
"Doesn't look too impressive now." Ryuko said, "But I can make it extend to its full size."
"Seems sharp enough." Rio said, "But wait until we go to the Metaverse. I don't think Sojiro would appreciate scratches on the bar."
Ryuko took her blade back, "Boss seems like a decent guy." she said, "I'm surprised he was willing to take me in."
"He's just that kind of guy." Rio said, "I also wouldn't discount Lavenza pulling some of his strings."
"True." Ryuko said, "So you mentioned that there were others besides you. Phantom Thieves, right?"
"Yeah, I'm off work tomorrow, so I'll call them all here around noon." Rio said, "I've shown them the letter sent to Sojiro, so they'll be expecting you."
"I'm looking forward to it." Ryuko said, cracking a smile.
"I think you'll fit right in." Rio smiled back.
"Before we turn in." Ryuko said, "I really do want to apologize for bringing all this trouble here. Whatever this Demiurge role is, the primordial life fiber is probably filling it."
"No need for apologies." Rio said calmly, "I think things were getting a little too boring here anyways."
"Trust me." Ryuko said, her voice getting serious, "This thing needs to die."
Rio's face hardened, "I understand." she said, "I've spent the last year or so fighting off the literal embodiment of control. I'm not about to settle down."
"I'm glad to hear that." Ryuko said.
There was a pause while the two finished their coffee.
"Let's get to bed." Ryuko suggested.
"Yeah." Rio said, "You can borrow some of my clothes for tomorrow. I think we're a similar size."
"Thanks." Ryuko said, "I've only got these clothes Lavenza gave me and the school uniform." She was wearing a white t-shirt with a basic black skirt and shoes. Not exactly something to flaunt.
The two climbed the stairs, "I'll take you out shopping with Ann tomorrow." Rio said, "She's a little pushy but has great fashion sense."
"I'll pay you back." Ryuko said. They got to the room which Sojiro had partitioned in half with a shoji blind. A cot for Ryuko sat closer to the stairs.
"Don't worry about it. I've still got millions to burn." Rio said.
Ryuko chuckled and sat down on her bed.
"Little guy's all tuckered out." Rio said, looking to Morgana who was curled up on the windowsill.
"He was a huge help getting here from Shibuya." Ryuko said, "He was also getting info from Igor before we met up."
"I was wondering where he'd gone." Rio said, "Never mind that though, I'll get you some pajamas."
Tuesday Morning, July 26th
Rio manned the counter haughtily. Sojiro had to step out for a moment just as the other Thieves started to arrive. She had hoped to introduce Ryuko to the others herself. But Ryuko didn't seem to be a bad hostess, she could hear faint laughing and good conversation coming from upstairs. The only missing person was Yusuke. Rio guessed he was walking here. He kept refusing her attempts to give him train money after all.
There was an older couple sitting by the front door in the booth. Rio cursed them in their mind. She finally understood what it was like when Sojiro complained about people who only ordered one or two cups and sat there for hours talking about nothing in particular.
The door jingled and Rio hoped it was Sojiro, but it was a Makoto Yuki.
"Hello Yuki-san." Rio greeted.
"Amamiya-san." Yuki-san said, his face looked a little surprised, "I didn't know you had two jobs."
"Oh, it's not like that." Rio said, "Would you like a drink though?"
"Sure, what do you recommend?" he asked, taking a seat at the bar near the center.
"The house blend is the most popular, but if you're a nut for coffee you might find it a little bland." Rio said, giving him a sheepish smile.
"Well, I take it you're a nerd for this stuff." Yuki-san chuckled, "I came here off a friend's recommendation, and he said to make use of your selection."
"I don't know if I can offer you a tasting menu, but I've been a fan of these beans recently." Rio said, plucking a jar of beans off the top shelf behind her.
"What's so special about them?" Yuki-san asked, his chin resting on his hand.
"They're a honey-processed bean from Columbia." Rio said, "There's notes of plumbs, strawberries, and other stuff I've been trying to pick out since we started using them."
"I'll give it a whirl then." Yuki-san said.
Rio nodded and started to craft the drink. Yuki-san meanwhile texted briefly on his phone. It wasn't until she was pouring the cup that he stopped.
"So, if you aren't working here, why are you wearing the apron?" he asked.
Rio smirked and placed a cup in front of him, pouring one for herself too.
"I live in the attic." Rio said coyly.
"Oh, well that's a little unexpected." he said, "Especially for someone your age."
"I got into some trouble last year and the owner, Sojiro Sakura, helped me out while I recovered." Rio said, "I've been here since."
"I'm sorry to hear you had to make such a drastic move." he said.
"It wasn't all that bad." Rio said, "I wouldn't have met Tora-san or all my friends if I hadn't come here."
Yuki-san smiled as if he was remembering something, he quickly sipped his coffee.
"This is excellent." he said sweetly, "I get where you're coming form with the fruity notes."
"I know, right!" Rio said, "Sojiro was saying that they weren't worth it, but he's turned around on it."
"Is Sakura-san not well today?" Yuki-san asked.
"He just had to step out." Rio said, "Something about the bank."
"I see." Yuki-san said. It looked like he was going to say something else, but the door jingled open again. Yusuke walked in and waved to Rio.
"Hey Yusuke, the others are upstairs." Rio said. The young man nodded and went up wordlessly.
"Others? I thought he was your boyfriend the way he looked at you." Yuki-san teased.
"Oh! No, no, no." Rio said, her face going a slight red, "I'm having some friends over to hang out, I'm just covering for Sojiro right now."
"I figured." Yuki-san chuckled, "I lived in a co-ed dorm in high school, banter about that kind of stuff is second nature to me."
"No offense taken." she said, "But what was that like?"
"Interesting, all things considered." he said, "We all grew very close to each other. Hell, some of us are dating still."
His face grew distant for a second, "They're the best, even today."
"I take it Takeba-san was one of them?" Rio asked.
"Yeah, she was the first one to actually meet me when I moved there with my sister." Yuki-san said, "There were others too. Junpei, he's a gym teacher now, kinda just supports his wife Chidori's artwork. Akihiko's been making a name for himself in the boxing scene with his friend Shinji as his manager. Ken's still in school, I think he might be around your age or in college, I haven't really heard from him in a bit. Koromaru lives with him still. Fuuka and Aigis both work with me at the Kirijo Group. And of course, Mitsuru is my boss. Kinda weird having lived with her so long ago actually."
"You lived with Mitsuru Kirijo?" Rio asked, her face a little shocked.
"Yeah, only for a year before she went off to college." he said, "It was a really surreal time in all honesty."
"I can only imagine." Rio said, "You must have a lot of stories."
"Oh, enough to fill books." Yuki-san laughed, "Trust me."
Rio was going to ask for one, but the door jingled again.
"Sorry, Rio." Sojiro called form the doorway, "Things are all sorted out now."
The older man came up to the counter next to Yuki-san.
"Sojiro Sakura." Sojiro introduced, "I'll be taking care of you from now."
"Makoto Yuki." Yuki-san said, "Amamiya-san here's been an excellent barista."
"She's been trained well." Sojiro said while he went behind the bar.
"Can't build anything without talent." Rio chimed in.
Yuki-san chuckled and Sojiro responded, "Whatever you say kid. Go quiet down your friends."
"Thanks for the cup, this is great coffee." Yuki-san said as Rio untied her apron.
"You said you came here on a friend's recommendation, right?" Rio asked.
"Yes, and they were quite insistent." he said, "And now I know why."
"Then why don't I show you some other spots around town." Rio said, "In return you spill the beans on your old roommates."
Yuki-san's face burst into a dumb smile at the suggestion, and he stuck out his hand.
"You got a deal." he said, a chuckle escaping his lips.
Rio shook his hand, and a familiar warming feeling embraced her.
I art thou, thou art I
Thou hast established a new vow
It shall become the dauntless courage
That breaks the threads tying your heart
With the birth of the Diviner Arcana
We empower you to venture life and burn your dread
Yuki-san's hand felt unusually warm in hers, almost as if he had felt the same feeling she did before they let go.
"Well, I should probably be getting upstairs." Rio said, "Let's exchange numbers."
"Sure." Yuki-san said. The two exchanged info and said their goodbyes before Rio went upstairs.
The conversation had been at a steady boil from what she could hear downstairs. Rio could see why, Ryuko had her friends wrapped around her finger, reciting the things she had told her last night about her world. It looked almost like a campfire, with her friends all gathered in a circle.
Rio stood in the back and let her finish the story.
"And Morgana showed me here last night where I met Rio." Ryuko said, "I think you wanted to go to Mementos, right?"
"I think that's our best bet." Rio took over, everyone turning to her.
"Did the Nav return for everyone?" Makoto asked.
"I got it this morning." Rio said, showing her phone, the app's icon on a separate home page.
"I'm sure it did." Futaba said as she glanced at her laptop which was open on her lap.
"What makes you so sure?" Ryuji asked.
"I thought I told you to stop bugging our phones." Rio deadpanned.
"You bugged their phones?" Ryuko asked cautiously.
Futaba looked calm amid the attacks, "Not exactly." she said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Haru asked.
"Your phones aren't bugged." Futaba explained, "They are traced though. So, I can see what all is installed on them but not what's on the screen or what's recording. I can't even see pictures."
"That's still an invasion of privacy." Ryuji said instantly, "Don-"
"Hold on Ryuji." Rio said, "It's not a bad idea actually." The others looked at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"How so?" Yusuke said.
"Network security." Futaba said.
"If someone were to try and hack into our devices or bug us, then she'd be able to see it." Rio said.
"I see." Makoto muttered.
"But is there any actual threat of someone doing that?" Sumire pondered.
"Possibly, many things are still in the dark." Rio said, "But for today, all I wanted to do was introduce Ryuko and ask about what we discussed last time."
Ann decided to speak first, "We asked Mishima to run a sweep of the major social media sites while the rest of us looked through news articles. There really isn't much out of the ordinary except for the snap election, but you probably know more about that than any of us."
"Okay, that's good to hear, keep Mishima on the case. Just make sure he's not pulling all-nighters for us again." Rio said.
"The university has been quiet." Makoto said, "I haven't heard much from anyone. Then again, I didn't get to cast as wide a net."
"I talked with some of my classmates." Haru said, "A lot of them tend to follow business movements, and other than the Kirijo Group moving further towards Tokyo, there isn't much out of the ordinary happening."
"What about news from Okumura Foods' board?" Rio asked, "Surely they're giving you opposition research on the Kirijo Group."
"I haven't heard anything bad from that angle." Haru said, "Kirijo actually tried to buy us out two years ago, but the talks went nowhere. I could engage with them some more if you'd like."
"No, that's fine. It's not worth raising any alarms in the business world over this." Rio said, "Futaba?"
"I've found some intel on the Kirijo Group's past." she started, "Back around two-thousand nine there was a series of incidents in Port Island, where they're headquartered. It was called 'Apathy Syndrome', and it was like the mental shutdowns. However, I didn't find much more than that. There were some names that came up a lot. Shuji Ikutsuki, Kotone Yuki, Aigis, Nyx, and Mitsuru Kirijo herself."
"Where did you get this info?" Rio asked.
"I hacked into some low-security servers." Futaba said, "The files I found were redacted archives, lots of black lines I couldn't get past."
"Okay, try going for bigger targets." Rio said, "The rest of you should get ready, tomorrow we're going to Mementos. Let's meet up at the Square around five thirty."
The group agreed with the plan and disbanded, leaving Ann, Rio, Morgana, and Ryuko in the attic.
"So, Rio tells me you need a makeover?" Ann asked Ryuko, a smile creeping on her lips.
"I didn't say that." Rio mumbled.
"I just need some new clothes is all, I can't use all her stuff after all." Ryuko said sheepishly.
"I know just the thing for you!" Ann said cheerfully. She grabbed Ryuko by the wrist and hauled her towards the stairs. Ryuko warily glanced back towards Rio, Ann's enthusiasm was overpowering. Rio and Morgana just giggled as the two others stormed out of the café.
They took the train over to Harajuku, the well-known fashion center of Tokyo.
"What the hell am I looking at?" Ryuko asked herself.
"Only the best place in the city!" Ann said gleefully.
"I thought that was the crepe shop?" Rio said.
"Shut it Rio, there's work to do!" Ann said, she started dragging Ryuko again.
"Hey where're we going?" Ryuko asked as they weaved through crowds.
"You need some basics before we get to the niche stuff. So, to Junes we go!" Ann said.
Rio and Morgana followed the two as best they could to the department store. But by the time they were inside, they lost track.
"Well, what now?" Rio asked while they walked through a kitchenware display.
"Lady Ann really needs to learn how to calm herself is what." Morgana said, "I can't say I'd want to be in Ryuko's shoes right now."
"Me neither, probably 'cause Ann will stuff her into stilettos and a corset or something." Rio said.
"I don't think that's Ryuko's style at all." Morgana said.
"Nah." Rio agreed as she looked at an espresso machine, "One thing we can do is get Ryuko a phone, she doesn't have one after all."
"Good idea." Morgana said. They took off to the technology section and Rio bought a phone. Failing to find the others again she decided to go to the food court and set it up.
Morgana popped his head out of the bag as Rio plugged in the phone's charger near a pillar.
"Can we get some fatty tuna here?" he asked.
"Dunno, I haven't been here before." Rio said.
"Oh, I thought you would have gone here with someone at this point." Morgana said.
"Yeah, it's a little odd this is my first time." Rio said, "But then again, I don't really need a whole lot. And I buy my clothes elsewhere."
"I've seen the boxes you throw away." Morgana said, "You should be more careful with your online shopping, that Mementos money won't last forever."
"Why do you think I invest in the markets?" Rio said casually.
"You what?" Morgana said with some suspicion.
"It was Futaba's idea." Rio said, "She came up with this algorithm that predicts stock market movements every month based on interest rate changes, unemployment, and other financial reports. I set up a custodial brokerage account with Sojiro and she has her own too. We just let the cash pile up."
"When were you gonna tell me about this?" Morgana asked, his voice raising.
"Not so loud, people are staring." Rio said as she tapped away at the phone.
"Sorry, but still, that's crazy!" Morgana said, "I thought you just had what was in your college fund and bank account."
"Hey, my bank account isn't anything to scoff at." Rio said.
"No, it isn't, but still." Morgana stated, he paused. "How much do you have in the brokerage account?"
"I checked it last month and it was around seventy million yen, probably higher now with the bull market we're in." Rio said.
"THAT'S CRAZY!" Morgana burst.
"Pipe down." Rio said casually.
"But Rio, that's like enough to be set for life!" Morgana said, "Why are you still in an attic?"
"Gotta act poor to stay rich my friend." Rio teased.
"That makes no sense and you know it!" Morgana claimed.
"I know, I know." Rio said, "But seriously, I'm saving it for when I run for the Diet."
"You?" Morgana questioned, "A politician? Not a staffer or lawyer?"
"Yeah, I think it'd be a good career for me." Rio said, "And if Tora-san gets into a good position, his endorsement would mean a lot."
"You got it all figured out huh?" Morgana quipped.
"Yeah, Ryuko's phone is all figured out." Rio said.
"Jackass." Morgana said.
"I'm a girl, can't use that one on me." Rio teased.
"You're insufferable then." Morgana said.
"Coming from you, that's quite the claim." Ann's voice said from behind the duo.
"Oh, there you two are." Rio said, arcing her head back to look at the other girls.
"It wasn't as painful as I thought." Ryuko said as she flopped into a chair, a shopping cart full of solid-color shirts, skirts, underwear, and other basic accoutrements beside her.
"It's not like you're aching to be adventurous." Anns aid, sitting at another chair.
"I'm just not looking to stand out is all." Ryuko said.
"You already do with that red streak in your hair." Ann said, "Is that a highlight or an extension?"
"Neither. It's always been there." Ryuko said, her arms crossed.
"That's pretty cool." Ann said, leaning closer to Ryuko.
"Anyway," Rio chimed in, "I got you a phone Ryuko. I already set up some of the accounts you'll need along with contacts for all the Thieves. Passwords should all be 'guest'."
She slid the phone over to Ryuko who accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this." Ryuko said.
"Is the Nav on there?" Ann asked.
"This red eye thing, right?" Ryuko asked.
"That's it." Rio said, "I'd like to go in now, but I want to head in with everyone first in case anything got changed."
"That just gives us more time to look around outside!" Ann said, standing up from the table.
Ryuko sighed and stood up with Rio.
"Let's check out and get to it." Rio said, "Ann isn't going to let you off just yet."
"Didn't think she would." Ryuko sighed, taking the cart's handles.
Wednesday Afternoon, July 27
" Rep. Oyamako (LDP) asked if the provisions within such a law should supersede more localized and regional regulations on data privacy.
Mr. Takeda said that it would be optimal for such legislation to supersede local measures so that it not only would more easily integrate with international norms. It would also give everyone in Japan a common definition to work from instead of navigating a web of region-specific criteria."
Rio bowed her head and cracked her neck. The committee hearing memo she had been writing was finally done. It was exceedingly boring to watch through on the livestream. Several members of the House of Representative's Committee on Judicial Affairs decided to make their new obsession data privacy for children online.
The law they were trying to pass was a tough one to implement since it ran against many provisions and ambiguities surrounding privacy within the constitution. Thus, the Judicial Affairs involvement. Rio wasn't sure what Tora's role was going to be in the process. He'd only barely gotten onto the Education and Foreign Affairs Committees. And they had to give and promise a lot to get those assignments. Surely, he wasn't aiming for Judicial Affairs. Or maybe there was something happening with the Foreign Affairs Committee. There had been a lot of talk about international norms in the hearing she reported on.
Tora's public profile was also being boosted by the interview he did where he called out PM Sugimura directly for being out of touch. The numbers weren't eye-watering. But he was on the map now for being more than No-Good Tora. His approval also went up slightly, but he wasn't yet polling outside the margin of error.
If it were up to Rio, she'd schedule him for even more appearances to build hype ahead of the election. But Odagiri dictated a more conservative strategy, to let Tora's new fame spread more naturally. Good for long term growth, not so much during an election season in Rio's opinion.
All these thoughts flowed through her mind as she finished editing and polishing the memo. She sent it out to one of the office's legislative assistants for the final stamp of approval and she packed up for the day.
The office she worked in was small, she had been lucky to get a desk that had some sort of divider from the rest of the room. It was almost like having her own corner of government all to herself. Not that it was a very nice corner, the annex building Tora's office was in hadn't been renovated in a very long time. Far removed from the splendor of the Diet Building itself, across the street. Rio had only been inside a few times, and she swore it could give even Sae's Palace a run for its money.
Every time she looked up at the Diet Building's central tower Rio felt a mixture of comfort and patriotism. Her time as a Phantom Thief instilled a rebelliousness in her of course. But that didn't stop her from loving the country she called home. And those past experiences just made her even more determined to leave a mark on the place not as Joker, but as Rio. Seeing it distorted in Shido's Palace made her promise to never let it sink that low in reality.
Rio stuck her laptop in her bag and made for the elevator after saying her farewell to the other staff. She rode down alone and checked her phone, she had just enough time to make it to Shibuya for the Mementos trip.
[Prez] Ryuko and I are here already
[xXxArgus_PinkxXx] The rest of us are on the way, we somehow converged on the subway
[RyuRyu] why do you keep changing your name Futaba?
[xXxArgus_PinkxXx] cause
[R. Matoi] ?
[Jonkler] Futaba is a freak for Feathermen, the Pink Argus character especially
[xXxArgus_PinkxXx] who're you calling a freak!?
[Jonkler] you
[xXxArgus_PinkxXx] meanie
[Haru-aru] We're here now
[Jonkler] I'm just getting out of the office, be there shortly
Rio stowed her phone again as the elevator reached the bottom floor. The doors opened and she joined the stream of other staffers clocking out. Normally there was pressure to stay super late but after the scandal with Shido, several Diet members were forcing their staffers to go home early to avoid being viewed as abusive. Especially since they were all operating within an emergency session until the snap election. Great for the coffee shops around the Diet. Not so good for the Chiefs of Staff who had to pick up the slack.
She was grateful too that Makoto had been available to show Ryuko around the city. Morgana had also insisted on accompanying them. She didn't know if he was just tired of Leblanc or if he wanted to try and woo Ryuko like he tried with Ann. She'd bring him to the office, but the guards didn't like pets, even ones for 'emotional support'.
Rio made her way to the subway and rode to Shibuya. She really didn't like riding this part of the line. The trains were always packed. Her idea of a good time was not being squished between salarymen on a Wednesday evening.
She got out into the open air eventually and she took a moment to breathe in. She let go and went to find her friends. She checked her phone again and saw they had gone to the walkway they used to use as a hideout. The memories from that time made her smile.
She was walking past one of the juice stands in the train terminal when she caught sight of a familiar face, Makoto Yuki. Despite it being a workday, he seemed dressed more casually. His suit was made of more rugged material than the slick silk he'd worn to L'Osier. His tie was still blue, but a little looser than it ought to have been.
"Hey." Rio said, waving to him. He was holding a can of tamarind juice which he had yet to open.
"Amamiya-san, good to see you here." he said as he cracked the can.
"Why don't we drop the formality when we're not at work?" Rio suggested.
"I'm fine with that Rio." Makoto said, "What brings you here anyway?"
"Just meeting with some friends for dinner." Rio said as he took a sip.
"Oh God that's, like… ugh." he said, his face cringing at the drink.
"I could never stand tamarind either." Rio said, a small giggle escaping her.
"Yeah, I'd never tried it before. Definitely not doing that again." Makoto said, "Anyways, I must be keeping you."
"No problem at all." Rio said, "I'll see you around."
They waved each other off and she saw her friends.
"Everyone ready?" Rio asked the group.
"About as ready as we can be." Ann responded.
"Did you grab the model guns too?" Rio asked.
"Inari has them." Futaba said. Rio glanced at Yusuke who was blanching under the weight of a duffle bag that held the gear Rio had bought them last year.
"Then let's get going." Rio said.
"Hold on." Ryuji said, "Shouldn't we give Ryuko a code name?"
"A code name?" Ryuko asked.
"Since the Metaverse is manifested from the psyche of individuals, we don't know if it's a good idea to be throwing our real names out." Morgana said.
"I see." Ryuko said, "I'm game."
"So, what's your fighting style like?" Haru asked, "Or anything unique about your appearance."
"I use a scissor blade." Ryuko responded, holding out her shrunken version of the weapon, "I'm not really trained in bladed combat but I'm good in a duel when I've activated my kamui."
"What about Crimson?" Sumire suggested.
"Eh, not bad but I think we can do better." Ryuko replied.
"Cutter? Since that's what you do with scissors?" Ryuji suggested.
"Nah." Ryuko said, earning a stifled frown from the boy.
"Oh!" Makoto said, "What about Zephyr? From what you've told us in the past you're always on the move in fights."
"I kinda like that." Rio chipped in.
"Zephyr it is then." Ryuko said, "Nice one."
Rio then told Ryuko the others' code names before she opened the Nav.
The familiar warp of the Metaverse coated Rio again. Even though she'd done the transition dozens of times by now, it never failed to unsettle her.
The Thieves were stood in Shibuya Square, but instead of the familiar red tint, the air was sickly green. A stagnant note of dread permeated the area around the entrance to the tunnels. Rio's whole being told her not to enter, but they had to push onward.
"This doesn't feel right." Ann said.
"No, I can already sense something major happened." Futaba said, the tone of her voice was nauseous.
"We haven't transformed either." Yusuke observed, "Maybe we should go into the tunnels."
"Let's do this." Rio said, taking point down the stairs.
Once they entered the turnstile lobby blue flames encased each Thief and they emerged with their old gear.
"Feels good to be home." Ryuji said.
"You better not start gawking at me again." Ann said.
"Here, let's reequip ourselves." Yusuke said, he placed the duffle bag on the floor and opened it. He took out his katana and rifle and let the others have it.
Rio picked up her knife and pistol and noticed that Ryuko had changed as well. She was wearing a navy-blue sailor uniform with red highlights. She was standing oddly still near the entrance to the tunnels proper.
"Hey, everything okay?" Rio asked.
Ryuko turned and was beaming, "Senketsu's back!" she exclaimed.
"The kamui right?" Rio asked.
"Yes, I can't believe he's back!" Ryuko said.
"I can't believe it either." a voice said, a deep and measured man's voice. Rio looked around for the source, but it seemed to be coming from Ryuko.
"Did you say that?" Rio asked.
"What?" Ryuko asked.
"Can you understand me?" the voice said again.
"Yes." Rio said, "Are you Senketsu?"
"Wait, you can talk to him?" Ryuko said.
"What's that voice?" Ann called from the group who were all still equipping.
"Wait, does that mean everyone can understand you?" Ryuko asked her uniform.
"It seems so." Senketsu said.
"Jeez, I thought a talking cat was weird." Rio quipped.
"Hmm." Futaba said, "I'm getting an odd inflow of readings."
"Anything on Senketsu?" Ryuko asked.
"He's sending out the same signal as a persona." Futaba replied, "If I had to guess he became your persona after he disintegrated. You said that all of him burnt to ashes, right?"
"That's true, then I hit the ground and came to in the Velvet Room." Ryuko said.
"What?" Senketsu asked.
"I'll tell you later." Ryuko said, "But shouldn't you be able to come out with me since you have both life fiber and human DNA?"
"There's only one way to find out." Rio said, "But we should finish here before we leave."
"Agreed." Futaba said, "I'm getting a signal from the depths where the Grail was."
"Any idea why everything is all green?" Ryuji asked.
"No clue, but I bet we'll find the answer down below." Futaba said.
"It looks like we have a hike." Rio said, "Mona?"
"On it." Morgana said. He walked through the turnstiles and towards the tracks. He jumped off the curb and transformed into his bus form.
"Things can only get weirder." Ryuko muttered to herself.
"You're the one with the talking outfit." Rio said as the others got on board.
"Ha ha." Senketsu and Ryuko said at the same time.
"Take shotgun up front with me." Rio said, "You might see something that I won't"
"Okay." Ryuko said and the two climbed into the front seats.
The drive through the floors was uneventful, it seemed as if all the Shadows had vanished.
The group reached a rest stop about halfway down after an hour of driving. Rio decided to give everyone a break.
She decided to join Futaba, who was sitting on the curb of the tracks, her feet dangling above the rails.
"Have you gotten any idea of what's down there?" Rio asked.
"Not at all." Futaba replied, "Al-Azif is at its limit and there's only so much I can do to parse the data it's getting."
"Any broad strokes you can figure out?" Rio asked.
"It seems that whatever's down there is built on death as a concept." Futaba explained, "It's almost like a receptacle for the dread that people have of dying."
"A collective fear of death made manifest." Rio pondered, "Sounds like a really bad Lovecraft story."
Futaba giggled, "You're right." she said, "It's probably not that extreme, it's just my best guess. The signal it's giving off isn't just about that though."
"What do you mean?" Rio asked.
"There's something that's powering the death signal. Like a generator almost." Futaba said.
"Could that be life fibers?" Rio asked.
"Maybe?" Futaba said, "It's hard for me to sift through the signals. I can't tell what's a real life fiber signal and what's a junk signal. I'll need more time to crunch the numbers."
"Okay, we still have a long drive ahead of us." Rio said, "Plenty of time to do all that right?"
"Maybe if Skull and Violet would quit yapping." Futaba said.
"Ture, true." Rio admitted. Those two had talked the entire journey down so far. Not to each other, but in one sided conversation with others. Rio would be lying if she said she didn't find it a little annoying.
"Have you seen any trains on the other side of the tracks?" Futaba asked, bringing Rio back from her thoughts.
"Now that you mention it I haven't." Rio said.
"That's something I've also been looking into." Futaba said, "No Shadows, no people, and a green tint instead of red. Something's gone very wrong."
Rio hummed in agreement. It was disturbing her that Futaba had grown this serious. It wasn't uncommon for her to get obsessed with data, but she was usually quippy and cheerful when she navigated. This trip she was all business.
Rio stood up to find Morgana, it was time to move again.
Another hour later and they were still driving. The rails and the walls of Mementos were still in their skeleton theme but there was nothing making it seem truly alive.
"God this is so damn boring." Ryuji called from the back seat.
"At least it's not the desert again." Ann said.
Ryuji grumbled in the backseat.
"You find any new data Oracle?" Rio asked form the driver's seat.
"There's a new reading coming from the depths." she said, "It's an odd one for sure. It's human but not quite. It's like the echo of a person."
"What's that even supposed to mean?" Ryuji asked.
"So, it's not a Shadow?" Rio asked.
"I don't know what it is." Futaba muttered, "Just looking at this data makes my stomach churn. Its almost like I wasn't meant to see it."
"It'll be fine Oracle." Makoto chimed in, "We're nearing the bottom."
"Yeah, should be another floor or two." Rio said. She looked to the passenger seat to Ryuko, she had been quiet since they had resumed driving.
Ryuko caught her gaze, "I'm okay." she said quietly.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Rio asked. Sumire had brought up another conversation behind, giving the two some cover.
"I kinda understand where Oracle's coming from." Ryuko said, "I sense something down there. It feels like the primordial life fiber but it's weak, desperate, almost."
"We'll find out soon enough." Rio said.
"Yeah, I'm just worried that all I did in the end was for nothing." Ryuko said.
"I'm sure that's not the case." Rio said, "Just think about those you left behind, you kept them safe after all."
"I guess that's one way of looking at it." Ryuko said, she turned to Rio and smiled, "Thanks Rio."
"You can count on us, on me." Rio reassured. They pulled into the end of the track and went down the escalator. They were met with the door to the Prison of Regression. It was wide open like last time.
The green glow that encased Mementos was even brighter than before. None of the Thieves could see inside the opening the glow was so powerful. They approached the doorway and looked through the barrier of light. They stood in awe of what they saw.
A tower, impossibly high. The architecture twisted and speared in different directions. Impossible angles and paradoxical pathways cut through the masonry.
Rio tried looking towards the top. She gasped as she saw the open sky above. Shrouded in a red beacon of light like a radio tower.
Morgana was looking low, "There's someone down there." he said.
Rio looked down too, and she saw the base of the tower. It was a giant clockwork door at the top of a grand marble staircase. She saw a figure sitting near the bottom of the stairs.
"Let's get down there." Rio said, "Maybe they can tell us what this place is."
Morgana transformed again and they raced to the bottom.
The person looked like a boy around their age, he had a plain white shirt and black slacks with suspenders. His neck was wrapped in a creamy yellow scarf. Rio decided to approach him first. The others prepared for a fight, their hands wandering towards their weapons.
"Hello." Rio said with a neutral tone, "Do you know where we are?"
The boy looked at Rio and his eyes fluttered, "My, I was expecting someone else to find me first." he said. His voice was calm and oddly confident.
"Who were you looking for?" Rio asked.
"That doesn't matter." the boy said, "You may call me Ryoji Mochizuki."
"Joker." Rio introduced, "We are the Phantom Thieves."
"I see, the rebels and reformers of men's souls." Ryoji said, "I am glad you've come."
"So, what is this place?" Rio asked.
"This is Tartarus." Ryoji said, gesturing to the tower behind him, "I'm sure you already know what you'll find inside."
"Shadows and more nasty things." Rio guessed.
"Precisely." Ryoji said, "The nastiest of them all lies at the top. A being from beyond our own mind and matter. An intruder more than anything else."
"The primordial life fiber?" Rio asked.
"If you want to call it that." Ryoji said, "It's role has filled out more responsibilities however."
"How so?" Rio asked.
"It's not only become the Demiurge, the false being you might call God. It's become a harbinger for this world's end." he said.
"The end of the world?" Rio asked.
"Many years ago, I was birthed as the Appriser of Nyx, the one to summon the Night Queen to reset the Earth in total immutable death." he said, "But the plan was foiled, and I was trapped within the soul of two people. In my captivity I learned what it was to live, to laugh, to love, and how to lose."
"So, Nyx is bad, and you're trying to summon her?" Rio said simply.
"That was once the case. Not anymore." Ryoji said, "My role has been usurped after I sabotaged the last Coming. What you talk to now is merely a cognitive echo from the Sea of Souls."
"So, there's another Appriser?" Rio asked.
"Indeed." Ryoji said, "To put it in terms you might understand. Tartarus has emerged as a Palace, the ruler of which is someone you already know."
"Can you tell me their name?" Rio asked, a worried expression on her face.
Ryoji giggled, "I won't make it that easy, just give it some thought. You're a smart girl." he said.
"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Rio asked.
"There's more than just Shadows and the Appriser you must pass through in Tartarus. You'll find the barriers eventually. But they aren't something I understand fully." he said.
"Thank you, Mochizuki-san." Rio said. She made to turn back to her friends, but he cleared his throat.
"You must be tired from your journey." Ryoji said, "One piece of aid I can give you is a way of expediting that journey." He stood up and held out his hand towards the side of the stairs. There appeared a metal platform with electric coils and other bits and bobs sticking out into the air above.
"A teleporter!" Futaba burst.
"In simple terms, yes." Ryoji said.
"Thank you." Rio said to Ryoji before turning to her team, "Guys, I think we ought to prepare more before coming back. But I want to leave it to a vote. Do we enter the tower now or wait?"
Ryuko's face was determined, "I want to go in. We need to start before it's too late."
"I agree." Morgana said, "There's no telling how quickly things might move with this Appriser guy. We should investigate while we're here."
"I can see the wisdom in that." Makoto said, "But having better preparation would be nice. We don't know for sure what we'll find in there after all."
"We need to be unanimous, right?' Ann said, "That's how we've always done things."
"True, but I think this situation calls for an exception." Yusuke said, "And I think we're all determined to follow what the group does regardless. For my part I think we have a duty to go inside now. And how can we expect to prepare if we don't know what for
"That's a good point." Sumire added, "I also don't want to go back just yet. We really ought to get used to our powers again."
"I'm for going in." Haru said, "We can't just let this fester."
"That seems to be a plurality." Rio said, "Let's go in then."
She turned back to Ryoji, "Is there anything you can tell us about the inside?" she asked.
"Not too much, just keep track of the teleporters. They are the only way out once you go in." he said before sitting down again.
Rio thanked him and led the Thieves inside
Makoto looked down the arena into the center, he saw the Thieves go inside Tartarus. He sighed with remorse and went back to his motorcycle, on loan from Mitsuru. He climbed on and rode down. He'd been following the others for two hours now and his patience was wearing thin.
In the back of his mind, he just wanted to talk it out straight with Rio and give the Thieves all the support Mitsuru and himself could provide. But the objective now was to just sit back and observe.
He stopped near the stairs where Ryoji still sat. Makoto got off the bike.
"I've been waiting for you." Ryoji said with a neutral tone.
"Should have figured I'd see you again." Makoto said, "I'm just wondering how long we have to act this time."
"I am not the Appriser anymore." Ryoji said, "As I told them, I have been replaced by another."
"Replaced? How so?" Makoto asked.
"After Nyx fell by your hand, I was cast into the Sea of Souls in this very form. Ryoji Mochizuki became an entity independent." Ryoji said, "I was left adrift and found another wayward soul. He wouldn't tell me his name, but I told him of my life. He took that information and sought out Erebus to begin the cycle anew. He seems to think that with the Demiurge's power, the Great Seal can be broken."
"I see." Makoto said, "And what can we do now to stop all this?"
"I would say that you should kill this new Appriser." Ryoji said.
"Kill him?" Makoto asked.
"Unlike myself, a creation begotten by Erebus and Nyx. He is mortal, begotten by man. If he can be neutralized before he kills the Twelve, then the cycle shall stop until a new Appriser is named. He is quite the exceptional young man though, and a Persona-user too"
"Are you sure you can't tell me who he was?"
"I am merely an echo within this cognitive space. The strength my soul exerts to even do this is extraordinary. With every minute I can feel certain details losing clarity." Ryoji said somberly, "After seeing what its like to be human. To live, love, mourn, and suffer. I think this sacrifice is worth it, if I can give those who are able to act a fighting chance."
Makoto looked down at his shoes, he didn't know how to respond to that.
"Do not feel guilty Yuki-san." Ryoji said, "Your sister's sacrifice still holds. She would be proud of who you've become."
"Thank you, Ryoji." Makoto said.
"I cannot hold onto this connection any longer." Ryoji said, "If there is anything else you wish to say, please say it."
"Just." Makoto paused, "All those years ago, thank you for giving myself and Kotone the choice. I can't remember if I ever thanked you for letting us decide our own fate. It's something that clarified my life, even if I thought it was going to end when we fought Nyx."
"Of course." Ryoji said, "Death is not to be feared. It shines like the sun in a brave one's eyes. You, your sister, and the others handled the last time admirably. Recall what worked, what didn't, be sure to end this torment for as long as possible. Farewell, old friend."
Makoto watched as Ryoji faded back into the void, the Sea of Souls from whence he came. He took a deep breath, the mix of emotions in his head a potent cocktail. He felt like sitting down and reminiscing about that month where he and Kotone had to decide Ryoji, and the world's, fate. It was tough, and even to this day he wondered if they'd made the right call.
Kotone and he had agonized over the decision. Lots of hours and money spent at the ramen shop figuring out every angle, every argument. He really missed those nights. He really missed her. But in the end he could take comfort in the process at the very least. He learned that what makes a decision important is that you agonize over it, confront it, and ultimately own it as yours. He'd had the sense to apply that to his own life ever since.
Yet he barely had the sense to hear the scraping of a blade on the floor behind him.
Makoto turned and unsheathed his own sword, catching the edge of his attacker's before it landed.
The other blade was serrated, a dangerous edge. Makoto had no time for words. He parried the blade and fell back into an orthodox position. One foot outwards, his body sideways, sword at hip level.
His opponent was a man of solid black. Like a shadow escaped from its dimension.
Makoto parried another blow from the man. Their fighting style was as wild as their blade. Makoto was used to more formal opponents, he resolved to fall back on old habits.
Makoto waved the tip of his sword around in front of his opponent to try and throw them off. He stepped forward, bringing his foot down in a hard stomp. He made a feint thrust and his opponent blocked. But Makoto was quicker, he ran his blade into the exposed flesh of his opponent's right side. He withdrew the blade again, a dark red sheen on the silver.
His opponent made no sound and got more aggressive. Makoto had to forcefully reject his opponent's probing attacks.
A blade to the right. A block to catch it. A thrust at the chest. A parried blow.
The opponent was growing aggravated.
He raised his serrated blade high and gripped it in two hands. Makoto anticipated the next move and held his sword horizontally. His opponent wailed away, trying to beat Makoto into slipping up.
Makoto's arms started to falter under the hammering, he had to make a move. In remembrance of his sister, he did one of her signature moves.
Makoto made another stomp forward, forcing his opponent to back off slightly. This gave him an open shot. Makoto put all his weight into a kick from his back foot. It landed right in the groin of his opponent.
The opponent let out a low growl and recoiled backwards. Makoto caught a faint glimpse at their hands, a light green light flickered into the areas they were hit. Makoto made to stab him again, but the opponent dodged and leapt a few meters away.
Makoto lowered his sword and reached to his belt for his Evoker.
Putting the muzzle to his temple brought back a rush he hadn't felt in years. The bullet inside crackled like breaking glass as his finger closed around the trigger.
In a single moment of clarity Makoto saw his opponent, unbathed in Shadow but still clad in black. A feral look in their eyes.
He pulled the trigger and felt the psyche within him shatter as his Persona emerged, "Orpheus Telos!" he shouted. The unlimited potential of the Fool overwhelmed Makoto as his Persona took form. He wracked his head for a move to use and settled on God Hand.
He directed the attack towards his opponent, but when the dust settled, there was nothing to be found. As if the man had vanished into nothingness.
Makoto didn't know what to think about what had just happened. He resolved to carry on with his observation. The one thing he did know for sure is that the path ahead was going to be more challenging than it was last time.
He wouldn't deny that it was good to feel Orpheus's presence. Even if he had to embrace death once again.
A mask flew through the hallway. It struck one of the sickly-green glowing lamps hanging from the ceiling. It clattered to the floor and broke into shards.
"Home run!" Ryuji said smugly. The body of a hand-type Shadow disappeared into smoke beneath him.
"Congratulations Ryuji." Futaba chided, "You clobbered one of the weakest Shadows I've ever seen into the depths of some school which probably doesn't even exist. All-star material here."
"Shaddap." Ryuji said as he shouldered his bat.
"Why are we in a school though?" Sumire wondered.
"Dunno, but it kinda reminds me of my old school." Ryuko said, her full-sized scissor blade dragging behind her as she inspected a row of lockers.
"I'm just wondering why the Shadows here are so different from what we've faced before." Rio said, "It's like they don't even try to transform."
"I'll have to get back to you on that." Futaba said from within her floating pyramid, "But we should get moving. I can feel the Reaper approaching this floor."
"We could stay, see if he's still the same." Ryuji said.
"No, let's go!" Makoto shouted from the reserve group.
"Who's the Reaper?" Ryuko asked.
"Big scary Shadow that appears if we stay in any given place for too long." Rio said, "It's a tough fight but not unwinnable in our state."
"I can't believe we still have our old Personas." Sumire said, "I though Cendrillon would've vanished with the Metaverse."
"I get what you mean." Rio said, "Summoning mine so far has been a trip."
"Still have yet to see yours Ryu-tan." Ryuji said to Ryuko.
"I haven't needed to transform." Ryuko answered simply, "And don't call me '-tan' weirdo."
"You wish is my command, heika." Ryuji said with a small bow.
"No wonder you're single." Ryuko said.
"How'd you figure that?" Ryuji challenged.
"Guys, can we please get moving?" Rio said.
"You're just too much dude." Ryuko said.
"Says you." Ryuji said.
"Guys…" Rio interjected again.
Ryuko was going in for another blow but the sound of chains filled the air, The Reaper had appeared.
"Fuckin' hell." Ryuji said.
"Your fault." Ryuko said simply.
Rio pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"Violet, swap out with Queen, Skull, swap with Mona." Rio said.
"Aww, c'mon!" Ryuji said as he tagged out with the cat.
As soon as they got switched, the Reaper came around the corner and raced towards the Thieves. His guns were cocked, and his cloak billowed out madly in the wind.
"Let's do it Senketsu." Ryuko said.
Rio glanced at her. She saw Ryuko reach to a device on her wrist.
What she saw next could hardly translate to any assumption she had about Ryuko. In a flash Senketsu went from being a somewhat risqué sailor uniform to what looked like full on fetish gear. The spiked pauldrons being the only exception.
Her mind was so enraptured by the sight that it took Makoto slapping her to get her mind back on track.
"Ryuko, keep him busy!" Rio said. She dashed to the right of the Reaper. It charged onwards, her other teammates following their leader.
Ryuko took the first swing. She grasped her blade with both hands and went to town on the Shadow. It used its revolvers as makeshift bucklers to block the scissor's slashes and jabs. Rio and the others surrounded the Reaper and struck with elemental abilities.
Ryuko's onslaught of attacks was losing steam, however. It seemed that the Reaper detected a pattern in her strikes. It took one of its revolvers and spun it around. The other deflected Ryuko's blade.
Rio saw what the move was, and she leveled her own handgun, a model Desert Eagle. It brought the pistol down onto Ryuko, who looked surprised at the move. But before the pistol whip succeeded, Rio fired.
Her bullet hit the Reaper's hand, sending the gun awry.
It looked bewildered at the move and Ryuko took the opening, delivering new cuts and slashes to the Shadow.
"Buffs abound, go get 'im!" Futaba called out. Rio could feel a new vigor in her movements, and she joined Ryuko in their onslaught.
"Agnes, checkmate!" Makoto called, she debuffed the Reaper, Rio noticed its movements becoming more sluggish.
"Diego!" Morgana called. His Persona burst into the scene and sent a gale towards the Reaper. Rio pulled Ryuko out of the path and the Shadow was slammed into a wall.
"Keep it up guys!" Futaba encouraged.
"Yoshitsune, come!" Rio called, she tore off her mask and the figure of the famous samurai loomed behind her. The Persona and Ryuko fell into sync with Rio's commands, they pummeled the Reaper, and it could barely find room to attack.
After a time, it was knocked back into the crushed wall. It slid down and began to fade into mist.
Ryuko walked up to it. But The Reaper was bluffing.
It lunged at Ryuko and caught her by the throat, a terrifying wail coming from its covered head. It flung her across the hall. She crashed into the wall, leaving a sizeable crater. Rio tried to respond but the Reaper was quicker.
It raised the muzzle of one of its guns into the air and fired. Rio braced for the damage but was swept off her feet by the almighty energy. She slammed onto the floor and slid a few meters before springing back up.
"Ishtar!" Rio called as she tore off her mask. A goddess in white cloth swept over the Thieves and healed their injuries.
Ryuko growled at the Reaper and leapt back at the Shadow, engaging in another exchange of blades and gunshots. Rio pecked at the Reaper too with elemental abilities, Morgana pocket healed Ryuko while Makoto kept up the buffs.
"Getting close guys, you got this!" Futaba encouraged, sending a wave of vigor into the group.
"Die already you freak!" Ryuko shouted. Only to be answered by another inhuman wail from the Reaper.
Ryuko growled again and gave a look to Rio and darted her eyes to the Reaper's back. Almost as if it were telepathy, she understood the message. Rio darted to the Reaper's back side and started to stab at it with her knife.
Her blade sunk deep into the Shadow and it whipped around. Joker took her stand and summoned Yoshitsune again to further engage the Reaper.
But before the two could even exchange blows properly the handle of Ryuko's scissor blade looped around the Reaper's head. Ryuko herself was squatted down and pulling hard on the blade, the sharp edge being wrapped in a loose thread from Senketsu.
Ryuko let out a cry as she tugged on the blade, forcing the Reaper to dip back. Its arms flailed and guns shooting wildly. Ryuko's leverage worked in her favor, and she flipped the Shadow over, making it slam flat into the floor.
Ryuko swung her blade around her wrist, "Decapitation mode!" she said. The handguard swung open, allowing her a firmer grip. She swung the blade at the Reaper's neck, lobbing it in two before it disappeared into a black mist.
Rio looked at the sight with approval, and so did her Persona.
"A fine fight miss. I look forward to the next time." Yoshitsune said. It gave a confused Ryuko a short bow before fading back into Rio's mask.
Ryuko also took the time to transform back into her normal outfit, "I didn't think personas could talk." she said. She also picked up a small, bloodied button from the floor where the Reaper once laid. She flipped it in the air before catching and stowing it in her skirt.
"HOLY CRAP THAT WAS AMAZING!" Ryuji shouted as the others came up to the frontline group.
"That was the fasted we've ever defeated the Reaper." Futaba commented as she descended from her persona.
"I bet." Rio said.
"Congratulations everyone." Morgana said.
"There was a teleporter a few doors back, it might be a good idea to debrief and come back another time." Makoto suggested.
"I agree." Rio said, "If we're gearing up to explore another Mementos-type of place I'll need to stock up on supplies. I don't even have any coffee with me right now."
"Damn, I was kinda counting on that." Ann muttered.
"Let's get back to the teleporter." Rio said, "I don't think it will be long before we're back here."
X
Author's Notes:
The Diviner Arcana is an alternative to the High Priestess in some tarot decks. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't think "Diviner" wasn't a cool name. Just for fun I've even found some Personas which will make appearances later in the story, selected mostly because I think they fit with the relationship at play. Two Wild Cards, two fools, two heroes. Along with the message of Persona 3's story, to live life to the fullest and burn the anxiety that prevents you from doing so. The abilities for this confidant will also show up, just later, I don't want to spoil it. There will be two other confidants in this story, one's obviously Ryuko, and the other will coincide with Ryuko's.
I also didn't intend to make the Reaper a pushover for this first fight. I'm planning on making Tartarus more reactive in this version rather than being a pre-made scale of difficulty. The fighting isn't going to be a central focus either since the Thieves and Makoto have their endgame Personas and gear. Describing every time they absolutely steamroll a Shadow would get pretty boring.
Thanks for reading, I really appreciate that you took the time to do so. Sometimes it can feel like writing fic is the same as screaming into the void (especially for crossover writers). All feedback is welcome!