bopdog111: Well Yusaku/Playmaker awakened to his Persona, and the Phantom Thieves have seen how skilled he is.
Ulrich362: True... however, that won't be without consequences. Good ones of course, but also a very... very bad one.
bopdog111: Which bad one?
Ulrich362: That will be revealed here in this chapter, so let's not wait around and find out what's going to happen. Enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimers: We don't own anything but OCs.
(Cue Theme: Disquiet)
In a large room at SOL Technologies a group of people were sitting around a table as a blonde man with a mustache wearing a white suit while having a black tie, and blue gloves with a nametag that says 'King' on it was looking at a file and he looked incredibly angry which was shocking to all of them except a woman next to him with blue and green hair wearing a white suit, and a nametag saying 'Queen' on it.
"Rook, care to explain what this says?" the man questioned.
"Uh, sir?" a short balding obese man wearing a business suit with a nametag saying 'Black Rook' asked nervous from his angry expression.
"Does this, or does it not say that the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart was seen in Link VRAINS?" the man questioned coldly.
"Well uh... We don't know if it's just a prank... but the Knights of Hanoi, and Blue Angel had assumed it such, and seemed to be in league with Playmaker sir." Rook rubbed his head nervously at this. "People are already saying the Phantom Thieves are coming to Link VRAINS but we been unable to clear if it's just a cosplayer."
"Find out!" the man growled. "If they are here we need to deal with them immediately."
"Aku..." the woman started hesitantly. "It'll be fine, they're probably just here because of the Hanoi so we can take advantage of..."
The blonde man, Aku, turned to her at that before he sighed. "Right, still we should be cautious. Keep an eye out for anything unusual in or around Link VRAINS."
"Sir... this is unlike you." a smooth browned haired man wearing glasses, and a suit with the nametag 'Bishop' admitted over to the man, Aku, "You don't believe the Phantom Thieves are really gonna go after SOL Technologies next on there agenda do you?"
"I don't know if we're their next target, but if they somehow find an Ignis... or learn about his actions it's possible." Aku told him.
Knock Knock.
A knocking on the door in there office was heard as they looked over where the woman asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me, mother." a young male voice answered behind a door where two security guards stand by at both sides.
"Sota, come in." the woman mentioned.
The Security Guards moved, and opened the doors revealing who it was.
It was a young man close to Akechi's age wearing a green suit that has on a yellow, and black horizontal tie along with black shoes. He also has green hair in a fashion, and a nasty scar over his right eye with a nametag saying 'Prince' on his suit as he gave a polite bow to the people at the table, and walked inside while the Guards closed the door.
"What do you think of this Phantom Thieves rumor?" asked a man with a goatee having on a black business suit, and a yellow tie with a nametag saying 'Lancelot Knight' on it.
"I think, it'll make this interesting here to see what they can do here. But that's not why I'm here Lancelot." the young man, Sota, stated over to him.
"Oh, why are you here then?" Lancelot inquired.
"Merely have something to discuss with father, and mother." Sota answered that before he looked up to the man, and woman bowing. "My apologies for bothering you two in this meeting."
"It's fine, the meeting was over after all. You're all dismissed." Aku told the others before taking a breath.
Rook, Bishop, Lancelot, a man with a mustache wearing the same suit as Lancelot only having 'Alexander Knight' instead with a taller younger man resembling Rook having white hair, and skinny with a nametag showing 'White Rook' all walked out leaving the three alone.
"Sota, what is it?" Aku inquired.
Sota walked, and sat down before he said to him, "Well father, after seeing the match between Playmaker, the supposed leader of the Phantom Thieves, and the Knights of Hanoi, I soon discovered something of grave importance for you to know."
"What is it?" Aku asked before frowning and holding his head which the two of them had seen him do before especially when he was getting incredibly stressed.
"I felt a familiar energy... the energy of Persona." Sota revealed to them.
"Are you certain?" the woman asked in shock.
"He's never been mistaken before Maria." Aku answered rubbing his head. "So it's true then, they are here."
"But there is something else." Sota said to them.
"What do you mean?" Maria asked him.
"While I was seeing Playmaker using Storm Access... I detected that along with him gaining a powerful Cyberse... he also seemed to have awakened his Persona." Sota answered that question to them.
"Playmaker has a Persona?" Aku asked before grunting as he held his head again and looked to be in pain.
"Father?" Sota stood up concerned while Maria takes his shoulder.
"I'm fine... I just need to calm down, my emotions got ahead of me for a moment." he mentioned taking a slow breath. "What do you suggest we do then, he has a Persona and an Ignis."
Sota cups his chin in thought before he raised up, "For now perhaps we should try to attain the Ignis. I'll get Zaizen to look into it."
"Right, and Sota... you've proven yourself to be an invaluable ally to SOL Technologies... I'm considering a promotion for you." Aku told him calmly. "How does... Emperor sound to you?"
Sota looked to him as he smiled before he bowed, "I'm honored for this father."
"Well, you're dismissed Emperor." Aku told him before sitting and looking at the file detailing the leader of the Phantom Thieves had been seen in Link Vrains only to frown.
Meanwhile...
It was school in a room where Yusaku meets up in a Duelist Club where he sees Shima chatting with club members, and seeing Yusaku, and grinned, "Ah there's the newbie! I was wondering when you'll come."
"Well I'm here now, so this is where we learn to be better duelists?" Yusaku asked.
"Yes, I am the club's little Tenya Akanobu. If you have any questions come see me." a glasses black haired student introduced himself. "And your Yusaku Fujuki right? Shima had told me that your interested in joining the club for you two to be better duelists together."
"That's right, I'm not sure I'm that good though." Yusaku admitted taking out his deck. "I know the basics and I have a combo that I think can get one of my monsters pretty strong but it doesn't usually work."
"Can I see your Deck?" a voice asked from behind.
Yusaku turned over, and blinked seeing a brunette girl was there behind him.
"Oh, sure here." he answered handing it to her.
"Skye it's rude to-"
"No it's fine by me." Yusaku assured Tenya.
The girl, Skye, takes his Deck checking over the cards looking over before handing it over, "It's uh-"
"Let me see!" Shima snatched it from Skye checking it over before snickering, "Ah you kidding!?" He started laughing seeing the cards are weak light monsters, and weaker support, "Even the dump thinks these cards are garbage!"
"That's enough Shima." Tenya scolded Shima with his hands on his hips with a glare. "You should know by now there is no such thing as a useless card."
"Oh right... sorry I got carried away." Shima admitted sheepish handing the Deck back to Yusaku. "I shouldn't judge since we will be improving our Decks after all."
Yusaku frowned slightly before turning to Skye. "What were you going to say, I know it's not exactly a great deck."
"Sorry, I didn't expect you to be the type to Duel since you always keep your distance." Skye apologized.
"Oh, well to be honest I was kind of nervous since I'm not that good." Yusaku explained before turning to Naoki. "Though, you suggested I join the club and maybe we can improve together right?"
"Yeah of course." Shima nodded to him.
While there chatting the Ignis that is in Yusaku's Duel Disk gave a chat towards the AI in Skye's Duel Disk, "So, your supposedly super smart right?"
"That is affirmative." Skye's Duel AI confirmed.
"Then what's your processing speed, brainiac?" the Ignis questioned.
"6 trillion bytes per second." Skye's Duel AI answered.
"W-Well, mine is 6 trillion and 1!" the Ignis tried to beat only to see Skye about to look over confused from the voices, "Ah glitch! Shutting down." He closed the eye as she looked over confused.
"Your Duel Disk doesn't have an AI in it does it?" Skye asked Yusaku confused since it seemed to be a last generation Duel Disk that don't have AIs integrated in them.
"No, it's not sophisticated enough." Yusaku answered.
"Well I thought I heard it talk..." Skye admitted over to Yusaku.
Shima only shrugged at that. "Your probably just imagining things Skye. I mean, his Duel Disk is an older generation so it doesn't have a support AI to use."
"I guess your right." Skye sighed at that before standing up, "Well I need to get going."
"Are you feeling sick or something Skye?" Tenya asked her hearing that.
"No, it's nothing like that. Akira just wants me back home, ever since the leader of the Phantom Thieves was seen in Link VRAINS." Skye explained over to them before she looked down. "I don't see why he has such opposing opinions about them, and think they'll hurt me..."
She walked out of the room at that. Yusaku frowned at that. "Why would someone think the Phantom Thieves would go after her? Is there something I don't know?"
"Oh new guy." Tenya remembered before saying to him, "Skye's older brother, Akira Zaizen, is the security manager of SOL Technologies over Link VRAINS so you can imagine the kind of pressure she had to deal with from people going to her for connections. He looks out for her but she does admit at times he's overdoing it for her."
"The security manager for SOL Technologies?" Yusaku asked hearing that before frowning. "Do you think the Phantom Thieves are really in Den City and are going after SOL Employees, but why would they do something like that?"
"I don't know but there just as cool as Playmaker managing to stop those big shots." Shima shrugged before he then grinned, "In any case that's not really what we're here to talk about. If there coming to Link VRAINS, and we able to duel we should catch up on what we missed out on!"
"Right, that sounds good." Yusaku nodded. "So... since we're both beginners want to have a match?"
"Oh yeah let's go!" Shima grinned.
So they gathered the Decks, and went out. Yusaku held back but became challenging for Shima who shows he's effective with his Baboon Deck paying LP, and summoning powerful monsters using destruction effects to his advantage but in the end Yusaku won.
"Whoa who knew those cards will work...?" Shima admitted amazed seeing the strength, and mind of Yusaku's dummy Deck.
"I think I got pretty lucky." Yusaku admitted. "I almost lost."
"Well I can certainly see you, and Shima both have potential. Your capabilities will grow as we train together." Tenya smiled over to him. "Just be sure to come by often for you to improve with us."
"I'll try to come by as much as I can. Thanks." Yusaku smiled.
"Alright! I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship! I'll be lending an ear to whatever we do!" Shima grinned offering a fist bump.
Yusaku nodded returning it. Just then time froze which Yusaku blinked as a voice sounded in his head.
"I am Thou, Thou Art I...
Thou has acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh the chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Moon Persona,
I shall become the key that shall lead
to promise, and truth..."
Naoki Shima/The Brave Battler: (Moon; RANK 1)
He blinked hearing that before shaking his head. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow in class."
"You be careful heading home." Tenya bowed waving bye.
Outside...
Yusaku walked out of the school, and looked down couldn't help but thinking about Skye, and the way she seemed downtrodden in the club. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly is going on with her but feels he should check this out if her brother is saying to be too much for her.
"Thinking about that girl?" the Ignis asked from his Duel Disk.
"Yeah, I am." Yusaku nodded as he was heading to Cafe Nom.
Arriving in he sees everyone was there while Akira places a platter of hot dogs, and coffee to a table to Yusuke, Futaba, Ryuji, and Ann before Cal looked over seeing Yusaku, and blinked. "Yusaku you feeling alright?"
"Well... to get the good news out of the way, I managed to start a Social Link, I think." Yusaku admitted towards them before turning to Akira, "I think it said something about... breaking the chains of captivity, and birth of the Moon...?"
"That's right, the first of many." Akira nodded with a smile. "Should we head there?"
"Well... there is something else I need to voice over." Yusaku admitted.
He nodded at that. "We'll be back in a bit, are you coming Morgana?"
"On it." Morgana said with a grin.
With that the three of them walked off to visit the Velvet Room. They entered the room which was a blue door in an allyway.
(Cue Theme: Aria of the Soul)
"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Lavenza smiled gently.
"It would seem you've formed a Social Link, those are the key to your power." Moritz noted thoughtfully.
Yusaku nodded as he admitted over, "Igor said before that as I grow them my emotional ties towards people, the more powerful my Personas can be."
"That's correct." Moritz nodded. "As your bonds and connections to others grow your Persona Ability will as well."
"What the heck is this!?" a sudden voice screamed out.
Surprised they looked as Yusaku raised his arm seeing that the Ignis was still in his Duel Disk looking around the Velvet Room stunned from this. "Where the heck are we!? Who are they!? Are we dreaming!?" He then paused admitting, "No wait, AIs don't dream..." He then got back in focus. "Just what kind of sci-fi situation are we in!?"
"Wait you can be in the Velvet Room too?" Morgana who's in his Metaverse form as a black ninja cat asked the Ignis shocked while on the table.
"Well yeah, I mean whatever this-" the Ignis started before pausing seeing Morgana for real. "Huh... a ninja cat?"
"I'm not a cat!" Morgana snapped hearing that.
Yusaku looked over before he removed his Duel Disk, and placed it on the table for the Ignis to spectate. "Well... in my match with the Knight of Hanoi, I apparently gained a Persona from my Skill that he had. Does that happen normally?"
"That's not a simple question. You possess a unique ability, that of the Wildcard it allows you to wield multiple Personas. However the nature in which you obtain them can vary between Wildcards." Igor answered. "Your predecessor obtained them through negotiation and having them become his mask, in your case it may be that your new Personas are related to this Skill of yours."
"But he's apparently connected to that?" Morgana turned to the Ignis.
The Ignis only pointed out. "Hey don't look of me, I don't know anything of what just happened in that duel! I did hear a voice from the monster he obtained from Neo Storm Access. But something he said sounded vague to me... 'I am thou, thou art I...' I think was what it said?"
"Indeed, a Persona is the face that one presents to the world. It is a part of you." Igor nodded.
Yusaku pulled out the Decode Talker card looking at it before the same Persona appeared behind him standing while placing his sword on his shoulder.
"Is there anything else you require?" Moritz asked calmly.
"Well... maybe the answer how he is connected to me like that?" Yusaku looked over towards the Ignis at that.
"Unfortunately that's something we don't know." Lavenza admitted. "Though if you continue to form bonds with others you may find the answer for yourself."
"Yeah, I don't really get it myself." the Ignis admitted to that as he then grumbled. "Doesn't help the Hanoi took my body from me."
"Then, we'll just have to get your body back." Morgana mentioned. "It'll be easy."
"Well maybe explain why your a cat?" the Ignis asked him.
"I am not a..." Morgana started before sighing. "It's a long story ok? We can talk about it later."
"Well Akira... there is something we need to discuss with the rest of the team." Yusaku stood up talking to Akira.
"Alright." he nodded before turning to Lavenza and Igor. "Thanks again for all the help."
"Thanks." Yusaku said too to Igor, and Mortiz which they nodded, and exited.
(Cue Theme: Beneath the Mask)
After meeting back up with the Phantom Thieves they all gather where Yusaku explained his time in the dueling club, and voiced over that he thinks Skye might be in trouble from voicing that she looked down when mentioning her brother as the head of security at SOL Technologies.
"Huh, but we're not planning on going after her or her brother." Futaba pointed out.
"True but SOL Technologies are probably just as much or minor trouble as the Knights of Hanoi. Besides SOL Technologies will keep a close radar on the Phantom Thieves after Akira's duel with that Hanoi when Yusaku awakened." Cal voiced over to them. "It could also shake SOL's confidence that they won't respond as we go after the Hanoi next."
"And besides Skye is like me. She's just a prisoner like myself... a prisoner of her brother, and I want to free her." Yusaku added onto that to them.
"What do you guys think?" Ryuji asked.
"Well, first things first does her brother even have a palace?" Makoto asked.
"Do you have a name for that?" Axis asked from Akira's Duel Disk.
"Yes. Akira Zaizen." Yusaku answered taking out his phone.
Axis voiced over to them. "No need to use the Metaverse Navigator app though."
"Huh, what do you mean?" Ann asked.
"I'm the VRAINS Navigator App, I can handle things much easier, and faster then the Metaverse Navigator App. Call it a more updated, and modern version of it." Axis explained to them with a smile.
"Then we're all in agreement? We'll look into this Akira Zaizen?" Yusuke inquired.
They all looked at each other at this before they all nodded before turning over to Akira, and Zenkichi asks him, "What do you think?"
"It's unanimous." Akira grinned.
"Can't I say MY decision too?" the Ignis voiced over as they looked at him before he grinned, "Well if you all are willing to follow me ahead, I'll join you in this fight."
"Well since your kinda a member of the Phantom Thieves, you need a codename." Haru smiled to him.
"A what?" the Ignis asked confused.
"A codename, Phantom Thieves don't use their real names." Ann explained.
"Well do you have anything that can gives us an idea?" Ryuji asked the Ignis.
The Ignis gave thought before he admitted, "Well my real name is (beep beep beep). We Ignis developed a special language to chat with each other so you can guess how hard it can be."
"How about Ai?" Yusaku gave a sudden suggestion which made them look to him confused. "He is an AI, and he looks like an eye so it seems like a good pun to go by right?"
"I think it sounds perfect." Futaba nodded.
"Albeit hilarious though." Ryuji laughed a bit.
The Ignis grumbled at this a bit before he sighed. "I'm not gonna convince you all otherwise?"
"Nope." most of them answered.
"Thought so..." the Ignis, Ai, sighed at this before he turned his attention to Yusaku, "Well I don't really know what to expect... but I know that your an okay guy. So no matter what happens, I'll follow you through, and through Playmaker!"
"Thanks." Yusaku nodded with a small smile.
He can feel Ai's fierceness along with a building trust before time paused.
"I am Thou, Thou Art I...
Thou has acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh the chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Fool Persona,
I shall become the key that shall lead
to promise, and truth..."
Ai: (Fool; RANK 1)
Time unfroze while Yusaku blinked, "Fool this time?"
"Hey, I'm no fool." Ai complained.
"Not you." Yusaku stated to him, "Your Arcana is Fool."
"Wha-?" Ai asked confused.
"Later. We got a mission." Yusaku said at that deciding to discuss it later.
"Right, ok team let's head in." Morgana grinned.
Ulrich362: Well... Yusaku's started forming his Social Links and the Phantom Thieves have their next move planned out.
bopdog111: Akira Zaizen is there next target.
Ulrich362: Well they're going to look into him at least. Though... what's happening with the Inner Circle, and how did Sota know about Personas?
bopdog111: They seem to know something. Though, those are questions for later.
Ulrich362: Agreed, see you in the next chapter.
bopdog111: Be sure to review!