Fire burst from a deserted shop window.
Glass scattered through the stagnant air, shimmering and crackling. A black shadow dashed through the street followed by more blasts. As if the explosions were chasing the shadow. It dove into the road and a wall of crimson and grey flames surrounded the shadow, protecting it from the chasing fire.
From within the cursed maelstrom there came manic cackling.
Lynn was having the time of her life. A small opening in the cursed flames revealed the approaching Panther. Ann's arm was ensnared in raging flames. Below her feline mask, a wicked smirk was etched over her jaw. Around them, the battlefield was a mess of scorched concrete, rubble and rusted plumbing.
As they weren't near Mementos' main entrance, they didn't have to worry about attracting shadows.
Nor did they have to limit the collateral damage.
"You won our last fight," Lynn sneered, thinking back to the tennis match they shared, "but you're in my world now!"
Wings of pure black spread wide from the cursed flames. A deep laughter rolled through the air as the form of Arsene rose to his full height. With a beat of his wings, he sent tendrils of decaying energy coiling out toward Ann. Nimble as her namesake, Panther dodged and evaded each lashing strike.
She leapt into the air and twisted her body, launching a large flaming orb toward Lynn and Arsene.
It pulsed midair. Another twist of Ann's body followed into the girl snapping her fingers. The orb burst and sent a hail of flaming rain over her two targets. Lynn's eyes widened at the scatter shot. She dashed back and narrowly escaped the burning deluge. "Come on, Joker! Aren't you our leader!?" Ann jeered just as she landed. One leg outstretched, the other bent and supported by her arm lightly gripping the ground.
Lynn giggled. Neither girl had their weapons, but that didn't matter.
She felt Arsene's excitement building behind her. [Trickster, perhaps we should push the offensive? Plucking victory from the jaws of defeat is the sweetest.] The same excitement pounded at Lynn's chest.
She rushed forward. Closing the gap in seconds.
A rush of heat crashed over her as Carmen rose from a spiralling pillar of fire.
[A fine night for a waltz, my lady! May I have this dance?] Arsene bowed low at Ann's Persona. The Femme Fatale giggled, hiding her lips behind a fan, the edge of which crackled with embers. Her eyes narrowed and she snapped the fan shut to reveal the grin of a predator. A melodic laugh trickled through the air.
[My, my! Arsene, my dear. Are you sure you're able to keep up?] The two Personas drew closer and passionate fire roared all around them.
The thrumming energy in the stagnant air began to sound a beat. Rhythm flowed with each blast of energy.
The Personas locked hands and struggled against one another, each one fighting for the lead. A fight that had - indeed - turned into something resembling a waltz. They stepped to the rhythm. Lashing out at each other at every turn. Arsene was laughing and the swirling hellfire that formed his face blazed with increased intensity.
As the Personas danced, Lynn launched her knee forward, colliding with Ann's cross guarded arms.
Carrying the momentum through, Lynn pranced into the air and flipped over Ann's head. For a split second, they were like mirror reflections. Their noses almost brushed against each other. With a flourish, Lynn swept her leg backwards upon landing. Aiming to trip her opponent up.
However, Ann had already pirouetted out of reach. Only to create a powerful blast just behind her, the force launching her forward.
Both Ann and Lynn's close-quarters battle - like Arsene and Carmen's - developed into a violent dance. Whereas the Personas were like aristocrats at a ball, Ann and Lynn were like punks at a street rave. Eventually, the entire street they were using as a dance floor was set completely ablaze. The heat and passion only spurred the combatants on.
A rushing feeling of absolute euphoria overcame Lynn.
After all the pent up stress, frustration, anxiety and confusion; letting everything out without having to worry about anything was exactly what Lynn needed.
Judging by how happy Ann looked, it was what she needed, too.
Something within Ann sparked a competitiveness deep inside Lynn's heart. Even if this was only their second battle against one another, there was definitely a mutual sense of rivalry. Lynn hadn't felt this light since her first match of Airsoft with her dad.
She was alive.
The sound of heavy breathing filled red-hued air.
Embers fluttered across the sky like glowing butterflies. Lynn and Ann sat back to back at the centre of a crater, surrounded by sheer destruction. Destruction of their own making. Not too far away, Lynn watched as a smaller building crumpled in on itself. It scattered a fresh wave of embers and dust. Not ten minutes prior, she had been thrown through its window and crashed against an interior wall.
Her eyes lazily wandered over to Arsene and Carmen.
Carmen sat on the back of one of the masculine figures she commanded. Her needle sharp heels firmly rested atop the back of the second figure. Casually, she puffed on a cigar with a wry grin.
Arsene stood a few feet away, looking over the scene of mayhem. He chuckled and ran fingers across the rim of his hat.
The adrenaline in Lynn's system began to fade, a rush of endorphins hurrying in its stead. The heat from Ann's back told her that she was in the same state. Feeling the tensions briefly lighten thanks to their all out battle. "So… who won?" Lynn asked, smirking. She felt Ann giggle. Though she didn't reply. "Draw?"
"Draw."
They laughed together. Out of the corner of her eye, Lynn spied Carmen giving them a knowing smirk. Arsene looked away, but the very distinct fluctuation of ghostly flame gave away his amusement.
After another minute, the two Personas vanished in a curtain of azure cinders. The masks reappeared on Ann and Lynn's faces.
"I'm a little sad I couldn't call on Hecate again… but this was really fun!" Ann chirped, only to be interrupted by a floor collapsing in a nearby building. "If… a little bit messy."
"Who cares? It's not like we're affecting the real world." Lynn shrugged. "You've gotten a lot better at controlling your flames! Your hand-to-hand is improving too." She looked down at her gloved hand and flexed it into a fist. A dull ache pulsed through her arm. "Think you have enough juice for a heal?"
"Sure!" Ann snapped her fingers and a warm energy bathed the two in comforting light. The aches flowing across Lynn's body subsided. There were a few cracks and pops in her sides, giving her a brief spike of pain, but the fractures had knitted back together as if months of healing had happened in a single second.
Even with all the aches and pains gone, the two girls still remained sitting. Their breathing steadily returned to a normal pace.
"Speaking of Hecate… can you feel her?"
Ann remained silent for a moment. She then hummed.
"Kind of. It's really faint, but there's something there. Maybe she's just being stubborn." She huffed with no small amount of frustration. "When I summoned her in V's Palace, it felt natural. Like my instincts just took over. The power was so intense! I felt incredible! But… damn, it was exhausting." Lynn grumbled at the fact she wasn't there to see it. From how Ryuji described it, the whole scene sounded like something straight out of an epic blockbuster.
"Do you think everyone has a second Persona inside them?"
"Maybe? If I have one, then I don't see why the others can't."
"We should ask Mona." Lynn finally decided to shuffle to her feet. She dusted herself off and began to stretch herself out. "Speaking of… he's probably getting worried. Or hungry. Probably hungry."
Ann giggled. "Let me cover both your dinners tonight. As thanks for humouring me."
Although reluctant at first, Lynn couldn't deny she was grateful. She nodded and the two girls walked down the decimated, crumbling street.
What they didn't see, however, was a dark shadow looming atop a rooftop. It watched the two girls with keen interest before dashing off into the red-hued horizon, completely undetected.
Thursday - June 16th
"Hey, I heard Principal Kobayakawa arguing with Niijima. I didn't hear most of it but I think I heard the word 'Mafia!'"
"No way?"
"I think Niijima's sister is on the investigation into the rising scams. She probably just wants to play detective too."
"Figures. The Student Council's useless if the President isn't even doing anything actually important."
"Just our luck. Man… this school's going down the toilet. I just hope it doesn't start affecting my College applications."
The walk toward Shujin Academy highlighted quite a few things. Lynn narrowed her eyes at the back of the heads of the two gossiping boys. They were blissfully unaware of her glare. A low growl rumbled in her throat. Although Makoto had made an enemy of the Thieves, Lynn still couldn't help but feel bad for the President.
People whispered rumours about her just as they did with Lynn.
The anonymity made them feel protected. It was just banter between friends. Lynn highly doubted they would actually say these things to Makoto's face.
Morgana shifted inside the bag. "Niijima has it bad too, huh?" He whispered. Lynn responded with a short hum. "Do you think she could be reasoned with?" That earned Morgana a sidelong glance. Lynn's frustration swirled in her steely eyes. "I guess you're right. She's just like you. Once you've made up your mind, there's no swaying you."
Lynn let out a short amused exhale.
"Hey, do you think that scary transfer student is involved with those scams?"
"I saw her pestering Sakaguchi and Yamada yesterday."
"Paper Girl? Do you think she's bullying her?"
Another couple of students were whispering. Unaware that Lynn could hear them quite clearly. They cast her the occasional judgemental glance, but Lynn forced herself to ignore it.
Eventually, the school gates opened up into Shujin's courtyard.
Briefly, she caught sight of fluffy auburn hair. Okumura was tending to the bushes in the courtyard. She wiped grime on her tracksuit and smiled as she locked eyes with Lynn. They waved to one another before Lynn entered the school proper.
The only time the two had spoken was the single time on the roof. That said, she was friends with Ryuji. And that meant she was ok in Lynn's book.
Still, she couldn't help but notice the smile Okumura had just given her was completely forced.
"Good morning, Rin." Yusuke held a refined smile. It was still strange seeing him in Shujin's uniform, but - like his presence in Leblanc - Lynn would eventually get used to it.
"'Sup. Everything ok with Ishida, still?"
He nodded. "We're planning on opening back up this Monday. This time, Kimiko will not bow to the insidious greed of those fiends." Though his expression remained gentle, his eyes froze over with frigid determination. "The Inoshishi will fall under our strength."
"You bet."
"Morning!" Ann happily chirped, sitting in her seat. Lynn gave her a wry smirk, which the girl returned.
"Hmmm… intriguing…" Yusuke muttered under his breath. Within seconds, his sketchbook was open to a fresh page and he was scribbling down sketches at lightning speed. Something clearly caught his attention.
As the rest of the students trickled in, a few of the girls surrounded Yusuke, cooing at his drawings. The boy seemed quite unfazed by the attention.
"Hey, Kitagawa! You're so talented. Maybe… you could draw me sometime? Maybe over coffee?" One girl played with a strand of her hair, straight to shameless flirting. Yusuke didn't respond as he continued his sketching.
"Sada! Don't be gross! He'd much rather draw me! Right, Kitagawa?" Another girl scowled.
"No! Me! Do me!" Another, airheaded girl interjected. She chuckled and leant against Yusuke's back. Intentionally pushing her chest against him.
"Ugh… Mei, you're smothering him with those overdeveloped bags of yours!" The first girl grumbled. She folded her arms as the girl clinging to Yusuke's back looked like a lost puppy. She tilted her head, but jumped back when she felt Yusuke sigh.
He looked up to the first girl that tried flirting with him. His eyes narrowed and an icy spear lanced through her soul.
"I'm sorry, ladies, but I only wish to capture true beauty."
Both Ann and Lynn winced at his words. "Ow… that's cold." Lynn muttered with a smirk.
Two of the girls stepped back in shock. The third - Mei - didn't appear to pick up on the subtle insult. Sada and the unnamed girl scowled, grabbed both of Mei's wrists and dragged her away. All the while, Mei was letting out a confused whine.
Thankfully, the rest of the school day went by without incident.
"We have a bunch of ground to cover," Morgana said, leaning against Lynn's shoulder, "We should split up, right, Rin?"
Lynn nodded.
Now that everyone was present and accounted for, it was time to ask around Shibuya. Much like any other day, the district was packed with bustling activity. Narrowing down their investigation was going to be tough. "Does everyone have their radios set up?" Lynn asked. She tapped the ear piece and tested the audio.
"I think so!" Ryuji's voice echoed through the walkway and blasted into Lynn's ear.
"Yep… definitely working. Ow…" She turned the earpiece down a few notches. Granted, it was her own fault for testing it when Ryuji was standing directly in front of her.
With that taken care of, the group separated.
Shibuya's main street ran before Lynn. She huffed and gave the immediate area a thorough scan. Namely, she looked for any groups idly standing around.
She saw a couple of Police Officers standing at the mouth of an alley. The younger of the two looked like he was moaning about something. Much to the older officer's chagrin. They occasionally cast a glance over the comings and goings of the crowd, but other than that, they didn't seem particularly worthy of approaching. Not that Lynn wanted to anyway.
Some students were gawking at the window display of the DVD store. However, they were very much on the main street. It was doubtful anyone shady would risk approaching them. Especially in full view of the police.
Her eyes then locked with a familiar red. It was the President.
"What are you doing here, Niijima?" Lynn's eyes narrowed as she approached. The girl smiled in such a way that it began to piss Lynn off.
"How is your investigation going?"
"I told you not to interfere." With that, Lynn scowled and walked off without another word.
"Rin… you didn't have to be so harsh… she looks really sad." Morgana whispered. Lynn didn't bother looking back.
"She cast herself as our enemy. I'm just playing the part."
She tried ignoring the creeping guilt as she walked. "I guess you're ri- oh, look over there, those guys look shady!" Morgana made a motion toward the alley leading to Untouchable. Two students were talking to two garishly dressed adults. One holding a stainless steel briefcase.
She approached the vending machine just across the alley and carefully listened in. She bought a bottle of water in hopes of masking her eavesdropping.
"I tell ya' kid! Deals like this don't come often!" The man wearing a letterman jacket boasted. His partner, a shorter, plumper man nodded in agreement.
"We accidentally ordered way too much stock. Our boss would kill us if we went back with so much unsold merch." The two students looked uneasy. They glanced at one another, trying to have a silent conversation. One student looked more interested than the other, so the two men zoned in on him.
"We have a bunch of top brand names! This stuff usually goes for hundreds of thousands. But we're offerin' 'em for real cheap! Come on!"
The plump man turned to look toward Lynn. "Hey, kid, maybe you're interested? We have an amazing selection of jewellery you might be interested in?" This didn't seem relevant to what she was looking for. Just some salesmen either covering their stock mistake or shilling fake products. Either way, Lynn shook her head.
"Not interested, sorry."
The plump man shrugged. "That's a shame."
Lynn quickly moved on. Now that she was in this particular alley, however, she thought about asking Iwai. Then again, he had already said he didn't know anything about the Inoshishi anymore.
It was doubtful he would magically remember something.
Then something - or rather someone - caught her eye. A ragged looking man. Grime clung to his wrinkled, leathery skin and his clothes looked ripped and sun-faded. Homeless. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "Can I help you, Missy?"
"Maybe. I'm looking for a part time job!"
That earned a hoarse laugh. Which developed into a coughing fit. Lynn quickly knelt beside him and patted his back. She fished out the bottle of water she had just bought from her bag and handed it to him. The man gratefully took it and downed the entire thing in a single go. It was actually impressive. "Thanks, kid." He muttered and handed back the empty bottle. "Pretty weird askin' someone like me for a part time job. Sorry, can't help you. I'm new to Shibuya. Got kicked out of my last spot in Shinjuku. Only know one guy around here."
"Oh? Is he around?" Lynn tilted her head. The homeless man narrowed his eyes. A tense moment passed before he shrugged.
"You're a good kid." He chuckled. "Weird… but good. I think he went off somewhere near the station. Probably tryin' his luck at those damn lotto kiosks."
"Thank you, sir." She smiled, pulled a few yen bills from her wallet and gently placed them in his hand. "Go get some food, alright? I recommend the Diner just down the street." Without another word, and without letting the man respond, Lynn left. She headed back down the street toward the station. Notably, Makoto wasn't anywhere in sight.
Though that didn't last long.
The moment Lynn stepped foot in the station square, she locked eyes with the President's. Again.
"Keeping an eye on us? Didn't I make myself clear earlier?"
The sharpness in Lynn's tone cracked Makoto's facade. Though only very slightly. The girl tried hiding it with a neutral smile. "Yes, you did. Are you making any progress?"
"If you must know, I'm looking for a homeless guy."
"Huh…" Makoto paused at that and took a second to think. "That's actually a pretty good idea. Most people ignore the homeless, so of course they'd know a lot of things they shouldn't." That was exactly Lynn's thinking. Though having Makoto explain it back to her pricked at her nerves. She needed to calm down. "I think I saw a poor fellow inside the station. He was hanging around a maintenance closet, maybe that's where he lives?"
"Thanks…" Lynn left Makoto behind.
Once again, Morgana felt the need to give his two cents. "You know… isn't this exactly like Yusuke? He started as our enemy, but look where he is now."
"I know." She huffed. Of course she knew. The comparisons were too big to ignore. Both felt the need to blackmail the Thieves, but both were under the thumbs of oppressors. "But like I said before, she's playing the villain, so I'm playing my role."
"Is that really it, though? Rin, we both know there's more to it."
"Can we talk about this later? We still haven't made any progress!"
Morgana fell silent. He retreated back into Lynn's bag. It left a foul taste in her mouth. She hated feeling like this.
Still, she shook it off and approached the homeless person Makoto had mentioned. The alcove leading to a maintenance area was small, cut off from the main foot traffic and most of all, dry. A torn sleeping bag lay rolled up, shoved into the corner. Next to it, there was a grimey looking rucksack. Then, the man himself. Wild hair mottled with dirt. A bushy beard left ungroomed. His tired eyes told countless stories of hardship.
"Excuse me, I was wondering about a part time job."
"A job?" He narrowed his eyes and gazed deep into Lynn's soul. "You ain't askin' for no regular job ain't ya? A word of advice, kid; don't even think about it. Those bastards'll drain ya dry then throw you in the trash."
He knew something after all.
"Oh, I didn't know…" Lynn lied. If the man saw through it, he didn't bother to call her out. He shrugged and let out a grunt.
His leg twitched and not so subtly knocked against a tin can. A few loose coins inside jingled against each other. She nodded in understanding and casually placed a few bills in the can. The man chuckled. "You're a good kid. I'll tell ya how to tell those bastards apart. Listen up 'cause I'm only sayin' it once. They talk to each other usin' weird code phrases. They make it sound like everyday, mundane chatter. It's how they avoid the cops and mark their targets. You hear guys talkin' weird like that; you walk to the nearest crowd of people."
"Thanks, I'll stay away from them. I promise." The lie slipped through her lips naturally. She couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt. Back outside in the station square, she tapped the piece in her ear. "Any progress?"
Ryuji was the first to respond. "I overheard some dudes talk about a meetin'. Sounded shady to me. I'll take a look."
Next was Ann. "I saw some men near the Hachiko statue advertising a job aimed at young girls. It may be worth looking into."
"Be careful, Ann. That sounds dangerous!" Said Shiho. "As for me, I saw some police officers talking to a group of weirdly dressed adults."
"I don't know if this is relevant," Yusuke hummed over the radio, "but I see a group of men talking about it snowing tomorrow and that their tomato delivery is late." That one caught Lynn's attention. The other tidbits from the other Thieves certainly sounded interesting, but Yusuke's was the only one that matched the profile.
"What the hell? Yusuke, that's useless!" Ryuji chuckled.
"Where are these men, Yusuke?" Lynn asked.
"Just outside that pay-per-visit gym."
"Wait, for real? Rin, you know somethin'?"
"Yeah, our targets talk in code. It's how they avoid suspicion from the police. Everyone, keep on the lookout for more groups talking like that."
Each Thief gave a hearty 'right!' before the comms went silent once more.
"Let's not waste any time! Even if we do manage to get a name today, we still need to actually investigate the Palace for its Treasure." Morgana - once again - chimed in. Lynn nodded. They were on a tight leash and with each passing second, it was getting tighter.
The thought of forcing Makoto into silence had crossed her mind, but if they did that, it'd make them no better than the people the Thieves would target. Plus, Lynn doubted it'd even be possible.
Makoto was just that kind of person.
Before long, Lynn had arrived at the alley leading to the gym. She made it about half way down when a familiar voice called out to her from behind. She turned to see Makoto approaching as if they were close friends. "Amamiya. Have you found anything?" Lynn was about to retort with some meaningless vitriol when a shadow cast itself over the alley. A man outfitted with clothes that screamed 'I'm a yakuza!'
"Hey, ladies! Do I have an opportunity for you!"
"Huh… it turns out we didn't need to look so hard." Makoto muttered under her breath. The thug ignored it and let a sleazy grin cross his face.
"I have a job. Real easy! A little… delivery job. The pay is through the roof! You're high school students, right? Don't you want to earn a little cash?"
"A delivery job, you say? Delivering illicit materials perhaps?" Ice ran through Lynn's blood as Makoto made her query. What the hell was she thinking!? Lynn shot her a baleful glare as if she was trying to slice out her vocal chords with her gaze alone. However, the president either didn't pick up on it or simply ignored it. Either way, Lynn's chest might as well have been a war drum with how her heart thumped.
"Ha! Funny girl. Real funny." The thug seemed to have brushed it off for now.
"So wh-"
"I see you didn't answer my question." Makoto cut Lynn off just as she was about to try and salvage the situation. She gawked at the president like a fish.
"What's with you, huh? Asking all these weird questions!?"
"If you won't answer, then maybe we can talk to your boss instead?" This girl was suicidal. That had to be it. The thug glared into Makoto's eyes and moved closer. He got within an inch of her face and let out a low sneer. "You could use a breath mint…" That did it. The man wound back a fist and threw a haymaker.
Only for the blow to be stopped in its tracks. Instead of hitting Makoto, the fist instead made contact with Lynn's forehead.
Her vision blurred for a fraction of a second.
The thug's fist remained pushing against her forehead, however, she pushed back. Her lips curled into a feral grin and silver eyes pierced from beneath shimmering glasses. "Assault on a minor? Tut tut." Lynn became a stalwart barrier between the thug and Makoto who gasped in shock. "Maybe the police would like to know about this. Or perhaps I should talk to them about the Inoshishi."
The colour in the thug's face drained at the mention of the word.
He retracted his fist and backed away. Only for a sneer to replace his shock. "If you know that name then you're already dead. Screw this, you kids ain't worth it." He turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving the two girls.
Thunk
Lynn dropped to her knees and held both hands to her forehead, rubbing the spot where the thug hit her. "Ow…" She let out a quiet moan.
"Amamiya… y-you didn't have to…"
"What in the ever-loving fuck were you thinking, Niijima!?" Quick as a cat, Lynn sprang to her feet and drew close to Makoto's face just as the thug had done. The president froze like a deer in headlights. Anger sparked from Lynn's silver gaze. "Do you have any idea how stupid that was? These guys are Yakuza. And you tried to interrogate one of them!?" From her bag, she glimpsed the worried expression on Morgana's feline features. It calmed her just enough to back away from the terrified president.
"I… just wanted to help. I thought… maybe he would say something incriminating."
As if letting the hot air escape, Lynn exhaled and let herself loosen her tensed shoulders. "I told you to not interfere with this investigation. Not only because we don't want you getting in the way, but for your own damn safety."
Makoto didn't seem to know what to do. She fell silent and hung her head. It allowed her hair to mask her face somewhat.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm the one blackmailing you, yet you're still worried about my wellbeing."
Just as Lynn was starting to soften her tone, the comms crackled to life with Shiho's voice. "It's getting a little late. Should we meet up somewhere and talk about everything?"
"I don't think that's a good idea right now. Someone put more heat on us than necessary. Let's wait for things to cool off for now." Lynn eyed Makoto as she responded. The finger against her ear seemed to clue the president into the radio. She actually looked impressed. Though Lynn's pointed comment earned a strained gasp of guilt. "I'll fill everyone in later."
She grumbled, picked her bag up and dragged Makoto back into the main street. There, she left the president and made for the station.
"Ah, you're back." The tingle of Leblanc's bell sent a wave of comfort over Lynn's mind.
The safety and warmth the cafe offered was quite welcome. "I smell something new." She sniffed the air and looked toward the various jars of coffee beans. "New beans?" Sojiro's lips curled into an impressed grin. He nodded and tapped a finger against one of the fuller jars. With a huff of pride, Sojiro squared his shoulders and adopted his usual tone when talking shop.
"It's Guatemalan Antigua Los Volcanes. A naturally fruity bean with a gentle flavour profile that has a smooth chocolate undertone. I've been looking for a good supplier for a while now and finally fou-" The bell tingled once again. Immediately, Sojiro's entire presence darkened. He scowled. "What the hell do you want?"
Behind Lynn was an unassuming man. Nothing about him set any sort of alarms off in Lynn's head.
Yet, the sheer disgust etched into Sojiro's face gave Lynn a sinking feeling.
The man frowned and glared directly at Sojiro, all but ignoring Lynn. "Is that how you treat all your customers? Come on, we're practically family! I'll take a house blend. Hold the cream." Though his physical appearance was unassuming, his tone was laced with a cocky 'holier-than-thou' tone that made Lynn's teeth itch. He regarded Sojiro as though one would regard an ant.
"Not happening. Get out before I call the cops."
"I haven't done anything. I just came by to have a chat! You know… about her." The weight in that last word felt strange. It looked to metaphorically slap Sojiro in the face.
"I know damn well what you want and it isn't happening." Sojiro snarled. For a brief moment, his expression softened as he turned to Lynn. "Rin, go upstairs." The order didn't have any anger to it, but it was stern and very adamant.
"Huh, what street corner did you scrape this one off? She's a little young for you, isn't she?"
"She has a name." Lynn snarled and tightened her grip on the strap of her bag. "Boss asked you to leave. Nicely."
"Rin!" Hissed Sojiro.
The man huffed, shrugged and stormed out of the cafe without another word.
Sojiro let out a long, tired exhale.
"Who… was that?" Lynn tried to stifle her curiosity, but it was just too much. A pang of guilt tugged at her chest when Sojiro deflated like a balloon.
"No one important. Go on, get to bed, Kid."
"Hey, that's my line!" Morgana muttered, still in the safety of Lynn's bag.
Upstairs, Lynn slouched on her bed and flipped on some random channel. She didn't pay much attention to the TV. It was just noise.
"My forehead feels like it's splitting open." She muttered. Morgana hopped up onto the bed, lightly stepped over and rested himself on Lynn's belly. "That girl's supposed to be a genius… yet she's as dumb as a bag of rocks."
"She might have gone about it the wrong way… but she did have the right idea." Morgana replied with a yawn. His tail idly flicked and tapped against Lynn's side. She shrugged and lazily scratched the back of Morgana's head. His purring was a small comfort. "Are you alright? You've been really… jumpy recently."
"I have?"
Granted, looking back at the past few days, her actions had been quite impulsive. Perhaps a certain Mercenary was rubbing off on her more than she realised.
"Every time someone calls you 'cute' you get this scary look in your eye. Like… you want nothing more than to murder something."
"I did say I'd explain that, huh…" She sighed and lolled her head on her pillow. "When I was living in England, I was pretty heavily bullied for liking 'boy' things. It got so bad, I actually had to switch schools more than once. I guess the word 'cute' just kind of became an insult. So now, whenever someone calls me cute, it gets to me."
"Oh… I see…" Morgana furrowed his brow and adopted an unreadable expression. Doubt bubbled in her throat. Was he judging her?
However, before she could respond, her phone trilled its cheery ringtone.
It was an unknown number. Ready to hang up the second it turned into a sales call, Lynn was caught off guard when it was Makoto's voice coming through the speaker.
"Hello, Amamiya. I just wanted to apologise and thank you for earlier today. You put yourself in harm's way because of my mistake."
Confusion forced her to pause for a moment. She never gave Makoto her phone number. "How did you get my number? I don't remember giving it to you." Perhaps that was a little too accusing. For a few moments, Makoto didn't answer. Eventually, she sighed.
"I… dug it up from your student records. Sorry. It's a bit scummy apologising after the fact, but I just couldn't leave things as they were."
"You could make it up to me by calling this damn blackmail off."
"... I can't do that, Amamiya. I'm sorry but I have my own reasons. As do you."
It was at least worth a shot. "Fine. You'll get your results when we figure out his name. Try not to get in our way again. I doubt my head can take another beating." The comment forced Makoto to take a sharp intake of breath. The line was silent for another second.
"I really do appreciate your concern. I'll let you get some rest. Good night."
Before Lynn could respond, the line went dead. She grunted and let the phone fall onto the sheets of her bed. "I can't even comprehend that girl…"
Morgana lightly tapped a paw against the phone, pushing it closer to the edge of the bed. "Well, we already know she's not exactly doing everything willingly. What was his name… Kobayakawa?" Lynn nodded in confirmation, "he seems unusually interested in our case. We have Niijima to both blame and thank, honestly. It's her uncertainty that's stopping her from turning us in."
"Funnily enough, the guy has a Seedling in Mementos. I've already checked the Nav. We just don't really have the time to deal with it."
Just as the phone began to teeter on the edge, Lynn picked it up, earning her a quiet gasp of surprise. It was getting late. She huffed, took off her glasses and flipped the TV off. "Alright, Rin, try to stay asleep this time. Don't think I don't notice you getting up in the middle of the night."
Easier said than done. But she would at least make the attempt.
"Ah. Trickster, you have arrived." The familiar, deep voice forced Lynn into consciousness.
Or rather, maybe not.
The Velvet Room hadn't changed at all. The quiet dripping in the distance. The faint jingling of chains. The damp smell of the cell. She growled and got to her feet. The hard stone slab that served as a bed caused all manners of aches and pains. Around her ankle, the shackle chafed her skin.
Even if this was just a dream realm, all the discomfort was definitely real.
"What is it this time?" She muttered. A baton slammed against the bars of her cell. The clang echoed in the small chamber, amplifying it to a deafening boom. It was Caroline, of course. The sound grated on her teeth. "Alright, sorry…"
"Quiet, Inmate! Our Master wishes to speak with you!" The pint-sized warden glowered at her with disdain.
Usually, Lynn found the twins to be endearing in a strange way. She didn't mind their harsh treatment. However, tonight, it was different. Annoyance took root in her chest as she walked toward the cell door. "Just get on with it. I'm tired." Caroline was about to start yelling again. Justine's indignant expression tightened as Igor raised a hand. The motion stopped Caroline in her tracks and she immediately stood to attention.
"Trickster, you have been working diligently, however, your Rehabilitation has hit a state of stagnation. Your bout with the Lover has proved as much. You rely too much on Arsene's power. Although incredibly potent, even he has his limits. You must push beyond and embrace your potential as the Trickster."
"What are you saying?"
"Perhaps it is time for you to move on from your beginnings. You must sacrifice your other self and give rise to new power."
Sacrifice Arsene? The thought disgusted her. Deep within her soul, she could feel him. His voice a distant whisper. [I will always be a part of you. I may disappear, but I will return when your destiny converges on its finality.] It was adamant, yet filled with grief. A lonely sadness. He had been with her since the beginning. Sacrificing him now just felt wrong. Like it was some sort of betrayal.
"No." Lynn muttered. Barely louder than a whisper.
Caroline scowled. "What was that, Inmate!?"
"I said no." Louder and more certain, this time, Lynn glared at Igor. The ever-present grin on his face widened a fraction. Knotting his fingers together, he chuckled.
"I see. You still resist your potential." The grin only grew wider. It almost looked sinister. "If you do not embrace your power, Ruin will be all but assured."
"You keep saying that, but you still haven't told me what this 'Ruin' even is! Why are you suddenly trying to take Arsene away from me?" A pool of anger pushed down in her gut. Igor spoke like it was only natural. Like it was as easy as breathing to kill bits of herself and mash them together.
Figures faded into existence above Igor. Ghostly and surrounded in wisps of azure light.
They were each of the Personas currently under Lynn's control. Barring Arsene.
Shiki-Ouiji.
Ame-no-Uzume.
Koppa Tengu.
Eligor.
They floated, silent as a grave. Each one glared down at Lynn as if they were judging her. It cast a strange pressure over her. Suffocating and guilt inducing. Had she really become so weak that the fragments of her own soul held her with such disdain?
Her heart thumped.
However, she remained true to her decision.
"You dare deny our Master's advice? I should have you thrown in solitary confinement for that insolence!" Caroline scowled.
"How uncouth. Such a waste of potential." Justine turned to study the clipboard. She lost all interest in Lynn. Much like usual.
"You're all wasting your time! Now, if that's all you wanted, good bye." She turned and faced the inner wall of her cell. Its blank, cold concrete was far more inviting than the glares of her Personas. One by one, the forms of those Personas faded back into oblivion. The last thing Lynn heard was a deep, rumbling laugh. Amused, yet resigned at the same time. Disappointed, even.
The next thing she knew, she was sitting bolt upright in a familiar attic.
Morgana gently purred in his sleep beside her. Undisturbed by her sudden movement. She checked her phone - which was oddly on the floor, upside down. "2 AM? Damn it…"
It looked like Lynn wouldn't be able to fulfil Morgana's request.
Decaf coffee awaited.
Friday - June 17th
"So, let's go over what we have so far." Morgana's tail gently swished as he perched himself on the table.
The karaoke room was a bit cramped, but it was also private. The music they queued up covered their conversation from any would-be eavesdroppers. Ryuji gulped his soda and shifted on the bench. "I got nothin'. My lead just turned out to be some sales deal for a boutique. Borin' as hell. Not what we were lookin' for."
"Yeah, same for me. My lead just turned out to be a modelling gig. Not the agency I work for, though." Ann looked annoyed. If it had been her agency, would she have taken the job? Or at least consider it? No matter. It didn't fit anything they had heard so far, so it was safe to discount it.
Shiho's brow furrowed. Judging by that look, she hadn't had any luck either. "The police I saw turned out to be reprimanding those adults. I think they were being rude in the arcade. I didn't really stick around long enough to get the full picture."
"Rin, you were the one to follow up on my lead. You sounded rather agitated when you checked in over the radio."
Lynn exhaled as her forehead twinged. "Niijima and I were approached by an Inoshishi thug. I might have been able to get something from him, but Niijima decided to play detective." She frowned. The girl's heart was in the right place, sure. Lynn couldn't really fault her for wanting to help. "Things almost turned violent but I handled it. Barely."
"Damn it…" Ann scowled into her soda, "we told her to stay out of it…"
"She's desperate." Lynn furrowed her brow. She felt herself get carried away by the upbeat music playing over the speakers. Half of her thoughts were stuck on her encounter with Igor last night.
He almost seemed desperate too.
Although he was a lot better at hiding it.
She looked down into the lightly fizzing pool of black in her glass. She could almost see Arsene staring back at her.
"Hey, Rin, you ok?" Ryuji's concern snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Oh, sorry. Just lost in thought." She sipped her cola and frowned. "What's our next move?"
Ryuji, Ann, Shiho and Yusuke fell silent. Completely stumped. It was Morgana that appeared to take the lead. "V was investigating the Inoshishi before they went back to Night City. She had a partner… what was her name? Ugh… a journalist…"
"Ichiko Ohya?" Morgana's ears perked up at Lynn's guess. He nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! I think we met her outside of Madarame's atelier that one time. Maybe she knows something?"
"It's worth a shot. She usually hangs out in Shinjuku, right? I've been there with the V Team once." Lynn remembered the rather morose birthday celebration. Where she learned a few bits of V's past. "I… don't think it's a good idea for all of us to go. Hmm… Ryuji, want to tag along?" Her question startled the boy mid gulp. Briefly choking, he managed to keep himself from coating Yusuke in soda for a third time.
"To Shinjuku!? Are… we even allowed to go there?"
"Since when are you worried about what you are and aren't allowed to do?" Shiho smirked.
"What was that!?" The two locked eyes in a silent battle. Shiho's smirk remained unchanged. The frown on Ryuji's jaw slowly reversed and matched Shiho's. "I'll tag along, alright, Rin. I ain't scared of Shinjuku!"
"Riiiight. So why are you shaking?" Shiho's smirk only grew wider.
"He's terrified!" Morgana joined in on the teasing. Both Ann and Lynn rolled their eyes, but couldn't help but share a fond grin. Yusuke, meanwhile, allowed himself to simply enjoy the company. His subtle smile was barely visible, but it gave his cold eyes a spark of joy.
With their next move planned out, the conversation turned to mundane chatter, as well as actually using the room for its intended purpose.
Everyone was completely mesmerised by a duet performed by Yusuke and Shiho. As if the two had cast an enchantment with their mixing vocals. Lynn managed to record a small snippet, and although Shiho was a little embarrassed, she let her keep it.
Once their time was up, everyone save Ryuji and Lynn separated and went home.
Ann and Shiho lived in the same apartment building, whereas Yusuke headed toward Ishida's shop.
"Alright, Ryuji, let's go get wasted in a shady club filled with dubious characters."
"D-don't… say that crap, Rin…"
"Oh! Well if it isn't V's friend! And, what's this? Another new face?" Lala Escargot beamed as Lynn walked through the door to Crossroads. Ryuji wasn't far behind her.
With a clear destination already in mind, their walk through Shinjuku was relatively short. They did have an encounter with two hilarious gentlemen. At first, Ryuji was terrified, but within minutes, he was laughing along and joining in with the chaos the couple thrived in. It was their anniversary and they were in full celebration mode. Still, once they had their fun, they let Lynn and Ryuji go, giving Ryuji a small rainbow pin.
A pin that he was surprisingly wearing proudly on his T-Shirt.
The boy perked his brow when he looked at Lala. He then smiled. "Hey! You know V? Awesome! I'm Ryuji Sakamoto."
"A pleasure, darling. I'm Lala Escargot. Though, everyone just calls me Lala." Lala's smile remained for a few moments before it faded into something like concern. She eyed Lynn and Ryuji. "Not to be rude, but the two of you are a little young for my little establishment. What brought you here, I wonder."
A voice called out from further into the bar. A booth near the back. "I think they're here for me! Send them over, would you, Lala? I'll take another Vincent Garcia, too!"
Lala rolled her eyes. She grinned at Lynn and began to mix up a cocktail. The same one V had ordered when they came here for the first time. "You know… she might still have a problem, but she's getting better. This is only her third one tonight!" By the amount of liquor that Lala was putting into the drink, Lynn found it hard to believe that three was considered an improvement. "Be a darling and take this with you? Would you two like anything? Soda? Water?"
"A whiskey on the rocks!" Lynn smirked. Though she chuckled when Lala gave her an incredulous look. "Just a coke, thanks."
"Same." Ryuji added.
Within seconds, Lala poured their drinks and they were standing on the opposite side of a table from Ohya. Folders and papers surrounded her in stacks. A notebook was splayed out with hundreds of illegible scribbles on its pages. She was also typing up a storm on a laptop directly next to her.
She looked up, saw the cocktail in Lynn's hand and smiled brightly. "Ooooh! Gimmie gimmie!"
Once Lynn placed the drink down, she and Ryuji took a seat further along the booth's bench. "So, kiddos! What might Aunty Ohya do for you?" She sniggered and sipped her drink. The papers and folders around her were all but forgotten about.
"You're working with V, right? Looking into the Inoshishi?" Lynn got straight to the point.
The playful glint in Ohya's eyes sharpened and her grin took on a crooked, mischievous vibe. She nodded slowly, resting her chin on her hand. "That I have. Where is she, anyway? I've been trying to call her."
"Out of town. I'm here on her behalf."
"Oh really? Interesting." Her grin twitched a fraction. Her sharp eyes turned to Ryuji. Immediately, the boy broke out in a cold sweat. "I don't think I've seen you before. Oh wait… haven't we met somewhere?"
"Outside the old asshole's shack." Ryuji muttered.
"Old asshole's sh… oh!" Ohya clapped her hands and laughed. "Man, that was a while ago! So, you're friends with V too?"
"You got it!"
"So, what do you kids want to know?"
Lynn tried to pierce through any hidden malice. Something about Ohya didn't sit right with her. The last time Lynn saw her, the journalist was a complete mess. Now, she was alert and very clearly revelling in Ryuji's discomfort.
However, after a moment of careful study, Lynn didn't sense any malice or ulterior motive. Ohya was simply amused but ultimately willing to pass on the information.
"We need to know the name of the Inoshishi's boss."
It seemed Ohya was performing an analysis of her own. Piercing eyes bore into Lynn's soul, looking at her from head to toe.
"What's in it for me?"
Lynn felt her own lips crawl into a grin. Ohya was acting like a shark, bartering with its prey. However, it quickly became apparent Lynn could also become the predator. "An exclusive interview with the leader of the Phantom Thieves."
With Yusuke not around, it was Lynn who suffered a shower of carbonated mist. Ryuji shot her a wide eyed look, cola trickling from his nose and mouth. She chose to ignore it. She locked eyes with Ohya and forced herself not to react to the sticky mess clinging to her hair.
"Junya Kaneshiro."