"So… I'm a Persona user?" Missy asked.

"Yep," Shinji replied.

"I'm not really a Cape. Or at least a traditional one. We get our powers differently?"

"Also yes."

Well… when Shinji said he had something to talk with her about Missy had expected a long and interesting conversation. Somehow it still blew her expectations out of the water. There were so many things that she had to process right now.

"And you're also a Persona User like me and Minako?"

"You and Minako are a bit different. You can have multiple Personas."

Missy's eyes widened. "Does that mean I can summon someone other than Theia? Not that she isn't cool already."

"Yep you aren't stuck with one like I am or most other Persona users. Still that doesn't make you much better than them. Having too many Personas you're bouncing between can be worse than a user that stuck to a single Personna that they've learned the in and outs of. You're going to have to put in some real effort if you're going to make the most of your abilities."

"And that's why we're driving to… wherever we're going?" Missy asked as she looked outside the car window. Technically she wasn't supposed to sit in the front seat until she was 13, but Shinji didn't really care about dumb laws like that as long as she wore a seatbelt. The front seat was cool, nice and roomy. Good view of everything around her too.

"Abandoned warehouse. Tough walls, out of the way. Been sitting there for a while since the shipping industry went under here," Shinji replied as he suddenly turned into a nearby alleyway and began to park the car. "Stick with me. Not a lot of people around this time of day but don't want to take any chances."

They walked toward a dilapidated looking building where a gruff looking man was already waiting. Shinji and the man nodded at each other in greeting, shook hands during which Shinji handed something off to him, and soon the man walked away.

"Dockworkers," Shinji explained as they stepped inside. "Knows the building and let me use it with a little bribe. Territorial and they know how to keep to themselves. We'll have privacy here."

"So I'm just going to practice using my Persona here?" Missy asked as she looked around the building. It was clearly abandoned. Devoid of life and littered with steel pipes, scrap, and other such objects. There was still plenty of space all around them though.

"You're going to spar with your Persona," Shinji replied before he reached into his coat and pulled out a familiar looking gun.

Missy's eyes widened and her hand fumbled as she tried to pull her Evoker out of its holster. It took two tries before she was able to pull it out and put it against the side of her head. "The-" She froze, interrupted by the giant metal spike pointed at her chest. A spike attached to a fricken metal unicorn ridden by an armored skull faced dude with long flowing hair. If she wasn't staring death in the face she would've thought that that Persona was goddamn metal.

"Slow. Didn't even pull the trigger before Castor gored you or some thug with a real gun shot you in the stomach." Castor moved back, maintaining its vigil near Shinji. "Some Personas like Castor can strengthen your body. Make it so that you can move better and take a few hits, but only when they're summoned. Otherwise, you're as vulnerable as any other non-Cape."

His persona disappeared and he stowed his evoker into his coat. "First lesson is speed. Doesn't matter how strong or how many Personas you have if you don't summon them fast enough. You're going to learn to draw like cowboys in Westerns. Second lesson is movement. Before and after your Persona is summoned, you're not going to be standing there like an idiot."

Missy exhaled before holstering her Evoker.

Shinji pulled out his phone and set it to a random timer. He then set it down to the side before taking a position at the opposite side of the warehouse. "Arms to the side. Draw on the alarm."

She did as instructed and focused as she waited for the sound. Sweat dropped out from her forehead but she didn't risk wiping it, even as a drop fell into her eye.

This time she would be ready.

*Ring*

She didn't fumble this time. In one smooth movement she pulled out her Evoker, lifted it into the air, and-

"Castor!"

Missy froze as Castor towered over her once again stopping her moving an inch. The Persona didn't even need to do anything but stand there menacingly, that was how intimidating it was to face it.

"Again," Shinji commanded.

This was probably going to suck.


It did suck. But a few hours later Missy was starting to get into the groove of it.

"Your Persona isn't very tough. Granted it's very good at keeping people away and its ability to mess with space like that is something rare even for Personas, but it seems to be a one trick pony with its ability," Shinji explained. "Doesn't really have any good ways of actually attacking people either."

Missy had Theia twist a space around a metal pipe into a spring and pointed it at the concrete wall. The spring released and then the pipe fired itself into the wall, burying within it until only half of it remained visible.

"Okay. You can attack," Shinji conceded. "But not directly. You have to be creative about it while making sure to keep it non-lethal if you really wanna go about this Hero business."

"What about Castor?" Missy asked. "Does it do anything?"

Shinji shook his head. "Nah it just takes hits hard and then hits back harder. Brute strength is simple but effective."

Missy could attest to that. Anytime Castor got anywhere close, Theia got absolutely demolished. If someone like Hookwolf was even a fraction as strong when fully transformed into a Giant Metal Wolf, well probably best to delay her revenge on him for the time being.

"Tough people and brutes you have to be very careful with and anyone that's fast you should avoid completely. Theia takes time to do her thing so a speedster or someone with a quicker draw could easily take you two down. Try to get a Persona that's fast or tough to make up for that."

"I don't even know how to get another Persona," Missy replied as she sat on a nearby crate to take a break. "Just that I can apparently."

"You'll probably just randomly pick it up like she did. At least that was what I was told happened the first time around… By the way kid do know what you're going to do?"

"I want to be a Hero."

"Okay how? Are you going to find the closest criminal to punch? Join the Wards or go independent and patrol on your own?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Well figure it out quickly cause your parents are probably going to try and choose for you."

Missy winced. "I think they're too busy fighting again. They probably didn't know I even left the house."

"Probably. Actually, your dad did notice but Minako pointed your mom back at him so that we'd have the time to train."

"That's… kind of evil."

"She's a bit of an evil mastermind. We also have Carol giving them legal advice not to do anything drastic without while they're in talks. Still it might not be enough for especially when the PRT get off their asses and approach them. They're being a bit hands off because New Wave reached out first and you are a sensitive subject, but they've already sent a letter and an email about a meeting. Once they do meet with your parents-"

"Good chance I'll get stuffed into the Wards." She didn't think that sounded bad at all but Shinji on the other hand. "Why don't you like them?"

"Don't really trust the government much, and well not everything I do is legal," Shinji admitted. "And even if they can keep you safe… if you're anything like Minako then they'd just end up limiting you. Stunting your growth."

"Is it that bad?"

"I've already asked around and looked at the Wards Contracts. Way too much oversight. They control everything, the gear you use, your appearance, and what sort of Hero work you do. Chances are they'll just stuff you into a dumb costume and then send you out there to look pretty for the public because of how young you are. PR Patrols basically while the adults do the actual fighting, probably will never get a chance to fight since the Evoker isn't good for PR."

Missy shuddered. That sounded horrible. She didn't mind being pretty, being with Minako had made her appreciate the effort it took to enhance her appearance and the confidence that would bring, but there had to be more to being a Hero than being just that.

"Then there's the issue of your lack of a secret identity," Shinji continued. "Makes things complicated. They could be forced to deal with it since everyone knows who you are by now… but they might still try to keep the illusion. Normally their basic MO once a Hero's identity is compromised is to ship them and their family to another part of the country."

Everything went cold. "No…" Missy whispered. Being sent away with just her parents? Having to leave Minako and Shinji behind!?

"Yea. We figured that's how you feel about that," he shook his head. "Things are getting complicated and I can't guarantee that won't happen but we are trying to prevent it. That's another reason why we're training you. If we can show the public, the PRT, and even your parents that you can handle yourself then it might convince them that hiding and shipping you away isn't necessary. Even if it doesn't, it'll help at least while we try to figure out alternatives."

Missy quickly stood back up, even more determined as ever as she retook her position in the warehouse. She needed to get stronger, and faster than ever.


"Hey." Missy stared at her Evoker as Theia floated around her. The same Evoker that she had taken from Minako's purse. The one that she had never given back, not that either Minako or Shinjiro ever asked. "What does SEES mean?"

"Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. We were a group of Persona users that hunted down monster-like things called Shadows."

Her eyes lit up and she looked at Shinji in excitement. "So you guys were part of a Hero group?"

"Sort of I guess."

"Are any of them still around? Apart from you and Minako?"

"Nah they're… far away. Not sure we can ever meet them again," Shinji replied but didn't clarify any further.

"Oh…" Missy didn't push despite how much she wanted to. She had a feeling that Shinji wouldn't answer and she respected him enough not to pry. Still that didn't stop from reaching elsewhere. "Is it okay if I adopt the name?"

"SEES? You want to form a group?"

"I know it's probably not much of a group with just me… but I could carry it on for you guys. Like an inheritance… if you're okay with it."

Shinji hummed thoughtfully. "We'll get you one of our old armbands. Might as well make the name good for something."

"Nice!" Missy raised her hand so that Theia could give her a high five.

Shinji raised an eye. "Really having fun controlling your Persona?"

"Nah. Theia just does it herself."

"What?"

"Yea Theia kinda has a mind of her mind. Just does whatever she wants…" Missy noticed that Shinji's frown had deepened and that he had become really tense. "Something wrong?"

"When a Persona isn't following their user's commands and doing their own thing, that's usually bad. Really bad."

"Oh… well. Theia never did anything bad to me," Missy replied. "Sometimes she knows that to do better than I do. Only reason why we're sorta able to fight you." Even if Shinji was still 17-0 on their spars… Missy would get her first win eventually.

Shinji stared at her and Theia strangely before grunting and shaking his head. "Just… be careful. Really careful when she does anything you don't want… It's probably just a weird Wild Card thing I guess. Though I don't think Minako's Personas were ever as independent as yours."


After a week of training Minako finally joined them as Shinji led them to another strange looking building. This time it was a small place at the end of the docks, smoke billowing from the makeshift chimney.

Shinji knocked on the door and a man wearing a thick leather apron opened it. "Can we browse?"

The man nodded and led them inside.

"You know a lot of people," Missy commented.

Shinji didn't say anything, not that Missy was really bothered by it once they arrived in front of a wall. Not just any wall, but a wall filled with weapons. So many different weapons. And not guns, but like knives, and swords, and nunchucks. "Woah."

Shinji nodded to the man, who took his cue and left the room. "Personas take a lot out of you mentally so you can't keep fighting with them all the time. Pick a weapon and learn to use it so you defend yourself ."

"Are these real?" Missy asked.

"Yep," Minako replied. "Where I got my newest Naginata from."

"That's an Asian polearm, right? What does Shinji use?"

"Axes, Warhammers, or large pipes. Big weapons mostly."

"Is it safe for me to use one of these?" Missy gestured to the wall.

"If you can handle a Persona you can handle a sword. Just keep the pointy bits away from your body," Shinji replied.

"But Heroes shouldn't kill."

"If it's your life or theirs, pick yours. And there are monsters out there that even the PRT would be fine with you killing. You shouldn't want to use it but if you have to, I want the option to be there. Besides, there are plenty of Capes that handle a stabbing or two."

Like Hookwolf. Not that any of these weapons would be any use if he got close enough for her to actually use them. Still though…

Missy nodded hesitantly before taking the time to look at every weapon on the wall. "What do you guys think I should use?"

"Up to you," Minako replied. "Although you are a bit on the smaller side right so something with more range, like a spear or halberd?"

"Has to be light enough though for her to carry around and small enough to patrol without freaking civilians out while patrolling," Shinji commented. "Nothing with a blade that can't be sheathed then."

Missy looked at her hands, both of them, and began flexing her fingers. "Does it just have to be one weapon?"

"Make sure you can actually hold onto both of them," Shinji looked at Minako. "And don't even think about doing something like dual wielding a pair of broadswords."

Minako rolled eyes. "I experimented one time."

"You almost decapitated Junpei."

"He was asking for it! And he was fine after I said sorry."

"He had always been too nice to you. And protective. Same thing with Aki."

They both frowned and went quiet. Missy decided to let them reminisce as she moved toward the weapon wall. Eventually she grabbed a blade and pulled it from its sheath. A curved single-edged blade with a squared guard. Its handle was long enough to hold with two hands though the blade was still light enough for her to hold it with just one.

"A Katana?" Minako asked.

Missy nodded before sheathing the blade and using the strap to hang it around her waist. Or at least she tried. It fell off the first time she tried and Minako had to help her so that it hung firmly against the left side of her waist. Once that was done Missy went back to the wall and came back with another blade. This one was shorter and didn't even have a guard. Just a plain hilt that was connected to a single curved blade.

"Wakizashi," Minako said as she looked at the blade. "You're going to try dual wielding?"

"It seems like a good idea," Missy replied as she put her second blade away, this one on her back with the hilt resting over her left shoulder. "They're light and small enough to be concealable if I need them to be. Reach isn't too much of an issue either with Theia out and it might be better having multiple blades to strike with while she's messing with space."

"Well… it's better than that longsword Jumpei used to use like a baseball bat."

"He really got into it once he found his confidence," Minako said. "Really developed his own style there."

"Would only ever work for him though," Shinji replied before calling the blacksmith back and paying for the blades Missy had picked.

"Does this mean I'm ready now?" Missy asked as she presented herself to them. Her Evoker and Katana were holstered and hung to her left side, the Wakizashi hanging from her back. Finally on her right arm was her SEES bandana, its insignia bared to the world.

"Like looking into a mirror," Minako replied.

"A twisted mirror," Shinji grunted. "But yea. You're ready"


A/N

Quick training montage and gearing up before really getting into the meat of things.

And yes I indeed gave the Shaker 9 a big knife. Two of them.

MWAHAHAHAHA