Thursday - June 23rd

V frowned, her left eye covered by her hand. As she sat on a public bench just outside of Kanda Municipal Hospital's main entrance, she had split her vision into two.

One half carefully watched people enter and exit the hospital, the other viewed the inside of one of the hospital's rooms. Specifically, the one a particular girl was being held in. Hifumi Togo, recent victim of the Inoshishi's scare tactics. Judy and River had already dug up most of the information regarding the Shogi prodigy's case, so it was V's job to run security until the girl was discharged later today.

Thanks to Lynn hiding a portable Kiroshi in Hifumi's room, V could keep an eye on her. Literally.

Still, as far as gigs went, stake outs were by far V's least favourite. A whole lot of waiting around and not a lot of actual action.

That said, there was one thing that kept V's attention. That was a thuggish individual who would occasionally enter the hospital only to leave after a few minutes. Wearing a thick hoodie with its hood casting a shadow over his features. V first noticed him two days ago. At first, she thought nothing of it. Then, after the third time in a single day he came and went, she made a point to keep tabs on him.

Sure enough, the same man had been doing the same thing every day.

So far, he hadn't caused any commotion, nor was he particularly rude to anyone. It was just that his frequent visits seemed a little suspicious.

It could be nothing.

But it never hurts to be careful. That was why V had Lynn hide the Kiroshi yesterday.

As for other goings on, there wasn't much to report. Hifumi's life wasn't in danger. The stab wound was healing up as expected and the doctors gave the all clear for any other injuries she might have had. That aside, something bugged V. Not a single time had she seen the girl's mother visit. In fact, the only people who entered Hifumi's room were doctors, nurses, two detectives working the stabbing, Lynn and Yusuke. The grief showed on Hifumi's face, too. Even now, a few hours before her discharge, her features tightened in a deep frown.

"Poor kid…" V mumbled under her breath.

Maybe the mother was just scared? What little optimism still lived in V's heart sorely wished that was the case. Of course, cynicism was hard to ignore.

The Kiroshi didn't have any audio, so she couldn't overhear any private conversations. If Hifumi was bitter or angry, she was definitely hiding it well.

Then, that man in the hoodie showed up once again. V let her connection with the Kiroshi go for the time being. Instead, she watched the man make his way through the crowd. Today he seemed more on edge. Usually, he would stride straight toward the hospital with single minded intent. Now, he was looking around, over his shoulder, toward the rooftops. He was looking for a tail. Rather obviously at that.

He drew close to the main entrance of the hospital before suddenly stopping. Frozen like ice, he remained there for a second before turning on his heel and storming off in the other direction.

It might have nothing to do with Hifumi, but what sort of merc would V be if she didn't make sure? So, she activated the hidden Kiroshi's motion detector and disappeared into the crowd. Blending in and moving fluidly. Something had spooked the man, so she made sure to look for whoever or whatever had. For now, she didn't see anyone else suspicious.

After a few minutes of tailing the man, he rounded into a dark alley.

That's when V made herself known.

She kicked a heavy dumpster across the path, blocking his way forward. The thunderous grinding caused him to stagger backward. He looked at V with abject horror before scrambling to run the other way. V's Sandevistan kicked into life and within a blink, she was in his way, grinning like a mad woman. "'Sup asshole," she said, leaning down into his personal space, in true thug fashion.

"W-what do you want? I did what I was told to do! What more do you people want from me!?"

Now that was interesting.

V decided to play into the misunderstanding. Putting her Japanese lessons from River and Lynn to good use, she growled. "Boss is angry. What are you doing?"

The man cowered, sweating buckets at the mere thought of what V hinted at. "You guys made me fucking stab a teenager! I'm making sure I didn't kill the poor girl! What if she died because of me? Now they sent some foreigner dog to spook me?"

"Hey, I resent that remark!" V scoffed, reverting back to English. "Alright, alright, chill. Put the shit back in your pants."

"I don't speak any English so whatever threats you're spitting, I can't understand you!" Credit where it was due; he might have been scared shitless and thought V was in with the Inoshishi, but he still had quite some spunk in him. "Tell your boss I'm done with this shit!"

"I said cool it." Frustrated that her Japanese wasn't better, she quickly typed up a message on her phone, translated so that the thug could read it. "I'm not with the pig, asshole. I'm with the girl you put a knife in." After he read the message, his body briefly relaxed, only to stiffen again. His face went pale and he swallowed one hell of a lump in his throat. His eyes darted around V's features, looking at the lines on her face - her chrome - and the way she held herself. The man was on the verge of shitting himself again.

"I… I didn't want to, I swear! Those thugs… they threatened to kill my wife and kid if I didn't do what they asked! We've hit hard times… I got fired and got hooked on gambling…"

V narrowed her eyes. "Save the fuckin' sob story." She typed up another message and more or less shoved the screen in his face. "Don't give a shit about your life. You aren't with the Inoshishi." A statement, not a question. He frantically nodded his head. The man was scared. Genuinely terrified. He wasn't a gangbanger. Far from it. "Names. Now."

"I don't know any! They never gave them… I promise! Don't hurt me…"

V glared down at him.

Again, he wasn't lying. She had no use for him after all. That said, one question remained. "Why did you run away today?" His face grew even paler as he realised V implied she had been watching him all along. He panicked and began breathing heavily.

"Because I saw one of them in the reception! Please… just let me go…"

"Shit…" she grunted and covered her left eye. The connection to the planted Kiroshi booted up again to reveal the view of Hifumi's room. She was alone still, which was a relief. That was until three people walked into view. Each one was wearing a business suit that screamed 'I'm dangerous.' Hifumi's face went from confused to absolutely terrified in the space of a few seconds. Although there was no audio, V could tell whatever was being said wasn't a friendly wish of good health. "Fuck… you, get the fuck out of my sight." She gestured at the man, who was frozen in terrified confusion. "Fucking… leave!"

Getting the message, he bolted.

Once he was gone, V charged back toward the hospital. Whatever the Inoshishi were planning, V would rather die than screw up a gig.

Keeping one eye connected to the Kiroshi, V dashed through the hospital grounds toward the back of the building.

The men in Hifumi's room weren't making any moves yet, but that could change with a heartbeat. Hifumi herself looked mortified and scared shitless.

Going into the hospital itself and trying to gain entry through normal means would have been far too time consuming. Not to mention risky. It could have tipped off the men and put Hifumi in more danger. Instead, she made her way around to the parking lot, looking up to one window in particular. It was on the second floor, but with V's leg implants, it was a trivial jump.

There was no time to make sure no one was looking. She gathered strength and gave a mighty leap, aiming herself at her target window.

She tucked her arms and legs in and crashed through the glass like a wrecking ball. Just in time to see one of the thugs about to get physical with Hifumi. For a brief second, time ground to a halt. The thugs looked on with surprise in their eyes.

Landing and letting glass shards pelt against her back, V glared at the three men. "Hands off," she growled.

"What the fuck!?" The closest one cried out, reaching into his suit jacket's inner pocket. The second a pistol grip came into view, V was already on him, charging forward and striking him in the stomach with a powerful punch. He doubled over and found his face slamming against V's knee. The force alone sent him down for the count.

The two remaining thugs didn't waste any time. The one who was about to hit Hifumi was quicker on the draw. His pistol was out in a flash and was now pointing at Hifumi's head. He grinned as his partner aimed his own piece at V.

"Who the hell are you!? One more move and the girl gets a new hole."

A quiet yelp of terror from Hifumi served to embolden the two remaining thugs further. V could easily drop both of them in a matter of seconds. Trivial, but she couldn't risk them letting off even a single shot. The glass breaking was loud enough. Instead, V let out a low breath. "Enemy." She growled, staring daggers at the thug holding the girl at gunpoint. "Point that peashooter at me, asshole."

"A foreigner? Hah! Get lost, tourist. This doesn't concern you." Even as the man said that, his partner - the one aiming at V - didn't look nearly as calm.

"She… she just burst in through the window and dropped our third like it was nothing!"

"Your choom's getting it now. You gonna be a gonk or am I going to have to get violent?"

"Get fucked." The man at Hifumi's side spat. So, he did know what she was saying. His accent was thick, but the English was there. "Try it, bitch. This girl's dead meat if you even take a step."

V scoffed at that declaration. She relaxed her posture and grinned. "You sure that's the play? Doubt your boss would be happy to lose a cash cow like her." At her words, the man faltered for a second. His brow furrowed before his snarl returned. He shoved the barrel against Hifumi's temple, earning another terrified yelp. The poor kid was shaking and judging by the dampness of the bedsheets, fear had already taken its tithe in dignity.

"Shut up, bitch! You don't know anything!"

"Junya Kaneshiro." V's grin widened at the site of the two men's faces growing as pale as snow.

In that moment of hesitation, V struck. Like a snake, she lashed out with Monowire and sent a powerful charge of electricity to incapacitate the thug aiming at her. Then she activated her Karenzikov implant. The split second boost of speed allowed her to move quicker than the eye could see. She grabbed the remaining guy, placing her hand over his face then forcing his head into the wall. The hollow thunk from the hard impact was followed by a pained groan. The man went limp and the gun clattered to the floor.

Both men slumped over and the room fell silent.

Not stopping for a moment, V gathered up the three weapons and disarmed them. She then looked out into the hallway outside Hifumi's room. Despite all of the noise and commotion, no one really seemed to have taken notice. Lousy security always worked in her favour. Still, it was a double edged sword.

"Um… Miss?" Hifumi's voice was shaky.

V didn't respond. She instead went about searching the room. Reclaiming the Kiroshi and pocketing it, she continued looking. Moving from cupboard to cabinet, her search was thorough and silent.

"Miss?"

Again, V didn't answer. After another thirty seconds, she finally found what she was looking for. A tiny device fixed to the underside of a shelf. She pulled it free and crushed it betwixt her fingers. A quick scan with her Kiroshis didn't pick anything else up.

"Alright… we're clear." V let out a relieved huff. Dusting off her hands she finally looked at Hifumi who was a complete mess. "You have any clothes?" V asked, looking over the hospital gown. Ah. Maybe she didn't speak English.

"Just… my uniform. But… who… who are you? How did…" Hifumi looked at the window V had crashed through. "How… what…" Her voice grew higher in pitch and V swore she could see steam rise up from her overheating head. It was understandable. V tried giving her a reassuring smile, but honestly, she had no idea what the hell to do now that the immediate threat was over. For now, she decided on the basics.

"I'm your guardian angel. Get dressed, kid. We're leaving." She ordered and began to move the unconscious bodies of the three thugs. She hauled them to the far side of the room and pulled a curtain around them, hiding them from view.

Usually, V would have flatlined them just to be safe. Things were unfortunately different on this side of the Metaverse.

Even this much was bound to kick up more trouble than it was worth.

Hifumi hadn't moved at all. Irritation flared and V snapped. "Move it kid! Do you want more of these fuckers barging in here?" That kicked Hifumi into gear. Scrambling out of her bed as quickly as her wound would allow, she hurried off into the adjacent bathroom to clean off and get changed. As the girl did so, V dialled up a number on her phone.

"What's up, V? Something happen?" Panam asked immediately after picking up.

"Yeah," she sighed, "bastards tried getting to the girl. Had to intervene before shit went south. Real nasty bullshit. You got the ride ready?" Despite only being part of the team for a short time, Panam wasted no time in sourcing rides for use around Tokyo. Relying on public transportation was getting annoying. So far, the Nomad had only managed to buy a single car, and it needed extensive work. V just hoped it was roadworthy by now.

"She'll run. Be there in five." The line went dead and V let out a huff.

In the Thief Group Chat, she thought to let everyone know what had happened. Quickly, she typed up a message and within seconds, responses came rolling in.

[Ann_Pann - Is she ok? That sounds terrifying!]

[Yusuke_Kitagawa - I thank you for your swift intervention, but why would the Inoshishi bother harassing her again?]

[PunchinJudy - Probably a crackdown on their various rackets. Be careful, Yusuke. Kimiko might have some more trouble.]

[Rin_Tin_Lynn - Once Hifumi's safe, we'll meet up. We're making some progress, but not enough.]

[Vee - Right. I'm bringing her to the theatre attic. Pam's got a ride on the way.]

[PunchinJudy - River's with Ohya right now so it's just me and Kerry at the attic. We'll be waiting.]

With that, V stowed her phone and tried smiling when Hifumi returned from the bathroom. Now cleaned up and wearing a school uniform. Though any blood had been washed off, the hole where the knife stabbed her was still there. Nothing a needle and thread couldn't handle. The girl herself looked like she was going to keel over at the slightest breeze.

"How did… you know I was in trouble?" She asked, at least a little less shakily.

"I've been keeping an eye on you," V smirked at the tiny pun, "and so have these assholes. Only, their motives are fuckin' gonk."

"They were talking about how I cost them a lot of money. They said I… uh… forgive my language… pissed off the boss." She muttered, unsure of herself. "I don't remember doing anything wrong."

"You didn't. Long story." V groaned and massaged her forehead. Like it or not, Hifumi was involved now. "We'll explain everything once you're safe. For now… just keep your fucking head down." With that, V went through the process of smuggling the girl out of the hospital. What better way to do that than to simply walk out as if she was supposed to be there. It usually worked and - thankfully - it did this time. Panam was already waiting by the time they left the building.

Hesitating, Hifumi gave the car an odd look.

For all intents and purposes, the ride was a piece of junk. A lot like the average rig that usually passed through Dakota's shop. It would have looked more at home in a scrap yard than the road, yet even with the little time it had been in Panam's care, the engine sounded smooth. Or at least, it wasn't a sputtering mess like the rest of the ride would have one assume.

"She's with me. In." V gestured to the back seat and even opened the door for her.

After another few moments, she climbed into the back seat, silently staring at Panam. The nomad glanced back at her with an awkward smile. "'Sup… uh… Togo, right?" Hifumi nodded, swallowing a lump in her throat.

The ride rocked as V slumped into the front passenger seat. "Y'know, with the scratch Kerry gave, you could have bought something more… reliable?"

Panam scoffed; "I would be able to get the latest Mizutani hot-rod with the scratch he gave me. Best to keep things simple and unassuming. The kid ok? She looks like she is about to pass out." Panam offered another glance toward Hifumi. So did V. The girl was white as snow and looked like she wanted to empty her stomach.

"I'm… fine." Clearly she wasn't, but hell, V gave her respect for trying to tough it out. "Who are you people? Who were those men?"

"One thing at a time, kid…" Panam muttered before setting off. "I'm Panam, that's V. Just V." V gave an awkward hand wave and a smile. "As for those chuckle-fucks? Well, like I said; one thing at a time."

Although visibly unsatisfied with that answer, Hifumi didn't try to press the issue further.

Instead, she remained silent for the rest of the car ride.

"Oh hey! The Shogi girl!" Kerry was the first to greet them upon entering the movie theatre's attic. He smiled brightly and wandered over with a hand held out. To which Hifumi flinched. He stumbled and laughed awkwardly. "Right… sorry, you're probably really fuckin' confused right now."

"Your whole rockerboy look's prolly scarin' her more." Judy lightly bonked Kerry's head with a rolled up wad of paper. She smiled and bowed her head at Hifumi. "'Sup. Hope my big, mean chrome-brain didn't scare you too much." She glanced toward V who chuckled before whistling innocently. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?" The group's lack of tact was obvious. They were all used to dealing with stuff like this and it sometimes blinded them to the very real trauma being held at gunpoint could inflict.

Even still, Hifumi took a few deep breaths and levelled herself out. "I could… use some water."

"Huh… I'd've gone with a stiff tequila." Kerry smirked before wandering off to fetch a glass.

Hifumi looked over the cast of characters before her. Specifically, she studied V with particular scrutiny. "The Knight…" she muttered to herself. Her eyes then peered at Panam. "The Lance…?" She thought for a second on that. She was in her own little world, reminding V of Lynn when she started thinking to herself. V cleared her throat and it jolted the girl out of her head. "Oh, my apologies… may I ask who you people are now?"

"We're chooms with Rin and Yusuke. They asked us to keep you safe while in the hospital." V finally let the truth free. She wanted to wait until everyone was present before she explained, but seeing as Hifumi had now asked a number of times, it was probably best to get started. "There's another one of us, but he's out on another gig. The gonk with all the bling is Kerry and this fine woman is my fiance, Judy." The last part earned a dubious look for a few moments. Then the societal prejudices were shaken off in favour of a relieved smile. At the mere mention of Lynn and Yusuke's names, Hifumi seemed a little less tense.

"I see," she straightened up and gave a deep bow, "I am Hifumi Togo. Thank you for saving me." Polite and thankful. V smirked and nodded her appreciation. "However… who were those men? Also… Rin and Yusuke are somehow involved?"

"We have a lot to get through. Fuck me… I need a drink. Kerry! Beer me!"

"Beer yourself!"

By the time V had finished explaining, Lynn and Yusuke arrived. Their presence reassured Hifumi and for the first time that day, the smile she wore was genuine.

Only until she turned back to V and the others. Her brow furrowed and she fidgeted with her fingers. "If I have this straight; my mother took out loans from a Yakuza gang because of money issues. Then, falling into the gang's trap she was forced into a Shogi fixing scheme where she would rig my matches in order to maximise betting profits. A scheme I unknowingly ruined with a recent tournament I won… thus receiving a punishment?"

"That's basically the gist of it." V nodded in affirmation. She swigged from the beer bottle and allowed Hifumi time to process things. "You got dealt a shitty hand without even seeing the cards. My guess is those assholes decided stabbing you wasn't enough of a punishment. Oh, I found the fucker who did the deed."

"You… didn't kill him, did you?" Lynn asked, worried. It earned her a laugh and a shake of the head.

"He was just some scared gonk being used and blackmailed like everyone else. Looks like most of the dirty work is done by bum-fuck-nobodies. Victims of the rackets. Reminds me of the VDB's. Assholes see anyone on the outside as filthy ranyon."

"Have you said anything about…" Lynn motioned to her face and made the gesture of taking off her glasses. Or rather, the mask they turned into. V shook her head.

"Figured that was your shit to spill."

Lynn pinched her chin as she thought. She regarded Hifumi closely. She then spoke in Japanese "it's probably safer if we let her know the full picture." She glanced at Yusuke who got the message. He let out a frustrated sigh and began to explain everything about the Phantom Thieves and the Metaverse. He told her how the Thieves saved him from both himself and Madarame, and how they were targeting Kaneshiro. To the girl's credit, she was taking everything in stride. Granted, V noted the glassy look in Hifumi's eyes.

She was so overwhelmed, she had grown numb.

With everything laid out and in the open, Hifumi remained silent for quite some time. Morgana, noticing her withdrawn state, emerged from Lynn's bag and gently jumped onto Hifumi's lap, offering a friendly purr.

Shaking hands glided across his fur a few times. Despite his insistence that he wasn't a cat, when it came to situations like this, he was willing to swallow his pride and do what he could. And judging by how Hifumi's hands slowly evened out and her breathing was less shaky, it was working. "I didn't know you had a cat, Rin… he's very sweet." She whispered, scratching behind Morgana's ear.

The not-cat gave a silent, one-eyed glare at Lynn. Warning her to keep the remark on her lips quiet. V smirked as Lynn held back her laugh.

"So… you are targeting this man - Kaneshiro - who is responsible for trapping my mother and having me stabbed?" Everyone nodded. "I think… I would like to help. Not because of my own problems… but this man has his claws at many innocent people's throats. If there's something I can do…" Both Yusuke and Lynn looked at each other. Then down at Morgana. In response, the cat blinked slowly. If he was giving his consent, it was definitely vague.

"You sure that's smart, kid? This shit's dangerous. The Metaverse ain't no joke. Fuck, Rin alone has been impaled, blown up, burned… fuck knows what else." V sternly glared at Hifumi, all casual joking aside, having another teenager get tangled in something like this was going to be a pain.

Sure, V started her life of violence when she was only twelve. However, that wasn't the path she wanted for herself. It was forced upon her and her brother. This was different. Tokyo wasn't Night City. So, if Hifumi wanted to join, V wanted to make damn sure she knew what she was getting into. In spite of the examples V gave, Hifumi held her determination. "I appreciate the concern, but if it really is that dangerous, I wouldn't feel comfortable putting Rin or Yusuke… or anyone in danger partly for my sake. I know helping me is only an added bonus, but I still would never forgive myself if a friend was hurt trying to help."

"Well, I personally don't have any issues with her joining. Makoto might be a great strategist… but when it comes to combat, she's not as well versed. This girl, however, seems like she knows tactics well." Morgana spoke up. V watched as Hifumi gave the cat a confused look. To the girl, he just sounded like he was meowing up a storm all of a sudden.

"Oh! Have I hurt you, little one? I apologise!"

"Oh… that's gonna be a fun thing to watch." Judy grinned, leaning over V's shoulder. She quickly planted a kiss on the merc's cheek. "Well, kiddo, what's the verdict? We gettin' fresh blood again? Makoto's only just joined too, y'know."

"I'm aware." Lynn gave a long moment of thought.

If it were up to V - which, sadly, it wasn't - she would have said no. Then again, Morgana did bring up a decent point about battle tactics. There were pros and cons aplenty.

Finally, Lynn made her decision. "Seeing as you don't have a Persona, I can't let you join officially." Hifumi looked a little wounded at the verdict. Only, Lynn wasn't quite finished. She gave a reassuring smile and explained herself. "The Metaverse sees humans as invaders. A Persona offers protection, a little like a hazmat suit. Without one, well… the Metaverse could kill you if you stay for too long."

"I… understand."

"So, V and I will teach you to shoot!" Lynn beamed, much to Hifumi and Yusuke's surprise. V let out a boisterous laugh. Here she was thinking Lynn had gone soft. With an enthusiastic nod, V's grin widened. "You might not have a Persona yet, but we can still train you and you can still help us."

"Shoot? As in… guns?" Hifumi caught on quickly when both V and Lynn grinned like madwomen.

This was what V knew best. If Lynn wanted to teach the girl, V was happy to help out. Plus, it was a good chance to have Lynn brush up on her own skills. Not to mention V's. "Guns indeed. Iron's my bread and fuckin' butter. If you're gonna join us someday, you'll need to know how to shoot. Shadows are vicious assholes."

"Then I will be in your care."

Author's Notes:

My writing attention has been split between two projects, so updates might slow down somewhat.

As always, feedback and comments are always welcome!