It was pretty amazing seeing just how much Makoto could eat.

Awakening to a Persona was definitely taxing - both physically and mentally - but the girl was going a little overboard. Granted, Lynn couldn't blame her. The group poked at their own food, stealing glances at one another. Since they had gotten to the Diner, no one had spoken so much as a word. Today was harrowing to say the least. The morning's experience was still fresh in everyone's mind.

They had watched someone get beaten to death.

They potentially would have met the same fate if things went differently.

The only half good thing to come of it was they could access the Palace properly now. But at what cost? They were well and truly leashed to a dangerous criminal. A criminal who - by his own admission - was going to sell them into god knows what. Regardless of whether or not they pay his debt.

Finally, Makoto set down her chopsticks and sighed with a relieved - yet haggard - look in her eyes. "Thanks for the food." She whispered to herself before looking up. "I deleted that recording already, by the way." Her lips tugged into a deep, apologetic frown. "I… want to apologise for everything. I never meant for things to go this far. But… I suppose it was stupid of me to try blackmailing you to begin with."

"That we can agree on…" Ann muttered under her breath.

Makoto's shoulders tensed at her words, but she didn't argue.

"It's done now." Lynn massaged her forehead. "I'm just glad everyone's ok." She eyed Shiho and Ryuji. Both shared a distant, thousand yard stare. "Relatively speaking…" she added.

"That man was truly vile, I must say. However, my pledge still stands. He will fall to our strength." Yusuke's eyes narrowed and glacial determination took root. Lynn nodded her agreement. Even without Makoto's blackmail, they likely still would have targeted Kaneshiro anyway. They were already looking into the Inoshishi, so Makoto just unknowingly pushed them onward. That may not have absolved her, but it at least made it easier for Lynn to let bygones be bygones.

"At any rate, you're involved in this now, Makoto." Said Lynn. "Can we count on you?"

"You can." She didn't hesitate for a second. Makoto nodded and squared her shoulders. "What's the plan going forward?"

"Allow me to answer that!" Morgana's tiny head emerged from Lynn's bag in the usual fashion. His appearance only slightly startled Makoto. The fact that he was talking didn't seem to be her main issue. "We have access now, so we just need to sniff out the Treasure and secure a route. Then, it's showtime."

"... So… no plan at all?" Makoto blinked. "Really?"

"That… is our plan." Ears sagged, Morgana looked genuinely wounded.

"That's not a plan. That's a set of objectives." Makoto looked around the diner table, hoping for more input. When she received none, she actually scoffed. "You mean you guys have been doing this without any kind of plan? How… have you gotten this far?"

"Luck, mainly. Plus some subcontracting." Lynn shrugged.

"Subcontracting?"

"We call them the V Team. Long story short… they're technically from the future." As if on cue, Lynn's phone buzzed with a message from V herself, asking where Lynn was. Speak of the Devil indeed. "You should probably meet them…" Lynn couldn't help but smirk at just how utterly lost the President was. Such a simplistic statement really didn't explain anything at all.

Within a few minutes, V and Judy arrived at the diner. The others were likely doing their own things. "So, this is the gonk who tried blackmailing you? Seems like you're all chooms now, though." Said V, her eyes narrowing and studying Makoto with intent. The girl shrank under the scrutiny. "Something happened. Spin it." Not a question but a statement. It was probably obvious to someone like V. Nonetheless, the group shuffled closer together and allowed V and Judy to sit.

"Who… are these people, Amamiya? They're not gang members, right?"

Judy grinned at that.

"You don't speak English?" Lynn asked. Makoto immediately nodded her head in response, turning to V and Judy.

"My name is Makoto Niijima. It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry if I came off as rude just now." She tried to smile, but V's grimace was like a slap in the face. After a moment, the merc shrugged, laughed and wrapped her arm around Judy's shoulder.

"We get that all the time. Fuck, it's true. But… not in the way you'd think." V smirked at the slight flinch Makoto had at the cursing. "Anyway, I should warn ya' I don't take well to people trying to exploit my chooms. Don't try that blackmail shit again." For a brief moment, V's dark intensity returned. The warning hit home and Makoto's face lost all colour. A second later, V was back to the lighthearted, relaxed norm. "Name's V. Just V. This is Judy. But… you still haven't told me what's the sitch. You guys fucked Kaneshiro up yet?"

"... More like he fucked us up…" Ann relented, answering in the stead of both Shiho and Ryuji.

Lynn had to agree.

They had won the fight in his Palace, sure, but Kaneshiro had effortlessly cemented fear in each of the thieves' hearts. A primordial sense of dread anyone could see as plain as day.

"We had some… issues getting into his Palace," Lynn began, her breath catching in her throat, "the original plan was for me to meet Kaneshiro alone but with everyone else on standby. We just needed to talk to him and maybe get myself 'employed'. That was until Makoto went ahead and got herself kidnapped. We gave chase, wound up in Kaneshiro's lair, watched a man get beaten to death and now we owe him ten million yen."

"Woof… sounds like you guys fucked the pooch and the fish too." Judy remarked. Though her words were somewhat mocking, she looked genuinely concerned. "Is everyone alright?"

"We're alive. That's all that matters." Lynn responded.

With no small amount of exasperation, V leant forward. "Why is it that every time I leave you kids for more than a few days, you somehow manage to get yourselves into fucked up situations? Alright… how can we help?" Like Judy, V was also concerned in her own way. Lynn could have done without the remarks, but at least they weren't abandoning her. That said, the only thing Lynn could think of wasn't directly related to their main mission. Instead, her thoughts turned to people like Kimiko Ishida. The people under Kaneshiro's thumb. His victims.

"Just changing Kaneshiro's heart won't be enough to fully fix the problem the Inoshishi presents. We take him out, it's just going to cause a power vacuum." Lynn sighed heavily. The old adage of cutting the head off the snake didn't particularly fit here. "I need a team to look into the other victims. Someone needs to shield them from the fallout."

"You've thought that far ahead?" Makoto looked honestly awestruck. Much to Lynn's bafflement. Wasn't it common sense? Also, wasn't she the one pointing out how they had gotten by on sheer luck alone?

Pick a lane, Makoto.

Still, V nodded. "I'll get River on it. That media choom of ours might be willin', too." At the mention of Ohya, Lynn swallowed a lump.

She almost forgot about the deal she made.

It was apparent that her night was going to be spent in Shinjuku, as unwelcoming as that sounded. Still, it was the Crossroads, so it wasn't all bad. "Thanks, V. I'll handle Ohya. I have to go see her anyway."

"Preem."

Now, all Lynn had to do was sit through an interview as the official leader of the Phantom Thieves. She sighed and shovelled her cold pancakes into her mouth.

Ohya's brow quirked upwards. The journalist studied Lynn with interest.

"If I'm understanding this correctly, it'd be safer if we took this somewhere private." The woman's eyes drifted across the bar. They were by no means alone. Crossroads wasn't packed to the brim, but there were plenty of patrons with large noses and open ears. "Hey Lala, could I use yo-..." Without finishing her request, Lala Escargot huffed and gestured with a thumb. Busy with her patrons, Lala held the philosophy of 'don't ask too many questions'.

So, Ohya led Lynn through the bar toward the back room. Or rather, the areas behind the bar that Lala used as liquor and supply storage. Ohya shifted two metal kegs around and gestured for Lynn to sit down.

Beginning with a sigh, Ohya sat down on her own keg. "You're the leader, I take it?"

"... Yes. Full disclosure, I had originally planned on trying to trick you." Said Lynn, noting the tugging of a smirk on Ohya's lips. "Call me soft, but we do owe you, so here I am."

"I appreciate your honesty. So, before we start, what should I call you? I doubt you want me to use your actual name."

"Joker."

"Interesting choice." She scribbled something into her notepad. Lynn started to regret this immediately. "So, Joker, let's start simple; why did you become a Phantom Thief."

Simple, she said. That question was anything but simple.

"I could come up with some bullshit about wanting justice in an unjust world. Some flowery, self righteous nonsense. The truth is; I saw people suffering and I had the power to help. So I did." The answer was an honest one. Lynn had no delusions of grandeur. Even if the thought of being the hero was enticing, it wasn't why she continued to fight. Still, Ohya nodded along and scribbled notes.

"Suguru Kamoshida," Ohya nodded with a frown, "your first target?"

"Yes."

A genuine sense of hatred passed over Ohya's eyes. Or rather, perhaps it was disgust. Not that Lynn could blame her for either one. Lynn felt both in ample amounts whenever his name came up. "Can you share how you managed it?"

Lynn shook her head. "Trade secret."

"I had to try…" the journalist chuckled. "Oh well! So, how did you come to target Kamoshida? Why not let the police handle his case?"

At that, Lynn accidentally let a scathing hiss escape. She reeled herself in before she could spiral into some cliche anti-authoritarian rant. Instead, she sighed with no small amount of sorrow. To some, it might have looked apathetic. "Kamoshida's abuse had been going on for years. No one gave a shit because his prestige was considered more important than his actual teaching skills. Or lack thereof. The abuse was so blatant in his victims it was almost funny. Bandaged cuts. Swollen jaws. Dissociated glares. So, I took matters into my own hands."

"Sorry, Rin, but I have to ask this next question. As much as I don't want to…"

"I have a feeling what you're about to ask. Go ahead."

Ohya grunted as she looked at another page of her notebook. "Under what authority gives you the right to pass judgement on your own? Again, sorry."

"It's fine…" Lynn was at least expecting something like this. "The truth is; nothing. I place my own sense of right and wrong at the top. I see suffering, I offer my hand. I see abuse, I stop it. Call me selfish, but I just can't stand by and watch." Like she thought before, she was under no delusion. Her reasons and rationality for being a Phantom Thief were purely selfish. At least in her own head. "Let me pose you a hypothetical; blatant injustice is happening right in front of you. No one even dares bring attention to it. Better to ignore it than to get involved, right? So it just keeps getting worse and worse. More confident in itself and the horrible shit it does. The police offer no help at all. All other authority figures simply deny everything. No one listens to you. Would you just let the injustice continue?"

Ohya struggled with her words for a few moments. Her brow furrowed and an actual answer didn't seem to want to formulate. Eventually, she gave up and slouched her shoulders with defeat. "I probably would…"

"I wouldn't blame you, honestly. I can see you wanted to say you wouldn't let it continue. The fact of the matter is, everyone posed with that hypothetical would want to say they'd help, but most people fall victim to their own heads." After all, Lynn very nearly fell into that category too. Better to keep your nose down and out of trouble than to risk everything for relative strangers.

Sticking her nose into other people's business was exactly how she got landed with probation and a criminal record to begin with.

"You're awfully cynical for your age, y'know."

"Recent habit." The less said on that subject, the better. "At the end of the day, it comes down to a question of Will. The Will to carry out your own justice regardless of the consequences. The Phantom Thieves are about helping those who are trapped. The downtrodden and abandoned misfits."

"No kidding. Especially given your next target." Ohya grinned. Obviously, she had put two and two together by now. "The boss of a violent, enigmatic Yakuza clan. Off the record, I assume V and her pals are involved with the Phantom Thieves?"

"I'll neither confirm or deny that."

"Fair enough." Still, Ohya's grin remained. The message underlying Lynn's words was loud and clear. "So, Joker, you've detailed your philosophy on justice, so I have to ask; what are your thoughts on Goro Akechi? He's publicly denounced you, after all. I think it's fair if you gave a response as Joker."

Lynn winced. It had only been a few days since the whole incident at the Studio.

"On the surface, he appears to be every bit as kind and friendly as he seems. It's not exactly hard to believe his popularity, especially with the younger audience. Personally? I think it must be a lonely existence. Even if he publicly denounced us, I harbour no ill will towards him. He has his convictions. We have ours."

"Huh…" Ohya tapped her pen, mulling over Lynn's words. "Didn't expect that. Lonely? I can definitely get what you mean by that." A few quick notes later, she looked over the rest of her planned questions. Her frown grew deeper with each second. "God damn it. I need to have a word with my editor. All he wants is your identity. Don't worry, Joker. I'm not going to spill that can of worms."

"I appreciate it." Even with the assurance, Lynn still didn't feel good about this decision. No going back now, however.

"Hey, trust me, kid. With me in your corner, I'll make damn sure your reputation remains unsullied." As soon as she said it, the journalist flushed red and awkwardly averted her eyes. "Y'know… if you'd let me."

Despite the kindness and genuine understanding in her words, Lynn still felt a little suspicious. "That's a generous offer but… what's in it for you?"

That earned a grin.

"I knew I liked you for a reason." She said, eliciting an icy feeling of dread to creep up Lynn's chest. "Oh stop with that look. All I ask is exclusives from the Joker whenever they take down a target."

"That… I can do."

"Then it's a deal!"

A flush of power pulsed and melted away the ice in her chest.

I am thou. Thou art I.

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Devil Persona, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.

Whenever the power came, Lynn swore she could feel something tugging deep inside her soul. Trying to get her attention. Only, as soon as she tried focusing on it, whatever was there vanished. Frustrating as it was, the growth still felt gratifying. Despite the context behind such bonds.

Once the interview was over, Ohya gave the stalwart vow to not leak 'Joker's' identity under any circumstances.

That was at least partially reassuring.

Before leaving, Lynn let Ohya know of a certain group of people wanting to look into Kaneshiro's victims. In vague terms, Ohya's help would be greatly appreciated. The journalist caught on and with a wry smirk, thanked Lynn for the "anonymous" tip.

Outside of Crossroads was beginning to pick up as the night slowly encroached. Shinjuku's nightlife was pretty well known and suddenly, Lynn felt some level of dread. She was a teenaged girl walking alone in a known hotspot for sleazy host clubs and who knew what else. As such, she saw it best to head straight for the train station. At least, that was the plan. She only made it a few paces when a voice caught her attention. Calm, pleasant and all together out of place in Shinjuku.

It belonged to a young woman. Long blonde hair neatly framed pale skin. A long flowing dress woven of lilac and violet fabric clad her relatively diminutive body. She smiled sweetly and beckoned Lynn over.

Truth be told, Lynn had seen this woman in passing, but never had any reason to approach her.

Until now, it seemed.

"Hello, I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help but notice your strange aura." That definitely wasn't what Lynn expected. Then again, giving the woman a closer inspection, Lynn noticed she was sitting behind a small folding table draped with purple silk. On one side of the table was a deck of cards, their backing decorated with elaborate, mystical patterns. On the other side was a small metal dish with a mound of ash piled in the centre. A thin wooden stick was stuck into it. Several more of the sticks lay unused beside the dish.

A fortune teller.

"My aura? I swear I gave it a wash last night…" Lynn may have joked, but the woman saw right through it. Even still, she giggled into her hand.

"Could I interest you in a reading?"

Honestly, Lynn didn't know much about fortune telling, but considering most of her power came from Major Arcana, it probably didn't hurt to at least learn about it. "Sure, why not." She took a seat on the other side of the table, not entirely sure what to expect.

"Don't worry, it's free for first time customers." The woman spoke without any prompting. Lynn wasn't exactly hurting for cash, but it was nice to know this wouldn't be costing anything. "Now," she began, picking up the deck of cards, "before we begin, may I ask you your name? I'm Chihaya Mifune."

"Lynn Amamiya."

She smiled and nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Amamiya. We'll be doing a three card reading. Don't worry, it won't hurt. If you would kindly light an incense stick and place it in the ash?"

Lynn did as she was told, carefully pushing the lit stick into the ash. A thin plume of smoke drifted upward from the embers on the tip. As Lynn did this, Chihaya shuffled the deck and hummed a strangely familiar tune. Once the stage was set, the deck was placed back down to the side.

"First, we peek into the past…" quietly, she took the top card and placed it on the table. "Hm, The Tower. It often represents sudden change or chaos. That change isn't necessarily good or bad. Growth can come from adversity after all. Next, we reflect upon the present…" she did the same, placing the next card just beside the first. "Reverse Fool… I see." Her lips pursed for a second. "The Fool normally represents the beginning of one's journey or their innocence yet to be taken. In its reversed state, it can mean a number of things. Hesitance, needless risk taking, a lack of will."

"That… doesn't sound good."

Chihaya only smiled and continued on. "Lastly, let's peer into the future…" her lack of a response to Lynn's comment hadn't gone unnoticed. "Death." Chihaya must have picked up on Lynn's sharp intake of breath. "Death is often misunderstood. Most of the time, the card doesn't mean literal death. Much like The Tower, it signals change, transformation and an ending to something significant."

"Alright, so… what does this all mean?" Asked Lynn.

"My reading is this; something happened in your past that forced a great change in your life. However, that change has sent you on a journey into the unknown. A journey that you seem to be hesitant about, but also embark on with a reckless abandon. This path will lead you to a kind of finality that will forever change you. I thought I noticed something strange about your aura. Most readings can offer certain outcomes… but yours is vague. Undefined. Maliable." She tapped her chin and smiled. "If I were to offer my advice, this finality you're heading towards can be of your own making. Like I mentioned before, Death rarely symbolises literal death."

Her assessment was frighteningly accurate. It shook Lynn more than she cared to admit. Her mouth ran dry, completely unsure what to do next. "You're saying I'm going to bring my own doom because of my personal hang ups?"

Chihaya frowned. "That's one potential outcome, yes."

At least she was honest.

It was reassuring to hear it wasn't the only outcome, though. It ran contradictory to what Igor had implied. If Lynn didn't get over her hesitance, she was sure to fail and fall to Ruin. Whatever that actually meant.

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"Have faith in the bonds you forge. No one should face fate alone." The warm smile returned and any feeling of tension she had built up washed away. For a few seconds, at least. Her lips thinned out and her brow furrowed in a strange expression. "There is something I can offer that'll ensure the best outcome. It's a Holy Stone that has the power to change fate."

By how Chihaya's eyes were no longer focused on Lynn's, she could tell this was a reluctant pitch. Her Joker senses were tingling. "I assume these Holy Stones aren't cheap."

"I'm afraid n-"

"Mifune!" A woman suddenly interjected herself into the conversation. Her expression betrayed her joy and excitement which really didn't fit on the strict, well put together businesswoman vibe she had. "You were right! I got the promotion and a huge raise! I was so worried that all my work was for nothing, but your reading gave me the push to keep at it. I can't thank you enough!"

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Chihaya returned with a genuine, heartfelt smile. It really brightened up the little corner of Shinjuku. "I'd be happy to perform another reading whenever you want."

"Definitely! Oh, shoot, I'm going to be late." The woman gasped when glancing at her watch. Still, her joyous grin remained. "I just swung by to say thank you. I'll let you get on with your client here." And just like that, the businesswoman was gone in a flash. The timing of her appearance felt planned. Like it was a part of some ploy. However, when Lynn studied Chihaya, she couldn't find anything but genuine happiness for the woman's accomplishment.

Perhaps it was just sheer coincidence.

Lynn grunted. She was getting way too paranoid. Not every adult wanted to take advantage of her.

"Sorry about that, Amamiya. As I was saying; the Holy Stone costs 100,000 yen."

If Lynn had been drinking something, she would have involuntarily hosed Chihaya with it. On second thought, maybe every adult did want to take advantage of her.

"You think a highschooler has that kind of money to just splash around?" Her words came off as a little more harsh than she was going for, but still. A hundred grand for a rock? Was it made of diamond or something? "S-sorry…" the girl reined herself in, "that just caught me off guard."

"I understand your concern." Chihaya was smiling, but it was forced. "The Holy Stone will ward off ill fortune and grant blessings of good will."

It wasn't like Lynn couldn't afford it.

"Ugh… what the hell. Why not." It was probably something she would regret, but there was obviously something more to this. Her gut feeling was screaming at her that something wasn't right. "I'll take one."

"You won't regret it!" Again, the smile and tone was forced. From a satchel leaning against the leg of her chair, Chihaya produced a small, rounded white stone and once Lynn handed over the money, she gave over the stone. The moment she took it, Lynn could tell it was clearly just a piece of white coloured glass. "Keep it with you for 24 hours and any ill fate you have will be altered."

"... Thanks…"

Lynn already regretted her decision to buy into this. Then again, clearly Chihaya wasn't fully to blame. Otherwise she wouldn't have needed to force her smiles.

It didn't matter. It was getting late and Morgana was probably getting worried.

As Lynn walked away from the strange encounter, she made a mental note to keep an eye on that woman. Perhaps she would prove at least somewhat useful when Lynn wanted to understand more about the Arcana.

Oddly, the swell of power she usually felt when forming these kinds of connections didn't come around.

Strange.

Monday - June 20th

V's busy mind had kept her awake for most of the night. A number of subjects jumping in, then promptly getting replaced by more.

From their plans for Hank Parker's Palace to the Phantom Thieves' problems. All of it swirled around and around, making V grow angrier and angrier as the night ticked on. Eventually, she decided to just give up on the idea of sleep. So, for the rest of the night and well into the early morning, V was researching. Doing her homework so to speak.

They had a potential way to get employee credentials for Night Corp, but if V could help it, she'd wanted to avoid getting Sandra involved.

So, her efforts were instead focused on other ways to cover themselves.

Like she had thought before, the Palace was laid out a lot like a megabuilding. Which, if that was the case, they could maybe find maintenance tunnels and air vents to get around in. Because if they so much as stepped onto one of the main floors without being identified as 'Enlightened' they would be swarmed in seconds.

Unfortunately, at some point, V had fallen asleep at her desk.

She was later found by Judy when she woke up in the morning. What woke V up was the cackle from her fiance. V's cheeks burned with a blush and her neck ached from the awkward position. "It's usually the other way round, babe! What's shakin' ya?" Judy asked after she had drank deep of the amusement. Her eyes briefly flitted over the various screens on different terminals. Some showed schematics for megabuildings, others were sprawled with Night Corp related articles. One screen in particular was an old job dossier for Sandra Dorsett's rescue. It came with profile images of the woman along with some basic medical information.

"Just trying to swing our shitshow of a Palace raid. Had a few ideas, but it's just a bunch of theory and wishful fuckin' thinking." The maintenance passages might be a good place to start, but without knowing the Palace's layout, it was next to impossible to guess any access points.

The easiest and safest way was to just get the credentials and become 'Enlightened'.

But even then, that was also just a mad guess.

Either way, V needed to allow her mind to half focus on something else. Something less complicated.

"Unrelated, but that Makoto chick wasn't what I expected. She might have guts, but she's fuckin' gonk in the head." V let out a long heave of breath. The change of subject didn't stop her from continuing her searching. Her focus was now zeroing in on Sandra. "I guess desperation and a fuck ton of preassure would drive anyone crazy. I should know. Almost drove me bat shit."

"Almost?"

"... No comment."

Judy only sniggered with a half teasing, half reassuring grin. "So, no dice on solid alternatives? Damn. Sandra's lookin' more appealin' by the minute."

In response, V snorted, playfully shooting Judy a coy smile. "Should I be jealous?"

"Oh definitely!" They both laughed, sharing in each other's teasing. A month ago, a moment like this would have been ruined by a sudden coughing fit and a debilitating, nauseating headache lancing her brain like a barbed spear. Now, the only aches and pains V could complain about came from falling asleep at her desk.

It was a strange yet incredibly welcome change.

They could finally enjoy being a couple.

Sure, they still had a metric shit ton of stuff to deal with, but - at least for now - there was no longer an ever present timer on V's life.

"Where are the two newbies, anyway?" V asked, turning in her chair. The little movie theatre attic was getting pretty crowded by now. It was fine when it was just the three of them, but things were getting cramped.

"Kerry and Panam?" Judy tapped a finger on her chin. "Pam said she needed to handle a few things at Dakota's. She also said she'd get to work sourcin' the parts I need."

"... And Kerry…?"

"He's…"

As if on cue, the door to the movie theatre attic burst open to reveal a mess of bags, boxes and cases all being lifted by a pair of leather clad legs. "Ah! V! You awake!? Whoa! I need a hand." From somewhere in the chaos of consumerism came Kerry's voice, loud and full of energy.

Had the guy been out all night!?

"Jesus Fuckin' Christ, Kerry!" V hopped up and lunged for a box that had dislodged itself from the mass. As if the box was a keystone in a structure, its escape spelled the imminent collapse of the mass. Everything clattered to the ground right in the centre of the communal space.

"Why am I not surprised…" Judy groaned.

"You gotta check some of this shit, V! Most of this stuff would cost a fuckin' fortune back in NC! 'Ganic chocolate! Real fuckin' milk and coco beans! Sure, I have a stockpile of the stuff at my digs, but come on!" The rocker boy was like a kid in a candy store. And given how no small amount of the packages and bags were filled with various types of candy, he was a kid in a candy store. Several by V's counting. "Oh, and the threads? Man… I haven't seen so much real leather in one place. Not that syn crap that flakes after a few scrapes and orgies."

"How… did you pay for all this?" V asked, picking up a particularly strange looking mound of cloth. It was a fishnet vest that would make even a Joytoy blush. "And where the hell did you even find this shit?"

"Shinjuku! Met a couple of preem chooms there! And… uh, River gave me a bunch of cash."

"That… was for living expenses, you fucking gonk." She had to let her frustration out with an exasperated groan. "Don't give the rockstar cash. Lesson learned."

"Hey! I'm not a kid with an allowance, you know!"

"Then don't fucking act like one." This was turning into a massive headache. V was just glad it was a regular, run-of-the-mill one. Those, she could handle. Still, she massaged her forehead and started to shut her terminals down.

More important things had to be dealt with for now. V would just leave Kerry to River's wrath. That guy really hated wasting money.

It was time to get on with that day. Whatever it may bring.

Lunch time in Shujin came not a minute too soon. Lynn was about to tear her hair out listening to Chouno's unrelated anecdotes and complaining.

So, when the group all met in the usual alcove by the vending machines, Lynn let out a relieved sigh. She sipped at the canned coffee - it really didn't measure up to the Boss' at all - and eyed the courtyard nearby. Students were enjoying their lunch like usual. Clustered in groups much like Lynn and the others. Still, it was best to keep a keen eye out for spies and eavesdroppers.

As such, Ann had planted herself at the mouth of the alcove, leaning against the vending machine. Yusuke sat on one of the benches with his sketchbook out. Ryuji was awkwardly sitting next to him, trying not to look at what the artist was doing every five seconds. Makoto sat a little further away from the others, nibbling at her curry bread. Not that Lynn could blame her for the hesitance. Their relationship didn't exactly start off friendly. Shiho, meanwhile, was standing next to Lynn just in front of the table. Lastly, Morgana was - as always - napping in Lynn's bag.

"Hey, Makoto, yesterday, you pointed out something that's been bugging me for a little while." Finally, Lynn broke the awkward silence. The council president straightened her back and offered Lynn her full attention. "Our planning."

"Oh, yes. Sorry, it's just that I was shocked."

"Don't apologise, you're right. It's a miracle we've gotten this far." She loathed to admit it, but most of Lynn's ideas weren't exactly the safest and most efficient plans. "Do you have any pointers?" That question caught Makoto off guard.

"Well, when it comes to fighting, no. I studied Aikido, but I've never actually been in a fight before. That was… quite an experience."

"The adrenaline can get addictin'," Ryuji sniggered.

"I took no enjoyment in that fight at all." Makoto responded with a distant tone. However, a moment later, the tiniest hint of a grin tugged at her lips. "Although… I have to admit wiping that disgusting sneer off Kaneshiro's face was… cathartic." Lynn snorted at that. Cathartic was definitely one word she could use. Running the guy over with a nuclear driven motorbike and out of the top story of a skyscraper was definitely 'cathartic'. Absolutely insane too. Makoto would fit right in. "Anyway, going into these things without necessary planning is a little irresponsible."

"We can't exactly concoct a fully fledged plan without any scouting first!" Mona popped up out of the bag with the cat equivalent of a pout. "We need to learn the layout of our target first!"

"I agree," Makoto nodded, this time taking Morgana's ability to talk in stride, "but we should at least do some reconnaissance without entering the structure proper. Otherwise, we'll walk straight into another confrontation. Wasting energy on frontal assaults isn't a good idea."

"So, what do you suggest?" Ann asked. Her tone was still cold and accusatory. Something Makoto was keenly aware of.

"We should scout with a small team; three would be ideal. Four at the maximum."

"So a Foreguard and a Vanguard. I get you." Lynn nodded. Smaller teams definitely had easier times when sneaking around. That said, Lynn looked across her collected comrades. "Shiho, Yusuke, Makoto and I should be our forward troops."

Shiho was - second to Lynn herself - remarkable when it came to stealth. She had the name Hunter for a reason. Yusuke had a sharp eye and quick reflexes. Although he wasn't the most stealthiest, he was invaluable as a scout. As for Makoto, she clearly knew what to look for on top of being a heavy hitter. Not only that, Johana made for a decent escape. Or distraction.

Lynn had thought about sending Morgana instead of herself, however, this sort of thing was largely what Lynn used to do in her Airsoft days. She was an infiltrator and a damn good one.

"Right," Makoto seemed to agree with Lynn's choices, "the rest should serve as a backup in case of emergencies. Do you have means of communication? Phones?"

"Short range radios. According to V, they're military grade and I believe her." Lynn grinned with a sense of gratitude. V Team had done a lot to outfit the Phantom Thieves. The radios were just as vital as weapons and other gadgets. "Phones don't work in the Metaverse, so we have to rely on local frequency broadcasts."

"Smart thinking."

"Enough with the borin' shit, what's our plan of attack?" Ryuji looked like he was chomping at the bit to get stuck in. Any dread he held from yesterday was either gone entirely, or shoved deep down and locked away. Which - if that was the case - really wasn't healthy.

Huffing, both Morgana and Makoto had the same look about them. "Are you even listening, Ryuji?" Morgana groaned. "Makoto is saying we need to avoid fighting as much as possible!" The blond looked genuinely disappointed with that. But, he didn't argue any further. "By the way, we never decided on a codename for you, Makoto."

"I noticed you were calling each other by nicknames. Is it to prevent the Palace ruler from potentially learning our identities on a subconscious level? Like subliminal messaging?"

"Yes! That's exactly it!" Morgana beamed, nodding emphatically. "Finally someone gets it without any circular explanations!"

Lynn swore she heard both Ryuji and Shiho mutter something about a 'smug cat.'

"Rider." Makoto smiled with a deep, subtle determination. "I am Rider."

"A fitting name," Yusuke nodded, looking up from his sketchbook for the first time. "You struck quite the imposing figure, I must say I was deeply moved by your power." He flipped the book around and showed the group what he had been sketching. An immaculately detailed and dynamic image of Makoto astride Johana. It was - to Lynn's untrained eye - a master work. "Forgive me, but I couldn't help but put your majesty to paper. I call it Rider's Rebellion."

"Wow Kitagawa! That's so amazing!" Makoto flushed a deep pink. "I'm honoured you took the time."

"The honour is mine. Please, call me Yusuke. We are all comrades in arms now. There isn't a need for rigid formality." Yusuke cast his icy gaze over everyone else. Each thief nodded in agreement. Albeit Ann was somewhat hesitant to be quite so open. The animosity the blonde still held would take some more time to melt away. That said, Shiho's willingness to forgive and forget helped in that process.

"Oh! We should throw a welcome party! It's… it's like a tradition now! We gotta!" Ryuji bounced with excitement. Completely forgetting the ten million yen debt still hanging over their heads.

Still, he wasn't wrong. "Once we're clear, we'll do something special."

The huge park in the centre of Corpo Plaza was a lot cleaner than most of the other parks hidden within NC.

Of course. The Corpos up in their towers couldn't bear the sight of a little grime. No care given to anything outside of the view from their office windows. Not that V was complaining much. She had gotten used to Tokyo's well-kept streets. However, as the merc sat on one of the many benches overlooking the gigantic holographic fish swimming through the air, her thoughts drifted from arbitrary civil duties to the more pressing matter.

The reason she was here to begin with. Normally, V hated spending too long in Corpo Plaza. However, exceptions had to be made.

A solid thirty minutes dragged by since the agreed meeting time.

V would be getting irritated by now, but she knew better. The person she was here to meet was already lurking about. V had caught sight of them twice now. Once dipping into a 25/7 store for a bottle of RealWater, second ambling down the street tapping away at a small personal device.

Finally, V felt someone sit down on the reverse side of the bench. Their back facing hers.

"S." V sighed casually, not looking away from the goldfish in the sky.

"V." Sandra Dorsett's voice replied in kind. Leave it to a Corpo to be so secretive. "You weren't followed?" At that, V rolled her eyes.

"Oh sure I was. By you." There wasn't a verbal reply to that. Just a single hum of acknowledgement. V let the tension sit in the air for a few more moments before ripping it apart. "No, I'm clear. Alone. No bugs. Anything else? Fuckin' ey, Sandra, I literally just asked if we could talk. Paranoid much?"

"Yes, V. I'm paranoid." Although V couldn't see Sandra's face, the jittery shifting of eyes and nervous fidgeting was as loud as any shout or scream. "Paranoid that this 'talk' will get me flatlined."

"No fucking idea what shit you've gotten into, but Jesus, calm the fuck down."

Sandra grunted.

"What the hell do you want, V?" Her cold tone didn't exactly paint the picture of someone who owed their life to V. Then again, she had already made her mild disdain for V's line of work clear.

"Fake employee credentials. For Night Corp R ."

Silence lingered over them. V's eyes wandered over passing pedestrians, allowing Sandra her time to absorb the request. "Weird ask. Why?"

"What was in that Databank?" V replied flatly. The message behind it was as obvious as a holo-billboard. It elicited a sigh and a quiet mumble of 'touche' under Sandra's breath. "Can you swing it or am I barking up the wrong tree?"

"What's in it for me?"

Although V hadn't looked at the contents of that Databank, her research last night dragged up a few interesting bits of intel. It allowed V to make an educated guess. Digging through the data Carol cracked open again brought up something interesting. Another of Night Corp's projects that had some overlap with Project Shade. Operation Carpe Diem. The same project Jefferson had found himself wrapped up in.

It just so happened personnel records had Sandra Dorsett as a potential test subject.

Making the woman's paranoia understandable.

V could honestly relate. Carpe Diem revolved around using an AI to literally reprogram someone's personality. The parallels to the Relic were disturbingly clear.

"Carpe Diem."

"Excuse me?"

"Carpe Diem."

"How the fuck did you…" Sandra snapped and shuffled on the bench. V felt Sandra's eyes pierce the back of her skull. "That Databank hadn't been opened when you delivered it." She squeaked and grunted in utter confusion, rage and no small amount of terror. At least V's guess was correct. Sandra had gotten herself involved in an information war with her own damn employer.

All things considered; respect.

"I never opened it. But I have other sources. Dug up some interesting files and research reports. I'd be happy to share them with you. Scratch my back, I scratch yours." All the while Sandra had been panicking, V remained laid back and casual on her side of the bench. At least one of them had to keep up the charade. Still, Sandra fell silent. The shifting of clothing tickled V's ears. It looked like the outburst had finished. She was calming down.

Honestly, V half expected to feel the barrel of some iron press against her cranium. She was a little disappointed that there wasn't.

"Fine." Sandra spat. "R credentials require some biometric data. Fingerprints and an ocular scan. Can't swing it without those two things."

"We don't need access to the actual building."

Sandra paused.

"I see…" she hummed before letting out an exhale. "That's a little different, then. I can slip some names into the employee dossier server. Create some fake profiles and the like. With the sheer number of gonks working in that department, a few phantom employees will go by relatively unnoticed."

"Got a time frame?"

"Dumping them all at once will get attention. How many are you thinking?"

"Five."

Sandra sucked in air through her teeth. "Three weeks. Like I said, I'll need to be careful slipping the profiles in. Night Corp can be… pretty fuckin' anal about this shit. Even if the higher ups give little to no fucks about their minions."

It wasn't ideal. Three weeks was a hell of a long time to leave things unchecked.

That said, the kids had landed themselves in hot water, so perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. It freed V and her team up long enough to lend a hand. After all, V would bet any amount of eddies that River would want to personally tear Kaneshiro apart.

"Preem. I'll zip you the deets on my chooms later. As for your data, I'll leak it in stages. Deal?"

"... Deal."

I am thou. Thou art I.

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Moon Persona, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.

Interesting.

Sandra had just placed a great deal of trust in V. That trust was reflected in the surge of power and Celine's regal voice whispering into V's ear.

A moment later, Sandra was gone. Blending into the bustling foot traffic.

Sighing, V hoisted herself up and stretched out her chrome spine. "Starving… I'm feelin' curry."

"Oh, welcome!" Kimiko Ishida smiled warmly as soon as Lynn stepped in from outside. Though the smile widened considerably when Yusuke followed her inside.

Today had been the re-opening of Ishida's store, so Lynn had made a point of swinging by. Appreciative in his own little way, Yusuke was more than happy to oblige. The last time Lynn was here, the place had been ransacked and trashed. Ruined until it was nearly unrecognisable.

Now, it was like the break-in never happened.

What's more, the small gallery that once housed Sayuri replicas - then Ishida's original works - was now a vibrant array of different works. Various artists were clearly labelled. A few patrons were still browsing the pieces. Pleasantly humming and admiring the work.

Ishida had mentioned she had begun to work with some of Madarame's old students, offering to sell their works and provide supplies. At least the ones who hadn't fallen too deep into misery. Many were left hollow shells. Turning to drugs, alcohol or other vices just to cope with everything. It was uplifting to see Ishida make efforts to help repair the damage Madarame had caused.

"Hey, Ishida. The shop looks amazing!" Lynn smiled back and looked around in genuine awe.

The place somehow felt different to how it was before. It was more free. Lighter.

"Thank you! Although, I couldn't have cleaned up as fast without help from my dear Yusuke." Ishida's eyes drifted toward Yusuke. His subtle smile curled into something resembling embarrassment. He even blushed, slightly.

It was adorable.

Ever since he left V Team's movie theatre attic, he had been living with Ishida. By the way she looked at him, Lynn could tell there was genuine love there. Something that was harrowingly absent in his life up until now. "So, are you two an item, now? Is love in the air?" The woman giggled when Yusuke visibly flinched at the remark. The almost invisible blush dusting his cheeks suddenly deepened and he frantically looked away from Lynn.

"No, Rin is a dear friend. You know this, Kimiko."

"Can't I tease my favourite artist a little? I know, I know." Oddly enough, Lynn was surprised at how her own heart seemed to skip a beat at the subject.

Sure, Yusuke was attractive, but Lynn didn't really see herself falling for him.

Then again, she was a teenage girl. Romance was always going to get at least some reaction out of her. "Teasing aside, has everything been ok?" Lynn shook off her slight bashfulness to get back on track. "Not to put a damper on the mood." She added when she saw a subtle frown on Ishida's lips.

"I haven't had any more incidents with thugs, if that's what you mean." She was lying. It was written all over her face. Something had happened, but likely didn't want to trouble one of Yusuke's friends. "You shouldn't worry about things like that! I can take care of myself, you know!" She flexed an arm and patted her bicep. Her skinny bicep. She laughed, though it was forced.

Yusuke allowed himself to give Lynn a knowing look.

Their silent exchange lasted mere seconds. Lynn felt the frigid nature of Yusuke's determination wash over the store. The boy had an uncanny ability to exude such a strange, glacial force just by standing there. It was genuinely terrifying sometimes.

As the conversation lulled, Yusuke's phones buzzed with a sudden sense of urgency.

He stared down at the message and all his calm and stoic nature vanished. His eyes widened and a slow snarl worked over his jaw. "What on Earth…" his voice was little more than a hiss. Anger swelled as if freezing mist billowed from within his soul. "Rin… would you be so kind as to accompany me to Kanda Municipal Hospital?"

Without so much as a second of hesitation, Lynn nodded.

"I'll drive you." Ishida said, knowing the look Yusuke had. She looked toward the few patrons still ambling around the store. She put on her best smile and warmly addressed them; "sorry, a family emergency just came up. I'm going to close for today."

Although disappointed, the customers nodded their understanding and promptly left.

With that out of the way, the trio locked up the store and rushed off.

Author's Notes

A quick note about Makoto's codename. I decided to change it from Queen to Rider for a number of reasons. Rider was actually Makoto's original codename during development and I think it fits her a lot better. Another reason is spoiler territory. Keep a look out!

As always, thank you for your continued attention. Comments and critique always welcome.