Sunday - June 26th

So much had changed in so little time. Hifumi's life had been turned on its head, then ran through an industrial paint mixer. Honestly, it was all proving too much.

A week ago, she was a normal girl living a normal life. She woke up, went to school, played Shogi, placated her mother's fussing and went to sleep. Rince, repeat. Then, she found herself in hospital with a stab wound. Before she knew it, she was hiding in the attic of an old movie theatre, sharing space with five foreigners who - if they were telling the truth - were from an alternate timeline.

Farfetched didn't even come close to describing it.

So, to keep herself sane, she did what she always did. She played Shogi.

After a day under the attic's roof, one of the foreigners took an interest in her practice. Panam had taken to hanging out with Hifumi whenever she wasn't working. If the woman had a spare moment, it was usually spent on the opposite side of the Shogi board, fumbling her way through a match with Hifumi.

Of course, Lynn and Yusuke often visited, the former playing with her too. As well as regaling stories of her time living in England.

At first, Hifumi wanted to return home and go back to school. Even if her wound hadn't properly healed yet. However, it was a pretty overwhelming vote to keep her here, with the foreigners. The Inoshishi would likely retaliate thanks to V's interference. Which - of course - led to the concern that her mother would be targeted instead.

The fifth member of the strange foreigners was already on the case. Or so V had said. River Ward, an ex-cop and very capable individual.

Though Hifumi had yet to actually meet River, she had to trust in V's confidence.

As her thoughts weighed on her mind, she slapped down the final piece on the board, securing her win. Again. Panam let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back against a large cushion. They had taken up a corner of the attic, so as to not be in the way of the others. "I still do not get your whole drama thing, but you are one hell of a devious fucker." Panam frowned. Sure, this particular match had Hifumi play a few more tricks and lay a few more traps than she normally would have. However, if she really was going to help Lynn and the Phantom Thieves, she needed to work on refining her more clandestine tactics.

"You're getting better, Miss Palmer," Hifumi smiled and nodded her approval. The woman was indeed improving. At least a little bit. She had managed to counter one of Hifumi's traps. "I must say, between you and Rin, it's getting difficult to keep on top of my own game. But I won't be felled so easily! My troops will repel any attempt at victory. Oh… I'm doing it again."

"Relax, kid!" Panam laughed and waved a hand, "Also, enough with the 'Miss Palmer' bullshit! It makes me sound like some grade school teacher."

Hifumi had still not gotten used to everyone being so casual. Especially when it came to cussing and vulgar language. Even as a young child, if Hifumi ever said anything remotely resembling a swear word she would have gotten scolded.

From the other side of the room, V burst into laughter. "Oh! Oh! Miss Palmer! I need to go potty!"

"Fuck off, V." Panam retorted with a smirk and a middle finger.

Despite the current situation Hifumi found herself in, these small moments of friendly banter between the foreigners helped keep her from thinking too hard.

Judy - who up to now had been glued to a computer screen - frowned with an intense gaze. She tapped at the keyboard faster and beckoned V over. Their conversation was too quiet for Hifumi to hear, but judging by V's sudden change in tone, whatever it was, it wasn't good. It was best to leave their business to themselves. Hifumi began to clear up the Shogi board and quietly started making mental notes about what she had learned from her match.

"I need to be careful not to overextend when trying to bait the enemy… hmm… maybe if I were to send in a supporting force? No, that would clue the enemy into what I was trying to do…" muttering to herself in Japanese, she didn't notice Panam staring at her.

Apparently, these foreigners could understand Japanese perfectly well, but most of them couldn't verbally speak it.

Something to do with cybernetic implants - or 'chrome' as they called it.

Just another wild thing to wrap her head around.

"Hey, Togo, how is your wound? Did the airhypo help?" Panam asked in concern. Hifumi briefly winced at the memory of being stuck with a strange injection. It took effect immediately, giving her a rush of adrenaline. Supposedly, these medical devices were crucial day-to-day tools that promoted faster self healing and increased blood flow. She didn't pretend to understand the science behind it, but hell, it was working.

Her wound would probably take at least a month to heal properly. However, with the airhypo, it had accelerated and was well on the way to fully healing.

"Yes, thank you. I can still feel sharp pains, but for the most part, I think I'm fine."

Paname smiled warmly. "That is good. Being stabbed fucking sucks. Being shot too. V and I can both attest to that."

Apparently, that was a common occurrence in Night City. Honestly, the place sounded absolutely awful to live in. Even with all the technological marvels.

After everything had been packed away, Hifumi slowly got to her feet and took to brewing some tea. A basic traditional set rested in the makeshift kitchenette area, courtesy of Yusuke and Lynn. She hummed to herself quietly, occasionally looking over toward V and Judy. They were still discussing something that was too quiet for her to hear. V kept switching between shocked, concerned and angry. Hifumi had to admit, she was curious.

"By the way, Mi- uh… Panam, may I ask why you're all doing so much? V risked her life just to save me even without ever meeting me in person. That and you're all housing me with the knowledge that dangerous men could try to attack you at any moment."

At her question, Panam shrugged. The hint of a flippant smirk tugged at her lips. "V is always like that. It is her job as an Edgerunner. Always putting herself in danger if the eddies are good. But… in this case, it is different. I don't know all the details, but V said she owes Lynn and the others a whole lot." She explained, taking up Hifumi's silent offer of a cup of tea. "As for me, well, V has done a lot for me and my family. It would be shitty if I just did nothing. Can't speak for Kerry or River… but eh."

These odd people were a confusing bunch indeed.

"You're all good people."

"Debatable."

When Lynn invited Makoto into town together, Makoto didn't quite know what to expect.

From the tone of her voice over the phone, it sounded serious. Or at least more-so than anything mundane. So, when Lynn led her through an alley Makoto wouldn't be caught dead in, the president let out a shocked gasp when a store came into view.

Even if it was the middle of the day, the storefront still looked dim and unwelcoming. The lit up sign reading 'Untouchable' flickered on and off every few minutes and the whole place just felt ominous.

Despite that, Lynn looked absolutely at ease. Happy, even.

Soon, they were inside Untouchable and Makoto looked around the store with confusion. It was an airsoft hobby store, but she swore everything on display was real. Perhaps that was just a statement of the quality. The others had already explained about how realism converted replicas into the real thing when in the Metaverse, so Makoto didn't need to question exactly why they were here. No, instead, she wondered why specifically it was Makoto here and not one of the others.

A gruff, scary looking man was sitting behind the counter, his feet resting on a box. For a moment, it looked like he was smoking, too. However, it was just the stick of a lollipop.

Lynn greeted him as if he were a good friend, to which the man smirked and nodded back.

"Suppose you're here for the special order? You, kid, have some weird tastes. Not complainin' mind." The man slowly stood up and rummaged under the counter for something. Seconds later, a small package sat on the counter top. Wrapped in brown paper, the only marking on it was the English letter 'L'. "Everything's like you requested. Didn't expect you to be interested in a piece like this, but hey, I ain't judgin'. Who's your friend? She looks like a fish out of water."

"Oh, this is Makoto Niijima. It's her that I bought this for." Lynn gestured over to Makoto. A sudden rush of embarrassment took her and she fell into a deep bow. "Makoto, this is Iwai. He supplies our little Airsofting team."

"Niijima…?" Iwai mumbled, his eyes narrowing.

It was for but a moment.

"Nice meetin' ya, kid." Iwai nodded with a smirk. Though a brief glance down at the package made his expression crease a little. As if some sort of understanding smacked him in the face.

Wait.

"You… bought something for me?" Makoto blinked at a grinning Lynn. Instead of retorting, the raven haired girl slid the package across the counter. Taking the hint, Makoto slowly opened the paper, revealing a wooden box. Unlatching the box, she lifted the lid and the second she saw its contents, a flood of emotion overtook her.

The lid dropped back down and Makoto snatched her hands away like the wood had suddenly burst into flames.

She felt the burn of tears in her eyes.

"It's a Na-"

"Nambu Model 60…" Makoto cut Lynn off before she had a chance to explain. The gun nut looked quite shocked for a moment, before settling on a warm smile. "The very same kind my… my… dad carried while on duty. Rin… how did you…?"

Sure enough, Makoto gently lifted the lid back open to look down at the revolver. It sat comfortably in slate grey foam and looked as if it was the real deal. In fact, the reason Makoto reacted so intensely was because she thought it was the real thing. She didn't need to ask how Lynn knew. The Nambu Model 60 was one of the standard issue firearms given to Japanese police. Even still, it was perfect.

"Most of the parts were sourced from actual decommissioned pieces. Obviously, we had to replace the loading mechanism and parts of the receiver to accommodate BB's instead of bullets, but for the most part, it's an authentic Model 60." Lynn spoke, but Makoto only half listened. Her red eyes were locked onto the revolver, memories of her father scrolling through her mind like a film reel. As they did so, a sense of guilt grew in Makoto's chest.

As to not unload everything in front of Iwai, she took some breaths and closed the box once again. She smiled and bowed at Iwai, then at Lynn. "This was so kind of you, Rin. Thank you for this…"

As everything was packed up and rewrapped, Makoto was silent. The guilt in her chest only grew more intense as they left Untouchable.

Lynn spoke about the Model 60 all the way to Big Bang Burger. Rattling off facts, specifications and trivia. Her enthusiasm only served to make Makoto feel even worse. Now sitting with a cheeseburger and fries in one of the many restaurant booths, she found her appetite completely gone.

"Don't think I haven't noticed the gloom, Prez. Is… something wrong?" Suddenly, Makoto was ripped out of her own head. Lynn's brow was furrowed and she looked worried.

Finally, Makoto had to ask.

"Why are you suddenly so kind to me? I thought you all hated me after what I tried to do."

"Actually, I never hated you," Lynn started, her tone casual, "sure, we got off on the wrong foot and I didn't think that highly of you. Plus your obvious stalking didn't help either, but I never outright hated you. I can't say the same for Ann and Shiho, though. You said some pretty messed up things to them." Makoto hung her head in shame. Indeed, she had implied a lot of awful things all those weeks ago. Frankly, she was disgusted with herself because of it. "At the end of the day, you're a victim too."

"... A victim?"

"You were being used and abused, too scared to fight back against it. Kobayakawa probably hung some kind of carrot in front of you, right?"

"Yeah… he… said he could write a letter of recommendation to the top colleges in Tokyo. As long as I did what he said." She formed fists and crushed a fry unknowingly still in her grip. Lynn nodded with an understanding expression.

"Exactly. However, even though that was the case, you still held off on reporting us. I won't lie, I still don't know how the hell you managed to get that recording, but I guess it doesn't matter all that much. What does matter is that you're ready and willing to help us now. You're in the team. You're one of us. A victim tossed aside by society, just like everyone of us."

"I… thank you, Rin."

"You'll probably need to talk to Ann and Shiho, though. Just FYI." Lynn winked and chomped down the last of her fries. "The Model 60 is yours now. Why not name it? I'll have to introduce you to Virtue and Eclipse."

The thought intrigued Makoto. Naming a firearm hadn't particularly crossed her mind. That said, if this revolver was hers and hers alone, it only made sense. Only one name seemed worthy. To honour her late father, the name danced across her lips.

"Justice."

Haru took in a harp breath, muffling a yelp.

The wrist support poked out from under her tracksuit coat, giving her a constant reminder. The feeling of his hand twisting it never faded for more than a few seconds. In a bid to perhaps get away from everything for a few hours, she had come to Shujin's rooftop to spend some time with her plants. It was a Sunday, so she didn't expect anyone to be around. In fact, as far as she was aware, only she had permission to be up here at all.

So, when she found the rooftop door propped open with a school bag, Haru was overcome by curiosity.

And a little suspicion.

She poked her head out from the doorway and a sudden rush of relief swept any tension away.

Ryuji knelt down, tending to the planter Haru had given him. He was wearing earphones and was gently bobbing his head along to the beat of his music. From the soil on his fingers and the grime on his clothes, he looked like he had been here for quite a while. Haru smiled as she watched him work. He wasn't an expert by any means, but he had grown quite competent thanks to Haru's instruction. Plus on his own merit.

It was rare for Haru to feel mischievous. Playful pranks usually led to getting yelled at or worse. However, Ryuji was different. She felt she could trust him enough to indulge. So, she quietly crept up behind him and waited.

After about a minute, Ryuji finally noticed he wasn't alone anymore. He whipped around and yelped at the sight of Haru.

She thought her smile was an innocent one, but she failed to remember she was holding a pair of garden shears. Ryuji practically jumped out of his skin, nearly collapsing over his planter. "Okumura! Holy shit! Don't effin' sneak up on me like that!" He ripped the earphones from his ears and balanced himself out. Haru's first instinct was to retreat and apologise profusely lest he got violent. Only, Ryuji's sheepish smile and chuckle set her at ease.

She let herself giggle into her hand. Unintentionally, the motion caused her sleeve to slip down. Instantly, Ryuji's expression morphed into concern.

"What happened? What's with the brace?"

"Oh… uh… I fell! You don't need to worry yourself." For a few seconds the boy studied her closely. However, if he figured out she was lying, he decided not to press it. Which she was grateful for. He didn't deserve to be burdened with her problems and drama.

He shrugged and lifted up his trouser leg. "We match, then." His knee was secured with a tight fitting support similar to her own. In fact, it looked like the same brand. A cheap convenience store product that at least did the job. In Haru's case, it was a clandestine purchase using spare change in a bid to hide it from her father as well as him.

"Is your leg acting up again? You shouldn't be kneeling on it if that's the case!"

Ryuji had told her about his old injury. How Kamoshida broke it and claimed self defence. For that, Haru felt a certain kinship with Ryuji.

"Nah, it's fine. Just achin' a little." He sighed and let his trouser leg go. His jaw tightened in a frown. "You know you can talk to me, right? When we're gardenin', I sometimes hear you whisper. Don't worry, I don't know what you say, but I do know you look troubled." That gave Haru a brief pause. She allowed herself to study Ryuji's expression. She had grown naturally suspicious of pretty much everyone, however, there was something about Ryuji that allowed Haru to let her walls down just a little.

Not quite enough to let him in entirely, though.

Not yet.

"Really, Sakamoto. I'm fine. I just… have a lot on my mind right now. Family and business issues."

"As long as you're ok."

The boy really did care. She knew that for certain. She just couldn't bring herself to ask for help. It wasn't fair getting him involved. Not when he had so much to lose. He was tough, yes, but if he were to get involved, then that man could do so much harm to him it would effectively ruin his and his mother's life. Haru would never forgive herself if she allowed that to happen. So, she kept Ryuji at arms length for his own sake.

"Anyway, we should get back to it! You've gotten a head start, so there's a lot for me to catch up on." Haru forced a smile and hurried over to the various planters. One needed its soil replacing, another needed the plants pruning. She also needed to re-pot some saplings.

Yes, there was a lot to do.

Enough to keep her hands busy.

To keep her mind busy.

The air was thick. It hurt to breathe too deeply. Supposedly it was a side effect of existing inside the Metaverse without protection.

Still, Hifumi tried to grit and bare it for the time being. Which was easier now that she was occupied with shooting practice. According to Lynn, they were currently in a place called Mementos which was a manifestation of Tokyo's collective subconscious. It was jarring at first to see the streets of Shibuya so empty. Hollow and cast in ever present red.

Their shooting practice took place in Shibuya station's main square, where Judy and Kerry had stood a collection of glass bottles on low walls and benches. The first few shots Hifumi took went completely wide. Each one sending jolts of adrenaline through her system. The pistol she was using was a loan from Lynn. It being the one she used before her current weapon.

To Hifumi's right, Makoto Niijima was also practising shooting. Only she was using a revolver that looked like it was from a cop show.

The outfits Lynn and Makoto were wearing also gave Hifumi quite a shock. Though it was a little confusing that V and her friends didn't have similar changes in outfits. Not that Hifumi would understand everything straight away anyway.

To her left, Kerry was doing much the same. He was far better than the two girls, seeing as he at least had some experience.

Before long, Hifumi's body became too heavy to keep her balance. Her wound was aching and her head was pounding. She felt utterly useless when she fell back against a wall. Her arms dangled limply and she barely kept a hold of the pistol. Was she always this weak? Maybe she had caught some sort of infection. Grumbling, she looked over everyone else. The shooting had stopped and Makoto was looking on with concern.

Lynn clapped gloved hands together and called everyone's attention. "That's enough for today. We've overdone it as it is." She bit her lip as she looked toward Hifumi. Beneath the domino mask, Hifumi could see concern.

It hurt to be looked at with such an expression.

What could she do? Nothing for now. Without one of these Personas, she was essentially useless. At least in terms of combat.

The moment they all left the Metaverse and returned to the movie theatre attic, relief washed over Hifumi. Like breaking the surface of water and taking a deep breath of fresh air. All the weakness she felt a few moments ago began to fade. "Was it like that for all of you…?" Hifumi asked no one in particular. "I felt like my body was filled with sand."

"Yeah, it almost flatlined me. Did a number on Jude and River too." V cracked open a can of soda and handed it to Hifumi. Gladly taking it, she gulped down the carbonated beverage.

At least she wasn't the only one. That brought some small comfort at least.

"Tomorrow we're heading into Kaneshiro's Palace. We're at least making progress, but not as much as I'd like…" Lynn frowned, at which Makoto shivered. Fear briefly took hold of the student president. "So far, we haven't gotten trapped in something like that weird maze again. It's just been mundane security sensors, cameras and the occasional patrol. Easy enough to handle, but what's bothering me is the fact that Kaneshiro's Shadow has just… disappeared. Even Mona can't sense his presence."

Makoto pinched her chin in thought. "He sees himself as a benevolent ruler above his subjects. Or, in a more corporate translation, a generous CEO. With that logic, you'd think he'd be holding up in his executive office. Likely on the highest floor."

At that, V sniggered. "CEO and Generous are two words that don't fit together unless the words 'are not' get shoved in between."

"We figured. Kaneshiro is the polar opposite of generous."

"Down right cruel…" Lynn muttered. "Maybe we should investigate the upper floors. We might find some more information that'll help us."

"It's certainly worth a look." Makoto nodded her agreement.

As their conversation was going on, Hifumi was deep in thought. She knew the basics of what they were discussing, at least. Though she had yet to see this Palace in person. "He's consolidating his power and fortifying his position." Hifumi suddenly found herself speaking out loud. She blushed when she saw everyone looking at her. Lynn gave a reassuring smile and urged her to continue. So, she did. "It's a common tactic. Protect your most valuable pieces and allow your opponent to make the advance. That way, you're fighting on home turf which will give you the advantage. However… that kind of strategy is a double edged sword."

"How so?"

"The fucker would have no where to run if we corner him." V answered the question for Hifumi.

She nodded agreement. V seemed to know her tactics well enough. "Yes. I would think Kaneshiro is holding up in something harder to infiltrate than an executive office. A Panic Room, perhaps? A command centre?"

"Or a vault," Makoto suggested. "It is a bank, after all."

"That's definitely a safe bet. We just need to actually find the vault. Working under the assumption it's somewhere in the main Palace, that is." At this, Lynn nodded and glanced down at her watch. "Let's call it a day. Rest up, we've got work to do tomorrow."

For a brief moment, Hifumi hesitated to ask if that included her.

However, she wasn't all that enthusiastic about going back into the Metaverse. Especially if it was infiltrating Kaneshiro's Palace. She had never met him - in fact she didn't know he existed until recently - but from what she had been told, he was absolutely terrifying. She believed it, too. Those men in her hospital room put the fear of god in her. She still woke up in a cold sweat even now.

"If you really want to help, Hifumi, you're coming with us. We're not going to force you, though." Lynn snapped her out of her thoughts. Her questions were answered without even needing to speak up.

Despite her budding sense of dread, she swallowed it down and gave a determined nod.

"Right. I won't let you down, Rin."

Monday - June 27th

Getting to see everyone's thief attire was - at first - a complete shock.

Yusuke - or rather Fox - looked quite dashing in his kitsune themed outfit. The sword at his side radiated frigid power that sent shivers down Hifumi's spine. The whole aesthetic made a strange sort of sense. He was an eccentric boy, but his sense of style couldn't be denied.

Meeting Ryuji, Ann and Shiho for the first time was also quite the experience. Especially when the two girls held vastly different aesthetics. One looked rather promiscuous in a tight red leather bodysuit themed after a cat. The other looked like someone jumped out of a fantasy novel. The bear head that served as a hood draped over Shiho's shoulders, tied by the paws to form a furry mantle. Then there was Ryuji who - by comparison - looked pretty normal. His attire was reminiscent of a punk biker with yellow gloves, a red ascot and a steely grey skull mask.

Then, there was the strangest of all. A short, stubby thing with a huge, round head. A cat that looked a lot like the one she petted a few days ago. Only bipedal and wearing a black bandit mask, a yellow scarf and a utility belt.

It took a few minutes to realise that the cat Hifumi had petted the other day and this odd creature was, in fact, the same being.

Morgana - or Mona when in the Metaverse - was an amusing fellow.

Self assured, confident and not afraid to speak his mind. If not a little condescending at times.

Honestly, after everything Hifumi had learned of recently, a talking cat was definitely not the weirdest thing.

The thieves set about their infiltration, scouring the various hallways and offices with finesse. A forward force composed of Joker, Skull, Rider and Mona took point. The rest were to seek out and sabotage security systems. Hifumi was assigned to stick with Fox. Hunter and Panther formed another rearguard team.

The next hour was spent in silence. Fox kept himself low and dashed from cover to cover, keeping his keen eyes trained on corridors, offices and other rooms. Each time he checked a passage, he gave Hifumi a silent 'All Clear' gesture.

Watching him like this filled Hifumi with a strange feeling. Every movement was calculated and filled with grace.

As if he had been doing this kind of thing his whole life.

He definitely had the physique for it.

As time passed, however, the influence of the Metaverse slowly took its toll on Hifumi. It was far worse than Mementos. Occasionally, they would enter an area where thick green smog clung to the ceilings, making it even harder to breathe. Not to mention her mind strayed to an urge to serve Kaneshiro more than a few times. According to Fox, it was Kaneshiro's influence over his Palace. A strong distortion originating from his own desires.

Now that Hifumi was getting tired, it was harder to keep the distortions at bay.

Eventually, they found their way into a larger set of hallways leading to large offices. A particularly bad lapse in attention landed Hifumi squarely in view of a camera Fox had been trying to circumvent.

The second she stepped within its sight, a shrill alarm pierced through her ears. A red light strobed underneath the camera and metal shutters slammed down, blocking their exits.

"Togo!" Fox twisted to face Hifumi and drew his blade.

He lunged forward and placed his free hand on Hifumi's shoulder, yanking her out of the way, just in time to avoid a jet of fire shooting down from the ceiling. Looking up, Hifumi gasped as she saw something black move. A figure dropped from its perch, landing and slowly standing to its full height. A solid few feet taller than Fox. It looked like a human with inky black skin. It wore a security vest and a chilling bone white mask.

Fox clicked his tongue and lowered his stance. "Keep behind me, Togo. It's a Shadow." Rime surrounded his blade, threatening the Shadow as it loomed. It barely flinched, letting out a chilling cackle.

[How valiant. The swordsman protecting a fair maiden! It brings a tear to our eyes.]

'Our'?

Bubbling came from behind Hifumi, followed by another cackle. A second Shadow appeared in a pool of viscous goop. Looking identical to its comrade, it inched closer. They were effectively boxed in. Hifumi's growing sense of uselessness only pulsed with intensity. She felt like she was suffocating. This was a bad idea.

"Hifumi!" Fox bellowed, pushing her to the side. A blast of flame struck the artist and briefly engulfed him. He screamed in agony, stamping a foot. "Goemon, cut them down!"

Frost and snow burst out from within the ball of fire. Fox's mask disappeared and behind him, a large figure took shape. A vibrant man with eccentric style, just like Fox's. His Persona, Hifumi guessed. [Uncouth miscreants! Cowards, all.] The Persona bellowed, swinging a huge smoking pipe like a sword. Slashing energy cut through the air and struck at the Shadow that had just attacked.

Only, the blow missed.

Another blast of flame erupted from the ground, consuming Fox once again in an infernal column.

This time, Fox couldn't withstand it. Goemon roared in anger before his figure twisted and staggered. Fox fell to his knees and began to breathe heavily. Steam and the scent of burnt flesh permeated the air. What was worse, Goemon couldn't hold his form any longer, melting and returning into Fox's mask. "Hifumi…" he muttered, clawing at the ground. A drop of blood fell from his brow and landed on his blue glove. "I… apologise…"

Hearing the defeat in his voice triggered something in Hifumi's chest.

This was her fault. She had failed to keep concentration and as a result, they would be killed by these Shadows.

She looked at one of them as they approached. Its mask was a blank slate, but in Hifumi's mind, features took shape. The features of the man that held her at gunpoint. Fear creeped in. She took a step back, her shoulder blades pressed against the wall.

No.

She was done with this. She was tired of relying on others. Tired of simply allowing things to happen.

A thump in her chest knocked the wind from her lungs.

Pain seared through her head. Pounding against her skull. She clamped her hands over her head and grunted. [Thou wish to take the Power of the Sovereign into thine own hands?] A voice reverberated as if from her very soul. [To wrest the blade from its sheath of stone and smite those that plague the land with injustice?] The pain in her head throbbed. It pulsed and seared through her whole body. The voice laughed, bubbling up with a surge of power. [I am thou. Thou art I. Take thine destiny and bend it to thine own will! Call my name and claim thine true birthright!]

The pain reached a crescendo and a heavy object took form around her head. She took hold of it and - as if acting on instinct alone - pulled.

It felt like she was tearing her own skin off as the object came free.

Blood sprayed and she howled in agony. It lasted for all of a few moments before power burst forward.

"Ninienne!" Hifumi called.

A thudding boom shook the corridor, knocking the two shadows away. They backed off and could do nothing but watch as a figure burst out from the floor as if breaking the surface of water. Mist and spectral water washed across the floor, pooling at the bare feet of a woman. Blue skin seemed to glisten with clear droplets of water. Ribbons of silk flowed around the body like crystal mountain streams. Long dark hair reached down past the figure's knees, flowing like a waterfall. Everything about her was a sight of pure, flowing beauty.

Hifumi herself had gone through a transformation of her own. No longer was she dressed in a simple sweater and skirt. Now, her outfit resembled a combination of a fine dress and a suit of regal armour. In her hand, she gripped a longsword with a pure white, iridescent blade and an intricately decorated hilt of gold and sapphire.

With a flourish, the sword glimmered through the air, letting a trail of glittering mist follow its path.

[Now, Young Monarch, let us demonstrate our newly forged pact.] The blue skinned woman moved her arm slowly to gesture at the two Shadows. Her serene expression never changed as she spoke. [I sentence thee to death.]

At those words, Hifumi charged, blade in hand, ready to strike.