Chapter 27: Fallen Phoenix

"Why are they calling me so early in the afternoon? They couldn't be ready to send the Card now, can they?" Zenkichi quietly questions to himself, walking through the park to the Thieves Motorhome. It didn't help that he was also on the tail of those five who were identified last night, even if they were surrounded by Enforcers at all times. Although there had been no sign of Akira or the others, but he already had a reason why. "I'm not sure how Ren is going to take that…" He remarks, stepping into the clearing as the Thieves stand at the Motorhome. With Ren kneeling next to Morgana as he ties a harness to him, holding an enclosed letter, with all eyes turning to Zenkichi as he arrived.

"Good afternoon, Inspector. Apologises for calling you out this early, but we wanted to inform you that we are ready to bring down Akira's Jail." Akechi informs, earning a nod from the Inspector.

"Well, that's good to hear. You guys worked fast. So… what was the cause of Akira's trauma, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My parents." Ren says bitterly, grabbing Zenkichi's attention. "For as long as I know them, they had always been comparing me and Akira together, constantly shooting him down because, in their eyes, he's the 'idiot'. Always calling him 'second rated' and 'second best' at everything. Something I always tried to shield him from when I was around, but when I was sent on probation…"

"Parental abuse…" Zenkichi says quietly, eyes narrow. That hit a sore spot for him, as he grips his arms tighter than ever. "That's one of the worst types of crimes… And, are you going to report it?"

"As much as I want to, I'm not the one suffering." Ren replies, standing up to look at Zenkichi. "It's Akira. If I were to blow the whistle, even if it would save him it would only hurt us both. I can't help but feel he is envious of me, and If I try to step in…. This is something he needs to do by himself. To prove that he is no longer under their control."

"Like what I did with my mother." Hifumi remarks, drawing Zenkichi's wide eyes. "My former mother… she would do anything to get me into the Idol industry. All so she could live a life of luxury. Even rigging my Shogi matches to make me more 'marketable', and even signing a deal with Kaneshiro to speed me into the industry. Completely disregarding my life. Even after I left her, she still tried to force herself into my life, even after we changed her heart." She shakes her head, a frown marred on her face. "Hearing what Akira is going through… this is personal for both Ren and me."

Zenkichi looks away, a pain in his eyes as he thinks back to Akane. The hidden worry within him that she would do the same as Ren and Hifumi. And how much it hurt to image it ever happening.

"I get it. Things have gotten personal. But, I think things have gotten more complicated than that." The Thieves turn to him, confusion on their faces as Zenkichi lets out a sigh. "We found out why Akira and the others leaders haven't shown themselves. They are being held in house arrest by the Enforcers themselves."

"What?" The Thieves say as one, shocked at what has happened.

"But, why? Akira is the Monarch, so they should be on his side. So, why are they putting him under house arrest?" Sumire asks, shaking her head at the notion. Until Morgana lets out a hum.

"I think I know why. It's because Akira himself disagrees with his Shadow." All eyes turn to Morgana as he sits down. "When I spied on them, I overheard how Akira was completely put off by what is happening. He even talked about how he was hearing voices to go and add more people too EMMA, but he was refusing to do so."

"And for that reason, his Shadow took things into his own hands?" Futaba asks, tiling her head. "That… might explain why they are forcing others to join EMMA. Akira is refusing to do it, so his Shadow is making the ones he has already caught, unintentionally it seems, do it for him. And if that's the case, then the reason why his Enforcers have put Akira's friends under house arrest, is because they are not brainwashed like the others until they download EMMA and get their Desires stolen…"

"While they wait for Akira to give in and follow through with the EMMA app… Disturbing." Makoto ends with a shiver. "But still, we need to give Akira the Calling Card. Otherwise, we can't save anyone."

"And it needs to be done soon. The cops are getting antsy with the Enforcers. They are bound to make a move on them in the coming days soon." Zenkichi warns, shaking his head. "Honestly, the whole of Yokohama feels like a powder keg at this point. Just waiting for the right spark to set it up." Ren glances at Morgana, spying the sealed letter on his harness before glancing back up at Zenkichi.

"Don't worry. Akira will get the Card." He looks up at the sky, a cloud passing over the sun as the Thieves fall into its shade. "I won't let him suffer any more." While Ren glanced up, Chihaya pulled out her cards again. The reversed Hope was still one of them, same from yesterday, but the other two gave her some positive hope.

The Tower, symbolising their upcoming battle, and the Fool in upright position.

August 12th, 2017

Akira sat alone in his room, just past midnight. Hands on his head as he shook the voices out of his mind. They had been getting worse ever since the Enforcers attacked the stores all around Yokohama. It made him sick to his stomach that they did that, yet the growing voices in his mind cheered at them, praising their actions. And now he was here, stuck in his room while those same Enforcers patrolled outside. Locking him in his own home.

Well, a home for him anyway. Not that his parents were ever home, to begin with.

"I can't let it end here. We need to save this sinking country. We can't let the Thieves always outclass us. And I can't lose to my brother." He mumbles to himself, rubbing his head as a chorus of feelings boils inside him. Hatred and envy, all directed at his brother. But just as his mind began to spiral even more, something was slipped through his half opened window.

Looking up, Akira did not see anyone outside. Not that there would be anyone, seeing how he was on the second floor. Yet, the sealed letter on the floor under the window was proof he had a visitor.

"A letter? Is it from Yūgō and the others? Did they escape?" He ponders, picking it up and opening it. Only to get the shock of his life, as the unmistakable image of the Thieves greeted him as Akira pulled out the Calling Card. "W-What?" He whispers, turning it on its back as he feels a sword plunge into him. Not even noticing a peculiar cat looking at him from the window, before vanishing into the night.

This card was for him.

Sir Akira Amamiya-Konoe, the envious Phoenix of Yokohama… You have created an army that acts under your will, enforcing your tyrannical desires over the people of Yokohama.

However, we know that this is not what you want, but the twisted part of yourself that has grown into a monster. And that this monster threatens to turn you into the very thing you hate.

Tonight, we are stealing the Desires you have taken, and freeing you from your pain.

From, the Phantom Thieves of Heart.

The words ring out in Akira's mind as he reads and re-reads the message. Blinking his eyes as he tells himself that this was not a dream. Words fail to come to him as the weight of the Calling Card falls on his shoulders. While in his Jail, Akira's Shadow stood in the centre of his room, the lava puddles around him boiling in anger. Watching as the formless mass of Desires above him transforms into a giant pink jewel.

"An envious monster? Me? How stupid. And what makes them think I will hand over these Desires so readily? I have control over my life now. I am a Monarch! I can be whatever I want without being compared to someone else! If the Thieves think they can take me down, then come and try it! I'll see you burn before my furious flames!"

This was it. The moment Joker had been dreading ever since arriving in Yokohama. It was time to face down the Shadow of his brother. And if the Jail was anything to go by, with the roaring lava and falling rocks from the sky, Akira's Shadow was far from happy he was called out.

"Looks like going through the cave systems is out." Fortune remarks, looking at their former entry point, spewing out lava onto the battlements.

"Then it's a good thing we have a chain leading all the way there." Oracle replies, pointing a hand at the long chain leading up to the Birdcage.

"Let's not waste any time." Gecko remarks, cracking his knuckles as Joker leads the climb. Quickly followed by the others as smog rolls down the side of the mountain. Just as they reach the top and into cover, fire rains down from above. Cutting them off from escaping from the Jail. Not that any of them had any intention of leaving until Shadow Akira was beaten.

As Joker stood at the tall stone doors before them, guarding the way into the inner sanctum, he took a moment to take a deep breath. Feeling the gaze of the Thieves behind him, their presence a welcome aura to steal his nerves. "You know, now I know how you two felt when we faced Okumura and Athena." He says to Noir and Queen, giving the two a warm smile.

"You were there for us, Joker. Now it's our turn to be there for you." Noir replies with a smile as Queen walks up and pats him on the arm.

"Family sticks together to the end. No matter what comes next." Queen tells him as Sophie suddenly hugs both of them at the waist.

"Let's go save Uncle Akira!" She says with a smile, putting a larger one on both Queen and Joker as the rest of the Thieves group around them.

"You're right." Joker tells her, patting Sophie on the head, before turning to the door. "Skull, Gecko. Kick that door down. It's Showtime!" The two Thieves grin, walking up to the door as they both ready themselves. Before letting their legs fly, slamming the door open or, more accurately, shattering it to pieces and opening the way in.

Where they find, standing at the far back of the vast cavern, standing next to a throne with his back turned to them, Shadow Akira.

"You Thieves certainly know how to make an entrance." He remarks as they approach him. "I thought you would be more stealthy than that."

"We just know how to make an entrance." Outlaw tells him as Shadow Akira turns around to face them. Now sporting a large shield on his arm with a sword held inside it. The image of a phoenix is emblazoned on it.

"He's dressed as a kingly knight? I thought he would be a Phoenix." Spring remarks with some disappointment in her voice.

"Is this how you always are? Proving yourselves better than everyone else?" Shadow Akira asks, walking down the steps slowly. "I thought you Thieves were better than that, but it turns out your just another group who pick on the weak. Can't you see that I am fallowing in your footsteps? I want to change this broken country as well!"

"And how does copying Shido help?" Joker asks, walking forward and separating himself from the group. "How does copying his manifesto help you? Wasn't he the one who separated you from your brother?"

"Ren? What has this got to do with Mr. Perfect? The one who was always better than me in every way?" Shadow Akira asks with venom in his voice. Shocking the Thieves was Joker stands frozen. "I'm not doing this for him or my sorry excuses for parents. This is all for me. And what better way to do it than taking that bastard's policy and making it my own? I'll show him how to really fix this country. I'll show them all!" He suddenly slams his shield into the ground, igniting a wall of fire across the room. Separating the Thieves from Joker as they yelp back in surprise.

"Joker!" Shadow shouts as Panther and Gecko try to move through the flames. Only to find themselves unable to pass through.

"Your friends can't help you. This is between me and you." Shadow Akira remarks, drawing his blade from the shield. The cross guard a pair of wings, while the blade was a gleaming silver etched with fiery runes. "It's time you moved over, Thieves. We're the new changers in this country. And we're going to take if farther than you ever did!"

"Is that what you think?" Joker asks back, readying his knife as he falls into his pose. "Then come and prove it, Akira. If you think you can beat me." Shadow Akira raises his shield, holding his sword out to his side as the two stare each other down. On the other side of the fire, Oracle had a screen up to show the Thieves as she was busy scanning Shadow Akira.

"Joker! Shadow Akira is weak to curse and bless!" Oracle calls over the headset, but Joker gives no reply. Instead, keeping his eyes fixed on Shadow Akira as he starts moving around the side. Shadow Akira follows his steps as the two circle one and other. Lava roars from the pools as they twist and churn before one of them lets out a spout of flame.

A signal that the two used to finally charge at each other. Shadow Akira swung high as Joker ducked low, his dagger glancing off Shadow Akira's shield as they ended up on either end of the area. Shadow Akira spins around, slashing his sword against the ground and sending a fireball racing across the ground towards Joker.

Joker fires his grapple into the air, zipping himself over the fireball as he rains down bullets on Shadow Akira. Who blocks them with his shield before firing back with Agidyne from his sword. Joker grimaces, letting himself drop and dodge the spell before summoning Kohryu and blasting Shadow Akira with bless magic. Stunning him briefly as a shield appeared around him before quickly shaking it off and charging towards Joker with his shield up.

Bashing him away with said shield and almost sending him into the wall of fire around them. Capitalising on this, Shadow Akira slashes the ground three times, sending three fireballs racing towards Joker as he stands up. Seeing the incoming attack, Joker braces as he mentally switches personas in his mind. Just as the blasts hit Joker, covering him in smoke while Shadow Akira smirks in victory.

"Inferno!" Joker shouts, suddenly engulfing Shadow Akira in flames as the smoke dissipates, revealing the Persona he had summed with Mada. The ruler of the Tower Arcana.

"You think you're better than me, huh!? Well, let's see you dodge this!" Shadow Akira shouts, rushing at Joker and slashing out with a rapid-fire thrusting action with his sword. A sword rain, if you will. Joker barely had time to dodge all of them before Shadow Akira followed up with a shield bash, sending Joker into the air as Shadow Akira tried to skewer him with his sword. Only for Joker to block his strike with his dagger. Landing on the ground, Joker switched Personas again and attacked with Alice. Hitting Akira with an Eigaon and cracking his shield even more before rushing at him. Ducking under the sword swing and slashing at his arm, managing to get a hit under the armour before leaping back.

Shadow Akira glares at him with anger, readying himself for one more charge as Joker finds himself backed towards a pool of magma. One hit, and he would fall in.

"This is the end of you, Thief Leader!" Shadow Akira yells, charging right at Joker, who flips his dagger into a reverse grip. Mentally switching himself to Yoshitsune as he charges forward as well.

"You think so!? Hissou Tobi!" Joker shouts, surprising Shadow Akira as he lands eight quick hits on him before jumping over and switching to Raoul. And blasting him with a Megidolaon. Sending Akira tumbling to the ground and to the edge of the lava pool. With the wall of fire around them dying down and allowing the Thieves to join Joker's side. "It's over Akira. Stand down."

"Who gave you the right to say it's over!?" Shadow Akira yells, forcing himself up as he holds his left shoulder. His sword far from his hands. "It's always the same with people like you! Always deciding what MY fate is! Never letting me get a word in and always shooting me down! Well, not any more!" Shadow Akira takes several steps back, standing on the edge of the lava pool as he glared at the Thieves.

"You think that's all I was capable of? Let me show you how wrong you idiots are!" With that, Shadow Akira lets himself fall into the lava, even as the Thieves rush over to stop him. Letting the flames engulf him with a smile on his face. But the moment he goes under, a giant burst of flame erupts from the pool, as a giant majestic bird with wings made of fire soars above them. Two long tails made of fire extend from its rear, its plumage made of red, orange, and gold as it turns to face them. Akira's face melded with that of a bird turning to face them as he roars at the Thieves in anger, flapping his giant wings in the air.

"He has a second form!?" Edelweiss shouts in alarm as the Thieves ready for battle.

"Don't you get it!? I'm in control! This is my world, and I make the rules!" Phoenix Akira screams at them, sounding almost like Shadow Sae, as Joker frowns deeply at Phoenix Akira. "I'll make them all see, just how much worth I really have!"

"Akira… It doesn't matter what you do. I'm stopping your madness here and now! Abyssal Wing!" With Raoul by his side, Akira unleashes a barrage of feathers at Phoenix Akira, who takes the hits easily as a shield forms around him.

"Guys! Akira's weakness has changed! He is immune to fire and bless and resists curse and nuke! But he's weak to phys and gun!" Oracle informs the team before taking cover in Al Azif as Phoenix Akira bombards the area with a fire breath. Forcing the Thieves to scatter as they fire at him with their guns. Or, in Fortune's case, her chakrams.

"Is that all you have!? It looks like tales of your abilities are greatly exaggerated, Thieves!" Phoenix Akira shouts, diving at them and flying over the ground. Aiming to hit the Thieves with his fire-engulfed wings only for them to jump over him with ease. "Hmph! Guess you're more agile than you look!"

"We're more than that, Akira! Riot Gun!" Crow shouts, launching the gun attack at Phoenix Akira and hitting his wing. Earning a sharp cry from him as his shield flares, Outlaw quickly following up with a One-Shot Kill alongside Noir, earning the ire of Akira.

"Bastards! That hurt!" Akira shouts, blasting forward with a Mafreidyne before lashing out with a Mahamaon. Forcing the Thieves to duck and dodge even as Gecko leaps up and lands a strong punch on Akira's face before landing back onto the ground.

"We've spent too much time here already. We need to wrap this up." He remarks, looking at Fortune. "You ready to do this?" He asks her, the star in Joker's pocket glowing once more.

"More than ready."

"It's Showtime!"

Once again, the red curtains fall as Gecko and Fortune jump into the air. The cavern transforms into a sidewalk with Fortune sitting at a fortune-telling booth, with Phoenix Akira before her as she folds her hands. A smirk across her face.

"Let's read your fortune, shall we?" She remarks, picking up one and turning it over to reveal the Hanged Man. "An inner dragon is released." She intones as Gecko leaps out from behind, kicking Akira in the head and sending him slamming into the wall at the back. Fortune turns over the next card, revealing it to be the reversed Wheel of Fortune. "A great deal of bad luck is in your future." She adds, with Gecko leaping at Akira and letting out a furious barrage of flame-infused punches and kicks before unleashing a final haymaker into Akira that sends him flying into the air.

Just as Fortune turned over the last card, tilting her head at the blank image before glancing up at the falling Akira. Just as she infuses the blank card with bless and curse magic. "A blank card? I can't read this!" She shouts, throwing the card at Akira. The moment it collides with him, it explodes with bless and curse energy, mixed with red flames, as Gecko stands next to Fortune.

"You might need some new cards." He tells her as Akira slams to the ground in a daze.

"Maybe." Fortune remarks as the area changes back to normal, the shield surrounding Phoenix Akira shattered as Joker leads the Thieves in an All-Out Attack on Akira. Clipping feathers off him and sending him flying into the wall.

"I can't lose… I won't lose!" Phoenix Akira shouts, taking flight before diving into one of the lava pools. Seconds later, he bursts out, the injuries sustained from battle healed as he unleashes a Maragidyne on the Thieves.

"The hell!? Did he just regenerate!?" Skull shouts, as Panther jumps in front of him and absorbs the flames. Teach fires a rocket at Akira, the round slamming against the reformed shield and knocking him back slightly before ducking under one of Akira's talons.

"We need to block off those pools! Otherwise, he'll keep on healing!" Crow shouts, firing his gun at Akira before ducking under another wing strike. Edelweiss scans the roof of the cavern, the giant jewel above them glowing from the flames before noticing large outcrops of rock hanging from the roof. Hovering over the pools of lava below.

"I've got an idea!" Edelweiss shouts, letting a storm of missiles fly towards one of the rocks. The attack cleaves into the side, breaking it free from the ceiling as it falls to the ground. Landing in the pool of lava and blocking it.

"What!? My regeneration pool!" Phoenix Akira cries, seeing one of his four polls clogged with rocks. "Damn you! Don't think you'll get away with this!" Firing back with a Freidyne, Akira forces the Thieves apart, failing to see Spring, using her spear to send Violet into the sky towards another one of the rocks.

"Vorpal Blade!" Violet cries, slicing into it, and sending to down to the pool below. Block off another hole as Akira starts to panic. Spinning around like a tornado, generating a vacuum around him as he tries to pull the Thieves into him. A tornado of fire envelops him as he starts to move around towards Fortune before Fox blasts the ground around Fortune with ice. Creating a wall that stopped Akira in his tracks as he was forced out of his attack.

Meanwhile, Noir grabbed Mona with Psiodyne, sending him into the air until he was level with the third rock formation and smashing it with a Miracle Punch. Shattering the base holding it to the ceiling and sending it falling into the third pool. Not only sealing Akira off from another source of healing, but also weakening him as the flames on his wings start to die down.

"Why won't you give up!? I told you, this is MY WORLD! And I'm the one how rules here! I am superior to everyone!" Akira screams, blasting the ground with another Agidyne before coming in with a wing strike. He manages to hit Outlaw in the chest with his wing, sending him flying into Teach who grabs him just before landing in the pool of lava while Sophie heals him up.

Shadow spins her kunai around, sending it towards Akira and manages to wrap it around his leg while Panther does the same. The two girls fight to drag Akira down as Skull, Fox, Crow, and Gecko join them to drag Akira down. Giving Queen the opening she needed to blast the last rock formation with a Freidyne, sending it falling to the lava opening below just as Akira manages to break free of Shadow and Panther.

"No! My pools!" Akira screams, blasting out a Makougaon as he flies around out of physical range. Managing to hit a few of them, yet growled as the spell did nothing to others before ducking under a Ziodyne and Garudyne from Skull and Mona. "I can't fall here! I won't! I won't stay in anyone's shadow any more! I'm not a failure!"

"You still haven't noticed Akira? This fight is over! Shadow!" Joker yells, with his adoptive elder sister joining him seconds later. The star in his pocket glowing brightly.

"Ready!"

"It's Showtime!"

The two leap into the air, passing by the red curtains as Phoenix Akira found himself in an abandoned castle courtyard. The moon above him hidden by a thick cloud as two shadows moved about around him. Moving without sounds as they got into position around him. Suddenly, Joker leaps forward, his knife glowing with curse energy as he slashes into Akira's back before leaping back into the shadows.

Just as Shadow throws her kunai at Akira, encased in psionic energy, it lands right into his chest. Before suddenly dragging him forward into a rock wall. Slamming him against it as Joker leaps again from the shadow, firing his gun at Akira while Shadow moves around.

Swinging her kunai and chain before using it as a whip on Akira's back before leaping onto a nearby stone pillar. Joker joins her a few seconds later as the wall above Akira suddenly starts to crumble apart. Falling on top and burying him under the rubble as the two Thieves vanish into the shadows.

The area returns to normal seconds later, leaving a dazed and stunned Akira flapping away in the air, his shield almost broken as Joker summons Raoul to his side.

"You fought well, Akira. But this ends here! We are ending this cycle of hatred in your heart here and now! Riot Gun!" Not missing a beat, Raoul unleashes the attack on Akira, shattering his shield and sending him falling to the ground in a daze. Leaving only one final strike left to finish this fight. "All-Out Attack!" Akira's eyes widen in horror as the Thieves attack him from all directions, tearing into his wings and extinguishing the flames on his body. Leaving him with nothing except one last roar of anger as he falls to the ground. Defeated.

While the Thieves stood around him, watching as his body reverted back to his Shadow form, Joker walked towards him. Watching as Akira pushed himself up to one knee. Panting hard as he lets out an angry grunt, punching the ground hard.

"WHY!? Why am I always like this!? Why can I never catch up to him!? Why does he always leave me behind!?" Shadow Akira yells, slamming his hand into the ground with each punch as Joker walks up to him. Eyes set as he reaches for his mask. "Why can he never understand how I feel!?"

"You never told me…" Joker replies, taking his mask off to Shadow Akira. Who looks at him in shock.

"Ren? You are the leader of the Phantom Thieves?" Shadow Akira asks, not believing his eyes. Before growling in anger. "Why!? Why is it you always keep on being better than me!? No matter what we did, you were ALWAYS the favourite! No one ever paid attention to what I did! They always called me second-best, or walking in your shadow! I could never catch up to you! You abandoned me! Left me in the dust as you made a new family and forgot about us!"

"You think I didn't know that!?" Joker shouts back in anger, shocking the Thieves at the outburst. But none more so than Akira. "I had to listen to our parents talking shitty lies about you every single day, and no matter how much I tried to change their minds, they would never listen! That's why I tried to keep you away from those arguments. I knew you would suffer from them! When I went away on probation, I knew they would pounce on you the moment I was gone!" Joker grips his hands tight, as a tear runs down his face. "Because I know that what they were talking about was crap from the start! Who cared if I was smatter or a more natural leader, you had things that I never could have! "

"What?" Shadow Akira asks, not believing his ears.

"Tell me, out of the two of us, who was the more positive?" Joker asks, earning a gasp from Shadow Akira. "Out of the two of us, who was the more outgoing? The one more prone to jump into conversations and speak his mind? Not me, that's for certain." Joker kneels to Akira, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "You were the one who brought all of us together when we were kids. You and the others were the only ones who stayed by my side when I was falsely accused. Yes, I am at fault for not trying to get back to either you or Uncle Konoe, but that didn't mean I didn't try to do so. Even if I have disowned myself from our parents forever."

"Ren… Why are you stopping me? I can turn that bastard's work into my own. Use the thing that tore us apart as revenge against him."

"Akira… this is not you. Not once did you ever let yourself be envious. You never allowed yourself to fall to someone else's low, even when picked on. Don't you remember what we agreed on when we were kids?" Shadow Akira lets out a soft gasp at Joker's words. "What we would do as we grew older? What you are doing now, trying to turn something that tore us apart into your own, all it's going to do is destroy what you have left. Don't let envy and hate take it all away!"

"Ren… How is it you always know what to say to me?" Shadow Akira remarks, slowly shaking his head as he lets a sad frown form on his face.

"It's simple. I'm your brother. And nothing will ever change that." Joker tells him as the two stand up, Shadow Akira's gaze still glued to the floor.

"Yeah… You are… I really am an idiot, aren't I?" Shadow Akira remarks, hand reaching for his crown-like helmet. "I was turning into the very monster who tore us apart. What the hell was I thinking?" He removes the helmet from his head, placing it into Joker's hands. "As of this moment, the Phoenix Enforcers are no more. I'll cut all ties with them and think about what I should do from here. I… only hope Yūgō and the others will still be there…"

"They will be." Joker replies with a smile. "They stayed by you when I was accused. They won't leave you anytime soon." At the back, Sophie watches on wordlessly as Queen rests a hand on her shoulder. Watching with a proud smile. Joker holds up a balled fist at Akira, the smile not dropping from his face. "See you later?"

Shadow Akira glances at the fist before looking back at Joker with a similar smile. Returning the bump with his own. "Yeah. See you." And with that, Shadow Akira vanishes, returning to his other self as the entire mountain shakes and rumbles. The giant jewel above the Thieves cracks apart as they rush out of the cavern. Just as it shattered apart and sent the Desires flying out to the Prison Keeps.

While the Thieves took their cue and left the Jail. As for Joker, a massive weight was lifted from his shoulders as he felt he could breathe easily again. But there were still a few things left to do in real life.