Once the garish pink gates slam shut behind you, the sounds of your pursuers' footsteps and voices instantly vanish as if you'd been vacuum sealed inside. But despite that familiar feeling of severance from the outside world, your surroundings don't appear to have changed much at all. It's the same dingy, narrow street, the same buildings rising up on either side, the same pervasive stillness of a city whose life has been suspended until the next morning. If it hadn't been for the gates behind you, you wouldn't have believed you were in a Cloud at all.
However, there certainly was something different. Something unsettlingly abnormal, yet subtle enough to dance at the edges of your perception until it was properly focused upon. And once you reach the end of the narrow street and the world becomes less claustrophobic, Koharu seizes upon that difference immediately.
"…Are we in an anime?"
Once she says it aloud, closer scrutiny proves her right. The edges of every object in this world are darker and thicker, the colors slightly more saturated, the shadows formed by tight clusters of linework. A stray leaf tumbles down the street, pausing ever so slightly at regular intervals in a manner reminiscent of cheap animation.
"No waaay…" breathes Rin, plucking at the skin on her arm and swiftly becoming disappointed. "…I was hoping I'd be a little more stretchy, though."
"Well, we're not," says Koharu, and she's right – everyone looks the same as they always do.
Shibutani spins about, absorbing the bizarre sight. "How fascinating! A far cry from my own dream to be certain! Are all Clouds this outlandish?"
"Usually more so than this," you answer. "Although a cartoon world is pretty out there. Not what I was expecting from Hoga's dream."
"Assuming this is Hoga's Cloud," says Yoko, wincing.
"Oh, right! Hold on, Yoko-senpai!" Mariko squeaks, summoning Nyneve and rushing over to Yoko's side.
"Is Percival picking up anything interesting, Gin?" Yoko asks as Nyneve gets to work on her broken leg.
Gin, who's been quiet since you entered, stands a couple of meters back, his eyes closed tight in concentration. His Persona is curious, and quite unlike the others you've encountered so far. Its body is human-shaped, but comprised of many shimmering, ever-shifting cubes that rearrange themselves in the blink of an eye in accordance with some unseen algorithm. A pointed, silvery, cone-shaped helm obscures its face, resting upon two pauldrons that fan out across its back like the wings of a stealth bomber. A low, mechanical humming emanates from it as its "wings" spread out wider and emit a faint, turquoise glow.
After a few seconds of this, Gin opens his eyes, and Percival vanishes.
"Well, there are certainly Shadows here, but they're sparse. Real weak, too. Our Dreamweaver, on the other hand, comes through like a lighthouse in the fog. They're far and away the strongest thing here. Although…"
"What?" you ask.
"I'm not picking up on the Enforcer for some reason. That might prove to be a headache."
Hayate's eyes widen.
"Whoa. You can tell all that from here?"
Gin allows himself the barest hint of a smile.
"Analyzing Shadows is Percival's specialty. This far away, I can't do much more than make estimates, but once we're closer, I can tell you just about anything you want to know about a Shadow's strengths, weaknesses…whatever you like. Provided I get enough time to complete an analysis, that is."
"Strengths and weaknesses, huh? Would've been nice to have around in the last Cloud," gripes Koharu.
Next to you, Nisekao fidgets uncomfortably in his chair and stares at the ground. You can hardly blame him. Compared to Percival, Nisekao's jury-rigged navigation system doesn't really compare.
"Well, I wouldn't call it foolproof. Like I said, it takes a bit of time, and you can't always afford that in the middle of a fight. And, for what it's worth, you all must be doing something right if you're still alive after four Clouds."
He rubs his chin thoughtfully, then snaps his fingers.
"Ah, right. Speaking of which, you-" he points at Nisekao. "You've been running navigation for these guys this whole time, haven't you?"
Caught off guard, Nisekao merely nods.
"Right. But you don't have a Persona, do you?"
Nisekao chews on his lower lip before answering, "N-No. I don't. Th-That's why I thought…if I could help everyone find their way around…I could be useful. But you probably don't need me for that anymore, do you?" His nails dig into the armrests as he leans forward. "You're not going to tell me to go home, are you?"
For the first time since you met him, Gin's eyes soften.
"No. That's not it at all. Don't…don't worry about it. Persona or not, you've got a good handle on scouting. Can you show me what you've been working with?"
"Oh! Sure!"
Nisekao's eyes light up as he turns his laptop towards Gin and begins explaining his cameras and map-making process.
"Hobby store spy cameras, huh?" says Gin once Nisekao finishes. "It's a pretty cheap solution, but a clever one. However, your field of view is so restricted. I have no idea how you can get your bearings from such a low angle, let alone make maps from a shaky, chest-high video feed."
Gin rummages around in one of his pockets, and presses a small object into Nisekao's palm.
"Here. There's some software on this flash drive that'll let you access Chiime's controls and video feed. Should work out a lot better than what you've been using so far."
Nisekao looks from the flash drive, to Gin, and back, stunned.
"A-Are you sure about this? Th-That's your robot. D-Don't you need it?"
Gin waves a hand in front of his face dismissively.
"Not if you're going to be handling scouting. Truth be told, I'm not all that interested in that part of navigation. I'd much rather be fighting Shadows instead of constantly telling these numbskulls that they're going the wrong way."
"It's true," Rin drawls. "He always complains when it's his turn to be navigator."
"That's because it's always my turn! It's never not my turn with you people!" he growls back. "Anyways, I will need to override your controls if we get into any fights, but outside of that, I think you can take care of her. How does that sound?"
Nisekao smiles big and wide. "It sounds fantastic! Th-Thanks, Gin!"
"No problem. Like I said, you're doing me a favor here, too. Just let me show you how she works real quick…"
While Gin teaches Nisekao how to fly the drone, you notice Rin watching the two intently. Her expression is difficult to read, landing somewhere in between concern and confusion.
"What's the matter?"
Her mood instantly lightens upon hearing your voice, but she still doesn't take her eyes off of them.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing really. That Nisekao guy…you two aren't related, are you?"
You try holding a mental image of you and Nisekao side by side. Your faces are pretty similar, and your hair is the same color, but aside from that, there isn't much resemblance, or at least as far as you think.
"No, why?"
"Just a thought. I'm always thinkin' about stupid stuff like that, don't worry about it too much." She lets a sigh puff out her cheeks. "Nice to see Gin pull the stick out of his ass for a bit, though. He really loves all that robotics stuff, but he hasn't had anyone to share it with."
"Isn't he in the Robotics Club, though?" you ask. You think Shibutani mentioned something like that a while ago.
"Hmm? Is he? I dunno, I don't really keep track of what he does after school unless we're meeting to hunt Shadows or something."
"Oh," you reply, but inwardly you find it somewhat sad that Rin's so detached from her brother, especially since he's so protective of her. What does Rin care about?
"Are you part of any clubs?" you ask. She gives you an incredulous look in return.
"Me? Why? I'm not really good at anything. Except maybe fighting Shadows, but there's no club for that."
The memory of her on the hill in the woods surfaces in your mind like a whale breaching the waves, her mesmerizing voice as clear now as it was then. Does she remember? …Does she want to remember?
"You have an amazing voice, though." The words tumble out of your mouth despite your deliberation, bursting with an urgency to be heard. Rin's face turns furiously red.
"Wha-? When…?
She clasps a palm over her mouth, thinking, then exhales once the answer comes to her.
"Oh. Right. The trip. You won't tell anyone about that, right? I get awfully dumb when I'm sloshed."
"Cross my heart," you say as you do so. "But...you weren't dumb. I mean what I say about your singing. You really are good at it."
Rin studies you as if searching for some facial tic or other tell that would reveal your insincerity, and her eyes slowly widen when she's unable to find any.
"Well…if you say so-" she begins, but she's cut off by an outburst from Shibutani, who's standing off to the side with Koharu and Hayate.
"Shimizu-kun! Don't tell me this is what you've been carrying around in that bag all evening!"
Shibutani holds a two-handed longsword above his head and away from Koharu's outstretched hands as she hops up and down like a child beneath him.
"H-Hey! C'mon senpai, give it back! I only brought it in case we got into trouble! Mariko-chan's got a gun, how come that's okay?"
"Mariko-chan could blow the stem off an apple at a hundred meters. Can you even swing that thing?" asks Hayate as he watches her struggle, visibly amused.
Koharu puffs out her cheeks as she tenses up for another leap, but her fingers only reach up to Shibutani's chin.
"I…can! Just give it here and I'll show you!"
Seeing that she won't be dissuaded, Shibutani relents and hands the blade to Koharu. However, as soon he releases its weight, the tip drops to the pavement with a loud clang, pulling Koharu off balance. Shibutani grimaces.
"Shimizu-kun, this is hard to watch. You're going to end up cutting yourself…or someone else. Where did you get such a thing anyways?"
"It's a replica I bought at a convention. It looked cool, so sue me! And now, it's gonna come in handy…unf…just look."
Everyone hastily stumbles back to give Koharu a wide berth as she hefts the weapon. Gripping the hilt with both hands and her arms wobbling from the effort, she gives the sword a low swipe at about knee-height, treating it more like a mace than a blade. Truly, no Shadow's kneecaps are safe.
"…I see," says Shibutani, while Hayate walks off desperately trying to stifle his laughter. "If it gives you a sense of security, I understand. However, I'm still going to suggest that you don't use that if at all possible."
"Yeah, maybe stick to using your Persona instead," says Mariko with the air of someone who's not interested in treating any unnecessary injuries. "I mean, your Persona's magic is plenty strong, Koharu!"
Pouting, Koharu sheathes the sword with some difficulty and hoists it over her shoulder.
"Fine…starting to feel like a waste of money, though…" she grumbles.
Just then, Nisekao gives a shout.
"H-Hey! There's Shadows coming this way!"
He and Gin have Chiime's camera up and running on his laptop, which shows an aerial view of three Shadows running down a street not too far from your position. They're wearing some strange, padded black jumpsuits with red piping, as well as goat skull-shaped masks that remind you of the one Taishi had used for his disguise in Cloud Three. There's something odd about the way they keep looking over their shoulders, though…
There's no time to finish the thought, however, as the Shadows round the corner at the end of your street and stand there staring at your group like a bunch of spooked deer. Their paralysis only lasts a moment, however, as they snap back into action and begin sprinting directly towards you!
"H-Hey! Look alive!" you yell, yanking your guitar from its case as the enemy bears down on you. Yoko, Rin, and Gin step up alongside you.
"Let us handle these," Gin says. "Our fight against the last Dreamweaver wasn't our finest moment, so we'd like to give you an idea of what we're really capable of."
He looks to the others. "You ready?"
"Way ahead of you!" shouts Rin as she hefts her bat over her shoulder and dashes ahead.
"R-Rin! Hey, wait!" He sighs. "Yoko, you handle the one on the right. I'll take the left."
"Sure thing," she answers with a wry smile before twirling her golf club and running after them.
Watching them fight, you're taken aback by the way their Personas flash in and out of battle without so much as a command from their users. They close the distance quickly, strike with the power and speed of a boxer's right hook, and duck out before the opponent can counterattack.
Gin's drone whirls around overhead, and at first, it appears to be just monitoring the fight. But then, Gin drops back, taps his tablet, and two small mini-guns drop from a compartment on the underside of the drone. It riddles the advancing Shadow with a spray of bullets, sending it staggering backwards with its hands over its face.
Gin uses the opening to summon Percival. His Persona tucks its arms and legs in close to its body, spreads its wing-like pauldrons wide, and blasts into the air like a jet. It soars over the enemy, and a tiny glowing ball of blue light falls out of its shimmering form. The speck of light gently drifts towards the enemy like a dandelion seed on the breeze, and when it collides –
FWOOM!
-it detonates with a cacophony of blinding light and sound into an azure mass of pure energy that takes the Shadow to pieces in seconds. Gin turns to face you wearing a satisfied smirk, his silhouette surrounded by blazing light.
"Still got it."
On the other side of the street, Yoko smacks one of the other Shadows upside the head with her golf club, slamming it against the wall of a nearby building. With a snap of her fingers, her Persona, Elaine, shoots jets of fire from her palms, leaving behind nothing except a scorched outline on the bricks.
Noticing the fate of its comrades, the last Shadow hops backwards out of the reach of Rin's bat and scuttles over to you. It tugs at your sleeve agitatedly and frantically points past Rin towards the end of the street.
Rin cocks an eyebrow at it. "Shake it off, Tetsuo, or else I'm gonna end up concussing you, too. Unless…that's your thing or whatever," she adds slyly before Gin swats the back of her head.
"Knock it off," he mutters.
"Oww…"
"H-Hold on," you tell her while trying to ignore the heat rising in your face. "I don't think they're here to fight us. They're running from something else."
You kneel down face-to-face with the Shadow, taking it by the shoulders.
"Hey, try to calm down. These guys won't hurt you if you cooperate."
The Shadow falls back on its rump and scoots back a little farther.
"The hell're you talkin' about? You with her?" the Shadow says, its voice low and gruff. Gin steps forward, bemused.
"Wait, you can talk to these things?"
"It's not speaking our language?" you ask. Gin shakes his head. "Oh. Maybe it depends on the Dreamweaver, then. But yeah, I can speak to Shadows. Lemme talk to this one and see if I can get it to help us out."
"What, you think you can just decide that?" the Shadow barks. "I-I'm the one askin' questions here! You with that pink bitch or not?"
Your eyelids lower in irritation. "Take it easy, buddy. Coulda just let you get your head stoved in, you know. But no, we're not with anyone. We're actually looking for the Shadow in charge here – is that who you're talking about?"
The Shadow relaxes slightly, but its gaze doesn't leave the end of the street.
"You serious? Listen buddy, you don't want anything to do with her, trust me. You ain't seen what I seen. Every night, she comes back and tears us apart for what – friggin' sport? I'm telling you, if you ain't on her side, we gotta get outta here, quick!"
The Shadow's increasingly distressed tone is getting worrying. It must show on your face, as Yoko asks, "Hey, what's it saying? I don't like that look."
"The Dreamweaver's hunting them - sounds like they were running from it when we ran into them. It says we need to run, too."
The others exchange disturbed looks, and the Shadow grows increasingly agitated.
"What are we waiting for? Don't tell me you're thinking of taking her on?" it says.
"That's kind of the plan," you say, and an idea hits you. "Y'know, if you join up with me, we could protect you. Interested?"
"What? Like, as a part of you?" It pauses for a moment to consider it. "…You're not just sayin' that so you can make me do all the fighting, right? I know how humans are, and I'm not here to be your meat shield or nothing."
"Uh…well…I don't think there's gonna be any way to get around the fighting part," you answer.
The Shadow throws its arms up in the air and makes a spitting sound despite its lack of a mouth.
"Fuck you! Why should I go with you if I'm just gonna get thrown into the wood chipper anyways? I'm not about to die to protect you, buddy."
That's unfortunate. Given how easily some of the other Shadows gave up, you'd expected this to be easier. Nevertheless, this one isn't really in a position to bargain. It just needs help understanding that.
"Fine then. Here I thought I'd be doing you a favor. But you can always go back the way you came and look out for yourself. If you think you stand a chance," you tell it, pointing down the street.
The Shadow looks back over its shoulder, then back at you. Hopefully the message is setting in.
"Ah, dammit. So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Well, whatever. I'll play along. But I want some kinda guarantee that you'll treat me properly. How about…a piece of your life?"
"What? Wait, what does that mean?"
"What does it sound like? Some of your strength, your energy, your…stuff that makes humans go or whatever. You do that, and I'll know I can trust you."
"Am I gonna be okay if I do that?" you ask, wondering what exactly "a piece of your life" really means. It sounds like it could be anything between "getting really tired" and "dying at fifty," so a little clarification would be nice.
"You gotta be kidding me. Am I gonna be okay if I agree to be a part of you? There's gotta be some give and take here, kid. Make a choice already!"
"Okay, okay! Take it! This had better not take any years off my life."
The Shadow chuckles softly. "Relax. Nothin' like that. It will hurt like a bitch, though."
Suddenly, a sharp pain sears through your torso, making you double over onto your knees. It feels like you've been stabbed and punched in the gut one after the other, robbing you of breath. The sensation radiates outwards to your arms and legs like sharp bee stings.
The others gasp and step back in shock. Mariko dashes over and drops down next to you.
"Tetsuo! What's going on?"
"I'm…okay…" you tell her, waving her off. "Just…gimme a minute."
"See? That wasn't so bad. Now I know you mean business. You can call me Baphomet. With our powers combined, we'll raise some hell, kid."
With that, the Shadow vanishes in a cloud of bluish-black smoke, leaving a card marked by a pentagram and goat's skull – the emblem of the Devil.
"Uh-huh…" you hear Gin mutter to himself. "So that's how he has multiple Personas…"
Within a few seconds, the pain begins to subside, and you're able to catch your breath and stand up straight again.
"Stay alert…she's coming," you say.
"Who? Hoga?" asks Hayate. He hops up and begins frantically scanning the area.
Gin summons Percival again, and recoils almost immediately.
"What the…that reading…it's right on top of us! How'd it get here so quickly?"
[Better clench that ass, buddy. She's somethin' else,] says Baphomet.
"Oh ho ho ho!"
The laughter echoes off the buildings and through the alleys, making it sound like it's coming from everywhere at once. Then, almost as if on cue, a clump of clouds painted in wispy brushstrokes drift aside, bathing the scene in pale moonlight and drawing your attention upwards. There, standing atop an office building, her figure silhouetted by moonbeams and her fists planted on her waist in dramatic fashion, is Seina Hoga's Dreamweaver.
As your eyes adjust to the light, the Dreamweaver's figure comes into focus. It's a lot to take in, and "off-putting" is the most charitable word that springs to mind. Her hair's been pulled into bouncy twin pigtails tied off with giant pink bows that would generally look more appropriate on a girl ten or twenty years younger. Instead of her crisp, pressed police uniform, she wears a frilly pink jacket and skirt, both of which are distressingly several sizes too small, with white stockings that rise up to her knees.
The Dreamweaver leaps from the edge of the building and lands lightly on the sidewalk in front of you with a curtsy and a flourish of a short, star-tipped wand in her hand.
"You would've been smart to stay away, evil-doers! But now that I've found you, I won't let you run! In the name of peace and love, Mystic Warrior Hoga will punish you!"
"Oh my God, 'MWH'…she's a magical girl," groans Koharu. "I hate this."
"And Iseult, too!" another voice squeaks, small and obnoxious like it's laced with helium. A pink winged creature you hadn't noticed before slithers out from between Shadow Hoga's ankles and flutters up to perch on her shoulder. Its length reminds you of a ferret, but its head and limbs are more cat-like. A star-shaped mask similar to the one at the entrance obscures the rest of its face.
"That little gremlin's our Enforcer," Gin says. "So that's why Percival couldn't sense it. Their signatures were right on top of each other."
"Aren't Enforcers supposed to be crazy monsters or something? Like, this one's talking. And it looks like it'd die if I sat on it," Hayate remarks.
"H-How dawe you! I'm Hoga-chan's bestest fwiend! Pwease don't let these bad people do anything to me, Hoga-chan!" the Enforcer squeals, tugging on one of Shadow Hoga's pigtails.
Koharu grimaces. "Ughhh, make it stop! If it says one more thing, I'm gonna shove that twee little bastard into a meat grinder."
The Dreamweaver coos and scratches the thing under the chin while staring you down.
"Of course not, Iseult. I'll never let these awful villains lay a hand on you. I know their methods. They want to weaken my powers by destroying you."
"Oh. Our reputation precedes us. Then you probably also know we have a one hundred-percent win rate, too. It's not too late to give up and tell us who asked you to cover for the Yatabuya, you know," you tell her.
The Dreamweaver winces, taking a step back. "What are you talking about?"
"We know it's connected to what happened in Kabukicho," Mariko says, seizing the opportunity to press further. "There's no way you could get rid of all those criminals but ignore what's happening in Toshima. We're going to find out why one way or another. Do you really think you can take all of us?"
Everyone's Personas spring forth as you advance on the Dreamweaver and her diminutive Enforcer. She takes another step back, and another, until she finds her back up against the wall.
"I-I won't be intimidated by a bunch of human brats! You have no idea what you're getting into, coming after me!"
"And that's exactly why we're here," Rin says with a smirk. "We'd love to find out."
But before anyone can make the first move, a wall of black flame erupts in front of your faces, separating you from the Dreamweaver.
"Everyone! B-Behind us!" Nisekao shouts.
"And just what do you think you're playing at?"
That oily drawl is hard to forget – Taishi and Chikara come sauntering up the street behind you with the air of someone coerced into an unpleasant task. Your hand flies to the neck of your guitar, but Taishi doesn't seem to paying much attention to you or your friends.
"Do you even understand the situation you're in?" he shouts over your head, and you realize that he's talking to Hoga's Shadow, not you. Her face twists up in annoyance.
"What're you doing here? If you haven't noticed, I'm trying to save this city."
Taishi wipes his palm across his face and Chikara rolls her eyes.
"Those criminals mean nothing compared to what's at stake here. It seems you've gotten so wrapped up in this idiot womanchild's fantasy that you've forgotten what really matters. Think about the situation for even a second – these fools have been tearing through Clouds like tissue paper and you thought you'd be able to handle them alone? All you needed to do was accept your new, cushy office and keep your head down. Too much to ask, it appears."
The Dreamweaver steps forward, one of her golden eyes twitching.
"How dare you. I'm the Chief of Police – are you saying I can't handle a handful of humans?"
"Yeah, pretty much," says Chikara, cracking her knuckles. "We're here to make sure your dumb ass doesn't get dusted, so quit wasting time and get outta here already."
"And if you'd rather be difficult, we'll have you know that we're here on his authority. The Boss has made it quite clear that you're to be eliminated if something as simple as self-preservation is beyond you. After all, it's not you that's important – it's what you know," Taishi adds.
At this, the Dreamweaver's eyes widen, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. Her Enforcer winds its way down her arm to tug at her sleeve.
"C'mon, Hoga-chan…wet's just do what they say…"
"Tch."
Hoga's Shadow spits on the ground in disgust and leaps back up to the roof.
"You'd better take care of business, then. 'Cause last I heard, you've got a habit of leaving messes for us to clean up."
With that, she takes off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop until she's out of sight. You and the Yatabuya thugs lock eyes with each other.
"You know, she's got a point," Rin says. "Given your track record, I don't see how you stand much of a better chance." She taps her bat against the underside of her shoe impatiently. Chikara scowls.
"Yeah? Keep talking, bitch. You think we're lettin' traitors like you walk outta here alive?" She points at the tattoo on Rin's neck. "You fucked around, now it's time to find out."
Gin chuckles. "Frankly, I'm surprised such thin disguises had you fooled for so long. I'm glad we're done beating around the bush – tolerating you was getting old, anyways."
Taishi snaps his fingers, and Meliagaunt appears at his side. "Indeed. Hearing your screams will do me some good."
As Chikara summons Aggravain, the thought of the Dreamweaver getting away tugs at the back of your mind. There's no way you'll need everyone to take these two.
"Gin," you say. "We can't play into their hands like this. They're just a distraction – if we let the Dreamweaver hole up somewhere, it'll take a lot more time and effort to force her out later. Why don't you take a team with you and go after her?"
As expected, he doesn't seem pleased with that idea. "And you want to stay behind and deal with them? Did you forget that Rin had to bail you out last time you tried this?"
"That was then, this is now. We could go back and forth about who's bailed out who, but we've already wasted enough time. Are you gonna start trusting me with stuff like this or not?"
He takes a miniscule pause before answering – barely perceptible – that tells you exactly how much he really trusts you. But despite this, he relents.
"Fine. I suppose I'm better equipped to track her down anyways. But I'll leave Yoko with you – you should have someone with you that knows how to deal with these clowns."
You also know what you're up against, this isn't the time to get petty. However, you don't need him picking your team for you.
"Wait, let me take Rin," you say. Gin fixes you with a searching glare, but you hold your ground. "W-We'll need her Persona to handle Chikara. I-I'll take Koharu and Nisekao, too," you add. It's not as if you're requesting her specifically, it's just…strategy.
"W-Wait, me?" Koharu squeaks. "How do you figure I'm the right one for the job?"
"Taishi's Persona specializes in curses. Tell me if I'm wrong, but Personas of the same type tend to cancel each other out, right?" you say with a glance towards Gin.
"You are right," he answers. "Well, at the very least it sounds like you have a plan. Just remember what we discussed…okay?"
The only thing that matters to me is the family I still have.
"Chill out, Gin," says Rin. "This is gonna be more fun anyways. We'll be back before you know it."
He looks like he wants to say something else, but decides against it.
"Tsukino, Hirada, Yoko, Shibutani. We're leaving," he says, waving them over.
"Hang on, where d'you think you're going?" shouts Chikara. She leaps after them, but Shibutani steps in her way.
"You all go on ahead. I'd like to stay behind with Katsuji." He eyes the Yatabuya gangsters with a hungry gleam you haven't seen before. "Seems a perfect opportunity to collect on some debts."
"Suit yourself, then. Just try not to die," says Gin, and he takes off down the street with his team in tow.
Chikara snorts. "That's adorable. The hall monitor wants some, too."
"Yeah, I don't know about this, senpai. You don't…you know," you say, not wanting to reveal that Shibutani doesn't have a Persona. But for some demented reason, that just makes him smile.
"Oh, I know. In fact, I couldn't ask for a more perfect opportunity. Actually, could I ask you all to hang back? Let me face them on my own."
"Would it be considered assisted suicide if we said 'yes'?" asks Koharu. "Where's this coming from?"
"Yeah, I don't know what you're thinking, senpai, but this is mental. I get that you're angry at these guys, but they'll murder you," you add.
Whatever's gotten into Shibutani has its claws in deep. Instead of backing down, he laughs, a booming cackle magnified by the tall skyscrapers around you.
"Katsuji…no, Tetsuo. We've known each for some time, right?"
The sudden use of your first name takes you aback. "Well, yeah, but-"
"Then place your faith in me, and indulge my madness just this once. If I should fail, you may intervene, but I promise you – I will not die."
Despite the lunacy of this request, despite every synapse in your brain responsible for common sense telling you otherwise – you believe him. He's still Shibutani, after all, steadfast and invincible.
"All right then," you sigh. "Fuck 'em up, senpai."
"Took the words right out of my mouth."
