The Phantom Thieves finally steal Okumura's treasure. From the shadows, the carrion bird watches.


[10/04, The Present Day]


Soon after her fiery declaration, the rest of the team followed.

They continued exploring the factory and fought several more shadows. Noir's own focus was absolute, as she worked trough the enemy ranks with everything that she had.

How dare he. How dare her father treat people that way?

Who did he think he was? It was beyond repulsive.

As those questions kept popping up on her mind, Noir and the others progressed until the team paused a bit to consider their options next.

And while the others discussed some things, Noir noticed an "out of service" door that looked less distorted than the general palace.

"Could that be a safe room?" She asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I'm not getting the right kind of reading. Something feels off." Oracle declared.

"Maybe we should go and check it out?" Ace suggested.

They all looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Noir was already moving. There was just this weird feeling in her gut, one that she couldn't explain.

Inside, the room was dark, full of brooms, broken buckets, machines and other work tools. She spotted some familiar old trinkets and toys. Some trash, some old furniture.

It was like an old, dusty basement full of useless things.

Things she recognized as her father's, as soon as she spotted the old logo of her grandpa's original family diner.

But before she could process the meaning of things, she spotted something that froze her in her tracks.

In the center of the dusty, dark room, sat a body sized, human-like robot doll version of her usual self.

It was incredibly insulting.

"The sign says out of service. Please, leave this place immediately." Her own voice echoed, robotically.

She heard the others gasp.

Ryuji-kun, who was just next to her, was the first to speak. "Is that…?"

"Cognitive Haru…" She heard Makoto whisper.

"What is this place?" She asked her cognitive self, in a small voice.

A hush fell over the room.

"An out of service closet. For unwanted, discarded things." The cognition replied in a lifeless voice.

Unwanted.

Discarded.

"That bastard…!" She heard Ryuji-kun cry out. She placed a hand upon his arm, to calm him down. He relaxed and she let go.

Haru's hands trembled. "Why are you here?"

The cognition paused. Then lifted its head robotically and smiled demurely. "I hold no personal value for President Okumura."

No value…

"Is that so? Well, I heard the president is eager to sell out his only daughter and allow her to become a glorified prostitute." She told the cognition, bitterly.

The others gasped at her crass choices of words. Did it even matter? It was true.

"Then I shall graciously accept whatever plans President Okumura has for me. I do this with joy." The cognition replied.

So he truly sees his own daughter no different than the other people he has been sacrificing and using...

She was now just another cog in the machine.

"So this is truly how my father sees me… Figures."

Suddenly, a spark of terrible amusement hit Noir, full force. She started chuckling.

The others looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

Then, before any of them could react, she swiftly grabbed her axe and charged with a cry of rage. With brutal, precise force, she split the skull of the cognition open.

Then she performed another hit. And another. And another.

She hit it again. Each blow was punctuated by a visceral scream of anger, that eventually dissolved into anguished sobs as she sank to the ground and cried to her heart's content.

The robotic remains of her cognition lay in tatters, emitting malfunctioning sparks.

She felt a pair of arms surround her in an embrace and she succumbed to their warmth. She would later learn that it was Ryuji-kun who held her tight as she sobbed on his chest.

When she recomposed herself, Ren-kun declared the expedition over.

She agreed, thoroughly exhausted.


Her first palace excursion was brutal and tiring. Makoto seemed quiet and subdued, likely tired from her eventful return to the metaverse and the horrifying end of their expedition.

Sae herself was still absorbing the events of the night. She hoped the Okumura heiress was doing well, after that whole debacle they just went through with her cognition earlier in the day.

She was broken out of her thoughts thanks to a beep coming from her phone.

[Nasty Crime Boy added Sae Niijima to the group chat 'The Ghost Robbers']

[Sae Niijima The Ghost Robbers]

[Sae Niijima: What is this?

[Nasty Crime Boy: Sorry for the lack of warning, but Morgana and Futaba have been pestering me to add you to our group chat.

[Nasty Crime Boy: You know, we discuss our operations here. Futaba wipes out the history once in a while though, so it's safe.

[Sae Niijima: Sounds sensible.

[Sae Niijima: But, Amamiya, what kind of screen name is that?

[Nasty Crime Boy: Isn't it amazing? Makes me the perfect criminal.

[Sae Niijima: It's utterly ridiculous.

[Sae Niijima: But you are indeed nasty.

[Nasty Crime Boy: Jelly much, Satan?

[Nasty Crime Boy: Anyways, the screen name edits are a Futaba thing. She does that to Yusuke and Ryuji too.

[Nasty Crime Boy: But she doesn't dare change Makoto's, so you're going to be fine

[Alibaba: Hah, that's what you think, criminal!

['Sae Niijima' changed her username to 'Ace Attorney']

[Alibaba: Now prosecutor lady, here is your punishment for being mean to Sojiro!

[Nasty Crime Boy: What a waste of a good reference. She should be called something more appropriate.

[Nasty Crime Boy: Like "Hellspawn_666"

[Ace Attorney: …What have I gotten myself into?

[Alibaba: Welcome to hell, mwahahaha

[Ace Attorney: Forgive me for being overly familiar, but how are you feeling Haru_Okumura?

[Haru Okumura: I am alright now, thank you for asking, Niijima-san.

[Ace Attorney: I'm glad to hear it, Okumura-chan.

[Makoto Niijima: Please, don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything. We're here for you, Haru.

[Haru Okumura: Thank you, Mako-chan. I appreciate it.


[10/05, The Present Day]


As a new day dawned, Sae had the whole morning for herself. It was her last day before returning to work, so she had to make it count.

She decided that a nice shopping trip for herself was overdue.

Before becoming distorted and obsessed with her job, Sae was known for having a little frivolous side, enabled by her generous paychecks and newly acquired prestige at work. As someone that had lived through a rough financial situation as a teenager, she would usually splurge on nicer things for herself and Makoto whenever possible.

Her father detested that.

After buying a designer blazer for herself and a brand new winter coat for Makoto, she exited the clothes shop with a smug face, deciding to go hunt for a new pair of killer heels.

"Sae-san?" A boyish voice called out, behind her.

"Hm?" She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

It was Akechi, her favorite smartass.

"Akechi-kun, what a pleasant surprise." She said with a smug tone of voice.

"Likewise, Sae-san." He said, a bit more subdued than she'd expect.

"Don't you usually have school during this time?" She asked bluntly.

"Yes, but as you know, I have class exemptions from time to time, for things like interviews and investigations." He replied nonchalantly.

"Hm."

Then her eyes narrowed as she remembered what he said about Makoto.

'Should I bring that up? Then again, I don't want to do anything that makes Makoto seem childish to him. I shouldn't give him that kind of opening or satisfaction.'

That is not to say that she would forget the slight against her sister.

"I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you here, either. I believed you wouldn't be taking your absence from work too well." He said with a chuckle that sounded slightly malicious to her ears.

She let out a huff. "Please, I'm not that pathetic. If I'm gonna be away from that nest of vipers, I might as well go and enjoy myself with the limited time I have on my hands. I will be back to the usual grind tomorrow anyways."

"Of course." He said simply in response.

It was then that Sae noticed that he looked strange. Usually, Akechi was rosy cheeked, well groomed and wore perfectly tailored clothes as well as his trademark cocky attitude and patronizing smile on his face.

The Akechi before her however, looked quite the opposite of his regular sef: Dark circles under his eyes, rumpled clothes and oily, unwashed hair composed his looks as of that moment.

It was incredibly disconcerting since it was such a massive contrast from what she was accustomed to.

"Akechi-kun, are you alright?" She asked, slightly concerned.

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"You seem tired."

"Oh, it's nothing. A mere trouble with my sleep patterns, is all."

"If you say so."

"Yes, don't worry."

She started walking and he followed her closely.

"You know, Sae-san, I feel like it is I who should ask if you are alright. In fact, you do seem quite carefree today."

"Hm, do I?"

"Yes. Did something good happen?" He asked her, bluntly and directly.

"Define 'good'." She prompted him as she paused in her walking to do a small bit of window shopping.

"The thing or situation that has put you in such an agreeable mood."

"Well, what else? It was none other than realizing that being ordered into taking a paid vacation was not so bad after all."

"A likely story, Sae-san." He said, chuckling.

His response rubbed her off the wrong way.

"Watch it. And what is it with this sudden interest in my life?"

"My apologies." He said insincerely. "It is just that you've displayed a drastic change in your life outlook the few times we have talked."

"Akechi-kun, I only talked to you twice since being suspended."

"Indeed. And yet, just last week you were ready to tear the entire office apart. Don't you see why I would be curious?"

Well, he wasn't wrong on that account.

But Akechi's sudden invasiveness rubbed her off the wrong way for reasons she couldn't explain.

"So? What happened to you all of a sudden?" He asked, insistently.

'Well aren't you being quite nosy today?'

She scoffed. "Now, don't be indelicate. That is no way to talk to a woman."

"Is that so?" He challenged.

In her mind, Leviathan hissed.

"Yes. Curiosity killed the cat." She responded coldly.

"Hm." He grunted.

"But since you are such a horrible gossip, I'll let you in on a little secret."

"Oh?" He asked, ears perking up.

She smiled humorlessly. "I'm just sick of letting life pass me by. Why despair and seethe, when I can just calmly let things happen naturally? I will not debase myself just to get to the top any longer, simply because…"

He narrowed his eyes "...Because?"

Her face was all smugness. "I am already at the top. It's just that the other people surrounding me haven't gotten the memo yet."

Akechi looked irritated with her response. Sae merely threw him a condescending smile.

'Serves him right for making Makoto feel inferior.'

"Well, we should part ways here Akechi-kun. I shall see you tomorrow at work, I'm sure of it." She spoke with a patronizing tone of voice.

And she left, not sparing him even a second glance.


Goro scowled as soon as she left. His prying wielded him with nothing in the form of a direct response, and yet…

It was quite obvious now. She did not have a change of heart. Her arrogance was proof enough.

It could only mean that the one thing he didn't wish to be true, was in fact, true.

She awoke to a persona.

Goro resisted the urge to punch the wall.


As soon as the class bell rang, Ann swiftly got up from her seat. She spied Ren grimacing as Mishima ambushed him. She sent him a sympathetic look and exited their class.

As she walked through the hallways of Shujin, ignoring all the stares and whispers left in her wake, Ann mused about their current situation.

The drama was a bit much, but Ann recognized the fact that they were just dumb teens trying to do the best with the hand they were dealt.

Unlike the others, though, she didn't feel like it was necessary to dogpile on Makoto's sister. Sure, It didn't excuse all the emotional abuse the woman had done to Makoto, but Ann herself didn't wish to be a hypocrite since she, too, was actually quite bitchy to Makoto in the past.

So, excuse her if she was trying to be positive and optimistic. She was rooting for Niijima-san to become a better person.

Besides, she and Makoto had gotten super close in the past few months, which to her, was a pleasant surprise. Anything to support her new bestie.

Of course, Shiho was irreplaceable to her, but Ann recognized that things between them would never be the same ever again. To think that her friend suffered because of her, and that Ann not playing into that disgusting creep's hands had led into those horrible chain of events would always place a tragic taint on their friendship.

And she understood Shiho completely. Right now, her healing was the priority. Ann had no right to demand anything from her, so making sure that Shiho was safe and happy - well, as safe and as happy as someone could be under those tragic circumstances - was the most important thing at the moment.

That didn't mean that Ann didn't feel lonely for a time. The boys were great, and she loved them, but they could also be complete dicks sometimes, especially Ryuji.

So as soon as Makoto joined the team, her days of suffering were over. In all honesty, she didn't expect them to click so well at all. Ann herself was a carefree, simple girl. Makoto was stern and complex.

They were polar opposites.

But that was the beauty of friendships, after all. Friends can always teach each other new things.

Makoto wasn't always that strict. She could be incredibly fun in her adorkable ways. And Ann wasn't that dumb either. She had her own sets of emotional smarts and she loved having the opportunity to support Makoto, who was a professional overthinker.

Their friendship grew before their eyes and they shared things and moments. They spent time together, and despite being completely different in personalities and tastes, they had reached an understanding.

So yes, Ann was very happy to have a new best friend. Makoto was now just as irreplaceable as Shiho in her heart.

And despite everything that was happening with her, she had faith things would be okay for all of them.

'I'll make sure that happens.' She thought resolutely.

Not long after concluding her thoughts, Ann reached her destination: The school roof.

It was time for a little girl talk

"Hi Haru! I was looking for you." She said, greeting her teammate, who seemed quite engrossed with her flower beds."

"Oh, Hello Ann-chan. What brings you here?" The older girl asked with a gentle smile.

Ann sat in one of the scattered desks and twirled her own hair. "I wanted to check in on you."

"Oh?" Haru seemed surprised.

"Yeah. I mean… That stuff with your father's palace and your cognitive self must be taking a toll on you."

Ann saw Haru look away.

"I… Yes. I must admit… It has not been easy. But I'm managing it."

"I can imagine."

They stayed silent for a bit. Then Ann cleared up her throat. "So… aside from what happened, back at the palace I also noticed that you seemed a bit, hmm, how do I put it…"

"Irritated? Disconcerted? Perhaps fed up?" Haru supplied, with a stiff and cautious posture.

"Uh, yeah."

"Indeed. Are you going to berate me for it?"

"Hmm, nope. I mean, I get it. If I were in your shoes, I don't think I'd have half the composure you're displaying right now."

"Thank you, I suppose." The older girl replied, relaxing a bit.

"That being said… Look, I have no right to demand anything from you after what you've been through, but I think you and Makoto need to have a proper talk. I get the feeling that you guys aren't exactly on great terms at the moment."

Haru sighed, and removed her gardening gloves. She then sat down across from Ann on top of another spare desk.

"Ann-chan, I'll be frank. All my life, I never had any close friends. People were either cold to me, or disingenuous."

Ann threw her a sympathetic look.

"You guys… Are the first genuine friends I have made in my life, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. But… I don't know. I still feel hurt. Out of everyone in the team, I looked up to Mako-chan the most."

Haru hugged herself.

"I'm not going to rehash everything that happened. I truly understand why she did what she did, it's just… While she was busy having her crisis, I felt like my situation mattered a bit less."

"Haru, you know that is not true at all…"

"I know. It was just an irrational passing feeling I had. I don't want to take my issues out on Makoto either, since I understand that she has already been through a lot as well. But I can't help but feel frustrated."

"Of course. And you know, that's a totally valid feeling, Haru."

"Thank you, But… I need to be honest with you, Ann-chan. I'm terribly jealous of her."

The blonde wasn't surprised. She had a feeling there was a hint of jealousy coming from Haru's vibe since yesterday.

"Makoto has an incredible support system. A sister who loves her. Friends who cares about her, a loving boyfriend. The respect of the faculty. She is a leader, a strategist, someone smart and empowered."

Haru smiled bitterly. "I don't have even a fraction of that. My father only remembers I exist the minute he can use me as a bargaining chip. My fiancé is a disgusting man. The kind people that cater to me are treated by my father as lowly servants just because we're obscenely rich. And I may have all the wealth in the world, but for all of its worth, it has brought me nothing but misery."

"Haru..." Ann whispered, feeling incredibly sad for her new friend.

"The only good thing that I have going on right now is you guys. And again, I'm extremely grateful for that." The heiress concluded, voice strained.

"Oh Haru. We love you too!" Ann said, reaching out and squeezing the other girl's hand.

Haru smiled at her, a bit teary eyed.

"Thank you Ann-chan… I know you are best friends with Mako-chan, so please, don't take my confession the wrong way. I don't want you to think I hate her, it's quite the opposite actually."

"Yeah, I get you. But… I feel like you should have this conversation with her, you know? It doesn't have to be right now, of course. But eventually, I think you should open up to her, tell her how you feel and clear up the air. Makoto will understand where you're coming from. I know for a fact she is feeling super bad for disappointing you."

"Yes, I gathered as much. I just need some time to process everything. And I still have my father and impending doom to deal with…" She said, casting her eyes to the ground in dejection.

"Yeah, that's understandable."

Haru nodded, but shivered as she seemed to think of something rather dark. "Ann-chan… Can I… Ask you something indelicate?"

"Of course."

"How… How did you deal with Kamoshida's attention?"

Ann swallowed dryly. That was not something she liked to recall, but… If Haru was asking, it meant she was dealing with something just as bad, if not worse, given that her father was planning on selling her out to that disgusting creep.

"I… It was pretty difficult. I had to dodge any direct contact with him, but he would corner me at times when I couldn't escape his presence. I managed for a time cos he never touched me in that, you know, way… It was mostly just putting his hands on my arms or getting super close..."

Haru nodded, seeming just as uncomfortable as Ann herself.

"Things only got worse when he got a hold of my number, and started to threaten Shiho's position." The blonde said, hugging herself.

"Ann-chan…" The older girl whispered.

"It's okay… In the end, Shiho suffered much more than I did… I…"

"Please don't dismiss your own feelings..." Her senpai pleaded with her, squeezing her hand supportively.

"Thanks, Haru… But yeah, that was mostly it."

"I see… Thank you for sharing that with me. I…"

She paused. The blonde sent her a supportive smile.

"Take your time, Haru."

Haru nodded and took a deep breath.

"My father introduced Sugimura to me at the beginning of the year, and informed me that he and I would partake in an arranged marriage. I wasn't happy then, but Sugimura hid his claws for a week or two, so I couldn't openly complain." She started, her voice far away.

"He started to do inappropriate things, and act possessively, controlling my whereabouts. I complained to my father, but he never heeded my concerns."

Haru wiped away a few stray tears.

"Then, he showed his true colors. He stole my first kiss against my will, and would continue to forcefully kiss me whenever I protested. It was like a game to him."

"Oh God…" Ann whispered, horrified.

The heiress laughed humorlessly. "I was elated when I found out he 'cheated' on me. I was so sure my father would cancel the arrangement then…"

Ann saw Haru's hands clenching.

"Turns out, I was being a fool."

Her tears started once more. "Then the humiliation began. He would flaunt his mistress right in front of me. He would drink and then dial my phone to call me debasing names. He'd pressure me for sex, to which I always refused. He insisted I was with other men and would get violent. One time, he gave me a slap."

"Haru… I'm so sorry…" Ann whispered, feeling awful for her friend.

The blonde got up and embraced her friend. "It must have been incredibly difficult…"

The heiress hugged her back. Poor Haru, she was probably in need of some comfort.

Afterwards, Haru wiped off her tears. "Thank you, Ann-chan. I'm sorry for bringing up this awful subject."

"Hey, none of that. I'm truly sorry you had to go through all of that. But no more, okay? We're going to change your father's heart and get rid of this asshole fiancé!"

Haru smiled gratefully. "You're right. And…"

"I'm gonna try to be more patient with Mako-chan. When this is all over, she and I shall have that talk. You're right, she deserves to know how I feel. And I don't wish to be at odds with her forever."

"That's great Haru! I'm sure she'll understand." Ann replied cheerily.

Haru smiled brightly at her.


That evening, after they concluded their horrible airlock adventures where Sae and Futaba both got motion sick, the group chat came alive, since the thieves finally secured the route to the treasure on their latest expedition.

[Ann T The Ghost Robbers]

[Ann T: Well, guys and gals, we're finally here!

[Nasty Crime Boy: Yep. You know the drill guys. All that is left for us to do is to send the calling card now.

[Makoto Niijima: It's your call Haru.

[Haru Okumura: Would it be a problem if we send it soon? I truly don't wish to wait much longer. I know we still have 6 days or so until I'm supposed to go to Sugimura's house, but…

[Makoto Niijima: Not at all. The change of heart takes some time, so it's best that we conclude the heist as soon as possible. We shouldn't leave it to chance.

[Yusuke K️: Indeed. I have the draft ready. We should hold a meeting tomorrow to add the finishing touches and finally send it.

[Ace Attorney: What is the time window for the operation if we send the calling card soon?

[Alibaba: If he sees the card in the morning of the 7th, we'll only have 24h available until the effect runs out. In other words, we should do it on the same day.

[Ace Attorney: I see. Then I'm afraid you kids will have to go on and finish this without me. I have to make up for my absence at work by doing overtime this week.

[Ace Attorney: And I won't be able to join you guys in the metaverse again until sunday and onwards.

[Nasty Crime Boy: That's fine, we'll manage. We can also probably introduce you to mementos on sunday, then.

[Ann T: Oh yeah, that should be fun!

[Makoto Niijima: Then it's settled. Let's do our best to help Haru, everyone.

[Haru Okumura: Thank you everyone... I couldn't do this without your help.

[Bonehead: Dontcha worry Haru, we got your back!

[Ace Attorney: Best of luck to everyone and especially you, Okumura-chan. I'll be rooting for you all.


[10/07, The Present Day]


Breakfast was a terribly stilted affair, Haru noted.

Her father looked bored and uninterested. Haru herself spied over him, shooting him dark looks when he wasn't looking.

"Father… I was wondering if we could talk." She asked tentatively.

"If you are going to complain about your arranged marriage once more, then I bid you to shut up right this instant." He commanded her.

The servants looked down, awkward and helpless.

"Sir… It wasn't about that. I was just-"

"Do as you're told. Tch, if only you were born a son, then I wouldn't have to deal with your incessant whining."

She felt as though she was slapped by his words. Even though her cognition told her quite clearly what her father thought of her, a part of her still hoped that he held some manner of affection for her in his heart, but it was clear he was too far gone.
So be it.

Eventually, without even bidding her a good day, he rose and immediately marched up to his study. Haru's hands clenched.

Not long after, he came back down, storming and screaming abuse at the servants, calling card clutched tightly in his hand. He sat down on the giant couch in their expansive living room and immediately recited the words of the card out loud. She hovered around, out of his sight.

Sir Kunikazu Okumura, the great profiteering sinner of greed. Your success and global fame exists due to the tyranny you rain over your employees. Thus, we have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth.

- From, The Phantom Thieves of Hearts

He was visibly seething. "I must take care of this before it becomes a problem."

Not far from where her father was, Haru noticed him immediately picking the phone to dial up someone.

"I've received a calling card from the Phantom Thieves. I need you to send it over to the police immediately." He spoke imperiously.

"Don't make me repeat myself, give it to the police. That is an order!"

Her father looked even more irritated.

"These scoundrels have threatened me. Aren't the police supposed to side with law-abiding citizens!?"

Then she felt a strange sensation overtake her. And for a moment, she swore she saw a glimpse of her father's shadow.

"I WILL NOT FAIL!" He growled menacingly.

However, before she could contemplate what happened, the world returned to normal. Her father continued to complain on the phone.

"This matter is urgent. Take care of it this very instant."

Then he hung up the call.

Haru looked on, determined. She had to let the others know he fell for it.


On her second day of returning to work, Sae was already terribly tired and bored. Her mind wondered how the teens were faring, since she knew they would go against Okumura later today. She hoped they could manage without her. Makoto was a little annoyed with her for doing some overtime, but unfortunately it was a necessary evil. The pile of work her asshole coworkers left in her desk was obscene and she needed a way to clear it up fast.

Well, she knew it wasn't a healthy choice, but alas, it was the hand that she was dealt with.
She was sorting out her documents in two piles and checking over some files that she had requested from the archive. Some stupid asshole decided to embezzle a trust fund, so she had to clear that up and put them in jail. Of course, she was pretty much on the path to convict them, but she found that after the thrill of the metaverse, her court victories no longer gave her the usual predatory joy.

Maybe she should accept the invite that she got earlier to go out and have a drink with a couple of her less abrasive coworkers sometime next week. It could be good to unwind.

Someone knocked on the door to her office.

She glanced in its direction. "Enter."

"Sae-san." A smug voice called out.

Ah, Akechi again. Lately, he was starting to grate on her nerves thanks to pestering her at every second ever since their encounter at the mall. She wondered what the hell his problem was.

"Akechi-kun. What the hell do you want now?" She asked, exasperated.

"Now, don't be annoyed. I actually came bearing some really interesting news."

"Is that so?" She challenged him.

"Why, of course. It seems like Kunikazu Okumura just received a calling card."

She resisted the urge to smirk. So it begins.

"What did you just say?" She hissed, feigning being indignant and shocked.

"Yes, indeed. It seems like he is the Phantom Thieves' next target." He spoke, a tad too smug for her liking.

"Damn it. Just when I thought these criminals would stop!" She barked out with fake indignation and anger.

Then, she made a show of getting up and gathering her things. Akechi watched her like a vulture.

"I must go and see this for myself. Are you coming?"

"Not really. I'm afraid I have places to be. But do enjoy yourself." He said, with the strangest tone of voice she had ever heard coming from him.

She frowned. What was that supposed to mean?"

"Suit yourself." She said, and walked out of her office, followed by Akechi.

For now she had a part to play by pretending to hate them, but deep down she was worried for her baby sis.

Sae hoped her little panda and the gang would be alright without her.


Noir and the team ran through the corridors of her father's palace, each step filled with purpose. It was a race against time, and they only had this one chance.

She would make sure it would count.

They soon reached the Weapons Production area and spotted a massive UFO spaceship taking flight.

"Warning! The SS Utopia will soon enter its launch sequence from the shipbuilding dock. After retrieval of the main core, the launch sequence will commence."

Panther gasped. "The SS Utopia!?"

"Project: Escape to Utopia… So this is what that was about." Queen commented.

Noir herself sighed bitterly. "Father did say he was going to ascend into the political world. This must be a metaphor for that."

"So even this company is merely a stepping stone for him… He will discard this place for his 'Utopia'. How despicable!" Fox spoke indignantly.

Skull took a step forward in alarm. "Hold up! If he gets outta here, we're not gonna be able to make him tell us about the shutdowns!"

"Oh shit, you're right! We gotta hurry!" Oracle shouted.

"Wait! Isn't that the treasure!?" Morgana pointed out.

It was, indeed, the treasure. And it was being taken aboard the ship. From the alarm system's speakers, her father's voice echoed ominously.

"I have no time to deal with you pesky thieves! You can all stand there, watch and despair as you go down with this very base!" He spoke, ending his villainous talk with a round of malicious laughter.

The sirens blared. "Warning! Emergency launch will soon be activated. Repeat: Emergency launch will soon be activated. All personnel are advised to evacuate to a safer area within the facility immediately."

"Let's go guys. We need to get aboard that ship!" Joker commanded.

Haru and the others did not waste a single second. Dodging and cutting down shadows that stood in their path, they raced against time to board the SS Utopia. Thankfully, they managed to do so with some time to spare, even though she was concerned for the possible repercussions of her father destroying parts of his own palace just to escape them.

"You can't escape us forever." Joker declared, determinedly.

Her father's shadow looked to the sides and realized he was cornered."I…"

He then fell down on his knees."I'm sorry! I had a change of heart. I swear upon the soul of my dead father!"

The Thieves kept quiet, faces stern.

He turned to Haru. "I'll prove it to you!"

Noir looked away. "Father…"

"My dear Haru… You were always such an agreeable child. Whether it was in school, or after, you only ever did what I asked of you. You have truly become admirable, my daughter."

'Lies' She thought bitterly.

He continued, shamelessly. "Do you remember, my girl? You cried your eyes out when my work kept me from attending your first sports day. After that, you stopped talking back to me. And I must admit, until now, you had me worried."

She clenched her hands.

"But I see now that my worry was for naught. You stood up against me and became an independent young woman… Nothing could make a father happier than seeing that!" He said, voice full of fake pride and admiration.

Her eyes narrowed. "Father… Back then, you poured your heart into making delicious food. You wanted to bring joy to others… Why did you change?" She asked in a grieving tone.

"F-Forgive me, Haru… But I would never last if my Treasure was stolen! Please don't do it, I'm begging you…!" He said, groveling like a dog.

'Unwanted… Discarded...' Milady hissed in her ears.

That was all she was to him. Some trash to be swept under the rug.

Very well.

Haru gently crouched in front of him and touched his face. "Father… I understand now."

"Haru!" The others exclaimed, perhaps worried that she was falling for his trap.

She ignored them and pressed on. "It took me a long time to come to terms with it. But I finally see it now."

Then she swiftly brought out her axe and pointed it under his chin. "What kind of foolish dimwit do you take me for? Did you really think I'd fall for such fake sentiments?"

The palace ruler's eyes widened in terror and surprise as he crawled backwards to get away from her. "W-what!?"

She got up and scoffed, looking down on him. "What a disappointment. Did you already forget our family motto? 'Overcome failure at any cost, even if it means betraying others.'?"

"Haru…" She heard Mona-chan whisper, shocked at her viciousness.

Her father laughed, now true admiration for shining in his eyes. "Incredible. Where has this Haru been all my life?"

"You know nothing about me." She hissed. "You were too busy trying to sell me out to that disgusting imbecile."

"Truly a pity, then. Had you shown me your true colors earlier, perhaps things would've been different. I'd be thrilled to take you under my wing." He said enthusiastically.

So had all her kindness to him all these years been for nothing? Did she truly have to be cutthroat and just as evil just to get a fraction of his love and admiration?

Despicable.

"You clearly don't understand the position you are in now, do you father? You are completely unjust and need to be brought down!"

The palace ruler smirked at her. "What happiness can be found in acting with justice but losing the battle?"

"What happiness can be found through profit gained by crushing the hearts of others!?" She retorted passionately.

He scoffed. "Better that than fail! I'd much rather destroy others than wallow in the misery of debt!"

Haru was enraged. "You truly are a despicable viper, dear father. I am beyond ashamed of being called your daughter!"

He ignored her. "Is that so? You should reconsider that position. I shall soon set sail into the political realm. To the upper echelons of the world! To utopia! My name shall be etched in the annals of history!"

He extended his hand to her. "Make your decision, daughter dear. If you cast them away, I'll let you join me on this ship. Stay, and you will be incinerated along with this entire base. Now then, what is your choice!?"

"My answer is quite clear, Kunikazu! As long as you maintain this black, tainted heart, I shall always oppose you!"

"Tch, I see. In the end, you truly are a stupid girl, Haru. Such wasted potential."

She merely gritted her teeth in response.

"Very well then. I will crush you all where you stand!" He screamed imperiously as he summoned a throne with a remote control.

"You should give up while you can, father dearest!" His heiress taunted him.

"Give up…? Try saying that after you've taken down my company's elite soldiers!"

"Bring it on!" Skull called out.

"We won't let you win!" Morgana shouted, resolutely.

Noir and the others got ready for an ambush. A swarm of corpo-robos invaded the interior of the ship, summoned by her evil sire.

"Go, my employees! Be the foundation upon which my victory is built…!" Her father commanded imperiously.

In response, she readied her axe and put a hand on her mask, her blood boiling in her veins.

Victory would be theirs.


Either Niijima wasn't in cohorts with Amamiya's merry band of fools, or she was a better actress than he gave her credit for.

He couldn't still tell whether or not she stumbled upon her palace on her own and miraculously awoke to a persona, or if she had done so with the assistance of the Phantom Thieves.

No matter how much he pestered and probed her in the past few days since her return, she gave nothing away.

But no matter, he would deal with that later. The time to execute his mission has come.

He hurried out of his workplace and took the subway to Roppongi, and swiftly entered Okumura's palace, using the safe rooms to navigate through the areas faster.

The Black Mask spotted the Phantom Thieves rushing to enter a stupid looking spaceship.

He counted to ten.

And followed them inside, like a shadow.


"In the end… I am just one more in a lineage of failures." The palace ruler rasped out.

His elite minions lay at his feet, defeated and crushed by the Phantom Thieves.

"Speak for yourself, sire. Your idea of failure is not the same as mine. Or anyone else's." Haru told him coldly.

He looked away.

"I will contact your fiancé and rescind the marriage offer. I believe this may be the end of Okumura Foods…"

He looked up to her, eyes full of defeat. "Haru… Please, forgive me."

She said nothing in response. He grovelled on the ground and started bawling.

Skull stepped forward and shook her father up. "Listen up. We need you to tell us. Were you behind the mental shutdowns!?"

"I admit, I spent large sums of money to help my company grow, and to crush business competitors…" The palace ruler said amidst tears.

"That's not what I asked! Answer me, dammit! Did you do it or not!?" The blonde barked.

"N-Not personally! I had a contract. All I did was make the requests to have them eliminated! I swear it!"

Mona-chan gasped. "Requests!? Then… There is indeed a criminal going through other people's palaces after all…"

Noir saw Queen cross her arms angrily. "I was hoping that was just a conjecture, but it seems it's true."

Haru pursed her lips. "Father. What kind of contract did you form? With whom?"

The shadow merely continued to sob.

Skull got fed up with her father's pathetic display and started shaking him. "Stop crying, dammit! We need you to tell us!"

"You don't understand! They're… They're not just one person. It's a whole conspiracy!" He shrieked out.

"W-what!?" Ann whispered, taken aback.

"The diet, the police, corporations, foreign entities… They're all involved!"

"No way… Even the police…?" Makoto whispered in shock and disappointment.

"Especially the fucking police!" He cried out, hysterically.

"But surely there is a mastermind behind all of this, right?" Ren-kun asked, sounding grave.

But the shadow refused to respond and continued to cry, completely inconsolable.


While this was all taking place, Panther noticed something rather strange.

Amidst the black and metallic reflective walls of the spaceship, there was a glint of dark blue mixed with crimson red.

And it was almost like the shape of a person. She was about to call the attention of the group to it, but whatever she saw was already gone from that spot.

"Huh?" She echoed out in confusion.


"It's no use. He is completely out of his mind now." Fox concluded as Haru's father continued to sob and whisper incoherently.

At that moment, the alarms blared once more, announcing the self-destructing sequence of the palace.

"Dammit! We don't have any more time. Let's take the treasure and get out of here." Mona-chan declared as he jumped up and caught the treasure.

"Huh?" She heard Panther whisper out of nowhere.

"But what about the rest of the stuff he is hidin'!?" Skull protested.

Queen shook her head. "We'll just have to inquire about it back in the real world!".

"It's fine. Let's just get out of here." Ren-kun commanded.

Everyone obeyed, except Panther, Haru and Morgana.

"Panther!" Queen called out.

Their blonde friend seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in and soon followed Makoto out.

Haru stared at her father's shadow for the last time.

"Only you can follow through on your own responsibilities… That's what you've taught me, father."

She then turned her back on him, and left. A few seconds later though, Haru swore she heard a loud bang coming from the room where her father's shadow was.

"W-What was that!?" She asked, startled, almost wishing to turn back. Morgana shook his head.

"Must be the ship malfunctioning or something. Don't worry, he'll be fine. Let's just go!"

She hesitated for a second, but eventually did as Morgana told.


The Black Mask chuckled triumphantly. At his feet, lay the dissolving remains of Kunikazu Okumura.

"My…uto…pia…" The shadow said as it disintegrated.

The assassin grinned viciously. Nothing could stop him, and he was back in the game.

Checkmate.


To be continued…