Stepping foot in Kaneshiro's Palace instantly raised the hairs on V's neck.
The Calling Card had worked like an absolute dream and it showed. The whole Palace was shrouded in a thick red hue and the smog was thicker than before. It was finally time to finish this.
The hum of an amp vibrated through the thick atmosphere. Followed by a long, guttural note. The cognitions that were marching into, and out of, the strange chambers at the Palace's main entrance slowed their pace. Heads turned and as the single note faded, an electrifying silence fell over the open space.
Two grins cracked in the darkness.
The silence was shattered with a powerful burst of music. Sending a shockwave of raw sound across the area.
Johnny Silverhand and Kerry Eurodyine played their guitars with a burning passion.
"The desire to destroy!
To disrupt! To lose control!
To rebuild and then…
To tear it down again!"
Kerry bellowed the lyrics, his voice amplified through a combination of his vocal implants and Johnny's abilities as a Persona. Lights flashed, highlighting the two men as they played. Thunderous pounding from unseen drums kept the beat as well as added fuel to the adrenaline.
"Bend it backwards until it breaks!
Capacitors roaring inside my brain!
Agent of Chaos and Discontent!
I'm gonna take out the corporate man!"
V raised a hissing flare, spewing red sparks into the air. Several more flares rose up, creating a cascade of fire.
"START! THE! FIRE!
START! THE! FIRE!"
The flares were thrown toward the bank and landed on a pyre of wood and gasoline. Instantly, the pyre was ablaze with vibrant colours. The cognitions all gasped and looked on at the spectacle.
Johnny and Kerry stood atop a cargo truck's trailer, bathed in light and fiery energy. Flames licked between Johnny's fingers as he strummed the guitar. Below them, River, Judy, V, Ryuji, Ann, Shiho and Yusuke were already preparing another volley of flares.
Alarms roared from the Bank and Shadows filtered out into the courtyard. Each one was clad in the same security vest. In addition, the front line stacked riot shields in a wall formation. As impressive as the response time was, this was precisely what they wanted. V thrust her second flare into the air and pumped her fist to the beat. The volume grew and as Kerry and Johnny shredded, resonating energy weaved through the thieves' formation. Each and every one of them were grinning like beasts.
"Come get us, fuckers!"
"START! THE! RIOT!
START! THE! RIOT!"
On that mark, V led the charge forward.
As the commotion outside reached a crescendo, four figures dashed through the bank's ground floor.
The alarms roared and emergency lights strobed red across the bank's interior. As the forward team made their way toward their target, they could hear Kaneshiro's voice bark orders over the speaker system. Despite the rage, there was definitely no small amount of growing anxiety.
[I don't care what they're doing, kill them all! They're here for my Treasure! No one gets in, understand!? No one!]
It was a little late for that.
Lynn smirked as she watched a group of Shadows charge toward the conflict outside.
Thanks to the distraction, the forward team made it to the giant lock undetected. Yesterday, this place was filled with Shadows. Now, it was nearly barren. Mercifully, the giant key was still firmly set in the proper place. The shaft of it acted like an elevator down into the vault itself. As the team travelled downward, Lynn took stock.
Hifumi, Makoto and Morgana were set and ready for action. Once they entered the vault, it was a straight shot to the Treasure.
The Treasure itself was nestled at the base of a literal golden mountain. Ingots of gold adorned with jewels, crystals and other treasures. All of which was a representation of ill gotten gains.
The moment the elevator door slid open, the four thieves bolted forward. An alarm immediately screeched to life and the lighting was plunged from clinical white to intense red. Unperturbed, the thieves continued their charge. The mountain was directly in front of them. Nothing would stop them now.
Of course, Lynn thought as such far too soon.
A horrible metallic screeching threatened to burst her eardrums as two huge panels rushed and slammed together.
A reinforced security gate now stood between the thieves and the Treasure.
The force of its closing sent a shockwave that knocked the thieves over. Then, a sinister laugh permeated the air. The bank's tannoy system gave Kaneshiro's voice even more tinny distortion. [Clever little brats. Perhaps I underestimated you. Or perhaps I'm merely getting complacent. Well, it doesn't matter. There's no way to get past my final security measure, so you might as well give up and hand over your lives to me.] He laughed again, signalling several shutters around the vault to open. Expecting Shadows, Lynn and the others closed ranks. However, what came out of the shutters were not Shadows at all.
At first, they looked like large metal spheres.
They rolled out of their cubby holes and surrounded the thieves within seconds. Then, they began shaking until four robotic limbs popped out, followed by a head.
"P-Pigs!?" Hifumi stuttered.
[Shadows are useful, I'll admit] Kaneshiro's voice took on a passive tone. [But their loyalty is fickle. Not like my Piggy Bankers. Unthinking and unwaveringly loyal. Allow me to demonstrate what true wealth can afford!]
White glowing eyes surrounded the thieves. Each of the robots looked identical to one another and definitely resembled the grinning piggy banks they had encountered throughout the Palace. They inched closer and with a clanking sound, their white eyes flashed red.
Then, blasts of green smog consumed everything.
"So so savage, the new machine!
Geared up to hunt your privacy!
So so savage, the new machine!
Kill it all for a like supreme!"
The beat pounded, the music roared, guns flashed.
Conflict spread across the courtyard. More and more Shadows poured out from the Bank in waves. And yet, the energy the music pulsed over the thieves spurred them on with fervor. V unloaded two rounds into a lunging Shadow, destroying its mask and causing it to burst into vapour. She spun and fired two more times, chipping away at another Shadow's defense.
Hissing caught her attention and instinctually, she bent backward. A huge snake glided past her, fangs primed but missing their mark.
It hit the ground and coiled around a giant skull.
Only it screeched a second later. A katana impaled the snake's head and with a flourish, Yusuke sliced the beast's head clean off, dispatching the Shadow. He nodded toward V before taking up his rifle and firing across the battlefield.
"Lizzie!" Judy's voice called out over the music and battle. Thunder ruptured the air, followed by mad cackling. Shadows shrieked as a double-sided axe cleaved them asunder. Bolts of lightning coursed through the bodies of the fallen Shadows, popping them into bursts of ichor and vapour. Not one to be out matched, Ryuji was right there with the techy. Summoning Captain Kidd, the two of them created a literal storm of electricity.
The rapturous sound of Panam's sniper occasionally caught V's ear. Instead of outright engaging the enemy, the nomad had posted herself on top of the truck, right beside the two rockstars. Just above her, Pixie flitted about, acting as a sort of spotter. Here panicked motions and desperate gestures were accompanied by Panam's irritated frown and stalwart concentration.
V found herself back to back with a familiar presence.
She grinned and loaded her iron. "Reminds me of old times! Kickin' ass to pounding music."
River sighed. "You and I have very different memories about that…" he fired a shot into a diving Shadow. It yelped and splattered to the ground. "For one, I remember specifically telling you to keep things quiet. Ugh! Leanan Sidhe, cover the right flank!" Coiling through the air on a trail of purple smoke, the bewitching spirit chuckled. Her alluring touch captured the minds of two Shadows - a small Gnome looking thing holding a leaf and a thin, long canine creature. They turned on the others and began attacking indiscriminately. River let off a volley of revolver fire, spraying into the confusion. "For another, I'd prefer slugging it out with an Animal over… this bullshit any fucking day!"
Stepping around one another, the two fell into an instinctual rhythm. Monowire snaked across the air and sliced apart a Lesser Shadow. Another leapt forward and bore down on V's arm. A shapeless maw clamped over the Monowire's housing and pain lanced through her body. "Fuck! Hey! Ever heard of personal fucking space?" She fired up into the Shadow's abdomen - or the amorphous blob's equivalent - and threw the dying creature aside. She then shot a snigger toward River. "Animals, Claws, Maelstrom, Shadows… it's all the fuckin' same in the end."
Banter aside, this battle wasn't going to last forever. As soon as Kaneshiro figured out this was just a distraction, any sane person would withdraw their forces and react to the actual threat.
However, there didn't seem to be an end to the horde.
With each Shadow slaughtered, two more took its place. The fact that they were so easily dispatched only added to the growing sense of something being wrong. Was there something they were missing? She ducked below a blast of shearing wind, momentarily breaking away from River. Fire burned up in her belly and calling on a part of Johnny's power, she bellowed. Sparks arched across the distance between V and her target.
One spark popped.
Then a second.
Then third, fourth, fifth.
A chain reaction rippled forward with destructive force. Sound combined with fiery energy created a fantastical display. What's more, the explosions thudded along to the beat of Johnny and Kerry's song.
The Shadow was torn apart by concussive force and she rejoined her comrade.
"Always said you were a loud-mouth!" River taunted.
"It's one of my many charms. Keep fuckin' shooting!"
Lynn's eyes burned.
The smog was so thick, she couldn't see her own hand. Its influence was already clawing at her mind. For a mere second, she was consumed by the green. Instinct took over and she slammed something against her face. With one deep breath, clarity washed out her thoughts and purged whatever influence Kaneshiro had managed to inflict.
Her three companions did the same thing. Three deep intakes of breath surrounded her. Followed by a mechanical hiss.
"Zorro!"
A refreshing gust of wind blew the smog away and vision returned.
"Everyone still with us?" Lynn called.
All three of her teammates responded confidently. Clicking a button on the device in her hand, a small canister ejected from the top. The same hiss following suit.
The Oxyboosters worked like a charm. With a quick motion, they stowed their inhalers and sprang into action. Morgana kicked off the ground, lifted by an updraft. He fired pellets at the surrounding robot pigs. Hifumi swung out with her longsword, infused with dangerous power. Makoto lunged and struck with a powerful combo of cross punches. As for Lynn, she sprinted forward and fell into a slide.
She glided across the floor and under one of the robots. Eclipse bit into the metal hide and sparks rained on her.
Only, the robots didn't seem all that damaged by the opening salvo of attacks. With unexpected bursts of speed, they backed off, curled into solid metal balls and began to speed up on the spot. The grinding of metal on metal pierced the ear. It was obvious what was about to happen. With the smog failing, the piggy-bots turned to more direct tactics. The first piggy-bot shot forward like a cannonball. Diving to the side and tucking into a roll, Lynn dodged by mere millimeters. The second pig fired toward Hifumi, clashing against her armour and sending her skidding across the floor. The metal of her grieves sparked and she let out a grunt.
"We don't have time for this…" Lynn muttered. She eyed the giant sealed door and focused on what was behind it.
The Treasure.
That was the goal.
However, if this was anything like their previous heists, dealing with Kaneshiro's Shadow was probably their only way to fully complete the job. And to do that, they would actually have to draw the bastard out. "Kaneshiro!" Lynn bellowed, "Face us yourself!"
In response, the coward laughed. His voice permeated the vault.
[Oh, I have every intention of squeezing the life out of each of you myself. But… not until after you've given me some entertainment. Your friend's little distraction outside has grown tiresome. Doorman will handle them.]
Doorman?
Didn't they defeat that Shadow during their first infiltration?
The piggy-bots continued their attacks, firing themselves at the thieves in coordinated volleys. Each collision they couldn't avoid was like being hit with a sledgehammer. "Rider, take these things for a ride!" Johanna roared into existence, her engine raring to go. "Ame-no-Uzume, bind them!" Lynn's mask burst into crackling energy. Just behind Makoto, a pale skinned woman came into being. Unfurling a paper fan, she hid her grin. Just below the brim of her hat, her piercing eyes glanced about at the piggy-bots.
[Oh? Are we to play a game of chase, Trickster? How delightful.] Ame-no-Uzume laughed and fluttered the fan. She snaked her free arm around Makoto's waist - an act that elicited a short intake of breath from the biker - and gave an elegant wave of her fan with the other.
As Makoto blasted forward, shimmering energy showered over the vault. Bewitching colours danced and flashed causing the piggy-bots to stop in their tracks.
Mechanical grinding followed erratic movements.
The piggy-bots then turned about and began to chase after Makoto. Johanna - however - was faster and more nimble. In the piggy-bots' bid to chase them, they smashed into each other several times. It sent sparks across the ground, all the while, Ame-no-Uzume laughed merrily. Her robes flowed in the wind and scattered more of the dizzying light.
With the bots distracted, Lynn, Hifumi and Mona rushed toward the gigantic door. However, there was nothing they could really do.
It was a solid wall, thick and sturdy.
Last time breech explosives were enough, but that door was smaller and easier to handle. Not even a direct blast from a missile would get through something like this.
Turning back toward the chase, Lynn looked around before her eyes landed on a large screen hanging on the opposite wall. It buzzed with static for a few moments before Kaneshiro's grinning face blinked to life. Grinning, but barely holding back a scowl. [Just hurry up and die, already! Insignificant pests!] Though he looked on the brink of outright rage, he lent back into a smug posture. [Not like it really matters. That door can withstand anything! Military grade reinforced armor layered against cutting edge defensive technology. The only way to get through is if I were to open the thing myself. All I have to do is wait until my Treasure dematerialises and then I can take all the time in the world torturing and breaking you.]
"He has us there…" Morgana muttered.
"What to do…?" Added Hifumi.
All three thieves grinned. As if on cue, the entire vault rumbled. Lights strobed and alarms began to roar. Kaneshiro staggered and his smirk vanished. [What the hell!?]
[Warning. Unauthorized access to inner Vault detected. Warning. Unauthorized access to inner Vault detected.] An automated voice droned repeatedly. Lynn couldn't keep her cackle contained. The look on Kaneshiro's face was priceless. Especially when - in a display of superb driving and fantastical brilliance - Makoto and Ame-no-Uzume finished off the piggy-bots with powerful blasts of nuclear and electrical energy.
[What have you done!? How has the inner Vault been breached!?]
"That's easy," Lynn chuckled, "we sent someone else ahead of time. Someone you wouldn't know. Someone almost impossible to detect." Slowly, she lifted a hand to her ear and tapped the radio piece. "Sphynx, bring the house down."
[Administrator Access Granted. Security Lockdown overridden.] A mechanical thunk resonated through the vault. Then the huge door slowly began to unseal and open. In some dramatic iron curtain reveal, a single, tall figure stood holding a blinding light at its side. A white robed woman with a thin frame, gold trimming and vibrant collar. An ankh hung from her neck and as she moved, a distinct rattling came from behind her.
Feline features moved in a reserved smile.
Bastet. Along with the newest member of the Phantom Thieves. Nibbles the cat perched defiantly on the Persona's shoulder. [Object stolen. We leave now, yes?]
Lynn gave a cocky nod before turning on her heel. A dramatic flare of her long coat was followed by the revving of Johanna's engine. Makoto pulled up behind the thieves and shot a glare up at the screen. Kaneshiro looked utterly enraged. [A cat!? You have got to be shitting me!] For a few sweet moments, the thieves were on top. They were in charge. Though the mood shifted as Kaneshiro straightened out his pristine white jacket. He let a grin crack over his jaw. [So, you've gotten your hands on my Treasure. Fat lot of good that'll do if you can't actually escape! All I need to do is crush you pathetic little bugs. I have the money. I have the power. You will not make a fool out of me!]
"He's getting desperate, Joker. Careful." Morgana whispered. However, that's precisely what Lynn wanted.
On the opposite side of the vault, the Key's door slid open with a hiss. The thick green smog leaked out and crawled across the floor as the hulking form of Kaneshiro's Shadow stepped out. He cracked his knuckles and stared down at the thieves.
[It's high time someone taught you some manners.]
What followed turned Lynn's stomach.
His figure cracked and jerked. His skin darkened. Veins pulsed, threatening to burst. Muscles throbbed. The gas surrounding him clawed upward, cloaking his mutating form.
It was the same with both Kamoshida and Madurame's Shadows. They also had some sort of unnatural power.
By now, Morgana and Lynn both expected it. However, Hifumi and Makoto were less prepared. They both quietly gasped in disbelief, though they tried to keep their growing fear hidden. If Nibbles was scared, the feline didn't show it. The cat stared straight ahead and let out a threatening hiss. As did Bastet with the clattering of the rattle tipping her tail.
The transformation was complete.
Kaneshiro didn't look anything like his original form.
Huge tusks jutted up from his lower jaw. Sharp fur lined his now exposed back. His torso had grown to such an extent that he had to use his hands to stay balanced. For all intents and purposes, the man was now a beast.
A boar.
Smog coiled around his body and leaked from his mouth with each breath.
Then, he charged.
"Fall back to the barricade!"
V's order barely registered over the cacophony of music, gunfire and clashing of blades. Both Johnny and Kerry's playing still resonated strongly, but even with the support, they were slowly getting overwhelmed. V barked the order once again into her radio, eliciting acknowledgement from her comrades.
The thieves backed off and took cover behind a makeshift wall of hollow cars, trucks and random items they had grabbed from the surrounding streets.
From there, V, River, Ryuji and Yusuke opened fire using the weapons stashed there.
Meanwhile, Judy and Ann both saw to patching up the worst of the team's wounds. V had a nasty gash across her leg that slowly knitted itself together. Ryuji huffed and the bruising around his left eye faded. While that was happening, Shiho acted as a runner, handing out ammunition whenever the call for it was given. All things considered, however, they hadn't taken all that much damage. Either that was a testament to their growing combat skills, or the Shadows were pulling their punches.
"Nomad, keep that scope on the entrance!"
"On it." Panam focused her sights on the bank's main doors and grumbled under her breath. She held it, then took a shot, taking the head clean off an advancing Shadow. "They're thinning out. I think we are breaking them!"
Then why did it feel like they weren't?
The ground shuddered, briefly halting the gunfire and music.
Johnny clicked his tongue. [Somethin's comin'. Fuckin' huge, too. Feel that? Like the air before a fuckin' typhoon.]
"Yeah, I can feel it. I think the kiddo's got the goods." V refocused and reloaded the AJAX rifle. Even with the quake, the Shadows were still advancing on their position. She reopened fire, the others following suit. "Mox, Panther, Hunter, try gettin' Joker on the comms. We need an ETA fucking ASAP!" One by one, Shadows fell. However, they were now giving as much as they were getting. Blasts of elemental energy soared through the air, slamming against their barricade. Fires sparked to life. Large spikes of ice lanced through metal like paper. Currents of electricity crackled in the air. The quake had ignited something within the Shadows.
It seemed like playtime was over.
Then something caught Ryuji and Yusuke's eyes. They both cursed and called back over their shoulders. "We got that Doorman guy incomin'! Didn't we blast him to bits?" Ryuji asked.
"It seems the Doorman is more tenacious than I first guessed. How ugly."
"Who the fuck is Doorman?"
To answer the question, Yusuke merely pointed toward one Shadow in particular. Even among so many different Shadow forms, it stood out. Unnaturally tall, sickeningly thin and impeccably well dressed. Panam wasted no time in taking a shot. Only, the impact was far less effective than what a Grad shot should be. Doorman barely staggered at all. In fact, the thing let out a hissing laugh.
With a motion, the Shadow commanded others nearby to launch a volley of attacks.
Fire rained from the sky in large meteoric chunks. Springing to action, Ann called upon Carmen and deflected most of the blasts. Yusuke and Ryuji both called upon their own Personas and pushed back the oncoming assault.
Conflict roared and guns thundered. However, V noticed that Doorman was growing taller.
The more Shadows the thieves slaughtered, the bigger Doorman grew.
The correlation was obvious, but the thieves didn't have a choice. Eventually, there was a thundering crack of energy. Lightning struck Doorman and the power suffused his entire body. Black ichor sprayed across the surrounding Shadows and with twisting limbs and crunching noises, Doorman transformed.
"That's… different." Ann muttered, her eyes widening. "Last time he took the form of a large snake inside a skull. Like those ones over there." She nodded to the group of Loa on the right flank.
This time, though, Doorman had taken the form of a huge serpentine warrior. In one hand he brandished a vicious polearm, its blade shimmering with radiant light. In the other, electricity sparked and jittered in a small, violent collection of energy. Rising up, it was revealed that his lower half had turned completely snake-like, easily allowing him to crane over his army. [Our benevolent leader has deigned you all worthy of extermination! Haha! Feel honoured with the knowledge you will die in service to him!]
"Oh brother… someone put a bullet in this fucker's brain matter…" V grunted. In response, Panam took another shot. Again, the strike only managed to slightly stagger his approach. With a huff of frustration, the nomad rolled off the top of the truck and ducked in cover with the rest of the team. As frustrating as it was, this was their job. Keep the main force busy. "What's the word from Joker?"
"Nothin' yet! Looks like the Vault's stranglin' the signal." Judy replied.
"That's just fuckin' nova…" V let out an exasperated sigh. Just as a bolt of lightning struck the roof of the car she was lent against. "Fuck! Panther, Fox, cover that right flank! Badges, on me!"
The formation shifted and gunfire once again raged.
"Skull, I need you to-" V began to bark out more orders, but at a quick glance, she noticed something alarming. "Skull!? The fuck are y- SKULL GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!" In the heat of the moment, Ryuji had vaulted the barricade and together with his Persona, they charged the army.
The idiot was going to get himself killed!
"He's been hit with an enraging influence. I'm afraid he can't hear us." Yusuke mentioned, his eyes narrowing beneath his mask. Sure enough, a brief glimpse of Ryuji's expression told V that he wasn't in his right mind.
"Fuck… everyone, watch your fire, I'll get him!" With that, V followed the blond boy over the barricade and rushed into the battle.
Kaneshiro's massive tusks slammed against the ground and scraped up a deluge of sparks.
He snarled and spun on the spot, breathing out puffs of green smog. The thieves spread out in different directions. Hoping it was going to stay a five against one fight, Lynn gave the order to surround him. A silent motion followed by the snapping of her fingers.
Makoto and Johanna were the first to close in for a strike. Speeding forward, the biker reeled back her fist and threw a heavy punch. It connected square against Kaneshiro's jaw. Second was Lynn who called upon Arsene's power, conjuring a large spectral cleaver. Leaping into the air, Lynn slashed upward with the huge blade before flipping clean over Kaneshiro. Next was Morgana and Nibbles. They dashed inwards and Morgana created scythes of wind to cut against their enemy. Bastet's rattle shook and the odd sound created small lances of ice which shot forward like bullets.
Finally, Hifumi called upon Ninienne and swung her blade several times in quick succession. Each arc sent a wave of slashing energy forward, like crashing waves on a stormy sea.
Kaneshiro grunted and howled under the onslaught.
Black ichor sprayed from his wounds and the smog erratically flickered and scattered in the wind. However, all that momentum was halted when the brute screamed. A thick rolling force of smog billowed out from his mouth, knocking each thief away.
Lynn's vision was consumed by green once again.
She reached for her coat pocket and pressed the inhaler to her lips.
Before she could take in the cleansing medicine, a heavy impact struck her in the stomach. She coughed and was forced several feet into the air. All her senses fell into disarray and pain shot up through her system.
The blow had made her drop the inhaler and the distinct sound of crushing metal and plastic was followed by hissing gas.
Kaneshiro had destroyed her first line of defense against the smog.
"Joker!" Makoto called out.
Lynn landed hard and could barely claw herself up onto her knees. The impact turned out to be Kaneshiro's powerful punch. In the thick smog, his shadow cast Lynn in darkness. He stood over her with a smug grin twisting his boar-like features. [I'm not so easily beaten, maggot. Did you think I was going to fight you all on my own? I have the money. And with that money, I have all the help I need.]
Briefly, the smog cleared a small opening, giving Lynn a glance at the others.
More of the Shadows from the labyrinth had appeared. Large, threatening and bearing down on each of her friends. Then, the smog obscured them once more.
[While my security handles your friends… I can take my time breaking you.]
By now, the exposure to the smog was starting to cloud Lynn's mind. Her sense of self slipped and for a few moments, she forgot everything.
No.
She needed to resist.
[Trickster, keep your heart steady.] Arsene's voice hummed in her soul, immediately calming her and bringing her mind back into focus. [Our adversary is trying to isolate us, but know you are never alone. Unleash my wrath, Trickster. We will quash this fool's hubris ourselves!]
For a moment, Lynn brought Ame-no-Uzume back into her soul and allowed the rejuvenating energies to wash away the corruption in her head. Not only that, when Arsene's presence returned, violent red energy shot a rush of power through her body.
She then pushed herself up and with a wide - almost manic - grin, she called out.
"Arsene!" Roaring from within her soul, the spectral thief of twilight burst forward and immediately lashed out with dangerous claws. The surprise attack barely missed its mark as Kaneshiro reared back. Cursed flame sparked in the air and cast a threatening red hue against the green smog. "You can try all you want. It takes more than a beating to break me." Power swelled through both Lynn and Arsene. Violent energy that sent her adrenaline into overdrive. It was intoxicating. "Phantom Thieves! Give them hell!"
The same energy cast across her comrades. Strengthening their will and their strength.
"Yes, Joker!" Responding with stalwart determination, Makoto, Hifumi and Morgana threw themselves into combat.
Taking a step back, Nibbles and Bastet remained vigilant, keeping a solid grip on the Treasure. Even if she was just a regular cat, she still seemed to understand her role. Honestly, it still baffled Lynn that a regular animal could control a Persona.
She was - however - thankful the sphynx cat didn't assume another form like Morgana's cartoonish mascot aesthetic. In fact, the only change Nibbles took on when summoning Bastet was the appearance of an Ankh imprinted like a tattoo on her forehead.
Shaking her head, she refocused. Lynn couldn't get distracted.
She lunged forward and - together with Arsene - clashed with Kaneshiro. Dancing around his hulking form, slashing at openings, avoiding retaliating strikes. A chaotic performance concealed under the heavy curtain of smog. Around her, she could hear her allies in the same situation. Combat interspersed with yells of effort and strength.
Crossing her arms, she took the brunt of a straight punch. It forced her to skid a good few feet across the ground.
[Your pathetic struggling is pointless! You can't possibly hope to overcome the power wealth grants me.]
Kaneshiro's taunting fell on deaf ears. Everyone was done with his empty threats. The fear he held over the thieves had faded over their journey through his Palace. What they thought was an indomitable force of pure evil and malice, was nothing more than a snivelling coward resorting to cheap tricks to force obedience from his underlings.
He held power, sure.
He had gotten away with everything for a very long time. He had friends in high places, fingers in many pies and had the raw physical strength to back up most of his threats.
However, that ended today.
"Sphynx, take the Treasure and regroup with Samurai!"
[Very well.] In Nibbles' stead, Bastet responded with blunt simplicity. The Persona clutched the shining source of energy and dashed toward the Key's elevator.
Only, her escape was swiftly cut off by more of the muscular Shadow copies.
They attacked with a wave of mind warping pressure. Psionic ability made maniphest. Bastet was hit directly, but the only result was a slight knockback and a flinch. The soft purple pressure rippled over Bastet's body before dissipating. Ice formed along the length of her thin tail and with a sweeping motion, the rattling sent shards of ice scattering over the blocking Shadows.
It locked Bastet into a stalemate with the Shadows.
Lynn had to try something else.
"Give it up, Kaneshiro… we've beaten you." She tried to force a dialogue, bluffing, but the brutish monster glared back with a smirk. Pure malice still consumed any light in his eyes. "Haven't you done enough? Haven't you gained enough?"
[Never. It will never be enough. I will have more and I refuse to give up even a single Yen.]
The sound of Johanna's engine cut through the tension.
"Joker! Leave him to me!" Makoto leant into a skid, allowing Johanna's tires to grind against the floor, creating a cascade of blue sparks. Kaneshiro brought a fist down and narrowly missed Makoto's head. The engine growled and with a heave, she was back up right. The back wheel screeched and left a trail of rubber in a circular pattern. "Round two, asshole! This is for dad!"
Johanna lifted into a wheelie and shot forward with the speed of a bullet.
Right at the last second, Makoto leapt off the bike and with a snap of her fingers, Johanna exploded with blue fury. A shockwave blasted across the Vault and cleared a large swathe of smog from the area.
As Makoto landed from the jump, azure fire licked across her eyes, reforming her iron mask.
She flashed a murderous grin before running into the dying explosion.
Meeting with a concentrated blast of smog, she braced herself. The foul stench burned her nose and her eyes watered. Yet she pushed through and slammed a fist against Kaneshiro's block. His thick arms were like a bulwark of muscle. Still, she threw another blow. Then another. Each strike thudded hard against his defense. Small shockwaves rippled the air with every impact. "You could threaten me all you want. Insult me, make fun of me, disrespect me. I don't care." Her words spurred her on and her onslaught started pushing Kaneshiro back. "I don't care what you say about me." Kaneshiro's guard broke finally and Makoto took the opportunity to grab a hold on both of his tusks. "But the second you even dared to threaten my sister, you signed your fucking death warrant!"
She grounded herself, took in a deep breath and heaved.
With all her strength, she lifted Kaneshiro into the air with his tusks. The beast bellowed in pain and writhed in the air. She kept him aloft for a moment, looking up into his eyes. No more fear. No more hesitation.
"Justice Suplex!"
She then let herself slowly fall backwards.
With a deafening crash, Kaneshiro was slammed to the ground. The metallic floor dented inwards under the impact. Sparks flashed from newly exposed wiring.
[Impossible! How the hell can a bunch of kids even hope to stand against me!?]
Kaneshiro's tone had changed. His confidence was slipping. He twitched on the ground and groaned with every small movement. He watched as Makoto rose to her feet and drew her revolver. Levelling it to his face, she pulled back the gun's hammer.
"I should just kill you." Her voice was cold. Colder than Lynn had ever heard it before. "No one would blame me. No one would care. You killed my dad, after all."
The brute stopped struggling and let out a strained sigh. [But you won't. I know your sort.] He coughed out a chuckle. [Tough as nails… but you're soft. When it comes down to the hard decisions, you don't have the guts.]
As the two had their standoff, the other thieves had finished off their opponents. They rushed toward Makoto and stopped just short of the smog's perimeter. Hifumi narrowed her eyes and gripped her sword tighter. She also had a personal grudge with the man. She also had plenty of reasons to wish for vengeance. So, with a quick huff from her Oxybooster, she stepped into the smog and joined Makoto's side.
[Ah… the Princess of Shogi. One of the newest money makers. You've cost me a great deal, but… I should have known better. You've got great potential. Why not work for me officially? I'll even cut you a piece of the profits.]
"Despicable." Hifumi could have spat from disgust. "Utterly despicable."
The two women's glares were sharp, cold and filled with rage. Makoto's grip on her pistol tightened and she began shaking. Several times, she started to pull the trigger, only to let go.
"Queen, you just have as much to say as I do. What do you want to do?" She finally asked.
The split second her attention was off of Kaneshiro, the beast sprang up, knocked her flying into the air and grabbed Hifumi by the throat. Huge fingers tightened and he lifted her off her feet. The girl dropped her sword in the following panic. She choked and clawed at Kaneshiro's hands. To no effect. His smug confidence returned as he looked around at the other thieves. All of their weapons were trained on him.
[This is what I meant, girl. You're soft. If I were you, I would have pulled the trigger without saying a word.]
"I doubt that." Lynn growled. "Let her go. It's over."
[Wrong again, pest. You seem to be forgetting something vital.] His wide grin twisted his jaw unnaturally. With a wave of his hand, the remaining smog cleared from the Vault.
Then static crackled over Lynn and the other's comms.
"Skull, get back here you fucking gonk!" V's voice. Urgent, angry and strained. Gunfire rattled in the background. The sound of conflict filled the air for a few moments. Grunts and growls. Blasts and yells. Then, a sinister laugh that seemed to hiss like a snake. "Shit! Watch ou- AHGH! FUCK!"
The line cut out as smog leaked out from Kaneshiro's nostrils and mouth.
He laughed haughtily.
"Shit…"
Ducking and dodging around elemental blasts, V navigated the battle as fast as she could. Ryuji was already engaged with Doorman. His frenzy was obvious. It made him predictable and easy to counter.
The large serpent-man skillfully parried and blocked each attack.
All the while, he was smiling with a sense of superiority. No matter which way V looked at it, Doorman was just playing with Ryuji.
"Skull, get back here you fucking gonk!"
A large broadsword lunged forward toward V. Wielded by an Archangel, it very nearly hit its mark.
With a flourish of her combat knife, the sword was directed away. Gunshots peppered the Shadow's armor, each one burning small holes through the metal. To finish the Archangel off, Panam fired a final shot straight through its head. V wasted no time in advancing toward Ryuji. She opened fire on another Archangel and dispatched it quickly. She then shoulder checked a humanoid cat woman, rolling her over her shoulder and back. Next was a short old man wielding a large leaf like an axe. He was blown away with a few shots from Seraph.
It seemed as though while V was distracted, Doorman had grown bored.
He slashed his spear, knocking Ryuji's cudgel wide. It forced the boy to stumble awkwardly onto his back foot. In a fluid motion, the spear swung into the air.
"Shit! Watch ou-" Just in time, V shoved Ryuji aside, braced her arm and glimpsed the inevitable. "AUGH! FUCK!"
A pure white arc of shimmering air cut downwards.
Clean through V's arm.
The limb dropped to the ground with a thud and sparked from the open wound. It twitched and writhed as the final few sparks of power ran through its servos. Cybernetic fluid and blood leaked from V's wound. She clutched her other hand to it and growled, baring her teeth. "Johnny, rip this fucker apart!"
As she stepped back, Johnny came forward out of a spiral of fire.
The first thing he did was throw out a powerful straight punch. The chrome of his arm glowed with heat and the friction in the air sent a blast towards Doorman. The Shadow took the blow directly and was forced back a few feet. [Where would you be without me, huh?] He sniggered.
A flourish of movement brought out his Malorian. Firing a volley of quick shots, he closed the gap between himself and Doorman.
The Shadow cackled and deflected the bullets.
Only, that was apparently Johnny's intention.
It offered an opening for Panam - who had been keeping overwatch for a while now - to take a more effective shot. The anti material rifle's bullet tore a vicious hole through Doorman's shoulder. Another powerful shot carved through his abdomen. A third scraped along the scales of his tail, opening up a large gash. The wounds closed up near instantly, but it was obvious they were having an effect.
With the opening gone, it was Johnny's turn once again to engage.
While he was keeping Doorman busy, V rushed to Ryuji. The boy was dazed, confused and disorientated. The enraging effect looked to have faded, leaving him struggling on the ground. "You ok, Skull? Get up!" V ordered. Even without speaking English, he instinctively followed the order. Quickly, he was drawn to V's leaking wound. A look of horror widened his eyes before he glanced at the severed limb lying motionless on the floor.
"Holy shit! What the hell happened!?"
Without replying, V shoved him back toward the barricade.
Thankfully, he took the hint and started to dash back through the Shadows. V covered him by firing on the Shadows that tried attacking. She glanced back toward Johnny. He was holding his own against Doorman, but now that Ryuji was clear, she tried calling the rockerboy back. She reached out in her mind and barked the order to retreat.
All she got was a frustrated grunt and the feeling of being cursed out.
Johnny let himself dematerialize mid-fight, briefly confusing Doorman.
Finally, Ryuji and V clambered back over the barricade. Her breathing staggered as she sat against a car. "Someone get me a fuckin' Airhypo." She muttered. Without looking, she caught one when River had thrown it in her direction. The device was driven into her shoulder and within seconds, the pulsing pain cleared up and the fluid discharge stopped. It was times like this when she cursed the need for nerve regulators. Her arm might not have been organic, but getting it cut off still hurt like a bitch.
"Is she gonna be ok!? Crap… crap… crapcrapcrap! She lost an effin' arm!" Ryuji was in full panic mode. As was Ann and Shiho when they saw the damage. Yusuke looked shocked as well, though in true fashion, he kept a lid on any emotion.
V's fellow NC comrades were less alarmed.
"She's fine, kid. She lost her 'ganic arm a long time ago, remember?" River reassured them, but he couldn't help but sound just as worried.
Before anyone could continue their train of thought, the ground rumbled with one gargantuan earthquake.
The whole battle stalled.
Then, the ground split apart with a deafening crack.
Lynn's heart raced.
Hifumi was still in Kaneshiro's grasp and something bad had happened to V. Whatever that something was, it shouldn't be anything the merc couldn't handle. Right?
[All that spirit seems to have vanished! Hah. Pathetic.]
His words refocused Lynn's attention. She locked herself into the here and now.
First, she needed to get Hifumi free. The girl was barely holding on to consciousness at this point, but no one could even attempt to make a move. One second would be all Kaneshiro needed to snap her neck or gore her on his tusks. So, they had gotten locked in a stalemate. Lynn glanced at her other comrades, who returned her gaze with their own concern.
They needed a distraction. An opening. Something.
Anything.
Then, Lynn noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A shutter. The very same where the piggy-bots had come rushing through.
However, something was inside. She saw the glint of a pair of eyes. Then another. Followed by several more pairs, glaring at Kaneshiro with longing, desperation, disgust, fear, rage, sorrow, joy. A whole myriad of expressions. Black ooze then began to leak through the shutter's grating. It brought a grin to Lynn's lips. A grin that developed into the devilish, confidant grin worthy of the Silver Demon.
[What the hell are you smiling at?] Snarling, the brute glared down at Lynn. He had completely failed to notice anything.
"Just a man with nothing left but desperation."
The ooze dribbled onto the floor and a thick mass forced its way out of the shutter. It was the mass of insecurities they had let escape. It cried and moaned and lurched forward. Limbs and faces moved within the mass of ooze. Now Kaneshiro took notice with a roar of shock. The movement gave Hifumi a spark of life. Just enough to plant her feet on Kaneshiro's chest then hammer down on his arm. He groaned and reflexively let go of Hifumi's throat. She fell to the ground, coughing.
Taking that opportunity, Morgana dashed in, called on Zorro and carried Hifumi away.
[What is this!? I got rid of you! I destroyed you! Burned you! Crushed you!] His beastly eyes widened with panic. His muscles pulsed erratically and his whole figure shifted and wretched. He had immediately become unstable.
The mass of insecurities didn't answer. It only approached.
"You can suppress your true self. Hide it away and pretend it doesn't exist… but it'll always be there. Waiting." Makoto spoke with no small amount of introspection. "Accept it and just give up…" Part of that almost seemed like she was talking to herself.
Kaneshiro was desperate to get away. Only, the sudden roar of Johanna's engine directly behind him halted in his tracks.
[No! No! Please! I'm not going back to that! Never! No!]
It was almost pitiable how frightened the man suddenly was. A complete 180. Even as several arms gripped and pulled on the fabric still covering his form, he struggled and cried out for mercy. He pulled against the mass, trying to free himself. It was too late. He fell to the ground and the mass clambered over him, consuming him.
The mass writhed and pulsed as nauseating noises permeated the air.
Finally, the mass shrank and Kaneshiro slowly emerged from the oily substance. He was no longer the boarish beast. He had returned to his standard frame - which was still formidable - but his expression was completely foreign to the body it belonged to.
He was crying.
[What… have I become…?] He looked at his hands and struggled to breathe. [I suppose this is it. My obsession. My… lust for money.] He sighed and let his shoulders slump in defeat. [Money is everything. What am I without my wealth? Without my power?]
He shot to his feet and bolted for the inner part of the Vault. The mountain of gold bars.
In a display of disgrace, he clambered over one of the bars and clutched it. The brick was larger than him, giving the impression that he was straddling the thing.
Up until now, both Makoto and Hifumi were tensed up and ready to charge. However, Makoto relaxed her posture and looked down on Kaneshiro. Her piercing eyes softened for the briefest of moments. "Kaneshiro…" she muttered.
[No one can have my money. It's… it's mine!]
Just like that, the sympathy vanished. Both girls scowled.
"You stole it all from innocent people!" Makoto spat.
Her words held the weight of a sledgehammer. Kaneshiro cowered and started to hyperventilate. [F-fine… I'll call off the debt!]
"And that's meant to absolve you? How deplorable can one man be?" Hifumi gripped her sword and together with Makoto, she approached the foul man. She raised the tip of her blade and held it a mere inch from his throat. He didn't resist. Nor did he try arguing when Makoto trained her revolver on him again.
Hitching a breath, he once more slumped in defeat. With nowhere else to turn, he truly was finished.
[You're right. I'm a poor, pitiable fool. Rotten to the core.] His tears ran down his cheeks, dribbling onto his tattered white jacket. [The weak can't live happily, no matter what they do. Yeah! I'm a victim too. Modern Society runs on money. Of course I would do anything to get it. I'm not weak, I refuse to be weak.]
Morgana scoffed at that.
As did Lynn.
He truly was a pathetic excuse of a man when all his false confidence was stripped from him.
"You need to stop. Let go of this distorted desire. Can you really say you're truly happy? Knowing just how many people you've hurt?"
A full minute dragged on before he responded to Hifumi's questions. A mere shake of the head was all they got. Then, he forced himself to look both Makoto and Hifumi in the eyes. [Just… take my Treasure. I'll return to my real self. But before I do…] his gaze faltered for a moment, [a warning; you're not the only ones using Palaces for your own ends. There are others exploiting Palaces. Beware the Black Mask and never listen to the Radiant Blue One.]
Nibbles hissed quietly at the mention of the last name.
However, Lynn was more concerned with this Black Mask. She already knew about the threat from V's side of the Metaverse, but this spooked her. Someone else?
Before she had a chance to fully take the information in, Kaneshiro's body glowed with light. He dispersed into shimmering particles and the oppressive feeling clawing at the back of Lynn's thoughts vanished along with him. "We did it!" Morgana cheered. Though his joy was short-lived. A rumbling quake knocked the thieves off balance before an alarm blared throughout the Vault.
"Warning. Imminent Palace Collapse. Warning. All Personnel are to evacuate. Warning. Accidental death is not covered by your workers insurance."
"We need to move!" Makoto yelled.
A large chunk of solid metal wall paneling came loose and clashed into the floor. Dust and sparks rained down. The whole Vault was crumbling on top of them.
"The Key! Quick!" Lynn gave the order as she started to run for the large elevator shaft. They watched as the Key's elevator slid open, but a moment later, an explosion pulsed down the shaft and out of the door. It blew the thieves back, the fire burning and the shockwave slamming against them. Their only means of escape had just gone up in smoke. At least, that's how it appeared.
Lynn wasn't ready to give up just yet.
She eyed the point where the Key entered through the Vault's ceiling. "Rider, we need to blow our way out of here! Mona, Queen, Sphynx get ready to ride!"
On a base instinct level, the group fell into one mind.
Mona assumed his bus form, allowing Hifumi and Nibbles to clamber in. While they were preparing for what came next, both Lynn and Makoto gathered as much power as they could.
It swelled in Lynn's chest.
Energy radiated from the two girls. Focusing it into a single point, they both called out with all their might.
"Arsene!"
"Johanna!"
The two Personas appeared in a cyclone of blue flame. Arsene gave a maddening cackle and concentrated a blast of pure curse energy at the Vault's ceiling. The metal decayed under the blast. Rusting and withering. Then came Johanna's explosive nuclear force. The resulting reaction tore the ceiling apart completely. It created a huge fissure, allowing a chunk of the Key to topple over.
Their escape.
"Now! Everyone get out!" Lynn hopped onto the back of Johanna and clung to Makoto's waist. The girl wasted no time in kicking off with a roaring engine. Hifumi slammed Mona's accelerator, following close behind.
Either through sheer force of will or complete dumb luck, the section of the Key that fell had formed a perfect ramp leading directly out into the surface.
Almost screaming down into the radio, Lynn gave the order.
"ALL UNITS, TIME TO GO!"
Makoto and Lynn crested the top of the ramp and were launched into the air. High above the still raging conflict between V's forces and the Shadows. In response to her order, she saw the others quickly disengage and converge on the Palace exit.
It was mission complete.
Only when they were all safely accounted for inside the movie theatre's attic did Lynn allow herself to breathe.
They had done it.
A rush of joy took over Lynn, Makoto, Hifumi and Morgana. Only to be cut short when they saw the shape V was in.
Lynn's heart stopped.
"... Shit…"
Author's Notes
Sorry this took so long to update. A few things have happened recently that hasn't left me a lot of time or motivation to write. Hopefully I can get back into the groove moving forward. At any rate, I've been thinking of making a discord server if there is interest in something like that! Let me know!