Persona Royal Eclipse

by PhantomCross19

Here is the redo for my Persona 5 Story. In this story, a female Pokemon Trainer from Alola, who just wants answers about her past, accidentally breaks the barrier between the two worlds and starts flooding the other world with Pokemon. Luckily she made some friends to help her and they need her help to steal some hearts.

23. Chapter 20

Chapter 20; Long Tail Dagger

Location; Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

The following day after school, as Ren was leaving school, he was stopped by Kawakami, who said to him. "Oh good, you haven't gone home yet."

"What's up?"

"Niijma-san's looking for you. Could you head to the student council room right away?"

"Sure." Ren said and then Kawakami left. Morgana then popped out of Ren's bag, and said. "Niijima's the girl who keeps following us around, right?"

"Yeah, she has."

"What could she want…?"

"I don't know, but let's not keep her waiting." Ren said as he started to walk to the Student Council room. Ren knocked on the door, and Makoto said on the other side. "Come in."

"You wanted to see me?" Ren said as he entered the room, and saw Makoto standing next to the table. She then said to Ren. "Ah. Earlier than expected. …Have a seat." Both of them took a seat and Makoto said to Ren. "I'll get straight to the point. Mr. Kamoshida and Madarame. Won't you tell me the truth behind the Phantom Thieves incidents?"

"What are you talking about?" Ren said as he and Morgana were surprised, and he was trying to keep cool. "Trying to play dumb, huh? Ah, of course. There's no way you would admit to such things. Watch this." Makoto then pulled out her phone and showed Ren a video recording of all of them having their conversation a few days ago in the vending machine area of the school. Ren and Morgana were very worried, because now Makoto had evidence that they were the Phantom Thieves. Makoto then said to Ren. "...What could all this mean?"

"We screwed up…" Morgana said to himself, as Makoto continued. "Was it blackmail? Hypnosis? How do you corner someone into making them confess? Won't you tell me how you did it?"

"Not sure what you mean."

"...You want to say that this doesn't prove anything, don't you? I believe that you four are the Phantom Thieves. Now, what would the police think if they saw my video?" Makoto said to Ren, and then Morgana said to Ren. "It's be bad if we're put under police surveillance. There's no telling what'll happen to you, too!" Ren didn't say anything to Morgana, and Makoto said to Ren. "If you confess the truth, I don't mind just leaving this between the two of us… You'll tell me, won't you?" Ren didn't say anything, because he wasn't sure what move to make next. And before Ren could say anything, Ren's phone started to ring. Ren pulled it out of his pocket, and Makoto said. "Go ahead." Ren then answered the phone and said. "Hello?"

"Hey, where are you at? Taking a leak? Let's meet up at Aqua's house to hold a Phantom Thieves meeting, oh and to train the Pokemon!" Ryuji said on the other side of the phone call, but he was being loud like normal, so everyone heard what Ryuji just said. "That idiot!" Morgana said before Makoto said. "As loud as always… but his timing's perfect. I'd like everyone else to hear this as well. Won't you take me to your friends? Oh, and I would love to meet your Rockruff, Zorua, Frigibax, and Rowlet." That surprised Ren and Morgana that she knew all of Ren's Pokemon, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Makoto started to leave, and Ren had to follow her quickly.

Location; Aqua House, Yongen-Jaya

In Aqua's house, everyone was training in the basement, and soon they heard a doorbell ring. "That must be Ren and Morgana. I'll go get them." Aqua said as she left the others and went to her front door. "Welcome… Why is she here?" Aqua said as she opened the door, and then saw Makoto behind him. "Well…" Ren said, but stopped as Makoto entered the house. "Hey! Where are you going?" Aqua said as Makoto went down stairs. When everyone saw Makoto, the Pokemon took cover and while Ryuji and Ann were surprised to see her, Yusuke said to them. "Is that girl a friend of yours?"

"No, she's not!" Aqua said as she, Ren, and Morgana came down the steps soon after Makoto. Ann then said to them. "What's the meaning of this?"

"I had him lead me here." Makoto said to Ann. Makoto then turned to Yusuke and said. "And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame? I wanted to ask you all about this." Makoto then pulled out her phone and showed all of them the video. All of them were surprised and more so when Makoto said. "Oh, I also know about your Pokemon. Where are they?"

The Pokemon then came out of hiding and then Makoto said looking at them. "So this is a Brionne, a Fletchinder, a Phanpy, a Paldean Wopper, a Luxio, a Alolan Grimer, a Larvitar, a Pyroar, a Galarian Ponyta, a Buneary, a Helioptile, a Litwick, a Smeargle, and a Alolan Vulpix. But where is the Nincada and the Alolan Meowth?" Makoto said, and Ren and Morgana let their Pokemon out at the same time, so she didn't see Morgana letting them out. Makoto turned to the others and said. "Oh, there they are, with a Rockruff, a Zorua, a Frigibax, and a Rowlet too."

"And how do you know their names?" Ryuji said to Makoto. Makoto turned to them and said. "That Person in Red. She told me that you were that Phantom Thieve, told me about your Pokemon, and she gave me these." Makoto said as she showed them a Pokeball and a Normalium Z Crystal. "She gave you a Pokemon and a Z-Crystal!?" Ann said before Makoto said. "Yes, and say hello to my Pokemon Partner." Makoto then opened the Pokeball and out came a purple monkey with a hand-like thing at the end of its tail. As it jumped around and tried to play with the other Pokemon, but the Pokemon weren't in a playful mode. Yusuke said to Aqua's Rotom, which flew out of Aqua's pocket. "Rotom, what is that Pokemon?"

"Aipom, The Long Tail Pokemon. It uses its tail to pluck fruits that are out of reach. Its tail is more adept than its real hands." Rotom said before Makoto said to Aipom. "Alright, Aipom, that's enough." Aipom stopped being chaotic and went back to Makoto. Aipom jumped onto Makoto's right shoulder and then Makoto said. "And she wanted me to give you these." Makoto then gave Ann a Electrium Z and Yusuke a Icium Z. Aqua then said to Makoto. "That's how you got that video. You used your Aipom."

"Yes, now back to the main topic. An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame… While those affected by their acts were just coincidentally meeting up… How could that not raise suspicions?" Makoto said and no one knew how to respond. Yusuke then said to Makoto. "What do you intend to do? Have you come just to say you're going to report us?"

"I bet someone told you to find us. The school can't have ties to criminals, after all! And yet they turn a blind eye when it comes to suicide and sexual harassment. Those adults are just using you. I feel sorry for you." Ann said to Makoto. Makoto was silent for a few moments, but then said to them. "I… I know…" Ann was surprised and Makoto continued. "That's why I would like to verify the justice you speak of."

"What?" Ryuji said as all of them were surprised again. Makoto then said to them. "I'm the only one who knows about you. If you prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this. There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change."

"She wants to make a deal…" Morgana said and then Yusuke said to Makoto. "Who?"

"Hm, so you're not saying it's impossible." Makoto said and then Aqua said. "We aren't going to tell you how, but who and why do you want us to change the target's heart?"

"I cannot tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talking after school tomorrow. On the roof. Assuming you accept my offer, that is." Makoto said before returning Aipom back to his Pokeball, and left the house.

Once Makoto was gone, everyone took a seat on the ground with their Pokemon to comfort them. Ryuji said to the others, as they petted their Pokemon. "This is turning into a real pain…"

"...You were careless. I don't think you truly understood how high the stakes were. Anything to say, Ryuji?" Yusuke said to Ryuji and Ryuji said to Yusuke. "Why're you singling me out? Everyone recorded too, y'know!"

"I'm so sorry…" Ann said before Aqua said. "Me too."

"Hey, what should we do? That girl's got dirt on us…" Ryuji said and then Yusuke said. "That video seems to be insufficient evidence though. And even with that, there's no way they could prove our methods."

"Considering who we're dealing with, I think it might be a trap." Ann said before Morgana said. "Regardless, Ren would be in real trouble. He's on probation, after all."

"Things would get rough if we didn't have our leader.. And I totally don't deal with the police…" Ryuji said before Yusuke said. "Then… we have no other choice but to go along with it."

"Yes, it's best we agree, at least for the time being. We made a crucial mistake… but not a critical one. We'll just have to recover from here on out." Morgana said and then Ryuji said. "Yeah, yeah. My bad. So… we are doing this?"

"It's our only choice. We have to." Ren said and then Aqua said. "Ok, then tomorrow we'll meet with Makoto, and after that meet Yusuke at the hideout." Everyone agreed, but everyone was worried about what Makoto was scheming.

Location; Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

The following day, after school, everyone met Makoto on the roof. I was thinking you might not show." Makoto said to them as she was playing with Aipom. Makoto stopped and as Aipom climbed onto Makoto's shoulders, Ann said to her. "So, whose heart do you want us to change?"

"...A mafia boss." Makoto said and that surprised them. Ryuji then said to Makoto. "What're you talking about!?"

"That's what they call themselves. This group seems to be the cause of the rise in phishing scams. What's worse, once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their scams, threaten your family, and ultimately destroy your life. They primarily target juveniles, and some of their victims include some of our students." Makoto said and then Aqua said. "Ok, but what are the police doing about this?"

"The victims are being threatened not to testify, so even the police can't get a grasp of the situation." Makoto said to Aqua. Then Ryuji said to Makoto. "What's their boss's name?"

"Nobody knows." Makoto said and then Ann said. "That's where you want us to start!?"

"You should be able to pull it off… if you're really the righteous Phantom Thieves. Or is Akechi-kun correct when he says you act without justice?" Makoto said to them. Morgana then said to Ren. "Can't you say something witty back at her?"

"Give us the details." Ren said to Makoto. Morgana then said to Ren. "Why are you being so serious!?"

"No isn't the time for wit, Morgana." Aqua said to Morgana. Makoto then said to them. "Their main hub of activity is in Shibuya…"

"Anything else?" Ryuji said and then Makoto said. "That's all the information I have. And you have two weeks. Once that has passed, I'll submit all the evidence I have to the police and to the school. I hope you don't let me down…" Makoto then returned Aipom back to his Pokeball and left them alone on the roof. Once she was gone, Morgana said to everyone. "She really had the upper hand in that exchange…"

"Don't let me down"... Dammit, she was just bossing us around…" Ryuji said before Aqua said. "Yeah, but we don't have time to waste. Come one, we should meet up with Yusuke. I'll text him that we are on the way." Then all of them left the roof and started to head to the hideout.

Location; Integration Room

Sae stopped Ren, and said. "The student council president… from Shujin Academy? Are you saying that Makoto was sticking her nose into this phantom thief business? And she had a Pokemon too?"

"You never noticed?" Ren said and Sae went silent. Sae then to herself. "Why would Makoto…"

"Not tell you? It's because Makoto saw what you had become, more so after the Pokemon were revealed to the public." Ren said and that made Sae mad. She then said to him. "Bringing up my sister to upset me, are you? It seems there's no limit to your duplicity."

"I'm not trying to make you mad, but this is what happened."

"Fine. I'll listen to everything you have to say before I decide the truth of your statements." Sae said and Ren was ok with that. Ren then got back to the story.

Location; Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway

After meeting up with Yusuke, they had told him about the deal Makoto made. "Urgh… I'm so made!" Ann said because she didn't like hearing it a second time. Yusuke then said to them. "The mafia? Hm…"

"Can we really do this?" Ann said and then Aqua said. "We don't have a choice. And while we only have very limited information, we still need to find his Palace, which he obviously has, and change his heart before Makoto's deadline."

"This still stinks." Ryuji said before Yusuke said. "Isn't this a prime opportunity for us though?"

"How!? We're in huge trouble!" Ann said to Yusuke, and Yusuke said to them. "Even after we punished an evil man who seemed to be good, the public did not acknowledge us. However, if we take down an actual criminal let alone a target the police don't have answers for…"

"Then people might actually start to believe in us." Aqua said and then Ryuji said. "I get it! That means even Akechi will have to acknowledge us as the Phantom Thieves! What do you say, Leader?" Everyone turned to Ren, who said to them. "This will be a difficult target, but this is our chance. Let's prove our justice."

"Hell yeah! We just gotta do what we always do!" Ryuji said and then Yusuke said. "Our time limit is two weeks, correct? We can't afford to waste too much time."

"Yeah, that's why I'm meeting with Akechi tonight to see if he has any information." Ren said and then Ryuji said to Ren. "Why are you talking to that guy?"

"We need information, and he works with the police. He should know something." Ren said before Aqua said. "Ok, but make sure you don't let Akechi catch onto why, ok?" Ren nodded yes and then Yusuke said to everyone. "...I'll ask around Kosei and see if there are any victims."

"Okay, I know some girls who go to Shibuya pretty often. I'll check with them about it." Ann said and then Ryuji said. "All right, and I'm gonna see what I can find on the net." Ryuji then turned to Ren, Aqua, and Morgana then said. "That leaves our school up to you three."

"Ok, we'll handle the school." Aqua said and then Ryuji said. "All right, let's get back together at the end of the week once we've got all our info!" Everyone agreed and then everyone started to leave. Just before Ren, Aqua, and Morgana left, Yusuke said to Ren. "Could I have a moment?"

"Sure… What's up?"

"Well, it's… I had a yearning to see the "Sayuri"... So, if you're heading homeward, I'll accompany you." Yusuke said to Ren, and they were ok with that.

Location; Leblanc, Yongen-Jaya

After the train ride, and Aqua going back to her house, Ren, Morgana and Yusuke entered Leblanc. "Ah, the "Sayuri"... It seems to suit this cafe quite well. I'm glad I chose to leave it here." Yusuke said as he took a seat. As Morgana went to their room, Ren said to Yusuke. "So why did you want to see the "Sayuri" anyway? Were you worried about it?"

"Ren… I fear I have found myself in quite a horrible mess!"

"Clam down, Yusuke. What are you talking about?"

"To put it bluntly, I am in need of your assistance… Please, listen to what I must say."

"Of course." Ren said as he took a seat. Yusuke then said to him. "Throughout my artistic career, there have been moments I've struggled with particular motifs or techniques… However, each of those struggles did eventually fade. Yet now I find myself in a similar situation… but the more I try to escape it, the worse it becomes. It seems I am trapped in what we in the art world call a "slump"..."

"Ok, but why do you need my help with this slump? I'm not going to say no, but I would like to know why?"

"Are you aware that I am attending Kosei on an art scholarship?"

"Yes."

"Such coveted grants are not given as charity. I must continually achieve within my field to remain eligible… Were I to lose my scholarship… I would likely have no choice but to leave the school as well."

"And that means you'll have almost nowhere to go."

"In the earlier days of my career, I would exclusively paint what I desired, when I desired it. The only goal I had in mind was the pursuit of pure beauty… That goal is what drove me onward. I wanted nothing more than to attain the lustrous allure of the "Sayuri" in my own work… Yet what reason do I have now? Holding on to my scholarship? Keeping a roof over my head? Worldly desires are all that spur my brush to move… and the resulting work reflects such impurity of mind. To be honest, I am unsure as to whether I can even call myself an artist anymore…"

"You're so tough on yourself."

"...My apologies. It seems I got somewhat carried away there. But… I simply cannot accept this lack of purpose in my work. That is why I am so upset with indecision. Such vague ambition is, in essence, a sin of sorts… Though I suppose allowing my young career to come to an end here would be even more sinful. I only wish to create a work I can genuinely proud of… Ren. Just loot at the "Sayuri." Her incandescent figure, alluring gaze… That is the meaning of pure beauty! Yet no matter how hard I try to replicate it, an elegance so sweet remains elusive to me! Why is that, you ask? It is surely because the painter behind the word differs… Because the soul differs! But if my estimations are correct, the "soul" is nothing but another way to speak of the human heart. What, then, is the heart? How does it bring forth such beauty? I must understand! …To be perfectly frank though… I am unsure of how to do so. Ren… Would you be able to provide me assistance? You have already brought profound change to my world. Hence, I believe you of all people may be able to bring me closer to the truth."

"I'd be glad to help."

"You would!? Wonderful. At the moment, my art teacher has yet to notice any drastic changes in my work… But I cannot hide forever. Impurity of the heart will undoubtedly seep onto an artist's canvas eventually." Yusuke said before he noticed the time. "I must go now. My curfew approaches. I look forward to speaking about this matter again." Yusuke said to Ren, and Ren walked Yusuke to the station, after he left Morgana and his Pokemon back at Leblanc.

Location; Kichijoji Shopping District

After Ren and Yusuke went on different trains, Ren met up with Akechi at Kichijoji Shopping District in front of a place called Penguin Sniper. Ren walked up to Akechi and said. "I am glad you are ok with this."

"I wanted to talk to you, but… since we have the time, do you want to go play billiards together? We can chat and play at the same time. How about it?"

"Sure." Ren said as they went inside. Inside there were a lot of games, and Akechi had saved a pool table. "So why do you want to play billiards anyway?" Ren said to Akechi as he was setting up the game. Akechi gave a pool cue to Ren and said. "I found myself with some free time, so I was hoping to find someone to play against."

"You always seem so busy."

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm unoccupied, but I'm not busy all the time either. If anything, it's my policy to spend my spare time in meaningful ways. Now, let's play a game. You've played pool before, correct?"

"Yes." Ren said as Akechi took the first shot. Akechi's shot broke them and sank one of them. Akechi got ready to do another shot, he said to Ren. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"The phishing scams in Shibuya." Ren said and that caused Akechi to miss his shot. Then Ren took his shot, and sank a ball, and as he got another shot ready, Akechi said to Ren. "Why do you want to know about that?"

"My friend Ryuji is a trouble magnet, and I heard they have started to target people in my school." Ren said as he took his shot, but didn't sink a ball. As Akechi took his turn, he said to Ren. "I can't say anything."

"Because it is classified?"

"No, because the police have nothing." Akechi said as he took a shot and sank two balls at the same time. Akechi let Ren take the next shot and said. "While we have been trying to make a case on the mastermind behind the phishing scams, but has made sure that trying to find him is hard, even for someone like me."

"I see." Ren said as he took a shot and managed to sink a ball. As Ren got ready to take another snot, he said to Akechi. "I had hoped the police had something on the mastermind." Ren then took his shot and hit the ball, but he didn't sink it. "Not to worry, like the Phantom Thieves, we will find the truth, and take them all down." Akechi said before he shot and was able to hit all of his balls. "Like that, and this." Akechi said before he took aim and sunk the 8 ball. "I win. That was a close one, though. I suppose it would have been embarrassing to lose as your senior, huh?" Akechi said and Ren felt like something was off. Ren then remembered that Akechi was using his left hand to greet him. "Is something that matter?" Akechi said and then Ren said to Akechi. "You used your right hand. …Aren't you left-handed?"

"Huh… I'm honestly impressed you noticed. That's right, my left hand is my dominant hand. I switched hands during the game. It's not anything against you. Going all-out against a junior just seems a bit gauche… But I confess you've surprised me. I'm rather dexterous with my right hand. I can even use chopsticks with it. Frankly, I didn't expect you to see through it."

"Insight is high on my Dad's side of the family, and next time. No holding back."

"Interesting. It's a nice idea… I'd like to try a match where I don't have to hold anything back. If you ever manage to win against me using my right hand, then I will face you with everything I have. You have my word."

"I'll hold you to that." Ren said before they both left the Penguin Sniper and went home.

Location; Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

The following day at school, Makoto was having another meeting with the Principal, and it started with the Principal saying to Makoto. "Niijima-kun, what is going on here!? Apparently the damage done by this so-called mafia has even reached our student body!"

"Well…"

"I thought this absurdity was nothing but a joke! Not only are there victims, there are even rumors that some are involved with such crimes… I've even received inquiries from their guardians. Why is this happening?"

"Unfortunately, I do not have to answer to that…"

"This is the greatest disgrace in the history of this academy… If it were to be discovered… This is a vital issue for the student council! Did I not ask you to resolve it!?"

"I'm… doing the best I can."

"A-And I can trust you!? You must do something about this at once! You're the only one who is reliable around here… Don't let me down…" The Principal said and Makoto said nothing. Then the Principal said to Makoto. "From what I've heard, even the other students are starting to be dissatisfied with you. At this rate, you and I will both lose our roles at this school. Do you understand?"

"I do. Please, just give me a little more time…" Makoto said and the Principal, who was running out of patience, gave Makoto more time.

After school, Ren, Aqua, Ryuji, and Ann started to investigate the school to get intel on the mafia. Ryuji and Aqua weren't having any luck, but Ann did. She learned that some students named Nishiyama and Iida might have gotten scammed. As Ann went to find more victims, Ren went to find Nishiyama and Iida. It took a little work, and asking Mishima for some help, but Ren found Nishiyama in the library. Ren found Nishiyama and said. "Are you Nishiyama?"

"Nishiyama? That's me… Wait… You're THAT transfer student, right…? Do you need something?"

"What's this about a job?"

"Job…? Are you talking about that one time? I-I don't know… I said I didn't want to do it… Th-That's something Iida– Wait… Are you doing something to him!? He's been acting really strange lately…"

"I just want to help him."

"Wh-What do you mean? Is he really wrapped up in something shady?"

"Maybe. Tell me what you know."

"...One day the two of us went to Shibuya, and a man approached us near Central Street. He asked if we were interested in an easy part-time job… I said I wasn't, but Iida was into it… He was asking the guy all sorts of questions."

"What was this job?"

"U-Um, I don't know… I was so scared I ended up going home alone… But according to Iida, it only takes ten minutes, and is good for people who don't stand out."

"What happened after that?"

"Iida started spending a lot of money. That's when his strange behavior began too… But that's all I know… That's enough, right?"

"Yes, thank you." Ren said before he left the library. Once he was outside, Morgana said to Ren. "A man on Central Street, hm? This is suspicious… Maybe he was making him commit crimes?"

"Yeah, that explains how they are able to blackmail the victims." Ren said before he got a text from Yusuke. Yusuke was able to confirm what Nishiyama had just said to him. Morgana then said to Ren. "So that means this part-time job is somehow crime-related… It takes ten minutes, is good for people who don't stand out, and involves a small envelope… Does that ring any bells? It's something the mafia would definitely be up to."

"If I had to guess. Drugs."

"Like illegal drugs…? Maybe they made Iida smuggle drugs for them. That definitely fits with the small envelope, and you can get arrested just for possession…" Morgana said before Mishima text Ren, and confirmed that they were smuggling drugs. Ren then looked around for Iida, and he found Iida talking to Ann. "Excuse me." Ren said as he entered the conversation. Iida turned to Ren and said. "What's up?"

"I would like to talk to you about your part time job."

"Wh-What are you talking about?"

"Give it up, Iida. Nishiyama told me everything."

"He did!? That bastard… Dammit!"

"He's worried about you, and I'm here to help."

"Well, if you already know about it, fine… But I don't want to talk about it here. Let's go somewhere a little quieter." Iida said and they went to the roof. On the roof, Iida said to Ren. "What's up with you? Especially in front of everyone…"

"Sorry, but I need to know about your job."

"Yeah, I got a job! So what? Isn't that normal?"

"Is it normal?"

"...What're you getting at?"

"You're a drug smuggler."

"H-How do you…? I've only told one person about that…"

"I figured it out myself."

"Of all people, I can't believe you were the one to find out… Y-You're right… They told me they had an easy part-time job for me, and I ended up smuggling drugs… All I had to do was put envelopes into coin lockers, and they said they'd give me a hefty paycheck. I didn't know what was in the envelopes though! Still, this is what came out of it…"

"Are you being threatened?"

"After I gave them my bank account info. The money got deposited in there… They started threatening me pretty soon after that… They had pictures of me carrying the goods. Said they'd expose what I did unless I paid them off… You know… why are you even asking me this stuff? Are you just gonna use my job to blackmail me too?"

"Never."

"I see… Well even if you were planning on doing that, I don't have any money I could give you… If you're really interested in that job, try heading over to Central Street. That's where they told me about it… I-I told you everything you want to know, right? Can I go?"

"Yes, thank you for the intel."

"Well then…" Iida said before he left. Ren then took out his phone and told everyone everything that he had learned. They then chose that after school tomorrow they would meet at the hideout and try to find someone connected to the mastermind.

Location; Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway

The following day after school, everyone met at the hideout. "Okay, we're all here." Ryuji said to them. Ann then said to them. "There sure are a lot of high schoolers during the day. They must be targeting them somehow."

"Finding the specifics may be difficult. With such a crowd, the odds are against us." Yusuke said to them, and Ren said to Yusuke. "We have to do this."

"Right! We're gonna grab them by the tail!" Ryuji said to Ren. Then Ann said to Ren. "You should head over to Central Street, like we planned yesterday, Ren."

"Sweet, let's get going! Lemme know if you find any shady people!" Ryuji said before they started their search in Central Street. But it wasn't working too well, and they spent most of the time just wounding around. As Ren and Morgana entered an alley that led to the gym Ryuji goes to, Makoto appeared behind him and said. "Hello." Ren turned to her, as she said. "Have you made any progress toward finding the boss?"

"We are looking for a grunt, so they can lead us to the boss, but Shibuya's a big place."

"I see." Makoto said, and she sounded disappointed. Ren noticed that and before he could say anything, a male voice said behind Makoto. "Hey, you two got some time? I have a great job for you." They both turned to a suspiciously sleazy guy, who kept talking to them. "It's real easy. Guess you could call it a delivery job."

"It seems we didn't have to look very hard in the end." Makoto said to Ren. The sleazy guy didn't care what they were talking about, and continued to talk to them. "You're high schoolers, yeah? Don't you want something more than just your allowances?"

"Hm… by delivery, do you mean that of suspicious materials?" Makoto said to the sleazy guy. The sleazy guy laughed and said to Makoto. "Heh, you're a funny girl."

"So you won't answer me? Then I was right…" Makoto said and that annoyed the sleazy guy. He then said to Makoto. "What's up with you anyways? Why're you asking all these questions, huh?" Ren knew this was going bad, so he walked up to the sleazy guy and said. "Enough! Violence is not the answer."

"...It was all a joke. Why would I get worked up over some dumb kids?" The sleazy guy said as he and Makoto were taken a little surprised by Ren's courage in standing up to the sleazy guy. "Anyways, I can't hang. Seeya!" The sleazy guy as he started to leave, but Makoto stopped him by saying. "U-um, if you don't want to deal with us, we could always go see your boss ourselves."

"You're really gonna say that, knowing who he is? Heh, no way I believe that. Well, I'm outta here. You guys are annoying me." The sleazy guy said before he left them. Makoto then said to Ren. "I'm pretty sure he's part of the mafia we're looking for."

"Yeah, should we go after him?"

"I think we should get some proof before we do that. I tried to trick him into saying something, but he dodged all the traps I was laying down. By the way… thanks for standing up for me. I'm going to go now." Makoto said before she left too. Morgana then came out of the bag and said to Ren. "That boss seems tricky… It looks like he taught his subordinates well, too. No wonder the police are having trouble catching him. Anyway, you have some serious guts. You didn't back down at all against that hooligan."

"We've face things much scarier than one hooligan."

"Although we still didn't end up with any new information… Let's stop here for today." Morgana said and before Ren could respond, Ren got a text message from the others. They wanted to meet up, but since it was getting late, they decided that they would meet tomorrow at Aqua's house to go over the intel they had acquired.

Location; Aqua House, Yongen-Jaya

The following day, after school, everyone was meeting one another at Aqua's house to go over the info they had, but what they had was almost nothing. "Aw, for real!? We didn't get anything!?" Ryuji said and then Aqua said. "What did you expect? The boss is very careful."

"Man, we're going nowhere with this… Hey, can't we ask Miss President to change it up?" Ryuji said and then Ann said to Ryuji. "You mean… change our target?"

"We just gotta show our justice to satisfy her, right? There are tons of shitty adults in this world. She says this is for the students, but I bet it's just so she can go brag about it on college apps." Ryuji said and then Ann said. "But that mafia's stealing money from kids. We can't just accept that! It doesn't matter who the target came from anymore."

"Ann's right. We want to give courage to the weak. Isn't this the perfect target to accomplish that goal?" Yusuke said and then Ryuji said. "I know, and I'm sure we'll shut Akechi up if we pull this off, but–"

"That's exactly why we should do it." Yusuke said to Ryuji. Morgana then said to everyone. "It all comes down to intel in the end… If we don't start finding tips on that front, we'll never get any further than this…"

"There has to be someone who has what we need." Yusuke said and then Ren had an idea. "What about the media?" Ren said to everyone. Then Aqua said to Ren. "You mean that journalist? The same one that was stalking around Madarame's shack?"

"Oh yeahhh. I completely forgot about her! Didn't she give you her card?" Ryuji said to Ren. Ren then said as he started looking through his bag. "Yeah, I should… Here it is." Ren then pulled out the card. Aqua took the card and said as she read the card. "Ichiko Ohya of Maiasa Newspaper…"

"Maiasa Newspaper? Isn't that a rather major publication?" Yusuke said and Ann said to him. "Yeah, I've heard about them?"

"You think we can trust her?" Ryuji said and then Morgana said. "There's no other way."

"Okay, let's contact her!" Ann said and Ren took the card back and entered her phone number. Ren then messaged her, but she didn't answer. Noticing the time, and Ann said to them. "It's getting late."

"Guess we just gotta wait for that journalist to email us back." Aqua said as everyone started to return their Pokemon back to their Pokeballs. Ryuji then said to Ren. "Let us know ASAP when she responds! Got it, Ren?"

"Ok." Ren said before everyone started to go home.

Location; Makoto's Apartment

Speaking of home, at Makoto's apartment, Makoto had just returned home, and Sae, who was working on the dining table, said when she saw Makoto. "I received a call from your school today. They were asking if you've made any lifestyle changes recently."

"Uh…?" Makoto said as she still hadn't told Sae about Aipom yet. As Makoto pulled out Aipom's Pokeball, Sae said to Makoto, not noticing the Pokeball. "I gave them a suitable enough answer, but… is there some kind of issue at school?"

"No… It's nothing. I'm sorry to worry you." Makoto said as she put Aipom's Pokeball away and Sae closed her laptop. Sae then got up and said as she walked up to Makoto. "...You've been coming home late these days. I doubt you would do such a thing, but try to avoid wandering around Shibuya late at night. I've heard stories of girls your age throwing their lives away out there. Getting wrapped up in shady deals, blackmailed into dangerous work."

"...I've heard rumors about that as well. People have been mentioning it at school."

"...These aren't mere rumors. I know of a few such cases. Well, it should be nothing for you to worry about. Just concentrate on your studies for now." Sae said before she left Makoto alone with her thoughts.

Location; Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

The following day, while the Phantom Thieves were still waiting for Ichiko Ohya's response, Ryuji more than anyone. And after school, Iida was talking with Makoto. "Niijima-senpai… Aren't you going to help me? You said you would keep it a secret, but rumors have started getting out… Wait… You didn't leak that information, did you!?"

"Calm down… They're still targeting you?"

"Even that delinquent found out. He might try and threaten me too… Why is this happening to me? I can't afford to keep paying…"

"...I've found some clues regarding your incident. I just need you to wait a bit longer."

"You're really gonna help? Everyone thinks you're just doing it for a letter of recommendation…"

"That is not true. My goal here is to protect the students of this school…"

"Please… please hurry…" Iida said before leaving. Once Iida was gone, Aipom came out of his Pokeball and gave Makoto a hug. Because while Makoto was putting some pressure on the Phantom Thieves, she was feeling all of the pressure involving these phishing scams. Makoto returned the hug, but it didn't help relieve a lot of the pressure.

Location; Leblanc, Yongen-Jaya

At Leblanc, Ichiko Ohya finally responded to Ren's message. She was willing to meet with Ren at a place called The Crossroads Bar located in Shinjuku Red-Light District tonight. After Ren and Morgana read the message, Morgana said to Ren. "The Crossroads Bar… This is for that journalist, right? She wants to meet you there now?"

"Yeah, but what's Shinjuku like?"

"Let me see… I guess to put it simply, it's a nightlife district for adults. You should send everyone a message and let them know what you're up to."

"Ok." Ren said as he messaged everyone. They were glad to hear that and Ann wondered where they should meet. But Ryuji suggested that they keep it low, so it was just going to be Ren, Morgana and him. Ren was fine with that, and so were the others. Ryuji then suggested that they should meet at the hideout in Shibuya. After they were done, Ren got ready to leave, but Morgana stopped him and said. "Wait, are you gonna go in your school uniform? It would be bad for you to stand out. You should change before you go."

"You're right." Ren said to Morgana and then changed out of his uniform.

Location; Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway

As it started to get dark, Ren and Morgana met up with Ryuji, who was still wearing his uniform, at the hideout. "You're in your uniform!?" Morgana said to Ryuji. Ryuji then said to Morgana. "Huh? No choice. I didn't have the time to go home. People aren't gonna notice anyways with this t-shirt over it."

"You stand out." Ren said before Morgana said. "Ren's right. I'm just saying now, I won't be to blame when you get caught by the cops."

"Don't worry about it. That place ain't so different from Shibuya. C'mon, I'll guide ya." Ryuji said as he started to lead Ren to the train that would take them to Shinjuku.

Location; Shinjuku Red-Light District

After a train ride, they arrived at Shinjuku Red-Light District. "Whoa… Even at night this place is bright as hell! I guess that's Shinjuku for you." Ryuji said as he was looking around. Morgana then said to Ryuji. "Stop looking around so much. You look like a tourist."

"I-I was just trying to find that place we're looking for. Crossroads Bar's right up ahead. I'm sure we'll get there if we keep going straight." Ryuji said as they tried to reach the bar. But as they were going threw Shinjuku, a male patrolling officer spotted them and said. "You have a moment?"

"Oh no." Morgana said as they stopped and the officer got closer to them. The officer then said to them. "Are you a student? You shouldn't be out this late."

"I'm a college student." Ren said to the officer. Ryuji then said to the officer. "Oh, yeah. We're adults, you see."

"Hm? Are you a friend of his? Wait a second… I've seen the pattern on those pants before. Maybe on the new… Oh yeah, it was on that segment about the teacher who was harassing kids! Is that a school uniform…!?"

"Shoot! This is why I said uniforms were a bad idea!" Morgana said as Ren and Ryuji realized that they were caught. The officer then said to them. "You kids have got to be high schoolers! Come with me!"

"Let's run!" Morgana said and Ren and Ryuji didn't waste any time as they tried to run away from the officer. They were able to escape from the officer, and Morgana was kind of mad at Ryuji. As they were trying to find their way to the ball, a female fortune teller with long blonde hair said to Ren and Ryuji. "E-Excuse me!" They turned to her and she said. "For the blonde one, I can sense impending woman troubles. Or… perhaps it's something else? In any case, a horrible disaster is coming for you! Please let me examine your future further!"

"What!? Me?" Ryuji said to the fortune teller, and she said to Ryuji. "Yes, I suggest you get your fortune told! What I say will surely come to pass!"

"More of this shit…? Sorry, but we're in a hurry. And I don't really believe in that stuff anyways."

"I see. My apologies. However… if you change your mind, I'll be waiting here at this spot at night. May your fortunes be well…" The fortune teller said and they started to move to the bar. When they reached the bar, they realised that it was a nighttime bar. "Whoa, man… We ain't old enough to hang out here. You sure this is the place?" Ryuji said to Ren, and Ren said to Ryuji, after he checked his phone. "This is the place."

"Going in our uniforms is probably a bad idea… We got caught last time too..,"

"Just wait outside." Ren said as he entered the bar, leaving an unhappy Ryuji behind. Inside the bar was the bartender, a big female with short purple hair and wearing a black kimono, and Ichiko Ohya. The bartender then said to Ren with a deep voice. "Welcome, welcome! …How old are you, boy?"

"Sorry, Lala-chan. He's with me." Ohya said to the bartenders. Lala then said to Ohya. "Ooh, you picked up a real young one this time… Just don't let a minor drink alcohol, okay?"

"Kay! Oh, and Lala-chan, I'm going to borrow the seats in the back." Ohya said to Lala, then she turned to Ren, who was walking over to them, and said. "Go on back there. I'll treat you to some water!" Ren took a seat and Ohya followed with two drinks. She then took a seat and gave Ren his water. "Ugh, she reeks of booze…" Morgana said as he could smell the alcohol on her. Ohya laughed and then said to Ren. "Haha, what a surprise. I thought you were joking, yet here you are. I respect that bravery, so I'll listen to what you have to say. Well, what do you want to know?"

"Who controls Shibuya?"

"Oh? Why is that?"

"I need intel on their boss."

"Hm… Well I do happen to know something about that. I could tell you, but… Do you know about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, or about these weird looking animals?"

"I've heard a thing or two."

"While the Phantom Thieves of Heart are what the public has been focused on lately and those weird looking animals are just rumors. I was pursuing the issue of people randomly entering into a shut-down state, but I'm lacking intel… That's why I'm currently looking for new material to write about. So, do you have any info on these Phantom Thieves, or those weird animals?"

"Why're you asking me?"

"You're a Shujin kid, right? I remember you wearing their uniform the last time we met. I thought maybe you might have some insider knowledge on the Phantom Thieves because the first incident was that of Kamoshida, and there was a record sighting of those weird animals at Shujin for a short while too. Now I need you to introduce me to a few students at your school."

"Wait? That's it?"

"Yes. Ideally, I'd like to get some exclusive coverage from a student who suffered Kamoshida's abuse. And anyone that knows that knows about those animals. Do you know people who fit the bill?" Ohya said and Ren thought about it. Ren knew Mishima was a good candidate for a student who suffered Kamoshida's abuse, plus he's on the Phantom Thieves side. But about Pokemon, that was another matter. Ren had a feeling that he had to give her something, or they wouldn't get the full name. Ren would have to talk about this with Aqua later, and it would be a risk later, but it's a risk he needs to take. Ren then said to Ohya. "Ok, but I would like you to keep this quiet for now."

"Seems both you and I can't really do our stuff out in the open, so… Whaddya say?"

"I accept your offer."

It's a deal then. Send me your friend's contact info later."

"Ok."

"You know, now that I think about it, those mental shutdowns, Phantom Thieves, and those animals, they all seem supernatural… Could they be related? Or am I just hoping for coincidence? Oh, sorry. I have a tendency to talk to myself on occasion. Well then, you can't exactly consider this an upfront payment, but… Junya Kaneshiro. I think he's probably the guy you're looking for. You should check him out further if you're curious… but I'm not responsible for what happens next!"

"I understand."

"Good. Now let's make a toast to our new acquaintance!"

"It'll be a problem if you stay too long. You should leave right after you finish your water…" Morgana said to Ren, and Ren agreed. After Ren finished his water, he met with Ryuji outside and Ryuji said to them. "Did that work?"

"Heck, yeah! We did it! We finally got info on the target." Morgana said and then Ren said. "Yeah, but we still need to check to see if he has a Palace."

"Who is it?" Ryuji said as Ren started to leave. Ryuji followed and Ren said to Ryuji. "Junya Kaneshiro."

"For real!? Awesome!" Ryuji said before Morgana said. "Not so loud!" Ryuji didn't listen, stopped, and then pulled out the app. "Junya Kaneshiro… Aaand enter." Ryuji said as he entered Kaneshiro's name into the app. It worked and Ryuji said to Ren. "There we go! Okay, now we just gotta get some info on the distortion. Once we know that, it's Palace time!"

"Let's try tomorrow. It'll be better when we have the whole team together." Morgana said and then Ryuji said. "Right. I'll tell everyone to meet up in Shibuya. This is totally crazy though… It's a huge catch! I'm pumped."

"Ooh, you're right! He really WOULD be a natural! But, a graphic tee with plaid pants? Ugh, kill me now." A deep male voice said and then two flashy guys surrounded Ryuji. "Whoa, who the hell are they!?" Ryuji said to the flashy guys. One of them then said to Ryuji. "Oh, hell has nothing to do with it, honey. I'm Angel– straight out of heaven!"

"And I'm Julian. Julie, if you're feeling saucy!" The other flashy guy said to Ryuji. Angel then said to Ryuji. "What a cutie! You'd never guess he was into the drag scene… I say we show him the ropes!"

"You can't deny it! We saw you peeking into Crossroads! Well, sweetie, if you're curious, we'll help you look DIVINE!" Julian said to Ryuji. Then Ryuji said to Ren. "Dude, help! Tell them we were just investigating, or something!" Before Ren could respond, Angel and Julain started to take Ryuji away. Ren then said to Morgana. "Should we help Ryuji?"

"Well, Ryuji can use his Pokemon to escape. And if that doesn't work then, uh… hopefully Ryuji finds his calling… or at least makes it out alive…"

"Yeah, you're right." Ren said before he remembered the warning the fortune teller was saying to Ryuji. Ren decided to check out her fortunes before he left, but she was gone when he arrived. Ren then went home, told the others that he had a name, and they would meet in Shibuya.

Location; Shibuya Center Street

The following day, their hideout was cramped with people, so they decided to move to a location on Center Street for the day, also Ryuji was still mad about last night. "I can't believe you guys ditched me yesterday! If Grimer didn't save me, I would have entered a world I want nothing to do with!" Ryuji said to Ren and Morgana. Ann then said to Ryuji. "...What are you talking about?"

"And why did you let Grimer out?" Aqua said before Ryuji said. "Grimer came out on her own, and it's nothing! Just start it up, Yusuke." Yusuke then pulled out his phone and said. "Okay, I entered Kaneshiro's name into the Nav– and just as expected, it's a hit."

"All we need now are the two other keywords: what he thinks of as his Palace, and where it is. But we don't have any clue other than people falling victim around here… We'll just have to try whatever keywords we can come up with." Morgana said and then Ryuji said. "Urgh, that's gonna be impossible… How many buildings do you think there are in Shibuya?"

"No complaining." Ann said to Ryuji. Yusuke then said to everyone. "If we can figure out what the Palace is, we may be able to guess where it is by association."

"Hmmm… It's prolly somewhere he's got complete control over… Maybe a garden?" Ryuji said, but it wasn't correct. Then Ann said. "He likes money, so… what about a money bath? I've seen people online with things like that!" That didn't work either. Aqua then said to everyone. "Well, I think Ann's on the right path. Kaneshiro is either taking money from people or making them work dangerous jobs so he can make money. Everything he is doing is hiding and making money. That means we need to think of a place where people store money or make money."

"How about it, Ren? Can you think of anything?" Yusuke said and Ren started to think about it. Ren then remembered that there is a place where you can store money and make money at the same time. "A bank." Ren said and it was a hit. Yusuke then said to everyone. "Okay… That's a hit! So, he thinks of somewhere in this city as his own bank!"

"I thought it'd be something less realistic. That's all it is, huh?" Ann said before Aqua said. "I don't think it's going to be that simple."

"What do you mean, Aqua?" Ryuji said and then Aqua said. "Each Palace mimics how the person sees their area. For Kamoshida's Palace, it was a castle, but because he thought he was the apex of the school, his castle was very big. And Madarame's Palace, while people were able to see his "students", he kept his dark secret locked away, that 's why we couldn't go deeper into the Palace. So, while it may be a bank, it's going to have a trick that won't make it realistic."

"We can figure that out later. For now, what location would Kaneshiro think of as his bank?" Morgana said before Ryuji said. "If we're talking about a place where he keeps his cash, maybe his own hideout?"

"How about… a real bank?" Ann said before Morgana said. "His cognition wouldn't be distorted in that case."

"Dammit, we ain't getting anywhere…" Ryuji said and then Yusuke said. "This may be difficult to explain… but doesn't it seem we're thinking a little too inside the box? Palaces emanate a passionate madness… It feels as though we're missing that aspect."

"The hell are you talking about?" Ryuji said to Yusuke. Yusuke then said to them. "This Palace is a bank for someone who extorts money with criminal acts. It's something more…"

"But what other ways can we think about it? Oh, could it mean a place where you withdraw money?" Ann said before Morgana said. "Hold on! Do you think it might have something to do with the victims? He's taking money from his victims wallets, right? That means his bank is wherever they are!"

"That's terrible… but you may just be right." Ann said before Ryuji said. "Oh, come on! How many people do you think Kaneshiro's taken advantage of is all of Shibuya?"

"Wait a second!" Yusuke said as he was shocked by something on the app. Aqua then said to Yusuke. "What is it?"

"...I have a hit." Yusuke said and then Ryuji said, as everyone was surprised. "Huh…? Wait, what!? D-Did I say something right?"

"The place that Kaneshiro thinks of as a bank is… "All of Shibuya." Yusuke said and then Ann said. "What!? Like… the entire city?"

"I see. That's certainly where his victims are… It turns out he really is a terrible criminal." Morgana said before Ann said. "But wait, is it okay for us to go into the Palace right out of a crowd like this?"

"Eh, nobody notices if a piece of trash disappears from a trash can. This ain't any different." Ryuji said and they agreed. Yusuke then started the app, and they entered the Palace.

Location; Bank of ?

Once inside, they were already in their Phantom Thief gear, and the whole area had a green sky. "What are those!?" Panther said and everyone turned around. Everyone was then surprised to see that there were walking ATMs everywhere. Fox then said to the others. "Walking ATMs… That must be his cognition of people. So this is what Kaneshiro considers a "bank"..."

"I don't think this is his bank, but how he sees people. People that only exist to give him money." Keeper said and then Mona said. "The distortion is affecting the whole of Shibuya. I never thought this Palace would be the entire district."

"Huh? Whaddya mean?" Skull said and then Panther said. "Ohhh, that's right! Even when we were in the castle and the museum, the city outside looked normal."

"He sees everyone in Shibuya as his patron." Fox said and then Skull said. "No surprise for a mafia boss."

"It's best we focus on finding Kaneshiro's location and stealing his Treasure as soon as possible." Fox said and then Skull said. "Yeah, his hideout gotta be somewhere around here. Let's go look for it." They then started to look for the heart of this Palace. Also to help them was Joker's Rockruff, Keeper's Fletchinder, Mona's Nincada, Skull's Luxio, Panther's Buneary, and Fox's Litwick.

During their investigation, they found a lot of walking ATM's on the ground lifeless. The reason is that after Kaneshiro had robbed most of the victims' money, he would be disposed of. As they looked around they found a damaged walking ATM that was still standing. "Excuse me, can we have a word? We are–" Fox said to the ATM, but the ATM stopped him and said with a male mechanical voice. "It's no use… It's all over… I'll end up just like them…"

"What happened?" Joker said to the ATM and the ATM said. "Can't you tell…? I've fallen… fallen so far… From a place where Kaneshiro leaves no tracks…"

"Hm, what could that mean…?" Fox said to the others, then Skull said to the ATM. "Hey, you gotta tell us a little more than–"

"I'm… too tired… Please… Let me rest…" The ATM said before he fell down. Mona then said. "...It doesn't look like this one's going to say anything. Kaneshiro leaves no tracks…? Does he mean that literally, or could it be figurative?"

"Hey, why don't we go over all the intel we have now?" Panther said and they agreed. "They have apparently fallen quite far…" Fox said to the others. Mona then said. "Wait a second… They've "fallen" from a place where Kaneshiro doesn't leave any tracks…? Could that mean… they were actually thrown down from somewhere high up?"

"What, you mean like a skyscraper? Uhhh, there ain't any of those ain't any of those around here, I don't think…" Skull said before Flectchinder appeared and said. [Guys! You need to see this Palace!]

"Where is it Fletchinder?" Keeper said to Fletchinder, who landed on her shoulder. Fletchinder then pointed to the sky behind them, and they all turned around to see a bank on top of a floating platform. Panther then said to everyone. "W-Wait…! What's that!?"

"I think that is how Kaneshiro sees his Palace." Keeper said and then Fox said. "Up in the air… No wonder we couldn't find it."

"Kaneshiro doesn't leave any tracks," huh? Figures it'd be floating." Mona said and then Panther said. "So, how do we get up there?"

"Well, we can't use Fletchinder and Rowlet, because they are too small to carry us. And while Zorua's Illusion could turn him into any flying Pokemon that he can carry all of us, he still can't fly." Keeper said and Panther said to Mona. "Can you turn into a helicopter, Morgana?"

"No… just a car." Mona said and then Skull said to Mona. "You're useless! C'mon, don't you have some kinda secret gadget or something!?"

"Shut it! I'm not some robot cat! I mean, I'm not a cat at all!" Mona said and then Panther said. "So show we try to find some flying Pokemon to carry us to the Palace?"

[We can't fly to the Palace.] Fletchinder said and then Skull said to Fletchinder. "Why would you say that?"

[I tried to get close, but a black dome covered the Palace and I couldn't see or enter the Palace.] Fletchinder said and Keeper said. "I wonder why that happened?" Fox then said to everyone. "This may be the limit of what we can do today."

"We gotta find a way to get up there…" Skull said and then Panther said. "Let's think about it some more tomorrow, okay?"

"All right, we should get out of here." Mona said and they all started to leave, but just before they left, a crimson red lizard stood on two legs and the tip of its tail was on fire appeared in front of them. Skull then said to Keeper, as it was getting closer to Joker. "What Pokemon is that?"

"A Chameleon." Keeper said as she pulled out her phone. Rotom then said to everyone. "Charmeleon, The Flame Pokemon. It is very hot headed by nature, so it constantly seeks opponents to battle against. Its aggression will not be quelled if it doesn't win."

"So it wants to fight us?" Joker said as Chameleon got closer and said with a male voice. [So you are Joker?]

"How do you know me?" Joker said to Chameleon. Chameleon then pointed to the empty Pokeball. Joker had an idea and tried to return Chameleon to the Pokeball, and it worked. "That Chameleon is the Pokemon the Person in Red gave you?" Keeper said as everyone looked at the Pokeball. Chameleon then came out of the Pokeball by himself and said. [Now that introduction is done. Please follow. There is something you all need to see.] Chameleon then started to leave and everyone followed him.

Location; A Top University

Meanwhile back in reality, Makoto was checking out a top University college, "You're Sae-san's younger sister, correct?" Akechi said as he found Makoto in the same college he was touring too. Makoto turned to Akechi, who said to her. "May I talk to you for a moment?"

"Is it about the Phantom Thieves… Akechi-kun?"

"...You're quite perceptive. I was wondering if there were any points in common between Kamoshida's and Madarame's cases. There have been victims, after all. The Phantom Thieves need to be pursued."

"You criticize the Phantom Thieves, yet you don't doubt their actual existence."

"Oh, you saw that show on TV. Common sense can get in the way at times when pursuing the truth. Many details become logical if I think on the premise that they do exist."

"Is this… because my sister told you to do so?"

"It was just a coincidence."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're enjoying this?"

"...You may be right."

"Huh?"

"Phantom thieves that use calling cards and succeed in their crime… As the so-called "Charismatic Detective", it'd be hard for me not to see them as my rivals."

"You have such high self-esteem. So the Phantom Thieves are evil, and you are just?"

"Compared to people who manipulate other's hearts as they see fit, I believe I'm on the side of justice. Besides, I'm only using my natural-born talents for the sake of serving the world. Don't you think the same about yourself too?"

"I–"

"...Oh, that's surprising. So you're just the good-girl type of pushover." Akechi said before an alarm on his phone rang. Akechi checked his phone and said. "...Looks like it's starting soon. See you later. Give Sae-san my regards." Akechi then left and Makoto was really tired of everyone getting on her case.

Location; Bank of ?

Back with the Phantom Thieves, Chameleon had taken them to the area of the Palace that covered Inokashira Park, since it was part of Shibuya. And not long after they had entered the park, they saw Pokemon everywhere. Skull then said to everyone. "Why are there a lot of Pokemon here?"

[Because this is the only safe place in this stupid Palace.] Chameleon said and they all turned to him. Joker then said to Chameleon. "Why are you all here? Can't you just leave?"

[We tried, but every time one of us leaves, we don't come back.] Chameleon said and then Keeper said. "What about the Person in Red? Why did she catch you, but let you stay here?"

[Because I am the leader of this community. While I did agree with her deal, I wasn't going to leave the others.] Chameleon said and Joker said. "What deal?"

[I would help you all with your mission.] Chameleon said and then Mona said. "So you will help us?"

[Yes.] Chameleon said and then Joker said. "Welcome to the team." Joker then extended his right hand to Chameleon, but Chameleon didn't return the handshake. [We do have to work together, but we aren't a team. Now excuse me, I make my own team to help us.] Chameleon said before he left. Joker kept his eyes on Chameleon, until Mona said. "Joker, we should head back. We've done all we can for today."

"Ok." Joker said as he turned to Mona. As everyone started to leave, Joker tried to find Chameleon again, but couldn't and then started to leave too. However, unknown to Joker, when Chameleon was out of sight, he ran into the Person in Red. She laughed and said. "So what do you think about Joker?"

[I don't care about him, or that team of his.] Chameleon said as he walked past her. The Person in Red laughed, and then Melmetal appeared and said. [You know, I can't tell if you are a strategist or a gambler sometimes.]

"I am more of a provocateur, because I love seeing how people handle what I throw at them. Now come along, because after this the world is going to change and I can't wait to see what will happen." The Person in Red said before she left with Melmetal back to where she calls home.

And done, now as I said last time I'll explain why I picked Aipom for Makoto's starter. And the main reason, was that I think Pokemon like Cyclizar and a few other Pokemon I will give her later in the story are better if I keep what I've been doing. Also while Aipom is cute, you will see how well Makoto and Aipom fight together in the next chapter. Goodbye and see you then.