Persona 5: Daywatch
Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Evening
Yongen, Leblanc
Akira opened the door, his lips curling up at the familiar jingle of the bell on the door. Every joint ached at the motion and he just wanted to plop into bed, but he clenched his jaw and stood fast. The artist trudged in. His compatriot didn't seem to bear any injuries, but the whirl of an overburdened mind dulled the artist's dark gray eyes.
Sojiro looked up from an empty cafe and set down the cup in one hand. He tossed the drying rag from left to right. "You two look like you just finished a marathon. Bringing a classmate in for a quick cup of joe?"
Akira directed the artist to an empty seat at the bar and slid himself into the next one. "Not quite, but before that, I need to tell you a story." He tented his hands on the counter before him, trying to decide which one the restaurateur would believe, and then incite the most sympathy to exploit. "My old bastard's always been obsessed with showing results. He was still sore about losing most of the hundred-some subjects he'd been working with pharmacology at Port Island. And then that explosion which took out whatever big thing he'd been working on." Akira rolled his grey eyes. "He acted like it was worse than losing the Second World War. Smug bastard acted like his research was gonna totally upend reality itself."
Sojiro nodded. "That's certainly him. He was as driven about the Blue Cove research project as Wakaba. I remember Kurusu-sensei promising to change the world more than the discovery of electricity." He gave a wry chuckle. "It's a good thing Wakaba didn't have his sense of entitlement."
Akira interlaced his fingers. "He didn't change when he moved from the Institute to Blue Cove. Did he tell you how he calibrated the EEGs one October when the Institute got a bunch of second-hand sensors due to a budget crunch?" At the shake of the proprietor's head, Akira settled on his bar stool. "He locked me in a chair with leather straps. He had two staffers jam electrodes into my scalp and lock white-noise headphones on my ears." He brushed his hand through his unruly hair. "That's why I let it grow out since then. Since it became too hard to apply an EEG, it's been too much trouble bother me."
Sojiro's hand continued wiping with rote motions at a dry coffee mug. "Jesus, kid." He set down the mug and picked the same one up again. "I wish I could say otherwise, but I can see Kurusu-sensei doing that. Nothing was sacred to him."
Separating his hands, Akira jerked a thumb at the artist sitting one stool over and staring. "Kitagawa here is trying to get out of an abusive situation too, but needs a safe place to lie low until the judge can make a decision."
Kitagawa sat straighter on his bar stool, his eyebrows rising. "What ju—?"
"Shut up, idiot," Morgana yowled at him from his feet. "Joker's trying to help you. Don't ruin it!"
Sojiro looked down and realized the mug he polished had been clean five minutes ago. He set it upside-down on a dry tray with others upturned. He took in a deep breath, then let it out. "You got assault charges and booted to another city the last time you couldn't leave well enough alone."
Akira pressed his hands flat against the counter. "I've never been the kind of person who could walk away. Too many people walked away from me. I can't hurt other people like that." He straightened and looked straight at the restaurateur even if the old man wasn't looking back. "Not when that woman in the torn blouse begged me to help that drunk off her. And not with him."
The proprietor opened his mouth to draw in air for a diatribe, but the moment his eyes locked onto the transfer student's grey ones, he let all that breath out in a tired groan. A long moment passed as Sojiro scanned the two boys. His hand clenched the drying rag in his hand for a long moment before he threw it at the counter. "As long as the customers don't say anything and you keep your nose clean, you can stay." He took off his glasses to rub at the sides of his head. "You have a week. But if the police get involved, I'm not sticking my neck out."
Akira rose to his feet, scooting the stool back. "Just a week? It took longer than that for them to shove me through a kangaroo court—"
Morgana pawed at the transfer student. "Joker, you've got your safe place for Fox. We'll ask for an extension later if we need it."
Kitagawa lay his hands flat on the counter and bowed until his forehead almost touched it. "You have my eternal gratitude, sir."
Sojiro planted a hand on his hip and laid down the 'ground rules', which dragged on for longer than the Japanese Constitution. Once satisfied the artist wouldn't be a problem – beyond his unique outlook – the restaurateur drafted Akira to help close up and locked the door behind him.
With that done, Akira led the artist through the empty coffee shop and to the loft. The artist's eyes widened as he took in the space. Given how exhausted they were, he almost looked alert. Akira scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry about the dump."
"Perish the thought," Kitagawa said as he took slow steps to the center of the space. "I have never seen a home so clean." He spread his arms wide. "And you have so much space."
The corner of Akira's mouth twitched, but when he opened his mouth to deliver a cold dose of reality, he could swear he felt Hifumi standing nearby, clearing her throat in that wordless warning of hers. Well, he could let the artist have one night of optimism. He knew the train routes, and there would be plenty of time later to debrief about how exactly he got into the museum with Ann. Right now, it was a struggle keeping his eyes open, so Akira pointed out the laundry basket serving as a laundry hamper next to the work desk, unzipped the standing 'closet' he organized his clothes into and handed Yusuke a shirt and pants for tomorrow. They were short, but his jacket would hide enough to get by. "We'll talk later."
Yusuke pulled out a couple pencils and pens from one pocket in his shirt, then a modest sketchbook from a large pocket on the inside.
As the artist settled down, Akira knelt down in front of the tiny poster of the virgin Mary. The likeness of the suffering as she held Jesus' body never felt more real as he prayed he didn't just make a mistake which would screw up another life as bad as his own.
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Early Morning
Yongen, Leblanc Loft
Akira shook the artist awake. "Hey. Time to rise and shine. You remember how to get to Kosei?"
Yusuke unfolded himself from the couch, then pulled the paint-stained shirt off and tossed it in the laundry basket. "As soon as I get to Shibuya, yes. I've lived in the borough for all my life."
While the artist changed, Akira retrieved his phone and picked the team leader up in his school satchel.
Downstairs, Sojiro slid sloppy scrambled eggs on top of a plate of rice and set it down on the counter before the transfer student. His eyes fell on the artist in a white jacket. "What can I get for you?"
Yusuke shook his head. "I am not hungry this morning. In fact, I should get going right away."
Finishing his quick morning prayer, Akira dug out his wallet. Besides a scattering of coins which wouldn't be enough for a full day ticket, all he had was a five thousand yen note. He held it out. "This should be enough for a couple daily transit passes and lunch. The train station is down the road to the left."
Yusuke took it with a brief widening of his eyes. "What time are we returning to the museum today?"
Morgana poked out his head out of the satchel. "We're not—"
The door swung open with a jingling of that little bell. Sojiro leaned closer and hissed, "Get that cat out of here." He snapped into the service industry's smile-for-the-public, "What can I get you gentlemen?"
The team leader retreated and Yusuke's jaw clenched, but after a moment he straightened up, a stony expression over his face as he strode out past the three local early birds.
With other customers shambling in like last decade's zombie extras and demanding coffee, Akira rushed through his rice and eggs. By the time he got out and in sight of the train station, Yusuke stepped in. The train hissed and slid out for Shibuya.
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Morning
Shujin, Class 2-D
With Ushimaru-sensei distracted readying the day's lesson, Akira slipped his phone out. The first night and morning with Yusuke passed without serious incident. It seemed strange not enduring last-minute questions before they left Leblanc to go to their separate schools, but the artist must have wanted to be sure not to be late for school. He pulled up his contact list, then groaned when he realized he hadn't added Yusuke yet. After turning off the artist's phone to stop Madarame from tracking him, he hadn't thought of calling the guy. He brought up Ann. [Hey. I forgot to get Starving Artist's number. Has he said anything? He bounced fast this morning and I just realized he hasn't been briefed on… most things.]
The leader in question growled from within the desk, but slid back further in the desk when a nearby student perked up and asked who had the cat sound effect.
Ann covered her mouth for a long yawn, then checked her phone. [You two were exhausted by the time we got out of there. I'm pretty sure he's smart enough to take the day easy before we go back in tomorrow.]
Inspiration struck and he switched to Queen Togo to check on their fellow teen exploited by selfish adults. They both went to Kosei. [Sorry to bother you, Togo-san. Have you seen Kitagawa recently?]
A few moments passed before her ID blinked at the top of the new chat. [Not today. Isn't he busy helping Madarame with the exhibition?]
Akira sat straighter in his chair. [It looked to me like he was going to school.]
[I didn't think you knew him,] she sent back.
[We met recently. Shared a lot of childhood struggles. He ended up staying over. Are you sure he isn't there, just late or something?]
Three dots danced next to Hifumi's ID. [My seat has a good view of the south entrance. He's in the art studio every morning up until right before class, like clockwork.] A beat passed before she added, [Any time he's at school, anyway. Are you sure he's not helping Madarame?]
Morgana craned his neck to peek at the chat. He whispered, "This doesn't feel right."
[I'm sure,] Akira replied. Biting his lip, he switched to the Phantom Thief group chat. [Guys, we may have a problem.]
Makoto texted, [If Kitagawa-kun is too tired to go in today, that's fine. We always take a rest day to keep up with life after Metaverse days.]
Mishima's ID popped up next. [What kind of a problem?]
Akira tapped a foot, feeling a coiling sensation tighten inside him. [According to my contact at Kosei, Kitagawa isn't there.]
"What?" Ann blurted from her seat at the left side of the room.
Ryuji sent, [You sure, dude?]
He slid the chat over and returned to the private line with Hifumi. She'd sent, [Akira-kun, after the things I heard about the other two Madarame students, I'm concerned.]
[I hate to be a bother, but could you check at the office to be sure he's not just late or something?]
About two minutes later, Hifumi responded. [Kitagawa-kun is not on campus. The office secretary tried calling his phone and got an out-of-area message. Akira-kun, what's going on?]
That coiling sensation morphed into a cold rock settling low in his gut. [Stay safe. I'll take care of it.] He swapped back to the Phantom Thief group chat. [Guys, he's not at Kosei, and when they tried calling his phone they got a 'number not in service area'.]
[Same when I just tried,] Ann texted.
Three dots danced next to Makoto's ID for just a moment. [He's not finding a bridge to jump off, is he?]
Akira thought back to the early morning. Kitagawa seemed quiet and just a little distracted, but was that his usual mannerism? He didn't seem to have any obvious tics when donning that white jacket. Then again, he declined Sojiro's offer of breakfast. At the time, it seemed like the kind of stress-induced lack of appetite making no few hungry mornings for Akira at Tanizaki Middle School.
[No way,] Ryuji replied. [He was as pissed as I've ever seen at Mister Gaudy for stealing all his pupils' work AND kicking them out of art.]
"Oh no," Morgana breathed. "He's pulling an Akira."
Akira frowned and muttered back, "I'm right here, y'know." Even so, he had to admit the leader had a point. It seemed they both thought the same thing. [Leader and I both think he's gone to do something stupid.]
Ryuji shot out, [He's got a Persona and probably has the Nav. If he wanted to go in himself, we couldn't stop him. I say we bail school and save his stupid ash!]
[Then go help him!] Mishima texted. [I'll come up with something to cover you guys at Shujin.]
Ann hopped out of her seat, school satchel in hand as she rushed out the classroom's back door.
Akira let the team leader slip into his satchel and tried to be a little more subtle about taking it with him as he rushed out.
Ushimaru reached for a stick of chalk. "Hey, class is starting!"
Mishima stood up. "Sensei, Takamaki and Kurusu-san asked to be excused due to illness…"
The voices faded behind Akira as he dashed down the stairs and out the front gate.
The class president raced out after them, Ryuji following her. His eyes popped wide when he spotted her. "Whoa, Prez, whaddya doin' out here—?"
"Some things are more important than attendance," Makoto snapped.
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Late Morning
Madarame's Museum
Akira's sub-machine gun burst drilled into the mummified figure the size of a child, blasting it into dissolving ash. The other Phantom Thieves scanned the gallery halls. Akira wiped at his forehead. "Whew. Security level's sure up."
Ann came to a stop next to the laser projectors once blocking the way from the lobby to the Infinite Spring room. Occasional sparks still sputtered from a long rend down a corner, tearing both sides open and rendering the security mechanism useless. "No wonder. Yusuke-kun must be pretty strong to rip into these, but it's pretty hard to miss."
Makoto looked at the ruined laser gate. "I wonder what effect that has on the real Madarame's cognition."
"I can see it making him just a bit more erratic or forgetful, though only in the short term. Real change can't happen as long as a Palace has its Treasure. Everything will just return to the source of distortion," Morgana said, jogging into the enormous circular room with the towering gold statue. "Let's just get to him before he gets himself killed."
The others rushed after the team leader to the ramps climbing the sides of the room, but Akira noticed dark spots on the floor in front of the dedication placard. "Hey, Byakko. Do Shadows leave splatters behind when you kill them?"
"No," the catboy said, hopping over the railing to check the spot of ground the longcoated teen knelt at. "Most Shadows we'll run into are fragments of the collective subconsciousness, and return as soon as they're defeated."
Akira followed the trail of blood drops up the ramp and through the inner gallery, where a few more droplets of blood scattered over the space before Kitagawa's portrait.
The trail passed through the courtyard, adding a bloody handprint along the left-hand wall. From the enormous room surrounded by massive landscapes and once filled with a maze of laser fencing, they heard the artist's voice bellow, his rage hot but a tremble in his words, "Goemon, crush them!"
The Phantom Thieves raced into the deactivated laser maze room. Two masked humanoids with ragged feathery wings held the left flank of a hodge-podge monster with the body of a lion, head of a monkey, and tail of a snake complete with yet another fanged head.
Yusuke faced them down with a katana held in his left hand, his right dangling from his shoulder. Blood splattered the floor around him and flowed from gashes studding all four limbs, running down a wound in his chest, and coating his face beneath his left eyebrow. His theatrical samurai Persona finished a series of slashes against the chimeric beast, in time with the apprentice artist stumbling back and coughing flecks of blood.
Morgana shot a bolt at the hybrid beast and came to a stop just beside the artist. "Panther, take out the tengu! Rider, watch our flank. Reaper, keep its attention off Fox!" He finished with a glance to Akira and a thin smile.
Akira broke out in a grin. He knew what a 'let loose' looked like. "Yaksini!"
The purple-skinned Persona wielding two forward-curving swords slashed both blades across the chimeric monster's face, then danced to one side in a twirl and brought both blades down its flank.
The beast the size of an elephant twisted around with speed no creature of that size should possess, clamping its toothy maw over the swordswoman. When Captain Kidd attempted to swing by for a slash, that serpent tail smashed against the surfing Persona. Both sets of the monster's eyes turned pitch black and a growl thrummed out from its throat.
"Guard!" Morgana snapped.
The Phantom Thieves dropped back from attack the instant before the ground cracked and groaned. Darkness roared up from fissures which yawned just long enough to assault the entire team with streams of burning black, but left an aftertouch of cold. Akira looked to the team leader. "I hope you've defeated one of these in Mementos before."
"Never seen one," Morgana said before he brought up his crossbow. The catboy let a bolt fly right into the monkey head's left eye, sending it stumbling back with a roar piercing everyone's ears.
Bolts of flame blasted from Johanna, leaving faint singeing on the chimeric beast's yellow fur.
Zorro pointed its rapier, a violet aura spilling over the blade and around its eyes, but fizzled against the monster.
The Nue laughed at him, then reared up and slammed its front paws into the ground. A shockwave raced out, slamming into Zorro and Yaksini.
Spitting blood, Yusuke struggled to his feet and reached for his fox mask. "Goemon!"
As the theatrical samurai-Persona slammed what was either an axe or oversized smoking pipe against the monster, Captain Kidd crashed against its opposite side, cutlass slicing.
When the chimeric monster stumbled, an idea came to Akira's mind. "It can only resist so much damage. Reaper, take this wind and hit it with everything you've got. We'll hit it from the opposite side!"
Morgana nodded. "Reserve some stamina, Rider. Everyone else, with me!"
"High Pixie," Akira called. The armored fairy flicked a hand and sent a long burst of crushing winds at Captain Kidd, who accelerated as if shot from a cannon.
Carmen lashed her thorned whip to catch the serpent tail, pulling it back where it couldn't guard the body.
Zorro and Goemon dashed at the chimeric monster's left flank as Captain Kidd smashed into the right, cutlass-first.
The monster faded into dissolving ash, which made the sound of Yusuke's battered body hitting the floor all the louder.
"Fox!" Ann raced to the fallen artist. She looked up at Makoto with tears in her eyes.
The girl in black leather nodded and closed her eyes in concentration. Flames fluttered from every line of tracery and orange motes of light washed over the fallen artist's body. The break in his arm straightened and the gashes closed.
Akira's mouth dropped.
Ann reached out a hand to help the artist stand, and hold him steady when he seemed just as surprised as the transfer student he could stand at all. "Does it feel like anything's broken?"
"No," Yusuke began, a touch of awe to his voice. "I feel as fit—"
Ann's hand slapped across his face, knocking his mask askew. "Then what the fucking hell were you thinking, charging in here alone?"
Yusuke straightened his fox mask, though still retreated one step. "P-Panther-san—"
She advanced after him. "Were all of us so unreliable you couldn't even call one of us?"
Yusuke's hands both came up in warding. "I… This was something I had to do. Sen… Madarame was my sensei. I enabled him. And the Sayuri—"
"What about your life, Fox?" Ann snapped, her lips twisting and teeth bared. "When did life become so worthless?"
He retreated another step.
Ann's fists trembled down at her side. Concerned, the transfer student stepped forward to see her better as her body trembled. Tears streamed from underneath her mask. "I already lost Shiho to one cruel teacher. I ca…" Her voice cracked and she stopped to gasp in a breath. "I can't lose another friend. I'm not strong enough."
Akira feared his own chest would crumple in on itself.
Yusuke took a step closer and reached his now-bloodless hand out to wipe away the trail of tears down one of her cheeks. "Truly I must be an abominable person, for I have twice put tears on a soul God made to smile."
The memory of Hifumi looked up at Akira, a tremble in her eyes despite the steadfast regal pose she held. He stepped up to the pair, clamped an arm around each one's shoulder, and drew them close. The artist flinched, though Akira wasn't sure if it was the firmness of grip or frosty gaze. "Promise me two things, Fox. First, that you fight. Don't you dare throw your life away. Because none of us know what tomorrow will bring. And second, let's do this right. We'll change Madarame's heart, but we'll do this together."
"Yeah!" Morgana shouted as he took a bounding hop at them.
Makoto came to a stop standing close by the artist's other side. "Exactly. Remember the credo: two in harmony surpass one in perfection."
Ryuji clapped a hand down on Ann's shoulder along with the transfer student's. "Eff yeah! It don't matter how much shit you been walkin' through, or got ahead. We're all in this together."
Yusuke's mouth drifted open, closed, then wavered open again. "I don't deserve friends such as this."
Makoto's eyebrows pinched up. "How good friends could we be if you had to buy us first?"
Akira gave an extra squeeze to make sure the point was clear, but the artist gave a pained grunt. He released his two comrades and backed a step away. "Sorry."
Zorro coalesced above the team leader and stretched out his open hand. Warm motes of light washed over the artist for a moment, and he stood straighter.
Akira let go and back up. "Wait, you can mend structural physical damage…" He remembered the mass of wounds which disappeared when Makoto did her thing. "…and you? Why didn't you guys tell me you could do so much?" He turned a glare on the catboy. "I thought you could only mend a limited degree of damage to our Personas."
Makoto sighed. "It's still a limited tool, Joker. And it takes a lot out of us."
His glare at catboy intensified. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because of you!" The grumpy team leader shouted. Morgana folded his crossbow and took a few moments longer to meet the transfer student's grey gaze. "Joker, this stunt Fox pulled is what I expected of you. I can't trust you to hold back. That's why I never brought up melee weapons to you guys even though my crossbow has a bayonet. This is why I swore the others to secrecy." His ears pressed flat against his skull. "Be honest, if you thought I could just magic away all your injuries, what would have stopped you from putting your whole life out there? I don't want you to die!"
Akira opened his mouth to snap at them, but with every one of the Phantom Thieves including Yusuke staring at him he couldn't deny it. "What about Reaper? Healing his broken ribs would've been such a help in the bank."
Morgana sighed. "The mending capabilities of Zorro and Johanna are cognitive powers. They only work on injuries sustained here because the Metaverse is a cognitive reality." He turned for the door down. "Now come on, guys. We've accomplished our objective."
The other Phantom Thieves nodded and they moved as one, but only got as far as the hallway before a Shadow van Damme on patrol crossed them. "Intruders!"
A collective groan passed, but Makoto and Ann fell back for the others to focus on the pair of post-roadkill weasels flanking a dancing snowman.
"Knock 'em down, Joker," Morgana said as he readied his crossbow.
Akira nodded. "Agathion!" His demon in a gold vase coalesced and shot a bolt of lightning at one of the weasel Shadows, only for it to dance out of the way.
The flattened weasel Shadows howled at Carmen and Zorro, rays of nuclear power blasting into the Personas. Makoto shot a bolt of fire at the snowman, knocking it tumbling to the floor.
Yusuke raised his katana and took a deep breath. "Allow me. Goemon!"
The gaudily-dressed samurai Persona coalesced, then blew a long breath into his axe-pipe, which emitted a cloud above one of the flattened weasels. A bolt of lightning lanced out of it into the pale grey beast, smashing it into the ground.
The other fell under the physical assault of Zorro and Captain Kidd, Johanna's fireball disintegrating the snowman.
The Phantom Thieves gathered around the remaining Shadow, sword out and guns drawn. Akira took the lead, "I think you know where this is going. You can either hunt with the winning team, or feed us."
The flattened weasel chuckled, pushed itself off the floor, and gave a long "Awooo!" before breaking into streaks flying into his mask.
Ann joined Morgana at the lead. Despite the addition of Yusuke, with his stamina nearly depleted and the grind wearing everyone down, the journey out of the museum turned into a slog through dozens of fresh guards. Hours passed before they got back to the outer wall.
Yusuke tipped, dropping his sword and would have fallen off were it not for Ryuji's quick reflexes. Once they all returned to the ground, the artist retrieved the katana.
"So, Fox," Ryuji said, slipping his mask up to wipe at the sweat pouring down his face, "where'dja get that from?"
Yusuke looked at the single-edged sword in his hand. "I used the Nav to break into Sen… Madarame's atelier to retrieve my supplies. He doesn't like letting the police inside, so even if they are watching the outside, I wasn't seen. Even after everything I learned about him… painting is in my blood, my very bones." He gestured to a bundle wrapped in canvas cloth across the street from the gaudy Palace. "It took me more than one trip to get everything I would need, but as I came back in, I realized I could turn his own tools against him. Sens… Madarame has a collection of props we used for our paintings." He proceeded to the bundle and sheathed the sword in a brown, leather scabbard decorated with iron highlights.
Morgana clipped his folded crossbow to his belt. "That turned into a surprisingly hard journey, but everybody's safe." He turned a hard glare at Yusuke. "Now, actually rest tomorrow so we can all come back at full strength." At the artist's nod, he turned back to the others. "Good job, Thieves. Even rotating the front line twice on the way out, it looks like everybody's figured out a good rhythm with the others on the forward team. We've all gotten a little stronger and, more importantly, come together as a team."
The thieves explained the process of securing a route to the Treasure, sending a calling card, and changing the Palace Ruler's heart, with Makoto making a special point to warn him about the need to escape the Palace collapse.
Yusuke gave a wry chuckle. "I feel extremely foolish for taking your treatment this morning as sign you were backing away from Madarame. I just… He hurt so many people. And I defended him, even to other apprentices who would have gone on to live healthy lives of their own were it not for me. I could not think clearly." He switched the sheathed katana to his left hand and bowed. "Please forgive me. I am still tortured by the mystery of the Sayuri, but I swear to you. Next time, I shall journey at your side."
Morgana gave a nod and satisfied smile at all of them. "Stay safe, go home, and relax."
Taking a sheltered nook to avoid notice, the Thieves activated the Nav to return to the real world. Ryuji stared, glum, at his phone. "Damn, we were in there a long-ass time. School's been out for an hour." He then gave a wordless, surprised shout. "Wait, we gotta make sure to trade numbers."
"Ah," was all Yusuke stated, before setting down the canvas sack with the legs of more than one wood easel sticking out. He drew his phone and the thieves gathered one more time before dispersing with as much speed as their weary bodies could manage.