Disclaimer: Fate and Persona are owned by different companies, and I hold no ownership and all that jazz.
8/7
"Hakuno, I need your help." Hakuno blinked slowly, they had just left after spending a few hours in Mementos Mishima had found a lot of requests… and Akira had found a few interesting ones as well… But that led them to stay slightly later than normal, but…
It must be serious if Ryuji was asking for help from her. So she pushed aside her tiredness for a bit to join him.
Hakuno gave a wave as Akira and Futaba got on their train.
Ryuji half dragged her to the diner that all the thieves seemed to gravitate to on Main Street as the pair sat in silence.
Awkward silence.
Hakuno took a sip of her tea as Ryuji fidgeted.
"Damn, I'm not good at this."
"I'm sorry Ryuji I don't feel that way about you." Hakuno did a slight bow that shocked the older faux-blonde.
"What!? Hell no!" Hakuno nodded thankfully she knew it wasn't true and did it solely to get that reaction. "Man… I don't know how you and Akira can say that kind of stuff with a straight face."
Hakuno shrugged slightly letting the teen gather his thoughts for another moment, "Ugh… Well, it's about Ann… she has been acting a bit different ya know?"
"Confidant?" Ann has been extremely confident in herself with her new goal of modeling.
"Y-yeah I guess." Ryuji sighed, "Man, I asked Akira the same thing… I'm thinkin' on askin' her out." Hakuno wasn't too surprised at that.
She knew Ann had a crush on the Faux-Blonde, from the way Ann had spoken about it it seemed to have been a thing for a few years possibly… And with that, she gleamed that their friendship was eventually going to move in that direction.
"Just figured cause ya live with her you can give me some advice." Hakuno nodded, "And that you dated those girls in that killing game."
Hakuno froze slightly before sighing, "I didn't date them… we didn't have time for that sort of stuff…" Perhaps… if-
No. Don't think about those posibilities.
"Ah, damn well… got any advice?" Hakuno shrugged.
"Maybe don't reference her body if you're going to ask her out?" Hakuno knew Ann was fine with who she was now, but it might be best to not pick at an old wound.
"For real?" Ryuji's mumble was still loud enough for her to hear. "Ya think I would be that brainless if I was going to ask her out?" Hakuno shook her head slightly.
Hakuno knew what Ann's reaction would be if he did ask her out, at least was fairly confident that her cousin's crush hadn't faded away yet. "Maybe… make it special? But…" Hakuno glanced at the blonde, "It's up to you." Hakuno didn't understand how people asked each other out, dating was a mystery to the former AI. Not like she had truly had a relationship in this world...
"Man… You and Akira weirdly think alike." Hakuno shrugged, "Make it special huh..."
"You could read a lot about how to confess… you can watch other people do it but ultimately you just have to believe in yourself." Ryuji put his face on the table.
"I've been creepin' and she actually seemed happy that I noticed how hot she was back on the beach… do ya think a girl like that would be interested in me? I mean, she's great, she kicks ass and stands up for herself and is a famous model... while I'm a catch I don't think I don't think she would." Hakuno was sort of surprised that the blonde was so… vulnerable in how he sounded. It sounded... actually sweet? If she disregards his insistence that her cousin was hot.
Hakuno shrugged, "Nero and Tamamo seemed interested in me, and" She glanced, no one was listening in that she could tell, "I was made to look as basic as possible… so why not? And you forget, you risk your life trying to stop the injustice in the world one stolen heart at a time." Hakuno didn't want to leak how Ann felt but, maybe a little push.
"Man, you had some babes… when they weren't trying to kill me I had to stop myself from sayin' somethin dumb. And basic? Nah no way." Hakuno rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"If you don't confess then maybe… one day someone else will." There that enough of a push? Perhaps? Ryuji's eyes had a small fire lit inside now. "You think? I gotta at least think of how to do this…:
"Good luck Ryuji." Hakuno waved leaving the former track star in the booth as she quietly paid her bill.
Now Hakuno couldn't sleep, not at the moment. Ryuji's confession that he liked Ann wasn't keeping her awake but something else entirely was.
Dim light flickered in and out of the window as Hakuno lay in bed. Her dream of the previous day lingered in the back of her mind. Something about it had felt…
Different.
Hakuno couldn't place her finger on exactly what. But it kept her from sleeping last night as well, it felt… more than a dream for a lack of better term...
She heard shuffling from the living room.
Strange… Ann usually was the first to sleep.
Hakuno stood up slowly, her new staff appeared in her hand as the Regalia slowly churned around her finger.
Slowly she creeped to her door and glanced out.
Ah.
Ann was… dancing?
A quick look at the blonde she saw her favorite rhythm game on their TV. Hakuno sighed as the ring flashed again her staff stored away. At least Ann used headphones…
Hakuno sighed as she went back to trying to sleep…
8/8
Art: Would you mind going towards Leblanc? I would like your opinion as an aesthete, please bring Ann as well.
Hakunon: Sure? I'll meet you there.
The gentle chime of Leblanc betrayed the mood of the inhabitants. Hakuno tilted her head slightly as Yusuke's face held tears that cascaded down his face almost comically, at his table was curry and coffee like normal…
But why was he crying? And where was Morgana?
Futaba motioned for her to look at her phone and then it clicked into place. Hakuno patted the artist on his shoulder, leaving the artist to cry over his slowly dwindling plate of lobster curry… the Not-A-Cat had also… seemingly eaten his body weight in sushi the night before and was still passed out. Ann shrugged as she sat beside the thin artist.
"Hey kid, mind keeping an eye on the place?" Sojiro's voice came out and he looked at Akira, "I'll be back soon, got to get a few more ingredients before the dinner rush."
Hakuno sat down beside Futaba behind the pair as Akira sat on the bar. "My… apologies for this unseemly sight after I have asked you to join us." Yusuke cleared his throat, "I have such a vital request to ask of you three as well."
Hakuno tilted her head, "About Art?" Yusuke's breath hitched slightly as she spoke, before releasing a sigh.
"Yes, I am entering an Art contest and I must win. Not only to prove my ability but my intense passion for art as well. However… I am having quite a bit of trouble determining what my next subject should be."
Hakuno had only seen glimpses of Yusuke's work, doodles he would do while they sat in the Monamobile with very few finished pieces.
Hakuno saw Futaba's grin a moment too late as she spoke, "Why not get Ann to strip again?"
Hakuno pinched the ridge of her nose as Akira spoke up, "Ryuji said the same thing." Futaba began to cackle. Causing Ann's face to grimace.
"How often are you guys going to bring that up?"
"It does seem that like you two the subject becomes about beauty once more… Isn't it always about beauty Akira? Both Makoto and Ryuji's conversations led that way as well." The artist glanced at their Raven-haired leader who shrugged.
"Ann is beautiful, and the reason you joined us." Akira's voice was slightly drowned out as he prepared a few cups of coffee.
"Hakuno, Futaba what subject do you think would most capture beauty?" Hakuno paused…
She hadn't thought of that question before.
"Hmm… Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So… a beholder?" Futaba shrugged. Beholder… sounded vaguely familiar but seeing Akira's grimace made Hakuno not want to remember.
"Someone pretty?" Ann shrugged, "Maybe someone you like?"
"Aesthetically certain, breath of the soul." Hakuno spoke, Tamamo's Noble Phantasm chant was etched into her memory of the few times they had used it, "At least, that is what Tamamo spoke of, so… perhaps one's soul is where their beauty lies?"
Yusuke sighed, "Art is more than just beauty… if not then… why can I not paint a beauty as pure as "Sayuri? Where have my efforts gone?"
"I wouldn't call Sayuri 'pure beauty'." Akira's voice caused the artist's face to morph into shock and anger.
"What even is pure beauty? I mean, yeah it is a nice painting…" Ann seemed to pause letting Futaba speak.
"It's comforting I think? Like it makes me feel… like I got a hug from my mom…" Futaba's voice got quiet as Hakuno put an arm around her.
"Gentle, yeah gentle's what I think it is, like my mom telling me everything is going to be alright." Ann's smile was radiant, "That was the gentleness that painting made me feel."
"Gentle… comforting? Both.. aspects that I yet can not capture… is my heart clouded!? Painting used to be all my heart desired and yet!?"
"No. Art… simply is." Hakuno shrugged slightly, "Without other desires…" Hakuno herself had found this out only recently… "You become a shell of yourself, only able to repeat your actions. Like a broken doll."
Hakuno's mind wondered slightly, seeing how the past few years of her n̷̢̰͝e̴̡͉̤̝͚̋̑͊w̸̺̖̔̓̈́̾̓ ̶̡̟͕̾̇̀̈́̏̚l̷̢̼͍̘̐͗ĩ̴̡̯̠̬̏͊̓f̷͇̹̭̟̣͕̙͛̓ȇ̸̢̙̃͘ had gone… without Futaba or friends, she simply existed… She was grateful in a way to get back into the strangeness of the world. Life and death battles brought people closer than she could ever like.
Though she admits she wishes it wouldn't be life or death…
"My heart is clouded by worldly desires! How can I obtain a view of pure art if all I can think of is praise and fame?" Yusuke's voice hitched.
"You've really grown, Yusuke." Akira's words were like lightning to the artist, "Your desires are so evident now." Hakuno heard the words but the softness of Akira's voice made it sound nice.
"My… ugliness has made me grow?"
"You just want someone to acknowledge your work, right? That's passion." Ann patted the artist on his shoulder.
"How can passion be born from these repulsive thoughts?"
"Nero was regarded as a tyrant, and from what I knew having her by my side, she loved art. Her selfish love sparked nothing but passion for her. And while her …singing…" Hakuno grimaced at the memory, "Left much to be desired, her passion inspired more than just herself."
"Is… that how it is?" Yusuke's voice got low, "Gentleness huh… that warmth was for all to see…" Yusuke jumped up to stand on the booth's seat, "I see now!" Ann quickly moved out of the way of the now-standing artist. "Beauty is not the superficial thing I have long thought it to be!"
Hakuno nodded, "It's something that is in your soul." At least Hakuno now thinks that to be true, both Nero and Tamamo spoke about beauty originating from it… but she hadn't given it much thought because how could she see beauty in something she could not see?
But with the public unconscious a single tap away… people wielding their souls as shield their convictions on their sleeves. That… mixed with Tamamo's insistence that Hakuno herself had a beautiful soul at least, at this moment Hakuno believes that.
Hakuno herself felt something inside of her shift and noticed the slight change in Akira's eyes …
"It is a gift! Given by a subject unto its viewer! The eyes are the window in which we view their beauty! You have my sincerest gratitude! You have been a truly tremendous aid!" Yusuke bolted out of Leblanc leaving the four of them to stay seated.
"I kind of felt he didn't hear a word I said," Futaba mumbled, Hakuno could now faintly hear painful moaning from above as Sojiro came back.
Hakuno sighed… at least they got him out of the dumps of eating his lobsters.
"Akira… did you overfeed the cat again?" Akira's smirk stiffened as he shrugged.
"Here…" Sojiro handed Akira some… tickets. Hakuno blinked as she looked over the tickets. "Won them from the supermarket lottery" Hakuno was surprised at seeing five Skytree tickets… Sojiro had some good luck…
"Figured since you kids are on vacation you might be able to enjoy it, make sure you take Futaba ya hear?"
Futaba groaned.
Hakuno blinked as she saw the text she had gotten.
Haru: Are you perhaps at Leblanc at the moment? I wish to meet up if possible.
Hakunon: Sure.
Haru: Would you mind waiting for me?
Hakuno agreed as she opened the door to the closed shop and stood outside, the empty alley was quiet as a single drop of rain led to more as she pulled out an umbrella from her Regalia, she heard a shuffling from the side of the laundry mat and froze.
"I knew it…" Hakuno's eyes focused on…
"Haru?" She looked… off? Her clothing was more than slightly roughed and her hair was out of place… And… she saw her use a mystic code.
"You're… you're a phantom thief aren't you?" Hakuno felt her heart sink.
Author's note: Well ain't that an ending? Haru's pretty smart in some things and I figured that she has been collecting a bit of evidence on her own... lets kind of face it, the thieves' activities are pretty easy to figure out who exactly they are if you focus on watching just one of them.
And they are almost all connected to previous victims and just so happen to all become friends shortly before some of the bigger changes of hearts? Someone who happens to be friends with them would notice something is off about it...
Anyways, Haru time next chapter! Wonder what her reaction will be.