11/7 Thursday
Days Until Investigation: 13
After bringing up the issue with the others, there was another unanimous decision to help Iwai however they could.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Ren asked. "That man really didn't hurt you?"
"Yes, Ren, I'm fine. Really." Makoto insisted.
It was nice to have him worry about her, showing that he cared. Although it was a little embarrassing hearing Ann giggle at his fretting.
"Well, we'd best nip this problem in the bud, yes?" Akechi grinned. "Wouldn't want this Tsuda individual threatening or pointing a gun at anyone else, would we?"
"Exactly." Ren nodded. "This guy's dangerous."
"Alright, then if everyone's in agreement, let's get started." Makoto ordered.
After forming a plan, they made their way to Mementos.
The group easily managed to navigate their way through Mementos, beating every shadow in their way before finally making their way to Tsuda's location.
"There he is…" Ren frowned.
"This guy looks like a real piece of work." Ryuji muttered.
"He must be pretty desperate if he's going around threatening people." Morgana noted. "And a desperate opponent is a dangerous one!"
They slowly approached Tsuda's shadow, watching his reaction.
"Hey… you're the bastards that are working with Iwai, aren't you!" Tsuda accused. "Who said you could come down here?!"
"We just invited ourselves." Morgana smirked. "Hope you don't mind."
"You young punks think you can do whatever you want, huh?!" Tsuda snapped. "This is my territory! I'm the Hashiba Clan's second in command! Nobody comes here without my say so!"
"And why should we listen to you, huh?!" Ryuji snapped.
"You punks aren't Yakuza, so you obey me!" Tsuda snarled. "Don't even talk or breathe without my permission, got it?!"
"If you think you can just intimidate everyone into doing your bidding, then you've got another thing coming!" Makoto declared.
"Damn it… you don't respect me either!" Tsuda snapped. "Why does no one respect me?! Not the you, not the Hong Kong mafia, not Iwai, and not even the other members of the clan!"
Tsuda's face twisted into a sinister scowl.
"Well to hell with them! I'll show them all! I'm not a joke!"
Tsuda dissolved into ooze, reforming into a purple demon sitting atop a toilet.
"… Again?" Makoto questioned.
"Ugh, how many times are we gunna have to fight this shitty shadow?!" Ryuji snapped.
"Well, we've beaten it before, so we know what to expect." Ren reasoned. "Shouldn't be too bad."
"Don't mock me, you little upstart brats!" Tsuda roared.
Tsuda formed a giant block of ice, flinging it right towards them.
"Oh no you don't!" Ann shouted. "Agidyne!"
Intense flames collided with the chucks of ice, coating the battlefield in dense steam.
"Keep on your guard, everyone." Makoto warned. "We don't know what's coming."
Suddenly, an intense fear began to grip at them.
Through the steam, they could barely see Tsuda sporting a wicked grin. The steam only seemed to make their grin seem even scarier.
"M-My legs won't stop shaking…" Ann murmured. "What's going on?!"
"He's just trying to intimidate us!" Makoto warned. "Don't fall for it."
But the fear had already begun to spread amongst the other Thieves.
"H-Hurry, Leader!" Morgana cried. "It's preparing something nasty!"
"Kushinada!" Makoto cried out. "Amrita Shower!"
Makoto healed the others of their fear right before Tsuada let out a ghastly wail.
Makoto charged ahead, but was only able to land a few hits before Tsuda chased her off with more chunks of ice.
"Seems we're in a bit of a predicament." Akechi noted. "You need to find keep the others healed, yes? Then please, leave it to me."
"... Alright. Let's see what you can do, then." Makoto nodded.
"With pleasure." Akechi grinned.
"I think that's just about enough out of you." Akechi scoffed.
Before Tsuda could begin wailing again, Akechi fired off a fearsome Megido, Tsuda screaming in pain as the almighty energy tore through his body.
"Now then, let's finish you off, shall we?" Akechi grinned.
Akechi struck the foe again and again, seemingly avoiding striking a decisive blow on purpose in order to lengthen the shadow's pain.
Finally, he struck a critical blow, bringing Tsuda to his knees.
"W-Wait, hold on-" Tsuda pleaded
"Megido." Akechi smirked.
Akechi fired at Tsuda once again, blasting him into a wall, and causing him to reform back into his regular self.
"Damn it… it's all over for me! Once they find out I failed… I'll be demoted from second in command." Tsuda murmured.
"So, that was why you threatened Iwai." Makoto noted.
"I'm just… all washed up. A relic of a bygone era." Tsuda sighed. "All the young college grads in the clan are laughing behind my back. Even the world of the Yakuza is being taken over by intellectuals."
Tsuda let out a defeated sigh.
"Even if it meant throwing my subordinates under the water, I had to…" Tsuda trailed off.
"If you're finished with your sob story, then listen to us." Makoto demanded. "You're going to leave Iwai and his family alone, and confess every single crime you and your lackeys have been doing. Got it?!"
"E-Everything?!" Tsuda gasped. "H-Hold on, that's-"
"Everything. Means. Everything!" Makoto stressed.
"R-Right… of course. I promise I won't bother Iwai or anyone else again!"
Tsuda's shadow faded away, leaving behind his treasure.
Akechi: Well, I'd say that's a job well done.
After grabbing the treasure, she turned towards Akechi.
"You certainly did a number on that shadow." Makoto noted.
"I felt like I was lagging behind a bit compared to you." Akechi grinned. "You've been tearing through all the shadows we've encountered thus far. I felt like I had to prove my worth to you"
"Is that right…" Makoto muttered.
"Think of it… as a sort of friendly competition between rivals." Akechi grinned.
Makoto nodded. "Very well. Although, that was the last target, so we'll have to resume this next time."
Their job completed, the Thieves said their goodbyes and went home for the day.
11/8 Friday
Days Until Investigation: 12
After classes had ended for the day, she saw Haru approaching her outside of school.
"Mako-chan!" Haru chirped. "Hello!
"Hello, Haru." Makoto greeted.
"Are you free today, Mako-chan?" Haru asked. "I wanted to head over to Leblanc to get some studying in."
"Studying. For entrance exams, right?" Makoto asked.
"Oh no, this is for something different!" Haru said. "I was going to study coffee!"
"Coffee?" Makoto repeated.
"Yes! I grabbed several books on the topic! I thought that you might be able to help out as well, considering that you work at Leblanc."
"W-Well, I'm not that knowledgeable, but I'll try my best to help." Makoto nodded.
"Great, then let's go!" Haru beamed.
The two of them set out for Leblanc.
"I see. So there are eight different ways to roast coffee beans. Apparently, the light roast is the most acidic." Haru noted. "It says here that the type of roast you want should differ depending on how you want to drink your coffee."
"That is fascinating." Makoto nodded. "I remember when I started brewing coffee, I was surprised at how intricate the process was."
"It truly is, isn't it!" Haru agreed. "I think I'd like to try hand-roasting each type someday."
Haru had a far off look on her face as she talked about the coffee.
"Is something wrong?" Makoto asked.
"Oh, I was just thinking." Haru said. "You know, Okumura Foods wasn't always as big as it is now. It didn't even start as a burger chain."
"I think I remember hearing a little bit about that." Makoto mentioned. "Although I can't quite remember."
"Originally, it was a small cafe run by my grandfather." Haru explained. "A bit like Leblanc, actually."
"Oh, is that why you've grown an interest in coffee?" Makoto asked.
"Yes, exactly." Haru beamed. "I was too young to appreciate coffee before it closed down, but hearing about the history of Okumura Foods made me much more interested."
"It's hard to believe that Okumura Foods had such humble beginnings." Makoto replied.
"I only found out a year or two ago when… father mentioned it to me." Haru said. "After my grandfather passed away, the company shut down the cafe because it was losing them money."
"I see… I suppose that would explain why I hadn't heard of it."
"My grandfather never cared about turning a profit, though." Haru mentioned. "He only cared about making people happy. He built a strong community with his cafe… he would even give out free meals to those who couldn't afford them."
"He sounds like a wonderful person." Makoto complimented.
"Everyone thought so." Haru smiled. "On the day his cafe closed, people lined up for blocks to lay down flowers. They did the same thing on the day he passed away. They all really loved that place… and grandfather too."
Haru let out a sigh.
"I can't imagine people would react the same way if Big Bang Burger shut down… especially considering the way they reacted to Father's death." Haru frowned.
"Haru…" Makoto trailed off.
"I know that we need to do well to keep our employees paid, but… I can't help but feel as if we've lost something important." Haru confessed.
"Not to mention that Takakura-san and many others are still trying to push me into marrying Sugimura…"
"Even now?" Makoto questioned.
Haru nodded. "Many of them are still so concerned about profit, and nothing else. At this rate, we'll never shed our status as a black company…"
"Black like coffee?"
The two girls turned to see Ren handing them coffee.
"You know, Boss lets me experiment with coffee beans at times." Ren brought up. "I'm sure he'd let you do the same. He might even let you work part time."
"Really?" Haru questioned. "That would be a wonderful opportunity! I'd love to get some experience with brewing coffee. If I did, I might even be able to…"
"Able to what?" Ren asked.
"I have a plan for making my voice heard by Takakura-san and everyone else." Haru declared. "But now's not the time. I've spent so long just going along with what everyone told me to do… I have to get stronger. Strong enough to stand up for myself."
"Well, until you reach that point, we'll be willing to help you however we can." Makoto promised.
"Exactly." Ren nodded.
"Thank you both. I'm glad that you all are here to help me." Haru smiled.
She could feel her bond with Haru growing a little stronger…
EMPRESS CONFIDANT: RANK 6
After speaking with Haru for a little while longer, she went home for the day.
11/9 Saturday
Days Until Investigation: 11
Late into the night, she left her home, going to do some training with Yohei. She had contacted him the day before, and he had agreed to train with her tonight, as he had apparently been busy with something the previous night…
When she arrived at their usual meeting place, however, she was shocked at what she saw.
"H-Hey, are you ok?!" Makoto asked.
Yohei was slumped over by a wall, his shirt covered in blood.
She quickly ran over to him to check on his condition.
It was ragged and faint, but he was still breathing. She couldn't see any obvious bleeding wounds on him, but… around his neck appeared to be some nasty looking marks.
"W-What happened?!" Makoto gasped.
"H-He must have… done this…" Yohei muttered. "When I… wasn't in… control…!"
"W-Who did this? And what do you mean, 'not in control'?!" Makoto asked.
"Never mind… you don't need to know… just leave me be… I can't train you right now." Yohei muttered.
"B-But… all this blood!" Makoto exclaimed.
"It… isn't mine." Yohei corrected.
Her eyes widened. If the blood wasn't his, then…
"Does this blood belong to the person who did this to you?" Makoto wondered.
"No, I already told you that it's not m-" Yohei began, before stopping himself. "It's someone else's…"
"Let me help you get somewhere more comfortable, at least." Makoto insisted.
"... Fine." Yohei sighed.
She helped lie him down somewhere, making sure he really was ok. As she sat him down, however, a few things fell out of his pocket.
A golden watch and a silver necklace…
"Ah… now I remember!" Yohei exclaimed. "Just a bit though… I was digging through some trash, and I found those little trinkets. You'd be surprised at how wasteful some people can be."
It… wasn't the most improbable story, but even if it was possible, she couldn't help but have some lingering doubt…
Something just seemed off…
After laying him down, she took a look around the room…
She saw a small stool in the corner of the room… and a snapped rope dangling from the ceiling.
Had he tried to…?
"I don't remember what happened." Yohei muttered. "All I know is that I woke up on the ground, gasping for air…" Yohei muttered. "And my neck had these marks on them, and that I was in pain…"
"And the blood?" Makoto asked. "Do you know where it came from?"
"… No, I don't." Yohei answered.
"You said that it didn't belong to you…" Makoto pointed out.
"I have no bloody wounds on me." Yohei stated. "So it must belong to someone else."
"Do you at least have a theory? You mentioned someone that could've…"
"Never mind that right now! Just leave me be." Yohei muttered.
"You mentioned that you 'weren't in control'." Makoto mentioned. "What does that mean?"
"I told you to leave me be!" Yohei snapped.
She had, in the past, thought that it was strange how he had seemed completely different in the day then he did at night.
Could it be that he…?
"Let me tell you a story…" Yohei muttered. "When I was much younger, I was a mercenary. A soldier for higher."
"I see… so that's why you're so strong." Makoto noted.
"I saw a lot of horrible things during my time as a soldier. I did a lot of horrible things too." Yohei said. "And I've made many, many mistakes to get to where I am now."
Yohei looked at her, his serious expression boring into her.
"I don't know exactly why you want to become stronger, but whatever the reason, I ask that you don't make the same mistakes that I have." Yohei warned.
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.
"I can tell that… you have a lot of rage in your heart." Yohei noted. "That's not necessarily a bad thing but…"
"But what?" Makoto pressed.
"Have you ever felt really angry at someone? Enough to hurt them? Enough to kill them, even?" Yohei asked.
Makoto didn't answer, but she knew that her face probably said it all.
"You need to be careful about how you harness that rage." Yohei advised. "You wouldn't want to end up like me."
"I understand…" Makoto trailed off. "It sounds like… you have quite a few regrets."
"… You should get going. People will start asking questions if they see you here." Yohei advised.
"But… are you really sure you're ok…?" Makoto asked.
Yohei sighed. "Well, if you're going to be stubborn, then I suppose I can teach you a couple of things.
"I-In your condition?" Makoto stammered.
"It's fine, I can teach verbally too…" Yohei stated. "Now listen to me. I'll teach you a few things about taking control of your emotions."
She diligently listened to Yohei for a while.
She felt like she could understand Yohei a little better.
DEATH CONFIDANT: RANK 7
Seeing as they wouldn't be doing any training for the night, Makoto went home, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that something was very wrong…
11/10 Sunday
Days Until Investigation: 10
Right before entering her sister's palace again, she decided that it would be for the best that she fuse the best Persona that she could.
When she went to the Velvet Room, however, she found the twins already waiting for her.
"Finally! It's about time you came by!" Caroline shouted.
"We've been waiting for you." Justine smiled.
"Hello you two." Makoto smiled. "Did you two wish to 'work on my rehabilitation' again today?"
"Actually, there's something different." Caroline said. "We did want you to bring us somewhere…"
"But we also have something to discuss with you…" Justine finished.
They seemed very serious, so Makoto listened carefully.
"The place we wish to go to is your own master's castle." Justice continued.
"The guardian that watches over your group… the one who nourishes your body and spirit." Caroline added.
"I see… you're probably talking about Boss over at Leblanc." Makoto noted. "I can bring you there, but can I create some more persona first?
"Finish your business quickly, then let us be off." Justine instructed.
"Yes, this is very important!" Caroline added.
After fusing several new Persona for use in Mementos, she brought the twins over to Leblanc.
"So, uh… who are those kids?" Sojiro asked.
Sojiro immediately questioned her the moment she walked in with the twins.
"Are you the master of this place?" Justine asked. "We must thank you for helping with the rehabilitation."
"Rehabilitation?" Sojiro repeated.
"Yes, it's been going rather smoothly, in no small part thanks to you, I assume." Caroline replied. "You have our gratitude."
"Right…" Sojiro muttered, turning to face her "Say…"
"Please don't ask." Makoto sighed.
Sojiro shrugged. "Well, alright, now take a seat. If you haven't eaten, I'll get some curry for you."
"Curry?" Caroline asked.
"We don't know what that is, but we shall accept your offer." Justine nodded.
The three of them sat down at a table, Sojiro sitting down their meal.
"So, you've never had curry before, huh?" Sojiro asked.
"The scent is rather appetizing." Justine smiled.
"What the heck is that red stuff along the edge?" Caroline asked.
"It's called Fukujinzuke." Sojiro stated.
"Fu…ku…jin… what?" Caroline questioned.
"Let me explain." Sojiro declared. "It's flavoring for curry. They call it that because of the Seven Gods of Fortune, the Shichi Fukujin."
"Y-You chopped up a GOD to make this!" Caroline gasped.
"Then this dish is dyed with the blood of a God…" Justine trailed off.
"What are these kids talking about…?" Sojiro sighed.
"Say, do you think you'd be able to slay a God too?" Caroline asked Makoto.
"I'd… rather not have to find that out." Makoto sighed. "You should start on your curry."
The twins dug into their meals, Caroline immediately gasping as she did.
"Gah! It's so spicy! My mouth is on fire!" Caroline cried.
"It is, but I can't stop eating it regardless." Justine beamed.
The two of them finished their meal, clearly enjoying it.
"Not bad… but it could use a bit more sweetness." Caroline said.
"But if you had this meal everyday, I'm sure it would help with your rehabilitation." Justine added.
"Well, Ren does frequently make curry and coffee for everyone." Makoto noted.
"Coffee… now what does that taste like?" Justine wondered.
"You can make some, can't you?" Caroline wondered.
"Well…"
"I know you're not working today, but you think you could fix it for them? I need to grab some groceries close by. Shouldn't take too long." Sojiro said.
"Oh, of course. I'll handle it." Makoto promised.
She went to work at making the coffee, serving it to the twins.
Caroline: This looks mushy too…
Justine: But it also has a pleasant aroma.
Caroline and Justine sipped their coffee… Caroline once again letting out a gasp.
Caroline: Gah! It's so bitter! Is this poison?!
Makoto: It is supposed to give you energy, but it's very bitter, especially for young childr-er… Um… I mean…
"WHAT was that?!" Caroline snapped.
"Well, you do have a child's tongue." Justine observed. "That said, I had heard of white powders and liquids that are said to make it so that even children can drink coffee. Not that I need it myself, but…"
"Milk and sugar, right?" Makoto asked. "Sure, I'll get some for you."
After adding a generous amount of milk and sugar, the twins were able to stomach the coffee.
"I see… so we met your master, and we were able to try some exotic food!" Caroline grinned. "Now that I think about it, you've brought us to a number of different places."
"Indeed… we've seen an unexpected sign to humans. It's been a very fulfilling experience for us."
"I'm glad to hear it." Makoto smiled.
"Say… what do you think about humans?" Caroline asked. "I'm curious?
"About humans…" Makoto trailed off. "Well…"
"You've dealt with a lot of terrible people in Mementos, have you not?" Justine asked.
That was true. Dealing with all the targets, including her own sister, and seeing their distortion was… rough, to say the least.
But even so…
"I… want to believe that even with all of the horrible people we've dealt with, that people are still overall good." Makoto stated. "I mean, to become as awful as they did, they had to victimize innocent people. People who didn't deserve awful things happening to them. To be controlled by others against their will…"
"I see." Justine muttered. "Before, we both had a rather poor opinion of humans."
"But spending time with you… might have caused us to think a few things over." Caroline muttered.
"Once again, you've given us a new perspective. Thank you." Justine noted. "And…"
"Hmm?"
"... Be careful." Caroline ominously said.
"Watch your back…" Justine added.
"What's wrong?" Makoto frowned. "I know that the conspiracy is targeting us, but…
"It's… It's just…" Justine muttered. "That faith in others… your bonds with other humans… it truly is your strength."
"Never let go of that faith." Caroline frowned. "No matter what…"
"Yes, that's exactly right." Justine nodded.
"What? What do they mean?" Makoto thought.
It felt as if they wanted to say something more to her, but they both left it at that.
Still, she could feel how much the twins cared for her…
STRENGTH CONFIDANT: RANK 9
She spoke to the twins for a little longer before heading home for the day…
Makoto's Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 9
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 9
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 9
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 8
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 7
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 9
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 9
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 9
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 8
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 8
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 7
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 6
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 7
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 6
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 8
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 6
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 8
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 7
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 9
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 6
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa?: Rank 6
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 7
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 6
THE COUNCILOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 9
Are the Phantom Thieves just? Yes 32.5%