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P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 61: 4 Targets

The next day, as Ren and Morgana were heading to school, Morgana popped his head out. “So, what are we doing today?”

“Well, I was thinking of going into Mementos,” Ren answered.”Take care of a few requests , as well as getting Makoto more acquainted with the Metaverse.” Morgana smiled, and nodded, and the two of them went to school.

During class, Ren took out her phone and messaged the group.

Ren: We’re meeting up today.

Makoto: Do you always text in class?

Ryuji: Woah! He really didn’t say anything.

Makoto: Who?

Ryuji: Nothing…

Makoto: I’ll ignore that for now.

Ann: So, are we going after Kaneshiro?

Ren: Not quite.

Ren: We have a few Mementos missions to take care of, and I feel like we should do those first.

Makoto: Mementos?

Sumire: Right. She wouldn’t know.

Ryuji: Mementos is everyone’s palace, I think.

Makoto: Could we attack Kaneshiro through there?

Jose: Nope.

Sumire: Palaces are formed when desires are so warped that they don’t fit in in Mementos.

Sumire: While Mementos itself is more of a collective of everyone else’s minds.

Yusuke: Mementos is quite fascinating actually. I’m interested to see what you think.

Makoto: Well, it sounds intriguing.

Ann: OK. Sounds like a plan.

Ren: See you after school at the hideout.

They put their phones away.

After school, they all arrived at the hideout. “So, how does this work?” Makoto asked.

Ren took out her phone and the sheet of paper Mishima gave her. “Well, it’s fairly simple. We make the target aware that we’re going to steal their treasure, then we go in and steal it.”

“That’s also how it works for palace rulers,” Morgana explained, “but unlike the palace rulers, we don’t have to do as much to get to them.”

“I see,” Makoto said.

“We do usually end up having to fight them” Ann lamented.

“But it’s fine,” Ryuji added. “We don’t hurt them in real life this way.”

“But we can get hurt ourselves” Yusuke finished.

“Well...yeah…” Ryuji admitted.

Sumire smiled. “But that’s why we come prepared!”

Jose nodded. “And we also work together to overcome the odds.”

“Hm” Makoto grinned. “Sounds like you have this all down pat.”

“Well, as much as we can,” Ann said. “I mean, none of us even KNEW about this strange parallel world until Ren showed up.”

Ren shoved Ann. “Don’t make it sound like I brought it with me.”

Ann shoved back. “Why not? You were the chosen one in all of this.” The two girls shared a giggle as they continued to playfully fight each other.

“Well then,” Makoto said, causing them to stop, “let’s get crackin’.”

Ren nodded. She looked over Mishima’s paper. “Let’s see. First, we have our follow up. The person pressuring Daisuke into bullying: Yoshimori Sakoda.”

“Wait, someone was bullying Daisuke?” Makoto asked.

Sumire nodded. “Apparently, this guy had some blackmail on Daisuke, and he was using that to manipulate him.” Makoto looked disconcerted. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh!” Makoto exclaimed. “Well, when we confronted him, he brushed us off saying ‘there’s more going on than you know’. At the time, I thought it was just bluster. I did notice a change in his behavior recently too. Was that you?” They all nodded. “I see.” She grew a little frustrated.

“OK, next on Mishima’s list, we have a girl named Hikari Shimuzu,” Ren continued. “She’s been torturing this one guy, basically making him her slave. He’s been coming to school with bruises all over.”

“Sounds horrible!” Ann said. “We MUST put a stop to this!”

“Did he put the request in?” Jose asked.

“It doesn’t say,” Ren answered.

“Hm” Jose thought.

“What’s wrong Jose?” Sumire asked.

“Well, in my studies on humanity, I’ve heard of people who derive pleasure from pain,” Jose explained. Everyone else was stunned. “What’s it called again?”

“Even if that was the case, this sounds like it’s going too far!” Ryuji interjected.

“Oh?” Jose wondered. “And how do you know?”

“Uhhhhhhhhh” Ryuji stammered.

Yusuke jumped in. “Well, if someone thinks it’s enough of a problem to raise awareness of it on the Phan-site, it’s at least worth checking out.”

“Well put, Yusuke-senpai,” Sumire chimed in.

Ren nodded. “And last on the list is a restaurant manager named Nozumi Ono, who, according to the request, does little to no work, berates their employees for even the slightest mistakes, and takes all the credit and money for himself.”

“Disgusting” Makoto reacted.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Morgana added.

“Sounds like a total jerk” Ryuji piled on.

“So, we’re all in favor?” Ren asked. Yusuke raised his hand. “Yusuke?”

“If I may,” he began, “I found something I think we should investigate as well. A string of burglaries being tied to us.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji shouted.

“Oh, those,” Jose said. “Well, from what I’ve heard, the perpetrator has been using calling cards that resemble ours, but apparently, not even the police believe them.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Morgana said sardonically.

“But they still don’t know who did it,” Jose said.

“If I may, I wasn’t finished” Yusuke said

“Sorry” Jose apologized.

“You are forgiven,” Yusuke assured him. “Ahem. I did overhear a student planning said burglaries.”

“Really?” Ann asked. “How’d you manage to swing that?”

“I’m not sure myself,” Yusuke replied. “I was just passing by, and he was talking to himself as if no one else was there.”

“Did he just not hear you coming?” Sumire said.

“I suppose so,” Yusuke answered. “Although, I am curious as to how he didn’t see me. I was walking toward him.” The rest of the group looked on blankly. “Well, whatever the case may be, I know who it is.”

“Great job, Yusuke” Makoto cheered him on in an embarrassed tone.

“Why thank you” Yusuke said, not picking it up at all. “His name is Kazyua Makigami.”

“I’ll ask Mishima to add him,” Ren said, texting Mishima.

“Oh, right,” Makoto said, realizing something. “Mishima-kun’s involved in this?”

“Yeah” Ren answered. “He’s in charge of the Phan-site.”

“Oh. I thought that was you guys” Makoto said.

“Well, he knows who we are,” Ryuji explained.

“But he’s on our side” Ann continued.

“Besides,” Ren said, “having him manage the site leaves more time to plan and do things like this.”

“I see,” Makoto said. “Well, as long as you trust him.”

Ren smiled and nodded. “I just sent the word to him. Are we ready?” Everyone else nodded. “Then let’s go.” They all headed into Mementos.

Upon entry, Makoto looked around. “Woah! This isn’t exactly what I expected. But it is interesting nonetheless.”

Ren smied. “Welcome, to the garden of madness.”

“Well, no time like the present,” Makoto said. She started to walk off the platform, but Ren and Sumire caught her.

“Woah, Queen-senpai,” Sumire said.

“What is it?” Makoto asked.

Ren and Sumire helped her back up. Ren then explained. “Memento is huge. It’s too big to walk through.”

Makoto was confused. “Then how do you get around?”

“Myeh heh heh” Morgana chuckled. “My time to shine! Transform!” He transformed into the car.

“Woah!” Makoto said.

“Heh heh” Morgana laughed.

Makoto thought about it. “So, this world is based around people’s perceptions…”

“Correct” Ann answered.

“And I’m guessing that this is because a lot of people have the image of cats turning into vehicles” Makoto went on.

“Also correct,” Ren added.

“But according to Mona himself, he’s not a cat,” Makoto finished. Everyone stood in silence for a few moments before Ren broke down laughing.

“Well…” Morgana began uncomfortably, “...I guess it’s because most people see me as a cat…”

“Oh. That makes sense” Makoto responded.

Ren finished her laughing fit. “Alright. We should get going. Hop in.” Everyone got in and they started driving off.

Once they reached the end of the first floor, Makoto was stunned. “That’s it?”

“No,” Ann answered.

“Then how big is it?” Makoto asked.

“No idea,” Ryuji responded.

“Huh,” Makoto remarked.

“We believe Eris is hold up at the bottom,” Ren explained.

“Oh!” Makoto said, excited. “So, we need to break through to the bottom?”

“Basically” retorted Ren. “Although to gain the ability to do so, we need to make a bigger name for ourselves as the Phantom Thieves.”

“I see,” Makoto pondered. “Well then, let’s give it all we got then!”

Sumire chuckled. “I love your attitude, Queen-senpai!”

“Although it seems easier said than done,” Yusuke explained.

“It seems like we have to play Eris’s game to be able to get to the bottom,” Jose iterated.

“I don’t care,” Makoto said. “If this Eris can turn someone like Naoko into someone willing to murder, I’ll do anything to put them in their place.”

“Woah! Scary” Ryuji remarked.

“No, I get it,” Yusuke said. “Eris really messed with someone she cared about. I have a similar feeling towards her about Kosuke.”

“I’m not saying I don’t get it,” Ryuji explained. “I’m just saying that she’s scary.”

“You want me to be sunshine and roses about this?” Makoto asked.

“That’s not what I meant either,” Ryuji continued.

“Just stop,” Ann said. “You’re going to keep digging a hole for yourself.”

“...Yeah” Ryuji relented.

Ren giggled. “I think what Skull’s trying to say is that if he is afraid of you, whoever we’re fighting better be incredibly worried.”

“Yeah. Something like that” Ryuji agreed.

Makoto nodded. “Very well.” They continued onward.

They came upon a portal and hopped in. “I think that guy is Yoshimori’s shadow,” Ryuji exclaimed. “The guy that’s been bullying Daisuke.”

“Well then, let’s put a stop to his reign of terror once and for all,'' Sumire said aggressively.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Makoto said, cracking her knuckles.

They walked up to him. “Tch. Looks like someone ratted me out.”

“Sure did,” Ren said. “And we’re going to put a stop to you and your fledgling school empire.”

“PAH!” Yoshimori spit. “I’d like to see you try!”

“He’s not trying to convince us to join him,” Yusuke remarked.

“We aren’t meeting on my terms,” Yoshimori explained. “I would have liked to ally with you, but apparently that Akechi boy was wrong. If I had your power, I’d make all bow before me.”

“Well that’s why we have it and not you!” Ann shouted.

“C’mon!” Yoshimori shouted. “Do you really think the people in the school care about scum like us? I’m just evening the odds.”

“By forcefully recruiting people!” Sumire snapped.

“Well, how else are you going to get people on your side?” Yoshimori asked. “Deep down inside, all people are nothing but selfish jerks.”

“Enough!” Makoto screamed. “You go on and on about how it’s you vs them, and you don’t even try to differentiate yourself. You’re no better than Principal Kobayakawa.”

“No better?” a shocked Yoshimori retorted. “No BETTER?!” He transformed into Black Frost. “WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT!”

“BRING IT ON!” Makoto shouted back. After a well-fought battle, the Phantom Thieves won.

“Gah!” Yoshimori grunted. “Why does no one like me?”

“Um, probably because you blackmail them?” Ryuji took a stab at answering.

“Even before that,” Yoshimori added. “I always have to make people try and like me. But it all just falls apart.”

Makoto glared at him. “It’s because you’re not honest with yourself.” Yoshimori gasped. “You don’t like doing this either, do you?”

Yoshimori looked at her. “N...No…”

“And yet you do it,” Makoto said.

“How do you know how I feel?!” Yoshimori yelled.

“Because I was there once too,” Makoto answered sternly. Yoshimori gasped again. “The problem isn’t everyone else. It’s you. Once you find a you that you can be comfortable with, then you can start reaching out to others earnestly.”

Yoshimori smirked. “Thank you. I needed that. It might take some time to find myself, but I’ll dissolve my network based on blackmail.”

“That’s a good start,” Makoto said.

“If I reached out to you when I find myself, could we be friends?” Yoshimori asked.

“Of course,” Makoto answered. Yoshimori smiled and faded away. Ren took the treasure.

“Wow,” Morgana commented. “People are complicated.”

“True” Makoto agreed. “But we are meant to be social creatures. We ought to help each other in need.”

“I see,” Jose noted. “Fascinating.”

“I guess you’re right,” Morgana responded. “I feel that way too sometimes. I guess that’s part of the reason I feel split.”

“Well, hopefully staying at my place is helping,” Ren added.

Morgana smiled. “Yeah.” Ren smiled back.

Makoto smiled too. “Well, we should get going. We’ve got other people to help, you know.” Everyone nodded, and they left.

They continued onward until they got to the next door. Standing between them and said door was another shadow. “That’s Hikari Shimizu’s shadow!” Ann remarked. “The girl that’s been abusing someone.”

“I feel bad for him,” Ryuji said.

“Well, we’re here to help,” Jose reminded him.

“You said this boy is covered in bruises in real life?” Yusuke asked. “If that’s the case, she might be a dangerous opponent.”

“True. We should be on guard” Makoto reminded them. They walked forward.

“Ugh. So you’re the Phantom Thieves?” Hikari bemoaned. “Why are you bothering me?”

Ren dramatically pointed. “We;re here to stop your abuse.”

“Yeah, you’ve been treating this boy like he’s your slave!” Ryuji added.

“Please. He wants it” Hikari explained. “I just give it to him.”

“He wants bruises?” Yusuke remarked. “I don’t quite think that’s true.”

“I am his queen!” Hikari snapped. “He takes whatever I give him!”

“Yeah?! Well, you shouldn’t treat him like dirt!” Ann snapped back. “If you’re his queen, make yourself a respectable queen! Not just some annoying monarch that holds absolute power over him!”

“Grrr” Hikari growled. “I’m smart, I’m pretty, and he worships me. I’m allowed to do what I want with him!”

“No you’re not!” Ann yelled. “He’s a person too!”

“Grrrrrrah!” Hikari yelled, transforming into Yaksini, “I’ll just do whatever I want with you!” The thieves fought Hikari’s shadow. While it was a tad bit tricky, the thieves won. “NO!” Hikari yelled after defeat. “I don’t want to lose him…”

“Lose him?” Ann asked.

“Yeah. If I apologize, and say what I’m doing is wrong, he’ll run away…” Hikari explained. “And I don’t want that.”

“How did this all start?” Jose asked.

“He came up to me one day… Hikari began. “He asked me if I needed anything. I told him ‘a foot massage’ as a joke, but he really did it.”

“And you didn’t stop him?” Jose inquired.

“Well...I liked it…” Hikari continued. “...And him…”

“Oh” Jose said, surprised.

“You mean like like like?” Ann asked.

Hikari nodded. “Day in and day out, I’d ask him to do more and more ridiculous things, and it just spiraled out of control. Now I feel like this is the only way I can hang onto him.”

“Listen,” Ann said, beginning to offer advice, “being in a relationship requires the two people to be on the same page. If neither of you are happy, you need to feel confident enough to say so.”

“Yeah,” Ryuji added. “I mean, it sounds like this guy also kind of likes you too. And even if he’s willing to do some things for you, if you push him too far, you’ll just push him away.”

“But…” Hikari groaned.

“I know,” Ann said. “It’s hard. But you have to try. If you want this to work, you both have to be happy.”

Hikari started crying. “You’re right. Thank you.” She faded and Ren stole the treasure.

“Well, I think that went well,” Ann said. Jose was looking at her, puzzled. “What is it Sunshine?”

Jose tilted his head. “I know you told Fox, but are you sure you and Skull aren’t a couple?” Both of them started to blush. “Because you sounded like a couple just now.”

“Ha ha” Ann laughed nervously. “Of course we aren’t a couple.”

“Yeah” Ryuji said, equally as nervous. “Our advice applies to all kinds of relationships.”

“I see,” Jose said.

Ren stifled a laugh. “Well, if we’re done here, let's see what the next bit of Mementos looks like, shall we?” Ren walked over and placed her hand on the door. It opened up. Once it finished, she turned around. “What are we waiting for?” The thieves all walked over and headed deeper into Mementos.

Soon after, they found another portal and jumped in. “I think this is Nozomi Odo,” Morgana said. “The slave-driving restaurant manager.”

“Ugh, people like him make me sick!” Ryuji remarked. “Let’s do this fast. The sooner we do this, the sooner he’ll be a better manager.”

They nodded in agreement and approached Nozomi’s shadow. “What do you want?” he asked indignantly.

“What we WANT is for you to treat your employees with kindness!” Sumire said, stomping her foot on the ground.

“Tch” Nozomi reacted, brushing it off like it was nothing. “Have you ever worked in a restaurant?”

“Well, no…” Sumire admitted.

“If you did, you’d know that that’s the law of the land,” Nozomi explained. “You get treated like shit, until you work up to a place where you treat others like shit.”

“What garbage!” Makoto said, stepping forward. “You’re a leader! You need to step up and act as such.”

“I am,” Nozumi said.

“No” Makoto seethed. “You’re a coward. A REAL leader looks out of their team. Not just themselves.”

“Tch. I don’t have time for this” Nozomi said. He transformed into Setanta. “Starting now, I’m YOUR boss!”

“You should know, we don’t take kindly to those in authority,” Yusuke quipped.

“GAH!” Nozomi yelled. The thieves charged into battle, and won. “It’s not fair,” Nozomi said after losing. “I went through all of this before. Why should they be treated differently?”

“Look,” Makoto said forcefully. “What your employees are going through sucks, and what you went through was also probably terrible. But you don’t need to continue the cycle of abuse. You can end it here.

Being a leader is hard work. I should know. But you need to make sure all that hard work is worth it in the end. Otherwise you’re going to wake up one day and realize you hate the person staring back at you in the mirror.”

“Heh. You’re right” Nozomi said. “Man, getting lectured by some kids really puts things into perspective. Thanks.” He faded away, and Ren took the treasure.

They continued onwards and found another portal. Again, they hopped into it. “By process of elimination, this would be Kazuya Makigami’s shadow,” Yusuke said.

“The jerk thief who’s using our name to steal things,” Morgana added.

“But didn’t Sunshine say that not even the police believe that we’re associated with him?” Sumire inquired.

“I did say that, yes,” Jose said.

“Well...it’s the principle of the matter,” Morgana said.

“Whatever the reason, we need to put a stop to it,” Yusuke said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Ren nodded. They walked over to him.

“Ah, the glorious Phantom Thieves,” Kazuya said. “Have you come to join forces?”

“No. Of course not!” Makoto refuted.

“Then why?” Kazuya wondered.

“Put simply, we’re here to stop you,” Yusuke explained.

“WHAT?” Kazuya shouted. “But we have the same goals. We’re on the same side. There’s no need for fighting.”

“Then will you just stop burglarizing people?” Sumire asked.

“And using our name?” Morgana added.

“WHAT? You don’t like that?” Kazuya asked.

“Of course not!” Ann said.

“Grrr. I thought you were cool” Kazuya grumbled. “Fighting for the underdogs. I thought the world needed people like you. But I guess power just corrupts, as the saying goes. SO…” he transformed into Mithras, “...I guess I’ll just use my power to stop you!”

“...You literally just said power corrupts,” Ryuji said, picking up on the irony.

“SHUT UP!” Kazuya shouted. The thieves charged into combat, and while it was a bit tough, since they’ve been going for a bit, it was nothing they couldn’t handle. Once Kazuya was defeated, he was breathing heavily.

“Pardon me,” Yusuke wondered, “but why do this at all?”

Kazuya looked at them. “Fine. I guess I owe you that at least. Ever since I was a kid, my parents were always more impressed with my little brother. He was more successful at everything, and because of that, he was their favorite. It almost felt like I wasn't even there sometimes.

Yeah, I was jealous, but I didn’t do anything. I felt like that was just how things were. And then you came along, and taught me that maybe things can change. So I began abusing my brother. And when that wasn’t enough, I took out my anger on every bigshot I could find. I started gathering some like-minded people, and I assume you know the rest.”

“How terrible,” Sumire remarked.

“Yeah,” Kazuya agreed. He sighed. “I probably should have said something earlier.”

“It’s not too late…” Sumire pointed out.

“I guess you’re right,” Kazuya replied.

“Well, as long as you’re making it up with him,” Yusuke said.

Kazuya smirked. He took his own treasure out of him. “If you can find my brother, tell him to use this key to open my nightstand drawer and burn what’s inside.”

“Are you sure?” Yusuke asked. Kazuya nodded. “Very well.” He grabbed it.

“Just promise me you’ll keep going after people who deserve it,” Kazuya said.

“You have our word,” Yusuke said. Kazuya smiled and faded away.

“How are we supposed to find his brother?” Ryuji asked.

“He also goes to Kosei,” Yusuke said. “I can give it to him…”

“That might be a bit conspicuous,” Morgana pointed out. “I’ll just drop it off in the cover of night.”

“Very well then,” Yusuke said. They left.

Ren asked “Do you want to keep going, or is that fine enough for now?”

“We did get all of our targets” Ann pointed out.

“Eh, I at least want to get to the next door,” Ryuji said. “It probably won’t open, but it’s a good marker of progress.”

“I agree,” Jose said.

“Anyone have any objections?” Ren asked. No response. “Very well.” They kept rolling. Eventually, they made it to the next door. “Well, we’re one step closer.”

“If I’m assuming correctly, this will open once we defeat Kaneshiro?” Makoto asked.

“Sees that way” Ryuji answered.

“Do we want to do that right away then?” Makoto wondered.

“No,” Ren answered. Makoto looked at her. “We shouldn’t keep blitzing through things. We are tough, but going through the metaverse is exhausting. We need our rest.”

“I see,” Makoto said. “What smart and thoughtful advice. Truly, you’ve adapted to the role of leader quite well.”

Ren was embarrassed. “Thanks.”

“Well, then, I guess that’s all we’re going to get now,” Makoto said. “Should we head out?” Everyone nodded, and they all headed up to leave Mementos. On their way back, Makoto noticed Sumire seeming awfully distant. “Something on your mind Violet?”

“Huh?” Sumire gasped. “Oh yeah. My meet is coming up, and being down here, and seeing everyone’s different problems has got me thinking.”

“You know we’re here for you” Ren reminded her.

Sumire smiled. “Thanks senpai” Sumire said, smiling and blushing. She looked down. “I guess seeing all those people suffering just has me in a tizzy. I mean, I was fraught with so many problems that I didn’t know what to do. So, in a way, this was kind of cathartic. It really helped me put things into perspective. If they can improve, then I know I can!”

“Way to go Violet!” Ann cheered.

“Yeah! You show them!” Ryuji followed.

Jose looked at them. “Are you really sure you’re not a couple?”

“YES!” they both answered, slightly embarrassed.

Sumire giggled. She then covered her mouth. “Oh. Sorry.” Ren then started snickering. One by one, people started laughing along. Pretty soon, the entire PT crew was in stitches. Between the laughter and the exploration, they felt exhausted and remained silent until they left Mementos.

As Ren and Mogana were heading home, Ren bumped into someone. “Oh, sorry.”

“It’s OK,” the woman Ren bumped into said. Ren looked up, as did Morgana. They recognized her as Ryoko Aino, the person who kidnapped cats and almost kidnapped Morgana. She took notice of Morgana. “Oooo. What a cute kitty. Mind if I pet him?”

Morgana hissed. Ren put her hands on him to stop him. “I’m sorry. He’s usually really kind.”

“Oh no,” Ryoko said. “I think it’s my fault.” She fished through her purse. She handed a can to Ren. “Um, for a little while, I was, um, kidnapping cats. And I almost got this little one.”

“Oh?” Ren inquired.

“I was saddened by the loss of my own cat, Snowball�� Ryoko informed her. “I panicked, and I got it in my head that I needed to protect all of the cats in the area. But I came to my senses after the Phantom Thieves saved me. So, I’m sorry.”

“I see,” Ren said. She looked at Morgana. “Well, what do you think?”

Morgana was pouting, but knew the answer. “I guess it’s OK.”

Ren smiled. She turned back. “He says he’ll let you pet him.”

“Really?” Ryoko said, beaming. She started petting Morgana, and Morgana started purring. After she was done, she bowed and said “Take care.”

“We will,” Ren said. “And thanks.” The two nodded and went their separate ways. Ren looked at the can. “Wow.”

“What is it?” Morgana asked.

“It’s some fairly expensive tuna,” Ren said. “I guess this is part of her apology.”

“WOW,” Morgana said, drooling. “I know what I want tonight.”

As they were entering Leblanc, they passed by two young adults and an old man, who they recognized as Heiji Ono, the former belligerent old man in Kijijoji. As she came in, she looked at Sojiro and said “I haven’t seen them before.”

Sojiro grinned. “Maybe they’ll start a trend. It’s always nice to get new customers. You know, they only came by to spend some nice quiet time with their grandpa, but I hope they tell others how good the food was.” Ren smiled. Sojiro went on. “The old guy sure was somethin’ else. When he got his drink, he quietly toasted the Phantom Thieves. His grandkids didn’t hear it, but I caught it.”

Ren sat down at the counter. “What do you think of these Phantom Thieves?”

“Well, if that guy is toasting them, they can’t be all bad,” Sojiro said. “But I’m not one to accept things like that so easily. Maybe if they came in and had some curry, and we got to chatting, I might soften up to them more.”

Ren smiled. “You want me to start an ad campaign?”

“Huh?” Sojiro said, taken aback. “Of course not. That prosecutor’s been on my ass enough. I don’t need her breathing down my neck thinking I have a link with the Phantom Thieves.”

“I getcha,” Ren said. “It can be hard to trust people sometimes.”

Sojiro looked at her. “Well, I know I can trust you. I hope you can trust me too.”

“Of course,” Ren said.

Sojiro smiled. “Here. Let me make you some curry. But then I gotta head out.” Sojiro prepared some curry and handed it to Ren. She took one bite and was delighted. “Heh heh. Well, seeya.” Ren waved as Sojiro left.

Morgana was pouting. “Don’t think I forgot.” Ren said. She got up, fetched a can opener, and opened up the tuna for Morgana.

“MEOW!” he frenzied. He plopped his face in the can and went to town.

Ren smiled. “Hm.” She took another bite of her curry. After she swallowed it, she said “Today was a good day.” She continued eating, then went to bed soon after.

#persona 5 #persona fanfiction #persona 5 royal #p5r rework #p5 rework #p5 femc #p5r #p5 #FeMC #female ren #ren amamiya #morgana #ann takamaki #makoto niijima #Sumire #Ryuji Sakamoto #yusuke kitagawa #jose #sojiro sakura

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yusuke-of-valla · 4 years

Text

like rats fleeing a sinking ship, pt. 4

Whumptober Alt. 10

Prompt: Nightmares

TW: Mentions of bruises, the interrogation scene, and Shiho’s suicide attempt though the latter two are only mentioned briefly

<-Previous Next->

AO3

Ann pulls herself up into a large tree in Shiho’s backyard, and knocks on Shiho’s window.

She’s done this thousands of times before, but this time she’s shaking as Shiho opens the latch and Ann spills into her room.

“Shiho, I-” Ann starts, but she can’t make out the words.

“Ann? Ann what’s wrong, do you need help?” Shiho asks.

Ann stares at her for a second, a thousand thoughts flying through her mind, before settling on “...you don’t know?”

“Shiho? Is something wrong?” Shiho’s mother calls from downstairs.

“D-don’t let them know I’m here!” Ann whispers quickly.

“Just knocked over some books mom, it’s fine!” Shiho responds.

“Alright, just be careful!”

“I will!”

Ann relaxes a bit, slumping against Shiho’s side.

“I’m sorry, I’m-”

“Ann, take a deep breath for me, alright?” Shiho says, guiding Ann to her bed.

Ann sinks into the bed, and tries to organize her thoughts. The truth is, it all doesn’t even feel real yet. They’re wanted criminals. Not the Phantom Thieves, but them themselves. Ann Takamkai, Ryuji Sakamoto… all of them had their names and faces plastered everywhere.

Ann swallows. “Shiho, do you know about the Phantom Thieves?”

Shiho blinks. “Uh, yeah, of course.”

“I’m one of them. And now the police are after us.”

Shiho stares at Ann. “Oh.” Ann tenses up again, and Shiho quickly turns to her. “Sorry, I’m just surprised— or maybe I’m not. You being a Phantom Thief actually makes a lot of sense, but you can stay here, obviously.”

“Really?”

“Of course! I’m not leaving you to get caught by the police!” Shiho says. “My parents don’t barge into my room or anything, and I’m still being homeschooled while I recover so it’s not like I’ll be leaving you home in the house or anything.”

“Shiho…” Ann wraps her arms around her best friend. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.”

Shiho grabs an old sleeping bag, a relic that’s survived many of their past sleepovers, and rolls it out for Ann while Ann borrows some of Shiho’s pajamas.

“As long as you’re here, wanna help me with my English homework?” Shiho asks.

“Yeah, sure.”

They go over the homework until Shiho insists Ann go to sleep, so Ann steals a pillow off of Shiho’s bed and curls up in the sleeping bag.

Ann closes her eyes and tries to sleep, but can’t stop thinking about, well, everything.

Makoto had said to avoid using phones before cutting off, so Ann doesn’t know what anyone is doing. None of them were prepared for this, none of them had even considered it an option.

Maybe that was on them though, maybe they should’ve thought about the possibility, but who could blame them? They had just gotten the upper hand after being manipulated for months by Shido and his stupid conspiracy. Now it turns out he had a trump card none of them suspected.

Ann’s thoughts run around for what feels like hours, until even with her eyes closed Ann can tell that Shiho turns off the lights and climbs into the bed.

“Hey, Ann. Trouble sleeping?”

Ann opens her eyes and stares at the dark outline of Shiho. “Yeah, sorry was I bothering you?”

“No. Not at all. Wanna talk about something?”

“...sure. I could use a distraction, honestly.”

Shiho sits up and looks down at Ann. “So… did the Phantom Thieves really kill Okumura?”

“No!” Ann says, sitting up as well. “We didn’t! We were just trying to help and we got framed by Shido.”

Shiho places a hand on her shoulder. “I figured it was something like that. I wasn’t accusing you, I just wanted to know what happened. And I want you to know that even if you had killed him, I’d still help you.”

“Thanks.”

Ann can just barely make out Shiho’s smile in the moonlight. “‘Course. You’d do the same for me.”

“Yeah,” Ann says, laughing a little for the first time all day. “Heck, I’d help you hide the body.”

“Honestly, you’d probably help me commit the crime.

“Totally.”

They settle into silence again, and Ann leans back down on the floor. “What do you think my parents think,” she asks, suddenly.

“Would the news have even reached them?”

“I’m not sure. The rest of the world started to pay attention to the Phantom Thieves after Medjed, but I don’t know how they reacted to the news about Okumura. Wonder if they’re also calling for our heads.”

“Even if they are, I think your parents would help you.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. You’re their daughter.”

Shiho says it so confidently, Ann can almost believe it. “It’s a nice thought, I guess.”

“Ann, you’re going to be okay. I promise.”

Ann turns over and tries to close her eyes again. “Good night, Shiho.”

Ann is running through Sae’s palace, trying to avoid the shadows at Oracle’s instructions. She slips out one of the back windows. From her perch she can see a bunch of police going after Joker.

She should try to regroup with the others, but can’t help but watch. She winces in sympathy as one of the officers kicks Joker and causes him to fall off the ladder he was climbing.

Except when Joker falls, his mask falls off too, and it isn’t Akira.

It’s Shiho.

Shiho who’s grabbed by the police and dragged away kicking and screaming, and covered with bruises, just like Akira after the interrogation just like Shiho after she jumped…

Ann jolts out of bed. She gets up clumsily and rushes to the bathroom, trying not to throw up. It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare, but…

It could still happen. The police could find out where Ann is and storm the house and arrest her and Shiho and Shiho’s parents. She’s putting Shiho in danger by being here. This was a stupid move.

There’s a knock on the bathroom door. “Shiho, is something wrong?” Mr. Suzui asks.

Ann tenses up. “Yeah, I’m fine dad,” Ann whispers, hoping he won’t realize the difference. “Just some trouble sleeping."

“Alright. If something’s wrong, just let your mother or I know.”

“I will, dad.”

Ann hears footsteps moving away from the door and relaxes. Then she meets her own gaze in the mirror.

No.

She can’t put Shiho in danger.

When Shiho wakes up, she immediately looks over to check on Ann. Her heart drops into her stomach to see her gone.

Shiho scrambles out of bed, taking in the fact that Ann’s clothes are gone, and there’s a note on the desk.

Shiho-

Sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, but I shouldn’t have come here in the first place. You’re my best friend in the whole world and I can’t risk you getting in trouble because of me.

I hope you’re not too mad. I wish things could be different. Maybe one day we’ll see each other again.

Until then

-Ann

Oh no. Oh no, no no no!

Shiho throws a coat and some shoes on over her pajamas and rushes out the front door, past her parents who are trying to stop her.

She can make out Ann’s footprints against the morning December frost, and they’re heading towards the park, so that’s where Shiho goes too.

She doesn’t want to risk calling out Ann’s name in case all the noise so early alerts the neighbors, but her heart is pounding in her chest.

Finally, Shiho finds Ann on the other side of the park, sitting on a swing with her hoodie pulled low over her head so she doesn’t stick out.

“You’re so stupid.” Shiho says, sitting on the swing next to her.

“Shiho? What are you-”

“You think you can just leave me like that?” Shiho asks. She’s angrier than she wants to be, and she can’t help the tears that roll down her cheeks. “What if something happened to you because you decided to run off in the middle of the night?”

“What if you get arrested? What if cops come to your house? You didn’t see the things they did to Akira, I can’t let that happen to you!”

“So I should be ok if something bad happens to you,” Shiho shoots back. “Ann, you’re my best friend. I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you, especially not after knowing you’re a Phantom Thief. You made Kamoshida confess to everything, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And you stopped him from killing himself so he can rot in prison like he deserves. You’ve done so much for me, more than you can even imagine, and then you kept doing it! You kept helping people, people you didn’t even know! You’re the nicest person I know, Ann you’ve got a big heart and you don’t deserve anything that’s happening to you right now. So for once, just this once, will you please let me, help you.” The words spill out and Shiho’s face is flushed as she grips the cold metal of the swings.

“I know the risks of helping you and I want to do it, because you’ve done so much more for me.”

“Shiho…” Ann reaches out and places a hand on Shiho’s shoulder. “You’ve done more for me than you could possibly know. The reason I stood up to Kamoshida, the reason I kept changing hearts afterwards, it’s because of you. You inspired me. If anything, I owe you.”

“Thanks Ann,” Shiho smiles. “Even now you’re the one cheering me up.”

“We’re cheering each other up.”

“Yeah. So c’mon. Let’s head back to the house. It’s kinda cold.”

Ann pulls back at that, and bites her lip.

“I know the risks. Let me handle it.”

“Fine. Yes, let’s go back.”

Shiho takes Ann’s hand, and they walk back to the house. On the way they, run into Shiho’s mother.

“Shiho! Why did you run out like that? And Ann-” Mrs. Suzui’s eyes narrow. “What’s going on.”

“Mom, Ann’s in trouble and she needs our help.”

“She’s a wanted criminal.”

“Mom, you know Ann! You’ve known her for years, you think she’d actually do anything she was accused of?”

Mrs. Suzui looks between the two girls for a minute before sighing. “Fine. Fine, we’ll set something up. I can talk to your father.”

“Thanks mom.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Suzui.”

“Let’s go inside, you girls must be freezing.”

~_~_~

Mr. Suzui brings tea down for everyone as soon as Ann and Shiho finish telling Haru and Morgana their story.

“So now what do we do?” Suzui asks.

“Well, the current plan is to meet at Shido’s Palace a week from today,” Haru says.

“With Ann, that means we have five people,” Morgana points out, “that’s not bad.”

“I’d feel better if we had everyone, though,” Ann says. “No word from the others?”

“We were hoping you’d know where to start with Ryuji. Does he have any family in the city or other friends?” Haru asks.

“I’m not sure who he’d turn to,” Ann says.

“I can go talk to his mom.” Suzui offers. “Or at least check out his apartment.”

“Suzui, we can’t-”

“Call me Shiho, and like I told Ann, I want to help. Ryuji’s a friend of mine too, and out of everyone here, I’m the only one who isn’t a wanted criminal.”

“Hey, what about me?” Morgana asks.

Shiho looks at him. “Well, I’m the only one who isn’t a wanted criminal, and who Ryuji’s mom can understand.”

Ann nods. “If you’re sure about this, Shiho, then yeah. You should do it. If you find him or a clue, you can meet up with Akira and move on from there.”

“It’ll be difficult staying in touch without a phone, but can we agree to meet up at Takemi’s clinic in Yogen-Jaya tomorrow evening? That way we can coordinate everything,” Haru says.

“Sounds like a plan,” Shiho says. “You can count on me, guys. Don’t worry.”

Ann smiles and grabs her hand. “I know we can.”

#alto writes #whumptober2020 #alt.10 #on the run au #ann takamaki #shiho suzui #haru okumura #morgana #wordcount: 1500-2000 #shihoann

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desktopdust · 4 years

Text

Phantom Network: Malware Uninstall

A common question bandied about in regards to the Phantom Network is how a bunch of (insert adjectives like “lowlife” or “no good dirty”, etc) thieves manage to work together without constantly stabbing each other in the back. Yes, I’ll admit, even I didn’t quite understand it back when I was but a wee passive civilian living a mundane life, but I now realize this was only because I grossly misunderstood what a Phantom Thief is.

Most often, you hear “thief” and you picture someone taking something for themselves--a selfish hoarder who collects by any means necessary. A Phantom Thief, however, has more noble goals in mind...and a flair for the dramatic. Bit of a tangent, but important to note. You see, Phantom Thieves don’t steal for themselves: they steal for others. We take from the rich and give to the poor and all that jazz, because even if it’s only a drop in the ocean of wealth the elites have built up, the act of stealing from them proves that they aren’t invincible. It’s all too easy to feel powerless in this world. But when those with power aren’t able to stop regular people from knocking them down a peg, you get a tiny bit of hope, and more often than you might expect, that tiny bit of hope can make all the difference. Those dedicated to making that happen join the Phantom Network with a simple vow: “honor among thieves”.

Usually, that’s enough. But no organization is inherently pure, and no matter what your goals are (especially when you’re working outside the law), it’s only natural you’ll attract some folks who are in it for the wrong reasons. And that’s what we have the FW Protocol for! If a thief is found to have no honor, the Protocol strips them of their privileges and finds the safest way to expunge them from the organization. We don’t go as far as to execute somebody, but with how difficult memory deletion is to pull off, lifetime imprisonment is a fairly common result. The system works...most of the time. The Protocol can’t be too aggressive, so it usually waits for someone else to file a complaint. But, with the whole “honor” thing, a lot of good Phantom Thieves won’t feel right ratting on their colleagues unless they go way over the line, at which point they’ve probably already caused an incident and have the Protocol on their tail. Plenty of thieves manage to operate in that gray area, serving themselves without pissing anyone off too much...and I’ve all too frequently had the pleasure of dealing with one such individual.

Kari always pushed the limits even of that gray area. But it’s rare to find someone who can competently manipulate time, so she wasn’t entirely wrong in thinking that the Network needed her. Even after being betrayed over and over, I still haven’t filed a complaint, because she hasn’t outright ruined any job she’s been on and I don’t want to resort to drastic measures just for being personally wronged. Like I said, honor among thieves. I had decided to just put the whole thing behind me, not work with or even think about her ever again, but...things took a bit of a turn.

The “courtroom” we have at HQ is rarely used, so it’s a bit cramped. I practically had to wedge myself into the corner as I took my seat and waited for things to kick off. Opposite the door, the Phantom Network Admin sat at a blocky steel desk: a broad-shouldered, dark-skinned individual with a cyan bionic eye and metal down one half of their face, the other partly obscured by their many red curls. Between us were four lightly-armored folks who each wore solid red shades, and in the midst of them, Kari, with a jamming bolt stuck to her alchemar between her shoulder blades and shackles on her wrists.

“Phantom Thief Kari, the Epoch Swindler,” the Admin said. “Following the recent incident at Navy Canyon, the FW Protocol has conducted an investigation and found you in violation of your vow as a Phantom Thief. What do you have to say in your own defense?”

Kari adjusted her bangs with a puff of air. “Listen boss, I know I’m not exactly a paragon of virtue--honor isn’t something that comes all that easily to me. But have I really done anything that awful? I’m still serving the essential functions of a Phantom Thief, and none of my transgressions have impeded operations in any meaningful way.” Under her breath, she added, “Until Navy Canyon, at least...but that was an accident.”

“It is worth noting there have been no formal complaints filed against her,” said one of the FWs surrounding her. “However, when we interviewed those who have worked with her in the past, we noticed a running theme of dishonorable conduct. Several such thieves have been brought in today to share their accounts on-record.”

The various assembled thieves were called up one by one, each sharing a lovely little tale about some time Kari shafted them. Honestly it was hard not to laugh: I felt their pain. Through it all, Kari just stood there, completely silent as her misdeeds were laid out before her. Part of me couldn’t help but take satisfaction in the sight. But, another part...

“Lastly, we would like to hear from Phantom Thief Roche.”

I pushed my way to the front of the room, avoiding eye contact with Kari for as long as I could. When I faced the FWs, though, I could see her out of the corner of my eye, staring dag...huh. Well, she was staring, but not as maliciously as I was expecting.

“Roche. On how many occasions have you worked with Kari?”

“Ah, nearly a dozen, I guess,” I said.

“And during these occasions, did Kari conduct herself in a manner you found questionable?”

“Every time.” I saw Kari look to the floor. That’s the most remorse I’ve ever seen her show.

“In particular, please share your recollection of the Cosmic Sapphire heist.”

“Right.” I shifted my weight a little. “A certain Mr. Snyder had the national museum display a set of fine jewels he had collected over the years, so the two of us set out to steal the exhibit. Breaking in was easy, and then I went to the display room while Kari disabled the security. As soon as I had an opening, I snatched the jewels, but as I was headed out I was jumped by a mercenary using a sound alchemar. Turns out Snyder had shelled out quite a sum bringing in extra help once we warned him we were coming. I’m sure I don’t need to go into detail about why fighting sound-users is tricky--suffice to say I was on the back foot, with things only evening out once Kari showed up. We were doing okay, so I made a plan to end it. I got in close as a distraction...next thing I knew, my bag felt a good bit lighter, and I was eating concrete. Took me a minute to piece everything together, but basically: Kari stopped time, took the jewels off my hand, and then bolted back here on her own. Not to be dramatic, but I almost died there. That’s the only time since joining the Network I’ve had to make an emergency call. In the end, Kari got full payment, I looked like an amateur, and…”

Hesitation struck. See, I haven’t taken a look at the Cosmic Sapphire Collection--it was turned over to the Admin and stored in the Network’s cache--but I’ve always had a strong suspicion that a few of the jewels didn’t make it back to HQ. I wanted to bring it up, but...it’s not like I had any proof. It was baseless, and I’d just be slandering Kari and making her (already very bad-looking) case look a lot worse. She was still looking at the floor, and it was still weirding me out.

Nodding, one of the FWs asked, “And?”

Mmm, I might hate her, but I gotta be fair. I sighed, continuing, “And, I’m just mad about it. Being left to die and all. But, there you have it.”

I went back to my seat. The Admin folded their hands before their face, staring at Kari as they sifted through the information they had just absorbed. “Well. It sounds to me as though you’ve been awfully consistent, and all that’s saved you from comeuppance is the reluctance of more honorable thieves. Do you have anything to add, Kari?”

She shook her head. “...No.”

Yikes. I’d never seen her like this, and it was really starting to get to me.

“This selfish streak casts itself upon your current claims. Having previously been so willing to let your colleagues come to harm, it becomes more difficult to believe that the losses suffered at Navy Canyon were simply an accident. Especially considering how flippant you were in the wake of the incident.”

“Makes sense.”

The Admin paused, and boy did it drag on. Eventually, they said, “Have any come to speak in defense of Kari?”

“None,” answered an FW.

“So we truly have only your word to go on that this was an accident?”

“Come on, I--” Kari snapped, but cut herself off with a huff. “Alright. I’m an asshole, no two ways about it--it’s not like I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t react right to what was going on, but at this point, what do I have to gain by lying about it? It was an accident. I didn’t want those thieves to die. Believe me, don’t believe me, whatever. Are we gonna keep running in circles, or can we just get this over with?”

Damn, okay. Something got to her.

The Admin said, “You must have an idea of what my decision would have to be if we leave things here. Are you alright with that?”

“I just want it over with,” Kari mumbled. “If there’s no changing it, then this is just torture.”

So...she’d already accepted being banned from the Network? And was still insisting it was an accident? Why? What did she benefit from being honest at that point?

The Admin sat up straight. “Very well.”

Hold on.

“Kari, you are hereby--”

“Wait!” I said. All eyes turned to me. “...Boss. To be fair...I think she’s telling the truth about Navy Canyon being an accident.”

The Admin raised an eyebrow. “You do? Even though she’s put your life in jeopardy before?”

“I mean I’m still mad about that, don’t get me wrong. But it’s not like she let the others die and then got out of there: she stayed and finished the mission, and even saved the lives of the right flank later on. Why would she do that if she had killed the vanguard on purpose?”

After another all-too-long pause, the Admin said, “You make a fine point. But even if that was simply an accident, the trend in her conduct still stands.”

I glanced at Kari. She was staring at me, eyes wide with confusion. Don’t ask me, I didn’t get it either. “Of course. But, we don’t need to overreact, right? I think the fact that she stayed after that accident shows she’s not a completely lost cause--maybe we can help her to be a little more honorable, given enough time and incentive.”

The Admin considered this, leading to yet another long silence during which I could feel myself growing old.

“Plus, where are we going to find another time-user on her level? Not to sound like a business bastard, but you can look at it as an investment.”

The Admin chuckled. “Practical. I suppose if we lock her for a while, we can take the time to educate her on proper Phantom Thief conduct. Mandatory, of course, and she’ll be confined to quarters otherwise. Reparations will also need to be arranged, but that’s something we can work out at a later date. Does this sound acceptable to you, Kari?”

She turned back to face the Admin. “...Well, doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time, but...I suppose it’s better than my other option.”

“This will only work if you are truly willing to learn. If you remain obstinate, this verdict can and will be amended.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll take it seriously.”

“Good. Does anyone else have anything to add?” No one did. “Then we’re done. Please escort Kari back to her quarters and confiscate her alchemar. Once you are satisfied the conditions are secure, please inform me, and then we can proceed.”

The FWs ushered Kari out of the room. As she passed, she stared at me, but I kept my eyes forward. The other thieves filed out, and I stayed where I was until finally the Admin walked up to me.

“I have to admit, Roche: I wasn’t expecting that from you.”

With a shrug, I got to my feet. “Yeah, me neither. Couldn’t tell you why that happened.”

The Admin smiled. “I see. You know, if we’re going to instill a sense of honor in Kari, there’s quite a bit she could learn from you.”

Every muscle in my body went stiff as I began to question recent decisions.

“Don’t worry, I won’t put you through that.”

The tension drained out of me all at once. You’d think it’d be cathartic, but it was more like the experience of finally vomiting after hours of nausea.

“Thank you for speaking up, Roche. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Kari was locked for a good few months after that. She wasn’t entirely responding well to her training, but she did make an effort, and eventually we got somewhere. After doing a handful of supervised jobs pro bono, she was allowed to leave her quarters, and no one at HQ saw her for another couple months after that. But, she did come back eventually and resumed duties as normal. I haven’t interacted with her since the investigation, and I don’t really feel an urge to change that. I’d like to think she’s made some real progress, but...it’s hard to give someone the benefit of the doubt after repeated betrayal. I’m gonna keep my distance. With any luck, she’s at least got some sense of honor now, and she won’t be my problem ever again.

#original #Phantom Network

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shapeshifting-wildcard · 4 years

Text

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon in late August. The heat outside was sweltering by all accounts, but Leblanc was considerably cooler. Standing right next to the kitchen didn't really help, though, as Joker could feel the residual heat at his back. The coffee makers to his right certainly didn't help matters, either.

Futaba sat in front of the coffee machines, with her knees pulled up to her chest. She didn't look directly at either Joker or Sojiro as they spoke, her gaze drifting around the room and only occasionally settling on them. But Joker could tell she was paying close attention as Sojiro regaled her about the disaster that was the fireworks festival.

"Not only did he get crushed in the crowd," he said, gesturing to Joker, "but he came home looking like some kinda drowned rat."

Joker rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed huff, the puff of air buffeting his bangs a bit. He half expected Futaba to laugh at his misfortune, but instead she adopted a thoughtful expression. She muttered something under her breath, before the conversation was interrupted by the chiming of the store's bell. Futaba quickly unfurled herself from her seat and dashed behind the counter, taking cover behind Joker.

He was surprised to see two familiar figures enter the cafe: one Goro Akechi and one Kotone Arisato. Akechi strode over to the counter, a briefcase in hand, wearing a smart sweatervest and button-down shirt combo that couldn't possibly have been comfortable in this heat. Kotone slipped in behind him, door chiming again as it swung closed. She had on a cute, orange-y sundress that seemed to match her sunny disposition (and the weather). Akechi stopped in front of one of the chairs and smiled brightly to the people behind the counter, offering them a friendly greeting. Joker felt the corners of his mouth twitch up, returning the gesture. He was pleasantly surprised to see the boy.

Kotone slipped past him and into her customary seat, coincidentally the one next to where Futaba had been sitting. Joker felt Futaba's hand on his arm and cast a quick glance over his shoulder to the girl. Her head was lowered, gaze focused on some spot on his back. He wanted to turn around and pat her on the head, but that would have taken some maneuvering to accomplish.

"Oh! You're..." Joker met Akechi's gaze as the spark of recognition hit. Joker's heart lurched in his chest as he realized that there were three people in this room who knew his real name, and one person who didn't. Any one of them could potentially give it away in casual conversation. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"Hey," Kotone greeted, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Joker smiled and shook his head, while Sojiro tried to puzzle out where he'd seen Akechi before.

"Ah, right, the one on TV and stuff," he said as it finally slotted into place. "So what brings you here, Mr. Detective?"

Joker's attention returned to the other boy as he continued to stand in front of the counter. He looked around, taking in the cafe's interior. "This place is more than I imagined it to be. The atmosphere is wonderful."

"It's cozy, isn't it?" Kotone chimed in. Akechi's gaze settled on her and Joker felt a vague pang of jealousy rise up in his chest.

"It truly is," he said. "No wonder Sae-san recommended it so strongly."

Kotone opened her mouth to say something, but Sojiro interjected, his tone sharp and defensive. "I already told her everything I know. There's nothing more I got for you people."

"You people...?" Kotone repeated, looking confused. Akechi shook his head, a pleasant smile returning to his face.

"Oh no, that's not my intention. I just came to enjoy some coffee."

Joker could see Kotone's expression change out of the corner of his eye. She was glancing between Akechi and Sojiro, a slight frown on her face. Sojiro, having discovered the boy's actual reason for coming, relaxed noticeably. Akechi's gaze wandered to the girl taking cover behind Joker, undoubtedly still finding the spot on his back utterly fascinating.

"And she is...?"

Kotone leaned a little to the side, fixing Futaba with a friendly smile. "Futaba-chan, right? It's nice to finally meet you!"

"Futaba...?" Akechi repeated, his free hand reaching up to rest on his chin. "Oh, you must be Wakaba Isshiki's..."

Joker caught Kotone shooting Akechi a raised eyebrow before Sojiro interjected again. "What'll it be?"

"I'll have whatever you recommend," Akechi replied. Sojiro nodded, before casting a glance towards Kotone.

"And you?"

"I'll have the house blend, please," she said.

"Coming right up."

Sojiro scurried off to the far end of the counter, while Akechi took a seat. He sat one seat over from Kotone, setting his briefcase down in the chair between them. Kotone glanced at it and laughed softly, apparently finding the gesture amusing. She got out her tarot deck as they both waited for their orders, which didn't take too long. When Sojiro brought their cups over, Akechi murmured a soft thanks while Kotone's was much more cheery. Akechi seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment, before he finally lifted his head and glanced over Joker and Futaba.

"It seems I'm unwelcome no matter where I go."

"That won't be true forever," Kotone chimed in. Joker glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. She was busy shuffling her cards as she waited for her coffee to cool off a bit. Akechi didn't seem particularly convinced, shutting his eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

"I apologize for bothering you." Kotone glanced at him, her expression unreadable to Joker. "Apparently, my mother was in a relationship with some low-life of a man. She was swiftly discarded when he learned she was pregnant. That despair would lead to her death. Thanks to him, I was passed from foster home to foster home."

"You too, huh?"

Both Joker and Akechi turned their attention to Kotone. Kotone glanced between them, her face slowly growing red as she no doubt realized they were both staring at her. She absentmindedly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, gaze falling towards the counter.

"...My parents died in an accident when I was little. It's just been me and my brother since then."

There was a certain irony to Joker's sudden realization that he was the only kid in the room who still had parents. Part of him felt bad about still being angry at how they treated him; at least they were still alive to be angry at. Part of him felt that it didn't matter. They abandoned him and shoved him onto a relative stranger because they didn't want to deal with him anymore.

"At least you had each other." There was an icy tone to Akechi's voice. Jealousy, perhaps? At least Joker wasn't the only one with mixed feelings.

"Yeah," Kotone said, returning to shuffling her cards. "I would have been lost without him."

The laugh that followed sounded forced to Joker. He narrowed his eyes, studying her closely. There was more to it than what was said, that much he could tell. Anything other than that was lost on him, though. He had to admit he was surprised. Kotone had seemed very straightforward to him. He hadn't thought she was capable of hiding something like this.

The topic drifted to Medjed, and then to the Phantom Thieves' recent victory over them. Kotone continued to quietly shuffle her cards and sip at her coffee as Akechi talked, seemingly lost in her own world.

"Many kids your age seem to be fans of the Phantom Thieves," Akechi said, addressing Futaba. "Do you like them too?"

Futaba stayed silent, still hiding behind Joker. Akechi tilted his head, some of his shaggy brown hair falling over his shoulder in the process.

"What's the matter?"

Futaba was quiet for a beat longer. "You're popular too, Ace Detective Akechi."

Akechi laughed. "Thank you. Though I'd rather not be compared to people like the Phantom Thieves, if at all possible." He turned his attention to Kotone, who was still busily shuffling. "What about you? What do you think of them?"

Kotone glanced up at the question, looking confused, before her gaze dropped back to her hands. She was silent for a long moment.

"Is... something—"

"...I think... that's the wrong question."

Joker and Akechi shared a startled glance. Akechi leaned against the counter, resting his cheek against one hand. "The wrong question? What do you mean by that?"

Kotone hummed distractedly, clearly thinking her words over. She set her deck down and started flipping through the cards as she spoke. The first card she flipped over was the queen of pentacles. "I think it's the wrong thing to be focused on. Are the Phantom Thieves right or wrong? Are their methods good or bad? Shouldn't people be more worried about the crimes they've uncovered?"

Another card flipped over. The queen of wands this time.

"Mm... well, their first target was a teacher who was sexually harrassing and physically abusing his students. The second was an artist who plagiarized his students' work. The third was a mafia boss who exploited students..." Akechi counted the targets off on his fingers. Kotone nodded again, flipping over the four of pentacles this time.

"A bunch of adults in positions of power who exploited those below them. That's just three people, outed over the course of what, a few months?" This time the five of swords. "How many others like them are out there, lurking in the shadows?"

Silence fell over the four of them as the question sank in. Of course they all knew the answer was "far too many." Kotone continued to draw cards, this time turning over the Hermit.

"An adult I once trusted said, 'this world is rotten.'" Kotone grimaced, an expression that seemed both ill-fitting and all too fitting on her face all at once. "It was one of the few true things he said."

"He mistreated you, too." It wasn't a question. Akechi's tone was remarkably soft though, not unlike the tone he'd used with Futaba mere moments ago.

Kotone nodded quietly. "I think, instead of going around and around about whether the Phantom Thieves are right, people should be asking, 'why is the world rotten, and what can we do to fix that?'"

Akechi fell silent, looking thoughtful. Kotone fussed with her deck, shuffling the remaining cards again and staring at the pile she'd already laid down. After a moment, Akechi picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip from it.

"Mm, this is delicious." He glanced over the rim and met Joker's gaze. "You get to drink this coffee every day? I'm incredibly jealous. I would never have thought you'd be boarding at this cafe." He leaned over the counter, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "We seem to share some kind of bond."

Kotone snorted, turning away as she visibly suppressed a giggle. Joker pointedly ignored her and the little gremlin joining in on her gigglefit from behind him.

"I agree."

Kotone looked back to Joker, noticeably surprised to hear him speak. Thankfully, she didn't comment.

Akechi, meanwhile, just laughed and smiled. "Thank you." He glanced down at the cup again, idly tracing around the outside edge. "I believe that fate brings people together. It's strange, but talking to you," he glanced towards Kotone, "the both of you, is thought-provoking."

"Huh?" Kotone stared at Akechi wide-eyed for a moment, before frowning slightly. "Wait, you're not just saying that because you think I'm weird, right?"

Akechi half snorted as he laughed this time. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand and shook his head. "Not until you said that, no."

Kotone huffed and stuck her tongue out at him, looking more like an elementary schooler than a third year high schooler. Futaba snickered again, clinging tightly to Joker's shirt as she leaned against his back. Akechi finished off his coffee and flashed Joker another brilliant grin. Joker hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt.

"Well, I think I found my go-to cafe."

#!long post #!drabbles #💔 Confidant: Death-Rebirth (glass-half-fxxl)#((I was going to have them talk more after Akechi left but))#((this just seemed like too good of a stopping point))#((and also this was already Very Long lmfao))

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whoviandoodler · 5 years

Text

Kanej (part 3)

Oop whoop, I finished another part. Hope you like it x

PART 1 | PART 2

-----

“Excuse me?” Kaz said, barely containing rage simmering below the cool facade he always kept on. He wanted to hit the grim man in front of him badly and wipe the look off of his face that said ‘None of this is my fault, it must be someone else’s’. His gloved hand squeezed the crow head on top of his cane like he desired nothing more than to shatter it to dust.

“His wife saw me, all right? I couldn’t get the information on when the exchange was happening.”

“Not only did you not manage to get the information.” Kaz uttered quietly, almost pleasantly. “But you also alerted him that someone was looking into what his dealings, so now he will insure precautions, if he doesn’t put a stop to his business entirely.”

“He is greedy, he won’t be able to stop so close to achieving his goal.”

There was no point explaining to Roeder that in a man like the one they were hunting cowardice and paranoia took preference even over money. If he sniffed so much as a whiff of trouble, he would temporarily back away from the game, and Roeder’s mistake smelled as strongly as aged whiskey.

And while the respectable Ravkan merch tanned his respectable face in the Southern Colonies, his money will still make ways to the pockets of a certain Derry Pollet. Kaz had put too much of his energy and time into putting a plan to take Mr. Holland down in an unsuspicious manner to let the golden opportunity go down in flames.

“Go and find out what the Fjerdan ambassadors are up to, and try to be more discreet this time.”

He waited for Roeder to disappear, closing the doors behind him, before he raised his hand to massage his temple. The Dregs couldn’t and wouldn’t be tied to this, but yet another error made him as close as he would get to skittish. He was tired, irritable, and was getting so desperate after another week with no news that he was pathetically close to sending out word that he was looking for her.

That would by all means be impossible, stupid and impulsive, of course. If anyone learnt that the feared and respected captain of the Wraith still had the connection to Kaz Brekker she had when she worked with him, it would cause trouble. Some knew she was the same Wraith who had made the Barrel her home, and baring witness to her skills and hearing the hushed, barely spoken rumours she was a part of breaking into the Ice Court only urged them to silence. For now, that is. If and when they thought they could get something out of knowing of the arrangement, a lot of them would gladly sweep caution under the rug and go for it.

So he swallowed the darkening ball of despair in his throat yet again and went out to do the job himself. He already had the plan of the house in his head, the ins and outs, the locks on the doors, which members spent time in which rooms at which point of day.

Holland wasn’t home tonight. Like every Wednesday from ten o’clock to nearly two the following morning, he was stuck in a gambling den with his rich friends, choking on tobacco smoke and putting hands on whichever girl the place put to work at the moment. His wife was sitting in her parlor, gossiping with her sister and neighbors’ wives about her husband, when he was going to be gone, if it seemed like he was to get them even more money, and so foolishly and unknowingly revealed his deals.

If she saw Roeder like he said she had, her first reaction, according to Kaz’s intuition, would be to run to her guests and let them fuss about her. It would be hours before she thought to call her husband, if she did that at all. Her friends would gush about how they too had seen a burglar, or how an acquaintance of theirs had, and how they wished that the city would be rid of those criminal rats. And while they did that, one of them was going to break into their house, do what thieves did best and disappear without leaving a trace.

It was almost pathetically easy to gain access to Holland’s office. The task that took him the longest was leaving the room in the same mess he had found it in. Papers were scattered all over the desk, along with mugs, some still filled with what smelled to Kaz like a dangerous mix of herbal tea and rum. There were even clothes in the corner, a heap of red cloth that was wet with what could be canal water.

He let those pieces of information sizzle in his brain, and he was about to leave with the papers he had come for when he spotted a half opened envelope on the edge of the desk. Something about it pulled at him even from afar and he had no reason at all to resist the temptation.

After he had made sure that no one was approaching the room, he made his way over.

He took the curiousity in his hand, noting the ripples of water in a corner, and let its contents spill into his hand. Then the world swayed sideways and took his heart with it, starting the buzzing in his ears. On his glove sat a neat pile of shiny black hair, a few inches long. Hair was an odd thing to mail to someone, but what choked him up was the piece of cloth that tied it together. The pattern of it was intricate, blue waves with small crows that held cheery purple flowers in their beaks, and unique to the shawl he had gifted Inej two years ago for her twentieth birthday.

He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Everything around him was a blur of colours, a reality painted wrong. He only became aware he was shaking when he nearly dropped the bundle of hair. A switch turned on inside him, the same one that had when he was a child gripping his brother’s corpse to get away, to stay alive, and he put it back the way it was. He practically had to tear his arm away from it, from that piece of her no one had a right to own, but he managed to get to the window, lock it behind him and make his way to the ground.

He still had enough sense to keep to the shadows and avoid the street lamps that would reveal him to passerbys and inquisitive inhabitants of the district, but he stumbled on a bridge near the Slat and almost fell into the dark water. Thoughts easily slipped by his shaken defenses and brought on old memories, terrifying him to the core. He had to grip the unsteady railing to get back the feeling of ownership over his own body.

He imagined Inej’s voice so words she had said at one moment or another spilled over each other, leaving them all devoid of meaning. It didn’t matter, however, as the sole tone of it calmed his wildly beating heart and trembling hands. Kaz, she would say comfortingly. Just his name, just a reminder he was here and now and alive and something more than a drowning child whose name there was no one left to remember.

Come on, come on, he urged himself as he stood back up and turned to the Slat.

He rushed into his office expecting the room to be empty and ready for him to sit down and think, only to find Jesper pacing in the limited space with his long strides, hands behind his back, usually bright face creased with worry and gloom. His eyes widened with short-termed relief when Kaz barged in.

“Oh, thank Ghezen, I thought you would stay out there forever. There’s a huge problem.” He hesitated just a second, as if he was debating if telling Kaz what he had waited there over an hour to inform him of was a good idea. “It’s about Inej.”

Dark hands clenched his gut, dripping with malice and fury. Kaz was glad for it, for that familiar and often blinding, but always distracting accomplice that made him want to burn the world around him. That raw rage that now made him push Jesper against the wall by his collar was something that woke discomfort in him on a normal occasion, an anomaly that made him miss important details that he couldn’t afford to miss, a phantom that threatened to drive sense and whatever scraps of humanity he had left from him.

“Where is she?”

Jepser gripped Kaz’s wrist, trying to push him back, but he didn’t reach for his guns. “Calm down, Kaz. Choking me to death isn’t going to help anything.” He wheezed out, hoping he won’t have to take a swing at his friend.

As if it finally dawned on him, Kaz let him go and took a step back. “What do you know?”

“Loe and Oliander are at the mansion. Oliander is out of it and half dead. Loe is beaten up pretty bad, but she’s conscious and talking. She said... she said they caught trace of some guy they were chasing, and made a pass at him, but he surprised them and almost killed them all and destroyed the ship. Inej covered everyone’s back until they could get away. She was captured.”

Jesper’s shoulders sank even further. His hands came to rest on his guns, as if seeking comfort from the cold, valuable metal.

“When?” Kaz asked with all the calm he could gather. To think he would need to be cool, calm and collected, and to plan he would need to think.

“I don’t know, I didn’t stay long enough to find out. I came here as soon as she said they got Inej.”

“We’re going, now.”

They walked out at an unnervingly slow pace. Jesper said nothing until they were out of the rowdy and loud building, though he almost skipped instead of striding, like most of his nervousness concentrated in his feet.

“Wylan called the doctor, one of those discreet, hush-hush medics that don’t gossip to anyone about their patients. He’s keeping an eye on both of them and trying to help them as much as he can. You know he took an interest in medicine as of late, so I have to read to him for hours about the most boring of things, but as usual he’s catching on pretty quickly.”

Kaz ignored Jesper’s rambling and instead made way to the Van Eck mansion. The scenery quickly changed from the ruin, despair and impropriety of the Barrel to fancy houses that hid all those same, core, human sins behind pretty walls and expensive clothes. That was Ketterdam for you, so small that all of that was packed next to each other, like a piece of work made by an ironic artist. Cheap and extra practically on top of one another, both worlds pretending the other is a mile away rather than an inch.

He got through the unlocked front door and headed for the living room. There on the couch half-lied, half-sat Loe Ji Kien, Inej’s first mate. Her brown hair was a tangled, soaked mess, pulled back carelessly to reveal her bloodshot light brown eyes. An ugly bruise made home on one side of her strong, square chin, but the fading mix of sour colours was nothing compared to the pattern of healing wounds and blemishes on her revealed arms, stomach and calves.

Kaz felt sorry for her state. He had known her for a while now, though they only met a dozen or so times over the years she worked with Inej. She was born and raised in Shu Han, in some faraway village that probably counted no more than a few hundred residents, and when her parents died she found a job on one of the ships, dressing as a boy, until she earned enough trust and trusted enough to give her identity to a captain who accepted her and helped her make a name for herself.

Or so she told him.

There was more to that story, Kaz didn’t doubt, but there was always more to everyone’s tales.

Still, what she looked like now couldn’t matter as much as the pressing questions in his throat. He wished selfishly that it was Inej there. He would rather have her injured and at arm’s reach, than somewhere across the damned ocean that had taken her.

“Ji Kien.” He called out.

Her head whipped around and she sat up fully despite the protests of her red-haired host seated on the arm of the sofa. “Brekker.” Her raspy voice replied.

Kaz dragged one of the parlor chairs and sat right in front of her, so their eyes were level with each other. He laid his cane over his knees, wishing in some far corner of his mind he could stretch his leg and rest it after all the heatless strain he had put it under the past few weeks.

“Who has her?” he asked, though something inside him already told him he knew the answer.

“Pollet.”

The dark pit in his stomach opened up and swallowed him whole. He had this feeling for months, this sense of inexplicable dread that would wash over him at oddest of moments, like something was terribly off. Inej had told him that fear meant something was coming, and now he understood that perfectly.

He dug his fingers into the wall of that pit, dragged himself up by his nails until he could gulp air again. He oiled his brain up and leaned back, squashing whichever emotions might’ve seeped through his indifferent mask, still not taking his eyes away from Loe’s.

“Tell me everything, from the beginning.”

#kanej #kanej fanfiction #kanej fanfic #six of crows #the crooked kingdom #soc #tck #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #leigh bardugo

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drabbleitout · 6 years

Text

Bait

(Inspired by @simplelinesunfashiond‘s awesome art in this post, I wrote a snippet because it looked so cool! And then it kinda got out of hand)

“Behrivert! We caught it!” Myghal jerked in hopes of freeing his bound hands, forced into a chair where they chained him down.

He still struggled against the bonds, snarling as the blind yanked free. The unfiltered stench bombarded his nose causing it to burn. Grimacing through watering eyes, he squinted up at the towering man before him. Like the rest of their shape, his face was round. Most of him was wrapped up in a long, dark coat. His head was bulb shaped, neck frilled with gills that flexed with the drawing of air from his long, hanging nose. Myghal couldn't tell exactly where his beady eyes were looking, but assumed they at him as ribbed lips parted on a grin, exposing pointed teeth.

“Well, well, runts, looks like you were right,” One of his three hands yanked the helmet from Myghal’s head. “A Kelt, but I’m sure even the Rook can’t be choosy.” Myghal jerked back, snarling, “Seems like he has been getting on quite well. So, why would the Rook would need a bodyguard?”

Dozens of whispers drew out from the darkness like incoming rain. Myghal tried searching them out but could see little to nothing as it was.

“He’ll be looking for his little toy, and when he does,” A slap stung across Myghal’s face, “we have a surprise that’s been waiting a long time for him.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Myghal worked his jaw, trying to ease the pain. “I don’t know any of you.”

“It’s your owner we’re after.” They grabbed him by the throat, pressing him back in his seat, “He’s a traitor. He abandoned everyone who ever helped him –let them rot while he went to live in luxury.” A closed fist brought about the taste of blood. “Tell me how you know the Rook. Did he buy you? Did he steal you? Where does he live?” Myghal crinkled his nose, itching as blood leaked from it. He glared up at the leader, brow bending with a snarl. “Come on, Kelt. Don’t do that. Tell me what I wanna know.”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about—” This jab sent his head snapping back, leaving him dizzy and a cheek swelling.

“The Rook,” they hissed, low and slow as if Myghal were too stupid to understand. “The guy you work for. The Cite without wings! That low lying, thieving Kai’ka!” Myghal lowered his face, waiting for the pain to settle before looking up again.

“Ira?” The pointed toothed snarl parted with a growl. “Ira’s the Rook?”

“Don’t play dumb!” They coiled their fingers into his hair, tugging to burn his scalp. “Tell me where he is!”

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Myghal grimaced. “If you brought me here as bait, Ira’s not going to show up.”

“Nice try. You can’t trick me. I know the Rook better than anyone. The Cite brat doesn’t share with anyone.”

“Then we aren’t talking about the same guy. Trust me, he’s long gone by now. He’s been trying to get rid of me for cycles. If anything, you’ve done him a favor.”

“I stole him.” Ira’s growl might as well have been another slap. The chamber went still, no more chatters or whispers, not even a shuffle. The leader lifted their head, eyes squinting in hopes of seeing something behind Myghal. They let go of him, leaning back with a grin. Myghal tried to see over his shoulder. He couldn’t turn very much, kept in a bind, but he recognized the hood and cloak that materialized from the shadows. “You’re wasting a lot of my time, Behrivet.” Ira stopped at the cusp of light like a phantom with glinting eyes.

“Ira?” Myghal couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He blinked a number of times trying to wake from the daydream.

“Just like I said,” Behrivet grinned as he stepped back from Myghal. “Looks as if the Rook has taken a liking to a shiny copper dressed in gold.”

“Don’t you know better than to take things that aren’t yours?” Ira’s dark voice was even more threatening as it clattered between the hard walls.

“Oh, don’t pretend you belong here, that you’re still welcomed, that you didn’t abandon us to starve on this rock.” Behrivet growled, stepping around Myghal towards Ira. Myghal yanked against the ropes, twisting in hopes of fraying himself free. Ira was easily the smallest in the room. Outnumbered. Outgunned. “The agreement was to share any means of escape! You broke that vow, Rook.”

“Believe me, the route I took was of no interest.” Ira muttered, a warning against raising voices.

“Any means necessary!” Behrivet boomed. Myghal threw his weight trying to turn himself around.

“I didn’t come here to fight, Behrivet.” Ira coolly warned.

“That’s right. You came for your little soldier. Where did a gutter rat like you get him?” Ira said nothing, “So, after all this time, this is what it took to bring you back to the Boggle. The same den that took you in, fed you, protected you when your own kind threw you out like trash. Never a hello, how are you, are you still alive.”

“You forget who you’re talking to if you think you can guilt me,” Ira shot.

“Ah, then what a fool I am. Here I was, sure the Rook had come back for us, his family, and not some precious little Kelt. You look like the Rook, you sound like the Rook, but clearly you’re too soft to be the Rook.”

“You know nothing about me,” Ira’s words bore teeth.

“I know enough. You have sold your loyalty, pride, and freedom for mere orbs. You’ve turned into the same mercenaries that used to starve you in the gutter.” Silence. Myghal craned around, unable to see Ira for Behrivet’s form, “You must have found a decent way to get away from here if you’ve got your own escort.”

“Untie him,” Ira hissed.

“Why don’t you share your secret, Rook? Help an old friend out.” Behrivet circled behind Ira, hand trailing across his shoulders.

“I said, untie him. Don’t make me do it myself.”

“Oh, I think I heard a little of the Rook that time,” Behrivet chuckled, stepping back to whip Myghal around. “Let’s just see exactly how much of the Rook is left.”

Ira was there, actually there, narrow and angry as he stood on the cusp of light. His eyes caught fractions, looking like two small stars in a hood of darkness. Even from this distance, without being able to see his face, Myghal knew his deadly stare was on Behrivet. They darted just as a blade came into Myghal’s view, uncomfortably close to his face.

“If this Kelt doesn’t matter to you, like he wouldn’t to the Rook, you’ll keep quiet and let me kill him. If he does matter to you, which makes you a traitor and a fraud, you’ll either tell me how you managed to get off Oiden or you both die.”

#Scifi Wip #Scifi Snippets #My Writing #My Characters #Myghal #Ira

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iristial · 6 years

Text

SS/Kamen Rider Ramble #112: The Powers of Awesomeness & Asking the Real Questions - KSL VS KSP Episode 32

Another team-up between our justice enforcement and the fugitives of the law, except this time, we may finally be gaining steps towards a permanent unification of both teams and for both sides to see beyond their biases. I’ve given up on trying to predict when the actual plot will kick in; I’m just guessing that all of this character interaction is aiming for a unification that will also bring forth the real conflict of this season

Thankfully the Patorangers weren’t too busted up from their mecha attack against the five safe rat of a Gangler, though Noel’s wariness of the binocular Gauche has (not to mention Kogure’s shift from gently putting each Collection Piece into their respective pages to running out with the book) got me wondering what the Collection Piece is really capable of. If I remember correctly, Gauche uses it to see the good and evil of a person. Does that mean she can somehow detect who are Ganglers in human disguises? Maybe Kogure is actually a double agent? Or is she able to manipulate anyone she uses the binoculars with? Questions….

Just like Lymon’s arc, this experimental rat needs to have five safe openers used at once, though I thought there would be no problem via Kairi splitting into three…but then again, Bad Boys (which is a recoloured Gokaiger phone XD) can nullify Good Striker’s abilities, so yeah, back to the Lupinranger and Patoranger team up

Umika’s suggestion to use Kogure gets shot down immediately by Touma pffft but logically speaking, I don’t think this season’s old man has the physical ability to roll about on concrete and kick Gangler butt – why is she such a dork

Kairi is rather serious this episode. I know it’s probably because of the current situation (like five safes I’d be over my head) but I hope it’s the lingering effects of his…uh…depression from episode 30. Yes, it was a real heartbreaker but I want continuity even if different writers are involved, and it’ll build up to either Kairi getting another resentment episode or help him develop an identity beyond that of a Lupinranger

And thanks to the new writer, Keiichiro’s development has been back-tracked as he stubbornly insists that the Lupinrangers only care about the Collection and leave the Gangler to destroy people. Well, I have to protest against that since I know the reason for their objective (cough revival cough) but he does have a point since there have been moments where the Lupinrangers just leave the Gangler since they’re “not in the mood for mecha fights”…but then again, some of those times are the result of the Patorangers interfering with the chase. But thankfully Noel isn’t one to give up as he makes Keiichiro go to an old-fashioned duel and Touma even comments on how classic that is

I know that Noel will obviously win but hearing him say that if he loses the phantom thieves will turn themselves in…just nails in how important this is to all of them. Obviously since this is their loved ones they’re talking about, but to think that they don’t care about freedom if they can’t resurrect the deceased…I wonder if a theme of this season will be learning to move on (if we’re going down the Go-Busters route of things) or wanting to bring back the dead while regaining a sense of purpose in life. I’m probably reading too much into this XD Even so, it is a possibility

The Boss Gangler really favours Gauche, which is refreshing because generally the Big Bad will treat their evil female executive like trash. Gauche herself is no mere “enlarging monsters device” since her experiments have really done damage against the Sentai teams. It’s nice (not exactly) to see that she does something other than “looking seductive/acting seductive” and sucking up to the boss

I like how her experiments got built up to reach this point - from locker head Poderman to a Gangler comprised of different Gangler parts (I knew it)

Is this her way of demonstrating her ability to conquer the human world and replace the current Gangler leader?

WOW THEY FINALLY STATED THEIR OBJECTIVE AS PHANTOM THIEVES AFTER THIRTY TWO EPISODES IN FRONT OF THE POLICE THANK YOU NOEL

Andddd it gets through Keiichiro, who gets a flashback to episode 4/5 about Kairi saying they “didn’t have a choice in the matter”, and he’s left soft-boiled rather than hard-boiled even at the end of the episode. He might be feeling the tinges of guilt from his proclamations that the thieves are simply no-gooders

He even got a moment paralleling Kairi by hesitating to shoot Noel even though he had the chance, stop

Speaking of which, is this finally – and actually – starting the beginning of Keiichiro questioning the black and white of morality in this world? Is he going to consider how people don’t exactly become criminals 50% of the time for the sake of doing evil? Is this going to lead up to Keiichiro getting iced – I’m still holding onto that headcanon because it’ll totally fit in with everything, even if he’s obviously getting revived

Also I have to question about how Noel chose both paths of being a thief and a policeman as opposed to the Lupinrangers and Patorangers who “didn’t” have a choice in the matter. I understand that reasoning for the Lupinrangers but not so much for the Patorangers – does he mean something like how, if the Gangler weren’t around, they wouldn’t have become a Sentai team? I really am starting to wonder who is it that Noel lost to the Gangler to make him do justice and illegal activity. Maybe he was like Keiichiro but then ended up paying the price for a black and white morality viewpoint?

Oh the team-up was glorious – like, did anyone notice how when they teamed up, they used the camera techniques reserved for the Lupinrangers? I should’ve realized it when the series began but I had gotten so used to separating the two teams in my head that, when unified, I finally see that they’re mean to be Lupinrangers and Patorangers, a.k.a. they look like a complete Sentai team with seven members

Even the mecha arrangement was good at showing this

Tsukasa and Sakuya in the legs – the Patorangers – which may reflect the sturdier armour of the team

Touma and Umika in the arms – the Lupinrangers – which could relate to how they steal things

Keiichiro, Kairi and Noel in the head/chest – the unification of both teams. Even Noel points out how good of a team both Reds make and they go tsundere on each other XD

The mecha battle was so good – who cares if most of it was CGI because it was top quality animation (for Toei, at least) and spectacular, I can’t wait for more team-ups and look at all those gadgets! They look like a complete Sentai team now

Btw I couldn’t stop staring at Keiichiro’s jawline, why is he so good-looking

YES THE CHILDREN THE CHILDREN I WANT TO KEEP KAIRI HE KNOWS CUTE CHARM AND BABY DOLL EYES EVEN BETTER THAN UMIKA, YES THE BOY GETS TO DO THE CUTESY KID ACT

I’m actually hyped for next week more than this week XD

#14shyx #super sentai #kaitou sentai lupinranger vs keisatsu sentai patoranger #lupinranger vs patoranger #spoilers: ksl vs ksp ep 32 #ss/kamen rider ramble #this episode was better than the last one #finally someone said that they're doing this for their loved ones #thank you noel #now keiichiro will begin the questioning #just saying but if this was a kamen rider series obviously kairi or keiichiro would die #and the one left living will wander the earth to resurrect the other with means that don't include the collection

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shsl-shipper-gamer-fangirl · 7 years

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Phantom Confidants AU

In an alternate universe, I actually write about a P5 AU where the non-party social links are the phantom thieves of that universe. So Mishima, Hifumi, Shinya, Sojiro, Toranosuke, Iwai, Takemi, Ohya, Chihaya, Kawakami and even Sae. Honestly I would have loved to have an animal in the group but Morgana is the only animal social link and he's an original member. But hey it's still a pretty diverse group considering it's a mix of mostly adults, some teens, and a kid. They've got a pretty badass lineup to be honest so here's how I think it'll go.

Full plot, codenames, and Mementos chats under the cut:

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Plot Your Heart Out!

So first up, who would be the new protagonist? At first I figured Mishima because he's got that work-in-progress good guy vibes. But then I checked the list and realized that most of the group are adults and not really sure if Mishima can handle the leadership role. So who else? Then it hit me. Best dad Sojiro. Think about it. He had a direct connection with Wakaba who started this whole metaverse discovery. It's the perfect setup! He helped Wakaba with her research from time to time and during one of the experiments, they had discovered the metaverse. Maybe. I'm making this up as I go. Anyways!

The general premise is that Sojiro was the first Phantom Thief in his youth and became an urban legend later on when he retired. When he took in Futaba, he promised he'd devote himself full time into raising her so he quit the calling card business. Except fast forward many years later, he was forced to wear/rip off his mask again.

In this AU, Sojiro already changed Futaba's heart early on so Futaba was able to enroll at Shuujin Academy. It's all fine at first until she comes home and brings up Kamoshida and how no one not even adults can lay a hand on him. Her concerns bring out his instinct protect his child from such monster. When conventional methods failed and the rumors of sexual assault is less farfetched from the truth, he didn't hesitate to start stealing hearts again.

During the infiltration he'll most likely be able to recruit Mishima and Kawakami (both obviously carry good reasons to get back at Kamoshida). Mishima has average stats which makes him a good support member. He gets stronger with baton pass! Someone give this child a confidence booster and he will plow you. Kawakami has the best buffs which makes life so much easier. They succeed and the school becomes safe so he thought his comeback was just a one time thing. Oh he was sorely mistaken.

At this point, gossip about the Phantom Thieves have spread and such news have even reached our local back alley doctor. During the weeks before Kamoshida's confession, Sojiro had been striking up unethical deals for medicine from her and so she connects the dots. She confronts him at the cafe during a slow night. She doesn't plan on ratting him out however she wants in. She wants him to change the heart of this one doctor and gives him a deadline (she doesn't say at first that it's because of that one girl patient although they find out anyway during the confrontation in the palace). She somehow ends up joining them during infiltration, awakens and joins the team. She is probably the closest friend/acquaintance that Sojiro had among the group before they were phantom thieves.

Then comes my favorite arc temporary title Guns Ablaze. They're somehow managing in the metaverse but medicine can only go so far. They need good equipment and when they realized that model guns were effective in the metaverse (courtesy of Mishima experimentally bringing one with him once because real guns are illegal), they decide to shop at Untouchable. Only to somehow get roped into his yakuza blackmail drama.

Sojiro develops a camaraderie with Iwai because they're both single parents trying hard to raise their adopted child. Definitely share the father of the year award. He joins them at the first day of infiltration because this is his fight and he will settle this with them. Hell, he doesn't even hesitate to bring a real gun with him and shoot a shadow even without a persona. Turns out the shadow yakuza is stronger than a few bullets but he faces him head on and awakens. He is Sojiro's best bro and they talk about parenting a lot.

Halfway through though they get stuck because the shadows are surprisingly agile. Gun attacks are effective but they keep missing their shots. And you guessed it. They're going to have a kid teach them how to shoot a gun. It's embarrassing really at first, especially for the adults, but they respect Shinya for his sharpshooting skills. They hang out with Shinya a couple of times and the kid grew on to them. One time though they decided to head to the palace after training/hanging out with him but they didn't know that Shinya followed them due to some undecided plot device. He wouldn't awaken in the palace tho but he's still in awe. Some time later, the mother issue happens and he asks for their help. He asks to join them when they decide to change her heart and that's how he awakens. He is best boy. They dote on him a lot.

Meanwhile the Phantom Thieves are gaining popularity, hence a greater demand in media. Ohya being one of those journalists assigned to write about them, accidentally discovers more than just your average article. However, good journalism is confirming facts before publishing half-truths and so she investigates further regarding Sojiro's group. She ends up frequenting either the cafe or the clinic (she tried the airsoft shop but that was too obvious). She ends up being a regular of Sojiro's curry and of Takemi's medicine (altho she just goes there to flirt err fish info). It takes a while, weeks even, but at some point, someone slips. She gets her evidence on them being Phantom Thieves but she has no plans on outing them just yet. She asks them to change the heart of her boss and they do, with her help even. She insists on tagging along and they couldn't shake her off so she comes with them. She awakens when she confronts her boss' shadow. From there on, she's been helping the team with selecting their targets because who better than a journalist?

Recruiting Hifumi was probably the most obscure accident, mostly because I honestly can't think of a good connection just yet. There's the fact that she goes to church and Wakaba's grave is near there but even that is grasping straws. Maybe Hifumi put in a mementos request? Somehow got dragged by proximity when they went to mementos and she was just on her way to catch the late train home? I don't know. Someone help me. Chihaya too. I was thinking that Chihaya gets involved with Ohya's arc. Maybe they're friends since they both frequent the red light district. Yeah let's go with that. Chihaya is obviously the navigator of the group so she's a must have party member and Hifumi is the strategist also a must have. They work hard okay.

Moving on! At some point they try to target the politician from Toranosuke's social link. But it becomes their shortest case ever. Tora had somehow figured that his old acquaintance could be targeted by the phantom thieves and he wants to stop the, but he has no way of contacting them. One day he went to visit that guy's place but coincidentally it was his place of distortion. Coincidentally, the phantom thieves were there and unaware of Tora's proximity. He gets pulled in with them. They never did manage to beat the Palace ruler. Instead Tora just talks it put with the shadow and the palace crumbles after negotiations succeed. Everyone's confused as to what just happened but they're not against it. Tora awakens on his own the next time he joins them, probably in Mementos. He refuses to fight but he always steps up to talk with shadows willing to negotiate.

At this point, the phantom thieves reputation is skyrocketing. The hype is so strong that Sojiro gets a warrant of arrest. Sae hadn't confirmed it yet but she has made enough connections to point Sojiro as a suspect phantom thief. They do their own research to find out the best way to get out of this. During their investigation, they find out that there's been a suspicious pressure to have the phantom thieves arrested, abnormally so. They deduce that although Sae was an immediate threat, she was just being pulled by the strings.

They needed to see the bigger picture and to so that, perhaps Sae was the key. They need her cooperation and to have that, they need her to have a change of heart except without the excessive guilt to render her incapacitated. They tried talking it out with her but when that failed they had no choice but had her face the facts, or rather face her shadow self. Sae awakens in her own palace, realizing how twisted her desires had become. When they escape, she asks if she could join their cause and they gladly welcome her.

Shido is the last palace not just because of him being a corrupt prime minister but also considering the motherfucker had Wakaba murdered which makes this personal for Sojiro. After all, not only did Sojiro love Wakaba (romantically or not) but she was also the reason he was able to become a Phantom Thief in the first place. That fucking dildo Shido is long overdue to be brought down by Sojiro so that Wakaba can have some semblance of justice. Oh and Japan gets saved too I guess. (Yaldabaoth who?)

>>Oh yeah, although Futaba isn't a thief here, it's not because she doesn't know. It's only because Sojiro forbade her and his word is law so she's still mad about that. She still helps as Alibaba though. Honestly best non-party member confidant of Sojiro and that's not just father bias talking. Okay maybe a little father bias but he's a proud dad okay.

>>Also Morgana is a social link of Sojiro's. Except it's really just Sojiro being a softie with the cat. He has no idea what Morgana's meows mean (does he even talk/transform in this au?) but he is a good landlord and sometimes he feeds the cat better than he does Akira.

>>Originally I didn't want Sojiro to be a Wild Card but due to Persona Tradition, in order to be a protagonist one must be a special snowflake with lots of facades inside. So I guess his velvet room would look like a cafe only without the coffee because Caroline and Justine (or just Lavenza) are kids and coffee is bad for them. Sojiro feels so uncomfortable with Igor behind the counter because for a barista to not touch them coffee beans at all, that's pretty suspicious.

—

Codenames 'subject to change'

Sojiro Sakura - Solo (single shot of espresso)

Yuuki Mishima - Wolf (talk about wolf in sheep's clothing or is it the other way around?)

Hifumi Togo - Jade or General (because shogi)

Shinya Oda - Trigger (guns guns guns)

Munehisa Iwai - Gecko (his tattoo)

Tae Takemi - Witchdoctor or Plague (she protec but she also attac)

Ichiko Ohya - Rebel (fight the power!)

Sadayo Kawakami - Burnout (teachers have no chill)

Chihaya Mifune - Tarot (fortune telling duh)

Toranosuke Yoshida - Tiger (his name)

Sae Niijima - Empress or Judge (her personality)

—

Mementos Chats:

Ohya: No matter how much I drink every night, my body still gets hangovers sometimes. Hey, Takemi. You're a doctor, right? Know any good medicine for this?

Takemi: I can actually prescribe you with the best medicine. Prevention. "Drink moderately" is an effectively proven motto to live by.

—

Toranosuke: I tried checking this "phansite" and I keep seeing the "pound sign heart stolen", could you explain to me what that means?

Mishima: ...Did you mean hashtag? I think I'll be explaining to you more than just that.

—

Shinya: Are all adults like this? Stressed? I've been thinking about how I'm not growing up fast enough but now I think I just want to be a kid forever.

Iwai: Smart move, kid. But don't let us get to you. Us adults are fun too, heh, when we're not too buried in bills and taxes.

—

Iwai: Hey, know any good places to bring your kid?

Sojiro: Depends on what he likes and the occasion. From what I heard, your kid already likes you enough so just go out and have fun with the kid.

—

Mishima: Between studying and phantom thieving, I think I just might be better with the latter.

Kawakami: Why? Last time I checked, your grades seem pretty okay. Are you having difficulties with any of your subjects recently? You know you can always ask me to teach you.

—

Kawakami: I know I signed up for this but this is too exhausting! I don't even have the energy to check papers after. When I get home, I just collapse on my bed!

Ohya: I know what you mean. I can't even make a pit stop at my favorite bar!

—

Chihaya: I've seen shadows in my fortune tellings but to think that I'll be using it against literal shadows. The city sure is amazing ain't it.

Hifumi: I'm not sure if it is exclusive to the city. Nevertheless, it is always fascinating to watch you work, Chihaya-san.

—

Hifumi: Despite this group being composed mostly of adults, I find myself strangely at ease...

Sae: Even as an adult, I agree with that sentiment. This is... a wonderful group to belong to.

—

Sae: I've been meaning to ask this but how do you juggle Phantom Thief work with your real world jobs? I honestly didn't think you had any free time to spare. As a case example, I myself only get by with four hours of sleep on slow days.

Takemi: We seriously need to reevaluate your working schedule... That or quit your job. Can't have you dying from exhaustion on us.

—

Takemi: I may be a doctor but you all need to look after yourselves better. If any of you collapse, I'm not footing your hospital bills.

Sojiro: What's this? Free medical advice? You've gotten soft.

—

Sojiro: So you've been hanging out with Akira and Futaba lately? Those two can't be good influences on you.

Shinya: They're cool, I guess. Heh, so what if they're bad influences? I hang out enough with you guys at night so that should balance it out, right?

—

Some other trivia:

Since most of the group are adults with full time jobs, they do most of the phantom thief stuff at night

They also work out a schedule because they have a lot of responsibilities outside phan stuff

Still, since Sojiro is a veterinarian at this, they usually accomplish a lot in an hour or two so that helps

Mishima and Hifumi are forbidden to do any phantom thief activities during exams week

Meanwhile Kawakami excuses herself for the week after finals week (checking papers is exhausting okay)

Kawakami is at the forefront of "long weekends do not touch" and "holidays touch them and you die" because teachers need those okay

Kawakami volunteers to clean the dirty armor they find but on the condition that she gets first dibs on good armor

Mishima still manages the phansite and he's super proud about the work they do

Mishima visits the cafe a lot and eventually befriends Akira and Futaba

Hifumi still speaks dramatically when giving orders or planning strategies in the metaverse

Hifumi is actually very extra but they just let her be

Toranosuke can't really fight much but damn he's good at them shadow negotiations

Toranosuke can't join much because he campaigns at night but he makes it a point to be present at least once a week and during important meetings

Shinya can't stay too late either so they either go in earlier sometimes or make up an excuse in unexpected cases

You'd think Shinya would get teased a lot but he's actually doted upon

Gee Shinya, how come you get to have three dads?

Iwai and Sojiro are best dad friends and you can't tell me otherwise

Iwai only cancels on them for father-son bonding and he usually gives them prior notice

Ohya is the type who cancels at the last minute or arrives late

Ohya is also the one who invites the adults out for drinks after

Sojiro offers coffee as an alternative for those who want or may need it

Takemi is the strict mom friend who doesn't let anyone get sick on her watch

Takemi forbids anyone to do anything further the moment the first signs of exhaustion show

Takemi has a special skill that makes her immune to status ailments (unlockable with social link rank up)

Chihaya does their fortunes upon request with or without persona (she still uses her tarot cards either way)

Chihaya still slips in her accent sometimes especially when they get ambushed

Sae is super conscious about used to having a palace (and the only one in the team who had one) but the squad is understanding and she feels happy to be accepted even still

Sae actually gets along pretty well with them despite their previous conflicts, which are all water under the bridge

Sae is probably the most OP out of all of them, maybe it's because she had to face her own shadow, hmmm

The women of the group do hang, sometimes even go out for drinks

Hifumi joins mostly on weekends because those are in the mornings and Takemi forbids alcohol as long as the sun is out so they just window shop mostly or eat out

More often than not, those hang outs extend into evenings so Hifumi excuses herself and Ohya now drags the rest to Crossroads

Meanwhile the guys just chill at Cafe Leblanc, sometimes Iwai even brings his son

They do have outings with the whole squad (sometimes plus Futaba!)

They are a good squad, and god I love this AU

—

I uhhhh wanted to write down everything, like codename, outfit, persona, awakening scene, skills, mementos chats with each other, and all but I didn't have the time. Maybe I'll do them in another post? Maybe. Just know that I love them confidants and this au stole my heart.

If anyone wants to add, draw, write for the Phantom Confidants AU then feel free to do so! Have fun with this idea and enjoy!!

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trickormemes · 7 years

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Ratatouille sentence starters

124 starters feel free to change gender pronouns ‘read-more’ added for length content warning: alcohol mention

“The best food in the world is made in France. The best food in France is made in Paris.”

“I, on the other hand, take cooking seriously. And no, I don’t think anyone can do it.”

“I think it’s apparent I need to rethink my life a little bit.”

“Woah, woah, woah, don’t eat that!”

“Now, don’t you feel better, _____? You’ve helped a noble cause.”

“It isn’t stealing if no one wants it.”

“If no one wants it, why are we stealing it?”

“Let’s just say we have different points-of-view.”

“If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff.”

“Food is fuel. You get picky about what you put in the tank, your engine is gonna die.”

“Look, if we’re going to be thieves, why not steal the good stuff in the kitchen, where nothing is poisoned?”

“Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell.”

“There is excellence all around you. You need only be aware to stop and savor it.”

“Each flavor was totally unique. But combine one flavor with another, and something new was created.”

“Come on, you’re good at hiding food. Help me find a good place to put this.”

“He doesn’t understand me, but I can be myself around him.”

“Why are you walking like that?”

“_____, there are possibilities unexplored here. We gotta cook this!”

“The key is to keep turning it. Get the smoky flavor nice and even.”

“Oh! You gotta taste this!”

“You’ve been here a million times?”

“You could fill a book, a lot of books, with things _____ doesn’t know. And they have.”

“I don’t like secrets.”

“It’s like you’re involving me in crime, and I let you. Why do I let you?”

“Great cooking is not for the faint of heart. You must be imaginative, strong-hearted.”

“And you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from.”

“Your only limit is your soul.”

“If you focus on what you’ve left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.”

“A cook makes. A thief takes. You are not a thief.”

“Food always come to those who like to cook.”

“You are a clever rat.”

“Well, yeah, anyone can. That doesn’t mean anyone should.”

“What can I do? I am a figment of your imagination.”

“_____! What are you waiting for?”

“Is this going to become a regular thing with you?”

“The soup! Where is the soup? Out of my way!”

“Where do you get the gall to even attempt something so monumentally idiotic?”

“I should have you drawn and quartered!”

“_____, draw and quarter this man, after you put him in the duck press to squeeze the fat out of his head!”

“What are you blabbering about?”

“You’re the reason I’m in this mess.”

“What are you playing at?”

“You are either very lucky or very unlucky.”

“I think you are a sneaky, overachieving little rat!”

“I need this job. I’ve lost so many.”

“So, this is it. I mean, it’s not much, but it’s, you know… Not much.”

“Are you… Is this a dream?”

“Why not here? Why not now? What better place to dream than in [insert city]?”

“Stupid! He’s stolen food and hit the road! What did I expect?”

“Wh-a-uh—Hi. Is that for me?”

“Mmm! This is good. What did you put in this?”

“Look, I know it’s stupid and weird, but neither of us can do this alone, so we gotta do it together, right? You with me?”

“This is not gonna work, _____! I’m gonna lose it if we do this anymore!”

“Oh, would you listen to me?! I’m insane, I’m insane, I’m insane!”

“One can get too familiar with vegetables, you know.”

“One look and I knew we had the same crazy idea.”

“Wh-where are you taking me? Wait.”

“Congratulations. You were able to repeat your accidental success.”

“No! You listen. I just want you to know exactly who you are dealing with.”

“Easy to cook. Easy to eat. _____ makes Chinese food… Chine-easy.”

“I’ll make this easy to remember. Keep your station clear… or I will kill you!”

“How do you tell how good bread is without tasting it? Not the smell, not the look, but the sound of the crust. Listen. Symphony of crackle. Only great bread sounds this way.”

“I defrauded a major corporation.”

“I killed a man… with this thumb!”

“Thank you, by the way, for all the advice about cooking.”

“Don’t. You. DARE!”

“Seriously now… I’d love to have a little talk with you, _____, in my office.

“Am I in trouble?”

“I just took it to be polite. I don’t really drink, you know.”

“But you would have to be an idiot of elephantine proportion to not appreciate a ’61 Château Latour, and you, _____, are no idiot.”

“I can’t believe it! You’re alive!”

“I thought I’d never see you guys again!”

“What… are… you eating?”

“No, no, no, no, no! Spit that out right now!”

“Don’t just hork it down!”

“Now, imagine every great taste in the world being combined into infinite combinations! Tastes that no one has tried yet! Discoveries to be made!”

“I think… you lost me again.”

“What do you “have to” more than family? What’s more important here?”

“Have you ever had a pet rat?”

“Ratatouille. It’s a stew, right? Why do they call it that? If you’re gonna name a food, you should give it a name that sounds delicious. Ratatouille doesn’t sound delicious. It sounds like “rat” and “patootie.””

“Regrettably, we are all out of wine.”

“Well, the important thing is that you’re home.”

“It’s tough out there in the big world all alone, isn’t it?”

“You didn’t think I was gonna stay forever, did you?”

“Come with me. I got something I want you to see.”

“The world we live in belongs to the enemy. We must live carefully.”

“When all is said and done, we’re all we’ve got.”

“This is the way things are. You can’t change nature.”

“Change is nature, _____. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide.”

“I thought you were different. I thought you thought I was different, but…”

“I didn’t have to help you! If I looked out only for myself, I would have let you drown!”

“I wanted you to succeed… I liked you… My mistake.”

“It’s over, _____. I can’t do it anymore.”

“I hate false modesty. It’s just another way to lie.”

“I have a secret. It’s sort of disturbing.”

“Why is it so hard to talk to you?”

“I’m going to risk it all. I’m going to risk looking like the biggest idiot psycho you’ve ever seen.”

“This can’t just happen! The whole thing is a setup!”

“Am I seeing things? Am I crazy? Is there a phantom rat or is there not?”

“Should I be concerned about this? About you?”

“No, no, no. Try this. It’s better.”

“I was reminded how fragile it all was. How the world really saw me.”

“Where do you get your inspiration?”

“You’re slow for someone in the fast lane.”

“I don’t like food. I love it. If I don’t love it, I don’t swallow.”

“Don’t give me that look.”

“Your opinion isn’t the only one that matters here.”

“Look, I don’t wanna fight. I’ve been under a lot of, you know, pressure.”

“You know, I’ve never disappointed anyone before, because nobody’s ever expected anything of me.”

“I haven’t been fair to you. You’ve never failed me, and I should never forget that.”

“I thought you were my friend! I trusted you!”

“I’d like your heart roasted on a spit.”

“Just can’t leave it alone, can you?”

“The key, my friend, is to not be picky.”

“I’m sick of pretending.”

“I know who I am! Why do I need you to tell me?”

“I know this sounds insane, but… Well, the truth sounds insane sometimes. But that doesn’t mean it’s not… the truth.”

“The truth is, I have no talent at all.”

“Look, this works. It’s crazy, but it works.”

“_____, I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say a word. If I think about it, I might change my mind.”

“The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.”

“Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.”

“The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.”

#rp meme #roleplay meme #ask meme #inbox meme #sentence starters #ratatouille #*mine #[[ i love this movie. ]]

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vgckwb · 4 years

Text

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 22: A Celebration of Those You Can Trust

Ren woke up the next morning with a new sense of understanding, courtesy of her conversation with Sojiro last night. She found herself smiling genuinely about herself. She got dressed and started to head out to sell the treasure.

As she headed downstairs, Sojiiro said “You heading out?”

Ren looked at him. “Yeah. My friends and I are doing something big for the last day of Golden Week, so I need to prepare.”

Sojiro smiled. “Hm. Well, do be careful.” Ren smiled. The bell rang, indicating someone had come in. Ren and Sojiro looked her over. It was a woman in a grey pantsuit. Ren was curious. Sojiro seemed like he knew her. “What’ll it be?”

“Hm” the woman said. “I won’t bother you for coffee right now” she said, matter-of-factly. “Today. I’m here for information.”

Sojiro scowled. “I don’t think I can tell you any more than I have.”

The woman glared. “I don’t need you to tell me anything. I know you have her files.”

Files? Ren thought.

“Psh. Let’s say I did have them. Why would I hand them to you?” Sojiro protested.

“Because I have friends in high places,” the lady answered. “Who knows what would happen with your, let’s say, home situation.”

Sojiro growled. “Did you tell him?”

The woman was confused. “Who?”

“Nevermind,” Sojiro said.

“Sorry” Ren interrupted. “But,um, what’s going on?”

Sojiro calmed down. “It’s...complicated.”

The woman seemed to have taken notice of Ren. “Huh? Oh, yes. I’ve heard about this.” She turned to Sojiro. “You’re taking care of her, right?” Sojiro maintained his facial expression. “I wonder what my friends will think.” She turned back to Ren. “So, tell me, where do you go to school?”

Ren wasn’t sure how to respond. “It’s fine,” Sojiro said. “She’s just after me. She can’t do anything to you.”

Ren was confused, but went ahead. “I go to Shujin.”

“Shujin, huh” the woman said. “Someone I know goes there as well. I’ve been hearing things have been quite intense there recently.”

“Um, yeah” Ren said.

The woman smiled. She looked back at Sojiro. “Well then, I assume you know what to do?”

Sojiro continued to stare. “I need time.”

The woman smiled. “Very well.” She started to leave. “By the way,” she stopped, “I hope this doesn’t mean I can’t come back for a coffee sometime.” She left.

Ren was confused. “So, what was that about?”

Sojiro was still upset. “That woman works for the prosecutor’s office,” he explained. “She’s looking into a case, and thinks that I can help.”

“Well, it sounds like you could,” Ren said.

Sojiro looked at Ren. He sighed. “Look, I know I asked you to trust me. And believe me, I’d like to tell you about what’s going on. But the decision isn’t entirely up to me. So, for now, if you see her again, just be honest with her.”

“Well, how can I lie when I don’t know what I’m lying about?” Ren asked.

“Heh” Sojiro chuckled. “I suppose that’s true.” He smiled. “You go make your preparations. And have a fantastic Golden Week.”

Ren smiled. “Thank you.” She left.

She arrived at Untouchable. The owner looked at her coming through the door. “It’s you again. What do you want.”

Ren looked around cautiously. “Um, I’m looking to sell something.” She placed the medal on the counter.

“Tch” the owner said. “I don’t take obviously fake things.” He looked at it. “Wait a minute…” He picked it up. He looked at Ren. “I don’t know what you’re getting yourself mixed up in, but I’ll play along. I’ll sell this to you but you have to do something for me.”

He took out a bag. “Take this. Don’t look inside. Just take it and go. Return it to me when you get the chance.”

Ren looked at the bag. “Um, OK.”

The owner smiled. “Good. So then, this looks to be about 30,000 yen. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great!” Ren said.

“Hm. Well then, let’s get this settled.” The owner doled out the 30,000. Ren took it, along with the bag. She smiled, nodded, and started to leave.

Suddenly, two detectives came in. A more pushy one said “Alright Mune, where are they?”

“Mune” smiled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The detective slammed his hands on the counter. “Don’t play dumb with me!”

“Settle down” the other detective said. “Mune, you know we wouldn’t come here without reason, right?”

“Sure” “Mune” replied. “But that doesn’t mean the reason is good.”

“Grrr” said the first detective.

The other detective glared at him. He then spotted Ren. “Hey, what’s that you got there?”

Ren was confused, but she figured something out quick. “Why do you need to know? I bought it. It’s mine.”

The detectives appeared to be confused. “Heh” “Mune” chuckled. “She’s right. She’s a paying customer. She comes here from time to time. You can check the footage if you want.” The first detective was furious.

“Find” the second one said. “But know this, if you are doing anything unscrupulous, we WILL find out. Let’s go.” The two detectives left.

Ren was about to leave when “Mune” called out to her. “Hey. Thanks.”

Ren smiled at him. “No problem.”

As soon as she left the store, Morgana popped out. “Hey. Why don’t you see what’s in the bag?”

Ren looked at him funny. “I promised not to.”

“Yeah, but aren’t you the least bit curious?” Morgana asked. “Besides, he seems willing to help us. I doubt he’s a bad person.”

Ren sighed. “I can’t believe you’ve talked me into this.” The two of them looked in the bag.

“HOLY SMOKES! Is that a real gun?” Morgana asked.

Ren looked closer. “I don’t think so” she surmised. “But it looks real close.”

“I see…” Morgana said, calming down. “So you think we could get stuff like this for us?”

Ren thought about it. “Well, that would mean telling him I looked in the bag. But then again, he did buy the medal off of us with no questions, and I wouldn’t go to those two detectives to rat him out. So, maybe it’s worth a shot.”

“Alright! We just gotta find a time to go talk to him” Morgana said. Ren nodded, and then headed back. Ren spent the rest of the evening helping around Leblanc.

The next day, Ren headed out to meet up with her teammates. Ann guided them to a luxurious hotel buffet. “Holy moly!” Morgana exclaimed.

“What’d I tell you?” Ann said. “Pretty swanky!”

“It sure is!” Ryuji said, excitedly. “Aw man! I can smell the meats!”

“Well, we don’t have to just smell” Ren reminded them. “I have the cash, so let’s dig in!” The group found a seat.

“Oh, um, who’s going up first?” Ann asked.

Ren smiled. “You guys can. Morgana and I will watch your stuff.”

“Sweet!” Ryuji said. “And don’t worry. We’ll get you a plate.”

“Thanks, but I can get my own food,” Ren said.

“Yeah, and I don’t trust you to know what I like,” Morgana said.

“Ummmm, fish?” Ryuji said.

“...Dammit,” Morgana said.

“Well, no time to waste,” Ann said, getting up from her seat.

“Seeya” Ryuji said, also leaving. A few minutes later, they came back, plates covered in food. “Man, this stuff looks great!

“Totally” Ann chimed in. They both began eating.

Ren looked on. “So, um, would you mind watching my stuff then?”

“Huh? Oh yeah. Sure” Ryuji said.

“He didn’t sound convincing at all,” Morgana noted.

“Well, they’re our friends, so we should trust them,” Ren said. “Besides, it’d be a waste if we didn’t get anything to eat.”

“I guess you’re right,” Morgana said. “Let’s go!” Ren got up and started to get food. While getting food, Ren heard bits of conversations by people who seemingly congregate here often.

They were all talking about the Kamoshida incident. Some of them were saying it makes good TV. Some were saying that Kamoshida should have maybe stayed in his lane more. Some were speculating about the supposed Phantom Thieves that called him out. However, Ren noted that none of them seemed to show sympathy to any of the victims.

She sat back down with her food. Ann noticed something about Ren. “Hey what’s up?” she asked.

“Huh?” Ren said, looking up. “Well, I was just overhearing some conversation. They were talking about the Kamoshida incident, and everyone didn’t seem all too invested in the people he preyed upon.”

Ann was disgusted. “How awful.”

“Tch. I’m not surprised” Ryuji said. “Jerks like that are far too common nowadays.” He pulled out his phone. “But, not for nothing, there are people who have already taken a shining to us.”

Ann and Ren looked at Ryji’s phone. “What’s this?” Ann asked. “‘The Phantom Aficionado Website’?”

“Yeah. It popped up last night,” Ryuji said. “And look! People are already thanking us!”

Ann read one of the comments aloud. “‘The Phantom Thieves helped me stand up to my abusers.’ Huh. I didn’t know we’d have this kind of power.” Ann sat back down. “I know we’re supposed to help Ren fight Eris, but it’s just hitting me now how big this is.”

“Are you OK?” Ren said.

Ann smiled. “Yeah. If we can help people, that’s the icing on the cake!”

“And you really like your icing, huh” Ryuji pointed out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ann jolted back.

“Well, uh, your plate is like 90% cakes,” Ryuji said.

“Coming from someone whose plate is 100% meat!” Ann retorted. Ren chuckled.

Ryuji looked bitter for a second. He smiled back. “But you do have a point. We’re going to stop chaos from reigning, punish bad people, and inspire others. We have no reason not to continue this!”

Morgana grinned. “That sounds like a call to arms.”

“It is,” Ryuji said. “I want to keep doing this.”

“So do I” Ann said.

Ren smiled, well, if we’re all in agreement, let’s make it official” she said.

“Official?” Ryuji said.

“Yeah” Ren replied. “We were all kind of dragged in by the whole Kamoshida situation, but if we’re going to continue, let’s make this official.”

“Uh, do we gotta sign anything?” Ryuji asked.

“No, silly,” Ren said. “I just want to make a toast and stuff.”

“Oh, well, OK” Ryuji said.

Ren nodded. “So, from today onwards, we are officially The Phantom Thieves of Heart!”

“CHEERS!” they said, raising their glass.

“So, uh, what now?” Ryuji said. “I mean, we gotta continue taking on palaces, right?”

“Yeah,” Ann said. “But who? And how do we find one?”

“Well, that second one just relies on some good old fashioned leg work” Morgana pointed out. “Well, mostly. But the first part is a bit trickier.”

“Well, I think it has to be someone we can all agree upon” Ryuji said.”That way, our conviction can’t be shaken.”

“I like that idea,” Ann said. “It’s like a pact.”

“But yeah, figuring out a target might be a little more tricky” Ren noted. “Still, I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle.”

Ryuji smiled. “You’re right. When the time comes, we’ll be ready!”

“We’re a team now!” Ann exclaimed. “We can do things if we stick together!”

Ren smiled. “A team, huh.” Everyone else was eating, while Ren looked at her plate solemnly. She found some confidence of her own that she felt was missing. She sighed. “I have something I feel like I need to tell you.”

Everyone else was curious. “What is it?” Ann asked.

Ren took a deep breath. “The truth is… I’m… a lesbian.” Ann and Ryuji were shocked. “I hope you don’t hate me…”

Ann and Ryuji looked at each other. “Is...that it?” Ann asked. Ren nodded.

“Heh. Don’t worry” Ryuji said. “We don’t hate you.”

“Yeah,” Ann said. “We’re not like that.”

Ren smiled. “Thanks guys.

“But, and pardon me for asking this, um, do you look at me...you know…?” Ann asked.

Ren grinned. “Well, you ARE cute, but I’m not Kamoshida. I don’t go for ‘anything with a vagina.’” Ann laughed.

Ryuji smiled. “I now understand why you rejected me as well.” Ann was surprised. Ryuji continued. “If you’re not attracted to guys, then I was destined to fail from the beginning.”

“Well that’s true” Ren said. “However, your approach was a little awkward as well.”

“What?!” Ryuji said.

Ren grinned again. “Still, you’re also kind of cute. I bet if you honed it more, that awkward approach might work on someone else.”

Ryuji was confused. “Really?”

“Um, maybe” Ann said, hiding her blushing face.

Ryuji looked at her. “You think so Ann?”

“Uh, yeah” Ann said, regaining her composure. Morgana was quietly seething to himself.

Ren smiled genuinely. “Well I’m glad.” Everyone else looked at her. “I’m glad I have such understanding friends. To be honest, I was worried that being a lesbian with a record would be a surefire recipe for being alone. But ever since I’ve met you guys, I’ve never felt like that. So, thank you.”

They all looked at her. “Are you kidding?” Ryuji said. “You’re one of the kindest, nicest people I know. To Hell with anyone who can’t see that.”

“He’s right,” Ann said. “You’re an amazing person, and I don’t want you to forget that anytime soon.”

“Heh. Well, I’ve always believed in you” Morgana added. “This changes nothing for me.”

Ren giggled. “Thanks everyone.”

Fool-The Phantom Thieves: Rank 2

They finished their food and then left. As they were leaving, Ann realized something. “Aw, shoot. I forgot my bag upstairs.”

“Eh, no biggie,” Ryuji said. “At least we’re still in the building. They turned around to head back.

Once they got to the elevator, some guys guarding someone pushed them away, with Ann taking the brunt of it. Ren caught her as she fell. “Step aside,” one of the guys said.

“Hey, what gives?!” Ryuji said. “We were here first!”

“Hm” said the man in the middle of this parade of guards. “Since when did this place become a daycare?” Ren looked up, feeling something familiar in that condescending tone.

“What was that?!” Ryuji hissed.

“Stand back!” one of the guards said. Their group got into the elevator first.

“Buncha jerks!” Ryuji scowled. “We should be stealing hearts of people like that.” Ann stood back up. Ryuji turned around. “Oh, uh sorry. I got caught up in my own stuff. Are you doing alright?”

“Um, yeah…” Ann said. She turned to Ren. “Thanks.”

“Oh. Right. Don’t mention it” Ren said, distracted.

Ann saw this. “Are you OK? You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine,” Ren said. “I’m just peeved about what just happened.”

“I getcha,” Ryuji said. He sighed. “Well, let’s go get your bag Ann.”

“Right,” Ann said. They called the elevator and went back up. The receptionist handed Ann her bag, and the group headed out.

Later that night, as Ren was sleeping soundly in her bed, she woke up in the Velvet Room. She approached the door to meet Igor and Lavenza. “Well well,” Igor said. “It seems you have toppled the tyrant whose lust knows no bounds. What a marvelous first step.”

“Thank you,” Ren said.

Lavenza spoke up. “It’s only going to get harder from here.”

“I’m aware,” Ren said.

“Still, you’ve been strengthening your bonds,” Igor noted. “It’s good to find people you can trust wholeheartedly. Your strength continues to grow.”

“We continue to root for your success,” Lavenza said. “And we will also continue to help out as well.”

“We just like checking in on your progress,” Igor said. “Saving the world is no easy feat.”

“I understand,” Ren said. “Thank you for your continued support.”

“But of course” Igor said. “It is a luxury we permit to all guests of the Velvet Room. Our time right now is almost up. Before you go, be aware. There are many twists of fate coming your way in the near future. I suggest you prepare adequately.”

“Of course” Ren said.

“Farewell,” Lavenza said. Ren felt herself fade from the Velvet Room.

#persona 5 #persona fanfiction #persona 5 royal #p5r #p5r rework #p5 femc #p5 rework #p5 #FeMC #female ren #ren amamiya #sojiro sakura #sae #iwai munehisa #morgana #ann takamaki #Ryuji Sakamoto #igor #lavenza

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yusuke-of-valla · 4 years

Text

like rats fleeing a sinking ship, pt. 9

Whumptober Day 20: Toto I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore

Prompt: Lost

TW: Panic attacks

<-Previous Next->

AO3

The first thing Futaba realizes when she drifts into consciousness is how cold she is.

“Sojiro, did you forget to pay the heating bill?” Futaba asks, reaching out to pull her blanket tighter.

Instead of her comforter, she smacks her hand against old rotting wood. Futaba’s eyes snap open, and she realizes she’s not in her room.

It all comes back to her.

The announcement, the crash, Sojiro.

Futaba must have passed out against this tree while hiding from the search party.

Futaba starts breathing heavily. She has no idea where she is, she has not idea where she’s supposed to go, she’s in the woods alone and covered in scrapes and bruises and she is so, so hungry.

Tears in her eyes, Futaba tries to go through the breathing exercises Makoto taught her. It takes a few tries to get her breath to stop hitching and everything to even out, but eventually Futaba manages to calm herself down. She pokes her head out above the tree. There’s no signs of people, and she’s about to try and get up, when a twig snaps behind her.

If she were Oracle, this wouldn’t be a problem. Nothing would be able to hide from her. But she isn’t Oracle right now, she’s just Futaba and all she has are her instincts screaming at her to get out of here.

Futaba scrambles over the log, just as she hears shouting behind her.

“Hey, wait up!”

Futaba pumps her legs even harder. She remembers a game like this where the character was being chased by a monster and zigzagged through the woods to get it off his trail, so that’s what she does.

Futaba moves back and forth, thoroughly confusing herself and thus hopefully confusing her pursuer as well.

Suddenly she trips over a rock and tumbles into a bush. Bites her cheek to keep from crying out and presses herself as close to the ground as possible, hoping the mud in her hair and jacket will work as camouflage.

She holds her breath when she hears the footsteps getting nearer, and doesn’t let it out until they’ve faded away completely. Futaba gives it a few more minutes to be sure that her pursuers are gone, then gets up and starts in the opposite direction.

She walks for… well it feels like an hour but it’s probably closer to fifteen minutes, shivering when something rustles in the bushes beside her.

Futaba only has time to grab a large stick before the thing in the bushes jumps out. Her intention is to bat it away with the stick, but Futaba just falls over.

She sits up to see a white shiba inu staring at her.

“G-get away!” Futaba says, swinging the stick. To her surprise, the dog listens sitting back. The dog actually looks kinda concerned.

They stare at each other for a while, before Futaba slowly lowers her stick. “You don’t work for the police do you?”

The dog shakes his head, and looks at the stick, as if asking permission to come closer.

“Well, ok if you’re not gonna make any noise, I guess you can come over,” Futaba says, putting the stick down. The dog approaches her slowly, and starts to lick her face. “Ah, don’t do that I’m dirty. You’ll get sick,” Futaba says, gingerly petting him.

Oh wow, this dog is soft and warm. Futaba moves closer to scratch him under the chin.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Futaba says, relaxing a bit.

“Koromaru?” A voice calls. Futaba stops petting the dog and grabs her stick, turning around to point it at the newcomer. The boy doesn’t look that much older than her.

“Oh, you’re Sakura-san right?”

“No,” Futaba says, thinking quickly. “I was… camping! With my parents, but I got lost.”

The boy smiles. “No, you don’t have to lie. It’s fine, I know you’re a Phantom Thief.”

“What’s a Phantom Thief?” Futaba says. “My parents and I have been camping out here for a long time so we’ve missed a lot of news.”

“Seriously, it’s fine. I promise I’m not going to turn you in. Koromaru seems to like you, and he’d never forgive me if I let that happen,” the boy says, throwing a look at the dog, who is by Futaba’s leg.

“You can say that, but how can I trust you?” Futaba asks, looking for an opening to make a break for it. This boy doesn’t look much older than her, but he’s certainly taller than her and would probably catch her if she ran.

“Ok how about this.” The boy takes out a gun, and Futaba stumbles backwards. Instead of pointing it at her, though he points it towards his own head and pulls the trigger.

Instead of blood, blue light fills the woods and Futaba stares up at what is undoubtedly a Persona.

“H-how are you doing that in the real world?” Futaba gasps, barely registering the stick falling out of her hands.

The boy grins. “I’ve had a lot of practice. Look, my name’s Ken Amada, and my friends and I are all Persona users like you, and we want to help.”

Futaba gathers herself. “Just because you have a Persona doesn’t automatically mean you’re trustworthy.”

Amada’s smile drops. “I guess not. But, I promise we want to help. We investigate things related to Shadows and Personas but Shido’s been getting in our way for over a year now. We’re on the same side.”

Maybe it’s the exhaustion, but something in Futaba tells her she can trust him, almost as if the sight of another Persona has stirred Prometheus within her.

“And who are you and you’re friends?” Futaba asks.

“We’re called the Shadow Operatives.”

That name rings a bell, and Futaba remembers seeing them mentioned in her research into Cognitive Psience and when they hacked Sae’s computer.

“Ok.” Futaba says. “I-I’ll go with you. B-but if you try anything, I won’t hold back! I am a Phantom Thief, and you don’t want to be my enemy.” To prove her point, Futaba picks up her stick again.

Futaba follows Amada and Koromaru until they arrive at a car by the road. Amada waves to the driver then opens the door for Futaba to get in. She does so, and Koromaru sits on her lap. Amada makes a call, and soon three other people arrive.

A gorgeous woman with voluminous red hair gets into the back with her, followed by Amada. A stern looking man in a suit gets into the front, and soon they’re on the road.

“You don’t have to be nervous,” the man in the front says, looking at her in the rearview mirror. “I’m Detective Kurosawa. Sojiro called me for help after you left Tokyo.”

“Oh, really?” Futaba asks, still gripping her stick. She’s getting wood and dirt all over this fancy car, but she doesn’t care.

Kurosawa nods. “I used to work with him, and your mother.”

Futaba’s eyes widen. “Seriously? You know my mom?”

“Yes, you’re a lot like her,” Kurosawa says. Futaba blushes, and turns to the woman in the back seat with her.

“And you are?”

The woman smiles, and reaches out her hand. “My name is Mitsuru Kirijo,” she says as Futaba shakes her hand. “Ken has already told you about the Shadow Operatives, no?” the woman asks.

“Yeah.”

“We’re an organization that looks into threats from shadow activity. As I’m sure you can guess, that means we get involved a lot with Cognitive Psience, and we were following your mother’s work before she passed away.” Kirijo offers Futaba a sad smile, but Futaba waves her off. “Our group has been trying to look into the mental shutdown incidents for a long time now, but at every level we’ve been blocked by Masayoshi Shido. We know you aren’t involved with them because the Phantom Thieves only recently became active, so we were hoping you would be able to help.”

“What do you want my help for?” Futaba asks.

“We’d like you to tell us everything you know about the mental shutdowns and Shido.”

Futaba looks between Kirijo, Amada, and Koromaru in her lap. “Fine.”

She tells them about her mother, about how the Phantom Thieves helped her, about Shido and Akechi and how they were set up. When she finishes, Kirijo has a serious expression on her face, and Amada looks like he wants march into the Diet building and smack Shido himself.

“We’re here.” Kurosawa announces as they pull up next to a fancy looking building.

Kirijo leads Futaba into the building, nodding at the receptionist, and finally they arrive in what looks like a living area.

“You’ve been through a lot, Sakura. Why don’t you get some rest,” Kirijo says. Futaba wants to argue, insist she’s fine but even she can feel how sluggish she is. The last time she slept in two days was in the woods in the freezing cold, and the adrenaline that had been keeping her going for the last few hours is starting to wear off. Futaba finds a guest room, kicks off her boots and passes out before her head even touches the pillow.

-_-_-

“... been asleep for how long?”

“Can you blame her, she’s exhausted. The doctor said she should wake up soon.”

Futaba opens her eyes and sees two people talking just outside the open door to her room. One’s a man with a cross necklace, and the other is…

“Excuse me, are you Yukari Takeba?” Futaba blurts out. The two people turn in surprise, then the man laughs.

“Let me guess, you’re a fan of Featherman?” he asks.

“Obviously.”

The Yukari Takeba elbows the man, then turns to Futaba. “Yes, I’m Yukari Takeba, and this is Junpei Iori. Are you feeling alright? You’ve been asleep for three days.”

“That’s not really weird for me,” Futaba says, throwing off the covers. Her discarded jacket and boots have been cleaned, though the clothes she fell asleep in are still pristine. Her stick is also propped up next to her boots, and that makes Futaba happier than she would have expected.

“Go get yourself cleaned off, and then you can meet us in the meeting area.” Iori says.

“I will, thanks.”

Futaba has what is probably the best shower in her entire life, and puts on the clothes that have been laid out for her. The blouse is a bit nicer than Futaba is used to and she has to roll up the pants, but they’re comfortable and smell nice so she walks into the meeting room feeling confident and refreshed.

When she gets there, she sees the Shadow Operatives she’s already met, along with a woman with light blue hair, a blonde woman who Futaba quickly realizes is actually a robot, and a man with silver hair.

“Futaba, you’re just in time!” Iori says when he sees her enter. “You’ve already met pretty much everyone here, but this is Aigis, Akihiko Sanada, and Dr. Fuuka Yamagishi.”

The blue haired woman smiles. “I’m not quite a doctor yet, I still need to finish my dissertation.”

“Eh, you’re practically there already,” Iori says.

“I-It’s nice to meet you all.” Unfortunately, no amount of showering is going to help her when she knows everyone in the room is staring at her, but Futaba tries to keep her calm. “So, you guys said we might be able to help each other?”

“That’s right.” Kirijo says, standing up.

“Well then, can you help me figure out what happened to Sojiro?” Futaba asks. “H-he’s probably worried about me.”

Yukari Fucking Takeba’s face falls. “Sojiro Sakura has been arrested.”

Futaba pales. “What are they doing to him?” She remembers going to see Akira after his little stint in a police station. He’d been asleep and Morgana had warned her not to wake him, but even from the other side of the attic, Futaba could tell he’d been absolutely riddled with bruises and his breathing sounded labored.

And that was after less than a day. Who knew what they were doing to Sojiro, all because he decided to help her. He’d warned them. He’d suspected Shido and didn’t tell her because he thought they’d go after him and get themselves killed and now it’s actually Sojiro who’s going to end up dead.

“Futaba!” A voice pierces through her thoughts. Futaba blinks and realizes Iori is kneeling next to her. “Just breathe ok. In and out.”

Futaba follows his instructions and lets herself be guided to the couch. The blonde robot woman— Aigis? It was Aigis, right?— offers her a glass of water that Futaba takes.

“Listen, Sojiro’s going to be fine.” Iori says.

“We know that there’s plans for him to go on trial, there’s going to be an announcement tonight,” Aigis says.

“It’ll be public, I doubt they’ll do too much to him before then,” Kirijo says.

“But after that, they’ll throw him in prison,” Futaba says. “Or make him disappear or-”

“We won’t let that happen,” Kirijo says. “We will do everything in our power to make sure your father is alright. You have my word.”

Futaba drinks her glass of water and doesn’t say anything.

“We need to change Shido’s heart.,” Futaba says. “Then he’ll admit to everything and our names will be cleared.”

“What would you need to do that?” Sanada asks.

“Ok, well then we need to get back to Tokyo and find my friends,” Futaba says.

Kirijo frowns. “That will be difficult. Apparently the police force is watching all the entry points into Tokyo, and we’ve all been blacklisted.”

“There has to be something .” Futaba insists.

“Actually. I have an idea,” Yamagishi says, quietly. All eyes in the room turn to her. “Sakura-chan, your Persona is suited towards navigation, right?”

Futaba blinks. “Yeah, why?”

“Mine is too, and navigators get stronger when they use their abilities in tandem. There’s a device we can use to amplify the power of support personas. If we used that, and had Mitsuru and Rise to help, we might be able to generate enough of a range to reach Tokyo. It wouldn’t be amazing but at least you could talk to your friends or maybe keep track of enemy weaknesses.”

“Wouldn’t we still need access to that… uh Metaverse you told us about?” Sanada asks.

“I can do that,” Futaba says. “I-” she reaches into her pocket, and then remembers she lost her phone. “Ok… Uh, I’ll need a laptop or something. I have backdoors into all of my friend’s phones. And Akechi’s, I guess. I can hack into their phones and copy it off of one theirs, and then we can boot up the app and run it here.”

Sanada and Kirijo share a look. “Think it’ll work?” Sanada asks.

“It’s possible,” Mitsuru says. “It would be rather draining but-”

“We have to try .” Futaba insists. “Please, Sojiro-”

“We understand,” The Actual Yukari Takeba says. “We’ll help you in any way we can.”

The Shadow Ops continue the conversation and say a few things, Futaba doesn’t pay attention to. She looks around the room for a laptop or something to get on line.

They insist Futaba eat food and rest a bit before letting her at a computer. It’s simple enough to hack into Akechi’s phone through the backdoor she left earlier and download the MetaNav onto the computer.

What’s less fun is the official announcement that night that Sae’s been arrested too and would stand trial with Sojiro.

Futaba doesn’t sleep that night. She sits up and wonders what the hell could have happened if Sae’s been caught. And where Makoto is, until finally she’s had enough of being in her own head.

Instead Futaba hacks into the Shadow Operatives files, and gets as much dirt on them as she can. She finds the schematics for the amplifier Yamagishi was talking about and starts taking notes.

The next morning, Futaba goes to the living area and sees Yukari “Feather Pink Herself” Takeba.

“Do you know where Mitsuru is? I’ve been looking through the schematics on the amplifier and I think I’ve figured out some ways to make it stronger.”

“Did you sleep at all?”

“Nah, but it’s fine.” Futaba says. While she’s here, she might as well get something to drink. She wants coffee, but that makes her think about Sojiro too much, so she grabs a hot chocolate packet and some marshmallows out of the counter.

Yukari Takeba, Seriously It’s Really Her, sits down on the counter across the table. “Is it alright if I call you Futaba-chan?”

Futaba nearly chokes on the marshmallows she’d been stuffing into her mouth. “I mean, yeah sure, if you want. That’d be cool.”

“Listen, Futaba-chan,” Yukari “Holy Shit She’s Using My Name” Takeba says. “I know you’re worried about your friends, but you can’t spread yourself too thin. You’re just doing yourself a disservice by wearing yourself out.”

“I did everyone a disservice by running away,” Futaba mutters.

“You’re not, though. You’re safe, and I’m sure your friends would be happy to know that at least. And we will get you out of this mess.”

“Yeah, you need our help or whatever and-”

“We also wanted to make sure as many of you were as ok as we possibly could. You’re kids-”

“Are you saying we can’t handle this?” Futaba snaps.

“Not at all. I’d be a hypocrite if I did too, considering what we got up to at your age. But that means you still deserve to feel safe and not have to watch your backs, especially since you were almost certainly innocent. I’m sorry you feel like you have to push yourself this much, but let me tell you, you don’t. Things will be fine, better even, if you let yourself relax and recover.”

Futaba stares at her drink, then back at Takeba. Then she feels the tears start.

“I just… I can barely do anything, and-”

Futaba doesn’t realize Takeba’s walked over to her until Futaba feels arms wrap around her. “You’re stronger than you think. I promise. You can do this, your friends can do this, and everything will be fine.”

Futaba lets herself cry into Takeba’s shoulder for a long time, all the fear and worry of the situation finally catching up with her.

When Futaba’s all cried out, she pulls away. “Thanks, Takeba-san.” Futaba says.

“You can call me Yukari. You’re an honorary Shadow Operative now, after all.”

“Really?”

“Oh, definitely.” Ta- Yukari straightens and pulls out a mug of her own. “Now, do you want sprinkles on your hot chocolate?”

After that, Futaba takes Yukari’s advice and gets some sleep, then works with Kirijo and Yamagishi on her device.

Oh she also meets Rise God Damn Kujikawa, who has a Persona, which is insane.

The day after her conversation with Yukari in the kitchen, Futaba opens her computer and runs the MetaNav, inputting the coordinates for Shido’s ship. This won’t do anything if no one’s there, but hopefully they can figure out something.

Yamagishi, Kirijo, and Seriously Is That Actually Rise Kujikawa, summon their Personas, and Futaba does the same, pleasantly surprised to feel Prometheus, even if she can’t manage to fully bring him into reality like the others.

“Alright, let’s start.” Futaba reaches out, feeling around Shido’s ship. It’s fuzzier than usual, but her breath hitches as she gets a familiar ping from Prometheus.

“I’ve got a reading.”

#yes i am still doing the whumptober prompts it's what i themed most of the chapters around #alto writes #on the run au #futaba sakura #mitsuru kirijo #yuakri takeba #junpei iori #whumptober2020 #no.20 #wordcount: 2500-3000 #panic attack tw #persona 5

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ask-the-phan-site · 5 years

Text

Phan Cam: A Horizon Holiday

WARNING: IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LATEST EPISODE OF MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN, THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD! ALSO, SORRY IF THIS MIGHT GET POSTED A LITTLE LATE. WE WERE TRYING TO FIT A LOT IN HERE. THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE POSTED BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE.

>Flashback.

(imagine it snowing)

>New York City is usually quite festive this time of year. Holiday decorations were hanging everywhere. The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was already up and glowing and the ice rink was filled with skaters happy that everything was bright and peaceful... Even the supervillains were nowhere in sight. Yes, it was the most wonderful time of the year... For most.

>A cemetery is not usually a place to go during the holidays. However, Peter Parker, his Aunt May, his boyfriend, Harry Osborn, their friends, Miles Marales, Gwen Stacy, Anya Corazon, Max Modell, Hector Baez, and most recently, Anna Maria Marconi, were standing before a couple of graves.

Merry Christmas, Ben.

You, too, Otto.

Despite his faults, Otto was indeed a good man. If only I had reached out to him sooner...

It’s not your fault, mi amour, Otto’s father was a wicked and uncaring soul.

I definitely know.

I can’t believe there’s someone who’s even crueler than Norman Osborn... Sorry, Harry.

(the drink he’s holding is for Otto) It’s okay... But choose your more words wisely next time. They might be your last.

Relax, you guys, if you make you feel any better, Torbert Octavius didn’t get away with it... It’s just a shame how it happened.

How did it happen?

Gwen: Occupational hazard. He was a construction worker.

Anna Maria: I think we get the picture.

>With that, they put the Christmas trees on the graves and Harry puts the smoothie on Otto’s grave.

May: So, when do you all leave?

Peter: (confused) Huh?

May: To Japan? Harry said that you, him, and your friends would go to Japan for the Fight Before Christmas to support your Soul Taker.

Peter: (starting to look down) About that... We’re not going.

May: (surprised) Not going?

Peter: Well, with everything that’s happened, I don’t think it would be appropriate. I just got back into Horizon and I have a lot to catch up on.

Max: Peter, you know I can excuse you for the holidays. I’m not some Scrooge.

Peter: Okay, but what about you, Aunt May? F.E.A.S.T. is going to get real busy for the holidays.

May: It’s alright, Peter, I already have a lot of volunteers. Including Anna Watson and her niece, Mary Jane. Why, even Robbie, his father, Liz, Flash, and even Miles’s parents are helping. I think I can manage without you for a while.

Peter: I know, but still...

May: Peter, what is it?

>Peter, Harry, Miles, Gwen, and Anya just look down.

Peter: It’s just... We can’t go because Otto just died. Should we really be going on vacation at a time like this?

Miles: He’s right. We should be like mourning for him.

Gwen: We know it’s almost Christmas, but what’s the point of being so merry knowing that the guy who helped save New York is gone?

Miles: That would be like... Dishonoring his memory by having fun like this.

Anna Maria: I see... But I don’t think Otto would have wanted you not to have fun at this time.

Anya: Are you sure? I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Harry: I had my doubts about him, but I still have to respect his memory for everything he’s done for us.

Anna Maria: I know that, but...

???????: You should listen to her.

>The group was surprised by three new faces.

Peter: You’re Vincent Hauser, aren’t you?

You know about me?

I’m gonna go on a limb here and say that Japanese schoolboy with frizzy hair and glasses told you.

Miles: ... Maybe.

That kid must know a lot of people.

Peter: (smiling a bit) Yeah, he’s that kind of person... So what brings you here?

Vincent: For him.

>He was pointing at Otto’s grave. Then, he shows he has a bouquet of flowers.

Anna Maria: You’re here for Otto?

Vincent: ... Let’s just say we were a quiet acquaintances and I’m well aware of what he did for this city. So I thought I’d come with Tunnel Rat to New York to pay my respects.

>Vincent goes over to the grave and places the bouquet on it.

Harry: So, Vince, it’s alright if I call you Vince?

Vincent: Usually my family calls me that.

Harry: I see. So, about what you said about taking Anna Maria’s advice about leaving for the holidays, you really think we should?

Vincent: You can pretty much do whatever. It’s your life. And who knows, maybe she’s right. Maybe Otto Octavius wanted you to leave. I know your friends were really looking forward to it.

Anna Maria: That’s true. I’m surprised you knew I was thinking the same thing Otto would be thinking at a time like this.

Vincent: ... Maybe it came to me in a dream.

Tunnel Rat: That’s been going around lately... Actually, I have been dreaming about a guy in a Japanese mask who met that Amamiya kid.

Peter: (smiling a bit) Yeah, I know the feeling.

Anna Maria: Still, you shouldn’t be spending this holiday moping around. Go, have some fun. Support your friend. For me? For us? ... For Otto?

Peter: ...

>Peter looks to his friends. They knew Anna Maria, Aunt May, Max, and Vincent were right.

Peter: ... I guess we’re going a fight before Christmas.

>The others agree.

May: That’s good.

Peter: Anna Maria, would you like to join us?

Anna Maria: As much as I like to, I think I’ll stay and help your aunt. I think she could use one more volunteer.

May: Thank you, Anna Maria.

Max: We’d come, but me and Hector are off to San Francisco to spend the holidays with his family.

Peter: What about you, Vincent?

Vincent: Pass. I promised Duke and our parents I’d come back home to Missouri for the holidays after seeing Dr. Octavius’s grave. My transport leaves soon.

Tunnel Rat: And me and Teddy got a kosher Chinese restaurant to run. So, see ya.

Teddy: But first, we promised Mom and Dad we’d visit Gramps and Grams while we’re here.

>With that, they leave to a large grave with the Chinese characters for Lee on it. Aunt May, Anna Maria, Max, and Hector also leave.

???????: I think you’re doing the right thing.

>They quickly turn to see the McGee Family.

Peter: (surprised) Oh hi, Mr. McGee.

You can call me Bonesaw.

Gwen: What brings you guys here?

Lily: We’re just here to visit Booth’s parents. They’re buried here along with his mentor, Crusher Hogan.

MIles: (surprised) Is everyone buried here?

Diane: It’s a big city. A lot of people die and get buried.

Lily: (stern) Diane!

Diane: Sorry.

Bonesaw: So, you’re going to Japan to support Soul Taker? What a coincidence. We’re going, too.

Peter: You are?

Bonesaw: My mentor was always there for me. It’s only fair if Soul Taker’s was there for him, too.

Trish: Plus, we actually get to see a city in another country.

Dennis: (unimpressed) I don’t see why you’re excited. My friend, Katie Power, she’s been to Tokyo and she says it’s no different than New York.

Trish: That’s because she’s more interested in the animes, like Pokemon and stuff. I’m in the same class as her older sister, Julie, and she says that Japan is great... Just watch out for guys in black pajamas.

Diane: Tch! Like we’re going to run into any ninjas this time... But I hope we get to see the Phantom Thieves. They’re awesome.

Bonesaw: (smiling) I’m sure you will, honey.

Harry: (also smiling) Well, with that out of the way, we should get packing. I’ll book a flight for the day after tomorrow.

Bonesaw: Make it after today. That’s when we leave. We’ll go together.

Miles: Really?

Bonesaw: (getting fired up) To really show our support!

Lily: (trying to calm her husband down) And we want to avoid a lot of air traffic from those also going to the tournament.

Harry: Okay. Guess we better start pack... Like now.

>With that, they leave.

>End of flashback.

>The present...

(Since the Wilton Hotel is basically the Persona series’s version of the Hilton Hotel, our other admin decided to have us use this picture. The only two differences are the name and that, while the Hilton is in Shinjuku, the Wilton is in Shibuya. Sorry if we used this.)

>The Wilton Hotel, Shibuya. The Horizon party and McGee Family checked in the day before yesterday. The Opening Party for the Fight Before Christmas was starting now.

You know after all this time, you’d think I’d finally learn how to actually put a bowtie on.

Like I said, Pete, a dying art. Clip-Ons are the future.

Yeah, that one’s way better than the red-

(please don’t flag for this dress) Miles, ix-nay on Orman-nay’s owtiebay.

>Miles sees Peter and Harry unimpressed.

Miles: Sorry.

Lily: (wearing a simple white dress with a holly pin with the letters ST for Soul Taker) Don’t feel too down. These things happen... Then again, this is Norman Osborn we’re talking about.

Miles: (frustrated) Not. Helping.

By the way, Harry, what did you do with your father’s bowtie? I know you don’t want to talk about it, but since it’s red and it’s almost Christmas, I thought it would be appropriate.

Harry: Eh, I have it a good home.

>The Raft... The name on the building says it all.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent: Yo, Osborn! You’ve got an early Christmas present.

>The agent loads the package into Norman Osborn’s cell. He opens it to find his red bowtie with a note.

Clip-on bowties are way better.

Merry Christmas

Love, Harry

Cute, Harry. Really cute...

(The following image... We thought we should add it.)

Merry Christmas, son... By the way, young man, did something else showed up in the mail?

Agent: What do you mean? I think that’s all.

Norman: Really? ... Check again.

>The agent looks in his bag and finds... Some papers. Curious, he looks at them... and is shocked.

Agent: Th- These are...

?????: Yes, they are.

Agent: (shocked) Huh!? How did you get here?

?????: I have my ways.

Norman: Indeed. It took you very long to come visit me.

>The stranger comes to Norman’s cell.

What could I say? After all, we’re both very busy men.

>Back at the Wilton.

Peter: (shivers) Thought I felt a shiver down my back.

Harry: Same here.

Miles: You think it’s something to do with what happened to you the other day?

Peter: No, this feels more... (smiling) Actually, it’s probably nothing. Right now, this night is all about Soul Taker and Christmas.

Miles: I guess you’re right.

Lily: Well, if you’re feeling out of place, I brought these.

>Lily started handing out holly pins that support Soul Taker.

Gwen: Thanks, Mrs. McGee.

Trish: (wearing a magenta dress with pink stripes and the pin) She and Dennis made them to support Soul Taker.

Dennis: (wearing a light blue dress shirt and black pants with the pin) All I did was put the hot glue on them. Mom put the other stuff on.

Diane: (wearing a long red dress with one strap where the pin is) Come on, Dennis, you’re one of the best crafters we know.

>Dennis just says quiet.

>We arrive with Admin and Shiho and greet our visitors.

Hey, guys, you made it!

Harry: (smiling) I thought we weren’t coming. But we did.

We’re glad you did. It’s so nice we could be together. For New Years, the Dream Festival, and now this.

(wearing a dress similar to the Saya from Blood+ wore in Episode 11) It’s just a shame you weren’t here for the End of Summer.

Yeah, it would have been more great if we were all there.

Anya: I know. We’ll see if we can come next year.

Then it’s a date.

Anyway, I’m also glad you’re here, Bonesaw sensei.

Bonesaw: (basically wearing a black tuxedo jacket over his wrestling costume, but still has the holly pin) Well, have to check in on my best student and show support.

Lily: And from the looks of it, you might need it.

Bonesaw: Yeah, you might have to go up against two fellow wrestlers.

You mean Tiger Mask and Tiger the Dark?

Bonesaw: Yeah, They’re fierce legendary warriors. Be glad you didn’t have to fight them last year.

I think I can get by if all of you were there cheering me on.

Bonesaw: I hope you’re right.

Anya: Speaking of wrestling, you know about Animal Mask and MAO?

Skull: Yeah, we were talkin’ about ‘em the other day.

Trish: Then, you also know about how they disappeared. She’s asking if the Detective Prince found anything.

I’m afraid Naoto Shirogane is on that case. You’ll have to ask her.

(wearing a Midnight Blue Tuxedo, his mother insisted since it goes with his hair) She’s right over there if you want to ask.

>He points over to Naoto, who was in deep conversation with with fellow detectives, Conan Edogawa, Heiji Hattori, Columbo’s sun, Baranko, and Miwako Sato.

Looks like they’re gonna be a while. In the meantime, why not have a look around. We might meet some interesting people.

Diane: You mean check in on the competition to find their weaknesses?

Bonesaw and Lily: (sternly) Diane!

Diane: Sorry.

Anyway, let’s see who’s here tonight. Look there, Adrien Agreste, his girlfriend, Kagami Tsurugi, their friend, Marinette Dupan-Cheng, and her boyfriend, Luka Couffaine. We should go over and say hello.

>We agree. We go over to them.

Skull: Yo! Adrien san, Kagami chan, Marinette chan, Luka kun!

Adrien: Konichiwa! It’s nice to meet you.

Kagami: Hai, same here.

(imagine him wearing a tuxedo which he is uncomfortable in, but is trying to hide it with a smile) Hey, you’re Ryuji Sakamoto from KUROFUNE. We saw you at Dream FES.

Skull: (happy) For real? I’m glad you remember.

Personally, I think you should have gotten 1st Place.

Hey, there’s always next year.

Luka: We’re also glad you brought friends with you. We saw you on the second day when we, Kitty Section, were performing.

Oracle: Just some stuff we first did for Dancing in Starlight.

Adrien: Ah, I thought I recognized you! You did those dancing videos.

Marinette: I was actually inspired by those videos to make a few designs... Though, I wish I knew where you got the stuff to pull off those videos. They seem almost... Out of this world.

We get that a lot.

Kagami: It would seem that way, Soul Taker... Ren Amamiya.

Shoot, I revealed myself.

Kagami: Yes. I also know of your other friends as well. Apart from track runner turned idol, Ryuji, there’s Ann Takamaki, model who wishes to be an actress, the art prodigy, Yusuke Kitagawa. Makoto Nijima who participated in last year’s tournament. Futaba Sakura, daughter of the late scientist, Wakaba Isshiki. Haru Okumura, daughter of the late Kunikazu Okumura of Okumura Foods. The Detective Prince, Goro Akechi. And I believe there were two others in your group.

Queen: They have their own plans for the holidays.

Kagami: I see. I also know of your American friends. Peter Parker, one of Horizon High’s most brilliant students and is also the superhero, Spider-Man. Harold Osborn, CEO of Oscorp Industries after his father, Norman Osborn. Gwendolyn Stacy, niece of Dr. Raymond Warren, aka the Jackal. You were also known as Spider-Gwen during the Spider Island Incident. Miles Morales, whose knowledge in robotics is matched only by our friend’s.

Miles: Yeah, how is Max Kante doing these days? I haven’t seen him since the robotics fair in Abu Dhabi.

Marinette: He’s doing fine. I’ll tell him you said hi when we get back to Paris.

Miles: Thanks.

Kagami: Then we have Anya Corazon, Horizon’s top student who has won more awards there than any. And last, but not least, Booth “Bonesaw” McGee, the star and champion of So You Want To Be A Wrestler, along with his family.

Bonesaw: Glad to see I’m known more worldwide.

Lily: Well, you are that kind of person, Booth.

Kagami: Yes. We’re pretty much in the company of celebrities. We should be honored. (does a small bow)

>We bow back.

Soul Taker: So, Kagami san, what brings you back to Japan with your friends? Are you in the tournament?

Kagami: I was going to. But when I learned that Yasuchicka Haninozuka would not be participating this year, I pulled out at the last minute. But I thought I would stay to see who the new champion would be... Personally, I hope it’s Sho Minazuki.

Trish: So, you’ll be rooting for him?

Kagami: I have mutual respect for him as a sword fighter. I wish to test his skill with mine.

???: Well, tis the season for wishes. But be careful of them.

>We turn to see Sho Minazuki coming to us.

Surprise, bitches! Long time, no see!

Miles: (a little nervous) Is he always like this?

You don’t know the half of it.

????: But I do.

>Then, Chie Satonaka comes to us. She was wearing the same dress she wore last year.

Seriously, Sho kun, ever heard of decorum?

Sho: Decorum deshmorum. If the “dragon chick” wants to fight me, she’s gonna have to wait. There’s already someone I have in mind. Speaking of which, where is he?

Chie: Yu’s not here. He was gonna come, but Yosuke came down with a cold. So Yu, Rise, and Teddie are at Yu’s parent’s apartment taking care of him.

Sho: And the others? Like that girl you’re always hanging around?

Chie: Yukiko’s in Hasetsu helping some relatives and Kanji and his mom are visiting their own relatives in Osaka. So only Naoto came with me.

Sho: I see. Well, when you see that silver haired bastard... The Sho must go on! (laughing)

Give it up, scare face, those puns will never catch on.

Sho: Tch! Whatever. Well, just tell him. In the meantime, there’s a nice bass with my name on it at the fish table.

>With that he leaves.

Chie: Sorry about that.

Peter: I’ve dealt with his type before.

Adrien: Yeah, I know.

Chie: Hey, it’s glad to see you guys again. Makoto chan, are you entering this year, too?

Queen: I’m afraid not due to winter finals. Besides, my aikido sensei already gained enough money to keep his school open for a long time.

Chie: That’s good to hear. And now that we’ve paid for Yuta’s operation, the beef bowl feast is back on. By the way, how is he?

Joker: A friend of Yuta’s told me. And...

It was a success.

Chie: It was? That’s really good.

Queen: Well, there were a few problems. He even almost died. But he came back and he pulled through. Last month, he felt pain for the very first time. He said it felt bad... but good at the same time.

Chie: Well I’m glad for him. Maybe his mother will be more at ease now since her son can now tell if he needs help. Especially if his stepdad and Big Bro Joe are there for him.

Joker: That’s true. Joe told me now he’s just entering this tournament to do something between boxing tournaments.

Chie: Which makes me wonder... What will Sho do with ¥900,000? His dad already left him an inheritance to last him a lifetime.

I’d rather not find out.

>With that we laugh and Chie makes her way.

Adrien: We better go, too. I promised Father and Kagami’s mother we meet them before they make the opening speech.

>With that, they also leave.

Queen: Let’s see who else is here.

Crow: I can see Kaldur, Wyynde, and their friends over there. About time they made it. Let’s go over to them.

>We go over to Kaldur, Wyynde, and their two friends, Asami Koizumi, and her boyfriend, Tye Longshoadow. Kaldur and Wyynde were wearing their usual hero uniforms, Asami was wearing a blue kimono with designs that match her personality, and Tye was wearing (though a bit cliche, a little inaccurate, and even... stereotypical) a light brown buckskin jacket over an orange dress shirt, a green bolo tie, blue jeans, and brown shoes. He kept his headband.

Sorry if we kept you waiting. Tye was having a hard time.

Well what did you expect? Almost everyone here are wearing weather has a tuxedo or a kimono. It just makes me feel a little... out of place.

Neither me or Kaldur are wearing such things and we are just fine.

Tye: Easy for you to say. Being from an undersea kingdom, you can pretty much wear whatever. Asami?

... Uniqueness is beautiful.

Tye: (groans in defeat) Fine, you win.

Noir: Well I think you look great, Tye kun. I especially like your bolo tie.

Tye: It was my grandfather’s. He gave it to me.

Noir: How is your grandfather?

Tye: ... I’d rather not talk about it.

You mean...

No, you’re right, we shouldn’t talk about this. This night is about the tournament and Soul Taker.

Tye: It’s okay.

Yeah, no harm done here.

Thank you.

Tye: I guess meeting you here, maybe what I’m wearing isn’t so bad after all.

Diane: Tell me about it. (turns her gaze to her father)

Bonesaw: Hey, if it ain’t broke.

Tye: Now I just have to worry about those entering.

Gwen: Why, are you entering, too?

Tye: No, I’m just here to watch. I’m just worried about those with powers. Meta-humans, Inhumans, mutants, NEXT, you name it. Won’t using their powers in the tournament be, I don’t know... Cheating?

Peter: Don’t worry, this year, they’re prepared. Fighters can use their powers, but only three times per match. And to ensure this, they are to be fitted with special collars that will count how many times they use their powers. They use their powers more than three times, the collar will send an alert and that fighter is disqualified.

Kaldur: I hope you’re right. I hear some people can be sneaky.

Asami: But isn’t that what heroes are for?

Peter: That’s true.

???? ??????: Yes, heroes are necessary for even things like this.

>We quickly turn to see who had just came to us.

(wearing a black tuxedo) Though, from what I’ve heard, Asami chan, you and Longshadow are not much of heroes these days.

Asami: (a bit surprised) You’re... That me from the other DC world. Wind Dragon, wasn’t it?

Wind Dragon: You know it, Asami Koizumi.

Asami: Funny you should say that. Because from what I’ve heard... You’re dead.

Wind Dragon: Yeah, funny story. I’ll gladly tell you over some punch.

Are you serious?

Wind Dragon: Relax, I was only kidding. I wouldn’t even dream of hitting on Asami. If she’s a version of me, that sort of makes us related. Best not to even joke about it.

Asami: (unimpressed) That better be true.

Tye: (more upset than Asami) Not cool, man. Not cool.

Wind Dragon: My beef’s not with you, Fake Longshadow... But I will be saving my “breath” for him.

>He was pointing at me.

Soul Taker: I take it you’re in the tournament?

Wind Dragon: You bet. What better way to show everyone that Wind Dragon is back. A new life. And even a new name.

Wyynde: A new name?

Wind Dragon: A hero is all I ever wanted to be. But it never hurts to have a life outside of that. Toshio Eto is the name I chose. Though, I still like being called Wind Dragon.

Well then, Toshio Eto, I look forward to doing battle with you.

>We shake hands and we part for now.

Miles: He sure is full of himself.

Skull: Sure seems that way. And I thought Mona’s like that.

Bonesaw: Yeah, I’m a little guilty of pride myself. That’s also a weakness, so be sure to watch for that, Soul Taker.

Alright.

Kaldur: Well, we’ll see you later.

Asami: Yes, I’m hoping I would get to meet Chung-Li while we’re here.

>With that, they leave.

Diane: I’m bailing, too. I’m getting hungry and I really want to try one of those chocolate fountains.

I know. The Wilton Buffet is to die for.

Shiho: I know. I can’t believe we’re here now.

Panther: Sorry we didn’t invited you that time. You were in the hospital then. But now, you’re here.

Shiho: I know. Thanks for inviting me here.

Panther: Hey, Diane, is it alright if we join you?

Diane: I don’t see why not.

Lily: Me, Trish, and Dennis will come, too. It’s almost about time for dinner. We’ll make plates for you, too.

Queen: Right, see you soon.

>With that, they head off to the buffet... I hope I don’t get stuck with beans again.

Anya: I think that’s Maddie Stone there. I think those other kids with her are the rest of the Blazing Team.

Gwen: I think we should talk to them, see what they think of this tournament.

>We agree and go over to Maddie and the other four members of the Blazing Team.

(wearing a simple blue dress which she doesn’t look happy to be in, but covering it up) Hey, you’re Soul Taker, right? And his mentor, Bonesaw McGee.

Soul Taker: A pleasure to meet you, Maddie san.

(wearing a simple brown jacket over a red shirt) And you’re Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. Cool.

Peter: I’m usually called that while I’m in the mask. Right now, I’m just Peter. Or Pete if you like.

(wearing a green sweater and a black kippah and look a little awkward being here) Yeah, I guess.

NOTE: Keep in mind, not much as been about the Blazing Team’s background, including their religion. So sorry if Wilson is Jewish when it may not be his actual religion. Also sorry if the next part may sound a bit offensive.

Oracle: Feeling a little self-conscious?

Wilson: Maybe a little.

Queen: You’re not alone, you know. A lot of people here have their own holiday traditions due to religion.

Harry: She’s right. I usually celebrate Winter Solstice apart from Christmas with my maternal grandparents. But after a while, I was forced to stop.

(wearing a yellow tux) Sounds like you had it tough, poor little rich boy.

Harry: You don’t know the half of it... But Pete was always there for me. He helped me through it.

Peter: (happy) And I always will be.

>The two young men smile and embrace.

??????: Oh, go find some mistletoe already.

>Someone else joins us.

Maddie: (almost upset) What are you doing here?

Wilson: And doesn’t that suit make you look a bit like a pimp?

(wearing a suit similar to his regular outfit) So you’re saying I shouldn’t support my sister in the most neutral time of the year? And I happen to like this suit. It reflects who I am.

Scott: Whatever you say.

Maddie: Well, as long as you don’t cause any trouble.

Johnny: This truce is only until after New Years. So don’t worry.

>The Blazing Team just stared worryingly at their former member.

It looks like it’s going to be an interesting transition.

Wilson: Don’t encourage him. Well, I’m off to the buffet. I wonder if they have corn dogs.

>The Blazing Team and Johnny just groan.

>We leave the Blazing Team and their former teammate to speak.

Queen: Speaking of which, we should be meeting the others at there as well.

Skull: Actually, I gotta jet. See ya on stage.

>I nod and Skull walks off.

Bonesaw: What’s that about?

Noir: Normally, the Ouran Host Club does the opening ceremony. But due to some of the members having plans for the holidays, not to mention Tamaki Suoh is on hiatus for the time being, KUROFUNE was asked to fill in and Ryuji is a member.

>We meet with Panther, Shiho, and the rest of the McGee Family. Lily, Diane, Trish, and Dennis were talking with another family when they noticed us.

Lily: Booth, you’ll never guess who’s here. Margaret Power and her family.

(wearing a while suit with a skirt) Mr. Bonesaw, it’s nice to meet you.

Bonesaw: Same here.

(wearing a light blue dress shirt and tan pants) Actually, I’m sort of a fan of yours. I’ve watched So You Want To Be A Wrestler now and again.

Bonesaw: And I suppose you want an autograph.

Dr. Power: ... Maybe a little.

(working on a last minute gift) You’re actually making his holiday here. I’ve never seen him so happy.

Bonesaw: (signing a picture of himself) That’s good to hear. A Merry Christmas to you, too.

Dr. Power: (a little embarrassed taking the picture) Th- Thank you.

Hey, don’t forget, we’re here because of me.

We know, Jack, you’ve told us like a bunch times.

Soul Taker: You’re in the tournament?

Jack: (smiling proudly) You bet!

We were a bit surprised at first. We didn’t even know such thing happens around Christmas. And they even let someone as young as Jack enter.

Queen: Ken Masters and Ryu needed something to do between Street Fighter Tournaments. And the minimum age to enter is 8.

Jack: I just turned 11. And I sorta... Wanted to meet Iron Fist.

Julie: Are you sure, Jack? You know you might have to fight him.

Jack: (starstruck) I know. To have a chance to face off Iron Fist in the ring?

???? ????: They say confidence is key, but do not let it cloud your judgement.

Jack: (surprised) Holy smoke, it’s him!

>No doubt about it, right next to us is the legendary hero, Iron Fist.

It is alright, right now, we are equals in this tournament. Jack Power, am I correct?

Jack: Y- Yes, sir. Er, Mr. Iron Fist.

Iron Fist: Just Iron Fist is fine.

Katie: Iron Fist, I want to ask you something.

Iron Fist: What is it, little one?

Katie: Well... Why are you in this tournament?

Julie: He does have a point. What do you need ¥900,000 for? Isn’t your family already rich?

Noir: She’s right. Under the mask, your real name is Daniel Rand and your family owns a major company. Almost as big as Stark Industries.

Iron Fist: True. I have no need for the money. The truth is... I needed an excuse to come to Japan.

Katie: What for?

Iron Fist: ... I like to keep that to myself.

Jack: Aw c’mon, you can tell me.

Alex: (unhappy) Jack!

Jack: (defeated) Fine. Never mind. I know you have your reasons. But, you know, just in case...

Iron Fist: ... Thank you, I will think about it.

Jack: (happy whisper) Yes!

>It is then that I notice Iron Fist... turns his gaze to me... Is here in Japan... for me?

Crow: It looks like Naoto senpai is almost finished with her meeting. Shall we speak to her now?

Soul Taker: I guess we can.

Queen: I’ll come too, just in case.

>With that, we go over to Naoto who was finishing up with her fellow detectives.

I have to admit, this is a most unusual case. Two big strong wrestlers just suddenly disappear without a trace.

I know. It’s almost like... Magic... You think Kaitou Kid might have something to do with this?

That doesn’t sound like something he’d do. What would he do with a couple of wrestlers?

I agree. But still, it is rather odd. Almost like... Like they’ve been taken to another world.

Now Detective Shirogane, you know as well as I do that other worlds is just a theory.

Heiji: And what about Thor?

Balanco: ... But I’ve been wrong before. That’s still a possibility.

(Talk about a quick recovery. Guess this kid’s more arrogant then we give him credit... Kind of reminds me of Kogoro san.)

I quite agree with Naoto senpai. That might be possible.

Naoto: (surprised) Akechi kun? You’re here.

Baranco: Ah, Detective Akechi. I thought you’d might be here.

Crow: You knew I was coming?

Baranco: Yes, I was told you’re a fan of Soul Taker here.

Conan: Say, Detective Akechi, I know you’re not on the case, But I was wondering what your take on the missing wrestlers is.

Crow: That’s what I was hoping to talk to Naoto senpai about. You said you might have an idea about who would know where Animal Mask and MAO are.

Because, me and my friends know someone who might know the same thing.

Naoto: Yes, I had a feeling you would.

Conan: And I think I know who you’re talking about.

You- You do?

Conan: Yes.

>This could be bad.

Conan: (smiling) You’re referring to the fortuneteller in Shinjuku.

Precisely.

>What a relief.

Heiji: What’s with the relief look?

No reason.

Detective Sato: I think I know that fortuneteller. She predicted that my soulmate was real close to where we were... I wasn’t sure what she meant. But whatever she said... Detective Takagi was real nervous about it while we were with her.

>Conan and Heiji just laugh. Detective Sato was just confused.

Baranco: I don’t put much stock in that kind of stuff, though this might be right up her alley. Because from what witnesses have described... Both men vanished in glowing sparkles. In a way, it probably was magic.

Conan: (with a determined smiled) You never know, Baranco san, that might be true.

>Then, Ran Mouri comes to us.

Conan kun, the opening ceremony is about to start. Let’s meet us with the others.

Conan: Alright, Ran neechan.

Ran: Alright. Soul Taker, good luck in the tournament.

You, too as well, Ran san.

>With that, we part ways for now and rejoin the others.

>The time for the opening ceremony began and KUROFUNE came on stage.

Welcome everyone to the 16th Annual Fight Before Christmas Tournament! We are KUROFUNE! I’m Yuto Kuroishi!

Keigo Kazama.

And I’m Ryuji Sakamoto!

Yes, welcome. I’m Ken Masters. And this is my fellow co-founder of this tournament, Ryu, who I finally managed to convinced to come to this.

Only because the house I normally stay in for the holidays had its roof fall in and I need a place to stay until it can be fixed.

Ken: Also with us are my lovely wife, Eliza, and our son, Mel.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

(art originally by AznBlaze) Dad says I’m now officially old enough to enter the tournament. But don’t go easy on my just because he and Uncle Ryu founded this tournament.

Ken: Also with us are Japanese sword master, Tomoe Tsurugi and her daughter, Kagami.

I can tell that this year’s tournament promises to be one of the biggest yet.

Kagami: Indeed it does.

Ken: Their guest, Parisian fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste and his son Adrien.

I look forward to seeing how well this tournament turns out.

Adrien: So do I, Father.

Ken: Also, Adrien and Kagami’s friends. Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Luka Couffaine.

>They just wave.

Ken: We also have, (groans) at my wife’s insistence, the Guile Family.

Guile: Happy Holidays.

Ken: Either way, this tournament is to remind us of all the struggles we had to endure this year. To celebrate who we are, who we were, and who we will be. Good luck, fighters! May the best one win!

>Everyone applauded.

>After the party, we meet up with Skull, Yuto, Keigo, Kaldur, Wyynde, Asami, and Tye.

Anya: I’m not ready to go to bed yet.

Oracle: So am I. Wanna grab some coffee? Our favorite diner is nearby.

Lily: I could use a drink, too. I’m so glad we can stay for New Years as well.

Miles: Lucky you.

Queen: You’re not staying, Miles?

Miles: I promised my folks I’d be home for Kwanzaa. So you guys better take pictures for me.

Peter: Don’t worry, we will.

>With that, we make our way to the diner.

>I wonder who will win this year’s tournament.

#phantom thieves cam

0 notes

kaitoujokerscans · 7 years

Text

Reminiscence Diamond Memory CH8

<8> On the Island

The roulette wheel turned noiselessly. A white ball rattled and fell into the Red 27 pocket.

"..." Falcon watched the pocket. Red 27 was the pocket that the ball had ended up in when he last fought Joker. The ball was meant to fall into the black pocket beside it, but Joker had used a trick to put it into Red 27. At the time, Falcon had cried out "It can't be!" It was impossible... Yet he made it happen. Falcon watched the glowing of Prism Island's bright neon lights from the window overlooking the veranda. The neon was a deep red, just like the roulette wheel's pockets. Footsteps came from behind him. The same steps as those he had heard in the museum.... no, these footsteps were more forceful and determined than they had been back then. "So you've come..." Falcon looked around just as a lone young man entered the VIP room. It was Joker.

Falcon held out his hands. "Ho ho ho, welcome. Your friends aren't here."

"Yeah, I know. I got in here easily thanks to all the fuss they raised. I heard you were making a worthwhile bet," Joker said as he raised the brim of his silk hat.

"Then you've come so we can have one more match?"

"That's right. I can't let things end on this note!" Joker exclaimed and stepping forward.

"Ho ho, very well. This is your advance notice, I take it." Falcon held up a playing card. On it was written, "Someday, I'll take 'Beyond Twilight' without fail! Phantom Thief Joker". "This got mixed into my cards at the art museum."

"Yeah. It turned out to be sooner than I expected though. I've come to get 'Beyond Twilight' once and for all."

"Understood. This is the VIP room of the casino I manage. Once inside, you're a guest. Let me prepare a special stage." Falcon turned his gaze to something lurching and clanking loudly just outside the window.

"...!" One of the aerial cable cars that circled the park was suspended there. Apparently the cable wires branched out in all directions of the park, and one of the wires connected to Falcon's room here. The cableway's gondola was about as big as Joker's own room and was entirely faced with glass, showing off a large table inside.

"Nobody will disrupt us there. We can enjoy an unadulterated bout..." Falcon chuckled brazenly.

There was no way to know what artifices lay within, nor what the master of cheats had in store. He was walking right into a trap, but Joker didn't hesitate. "Sure! Let's duke it out already!"

The two of them went into the cable car hanging from orange neon-lined rails, and it began to steadily go around Prism Island. The lights of the park attractions twinkled below them.

"An excellent place for a party, isn't it. Is it to your liking?"

Joker huffed. "Nah, I don't like it. A deserted amusement park is kinda frigid." Indeed, it was rather unsettling for the rides to still be moving with nobody around. It was as if the rides were living beings that had swallowed up all the people. Of course, that was not all that was upsetting Joker. The nostalgic sights of Prism Island were bringing back vivid memories of being with his father. "Let's get this last match going..." Joker glared at Falcon, his mind steeled.

"Ho ho ho, just my intention. But first, we must disclose what we will wager. I'll bet 'Beyond Twilight'," Falcon announced, then pointed towards the ferris wheel towering over the forest.

"Huh?..." Upon observation, there was something gleaming in one of the ferris wheel's revolving gondolas. "That's...!"

"That's right. 'Beyond Twilight' has been set there. If you win, you can take it. However, if you lose, the diamond will meet the same fate as the painting from not long ago..."

"The heck are you..."

"A diamond is just a lump of carbon. It can be burned if enough heat is applied... I also hear that diamonds shine quite brightly when they're ignited. Wouldn't you like to see that at least once?" A dreadful smile crept across Falcon's face. Falcon had already burned a highly valuable painting with ease. He certainly wouldn't be reluctant to burn the diamond too. He solely took delight in watching Joker suffer.

Joker grit his teeth. "I get it... that's fine. Let's start the match."

Yet Falcon still grinned and shrugged. "Hm? Aren't you mistaken about something? That diamond is my gamble. What will you bet?"

"What...?"

"The other day, you wagered your sentiment of winning, so you've already lost that. You have to wager a new item..."

"Darnit..." Joker silently reflected on Falcon's words for a moment. "You mean my 'life'...?"

"Ho ho ho, I did think that 'life' would be quite precious to you. True, I ended up losing our match on the ship when you bet your life. But this time, I want to have an even more exhilarating bout..."

"What do you mean...?"

"Thus, I've already prepared your wager for you." Falcon once again turned his gaze to the ferris wheel. Joker followed suit, but what he saw made his eyes open wide.

"What...!?" Suspended and passed out in a gondola apart from 'Beyond Twilight' was the form of a boy. It was Hachi. "That's...!"

"He was lying unconscious in the forest, along with one of my subordinates. It seems he did his best to help save your friends."

Joker looked back to Falcon with eyes sharp enough to cut. "Hachi's got nothing to do with this!"

"Is that so? A gamble requires each party to wager something important to them. In the first place, that diamond is nothing but a plain rock to me. What I'm really betting is my pride as a gambler. In exchange, you'll have to wager your dear friend."

"..."

"Of course, I've set a device that will instantaneously set the gondola he's in on fire, just the same as the diamond."

"You really..."

"The moment I give the signal, the entire ferris wheel will be engulfed in flame."

"Don't screw with me!" Joker gnashed, looking darkly at Falcon.

"Ha ha ha, excellent! That look in your eyes is exactly what I wanted! Those are the eyes of someone with the resolve to gamble! The match would be dull otherwise! Let's start the bout with no further ado!" Falcon exclaimed and laid a deck of cards on the table. "Just like last time, the game will be poker. However, it won't do to have a tedious match again. This time, we'll have only one hand."

"Just one...?"

"Correct. We'll each be dealt seven cards from the deck to serve as our hands. There will be no exchange. Once we've arranged our seven cards, whoever's five-card hand is worth more wins."

"..."

Falcon shuffled the cards and handed them to Joker. "Please shuffle and cut the deck. Let me just advise you that I won't overlook any tricks as I did last time..."

"Heh, that's my line." Joker shuffled the cards and placed them in the center of the table.

Falcon flipped over the top card of the deck. "Six of Diamonds. We confirm the cards by calling them out."

"Yeah, I know." Joker glanced at the ferris wheel, where the gondola with Hachi aboard gently revolved. He looked back and carefully turned over a card. "...Jack of Hearts."

§§§

Spade and Queen sped down the dim basement hallway. A line of security guards chased at their backs. Spade called upon a mental image of the map while continuing to run through the complex passages. Queen kept in contact with Roko and Dark Eye with a handheld transmitter. They had taken the transmitter off Owl, and Spade had changed the channel so that it could contact the biplane.

"Roko and Dark Eye are in the air right now," Queen informed Spade as she ran.

"Okay, let's just get above ground. If we go up the stairs here, we should get out on the castle's first floor."

The two of them dashed up the stairs and opened the door to find a spacious hall.

"This place is..."

"Right, this is the Underground Casino..."

The expansive hall had a much different atmosphere than the passages they had been running in. Here there were an abundance of guests pleasuring themselves with gambling, genial smiles on their faces. Slot machines lined the walls, and poker, blackjack, and roulette were being played all over the room. Among the richly-clad guests were politicians, financial bigwigs, celebrities, and gangsters. None of them seemed to be paying any heed to the turmoil outside, instead delighting in games.

"Geez, they're really laid-back..."

"Yeah. These are the real customers of Prism Island," mused Spade, uninvited as he was. Surveying the hall, they could see the starry sky above from high bay windows. They would be able to get out from there. Spade and Queen speed-walked in between the guests reeking of perfume and climbed up to the window terrace.

At that moment, a piercing alarm rang through the hall. "Your attention please!"

"Burglars have intruded!" shouted a group of security guards as they ran into the hall. The tranquil atmosphere was replaced with nervous rustling as they flowed in between the guests. "Over there!" yelled one particular guard as he pointed at Spade, who was wrenching open the window.

"Rats...!"

The security guards simultaneously pointed their guns towards Spade and Queen. "Fire!" The guards discharged their weapons with a deafening bang. They were done for! --or so they thought, but the bullets didn't reach them.

"Huh...?" Spade and Queen turned around to see the bullets inexplicably stopped in midair.

"!"

"...What's going on!?"

Then they saw the biplane piloted by Dark Eye through the window. On the plane, Roko threw a rope towards the window.

"In any case, let's get out!" exclaimed Queen, and the pair jumped outside. Grabbing onto the rope, Spade and Queen found themselves pulled up into the night sky.

--Yet still, why did the guards' bullets freeze in midair...? That's because when the guns were fired, bulletproof glass was placed between the officers and the thieves. How exactly did that bulletproof glass appear? The answer is in a corner of the hall.

"Good grief..." sighed a guest standing in the shadow of a remote pillar. "It doesn't look like they noticed. Phew..." exhaled the suited gentleman. He was standing up straight and was clad in white from top to bottom. He had long white hair and an impressive beard, and a stylish monocle shone over his left eye. A white silk hat with a pink "H" rested on his head. It was Joker, Spade, and Queen's master, Silver Heart.

"I was having a reunion with phantom thief friends and came to liven it up at the Underground Casino, but if Queen found out, she'd certainly give me an earful." Silver Heart popped the bulletproof glass made with Image Gum with a bang. "Now then, the match is still going!" Silver Heart held his chin high and flashed a mischievous smile as he returned to the blackjack table in high spirits.

§§§

The cable car idly passed over the silent amusement park. Looking through the floor of the elegant glass-walled cable car truly gave the impression that they were walking on air. Moving over the neon attractions was like crossing a sea of light. Joker and Falcon's bout was still in progress. The two of them were drawing in turns, and had just drawn their sixth respective cards and laid them down.

"Jack of Diamonds."

"Mine is 10 of Hearts."

They each called out their cards. They both had one card left to draw. Falcon's cards were the 6 of Diamonds, 3 of Diamonds, King of Spades, 6 of Spades, 6 of Clubs, and 10 of Hearts... If his next card was a 6, he would have four of a kind, but if it were a 3, 10, or King, he would have a full house. On the other hand, Joker wasn't losing yet. He had the Jack of Hearts, 8 of Clubs, Ace of Spades, 8 of Diamonds, and Jack of Diamonds... If his next card was an 8 or Jack, he could form a full house. At last it was Joker's turn to draw his last card.

"..." Even Joker couldn't help but gulp. Falcon was staring at him with an insufferable smile on his face. Neither of them had any chance to cheat. Unlike the last match, there wasn't anywhere to hide cards either. They were practically in a locked room, and there wasn't even the slightest bit of airflow. Yet still, Joker couldn't shake the feeling. If he drew an 8 or Jack, Falcon would probably cheat. He would use any means to draw the 6 of Hearts. Would he be able to catch him?... Just how could he...

"..." Joker slowly extended his hand to draw his last card, but then saw something glint out of the corner of his eye. "..." Joker looked towards the ferris wheel. Something surfaced in his mind. God... not again... He saw himself on that day long ago. Yes, Joker had gotten on the ferris wheel that day, because it was...

The fingers on Joker's outstretched hand trembled. "Hh..."

Falcon noticed his behavior. "...It seems you still have other thoughts."

"..."

"I understand that he's important to you, but this match hinges on exactly how precious he is, and whether you can forsake him..."

"...What do you mean?"

"Unless you come to a match ready to lose everything, you will be unable to win."

"Hmph, so you say. Doesn't owning this park and casino mean that they're important to you?"

"What I treasure is not the place itself, but the memories of the past associated with it..."

"Memories..." Joker reacted.

Falcon began to explain. "Even if I lose something, the memories of it remain. I learned everything here..."

"So those memories are your emotional support...?"

"Yes indeed. I first came to this island when I was only ten. I had chased a band of ruffians here to get revenge for my parents who they deceived. They took management of Prism Island with the money they had conned out of my parents.

"..."

"Just as I do now, I challenged them to a game of poker. I wagered my life in that match, and they took me up on it. The poker match was held in the VIP room. But just as it was time for the game to begin, I suddenly became frightened. When I thought of how I'd lose my life if I failed, I couldn't stop shaking."

"..."

"I took a time out and went into the plaza. I met a gentleman there." Falcon raised his gaze, his blond hair wavering.

Something clicked inside Joker at that moment. "...!" The memory of the blond-haired boy who was talking to his father that day by the castle veranda revived in his eyes. Could that boy have been...! Joker overlaid his mental image of the matured boy with the man right in front of him.

Falcon continued to tell his story.

§§§

I took a deep breath and composed myself at the castle veranda, the tranquil sights of the amusement park spread before me. There were many families playing and having fun. Yet there I was, ten years old and risking my life in a single match. I heard a voice call out to me.

"What are you doing there?" The voice belonged to a dignified gentleman.

"...I'm looking at a short-lived dream."

"Huh...?" The man climbed up to the veranda. He had probably realized that I was under special circumstances. He stood next to me and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm nervous," I answered.

"Why are you nervous?" His gentle way of speaking reminded me of my father. My own father had treated me kindly like this until his suicide. That was the key that opened the door of my heart that was driven to gamble. I told the man of my circumstances. At first he listened quietly, but upon hearing that I was risking my life in a wager, his expression became grim. When the time-out ended and I was about to return to the room, the man looked around and after a moment's thought, asked: "Would you mind if I came along?"

I didn't refuse. I might have wanted to be watched by someone. I took the man's proffered hand and returned to the room. There, the bet resumed. He faithfully watched over me from behind as the game slowly proceeded. It made me very glad, enough that my hand stopped shaking. But just as the last match was about to begin, something happened. Before the bout, the man called me over to a corner of the room. He had probably done so out of worry for me, nervous as I was.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, it'll end soon. Even if I lose, everything will be over..."

"...Even if you lose?"

"Yes, that's right."

Somewhere inside, I was actually at ease. That was because I had a hidden trump card -- I had set a bomb in the Prism Island ferris wheel. If I lost the match, I planned to trigger the bomb and throw the park into chaos. If I couldn't avenge my parents in a bet, then I would have to do it through other means.

I quietly told the man about my plan so nobody else could hear. I was confident and proud of myself. He seemed to be shocked, and asked me to see the bomb switch. I did as he asked. He swiftly took the switch from my hands and smashed it against the floor, stomping it to pieces. I was enraged and wailed. "Why did you do that? Are you trying to ruin my life?!" I wouldn't be able to get revenge for my parents now. Everything was over.

The man was seized for causing an uproar. As they carried him out, he shouted "You can't play a match like this!"

All that I had left was despair... I had lost everything because of that man, and there was no way to open up my future other than by winning the bet. That was when a certain resolve blossomed within me. When I thought of how everything would end for me if I lost, the resolve within me turned to strength. The bomb was nothing but an escape route. I sealed away every feeling and fetter within me, even my hatred and despair, and won my match against them...

I had won the game of poker with an ordinary two pair. I had gained a determined heart that wasn't swayed by the strength of a hand. Abandon everything, even life and money... I had learned that the secret to winning was the resolve to sacrifice all things.

§§§

Falcon finished his story and took a breath. "--I am thankful to that gentleman for that. He took everything from me, but at the same time gave me everything..."

"..." Joker had been listening all this time with his head down, and was now biting his lip. His mind was like a tumultuous whirlpool. A number of truths, memories of his father, and the feelings Joker himself had been having were all pressuring him at once. "..."

Joker lifted his head. I have to win no matter what... win, and answer my father's emotions... Joker slowly drew a card and flipped it over. It was the 6 of Hearts. "Ghh..." Joker groaned. Now Falcon wouldn't be able to get four sixes, but it cemented Joker's hand as a two pair.

Falcon chuckled quietly. "I knew you wouldn't be able to forsake your other thoughts..." Falcon silently took a card in hand. "You had no resolve as a gambler, but I have the resolve to abandon everything..." He flipped over the card onto the table. The 3 of Clubs -- Falcon had a full house.

"Three of clubs. You couldn't win against me because of your attachment to treasure, life, and companion. As long as you have those other thoughts lurking within you, you can't win against me. Of course, it's impossible for a phantom thief to throw away their other thoughts anyway..." Falcon gave a thin smile and gradually turned his back to Joker. "It's high time to finish him and the diamond off. I'll accomplish what I couldn't that day... the ferris wheel will burn, and my victory will be settled..." Falcon held up his finger to give the signal. But then-

"Wait." Joker said. Falcon turned back.

"What's the matter? Any excuses or pleadings for his life or another match would be most shameful. You lost by the rules. Please accept the truth."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm going to call out my card, according to the rules."

"...What do you mean?"

"It's the 8 of Hearts."

"What..." Falcon shifted his gaze to the cards on the table. Lying there was his own full house, Joker's two pair of Jack over 8, and the last card Joker drew, the 6 of Hearts. "What are you saying, what you drew was the 6 of Hearts..." Just as he spoke, he noticed something off about the marks on the card. "T-That can't be..."

Joker yelled out, "Take a good look, Falcon!", and waved his cape wide. A breeze danced through the unventilated room and swept something atop the 6 of Hearts. Four scraps of confetti blew off the card, revealing the 8 of Hearts beneath.

"I-Inconceivable...!"

"You let your guard down, Falcon. I disguised the numbers and symbols on the 8 of Hearts and played it as the 6 of Hearts. Then I just waited for you to call your hand..."

"W-Why...?"

"Simple. You're a gambler through and through. You wouldn't call your cards until you were sure you'd win. In short, I needed to make you think you had won."

"..."

"If I had two pair, you would set yourself up for a full house without cheating. That's why I changed my 8 for a 6. It was so I could win against you..."

"Blast..."

Joker held up the 8 of Hearts in front of him. "I call the 8 of Hearts! That makes my hand a full house, Jacks over 8s. I win this match!"

"I-I can't believe it..."

"You do need resolve to win, but not to abandon what's dear to you. It's the resolve to protect what's dear!" Joker exclaimed and began to inflate Image Gum. The gum quickly filled the room, breaking through the glass and bursting with a pop.

"Wha...!" The room shattered and Joker and Falcon were left in the outside air. Falcon instantly grabbed onto a wire hanging from the cableway rail. Joker was in front of him hovering with Balloon Gum as he dangled over the sea of neon.

"Thanks, Falcon."

"How do you mean...?"

"Thanks to you, I learned something from my father -- how important the resolve to save someone is, I mean..."

"Father? What are you talking about?"

"That day, my father didn't go off somewhere and leave me. He was trying to help a boy he met by chance. Then he destroyed the bomb switch to save his son, who would have been riding the ferris wheel..."

"What...? Does that mean that man was your..."

"Heh heh, glad I didn't end up getting killed by you!" Joker said before turning around and flying away towards the ferris wheel, brightly lit in white neon.

"I can't believe..." Falcon looked down at Prism Island below him. The neon lights radiated as they always did. "I didn't have enough resolve..."

His left hand was stinging with immense pain as he grabbed onto the wire, but it refused to let go. That surprised him. "Does this mean... I don't want to give up my life...?" It was proof Falcon still wanted to live and experience more thrilling matches. It seems my heart wants a different resolve than to throw away life or money... Falcon grinned. "Joker, let's duel again...!" As he gazed at the ferris wheel, his expression was of a gambler with the resolve to live.

#kaitou joker #light novel

27 notes · View notes

krissucanwrite · 7 years

Text

Persona 5 is a beautiful game with a lot of flaws.

This review of Persona 5 might contain spoilers for the game.

Have you ever been excited for the release of a game? What if that game was the next in a series that contained your favourite game of all time? What if that game got released in Japan almost a year before you had your hands on it? Would your excitement for it die? Or would that just make you more excited?

This was Persona 5 for me.

Persona 4 Golden is my favourite game of all time. To me, it’s perfect in every way. The characters are lovable, the story is fantastic, the music is stellar, and the setting was quaint. It felt like I was returning to a familiar town that I’d been to before. The characters became best friends that I looked forward to seeing each day. There was a true sense of excitement every time a new day rolled over. “Who should I social link with today? What adventures are we going to have? Where will we end up?”

Needless to say, Persona 5 had some big shoes to fill.

First, I’ll talk about everything I love about the game. The visuals are STUNNING. Because they’re so stylised, I’m willing to be they’ll hold up really well in the future. The contrast of reds and blacks and the way colour is used is brilliant. All the in game models, save for one, look flawless. The only model I have an issue with is Ryuji’s, and it’s simply because his eyes look too far apart. One out of dozens is not bad though, and overall, this game has the strongest visuals of any game I’ve ever played.

The soundtrack is pretty solid. Most of the music fits the situations you’re in. My favourite track is the one that plays during exams. Such intense music is really fitting since, even in the world of Persona, exams are a huge deal. I also love “The Days When My Mother Was There” and “Layer Cake.” These three tracks in particular really stood out to me.

Speaking of Palaces, one of them was really well done. Futabas Palace. It connected with me so hard that once I was done the Palace, I cried harder than I ever have. It’s all about helping a little girl who’s trapped in her own mind. She can’t escape. She’s blaming herself for the death of her mother, and she doesn’t understand how to deal with what she’s feeling. This palace was constructed flawlessly. Every aspect of it was perfect, from the fact she saw it as a tomb to the music to the desert atmosphere. It’s probably my favourite dungeon in all of Persona.

Most of the characters are great, and even though I don’t think they’re as deep as the cast from Persona 4, they still work for the story. I think that the main cast, for the most part, is weaker than the Persona 4 crew, but the side social links were executed better. For example, I really loved Hifumi, the shogi player, and her social link. It was memorable, Hifumi had a great design, and her personality was unique. I also loved Tae, the doctor, and her social link. Even Sojiro ended up having a fantastic social link, and his interactions with the player are great.

The game plays smoothly and I really love the ambush system. The animations for each party member are slightly different and unique, and I really like them all. They took the system in Persona 4, which worked really well, and polished it. Fighting was a joy. The only issue with game play I had was the camera not behaving in certain sections of some dungeons. The issues were few and far between though, and overall the game was a delight in terms of playability.

However, as with all things, there are some problems with Persona 5, and they really stand out to me.

First, let’s talk about the other Palaces. Even though Futaba had a fantastic Palace, I still think most of the dungeons in the game were boring, bland, forgettable, or downright frustrating. The first Palace you do is long, annoying, and visually uninteresting. Madarame’s dungeon is visually boring, and quite annoying because of the security lasers. It goes on like that, and I personally think that even though they hit a great high with Futabas palace and the themes they explore, it doesn’t quite hit the same high again.

The worst offender, however, is Shido’s palace. This place takes the form of a ship, which is not terrible. It’s slightly boring inside, but not awful. What makes the dungeon awful is the mechanic they introduce. For almost every hallway you have to go through from one area to the next, you’ll pass by statues. These statues turn the party into rats.

No, I’m not joking.

When this happens, be prepared for 20 minutes of avoiding shadows (you can’t fight as a rat), going through air vents that aren’t really obviously placed for the player to find, and being annoyed because you know this isn’t the last time this mechanic is going to be used. There’s one section in particular where you literally leave one set of hallways only to enter ANOTHER set of hallways right after it that use this mechanic. It took me nearly an hour to get through this part. It’s terrible. There’s no other word for this mechanic, and I hate it.

Another huge problem I have with the game is that all the BIG TWISTS are telegraphed so easily. I remember being in that TV studio for the first time and having Akechi talk to me, talking about pancakes, and thinking “Huh, he must be in the metaverse too, so he’s gotta be the one behind the shutdowns.” Lo and behold, there he was. I remember thinking “Huh, they keep telegraphing how important the metaverse is, I bet it’s a really important dungeon later on.” That’s what happens. “Man they keep showing this bald dude, I bet he’s a boss later on. He’s totally super important.” Shido turns out to be one of the most important bosses.

I’m not saying you should NEVER telegraph your twists. In Persona 4, the twist is telegraphed, but in such a way that, unless you were REALLY paying attention, you wouldn’t pick up on it on your first play through. Everything about Persona 5 is so easily predicted, and that’s my problem. When the twists are revealed, they’re posed as big shockers, when in reality, I’d guessed them HOURS before.

Even though I think the OST was pretty darn good, after a while, a lot of the music felt kinda samey. It was still GOOD, but they all blend together in the end. There’s a lot of funk, a lot of songs with similar sounding vocals. A lot of the same, over and over again. Listening to the tracks on their own feels great. The music outside of the context of the game is a fantastic album. Playing for 10 hours and listening to the music back to back, though, makes everything melt together. Persona 4 didn’t have this problem. Each track stood on its own, outside of the game AND in the context of the game itself.

I think one of my biggest problems with the game, however, is the main cast of characters. Some of them are great. Futaba felt fresh and new and well developed. Yusuke was funny and entertaining and made me laugh consistently through my journey. Haru, though quite bland at times, was charming and the balance the team needed in terms of personality. However, others are quite disappointing.

Ann is very one dimensional and flat. She’s a one note character, and even though I do like her, she’s rather forgettable in my opinion. She doesn’t have the humour or charm that Yusuke has, so she ends up being flat and bland. A character I could see in any JRPG. That’s a little disappointing considering she was the first party member we meet.

Ryuji is loud, obnoxious, annoying, and stupid. I was constantly infuriated with how idiotic and moronic he was. His character didn’t change much throughout the story either, so he was annoying and stupid for over 100 hours of gameplay. I know some people think he’s funny, but the whole “HEY EVERYONE WE’RE THE PHANTOM THIEVES” bit really made me angry. At the end, I truly disliked him.

Another character that was very annoying was Morgana. The character himself wasn’t TOO bad. It was weird how badly he wanted Ann, and some of the phrases he used rubbed me the wrong way. (Like being highly possessive over Ann, using phrases that made it sound like she was HIS and like she was a prize to be won) The biggest problem with Morgana though was the fact he forces you to go to sleep SO. OFTEN. In Persona 4, every time you go to sleep, it’s YOUR decision to sleep. “I’m feeling tired today, I should go to bed.” To me, there’s a HUGE difference between that and “Hey don’t you feel tired????? You should sleep early tonight!” In a game about time management, where every second is important, it stressed me so bad whenever Morgana would force me to go to sleep.

So, after all that, what do I think of Persona 5? Well, it was very hard not to go into this game with high expectations. Persona 4 Golden is my favourite game of all time. I was hoping for a game that took everything that made Persona 4 great and amplified it. Did that happen? Yes and no. The gameplay is a step up from Persona 4. The visuals are STUNNING. The side characters have much better social links. I think, though, the game falls flat on its face in terms of main characters and story focus. The game dragged in a lot of places, and I honestly felt like it could have been a 75-hour game instead of a 100-hour game. When I put the controller down, I wasn’t jumping to come back and play. Instead, I was content to wait a day or two. It didn’t grab me nearly as much as I had hoped.

Is it my fault for going in with such high expectations? Should I have dampened what I wanted in the game, and gone in hoping for nothing? Who knows.

Everything said I did enjoy this game. In terms of JRPG’s, it’s actually pretty good. And I think if you’d never played another game in the Persona series, you’d really enjoy it! I don’t feel bad about the time I’ve spent with it, despite all the flaws the game has. It will be interesting to see how I feel on a New Game + run.

If you’re going in thinking this will be as good, or better, than Persona 4, you might be disappointed. It’s still worth your time, though. If you go in wanting some very pretty, well-executed game play with some awesome side characters, I think you’ll be able to enjoy it. If you want a diverse, deep cast of main characters with a fantastic main story, stick to Persona 4.

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