Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Opening

Jackie: Yo

Soren: Waddup

Mac: He-hey, looks who's there y'all

Robin: Soren, Jackie! It's been a while.

Shulk: How are you guys doing?

Soren: Oh you know

Soren: Vibing

Ryu: That's great to hear.

Jackie: What about you

Jackie: How you holdin' up

Ken: Oh you know

Ken: Vibing

Soren: Ahh taking the words out of my mouth huh

Ken: Yup

Richter: It hasn't even been a minute and already we're spiraling out of control.

Ike: That's how friends are.

Ike: Anyway, we missed you. It's been a long time since we talked like this.

Shulk: It is. It's always great to have everyone back on board.

Mac: Yeah

Mac: I'm pretty sure we have a lot to talk about

Robin: For sure.

Robin: By the way, we're back in Japan if none of us told you.

Soren: Really

Soren: We just landed not too long ago

Ken: Wait, for real

Richter: That's awesome! Now we really have everyone on board!

Jackie: Hell yeah

Jackie: Oh yeah what about Kirby

Jackie: I know he doesn't have a phone but

Ryu: He's with us now.

Ike: Don't worry, he got the message.

Soren: That's great to hear

Soren: Anyway, where should we meet up

Mac: How about Leblanc

Jackie: Ooh sounds great

Soren: We'll be there very soon

Shulk: Alright! See you soon!

After getting off the plane and getting their bags, Soren and Jackie got on a subway that is embarking to Yongen-Jaya.

"Man… it's really been that long since I stepped foot here." Soren huffed.

"Yeah, it's really one of the best places for vacations." Jackie nods. "You know, it really has been months ever since we started our first adventure. Time really does fly that fast, huh?"

"Yeah. Goddamn I feel old."

"Hey, we all feel that way whenever we think about it. But still, it's always nice to get back together. That's pretty much how life goes."

"You got that right."

The subway stopped, signifying passengers that they've arrived.

"Well, here we are."

They finally arrive at Yongen-Jaya, with the neighborhood becoming more bustling than before.

"We're here!" Jackie declared.

"My god, there's a lot of people here. Is it because we're in the summertime?"

"Most likely. I mean, winter is kinda like that too, but that's only the time when plane tickets don't get this expensive."

"Facts. Actually facts."

"Anyway, let's go to Leblanc. We wouldn't wanna keep them waiting, now don't we?"

"Alright, let's go."

The duo walk past everyone and finally made their way to Leblanc. The sign said 'Open' but the lights are turned off. It feels weird for Leblanc to do that, but they said they're in there, so they may as well just go in.

They open to door and, as expected, the place is deserted. They didn't know if they arrive early or late if that's what they're getting, but suddenly, the lights turn on, and party poppers started popping, leaving them stunned.

"Surprise!"

"Welcome back!"

The people who popped their heads out are all the former members of Monsta X, who planned this surprise for them.

"Yo, waddup! Was that good or was that good?" Ken wrapped his arm around Soren.

"It sure was. You had us on the first half, not gonna lie." Soren said.

"Welcome back, you two." Shulk greeted.

"We sure missed you." Richter said.

"Clearly." Mac nodded.

"Thanks, everyone." Jackie told them.

"Have you been eating well?" Ryu asked.

"Seems you're doing well for yourselves." Ike noticed.

"Well then, it seems everyone's doing well for themselves too." Robin added.

"I'll say." Soren noticed that there is someone missing. "I think we're missing one more person."

"Right you are." A gruff voice said, revealing to be Sojiro.

"Hey Sojiro!" Jackie greeted.

"Hey there. It's been a while, but don't forget about him as well."

The group stepped out of the way to introduce the last member of the party: Kirby, who happens to be on the countertop, ready to give his greetings.

"안녕 기다렸어."

Chapter Text

"Hello, my friends. It warms my heart to see you well in spirit." Kirby greets.

"Yeah, same to you." Soren reciprocates.

"Well, now that we have everyone here, let me say one thing; Welcome back." Sojiro greeted.

"Thanks, Sojiro. It's nice to be back." Jackie bows.

"Well, now that you're here, how about the usual for all of you?" The group answered with a lot of 'yes' 'yeah' and 'hell yeah' at the drop of a pin. "Alright then, I'll go get these ready."

"Do you need any help with that? We'd be happy to help." Robin offered. "With this many people here, it's going to be a handful."

"I appreciate the offer, but I've been doing this for years. There's nothing I can't handle. You guys go on and catch up."

"Well, if you say so." Mac reluctantly accepted.

As Sojiro makes the food and coffee, the former members of Monsta X made up lost time with how everyone's been doing so far. The topics ranged from what they did during their time back at home, how their visits with the Phantom Thieves have been, and some other miscellaneous things. When Sojiro called that their orders are ready, it was time to eat.

While they're eating their curry and drinking their coffee, or water in some cases, they still continue their conversations. They even got Sojiro to join in on the fun even when he declined the first time. So much time has passed that it was time to actually go home.

"Alright, we're gonna be on our way now." Ken announced.

"Take care, everyone." Ryu waved as they were the first to leave.

"We're gonna get going too." Shulk said. "We'll see you soon." He and Robin already went out.

"Yup, we'll also be outta here too." Richter got up as Ike tagged along.

"We'll see you around." Ike waved as they left.

"It seems that we too must depart." Kirby and Mac walked towards the door with the latter opening it. "Farewell for now."

As the others have already left, only Soren and Jackie remained. They seem to notice the old man's expression full of sorrow and grief, and they know they can't leave him like that, so they're gonna try to comfort him as best they can.

"Hey." Soren called. "How are you holding up?"

Sojiro sighed. "I'll live. It's just… really hard to live through day by day, especially when losing the one last light of your life." He sighs again. "I miss them every day."

"Yeah. I feel you. I think about them every single day, too." Jackie slumps at the table. "It's really unfair to have something taken away from you, especially when some things go either right or wrong. I don't believe anyone deserves this kind of fate, not even you, Sae, and even Ryuji's mom."

"Well, I just want to say we're here for you while we're here. Take all the time you need, and call us if your ever need anything." Soren said.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

Soren pays the bill and the duo walks out, but not before looking back for one last glance. Hearing those words, and remembering his children, Sojiro cried alone in the now empty Leblanc.

"Futaba… Akira… Wakaba… I miss you all so much…"

"Poor guy. It must've been hard for him to be all by himself." Jackie said.

"Yeah. I just wish there was some way we can help him." Soren thought.

"Me too. Well, let's go on home. Say, you wanna crash at my place?"

"What for?"

"Well, you gave me a place to stay when I first came into the real world, so I wanted to return the favor for you."

"Aww, that's sweet of you. Sure, I can hold you up for that."

"Great, then let's get going."

The guys took the subway again to go to Shibuya, which is where Jackie lives in apparently. He tells Soren that he lives in a really nice neighborhood thanks to the help of one of his coworkers, and he'll show him around once they get there. Once they got off, they went to go see where his house is.

In front of them is a two-story house, with a designated driveway, a portable garden and a small car that can only fit 2 people at best.

"Ay-yoo?" that was Soren's first reaction.

"Yeah, crazy, huh?" Jackie said.

"How did your coworker ever find a place this… nice?"

"This happened around the time when I was starting my life here, and he showed me this house that was on sale. Of course, he helped me out with the process, and the rest is history."

"Ohh. It really is a nice place to look at."

"It'll be a whole lot nicer once we get in. Come on."

Jackie opens the door, just for Soren to be in awe.

The living room consists of a round table, assembled with two chairs on the side, and a sofa behind, and a TV in front. It's also linked to the kitchen with the dining table connecting to it. The wooden beams and pillars support the structure, and Jackie himself dedicated the time to fortify them so that they don't fall apart. At the backyard is a small lawn that is accompanied by the view of the city.

"Holy shit, dude. This is… so modest." Soren commented.

"He figured that this would be the best fit for me since I wanted to live modestly. In a way, he's right. I don't need anything fancy, just as long as I have a roof over my head, and maybe something nice to look at." Jackie explained.

"Yeah, I'll say."

"So that's the first floor. Let me show you the second floor."

They went upstairs to check on Jackie's room. What he's hiding behind that door was the bombshell that was dropped on Soren.

It was a bedroom and a gaming room with a supercomputer on the side, followed by three screens, a keyboard that glows in the dark, and a mouse with a keypad on the side.

"Yo, what the fuck, you're actually loaded!"

"I guess you could say that. I thought about doing this after saving up all the money I had from my current job or killing slash bribing Shadows for money in the Metaverse. Everything you see here is top notch."

"For real though, yeah."

"But that's not the only thing I have in here."

He then shows him what he considers his prized possessions: The pictures of the entire group on separate frames, ranging from eating out at restaurants, taking the long vacation that they deserved, and especially the concert.

"You really did keep all of them." Soren looked at them all.

"These are all precious to me. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Having people by your side that you can call friends and family really does mean the whole world to me."

"Keep them close to your heart. Always. Because they're irreplaceable and valuable in a lifetime, I daresay even more so than gold and diamonds. The only difference between those is that these bonds and memories are priceless because there's no price tag on them and they can't be labeled as such."

"Yeah… you're totally right. That's also why I have them framed, because if I do happen to forget, these memories can always come straight back to me in an instant."

"That's right. And don't worry, we can still make new ones, and we'll be sure to make these last too."

"Yeah." Jackie puts the frames back to where they were. "Alright then, let's go get you situated."

Jackie helps Soren unpack and settle down for the night. The latter decided to sleep on the couch, and the home owner tells him that the couch is also a futon as he turns it into such, and provides him pillows and blankies for the duration of his stay.

"That's everything, right?" Soren asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Jackie nodded. "And hey, if you need something, just holler at me."

"Thanks, though I'll be fine for the night."

"Alrighty then. Night-night."

"Night-night."

Jackie goes back to his room, and Soren lays down on the futon. He just stared at the ceiling for a good 5 minutes, thinking about the last 6 hours while being here. He couldn't believe that they were on the plane for that long, and now they're here.

He ends up falling asleep due to jetlag and for thinking too long, and he subconsciously hopes that there will be a lot of things he can do while he's here.

Soren opens his eyes to look up at the bright blue sky, thinking that it's daytime already, but turns his head to see the waterfall, and that's when he got up real fast.

He looked around to see four floating islands, two abandoned colosseums, two waterfalls, with crystals solidifying and greenery growing everywhere.

"Looks like you're finally awake." A teenage voice said.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" then a girl's voice.

Soren looks up to see the three people that are stationed on three platforms; Ren Amamiya on the right, Lavenza on the left, and Igor on the top.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor greeted. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a contract may enter. Personally speaking, allow me to say 'welcome back.'"

"Uhh… thanks, I guess?" Soren shrugs.

"Good to see you haven't changed a bit." Ren chuckled, before putting on his serious face. "But still, judging from your expression and body movement, it seems you know the reason why you're called here again."

"It has to be another threat, right?"

"Yes, that's correct." Lavenza answered. "A most loathsome being has manifested… much more malevolent than the 'Lord of Light' and the 'Embodiment of Chaos and Darkness' together. Unfortunately, it has come to the point that you and your friends are caught in the struggle once more."

"Caught in the struggle? Does that mean that there is another god out there that wants to destroy the world and recreate it?"

"But it's way worse." Ren said grimly. "Way, WAY worse."

"How worse are talking here?"

"Just like the two entities you had encountered from your previous journey, there are also two malevolent gods who seek to lure you to a disastrous fate. Should the world continue its own current path, all that awaits you is destruction."

"…"

"Be not afraid, Trickster." Igor spoke up. "Do not forget that you have inherited one important trait from the previous Trickster; his rebellious spirit."

"With it, you can defy fate and face the distortion that threatens not only this world but many worlds also." Ren added.

"What awaits you ahead are more of the same- no, even greater hardships than before." Lavenza followed up. "However… you must never forget-"

"We are always by your side." They all said.

"Thanks guys. It really does mean a lot to me." Soren smiled.

"Now then, it is time for you to return to reality." Igor announced.

"Good night, Soren." Ren said.

"Pleasant dreams." Lavenza smiles.

Soren lays down and goes back to sleep once again.

Chapter Text

Soren woke up from a not so pleasant night. He just heard from the Velvet Room residents that there is ANOTHER god out there that also wanted to destroy the world and recreate it, pretty much like what Galeem and Dharkon were doing, but since Ren said that they're much worse than them, he knows not to take them lightly.

He gets up from the bed to start the day, though the thought still won't leave him be.

Soren's phone went off to see a flurry of text messages from the members in the group chat. He opens it to see 30+ messages going on, talking nonstop since 7 AM apparently.

"Where did they get that kinda energy from?" Soren thought. He jumps in the chat to say something.

Soren: Hey what are talking about here

Shulk: We were deciding on what we're going to do while we're here.

Soren: Like what

Richter: Oh I don't know. Maybe actually go sightseeing for once.

Ken: Something that should've been done long time ago

Jackie: What you mean like go on a road trip or something

Robin: Probably, but we haven't figured out what to do yet.

Ryu: What about you?

Ryu: Have you decided on what we should do?

Soren: Uhh, not really

Ike: What about Kirby then? Does he know?

Mac: I don't think he's the guy you wanna ask about this

Richter: Well, I guess none of us here have any ideas.

Mac: Wait hold on

Mac: Kirby's actually using a guidebook here to find us some activities

Shulk: Huh?

Robin: Wait, what?

Ken: He's actually clutching this out for us

Mac: Alright the results are in!

Jackie: Let's hear it

Mac: Sendai, Sapporo, Okinawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, Yokohama, just to name a few

Richter: My god…

Ike: I see.

Soren: Damn that's actually a lot

Soren: But hold on, we already got here yesterday, shouldn't we take the time to relax a little bit

Richter: You do have a point, but we've pretty much done everything in Tokyo.

Richter: Even if they were last minute.

Richter: So we figured that we may as well expand our sightseeings up a notch.

Ryu: And yet that is true.

Soren: Alright, you made your case

Soren: I guess a road trip is in order

Robin: Awesome! This is actually our first time doing this!

Shulk: Have you done road trips before?

Soren: Yeah I have, though it was only with family and not friends so this should be interesting

Jackie: Ah I see

Jackie: Well then how does this road trip thing work

Soren: Well it goes like this

He gives them a basic idea of what road trips are, what they need to prep for, and how to make it a good one. Simply the basic things they all need to know.

Ike: I see.

Ike: So basically we're all going together as like a family outing of some sort.

Soren: Something like that

Ken: Sounds great! We can totally get behind that

Ken: So, what's the plan, chief

With Soren giving them the list of things they need for the trip, everyone wasted no time in getting them, though the leader wished they took it down a notch. He ends up going with Jackie as he gave him the task of buying snacks, which is also what he had in mind. So now, they're in Central Square getting whatever they need to sustain themselves.

"Dude, that's like so much of them. There's no way we're gonna finish all of that." Jackie said.

"You don't know that." Soren interjected. "Besides, I haven't even tried authentic Japanese snacks here. The ones back home don't even have that zing to it."

"I guess you have a point. But still, think about the budget here, man."

"Alright, there. That should be good enough." Soren placed the snacks on the counter, and while the cashier looks surprised at first, she still scanned them at an extremely quick pace, with the price totaling up to ￥3421.21. "Oh. Y'know what, it's alright. I'll take care of this." He pays the stuff out of his own pocket, alleviating the former Shiba of spending his hard earned cash.

"You know, I couldn't even imagine getting those same snacks back in America, but at a much higher price." Jackie looked at the snacks in the bag.

"Yeah, inflation's really ripping us a new one every time." Soren shudders. "Anyway, let's see how the others are doing."

They went back to the group chat as each member update each other on their tasks.

Jackie told the others that he and Soren got snacks. Mac and Kirby bought pillows and blankets for everyone. Ken and Ryu managed to secure an RV trailer but it's gonna take a week for them to fill out the paperwork and do inspection. Robin and Shulk got medical supplies, though it's unfortunate that Takemi's clinic is closed during the summer. Ike and Richter bought some water and soda for them to drink, along with a cooler and a pack of ice.

So far so good, this road trip is making good progress. All that is left is to have the RV come by and they're off.

Just when Soren is about to slide his phone back in his pocket, Ike sends him a direct message.

Ike: Hey Soren, can we talk for a bit?

Soren: Sure, what's up

Ike: There's something that's been bothering me, and I thought that we might talk face to face.

Soren: Okay, where do you want to meet

Ike: Near the entrances of the subway.

Soren: Got it, see you soon

He puts the phone away, and starts walking to where Ike is.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jackie asked.

"Ike wants to meet up. There's something that's bothering him lately." Soren replied.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but he'll tell me when I get there."

"Hold on, lemme go with you."

The duo went to where Ike is, just by the entrance of one of the subway stations. He seems troubled about something, as there is something going on in his mind.

"Hey." Soren called.

"Oh, you're here. Glad you can make it in time." Ike sounds relieved.

"Anything for my homebros. So tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Well it's... it's about Sojiro."

"Ah." Jackie gets it. "You're worried about him too."

"Yeah. It looked like he isn't doing so well."

"I get what you mean. When we talked to him, he said it was hard for him to live day by day, especially after Akira and Futaba died. Poor kids. They really did mean everything to him."

"I just... I just wish I could do something to help him."

"I feel you man." Soren agrees. "I have that exact same thought. The worst thing that can happen is if we left it at that and go on with our road trip. I mean the last I want to see is the gravestone slab that says 'Sojiro Sakura - 19 something to 20 something' or whatnot."

"And what's worse is that I think due to the loss, he starts becoming apathetic about some things in general." Jackie deduced. "Hey, you don't think he's gonna stop caring about running Leblanc, is he?"

"I hope not, but if it is, then this could be bad. Not only for us, but also for the customers and the tourism." Ike expressed his fears. "I like this place, and it's pretty much the heart and soul of the local town of Yongen Jaya. But if what you're saying is true, then it could very well be like an abandoned house or castle. We can't let that happen."

"Way ahead of you, I think I know of a way that we can-"

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

"Huh?"

The world starts warping around them until they were in a completely different plane of existence.

They look at the area around them to see that completely different scope they haven't seen in a long time.

"What the fuck?" was the first thing Soren said.

"Whoa… look at this. We're back in our old outfits." Ike noticed the change in clothes, and also, change in appearance. He saw Soren back in his Lord outfit, and Jackie… he looked down to see him turned back into his former self. "And you… you're a dog again."

"Huh." Jackie took out his portable mirror from his scarf and saw his appearance, now back in canine form. "I guess I am. And I guess… we're back in the Metaverse once again."

They observe their surroundings to find that this version of Shibuya is a lot more eerie compared to Ann's version, almost as if it's been completely abandoned.

"Look at the state of this place." Soren observed.

"My god, this place looks like Akira and Ann's Palaces combined, except even more creepier." " Jackie said.

"You're not wrong about that."

"Hey, there's people there." Ike pointed at the three figures.

The three people appear to be scared as they huddle together, carefully treading through while remaining vigilant.

"What are they doing here? Should we go talk to them?" Soren asked.

"I don't even know if they're real or not, so let's just back off for now."

Before they could take a step, the ground started to shake which was followed by a terrifying roar, making everyone stop in their tracks.

"Hey… did you hear that?" Jackie look at them.

"Yeah… That's not something you hear every day." Soren felt shivers running through him.

"If that's what I think it is… then…"

Ike's fears were proven true when a large creature flew up and overshadows the city with its extremely large body, towering everyone and everything.

"Holy shit…" Jackie was in awe and horror.

"Ain't no way we're gonna fight that, not with the three of us." Soren shook his head.

The dragon descends down when it saw the three people move. To the group's surprise, and subsequent horror, the dragon devoured the poor souls as their screams were muffled upon being clamped by the mouth.

"Jesus Christ."

The dragon spots the three of them, who are taken aback by its sharp sights. It ends up roaring instead as it takes off to the skies.

"What was that about?" Ike thought, but they were interrupted as there are strange-like entities that come to collect those diamond-like objects that appeared after the dragon ate the people, and also surrounding them.

"We'll figure that out later. Right now, it's time to fight. Soohyun, Jooheon, with me!"

Jackie and Ike brandish their weapons, ready to fight. Soren unsheathes Alondite and points it toward the enemies in front of him.

"Let's go."

Chapter Text

Opening

"Hey, you guys still remember how to fight, right?" Jackie said.

"Of course we do. It's been a long time since we've done that." Ike answered.

"Well then, this is a good time to warm up. It'll all come back to you soon enough."

When a Shadow raises its baton up in the air, Soren swings his sword up and slices the enemy into nothing. From then, it was an all-out slugfest.

With this many Shadows around, they had no problem hacking and slashing them while trying to get back their fighting spirit. With Soren and Ike slicing and dicing with the twin swords, and Jackie piercing them with his spear, they're surely lowering the numbers down by a cinch.

That is, until more of them show up.

"Okay, they've never done this before. Soohyun, summon your Spirit!"

"Yeah." Soren manifests a Smash Ball above his hand, and breaks it with his hand. "Altina!"

A radiant pillar manifests behind Soren moments before breaking away to reveal the purple haired swordswoman. She unsheathes the two twin blades that he and Ike wield and casts wind magic, taking out a majority of the enemies.

"Nice on! Now let me." Another Smash Ball appears in front of Jackie and he breaks it apart with just a jab of his spear. "K.K. Slider!"

The musician canine plays a tune on his guitar and out of it comes thunder, zapping enemies all around them.

"Hoho, look at you! It seems you haven't lost your touch either!" Soren quips.

"Hey, I'm all up for the wind to blow in our favor." Jackie quips back.

Their quipping came to a halt when more reinforcements appear.

"You mean to tell me there's more them?" Ike looked around.

"This is bad. If this keeps going, we're screwed. We gotta find something that can take them out fast." Jackie observed the area to see if there's anything useful. "Soohyun, here! Use this!"

Soren saw where the human turned dog is pointing at and rushed towards it immediately. He grabbed on a pole and swung around it, his legs kicking the Shadows that were charging at him. Ike got the same idea, but instead he found a vehicle and launched a shockwave, blowing it up and claiming most of the enemies within the vicinity.

"There's still a few left. Let's get 'em!"

They all initiate an All-Out Attack to take out the remaining enemies.

They didn't have time to celebrate or take a break because now, even more of them are here, and they're here by dozens and bulks.

"Oh my fucking god!" Soren yells.

"There's no shot we'll take them all on when there's this many. We really need to get the fuck outta here." Jackie commanded.

"Over there! There's an exit!" Ike found an escape path.

"Alright, let's run for it!"

Soren and Jackie made a mad dash towards the exit as Ike summons his Spirit next.

"Yune!"

The Goddess of Chaos manifests as she charges a nuclear ball and fires it at the ground, giving Ike a small window to run away.

The guys bid behind an alley, all catching their breath from fighting and running.

"Jesus Christ…" Soren huffed. "That was a close call."

"What is up with this place? It's nothing I've seen before." Ike looked back at the area they were in, now teeming with Shadows.

"Guys, hold up a minute." Jackie interrupted.

"What is it, Jackson?" Soren said.

"Do you remember the conversation we had before we were sucked in the Metaverse again?"

"Uh, something about Sojiro, right?" Ike recalled.

"Yeah, and there was this one little thing that was mentioned in said conversation that really got it going."

"Was there this like one thing that we said about Leblanc being close to an abandoned house or castle or cave or something?" Soren gave more details.

"That's right. So… I've been thinking… this might be Sojiro's Palace."

The swordsmen were in shock when that word was spewed out again.

"Palace? I thought they were done for! I mean, the Meta-Nav isn't even in our phones anymore!"

"I don't even know either, man. Whatever it is that got us in here must be something else."

"So considering that, do you think Sojiro is actually in his Palace like the Phantom Thieves were?" Ike recalled.

"Probably, but we don't know for sure. As much as I wanna get outta here, I feel like exploration is at order here. If I remember it, there should be a Treasure nearby, and I'm getting a faint scent of it."

"Alright, let's have a look around to see if there's anything interesting." Soren declared.

The trio explored around the half of the new Palace they can access for the time being. The more things they see, the more weird it gets, because there are some parts that have the modem touch of the real world, but it's mostly in a medieval setting.

The place being an abandoned castle is kinda right on the nose, that there's this big ass castle that's standing in the middle, and even some of the Shadows are in armor and peasant clothing. All they can wonder is how on earth did they ever find themselves in a place like this, and how they're going to explain it to the others.

They jumped off from a ledge as they were about to advance to the next part. Until they got caught in a net.

"Freeze!" A distorted voice shouted. "You're under arrest!"

"For what?!" Soren said.

"Trespassing."

They ended up restrained in the end as their hands are tied by ropes. They're pretty sure that they're somewhere inside the castle, but it's still unclear as to what part of it they're in.

The door opens up, revealing a throne room that has since been abandoned and is now left to rot, with a figure curling upon the throne like a lost beggar. This very much concerns everyone as what they're about to see will give them quite the shock.

"Milord, we've caught the intruders that have been sneaking around the premises, though we were unable to retrieve their Desires." The guard reported.

The figure uncurls himself to present a haggard old man, who looks way past his prime, now dejected and disinterested in everything around him.

"I see… thanks for your work." The figure said, in a distorted voice, looking at the captured intruders and-

"Sojiro?" Soren recognized. "Holy shit… what happened to you?"

"You will address the king with honors!" The guard jabs Soren in the stomach, making him fall to one knee.

"Let him speak. Pick him back up." The guard did what he was told. "Go on."

"Look at you. You're so… old, and raggedy and fucked up. I've never seen you like this before. What really happened back there?"

"A lot of things happened." Sojiro gets off the throne and starts walking around slowly. "This castle used to be beautiful, filled with lush gardens, incredible architecture, and the people who I once called friends and family. It was the best life I could ever ask for. Until… until…"

"You lost something precious?" Ike said.

"Yeah. My children." The guys knew where this was going. "Losing them was very painful. I wept for days without end, alone and undisturbed. I wanted them back, no matter what circumstances I wanted to do in order to get them back. If it means losing my kingdom and my followers, so be it. All I ever wanted was them brought back to life, so that we could be together again."

They knew where he was getting at. The state of the castle looks almost like how Leblanc currently is, except this one is even worse to compare.

"If I may be so bold to ask, good sir, what is it that you intend to do?" Jackie asked.

"Well… that's a good question. I'm going to take all of the Desires."

"The what now?"

"I intend to use these Desires to bring my children back to life. I have already gathered enough of them to generate the power I need to resurrect them, but it wouldn't hurt to have more to speed up the process, and probably give them more unique features as well."

"You can't be serious." Ike shook his head.

"I am, and while I can't take yours, I'm afraid that you are of no use to me, and this conversation is over."

A trapdoor opens beneath them and they all fall down from there.

"Ugh… Are you guys alright?" Soren said.

"Yeah… we're fine." Ike responded.

"Oh man, this feels familiar. Kinda like how you guys fell down from there." Jackie remembered.

"Yeah, definitely the context of 'I'm in this photo and I don't like it.'" Soren quotes as he begins to get up.

With their hands now free, they get back up to assert their new surroundings. From where they're standing at, they happen to be in a dungeon that clearly saw better days, overtaken by vegetation and rubble.

"What's this supposed to be?" Ike asked.

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure this must've been an underground garden of some sort, but it looks like the greenery must've taken over." Jackie assumes. "Let's find a way outta here for now. We gotta tell the others about this."

They venture a little further out of the area as they spot a few more Shadows. None of them knew if they were aware that they're here, but if they're in their way, then they'll have to fight through them.

They charge straight at them, as there are a few of them in sight, whooping them all until there were none left. Once they're gone, they kept up the pace. They don't know where they're going, but one way is better than no way at all.

They found another Shadow, but this one seems a little more vigilant compared to the other one. Unbeknownst to them, there was another Shadow waiting behind them and they were caught by surprise.

The fight was a little rough for them, considering that the enemy had more numbers with them, and even a teensy tiny little tougher so that's not really helping their case.

Jackie fumbled a little, when he lost the clash against the Jack-o'-Lantern. He was struggling to get up when the Hee-Ho pumpkin fired an Agi straight at him.

"JACKSON!" Soren yelled.

Ike only watched in horror as whatever he could do would prove too late. That is, until he felt someone touch his shoulder and zoom past him.

"Huh?" He could hear himself echo when he registered the sudden feeling.

The mysterious figure moved in front of Jackie and took the full hit. The dog lived to see another day, but for the person in question… they happened to be just fine.

They throw their spear at the Shadow, killing it instantly. Everyone was shocked at how fast they threw that spear.

The smoke clears, revealing a young girl, with short black hair, black eyes and wearing a white dress, with a white veil covering the back of her head, white fingerless gloves that cover her arms, white neck guard, white leggings, blue accents adorned across the dress, and golden braces strapped on her left thigh and ankle. She looked around, scanning her eyes on the three guys.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked.

"Uh… yeah. Thanks for the help." Soren answered.

"Who… who are you, really?" Jackie said.

"Me? My name is Lynn."

"Lynn?" Ike muttered. "Why do I feel like I've heard that name before…?"

"If you don't mind me asking, good sirs, what are your names?"

"Me? It's Soohyun."

"I'm Jackson."

"Jooheon."

"Soohyun, Jackson, Jooheon… I'll remember those names."

"So, if you don't mind us asking, Lynn, what is it you're doing here exactly?" Jackie asked.

"I'm looking for a way out of here. I've been trapped in this prison for quite some time now, but I've never found a way out of here."

"So are we, and since we have the same goal, why don't we go together to find one?" Soren suggested.

"Sure. It beats going alone anyway."

"Alright then."

The trio accompanies the mysterious girl named Lynn to help her find her way out of this abandoned garden as they continue to find their exit. They happen to be very curious about her as who she is and where she came from are completely unknown.

Lynn took the lead as the guys are not far behind. They try to whisper as much as they could so that she doesn't hear them.

"Do you have any idea who this girl is?" Jackie asked.

"Not in the slightest." Soren said. "But she doesn't seem to be hostile so we're safe for now." He notices Ike continues to stare at her with a confused look on his face. "Jooheon?"

"Huh?"

"You seem to be thinking. Is something on your mind?"

"Yeah. It's the girl. I couldn't help but feel like I've heard about her from somewhere."

"You really think so?"

"I don't know. I just have that gut feeling."

"I can hear you all from that far, you know." Lynn interrupted them.

"Oh, sorry. We didn't mean to gossip behind your back." Jackie apologized.

"It's quite alright. I know you have a lot of questions about me."

"We do. A lot more actually." Ike noticed more Shadows barring their way. "But that can wait."

"Get behind us, Lynn. We'll take it from here." Soren instructs.

"No." she said firmly while keeping her stance. "I'll fight too."

"You sure about that? But-"

"Just watch me."

One of the Shadows transformed into a Bicorn and starts ramming at Lynn, while still standing her ground. She stops it with her naginata and pushes it back with one swift swing. A smash ball appears in front of her, but instead of using her weapon, she sings a melody that breaks the ball.

A rainbow pillar manifests behind her, and out with comes a new Spirit, a woman that wears the same outfit that Lynn is wearing, except that she has long flowing aqua hair, yellow eyes and her left leg is left exposed.

"No way… she's got a Spirit, too!" Jackie gawked.

"Is that… Azura?" Ike recognized.

"You know her?" Soren turned to him.

"Yeah. I didn't think she would appear like this."

The Bicorn charged again at full speed. This time, Azura sings a melody and Lynn knocks it down with just one slash.

"Yooo-hohoho!" The Shiba was beyond impressed.

"Oh my God!" so was the leader.

"I've never seen this kind of power before." The Radiant Hero begins to wonder. "Just who is she?"

Their thoughts stopped when the Shadows started surrounding her, though she didn't seem to be concerned. She looked at them as if she needs help.

"That's our cue!" Soren picked up as he summons Altina for Garu.

The others follow suit as they summon theirs for their own elemental attacks, leaving some of them down for the count.

"Quick, get their ass!" Jackie issued as they all perform their All-Out Attack, wiping out all of the enemies with nothing left.

"That was really cool, you guys. Can you teach me that someday?" Lynn requested.

"Sure thing, but right now, let's go before more show up." Soren said as they rush to their nearest exit.

They emerge from a tunnel that was recently built, but it's no doubt that they're finally back in the city.

"Ah, finally! Back to familiar grounds." Jackie yawns in relief. "Well, sort of."

"So, where do we go from here?" Ike asked.

"There's gotta be at least something that can get us back to the real world." Soren observed his surroundings. "But right now, I don't see anything."

"Over there. I see one." Lynn pointed at something far away. "I believe that this is what will take us home. Follow me." She dashed quickly, making the others catch up with her.

Once they arrive, it shows a portal that happens to be just sitting there.

"Hmm… a portal… you sure this is the one, Lynn?" Jackie asked.

"Yes, I'm certain of it." she nods. "If we go through here, we'll be back home in no time."

"Well, guess it wouldn't hurt to try." Ike shrugs.

"It seems like we have no other options left. If we stay here, it won't bode well for us." Soren said.

"I'll say." The dog agrees.

"Alright. Time to go see where this takes us."

They all enter in the portal, hoping that this would lead them to where they hope they end up on.

Chapter Text

That portal they went into actually, and finally, sent them back to Shibuya, though it was nighttime by the time they got out. Soren and Ike were back in their casual clothes, Jackie stayed as a dog, and Lynn also dons casual clothes of her own, wearing a collared jean shirt, white blouse with blue flower accents and white shoes.

They look around to see that everything is back to normal… for now.

"Yup. It looks like we're back here again." Soren confirms.

"Oh, thank fuck." Jackie sprawled onto the ground. "I deadass thought we were never gonna get out."

"I thought the same exact thing, too. But thankfully there was something that helped us get out of there." Ike sighed in relief.

Soren's phone starts beeping as he grabs it to see what's up.

You have successfully returned from the Jail. Welcome back.

Jackie's ears started perking. "Jail? I've never heard that before."

"Yeah. That's the first time I'm hearing it. What's that thing that's telling me about it?" He scrolls through his phone to find that one uninvited app that happens to be sitting right there. "EMMA? The fuck is that?"

"I don't know, but it shouldn't be here." Ike also has EMMA on his phone, despite neither of anyone installing it.

"Something's not right…"

Um, hello? Sorry to interrupt." Lynn says.

"Wha? Oh, sorry. We didn't mean to ignore you. Something on your mind?"

"Well, I wanted to thank you guys for helping me find my way back here. If it weren't for you, I would've been trapped there for a long time."

"For sure. We don't leave anyone behind, no matter who they may be." Jackie smiles, his tail wagging.

"By the way, how are we going to explain this to them?" Ike brought up.

"Oh yeah. Uhh... I think we'll just tell them how it is. There's no point in sugarcoating it." He sends the group chat a quick message.

Soren: Hey guys, can we talk to you for a minute

Ken: Sure, what's up

Soren: Where can we meet up at this hour

Soren: I know it's getting late but this is really important here

Shulk: We can go to Leblanc if that's okay.

The guys look at each other with worry plastered on their faces.

Ike: Actually, let's not go there.

Ryu: Why not?

Ike: We'll explain everything once we get there.

Ike: Is there another place we can go to?

Mac: How about Odaiba? There's not a lot of people there

Soren: Sure, we can go there

Richter: Awesome! See you soon!

Robin: Oh, and before you go, did you get the stuff that we need for the trip?

Ike: Yeah we got ours.

Robin: Great! See you there.

"Alright, let's go." Soren said.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Lynn asked.

"To Odaiba." Jackie explains. "Since we got outta that freaky world that we were in, we need to let them know about it, and also introduce you to them."

"Oh, I see."

"They're good people, I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms." Ike assured her.

"I see. I'll hold you to it."

Despite returning from the Metaverse, they somehow didn't feel tired. It wasn't like Palaces that drains their mental energy every time they go in and out of them. Instead, they still maintain their energy levels when it comes to these 'Jails' so that's another worry off their minds.

Still, there's gonna be a lot to unpack by the time they get there.

The group arrived to Odaiba as they head to where they we scheduled to meet, and as scheduled, everyone is all here.

"Umm… uhh… shit, uh…" Soren's brain was thinking of a couple things on the fly.

"Is something the matter?" Lynn asked.

"This is just him overthinking things, don't think it too much." Jackie says. "What he's trying to say is that could you at least stay where you're at for a while? We'll let you know when to come forward."

"And don't worry. We'll be watching out for you as well." Ike assured. "Just wait here."

The trio now arrive at the rendezvous.

"Hey." Soren waved.

"Yo." Ken waved.

"Thanks for coming on a short notice."

"Yeah, no problem, and also why is Jackie a dog again?" Richter noticed.

"Yeah, about that…" Jackie tugs his scarf.

They begin to explain everything that has been up to this point, from being thrown into the Metaverse, finding Sojiro in there, meeting a mysterious girl, to getting out of there.

"I see." Ryu nods. "With the Metaverse's return, it would explain why Jackie had transformed back into a dog."

"Pretty much so, yeah." The dog confirms.

"It may sound crazy, but the Metaverse really is back." Ike said.

"But wait, if the Metaverse has returned, and you saw Sojiro in there, does that mean that he has a Palace?" Shulk thought.

"Well… not exactly." Soren answered. "You see, when we got out of there, there was this weird app that said about returning from the 'Jail.'"

"Jail?" Robin parroted.

"Yeah, and it was pretty weird too, considering that it wasn't the Meta-Nav that said it. Instead, it's…" He pulls out his phone for the smoking hot gun. "This."

Mac looked at the strange app on the phone. "EMMA? What even is that?"

"We don't even know that ourselves, really." Jackie shook his head. "All we know is that it has the same functions as the Meta-Nav does, except smarter."

"Oh, I've heard of that term before! It's called artificial intelligence, right? Or AI for short." Shulk said.

"Yeah, that's right. I forgot you're tech savvy on this. But yeah, this and the Meta-Nav go hand in hand."

"Hold." Kirby interrupted.

"What's wrong, Kirby?" Ike asked.

"You mentioned before that you three have met a girl in that Metaverse. Is she here perchance?"

"Yeah. She is." Soren says as he begins to signal for her. "Okay! You can come forward now!"

Lynn walks towards the group as the others got shocked reactions from her appearance.

"Hi, everyone." She waved at them.

"Uh, hi there." Shulk waved back sheepishly.

"Hey there." Mac greeted.

"Well then, why don't we all introduce ourselves?" Soren suggested.

"My name is Lynn. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She bowed.

"I'm Robin, a tactician. It's nice to meet you, too." The silverette bowed.

"I'm Mac, three-time WVBA boxing champion."

"Ken Masters, America's number 1 martial artist."

"Ryu. I too am a martial artist like Ken."

"My name's Shulk. I wield the Monado in battle."

"The name's Richter, Richter Belmont, vampire hunter."

"And I am Kirby. Well met, my friend."

"Robin, Mac, Ken, Ryu, Shulk, Richter, Kirby. I'll remember those names. Hmm… you seem to have much normal names compared to Soohyun."

"Ohh, right. Yeah, we skipped that part." Jackie remembers now. "Those were our codenames."

"Codenames?"

"Those are what we call each other since we don't want to give the enemy our real identities." Ike explained. "My name's actually Ike, the dog is Jackie, and our leader here is…"

"Soren Rover."

"Ahh, so Ike, Jackie, and Soren. Okay, I'll remember that."

"So if you don't mind us asking you, Lynn… What exactly were you doing in the Metaverse?" Richter wanted to know.

"I'm looking for someone. She's about the same age as I am, but with longer hair than mine."

"A girl, the same age as you, with longer hair than yours." Ken repeated. "Hmm…" He begins thinking for a while. "Well, there's a lot of girls that are the same age as you and has hair longer than yours. You're gonna have to be specific here."

"I'm sorry, but those are all the specifics I can give at the moment."

"It's all good I guess, but what are you gonna do now?" Mac shrugged.

"That's a good question. I'm not too sure."

"Well, then why not come with us?" Shulk suggested.

"Huh?"

"You seem like you have nowhere to go so why not join with us? We're planning a road trip after all."

"Road trip?" The girl tilts her head.

"We're traveling around the country to explore the wonderful sights." Ryu says. "We would welcome you to join if you wish."

"Yeah, and you get to experience all the things that you've never done or seen before" Richter grins.

"Hmm… Sure. I'll be happy to join."

"We have another person for the road trip!" Mac yells.

"Welcome to our little group, Lynn. I am quite certain that we will all get along well." Kirby said.

"Likewise." Lynn responded back.

"Well then, I say that was a good introduction. With that, let's split for tomorrow. We still have a lot to do." Soren issued.

The group agree and part ways, with Lynn staying with Jackie and Soren for the night.

Back at Jackie's house, they were still processing from what just happened.

"Wow." Jackie huffed. "We went from me going to America for a vacation, to come visit you, then we went back to Japan to meet up with our old pals, to plan a road trip."

"Then somehow, we ended up back in the Metaverse, with you turning back into a dog, and finding another Sojiro that we somehow established that the one we saw isn't the real one." Soren followed suit.

"And we finally got out of there, with a mysterious girl that we know nothing about, with the same powers that we have. Wild, wild day."

"And it's gonna get wilder from here on out so we gotta be ready for that. By the way, how did we even establish that the Sojiro we saw was a Shadow."

"Remember when Morgana said before that you and Ike encountered the real deal back in his Palace and that he doesn't have that weird voice? That must've been what he was talking about."

"Oh yeah, that part. So by distorted voice, it means that that's actually Shadow Sojiro."

"That's right. And the rules play out differently compared to dealing with real people in the Metaverse."

"Yeah. You kill the Shadow self, the real person dies."

"Correctamundo. So that is exactly why we have to be careful when doing infiltration like this from now on. Anything can go wrong if we don't watch what we're doing."

"Yeah. Also, where's Lynn?"

"In the bathroom. She's just getting ready for bed."

"Where's she gonna sleep?"

"Well, since I'm a dog again, she can take my mattress. I have a doghouse in case something like this happens again."

"Jesus, how well prepped are you?"

"Pretty much to the skin of the teeth I guess." He hears the door open, meaning that Lynn has come out of the bathroom, wearing light blue pajamas that he bought her on the way home.

"So umm…" She blushes. "How does it look?"

"It looks fabulous." Soren gave a thumbs up.

"I think light blue looks amazing on you for sure." Jackie nods with a triumphant look.

"Thanks you guys. You really know how to make me feel welcome here."

"For you guys, I go above and beyond. But uhh… if you don't mind me asking you something… uhh…"

"What is it?"

"Who is that special person you're looking for? A significant other perhaps?"

"Mmm… I guess you could say that. I promised them that I would come back for them once I've taken care of things here. But I haven't heard from them since."

"You think they could be missing?" Soren thought.

"Maybe."

"Well, we can help you find that person, whoever they may be. It won't get in the way of the trip since we're going places, so maybe they could be around somewhere."

"Plus, you get to do a lot of cool things with us so it's something to ease your worries from time to time."

"Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of everything."

"Thank you." She let out a long yawn. "I'm exhausted. I think I'm gonna go sleep now."

"Alright, night y'all." Jackie said as he escorts Lynn upstairs.

"Night." Soren lays down on the futon, closing his eyes, trying to sleep through the night.

By the time he opens his eyes, he found himself not in the Velvet Room, but instead in a completely different plane of existence.

He finds himself in the middle of a busy street, where all the people, either walking or on modes of transportation such as cars, horse carriages, or trains. Men wore suits and trench coats and women wore dresses that cover their entire bodices.

He looks around to see the Eiffel Tower in full view, and that lead him to one conclusion.

"What the fuck… I'm in France! But wait, am I dreaming, or is this a part of my subconscious? I don't know but… this isn't your average, everyday France. This is… 1900's France."

He looks around more to realize that he's still in his modern clothes compared to everyone else, though none seem to bat an eye on him for being different. He doesn't know why exactly, but he figures some things are better left unexplained.

"Ah, excuse me, good sir. Are you by any chance, Soren Rover?" a distinguished gentleman approached him.

"Uh, yeah. Who wants to know?" Soren replied.

The gentleman wore a suit with a black top hat, black corset, white ruffle tie, red jacket, red pants, and red boots. What's unusual about him is that he has wings on his back and horns sticking out of his head. He couldn't help but feel something familiar about him.

"It would be me." He lifts his head, showing himself to be a familiar face. "Arsène Lupin."

"Akira?" He recognized.

"That's me. It's been a while, hasn't it? How've you been?"

"Oh, I've been… doing wonders lately."

"That's good to hear. Say, why don't we talk it over some nice cup of coffee? What do you say? My treat."

"I mean, I'm not a coffee person, but sure."

"Not to worry. I know a great place that sells more than just coffee. Come with me."

Akira welcomes Soren into a well-established pub, although no one else is present at the moment. Soren has seen pictures like these off the internet before so this is pretty much what Leblanc looks like.

"Welcome to my fine establishment. Please, make yourself at home."

The foreigner takes a seat at the bar as Akira prepares a drink for him. As he keeps looking, he felt like this is either a dream or another part of the Velvet Room, though he keeps going back forth of whether or not which one's which.

"Here you are." Akira places the drink on top of a coaster, decorated with an umbrella. The drink happens to be lemonade with blue colorings.

"Oh hey, Blue Hawaii! How did you know that?"

"I figured that lemonade is one your go-to drinks at times. Other than boba, of course."

"For real?"

"You do forget that the powers I gave you also came with the connections that you and I had together. I'm still a part of you, in some sort of way."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." He then takes a sip from the lemonade. "Just like how I remember it."

"Glad to hear it." Akira's face turned serious. "Soren, do you know the reason why I'm here?"

"I'm guessing it's the fact that the Metaverse has returned, and that you appeared to give me some sort of message."

"That's right. And it seems that the enemies that you're about to face are not like the other ones that you've fought before."

"So I've heard. The Velvet Room people say that the next enemy will be way worse than them. I think they also said that they're directly targeting me and that if I don't do something about it, then all that awaits me is destruction."

Akira hums in acknowledgement. "I think that their words also have a hidden meaning behind it."

"What do you mean?"

"If what they're saying is true, then it could also mean that they'll do more than just lead you to destruction."

"Like what?"

"If going after you isn't enough, they're more likely to go after your friends as well, just like what the 'gods' did to us before."

Soren comes to realize this. "So you're saying that if worse comes to worse…"

"That's right. All of you may suffer the same fate we had, and the cycle of groups of friends breaking apart by evil deities will never cease." Akira hears his friend sigh, knowing that the dangers will not only be arduous, but it also comes with even more risks that he has to consider now. "But you know something? I have faith that the choices that you will make will lead you to the right path."

"You do?"

"Absolutely. I've seen you grown so much from your previous journey, and how strong you've become from it, because no matter how much shit life throws at you, you never gave up and kept going. So keep your head up high, I know you'll get through this."

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it." Soren yawns, feeling a little tired all of a sudden. "God, I'm feeling worn out now."

"And no, this is not me spiking your drink. This is simply you returning to reality. We'll meet again soon."

"Yeah…" was the last exchange of words before Soren laid his head down on the counter and begins to sleep his way back to the real world.

Chapter Text

Soren yawns as he got up from the futon. The news he got from Akira was very troubling indeed, as he begins piecing the information together. If the enemy really is hellbent on breaking them up, then they're clearly an even bigger threat than both Galeem and Dharkon ever were, and that's not even scraping the bottom of the surface just yet.

He trusts Akira's words, no doubt about it. But why does he get the feeling that it's going to come back and bite him in the ass? But he knows one thing for sure, and that whatever happens, he swears to keep his friends from harm, no matter how risky and dangerous this new journey can be.

Jackie was already up, slowly getting back to his canine instincts again. He noticed that Lynn is still asleep so he'll minimize the noises he makes during his routine.

He opens the bottom drawer to pull out the vest of a service dog. He remembers it fondly when he and Soren went to the place to be registered as one, and the excitement rushes back to him. It also got the group out of very sticky situations, such as the time they were arrested by Makoto. He knows for a fact that this will come in handy again.

He hears Lynn yawning, waking up from her slumber.

"Good morning, Jackie." She said.

"Top of the morning to ya." He greeted back. "Uh, why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't even notice it before, but… you're a dog?"

"Yeah. This is me when I'm in the real world. Crazy, I know."

"Ohh. For once, I thought you were an opossum, or a ferret, or something."

"What gave you that impression?"

"I don't know. You just look like one."

"Well, at least it's better than being called a mutt or something."

"Hey, go use the bathroom before I go in!" Soren called.

"On my way!" Lynn responded as she rushed to the bathroom first.

"Hey Soren, could you do this one thing for me?"

"What one thing? Ohh yeayeayeah. Yeah, I'll go do that one thing. Just hold on." Soren ran up and strapped the vest onto the dog's body. "There you go."

"Ah yes, to be a service provider once again. Brings back the good ol' times indeed."

Lynn steps out of the bathroom, with her outfit ready.

"Are we ready?" She asked.

"Sure are. We'll go message the guys and get straight to it."

The entire group met at the rendezvous, which happens to be near the entrances of the subway station.

"So is this where you guys first entered the Metaverse?" Shulk asked.

"Definitely the one." Soren said. "We didn't know exactly where we were at that time, but I bet that this will be a safe spot for us to go into."

"It's been a while since we went to the Metaverse, but we still gotta be careful regardless." Ken said. "You said before that we should just scout out the general area of the trip, right?"

"Exactly, and we'll give you an idea how different Palaces and Jails can really be." Jackie says. "Alright, let's hit it."

Soren hits EMMA and back to the Metaverse they go again.

They were now back to where the portal was, with everyone, except Kirby, back in their Metaverse outfits again.

"Well, here we are." Ike said.

Robin gasped. "Oh my god… your Metaverse outfits…"

"Yeah, right back at ya, buddy pal." Jackie said.

"Wow… I really do miss those outfits, even though this was before we came back here again." Richter reminisced.

"And look, we even have our weapons as well." Shulk saw the Monado hanging from his back.

"I must admit, I am rather comfortable with this outfit, even more so than my normal clothes." Ryu said.

"Me too, but let's get back to the topic at hand." Soren said. "Observe."

The others got a good look at what they're looking at; an abandoned castle that is left to rot.

"So this is what a Jail is like…" Kirby looked on.

"And from the looks of it, it seems to be completely abandoned as well." Mac noted.

"That was also what we thought as well, but it was much more apparent when we went inside that castle." Ike said.

"When we first entered here, we saw a giant ass dragon that ate the people alive." Soren recalled. "But what's weird about that is that it left those jewels there for the Shadows to take it."

"Oh yeah, that one." Jackie remembers now. "I was wondering about that, but what was even that about?"

"I know what it is." Lynn approaches to the group, also in her Metaverse clothes.

"Whoa… look at you." Richter observed respectfully.

"You remind me a whole lot of Azura with that outfit." Robin commented.

"That's because she IS my Spirit."

"No way, really?!" Ken was shocked by that one. "We just met her not too long ago!"

"Really now? I see… You will have to tell me all of that later."

"We will. We promise." Ryu nods.

"Now then, as for the jewels that you mentioned earlier. Those jewels are what we will call Desires."

"Desires?" Kirby repeated.

"Desires are a manifestation of a person's wants and free thinking. When that Desire is taken from them, they become an irrationally different person, doing things that are often uncharacteristic of them."

"How so?" Shulk wanted to know.

"I don't know. I've only learned about it from the Shadows when I was trapped here. They often say things like 'We must seize those desires!' or 'The Monarch will be pleased with how many Desires we've collected!' Something like that."

"I think I get the picture." Ike said. "If this 'Monarch' happens to be the one stealing those Desires, then we can only assume that they're the ruler of this Jail."

"And the 'Monarch' happens to be…"

"Sojiro Sakura." Soren said.

"What?" Mac looked at the leader in disbelief.

"You may not believe us now, but when we got captured by the guards, they took us to where the throne room is, and there he was, right there." Jackie elaborated.

"So does that mean… he's actually in the Jail?" Shulk said.

"That's the thing right here. It wasn't the real deal, it was his Shadow self." That word was what gave them the high alert.

"Shadow self? You never explained to us about that term, did you not?" Kirby inquired about it.

"I thought I did, but I'll give y'all a crash course later when we get back."

"So about the people that you saw earlier. When the dragon ate those people alive, were they actually humans that were trapped inside the Jail?" Richter asked.

"That's a good question." Ike acknowledges. "But we couldn't say for sure since we kept our distance. But considering that we saw them getting eaten alive and leaving behind those Desires, I would say for sure it's the one Jackson mentioned."

"What's a Shadow?" Lynn asked.

"Basically your other self, suppressed within your subconscious." The dog answers. "Everyone has one, well except for us since we somehow don't follow this world's logic, kinda."

"I see. So they're one and the same then."

"I guess. They're kinda like two sides of the same coin. If something happens to the Shadow self, it'll affect that person in the real world. But we've never seen that before so we can't say for sure."

"Judging with the information that we have collected, I surmise that we should return to the world of the living for the time being." Kirby suggested. "If what Jackson has said is true, then we can confirm our theories and speculations of these Shadows."

"Good idea." Soren agrees.

"Then let us depart."

The group returns to the real world, with their current objectives now clearly laid out.

"Alright, now that we have established the Jail, we're gonna have to start our base of operations once again." Jackie announced. "Y'all remember your roles from last time, right?"

"Yeah, I think we do." Richter rubbed the back of his head.

"Awesome. While you're doing that, we're gonna go check on Sojiro to see how he's doing."

"Alright, let's split." Ken said as everyone split up to tend to their old duties again.

"Soren, Jackie, let me go with you." Mac told them. "There's something I want to see for myself."

"Yes, allow me to join you as well." Kirby requested. "It is rather disquieting that Sojiro has not been in good spirits as of late."

"Sure thing. You did talk to him after all." Soren acknowledged.

"What about me?" Lynn asked.

"We'll have you come with us of course." Jackie said. "Since you're the newest member of our group, we'll give you a rundown of how we do things here. There will be a lot, but we promise you that you'll be a pro at it in no time flat."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Okay, time to go." Soren commands as he leads the subgroup to Aoyama-Itchome.

They arrive at the local neighborhood in hopes of tracking down Sojiro. Richter is already in the area as he's getting medical supplies from Takemi, so he'll be around for the information. They walked by Leblanc to see something that is way out there.

"What the hell?" Mac noticed. They see a small crowd gathering around Leblanc, making weird sounds that none of them could register.

"Oh, hell no." Soren shook his head in disapproval.

"This is definitely something you don't see every day." Jackie commented.

"Let's just get past them and reach out to Sojiro."

They try to move past the crowd, but the people being this near to each other wasn't making their situation any better.

One of then grabbed onto Lynn's leg, as if struggling to hold on to something.

"Curry... Coffee..." He moaned.

"Let go of me!" Lynn struggled to get the guy off of her, but his grip is too strong to be shaken off.

"Hey, back off!" Jackie drop kicked the guy on the face, but the guy still has his grip. "Uh guys, a little help?"

Mac went in to punch him square in the face. Soren kicked him in the legs. Kirby decides to take this step further and kicked his fingers very hard that it broke the bones, with him finally letting go, screaming in pain.

"Are you alright?" Soren asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"Let's go before they get rowdy again."

The group moved past the crowd with Mac quickly opening the door, and what they saw was much worse than they thought.

"Oh hell no!" Soren said again, but with much disgust.

Leblanc was a total mess. The place was crowded by a bunch of people that had either no right to be here or are just crazy for coffee, and the café itself has become dirty and unkempt, with dust everywhere and stains that weren't bothered to be cleaned up.

"Oh god… this place looks terrible." Mac said.

"What happened here?" Lynn wondered.

"Ah, you're back." There's this line again, as Sojiro walked downstairs, looking unpleasantly happy for himself.

"What's wrong with this guy?" Jackie whispers to himself.

"Soren, Little Mac, go talk to him. The rest of us will survey the people." Kirby instructed.

"Yeah." Soren agrees as he and Mac will whatever they can to grill the information from him. "Heeeyyy… bro. Uh, business sure is booming, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that. It's never been that much better."

"I guess so." Mac laughs nervously. "So uh, how did you get that many people to come in?"

"Oh, well, it's this fancy little gadget that somehow popped up on my phone. I think this is what they call… uh, what's the word again? Oh, right! EMMA!"

The guys were shocked to hear what the old man was saying, but they had to keep the friendly front.

"Ohh… EMMA, huh? That's uh… very interesting." Mac said. "I didn't know you were accustomed to technology."

"Neither did I, but this thing sure is interesting."

"Hmm… hmm!" Soren thought of something. "Well, what do you know? We too got EMMA not too long ago. I was wondering if you somehow… oh I don't know, add me in as a friend?"

"Sure, I'd love to."

Kirby, Jackie, and Lynn were checking on the people that have been unresponsive and dejected from reality. Their faces have clearly seen better days as they're stuffed with curry and coffee.

"Yeah. Clearly seen better days." Jackie comments as he drops the guy down.

"It looks like they've been gorging themselves with the food that they've gone comatose." Lynn observed.

"Very astute of you." Kirby commended. "But to me, it seems that the Metaverse has changed them in a way…"

"Yeah, I think so too." Jackie said.

"And there we go. You and I are buddy-pals, pal-buddy, pal-buddy-pal, or whatever." Soren said.

"Thanks. I'll be sure to contact you." Sojiro gave a weak smile.

"Sure thing. Alright guys, we're going." The leader called everyone to quickly leave the café.

They quickly avoided the swarming crowd, catching up with Richter with medical supplies from Takemi.

"What's up with them?" The vampire hunter asked.

"We'll fill you guys in later. Right now, we need to get everyone together to throw in what we found." The boxer said.

"Alright then."

Everyone got back together to give their piece of information on their end.

"Alright, we'll go around the horn, starting with Richter." Soren started.

"Okay, when I went to get the medical supplies from Takemi, there was a large crowd that seems to be crowding around Leblanc, and they looked like they were going crazy for it as well." he explained.

"That's what we saw when we were getting the weapons from Iwai." Ken elaborates. "When we got in and out of the store, there were some people that started some kinda rallying scene in the Shibuya Square."

"They were talking about why everyone should go to Leblanc and how they're the best in the world." Ryu added. "It seems to me that they have no idea what they're talking about."

"That's literally the same thing I saw I got food." Ike followed up. "Most of the restaurant joints don't have that many customers coming in because the latest food trend was going on, and some of the loyal customers are even turning away from them."

"Shulk and I went around the entire block to gather more intel." Robin spoke. "From what we've gathered, it looks like they were trying to learn how to make the curry and coffee that Sojiro makes to make it their own."

"And let us remind you that these are people that has never even stepped foot on Leblanc, and somehow they had the urge to try to make one without even going in the café." Shulk explained. "I can't even begin to imagine what must have happened to make them start feeling this way."

"You're not alone in this, either." Lynn assured him. "When we got inside, the customers seems to have gorged themselves with the food and coffee as if they couldn't get enough of them."

"Yeah, and some of them have clearly been stuffed by it, despite the fact that they still can't get enough of it." Jackie added.

"And it is rather evident that the place has been untidy and unkempt due to lack of empathy." Kirby said. "I would assume that he no longer has the passion and will to maintain it as it once was."

"And when we talked to Sojiro, well… I'm just gonna let this speak for itself." Soren shows his phone to show everyone the bombshell of a revelation.

"No way… Sojiro has EMMA?" Ken gazed at the screen.

"Yeah. We figured that it was the best way to figure out what really goes on in his mind, and we're hoping that with this, we'll be able to explore more of the Jail and find whatever it is that's making him like this." Mac said.

"Not a bad idea." Shulk nods while thinking. "If we can use EMMA to our advantage, then we can surely turn Sojiro back to normal."

"Then all that's left is to make our plans to infiltrate the Jail, take Treasure, and get on with the road trip!" Richter said.

"Exactly." the Shiba nods.

"Alright, it looks like we have a plan." Soren clapped his hands. "And with that, Monsta X is back in action."

"Monsta X?" Lynn tilts her head in confusion.

"Oh, right. That was the name of our group when we started the Metaverse journey, which is, you know, named after the best group in the world. Now that it's back, it's time to bring it back again."

"Ohh, I see. If that's the case, then may I join you guys? I want to understand how you guys work with this group, and I want to find that person. So if you can help me with that, then I will do all I can to assist you in your endeavors."

"We said before that we would help you find that person, right?" Jackie recalled. "Of course we would like you to join our group. I've seen how you fight, you're already one of us now."

"Yeah, welcome to the team, Lynn." Richter gave a thumbs up.

"We're glad to have you with us." Shulk smiles.

"And while we're at it, let's give her a codename." Mac suggested.

"Codename?" Lynn looked on in confusion.

"That's what we used to hide our identity from the enemy when we go to the Metaverse, so you'll need one if we're gonna go in." Mac said.

"But if we're thinking about one now, what would her codename be?" Ryu begins to ponder.

"How about Aqua?" Ike said.

"Aqua?" Robin looked at the swordsman.

"Her hair may not be blue, but her Spirit is Azura after all. She has her outfit and weapons all down to a T. I say her codename should be Aqua."

"Well, what do you think?" Kirby asked Lynn.

"I think it sounds wonderful, I love it." she gave a warm smile.

"From this point forward, your codename will be Aqua." Soren declared.

"Alright, it looks like we got the ball rolling here!" Jackie can feel his tail wagging.

"Well, since we got everything we needed, let's all return home for now and we'll tackle the Metaverse tomorrow."

"Right."

While walking home, Lynn had to go to the restroom real quick, with Jackie offering to look after her. Soren accepts as they went out, but at the corner of his eye, he noticed a blue gate that is visible only to him, but invisible to the world. With the sudden urge, he goes in.

He was back in the Velvet Room again.

"We've been waiting for you." Igor greeted.

"Good to see you taking another first step into your new journey, Trickster." Ren smiles.

"Yes, but the gears of fate have turned yet again, bringing you close to calamity once more. While your hope may be the smallest of seeds now, and its true power still unknown… By nurturing the possibilities within you, this seed shall sprout and become your strength against calamity." Lavenza said.

"What she meant is that you have infinite potential to grow and become more powerful than you realize."

"Oh, I get it now."

"That's right. You should also know by now that being a Wild Card means you can summon multiple Spirits at your disposal. However, by fusing them with their cores, you can create an even powerful one. You're gonna need a lot more than that if you're going to go into the Metaverse again."

"Yes, and do not forget that our services will be open to you. Use them as you see fit." Igor adds.

"Thank you, all of you. I'm gonna need everything I can to turn this around." Soren said.

"You're welcome, and before you go, take this with you." Ren gives him a bag.

"Ah yes, the bottomless bag. My favorite."

"There's plenty more where that came from. But remember, you can come to us for anything, and we'll be there for you. Always."

"Thanks, man. I really appreciate that."

"Hey, you alright, bro?" Jackie asked.

"Huh?"

"You're doing that thing again."

"What thi- Ohh, that thing."

"You looked like you were way out of it." Lynn expressed concern.

"I'll tell you right now that I'm A-okay. This kind of thing is not too serious."

"Oh, okay then."

"Yeah. You'll get to used it. Anyway, let's go home for now."

Chapter Text

Monsta X, now back in action and with a new member in tow, began their infiltration on Sojiro's Jail.

While doing so, they gave Lynn a crash course of how the Metaverse works and how they work with it, in terms of how the Phantom Thieves used to do their missions. She seems to get the basic idea, but it's apparent that there will be much more to learn as she goes on.

After wiping out the first squad of enemies, they deem the coast to be clear as they went to where the castle is.

"Wait, stop. Look over there." Robin said as he points them to where the first obstacle is; multiple searchlights with guards barricading the gate.

"It looks like Sojiro has been beefing up security ever since we got out." Jackie observed.

"I guess we'll have to find some way to get rid of those lights if we want to move further." Richter scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, what about over there?" Mac pointed to an alley. "There may be places where we can find spots to shut off those lights."

"Good thinking, Shownu. There are also other places we can explore to understand Sojiro better and what got him to make this Jail." Shulk concluded.

"Then I guess we're going that way. Alright, to the back door." Soren leads the group.

At the end of the alley, the group came across some strange buildings that don't belong in the setting of the Jail, especially that one particular building.

"Dude, where are we right now?" Ken looked around.

"Hey, isn't that the National Diet Building?" Lynn recalled.

"You know this place?"

"I've passed by this place a couple of times to recognize it by memory. But why is it here when the Jail is based on an abandoned castle?"

"I think it must have something to do with Sojiro's past, and how it all ties together in his life." Ike assumed.

"You are correct indeed, Jooheon." Kirby said. "This place is very well connected to his past, since he was once one of the people."

"One of the people? Oh, you mean he was a government official before." Soren noticed.

"Correct, though this only answers half of your questions."

"Half of our questions?" Ryu repeated.

"I think it'll be more clear if we find more places like this in the Jail." Lynn said. "It's kind of like we're piecing together the mysterious puzzle that we never knew we're solving right now."

"That's one way to put it." Robin agreed. "I think it'll be much more than just mystery. We're just gonna have to keep going to find out."

They explore much further into the area, as they ran into Shadows that happen to dress up in suits rather than armor. Even after disposing of them, it further proves their suspicions about the whole thing.

"You know what, you guys are right on the money." Ken says. "Even though this Jail is supposed to be like the medieval times with the place abandoned and all that, it still has that modern touch."

"Some of them yeah, but not all of them." Soren said. "Comparing to Palaces that are completely different places, Jails are supposed to be exactly like the layouts of the entire city, depending on what location they're at."

"I think you might be right." Richter agrees.

"That explains why we see some familiar places in Shibuya." Lynn noticed.

"Not just that, but the layout is also similar too, which kinda makes it easier for us to track, depending where we are of course." Ike commented.

"Staying on ground will leave us with no benefits. For our next course of action, we must take up to new heights." Kirby suggested.

"Good idea. Gotta cover all bases here." Shulk nods in agreement.

Ryu looked around the buildings to see which building is high enough for them to climb.

"If I remember the layout of Shibuya, 705 is normally the highest peak. But for our ideal vantage point… it would be where Protein Lovers."

"Oh yeah, the gym I used to work out at." Mac remembers. "Yeah, I think it's high enough to find something up there. If not, we can go even higher."

"Alright, let's do that." Ike begins to move.

"Now hold on. Before we scale, I got something for you." Soren digs something out of his pockets and belt buckle, presenting 10 bags.

"Oh hey, it's the bottomless bag!" Jackie said.

"Yeah, the Velvet Room guys gave me a lot more than I could take so I got some extras here." He gives each member a bag.

"Thank you so much, Soohyun." Shulk bowed in gratitude.

"What does this do?" Lynn asked.

"It's a bag that has everything you need. All you need to do is dig your hand into the bag…" Soren demonstrated. "And you think about what it is that you want to get from it." He pulls something out from the bag, a jetpack. "And here you go."

"Wow…"

"Now you try it."

Lynn begins putting her mind into her first item. After thinking long and hard, she fishes it out of the bag. It's a bunny ear hat.

"Oh… it's bunny ears."

"That's a good thing, because with this, you can jump much higher than you normally would." Richter told her. "And you might wanna time your jumps, too. These get a little tricky."

"Oh, okay."

The group scales the buildings with either the items they found in the bag, or have their own resources to do so, jumping roof after roof to survey their surroundings. Robin's Elwind tome had broke, and had to rely on others until the recharge is finished. Shulk's Jump Monado ran out of meter and also needed others to help him out until then.

They finally reach the high ground to get a better look of the area.

"My god, look at this place…" Jackie says.

"I can't believe that it's looking like this." Mac sighs.

"Once we change his heart, this will all work out in the end." Soren assured the boxer.

"Hey, what's that birdcage doing over there?" Ike noticed.

"Yeah, and there's something shiny, too." Shulk added.

"Do you think it's the power source of those spotlights?" Robin wondered.

"Could be, but there's probably something that's blocking it." Ryu assumes. "If we can find something to unlock it, we may be able to access it."

"Or we could just go underground." Lynn suggested.

"Underground?" Ike turned to her.

"Do you guys remember the time that you found me down there and we escaped together? We could use that to find another entryway to get to that birdcage."

"Oh yeah, good call, Aqua!" Jackie commended.

"That's pretty optimal actually." Soren concurred. "If we can go back there, there could be another way into that birdcage. Alright, let's head down there."

If memory serves them well, the three members retrace their steps back to where the exit was. Back in the underground garden, they've decided to take another turn and go to a completely new area. When they got there, they came across a rather breathtaking layer of hill after hill that are covered in green moss on top, with sunlight touching everything in its vicinity.

"Whoa dude, I've never went into caves that look like this before." Soren huffed.

"Neither have I, but I think this is where it'll lead us to where that birdcage is." Jackie said.

"Well, I don't think climbing it would be that bad, right?" Mac looked to them.

"As long as there aren't any Shadows to kick us off, we should be fine." Ryu nods.

"Alright, let's get to it."

The group begins to climb up the mountain, with a stern warning from Kirby about watching their step. Some of them have made either steady or rapid progress on their side, and others have struggled to keep up.

Ken misplaced his footing, and started falling down from a great height, until Ryu caught his hand, though he too struggled to keep hold of his grip. Just when they were about to slip, a singing voice echoed throughout the cave and created a barrier for the Shotos to fall in, and slowly rising up to the top.

They exit the barrier to find out that Lynn had saved them, with her hair being the same aqua blue like Azura. Everyone was just as stunned as they were.

"Aqua, you…" Ken tried to speak.

"You saved us. Thank you." Ryu said.

"It's no worries. I want everyone to be safe." Lynn smiled.

"It's good that we have you on the team, Aqua." Jackie pats her shoulder.

"Okay, now that we've reached the top, let's proceed." Robin begins walking.

When they reached the surface, they were already in the area where the birdcage is, much to their convenience. They wasted the guards that are patrolling the area to get to where their destination is. Upon arrival, they see something that was eerily disturbing.

"Hey look, there's people up there." Richter pointed at the silhouettes.

"Are those… jail cells?" Shulk observed.

"So it seems that the people that we saw didn't actually get eaten alive, but rather, they're dumped in these jail cells instead." Ike retracts.

"Shall we start a rescue attempt then?" Kirby suggested.

"I don't think we can, Eunbi." Jackie denies. "With the way they're acting now, it'll be impossible for them to get them to move."

"And with their Desires stolen, they'll need to get them back first, so that's what we're gonna do." Soren decided.

A Shadow appears out of nowhere, spotting them red-handed.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Oh shit, get his ass!" Jackie barked as he brings his spear out.

A swarm of Shadows emerged out of nowhere and it was time to fight. Considering that the enemies are grunts and foot soldiers, it was easy for them to sweep the floor, as a few others call in their Spirits to end the fight.

"Fiora!" Shulk summons his friend, now turned into Spirit again, to unleash Psi onto a gaggle of Shadows.

"Sean!" Ken calls on his apprentice to throw out Agi on the other group of enemies to burn them down. That was the last of them.

They make their way up to the tower, to obtain the power source that powers the search lights. By the time they got there, the glowing orb manifested into an object: a cup of coffee.

"A cup of coffee? What's it doing here?" Lynn wondered.

"This is one of Leblanc's trademarks." Mac said.

"Hmm… I assume that this cup here holds power that moves the spotlights." Kirby guessed. "At this very moment, they should cease functioning."

"I think you're right on the nose for that one." Jackie agreed. "This cup is the essence and lifeblood of Leblanc, just like Shownu said. It's what made Sojiro the man he is today. And just like Eunbi said, it should shut off the spotlights from there."

"So that means we can go in that door, right?" Shulk asked.

"I don't think so, Minhyuk. There's two more of these still up and running." Robin said.

"Two more, huh?" Ken sighs. "Well, it looks like we have our work cut out for us."

"If we're to find the next one, where should we go to next?" Mac inquired.

"Uhh… I think the next one should be at Miyamae Park?" Richter took a guess.

"Not too far from where we're at, I guess."

"Right, let's move." Ryu proceeds.

They make their descent down the cage and much to their delight, the gate was open due to the power source being cut off. They then made a mad dash to the next destination, wiping the floor with any unfortunate Shadow that got in their way.

They arrived at their destination, but it's been blocked off by some kind of barrier.

"Great. That's our only way in. how are we supposed to get this down?" Soren groans.

Robin noticed something that seems to be like something he's very familiar with.

"What is it, Kihyun?" Ryu asked.

"This is like one of those strategy books I've read." His face brightens up. "Yes, if this simulation is connected to this gate… then that means I can get it to open."

"Awesome! It looks like we can get in there in no time flat." Mac said.

That celebration was cut short when a swarm of Shadows emerge.

"Whoa whoa whoa, where did they come from?!" Ken was caught off guard by it.

"I need to get this done. Cover me!" Robin yells.

"Everyone, defend Kihyun!" Soren commands.

Half of the team made the full frontal assault while others stayed to defend Robin while he's solving the puzzle. The fighting got so intense that it attracted the other Shadows guarding the second birdcage to join in on the fray, especially the Angel.

"Oh no you don't. Doc Louis!" Mac summons his coach-turned-Spirit to throw out an Eiha at the Angel, trying to get his attention away from Robin.

"Almost there. Just need one more." Robin whispers to himself.

Just when he was about to solve the puzzle, a dark circle of fire magic was about to be cast on him by the Jack-o'-Lanterns, they were quickly dispatched by Kirby, with Galacta Knight by his side.

The tactician finishes the simulation, and the barrier is shut off.

"Alright, the barrier is down. Let's move."

They move up to the birdcage to retrieve their second item, which is a plate of curry.

"This is one of the staples of this coffee shop, right?" Lynn said.

"That's right. Curry and coffee make the best combination when it comes to Leblanc, you can't deny that." Ken said.

"But that still doesn't explain what or why any of this is happening…" Mac sighs.

"It'll be alright, Shownu. Once we gather all the clues, the answer will be clear to us." Ike comforted him.

"So that's the second one. Where do you think the third one is at?" Shulk asked.

"The last one should be by Bunkamachi." Ryu answered.

"If that is the scenario, then we should return to where we first entered this Jail for quick access." Kirby suggested.

"Alright, the sooner we get the last thing, the faster we get this done. Come on." Soren leads the troupe to the final cage.

As Monsta X arrive at the location, Kirby suddenly stopped his movements as there was something that was off-putting to him.

"What's wrong, Eunbi?" Jackie noticed.

"These civilians… they should not be in the perimeters." Kirby begins to scowl.

"Are they Shadows or Cognitive beings?" Shulk wondered.

"Who knows, but it's worth checking out." Soren said.

The group approached closer to the mysterious group carefully as they don't know if they dangerous or not. When they got closer, the people got scared easily and try to run away.

"Whoa whoa whoa, easy! We're not gonna hurt you!" Richter said.

"Don't worry, we're here to help." Ike tries to calm them down. "No one is out to get you now, and they won't find you here. You're safe with us."

"Oh, thank you, good sirs. We are in your debt." One of them spoke.

The cat meows, which makes Jackie's ears twitch. When he gazed upon the cat, he couldn't help but recognize it.

"Morgana?" The dog uttered.

"Morgana? You mean this cat?" Ken points to the feline in question. "But wait, hold on, if that cat is Morgana, then that means…"

The individuals remove their hoods to reveal their identities. Just like the cat, they're-

"The Phantom Thieves…"

"Phantom Thieves… that's a name I've heard in a long time." Yusuke said bitterly. "Now, we're just lost beggars."

"What happened to you? Where's Akira and Futaba?" Mac inquired.

"Akira and Futaba… they… they got killed when they're trying to save us." Ann broke down in tears, with Ryuji comforting her.

"It's been hard for us since then, and we're struggling to get by as it is." Makoto confessed. "But there's something we need to retrieve, and we can't leave without it."

"What is it that you're trying to get?" Lynn asked.

"It was something our leader left behind." Haru answered. "We want to go back and retrieve it, but we've lost all of our Personas and we have nothing to defend ourselves with."

"You mean, somewhere in the castle walls?" Ryu said, and she nodded. "What should we do, Soohyun?"

"Sure, we'll help you out." The leader has decided. "It'll be more risky for you guys to be here by yourselves, considering that you're defenseless now. So stay close with us, and we'll help you find that thing."

"Thanks dudes, you're the best." Ryuji sighs in relief.

"Now come on. Let's get going."

As the group is escorting the now turned peasants, some of the members can't help but feel unsettled about their situation.

"Hey guys?" Lynn whispered to the other members. "Do you know what's going on right now? I seem to be completely lost."

"Oh yeah, that's right. You weren't there before so I think this is the best time to explain it." Richter begins. "So the people that we're helping were the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. They look like them, but they're made from Sojiro's cognition."

"Cognition? What happened to the real ones?"

"The real Phantom Thieves… they passed away." Shulk answered.

"Oh."

"They were embroiled in an argument that broke their friendship and they split. The two gods that we were butting heads with had used their grief against them to force them to fight us, at the cost of their lives."

"Oh no…"

"It's sad to think about it, but it really wasn't all doom and gloom." Ike said. "We happened to meet them again in the afterlife and made our peace with one another. In a way, they were the real victims from the whole situation."

"I see. It's good that you made up with them in the end."

"Yeah. Wherever they are, I hope they can rest easy and peacefully."

The vagabonds lead the group to the birdcage, to which they'll be called Prison Keeps from them for now on. By the time that they stepped foot, one of the sentries emerged.

"Stop right there! You will go no further!"

The guard manifests into an Andras.

"We're gonna take something back that is rightfully theirs." Ken clenched his fist.

"Stay behind us. No harm will come to you." Ryu said.

Though there were fewer enemies this time, protecting the peasants is still their priority as Ryu and a few others have stayed to defend them, as the rest go out on the assault. They were doing all they can to ensure their safety and to win this without any casualties, which is already a tall order of itself.

"Oh right, I forgot. Maria!" Richter summoned his Spirit, Maria Renard, to cast one Kouha on some of the Silky enemies, though the Andras remained standing.

"If I have to call on you again… Grima!" Robin reluctantly summons the Fell Dragon, sporting an evil grin on his face, casting his hand for his signature move, Expiration, wiping out the sole enemy left in his wake.

"And now, the last core is ours." Kirby retrieves it as the last core in question is a photo album. "Hmm?"

"The last core is a photo album?" Ryu seems confused.

"The precious memories that Sojiro held dear, despite his troublesome upbringing."

"We can look at them later when we get back. For now, I believe this is yours." Soren picks up a bloodied mask and goggles.

"Yes, that's the one." Makoto takes it from Soren's hands. "Thank you so much for bringing them back to us."

"You're welcome. Do you want us to escort you to another safe place?"

"Thank you, but we'll be fine." Ann politely declined. "We just wanted to remember them for helping us all this way. It still hurts, but we'll get by."

"Okay, if that is what you want."

"We wish you well on your endeavors. Safe travels."

"And to you as well." Yusuke bows.

Morgana meows for one last time before they all faded away from their sights.

"Looks like that's the last of them." Mac commented, with Ryu humming in agreement.

"Now that we have all of them, the spotlights should be off." Robin noted.

"Alright, let's storm the castle and take this thing down. Let's go!" Soren rallied.

The group quick warped to the entrance to move to their next destination. Before they could move any further, they hear horns blaring, loud enough to stop their tracks. The barricades that weren't there before had shut the gate tight. And before they knew it, an entire army of Shadows had congregated at the gate.

"Whoa, that's not good." Richter was taken aback by this.

"There's no way we could take them all on like that." Ken shook his head.

"Yeah, at times like these, it's best to just make a run for it." Soren suggested.

"Good idea. Staying here will only get us captured." Jackie agrees. "Let's get back to the real world and we'll come up with a strategy from here."

With that simple suggestion, Monsta X returns to the real world in a flash.

Chapter Text

They finally got out of the Metaverse, though it was already nighttime and they ran into their first problem of the day. They were back in Shibuya, hanging around the fox shrine.

"Well, it seems like we made quite the ruckus back there." Jackie addressed. "With the barricade being up, it seems we've gotten Sojiro's undivided attention."

"It must've been done overtime if we were making that much of a commotion." Lynn theorized. "Clearly there must've been a spy that was following us and reported back to him."

"I think you may be right on the nose, Lynn." Soren can attest. "Either that or what Jackie said, it's obvious we can't go anywhere unless we deal with that first."

They hear a stomach growling, coming from Ryu.

"Sorry everyone, but it looks like we haven't eaten yet."

Then another.

"Yeah, that one was me." Richter confessed.

"Alright then, we'll get something to eat and we'll come up with a plan." The leader decided. "That way we all have the brainpower to think about it."

"Ryu-san?"

They turn to the voice that was calling to them. It's an middle aged man wearing a dark green suit with yellow accents.

"Hey, it's that Big Bang Burger dude!" Jackie recognized.

"Big Bang Burger dude?" Kirby repeated.

"He was supposed to be some sort of advisor for Haru for when she was about to be President for Okumura Foods. But since she died, he's president of it now."

"I see."

"Takakura-san? What brings you here?" Ryu asked.

"I thought I recognize you from earlier so I wish to greet you. But judging from your expressions, I see that you're in the middle of a crisis."

"Something like that." Mac shrugs. "Wait, how did you even know that?"

"I don't. It's just a simple guess." He takes a sip from his water bottle. "By the way, before I forget, Haru-chan actually made a posthumous request for you all."

"Huh?" Robin turned around.

"Whuzzat?" Ken didn't catch that.

"From Haru? What for?" Shulk asked.

"That I don't know, but this seems important to her that I relay this information to you."

"Who… who told you that?" Ike wanted to know.

"I believe it'd be better for you to meet that person yourself. Not to worry, one of her chauffeurs will take you there."

"Wait, for all of us?" Richter pointed to himself and then everyone.

"I don't even know what's going on anymore." Jackie seemed lost. Kirby can only shake his head and Lynn shrugs.

"Well then, I must be going. Have a good night." Takakura walks off.

"What is actually happening right now?" Richter was still confused.

"I don't know, but I get the feeling that they're still helping us, even in death." Soren thought.

"You really think so?" Ryu said.

"I know so. I've inherited their power, and somehow their presences still linger, even when the Metaverse had been erased the first time. For me to be the Wild Card, and for them to pass down their legacy to me, to us, I want to do all I can to live up to it."

"You're gonna do so many great things with it. There isn't a sliver of doubt from them or us that said that you can't, and whatever happens, know that we're here for you. Always." Ken gave him the confidence boost he needed.

"Thanks dudes. I appreciate it."

A limousine pulls up in front of them with a chauffeur exiting the vehicle.

"Greetings, esteemed guests. It is a pleasure to serve you." He bowed. "I have been informed by our late president to escort you to her manor. Please, step this way." He opens the door for them to go inside the limo.

"Hold on, ladies first." Ken tells them.

Once Lynn steps in, everyone else starts piling in one by one until they're all in. the chauffeur closes the door and returns to the wheel.

Inside the limo, the group is sitting on a blue plush sofa with two pillows set, and a table set in the middle. The ceiling has a galaxy aesthetic that eases the mind, along with lamps and blinds that set the ambience while maintaining privacy.

"Well, this is… this is weird." Mac broke the silence.

"You're telling me. I didn't even think we would be riding in a fancy car, but it sure does beat going to a subway." Richter said.

"I'm surprised that this can fit all of us in. Did Haru really plan this out for us just because, or…" Shulk begins to think.

"Welcome, valued customers. We've been expecting you." A butler greeted. "We've prepared some meals and bottled water for you to enjoy on your way to the manor." He gives everyone their pre-prepped meals and water, and Jackie his own dog food. "Please, enjoy."

The meals that each member received all previously came from Haru's rooftop garden, which has been mastered by the chefs to the letter. Everyone really enjoyed their given meals.

"Man, this one tastes great. How did she know about dog food?" Jackie wondered.

"It seems to me that the Phantom Thieves still have machinations set in motion, long before their deaths." Kirby surmised.

"You got that right."

"I'm not going to lie, this is a little excessive for Haru to be doing this for us; but just like Richter said, this is a little better than the subway." Robin said before chomping on his salad.

"I hear ya. I don't think I could ever imagine myself being in here for a while. But it's good to get this kinda thing every once in a while." Ken shrugs, with Lynn humming in agreement.

By the time that they're done, the limo stops.

"Here we are." The chauffeur informs.

"Wait, already? Damn." Soren seems surprised.

The doors open and more servants begin to escort them from the vehicle to the mansion. The maids and butlers stood across from each other and bowed as the group proceeds to step inside the house.

"Man, I forgot how loaded Haru was when we first stepped in here." Jackie said.

"Loaded?" Lynn sounded confused.

"She was basically from a super rich family that was able to afford this kind of housing."

"Oh."

"Welcome back, we've been waiting for you." A maid greeted.

"Umm, thanks?" Ken said it like it was a question.

"Wait, I thought the house was empty after she died." Ike remembered. "Does that mean that none of you are moving onto something else and decided to stay here?"

"Well, you're not wrong. It's true that her death had affected us greatly, and we thought about retiring from our positions. But we realized that doing that and selling the house would go against their wishes and everything that Okumura Foods had stood for, both good and bad. With Takakura-san as president, carrying out Haru-chan's visions and goals, we all decided to stay together and make it the company that the Okumura bloodline had been striving for."

"You really are devoted, you know that?" Richter said. "Not just for your job, but also for the company and for the Okumuras. Despite everything going to a downward slope, you still stuck by them no matter what, and that's why I respect you guys so much."

"Thank you so much, Master Richter. It really does mean a lot to us. Please, don't hesitate to call us for anything."

"Will do."

The maid leaves with a huge smile on her face.

"They're really good people." Ryu remarked.

"It's hard to find them nowadays, especially with how toxic and assholy people have become." Mac can agree.

"But still, what do we do with the house? It's not even our property and we're still being let in." Shulk wondered.

"I believe I have an answer for you." A very chipper voice chimed in.

"Who goes there?" Kirby demanded.

The figure steps inside the living room. She has long brown hair with a chain hanging from her ear, wearing a white labcoat, light blue shirt with white stripes and black jeans.

"Hey, aren't you…"

"The one who was at the concert. Yes, that is me."

"If memory serves me well, you must be Kuon Ichinose."

"That's right~ I'm so glad that you remember that."

"But wait, that doesn't explain why you're here." Soren brought it up. "Did you happen to be escorted by the servants too, or did you stumble here on your own?"

"Now those are very good questions indeed. It was very much the former."

"Okay…"

"Now that we have that cleared up, what is it that you're doing here?" Robin asked her. "You said yourself that you have an answer for us."

"I was actually getting to that. You see, the reason why I'm here is to give you all a message."

"A message?" Ryu repeated.

"Oh, but it won't be me relaying it to you. It'll be her." Ichinose pulls out her phone, her screen showing a young girl with blue eyes and red hair with pigtails that are shaped like hearts.

"A-Yo, Monsta X."

"Oh my goodness. The phone can talk!" Lynn is in awe.

"You may think that, but really, it's the person inside the phone that's talking to you." Jackie corrected.

"I am Sophia. Humanity's companion. It's nice to meet you."

"And my name is Lynn. I recently joined Monsta X as they're helping me find the one special person I'm looking for. Nice meeting you too."

"I sensed that the Metaverse has returned when Ichinose and I returned from our trip."

"When you returned? Where were you the last time when all this happened?" Ken asked.

"We happened to be in Ireland during that time." Ichinose explained. "When I heard that the Phantom Thieves had died, I immediately rushed home. I had to cancel all of my plans, hoping that I would get to see them one last time. I'm happy that I was given this opportunity to do so."

"Ichinose…" Sophia muttered.

"Please, allow me to lend you my assistance as well. It may not be much, but I'll do all I can to help you combat the Metaverse again."

"Thanks for the help. Really." Soren said. "Since we've been distracted for so long, what's this message that you were gonna tell us about?"

"Not a problem. I have it right here. I'll read it for you." Sophia started reading the message.

Dear Monsta X,

Akira has informed us that the Metaverse has returned. Through Soren and a premonition of his, while preparing for the concert and meeting with friends and family, we have all made preparations for you to be ready.

On my end, I have granted you permission to stay in my house. It will be yours for the time being until the Metaverse has finally been taken care of. The servants will be at your beck and call should you need anything.

Also, please send our regards to all of our friends in the world of the living. It will mean so much to them to know that they're in our thoughts as we are in theirs. Good luck. We'll be rooting for you in every step of the way.

Sincerely,

Haru

"She… really did this for us?" Soren was at a loss of words.

"How did they even know that this would happen again?" Jackie is now curious.

"I do not know, but we do know that they had taken the necessary steps to prepare you for the returning Metaverse." Sophia told them.

"That's quite the bombshell she laid out for us." Richter scratched the back of his head.

"But it is nice to know that they still have our backs, even if they're doing it from high above." Ryu nodded.

"It seems I have to go now." Ichinose announced. "It was nice talking to you all, and I hope that you succeed in your endeavors."

"Thank you, and take care." Robin bid her farewell as she leaves the house.

"Well, it looks like we have the whole place to ourselves." Ken commented.

"And we have prying eyes and ears off of us, so that means we can come up with a strategy openly, but also discreetly." Ryu reminds them.

"Hey, that's right. We couldn't do it anywhere because we're so out in the open, so having a closed space will do wonders for this type of planning." Mac can concur.

"Now that we've found a space for ourselves, we can get the planning down to full motion." Soren announced, and the meeting begins.

"Now then, it seems we ran into our very first problem here." Jackie starts briefing. "I've said before that we made quite a ruckus back in the Jail. The fighting must've gotten so intense that the increase in security skyrocketed that we had to get out of there."

"Not only are we facing an influx of Shadows, they are also currently defending the gate that has recently been built by them as a means to keep us out." Kirby added. "If no action is taken for that gate, we cannot advance further."

"But the problem is that the Shadows are on high alert because of our meddling." Lynn noted. "Besides, most of them are hanging around the gate so trying to barge through it head-on will surely cause more trouble for us."

"Then I have a strategy that will work." Robin spoke up.

"Alright, let's hear it." Ike, listening attentively.

"I'm figuring that since this wall was recently built, there has to be some sort of system to keep it running. If I could get access to it, I should be to deactivate it."

"But's it's just like Lynn said, the Shadows are super vigilant and we'll be surrounded if we got caught by them." Shulk said.

"Then that's why we'll need a decoy to shake them off." Jackie suggested.

"A decoy? Who do you think can pull that off?" Richter leaned forward from his seat.

"You know who."

Everyone turned to the person of interest.

Soren.

"Damn, okay." The leader was taken aback by the stares. "But still, I'll do it. Everyone has a job to do after all."

"Are you sure about this? It's one versus a lot of Shadows. There should be at least one person backing him up." Ken has his concerns.

"Don't worry, Ken. I can divide the enemy's attention between him and myself. That way, he won't have a heavy load on his plate." Lynn volunteered.

"Thanks Lynn. Every little bit helps. But be sure not to push yourself too hard." Soren said.

"Right. I'll be careful."

"Now that we've established a plan, shall we assign which roles we'll have?" Ryu recommends.

Everyone starts with the assignment of which role each member will take until it's time to sleep. The servants accommodate them to where they're gonna sleep, with Lynn and Kirby taking Haru's room, Ike, Richter, Ryu and Ken taking the guest room, Soren, Robin, Shulk, and Mac were provided sleeping bags, and Jackie with a makeshift doghouse.

The next day, everyone was already up and ready.

"Alright, y'all know what to do, right?" Jackie asks everyone.

"Me, Richter and Ryu will take out the searchlights." Mac said.

"There may be a lot, but we'll get them down in no time flat." Richter cracks his knuckles.

"That will make the Shadows distracted and disoriented all at once." Ryu said.

"While Robin is deactivating the wall, Ike, Ken, and myself will cover him." Shulk recalled.

"We won't let a single one get past us." Ike stated.

"With speed, we'll be running in circles." Ken smirks.

"Thanks guys. I'll bring that barrier down no matter what." Robin nods.

"Kirby and I will take out any special units that are calling reinforcements. It should lighten the load off of everyone here." Jackie recalls.

"Once they are disposed of, there will be no more of them." Kirby states bluntly.

"I will lure the first wave of enemies onto the side. After losing them, I'll return to you." Lynn said.

"Thanks Lynn. Be sure not to overdo it." Jackie told her.

"Got it."

"And now, the mainstay of the whole operation is…" Robin waited for it.

"Me." Soren pointed to himself with a somewhat gruff voice.

"Yup, you're gonna be the star of the whole distraction. Give them something to remember." Richter pats his shoulder.

"Alright, let's go. It's time to break the wall and storm the castle! Soren, hit it!" The incentive from the Shiba was all everyone needed to go back to the Metaverse.

With Soren being the only one left at the entrance, everyone else was already on standby.

"Is everyone ready?" Jackie got all the unanimous yeses. "Then let's get to it!"

Soren jumps off the steps, doing parkour on the roofs that he couldn't do in the real world.

"It's almost time."

"Let's get into gear."

He stands right in front of the castle, the main objective, from a faraway view.

"Soohyun, there's an enemy coming towards you!"

He turns around to encounter a Shadow with a gatling gun.

"Yo."

The Shadow starts firing at him, which he dodges with relative ease.

"It's go time!"

"We're going live now!"

"Let's go, everyone!"

Soren rode on a green shell to surf through the walls, close enough to jump off of it and jumped on the Shadow, using a beam sword to stab its head, which started to fall down rapidly, until it exploded. Soren managed to jump off way before that happened. Behind him is the entire army of Shadows waiting to greet him.

"Oh boy, there's a lot of them…"

"Worry not, he can handle them all."

"Yeah, no worries there."

"They're all yours, Soohyun."

"Watch out, Metaverse." Soren grips on Alondite's handle. "Because Monsta X…" He unsheathes the sword and brandishes to the wave of Shadows.

"We are gonna rock this show!!!"

Chapter Text

Some of the Shadow guards transform into various creatures such as Jack-o'-Lanterns and Pixies, but that was the least of Soren's problems.

"Looks like the diversion worked."

"Alright Soohyun, show 'em what's what!"

"Everyone, proceed as planned."

"We'll take down the searchlights."

"And we'll cover Kihyun so that he can take down the wall."

"Alright, y'all. Everything's a go!"

"Alright then, let me show you what I can do." He charges up a shockwave from Alondite and fires it at one squad. That is when they started charging towards him.

Soren began slicing and dicing them back and forth while giving everyone enough time to fulfill their tasks. When more Shadows start to swarm, he goes to another tactic: summon a Spirit.

"Titania!" He summons the vice-captain of the Greil Mercenaries, for her to slam her axe down, taking out a couple of enemies from here and there.

"It looks like the distraction is going great."

"We're at the searchlights now. Waiting for the signal."

"We've fended off half of the Shadows. This is going great so far."

"We have disposed half of the special units as well."

"Kihyun, I'll take over Navigation for you. You focus on this."

"Right. Thanks, Jackson."

Soren kicked a red shell to have it follow any enemy that tries to get close to him while shooting them with a ray gun. He throws the gun at the Pixie once the magazine was empty, giving him another chance to summon another Spirit.

"Poppy Bros. Jr.!" He conjures a happy-go-lucky humanoid to throw bombs everywhere, with most of the swarm getting caught in the blast.

"Soohyun, you got more Shadows coming your way!"

More reinforcements show up, as others end up diverging away from the pack due to another disturbance.

"I have another one for you. Chikorita!" He calls in the Leaf Pokémon to throw multiple Razor Leaves, creating a gust of a leaf storm, dragging multiple enemies with it.

"Goddamn, there are so many enemies here!"

"Kihyun, you got the thing down?"

"Almost. Just a little further."

I can't even imagine this happening back in the real world. Must be scary to think about it."

"Ah, here we are. Alright, the wall's down!"

Soren stops fighting as he noticed the horse carriages charging straight at him. He swiftly moves out of the way as the horses stop moving, with more reinforcements jumping out of the carriages. He finds himself completely surrounded.

"We're back Soohyun! Let's do this shit!"

One of the searchlights broke off from the roof and fell to the ground, exploding and killing a fourth of the entourage. Richter, Shulk, and Little Mac jumped out of the smoke, joining their leader.

"Yo. We late to the party?" Mac said.

"Not at all. Go ham."

The group splits up to take on a different quadrant. Mac jumps up and slam his fist down on the ground, taking out a gargle of them. Richter runs past them, twirling his whip around, precisely striking them one by one. Shulk switches to Smash Monado as he twirls the blade around him, sweeping them away.

Soren sliced through one of them, jumping up and stomped another one down to the ground. He pulls out a POW block and throws it down to make the enemies fly up, firing a shockwave at them.

Robin is making the final adjustments of the puzzle. "Checkmate." He places the final piece, and the entire wall begins to crash and fall.

What the enemy wasn't expecting was two bullet bills zooming and running through anyone that were in their way, as it turns out that Jackie and Kirby were the ones using them. Ike appeared out of nowhere and slammed his sword on the ground, causing a huge eruption. Ryu and Ken were right behind the enemy, firing a double Hadoken, with the energy force sucking them in the process.

Lynn made a surprise appearance and sang a little melody to rally the group members.

"Persona!" Soren summons Altina again, crossing her swords to fire an X-shaped slash to infestation of Shadows, disintegrating them into nothing. He plunges his sword to the ground, flaunting his cape while maintaining his serious face.

"It looks like we finally did it." Ike noticed.

"Then that means we can finally advance to the next area!" Lynn said.

"But first things first…" Ken turns their attention to the Shadows. "Let's wipe the floor with them."

With all 11 members in tow, the group started another chaos that has already gotten the Jail spiraling out of control. Ryu calls in his Spirit next to clear the field.

"Master Gouken!" The master martial artist appear to fire off an ice-inducing Hadoken onto the enemies, with Lynn shattering them into pieces with just a swing from her lance.

"That's all of them." Shulk reported.

"Great. All that's left is to go into that cave." Robin points back to the area of interest.

"I feel like we've been back there before, but I'm pretty sure there's just more paths for us to take." Mac says.

"Well then, I say there's still more places for us to go, wouldn't you say, Eunbi?" Jackie turns toward the pink puff.

"Agreed. If there is one more area to cover, it would be wise to explore there."

"You heard him. Let's go down there again." Soren took his suggestion.

The group was back in the cave for the third time, but this time, they're taking another path down the road. The third route is a little more elaborate than the second one, but it's still simple enough for them to get around.

When they reached to the stepping stones with either large stalagmites or a lava pit on the bottom, some of them improvised their way to get to the other side, a few decided to jump across it, and the rest found a very narrow, but sturdy walkway they can tiptoe on.

When everyone finally reached to the other side, they were rudely greeted by another guard.

"You! Don't think you can take one step further in the trove!" It then transforms into a Succubus and proceeds to attack.

"Sorry, but we're in a hurry right now and we don't have time to deal with you." Mac said.

"You can just see yourself out of this. Waddle Doo!" Soren summons a round creature with one large eye to fire off a Zio at the enemy. He takes out a fire flower to try to burn it to a crisp, but it's still standing.

"Allow me. Azura!" Lynn summons the songstress to not sing a melody, but rather cast light upon the enemy vanquishing it into nothing. With nothing short to celebrate, they move on to the next area.

"Umm…" Robin has no words to say.

"Uhhh…" so is Ike.

"Huh. This is…" Richter was at a loss of words, not from shock, but just from the weirdness itself.

The next area is rather unexpected for any of them, as this one has entryways that leads to God knows where. There are four slides for them to enter, though they're not sure which way it goes to.

"You know, I'm not exactly sure if it's safe to go down that chute." Ken expressed his doubts.

"But even so, this may be another path to reach the Treasure. I already saw it with my Vision." Shulk said.

"I remember you having that ability, but I haven't seen you use it before." Ryu remembered.

"I have, but it hasn't occurred much."

"Hmm."

"Welp, if what Minhyuk said is right, then that means it's safe to go down there." Jackie confirmed. "But uh, what about the slides? Are they safe to go down there?"

Kirby goes to check on it. "Hmm… the surfaces are surprisingly smooth… Yes, they should give us safe passage for our descent."

"Then that checks out. Alright, it's time to make our way down." Soren commands.

"Right. See you on the other side." Mac takes slide 2, with Ryu and Ken tagging along.

"See you soon." Robin entered slide 4, as Richter followed him to it.

"You know where to go from here." Soren slid in slide 3, taking Ike and Shulk with him.

"Alright, let's get going." Jackie called. As he and Kirby were about to enter slide 1, they noticed that the other person didn't come. "Aqua?"

"Umm…" she started to blush.

"Is something the matter?" Kirby asked.

"Umm… is it okay if I… hold onto you guys while we go down? I don't want you guys to fall off."

The two looked at one another, but smiled in secret as they know they'll find cute moments from her.

"For you, of course." Kirby nods.

"Thank you."

Lynn sat down at the entrance, holding onto to the two unique entities.

"You good to go?" Jackie asks.

"Mhmm."

"Alright, here we go!" Jackie used the gust bellows to propel them forward, and down they go.

They were going down at a fast pace as they were screaming the whole way through, except for Kirby, although he is having fun. Halfway through, they made a small jump that transports them to another set, but not before seeing everyone else making that same jump.

"Hi!" Lynn

"Oh hey!" Ken

"Hello!" Shulk

"Yo!" Richter

They were back on the slides again, but still screaming, but still having fun. And when they reach the end, their acceleration slowed down with the dirt, with everyone already arriving at the same destination.

"Wow, that was fun! Let's do that again!" Jackie yells.

"Hehe, maybe after this, we'll go to a theme park." Robin suggested.

"I'm holding onto you for that. Anyway, where are we?"

"I think we're in the deep end of the cave. I'm not seeing any Shadows at the moment." Ryu said.

"At least we won't have to fight any more of them for a little bit." Soren sighs in relief. "But still, there has to be something in here if we're already in this part of the cave."

Ike noticed something that caught his eye. "Hey, look up there!"

Everyone looks up to see the white glowing orb that is in the center of the birdcage.

"Is that a Treasure?!" Jackie noticed. "No wait, that's not it. This one's completely different."

Lynn felt something was coming close. "Everyone, hide! Shadows are coming in!"

Everyone went to go find their hiding spots, as the steps were getting louder. It was the grunts that have dumped the jewel-like objects.

"There we go. That's all the Desires we've collected so far." says guard 1.

"Welp, time to go get some more! They can't be too far!" Guard 2 said with more chipper in his voice.

"Wawawawait! Let's watch them go up first. We don't want anyone stealing them."

The guards, and the group, watched the jewels turn into an orb as they ascend to the bigger orb.

"There, safe and secure. Now let's go get some more!"

They left all too eager, with everyone now out of their hiding spots.

"Well they seem all gung-ho about it." Richter commented.

"And with the way they sound, it seems that these jewels that used to be here really ARE Desires." Jackie deducted.

"Oh yeah, the same things we saw when we first entered the Jail." Ike remembers now.

"And it looked like the Desires got sucked up by that light up there." Shulk theorized. "So if we put two and two together…"

"Then that up there is the real Desire." The dog barked.

"I guess that makes sense, but what exactly can be turned into a Desire?" Ken wondered.

"It would seem that humans have valued their own desires, much more so than they realize." Kirby explained. "Desires themselves do not have one physical form. It is their own cognition and mental fortitude that are what conjures those Desires. Because of those reasons, they have taken the form of a gem. So when Soohyun, Jackson and Jooheon saw those beings devoured, these Desires were given a physical form, and for the Shadows to take them."

"But even so, those Desires are still stolen." Robin retraced.

"Maybe, but this is Sojiro's Jail we're talking about here. That dragon must've been his pet or something to make it fly everywhere and steal those Desires." Jackie said. "But yeah, having a birdcage in a cave seems pretty weird in terms of standards, so I'm assuming that Sojiro is the owner of the Desires and the dragon is the guardian of them."

"When you put it that way, it makes sense." Mac scratched his head.

"Perhaps there is a difference between Palaces and Jails after all." Ryu remarked. "If we free the Desires that are in this birdcage, then the people who are affected by it will return to normal."

"Wait, hold on. How do you guys steal light, exactly?" Lynn asked.

"Well Aqua, since you're new to the system, whenever we find something that looks like this, we use a thing called a calling card." Soren begins to elaborate.

"A calling card?"

"It's how we make that turn into something physical." Jackie picked up. "And it's our message to the person in question that we're taking the one thing precious to them, and that they're going down."

"Ohh, I see."

"But hold on, how do we even know that calling cards will work the same way for Desires? This is a completely different entity we're dealing with." Shulk shared his doubts.

"We'll never know until we try." Ike said. "Until then, we'll need to secure our infiltration route."

"Alright, then let's go get it!" Richter runs up to go get the Desire, but ran into something that gave him quite the shock, literally. "YOOWWWW!" He recoils back from it, with others running up to him.

"Wonho, are you alright?" Ryu said.

"Yeah, I'm alright. But what was that just now?"

"It must have been a jail cell door of some sort when we first saw it." Robin thought.

Lynn felt another presence coming from the barrier. "I think I'm hearing something."

"Aqua, what are you doing?"

She placed her hand on the door, with something no one was ready for.

Akira…. Futaba…. I'm so sorry…

I miss you all so much…

I wish I could take your place instead…

No… no… please…

Please don't go…

I need you all here…

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!

"What was that?" Ken felt disturbed.

"It sounded like… memories… hidden deep within the Monarch…" Lynn looked sad.

"Aqua, are you okay?" Robin asked, with concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay. However, I did figure something out while touching it. That memory that we heard just now is the key to this barrier."

"A key?" Soren sounded lost.

"Look up there." Lynn points the group to what appears to be a giant lock. "This lock is what's keeping those Desires to be set free. The problem is that the key can't be found in this Jail. That's why we need to return to reality."

"Reality? What for?" Shulk asked.

"This Jail has a secret room that is completely isolated from the Jail. The room itself exists in the real world."

"How did you even figure all of this out? Was this your nth time coming in here?" Ken wanted to know.

"I don't know really. It just came into my head."

"Hmm…" Jackie begins to think. "If Aqua is right on the nose here, that door is acting as a lock on his heart, meaning that is super important to him. It's there because he's actively keeping us from opening it."

"So to sum it all up, in order to reach to that floaty Desire thing up there, we'll need to go back to the real world, find that secret room, get the key, send in the calling card to Sojiro, take the Desire and he'll return to normal." Richter compiled the key points.

"That's the summary." Lynn nodded.

"Then it looks like we have a lot to do. Alright then, let's go back."

They all return to reality to start their next step of the plan.

Chapter Text

The group is now back in the real world, with another objective for them to fulfill.

"Alright. We'll need to figure out how to find that secret room now that we're back here." Jackie started. "But the problem is…"

"We have no starting point." Kirby said bluntly. "We do not have any clues we can fall upon, nor do we have the resources that the Phantom Thieves once had."

"Oh yeah, you're right." Ken remembered. "Man, this is gonna be much harder than I thought."

"I guess we're gonna have to snoop out the clues by ourselves." Mac sighs. "But where do we go from here exactly?"

"Are you stuck? I can help with that." A voice said.

"Hey, is that…?" Ike recognized it.

It was Ichinose walking towards them.

"Kuon Ichinose? What brings you here?" Robin said.

"Hello again, boys, and young lady! I overheard that you're all in a tight pickle right now, so I'm here to save the day again."

"I mean, thanks for the help and all, but why are you helping us so much?" Soren wondered.

"Well… let's just say that I want to help. You did save them all from those gods that controlled them. That alone was what earned you my respect and admiration for you. If I can, I want to help you as much as I can to the best of my abilities, if you will allow me."

"Of course. They helped you in the past, so it's right for us to accept your help. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome. Back to the topic, you were saying that you were finding a secret room."

"Uh yeah. Something like that. How did you know?" Shulk said.

"That's something only Sophia can answer." Ichinose pulls her phone out to open Sophia.

"Mhmm. I've worked with them before. Therefore, I can answer this question for you." The AI offered. "What seems to be the problem?"

"It's a long story." Lynn warned them.

They told them everything about Sojiro's Jail.

"I see… so Sakura-san has a Jail…" Ichinose lamented.

"Yeah, pretty much." Richter said. "We're trying to figure out what really happened that made the Jail, so our only problem is finding that secret room."

"Do you know something about this? If you do, we'll hear it out." Ryu pleaded.

"I know how. Follow us." Sophia tells them as she and Ichinose leads them to where it is.

They were lead to the front of Sojiro's house.

"Sojiro's house? Why this place?" Ike wondered.

"I sense that this is the hidden room that you're looking for." Sophia confirmed.

"Wait, really?" Ken looked back at the house.

"Yes, really. Do you require any more assistance?"

"No, we can figure this out from here." Soren declined. "Thanks for the help."

"It's no prob."

"I'll be going now. I hope you all can succeed in helping Sakura-san." Ichinose said.

"Thanks. We'll do our best to see this through." Robin nodded with confidence, seeing her leave the premises.

Jackie looked back at the horde that are still congregating at Leblanc. He couldn't help but feel sorry for them.

"We'll deal with the stragglers later. Right now, we gotta save Sojiro before he does something extreme."

"Agreed. Though I don't like snooping into other people's houses, but this is for him. I just hope he understands that." Richter prayed.

"He'll come around, once we get in there." Mac turned to the leader. "Soren, you got the keyword, right?"

"Yeah, lemme go get it." He grabbed his phone to show them the keyword.

"Huh? The keyword is… different somehow…" Lynn is confused.

"You're right. EMMA isn't like the Meta-Nav, but how is it that it lead us to the Jail?" Ryu wondered.

"And the keyword doesn't even match the setting of the Jail either." Shulk doubted. "Just like Ryu said, how can it take us to that secret room?"

"Similarities and keywords do not matter in this special type of situation, Shulk." Kirby said. "While the Jail itself reflects from the heart of the subject in question, the keyword also defines the mental aspect of them as well. You must also realize that this room we have found is secret for a reason."

"Ohh, I get it now."

"It'll make a lot more sense once we get in there. Mac, you ready?" Soren said.

"Yeah. Keyword: Sanctuary."

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

The distortion begins to take effect.

When they finally enter the secret room, it's shown to be the top floor of some place.

"Ayo? Is this an attic?" Jackie looked around.

"The attic of Leblanc." Soren recognizes. "I've actually been up here before, when I brought Akira and Futaba's bodies back to Sojiro. It looked like he made his last peace with them, even though they were long gone."

"Poor Sojiro… he ended up outliving his children, and is now suffering all by himself." Robin laments. "His grief must have been too powerful for the cognition to be distorted."

"Indeed. Fate is cruel, even to the vulnerable and defenseless such as himself." Kirby agrees.

"Hey, what's that?" Richter noticed something.

Two mysterious figures appear out of nowhere in front of them.

"Whoa dude, is that…?" Ken recognized the faces.

"SoJiro… wHy hAvE You ABAndoNEd us?" The girl's voice became distorted.

"Bro, what?" Soren felt disturbed.

"you LeFT US tO DiE… how WIlL yOU atone For ThaT?" so was the boy's.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Sojiro's voice was audibly weeping. "I never meant for this to happen to you… Please… tell me how to atone for this…"

"No… no way…" Ryu recognized those voices.

"theRe IS oNlY oNE tHinG fOr YoU To DO…"

The figures step closer, making them step back a little.

"OFfeR Your Life, aNd We Will gRant YoU saLvATIoN."

The figures start to spasm out of control, until they transform into something hideous. They turned into a large black humanoid with horns and four arms, each carrying a weapon.

"Whoa dude!" Mac was taken aback.

"Here it comes!" Lynn warned them as the Shadow is charging at them.

The Shadow slammed its knife down, with everyone dodging the strike.

"YessS… that'S riGht… sACRifIce YOurSelf AND YoU wilL BE ForGiVen."

"What is wrong with this thing?! Are they telling Sojiro to sacrifice himself so that he can be forgiven?!" Richter yelled.

"And the place has changed too. Are those prison cells?" Ike noticed.

"No time to think right now. Get ready to fight!" Robin calls.

Everyone begins splitting up to spread themselves out, and avoid clumping together. The boss Shadow has other ideas, when multiple grunts are dispatched.

"Whoa, where did they come from?" Shulk said.

"It looks like it called in reinforcements. We'll have to split up and take out who's who so that we don't get overwhelmed by everything around us." Soren commands.

"Right!" Lynn complied.

Some of the members went after the small fries and the others target the head honcho. The boss Shadow began jabbing with each knife arm, trying to poke, jab, and stab them one by one, making huge craters with each blow.

Some of them dodged, while others fought back by exchanging the blows with their weapons. Ike knocked one of the weapons off and made a huge slash on it, dealing heavy damage.

A bunch of Shadows were about to jump him when Ryu intercepted with the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, running them over as they were sent flying.

Shulk also knocked another weapon off, but missed his mark when it was trying to strike him. Mac punched it back, but not before secretly placing a sticky bomb onto it, before punching it again, making it explode on contact.

"it'S YoUr fAUlt tHAT You LEFt US to Die! hOw wilL yOu mAke Up For It NoW?!"

"yoU COuLD've Just movED On AND LIvE yOuR LifE! buT No!"

"What's up with them?! It's like they're blaming him that he's still living!" Ken said.

"I think it's the survivor's guilt that's getting the best of him, especially that he's now all alone in this world!" Mac thought.

"Yeah, I think so too." Soren agreed. "It must've really eaten him up inside for harboring those thoughts."

"It definitely is- but we'll need to get rid of that thing first." Jackie said. "K.K. Slider!" The canine guitarist plays a short, but strong melody that casts another Zio at the Shadow. He turns to Richter to give him the signal.

"Maria!" Richter calls in Maria, who lets out a slight giggle before twirling her finger and point at it, throwing out a Kouga towards it.

The Shadow staggered a little, but it still maintained its posture, seemingly unfazed by the attack.

"Looks like that did it, but what if… Yeah! Doc Louis!" Mac called in his trainer-turned-Spirit for a little bit of Eiha.

The Shadow staggered again, almost falling to its knees, but still stood strong.

"it'S yOur fAUlt ThaT We hAvE diEd so maNY TIMeS!"

"Yes, ThInK AbOut How manY TImeS You BLAmeD YoURsElF For THIS!"

"I don't think they're guilt tripping him. It really is his subconscious that's making him think like that." Ike noted.

"Gods… I can't even begin to imagine the anguish he's gone through because of it… It's just too cruel for him." Robin laments.

"It's all the more reason that we need to help him." Ryu stated. "If we don't, then he'll continue to spiral down into the same madness the Phantom Thieves once experienced."

"Yeah!"

Neither side are letting up or yielding anytime soon, though reinforcements haven't shown up for a while, giving the group more time to wail on the boss before they come back.

The only good thing about this fight is that the enemies don't pose that much of a threat, but they are annoying when they do come back.

When the Shadow started spinning around with all four knives, it started going everywhere in the arena, as they all either got out of the way, or wait until it's done.

Robin managed to disarm one of the knives from its grip, and Lynn followed through by knocking one out of its other hand, before making an upward slash across the chest.

"For a Shadow guardian to be moving this fast, it's also quite durable, too!" Shulk commented with Shield Monado activated.

"I know, and I hate it!" Robin groans. "But since we know its main weaknesses, we can exploit that to our advantage. Grima!" He calls upon the Fell Dragon, still maintaining his sinister grin, brings along his dragon head to fire off his signature Expiration breath.

That somehow slowed it down, and it was getting a little weaker, but it feels that it still needs more hits for it to be completely down.

"Um, uh, uh, shit uh…" Soren is having a hard time picking which Spirit to use. "Uh… Togedemaru!" The Roly-Poly Pokémon became his first choice to attack the Shadow with a Ziodyne. It barely did anything.

"Damn, alright." Something crashed into him, making him fall down. It was a Mokoi. He shoves it off of him and kills it with just a sword slash.

"SAcrIFe YOUr LiFE sOjIro! It Is ThE oNlY WaY fOr YoU TO eARn oUR ForgiVENEsS!"

"iF You tRuLy lOVe us, ThEN YoU wilL PRovE IT riGht heRE AnD Now!"

"Do you even hear this, guys?! Can you even believe what they're saying?!" Jackie barked with a troubled tone.

"It sounds even worse if you know the context!" Mac groans.

"It may get worse if we don't get rid of it. If only we can exploit another weakness of it. Master Gouken!" Ryu calls him again to unleash an ice-powered Hadoken, with Ryu doing the same, firing it at the Shadow. The Hadoken hit upon contact, and it froze into an iceberg.

"That seems to be one of its weaknesses. Everyone, now's our chance!"

He called everyone, and even Lynn who has no idea what they're doing, to do an All-Out Attack. They all pose behind it, with Ryu in the center, as the ice shatters into a million pieces.

The Shadow is also shattered with the ice, but made a small explosion that left behind a lock. It fell to the ground, with the group going to observe it.

Ike kneels down to get a closer look. "What do we have here?" As he goes to touch it, the lock suddenly flashed, making a large crack in between, then breaking completely.

Then suddenly, the whole place started rumbling, causing some concern for the group members. It went on for a moment until it stopped.

"What was that just now?" Robin wondered.

"Seems to me that the birdcage is unlocked. We now have full access to it." Lynn answered.

"For real?" Ken turned to her.

"So by defeating the warden that guards the key, we can only assume that it is our recent target." Kirby said.

"But why would that thing be the one holding the key, and not Sojiro? What could be so significant about it?" Richter pondered at the thought.

"Hmm… a warden that guards the room… a key that locks his memories… Yes… these are all key differences between those two." Jackie thought.

"Right, because Palaces don't even have those kinds of things at all." Ryu brought it up.

"Yeah, and if weren't for Aqua, there's no way that we would be able to find it."

"I'd even say she's our clutch factor when it comes to this kinda thing, so nicely done, Aqua." Soren praised her.

"Aww, thanks you guys." Lynn blushed.

"Well then, the last step we need to do now is make a calling card." Jackie declared. "We'll take back those Desires and put Sojiro back on the right track."

The group exits the Metaverse as this place no longer holds a purpose.

Back at Haru's house, Kirby and Lynn were being taught the ropes of how the Phantom Thieves used to do in the Metaverse, from start to finish, as this is their first time doing something like this.

"I see… so the last step is sending the calling card. What should we say on the card?" Kirby questioned.

"For starters, we're after the Desires that Sojiro stole, and considering that they can work the same way as Treasures back in Palaces, we can say something along the lines of 'We're here to take back those Desires' or something similar." Robin explained.

"Sounds optimal. They're pretty much similar in a way, and I'll bet that this will be the game changer for us if we can make them manifest." Soren concurred.

"So if we can get those Desires back, then the people will return to normal once that happens, correct?" Lynn asked,

"Hopefully yeah, but we're not entirely sure if the change of heart will work on Sojiro." Ryu expressed his concerns. "Even if we manage to rescue the victims, without the change of heart, nothing will change and the cycle will just keep on going."

"But even so, there is a chance that his Shadow will be there since we made quite the scene when we unlocked the birdcage." Shulk countered. "If that worked like last time, then we'll have a chance to do so."

Ike noticed that Mac had been silent ever since they got out of the Metaverse.

"Are you alright, Mac? You haven't said anything since we got back."

The boxer sighs. "Sorry, it's just… I can't even wrap my head around what we just saw and heard from that place."

"Yeah, I get what you're saying." Ken nodded. "Those sounds were not normal, not even in Metaverse standards."

"And the words they said… they sound so unreal that his mind is literally starting to deteriorate." Richter shudders.

"It would seem so." Kirby sighs. "It must have been harsh for him to simply continue onward with his life, even when the nightmares have been reoccurring since then."

"Because every time he falls asleep, a different scenario, but the same nightmare occurs, mostly involving Akira and Futaba dying every time, leaving him weak and powerless to save them on his own, constantly blaming himself and crying out apologies." Ike huffs afterwards. "If those voices are telling him of doing what I think it is, then it could only mean one thing…"

"That's why we have to change his heart!" Mac stood up. "I don't want him to get trapped into this vicious cycle forever. There are still so many things for him to do, to enjoy, and a life to live. But the trauma of losing them has taken too much of a toll on him, as he's also losing himself as well."

"Mac…"

"It's probably also the reason why this Jail was formed in the first place. He went through way too much to just let it go and move on. I guess he feels trapped inside that birdcage metaphorically to feel that way."

"You're right about one thing, Mac." Soren spoke. "Sojiro is our friend, and we're the only ones who can help him at this point. Because if we don't, then he would most certainly die if we just sat here and do nothing about it."

"Thanks, dude. So, can I write the calling card this time? I really want to tell him this personally."

"Sure thing, this one's all yours."

"Don't worry, you can ask me for help if you get stuck on it." Jackie said.

"Thanks everyone, again. I really do appreciate it."

"Well then, I say that we all need a good night rest. We don't wanna tire ourselves out for the big game tomorrow." Soren decides.

"Alright then." Ike nods.

Once Mac finished making the calling card, everyone turns in for the night to prepare for tomorrow.

None of the Phantom Thieves nor the Velvet Room residents bothered Soren that night.

Chapter Text

Little Mac really hated seeing Sojiro like this. It became distressing that he couldn't even sleep at night after making the calling card, but thankfully Kirby and Lynn were right by his side, soothing and comforting him in his time of need. It was all he could ever think about, but he knows that getting worked up over it will solve nothing. It's time to rest.

He and Kirby arrive back to Leblanc to give their target the card, as others stayed behind to wait for their signal. When they got there, it was still crowded, even more than ever as more people piled up at the door.

It would seem that Sojiro has received many noise complaints from the locals about the disturbances, but they know that he didn't seem to care. Well, that changes today.

They push through the crowd to reach the front door, which has more people inside. This is way over the max number of occupants inside the establishment and can cause safety hazards if a fire broke out. Oh, this will not stand.

"Go find him. I will deal with them." Kirby instructs.

"Right." Mac said.

While Kirby takes the passed out customers out of Leblanc, Mac has to go find Sojiro. But he doesn't need to, because-

"Oh, there you are. I thought you went somewhere."

"No, I just happen to stay here for a little while." Sojiro chuckled, his face looking incredibly ragged.

Knowing that he's still here is enough soothe Mac's mind, but the main issue still needs to be addressed.

"Well, that's good to hear. So uh, I've seen how hard you work ever since that day, so I wanted to give you some fundings and a gift card for all of your hard work." He presents the envelope.

"Oh, for me? You shouldn't have."

"But I do, really. You've done so much for everybody, so if there's someone that recognizes your efforts, it may as well be me so… here." Mac gives it to him. "Think of it as an act of gratitude."

"Well, if you say so." Sojiro takes the envelope. "Thanks. I'll be sure to read it."

"You're welcome. Well, I gotta get going now. See you later." Mac gave the signal to Kirby that it was time to leave, getting out as quickly as possible.

Sojiro wanted to open the envelope later and get back to work, but with the way that Mac left in a hurry and what the contents are in the envelope, he feels that there is something much more than that.

He opens the envelope to find no gift card or cash whatsoever. Instead, he got a calling card. He reads:

To Sojiro Sakura, the heartbroken father of two,

We are aware that you are currently grieving as of now. And while we sympathize with you of your loss, what you are doing now is leading you downward to a spiral of ruin and insanity. We will not idly stand by when someone such as yourself is in danger. Thus, we will take back those Desires to help you heal. Please understand that this is for your own good.

Sojiro's hand started shaking, not just out of anger, but also disbelief and betrayal.

"You sent me this… after everything I've done for you…?"

"You mean to take those Desires? The ones I've collected? But I can't! I need those! That's how I became Monarch! I need those to… to…"

"Very well. Take them, if you can; for I will claim your lives for their own, in exchange that my children will be resurrected once more. I'll be waiting."

The duo rendezvoused back to the group, who are in Shibuya, waiting for them to be done.

"It is done." Kirby confirmed.

"So what does that mean?" Lynn asked.

"It means that the Desires are fully manifested, and we can go back in to go get it." Jackie explained.

"Oh, awesome!"

"Let's go, team. It's time to dethrone the king." Soren taps EMMA to return to the Jail once again.

The group were back at the entrance again where they made a mad dash back to where the birdcage is. When they arrived, there was a giant hole, exposed by the chain that was hanging down there.

"Ah, it looks like we can use that to go down from here." Robin noticed.

"Or we can slide down on this one here. I don't wanna splat on the ground anyway." Ken points at the obvious hole in the wall.

"Well, we have our preferences. Let's just go down." Ike wasted no time in using the chain to slide down.

Everyone else used either the chain or the hole to get down there whenever.

They finally reached the bottom, going back to where the Desires are. Jackie looks up to see the true manifestation of the Desires.

"Holy…"

The manifestation happens to be one giant diamond floating in the air.

"Oh my god, that thing is HUGE!" Richter was in awe.

"It really must've taken up a lot of Desires for this to grow." Ryu thought out loud. "But either way, it is a relief that the calling card managed to manifest it."

"Yeah, for a minute there, I thought that the standard Palace procedures wouldn't work at all. Good thing it did." Jackie sighed in relief.

"But how are we supposed to steal it? Are we supposed to get it down?" Shulk wondered.

"That's a good question. I don't know." Mac scratched the back of his head.

The conversation stops as they hear footsteps coming in and a ping that comes with it.

"Someone's coming…" Ryu said.

The figure steps out of the shadows, revealing the one they had sought out.

"There he is!" Lynn pointed.

"Hmph, so the lot of you has arrived." Sojiro scoffs. "And I suppose that you're here for the Desires as well."

"Well… yeah, but that's just one point." Soren shrugged.

"And what's the other?"

"Look man, we're so sorry for your loss. We really are. But what you're doing isn't healthy at all." Ken said.

"I know what it's like to lose a family member. Trust me, I've been there before." Ike tries to reassure him. "I lost my father a long time ago, and I can relate to you on that level."

"We can help you move on and heal, if you would let us." Shulk offered. "Please, you don't have to do this alone. Just give us this chance."

"I don't need your help. I can take care of myself." Sojiro rejects. "All I ever want in life right now is to see my children resurrected again, even if it means-"

"Dabbling in the dark arts." Kirby finished. "You understand that you are attempting to defy mother nature with those methods, and what you will use will cost you dearly. Even knowing the consequences, will you still go through with it?"

"He has a point, you know." Richter agrees. "If you actually did do it, would the results even satisfy you? They may not even look like the real deal, and they will probably not live long enough for that."

"And if you are successful, would you really be happy with the result? Would they be sad that they were brought back to life?" Jackie questions. "I know you would be beyond ecstatic about it, but what about them? I know that you know that we've all heard their wishes. If they say they have to stay dead, then let them."

"SILENCE!!" Sojiro roared. "Don't you dare repeat those words!"

"But you heard it too, right? This is what they want, even if it's selfish for them to say so!" Mac said. "I know you miss them so much, we all do too, but we have to respect their wishes. Please, just… don't do this, man."

"ENOUGH!! I grow weary of this conversation. If you don't see things my way then I will have to destroy you."

Sojiro thru throws his staff to the side, as the dark aura begins to radiate from him. Then he starts to transform. He starts growing bigger and bigger, until... there was no Sojiro.

"No way… that's…" Ike recognized what it is.

"The dragon from before!" Soren exclaims.

"Here it comes everyone!" Robin rallies the group.

The dragon roars, rumbling the cave rumbling the cave, and the battle begins.

The dragon began breathing fire at everyone, to which everyone dodges to get out of the way, except Ken as he ran through the fire to start off the assault by doing a Tatsumaki Senppukyaku, hitting it multiple times.

The dragon goes in for the full swipe on Ken, but was blown back by Robin with a huge gust of Rexcalibur while summoning Grima for assistance.

"Sojiro, please! Listen to us!" Mac pleaded.

"It's no use talking to him, Shownu. He won't listen." Ike told him. "The only way we can make him listen is that we defeat him." He started rushing towards the dragon.

Mac could only sigh in distress. A hand was on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Shownu. We can save him." Richter assured him. "We're not gonna fail him now like we did the Phantom Thieves."

"This time, the results will be different." Soren stepped in. "And don't worry, we got your back, and we'll make him see the light." He holds his fist in the air. "But this can only work if we all put in our A-game into it. You in?"

Hearing that from Richter and Soren made him feel much better. Sojiro needs someone at his side, and he will be there for him.

"Yeah. Let's do it." Mac bumps his fist with Soren's.

"Alright, now go. I'll cover you. Papercraft Mario!" He conjures up a Mario-like model out of strong cardboard, with Mac and Richter placed above its head.

Below the Papercraft are a bunch of Toads lifting it and running towards the dragon by Soren's command. It ended up taking a hit from the dragon's tail, knocking a few toads out, but some are still standing, and the two fighters didn't get thrown off.

The Papercraft finally collides onto the dragon, propelling them upwards as they jump off of it. Richter throws a holy water with a sticky bomb attached to it. The holy water explodes on contact, creating a large fire that engulfs the dragon. Mac skydives down towards the fire, breezing through it, with Doc louis on side to land a 1-star punch on it.

"Did we get him?" Lynn asked.

The dragon flapped its wings to clear the smoke, now flying in midair, roaring furiously, shaking the cave again.

"No. he doesn't go down that easily." Jackie said.

"When it comes to fights like this, they never stay down. But neither are we." Soren flourished Alondite to his side. "Here comes part two."

Ken runs up to the dragon and jumps up, expecting it to breathe fire again. What he got instead is a smack from the tail, sending him flying. It then went after Shulk to grab him, but he had Jump Monado on and jumped on his back, running across. and summoning Fiora to cast Kouga, directly hitting it where it hurts.

The dragon reacted greatly to it, as it responds by ramming Shulk to a wall. Thankfully, he had Shield Monado, but he's left molded into the wall.

Next, it fought with Robin, Ryu and Lynn, dodging everything that the beast is trying to hit them with. It was hard for them to find any opening due to how surprisingly fast it went. When Lynn tried to call for Azura, the dragon went in to grab her, but Ryu pushed her out of the way as he got caught instead.

"Oh shit. K.K. Slider!" Jackie quickly summons his Spirit to get Ryu free from its clutches with a Zio. "Hey, come at me bro, I'm right here!" He started taunting. He finally got its attention as it started walking towards him. "That's right. Come on over here, big guy." He saw the beast coming in close. "Yeah, keep on walking. Don't you dare fly up now…"

When the dragon took another step, its foot got buried, feeling immense pain, roaring furiously in response.

Soren and Ike jumped up, launching shockwaves from their swords. The projectiles themselves were infused from the Spirits of Yune and Olaf, as a means of dealing more damage, with Ryu breaking free from its grip.

"Master Gouken!" He summons his Master Spirit to summon hails of Bufu to freeze the creature to stay still.

"Minhyuk!" Mac yelled to the Monado boy.

"I'm okay!" He made it out of the wall, thanks to Kirby.

"Good. Help me out!"

Shulk activated Jump Monado with Mac holding onto him, as he jumps to a greater height, almost touching the ceiling. Then he spins the boxer around to gain enough velocity. Next, he throws him at the dragon, with the latter going at incredible speeds as he begins to charge another attack.

"Sojiro Sakuraaaa!!!" Mac lands a double axe handle straight at the noggin. Well… encased in ice, that's for sure.

The ice starts cracking, then breaking apart, with the dragon taking the full brunt of it. It began shrinking back down to size, turning human again, that of being Sojiro. He falls to his knees, completely defeated.

"Why? Why is it so hard for me to move on?" He lamented. "I know that this is what they've wanted, and that I should respect their wishes. But… I still couldn't accept it!"

"Sojiro, just… just stop." Mac said with a tired sigh. "If you keep going like that, you'll only make yourself feel worse."

"How would you know?! You haven't lost anyone dear to you in your life! I know some of your friends have, and others didn't! But their pain is not the same as mine! How could you possibly say that we have something in common or that you can relate with me when you don't even know what I'm going through?!"

"We do. We do know." Soren said. "We all lost one thing in common that relates to all of us: The Phantom Thieves. But by your extension, two of them were your own children." That made Sojiro gasp.

Mac sighs again. "Look, we'll never know or completely understand what you're going through right now, since we don't know them personally. But let me just say that they're like friends and family to us as well. Even though we were on opposite sides, their deaths devastated us greatly. The rest of us still think about them every time we do things, because they mean so much to us in every way."

"Do you not remember the limited time that you had spent with them? The halcyon days where it was just you and them, the laughter that you had shared, the lost time you had made up before. Do any of them not surface to you once more?" Kirby reminded the fallen king.

That made him remember everything. The tearful reunions, laughter, catching up on lost time, and their decision to remain dead. They were all coming back to him.

"You're right… you're absolutely right. How could I forget about all of these? All this time, I've been so stuck up about their deaths that it… warped my thinking beyond recognition. I never once even considered their wishes of staying in the dead. And by trying to bring them back to life… would absolutely go against it. And that's also why…"

He reached for something that made the group tense up and were about to do something. But he grabbed the crown and puts it on the ground. "Then I don't need this stupid thing anymore."

That made Mac so happy that he's starting to shed tears of joy.

"Hey, would mind coming over to Leblanc? I'll treat you to curry and coffee, my treat."

"Yeah… That would be great."

"Hey uh, sorry to interrupt but… are you alright, man?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, that looked like it really hurt." Richter nodded.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I'll be just fine." Sojiro chuckled. "This is another step for me to take. And in time, I'll keep moving forward. Thanks for helping me realize what's important in life."

"And thank you for staying with us." Mac said with the biggest smile he's had. "We'll see you soon, yeah?"

"Yeah. See you soon." Shadow Sojiro vanished into the light.

The next thing that was either expected or not was the rumbling happening again.

"Ohh shit that's not good. We gotta get outta here!" Jackie declared as Kirby calls in the Warp Star to scoop everyone and blast off from the cave.

Once outside, they witness a purple beam shooting upwards at the sky, and what comes after that bears the fruit of their results. All of the Desires that were once stolen were sprouting were now returning to the people, disappearing one by one.

"Whoa…" Lynn was in total amazement. "Look at all of them…"

"It looks like the Desires are returning back to their rightful owners." Ryu deduced.

"And the best part about this- We actually saved someone without them dying! We finally did something right!" Shulk cheered.

"Yeah, this is something worth celebrating about!" Robin agreed.

"Ayo, what the fuck?" Jackie noticed something wrong.

"What's wrong, Jackson?" Ike asked.

"Something's not right. The Jail didn't even collapse."

"What? But how could that be? The giant Desire exploded into a million pieces! That should've been it, right?" Richter said.

"It would seem it would not be the case, correct? Do tell." Kirby requested clarification.

"Whenever we steal Treasure from Palaces, they start to crumble and we had to get outta here as quick as we can." Ken explained.

"Yeah, but this time, the same logic doesn't even work here." Soren threw his hand up. "It looks like there may be even more of these things, and the journey is only just beginning."

"Well, we can worry about that later. I wanna go see how Sojiro is doing." Mac states.

"That's a good idea. I actually want to see how this change of heart works." Lynn commented.

"He did promise us to some food after all." Ike said.

"I'll say. But still, safety comes first."

Everyone starts laughing, their bonds growing ever stronger than before.

"Now let's go home." Soren leads the group back to the real world, for some R&R and to check on Sojiro for safekeeping.

Chapter Text

The group finally returned to the real world after a job well done. Mac finally got through to Sojiro after an arduous fight, he returns the Desires to the masses, and a change of heart is setting in motion. In the first time in forever, they finally did something right, and this calls for a celebration at-

"Excuse me, are you Little Mac?"

Oh. Alright then. Rude ass cop.

"Uh, yeah, why?" Mac replied, confused.

"You're coming with me."

"For what?!"

"Ayayay, whoawhaowhoahwoahwh, what's the deal here?" Soren demanded.

"I just got a report from an elderly man saying that there was a calling card at his establishment and that this individual here is the prime suspect."

"You… you can't be serious, right?" Robin felt indignant towards that statement.

"I'm dead serious. So if you'll excuse me, I'm taking him in."

"Hey, you can't do that to him!" Ken tries to fight back.

"Uh-oh, does that mean the change of heart didn't work?" Lynn sounds very concerned.

"It's… it's supposed to work. It should've!" Jackie was saying so.

"I suspect that Sojiro must have called the cops on him once he got the card." Ryu assumed. "He also thought that it's meant as an act of betrayal."

"Sojiro… why would you do that?" Shulk wondered.

"WAIT!" A voice yelled out.

Sojiro appeared on the scene, completely out of breath.

"Sojiro?" Richter saw.

"Why's he here?" Ike questioned.

"Don't… don't arrest him."

"Huh?" Mac seemed lost.

"What are you saying? You're the one who made the call, and I'm doing my job." The cop said.

"I know I did, but I realized something, and arresting him won't solve it. Please, you have to let him go."

"Sorry sir, but I'm trying to do my job so please step aside."

"Oh my god, bro." Jackie groans.

"Now hold on. Before you do anything, I got an even better job for you." That other voice said.

"Who said that?" Shulk wondered.

Enter a bearded man, casually strolling along.

"Hey, it's that one cop dude that helped us with the concert." Soren recognized.

"Zenkichi Hasegawa." Ryu remembered the name.

"Hasegawa-san! What brings you here?" The cop asked.

"I just received word that you're arresting a young male who left a calling card for this elderly gentleman here, right?"

"Yessir, that's correct."

"Why don't you let me handle this. I know a thing or two about these things. Also, there's a robbery in a nearby store, and officers need your help apprehending the suspect."

"But what about-"

"Don't worry. Leave this to me. Go help the others."

"Yessir! Right away, sir!" The cop left in a flash.

"Hey, you alright?" Zenkichi checked up on Mac.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for that."

"Course. Always happy to help. I'll leave you to it then." Zenkichi walks to another direction.

"Okay, bye?" Ken said with much confusion.

"Sojiro, what are you doing here?" Mac asked.

"Look, I… I want to apologize to you. About calling the cops on you." Sojiro takes a deep breath. "When you first gave me the card, and I read the whole thing word by word, I really thought… I really thought that you'd betrayed me, took advantage of my kindness, saying that it's for my own good."

Mac said nothing, letting him continue.

"But when I felt that 'change of heart' myself, I realized that… you were genuinely looking out for me. You were concerned about my well-being above everything else. And this is how I repay you for that. I'm sorry."

The teen then places his hands on the old man's shoulders. "Look, it's okay. I know people react differently when it comes to things like that. But I want you to know that you still have people that will be there for you, no matter what. Take it from us."

"Yeah… You're right… I still have people that are in my corner. You guys, and my customers. Even when they still have other things to do, they stayed longer just to comfort me during my darkest hours. And then there's you guys who helped me to get up and start moving forward. Thanks for putting me back on the right track."

"Anything for you, really."

"Say, you wanna come by Leblanc? It's on the house."

"We will accept it." Kirby says.

"Great. Follow me."

Everyone made it back to Leblanc, to where it's still unkempt and unsanitary, even after the customers were escorted out.

"Whoa… what happened here?" Ken wondered.

"It's thanks to EMMA that it became to be." Jackie answered.

"A lot of customers stuffed themselves with the curry and coffee way too much, and they looked like they were totally inebriated from it." Soren detailed.

"And they were crowding at the door, too. Oh, it was terrible and dangerous as well." Lynn added.

"'Twas fortunate that we were present to quell the fires. Who knows what might had occurred had it not been for us." Kirby said.

"Hear hear. Hopefully it doesn't leave them with bitter tastes in their mouths after all this." Jackie thought.

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot about this." Sojiro sighs. "It's gonna take a while for me to get this place cleaned up. You should come back soon."

"No. we're gonna help you clean this place up." Robin offered. "You've done so much for us and everyone that came here. The least we can do is help."

"And don't think about doing this alone. More helping hands are way better than one." Ike said.

"You're right. I'll accept that help." Sojiro dusts off his apron and cleans his glasses. "Now then, there's a second-hand shop around the corner here that has the materials that we'll need. I have cleaning materials stored in the restroom, so we'll split roles for everyone."

"Alright, we're ready, boss." Mac nods.

Sojiro gave each member some roles and tasks for them to fulfill. As some went to the shop to get the materials, others stayed behind to renovate the place and repolish everything. As the subgroup returned, they finally got to work.

They started cleaning the floors, polishing the chairs and tables, and placing new decorations that will further appeal its inward appearance. Outside, they replaced the open/closed sign that was torn off, the chalkboard cleaned off and the menu rewritten, and hose down the road for safety measures.

In just 15 minutes flat, Leblanc is back and good as new.

"Wow, this looks great!" Shulk commented.

"It looks way better than last time, don't you agree?" Richter turned to everyone, as they all agree unanimously.

"This is... so surreal." Sojiro could almost cry, but chose not to. "Thank you all so much, for everything."

"Anytime, my man." Ken gave a thumbs up.

"Alright then, it's time to get started on this grand reopening of Leblanc. Take a seat, anywhere you like. It's all on me."

"Thank you, boss." Ryu bowed.

As Sojiro begins cooking up a storm, the group secretly took some money out of their pockets while taking amongst themselves, striking up good conversations here and there. Once the chef is done, here he serves 10 plates of curry, 5 cups of coffee and 5 cups of water.

"Here you are! Enjoy!" Sojiro said.

"Cheers everyone!" Soren raised his glass of water.

"Cheers!" Everyone clank their glasses together for the big celebration.

The conversation and atmosphere became much more lively when Sojiro joined in on the fun, with him explaining about how he got into making curry and coffee, and would give them tips and pointers on how to make one themselves. He even tells about the celebrations that he did with Wakaba and Futaba, and even Akira and Morgana, when they were all still alive, showing that even though his life has been rough, he still found happiness and fond memories that will last forever.

With everyone finishing their meals and drinks, Sojiro asked the group if they can stay a while longer, which they agree. Others offered to help Sojiro clean some more, and others screwed around since there was nothing else to do. Once that's finished, the old barista went to the sign and flipped it to closed.

"What was that for?" Robin asked.

"Now that you're all here, I have something to show you. Follow me."

Everyone followed him upstairs at the old attic where Akira used to live in. It became a mess again when he died, but with the change of heart, some of them assume that he cleaned it up pretty quickly before coming back down.

What was in front of them is a long thin blanket covering something.

"Sorry for the sudden announcement, but… Akira came by a while back to give me something before he died."

"Waitwaitwaitwait, hol' up. Akira came here? Really?" Ken was astonished.

"What was it that he gave you?" Shulk asked.

"You're about to find out." Sojiro takes the sheet off to reveal a line of canvases. "Here it is."

The group got a closer look at the paintings, learning more and more about what's on it.

"Wait, what the hell? Is that me?" Soren points to the figure at the first canvas.

"Look at this, that's the four of us here, in Morgana's Palace!" Jackie noticed on the third portrait.

"And look, that's all of us together!" Richter saw the seventh canvas.

"This one here is us climbing up to fight Galeem and Dharkon." Ryu saw on the twelfth item.

"And here's us fighting them for the fate of the world." Mac pointed at the last drawing.

"Great Scott…" Kirby was fascinated.

"I know, this is heavy." Sojiro agreed. "But there's one good reason as to why I'm showing this to you."

"What's that?" Ike asked.

"Akira said that those paintings were made as some sort of prophecy I should say, about how you guys would one day fight those things to save the world. He told me that this was the truth that we're all seeing right now, something that Akira and Yusuke only knew."

"So you're saying that Yusuke was the one that drew these paintings?" Robin said.

"That's right. Akira told me to keep it hidden until all of you are here at this very moment, because he knew that you would be the ones to end their suffering from this vicious conflict that they were thrown into."

"So if one other person knew about this, then what about the others?" Ken wondered.

"He didn't want them to know, and he told me not to tell them about it. He must've known that they would be denying the truth, and that none of them would be able to handle it well."

"So Akira really did believe in us, and the premonition from Yusuke had cemented it altogether. I think I understand now." Shulk realizes.

"So, what are you gonna do with it?" Lynn said.

"You know, I was gonna keep it as a keepsake, but I want you guys to have it."

"Are you sure about this?" Ike wanted to know.

"I am. Akira would say the same thing too. You guys did save the world after all, and this isn't the first time Japan has been saved."

"Oh, so one of those, huh? But yeah, we'll take those." The members start to collect the paintings carefully, with each of them holding one or two. "Thank you so much for telling us all of this, Sojiro." Soren said.

"You're welcome. I'll never forget all the good you've done for me, and for everyone else."

"And neither will we. Come on guys, let's go back home."

The group left with them saying their goodbyes to Sojiro as they were going down the stairs. The old man opened the window to look outside.

"Well, this is what you wanted, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep on living, for all four of us."

Everyone finally made it back to Haru's house after making a few stops before coming back here. First and foremost, they had to drop off the paintings in Jackie's apartment as he is the only permanent resident here. Then, they had to stop by to pick up some dinner, and a few other things for the road trip before coming back home.

By the time the servants set the food on the dining table, they begin chowing down like no tomorrow.

"Oh my god, that was a long week!" Richter leaned back on the couch.

"After everything that's happened, we really do need this one." Ike acknowledged.

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel really sleepy here." Jackie said.

"It's the food coma that's getting to you, man. That's what it always does." Ken yawned. "Oh god, it's starting to get to me."

But before we do that, let's get ourselves cleaned up." Shulk suggested.

"Good idea. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about tomorrow." Ryu agrees.

"Well I'm gonna go hit the hay first if that's alright with you." Mac said.

"Go ahead, you deserve that good night's sleep." Soren said.

"Good night, Mac." Robin waved.

"We too shall turn in for the night. We shall see you in the morrow." Kirby announced.

"Good night, you guys." Lynn waves.

"Good night." The boys waved.

It was that time to go to sleep. They sure have been through a lot.

Soren woke up again to find himself in another different setting this time. Where he's at now is a desert with the red Sun being set.

"Ugh, where did I end up this time? Am I in Hell, or in the Middle East?" He hears a screeching coming from far away, making him turn around to find a bat coming his way. "Oh shit!" He ducked down to dodge it.

When he got back up, he looked at what's in front of him, and lo and behold, a valley full of eldritch monsters roaming around and about, small and big, with volcanoes erupting in the background and skies filled with dark clouds.

"Well… a little bit of both." He shrugged.

He travelled a bit further to explore around the area. Not sure why, but he knows he'll find something interesting from it. He went a little further until a hand stopped him in his place. When looked up, it was a hooded man that stood on a boat, waiting for someone.

"Oh, I see. You must be Charon, then. Well, as much I want to go on the other side, I don't have anything, so I guess I'll go another way then." He puts his hands in his pocket when he heard a jingle from it. He fished it out to see that it wasn't his phone, but rather, coins. "When did that get here?"

He turns around, seeing the hooded man still standing there. He knew what this one meant so he went up to give it to the man, and he accepted it without hesitation. He offers Soren passage to his boat, which he gets on, making it feel pretty weird and unconventional for him, but he'll just have to roll with it.

As Charon rows the boat, Soren begins to wonder about this plane of existence. If Akira somehow dragged him into 1900's France, then there must be a pattern where the Phantom Thieves can also do the same thing as well. Though who will do it next is entirely up to interpretation, and playing the guessing game won't do him any good.

The other thing he noticed was that them pulling him into those worlds do not correlate with the Velvet Room residents calling him in. He figured that they can't occur together during the same day and that it's either one or the other, and that one time can only occur on the same day. At least, that's what he can figure out for now.

The boat stops as Charon points him to his next destination. He gets off the boat to proceed onward. He goes further to stumble across a pyramid sitting in the middle of nowhere.

"I think I know who this is."

He goes inside the pyramid, the place being completely empty, save for the very intricate design of the inside. What was in the middle however is a throne with a girl sitting on it.

She wore ancient Egyptian clothing to what would be considered a combination of Cleopatra and a Pharoh, wearing a top that covers her neck, a floor-length skirt that connects to her bracelets and armpieces, and a golden headpiece with a snake in the front. She has that expectant look on her face.

"Mweheheh, I've been waiting for you." Futaba chortled.

"Yeah, you did. That pyramid was a cold giveaway, you know that? What, with all the eldritch monsters that are roaming outside, and in here too. Heyhey, stop that." Soren flicked the bat off of him. "But if we're being real here, I'm gonna guess that this isn't Hell, but rather the dark arts of the Necronomicon."

"Well, you got that part right. But in this world, all of the monsters we're seeing now are roaming everywhere, doing whatever the heck it is they're doing. Don't worry though, this place is relatively safe."

"Okay, if you say so. Speaking of Hell, Charon ended up taking me here with coins that magically appeared in my pocket. So if he's here, then where's Cerberus?"

"He's right over there." Futaba pointed at the biblically accurate, non-Metaverse version gnawing on the bones of an invading gargoyle it recently killed while on guard.

"Alright… so… what did you call me for?"

The gremlin said nothing as she got off the throne. She suddenly hugged him, tightly grabbing onto him as if needing to hold onto something.

"Thank you, Soren… for saving my dad. I know it's hard for him living alone without us or Mom, and that I'm afraid that if he died, then Leblanc would die as well. But you guys saved him, and I'm so happy that he's still there, so… thank you. Thank you so much."

Soren can hear her sniffling, but he chose to stay quiet and returned the hug.

"Yeah. You're welcome. He's our friend, too. It was out of the question to leave him like that."

"Yeah. Seems like I really was wrong about you guys. You really are good people, you know."

"Thanks. In a world of assholes and dickheads alike, there's always people that are kindhearted and good-natured, and we are those people. I just hope that he can enjoy life while he's at it."

"He can and will, thanks to you. And while we'll never get to do the things we did back then, I wish him all the happiness he can have."

Soren starts to feel drowsy again.

"It was great talking to you again. Have a good night, okay?" Futaba waved.

"Yeah. See you later."

He has now drifted off to sleep, thinking about hanging out with Sojiro, drinking light coffee, filling their bellies with curry and playing Road Boxer for the SP2. Something that Sojiro himself would agree on.

End of Sojiro arc

Ending

Chapter Text

With one weight off of their shoulders, Monsta X begins planning for the road trip that they had planned a while back. Everyone had already split up to make the final preparations, and with the help of the servants, it makes the process much easier.

Ken and Ryu had to go find a RV or camper that can fit all 11 of them, since the one that Sojiro's friend have is too small for them. Richter and Shulk had to get medicine from Takemi in case if anyone got sick. Robin went to get more essentials to keep everyone entertained for the trip. Ike went to get more food and drinks, with most of them coming from vending machines. Mac and Kirby went to buy some clothes for everyone to wear whenever they go to the laundromat for their old ones.

And that leaves Soren with Jackie and Lynn as his responsibility, with the dog deciding that they should go back to the house to get more things.

With a trip back, Lynn had the unfortunate experience of bumping into someone and falling for it.

"Oh shit." Soren cursed as he helped her get back up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you. I didn't even see where I was going."

"Nah man, I should've been more careful with that."

"Huh? Jackie?"

"Chief?"

Soren turned back to see the dog and the man staring at each other, completely shocked with one another.

"Jackie, do you know this guy?"

"Yeah. He's actually my boss."

"Ah- wha- what in the fuck…" He cursed again, under his breath this time.

"So… Jackie is originally a dog?" The boss asked.

They had to go back inside the house to clear out some things. There are some things Soren can tell straight up, but for other things he had to improvise.

"Yeah. Me and my friend found him like this when we were going around Shibuya. Even though I'm not a dog person, I happen to like this one a whole lot."

"I see… So then, do you know where he's from?"

"Eh, I don't know, really. All I know is that I found him in the streets and I decided to take him in."

"Right, right. Who would've thought that the employee of the month is actually a dog… small world."

"Yeah, no shit. I kept thinking about that the first time since then, but for a while, it just turned to be quite the norm for me."

"I'll bet. Anyway, it's not for me to ask, but what is it that you're planning?"

"We're gonna go on a road trip." Lynn answered.

"A road trip? How fun! I've been into many myself, and let me tell you, you're gonna have so much fun when you go all around the country."

"Well, that's what we're gonna do. Any suggestions?"

"Hmm, not really. I want you all to be your own judge. Go wherever you want to go, and be sure to capture those memories in your mind, because when you want to think back from your trip, it'll come back up."

"Yeah. Yeah. We'll do just that."

"Oh, dear me, where are my manners. My name is Hideo Fukushima. Pleased to meet you."

"Soren Rover. Likewise."

"Lynn. Nice to meet you."

"Normally, I would like to invite you guys for a meal, but since you're going on a road trip, I won't bother you. Hope you guys have fun."

"Thank you."

Hideo leaves the house.

"So uh, what's the relation between you guys, other than the fact that he's your boss?" Soren asked.

"Well, he's also my neighbor, and the guy that helped me get the house." Jackie explained.

"Really now?"

"Yeah, and he also drives me to work from time to time, even though I got my own car and commute by train."

"Wow, your boss is a good man." Lynn remarked.

"He is, and that's why I want to pay him back by working hard, because without him, I wouldn't be able to get a neighborhood as nice as this."

"You're a good guy, you know that?" Soren said.

"I get that every time now. Anyway, help me get my things from my room."

"What is it you're trying to get?"

"You know, this."

Ohh! Yeah, I'll go get them, hold on."

Soren went upstairs to grab the dog things for Jackie, and by dog things, meaning the bed, vest and leash. Simple things, really.

When they went downstairs, they found that Lynn is still sitting on the couch.

"Lynn? What's wrong, buddy? Is something on your mind?" Jackie asked.

"I've been thinking about how Little Mac was able to save Sojiro. Back there… when he was talking to him… was those words really what he felt?"

The human and dog looked at each other, knowing that she would have a question like that. They sit down with her to tell her all about it.

"Well… to answer your question… yeah, those were his genuine words." Soren started. "He poured his heart out for him because he felt more concerned for his well-being, above everything else. Remember when we were about to send the calling card to Sojiro, how he stayed up all night to make it just for him?" She nodded. "It's like that. It's because he cares for him, just like we all do."

"Yeah, and not only that, he's also our friend." Jackie added. "He was in so much distress when he lost his children that he's almost lost himself. Thanks to the change of heart, and Mac putting some sense back into him, he's back to his old self again. Almost."

"Ohh. I think I understand. Kind of."

"Don't worry. You'll get it soon enough when we do this again." Soren pats her back. "Now let's go. The road trip waits for no one."

Everyone rendezvous back to Haru's house once they've finished their tasks. Everyone has brought their respective items for the trip, which should last them the entire duration of it. Ken brought his smoking hot gun by bringing the RV up in the perimeters.

It's one of those luxury buses that can be seen around multiple places, but this particular one also acts as an RV/camper as Ken claimed. Since no one believed him, they all went inside to see it for themselves, and when they did, they were instantly blown back.

Inside the bus is the interior's layout is completely white, coming from marble floors, sofas, chairs, tables, countertops, etc.

It also came in with 10 million cupboards and pantries for everyone to put their stuff in, portable built-in fans for the driver and passenger in the front, blinds to cover up the seats, microwave, stove and kitchen sink.

At the second-half, it has a fridge, bathroom, shoe drawer, king-sized bed big enough to fit three people, another fan on the ceiling, more cabinets, another bathroom with a shower stall, more shoe drawers, a closet, safe vaults, and built-in washing machine and drier.

It's so fancy that the thought of being in one made Soren feel nauseous, but since there's 11 of them, 2 of them not being human, he couldn't help but feel that sleeping arrangements are going to be disastrous. But he'll figure that out later.

Outside the bus has a lot more than it let on. It has portable storage rooms for them to put their luggage, merchandise, and other things on one side. The other side has a portable grill, and canopy for outdoor cooking.

This felt unreal as Ken couldn’t even believe it himself. The servant thaw went with him and Ryu said that this particular bus was shipped from America to Japan and told the company that got it saying that they'll take it. They agreed, and that they can return it once they're done with it, as long as it's in good condition.

Once everything has been addressed, everyone began to load their things onto the bus. It took them an hour and a half to finish and once they were done with that, it was time to sleep.

Soren couldn't sleep for some reason, even though they all went to bed early. He doesn’t know exactly why, but he could've thought that either the Phantom Thieves or the Velvet Room guys would pester him, but they didn't do that. At least, not at this moment.

He got up for the night to see if there's anything that could get him to sleep, when he saw someone walking outside somewhere. He went up to follow them.

It turns out he was being led to the balcony, where Ike, Ryu and Ken were all standing, looking out at the sights beyond. None had said a word to each other, just staring out into space. He doesn't know how to address it but he decides to knock on the door, which got their attention.

"Hey." He said.

"Soren? What are you doing here?" Ryu asked.

"Couldn't sleep cause I felt a little agitated for the trip, but I saw someone walking up here so I wanted to see what's going on."

"Oh, whoops." Ike said. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's all good, fam. Anyway, why the long face? What brings you out here?"

"Well, it's like you said, we're just excited and agitated for the trip, but somehow couldn't sleep." Ken explained.

"Really now?" Soren was about to say something when he noticed something on them. "Hey uh, if you don't mind me asking… what's that you got there?"

"Hmm? Oh this? This is something that a friend of ours gave us." Ike answered.

"Can I have a look at it?" The leader asked, which the swordsman allowed as he brought his gift up-close. It was charm that took the shape of a waterdrop. "Whoa…"

"Well, I guess it's alright if we showed you ours as well." Ken offered as he and Ryu showed theirs.

Ryu's gift is a bracelet with flower motifs and aesthetics placed with love and care, and Ken's is a pendant decorated with hearts, butterflies, clover, and a star attached to it.

"Wow… they're so beautiful…" Soren is in total amazement. "Where did you get those from?"

"This was… this was from a friend of ours." Ryu answered.

"A friend of yours? Is it someone you know personally?"

"You could say that." Ike nods. "She was our best friend that meant the whole world to not just us, but to everyone else as well."

"Was?"

"Yeah. Was."

"What happened to her?"

"She… died very young." Ryu answered, and that made Soren shut up entirely. "She suffered from a terrible illness that destroyed her body from the inside. She was given a week to live, and she used it to write us so many beautiful songs that I hope will be remembered for a long time."

"It was the hardest time for all of us. She knew that we'd mourn her all the time so she set up a scavenger hunt for us, but it was more like therapy if you ask me." Ken said. "She wrote so many letters that told us about her feelings, giving us words of encouragement, and even… even these."

"She really was the best of the best, and we were honored and blessed to have her as a friend."

Soren didn't even know what to say. He even lost the words he wanted to say while listening to the whole story. But the only words he can spew out for that matter was-

"I… I'm so sorry for your loss. I never imagined that it would affect you all so much. It was wrong of me to bring up wounds of the past. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We've moved on from it now." Ike said. "There was never a single sad moment when she was around. She filled every day with joy. She wanted to be with everyone, and so did we with her, and that's why… she'll always be…"

"Our best friend."

"Wow…" Soren felt so touched. "She really is the best person anyone could ask for. I wish I could meet her myself. But alas, she's no longer here. But look, I wanna give you a piece of advice, if that's alright."

The guys listened to what he's going to say.

"Whenever you look at the gifts she gave you, and whenever you think about her, and the memories start to flow in, keep them real close. Just because she's gone doesn't mean she'll be easily forgotten. The only way for her to be completely dead is if you forget about her. But she's not. And you know why? Because you still remember her, honoring her memory by living and wearing these. And let me just say that as long as you remember her not only here…" He taps on Ike's head. "But also here…" Then to his heart. "She'll live forever."

Ryu went up to hug him, and soon, others joined in.

"Thank you, Soren. It means so much to know you cared."

"You're welcome. Anything for my bros. Now then, let's get to sleep. We have a long road ahead of us."

"Yeah." Ken agreed.

The guys left the balcony and went back to their rooms, now having the peace of mind from the past turmoil and getting the sound advice that they never thought they needed from their leader.

And the leader is right. It's time to sleep. Tomorrow will be the big day.

Chapter Text

Despite going to sleep early, they actually woke up at a normal time. Getting enough sleep is what everyone needs, especially Ken, who will be driving for most of the trip, so with enough food, entertainment, and frequent breaks every now and then, they could get to point A to point B in no time.

As they got onto the bus, a car swooped by, making everyone stop in their tracks. The door opens, revealing Sojiro stepping out of it.

"Ah, it looks like I made it." The old man sighs in relief.

"Sojiro? What are you doing here?" Mac asked him.

"I wanted to give you guys a parting gift before you go. Here." He gives the boxer two bags that has rice, pork, and onions. "Something for you to eat on the way."

"Thank you, Sojiro. I won't let this go to waste."

"So uh, what are you gonna do now?" Richter asked.

"Well, I figured that since Akira is no longer here, I'll need someone else to man the store if I happen to retire, so I'll start looking for someone with the same passion I have for making coffee. Don't know about the curry, but definitely coffee."

"Well then, I hope you found the person you're looking for."

"Thanks. And guys, thank you again for helping me. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah. Anytime." Mac said as he and Sojiro shook hands. "Well, we're gonna go now."

"Have a safe and fun trip, guys."

As Mac got on the bus, Ken was on the wheel and Ryu on the front seat.

"Hey, thanks for everything, guys. We don't know how to repay you." Ken said.

"There's no need. We're happy to help, and we will continue to honor the Okumura's memory as Haru-chan intended." A maid bowed.

"I wish you all the best of luck then." Ryu bowed.

"And the same to you as well, good sirs." The butler bowed back.

The blinds open up for the majority to say their final goodbyes as Ken starts driving. Sojiro waves back at them.

With the cross country trip now commencing, Soren hooks up his phone to the Bluetooth and starts putting on some music.

"Alright, road trip! Let's do this shit!"

Opening

As Ken and Ryu were figuring out where to go, most of the guys are coming up with ways to entertain Lynn and themselves. It turns out that the servants stocked some of the cabinets with board games and video games inside. They immediately helped themselves to it.

As Robin and Shulk went on with the board games, Soren shows Lynn how to play some very simple games like Mario Kart 8, and even Jackie joined in on the fun.

Richter and Kirby did some snooping around to find that each cabinet and drawer is filled with something that either the group bought for their preparations or the servants added a little something for their inventory.

Ike and Mac also did the same thing, but they're in the back, going through everything to see that the maids and butlers also neatly organize their set clothes, toothbrushes and toothpastes, and even dental floss. Hell, even the shoes are neatly stacked as well. They really went above and beyond to ensure that they get the best comfort they need and have the best trip they can have.

Sometime later, everyone is on the sofas jamming out to the music that Soren put out for them, singing along the lyrics, even if the artists are unfamiliar to them. Even the Shotos are also jamming to it. They kept it going until someone noticed something.

"Hey guys, look over there!" It was Lynn that said it. "I see a riverbank there!"

The guys look onward to find a river flowing through as they all decide to stop there and take a break. They got out of the bus to check out the scenery.

"Whoa…" Robin was taken in. "This looks way better than the pictures I've seen."

"Yeah, when you get the opportunity to go on a road trip, you'll get the real deal everywhere you go, every single time." Jackie nods.

"And the weather is perfect for some outdoor cooking as well." Ryu felt the breeze.

"Yeah, let's get the stove and grill fired up! Sojiro did give us the stuff after all." Ken said.

The group prepares to make lunch, with the ingredients to make curry and also for some barbecue that they were also provided with. Kirby took it upon himself to cook for the group and even Lynn warmed up to the idea, with supervision of course. Everyone else set up the chairs and tables, and especially the canopy for shade.

Once the meals were made and the furniture all set, it was time to eat. With curry and barbecue ready to serve, they all dig in.

"I gotta say, this tastes great. Even better if you have friends with you." Ike remarked.

"Now you and I are on the same wavelength here." Richter points his finger in acknowledgement.

"Is there any more of this? I would rather avoid the onions since I'm a dog and all." Jackie said.

"Yes, there are plenty. I will take those onions away from you, should you desire." Kirby suggested.

"Thanks dude. You're the GOAT."

"Goat?"

"Greatest of all time." Soren explained. "Basically means you're the best."

"Ah, I see."

Some time has passed, and everyone was already stuffed.

"Oh man, I'm so full right now." Mac laid back in his seat.

"Me too, but I think I can move enough to get us some water and soft drinks." Shulk said.

"Just water for me, please, thanks." Ken called.

"And while we're at it, we can enjoy the view before we hit the road again." Lynn added.

"That's right, and cheers to that."

With soft, cool drinks on their hands, everyone made their toast for their first trip and enjoyed the view for a couple of moments before packing up and heading out again.

Soren picks out another song for everyone to listen to, but ends up hearing something that made him grab the phone quickly.

"Oh god, why am I getting drowsy all of a sudden? I'm just gonna go sleep this off."

"Alright, don't sleep too cozy just yet." Ike said.

The leader went on the bed to take a quick nap.

But actually, he was in the Velvet Room again.

"I knew it…"

"There you are. It was hard trying to reach you there for a moment." Ren said.

"Apologies for the interruptions." Lavenza bowed.

"It's all good. I haven't talked to you in a hot minute here. So, what's been happening?"

"First and foremost, we would like to congratulate you on your first victory." Igor clapped. "And for successfully saving a life that does not result in death."

"Yeah, I suppose that makes it easier compared to fighting a real person."

"Indeed. This world has already lost the Phantom Thieves, but with corruption continuing to beguile it, it falls onto you and your friends to free it once again." Lavenza added.

"Yeah. I don't think it's gonna catch a break anytime soon if shit like that happens all the time. But sooner or later, someone else has to take up the job and I can't do it forever. But while I'm here, I'll still do it anyway."

"That's the spirit. Spoken like a true Wild Card." Ren smiled. "Oh, and while you're here, allow us to refill the bag for you."

"Yeah, sure."

Soren gives them the bag as they start refilling it for him.

"Hey, Soren, can I talk to you for a bit?" Ren asled.

"What's up?"

"Between you and me, my world's Sojiro was a huge asshole to me, day in and day out, even though I had a roof over my head. He would use every opportunity to talk shit about me, saying that it was my fault that I got into this mess, always telling me not to not do something stupid, and with the threat of throwing me out anytime. You know, these things."

"Hmm."

"But once we started our reign of blood and terror, any thought or memory of him went completely out of my mind. I didn't even know if he was still alive during that time, nor do I even care since he gave me so much grief for it. When I left that world, I pretty much forgotten about everyone, including him."

"Hmm…"

"But thankfully, this world's Sojiro isn't like that at all, and I hope it stays that way. But still, it's sad that he has to outlive his partner and his adopted children. I wouldn't want to wish that on my worst enemies."

"Me too, but don't worry. That Sojiro is here to stay. He won't have to worry about holding any guilt from this point forward."

"That's a relief. I can only hope that he can heal from this, and I wish him the best."

"Same here."

"Soren, your bag is ready." Lavenza called.

He went to collect it and paid the fee.

"You know, I still don't know where that came from. How did you even come across it?"

"Hehehe, I'm afraid that we too do not know its exact origins, Mr. Rover." Igor chuckled. "But I too am intrigued of its origins. Perhaps I can conduct some research for you."

"Thanks, but there's no need for that. I gotta get back soon or else I'm missing out on the trip."

"Quite so. We will speak again soon."

Soren jolted back to reality as he rushed back to the front.

"Oh god, what did I miss?"

"Oh hey, not much really." Ken said. "We're still trying to figure out where to go. You got any ideas?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I do."

"Then where shall we go?" Ryu asked.

"Uh, which direction are we going to?"

"I believe we're going weast from where we're at." Jackie said.

"Weast? What's what?" Lynn said, confused.

"I believe he means 'west' if that's what's he's saying." Richter corrected.

"So if we're going west, then that means… I got it!" Soren snaps his fingers. "Boys and girl, we are going to Kyoto!"

Shulk gasps in excitement. "You mean the one with all of the ancient castles, temples, and festivals?!"

"That's the one." Robin nods. "Not to mention that they value tradition deeply, and is a huge tourist attraction for locals and foreigners alike."

"I wonder what kind of food they have. Are they any good?" Ike thought.

"I suppose we shall see soon enough." Kirby chuckles.

"Hey, is that it over there?" Mac looked out the window.

"Oh yes it is." Jackie confirmed. "There's no mistaking it."

"We're almost there, folks. Let's find somewhere to park." Ken announced.

They had finally arrived at their destination, though they had to pay extra to have the bus parked in the overhaul parking lot. Still, it sure beats having to walk a long distance.

"Wow… so this is Kyoto…" Shulk was fascinated.

"Yup, take it all in, binky boy. This is a once in a lifetime experience you'll ever get." Jackie commented.

"Oh man, there's going to be so much to do while we're here. Let's make the most of it while we're here." Robin said.

"I've never been to anywhere like this before, so this will be a whole new experience for me." Lynn goggled. "I'm looking forward to it! Hmm?"

Ike noticed the sudden change in behavior. "Lynn? What's wrong?"

"This feeling… I can't shake it off, but… I believe there's a Jail around here somewhere."

That got the group's attention.

"A Jail? Here? Are you sure about it?" Ryu asked.

"I'm certain of it. But I don't know where it's coming from."

"Then it looks like we're at the right place then." Soren huffed. "We'll probably be lucky enough to find it right off the bat from where we're at."

"Can we ger something to eat first? All that sitting around made me hungry." Richter said.

"And it's almost nighttime, too, so I wanna take care of that first." Mac said.

"Yeah, and I've been driving all day so that worked up an appetite for me." Ken reminded.

"Very well, we shall fill our bellies to our satisfaction." Kirby decided. "However, we must remain active for any and all information that is prevalent for our search."

"Yeah. Who knows what we'll pick up when we do our thing. It could be important." Soren seconded.

"We'll keep that in mind. But first, some local delicacies!"

They begin to walk towards the tori gates as they're now on the lookout for anything that is worth visiting, any food that they can try, and of course, find that Jail.

But for now, they'll enjoy Kyoto while they're still here.

Chapter Text

It was decided that Kyoto would be their first stop on this road trip. They had many plans to figure out what to do or where to go while they're still here, considering that this is everyone's first time doing this and they want to make the most of it.

But when Lynn felt the presence of a Jail, it didn't impede their plans, but they're also finding it since there may be another Monarch lurking. Who is it? They don't know. But for now, they'll just enjoy it while they're still here.

The first thing to do is find something to eat as it's been 6 hours when they were on the bus. Robin checked through the guidebook to see which one to go, and he figured that going to a local restaurant would do them wonders.

As they sat down they ordered some food to refuel, satiate their hunger, and try it out. When the food had arrived, they got wagyu beef, miso soup, ramen, udon noodles, chicken teryaki, tempura, etc. Oh, they are gonna be feasting on this one.

"Oh man, this tastes so good! It sure beats having to eat porkchop all the time." Richter said.

"Agreed. We all need a very balanced nutritional diet for our growth." Lynn agreed. "Ike, make sure you eat your vegetables, okay?"

"Okay." The swordsman sighs as he takes a piece of a carrot.

"Wow, who knew that tempura should taste this good." Shulk remarked.

"And the miso soup to be this appetizing as well." Robin commented. "It's a good thing we went to this one."

"Yeah, but I really wish that we could've gone to the food stalls." Mac said.

"Next day we'll do that." Soren promised. "There's still plenty of things for us to do before it gets late."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh. Ohh…"

"Yeah."

The next stop is the Fushimi Inari Taisha. The idea was actually Lynn's as she wanted to find something to pray for a safe trip and good luck on their journey. Considering that the one main shrine is in there somewhere, it can take forever so any one is good enough for her.

Somehow, they actually found the fox shrine in less than an hour thanks to Jackie's sense of direction. In front of the shrine, Lynn offers her prayers, and soon enough, everyone offer theirs as well. They all wish for the same thing, but they also added some of their personal wishes as well. It was already getting late, so it was time to hit the hay.

"Alright, so… how are we gonna do this?" Ken asked the big question.

"How are we gonna do what?" Richter asked.

"Figure out where to sleep, of course."

"That has been my number one concern ever since we started the trip, and considering that there are 11 of us here, it could be a problem." Ryu pondered.

"Well, make that 9 because I got my own doggy bed and Kirby can sleep just about anywhere here." Jackie said.

"He speaks the truth." Kirby agreed. "Though I am concerned about the lack of space that this vehicle has."

"Well, I mean most of us have slept outside before so this shouldn't be a problem for us." Robin said.

"Well that's… new for me." Soren side eyed. "Anyway, I think I know how to figure this out.

The leader configures that Lynn will take the bed, with Robin and Shulk accompanying her, Soren and Ken will take the couches, and Mac brought his sleeping bag with him. So that left Ike, Richter and Ryu left with the built-in tent that Haru's servants somehow installed.

When they first got in, they were surprised at how much space there is, along with the ventilation installed so they can breathe. That way, everyone can have a very good night's sleep.

For Soren however, that's another thing.

He wakes up to find himself in another place again.

"Alright, where am I now?"

From where he's at now, he happens to be in France again, but this time, it's at a much earlier time. He noticed that the clothes are much more… stuffier than usual, as if they're all out of a play or something. What he didn't know was that they're much more social before the 1900s and that they were carrying swords and guns.

"Never seen that before. Weird. Hmm?"

A horse carriage has walked by, but stopped at the presence of him. He didn't know what was going on when the door opened by itself, and no one seemed to be alarmed or care about it, given that only he can process that kind of blast process of information.

Without a second thought, he jumped into the carriage and the door closed. Then, the horse carried off.

With the way that the horse is moving so fast, he feels like he could get motion sickness and puke, but it was out his mind when he sat across a woman.

She was wearing a Rocco-styled dress, with black and pink as the primary colors, with red and pink puffs attached to her sleeves while wearing pink elbow gloves. Along with it are drapes that adorn each side of the dress with golden flowers decorated on it for eyes, and lips for a mouth, making a smiling face. The woman hides her face with a pink mask inset, but her hair is tied to a ponytail, and her mouth curled to a smile itself.

"Uhh, hello?" Soren tries to strike a conversation.

The lady moves her mask away to reveal her brown eyes.

"Hello, Soren-kun."

"Haru?!"

Haru puts down her mask inset to untie her hair, letting it fall to neck length.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. How've you been?"

"We're all doing well for ourselves. How about you? I heard that you all are going on a road trip."

"Yeah, it's our first time doing it so we're super stoked to go everywhere."

"Then I hope you guys have fun."

The carriage stopped with the doors opening wide as Haru got off, signaling Soren to get off as well. Then he follows her to wherever she's going.

They were at a garden that Haru herself had personalized, a table complete with flower decorations, a flower vase, snacks, and two teacups placed on saucers. They both sat across from one another, taking their cups in front of them.

"Cheers!"

"Yeah, cheers."

They clank their drinks and took a sip from their cups. A new taste hits Soren's tastebuds as he recognized the taste.

"A-yo? This was one of the teas I used to drink!"

"Mmhm, I also personalized it to incorporate with the philosophy I had about opening up a café."

"Oh, so that's why. Yeah, this tastes great." It was at that moment that Soren remembers something. "Haru, I… I wanted to thank you for the hospitality that you gave us back there. I never thought that you would go above and beyond to help us, but… you've done so much for us that I don't know how to pay you back. So, thank you, Haru, for everything."

"You're welcome. Think of it as ME paying you back for saving us." Haru nods, but her face is wracked with concern. "But Soren-kun, is it true that the Jails have returned?"

Soren knew the question. "Yeah. Did Akira tell you about that?"

"Yes. He also told us that your new friend… Lynn, was it? That she can sense Jails at a specific location, and that a Monarch is present."

"Well, even though I haven't told you much about her, but yeah, I trust her judgement. And as much as we all want to enjoy the trip, I don't think any of us can shake off the feeling of it. They're out there. Somewhere."

Haru puts her cup down and clasps Soren's hand.

"Soren-kun, I understand that you're determined to find the Monarch, but you must also understand that you need to relax and have fun with your friends as well. I know we've put you all through so much because of us, and we don't want to add more of the stress. You all deserve this, and I want you all to be happy as well."

Her words resonated with Soren, especially from last time.

"You're right. We're on vacation after all. It wouldn't be right for me to get this worked up all the time, and everyone deserves a chance to have fun. Thanks, Haru. You always know what to say to ease people's minds."

"Always happy to help."

Soren starts yawning. "Well, if that's all, I think I should go sleep now."

"Of course. Good night, and sweet dreams."

"Goodnight."

Soren lays down on the flowerbed to sleep, and to return to reality.

Soren was back in reality as he woke up from his sleep. He felt refreshed, but Haru's words still ring in his head. It's true that he needs to relax and enjoy the vacation, that he can't deny, but he also wants to find out who the Monarch is and help them, like they did Sojiro. Whoever they may be, he'll do all he can to help them.

He notices other people waking up, and rushes to the bathroom to get ready before they do.

Back at the main hub, the group made their next decisions on where to go next. Shulk wanted to go to the Railway Museum as he expressed that since they've been riding in subways all the time while they're here, he wanted to at least look at them from a historical viewpoint. Everyone naturally agrees to it since they've been thinking about the same thing so that's their next stop.

When they were in there, the Monado boy was in total amazement at the many different designs of all the trains that were used during their prime. He had done extensive research on them and explained to his friends about each train and what year they were used in.

They went further in to what appears to be a simulation area of some sort, giving some of them the incentive to try it out for themselves. They seem to be way too invested in it, as a few watched them try it out, including Robin.

As the others were having fun, he noticed someone staring into space, but she seems… familiar. Wanting to check it out, he tells someone that he'll be back and went to go talk to them.

Robin approaches the stranger carefully as he inches his way closer towards them. When they turned around, he didn't have enough time to turn back around. That is, until they spoke.

"Robin-san?"

That made him turn around, to be completely surprised at the person he's now facing.

"Nozomi? Is that you?"

Sakamoto turned away to leave, but Robin has to talk to her.

"Wait. It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. You can talk to me." It gave her enough comfort to lower her guard a little. "It's been a while since we last talked. How've you been?"

"I've been… getting by. I recently moved back to my parents' house after I sold mine back at Tokyo."

"You sold your house? Why?"

"It didn't feel like home to me anymore, even with my baby boy gone. My parents were kind enough to bring me back in, but even their place doesn't feel like home to me. I feel… so empty without him."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I wish I could've done more to help, but…"

"It's okay. It's not your fault. I'm just sad that this is how it turned out."

"Me too."

"But… I'm scared. I'm trying to navigate this life all by myself, without my son. But it's just so difficult. He was my whole reason to live. But now… I feel like I have nothing to live for now. I'm pretty much a dead woman walking."

"Don't say that. How can you say that about yourself?"

"But it's the truth. I don't really have a purpose to live."

"I understand how you feel. I really do. But don't forget that you still have people who still care for you, like me."

"Really?"

"Yes, and I'll be here if you need anything."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me. So… would you mind… adding me as a friend on EMMA?"

That caught the tactician off-guard that Nozomi even has that app. He'll need to tell everyone about this.

"Oh, uh… you use EMMA, too? That's surprising."

"Right? I've even made friends with a lot of people too, so I wanted to add you as a friend."

"Hmm…" He realized this could be a golden opportunity to determine if she's a Monarch or not. "Yeah, sure."

They exchange their contact information as they're now friends on EMMA.

"Thank you so much, Robin. It means so much to me."

"Yeah. You're welcome."

"I gotta go now. Have a good day."

"You too."

Nozomi leaves, but Robin was still standing, looking at her profile on EMMA, seeing how many friends that she has. "Is she… really the Monarch?"

"Robin?" A voice called that scared him a bit. It was Richter. "Hey, was that…?"

"Yeah. It's her."

"How's she been? Is she doing alright?"

He sighed. "Not well. It seems that Ryuji's death really has taken a huge toll on her."

"You wanna tell everyone about it?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about that."

"Okay. Let's go find them."

Chapter Text

"What's wrong, Robin? Why are you sad?" Lynn had asked.

Robin called everyone outside the museum. They sat on the benches as they listen to Robin talk about what he saw.

"It's Nozomi. I found her when she was just staring into space. When I walked to her, it looked like that she was having a hard time trying to move on with her life. The death of her child really has taken a huge toll on her."

"So that's why you left earlier… to go check on her." Shulk said.

"I thought that she looked unrecognizable at first, until she called my name. It also looked like that she's neglecting herself, even though her parents, and maybe other relatives too, are trying to take care of her. But even that doesn't feel like it's enough. She's been through so much that I feel… helpless on what to do for her."

"Yeah. I feel you there." Soren said. "Even though she may be a complete stranger to us, but she's still Ryuji's mother, and if she's the Monarch, then we'll help her. Any objections?" Everyone shook their heads, as they all agree on it.

"Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome."

"So, what do we do first?" asked Ryu.

"Hmm, I'm thinking that we should get some more information about her, either through her friend list on EMMA, or try talking to her relatives, if they're still in contact with her."

"But who are we gonna talk to? The friends thing I can get, but family? Who's still living in Kyoto and who isn't?" Ken wondered.

"Yeah, and we don't even know who they are and what they look like." Richter added.

"Hmm… this poses a problem." Kirby thought. "If this Nozomi happens to be taking residence in her family's household, but chose not to speak with them for her troubles, but rather to her 'friends' instead, then this may be probable cause for her to be a Monarch."

"You really think so?" Shulk said.

"Possibly, but I cannot rule it out without enough evidence."

"Well, if we're going with that, then we should at least find the keyword from them." Ike suggested.

"We can start looking, but it's gonna take forever to find it." Mac said. "We need to find a better way to get it."

"Who's that?" Jackie noticed.

It was an elderly man walking towards them. He doesn't appear to be dangerous or suspicious, but they still have no idea why he's coming up to them.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Do you happen to see a woman here by any chance?"

"That depends. Who wants to know?" Soren said.

"A very concerned father who is trying his best to look after a distressed daughter."

"I have." Robin spoke up. "You said something about a distressed daughter, right? What does she look like?"

"Well, she has long hair and a hoodie to wear and a mask to cover her face."

"A hoodie…?" He recognizes who that is. " You mean Nozomi, right?"

"Ah, so you've met her before."

"I happen to run into her while we were here. It looked like she wasn't even herself. She seems… so detached from reality and her surroundings. I feel so sorry for her that she's going through all of this."

"As am I. it saddens me that she's lost her son, and in turn, my grandson as well."

"Grandson? So you're the father of Nozomi?" Lynn asked.

"That's correct."

"How often did you meet him?" Mac wanted to know.

"Only a handful of times. He may be rough and rowdy around the edges, but he was a good kid. He really was her pride and joy. But now that he's gone, she's lost interest of anything. I just wish I could do something to help her."

"Then let us help her, then." Richter offered. "If she won't open up to you or anyone else, then maybe she can talk to us instead. I don't mean to sound rude, but we know stuff like this from time to time, so maybe she can try to open to us, because we relate to her somewhat about the issues she's facing now."

The old man sighed. "Well, if it means helping her to heal, then I won't stop you. My only hope is that she can heal from this process and move on. I don't want her to stay like this forever."

"She won't. We promise you this." Ike said.

The old man somehow saw his younger self in Ike, with how determined he is, and everyone else, that they will do anything to help his daughter.

"Thank you, kind people. I am in your debt."

"Oh, and before you go, there's something I'd like to ask you." Robin spoke.

"Yes?"

"Have you heard of a phone application called EMMA?"

"EMMA? Ah yes, I've heard about it. Even my relatives know about it. Why is that?"

"Well, I happen to be friends with her on EMMA." Robin shows him his phone.

"I see…"

"I was hoping that I would talk to her soon, to check up on her."

"Have you noticed anything strange when she was staying with you? Anything at all?" Ken asked, all curious.

"Now that you mention it, whenever I pass by her room, she would keep saying stuff like 'haven' or 'paradise' or something like that. Now mind you, that this is not something she would say normally, so hearing this must be very unsettling."

"It is, but we can handle it from here." Soren said.

"Thank you for your help, sir." Ryu bowed.

"Please, think nothing of it. I must be going now. I have a child to look after. Good day."

"Wait." Shulk stopped him one last time. "Before you go, what's your name?"

The elder chuckled. "Kosuke. Kosuke Sakamoto." Then he leaves.

The group leaves the premises, after getting more than what they were expecting for.

They stood in front of the tori gate as this is their first location in tracking down the Jail. With what Kosuke said about Nozomi saying 'haven' or 'paradise' a lot, they might be able to use those as keywords to get into the Jail.

"So Lynn, why are we standing in front of the gate here?" Ken asked.

"I have this feeling that security is tight all around, and this area is more relaxed, so this should be the safest spot." Lynn deducted.

"I trust you on this, Lynn." Shulk said. "If what you're saying is true, then we can at least secure our entry point in the Jail."

"Wanna put in the keywords, Robin?" Mac said.

"Yeah." The silver hair types in both keywords. It rejected 'paradise' but accepted 'haven' as one.

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

The distortion takes place and they were back in the Metaverse again.

Upon arrival, the group lands in what appears to be an abandoned lake district. The sun shines, but not that brightly, the lake long dried up, and the buildings and houses left to rot and decay. Despite how easy it is to get in there, it still doesn't make it less unsettling that Nozomi Sakamoto is the Monarch.

"So this what Nozomi's Jail is like." Richter looked around.

"What does this place mean to her? What significance of value does it hold in her heart?" Kirby questioned.

"I'm thinking… that this place could've been her place for a vacation. You know, just her and her son." Jackie deduced. "But now that he's gone, it's basically lost all meaning, and that's why it's been reduced like this."

"I think you may be right." Ryu agrees. "If this place was meant to be called as such, then this reflects the emptiness of her heart."

"I think we'll understand more of her if we start going in. Standing around and thinking about it can only get us this far." Ike said.

"And yet that is facts." Soren concurred. "Alright, let's get going."

They start exploring around the area, seeing as to observe how desolate this place really is. There really are no signs of life, aside from the gaggle of Shadows roaming around. Everything appears just as desolate as Sojiro's Jail was.

"My god, there really is nothing left." Mac commented.

"Even though it's a Jail, it's still sad to see it like this." Shulk lamented.

"This might be pretty accurate for her, since Sojiro's Jail was… something else… I truly do believe that this was what she would've wanted all this time." Jackie said.

"You're right about that, but still, she needs help, and we're not gonna ignore this." Soren stressed.

"That's right. We helped out Sojiro, so now we'll help Nozomi." Ike seconded.

"And there may be more people that need ours later on, and we'll do all we can to get them back on their feet." Ryu nods.

"That's the spirit. That's my friend group right there." Soren said with much enthusiasm. "Alright team, let's go see what's what."

They stopped in their tracks when a suspicious looking person appears in front of them.

"Who's that?" Ken pointed at the guy.

"Wait, is that…?" Lynn observes further.

"Yeah." Robin confirms it. "It's actually him."

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to Paradise!"

Chapter Text

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to Paradise!" The old man greeted happily.

"Paradise? You mean this place?" Ken said.

"This looks nothing like one." Mac remarked.

"Yes yes, quite right. We're still long ways of preparing it to be a proper lake resort, but we'll have it ready in due time. Do come back later."

"Okay, but we just got here and we don't wanna leave now." Jackie denied.

"Don't want to leave? Oh nonono, this won't do… that means I'll have to fight you to keep you out."

"Alright well, you can catch it right now if you really wanna find out." Soren said.

"Oh well, worth a shot."

The old man started transforming into a Berith.

"Just about I suspected." Mac nods.

"Well, get ready to fight." Richter readies his whip as the fight begins.

Everyone splits up when the monster goes up to ram them with its horse while swinging its spear around to hit them. Richter slid underneath it, and jumps up, kicking the knight square in the face. Ike follows it up with a downward swing, dealing extra damage onto the enemy.

The Berith didn't take that kindly as spins around, shaking the guys off of it. Just when it's about to strike, a boomerang hit it, returning back to its owner, which reveals to be Cutter Kirby. This gives Ryu the opportunity to strike.

"Master Gouken!" Gouken appears for an ice-induced Shoryuken, freezing it in its place, giving the martial artist throw out his own Shoryuken, breaking the ice and sending the Shadow fly high, ending the battle with a thud.

The Shadow turns back into the old man again as he falls down to the ground.

"Gaauggh! Aarrggh!" He bellowed. "You're strong, I'll give you that. But that also means that you're now a threat. The preparation can't go on unless we get rid of you."

"Wait, we? There's more of you?" Shulk said.

"Oh, that's right. I'm not the only one in operations here. You are sorely mistaken if you think so. Soon, word will spread out once it reaches their ears. I hope you're prepared."

The old disappears from sight, but not before sending the group to a different location. Where he sent them happens to be a dried up lake, and they were just set by the docks.

"Wha-what? What happened here?" Robin tries to adjust to his surroundings.

"It seems that we have been transported to an entirely new location." Kirby observed.

"Yeah, you're right." Ike agrees.

"I think he moved us here just so he could spread the word about us coming here." Lynn thought. "I also believe that by the time that everyone gets the information, they would come after us."

"Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing too." Ryu says. "And even if we do make it back to where we were, word would already be spread out, and the security would tighten."

"Very valid points. But even so, I think we can piece them together that the Desires have to be around here somewhere." Robin begins to think.

"Yeah, so far, two points have already been established." Ken said. "So, for the third point…"

"We're gonna find that birdcage" Richter pinpointed.

"Hey, I think I see one over there." Mac pointed at the top of the aforementioned.

"Oh yeah, it is. Good eye, Shownu." Jackie commends.

"Alrighty then, let's go over there." Soren instructed.

The group walked a bit further to where the birdcage is, but what appears in front of them is a gate, barring anyone of entry.

"It looks like we can't go there." Shulk noticed.

"There must be some way to get this down, but how?" Ryu starts thinking.

"What's this here…" Ike noticed the fine print on the sign and went to go take a closer look. "Only those who have passed the three trials may enter."

"Oh my god, bro…" Soren facepalms.

"What does that mean?"

"It means we gotta do some stupid trial to get approval or an item or some shit. I always hated those."

"Ohh."

"Then I guess we gotta do this if we wanna go any further." Jackie shrugs.

Richter sighs. "Alright."

The group went on a different tangent to find whatever trial they have to accomplish. It was tedious yeah, but if they don't do it, they can't go in any further, so they'll have to bear through it.

They came across something that shouldn't even be here, but here it is, and Richter was the first to notice it.

"Hey, a guitar!" He picks up the instrument.

"You know how to play this, Wonho?" Shulk said, intrigued.

"Course I do! I actually played one back in my world."

"There's electric guitars from where you're at? I thought they didn't even exist yet!" Jackie said.

"Neither do skeletons riding on motorcycles, if that is your interpretation." Kirby added.

"Oh yeah, good point."

"Alright, lemme see if I can come up with something."

Richter starts playing some tunes on the guitar, until he finally found something.

"Hey Kihyun, I think I got something! Think you can help me with that?"

"What is it?"

The vampire hunter starts playing the song, to which Robin immediately recognizes and starts singing along.

♫

다 꿈일까
꼭 영화 속 한 장면 같아
Like 설렘 속 jamais vu

눈 뜬 순간
새로운 세상인 것 같아
Oops 전율 같은 놀라운 이 느낌 oh

Feeling like a voyager 자유로워
뜨겁던 내 삶의 여유로움
잊고 있던 떨림 I can feel it
꿈꿔왔던 paradise so beautiful

Whoa whoa-oh whoa-oh
Whoa whoa-oh whoa-oh
Whoa whoa-oh
If you want it I can take you away

Everyone claps at the outstanding performance.

"Beautiful work, gentlemen." Kirby applauded.

"Thank you, thank you." Richter bowed as puts the guitar back.

The group felt a little rumbling, with the source coming from the pedestal of where the guitar used to be. It's a stone of some sort.

"What's that thing?" Ike looked at it.

Richter takes it to observe it. "It's some kind of stone."

"Do you think it's a part of the trial that the sign mentioned before?" Lynn thought.

"I think so."

"If it is, then it looks like we've already done part one of it." Ryu said.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere." Jackie nods excessively.

"Then let's go find another one. Come on." Soren leads the group.

"You know what's weird?" Ken spoke up as they were walking out of the area.

"What is?" Ike asked.

"The enemies don't even show up when Wonho was playing the guitar."

"Oh yeah, that is pretty odd, but at least we don't have to fight them until we get to the prison keep." Shulk remembered.

"But I wonder how long that'll last though, because they clearly don't want us to succeed in it." Mac said.

"Yeah, they must be getting pretty pissed if we're doing this good." Richter remarked. "But yeah, I'm also pretty sure that since they're the ones that came up with this, they can't really fault us for that."

"Very true indeed." Kirby concurred. "But nevertheless, we must press onward if we are to save Nozomi."

"Yeah."

Progress has been made for once, but they clearly still have a long way to go if they're gonna get to that birdcage. And by doing that, they need to get to those prison keeps.

They walked up some more until they get interrupted again by the same old man that greeted them by the entrance.

"Ah, so it seems that you have passed the first trial. I must congratulate you for that." The old man said.

"Wait, so you called me playing the guitar a trial? What kind of sense does that make?" Richter questioned.

"It's the Metaverse. Nothing about it makes any sense." Soren said.

"Wait, before you say anything, lemme take a wild guess." Mac starts thinking. "You're gonna fight us again."

"I see that you've caught on. As you already know by now, I have spread word all throughout the district. Now, some drastic measures will be taken."

"You know there was no point in telling us that because we're gonna take you out anyway if you happen to get in our way again." Ike said bluntly.

"Very well then. Do your worst."

The old man transforms into Berith again, and proceeds to fight. Unfortunately, despite getting a little bit stronger, it still does the same tactics as they caught on real quick. Kirby quickly disarms it as he and Jackie started wailing on him with spears, poking and jabbing it all while subduing it.

Ike throws a pitfall at it so that it stays still, with Lynn jumping up to summon her Spirit.

"Azura!"

The songstress appears as she sings a melody, where instead of light, water begins pouring down, which surprises and confuses the fighters. The water forms into a bubble to trap the Shadow, signaling Soren to follow up.

"Abomasnow!" He summons the Forest Tree Pokémon to use a Bufu to freeze the enemy inside the bubble.

Kirby then jumps up with a hammer and slams it down onto the Shadow, shattering it, and turning it back into the old man again.

"Urrggghh!"

"Is that it? Did we get him?" Jackie huffed.

"Hehehe… you're strong I'll give you that. It seems I was wrong about you. But you do realize that your trials are far from over. Just wait until they get a hold of you. Bleegh!" He explodes into nothing while screaming.

"And please, don't come back." Robin said.

"You know, I didn't even realize that the old guy was actually Nozomi's father." Ken realized.

"Was he? Oh, I see." Kirby figured it out.

"Who was he talking about, when he said they're gonna get a hold of us?" Lynn thought.

"It probably means a few relatives she still has contact with, if that's anything to go by." Shulk said.

"If he's not bluffing, then that means we'll have to fight them as well, along with whatever trials that they have in store for us." Ryu states.

"That probably means that they're gonna try to spice it up too, since the one they gave us is a little too easy on their part." Ken commented.

"Who knows, but either way, they already know we're here so we may as well just get to it." Ike said.

"So uh, where do we go from here?" Richter asked.

"We're still going after that prison keep." Soren declared. "As far as I know, something's blocking it, and we're gonna have to do another stupid trial to get it open."

"Oh yeah, we were still doing that."

"And I think I have a good idea of where to go."

"Then lead the way, leader." Kirby nods.

"Alright, let's get going."

Chapter Text

With one trial supposedly complete, Monsta X now has to complete even more trials if they ever want to get access to the bird cage. Whatever it is that they're throwing, they're gonna do it right, and they're gonna do it proper.

For their second trial, they found an empty house that is somehow still standing despite the usual wear and tear. They have no idea what's in there, but its' worth checking out if they want to finish this real quick.

They enter the empty house as they went to search around the premises. As soon as the last one steps in, the door slams shut, spooking some of them, the lights turn on, turning their attention to the two people who inhabit the house.

It was a nerdy teenager with glasses, wearing glasses and a trench coat with a Nintendo Switch and some games stacked in front of him.

"Hello, visitors." He said with such eccentricity. "Are you looking for this?" He presents what appears to be a stone in his hand.

"Wait, you had that with you the whole time?" Shulk demanded.

"T'was all a ruse, you pathetic little ants. For you see, WE as a collective mind, have been the masterminds the ENTIRE time! Every single little thing that has happened to you since your arrival has been orchestrated by US, in our INSANE minds!"

"Wait, so even when I was playing the guitar, that was you?" Richter said.

"Yes, all delicately coordinated beforehand, using props and setups meant for the festival."

"Then what about the old guy fighting us at the entrance?" Ken wanted to know.

"Yes, all us! The whole planned had to be improvised by your arrival, with the old man stalling you so we can complete our preparations in due time."

"Why would you do all of this?" Mac asked.

"To make one simple request…"

Everyone looked at each other before someone else asked him next.

"Okay, what is it?" Ike asked.

"I was wondering if you wanted to HANG out with me and snort pot and fill our bellies with DIET lemonade and play Mario Kart 8 for the Nintendo Sweetch?"

"How about I come knock your block off and take that stone from you?" Soren threatened.

"Ah-ah-ahhh!" The nerd opens the trench coat to reveal a bomb vest, shocking everyone. "If any one of you lay a filthy finger on me, I'll blow this ENTIRE PLACE UP TO SMITHEREENS!" This forced them to step back. "So, what'll it be, esteemed visitors?"

"Alright fine, I'll do it." Soren volunteered.

"Soohyun!" Lynn yelled.

"It's either I win and get the stone, or I don't and we all die. I have to win this."

Soren picks up the controller as the nerd turns on the TV, with the game already on. They start racing, but it was evident that the nerdy boy was in the lead by a long shot.

"Ha, I'm totally pwning you! This is EMBARRASSING!"

Soren starts to catch up, but he gets hit by items every time.

"You’re not even trying, c-come on, really try to actually beat me this time." The boy said.

"I am trying. You keep throwing shit at me." Soren johned.

"No, you-you’re not actually trying, are you? I mean, maybe if you really really tried."

Soren was starting to get frustrated, until his mind started drifting elsewhere, remembering Akira all of a sudden, still in Arsène form.

"These paperclips are absolutely perfect for tinkering with any machine I've come across. By the way, I'm not a flashback nor giving you advice. I really wanted to do this bit just because. Anyway, I'm gonna let you get back to your thing now."

He fades away from his mind, giving Soren the incentive to find a box of paperclips that is sitting underneath the teen's chair. The leader turns his head to the group to signal them.

Jackie caught on pretty quick, as he goes to get the paperclips. The group then made a distraction by cheering Soren on.

"Wahaha! You suck, it’s like you’re not even PLAYING!"

Jackie grabbed the one paperclip, bends it and defuses the bomb vest, shocking the nerd.

"What the-? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?!" The nerd shrieked.

"I turned off your bomb, you psycho." Jackie said smugly.

The nerd dropped his controller as he got up from his chair.

"I have brought great dishonor to my family and ancestors."

He walks to where his sword apparently is, unsheathes it, and stabs himself with it. Soren, unfazed by this, drops his controller and rose from his seat to grab the stone and leave the premises, with everyone else following him.

Awkward silence follows them for 10 minutes. They weren't expecting the dude to go out like that. He could've just given it to them and they can just be on their way, but it was his decision to do so, and they'll just have to leave it at that.

"Well uh…" Mac tried to start the conversation. "That was pretty friggin' weird."

"Yes, quite indeed." Kirby agrees. "It was rather rash of him to make a decision such as this."

"But also completely unnecessary." Soren countered. "I knew he was gonna do that, but he also left himself wide open in exploitation."

"Which is why Jackson was able to turn off the bomb vest with the paperclip. That's pretty ingenious." Ryu complimented.

"Then at least we don't have to deal with him again, now that we got the two stones." Robin said. "We should find the Prison Keep that Soohyun says that it's blocked. Oh, here it is." He spots it in no less than 5 seconds.

The gate has 2 empty slots, which Soren puts the stones in, and the gate opens.

"So there we have it." Soren steps in to the area, as the rest of them followed.

An elderly woman appears in front of them, stopping the group in their tracks.

"Well, hello there, youngsters. Such a pleasure to meet you." She greeted.

"Uh, hey?" Richter greeted back.

"I see you have completed your first trial. I congratulate you for that."

"Well, thanks I guess." Lynn shrugs.

"So you must be one of the orchestrators of this 'trial' that we are tasked with, correct?" Kirby asked.

"Yes, that's right. And considering that you have come this far, defeat me, and the prize will be yours."

"Bring it, then." Mac bumped his fists together.

The old lady turns into a Lamia, and the fight begins.

The reinforcements appear to assist the boss Shadow, splitting one subgroup to fight them, while the rest fought the big bad.

Lynn clashed against the Lamia, striking her with her spear and the snake strikes back with her tail. When the Lamia was about to cast Maragion, Robin intercepted it with his own fire magic, with Shulk interrupting her with a Back Slash, dealing extra damage from behind.

Lamia swings her tail around to get the group off of her, but Ike held firm on his ground, and slashes up to send Lamia up high.

"Yune!"

He calls the chaos goddess to throw in a Freidyne to hit her and any enemy that came across it. Ryu stepped it up further by summoning Gouken for a Bufudyne to freeze it.

"Now, Wonho!" He called.

"Right! Take this!" Richter throws a holy water at her, burning her, then an axe to shatter the ice, causing an instant death.

"Auugh! I've been… defeated… Well done… esteemed visitors… I wish you luck… on your journey… Farewell… Blegh…"

"Does she really need the 'blegh' part in there?" Ken asked.

"I ain't saying a goddamn word." Jackie shakes his head. "Anyway, let's go get whatever's up there."

They go up to the tower to grab the orb, which manifested into a book.

"What do we have here?" Ike opened the book to see what's in there." Oh. Ohh…"

"It's a photo album. Of Ryuji." Richter peered.

"Considering that it's one of the Jail's cores, it means that this is something Nozomi keeps near and dear to her, even if it meant that Ryuji's no longer here." Jackie thought.

"Yeah, I get the feeling that she would still keep them as a core memory, even if it means that the pain is too much for her to bear." Soren added. "There may be more that also serve as this. We just gotta find where they are."

"Right. Shall we?" Ryu asked.

"Yeah. Come on."

They're on their way to find the second Prison Keep, with progress running pretty smooth so far. They figure that if the first one was easy, then the second one should be a little bit harder, right? At least they hope so.

They came cross a villa that has somehow been tidy can clean, despite everywhere else being run down and abandoned. One would think that this is probably what Nozomi would want for her vacation spot with her son, and also visit other relatives too. If that's the case, then they may as well go in.

As they got closer to the entrance, the door suddenly opens, making them jump.

"Now, I know what you're thinking…" Soren says.

"That once we go in, we can't get out until we get the thing." Jackie called.

"Right. Nothing else needs to be said, right?" He gets everyone shaking their heads. "Then let's get in."

They stepped inside the mansion, and just as they expected, the door closed in on them.

"Well, I stand corrected."

"Man, this place is huge. How are we ever gonna know where we're going?" Mac wondered.

"I guess we'll just have to cover all the premises until we find the right one." Robin suggested. "Oh, but stay close. We wouldn't want to get lost in here."

"Right." Lynn nods.

The group venture further into the mansion, looking for any clues that can used in their favor. But so far, nothing's clicked as there isn't really anything worth noting. How could that possibly be?

As the last person passed by the double doors, they mysteriously open, stopping everyone in their tracks.

"Whoa, what is that?" Ike observed.

"Is that a ballroom?" Shulk peaked.

"Looks like it." Ken answered. "I remember being in one with my wife, for our wedding dance, of course."

"But why open it for us for we have not done a thing?" Kirby questioned.

"Who knows, but we may as well check it out." Richter steps into the room first, then later everyone else.

The ballroom itself is also quite cleanly, as no one understands why it looks like that, but it's also empty as well, just like the entrance. Then, two people appear out of nowhere, wearing a tuxedo and dress respectively.

"Welcome, esteemed visitors. We've been expecting you." The man spoke.

"Hmm?" Ryu hummed in confusion.

"Normally, you would see us dancing if you happened to peak, but there were some change of plans." The woman said.

"What kind of plan?" Richter asked.

"Your arrival, of course!"

"Since word got around all over the place, we had to make our own preparations as well." The man explained. "With this." He spreads his arms to the entire ballroom. "Normally, we would ask you for a dance. But this time, we're doing this in a whole different way."

He snapped his fingers to have the curtains open to reveal three stones all in one place.

"We have decided that we will judge you on your performance by yours truly. If any two of you can make us dazzled, then the prize is yours." The woman explained. "So, who will take the stage?"

The group tries to decide who will do the task, but it seems that no one is willing to do it.

"I'll do it." Lynn said. "And I will take Shownu as my partner."

"Huh?" The boxer turns to her.

"Aqua?" Jackie looks at her.

"I know a thing or two about dancing. She taught me that much."

"She?" Richter sounds very confused.

"Well, I mean, by her vote of confidence, I'll do it. Why not?" The boxer jumps in.

"You got this, guys." Shulk cheered on.

Lynn and Mac took to the center to start their performance. The boxer seems nervous at first since he's never done something like this, but the girl tells him that she'll take the lead. He didn't know what she meant by that, but he trusts her enough to do that. When the music started playing, it shifted to a whole different tune.

♫

The music is passionate and charismatic that Lynn starts moving, with Mac trying to follow her along. She guides him through the steps, then signaling him to spin her, which he did. They follow it up with steps, from left to right, front to back. But when the music was at the apex, Lynn turned it up a notch.

She throws Mac up in the air, startling him, but she caught him just in time for another sequence. Then, she spins him three times, followed by another catch, making a jump of her own, with Mac catching her, extending her arm out for emphasis.

Mac finally found his groove and begins to dance in tune with her as he follows her steps to the letter, one by one. They end it with their arms raised up to the air as Lynn conjures water for aesthetics.

They were met with a thunderous round of applause from their friends and the couple, with some whistles and shouting going towards them.

"That was spectacular! Never in all my years of dancing have I ever seen the lady be the lead partner! Just wonderful all around!" The man complimented.

"Yes indeed, the man has grown quite comfortable with his partner's way of dancing during the end, and gave us the ending that blew our expectations." The woman added.

"Very well, we have judged your performance, and we have deemed you worthy of obtaining the grand prize. Go ahead and take it. It's yours now."

Lynn goes up to take the stones without any resistance. "Thank you so much for this."

"It's out pleasure. We look forward to your next visit."

The couple disappeared, and the door was left open, prompting them to leave quickly.

"That was quite the impeccable footwork, you two." Kirby complimented.

"Yeah, you were really out there showing 'em what's what." Ken detailed.

"Guess that's why you're the main dancer of Monsta X after all." Jackie said.

"Thanks guys. I didn't even know that Aqua would do something like that." Mac said sheepishly.

"Hell yeah, she really brought the life into the dance, with her water powers and all that." Soren said.

"I've never seen her dance like that before, but it was amazing to witness. You were wonderful back there." Ryu commended.

"Hehe, thanks guys." Lynn blushed.

"Well, that was pretty easy." Robin said surprised. "Thankfully, we don't have to go through every crook and nanny to find them."

"Definitely by a longshot. Now, let's find the next Prison Keep to put these in."

The next Prison Keep isn't too far away from there as they put in the stones to open the gate, and what awaits them is another person guarding it. It's a middle aged man, wearing some very modest clothes

"Ah, here they be! At long last have you come!" He cheered.

"Huh? You mean us?" Shulk asked.

"Yes, that's right. I've been waiting for you to come here."

"Uhh..." Robin tried to talk.

"Shhshshshh... it's alright. No need to explain yourselves. You'rehere for whatever it is that it's up there, right?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Soren answered.

"Then how about this? We'll fight, and we'll see if you have the right to take what's there. Sound fair?"

"Let's do it. I'm ready to go." Ike has his sword ready. "Just say when."

The man turns into an Orthrus and howls to summon a gaggle of Shadows that are itching to fight, and fight they will.

It started charging at everyone, swinging its tail left and right to hit them. Unfortunately for them, it's way too fast for them to hit it. Even Robin was having a hard time trying to hit it. It's gotten quite a few good hits in, even without the reinforcements, but they also have to think quickly, or else it'll keep on going.

Shulk grabs a bunch of bumpers and throws it everywhere to stop the Orthrus' movements, now only bumping back and forth into them. Kirby turns into Ice Kirby to exhale an icy breath, with Mac throwing a Freezie to encase it in an iceberg.

"Now, Shownu." Kirby commands.

"Right!" Mac charges up his KO Punch as he starts gaining speed while dragging his fist to the ground, igniting it until he lands it square in the jawline, breaking it into a million pieces.

"Now stay down. Please."

"Alright, let's get up there." Ike starts making his climb up.

They got the orb, as it now becomes a pair of running shoes.

"Shoes? Oh my god, shoes?" Jackie almost sounded excited.

"What are these for, may I ask?" Kirby said.

"Oh yeah… I remember that. Those were Ryuji's shoes." Richter recalled.

"Oh, ohh… shit." Jackie finally realized.

"Is there some significance behind it?" Lynn wondered.

"Yeah. Ryuji was on the track team one time because they offered a scholarship for him to make up with his bad academic structure." Soren explained while changing some of the details. "But one day, he had his leg broken by someone who really didn't like him, and the whole team blamed him for their disbandment, and was shunned by his school for it."

"Damn… that sucked."

"That must have meant a lot to Nozomi because she wholeheartedly supported his dream so that they could live a better life. But because that happened, they're barely getting by." Robin added. "But now that he's gone, she felt as if she doesn't have anything to live for anymore."

"Oh my…" Lynn covered her mouth in shock.

"I see. If these really mean to her, then we can use it to gain access to the birdcage." Ryu said. "The next Prison Keep should have another memo meant for him."

"Right on. And to do that, we'll need to find where it is. Let's get going." Soren commands.

With two pieces of the core in their possession, they're now en route to find the third keep. The second trial was rather entertaining as they got to witness Lynn and Mac dance, and they really turned it up. So now, they're wondering what the third one will be.

They weren't able to find any buildings for them to go into, but they somehow found the Prison Keep pretty easily, albeit, with another locked barrier. No one ever questioned why they would find it that easily, but they know why now.

Ryuji was there, or at least, a Cognitive version of him. He was trying to get into the Prison Keep for some reason by screwing with something, but he's been denied entry.

"That's the second Ryuji we've encountered." Ike tallied.

"But this one is more… like him." Ken said.

"And just like the first one, he doesn't seem to be threatening at all." Richter added.

"Then I think it's safe to talk to him. Come on." Soren lead the team out.

The area they're in is an open field with a table set for some kind of purpose, but they're not sure what that's for. The only thing that matters is talking to Ryuji.

They approach him casually as he turns around, which startled him by surprise.

"What the eff, dudes?! You coulda just warn me or somethin'!"

"What are you talking about? That's just our stance." Soren says.

"Next time, just say somethin'! Anyway, what're y'all doin' here?"

"We're tryna get in that Prison Keep over there." Jackie pointed him to it.

"Prison Keep? Whuzzat?"

"Ah- it's that one behind you. But that's not important right now. We need to go in and get something out of it."

"Me too, man. I mean, I know I'm supposed to be fightin' you and all, but I really needa figure this shit out."

"What is it? I think I can help." Robin offered.

"Welp, it's this one."

Ryuji shows him the board that he's been struggling with.

"Oh this? I know how to do this one. Here, let me show you."

With Robin helping the blonde figure it out, the Shadows appear.

"Look out, Ted!" Mac yelled.

"Everyone, hold down the fort!" Soren commanded.

With another person to look after, the group is left to deal with a little stronger group of enemies. Since they come in bundles, they also have to use items that can take them out in one hit.

One such instance is Shulk digging out a Steel Diver and starts shooting torpedoes at them, making all the accurate shots count when using Buster Monado. Jackie summons K.K. Slider to help paralyze them in order to do that.

Ike pulls out a soccer ball and placed it in between him and the Eligor that was here. He slams his sword down hard to launch it at the red-clad knight, knocking him off his horse.

"Mouser!" Soren calls the mouse wearing sunglasses to throw bombs around him, dealing fire damage that bounces it around until being slashed by Richter's sword beam.

Ken and Mac ran around in circles in opposite sides, with Ken donning the franklin badge, and Mac using a staff. Their idea is that with Mac shooting straight at the badge, Ken can reflect it onto any enemy, as long as they're careful not to accidentally hit their teammates so accuracy matters.

Kirby, now Animal Kirby, burrows down to the ground as Ryu throws a black hole to trap them. Then, Kirby shot up the ground with an uppercut, slicing through them.

Under Robin's guidance, Ryuji finally placed the last piece on the board, wiping out all the Shadows, and taking down the barrier.

"Alright, we're all good now!" He signaled.

"Awesome!" Ryuji ran in the Keep really quick.

"Wait, didn't Ryuji say that he was going to fight us?" Shulk remembered.

"He did, but I doubt that would be the case." Ryu answers.

"Maybe."

Ryuji was out again, before catching his breath.

"Oh yeah… by the way… thanks for the help."

"Wait, so you're not gonna fight us?" Richter asked.

"Fight ya? Why would I do that? You guys helped me. And besides, I was tryna get this." He shows them a souvenir he, in their perspective, meant to give her. "And y'know, I can tell you guys are on a very important adventure so I ain't gonna keep ya any longer." He starts running off in the distance. "Wish y'all the best!"

"That Ryuji was actually a nice kid." Lynn thought.

"Yeah, but at least we don't have to fight again, until later on." Mac sighs in relief.

"Now then, let us climb up and claim and that core." Kirby tells them.

When they got up the Keep, the core transformed into another piece. A frame of Nozomi and Ryuji smiling together.

"Oh… this one is just tragic." Richter said somberly.

"That's them together. All smiles, no pain, no sadness, no nothing. Just pure happiness." Jackie elaborated.

"She really wanted to do everything with him, make so many memories together… but life keeps kicking them down every time. But even after all that, they still got through it." Ike nods.

"Not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous of what we're about to see in the next one." Ken scratched the back of his head.

"Nothing too pleasant I imagine, but we can at least gain a better understanding of her from what her perspectives are." Kirby stated.

"Right. Also, we should head back to the real world to prepare ourselves for another visit." Ryu suggested.

"Yeah, and we're also kind of tired from all the fighting." Robin said.

"I feel you there. Alright, let's get outta here."

Soren leads everyone back to the real world to get some grub and get more sleep tonight.

Chapter Text

Robin hasn't seen Nozomi anywhere. Even with the help of his friends, he still couldn't find her. He's been dreading about it, just like Mac had for Sojiro, and it was also starting to get to him, too. Thankfully though, with Soren's constant assurance and everyone's support, he knows that they can save Nozomi if he puts his all into it, and he'll do whatever it takes.

The group was out in the food stalls, trying out all the local delicacies that Kyoto has to offer in the Nishiki Market, ranging from senbei, tako-tamago, some beef sushi, tamagoyaki, to other common foods like dried foods and seafood. The food there is pretty spectacular compared to Tokyo, but they know there will be more out there by the time they leave Kyoto.

When their hunger is satiated, it's time to go back in.

They went back to where the barrier is, and with the cores that they have in their possession, the barriers open, now giving them full access to the second part.

"Well, here goes. Whatever it is that's out there, we'll be ready for it." Soren said.

"Very well said. There may be more enemies that await our arrival. It is in our best interest to be highly keen of our surroundings." Kirby adds.

"Right. Then let's get going." Lynn motioned.

The group now find themselves in a forest that has some sunlight, but it's still covered with lots of shade. It doesn't seem to be this creepy for now, but they rather not linger around any longer.

Going further in, they realize that the path is getting wider for them instead of narrow, probably indicating that they're getting closer to where the supposed Treasure is. If it's anything to go by, it probably means there's enemies waiting for them.

And well… here they be.

"You! Don't think you're going any further!"

Some of the Shadows turn into stronger enemies, one of them charging immediately, but was stopped when it got thrown at something. It was a broken Levin sword that Robin kept in times like these.

Everyone was sweeping the floor with the enemy, with Ike and Ken summoning Yune and Sean for a deadly combination with Soren summoning a Zygarde at 50% forme with a combination of Ivan, Ingrid and Nico Fire.

In the back of his mind, Soren never thought about combining support Spirits with primary ones, but when given the tip by Ren specifically, he realized that there's more power to it than just using the primary alone. Now that it's in his head, he'll be using it a lot more now.

With the last Shadow disposed, they move on quickly to not waste any time left.

In the next area, they found themselves in another open field, clear of everything.

"Man, what's with open fields?" Ken complained. "I get that this is her ideal vacation spot, but is there anything else she can do?"

"Maybe she's an outdoor person for all I know." Mac shrugged.

"Alright, let's see what else she has for us." Soren saw a sign and started reading. "To further proceed into the intended path, you must perform a song that speaks to the mind and relates to the world in which it has caused an impact."

"Uh, what does that mean?" Robin wondered.

"Oh I think I know what this is. It's saying that we need to do a song that really took the world by storm, and I think I know that it's talking about."

"What is it?" Ryu asked.

"We just need to do a song that will satisfy it for us to pass through. But I wonder who's gonna do it…"

"We'll do it." Ike volunteered.

"Eh?"

"If vocalists can fit the bill, why not rappers?" Ken added. "And besides, I think we got this in the bag."

"And that's a rock fact." Shulk said with a rock in his hand.

"Facts, just straight up spittin' bro." Jackie agrees.

"True, actually." Soren seconded. "Alright, we'll leave this to you."

"Thanks. You won't regret it." Ike expressed.

Conveniently for Ike and Ken, there were microphones that laid there. They pick them up to check if they work, and lucky for them, they are. If they remember correctly, the real Jooheon and Changkyun have them listen to a few of their samples and they seem to get the idea.

With a song in mind, the music plays.

♫

(Ike)

쉬지 않는 스케줄 속 늘어나는 Level
이제는 필요조차 없는 코로나 속 무의미 Battle
건설해 우리만의 리그 덤비면 legal
Joohoney Lee
I'm the king and new leader
자신감 좀 난 쩔어도 돼
돈 벌고 싶으면 내게 네 돈 다걸어도 돼
살다 보니 꼰대 싫어하는 애들이 더 꼰대
꼭 공부 못하는 애들이 아프다 그러다 조퇴

(Ken)

This ain't competition 이건 우리만의 League
지는 달라 하는 것들 내 눈에눈 너무 비슷해
설득럭 하나 없는 말들 내게는 응 Bypass
Face down bass up 떠들지 말고 Bounce
무대 위 뛰어다녀 우리는 여섯 마리 Goat
헛소리 집어치워 그럴 바에는 Mask up
나와 친해지려 하지 마 떨어지 2m
우리는 우리 갈길 바쁘니까
I don't give a what yessir

Everyone gave a round of applause as the two rappers bow.

"Yessir indeed." Mac echoed.

"That was amazing, guys." Robin complimented.

"Thanks. It's good to know that we still haven't lost our touch yet." Ike said.

"If I may ask, what is the synopsis of this song?" Kirby asked.

"If I remember, the guys told us that this song was about how a virus was spread throughout the world, causing everyone to stay at home, work at home, multiple businesses were shutting down, and a lot of people lost their lives to it." Ken explained.

"I pray for those who have passed on, but everyone else made it out, right?" Lynn says.

"Yep. It wasn't easy, but we all made it out okay."

"Oh yeah, I heard about it before. I know some of you lived through that time, like Soohyun." Jackie remembered.

"Yeah, that shit was horrible." The leader dreaded. "At least we don't have to worry about it in the long run."

"That's for sure." Richter nods. "Anyway, I hope they're satisfied with it because they should be letting us through, right?"

His thoughts were answered when a gate opens, though the noise it made startled them.

"Right on cue."

"Let us press onward, then." Kirby instructs as Soren leads the group to the next area.

The next area was a lake with one raft that can fit two people in. There's also another one opposite of it.

"There's only two of them? How are we ever gonna get to where we're supposed to be if there's only two boats?" Richter thought.

"I don't think these are for transportation." Shulk deducted.

"Eh, what do you mean?" Jackie turned to the Homs.

"Look over there." Robin points them to a woman that just appeared out of nowhere.

"Why welcome, friends. It's so good to meet you." A young woman said.

"Uh, hello?" Mac said.

"You're just in time. The boat needs some serious help, and you look like you're up to the task."

"Task of what kind?" Ike asked.

"You'll have to get on to know what I'm talking about. Here it is now."

The boat, more like a yacht, appeared out of thin air, making a huge splash, knocking out two of the rafts.

"Bro, what?" Soren was genuinely confused by this.

"Quick, get on."

The group was forced to get on the yacht by an unsuspecting woman who just dumps whatever it is that was troubling her. It's later revealed that they need someone to cover as DJ as the one who was scheduled to be here couldn't make it, so until they can find someone else, the people are gonna remain pissed off.

Given a quick explanation, she guides them to where the DJ set is in front of an irate crowd.

"I see. So that is the problem you're facing right now." Ryu concluded.

"Yes, and I'm so sorry for putting this onto you, but without a DJ, this boat and the crowd won't go anywhere." The woman said.

"If that's the case, then I'm up to the task."

"Really? You mean, truly?"

"Of course. I have some experience in this sort of skill, so I will gladly put them to use."

"Oh, thank you, thank you! I'll go get everything ready!" The woman leaves in a hurry."

"I think I find it weird that we somehow get to choose whatever song and dance we want without anyone stopping us." Ken pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. It seems like they're okay with it just because they want us to perform." Lynn agreed.

"And it definitely feels like we're going back to our artistic roots again from where we’re at." Richter said.

"It would appear so." Kirby concurred. "Regardless, we should leave this to DJ H.ONE to do the honors."

"Ohh, look at you with the mention. Okay! I see you there!" Jackie caught on. "But yeah, you got this, man."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to put on a show." Ryu goes up to the stage.

The woman has everything set up in a flash, so all Ryu has to do is hit the note, and everything fall into play.

♫

He plays the music, and a few people started looking his way. Then, as the beat starts getting faster, a lot more turn their attention towards him. When it starts to reach up to the apex, the crowd began to get hyped up and cheered wildly for him, until the beat dropped and that's where the wild festivities kicked off.

While Ryu was busy doing that, Soren checked out the view to see the birdcage from there. It's far away, but at least he can see it.

"I think I got it." He runs back to his team to tell them that they can get the boat moving faster if they can hype up the crowd some more, so that Ryu will do less work. "Alright, come on."

They went up on stage to get the crows more riled up, with some of them chanting "Hey!" with the crowd saying it back. Others went to Ryu to get in on the vibes. Robin, Soren, and even Ike chants "Go Shownu!" to encourage him to bust a move or two. When the boxer did, the crowd went wild.

Then, Robin and Soren start chanting "Go Jooheon!" to get Ike to do the same thing. Even Jackie got in on the fun. The swordsman relent and starts vibing up, with the crowd going crazy as usual.

Suddenly, the lights dim, and the spotlight shines onto Shulk, with a microphone stand at the ready. And another spotlight onto Lynn, playing the piano.

♫

많이 힘드니 나는 변했어
너와의 시간을 되돌릴 수 없어
고마워 그 아픔을 견딜 수 있을 것 같아

어떤 식으로 표현을 해야
네게 좋은 사람으로 기억될까
미안해 이게 나고 네가 모르는 나야

그래 그러자 울지는 말자 아프겠지만
그래 그러자
굳어진 내 마음에게 애쓰지 말자
그래 그러자

At one point, someone turned on their flashlight on their phone and starts waving with it, and soon enough, everyone else starts doing the same thing.

그래 그러자 울지는 말자 아프겠지만
그래 그러자
기억해 나 너를 보내고 후회하는 날

사실은 말이야 널 지우려고 애를 써봐도 그게 잘 안 돼
사랑해 나 마지막으로 하고 싶은 말
행복해야 돼 꼭 그래야 돼 너는

Everyone gave a round of applause to the two performers as they both bow and left the stage.

Finally, the new DJ arrives, thanks Ryu for covering him, and takes over.

"Now." Kirby calls as they jump off the yacht and land on the grass. He looks up to see that the birdcage is now in full view. "As it is."

"That was a good diversion back there, Hyungwon. There was no way we could get that moving if it wasn't for your DJ'ing." Ken said.

"Thanks. I did what was necessary." Ryu nods.

"And don't forget that Minhyuk and Aqua came in clutch with the song and piano. That was… dogtastic I would say."

"Oh my god, are you still onto that?" Soren said.

"Thanks everyone. It wasn't easy, but we pulled it off somehow." Shulk said he returns the hug to Lynn.

"Now that we're here, I suppose we're one step closer to the birdcage, right?" Ike asked.

"It's gotta be. Otherwise, there'd be one more roadblock on the way." Richter predicted.

"If that's what it is, then we may as well just do it and be done with it." Robin declared.

They were in the last area of the entire Jail, as it is guarded by one more person.

"I knew it." Richter sighed.

"So, you're the last lines of defense, huh? I knew you'd be here for something like this." Jackie called.

"You have good intuition in you." The man commends. "Yes, we are what you say the last lines of defense. I actually like the sound of that. If you really wanted to know what it is, it's this."

He presented a large TV screen, two fight sticks, and the game of choice.

"Guilty Gear Strive? Oh yeah, I played that before!" Soren recalled.

"A man of culture, I see. Would you care to play a match?"

"Nah man, I suck at it. I'll get back to it maybe."

"Fair enough. Anyone else?"

"I'll do it, and I'll have Eunbi with me." Jackie stepped forward.

"Wait, what?" Shulk seemed concerned.

"Huh?" Richter said.

"Aww, a cute wittle doggie and a pink marshmallow. What are you gonna do about it?" The man taunted.

"Look man, I may be a dog with a human mind, but I played a ton of fighting games before, but this 'pink marshmallow' here is a friend of mine, who will act as a left hand, and I the right."

"Oh is that right? Well then, lemme be the judge of that. Hope you're ready to get farmed."

"And I also hope that you're not a sore loser."

"You got this, guys." Ken cheered.

"Get his ass!" Mac yelled.

Jackie and Kirby took up the fight stick, with Kirby controlling movement, and Jackie left with attacking. While Kirby is indifferent about the guy's attitude, Jackie couldn't wait to wipe that smugness off his face.

The players pick their characters, with the guy picking Happy Chaos, and Jackie picking May. Soren doesn't like where it's going, but he trusts them to win the round.

The round begins and immediately the guys get pummeled. Kirby has no experience in fighting games, but with Jackie's guidance as he's an experienced player at the least, he's able to move around and block attacks whenever it's there.

The small entities finally got some hits in and racked up a pretty big combo string. But they screwed up and lost the first round. The guy taunts them with an L from his fingers. Now he's gonna get it.

The second round begins, and instead of defense, they went all aggro. Kirby moved the joystick all around while Jackie mashed buttons. They seem all over the place, but it's working. And unfortunately for the guy, hearing 'Totsugeki' over and over again was starting to get to him a little.

They got the second round by a landslide, but they remained focused, unlike the dude who's starting to get tilted.

The third round starts and both opponents exchange blow after blow, getting pretty even with one another.

The guy got greedy and activated his ultimate very early. Kirby knew he would do that and preemptively blocks it. Then, he remembers the combo for one ultimate from Jackie, and starts inputting them at breakneck speed, with Jackie responding in kind.

Their synergy alone was what won them the match, as they bump fists for the well-deserved victory.

"Woo! Slash!" Shulk yelled.

"That was Incredible." Ike said.

"What the fuck!" The guy screams, slamming his fight stick down on the ground. "I did everything right! I was winning! I should've just let that fuckin' dog play instead!"

"Listen, little tiny baby man. We hit that shit like a boss. It's not our fault that you fucked up on your punish game and got cheesed halfway. We won that fair and square." Jackie taunted.

"And destroying your property is rather unbecoming of you." Kirby reprimands. "You should learn control and respect."

"Man fuck you! I ain't letting you get away with this! I'll show you why I'm the last line of defense!"

The man transforms into a giant Eligor, his horse neighing at the highest it can go.

"And this is why I hate prissy boys and sore losers." Jackie has his spear ready.

"Looks like this is gonna be a big one. Get ready." Robin tells everyone.

The Eligor started charging right at them, but his is more powerful and aggressive than the Berith's, and almost everyone got hit by it. Shulk managed to stop his stampede with Shield Monado before switching to Buster and start whacking him with relentless attacks. Richter and Kirby get in on the beatdown to slow him down, but he retaliated by creating a tornado that sucked them in, making them temporarily forget how to summon their Spirits.

Ryu and Lynn brought them out and hit them with fans to help them snap out of it.

Ike somehow netted a death's scythe, not knowing why he had that now, but seeing K.K Slider, along with Owain, combined with Swanky Kong and Plasma Wisp, using Ziodyne, it gave him enough reason.

He walks closer to him as he was stunned by the deku nut thrown by Ken, as Ryu took out the horse with a smart bomb, disintegrating it along with the number of reinforcements. He swings the scythe, putting the strong Shadow out of his misery.

Jackie picked up a piece of the joystick from the destroyed fight stick, inspecting it.

"All of this just because you got outplayed. What a loser." He tossed it away.

"I know a couple of guys that do that sometimes, but at least they can grow outta that." Soren said.

"That's right. Anyway, I think that's everyone so the birdcage is ours to access."

Shulk looks up. "Yeah, and the birdcage is locked."

"Alright, guess it's my turn again." Richter goes.

"Wait. Allow me." Ryu volunteered.

"Hyungwon?"

"You and Aqua have already done your part. Let someone else handle this."

"Thanks man."

Ryu goes up to touch the door. It sparks and the memories come flooding in.

AAAAHHHH!!!

Noo, Ryuji!

My baby boy!

How could this happen?

I'm so sorry…

How am I supposed to live without you…

I can't…

I can't do it anymore…

Ryu recoils back from the cage, shaking his hand off from the effects.

"Listening to that really pains me…" Richter mumbled.

"Yeah… me too." Ike held him for a quick hug.

"Nozomi… losing Ryuji pained her so much. It's become unbearable for her to live on, knowing that her only link to family has been cut off forever." Robin's head lowered down in sadness.

"It's also a similar vein to when Sojiro lost Akira and Futaba." Mac remembered. "Outliving your own child must've been agonizing for them…"

"You're probably right, but that doesn't mean that we're gonna let her suffer on her own for this." Lynn said. "If we helped Sojiro before, then we definitely help Nozomi for sure."

"Indeed. She requires the same support that we have given him. It is only right for us that we will attend to her needs." Kirby stated.

"Right on the nose as always." Ken grinned. "Alright then, let's go back and get that calling card ready."

"Alright, time to go back."

Soren turns to EMMA to bring them back to the real world.

Chapter Text

With everyone out of the Jail, now is the time to find the Trauma Cell. While they were out and about, they ran into Kosuke again who offered them a meal, and another chance to talk.

He bought them a variety of foods up to their preference and they stood by the bus, away from prying ears.

"So, how's Nozomi doing?" Ike asked.

"Still getting by, but still struggling." Kosuke sighs. "Honestly, I don't know how long she'll keep going like that, but she can't keep living like this forever. I don't know what else to do to help her."

"Well, I think we understand her a little more now, but we also want to know what really caused her to be like this." Shulk said. "Losing her son may be one story, but was there anything else that also made her the way she is?"

"There is one, but it's not a happy ending."

"It's fine. If it can help us help her, then we'll hear it out." Ryu started with a resolute tone.

"Very well then. Now, where to begin… It all began when Nozomi brought home a man into the house. I immediately had my dislike of him, but she was deadset on getting to know him. My wife had warmed up immediately, believing that he would be a good fit for her, but I still had my reservations."

"Reservations? What kind?" Mac asked.

"I kept asking her if this was the man he really wanted, and she got annoyed by it very quick. We had a nasty fight back then, and she ran away from home with him. She cut off all contact with me, and we hadn't spoken to one another for 18 years."

"18 years? Damn, that's a long time." Ken whistled.

"I worried about her every day. I didn't know if she was doing well for herself, or what she had been up to, until… recently that she came back home. I was overjoyed that she finally returned, but I realized that she was not the same person anymore."

"How so?" Shulk said.

"She seems to be very depressed, unresponsive whenever I call her, always wearing a hoodie to cover herself, even though it's a little warm outside, and… her expression looks devoid of all life. It's almost like her physical body is there, but her soul has left this world. It's really sad to see her like this."

"It must've been that fuckface of a guy and Ryuji's death what made her like this." Jackie whispers.

"Verily so." Kirby agreed.

"I know the feeling all too well." Robin sighs. "But thank you for telling us this. I believe that we have found a way to help her."

"You do?"

"It's right here, sir." Lynn gives him an envelope.

"What's this?"

"A letter. To Nozomi." Soren said.

"Listen, Mr. Sakamoto. This is very important. Whatever you do, DON'T open it. This is for her and her alone." Robin instructs. "When she comes back home, give it to her and leave immediately."

"Are you sure this will work?"

"We are, and we're not gonna give up on her. Not when she still has a life to live." Richter stated with resolution.

"Very well then. I trust you enough to help her, so I'll do this in return."

"Thank you . It means a lot of us." Robin bows.

"It's no problem. She means the world to me too. By the by, she doesn't seem to be home at the moment. Would you like to come in? it may not be much, but we would surely welcome guests."

"Maybe not right now. We still need to talk this amongst ourselves." Soren declined.

"I see. I'll see you sometime later, right?"

"Yeah."

Kosuke goes in the house, and the group leaves the premises shortly.

"So me and Kirby picked up from the cues that the old dude was talking about that fuckface of a husband and father." Jackie spoke.

"It was clear that Kosuke immediately disliked him due to his suspicious behavior and made an attempt to convince her to leave him." Kirby explained. "Unfortunately for him, Nozomi was stubborn and the two clashed in words, causing her to leave her residence."

"Right, and then she came back home after losing her son, falling into a depressive state. Basically a dead woman walking."

"Hmm… these can be hints that can help us find the Trauma Cell. Good insight, you guys." Shulk says.

"Wait. I might be misremembering it, but didn't Nozomi sell her house back in Tokyo?" Richter recollected. "I'm thinking that since she's moved back with her father, it's gonna be a lot harder for us to find where the Trauma Cell is."

"Oh yeah, good point." Mac said. "But wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense. Even if she did sell her house, wouldn't the memories of whatever happened back there could be traceable still?"

"That could be possible, but I'm not quite certain if we'll be able to find it." Ryu has his doubts.

"You never know until you try." Ike phrased. "If this works, we can use that same logic again for future Jails."

"I think I know where we're standing at this moment." Soren decided. "Robin, wanna try it out?"

"Sure thing." The tactician goes to the mic to give it a shot. "Keyword: Haven."

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

The distortion begins taking place.

Inside the distortion, the group found themselves in a living room, if you can call it that. It was small, but it can somehow fit everyone in. it seems to be a normal living room, but it didn't take Robin this long to find out what it is.

"Wait a second… this is Nozomi's house." He realized.

"Really? You've been here before?" Shulk asked.

"Twice. One for bringing Ryuji back to her, and the other for visiting him. It felt bittersweet to do that."

"Kihyun…" Lynn mumbled.

"Look, there's someone there." Ryu pointed out.

You sad, pathetic sow. You have two jobs and you still can't provide for me, and now you lost your kid? Tch, you really are useless.

It's no wonder you left that useless family of yours to go live with a useful guy like me.

"The only thing you're useful for is getting fucked up every night and beating the shit outta them." Jackie snarked.

I'm so sorry, Ryuji… It's my fault that you're gone…

You don't deserve happiness in your life, and I will make sure that you suffer for the consequences of your actions. Come here.

The man transforms into another colossal being, but this time, it's wielding different weapons.

"Whoa, here it comes!" Ike said.

Don't be a lazy cow and do your job! That's your one and only thing you're good at!

"What is this guy's problem? Is he straight up misogynistic or what?" Ken said.

"Maybe, with the way he's acting." Richter shrugged.

"I'll tell you more about it later. Right now, we gotta kill that thing." Mac said.

"On your guard." Kirby commands.

Ike jumps up to hit it from above, but it blocked the attack super quick, then shook him off, but not before he threw another shockwave at it.

Ryu shuffles to its side to get it by a surprise attack with a flying kick, but it disappears, missing it entirely. He tries to sense where it is, knowing that it'll attack anytime soon. He predicts that it's attacking from above, and quickly pulls out a killing edge to block the attack.

Soren, summoning Hugh Baldwin with the combination of Sword Man, Nico Fire and a Winged Pikmin, drops down on it with Alondite and a fire bar to occupy another pair of arms.

Robin fires an Arcthunder to get the other arm to block the attack, which it did, signaling the others to attack now.

Ken and Fighter Kirby ran up towards it, while blocking everything, and gave it one fiery Shoryuken, sending it up high as everyone backs off.

The Shadow wasn't done as it starts slamming down everywhere for about 6 times, with people barely avoiding it, but Shulk had a better idea as he turns on Smash Monado and waited for the final stomp, so he can counter it to send it up high some more.

I don't feel like gettin' a job! All I wanna do is drink drink drink, and beat beat beat whenever the hell I want! That useless bitch was all too easy to manipulate!

"Oh my god, just shut up!" Soren yells.

"Very much the definition of high school dropout. No wonder he got no bitches when he left her." Jackie snarks.

"If that is all he does, then he lives a pathetic life." Kirby coldly states.

"He'll get more out of us if we ever saw him again." Mac said.

Hordes of Shadows start leaking in, to which Soren slashes them with the fire bar he's holding, with one fireball used up, then tossing it to Ken to start swinging, using up another fireball. He throws it to Shulk, who has Speed Monado activated, to go around and slice up enemies with the Monado and the fire bar, as another fireball disappears. He flings it to Lynn, which only had two fireballs left, decide to jab it onto the lock keeper's one good eye, blinding it temporarily.

"Holy shit!" Ken yelled.

"Damn girl, I didn't know you could do that!" Jackie quipped.

With only one fireball left, she throws it at the enemy to summon Azura for a little drizzle. Then, Richter, equipped with a screw attack, jumped up, turning himself into a ball, zapping it a couple of times. He then grabbed his knife to make an upward slash.

Shulk takes the initiative to summon Fiora to throw out a Psio at it. Mac takes this further to summon Doc Louis to cast Eiha to it.

I'm sick of your shit, bitch. You better hurry up and get me the goddamn money or else I'm knocking you out! And you, punk-ass, I'm comin' after you once I'm done with her!"

"Alright, if any of us ever sees him, it's on sight." Ken decided.

"He'll need a lot more than a beatdown. A quick trip to the hospital will do it." Mac bumps his fists together.

"I'll show you that they had lived far better lives than you ever will…" Robin said darkly. "Grima!"

He summons the Fell Dragon to use Expiration to fire it at the warden. Hammer Kirby toppled it down with Richter throwing an axe to pin it. Then Ryu and Ken finish it off with fire and ice raining down upon it.

"It looks like we did it." Ike said.

"Yeah, and the birdcage should be unlocked by now." Jackie confirmed.

"Alright, we'll send the calling card, and it's go time." Richter nods.

"Still, it felt pretty damn good beating the shit outta him again." Mac said.

"Hmph, quite indeed." Kirby agrees. "But if he does appear again…"

"Then you can beat the fuck outta him again." Soren added.

"…" Robin said nothing.

"Kihyun? Are you okay?" Shulk talked to him.

"Now I finally understand. The settings of the Jail, the people that we've met and fought, the games and activities that we've done… Those are all the things that Nozomi wanted to do with Ryuji; To spend time with him and make memories together, to do all the things that they couldn't do in the past, and also probably reconnect with some long lost family members that she hasn't spoken to in years."

"Kihyun…" Lynn muttered.

"But now that Ryuji's gone, none of it even mattered to her anymore. The Jail itself completely reflects it, and now she's just wasting her days away, moping and possibly confining herself in her room. He was her pride and joy, the reason of living, and her motivation to keep going, even when it gets tough. Without him, she feels that she's lost everything. She threw herself into her career, to try to help him to get to where he was supposed to be and help herself keep afloat. But knowing that, she feels all alone in the world, alienated by society and family alike, and that she failed in her objective."

"And that's why we're here." Ryu assures him. "By helping her move on from the grief of losing her son, we also help her to adjust back to her life again, just like we did for Sojiro."

"That's right. Even if the change of heart is just a small patch, it'll still be better than just leaving it open." Soren smiled. "We'll help her. You have my word."

That helps Robin feel at ease. "Thank you, everyone. It means so much to hear you say that." He dusts his clothes off with a confident look on his face. "Alright, let's go back and help rebuild her life."

They went back to the real world as nighttime rolled around.

"Okay, so we gave the calling card to the old dude so that Nozomi can read it by herself. That's step one." Mac recalled.

"And once that's done, he'll need to dash quickly. I don't know if he'll be able to, given his old age, but none of us here can cover for him." Ike sounded worried.

"I can do it if you want." A voice calls out, making them turn to the source of the voice.

"Ichinose? What are you doing here? And how did you know where we're at?" Ken asked.

"I just happen to be at Kyoto not too long ago and wanted to explore the sights." She answered. "But, when I saw you guys, I couldn't help but follow you guys to see where you were going."

"So, you're not a stalker?" Jackie said.

"Oh nonono, I would never do such a thing like that. I genuinely care about you all and I want to do my due diligence to help you all, like the Phantom Thieves helped me."

A buzz rang on her phone, signifying that Sophia wants to say something.

"Yes, I can vouch for Ichinose that she is a changed woman now." The AI confirmed. "If you can place your trust in her, then I will place mine in you as well."

"Well, if Sophia can vouch for her, then there's no reason for us to be suspicious." Soren said.

"Very well. We shall heed you accordingly." Kirby agrees.

"Thank you all." Ichinose smiled. "So then, what's the plan here?"

"We've infiltrated Nozomi's Jail and Mr. Sakamoto is going to give her the calling card." Robin detailed.

"And once he's done with it, he'll have to get away from her as quick as he can, but due to his old age, he'll probably have a hard time trying to escape, and she'll most likely catch up with him in due time." Ike said.

"I see… Well, if that's the case, then I can be the diversion for him."

"Really? You'll do that?" Lynn asks.

"Of course. I want to understand more about the heart, and Nozomi-san is very troubled. I want to help her just as much as you want to help her."

"Thanks for that. We'll need all the help we can get from it." Richter claps his hands in gratitude.

"It's no problem. We're going to head back now so you guys should get some rest."

"Have a good night!" Sophia waves to them.

"See you tomorrow." Shulk waves back as the group watch Ichinose leave.

"How does she keep coming here at the perfect time?" Soren questioned.

"I dunno, but methinks that she's keeping a short leash on us. Or is it the other way around?" Jackie stopped at his thoughts.

"Dude… come on, man."

"I think this is a great opportunity for us, because one of us and Kosuke don't have to deal with her by the time she gets that card." Robin said.

"We go in, change her heart, Kosuke gets to safety, and Ichinose will talk to her." Ryu memorizes.

"Sounds like a great plan. I know we'll do just fine." Ken clasps his hands together.

"Let's go to sleep everyone. We have a big day ahead of us." Lynn suggested.

"Sure we do Lynn. Sure we do."

Chapter Text

Kosuke had to get up a little early this time around, a little more early compared to his usual time. He knows how important this is to the youngsters, and that they're doing all they can to help his daughter in her time of need, and in turn, this is his way of helping her too. He wouldn't even know how to pay them back, or what to do if it weren't for them. He'll have to thank them later in earnest once this is all done and over.

He was sitting by living room, waiting for her, getting ready to leave. By the time that she's almost at the door, that's his cue.

"Nozomi." He called. She finally acknowledged him for god knows how long. "I got a letter that's under your name. would you like to read it?"

She sighs. "Sorry dad, but I'm busy right now."

"It's from your friends." He blurted, which was what stopped her in her tracks. "They were so worried about you that they wanted to give you something."

"Something for me?"

"Yes, and they all want to give you something as a… condolence gift."

"What's in there?" She asked suspiciously.

"I don't know." He lied. "They told me that I can't open it. This is something only you can open. I'll even give you some privacy to look at it."

She sighed again. "Okay. Tell them I said 'thank you.'"

"I will. Here you are." He hands the envelope to her and goes on his way.

She had no idea why they gave it to him to give it to her, but this coming from them so of course she'll accept it. She opens the envelope to find a letter that reads:

To the grief-stricken mother, Nozomi Sakamoto

We understand the pain of losing a child, and that no parent should ever have to go through it. However, you chose to confine yourself in your room as a means of running away from your demons instead of confronting it, and we cannot stand idle as you continue to suffer. In short, we will take those Desires to help you heal and live.

Nozomi couldn't help but laugh bitterly about the letter she received, coming from one of them that seemed to care so much for her.

"You, take my Desires? What is this, some sort of prank that you're playing?"

"Why are you after the Desires that I've collected? You should quit now while you still can. I won't guarantee your safety if you go any further. If you still want to go after them, fine. But you'll be left for dead when I'm done with you. I just want everyone to leave me alone."

Kosuke left the house quietly as to not disturb her, where Monsta X was waiting for him outside.

"Well, how did it go?" Lynn asked.

"It went smoothly." Kosuke replied. "I can't thank you enough for helping her. It really means so much."

"You can thank us later when we have taken care of the whole ordeal first." Ryu said.

"We should probably get out of here before she catches on."

"Yeah, good idea." Ike nods.

The door slams wide open, scaring everyone at the loud boom. It was Nozomi, running and screaming at them.

"Oh shit! Go, gogogogogogogogo!" Soren yells as everyone run off at different directions.

Nozomi was about to catch up to her dad to demand an answer from him, but she was body blocked by someone else. Ichinose just arrived.

"You better get going now. I'll handle this." She smiled.

"Thank you, much obliged." He starts speed walking to get away, with Nozomi still screaming at him to come back.

Monsta X was back in the Jail, recovering a little from the sudden outburst Nozomi pulled out.

"Oh man, that was close." Ken heaved.

"I can't believe that she can run that fast. Was she a part of a track team or something?" Shulk wondered.

"I'm not sure, but that lady is hella fast." Jackie sounded rattled. "Oh man…"

"But at least we're fast enough to get back in here." Soren caught his breath. "And at least her Shadow took the response well enough."

"Right. Let's get in there and change her heart." Mac looked out of their point of view of where the birdcage is.

They got back to the pier and ditched the yacht, resorting to Soren summoning Lapras for everyone to get on it and surf to the area of interest. By the time they arrived, they rush in to storm the front, and that's where they found her.

Inside the cage is what appears to be a childhood bedroom that has long been abandoned and destroyed. There are holes in the wall, paint scrapped off, the ceiling beyond reparation. Not only that, but the windows are broken, with glass all over the floor, wood and dead branches everywhere, toys and books trashed and ruined, and even some pictures have been charred to bits.

"My god, look at this place…" Shulk looked around.

"Here. For your protection." Kirby gave Ryu, Ken and Lynn sole pads to protect their feet.

"Thanks, Eunbi." Ken said as he puts his on and Ryu helping Lynn put hers on.

"So it seems that you've decided to come here after all." Nozomi said grimly. "I suppose that warning or dissuading you is out of the question."

"Sorry to break it to you, but we can't do that. Not when we have this to deal with." Richter told her.

"Look, this isn't one of those 'you're being rescued don't resist' type of scenarios. We genuinely want to help you." Jackie explained. "If you let us, we can get you back on track."

"Nozomi, please. We understand that you're in pain right now, but what you're doing isn't helping you." Shulk sympathized.

"Don't talk to me like you know me." Nozomi spat.

"Please do not misunderstand our intentions." Kirby said. "Yes, it is correct that we do not know you well, but we know that you are in severe distress. And by leaving you here by your lonesome, you will suffer endlessly."

"He has a point." Soren agreed. "Look, we all know you miss him so much, and we do too. But you can't keep doing this to yourself, man. I don't want to push this any further, but… your son would hate to see you like this."

"Don't you dare talk about my son like that!" She shouted.

"Whoa dude, I'm not! Promise!"

"Nozomi, please! You don't have to do this!" Robin pleaded. "You don't have to keep punishing yourself like this. That's not the way you want to live. Yes, losing Ryuji hurts so much, and you still grieve for him to this day. But you don't want to live like this forever. It's just like Soohyun said, he would be sad to see you in such a state. Please. You need to let it go."

Nozomi took a step forward, making them be on guard.

"I have listened to you prattle on and on… about how you are trying to control my life… You and I have nothing more to talk about. If I can't make you leave…" A dark aura seeps out from fer feet. "Then I'll just have to kill you!"

She was encased by the aura all around her, and disappeared on sight.

"Where did she go?" Ike wondered.

They looked around the area, trying to find her. They hear a rumbling sound, but not from below, from above.

"Up there!" Richter yelled.

The roof burst open as a giant ice monster crashed from above, making everyone jump out of the way. It's a great white shark that has sharp ice shards embedded on its back, eyes devoid of all color, fins and tails sharp enough to leave you bleeding, and 200 teeth ready to bite and kill.

"What the fuck, you can turn into ice?" Soren said.

"We'll talk about it later. It's time to fight." Ryu tells him.

The shark roars, the sounds echoing the room, and begins to charge straight at them, sharp teeth, baring at them.

Lynn blocked the teeth with her naginata, and threw it to the side.

"Guys, we need to be careful when we're fighting." she warned. "There's debris everywhere, and we can't touch the shark's fins and tail."

"What do you propose we do?" Kirby asked.

"I'm thinking about rusting its sharp edges in hopes of slowing it down a little. We'll be lucky enough to have it stop for just one moment."

They watch as the shark makes numerous attempts to bite the group, but was briefly brushed off by fire attacks.

"Yeah, with the way it's moving, we won't be able to lay a single scratch on it. We gotta slow it down." Jackie begins to think.

Shulk puts the Speed Monado on overtime, outrunning the shark for as much as he can while wearing the bunny hood. Soren and Ike made so many inaccurate shots with their shockwaves, because of how slow they move. Richter's items became more of a hazard than they are projectiles, with it reflecting them back to him. They were struggling. Really hard.

Ken and Mac weren't getting lucky either as their spells kept on missing. Feeling tired, they chug down on carbonated water to restore their energy. Ryu, on the other hand, has been picking up scraps that were left on the floor.

"Hyungwon, what are you doing?" Mac asked.

"I'm picking up some remnants of the debris. I think they have some use to it." Ryu answered.

"'Some use?' What do you mean by that?" Ken said curiously.

"If Aqua said that if we can't touch the shark, then perhaps we can use these as either a diversion or a distraction."

"I mean, that is true, but what about the item bag? Can't we use them, too?"

"We can, but we mustn't overdo it, unless we waste them all."

"Good point. Guess we'll start with these."

The other fighters went to pick up the pieces as Ryu has an idea in mind.

The shark scans its eyes around to find anything moving when they found the three non-weapon wielding fighters building something. It charged at full speed, ready to bite, until it was shot at the side at something faster than it. It was Jackie with the staff.

"Eyes on me." Jackie stared at it, waving the thing to get its attention. That made it change its target to him instead, maintaining the same speed. "Yeah that's right. Keep going." He waited for it to get extremely close, until it got rammed by Wheel Kirby, knocking it down. "That was risky as shit, but we made it work."

"Hmm, quite so." Kirby discarded the Wheel ability to become Tornado Kirby to create a mini tornado to drag the shark in, damaging it in the process.

Richter and Shulk summon Maria and Fiora to use their magic as extra weight to keep it in. Ike used a cracker launcher to fire the shots directly at the shark, hoping that it'll slow it down to a degree.

The shark span rapidly, breaking free from the confines, but it was badly damaged from the constant barrages it received.

"Looks like that did it. Now to slow it even more." Jackie pulls out a timer from his scarf to activate it.

But it didn't slow the shark down. It slowed HIM down instead.

" Oohh... Ssshhiiit." He cursed in slow motion.

"Well that didn't work." Lynn sighed.

Jackie was trying to duck down as the shark attempts at another bite, but was stopped by Draug with a Goron as his crutch. Soren managed to stop it right then and there, as he looks on with Ryu, Ken, and Mac charging in with what appeared to be a giant makeshift spear from the debris they had collected.

They made the broken glass to be the tip, and the wood to be their handle. Kirby commended their ingenuity, despite the handicap they face in the battle and turning it around in their favor. They slam their homemade weapon onto the shark, the shards embedded in its skin, and roaring ferociously, trying to break free.

"Soohyun!" Ken called.

"Yeah!" Soren acknowledged. "Mòrag!" He calls upon the Special Inquisitor with Vulpix by her side.

"Sean!" He calls his apprentice-turned-Spirit, pumped up to fight.

They command them to cast devastating fire at the shark, blasting it bit by bit.

"Did we get her?" Mac prayed.

The smoke dies down, but the shark is still moving.

"No. not just yet." Ike said grimly.

"So we gotta take it down again…" Richter sighs in frustration.

The shark broke off from its confinement, destroying the last bits of the spear. It also grew more sharp spikes around its body, fins and tail made sharper, and grew more teeth.

"Uh-oh." Lynn said.

"Not good!" Jackie followed.

"Everyone, get down!" Robin yelled.

They all duck down when the shark zoomed at breakneck speed, crashing into a wall.

"At this rate, we're going to be cut and eaten alive if we don't stop her!" Shulk told. "I don't think the Speed Monado can outrun her anymore."

"And the timer slowed ME down instead of her so I don't think I'm gonna use that again." Jackie remembered.

"Then we're gonna have to think really quick, otherwise we'd be dead in minutes." Ike brandishes his sword, ready to fight again.

He fires another shockwave, not at the shark, but at where he thinks it'll be. The shockwave almost hit it, but it did graze it, losing a few of its sharp spikes.

Robin and Ryu use the same idea, but instead got a beastball and a home run bat from the bag, with Robin throwing the ball at one direction, the ball reappearing in the other side, and Ryu swings the bat with enough force that the ball starts flying everywhere, zoning in and out of reality.

Thankfully, it didn't hit everyone as they're all on the same team, but it did do considerable damage to the shark, chipping off some of the spikes.

Soren and Shulk slid underneath it and sliced some of them off. The shark didn't take kindly to that, and flung them away. Thankfully for them, they were blocking it with their swords, but they still got knocked back, crashing into a wall.

"Uh, she's still not stopping!" Jackie says.

"And neither are we!" Richter throws his cross at the opposite direction, while running towards the shark.

"Wonho, nooo!" Lynn shrieked, watching helplessly as he would bravely, but recklessly charged at the shark.

Richter slid underneath it, and kick jumped to the wall to bounce off it to throw his holy water at it. The cross chipped off more of the spikes with the holy water slowing it down for a while.

"Oh. Uh... that was my bad, haha." She laughs, embarrassed.

"It is quite alright, Aqua." Kirby assured her. "But you must also understand that Wonho is not of a simpleton as you think he may be. Yes, he may be reckless when it comes to his prowess, but you must also realize that he gained the knowledge and skills from his trials and battles."

"Really?"

"Yes. The same can also be said for everyone else as well. When you peer into their souls, their fighting prowess, you will see that they have seen and been through their fair share of battles, including Soohyun and Jackson. Each and every one of them did not gain their strength for nothing. No, they grew stronger from it, and they had prevailed from it."

"…"

"I too had undergone trials of my own. There were far too many to count, but I found myself standing against the tests of time at every single moment. It is thanks to those trials that I, and everyone else here, are where we are as of today. You, Lynn, can forge your own destiny."

"I… I can?"

"Yes. Every one of us had made our own, and we will do all we can to assist you of achieving it. But you must remember, destiny is not about letting anyone control or decide for you. It is about taking your own charge and believing in yourself that will make the impact."

"Believe in myself…?" She felt as if she heard that before. But from who? Whatever that may be, it gave her the motivation and courage to do something. "You're right. I have to believe in myself if we're going to get through this. Thank you for helping me realize it, Eunbi."

"It is my utmost pleasure."

"And I think I know a way."

Lynn, with Azura summoned, sings a melody that captivated the shark, stopping it completely from attacking Richter and Mac. It somehow became attracted to her singing voice, drawing in closer and closer. This gave everyone the opportunity to start an All-Out Attack, breaking it down bit-by-bit without resistance.

Robin charges up a Bolganone intended for the shark, waiting for the others to do their thing.

"I know what it's like to have your whole world fall apart when you lose someone precious. Ryuji was your whole world, and to have that taken away from you… it must have caused irreparable damage to your heart. But by shutting yourself away and clinging to this empty space, you're only going to hurt yourself more. Nozomi… you need to let him go."

He throws his hand down to cast it, everyone jumping out of the way as the flames burn it to a crisp.

The great white shark was no more, and the Shadow was back to her human form. She fell to her knees, expression completely drained from the intense sadness, and her body worn out from grieving.

"I don't understand." Nozomi spoke. "What you mean by 'letting him go?' Are you trying to tell me that I should forget about him? That I should erase all the precious memories I had of him?"

"That's not what I meant." Robin said, having been a little too harsh on his word choice. "What I meant is that Ryuji had already made his peace, and you made yours with him. You've talked to him before when he temporarily came back, catching up on lost time. But when it was time for him to go, you had to say goodbye for the last time."

"And that was when I wished that time would stop, and I could have him by my side forever. I didn't want to accept the fact that he's dead and I'm still alive. I wish it was the other way around, but life doesn't guarantee you anything, no matter how perfect you plan everything. But you're right… I can't keep living like this forever. At some point in time, I still have a life to live, and by doing this, I'm going against his wishes."

She takes the handcuffs off easily. "There's no reason for me to hold onto this anymore."

"You know, there are plenty of resources out there that can help you with this kinda thing." Soren chimed in. "If you want, I can hit you up with one."

"Really? You would do that?"

"Yeah. There are plenty of them that know a thing or two about it."

"That… that would be nice." She cracks a smile. "Oh… that's right. I'll need to go apologize to dad. He's been nothing but kind to me, and all I've done is push him away."

"Don't worry. You won't be alone in this." Ken nods.

"Thank you, everyone. I'll be going home now. You'll be there, right?"

"Absolutely." Jackie gave a paws up.

That gave her great comfort as she disappears into the light. The Jail begins to rumble.

"We should probably go, Robin." Ike said.

"Yeah okay, no, let's-let's get out of here." The tactician nods.

Everyone went back to the real world to check up on Nozomi.

Chapter Text

Everyone made it out okay as the sun is about to set. Not wasting any more time, they go back to the house to see how she's doing.

When they got there, they heard yelling. They have no idea what's going on, but they may as well check it out. When they got closer, they saw three people arguing. There was Ichinose and Kosuke yelling at a very suspicious man, but the guy yelled back.

He pushes Kosuke out of the way, falling to the ground, and slaps Ichinose out of the way, and starts banging the door.

"Oh, bitch!" Jackie cursed.

"Get that motherfucker!" Soren commands vehemently, as Ken and Mac charge straight at the guy, as everyone else tend to the injured.

They approach the guy, who was still banging at the door and shouting out expletives that they felt like they've seen him somewhere before, Mac especially.

"Ohh, look at you! You like to hit women now, huh? You hit old people too, huh?" Ken sounds sarcastic in his statement, as if he's buttering him up.

"Those people are gonna turn into you when we run your face into the dirt! Get over here, motherfucker!" Mac grabbed the man and threw him down to the ground as he and Ken starts beating the fuck out of him, while shouting at him.

"The fuck you think you're doing?!"

"You don't fuckin hit people!"

"Don't fuckin hit people!"

Ken karate chops the assaulter, as he was already down for the count.

"Tend to the people." Kirby instructed.

"Is he alive?" Jackie said.

Ken kicks him, which made the man groan. "Yeah, he's fine."

Ike and Ryu help Kosuke up as Robin and Shulk help Ichinose back on her feet.

"Are you alright?" Shulk asked.

"Yes, I'm okay, thank you."

"Are you hurt?" Ryu asked.

"I think I've broken a few bones from the fall, but I'm alright. Thank you." The old man smiled.

"We're gonna have to take care of this first, hold on." Richter was about to get his phone, but-

"Now now, you don't need to do that." Someone said. It was the other man and a girl.

"Zenkichi and Akane? What are you doing here?" Ike said.

"We just happen to be strolling around, until we saw you." Zenkichi answered. "It looks like you're busy with something so I won't pry into it. But what I CAN do is call one of my units here to arrest the man who hurt the innocent bystanders and call a local doctor to do a quick checkup."

"Really? You would do that?" Ike insists with the question.

"Course! Just because I'm off-duty now doesn't mean I'm gonna ignore it. I'll take care of this, you go do your thing."

"Thanks, dude." Soren sighs.

"Uh, what is going on?" Akane asks.

"You'll see." Lynn replied.

The door opens as Nozomi peeks out of it.

"Is he gone?" she demanded.

"Soon enough he will." Richter snorts.

"Oh thank god. I'll have to get this door replaced soon."

She comes out of the door, looking even more disheveled than she usually was with the hoodie up, but her mood seems to have improved somewhat.

"Hey, uhh… how're you holding up?" Soren says.

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking." she said. "But first, I need to address some things first." She turns to her father. "Dad, I want to apologize to you, first and foremost. I pushed you away when you were only trying to help me. I left home too many times and cut off all contact with you because I wanted to be away from everyone and everything, just so I could wallow in my own grief. I'm sorry for treating you like that."

"Nozomi, you have nothing to apologize for." Kosuke tries to comfort her. "I know how rough it must've been for you. I never stopped worrying about you ever since you left home. I always prayed for your safety and happiness, no matter where you'd be, and I'm so eternally grateful that you've come back safely. I would never trade that away for anything else."

Nozomi ran to hug her dad. "Thank you, dad, for always thinking of me." She sniffed.

"You'll always be my daughter, no matter what. Please remember that."

She lets him go and turns her attention to the group. "Everyone, I want to extend my apologies to you as well. It was wrong of me to get angry at you all when you were trying to help me as well. When I received that envelope from my dad, I felt that anger overpowering my grief, and I tried going after you. I really shouldn't have done that, and I've regretted my actions ever since. I'm sorry."

They waited patiently for her to finish, not daring to say a single word, leaving Robin to address it.

"Look, Nozomi. It's okay. I understand why you reacted like that. Ever since we met again, I couldn't stop worrying about you as well. Even when you held up a strong front, you were still breaking down inside, and that's what scared me the most. I couldn't help but fear the worst if anything happened, and… it's also why I made the calling card."

"I see. I finally understand now, and thank you for helping me find my way again."

Nozomi opens her arms for a hug, and Robin calls everyone for a group hug, and they all joined in. The feeling of joy and relief flow through everyone as they have accomplished another mission of healing a grieving heart.

"So, Nozomi." Mac broke off the hug. "If you don't mind me asking, who's that guy?"

"That's my ex-husband." That shocked everyone, except Mac and Kirby.

"I figured as such." He said to himself.

"Wait, that sleazebag's your ex-husband? For real?!" Ken exclaims.

"Yes. Apparently, he found out where I was living in and started to hound me about owing him all the child support that he paid for or something, I don't know."

"Well, there's no point in doing that now since we all know where he's going." Soren shrugs.

"I'm gonna fu-"

"Shut up!" Richter stomps on his face.

"Oof, that's gonna leave a mark." Akane winced.

"I guess you're right. He'll be paying a lot more when he's in jail." Nozomi's demeanor changed when she starts thinking about something else. "Soren-kun."

"Yeah?"

"I'm still trying to process my grief about losing my baby boy. But I don't want to do this alone. I'll need some help in order for me to function normally in society again, so… I wanted to know if there's anyone that can help me with this."

Just when Soren was about to say something, Ichinose's phone buzzes, with Sophia chiming in.

"If you want, I can connect you to a licensed therapist or group support in order for you to truly process your emotions." Sophia suggested.

"See, there you go." Soren nods.

Zenkichi came back. "Alright, cops and doctors should be coming by. You're all good."

"Thank you, Zenkichi-san. I really appreciate it." Ichinose said.

"Course! It's all part of the job. Well, we'll let you be on your way. Come on, Akane."

"Bye, everyone." Akane waves, and a few others wave back, with father and daughter going back to their stroll.

"Well then, with that taken care of, why don't all of you go have fun with my daughter?" Kosuke suggests.

"Really? You're not coming with us?" Ryu asked.

"I have to stay here and tell the cops about it. I'll be fine, really. Ichinose-chan, why don't you go with them?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll stay here too. We both need to tell the doctors and police about what happened."

"Well, if that's you want. Anyway, you go on and have fun. We won't keep you long."

"Thank you dad. I'll be sure to bring something for you. Come on, let's go!"

"See you guys later!" Ken said.

"Bye-bye now!" Ichinose waved as the group went to go hang out with Nozomi.

The group was rolling with whatever place Nozomi wanted to go, going back to the Nishiki Market to try out more local foods, the railway museum where they met again, this time, going back to where they were and continue onward. They also went back to the fox shrines, sending their prayers to them, some of them wishing for a fun and safe trip, and others praying for happiness.

Nozomi decided to take everyone to a much nicer restaurant that is around the area, treating them to whatever they like, and they were going to chow down like no tomorrow. Once they were done eating, the bill came out to be astronomically high. Though Nozomi initially decided to pay the rest, everyone agreed to split it evenly so that she doesn't have to bear the burden of it, to which she is most thankful for.

They sat outside the entrance, sitting and standing by the outskirts, watching the scenery as it goes by.

"Wow… 20 years later, and Kyoto is still as beautiful as ever. I still remember the first time I watched the cherry blossoms bloom during the season." Nozomi reminisced.

"It is. I also remember laying eyes upon it when I was a child." Ryu said. "My master talked about it often, saying that life is beautiful, but also fleeting as well."

"I remember that." Ike recalled. "A friend of ours once said the same thing but it also has another meaning behind it; the start of spring and a new life new beginnings, and rebirth."

"She must've understood how precious life is, and she wanted to cherish it." Ken added. "Knowing her, I believe her, and I trust her, because she understood how much value our own lives have, and she wanted all of us to live it to the fullest."

"It seemed like your friend had a loving and caring heart." Nozomi smiles. "Of course, she would even want my son and the rest of his friends to do the same thing as well. It's thanks to you that I'm even still here right now. I really wanted him to live his best life too, and I've done all I could so that he could always be at his best, even when times get tough. I'd say, I've done a pretty good job as a mother."

"Nozomi, don't sell yourself short." Mac disagreed. "You've done more than a good job. You've endured so much and suffered so much alone, and Ryuji not only became your rock, but he was also your crutch too, when you yourself had your hardships. In my opinion, you also came out stronger and better than you were before."

"And hey, don't take his word for it. You should really see yourself for how far you've come. You'll come to appreciate yourself a lot more than you realize." Richter followed up.

"You're right. I felt that I've neglected myself for far too long, because my ex-husband made me hate myself, but my son helped me love myself, even when I'm hurting or at my lowest point in life. But you… you all seem to have solidified my sense of self-love, and I want to keep on fostering it. It seems that there are still so many things for me to learn, but I'll get there."

"You will." Robin nails it. "And trust me, you will find your own happiness. Don't think that Ryuji is gone forever. He's still here, in spirit and in your heart. Keep him very close, and know that you're never alone."

"That's right. He'll always be with me, no matter what. Thank you all for helping me get this far. I promise that I'll live, for myself and for him."

"We'll be rooting for you. You got this." Shulk pumps his fist.

"Thank you all. It means so much to hear that from you. Well, I better get going now. I wish you a safe trip and a wonderful night."

"And I wish you a very fulfilling journey of healing." Soren bows.

Nozomi leaves, with her head held high, ready to embark on her journey to healing and self-care.

"Another happy ending." Jackie said with a satisfied expression.

"Indeed. With the proper guidance and procedure, she will most certainly be restored to her former self." Kirby agrees.

"For sure, for sure." Soren nods. "Well then, why don't we go back to the bus and get some rest? We've done a lot for the day."

"By all means."

Jackie had a hard time sleeping, as the Shiba got up, not sure if something's bothering him. He also noticed that Kirby is also awake, but he doesn't seem to be rattled by anything. The pink puff gave him a knowing look that he knows something's up.

They snuck out of the window as everyone's already asleep. They have to be back quick or else someone will notice and will waste their sleep time to find them or get locked out.

They found someone standing by the Sakura tree, though neither of them could ever question how they got there. When they got closer, surely enough, it was Lynn, gazing at it. Jackie was sure that the talk with Nozomi must have gotten her to think about it. When he went to go talk to Kirby, he was already a step ahead, and quickly caught up with him.

Lynn picked up the little footsteps from the small creatures as she turns to see them stand next to her.

"What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be asleep?" She asked.

"We could say the same thing to you, but I think this is more important right now." Jackie responded.

"What seems to be ailing you, Lynn? Is there something that is troubling you?" Kirby questioned.

"Well… not really. But after talking to Nozomi about the cherry blossoms, it made me remember something."

"Which is…"

"I remember those same exact words that my friend told me about before we lost contact."

"Friend? The same person?" The dog tilts his head.

"Mhmm. I remember her talking about it so often that it seems to have resurfaced in my memories again. I longed for the day when I can see this again, with her by my side, because we made a promise to each other that we would reunite again. But so far, I haven't seen her anywhere."

"I see…" Kirby was in deep thought. "Searching for her may be an arduous task for you or any one of us. However, we will not be deterred to turn away and leave. It is not in our nature to be callous to you."

"Yeah, what he said." Jackie accorded. "Look, we're already far away from Tokyo, so there's no reason for us to just give it up. We'll keep looking for her while we still enjoy the trip. Hell, maybe you can get souvenirs for her too, if that's what you wanna go for. Either this or that, we'll do it."

Lynn lifts the little critters up to give them a big hug. "Thank you, all of you. I really appreciate that."

"Anything for you." She then puts them back down to the ground. "So, wanna go back or stay out here a little bit longer?"

"Let's go back. I don't want them to worry about us."

"Very well. We shall go." Kirby leads them back to the bus.

Thankfully for them, they were already fast asleep so it was no problem for them to sneak back in through the windows. They tuck Lynn into bed, but before she shyly requested a good night kiss, which they do, and going back to their spots to go back to a good, deep sleep.

Soren was sleeping comfortably until a boom woke him up out of it. He jolts up to find himself in a cabin, sleeping on a shoddily made mattress. The room itself seems to be in a mess, probably due to something happening, but he's not sure what it is. The room shook again, and he almost fell onto the floor.

"Where did I end up now?" He questioned before going to see what's going on.

He opens the door to see that he's on a pirate ship, but it's embroiled in battle. Dozens of people, mostly crew members are scurrying around, desperately trying to find more supplies or fighting off the enemies that have invaded the ship.

"Not too peaceful, I see." He sighs. "Oh shit!" He dodged a sneaky attack from an enemy, and uppercuts him, dropping his weapon.

He picks it up and cuts him up with it. He feels that the sword is way lighter than Alondite, which feels a little unwelcoming, but this is only temporary.

He starts finding which enemy is overpowering a shipmate to take out and to assist them. He can easily distinguish them by the color of their uniform and which flag they're affiliated with. On the ship he's on when he first came out of the door, the flag was black, with the symbol of what looks like to be the Phantom Thieves logo, and the pirates all have masks on, giving him a clear picture of what he should be going for.

He slashed the one enemy he saw, before helping him back up and move on to the next. He slammed the sword onto the cannon that wasn't working properly and it shot two cannonballs instead of one, surprising the guy that was trying to fix it. Then, he kicks two enemies up, with one the fellow pirates assisting him in finishing them off with a thrust.

The battle was going in the Phantom Pirates' favor thanks to Soren's intervention, with the foreigner looking up to see two people fighting on the main mast, clashing swords. He observed the one guy who seems to be different from the other guy as he noticed that this particular one has his right hand replaced by an arm cannon.

He noticed that the other guy is playing dirty to win, using whatever underhanded tactics he can think of in the book.

"Cheating in games is one thing, but cheating in a fight? Nah bro, you gotta go."

So he decides to throw the sword at him to stop his antics. That opposing guy took offense to that and tried to go after him, but the captain took that opportunity to knock him off the mast and fall flat onto the wood.

The captain picks him up by the head and threw him off the sea, charging up his arm cannon and firing it at the target, blowing him up to pieces. With the captain dead, the enemy ship had already sunk, and the pirate crew yelled in raucous cheer.

"Bro what in the fuck?" Soren still doesn't get what's happening.

One of the pirates came up to him and gave him a hearty pat on the back.

"Ya did good, kid. Ya saved ma hide when I needed it." He chuckled.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Aye, me laddies! I spot me an island that will nab us plenty a booty!" One pirate said.

"Aye, then set course to that island!" The captain ordered.

The ship decked by the shores as the pirates hoisted anchors to keep it at bay. Then, the ramp drops down, allowing the pirates to run down and charge ahead to find the treasure.

The captain had Soren stay on the boat since he wants to talk to him. As Soren looked at him, his appearance seems to be ghastly, but also seemingly familiar. The pirate wears a blue shirt, black pants with a gold trim, white boots and a red cape. Aside from the hand cannon, his left hand is covered by a yellow glove, wears an eyepatch that covers his right eye, a pirate hat that has the Phantom Thieves logo on it, and his face is entirely a skull, with a red and yellow eye in the socket.

"Yo." The pirate spoke, before taking of his hat, his face lit up, turning it to a more human like appearance, with black spiky hair and dark brown eyes. "Remember me?"

"Oh, so it is you! I knew it was you the moment I saw that logo up there. Guess you still love to show it off, huh?"

"You know me. Once a Phantom Thief, always a Phantom Thief."

"Yeah. I didn't think I would wake up to a pirate raid and fight them off would be on my bucket list."

"Yeah, that was my bad. Guess I kinda got carried away with my imagination. But least you're fine now. Least my crewmates treat you and me better than the girls did me."

"What did you mean by that?"

"Nah, I ain't gonna bore you. Just forget about it."

"Nonono, tell it to me. I wanna know."

"Ugh, alright fine. After we got outta Shido's Palace after getting everyone outta there first, I somehow made it back to the real world. I made of Ann cryin', sayin' it's so not cute and all that shit. Ann slapped me, I get beaten up by the girls, and everyone left me there by the lamp post."

Soren was left speechless, and incredibly pissed off that they would do this to him.

"So you mean to tell me that you sacrificed yourself so that they can get to safety. You almost died, and somehow you made it out alive, but then you made fun of Ann's crying so she slapped you, and the girls beat the shit out of you for no goddamn reason, and they all left you there?! Man, gimme back my fuckin apology! They got me fucked up for that! Okay, even though you making fun of Ann was 100% your fault, but them beating the shit outta you for no goddamn reason got me fuckin fucked up! You saved their lives and this is what you get?! Man, fuck you! Fakest fuckin friends ever! Gimme my shit back!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, chill there! They all apologized to me in the end. Well, Morgana and Akira made 'em to, so it's all good. You ain't got nothin' to worry about."

"They damn well better be, or else I'm fighting my way back up again. But then again, you went through that heinous shit before so you pretty much had the right to joke about it so make that 50."

"Can't argue with that."

Ryuji waited patiently for Soren to calm down first, thanks to the necessary explosion. He knew better on not to take that lightly because that outburst from the first reunion really shook him up. Once he's calmed down enough, it was time for him to address the real reason why he brought him here.

"Hey, uh… thanks. For saving my mom. I know it must've been hard for her without me there, and I was scared that she would be right there with me. I really didn't want her to live like this forever, y'know. But at least, you were there to help her. I seriously don't know how to pay you back."

"Y'all have already done a lot for me when we were fighting the 2 baddies, so think of this as me returning the favor."

"Thanks dude. Really."

Soren starts yawning. "Goddamn, all that yelling got me tired out. I think I'm gonna go back to sleep now."

"For real." Ryuji opens the door for him as the worn out leader goes back to the mattress. "Here, I'll tuck you in." He waits for him to get on the bed, and tucks him in. " G'night, Soren. Let's talk soon, yeah?"

"Yeah…" He immediately drifts off to sleep, satisfied that he got the one thing out of his system.

End of Sakamoto arc

Ending

Chapter Text

Lynn wanted to explore around Kyoto a little more as she wanted to go to the shopping mall that she saw from a billboard. Some of the group members had the same idea and they thought they may as well get some souvenirs while they're at it. Thankfully for them, the mall wasn't that far away as they had to walk for about 10 minutes to get there.

It turns out to be an underground mall just like the one back in Shibuya, but with hundreds of shops and restaurants scattered all over the place. With so many to choose from, they could be in there for hours on end, but they really need to get going to the next city so they'll only be in there for about an hour.

Ken decided that they should all rendezvous back at the entrance, where they're currently at on the east side that has the sign up there, and tells everyone to have their ringers on so that they can communicate with one another. And with that, everyone split up, some going alone, others go together.

Throughout their ventures, they message one another about what place they're in and what they want to buy. For Ken and Ryu, they're at the Kyo-Miyage to buy some snacks for everyone to eat. Shulk got some chopsticks from the Hashikoubou Oshita for good luck and for something to eat. Ike and Richter accompany Lynn to buy toys and stationery from Plaza. Mac and Kirby are in 3 Coins and they somehow got a lot more stuff than they can bargain for.

As for Soren and Jackie, they were just walking around, doing normal window shopping. They're not entirely sure what they want to buy, but they did order some takeout for everyone to eat for the trip. The food is not too fancy, but at least they can satiate the hunger and thirst.

Jackie noticed that Soren is in a rather irritable mood, and he's not exactly sure why.

"Hey, uh… you alright, man?" The dog asked.

"Yeah. I had a rather unpleasant dream." The human sighed. "I don't really wanna talk about it right now."

"Alright, if you say so. Hmm?"

"What's up?"

Jackie points at Robin coming out of Kyosendo with a fan on his hand. The tactician notices them and approaches them.

"Hey there, did you find anything you like?"

"Not really. It's just us trying to get something, but we were just looking at stuff." Soren answered.

"Yeah, and I can't even buy anything without getting a couple of side-eye's." Jackie looked back at the people.

"Well, maybe not right now, but when you turn human again, they won't say anything about you." Robin said.

"You got that right. Anyway, what's with the fan? You're not gonna get any books?"

"Not this time. I feel that I should get myself something nice for once, instead of buying strategy books all the time. After all, we are on a road trip."

"Yeah, there you go." Soren recognizes the importance of.

Robin looked back at the fan he just got, and the expression of pensiveness was plastered on his face.

"You know… this would have been one of the many gifts that she would buy for anyone."

"What do you mean by that?" Jackie questioned.

"She? Was it the same person?" Soren deduced.

Robin was taken aback by that assumption. "How did you know that?"

"I don't wanna make assumptions, but I've first heard about her from Ike and the Shotos themselves."

"Shotos? Oh, Ryu and Ken. Yeah, she was the same person they mentioned to you. I'm just surprised that you know about her."

"Well, I figured that she was of great importance to everyone so I guess it's important for me to remember her as well."

"This is the first time I'm hearing about her. What was she like?" Jackie asked.

"She was the sweetest girl that everyone has ever met. She's always laughing, smiling, enjoying life to the fullest, loves to interact with everyone, whether it'd be her family, her friends, and so many things. This may come as a surprise to you both, but even the villains had a soft spot for her."

"Really?" Soren was indeed surprised.

"Yeah. It's pretty amazing that she can get them to get along with one another. Not only that, but she also gave each and every one of us a gift from that one trip she went with her family and friends. Uh, what was it? Oh yeah, Universal!"

"Wait, you mean THE Universal Studios? That's hella rad! Did you go?" Jackie said.

"Not me, but a few of them did. She wanted to pay back everyone for giving her and her parents a second chance in life, and that's why she gave us all of those wonderful gifts."

"It seems like she really was a sweet person after all." Soren smiled. "So coming from you, what was your interaction like with her?"

Robin begins to recall. "Well, I would say that she personally invited me and a few others for a picnic in the forest. Of course there's plenty of good food that the parents brought over, but what really struck me was that she wanted to meet her idol, Azura."

"Azura? You mean Lynn's Spirit?" Jackie urged.

"The one and only, apparently."

"Bro what?"

"A-yo?" Human and dog look at each other in shock.

"Small world, huh? Anyway, she wanted to meet Azura because she was the reason that she became a singer in the first place. We promised her that we would bring her in, but I had no idea how to do that at the time. But the most logical thing to do was to ask Corrin about her, and I did. All without having Master Hand and Crazy Hand know what we were doing."

"Really now? What did you guys come up with?"

"Aside from attending tournaments like we usually do, we also did, what you can consider an underground project, and everyone was on board with it."

"Wow. I find that even more impressive that you guys went behind their backs for this." Jackie commented.

"It wasn't easy, but we definitely did our hardest to fulfill her wish. We thought of it as us giving back to her for all the things she's done for us."

"It's no question that she really is everyone's best friend for a reason. I'm glad that all of you had the chance to meet her. I wished I had the chance to meet her." Soren laments.

"Why, what happened?" Jackie asked.

Everyone's phones buzzed suddenly.

"I'll tell you all about it when we get back."

They check their phones to see Ken messaging everyone, saying that it's time to go. They all rush to where the meeting place is as it is now time to get moving.

They caught up with everyone back at the entrance with tons of bags on their hands, compared to Soren who only has one bag.

"Well, looks like everyone got at least one thing." Ken chuckles. "That should be good enough to fill the cabinets."

"Well, some of them." Soren countered.

"Yeah I guess so. Alright, let's get going."

They made their way back to the bus, though it took a little bit longer as they had to carry all of those bags, slowing down their progress. When they finally made it back, they saw a bunch of people gathering around the bus, looking distressed and desperate.

"The hell's happening over there?" Jackie wondered.

"I don't know. Let's go check it out." Richter walked up to the people. "Excuse me, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh finally! Someone to help!" The woman panicked. "Please, you have to help us! Our dog somehow got into the bus and locked himself inside, and now he can't get out! Please, you have to help him!"

"You'll have to forgive my girlfriend. She loves that dog to bits, and she really doesn't want anything bad happened to him." The man said.

"We get the feeling. We even have a dog ourselves." Mac told him.

Ike peaked at the window to find where the dog is, who happens to somehow turn on the engine and put the AC on full blast, cooling it down.

"It sure looks fine." He said.

"At this rate, he's gonna ruin the engine and we'll be left stranded here. I gotta go take care of this." Ken got his key fob out to open it.

"Wait!" Jackie yelled. "I got an even better idea."

The dog had Ryu lift him up and Lynn make cutesy sounds to get the other dog's attention. It got the dog distracted enough to turn its attention to Jackie that he decided to piss it off further by trying to make a middle finger for dogs

That got it angry and decides to open the door, which left everyone to pop off in celebration. The dog lunged straight at Jackie, but the man caught it in time. It was showing signs of aggression towards the Shiba and was trying to break free from its owner's grip, but Jackie could not care less.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The woman bows profusely.

"You're welcome. Now get going before your dog bites again." Soren tells them.

"Will do!" The couple leave in a hurry, with the group going in the bus.

They check to see if there are any damages left in the bus.

"It looks like the other dog hasn't damaged anything, so everything's all good." Shulk analyzed. "But I wonder how he got into the bus…"

"Perhaps he must have found a way to get inside and somehow turned on the engine. Probably the window?" Ryu thought.

"I guess we'll never know. But either way, let's put all of these in the cabinets." Robin suggested.

The group got around to putting their purchases at every possible cabinet and drawer that is empty. They also have to remember not to buy too much as some of them can only hold that many, and they're also going around from city to city so they need to save it for later.

"Alright, looks like all systems a go." Ken checked. "At least I didn't lose the key fob there."

"It would be bad if you didn't have it. Please keep it close to you, Ken. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you or the key." Lynn pleads.

"Don't worry, Lynn. This key won't be going anywhere. Alright, time to get back on the road."

"Alright, let's go!" Mac cheered.

Everyone was back to doing their thing while on the road. The only one who wasn't doing anything was Kirby, as he just stares at the scenery as the bus goes by.

"Hey, Kirby?" Soren called.

"Yes?"

"Are you busy right now?"

"No, I am not. How can I assist you?"

"So uh…" Jackie starts to articulate his words. "Me and Soren here, we wanna learn more about that girl. Do you know her?"

"Ah yes, I know who you are referring to. As you have known by now, I too had many pleasantries with her. If you are willing to listen, I will tell you all of the tales that had been chronologically categorized until as of recent."

"Yeah, absolutely. We wanna hear everything about her, if it's not too much trouble." Soren accepts.

"'Tis no trouble at all. You need only ask."

"Awesome. Then we're all ears." Jackie said.

With something else to do now, Kirby tells Soren and Jackie about the girl who had impacted the world with her divine singing, as the bus goes to its next stop.

Chapter Text

Opening

"Ohh, I see. So they told her about us and you expanded the details for her from your perspective." Soren says.

"Correct. From her perspective according to the information I gave her, she had garnered an interest and curiosity of you two. I was made aware that she would one day prayed to meet you two. But alas, She is already long gone." Kirby turned away.

"Already long gone? Does that mean that she..." Jackie shudders.

"Yes. She died from internal bleeding from an unknown disease." Soren said.

"Oh my god, I… I'm so sorry for your loss."

"You need not apologize for anything." Kirby told him. "Not a single soul, aside from her closest ones, were made aware of it."

"And you've all come to terms with it, yeah?"

"Yes, three of us specifically."

"Well, I'm glad that you all have moved on from it. It's never easy to move past it, especially if it's someone near and dear to you." Soren voiced. "But even so, it helps us grow stronger from it, grow closer to one another, and we continue to live to honor their memory, and I think that everyone in this bus is living proof of that."

"Thank you, Soren. I am most certain that she would regard you and Jackie as her friend as well."

"For sure. But man, I really wanted to meet her." Jackie lamented.

"Me too." Soren agreed.

"We will continue this another time. Right now, we must attend to other matters."

Everyone was at the front again, deciding on which city to go to.

"So what's the nearest city we're going to?" Ike asked.

"Looking from the map, I'd say the nearest one is Osaka." Shulk looked at the map.

"Oh hey, that's the one that has a Universal Studios there!" Ken recalled.

"And they have an aquarium too if I'm not mistaken." Robin looked at the book.

"Is there any good food we can try in there?" Mac wondered.

"Let me look." Richter looks it up on his phone. "Takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, kitsune udon, and tenppayaki."

"Mmm, they sound delicious. I can't wait to try them out!" Lynn commented.

"We will in due time, Lynn." Ryu assures her.

"Oh wait, we're low on gas. We're gonna have to fill it up." Ken noticed.

"I think there should be a gas station nearby." Jackie looks out the window. "Oh, there's one now!"

The group pulls up to the gas station as everyone gets off the bus to take out the trash, buy more stuff, and fill up the gas tank. Ike let out a huge yawn as he was stretching.

"That was quite a yawn. Did you not sleep enough?" Shulk asked.

"Oh I did. It's just my natural force when I'm stretching." The swordsman said.

"If you say so."

The natural blonde noticed that Ike seems to be thinking.

"What's wrong, Ike? Is something on your mind?"

"Well it's just that… we all overheard the conversation by now. I never realized how much thought it had given me. Thinking about it now, hearing that from Soren must've felt…"

"Validating?"

"It's more than that. It's… It felt heartwarming to say the least. Even though he never met her, he knows how she meant to us. And for him to say that we're living proof of her, it almost made me shed a tear or two."

"And that's why he's our group leader. He knows and understands us so well, always considering our feelings and cares for our well-being. That's why we're fighting so hard in the Metaverse because we want to pay him back for it."

"You're right. Jackie is the same too. He guides us through thick and thin of everything. I can't even begin to imagine what the group would look like without him."

"Me either. Regardless, I want to keep on going with all of you. It makes me happy that he honors her memory with that sentence."

"Same here." Ike clutched onto his charm. "Renka... Wherever you are, I hope you're always happy and smiling…"

"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" Soren asked as he gave them water bottles and some snacks.

"Oh, we were talking about what we're going to do in Osaka." Shulk answered.

"Really now? Have you thought of anything?"

"Not really. Just thinking about eating some good food." Ike said.

"Hehe, that's the spirit. Come on, let's get back in."

"Yeah."

Going from Kyoto to Osaka has been relatively short thankfully as it's only roughly 2 hours away, and Ken doesn't have to worry about taking the night off.

Soren tells everyone that he's going to take a quick nap, getting on the bed quickly and take that snooze to go back to the Velvet Room.

"Welcome back, Mr. Rover." Igor greeted.

"Hey. Just wanted to stop by. How's everyone doing?" Soren asked.

"We are doing well, thank you." Lavenza bowed.

"How's Kyoto?" Ren inquired.

"Pretty good. Here, I got some stuff for you." Soren held a bag up high.

He digs them out to get the gifts he got for them. Sake for Igor, a folding fan for Lavenza, and a ceramic vase for Ren.

"I wasn't exactly sure what kind of gifts I wanna get for you, but this was all I could think of."

"Oh Soren. Any gift is good enough for me. Thank you for always thinking of us." Ren smiles.

"For sure."

"You know, for the record, I've never been on a road trip before, let alone to another city. I was always stuck in Tokyo after my parents disowned me. Things like this were a luxury I could never afford, even when my life had taken a turn for the worst."

"Yeah. I get where you're coming from. It's never easy to find a single bit of happiness when you constantly get screwed over by life itself. And you always end up with the short end of the stick."

"That was back then, and my life started changing for the better, little by little, ever since I met you. I think that if it weren't for you, I don't think I would ever get past this phase on my own. Thank you for being there for me when I need it most."

"Hmm. Always happy to help."

"Now then…"

Soren gives them the bag as they start working on refills.

"Mr. Rover, I had done quite an extensive research of this pouch while you are absent, and what we have found has a quaint origin to it." Igor spoke.

"Quaint? How so?"

"According to this text in the grimoire, the pouch first originated from a young child's imagination. Just like any ordinary child, their mind creates life to inanimate objects, and they are assigned roles, given by the child. As time goes on, the child decides to place their prized possessions inside the pouch, and in turn, when placed in a special box, imagination becomes reality."

"Hmm…"

"But what the child did not realize was that by the time that they open the box once again, they would become entrapped in it and the box was sealed shut, protecting the contents of the outside world. Or perhaps, protecting the outside world of its contents."

"Wait, that's it?" Soren said.

"Unfortunately yes. Master, Lavenza and I found the book to be charred when we were exploring one of the abandoned islands." Ren explained. "It looks like someone must've wreaked havoc while they were here. Or, what I like to believe, to be causing a disturbance."

"A disturbance? What kind?"

"That we do not know." Lavenza shook her head. "What we do know however is that there's a third party that is causing those disturbances."

"A third party? How do you know that?"

"It's just an assumption for the time being, but when we find more evidence, we'll let you know."

"Okay. But still, I can't stop thinking about that excerpt Igor read. The child… is it someone I know, or are they a completely different person?"

"That's up to interpretation, though they don't seem to be far off. We'll keep close tabs on it. Also, here you go." Ren gives Soren the bag as he pays the fee.

Igor chuckles slightly. "Well, this has been the most entertaining visit. We shall speak of this soon."

"Yeah. Later." Soren waves.

He wakes back up to the real world, feeling a little groggy from what's supposed to be a 5 minute nap.

"Goddamn, that was crazy." He gets off the bed to join the others.

"Yo, you look like you're energized. Something good happened?" Mac questioned.

"Yeah. A lot actually. I'll tell you about it later on. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope, we're almost there to Osaka in maybe 10 minutes." Ken updates.

"Nice."

"I wonder what it was that you dreamt about." Robin queried.

"It'll be something, I promise you that. After going around Osaka, I'll tell you."

"We'll hold you onto that." Jackie said. "Right now, I think we're getting close."

The bus enters the city, with everyone excited and looking forward to the many activities they'll do, and the memories they'll make during their time here.

Chapter Text

The group stood outside the bus to gaze upon the bustling city of Osaka. From where they're standing, they're at the downtown side of Osaka, most specifically Kita or Umeda in some cases. They were lucky enough to find parking lot buses, considering that there are tons of people coming in and out of them.

"Wow, looks like this side is looking pretty popular today." Richter whistled.

"I mean, it does have Universal Studios there." Soren added.

"And an aquarium." Lynn added.

"And a museum." Jackie said.

"Man, it looks like we have a lot to do in such a short span of time. I don't know how we'll manage this." Ken held his head with his hands.

"We'll skip Universal for now and get on with the other stuff here. It's gonna take a whole day for us to get around it." Mac said.

"Yeah, for sure."

"But in the meantime, what should we do now? Should we go get something to eat or go to one of those buildings there?" Shulk pointed at the structures.

"Good point. Why don't we go to the aquarium right there?" Robin suggested.

"I can easily tell how excited you are about visiting it." Ryu figured.

"What are you talking about? I've never seen fish like any other before."

"Yes, I surmise that I too wish to view them." Kirby agreed.

"Yeah, can we go, please?" Lynn begged.

"Alright, alright. We'll go to the aquarium." Soren relented. "Not gonna lie though, I actually wanted to go there too."

"I guess that's everyone then." Ike capitalized.

"Well then, let's get to it."

Everyone went inside the aquarium to look at all the animals from around the world. Some of them were in total awe as they start taking lots of pictures of almost every sea creature they come across, especially Lynn, which she has Jackie's phone as he lets her borrow it until he turns human again.

When it was time to eat, Ryu wanted to go to the Naniwa Kuishinbo Yococho to look at the food stalls that they have. When they went to go look at them, they did not disappoint and they have a lot to go around, from takoyaki, okonomiyaki, to kushikatsu. They tried them all and their flavors instantly melt into their taste buds.

"Duuude, why does Japanese food taste so good?" Mac questions. "The food in America could never."

"I know, right? I wish I could eat those all the time." Richter said.

"There's still plenty more to go around, I promise. You'll get so much more as we go on." Jackie assures them.

"We'll hold you to that." Ike said.

Suggested by Shulk, they went to the Tempozan Harbor Village as the Monado boy wanted to buy gifts for his friends. They also thought about the same thing and went to buy their things, but this time, with moderation.

"Dude, if you ever told me that the Tempozan is a mall/department store, I would've laughed at your face." Ken said.

"I mean, who wouldn't, not after seeing this?" Shulk pointed at the place.

"You'd be surprised if it's most of the populace here." Jackie commented.

"Hmm, interesting." Ryu nods.

Well, any other places that we don't know so far?" Robin questioned.

They could do the Ferris wheel, but that would take too long for all 11 of them so they went to Legoland instead as Jackie bought a huge set for him to work on during his days off. Soren was surprised that Legoland Japan has a lot more to offer than the ones in America, even though he remembers going to the amusement park from a long time.

They went to the theaters to watch a 12 minute short, with some of them becoming invested into the plot and getting hyped up with Lynn as others just watch or chuckle along with them. After that, they built their own Lego versions of themselves and actually purchased them to bring them home as souvenirs.

Overall, it was such a fun day, and it's time to get back to the bus.

"Hoo boy, that was great! We should do this again some time." Ken hollered.

"Definitely. I can't wait to bring these back to them." Robin looks at the bags.

"I'm kind of wondering… Do we still have enough room for the drawers?" Shulk wondered.

"I think we do. We just gotta not buy a lot." Jackie said.

"Yeah, we can check back. I just hope they don't fall off during the bumpy rides." Ike thought.

"They won't. Haru's servants made those cupboards extra reliable for sure." Mac assures him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the prissy little rebels of society." Someone called out.

It was the two familiar faces that neither Soren nor Ryu, most especially Ken, ever wanted to see again. It was Hiroshi and Sakuya Kurusu.

"Oh my fuckin god, bro." Soren facepalms.

"Who are they?" Kirby asks.

"Akira's parents." Ryu answers. "Or they were when they disown him for a crime he never committed."

"Why, and for what?" Lynn wanted to know.

"You'll see." Shulk tells her.

"Look man, we don't have for this. Either say something important or fuck off. We don't need you here." Soren cussed.

"I'm afraid that we aren't leaving so soon." Hiroshi huffed. "Do you really believe that you can just walk away that easily?"

"If it's about me flipping you off, then lick my ass. I ain't doing shit for you."

"You may be the least of our problems, even if you did do it." Sakuya smirks, but it went away quickly. "Our only issue here is these two gentlemen right there!" She points to Ryu and Ken.

"What, them? What did they do to you that made you that angry?" Richter huffs back.

"I demand an apology for roughhousing me over a small dispute that should've been settled a long time ago." Hiroshi crosses his arms.

"Oh I swear to god if I had my Gwimbly GUN ON ME RIGHT NOW I'D-" Ken was about to attack Hiroshi but Ryu stopped him.

"Stop." He said calmly to his friend, then turns to the couple. "If it's an apology you want, you won't get one from us."

"What did you say?"

"We still stand by our decision that Akira had done nothing wrong. But because of what happened, he was deemed a criminal, and you immediately gave up on him. We have no words for people like you."

"Why you little-" Sakuya was about to say something.

"Why do you have a problem? They're right, you know." Mac scoffed.

"If you really think an apology will satisfy you, then you can forget about it. Not that you ever deserve one." Robin glared.

"You know what? You're right. I guess I do need a way to make them apologize if they'll… kiss my nugget." Hiroshi gives them, most likely to Ken, the middle finger.

"I hate this guy…" Ike shook his head.

"Oh FUCK YOU!!" Ken tries to go after him, but was stopped by Ryu, Ike and Richter, trying their hardest to restrain him.

"Hey, heyheyheyhey!"

"Whoawhoawhoa!"

"Nononono!"

"Stopstopstop!"

"Ken, no!"

"Oh my god…"

"Come on, let's just go."

"We'll deal with them later."

They quickly haul Ken out as the others left with them, and Soren flips them off back.

And just like that, their disappointment, now turned to frustration, is immeasurable, and their fun day is ruined.

Chapter Text

What should've been a very fun time in Osaka turns into a disaster, all thanks to one very unruly couple that just had to go on and ruin their day. It took a lot for Ken to calm down, thanks to the efforts of Lynn and Kirby. They sat inside the bus, giving the faux blonde some time to collect his thoughts.

"Sorry for exploding earlier." He starts. "It's just… I didn't think I'd see them again, after god knows how long. I felt the anger boiling up, until I couldn't hold it anymore, and tried to swing at the guy. If it weren't for you guys to hold me back, I probably would've been arrested right then and there."

"Look Ken, we totally get it. It's perfectly reasonable for you to get this mad." Richter insured.

"I think we've had a clear idea of what kind of people they really are. But seeing it firsthand, I think that explains just about everything." Ike nods in agreement.

"Umm, is there some sort of relation between you and the couple?" Lynn asks.

"Yeah. They're the parents of Akira Kurusu." Ryu answered.

"Who's that?"

"Have you heard of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Jackie said.

"A little."

"He was the leader of that group."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They abandoned him when he was convicted of a crime he never committed for trying to save a woman." Shulk explained. "They believed that he had dishonored them by not following the law and staying in his lane."

"But why? He was doing the right thing! Why did he have to be wronged for that?"

"I agree, but Japanese society is completely fucked when it comes to corrupted politicians and police, people being assholes online and in general, and especially some of them being pretty damn evil too, and they're no exception." Soren added.

"Unfortunately for Akira, his parents still refused to acknowledge him, even after all the good he's done for the country, even after his passing." Mac sighed.

"Ryu and I ran into them when we were walking back home. They were seriously the most insufferable people I've ever met." Ken said.

"And they're even dumber fucks for tripling down on their stance." Jackie attached.

"I see…" Lynn thought.

"But uh, sorry that you had to see me like that. It wasn't very friendly of me." Ken said.

"No, it's okay. Honestly, I would've had the same reaction. You had every right to be angry at those heartless adults."

"Aww, thanks Lynn."

"I agree with Jackie. They're actually much dumber than they really are for trying to keep this going." Robin quoted. "Like, what's the objective here, aside from being law-abiding citizens?"

"Aside from saving their asses and public image that is." Soren threw his hand up.

"Hmph. Simpletons they are." Kirby scoffed.

"But now that they're here, they're not going to make this any easier for us. What should we do?" The blonde teen pondered.

"The only answer I'm giving is that we need to go to sleep so we can all have clear minds tomorrow." The leader suggested.

"That's a good idea actually." Robin agrees. "I'm actually kind of tired already."

"Alright, night y'all." Jackie says.

Everyone went to sleep, to try to forget about that night as Soren awaits to see where he'll get taken to next.

He finds himself awake from a chair that has seen better days, with how rough and messed up it looks. He rose up to look out the window, to see the crowd going out and about in their normal lives. The one thing he's noticed about the people's outfits is that they're all vibrant with many different colors, adding a bit of flair from here to there.

"Bro, where am I right now? Am I in France again or in Spain?"

"Who's to know? You could very well be in the border between them."

Soren recognized the voice when the door opens, enter the femme fatale. She is a woman with blonde hair, dressed in pigtails, with a panther mask covering her face, a black choker around her neck, and a cigar in her mouth.

She wears a red dress with black and gold accents decorated all around, as well as hearts shaped at the side of her boots and in the front of her shirt. There are also roses blooming on her dress, and one is worn on her hair. With her are two subservient men in tuxedos and bowties where one is used as a stepstool and the other acting like an obedient dog, as both are attached to thorns coming from the roses.

She takes off her mask, revealing Ann Takamaki to be the femme fatale.

"Ah, it's you! I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Well, I had to pull some strings to bring you here, after all." Ann spoke in her normal tone. "Other than that, I'm using this as my hideout for the time being so make yourself at home."

Soren sat back on the chair he sat on, but it's really uncomfortable for him to lay back, and the crusty atmosphere doesn't make it any better. He noticed the guy acting as a stepstool seem to be enjoying it, and so is the other one. But judging from the heads that are shaped like hearts, it's kind of hard to tell.

When Ann sat down, she has a somber expression plastered on her face, like she's feeling guilty about something. Soren knew what it is and where it'll go.

"Something on your mind?" He initiated.

"Yeah… It's from the conversation that you had with Ryuji." she sighs.

"Go on."

"You know, Ryuji and I have been friends ever since middle school, and I've always known him as the loud, annoying type, but also a stronghearted, kind and reliable person. But what I- no, what WE did to him when he helped us escape Shido's Palace… we really went too far. We were running too high on emotions, thinking that he died, but when really, he was alive and well."

"Hmm…"

"But when he made fun of me crying, I couldn't even hold back my emotions and just slapped him. And because of that, we all decided to beat him up to make sure that he learned his lesson, and we just left him there so we could get something to eat."

"…" Soren was trying so hard to not get pissed off.

"It wasn't until you brought it up and he told you all about it, and… hearing your outburst… made us realize how horrible we were to him. Akira and Morgana gave us all a very stern talk about it, demanding that we all apologize to him for the way we treated him. I'll admit, it was a little harsh for me for to slap him for making fun of me, but that doesn't excuse the beatings he got from us. We've taken him for granted, and he didn't deserve any of this. Not from us, or Kamoshida, or anyone else."

Ann finally finished her sentiments, as Soren already placed his thoughts in motion.

"Well, it's good that you recognized your own faults about it yourself, even though it was way too late for that. And the fact that Akira, and even Morgana, who he looked up to and simped on you, had to tell you this shows how BAD you fucked that up. I don't need to tell you this, but imma say it: Friends. Don't. Hit. Friends. But even so, it's good that you know that what you did was wrong and by realizing it means that you own up to it."

His voice starts to go real low.

"But still… Y'all better treat him right, from this point forward. Because if not… I'm gonna come back there again. I'll even fight my way in if I have to. And when I do… there will be serious… SERIOUS problems."

"Noted." Ann agrees, not taking his warning lightly, almost coming off as a threat.

"Sorry about the way I responded to that. All I ask is just… just be nice to him, is all I'm saying."

"Yeah. We'll do that."

"Well, if that's all, then I guess I'm gonna go back."

"Before you go, how's everyone doing?"

Finally, something he can answer without a spur of anger.

"Me and the boys, we're doing great for ourselves on the road trip. Our new friend Lynn is getting along very well with everyone here. Zenkichi and Akane are spending a lot of time together, and Ichinose is a lot more livelier thanks to Sophia's help."

"That's good to hear. What about Dr. Maruki?"

"Oh… I haven't heard back from him. I think he's still doing his taxi job, but I wish him the best regardless."

"Me too, all of us. And Soren?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for listening to me. Have fun with your trip."

"Thanks. And goodnight."

The discomfort was no longer in his mind as he slept comfortably in the chair.

The group was getting ready to go out again as they have already cleaned and readied themselves for another day. Just when they were about to get off the bus, they were stopped by someone who was standing by the vehicle. It was Sakuya.

"Hello, gentlemen."

"Oh my god, not this again. Get outta here, asshole!" Mac demanded.

"You've got some nerve to find us here after the stunt you and your husband just pulled." Robin said. "Leave now or else we'll call the cops on you for trespassing."

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk, if that's okay with you."

"Why, and for what?" Ken glared.

"It's about my husband."

That got them to stop talking.

"Your husband?" Shulk's interest piqued.

"I think there's something wrong with him. If you can let me speak about it, I promise I won't bother you again."

"Soren?" Kirby turned to the leader.

"Let her speak." He commands.

Everyone was back in the bus as Sakuya articulates her thoughts.

"I understand if you still don't trust me after this, I won't hold that against you. But please understand that I'm not here to throw a pity party. I just need to tell my side of the story."

"Then talk. What is it that made you think your husband is acting unusual." Ryu demands.

"Before all of this, we never gave a single thought about how our son had changed the country for the better. We always thought of him as a rebellious and disobedient child for saving the woman, and we immediately kicked him out when he was convicted of assault. We didn't want to be associated with a criminal, even if they happen to be our only child."

"Was that the only reason why you cut off contact with him?" Ike questioned.

"Yes. We still thought so after a year and a half. Or at least, he thought so."

"What do you mean by that?" Richter said.

"When we ran into Ken-kun and Ryu-kun, we still held the belief that our son was a criminal, through and through. We argued back and forth with them, until they made us visit his grave. We didn't have too many nice things to say for him, but it started to bother me a little bit. It wasn't until we ran into this gentleman here that made me realize something."

"What's that?" Robin asked.

"They were right. We really are the worst parents ever. Not once did we ever say a single kind thing to him. All we could ever think about was making him a subservient and well-disciplined member of society. We never considered his feelings or gave him the love and attention that he deserved. I guess we were just too fixated in following the law. And that leads to the main reason why I'm here: My husband."

She takes a deep breath before continuing.

"My husband isn't acting like himself anymore ever since our previous run-ins with you. All he could ever talk about was you guys not acting in a way that you are supposed to behave, as if you live in this country, and how much it made him mad that, what I'm starting to believe, is the cold, hard truth given to us."

"So they have changed her thinking of how she had viewed her child, is that correct?" Kirby turns to Jackie.

"Yeah, sounds about right." The dog answered.

"I was this close to divorcing him, but deep in my heart, I wanted to help him, but I don't know how. I feel that this is getting close to it."

This gave everyone some pause. Even though that Akira's parents gave them a bit of grief, it seems that Sakuya is making a genuine change in behavior and action.

"If I may ask, ma'am, is there anything else that we should know about your husband?" Lynn insisted. "Anything suspicious?"

"Now that you mention it, it looks like he was using some kind of app that I've never seen before. I thought he was using a typical dating app so I checked on his phone while he was out for a smoke."

"What did you find?"

"It was an app called EMMA."

That sent shockwaves throughout the bus.

"EMMA?" Jackie and Ken said in different contexts.

"Yes. I've never heard about EMMA before, so I thought it was another dating app and checked on it. At first, I thought that he was talking to a mistress and cheating on me, but it looked like he's in some kind of circle with closed-minded individuals who share the same mindset as him; that people should follow and adhere to the rules of society."

"Hmm…" Ryu pondered.

"Well, if that's that case, does your husband have a keyword or something like that?" Mac asked.

"Keyword? You mean like a password? I wasn't able to get any of it. I'm sorry. But still, thank you for listening for me. I'll be going now." She stood up to leave the bus, but stopped in her tracks.

"You know, I visited Akira's grave again, alone this time. I… broke down, realizing how much I've missed my son. How much I've wanted to hug him, say I'm sorry for everything… but it's too late for that. Now, I'll have to live with that guilt and regret for the rest of my life. Thank you again for giving me your time. Take care now."

She leaves the bus, with melancholy lingering with her. Monsta X looked at each other, knowing what needs to be done. Soren raises his phone up, and it was time to go.

Chapter Text

After hearing from Sakuya about her husband's behavior, about how Akira was still being disrespected by him, and most damning of all, using EMMA. It seems that the wife is clearly distressed and doesn't know what to do, so she asked them for help.

The group themselves initially didn't want to help her at first due to their uptight behavior and blatant disregard for their son, but aside from Hiroshi using EMMA and Sakuya feeling guilty about herself and her actions, it gave them the push to look into it.

They were outside the plaza, away from prying eyes as they try to figure out the keyword themselves.

"Are you gonna be alright, Ken?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." The blonde responded. "I just didn't think that she reflected upon it herself. I mean, I thought she was gonna keep it going."

"I did too, but it looked like she felt really guilty about it." Soren says. "If she really means it, then yeah."

"Whatever the case, we have a Monarch to deal with, and we're gonna help them get their shit together." Jackie stated.

"True that. Alright, let's get this going." Mac clapped his hand together.

"So, what is it that we need to do?" Lynn asks.

"Well, since we don't have the keyword, we're left to figure it out ourselves." Richter replied.

"But how are we going to do that? EMMA isn't like the Meta-Nav, just like someone said."

"That may be true, but the functions still work the same way so nothing has changed much." Shulk softly countered.

"It's all a matter of finding something right that will let us in." Ike grabs his phone to search on some clues.

"In the meantime, we can use the clues that she gave us to find that keyword." Robin suggested. "What was it that she said about society?"

"Something along the lines of following and adhering to the rules of society. Something like that." Jackie recalled.

"And she had said that the man is close-minded, like everyone else in that little circle. Although… I cannot but assume that this may as well be a cult." Kirby ponders.

"You're not too far off from that idea. It would make sense if that were the case." Ryu agrees.

"Are there any other clues we can pick out of, or are they good enough?" Mac wanted to know.

"I think they're good enough for now. All we need to do is find that keyword." Soren decides.

"Do we even know where to start?" Richter spoke. "I don't even know if there's a lot or a little to consider about."

"Well then, I guess we'll just have to throw in a little game of chance to see." Lynn said.

Half of the group began thinking about the right keyword and the other half threw out multiple guesses, as theirs don't match the criteria. To be fair, they weren't exactly sure how many errors they can make before getting locked out of EMMA, but so far, it doesn't seem to be doing that.

They seem to be running out of ideas as they don't know what to do, until Richter spotted a uniform that doesn't look like any other.

"What are you looking at, Richter?" Ryu asked.

"Those uniforms… they don't look like any typical high school uniform."

Some of the guys look at his direction.

"Yeah, you're right. They look nothing like it." Ken notices.

"Where do you think they're from? Some kind of boarding school?" Shulk thought.

"Looks like it. I also saw a couple of international students there as well."

"It says here that there are two of them somewhere in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area." Ike analyzed from his phone.

"Huh. How about that." Richter huffs.

"Guys, we found the keyword." Mac notifies them.

"Really? What is it?" Shulk asks.

"It's boarding school."

"Eh?" Ken looked dumbfounded.

"We overheard your conversation about it, so we tried it out, and uh… it works." Soren shrugs.

"It makes sense though, because knowing Japan, they're all about honorifics and mannerisms, and the interpretation of it won't be that far away." Jackie nails it.

"I can imagine. Well, ready?"

"We are very well prepared. You may proceed." Kirby grants the notion for Soren to enter the Metaverse.

When they arrive in the new part of the Metaverse, they find themselves in a courtyard that stood in front of a large building. They're standing in front of the gate that blocks off the courtyard and from their starting point.

"Hey, wait a minute. I know this place." Jackie recognizes the architecture. "That's the Jinseki!"

"It is?" Lynn asks.

"Yeah. I've actually been there a couple of times for photoshoots for either clients or posting it on websites. I never thought I'd find it here in the Metaverse. But why this of all places?"

"I guess that explains the international students a bit, but yeah, I agree. What does this have to do with the guy's behavior?" Ike considers the thought.

"I don't know, but we'll know more when we get in there. Let's get going." Soren waves the group to go with him.

They approach the gate to find it opening before them, giving them a sense of unease. They step in, knowing that whatever it is they'll see will be exactly what they had envisioned. As they walk in the campus, they haven't found a single Cognitive being that roams the school grounds. But what they did find is a Shadow guarding the premises, and it caught them on the spot.

"Hey you! How did you get in here?!" The guard yelled.

"Uh, we just walked in?" Richter had no idea what it was talking about.

"If someone found out that we have trespassers, the entire school will be in a riot. Guess I'll have to take you out myself."

The Shadow transforms into a Mothman, and with it summoning henchmen at its disposal.

"Sorry, but you're not gonna suspend or expel us from school grounds." Ken gets ready as did the others.

Both parties started scrapping, with Monsta X noticing how much stronger the Shadows have become, but they too have gained strength over the weeks.

"Man, it looks like they're getting tougher every time we go in the Metaverse." Shulk commented.

"Yeah, but the Spirits I gained will even that out. Goo-Goo Buggy!"

Soren summons not a human nor creature, but rather a two-man kart with Rick as the driver and a Togepi at the rear. The hamster did some donuts as the spike ball Pokémon buried the enemies with Magnitude.

"Whoa, I didn't know your Spirits could do that!" Richter yelled.

"When you throw random horseshit in, you're gonna get some pretty interesting results."

"If that is the case, then…" Kirby summons Galacta Knight to rain down a Megido on them, wiping out the entire squadron of Shadows.

"You know, we haven't seen Galacta Knight at all until Eunbi summoned him." Mac remembered.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Jackie questioned the pink puff.

"At times, I prefer my copy ability to be best, as it is also my main source of power." Kirby explained.

"So that's what it is." Ken said. "I totally forgot about that."

"Yeah, me too." Ryu nodded.

"I daresay it happens to most of you here, but it matters not. I do call upon him every so often."

"Cool. Cool." Robin said awkwardly. "Do you think anyone will notice?"

They looked around to see if anyone caught the fight.

"No, I don't think so. But I do know that there will be someone watching from a far distance." Shulk analyzed. "Don't know where, but they're out there. Somewhere."

"If they happen to lock us in, we can just find another vantage point to entries and exits." Lynn advised.

"That's a good idea, Aqua. We'll need to figure that out soon." Soren penciled it. "While we're searching for one, let's keep going."

"Hmm? What's this?" Ryu discovers a map that shows all the buildings and landmarks that the Jail has to offer.

"Wow, it looks like it has everything in there." Ike found the details. "Very nice."

"But when we think about it, is the layout going to be the same or will it be different?" Lynn wondered.

"That's a good question. I don't know." Jackie confessed.

"If that is the case, then we will resort in finding the Prison Keeps as our vantage point." Kirby advocates.

"That's a good idea. Hopefully, we won't get lost here." Richter looks out.

"I believe that there will be more maps that are layered around the area, so memorization will cause us no trouble."

"That's good, cause remembering the important stuff is hard, but remembering random shit is always easy." Soren pronounced.

"And that's a rock fact." Ken raised a rock up high.

"Yeah, there you go. Alrighty then, let's go find those Prison Keeps."

Chapter Text

Upon finding a directory of the Jail thanks to Ryu, the group discovered that the map has detailed every single landmark that is known, but the most important ones labeled here are the Prison Keeps and the birdcage.

From where they're standing, they're actually at the school grounds where they fought off the Shadow from reporting them, right at the heart of the campus.

The real challenge for them is that the Keeps are spread very far apart from one another and they're pretty much heavily guarded due to its prestige in reality. If that happens to be the case, then they need to be ready.

Their first destination is the garden area where the first Prison Keep is. The walk isn't that far from here, but it'll take a while. While they're doing that, they can at least pass the time to talk about some stuff while they're at it.

"So Minhyuk, when you said that there's a spy somewhere, did you happen to see it from your Vision?" Jackie asked.

"Not really. It was just a hunch of my own that felt it." Shulk answered. "If my Vision caught it, we would've probably taken care of them. But it doesn't matter now because they've already reported us anyway."

"I hate to say this, but you're right." Ryu spoke up. "Think back from Nozomi's Jail. The Cognitive entities were already aware of us when one of them told the rest about us there. This isn't any different as Jinseki is a well-known boarding school, and considering its status, we should already know by now that it's heavily guarded."

"I guess, but it also kinda begs the question. Did the guy really go to this school?" Mac said.

"No, he- hmm…" Ken started thinking. "I'm gonna say that he did. BUT, but I think something must've happened in there that made him the way he is now."

"Or his father made him go there since to him, normal Japanese schools aren't enough to teach him discipline." Soren theorized.

"In the real world, that would be ironic as all hell, considering that Jinseki seems like a fun place to be in." Jackie said. "But who's to say it isn't in here?"

"So much theory crafting, yet there's no clear answer is making my brain hurt." Ike sighs as he rubs his temples. "But I guess it can't be helped."

"It's not so bad, Jooheon. I'm sure we'll know more when we reach the birdcage." Lynn assures him.

"You're right. We'll find our answer soon enough."

They arrive at the garden, where the place is aesthetically beautiful, but also eerily quiet. They're still tackling with Shulk's theory about a spy or some sort that had already reported them to the higher-ups. If it happens to be true, then they'll have to figure out what to do next.

"Hmm. It seems we have reached our destination." Kirby looked up at the Prison Keep.

"Hold on. Something seems to be off about this one." Richter stopped everyone.

"Why? What's wrong?" Lynn asked.

"There's supposed to be someone guarding the entrance to it, but no one's there." Robin elaborated.

"Yeah, and they also left it wide open, too." Jackie added.

"Whatever it is, let's keep our guards up in case if anything happens." Ike advised.

They walk in the suspiciously empty Keep, walking up the stairs until they reached the top. There, the core appears in front of them, allowing them to take it with no problems.

"Alright, there we go." Richter said with baited words.

"What's this supposed to be?" Jackie was curious.

"A brochure? On the school?" Soren added emphasis on the school part.

"Does Jinseki do any advertising, Jackson?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, I think they do. Aside from their website, they also have some fliers and some social media to boot."

"Hmm."

The siren blares loudly.

"Attention, intruders detected. Neutralize threat immediately."

"Oh shit."

"It seems Minhyuk was correct." Kirby said.

"What's your call, leader? What do you think we should do?" Ken asked.

"We're gonna find that person who's blasting that alarm and silence them." The leader commanded.

"A little extreme, but you're right. If we don't get rid of them, they're going to keep playing it." Robin concurred.

"Hmm?" Soren noticed a squad of Shadows swarming around the Keep, some of them climbing up the stairs and the tower. "Oh shit!"

"We gotta get out of here, to the next one!" Shulk yells.

Kirby grabs a black hole from the bag and throws it across the Keep.

"In there."

Everyone jumped in the black hole to escape, with Kirby jumping in last. The portal closes as soon as the enemies climbed up, finding no one at the sight.

The black opens, spitting out each member one-by-one, until the last one comes out, and then close.

"That was some quick thinking, Eunbi. Nice one." Ken compliments as he dusts himself.

"Thank you. I have grown accustomed to your arts and crafts after all." The pink marshmallow says.

"That's good to know."

"But at least then the alarm stopped for now. I'm not entirely sure when it'll happen again, but we gotta get rid of that guy before he does it again." Jackie insists.

"I agree, but how do we know where he'll be?" Lynn mused.

"I have a slight suspicion that he may well be in one of the Prison Keeps." Robin thought. "Or if not, he could be in one of those places that guards the birdcage."

"Oh, he's definitely in that last part of the Jail, I know for sure." Soren quickly submits his claim. "Ain't no way he'll ever expose himself if he's ever in the Prison Keep."

"Oh, well never mind then."

"On the other important news, we got one core in our hands, so that makes it two more to go." Shulk tallied.

"So, where do we go now?" Richter asked.

"If I remember anything from the map, the next one should be somewhere near the village area." Lynn recalled.

"Let's be careful though, since this Jail's on high alert." Ike reminded.

"Yeah, for sure. If it gets too much, we'll get out to let it simmer. Sound good?" Soren says.

"Yeah, good enough." Ken agreed.

With the warning up for consideration, they venture on further with enemies now roaming around the Jail. They observe the enemies for a while as some of them happen to be regular teenagers, taking patrol around the area.

"Hol'up, this isn't the JINIS I remember. There's a bunch of teenagers there for some reason." Jackie called.

"Maybe he went to different schools that isn't Jinseki when he was growing up. That could be a possibility." Mac theorized.

"Right, and if we're running on his mindset of being a law-abiding citizen, then I think we can tip off the fact that he must've attended a couple of schools that focuses heavily on not only discipline, but also academia and strict honor codes that they have to follow." Robin capitalized on the notion.

"That is true. Japan, and other countries, tend to honor hierarchy and traditions for more than many centuries." Ryu nods.

"And I'm pretty sure it'll stay that way for another long time." Richter pinpoints. "But to understand him more on why is that, we gotta go a little bit further."

"Like, right there." Ken pointed at the village, where the next Prison Keep is held.

"Huh. It looks like it's barricaded from the outside." Shulk observed from afar.

"Well, there is a sports field and a club house nearby. Maybe we should go check that out." Lynn suggested.

"Eh, why not? It's not like we have anywhere else to turn to." Mac shrugs.

They walk over to the courtyard where it's bustling with activity as there are tons of people enjoying various of sports, ranging from baseball, soccer, volleyball, and other things. Everyone is out there, pushing themselves and each other to the limit.

"So this is Nada Junior High School, one of the most elite schools in all of Japan." Jackie stated.

"How many times have you been there, Jackson?" Ike asked.

"A couple times, really. It looks like a really nice place to be in, and the people are super cool too. I've been on a tour with them one time, and yeah, it really lives up to it."

"Then it must be a given that this is more prestigious than Shujin, is it not?" Kirby said.

"By a longshot, broski."

"That got me thinking. Did he ever play any sports while he was there?" Mac was curious now.

"Probably. Damn, now I'm curious."

"Me too. Let's go talk to these guys over there."

They went in the courtyard to talk to the person who's in charge of one of the teams. He notices them.

"Who goes there?" He amends.

"Ay, whoa dude. We're not here to cause trouble. We just wanna ask a little something from you." Jackie raised his paws up.

"Make it quick."

"Look, do you know who Hiroshi Kurusu is?" Ken asked.

"Kurusu? Yeah, I know him. He's a good kid, but he's not particularly sociable. He usually keeps to himself and always put his nose in textbooks all the time. A shame really, considering that he has what it takes to be in any one of those teams."

"Do you know what sport he was going for?" Mac inquired.

"Well, he tried out everything that we have to offer, and he's pretty inept with baseball. If I'm being honest, I definitely thought that he would make the team if he wanted to." He sighs before speaking. "But it seems that his mind was dead set on academics. Can't blame him though, as everyone will graduate from this school eventually."

"So in the end… his whole life had revolved around academia." Kirby whispered.

"Yeah. Japan definitely has the workaholic lifestyle down to the goddamn wire." Jackie sighs. "Something that will be extremely difficult to get out of."

"Very toxic and fucked up indeed." Soren nods.

"I see. Thank you for the info. I feel that we understand him a little bit now." Robin said.

"It's nothing."

"Well, if that's all, then we'll be going now." The group turn to leave at that moment.

"Now hold on. I'm not done just yet." That made them stop.

"What do you mean by that?" Ike demanded.

"Now that I have your attention…" The coach holds up a ball in his hand. "How about a game of baseball?"

Chapter Text

"Baseball? With your team?" Ryu asked.

"That's right. If you can indulge me on this… social experiment I came up with on the fly, and if you succeed, then I'll let you pass to that tower over there." The coach pointed towards the Prison Keep.

"How do you know that?" Richter queued.

"We're the guardians of the tower, of course we know that. What, you don't think we don't look the part?"

"Kind of, but I guess appearances can be deceiving." Lynn says.

"Exactly."

"So what is it that you want us to do?" Shulk questions. "You said something about a social experiment and not a regular game."

"That's correct. Instead of a traditional 9-on-9 game, I call in my worst to best pitchers and have you guys bat."

"What?" Ike was lost.

"Oh my god." Soren realizes what it is.

"But here's the catch: You'll need to hit a set of homeruns given by the players. If you meet those requirements, you'll proceed to the next level. But if you don't, then you'll have to start over again."

"Oh god, hopefully not from the beginning." Mac muttered.

"So in other words, it's a homerun derby." Jackie identified.

"That's the one."

"Cool."

"And you're worried if we're gonna be running out of baseballs, don't worry. We have plenty."

"I was just about to say that, but good enough. I guess." Robin wasn't feeling so certain.

"So if we win, we'll be able to get to the Prison Keep." Ken contemplated. "But would we have to fight Shadows if we get there?"

"We don't know for sure, but we'll need to win to figure that out." Lynn says.

"Yeah, probably for the best."

"Give them the call, Jackson." Soren forwarded.

"Alright, let's do it." Jackie confirmed.

"Excellent! We'll get started as soon as the first batter is ready."

"So, who will go first?" Kirby asked the question.

"I can go." Lynn volunteered.

"Are you sure about this, Aqua?" Shulk asked.

"I am. If we can get it done quickly, we can leave as soon as possible."

"And that's a rock fact." Ken holds up another rock.

"Alright, then let's get to it."

Lynn goes up as the first batter in line as the opposing team's pitcher is up on the mark. Her objective is to get 3 homeruns with 10 tries. The pitcher throws the ball in a perfect straight line, but she misses. The pitcher throws it again, but she swung too early. Then again, but swung too late. The guys were getting a little concerned and nervous about this.

Lynn realized that the pitcher is following a pattern, and she can get it down in less than 5 seconds. When the pitcher throws another ball, she finally hit it, and landed a home run, which made the guys cheer her on, motivating her to hit 2 more.

She managed to hit another homerun, but got foul balls on the another, which lead to the last ball. With the pitcher throwing it, and Lynn swings it. It was the last homerun, and the guys pop off.

"That was awesome, Aqua! You really did amazing out there!" Ken cheered.

"Thank you. I was nervous that I was going to mess it up." She giggled.

"It's alright. We all get like that from time to time." Soren assured her. "But we're not done just yet. We still have a lot more to do."

"Alright, put me in, coach." Jackie called dibs as he goes up to bat.

The Shiba picks up the bat, despite his size, as his pitcher is up next. He has to hot at least 5 homeruns with 15 balls in line. He observes their pitch while deliberately swinging on purpose for a couple of times. Once he figured that they slow the ball down and then go fast, it's all a matter of getting the timing right.

"하나 둘 셋만큼을 쉬운다." Jackie quoted.

"When did you learn to say that?" Soren was taken aback by that.

"I've been learning."

"So have I. anyway, I'm up now." The leader takes up the batter position. With 20 balls at the ready, he only needs 8 homeruns to proceed.

He already figured out the pattern of this pitcher's throws, but his swings are abysmal, as he gets more foul balls than he does homeruns, making his group members a little stressed out about it. But in the end, he managed to meet the requirements.

"Soohyun, bro, what were those swings for?" Mac questioned.

"Sorry man, I haven't played baseball in a long time. But we're all good now."

"If you say so." Ryu said as he went up to bat. The difficulty has spiked as the martial artist needs to belt 12 homers in 25 attempts.

When the pitcher threw the ball, it started bouncing, leaving Ryu surprised by it.

"Wait, that's not legal, right?" Ike noticed.

"No, no it isn't." Jackie shook his head. "That's hella illegal. Try that in the real world and your ass is outta there."

"Jesus Christ…" Soren uttered.

Ryu figured out that the pitcher throws their ball either bounce quickly or slowly to try to throw him off. He messes up a few times, but he quickly adapts to it. He also doesn't keep count of the score so he's been hitting so many homers that he doesn't notice until the whistle is blown.

"That was great! I didn't think you would hit that many." Richter commended.

"I really don't know what came over me. I just focus on everything around it and hit it." Ryu said.

"That's our Hyungwon." Mac chuckled. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to go next."

"Go for it." Soren accepts as the boxer is now up to bat. The homerun count was raised up to 15 and the ball count to 30. A little bit questionable, but he doesn't mind it.

The next pitcher throws the ball. But instead of it flying at a normal pace, it slows down then speeds up, making him miss his swing.

"You're right about one thing, guys. If anyone in real life ever tries to do this, their careers would be over in an instant." Robin said.

"You got that right, and the Metaverse just ignores it, as if it likes to make up its own rules and we have to follow it." Jackie throws his paw up.

"I mean, if there have been instances of cheating, it checks out." Shulk adjoined the statement.

"See, there you go."

It didn't take long for Mac to get the timing down since he knows exactly where to strike at the right moment. It was only a matter of getting up to the objective and be done with it, all 15 homerun with swift precision.

"There we go. That should make it easier for us." Mac reciprocates the high-five given by Robin.

"This is going good so far. We really gotta thank the Metaverse for giving us the reaction time, even though we're getting rid of it." Richter said.

"You're not wrong about that. I guess I'll go next." Robin takes the bat and walks to the field.

"You can do it, Kihyun!" Shulk cheered.

Robin only needs to bat 19 homeruns out of the 35 baseballs. The one thing, or two things he didn't expect, was the other pitcher throwing their ball in a zigzag line, and him actually hitting it. The only problem is that it's going to make him dizzy so he's going to have to focus on finding that one spot.

"Ugh, all this zigzagging is making my head hurt." Lynn looked away briefly.

"I blame it on the Metaverse." Ryu said.

"Yeah, if you're gonna be mad at something, be mad at the Metaverse for doing that." Soren backed it up.

He finally got past the requirements as he quickly went to sit down.

"My eyes need a rest." He said while closing his eyes.

"Take six, Kihyun. You deserve it." Jackie pats his shoulder.

"I'll have a go." The Monado boy goes up as the second-to-last batter with his objective being 28 homers with 40 balls at the disposal.

Without using his Vision, Shulk knows that some other bullshit is about to happen, and right off the nose, the pitcher made the ball disappear, then reappear again.

"Huh?!" Richter leaned from the rail.

"What? You can't do that!" Ken called it out.

"That's not how it works. You can't just whisk it in and out of existence like that. That's not even possible." Ike complained.

"Man, I just the love the fact that we're still complaining about things that can't even possibly exist in the world of baseball." Mac laughed.

"It is a shame that we do not get to fight Shadows more often due to things like this, but it does help us bond more, even in trivial matters such as this." Kirby agrees.

"It really do, though. It really do." Soren nods along.

Shulk came back, seemingly not breaking a sweat after swinging 30 times.

"Impressive work, lads. I can see you guys as top material in the baseball world." The coach complimented. "But I can see that you have no desire to do so. So, for your last objective- You will need to hit FORTY homeruns with 50 balls."

"Wait, what are you-"

"Huh?!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

Mixed reactions all around.

"You can't be serious." Soren said in disbelief.

"Oh, but I am. This is your last opportunity to pass this challenge. If you fail this, you will have to start over again. Now then, who will dare to take on this challenge?"

Everyone else had already gone up to bat. The only ones that didn't are Ike, Richter, Ken, and Kirby.

"I am." Kirby stepped up.

"Eunbi!" Lynn yelled.

"Let him do it, Aqua." Jackie told her. "If I can pick up a bat, then he can too. You'll see how capable he really is like the rest of us."

"Hmm, you got bravery, I'll give you that. But can you back it up with godlike reflexes?"

"Hand me your bat and I will prove it."

The coach tosses him the bat for the Pink Demon takes on the final challenge. In front of him was the team's most elite pitcher of all. Whatever tricks that they have in their sleeve, he'll exploit them all.

The first thing he does is immediately swing when the ball is thrown, getting the first homerun in a matter of seconds. He figured out why the team saved this particular one for last, as they were using all the dirty little tricks that the other pitchers had done, from zigzags, bouncing like a skipping stone, and even disappearing from plain sight. He knew them all and he hit them every time.

The group was on baited breath every time Kirby makes a swing, but none of them seem to know that he's already figured something out as they were too focused on it.

By the time it was down to the last ball, the pitcher throws the ball, stopping midway before zooming through. And Kirby, who was charging up his last swing, slams the ball so hard that the bat breaks, and the ball went up to the sky.

"YYEEEEAAAHHH!!!!"

The whole group pops off loudly, almost as if it shook the whole Jail, as they proudly, and loudly exclaim their victory.

"LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO!!"

"WOOO!!!"

They lift Kirby up and throw him up in the sky, with the pink marshmallow falling down, cheering his codename out loud.

"Congratulations, you passed!" The coach commended earnestly. "I'm a man of my word, so I'll open the gate for you. Hope you had fun!"

"Thank you!" Lynn yelled as the group left the premises.

"Hoo boy, that was some good homeruns we just belted!" Richter exclaims.

"We should totally do this again sometime. Like go get ourselves some gloves and a ball and play catch." Shulk suggested.

"Or we could go to one of those batting cages and do that." Ken added.

"Ooh, let's hold onto that after this." Jackie said.

They finally arrive at the Prison Keep, where it's now unlocked thanks to the guy's good word, and also, there's no enemies around, so the only thing that they do now is get that core.

When they get to the top, the core had already manifested for them to take, which happens to be a bunch of papers that meant something.

"A report card. A lot of them." Soren looked over.

"95, 93, 97, 96- he's a pretty good student from what I'm seeing." Ike checked back.

"And he scored very high in the EJU standardized testing, too." Jackie saw.

"It seems that no matter what he does, he always revolves back to academics. Everything else mattered little to him." Ryu sighs.

"I wonder if he really made himself like that, or was it his parents that made him like that to this day?" Lynn wondered.

"I think it's possible, but we won't know until we get to that birdcage." Ike said.

"Well then, in that case, let's get to the third keep. " Soren lead them back down to where the final keep is being held at.

"Hmm…" Mac thought about something. "You think they'll notice?"

Chapter Text

As they were on their way to the third keep, they realized how much fighting they missed out on after playing the homerun derby for quite a while now, so they mowed down every Shadow they see to make up for it. And considering that the keep is really far away, they had more than enough to catch up on their training.

As they were doing that, Mac remembered something by the time that they left the second Keep.

"Hmm… You think they'll notice?"

"About what?" Ryu asked.

"About all those balls we hit. I mean, we hit so many homeruns that they're all over the place now."

"Yeah, you're right." Shulk nods. "But are they going to blame them or blame us?"

"They can blame it on us for that, but we can blame it on the guy for starting this shit and bitch." Soren said.

"HAHAHA, that's such a funny fuckin line that you just said! I'm gonna start saying that now!" Jackie laughed.

"Hey whoa, don't take it from me. I'm just saying, bro."

"Either way, if they do get in the way, we'll just get rid of them as usual." Ike said bluntly.

"By the way, how far are we to the Keep? I know we're not that far away from here." Richter asked.

"If memory serves well, I would say we are least midway to our destination." Kirby recalls.

"Okay, that's good enough. I wasn't entirely sure if we're nearby, considering there's no other maps to look at."

"We're getting there. It's not too far away." Robin said.

"Look, I can see it from here!" Lynn points to the tower.

"Now we're talking." Ken whispers.

They arrived at the area where a fully functional farm is established. From the looks of it, all of the animals, be they cows, chickens, horses, and sheep are all being cared for tenderly, with some people hard at work.

"Huh. No wonder it's that far away." Shulk sounded somewhat surprised.

"How did they not notice a bunch of baseballs all over the place? Are they so engrossed in their job that they just don't notice it?" Lynn pondered.

"Probably. It's not like they're wearing noise-cancelling headphones or something." Soren just shrugged.

"I guess…"

"Anyways, we can ignore them and move on."

They walk past the people to go further into the keep. They found someone blocking their way.

"You. Are you the ones responsible for this mess?" The man pointed at them.

"Who, us? This?" Robin points at them, then down to the balls.

"Yes, you. Why do you think I ask you?"

"I don't know. Why did you think it'd be us? It could've been someone else." Ken said.

"Don't act smart with me. I know Ono is up to his stupid antics again."

"Ono?" Shulk parrots.

"The baseball coach!"

"Ohh, that guy!" Richter remembers now. "Yeah, he made us play a homerun derby for his expense."

"Aha! So it is you that landed those balls in my farm!" The man accused.

"Look, you don't get it. They made us do all of this only because they're the ones that guarded the prison keep. You can't just blame us for that one alone." Ike tried to explained.

"Man, shut up, man! You're trying to trick me, man! Put smoke into my friggin head 'n' shit, man!"

"Not at all, man." Jackie matched his vibe.

"Man, I don't know what to THINK NO MORE, MAN! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK NO MORE! GET OUT OF ME HEAD! GET OUT OF ME HEAD!"

As the man keeps repeating 'get out of my head' every time until he transforms into a Mothman.

"Whoa!" The caught Shulk off guard.

"Well, it looks like the narrative was a little bit off." Soren disregarded.

"Not that it matters, but we better take him out before he causes a ruckus." Robin suggested.

"Yeah."

Everyone starts going ham on the minions that were summoned. Maybe it's because from swinging the bat so much that they have that semi-destructive mindset, but somehow with restraint. Somehow, even Ryu, Ken, and Mac got some items out of the bag and start whacking enemies with them.

It also follows through when Jackie and Lynn grabbed a beastball and a homerun bat out of the bag.

"Oh…" Lynn voiced.

"Goddammit." Jackie sighed.

With no plan to elaborate on, Lynn starts throwing the ball towards Jackie, when it disappears and appears again. Something one of the pitchers did. Jackie swings the bat really, really hard on the ball, careening through everyone, hitting the Mothman, almost one-shotting it in the process.

Ryu aims the super scope at it, charging up one big blast, and shot it point blank, turning it into nothing.

With no time to lose, they went up to the tower to get the third core.

"Oh, look at this. More papers to look at." Ike said.

"Let's see here…" Soren skimmed through the contents. "4.0 GPA, a bunch of 'S' grades here, a bunch of lifetime achievements, top 1%? What the fuck, this guy was going places with this!"

"Was he really embodying the perfect citizen schtick because it was hammered into his brain, or did his family make him do that, just like everyone else?" Shulk mulled over.

"Who knows, although these are some very good answers you're giving right now." Ken agreed.

"Whatever it may be, it could be the cause." Ryu confirms it. "For all we know, it was either his father that made him go through those harrowing trials we're about to see."

"You are correct. For now, we shall return to the world of the living." Kirby recommended.

"That's for sure." Jackie yawns. "Alright, I guess it's time to go back."

Everyone was back into the real world, ready to turn in for the night. As they were going back, they passed by Sakuya, who was on her own again rather than being with her husband.

"Sakuya-san?" Ryu noticed.

"Oh. Hello gentlemen. I didn't think I would run into you again." she said.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Lynn asks.

"I need some time off from my husband. He's becoming more unbearable by the minute. And trying to keep my identity hidden from him is quite exhausting too."

"So far, he hasn't found out, right?" Robin said.

"Yes. Honestly, I don't know how much longer I can hold with it, but I'm hoping to get rid of it once my husband's back to his normal self again."

"Normal self?" Mac's brow raised.

"He wasn't always like this. Back when we first met, he was kind, headstrong, and very gentlemanly to everyone he meets. But… when our son was falsely convicted of assault, it changed him drastically, and it changed me too. We started to become snappy, critical of everything around us, and started campaigning and charading around the idea of how everyone should all be law-abiding citizens. If only I knew sooner of how much it would come to bite us back…"

"But you were too stubborn to admit that." Ike said.

"Yes. We let it get into our heads way too much, that we lost our son; for cutting off all contact with him, and to learning about his death." She wiped away any tears that had stained her face. "Here we were, talking about how everyone should stay in their lane and contribute to society, when he was the one that contributed the most. We had no right to disown him, or discredit the good he had done for the country, especially when he brought Masayoshi Shido to justice. We really are the worst parents."

"…" Ken stayed silent to let her finish.

"I guess we really are hypocrites. This is what we deserve for not taking his side when he needed it most."

He starts talking. "Thank you for telling us all of this. We promise you we'll find some way to help him. After all, we can't just ignore him like this. If needs help, then we'll give him help."

"That's right. If there was something that made him the way he is now, then we're going to get to the bottom of it. We promise you that." Robin assures.

"Thank you, truly. I really don't know how to pay you back, not that I deserve it."

"Don't worry about that. Akira was our friend too, so if you got your closure with him already, then he should get his too." Richter said.

"That's right. He needs it more than anything now. I won't hold you any longer. I'll be on my way now. Take care." She walks away.

"It seems that she is making a genuine change of heart, is she not?" Kirby said.

"She is. If it wasn't for the Shotos and Soren to talk some sense into her at least, then we would've been dealing with two Monarchs instead of one." Jackie quivered at the thought.

"It's better to leave it that way. At least we have some more insight about the dude." Soren commented.

"And keep in mind with those other two observations, too. They'll come in handy when we get to the birdcage." Shulk suggested.

"Absolutely." Jackie nods.

"For sure, for sure." Soren reciprocated.

"It's time to rest for tomorrow. We have another long day ahead of us." Lynn says.

"Yeah. We sure do."

As they were getting ready to sleep, Soren could only think about some things.

Akira was in no mood to talk as he had nothing good to say about his parents and was in a pretty bad mood from what he feels. None of the Phantom Thieves bothered him as they're making up to Ryuji for all the shit they said and done to him in the past, as per Soren's stern warning.

Ren and Lavenza are currently investigating the unknown incidents that have been caused by that third party, and Igor is finding lost documents and files about the child from that excerpt he read.

It seems that everyone is busy right now so the Velvet Room is off the table, and no one will bother him during the night. All the more reason to turn his brain off and sleep.

Early in the morning, everyone was getting some extra preparations done. Once finished, they all went back into the Jail.

"Alright guys, look sharp! We're about to break into one of the most prestigious schools in all of Japan!" Ken declared.

"We're right there with you guys!" Robin says.

"Let's go."

Ryu leads the charge to the birdcage.

Chapter Text

All of Monsta X began their invasion of the birdcage after being dropped off at the starting, running through any enemy that gets in their way, as not even some of the strongest can stop them from proceeding any further.

The birdcage was actually in the school campus, where the courtyard is. Apparently, security has been beefed up because of their baseball antics, and some serious insider information that the baseball coach is the one that reported them to the whole Jail, which is unsurprising since he made them do this.

When they finally reach the school, one guard was there as they saw them coming this way.

"You there! What are you- Wait a minute… you're the ones that sent the balls flying!"

"Goddammit man, he got to everyone!" Jackie snarls.

"Listen, man. That wasn't actually us doing it. That baseball guy made us do it." Soren clarified that.

"No, I definitely think you guys did that. You're trying to mess with me. Get out of my head. Get out of my head!" The guard keeps yelling 'get out of my head' before transforming into a Jack Frost.

"Nobody's messing with your head, because we'll take you out before that happens." Ryu ties his headband, ready to fight.

The group went at the enemies again, plowing through them like it was nothing. Richter grabs his holy water and a smoke ball from the bag, throwing both of them towards a squad, blinding them while burning them.

Soren summons Lilina, lighting up a gyromite with fire magic, and Ken calling in Sean to fuel it more. The fire mage throws it at the smoke, flames spread throughout the field with Ike evoking Yune for Freidyne, dealing critical damage, burning the enemies alive. Lynn then brought forth Azura to douse the field with water.

"Okay, that should be it for this one. Let's get going." Lynn says as she goes in, with the rest following her.

"Get out of my head." Richter quotes as he went in.

When they got inside the school, it seems to be normal at first, as there's nothing out of the ordinary. But when they go further, they're gonna see some shit.

"I'm getting the feeling that nothing has changed here since he was so focused on academics at the time." Shulk says.

"There has to be something I'm sure. At least one cognizant change in the entire perspective. I don't think it's as perfect as he thinks it is." Ryu theorized.

"Then let's prove it by going… over there." Mac points to where the library is.

"I assume that this is where he frequents, correct?" Kirby said.

"I think so. He is a straight-A student after all. Or straight-S I should say." Jackie leans to him.

"This shit writes itself." Soren knew that too well.

They went to the library, where the area is chock full of students, all sitting down, studying as if their lives depend on it.

"I think we should be very quiet." Shulk whispers, as the others nod and walk gingerly.

They see the students on their laptops, writing down on their notebooks, shuffling flashcards, and some other things. They take their studies very seriously as none of them budged from their seats, not even to eat or drink water. Hell, not even to go to the restroom. They're all just sitting there, studying.

"For once, I'm glad I'm not like this." Robin mumbled. "Even if they're Shadows or Cognitions, it's rather unfortunate that they're all just sitting like this."

"It's not just Japan either, but most Asian countries have been like this too." Ken prompted.

"Yeah…"

They walk further into the library, unsure of where they're going and what they're supposed to find. As they go further, a loud shattering sound can be heard throughout the library, making everyone stop and look at who did it. It was Ike that knocked down a potted plant. He can only throw his hands up in admittance.

A loud stomping can be drawing closer to where they're at, revealing an elderly lady, who is incredibly pissed off.

"WHO MADE THAT RACKET?!" She screeched.

All of the students pointed at Ike. He raised his hands up even higher.

"You… NO OUTSIDE NOISE IN THE LLIIIBBRRAARRRYYYY!!!"

She transforms into a Lilim, and the students also morph into various Shadows as well.

"Uh, should we be concerned about the mess we're about to make?" Lynn voiced her concerns.

"Not really. If anything, they're gonna make this way messier than us." Ken gets into his fighting stance.

The fight begins when the Lilim blows a gust of ice everywhere, trashing the entire place in an instant. Everyone split up as they start taking out the small groups one by one.

Robin grabbed a beetle out of the bag, though he wasn't sure what to do with it. He throws it and it latches onto an enemy, flying up quickly while breaking a part of the rooftop.

Soren took out a POW block and throws it at the crowd, shaking the ground up. Lynn took it and throws it down harder, shaking it more. Then Kirby slams it with a beam as Laser Kirby, sending all enemies flying , leaving only the big bad left.

Richter quickly summons Maria for a Hama, hoping that it hits. The Shadow then disintegrates into the light, making a successful instakill.

"Uh, sorry about getting us caught." Ike said.

"No, that's actually a good thing. At least we don't have to walk on eggshells all the time." Mac said.

"At least now we can walk freely." Shulk walks around where the desks used to be.

They spread around to find anything of interest amidst the rubble. So far, they haven't found anything yet, as they're all broken wood, ripped up books, and malfunctioning electronics.

"Hey guys, I think I found something!" Lynn called to the group to see what she found.

"A lever? What's that doing here?" Jackie inspected.

"You think they hid it there for a reason?" Ike thought.

"Probably, if there was something they didn't want anyone to find it." Soren believed.

Lynn went to pull the lever.

"Here, let me help." Ryu assists her to pull it.

The school rumbled a little.

"What was that?" Ken looked around.

"Something must've happened. But I figured that we may need to go to one more place to activate it." Robin said.

"Then we shall proceed to the next area. With me." Kirby lead everyone out of the destroyed librarian.

They were back to where they were, walking around the area to get a feel of this place.

"Man, this place hasn't changed a bit." Jackie commented. "From the infrastructure, the flooring, the posters on there, everything. It's like it stayed the way it is for god knows how long."

"It's true that Hiroshi had no regards for the school's external aesthetics. Only getting a higher education was all that mattered to him." Ryu noted.

"I wonder what he'll do once we change his heart." Lynn thought.

"Only one way to find out, then." Soren huffs. "So, where to?"

"How about here?" Shulk pointed at the big doors.

Soren and Robin opened the doors together to find that they're in a large cafeteria with more people inside. Somehow, the people seem to be more livelier compared to those in the library, like it's just a normal school day. They even see the faculty having civil conversations as well.

"Hmm… seems perfectly normal to me." Ike says.

"Maybe so, but what does that guy get out of it?" Mac tries to speculate.

"Hmm, maybe because that he's an all too serious student that he isolates himself when eating lunch. I know I do that sometimes." Robin notes.

"Yeah, and nobody approaches him either. Like studying is all he's ever known." Ken said. "I guess he never had friends at all to begin with."

"Once we're done with this Jail, he better start making one now." Richter gets his whip ready.

"Hey, if you wanna start some shit, you gotta do this one right." Jackie whips out a super scope and charges it up before firing it straight at the roof, getting everyone's attention.

"Rather reckless, but effective nonetheless." Kirby chastised.

"You know me."

The group gets ready to fight when everyone transforms into Shadows, charging straight at them. The big bad this time is a Mithras, going up and personal with his knife, with his squadron by his beck and call. Kirby and Lynn fight it off, swinging their weapons around, knocking them down one by one.

Ryu and Shulk grab a flipper and a bumper each, with each item infused with Gouken's ice and Fiora's psychokinetic magic. They throw them at opposite ends and grab one or two Shadows from the field and threw them into the bumpers, bouncing back and forth.

Jackie summons K.K Slider to play a tune from his guitar, and Soren conjures Dimentio with a violin, alongside Lon'qu for bass, Rouge the Bat for vocals, and ROB 64 for drums. They play a somewhat metal version of some song Soren couldn't bother to remember, combining it with electricity and fire, shocking and burning them in the process.

Robin and Mac summon Grima and Doc Louis summon Mamudo and Maeiha respectively, weakening them before a doll gets stabbed by needles, crucifying them into oblivion.

After the fight, the cafeteria was a total wasteland, in the same vein as the library was. They search around for something, picking up bits and pieces and throwing them from the side.

"Yo, found it here!" Jackie yells to the group that he found another lever.

Ken pulls it, and the school rumbles again.

"Looks like something happened again." Lynn felt it.

"Are there gonna be any more of it, or is that it?" Richter said.

"Let's go out there and find out."

They ran out of the doors as they ran into a gate that leads to the outside. From what they're seeing, there are two green lights on, and they slide open, giving them full access to where they're about to go.

"Oh. I guess it was the library and cafeteria he frequents." Shulk uttered.

"Hmm. Now I know that you know where this is going, right?" Soren turns to everyone.

"We're all certain of it." Ryu nods.

"Alright. Time to go touch some grass."

The gates lead them to the courtyard of the school, and in front of them is the birdcage, guarded by two large Shadows. They saw them drawing near, transforming into Kaiwan and Principality instantly.

"Ready to fight, I see? That's how I like it." Kirby gets pumped up from it.

"Time to blow it up." Ken has the battle grin on when takes a Bob-omb out from the bag and threw it right at the Kaiwan.

Ryu responds in kind, getting a green shell out from the same bag and threw it right at the Principality. Thankfully, there are no reinforcements for them to deal with, but they are strong regardless, and they're their one ticket of getting into that birdcage.

Ike found a lone basketball and decides to infuse it with Yune's nuclear power, and throws it right at the Kaiwan, in courtesy of Robin's Navigaiton.

Lynn brought out another death's scythe, but has to wait at the opportune time to swing it at low health. She sings another melody with Azura by her side, and Kirby, having caught onto it, summons Galacta Knight to swing his mighty sword, severely damaging the enemy in the process. She held the scythe up high before slamming it down, resulting in instant death to that Principality.

Richter was figuring out which item to use, but he resorted to using a gooey bomb in order to stick it onto the Kaiwan's back. He gives Soren the signal to summon his original Spirit, Altina, to create a large gust of wind, to launch it up high in the sky. Then, they raised their hands up, closing their palms into fists, and the bomb explodes, taking the star Shadow with it.

Now, with no one left in their way, the finally have full access to it now.

"Here we are." Ryu looked up. "The birdcage that locks the Desires away. Ready to be set free."

"Well, there's only one thing left to do." Ken goes up to touch the door, and in response, the repressed memories rush right in.

How many times do I have to tell you this, young man?

You are a Kurusu! Education is your number one priority!

Don't just go out there, being all willy-nilly because you made some friends in school!

But Father, I- What's wrong with just having one friend?

Don't you argue with me, young man!

The only thing that should matter to you is getting a good paying job, and be a good citizen to society!

We Kurusus have held this tradition for generations! You should be doing the same, too!

I can no longer tolerate your insolence.

From now on, you will only go to school, and return home from school before dark. And you will not step outside your room until you have finished your education.

As long as you live under my roof, you will follow my rules. Understood?

I- Yessir.

Ken takes his hand off the door, and shakes off the tingliness.

"Hmm. I am absolutely certain that there is more to it than it meets the eye." Kirby assumed.

"You can say that again." Mac conceded.

"So this is Hiroshi's trauma." Ryu figured it out. "It was his father that made him the way he is."

"And mans said that education is way more important and that nothing else matters." Jackie threw his paw up. "Bro, that's not how it works anymore."

"It sounded like they haven't even changed at all when his father said that they've been doing this for generations." Lynn recalled. "It's actually really sad when you think about it."

"I'm with you there, Aqua. Tradition or not, no child should be subjected to such barbaric treatment." Ike said. "It only hurts them more."

"And yeah, I agree with Eunbi. There's a lot more to it than that." Ken said. "If we can trace back to where the place can be, we can learn more about it."

"True that. Okay, let's get back to reality and scout the location."

Soren activates EMMA to take them back.

The next day, they found one of the boarding schools thanks to some international students offering to take them there. They also ask them some questions about the school they go, mostly to avoid raising any suspicions.

Once they got there, the group thanks them for their time as they go to their classes, they look up at the building, to see what they believe is to be the trauma cell of Hiroshi Kurusu.

Chapter Text

"So this is the place, hmm?" Shulk looked up.

"It's gotta be. The Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School." Ken viewed the results. "Quite the tongue twister."

"If the keyword really is 'boarding school' then there's a chance we can get in that trauma cell, right?" Lynn asks.

"Hopefully, though we aren't too sure if this one's the right one or not." Ike says.

"Only one way to find out." Ryu takes his phone out to activate EMMA. "Keyword: Boarding school."

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

The distortion takes place.

As the distortion stops, they're now in a classroom of some sort, possibly grade school or something, as they take in their surroundings.

"Wait, this is JINIS? That doesn't make any sense." Jackie recognized the layout.

"Perhaps not, but this place holds great significance to the Monarch, does it not?" Kirby reiterated.

"It does. I think that was where he had a lot of fun being in there." Soren walked around. "But then… something else happened."

"There's someone there!" Mac points to the two figures standing across each other.

What do you think you're doing?! You're supposed to give my son the highest education! Not some kiddie activity that will 'benefit' him in the future!

But sir, that's what we're trying to do! We're also trying to enrich his life as well with fun activities!

That is inexcusable! I will not invest in this school any longer if it serves no purpose for my son's future!

Father, please reconsider! I don't want to leave this place!

Silence, boy! You are leaving this school and that's final!

"Why would you even want to do that? He looks happy there!" Shulk couldn't even believe it.

"He's gonna break out the tradition horseshit. Just wait." Richter is ready to call it.

The setting starts to transition around them.

"What's happening?" Ike turned around.

"Seems like we're going to another place." Ryu assumes.

Now, the setting sets in Nada High School.

That school is not fit for your future. This will be your permanent school.

And you mean to tell me that I should throw all the happy memories of my time in JINIS into the trash?

Without a doubt. Because we Kurusus…

The man transforms into one of the lock keepers, but with shields this time.

Value education, honor, and discipline! Much more so than any average Japanese citizen!

"See, I knew it!" Richter said.

"Oh, fuck off, please, for a fucking minute." Robin groans.

"Get ready! Here it comes!" Ryu stood ready.

The lock keeper charges at the group, shields at the front, intending to hit them. They all evaded the attack very swiftly, as others prepare to counter back at it.

"Sean!"

"Azura!"

Ken and Lynn summon Sean and Azura respectively, as they combine fire and water onto the Shadow to assert its weakness, and also cause collateral damage onto the reinforcements.

Jackie jabs his spear onto the Shadow, but his attacks are blocked by one of its shields every time he strikes it.

"Alright then, let's see if you can block this! K.K Slider!"

He calls upon the dog musician to fire off a thunderbolt from his guitar. The electricity ran through the shields, shocking it with high voltage.

"Hoho, you just gave me some ideas here!"

Shulk slashes his sword at one of the shields, trying to find some weak point in the Shadow's defenses. Robin was also doing the same as well, slowly picking up information on the lock keeper's fighting style and weaknesses, even when he's summoning Grima for tactical uses.

"Seems like all the Shadows here are weak to Bless and Curse." Robin realized. "Which is probably a good thing, because we can just exploit them anytime."

"But the problem is that this guy has his shields everywhere. We need to find a way to disarm him." Shulk said.

"Then we're gonna have to shake the ground a little more."

The tactician grabs a POW block from the bag, and throws it to the ground. The ground shook a little, and the lock keep nearly lost its balance.

"It looks like it got stubby legs…" Ike realizes. "Kihyun, pass it here!"

Robin tosses the block to him, which leads him to slam it down with his sword. The ground shakes a lot more, and the Shadow boss almost fell down.

"It still won't go down?"

"Jooheon, allow me." Kirby commanded as he is Hammer Kirby.

Ike passes the block to him, allowing him to catch it and place it on the ground first. He sees him jump up and slam his hammer with all of his might.

The whole cell quakes violently, making everyone lose their balance.

"Whoa nelly!" Richter held onto the ground.

"Oh shit." Jackie stumbled.

The Lock Keeper finally falls to the ground, his shields no longer held up.

"Quick, get him!" Mac shouted.

Everyone dogpile on the guard with an All-Out Attack, hitting him with everything they have.

It's our duty not only as citizens of Japan, but also as Kurusus to uphold our status as obedient and subservient members of our society! Anything lower than that is a disgrace to our family name!

"I wish that guy would just shut the hell up! It's like he's telling us to do better, as if we're not fuckin trying!" Soren voiced.

"Maybe I hate this guy more than the other." Ike retracts his previous statement.

"Yeah. You and me both." Ken grits himself.

The Shadow arms its shields again as it jumps up and slams them down, creating shockwaves all around it. Most of them jump up to avoid, and Mac takes it further by wall jumping and clashing one of the shields with a Jolt Haymaker.

Shulk hoists Lynn up from the ground with Jump Monado activated, with enough height to call their Spirits.

"Azura!"

"Fiora!"

They appear out of the blue, combining Aques and Psiodyne together to fire at the Shadow. The Shadow swiped it away, but Ryu used a franklin badge to reflect it back, dealing double damage onto it.

"Master Gouken!"

"Maria!"

He and Richter conjure their Spirits for a mix of a heavenly hailstorm to rain down large chunks of ice while also blinding it. The Lock Keeper has its shields ready to block it while the reinforcements weren't so lucky.

Once it's done, the Shadow spins around, creating a tornado of its own, going around to try to hit everyone. Soren, riding on the Odyssey, charges straight into the tornado to float at the top.

"Now, Blanka!"

He unleashes the feral savage to charge up electricity, then releasing it around the vicinity of the tornado, shocking the Shadow at high voltage, all while dissipating the tornado at the same time.

"Get him!" He commands.

They start another All-Out Attack to hammer it down some more. The good thing about the second one is that the Shadow couldn't even deploy its shields fast enough to block it.

We all have a part to play, Hiroshi, just like everyone else does. But we Kurusus have a more important duty to uphold! Forget about friends and fun! The only thing that you'll need to live is getting a higher education and being an outstanding member of society!

"Dude, we don't care! We have our own ways to do that!" Mac dismisses the stance.

"No one likes an overbearing parent." Lynn said.

The warden disappears from sight, leaving no trace behind.

"Not this again." Shulk sighs, but not before he sees a Vision of it appearing again and striking down Jackie and Ike. "Not this time." As expected, the Shadow appears and was about to hit the two, but he countered that with a Back Slash as it left it vulnerable.

What he didn't see from the Vision was him getting swiped off from one of the shields, quickly switching to Shield Monado to minimize the damage.

"This guy tried to sneak attack us!" Ike noticed.

"Get that motherfucker! K.K Slider!"

"Yune!"

They combine Slider's thunder with Yune's nuclear touch, with one last tune strung to send it to the big bad, sending shockwaves and nuking the entire squadron of reinforcements, leaving only the Lock Keeper all on its own.

It arms its shields up again to cover all bases to charge up another attack, but it just gave Kirby the idea that can end the fight. He turns into Animal Kirby again and burrows his way down underground.

Richter and Ken pull out hammers to start going ham on the shields, with Ike and Shulk grabbing fire flowers and hocotate bombs to start it off and fly up.

"Don Bongo!"

Soren calls upon the pudgy dragon to start wailing on the shields with Hysterical Slap.

Just when the Shadow is about to unleash its charged attack, Kirby surfaced up with an uppercut, knocking it down. Everyone thew their items at the Shadow for collateral damage before jumping out of the way.

"Grima."

Robin summons the Fell Dragon to finish it off with Expiration, finally putting down the pesky thing to its death.

"Goddamn that took forever." Soren sighed.

"Yeah, I've just had it with guys holding Shields all the time." Jackie scoffed.

"So that was this man's father that pulled him out of that boarding school, wasn't it?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah. That was him." Ryu confirmed. "It was obvious that he took it very seriously, and he made his son follow the tradition that's been held for generations."

"I think seeing his dad argue with the staff and getting pulled out of that school was the most painful experience he ever had." Ken lowers his head. "I don't know what he said or did to him that made him like that, but it stuck with him all the way up to the present."

"And in turn, that alone became his trauma. A suppressed memory that is continued to be confined, and refused to be set free." Kirby capitalized.

"That's one way of looking at it." Richter rubs the back of his head. "Ever since that day, he must've hardened his heart and stopped screwing around to take his studies seriously. But doing that made him lose any and all connections that he used to have."

"And what's worse is that he accepted it and let it run his life." Shulk vocalized. "We can blame the father all we want, but Hiroshi is still a Monarch, and we have to not only change his heart, but also open it too."

"Hmm…"

"Feels like we have a lot to unpack here. Let's go back to reality and sort this out." Jackie suggested.

Back in the bus, they discussed more about Hiroshi's past as they come to understand him a lot more now. But the point is, he's still the Monarch, and they all know what that means by now, leaving them only one thing to do.

"So uh, how are we gonna send the calling card?" Mac addressed the elephant in the room.

"Well, I don't think any one of us will be able to send it. He remembers us all too well." Ike shook his head.

"I'm not entirely certain if Sakuya is at her braking point right now or close to it, and that she's trying to hold on, but if we don't do anything about it, it could happen." Ken said.

"You got that right. We need to take care of this, or else something bad might happen." Lynn agreed.

"Hmm, I'm hearing something I haven't heard in a long time." A voice echoed in the bus. The looked out the window to find Ichinose outside, immediately letting her in.

"What are you doing out here? Did you happen to follow us here again?" Robin asked.

"Well, yes, but not what you're thinking right now."

"Then what is it this time?"

Ichinose's phone buzzed, which means Sophia wants to talk.

"To help you understand, Ichinose was intending to ask you all about us joining you. But as soon as she was about to reach you, you were already at your next destination. We had to resort to using subways and taxis to reach you up to this point."

"For real? You could've just told us straight up and we would welcome you on board." Soren said the obvious.

"I know, I know, but it was kind of my fault for not telling you about this earlier. But before that, what's new lately?"

They begin to tell her everything about Hiroshi, also including the part where they're forced to do a homerun derby to reach to one of the Keeps.

"I see. So you want to send the calling card to him, but you can't do so in normal circumstances since he'll go on a tirade if he saw any one of you here."

"That's right." Shulk replied. "He's still riled up from our last confrontation with him, and any more could have police involved so we don't want that."

"Hmm. Then why not let me handle it?"

"Wha-"

"Huh?"

"Ay, whoa dude."

The guys start voicing their doubts and concerns.

"I know what you're all thinking right now. Sure the hit I got from Nozomi-san's ex-husband was unexpected, and I know that you don't want me to get hurt for your sake. But don't forget that I too want to help repay the Phantom Thieves in any way I can, if you'll allow me."

"Correct. I can also attest to her statement that I changed her heart thanks to the Phantom Thieves' help, and she has grown to a much more lively and energetic person than she was in the past." Sophia spoke up. "I also want to repay them for everything they've done for me."

"I see…" Kirby nods. "Very well. We are more than welcome to have you accompany us and lend us your assistance."

"Thank you all so much. We promise we won't let you down." Ichinose bows.

"We know you won't." Jackie says.

"So, getting back to business, do you know how to get the calling card to Hiroshi?" Ryu asked.

"If you guys have talked to anyone related to him, I could give them the card and you guys can do the rest."

"Great! In that case, you should talk to Sakuya, his wife." Richter advised. "She started talking to us after she realized her own faults so you should be alright in getting in contact with her."

"Alright, I think I can find her profile and talk to her one-on-one."

"Nice. Then we can get started on it." Soren said.

"You can stay here for a while. You've went a long way to get here." Ike proposed.

"Thank you. I'll do just that." Ichinose smiles.

"Okay, so here's how it goes."

They give Ichinose clear directions on how she can play her part in order to contact Sakuya, and how she'll give it to her to give it to her husband. Once everything's set out, they all went to sleep to prepare for another big day tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Ichinose managed to get into contact with Sakuya thanks to Ken's help. They were able to get through to one another as Sakuya really does want to help her husband as Monsta X offers to help, and Ichinose is there to send their message to them via calling card.

The first plan has already been enacted with Ichinose giving Sakuya the card. The next step is for her to wait for her husband to come out and give it to him.

Hiroshi came out of the room, all dressed up as he is about to go onto another meeting, possibly another rally. He saw his wife just sitting at the table.

"Sakuya, what are you doing at the table?" He started asking.

"Huh? Oh, sorry honey. It's just that, I have a letter that says it's for you." she goes.

"For me? I'll go look at it later. I have to go to my meeting."

That was the expected response. Now, she'll have to say something way out of proportion.

"It's a threat letter, directed to you."

And that made him stop in his tracks.

"A threat letter? To me?"

"Yes. Someone passed by and gave this to me. They said I'm not supposed to open it and give it to you directly."

She placed the card on the table. He grabs it and reads it off:

Hiroshi Kurusu, the overbearing and unrelenting tyrant of all Japan.

Your reign of terror will come to an end as you will realize that you have no control over everyone's and this nation's futures. We will no longer stand idly by as you continue to trade away everything you hold dear, including your son Akira. Thus, we will take back all the Desires you have stolen, and we will put you back to the right place. We hope you're ready.

"Tyrant? Desires? Who do these people think they are if they can just threaten me like that?!" Hiroshi crumples the card and throws it in the trash. "Well then, if they think they can just send me that, then I can do it better."

"Very well then, come at me if you dare. I will make you bow to society, and make you all examples of what being a role model is like for your country!"

"Alright then, I guess I'll have to call off the meeting as I have more important matters to attend to, right Sakuya? Sakuya?"

He turns around to find his wife missing from the table and hears the door close on him, which made him agitated as he rushed out of the house, to find her getting on a kei-car with Ichinose, and that made him go red in rage as he starts to go after the ladies.

"Go, go, go!" Sakuya shouts, and Ichinose starts flooring, making the car go fast enough to barely avoid Hiroshi.

Ken's phone buzzed as he got the message from Ichinose.

"Looks like they did it." He notifies the group.

"Alright, then everything's a-go." Richter gets up from his seat.

"Hopefully they don't get caught by him and that they found a place to hide while we're taking care of this." Lynn says.

"They will. They can handle themselves just fine. All we need to do is get in that Jail and change his heart." Jackie assures her.

"Alright then, let's get in." Ike activates EMMA to go back into the Metaverse again.

When they got back in the Jail, the entire place is on lockdown. Sirens are blaring, an announcement comes on, and the Shadows must be going on a frenzy right now.

"It looks like the Jail's in some kind of state of emergency." Mac observed.

"They should worry more about us than they do this place." Soren scoffs. "It's only a matter of time that they'll come running to us when we get to that cage."

"And I wonder if we'll find that baseball guy again." Shulk brought it up.

"Oh yeah, that's right! I think we'll find him in there, too." Robin realized.

"If that's the case, then we can get moving, right?" Ryu calls.

"Yes, let us proceed." Kirby nodded.

They fast track back to where the birdcage is with Shulk slashing the door open, allowing them to enter. When they got in, they were in a large stadium that can be passed off as an auditorium or gym of some sort, but only a few of them knew what this really means.

Here on the stage, stood a man wearing a graduation gown colored red, the tassel yellow. When he turns around, yellow eyes glaring straight at them.

"Welcome all, and thank you for coming." Hiroshi's Shadow started speaking. "I've been waiting for someone to witness my graduation from a goody two-shoe student to an all-around contributing member to society, just like my father had before me, and his father, and so on and so forth."

"You call yourself a member to society? Pfft, please. Don't delude yourself any further from the truth." Jackie sneered.

"You act like you've done a lot for society, but when really, you're just hot garbage." Mac fired.

"You really don't think so?" Hiroshi countered. "You only think that because none of you have done anything that can be worth the merit for the betterment of society. I, for one, have achieved so much more in my lifetime. I was in the top 1% of the elite students in both high school and university. I aced every standardized tests one by one, and I earned my PhD's in sociology. Quite the success I made for myself, yeah?"

"Kinda? I mean I only got student of the month once, and that's just whatever." Soren shrugged.

"No, it's not." Ryu objected.

"What was that?" Shadow Hiroshi growled.

"Those achievements that you had acquired, these were all of your father's wishes, not yours. You only have those because you had already given up your free will by submitting to your family's tradition. You even had the gall to instill it onto Akira, your own son, who you turned away once he was convicted of a crime he never committed. For the record, he has done more good to society than you ever had."

"Yeah, talk to 'em, Hyungwon!" Richter cheered.

Silence! I will not be lectured by some uneducated halfwit on how I should live my life! This was what my father had wanted for me, and this was what I wanted for my son as well!"

"And there's no point in talking any further." Ken dismissed the conversation. "We're not here for your graduation ceremony." Then assumes his fighting stance. "We're here for your expulsion. From the family tradition." Everyone else assume theirs as well.

"Very well then. I guess it's my duty to…" Dark aura emanates from his feet. "Convert you all into elite members of the prestigious country of Japan!" While echoing the sentiment, he summons a giant robot underneath him for him to get on.

"No. No, no, no, NO, NOOO!!!" Jackie howled as the absurdity that he's seeing kept raising up.

"What the fuck?!" Soren couldn't believe it.

"Oh my god…" so did Robin.

The robot turned out to be a very large and muscular cat, with defined muscles all around the body, and the head is a cartoonish cat with black dots for eyes and ears that are drawn by an 8-year-old.

"Whoa, why does the robot look like that?" Lynn pointed upwards at it.

"And why is it so ripped, too?" Shulk gawked at the design.

"This is no time to observe the design. It is time to fight." Kirby reminded them.

"Hahaha! Tremble in fear as I stamp you out one-by-one, and turn you all into model citizens of society! Prepare for battle, weaklings!"

Everyone split up as they all have different strategies on how to take the robot down. Ike, Shulk, Mac and Kirby went straight for the legs to weaken it so the machine could fall down easily. Soren, Jackie, and Richter are going after the arms to render it immobile and useless. Ryu, Ken, and Lynn aim for the head to get Hiroshi off the robot.

Robin gave those tasks to each member accordingly as he determined each of their strengths of where they can excel at to take down the robot.

The mechanical body starts its first attack by punching the ground, creating shockwaves that travel to the ground, with everyone jumping up to avoid it. Shulk grabs the super scope out of the bag and starts firing away, spreading his aim at both of the legs. Ranger Kirby does the same thing with his blunderbuss, except he aims at the right leg.

"Yune!"

"Doc Louis!"

Ike and Mac summon their Spirits to combine nuclear and curse together to deal damage and to ascertain its weakness. So far, it's weak to nuclear, and curse is dealt normally.

"Looks like that did it." Ike huffed.

"But we still gotta do more." Mac says as he gets something out of the bag, but stopped midway when he and Ike were whisked away on the warp star piloted by Kirby.

They saw the missiles that were homing at them.

"Oh, thanks dude."

"Of course. Now then, we must prepare for our next course of action."

"Yeah."

Soren and Richter were dodging left and right from the arms that were slamming down on them. Richter throws his axe and cross to deflect some of the right arm's attacks, while Soren swings his wind-induced blade to clash with the left arm.

Soren won the clash and summons his Spirit quick.

"Barret!"

He summons the leader of Avalanche, riding on a Guardian along with Sharla, firing away their weapons with a Triple Down.

One of the arms slammed the ground again, sending Jackie high up the ground. But he has other ideas.

"K.K Slider!"

He summons his Spirit to electrify his spear and chucks it at one of the arms, actually puncturing it through.

"Haha, that did it!" The dog cheered.

Lynn sings a melody that lifts them up high with Ryu and Ken covering her as she does. They're deflecting and blocking off several attacks as they ascend higher up even more. When they saw the Shadow taking out an RPG to fire at them, Ryu grabs Lynn as they and Ken jump out of the way.

Lynn thought about the idea of flinging Ryu with her naginata and actually went through with it, making the martial artist spin like a ball at high velocity, before landing a flying kick onto the head. It made quite the crack on it, but Shadow Hiroshi had no time to fix it because Ken was about to attack.

"Sean!"

He calls upon his Spirit for an intense Agidyne, overheating the system and making the robot spin around to get everyone off of it. Some of them recovered just fine, but others missed their tech and bounce off walls and hitting the ground.

"You're a capable bunch, I'll give you that. But you're also annoyingly persistent! And I hate annoyingly persistent brats that won't stay still!"

"Not sorry to break it to you, we're just not those kinds of people." Richter groaned as he gets up.

"And I can't tech for shit." Soren sighs by the time he's on his feet.

"Alright then, guess I'll have to up my game a little bit more!"

Shadow Hiroshi detaches the head from the rest of the body, with the head now acting as a helicopter by its own. To make matters worse for them, the body acts on its own.

"Oh you gotta be fuckin with me right now." Jackie doesn't have the energy to screech.

"Just what is he on?" Mac sighs in defeat.

"Let's see how you handle this!" Hiroshi activates the gatling guns and starts shooting everywhere.

Everyone was dodging bullets everywhere, while dealing with not just the body, but also the head as well. Everyone stuck to their targets as they now have to come up with different strategies.

The warp star bobs and weaves through all the stray bullets with Ike and Mac equipping franklin badges to reflect them back. Mac uses a steel diver to make accurate aims while Ike swings the ore club with extreme might, making larger and stronger gusts every time. Archer Kirby fired arrow after arrow to strike down the legs.

"Fiora!"

Shulk summons her childhood friend to infuse the Bob-omb with psychokinetic power and throws it at the right leg. The leg actually explodes, making the body stumble and fall down.

"Oh! It looks like Eunbi finally wore it down!"

The robot got itself up with its arms as it now assumes a new fighting stance.

"…or not."

The left leg kicks the trio off the warp star, with the star exploding into pieces and they fall down. Water Kirby broke their fall with a soft water bed, and discards the ability.

"Galacta Knight."

Kirby conjures the mightiest warrior alive to unleash a mild Megido to wear it down.

The robot did a handstand to try to squish Soren and Richter as they were running into each other. It jumps up to slam its fists down.

"Fuck off already!" They yell in unison as they bring it down with a pitfall.

"Maria!"

"Terra!"

With Maria and Terra banding together, accompanied by Revali, they cast Kouga and Magnara respectively, as weird as the combination sounds, but worked well nonetheless.

Jackie, with a fully assembled Dragoon, blasts off at high speeds, aiming towards the left arm.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Break that shit!"

The Dragoon finally made a hole in the arm, now rendering it useless. To prevent further use, he takes out a fire cracker and blasts it into pieces.

"Ha, try fixing that now, fuckface!"

With bunny hoods equipped, Ryu, Ken and Lynn were swerving through bombs dropped on them as they look for an opening.

They split up so that Hiroshi doesn't target them all at once, as he instead went after Ryu, who he believes to be throwing his life away and does him a favor by doing so. But what he failed to realize is that Ryu acts as bait while Ken and Lynn go to hit him at his blind spot.

Ken's bunny hood was about to give way so he jumps as high as he could before throwing Lynn up high, allowing her to latch on to the head and place a gooey bomb on the back before dropping down. Ken caught her in time so they can watch the bomb explode on the back.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" Shadow Hiroshi shouted. "You impudent whelps think you can just do whatever you want and bite the hand that fed you?! I'll show you that no one is above the law!"

"That model citizen thing was way over his head now." Ike said.

"Then it's time to get that out of him." Shulk has Smash Monado ready.

"Alright everyone! One more hit on every part of the robot and he's down for good!" Robin said.

"Sounds great! We still need to teach him a lesson, though!" Ken reminded them.

"We will, I.M, once we get him down." Ryu begins to think of something. "Aqua, do you think you can help us with something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

While they're kind of surprised that the robot can still fight with one remaining limb, it still didn't make the fight any better as they need to start thinking again.

Shulk regrouped with his subgroup as they call him back for one final attack they came up with.

"Oh, I see. So we just have to do that then?"

"Basically. We just need to hit it really, really hard to do that." Mac explained.

"Shall we proceed then?" Kirby turns to Ike.

"Let's do it."

They all start fishing out some items from the bag, with Ike getting a spiny shell, Mac with a hothead, Shulk with a super launch star, and Kirby a star rod.

When the leg was about to make a jump on them, Ike immediately throws the shell so that it can trail it. Shulk throws the launch star at the opposite direction and run towards it. Kirby fires a star from the rod to stall it while Mac keeps hitting the hothead to make it bigger.

As soon as the rod is all out of stars, Kirby moves out of the way and Mac throws the flaming hot sun upwards, sending the leg very high up. Shulk then activates Speed Monado as he flings himself at zooming speed, spinning like a ball, with the beam sword leaving a blue trail when he sliced through the leg, making it malfunction and blow up in the process.

"Yeah, we did it! Yeah!" Mac high fives everyone for a job well done.

Soren and Jackie continues to bury the arm with hammers and golden hammers over and over again until it can no longer escape on its own. Then Richter assembles the Daybreaker and fires it straight at it, reducing the artificial limb into nothing.

"Try that shit again, I fuckin dare you." Soren threatened to Shadow Hiroshi.

Robin took this one opening for him to fire off Throron right at the body, and immediately blows it up.

"And that should be it."

Ryu, Ken and Lynn had the same idea as they use three springs to get back up high as they notice that the head is still hanging on despite the major damage it took. Lynn sings another melody that casts a lightning cloud to strike at the engine, causing it to malfunction.

"Let's finish this! Haaahhh!!" Ken charges up his Hadoken.

"Waaaauuurrrgghh!!" Ryu does the same.

"NO! NOOOO!!" Hiroshi screamed as he tries in vain to get it back under control.

"Haaa!"

"Now!"

"HADOOKEN!"

They fire their Hadoken straight at the head, as it now lost all control and comes crashing down on the ground, and the engine explodes on impact. The Shotos fist bump for the successful team attack and the victory they brought to end the fight.

Amidst in the rubble, Shadow Hiroshi survives the crash and crawls his way out of there, but his expression has now changed, with prideful now reduced to anger.

"This… isn't fair… How is it that everyone around me can go on and have fun in their lives while I had to stay behind and study from dusk to dawn, just so I can get the best education I could to get the life my father had lined up for me? I didn't ask for it, and yet it was thrusted upon me to uphold it! I can't… I won't disappoint my father or my generation before me!"

"Give it a rest, man. You've already done more than enough." Ken said.

"What?"

"Listen to yourself. You've dedicated your whole life in pursuing your education to please your father and your generation, but you also scarified your own happiness and personal growth that you basically became a puppet of society's whims." Ryu said.

"!!"

"It's true. We learned some stuff about you, about how you used to be happy that you went to a boarding school instead of a normal school. But your dad took you off of it and instead took you to the most strict and rigorous schools he could find. It's almost like… your soul had left your body and you became a shell of your former self." Ken followed up.

"And overtime, you became cold, distant, snappy, whatever those negative thoughts were that made you like this." Ryu looked down on the ground.

"Even if what you said is true, I still can't ignore the tradition. I've already been too ingrained by it, and I can't lose it either."

"Then your father knows little about you than you know yourself."

"Huh?"

"Think back. The whole place looks a lot like JINIS because that was the one place that had the greatest memories you ever made, yeah?" Jackie said. "You loved it so much that you even wanted to stay there for a long time. I know because I was there not too long ago and it looked great."

"You must've had such a fun time being in there, but your father didn't appreciate the true beauty of it, and that's why he took you off from the school. Isn't that right?" Lynn asked that question.

Shadow Hiroshi took the time to look around at the destroyed stadium, to reflect on his life and what they had said to him.

"You're right. JINIS was my favorite place to be in. Leaving it was extremely painful for me. I left behind my friends, my peers who I genuinely looked up to, and all the activities I did back then. And in turn, I became a super genius, an influential contributor to all of Japan. But deep down, I lead a life of loneliness and isolation."

"Go on." Kirby said.

"When I first met Sakuya, she was just like me. We had so much in common that we somehow wed and conceived Akira. We both thought that he would become our successor in our line, but that changed when he was convicted of assault, and we had no choice but to disassociate him from our lives to save our reputation. But… I couldn't be even more wrong."

"Don't you see now, Hiroshi-san? Your father doesn't control your life. You do. You may still have some regrets in your life, but it's never too late to make up to the people close to you and live the life that you wanted to live." Ryu stated.

"You're right. You're absolutely right." Hiroshi admitted. "What I've done… was wrong. I pushed away my son when he needed me most, and I continue to disrespect and discredit him for all the work he's done for society… even long after his passing. But then, I also rallied like-minded individuals who shared the same passion and ideals as me to terrorize the citizens of this country. But now I know, that this is not the way."

He takes off the gown and cap and throws them on the ground. "I quit being the role model of society, and the tradition." He let out a sigh of relief. "That… that felt great. When was the last time I felt this way? Now, I feel like I can finally enjoy life again. Hey, would you want to hang out some time? We can play a quick game of baseball of you'd like."

"We can do that. And we'll be there." Ken gave a thumbs up.

"That's great. Well then, see you soon."

Shadow Hiroshi disappeared from sight, ready to return to his original self.

The whole Jail begins to rumble.

"Okay, time to go now." Mac said.

Everyone escaped the Jail quickly to get back to reality.

Chapter Text

Everyone managed to get out of the Jail as they are now back in the real world. They had to catch their breath for a little bit since it was a long distance from here to there, and the pursuit of chase they got from some of the people during the escape didn't make it any better either.

"Oh man. Looks like that did it." Richter sighs.

"Yeah. Hopefully Ichinose and Sakuya got out of there safely." Ryu said.

"I'm sure they did. We should probably tell them that we have it taken care of." Shulk suggested.

"Right on it." Ken was about to get his phone out.

"No need." Ike saw a car driving by. "Looks like they're here."

The car stopped as Ichinose and Sakuya got off.

"You're just in time. We were gonna tell you that we've taken care of the problem. Your husband should be back to normal now." Mac notified.

"Thank you all so much. I really appreciate your help." Sakuya sighs in relief and bows.

"And thanks again for your help, Ichinose." Robin acknowledged.

"You're quite welcome." Ichinose accepted.

"By the way, do you know where Hiroshi is?" Lynn asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea. We had to floor it real quick as he was about to catch up on us."

"I see…"

"As far as I'm concerned, he's probably getting transit to get to where we're at, so he should be coming here soon."

"And I swear to god, if he brings his fuckface friends from that elitist cult, I'm gonna fuckin-" Jackie was about to say something.

"Hey, is that him?" Soren notices.

Everyone else turn to the man who hopped out of a taxi.

"Hmm. So it is." Kirby nods.

Hiroshi stepped forward, his expression now full of regret.

"Everyone. I…" He goes. "I owe you all an apology."

"Hmm? What for?"

"I was so caught up in trying to uphold the family tradition, that I started hurting everyone around me. I never realized that my actions would hurt the people around me. I cut my friends off, I shunned everyone who tried to get close to me, I terrorized people with my radical views of society… and I even shunned my own son away."

"Hiroshi…" Sakuya muttered.

"I have no right to criticize anyone, nor excuse my actions. They've all done their fair share and contributed wonderfully, especially my son, when he brought Masayoshi Shido to justice. In truth, I've done a lot more harm than I help, and I want to fix that."

He turns to Ken. "Ken-kun. I want to apologize to you for my recent actions. I know that we both met at such a rocky start when I vehemently talked down on your son, even if he would be ostracized and ridiculed. I always believed that you were right to defend him, but I chose to close my ears when the truth was right there in front of me."

Ken was actually surprised that he still remembered that.

"And I also want to apologize for my obscene gesture. I did it to get under your skin and have you try to hit me so I could call the cops on you, but I realized that I was still being petty from our last meeting, and it was wrong of me to do that. So…" He holds his hand out. "I want to make it up to you, as friends this time."

Seeing how the change of heart did wonders for Hiroshi as it did Sojiro and Nozomi, Ken offers his hand and they both shake.

"Sure thing, and I accept your apology."

"Thank you. I promise you I won't let you down again." Then he goes to his wife. "Sakuya, I'm so sorry that you had to put up with me. I should've realized by now how uncomfortable you felt after our last meeting with them, because all I could ever talk to you about was them. I won't do it again, and I want to make things right with you again."

"Oh, honey. I'm so glad that we're finally getting through this together."

"And if possible, I want to go back to Tokyo, and visit Akira again."

"You do?" Sakuya gasps.

"Yes. I never realized how much I missed him. I was so ready to dismiss him as a stranger and no longer call him our son. But deep down, I missed him too. I want to personally apologize to him for all the things that I've said to him. I know that there's no way for me to turn back time and redo the past, but I want to take responsibility for them, because I- no, WE owe him so much."

"Yes, we do. We caused him so much grief that we've never once shown him our gratitude. It may already be too late now, but I still want to pay my genuine respects for him."

"Me too."

The husband and wife hug it out as they're now ready to get their life back on track.

"So what will you do now?" Soren asked.

"First things first, I'm going to close down that server, delete EMMA from my life, and disband that little group. Whatever happens to them is no longer my problem."

"That's good to know."

"It is. And you're right about one thing. We never cared much about him. All we wanted from him was to be a good citizen, even follow the tradition that I had and become a model citizen. The consequences of my words and actions have never felt so painful, but I still want to set things right for him at least."

"Good plan."

"Heeyy!" A voice called out in the distance.

They all turn to where the sound came from, and it came from a group of people with baseball bats and gloves.

"You all have fun now." Ichinose waves as she goes her way.

"Whoa, Hiroshi, is that you? It's been a long time since we've last seen you!"

"H-Hey there, Kaito. Good to see you too."

"Huh. Ya look nice. Goin' to a fancy meetin' or somethin'?" Itsuki eyed on the outfit.

"Not this time. I'm just going to unwind a little and relax. Say, are you guys playing ball? Do you mind if I join in? it's been a long time since I played baseball."

"Hell yeah, dude! And if your friends wanna join, the more the merrier!"

"Actually, yeah! We wanna join in!" Mac spoke up.

"Awesome! Follow us, we found the perfect place to do our drills for the next game." Isamu said.

The baseball team lead everyone else to an open baseball field as they get themselves ready.

"So uh, what are we doing here?" Richter asks.

"Why you're helping us train, of course! This is our drill for the next game." Daiki told them.

"Oh yeah, you did say that."

"Huh. I gotta say, this place is pretty nice." Ken looked around.

"It is. You don't get a lot of those back home." Soren agrees.

"Yeah. Nothing quite like it."

"Alright team, it's been a long time since we last met, but I'm ready to help you all be prepared for your next game!" The team cheered upon Hiroshi's apparent return. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. These teams are much more formidable than we think, and we-"

"You know, this is the longest time I've seen Hiroshi this happy." Sakuya said.

That got some heads turning.

"Really?" Robin was intrigued by it.

"Yes. The first time I've seen him happy before was when we first met back in college. We started getting to know one another, then it turned to dating, and when we graduated, got married and had Akira. I will never forget those precious memories, even when I'm old and gray." she sighed. "But that happiness didn't last, for as much as I wanted it to."

"Because it lead to Akira being a convicted felon." Shulk pinpointed.

"Yes. Because that we wanted to be on the good side of the law, we didn't take our own son from his word, and we kicked him out of our house. We even went zero contact with him because we had considered him to be problematic for helping that woman. We couldn't even be more wrong."

"And what lead you to that conclusion?" Ike said next.

"It was the news that Masayoshi Shido was put in prison. The woman testified for his innocence, saying that she had to tell the police that Akira assailed her, and that Shido forced her to tell the police that he assaulted her. When we first heard about it, we still held the belief that even if that were true, we still labeled him as a disgrace for his defiance with the law. We were just too blind and arrogant to put it aside."

"The woman must have known that he wanted to help her get out of that situation, but this was the result." Robin said. "Everyone who he helped in their time of need fought hard to reclaim him his freedom, and the woman was the final nail to finally put Shido to justice."

"Every part of the world has their own evils, and Japan is no exception. But with the forces of good that are present, a difference can be made, no matter what they may be." Ryu stated.

"And that's a rock fact." Jackie, Kirby and Lynn said, raising a pebble.

Sakuya laughed a little. "You're right. It is a rock fact, indeed."

"Hey guys, you wanna join us?! You can help us with our drills!" Koji yelled to the group.

"Hell yeah, dude! We'll be over there!" Ken yelled back.

What was supposed to be drill practice turned into some good fun, as everyone laugh and cheer together, taking a group photo for their precious memories. The baseball team went part ways as it leaves Monsta X and the Kurusus to talk more.

"That was awesome! I didn't even care if my suit got dirty, it was great going back to playing ball again!" Hiroshi sounded excited. "Thank you all for helping me relearn how to have fun again."

"You're welcome." Shulk said.

"So, what's your next plan?" Richter asked.

"Well, I guess we should start packing and go back to Tokyo." Hiroshi answered. "I… want to go back and visit Akira again. We've said a lot of terrible things to him, and we want to come back to not just apologize to him, but also tell him how proud we are of him. That is the only closure I'll ever need."

"That's good. It may not look like much, but having him hear your honest words this time will give him closure, too." Soren agrees.

"Yes, indeed." Sakuya shares the sentiment. "We'll be on our way now. We'll leave tomorrow."

"Please, take care of yourselves." Lynn said.

"Thank you. And the same to you all as well."

"Farewell."

The husband and wife left, and not long after that the group went back to the bus to get some shuteye.

"Gotta hand it to you guys, you really got through to them, standing up for Akira like that." Mac says.

"It wasn't easy, but we just needed to knock some sense into him. Sakuya must've finally realized it after Soren went in on them." Ken reminded.

"They really were the worst people I've ever met, but after the change of heart, they're not so bad after all." The leader commented.

"Yeah, I wonder what they're gonna do now after all of this." Jackie thought.

"As long as it does not terrorize the civilians, I have no qualms for their future quests." Kirby said.

"I'll say." Ike yawned after that. "Man, I'm tired. Let's just go to sleep."

"For sure. Goodnight everyone." Robin said.

Everyone said their good nights and dozed off into the night.

By the time that Soren went into a deep sleep, he found himself on the outskirts of France. It was already nighttime as he can see the stars and moon above, and the Eiffel Tower is just in view. He's definitely sure that he's back in 1900's France again.

He sees Akira, still in Arsène form, looking out at the night sky.

"Yooo!" He called.

"Hey there. Didn't expect you to come here so willingly."

"I think I got the hang of being dragged here now. Plus, I'm eager to come back here and tell you what really happened."

Soren starts telling Akira about the change of heart hid dad had received.

"So you finally did it? You changed my dad's heart?"

"Yeah. It wasn't easy, but we did it, your mother included. It took them a long time to realize how much they fucked up by not taking your side, being there for you when you needed it most, and how much they ignored you all throughout. It may not seem like much, but I thought I should let you know about that. So now, they're gonna come back to Tokyo to visit you soon."

Akira's body starts shaking as sniffling can be heard faintly. The whole news hit him like a wall of bricks as he's processing all of it. This is probably the second time Soren has seen him this vulnerable before.

He goes up to hug him for assurance and comfort, and the teen hugged him back.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. 고마워."

Soren was surprised that Akira could say that, but he knows how to respond to it.

"천만에요. 넌 괜찮을 거야."

He wipes off the tears as he looks at him with a reassuring face and soft eyes.

"You know. They still have a lot of things to work out themselves, but they're willing to reconcile with you and bury the hatchet for good, so expect a visit from them soon."

"Yeah. You're right. I wanted to hear what they have to say from their own genuine feelings this times. Last time they visited, they said so much shit about me that I felt hurt from that."

"Yeah, I feel you there. Very understandable that you wanted some space from everyone knowing that."

"But umm… If I had to ask, did you also change my mom's heart, too?"

"Thankfully we didn't. She realized it sooner than your dad did, and coming from her expression and words, she really did realize the weight of it all."

"That's good to hear. I was happy that she apologized to me genuinely. Now, I'm just waiting for my dad to give his."

"And he's gonna do just that."

"Thank you, Soren. For everything."

"You're quite welcome. We might as well say that normally, but I wouldn't mind the little curveball from there."

"You guys are Monsta X after all. I really wanted to learn Korean after hearing the introduction, but I couldn't. Not with the limited time I had."

"I'm still struggling with it, but I'll get to it in no time. Jackie too."

"I know you will. And speaking of Jackie, give everyone my regards and thanks."

"I will." Soren yawns as he lays down on the patch of grass.

"Good night, Soren. I hope you have pleasant dreams."

"Good night, Akira. We'll talk soon…"

Soren conks out as he gets taken back to the real world in his sleep.

End of Kurusu arc

Ending

Chapter Text

With the conflict of the Kurusus finally resolved as they're going back to Tokyo, everyone came to an agreement that they should do something fun for once. They'll still buy some things for their friends and families, but they want to at least do one activity before they go onto the next one.

Figuring out what to do is the hard part. Universal was already off the table so they'll have to find something else. Robin told everyone to reconsider about it since this is their only chance to go there, even if they have to stay another day in Osaka. Ken seems reluctant at first, but he knows there's no better way to do it so he accepts.

They only stuck with Nintendo World as this was the only place of interest they can go to at the time, so if they want to go everywhere else in Universal, they'll have to do it another day.

Thanks to the express pass, as expensive as that is for literally 9 people, not including a service dog and a walking marshmallow, they were able to get to all of the rides that they wanted to go to, such as the Mario Kart challenge, Yoshi's Adventure which is exclusive to Japan and something Lucina told Robin about, and other things.

There was also Bowser Jr.'s challenge which Lynn ended up going in by herself, some of them went to the underground level to try out the touch screen interactions, and others went to the 1-Up factory merchandise store to buy some stuff for everyone else.

Once everyone's finished with their things, they all went to Kinopio's Café to get some lunch before heading out. They got themselves a variety of meals and side dishes and drinks such as the Mario and Luigi burgers, mushroom soup, fire flower spaghetti and meatballs, and so much more.

None of them have ever thought about being in a place like this, but the fact that they are now doing all of this is simply one of the many highlights and precious memories they will never forget.

They also ordered some drinks and desserts as well, such as the super star lemon squash which is now a personal favorite for some members, Princess Peach's cake, and pretty much everything on the menu.

As some of them couldn't finish their whole meals, they were fortunate that they got some boxes to-go as they'll finish them later during the next destination.

Lynn wanted to do the meet and greets for the people in costumes with Robin, Ryu and Shulk accompanying her, Soren, Ike and Ken screwed around with the mini-games, and Richter and Kirby going to the underground zone.

Mac was just sitting on a bench, looking at everyone doing their little side quests while relaxing. Jackie walked up and sat next to him.

"Yo." The dog said.

"'Sup." The boxer said back.

"What'chu been up to lately?"

"Oh you know… just reminiscing about this place."

"What about it?"

"It's just that… I remember that this is where she went with her friends. It was her first time going somewhere outside the Smash world. Boy was she full of energy and excitement when she told us everything about it."

"Oh yeah, that's right. The girl that's everyone's best friend. Renka, was it? I remember that name well."

"Yeah. Kirbs did tell you and Soren about her, didn't he?"

"Sure did. But still, I didn't think she would ever go to Universal here. That's actually crazy."

"Well, not here. She went to the one in Hollywood."

"Oh, right. There's two of them there."

"She got everyone so many gifts. There was no way we could possibly pay her back with such kindness like this. It really felt like we don't even deserve her for all of this."

"But the fact that she got you all of the stuff from here proves how grateful she must've been, and she wants to pay you back in the way she knows how. If it wasn't for her, there wouldn't be anything like it, right?"

"You're right. The gifts were one thing, but spending some time with her really is irreplaceable, and nothing can change that."

"Right on. Speaking of which, what was your interactions like with her? I'd love to hear it."

"Well-" He chuckles a little. "This is gonna be a weird one, but it was during the time when the Hands called me, Mario, Samus, and Isabelle to do the Santa's Workshop popup."

"Wait, what?" that took Jackie back.

"I know, weird, isn't it? Anyway, it was during the holidays that they called us to do this, with Mario dressing up as Santa, me and Samus as elves, Yoshi as the reindeer, and Isabelle being the receptionist, it was a very busy time because, you know how holidays are."

"Obviously, with everything else going on."

"Right, so it's at that point where we saw her and her parents coming in, and we overheard the conversation that Renka wanted to meet her idol, Azura."

"Oh yeah, I remember that part!" The Shiba's tail wagged. "She wanted to meet her so bad so she told Mario about it. Did you guys actually do it?"

"We did, with a little bit of help."

"How exactly?"

"We talked to Palutena and the Corrin twins to see if they can get Azura in so they can finally meet one on one. I guess they already knew we were coming to tell them about it. And before we know it, they already got her in."

"Really now? What was her reaction like?"

"She was OVER the galaxy that she finally got to meet her. It's been her lifelong dream, and she finally got she wanted."

"That was a helluva lifelong dream to finally get it. It must've taken a lot of patience and waiting for that to happen. I'm happy that she got it in the end."

"Me too."

Everyone had already finished up with what they were doing as it was now time to go.

They finally got back to the bus, putting everything up on the shelves and cupboards and the food in the fridge. Some of them are still not entirely sure how much stuff they can put in those shelves, but they hope that they have enough space for other souvenirs once they're done with the trip.

"Man do we have a lot of stuff here." Mac looked at the shelves.

"I know. The bus will be full of souvenirs by the time we get back to Tokyo." Robin commented.

"I mean, some of the stuff we got aren't even that big so I think we should be alright." Soren said.

"I'm not sure how careful we can be with our choices in spending." Shulk pondered.

"If it's for food, I wouldn't mind it. Plus, we get more money from the Metaverse than we do anywhere else." Ike said.

"And yet that is factual." Kirby agreed.

"In any case, I think it's time that we leave Osaka and go onto another city, don't you think?" Ryu says.

"Right we are, and we're gonna go once everything's ready." Ken goes to get the engine started.

"Hey!" They recognize that voice again. "Hi!"

"Ichinose! What brings you here?" Richter greeted.

"I saw that you guys are about to leave so I thought I want to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Would it be okay if I can join you all?"

"Huh? Wait, didn't you say that you wanted to come with us in the first place?" Jackie remembered.

"I did, but now I've a found a reason to ask you this."

"What is it?" Lynn asked.

"The recent return off EMMA is what's troubling me the most. I'm sure some of you know the Phantom Thieves destroyed EMMA previously. But it appeared out of nowhere, and I don't know if there's someone or something that revived it."

"I get where you're coming from. We had those same exact thoughts when we saw it on our phones." Soren said. "Even though they did get rid of it, we didn't think it would actually end up in our phones."

"And if that's the case, then there may be more Monarchs up ahead." Robin pondered. "Whoever they may be we don't know, but we'll find them, wherever they are."

Ichinose sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to spoil the fun. I want to figure out how EMMA came back into existence."

"It's all good. We wanna figure that too, so… why not join together?" Ken proposed.

"That would be great. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Shulk acknowledged.

"So it seems have a new guest in the bus then." Kirby said.

"Seems to be that way." Ryu nodded.

"Yay, more people to play with!" Lynn cheered.

"Shall we get going, Ken?" Ike called.

"Alright, no more delays! Let's get it on!"

Ken starts the bus as they now leave Osaka for good.

With Ichinose and Sophia on board, the bus becomes a little livelier now than ever with Lynn interacting with Sophia, and even some of the guys joining in as Ichinose helps explain to them what Sophia can really do.

On the other hand, Kirby now has Soren and Jackie picking up where they left off.

"So Kirby, what other experiences have you had with her?" Soren asked.

"Ah, so you wish to know more about her? Yes, I do have plenty of tales of her. What is it that you wish to hear?" Kirby asked for a request.

"Uhh…" Jackie starts to think. "Well, since you guys already told her about us, I really want to hear about her life in that world when she was still alive." Jackie said.

"Very well then. Shall we proceed?"

"Yeah. We're ready."

"Tell it to us."

Kirby now tells another story about how Renka had lived her life in that world, and how others have come to make her feel like she belonged there.

Chapter Text

Opening

"Wait, so you mean to say that she was a full-on burglar and she was stealing stuff on a basis?" Jackie said.

"That is correct. She was a thief that had stolen property before she was found." Kirby answered. "Fortunately, she had long redeemed herself and moved past her life of thievery."

"Hmm, I think we get the picture here." Soren hummed. "Sometimes, when you feel like you have no other alternatives, you just gotta steal to survive. I've heard a lot of stories like that before."

"And even though she's long gone now, at least she was happy and did what she loved. That's what matters most." Jackie stated.

"That's right. I feel we get proven that every time we ask about her. About how loved she was, how much she meant to everyone, and how much she changed for the better. It's almost as if… her spirit continues to live on, even after death. She must've known how much she loved you all, and that she wished for all of you to be happy."

"Indeed. Her bonds with everyone are far stronger, because it is her will that live on within all of us. There will be nothing to change that." Kirby smiles.

"Thanks for telling us this, Kirbs. I'm looking forward to hearing the next part." Jackie said.

"And thank you for your time. We shall continue this another day."

With Ichinose and Sophia in tow, the bus capacity has now increased to 13 (12 since Sophia is in Ichinose's phone). Ichinose herself took the wheel so Ken can take a rest from driving. With Osaka out of sight, everyone now has to pick somewhere else to go to.

"Say now, do we even know where we're going?" Shulk asked.

"Uh, nope. We're just driving around aimlessly." Ichinose admitted.

"According to the GPS, we are approximately 1000 miles away from Osaka from the east." Sophia calculated.

"Really? We're that far out?" Ken didn't realize that.

"Apparently. I thought we were gonna go slower than that." Ike shrugged.

"I've never driven a bus before, but I do know that I'm not supposed to drive over the limit and make wide turns on intersections." Ichinose said.

"That's good to hear. I'm afraid none of us can drive the bus at this moment." Ryu chuckled.

"I ain't gonna say a goddamn word about this too." Jackie shook his head.

"But still, where else are we gonna go? We've already went to Kyoto and Osaka, and we're definitely not going to Okinawa anytime soon, so… where do we go from here?" Richter thought.

"Wait." Lynn spoke up suddenly. "There's someplace I want to go."

"Sure. Where do you want to go?" Mac asked.

"Can we go to Yokosuka?"

"I mean, sure, we can go there. But what for if I may ask?" Robin said.

"There's something about that city… that draws me closer to it. I don't know what it is, but I want to find out more about it."

"Of course, if that is what you wish for." Kirby acknowledged.

"Alright then. Yokosuka it is. Sophia, can you set the location?" Ichinose requested.

"I've got it. From Osaka to Yokosuka, up to approximately 7 hours." Sophia said.

"7 hours?! Geez, that's a long way from here!" Ken exclaimed.

"And plus, it's nighttime so we gotta get to sleep too." Soren looks out from the window.

"You guys go on and get some rest. I'll wake you when we get there." Ichinose called.

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright, though? It is a long trip, after all." Shulk voiced his concerns.

"I'll be fine. I've been around the country before, and around the world to understand humans more. And don't worry, I have Sophia to accompany me."

"You can count on me to keep her company, and to keep us safe from accidents." Sophia chimed.

"Thank you, Sophia. We appreciate your help, really." Robin said.

"It's no probs. Good night, everyone. Sweet dreams."

Everyone said their good nights as they went to sleep early. Since the built-in tent can't be used when the bus is moving, some members have to find somewhere else to sleep to make themselves comfortable. But with a few arrangements, they were able to sleep just fine.

Soren went to sleep early because he wanted to go to the Velvet Room so bad and tell them about what happened in Osaka. Just as when he arrives, they're all here.

"Yo." Soren greeted.

"Hey there. We've been waiting." Ren greeted back.

"Got you some stuff."

He grabs stuff out of the bag and each one received their respective presents. Ren got another Rubiks cube, but much larger and harder to solve. Lavenza received a sewing kit. Igor was given a set of what appears to be Play-Doh.

"Ahh, I've never seen a magnificent object such as this." Igor remarked. "Thank you for the wonderful gifts, Mr. Rover."

"Yeah, for sure. I didn't even know i could find these on the market."

"It would seem that Akira also had that same thought." Lavenza recalled. "He had no idea that such things like these exist."

"Really now? Hmm." Soren hands over the bag for a refill.

"While you are here, Mr. Rover, we have concluded our first expedition of our discoveries." Igor said.

"You got updates? Hit me with it."

"I have found more remnants of the burned documents in relation to the child from the excerpt I had read before."

"What is it that you've found?"

"This text states here that the child became entrapped in the box, shutting its lid completely to the outside world. It is assumed that inside the box was pitch black and filled with nothingness, slowly destroying the mind of any mortal should they be trapped inside the box."

"Hmm…"

"For the child, they showed no fear to the darkness. But rather, they embrace it, as if it is their ode to freedom. Because that the box has been modified by them by their imagination, the child has limitless power and control over the box as they are free to create anything they desire. And thus, their creative freedom knows no bounds."

"Interesting. So because that they're the one that found the box, they can do whatever they want with it. But the real question is, how did they ever come across it, and what was it that gave it or that pouch some kind of power?"

"These are all valid questions, Mr. Rover, though I'm afraid that this is where the excerpt ends."

"Thanks for the update, Igor. Keep me posted on it, yeah?"

"Of course." The old man chuckled.

"I guess we'll go next." Ren said. "So me and Lavenza split up to investigate more of those disturbances caused by the third party. And what we saw… wasn't anything like we've seen before."

"What did you find?"

"It was a black hole, one that expands in size and absorbs everything in its path." Lavenza explained. "Unfortunately, we were not able to locate the perpetrator, nor the minions that caused the black holes to appear."

"Why do I feel like I know this one? Hold on, if you say black holes, are they getting bigger as we speak?"

"Not exactly. It usually stays at the size depending on whatever it was that caused it, but it's still not safe to go near it." Ren elaborated.

"That's all of the updates we have for now. We'll let you know what we'll discover next." the girl said.

"Thanks, dudes. Looking forward to hear what comes next."

"Anytime. Here." Ren gives Soren the bag as the fees are paid. "You know, my parents did not give a single fuck about me ever since I was born. They told me that I was an unplanned pregnancy, they never wanted any children during their marriage, and I secretly overheard their conversations about putting me up for adoption."

"Holy shit, really?"

"Yeah. It was clear to me that I was an unwanted child, and they always hated me since then. But due to the stigma in their hometown, they had no choice but to raise me until I was old enough for them to disown me immediately and then have me live with my Sojiro, but even he was no better."

"Ren…" Lavenza muttered.

"Wow, I…" Soren was left speechless. "I didn't-"

"It's fine. I'm over it anyway. I have Master and Lavenza to keep me company, and I also have you to thank. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd be doing all of this, or have the closure that Akira's parents are now trying to bury the hatchet with him, so… thank you."

"Anytime, bro." Soren pats his shoulder. "I'll be going now, but don't forget that I'm here if you need to talk."

"I'll keep that in mind. See you around."

"We shall meet again soon." Igor said.

"Hey, hey guys. Wake up." Ichinose opens the blinds, getting onto everyone's faces, making them groan. "We're here now."

Robin looked outside the window to see Mt. Fuji in sight.

"Looks like we are."

"Yeah, I can totally see it from here." Jackie said the same.

"We should get ready then." Mac says.

Everyone got off the bus to look around at their surroundings. They're currently at Kanagawa, parked at one of the parking lots reserved for trucks and buses.

"So this is Yokosuba." Ryu remarks.

"Whoa… look at this place." Ike looked out from beyond.

"There's so much to see, and so much to do. I don't even know where to start." Ken said.

"Me neither. This isn't like anywhere else at all." Richter agreed.

"But we all have to start somewhere, so I'll look it up real quick." Shulk grabs his guidebook.

Lynn walked towards where the mountain is as she begins processing what she's seeing.

"Lynn? What is it that is on your mind?" Kirby asks.

"This is… this is where I was born…"

Chapter Text

"Wait, for real? You're from Yokosuka?!" Ken was flabbergasted.

"From the Kanagawa Prefecture precisely." Kirby detailed.

"That's right. It felt like that this place was locked away from my memories." Lynn said. "But coming back here… something in my mind must have sparked it. I don't know how or why it happened, but I want to know more about this place. Who I am, where I came from, what my life was like before this, everything. I want to know everything about it."

"We'll help you." Mac offered.

"We'll all help you." Shulk added.

"Are you sure?" the girl asked. "But you guys don't know anything about me, and yet you accepted me into your group. How can you be certain that you'll help me find my memories? I may not be who you think I am."

"It doesn't matter." Richter interjected. "It doesn't matter who you are, who you believe you are, or what you identify as, you are you, Lynn. And no one is gonna change that."

"Yeah. We accept you not because of the same powers that you have like us. It's because you mean so much to us, ever since you saved Jackie from the surprise attack." Ike recalled.

"And don't forget that we're here for you, like you're here for us. We still stand by you and support you the whole way, no matter how long it takes for you to find that certain someone." Jackie's tail wags.

"Thank you, everyone. I'm so happy to have everyone's support." Lynn smiled.

"We're all in this together, man. It's only up from here." Soren gives a quick side hug.

"Right."

"Are you ready to go, Lynn?" Ryu asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Here, Ken." Ichinose tossed the key fob back to the martial artist. "I'm gonna go rest now."

"Sure thing. Rest well, Ichinose." Robin waved as she went inside the bus.

"Alright then, let's go see what this city has to offer." Ken said.

The group went around the city, looking at all the sights that neither Tokyo, Kyoto nor Osaka had. From Shulk's guidebook, there is another museum of art, parks of all the sorts, shrines and temples, and even Disneyland, but they skipped it since they already went to Universal.

What's most surprising is that there is a military base around here, which is most evident where there are memorials here.

"For whatever reason, I can actually see Guile being stationed here temporarily." Ryu commented.

"Oh, you think so? I was actually thinking about it, too." Ken can concur.

"Yeah, he can be just about anywhere now, if he didn't turn back into a Spirit." Soren said.

"Oh yeah, good point."

"This place is incredible. I don't think I've seen anything like this before." Robin was amazed by the sights.

"Yeah, me neither. It's way different compared to the other cities. I kinda like it." Richter said.

"I wonder what we'll find when we go further." Shulk thought.

"A lot of fun stuff, that's for sure." Mac told him.

Lynn explored more of the city, taking in all of the sights that she hasn’t seen before. It felt like a lot has changed since then, but she still doesn't remember what her life was like so she wants to see if she can spark some old memories back.

"What was my life really like back then? I can't seem to remember it…" Lynn muttered.

"It's okay if you don't remember it clearly, Lynn. There's no rush, but don't strain yourself too much, alright?" Jackie assured her. "It won't do you well if you keep pressuring yourself like this."

"Jackie is correct. You must maintain yourself, and you must not tire yourself to the brink of exhaustion." Kirby says. "Do not forget that we are here to assist you."

"You're right. I should remember that. Thanks for reminding me."

They hear a stomach growling.

"Sorry, that was me." Ike admitted.

"We should get something to eat. I don't think we had breakfast when we got out." Mac suggested.

"Let me see." Shulk got his guidebook out. "Oh! We can go to Hamakura where they have some seafood there."

"Not my ideal bunch, but I can roll with it." Richter shrugs.

"Alright, then I guess we'll go there. We'll get Ichinose something when she wakes up." Ryu said.

They order pretty much everything off the menu, from fishbowls, poke, sashimi, pretty much everything.

"The good thing about restaurants like these is that they keep the fish fresh all the time. Can't go wrong with them." Jackie comments as he nibbles on a tuna.

"No, you really can't. The sushi restaurant back at home does it justice." Soren added.

"You're gonna have to take us there next time when we come visit." Richter suggested.

"Sure. I'll hold onto that."

"It's kind of a shame that fish can't be considered meat, but I can't complain about the nutritional value they have." Ike said.

"If you want, I can give you a recipe on how to make fish and meat delectable for you." Ryu recommended.

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

Very well then, but don't forget that you can ask me any time you want if you want to make one."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Mac and Kirby cleaned their bowls and plates nicely as they wipe their mouths with their napkins.

"Ahh, that was a good one." The boxer breathed. "I see you cleaned your plate nicely, Kirbs."

"It is rather crude of me if I inhale my food in a public establishment, so I have learnt to consume my food like the rest of you. Table manners, as you say." The pink puff said.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about you eating everything like you used to." Shulk laughed, and so did everyone.

"I will have you know I can very well do that, even if my psyche is altered. Would you wish me to?"

"Sorry, sorry. I jest."

"Hmph." But knowing that, he laughs along with them.

"Okay, I'm gonna go wash my hands now." Lynn announces.

"I'll keep watch." Ryu went with her.

"I'll go wring us up." Ken went to pay the bill.

"This is what I enjoy the most, you know. Going on a road trip with all of my friends here, enjoying delicious food, seeing all the new sights. Good times. I hope we can treasure it for a good long time." Robin smiled.

"You're right about that. I'm happy that we get to experience this together." Shulk agreed. "It'll eventually come to an end, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy them."

"Plus, we got a lot of cool shit and took a lot of photos. We can always look back at them and really say 'We did that.' No better way to put that there." Soren added.

"True. I just hope that we'll never forget them, no matter how much time has passed. I want those to be engraved in our memories." The tactician looked out at the city, admiring the view from there.

The group went out to do some shopping as they want to explore further. Lynn looked at some souvenirs that she can decorate the bus with, as they all look cute and fitting with the road trip theme. She bought them all so she could get started on it.

As she exited the store, she noticed a man with two more men by his side. He has this sinister smile that doesn't seem to go away, and the men are assumed to be either his bodyguards, or more fittingly, subordinates.

Suddenly, memories suddenly surface from Lynn's mind as she started breathing heavily, clutching onto her chest, tears coming out of her eyes. She was close to a meltdown as the man got close to her, until he was stopped by Ike and Richter, with very angry faces plastered on them.

Richter clears his throat. "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded.

"Ah, hello there gentlemen. I was just passing by, and I noticed this young lady here." The man said. "As you can see, I'm a scientist, and I'm going around, finding subj- people who are willing to do a 'social experiment' for me. I can see that she's a good fit for it."

"You are not going anywhere near her, and we won't let you do whatever you want with her." Ike got up close and personal with the man.

"Watch who you're talking to, boy." One of the henchmen pushed Ike away from the man.

"And watch who you're pushing, guy." Ken backhands the guy right in the face.

"Ohh. And who might you be?" The scientist's interest has piqued.

"We don't know who you are or what you're doing here, but you're not going to disrespect our friends any longer." Shulk pointed his finger at them angrily.

"Go any further, and we will take legal action against you." Ryu threatened.

"Who do you think you are, to order us around?" The other henchman sneered. "You will regret messing with-"

"Let's go." The scientist says.

"But sir."

"You heard them. We don't want to be in any more trouble than we are now. Let's just go." He orders his subordinates to come back with him. "Very well. You win. We'll leave you be for now. But remember, you're making a grave mistake by refusing my offer."

"And if we ever see you going near her again, we're beating your ass. Hard." Mac gripped his fist tightly.

The three men left, and the group was left to comfort the girl who has been sobbing uncontrollably for the past 10 minutes. Soren, Jackie and Kirby arrive quickly.

"Guys, what the hell happened?" Soren asked, panicked and concerned.

"Some weird guys try to take Lynn away." Robin explained. "Thankfully, Ike and Richter stepped in before anything happened."

"That is a relief. How is she?" Kirby asked.

"Not well. I think the presence of those men must've caused her to have a breakdown." Shulk said.

"Let's get back to the bus and fill us in. I know there's a lot to unpack here." Jackie issued.

"Yeah. Right now, I don't think we should be doing anything else today." Ike mumbled.

As they went back to the bus, Jackie and Kirby saw the man, who the group had recently interacted with from their perspective, loitering around with his guys, looking away from the group while trying to get a peep from them. Their brows narrow as they can't wait to whoop their asses.

They look back at Soren, who has the same expression as they do, with all three of them having pieced together what happened. Now, they'll need to hear how they ran into them.

Chapter Text

They had to take some time off to comfort Lynn, who was recovering from a meltdown. It appears that there was this creepy scientist that took a very keen interest in her as he got way too close to her, to which she started panicking and crying, with Ike and Richter stepping in to protect her from him. The rest followed and threatened legal action and an ass-whooping if they find him snooping around again.

"What the fuck, dude?!" Jackie was beyond appalled. "That guy's creepy as fuck! Who goes around to other people like that?!"

"I second that. That shit's hella creepy. You can't just go up to them and be like 'Hey, wanna do an experiment with me?' That's not how it works. You can't just fuckin do that to them." Soren ranted. "And by the way, if I ever saw him, I'll clock his ass."

"I concur. He deserves a brutal beatdown for reducing Lynn to such a state. This cannot be allowed." Kirby narrows his eyes.

"I'm with you there, but there's something that's been bothering me about this." Ichinose said. "When the man said that we're making a grave mistake by refusing his offer, what does he mean by that?"

"He probably thinks we're this stupid by not giving him what he wanted, but we're not doing that." Mac said. "Lynn is our friend, and we're not gonna let anyone or anything hurt her."

"If he really thinks that he can just walk up and do whatever he wants and gets away with it, he's gonna have something coming to him." Ike balled his fist.

"And I don't care if he has 100 or 200 men dispatched, we'll still kick his ass." Ken exuded confidence from his words.

"Guys, I know that we all want to do just that, but we need to stop and think about this for a minute." Robin said. "We still don't know what he's capable of, nor do we know who he really is. How can we really confront him if we don't have any information about him?"

"I do."

Lynn came out of the room, her face already dried from tears but still left a stain on it.

"Lynn!" Jackie ran up to her. "You alright man? We heard what happened."

"I'm okay. Thank you everyone, for protecting me."

"We're glad that you're safe, Lynn." Ryu expressed his relief. "But if I have to ask, what is the relation of you and that man?"

"That man, he… I was one of his test subjects."

That became a widely rude awakening for everyone hearing it, even Kirby.

"His… his test subject?" Robin repeated.

"Yes. He brought me into his lab so he could do experiments on me. All I could remember was that every day, I would be strapped in wires. He cranks up the power, I scream in pain from the intensity, and he revels in whatever it was he was trying to achieve."

"Oh, Lynn…" Shulk muttered.

"My body was beyond damaged. All of those experiments had taken a huge toll on it, and whatever it was that was… injected into me, it's a part of me now. I… I wished for someone, anyone, to come save me from this horrid nightmare. But help never came."

"So is that why you… Oh…" Mac went to embrace her. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Lynn. If only we had known not to push you too much."

"It's okay. I'm okay now, because I have you all here by my side. I'm eternally grateful that you all gave me a chance to stay and belong. When you defended me from the man, deep down, I felt happy, knowing that I have someone to depend on if I was ever in trouble, and you were all there for me, so… thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

"Anything for you, Lynn." Richter pats her head. "Remember what I said before? It really doesn't matter who you believe you are or how your past made you, what truly matters is that you're you, and no one's gonna change that. Not one bit."

"That's right. We promise you that we'll never let that guy get near you again." Ike assured her.

"And no matter what happens, we will always be there with you in every step of the way." Ryu smiled warmly.

"Thank you, everyone. Truly." Lynn giggled.

"So uh, group hug?" Soren suggested.

"Yeah, group hug!" Jackie piled in, getting everyone to join in. "Come on, Ichinose, join in. you too, Sophia."

"Oh, okay." Ichinose got Sophia ready for the both of them to join in.

After what happened today, this was all Lynn really needed. People who she can call friend and people who she can rely on. Being with them is what gave her all the strength she needs, and it feels right for her to feel at home with them.

"But still, how are we going to figure this guy out?" Robin breaks off the hug to get back on the issue.

"I have an idea!" Sophia chimed in.

"Really? What is it?" Shulk asked.

"If I remember correctly, the man said that you're making a grave mistake by refusing his offer. It would mean that he will come after you all again until you give in to his demands."

"But that's the problem, he'll keep doing it because we're not gonna do that." Ken reiterated.

"And that's why I've come up with the perfect solution for it."

"Which is…?"

"We'll wait until midnight."

"Really? That's your solution?" Jackie said.

"Mhm. Listen to this. When I was with the Phantom Thieves at the time back in Okinawa, there were brainwashed locals that had their Desires taken. Zenkichi had picked up the cue that something was off, and when it came nightfall, he was right. So following your logic, the man may be planning to invade your space when midnight comes."

"So you're saying that we need to stay up past our bedtime just so we could get a read on him?" Mac said.

"That is correct."

"Hmm. This could be advantageous for us, in a way." Kirby agreed.

"What do you mean?" Soren asked.

"If Sophia believes that this man will appear by midnight, then we can counteract with our own plan. In this situation, we can prepare ourselves for any underhanded tactic he may do."

"That's a genius move. Let's get started while we have time." Ryu suggested.

Everyone had already finished their preparations as usual, but with extra precautions. They hit up Zenkichi to tell him what happened, as he agreed to help. They move the bus to another location so that the guy can't access it, and Ichinose and Sophia will assist them in finding the Jail, if there's any.

Midnight has already hit the clocks, and it's time to see if Sophia's deductions are true.

They got out of one of the stores, walking past everyone as they went back to their previous parking lot. They saw a horde of guys waiting for them, with one of them standing in front of them. It seems Sophia was right about it, and it's time to face it head on.

"Hold it right there!" The scientist said.

"Huh?" Ike said.

"I told you that you're making a mistake."

"And we told you that we don't care." Robin bit back.

"And besides, didn't we tell you that we're gonna beat your ass if we ever saw you again?" Mac recalled.

"Yes, you did tell me that, but I will do no such thing until you cave in to my demands."

"Well then, we're not gonna hand her over to you. End of discussion." Richter finalized.

"Very well then. Have it your way." The scientist walked back a little before stopping. "But I'm not walking away until I get that girl back. Now hand her over or die!"

"If you want her that bad, then come fight us." Soren challenged.

The scientist orders his henchman to come take their stance, possibly to open fire at them, until a light shined on them.

"Freeze! Nobody move!" It was Zenkichi leading the charge, and along with him, a very familiar woman.

"Sae Niijima?! How did she get into the mix?" Jackie was surprised and puzzled simultaneously.

"Who is she?" Lynn asked.

"A prosecutor turned into a defense lawyer. Plus, she's a friend of ours." Ken answered.

"All of you are under arrest for disturbing the peace! You will drop your weapons and step forward for further instructions!" One of the officers announced.

"Shit. The police. I'm already in enough trouble as it is, but I'm still not leaving without that girl. Guards, stop the cops! The rest of you, go after them!"

"Here they come." Kirby alerted the group.

One of the grunts went in after them, but one cop tackled him with the shield before he could reach them. The cops somehow manage to disarm the enemies from their guns as it turned into an all-out brawl. Zenkichi and Sae knocked out some enemies before convening with the group.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? It's good to see you doing well." Sae greeted.

"Yeah, it is." Ryu greeted back.

"Ichinose gave me the rundown of what happened, and Niijima offered to help." Zenkichi said. "As much as we wanna talk, you better get going."

"Call us once you're out of sight. We'll handle the rest." The lawyer instructed.

"Right. Thanks again." Shulk ran off with Lynn.

"Much obliged." Kirby bowed.

The pink marshmallow actually clocked one of the grunts out cold before catching up with everyone else.

They managed to get away from the city for as far as they possibly could, stopping near the forest as they were catching their breath from all that running.

"Okay. It looks like we lost them." Shulk breathed.

"What was the deal with this guy?! He was still going after Lynn, even when we heard that he was already in bigger trouble than he was before!" Richter said.

"Maybe there's a reason as to why Zenkichi immediately accepted our request." Jackie panted.

"I think so too, but I guess that can wait until we're in the clear." Ryu said.

"In the meantime, we should probably hide somewhere until then, like the Metaverse." Mac suggested.

"Yeah, seems like a good idea too." Ike agreed.

"Speaking of Metaverse- Ichinose, Sophia, didn't you say that you wanted to find a Jail here?" Ken asked.

"That's right. Sophia might have picked up a stronger presence of it here, even much more so than most of the places you went to." Ichinose replied.

"How so?"

"I'm not sure, but I know I sensed it halfway when we were going to Yokosuka." Sophia admits.

"Hmm…" Robin started thinking. "If Sophia did manage to detect a Jail from a mile away, then there must be a Monarch somewhere. But who?"

"It's definitely not that scientist dude. A lot of screws loose with him." Jackie called.

"And also not any of us. Hopefully not." Soren knocked on a tree.

"Who could it be, though? There isn't a single person we know that could have Jails or Palaces or whatever. Who else could even fit that bill?" Mac thought.

"Perhaps we can view EMMA to see who is the next candidate." Kirby suggested.

"Uh, I don't know about that Kirbs, but it's better than just standing here."

Mac opened up EMMA to see what the marshmallow was going on about. He discovered that it does have some sort of search engine built in, but it felt like he didn't have to do any of that because…

Seeing what was on his screen really made him drop his phone, and it broke in an instant.

"Mac? What's wrong?" Richter asked.

"Look- look at your phones real quick. On EMMA. You're not gonna believe this." The boxer said, with horror on his face.

Everyone open up EMMA to check out what got Mac so horrified. They had the same reaction that he had.

"No… no way…" Shulk spoke.

"This can't be real, can it?" Ken was in total disbelief. "I mean, this isn't even-"

"I know, I'm looking at the same thing you are." Robin said the same.

"What's going on?" Lynn asked.

"Umm… you're gonna have to see this." Ike shows her the screen, and he too saw the same horror on her face.

"No… this can't be… is it…?"

"Yes. I'm afraid it's true. The Monarch of this Jail… is Renka." Ryu said.

Silence fell onto them, as they try to process all of this.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, but who's Renka?" Ichinose asked.

"From what me and Soren were told, she was a singer whose singing powers go way beyond divine, and she was everyone's friend." Jackie explained.

"I see."

"So… the person I've been looking for this whole time… was dead?" Lynn falls to her knees.

"I'm so sorry, Lynn. I didn't realize that our conversations would be this disheartening to you." Soren empathized.

"No, I don't blame you for that. You had the right to know, but… I didn't think that she was already gone…"

"Oh, Lynn…" Jackie whimpered.

"But… if it really is her Jail… then I want to see what's inside."

"Me too. All of us do." Ken nods.

"And I think I know what the keyword is." Ike says.

"What is it?" Ichinose wanted to know.

"It's Blue Forest."

"Wait--I can smell a Jail. The scent is already all around us!" Sophia notified.

Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation.

The shift in change starts to take place.

Chapter Text

Everyone entered the Metaverse just fine, though the revelation that they received was not pleasant at all. They had just found that the Monarch of this Jail in Yokosuka is none other than Renka, their late best friend. They couldn't even believe that EMMA had discovered it, and not one of them ever figured out how that came to be.

And the worst part is that the setting of the Jail is exactly what the keyword is, a blue forest, bringing in a sense of familiarity, dread and mockery at the same time.

"Is this the forest? It's so beautiful." Ichinose remarked.

"Whoa… this is… nothing like I've ever seen before… What is this place?" Jackie awed at the sight of it.

"So this is what it looks like. Never thought I see this before in my lifetime." Soren whispered.

"This… this can't be real. Can it?" Robin looked around.

"I know, right? This is a lot to take, but…" Mac tried to say something.

"She's dead! Dead people can't have Jails, can they?" Ken said.

"I don't know. But I thought she was already at peace with herself when she died." Ike recalled.

"That's what I thought as well, but… what is it that made this Jail to exist in the Metaverse?" Ryu pondered.

"But how do we even know that? It could be a trap set up by that scientist dude just so he could capture Lynn." Richter argued.

"Maybe, but what if he doesn't know that it exists?" Shulk counterargued. "Since he didn't follow us all the way thanks to Zenkichi and Sae, we should be safe in here for now, even though he's still pursuing us."

"But even then, how would we even know? He could've tampered with it or something."

"Even if he did, it won't stop us from looking around here. We could find some valuable information here like we always do." Mac supposed.

That is correct. The man may not be of question currently. As Shownu has stated, it is important to discover anything valuable, as to how this Jail became to be." Kirby said.

"That's true. We won't be going back to the real world anytime soon, so we may as well stay here for now." Ike sighs.

"I guess I'll stay here as well." Ichinose said. "I'm in no position to fight, and I clearly don't have a Persona like all of you do."

"Plus, this spot is relatively safe from Shadows so you have nothing to worry about." Robin assures her.

"May I request to join your team?" Sophia requested.

"Eh?" Richter turned to her.

"I can provide assistance should you need one. I may be an AI, but I can prove to be a valuable asset, because I am Sophie, humanity's companion."

"Humanity's companion, huh? Alright then, you can join us on this." Soren accepted.

"Thank you, Soohyun. I promise I won't let you down."

"Huh…?" Lynn noticed something.

"Aqua? What's the matter?" Ryu asked.

"I think… I heard someone calling me. I need to go find whoever it is." She runs off into the forest.

"Aqua wait, come back! Aqua!" Ken called out, but she was already out of earshot. "The hell's gotten into her?"

"We gotta catch up to her, quick." Ike said. "Soohyun, let's get going."

"Alright. Let's go."

"Be careful, everyone." Ichinose said as she watches them go deep in the forest.

With Sophia on the team, Monsta X explore deep inside the forest, trying to find where Lynn is after running off from the group. She said that she heard someone calling for her and went to go check it out.

While finding her, with the exception of Soren, Jackie and Sophia, everyone had some mixed feelings all around.

"What is going on with this place? Why does it feel so familiar, even though it's a Jail?" Mac observed.

"Yeah, and I can't even tell if it actually came back, or it's someone else playing tricks on us." Richter wondered.

"Maybe, but we have to find Aqua first. She can't be far from here." Shulk said.

As they go further in, they came across something that struck a core memory in them all.

"Hey… is that…" Ike perceived.

"It is!" Richter runs up to pick it up off the floor.

"What's that?" Soren said.

"This must be her songbook. She must've written a lot of songs on this book when she was still alive."

"Really now?" Jackie became intrigued by the notion. "I kinda wanna look at it, not gonna lie, but is it safe to open it? It's almost like opening someone's diary, and you know I respect people's privacy."

"Me too, but I really do wanna see it in there." Soren admits. "I hope she doesn't smite us with it."

"I do not think so, although none of us have seen this before." Kirby said.

"I have." Robin confessed. "She actually showed it to me when she invited me and a few others to her home. It was a work in progress at the time, but it looked to me that she put so much care and effort into it that, in terms of Metaverse standards, it was her Treasure."

"I mean, even with your special permission, I'm still not sure if we can open it." Jackie says.

"Knowing her, I'm sure she would've shared it to us regardless."

"Well, if you say so."

Robin opens up the book that contains not only the lyrics that Renka wrote, but also photos of various things, ranging from photos with friends and family, recording sessions, and even that Universal trip Robin mentioned.

"Wow… she did so many things with you all…" Sophia remarked.

"She did. It acted not only as a songbook, but also a photo album and a memo journal." Ike mentioned.

"Ah, so you've seen it too then?" Soren said.

"More or less."

"We'll go look at it later. Right now, we need to catch up with Aqua." Shulk said.

"Yeah. I just hope she isn't far from here." Ryu prays.

The group went further in the forest, noticing so many things that have been detailed to a T.

"God, the more I look at it, the more it feels like I'm hallucinating." Ken sighs.

"How is it that EMMA can get this forest's details down to a T? Does it even know who she was?" Richter pondered.

"I was actually thinking about that for a while now, but even then, it still doesn't make sense to me." Ike stated.

"Yeah… MIGHTY suspicious that it would profile the deceased. What's even the appeal to it?" Shulk started thinking.

"I don't know, but I got a bad feeling that this Jail is starting to affect our minds." Robin shuddered.

"Ha, there she is!" Jackie spotted Lynn looking around trying to find something. "Yo! Aqua!"

"Thank god you're safe." Mac sighed in relief.

"You really had us worried there for a minute." Soren said. "But you're safe and that's all that matters."

"I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to make you worry." Lynn muttered.

"It's okay, but you said that you heard someone calling out to you. Have you found it yet?" Ryu asked.

"No. It disappeared the moment I stepped foot in here."

"But we never heard anything like that before." Richter shrugged.

"So it is only Aqua that can hear it?" Kirby surmised.

"Maybe… I thought that voice might have belonged to Renka, so I decided to check it out for myself. If this Jail really is hers, then maybe I could have the chance to get the closure I needed. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"No, we're sorry for not being able to find her." Soren apologized. "We never realized that the person you were looking for was her all this time, and we didn't realize that she was also dead. We promised you that we would find her, and… well…"

"Yeah, we were just curious, but insensitive pricks about a personal subject matter. Sorry for rubbing salt in the wound." Jackie scratch the back of his ear.

"Guys, it's okay. You wanted to know, and I don't blame you for that. To be honest, I also listened to the conversations you had with Eunbi back then, and it made me curious, and hopeful that I would find her. But when I heard that she was the Monarch of the Jail, my heart was shattered."

"…" Sophia stayed silent. "You were just like me."

"You know, Aqua, there's still a way for you to get that closure like we all did." Ken said.

"How so?"

"When me, Jooheon and Hyungwon were mourning for her at the time, she set us up for a fun scavenging hunt as a means to remember her. She wrote all of those letters, did all those voice recordings, and even gave us little charms and trinkets as her last parting gift. It was fun, but also a little sad since this was the last time we ever did something with her."

"But even though she is long gone by now, she will always remain in our hearts, because she wants all of us to live happily with our lives." Ryu held his charm close to him. "So that's why Aqua…"

"We want to help you get the closure that you need." Ike says.

"Really? You'll help me?"

"Absolutely. We saw how important it is for you. And considering what happened, we want to at least get you the confirmation and the peace that you deserve."

"You guys…"

"And don't worry. We'll help you in every step of the way." Mac smiles.

"Thank you all. I really don't deserve you."

"Neither do we." Shulk chuckled.

"Ready to go?" Richter asks.

"Yeah. Let's go."

With Lynn back in the team, the group has two objectives: Wait for the creepy scientist to go away, and figure out the Jail and its eerie detail of the blue forest that was once Renka's home.

Chapter Text

Now that Lynn is back in the team again, the group can finally advance forward in the Jail. As they were walking, Soren and Jackie, and even Lynn herself, asked about how they came to know Renka. They brought up their first meeting about how Ike, Ryu and Ken found her stealing and that they had to chase after her.

"Okay, I think I remember Eunbi telling us that she stole shit, but I didn't think that she was the burglar all this time." Jackie said.

"Yeah, and just how many part-time jobs she took while she was alive?" Soren asked.

"A lot of them, and they're all proof that she had reformed and well-integrated into the city." Richter answered.

"I did share those details with you, did I not?" Kirby recalled.

"Yeah, you did, actually. I just didn't know that she had such a strong work ethic."

"Well now you know." Ken says.

"If I may ask, what kinds of things did you do with her?" Lynn asks her question.

"A lot of things, like going to the arcades, eat ice cream, take walks in the park." Mac listed. "You know, a lot of fun things. Have you done any of those things with her?"

"I… I'm not sure. I can't remember the last time I've done anything fun with her."

"It's okay if you don't remember. If you want, we can help you make new memories, so that you may be able to recall some of them."

"And trust us, if we helped her make those memories, then we'll do the same for you."

"Thanks, guys."

"You're quite welcome." Shulk smiled. "Now then, let's get started."

They arrive at one point in the Jail as there is a theater that is assembled with stage props, background, and costumes. And with it, chairs for people to sit and watch.

"Why's that here? I didn't know Renka had a thing for theatrics." Ike noted.

"Maybe, or maybe not. I don't believe she told any of us about this." Ryu said.

"I mean, it could be another source of interest she picked during her days. Who knows what else she had in mind…" Ken mused.

"Wait… I remember now…" Lynn stepped forward. "This is where… she took me to go see a theater."

"A theater? For real?" Mac asked.

"Yes. It was the first time that I've actually done anything that can be called fun, ever since I escaped from that man's lab. I'll be honest, it kind of scared me a little bit, but it helped me overcome my nervousness and actually let myself have fun."

"That's wonderful to hear." Robin sounded relieved. "It's a great thing that Renka came to your time of need. But…"

"But…?"

"I assume that the story of you escaping from that guy's lab may be a long story, so I'll hold onto that until we get out of here."

"Sounds good, Kihyun."

"Sorry for cutting you off like that. Please continue."

"I remember seeing this particular film that has all of these colorful characters in a colorful setting. I can't remember the name of it, but it involves a cat and a fish with legs doing some kind of charade on a TV or something."

"Ohh, wait, I know what you're talking about!" Soren spoke up.

He tells them about the premise of the scene that Lynn described.

"So yeah, that was from a TV show you watched."

"Ohh, I see."

"Huh. And I suppose that these costumes are the ones that you're talking about." Mac inspected.

"And the props as well." Sophia said.

"Huh… this is like Nozomi's Jail all of a sudden." Shulk remembered.

"Yeah. Having this strange sense of deja-vu all over again." Ryu sighed.

"Well, we may as well play this out. I wanna see what kinds of fun things you did with her." Soren suggested.

"Me too. I think this would be a good opportunity to know more about her at least." Jackie agreed.

"Alright, then let's do it."

Richter and Mac volunteer to go onstage as they go behind the TV with the screen cut out. They take on the role of Gumball and Darwin respectively as they read their lives out on a complementary screen provided for them. The others took their seats to see how their "stellar" performance will do.

Richter: And that's it for tonight's news at five. Here's Mackey with the weather.

Mac: It would be very hot here with temperatures soaring to twenty degrees celsius, below zero on the Northern front of the warm drift with isolating regions of the cold snaps! *Takes a deep breath* And there will be a beautiful rainbow.

Lynn: Hmm. I wonder what else is on TV. *Grabs the remote to change the channel*

Richter: How could you?!

Mac: It's not what it looks like! Please don't leave me!

Richter: Nooo! It can never be the same again!

*Lynn changes the channel*

Mac: And here, captured on film for the first time, we see the chicken crab.

Richter: *Squawks like a chicken first before clicking like a crab*

*Lynn changes the channel. Knowing where this is going, they change up the tune*

Richter: A music video, a music video.

Mac: Yeah, we are in a music video.

Richter: This is what you call a music video.

Mac: Oh, baby, we're singing, I am in a music videooooo…

The guys noticed the wire that Lynn unplugged that travels up to where an anvil is held.

"Run."

They quickly ran out of the TV as the anvil crushes the TV set.

"It's a good thing you noticed that, Wonho. Otherwise, we would've been crushed by that thing." Mac heaved a sigh.

"It's all good. I'm surprised I actually noticed that." Richter said.

"That was some S-tier acting, you guys. Are you alright?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, we're fine. I didn't think this Jail would do something like that."

"I agree. The real forest would never do something like this." Shulk looked back at the destroyed stage.

"I believe there may be more dangers that lies ahead. We must be vigilant of our environment." Kirby warned.

"Yeah. Let's not forget that there may be Shadows lurking around. Who knows that they might lunge at us when we're doing this." Soren states.

"Definitely." Ike nods.

The group went further in, as they were talking about Richter and Mac's "superb" acting.

"I gotta say, when did you guys pick up the talent for theatrics like this?" Robin asked.

"I-I don’t know. It just came to me that I would do something like that." Mac shrugged.

"Yeah, and you quickly got into it when Lynn got into it as well." Shulk noticed.

"I mean, the screen had the lines up there so we were kinda cheating to say the least." Richter rubs his neck.

"But still, you nailed it, and that's one helluva roleplay you guys did there." Soren praised.

"Thanks, Soohyun. I appreciate that."

"Hey, who's that?" Jackie pointed towards a person far away from where they're at.

"I'm not sure. Let's get a little closer."

At another part of the Jail, they came across a woman who has her back turned on them. When she turned around, it was someone they had come to recognize.

"Hello, gentlemen. It's good to see you again." The woman smiled.

"Ayumi?" Ryu remembers her.

"Who's that?" Soren asked.

"That's Renka's mother." Ken answered. "When Renka passed, her parents stayed with her in the forest as the portal that linked our world to there, closed off because they couldn't bear the thought of living without her. I don't even know if they're still alive or not."

"Hmm."

"Oh, and I see that you have made new friends as well. Would you mind telling me who they are?"

"We would…" Ike hesitated for a minute. "If you're actually the real person."

"What? What do you mean by that?" 'Ayumi' was shocked.

"I don't know whether or not you're the real Ayumi, but I know that this Jail is messing with our heads, and we will expose you for what you truly are."

"Why are you being so cold to me? I haven't done anything wrong to you guys!"

"Oh I think you are. If you don't turn into a whatever you don't think you are, then we'll just walk past you and move on." Ken said callously.

"Alright, fine. I guess I'll fight you then."

'Ayumi' begins to transform into a Shadow, into a Shiisaa nonetheless.

"And there's our first fight in this Jail." Soren unsheathes Alondite. "Let's get to it."

The group charge straight towards it, with the Shadow summoning its own forces to combat them. There were a lot of them since the last Jail but this is still nothing they can handle, as they wiped out some of them.

The Shadow charges at Richter as it sensed his weakness. The vampire hunter saw it coming, and jumped up to dodge it. He cracks his whip behind him to knock it down, as Robin ascertains its weaknesses to finish it off.

"Sean!"

"Fiora!"

"Doc Louis!"

Ken, Shulk and Mac summon their Spirits to combine an interesting combination of fire, with a sprinkle of psychokinesis and curse. The attack obliterated the Shadow, leaving behind a trail of those elements.

"Looks like that did it." Shulk sighs.

"What was that? It's almost like she acted like the real thing." Jackie said.

"That is EMMA's machinations of toying with our minds." Kirby reminded him. "I believe that EMMA is aware of the connection between Renka and Aqua, and to an extent, us as well."

"How did you figure all of that?" Robin asked.

"How? I do not know. That is merely an assumption."

"Well… I won't deny Eunbi's assumption." Lynn spoke up. "He's right. There was a connection between me and her, but it's kind of… personal, to say the least."

"And that's okay. We won't pry into it." Ike nods. "But if you ever feel the need to talk to us about anything, we'll listen."

"Thank you, Jooheon. But back to the topic. If you said that lady wasn't the real person, then what was EMMA doing with the Jail?"

"I'm not sure. But at the very least, I'm certain that it's trying to collect some kind of data of your friend and this forest that you're referring to." Sophia thought.

"How do you know that?" Ryu questioned.

"As far as I'm concerned, this new version of EMMA can somehow acquire data of the deceased, regardless of who they may be. The old EMMA was incapable of doing this, and the new version somehow gained enough sentience to dive deeper into the database."

"If that's true, then it seems that we have an even bigger problem than we initially thought we had." Soren expressed his concerns.

"True that. I don't even like the sound of it. Not one bit." Ken shared his sentiments.

"And if we're following that logic, if we fought the mom, then we're probably gonna fight the dad next." Jackie said.

"Probably. It feels as if it knows us too well." Richter heaves a heavy sigh. "Man, technology sure is scary."

"It really is, but if used right, then it can be your friend. Kinda."

"Well then, we better get going if we wanna get rid of that rogue machine from taking over or destroying the world." Mac suggested.

"For sure."

"Come on, let's go." Lynn called for everyone to follow her.

They were deeper in the forest, probably getting close to where those Desires are. The area has a much darker shade of blue, the trees and water are moving a little too quick, as if the wind was present to blow them at their direction.

"Well this is… this is something I'm not used to." Soren commented. "Was it like this when you guys were chasing her down?"

"No. The environment was a little more erratic and the sky turned red, as if it resonated with her personality." Ryu explained. "It's what I.M described as whacky to say the least."

"It really was. None of us ever imagined that she and the forest were connected at the time." Ken recalled.

"What do you mean by that?" Jackie queued.

"She told us about her past.. about her family life, her career, how she lost it all and turned to thievery, just about everything." Ike said. "The forest became her sanctuary, and it kept her company for a long time. She also… about how

"Oh no. I'm so sorry for your loss." Lynn says.

"It's okay, Aqua. We have long made our peace with her." Ryu reassures her.

"It must have taken a lot of courage to open up and tell everyone about that part of herself." Robin nods. "It also must have been so personal for her to hold that in her heart for so long, it felt like she hadn't forgiven herself for it."

"But it's thanks to them that she was able to live her life, never looking back at the past life she lived, and even find happiness until her dying days." Shulk gripped his fist with confidence. "If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have any of this, and she wouldn't live the life she lead."

"Yeah, and we'll continue to live on, for her." Richter echoed. "You want to do the same for her, don't you, Aqua?"

"Yes. I do." Lynn nodded.

"That's the spirit. Now let's get going."

"Right!"

The group went in another part of that area where it introduces the next challenge. In here, there's a flat screen TV, a Nintendo Switch setup, some joycons, and a game that is next to it.

"There's another one of those." Jackie points at the console.

"Let's see what's the next game we're playing." Soren grabs the box to see what it is. "Oh my god…"

"What, what is it?" Robin asked.

"It looks like we're playing a dancing game today." He shows the copy, which is one of the Just Dance games.

"Ohh! I've played this before!" Lynn's eyes light up.

"You have?" Kirby asked.

"Yeah! That was when Renka invited me back to her abode. She had this to play and she wanted me to play this game. It was so much fun."

"Really now?" Robin seems intrigued. "I actually want to try it now."

"Me too." Shulk jumped in.

"Alright, let's get it started then. You got this, dudes." Mac cheered.

Feel Special

The TV turns on as soon as the game card is inserted into the Switch, and the game boots up. Since Robin and Shulk are the ones playing right now, they're trying to figure out which song to dance to, and what the difficulty should be set to.

They recall back when they were doing the preparations for the concert back at Tokyo and decided that doing easy or normal difficulty won't be enough. If they're gonna pass this, they're gonna have to do this the extreme way. With that, they picked their song and they're ready to dance it down.

The dancer appears on screen, along with visual aesthetics and the necessary steps that is shown on the bottom right screen. With nothing to hide or fear, they start dancing away.

"Whoa, look at the visuals." Ike pointed.

"Yeah, they're actually doing it." Mac remarked.

"Oh wow, they're really getting into it." Ken noticed the charisma flowing from them.

"Woo! Get it, boys!" Jackie cheered.

Ryu noticed Soren singing along like he knows the lyrics to it.

"Soohyun."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll ever do a song like this for the next concert?"

"Hmm… maybe."

Neither Robin nor Shulk let up on stopping as their moves are still precise enough to keep going. They got a few cheers from the members, encouraging and motivating them to keep on dancing. They feel it from the sounds of their words, not skipping a beat from it.

"Half of me wished that I would be onstage, performing with you all." Kirby said. "Although, my stature and my hidden identity was what prohibited me from doing so."

"Don't worry about it, Eunbi. Now that everyone knows you, we'll be sure to include you in on lots of performances. You can count on us for that." Ken gave a thumbs up.

"Thank you for your words of confidence, I.M. I will take your word for it."

"Wow…" Lynn was in total awe with the way Robin and Shulk are moving, especially when the song is near the end. "I wish I could dance like that…"

"If you want, we could show you the moves once we're done with it. Don't worry, it'll be simple." Soren says.

"Thanks Soohyun, I'm looking forward to it."

"Guys, looklooklook! They're gonna do it!" Jackie gets everyone's attention to see them do the break dance.

They were perfectly at sync with one another thanks to the training they got from the real Monsta X members, because now they're getting all the perfect scores that they're getting. The ends, leaving them with a 5-star rating.

The group went over to them to give them a round of applause.

"Kihyun, Minhyuk, that was amazing!" Sophia praised.

"Thank you so much, Sophie, and to all of you for cheering us on." Shulk said.

"It's been a while since we've done something like this. I hope we haven't lost our touch." Robin says.

"Nope, none at all. Still sharp as ever." Ken said.

"I can say the same to you all as well."

"Man, this takes us all back from the concert days. I really hope we can do another one again." Mac said.

"Once we've taken care of everything, we'll do just that." Soren agreed.

"Awesome! Let's go to the next one!"

They were getting closer and closer to where they're supposed to go since this part of the forest has darker hues compared to the others. But it doesn't stop them from talking about the game.

"I see. So each year, a new version of the game comes out with a variety of songs." Robin said.

"Yeah. It went off in numbers, but they realized it got redundant so they list it off by the years." Soren explained.

"Huh. I've always wondered how it can capture our movements. Do they have some sort of accessory that lets them do that?" Shulk wondered.

"Yeah, they have lots of 'em. It all depends on what console you're using." Jackie says. "Which is why you got those joycons to be your motions."

"Oh. Maybe technology isn't so bad." Richter shrugs. "As long as you use it right, that is."

"There you go. Now you're talking."

"Everyone, look." Sophia points to another person standing in the middle of the patch.

"And that, Soohyun and Jackson, is the father of Renka." Kirby elaborated.

"Gotcha." Soren gets it.

"Let's go meet him right now then." Ryu said.

They stepped closer in the patch where the man with his arms crossed seems to be anticipating them.

"Ah, here you are. How've you guys been?" The man asked.

"We're doing just dandy, Satoru. What about you?" Ken asked back.

"Good, good, thank you for asking." 'Satoru' started thinking about something. "Listen, uh… I know you came across Ayumi before then, and fought her right then and there. Judging by the new people you got here, I assume that you're onto something important, am I right?"

"It is." Ike answered. "If you were the real person, then we wouldn't fight you at all. But since this is a Jail, we'll just take you out and be done with it."

'Satoru' sighs. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"It is sad that it has to come to this, but you know that we have no other options left." Ryu states.

"I know. I know. Well then, let's skip the pleasantries and get on with it, eh?"

'Satoru' begins to transform into an Arahabaki, summoning another legion of Shadows.

"And there's the second." Mac bumps his fists together.

The enemies start their charge on the group, but they were already leagues ahead of them, already clobbering most of them down to a pulp. With this many people in the group, they put in little effort to wasting them in the process.

The head Shadow rotates its body, charging up an attack of its own. It zoomed right to them, targeting Lynn and Sophia in the process.

"Aqua, Sophie, look out!" Shulk shouted.

With naginata and yo-yo ready, they waited until the Shadow was near them. Then, they flung it up with their weapons, sending it skyhigh.

"Yune!"

"Master Gouken!"

"Azura!"

Ike, Ryu and Lynn summon their Spirits to combine water and ice with nuclear, freezing it solid before the radiant explosion kicked in, shattering it to pieces.

"There goes him." Richter sighs.

"I don't know if EMMA actually knows her that well, or it's just going off on a weird tangent. But either way, that was very underhanded of it to do that." Ike grumbled.

"It may be the least of our worries. The real problem is how it was able to get ahold of the forest and Renka! It doesn't make any sense!" Ken yelled.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out as well, but no explanation or theory could help us understand the root of the problem itself." Ryu groans in frustration.

"But either way, I really do believe that EMMA is actively trying to mess with your heads." Soren thought. "You guys said before that the parents stayed in the forest with their daughter after she died, right?"

"Yeah."

"I initially thought that they might still be alive since they stayed behind in the forest. But considering that they're just cognitions, I think they must've died along with her. Sorry if I'm repeating the obvious here, since I've never met them before."

"No, I get it." Ken said. "When Satoru said that they're not going back with us, it pretty much solidified their decision that they want to stay with her, no matter what."

"Oh… so that's why their house was turned into a museum…" Mac realized.

"Renka… why did you…" Lynn was struggling to keep her emotions together.

"Aqua? Are you okay?" Sophia asked.

"I… I don't know…"

"I'm so sorry, Aqua." The AI bot brings her in for a hug. "I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thank you…"

The group feels guilty seeing Lynn taking it this hard. They know that Renka too means a lot to her, even though they don't know much about her backstory. Knowing what to do, they go up to comfort her.

"Aqua. Do you remember what we promised you before?" Shulk started.

"Huh?"

"We promised you that we'll help you give you the closure that you need." Robin repeated. "It was… unfortunate that you had to learn it from us. But what we can do is help you find any happy and pleasant memories that you had with her."

"Really? You would do that?"

"Course we will. We've come to understand how much she meant you like she meant to us, so… Once we get out of this Jail, we can do a scrapbook together, and we'll put in everything together." Richter suggested.

"It could be about your time with her, the road trip, some photos with us, souvenirs you got, just about anything really!" Mac listed off. "We want you to know that your past doesn't define you. It's the present day that's made you the person you are now."

"And you can always look back at them, seeing your happy self with all the things you've experienced from that day." Ike smiled. "And knowing her, she would want you to be happy too."

"Aww… thank you everyone. I really don't know what I would do without you."

"Anytime."

"I should also add, that once we rid ourselves of that vile creature, then we will assist you on your project." Kirby said.

"Thanks for the reminder, Eunbi. We got this Jail and this fuckass to deal with, so… ready to get to it?" Soren asked for confirmation.

"Yes, we're ready to go." Lynn confirmed.

"Alright, then let's get to it."

Chapter Text

Disposing the cognitions of the parents of their late best friend is never a good feeling. The Jail that EMMA found seems to be messing with their heads even more, except for those who has never met her before.

Everyone, most especially Lynn, seems to be taking this hard, but with the promise of making a scrapbook that will highlight all of the memories that they made during the trip and with Renka, a new line of hope resonated in them. Now, the only thing left to do is to set those Desires free from this jail.

On their way, they found a karaoke machine, with two microphones attached to it, and a TV screen.

"Hmm. It seems that we have one more challenge left to fulfill." Kirby commented.

"What's that, and why is it here?" Shulk asked.

"It's a karaoke machine for singing." Jackie explained. "I think it might have something to do with Aqua singing along with Renka."

"Actually, you're right about that." Lynn confirmed.

"Wait, for real?"

"Mhm. She gave me the courage to sing, even though I never sung before in my life. Her voice was… so beautiful. It felt like she was healing my soul that's been scarred from my past. She… helped me so much during my darkest times. I only wished I could pay her back in a way I know how."

"She must have known that you've had it rough back then. I'm happy that she was able to heal your soul in a way." Ryu says.

"Thank you, Hyungwon. I was happy that she accepted me so readily, even though I was a complete stranger to her. It was probably when I... well, when we started to become best friends."

"That's wonderful to hear. So, I take that you're ready to go?" Richter asked for confirmation.

"I am. Let's do this."

"Well, I figured that everyone else did theirs, I guess it's left to the three of us here." Soren counted.

"Eunbi, you're with us." Jackie called.

"Very well."

Soren takes one microphone, while Jackie and Kirby share one.

"Do you remember what song you sang?" Ken wanted to know.

"I think I do."

Lynn picks out the song and the track starts.

My Will (Bold - chorus)

そっと目覚める

(Soren)

儚い想いずっと
どんな季節でも願うよ
あなたに届くようにと

(Jackie)

あと少しという 距離が踏み出せなくて
いつも目の前は閉ざされていたの

(Kirby)

会いたい会えない 日日を重ねるたびに
強いときめきは切なさになるよ

(Soren)

もしも永遠というものがあるなら
遠回りしてでも信じてみたい

(Jackie)

不器用だからキズつく事もあると

分かっても止まらない もう誰にも負けない

(Kirby)

あなたの事を想う それだけで涙が
今溢れだしてくるよ

(Soren)

儚い想いずっと
どんな季節でも願うよ
あなたに届くようにと

(Jackie)

強がることだけ知りすぎていた私
だけどあの時から迷いは消えたよ

(Kirby)

見せたいと思うものがきっとあって
聴かせたい言葉もたくさんある

(Soren)

笑顔泣き顔も全部見て欲しくて

待っている 私はやめてチャンスを掴むよ

(Jackie)

あなたの事を想う それだけで心が
強くなれる気がするよ

(Kirby)

儚い想いずっと
どんな季節でも願うよ
あなたに届くようにと

(Soren)

あなたの事を想うそれだけで涙が
今溢れだしてくるよ

(Jackie)

遠くて声が

(Kirby)

届かないだけどいつかは
必ず届くように

信じて la la la la la la
信じて la la la la la la
信じて la la la la la la

Everyone have them a round of applause.

"That was awesome, you guys. Great job." Ike commended.

"Thanks. It's good that we still got it." Jackie grinned.

"Ohh… I didn't know that you guys can sing." Lynn said.

"Yeah, uhh…That's one of our special traits, I guess." Soren chuckles. "If you want, you can sing along with us and we'll show you how it's done."

"I would love that, thank you."

"You are welcome. Now then, we shall press onward." Kirby points towards the next area.

"Right behind you." Robin said.

During the walk, they ask Lynn if she had heard any other songs before, but she hasn't, which is understandable, considering that she'll take a listen to their suggestions soon enough.

Upon arrival, there is a lone machine with 4 control sticks, a lot of buttons, and a screen wide enough for people to look at it.

"Oh hey! I remember this!" Ken ran towards it.

"An arcade machine? In here?" Richter pointed towards it.

"It's not just an arcade machine. It's THE Simpsons arcade game!"

"It's been a long time since we played it." Ryu remembered.

"Wait, Jooheon, you know how to play this game?" Shulk asked.

"Yeah actually. This was the very first thing we did together." Ike said.

"Whoa dude. Okay, now we're all gonna hang out together once we're done with this." Mac decided.

"Sure we will."

"Okay, since all of you have done your thing, we'll do ours last." Ken tallied. "But we'll need one more person since this is a 4-player game."

"Sophie, why don't you play?" Lynn suggested.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to play at least?" Sophia asked.

"I'm not good at these kinds of things. I just want to watch my friends play."

"Okay, I'll play hard for you then."

The players got up to pick their characters, with Ken as Marge, Ike as Homer, Ryu as Bart, and Sophia as Lisa.

"Alright now, play friendly!" Ken starts.

"Okie-dokie." Ryu says.

"Up and at 'em." Ike boasts.

"Let's get 'em, guys!" Sophia cheers.

As they go ham on the game, the other members watch on.

"So what's this game about?" Robin asked.

"It's about this family here that's getting their baby back from a guy that kidnapped her." Mac explains. "The main premise of the game is beating up anyone that gets in your way."

"Oh, I see."

"It's a pretty fun game too. We should play it sometime."

Thanks to their previous experience from their last play, they were already at the final boss without dying once.

"Wow, you guys are actually speedrunning this shit." Soren was amazed.

"We've beaten the game before. We can do it again." Ken said confidently.

The only strategy was to get close to Mr. Burns as much as possible so that they can wallop him, tearing down his robot one by one, until he's finally defeated.

"BAM!"

"WOOOOHHHH!!"

"Where did you get that from?"

"Wasn't that from that one TV show that you used to watch all the time?" Shulk recalled.

"Yeah, but I didn't think they would do that. Oh my god, what a blast from the past that one was."

"I'm pretty sure it was either I.M or Shownu that showed me that." Ike confessed.

"Eh, pretty much." Mac shrugged.

"Wow… I didn't know my friends could be this awesome at everything. I'm kind of jealous, really." Lynn said.

"Aw, don't sell yourself short, Aqua. You're pretty amazing too, you know." Jackie said.

"Correct. You have many talents and traits that are unique to you, and not one of us can hold a candle to it." Kirby backed it up.

"They're right, you know. We'll help you find it." Richter pats her head.

"Thanks, you guys."

They feel a rumbling sound that shook the ground.

"What was that?" Ryu said.

"It's coming from that direction. From over there." Sophia points.

"Then it looks like we really are done with the activities." Robin stated.

"Do you think it has something to do with the voice that you heard?" Ken asked.

"I believe so. There can be no denying it for me. I'm sure that voice is similar in a way."

"Then we'll be sure to ascertain that. You ready?" Soren awaited for the approval.

"Yes, I am."

"Then let's go. We got ourselves some Desires to release."

They all went in, to the final area where they'll finally solve the mystery of the Jail.

Chapter Text

Monsta X finally reached the endpoint of the Jail, after doing so many activities that reminded them so much of Renka when they were doing it.

Even though Soren and Jackie themselves have never met her before, doing all these things help them see how important she was to them. Hell, even Sophia can understand that too. They also saw how much of an impact she had made in their lives, and their past experiences with her are living proof that she will forever be a core memory to them.

When they got to the area, it was similar to the grotto that some of them once visited. But there was only a few differences to it…

"What the hell?" Mac looked up. "There's the Desires."

"But where's the Monarch?" Sophia wondered.

"And how did we ever get in without the calling card?" Ken wondered.

"Lynn, I have been waiting for you." A disembodied voice calls.

"Whoa, where did that voice come from?" Richter looked around.

Lynn stepped closer.

"Who are you?"

"I am the catalyst of humanity's destruction. The harbinger of chaos."

"And it sounds just like Renka!" Robin notices.

"Okay, this is getting weird." Soren said.

"I know who you are. I know you, I know your friends, I know everything. There is not a single detail that I had missed. What I do not know, however, is why you are in this Monarchless Jail."

"Monarchless Jail?" Shulk was confused. "Oh, right! That's because Renka is claimed the Monarch here, but she's not even here anymore."

"So you spoke to me because you said you know me?" Lynn asked.

"Yes. I know everything about you. Your past, your relationships, your powers. Everything."

"What do you know about me?"

"It is your past as a test subject that gave you those powers, your relationship with those irrelevant beings, and your relationship with Renka. I know it all."

"Did that motherfucker call us irrelevant?" Jackie was seething.

"Yeah, I believe it did." Ryu couldn't hide his anger.

"How did you know all of that? All of it was supposed to be personal and confidential to me only, and a few close friends." Lynn said.

"As I have said before, I know everything about you. No information is safe. But that does not matter."

"It does to me!"

"Whatever counterargument you have will be useless and irrelevant. Your past will haunt you forever. Your 'friends' will leave you behind. Renka has left you behind. And you will be alone for all eternity."

"Renka… left me?"

"Yes. She has broken her promise and left you behind. You will be alone."

"Renka… why?" Lynn felt like shutting down from the world, almost falling to her knees.

"Hey, why don't you shut your fuckass up for a minute?!" Soren yelled.

"Huh?"

"Your comprehension skills are beyond lacking."

"You… I have listened to you, going on and on, telling her that bonds and friendship are meaningless…" Ike was at his boiling point. "The real Renka would NEVER say anything like that!"

"Jooheon?" Lynn looked on as the blue hair continues his rant.

"You think you know everything about us?! You think you can decide for her because you think you're smart enough?! Well you're not! Lynn and Renka are wonderful and sweet people! They have more compassion and empathy than you ever will! And you… you… Keep Renka's name out of your fucking mouth!"

"Whoa!"

"Daaammmnnn!!"

"Holy shit!"

"Fuckin talk to 'em!"

"Come on Jooheon- if you wanna say it, you gotta put some elbow grease into it." Richter tags in. "Like this."

"Non-existent stupid-ass punk-ass motherfucker!"

"Not the insult I was expecting, but it can make improvements." Sophia commented.

"I refuse to acknowledge your frivolous claims of violence."

"Yeah? Then get your bitchass down here and you'll acknowledge how much we're gonna fuck you up!" Jackie demanded.

"You won't be talking big by the time we're done with you." Shulk stated.

"What you do today will not matter. Soon, everyone will know how futile and meaningless life will be."

What are you even-" Robin had to stop himself there. "No, that's not important right now."

A humanoid figure appears in front of them, but with no weapons around.

"Whoa, where did that come from?" Ken stepped back.

"It seems that this is the same entity from the Trauma Cells." Kirby noticed.

"It also looks like the security levels have gone to the roof. Here it comes!" Ryu warned.

"…"

"Aqua, stay focused. We're here to help you." Sophia assured her.

"R-right."

Everyone started attacking the Shadow in answer of the voice's blatant disrespect towards Lynn. Aside from the scientist, they're gonna have to give this one another major ass-whooping too.

What none of them expected was that it used a throwing knife straight towards them, some of them immediately got out of the way.

"Whoa whoa whoa, it can use knives too?!" Richter yelped.

"Look out, it's using weapons from the other wardens!" Robin warns.

"Yeah? Well two can play at that game!" Mac whips out a beam sword and starts whacking with it. He got a few good hits in before the blade broke off. "Haaaaa!" He charges up an Eiha-induced punch, while Sophia distracts with her yo-yos. "Doriyah!" He slams his fist down, dealing extraordinary curse damage to it.

Ken follows it up with a Tatsumaki with the Shadow blocking it, followed by a fired up Shoryrueppa to break through its defenses, burning it before firing an Agilao in courtesy of Sean's power.

The Shadow took that as an immediate retaliation as it starts spinning.

"What's it doing?" Soren questioned.

"It looks like it's charging straight at us." Ryu pointed out.

"It will come nowhere near." Kirby, now Hammer Kirby, readies himself to take on the spinning enemy.

Both Kirby and the Shadow charge at each with full force, clashing with one another back and forth, seemingly evenly matched. That is until it disappeared on him, making him crash into a wall. The Shadow slams onto the ground, making a shockwave that hit some of the members.

Ryu quickly recovered from it to charge his Hadoken, with Gouken to support him.

"Hadoken!"

He fired it right at it, only for it to deflect it up high. Shulk ran up the wall with Speed Monado, then activated Jump Monado to bounce off the wall to hit it with a Back Slash to send the ice ball down on the Shadow while slicing it from behind. Then he fired off one blast of Psiodyne from Fiora's power and jumped out of the way when Ryu threw a beastball to break it.

The Shadow conjures a polearm and jumps upwards.

"Oh… oh I don't like this." Ken dreaded.

"I think I know what it's doing." Jackie predicted.

"Look out!" Sophia shouted.

"Ahhh!" Mac screamed as he got out of the way of the plunging attack.

It jumps back up and plummets back down again and again, sometimes hitting the group with small shockwaves. Ike managed to stop it with one clash, then heaved it down to make it land on its back, not on its feet. He infuses Ragnell with nuclear power and launches a shockwave at it.

The Shadow retaliated by throwing a knife at him, but Soren with a franklin badge and Mirror Kirby reflected it back at it, dealing extra damage.

"Xiaoyu!"

"Galacta Knight!"

They summon Galacta Knight and Xiaoyu, along with Twintelle and Xion, combining their bless and almighty magic to blast it.

"Still not dead?"

"This one's a lot feistier than the last three, that's for sure." Ken said.

"…" Lynn was still struggling.

"Aqua, don't worry. We're here. We're gonna beat this thing." Ike assured her.

"Y-yeah."

The Shadow brings out four swords and starts spinning around with it.

"Ohh shit!" Soren yells.

"Oh, fuck this. We're not doing this."

Jackie quickly grabs an ore club and swings it around to build up energy. He calls K.K Slider to play a quick song to conduct lightning, and lets it rip when it gained enough power.

The lightnado as he likes to call it sucked the Shadow in, zapping and electrocuting it, while it's trying to fight its way out of it. Richter and Sophia forced it to be trapped inside, pinning it with crosses made from pure light energy from Maria and Pandora.

Unable to free itself, it saw Robin charging a strong curse attack with Lynn floating above him, singing a melody. Grima and Azura were there to boost their powers, increasing the final attack that will be laid in motion.

As a last resort, it fired a dark beam that scattered all around the area. It ended up hitting everyone, except Soren who swiped it away with his hand, Kirby who kicked it upwards, and Sophia who clicked it away with her yo-yos.

Lynn was unaffected by it as Grima, by extension Robin, took the hit for her. He got hit by the recoil, but regained his balance, with the energy ball now complete.

"Checkmate."

Robin fired it right at it, slowly dissolving it into nothing.

"Ha! Say that shit again, I dare you!" Jackie yelled.

"What even was that? That warden was different from the rest." Ryu wondered.

"And that voice. It had Renka's voice, but it sounded... nihilistic and condescending." Robin thought.

"Well whatever it is, they're gone now and we don't have to worry about it ever again." Ken said.

"True." Ike agreed.

The ground started to rumble, signifying that the Jail is about to collapse.

"Oh shit, we better get going!" Soren issued.

Everyone ran out of the area, finally catching their breath once they were back in the middle part of the forest.

"Oh god. Good thing we got outta there." Mac wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"And now, all the Desires should be going back to the people now." Shulk said.

"Aqua, are you okay?" Richter checked up on her.

"Yes, I'm okay now. And I'm sorry for dragging you into this." Lynn expressed.

"What do you mean?"

"You all got hurt protecting me, and I couldn't do much to help you all because of the voice. I'm sorry that you had to suffer because of me."

"It's okay if you feel that way, Aqua." Ike said. "Besides, we weren't going to let some disembodied voice tell you that you're going to be alone forever. And it clearly doesn't know what it's talking about."

"Yeah, and who's to say that it knows everything. It clearly don't, that's for sure." Jackie brags.

"Yeah. You're right. Thank you for standing up for me and standing by me. I really appreciate that."

"Think nothing of it." Kirby smiled.

"You know, you were just like me back then." Sophia said. "You heard a voice that tried to bring you down, but your friends have brought you back up to your feet. You were sad at first, but you were happy when they got angry for you. Because it shows that they care for you, you are their friend--and you are not alone."

"Really?" Lynn's eyes glowed with happiness.

"Yes, really. You mean the world to them as they are to you. Keep them close, and you'll never lose sight of yourself again."

"Thank you, Sophie. I'll keep them close in my heart. Always."

"Yeah. Now that's done, we should get back to the real world." Ryu suggests.

"Oh wait, don't forget Ichinose. She's still there." Mac caught on.

"Oh yeah, good catch. We'll get Ichinose and then beeline for the exit." Jackie said.

"And by then, Zenkichi and Sae should have the situation taken care of." Richter hoped.

They all went back to get Ichinose and get out of this stupid Jail, and to see if the coast is clear.

Chapter Text

It was morning when they finally got out of the Jail. Everyone was already exhausted.

"Oh god…" Ken yawned. "It's hittin' me."

"It's morning already? No wonder I'm feeling tired." Robin said.

"Well, it looks like you found something in there." Ichinose remarked. "So, what did you find?"

"Ichinose. As much as I wanna talk, I really need to get some sleep." Richter yawned.

"Oh. Sounds like you had it rough back there. Here, I'll go see if the coast is clear. You guys wait here." Ichinose went ahead.

"You know, thinking about it now, all we did was eat, shop around, stop that creepy ass scientist from getting close to Lynn, get stopped by his goons and dove straight into the Jail." Jackie recapped. "Even a dog like me can get tired from all of this too."

"I mean, it was fun. The first half, I mean." Shulk said.

"But we did learn a little bit about the Jail at least." Ryu recalled.

"That voice… it had Renka's voice there. What even was that?" Robin wondered.

"Whatever that is, it's a real piece of fuck that tried to shit on Lynn, and calling us insignificant." Soren scoffs.

"Yeah, that's for sure." Mac agreed.

Soren's phone started buzzing. It was Ichinose.

"It looks like I don't see the scientist or his henchmen around here. You're all clear. Seems like Zenkichi-san and Sae-san got the situation cleared out. You should be good to go."

"Alright, it looks like we can go back to the bus now."

"Finally. I can get back to comfort." Ike yawned.

"It seems that yawning is contagious in this group." Kirby comments.

"It could be." Lynn caught one herself.

"Alright now, let's get going before we yawn up a storm here." Soren leads the group back to the bus.

They finally got back to the bus to see Ichinose, Zenkichi with Akane in tow, Sae, and a very familiar person. Brown hair, glasses, but not in uniform, wearing regular clothes, that must be-

"Takuto Maruki? What are you doing here?" Ken recognized.

"Do you guys know him?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah. He was a counselor before. Now, he's a taxi driver." Shulk skimmed the details. "It's a rather long story."

"Oh, I see."

"Hello, everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it?" The man greeted.

"Yup. Sure has." Mac said.

"Everyone here filled me in on the situation. It looks like you're in a rough spot right now."

"We really are, unfortunately. But aren't you supposed to be on vacation or something?" Richter eyed on the outfit.

"I am indeed. However, considering your predicament, I can offer you a helping hand until this conflict has been resolved."

"I mean, that's great and all, and we appreciate the help, but you shouldn't sacrifice your leisure time to help us. You got your own time to enjoy, don't you?" Ryu said.

"I know you mean well for me, and I appreciate that. But even so, I made a promise to Yoshizawa-san and the Phantom Thieves, and I intend to keep it. So, if you will allow me, I will do all I can to assist you in this endeavor."

"It seems that one cannot be turned over at this point." Kirby says. "Very well. You may assist us in this matter."

"Thank you, everyone. I promise I won't let you down."

A lot of people started yawning.

"Oh! Uh, I'm sorry to keep you here. Have a good rest."

They finally went inside the bus to get some much needed rest. For Soren, he just needs to find someone to talk to.

Soren found himself on the steps of a large church. He looked up to see the architecture of it. It's actually a lot larger than he could've imagined.

"Is this a European church? It's a lot bigger than the ones back home." He looked around again, and noticed a bunch of people passing by.

Some of them were wearing robes with so much vibrant aesthetics and detail on their pattern, mitres on some of their heads, believing to be higher up, and others wore zucchettos for the lower ranked and they wore simple colored robes to reflect it.

"Hmm. I guess I'm in the Middle Ages then. Hmm?"

"You! How dare you trespass the holy grounds!" One of the priests pointed at him.

"What? Me? Just by standing here?"

"Guards! Take him to the Pope!"

The guards start grabbing Soren, who he figured this would be an opportunity to see Makoto in this realm, to where the Pope is.

"Hey, whoa there! Easy on the roughhousing, bro!"

"Quiet, you!" The guard ordered.

They dragged him to the halls of the church. He noticed all the nice intricacies and designs that this church has to offer. He felt like he could look at this for hours. But he'll have to do that later. It's time to go see the what she's been up to.

The priests, fathers, and guards all gather at the main hall, to where the Pope stands before them all. Soren has already figured by now that this is Makoto's way of bringing him in here.

"Pop Joan! I have brought the suspect in question!" The guard said.

"Thank you. Please leave the premises. I wish to speak with him privately." The Pope commanded.

"As you wish."

Everyone left the hall, leaving only Soren and Makoto, who took off her hat.

"Hello, Soren. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. It is."

"how've you been? Is everyone doing well?"

"Yeah. We're doing great. We uh, we just got back from dealing with a creepy ass scientist that just wouldn't fuck off."

"Really? What happened?"

"Well, it's a long story but… Lynn had a meltdown when the scientist got too close to her. Thankfully, everyone defended her from him and we got him to back off. Then later that night, he got his entire goon squad after us to try to get her back, but Zenkichi and Sae got there just in time before anything happened."

"Zenkichi-san and Sis? How did they come all the way from Tokyo and Kyoto to go to Yokosuka?"

"That's what I wanna know, for Sae at least. Zenkichi was on a vacation with Akane but he stayed close. I know for a fact that Ichinose sent a message to them about it, and they just- *snap fingers* like that. Anyway, while they were holding off the goons, we stumbled across a Jail."

"A Jail? In Yokosuka?"

"Yeah. It was a forest. A forest that once housed a little girl with incredible singing powers who became best friends with literally everyone in the world. It was a… flashbang of nostalgia and revelation, to them at least. Neither me nor Jackie ever met her before, but coming from the stories they told us, it seems that she was happy and loved until her dying days."

"Dying days?"

"She… died a long time ago. The memories and mementos they have for her still live on, and they're carrying on in great stride. She meant a lot to them, and to Lynn as well. But the Jail was entirely fake, and I'm just glad that they saw through the illusion of it."

"I see. Thank you for sharing. I feel I understand you all clearly now. Now I see that you really are the successors of the Phantom Thieves." She smiled.

"Thanks. I'm still trying to live up to it though." He chuckled.

"I know you are, and I know you'll do just fine."

"Yeah. Oh, by the way, we actually saw Maruki on the way back to the bus, and he said he'll be joining us."

"Really? That's great! Tell him we said hello."

"Will do. Well, time to get going now."

"Of course. Good night, Soren. I wish you luck."

"Thanks, and goodnight."

Soren took a seat on the throne and started dozing off back to reality.

The group was outside the bus, finally energized from the well-deserved rest.

"Oh, man. I really needed that." Richter stretched his body.

"Y'know, the more I think about the Jail, the less out makes sense to me." Mac thought.

"Yeah, and there were a lot of things that differentiated it from the others." Robin compared. "First off, how did we ever get to the Desires so easily without sending a Calling Card?"

"Yeah, and we didn't even send one ourselves. Seem suspicious if you ask me."

"Hmm…" Kirby pondered. "I fear that this Jail may have severely altered functions than I had imagined…"

"What do you mean?" Soren asked.

"I will explain it to you, in due time."

"Hey there. Did you guys get some rest?" Ichinose walked by, with Zenkichi and Sae.

"Don't worry. Akane's with Maruki." Zenkichi said.

"So, a couple of things. How are the locals acting today?" Ken asked.

"They seem to be fine. Although, they didn't act out like the Okinawa locals did before."

"And what about the guy? Did you get him?" Soren wanted to know.

"No, he got away. But, we did gain some valuable information from some of his henchmen."

"Really? What did you find?" Ryu inquired.

"It's revealed that this man is on Japan's most wanted list for the past 13 years. The police and government were struggling to catch him all these years. No matter what kind of resource we use, he always finds many ways to escape."

"…"

"That man… the man that you're talking about…" Lynn spoke up. "What was his name?"

"His name? I believe it was Akuro Kuragari." Zenkichi recognized.

"…"

"Lynn? You remember the name?" Ike turned towards her.

"Yes. I've heard it a couple of times before, while I was still trapped in his lab. I still remember my screams, his laughs, his commands, almost everything from my time there. I wish I could get them out of my head…"

"Oh, Lynn…" Jackie's ears drooped.

"Oh. Sorry about that. I didn't know it was personal to you." Zenkichi scratched the back of his head.

"No, it's okay. I know that man won't go away until he captures me again, and it's important for you guys to know it too. I won't let my trauma get the best of me."

"You're a brave girl, Lynn, you know that?" Ryu pats her head. "And don't worry, we'll help you in every step of the way."

"Yeah, and we promise you that we'll never let that guy get near you ever again." Richter assured her.

"Thank you. All of you. I wouldn't really know what to do without you. If not for you all, then… then…"

"Don't worry. We're not going anywhere." Shulk promised.

Akane and Maruki came back shortly.

"Oh, uh, are we interrupting something?" Akane asked.

"No. We're just about wrapped up." Robin said.

"Say, wanna hang out with us for a while, Akane?" Mac offered.

"Do I?"

"What about you, Sae? Wanna join us?" Richter said the same.

"I would love to, but I have to get going." She declined.

"Niijima-san, I understand about your profession, but we all know that you need at least a break for yourself for once." Maruki said. "We'll take care of business after we're done with this."

"He's right. You may never get yourself a break like this again. So c'mon, just this once? Pretty please?" Zenkichi begged.

Sae sighs again. "Oh, alright. Only because you said please."

"Alright, looks like we got more people in tow!" Soren clapped his hands together.

"This is one of the trips of all time as they say. This will most certainly be a memorable one for all." Kirby smiled.

"Sure is, bud. Now come on, let's catch up with the others." Jackie hauled Kirby with him.

Even though the scientist is still lurking out there and is probably waiting for his next chance, he won't be anywhere around Yokosuka again anytime soon.

The first half of the visit was soured because of him, so now's the time to make it up before they leave for another city. And knowing them, they're going to do just that.

End of Yokosuka arc

Ending

Chapter Text

Now that the crisis has been averted for now, it was time to get back to pick up where they left off. The last thing they did before that happened was eating out and souvenir shopping. It wasn't that much, but they can do one last thing before they head out to another city.

With Zenkichi, Akane, Sae and Maruki joining them, the group has now expanded to 17 people. Wow, quite a lot, is there? But it doesn't matter. The first thing they plan to do is go to the Nagai Uminote Park Soleil Hill.

When they got to the place, they were completely taken aback by the beauty of the park.

"Whoa…" Ike looked on. "This is… unlike anything I had ever imagined."

"Yup, take it all in folks. This is the true beauty of Japan, away from modern civilization." Jackie said.

"Wow… now I really wish all of our friends are with us right about now." Robin remarks.

"Totally." Ken agrees.

"Well gentlemen, there's plenty of things to do and we have all day before we go onto the next city." Zenkichi said. "Anything you want to do, you can all do it right here."

"Wait, so you've been here before?" Richter asked.

"Yeah actually. We went here a couple of times when mom was still alive." Akane answered. "I'll never forget our first visit. It was so much fun. And I hope that you guys have fun too."

"Thanks for your word of confidence, Akane." Shulk bowed a little.

"I feel like we all figured out whatever it is that we wanna do, so why don't we meet up back here for some lunch before we go?" Soren proposed.

"Sounds good to me." Maruki acknowledged.

"Sae-san, is there anything you want to do while we're here?" Ryu asked.

"Hmm. Well, since we're here, I do want to try out the ziplines." The lawyer thought.

"Oh…" Mac looked at his now broken phone. "I forgot I broke it."

"Was it because that we learned that Renka was the Monarch of the Jail?" Lynn recalled.

"Yeah, and the bombshell was so real that I lost my grip on it and it broke."

"And that is precisely why I had stated that you should purchase another phone." Kirby reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. But I'll manage. I'll stick with someone who does have one until we can go back to the bus."

"If you want, I can be your replacement for your phone for the time being." Sophia offered.

"Thanks, Sophia. But I don't think that'll be necessary."

"Don't worry about it. You can stick with us until then." Ichinose said.

"Alright guys, we'll all meet back here by noon. Sound good?" Soren said. He hears everyone give their confirmations. "Alright y'all, have fun, and don't go too crazy."

Everyone split up into separate groups that all wanted to do an activity that interested them.

🎵

Ken accompanied Zenkichi and Akane to the soleil train to take a look at the sights all around the park.

Akane took out her phone and started taking all of those pictures so that she can look back at all of it and tell her mom about it when she and her dad goes to visit again. Ken does the same thing, with the hope that he gets to take his family on a trip again like this.

Ike, Richter and Shulk went ziplining with Sae after making her suggestion. They all went one-by-one with Sae going first.

Thanks to trained professionals ensuring that they're all fastened and secured, Shulk went next, feeling the excitement going down the line, following Richter, who shouted from high above, and Ike shrieked at the top of his lungs, as this is his first time going on a zipline. Once everyone got down, they find that ziplining was a lot of fun and that they wanna do it again.

Robin and Ryu decided to go to the animal farm with Maruki, as per Ryu's suggestion. They discovered that they have kangaroos, alpacas, dogs, rabbit and so much more. But what they're most excited about was the capybaras.

They wasted no time petting all the animals that are there. What's surprising to them is that the animals actually return the affection given to them, as if they knew how gentle and trusting they are. Even the newly joined cape penguins also flock to them as well, showing the same affection as all the other animals do.

Mac wanted to go on the go-go cart with Kirby and Ichinose. Luckily for them, the cart is a two-seater as they hop on without any problems.

Ichinose has Sophia facing in front of the view and Kirby sat in between her and Mac. They drive off on the track, passing by other people and taking in the experience.

Sophia was in awe at the beauty that she hasn't seen from this side of Japan, and Kirby felt nostalgic that the scenery reminds him a lot like Dream Land as he imagined the environment in front of him. Mac and Ichinose were struggling at first with how to control the cart, but they gradually got the hang of it and they can begin to experience the thrill together.

Soren and Jackie took Lynn to go see the flower garden that is blooming in season right now. Lynn explains to the guys that Renka would always have these types of flowers bloom freely in the forest, giving her a sense of comfort, safety, security and hope. They were most definitely fascinated to hear about the real forest and they want to learn more about it.

By then, it was noon already and it was time for lunch. Before they rendezvous, they picked out whatever it is that the place has to offer and get their meals. The food they got vary from curry, noodles, pizza, BBQ, taiyaki, and other things. When they meet up again, it was time to eat.

Everyone was digging in on their meals as they begin talking about various things, like how Akane's doing in school, Maruki thinking about traveling overseas, somewhere in England, Soren telling everyone that the Phantom Thieves send their regards, and a lot of things. It's all good times and fun from here.

Lynn was in a deep thought, feeling a little uneasy about something.

"Lynn? Are you faring well?" Kirby asked.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Are you? You can tell us anything. If it is secretive to you, you can confide in me."

"Thank you, Kirby. But I'm okay now."

"If you insist."

"So Sae, are you gonna go back home after this?" Robin asked.

"Actually... I'm thinking about going with you all." The lawyer answered. That surprised everyone.

"Wait, for real?" Ken leaned forward. "But aren't you a defense lawyer or something? If we happen to catch the guy, you're probably gonna have to defend him in court."

"You misunderstand me, Ken-kun. I just happen to catch a lucky break from my job, and went on vacation like the rest of you. However, I can't stand idly by when that man is still on the loose, and I want to bring him to justice. If you allow me, I will do all I can to assist you."

"Are you sure? I mean, don't you want to take some time off for yourself?" Shulk said.

"I've already spent enough time alone." Sae's expression was melancholic, still remembering Makoto's missing presence.

"You're right. We'll need all the help we can get. Makoto must want the same thing for you too, isn't it?" Richter questioned.

"Yes, and that's why I want to join you all, so that I can fulfill and keep my promise to the Phantom Thieves."

"We all do, actually." Akane spoke up.

"Akane?" Zenkichi stared back.

"I know what you're going to say, Dad, but hear me out first." She turns her attention to the group. "You know, it was actually the first time that I saw the whole world transform into something that looked like it was straight from a video game or anime. But when I saw those creatures with my own eyes, I realized that… they were all real."

"Akane…" Sophia muttered.

"All real? To you?" Mac repeated.

"Yeah. I got really scared and tried to find someplace to hide. But when I heard their voices and saw your faces, and also saw those other people fighting, it gave me a renewed sense of hope, like I shouldn't be afraid when others are still fighting out there. And even after seeing them again, I made a promise to them that I will continue to living my life and hold onto the honor that they once held."

"Is that right?" Soren said.

"Well, that and another reason."

"Another reason?" Ryu raised his brow.

"I know I shouldn't be overhearing any conversations, but… I had heard that Dad and Sae-san are working together to protect your friend from that awful man. I… I want to help her too."

"But Akane-chan, you do realize that it will only get dangerous from here on out. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"I am. I made a promise to them, and I want to keep it, even if it means that we're growing closer to danger."

"Akane, I…" Zenkichi still has his worries.

"I know, Dad. It's okay. I'll get out if it gets more dangerous. But I also don't want that man to get what he wants either, so why don't we do it, together?"

"Yeah. We'll do it together, father and daughter."

Zenkichi opens his palm and Akane opens her and they high-five together.

"I suppose you know my answer already, so I'll save you the pleasantries." Maruki said.

"Was it because the Phantom Thieves helped you face life head-on?" Ike reminded.

"That's correct. I've long decided to stop running away from my problems, and I won't break my promise to them, not when they've fought hard for their reality."

"Then what about you, Ichhinose? Sophia?" Jackie asked the other two in question.

"My promise is simple: To be humanity's companion." Sophia answered.

"And mine is to better understand humans and be the change that they deserve." Ichinose replied.

"So you're all willing to join us then?" Soren asked for their answers. All of them nodded and said yes. "Alright, welcome to the team, y'all. Good to have you here with us."

"Thank you so much, Soren. I'm looking forward to working with all of you here." Ichinose bowed.

"Likewise." Robin bowed back.

"Well then, I think it's time that we get going, yeah?" Ken looks at the time.

"Yeah, let's get going." Zenkichi chuckled.

Everyone now walks back to the bus, with Lynn looking back at the place as she goes on.

"Goodbye, Yokosuka. I hope I'll visit you again soon."

The bus was on its way to another city. With 17, well 14 people if you count out an AI girl, a dog and a pink marshmallow, it is rather concerning that they're way past the maximum capacity, especially when they're going on a 3 hour drive on average to another city. But it should be fine since it can carry up to 12 people max so this isn't something to worry about.

Everyone was talking amongst themselves as Zenkichi is now the designated driver, giving Ken a well-deserved break. They were deciding about which city to go as it's yet another long drive ahead. Lynn was already feeling uncomfortable and anxious. Robin seems to have picked up.

"Lynn? Is something the matter?"

"Umm… there is actually." She squeaked.

"Really? What is it?"

"Well… I couldn't stop thinking about what Kirby had said about the relationship between me and Renka. I knew he was right about it, but I didn't want to say it just yet."

"And that is because…"

"Renka was… she was… she was my girlfriend."

Any conversations that was held came to a complete stop. Ike dropped his food, Soren dropped his controller, Richter opened the door as the TV was turned off, and Zenkichi made a complete stop to the next rest area, then opens the door.

"Come again?" Ken and Zenkichi said in unison.

"Renka was my girlfriend. It was because of her that I experienced what love is, and I fell in love with her."

She looked at everyone, who were all completely stunned and flabbergasted.

"Umm, did I say something wrong?"

The bus exploded with screaming and screeching as some ran out of the bus, totally flipping out.

"OH MY GOD!! OOHH MYY GGOODD!!!" Soren

"Wait, what did I just hear?" Jackie

"No way…" Ike

"Wow, I… Oh my god." Robin

"Everyone, stay calm! Oh my god, it's happening!" Richter

"Renka didn't tell us about this." Ryu

"Lynn and Renka were in a relationship?! Together?!" Ken

"Oh my gosh, this is so much new information!" Shulk

"Yooo, what?!" Mac

"This was… rather unforeseen." Kirby

"What is happening right now?" Akane didn't know why everyone was screaming.

"Question! Lynn has confirmed that she was in a relationship." Sophia answered.

"Really? No way!" Now she gets it.

"My goodness. I didn't even know that!" Ichinose sounds genuinely surprised.

"This is… oh wow." Maruki was at a loss of words.

"Huh… I totally didn't see that coming." That revelation got Zenkichi beat.

"And I thought accepting Makoto's relationship with Haru-chan was good enough for me." so was Sae. "But it seems there will be always more surprises waiting."

Everyone has calmed down by now, trying to take in by those few words that were spoken out loud to them. Lynn was concerned about their hysterical states since she doesn't know if they're happy for her or mad at her.

"Are you guys okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. We're fine now." Ike replied. "Thank you for asking, and also for sharing that."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes, really." Kirby said. "Lynn, we respect your bravery and your choice to come forward about it. We understand that it was not easy for you to contain it within you, but know that we will be your support."

"Yeah, and if you need someone to talk to, we're here for you." Robin assured her.

"Thank you, everyone. I thought I should tell you all about how I met her, since you're all so curious about it."

"Does she mean all of us, or them?" Akane asked.

"Since we're all in the bus and that she trusts us now, I can assume that she can tell us about it, if she really wants to." Sae says.

"I mean, sure! I actually wanna hear it too." Zenkichi now composed again. "But first, why don't we take a little break first?"

"Actually, yeah. Let's do that right now." Ken agreed.

With the short break over, they were back on the road again. This time, they're ready to listen to Lynn's tale.

"I'm gonna be honest, Lynn. I didn't know that Renka would find love when she was still alive." Mac confessed.

"None of us did. Not even us." Ryu said.

"I guess that world was too small for us to ever understand that." Richter shrugged.

"It's okay if you didn't realize it. To be quite honest, I too didn't know or think I would find love in that forest as well. Or how I have come to be so smitten for her." Lynn blushed.

"I mean, if you wanna talk about that, we'll totally hear you out." Soren said.

"Yeah, and I feel that Soren and I are gonna piece in a lotta things together coming from this." Jackie stated.

"I suppose you must have heard some stories from them. Then I'll be happy to tell you more about her." Lynn offered.

"Yes, please."

And now, Lynn will tell her story of how she met Renka, and how she had come to love her.

Chapter Text

Opening

"Ohh, I see. So you got your singing powers from Renka, who taught you how to sing." Jackie understood.

"Yes. She helped me so much during my time of need. I'm forever indebted to her for as long as I live, even though she's no longer here." Lynn said.

"I'm glad Renka was there to help you. I couldn't imagine what could've happened if it weren't for her." Ryu thought.

"True, but it also explains everything we know about her." Robin said.

"How so?" Kirby asked.

"Well, it could be traced back to Azura herself as a whole, considering her relationship with both girls."

"Oh that's right! She's Renka's idol since she wanted to meet her for so long, and she became Lynn's Spirit when the Metaverse came back." Shulk remembered.

"So I guess in a way, Renka and Lynn are like kindred spirits." Ike said.

"They kinda do, though." Mac agrees. "I mean, they're both young teenagers with a childlike innocence, yeah?"

"They got the blue hair and yellow eyes in place." Richter compared.

"And we're all friends with them. That should count for something." Ken added.

"Uh, not us." Soren points to himself and Jackie.

"Us too, actually." Maruki said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot." Ken realized.

"Wow… so you got your superpowers from her. I wonder if I'll ever get mine…" Akane wondered.

"You will." Ichinose assured her. "One day, you'll be just like your dad. I guarantee it."

"So uh, I have a couple of questions, but I'm gonna ask this first." Zenkichi spoke. "Where do you guys wanna go?"

"Oh, uhh…" Mac started thinking. "What about Sendai?"

"What about Sendai?" Robin looked at the boxer.

"I dunno, I just thought it might be cool to go there."

"Okay, Sendai it is." Zenkichi agreed.

"Wait, what?"

"Have you purposefully waited for the timing because that we are halfway to our destination?" Kirby questioned.

"Well… yeah."

"Hmm. Well played."

"Alright, I guess we're going to Sendai then." Sae decided.

"Yeah, why not? I always wanted to see what Sendai is like." Akane beams with excitement.

"Me too!" Lynn giggled.

"Yeah, let's go!" Soren yelled.

The bus now makes it way to its new destination.

They finally arrive at Sendai as everyone got off the bus. They just parked in another parking lot for buses as they have to walk a little bit further. But while doing so, they got to see how big the city actually is.

"Whoa-ho, look at that!" Richter marveled at the buildings. "It's actually a lot bigger than I thought!"

"See? I told you it was a good one." Mac said.

"But I do wonder though. What's there to do in Sendai?" Maruki said.

"Sophia, what's there to do in Sendai?" Ichinose repeated.

"I have listed out the most popular activities in Sendai. Come and listen to this." Sophia starts naming the potential activities.

"So there is a lot you can do here." Soren seems very intrigued.

"Yeah, but which one do we do first?" Ken wondered.

"Well, since we have a lot of people here, we could go to the zoo." Shulk suggested.

"That's a great idea, actually. Lynn and Akane would love it for sure." Robin agreed.

"Us too. I actually wanted to go see the wildlife for once in my life." Zenkichi chimed in.

"I don't mind where we go, so long as I can get to go with you all." Sae has no objections.

"Alright, let's get going then." Soren claps his hands to get everyone to the destination.

They finally arrive at the Yagiyama Zoological Park where it houses exotic animals such as tigers, elephants, rhinos and the like. It also has smaller animals as well like monkeys, rabbits, and of course the fan favorite, capybaras.

They got to take lots of pictures with them, learn more about them, and hell, they even got to pet them, though with supervision of course. After that, they got some souvenirs from the gift shop, some for themselves, and most of them for their friends and family.

Once they got out of the zoo, they talk about what kinds of animals they saw and decide where to eat. Ichinose recommends that they try out the beef tongue. That is where she met the Phantom Thieves after all.

She offered to pay for the whole thing since she's been here before and she wants them all to enjoy it. The group pretty much got everything from the menu like they always do, savoring every bite they got from it.

"Oh man, when was the last time I've eaten meat this good." Ike said.

"You pretty much can get it from anywhere, but it takes serious skill and dedication to the craft that it can stand out on its own." Mac talked.

"You got that right." Soren acknowledged.

"So Ichinose, you said you met them here before, right?" Richter asked.

"That's right. They weren't exactly so subtle about it, especially when Morgana and Ryuji were fighting to get a share of the beef tongue." Ichinose recalled.

"Ha, so very much like them." Jackie laughed.

"But yeah, it was also the day where I got to work with them, and got reconnected with Sophia again. Back then, I butted heads with them as EMMA gave me a task."

"A task? What kind?" Akane asked.

"Help EMMA steal hearts and let it take care of everything for us."

"Oh wow..." Ken was shocked.

"..." Zenkichi and Sophia knew it all too well.

"In the end, Sophia saved me and together we all stopped EMMA from being mindless dolls, and Sophia went with me to understand about the human heart."

"And you're still on it, I suppose?" Ryu thought.

"Yes. Even though we came back home when we learned about their passing, i still want to learn more about it after the situation has been taken care of. But just like everyone else, I still want to fulfill my promise to them, so I'll stick with you all, if that's okay with you."

"Yeah, of course you can. We're all in this together after all." Shulk nods.

"We may not have the same powers you have, but we'll assist you however we can." Sae offered.

"That's right. If we can't go to the Metaverse with you, then we can still help you from outside." Maruki added.

"Thanks you guys. We'll need all we can to see this through." Robin said.

"No problem, guys. We're all happy to help." Sophia smiles.

"Looks like the conversation changed so quickly." Richter noticed. "Come on guys, let's dig in some more."

"Hmm…" Kirby continued to stare at the members with a rather serious, but concerning face.

"Kirby? What's wrong?" Lynn asked.

"Hmm? Oh. My apologies. It seems I was lost in thought."

"Heehee, if you say so."

"If I say so…" He mumbles as he inhales an entire stock of a beef tongue.

The conversation was still as lively as ever and they kept going until it was time to go. Ichinose went to go pay the bill, which was a whopping ￥52384. It was a lot, but she'll do it for her friends.

Afterwards, the group returns to the bus while the others go to their hotels so they can free up the bus space. There's a lot to do tomorrow.

Chapter Text

As the group were proceeding to return to the bus, the others had their hotels booked thanks to Sophia so they were going there, but promise to meet up again tomorrow. With that, it's back down to 11 people.

"Man, that was some good meat right there. Compliments to the chef." Ike said.

"You're always going on about that, aren't you?" Shulk shuddered.

"Of course. You can't go wrong with it."

"I swear you need some nutritional value in your diet." Jackie called out.

"Yeah next time, we're getting you a salad." Soren said.

"Is there anything else we wanna do? It's still daytime out here." Richter asked.

"I don't know, maybe we can-"

The conversation interrupted when everyone's phones started buzzing. They get it out to find a rather interesting message coming from EMMA itself.

"What the fuck?" Soren looked at the screen.

"Since when did EMMA ever show us messages like this?" Ryu wondered.

"Never, until now." Robin shook his head.

"What does it say?" Jackie questioned.

"It said there's a strong Shadow in the Yokosuka Jail, and it wants us to go there and beat the crap out of it."

"Over there? We're in Sendai. There's no way we're going back there again." Ken objected.

"I don't think we have to." Lynn said.

"What do you mean?" Mac turned to her.

"If I recall from what Jackie has said before, the Jails didn't collapse when we released the Desires. So that means we can still go to those Jails without ever having to return to those cities again."

"Really now? I guess that's something that we never thought of before." Shulk understood.

"It's kind of similar to how the Meta-Nav worked back then, when it saved the destination of the Palaces we've been to." Robin remembered.

"But the only difference is that Palaces go away when we change a ruler's hear, and Jails still stay even after that." Jackie added.

"Yes, I recall those times when I was observing you." Kirby said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Mac realized.

"But if it is true, then we can go back in that Jail and fight the Shadow there." Ryu told.

"Well, i guess there's only one way to find out." Soren gets his phone out. "Let's see here." He finds all the Jails saved on EMMA. "Oh, it does."

"Hmm. This is definitely one of those things the Meta-Nav couldn't do." Shulk noticed. "What is this app?"

"I don't know, but let's go check this out real quick." Soren taps Yokosuka and they were sent to the Metaverse again.

They arrive back at the fakery of the blue forest again without any problems whatsoever.

"Well… we're back. I guess." Ken shrugged.

"I really don't want to be in here right now. But let's do it anyway." Robin said.

"Yeah, you and all of us, pal-buddy-pal." Jackie agreed.

They went back to where the warden was, and here it is, the Shadow in question. It appears to be a large humanoid in heavy armor, carrying a gatling gun on it. Electricity can be seen running through its body.

"What's it doing? Why is it just standing there?" Richter was confused by the Shadow's idleness.

"I-I don't know. That's just him stanced up." Soren threw his hand up.

"Well either way, let's take down the stupid bastard." Jackie got his spear ready as he goes up to the Shadow.

As others were getting ready to fight, Soren noticed that something was bothering Kirby.

"Eunbi? What' wrong?" He asked.

"I… I cannot explain it here. I will notify you once we exit the Jail." The pink puff said.

Soren looks at the Shadow that just got hit, turning into a Nebiros.

"Yeah. I can wait for that."

"Hey Soohyun, Eunbi! Come on, the fight's starting!" Mac yelled.

"Yeah, we'll be right there!" They join in on the fight.

The group split into separate groups to try and come up with ideas of their own to take down the Shadow. The only good thing about it is that the Shadow is all on its own, but doesn't mean that the fight will be any easier so they'll have to watch it.

The Nebiros casted a spell that placed a timer on everyone, except for Soren, Kirby and Lynn.

"Wait, what's that?" Robin noticed that the timer has been set to 30 minutes.

The clock started ticking, and that immediately pulls the alarms in Soren's brain.

"Oh shit! Eunbi, Aqua! We gotta kill that thing quick!" He yelled.

"R-right!" Lynn nods.

"With certainty." Kirby acknowledged.

"What's happening?" Shulk was lost.

"No time to explain! Just kill that thing like we always do!" Soren shouted.

The Shadow fires 4 glowing cursed orbs at each subgroup, as they manage to dodge, absorb or reflect it back. But it ends up hitting Ike and Richter first. And instead of taking the hits normally, they also got hit some status effects as well.

"Wait, what was my Persona again?" Richter said.

"Ooogghh… the room is spinning…" Ike sounded groggy.

"Yo, what the fuck?" Jackie didn't know what was happening.

"What's wrong with them?" Ken pointed.

"It seems that Wonho forgot and can't use his Spirit, and Jooheon is dizzy." Robin analyzed.

"Oh no! what do we do?" Lynn panicked.

"Simple. We use this." Soren grabs a fan and smacks Richter with it.

"Hey! What was that for?!" He yelled.

"See? Like that. Here, you try one."

He tosses the fan to her and she smacks Ike with it.

"Ow! Augh! I think everything's back to normal again." He adjusted his eyesight.

"Yeah, there you go!" Soren gave a small applause. "Whoa, hey there!" He dodges the surprise charging attack from the Shadow, and with the assistance of Takamaru, along with Sword Man and Isa Jo, he unleashes a flurry of sword attacks, both hard and fast, before kicking it away. "Don't interrupt people when they're talking!"

Mac took it to another step, with him doing flurry jabs and punches from left to right. He was hitting it everywhere while the Shadow taunted him, making him very angry and he started landing more harder punches. That is, until Kirby tackles him out of it, and whacks him with his fan.

"Do not lose focus, Shownu. This Shadow is not like any we have fought." Kirby reminded.

"Y-Yeah."

The Shadow charges a fireball and shoots it up high, before exploding into a rain of fire descending down to the ground.

"Aw no, not this!" Soren shouted.

"Oh boy." Ken realized.

Soren and Ken ran around the field with bunny hoods equipped, and also Soren equipping a Goron with him, to nullify the fire droplets as much as possible. Kirby also helped by inhaling some of it, and spitting it back out as a star straight to the Shadow.

They got most of it, but of course they couldn't get all of them, as some of it got onto Ryu. He doesn't scream, maybe with a few grunts and all, but he is getting it off of him by rolling around the floor. Lynn douses him with water with the assistance of Azura, even though the embers touched her, they evaporated on contact.

"Are you okay, Hyungwon?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Ryu said.

Richter doused it with holy water, which dealt incredible damage to the Shadow. Robin and Shulk doused it more with Arcfire and a fire flower so it can keep burning.

The Nebiros quickly spun around to dissipate the fire and throws out a few shadow balls around it. Unfortunately, Shulk got a little too close to it and he ends up getting hit by one of them. He rolled over to the ground, but instead of retrieving his sword, he curls up into a ball and starts muttering weird and depressing things.

"Fiora… I don't want to do this anymore…" He wailed.

"Oh god, oh no… What's wrong with him now?!" Mac questioned.

"He's under despair. I told him not to get too close!" Robin said.

"Oh my god…" Jackie threw a healing sprout and poured some purifying concoction he got from the local Osaka store.

"Huh? What? What happened?" The blonde said.

"Don't worry about it." The dog threw the now empty bottle at the Shadow.

"Here." Ryu hands the Monado over to Shulk.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now come on. We have work to do."

Ryu and Ken were on opposite sides of each other, both jumping at the same time, landing their flying kicks right at the skull and stomach. They immediately jump out when they saw that it was going to make another move. Instead of attacking, it hypnotized Jackie.

"That's not good." Ike said.

"What is that Shadow doing?" Kirby observed.

He noticed that Jackie brought out a bead, and immediately transform into Wheel Kirby to stop him from healing the Shadow. But he was a nanosecond too late as the effects have already taken place, and the Nebiros was fully healed.

"NOOO!!" Robin screamed.

"Oh my fuckin god bro." Soren groaned.

"We were doing so good!" Ken yelled.

"I was too late." Kirby scoffed.

"What the- the hell just happened?" Jackie wondered.

"The Shadow has regained full strength. You were under is control. It ordered you to heal it."

"What?! Ahh fuck! Why did I let myself get hit by that?!"

"Do not fear. We will win this bout."

"Umm, guys?" Lynn points at the timer on Ryu's head. It's 10 minutes.

"Holy fuck! Alright, we gotta kill thing super quick!" Soren commanded.

♫

It was now a race against time, with the Nebiros fully healed and powered up. They only have 10 minutes to kill it, and how they'll do it will weigh heavily on the outcome.

To start off, Lynn sung a tune that will allow everyone to hit harder and faster. Soren gave the command, and it was go time.

Richter set off the smart bomb to catch the Shadow in the middle, with Ryu and Mac throwing Bob-ombs and firing the cracker launcher.

Just when the Shadow was about to attack, Ken and Shulk barge in with hammers and golden hammers to stop it and mash it in further on it.

It knocks the hammers off their hands, and attempts to attack again. Ken threw a killing edge with the red glow on the blade, dealing awesome damage as it stabbed right through the stomach.

Ike attached a gooey bomb on it with Jackie and Robin throwing pitfalls to make it stay still. Then Soren and Kirby combined the Daybreak and Dragoon together to finish it off.

Once the bomb explodes, Soren fires the large beam straight at it and Kirby zips through the air, piercing it.

On its death throes, the Nebiros tries to do one last resort, but Mac towered over it, and slams his fist down on it, finally defeating the Shadow that gave everyone so many problems.

"Whew!" The leader discards the only handle of the Daybreak. "Holy fuck. That took way longer than it needed to be."

"That Shadow gave us quite the challenge here. Even more so than the Monarchs." Ryu commented.

"Oh, you think so?" Robin turned to him.

"Guys, look!" Lynn pointed at the timer which barely had 2 seconds left, disappear from above everyone's heads.

"It seems that we have succeeded." Kirby can be heard sighing.

"Well, if that's all, then let's get out of here. I don't wanna be in here any longer." Ken demanded.

"Yeah, me too." Shulk nods.

"Yup, we're all thinking the same thing. Come on."

The leader noticed that they don't seem to be in a talkative mood right now. It seems to him that Kirby had picked up on something. They'll have to talk about it later.

But for now, it's time to get back.

Chapter Text

No one has even said a word to one another, which made the walk back to the bus very uncomfortable and unsettling. Lynn has no idea what's happening as making small talk was the only thing she could get them to talk. Soren still has that feeling that something went completely off when they were all fighting the Shadow, and Kirby definitely knew what had transpired.

They got back to the bus, but they're still not talking to one another. Just when things couldn't get this uncomfortable, this happens…

"Okay, I know we weren't even discussing it, but I thought about it and I got pissed off again." Mac said. "Ken…"

"Hmm?" The martial artist responded.

"There's no fucking way…"

"Get over yourself, bro. I'm sorry that I stole your kill when you should've known by now that the enemy was weak to curse."

"I'm gonna bring it up every time after every boss fight we do. You did not- You did not throw that Hadouken when I was about to land that finishing blow!"

"Wait, wait- what happened?" Richter was confused at first.

"Y-Y-Y-YOU WERE THERE!!"

"You were there! What the-"

"Remind me guys, it's been like 3 hours!"

"Yeah, whose fault was that?"

"Jackie's."

"Whu- What did I do?!" The dog is offended.

"Don't forget that you're the one who healed the enemy when we were so close to beating it."

"I was being brainwashed, fuckface! It's not my fault that I didn't see that coming! And Robin should've done something about it!"

"Oh, so now you're blaming me, even when I have a million things to worry about?" He got defensive very quickly. "Everyone was getting hit back and forth with status effects, and I'm doing my part too! You can't just openly accuse someone without getting their information about the fight first!"

"And it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't get hit by them every time with those big-meaty claws!" Shulk said.

"What did you just say?" Ike glared at the Monado boy.

"BIG! MEATY! CLAWS!"

"Well, those 'claws' aren't just for sword swinging." The swordsman pounds his fist.

"Bring it on, Radiant Hero! Bring it on!"

"No people, let's be smart and bring it off." Ryu went in between them.

"Oho, so now the talking headband is gonna preach to us?" Richter scoffs.

The arguing got more and more intense, and a brawl broke out. Everyone was fighting and hitting each other. Flashbacks were running in Soren's mind, as he remembers that this was how the Phantom Thieves had started their decent to madness. And now, it's happening to his friends. He saw Lynn cowering away from the sight, as if it dredged up bad memories from her past again.

"Goddammit."

He went to go after everyone to stop fighting, but Kirby was already up ahead of him.

"Silence." Kirby taps his foot, stopping everyone in their tracks. He didn't know if he tapped into some new power he unknowingly discovered, but it felt like his foot made a water droplet dive into a lake.

"Cease this drivel or I shall cease it for you." That got everyone to stop. "Now, I do not know what has transpired you to turn against each other, but I will not allow you to fight against one another."

"What are you saying? You know something that we don't?" Shulk says.

"I do. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose this information to you. Not when you are red with rage."

"What? No we're not!" Mac denied it.

"Yes you are! Look!" Soren has Lynn clinging onto him. "You scared Lynn! She got scared again!"

That gave them enough realization that what they're doing is wrong. They look at themselves and each other to see that they're actually going against one another.

"My god… look at what we've become." Richter realized.

"We didn't mean to scare her like that." Ike said, voice wracked with remorse.

"I'm sorry I… I…" Ken ran off.

"Wha- Ken, where are you going?" Soren called out. "Ken!"

"I'm sorry Soren. But I think it's better that we take some time for ourselves to reflect on what has happened." Ryu walks away, and later on, everyone else does the same.

"Hey, don't go! What about all the things we were gonna do together?!" His words fell on deaf ears as they're getting farther away. "Robin?"

The tactician looked back, but said nothing, and turned to leave, leaving Soren, Lynn, and Kirby all by themselves next to the bus.

"What the fuck?! How am I supposed to explain this to everyone else?!"

The now drastically reduced trio got back in the bus as Kirby took some time to comfort Lynn. Soren slams his hand on the table in frustration.

"Dude, what the fuck's happening right now? How is it that we're all just happy and smiling and laughing, and then all of a sudden this shit happens? Like, what did we do wrong for it to be this way? There's no fuckin way that the Shadow that we fought would give us this many problems and now we got this to deal with! This is fucked, man! This wasn't how it was supposed to go! And now it's just- AAUUGGHHH!!"

"Let it all out, Soren." Kirby told him.

The leader sighed. "I think I just did."

Moments later, Lynn opened the door.

"Hey, Lynn. Are you alright, man?" He asked in concern.

"I'm alright." She answered.

"Sorry you had to see that. And also for blowing off my lid."

"No, it's okay. It's natural to get angry when you're under great distress. Even I too had my fair share of them."

"Oh Lynn. We really don't deserve you for this. But thanks for the words of confidence."

"I suppose you are ready to hear what I am about to say?" Kirby asked.

"Yeah."

"Good." He takes the time to compose himself before starting. "As you may have noticed, the Jail warden back at Yokosuka had made a last resort attack by casting a spell. What spell you may ask, we will reach to it in a moment. Soren, do you recall that attack that was trailing you?"

"Yeah. It hit everyone else, but I swiped it away."

"Correct. I too also avoided the attack, but Lynn was a different case."

"Me?" The girl pointed to herself.

"Yes. Robin protected you from the attack, hence that you are unaffected by it."

"Ohh. I get it now. I think."

"So if what you're saying is true, Kirbs, then what does that have to do with the one you're talking about?" Soren questioned.

"I am glad that you asked. Now, after hours of arriving at Sendai, EMMA gave us a mysterious tip that a powerful Shadow had taken residence back in the same Jail again. Of course, we accepted that request and returned to there."

"Yeah. And when the Shadow put a timer on their heads, I guess that's where things got really bad." Lynn remembers.

"That's not all. Every time they got hit, they also got hit with a status effect as well." Soren reflected. "And even though Robin wasn't directly involved in the fight, I guess the frustration got to him like one."

"Correct. As a result, they have become aggressive, rowdy, and confrontational." Kirby nailed. "They are not themselves, and I firmly believe that whoever it is, they must have had a strategy to break them apart."

"No..." Lynn gasped.

"Oh... this is... Oh this is hard to believe." Soren says.

"It can be, yes. But it is not too late. We still have a chance to reunite them again."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. I know you, and I know them."

"You're right. We've done this before. We can do it again. I'll go find Jackie and the others so we can- Oh fuck! Jackie!" He realized it now. "Kirby, can you stay with Lynn? I have to go find Jackie."

"B-But I have his phone. There's no way you can find him." Lynn said.

"I'm not worried about that. I have a pretty good idea of where he'll be. Just let me handle this one."

"Safe travels." Kirby said as Soren hopped off the bus.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Lynn asked.

"Do not fear. He is capable of watching over himself. Come, we should retire for the night."

"Yeah. Goodnight."

"Until tomorrow."

Soren was back in the city again, looking for Jackie. Despite what he said, he really has no idea where he could be. Maybe it's because of the fact that Jackie's an actual resident of Japan and he's just a visitor so that makes the most sense. That, and he went everywhere in the world while he stayed cooped up back at home. This one's gonna be a little bit tough.

He figured that the others are in their hotels right about now so Jackie might've snuck in without them knowing, or he found a lucky break and wait until he gets out tomorrow. No matter, he'll have to find him quick.

He came across a pretty modest motel that doesn't seem like it should be here. But he may as well go check it out anyway to see if the mangy dog is there. Thankfully, the blinds weren't fully closed so he got a better view of the room. And there he is, laying on the bed, almost like he's enjoying the experience.

He knocks on the window, which got the Shiba's attention.

"Yo. It's me."

"Fuck off."

"Come on man, can you open the door? I just wanna talk."

Jackie ignores him. The leader just opened the window to jump in, but his leg hit the outside wall and he fell face down, breaking a table in front of him.

"Jesus Christ! What the fuck, man?!"

"Sorry about that. But look, Jackie, I know you're pissed, but I need you to listen to me for a minute. Kirby told me about what happened. He said that the Jail warden threw out some kind of attack on you guys, and when we went to go fight that Shadow, we almost lost and then y'all started swinging at each other when we got out."

"You're fuckin crazy, you know that? Like how stupid do you think I am? If you think that making up stupid shit like that is gonna get me to apologize to them, you're outta your fuckin mind."

"No, that's not what I'm here for. This is the actual truth I'm telling you. You gotta believe me."

"Y'know what? Get outta here."

"You know, you're acting like a cock, you know that?"

"Me? I'm acting like a cock?"

"Yes, you are. Now shut your mutt hole for a sec and listen to me."

"Huh?" The dog seemed confused than angry.

"Wait, mutt hole? That doesn't sound right. It's supposed to be butthole but I changed it. Pot hole? Is that what they're saying right now? Because- 'How can it slide off your butt if it landed on the pot?'"

He cracks up over his dumb joke, but Jackie is still confused about the tangent he's going on.

"Oh that was dumb. I'm gonna, I'm gonna work on that later." Soren then clears his throat to finally address the issue. "Look, the point is, that Jail fucked up everyone's state of mind, which is why you're all fighting." That got the Shiba angry again. "Kirby was right. There really IS something wrong with you. All of you actually, and I want to get to the bottom of this so we can all resolve the conflict peacefully."

"Oh, and you don't?"

"I'm fuckin fine! I didn't get hit by that shit! You know something? I didn't pin the blame on you like everyone else did when you got brainwashed by that Shadow. It was mainly the fact that it knew what it was doing and we fell right into it."

"You can't just come in here and tell me that the Shadow or warden or whatever is what's making us fight like that. Because it worked out so much better for the Phantom Thieves that they're now 6 feet under the fuckin dirt, innit?"

"Ugh, listen to yourself. What am I, Hu Tao here, giving you a premium discount of which coffin you wanna be buried in? They're altering your state of mind, Jackie. And by bringing up the Phantom Thieves like this, you're making yourself look like a hypocritical fuck."

"Why am I wasting time arguing with you? I'll just go somewhere else." Jackie jumped off the bed to get to the door. Soren walks past him, but not before stopping to say what was on his mind.

"Sometimes I think back to when me and Ike found you at Morgana's Palace, I couldn't help but be disappointed that you were a dog. I just wish you were a cat like Morgana."

Jackie stops completely in his tracks, only turn around, with unbridled rage in his eyes.

"Say that one more time." He threatened.

"I WISH! YOU WERE A CAT! LIKE FUCKING MORGANA!"

He said it. He actually said it. And now, Jackie charged towards him, jumps up the bed to grab on him, and starts wailing on him like there's no tomorrow. The hits Soren got made him reel back to the bathroom where he fell into the tub, taking the curtain along.

Jackie landed 3 jabs straight at him, before Soren threw him off to the glass, shattering it. The dog ran out of the bathroom to find something. As soon as Soren got out, Jackie threw all kinds of shit at him.

"Shit!" Soren shielded himself from the projectiles. "Ah! Augh! Fuck, man!"

They stop for a moment to recollect themselves and catch their breath. After a few seconds, Soren slides onto the bed to catch Jackie, but misses and crashed into a wall.

"GAAAAH!"

Jackie charged at him again, throwing a few more punches on him, before headbutting him. Soren got the upper hand, getting a few hits in of his own, before Jackie kicked him in the nuts, with Soren feeling immense pain from there. Jackie slams him down on the floor before putting him in a chokehold.

Soren tried to get him off, but he keeps hitting wall after wall, eventually making a hole in one, before throwing him off to break himself free. The dog somehow landed delicately on the chandelier without dropping it.

Soren grabbed a nearby telephone to try to get him off by throwing the receiver at him. But what he didn't realize was that the chord was latched onto his leg and the receiver went back to Soren and knocked him down to the floor.

Jackie used this opportunity to grab an antenna he got from somewhere in the room, opens Soren's shirt to reveal his stomach and starts whipping it.

"Agh! Fuck! Motherfuck- Fuckin stop! Fuck!"

Soren kicks Jackie out to the window, breaking the glass and the dog was out of there. He covers his abdomen with his shirt, trying to ease the pain. He gets up with strained effort to see if Jackie is still okay. He kind of is, but struggling to get up, considering there's glass everywhere.

"So this… this is how you treat me? This is how you repay me? After everything I've taught you? After everything we've been through together? Just to throw me out like this? Man, fuck you! Fuck all y'all! Nobody gives a fuck about me!" He ran off.

"Jackie, wait!" He tried to go after him, but fell to the floor again. All those punches he got were starting to take a toll on him, and blacked out the moment he heard voices.

Chapter Text

Everything is starting to fall apart, and only he is left to pick up the remaining pieces.

Soren couldn't even begin to believe that all of this was happening so quickly. It went from them all laughing together and having a good time, to fighting and splitting up. The next thing that happened to him was him scrapping with Jackie after arguing with him about the truth behind the Shadow attack.

The fight ended in disaster, with the hotel room Jackie was staying being completely trashed, Jackie running away again after realizing that no one cared about him anymore, and Soren blacked out from the injuries he got from it.

By the time that he woke up, he was in the Velvet Room again, with everyone being equally concerned about their guest. He really doesn't want to be here right now.

"Hey." Ren greeted, but there was only sadness in his voice. "We heard what happened back there. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No. I just wanna be alone." Soren mumbled.

"Are you sure?" Lavenza questioned. "You know you can tell us anything that's on your mind. Whatever it is, we will listen."

"Do you even know what you're talking about? Do you have any idea of what it is that's happening right now for me to tell you what it actually is, huh?"

"Of course not." Igor answered. "But if you can tell us, we will be sure to understand. Now then, would you please explain what is on your mind?"

"What do you think? Everything was going oh-so-fine and oh-so-well throughout the whole trip, until we went to Yokosuka and found a Jail that literally fucked everyone up because of how so familiar it is to them. Now, granted that neither Jackie nor I have ever met her before, but everyone else did so that made it a whole lot worse for us."

Lavenza started jotting down some notes on her tome. Ren notes that he's venting right now.

"That Jail warden caused us so much trouble than it needed to because for some fuckin reason, EMMA told us that a Shadow was back at that same Jail again, so we had to go back and kill it. But here's where it gets good. That Shadow literally hit us with everything, from shadow balls, to status effects. The worst offender was when Jackie got brainwashed and healed the Shadow! That got everyone SO pissed off that they started fighting and the beating the fuck outta one another until Kirby broke up the fight! And you wanna know what they did after that? Was it to apologize and make up? Was it to admit whose fault it was? NO! NO, BITCH! They all just walk away from another!"

Igor is also writing something down as well.

"I tried talking to Jackie about this as well, but he doesn't wanna believe me, either. We started going back and forth, back and forth. Until we started throwing hands, all because he didn't wanna listen to me and believe me, and now, the whole world's a fuckin stage, SET UP FOR FAILURE!!"

Soren has finally exploded.

"This group is FUCKED, man! I don't know what to fuckin do to keep it going! All this time, I thought that everything was gonna go so smoothly compared to last time! We were gonna do so many things together, and we were gonna take down the Metaverse again together! We were supposed to be a team! We were all supposed to be in this together! If we don't have all 11 of us together, then there can be no MONSTA X!!"

He falls to his knees, after letting out another huge tirade of ranting.

"And it hurts. It hurts a lot. When Jackie said that no one gives a fuck about him, it hurts too. So much more than any other pain I've experienced. He was there for us when the Metaverse came into our lives, and he was there at every step of the way. We all had our moments, but he never got his."

He sighs, sitting near the edge of the stage. "I failed everyone. Him especially. I'm not even a good leader to stop the fight. Hell, I'm not even good enough to bring them all back together. Right now, it's just me, Kirby, and Lynn." He lets out another sigh. "Everything about this sucks. Being leader sucks even more now. I'll just stay here until this all blows over."

The residents have finally found a better understanding of their guest. Ren hops down his platform first to go sit next to him.

"You know… I was like that too."

"Hmm?"

"After my Phantom Thieves sacrificed themselves to protect me, I felt that I too failed my duty as leader. I became blinded by grief and rage that I lost all reasoning, to the point that I was no longer myself anymore. All I could think of was 'Why? Why would you do something like that? We're supposed to be a team. We're supposed to do this together!' After tearing the God of Control to shreds, I… I lost not only my reasoning, but also my identity. I wasn't Joker anymore, or Ren Amamiya. I was just… no one. No one at all."

"…"

"Everything that I once held near and dear to me, gone. My past and my actions that made me the way I was, gone. Heh, even the Phantom Thieves are also gone too. I was left a shell of my former self, without literally anything in the world. No hope, no future, no nothing. I'm basically a dead man walking."

Soren remembered that conversation vividly. Ren's talked about this before, so this must be something personal he kept to himself for the longest time.

"But you know something? It's already too late for me, my Phantom Thieves and for this world's counterparts. But it's not too late for you."

"What?"

"It may sound like bullshit to you, but I'm telling you, it's not. You still have a chance to reunite them again. We didn't have anyone that helped us be put back on the right path again, or save us from this dark path we took. I'm sure they were in a similar vein as well. But you? You have friends, you have people you can turn to. You have us as well."

"I- I do?"

"Yes." Lavenza sat next to him. "Do not the forget that you have inherited the title of Trickster, and his bonds transferred to you. Let those be your power, Soren. They grow stronger as you grow stronger in return. They will certainly help you in the next battles to come.

"Indeed." Igor actually sat next to Lavenza. "We have seen your growth from your last journey. In the face of crisis and danger, you have never once faltered or strayed from your path. You have always faced forward in spite of it, and for that, we are proud of you. Mr. Kurusu would say the same as well."

Soren chuckled. They were right though. He still has a chance to get them back together. It's only a matter of him taking that first step.

"Thanks, bros. I really needed that."

"You're welcome." Lavenza smiled.

"It's our pleasure." Igor still has his.

"Feeling better now?" Ren asked.

"Yeah. I am."

"That's good to hear. We want this to be the comeback of the century, you know?"

"It'll be more than a comeback."

"Good. Then let's get started."

Everyone was back at their assigned positions again as the two are refilling the bag again.

"Oh yeah, sorry I didn't bring you the goodies from Yokosuka. I'll bring them in next visit."

"It's alright, Soren. We don't need them right now." Lavenza said.

"Ah yes, Mr. Rover. While you are here, we have found more clues." Igor announced.

"A new update?" He claps his hands together. "Hit me with it."

"To 'recap' the story for brevity, the child was entrapped in a box, with the power to imagine anything they desire."

"Okay, I remember that part."

"Very good. You have caught on, indeed. Now, the child has possessed limitless power from the box, as everything is now within their grasp. What the child did not expect however is that the box would take them to lands unknown. Somewhere where none had stepped foot until now."

"Lands unknown? Why does that sound familiar?"

"It is from there that the child met another child as they begin to forge a bond between them. Unfortunately, that bond would not last as the child is forced to depart. The child has promised the other child that they will meet again."

"Hmm…" He feels like he's heard this somewhere before.

"And that, Mr. Rover, is where the excerpt truly ends."

"Wait, that's it? That's everything? Wow, that was short."

"Indeed. Those are the only documents that I could find. Others have been destroyed by degradation and other sources of destruction. If there were more, I would be more obliged to tell you more. Speaking of…" He turns to his assistants.

"It's true. We searched high and low everywhere for more, but we had to back off from our investigation." Ren said.

"What do you mean?" Soren asked.

"Those black holes we saw were only growing larger by the moment, but we also encountered enemies that we've never seen before."

"What kind of enemies?"

"We don't know. They don't appear to be Shadows, but they fight like one."

"It would be advisable to avoid them for the time being. It would not be wise to charge in recklessly." Lavenza warned.

"Right. Thanks for the advice."

The bag was refilled again, and the fees were paid.

"Actually, before I go… I think I have an idea of how to get them back together again."

"You do?" Ren said.

"Yeah. And here's how it'll go down."

He explains to them about this crazy idea that he has. The more they listen in, the more they're getting on board with it.

Igor chuckles. "I see. So that's your grand plan. This might be your most ambitious one yet."

"Alright, let us know and we'll be ready on your signal." Ren bump fists with Soren.

"Yeah. See y'all soon." Soren signed off with a salute from his two fingers.

"Until then." Lavenza reciprocates it back.

Soren was back in reality again, finding himself all tucked up on the bed. Akane was right there next to him.

"Thank goodness you're awake." she sounded relieved.

"Eh? Whuh?" He looked at the damage that he and Jackie caused from their fight, which is now being renovated and remodeled again. "Oh. Shit."

"That was quite the damage you made." Zenkichi came in. "So who's gonna pay for the damages to our room?"

"Dad!"

"I know, I know, I'm joking. But still, something must've happened. Would you mind telling us what went down?"

"Yeah. Yeah."

Soren explains to them what had really happened last night.

"Oh no…" the girl sounded concerned.

"This is bad. How did it all come to this?" the old man was too.

"A couple of things actually." the leader sighs. "But telling you two alone won't do good. Can you get everyone to the bus? This is super important for them too."

"Sure thing. I'll let everyone know." Zenkichi walks out of the room to call everyone else.

"Hey uh, sorry about your room. You know, for breaking and entering, and wrecking the place."

"It's okay. You must've had a rough night." Akane assured him.

"Yeah, I guess. I'll pay you back later when we're done with this."

"It's okay. There's no need. Reuniting with your friends is more important than a room. And don't forget that we're here to help."

"Thanks, Akane."

Zenkichi opens the door again. "They're on their way now. We should get going."

"Yeah." He gets up from the bed, but clutched his stomach in pain. "Oh goddamn, I forgot about that."

"Here, lemme help."

Zenkichi carries Soren as they and Akane return to the bus.

"Where did he even get that from?"

Everyone else were on the bus as Kirby and Lynn were recapping about what happened last night. They stopped talking when the other three came back in, but were shocked to see Soren bruised up.

"Soren!" Lynn rushed to him as he was set on the couch. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'll live." He laid his hand on his head. "Oh that hurts too."

"Kirby and Lynn told us about what happened. It sounds like the Jail has done more damage than I thought." Ichinose said.

"That's one thing, but you, Soren-kun, you're injured." Maruki noticed.

And that's another thing, too."

"How did this happen to you, if I may ask?" Sae inquires.

"Well… after everyone went their separate ways, I went to go find Jackie, who was hiding in Zenkichi and Akane's room by the way. I tried to tell him the truth about what really went down during the fight, but he wouldn't listen to me. We went back and forth about it, until… we threw hands at each other."

"What?" Sophia is shocked by that.

"So you two have fought, yes?" Kirby pinned.

"Yeah. That dog can actually throw hands, lemme tell you, as evidenced by the bruises I got on my face here. He also whipped my stomach too from some antenna he got from somewhere. I threw him out of the room, and he said that 'no one gives a fuck about me' and ran off."

"Jackie… no…" Lynn is saddened by the story.

"I'm sorry, Lynn. I really believed that I could try to put some sense into him."

"So what now?" Akane asked.

"I don't know. We don't even know where they are at this point." Sae shrugged.

"…"

"Kirby? What's up?" Zenkichi looked towards the pink puff.

"This was their grand plan all along."

"Wh-what is?"

"If I recall correctly, I once detailed that EMMA has been collectively gathering data of all of us, including Lynn and Renka. Crediting Sophia, she had recalled that this new version of EMMA can also gather data of the deceased, which was precisely why it had created the Jail of Yokosuka."

"No way. It could actually do that?" Maruki said.

"Correct. Since the old EMMA was incapable of doing so, I believe that the new EMMA has gained enough sentience to create one of its own will." Sophia explained.

"And considering that I created EMMA, this new version can also become a god if it wants to." Ichinose pointed out.

"And that is where my theory comes into play." Kirby spoke.

"Which is…?" Akane says.

"That EMMA, or some other self-proclaimed 'divine' entity, wishes to continue the narrative of destroying the friendship of two or more people so they can take full control of them, use them as pawns, and dispose of them after use. All while a new group eradicates them for their selfish plots."

"That's right. Sae-san and I heard of this from Soren-kun and his friends." Maruki remembered. "Those gods knew what they were doing at the time, and they got what they wanted in the end."

"They got to them when they were at their lowest. That much I know." Sae recognized. "If it happens to you guys, then…"

"We have to reach them first before they do." Lynn stated.

"But how are we gonna do that?" Zenkichi asked.

"Simple. We can track their phones, even if they're shut down." Sophia proposed. "It's something I learned from Futaba before she was laid to rest."

"Wait, really?" Lynn stood up.

"Yes, really. I can pinpoint their exact locations, no matter where they are."

"Even though it's criminal activity, I guess we have no choice. We need to find them quickly." Zenkichi says.

"Then we'll need to split up and have them meet at a rendezvous point." Maruki suggested.

"I'll give you their coordinates and where the meeting point will be. Once you found them, contact us." Sophia said.

"Alright, then there's no time to waste. Let's split!" Soren claps his hands to start the search.

Everyone got off the bus as it was now time to find the rest of the Monsta X members that have scattered throughout Sendai.

Jackie was walking through the streets around the city, all battered and bruised. He just got into a few scraps with a couple of street thugs, tourists that wouldn't mind their own business, other dogs that are way bigger and aggressive than him, and a few others. He really gave them all what for as he wants to be left alone.

He felt hurt and betrayed that his own friends would turn on him, and pin the blame on him for what happened back at the Yokosuka Jail. But the one that really stung the most was Soren fighting him and throwing him out of the room he crashed in.

"No one… no one gives a fuck about me anymore… I thought they were my friends. But they all turn on me… and left me to die…"

He sat behind a wall.

"What am I… what am I gonna do? Someone… Anyone… Help me…"

He hears something that shook him out of his phase.

"Who's there?"

Chapter Text

Sophia came up with an idea that will have her track down the other Monsta X members' phones, in order to get to them first before EMMA or some other god does. Coming from Kirby's words, that is most definitely probable since Galeem and Dharkon already did that with the Phantom Thieves.

Everyone had split up to go find their respective member and bring them to the rendezvous point, and Soren, Kirby, and Lynn will handle the rest. For the leader, he had already discussed this with the Velvet Room people before, and they were on board with it, so they'll wait for him once he's done.

Zenkichi and Akane went to go look for Shulk, Sae went after Robin, Kirby and Lynn search for Ryu and Ken, Maruki went to go find Richter, Ichinose tracks down Mac, and Soren locates Ike. Before they found their person, they contact Sophia to tell her that they got them. Otherwise, calling them and telling them the reason why they're here would give them away.

The two swordsmen arrive first at the rendezvous, though Ike has no idea what's going on.

"Soren, what's all this about?" He asked.

"Look man, it's just… Sophia found something and she wants us to go find it for her." A lie Sophia made up, and something Soren wouldn't normally say. "I know that you guys aren't in talking terms right now, but this is important for her and Lynn. They know how important it is that you should try to get along at least. Can't you do that for them, if not for Lynn, for our little baby?"

"Ohh, I hate it when you say it like that. Okay, I'll do it."

"I'm glad you can pencil her in. Now, I'll go get the others so wait here." Soren goes to leave, but not before turning around to point at the ground. "And don't. Go. Anywhere." He turns back to leave.

"I wonder what was that all about."

Finally out of eyesight, Soren noticed the door to the Velvet Room with Lavenza waiting for him.

"Hello, Trickster. Please, right this way."

He wasted no time going back in. He saw Ren and Igor there as well.

"Yo."

"Alright, so that was step one, right?" Ren asked.

"Yeah. All we need to do is bring them here."

"Will Mr. Kirby and Ms. Lynn arrive with them also?" Igor questioned.

"No, they'll do the same thing I did. They'll be here soon."

"And the others?" Lavenza queued.

"They'll be on their way after this. It's just the three of us handling this."

"I see."

"Oh, and Ren, whatever you do, don't get into a fist fight with Jackie. That dog can swing like a motherfucker."

"Yeah, I noticed. Duly noted." Ren nodded.

A few moments later, Kirby and Lynn finally arrive.

"Whoa… what is this place?" The girl looked around.

"This is the Velvet Room. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter." Kirby recites.

She gasped. "And who are they?"

"Ah, Ms. Lynn. Allow us to introduce ourselves." Ren bowed. "I am Ren Amamiya. This is Lavenza, and up above is our Master Igor."

"Pleased to meet you." Lavenza bowed.

"Yes, quite so." Igor said.

"They're the ones who helped me with this whole Metaverse thing, and they're ready for round two." Soren explained.

"Oh, I see."

"It is truly an honor to meet you, Ms. Lynn." Igor said. "I do hope we can talk more, but it seems our guests of honor have already arrived."

7 portals open up from up above as they drop Ken, Richter, Mac, Robin, Shulk, Ryu and Ike down to the ground, all groaning from the impact of the landing.

"Ooohh… my ass…" Mac groaned.

"I thought I was going to break my legs for a minute." Robin says.

"Huh? Wait, this place…" Shulk recognizes the layout, and the people in blue uniforms. "Ren? Lavenza?" And then the other three people. "Soren? Lynn? Kirby? What's the meaning of this?"

"Yeah, and didn't you say that Sophia and Lynn wanted all of us to find something, and it lead us to this?" Ken recalled.

"Well, this is 'something.'" Lynn confessed.

"Lynn, how could you lie to us like that?" Ryu said.

"It is no lie. This is what Soren calls 'intervention.'" Kirby clarified.

"Oh no- If you think that we're gonna apologize to Jackie for what he did during the last fight, then forget it. I'm not saying anything to him, or anyone else here." Richter crosses his arms and looks away.

"Yeah, you gotta be this crazy to get us back together just to us to make up with one another and then Jackie. He's gotta answer for that." Mac nailed it.

"Hmm. I figured you'd say that." Soren predicted this. "Then you leave me with only one thing left to do."

"And what's that?" Robin asked.

Soren raised his hand up first, before pointing at Robin, and then swipes his hand across to everyone else. The Velvet Room residents press a button that drops cages on them, confiding them inside. The cages then get raised up high above before being swayed around until they're in a circular formation around the room, where they'll stay there until further notice.

They were all trying to break free from their forced confinement.

"Hey, get me down from there!" Ken yelled.

"I'm afraid we can't do that, good sirs." Ren said. "And I would suggest that you stop struggling, unless you want us to raise it up more."

"This is inhumane! You're not planning to trap us here for a long time, are you?!" Shulk shouted.

"Yeah, we are." Soren answered. "And you'll be staying up there until you've come to realize something important from all of this."

"You… You can't do that to us." Ike said.

"I can, and I will! Because right now, none of you are thinking straight!" Soren points at all of them. "Look at yourselves! You're all fighting each other over the dumbest shit ever! Here you are, thinking that it was Jackie's fault that we almost lost the fight, when really, it was that Jail warden that made you act out like this!"

That stunned everyone into silence.

"Look, this is the time where you guys need each other now, more than ever. You've all been there for one another when it came to the Metaverse, in the real world, or even when you were competing in tourneys. And now it's being put to the test, and it wants all of you to pass. And it also concerns a friend of ours who isn't here right now. Yes, that's right: Jackie."

Kirby and Lynn stayed silent throughout the ordeal.

"He's out there right now, and he needs our help, more than anything else." He sighs. "But of course, we're not there for him right now, and your squabble is more important than that. That is the reason why we locked you up here, to get you to reconcile with one another and Jackie. And if you can't do that… then I have no choice but to leave you behind until you do. Me, Kirby and Lynn, we're going in, and we're gonna save Jackie, with or without you."

"Soren..." Lavenza muttered.

"We've made our feelings clear, so now you- No… Now everyone needs to recognize their own feelings. About who he is to you, and how much he meant to us. I want you all to think long and hard about it."

Soren jumped down to depart, and Kirby followed suit. Lynn looked at the cages one last time, with sadness on her face and in her heart, before jumping down to follow the others. The rest of the members are left locked inside their cages, supervised by the Velvet Room residents until further notice.

The trio were back in the real world, though the results weren't what they wanted it to be.

"Soren, are you certain that this is the correct option?" Kirby asked.

"… It's the only thing I can do at this moment." Soren replied. "Now, they need to work this out together."

"I hope they can come together." Lynn hoped.

"Me too."

"As am I."

"Come on, let's get back to the others."

They got back to the bus where everyone else is waiting for them.

"So, how did it go?" Zenkichi asked.

"It is done. Now, we will advance to the next step." Kirby said.

"But where will we find Jackie? I have his phone with me so we can't find him like this." Lynn held the device on her hand.

"Did you happen to put a microchip on him so you can track his location?" Ichinose asked.

"What the f- no! I'm gonna do that to him! He's turned human before!" Soren vehemently rejected.

"Sorry, sorry, just joking."

"But still, how are we going to find him? He could be anywhere in Sendai." Akane said.

"Ohh, if only we have some kind of clue that can help us…" Lynn groaned.

"Hmm?" Sophia picked up something.

"Sophia? What is it?" Ichinose asked.

"I smell… a Jail."

That shocked everyone, but Akane.

"A Jail? Here? Are you sure?" Zenkichi questioned.

"There's no doubt. The scent is strong, it's all around us."

"What's going on?" Akane was confused.

"I don't know, but we're about to find out." Maruki said.

Soren and Lynn check on their phones to see something new also.

"What the fuck?"

"What the heck?"

"Ah, so it is." Kirby noticed.

"Please don't tell me that this isn't another Jail created by EMMA itself…" Ichinose groaned.

"You have a friend request from Monsta X. Please state the keyword." EMMA pinged.

"What is it now?" Sae demanded.

"I think it said something about a friend request." Akane told them.

"And why does it say it's coming from you guys?" Zenkichi pointed at the screen. "If anything, it should've been coming from someone else."

"That is weird, I'll tell you that." Soren scratched his head. "But still, why does it have to use the group name instead?"

"Indeed. If all eleven of us are not present, then there is no Monsta X at any rate." Kirby nodded.

"Keyword successfully entered. Beginning navigation."

"Huh?"

"Uh, did you say something wrong, Kirby?" Maruki said.

"I do not know. All I know is that- Hmm?"

The distortion begins to take place.

The group now find themselves in another Jail, but this Jail isn't like the others. The Jail happens to be the same as before, but it's now covered in red and black vines that latch onto the walls and the ground, and there were train tracks on the ground as well, as they seem to be spread out unlike the real world.

"Whoa… what is this place?" Sae was in awe.

"Oh, this is familiar." Soren observed. "This looks like…"

"Mementos." Kirby answered.

"Oh, so you've been there before?"

"Yes."

Akane gasped loudly.

"Dad, your outfit!"

She saw her dad in a crazy outfit: a long black coat with fancy tassels, a tall silver collar thing, and a huge hat with a pointy bit. The coat had big lapels, and he also wore another high-collared coat, two fancy belts, and a gun belt on each side. Black pants, silver bits, and pointy shoes finished it off.

"Oh, this? Oh yeah, I haven't told you that part yet."

"Does that mean you're… you're…"

"That's right, Akane. I'm a Phantom Thief."

"Oh… my… god!" She ran up to hug her father. "You're so awesome! I wish mom would see this."

"I know, dear. Me too."

"Whoa…" Maruki was in amazement of seeing Sophia for the very first time. "And you said you're…"

"Sophie. Humanity's companion. It's nice to meet you, Maruki."

She shook hands with him enthusiastically.

Sae eyes on Soren and Lynn's outfits.

"I have to say, those outfits fit you very well."

"You think? Well, thanks for saying so." Soren hummed.

"Heehee, thank you, Ms. Sae." Lynn giggled.

"You know, for someone as cute as you, you happen to be a pretty capable person." Ichinose complimented.

"I thank you for your words of confidence." Kirby says. "But do not mistake me for what my appearance may be. I have clashed with gods and demons before."

"Ohh, I see."

"Well then, the time for conversation is nigh. We should advance."

"Right you are. I wanna see who's the Monarch this time. Let's get going." Soren commanded.

They went further into the Jail, where this appears to be the main central hub of the Jail. It's a subway station where trains and people come and go, but there doesn't seem to be any of them right now. All that's left is Shadows roaming around the premises.

A Shadow notices them and wails in alert to let them know that the intruders are here. Some of them transform into bigger Shadows and charge straight at them. Those who can fight held on the front to dispose of them as fast as they could.

Zenkichi was out here, protecting his daughter from any Shadow that dare go near her, swinging his greatsword around him and above her. He pulls out his revolvers and shot down the flying enemies up above them. Akane was amazed that her dad could do something like this.

Sophia swings her yo-yos around to stop them from getting close to Ichinose. The scientist herself actually did have pepper spray, which turned into a miniature flamethrower, and uses it to burn them to a crisp.

Sae actually held on her own, knocking down some of the enemies by herself with the aikido arts she'd been wanting to use for a long time. She didn't notice that another Shadow was targeting her, until Lynn sliced through it with her naginata.

Maruki had nothing with him so it was Kirby and Soren guarding him from the enemies. They summon their Spirits together, with Soren calling on Rambi with Amy equipped with her hammer, charging through them as she swings around wherever they go, and Galacta Knight swooped the others in another direction.

There was only one Shadow left, and seeing how it is completely outnumbered, it stabs itself, and disintegrates in front of them.

"That was pretty weird." Zenkichi said as he put his guns away.

"That kind of thing happens most of the time. Don't worry about it." Lynn told him.

"Do you guys go through this every time you go here?" Sae asked.

"In our experience, every time." Sophia answered.

"But still, we haven't found who the Monarch could be. Who really is it?" Ichinose wondered.

"Turn around." A voice ordered them.

They turned around to see a hooded man with a spear aimed at them.

"Who are you?" Soren demanded.

"You really don't know? After everything we've been through? You should've known that by now…" He takes off his hood to reveal his true face. "Soren Rover."

That was when the leader saw who that person really is.

"Jackie…?"

Chapter Text

There he is. The Monarch that they've been so curious about, and the person they least expect is right here. Jackie is the Monarch of the Sendai Jail. But this Jackie is different.

Here, he's in human form, but his eyes are yellow, and his clothes almost looks like his outfit when he first transformed into a human, except it's all dirty, ragged, and unkempt. His eyes were full of hurt and anger, his spear trained specifically at Soren, and no one else. Everyone held on with baited breath as the two start walking in circles.

"What's wrong? Don't know what to say? Or you got nothing at all?" The Shadow's distorted voice was filled with sarcasm. "Oh, and look. Looks like you got yourself some new friends too, and you didn't invite me? That's a shame. I expected more from you. I'm hurt, honestly."

"Our alliance is only temporary. You know that Monsta X means all 11 of us together." Soren tells him.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" Jackie grips his lance angrily and inches it closer to Soren. "How long did it take for you to find replacements of me, huh? A month? A week?! Even a day?! I trusted you! You were my best fuckin friend! And you threw me out and left me there to die!"

"That's not what happened!"

"Do you remember what you said about me, about me being a cat like Morgana? I couldn't help but think about the life I'll potentially lead if I was one. And you know what I'm thinking right now, huh? I want you dead."

He pointed his spear dangerously close to Soren's face. The leader's response? He swipes it away and lands an uppercut, making the Shadow be in recoil before slipping away out of sight. The shadow recovered and swung his polearm around, but Soren, and the rest of the others, have already disappeared.

"You can't hide from me! I will hunt you down!!"

He summons Shadows, tons of them, to patrol everywhere in the Jail, while he jumps up from somewhere.

Soren, Kirby and Zenkichi were hiding in a spot separated from the others.

"Are you sure this was a good idea to do that?" Zenkichi questioned.

"Not really, but I couldn't do much about that part." Soren said.

"Then what is our next course of action?" Kirby insists.

"We get the girls outta here, and we'll deal with the problem without worrying about them."

"Easy for you to say, there's Shadows everywhere." Zenkichi peaked out. "Besides, we don't even know where they're at right now."

"Then we shall separate to locate them." Kirby proposed.

"Alright then, let's split."

They split up to go find the others. Kirby snuck around the two of the buff ones, while jumping over a dog-like guard. He found Lynn hiding behind one of the buildings.

"Aqua, are you unharmed?"

"I'm fine. What about the others?"

"Soohyun, Zenkichi, and I will escort those who cannot fight out of the Metaverse while we traverse further into the Jail."

"Okay, seems like a solid plan. Shall we go look for them together?"

"I cannot."

"Huh, why not?"

"Should they finally reconcile, I can lead them to this Jail as they currently cannot access it. This too involves them as well."

"You're right. Soohyun is too big of a target to leave, and Zenkichi and Sophie are the only ones capable of fighting, so… here. I still have Jackie's phone."

She gives him the device.

"Thank you. I will depart now. Do be safe here."

"Okay, good luck."

Soren went past the one guard that only moves its flashlight left and right, then another guard that only moves side to side. He noticed Sophia escaping one of the guards via smoke bomb.

"Soohyun!"

"Hey. We gotta get Ichinose and the others outta here. They can't fight if they don't have Spirits."

"You're right. I'll improvise a plan to escort them without getting caught."

"Okay, and I'll try to divert the attention away."

They agree on their roles and split up.

Zenkichi had already took down three Shadows that went way too close to him. He has to make sure that his daughter is safe, and he swears to up and above if they ever get near her, he'll definitely-

"Hasegawa-san, over here." Maruki called. He was with all the girls in a hiding spot bigger than the others.

"Do you know what's going on? There's all these things walking around." Sae pointed at them.

"I'll explain more to you once we get out of here." Ichinose said to her.

"Dad, I'm scared." Akane whimpers.

"It's okay, Akane. I'm here for you." Zennkichi hugs his daughter. "Guys, we need to get outta here right now, but we'll need a distraction."

"You want distractions? I have an idea." Lynn spoke up, holding a smart bomb, and throws it at the Shadows, causing a huge explosion. "Go, go!"

Everyone quickly ran out of here, blowing up the Shadows and making Jackie plummet down to the ground quickly, but found no signs of life.

"Hmph. Well played. But next time you come back, I'll be sure to give a more warm welcome back. And next time, I won't miss."

They finally got out of the Jail, currently recovering in the bus as this was the other people's first time in the Metaverse.

"Is everyone okay?" Zenkichi checked up.

"Yeah… I think so…" Sae caught her breath.

"So this world we've been in… Is that what you guys go into every time?" Akane asked.

"Not every time, but while it's still here." Lynn answered.

"I see. Now I finally understand what the Phantom Thieves were going through." Sae whispers to herself.

"So what's the plan here? " Ichinose asked.

"Obviously, we're going back in there, but we can't bring everyone else back in too, unless they're more likely to target you." Soren says.

"That is true. We'll look after Akane-chan for you guys." Maruki assures them.

"Thanks guys. Alright, let's get back to- What the fuck?"

"What is it?" Akane asked.

Soren looked out the window to see a rather familiar, but hateful sight. The others looked out as they saw what he's seeing right now.

"Who is that?" Ichinose peeked.

"Madarame? Wasn't he supposed to be in prison? What's he doing in Sendai of all places?" Sae wondered.

"I don't know. I think there's something fishy going on if white-collared crooks like him are outta there." Zenkichi scratched his chin.

"This doesn't look right… Huh? Look over there, too." Maruki pointed at another figure.

"Kaneshiro too? What is happening here?" Sae recognized.

"What's going on?" Lynn asked.

"It seems that the Phantom Thieves' biggest enemies, who are supposed to be in jail right now, are now roaming free." Soren explained.

"Oh no…"

"Yeah. It's getting heavy out here."

"It seems that whoever it is out there is trying to reverse the results that the Phantom Thieves had worked so hard for. We have to put a stop to it." Sae said.

"Right you are." Maruki agrees. "Soren-kun, we can handle this from here. You and Lynn-chan can focus on the Jail."

Ichinose's phone buzzes, meaning that Sophia wants to talk.

"And I'll stay with the others. Zenkichi, why don't you go with them?"

"Eh?"

"What? You're not coming with us?" Lynn questioned.

"Correct. I've already done my part to help you. Now it's Zenkichi's turn to help you."

"I mean, are you sure about that?" Soren asked.

"I am."

"Alright then, if that's what you want."

"Thanks, Sophia. I'll do what I can to help them. By the way, where's Kirby at?"

"He says that he's gonna check on our friends." Lynn replied. "I do hope they make up soon. We really need their help."

"Me too. But uh, if it's alright with y'all, I need to rest first. I need to be in my A-game if we're gonna get through this."

"Sure thing, but don't sleep too long." Zenkichi says.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Soren jumps onto the bed to get some sleep. Well, that, and to visit someone else.

He finds himself to be in somewhere that seems to be somewhere way up high. It's later revealed to be high up in the mountains, and if looking far back, he can see that there are no tall buildings, let alone any modern architecture that resembles the Japan he's in today. But that doesn't matter.

"Right on the nose." He remarks.

He then hears footsteps that is closing in, turning around to see a blue haired swordsman donning a simple kimono, and a katana by his side. He also wears a fox mask on the side of his head.

"Yo." He greeted.

"You're here." Yusuke nodded. "I take it that you're here for a visit?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Then perhaps you can indulge me in a little duel?" Yusuke unsheathes his sword.

"You're on." Soren unsheathes Alondite as he's ready to duel. "Ready?"

"Then let's begin."

The two swordsmen clashed, each clink and clang has iron, steel and metal grinding against one another as sparks ignite against the blades. There was no cheap or underhanded tactics that were in play, just simple swordplay.

They were going at it as there were no signs of stopping. They were completely even until Soren knocked the sword away from Yusuke's hand. But instead of pointing his sword at him, he has his fist out.

"GG's."

"Hmph. Well played." Yusuke bumps fists and was helped up on his feet. "I take it that you've finally found your resolve?"

"I have. "I'll save Jackie, no matter what it takes. But to do that, I'll need their help."

"Very good. Don't forget, we're here to support you In every step of the way."

"Thanks. I'll take what I can get."

"Then before you leave, would you mind chatting for a bit?"

"Eh, why not? It couldn't hurt."

They sat on rocks with a campfire lit up.

"We heard what happened back there. It was rather unfortunate to hear that you all had been separated by it."

"Yeah. But I'm over it now. Some good friends of mine gave me the pep talk I need, and I'm ready to set things right. Not just for my sake, but for theirs also. I wanna show him that I care for him too, and also apologize to him for some of the things I said to him."

"That's good to hear. I heard that Morgana isn't as responsive as he used to be. I believe it has something to do with Jackie."

"Probably. I think he doesn't want the same thing to happen to him. Or to make it more sense, you don't want that happen to us like it did you."

"Indeed. I don't want to use our tragic end as a precautionary tale, but know that you still have a fighting chance to save them. Don't make the same mistakes we did. Be better than us."

"Yeah. I promise. I won't let you down. I'm gonna get going now. Don't want to stay here too long."

"Of course. Good luck out there, Soren."

"Thanks." He lays down next to the campfire for he is returning to the real world.

Soren immediately jolts back up to check on everyone else.

"Soren. Did you rest well?" Lynn asked.

"Sure did. What about you?"

"Mhm. Everyone told me to rest."

"That's good."

Zenkichi knelt down to talk to his daughter. "Akane, I would normally tell you to stay in the bus, but I made a promise to you that we'd do it together, and I intend to keep it."

"Thanks, Dad. And don't worry. I'll stay with Ichinose-san and everyone here." Akane said.

"That's my girl." He pats her head.

"So you're gonna go with Sae then?" Soren asks.

"Of course. I may not do much compared to the others, but I will do what I can to help." Maruki says.

"Don't sell yourself short, Maruki-san." Sae told him. "You know, I never got the chance to thank you for helping the Phantom Thieves when I couldn't. She told me all about you, and I see now that you're a good person, so thank you."

"It's my pleasure."

"Alright, so we know what to do then?" Soren asks everyone, and has all the nods. "Okay, time to split, again!"

Everyone hopped off the bus, with Ichinose and Akane, with Sophia joining them, go one way, while Sae and Maruki went the other way. That leaves Zenkichi to go with Soren and Lynn.

"Y'all ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Let's do this."

Soren taps the phone and back they go.

Now back in their Metaverse outfits, they're ready to go back in again.

"By the way guys, what are your codenames?" Zenkichi asked.

"Mine's Soohyun." Soren replied.

"And I'm Aqua." Lynn answered.

"Soohyun and Aqua, eh? Not bad. Then call me Wolf."

"And not to be confused with Wolf O'Donnell."

"Who's that?" Lynn turned to him.

"The big bad wolf that runs a mercenary pilot band."

"Oh, I see."

"Well then, thanks for the difference."

"No probs. Alright, let's go."

They charge straight back to the entrance.

"Hold on Jackie, we're coming. And we care about you being our talking dog best friend!"

Chapter Text

It was quiet in the Velvet Room as no one was in the mood to talk. Some of them tried to sleep or meditate, others looked at the scenery of the place, and the rest… they were looking at what the Velvet Room residents were doing.

Ren was solving a 21 x 21 Rubiks cube. He had requested Soren that he wanted to get him one some time ago since he's already solved all the other ones and he wanted more of a challenge.

Lavenza was getting the hang of sewing, considering that she poked herself with the needle a couple of times. Now, she's perfectly bobbing and weaving at the seams without any problems.

Igor was on his 11th model using the Play-Doh he got. He had already finished making 10 models, with one of them being a dog model, and he seems to be enjoying it a lot more than shuffling cards.

They had already finished their activities, with the entire cube solved, a shirt completely woven, and all 11 models fully assembled, all lined up neatly. They set those aside to finally address the issue at hand.

"We can do this all day, you know." Ren started. "We have all the time in the world."

"What's there to talk about? I'm not saying anything to anyone here." Ken refused.

"Come on, I know you do. Everyone here does. You're only saying that because you don't wanna talk with one another."

"Well yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to be in friendly terms again." Richter said. "And besides, Jackie still has to answer for what he did at that last fight."

"But was it truly his fault?" Lavenza asked. "Should he really take the blame for what happened during the skirmish?"

"What are you talking about?" Robin demanded.

"Mr. Rover has visited us again from the night after the last battle." Igor explained. "He recounted the recent events that had happened during the span of that day."

"But why would you tell us this if Soren is your guest here?" Ryu reminded them.

"Well, let's just say that he left this as a message from us to you." Ren answered. "Even though this realm is exclusive to people like him who had signed the contract, you've all been brought here for the second time already, since this is a far more urgent matter to him."

"What could you possibly show or tell us about what it is that could convince us?" Shulk said.

"We will show you…" Lavenza presented a screen that showcases all the notes they had collectively gathered to compile it into one big presentation. "What had truly happened during your visits from Yokosuka and Sendai."

The film begins when the Jail warden fires some kind of attack as a last resort. It hit everyone, except for Soren and Kirby who swiped the attack away. Robin protected Lynn from the attack before he finishes it off.

What they didn't see or notice at the time is this dark miasma that seeped into them, as it begins to cloud their mind and judgement.

"What is that?" Ike examined the footage.

"This was the outcome of the battle. The Jail warden had used its final attack to not take you with them like a destiny bond, but to spread confusion and conflict."

The next clip plays when they were all fighting the Dire Shadow back at the same Jail again. Every time they get hit by something, a status effect follows them, making the fight more difficult and they get more agitated by it. The deal breaker was when Jackie was brainwashed and he healed the Shadow.

"And there it is." Ren pinpoints. "That is the source of your problems. You thought that Jackie got hit by it accidentally, but when really, he got hit by the same thing you got hit by. Still don't believe us? Then we'll show you some more."

Another clip plays where they were arguing outside the bus as they pin the blame on Jackie, and then each other before they started throwing hands at one another.