Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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“Here we are.”

The monotone voice drawled in the girl’s ear, the bright lights of the world’s apex shining on her as she held the silver gun tight in her hand. Before her, a stranger, his eyes dull and unfocused. Beside her, anything but, a comforting hand scorched by the flames of regret placed on her shoulder. The voice leaned closer, a hint of silent desperation flitting from within as its shadow loomed over her.

“This is what we were meant to do. Everything has led to this. To now. All you have to do…”

The stranger’s eyes turned upwards, staring at the girl. There was no recognition there. No love. No malice. No hate. Nothing but an empty mask, worn over an empty soul. She knew then, that if the stranger’s life were to end at this very moment, there wouldn’t be a soul in the world to mourn him.

“...is pull the trigger.”

The girl closed her eyes.

And there was a flash of light.

Saturday, April 9^th 2016.

The Day of the Arrival

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today. We will be arriving in Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop for this line. Please transfer here for all subway lines. The doors to your left will open.”

The traincar rumbled beneath the girl’s feet, the rhythmic tha-thump tha-thump reverberating through her bones as it spurred her to wakefulness. She sat up with a yawn, pulling her hands free from where they had tangled with her headphones to rub at her eyes. Her playlist had concluded, the title of the first track staring back at her as she checked her phone.

3:14 PM

‘A Way of Life’

⏮ ⏵ ⏭

Right on time.

The girl sighed, pressing the play button and leaning back in her seat as the tinny sound of Rise Kujikawa’s voice echoed from her battered old headphones. They were pretty crappy, if she was being honest, barely doing anything at all to drown out the chatter of the pair of girls beside her who were gossiping about ‘mental shutdowns’ or whatever. But they were hers. They had been since that final birthday with her mom. And no matter where life took her, that was the one constant she could find. She’d had her headphones when she and her brother would play down by the river. She’d had them when they’d come home to find mom… like that. She’d had them when she had been thrust into the foster system on her lonesome and been forced to find her own way in the world. She’d had them when that man had cornered that woman, and…

Well, she’d had them when she faced the consequences of what she did that night.

The girl shook her head. The headphones were one of the few things she had been allowed to keep for her new life in Tokyo. Anyone who wanted to take them away from her could pry them from her cold dead hands.

…then again, with how city people could be, that might end up being more literal than she might have liked.

The girl sighed as she stepped off the train, joining the crowd as they wove their way onto the sidewalk outside the station. The subway line was just up the street, right at the heart of Shibuya. Somewhere, deep inside her mind, the girl remembered something someone had said to her once about the scramble crossing in Shibuya. It was the heart of Tokyo, supposedly. A bunch of big words that didn’t really mean anything in the end, not that there was anything particularly surprising about that. Most words didn’t mean anything. They were just words, after all. Empty sounds spoken to bring fantasy to life.

Or in some cases, unspoken.

The sound in the girl’s ears died with a warble as she stopped at the edge of the crossing, Kujikawa’s dulcet tones distorting into incomprehensible static as she felt a chill run down her spine. The world seemed to darken around her as she glanced down at her phone, a flash of golden light flitting across her screen before being lost in static.

“Hey, come on now…” The girl frowned, tapping the phone screen repeatedly. Her voice echoed unnaturally, even as the screen simply faded to black. “What’s the big idea? What are you…”

The girl trailed off as she looked up, searching for some stranger to share in her indignation. What she found instead was an empty crossing and a darkened sky. In an instant the crowd had vanished, replaced by an eerie silence as the world shrouded itself in darkness and an eerie fog rolled over the ground around her.

“Hello?” The girl took a step forward, eyes darting around the darkness, searching for something to latch onto. There were no people. No cars. No sounds, but for the faint static in her ears. The only thing there with her in the darkness was the curling fog at her feet, and…

A flaming woman stood there, at the center of the crossing. The girl couldn’t make out any details about her beneath the blaze, but for the twisted smile on her face and the sight of her coat buffeting in the wind, the flames dancing along its length. Around her the fog seemed to curl, twisting back and away as the fire burned and the girl stared uncomprehendingly at the figure before her.

The woman winked.

The girl felt a wave of nausea pass over her as the world came suddenly into focus and the sounds and sights of the city plunged back into motion around her. Kujikawa’s voice sang high once more, a way of life restored as the girl could only stare, dumbfounded at the spot where the flaming woman had been standing. In a moment just as soon as she had appeared, she was gone, leaving the girl to question if it had really happened or if she was simply crazy.

…

Well, at least crazy would be simpler to explain.

The girl shook her head, deciding that even if she had just seen whatever that had been, it was probably better to pretend that she hadn’t. She had places to be. A whole new life to live. Delusions of flaming women standing in central crossings and distributing winks was no basis for a new beginning. Instead, the girl turned back and away, heading toward the subway to catch the next train to Yongen-Jaya.

Never even knowing about the eyes that still followed her the whole way there.

---

For a relatively small neighborhood, Yongen-Jaya was remarkably easy to get lost in. The girl hit at least three dead ends before finally finding her destination, a cramped little bookstore situated on one of the backstreets. She took a deep breath as she stared up at its old wooden façade, the worn lettering seeming to stare right back at her.

‘Bookworms’

She checked the note on her phone. This was the place she’d be staying for the rest of the year, apparently. An old bookstore run by a married couple, the Kitamuras. They had agreed to take her in for… well, she wasn’t sure why exactly. Only that they had, and that was the reason she was here instead of locked away in juvie somewhere. In a way, she owed them her life.

Was it any wonder she wanted to make a good first impression?

The girl took a deep breath, pocketing her phone for the last time and pulling off her headphones. A part of her considered shoving them into her pockets or something, but she decided against it. They were a part of her, and they deserved to know that. She was living under their roof, they should know the real her.

Or, well, the real her that the world was able to see anyways.

The girl put on her most practiced smile, wasting no more time as she pushed open the door to the shop. She was greeted by the sound of a bell chiming and the smell of paper. If from the outside the shop had seemed small, the inside did it no extra favors. From the moment the girl stepped inside she was surrounded on both sides by towering shelves that seemed fit to burst, the dim lights of the store doing little to illuminate the singular customer that stood inside. He looked up as she walked in, his stained labcoat ruffling against the shelves as he turned to the door.

“Hmhmm.” The man reached up, scratching the stubble on his neck as he peered at the girl from behind a pair of thick clouded spectacles, his expression unreadable beneath. “An interesting flicker in fate…”

“…huh?” The girl blinked, her smile already faltering as the man made his way to the door and walked out past her. “What did you say?”

The man said nothing, just humming an uneasy tune as he walked back out into the streets of Yongen-Jaya, leaving the girl to stare after him with a distinctly uncomfortable feeling. That wasn’t a bad sign, was it?

“Oh, hello there dear.” The girl turned as a voice echoed from the end of the shop, a little old lady peering at her from behind the counter in the bookstore’s depths. “I hope that wasn’t too uncomfortable for you. Yushi’s a bit strange, but he’s a delightful boy once you get to know him. How can I help you?”

“Actually, you’re… Mrs. Kitamura, right?” The girl made her way over to the counter, pausing just before it and bowing deeply. “My name is Kotone Shiomi. I am in your care.”

“Kotone… Shiomi… oh!” Mrs. Kitamura gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. “Oh, you’re the young lady who will be staying with us, is that right? Oh dear, we didn’t expect you so soon, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s no problem at all, Mrs. Kitamura.” Kotone finally stood upright, the smile falling back into place now that whoever that ‘Yushi’ man was had likely gone far away. “I’m just thankful you’re willing to host me. I’m so sorry to be a bother.”

“Oh no, not at all dear.” Mrs. Kitamura waved her hand dismissively, shuffling around the counter to make her way toward the staircase that stood at the very end of the space. “Come on now, let me show you your room. I sent my husband to go fix it up, but knowing him he’s probably lazing about up there.”

“That isn’t-“ Kotone bit her tongue, realizing that commenting on the dynamic of her hosts having only just met one of them about 30 seconds ago was probably a bad idea. Instead, she decided to focus on something practical. “I get my own room?”

“Oh yes. It was our son’s after he decided that he was too much of an up and comer to still be living in his parents’ house.” Mrs. Kitamura shuffled her way up the stairs, a surprising speed in her step as she did. “It’s been empty for years now, aside from the storage we’ve been using. Of course, Bunkichi was meant to clean it up but…”

Mrs. Kitamura trailed off, tutting as she shuffled into the attic. Kotone followed after her, looking around the space. Once, it might have been a charming little studio above the bookstore. Now though, half the floorspace was taken up by stacks of old books, there was a layer dust about an inch thick over most of the upturned furniture, and there was an old man lying still on a futon just beneath the crusted window at the far end of the room.

“Is he…” Kotone trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought as she held back a sneeze from piercing the dusty air. “Mrs. Kitamura?”

“He’s quite alright dear, don’t worry. Watch.” Mrs. Kitamura cleared her throat, leaning in close to her husband’s ear. “Amazon.”

“Cheapos!” Mr. Kitamura awoke with a start, waving his hands as he let out a hackneyed cough. “They -blghk- won’t buy our store, not over my dead… body. Oh. I must have fallen asleep.”

“That you did, you old fart.” Mrs. Kitamura shook her head disapprovingly as her husband stood from the futon, trembling as the years of wear showed their toll on his body. “Stand up straight, the young lady is here!”

“Young lady?” Mr. Kitamura blinked, peering into the gloom of the attic and catching sight of Kotone still standing near the top of the stairwell. “Oh, right! That’s why I was up here, now I remember.”

“Hello sir, my name is Kotone Shiomi.” Kotone bowed deeply once more, her eyes turned toward the ground. “Thank you very much for allowing me to-“

“Oh there’s no need for any of that missy.” Mr. Kitamura waved her off, grabbing his cane from where he had leaned it against the wall and supporting himself with it. “You can just call me Bunkichi. And you’ve already met my wonderful wife Mitsuko, hm?”

“We’re not very big on formality, dear.” Mrs. Kitamura nodded her approval, her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, that means that my sloth of a husband hasn’t made much progress in making this space livable for you. Really dear, there’s got to be a hundred books between her and the kitchenette!”

“I tried, but my old bones need rest!” Mr. Kitamura grumbled, rubbing his arm. “I really am sorry though missy, it’s a real embarrassment to have you show up with things like this.”

“It’s not a problem at all, really.” Kotone shook her head, looking around the space. She figured it was a miracle they were able to get up the stairs, let alone try and clean this place on their own. “You’re already doing so much for me. Please, let me handle the rest of the cleaning. It’s where I’ll be living after all, it shouldn’t be your concern.”

“Oh my…” Mrs. Kitamura fretted, her face falling into a frown as she tutted quietly. “You’re so kind, dear. How did a nice young lady like yourself get into such big trouble?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not really sure ma’am.” Kotone smiled placatingly, shrugging her shoulders. “I guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Like she always had been.

---

Screaming. The sound of bone smacking against metal. A man’s voice high and tinged with madness. Cries echoing up into the night. Kotone knew she should have turned away.

She didn’t.

---

Kotone blinked away the memory, staring at the duster in her hand. The last few hours had gone by in a flash, the incident nesting in her mind even as she helped the old couple down the stairs and gave them her thanks once again before they closed up shop. They’d seemed nice, probably nicer than she deserved really, considering what she’d done. She could only hope that she could keep her façade up long enough for them to not get sick of her.

Like they always did.

She frowned, shaking the other memories away and just focusing on the cleaning at hand. Even after several hours and several trips down to the trash bins across the street, the little studio still didn’t feel any less unwelcoming. There were too many old books piled over everything that might have been something. Mrs. Kitamura had mentioned a kitchenette, but Kotone didn’t even have the faintest clue where that might have been and it was already dark outside. Hopefully she’d be able to dig it out sometime… well, sometime. She’d need to ask the Kitamuras where they wanted all these old books moved to.

But that was later, and now was now. And with the exhaustion of a day of travel, hallucinations, and manual labor all behind her, Kotone figured she deserved a rest. She flopped down on the futon, pointedly ignoring the fact that she was still in her travelling clothes as well as the distinct smell of old man sweat that hung in the air. Instead she stared at the cobwebs tucked away at the corners of the ceiling, and the motes of dust floating in the harsh air of the streetlight outside her window. The former she hadn’t had the heart to clear, the little spider friends above remaining delightfully housed as she let them be. The latter was just a consequence of her living space, she supposed, the bright light fading just a little as she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

And the last thing she saw before she drifted off for the night, was the sight of the flaming woman smiling at her.

?????

???

 “Welcome, to our Velvet Room.”

Kotone’s eyes fluttered open, the impression of the flaming woman vanishing into darkness as she was dragged, quite suddenly, to wakefulness. There was something wrong. She could feel it. It was in the air, it was in the sound of the strange voice welcoming her to some place called the ‘Velvet Room’, and it was in the sight of her cobwebbed ceiling replaced by nothing at all.

Kotone was surrounded on all sides by a vast empty void shrouded in fog, an endless plain stretching toward an incomprehensible horizon in every direction, no matter where she looked. The girl blinked from where she was lying amidst the nothingness, sitting up and trying to find some sense in the darkness. There was none. The only things joining her in oblivion were the creeping fog, a woman in a muted blue uniform staring at her with a pair of shining verdant eyes, and a man sitting at a desk by her side, whose nose most certainly should not have been that long.

“I have been waiting a very long time for this day, Wildcard.” The man cooed at Kotone as she  pushed herself to her feet, his silky smooth voice flowing somewhat jarringly through her mind. He didn’t so much speak as he was heard, his twisted lips locked in a grin that gave no sound, yet somehow communicated his words anyhow. “It is so good to finally meet you.”

“Meet me?” Kotone rubbed her head, somehow hoping that if she stared at the strange long-nosed man long enough, he might vanish like the fiery woman had. No such luck. “What do you mean? Where am I?”

“You’re in the Velvet Room, weren’t you listening?” The green-eyed woman rolled her eyes, pulling a clipboard from seemingly nowhere and tapping it against her chest. “Don’t ask stupid questions. We don’t have all day.”

“This is a place at the intersection of dream and reality, where mind and matter intertwine, and fate charts its course.” The man leaned back in his chair, his creepy smile doing little to calm the indignation in Kotone’s heart at the green-eyed woman’s words. “I am Igor. My assistant, Merope. Together, the three of us are fated to find what lies at the end of the thread that binds us. It’s rather exciting, wouldn’t you say?”

“I don’t understand.” Kotone shook her head emphatically. What the hell was he even talking about anyways? It didn’t make any sense. “What is this? What do you want from me?”

“Be patient, you’ll find out soon.” Merope rolled her eyes again, the look of annoyance on her face only growing more pronounced. “Don’t even bother trying to rush things.”

“Fate guides all toward their destinies.” Igor mused, tapping his fingers against one another in front of his decidedly long nose. Kotone realized that she really kept coming back to the nose thing, but it must be understood, his nose was outrageously long. “It has guided you here, Wildcard. Our Velvet Room reflects the heart of she who finds it. As you can see…” Igor lifted a hand, gesturing vaguely toward the expansive darkness that surrounded them. “Your heart is bereft. Worry not. Fate will guide you towards completion.”

“But I still don’t…” Kotone’s eyes grew heavy, her whole body suddenly feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds. “Don’t… understand… what am I… what…”

“You will. My master will be calling you back here again soon.” Merope stepped forward, crouching by Kotone as her body slumped to the ground, and she felt herself drifting off once more to sleep. The last thing she saw were Merope’s piercing green eyes staring into her soul, a frown embedded on the woman’s face.

Don’t mess it up.

Monday, April 11^th 2016.

The Day of the Descent

Scarlet eyes stared back at Kotone through the dinghy mirror of the Bookworms bathroom. She blinked once. Twice. A third time, for good measure. Each time the sight of the girl in front of her didn’t change, still looking right back at her beat for beat. Something about the reflection just seemed… wrong though. Like it was fighting her somehow. Kotone had attended enough schools to know that the first few times wearing a new uniform always made you feel a little off. It was a new paradigm, a new way of looking at yourself, a new way of seeing things. Of course things would feel different to start.

But still, something about Shujin Academy’s uniform just felt more… restrictive. Kotone reached up, tugging at the collar of her turtleneck. It felt like it was holding her in, pressing her into the shape Shujin wanted. The whole school felt like that, actually. Maybe it was the disorientation that came from waking after strange dreams in a new city, but when she’d gone to Shujin to sort out her paperwork with Mr. Kitamura the day before, she could have sworn the walls were closing in on her. The school was fenced in on all sides by taller buildings, even the baseball diamond out back behind it. The effect was claustrophobic, almost like a prison yard. Actually, as Kotone had stood there listening to the principal drone on about academic opportunity and good behaviours for new students, she had decided that that was exactly what Shujin Academy was.

A prison.

Not that they would know that, what with her big smiles and her deep bows. As far as Principal Oohashi and Ms. Toriumi were concerned, she was just a sweethearted girl in a bad situation. They’d given her those same sympathetic smiles everyone always did, those same empty promises that this time would be different, and that as long as she behaved herself, everything would be okay.

It didn’t mean anything. Not really. Everything always went away in the end anyways.

Kotone sighed, stopping her fiddling and stepping out of the bathroom. She couldn’t delay any longer, right now it was school or juvie. As much as she might have wanted to go lie on her bed and listen to music until the sun burned out, it wouldn’t be fair to the Kitamuras to flake on them so quickly. Mr. Kitamura had been kind enough to drive her home after that incident on the subway yesterday, and it felt wrong to disappoint the kind old couple when they were letting her stay here for free. She could put up with things. It wasn’t that big a deal. She could handle it.

Plus, a part of her was worried that if she dozed off, she might see the man with the nose and his green-eyed lackey.

And she really didn’t want that.

---

The route to Shujin Academy was about as confusing as it was complicated, the multiple trains and stations proving a far greater challenge than Kotone had expected. She quietly cursed her indecisiveness from before as she stepped off the train in Aoyama-Itchome, then cursed again as she emerged from the station to find the sky clouded and threaded with the first signs of a downpour. Here she was, her first day of school in a whole new city, and she was going to show up late and drenched in rainwater.

It's not like she could expect anything better anyways, right?

Kotone made the executive decision right then and there that, if she was going to be late anyways, she might as well be dry when she showed up to Shujin. Absolution came in the form of an overhang in front of some fancy high-end shop, the pinging of the raindrops over her head proving a comfort as Kotone sheltered beneath it. There was one other student seeking cover there alongside her, a short-haired brunette with a pink cardigan already dotted with raindrops. She frowned as she brushed some of the water off her arms, looking distinctly unhappy as she did.

“Lousy luck, huh?” The girl sighed, twirling a finger through her hair as she watched the downpour. “The one day I forget my umbrella…”

“Mhm.” Kotone nodded in response, leaning back against the building and pulling a single headphone off her ear as she pressed pause on her music. It was only polite. “Rotten.”

“Right.” The girl chuckled, stepping back and looking Kotone up and down. She tilted her head curiously. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Are you new here?”

“That’s right.” Kotone nodded, straightening up and bowing her head at the girl. “My name is Kotone Shiomi. This is going to be my first day at Shujin Academy. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Whoah, what’s with the canned speech? You sound like you’re reading off a script.” The girl chuckled again, her words nonetheless spurring a wince in Kotone. It was that obvious, huh? “It’s nice to meet you, Kotone. My name is-“

“Yo, Yukatan!” A boy’s voice interrupted her before she could finish, the sight of a goateed student in a Shujin uniform and a baseball cap proving the source as he jogged up to the pair. “What are you doing standing around? We’re gonna be late!”

“We’re already late.” The girl, Yukatan apparently, huffed. “I’m just waiting for the rain to clear up. It shouldn’t be too long.”

“Aw man, ‘course you can get away with waiting a bit. Coach is gonna kill me.” The man groaned, nonetheless pausing to glance at Kotone. “Yo, who’s your new friend? She’s cute.”

“Hello.” Kotone bowed her head once again. “My name is Kotone Shiomi. This is going to be my first day at Shujin Academy. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“You are reading a script.” Yukatan’s eyes widened as she caught on, a frown flitting across her face. “Hey, word of advice? I don’t think that’s going to go over very well. It’s pretty weird, actually.”

“I just don’t want to cause any trouble.” Kotone shook her head. Shit. Already? “That’s all.”

“…right. Well, as I was saying, I’m Yukari Takeba. And if you want to stay out of trouble…” Yukari jabbed a thumb at Junpei, shaking her head. “You should stay away from that guy. Junpei’s a magnet for bad kinds of mischief.”

“Whoah, that’s harsh Yukatan.” Junpei shrugged, scratching just below his cap. “She’s exaggerating. You’ll be just fine with me around. You ever need anything, you know you can just ask your ol’ pal Junpei-“

“IORI!”

Junpei suddenly turned white as a sheet as a man’s voice echoed from behind him, a town car having pulled onto the curb just beyond. A disgruntled looking teacher glared at the boy from the driver’s seat, annoyance almost seeming to radiate from him as he tapped his fingers insistently against the steering wheel.

“What do you think you’re doing standing around chatting up girls, you pervert?” The man snarled, his engine revving as he looked unhappily between the three. “You’re late! Get the hell to class before I call your father and let him know his worthless son is a damn truant, do you hear me?”

“Yes Coach! On it Coach!” Despite the increase in volume, Junpei’s voice seemed to lose all its luster as he responded to the teacher, turning and booking it down the road toward Shujin. “I’m sorry Coach!”

“You better be.” The teacher glared at him for a long moment before turning his attention to the pair of girls watching the whole affair. “And you two! Quit gawking and hurry up. A little rain’s not going to ruin your hair or whatever. Kids these days, I swear…”

The man rolled up his window without another word, his wheels spinning as he shot off down the street, the sudden speed splashing a an arc of water toward the two girls’ feet from the puddle he had been parked in.

“That crotchety old dictator…” Yukari stared after the car, a scowl on her face. “Here’s another word of advice for you Kotone, stay away from Mr. Ekoda if you can. He runs everything he touches like a psycho. Especially the baseball team. It’s a total nightmare.”

“That does sound like a nightmare.” Kotone blinked as a shadow seemed to pass over the sky. She glanced out past their shelter, and to the world beyond. The downpour had stopped, even as thicker clouds had drifted in front of the sun, seeming to cast the whole world into darkness. “It’s cleared up now.”

“Hm? Oh hey, you’re right.” Yukari smiled, stepping out without further hesitation and heading toward the school. “Come on, I know a shortcut. It’s a little sketchy, but we can probably make it there on time if we hurry.”

Kotone nodded affirmatively, fighting the urge to pop her phone out and play her music again as she fell into step behind the other girl. Yukari was being kind to her and showing her the way to school. She seemed nice enough. The least Kotone could do was give her her full attention. It would only be a short while until Yukari got sick of her anyways, so she may as well enjoy things while she could. This wasn’t so bad, right?

Well, at least it wasn’t until they exited the alley across from Shujin Academy’s front gate, and found themselves face to face with a building that was most certainly not the same school that Kotone had visited yesterday.

“What the…” Yukari froze at the mouth of the alleyway, blinking up at the large wooden palisade that had seemingly taken the place of Shujin Academy. Where once a school that was probably not a prison had stood, now there was some kind of old wooden palace that was most certainly not a school. “What is this?”

“Uh…” Kotone blinked, glancing between the bewildered looking Yukari and the structure. “I don’t think it’s Shujin.”

“Well duh, but what-“ Yukari looked over her shoulder down the alleyway they had come, seemingly searching for some kind of irregularity. She found none. “I swear this is the same shortcut. It should have taken us right to the school.”

“Well yeah, but-“ Kotone followed Yukari’s eyes, searching for some kind of sign. “It’s obviously not, so, where are we?”

“I don’t know.” Yukari shivered, tugging at the sleeve of her cardigan as she instinctively took a step closer to Kotone. “I don’t like it, wherever it is. It feels like a whole other world.”

A whole other… world?

Wait. Shit. Wait, shit.

Kotone pulled her phone out of her pocket, pressing the button to turn it on. No dice. She glanced around, peering down the walkway in front of the school in search for someone. Even this late, there should have been someone there. Another few stragglers, or a nosy truant officer, or something. Instead there was nothing but the creeping fog, and the vast black shadows looming over them all.

Shit. Shit shit shit. She was back here. In the dark place. Only, instead of the flaming woman, now there was a very confused looking girl and a strange giant palace looming in the dark. Was this what that green-eyed woman had been talking about when she mentioned finding out soon? Was Kotone destined to be haunted by these strange visions and darkened skies until she finally accepted that she really was nuts and should probably, dunno, maybe see a doctor about it or something?

Well, at least she wasn’t in this alone this time.

“Should we go inside?” Kotone glanced at the palace’s wide open gates, gesturing vaguely with her whole body. It wasn’t like they had anything better to do. And though she didn’t tell Yukari, she honestly thought risking things in a strange otherworldly palace was better than wandering around in the darkness that surrounded them and hoping she didn’t run into the flame woman again.

“Inside?” Yukari looked at her as if she had just landed from outer space, her expression strange and bewildered. “That sounds crazy, why would we do that?”

“I mean, do you have a better idea?” Kotone shrugged. “We’re already late.”

“No way. This is the kind of thing that happens in Featherman.” Yukari crossed her arms, huffing unhappily. “Watch, we’re going to walk in there and there’s going to be a demon or something who’s going to try and steal our souls. That’s how this works.”

“It is?” Kotone blinked. “Wait, you’re a Featherman fan?”

“No? Psh, what? No.” Yukari’s cheeks turned a sudden shade of red, her eyes darting away from Kotone so as to not meet her own. “My little brother watches it sometimes, that’s all. Don’t be stupid.”

 “…if you say so.”

“Fine, we’ll go into the big creepy palace!” Yukari huffed; her fear evidently forgotten in her embarrassment as she stomped toward the front gate. “Geez, you’re annoying, you know that?”

“I’m-“ Kotone flinched at her words, hesitating for a moment before following after the girl. Shit. She knew. She knew already. Kotone’s clock was already winding down, her time with Yukari tick tick ticking away until the moment the other girl realized she was better off without her, and Kotone was left alone again. So much for making new friends. First day, and her mask was already slipping. Great work, Shiomi. “I know.”

Trust me, I know.

---

They did not in fact meet any demons in the castle that tried to steal their souls. In fact, for the first few minutes after they had creeped their way through the imposing wooden doorways at the front of the palace, they hadn’t found much of anything at all. Just a torchlit hall lined with statues and paintings of the countryside. Compared to the ominous exterior and the long shadows drawn on the walls at the gate, the entranceway seemed almost quaint. Cozy.

That is, until the armored soldiers emerged from the walls and charged toward them.

“Halt, in the name of the Regent!” The golden armored soldier at the head of the pack shouted, his voice coming out distorted and wrong from behind the strange blue mask he wore beneath his helmet. “How dare you leave the training hall without permission? You’re violating the Regent’s most sacred commands!”

“Most sacred huh? What are you-“ Yukari backed up close to Kotone, shrinking back as the guards surrounded them. Or, at least she tried to, before one of the less shiny guards grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her away. “Hey, hands off!”

“Yukari, you-“ Kotone was interrupted by another guard grabbing her own arm, wrenching her away from the other girl and locking her tight in his grip. “Hey!”

“Damnit, I told you! I told you they would steal our souls!” Yukari glared at Kotone as the two were restrained, fear and annoyance clear in her… well, everything. “Let go of me!”

“I-“ Kotone flinched at her words, another weight falling on her shoulders. Maybe it was stupid to think of at a time like this, but Yukari’s annoyance was just another reminder that any shot they had of being friends was all but burned to the ground by now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

“Silence!” The shiny one, who Kotone figured must have been the captain of this outfit, thudded his weapon against the floor, the spear echoing through the hall with a distinct clang. “Men, return these youths to the training hall. Throw them in the brig. The Regent will decide their fates.”

“The brig? What brig?” Yukari grunted as the guards sprung into motion, marching the pair of girls off toward one of the doorways off the side of the entranceway. “Hey! Answer me! You-“

“The captain said silence!” Yukari let out a muffled scream as the guard holding her smacked her over the back of the head, a sneer in his voice as he did. “Youth who don’t follow orders have no place in the Regent’s palace!”

“Hey, leave her alone!” Kotone felt a fire flare in her heart, righteous anger burning bright for the briefest of moments as she glared daggers at the guard. “If you hurt her again, I’ll… I’ll-“

“You’ll what?” Kotone felt a sudden sharp pain at the back of her skull as her own captor smacked her, the world spinning before her eyes for a moment as she felt her whole body go suddenly week from the blow. “A youth like you is nothing more than wet clay to be molded. Know your place.”

“My place?” Kotone blinked, stars shimmering in her eyes as she tried to stay on her feet. “But I’m already trying so hard to-“

“Silence!”

And then there was another sharp pain, and Kotone’s whole world went black.

Chapter Text

^{“Did you hear there’s going to be a new kid in the second year?”}

^{“I heard she attacked some guy.”}

^{“Psh, as if. Why would anyone our age get into a fight like that?”}

Monday, April 11^th 2016.

The Day of the Descent Again

She was just walking home from work. Another late night shift. Another tired morning to come. It shouldn’t have been anything. This neighborhood of Sumaru was safe. There was no trouble to be found. It was why kids like her were shunted off here after all.

She should have just let it be. A man ranting and raving at the night was bad news, plain and simple. None of her business. She should have just peeled off and taken another way home. Run away. Let things be. It was safer that way, for everyone. She could find a way to justify it to herself later, it wasn’t that big a deal. That’s what she should have done.

But she didn’t.

Why didn’t she?

---

“Kotone? Kotone!” Kotone blinked open her eyes, the world appearing strange and unfocused in front of her as she tried to make sense of the pink blur looming over her. “Kotone, wake up! Are you alright? Say something!”

“I’m- I’m alright.” Kotone managed to spurt out the words, sitting up as the world came back into focus, and she caught sight of Yukari’s terrified face looking back at her. “I’m okay. I think.”

“Geez, don’t scare me like that. I’d have been mad if you flaked out by dying on me.” Yukari let out a sigh of relief, sitting back on her feet and shaking her head. “Is your head alright?”

“…probably not, but, there isn’t much to do about it right now.” Kotone blinked, rubbing the spot on her skull where she had been hit. She really hoped she didn’t have a concussion. Those were usually bad. “Where are we?”

“After you got knocked out, they dragged us here. They said they’d be getting the ‘Regent’, whoever that is.” Yukari gestured vaguely toward their surroundings, which looked to Kotone very much like some sort of old dungeon built into a cave. All stone walls and flickering torches. There was a door placed at one end, heavy and metal where it sat with little more than a small closed window to peek out from. It was there where Yukari was staring, an expression somewhere between terror and annoyance on her face. “What is this place anyway?”

“I don’t know, I-“ Kotone curled up in a ball, her mask slipping as she held her knees tight to her chest. “I’m sorry for getting you wrapped up in this. We shouldn’t have come here. It’s my fault.”

“Huh?” Yukari turned from the door, looking at Kotone incredulously. “How is it your fault, you-“ Yukari paused as she noticed the tears that threatened to burst from Kotone’s eyes. Her face softened, uncertainty creeping in as she crouched next to Kotone and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, don’t give me that. It might have been your idea, but I came in here on my own two feet. It’s not your fault.”

“I just-“ Kotone reached up, wiping her eyes as she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to make a good impression, and now we’re both stuck in this dungeon, and it’s… it’s just typical, you know?”

“Typical?” Yukari blinked, furrowing her brow. “Hey, are you saying you make a habit of getting stuck in palace dungeons? You should tell me if you do.”

“No, that-“ Kotone snorted, barely holding back a laugh as she pulled her hands away and looked over at Yukari. “That wasn’t what I meant. I’ve just moved around a lot. Having something stupid like this happen is… fate, I guess. I just didn’t want to scare anyone away.”

Kotone wasn’t sure why she was telling Yukari this. Any of this, really. Confessions like these were the kinds she was supposed to carry with her until her grave. Maybe something about getting kidnapped by a bunch of armored freaks just put things in perspective. All she could hope was that Yukari wouldn’t hate her for it.

“Well there, that’s your problem.” Yukari’s response wasn’t the most heartening as she sat down beside Kotone, leaning on the rough stone wall of the dungeon by her side. “Nobody likes fakers. If you just go around bowing to everyone and playing at being Ms. Perfect, of course people are going to be thrown off.”

“Really?” Kotone blinked. “What makes you say that?”

“Honestly, I was a little put off by you when we first met. Y’know with the script, and the fake smile and all that.” Yukari shrugged, smiling nervously. “The first time I thought I saw the real you today was when you were shouting at those creeps to let me go.”

“…really?” Kotone’s eyes widened. “But that was when I was the least cordial!”

“Exactly! You were you. The real you.” Yukari pushed herself to her feet, nodding happily. She turned, offering a hand to Kotone. “How about this? Let’s start over. My name’s Yukari Takeba. It’s nice to meet you.”

“…alright. Sounds good to me.” Kotone smiled as she took Yukari’s hand and pulled herself to her feet. Genuinely that time. For realsies. “Nice to meet you Yukari. I’m Kotone Shiomi, transfer student and I guess your new schoolmate. Or, I will be, if we ever get out of here.”

“Right, about that.” Yukari pulled her hand away, turning to face the door. “How exactly are we going to-“

She was interrupted by a loud clang, the door reverberating with the impact of some kind of heavy weapon as one of those creepy blue masks on the guards peeked through the window. “Prisoners, to the walls! The Regent will see you now!”

Kotone glanced at Yukari, the two sharing a nod. It wasn’t much, but it was something they could do. “No way you freaks, we’re not doing anything you tell us to!”

“You think yourself heroes then? Pathetic.” The door clanged once more, swinging open as a posse of guards loomed menacingly in the shadow of the torchlight. “Fine. It seems you’ll need to be put in your place!”

To Kotone’s credit, she actually did manage to knock the first guard’s hand away as he tried to seize her, though that bravado only really lasted her as long as it took for the second guard to grab her by the shoulders and slam her into the wall. Her head bounced hard against the stone, her already bruised skull suffering even more punishment as her vision swam and she only barely saw Yukari being slammed against the wall opposite her. “Bastards…”

“Quiet you. The Regent will see you now. There’s no greater honor in the world.” The guards didn’t move, holding the two against the walls of the cell as a pair of much lighter footsteps approached from beyond the door. “Your Excellency!”

“Hmph, of course.” Kotone’s eyes widened as she caught sight of the source of the footsteps, a golden-eyed man in a long flowing robe with an old medieval laurel on his head. He seemed… familiar, somehow, though with her head swimming and her whole body aching, she wasn’t sure where she’d seen him before. “Why am I not surprised? It figures that the truants would be the ones breaking my order. Deviancy like this is just the nature of your ilk, isn’t it?”

“E-Ekoda?” Yukari sputtered, staring wide-eyed at the man. That was where Kotone recognized him from, he was the man from the car! Only, something was wrong with him. Obviously. “What are you- you can’t do this!”

“Idiot girl. Of course I can. This is my duty.” Ekoda harrumphed, turning up his nose at the pair. “The society beyond these walls is in decline. Only by teaching the youth proper values can it be saved. My duty as Regent is to ensure that the likes of you don’t misbehave and spread your degenerative filth amidst the others.”

“You’re crazy.” Yukari stared slack-jawed at the man as he monologued, seemingly unable to process the pure insanity coming out of his mouth. “You’re just crazy, you’re insane! What’s wrong with you?”

“Quiet girl. You will learn to respect your elders, or you will die.” Ekoda grinned, gesturing for one of his guards to hand him his sword. He held it aloft in front of Yukari, the silver blade glimmering in the torchlight. “We have no need for mewling dissenters in society. You have your place, stick to it. Lest you end up like Iori.”

“Iori?” Kotone frowned, trying to remember where she had heard the name before. It was hard, what with the pain in her skull and the ringing in her ears. “Wait, you mean that Junpei guy? What about him?”

“Hmph. He’s the most foolish of all. A pathetic excuse of a youth, just waiting to fail.” Ekoda scoffed, inspecting his reflection in the sword he yet held. “So much potential in him, and yet he wastes it day after day. That’s the worst of them, you see? The ones that squander away what they have been given. I should be rid of him already. I have spent far too long trying to corral that idiot.” Ekoda’s face twisted, a smile growing on his lips. “In fact… I think I will dispose of him now. It’s pointless to lead a lamb that does not follow.”

“What?!” Yukari yelled, straining against the guards holding her back. “What are you talking about? You nutcase! You can’t just dispose of people, that’s insane!”

“No, you idiot girl. It’s the key to our nation’s future. The youth must be molded into proper citizens, or discarded. That is the way of the world.” Ekoda sighed, turning his sword so that the tip was at Yukari’s throat. “If you can’t see that, then our future has no need for you either.”

“No, wait…” Yukari gasped, staring down the length of the blade at the madman holding it against her. “You… you can’t. It’s not right.”

“It is only right! Haven’t I told you already?” Ekoda pulled the blade back slowly, as if relishing every moment it took before he would strike. “It is my duty to cull useless fools like you from the society to come!”

Kotone strained against the guards holding her, her eyes darting around the room as she looked for something, anything that could help her stop the blade from falling. Yukari was about to die, and here she was pinned to a wall. Useless. There was nothing that could help her, not now. Only the glowing torches on the walls, the mad Regent with his sword, the soulless eyes of the guards around him, and… and…

And a woman in flames, watching her with a smile.

“Come on then lass, what’s the matter with you? Are you really just going to stand there and watch? Is that really who you are?”

No, she… she wanted to help. Wanted to pay back the kindness that Yukari had shown her, wanted to keep her safe. But was she supposed to do? The guards had her pinned, there was no way forward. It was hopeless.

“You wouldn’t know what it means to hope anymore, would you? You’ve spent so long marching to the tune of what’s ‘supposed to be’ that you forget who you really are. I’ll tell you lass, a charming smile’s an asset to be sure, but it ain’t worth anything if it stifles the fire in your belly. Are you telling me that you’ll let a girl die just because you’re afraid of trying to save her? Of living a little risk? Are you telling me that it’s a mistake to stand up for those who can’t stand for themselves?”

Of course not. It was ridiculous to even think that. Why was she even here in the first place? Why had she come all this way, lived all this life? Was it just to back down now, right when the going was toughest? Was it to give in? After everything? After she had made her very first friend in years? Just to lose her, and probably herself as well?

No. It wasn’t. It couldn’t be.

“Good. Then there’s hope for us all yet.”

The room filled with a rush of heat, the flaming woman becoming truly and suddenly tangible as she stepped toward Kotone. The guards holding her back recoiled, dropping her suddenly to her feet as a bead of sweat formed on her brow and a dull metal mask began to form around her eyes. Kotone reached up on instinct alone, tugging at its edges as she stared back at the woman before her.

“I am thou. Thou art I. You lass, who hides our true face from the world, take heart! There lives in each of us a place where we can yet be free. Call my name now, pillager of evil, and show them the strength that lies within!”

“I will! I’m done hiding, done pretending! The world will know our names…” Kotone yelled in exhilaration as she pulled the mask free, an arc of crimson blood slashing through the air like a blade as the flaming woman stepped into her soul, and a name escaped from her lips. “Anne Bonny!”

From the inferno within her, Anne Bonny burst forth onto the world, her hair ablaze and her pistols at the ready as she laughed in tune with Kotone. Her bandoliers bristled with ammo, her overcoat fluttered in the vortex kicked up by the flames, and her eyes burned with a cheerful sort of determination set and ready to take on the world whole. She was Kotone, Kotone was her. And together…

Together, they would burn this place to the ground.

“Alright…” Kotone lifted her head, staring at the Shadows that guarded the wide-eyed Regent before them as he stood, frozen in place by the spectacle. “Let’s wipe ‘em all out!”

“Gah!” Ekoda yelped in fear as Anne Bonny leveled one of her flintlocks toward him, firing a shot that only narrowly sailed wide of the man as he ducked. He scrambled along the floor for a moment, desperately searching for his footing as he gestured wildly at his guards. “Don’t just stand there you useless fools, get her!”

“You’re not getting anything!” Kotone’s grin only widened as she reached into the inferno, pulling free a short-hafted poleaxe and using it to cut clean through the guard closest to her. “I’ll take you all on!”

“What in the…” Yukari’s face was frozen in shock as she watched Kotone charge into the fray, cutting and crashing through the guards even as Ekoda fled and the flames of her Awakening subsided. “How… what… I’m…”

“And stay down!” Kotone cut through the last of the guards without mercy, nothing but a puddle of goop and rapidly fading dust left in their wake. She let out a final laugh, looking around to ensure that there were no more guards left. A shame Ekoda had left already, Anne Bonny had several ideas with what do about him.

“Keelhauling’s an awful fate lass, but for scum like that? Feels worth it to me.”

Maybe if he wasn’t a teacher. Maybe.

“There’s still a lot you’ve gotta understand about this place and how it works I see. Bastard’s nothing more than a Shadow.”

“Hey, are you alright?” Kotone turned to Yukari, offering a hand to help her to her feet. “You didn’t get hurt too bad, did you?”

“No, I-“ Yukari stared at the hand for a moment before taking it, allowing Kotone to help pull her to her feet. “I’m alright. What just happened? And don’t say you don’t know, because we both saw you do… that.”

“Sorry, but I really don’t-“ Kotone stumbled slightly as Anne Bonny vanished back into her soul, the flames dying for good as the freshly minted Persona user barely kept her balance. “-know. Whoah.”

“Are you alright?” Yukari instinctively reached a hand out to support her, her stalwart presence proving strong enough for Kotone to steady herself. “Hey, stay with me. That probably took a lot of energy, didn’t it? Whatever that was. You should sit down.”

“No, I’m- I’m alright.” Kotone swallowed, puffing herself up to stand upright and away from Yukari. “I can handle it. I’ll be okay.”

“Good. Because I think there are more of those freaky guards outside, and that…” Yukari hesitated, looking around for a moment before sighing. “That was pretty cool. So, if you could maybe do it again to make sure we don’t get executed or whatever, I’d appreciate it.”

“Cool, huh?” Kotone grinned, tilting her head at the girl. “You really think so?”

“Maybe.” Yukari crossed her arms, doing her hardest to maintain whatever sense of aloofness she could still manage. “I guess. Could be.”

“You can be honest. I thought you said nobody likes fakers?” Kotone tapped her chin, still grinning. “I bet you don’t even have a little brother.”

“I-” Yukari blushed bright red, her mouth falling open to object. No words were spoken, however, her protests lost on the infallibility of Kotone’s point. She had her there. Rather than think up some excuse, Yukari instead decided to point toward Kotone’s outfit. “H-hey, your clothes changed!”

“They did?” Kotone looked down. Her Shujin uniform had been replaced by an outfit much like Anne Bonny’s, a worn leather overcoat over an old sailor’s shirt crisscrossed with a bandolier and a holster where an aged flintlock hung loosely. Kotone reached up, pulling the gun from where it lay and inspecting it curiously. “Huh. Think this is real?”

“Kotone, you just summoned a flaming pirate lady from inside you to scare off a creepy daimyo guy who looks like our teacher.” Yukari blinked. “I really hope that none of this is real.”

“Right. Makes sense.” Kotone holstered the gun, turning to the door which had been unfortunately closed. “We should probably leave, huh?”

“Yeah, but-“ Yukari stepped over to the door, shaking it for a moment. It was locked tight. “Crap. Looks like he locked it. Now what are we supposed to do?”

“Don’t worry, I got this.” Kotone winked, gesturing for Yukari to step back as she reached up to her face, pulling free the mask that had settled over her eyes. There was no blood this time, but Anne Bonny appeared all the same. “Chart us a course, Anne Bonny!”

The flaming pirate woman grinned, winking as she leveled her flintlocks. There was a loud bang!, followed by the crash of metal as she shot the lock from its place and kicked the door open with the full force of her will. The whole cave seemed to rattle from the impact, heralding a cocky salute from the woman before she vanished once more and the mask settled back in over Kotone’s eyes.

“So… what is that?” Yukari stared at the spot that the pirate had vanished from, shock and awe in her expression. “Could you always do that?”

“Nope! And, I think she’s called a Persona?” Kotone wasn’t sure where she got the word from, but it seemed right. Proper. “Like you said, pretty cool, huh?”

“Yeah. But could we, you know, please get out of here?” Yukari peeked her out the door, staring off into the darkness of the tunnel beyond. “There’s a certain teacher who I’d really like to introduce to my bow and arrow once we’re free.”

“You do archery? That’s pretty cool.” Kotone grinned, only to find Yukari looking back at her incredulously. Oh. Right. This was probably still pretty scary without having a magical pirate lady inside her soul. “Oh yeah. Uh, follow me. If there are more of those things, I’ll wipe ‘em out! Promise.”

“Thanks, Kotone.” Yukari sighed in relief as Kotone led the way forward, her coat trailing behind her as she charged deeper into the torchlit tunnels that seemed to make up the outside of their cell. “I already like this version of you better.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Kotone grinned, her poleaxe flashing bright in the darkness dispelled.

So do I.

Chapter Text

^{“Mr. Ekoda’s in a bad mood today. More than usual I mean.”}

^{“Ugh. He’s such a hardass.”}

^{“Hey, has anyone seen Yukatan? Did she come to school today?”}

Monday, April 11^th 2016.

The Day of the Descent Again Again

The tunnels leading up from the cell the girls had been placed in were confusing, dark, and full of more of those strange guards. In any other situation, Kotone might have thought that she was having a nightmare, what with all the fighting and fantastical violence she was needing to employ to keep Yukari safe. Somehow though, with Anne Bonny’s voice in her head and a poleaxe in her hands, all of this felt… right.

“It’s the call of adventure, lass. The kinda thrill that draws young pups to sea.”

Yeah, I getcha. Even if it is still, y’know, impossible.

“Impossible’s a word for the crown to peddle, and not much else.”

“And stay down!” Kotone grinned, pulling the trigger on her (evidently rather real) flintlock as she blasted the last of the most recent patrol of guards into pieces. “Ha! I definitely shouldn’t have a gun!”

“Yeah, you’re… kinda way too excited about using that thing. These aren’t real people, are they?” Yukari nudged one of the scattered bits of metal that was thrown free by the blast with her foot, scrunching her nose at dissolved into a scattering of shadowy ash. “Eugh.”

“Nope. And I don’t think that was really Ekoda, either.” Kotone holstered her flintlock, cocking her head at Yukari. “Anne Bonny said something about being a Shadow, or something? I dunno, she talks all piratey.”

“Y’know, I appreciate that you’ve got a weird pirate ghost protecting you, especially since she probably saved our lives, but I don’t know if you should really be…” Yukari trailed off as she moved forward, turning a corner in the tunnel and staring straight ahead. “Uh. What’s that?”

“What’s what?” Kotone followed after her, peering into the darkness ahead. Or rather, not the darkness. Because unlike every other tunnel they’d traversed before, the path ahead was bathed in a strange blue light. “Oh. Huh. I have no idea. Think we should check it out?”

“I don’t think we really have much choice, right? That’s the only way forward.” Yukari tugged at her sleeve, frowning as she continued to stare at the blue light. “I really don’t like this.”

“Hey, don’t worry.” Kotone smiled, holding her flintlock up in a pose that she hoped looked cool. “Like I said, I’ll keep you safe. Just stay behind me.”

“No chance. We’ll do this together, alright?” Yukari let go of her sleeve, marching forth toward the light without another moment of doubt. “Just because you can fight doesn’t mean I’m going to hide. I don’t do that.”

“Alright, uh… if you say so.” Kotone shrugged, following after Yukari. Despite the other girl’s words, she picked up the pace just a tad so she would be a little bit in front. Just in case. Yukari had opened the door for her to be able to protect them both, she didn’t want the girl to get hurt out of stubbornness. “So what do you think this is?”

“I don’t know.” Yukari frowned, stepping into the light and looking around for its source. She found it in the form of another heavy metal door like the one from their cell, its window open. The blue light was coming from within, leaking out into the tunnels with a soft shine that seemed to drape the pair of girls in an ethereal glow. “I guess it’s something inside the cell, maybe? Do you think we should-“

“Hello.”

“Ah crap!” Kotone jumped as the light spoke, her hand instinctively going to her flintlock. It was only the fact that she fumbled the draw and nearly dropped the pistol that saved the light from being blasted. “It talked!”

“Yes. Hello.” The light didn’t waver or shift at all as a synthesized girl’s voice emerged from the glow, her words clipped and concise. “You are a Persona user. Please open this door, I require assistance.”

“Whoah, hold on, slow down.” Kotone slowly lowered her gun, seeing as the light hadn’t tried to eviscerate them or anything. “Who are you? How did you get here?”

“I am-“ The voice halted suddenly. It wasn’t like something had interrupted her, moreso that she had just… stopped. “Please be aware, you are being approached by Shadows.”

“Shadows?” Kotone blinked, looking over her shoulder. A pair of guards were running down the hall, their armor clanking as they charged. “Oh, those guys. Don’t worry, I can handle them!”

“Aye, you can cut clean through to be sure. But it’s a waste of potential.”

Potential? What do you mean?

“There’s far more bounty to be found ‘neath the mask. See for yourself.”

Kotone nodded in agreement, springing forth. She let Anne Bonny take care of the first guard without much issue, the metal of his armor melting away with a scream under her flames. The second guard though, Kotone handled herself, hooking the tip of her poleaxe under the attacker’s mask and pulling hard. The strange blue mask came off with a pop, revealing nothing but darkness and shadow beneath. The whole figure suddenly collapsed, the armor disintegrating in a whirl of shadows as it left nothing in its place but… a small cheerful snowman?

“Hee-ho! It seems you’ve found what lies benehee-hoth!” The snowman smiled a big toothy smile, jumping from foot to foot. “I’m Jack Frost, and now, I’m your mask too!”

The snowman vanished in a puff of white snow, a chill running through the air as it dissapeared into the discarded mask. The once flat blue metal was transformed, replaced by the snowman’s delightful grin before it suddenly shot toward Kotone’s face and vanished in a fluttering of blue glass.

“What the-“ Kotone blinked, holding a hand up to where the mask had vanished. “What just happened?”

“It seems we have a new member of our crew lass. He seems like a hee-handful.”

…did you just do that on purpose?

“He’s a part of us now. Just another part of the hee-whole. But aye, I did.”

“It is you. You are the one I have been waiting for.” The blue light behind the door flashed briefly gold, flickering as the voice took on a strange tilt. “Please, open this door. I must speak with you.”

“Think we should?” Kotone glanced at Yukari, shrugging. “I mean, she’s asking nicely, which is more than I can say about anyone else here so far.”

“I don’t know.” Yukari tugged at her sleeve, frowning as she looked just off from the light. “I… guess it might be fine? There’s two of us and it sounds like only one of her. Plus, you have your pirate lady. We can probably take her.”

“The best bounties always come with a bit of risk, lass.”

That means yes, right? You think I should let her out?

“Aye. You’ll get a sense of these things soon enough.”

“Alright, mystery voice.” Kotone tugged her mask free, summoning Anne Bonny to blast the lock off the door. “Stand back!”

The light behind the door faded suddenly, as if its source were moving away from the window. Kotone waited a few moments before signaling Anne Bonny to blast the lock away. Just as before, the mechanism was reduced to a molten sludge, the sound of Anne Bonny’s pistols echoing up and down the tunnel.

“Okay, so now you just-“ Kotone gasped as the door flew open, slamming into the wall beside it with a resounding crash and sending a scattering of dust and stone free across the floor. “Whoah!”

“Apologies.” From the gap where the door once was, a girl stepped into the open. At least, Kotone was pretty sure she was a girl. She was wearing a midnight black suit, and a yellow tie that almost seemed to glow. What most certainly did glow was the large blue visor over her face, stained glass and gold metalwork intertwining to form an impression of a butterfly that covered most of her expression. “Thank you for releasing me, Wildcard. I am available to assist.”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked. Wait, Wildcard? Wasn’t that was Igor had called her? “What did you just call me?”

“Wildcard. You are a Wildcard.” The girl nodded curtly, her eyes still unreadable beneath her glowing blue mask. “You are a Persona user capable of assimilating multiple Personae. I am meant to assist you however I can.”

“Okay, hold on now!” Yukari interjected, looking between the other two with a frown. “What does that mean? Who are you?”

“It means that she is very important, and I will do my utmost to protect her. My name is-“ The girl cut herself short again, her head snapping to the side as the clanking of boots filled the tunnel once again. “I have detected more Shadows. I will eliminate them.”

“Nah, don’t worry, I got… got ‘em…” Kotone’s vision swam as she pulled free her mask, Anne Bonny only appearing for the briefest of moments before vanishing back into her soul. “Huh… what just… happened?”

“You have used up your reserves of energy. You must regulate your Persona usage better if you are to fulfill your role as Wildcard.” The strange girl stepped forward, reaching for her wrist. From beneath her sleeve, she pulled free a glowing golden wire, snapping it taut between her hands. “I will take care of them.”

“Hold on…” Kotone’s objection died on her lips as she found herself suddenly leaning heavily against Yukari. She could only watch as the girl faced down the three charging Shadows as they turned the corner, her stance stiff and uncompromising. “Wait…”

The girl said nothing, springing forward at an unnaturally fast speed as she aimed a flying knee toward the lead Shadow. There was the sound of metal slamming against metal, followed by a loud clang as the guard went down, and the strange girl rolled to a stop on the Shadows’ other side. The two remaining guards barely had time to turn before she jumped into action once again, streaking past the second Shadow and wrapping it in her wire. The Shadow stood, frozen for a moment, held tight by the binds. Then the girl pulled the wire taut once again, and the once intimidating metal armor was reduced to little more than ribbons, the burning gold cutting clean through it like a hot knife through butter.

“Did she just…” Yukari glanced over at Kotone, her eyes as wide as saucers. “You saw that, right?”

Kotone just nodded, enraptured as the girl stood upright between them and the last Shadow. A part of her still wanted to fight. A much bigger, much less cool part of her wanted to see what the girl would do next.

“Skeleton Key.” The girl’s hands didn’t move, her visor nonetheless vanishing in a flash of blue light as from within a half dozen shimmering cobalt keys shot into existence. The girl nodded curtly toward the remaining guard, her blue eyes calm and determined. “Remove it.”

There was a warbling sound followed by the smell of ozone as the keys short forth, smashing into the guard with a sound like the end of the world. Kotone winced, covering her eyes from the blast as the guard was consumed by a vortex of blue light and the air shimmered with nuclear fire. The strange girl simply watched, the keys flying free from the ashes and back into her soul. She turned, appraising the other two as her visor reappeared over her eyes, and she bowed her head.

“Hello. I am Aigis. Please refer to me as Ribbon while we are present in this Palace.” Ribbon spoke quickly and precisely, as if she hadn’t just ripped a whole trio of guards to shreds. “It would be best if you evacuated for now. You must rest to combat fatigue.”

“Right, that…” Kotone blinked, fighting the urge to yawn as she pushed herself of Yukari and stood upright. “That makes sense.”

“No it doesn’t!” Yukari frowned, tugging at her sleeve. “Well, okay, maybe that fatigue thing makes sense. But nothing else does! You also have one of those ghost things?”

“Yes. It is my Persona.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively. “It would be best if you evacuated for now.”

“That’s what I called it!” Despite her sudden exhaustion, Kotone grinned. “Your Persona is a bunch of keys?”

“Yes. It is a collection of keys that unlock Shadows’ destruction.” Ribbon nodded again. “It would be best if you evacuated for now.”

“Wait, if you were stuck in here before us, that means you probably know what this place is, right?” Yukari took a step forward, gesturing vaguely at the caves all around them. “Does that mean you could explain what’s going on?”

“At a later date.” Ribbon nodded again. “I will no longer be answering queries. It would be best if you evacuated for now.”

“Alright, alright.” Kotone raised a hand defensively. “We’re going. Or, trying to. Do you know where the exit is?”

“Yes. Please follow me.” Ribbon turned, heading off down the tunnel without further delay. “I will keep a slower pace to allow for you to follow.”

“What do you think slower pace means?” Yukari gasped as Ribbon all but sprinted down the tunnel. She grabbed Kotone’s arm, holding it steady as she chased after the strange blonde girl they had found. “Here, lean on me, we need to make sure we don’t lose her!”

“I can stand on my-“ Kotone all but yelped as Yukari pulled her after her, only narrowly staying on her feet as they jogged up the tunnel together. “Alright, guess we’re going!”

And on they went.

---

It turned out that having someone to guide them out made ‘evacuating’ from the strange otherworldly palace much easier. Ribbon led them right up out of the caves and into the basement of the wooden building they had found when they first arrived, and from there it wasn’t far to the entrance hall, and the street outside Shujin that laid just beyond. Kotone felt exhausted as she stumbled to the alleyway where they had first come across the palace, sitting heavily on a box right at its entrance and letting out a deep breath. All the energy she’d had from her Awakening seemed gone now, replaced only by an exhaustion that seeped into her very bones.

“I feel you lass. We’ve been at full sail all day. It’ll be good to return to harbor.”

Or school. Still have a full day ahead of us, remember?

“Aye. That we do.”

“I will return you to the real world now.” Ribbon held up a hand, nodding at the two. “Please take the time to rest, Wildcard. I will return you here tomorrow at the same time.”

“Wait, you can do that?” Yukari stepped between Kotone and Ribbon, seemingly defensive. “Were you the ones that brough us here?”

“Yes. I sensed an individual with powerful potential, and pulled them into this Palace in the hopes they might assist me.” Ribbon nodded assertively. “I did not intend to pull you in as well. I apologize, I will not do so again.”

“Hold on!” Yukari stamped her foot, emphatically so. “No way, if she’s coming back here, I am too.”

“It is dangerous without a Persona.” Ribbon shook her head. “I cannot-“

“If you wanna bring me back, you gotta bring her back.” Kotone nodded slowly, winking at Yukari. “We’re in this together. And… maybe not at the same time. We’re already late.”

“I comprehend.” Ribbon didn’t even skip a beat, accepting Kotone’s words in an instant as if they were gospel. “If the same time is not acceptable, when would you prefer to return?”

“How about just, next time we’re both here in this alleyway? Would that work?” Kotone scratched her head, frowning. “We… kinda have to see how much trouble we’re in first.”

“I comprehend.” Ribbon nodded curtly. “I will summon you again when you return to this location in the real world. Please do not delay.”

“Only if you promise to explain what just happened here.” Yukari crossed her arms. “And what was up with that yellow-eyed Ekoda guy, those Shadow things, and your Persona! All of it!”

“I comprehend. I will do so when you return.” Ribbon’s hand glowed a bright blue, a soft warmth enveloping Kotone as the world seemed to go fuzzy for a brief moment. “Thank you for your help.”

And then Kotone blinked, and Ribbon was gone, the palace was gone, her new outfit was gone, and she and Yukari were once again just a pair of students loitering in an alleyway.

“That… happened, right?” Yukari turned to look at Kotone, confused and bewildered. “I didn’t just hallucinate all that, did I?”

“Well…” Kotone frowned, feeling Anne Bonny settle into somewhere deep in her soul, Jack Frost in tow. Still there, still real, just not quite here right now, but definitely still there. “If you did, I did, so-“

“YOU TWO!” Kotone flinched as a man’s voice rang out, the two girls turning to face the front steps of the school. They were met by the sight of none other than Mr. Ekoda, his clothes returned to normal and his eyes back to a distinctly boring brown. “What did I tell you two? Do you think you’re funny showing up to school so late? Is this institution a joke to you?”

“I-“ Twin instincts battled inside of Kotone for the briefest of moments, memories of the morning and the palace fighting for dominance as she wavered between bowing her head, or simply punching the man as hard she could. She ended up just splitting the difference by shrugging. “I’m sorry, sir. We got lost.”

“Lost? Do you take me for a fool?” Mr. Ekoda narrowed his eyes, glaring at the pair. “I could believe a delinquent like you might lose their sense of direction on their first day, but Takeba? There are no excuses. I’ll be speaking with the principal about this, for your sake I hope that-“

“Mr. Ekoda, that’s enough.” A sharp voice cut through the air of the dreary morning as a tall red-haired student stepped out into the open at the top of the steps and shook her head. “Return to your class. I will take responsibility for these girls.”

“Kirijo.” Mr. Ekoda seemed to fight back a scoff, all but rolling his eyes as the girl. “I don’t see why you have to concern yourself with this. It’s just a pair of rotten delinquents skipping class.”

There’s that word again. Delinquents.

“The crown’s word for a soul who doesn’t march to their pipe.”

Guess that makes sense. What with the probation, and all.

“As Student Council president, it’s my responsibility to concern myself with my underclassmen.” Kirijo didn’t budge, crossing her arms in front of her. “Please return to your class. I will handle this.”

“Hmph.” Mr. Ekoda looked between Kirijo and the pair of girls before hunching his shoulders and heading inside. “So long as you won’t go easy on them.”

“I won’t.” Kirijo frowned, watching the man go. As soon as he was out of sight, she turned to face the girls, her frown only deepening. “Takeba?”

“It’s the truth. We got lost.” Yukari tugged at the sleeve of her cardigan, shrugging unhappily. “I was just chatting with the new girl about Shujin, and I guess we took a wrong turn somewhere.”

“Is that so?” Kirijo seemed to consider her words for a moment, thoughtful. “Alright. Shiomi, correct? Tell me, what did Takeba tell you about our school?”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked. She hadn’t been expecting that. Which was probably the point actually. “Uh, she talked a little about the baseball team and archery club. Also about some of the teachers, being…” Kotone gestured vaguely in the direction that Mr. Ekoda had gone. “Y’know.”

“I see.” Kirijo tilted her head, even as Yukari shot Kotone a bit of a dirty look. Kotone tried her best to smile apologetically. She had a feeling that Kirijo wanted the truth, and since telling her the whole truth would make them seem insane, this was probably the next best thing. “Okay. While Takeba’s words might reflect poorly on Shujin Academy as an institution, I have no reason to believe you’re lying. You may go.”

“Huh?” Yukari blinked, surprised. “Just like that?”

“Of course. You’re already late, there’s no reason to delay you any further.” Kirijo raised an eyebrow. “Is there?”

“No ma’am!”

Yukari shook her head emphatically, grabbing Kotone by the wrist and pulling her up the stairs into the school. Kotone followed, staring at the older girl as she watched the pair of them make their way inside. There was a strange look in her eyes, an appraising sort of expression that made Kotone feel like she was under a microscope. It made her shiver, even once she was out of sight.

And yet, that was only the start of the day.

---

“Well class, it took her a moment, but she’s here.” Ms. Toriumi didn’t seem happy about Kotone’s tardiness as she introduced the girl, a hint of annoyance accompanying her introduction. Already, Kotone wished that she and Yukari had happened to be in the same class. It would have made things so much easier. “This is the transfer student who will be joining us for this year. Go ahead, introduce yourself.”

“My name is Kotone Shiomi. This is going to be my first day at Shujin Academy.” Kotone winced, falling back on her canned speech on instinct. That wasn’t good. “And uh… I live in a bookshop?”

She got crickets on that one. Actually, crickets would have been an upgrade. All she really got was an intensely awkward silence, and the barest bit of relief in the form of that Junpei guy from earlier flashing her a small smile. Ouch. Bookshops weren’t in style, got it.

“…okay. Right.” Toriumi cleared her throat, banishing the silence as she gestured at the empty seat behind Junpei. “You can sit there by the window, in front of Kimijima.”

“Thank you.” Kotone nodded politely, adjusting the way her bag hung on her shoulder as she made her way over to the empty seat. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, watching her every move. Sizing her up. Waiting to see just what kind of classmate she would be. But no matter what conclusion they reached, she wasn’t going to bow her head anymore. Not after what had happened. They could just deal with it, if that was a problem to them.

…or well, she hoped they could. It was feeling a little harder to be brave now that she didn’t have a poleaxe in her hands.

“I think you made a good impression.” Junpei whispered as Kotone took a seat, a mischievous smile on his face. “Usually they laugh at the new kids.”

“Good to know.” Kotone whispered back, smiling as she pulled her things out of her bag. Even if she’d only spoken a few words to him, she was glad she got put behind Junpei. He seemed like a nice guy. Friendly. Better than the rest of the class’ welcome, to be sure. Especially when she caught the girl behind her still staring at her even as she pulled her book out. “Uh, can I help you?”

“No.” Kimijima shook her head, looking away. She brushed her short black hair to the side, turning to face nothing in particular. “I just hope you don’t regret introducing yourself that way.”

“Uh.” Kotone blinked, unsure how to respond. Fortunately, Kimijima didn’t seem particularly interested in hearing any answer based on the way she stared down at her book after her statement, so Kotone figured she was off the hook. “Thanks?”

“Alright class!” Ms. Toriumi clapped her hands, gesturing toward the board where she had written the day’s lesson plan. “Now that we’ve gotten the excitement done for the morning, please turn your books open to page 42. We’ll be starting with…”

Right. School. That.

How am I supposed to focus after everything that’s happened?

“The same way a lad from Shanghai ties ropes for the crown, lass. Grin and bear it.”

…this is going to be a long day.

---

Kotone was exhausted.

She’d originally been planning to clean her room up some more once she got home, but after the palace and a full day of school, it was a miracle she could even get there to collapse on her bed like she did. Especially with how many people wanted things from her. Junpei had asked about hanging out before realizing just how pooped she was, Yukari had given a glancing shot at maybe seeing about heading back into the palace only to bounce off with nothing but Kotone’s contact info, and Mrs. Kitamura had made an effort to ask her about her day only to be met with the most polite mumbling that Kotone could manage.

Kotone was exhausted.

And yet, even after all that, somehow she still found herself awake and laying in bed, staring at the roof as the afternoon rolled by and night came knocking on her door.

…am I sure this isn’t a dream? Like, it’s still possible, right?

“No lass. It’s as real as the heart beating in your chest.”

Crap.

Kotone let out the deepest sigh of her life, curling up on the bed and hugging her pillow. Yukari, Junpei, Ekoda, Ribbon, Kirijo, Kimijima, and the Kitamuras all floated around her mind, the memories of nearly dying and the reality of living both playing on rewind as she sat with nothing but her thoughts and her soul to tend to. Bookshops, streetside awnings, palaces, front gates, classrooms.

All of it.

It was chaos.

So much for a quiet, uneventful year where she could keep her head down.

Chapter Text

^{“Ms. Kirijo is so dreamy, isn’t she?”}

^{“Psh, I don’t think that new kid is so tough. I could totally take her in a fight.”}

^{“I’d love to see you get your ass beat by a girl.”}

Tuesday, April 12^th 2016.

The Day of the Return

Yukari was waiting for her outside the alleyway after school, a canvas carrying case slung over her shoulder and a fire in her eyes. She and Kotone had eaten lunch together earlier that day, and both had agreed that now that Kotone had slept off the exhaustion of her Awakening, they needed to head back into that Other World and get some answers.  

Even if that meant looking incredibly awkward they loitered outside the alleyway doing absolutely nothing, waiting for an opportunity to slip away unseen by the throngs of students and teachers that were currently making their way out of Shujin’s gates.

“She said she’d grab us as soon as we stepped in, right?” Yukari’s foot tapped against the ground in an irregular rhythm, her eyes darting between the gate and the alleyway. “Do we really need to wait? We look more suspicious just standing here.”

“I don’t want to risk it.” Kotone shrugged. “I think we can explain away getting lost, but if someone sees us vanishing into another world, I don’t think there’s any getting out of that one.”

“I think they’d just assume they’re crazy.” Yukari sighed, slumping a little. “I just hate waiting. I have too many questions.”

“I know.” Kotone smiled sympathetically. “I do too. Actually, I have one for you if you don’t mind. What’s in the case?”

“My bow.” Yukari’s foot stopped tapping as she adjusted where the case slung over her shoulder. “If we’re going back there, I don’t want to have to depend on you two to keep myself safe.”

“Oh yeah, archery club!” Kotone snapped her fingers. “Do you think it’ll work? On the Shadows, I mean.”

“I don’t see why not. I only have training arrows, but… well, things work weird over there.” Yukari’s foot resumed its irregular rhythm, her eyes going back to the front gate. “It should be fine. I just can’t stand being useless.”

“Hey, you weren’t useless Yukari. You helped a bunch. You’re pretty much the reason I was able to get Anne Bonny in the first place.” Kotone smiled as reassuringly as she could, shrugging. “Still, good thinking. Smart.”

“It’s good to have a crew you can depend on.”

That it is. Even if I’m not really sure how much training arrows would help.

“We’ll soon see lass, don’t you worry about that.”

“Thanks. Just…” Yukari trailed off, her eyes landing on a spot near the front gate. Her scowl deepened, anger and discontent clear in her expression. “There’s so much I can’t do. And it frustrates me.”

“Hm?” Kotone followed her gaze, landing on the sight of Mr. Ekoda chastising another student. She was a taller girl, almost as tall as Kirijo had been, with ash-colored hair and a distinctly shrunken posture. Said posture only got worse as Ekoda continued to lambast her, the girl’s whole body seeming to shrivel up on herself as he continued to yell. It made Kotone’s heart pang. “Oh no. Who’s she?”

“Hasegawa, I think. She’s a third-year. And only one of the people that bastard spends his time harassing.” Yukari grit her teeth, fiddling with the strap to her case. “All that stuff that Shadow thing said, about molding the youth? That’s what he’s like in real life too. And it makes me so mad, but there isn’t anything I can do about it. Useless, right?”

“Maybe, but…” Kotone had to fight back the instinct to go and comfort Hasegawa once Ekoda was finally done with her, the sudden gap providing the perfect opening to return to the palace. “But I think that’s why we need to investigate that place. To find out if there’s anything we can do.”

“Right.” Yukari took a deep breath, turning away from the school and toward Kotone. “That means we’re going, right?”

“Right. Let’s…” Kotone stepped forward, Yukari at her side. The moment the two passed the threshold of what could be considered the alleyway, the whole vibe of reality shifted, and they were returned once more to the strange darkness of the Other World. Kotone turned once more, finding both the palace and Ribbon waiting for them, standing stiff as a board. “…go. Hey.”

“Hello. Thank you for returning, Wildcard.” Ribbon nodded curtly. “I have aggregated an information packet to explain what is going on here. It is available on your request.”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” Kotone smiled, nodding back. “Anything you can help with would be perfect.”

“I comprehend. I will begin explaining.” Ribbon placed her hands behind her back, going into parade rest. “We are presently located within a Palace belonging to Ryohei Ekoda. A Palace is a distortion in the collective unconscious created by its Ruler. It exists as a representation of their worldview, and the manner in which it is reflected on the real world. As you have already seen, it is operated by the Ruler’s Shadow, which is a manifestation of their distorted desires filtered through an unacknowledged part of themselves.”

“A Shadow? Like from Jung?” Yukari raised an eyebrow, which earned her an incredulous look from Kotone, and strangely enough, also from Ribbon. “What? Psychology’s interesting, I know who Jung is!”

“I see. It is apt. The Ruler’s Shadow commands the Palace, and the minor Shadows taken from the collective unconscious that exist within it. As a result, the Palace and its inhabitants reflect his warped view of reality.”

“But it’s not real, right?” Kotone frowned at the palisade, tapping the poleaxe that had appeared in her hands against the side of her boot. “Like, not real real?”

“No. It is real.” Ribbon nodded assertively. “Actions that are taken within this space have the possibility of reflecting on your world. So too can actions in the real world reflect in the makeup of the Palace.”

“They can?” Yukari pursed her lips, looking toward the gates and tapping her foot. “That means that we need to be careful exploring in there… but we also might find out Ekoda’s secrets? How he sees the world?”

“That is correct.” Ribbon nodded once again, exactly the same as she had before, motion for motion. “For example, there are more cells contained within the ‘training grounds’ which hold cognitions of students whom Ryohei Ekoda considers problematic. How they manifest will reflect his distorted view of them in the real world.”

“Which means we can find out who he’s messing with. How he’s hurting them.” Yukari’s expression hardened, determination solidifying in her eyes as she unhooked her bag from her shoulder and pulled free a bow and a quiver of arrows. “We need to get in there and see for ourselves.“

“Yeah, we do.” Kotone nodded in agreement, turning to face Ribbon. “Can you lead us back there?”

“Yes, Wildcard.” Ribbon nodded, pivoting on the spot to face the Palace. “Please, follow me.”

“Hold on.” Kotone reached a hand out, halting Ribbon before she could run off again. “How do you know all this? How did you bring us in here? Does it have anything to do with Igor?”

“Who’s Igor?” Yukari frowned as she slung her quiver over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Kotone.

“I’ll tell you later. Ribbon?” Kotone shook her head, still looking toward Ribbon. The strange girl had frozen at the question, not even turning to look back at her. “Why are you helping us?”

“I-“ Ribbon’s brow furrowed behind her mask as she stared at the Palace ahead, a hint of hesitation creeping into her voice. “I am not sure. I know you are the Wildcard. I know that I am meant to assist you. I know information about Palaces, and how to access them. I know my name. That is all I can provide.”

“Really?” Yukari took a step closer to Kotone, her frown deepening. “That’s not very reassuring, Ribbon. Are you sure we can trust you?”

“Yes. You are a friend of the Wildcard. I am meant to assist her. I will remain on your side.” Ribbon’s expression returned to its usual blank normalcy as she began to make her way into the Palace. “Please, follow me. I will lead you to your destination.”

“Wait, you can’t just leave!” Yukari stomped her foot, watching as Ribbon made her way past the gates and toward the Palace doors. “Kotone, she’s hiding something from us. Should we really be trusting her?”

“I think so. I mean, sure we don’t know much about her, but I have a good feeling.” Kotone shrugged. It was true. Even though Ribbon’s evasiveness should have been setting off alarm bells, something about the girl felt trustworthy. And it wasn’t just because she was promising to help and protect Kotone. Probably. “Either way, she seems to know her way around the Palace, right? So, we kinda need her to get around.”

“Yeah. She does. We do.” Yukari frowned as the two followed after Ribbon, her hand tapping nervously against her bow. “But that’s exactly what worries me.”

---

The Palace was eerily quiet as the trio made their way back into the tunnels, the once plentiful guards from yesterday nowhere to be found even as they pushed deeper into Ekoda’s ‘training grounds’. It put Kotone on edge, every moment expecting some blue-masked monster to jump out of the walls and attack her. She didn’t know if it was better or worse that none did, the three arriving to the first heavy metal door in the caves without incident.

“The most dangerous time at sea is when it’s quiet.”

Really? Why’s that?

“Because something’s always awry. Just a matter if you know it or not.”

“Here.” Ribbon nodded, opening the small window to the first cell and stepping aside. “This is the location of one of Ryohei Ekoda’s victims.”

“Alright.” Kotone peeked through the window. The cell was just like the one she and Yukari had woken up in, dark and dank, with only a single torch to illuminate it. The only sign of life inside was a single dark-skinned boy in a Shujin tracksuit who seemed to be napping near the back. “Uh, hello?”

“Hm? Hello?” The boy yawned, sitting up. He looked blearily-eyed toward Kotone, frowning. “Oh heyyy, Are you with the coach? I sure hope not, he makes me run.”

“Run?” Yukari jostled up next to Kotone, peering inside the cell. “Wait, Kaz?”

“Oh heyyyyyyyyy, Kari-kar. Funny seeing you here. Hey, if you see coach, can you tell him my leg still hurts?” Kaz groaned dramatically, clutching his leg with a certain sense of circumstance. “I’d love to help the team out, but ooif, it’s just soooo painful. Oh well, whatever. I’m just so lazy, I should get some more winks in. Byeeeeeeee.”

And then, the boy promptly went right back to sleep.

“That…” Yukari stepped back, a look of disgust and horror on her face. “That’s so messed up. Kaz was one of the baseball team’s star runners last year until he broke his leg. It crushed him. He’s been doing everything he can to get back on the team, but it-“

“It’s not good enough for Ekoda.” Kotone shook her head, understanding. “He thinks he’s being lazy.”

“That’s bull. Total bull.” Yukari turned to Ribbon, scowling. “Where’s the next one?”

“It is just this way. Please follow me.” Ribbon set off down the tunnel once more, pausing in front of a second door. “Here.”

“Alright, what kinda messed up thing is in-“ Yukari opened the window with a slam, only to find what Kotone could only assume was the lavender-eyed gaze of Hasegawa staring back at her. “-here.”

“Hey, Takeba, right?” Hasegawa grinned, her cheeks rosy and her eyes unfocused as she leaned toward the window. “Whatcha doing around here, huh cutie? Have you come to have some fun?”

“What? No, I- no!” Yukari stepped back, looking embarrassed as Hasegawa smiled widely. “God, this isn’t like her at all. What’s wrong with him?”

“Oh, you mean the Regent? Don’t worry about him, he’s boring, and old.” Hasegawa giggled, lolling her head to the side with a wink. “I can go out drinkiiing, and carousssiiiing, and kissing as many girls as I want, and all he can do is yell at me! I’m a little rebel, and I’m making the school look bad, all in one. Isn’t that great?”

“You said this isn’t like her?” Kotone glanced at Yukari, fighting the bile rising at the back of her throat. “What’s she like?”

“She’s quiet. Part of the library club. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her anywhere outside school, like, ever.” Yukari shook her head. “This is just- this is slander, that’s what it is.”

“Ooooo, that’s what I want you to think. See, I got the wool pulled over the whole school’s eyes. The ol’ good girl routine. I can get away with anything, see?” Hasegawa flashed finger guns at the pair, turning and grinning at Kotone. “By the way, you wanna have fun, new girl? You could do better than with this couple of squares-“

“I’m alright.” Kotone didn’t let the girl finish, closing the window and shivering. “That felt… wrong.”

“No kidding. I know there are some rumors about Hasegawa, but I would never think of her like that.” Yukari winced. “Who else is here?”

“There are a few more. I will show you.” Ribbon walked across the tunnel, toward another metal door. “Here.”

“I’ll… handle this one.” Kotone stepped up, pulling the window open. It took her a second to identify the cells occupants, the two of them were both pressed up against the far wall. The first was a girl dressed in white, her red hair seeming to shine softly in the light of the torch as she scribbled in a notebook. The other girl was more familiar, namely because she was the one who sat right behind Kotone in class. “Uh, Kimijima, right?”

“Yeah? What’s it to you? You have a problem, huh?” Kimijima jumped to her feet, glaring at Kotone from the other side of the cell as she stepped defensively between her and the girl in white. “Sounds like you have a problem!”

“…okay, so Ekoda thinks you’re pretty hostile, got it.” Kotone nodded. “Who’s your friend?”

“Don’t you worry about her! And don’t you dare call me hostile! Who do you think you are, huh?!” Kimijima balled her fist, stomping her foot even as the girl behind her didn’t seem to react at all. “Screw off! You’re just like the rest of them, you don’t know shit! Get out of here!”

“…alright.” Kotone frowned, closing the window. Something about the pair of girls seemed off, though how much of that was Ekoda and how much of it was them, she wasn’t sure. “I uh… I don’t think we’re getting much out of them. We’ve seen enough, right?”

“Almost. There’s one more person we need to see.” Yukari took a deep breath, looking away from the other two. “Where’s Junpei? He’s in here, right?”

“A cognition of Junpei Iori is present, yes.” Ribbon nodded curtly. “Would you like to see him?”

“Please.” Yukari tugged her sleeve, her lips pursed. “I need to know.”

Ribbon didn’t say anything more, leading the pair of them to one final door. Yukari hesitated, staring at the window. Her hand gripped tighter to her sleeve, her foot tapping rapidly against the floor of the tunnel.

“Hey, do you want me to take this one?” Kotone smiled sympathetically, cocking her head at the door. “I know he’s your friend. I get that it might be hard.”

“He’s not really my friend, exactly, just…” Yukari shook her head. “Nevermind. I can do this. I will do this.”

“Yukari-“

Kotone was cut off by the sound of metal sliding against metal as Yukari reached up and pulled the window open. Together, the two girls peered inside, catching sight of a boy with a baseball cap sitting toward the back of the cell, staring at his feet. “Junpei?”

“Oh, hey dude.”  Junpei looked up, smiling weakly. “S’up?”

“S’up…” Yukari trailed off, her expression unreadable. “Are you alright? Ekoda hasn’t done anything you, has he?”

“Oh nothing. The Regent’s actually been really great.” Junpei nodded his head casually. “He’s given me a place to stay. More than I deserve really, y’know?”

“What makes you say that?” Kotone frowned. Something about the boy’s tone felt… off. Really off. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Totally. The Regent’s the only one who can help me, right?” Junpei smiled earnestly. “Seeing as I’m a no good waste of space and talent and all.”

“A what?” Yukari’s voice dropped, the temperature in the tunnels seeming to follow with it as a chilling breeze passed through the space. “What did you just say?”

“Ah, that’s what the Regent says. I figure he’s right, right?” Junpei shrugged, still smiling. “I got a buncha potential, but I just waste it away. Not good enough for school, or for baseball. My own fault really, but what do I expect? Iori family legacy. I’m just the same as my shitty old dad-“

Junpei was cut off by the sound of the window slamming shut, Yukari’s hand trembling as she held it closed, her face shrouded in shadow. A gust of wind blew through the tunnels, buffeting their hair as Yukari stared at her feet.

“We need to talk to these people, the real ones. Ask them about this. If this is how he sees them, how he’s treating them…” Yukari’s fist tightened on the handle to the window. “This is sick. Someone needs to stop this.”

“If that is your goal, there is an option available that does not involve action in the real world.” Ribbon’s eyes flashed briefly, her gaze turning up toward an indistinct point on the tunnel ceiling. “This Palace contains a Treasure, the manifestation of Ryohei Ekoda’s distorted worldview. If it were to be stolen, he would become cognizant of the harm he has caused, and the reality of his actions.”

“Okay…” Kotone frowned, unsure. “But what does that mean?”

“An analogy. The first time an executioner performs her duty, the death of her charge will weigh heavily on her concious. Such is the nature of the human mind. However, as the act is repeated, she will become desensitized to the reality of her actions. The act of killing becomes normal, and her cognition adapts in response.” Ribbon shook her head, turning back to the pair of students. “The removal of a Treasure is a removal of that adaptation. The distorted adjustment in worldview that causes the creation of the Palace in the first place. The Ruler will suddenly become aware of the full weight of their actions, and of the harm they have caused.”

“So, it’s like hitting him with all the guilt of what he’s done all at once?” Yukari shivered, understanding dawning behind her eyes as she finally let go of the door and turned to the others. “That’s awful. But, if anyone deserves it… I mean, Ekoda’s sick. Really sick. Right?”

“It would only subject him to the reality of his own actions. That is all.” Ribbon nodded. “Regardless, it is only one option. Your may find alternatives elsewhere. I am not familiar enough with how things operate in the real world to say.”

“We should probably get out of here before talking about it any more.” Kotone shook her head, staring at the door to the cell and the tired laughter coming from inside. “Whatever we decide, this place is just… wrong. Ekoda can’t keep doing this.”

“Yeah.” Yukari clenched her fist, following after Ribbon and Kotone as they made their way back up to the entrance hall. “He can’t.”

---

The wind continued to whistle through the Palace as the three returned to the surface, their footsteps heavy beneath them as they each lay lost in their thoughts. Kotone wasn’t sure what was going through Yukari’s head right now, not to mention Ribbon’s, but her own thoughts were preoccupied with the possibility of what she had been told. Of a Treasure, and what stealing it could do.

“Feels like you already know what I’d tell you to do lass.”

You’re a pirate. It would feel weirder If you didn’t want to steal a Treasure.

“Aye. Exactly.”

“Hey, Ribbon.” Kotone glanced at the other girl, a question on her lips. “What would- look out!”

Kotone’s cry came too late as a guard with a needlessly huge mace jumped out of the wall, slamming it straight into Ribbon before the other girl could even react. There was a mechanized scream, followed by a flash of sparks as Ribbon was slammed into the far wall of the Palace, slumping to the floor as her limbs twitched in response.

“Anne Bonny!” Kotone’s mask flew from her face, the grinning pirate’s pistols only barely firing in time to shatter another pair of guards who had appeared almost instantaneously, blasting them to pieces before they could strike the remaining girls. “Yukari, look out!”

“Crap!” Yukari unslung her bow, nocking an arrow and letting it fly into the guard who had taken down Ribbon. It bounced harmlessly off the Shadow’s mask, doing little more than causing a faint ping to echo through the hall. “CRAP!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it!” Kotone charged the Shadow, slamming her poleaxe into the thing with an overhand strike that left it cleaved in two. Her satisfaction didn’t last long, however, before more guards appeared from seemingly nowhere and began advancing on her position. “Ah crap. Go check on Ribbon, I’ve still got this!”

“I will be oka-oka-oka-okay. Initiating rep-p-p-p-p-p-pair proto-co-co-co-co-co-col.” Ribbon’s mask turned suddenly gold, her whole body going limp as Yukari crouched by her side. “R-r-r-r-r-repair protocol ac-c-c-c-c-ctive-e-e. Please stand byyyyy. Repairs will be completed in: two minutes-tes-tes-tes-tes.”

“What, two minutes?!” Yukari nocked another arrow into her bow, letting it fly harmlessly toward another one of the guards. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Kotone, her lack of effectiveness meant the guards were all focusing in on her, slowly closing a circle between her and her friends by sheer numbers alone. “How are we supposed to hold out that long?!”

“By not-“ Kotone sliced clean through one of the guards, kicking another away as they closed in on her. “Giving up!”

“We-hee-have a bigger crew now-ho. Let’s see how they can help us, lass.”

Right! How do I do that?

“Call me. I’ll get the job done.”

“Anne Bonny, bring out Jack Frost!” Kotone ripped her mask away, Anne Bonny emerging not in a gout of flame but in a blizzard of frost as the cheerful little snowman that was Jack Frost appeared at Kotone’s side. “Freeze ‘em up!”

Anne Bonny’s pistols fired off once again, frost trailing in their wake as they slammed into the guards. Her targets were frozen solid into big blocks of ice, which Kotone subsequently shattered with little more than a kick. “Haha!”

Even still, despite her jubilation at the sudden addition to her arsenal, things weren’t looking much better. The Shadows didn’t stop coming, and by now she was completely cut off from the others. With a start, Kotone realized that her back was against the wall. Almost literally, the Shadows seemingly trying to push her up against the far wall of the hall, and away from her friends. “Ah crap!”

“Do you see the fruitlessness of struggling against the proper order?” Ekoda’s voice was like sandpaper as the man stepped into the hall, flanked on either side by his golden guards. “It leaves you battered, or besieged, or broken and alone. Society would be so much better if people just fell into line and did what they were told. That’s what we’re trying to do here, can’t you see it?”

“Shut your mouth, you bastard!” Yukari lifted her bow on instinct alone, jumping to her feet and firing an arrow right at the Shadow. The Regent did nothing, simply smiling as one of his guards knocked the arrow away without even trying. “What-“

“Such naivete. This is exactly why irksome youths like you must be punished.” Ekoda’s Shadow laughed as his other guard moved forward, slamming the haft of his spear into Yukari’s stomach and doubling her over with a cough. “You idiot girl. You reject every lesson I have tried to teach you. Must I come up with another?”

“This… isn’t teaching. This is cruelty…” Yukari coughed, holding her stomach as she wobbled back to her feet. The wind blew stronger, buffeting her hair as she stared defiantly at Ekoda. “And… and I won’t stand for it anymore!”

“There’s the spirit I’ve been searching for.”

Yukari gasped, her eyes flashing brilliant gold as a green-cloaked man appeared behind her, placing a gnarled hand on her shoulder and a verdant green mask over her eyes.

“You who has had your justice hobbled. You who sees the tyranny that stays others hands. You who fight for what’s right with all you have, no matter which fate you are delt. You know what it means to embrace the life of an outlaw. I am thou, thou art I. Come, call my name and let us gallivant freely in defiance of those who would see us burnt!”

“I will! Come to me…” Yukari reached up, pulling free her mask with a scream and a flash of crimson as the white-knuckled man joined with her soul. “Gilbert Whitehand!”

A forest green fabric burst from within Yukari, splitting in twain as it fueled the winds that buffeted the hall. The lower half draped over Yukari’s head, shrouding her in a cloak that reached down to her waist, her school uniform vanishing into the form of lightweight leather armor. Above her the second half of the cloak spun, a withered man with gnarled hands manifesting withing as he held an ornate silver bow in his long gnarled hands.

“Do you think you can tell me not to fight for what I believe in?” Yukari lifted her bow, the air seeming to warp around it as she nocked a humming green arrow from her quiver. “Then you don’t know me at all! Blow ‘em away Whitehand!”

The two attacked as one, Yukari’s arrow piercing clean through one of the golden guard’s masks as the rest of the Shadows were knocked over by the strength of the gale her Persona produced. Kotone could only watch in amazement, her friend’s manic smile shining through the dark as her Persona vanished and her will remained, daring anyone to challenge that which she had become.

“W-we should, g-go.” Ribbon pushed herself to her feet, her repair protocol fixing up the last of the damage as her mask shifted back to blue. “Your Awakening is less potent than that of a Wildcard. We must retreat before the adrenaline wears off.”

“…fine. I know a hit and run now, thanks to Whitehand.” Yukari scowled at Ekoda’s Shadow as the Regent cowered behind his guards, terror in his golden eyes. He yelped as Yukari let loose another arrow, intentionally missing the man as it shattered the mask of his other golden guard. “Take that as a warning, you creep. We’ll be back.”

And without further ado, with the wind at their backs, the three impromptu thieves slipped out the door, and back into the night beyond the Palace.

Chapter Text

^{“Baseball’s a stupid sport anyways. Why do we care?”}

^{“It’s fine. It happened a while ago. I’ll be alright.”}

^{“Sports are so last year. I’m into true crime now! Have you heard of the Second Detective Prince?”}

Wednesday, April 13^th 2016.

The Day of the Investigation

Kotone’s alarm blared by her bedside, the loud BEEP BEEP BEEP echoing like a car crash through her skull as she reached over and fumbled with the dismiss button on her phone. The alarm went quiet with a satisfying click, quieting the world and tempting her back into the darkness of sleep. She could manage 5 more minutes, right? That would be fine. That would be okay. She just had to-

Her phone pinged with a message, a notification sliding onto her homescreen. Kotone groaned, grabbing her phone once more and trying to read it through bleary eyes.

It was from Yukari.

Nevermind going back to sleep then.

---

SWEATERWEATHER – PHONETONE DM

sweaterweather: hey

sweaterweather: u awake?

phonetone: Am now. :P

phonetone: How’re you feeling?

sweaterweather: still tired

sweaterweather: I just collapsed on my bed last night

sweaterweather: Didn’t even change

phonetone: Sounds like me on Monday.

phonetone: Hopefully today’s better.

sweaterweather: ya

sweaterweather: Do yours talk to you?

phonetone: Yep.

phonetone: Well, Anne Bonny does. She just sorta seems to talk like Jack Frost when he’s up.

sweaterweather: okay, cool

sweaterweather: I was worried I was going crazy

phonetone: Still possible we both are. :P

sweaterweather: :P

phonetone: You still want to try and investigate the people we saw in there?

sweaterweather: ya

sweaterweather: From what Ribbon said, I don’t think stealing his Treasure is a bad idea

sweaterweather: But we should check first, right?

phonetone: Right.

phonetone: Good news is that I sit right between Junpei and that Kimijima girl, so I can ask them. :P

sweaterweather: oh ya, you wouldn’t know

sweaterweather: There’s a big baseball camp thing today. The whole team’s gonna be out of class practicing.

phonetone: Oh RIP.

phonetone: When can we talk to them then?

sweaterweather: I think they opened it up for people to watch during lunch

sweaterweather: Try then?

phonetone: Sounds good to me!

phonetone: I can try talking to Kimijima before then, if you want to try talking to Hasegawa?

sweaterweather: Oh, so you get the girl in your class and I have to track down a third-year? :P

phonetone: I mean, I guess I can go with you if you want. ;(0_0)

sweaterweather: I’m just teasing you. I’ll let you know if I can find her

sweaterweather: Meet at the baseball field for lunch?

phonetone: Oh phew.

phonetone: Sounds good! See you then!

---

“You’ll need to learn to take a jest soon lass.”

I guess a part of me’s still worried that she’ll suddenly decide to drop me.

“Aye. A part of you that you need to leave by the wayside.”

Kotone yawned, stumbling to her feet and stretching. She’d have to get moving if she was going to keep up her end of the deal. She stumbled over to the kitchenette she’d managed to dig out last night, nearly tripping over a small stack of books she’d displaced. Groggily, Kotone admitted there was probably some more cleaning to do, but with the state of things right now, she had no idea when she’d find the time. Especially since as far as breakfast was looking, the only thing in the tiny pantry seemed to be a can of beans that expired before she was born.

Ramen from the corner store again, it seemed.

Kotone was about halfway through pulling herself together when she heard the sound of a bell chiming from down below, and the gentle pitter patter of old footsteps walking through the shop. She made one last adjustment to the buttons on her blazer, then hopped her way downstairs, catching sight of Mrs. Kitamura huffing as she tried to carry a stack of rather heavy looking books toward the counter.

“Oh, here.” Kotone gasped softly, dashing over to help her with the weight before the little old lady was crushed by her hubris. “Let me take those.”

“Oh no, you shouldn’t-“ Mrs. Kitamura’s protests died the moment Kotone took the books, her whole body seeming to sing as she stood upright. “Ah. Ah ah. Oh my, thank you dear. I forgot my spine could stand so straight.”

“It’s no problem at all.” Kotone smiled, setting the books gently down on the counter. “You’re up early, aren’t you?”

“Hm hm. Well, unlike my laze of a husband, I think it’s important to keep these old bones moving.” Mrs. Kitamura hustled on over to the counter, taking one of the books and placing it decisively on the shelf. It seemed she could manage one at a time just fine. “The early bird gets the worm, and the sunrise.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that.” Kotone smiled at her host, stepping out of her way so she could arrange the books to her pleasure. “Still though, if you need me to do anything at all-“

“No no.” Mrs. Kitamura shook her head. “I’ll be tending to this store until the day I can’t anymore, you mark my words dear. Yushi says it’s good to keep busy like this anyhow.”

“Yushi?” Kotone blinked, trying to remember where she’d heard that name before. A memory of fogged glasses and a stained labcoat jumped out to her. “Oh, him? Mrs. Kitamura, are you sure you should be listening to someone so… uh, eccentric?”

“You don’t need to worry dear, Yushi’s a wizard.” Mrs. Kitamura laughed, a snorting sort of donkey thing that filled the air of the bookshop with its tenor. “And didn’t my husband tell you to call us by our given names, hm? It’s Mitsuko or nothing with you dear.”

“Right. Sorry, Mrs. K- Mitsuko.” Kotone winced. “Didn’t meant to make an issue.”

“It’s alright dear.” Mrs. Kitamura finished sorting the new books, electing to squeeze herself behind the counter. “Now, why don’t you finish getting ready, hm? Don’t want you running late.”

“Thanks.” Kotone smiled, picking her way over to the bathroom. “Just let me know if you need anything else, alright?”

“Well, once you settle in a little better, why don’t you finish cleaning your room?” Mrs. Kitamura laughed again, sending a flush of embarrassment onto Kotone’s face. “Oh don’t worry dear, I get it. Just do it once you have the time, alright?”

“Alright.” Kotone winced, shutting herself into the bathroom to hide any further embarrassment. “I promise, I’ll clean the place up.”

…eventually.

---

Kotone was cutting their investigation tight. She’d all but rushed to class so that she could ask Kimijima her questions before Ms. Toriumi got there, but she should have realized that the other girl wouldn’t have any of the same urgency. As expected, Junpei wasn’t there, which left Kotone tapping her foot restlessly until just a couple minutes before class started, when Kimijima finally trudged her way to her desk and sat down.

“Hey, Kimijima.” Kotone smiled warmly as she turned in her seat, trying to catch the eye of the girl behind her. “Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“What, like a cop?” Kimijima narrowed her eyes at Kotone, frowning. “Did one of the Kirijos put you up to this or something?”

“Huh? One of the Kirijos?” Kotone blinked. She wasn’t aware there was more than one. “No, uh, it’s about Ekoda. I saw him harassing a student yesterday, and I was wondering-“

“Hmph.” Kimijima scowled, shaking her head and looking down at the book she was reading. ‘The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck’. “He’s awful. That’s all you need to know.”

“Well, I know that.” Kotone smiled placatingly. “I just heard that he had some sort of problem with you, so-“

“Heard from who?” Kimijima looked up sharply, her scowl only deepening. “Who said that?”

“Uh, just people, I guess.” Kotone shrugged, wincing as she realized she couldn’t exactly explain the real source of her suspicions. “Rumours, y’know?”

“Oh yeah?” Kimijima rolled her eyes, closing her book and leaning closer. “Well, I wouldn’t listen to the rumors so much, because I’ve heard you’re a dangerous delinquent transfer student who’s only here because Oohashi took pity on you.”

“That-“ Kotone cringed, shaking her head. She’d heard a little bit of that herself, actually. Even with how the last few days had gone, it was hard not to. It was probably her own fault, what with the circumstances and all. “Well, that’s not true. I just wanted to know if the same is true for you and Ekoda.”

“You’re really not going to give this up, huh?” Kimijima sighed, sitting back. “Fine. There’s not much to tell. He’s just a crusty old creep who keeps bugging me about his stupid ‘academic advancement program’ and won’t leave Chidori alone.”

“Academic advancement program? And who’s Chidori?” Kotone frowned. Was that the red-haired girl from the Palace? “What-“

“Alright class!” Ms. Toriumi’s voice interrupted Kotone’s question, the sound of her books landing on her desk calling the gathered to attention. “Enough chatter, alright? Let’s get to work.”

“Whoops. You heard her.” Kimijima shrugged, turning back to her book, even though Kotone was pretty sure it wasn’t assigned reading for the class. “We need to get to work.”

“Alright. But-“ Kotone wanted to continue, but the complete disinterest from Kimijima and the unhappy look Ms. Toriumi seemed to be giving her at the moment encouraged her to just give up on the topic for now. “…alright. Thanks.”

Kimijima just snorted, burying her nose in her book and offering little to no attention to Ms. Toriumi as she began to discuss different and probably far less interesting to her books instead.

---

The sky was mercifully cloudy as Kotone made her way out to the baseball field behind Shujin, yakisoba pan in her hands and a mission in her heart. She surveyed the field for a moment, catching Junpei and some of the other members of the baseball team running drills as the other half of their squad and a smattering of spectators watched. More importantly, she caught sight of Yukari standing near the edge of the stands, talking to a boy who looked very much like that Kaz guy from Ekoda’s Palace.

“Look, I’m not saying he’s a saint or anything.” Kaz scratched the back of his head, shrugging as Kotone approached. “But he’s giving me a shot to get back on the team. That’s big for me.”

“He’s making you run, isn’t he?” Yukari scowled, crossing her arms in front of her. “Even with your leg? Yuko said you’re still not ready, you’re just going to hurt yourself again if you rush back, and he’s just letting that happen!”

“Yuko doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” Kaz shook his head, flexing his knee. “It’s fine, see? You’re all worriers, I’ll show you.”

“Kaz.” Yukari groaned, looking something like she wanted to grab the boy and shake him. “You’re just going to get hurt again, and when you do, it’s going to be worse than last time! It’s not worth-“

Yukari was interrupted by the sound of a whistle’s tweet, followed by Mr. Ekoda yelling for the second group to assemble. And that, right there, was that.

“Sorry Yukari. That’s me.” Kaz shrugged haplessly, turning away. “I’ll be alright. You’ll see, just watch me. I’m back better than ever!”

“Wha- hey, Kaz!” Yukari stomped her foot as Kaz jogged off to join the team, glaring for a moment before turning to Kotone with a huff. “That idiot’s going to get himself hurt again, why can’t he see that?”

“It’s like we saw in the dungeon. Mr. Ekoda thinks he’s just lazy, so he’s trying to prove himself.” Kotone shook her head. It was awful. Just awful. “I really hope we’re just overreacting and he’ll be alright.”

“Of course. Just… ugh.” Yukari groaned, leaning her head back against the side of the stands and closing her eyes. “Please tell me you had more luck with Kimijima?”

“Um… not really.” Kotone sighed, going to join her. “She mentioned something about an ‘academic advancement program’, and someone else named Chidori. I guess that’s probably who she was with in the Palace?”

“Chidori… Yoshino, maybe? She’s in Hasegawa’s class, I think that she and Kimijima are friends or something, I saw her when I went to try to talk to Hasegawa.” Yukari opened her eyes, gazing off toward the school’s façade. “Speaking of, I didn’t really get much out of her. She said Mr. Ekoda was trying to help her be an upstanding student, and something about that program too. I don’t think she really wanted to talk to me much though.”

“So all we really have is another name and some program, huh?” Kotone frowned. “Do you know what it is?”

“It’s something Ekoda talked Principal Oohashi into a couple years ago, I think.” Yukari shrugged. “It’s an afterschool club. I don’t really know what it’s about, but considering what we saw in his Palace, it’s probably pretty bad.”

“Yeah. We should check it out, right?” Kotone scratched her head. “It seems like our best lead.”

“Well, that and Junpei.” Yukari turned toward the field, frowning. “Speaking of…”

“Sup dudes!” Junpei grinned as he approached the pair of girls, raising a sweaty arm in greeting. He had evidently just gotten off the field, dismissed in the same bellow that had switched Kaz in. “You come to see us practice?”

“Kinda!” Kotone fought the urge to scrunch up her nose as the smell of sweaty Junpei filled her nostrils. “We actually wanted to talk to you, if you have the time?”

“Sure man, sounds good.” Junpei cocked his head toward the stands, grinning. “Wanna sit with me so we can watch the guys?”

“Sure.” Yukari did scrunch up her nose, turning and leading the way up into the stands so she could get away from the smell. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“Heh. That’s Yukatan for ya. No waiting around.” Junpei followed her, grinning. “You coming?”

“Of course, be right there.” Kotone smiled, following after the two as they made their way into the stands. There really just was something about Junpei that put her at ease, though she wasn’t quite sure what. “Thanks for this.”

“Course.” Junpei crashed into his seat, putting his hands behind his head and grinning at the pair of girls. “So, what do you guys need? You lookin’ for the scoop on the baseball team or something? Figured that would be Natsuhara’s deal.”

“Natsuhara’s too busy writing stories about how great our Student Council president is to worry about what we want to know.” Yukari rolled her eyes, sitting a safe seat’s distance away from Junpei’s B.O. “We wanted to ask about Ekoda.”

“Coach?” It was like in an instant, a switched flipped, and Junpei’s smile vanished like the afternoon sun behind the clouds. “Why the hell are you asking about him?”

“He’s harassing students, you included, right?” Kotone gambled a little, leaning closer to the boy. “We saw some things. We know what he’s doing is awful, we just don’t know how to prove it.”

“It’s not that big a deal.” Junpei shook his head. “Coach is tough, that’s all. Teachers have always been like that with me, I know how to handle it.”

“You might be able to handle it, but can Kaz?” Kotone looked out to the field. Ekoda was making the second group run the bases, and Kaz was trailing noticeably behind. Each second he was drawing further from the pack, his leg hobbling him at every step. “You know what Ekoda is doing there is wrong, right?”

“That-“ Junpei hesitated, his eyes tracking Kaz as he ran. “That’s Kaz’s decision.”

“But it isn’t. Ekoda’s making him run, or else he’ll be kicked off the team, right?” Yukari grit her teeth. When Junpei didn’t respond, she scooted closer, closing the seat’s distance between them. “Junpei, that’s what’s happening, isn’t it?”

“The hell am I supposed to do about it, huh?” Junpei groaned, grabbing his baseball cap and pulling it tighter over his face. “That’s what Coach said, and Kaz agreed. That’s how it is. That’s how it always is, nobody can change that.”

“There’s something we can do.” Kotone glanced over Junpei’s shoulder, locking eyes with Yukari. “Ekoda won’t keep getting away with this. I promise. We just need your help finding out what he’s doing so we can nail him for it.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Junpei groaned, his whole seeming to slump in place as he watched Kaz continue to struggle. To falter. “Nobody really cares about anyone else, man. Everyone just wants to handle their own shit. Coach could break Kaz’s leg himself, and most of the team would just show up to practice the next day like nothing happened. Doesn’t matter at all.”

“So what, you’re just going to be like that too?” Yukari huffed, grabbing Junpei by the collar and forcing him to look into her eyes. “You see something like that, and you’re just okay with it?!”

“No! No dude, but I…” Junpei stared Yukari right back, outrage flaring in his expression for the briefest of moments before it was supplanted by fear, and then, finally, resignation. “What am I supposed to do?”

“You-“

“FUCK!” A scream pierced the air, the sound rattling through the stands as Yukari let Junpei go, and everyone’s eyes turned to the field. Kaz was on the ground, clutching his knee in a cloud of dust. “DAMNIT, MY LEG! MY LEG!”

“Kaz! Shit!” Junpei was on his feet in a moment, all but sprinting down the stands and vaulting over the railing so he could reach his teammate faster. “Son of a bitch!”

“That idiot!” Yukari also jumped to her feet, staring angrily as Junpei rushed to Kaz’s side, followed only a little after by the team medic. “I told him not to… damnit!”

Kotone said nothing, just grabbing Yukari’s hand and running. Down the stands, down the stairs, and out onto the field. And there, standing just to the side as Junpei tried to calm Kaz and the medic tended to his leg, in that moment she was reminded of just exactly what Junpei meant.

What it was like to feel helpless.

“Hmph.” Ekoda watched Kaz continue to writhe on the ground for a long moment before scowling and turning away. “The youth these days have no grit to them anymore.”

“You-“ Yukari’s eyes widened, her hand suddenly pulling away from Kotone’s as she marched over to the teacher with a fire in her eyes. “What the hell’s wrong with you?!”

“What?” Mr. Ekoda paused, his eyes narrowing at Yukari. “What did you just say to me, girl?”

“I asked what the hell’s wrong with you?!” Yukari stomped her foot. “Your student’s out there on the field in pain because you pushed him too far, and that’s all you have to say?! He might be seriously hurt, and you’re not even going to try and help him!”

“Kazushi Miyamoto joined practice today by his own volition. If he really wanted to be part of the team, he would power through. Instead, he’s making a fuss over a little sprain.” Ekoda scoffed, dismissing Yukari out of hand. “I’d watch your tone, girl, or you’ll see what me taking action really means. How does a suspension sound, hm?”

“What?” Yukari’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that!”

“I most certainly can.” Ekoda took a step toward the pair, puffing up his chest. “If I hear another word from you, Takeba, it’s a suspension. Am I understood?”

Yukari glared at the man, her fists shaking at her side so strongly Kotone wasn’t sure if she was going to bite back at the man, or punch him. Instead, Kotone just put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. “It’s not worth it. It’s not.”

“Hmph. Maybe some of the youths have some sense after all.” Ekoda tutted, turning away and walking off without so much as a second glance at Kaz. “Now quit standing around, your lunch hour is almost over. I’ll be writing up anyone who shows up to class late, do you hear me?”

“Not worth it, not worth it, not worth it.” Yukari was chanting silently to herself, watching the man walk off. “Not worth it, not worth it, not worth it.”

“Not now, no. Later. In the Palace.” Kotone forced a smile onto her face, watching as Junpei helped Kaz hobble off the field, pain and defeat laden in every step. “Because we’re stealing that bastard’s Treasure.”

---

Rain pattered softly against the ground in front of Shujin, the sky itself mourning the day’s events. The two girls stood at the mouth of the alleyway, staring into the darkness. There weren’t many people today, most hurrying home under umbrellas or staying hidden under Shujin’s protection. Ekoda was in a meeting with the principal, his slap on the wrist already decided. It was the perfect time to go back. To tell Ribbon their decision. To make that bastard pay.

All they had to do, was go.

“Hey.” A voice sounded from behind the pair, low and angry. They froze, turning on the spot to find Junpei looking back at them. “You’re going to do something about Coach, right? That’s why you were asking about him.”

“…maybe.” Yukari stiffened up, defensive. “What’s it to you?”

“I want in.” Junpei took a step forward, his usual mirth gone as his fist clenched at his side. “I don’t care what it is. I don’t care how. You two were right. I’m not taking any of his shit anymore.”

“Junpei…” Yukari’s gaze softened. She looked toward Kotone, a question in her eyes. “Do you think we should?”

“…I think it’d be wrong not to.” Kotone offered her hand to the boy, a determined smile on her face. “Come on. We’ll show you. Just know, it might be a little bit… weird.”

“Don’t worry man.” Junpei took Kotone’s hand, following the other two into the alleyway as the world turned dark, and they fell together into the Other World. “I can handle weird.”

---

Junpei, as it turned out, could not handle weird.

“The hell?!” The boy’s mouth was agape as he stared up at the Palace in front of the trio, the dark fog of the Other World curling at his feet as the three appeared before it. “What the hell is that?”

“That’s Ekoda’s Palace.” Kotone grinned, cocking her head at the structure and tapping the haft of her poleaxe against Junpei’s leg. “It’s kinda complicated to explain, but he’s got a Treasure hidden somewhere in there. If we steal it, he’ll confess to everything he’s done. Probably.”

“Probably? Dude, what’s that supposed to mean? Why are you two dressed like that?” Junpei looked incredulously between the pair of girls, only for his eyes to widen even more when he spotted Ribbon waiting for them. “Who the hell is that?”

“Hello, I am Aigis. Please refer to me as Ribbon when we are exploring this Palace.” Ribbon bowed her head politely. “Am I to understand you will be joining us?”

“While we’re what?” Junpei didn’t seem to process the girl, just staring. “Dude, what?”

“That’s right.” Yukari nodded, cocking her head at Junpei and ignoring the boy’s absolute bewilderment. “Junpei here is-“

“Please do not refer to him by name.” Ribbon shook her head. “As this Palace is a result of Ryohei Ekoda’s cognition, actions taken within have the possibility of effecting the cognition of the Ruler. That includes the usage of names.”

“What? Why didn’t you say that before?” Kotone blinked, uncomprehending. “Haven’t we been saying each other’s names this whole time?”

“No. You have not introduced yourselves.” Ribbon bowed her head. “It has never had to come up before now.”

“What? No way, how would that even…” Yukari counted off on her fingers, seemingly trying to think of a time she might have said Kotone’s name with Ribbon around. “Huh. I guess I can’t think of any time where it might have come up. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“She is the Wildcard. You are her friend.” Ribbon shook her head. “There was no further clarification required.”

“Okay, well how about now?” Yukari crossed her arms. “Now there’s three of us, so we should probably find something for you to call us, right?”

“Yes.” Ribbon nodded. “That would be wise. I would recommend assigning codenames to each of you.”

“Codenames, huh?” Kotone frowned, tapping her chin. “Well, everyone seems to call me Wildcard anyways, so…”

“Yes, that is acceptable.” Ribbon tilted her head at Kotone. “You will be Wildcard.”

“Sweet!” Wildcard pumped her fist. “What about Yuk- I mean, my friend? How about… Argus?”

“Wh- as if!” Yukari scowled, a blush dotting her cheeks. “Take this seriously!”

“I am!” Wildcard grinned, putting a hand on her hip and cocking her head. “Fine then, what else do you have?”

“She is an archer.” Ribbon nodded. “Fletcher would be an acceptable codename.”

“That sounds too complicated.” Yukari shook her head. “Fine, how about… I dunno, Feather? I could live with Feather.”

“Feather it is then!” Wildcard elbowed her friend gently, still grinning. “It suits you.”

“Thanks.” Feather shrugged bashfully, looking away. “Okay, so now that that’s sorted, can we get back to work?”

“…I feel like we’re missing something.” Wildcard frowned, trying to think back. “Are we missing something?”

“Bwuh…” Junpei’s lips moved, trying to form words and finding none. “Hbuh? Hwah?”

“Oh, right. We brought him along, didn’t we?” Feather winced, scratching her head. “Guess he needs a codename too, huh?”

“If he is to accompany us, that would be best.” Ribbon nodded her assent. “As he lacks an Awakening, it would be best to remain simple.”

“Man, I don’t… I…” Junpei rubbed his eyes, trying to blink away the castles, the weird costumes, the strange girl. All of it. “Man…”

“Man functions as an appropriate codename, yes.” Ribbon glanced between Junpei and Wildcard. “It is apt.”

“Yeah, Man works!” Wildcard grinned, patting Junpei on the shoulder. “C’mon Man, let’s get inside, I’ll explain what we’re doing.”

“I…” Junpei stumbled after Wildcard as she led the way inside, still smiling. “Dude, what? What?”

Wildcard snorted. He’d find out what soon enough.

---

“Okay, okay, okay.” Junpei scratched his head, a look of concentration on his face as he tried to process everything Wildcard had told him. “So, if we steal this Treasure thing, then Ekoda becomes a good guy? And to get there, we gotta fight a bunch of… Shadow things?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Feather nodded, twirling an arrow at her side as the four of them made their way deeper into the Palace. Wildcard had never been to this section past the entrance hall. It mostly just seemed to be a bunch of empty hallways, which wasn’t particularly exciting to be honest, but did give them time to explain things to Junpei. “I think you need a Persona to fight them though. Before I got Whitehand, my arrows didn’t do anything.”

“Becoming a Persona-user allows one to connect on another level with this cognitive space.” Ribbon nodded, peering around a corner before motioning Wildcard to lead them further. “Weapons that would otherwise be ineffective under normal circumstances are able to effectively damage Shadows as a result.”

“Right. Okay. Got it.” Junpei nodded, though his expression betrayed that he didn’t quite get it at all. “So, how do we- or you, or- how do people fight them?”

“Like this.” Wildcard grinned as she heard the sound of clanking boots coming from around the next corner. She darted into cover at the intersection, gesturing for Ribbon and Feather to join her as she peered down the next hallway. A pair of guards stood there, walking a slow patrol with their backs turned to the infiltrators. Perfect. “Ribbon, take the one on the left. Feather, see about knocking the knees out from under the one on the right, I want to take its mask.”

“Affirmative.”

“Got it.”

“On my mark…” Wildcard tensed up, preparing to spring forth. “Now!”

The sound of glass shattering filled the air as Ribbon called forth Skeleton Key, the small cobalt heatseekers following in stride with Wildcard as she charged toward the guards. Skeleton Key embedded in the guard on the left, glowing briefly blue before detonating and reducing the Shadow to ash. At the same time, Feather popped out of cover, firing a quick pair of arrows at the other Shadow’s knees and sending it to the floor. Wildcard grinned, jumping on its back and reaching for the thing’s mask, pulling it free with a satisfying thunk. The guard collapsed into darkness beneath her, wispy shadows replaced by the sight of a small fairy looking up at her with big eyes.

“You’re tricky!” The fairy zoomed up, looking at Wildcard with a smile on her face. “That works for me! I’m Pixie, and now I’m your mask too!”

Just as before, the fairy shifted into a metal mask, this time illustrated with a pair of tiny little wings and blue accents. It flew into Wildcard, settling right into her soul alongside the others.

“She’s a feisty one, lass. Careful with her.”

You can manage, right?

“Aye. Just don’t be surprised if there’s some trickery afoot.”

“Trickery’s good, right?” Wildcard tapped her poleaxe against her foot, turning back to face the others. Specifically, she turned back to face Junpei, who was staring at the last dregs of the Shadows vanishing as if he had just seen Wildcard kill a guy. Which, well, technically she sorta had. “Man?”

“Man?” Junpei shook his head, trying to steady himself. “Maaannn…”

“Maybe Man wasn’t the best codename.” Feather sighed, moving past Wildcard and pausing at a door located near the end of the hallway. There had been a few they’d checked previously, mostly leading to empty rooms or closets, but this one seemed different. It was ornate, with a golden trim and a heavyset knob. “Where does this lead, d’ya think?”

“Probably the next part of the Palace.” Wildcard joined Feather by the door, placing her ear against the wood. It was hard to make out, but she was pretty sure she heard the sound of metal clanking against metal, and the shuffling of boots. “Sounds like there are more guards. Think we could take ‘em?”

“There is no other path forward from what we have seen.” Ribbon nodded. “It will likely be necessary.”

“Right, well…” Wildcard reached for the doorhandle, gently twisting it and pushing the door open. “Let’s see if we can do it quietly, alright?”

“Sounds good.” Feather nodded, nocking an arrow into her bow and peering into the room. It looked quite a bit like a throne room, a large expansive hall with an ornate carpet drape down the middle. A small squad of guards marched down its length, pulling with them a girl with a black bag over her head. She was just wearing the usual Shujin uniform, but for some reason something about her seemed familiar. “Hold on, is that-“

“Hey, that’s a person they have there! The hell?!” Junpei didn’t hesitate, running forward and placing himself between the guards and the exit. “Hey, let her go you bastards!”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Feather gasped. “It’s just a cognition! What happened to quietly?”

“Wait, did we not explain cognitions to him?” Wildcard frowned, counting back on her fingers as the Shadows stared at the boy incredulously. She’d explained Personas, Shadows, Treasures, Rulers, Palaces, Ribbon… but not cognitions. “Oh. Uh oh.”

“I guess it was a little awkward to bring up.” Feather sighed, running forward and raising her bow to snipe one of the Shadows before it could lunge at Junpei. “They’re not real people dumbass, get back!”

“The hell d’ya mean not real people? What does that even-“ Junpei grunted, trying to push back one of the other Shadows closing in on him. All he got out of it was a rebuke, and a swift punch to the chest that sent him stumbling backwards. “OW!”

“Don’t worry, stay out of this, we’ve got things handled!” Wildcard rushed forth, pulling free her mask and swinging her poleaxe in a wide arc to make space for her friend. “Anne Bonny, have Pixie keep him on his feet!”

Anne Bonny grinned as she appeared, pointing one of her flintlocks at the boy. Junpei barely had time to gasp before she fired, sending a wave of green energy cascading from the barrel and into Junpei. He took a deep breath, standing upright from where he had been knocked back and staring wide-eyed as the other three dispatched the guards. Fortunately they weren’t much trouble, their enemies disappearing once more to darkness as the Persona users wiped them all out, leaving only them, Junpei, and the cognition left standing in the hall.

“So, I guess we forgot to mention cognitions.” Wildcard smiled apologetically as she turned back to the boy. “Everyone we find in here isn’t really going to be… real.”

“Huh?” Junpei blinked, looking between Wildcard and the black bagged girl. “What? No, dude, that’s a person. We just saved a person.”

“Nope. Just a cognition of what Ekoda thinks of his students. I guess this is probably a new one or something?” Feather shrugged, reaching over to pluck the bag off the girl’s head. “See, this is-“

Feather went silent, her voice dying in her throat as she caught sight of just who the cognition was of. Because despite the fact that she wasn’t wearing a mask, a hood, or wielding a bow in her hands, the truth was that the girl looking back at the trio was none other than Yukari Takeba herself.

“Oh my gooooood, those guys were so rough and awful, ughhhhhhhhhh.” The cognition sighed dramatically, pouting and resting her hand on her palm. “What jerks! Don’t they know people are pretty and delicate, huh? They could have just said something and I’d have come along quietly, authority like that is scary even without the manhandling, ughhhhh.”

“What… what is-“ Feather took a step back, staring wide-eyed at the cognition as she continued to pout and groan. “This is what he thinks of me? I-“

“The hell…” Junpei didn’t seem to believe his eyes, a faint smell of ozone filling the air as he stared at the chattering girl. “The hell is… that’s not even close! What’s wrong with him, dude?”

“There is nothing wrong with me, idiot boy.” Kotone’s veins ran suddenly cold as Ekoda’s voice rung out from the entranceway. She turned to face the source, her pistol flying into her hand as she levelled it at the golden-eyed Shadow and his guards as they stepped into the room from where the infiltrators had just come. “The youth are merely a chattering lot of fools. They require the guidance I provide them to be anything but.”

“You’re… you’re sick, dude.” Junpei clenched his fists at his side, stepping forward toward the Regent. “You’re supposed to protect your students, but this is how you see ‘em? This is how you treat ‘em?! There isn’t anything right about that man!”

“Tch. More inane chattering.” Ekoda’s Shadow scoffed, crossing his arms. “Tell me Iori, how do you expect to get anywhere in life if you can’t see what’s in front of you, hm? There’s so much more you could do if you weren’t such a worthless piece of trash.”

“You bastard. You don’t know anything, do you?!” Junpei marched forth, the air seeming to crackle around him as he stared at the Shadow with murderous intent. “What kind of teacher are you, huh? What kind of-“

Junpei was cut off, groaning as one of the guards smashed the butt of their spear into the boy’s stomach and sent him reeling back and onto one knee.

“Junpei!” Feather lifted her bow, aiming it at the guard who had punched her friend. “Hold on!”

“Wait.” Ribbon placed a hand on Feather’s arm, shaking her head as the guards began to close in on the boy. “He will need to Awaken if he wants to join us. This is an opportunity to do so.”

“An opportunity?” Wildcard frowned, furrowing her brow. “Do you mean…”

“Don’t take his shit Junpei!” Feather lowered her bow, cupping her hand around her mouth and shouting as she realized what was needed. “Fight back! He’s not better than you, show him!”

“See? Senseless chatter, and that’s all. You should stay down, where you belong.” Ekoda spat, sneering at Junpei. “In the dirt.”

“To hell with that…” Junpei grit his teeth, staring at the ground in front of him as he took deep, measured breaths. “You don’t know anything.”

“What was that?” Ekoda’s Shadow stepped closer, looking down at the boy with contempt. “Do you want to repeat that, you idiot boy?”

“I said…” Junpei’s head shot up, his eyes boring a hole through Ekoda as they suddenly flashed a brilliant shade of gold. “TO HELL WITH THAT!”

“Hm. It seems the fight’s not over then, is it?”

There was a crackle of lightning and a sound like thunder as a bronze-armored man appeared before Junpei, electricity arcing from his metalbound form as the weight of his presence sent Ekoda and his guards stumbling backwards, and the dozen black eyes behind his gladiator’s helmet looked down at the rebel before him.

“You see now the cost of freedom. The price of combat, and the will to see it through. You see now what must be done.” The gladiator reached out his hand, offering it to Junpei as a bronze metal mask formed over the boy’s eyes. “Come on then. Wager thy life if need be. Put on a spectacle for the crowd, and show them that freedom is something to be fought for. I am thou, thou art I. Raise my blade in the name of the warriors who have fallen before, and win the day for thyself!”

“Hell yeah man!” Junpei took the Persona’s hand, pulling himself to his feet as the gladiator joined with his soul, and the boy’s uniform was paved over with the bronze-plated armor of a warrior. “I’m just about sick of this guy anyways. Let’s kick his ass together, Spartacus!”

Junpei flung away his newly-formed mask, the bronze-armored gladiator appearing from within his soul as lightning crashed and a silver gladius appeared in his hand. As one, the two jumped forward, slashing through the guards at Ekoda’s side and sending the terrified Regent running. “AGH, GET HIM, GET HIM YOU FOOLS!”

“Okay.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively, launching herself forward and into combat as more guards appeared to combat Junpei. “Now we may assist.”

Wildcard laughed, summoning Anne Bonny with a blast of her pistol as the three girls charged in to help. Lightning cracked, the wind howled, and the air seared as the four of them waylaid the Regent’s guards until nothing was left but scattering ash, and Yukari’s cognition still staring at them dumfounded.

“Alright.” Junpei exhaled, stumbling for a moment as his Persona vanished. “Now where’s… where’s that… uh…”

“Whoah, careful!” Feather gasped, catching the newly awakened Persona user as he slumped forward. “Awakening takes a lot out of you. Let’s get you out of here, alright?”

“Nah man, I can keep going.” Junpei tried to stay upright, groaning as he did. “Just gotta… stay… uh…”

“There is no point pushing yourself beyond your limits.” Ribbon shook her head, moving to Junpei’s other side and helping Feather keep him upright. “Please return at a later date when you are better suited for infiltration.”

“That…” Junpei hesitated for a moment before sighing, going limp in their arms and groaning. “Makes sense. Damnit dude, this sucks.”

“For now. But we’ll be back soon.” Wildcard laughed, leading the way back out of the Palace as she gestured for the others to follow. “Come on. We’ll regroup, then come kick his ass. Sound good?”

“Yeah…” Junpei laughed, allowing himself to be helped out of the Palace as the storm calmed, and his smile grew. “Yeah dude. It sure as hell does.”

Chapter Text

^{“I’m telling you, that website has everything you could ever need!”}

^{“Natsuki… you’ve changed. And not in a good way.”}

^{“Poor Kaz, dude…”}

?????

???

“You’ve been making quite the impression, haven’t you?”

Kotone groaned, her head throbbing as she sat up from what was ostensibly supposed to be her bed. No such luck, however. She was back in the oblivion of the Velvet Room, the vast creeping darkness of an endless nothing staring back at her as she pushed herself to her feet. Just as before, the only things in sight were the worn desk of the man with the long nose, and the green-eyed Attendant standing beside it.

Only for some reason, Merope was holding a magic wand, a plushie shaped like a heart, and a set of scales in her arms.

…okay, sure. Why not?

“A band of delinquents, a strange Palace in the darkness, and a mission intent on stealing the Treasures of the wicked.” Igor clapped his hands, tilting his head. “My, what a path fate has set for you.”

“So you know all of that, huh?” Kotone groaned, rubbing her temples. Something about the strange man’s silky smooth voice just set her on edge. “Is that why you called me back here, to tell me that you’re spying on me?”

“Only to offer you this. Fate has taught you what it means to be a Wildcard. It has brought you friends and allies, bound you together for the Journey that awaits you.” Somehow, Igor’s smile seemed to widen, his gangly fingers tapping against one another in an uneasy rhythm. “With these bonds, your heart grows fuller, and the path along the thread clearer.”

“Is that why Merope has…” Kotone gestured vaguely toward the Attendant, who seemed distinctly dissatisfied by the knickknacks she was holding. “…all that?”

“Of course. Didn’t you listen?” Merope rolled her eyes, holding up the wand in her hand. “It’s as my Master told you last time, this place reflects your heart. These represent your bonds.”

“It is as she says. As you strengthen your bonds to others, so too will the artifacts of your heart grow stronger.” Igor waved his hands, the knick-knacks in Merope’s arms flying out onto his desk. “Your Magician, your Lovers, and your Justice. They will be the foundations of the Journey you are to tread.” Igor picked up the wand, waving it around for a brief moment. The air seemed to grow lighter, if only for a second, a warm breeze passing through the infinity of the Velvet Room. “You already have a strong connection to your Magician. You have fought for her, and she has fought for you. Yet there remains a long road ahead.”

“And she’s not the only one on it with you.” Merope rolled her eyes, poking the heart plush and sending it rolling. “Your Lovers barely even knows who you are. You need to fix that already, or he might stray off from the thread.”

“And of course, your Justice.” Igor picked up the scales, setting them squarely on the center of his desk. “A stranger entirely, but one you will need. And one that will serve us a particular purpose here today.”

“A particular purpose?” Kotone frowned, squinting at the scales. “What kind of purpose?”

“A crew like ours needs turnover lass. It can’t stay static.”

It can’t?

“Not if we’re going to be picking fights we want to win.”

A pair of masks appeared in Kotone’s hands, the happy snowman and the little fairy from before. On instinct, she placed them upon either side of the scale, watching as it began to shift and turn with the weight. Up, down, up, down, up, down, until finally it flashed a bright blue, and both masks vanished. In their place a single floating mask appeared, emblazoned with the angry eyes of a blue-feathered owl. It flew forth, joining with Kotone in an instant. Kotone could swear she heard the sound of an owl hooting as it did.

“Well lass, this is an angry one. Good for keeping the fires stoked.”

Does this mean that Jack Frost and Pixie are gone?

“Of course not. They’ve just become a different part of us, that’s all.”

“Andras, of the Devil Arcana. I guess it’s appropriate, since you’re close to forming a bond with your own Devil.” Merope harrumphed. “Either way, remember bonds. The more you form, and the stronger they are, the more we can do for you. So, y’know, keep that in mind.”

“Indeed. Do not fret Wildcard, our shared fates are intertwined. I shall grant you whatever assistance you need.” Igor leaned forward, pulling a card from his sleeve and throwing it up into the air. It spun there a moment, the eyes of the traveller emblazoned within seeming to stare at Kotone before it suddenly went still, zooming behind Igor and turning into a large velvet blue wall. “The Journey is undertaken by the Fool. Here, in our Velvet Room, I shall assist you. This bond is one that cannot be broken. You must simply bring onto yourself the rest.”

“So… I need to start forming more bonds then?” Kotone glanced between Igor and Merope, unsure. “You said I was close to the Devil, right? Do I need to find out who that is and bond with them?”

“Fate is what shall guide you, Wildcard, not us. There are many bonds whom you have already met, but have yet to tie onto the thread. Whomever you form a bond with next shall be in the hands of what must be.” Igor reclined in his chair, nodding with satisfaction. “The next time you require our services, you will find us in the waking world. Until then, Wildcard, I anticipate seeing what you do next.”

“Thanks, but what does that…” Kotone yawned, closing her eyes for the briefest of moments. When she next opened them, she was in bed, staring at the cobwebbed ceiling of her room. “…mean. Crap.”

…she was never going to get a solid answer out of them, was she?

Thursday, April 14^th 2016.

The Day of the Beginning

EKODA JUSTICE SQUAD

supdude has added phonetone, sweaterweather to the chat

supdude: im thinking Plebe

sweaterweather: How is this not the weirdest message I’ve ever gotten from you?

phonetone: Plebe?

supdude: ya man

supdude: for a new codename

supdude: Plebe

sweaterweather: What the heck is a Plebe?

phonetone: It kinda sounds like a soda? :P

supdude: hey

supdude: a plebes like a guy from ancient rome

supdude: like a peasant guy

phonetone: Like a man? :0

supdude: exactly!

supdude: see dude, you get it

sweaterweather: I agree with Kotone, it sounds like a soda

supdude: a soda that works yukatan

supdude: i got some ancient roman guy in my head

supdude: i gotta be some ancient roman guy too

phonetone: I think it fits!

phonetone: We’ll be hitting Ekoda for the common people! :P

supdude: yeah!

phonetone: Yeah!

supdude: yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

phonetone: YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

supdude: yeah

phonetone: yeah

sweaterweather: oh my god

sweaterweather: Okay, let’s focus

sweaterweather: When are we going back there?

supdude: today

phonetone: not today

supdude: aw man, what? why not?

phonetone: Well…

phonetone: Look, there’s enough of us now that I think we can actually start making real progress.

phonetone: Right?

sweaterweather: Yeah

supdude: well yeah, which is why we gotta go!

phonetone: We do, but we gotta be ready.

phonetone: We’ve just kinda been stumbling around.

phonetone: We can’t keep depending on Awakenings powering us up to kick Shadows’ butts.

sweaterweather: So what are you saying?

phonetone: Just that we gotta prepare. Y’know?

phonetone: We should spend today and the rest of the weekend making sure we’re all set and ready to go back there.

supdude: aw man, seriously?

supdude: but I got these cool magical powers, can’t I use them?

sweaterweather: Later, I think she’s right

sweaterweather: It’d be really bad if we messed up because we weren’t ready

phonetone: Ya.

phonetone: Don’t worry Junpei, we’ll get there soon! Just gotta make sure we’re ready first.

supdude: man

---

Kotone snorted at the boy’s reaction, pocketing her phone (thank god Shujin’s uniform had the good grace to have pockets) and making her way downstairs. Mr. Kitamura was already there, humming softly as he arranged some books on a shelf near the door.

“Good morning.” Kotone bowed her head at the man, smiling politely. “Is there any way I could help?”

“Mh, morning. Could use some help, actually. Gotta pick up some medicine from Yushi over at the clinic, but these old bones-“ Mr. Kitamura cut himself off, turning and squinting at Kotone for a long moment before seemingly coming to a realization. “Ah, bah, nevermind! You’ve got school, dontcha? What are you doing going around offering help to old men anyway?”

“I want to help. It’s not that big a deal.” Kotone smiled, pushing a book back from where it was teetering near the edge. “Though… should you really be getting medicine from that Yushi guy? He’s kinda creepy.”

“Ah, that’s just what he wants people to think. He’s a sweetheart, been helping us for years.” Mr. Kitamura waved his hand dismissively, then paused. “Or was it months? Bah, doesn’t matter. Only reason ‘tsuko and I can be up and ‘attem is because of him. His medicine’s saintly missy, you’ll see.”

“Um…” Kotone blinked. “Kinda sounds to me like he’s drugging old people.”

“Who you calling old, missy? Oh right, me.” Mr. Kitamura laughed heartily, waving Kotone away. “Really, you’re sweet. We swear by him though. Good man, you’ll see. Now come on, git. You got class to go to, dontcha?”

“Guess so.” Kotone shrugged, turning back toward the door. “I’ll give him a shot if I ever see him again, but just… take care of yourself, okay?”

“Hah, I’ve been doing that for 78 years now missy. I’ll be alright.” Mr. Kitamura hummed, turning and heading back toward the end of the shop. “Now hurry up, git!”

“Yes sir!” Kotone hopped out the door, intent on catching the next train and trying not to worry about the possibility of some creepy guy drugging her guardians. Luckily she didn’t have to think about that at all, considering the first thing she saw once she was out the door was the green-eyed stare of Merope looking back at her. “Uh…”

“What?” Merope scowled, tapping her foot against the pavement beneath her feet from where she stood in the little alcove perpendicular to the bookshop. Yesterday, Kotone had heard an old man listening to the radio there. Now though, the blue-clad Attendant was standing in his place next to a glowing blue doorway that seemed to lead into the dark infinity of the Velvet Room. Like that was just normal, or something. “What are you looking at?”

“Uh, you.” Kotone blinked, furrowing her brow. “What are you doing here?”

“You really don’t listen, do you?” The Attendant groaned, rolling her eyes. “It’s like my Master said. Next time you need us, it’ll be when you’re awake. You’re awake right now, so do you need us?”

“I don’t think so?” Kotone blinked again. She still hadn’t quite been able to get a read on Merope, and by the passive hostility in the woman’s voice, she wasn’t sure she ever would. “Do you need me?”

“What? No.” Merope crossed her arms, leaning back against the wall behind her and huffing. “So if you don’t need us, and we don’t need you, why are we talking right now? Don’t you have school to get to?”

“Sure, I guess.” Kotone shouldered her bag uncomfortably. “Are you just going to hang out there from now on then? You sure you don’t need anything?”

“Yep.” Merope popped an emphatic P at the end of her sentence, shaking her head. “Come back when you want to talk to my Master or fuse something. Got it?”

“Sure.” Kotone shrugged. She turned away back toward the station, pausing and glancing one last time over her shoulder. “Just uh, let me know if you need anything, alright?”

“Mhph.” Merope shook her head, looking away. “Whatever.”

Kotone couldn’t help but stay there a few moments longer, watching the strange girl pointedly avoid her gaze. She decided then that no matter what, one day she’d understand Merope. And the Velvet Room. Maybe even Igor too. If they were going to a part of her life like this, she’d have to, there was no doubt about it.

But that day wasn’t today.

With a sigh, Kotone dragged her eyes away from the strange girl and set off back toward the station. There was nothing she could do about it now, and she was going to be late. Merope would have to fend for herself now, simple as.

And yet even as she turned the corner to the station and left her behind, she could swear she felt the Attendant’s eyes boring into her back.

---

S.IKUTSUKI – PHONETONE DM

s.ikutsuki: Good evening, Ms. Shiomi.

s.ikutsuki: My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. We spoke before your transfer, I’ll be the man overseeing your case while you’re in Tokyo.

phonetone: Oh right.

phonetone: Good evening!

phonetone: Is something wrong?

s.ikutsuki: Oh goodness no, nothing at all.

s.ikutsuki: I’m simply checking in with you.

s.ikutsuki: Your case is very important to me, I just wanted to make sure you were settling in alright in Tokyo.

phonetone: Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.

phonetone: Everything is going really well. The Kitamuras are wonderful people, and I’ve already made some friends.

s.ikutsuki: Oh, that’s just wonderful to hear young lady.

s.ikutsuki: I sincerely hope you can keep this up. A promising citizen like you deserves a better chance in life.

phonetone: Thank you sir. I’ll do my best.

s.ikutsuki: Remember, even if things take a turn for the worse, that’s no reason to book it.

s.ikutsuki: I’m on your side for whatever your stay in Tokyo has in store.

phonetone: Ha, funny, I get it!

phonetone: Really though, I’ll let you know if anything comes up. Thank you again, sir.

s.ikutsuki: It really is no problem. Have a wonderful night Ms. Shiomi. I’ll check in with you at a later date to see how things are going.

phonetone: Gotcha. Talk to you later then, sir!

Saturday, April 16^th 2016.

The Day of the Clinic

Kotone really didn’t want to do this.

She’d spent the whole day thinking about ways to not do this. It felt like an awful idea in every way, shape, and form.

But… they needed healing. Energy. Now that Pixie was gone, she didn’t have a way to help her team when they got hurt. Yukari said that Whitehand could use healing arrows in a pinch, but the Wildcard didn’t really want to depend on that if she could avoid it. Which meant that they needed something more tangible to rely on if it came down to the wire.

Medicine.

And the only person she knew who might be able to provide that would be…

Him.

“We can find somewhere else if you want.” Yukari shrugged at Kotone’s side, her hand going to tug at her cardigan for a moment before she caught herself and pulled it away. “I’m sure there are other ways to get what we need, right? We don’t need to go to shady back-alley doctors.”

“I think that’s kinda who we’d have to go to.” Kotone snorted, looking up at the sign outside the dinghy clinic that say sequestered off in a quiet corner of Yongen-Jaya. ‘Edogawa Essential Medicine’ “Plus, my guardians vouch for him. He’s kinda creepy, but they’ve been going to him for years apparently. It should be fine.”

“The strange and outcast are the ones that society has decided they can do without, and nothing less.”

Yeah. I bet he’s actually just a nice normal guy who’s not good at first impressions, that’s all.

“Oh no lass, he’s a freak a’ nature that one. But so are we.”

“Alright.” Yukari pursed her lips as Kotone began to lead the way up the stairs, her hand instinctively adjusting her bag as she followed. “But if he tries anything…”

“We’ll kick his ass.” Kotone grinned, forcing a confident front as she pushed open the door to the clinic. She was met with a cramped waiting room, and the same strange man from the bookshop watching her from behind a counter just to her left, his eyes still hidden behind his fogged-up glasses. Kotone’s heart skipped a beat. Sheesh. It was like he was waiting for them. Still, she couldn’t falter now. “Hey there!”

“Oh. So you’ve come.” Yushi Edogawa’s voice droned for a moment as he stood up, his face twisting into an unreadable expression. He ducked down beneath the counter for a moment, returning with a bag full of unmarked pills and salves which he placed on the counter between them. “Here.”

“Um.” Kotone blinked, looking between the man and the bag, and then the bag and the man, and then the man and the bag again. “What? How did you know what we need-“

“You need what you need. What everyone always needs.” Edogawa nodded down at the bag, reaching up to scratch his neck. “Green is for health. Yellow is for energy. I have no idea what purple will do. I wasn’t told.”

“Okay, yeah, I don’t need to hear any more of this.” Yukari grabbed Kotone’s arm, tugging her back out of the clinic. “Thank you Dr. Crazy Man, but we’ll be alright, goodbye!”

“Hold on.” Kotone stood firm, much to the exasperation of Yukari. “What do you mean you weren’t told? Who told you anything?”

“Mh.” Edogawa stared at Kotone for a long moment before turning around and shuffling toward the back of his clinic. Kotone couldn’t quite see what exactly he was doing, but there was the sound of shuffling followed by a faint clang. He returned after a moment, a set of cards in his hands. “Tell me. Do you believe in fortune telling?”

He didn’t wait for a response, setting out the three cards he had placed at the top of the pile. The Fool, the Magician, and the High Priestess. Huh.

That’s me, Yukari, and… him I guess?

“Aye. That’s one way to see it. In my experience, a fortune teller’s liable to save ye… or rob ye blind.”

…well that’s reassuring.

“Mh.” Edogawa seemed satisfied by the silence in Kotone’s answer, pushing the bag toward her with a nod. “Take them. If you’re not satisfied, come back later. We’ll see what works.”

“…thanks.” Kotone carefully reached up, taking the back slowly and gently. She almost expected the man to jump at her, or scream, or do… something. Instead, all he did was stare. “Um, we’ll let you know how they work. Alright?”

“Yes.” Edogawa nodded affirmatively, gathering up his cards and leaning back against the counter. “You do that.”

Kotone finally gave way, allowing Yukari to pull her back out of the clinic and down the stairs that separated it from the rest of Yongen-Jaya.

“We are not trying his weird funky medicine, right?” Yukari took one look at the bag in Kotone’s hands and shook her head. “Right?”

“I mean…” Kotone hesitated for a moment, opening the bag and peering inside. Green, yellow, and purple labels all looked back at her, almost seeming to shine from within. “Maybe?”

“Kotone.” Yukari deadpanned, staring Kotone in the eyes. “You’re joking, right? Tell me you’re joking.”

“Look, we can at least have Ribbon check them over, right?” Kotone smiled reassuringly, shrugging. “It’ll be fine. If they’re no good, we won’t use them!”

“If they’re no good, they might make our heads explode! Or have us bleed out of our eyes! Or something!” Yukari groaned, following after Kotone as she closed the bag and headed back toward the station to see Yukari off. “It’s risky.”

“So’s going into a Palace and fighting Shadows.” Kotone shrugged. “It’ll be fineeeeeeeeeee!”

“This is different! You know how this is different, right?”

…maybe a little.

“I think it’s a worthy gamble lass. What’s life without a little adventure?”

Probably safer, honestly. But oh well!

“Oh my god.” Yukari groaned, leaning her head back and staring at the sky. “We’re all going to die, aren’t we?”

Sunday, April 17^th 2016.

The Day of Questionable Morality

“Alright dude, hear me out.” Junpei grinned at Kotone from across the table of the diner in Shibuya, his bag placed in the space between them. He reached inside, pulling out an old brick of a laptop and gesturing at it emphatically. “Booyah!”

“Booyah?” Kotone blinked, unsure of what to make of it. “What’s booyah?”

“Nothing but the key to getting us some good stuff, that’s what.” Junpei “Y’see, I found this website, right?”

“Junpei…” Kotone lowered her voice, leaning forward. “You’re making it sound like we’re buying drugs or something.”

…and we already have that part covered.

“There’s no harm in diversifying our source of bounty, lass.”

I’m not buying drugs off the internet.

“Nah dude, nothing like that! Here, look!” Junpei turned his laptop around, showing Kotone the screen. A blaringly red website looked back at her, a faint musical cue emanating from the speakers.

“Tanaka’s Shady Commodities.” Kotone squinted, reading the header of the website off aloud. “Junpei, this isn’t inspiring confidence in the whole not buying drugs thing.”

“It’s just a name, that’s all. Totally innocent man, promise.” Junpei turned the screen back toward himself, clicking through the site. “It’s an online shop. They got all kinds of stuff, and they deliver overnight, guaranteed!”

“Overnight? Are you for real?” Kotone frowned, her curiosity piqued as she got up to sit on Junpei’s side of the booth and peek at his screen. The boy was scrolling down a shop page which was showing off a variety of shockingly real looking daggers. “Wait, are those real?”

“Nah man, they’re replicas, see?” Junpei clicked open one of the listings, showing a blown-up picture of a still very real looking dagger. Kotone wasn’t sure if she believed the ‘REPLICA’ listing underneath the photo, but Junpei seemed enthused. “Still, remember what that Ribbon chick said? It doesn’t need to be real to work in there! Don’t you think Yukatan could use a knife in case things get up close and personal?”

“I guess.” Kotone tilted her head. It wasn’t the worst idea, honestly. “You gonna buy her one then?”

“Well uh-“ Junpei’s face suddenly dropped, a distinct air of awkwardness permeating from the boy. “I mean, I would, but I’m kinda between part-time jobs now, so uh…”

“Here, I’ve got you.” Kotone smiled, pulling the laptop over and adding the dagger to their cart. “Some of those Shadows dropped money. Or, I think they did anyways? I definitely had more yen after we fought some, so I think that’s what happened. Either way, I can cover this one.”

“Investing your plunder in strengthening the crew. Wise.”

I want to keep them safe. Stabby stabby knives are a good way to do that.

“You won’t hear any complaints from me, lass.”

“Oh seriously?” Junpei’s eyes widened. “Aw man, you don’t have to do that. I can probably scrape some cash together.”

“Eh, it’s alright.” Kotone tilted the screen away from Junpei, filling in her payment and delivery info. Hopefully the Kitamuras wouldn’t mind her getting packages at the bookstore. “It’s my job as leader to take care of my team! Or something like that.”

“Hey, won’t catch me complaining about free gear.” Junpei shrugged, taking the laptop as Kotone placed her order and slid it back over to him. “How’d that happen anyway? You being leader and all.”

“Uh, just sorta did I guess?” Kotone shrugged, taking a seat back on her side of the table. “I got my Persona first, and Ribbon kinda focused on me more than Yukari, so… guess I’m the leader!”

“Aw, so you just kinda lucked into it, huh?” Junpei scratched his neck. “Well, if it works it works, I guess. But hey, if you ever get tired of taking charge you can always count on your ol’ pal Junpei. I’d be glad to fill in.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kotone laughed, sitting back in the booth and looking up toward the ceiling. “I think I’ll be alright though. I’m not sure why, but taking the lead like that just feels… right. I’ve spent a long time being a follower, getting to lead like that is exciting, you know?”

“Oh. Right.” Junpei frowned for a moment, before shaking his head and returning his smile. “Ah well. Guess I’m probably not leader material anyways huh?”

“I dunno. You went to help Kaz right away.” Kotone smiled reassuringly. “That sounds like leader material to me, right?”

“Wish you were right about that.” Junpei slumped his shoulders, hunching in place. “Truth is, I’ve been pretty crappy about all that recently. I figured as long as I could handle it, everything’d be alright. Guess I forgot about everyone else.”

“I get that. More than you might expect, actually.” Kotone winced, looking away. “But… hey, this is an opportunity to make a difference for the better, right? We’ll be helping people, for real.”

“Yeah. Guess so.” Junpei brightened up, just a little, nodding with a newfound sense of determination. “We’ll steal that bastard’s Treasure and make things right.”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Kotone pumped her fist. “Don’t worry Junpei. We won’t leave you, or anyone else behind.”

“Thanks dude.” Junpei pumped his fist right back. “We’ve got this!”

“This we’ve got!” Kotone replied, pumping both fists this time.

“Got we’ve this!” Junpei upped the ante, pumping both fists and nodding his head emphatically.

“We’ve this go-“

“Excuse me.” The two were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat, the sight of a waiter shocking them both to silent as he looked judgementally between the two. “Are you two going to order anything?”

“Order?” Kotone blinked, uncomprehending. She glanced down, catching sight of the forgotten menu on the table. “Oh, right!”

I totally forgot this was a restaurant.

“I’m almost impressed, lass.”

I got caught up in the moment!

Subdued, the pair of students ducked their heads down and ordered the cheapest options on the menu. The waiter didn’t seem impressed, but considering Kotone had just spent most of the money she’d gotten from the Palace on a dagger… well, it was what it was.

…hopefully Yukari would like it.

---

It was just before bedtime.

Kotone had spent most of the day out with Junpei, getting more familiar with Shibuya and the route between home and school. It had been fun, and helpful. If she’d had more money in her pocket, she was sure she’d have tried buying some things from all the shops around the underground mall, but woe was her in that regard for the time being. Now she was back in her room, sitting on her bed and staring at the piles of books that still dotted the edges of the space like some sort of dusty miniature cityscape.

She really should clean this place up already.

A part of her wanted to keep putting it off, seeing as it would take time and effort after a big day out to do, and she was the only one who was going to see it anyways, right? It wasn’t too big a deal. Another part of her knew that was bullshit, and if she was going to try to approach things honestly, then that meant cleaning things up both inside and out. Even if it was annoying to do.

In fact, she had just about decided to quit wasting time and get to cleaning when she heard the sound of someone knocking on the door downstairs, and all thoughts of cleanliness vanished like a puff of smoke.

She froze, thinking for a moment. Who could it be? The Kitamuras had gone home hours ago, and she’d have been worried if they were up this late anyhow. Junpei and Yukari would have texted. Edogawa, maybe? Kotone really hoped not.

…god, she really hoped not.

The knock came again. Kotone winced, looking out the window. The awning to the shop meant she couldn’t see who was at the door, but she was able to see an unfamiliar bike laid up against the wall on the opposite side of the walkway. It hadn’t been there before, so she could only assume it belonged to whoever was knocking. That was something. Somehow she couldn’t imagine Edogawa on a bike, and he probably lived close enough to walk anyhow.

So… just who the hell was it then?

“You’ll never know if you stay sat up in here lass.”

Yeah, but I probably wouldn’t get murdered if I stay up here.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Kotone sighed, picking her way downstairs and making her way to the door. She did have the place of mind to grab one of her flintlocks from where she had stashed it in her school bag. It had appeared with her back when she’d returned to the real world, and even though it didn’t seem to actually work, it looked real enough to hopefully dissuade any would be murderers.

Hopefully.

“Alright!” Kotone paused inside the door, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “Who is it?”

“This is the address of Kotone Shiomi, correct?” A woman’s voice sounded through the door, curt and professional. “I have a delivery.”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked, uncertain. She cracked the door open, looking out into the night and trying to adjust her eyes to identify the shape of the person standing on the other side of the door. “What kind of delivery?”

“As I said, one for Kotone Shiomi.” Kotone’s eyes adjusted to the sight of a woman in a courier’s uniform, her purple hair poking out from beneath a cyclist’s helmet. In her hand she held a clipboard, which she offered out to Kotone with a serious expression on her face. “Sign here.”

“Oh, that kind of delivery.” Kotone took the clipboard, hesitantly inspecting the paper stuck onto it. A delivery notice, from Tanaka’s Shady Commodities, as delivered by Saikawa Courier Solutions. “Oh! Oh wow, he really did mean overnight.”

“Mh.” The woman said nothing as Kotone signed the notice, taking the clipboard back when she was done and passing her a small cardboard box from the carrier of her bike. “Have a nice night.”

“Thanks. What about-“ Kotone took the box, inspecting it for a moment before looking back up. The woman was gone, however, with nothing but the sound of the tires of her bike clicking down the road away from the shop and the sight of the still glowing door to the Velvet Room across the alleyway to greet her. “Oh.”

“Quick, clean, and quiet. She did her job admirably.”

Not very friendly though.

“I thought you’d learned by now that a smile is worth no more than the intent carrying it.”

Shrugging, Kotone took the box back upstairs and peeked inside. It was the dagger she’d ordered for Yukari, looking just as dangerous and real as it had on the site. Huh.

…you know, thinking back on it, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to just put my payment info into some shady site a guy I met just this week showed me.”

“You’re learning to live dangerously, lass.”

Right. Huh.

Kotone shook her head, tucking the box into her bag alongside her flintlock and heading back to her bed. She’d let Yukari know she had it tomorrow. She figured that was enough excitement for one night. Cleaning could wait until later.

Definitely.

Probably.

…maybe.

Monday, April 18^th 2016.

The Day of Mission Start

Fog creeped around the edges of the Other World, twisting around the feet of the team as they stood waiting.

The Palace loomed ahead of them, huge and imposing, its wooden palisade seeming to stretch toward the heavens and the unseen stars above.

Ekoda’s Treasure laid somewhere inside, guarded by Shadows and the golden-eyed Regent himself.

And all they had to do, was get there.

“Alright everyone.” Wildcard took a deep breath, flashing a smile as she twisted her poleaxe in her hands and gestured for her team to follow after her. “Let’s get to work.”

And onto the Palace they went.

Chapter Text

^{“I just don’t get it, he could have any girl he wants! Why doesn’t he care?”}

^{“Sorry, I can’t go. I have to go the Academic Advancement Program that day.”}

^{“You should get into stocks. It’s like gambling, but you wear a suit!”}

Friday, April 22^nd 2016.

The Day of the Suggestion

Kotone figured she was right to spend the weekend preparing.

Ekoda’s Shadow had evidently learned a few lessons from their last few infiltrations, the number of guards around the Palace had gone up by a substantial amount. The good news was, that meant that they seemed to be done stepping out of walls to ambush them and all. The bad news was, they’d had to resort to sneaking around to get where they needed to go, which wasn’t helping how much progress they could make day by day. The stamina from the medicine was crucial, and Yukari’s dagger was effective enough that Kotone had gone and bought them all more weapons. Altogether her preparations had turned what would have been a slog into something manageable.

Manageable didn’t mean fun, however.

The interior courtyards of the Palace turned out to be a series of training grounds, which seemed to be broadly based on Shujin’s own layout. If Shujin was a nightmare of spike pits, fire traps, and roaming Shadows that is. Traversing them meant ducking and dodging around all of the above, without much rest from one obstacle to the other.

Ekoda really was sick.

Kotone sighed, chewing on her pencil as she stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of her. She was in class, she was meant to be taking notes, but all she could think of was the Palace. They were supposed to be going back in there after school today. She’d had an idea about how to traverse some of the trickier traps that had given them trouble last time. Hopefully now they would be able to-

“Shiomi.” Mr. Inui’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, the fire and steel of the Palace dissolving like rainwater as the teacher’s disappointed gaze met hers. “I’m sorry if my lessons aren’t interesting enough for you, but you have to engage with them regardless. Now, answer the question, would you?”

“The uh-“ Kotone’s eyes widened. Shit. She didn’t know the question. “The uh, the question. Right. I can answer that. Uh… yeah.”

Silence dragged on for a moment, Mr. Inui’s expectant eyes boring into her as she just sat there, trying desperately to think of an answer to a question she didn’t know. Like some kind of idiot. They were in history class, right? So it was probably something from history. She knew they had been talking about the Romans at the start of class, but since then… what was it? What was the question? What was any of it?

Kotone didn’t know. And that was a problem.

That’s when the whispers began.

^{“Psh, guess she doesn’t know. I bet she wasn’t even listening.”}

^{“Of course she wasn’t. She’s a truant, didn’t you hear?”}

^{“I heard she got kicked out of her old school for being useless. Guess that was right!”}

Kotone grimaced. She wanted to tell them off, to deny their words, but she couldn’t. Not while Mr. Inui was still staring, and her paper was still blank, and she couldn’t pull the question or answer out of nothing like a rabbit out of a hat. Not now. Not ever.

“All of them.” Kimijma’s voice broke the whispers, her elbow propped up against her desk as she squinted at the teacher. “Nero won all the sports when he went to the Olympics. Because he was a tyrant, so he could just decide that.”

“Hmph. Kimijima, if your name has somehow changed to Shiomi, I’d like to know.” Mr. Inui shook his head, turning back to the board. “Still, she’s right. Nero had absolute power over…”

Mr. Inui droned on, his voice fading to the background as Kotone turned to look at the girl sat behind her. She probably should have, you know, actually listened to what he was saying, but she was too perplexed by what had just happened to consider that.

“Hey um…” Kotone frowned. “Why’d you do that?”

“You just looked pathetic, that’s all.” Kimijima harrumphed, looking back at her notes. “You should pay attention, so it doesn’t happen again.”

“Right.” Kotone turned back to the board, doing her best to actually listen to what Mr. Inui was saying this time. Hopefully. “Still. Thanks.”

“Mh.” Kotone didn’t see, but she was pretty sure Kimijima rolled her eyes at her. “Whatever.”

---

The rest of the class was thankfully uneventful. By the time they were let out for lunch, Kotone’s embarrassment had mostly faded. And with Junpei off eating with some of the baseball team, and Yukari busy with some work for the archery club, that meant she had a whole free period to turn this day around. She wasn’t sure how, exactly, she just knew she would. Stepping out into the world and making her way down the hallway, Kotone knew she would be deciding her own path for the rest of the day.

Or, she thought she would be, at least.

“Hey, Shiomi, right?” Kotone nearly jumped out of her skin as a voice called her name from behind. She turned, catching sight of a white-haired boy in a black vest looking back at her from where he was leaning against one of the lockers. “You’re the new transfer student, right?”

“That’s right.” Kotone smiled politely, adjusting her grip on her bag. “Can I help you?”

“Akihiko Kirijo. You met my sister on your first day.” Akihiko straightened himself up, rolling his shoulders. “Mind walking with me for a sec?”

“Uh… sure.” Kotone hesitated for a moment, shrugging. In any other situation like these, she’d figure she was in trouble somehow, but the boy had a certain casual air about him that didn’t really carry the threat of ‘about to scream at her over nothing’ or anything like that. Probably. She followed after him as he began to make his way down the hall, frowning curiously as she did. “So, what’s up?”

“Mitsuru wanted me to check in with you. Said you had some trouble with Mr. Ekoda a few weeks ago.” Akihiko glanced to the side, setting a steady pace to nowhere at all. “How’re you settling in? Takeba isn’t drawing you into anything you’re not ready for, is she?”

“Yukari? No, not at all. Everything’s been fine.” Kotone smiled reassuringly, tilting her head. “Does she get into trouble usually?”

“She’s a girl with strong opinions. I respect it, but it does cause problems sometimes as I’m sure you’ve seen.” Akihiko shrugged. “As long as you don’t get in over your head, it’s fine by me.”

“Right.” Kotone wasn’t sure if trying to steal a teacher’s Treasure counted as the kind of ‘in over her head’ that Akihiko was referring to, but she made a mental note to not mention it to him. “Is that all, or…”

“Wish it was.” Akihiko sighed, turning a corner and crossing his arms. “You’re not causing trouble for Mr. Ekoda, are you?”

“Uh-“ Kotone’s eyes widened. Uh oh. “No? I don’t think so anyways?”

“Mh. Might be unprofessional of me to say, but the man’s a tool. Can’t say I’d hate it if you were.” Akihiko shook his head, his words nearly stunning Kotone to silence. He’d just… say that? Out loud? “Still, he’s got an eye on you. Told Mitsu you might need ‘developmental guidance’.  Wants you in his academic advancement program.”

“Oh. Wow. Uh.” Kotone tried her best to process the boy’s words. It was an onslaught, to say the least. “So, is he going to ask me to join it or something?”

“Nah, he can’t. Got in trouble a while back for hounding Hasegawa to join.” Akihiko shook his head. “That’s why I’m here. He suggested that the Student Council suggest it to you.”

“He doesn’t mince words, lass.”

Yeah, no kidding.

“Aye. It’s a warning, plain and simple.”

“He did?” Kotone winced. At this point she shouldn’t have been surprised Ekoda had his sights set on her, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. “And he can do that?”

“Sure can. And I’m here to say that we did.” Akihiko shrugged his shoulders, uncrossing his arms. “Want my advice? Don’t bother. Just keep your head down and stay out of trouble, he’ll move on to someone else soon enough.”

“But that’s awful. You know that’s awful, right?” Kotone frowned, stepping a little faster so she could meet Akihiko’s eyes. “That’s just harassment. Are you really okay with that?”

“Not at all. Like I said, Ekoda’s a tool.” Akihiko scowled, shaking his head. “Council and the Kirijo name can only do so much when Oohashi’s such a fan of his.”

“Eugh.” Kotone’s fist clenched at her side. It took all she had not to scowl, her anger at Ekoda nearly boiling over in her heart. “It’s not right.”

“No kidding. But that’s life.” Akihiko shook his head, turning to Kotone and smiling confidently. “Don’t worry. Mitsu and I are always on the students’ side. We’ve got your back.”

“Thanks.” Kotone hesitated for a moment. There was a question burning at the back of her mind. The kind Yukari would ask. The kind that would probably piss Akihiko off. Which didn’t seem fair considering he was being so unexpectedly straightforward with her, but did feel… right to ask. It was the kind of question the her from two weeks ago never would have dared even consider. “…did you have Kaz’s back?”

“That-“ Akihiko’s face dropped, the smile vanishing as he winced unhappily. He clenched his teeth, looking away from Kotone and rolling his shoulders. “That was a mistake. I already talked about it with Mitsu. It won’t happen again.”

“How?” Kotone dared to take a step closer to the boy, challenging him. “How can you be sure? As long as Ekoda’s still here, you can’t know he won’t do anything again.”

“What do you expect us to-“ Akihiko cut himself off, unclenching his fists and taking a deep breath. He leaned his head back, giving Kotone the faintest of smiles. “I see why you and Takeba make a good pair.”

“Yeah.” Kotone deflated, stepping back. “Look, I appreciate you wanting to help. But Ekoda isn’t someone that you can just hope stays away.”

“Yeah. I know. Gets me angry.” Akihiko shook his head, turning and looking the other way. “I know we’ve messed up. I know we’ll probably keep messing up. But you should know, we’re trying. With all we’ve got.”

“I’m happy to hear that, but…” Kotone glanced away, neither of the two meeting each other’s eyes. “Will it be enough?”

“I hope so. Because I really don’t know what else there is we can do.” Akihiko shook his head, sparing Kotone one last smile before turning and walking away. “It was good meeting you Shiomi. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Yeah.” Kotone watched him go, his white head of hair vanishing back into Shujin’s crowd as her own feet set her on a path down to the quad. “Good meeting you too.”

“It seems he’s trapped in a cage of his own, lass.”

Yeah. The good news is, we’ll be taking care of Ekoda so that he doesn’t have to.

“Aye. We can only hope he doesn’t take it as a sign to stay in place.”

Saturday, April 23^rd 2016.

The Day of the Obstacle

Flames burst from behind Wildcard, the sputtering spark serving as the last gasp of the obstacle course she and the others had just finished traversing. They’d finally managed to get past it, the spinning blades and traps all left in the past as they gathered at the end of the courtyard. All that was left was to press the button to turn it all off, which Ribbon did without a word.

“Man.” Plebe groaned, wiping his forehead with his arm as he sat sprawled on the ground. “S’ it bad that all that isn’t even that much worse than how he trains us when he’s having a bad day?”

“Well, that’s because it isn’t training. It’s torture.” Feather shook her head, offering the boy her hand so he could stand again. “That’s how he sees it for all of you, so…”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me, man.” Plebe stood upright, stretching for a moment and cracking his back. “Alright then, that’s gotta be the worst of it, right? What’s next?”

“There is a door.” Ribbon reported, nodding to the set onyx door that stood between them and access to their path forward. “It appears to be different than the others we have traversed previously.”

“Huh, you’re right.” Wildcard stepped forward, inspecting it. Unlike the rest of the Palace, which was made mostly out of wood and inlaid metal, this door was clearly crafted out of heavyset stone. Experimentally, she tried the handle, finding it unyielding. “Hey, it’s locked!”

“Dude, check this out!” Plebe waved over at her from where he stood at one of the windows that was just offset from the door, his eyes wide as he peered into the room. “What the hell…”

Wildcard frowned, going to join him in looking toward what awaited them. Just through the unfortunately not human sized windows, a class of straight-backed cognitions sat staring at a chalkboard in absolute dead silence. Their eyes didn’t waver, whatever minds they had behind those blank expressions of theirs didn’t wander, and the full force of their attention, of their very being was focused directly and intently on what was ahead of them. “…yeah, okay, I agree. What the hell?”

“It’s Ekoda’s Academic Advancement Program.” Feather gestured for the other three to look, nodding her head at a sign above the door that read the same. “Or, what he thinks of it I guess.”

“Freaky. Really freaky.” Wildcard shook her head, stepping back from the window and appraising the door once more. “So, how do we get in?”

“This represents a space in the real world, correct?” Ribbon tilted her head to the side, inspecting the lettering above the door. “In that case, this is likely a cognitive barrier.”

“A whatnow?” Plebe also stepped back, moving to join the other three. “What’s that?”

“A Palace is created as a result of an individual’s perception of the world.” Ribbon shook her head. “Ryohei Ekoda evidently holds a belief that those not a part of this ‘Academic Advancement Program’ are not able to proceed.”

“Yeah, like we’d want to be a part of that freaky club of his anyways.” Feather sighed, crossing her arms. “So, how do we get in?”

“It would require becoming a part of ‘that freaky club of his’.” Ribbon nodded toward the three. “Anyways.”

“Aw man, what?” Plebe groaned, slumping in place. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Ribbon nodded again. “In order to bypass a cognitive barrier, you must change the Ruler’s perception of you. If he were to see you within the real-world counterpart to this room, the Palace would change to reflect his shift in perspective.”

“Would it need to be all of us?” Wildcard tapped her foot against the door, frowning. “Or can it just be one of us letting the others in?”

“As long as one infiltrator is allowed within the space, the rest should be as well. The door will remain open.” Ribbon tilted her head. “Only one of you would need to change Ryohei Ekoda’s cognition.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think he’d really want me there after I yelled at him last week.” Feather crossed her arms in front of her. “So…”

“He doesn’t let the guys on the team in there.” Plebe rubbed the back of his head. “Says he doesn’t want us distracted. So…”

The three others all turned to Wildcard, as if on cue. The girl blinked, then shrugged.

“I guess that does leave me, yeah.” Wildcard frowned, looking toward the door. “We still haven’t seen a cognition of me. Does that mean anything Ribbon?”

“It is likely that Ryohei Ekoda has yet to solidify your position within his Palace.” Ribbon glanced back the way they had come, expression unreadable beneath her mask. “That would make you a prime candidate for infiltration.”

“Guess it would be, huh? And he did invite me already.” Wildcard sighed, leaning against her poleaxe. “Damnit.”

“Hey man, it’s not a big deal. Ribbon said you just gotta get the door open, right?” Plebe patted Wildcard on the shoulder, smiling reassuringly. “You can just go once. I don’t think there’s a signup or anything like that, you just kinda show up. One time should be all, yeah?”

“That is correct.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively. “So long as you bypass this door before his cognition changes again, it will work.”

“Stealth’s the best friend of a proper pirate. It’s best to see the whites of their eyes ‘fore you unfurl the black flag.”

You make it sound so dramatic.

“Aye lass. It is.”

“Alright, alright, I got it.” Wildcard smiled, tilting her head at the others. “Guess I’ll be checking this program of his out on Monday. Hopefully you’re right and that’s that.”

“I am.” Ribbon furrowed her brow. “It will be.”

“Hey, if you want me to come with you, I can.” Feather hesitated for a moment, plucking the string on her bow. “He’d probably get pissed off, but you don’t need to do it alone if you don’t want to.”

“Nah, I’ll be alright. I’ve got this.” Wildcard jabbed a thumb at herself, turning and heading back through the mercifully deactivated obstacle course. “After all, that’s what leaders do!”

Monday, April 25th 2016.

The Day of the Intrusion

Evidently, another thing leaders did was wander around Shujin like an idiot after school, looking for the right classroom without so much as a hint to guide them.

Kotone figured she had an excuse. She still wasn’t used to Shujin’s layout, and the only thing marking the classroom as being different was the sign outside the door. It was easy to miss! She was lucky to be reading the sign at all right now!

‘Academic Advancement Program’

After School

Mondays – Wednesdays – Fridays

Attendance Encouraged

Kotone sighed, shouldering her schoolbag and taking a breath. This was Ekoda’s personal workshop. The place where he had the most control. According to Ribbon, this was the space she needed to be accepted in for the cognition to accept her in the Palace.

And because of that, it was kinda sorta maybe the last place she wanted to be right now.

Is it weird that I’m worried I’ll suddenly turn into who I was before I Awakened the second I walk in there?

“If I hadn’t joined your crew lass, you probably would have ended up here anyhow.”

Yeah. Only I wouldn’t exactly be infiltrating, would I?

Kotone sighed. Nothing more to it.

It was time to get to work.

She braced herself as she pushed through the door into the classroom, half expecting to find a group of stock-still students just like the ones in the Palace, silent and enraptured by the sight of Ekoda’s wisdom.

Instead, she found… well, what seemed to be a normal classroom.

The students were maybe a little quieter than in her regular class, and they did seem generally more studious, but she was (mercifully) disappointed in her expectation of a room full of cognitive dolls like Ekoda had in his Palace. The man himself wasn’t even here yet, which probably did a lot to contribute. Kotone let out the faintest sigh of relief, taking a seat at an unassuming spot in the middle of the class between a blue-haired girl who seemed to be doing her very best to disappear into her hoodie, and a brown-haired first-year who seemed intent on rubbing his pencil out onto his paper with all the notes he was taking.

“So. Uh….” Kotone glanced at the boy as she set her bag down, trying to catch a quick glance at what he was working on. It seemed to be a lot of tables and numbers. Math homework, maybe? “How long do you usually have to wait before Mr. Ekoda gets here?”

The boy turned to her, squinting at her for a moment like she had just dropped in on him from another planet. Which, to be fair, she kinda sorta might have for all intents and purposes. He was about to respond when the walls suddenly rattled with the sound of the door opening, and every single voice in the room went immediately and inexorably quiet.

Mr. Ekoda was here.

Okay. Yeah, that’s more like what I expected.

“Aye. They’re putting on a show for one, lass, not much point to buckle your belt if the audience isn’t onboard.”

I bet he doesn’t even know.

“I see there’s an unemptied chair.” Ekoda set his bag down, narrowing his eyes at Kotone. It took him a moment to identify her, but once he did, his face twisted into a smug smile. “Ah, Ms. Shiomi. I see you’ve come to make the right decision.”

In a moment, suddenly all eyes in the class were on her, the other students turning in their chairs to face the new arrival. Kotone fought back a wince, keeping a smile on her face as they appraised her like she was fresh blood at a prison yard or something.

“It’s an intimidation tactic, lass. I bet that bastard drilled it into them as soon as they got here.”

I hate that.

“Aye. I know you do.”

“Alright then. Shiomi, stand.” Ekoda shook his head, appraising Kotone as she stood. The students’ eyes didn’t leave her, but they felt mercifully less piercing from up above them. “There’s no need for introductions. You’re not here to make friends, or chatter. I want to hear one thing, and one thing only from you. What brings you to this program, and to us?”

“Well, simple!” Kotone shrugged, smiling that old smile of hers. “I’m still new here, so I want to explore more. See what’s available here at Shujin. Why not, right?”

“Hm. That’s not the answer I was hoping for. Sit back down.” Ekoda harrumphed, turning back to face the class as a whole. They all did the same, averting attention from her and back to the front. The sudden release in pressure was enough for Kotone to let out a small, almost undetectable sigh. “There is no need for exploration. Shiomi is lucky her gallivanting brought her here, but this program and this program alone will provide you with what you need to succeed. It is far superior to random chance. Now, tell me students. What is the key to success? Yamagishi!”

“Y-yes?” The blue-haired girl nearly jumped in her seat, her eyes widening in shock as her voice cracked. “O-oh, um, to follow your lead and do what you ask!”

“That’s right. The youth of today think they know enough to decide their futures. That is not just foolish, it’s idiotic. Proper citizens listen to their superiors, and don’t allow their heads to be filled with foolish, needless mold-breaking. I’m sure you understand my meaning, Yamagishi.” Ekoda glared at the girl, causing her to flinch and draw even further in on herself than before. “Good. Amada, tell me, what is an ideal citizen?”

“Someone who knows their role and fulfills it as society demands.” The brown-haired boy nodded emphatically, a spark of a fire in his eyes. “We can’t let the dregs of people not worth thinking about drag us down.”

“Excellent. Full marks to you.” Ekoda nodded in agreement, turning back to Kotone a smug smile. “So, Shiomi, I’m sure you understand now. There is no need for any further exploration. This program will guarantee you a solid future as a productive member of society. So long as you do as I tell you, you will have nothing to worry about. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” Kotone’s smile was as wide as it had ever been. “Thank you, sir.”

“Good.” Ekoda turned back to the board, grabbing the chalk and writing out the header for their programming today.  “Today, you will all be learning about the importance of proper attire, and what is appropriate and inappropriate for youths like you to wear.”

Kotone looked around her. At the straight-laced students, staring at Ekoda’s every move in rapt attention. At the brown-haired boy, still scribbling in his notebook at the speed of sound. And at the blue-haired girl, curled up in her chair, looking like death itself.

And not even her best smile could weather that.

“…we’re stealing his damn Treasure.”

Aye.

“We’re stealing it soon.”

Chapter Text

^{“Hey, what is-“}

^{“It’s… huh?”}

^{“What the hell?"}

Friday, April 29^th 2016.

The Day of the First Treasure

They made it.

It took another week of infiltrating to get there, but they made it.

Through the stone door, through the heart of the Palace, up, up, up a wooden staircase to the top of the structure and to Ekoda’s Treasure Room awaiting them above. There, in a great wooden hall surrounded by walls adorned with meaningless certificates and stacked high with bullshit awards, the nebulous ball of energy that was Ekoda’s Treasure awaited them.

And it was… glowier, than Wildcard had expected.

“So that’s it, huh?” Plebe scratched his head with the butt of his weapon, frowning. “It’s a lot uh… softer, than I thought it would be.”

“Yes.” Ribbon’s mask flashed gold as she observed the ball of energy, her hands twitching at her side. “It is.”

“So, how do we carry it?” Feather pulled an arrow from her quiver, twirling it nervously in her hand as she inspected the pulsating ball of… well, whatever it was. “It doesn’t look like we can just grab it, right?”

“No.” Ribbon’s mask returned to its regular blue as she shook her head, turning to the others. “We will need to force his Treasure to manifest by making him aware of his own distortion. Only then will his Treasure congeal and become mutable.”

“Make him aware?” Wildcard frowned, peering into the uncertainty that was Ekoda’s Treasure. “How do we do that?”

“We will need to create a calling card.” Ribbon turned back to the Treasure. “Measurable evidence that we know of his sins and are capable of taking action to correct them. It will alter his cognition sufficiently to manifest the Treasure.”

“Knowing his sins, eh?” Plebe frowned at the indistinct ball. “You’d think Yukata- I mean, Feather yelling at him like that woulda let him know he’s a bastard, eh?”

“Humans do not fear what is known and quantifiable by their own perception.” Ribbon shook her head, her mask flashing briefly gold once again. “He believes that Feather is not a threat to him. We must give him a fear of the unknown.”

“Sheesh.” Wildcard couldn’t help but shiver, a faint chill passing through the Palace at Ribbon’s words. “If you say so. How do we do that?”

“As I said, we must deliver him a calling card.” Ribbon shook her head, turning back the way they had come. “I will explain on the way out. We should not linger, there will likely be more Shadows soon.”

The three students glanced amidst themselves, unsure. This hadn’t been part of the plan. Still, they’d come this far and it wasn’t like they had much choice in the matter anyhow. Shrugging, Wildcard gestured after their strange teammate, and began to follow.

---

“So, a calling card has to do three things.” Feather lifted her fingers in front of her, counting them off from where she stood leaning against the wall of the alleyway across from the Palace alongside the other members of her team. “Let Ekoda know someone knows what he’s doing, let him know that we’re going to do something about it, and let him know that we’re doing it soon.”

“That is correct.” Ribbon nodded. “Once Ryohei Ekoda has received a calling card, there is a limited window where his Treasure will manifest. If it is delivered in the morning, it would be best to conduct the heist that same night.”

“Heh. Heist, huh? That’s got pizzazz. Sounds like something from a seinen manga.” Plebe made jazz hands, grinning. “Moonlit Thieves stealing some dude’s treasure under the cover of darkness!”

“Please be serious about this.” Feather put her hands down, rolling her eyes. “It’s important.”

“Nah, he’s right.” Wildcard grinned, nodding at the other three. “It’s gotta have an impact, right? We should do something flashy.”

“Flashy would be appropriate, yes.” Ribbon nodded. “The stronger the impression, the wider our window to act on it.”

“Ha, see Feather?” Plebe pumped his fist. “I knew I was on the mark!”

“Yes.” Ribbon looked between the three, furrowing her brow as Feather simply rolled her eyes. “I will assist in ensuring that there is sufficient ‘pizzazz’ in the calling card.”

“We’d love your help Ribbon!” Wildcard smiled politely. “Only, I don’t think we have the stuff we’d need to put one together in here. We’ll need to get back to the real world to do it.”

“That is fine.” Ribbon nodded once again. “I will accompany you as necessary.”

“Accompany us?” Feather blinked, finally seeming to pay proper attention to the conversation at hand. “What do you mean accompany us?”

“If I am needed to assist with the calling card, then I will return with you to the real world.” Ribbon tilted her head. “Is further clarification needed?”

“Uh.” The three students all looked amongst themselves. Then at Ribbon. Then back amongst themselves. Finally, Wildcard spoke up. “You can do that?”

“Yes. I will demonstrate.” Ribbon nodded one final time. “Please prepare to return to the real world.”

“Wait, what are you-“ Kotone blinked, the real world returning around her as her outfit faded and she and the others were returned to the alleyway across from Shujin. “-doing. Crap.”

“Man, she’s really not the best at talking through this stuff, is she?” Junpei scratched his head, frowning. “Hey, where’d you even find her anyways?”

“They encountered me in a jail cell beneath Ryohei Ekoda’s Palace.” Ribbon’s voice echoed out from somewhere in the alleyway, though something about it sounded… off. Different. “Fortunately, they rescued me.”

“Yeah, we…” Yukari nodded, turning toward the source of the voice. “We- uh….”

Before them was not Ribbon. Not quite, anyways. Where the girl had been standing in the Other World, instead there was a bulbous cat sized robot staring at them with wide blue eyes.

Which obviously sounded insane, but that was the truth.

She was small, like, small enough to fit in Kotone’s bag small, and standing on a pair of stout little legs. Her head was like one of those old circular TV’s that people in the 50’s imagined for the future, and displaying a face that seemed like a simple illustration of Ribbon’s own.

“Um.” Kotone hesitated for a moment, taking a careful step forward. “Ribbon?”

“Yes.” The little robot spoke up, her voice coming out faintly tinny and filtered. “Though, as we have left the Palace, you may call me by my real name. I am Aigis.”

“Right.” Yukari gave Kotone and Junpei a look, a frown at the edge of her lips. “Okay then, Aigis. Why do you look like that?”

“I exist primarily within a cognitive space. Now that I have left it, I have taken the most reasonable analogous form for my being.” Aigis delivered a curt nod, though it somehow came off much sillier with her new form. “I hope that this is acceptable.”

“Acceptable? No it’s- I mean it is, but it’s also…” Kotone took another step forward, crouching down to inspect the girl with a grin. “It’s adorable! Can I pick you up? Would that be alright?”

“Yes. This form is ill suited to traversal, so your help would be-“ Aigis cut herself off as Kotone picked the robot up, still grinning as she turned and showed off their teammates’ new form to her friends. “Hello.”

“Isn’t she just the cutest?” Kotone grinned, gesturing as emphatically as she could. “I see why your codename is Ribbon now!”

“Yeah, that never really did make much sense.” Yukari sighed, inspecting the little yellow ribbon that had taken the place of the girl’s tie on this new form. “I guess this answers one question, at least. Though, I think I actually have a lot more now.”

“Wait, she’s a robot?” Junpei blinked, still staring at the little machine. “Since when?”

The three girls all turned to face him, looking befuddled.

“Since…” Kotone shrugged. “Forever?”

“Wait, seriously?” Junpei’s eyes widened in surprise. “Dude, we’ve had a robot on our team this whole time?!”

“That’s your sticking point?” Yukari sighed, leaning a hand on her hip. “Nevermind. What are we supposed to do with her? Sure she can help us with the card, but what then?”

“She can stay with me, if she wants.” Kotone unshouldered her bag bumping it gently. “I think she could fit in my bag if she wanted to, and nobody else lives at the bookstore so she should be fine staying!”

“That is acceptable.” Aigis nodded, ignoring the little sound of delight that Kotone made at her agreement. “I will assist in the creation of the calling card and return to the booked store with the Wildcard when we have concluded.”

“Sounds good to me!” Kotone placed the robot gently in her bag, slinging it back over her shoulder. “Comfy?”

“This form is not equipped to feel physical comfort.” Aigis shook her head as she popped out of the bag, looking over Kotone’s shoulder. “However, this is an acceptable mode of transport. I am ready.”

“Perfect!” Kotone pumped her fist, grinning at the other two students as she began to lead them out of the alleyway. “Then let’s get to work!”

---

The light of the waning moon filtered through the window in Kotone’s room, its gentle glow all but drowned out by the lights of the city around her. She was sat on her bed, hugging one knee gently to her chest as the other dangled off the bed, her gaze turned up toward the heavens above.

She had said goodbye to her friends hours ago. The calling card was… well, it would work. Even with Aigis’ help, the four of them weren’t exactly maestros at art or anything like that. They’d spent a long time bickering over colors and font choices and all, only to settle on a design that was just about generally alright. It would do the job, Aigis had decided. A little underwhelming, and definitely not imbued with the kind of pizzazz that Kotone would have liked, but it was done.

Tomorrow morning, they would deliver it to Ekoda.

Tomorrow night, they would steal his Treasure.

And Shujin would be irrevocably changed, hopefully for the better.

…she was really bad at this ‘staying out of trouble’ thing, huh?

“Wildcard.” Kotone blinked, turning to face the source of the voice. Aigis was standing near the foot of her bed, a book in her arms. Because of her relative size, she was carrying it almost like how you would a stack of firewood. Which was, needless to say, adorable. “Where should I deposit this?”

“If we’re not gonna use your codename out here, you don’t have to use ours. Call me Kotone.” Kotone smiled, swinging her legs so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Whatcha got there?”

“It is a book from one of the piles. It was in the way.” Aigis looked back at the various stacks of books still scattered around the space. “Their present organization is inhibiting the movement and livability of this space. I am reorganizing. Where should I place this?”

“Aigis, that’s-“ Kotone had to suppress a snort, standing and gently taking the book from her teammate. “Here I’ll show you where I put them, but you really shouldn’t try to clean this place up alone. It’d take way too long, and it’s on me for leaving it such a mess anyways.”

“I am meant to assist you however I can. A disorganized living space contributes negatively to operational capability.” Aigis trailed after Kotone as she moved toward the wall where she had been neatly stacking the books, placing the copy she’d taken from Aigis atop one of the sorted piles. “I believe this operation is of a high priority.”

“Yeah, probably. I’ve been putting it off.” Kotone nodded, turning and facing her friend with a sigh. She put her hands on her hips, thinking. “Fine. How about this? We work together to clean this up. Tonight.”

“That is not advisable.” Aigis shook her head. “You will be needed to lead tomorrow. You should not stay up cleaning. I can handle this task, I am a machine and will not be tired from it.”

“Hey, I doubt I would be able to sleep anyways.” Kotone shrugged, moving over to the kitchenette and grabbing the stack of books she had placed on one of the counters. “Maybe this’ll tire me out enough to actually go to bed at a decent hour.”

“That is still not advisable.” Aigis’ display shifted to a frown as she followed after Kotone, grabbing one of the books from where it fell off the top of the girl’s pile. “This decision-making appears shortsighted and misinformed.”

“Yeah well…” Kotone shrugged taking the book from Aigis’ hands and stacking it alongside the rest. “If you’re going to be here living with me, I think you’ll figure out pretty soon that that’s most of my decisions.”

“I see.” Aigis tilted her head, her display pulsating gently for a moment before she seemed to process Kotone’s words and nodded. “In that case, I will assist you to the best of my abilities in order to mitigate the consequences of your actions.”

“That’s the spirit!” Kotone crouched down, holding her hand up for the other girl. “Let’s do this!”

“This?” Aigis tilted her head in the other direction for a moment, staring at Kotone’s hand. Then it clicked, and she let out a small noise of affirmation, raising her own hand to high-five Kotone. “I see. Yes, let’s.”

Kotone just giggled, getting back to work clearing the rest of the books out and finally actually making the place livable.

It had taken her long enough, after all.

Saturday, April 30^th 2016.

The Day of the First Heist

The cards lay dispensed around Shujin’s entranceway, pinned up on notice boards and  scattered across the ground. Aigis had told them it was important to make an impact, so Junpei had printed as many of them as he could manage. Sneaking around to deploy them before anyone could notice had been thrilling.

But not quite as thrilling as seeing Ekoda melt down at the sight of it all.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Ekoda snatched one of the cards from the notice board, reading it out before crumpling it in his fist. “Abuse? Anger? Hate?! How dare you?! Who’s responsible for this?! I’ll have their heads!”

It took all Kotone had not to giggle as the man stomped around, pointing the finger at anyone and everyone around him. She figured she was right to make sure that she was the one watching to make sure it worked, if Ekoda had seen the other two he probably would have been even more furious. Which would have been entertaining, sure, but also very, very bad.

“This is achieving better than expected results. His distortion is evidently deeply rooted within his psyche.” Aigis peeked out of the open zipper of Kotone’s bag, her display dim and stealthy. “We should notify the others.”

“Yeah.” Kotone granted herself a small smile as she turned away, adjusting the strap on her bag. “Then we hit him tonight.”

Wonder if he’ll regret blowing his fuse now too?

“It’s all a part of him lass. A part he’ll be seein’ for himself real soon.”

You’ve got that right. You ready?

All Kotone felt in response was a flare of fire in her heart. And that time she did giggle, walking away and leaving Ekoda behind to let her team know that it had worked.

It was almost time.

---

“Let’s get to work.”

Wildcard could feel the pressure shift as she and the others entered the Palace, the usual oppressive atmosphere of the Other World seemingly magnified tenfold as they advanced on the old wooden structure. Still, that wouldn’t stop them. Wouldn’t hold them back. Despite the weight bearing down on them, the Moonlit Thieves moved through the Palace like flowing water, no Shadow or obstacle able to stand in their way.

Up, up, up again they went, up through the mazelike halls, through the once perilous obstacles, through the eerily empty classrooms that stood between them and the Treasure. And when they finally reached the vast Treasure Room there above it all, they found the nebulous ball of energy had solidified into a gold framed certificate decree in the air… and beheld by none other than the Regent Ruler himself.

“So, it’s come to this.”  Ekoda’s Shadow sneered, turning to face the Thieves as they entered. “I should have known you’d attempt an idiotic stunt like this. The youths of today just don’t know their place.”

“I’m so sick of listening to him.” Feather grit her teeth, nocking an arrow and pointing it toward the Shadow. “We just need to get past him, right?”

“That is correct.” Aigis summoned Skeleton Key, squaring up as the bluish metal of her Persona began to rise behind her. “He needs only be taken out of commission. Killing him would have disastrous effects on Ryohei Ekoda’s mind that cannot be fully anticipated.”

“Out of commission? Kill me? You self-inflated fools. You won’t even lay a scratch on me!” Ekoda swept his hand in front of him, his golden eyes flashing bright. “Soon you will see the value that a proper citizen must hold!”

From the darkness at the sides of the hall, a legion of students emerged. Glassy eyed and expressionless, the cognitions of Ekoda’s Academic Advancement Program marched into place, a defensive line that stood between the Thieves and the Ruler. And at their head, was a girl with her air in an auburn ponytail and red headphones around her neck.

Kotone Shiomi.

“Seriously?” Wildcard winced at the sight of her glassy-eyed cognition. “I showed up to one meeting! What’s this guy’s damage?”

“I dunno man. But it’s way past messed up now.” Plebe gripped his gladius tighter, looking between the emotionless cognitions. “He’s using them as shields dude, that’s just wrong!”

“Not shields, you idiotic boy.” Ekoda grinned, savage and angry. “Pawns, for the sake of societies’ function!”

“For the Regent…” The cognition Kotone’s eyes began to glow red, a dark fog surrounding her and the other cognitions as their forms began to be consumed by the blackness of shadow. “We shall do as needed!”

There was a burst of power, the cognitions being fully consumed by the darkness as they morphed into the familiar form of the Palace’s Shadows, silver metal and flashing blades shining through. The cognition of Kotone morphed into one of the golden guard captains, its mask settling in over its face as it lifted a spear toward the Thieves.

“Go now, proper citizens!” Ekoda’s eyes flashed, his hand shooting forth in a command. “Banish these Thieves from my realm!”

“Hey, so-“ Feather took a step back, directing her arrow at the Shadows as they began a steady march towards the four. “We can kill these things, right? Even though they were cognitions? That wouldn’t cause any problems, right?”

“Yes, they are no longer cognitions. They are Shadows.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively. “And they are between us and our objective. Destroy them, Skeleton Key.”

Ribbon’s persona flew forth, the metal keys embedding in the line as the Shadows advanced. After a moment they detonated, sending more than a few of the Shadows scattering to ashes and sewing chaos in their ranks.

Perfect.

“Alright everyone! You know what we’re here for!” Wildcard grinned, throwing away her mask and summoning forth Anne Bonny. “Take out all the little ones! I’m going to teach myself a lesson!”

Wildcard charged forth, Whitehand’s arrows and Spartacus’ lightning flashing past her as she swung her poleaxe at the golden Shadow. Her former cognition parried the attack, sending her blade to the side and reeling back to punch her away for her trouble. Its fist was met by fire, however, the blast of Anne Bonny’s pistol filling the air as the Shadow staggered back. That was enough to find her opening, Wildcard’s poleaxe flying upwards to pull away the mask under its helmet and reveal what laid beneath. The Shadow collapsed, darkness falling by the wayside as an orange-haired lyrist appeared in its stead, strumming gently at a large heart shaped lyre.

“Hello, my Muse. It is good to see you once again.” The lyrist hummed, the world filling temporarily with the faint sound of music. “I have been your mask in many worlds. It seems now, I shall be the same in yours.”

The Persona vanished, replaced by an orange mask emblazoned with sky-blue music notes along its front. It soared forth into Wildcard’s soul, her very self humming with music for a moment before the lyrist settled in, and the world fell back to silence.

Huh. Neat. What did she mean that she’s been my mask in many worlds?

“We’re not the only ship at sea, lass. Orpheus has been a part of many crews. Now she’s part of ours.”

…fun!

“And stay down!” Plebe’s voice brought Wildcard back to the battle at hand, the sight of his gladius felling the last of the Shadows without much difficulty sending a huge smile onto her face. “Man, that’s your ‘proper citizens’? That wasn’t anything!”

“Tch, you fools. They have served their purpose.” Ekoda scowled, marching forward to face the Thieves head on as they all gathered back together after the battle. “A pawn’s job is to buy time, a purpose they have served admirably. Now, you will see the true power of a Regent in action! Behold, as I-“

Whatever Ekoda was going to say next was lost to silence as Feather punched him in the gut, and sent the mad Regent to the floor like a bag of rocks. Just like that.

“Oh shit.” Plebe all but jumped back, staring wide-eyed at the girl. “Dude, you just…”

“What? He was about to reveal his powerup or whatever.” Feather shook her hand, loosening it after the blow as she shrugged. “That’s the problem in Featherman, they always let the villains finish explaining their powerup. I’ve always thought just doing that would be easier.”

“I mean, yeah, but…”

“Heh… heheheh… hehehe!” Ekoda laughed, turning his head so that he could gaze up at the group of Thieves. “You fools. You haven’t even-“

And then Wildcard kicked him in the head, and the Shadow went out like a light.

“Dude!” Plebe’s eyes widened even more. “Man, you’re just kicking him while he’s down now!”

“What?” Wildcard shrugged too. “I think Feather had the right idea!”

“I agree. It has likely saved us further trouble.” Ribbon nodded, gesturing for the others to join her as she made her way to the Treasure. “Come. We should hurry.”

“Man…” Plebe scratched his head as the girls went over to the Treasure, an uncertain look on his face. Finally, he shrugged too. “Eh, screw it.”

Plebe kicked Ekoda’s Shadow in the gut, stepping over him to go join the others as they retrieved the floating decree from the air. Wildcard held it in her hands, inspecting the golden lettering on the front.

“It says, ‘Right to Rule Decree’. And that it was issued by…” Wildcard frowned, squinting. There was text there, distinct and unblurry, but for some reason she just… couldn’t read it. “I can’t tell. Can anyone else?”

“Nope. It’s just…” Feather shook her head, gesturing vaguely. “Well, it’s not really a blur, but…”

“It is likely a result of distortion. It is not important.” Ribbon took hold of the diploma, tucking it under her arm. “We should leave.”

Wildcard nodded, taking the lead and gesturing for the others to follow after her as she headed toward the door. They were interrupted only briefly by the sound of a hacking cough, Ekoda’s Shadow staring at them as the ground around him boiled and bubbled with Shadow.

“You… really are idiotic youths, you know that?” Ekoda all but hissed, the gold in his eyes wavering as he began to sink into the ground beneath him. “There is so much about this world that you don’t understand. I could have taught you how to find your place in it, and lived a life free of worry. Instead, now…”

Ekoda’s Shadow faded out of existence, his golden eyes and empty words vanishing onto the wind until nothing was left but a whisper, and the Thieves made their way out of his Palace in silence.

You’ll learn the hard way.

Mission Complete:

Fortress of Wrath Cleared!

Chapter Text

^{“Holy shit dude! They really stole his heart!”}

^{“I have to… I must make amends.”}

^{“This is crazy. Is this real life?”}

?????

???

Ekoda’s Palace had vanished as soon as they crossed the threshold from within it. The strange fortress was gone forever, replaced by the fortunately mundane façade of Shujin Academy reflected in the Other World. The four of them had emerged back out into the night, unscathed and successful. Ekoda’s Treasure had turned into what they could only assume was his college degree, and Aigis had promised that the Change of Heart was already underway. That meant they had to wait until Monday to see it through. All there was to do until then was wait.

So, wait they did. Kotone returned home, set Aigis down on the ratty couch they had dug free from the books, and passed the hell out on her bed as she went right to sleep.

And now… she was here.

Back in the void that was the Velvet Room. The same heavyset desk. The same long-nosed man. And the same green-eyed Attendant, this time sat astride of a bike and holding an oversized pill bottle in one hand, and a heavy leather tome emblazoned with a staff in the other. To cap it all off, there was a pair of plastic devil horns on her head, which honestly just really tied the whole bizarre picture together for Kotone.

“…do I want to ask?” Kotone glanced between Merope and Igor, raising an eyebrow at them both. “Because I kinda wanna ask.”

“Hey, these are your bonds, it’s not my fault I’m saddled with them.” Merope grumbled, adjusting her grip on the representative parts of Kotone’s heart. “Anyways, ask later! My Master has words for you!”

“It seems your path along fate’s thread has begun in earnest, Wildcard.” Igor hummed, his airy voice resonating through the vast nothingness of the Velvet Room. “A wicked Heart has been stolen, and the arc of the World bends ever so slightly. This is only the first challenge placed before you. I hope for your sake that you are prepared for more.”

“More?” Kotone furrowed her brow, tapping her foot nervously against infinity. “You think there are more distorted people out there who need their Treasure stolen? Is that what you want us to do?”

“As you know, we do not guide fate Wildcard. Simply mark it. Whatever you are driven to do next, we will watch with great interest.” Igor spread his arms, his everlasting smile sending a faint shiver down Kotone’s spine. “Now, Merope?”

“Ugh, finally.” Merope rolled her eyes, setting the book in her hand down on the desk. “Your Hierophant. You’ve known them both for a while now, but it’s taken you this long to start maybe understanding them. They have good advice, you should listen. And see about providing some of your own.”

“The Kitamuras?” Kotone tilted her head. “I thought-“

“Hey, I’m not done!” Merope snapped, rolling her eyes and using her now free hand to push herself off the bike so she could lean it against the desk. “This is your Chariot. Hope she’s not too fast for you, or whatever.”

“Merope.” Igor’s beady eyes turned to the Attendant. Despite there being no real change in his face or voice, Kotone still felt a certain pressure build in the air at his gaze. “Behave.”

“I-” Merope flinched, looking away from her Master’s peering gaze. “Sorry, sir.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Kotone reached a comforting hand toward Merope, glancing at the man in the chair with a frown. “It’s fine, I don’t really get most of what she says anyways. She’s doing good.”

“Don’t worry about it, just-“ Merope scowled, her expression returning to its usual annoyed indifference as she straightened herself out. “Whatever. You still have a couple of bonds left. And they’re weird ones.”

“Weird?” Kotone pulled her hand back, still unsettled by the way Igor’s gaze seemed to pierce through both her and his Attendant. “What do you mean weird?”

“Your Devil’s just, strange. Something’s up with her, I don’t like it.” Merope shook her head, plucking the horns from her hair and placing them on the middle of the scale from Kotone’s Justice. She hesitated for a moment, placing the pill bottle next to them as well. “And I really don’t like your High Priestess. There’s something wrong with him, and how he intertwines with fate. I’d stay away from him if I were you.”

“Trust me, I wish I could.” Kotone shrugged, scratching her neck. “I think we’re sorta stuck with him for now. Plus if he’s a bond…”

“All are tied to fate, Wildcard. Even those whom you may prefer not to be.” Igor leaned forward, his gloved hands at rest in front of him. “We will continue monitoring your Journey. Should you ever need us again, you know where we are to be found.”

“Yeah, about that. Did you really need to put the entrance outside my-“ Kotone blinked and the Velvet Room was gone, replaced by the ceiling of her room. “…house. Damnit.”

“Kotone?” Kotone nearly jumped out of her skin as Aigis’ voice sounded from the couch, where the little robot was sat looking at Kotone with an inquisitive expression on her display. “Is there a problem?”

“No, just, weird dreams.” Kotone sighed, rubbing her eyes. “You don’t happen to know a guy with a long nose, do you?”

“I am sorry, I-“ Aigis frowned for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “I am unfamiliar with anyone who matches that description.”

“That’s alright. It was a longshot anyways.” Kotone closed her eyes, letting the dream fade from her mind. “You should get some sleep, Aigis. Even if you don’t get tired, it’s good for you.”

“I will…” Aigis hesitated for a moment. “…take your words into consideration.”

“…you’re not going to listen, are you?”

“No.”

“Just going to sit there and watch me sleep?”

“Yes.”

“And nothing I say will change your mind?”

“It is unlikely.”

“…got it. Goodnight, Aigis.”

“Goodnight, Kotone. Please sleep well.”

“…I’ll try.”

And try she did.

Monday, May 2^nd 2016.

The Day of the First Confession

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

supdude: maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

sweaterweather: That’s always a great way to start a day

sweaterweather: What’s up?

supdude: it’s golden week dude

supdude: why the hell do we gotta go to school today?

phonetone: To see Ekoda’s confession!

phonetone: Aigis said that the Change of Heart should be done by now, and Oohashi has that big assembly today.

phonetone: It’s perfect!

sweaterweather: That seems like as good a reason as any.

supdude: think they’ll call the rest of the day off if he makes it a big enough thing?

sweaterweather: We didn’t change his heart so we could have a day off Junpei

supdude: yea, but it’d be nice right?

phonetone: Maybe a little. :P

sweaterweather: I swear you two

sweaterweather: I just hope he confesses

sweaterweather: …and that it’s just as ugly as he deserves

supdude: hardcore yukatan!

phonetone: Hardcoreeeeeee!

sweaterweather: Sheesh

sweaterweather: I’ll see you two bozos at school

---

Hardcore was one way to describe it.

Principal Oohashi had gotten about halfway through his speech on the importance of good discipline and academic success before Ekoda had burst onto stage and taken the microphone from him in a burst of energy Kotone didn’t think the aging man had. The last two days hadn’t been kind to him, the sight of his rumpled suit and messy hair a sharp contrast to the authoritative figure he once cast. He gazed down the students with mournful eyes, his whole body shaking as he clutched the microphone tight.

“I… I am ashamed.” Ekoda swallowed, his quivering voice calling silence to both the crowd and the bewildered Principal Oohashi behind him. “I-I became a teacher to try and guide the youth the right way. To… to give them an opportunity that I wasn’t- that I…”

“Mr. Ekoda...” Principal Oohashi adjusted his tie nervously, clearing his throat as the renegade teacher simply stared off into space. “Th-this behaviour is highly inappropriate, and-“

“No! No…” Ekoda shirked away from the principal, shaking his head emphatically. “No, I… I have to own up to what I have done. I’ve become the kind of teacher I once despised. I was a tyrant, a fool. I didn’t care who I hurt so long as they followed my command. I have been an awful person, and an awful teacher. For that… I… I…”

The microphone dropped from his hands, feedback echoing through the hall as Ekoda turned and ran, vanishing from the stage with a clatter of feet and an embrace of darkness. For a moment, there was no response, students and staff both staring at the spot he had left as if expecting Ekoda to pop back out at any moment and declare it all a cruel lesson in getting your hopes up.

That moment never came.

And to the horror of Principal Oohashi and the rest of the faculty, all the students did next, was cheer.

---

Much to Junpei’s delight, his prediction about Ekoda’s confession causing class to be cancelled for the rest of the day had been true. Ms. Toriumi had dismissed them almost as soon as they had returned to class, the realities of having their longest-tenured and most respected teacher on the outs seeming to have crashed into Shujin like a storm. For the teachers it meant chaos and disorder. For the students it meant an early start to Golden Week, and a collective sigh of relief that he was gone.

Junpei had decided that a celebration was in the cards, which meant right now the four Moonlit Thieves were… somewhere in Tokyo that Kotone didn’t quite recognize, making their way along the narrow side streets toward what Junpei swore was the best food place in town.

“It must be pretty awful, having your heart changed like that.” Yukari tapped her chin as they walked, the freedom of their day spread out before them in bright contrast to the darkness that followed after them in Shujin’s halls. “Guess he really did get what he deserved, huh?”

“Hell yeah he did.” Junpei nodded enthusiastically. “Especially since all he’s feeling right now is what he shoulda felt all along, right? Means it’s all his own fault.”

“That’s… pretty insightful, Junpei.” Kotone tilted her head at the boy, smiling. “Aigis, is that right?”

“Yes. By nature of the Change of Heart, Ryohei Ekoda is experiencing no more and no less than a reaction to his own deeds. Had he not committed actions that one would normally find reprehensible, he would not be experiencing his present remorse.” Aigis poked her little head out of Kotone’s bag, looking between the three students. “Due to the severity of the distortion needed to form a Palace, such severe deeds are almost always needed for the formation of a Treasure in the first place. As such, it is an inherently difficult process to go through for any individual.”

“That’s intense…” Yukari trailed off, looking thoughtful as the Thieves turned another corner. “What about people who are distorted who haven’t formed a Palace yet? Is that a thing?”

“They exist within the Other World as well, yes.” Aigis nodded. “I will show them to you, if you would like.”

“Maybe another day, ‘causeeeeeeeee…” Junpei slowed to a stop, putting his hands on his hips and grinning. “We’re here!”

“Uh.” Kotone blinked, pausing next to the boy and looking around. He’d stopped them in a narrow side street much like the one outside Bookworms; too small for a car but just wide enough for them to walk. Only, instead of a charming bookshop or a niche little café, Junpei had stopped them in front of an old metal door with a closed slot near the top and a large tray along the middle. “…we are?”

“That’s right. I know it doesn’t look like much, but this place’s got the best beef bowls in the city.” Junpei leaned against the door, grinning at the girls, ignorant to the shiver it sent down their spines. It looked an awful lot like the doors to the cells in Ekoda’s Palace, after all. “You got faith in your ol’ pal Junpei, right?”

“…Junpei, this has gotta be like, a drug den or something.” Yukari stepped back, looking the place up and down. “I mean, it has to be, right? There isn’t even a sign or a menu or anything.”

“The chef’s a lowkey guy, that’s all. Here, I’ll show ya’. My treat.” Junpei cleared his throat, knocking on the door with a closed fist. Kotone winced at the echoing metal sound it made, then nearly jumped out of her skin when the top slot opened, a pair of peering grey eyes staring down at the Thieves from above. Junpei, however, wasn’t phased. “Sup dude? We’ll take three of the specials please!”

“Mh.” The man behind the door grunted, his voice gruff and uninterested. “950.”

The slot slammed shut, another echo winding its way down the alleyway. Despite that, Junpei just smiled, placing his payment on the tray and stepping back. The bottom slot opened, a pale hand snatching the yen and pulling it inside. Then it too closed, and the four Thieves were left with nothing more than the empty side street to process with.

“Junpei.” Yukari turned, squinting at the boy. “What the hell was that?”

“Like I said, the dude’s lowkey, that’s all!” Junpei shrugged, plopping down to sit on a rickety bench that had been placed by the door. “Trust me Yukatan, you’ll get it once you’ve tried his food.”

Assuming it doesn’t poison and kill us, that is.

“Your crewmate speaks with experience. If he’s eaten here before, it’s probably fine.”

…well when you put it that way.

“Guess I’ll try anything once!” Kotone grinned, sitting next to Junpei and shrugging. “We never had anything like this anywhere else I’ve lived, why not?”

“I agree with Kotone.” Aigis climbed out of Kotone’s bag, leaning over her shoulder and tilting her head. “Though this form is not able to digest food, it has very high-quality photo receptors. I would like to see these ‘best beef bowls in the city’ if possible.”

“Oh God…” Yukari looked between the three before sighing, taking a seat on Kotone’s other side. “You three are going to be the death of me.”

“Nah, come on Yukatan!” Junpei grinned, kicking back and putting his hands behind his head. “This is team bonding! We just pulled off our first big heist, it’s time to try new things!”

“Ugh, not so loud.” Yukari rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless. “I guess you’re right though. It feels pretty good, doesn’t it?”

“For sure.” Kotone nodded in agreement. “I didn’t think I’d have any friends when I came to Tokyo, and now we’re out here stealing people’s hearts and making the world a better place. That’s pretty cool.”

“Sure is dude!” Junpei nodded affirmatively, his cap bobbing up and down on his forehead. “Gotta say though, I don’t think you’d have any trouble making friends even without all this stuff. You’re pretty cool.”

“I mean, you say that…” Kotone shrugged awkwardly, fighting back the immediate instinct to curl up on herself. “I’ve never really had many friends before. Didn’t have the opportunity, y’know?”

“Really?” Yukari furrowed her brow. “That doesn’t seem like you at all. You seem like the kind of girl everybody would be friends with.”

“Well, yeah, now. After I got Anne Bonny. I used to be different.” Kotone stopped herself from shrugging once more, staring at her feet. “It’s just…”

“It’s alright if you don’t trust them yet lass. Everything takes time.”

They’re my team. I think they’re the only people I really can trust. Just… need to find the words.

“They’ll come lass. Don’t worry.”

“My life’s not exactly normal, y’know? I’m from Iwatodai originally. It’s a city down near Osaka, dunno if you’ve ever heard of it.” Kotone shook her head, tapping her fingers against the side of the bench. “I never really had a dad. My mom died when I was young. I had a brother, but…”

Kotone shook her head, trying to think. Her memories of those days were fuzzy, the stain of time and bad times better left forgotten blanking out whatever good memories she might have been searching for.

Maybe that was for the better.

“Dude, you um…” Junpei shook his head. “You don’t need to keep going if you don’t want to. I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine. Really.” Kotone smiled reassuringly at her friends, looking between the three of them. “It’s just the truth, can’t really change it. I spent a long time in the foster system, kinda bouncing around. Got pretty good at making myself fit in places. Never lasted long though, so… yeah. I never really had many friends. Not real ones, anyways.”

“Well, you have us now. So there.” Yukari crossed her arms emphatically, “…what about the probation, if you don’t mind me asking? What did you actually do?”

“Something reckless and stupid.” Kotone grinned, hoping the smile would hide the tremor in her voice. Based on the other three’s expressions, it failed. She sighed, dropping the expression and looking away. “I was walking home one night. I heard someone shouting, like, crazy person shouting. I was going to ignore it, but then I heard a woman scream. So… I ran toward them to help. Don’t know why, my whole life before then I’d just kept my head down. I just… guess some part of me couldn’t stand for someone to get hurt when there was something I could do about it, y’know?”

“Aye lass. The part of you that knows what’s right.”

I can see that now that I have you. I don’t know how I saw that then.

“I’m just a manifestation, lass. The fighter’s soul’s always been in you.”

“Anyways, um… it was this crazy guy trying to attack a woman. I don’t know if he was drunk, or on drugs, or what, but he was being really aggressive. Throwing stuff around, banging the roof of his car, all that. I thought he was going to try to hurt her, so… I stepped in.” Kotone shook her head, remembering the crazed look in the man’s eye as she had jumped between him and the woman. His gaze was clouded, like he wasn’t even human. Just a monster, in a man’s clothes. “I didn’t even do anything to the guy. He was so surprised that I was there, he tripped over himself and hit his head on the sidewalk. Luckily he didn’t get hurt too bad, and that seemed to snap him out of it, so…”

“I am confused.” Aigis tilted her head at Kotone, her eyes turning into question marks. “That does not match the description of any crime I am aware of. Why did taking such a course of action lead to you facing criminal charges?”

“The guy was some local bigshot is why. Like, a councilman or something, I dunno. He said he didn’t have any recollection of freaking out like that, and that I had pushed him for nothing.” Kotone shook her head, fighting back the scowl on her face. “He bribed the girl to back him up too. I think he was mad at me for making him look bad, wanted me punished for getting his name in the papers like that. So… I got charged with assault.”

“Aw dude, no way. No way.” Junpei jumped to his feet, his hands clenching at his sides. “That’s bullshit, such bullshit! No way!”

“Way. Really, way. It’s not so bad.” Kotone shrugged, looking at her feet. “I got put in some special program to ‘avert delinquency in our youth’ or something, so I got sent here instead of jail. It’s not that different from some of the other places I’ve been really. At least this time I have my own room, right?”

“That doesn’t make it okay.” Yukari stared at her shoes, a scowl on her face. “That’s still so messed up.”

“Yeah. Like I said, it was reckless and stupid. But honestly?” Kotone stood up as well, grinning at her friends. “I’d do it all again if I had to. That’s what being a Moonlit Thief is about, right? Helping people who need it, no matter what.”

“Hell yeah man, for sure!” Junpei pumped his fist. “Now that we know we can, we’re gotta keep going right? I mean, no way we don’t, yeah?”

“I probably would have said it’s stupid idea if you’d asked me a month ago, but… yeah.” Yukari stood as well, a determined look in her eye. “If people like Ekoda or that crazy guy are screwing innocent people over, and we can stop them? I’m always glad to fight for that. Do you know what his name was? The guy from before, I mean?”

“I forgot. I could probably look it up, but… I don’t think it really matters.” Kotone shook her head. “He’s way back in Sumaru, and there are people who are being distorted right here in Tokyo. You said there were more, right Aigis?”

“That is correct. There are many more who are suffering under distortions, both in their nascent forms and as fully developed Palaces.” Aigis nodded, her eyes flashing briefly yellow on her display. “If we are to continue as Moonlit Thieves, we would not be lacking in targets.”

“That settles it then. We’re in this together!” Junpei put his hand forward, grinning. “C’mon dude, let’s cheer! On three, Moonlit Thieves, yeah?”

“We are not calling out the name of our secret organization in a cheer.” Yukari rolled her eyes, placing her hand forward. “If we’re going to shout, let’s just say ‘yeah!’, okay?”

“I agree with Yukari.” Aigis teetered forward. “I would also like to participate in this cheer.”

“Alright!” Kotone grinned, reaching back her hand for Aigis to cling onto before placing it with the others. “On three, we go ‘yeah!’. One, two, three, yeah!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

“Moonlit Thieves!”

The three girls all shot Junpei a look, met only by the sheepish smile of the boy. Kotone could only hold the glare for a few seconds before breaking down, her laughter ringing through the air as she shook her head. Yukari too couldn’t hold it in, laughing alongside her friends as Junpei joined in as well. The only one not laughing was Aigis, who had crawled back into Kotone’s bag, and was now looking at the three humans with a perplexed expression as the three’s joy rang out, and the world seemed just that little bit brighter.

There was the sound of a metal thunk from beside them, the lower slot on the door opening for a brief moment as the man inside slid three beef bowls out onto the tray. He grunted, signalling their arrival before disappearing just as quickly as before. Kotone finally pulled herself together, straightening up and gesturing for her friends to join her as she grabbed her bowl. They had come here to eat, after all.

And after all that?

It was the best beef bowl she’d had in her entire life.

Chapter Text

^{“Do you think they blackmailed him or something?”}

^{“If they can steal his heart, why not steal all the teachers’? They deserve it!”}

^{“Hey, check out this website…”}

Friday, May 6^th 2016.

The Day of the Moonlist

All things considered; Kotone had a pretty great Golden Week.

She was getting more and more used to Tokyo now, having taken the last couple days exploring the city with Yukari and Junpei. She’d spent her evenings putting the last touches on cleaning her room, and had even gotten Aigis to stop staring at her while she slept. All in all, for the last week approaching the one-month anniversary of her transfer to Tokyo, she figured it had gone pretty well.

And not even the sight of Shujin Academy on an early Friday morning could ruin that.

There was a difference in the air now. She could feel it. The halls seemed just a little bit livelier, people’s smiles seemed just a little bit wider. Even the gossip that still hadn’t quite died down from her arrival seemed to finally lose its steam, replaced in turn by conversation around Ekoda’s resignation, and more interestingly, the Moonlit Thieves.

^{“Did you see those calling cards? Pretty crazy, right?”}

^{“Saw them? Man, I grabbed one! It’s like a souvenir from Ekoda’s downfall!”}

^{“D’ya think they really did something to him then? Or just scared him?”}

“We have made a notable impact on the school’s general cognition.” Aigis mused from within Kotone’s bag as they passed another pair of chattering students. “I did not expect there to be such a noticeable impact.”

“Well, we wanted flashy, right?” Kotone shrugged, tapping her fingers along the strap of her bag. “Is it a bad thing that more people are talking about us?”

“Not necessarily. The results it might have on cognition are hard to predict.” Aigis hesitated for a moment, evidently uncertain. “We should remain cautious.”

“Hm…” Kotone frowned, turning a corner and finding herself met by another trio of girls talking beside a set of lockers. Only this time, she recognized them. Hasegawa, Kimijima, and that red-haired girl from Ekoda’s Palace. “I think I know what you mean.”

“I-it’s called the Moonlist.” Hasegawa seemed nervous as she showed the other pair of girls her phone, tugging gently at her collar as she did. “It’s a website where people can post things for the Moonlit Thieves to help them with. You know, i-if they can.”

“Okay…” Kimijima narrowed her eyes, staring at the phone screen. “…why are you telling us this?”

“Well, um… I know Mr. Ekoda wasn’t very nice to you.” Hasegawa winced, her eyes darting around without any set focus. “I just thought… maybe you’d want to know?”

“Thank you, Saori.” The red-haired girl spoke up, her expression still placid and disinterested as she met eyes with Hasegawa. “You’re doing a lot to help.”

“That’s all I want to do. Help people.” Hasegawa bowed her head at the pair of girls before turning away. “Please, if you know anyone who the Moonlit Thieves could help, sh-show them the site!”

“She’s going to get into trouble if she goes around running her mouth about those people. Bet they blackmailed him or something, that’s criminal. And trouble.” Kimijima rolled her eyes as Hasegawa walked off, her gaze turning to Kotone as she received no response from her friend. “Oh. You. What do you want?”

“Just saying good morning, that’s all.” Kotone shrugged, filing away the ‘Moonlist’ as something to bring up to the others later. “Is this your friend?”

“Huh?” Kimijima glanced between Kotone and the red-haired girl, narrowing her eyes. “Why? What’s it to you?”

“You must be Kotone.” The red-haired girl tilted her head, seemingly ignoring Kimijima’s hostilities. “She’s mentioned you. You’re the ‘annoying girl who sits in front of her in class’, is that right?”

Kotone blinked, looking between the two. Wow. Huh. She knew Kimijima didn’t seem to like her much, but ‘annoying girl’ was a little harsh, wasn’t it?

“What?” Kimijima threw her hands up defensively, scowling back at Kotone. “I said what I said!”

“It’s fine, I guess.” Kotone winced, looking back toward the stranger. “Yeah, that’s right. So, does that mean you’re Chidori then?”

“Mh. Chidori Yoshino.” Chidori looked up as the sound of the bell rang out above them, the crowd in the hallway around them suddenly picking up their pace as they remembered their purpose here. “I’m sorry, it seems I have to go now. Goodbye. It was nice meeting you, Kotone.”

“Yeah, you too.” Kotone adjusted her bag, glancing at Kimijima as the latter avoided her gaze, and Chidori walked away. “I know we’re going to the same place, but you don’t have to walk with me if you don’t want to.”

“Hey, I didn’t-“ Kimijima scowled, still not looking at Kotone. “Look, I know it sounds bad, but… ah whatever. I don’t hate you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s fine if you do. I think I realized pretty recently that I shouldn’t let what other people think of me matter so much, so…” Kotone shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, I guess?”

“I told you, it’s not that. I mean, you are annoying, but not like that.” Kimijima groaned, exhaling. “I can’t really explain it. You’re just such a… I don’t know, like a weird sad puppy, I’m kinda rooting for you. It’s strange.”

“I… guess that’s one way to put it?” Kotone had to hold back a snort at the awkward way the other girl was trying to cover for her gaffe. It showed she cared, at least. Kotone decided then and there that it wasn’t too big a deal. “Wanna be friends then, Kimijima?”

“Friends?” Kimijima narrowed her eyes, finally looking toward the other girl as if searching for some kind of sign in Kotone’s face. “Are you pulling my leg right now?”

“Nope. I’m just a little weird.” Kotone grinned, offering the girl her hand. “Like you.”

“Like me?” Kimijima stared down at her hand, seemingly dumbfounded. Then she rolled her eyes, and shook it. “Fine then, I guess we can be friends. But you gotta quit calling me Kimijima, alright?”

“Alright then.” Kotone smiled, turning and leading the way back to class. “What should I call you then?”

“My name, duh.” The girl rolled her eyes, following after Kotone. “Metis. Call me Metis.”

---

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

sweaterweather: Hey

sweaterweather: Did you guys hear about this Moonlist thing?

supdude: the wha?

phonetone: I did!

phonetone: I heard Hasegawa talking about it earlier.

phonetone: Think it’s real?

sweaterweather: It is, a girl in my class showed it to me

sweaterweather: You guys should check it out

phonetone: Let’s do it together!

phonetone: Meet on the roof after school today?

supdude: wait for the huh?

supdude: i still dunno what you’re talking about

sweaterweather: I’ll show you later dummy

sweaterweather: See you on the roof

---

Shujin’s rooftop was a pretty sad place to be.

Kotone had been transferred around enough to know that rooftops didn’t tend to be the shining posterchild of their school’s appealability, but even for those low standards Shujin felt like it was lagging behind. The area by the door was stacked with old furniture left out to the elements, the AC unit was buzzing loudly enough to shake the tiles around it even in the midst of spring, and some poor enterprising student seemed to be doing their best to keep some kind of garden up here, to deeply underwhelming results.

That was the sight that Kotone was left with as she sat on one of the old school chairs that had been left there, her head in the clouds and music in her ears. Junpei had been pulled away for a few minutes so he could coordinate some sort of gift for Kaz with the rest of the baseball team, and Yukari had texted that she was going to ask that girl in class who’d shown her the site to see if she could get any more info. That left Kotone all but alone again, with nothing but the rooftop to greet her.

Well, and Aigis of course.

“Kotone.” The robot was watching her from atop the table where Kotone had set her bag, a curious expression on her face. “I have a question.”

“Hm?” Kotone blinked, pausing her music and pulling off her headphones. “Sure, hope I got an answer. What’s up?”

“Your friend, Metis.” Aigis’ display flickered into a frown. “How do you know her?”

“Pretty much how you saw, I guess.” Kotone shrugged, unsure of where this was coming from. “She sits behind me, that’s kinda it.”

“Yes. I noticed that.” Aigis tilted her head. Kotone had noticed that whenever she’d checked her bag that day, Aigis seemed to have been looking in Metis’ direction, but she had figured that was just Aigis being Aigis. “There is something strange about her.”

“Strange?” Kotone blinked. That was the second time someone had said that about her. First Merope, now Aigis. She didn’t get it. “What about her’s strange?”

“It is not something tangible, nor easily explained.” Aigis’ eyes flashed gold for a brief moment, her display warbling uncertainly. “She simply is.”

“…right.” Kotone frowned, tapping an uncertain rhythm against her knee. “Well, I don’t really know what to-“

“DA DA DA DAAAAAA!” Junpei sounded triumphant as he swung open the door to the roof, a grin on his face. “Made it!”

“When we get caught for you yelling, I’m blaming you. I hope you know that.” Yukari rolled her eyes, following after the boy and carefully closing the door behind her. “Are we even supposed to be up here?”

“Pretty sure it’s fine, right?” Junpei hopped up, taking a seat at the edge of the table Aigis was standing on. “Someone’s got a garden, we can probably chat, it’s no big deal.”

“I think that’s Mitsuru Kirijo’s garden.” Yukari squinted at the rather pathetic row of plants. “She’s the Student Council president, so…”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Kotone smiled widely, standing up. “So, welcome to the first inaugural meeting of the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts! First on the docket, the Moonlist.”

“Raising your voice so loud ain’t doin’ your crew many favours in not getting caught, lass.”

It’ll be fine. I bet a bunch of students are claiming they’re the Moonlit Thieves already.

“Aye. But only you lot can say it’s true.”

“Right!” Junpei pumped his fist. “Still don’t know what that is!”

“It’s a website. Look.” Yukari pulled up her phone, flipping it around to show the others. A simple webpage filled out in the same blue and white of their calling card was on screen, a brief description of the site’s name and purpose outlined beneath. “Apparently, whoever made this wants people to use it to contact us and tell us about problems we can fix.”

“Problems we can fix, huh?” Kotone frowned. “Do they even know what we can do? There aren’t a bunch of posts on there asking for us to help them like, get a date or something, right?”

“There’s only one post right now.” Yukari shook her head, scrolling further down the page. “Here, look.”

REQUEST FOR HELP WITH NATSUKI MORIYAMA

Something’s happened to my friend. Ever since she started working parttime with her mother, she’s gotten vicious. She used to be one of the kindest people to me, but now it’s like she wants to hurt everyone around her. I don’t want her to get hurt like Ekoda did, but I want my friend back. Please.

“Damn. Natsuki, huh?” Junpei scratched the back of his head, frowning. “She’s in your class, right Yukatan?”

“Yeah, she is.” Yukari turned the phone back around to face herself, frowning at it. “These are all anonymous, so I can’t say for sure who posted it, but I know what they mean. She used to be the sweetest girl, but lately she’s been…”

“A bitch?” Kotone offered helpfully. “It sounds like you want to say she’s been a bitch.”

“Well sure, but that’s not polite.” Yukari rolled her eyes, pocketing her phone. “Anyways, my point is that this target is legit. Aigis, you mentioned that there are people with smaller distortions in the Other World, right? I don’t think Natsuki would have a Palace, but is there any way to see if she has something else?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “Even if she does not have a Palace, what you have described is a significant enough distortion to create a Will Seed.”

“A Will Seed?” Kotone stopped tapping her knee, looking back toward Aigis. “What’s that?”

“Another source of bounty, I’d wager.”

I wouldn’t get your hopes up. A college degree wasn’t much of a bounty last time.

“Aye, in the wrong hands.”

“A Will Seed is a prelude to a Treasure, and subsequently a Palace. It is the center around which a distortion coalesces.” Aigis’ display changed to show a strange glowing skull-like thing on her face. “They can be found within the personal distortions of affected individuals. Much like a Treasure, they can be stolen to clear said distortion.”

“So what, we can send ‘em a Calling Card and steal this seed thing to clear it up?” Junpei scratched his head, furrowing his brow. “Man, that’d take a lot of work…”

“There is no need for a Calling Card. An individual whose Will Seed has not developed into a Treasure is still capable of understanding their own distortion without external influence.” Aigis shook her head. “All that would be necessary is to access the distortion in which it is located, and steal it away.”

“It’s that simple?” Kotone raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes.” Aigis’ display returned to normal as she nodded. “It is that simple. If you so desired, we could act to clear her distortion immediately.”

“Wow.” Yukari seemed taken aback, looking between Aigis and her phone for a moment. “That’s… pretty crazy, actually.”

“Yeah dude. But in a good way, right?” Junpei jumped to his feet, smiling. “Taking down Palaces like that’s hard. But if all we gotta do is walk in and take these Will Seed things, we can probably help a lotta people, right?”

“I mean, when you put it that way…” Yukari tapped her chin, biting the inside of her cheek as she stared at the screen. “I guess if we did this people would know it works, and that we’re for real. It’d do a lot of good for getting our name out there.”

“It is as I told Kotone this morning. More attention on our activities will have unpredictable effects. Our prominence in the cognition of your peers may help or harm us.” Aigis swiveled her head, looking between the three other Thieves. “It is impossible to say what that may mean.”

“I dunno about cognition and all that, but if people’s requests start coming true on the Moonlist, then we’ll definitely get more people asking for help!” Junpei pumped his fist. “Hey 'tone, you agree, right? We gotta do this!”

“Hm?” Oh shit, right. Leader stuff. Leader time. “I mean, if everyone’s on board with it, I don’t see why not. If we keep doing the work on Palaces, people will find out about the Moonlit Thieves anyways, right?”

“With our previously decided course of action, that is correct. Clearing smaller distortions may also be helpful in discovering additional Palaces.” Aigis tilted her head to the side, her display buffering for a moment. “I will follow your lead, Kotone.”

“In that case…” Kotone stood upright, grinning. “I say we do it. Tomorrow, we’ll find Natsuki Moriyama’s distortion… and steal it away!”

“Oh my God.” Yukari covered her face even as Junpei cheered in response. “Nevermind what I said earlier. When we get caught, I’m blaming both of you.”

Saturday, May 7^th 2016.

The Day of the Will Seed

Yukari had done a group project with Natsuki in their first year, which meant that the Thieves were fortunate enough to know where the girl lived. As much as they wanted to clear up her distortion as soon as possible, Kotone didn’t really feel comfortable with the idea of following her home just to locate her distortion. Being able to skip that part was a relief.

Not that it made Wildcard feel any better as she stood across the street from the foggy vortex that marked Natsuki’s distortion, the saving grace of the Other World’s silence being the only thing that made her not totally ick on the idea of it being located in the girl’s home.

“Dude… isn’t it kinda creepy tracking where people live to do something like this?” Plebe scratched his head, frowning with the same uncomfortable feeling that Wildcard was feeling. “I mean, not saying we don’t, obviously, but there really isn’t a better way?”

“No. Clearing a distortion requires tracking its location and accessing it.” Ribbon shook her head emphatically. “That entails locating where it is strongest. It is not necessarily their homes.”

“Just in this case…” Feather tapped her bow against her leg, frowning up at the shaded façade of their target’s home. “It definitely is.”

“Yes.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively, turning to face Wildcard. “Will that be an issue?”

“No, no I…” Wildcard shook her head, resting her poleaxe over her shoulder. “I mean, it’s not the best, obviously, but what else are we supposed to do? Our schoolmate asked for our help, we all agreed, right?”

“Right. Right, ‘course, just-“ Plebe groaned, swinging his gladius restlessly at his side. “Man, doesn’t feel right, y’know?”

“I know.” Wildcard exhaled gesturing for her team to follow as she stepped toward the distortion. “So let’s just get this done quick and forget we ever came here, alright?”

“I don’t think it’s a thing you can really-“ Feather shuddered as they passed through the foggy vortex, emerging on the other side. “…do. Oh. Huh.”

Unlike Ekoda’s Palace, Natsuki’s distortion was limited to the small plane of existence beyond the vortex. Instead of a giant palace in the night, the Thieves were met by what seemed to be a darkened serverbank. Rows and rows of machines hummed away around them as they advanced forward, heading towards the far end of the room where a huge projector was shining against the wall. Graphs and charts flew across the screen, dozens of names flashing up and down in a whirlwind of everchanging data. Beholding it, her form outlined against the stark white of the screen, was a high school girl in a too big business suit, her hair done up in twintails as she watched.

“Need to keep control. Need to let them know who’s in charge.” Natsuki’s Shadow whispered to herself as she stared at the screen, an object clutched tight in her arms. “It all has a place. It all has a place. Need to make it all fit together…”

Wildcard glanced around at her teammates for a second, frowning. They shrugged back at her. It seemed it was on her to see this through.

“Ahem.” Wildcard put on her best showman’s smile, flicking back the hammer on her flintlock and smiling as she pointed it at the Shadow. “Natsuki Moriyama?”

“What?” The presentation suddenly froze, the various graphs and charts going still as the Shadow turned to face the intruders. Her eyes glowed a glimmering yellow, her expression harried and annoyed. In her arms, she cradled the same strange skull from Aigis’ display. “What do you want? Make it quick.”

“Well.” Wildcard blinked, the Shadow seemingly unphased by the gun in her face. “We’re the Moonlit Thieves, and-“

“You’re not the Moonlit Thieves.” Natsuki’s Shadow squinted at the three of them, a sneer on her face. “You’re just outcasts. Worthless in the system. If this is some ploy to inflate your ranking by impressing me, it won’t work. The three of you are the dregs of Shujin Academy, you should know your place.”

“Psh, dude, you don’t even know who-“

“Junpei Iori, Yukari Takeba, and Kotone Shiomi.” The Thieves’ names and photos all appeared on the screen behind the Shadow, marked in red. “You’re all useless to me, so quit taking up my time.”

“…man, what the hell’s the point of these anyways?” Plebe groaned, smacking his hand against his mask. “Ah, whatever dude. Your heart’s being distorted, hand over the seed thing and we’ll help fix it!”

“Distorted? No, I can see clear as day!” Natsuki’s Shadow sneered, clutching the Will Seed tighter. “Everyone has their place in this world, this is mine! And yours is in the dirt!”

From amongst the server banks, inky black Shadows emerged, pooling into gelatinous forms crisscrossed with wires. Pale white masks bubbled up from within them, twisting and turning every which way as they coalesced into a barrier between the Thieves and Natsuki’s Shadow.

“Eugh.” Feather shuddered as the Shadows finished forming, nocking an arrow and pointing it toward their enemy. “Why are they all blobby like that?”

“The Shadows taken from the collective conscious have yet to be fully subsumed by Natsuki Moriyama’s distortion.” Ribbon summoned forth Skeleton Key, her mask aglow. “They are not solid enough to take definite form.”

“Alright then, looks like we’ll be taking this by force.” Wildcard grinned, angling her flintlock down and blasting one of the Shadows away at point-blank range. “Let’s get to work!”

The Thieves burst forward, slashing and striking at their foes.  Despite their appearance of a united wall between them and Natsuki’s Shadow, the smaller enemies almost immediately scattered amidst the databanks under the assault, hiding in the darkness of the distortion. On one hand, Wildcard figured it was probably a trap to draw them into close quarters.

On the other hand…

“Anne Bonny!” Wildcard flung the mask from her face, grinning as the familiar pirate queen emerged. “Bring up the new gal, and show ‘em a shanty of fire!”

Anne Bonny reached into her coat as Orpheus appeared at her side, the feral grin of the buccaneer standing in sharp contrast to the lyrist’s placid face. From within, the pirate tossed forth a handful of bombs, arcing upwards into the gloom. In the same moment, Orpheus strummed her lyre, the sound of music twisting upwards to envelop the bombs and send them forth. The darkness of the room was suddenly brought to light as the bombs honed in on their targets, bursting with in a brilliant inferno as the databanks collapsed and the Shadows screeched in agony.

“Whoah dude.” Plebe’s eyes widened in awe, evidently taken aback by the display. “Hardcore…”

“Ribbon, help me mop up whatever’s left.” Wildcard grinned as Ribbon’s Persona surged forth, the cobalt keys zipping to and fro as they searched for any Shadow that yet remained from the blasts. “Feather, Plebe-“

“On it.” Feather redirected her arrow at Natsuki’s Shadow, who was presently watching the display with a look of horror on her face. “Natsuki, please hand over the Will Seed.”

“No… I…” Natsuki’s Shadow began to back away as the two Thieves closed in, the screen behind her beginning to glitch and shake. “I’m not distorted! I’m fine! This is how things should be, it’s all a system. I- I…”

“Whoah!” Plebe instinctively reached a foot out, tripping the Shadow as she tried to make a break for it. The Will Seed fell from her hands, clattering across the floor until it knocked into Wildcard’s boot, landing at her feet. “Aw man. Sorry about that dude.”

“I mean, I guess it wasn’t really graceful.” Wildcard bent down, picking up the Will Seed and grinning. “But we got what we came for.”

“Yeah.” Feather frowned, pausing as she made her way over to the rest of the team and crouching next to Natsuki’s Shadow. “You’re wrong. You know that, right? We’re all people just trying to make our way in the world. The only system that exists is the one that makes us think it’s this stupid game of better and worse. We’re more than that, okay?”

“I…” Natsuki’s Shadow grit her teeth, tears falling from her yellow eyes. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright.” Feather smiled, patting the Shadow’s shoulder empathetically as she turned to join the others. “Your real self will figure that out soon. You can start making things better, like how they used to be.”

“Wait!” Natsuki’s Shadow reached a hand out, tears in her eyes from where she lay brokenhearted amidst the wreckage. “W-wait, Fuuka!”

“Huh?” Feather paused, looking back and furrowing her brow beneath her hood. “What about Fuuka?”

“Fuuka?” Wildcard frowned, still holding the Will Seed tight in case this was some kind of trick. “Who’s Fuuka?”

“Fuuka Yamagishi. She’s the girl in my class I talked to about the Moonlist.” Feather glanced at Kotone for a moment, shaking her head. “I think she’s probably the one who put up the request.”

“I was- she…” Natsuki’s Shadow sniffled, pushing herself to her feet. “I-I was the first person she trusted to- a-about who she is. I was the first person she c-came out to. And… and I-I treated her like garbage… a-all because my mom told me it was how… h-how people got ahead in life.”

“Well dude, uh…” Plebe shrugged, glancing around. “The good news is that you can start making it up to her, right?”

“I-I will. Starting with this…” Natsuki’s Shadow flickered, her voice dropping. “My mother, Yuka Moriyama… she’s exploiting Fuuka. She’s a stock trader, sh-she uses Fuuka’s tech skills to steal information from her competitors.”

“She what?” Feather’s eyes widened as she took several steps back toward the Shadow, her footsteps echoing through the dark space. “What are you saying?”

“It started innocent. I just mentioned I had a friend who was good with computers. I didn’t think…” Natsuki’s Shadow looked away, her yellow eyes dimming just a little. “I sold my friend out, because I wanted to make my mom happy. And now she might get in serious trouble. My mom’s going to hurt her, and other people too, so… please.”

Natsuki’s Shadow faded away, a desperate look in her yellow eyes.

Save her.

Chapter Text

^{“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything. I was so wrong…”}

^{“Whoah. She’s just like Ekoda…”}

^{“Her name was on the Moonlist. Is it… for real?”}

Sunday, May 8^th 2016.

The Day of the Barred Entry

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

phonetone: Hey, so.

phonetone: Natsuki’s mom definitely has a Palace.

phonetone: I looked into her with Aigis when we got back last night, she’s a pretty crazy stock trader.

phonetone: Kinda came outta nowhere and made a big splash.

phonetone: Or, well, I don’t really know how stock trading works, but that’s what all the articles say anyways.

supdude: man and she’s using this fuuka girl as a way to do that?

sweaterweather: It seems like it

sweaterweather: Fuuka’s really smart, I think Natsuki’s Shadow might have been telling the truth about her mom using her to get ahead

phonetone: eugh

sweaterweather: Yeah, eugh

phonetone: I think we have a target, right?

supdude: hell yeah dude, screw shitty parents!

sweaterweather: I’m onboard

phonetone: Perfect!

phonetone: Aigis thinks her Palace would probably be at her office, wanna head there later today and check it out?

supdude: course

sweaterweather: I have time, yeah

phonetone: Cool!

phonetone: I’ll send you the address, meetcha there!

---

It was a bit of a challenge trying to find Yuka Moriyama’s office.

Based on what she’d heard from Natsuki and read online, Kotone had expected the woman to work out of some big skyscraper in the center of Tokyo. The address being located across the river in Adachi had sort of neutered that expectation, but Kotone had still expected something flashy, at the very least.

Instead, the Moonlit Thieves had disembarked from the Tobu Skytree Line, and found themselves in a stout commercial center which, at least to Kotone’s eyes, had certainly seen better days.

“Man, are you sure this is the place?” Junpei scratched his head, reading the signs for the various beauty salons, pawn shops, and repair places that made up this section of the city. “This place doesn’t really feel like crazy big spending.”

“It’s definitely the address we found.” Kotone crossed her arms defensively. “Maybe Mrs. Moriyama’s just kinda lowkey?”

“That’s one way to put it.” Yukari sighed, putting a hand on her hip. “How are we supposed to find this place?”

“We do not need to physically locate it in the real world.” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, scanning the facades in front of them. “If we enter the Other World, it is likely we would be able to identify the Palace by sight.”

“Oh shit dude, that’s a great idea!” Junpei pumped his fist, grinning at the little robot. “Nice thinking Ai!”

“It is only logical. Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” Aigis hopped out of Kotone’s bag, hitting the ground as Ribbon and standing upright. “Now, we must look around for-“

“Found it.” Feather pointed, nodding her head forward. “That’s it, right?”

“Yeah…” Wildcard winced. “It probably is.”

Before them, a huge hexagonal tower rose up through the night, golden spotlights shining bright over the fog. Its façade was covered in brilliant screens, names and numbers flashing amidst green and red lines as they soared up and down. Far above, drones flitted to and fro amid open windows, sitting just beneath a giant glass ball that waited at the summit of this strange spectacle.

“…huh.” Plebe scratched his head, following after Wildcard as she began to approach the large double doors that sat at the base of the tower. “Doesn’t really look like a palace.”

“A Palace may take any form, based on the distortion of its Ruler.” Ribbon shook her head. “It is simply a coincidence that Ryohei Ekoda’s was a literal palace.”

“It’s not really important right now.” Feather tapped her foot as they came to a stop outside the doors, appraising them carefully. “Are we going in?”

“I don’t see why not. We should peek in the door, at least.” Wildcard grinned, grabbing both doorhandles and pushing. “Let’s get to wor-“

The door didn’t budge.

“Oh, whoops.” Wildcard winced, pulling instead. “Let’s-“

The door still didn’t budge.

“Uh oh.” Wildcard stood back, frowning at the door. “Uh, Ribbon? Why is it not opening?”

“That-“

Ribbon was interrupted by a whirring sound as the screen directly above the door suddenly flickered, the intertwining lines replaced by the sight of a middle-aged woman with pigtails glaring down at the Thieves. She was dressed in a well-fitted business suit, her golden eyes shining from beneath a midnight black visor that flashed with a display of a thousand colors as her lips turned into a snarl.

“What? What do you want?” Her voice was sharp, hostile. Yuka Moriyama’s Shadow evidently had little time for them, and it showed. “Who the hell are you?”

“Uh…” Wildcard looked around wildly, searching for some sort of excuse. Finding nothing, she reached into her coat and pulled out a bottle of Edogawa’s pills. “…candygram?”

“Tch.” The Shadow rolled her eyes. “No good solicitors. Come back once you’re actually useful to me.”

The screen flickered off, replaced once more by the charts and graphs from before. Wildcard facepalmed, groaning aloud.

“Hey, it was worth a shot. Probably.” Feather patted her arm, most likely out of pity. She frowned, looking toward Ribbon. “Is this normal?”

“A Shadow is an aspect of an individual’s psyche. It has needs, desires, and opinions just as any person would.” Ribbon tilted her head, appraising the door. “It seems that Yuka Moriyama’s Shadow is not interested in allowing us into her Palace if we cannot serve a purpose.”

“A purpose huh? Well how about this?” Plebe grinned, knocking on the door as enthusiastically as he could. After a moment, Moriyama’s Shadow appeared once more, looking even more displeased as she glared down at the boy. Plebe, for his part, just kept smiling. “Hey, Mrs. Moriyama! We’ve got some secrets and all to sell ya’!”

“Don’t even bother.” The Shadow harrumphed, turning her nose up at the boy. “Yamagishi is the only one who provides anything of value. Whatever fanciful lies you intend to sell me, I have no interest.”

And then she hung up again.

“Aw crap.” Plebe groaned, stepping back. “I really thought that was gonna work.”

“It was a worthy attempt.” Ribbon frowned, tilting her head at the screen. “It seems that she is highly selective in who she admits into her Palace.”

“She said Yamagishi. So, Fuuka.” Feather furrowed her brow, tapping an arrow gently against her bow. “But wait, would that mean that if we brought her here, the door would open?”

“It is likely.” Ribbon shook her head. “However, we should search for alternative entrances first. It would be best to not involve her if possible.”

“Right.” Wildcard pumped her fist. “C’mon, let’s look around the building. There’s gotta be a back way in, right?”

There was no back way in.

The Moonlit Thieves circled the building three times before giving in, no sign of any irregularity or gap to be found. It was just a big hexagonal array of screens standing tall in the night, the only entranceways in sight being the large double doors, and the windows far above.

“Man, if we had a rope or something…” Plebe scratched his head, looking upwards. “Hey, Feather, think you could reach that high with an arrow?”

“With an arrow?” Feather stepped back, holding a finger up and appraising the distance between them and the windows. “Hmm, maybe. Definitely not with a rope attached though.”

“Crap.” Plebe groaned, rolling his head back. “Damn dude, there’s gotta be a way.”

“Always is, lass. You’ll find it.”

I appreciate the confidence.

“Aye. It’ll pay off.”

“I think we should sleep on it.” Wildcard shook her head, stepping back. “If anyone can think of a solution, then we can try that. If not… I guess we’ll need to figure out a way to get Fuuka’s help without actually bringing her here.”

“Yeah…” Feather sighed, leaning her head against her palm. “Especially with exams coming up soon. We should take some time.”

“Yeah dude, sounds good to me.” Plebe nodded in agreement, before very suddenly freezing. “Wait, whaddaya mean exams?”

“Are you serious?” Feather rolled her eyes as Plebe panicked, shaking her head. “They start on Wednesday. Did you actually forget?”

“Ah crap. I’ve been so busy with baseball, and all this Moonlit Thief stuff, I totally forgot man!” Plebe facepalmed, turning to Feather with a pleading look in his eyes. “Dude, you gotta help me study. I’m screwed if you don’t!”

“Already? I thought you said you were going to take this year seriously?” Feather crossed her arms, tapping her foot. “It’s not a good look for you y’know?”

“Aw c’mon, don’t give me that!” Plebe clasped his hands in front of him, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. “Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee?”

“I will help you, Plebe.” Ribbon stepped forward, standing at attention. “I have yet to engage in the act of studying, but I am meant to assist however I can. I will learn.”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit!” Plebe nodded enthusiastically. Very enthusiastically. “C’mon Feather, see? Pleaaase?”

“Sheesh, fine. You don’t need to beg so much.” Feather rolled her eyes, a smile nonetheless on her lips as she turned to Wildcard. “You coming too?”

“Nah, I think I should probably head back.” Wildcard shook her head, turning and gesturing for the others to follow as she made her way back toward where they had come in. “I can leave Ribbon with you until tomorrow, if that’s alright?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded as she turned back to her real-world form, looking up toward Yukari and Junpei. “I will be experiencing the real-world concept of an ‘adventure’, correct?”

“Yeah Ai.” Junpei grinned as he picked the little robot up, tucking her gently into his bag. “Hell yeah we are!”

To that, Yukari just rolled her eyes.

“Good grief.”

---

Kotone’s bag felt unusually light as she made her way back to Bookworms from the station, Aigis’ increasingly familiar weight leaving a notable absence over her shoulder. She had gotten used to carrying the little robot around, so handing her off to the other two so the three could study together felt strange. It put a certain stride in her step that she didn’t quite know what to do with. It wasn’t good, or bad, just… different.

Different enough to give her the whimsy to ask questions she maybe shouldn’t have.

“So uh…” Kotone paused at the door to Bookworms, looking across the alleyway to where Merope was still standing with a bored expression, like she always was. Kotone had stopped by the Velvet Room a couple of times while they were clearing Ekoda’s Palace to manage her Personae, and each time Merope had dutifully led her inside, then just… gone back to standing when she was done. Kotone didn’t like that. So… “Do you ever have anywhere else to be?”

“What?” Merope blinked, staring at Kotone like she was an idiot. Which, hey, maybe she was. “What are you talking about?”

“I dunno. I have some free time, my friends are busy.” Kotone shrugged. “I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out or something.”

“Wh- ‘hang out’? What doe- wha-“ Merope seemed entirely flummoxed by Kotone’s words, like she had suggested that they go rob a bank or something. “What would we even do?”

“Well, I’ve been meaning to explore Yongen-Jaya a little more.” Kotone shrugged. “I heard there’s some batting cages here. Maybe those?”

“Batting? What the hell is that?” Merope furrowed her brow, only to realize that constituted showing some kind of emotion aside from abject disinterest. She winced, looking away. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter, my job is to help you. My Master would never allow distractions like that.”

“I mean, I think it’d help me if we went and did something fun instead of having you stare at a wall for a while.” Kotone smiled reassuringly, cocking her head back toward the batting cages. “C’mon, I won’t tell Igor."

“You don’t make any sense. You know you don’t make any sense, right?” Merope scowled for a long moment before glancing at the Velvet Room door. Finally, she groaned, crossing her arms and stepping away from it. “Fine. We can go do your stupid batting or whatever. But if my Master finds out, I’m putting you on the Persona scales, got it?”

“Got it.” Kotone held back a laugh, turning and gesturing for Merope to follow as she made her way up the street. “C’mon, let’s hurry up and go before they close.”

---

Kotone passed the stairs to the batting cages three times before finding the place, her intended image of a cool real-world guide vanishing like cotton candy in water as she led Merope up the steps. Not that Merope seemed impressed anyhow, following after Kotone as she went through the process of renting them a pair of spots next to one another through the incredibly bored manager, who she was pretty sure didn’t even look at her once.

“So what, humans just go out and hit stuff sometimes?” Merope squinted at the bat Kotone had rented for her, taking it from Kotone with a frown. “Seems stupid to me.”

“It’s a pretty big sport. Or, well, part of it I guess.” Kotone shrugged as she made her way to her lane, rolling her shoulders. “I’ve always been more of a hockey gal myself, but batting’s the fun part of baseball.”

“Uhuh.” Merope seemed skeptical as she moved to her own lane, her bat clutched in her hands like a sword. “So, what are we supposed to do?”

“Here, watch!” Kotone grinned, pressing the button to get the pitching machine started as she fell into a batter’s stance. “You wait for it to pitch, anddd…”

Kotone swung as the pitching machine fired off a ball, her strike catching it at an awkward angle and sending it off to the side, low and lateral. Still, it was a good first attempt. Kotone grinned, pressing the button again to stop the machine before the next pitch could come and grinning at Merope.

“Okay. So like this?” Merope pressed the button for her own lane, still holding the bat like a sword. When the ball came her way, she swung down in an overhand strike, missing it entirely and sending the bat flying from her hands. “Hey! It dodged the attack!”

“It didn’t dodge, you just need to hit it right.” Kotone held back a laugh, adjusting herself into a batter’s stance and gesturing for Merope to look. “See? Like this.”

“Hmph.” Merope scowled, picking up her bat and copying her stance. The machine whirred again, sending another ball careening toward her. She was closer this time, her swing only narrowly missing the ball. “Gah!”

“See, you’re getting better!” Kotone grinned, swinging her bat down to support her weight as she leaned against it. “Now you’ve just gotta-“

“Screw this.” Merope grit her teeth, tossing the bat aside and pulling out her clipboard from her coat. “There’s a better way to do this.”

“Wait.” Kotone blinked, standing upright. “What are you-“

Kotone gasped as Merope stepped forward, swinging her clipboard at the ball as it shot forth from the pitching machine. There was a flash, followed quickly by a resounding crash as the ball was sent careening high and away, tearing through the metal mesh at the top of the batting cage and flying out into the sky over Tokyo above. Merope nodded her head, satisfied as she tucked her clipboard back into her coat.

“There.” Merope smiled smugly. “I hit it.”

“Yeah, uh…” Kotone glanced over toward the manager, who seemed to be snapping out of his lethargy, looking around confusedly at the sound of the sound barrier being snapped in half. “We should probably go.”

“Go? But I finally hit-“ Merope stumbled as Kotone grabbed her wrist, dashing away and down the stairs before the manager could notice either them, or the sudden hole in top of his business. “Hey!”

“Sorrygoodjobwiththebattingbutwereallyshouldgo!” Kotone had to hold back a laugh as she dashed down the stairs, pulling Merope after her back to the Velvet Room and skidding to a halt outside the glowing blue door. “I didn’t know you could bat like that!”

“What? It’s just a simple High Counter.” Merope pulled her hand back, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. “Why did you make us leave? I was finally having fun.” Merope scowled, only to process what she had said after a moment. Her eyes went wide. “Wait, I didn’t mean-“

“Nope, too late, already said it!” Kotone grinned pumping her fist. “Operation make you have fun has been a total success!”

“Whatever.” Merope scoffed, leaning back against the wall where she usually stood, looking off and away from Kotone. “Don’t get used to it. Are you going to fuse anything tonight, or are we done here?”

“Nah. I think I got everything I need from you guys today.” Kotone smiled mischievously, turning and heading back into Bookworms for real this time. “See you later, Merope!”

Merope didn’t say anything at all back, just staring off into space with a grumble. Kotone didn’t mind though. She’d really had already gotten everything she needed from the girl today.

And there was no ignoring that.

Tuesday, May 10^th 2016.

The Day of the Flyer

Kotone yawned, stretching as she stepped out into the cloudy sky which hung over the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It was her last free day before midterms started, and while she still felt pretty confident in herself and her abilities, she was pretty sure she should at least spare a little time for studying. Ever since she’d gotten Aigis back from Yukari, the little robot had seemed enthused about the concept, and despite her best efforts she realized that coasting into midterms without any prep would be a disaster.

Plus, it was a good reason to get out of the house at least. Yukari had mentioned that the café near the crossing that had a surprisingly good atmosphere for studying, and usually wasn’t too crowded even during peak hours. That was where Kotone was headed now, a pep in her step and a mission in her mind. Nothing would get between her and hitting the books.

Well. Almost nothing.

“Please, listen.” A man’s voice rang out from near the Buchimaru statue, weak yet full of fervor. “This country… needs a change. It needs it desperately. We must…”

A wracking cough interrupted his speech, drawing Kotone’s attention toward its source. A grey-haired man stood leaning against one of the planters that sat in a ring around the statue, a stack of flyers in one hand, the other held up to his mask-covered face. The small crowd around him dispersed at the interruption, their attention lost as the man struggled to stay standing.

“Wait, don’t… hold on-“ The man coughed again, his body heaving as the world moved on. “There’s something you… must…”

“Here. Let me help.” Kotone was moving before she knew what she was doing, reaching out to help steady the man and guide him to sit on a nearby bench. “Are you alright? Do you need water?”

“I… I will-” The man cleared his throat, thumping at his chest for a moment as he took a series of shaky breaths. “I will be okay. Thank you.”

“Course.” Kotone smiled, stepping back to give the man some room. “Are you sure you should be out doing this sorta thing if you’re that sick?”

“It’s not… contagious.” The man inhaled, gritting is teeth as he tried to steady himself. “And if I’m not out here doing this, what else am I suppose to be doing?”

“I dunno, resting at home or something?” Kotone shrugged, unshouldering her bag to see if she had any water in there she’d forgotten. Aigis just shook her head at her from within. “It’s pollen season, you’ll only be making yourself feel worse like this.”

“Is it?” The man chuckled as he stumbled to his feet, leaning a hand against the planters. “I hadn’t noticed. It doesn’t really matter to me.”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked, unsure if she had heard the man right. “What do you mean? It’s-“

“Terminal. My disease is terminal.” The man coughed, smiling weakly beneath the mask. “That’s why… I need to spend the time I have doing this. People deserve to know the truth.”

“The truth?” Kotone’s eyes widened. Terminal? Wait, didn’t that mean… “What truth?”

“The power that people hold, in a-ack, in a country that doesn’t care for them.” The man shivered, pulling out a flyer and offering it to Kotone. “Here… read this, please. It would… make my day worthwhile.”

“Okay…” Kotone took the flyer, looking it over. It wasn’t the most appealing thing in the world, all big titles and small text about the importance of honesty in politics, and the necessity for the disenfranchised to participate in through their day to day lives. But it wasn’t like she couldn’t take it. “I’ll read it. But only if you promise to sit and take a break. And let me get you a water, alright?”

“Holding a sick man hostage?” The man laughed, his amusement degrading into a hacking cough as he finally seemed to accept his own weakness and sat down heavily on the bench once more. “Alright then. Thank you, for your kindness.”

“It’s no big deal.” Kotone shook her head, shrugging as she tucked the flyer into her bag. “Stay right here, alright? I’ll go grab you some water.”

“You’re too kind, really.” The man let out a breath, closing his eyes and allowing his body to settle. “People like you are exactly who need to read this flyer. Thank you.”

“Like I said, not a problem.” Kotone turned away, settling into a jog as she made heading toward the nearby 777. “Just rest, alright? I’ll be right back.”

The man shook his head, tilted his face toward the sky, and laughed.

---

“This flyer is fascinating.” Aigis’ voice was muffled by the material of Kotone’s bag, the sound fortunately lost for most passersby in the crowd as Kotone made her way back to the man from the convenience store. “Did you know that Japan has a 98% conviction rate when a case reaches trial?”

“Nope.” Kotone shook her head, watching as the light over the crossing turned red and signalled for the throngs of people to go. “Wait, isn’t that pretty high?”

“Yes. It is just one case of injustice prevalent within this nation, according to the flyer.” Aigis pushed the zipper back, peering up at Kotone as she crossed the street. “The solution is political consciousness and engagement amongst those most affected, through action such as the dissemination of information, and protest.”

“So, what he’s doing right now. Got it.” Kotone held the water bottle tight as she made her way back over to the man, immediately dismayed by the sight of him back on his feet and waving around a flyer. “Hey!”

“Sorry. Someone stopped by to ask a question, and I…” The winced at Kotone’s presence, shaking his head as he slowly sat back down. “I let myself get carried away. I shouldn’t have. A deal is a deal.”

“You’re right about that.” Kotone rolled her eyes, offering the man her bottle. “I showed your flyer to a friend of mine. She’s pretty smart, said that you’re saying some good things with it.”

“Really? You already shared it?” The man smiled beneath his mask as he took the bottle. letting out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Very good. Thank you very much, Ms…”

“Shiomi. Kotone Shiomi.” Kotone rubbed her arm, shrugging. “And if you’re going to be out here driving yourself to the grave, I should at least know your name too.”

“Akinari Kamiki. It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Shiomi.” Akinari’s hand trembled as he uncapped the bottle, holding it beneath his mask and up to his lips. He took a few careful sips, his face twisting ever so slightly as he set the bottle down beside him once he was done. “You don’t need to worry about me. My disease will kill me quicker than a little time outside will. I’ll be alright.”

“Your disease…” Kotone frowned. She didn’t like what the man was saying, nor the way he said it. Not one bit. “It’s-“

“As I said. Terminal. Right now…” Akinari turned his eyes upward, toward the clear blue sky far above. “Right now, I want to make a difference while I’m still here. Thank you for helping me with that today.”

“Yeah…” Kotone was at a loss for words. She wasn’t sure how. Somehow, just looking at the man, everything she might have tried to say vanished without a trace. “So…”

“I’ll be alright, Ms. Shiomi. For a little while, at least. I’ll rest, just like you asked.” Akinari smiled reassuringly, leaning back on the bench as if to prove his point. “Please, go about the rest of your day. Share that flyer if you can. It would mean a lot to me.”

“Of course.” Kotone turned, hesitating one final moment as she glanced over her shoulder. “Take care of yourself, okay?”

“As you say.” Akinari nodded slowly, letting out a deep breath. “Thank you again, Ms. Shiomi.”

Kotone waited one more second, holding the moment of time as if some part of her expected the man to vanish as soon as she turned away for good. When she finally did, she had to fight back the urge to glance back at him, to make sure he was alright. To let her day roll on, as if they hadn’t met at all.

…I’m worried about him.

“As would anyone. He’s lashed to a ship headed for the rocks.”

But instead of trying to buy every second he can, he’s doing this.

That…

Kotone didn’t know how to feel about that. And as she stepped off and away toward a fruitless study at the café, she did spare one last glance back toward the man.

And Akinari was smiling.

Chapter Text

^{“Who calls a school assembly during exam week?”}

^{“Man, I’m totally flunking…”}

^{“Why did I come? I could have snuck off to keep studying. Ugh, stupid!”}

Friday, May 13^th 2016.

Day of the Upstart

Murmurs filled the crowd that had assembled in Shujin’s gymnasium, the school’s students all filling the air with a nervous sort of expectation as they watched Principal Oohashi in quiet discussion with some of the other teachers. Needless to say, it had been a little unexpected for Ms. Toriumi to usher them to the gym when Kotone was about to start her composition exam, but she wasn’t exactly complaining.

“I keep telling you lass, you just need to trust what I tell you.”

Anne Bonny, I love you, but I don’t know how 18^th century English is going to help with modern Japanese composition.

“You’re lacking in adventure lass, that’s all.”

“Hey.” Yukari tapped Kotone’s shoulder, sidling up next to her and Junpei as they stood near the edge of the crowd. “Do either of you know what this is about?”

“No idea dude.” Junpei shook his head. “Think it’s something to do with Ekoda?”

“Doubtful. It is likely that they would want to disassociate themselves from Ryohei Ekoda as soon as possible.” Aigis peeked out of the zipper in Kotone’s bag, staying hidden as she watched Principal Oohashi step up to the podium. “This is something else.”

“Good morning students.” Principal Oohashi cleared his throat, looking over the crowd. “I’m sorry to pull you away from your studies temporarily, but I have announcement to make. As part of an effort to always do the best for our students, we here at Shujin Academy are excited to be introducing a brand new classical literature teacher as part of our school staff!”

Principal Oohashi paused, evidently expecting applause. While a few of the more studious among the crowd indulged him, specifically the Kirijos and those on the Student Council, most of the sound that followed came in the form of hushed whispers.

^{“A new teacher? Already? That was fast.”}

^{“Man, who cares? He’s probably going to be just as bad as Ekoda.”}

^{“I heard it was his twin brother!”}

“A-ahem.” Principal Oohashi cleared his throat again, his microphone echoing feedback as he tried to bring all the attention back on himself. “Now, without further ado, I’m pleased to present Shujin Academy’s newest educator, Dr. Yamagishi!”

If Principal Oohashi said anything after that, it was lost, drowned out in the sounds of the crowd as the whispers intensified, and a blue-haired woman with a ponytail walked toward center stage with a smile on her face.

^{“Yamagishi? Did he just say Yamagishi?”}

^{“What like that girl in second year?”}

^{“It’s got to be a coincidence, right?”}

Kotone followed the crowd’s eyes, settling on Fuuka near the front. The girl looked mortified, and even smaller than she had been that day in Ekoda’s class. It was almost as if she wanted her hoodie to swallow her whole. Guiltily, Kotone looked away, back toward the stage and the woman who was most certainly her mother.

“Pardon me.” Dr. Yamagishi’s voice silenced the crowd, a polite smile on her face as she looked over the assembled students. “Thank you all. My name is Dr. Eriko Yamagishi, though I’m of a casual mind, so you may call me Elly if you’d like. It’s very nice to meet you all, I look forward to learning with the rest of you.”

“Dude, is that microphone feedback, or…” Junpei glanced furtively between his friends. “Why’s she doing that?”

“I believe it is an inflection.” Aigis blinked from within the bag. “It may simply be how she talks.”

“In any case.” Elly bowed her head. “Thank you for having me. I’m sure my time here at Shujin will be quite interesting.”

“I’m sorry to say, Dr. Yamagishi, it likely won’t be.” Principal Oohashi wrung his hands as he stepped back up to the podium, allowing Elly to dismiss herself. “H-here’s to another boring, successful year here at Shujin Academy!”

Once again, if the principal was expecting applause, he wasn’t getting it. He mumbled a few more incomprehensible words about academics and success, before slinking off stage and dismissing the rest of them back to their classes, yet another round of whispers following after him as the students returned to the halls.

^{“Dude, she’s totally Fuuka’s mom!”}

^{“A doctor, huh? Wonder why she’s here…”}

^{“She’s freaky… I think I preferred Ekoda, actually.”}

“Man.” Junpei placed his hands behind his head as he and Kotone said their goodbyes to Yukari and began making their way back to class. “That Dr. Yamagishi sure is something else huh? Strange dude…”

“Well.” A voice tutted from behind them. “Strange is one of the kinder things I’ve been called, for certain.”

“Wh-“ Junpei whirled around, his eyes widening as he caught sight of Elly looking at the pair of them from across the hall with a smile. “Wait, I- uh- I didn’t- shit dude- I wait, no not-“

“Don’t worry, I won’t bite.” Elly chomped her teeth, smiling as she tilted her head at Kotone. “Pardon the interruption, but you’re Kotone Shiomi, correct?”

“Er.” Kotone froze for a moment, her usual social processing skills vanishing in an instant under the gaze of the bullish woman. “Yeah, that’s… right. How can I help you Dr. Ya- I mean, Elly?”

“Well, making a good first impression is important. You’re the first person to actually call me Elly, for instance. An excellent change of pace.” Elly crossed her arms, nodding with evident satisfaction. “In any case, Principal Oohashi wanted to warn me about you. The ‘cheery delinquent’ he called you.”

“He did?” Kotone’s eyes widened. “Crap. I thought I was making a good impression.”

“Oh yes. In truth, he said he had no real reason to complain, but I should keep an eye on you anyhow.” Elly snorted, tapping a finger against her arm. “In truth, I think he’s rather a stick in the mud. But let’s keep that between the three of us, hm?”

“Uh, yeah.” Junpei scratched his head, evidently very unsure of what to make of the woman in front of him. “Yeah, for sure dude.”

“Perfect.” Elly uncrossed her arms, flipping her hair back and striding forth. “In any case, I think Principal Oohashi is quite mistaken. I have a good sense for people, and you and your friend are certainly good eggs.” She spared the two one last smile as she walked off. “Until we meet again.”

And then she vanished into the crowd, and the three Thieves were alone again.

…that’s Fuuka’s mom?

“Sometimes the things you expect the least are the ones that make the most sense, lass.”

Maybe. Still. Her?

“I would like to clarify.” Aigis poked her head out of Kotone’s bag, her display flashing. “Despite the fact that she did not ask for me to maintain the secret of her opinion on Principal Oohashi, I will do so anyways.”

“…thanks, Aigis.” Kotone snorted, shouldering her bag and resuming her path back to class. “I’m sure she’d appreciate that.”

I think Fuuka’s mom is cool.

“Aye. Me too lass.”

Well, of course you do. You’re me.

Saturday, May 14^th 2016.

Day of the Plan

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

phonetone: Woo! Done!

supdude: woo! done!

sweaterweather: Woo, done.

supdude: c’mon, where’s your enthusiasm yukatan?

supdude: exams are over!

sweaterweather: Geez

sweaterweather: woo? done!

sweaterweather: Happy?

phonetone: Yeah, there you go!

sweaterweather: I swear, with you two…

phonetone: It helps team spirit. :P

phonetone: Speaking of! It’s time for the second inaugural meeting of the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts!

phonetone: …okay, Aigis just told me that it can’t be both the second and inaugural, but oh well.

phonetone: We have a couple things on the docket today! First off, take a look at this.

phonetone: flyer.png

supdude: huh?

sweaterweather: What is this?

sweaterweather: Some kind of political ad?

phonetone: Aigis says it’s a ‘political awareness information packet’.

phonetone: I met a guy who gave it to me on Tuesday. I promised I’d share it, so…

phonetone: Bam!

supdude: oh, alright dude, gotcha

supdude: wait, what does that have to do with moonlit thief stuff?

phonetone: I dunno! It talks about social awareness and stuff, I thought it was worth brining up.

sweaterweather: Cool?

sweaterweather: It’s nice, but we should really focus on the Palace

phonetone: I mean, yeah, I guess. Just read it later, alright?

supdude: sure dude!

sweaterweather: If you say so.

phonetone: Cool!

phonetone: Alright then, second thing on the docket! Ideas on how to get into the Palace!

phonetone: What have we got?

supdude: uh

supdude: maybe we could try buying blue wigs and pretending we’re fuuka?

phonetone: …so nothing, got it.

supdude: …yeah.

sweaterweather: I think we’re going to need her help

sweaterweather: I can’t think of any other way

supdude: you’re probably right

supdude: but how’re we supposed to do that?

supdude: and like, I’m not even talking how she’s going to help us or anything, how are we even gonna get in contact with her without busting who we are?

sweaterweather: I was thinking, maybe we can use the Moonlist?

sweaterweather: The site’s admin is definitely Fuuka

sweaterweather: She’s the one that showed it to me, and if she’s good enough with computers to be hacking for Mrs. Moriyama…

phonetone: Huh. Makes sense!

phonetone: So what, we submit a request to the site and hope she sees it?

sweaterweather: Yea

sweaterweather: They’re anonymous, and I think she probably curates them beforehand so it won’t be public or anything

sweaterweather: Probably

supdude: good enough for me dude!

phonetone: So we ask her to meetup through the moonlist, then what?

sweaterweather: Then we get her to agree to help us change Moriyama’s heart

sweaterweather: We’d have to come up with an actual solution on how to do that, but, then at least we know we have her, right?

phonetone: Right. Okay then, Yukari, you handle trying to set up a meeting.

phonetone: Junpei, you and I need to figure out how to hide our identities for it, got it?

supdude: hell yeah dude

supdude: i already got it

supdude: they sell masks on shady commodities, like, with voice changers and stuff. probably for cosplay, but like

supdude: we just gotta wear those, and we’re good

phonetone: Nice! I’ll check the site then, what kind of masks do we want?

supdude: well, seeing as we have the world’s number one featherman fan yukatan here…

sweaterweather: Hey! I am not!

phonetone: Oh, so you’d be alright with us wearing Zephyrman masks instead?

sweaterweather: ABSOLUTELY NOT

sweaterweather: I mean

sweaterweather: ugh

sweaterweather: Just let me be Feather Pink, got it?

phonetone: Got it. :P

Sunday, May 15^th 2016.

The Day of Another Delivery

It had taken Kotone surprisingly long to actually put the order in for the masks. As useful as the Shady Commodities site was, filtering through all the crap to find something actually worthwhile was a bit of a challenge. It’d taken her far too many pages of random listings before finding the right kind of Featherman masks, and by the time she had ordered them the deadline for overnight delivery had passed. Which meant she wasn’t getting them that same day, but oh well. Tomorrow was a Sunday, so she’d be free to stick around the neighborhood and make sure the Kitamuras didn’t see the package and start asking questions. Easy peasy.

Of course, Kotone hadn’t expected to be woken up by the sound of knocking on the door below her, nor that it would be at the earliest moments of the day when the sun had barely begun to rise. Her phone’s display read an outrageous 4:42 AM as Kotone struggled to sit up, the sound of the knocking filling her bones as she fought off the call to just lie back down and fall asleep without giving it another thought.

“Kotone. What is that sound? Is there an attack?” Aigis tilted her head from where she was pushing herself to her feet on Kotone’s couch. “Do you require assistance?”

“Mhh, nope. Just nuts timing.” Kotone groaned as she stood up, her head pounding with the sound of the knocking as she tried to comprehend what sort of madwoman would deliver a package this early. “Stay there, I’ll be right back.”

Kotone rubbed her eyes as she made her way downstairs, not even bothering to make herself look presentable as she swung open the front door to the shop.

“Ms. Shiomi.” The same purple-haired courier as before stood in the doorway, her expression neutral as she held a package in one hand and the delivery form in the other. “Delivery for you.”

“Mngh, you don’t miss a beat, do you?” Kotone yawned, her handwriting sloppy and unfocused as she signed the form. “Thanks.”

“Mh.” The woman nodded, handing Kotone her package and returning to her bike. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

“Hey wait.” Kotone shook her head, placing her package on one of the shelves and leaning against the doorframe. “What’re you doing out delivering so early anyways? The trains aren’t even running yet, are they?”

“They’re not. But I have a bike. You needed the package.” The woman mounted her bike, tightening the strap on her helmet for a moment. “Saikawa Courier Solutions delivers on time, every time.”

“Thanks for that, but-“ Kotone was cut off by the sound of switching gears as the woman took off, pedaling down the path as if her life depended on it. “…okay. Sheesh.”

Kotone yawned one final time, closing the door and typing off a message to the chat. She didn’t expect anyone else to actually be up right now, but she might as well let them know that they could start the plan whenever.

---

phonetone: got the masks

supdude: sweet dude

phonetone: yeah

phonetone: wait, junpei, why are you up so early?

supdude: early?

supdude: oh shit, uh

supdude: just wanna get a bright start on a Sunday, right?

phonetone: sure. :P

phonetone: anyways, I’m going back to bed

phonetone: whoever sees yukari next, let her know we can do the plan whenever

supdude: got it

---

Kotone snorted as she placed the box on her desk, waved goodnight to Aigis, and promptly passed right the hell back out.

Monday, May 16^th 2016.

The Day of the Meeting

Kotone felt ridiculous.

Which, considering she was the leader of a group of basically superheroes who spent their time breaking into people’s brains in flashy costumes while using mind ghosts to fight the worst aspects of human nature coalesced into physical being, was in itself a pretty ridiculous thing to say.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel just a little bit silly as she waited in the enclosed alleyway where Yukari had asked Fuuka to meet them. The four Thieves were ensconced in the shadows, their Featherman masks already on and set. That included Aigis, who had requested to be Feather Yellow and was now holding the mask in front of her little body like some sort of giant carnival mask.

It sorta feels like we’re just kids messing around right now.

“Aye, it’s a feeling everyone has in life at some point.”

Okay, but I mean like, literally.

“So, Yukatan, you sure she’s coming?” Feather Blue scratched his head, his frown visible even beneath his mask. “She like, confirm or anything?”

“No, but I’m pretty sure she saw the message. She seemed nervous today. Well, more nervous than usual anyways.” Feather Pink shrugged, the lack of her usual cardigan for anonymity reasons making her seem strange and uncertain. “I told her the time and place, so-“

“Hello?” The Thieves went suddenly quiet as a meek voice called out from down the alleyway, Fuuka’s footsteps echoing softly over the pavement. “A-are you there?”

The Thieves all look between each other, frozen for a moment. Then, they scrambled into action, Feather Yellow hopping into Feather Red’s bag as she stepped forward and let the other two fall into line behind her.

“Ahem.” Feather Red cleared her throat, adjusting her mask to make sure it was on right. “Yes, we’re here! You’re now speaking to the great and mysterious Moonlit Thieves of Hearts!”

“Wow.” Feather Pink rolled her eyes beneath the mask. Obviously Feather Red didn’t see it, but she was sure she could feel it. “Seriously?”

“Shush, it’s pizzazz!” Feather Red managed to make the smallest of jazz hands, turning back to face Fuuka and clearing her throat. “Come, step forward Fuuka Yamagishi!”

“Okay…” Fuuka sounded uncertain as she stepped forward, her hands tight on the strap of her bag as she took in the sight of the Thieves posing awkwardly in the shadow of the alleyway. “Um… hi. Are you… r-really the Moonlit Thieves?”

“That’s right.” Feather Red pumped her fist in front of her, leaning into some of Anne Bonny’s confidence as she did. “We are the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts, the protectors of the innocent and voice to the voiceless!”

“Right. That’s our leader, Red!” Feather Pink struck out her arms, pointing dramatically toward Feather Red. “With her is our fearless source of information, Yellow!” Feather Pink flailed her arms around, pointing now toward Aigis. “Beside me, our heavy hitter and muscle, Blue!” Feather Pink stretched her arms, presenting Feather Blue. “And finally, me myself and I, Pink! We’re the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts!”

“Pshhh, snrk.” Feather Blue had to hold back a laugh, bringing a hand to his face to fruitlessly try and suppress his snickers. “Man, did you just come up with that?”

“Hey! This is pizzazz! This is what you two wanted!” Feather Pink scowled, her hands on her hips. “I’m just following what Red did!”

“You did great, Pink.” Feather Red couldn’t hide her grin as she nodded her approval before turning back to Fuuka. “In any case, thank you, Fuuka Yamagishi for coming to this secret, vital meeting!”

“Um. Th-thank you. I-it’s good to hear that. But, would it be alright if I called you by your real names?” Fuuka winced, withdrawing in on herself just a little. “Sh-shiomi, right?”

“What? How did you-“ Feather Red’s eyes widened in surprise. “I mean, uh… I have no idea where you got that idea from citizen!”

“Well…” Fuuka cringed, glancing between the four Thieves. “Takeba sent her the request through an unsecured connection. It wasn’t hard to figure it was her, and… well, you two have been hanging out with her a lot, so…”

“Man, what the hell’s the point of these anyways?” Junpei groaned, pulling off his mask. He blinked, suddenly pausing. “Huh. What’s that thing called where you think you’ve done something before? Like, in French or something?”

“Um.” Fuuka shrugged nervously. “Déjà vu?”

“Right, thanks.” Junpei nodded happily, only to freeze. “Hey wait, we’ve got more important stuff going on than that!”

“You won’t tell anyone…” Yukari pulled of her own mask as her other hand went to tug at her nonexistent cardigan, only barely stopped at the last second by it clenching into a fist. “…right?”

“O-of course!” Fuuka gasped, nodding enthusiastically. “Y-you’re the ones who stopped Ekoda. And… and Natsuki’s been a lot nicer recently. She apologized for… things. Was that also you?”

“It was.” Kotone pulled off her mask, smiling as she tucked it under her arm. “And now we need your help to help her again.”

“Mrs. M-Moriyama…” Fuuka nodded, swallowing nervously. “Takeba s-said it in her post… you… want to steal her heart?”

“That’s right.” Yukari stepped forward, smiling as reassuringly as she could. “We found out what she has you doing for her. And we want to make it so you don’t have to anymore.”

“Oh, that- that-“ Fuuka winced, taking a step back. “It’s not that big a deal… r-really what she’s doing to other people is worse.”

“Well, yeah dude.” Junpei grinned, leaning against the wall of the alleyway. “That’s another reason we gotta stop her, right?”

“…m-maybe, er…” Fuuka gulped. “Could you… could you please not use dude for me?”

“Oh shit. Sorry du- I mean, dudett- uh, gi- uh…” Junpei winced, his eyes widening. “…gal? Sorry gal.”

“G-gal is fine for that.” Fuuka smiled weakly, clutching her hands in front of her chest and wringing them nervously. “But… I-I don’t know if stealing Mrs. Moriyama’s heart is that good an idea, really.”

“Why not?” Yukari furrowed her brow, frowning. “The Shado- I mean, our sources said you’re helping her because you want to. If we steal her heart, you won’t have to work for her anymore.”

“I don’t! Just…” Fuuka’s eyes darted around as she took a step back. “It… I don’t want to cause any trouble. I already do that a lot, so…”

Kotone winced, closing her eyes for a moment. The girl’s voice was wavering, her hesitation threatening to wash her away along with any chance they might have to help her. She knew the feeling. Knew the fear. Knew what it was like to so desperately want help, but be so, so afraid to take it.

And so Kotone reached out her hand.

“You don’t need to do anything if you don’t want to.” Kotone smiled, tilting her head as Fuuka just stared at her hand. “We just need your help with one thing. That’s all. Moriyama won’t know about it; she can’t, actually. We’ll take care of the rest, alright?”

“Just…” Fuuka gulped, her voice wavering. “Just one thing?”

“Just one thing, gal.” Junpei nodded, standing back upright. “Actually, it’d probably be better if you only did that and didn’t worry about the rest. We can handle it.”

“Just one thing...” Fuuka took in a sharp breath, her eyes cast downwards as she stared at her shoes. She clenched her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut. “…okay. I’ll help. Wh-whatever you need, I’ll help.”

“Really?” Kotone hesitated a moment, her hand faltering. “Like I said, you don’t have to if you don’t-“

“I do.” Fuuka looked up, taking Kotone’s hand with surprising speed, her whole body shaking as she did. “I will. You helped me with N-Natsuki, so… so I…”

“So, you’ll do great.” Yukari smiled, placing a hand on Fuuka’s shoulder and nodding. “Thanks, Fuuka.”

“R-right. Thank you.” Fuuka gulped, pulling her hand away and rubbing her arm. “So… what do you need me to do?”

“Well…” Kotone grinned, adjusting the strap of her bag and cocking her head for the other Thieves to follow. “Meet us at Kitasenju Station at the same time tomorrow, and we’ll show you.”

Chapter Text

^{“That Dr. Yamagishi really is something. Do you think she’s really Fuuka’s mom?”}

^{“No way. Totally different kinds of weird!”}

^{“I heard there used to be a Featherman club at school. Is that true?”}

Tuesday, May 17^th 2016.

The Day of the Open Doors

“Hey gal, if ya’ don’t mind me asking…” Junpei reclined his head against his hands as the Thieves led Fuuka down from the station near Moriyama’s office, a curious smile on his face. “Why’d you even start working for Moriyama anyway?”

“That…” Fuuka winced, absentmindedly pulling the string of her hoodie tighter. “I don’t… really want to talk about it.”

“It’s alright.” Yukari smiled reassuringly. “We all make mistakes. We’re not going to judge you or anything either way.”

“It wasn’t a mistake.” Fuuka shook her head, a sudden tinge of conviction in her voice. “Just… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s fine. We won’t push if you don’t wanna talk about it.” Kotone grinned, slowing to a stop across the street from the complex that where Moriyama’s Palace would be found. “Okay, we’re here. Uh, quick warning. Things are going to get… pretty weird in a second. Just don’t freak out, okay? We’ll keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Fuuka’s eyes widened, instinctively taking a step closer to Junpei. “What do you mean safe?”

“Just… you’ll see.” Kotone nodded as reassuringly as she could, tilting her head to the side. “Aigis?”

“Understood. Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” The world warbled as Aigis hopped from Kotone’s bag, landing in a roll as Ribbon. She stood, turning to give Fuuka a bow. “Hello. I am sorry I could not properly introduce myself earlier, before accessing the Other World any words I spoke would sound like beeps to you.”

“Wait really?” Plebe blinked. “Since when?”

“It has always been that way. It had not been relevant before now.” Ribbon shook her head, looking at Fuuka carefully. “Are you alright?”

“Whgh… wha…” Fuuka just stared at Ribbon, uncomprehending. “You… wha… the… you mean Yellow was actually a Moonlit Thief? A-and she’s a robot?!”

“Yeah. But her real codename’s Ribbon.” Feather smiled, keeping her bow slung over her back. “I’m Feather, he’s Plebe, and our leader’s Wildcard. You should call us that while we’re here in the Other World.”

“The… the Other World?” Fuuka took a step back as her eyes were drawn toward Moriyama’s Palace, her gaze lit up by the light of the looming tower. “How… is… that…”

“That’s Moriyama’s Palace. It’s where the Heart we need to steal is.” Wildcard took Fuuka’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly for a moment before stepping away. “It only lets Fuuka Yamagishi in. So… we kinda need your help.”

“It only lets… me, in?” Fuuka frowned, following after Wildcard as she took in the sheer size of the tower. “So it’s like a biometric security gate?”

“Uh… yeah gal! Totally like that!” Plebe nodded enthusiastically. “Probably.”

I don’t think that’s right.

“It definitely isn’t.”

I also don’t think it really matters.

“Please be aware, during the process of accessing this Palace, you will likely encounter Yuka Moriyama’s Shadow.” Ribbon paused in front of the door to the Palace, looking up at the screen where the Shadow would appear. “She will bear a resemblance to her real world self, but she is not the same. You do not need to fear her.”

“Her Shadow? What-“ Fuuka nearly jumped out of her skin as the screen flickered above the door, and Moriyama’s Shadow glared down at her. “Ah!”

“Oh, Yamagishi. There you are. Finally.” Moriyama’s Shadow sneered, the door beneath her opening with a distinct shunk. “Come on, hurry up inside. You have a place that needs filling, stop wasting time.”

“B-but Mrs. Moriy- I- I-“ Fuuka’s whole body shook as the Shadow vanished, and the door to her Palace was left wide open before the Thieves. “I- wh-what was… what…”

“As I said, it was her Shadow.” Ribbon shook her head placing a hand on Fuuka’s shoulder. “It is a reflection of her psyche that exists within the Other World, and embodies her most negative traits. She is not the real Yuka Moriyama.”

“But it… she…” Fuuka took in a big gulp of air, her hand gripping her hoodie tight. “I-I didn’t expect to…”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Plebe smiled reassuringly, tapping his gladius against the armor of his knee. “That was all we really needed you to do gal, Ribbon can take you back whenever you want, alright?”

“N-no, I-I can’t…” Fuuka shook her head, taking a hesitant step toward the doorway. “If she’s… if this is s-something that reflects her heart, I-I want to see it.”

“Are you sure?” Feather smiled hesitantly, trying to be reassuring but not necessarily encouraging. “Some of what we saw in Ekoda’s Palace was pretty messed up. And there are Shadows in there, it’ll be dangerous.”

“I’m… I’m sure.” Fuuka nodded, closing her eyes to collect herself. “I came this far. I-I can go farther. There’s… there’s something I need to see in there.”

“I see.” Ribbon tilted her head, then looked toward Kotone. “Wildcard? It is your call as leader.”

“She’s got a spark of a fire in her lass. I think turning her back now would be a shame.”

Even with the danger?

“Especially with the danger.”

“Hmm…” Wildcard looked between Fuuka and the others for a few moments, thinking. Weighing. She was a civilian, but… then again so were they just a little while ago. And she’d already seen the Palace. The last thing they needed was her potentially tipping off Moriyama by asking about it. So… “Alright. Stick close to Feather, okay? She’ll keep you safe. And whenever you want to turn back, just let us know, alright?”

“Okay.” Fuuka stepped backwards, sticking close to Feather as the Thieves began their infiltration. “…thank you.”

“No problem. Just… try not to freak out, alright?” Wildcard smiled, leading the way into the dark hallways of Moriyama’s Palace. “Now let’s get to work.”

---

The first level of Moriyama’s Palace was… surprisingly dull. It was mostly just a lot of darkened hallways, occasionally intersected with hexagonal patterned walls and various screens flashing similar displays to what was outside. Aside from the faint humming of some unseen server banks, and the occasional patrol of Shadows formed from wires and screens, the bottom floor of the tower was just sort of dull. Wildcard almost wished that something would-

“Wait!” Fuuka’s voice bade Wildcard to stop, her yell echoing up and down the hall. “C-careful, don’t go further!”

“Huh?” Wildcard blinked, pausing and glancing between the girl and the path ahead. “Why?”

“The left side of the hallway. It’s…” Fuuka winced, grabbing the side of her head. “It’s trapped. It’ll fall under you if you step there.”

“Wait, seriously?” Feather frowned, peering at the floor. “How do you know?”

“Here, just…” Fuuka winced gesturing at the bit of hallway in front of Wildcard. “Try shooting one of your arrows at it. You’ll see.”

Feather looked toward Wildcard, searching for some kind of approval. Wildcard just shrugged back. That was evidently enough for the archer as she nocked an arrow, firing it into the ground ahead. As soon as it struck, there was a moment of rumbling followed by a sudden void as the floor just… dropped.

Shit.

“Aw crap, we gotta deal with traps too now?” Plebe groaned, rolling his head back. “Maaaaaaannn…”

“Hey.” Wildcard glanced back at Fuuka, raising an eyebrow. “How’d you know that was there?”

“I… I don’t know.” Fuuka gulped, glancing around. “I just… did?”

“It is not unusual for instinctual abilities to manifest within a Palace, even without a Persona.” Ribbon nodded, her mask flashing briefly gold. “It means you are useful to our aims, even in your depowered state.”

“Th-thank you.” Fuuka blushed slightly, looking away and further down the hall. “There are some more up ahead, I think. I-I’ll let you know where they are.”

“Sounds good to me!” Wildcard grinned, tilting her head toward the right side of the hall and leading the way further in. “Be careful everyone, and listen to her when she warns you were to step, got it?”

“Got it!”

And on they went.

---

The Moonlit Thieves hit their first  real roadblock since the front door when they reached the center of the tower.

A part of Wildcard had been hoping that after all the staircases in Ekoda’s Palace, Moriyama’s cognition would have had the good sense to have an elevator or something. There was no such luck however, as instead of a staircase or elevator the shaft at the center of the Palace was just…

Empty.

“Huh.” Kotone peered over the edge of the hexagonal shaft, looking up and down. Below, the Palace seemed to lead deeper underground, nothing but inky blackness to greet her. Above, the sound of computer terminals seemed to grow louder, a faint buzz filling the air as golden light filtered down from the crystal ball at the top of the tower. “I guess we have to get up there, huh?”

“Seems like it.” Plebe stepped to her side, shivering a little at the vast expanse of space stretching out below him. “But how the hell’re we supposed to do that?”

“There.” Ribbon pointed upward, toward where another hallway opened up on the other side of the gap, just a few floors above. “We will need to find a method of traversal.”

“Hm, it was too high outside…” Wildcard glanced over at where Feather and Yukari were hanging back beside one of the screens, heads on a swivel. “Hey, Feather, do you think you could fire a rope up there?”

“I’d have to check.” Feather glanced at Fuuka, frowning. “It might be dangerous if we get ambushed near the edge without anywhere for you to hide. Stay here, and yell if you see any Shadows, alright?”

Fuuka nodded, tugging at the cord of her hoodie as she watched the red and green lines rise up and down on the screen. Feather gave her one last reassuring smile before turning and moving to join her teammates, holding a thumb up in front of her to appraise the distance.

“Hm…” Feather unsheathed an arrow, nocking it into her bow and pulling the string back. She fired, the arrow sailing into the darkness of the hallway without any difficulty. She smiled, lowering her weapon. “I’d have to test for sure with the extra weight and drag of a rope, but it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

“Sweet!” Plebe pumped his fist. “That means-“

“Ah Yamagishi.” The Thieves’ froze as Moriyama’s voice echoed through the hallway behind them, her Shadow appearing on the screen next to Fuuka. “I should have known better.”

“Wh-what?” Fuuka took a few stumbled steps back, staring in terror at the screen. “You- w-wait-“

“Hold on Fuuka we’re-“ Wildcard pivoted, turning to dash back to Fuuka, only to be interrupted by a line of bars shooting out of the floor in front of her, cutting the Thieves off from their guest. “Shit! Fuuka!”

“You stupid child.” Moriyama’s Shadow chortled, sneering down at Fuuka from the screen. “Helping a band of criminals infiltrate my tower? To steal my business?”

“No… that isn’t…” Fuuka shuddered as she tried to stand her ground, her arms wrapped tight around herself. “Th-that isn’t why I-I came. I…”

“Oh? Then tell me Yamagishi, why did you come?” Moriyama’s Shadow leaned her head against her hand. “Because that’s what it looks to me like that’s exactly what it is. Unless…” Moriyama’s Shadow’s face turned, twisting into an awful grin as she held up a honey-colored folder. “…it was for this?”

“I-“ Fuuka fell back, landing heavily on the floor as she stared at the folder. “I-I… no… I…”

“What is that?” Feather’s grip tightened on her bow, her eyes locked on the Shadow. “Is that the Treasure?”

“Hmph. Bringing Thieves to my domain without even telling them what you’re looking to steal?” Moriyama’s Shadow raised an eyebrow. “This is no Treasure, you scum. It’s nothing more than a leash.”

“It doesn’t matter why she came here.” Wildcard stepped forward, grabbing the bars and staring daggers at the Shadow. “Fuuka’s under the protection of the Moonlit Thieves, so let her go!”

“Oh, the protection? Of you? That’s rich. Though, you are right about one thing.” Moriyama’s Shadow cackled as darkness seeped from the walls, a small collection of lesser Shadows coalescing into solid form as they began to advance on Fuuka. “It won’t matter as soon as this useless mutt is dead!”

“Fuuka, hang on!” Plebe charged at the bars, trying to smash it with his gladius. The blade just bounced off, the sound of metal ringing against metal resonating through the hall. “Ah shit!”

“Struggle all you want. It’s pointless.” Moriyama leaned against her hand, smiling smugly as the Shadows closed in on Fuuka. “This is what this sort of thinking gets you, Yamagishi. If you’d just done as I said, then maybe you wouldn’t be dying here now like so much trash. Maybe once you’re gone, I’ll let the world know about what’s inside this folder, hm? I mean, it’s useless to me otherwise, isn’t it?”

“N-no, wait!” Fuuka gasped, scrambling back as the Shadows loomed closer. “N-no, don’t! Not that, please! P-please!”

“Fuuka!” Wildcard pushed against the bars as hard as she could, trying to twist them, bend them, break them, anything. It wasn’t working. The only bars she could do anything about were the ones inside Fuuka, not Moriyama. “Don’t listen to her, okay? I don’t know what’s in there, I don’t know why you want it, but… if you have something in life that you want, then fight for it!”

“I…” Fuuka trembled, her teeth clenched as her back hit the wall and she ran out of room to run. “I… s-something I…”

“Fight? Hmph, what a silly suggestion. I know what you are, Yamagishi. You’re a tool. Tools don’t fight, they’re used. If you’d remembered that, then things might have been different. This is what happens when people like you take their shots.” Moriyama’s Shadow sighed dramatically. “Ah shame really. You were at least a little useful. Oh well. Any scum’s the same as the next. I’ll find your replacement soon enough.”

“N-no. You’re wrong.” Fuuka’s voice was small and shaking as she pushed herself to her feet, her outline dark and distinct against the bright lights of the screen. “I’m not scum. I-I’m not what you say. You’re wrong… you’re the scum… I…”

“You know who you are.”       

A gust of wind burst over the battlefield, the smell of cast iron and running water washing over those present. Wildcard stumbled back, fighting to not topple over the edge of the chasm and shielding her eyes as the Shadows around Fuuka were bowled over by a circle of blue flame rising at her feet.

“They think they know the way the world works, don’t they? They know their order, their rules, their game. It has movers and shakers, pieces of the puzzle placed for them to arrange as they please. But you… they never expected you.” A woman in a Victorian era coat stepped free from the flames, a smile on her ruby red lips as she placed a helmet in the girl’s hands. A pair of headphones ran down over the ears, a midnight black visor over the eyes. Almost instinctually Fuuka pulled it on, a hand reaching up to grip at the edges of the visor. “There you are. Protect yourself against a world that wasn’t built for you. Find your place in the refuse of what they stand to lose. I am thou, thou art I. One man’s trash is another woman’s treasure. Call my name, and seize it for thyself!”

“Ellen Smiff!” Fuuka’s voice was shrill as she ripped free the visor, black plastic burning away in blue flames as her Persona smiled and shrouded herself in the fury of the girl’s Awakening. “Show me the world!”

The Persona winked, slamming her foot into the ground. Cyan tendrils shot forth, embedding in the space around the girl as the Shadows struggled to their feet. One lunged forward, only to find itself suddenly plummeting as the floor opened up beneath it. The bars standing between Fuuka and the Thieves fell away, nothing stopping them from joining the fight but the hesitation of joining that Shadow in its fate.

“Don’t worry!” Fuuka held her hands tight to her head, her eyes darting to and fro between the Shadows as the tendrils continued to embed themselves in whatever they could. “I’m controlling it, I won’t let you get hurt!”

“She appears to possess navigational abilities.” Ribbon charged forth, Skeleton Key trailing in her wake. “That is fortunate. We will likely need them to proceed with this Palace.”

“Navigational whatnow?” Plebe blinked in surprise, only to reel back as one of the Shadows charging him was dropped down another sudden chasm. “Whoah!”

“Wildcard, there’s a Shadow coming on your right!” Fuuka held her fist tight to her chest, breathing heavily as she reeled with the adrenaline of her Awakening. “Feather, there’s a pair of them trying to hide in the shadow of the screen, 2 o’clock from you!”

“Got it!” Wildcard grinned as she levelled her flintlock at the marked Shadow and blasted it back to oblivion, Yukari’s and Whitehand’s arrows both finding their marks as Fukka had indicated in the same moment. “Great job Fuuka!”

Fuuka just nodded, gritting her teeth and shouting out more directions as the Thieves wiped out the rest of the lesser Shadows, leaving nothing but vanishing goop and the furious sight of Moriyama’s Shadow glaring at them through the screen.

“Hmph…” Moriyama’s Shadow sneered, her anger evident beneath her expression as she stared daggers at Fuuka. “Fine then Yamagishi. If this is who you are, then prove it. You’ll see that you’re nothing more than scum soon enough. I’ll be waiting.”

“And I’ll be coming.” Fuuka took a deep breath, staring right back. “I won’t let you scare me anymore, Moriyama. Because I know who I am, I know what I’m worth, and I… I…”

“…ammmmm passing out.” Plebe snorted as Fuuka crumpled into his arms, the adrenaline fading as he picked the girl up in a princess carry. “We should get out of here.”

“Yep. Alright team, that’s enough for today.” Wildcard nodded assertively, sparing one last look at the Shadow. “Don’t worry Moriyama. It’s like she said. We’ll be back.”

And then with a grin, back into the darkness she and the others went.

---

“Ah!” Fuuka let out a small gasp as she awoke outside the Palace, her back on a park bench and her eyes turned toward a cloudy sky. “What… where…”

“Hey, don’t worry. You’re alright.” Yukari smiled from where she was sat next to the girl, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder as Fuuka took in her surroundings, her breathing rapidly normalizing as she realized there wasn’t any danger. “We got you out of there. You’re back in the real world.”

“The real world…” Fuuka took a moment, looking around at her surroundings. The Thieves had decided that it would probably be best if she woke up somewhere comfortable, so they had carried her to the nearby park and set her on one of the benches. Which… well, it wasn’t exactly inconspicuous, but nobody else was there right now aside from a few curious birds, so Kotone figured it was alright. “So, that wasn’t a dream?”

“Nope.” Kotone smiled, handing the girl the bottle of water she’d started carrying around in her bag for situations like these. “That was real. Congrats, you’re a Persona user now!”

“A Persona user…” Fuuka took the bottle, taking a few careful sips before wiping her mouth with a shaky hand. “Thank you… if I didn’t have Ellen Smiff with me now, I don’t think… I mean, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

“Is it so hard to believe in the outrageous, lass?”

In the real world, you’re kinda just voices in our heads. That does sound a little crazy.

“Aye, but a little crazy is a good thing I’d wager.”

“If I may ask…” Aigis popped her head out of Kotone’s bag, her sudden presence as a little robot seemingly startling Fuuka. “What is it that Yuka Moriyama has that scares you?”

“Hey, Ai, we don’t need to ask that.” Junpei shook his head. “Gal’s got her reasons, we should-“

“N-no, it’s fine. It’s just… it’s my mom.” Fuuka winced, wringing her hands nervously as she stared at her feet. “Mrs. Moriyama, she’s… she could hurt my mom.”

“Your mother?” Aigis peered over Kotone’s shoulder, her display inquisitive. “Does she have something to do with Yuka Moriyama?”

“Sh-she didn’t do anything wrong, if that’s what you’re thinking!” Fuuka leaned forward, a sudden fire in her voice that died almost as soon as it sparked. “She just… she and Mrs. Moriyama went to high school together. So… Mrs. Moriyama knows about some… some really embarrassing stuff from back then. Stuff that might ruin mom’s life now if people knew.”

“So, she’s blackmailing you.” Yukari’s expression darkened, her grip on the bench beneath her tightening. “Making you work for her, or else she’ll leak it to someone who doesn’t have any business knowing about that sort of thing.”

“Y-yeah.” Fuuka nodded. “And now with her new job at the school and everything… I just, I-I didn’t want her to get hurt. She’s a good mom.”

“Must be if you’re willing to go through all this for her.” Junpei scratched his head, shrugging. “Well, don’t worry gal, we’re gonna steal that asshole’s heart so that you don’t have to worry about that, alright?”

“…thank you.” Fuuka exhaled, leaning back and shuddering faintly. “Now that I have Ellen Smiff… can I come with you? I want to help. For Natsuki, a-and for my mom.”

“Of course!” Kotone grinned, pumping her fist. “We’ll need both you and your Persona to pull this off. You’re a Moonlit Thief now, if that’s what you want.”

“Y-yeah.” Fuuka took a breath, a smile breaking on her face as she looked up toward the cloudy sky with an unfamiliar light in her eyes. “It is.”

Chapter Text

^{“Hey, how do you think you did on your exams?”}

^{“So, the new kid. You don’t think she’s… like Natsuhara, do you?”}

^{“You know, I hear a local temple has a youth study program…”}

Wednesday, May 18^th 2016.

Day of Texting

S.IKUTSUKI – PHONETONE DM

s.ikutsuki: Good morning, Ms. Shiomi.

s.ikutsuki: How are you? I hope I’m not disturbing you too early.

phonetone: No, not at all!

phonetone: I’m just done getting ready. I’m doing alright, how are you?

s.ikutsuki: Oh, quite well, thank you.

s.ikutsuki: I wasn’t sure when to contact you, but Whendsday seemed as good a day as any, don’t you think?

phonetone: Oh, haha, yeah!

phonetone: Is there anything in particular you need?

s.ikutsuki: I suppose not. I hear there’s been some drama at the school you transferred to recently. Is everything alright there?

phonetone: Oh, yeah, I don’t really know much about that.

phonetone: A teacher resigned and all, but I didn’t really know him that well or anything.

phonetone: His replacement is pretty nice though, so. That’s a plus.

s.ikutsuki: I don’t think it does you very well to revel in the misfortune of others, young lady.

phonetone: Oh no, that wasn’t

phonetone: I didn’t mean it like that.

s.ikutsuki: I’m well aware. But you should be careful, not everyone understands words like that in the same way I do.

s.ikutsuki: They might think what you mean is quite mean.

s.ikutsuki: Be careful.

phonetone: I will. Promise.

s.ikutsuki: Good. I’ll talk with you later. Until then, then.

phonetone: Okay. Goodbye, Mr. Ikutsuki.

---

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

awfuuk: Hey there everyone.

awfuuk: So, I think I’ve thought of a codename.

awfuuk: Would Gal be okay?

supdude: aw hell yeah

phonetone: Sure!

phonetone: Welcome to the Moonlit Thieves, Gal! We’re glad to have you. :P

awfuuk: Thank you very much.

awfuuk: I promise I’ll do my best!

sweaterweather: We know you will

sweaterweather: Let me know if Junpei causes you any trouble, alright?

supdude: aw dude, what? come on!

sweaterweather: :P

awfuuk: I’m sure that won’t be necessary. You’re all very nice.

awfuuk: Um, if you don’t mind me asking, when are we going back to that Palace place?

phonetone: Probably closer to the weekend.

phonetone: I think having a few days rest between your Awakening and getting started is probably good.

phonetone: How’s Saturday sound?

sweaterweather: Isn’t that the day after they post exam scores?

sweaterweather: Are you sure that’s a good time?

phonetone: Well, people’ll either be pumped up from good grades, or want to hit stuff from bad ones, right?

phonetone: Seems perfect to me. :P

supdude: smart thinking dude

awfuuk: I think that would make sense!

awfuuk: Ellen Smiff says cognition is really important.

phonetone: Aigis says Ellen Smiff is right. :P

phonetone: Saturday it is then!

phonetone: I’ll be counting on you all.

awfuuk: I won’t let you down!

sweaterweather: Me neither

supdude: yeah, what they said!

---

Kotone put her phone in her pocket from where she laid in her bed, chuckling to herself for a moment as she felt a warm feeling spark in her chest. Things were going good. They had a new team member, a clear goal, and plenty of time to spare to work through it. It was a Moonlit Thief’s dream scenario. Hypothetically, at least.

“It’s best to enjoy the good times as they come, lass. You don’t know how long they’ll last.”

…I thought that was the kind of thinking we were trying to avoid?

“There’s a difference between losing yourself in what ifs, and being prudent. You’ll need to find where it lies.”

“What does that even-“

There was a loud crash from downstairs, a resounding roar followed inexplicably by what sounded like applause interrupting Kotone as she mused aloud. She blinked into space for a moment, trying to process what she was hearing. Then, she jumped to her feet.

“Kotone.” Aigis tilted her head at Kotone from her desk, her monitor displaying a furrowed brow. “There was a loud sound. I believe something is wrong.”

“Yep! We should probably-“ Kotone darted to the little robot, lifting her and placing her in her bag as she sprung into action. “Sorry, gotta check quick!”

Aigis let out an affirmative hum as Kotone bounded down the stairs, turning the corner to find Mrs. Kitamura hunched over amidst a dusting of fallen books. The old woman was grumbling, her bones cracking and popping as she tried to gather the fallen articles.  

“Here.” Kotone leapt into action, moving to start picking up the fallen books for the old bird. “Let me help.”

“Oh dear, there’s no need to-“ Mrs. Kitamura grunted, her spine popping in particularly loud place. That seemed to be enough to get her to give in, wincing as she tottered her way over to the chair behind the counter. “Oh, ow, oh, ow, oh, ow.”

“Are you alright?” Kotone paused, standing upright with an armful of books. “Do you need help?”

“Oh, I’ll be fine.” Mrs. Kitamura waved her off, settling into the chair and groaning. “You know, sometimes you forget just what the years have done and… ah, nevermind dear. You don’t need to do anything, I’m sure my laze of a husband will be by soon to help anyhow.”

“It’s really not that big of a deal, my train’s not for a little while anyways.” Kotone gathered an armful of books, glancing over at the shelf they had fallen from. It was askew, tilted at an angle from where part of it had seemingly snapped away. “What happened?”

“Oh you know dear, some of these shelves here are older than you are.” Mrs. Kitamura chortled, a wheezing yet somehow pleasant sound. “Sometimes they just can’t hold the weight anymore.”

“Seems like an accident waiting to happen.” Kotone mused as she placed the books on the sales counter, crouching down to gather together the last of them. “Will you need help fixing it too?”

“Oh no, there’s a polite young woman a few neighbourhoods over who can help.” Mrs. Kitamura waved Kotone away. “I’ll call her up right as soon as you’re gone. It used to be that my son would help, but…”

Mrs. Kitamura trailed off, leaving Kotone to gather the books in silence. She frowned as she placed them on the shelf, the absence of sound trailing longer than was perhaps comfortable as she worked.

There’s pain there. I probably shouldn’t ask.

“There isn’t such a thing as backing away from pain, lass. Not really.”

…I guess I should give her the option, huh?

“Your son…” Kotone hesitated a moment, glancing around. “Is he… not with us anymore?”

“Heavens no, he’s fine, he’s fine. He’s a teacher, he travels the world teaching children about biology, and all that.” Mrs. Kitamura smiled, reaching into the pocket of her shirt and pulling out a polaroid photo. She angled it toward Kotone, showing a young man who looked very much like the Kitamuras’ son grinning alongside a class of children. “He’s in Peru right now, teaching kids in the Amazon. We’re so proud of him, Bunkichi and I.”

“…but that’s still far away.” The realization hit Kotone like a ton of bricks, her lips pursing as she realized the problem and placed the last of the books on the counter. “And… you miss him.”

“Every parent does, dear. It’s not so big a deal.” Mrs. Kitamura cleared her throat, putting the picture away and standing. “He was always an independent boy, our Koji. And he visits us during some of our holidays. There isn’t much more we can ask for.”

“Yeah, but…” Kotone wasn’t sure how to respond, her words dying on her lips. She hadn’t ever seen this side of Mrs. Kitamura before, this… quieter, more mournful side. It was strange, but not exactly unwelcome. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize dear, it’s not your fault. When you get to my age, you realize that life’s just like that and that’s that.” Mrs. Kitamura let out a breath, staring at the ceiling for a long moment before shaking her head and standing upright. “Now, come on, no use standing around anymore dear! School isn’t going to wait for you, is it?”

“…no ma’am.” Kotone smiled a little sadly, stepping back and away. The moment had passed, it seemed. “I’ll go now. Just… let me know if you ever need anything, alright?”

“You’re too kind, dear.” Mrs. Kitamura smiled warmly at her, before shaking her head and making a shooing motion. “Now, go! I need to call Kikuno anyhow, you’re just taking up space.”

Kotone continued to smile as she headed out the door, stepping into the cool morning breeze as it winded through Yongen-Jaya. That smile vanished as soon as the door shut behind her, her head tilting back to look toward the sky as she exhaled and let her body go limp.

Damn.

“Kotone.” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, tilting her head curiously. “Are you alright? You appear distressed.”

“Heh, maybe a little.” Kotone snorted, looking back down and starting her walk to the station. “That was… hard.”

“I am not sure I understand.” Kotone could almost see the question mark forming on Aigis’ face. “What about your exchange with Mitsuko Kitamura was difficult?”

“That…” Kotone hesitated for a moment, unsure. Aigis might have been knowledgeable about the Other World, but she never really seemed to understand things on this side of reality without an explanation. What was there even to say, really? “Aigis, if I left tomorrow, would you miss me?”

“Yes. You are the Wildcard, I am meant to assist you however I can.” Aigis nodded. “I would be unable to assist you if you were gone. I would miss you very much.”

“I don’t mean like that.” Kotone shook her head. “I mean like, as a friend, not a Moonlit Thief. Would you miss me?”

“I do not understand.” Aigis tilted her head. “What is the distinction?”

“…okay, not getting anywhere with that.” Kotone scratched the back of her head, frowning. “Even if I wasn’t a Wildcard, or a Moonlit Thief, if I hadn’t even heard of the Other World at all, would you miss me if I was gone?”

“That is not the case.” Aigis shook her head. “If it were, I would not have ever met you.”

“But if we did?” Kotone glanced over her shoulder, pausing near the edge of the street. “If we were friends even then, and I left. Would you miss me?”

“That…” Aigis paused. Kotone could almost swear she heard the gears spinning inside the little robot as she tried to figure out her answer. “Yes. Yes I would.”

I… think that’s the first time anyone’s actually said that. Huh. Wow.

“It isn’t a question you’ve asked before, lass.”

Still. That… I mean, it was just a hypothetical, but that still hit like a ton of bricks.

“Thanks, Aigis.” Kotone fought back the sudden urge to tear up, wiping an eye as she smiled at the mechanical girl. “I’d miss you too.”

And despite, the tears forming at the edge of her vision and the emotions surging in her chest, all Aigis did in response to Kotone was blink confusedly.

Which… seemed fair, all things considered.

Thursday, May 19^th 2016.

The Day of the Association

Kotone was looking for a place to sit and eat lunch, when she happened to spot Fuuka Yamagishi sitting alone in the cafeteria.

Perfect.

“Hey, Fuuka!” Kotone waved, walking up to her and grinning. “Mind if I sit with you?”

“Oh, um.” Fuuka jolted, seemingly surprised at Kotone’s sudden presence. “Y-yeah, go for it. I’m actually waiting for someone, but, um, I guess it would be alright if you’re here too.”

“Oh yeah?” Kotone tilted her head, placing her bag on the seat next to Fuuka for Aigis’ sake, and taking her own spot perpendicular to the girl. “Who? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“It’s alright. Do you know Saori? Saori Hasegawa?” Fuuka glanced around, checking if anyone was eavesdropping before leaning closer. “She helped me with the Moonlist. Now that I’m… you know, a part of the team, I thought it would be better if I gave her the admin key for the site.”

“That is wise, yes.” Aigis peered over the lip of the bag, nodding. “If we plan to continue using the Moonlist as a resource, it would be best if it were truly independent.”

“I-I thought so too.” Fuuka leaned back, nodding. “If… that’s okay with you?”

“Honestly, I don’t get the tech stuff anyways.” Kotone shrugged. “If you say that’s for the best, then I trust you!”

“You… you do?” Fuuka’s eyes widened. “That’s… that’s really good to hear, Kotone.”

“Of course, you’re a Moonlit Thief, and my teammate. If I can’t trust you, then who can I trust, right?” Kotone grinned, leaning against an elbow. “Speaking of, how are you adjusting to all of this stuff? I know it’s out there.”

“It’s not really that different from something you might see on TV or a movie, really…” Fuuka rubbed the back of her neck, shrugging. “Yukari said there was a Featherman series that was pretty similar to this once… I think the only really surprising thing is Ellen Smiff. She’s loud.”

“Personae tend to be.” Kotone smiled, feeling Anne Bonny flaring softly in her heart at the comment. “You haven’t had any other trouble then?”

“Mh-mh.“ Fuuka shook her head. “Mom’s been busy with her new job here, so I don’t think she’ll notice me looking into Mrs. Moriyama too much. I’m ready to help. And that means-“ She paused as a tall ashen-haired girl stepped into the room and looked around. “Oh, Hasegawa! I’m over here!”

“Oh!” Hasegawa seemed taken aback by Kotone’s presence at the table, glancing nervously between her and Fuuka as she approached. “Is… is she okay? To be here?”

“She is.” Fuuka nodded. “Kotone is a friend, she’s good.”

“That’s really good to hear.” Hasegawa smiled faintly, taking a seat and brushing her hair out of her face nervously as she turned to Kotone. “It’s um… it’s nice to meet you. My name is Saori Hasegawa. Are you a fan of the Moonlit Thieves too?”

“You could say that.” Kotone smiled widely, shrugging. “My name’s Kotone Shiomi. It’s nice to meet you, Hasegawa.”

“Shiomi?” Saori furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment. “Oh, you mean- you’re the transfer student? The one with all the rumours?”

“Guess I am.” Kotone winced. She hadn’t been hearing as many of her classmates whispering about her recently, so she had hoped that her reputation in that regard might have faded a little. Evidently not. “Most of them aren’t true though.”

“Oh no, I didn’t-“ Saori gasped, covering her mouth. “I didn’t think so. I just- I know what it’s like. So… you should just- I know you can stay strong, like the Moonlit Thieves!”

“Now there’s a girl who believes in you, lass.”

Yeah. I don’t blame her, seeing how Ekoda treated her.

“Question is, will she be able to find that sort of strength for herself?”

“Right, um…” Fuuka ducked down, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small slip of paper, which she slid across the table to Saori. “Here. This is the login information for the Moonlist. You should probably change it after you access it, just to be safe.”

“I’m…” Saori stared at the paper for a moment, frowning. “Are you sure?”

“Mhm.” Fuuka pulled her hand back, shrugging nervously. “I trust you. I can still help if you need troubleshooting or something, but… I think you should be the admin. I know you can do it.”

“I can do it…” Saori closed her eyes for a long moment, before reaching forward and taking the paper. “Okay Fuuka… I won’t let you down. I swear. I’ll be the best admin that the Moonlist can have, and I’ll make sure I keep spreading the word of the Moonlit Thieves!”

“That’s the spirit!” Kotone smacked her hand on the table, grinning. “You’ve got my support, Hasegawa!”

“Th-thank you. I just want to help people, the same way they do.” Hasegawa swallowed nervously, standing back up. “I’m going to go do what you said, Fuuka. I’ll be the best administrator the site can ask for, okay?”

Saori bowed her head to the pair of them, before turning and walking off. Aigis peered back out of the bag as soon as she was gone, watching her leave with a curious expression on her display.

“It is probable that she will continue spreading word of the Moonlit Thieves.” Aigis turned toward Kotone tilting her head. “Our reputation will grow. Is that okay with you?”

“I think we agreed that it was going to anyways.” Kotone shrugged right back at the little robot. “It’s like you and Fuuka said, it’s better to have the Moonlist be independent anyways, whatever that ends up meaning.”

“Some things must be taken by chance, lass. You’re learning.”

I think I’m always learning, really.

“Aye. Though, you may need to learn a little more about time management.”

“Time management?” Kotone mused aloud, blinking. “What does that- oh crap!”

She had forgotten to actually eat her lunch. It was five minutes to the bell, and she hadn’t even started.

Uh oh.

At least Fuuka seemed amused as she rushed to shove as much food as possible into her mouth within the next few minutes, as embarrassing as it was.

So, bare minimum, she had that going for her.  

Friday, May 20^th 2016.

The Day Exam Scores are Posted

SECOND YEAR EXAM SCORES – TOP 10

1. Kurisu Makise – 99
2. Rintarou Okabe – 98
3. Odagiri Hidetoshi– 96
4. Yamagishi Fuuka – 93
5. Geraux Andre– 91
6. Yamada Ryo – 90
7. Moriyama Natsuki – 89
8. Shiomi Kotone - 87
9. Iwasaki Rio – 86
10. Ijichi Nijika - 85

“Maaaannnnn…” Junpei groaned as he and the others read off the exam scores after class, his whole body going slack as he traced his name down near the bottom of the list. “All that studying, and this is what I get? My dad’s going to kill me…”

“You only studied for a few hours like, two days before the exam.” Yukari rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “What did you expect?”

“You did not do much better, Yukari.” Aigis peeked through the zipper in Kotone’s bag, eyes scanning the scores. “It would appear studying as we did was a suboptimal strategy.”

“Yeah, well-“ Yukari blushed ever so slightly, crossing her arms in front of her. “We all passed, so it’s fine. Right?”

“Yeah, guess so. Still, top 5, huh?” Junpei grinned, elbowing Fuuka gently in the side. “Guess we know who the smart gal is, huh?”

“I-I just got lucky.” Fuuka smiled nervously, turning to Kotone. “Congratulations, Kotone. You did great too.”

“I just paid attention in class is all.” Kotone shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard.”

“I think you’re underplaying yourself. That’s still really impressive.” Yukari nodded approvingly. “I guess we’ll all just have to focus on doing better by next exams season, right?”

“Yeah dude. But until then, we should celebrate getting our scores, huh?” Junpei grinned, resting his head against his hands. “Beef bowls? You know the place, yeah?”

“Maybe another time.” Kotone’s heart twinged as she caught sight of Metis standing off to their side, inspecting her scores with a noticeable frown. She was standing alone, no Chidori to be found. And despite everyone else crowding around to check their scores, the other girl seemed strangely and impossibly alone. “I want to check in with another friend, if that’s alright?”

“Sure dude.” Junpei shrugged. “We can get beef bowls another time, no sweat.”

“Kotone, wait.” Aigis interrupted Kotone before she could head off, a small metal hand shooting out from within her bag. “I would like to spend time with Yukari and Junpei. I believe it would be wise to determine a better way to study in the future.”

“Uh…” Kotone paused, looking between the other two. “Is that alright with you both?”

“Sure, I’m okay with it.” Yukari shrugged, glancing at Fuuka. “Would you want to come with us? I think we could probably learn a lot from you.”

“I think I’d like that, yes.” Fuuka nodded nervously. “Thank you for the invitation.”

“Thank you.” Aigis assented, looking up out of the bag. “How will we be transferring me to their care?”

“I mean…” Kotone glanced around, everyone was still distracted with the scores on the board, it would be simple to just… “Yukari, open your bag!”

“Huh?” Yukari seemed to open her bag on instinct, though based on the way she buckled slightly, she evidently hadn’t been expecting for Kotone to switch Aigis into it as soon as she did. “Whoah!”

“Hello.” Aigis blinked up at the girl. “Thank you for allowing me to join you.”

“Good grief.” Yukari rolled her eyes, shouldering her bag and shaking her head. “Alright. I guess that works. You could have warned me though.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Kotone winked, cocking her head to the side. “I’m gonna go talk to Metis for a bit. You guys have fun, alright?”

“We will not be having fun.” Aigis peeked out of Yukari’s bag, shaking her head. “We will be studying very intensely.”

“Which is code for ‘hell yeah, lots of fun’, right?” Junpei pumped a fist. “See ya’ later dude!”

Kotone snorted, watching as her teammates headed off while Aigis and Fuuka broke the news to Junpei that they would in fact be studying. Her heart sang for a moment, joyful and clear, before she turned around and approached a note whose sound was far more muddled. “Hey.”

“Oh. Hey.” Metis spared Kotone little more than a glance, her eyes darting upwards to find the other girl’s name on the board. “Looks like you did good on the exams.”

“I think I just got lucky.” Kotone smiled, standing next to the other girl and shrugging noncommittally. “I’m sure you’ll do better next time.”

“Sure, yeah.” Metis rolled her eyes, looking away. “I don’t really care one way or another, school’s pointless.”

“Weren’t you the one telling me to pay attention in class before?” Kotone grinned, only to falter when she caught Metis’ annoyed glare back. “Uh, crap. I guess that’s not really helpful, is it?”

“Yeah, you a-“ Metis flinched, stopping herself. “Ugh. Sorry. I shouldn’t say that. I’m still not used to this ‘being friends’ thing.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Kotone shrugged, smiling placatingly. “You don’t need to hold back on my account. I can take it.”

“…okay then. You’re an airhead.” Metis narrowed her eyes at Kotone for a long moment before seemingly cracking, the smallest of smiles forming on her lips. “A dumbass airhead with big eyes and a small brain.”

“There you are.” Kotone bumped Metis’ shoulder gently, grinning. “How’s that feel?”

“Better.” Metis harrumphed, shaking her head. “Airhead.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Kotone laughed, stepping back and cocking her head for Metis to follow. “C’mon, let’s go do something fun. Get your mind off things.”

“Seems shortsighted and irresponsible.” Metis frowned slightly as she followed after Kotone. “I’m in. Where are we going?”

“I have no idea!” Kotone spun as she walked out Shujin’s front entrance, raising a hand to the sky as she did. “That’s what makes it fun!”

---

Kotone wasn’t sure how exactly the pair of them had ended up at the arcade in Shibuya, but they had. She also wasn’t sure how they had ended up playing a game called Gun About of all things, but they had. Most of all, she wasn’t sure how Metis had so totally and absolutely kicked her ass in every way shape and form…

But she had.

“Hah!” Metis pumped her fist as she blew Kotone’s avatar away, the last duel putting a cherry on top of the asskicking that had been their game. “I win! Take that!”

“I guess my that is really taken, yeah.” Kotone snorted, holstering the gun back in its place and leaning against the machine. “You’re pretty good at this, huh?”

“Yep. Chidi and I come here a lot.” Metis held her own gun up, blowing hypothetical smoke away from the barrel as she grinned, before following Kotone’s cue and holstering it back in the machine. “It’s fun.”

“For sure.” Kotone stood up, smiling cheekily. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get so excited about something that wasn’t chewing someone out.”

“Hey! When did you even-“ Metis blushed, looking away. “So I get worked up sometimes, is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all.” Kotone shook her head, smiling cheekily. “It’s cute how passionate you get about protecting Chidori sometimes. You’re like her own personal bodyguard!”

“It’s more than that, it-“ Metis continued blushing, looking around. There were a few other students milling around, from Shujin and beyond. Evidently, Metis didn’t like that, seeing as she grabbed Kotone’s hand and began dragging her out of the arcade. “C’mon, I’ll explain somewhere else.”

“Whoop-“ Kotone let herself be pulled, following after Metis as she weaved through the afternoon crowds. “Where are we going?”

“Doesn’t matter, just-“ Metis shook her head, rolling her eyes. “Just shut it and come on!”

---

The afternoon sun filtered down through the clouds above Shibuya, traces of sunset already dwelling in the light as Kotone and Metis stood at the edge of the walkway at Shibuya station, their eyes facing outwards. Metis hadn’t said anything since coming here, her silence dwelling in the space between them like a specter. Kotone wasn’t going to rush her though. She’d talk when she was ready.

However long that ended up being.

…it’s hard being patient. I’m really curious.

“Aye lass. But pushing to hard might mean you never find out at all.”

I know, I know. That’s why I’m waiting!

 “Look, Chidi, she…” Metis looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. “She saved my life, okay?”

“She saved your life?” Kotone blinked, uncomprehending. “Oh wow. Sorry, I wouldn’t have asked if-”

“It’s fine. I was in an accident. Hit and run. The bastard left without even calling anyone, but Chidi found me. Gave me first aid. Saved my life, before the ambulance came.” Metis scratched at her neck, glancing nervously toward Kotone. “So… yeah, she’s important to me. She’s my first real friend, actually. And I don’t like it when people mess with her. Maybe I get too defensive, but whatever! Is there something wrong with caring that much?”

“No.” Kotone smiled, bumping the other girl gently with her shoulder. “Actually, I think that’s pretty cool. The world would be better if more people cared.”

“I…” Metis blushed, looking back toward Kotone for a long moment before looking away again. “You’re the first person to not say that it’s weird.”

“Hey, weird is good. You know I think weird is good.” Kotone smiled back, leaning against the railing. “All my friends are weird.”

“Well, you have that right.” Metis crossed her arms, sighing as she looked down at Shibuya. “…thanks, Kotone. Really.”

“Course. It’s the truth.” Kotone winked, grinning. “Though… if I’m a weird sad puppy, would that make you a weird angry puppy?”

“Wh- no, that isn’t-“ Metis flushed a deeper read, elbowing Kotone in the side. “Don’t say that, that’s ridiculous!”

To that, all Kotone did was laugh.

Which, all things considered, was pretty weird.

Chapter Text

^{“My stocks are doing really well. It’s a booming business!”}

^{“Hey dude, have you seen Junpei around recently? It feels like he’s always busy.”}

^{“I’m so sick of bullying at this damn school!”}

Saturday, May 21^st 2016.

The Day of Higher Up

Wildcard felt a sense of vertigo as she stood near the edge of the shaft at the center of Moriyama’s palace, the vastness of the darkness below her looming before the Thieves as they stood watching their newest member work. Gal had settled into a cross-legged position near the edge of the shaft, the shimmering poncho that had come with her thief outfit fluttering softly as Ellen Smiff stood proudly behind her and the cyan tendrils of her soul worked their way through the bones of the Palace.

“So…” Feather seemed nervous as she stood a bit further back from the edge, tapping an arrow against her knee as she looked across the gap. “How are we going to get up there, exactly?”

“This Palace is modular. Think of it like a big Lego building.” Gal exhaled, still focusing most of her energy on her work. “It’s all different pieces. I just need to figure out how to move them… into place! There!”

She gasped, standing upright as Ellen Smiff retracted her tendrils, and there was a loud screeching sound from below. Before them, a path began to form, hexagons flying up from the abyss to create a staircase up to the next level.

“Oh, holy shit!” Plebe whooped, patting the girl on the shoulder. “Nice going, Gal!”

“Th-thank you.” Gal held her hands together in front of her, smiling nervously. “I’m glad I can help.”

“You are more than helpful, you are crucial.” Ribbon nodded at Gal, causing the girl to blush and look at her feet. “Wildcard. Will we be continuing?”

“I don’t see why not.” Wildcard unholstered her flintlock, holding it somewhat casually in front of her as she climbed the staircase up. “C’mon, the Place isn’t going to clear itself!”

“Eugh…” Feather shivered as she trailed after the others, glancing down over the edge and emphatically shaking her head. “Did I ever mention I really don’t like creepy bottomless chasms?”

Wildcard snorted as she reached the next level, leading forward into the hallway that awaited beyond. This part of the Palace was different from the lower level. The buzzing of the server banks was getting louder, the golden light from the apex of the Palace was beginning to seep through into the halls, and even the Shadows had changed, shifting from strange wiry amalgamations into more distinctly bee shaped forms the further they climbed.

And then came the honey.

Wildcard paused as they entered a large hexagonal room, holding up her hand to halt the rest of her team. The golden light was even stronger here, seeping forth both from the distinctly yellower looking walls, and from the glass tubes full of what could only be honey that ran from the corners upwards all around them.

Okay, I officially don’t like this place.

“What took you so long to decide that, lass?”

It didn’t. I’m just saying officially now.

“What’s the deal with all this?” Plebe frowned, tapping the tube with the butt of his gladius and frowning. “It’s like this place is turning into a beehive or something. It wasn’t like that before, right?”

“Nope.” Kotone shook her head, watching the golden liquid rise up through the pipes. “I guess… the Palace is changing the further we go? Maybe we’re just seeing more of it the closer we are to the distortion?”

“It would make sense. Yuka Moriyama evidently makes great efforts to hide the nature of her distortion.” Ribbon inspected one of the walls, running her hand along the hexagonal panelling. “She is not very well known, even after appearing in multiple articles. Despite her success, her place of business is concealed in purpose and stature. The lower levels of her Palace are dull, and indistinct, while growing more well-defined and distorted as we ascend. It all points toward Yuka Moriyama’s distortion being one that she takes significant effort to conceal. Maintaining the appearance of a humbly successful businesswoman is of high importance to her.”

“Yeah. Only…” Wildcard shook her head, advancing across the room toward the closed door that awaited them at the other end, under yet another hanging screen. “We’re going to make sure she can’t anymore!”

Wildcard tried to throw open the doors in time with her declaration, hoping the flair would help make her point.

Only, of course, the doors didn’t open.

“Oh come on!” Wildcard groaned, stepping back and putting her hand on her hips. “This Palace hates fun.”

“No, this Hive hates useless little bugs like you who have nothing to offer.” The screen above the door flickered to life, Moriyama’s Shadow glaring down at them through the screen. Something about the lighting in the room made her look distinctly more beelike, her golden eyes seeming less out of place as she scowled. “You Thieves do nothing but take, you’re not being allowed into my Operations Center, no chance.”

“Hey, what about Fuu- I mean Gal- I mean…” Plebe looked at Gal, scratching his head. “Uh, should we call you Fuuka or Gal when we’re trying to get through cognition here?”

“Um.” Gal considered it for a moment, then shrugged. “I don’t know?”

“Yamagishi is a tool, who should know her place.” Moriyama’s Shadow rolled her eyes, a gesture which sent a jolt of righteous anger through Wildcard’s heart. “The Operations Center is for entrepreneurs who respect a proper leader, a Queen. I have no need for her here. So take your useless idiot girl back down to-“

Moriyama’s Shadow was interrupted by a gunshot, a bolt of lightning, an arrow, and a nuclear blast all striking the screen at once and shattering it into a thousand pieces. What was left was little more than debris, and the four combatant Thieves all looking between each other in silent agreement.

“…thank you.” Gal’s voice was small as she cleared her throat, staring at her feet. “Won’t… that cause a problem though?”

“It will be repaired later.” Ribbon shook her head, banishing the rest of Skeleton Key back into her soul. “We may need to stay out of the Palace for a while. We will need to come up with a plan to proceed regardless.”

“This is another one of those cognitive barrier things.” Feather leaned a hand on her hip, biting her cheek as she stared at the door. “It sounds like Moriyama only lets ‘entrepreneurs’ in, is that right?”

“Yeah, and people who kiss her ass.” Plebe scoffed, crossing his arms. “Man, I hate people like that.”

“I think we all do.” Wildcard sighed, staring at the spot the screen had been. “Well, nothing we can do here now. How about we all go get some rest and try to figure out how we can change her cognition later. Sound good?”

Everyone nodded their agreement. Well, almost everyone. Gal seemed lost in thought, staring at the doors and whispering to herself.

“Gal?” Wildcard tilted her head, catching the girl’s gaze with a smile. “You alright?”

“Hm? Oh yes!” Gal nodded, seemingly embarrassed at being caught like that. “Sorry, I just… I think I might have an idea. I need to check some things though. Is that okay?”

“That’s perfect.” Feather nodded encouragingly, hand on her hip. “You can tell us later, alright?”

“Okay.” Gal exhaled, smiling thankfully. “Thank you. I’ll let you all know as soon as I’ve figured it out.”

“Sounds good!” Wildcard grinned, turning on her foot and heading back the way they came. “Alright team. Good work today. Let’s head back.”

“I have to wonder what sort of plan she’s cooking up.”

Well, we’ll find out soon, won’t we?

“Aye. Here’s hoping it comes with a bang.”

Sunday, May 22^nd 2016.

The Day of Fuuka’s Plan

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

awfuuk: Okay!

awfuuk: Um, I think I have a plan!

supdude: hell yeah gal!

sweaterweather: That’s perfect

sweaterweather: What is it?

awfuuk: Okay, so…

awfuuk: The things Aigis said about Mrs. Moriyama’s Palace had me thinking.

awfuuk: She says she cares mostly about appearances right?

awfuuk: So… to change her cognition, I don’t think we actually need to do anything complicated.

awfuuk: Just make her think one of us is an ‘entrepreneur’ who respects her.

awfuuk: That makes sense, right?

phonetone: Totally, yeah.

phonetone: But how do we do that?

awfuuk: Well, um…

awfuuk: We tell her.

supdude: huh?

sweaterweather: We just tell her?

awfuuk: Exactly.

awfuuk: My mom has known Mrs. Moriyama since they were in highschool.

awfuuk: She’s always been, um…

awfuuk: vain

awfuuk: I think it’s possible that just telling her that you have an idea about her work and that you think she’s good at it, that might be enough to stick in her mind.

phonetone: I mean, no harm in trying, right?

phonetone: But how would we even get to her to tell her?

awfuuk: That’s what I had to check.

awfuuk: Natsuki told me she talked to my mom about trying to make things right. She confessed about all the bullying she’d done.

sweaterweather: Wait, really?

sweaterweather: Huh

sweaterweather: I guess taking Will Seeds like that really does work

supdude: hell yeah

supdude: anyways, what were you saying?

awfuuk: Well, apparently my mom is having a meeting with Mrs. Moriyama tomorrow, after school. To talk about Natsuki.

awfuuk: If one of you happened to be there when Mrs. Moriyama is, they could probably tell her.

phonetone: That’s smart!

phonetone: I think Junpei and I have her for last period tomorrow.

phonetone: I guess we’d just need to find a reason to hang around your mom after class, right?

awfuuk: Right.

awfuuk: Well, um, actually, it would probably be better if only one of you did it.

awfuuk: We want to make sure you say the right thing.

supdude: its okay, you can say you just want ko to do it

awfuuk: Oh no, I didn’t mean

awfuuk: I’m sorry!

supdude: don’t worry gal, i’m just messing with you

supdude: i know ko’s better at this stuff anyways

phonetone: Hey, I only did it once! :P

phonetone: Still, I guess it doesn’t sound too hard. I’ll ask Elly if she could help with homework or something.

phonetone: It wouldn’t be nearly as bad as what I had to do for Ekoda, and it’s not like it’s too big a risk if it doesn’t work.

sweaterweather: I agree. I think it’s worth a shot

supdude: hell yeah, great plan gal

awfuuk: Thank you. I’m really glad you liked it.

phonetone: It’s nice having someone clever on the team. :P

sweaterweather: Hey.

supdude: hey!

phonetone: Hey! :P

sweaterweather: Good grief

Monday, May 23^rd 2016.

The Day of the Meeting

“Excuse me, Elly?” Kotone fought back a twinge of guilt as she stood beside her teacher’s desk, a plastered smile hopefully hiding any doubt that she might have had as to the veracity of this plan. Homework was simple, she just felt a little bad lying about it is all. “Could I speak to you?”

“Hm, of course!” Elly nodded affirmatively, uncrossing her legs and spinning her chair ever so slightly in Kotone’s direction with a smile. “What do you need, Ms. Shiomi?”

“Well, I just had some questions about our homework assignment.” Kotone was a little unnerved by how easily she lied, the old habit resurfacing as easily as anything despite her unease. “Or, well, a lot actually. I didn’t really take that many notes today.”

“Distracted in class, are we?” Elly raised an eyebrow, smiling somewhat mischievously. “Well, I suppose proper protocol would be to suggest you ask your classmates for their notes. However, I must say, I admire your chutzpah to ask me forthright.”

“Um.” Kotone blinked. “Meaning?”

“Meaning, I have some time before a meeting I’m due shortly.” Elly swept all her things into her bag in one swift motion, standing upright with surprising speed as she smiled at her student. “If you would care to join me in the faculty office, I could most certainly provide you with the cliffs notes for today’s lecture.”

“Oh, really?” Kotone’s eyes widened as Elly didn’t wait another moment, gesturing for Kotone “Thanks, Elly!”

“It isn’t a problem at all.” Elly nodded assuredly, leading the way toward the faculty office without a moment’s hesitation. “Every effort to learn more must be commended, even if delayed!”

She really cares about her students, huh?

“A deserved change from her predecessor.”

Definitely. Still, I think that only makes me feel worse about lying to her about this.

---

“So, you see…” Elly smiled as her pen flicked across the faculty office table between herself and Kotone, finishing her sentence with a flourish. “Though you may be so inclined, it’s actually quite detrimental to waste your time prettying up your words needlessly. A reader can tell when you write from the mind as opposed to from the heart.”

“Wow.” Kotone stared at the page, more than a little impressed. “That… actually makes sense. But why do you use so many fancy words then? Wouldn’t that go against the whole point of what you’re saying?”

“My heart is full of words is all.” Elly laughed, snapping her fingers and flipping her hair back. “As your teacher, I have the appreciable experience to make my mark in such a way.”

“Right.” Kotone grinned. “Guess I just need to practice more then, huh?”

“Quite so.” Elly nodded with satisfaction, crossing her arms in front of her. “Now then, that should cover it for today. Did you have any other burning questions?”

“That-” Kotone froze, glancing at the clock. They were still a few minutes off from the time Fuuka had said the meeting would take place, and her excuse had already run dry. Shit. “Uh…”

“Actually, while you’re here, there is something I would rather like to ask you about, if possible.” Elly leaned back in her chair, looking thoughtful. “Would you mind?”

“Sure!” Kotone shrugged nonchalantly, faintly relieved that she hadn’t had to come up with another excuse to stretch out her time. “What’s up?”

“Hold on, allow me to switch caps.” Elly reached up, taking off an imaginary cap and putting on a different one. “Think of me as Mrs. Dr. Eriko Yamagishi now, Fuuka’s mother. You’re a friend of hers, right?”

“Okay, sure Mrs. Dr. Eriko Yamagishi.” Kotone had to hold back a chuckle, smiling amusedly. “I am, yeah. She’s pretty cool.”

“Well, on that I’m quite glad that she has you as a friend. She has talked about you and your other pals quite a bit this last week, you know.” Elly tutted, looking off into the middle distance for a moment. “There hasn’t been anyone giving her any particular trouble, has there?”

“Well…” Kotone winced, glancing around. “Not since we started hanging out, at least.”

“You needn’t spare me how she had been treated before. I know.” Elly’s usual smile faded, replaced by an angry scowl. “Trust me, I am well aware. If Mr. Ekoda hadn’t gone and resigned just as I found out, I would have come here myself and amended that myself.”

“Wow. Uh. Huh.” Kotone was taken aback by the sudden, if admittedly justified fire in Elly’s eyes. “I can’t say I blame you, but… should you really be saying that? In the faculty office, I mean?”

“Ah, but I am not your teacher Dr. Elly Yamagishi. I am Mrs. Dr. Eriko Yamagishi, your friend Fuuka’s mom.” Elly looked back toward Kotone, tilting her head. “And I have no shame in fighting for my daughter.”

“I can tell.” Kotone nodded in agreement, a faint spark of the teacher’s fire glimmering through the space between them. “You seem like a good mom, Elly.”

“Why thank you. And I trust that you’ll be a good friend to Fuuka too.” Elly smiled, reaching up to swap out her invisible hats once again. “Now, I’ve realized that I may have kept you a smidge too long, so it would be about time that you-“

“Erikkoooo!” The door to the faculty office swung open without warning, pushed by a woman with bouncing pigtails who smiled widely as she stepped inside. “Hiya!

It took a moment for Kotone to register what she was seeing. She was pretty sure she’d never seen the grinning woman before, but something about her was familiar, what with the pigtails, and the general complexion, and…

Wait.

That was Ms. Moriyama?

“Yuka.” Elly smiled, standing up and bowing her head. “Thank you so very much for coming today. My apologies for interrupting your schedule, this shouldn’t take long. Kotone, you may go with due haste.”

“Oh no, don’t let me interrupt. You can stay kiddo.” Moriyama waved dismissively, putting her other hand on her hip. “Like you said, this won’t take too long at all, right Elly-Els?”

“That is the absolute hope, yes.” Elly glanced at Kotone, tilting her head. “I know Mrs. Moriyama said it was quite alright, but would you mind stepping aside for a moment, Kotone? I’d rather this be a private meeting, you understand.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Kotone smiled at Mrs. Moriyama as she stepped aside, hoping the woman wouldn’t hear her heart pounding in her chest. “Don’t let me get in the way.”

“Come on Elly-Els, there’s no need for any of that!” Moriyama waved her hand dismissively, rolling her eyes as she slid into the seat Kotone had just vacated. “This’ll be quick and easy, right?”

Are we sure that’s the same Moriyama? Like, really really sure?

“A thief should know the value of a mask better than anyone.”

…ah shit.

“I don’t recall saying quick and easy my friend, but it should be quite simple.” Elly pulled out a notebook, flipping the pages for a moment before landing on the right one. “Your daughter Natsuki came to me last week and apologized for some behaviours she had been partaking in. She wanted to turn herself in so to speak, so that we might help her make due penance for her actions.”

“She told on herself?” Moriyama raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in front of her. “Oh that silly girl, why would she do that?”

“As I said my friend, she wants to make right for the people she hurt.” Elly flipped to another page, tilting her head at the words written within. “Now, having reviewed what she’s said and talked to some of the affected students, I believe a suspension would be the most conventional course of action. But Natsuki has shown that she wants to do better and such, so that would be wasteful by my eyes. Instead, I think it would be quite ideal if she volunteered with some of Shujin’s public outreach initiatives, she could-“

“Forget it, just give her a warning or something, that’ll be fine.” Moriyama waved her hand dismissively. “C’mon Elly-Els, this couldn’t have been a phonecall? This is all so silly.”

“I wouldn’t think so at all, Yuka.” Elly frowned, closing her notebook. “Your daughter volunteered to try and make amends for some of the damage that she has done, I find it quite admirable and would very much like to help.”

“And I’ll be talking to her about personal responsibility, and not telling on yourself, and blah blah blah.” Moriyama mimed someone talking with her hand, rolling her eyes with a flick of her head. “Come on Elly-Els, don’t drag this ouuuut. What about my schedule?”

“I’m looking for the betterment of my student here, my friend.” Elly tilted her head, searching the other woman’s expression for some sort of sign. “I would apologize for the inconvenience, but I consider the matter quite important, wouldn’t you?”

“You haven’t changed at all, ugh.” Moriyama stretched dramatically, kicking herself to her feet and cracking her neck. “A warning will do Elly-Els, really. Are we done here?”

“Yuka, this is something you should take quite seriously.” Elly also stood, leaning her hands on her desk. “Your daughter is taking the admirable step of self-reflection, I think you should respect her wishes to-“

“And I don’t think you should be raising my daughter. Focus on your own why don’t you, she could use it.” Moriyama sneered, and in that moment Kotone could see the mask slip, the real Ruler beneath peeking through. Moriyama turned away, catching sight of Kotone staring at her from the side. “What? What are you looking at?”

“Oh uh.” Kotone winced, shrugging. “Sorry, just, are you Yuka Moriyama? The trader?”

“Huh?” Moriyama seemed taken aback by Kotone’s words, leaning back on herself and putting her hands on her hips. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Yeah!” Kotone summoned all the false enthusiasm she could, pumping her fist. “You’re like, a huge inspiration for me! A successful woman like yourself, in today’s world? It’s so cool to see! I totally look up to you.”

“Do you now?” Moriyama’s face twisted into a smug grin as she glanced at Elly, evidently satisfied by the supposed endorsement. “See Elly-Els? That’s not so hard, is it?”

And then with another flash of pigtails Moriyama turned and marched out of the room, leaving Kotone and Elly to reckon with the silence that was left after.

“…I don’t actually look up to her, by the way.” Kotone cleared her throat, glancing at her teacher. Elly seemed uncharacteristically subdued, her eyes downcast as Kotone spoke. “I was just trying to be nice, that’s all.”

“Were you now?” Elly sat back down, exhaling and leaning against an elbow. “I suppose flattery never really has been a dead art.”

“I guess. And…” Kotone hesitated for a moment. Dragging this out any longer was risky, but Elly seemed so… defeated. She couldn’t just say nothing, it wasn’t right. “Just so you know, I think what you’re trying to do for Natsuki is really good. It’s something more teachers should. And that isn’t flattery. I really mean that.”

“I can tell. You have quite the liar's look when you don’t mean what you say, you should know.” Elly snorted, shaking her head. “Thank you, however. I am trying my best. It’s all quite unfamiliar, you might be surprised to learn.”

“Eh, not really.” Kotone shrugged. “But I’ve seen a lot of crappy teachers, and you’re pretty much the opposite.”

“You’re quite kind, Kotone.” Elly shook her head, before smacking her hands against the table and standing upright. “Now! You’ve certainly heard far more than you should have, so put it all out of mind, and go about your day! I expect your homework well and on time, am I understood?”

“Yes ma’am.” Kotone fought the urge to salute as she made her way to the door, pulling it open and glancing back at her teacher. “Thanks again, Elly.”

“As I said before, Kotone. For the sake of my daughter…” Elly sighed, slumping back in her chair and smiling weakly. “Thank you.”

Chapter Text

^{“Hey girl, wanna help me study? I hear chicks like a man with knowledge.”}

^{“Hey, what ever happened to those Moonlit Thieves guys? I haven’t heard from them in a while.”}

^{“Spiritual enlightenment is possible! You just need to be willing to wait for it!”}

Friday, May 27^th 2016.

The Day of the Second Treasure

Gal’s plan had worked like a charm.

No sooner had Wildcard approached the door than it had opened, the once impenetrable path clearing way for her and the rest of the Thieves to breach deeper into the Palace. From there, it was just a matter of making it through the rest of Moriyama’s now undeniably hivelike tower, until they reached the great crystal ball at the top. There, at its center, a great machine of hexagonal metal chugged, golden honey feeding into it as it worked away at some unknowable purpose.

 That wasn’t what was important, however. What the Thieves truly cared for, was the glowing ball of energy that sat atop the machine, an unformed Treasure just waiting to manifest.

“That energy…” Gal held a hand up to her visor, frowning as Ellen Smiff manifested behind her. “That’s the Treasure?”

“Yep.” Wildcard smiled up at the ball, tilting her head. “Now all we need to do is send Moriyama the calling card, and bam! Treasure.”

“Whoah.” Gal seemed amazed for a moment, taking it all in. Then she frowned. “Um. How are we going to do that?”

“Simple, we’ll…” Feather blinked, looking around as if searching for an answer. She scratched her head. “We’ll uh… hey, that’s actually a good point. How are we going to send Moriyama the calling card anyways?”

“Eh, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Plebe shrugged, putting his hands behind his head and leaning on them. “It can’t be too hard, right?”

“Right.” Wildcard put a hand on Gal’s shoulder, smiling reassuringly. “We’ll make sure she sees it. And then, we’ll steal her Treasure just like that. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” Gal swallowed, her face shifting into a determined smile. “Sounds good.”

“Alright everyone.” Wildcard looked around at her friends, a big smile on her face. “Hope you’re ready. Because tomorrow night, we’ll be right back here.”

And we’ll be taking this Treasure for ourselves.

Saturday, May 28^th 2016.

The Day of the Second Heist

Kotone wasn’t sure about this plan really.

Despite her assurances, getting a card to Moriyama was turning out to be more of a challenge than she’d anticipated. They knew where the woman lived and worked, of course, but actually getting a hold of her was proving difficult. Their first idea had involved plastering her home and office with calling cards, but that would have taken too much work for their timescale and risked them being caught in the act. It also wouldn’t have exactly been quiet, which was a mixed bag in and of itself.

So that plan was out.

Still, as far as plan B’s went… crouching in a dark alleyway and waiting for a teenage girl to walk by on her way home wasn’t the most comfortable option as far as Kotone was concerned. But Fuuka had promised that Natsuki took this path every day, and that if they wanted her mom to get the calling card, this was the best way to do it.

It didn’t mean Kotone had to feel great about it, even as the Thieves caught sight of Natsuki walking down the alleyway alone from their place in the shadows. Oh well. Too late to back out now.

“Natsuki Moriyama.” Feather Green stepped out into the open behind the girl, her face hidden beneath the distinctive avian mask. Unlike her teammates before, Fuuka had taken extra precaution to hide her identity. She wore a hoodie alongside her mask, covering her hair beneath its unassuming hood. She’d straightened out her posture too, standing tall and distinct from her usual shrunken up stance. For all intents and purposes she was a whole other person standing there in the alleyway, calling card in hand as her friend turned to face her in surprise. “I have a message for you.”

“Wh-what?” Natsuki’s eyes widened, her hand going to her bag to pull out a can of pepper spray. “Wh-who are you?! Get back, I’m not afraid to defend myself!”

“I’m not here to hurt you.” Feather Green shook her head, taking a reassuring step back. “My name is Green. I’m with the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts.”

“The… the Moonlit Thieves?” Natsuki hesitated, lowering the pepper spray from in front of her. “Wh-what do you want from me? You already stole my heart, didn’t you? I-I can tell, I… I’ve been so awful, and you made me see that, so… wh-what do you want?”

“We want to help you.” Feather Green held up the calling card for the other girl to see, the white stationary glimmering faintly in the sliver of daylight that shone down from above. “Your mother. Yuka Moriyama. We’re going to take her heart as well.”

“My mom?” Natsuki’s jaw dropped, her body shaking ever so slightly as she stared at the card. “You’re… you’re going to sav- target my mom?”

“We are.” Feather Green nodded, holding out the card for Natsuki to take. “And we need your help to do it.”

“My help? No, I… I can’t, I…” Despite her words, Natsuki stepped closer, staring at the card in Feather Green’s hands. She seemed to be trying to convince herself more than the Moonlit Thief. “I can’t. My mom would never forgive me.”

“She will. After we steal her heart, you won’t need to worry about that again.” Feather Green didn’t move. Didn’t push. She just held out the card, inviting Natsuki to take it. “I promise.”

“A promise from a thief isn’t-“ Natsuki groaned, averting her eyes. She hesitated for another moment before marching up to Feather Green and snatching the card from her hands. “Wh-what do I do with it?”

“Just make sure she sees it. That’s all.” Feather Green nodded, taking another step back and away. “Thank you, Natsuki.”

“Whatever. It’s not like I’m doing this for you or me or anything.” Natsuki huffed, tucking her card in her pocket and turning away. “There’s just… I have a friend who this’d help a lot. So I’m doing it for her. Don’t get a big head about it, okay?”

“I…” For the briefest moment, Feather Green faltered, her voice wavering and her stance slouching. Then she got it under control, standing tall and proud once more. “Thank you. We’ll do right by you, and by your friend.”

“You better.” Natsuki walked off, not looking back. “I’d look pretty stupid if you didn’t.”

And then she turned the corner, and she was gone.

Kotone waited a few seconds before sliding out of the darkness where she was hiding, smiling broadly as she patted her friend on the shoulder. “Great job!”

“Th-thanks…” Fuuka slouched, lifting up her mask and sniffling. A tear streaked down her face, her eyes locked on where Natsuki had vanished. “God…”

“Fuuka?” Aigis peeked over Kotone’s shoulder, frowning. “Are you cr-“

“N-no! These masks are sweaty, that’s a-all…” Fuuka reached up, wiping her eyes and turning away. “C-come on… we need to go change her mom’s heart.”

“Yeah.” Kotone reached forward, squeezing Fuuka’s hand as they turned to walk in the opposite direction from where Natsuki had gone. The girl smiled back at her, her eyes still puffy as she reached up to wipe away another tear. “We do.”

---

Natsuki had pulled through. As soon as the Moonlit Thieves entered the Palace they could feel the difference in the air. The hexagonal tower had been lit up in shades of red and orange, the screens outside flashing in intermittent colors as the Thieves approached, the previous lines and graphs lost to the panic in Moriyama’s heart.

“Looks like she knows.” Wildcard grinned, gripping her poleaxe tight as she advanced on the front door. “Alright then. Let’s get to work everyone!”

Forward they went into the Palace, their coats and capes trailing in the wind behind them as they advanced. They cut through the first level of the Palace like butter, the Shadows falling by the wayside. At first it seemed simple, a clear path between them and the Treasure just like with Ekoda’s Palace. That changed as soon as they moved to ascend to the next level.

There was something different about the chasm at the center of Moriyama’s Palace, a strange red fog rising from far below. Wildcard paused, the exhilaration of the heist faltering somewhat as she watched the strange miasma rise around their bridge.

“Hey dude, why are we…” Plebe slowed to a stop behind her, his eyes widening as he noticed the disturbance. “The hell?”

“Hey, uh, Ribbon.” Wildcard glanced at her teammate, uncertain as the fog curled around them. “Do you know what this is? Should we be worried?”

“There are some things better left forgotten.” Ribbon’s mask flashed yellow as she looked into the fog, a frown on her face. “There are relics of the past found in the depths of cognition that are better not disturbed. Our goal remains upwards, we should not concern ourselves with what lies below.”

“Uh…” Wildcard blinked. That… wasn’t exactly reassuring. “Huh.”

“I… agree with Ribbon.” Gal shivered, “Whatever’s down there is… it won’t hurt anyone if we don’t mess with it, but if we do, it could be bad. Very bad.”

“Sheesh.” Feather twirled an arrow in her hand uncomfortably, speedwalking across the bridge so she didn’t have to stay teetering over oblivion. “Palaces just keep getting weirder and weirder, huh?”

“Yeah.” Wildcard shook her head, striding forth and drawing her pistol. “Come on, let’s not get caught up. We still have a job to do, right?”

“Right!”

Though their momentum had faltered somewhat by the strange fog, the Thieves kept climbing. There weren’t any more surprises between them and the Treasure room, the strange machine still standing in the center with their prize awaiting them at the top: A simple honeypot. Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but Wildcard hadn’t been expecting the Treasure to be so… plain.

Oh well.

“Hell yeah!” Plebe pumped his fist, starting his approach toward the machine. “Let’s do this!”

“Wait, c’mon, seriously?” Feather grabbed his arm, shaking her head. “This is so obviously a trap. Like it’s not even funny how much of a trap this is.”

“Well, yeah, probably.” Plebe paused, shrugging. “But it’s not like we can’t not take the Treasure, right? I’m sure we can handle it.”

“He’s got you there, Feather.” Wildcard drew her pistol, holding it carefully as she cocked her head and gestured for the others to advance alongside her. “If Moriyama’s got a surprise waiting for us, we might as well face it head on!”

“Wh-“ Feather stomped her foot as she followed the others. “He absolutely does not have me there, this is a stupid plan!”

“You’re not wrong, but like…” Wildcard paused, turning to face Feather and shrugging. “Do you have a better one?”

“I-“

Before Feather could continue, the machine at the center of the room suddenly hissed to life, steam venting from its exhaust ports as the machinery roared. Honey began to pump through its pipes, the golden liquid within the machine flowing along the cracks in the hexagonal floor beneath them.

“Alert.” Ribbon jumped forward, standing between the team and the machine. “Yuka Moriyama’s Shadow is activating def-“

Once again they were interrupted, this time by the sound of rumbling. Ribbon took another step forward, prepared for whatever came their way.

And then she was flung straight up into the air.

The ground beneath the robotic girl rocketed upwards, a single hexagon shooting toward the ceiling at lightning speed. Ribbon went with it, the acceleration sending her flying as the hexagon came to a stop, leaving a pillar in front of the Thieves and one of their friends careening through the air above them.

“Ribbon!” Wildcard gasped, taking a step back as the other girl twisted in the air, looking to find balance. “Shit!”

“I will be alright.” Ribbon steadied herself, flipping around and controlling her fall so she could land on her feet just behind the other Thieves. “Please be aware that Yuka Moriyama appears to have control of the local terrain.”

“That’s right!” Several of the hexagons in the floor around the Thieves fell away to darkness below, from which emerged a squadron of Shadows. They were now unmistakably bee-like, fluttering upwards on wiry wings as they began to circle the Thieves. At their head, a large Shadow flew forth, its face a monitor. Moriyama’s Shadow sneered down at them from beyond the screen, now too also distinctly resembling a humanoid sort of bee. “You Thieves have made it too far already. No farther! This is my hive! This is my future! I will not have it be stolen by a band of common thugs!”

The golden honey sparked beneath their feet, glowing ominously as the terrain around them began to shift. The hexagonal pieces that made up the floor of the Treasure room started to rise and fall, some ascending and some descending in random patterns as the vast flat space turned suddenly from an open battlefield into a labyrinth of shifting pillars and sudden drops.

Uh oh.

“Look out!” Gal gasped, grabbing Wildcard and yanking her back before the hexagon she was on dropped into oblivion “It’s… there’s so many signals, I-I can barely tell which sections are going to do what next!”

“It’s okay!” Feather put a hand on Gal’s shoulder, squeezing it gently as her other hand moved to pull free her mask. “You and Ellen Smiff can also control it, right? Just focus on keeping the area around us as clear as you can, we’ll protect you!”

“Hell yeah gal!” Pleb nodded in agreement, slashing at one of the nearby Shadows as Spartacus sent a burst of brilliant energy toward another. “Feather and I have got your back, don’t worry!”

“Ribbon, that means you and me!” Wildcard pulled back the hammer on her pistol, nodding toward the other girl. “We need to get to the Treasure and destroy that machine, got it?”

“Affirmative.” Ribbon nodded, splitting left as Wildcard split right, their opposing paths diverting the attention of Moriyama’s Shadow and her minions. “Moving!”

“Just hold out for a little bit!” Gal clutched her hands to her chest as Ellen Smiff spread her arms, the two working in concert to slow the chaos around them and cut a path forward to the Treasure. “Moriyama’s Shadow is using most of her energy to try and keep this up! We just need to outlast her!”

“On it!” Wildcard darted forth, sinking her poleaxe into one Shadow and blowing away another with her pistol. She didn’t have a second to spare however, jumping away as the floor dropped below her feet her and a line of pillars shot up just behind her. “Shit!”

“You’re a useless fool, you damn Thief!” Moriyama’s Shadow buzzed above her as another line of pillars shot up in front of Wildcard, blocking her progress and forcing her to run to the side lest the floor drop out beneath her. “This is my hive. Everything within it is under my control. No matter how much you struggle, you simply don’t belong here!”

Wildcard skidded to a halt as another pillar shot up in front of her, blocking her path forward. She turned, facing Moriyama’s Shadow as the bee descended to be at her level, the Thief silent in the face of the golden-eyed woman’s victorious smile.

“You’re pathetic.” Moriyama laughed, leaning her cheek against her hand. “You can only reach my level through using people beneath you, you know that right? A hive needs a queen. And what do you have instead, a team? A bitch, an idiot, a freak, and a useless tool. It’s no wonder you lost.”

“We haven’t lost, Moriyama. We won’t lose. Because where you see tools… I see the people that are going to make sure you’re beaten!” Wildcard gripped her poleaxe, her whole body tensing up on the spot. “Gal, now!”

“On it!” Gal’s voice echoed through the Palace, the golden honey below turning suddenly cyan as a surge of power rolled through the space. “I’m sorry Mrs. Moriyama, but I need to protect the people I care about. My mom… and Natsuki too! Your Treasure is ours!”

The hexagon beneath Moriyama’s Shadow shot upwards, striking her in the stomach and sending her reeling. In the same moment, Kotone surged forth, striking upwards with her poleaxe and slashing the screen across its length. Moriyama yelled in anger, the display flickering to darkness as the chaos around them suddenly slowed to a halt. From the shattered screen a mask fell, clattering to the ground in front of Wildcard. It was dual-colored, split down the middle with one side wreathed in roses and the other in darkest shadow. From the mask a woman appeared, her form paradoxical and impossible to truly define, her very self seeming to split the reality around them.

“The strangest things happen to you in the strangest worlds, oh guardian of the paradox.” The woman smiled at Wildcard, her midnight black dress flourishing around her as she took a bow. “We have walked together in the nature of the impossible twice before. It would be an honor to do so again.”

The mask shot up, fusing to Wildcard’s soul and filling her very self with the nature of what couldn’t be. She grinned, inhaling and using her poleaxe to push herself upright once more. They weren’t done yet.

“Persephone!” Wildcard cast aside her mask, Anne Bonny and Persephone both flourishing by her side. “Show them the impossible!”

The hexagon below Wildcard shot upwards, sending her and her Personae flying into the air. She cast her hand forward, commanding their strength in one fell swoop as she surveyed the battlefield. A surge of black fire rolled over the remaining Shadows, darkness and flame mixing together as one and sending the last of Moriyama’s defenses scattering to oblivion. The machine at the center of the room burst as well, the blue light of Gal’s power overloading it from within as Wildcard dropped onto one of the descending pillars and was lowered slowly to the ground. The honeypot was sent flying by the blast, skidding across the floor and rolling right to Wildcard’s feet. She grinned, reaching down and holding up the Treasure triumphantly.

“Well.” Wildcard cocked her head, throwing her poleaxe over her shoulder and marching back over to her friends. “Guess that’s done with, huh?”

“Wait!” The screen that Wildcard had shattered flickered to life, Moriyama’s Shadow peering desperately through the cracked screen and broken pixels to stare at the assembled Thieves. “This wasn’t what I was promised!”

“Promised?” Wildcard paused, turning back to face the Shadow. “What do you mean promised?”

“That rogue. The one with the mask!” Moriyama’s Shadow pressed her palms against the screen, the cracks in the display slowly spreading even further across it. “He said that as long as I did what he asked, he’d protect me! Where is he now? How could he let a bunch of worthless Thieves like you take my Treasure?”

“Who is she talking about?” Feather furrowed her brow, staring at the Shadow as more and more of the screen grew corrupted. “Was someone else here before us?”

“Th-there definitely hasn’t been anyone here since I Awakened.” Gal wrung her hands, biting her cheek as she looked around. “But… I-I really don’t know about before that.”

“Moriyama.” Wildcard handed the Treasure to Ribbon, taking a step back toward the Shadow. “Who are you talking about? Who’s the one with the mask?”

“It doesn’t matter. If he’s forsaken me, then there’s nothing left for me to gain.” Moriyama’s Shadow closed her eyes, the dead pixels spreading to nearly swallow her whole. “One thing I do know for sure… he’s stronger than a bunch of worthless Thieves like you could ever be.” The screen’s tears nearly swallowed her whole, leaving nothing but a single golden eye to open and gaze back at the Thieves. “And that’s a fact.”

Then the floor opened beneath her, the darkness roared, and Moriyama’s Shadow vanished back into her greater self, leaving nothing but echoes and the memories of her words behind.

“…come on.” Wildcard shivered, turning away. “Let’s get out of here already.”

Mission Complete:

Hive of Greed Cleared!

Chapter Text

^{“What’s going on with the economy?”}

^{“Don’t worry kitten.”}

^{“Okay. Yay.”}

?????

???

“Okay…” Merope’s voice was the first thing Kotone heard as her eyes snapped open, exertion and annoyance mixing in turn as the Wildcard pushed herself into a sitting position within the endless foggy void. “This is just ridiculous!”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked, shaking her head to try and adjust to the strange air of the Velvet Room as she turned to the residents who dwelled there. “What are you-“

Her words died on her lips as she caught sight of Igor in his usual grinning place, and more importantly Merope standing beside him, stacked high with more trinkets and struggling to balance them all. A cloak, a spinning wheel, a cup, a ball shimmering faintly like the moon, and another shining bright like the sun. The Attendant was scowling, rocking back and forth as she tried to make sure none of it fell to the darkness below.

“You have been forging many bonds, Wildcard.” Igor’s silky-smooth voice was nonplussed as he crossed his hands in front of him, seemingly uncaring to the way his Attendant struggled. “They’ve doubtlessly given you power. Another Palace cleared, another heart changed, another destiny tied back onto fate’s thread. You’re doing a commendable job.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Kotone shrugged, mostly choosing to ignore Igor and instead focusing on Merope. “Hey, do you need help with that?”

“It’s your fault I have so many of these anyways.” Even behind all the trinkets, Kotone could see the Attendant roll her eyes. “…but, sure. If my Master commands it.”

“Do as you wish, Wildcard.” Igor waved his hand dismissively. “Fate shall guide you regardless in the end.”

“…okay. I’m happy to help, so… y’know.” Kotone frowned at Igor, taking a hold of the first object, the glowing gold ball. It was warm to the touch, but not overly hot as she set it down on the desk beside her previous bonds. “Which one is this?”

“What are you, stupid?” Merope blinked. “She’s the Sun, what else? You helped her with her friend, and then she helped you with her friend’s mom. She’s still got a long way to go though, so you’ll probably need the help of…” Merope bumped forward slightly, trying to push the wheel forth with her chin. It didn’t go particularly well, the wheel teetering ever so slightly but refusing to budge. “Crap. Come on you stupid- you know which one I mean, right?”

“Fortune?” Kotone took the wheel, setting it upright next to the Sun. “That’d be… Elly then?”

“I don’t know their names, just that they’re your bonds.” Merope rolled her eyes. “But yeah. She’s weird. In a different kind of way.”

“She holds memories of a time once left forgotten.” Igor tapped his fingers against the desk, a mysterious glint in his eyes. “And yet, she remains everfocused on the present. A strange woman, wouldn’t you say?”

“And she’s not the only weirdo.” Merope reached up with her suddenly freer hand, placing the moonlike ball into the cup and holding the pair out to Kotone. “Your Moon wants you to help people, but doesn’t actually know how you do it. And your Temperance wants to help people on his own, but he’s going to get himself killed doing it.”

“Saori, and… Akinari.” Kotone frowned at Merope’s judgement of the pair, setting the two down on the desk beside one another. That just left the cloak, though with her hands now unburdened by anything else, Merope appeared to have elected to try and do her best to conceal it between her crossed arms. “What’s that last one?”

“Huh? What last one?” Merope scowled, crossing her arms tighter. “There’s no last one, don’t be stupid.”

“Merope.” Igor’s voice dropped an octave as he turned in his chair, staring daggers at his Attendant. Though his expression didn’t change, Kotone could feel the temperature drop around her by the simple weight of his will. “Behave.”

“I-“ Merope was stunlocked for a moment, staring back at her Master. Then, with a quiet groan, she uncrossed her arms and held out the cloak, refusing to meet Kotone’s eyes as she did. “F-fine. Your Hermit. Which is a stupid Arcana that makes no sense by the way, and you should just ignore anyhow.”

“The Hermit…” Kotone frowned as she took the cloak, folding it gently and draping across the far end of the desk. “That’s… you?”

“I told you I don’t know their names!” Merope huffed, recrossing her arms and turning away. “You can figure it out, you’re the Wildcard, aren’t you?”

“Though your Attendant’s words are crude, she speaks true.” Igor tilted his head at Kotone. “Your bonds are contracts between you and fate. You alone can find and forge them.”

“And strengthen them. Don’t forget strengthening them.” Merope glanced at the cloak for a brief moment before shaking her head and looking away. “That’s also important.”

“It all is. There are many cards that have yet to find their way into your deck, Wildcard. Many allies to be made against the uncertainty that lies unbound from fate.” The edges of Kotone’s vision began to cloud with darkness, Igor’s lilting voice following her even as she blinked back awake in her bed. “I look forward to seeing just who you add next.”

Sunday, May 29^th 2016.

The Day of the Regroup

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

awfuuk: Hey!

awfuuk: There’s great news.

awfuuk: Mrs. Moriyama just sent my mom a message apologizing for everything.

awfuuk: She said she’s going to be donating all the money she got from trading, and that she’s going to try to make things right with Natsuki!

phonetone: !!!

phonetone: That’s great Fuuka!

supdude:  hell yeah gal!!!!!!!!!

sweaterweather: Nice

sweaterweather: So that’s that, right?

phonetone: Aigis says it should be, yeah.

phonetone: That’s another target wrapped, good work everyone!

awfuuk: Yay!

sweaterweather: Perfect!

supdude: we should celebrate. beef bowls?

phonetone: You just wanna have beef bowls again. :P

supdude: well yeah, they’re the best

supdude: we should make it a tradition, we get a target, we get beef bowls!

awfuuk: That sounds like a great idea!

phonetone: Hell yeah!

sweaterweather: I guess if everyone else wants to

supdude: aw, it’s okay yukatan, you can admit you love them too

sweaterweather: >:(

sweaterweather: I wouldn’t say I love them. They’re not bad

phonetone: I think that’s Yukari for “I do love them.” :P

sweaterweather: Hey, not you too!

awfuuk: :D

awfuuk: When should we go?

supdude: ah crap, I forgot about that part

supdude: we got that park cleanup thing tomorrow, right?

supdude: then the social studies trip on Friday

awfuuk: You mean the visit to the stations? I picked the radio one.

sweaterweather: Wait, that’s this week?

sweaterweather: I totally forgot

supdude: hah, see, I’m not the only one!

sweaterweather: >:(

phonetone: So, not this week, got it.

phonetone: How about next Monday? Sound good?

supdude: sure dude

sweaterweather: Sounds good to me

awfuuk: Of course!

phonetone: Nice! Guess I’ll see you all at the park cleanup tomorrow then!

Monday, May 30^th 2016.

The Day of the Park Cleanup

Kotone woke up bright and early for the park cleanup. She was already out the door by the time Mr. Kitamura came to open up shop, the two passing each other with polite hellos and a good day. Kotone would have probably stopped to help any other day, but Mr. Kitamura seemed rather upbeat and she didn’t want to be late to the cleanup.

So, of course as soon as she reached the station, her train would be delayed.

Kotone tapped her foot, a frown on her face as people crowded around the subway platform around her, the faint sound of the apologetic PA all but lost in the collective annoyance of a crowd who had been damned to inevitably be late.

^{“I heard it was another psychotic breakdown. The station manager went nuts and attacked someone!”}

^{“For real? Why’d he do that?”}

^{“What do you think is scarier, a mental shutdown or a psychotic breakdown?”}

“What’s the difference between them anyways?” Kotone grumbled mostly to herself, peering down the tracks for whenever the next train was meant to arrive. She was glad she was at the front of the line, at least. “A mental shutdown and a psychotic breakdown sound the same to me.”

“There is a key difference.” Aigis poked her head out of Kotone’s bag, looking up toward the speaker for the PA. “A psychotic breakdown is a temporary total breakdown of an individual’s self-control and psyche. They become animalistic, and aggressive. A mental shutdown is similar to what would occur if a person’s Shadow was killed. Rather than be temporarily broken, an individual’s psyche would collapse entirely, leaving them functionally braindead.”

“Like if someone’s Shadow was killed…” Kotone frowned. She really didn’t like the implications of that. “Hey, how do you know all that anyways?”

“There was a TV spot on it while you were preparing for school.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “It was highly informative.”

“…right. Well, either way it freaks me out.” Kotone adjusted her bag on her shoulder, pursing her lips uncomfortably. “If it’s like what happens when someone’s Shadow dies… does that mean we could do something similar if we’re not careful?”

“It is possible, yes.” Aigis tilted her head strangely, her display turning thoughtful. “However, due to the nature of cognition, you are unlikely to ever accidentally kill a Shadow. It requires distinct intention from a Persona user to do so.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.” Kotone sighed. “But if it’s something that someone could do using the Other World, wouldn’t that mean-“

Kotone was interrupted by a rumbling sound, followed by a faint cheer as the subway turned the corner down the tracks and the PA happily announced that the next train was arriving. She shoved back any thoughts that might be down that unpleasant road, standing up straight and waiting for the subway to roll to a stop.

It was then she realized the extra problem that came with the delay.

This was about to be the most crowded subway car she’d ever ridden in her whole life.

---

By the time Kotone reached the park, she was already sweaty and mentally drained. She had been hoping to track down her friends so they could work together, but she’d barely made it out of the changing rooms before the Kirijo girl (she was pretty sure her brother had called her Mitsuru?) caught sight of her and threw a wrench into things.

“Shiomi. You’re late.” Mitsuru (that was definitely her name) frowned, gesturing her over as she looked down at her clipboard. “I have your group assignment. You’ll be with Tomochika, Yoshino, and Natsuhara. Your area is by the duck boats.”

“Teams are assigned?” Kotone winced. Well crap. There went the plan of finding her friends. “Uh, alright. Thank you.”

“Is there a problem?” Mitsuru quirked an eyebrow, her gaze even and measured. For some reason Kotone felt the urge to shiver. It felt like the older girl was sizing her up somehow, evaluating her just like she had the first time they’d met. Was she just like that normally, or was there something about Kotone she was trying to figure out? “You can be honest with me, Shiomi. The Student Council is here to help.”

“Uh, right. No, I’m good.” Now Kotone did shiver. Something about the girl’s words sent alarm bells ringing in her mind, though she couldn’t place her finger on what or why. Instead she just turned away. “The duck boats you said?”

“That’s right.” Mitsuru frowned. Kotone could swear the girl was staring her as she went, her eyes boring into the underclassman’s back. “Remember. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

Kotone nodded noncommittally as she ever so slightly increased her pace, all but speedwalking away from the girl until she turned down the path to the duck boats and was finally able to breathe.

“Kotone, are you alright?” Aigis peeked out of her bag. patting the girl gently on the shoulder. “You seem distressed.”

“Something about her throws me off.” Kotone shook her head, glancing back in the girl’s direction before shaking her head. “She isn’t like any other Student Council president I’ve met before, I don’t really know what to make of-“

“Are you talking about Ms. Kirijo?” A girl’s voice interrupted Kotone, sending Aigis falling back into a bag as the Wildcard’s walk came to a sudden halt. An auburn-haired girl stood in front of her, her fists clenched in front of her chest as she stared at Kotone expectantly. “Is she going to join our group? Please tell me she’s going to join our group!”

“You’re dreaming Eri. They’re groups of four, remember?” A brown-haired boy smiled cheekily from where he was leaning next to the shed that housed the life jackets for the duck boats. “The transfer here’s our last member.”

“Awwwwww!” The girl, Eri, stomped her foot. “C’mon, so our team is me, the class creep, the new kid, and…” Eri trailed off, glancing to the side where Chidori was sat, her legs crossed in front of her as she worked on some sort of sketch. “Yoshino?”

“Hey, I resent that! I’m not a creep!” The boy huffed, pushing off the shed and approaching Kotone. He offered his hand. “Hey, nice to meet you. The name’s Kenji Tomochika. Are you single?”

“Um.” Kotone blinked, just staring at the hand. “What?”

“Oh, not for dating reasons or anything.” Kenji backtracked, taking his hand and using it to fix his hair in a decidedly unsmooth motion. “I just wanted to know. I’m making a pool, y’see, and-“

“Creep!” Eri stomped her foot, glaring at the boy. “Total creep!”

“We should get started.” Chidori stood up suddenly, stowing her notebook and looking expectantly between the other three. “We don’t have time to waste.”

“She seems to pay attention more than she lets on.”

You think she stopped that conversation on purpose?

“Aye. Not quite as effective as the three of you punching him in his idiot gob, but still commendable.”

Kotone didn’t need to hear any more than that, quickly grabbing one of the grabbers and plastic bags that had been set by the shed and getting to work. Fortunately, Tomochika seemed to have already moved on from her, heading off to work on his own. Eri didn’t seem satisfied by that, choosing to keep a safe distance from him to ‘make sure he actually did something other than be a creepo’ by her words. That left Kotone and Chidori together, working away at the (genuinely alarming) heaps of trash that had piled up by the shed.

“Metis.” Chidori’s voice surprised Kotone as she worked, if only because the other girl hadn’t even looked up from the pile of trash she was tackling to talk to her. “You’ve been talking with her recently.”

“Uh, yeah.” Kotone paused, frowning. She and Metis had been hanging out a bit more recently, mostly over lunch. It was nice. “She’s cool. I like her.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Chidori stared at a bottle she’d scavenged from the pile, before tossing it over her shoulder and into her bag. “She deserves a friend.”

“And now she’s got at least two.” Kotone grinned, trying to bring some levity to things. Chidori spoke with a sort of detachedness that was hard to pin down. Very different from Metis, but opposites attract and all that. “Right?”

“Mh.” Chidori still didn’t look up. “For now.”

“Huh?” Kotone paused, turning to face Chidori. “If you’re saying I’m going to abandon her something, you should know I’m not. I wouldn’t do that.”

“I didn’t mean you.” Chidori shook her head, sparing Kotone a single grey-eyed glance. “Metis does what she cares to. It makes sense for her to move on from the old to find something new.”

“So… you mean you?” Kotone frowned. “Nuh uh, no way! She adores you, she wouldn’t leave you like that.”

“Everything leaves. Beauty is ephemeral.” Chidori shrugged, lifting a crushed beer can and inspecting it under the light of the midmorning sun. “I learned a long time ago to appreciate it for what it is in the moment, and let it go once it was done.”

“Hey, who said anything about that?” Kotone paused, turning to the girl. “Just because we’re friends now too doesn’t mean you two aren’t going to be close anymore!”

“It’s just how things are.” Chidori shook her head, tossing the can into her bag and shouldering it. “That should be everything here. Come, there’s more by the shore.”

Kotone frowned, watching the girl walk off without another word. She picked up the last energy bar wrapper stuck in the grass at her feet, dropping in the bag and silently following after Chidori.

She doesn’t know how lucky she has it. I’d have killed for a friend as loyal as Metis when I was younger.

“Maybe she does know, lass. Maybe that’s what scares her.”

What? No, I’d get that sorta attitude if she didn’t have anyone like I did, but she has Metis! And Metis is awesome!

Anne Bonny said nothing back. Great. Kotone sighed, grumbling as she followed after Chidori.

This really wasn’t turning out to be her day, was it?

---

The morning came and went, and by the time lunch came around, Kotone’s mood had turned, if only a bit. They’d made some decent progress cleaning the park, which was a good feeling in and of itself, and she couldn’t help but smile when Elly had tried to cut the tofu for the soup with a shockingly real looking rapier. Still, it was nice to relax on a bench on her lonesome and have an opportunity to just sit and enjoy her lunch for a peaceful moment.

A peaceful moment that was subsequently shattered when the girl from before, Eri, marched right up to her looking like she’d smelled something awful.

“He’s such a freaking creepo!” Eri dropped onto the bench next to Kotone, her soup sloshing around in her bowl and nearly spilling. Kotone instinctively shifted her bag to the other side, making sure that none of the miso got into Aigis’ circuits by accident. “The Moonlit Thieves should take his heart or something!”

“Who, Tomochika?” Kotone frowned, glancing over in the direction Eri had just come. Kenji was over there trying to chat with a gaggle of girls, none of whom seemed interested in giving him the time of day. That didn’t seem to be dissuading him, however. Which was more than a little ew. “He’s definitely icky. But is that enough to be a target? Also, hi.”

“Hi. Sorry, can I sit here?” Eri didn’t actually wait for a response before groaning and leaning back on the bench. “And he should definitely be targeted! He’s the creepiest guy ever, he’s had 14 complaints filed against him this year alone. 14! That’s ridiculous!”

“Really?” Kotone frowned, appraising the boy from a distance. “That’s a lot. Shouldn’t he have been suspended or something by now?”

“No duh! But his parents are friends with Oohashi or something, it’s gross.” Eri groaned, covering her face with her hands. “Ms. Kirijo is doing everything she can to make sure he doesn’t keep getting away with this, but even she’s not perfect! Well, actually, she is perfect, but- ugh!”

“So Oohashi’s just willing to turn a blind eye?” Kotone frowned, thinking. “That’s messed up.”

It does sound like a worthy target though. Two, actually.

“Aye, lass. Going after the Capn’ and the bilge rats he protects.”

I’ll tell the rest of the team later. They should be onboard.

“Shujin sucks. It sucks that you were transferred here.” Eri groaned, lolling her head and sighing. “I wish I went to Kosei. They’re the right kind of weirdoes over there.”

“Hey, it’s not so bad. I’ve made some good friends.” Kotone shrugged, smiling reassuringly. “And there are plenty of right kind of weirdoes here too, right?”

“Maybe. I guess you’re not giving me shit right out of the gate for stuff, which is definitely a little weird.” Eri sighed, deflating. She glanced at Kotone for a moment, before looking away. “Sorry for being so disappointed about you joining our team earlier. I guess it was a pipe dream that Ms. Kirijo would want to muck around in the dirt with me.”

“I don’t think so. She seems like a sensible girl, she probably trusted you to keep the rest of us in line.” Kotone grinned, bumping Eri gently with her shoulder and offering her hand. “Nice to meet you by the way. I’m Kotone Shiomi.”

“Oh right. Yeah. Eri Natsuhara. Head of the newspaper club, and Shujin’s premier weirdo.” Eri gasped softly, shaking Kotone’s hand. “You better not be competing with me for the title!”

“Not on purpose.” Kotone winked, snorting. “I’m glad you seem cool.”

“I think cool’s the last word people would use for me actually.” Eri huffed, a smile nonetheless on her lips. “Hey new kid, do you make a habit of cheering people up?”

“…more and more recently, actually.” Kotone giggled, shaking her head. “I’m still not really used to it.”

“Well, you’re good at it. So. Boom.” Eri pushed herself to her feet, cradling her soup to her chest and frowning. “I’m going to see if Ms. Kirijo needs any help. Or moral support. Or anything like that. It was good meeting you Kotone!”

“Good meeting you too.” Kotone grinned at the girl, settling back into a comfortable sitting position as she watched her march off. “…I hope Merope isn’t mad at me, because that was definitely a new bond, right?”

“A new bond?” Aigis pushed her head out of Kotone’s bag, blinking at her curiously. “To what does that refer?”

“…I’ll explain one day. When you’re older.” Kotone giggled, blowing gently on her soup and raising her bowl to her lips. “Right now…”

Right now, I kinda just want to eat some soup.

Chapter Text

^{“I’m just so sick of him.”}

^{“Why not attend a sermon at a local temple? I’m going!”}

^{“I would die for the Second Detective Prince! He’s so cool!”}

Wednesday, June 1^st 2016.

Day of Kenji’s Heart Change

“You just don’t understand!” Glass shattered against the ornate parlor walls of Kenji Tomochika’s distortion, the old Victorian wallpaper shredding as his Shadow slammed a magnifying glass into it. He was backed into a corner by the Thieves, his protective Shadows having been thoroughly dispatched by Feather and Ribbon. “My work is crucial to the field of anthropology! I must complete my studies!”

“Your studies are creepy and gross.” Feather scowled as she nocked another arrow, pointing it straight at the Shadow’s heart. “Now hand over the Will Seed already, sheesh.”

“No! Never! It’s key to my research!” Kenji’s Shadow shrunk in on himself, clutching the strange artifact closer to his chest with his free hands. “This is the only way I’ll understand girls! This is how masculine science will evolve!”

“Man, Kenji…” Plebe cringed as he looked around the parlor, pure and evident disgust on his face. “Once your heart gets changed, you need to get some help dude. This isn’t normal. In like a really messed up way.”

“D-don’t say that! Come on now, you’re a gentleman scholar aren’t you!” Kenji’s Shadow looked desperately toward Plebe, his hand still locked tight around his Will Seed. “You understand, don’t you? You’re just like me, you want to study girls just like I do!”

“Aw dude, c’mon, don’t say that.” Plebe winced, shaking his head and glancing “I’m not like that. You know I’m not like that, right?”

“It’s okay Plebe, we know. You’re not the one who needs his heart stolen.” Gal nodded, her hands clasped tight in front of her. “Kenji, please. You’ll never understand girls if you treat us like wild animals, okay? It’s wrong.”

“You-“ Kenji’s Shadow scowled one last time, before the fight seemingly left him and he let the Will Seed drop to the floor in front of him. “But… how am I supposed to know what girls like if…”

“Just try talking to them, maybe? And not in…” Wildcard gestured around the room, smiling as reassuringly as she could considering the pure creepiness of this place. “…this way? Not like a creepy weirdo, I mean.”

“It…” Kenji’s Shadow blinked once. Twice. Three times, even. “It can’t be that simple.”

“It really is.” Feather sighed, grabbing the Will Seed and turning to the others. “Can we get out of this place already? I really hate it in here.”

“Alright.” Wildcard spared one last glance at the Shadow, shrugging. “Like I said. Talk to people. It’s that simple.”

“It’s that…” Kenji’s Shadow fell to his knees, staring at his hands as he began to fade away. “…simple?”

---

“Great work everyone!” Kotone grinned as she and the others sat crowded around the table at a nearby Wild Duck Burger. It wasn’t the beefbowl place, much to Junpei’s chagrin, but it was a good spot to regroup after getting out of the Other World. “I know he had a lot of requests on the Moonlist, but I didn’t expect his distortion to be that bad. Eugh.”

“I did. Kenji’s always been gross.” Yukari frowned, inspecting the Will Seed in her hand. “Isn’t it weird that these things just stay the same? Why don’t they change into something more normal once we get back out here, like the Treasures do?”

“Will Seeds exist as an intermediary stage.” Aigis pulled herself up onto the table, inspecting the Will Seed. “As they are neither fully distorted, nor fully adherent to their original forms, they remain represented in this middle ground. It has no effect on Kenji Tomochika now that it has been removed, so it is safe to not concern ourselves about.”

“I guess that sort of makes sense.” Fuuka nibbled at her fries, before gasping softly. “Oh right, I was going to ask. What did Mrs. Moriyama’s Treasure end up being?”

“Oh yeah.” Kotone reached into her pocket, pulling out a single ¥1000 note. She almost hadn’t noticed that she’d gotten it after they’d left the Palace, it had been so unobtrusive. The only reason she’d even realized it had been Moriyama’s Treasure was the fact it was an older design printed in 1999. “This is it.”

“Aw man, seriously?” Junpei scratched his head, frowning at the note. “All that for a thousand yen?”

“It is likely significant to her personally.” Aigis turned her attention from the Will Seed to the banknote. “Perhaps it is representative of her first profit made by her own merit?”

“It’s not important now, right?” Yukari plucked the note from Kotone’s hand, setting it down on the table. “I say we should just use it to help pay for lunch.”

“Um.” Fuuka hesitated for a moment, staring at the note. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t it technically… counterfeit?”

“No, that’s…” Kotone paused. Wait, was it? “Uh…”

A sudden silence fell over the table as the five of them considered it. Even Aigis, her display shifting to a thoughtful expression as they pondered the nature of imaginary money from another dimension technically being counterfeit.

“…I vote we just use it and not worry about it anymore.” Junpei nodded severely. “I mean, ‘tone already pays for our supplies and stuff using money we get over there. This isn’t any different, right?”

“Right.” The girls all nodded in agreement, almost perfectly in sync. “Good plan.”

And then they all started giggling, because honestly it was exactly the sort of silly thing you had to take into account after pilfering from the Other World in the first place.

I know we’re doing this to help people and all, but it’s nice that we can have fun with it sometimes too.

“Aye lass. Though you shouldn’t ever forget that this isn’t a game. There’s real danger lurking.”

Right. Crap, I should probably talk about serious things too huh?

“Hey, by the way…” Kotone frowned, a sudden severe look crossing her face. “You know those Mental Shutdowns that keep happening? I was talking with Aigis a couple days ago, and she said that they’re kinda similar to what would happen if someone’s Shadow died.”

“Uh.” Junpei blinked, his smile vanishing from his face. “Dude, what?”

“…sorry, moodkiller.” Kotone coughed awkwardly, looking away. “Just thought it was worth mentioning.”

“Wait, wouldn’t that mean…” Fuuka frowned, suddenly shrinking in on herself. “If Mental Shutdowns happen when a Shadow dies, then someone else is using the Other World to… kill people?”

“It is possible, yes.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “I am not familiar enough with this world to say if there could be a cause endemic solely to this side, but it is certainly a possibility that someone is attacking Shadows in the Other World to cause these incidents.”

“Ugh.” Yukari groaned, crossing her arms in front of her. “Well, that’s just great.”

“Y’think it’s that guy with the mask?” Junpei tapped his head against the table, frowning. “That dude Moriyama mentioned, remember?”

“Maybe… or it could be nothing. It’s just a possibility, that’s all.” Kotone shrugged, hoping to alleviate some of the tension she had brought. She failed, everyone’s faces having turned sour as they considered the possibility. “Sorry. Probably shouldn’t have brought that up, huh?”

“It’s important to talk, I think. About these things.” Fuuka nodded, managing to find some of the optimism that Kotone hadn’t. “Now I know to take extra care when navigating in there. I think we’d have to get pretty unlucky to find them by accident, but just in case.”

“Yeah dude, don’t sweat it. Better to mention it than not, right?” Junpei leaned back in his chair, shrugging. “Now we know. That’s a plus.”

“Exactly.” Yukari glanced out the window, frowning. “Hey, by the way, change of topic, have you all signed up for the trip on Friday?”

“Yeah, ‘course dude.” Junpei snorted. “Just because you forgot, doesn’t mean the rest of us d- hey!”

“Uhuh.” Yukari flicked Junpei’s hat down over his forehead, rolling her eyes as he pushed it back up. “We’re all going to the radio station, right?”

“That is correct, yes.” Aigis nodded. “I am hoping to learn about the technical details of communication in this world. I am curious how it works, if not powered by cognition.”

“Oh, I can teach you that later Aigis.” Fuuka giggled. “I think this trip will mostly be about being a part of the crew of the station, not the technology of it. My mom is going to be our chaperone, so I think she’ll want us to learn about 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓌𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅.”

“Aw, hell yeah!” Junpei pumped his fist, earning him mystified looks from the girls. “What? Your mom’s the coolest teacher we have gal.”

“I mean, he’s not wrong.” Yukari sipped at her drink, smiling ever so slightly at the way Fuuka blushed in embarrassment at the compliment. “Showmanship, huh? I wonder if they’ll be recording an episode of Featherman that day. That would be cool, wouldn’t it?”

“Nah, I heard a couple of girls chatting yesterday.” Junpei shook his head, sitting back upright. “They’re apparently going to be interviewing some guy while we’re there. Think he’s some famous detective.”

“Oh yeah?” Kotone raised an eyebrow. “What’s his name?”

“It’s the Second Detective Prince.” Fuuka nodded, looking at her hands. “I think his name was…”

Makoto Yuki.

Friday, June 3^rd 2016.

The Day of the Radio Station

Kotone didn’t understand what all the fuss was about.

Ever since their school group had assembled that morning to head to the radio station together, there had been a buzz in the crowd. An electric current that seemed to pass through the mass of students as they toured the radio building, carried in whispers and nervous giggles that filled the air and made it hard to focus on the tour at hand.

^{“I can’t believe we’re going to see the Second Detective Prince in person!”}

^{“He’s so cool and mysterious… and he’s our age too!”}

^{“I heard he has a pet bird. A raven! How cool is that?”}

With all the anticipation that had been building throughout the day, Kotone had expected this Makoto Yuki guy to be like a celebrity. Larger than life, overflowing with charisma and charm or… something. There was an undeniable air of excitement as she and the others were sat in a viewing room outside the recording studio, the whispers only growing in strength and excitement as they watched the show’s host prepare for his interview from beyond a one-way mirror. Even she was starting to get a little curious, swept up in the buzz for this mysterious detective. Was he like Sherlock? Lupin? Some other famous detective, come to sniff out the truth and change the world for the better? Kotone had to admit, she was curious to see this larger than life prodigy for herself.

Instead, when Makoto Yuki stepped through the door and took a seat across from the host, his long blue hair covering half his face and his posture slouched and unenthusiastic, Kotone realized something rather important.

He was just… some guy.

“That’s him?” Kotone frowned, leaning over to whisper to Yukari. “That’s the Second Detective Prince? What’s the big deal?”

“I don’t know.” Yukari whispered back, her voice nearly drowned out by the host’s introduction, and more importantly, the bevy of oos and aaas coming from all around them. “I guess he’s just got a mystique or something?”

“Huh.” Kotone frowned, sitting back upright. “I don’t think I get it.”

And then the girl behind her shushed the two of them despite having just been whispering madly with her friend, so that particular conversation would have to be put on hold.

“Now that we’re all friends here Mr. Yuki, please indulge me.” The host smiled, his pearly teeth glimmering in the neon lights of the studio. “You’re known for taking cases that have to do with the strange and inexplicable, is that right?

“Mh.” Makoto nodded, his expression unchanging from the flat disinterest he had shown since he arrived. “That’s right.”

“You’ve stated in the past that you have an interest in the strange wave of Mental Shutdowns and Psychotic Breakdowns that have been rocking the city recently. But our listeners want to know…” The host cocked his head, still grinning. “What about the Moonlit Thieves?”

Kotone’s eyes widened, her heart freezing in her chest. The Moonlit Thieves? Why were they talking about the Moonlit Thieves? She glanced at her friends, similar looks of shock and surprise on their faces as they watched Makoto consider his response. That wasn’t good. That wasn’t good, right?”

“To tell you the truth…” Makoto tilted his head ever so slightly, his one visible eye glinting faintly in the light. “I don’t care.”

…huh?

“Really? You don’t?” The host seemed taken aback by that, his brow furrowing. “Just this week, a major stockbroker divested herself of her assets and donated all the money to various charities. She attributed it to a so called ‘Change of Heart’ from the Moonlit Thieves. And you say that’s not worth considering?”

“I do.” Makoto shrugged. “I don’t think it’s anything more than basic blackmail.”

“Really?” The host blinked incredulously, evidently not quite understanding where his guest was coming from. “And that’s not worth worrying about?”

“Extortion is common.” Makoto leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “The Moonlit Thieves are only different because of their calling cards. That’s all. There’s no proof that they’re even the same group sending them.”

“But what about the reported psychological effects on their victims?” The host leaned forward, trying to keep the space even between them. “The teacher at Shujin, it’s said his personality did a complete 180 overnight. And the stockbroker! All her peers have said that she never would have done something like this before!”

“And?” Makoto raised an eyebrow. “People do crazy things.”

“You don’t give an inch, do you?” The host exhaled, leaning back and letting out a faint laugh. “Well, I guess that’s why you’re the Second Detective Prince, and I’m just your friendly neighborhood radio host. Though, speaking of…” The host glanced at the one-way mirror where the students were sitting, a smile on his face. “We’ve actually got some more special guests in the studio today. Visitors from Shujin Academy, the very same school where the Moonlit Thieves first struck! Maybe they’ll have some insight that might make you change your mind.”

“Sure. Whatever.” Makoto shrugged again. “It’s pointless anyways.”

He’d really dismiss us out of hand like that?

“It’s a good thing, lass. The less people think you’re a criminal, the easier it is to be a criminal.”

But still!

“You heard the fellow everyone!” Elly grinned from where she was waiting by the corner of the room with the sound technician. “Please raise your hand if you happen to have a question for Mr. Yuki. I will press this button forthright to allow you to speak. Oh don’t give me that look Mr. Technician, I most certainly will press it!”

Kotone’s hand was in the air before she knew what she was doing, all but jumping to her feet as she did. She suddenly felt the whole room turn toward her, the eyes of her friends and peers alike all suddenly and undeniably looking in her direction.

Shit.

“Excellent! Shiomi, let’s hear your question!” Elly grinned, pressing down on the button to the exhausted chagrin of the technician. “Go right ahead.”

“Okay, uh-“ Kotone’s mind suddenly went blank, any reasonable question she might have had vanishing like the morning dew. “Uh…”

Damnit, why did I do that?

“There’s a fire in you lass. You’re letting it flare up.”

That doesn’t mean it wasn’t stupid!

“Do you have a question?” The host raised an eyebrow, peering into the mirror. “Because if not, I’m sure we can ask someone else.”

“Right. I do. Sorry, just… my name is Kotone Shiomi. I’m a second year at Shujin Academy.” Kotone’s voice steadied, her eyes locked on Makoto through the glass. “And I want to know. Do you think the Moonlit Thieves exist? Not if they’re worth investigating, that’s not what I mean. Do you personally think there’s a group of people out there fighting for people who can’t fight for themselves?”

“I don’t really care if they do.” Makoto’s response came without hesitation. He sat up from where he had reclined, a sudden energy in his stance. “If they do, they do. If they don’t, they don’t.”

“That doesn’t sound very detective like.” Kotone scowled, her fist clenching at her side. “Don’t you care about the truth? Isn’t that your whole job?”

“There are priorities in truth.” Despite the glass between them, Kotone could feel Makoto’s gaze staring right through her, as if the mirror weren’t there at all. “There’s no point spending time chasing shadows.”

“Oookay, I think this question’s getting a little heated.” The host held up a hand, using the other to signal softly to his crew. “Let’s move onto the next question, alright?”

“…alright.” Kotone huffed, sitting back down. Junpei patted her shoulder, smiling reassuringly. “Thanks.”

“Okay, well, that was quite the opener wasn’t it? Who’s next?” Elly looked over the class, settling on a girl near the front who had raised her hand. “Ah yes, Nishiwaki. Go right ahead.”

“Thank you, Elly.” Nishiwaki cleared her throat, smiling nervously. “Hi, Yuko Nishiwaki. I’m a big fan of yours, Mr. Yuki. Could you tell me, what product do you use to keep your hair so shiny?”

There were more questions after that. More answers. Most of which, as far as Kotone was concerned, were entirely irrelevant to the point at hand and Makoto seemed to know it. His eyes nonetheless remained staring at the glass, the invisible wall that stood between him and those questioning him.

Somehow, Kotone felt he was staring at her.

---

“Shiomi.” Makoto’s voice interrupted the Thieves as they made their way down the hall after the interview, his slouched posture seeming to fill the doorway he stood in as he looked toward Kotone. “Do you have a moment?”

“Me?” Kotone blinked, glancing around at her friends. “Uh, I think we need to get down to the lobby soon for the rest of the tour, but I guess I have a minute or two. Why?”

“I want to talk.” Makoto glanced at the other Thieves for a moment, a slight frown on his face. “Alone.”

“If you’re thinking of hitting on her or something, you can take a hike.” Yukari stepped between the two of them, scowling. “Try your luck somewhere else, pretty boy.”

“I wasn’t.” Makoto shook his head. “It’s personal. That’s all.”

“I’ll be fine guys. Just wait around the corner, alright?” Kotone smiled reassuringly, patting her bag where Aigis was still hidden. She hoped they’d get the message that she had backup, just in case. “I’ll just be a minute.”

“If you’re sure…” Fuuka glanced between Kotone and Makoto for a moment before taking a step back. “Okay. We’ll be just over there, alright?”

“Yeah dude. If this guy gives you any trouble, just yell, got it?” Junpei nodded, cracking his knuckles. “We’ll come running!”

“Hm.” Makoto said nothing, watching as Kotone’s friends made their way down the hall, their progress impeded by how often they glanced back to check on her. Once they had turned the corner he looked back at Kotone, unaware of Aigis tucked away in her bag. “You have good friends.”

“Sure do.” Kotone exhaled, the smile dropping from her face as she adjusted the strap on her bag and stared the detective down. “Why did you want to talk to me?”

“Consider it professional curiosity.” Makoto tilted his head ever so slightly. “You stood out to me in that interview. I wanted to find out more about you.”

“Really?” Kotone raised an eyebrow, fighting the rather juvenile urge to turn her nose up at him and walk away. “I wouldn’t think some random girl was high on your priorities of truth or whatever. What changed your mind?”

“It didn’t change.” Makoto looked at her appraisingly from behind his one visible eye, a calculating expression on his face. “Call it testing a theory of mine.”

“I’ll call it you being a creepy weirdo.” Kotone rolled her eyes. “What do you actually want though? You haven’t explained anything.”

“To talk, from time to time.” Makoto held up a business card, offering it to Kotone. “I’d like your help understanding people.”

“Understanding people?” Kotone frowned, taking the card. There was a phone number on the back, assumedly the detective’s own. “What do you mean by that?”

“I can understand someone’s psyche.” Makoto put his hands in his pockets, shaking his head. “That isn’t the same as understanding who they are.”

“Uhuh…” Kotone hesitated for a moment, before tucking the card into her bag. “Okay sure, I’ll bite. Why me though? If you’re such a famous detective, I’m sure you could ask someone else.”

“Like I said. Call it testing a theory of mine.” Makoto shook his head, turning down the hall in the opposite direction. “Your friends can stop eavesdropping now. We’re done.”

“Hey, we weren’t-“ Yukari stumbled out from behind the corner, followed by Junpei and Fuuka as they all tumbled from where they had been stacked up “Uh.”

Makoto said nothing, turning and walking away down the hall. Kotone frowned, watching him go. A strange shiver ran down her spine, a cold seeping feeling that seemed to spread from somewhere deep inside her.

She didn’t like it one bit.

“I believe it would be correct to say…” Aigis popped her head out of the bag, frowning at where the boy had left. “That was an odd conversation.”

“No kidding.” Kotone exhaled, turning back to her friends. “How much did you guys overhear?”

“All of it. Where does that guy get off?” Yukari scoffed, marching up to Kotone. “Something about him just rubs me the wrong way. You should toss his card and forget about it.”

“Um… I’m not sure that’s the best idea.” Fuuka frowned, biting her cheek. “He is a detective, right? I’m not sure if ghosting him is wise.”

“Yeah, but letting him close ain’t good either.” Junpei leaned against his hands, looking thoughtful. “Just ‘cause he doesn’t believe in us now doesn’t mean he won’t, right?”

“As with anything, there are risks to consider.” Aigis nodded, inspecting the business card in her hand. “Drawing the attention of a detective has already put us into a more precarious position. It is up to Kotone as to how we should proceed.”

“Right.” Kotone winced, shaking her head. “Sorry about that guys. I probably should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Actually, I think it was pretty cool.” Fuuka nodded encouragingly. “It helped remind me why we do this, to give people hope. Something to believe in. I think someone else probably would have said something similar if you hadn’t.”

“Maybe. C’mon, we should hurry up, we don’t want to keep Elly waiting.” Yukari shook her head, gesturing for the others to follow. She glanced back at Kotone, who had taken the card from Aigis and was now looking over it uncertainly “Are you going to call him?”

“Probably not. Text him, maybe. I don’t really know.” Kotone frowned, forcing herself into a walk as she trailed behind the others. “There’s something about him that bugs me.”

“Yeah, no kidding, me too.” Yukari rolled her eyes, before taking Kotone’s arm and dragging her forward so she was in pace with the others. “C’mon, don’t let that guy bring your whole day down. There’s still a lot more tour left, right?”

“Right.” Kotone let go of the tension in her back, allowing her friend to pull her along as they went. “Thanks, Yukari.”

“Hey…” Yukari shrugged, smiling sheepishly.

What are friends for, right?

Chapter Text

^{“I don’t understand people who dream big.”}

^{“Sorry, I can’t come. I need to save up some more money to donate to my temple.”}

^{“I know your mom died or whatever, but that doesn’t mean you can act like this!”}

Monday, June 6^th 2016.

The Day of the Time After Beef Bowls

Kotone wanted to know that guy’s secret.

The beef bowl shop guy, that was. As promised, the Moonlit Thieves had assembled at his doorstep to order food and celebrate their victory, and as promised the food was delicious. More than delicious, it was heavenly. Certainly better than any other beef bowl Kotone had ever had in her life, and maybe even better than any food she had ever had in her life.

It boggled the mind. Was that guy spiking them with ambrosia or something? There was no way it was just earthly ingredients in there, there had to be some secret to it, right?

It was a question that Kotone had to ponder as she stepped out into the sunlight of Shibuya, the clouds scattering over her head in rays of golden light. Maybe that was it? Clearly the chef was some kind of… sun god or something. And he was choosing to bless the world with delicious beef bowls. It was the only possible explanation.

…or, well, it at least made about as much sense as having a magical pirate lady in her soul did anyways.

“You make it sound outrageous, lass.”

I mean, it definitely is. And that’s without counting the rest of the crew in here too.

“You’re seeing more and more of the world, lass. It’s a good thing.”

“Hey, Kotone!” Kotone was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of someone calling her name, his voice nearly lost in the din of the crowd around her. “Over here!”

“Hm?” Kotone looked around, catching sight of a boy sitting on a bench in the shade of the trees by the Buchimaru statue. She wracked her brain, trying to remember where she had seen him before. Then, it clicked. “Oh, Akinari!”

“That’s right. You remembered.” The sickly boy smiled from beneath his facemask, lowering his arm and using it to clear away his flyers on the bench beside him. “Do you have a moment to sit?”

“Oh yeah, for sure. I was just heading back home.” Kotone shrugged, taking a seat next to the boy and setting her bag at her feet. “How have you been?”

“Stronger. Ever so slightly. You may have been right, I think taking more breaks has been helpful.” Akinari chuckled, patting the bench beneath him. “What about you? How have you been?”

“Good! I just got back from some great beef bowls with my friends. You should-“ Kotone cut herself short, blinking. “…you probably can’t, can you? What with…”

“It’s alright. My illness does keep me from doing much with others, I’ll admit.” Akinari bowed his head ever so slightly, a smile nonetheless on his face. “I’ve never had many friends in life. It seems nice, as an idea at least.”

“Well… I know this is only sorta the second time we’ve talked, but I like spending time with you Akinari.” Kotone shrugged, looking the boy in the eye with a smile. “Dunno about anyone else, but you can definitely call me your friend.”

“I’m so glad.” Akinari closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. They just sat there for a moment, letting the crowd flow around them as the world went by. “My friend. Could I ask you something?”

“Of course!” Kotone nodded enthusiastically, before reconsidering it for a moment. “As long as you’re still drinking water. You are, right?”

“I wouldn’t dream to stop.” Akinari held up a water bottle, snorting gently before setting it down and sighing. His face suddenly adopted a much more serious expression beneath the mask, his face pulled into a frown. “Tell me… what do you think of religion?”

“Religion?” Kotone frowned. She hadn’t been expecting that of all things. Huh. “What, like… an afterlife and stuff?”

“No, no. Not exactly. I’ve made peace with knowing that I’ll never quite know what comes next quite a while ago.” Akinari met Kotone’s gaze, his grey eyes feeling as if they were piercing straight through her soul. “I mean… materially. Religion as… as an institution, maybe. Churches, and temples, and such.”

“Oh. I getcha. That…” Kotone shivered, frowning and averting her eyes from the boy’s gaze. “That’s complicated. Really complicated.”

“I see.” Akinari looked away, a hesitant look on his face. “You don’t need to continue if you don’t want to. I wouldn’t-“

“It’s okay!” Kotone interrupted, wincing at the way her voice rose in the process. “It’s… it’s fine. It just might get a little personal. Not sure if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“If that’s what you feel like you need to say, then…” Akinari nodded slowly. “Well, then I’m glad to listen.”

“Thanks. Okay. So… my um… my mom died when I was young. My dad had never really been in the picture, so… my brother and I went into the system.” Kotone scratched her neck, still not quite looking at Akinari. “The first place I went was an orphanage run by a mission. Catholic. I hadn’t ever really been spiritual or anything before, and it was the first time I was ever really on my own. Sakuya got sent somewhere else, it was just me.”

“That must have been hard on you.” Akinari frowned ever so slightly. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Thanks.” Kotone smiled ever so slightly, tilting her head. “There were two nuns in charge of my dorm. Sister Marianne, and Sister… I don’t remember her name. I think I made myself forget. Anyways, they were the first time I ever really saw religion really.”

“And?” Akinari leaned a little closer, evidently invested in Kotone’s story. “Would you tell me what you thought?”

“And… well, Sister Marianne was kind. Warm. Even then I could tell that she’d had a sad life, but she did everything she could for us kids. After my mom died, she was the only person that helped me really… process that.” Kotone smiled, warmth spreading through her chest before dying suddenly, a frown crossing her face.  “And the other nun was a total asshole.”

“Oh.” Akinari blinked, slumping ever so slightly. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It… is what it is.” Kotone shook her head. “She was… well, she wasn’t the worst person to ever take care of me, but she was the first one who I think really hated me. She was awful, to me and to everyone. That woman never should have been in charge of kids.”

“That’s awful.” Akinari shook ever so slightly, a righteous anger filling his heart. “That woman is what’s wrong with this world. People in power whose only legacy is the pain they inflict on others. She had the opportunity to do good, but instead…”

“Instead they do that.” Kotone closed her eyes, sighing. “Yeah. Yeah…”

“…I’m sorry. I get passionate, sometimes.” Akinari winced, settling back down. “I can understand why that experience might change your perspective of religion.”

“That’s the thing. They were both nuns. Both followed the same God, both read the same book.” Kotone inhaled, trying to steady herself as best she could. “But one was kind, and the other was awful. Religion didn’t have anything to do with that, they just… were.”

“But it still complicated your view on it all.” Akinari nodded slowly, sighing. “Perhaps it would be easier if the world was simple.”

“Maybe. Really though, I think…” Kotone stared at her feet, thoughts and feelings swirling throughout as she did. “I think that religion is people. Good and bad. And… everything that means.”

“I see.” Akinari went quiet for a few long moments, pondering Kotone’s words in the silence between them. “I think that’s a very mature way of seeing things, Kotone.”

“That’s probably the first time someone’s ever called me mature.” Kotone stuck her tongue out, but the gesture felt flat. Hollow. “…why’d you want to know anyways? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Last week, someone from your school stopped to talk to me. We’d spoken before, and he’d seemed interested in what I had to say. But this time…” Akinari closed his eyes, leaning forward. It struck Kotone again just how emaciated the boy was. How fragile. Like any gust of wind could come and blow him away. “He said he’d found religion. A group that told him that change wasn’t worth believing in. That stagnation was just another word for peace. I wanted to be happy for him, of course, but…” Akinari trailed off, turning his eyes to the sky. For a brief moment they reflected the magnitude of the sun above, scattered clouds dancing across his vision as he searched for an answer. Then he looked down once again, and the vision vanished like a puff of smoke. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Kotone smiled gently, hesitantly placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You don’t need to talk about it anymore if you don’t want to. I’m here for you anyways.”

“Thank you, my friend. I’m sorry to react this way. It just… reminded me of something that I’ve always been told. That I should stay stagnant because of my condition. That I should let life pass me by, just because…” Akinari exhaled, slumping back into the bench. “I’m sorry. It’s something I disagree with, that’s all.”

“As long as you don’t overexert yourself.” Kotone’s heart felt frozen in her chest. Her smile felt faker than it had ever been. Something about Akinari just… it made things harder. More important, more real, but… harder. “What was the group called? Do you know?”

“I think…” Akinari hesitated, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card. “They’re called, the Escapade.”

Kotone took the card, frowning at it. It was very… green. The back had a little more information, detailing an address and a small blurb about ‘serenity’ and ‘peace’ and ‘togetherness’ that seemed taken straight out of a crappy self-help book. She shivered. Something about it just seemed… wrong to her.

I have a bad feeling about this.

“Aye. Any sane person should.”

You’d think so, right?

“Are you interested in it?” Akinari’s voice cracked ever so slightly at the question as he averted his eyes. “I can’t say that I would blame you if you did, but-“

“No. Not at all. I wanted to know so I could warn my friends about it, it seems pretty freaky.” Kotone smiled as reassuringly as she could, holding up the card. “Do you mind if I take this?”

“Of course.” The boy nodded, a relieved smile breaking onto his face. “I’d rather not have it in the first place. You’re right… freaky is a good word for it.”

“Thanks, Akinari.” Kotone dropped the card in her bag, letting Aigis grab a hold of it as she swung her bag over her shoulder and stood up. “I should probably get going, but… it was really good seeing you again. Even if it did get a little heavy.”

“No, thank you, Kotone. I feel the same. I’m not sure why I find myself being so open with you.” Akinari smiled, pushing himself shakily to his feet. “I don’t try to hide much from myself, but you still find a way to bring out honesty in me.”

“Funny, you do the same for me. Well, other than the not hiding much. Still getting used to that for myself.” Kotone stuck her tongue out, a little more vigor in it now than before. “Really though, thanks. I like our chats.”

“Hm…” Akinari bowed his head, picking up one of his pamphlets and laughing ever so gently as he turned to face the crowd. “I do too.”

Wednesday, June 8^th 2016.

The Day of the Concoction

“Dude.” Junpei stared at Kotone from her left side, glancing between his friend and the counter in front of them. “No way.”

“I mean.” Kotone frowned, imitating her friend by looking between him and the counter. “Maybe?”

“Nah, come on. Really.” Junpei shook his head, definitively so. “I mean, dude, even I wouldn’t drink that.”

“Well yeah, but…” Kotone appraised the drink sitting on the center of the counter, the strange bubbling liquid emitting an unpleasant odor as the two Thieves looked on. “It might help?”

“It is unlikely that it would provide you any benefit.” Aigis peeked out of the bag, peering at the concoction over Kotone’s shoulder. “In fact, it is likely that it would send you to the hospital.”

“Probably. But you could say the same thing about the pills he gives us, and those work fine.” Kotone shrugged, glancing around the waiting room of Edogawa’s clinic. The man himself was bustling around in the exam room, the strange bumps and thumps coming from within evidently not doing much to calm Junpei’s nerves. When Kotone had asked if he had any new medicine, he’d just nodded mysteriously and given them… this. Which was awful, but also very Edogawa. “I’m not saying it’s a good idea.”

“Man, you’re kinda crazy, you know that?” Junpei sighed, shaking his head. “Like, double crazy. I thought you didn’t even like this guy?”

“I don’t really! But you gotta admit, his stuff’s been helpful. What’s wrong, too scared to drink weird science concoctions?” Kotone stuck her tongue out at her teammate, trying a new tactic of being mischievous over being convincing. “What are you, chicken Junpei?”

“Hell no!” Junpei scowled, only to glance back at the concoction and shake his head. “Actually… y’know, I don’t think my pride is worth this one. Pretty sure I’d rather be chicken Junpei than drink that.”

“I respect the honesty.” Kotone hesitantly grabbed the concoction. She shivered, the glass somehow both warm and cold to the touch at intermittent points. Was this really a good idea?

Well, no. No, it wasn’t.

“Lass, I won’t lie to ya’. Even I’m not sure about this one.”

Wait, seriously? Wow.

“A brew like that’s liable to turn you green in the gills. At best.”

“Hm…” Kotone bit the inside of her cheek, furrowing her brow. “Maybe this isn’t…”

“There is a saying among the old masters.” The Thieves nearly jumped out of their skin as Edogawa reappeared on the other side of the counter, quiet as a ghost. Almost and potentially literally. It was as if one moment he wasn’t there, the next he was staring at Kotone from behind fogged up glasses. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“Ah dude!” Junpei recoiled, eyes wide. “Man, where’d you even come from?”

“I came only from the present, for that is the only time that ever truly exists.” Edogawa nodded, about as unhelpful as can be. “Now, will you drink? Or not?”

“Um…” Kotone appraised her options. Either don’t drink it and go about her day entirely normally as if nothing had happened at all, or drink it and… well, at this point she figured it was a 50/50 between total kidney failure and giving her superpowers. And she did kind always want to be able to fly. “Screw it.”

She brought the glass to her lips, swallowing down the concoction in one gulp. It tasted awful, felt like getting jolted by how many watts of electricity it was that made your hair stand on end. By the time it was all gone Kotone was stuck staring into the empty space in front of her as the glass fell from her hands and rolled across the counter.

Good God.

“Uh… Kotone?” Junpei took a hesitant step toward his friend, waving a hand in front of her face experimentally. “You alright?”

“…I͓̽ ͓̽s͓̽e͓̽e͓̽ ͓̽s͓̽h͓̽r͓̽i͓̽m͓̽p͓̽ ͓̽c͓̽o͓̽l͓̽o͓̽r͓̽s͓̽”

Whatever happened after that, Kotone wasn’t sure, seeing as her legs buckled underneath her and she passed right the hell out there on the clinic floor.

---

“Man…” The evening sun arced through the sky above Yongen-Jaya as Kotone and Junpei sat on the steps outside Edogawa’s clinic, the former’s hand on the latter’s shoulder as she chugged an energy drink he had gotten her from a nearby vending machine. “Your codename really tracks, doesn’t it? You’re a total wildcard dude.”

“In multiple senses of the word, yes.” Aigis nodded from Kotone’s bag, concern still evident on her expression. “Are you certain you will be okay, Kotone?”

“I think…” Kotone wiped her mouth as she finished downing the drink, the electric taste of a mad bull still not quite doing enough to drown out the lingering yuck of the concoction. “I’ll be okay. Actually, I feel kinda energized.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Junpei leaned forward, squinting at Kotone’s face to try to make sense of what she’d said. “Oh dude, she’s not kidding.”

“Hey, I’m not saying I’d drink it instead of coffee every morning!” Kotone smiled sheepishly, slinging her bag over her shoulder and standing upright. “Just that it might be useful as a kick in the Other World, that’s all.”

“Unfortunately, due to the nature of cognition, that belief is likely to be amplified during our missions.” Aigis ducked back into the bag as it moved, her voice coming out muffled as she did. “You will likely need to drink some during our next infiltration, Junpei.”

“Ah crap.” Junpei stood as well, putting a hand on his hip and rubbing the back of his head unhappily. “Think we could get something to mix into it? Like, hot cocoa or something?”

“I think that would just make it even more of a sludge.” Kotone snorted, crossing her arms. “Good thinking though. I’m sure we could find something!”

“Maybe flavor-aid or something like that? Eh, we’ll figure it out.” Junpei reclined his head on his hands as the pair started walking back toward Yongen-Jaya’s central throughfare. “We still got some time ‘till it gets dark. Wanna catch a movie or something?”

“Sure.” Kotone stretched, the last taste of that concoction vanishing from her mouth as she did. “Where do you wanna go? The theater in Shibuya’s pretty great, but it’s expensive. I don’t wanna spend too much of our Shadow money on it, y’know?”

“Dude, what are you talking about?” Junpei snorted, turning to face the old shuttered theatre that stood at the center of the neighborhood. “There’s a theatre right… here. Huh? It’s closed?”

“Yeah, it has been since I moved here.” Kotone stepped beside Junpei, observing the way her friend stared at the blank business front with a sudden sort of strange somberness. “Did you come here when it was open or something?”

“Yeah dude…” Junpei had an inexplicable look on his face as he stepped toward the front door, gently rattling the push bar to no avail. “I grew up a couple blocks away from here, actually. I used to come here all the time. Aw man…”

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know.” Kotone winced, instinctively falling back on her heels. “I wouldn’t have been so casual about it if I knew.”

“Hey, no sweat. It’s all good. Not your fault. These things happen. Still…” Junpei sighed as he walked backwards to stand next to Kotone, that strange look still in his eyes. “Man. I never would have thought. This place was around since way before I was born. They had these cool old projectors from like the 70’s or something, and maaaaaaan…”

“Sounds like you have good memories of this place.” Kotone smiled warmly at her friend, bumping him gently. “At least you still have that, right?”

“Yeah man. Going to the movies was just…” Junpei exhaled, his voice suddenly going distinctly quiet as he fiddled with his cap. “It was pretty much the only way I could spend time with my dad without him yelling at me. Can’t get mad at your kid when all you’re doing is sitting in the dark watching a movie, right?”

“Junpei…” Kotone turned to face her friend, only to find his cap pulled down tight over his face. She looked away, affording him that moment of privacy. “Sorry.”

“N-nah dude, it’s alright. My own fault.” Junpei chuckled, wiping his eyes and trying his best to straighten himself out. “Just- wasn’t expecting to get hit like that. Gotta be better on my guard, right? Can’t have people thinking your ol’ pal Junpei’s a softie.”

“By my estimates, you are indeed a softie.” Aigis peeked out of her bag, poking Junpei gently on the arm. “A big one, in a psychological sense.”

“She’s right. It’s good seeing this side of you sometimes.” Kotone shrugged, shaking her head. “Sorry about your dad.”

“It’s alright dude. He’s an asshole.” Junpei huffed, cracking a pained smile as he looked at his feet. “Always has been, probably always will be. I shouldn’t be dumping it on you like that. You don’t have to deal with anything like that in your life.”

“That-“ Kotone winced. He was right, but… damn. Okay. “I mean- yeah, I guess so…”

“Yeah, but-“ Junpei screeched to a halt, seemingly suddenly realizing what he had said as his eyes went wide. “Ah crap. I didn’t mean- I- shit dude. Sorry.”

“No it-“ Kotone stifled a laugh, shaking her head. “It’s fine. You’re not wrong really. It’s probably a good thing my dad isn’t in my life anymore, I think I’d probably punch him right in the jaw if I ever saw him again.”

“Heh… me too.” Junpei exhaled, relieved that his faux pas had been forgiven. “Thanks ‘tone. You’re easy to talk to, y’know that? I don’t think I’d ever tell anyone else this sorta thing.”

“Huh. Y’know you’re not the first person to tell me that this week?” Kotone bumped her friend gently with her shoulder, turning away. “C’mon, let’s go do something else. I don’t think I’m really in the mood to sit in the dark and ignore each other anymore.”

“Yeah dude, fair enough.” Junpei laughed, reclining against his hands and turning around. “Hey, how about the batting cages? Those are still open right?”

“Uh…” Kotone blanched. “…maybe another time? I’m still not sure if I’m really welcome back there yet.”

“Huh?” Junpei blinked. “The hell’d you do?”

“Let’s… not talk about it.” Kotone smiled sheepishly, shaking her head. “How’s the arcade sound instead?”

“Hell yeah man!” Junpei pumped his fist. “Now you’re speaking my language!”

Friday, June 10^th 2016.

The Day of the Invitation

MKIRIJO – PHONETONE DM

mkirijo: Hello there.

mkirijo: This is the cell number of Kotone Shiomi, correct?

phonetone: Um.

phonetone: No?

mkirijo: Apologies. I should introduce myself first.

mkirijo: I am Mitsuru Kirijo, Student Council President of Shujin Academy.

mkirijo: This is the cell number of Kotone Shiomi, correct?

phonetone: crap

phonetone: I mean, yeah. Yeah, that’s me.

phonetone: How did you even get this number?

mkirijo: At present, that isn’t important.

mkirijo: I am contacting you today because I will be meeting with the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts.

mkirijo: Tomorrow, after school, in the Student Council Office. Myself and my brother Akihiko Kirijo will be in attendance.

phonetone: Whoah, whoah, hey.

phonetone: Why are you telling me that?

phonetone: I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about!

mkirijo: I will not be answering that.

mkirijo: Just be aware. Tomorrow, after school, in the Student Council Office.

mkirijo: That will be all. Thank you for your time, and I apologize for the sudden inconvenience.

mkirijo: I will speak with you later, Ms. Shiomi.

phonetone: What?

phonetone: Hey, you can’t just go offline after saying all that?

phonetone: Ms. Kirijo?

phonetone: Mitsuru!

phonetone: ah crap

Chapter Text

^{“Need to do things right…”}

^{“Ms. Kirijo seemed agitated this morning, didn’t she?”}

^{“I’m joining the Escapade. I don’t care what you think!”}

Saturday, June 11^th 2016.

The Day of the Confrontation

“And you’re sure it was meant for us?” Junpei’s foot tapped rapidly on the floor outside the Student Council room, his eyes darting around the mostly empty hall as he bit his cheek unhappily. “It wasn’t like, a wrong number or anything?”

“Nope, she definitely meant us. Said my name and everything.” Kotone shook her head, looking down at her phone once more. Mitsuru’s texts from yesterday were still there clear as day, no matter how many times she blinked to try and make them go away. “I don’t think she wanted to actually call us out as the Thieves directly, but… I mean, it’s pretty clear, right?”

“That’s probably smart.” Fuuka shivered from where she stood leaned against the wall, her hands clasped tight in front of her. “Texting isn’t really secure. Y-you know, anyone could have seen your texts before I installed that security update on your phones. So…”

“I don’t think that’s what’s important right now.” Yukari snapped, only to wince and look away with a frown as Fuuka cringed from the sudden raise in her tone. “…sorry.”

“I-it’s okay…” Fuuka shrunk further in on herself, nonetheless offering Yukari a hand for comfort. “This is stressful…”

“No kidding gal…” Junpei groaned, thumping the back of his head against the wall as Yukari took Fuuka’s hand and squeezed it. “Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.”

“There is nothing that can be done now.” Aigis shook her head as she peered over Kotone’s shoulder. “We must conduct ourselves in a way that minimizes the chances that they will reveal us.”

“Which is why we’re all coming instead of just Kotone, right?” Yukari tilted her head. “Because they asked for a meeting with all of us?”

“Correct. Any attempt to deceive is likely to anger Mitsuru Kirijo.” Aigis nodded emphatically. “We must play by her rules at present.”

“Son of a bitch.” Junpei groaned, closing his eyes. “Maaaannnn…”

“You shouldn’t swear on school property. You could get a citation.” The door to the Student Council room was pulled open, Akihiko Kirijo’s piercing gray eyes waiting on the other side. “Come in. Mitsuru’s ready to meet with you.”

The Moonlit Thieves all went quiet, looking amongst themselves with an undeniable air of trepidation. Kotone took a deep breath, meeting Akihiko’s gaze. This was it. This was her responsibility. She was the leader of the Moonlit Thieves, so she couldn’t afford to hesitate. Without another moment to wait, she stepped forward, entering the Student Council room with as much confidence as she could muster.

It was time to get to work.

“Bienvenue.” Mitsuru stood from her seat at the far end of the Student Council table, bowing her head ever so slightly as the Thieves entered. “Thank you for coming today. It’s greatly appreciated. Please, take a seat.”

“Thank you.” Kotone glanced at the other Thieves as they all took their seats, trying to gauge their reactions. They were all stony-faced, doing their very best to hide their nerves. To… varying levels of success, admittedly. “You wanted to talk with us?”

“I wanted to speak with the Moonlit Thieves.” Mitsuru glanced at Akihiko as the boy took a position standing next to her, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. Akihiko nodded, which seemed to be enough to put the girl at ease. “…which would be you, yes. Thank you for accepting my invite.”

“Psh. Not like we had much choice.” Junpei grumbled, only falling quiet at the sight of an annoyed glare from Yukari. “…sorry.”

“It’s quite alright. I understand the circumstances are less than ideal.” Mitsuru shook her head, leaning forward ever so slightly. “However, your activities must be addressed. They’ve caused a significant stir around the school, one we can’t ignore.”

“Addressed?” Kotone frowned, meeting Mitsuru’s gaze head on. “What do you mean addressed?”

“Well first of all…” Akihiko smiled, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. “How’d you do it? Can’t be blackmail or anything like that, you work too fast.”

“You um… you wouldn’t believe us if we told you.” Fuuka shook her head, scratching her neck nervously. “I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen it…”

“That answer isn’t acceptable.” Mitsuru shook her head. “If you’re doing something illegal to coerce your targets, then I’ll have no choice but to report you.”

“It’s not illegal.” Kotone bit her cheek, her mind moving a mile a minute. Shit, how the hell were they supposed to explain something like this without sounding crazy? “We don’t blackmail them either. We just… help them realize what they’re doing is wrong.”

“The way you phrased that isn’t doing you any favours.” Akihiko snorted, shaking his head. “There’s no way it’s that simple.”

“It isn’t. But Fuuka’s right, you wouldn’t believe us if we told you how we did it.” Kotone smiled as earnestly as she was able, hoping to claw as much favour as she possibly could right now, considering the insanity of what she was about to say next. “It sounds impossible, but… we really do steal their hearts. Metaphorically, I guess. We access their cognitions and steal the distorted desires that make them act that way. Which, I know sounds crazy, but it’s true.”

“You’re claiming your abilities are supernatural then?” Mitsuru quirked an eyebrow. “I understand.”

“Uh.” Junpei blinked, surprised. “Not to be weird about this or anything, but you seem way too ready to accept something like that, dude.”

“Let’s review the facts. You’re capable of changing someone’s heart to make them confess to their sins and repent for their actions. You can do so with limited contact or time, and evidently without tipping off your target until they are delivered a calling card.” Mitsuru tapped her fingers against the table, evidently deep in thought. “It took three days between when Shiomi first spoke to Tomochika and his heart being changed. That timeframe is far too quick for any form of blackmail or conventional coercion. Which could only mean that you’re using a method that is indeed beyond our understanding, be it this stealing of ‘distorted desires’ or otherwise.“

“Wait wait wait, hold the phone for a second.” Yukari narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean when Kotone first talked to Kenji? How did you know that?”

“I assigned Tomochika and Shiomi to the same cleaning detail on a hunch. I had already suspected that you were the Moonlit Thieves based on circumstantial evidence, but I required proof." Mitsuru’s fingers slowed to a stop, her gaze even and determined as she looked at Yukari. “Tomochika’s behaviour was similarly egregious to that of Moriyama, a previous target of yours. I knew that putting him in close proximity to you would prompt a change of heart, if you were the Moonlit Thieves. And I was correct.”

“She’s a wily one. Calculating, and clever. It’s no wonder she caught onto us.”

Shit. We really need to be more careful about these things.

“Aye lass. Or, you need to find yourself someone who can see the world the same way she does.”

“You set Kenji up?” Junpei exhaled, sitting back in his seat. “Dude… that’s messed up.”

“My job as Student Council President is to protect Shujin Academy and its students.” Mitsuru shook her head. “That is all.”

“Yeah well, in case you haven’t noticed, we’re doing the job that the Student Council should be doing!” Yukari scowled, crossing her arms in front of her. “You were letting Ekoda abuse kids right under your nose. Bullies and creeps were running rampant. We did something about it! All you did was set someone up so that you didn’t have to get your own hands dirty. That’s messed up, Kirijo!”

“Takeba.” Mitsuru closed her eyes, pursing her lips. “There is no need for hostility. I’d prefer an amenable discussion.”

“Yeah?” Yukari put her hands on the table, standing upright and glaring daggers at Mitsuru. “Well what’s the point of this amenable discussion anyways, huh? To shut us down? How’s that protecting Shujin exactly, huh?”

“No. That isn’t it.” Kotone shook her head, a sudden realization dawning on her. “They want us to change someone’s heart for them.”

The room went silent, Moonlit Thieves and Kirijos alike turning to look at Kotone. Mitsuru frowned, biting her cheek as her eyes remained shut. Kotone could tell she was thinking. Weighing. Evaluating her options from every angle, like she had before with Kenji. That was how she worked. How she thought. How things, inevitably, would go.

“That isn’t necessarily the case, no.” Mitsuru opened her eyes, shaking her head. “Our goal here is to evaluate your group and your methods to determine if you’re acting against the best interests of Shujin Academy and its student body. Nothing more.”

“But you were thinking of doing that by having us target someone for you.” Kotone leaned closer, meeting Mitsuru’s gaze head on. “Weren’t you?”

What the hell am I doing? Why am I doing this? What happened to playing by her rules?

“Your fire’s burning bright, lass. It’s a good thing.”

I’m not used to this!

“…screw it. Yeah. You’re right.” Akihiko nodded his assent, shrugging at the sidelong glance that his sister gave him for outing them. “What? No point in denying it anymore. Might as well.”

“Oh dude.” Junpei’s eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?”

“Yes.” Mitsuru sighed, straightening her posture and frowning. “One avenue we had considered for our investigation was asking you to change the heart of a certain individual who has been causing issues for our school community.”

“Er…” Fuuka stared at her lap, her voice meek and quiet. “Who?”

“My turn?” Akihiko raised an eyebrow at his sister. Mitsuru sighed ever so slightly, nodding. Akihiko smiled at that, stepping forward and pulling a pamphlet from inside his jacket. “Bastard’s name is Shin Mutatsu. He’s the head of a cult that’s been targeting our students recently.”

“A cult?” Kotone frowned, looking over the pamphlet. Same green paper. Same stark white typeface. Same eye-catching simplicity. The Escapade. “That’s probably a pretty reasonable target, actually. But what’s this Mutatsu guy actually doing?”

“More and more of our students are missing school to attend his sermons. His calls for donations are bleeding people dry. People who have joined the Escapade have tried to recruit their friends to do the same, and if they refuse, cut them out entirely.“ Mitsuru shook her head, hesitating for a long moment before continuing. “...it reeks of exploitation. I am still searching for avenues available for the Student Council to deal with him, which should we decide to entertain the idea, may include requesting your help.”

“Meaning you help us nail the bastard, and get him to knock it off.” Akihiko grinned, pumping his fist enthusiastically. “Good plan, right?”

“Maybe.” Yukari frowned, still looking unhappily toward the older girl. “But are you sure you want that? Ms. President doesn’t seem like she’s so sure about this.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that. It was Mitsuru’s idea in the first place.” Akihiko crossed his arms, nodding determinedly. “She’s all onboard, right Mitsu?”

Mitsuru frowned, staring at the table in front of her. Her fingernails tapped against the woodgrain, her eyes looking between each of the Thieves. Kotone, Yukari, Junpei, Fuuka, Kotone, Yukari, Junpei, Fuuka. It must have only been a minute or so, but for Kotone it felt like eternity, their fate hanging in the balance as the Kirijo heiress considered their value. Finally, Mitsuru let out a sigh.

And she shook her head.

“No.”

“No?” Akihiko blinked, seemingly caught unawares by the decision. “Hey wait, Mitsu-“

“It was a mistake to entertain the thought. The Student Council shouldn’t stoop so low as to use our students to solve problems they have nothing to do with.” Mitsuru frowned, pensive. “Neither should the Moonlit Thieves. It would be best if you all disbanded now, as soon as possible.”

“Dude! The hell are you even talking about? We don’t use other people! And what about Kenji?” Junpei grit his teeth, outrage clear in his voice. “You used him as bait didn’t you? The hell’s up with that?”

“My point exactly. I should not have involved him in the first place.” Mitsuru stood, looking between the Thieves one last time. “I appreciate your efforts to try and help your fellow students. However, I must ask that you leave it to the Student Council from now on. If you continue your activities as Moonlit Thieves, I will have no choice but to report you.”

“Wait a minute!” Yukari jumped to her feet once again, slamming her hands against the table. “You can’t just do that!”

“I can. I’m sorry, Takeba.” Mitsuru turned away, opening the door to the hall and glancing over her shoulder. “The decision is final.”

“Mitsuru.” Akihiko frowned, staring after his sister. When she stepped out into the hallway without a response, he groaned and followed after her. “Damnit.”

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the Moonlit Thieves to stew in the silence that followed, no sound but the faint tick tick tick of the clock on the wall to accompany them.

“Um.” Fuuka hesitantly raised a hand, looking around the table. “Can I say something?”

“Mnh.” Yukari groaned, faceplanting against the table and burying her head in her hands. “Go ahead.”

“Right.” Fuuka took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. “Fuck.”

“Did-“ Junpei froze. “Gal, did you just-“

“No, I agree.” Kotone nodded, smiling faintly. “Fuck.”

“Yes.” Aigis poked her head out of “This is most certainly a situation where ‘fuck’ is an appropriate response.”

“Fuck!” Yukari groaned, sitting up and shaking her head. “Damnit, fuck!”

“…okay then.” Junpei shrugged. “Fuck, dude.”

“Fuck.”

“Fuck!”

“Fuck….”

“Fuuuuuuuck.”

“Fuck! Double fuck!”

“Fuck!” Kotone giggled, shaking her head as the others laughed aloud, a brief moment of catharsis following a frustrating meeting. “Alright team. What now?”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to stop.” Yukari shook her head, crossing her arms in front of her as she sat up again. “I’m not letting Kirijo scare me into not doing the right thing.”

“Same dude.” Junpei nodded in agreement. “Plus, she just gave us another target, right? That Mutatsu guy seems like bad news.”

“He is.” Fuuka nodded as well, much slower this time. “I remember Natsuki talking about him… he’s definitely worth being a target.”

“It is likely that he possesses a Palace, considering the scale of his distortion affects so many.” Aigis tilted her head, thoughtful. “It would be contrary to our mission to leave him unopposed.”

“I agree.” Kotone tapped her chin. “So… since going after that guy means we’re not backing down, we should definitely figure out how to avoid getting caught by Mitsuru. Right?”

“Right.” Junpei adjusted his cap. “Guess it’ll make things a little harder, but nothing we can’t handle.”

“I think she’s bluffing.” Yukari glared at the door, shaking her head. “She knows we’re doing all the work she should. We’re making the school look better. That’s all that matters to her, she’s just putting on bluster because she thinks she has to look like she’s in charge or whatever.”

“I agree.” Fuuka cleared her throat, looking away. “Shujin’s already become a much nicer place with us working… I-I don’t think she’d throw that away. I think she really cares.”

“Yeah sure.” Yukari snorted. “About her own image. You know her family’s got a lot of money invested in the school, right? It’d look bad for all of them if there was another big scandal like what happened with Ekoda.”

“Still, we should not take anything of the sort for granted.” Aigis shook her head, emphatically so. “Assumptions are dangerous to make. We should proceed with caution regardless.”

“Right.” Kotone stood upright, placing her hand forward at the center of the table and gesturing for the others to do the same. “We’ll be careful. But no matter what, we keep helping people, right? No matter what comes our way, we can get past it. We’re a team. So on three, got it? Three, two, one… team!”

“Team!”

“I concur, team!”

“Team!”

“Prove Kirijo wrong!” Yukari threw her hand in the air, shrugging at the mystified looks the rest of the team gave her. “What? I can have my own reasons.”

“You sure can.” Kotone snorted, shouldering her bag and heading for the door, sliding it open with a smile. “Now come on, let’s-“

“You know.” Kotone froze in her tracks as Akihiko’s voice interrupted her, amusement clear in the younger Kirijo’s tone as he leaned against the wall on the other side of the Student Council room door. “I don’t think yelling like that’s going to keep things quiet.”

“Shit- uh-“ Junpei scrambled for a moment, trying to find some sort of excuse. “We weren’t talking about… y’know, moon stuff, that was actually for- for uh…”

“Baseball?” Fuuka offered.

“Yeah, baseball!” Junpei nodded assuredly, putting his hands on his hips. “We were just talking about baseball, that’s all.”

“Right.” Akihiko stood upright, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded-up slip of paper. He offered it to Kotone, his voice dropping to barely more than a whisper. “Here’s my number. Made up my mind, I need to see more. Doesn’t matter what Mitsuru thinks. Call me next time you do your thing, I’ll be there.”

And then as if nothing had happened at all, he walked off.

“Wow…” Fuuka watched him go, frowning. “You know, a lot of girls would kill for Akihiko Kirijo’s number.”

“Yeah, only now the only girl who’d kill Kotone is Mitsuru.” Junpei scratched his head, glancing around. “Think she’d be pissed that he gave you that, huh?”

“From all available information on Mitsuru Kirijo, it is likely.” Aigis popped her head out of Kotone’s bag, peering over her shoulder at the paper in her hand. “Will we be availing him of our operations?”

“I don’t see why not.” Yukari crossed her arms, looking off to the side. “Worst thing that happens is it makes it harder for Kirijo to rat us out if her brother’s on the team, right?”

“Already looking to recruit him, huh Yukari?” Kotone grinned, passing the paper off to Aigis so she could stow it in her bag. “Still, I think you’re right. Even if Mitsuru isn’t a fan, she still gave us something valuable. Another target. And, if Akihiko doesn’t like what he sees in Mutatsu’s distortion? Maybe another teammate.”

“Man, I hope so dude.” Junpei leaned back on his hands as Kotone resumed her walk, leading the rest of the Thieves down toward the entranceway. “Feels like there’s a lot that could go wrong here.”

“Yeah.” Kotone shrugged, a twinkle in her eyes. “There’s a lot that could go right too.”

“You’ve sure come a long way lass.”

What was that saying you liked? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?

“Aye indeed, lass. Aye indeed.”

Chapter Text

^{“Peace! Tranquility! Silence! Escape!”}

^{“Akihiko’s so dreamy…”}

^{“It’s like I don’t even know you anymore!”}

Monday, June 13^th 2016.

The Day of the Temple Infiltration

Kotone couldn’t help but feel nervous as she stood with the rest of the Thieves on the sidewalk across the street from the temple that the Escapade was based out of. It wasn’t a particularly menacing structure admittedly, there was seemingly nothing much out of the ordinary about it beyond the bright green sign standing out front. But that wasn’t important when it came to the Other World she was realizing, and truthfully it wasn’t the Escapade that Kotone was worried about right now.

“Hey.” Akihiko Kirijo raised a hand in greeting as he approached the Thieves, a canvas bag slung over his shoulder. He paused just short of them, looking across the street toward their soon to be target. “So this is it? I’ve never been myself.”

He seems pretty calm about all this, all things considered.

“Aye. He’s got a cool head, this one.”

Well, that and he has no idea what he’s getting into really.

“Yeah, this is the place.” Yukari shifted on the balls of her feet, frowning at the bag. “What’s that?”

“My shinai.” Akihiko pulled the zipper open on his bag enough to show the handle of his practice blade, a confident smile on his face. “Iori said I might need it.”

“Did he?” Fuuka blinked, glancing at the boy. “Junpei…”

“What?” Junpei shrugged as the girls all turned to look at him, frowning. “He’s the captain of the kendo team, if the guy’s got a sword, he should bring a sword!”

“It would be practical advice under other circumstances.” Aigis shifted in Kotone’s bag, her voice coming out as nothing but faint beeps for Akihiko. “However, without a Persona, it would likely prove ineffective.”

“Yeah, that. And you…” Yukari blinked, turning back to the Kirijo boy. “You’re just, okay with the fact you might need a weapon? Just like that?”

“It seemed practical.” Akihiko nodded, zipping the bag back up. “Don’t want to be taken by surprise.”

“…wow, he really is Moonlit Thief material.” Kotone blinked, then shook her head, turning her attention back to the temple. “Alright so, just to confirm Aigis, this is the place right?”

“Yes, that is correct. Shin Mutatsu’s distortion is located at this location.” Aigis nodded from within Kotone’s bag. “We may begin infiltration as soon as we are ready.”

“Who’re you talking to?” Akihiko frowned, glancing around. “And what are we doing here anyway? We’re not breaking in, are we?”

“In a way. Don’t worry Mr. Kirijo!” Fuuka bowed her head at Akihiko as the Thieves turned to duck into the nearby alleyway to avoid being seen as they crossed between worlds. “You’ll see soon. Don’t panic, okay? The others will keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Akihiko’s frown only grew as he followed them into the alley. “Wait a second, what are you-“

“Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” Aigis turned to Ribbon as she jumped from Wildcard’s bag, landing just short of Akihiko and bowing her head. “Hello. My name is Aigis. While we are in the Other World, please refer to me as Ribbon.”

“The hell-“ Akihiko jumped back, unzipping his bag and pulling free his shinai with surprising speed. “What- who are you?”

“Well…” Wildcard grinned, striking a dramatic pose as she did. “We’re the Moonlit Thieves of Hearts!”

“What-“ Akihiko blinked, still staring at the five of them like they had just landed from Mars or something. “How did- huh?”

“Don’t worry, it’s just us!” Gal giggled, pushing up her visor so that Akihiko could see her face. “We transform into costumes when we go into the Other World. We’re still your underclassmen.”

“What, but-“ Akihiko furrowed his brow, seemingly counting off each of the Thieves until his eyes landed on Aigis. “Then who’s she?”

“Hello. As I said, I am Ribbon. I am meant to assist the Wildcard however I can.” Ribbon nodded, gesturing at Wildcard. “She is our leader.”

“Yep. Like she said, I’m Wildcard. The others are Plebe, Feather, and Gal.” Wildcard nodded at her teammates in turn. “And like I said, we’re the Moonlit Thieves!”

“Right but…” Akihiko’s eyes flickered between Wildcard and Ribbon, still uncertain. “Where’d she come from? Was she following us?”

“She’s usually a lot smaller.” Feather shrugged, making a motion with her hand to indicate size. “Wildcard carries her around in her bag.”

“The robot doll? That’s a person?” Akihiko finally seemed to calm down, slowly lowering his sword. “I thought she was just a comfort object.”

“Wait, you knew she was lugging her around?” Plebe frowned, scratching his head. “And you didn’t say anything?”

“It’s not exactly subtle.” Akihiko shook his head. “And who I am to judge what makes people comfortable? As long as it wasn’t causing problems, I wasn’t going to kick up a fuss.”

“Thank you.” Ribbon bowed her head once again. “I am very appreciative that you were understanding.”

“Right. So…” Akihiko took a step back, seemingly taking the space to process what had happened and what exactly he was seeing. “What happens next?”

“Well…” Wildcard smiled, stepping back out into the street. The modest temple that had once stood before them had transformed, a palatial garden stretching out in its place, surrounded on all sides by high walls and glimmering lights. The gate laid open, a procession of white robed cognitions already making their way deeper inside into the dark forest that awaited within. “We infiltrate. Gal can fill you in while we go. Let’s get to work.”

---

There was the distinct sound of shuffling feet as the Thieves made their way into the Palace proper, sticking close together amidst the sea of white robes as they wound through a cobblestone path that led through the inside of the garden. The trees around them seemed to stretch upwards as they went, solidifying into a roof over their heads while they walked beneath the boughs. Wildcard thought it was a pretty enough sight for a Palace, especially considering her previous experiences. Compared to Ekoda or Moriyama’s Palaces, this was proving downright pleasant.

Almost too pleasant, actually.

“Hey man…” Plebe fell in next to Wildcard, whispering conspirationally. “I kinda wanna say this has been too easy so far, but I’m worried Yukatan might give me shit if I jinx us or something. Think you can cover for me?”

“I think you already jinxed us by asking.” Wildcard rolled her eyes, smiling. “Don’t worry. I have your back.”

“Thanks, dude.” Plebe grinned, stepping back and stretching dramatically. “Man, this has been easy!”

“What are you, stupid? Don’t say that!” Feather groaned, taking the bait and rolling her eyes. “C’mon, don’t you know anything? That’s the last thing you should say right now!”

“Actually, I think Plebe’s got a point.” Wildcard glanced over her shoulder, smiling cheekily. “Last time the door was locked, so it’s already going better than before.”

“You all wouldn’t last a day in Featherman.” Feather sighed, putting a hand on her hip. “You know that, right?”

“Good thing we’re not in Featherman!” Plebe pumped his fist. “It’s totally ‘The Adventures of Powerful Plebe and his Problematic Pals’ or something, right?”

“No.” Feather groaned. “Never.”

“Hm…” Akihiko frowned, watching the three banter. “You all seem pretty relaxed about all this. My heart hasn’t stopped pounding since we got here.”

“This is their third Palace. They’re really experienced by now.” Gal giggled, shaking her head. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it soon too, if you want to join the team.”

“I need a mask for that, you said?” Akihiko flicked his wrist, his sword swinging at his side experimentally. “Wonder how I’m-“

“Hold up.” Wildcard raised her hand, a sudden severity in her voice as she halted in her tracks. They had reached the end of the path, a large space opening up before them. The trees over their heads arched upwards, forming a cathedral like roof from which a faint white light leaked through. The Thieves all stopped as the cognitions didn’t, the white robed aspirants walking forward in neat orderly rows to stand before what appeared to be a wrinkled old man, bald and dressed in a freshly pressed green kimono. His clouded eyes glowed a golden yellow, seemingly shrouded in a thin fog as he looked over the crowd with a tranquil smile on his lips. “Looks like we found the Ruler.”

“Already?” Feather furrowed her brow, unsheathing her bow and carefully nocking an arrow. “Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Gal nodded, grabbing the side of her visor as Ellen Smiff scanned the golden-eyed man. “That’s him! That’s Mutatsu’s Shadow!”

“His Shadow?” Akihiko’s grip tightened on his sword, a frown on his face. “The hell…”

“Come my aspirants, bow to the gospel of serenity.” Mutatsu’s Shadow swayed ever so slightly in place as it spoke, a faint white mist emanating from its mouth. “Heed not the chaos of life, heed not the strife. Rest now, in peace. Worry not, and place your trust in the Escapade. Bow, bow, and let your troubles fade away…”

Before the Thieves, the cognitions began to bow, their heads hanging low as the infiltrators looked on in surprise. There were only a few exceptions, a handful of cognitions near the back of the cathedral who seemed to be as hesitant as the Thieves felt. Mutatsu’s Shadow turned to them, his eyes glimmering as his smile turned sinister.

“Do not worry, my aspirants.” The Ruler nodded placidly, raising his hand. From the paths that lead off from the room on either side, two squads of Shadows emerged, closing in on the unbowed with billowing white cloaks and glimmering jade masks. In another moment they reached out, grabbing the cognitions and forcing them to their knees, their heads bowed as Mutatsu’s Shadow looked on. “If you require assistance in achieving serenity, that is what we may provide.”

“Hey, the hell are you doing?” Plebe raised his voice, stepping forward. “Just because they’re not real doesn’t mean you can treat them like that asshole, let them go!”

“Tranquility is inevitable. I am the shepherd that will guide you each to achieve it.” Mutatsu bowed his head, the smoke from his mouth thickening into a cloud as he smiled. “There is no need to resist. Bow. Bow, and find peace. If you cannot… then my friends here shall help you.”

“Don’t even think about it.” Akihiko drew his practice sword, stepping forward to stand between the Shadows and the Thieves as their enemies turned their attention to the infiltrators, grasping hands reaching out to bow them to their knees. “Back off!”

“Mr. Kirijo!” Gal gasped, reaching a hand out. “Wait, stay behind the others! They can protect you; you shouldn’t fight!”

“It’s my responsibility as an upperclassman to take care of you.” Akihiko glanced over his shoulder, shaking his head. “You might be more experienced here, but I won’t back down!”“

“There is no need for strife.” Mutatsu’s Shadow shook his head as one of the guards approached Akihiko, angling to do the same to him as it had the cognitions. The boy’s training sword simply bounced off its billowing cloak as he tried to dissuade the Shadow, the subsequent punch it delivered to the Kirijo’s gut sending him groaning to his knees. “All you must do is bow to the serenity of stagnation, and you will have your peace.”

“Akihiko!” Kotone tensed up, nearly springing into action to defend the older boy. She stopped dead in her tracks when she caught sight of woman standing by his side clad in old warrior’s dress, blue flames licking around her feet. “Oh. Oh.”

“They call upon you to help them. Can you hear their cries? Those who beseech you to protect their honor, their homes, their lives. Will you take up the mantle? Will you answer the call?”

“Of course I will…” Akihiko stared daggers at the Shadow that had attacked him as he pushed himself to his feet, his eyes glowing gold as he stood defiant until the very end. “I have a duty to the people counting on me. I won’t let them down!”

“Then we shall make a man out of you yet.” The woman smiled, procuring a large dao with a handle behind the blade from within and offering it to the Kirijo. “I am thou, thou art I. Call my name to defend all that you hold dear, and let us strike forth as one!”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Akihiko grabbed hold of the blade with one hand, slicing at the Shadow in front of him as he reached up to pull away his newly formed mask with the other. “Let’s do this, Hua Mulan!”

The woman smiled as she joined with Akihiko’s soul, bursting forward to finish the Shadow with a cascade of black and red blades. Their enemy fell apart, vanishing into an indistinct goop as the cognitions closest to the Thieves scrambled to their feet and backed away from the grinning senior with fear in their eyes.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Wildcard pumped her fist, casting aside her mask to summon Anne Bonny and drawing her flintlock in one swift motion. The Ruler’s eyes widened in surprise as he faced down the barrel of three guns, a faint frown on his face. “Now, what were you saying?”

“Chaos is a natural reaction to fear.” Mutatsu’s Shadow shook his head, raising another hand in front of him. “Worry not. You will find peace in the end.”

The ground bubbled before of the Thieves, more cloaked Shadows emerging from the darkness as Mutatsu’s Shadow turned and vanished deeper into the Palace, leaving them to face off against his goons. Frustrating, for sure, but not exactly surprising.

“Alright new guy!” Wildcard grinned, Persephone emerging beside Anne Bonny as the Thieves fell in beside their leader. “Let’s see what you can do!”

“No problem.” Akihiko nodded, reaching over his back and pulling free a newly manifested crossbow. He took aim, firing at one of the Shadows and striking it in the mask. For a moment the Shadow stumbled, seemingly otherwise unharmed. Then the bolt burst, an explosion of cursed energy consuming the Shadow from the point of impact and sending it scattering. “How’s that?”

“Aw what?!” Plebe’s eyes widened in surprise, his whole posture slumping as he watched the Shadow vanish. “He gets a crossbow that blows up? Maaan, that’s so much cooler than what I got!”

“What did you get?” Wildcard glanced at Plebe, still levying her guns at the Shadows. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use a ranged weapon.”

“Man, I don’t want to talk about it.” Plebe groaned, shaking his head. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Guys, focus!” Feather jumped back, sending forth a volley of arrows as a Shadow struck where she had just been standing. “Maybe talk after the fight?!”

“Right.” Kotone nodded, the sound of gunfire filling the air as she and her Personae let loose their own volley, charging through the ensuing smoke with a grin. “Let’s go!”

The Thieves set upon the Shadows, the cognitions scattering away from the fight as they were run roughshod away from their enemies. Kotone was starting to enjoy these Awakening battles, they were always a good excuse to let loose. She was almost disappointed when it was over, the last Shadows dissolving before them without much fanfare.

“Careful lass. Cockiness is an ill that many can’t recognize until it hangs them.”

Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.

“You understand that doesn’t help your case, right lass?”

“Serves them…” Akihiko stumbled, the strength of his Awakening wearing off as he shuddered. “Right. Damn, why can’t I…”

“Exhaustion is a common consequence of Awakening. Please do not push yourself.” Ribbon offered the boy her arm, allowing him to lean against her. “We should return to the real world as soon as possible.”

“Fine by me…” Akihiko stumbled, leaning on Ribbon as they made their way back out of the Palace and into the real world beyond. “Damn. I don’t think Mitsuru’d believe any of this.”

“You don’t have to tell her yet.” Kotone smiled, helping the man lean against the wall as they returned to the real world and Ribbon became Aigis once more. “It usually takes a few weeks for us to get through a Palace anyways, so you have time to figure it out.”

“Understood.” Akihiko exhaled, shaking his head. “Guess this makes me a Moonlit Thief, is that right?”

“I think so.” Fuuka looked around at the others, who all nodded their agreement. “All you need now is a codename.”

“Hm…” Akihiko considered it for a moment, seemingly listening to the voice of Hua Mulan in his head. Then, he smiled. “Alright. I’ve got it…”

Call me Dragon.

Thursday, June 16^th 2016.

The Day of the Bribe

Merope wasn’t outside the Velvet Room today.

Kotone hadn’t expected that. She’d figured it would have been a good idea to stop by and fuse some Personae before they tried to go deeper into Mutatsu’s Palace, but hadn’t had the time that morning. Merope had been there then, standing with that bored look on her face like she always had.

But now she was gone.

Despite herself, Kotone felt a twinge of worry in her heart. Merope’s relationship with Igor had never been exactly stable, and with how her Master seemed to treat her, Kotone wouldn’t put it past him to do something to her for any kind of perceived slight he may have seen. She knew that the green-eyed Attendant was probably fine, but as she looked into the dark void that was the Velvet Room door, Kotone didn’t particularly want to ask Igor if something had happened. She was afraid that she might not like the answer, or worse, that she might get Merope in trouble if the Attendant was off doing something she shouldn’t be.

“Kotone?” Aigis popped out of her bag, a frown emerging on her display. “You appear distressed.”

“Maybe a little.” Kotone frowned, turning back to Bookworms and heading inside. She waved hello to Mr. Kitamura working behind the counter, sprinting her way upstairs and placing her bag on her desk. “Do you mind watching the homefront for a while? I need to go check in on a friend of mine.”

“I would weigh down your search. I comprehend.” Aigis nodded, stepping free from the bag and saluting. “I will monitor the situation here.”

“Thanks, Aigis.” Kotone grinned, patting the little robot on the head before turning and heading back downstairs, making her way out into the late afternoon sky. “Alright. So where could she-“

Kotone’s question was answered in an instant as she heard the sound of metal splintering, and saw a baseball sail through the sky far over her head and off into Tokyo.

Well, that was easy enough.

“Aye. The problem now lies not in finding, but in solving.”

…right.

Kotone could hear yelling as she darted up the steps to the batting cages, relief that Merope wasn’t in any serious trouble mixing with trepidation at what she had gotten herself into. Just as Kotone had expected, she found the Attendant standing by the entrance to the cages, scowling at the worker as he chewed her out for a fresh hole in the only recently repaired fence.

“It was you! You’re the one who damaged the cage last month!” The man was inflamed, glaring daggers at Merope as he stomped his foot. “Do you know how much trouble I was in for that?! How did you even manage it?”

“That isn’t my problem.” Merope rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “I was just trying to have fun. You should have had a stronger fence.”

“It’s not rated for… that!” The man gestured broadly, his arms waving to and fro. “That shouldn’t even be physically possible!”

“What you understand as physically possible is only a fraction of the universe, guy.” Merope’s eyes glowed ever so slightly as she stepped forward, a gust of wind running through the batting cages. “Do you want me to show you another?”

“Whoah, hey, okay!” Kotone jumped forward, gently grabbing Merope by the shoulder and pulling her back. “Sorry, sorry. My friend’s not from around here, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. We were just leaving.”

“Now hold on!” The manager shook his head, planting his feet. “What about the fence? She damaged it, she can’t just run off again without any consequences!”

“Sure I can.” Merope shrugged, turning and walking off. “You can’t stop me.”

“I-“ The manager blanched, looking between the two girls as Kotone stared hopelessly after her Attendant. “Hey, wait, you’re that brat staying with the Kitamuras, right? If your friend’s not going to hold herself responsible, you can bet I’ll be telling them about this!”

“Wait, but-“ Kotone blinked. Shit. That would be bad. She didn’t want to cause any trouble for the Kitamuras, especially with her probation. “Hey, hold on, that’s not fair!”

“What’s not fair is the owner chewing my head off for damage she did!” The manager crossed his arms, looking smug. “So, either she makes up for it or-“

“Are you holding my Guest hostage?” Merope turned, a dangerous look in her eyes as she stalked up to the man, forcing him to take several steps back as the wind picked up once more. “I’ll have no choice but to protect her if you are.”

“I-“ The man sputtered, somehow not backing down even when faced with the Attendant’s otherworldly fury. “W-well, I can’t do nothing s-so…”

“Fine then.” Merope narrowed her eyes. “You leave me no choice.”

The man flinched as Merope reached into her coat, shrinking down before her fury. His fear turned to confusion however as Merope pulled out a comically large stack of ¥10,000 bills and placed it in his hand.

“That should cover the damages, right?” Merope stepped back, crossing her arms and scowling. “Can we get out of here already?”

“Er…” The man blinked at the money, evidently not believing his eyes. There had to be… a million yen there. At least. “That… y-yeah, you can go…”

“Okaycoolthanksletsgo!” Kotone took Merope’s arm, dragging her down the stairs and out of the batting cages before the man could question… well, any of that. “Are you alright?”

“Fine.” Merope pulled her arm free of Kotone’s grip, huffing. “I just wanted to try that baseball thing again. Stupid humans… always making such a big deal out of things. I thought it was just a you thing, is everyone like that?”

“Uh, not really sure what you mean by like that, but yeah?” Kotone shrugged, leading Merope to a nearby bench and taking a seat. “People are… people, you know?”

“Yeah well, that people was a stupid jerk.” Merope rolled her eyes, resting her head against her elbow. “You should steal his heart or something.”

“No way.” Kotone shook her head. “He didn’t do anything wrong, really. He’s a kid probably working minimum wage, he isn’t hurting anybody.”

“Well I feel hurt. I just wanted to hit some stupid baseballs, and now-“ Merope groaned, standing to her feet. “Whatever. You probably wanted to fuse or something, right? That’s what I’m here for. Let’s go.”

“Merope, wait.” Kotone stood, halting the Attendant before she could go stomping off down the way back toward the Velvet Room. “I…”

Shit. I didn’t have a followup for that.

“Think on your feet lass. I know you can.”

Right. Uh… uh… oh!

“…do you wanna grab some coffee?”

“Coffee?” Merope paused in her tracks, turning to face Kotone. “What do you mean ‘grab some coffee’?”

“There’s a café between here and the Velvet Room. Junpei said apparently the owner’s pretty particular about his coffee.” Kotone smiled, gesturing down the path. The word Junpei had actually used was ‘hardass’, but she figured he was just exaggerating. Probably. “I think his name’s Mumon or something? Anyways, I wanted to check it out. Come with me?”

“…you’re stupid.” Merope sighed, looking away. “Fine. Come on, let’s go.”

“Sweet!” Kotone grinned, jumping into action and leading the way toward the yellow awning that stood over the café door. “Think maybe you can use some more of that yen of yours to pay?”

“No. Maybe. It’s for Velvet Room stuff.” Merope followed Kotone, rolling her eyes. “…maybe this counts. Whatever. We’ll see.”

“She doesn’t seem excited, lass.”

Not really. But she’s coming with me, and she’s not treating herself like she’s only good for the Velvet Room, sooo…

“Aye. It’s a win.”

“Yep.” Kotone shrugged, pausing outside the door. “A total win.”

“Who are you talking to?” Merope blinked at Kotone, appraising her. “Your Persona? You know you can do that in your head, right?”

“Yeah. I know, just-“ Kotone shrugged, rubbing her neck. “…dunno, helps vocalize it sometimes.”

“You’re so weird.” Merope rolled her eyes, sighing. “…thanks, Wildcard.”

“No problem.” Smiling Kotone pulled open the door, gesturing inside. “But you can call me Kotone, you know that right?”

“…fine.” Merope sighed, heading inside with the faintest smile on her lips. “Thanks…”

Kotone.

Chapter Text

^{“It’s not just a donation, it’s a promise for peace! Who can put a price on that?”}

^{“Please, come back home! Why are you acting like this?”}

^{“No refunds. No, I’m not sorry.”}

Friday, June 17^th 2016.

The Day of the Update

S.IKUTSUKI – PHONETONE DM

s.ikutsuki: Good morning, Ms. Shiomi.

s.ikutsuki: Staying out of trouble, I hope?

phonetone: Oh hey.

phonetone: Yeah, of course!

s.ikutsuki: Excellent. I’d be quite troubled myself if you weren’t!

phonetone: Haha, oh yeah. Don’t worry, it’s all good.

s.ikutsuki: That’s reassuring to hear.

s.ikutsuki: Oh yes, before I forget. I heard you did quite well in your exams last month.

s.ikutsuki: It seems you truly put your knowledge to the test, and passed with flying colours!

phonetone: Oh yeah. Thanks! I just did my best, that’s all.

s.ikutsuki: Hmhm! If more of my charges did their supposed best, well, then perhaps this nation wouldn’t be in the state it’s in.

phonetone: Um.

phonetone: Thanks?

s.ikutsuki: Oh, I’m sorry. I may have allowed some of my frustrations to come through.

phonetone: It’s all good!

s.ikutsuki: Actually, Ms. Shiomi, signs would point toward almost all of it being particularly not good.

s.ikutsuki: But ah, that’s my own trouble to deal with. You have a good day, Ms. Shiomi.

phonetone: I will! You too, Mr. Ikutsuki.

s.ikutsuki: We’ll see about that quite soon, won’t we?

Saturday, June 18^th 2016.

The Day of Making Progress

“Hua Mulan!” Dragon cast his mask from his face, cursed energy pooling around him as he stood side by side with his Persona. “Let’s get them!”

The two moved forward as one, slashing at the towering Shadow guarding the path ahead. Their opponent stumbled, lesions forming across its cloak. It didn’t fall, however, gurgling and striking forth to punch at the newly minted Thief with a fumbling sort of fury. It took Ribbon jumping into the air behind their enemy and sending a nuclear cascade slamming into its back before the Shadow finally fell, disintegrating under the combined weight of their onslaught.

“Damn.” Dragon frowned, shaking his hand out as he watched the Shadow dissipate before him. “I know you said there’s a power boost with the Awakening, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.”

“It’s not just you.” Gal flipped up her visor, frowning. “These Shadows are definitely tougher than the ones from the last Palace. Everyone is struggling a little.”

Mutatsu’s Palace was more a maze than anything else, the split paths snaking out from his cathedral leading into a labyrinth of arching trees and wandering Shadows. There was no clear way forward, and more than a few dead ends, which meant that the Thieves were doing a lot of backtracking. More importantly, they were doing a lot of fighting. Even if the Ruler hadn’t made another appearance yet, the legion of Shadows that were guarding this place had been giving them more trouble than expected.

“Man, it’s like it bounces right off!” Plebe groaned as he swiped at another Shadow, his blade barely cutting through the enemy’s cloth covering. It took another volley from Feather to bring the enemy down, and even then only just. “Did we get hit with a debuff or something?”

“No.” Ribbon frowned, crouching down and running her hand through the goop as it vanished. She shook her head, standing once again. “This Palace hosts stronger Shadows than we have seen before. Previously we have been lucky enough that our personal growth has allowed for consistent progress through a Palace, however it seems that is no longer the case.”

“So?” Feather frowned, tapping the tip of her boot against the ground. “What’s that mean?”

“Sounds like we have to train.” Dragon cracked his knuckles, nodding. “That right?”

“That is correct, yes.” Ribbon nodded affirmatively. “Either by continuing to attempt to progress against Shadows present in this early section of the Palace, or seeking other avenues of improvement.”

“Well, I guess we have been letting some stuff on the Moonlist pile up.” Wildcard tapped her foot, considering things. “Probably better to make some progress there than just running into a wall here. I’m a bit worried about Mitsuru catching on if we’re not careful doing it though.”

“She will. She’s sharp.” Dragon crossed his arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll make her see sense.”

“Man, I don’t think that’s really reassuring…” Plebe groaned, resting his hands behind his head. “Still… guess we’re in this to help people right? I already got scared outta helping Kaz before all this, I don’t really wanna do that again.”

“I agree.” Gal bit her cheek nervously, looking around. “It’s what the Moonlit Thieves are all about, right?”

“I can’t say I like Mitsuru maybe breathing down our necks…” Feather frowned, tapping her foot. “But we haven’t backed down from a challenge yet, and I don’t plan to start now.”

“I defer to the judgement of the others.” Ribbon nodded, turning to Wildcard. “If you are in agreement, then we are unanimous.”

“Sounds like it!” Wildcard grinned, tapping the haft of her poleaxe against the ground and turning back toward the entrance. “Alright everyone. Moonlist it is! Let’s see what we’ve got!”

Monday, June 20^th 2016.

The Day of the Bullshit

What they got was a bunch of bullshit.

Kotone shouldn’t have been surprised, really. Crowdsourcing their targets was always going to be a bit of a mess, they knew that. Teenagers weren’t exactly world renowned for being the best at registering scale or keeping requests reasonable. Still, the number of posts asking for people’s hearts to be changed for the pettiest reasons known to man was… a bit disheartening, honestly.

“Hey, do you think this might be something?” Yukari tapped Kotone’s shoulder, gesturing at her phone. The two of them were sitting in the courtyard, reviewing potential targets together. Four eyes were better than two, after all.

Wait, would it be six eyes are better than four? Aigis is here, how many eyes does her display count as anyways?

“Focus, lass. She asked a question.”

Oh right.

“Hm…” Kotone looked at the post. A girl in the first year was complaining about her controlling boyfriend and asking for his heart to be changed. “I mean, maybe? That doesn’t sound good. But if she’s out posting stuff like that on a public website, I think they might have some more stuff going on than just that.”

“Good point.” Yukari sighed, scrolling away. “Ugh, this is frustrating.”

“I know what you mean.” Kotone patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we’ll find something.”

“It’s not just that. Here, look.” Yukari scrolled back up a few entries, turning her phone to Kotone once again. “Some people are asking for changes of heart that are just… dumb.”

REQUEST FOR HELP WITH CHIDORI YOSHINO.

Do I even need to explain? She’s a weirdo. All she ever does is sit around and draw. I know her friend died or whatever, but that was years ago! She needs to just get over it and be normal. She and her little lapdog freak everyone out, the Moonlit Thieves should take their hearts so they stop being such weirdoes.

…it’d be petty to steal someone’s heart for posting something like this, right?

“Maybe, lass. But it’s not a bad instinct. Someone who posts something like this isn’t a real friend of Thieves.” 

Right, but… thinking like that is dangerous.

“Ugh.” Kotone groaned, shaking her head and leaning back. “What a jerk. People like that are the worst.”

“No kidding.” Yukari sighed, pocketing her phone and leaning back next to Kotone. “I’m glad you guys aren’t like that.”

“Well duh.” Kotone nodded assuredly, crossing her arms. “I don’t think it’d be possible to be the Moonlit Thieves if we were like that.”

“Yeah, still.” Yukari shrugged, looking away into the middle distance. “The Thieves are kinda the first place I’ve felt comfortable being… y’know, me. Most people just think I’m a weird bitch.”

“I think we’re all weird bitches Yukari.” Kotone elbowed her friend gently, smiling widely. Her smile faded ever so slightly as her friend didn’t respond. “Yukari?”

“See? It’s exactly like that.” Yukari turned back to Kotone, shaking her head. “You say stuff like that so easily, like… well, like it’s a good thing. Nobody’s ever done that before.”

“Well, nobody’s been right about it before.” Kotone snorted, sitting upright. “You’re my bitchy bestie, Yukari. That’s why I like you.”

“…thanks. That- that really means a lot to me Kotone.” Yukari shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant even as she blushed in embarrassment. “I know I give you and Junpei especially shit a lot of the time, but really um… I’m glad we fell into that Palace together.”

“Of course. Me too…” Kotone’s smile slowly shifted into a grin as she elbowed her friend in the side. “…Feather Pink.”

“See, that’s another thing!” Yukari groaned, rolling her eyes as she stood up. “All the Featherman stuff, you guys give me shit for it but you all know the lore too! You’re definitely all Featherfans, you can’t pretend you’re-“

Yukari’s accusation was cut off by the sound of a crash, and the subsequent patter of falling books. The two Thieves looked over, catching sight of Saori Hasegawa on her hands and knees from a fall, a scattering of fallen books in front of her, and Principal Oohashi glaring down at both from just above.

“Hasegawa!” Oohashi sneered as Saori tried to steady herself, her shaking evident even from this distance. “Be more careful! How do you expect to get anywhere if you can’t even perform a simple task like carrying books?”

“I…” Saori’s lip trembled as she stared at the fallen books. “I-I’m sorry, Principal Oohashi. I-I guess I tried carrying too many, I-I just wanted to help…”

“I don’t have time for your excuses.” Oohashi rolled his eyes, turning away. “Hurry up and clean all this up, you know where it goes. You’re blocking the path.”

“Y-yes sir.” Saori swallowed, shaking her head and moving to start picking up the debris. “S-sorry sir.”

“Hmph.” Oohashi harrumphed, turning and walking away. “Good.”

…hey wait, weren’t we planning to steal his heart anyways?

“Aye. Right after that Kenji lad.”

Well, isn’t that convenient?

“Let’s go.” Kotone nodded at Yukari, receiving one in return. The two girls made their way over to Saori, crouching down to scoop up some of the fallen books. “Here, let us help.”

“O-oh, that’s alright.” Saori’s eyes widened in surprise as she reached up to wipe them, sniffling quietly. “It’s my fault, I-“

“Hey, we’re helping, got it?” Yukari shook her head with conviction, gathering up her share of books. “It’s what we do.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that this isn’t the first time I’ve had to pick up books recently?” Kotone winked, hefting her own third of books into her arms. “Really, it’s fine. Why were you carrying so many anyways?”

“W-well um…” Saori sniffled, grabbing the remaining books and standing upright. “Principal Oohashi said he needed some help with moving these to the library, and… well, I wanted to be helpful, so…”

“So he made you carry all of them?” Yukari scowled, glaring in the direction the principal had gone with murderous intent. “That asshole.”

“It’s okay, I volunteered. I-I just wanted to be helpful, so…” Saori shook her head, trying to take the books from the other two. “Here, I’ll take them-“

“Nuh-uh. You said these are going to the library?” Kotone turned, heading down the path before Saori could protest. “C’mon, we’re helping you, got it?”

“But-“ Saori gasped, taking a few hesitant steps after Kotone. “But I- it’s my responsibility!”

“You should probably save your breath.” Yukari shook her head, a faint smile on her face. “Once Kotone decides to do something, it’s being done. C’mon, let’s catch up.”

“But I…” Saori hesitated for another brief moment, before exhaling and following the two Thieves. “…thank you.”

---

It didn’t take long to unload the books. Kotone and Yukari stacked their piles next to Saori’s, handing them off to the librarian on duty. Saori had thanked them profusely, apologizing once again for the trouble. The two hadn’t minded, of course. Their thoughts were on bigger things as they made their way away after all.

“So, our next target is definitely Oohashi, right?” Kotone put a hand on her hip, grinning. “There’s no way he’s not.”

“We’d have to ask the others if they’re okay with it, but he definitely should be.” Yukari nodded her agreement. “But with how he acts, are we sure he doesn’t have a Palace? That might be too much for us to handle right now.”

“Kazuya Oohashi’s Will Seed has not yet become a Palace.” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, shaking her head. “While he is certainly distorted, his base personality was already significantly unpleasant.”

“Sheesh… wonder what that tells you.” Yukari shook her head, sighing. “Guess there’s no reason not to suggest it then, right?”

“Right.” Kotone grinned, pulling out her phone. “I’ll let them know.”

“I appreciate the commitment, lass. Saying hell to it all and going for the biggest fish even when you’re under scrutiny’s a ballsy move.”

Well, like we said. We can’t let other people scare us away from doing the right thing.

“Well said lass. Well said indeed.”

Wednesday, June 22^nd 2016.

The Day of the Den

Cigar smoke wafted from the rift in the Other World, floating up into the darkness of the sky and mixing with the trailing, everpresent fog. Wildcard scrunched up her nose, standing a little ways away from the entrance to the distortion to avoid inhaling any of the fumes.

“Well, it shouldn’t be harmful…” Gal frowned as she read the readouts on her visor, Ellen Smiff looming large behind her. “It’ll probably just smell bad…”

“Eugh, reminds me of my dad.” Plebe tapped his gladius against the armor of his leg. “Man, do we really gotta do this?”

“Feather or Wildcard would likely be able to clear the smoke to a degree using wind skills.” Ribbon tilted her head. “However, if our intent is to steal Kazuya Oohashi’s heart, then yes, ‘we really gotta do this’.”

“Aw…” Plebe groaned. “Maaaaaaannn…”

“No point holding back.” Dragon nodded, staring into the distorted rift. “We should get to it already.”

“Um, Dragon…” Gal blinked as she called Ellen Smiff off, stepping forward to stand next to the boy. “Are you sure you’re okay stealing Oohashi’s heart? Isn’t it a bit of a conflict with your role on the Student Council?”

“Not at all.” Dragon rolled his shoulder, smiling cockily under his mask. “Oohashi’s been a thorn in the Student Council’s side for as long as I can remember. Making him a bit less of a bastard’s a relief.”

“Dude, you’re making it sound like uh… hey what’s it called again?” Plebe frowned, scratching his head. “Mr. Ono was talking about it. And extra… something. Extrajurycinal, or something?”

“Extrajudicial?” Feather raised an eyebrow. “Plebe, everything we do is extrajudicial.”

“Well, sure dude, but this is kinda…” Plebe shrugged. “…extra? I dunno man, it just feels a little messed up for a Student Council member to go after the Principal, that’s all.”

“I want to protect my schoolmates however I can. It’s why I’m here.” Dragon stepped forward, his sword at the ready. “Oohashi’s hurting them. Seems simple to me.”

“Right… I guess so.” Wildcard frowned. She had to admit, she agreed with Plebe, just a little. She was glad that Dragon was on their side and not looking to rat them out to his sister, but he was very… straightforward, in a way that put her off. Still, there was nothing to it. They had a job to do. “Alright everyone, let’s get to work.”

---

The smell of cigar smoke became overpowering just as soon as the Thieves were inside the distortion, the acrid stench filling Wildcard’s nostrils like a tidal wave. Gal was right that it didn’t seem to be harmful in the way normal smoke would be, but that didn’t make it any more pleasant as the Thieves emerged into what seemed to be an old timey gambler’s den, the faint lights and heavy smoke filling the air with a distinct sort of gloom.

“Feather, could you-“ Wildcard wafted her hand in front of her face, trying to clear some of the smoke as she shook her head. “-maybe try to do something about this?”

“Yeah, just give me a second.” Feather reached up to her face, scrunching her nose. “Whitehand, give us some air!”

Feather’s Persona emerged into the gloom, his gnarled hands pulling back the drawstring on his bow. He held the tension for a moment, no arrow held in his grip. Then, he let go, a rush of wind bursting forth and sending the smoke flowing away from their path forward.

“Nice work. Now let’s-“ Dragon was interrupted by a glint of black steel as a Shadow leapt from the gloom, striking at him with its gelatinous strength. The boy flinched, deflecting it away with his dao and narrowing his eyes. “Guess it’s like that, eh?”

“Yup. Looks like it.” Kotone sighed as more Shadows emerged, bobbling and bubbling and doing all the sorts of things these liquidy ones did as they circled the Thieves. “Alright everyone, it’s a fight!”

The Shadows set upon them like a wave, smoke trailing from their masks as the Thieves met them in turn. Claws and blades cut through the smog, Feather’s winds buffeting them all as she pushed back against Shadow and gloom both. Beyond them all, a yellow-eyed man dressed in an old suit stepped into view, a cigar hanging from his mouth as he frowned at the intruders.

“So brutish.” Oohashi’s Shadow adjusted his tie with one hand, tossing his Will Seed nonchalantly up and down with the other. “I’m trying to run a business here, can’t you see you’re disturbing the peace with this racket?”

“Hey dude, that’s pretty much the idea!” Plebe grinned as Spartacus plunged his blade into one of the Shadows, scattering it with a crackle of lightning. “We’ll be taking that!”

“Oh I’m sure you’ll try.” Oohashi’s Shadow scoffed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. “Running a business like mine takes more effort than you brutes could ever imagine. Investor demands, risk assessment, all of it! This enterprise needs me to churn out profitable students for society! Not that you would know anything about that.”

“Education should not be run as a business.” Ribbon tore through the Shadow standing between her and their target, stepping up her pace to charge at the man. “You are failing your students.”

“Bah, failing!” Oohashi’s Shadow stepped back, allowing a pair of Shadows to intercept the android. “I’m the only reason this school is afloat! If everyone just kept their head down and didn’t make a ruckus, business would be smooth. Hmph, I never should have hired Yamagishi, she’s already stirring the pot more than she should!”

“My mom’s doing the right thing, you’re just trying to make yourself feel strong!” Gal clasped her hands together, the floor opening up underneath the Shadows to drag them down into the drifting smoke below. “Now hand over your Will Seed, please!”

“Why you-“ Oohashi’s Shadow finally seemed to realize the gravity of his situation, scrambling back toward the wall as Ribbon and Dragon surrounded him now that his guards were gone. He squealed, holding up his Will Seed for them to take. “O-oh God, don’t hurt me! I’m sorry, don’t rat me out, just take it!”

“Wow.” Feather rolled her eyes. “He folded like paper, huh?”

“Hmph. Shoulda known.” Dragon scoffed as he took the Will Seed, shoving the Shadow back with his other hand. “So, this it?”

“Yep.” Wildcard nodded, gesturing for the others to leave as she faced Oohashi’s Shadow. “Gal’s right you know. You should be more like Elly. She’s a good teacher, you could learn a lot from her.”

“More like Yamagishi...” Oohashi’s Shadow frowned, shaking his head. “Hm…”

“I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere far with him.” Feather tapped Wildcard on the shoulder, gesturing for her to follow the others. “Let’s go.”

“Worth a shot.” Wildcard shrugged, following her team into the open space of the Other World and watching as the distortion dissolved with a faint crack and the rapidly diminishing smell of smoke. “I hope that was enough.”

“Well…” Dragon grinned, tossing Wildcard the Will Seed and turning away. “Guess we’ll see tomorrow, won’t we?”

Thursday, June 23^rd 2016.

The Day of the Review

^{“No way dude, another surprise assembly?”}

^{“Do you think there’s going to be another resignation?”}

^{“I bet the Moonlit Thieves struck again! Oh, I hope it’s Mr. Takenozuka, he’s so creepy!”}

Speculation filled the air of the Shujin gym as the students filed in, standing in uneven groups as they waited for Oohashi to take the stage. There was a tension in the air, words passing like electricity between the students, thunder rumbling in anticipation of the lightning flash that was whatever Oohashi would come to say.

Kotone hoped it was big.

“So, what’re we thinking?” Junpei smiled, his previous unease at their mission evidently vanishing in the light of its fruition. “Think he’ll just resign, or is he gonna have a big speech like Ekoda?”

“I hope it’s just a resignation.” Yukari frowned, seemingly fighting back the urge to tug at the sleeve of her cardigan. “I know we basically said we’re okay with Mitsuru catching onto us, but maybe we could put it off a little more if it’s not that big a deal.”

“She’ll know. But don’t worry, like I said, I know how to handle it.” Akihiko crossed his arms, nodding in satisfaction. “I’m hoping for fireworks.”

“I think we shouldn’t get our hopes up too much…” Fuuka frowned as Oohashi emerged from the side door of the gym, stepping up to the microphone with a nervous halfstep. “It was a Will Seed, not a Treasure. And my mom said-“

“Ahem- a-ahem, is this on?” Principal Oohashi tapped the microphone, wincing at the feedback it gave back. “Oh, it is. Ahem. Hello students, I-I just have a quick announcement for you all.”

“Yeah you do, you bastard.” Akihiko’s smile grew, his whole body leaning forward in anticipation. “C’mon, let’s hear it.”

“It has come to my attention that certain… erm, policies have been ineffective in the past. I have misapplied the mandate handed to me by the board and you as students, and for that I am deeply sorry. Because of that, I will…” Principal Oohashi paused, though if it was intentional to give weight to his words or an involuntary hesitation in what he would do next, Kotone couldn’t tell. If there was one thing that was for sure, she was on the edge of her seat for whet the principal said next. “…be re-examining the implementation of certain policies in the future. For example, I will be placing harsher restrictions on what work students are allowed to do for faculty members, err, I will be approving Dr. Yamagishi’s request for art supplies to be used in classrooms, and Mr. Ono’s request to loosen um, faculty uniform regulations in regard to headgear. That will be all, for now. Thank you. Goodbye.”

There was a palpable silence as Principal Oohashi shuffled offstage, interrupted only by the distinct sound of Mr. Ono cheering from somewhere in the gym. Not even the whispers reignited, shock and disappointment seizing them to silence as the anticipation puttered out and the realization that Principal Oohashi wasn’t going to do something crazy seemed to settle in.

Wait. That’s it?

“It would seem so, lass.”

Really? No apologies or anything? Nothing?

“Dude, did he seriously just…” Junpei blinked. “Nothing?”

Junpei’s words seemed to stir the crowd into motion, a chorus of confused murmurs filling the air.

^{“That’s it?”}

^{“Man… I totally thought he got targeted!”}

^{“I guess we’re still stuck with empty-headed Oohashi…”}

“Not even an apology.” Yukari shook her head, sighing. “Wow.”

“It is as I said before. We are only able to clear a distortion, not the underlying psychology of an individual.” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, watching the door from which Oohashi left. “Kazuya Oohashi is an unpleasant man at his base. He will not necessarily always be so, but that is a matter that we are unable to contribute to.”

“I guess we knew that going in.” Kotone sighed, tilting her head. “Well, at least Elly’s getting some art supplies? That’ll make class more interesting, right?”

“Sure dude, but…” Junpei groaned. “Maaaaaaaan…”

“I agree. Damn it.” Akihiko released the tension in his body, sighing. “Well, so much for that. You might be right though, that was so limp even Mitsu might not suspect it was us.”

“Well, um…” Fuuka gestured nervously toward the front of the hall “I think maybe she already does.”

There, amidst the whispering students and the unimpressed faculty, Mitsuru Kirijo was staring at them, an icy fire in her eyes.

“Well lass, you felt brave before. How about now?”

…still brave. Probably.

“We’ll soon see, won’t we?”

Chapter Text

^{“Man, I just passed Ms. Kirijo in the hall. She looked pissed!”}

^{“Please, stop going there! It’s a cult!”}

^{“Get real, Amada. You’re no Cake Knight.”}

Thursday, June 23^rd 2016.

The Day of the Debate

Kotone had never really had parents.

Plural, that was. She’d had her mom when she was younger, of course, but never a dad. He’d left before she was even born, and after her mom died none of the foster parents she’d been placed with had ever really been… parents. More just people she’d stayed with until they got sick of her. The Kitamuras were probably the closest thing she’d had, and they were more like grandparents than anything else. Not really the same.

All this to say that Kotone wasn’t really familiar with the notion of having parents, and less so with the notion of parents arguing. But if she had to guess, it probably sounded a lot like what was going on inside the Student Council room right now.

Most of the Thieves were stood gathered outside the door as Akihiko and Mitsuru’s muffled voices echoed from within. The good news was the walls made it hard to make out what was being said, which meant they wouldn’t accidentally leak the Thieves’ identity to every passing student. The bad news was, it most certainly was loud enough to draw the interest of every said passersby, and the curious eyes of Kotone’s peers just made her feel more and more like she was a kid in elementary school waiting outside the principal's office while her parents laid into them for… well, whatever exactly it was she’d done wrong.

Though, she didn’t figure an elementary school student could steal the principal’s heart, for whatever that was worth.

“Man…” Junpei scratched his neck, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet. “I-I guess we probably should have asked him what his plan was, huh? Think things are going alright in there?”

“Definitely.” Fuuka stood close to Junpei, doing her best with her presence to reassure the boy. “We’ll be alright. Akihiko is a smart guy, I’m sure he knows just what to say.”

“Sure but-“ Yukari winced as the sound of a palm smacking a table echoed from inside, followed by another burst of angry words. “It’s not really reassuring, is it?”

“So long as he is able to dissuade her from reporting us, the means are irrelevant.” Aigis poked out of the bag, tilting her head. “Is that not the case?”

“People yelling at each other like that isn’t ever a good thing.” Junpei shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek. “ ‘specially when they’re family, you know?”

“They’ll work it out.” Kotone nodded, smiling reassuringly. “My brother and I used to fight all the time, but it always worked out in the end.”

“I hope you’re right…” Yukari tapped her foot restlessly, frowning. “But wait, I thought you and your brother got separated a long time ago? Is that really the same thing?”

“Uh… well, I haven’t seen him for like ten years or something, yeah.” Kotone shrugged, rubbing her neck. “I figure there’s probably not that much of a difference between how siblings fight as kids and now though, right?”

“I don’t think I need to even express how wrong that is, lass.”

I know, but- I shouldn’t have brought up Sakuya. I barely even remember what he looks like.

“There’s a time and place to cover your arse, lass. Among friends like this isn’t it.”

“Kotone, that’s not-“

Yukari was interrupted by the sound of something slamming inside the Student Council room, followed by the irregular beat of footsteps and the door sliding open. Akihiko stepped out into the hall, an angry expression on his face as he marched right past the Thieves.

“Yo, dude!” Junpei reached a hand out towards him, frowning. “Where’re you going? What happened?”

“Wait outside the Palace. Tomorrow, an hour after school lets out.” Akihiko scowled, glancing over his shoulder. “Be ready, got it?”

“Wait, but-“ Kotone reached a hand out toward the boy as well, both she and Junpei ignored as their upperclassman made his way down the hall and away. “Hey!”

“I’m not sure what he said, but I wouldn’t expect an answer from him.” Mitsuru shook her head as she stepped out of the Student Council room and frowned at the Thieves. “I thought we had an agreement.”

“Yeah, well…” Yukari scowled, taking a protective step forward to face Mitsuru down. “I don’t think we really actually agreed to your ‘agreement’ huh?”

“Your dedication to your cause is admirable, I’ll admit. I wish that more students had your tenacity in pursuing their endeavors.” Mitsuru shook her head, a distant look in her eyes. “Still, I cannot let it stand. Not when Shujin’s safety and reputation are on the line.”

“Then it sounds like you don’t really want us to have ‘tenacity’.” Kotone rolled her shoulder, staring the older girl head on. “It sounds like you just want us to do whatever protects the school, that’s all.”

“Shiomi, you-“ Mitsuru took an instinctive step forward, her voice raising ever so slightly. Then, she faltered, pausing in place. “Hm. I… I suppose it does, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Fuuka fidgeted, her fingers curling the strings of her hoodie nervously. “We’re trying to help people Ms. Kirijo… that’s all. That’s good for Shujin, right?”

“Maybe so.” Mitsuru closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she turned away. “…but I cannot allow vigilante justice to continue under my watch, especially when it puts the students under my care at risk. I will give you one final warning. Please, disband.” The older girl looked up, staring at the ceiling above. “Please.”

And Mitsuru Kirijo walked away.

“Good on you for calling her out like that lass.”

She seemed more receptive to it than I thought.

“She’s a good woman, on the wrong path. Anyone can see it.”

“Well…” Kotone turned to her friends, smiling as best she could. “I guess we’ll just have to see what Akihiko has planned for tomorrow, huh?”

“Yeah…” Yukari watched Mitsuru walk away, frowning as she turned to follow her friends in the other direction. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Hey, don’t worry Yukatan!” Junpei smiled, resting his hands behind his head. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Akihiko’s probably got a great plan.”

…right?

Friday, June 24^th 2016.

The Day of the Cookies

Kotone’s faith in Akihiko’s plan was growing… tenuous, at best.

The older boy hadn’t answered any of their texts after school that day, and whenever the other Thieves had run into him or Mitsuru in the halls they hadn’t gotten anything more out of them than determined anticipation from one and determined… well, whatever it was you called Mitsuru’s desire to see them shut down exactly.

It was concerning to say the least. Especially when it left the four of them standing across the street from the Escapade, loitering like a bunch of delinquents as they tried their best to not look suspicious and keep an eye out for whatever it was Akihiko had planned.

On the plus side, at least Fuuka had brought cookies.

“…I know they’re kind of bad.” Fuuka rubbed her arm, looking sheepish as she stared at her feet. “B-but I wanted to make something for you all, so… um…”

“Cookies are cookies gal!” Junpei shook his head emphatically, wiping his mouth and sending a scattering of crumbs to the floor. “They’re great!”

“You’re getting crumbs all over your clothes!” Yukari stepped back and away as Junpei somehow managed to shed more crumbs, dusting both he and the ground around him with cookie. “Sheesh, seriously? You’re such a slob sometimes Junpei.”

“And dude, look how much cookie you’re wasting!” Kotone grinned, shaking her head. Fuuka wasn’t wrong exactly, they were far from the best cookies Kotone had ever eaten. Too much flour, probably too much time in the oven. But Junpei was right, free cookies were free cookies. And she really appreciated the thought. “Fuuka worked hard on these, quit feeding the floor!”

“Well, it was actually k-kind of a mess…” Fuuka winced, shaking her head. “I-I guess I’m still pretty clumsy, so I think I fed the floor a bunch too… I started thinking it might have been better to build a robot to do it instead…”

“Is that so?” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, her display flashing question marks as she tilted her head curiously. “You believe a mechanical solution would be preferable to doing it yourself?”

“Yes! Cooking and baking is actually a lot of precise processes if you follow the cookbooks.” Fuuka nodded, her stance widening as she smiled enthusiastically. “I thought that maybe if I set up the right system, I could make cookies at-“ Fuuka suddenly froze, wincing and looking away. “S-sorry…”

“Huh?” Yukari blinked, unsure. “What for?”

“Just… I-I guess talking about machines and stuff like that isn’t really girly. I um…”  Fuuka rubbed her arm, shaking her head. “Sorry.”

“Hey, who told you that?” Yukari furrowed her brow, scowling. “That sounds like bullshit to me.”

“I-it does?” Fuuka blanched, unsure. “I-I guess I just heard it around, or… s-something like that.”

“It does, yes. I am mechanical, and I am a girl.” Aigis nodded her agreement. “There is a significant link between mechanics and femininity. To say otherwise is indeed ‘bullshit’.”

“Th-thank you…” Fuuka brightened up, a smile returning to her face. “I-I guess I just get into my own head about it sometimes…”

“Everyone does. That’s part of being alive, I think.” Kotone elbowed her friend gently, still smiling. “So I think what I’m hearing is that someone owes us some robo-cookies, huh?”

“Hehee…” Fuuka giggled, nodding. “Mhm! I’ll see what I can do! Whatever happens, I promise I’ll do my best!”

The Thieves settled into a steady sort of silence after that, polishing off the last of the cookies as they waited. Fortunately, it wouldn’t take long. A black street car pulled up to the sidewalk ahead of them, settling to a stop with the engine still running. Kotone took an instinctive step back, the sudden presence of a vehicle that screamed money sparking dueling instincts inside her. The first was the natural deference that she figured most people had when people with enough power to crush them under their boot came into play. The second, much more radical, much more Anne Bonnyish, Wildcardish instinct was to grab a nearby brick, and smash it through the windshield.

Fortunately for Kotone’s probation, neither thought had time to truly coalesce before the far side door opened, and a familiar grey-haired boy stepped out onto the street, slamming the door shut behind him.

“Here’s fine.” Akihiko nodded toward the driver, circling around the car to stand expectantly by the nearside rear door. “C’mon, this is it.”

“I fail to see how this will achieve anything, Aki.” Mitsuru stepped out beside her brother, adjusting her sunglasses on her face as she scrunched her face at the light of day and appraised the Thieves standing before her. Kotone shivered. Even behind the sunglasses, her gaze was still piercing. “You all? Akihiko, what’s the meaning of this?”

“You’ll see.” Akihiko crossed his arms, nodding toward Kotone’s bag as the car drove off, leaving Mitsuru alone with the Thieves. “Aigis? Do me a favour. Bring us into the Palace.”

“What?” Yukari’s eyes widened. “Wait, you can’t just do that!”

“Yeah dude, what?” Junpei shook his head emphatically. “You gotta warn us about stuff like this man!”

“This is the best way to make her realize what needs to be done.” Akihiko took a step forward, puffing himself up. “She needs to see it for herself, damnit.”

“I don’t appreciate the implications of what you’re saying, Aki.” Mitsuru frowned at her brother, turning to Kotone and raising an eyebrow. “Shiomi. You appear to be the leader, what’s the meaning of this?”

“Uh.” Kotone blinked, still trying to process what was going on. This was his plan? Seriously? “I uh…”

“It’s bold. But it’s also renegade. A plan I’d wager everything on if given the chance, but a chance we were denied.”

That’s really not helpful. What am I supposed to do?

“Thou art I lass, remember. I can only tell you what to do insomuch as you can.”

“Kotone.” Aigis poked Kotone’s shoulder, nodding assuredly. “It is your decision. Would you like me to bring Mitsuru Kirijo along with us into the Other World?”

“I…” Kotone thought about it for a second. Then another. Then a third. Finally she exhaled. She wasn’t happy about this exactly, but Akihiko was probably right. He knew his sister best, after all. And… considering Mitsuru was already here, it wasn’t like backing out was a good idea either. That only left one option. “Screw it. Nothing ventured, right? Let’s do it. But we’re going to talk about this later Aki, got it?”

“Pardon?” Mitsuru blinked, furrowing her brow. “What exactly do you mean-“

“Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” Ribbon jumped free from Wildcard’s bag, bowing to Mitsuru as the other girl’s eyes widened in surprise behind her sunglasses. “Hello Mitsuru Kirijo. My name is Aigis, while we are here you may call me Ribbon.”

“Here, what-“ Mitsuru took an instinctive step back, her eyes darting between the Thieves as they all did their best to seem as nonthreatening as a group of masked vigilantes could. “Hold on a moment, how did-“

“It’s us, Mitsu.” Dragon lifted his mask, shaking his head as his sister stared at him dumbfounded. “This is how we do our work.”

“Your work- Aki, this is insane.” Mitsuru put a hand to her forehead, trying to process what was in front of her. “Did you drug me somehow?”

“Nah dude, this is how we steal Hearts!” Plebe nodded, doing his best to jump onboard this insane plan as Feather simply rolled her eyes and Gal shook her head. “Check out behind you!”

“Behind me? What-“ Mitsuru turned, her sunglasses reflecting the wide gates of the garden as her jaw dropped opened. “Impossible…”

“You’d think so, right?” Dragon slipped his mask back on, crossing the street with his dao gripped tightly in his hand. “Come on, lemme show you.”

“Follow Dragon’s lead for now, everyone.” Wildcard nodded at the boy, pausing beside Mitsuru to smile at her. “It’ll make sense soon. Promise.”

“I…” Mitsuru took an uncertain step forward, following after her brother as a frown etched on her face. “I don’t see how that’s possible, but I admit that I am far too intrigued to back away now.”

“Sounds like the fire in her is already sparking, lass.”

I hope so. It’d make things easier. And… probably cooler.

“Aye. That it would.”

The Thieves and their plus one set forth into the Palace, quickly flanked on either side by the robed cognitions that called this place their home. Mitsuru seemed taken aback by the sight of them, uncomprehending as they marched ever onwards into the garden.

“Who are these-“ Mitsuru stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at one of the cognitions, her eyes widening in horror as she did. “Fushimi? What are you doing here?”

“That er, that isn’t really her…” Gal shook her head as Mitsuru stopped in front of the glassy-eyed girl. “It’s a cognition. This place is based on how Mutatsu sees the world. I-I guess Chihiro went to the Escapade recently, so…”

“So now she’s here? In this place?” Mitsuru’s face hardened as she continued to stare, watching as the girl moved past them without so much as a flicker of recognition. “…our own Treasurer. I… I had no idea.”

“So, you care now that it’s someone you know?” Feather rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the girl. “Everyone here’s someone the Escapade is drawing in. How many of them do you wanna bet are students at our school, huh?”

“Takeba, that-“ Mitsuru turned to meet Feather’s gaze, faltering under the intensity of the younger girl’s expression. “No. You’re right. I should not be so nearsighted. I should keep the bigger picture in mind.”

“The bigger picture’s everyone here, man.” Plebe shook his head emphatically. “You gotta see that, right?”

“I…” Mitsuru flinched, glancing around at the crowd. “I must see more. Where are they all going?”

“Here.” Wildcard gestured forward, deeper into the Palace and the cathedral that awaited beyond. “We’ll show you.”

The Thieves moved forward, halting at the entrance to the cathedral. There were more cognitions and Shadows here than normal, bunched up in rows as they listened to Mutatsu’s Shadow deliver a sermon.

“Huh? The hell’s he doing here?” Plebe scratched his head as the Thieves went into defensive stances, his eyes scanning the wrinkled monk’s placid expression. “He hasn’t come back here since that first time, right?”

“Cognition is highly variable. It reflects the expectations and needs of those who interface with it.” Ribbon shook her head. “It is likely that with a new infiltrator, the Ruler has been prompted to reassert itself as master of this domain.”

“That’s Shin Mutatsu then?” Mitsuru paused, pursing her lips as she stared at the Shadow. “Why does he look like that?”

“Ah, Mitsuru Kirijo.” Mutatsu’s Shadow smiled broadly zeroing in on the woman as smoke poured through his teeth. “I’ve waited so long for you to visit this place. Come, rest in tranquility as so many of your peers have already done.”

“You’ve heard of me?” Mitsuru’s eyes widened in surprise, her stance tensing up defensively. “How?”

“My aspirants speak of you, often.” Mutatsu’s Shadow nodded slowly. “You are in their hearts and minds, Ms. Kirijo. Just as I am. Only, your philosophy hurts… and mine heals.”

“Ms. Kirijo asks so much of us.” One of the supplicants near the front of the room shook his head, not turning to face the Thieves. “Why can’t she just leave us alone?”

“She doesn’t really care. She’s just doing whatever the school wants her to.” Another supplicant sighed, her eyes on Mutatsu. “I guess that matters more than we do.”

“You can’t really be surprised. The Kirijo Group basically own the school.” Yet another voice spoke up, annoyance evident in every word they said. “Anything bad for Shujin is bad for them. That’s the real point of all this.”

“No, this isn’t. None of this is true, I-“ Mitsuru grit her teeth, shaking her head as she took several steps closer to the Shadow, pulling away from the others. “This is only what you would have them believe. These are the lies your cult is spreading.”

“Not at all, Ms. Kirijo. These are their own words, their own feelings.” Mutatsu’s Shadow’s grin grew wider, some of the jade-masked Shadows at the wings of the room closing in to circle around Mitsuru. “This is what they think of you. Tell me now, is tranquility not better? Blessed silence preferable? You and I are the same Ms. Kirijo, I know the weight that leadership holds. Come now, bow… and live in peace.”

“Mitsu, wait-“ Dragon stepped toward his sister, only to be blocked by both the looming Shadows cutting her off, and Wildcard’s hand on his shoulder. “But-“

Is it wrong to stop him from trying to protect his sister?

“She’ll be fine, lass. This was what he wanted. And she’s ripe for an Awakening if I’ve ever seen one.”

I hope you’re right. Because if not…

“I am nothing like you.” Mitsuru stepped forward, a cold fire in her eyes as she glared at the Shadow. “I act to protect the students in my care, and the school that hosts us. Even if they can’t see it, that’s what matters, not… whatever this is.”

“Does this rationalization not tire you, Kirijo?” Mutatsu’s Shadow sighed, more smoke drifting from within. “You spend so long fighting fruitlessly for nothing, with nothing. Is tranquility not preferable? Why wear yourself thin on a war that only you fight?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mitsuru clenched her fist, flecks of ice drifting in the air around her as she shook her head. “I do everything to protect them. The students. My family. Our reputation, I… I…”

“Reputation, reputation. All your life you’ve been told to live and die for reputation.” Mitsuru seized up, her whole body going stiff as the voice of a woman lilted through the air around her. “Isn’t it time you faced the truth? Names matter little in the face of deeds, ravager. Speak all you wish, but the blade of thy will is what shall cut forth the world you wish to see.”

“How?” Mitsuru stared at the ground in front of her, her eyes flashing a golden yellow as ice crystals began to form around her feet and a heavy chill passed through the garden. “Tell me, how do I protect what truly matters?”

“Discard thy hesitation. Thy ineptitude. Speak not for the words of those who see nothing more that the name on thy shoulders.” A woman rose from the frost at Mitsuru’s feet, a flickering corsair dressed in fluttering white. She reached forward, ice spilling from her hands and into Mitsuru’s sunglasses, twisting their form into a silvery metal mask. “Decide here and now to live by thy own rules, to fight by thy own will. I am thou, thou art I. Call my name, ravager, and together we shall break any barrier that would bind us!”

“I understand.” Mitsuru reached up, gritting her teeth as she pried the mask from her face, the ice at her feet blossoming as the corsair grinned and vanished into her soul for a moment. “Come to me, Zheng Yi Sao, and help me fight for that which I choose!”

The Persona burst forth from within Mitsuru, a pair of axes falling into her hands as the Shadows around her froze in place. The freshly Awakened girl took a deep breath, frost and fog spilling from her and her Persona both as she took a careful step forward. Then in another moment she was a blur, dashing forward to slice through the Shadows with a silent fury, their cloaks cracking under the frosty chill before dissolving into goop, leaving nothing but darkness in their wake.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Dragon pumped his fist, grinning as he watched his sister go. “I knew she had it in her.”

“Sure did.” Wildcard grinned right back, spinning one of her flintlocks around her finger and pointing it toward the remaining Shadows. “Now let’s get in there and help her finish this!”

The Thieves surged forth, buffeted by chilled winds as they moved to help their schoolmate. Together they beat the Shadows back, sending them onto oblivion as the cognitions looked on and the Palace thrummed at the disruption, until their enemies were nothing but more goop and ash. Mutatsu’s Shadow had vanished once more at the first sign of trouble, leaving the Thieves and Mitsuru with nothing but a faint trailing of smoke to remember him by.

“Now…” Mitsuru inhaled, flipping her hair back as she stood upright. “Where is Mu- Mutat- Mu…”

“There it is.” Dragon allowed his sister to lean against him as he shook his head, slipping her arm over his shoulder to help keep her upright. “Sorry Mitsu, we’ll have to come back later to find him again.”

“Later…” Mitsuru narrowed her eyes, her expression shrewd even when tinged with exhaustion. “I see… clever play, Aki. It seems I’m now a Moonlit Thief after all…”

And then she slumped over, stumbled toward the exit of the Palace with her brother by her side, and any and all conversations about Moonlit Thieveness were to be saved for later, once more in the light of day.

Chapter Text

^{“The Moonlit Thieves are useless. They don’t even go after any of the freaks at school!”}

^{“Man, summer can’t come soon enough…”}

^{“What do you mean ‘rejected’? I know he did it! I know he did!”}

Saturday, June 25^th 2016

The Day of the Reconvention

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

mkirijo: Hello, everyone.

supdude: hey, there she is

supdude: sup dude?

mkirijo: ‘Nothing much’ would be the correct turn of phrase, is that right?

mkirijo: I confess, I’m not quite sure what the social expectations are for something like this.

proteen: Don’t sweat it Mitsu.

proteen: They’re lowkey. You’ll be fine.

sweaterweather: Well I wouldn’t go that far…

awfuuk: It’s good to have you onboard Ms. Kirijo!

mkirijo: Thank you, Ms. Yamagishi.

phonetone: You guys are dorks. :P

phonetone: We’re teammates now, we can use first names.

mkirijo: Oh. I see.

mkirijo: That is what Akihiko meant by lowkey then?

sweaterweather: Good grief

supdude: for sure dude, we’re not big on formality or anything like that

supdude: so don’t worry about it!

mkirijo: I see.

mkirijo: I will do my utmost to account for this… lowkeyness, in my behavior.

phonetone: Yep, total dork.

mkirijo: I’m sorry, I’m not quite sure I understand your meaning?

proteen: You’ll pick up on how things work around here soon enough Mitsu, don’t worry about it.

proteen: Our focus has gotta be on clearing that Palace.

mkirijo: Of course. My apologies.

mkirijo: What is our next course of action?

supdude: well, first you’re gonna need a codename dude

mkirijo: A codename?

mkirijo: Oh yes. Akihiko mentioned that I might need one.

awfuuk: How about President? That makes sense, right?

mkirijo: That is a commendable suggestion, Ms. Yam

mkirijo: Ms. Fuuka.

mkirijo: However, in the interest of preserving anonymity, perhaps a more removed codename would be best?

sweaterweather: It doesn’t really need to be that deep y’know

mkirijo: I understand.

mkirijo: Would Ravager be appropriate? It seems to be how Zheng Yi Sao refers to me in any case.

phonetone: Aigis says it’s better to keep it to a couple syllables at most.

phonetone: How about Raider? Same sorta feel, right? :P

mkirijo: Raider.

mkirijo: I suppose it would make sense. Very well, I will be Raider then.

proteen: Sounds good.

proteen: Now all that’s left is stealing that bastard’s heart.

phonetone: Yeah!

phonetone: Well, sorta.

phonetone: There’s still some stuff that needs sorting out, but I’ll talk to people individually.

phonetone: I’ll let everyone know when we’re ready to head back into the Palace.

supdude: oooo, mysterious

sweaterweather: Is it anything bad?

phonetone: No, just stuff that needs to be talked about, that’s all.

phonetone: We’ll probably be good to head in by Wednesday!

proteen: Nice.

mkirijo: Magnifique. I look forward to it.

supdude: ???

supdude: dude, what’s a magnifying glass have to do with any of this?

Monday, June 27^th 2016.

The Day of Hesitation

Kotone tapped her foot against the grass of Shujin’s courtyard, a frown on her face as she stared at the phone in her hand. Despite her words in the chat, she only really had one thing to cover before they could go back into the Palace. She’d wanted to do it yesterday, but the Kitamuras had needed help reorganizing the shelves, so that was a no-go. And today, she’d had a chance to get it done before class started, but she’d been… nervous, so she had to put that off too. Now here she was after school with an unsent text sitting on her screen, and nothing less than overwhelming trepidation in her heart.

PHONETONE – PROTEEN DM

phonetone: Hey, so, the big thing I wanted to talk about was your plan from Friday. I know it worked and all, but you really should have told the rest of us about it ahead of time. We’re a team, and if you’re doing something that puts us at risk like that, everyone deserves to know.

Her finger hovered over the send button, her lips pursing as she considered the words. She’d spent the day trying to think of the right way to put her thoughts to the boy, the need for teamwork and camaraderie in the face of the task that laid ahead. This was the best she got. It worked. It got her point across, it was firm without being too harsh, it was about as good as she could expect something like this to be.

And yet, she still couldn’t find it in her to press the send button.

“Hey, Kotone.” Metis waved at her as she approached the other girl from across the courtyard, a nervous smile on her face. “What’re you doing?”

“Hey Metis!” Kotone perked up at the sight of her friend, a smile blossoming across her face. “Nothing much, you?”

“Well, I was going to ask you a question, you seem gloomy.” Metis took a seat next to Kotone, crossing her arms in front of her. “So, what’s up with that first?”

“Oh, just uh…” Kotone shrugged. “Well, I need to let my friend know about something kinda serious, but I’m struggling to actually… you know, send him the message about it.”

“Really? Doesn’t seem like you to hesitate about something like that.” Metis tilted her head, frowning as she reached her hand out. “Lemme see.”

“Uh…” Kotone considered it for a moment. It was probably a bad idea to show her friend internal Moonlit Thief chats, but… well, it wasn’t like there was anything incriminating in that message anyways. Plus it was Metis! She liked Metis. It was probably fine. “Sure, here.”

“Thanks.” Metis squinted at the screen as Kotone handed the phone over, biting her cheek as she inspected the message. “Yeah, I dunno what you’re on about. Seems alright to me.”

“Yeah, well…” Kotone shrugged, feeling suddenly bashful. “I dunno, I guess I’m just having trouble pressing send.”

“Oh really? Well then-“ Metis tapped the send button, nodding happily. “There.”

“Wh-“ Kotone blinked in surprise as Metis handed her back her phone, the little pink bubble of a sent text appearing on the screen. “Did you just-“

“…what?” Metis shrugged. “You were having trouble, so just do it. It’s simple.”

“Yeah, but-“ Kotone paused as her phone dinged, Akihiko’s response popping up on screen. “Hold on a sec.”

PHONETONE – PROTEEN DM

phonetone: Hey, so, the big thing I wanted to talk about was your plan from Friday. I know it worked and all, but you really should have told the rest of us about it ahead of time. We’re a team, and if you’re doing something that puts us at risk like that, everyone deserves to know.

proteen: Heh. You don’t hold back, do you?

proteen: Alright. Message received.

…wow, that actually worked.

“It’s what you like about her, isn’t it lass? She’s not one to hesitate either.”

Definitely.

“Looks like it worked.” Kotone grinned, pocketing her phone. “Thanks, Metis. You’re the best.”

“Yeah well-“ Metis coughed, shrugging and looking away. “What’re friends for, right?”

“A lotta things I’m realizing.” Kotone giggled, shaking her head. “Anyways, you said you were going to ask me something?”

“Oh, right, that, I uh…” Metis stumbled over her words a little, blushing ever so slightly. “Well, uh… it’s… I mean I guess it’s not that big a deal, so…”

“Hey, what did you just say?” Kotone smiled cheekily at her friend. “It’s simple, just do it, right?”

“Oh shut up.” Metis rolled her eyes, exhaling and shaking her head. “I just got some money, so… I was wondering if you wanted to go out to eat, maybe? My treat.”

“Your treat huh?” Kotone grinned, nodding happily. “Sounds good to me! Do you have a place in mind?”

“No. Well, Chidori had a couple suggestions, but…” Metis shrugged, unsure. “Well, I haven’t actually been to any of those places, so no clue about them really.”

“Then I have a suggestion, if you’d like.” Kotone stood up, putting a hand on her hip. “There’s a beef bowl place me and my friends go to sometimes. It’s really good, and really cheap. Sounds perfect to me.”

“Really?” Metis’ eyes widened as she stood up after the other girl, tilting her head. “Where is it?”

“Well…” Kotone winked as she turned, heading off and out of the courtyard. “Why don’t I show you?”

---

The sun shone bright over the two girls’ head as they walk, streaks of orange trailing before the sunset of the afternoon sky. It took Kotone an embarrassing number of tries to find the place without Junpei as a guide, multiple blind alleys and dead ends turning them this way and that in a dance that, to Kotone at least, definitely killed the vibe of her confident declaration that she would lead the way.

Not that Metis seemed to mind, however.

“Hey Kotone…” Metis frowned as she sat on the curb next to the back alley beef bowl place the Thieves frequented, a faint air of uncertainty around her at the perplexing mystery of the proprietor who had taken their orders just a few moments ago. “You like, like hanging out with me, right? You’re not bullshitting me or anything dumb like that?”

“Yeah, of course I do!” Kotone nodded enthusiastically as she sat by her friend, unslinging her bag and setting it on her other side. “It sucks that I’ve been so busy this month. I’ve missed you.”

“You’ve… missed me?” Metis’ eyes widened as she looked away, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks once again. “That- huh. Wow, okay. Huh. That’s weird.”

“One day you’ll figure out that you’re fun to hang out with, Metis.” Kotone elbowed her friend gently in the side, her smile dropping as the other girl didn’t seem to react. “Metis?”

“What? Oh, right, uh…” Metis bit her cheek, watching the afternoon clouds streak through the sky above as she tapped her fingers against her knees. “I have another question.”

“Alright...” Kotone shrugged, appraising her friend carefully. She could tell something was up with the other girl, but if that was good or bad she didn’t know. Metis avoided her eyes for some reason, still looking toward the sky. “What’s up?”

“Well uh, I just wanted to know…” Metis swallowed, shaking her head. “…who’s your celebrity crush?”

“…huh?” Kotone blinked. “What?”

“Your celebrity crush.” Metis shrugged, still avoiding eye contact. “Y’know, someone famous who you’d want to kiss or something. Everyone’s got one right? Who’s yours?”

“Okay…” Kotone frowned, the gears turning in her head. She thought for a moment, then nodded. “Probably Rise Kujikawa. You know, the former idol? I know she’s not really in the spotlight as much anymore after she quit the industry, but she still counts right?”

“Rise Kujikawa. A girl. So are you… uh… is it like a real crush, or more like… y’know…” Metis blushed, then seemingly catching herself, she turned her eyes down from the sky above and raised an eyebrow at Kotone. “Wait, her? Seriously?”

“What? She’s adorable, have you ever seen her interviews over the last few years? And I’m bi if that’s what you’re asking.” Kotone snorted, leaning back on the curb and trying not to laugh at the way Metis immediately averted her eyes at the response. “Okay, my turn. Who’s your crush?”

“That- well, uh…” Metis’ eyes widened, her whole body tensing up on the spot. “Well- you see, uh…”

“Kotone, please be cautious.” Aigis peeked out from her bag, her display flashing in warning as she stared at Metis. “Metis Kimijima is behaving abnormally.”

“It’s fine.” Kotone shook her head at the little robot, turning back to Metis with a smile. “Metis?”

“I- er-“ Metis was like a deer in the headlights, frozen on the spot. She was saved only by the sound of metal slamming open and shut, their beef bowls set out onto the tray by the man inside the restaurant. She jumped to her feet, moving to spring into motion at any moment. “Forget it, those are our bowls, we should-“

“Wait-“ Kotone grabbed the girl’s hand before she could run off, jumping to her feet as well. “Metis, you-“

Metis turned to face her, both girls freezing as they stood inches from one another. Metis’ face was beet red, blushing deep as her crimson eyes darted around as if searching for anything but Kotone to focus on. Kotone tried to speak, to ask her what was wrong, but for some reason the words wouldn’t come. Suddenly Kotone realized just how close they were standing. How warm the other girl’s hand was.

How fast her heart was beating.

“Hey, um… Metis.” Kotone’s voice was quiet, almost a whisper as she stared at the other girl’s face. She’d always been pretty, but standing so close like this she was… wow. “Who uh… who’s your crush?”

“It- it’s- I-“ Metis sputtered, incredulous as she tried to put together the proper words. “Well- I’m not sure if- I- uh… oh you know what, screw this!”

Metis suddenly lurched forth, planting an awkward kiss on Kotone’s lips. Actually, awkward didn’t even begin to describe it. She moved so fast that their foreheads bumped, she only got about half of Kotone’s mouth in the process, and it was so quick and brief that it was over in less than a second. Still, it was like an electric shock for Kotone, her whole body roaring to life as Metis pulled back.

“There!” Metis was as bright as a tomato as she looked away, trying to hide the way her body was shaking after what she had done. “I did it! So, if you want to hate me for that now, then-“

The other girl didn’t get to finish before Kotone cupped her chin, turning her back so they were facing each other once more, and she could pull Metis in for another kiss. And there was nothing quick or brief about this one, their lips meeting like fireworks as they shared their warmth. Kotone wasn’t sure what had come over her, but she knew it felt right even as the two finally pulled back for air and looked into each other’s eyes.

“That-“ Metis seemed stunlocked, blinking as she tried to process what had happened. “You- we- I…”

“So um…” Kotone giggled, her heart still pounding as she draped her arms over the other girl’s shoulders. “Was your crush me?”

“Hey, don’t be so smug about it!” Metis groaned, burying her face in Kotone’s shoulder. “What was I supposed to feel when a pretty girl like you’s nice to me, huh?”

“Oh.” Kotone blushed, a cheeky grin nonetheless spreading across her face. “So you think I’m pretty?”

“Wh-“ Metis sputtered, stepping back so she could look up at Kotone incredulously. “Duh? Who doesn’t? You just, are?”

“Well, it’s news to me.” Kotone giggled, staring right back. “Really though, thanks. I think you’re pretty too, Metis.”

“I uh-“ Metis’ face somehow turned an even deeper shade of red than before, her eyes darting away from Kotone’s as she tried to avoid embarrassing herself. “Th-thanks…”

The two girls just stood there for a few moments, their arms wrapped around each other as they giggled and felt one another’s warmth. Kotone’s whole body felt like it was buzzing, electricity coursing through her veins as she held Metis close. Shit. Huh. They were really doing this, weren’t they?

“Ahem.” The man behind the door opened the slot for his eyes, peering out at the girls with a furrowed brow. “Food’s ready.”

“Oh yeah, well it can wait, because I have a girlfriend now!” Metis turned to the door, making a vaguely rude gesture at the man. Then she suddenly froze, glancing back at Kotone uncertainly. “…I do, right? I mean, that’s what the kiss means? We’re girlfriends?”

“If that’s what you want, then hell yeah it does!” Kotone stuck her tongue out at the man as well, shaking her head. “Give us a sec, we’re girlfriends!”

“Mh.” The man didn’t seem impressed, closing the slot and sighing. “Food’s getting cold.”

“…oh right.” Metis blinked, pulling away from Kotone so she could appraise the beef bowls still sitting there waiting. “We should probably get those.”

“Probably a good idea.” Kotone squeezed Metis’ hand, leading her over to the bowls. She paused as she caught sight of the yen Metis had forked over earlier pinned underneath the bowls. A refund. “Wait, did he just…”

“Oh.” Metis winced, shaking her head. “Aw, now I feel bad about yelling at him like that. Crap.”

“…me too. He’s a nice guy. Still, guess you still need to treat me, huh?” Kotone shrugged, smiling at her freshly minted girlfriend as she pocketed the yen. “How’s Wakatsu on Friday sound?”

…wow that was smooth. Wait, I’m being smooth? How am I being smooth, is that you?

“No lass, this is your own strength manifesting. I couldn’t be more proud.”

…I have no idea what I’m doing.

“Wh- you-“ Metis stared at Kotone, slackjawed, before nodding enthusiastically. “Alright, Wakatsu on Thursday it is! We’ll go have a date. Because we’re dating now. Right?”

“Right!” Kotone laughed, tilting her head back. “At least, I think that’s what being girlfriends means, right?”

“It better be.” Metis crossed her arms emphatically. “Because I’m… really happy now. About this. So… it definitely better be.”

“Yeah…” Kotone giggled, leaning forward to give the other girl another precious kiss.

I am too.

Tuesday, June 28^th 2016.

The Day of the Recovery

The sounds of the city seeped softly through Kotone’s window, the distant honking of cars and winding of the wind coming in muffled through the dusty pane of glass above her bed as the midafternoon sun streaked through the sky. Kotone laid under it, watching the light dance over her roof, patterns and shadows waltzing through the haze.

“…wow.” Kotone blinked, holding back a fit of giggling laughter as she had to fight the urge to kick her feet like a schoolgirl. Which, well, she was, but she was afforded some dignity, wasn’t she? “Wow, I… huh… wow…”

“Kotone, are you alright?” Aigis stared at the girl from her spot on the desk, a concerned frown flashing across her display. “You have been like this since yesterday.”

“Yeah, fine, just-“ Kotone did giggle, sitting up and looking toward the little robot with a grin on her face. “Aigis if I said ‘I’m just super gay’, how much would you get what I mean?”

“I understand your meaning fully. Yukari once said similar when speaking about an ad featuring Ann Takamaki.” Aigis nodded, a faint bzzt resonating from within her chest. When she next spoke, she sounded exactly like Yukari. “I know this is like unachievable beauty standards or whatever, but… wow, I’m super gay.”

“…Aigis, do you record everything we say?” Kotone blinked, slightly unnerved by how easily Aigis had slipped into imitating their friend’s voice. “More importantly, do you keep it?”

“No. Events are transcribed to my memory as purely data, not any form of reproducible “recording” as you would define it.” Aigis shook her head, her voice returning to normal. “I am simply quite good at impressions.”

“Right…” Kotone shook her head, standing up and making her way over to the desk so she could crash into her chair. “Anyways, I’m just… really happy. Metis might just be the cutest girl I’ve ever met, and now we’re dating. How cool is that?”

“From my understanding of social standards, it is very cool.” Aigis nodded slowly. “Based on an analysis of Metis Kimijima’s behaviour, I believe she thinks similarly.”

“Do you still think there’s something weird about her?” Kotone smiled cheekily at the little robot, frowning as she got no response but a loading icon flashing across her teammate’s display. “Aigis?”

“Apologies. I am considering your question.” Aigis tilted her head ever so slightly, a few more moments passing before she finally nodded. “Yes. I still believe there is something strange and unusual about Metis Kimijima. However, my time in this world has taught me the value of giving people ‘the benefit of the doubt’. Furthermore, I trust your instincts.”

“Well, I’m glad someone does.” Kotone shrugged haplessly, the smile returning to her face. “Because most of the time I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Everyone feels like that sometimes lass. Difference is if it works out for you or not.”

Well, does it?

“I’ll let your relationship status speak for itself on that.”

“It is a unique style of leadership.” Aigis nodded in understanding. “I will do my best to keep you focused on your tasks when you drift too far from them.”

“Hey I ordered all that equipment earlier, didn’t I? That’s enough focus for one day!” Kotone waved her hand dismissively, shaking her head. Then she paused, thinking. “Actually, I should probably go out and wait for that courier lady, this is usually about the time she-“

“Kikuno!” Mr. Kitamura’s voice echoed up from downstairs, surprise and delight mixing in equal measure. “Is that you? Have you come to visit?”

“…I guess that’s probably her.” Kotone stood up, smiling. “You think you’ll be alright up here while I go get the package?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “I will spend my time analysing Rise Kujikawa and Ann Takamaki to determine what makes someone ‘super gay’.”

“Alright Aigis.” Kotone snorted as she made her way down the stairs, shaking her head. “Good luck with that.”

“Oh Kotone, my wife mentioned Kikuno, didn’t she?” Mr. Kitamura turned to look at Kotone as she picked her way across the bookstore, smiling in delight. “Well, here she is!”

“We’ve met actually.” Kotone nodded at the deliverygirl, who seemed to be trying her best to appear polite as Mr. Kitamura talked her ear off. “She delivers for the store I buy from sometimes.”

“Oh really?” Mr. Kitamura’s eyes widened in surprise as he turned back to Kikuno, tilting his head curiously. “So, that’s what you’re up to these days missy? I’d never guess!”

“Yes sir. I run my own courier service.” Kikuno nodded, holding up her clipboard for Kotone to sign. “Sign here.”

“Really? I thought you had a real good job with those uh…” Mr. Kitamura scratched his head as Kotone signed for her package, taking it her hands as the old man snapped his fingers. “Those Kirijos! When’d you stop working for them?”

“Wait, the Kirijos?” Kotone looked up from her package, blinking. “You used to work for them?”

“Yes, I did.” Kikuno nodded, turning back to her bike. “Have a good day.”

“Wait, but-“ Kotone took a step after the woman, but as ever she pedalled off before the girl could get another word in. “Huh…”

“Oh.” Mr. Kitamura scratched his head, a frown on his face as the two watched her go. “Sorry missy, don’t know what that was about. Kikuno’s usually a real nice young lady.”

“I guess she’s on the clock.” Kotone shrugged, turning back to her guardian. “Did she really used to work for the Kirijos?”

“That’s right. Some kinda maid for those kids if I remember right. Which… well, eh’s been spotty.” Mr. Kitamura shook his head, uncertain. “I heard there was some scandal with them a while back, wonder if that’s what’s got her like this?”

“A scandal?” Kotone didn’t hide her curiosity, shifting the box she held in her hands. “What kind of scandal?”

“Some sorta falling out ‘tween them and the Amada Group, I think.” Mr. Kitamura shuffled past Kotone, making his way back to the rear of the shop. “Something to do with what happened to Mrs. Amada. Think one of those kids was involved somehow. It was in the news.”

“Do you mean Mitsuru and Akihiko?” Kotone furrowed her brow, unsure how to process the information the old man was all but throwing at her right now. “What do they have to do with to Mrs. Amada?”

“Oh no no, not them. The other brother.” Mr. Kitamura shook his head as he settled into his seat, looking thoughtful. “Think it was something to do with him being a suspect in her death or somethin’? I could look for some clippings if you’d like.”

“No, that-“ Kotone swallowed, trying to hide the shock she felt at the double whammy of revelations. Both that Mitsuru and Akihiko had a brother she didn’t know about, and the fact that he might have killed someone. Hot damn. “That’s alright. I’m… I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”

“Of course missy. And I’ll be here if you need me, don’t forget.” Mr. Kitamura nodded assuredly, crossing his arms. “Night to you.”

“Goodnight.” Kotone smiled politely, making her way back upstairs and placing the box on the desk where Aigis was still deep in thought. “I uh… any luck, Aigis?”

“Partially. I am making good progress on developing my understanding of ‘the gays’.” Aigis nodded, turning and nodding toward where Kotone’s phone laid discarded on the bed. “You should be aware. You received notifications while you were gone.”

“Really?” Kotone sat on the bed, grabbing her phone and unlocking it. “Who is-“

S.IKUTSUKI – PHONETONE DM

s.ikutsuki: Good afternoon, Ms. Shiomi.

s.ikutsuki: I apologize for texting you out of the blue, but there’s some paperwork that needs reviewing as soon as possible.

s.ikutsuki: I hope this doesn’t make you feel blue.

Kotone groaned, shaking her head. Ikutsuki’s crappy sense of humor was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now, what with all the sudden thoughts floating around her head about Kikuno, the Kirijos, and the apparent mysterious third brother she hadn’t even known existed. Should she bring it up to them? Look up that death he was apparently involved with online? Would that be a breach of privacy, or what?

She didn’t know.

Her phone pinged again, Ikutsuki’s name popping up near the top of her screen. Kotone groaned, shaking her head. Instead of responding, her fingers flew to another chat, and the much more pleasing person within.

PHONETONE – METISINAL DM

phonetone: Hey, how’s the cutest girl in the world doing?

metisinal: gha

metisinal: im still not used to you saying stuff like that

phonetone: Well, it’s true. :P

phonetone: Miss you already. Thinking about you.

metisinal: well i can’t stop thinking about you, so

phonetone: >:P

Kotone chuckled, letting the warmth of her new girlfriend’s adorableness spread through her as she stared at the ceiling. Somehow even after evading Mitsuru’s wrath, the world was growing more confusing. More complicated. More filled with questions she didn’t have answers to.

At least now in the face of that she had something she felt that was simple.

Affection, for that feisty crimson-eyed girl who seemed to be in the process of stealing her heart.

Chapter Text

^{“It’s not a cult, it’s a family!”}

^{“I’m sick of this dude. Never speak to me again!”}

^{“The beef bowls there are really good…”}

Wednesday, June 29^th 2016.

The Day of Yet Another Barrier

“There, together!” Shards of ice flew from Raider’s Persona accompanied by the crack of her musket as she sallied forth against a pair of Shadows blocking their way. “Dragon, now!”

“Say goodnight!” Dragon flew forward, slicing through the first Shadow and angling his crossbow toward the second, the bolt flying into the uncertain space beneath its mask and detonating from within. The Shadow splattered into chunks of warbling goo, dissipating rapidly as Dragon turned back to his sister with a nod. “Good going Raider.”

“Merci. But you should be giving your thanks to Zheng Yi Sao.” Raider nodded toward her Persona as the corsair dissipated, smiling faintly. “Her instincts are invaluable.”

“Prowess is the result of a Persona user and their Persona working in tandem.” Ribbon nodded as she tapped her foot against where the Shadows had disappeared. “You are doing well to listen to her.”

“Is that so? Thank you, Ribbon.” Raider bowed her head to the girl before turning back to Wildcard. “Shall we continue?”

“Uh, yeah.” Wildcard blinked, trying to get her head back in the game. She’d been distracted all day, thoughts about the Kirijos and their mysterious brother swirling through her mind. “Ribbon said we’ve been through most of the garden already, so we’ll probably find the way forward soon. Let’s keep pace, alright everyone?”

She got back a chorus of grunts and affirmative nods, the Thieves following after her as she moved deeper into the Palace. The Shadows blocking their way were weaker than before, or at the very least the Thieves were stronger. That made it much simpler to explore the width and breadth of the Palace, to chase down every dead end and blind corner they could find.

It also made it much simpler to realize that the door they were looking for quite simply didn’t exist.

“Aw dude, what?” Plebe groaned as the Thieves found themselves back in the cathedral, nothing but the crowd of mindless cognitions waiting to greet them. “How’d we end up back here? I swear we’ve checked everywhere!”

“That is correct.” Ribbon nodded, stepping forward to stand amidst the cognitions. “We have explored the entirety of the Palace that is available to us without encountering a path forward.”

“How’s that possible?” Feather furrowed her brow, tapping her fingers nervously across her bow. “The Treasure’s gotta be somewhere, right? He can’t not have a Treasure Room, can he?”

“No. Shin Mutatsu must host his Treasure somewhere within the confines of this Palace.” Ribbon shook her head decisively. “There is a way to access it. We have simply missed it somehow.”

“But there’s nothing here.” Dragon tapped his foot, looking around unhappily. “You said it yourself.”

“Nothing we can see…” Wildcard frowned, thinking. Aigis was right. The Treasure had to be… somewhere, right? “Hey, Gal, do you think you can scan around to see if there’s something we missed?”

“Okay… I can try!” Gal clasped her hands in front of her, Ellen Smiff appearing behind her as they both looked around the room. “Hmm…”

“There will be no need for that.” Raider shook her head, advancing toward the back of the cathedral where Mutatsu’s Shadow had been preaching. “If this place necessitates consistency, then the Shadow of Mutatsu must have gone somewhere, oui?”

“Well, yeah…” Plebe scratched his head. “But where?”

“He can’t have gone far to disappear so quickly. In which case…” Raider frowned, reaching into the greenery at the back of the cathedral. Her hand touched something solid, a smile spreading onto her face. “Ah.”

“Ah?” Dragon raised an eyebrow, joining the rest of the Thieves as they approached their newest member. “What’s ah?”

“Observe.” Raider cast aside her mask, her Persona appearing behind her. With a simple gesture the pirate queen struck forth, shards of ice flying through the air as she froze a section of green foliage near the back of the room. The reaching plants and vines fell away, revealing a surprisingly mundane looking beige door waiting behind the shrubbery. “Just as expected. A passageway.”

“Whoah, good thinking Raider!” Plebe nodded enthusiastically. “I don’t think we woulda caught that without you.”

“Gal would have probably found it eventually, but he’s right. Good work.” Wildcard paused in front of the door, looking it up and down. “Alright. So… a door.”

The Thieves fell silent, just staring at it for a moment. Then another. Then another. None of them moved forward, each just staring at the unappealing beige as they waited for something to happen.

“Well, I’m not doing it.” Feather shook her head, finally breaking the silence. “I have a long range weapon.”

“Uhuh, sure.” Wildcard smiled, shaking her head. “That’s why you won’t do it.”

“What are you all talking about? It’s just a door.” Dragon shook his head, moving forward to pull it open. Then push it open. Then shake the handle fruitlessly because the door was, as most doors in Palaces tended to be, locked. “…you knew that wouldn’t open, didn’t you?”

“…they’re usually locked, yes.” Gal smiled placatingly, suppressing a giggle. “We’ll need to get through Mutatsu’s cognition to move on, I think.”

“I see.” Raider frowned at the door, turning to look at the rest of the team. “How would we go about doing that?”

“We require someone to access the real world equivalent to this door within Shin Mutatsu’s cognition.” Ribbon nodded, tilting her head at it. “They are often representative of concepts or ideas within the real world. However, in this case, it may simply be a door.”

“Huh?” Plebe scratched his head, unsure. “How’s that?”

“This cathedral most likely represents a physical space within the Escapade, is that right?” Raider stroked her chin, thoughtful. “So all that we would need to do is locate the door in the real world, oui?”

“It sounds like you’re just guessing.” Feather scrunched up her face, uncertain. “How do you know for sure that’s all it is?”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?” Dragon smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Let’s get in there.”

…he doesn’t mean he wants to fight his way into the real world Escapade, does he?

“Atimes it can be difficult to know what others mean, lass.”

…oh my god, he totally does.

“We’re going to have to infiltrate it in the real world without causing a scene.” Wildcard shook her head, sighing. “I’m usually the one in charge of this, so… guess that means I’m going to be trying to infiltrate a cult.”

Things just keep getting weirder, huh?

“Aye. Such is life at sea.”

What’s next, a business seminar?

“Leader.” Raider put her hand over her heart, nodding. “Please, allow me to accompany you.”

“Huh?” Feather blinked, the sudden surprise breaking her scowl. “You’re volunteering?”

“Yes. Mutatsu appears to be familiar with me, and my role.” Mitsuru nodded determinedly. “It is likely I will be able to draw enough attention to myself to allow you to find an access the doorway.”

“But, Raider, your reputation…” Gal frowned deeply. “It could be bad for you and your family if you were seen going to that place.”

“Thank you. I am aware.” Raider nodded slowly, a cool fire in her eyes. “But the success of this mission is paramount for the safety of my friends and peers. I allowed myself to hesitate on taking decisive action before. I won’t do so again.”

“Raider…” Feather stared at the older girl for a long moment, her expression softening. Then suddenly it hardened once again, her fist clenching at her side. “Then I’m coming too! I won’t let you face things alone, got it?”

“Feather, that-“ Raider pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before sighing and nodding. “That would be appreciated. Thank you.”

“Right. I won’t back down!” Feather turned to Wildcard, pumping her fist in front of her. “We’ll be ready to go whenever you are, alright?”

“Alright.” Wildcard grinned. A part of her was happy to see the two of them starting to get along. Another perhaps more selfish part of her was just happy she wouldn’t be pulling off an infiltration alone this time. “Tomorrow then. Let’s get to work.”

Thursday, June 30^th 2016.

The Day of the Cult

“You know, when you said we’d be drawing attention to ourselves…” Yukari grumbled as she fiddled with the tie of the uniform Mitsuru had procured for her. “This isn’t exactly what I expected.”

“Our goal is to be a distraction, Tak- Yukari.” Mitsuru corrected herself fiddling ever so slightly with her hair as she, Yukari, and Kotone stood just outside the Escapade’s headquarters. The heiress was done up to the nines, the full glamour and authority of the Kirijo group radiating from her in waves as she looked expectantly toward her companion. “We should settle for no less than the best we can manage.”

“I guess. Still feels weird.” Yukari sighed, evidently trying her best to not seem out of place in the Kirijo servant’s uniform. “How’d you even have something like this ready so quick?”

“That is-“ Mitsuru frowned for a moment, a pained flash crossing her face. “That is a difficult story, for another time. We should focus. Kotone, are you prepared?”

“Yep.” Kotone nodded. Compared to the other two, she looked about as inconspicuous and plain as day, one of Fuuka’s hoodies concealing just about anything that might make her stand out. “Aigis checked, there’s a sermon today which means he should be in there right now. You guys go in first and I’ll follow once he’s distracted, right?”

“Right.” Yukari nodded, finally seeming to settle into her outfit as she turned to Mitsuru. “What do you plan to do to draw Mutatsu’s attention?”

“Considering he’s a scumful man preying on the students under my protection.” Mitsuru closed her eyes, a faint smile on her lips. “Don’t worry. I can think of quite a few things to say to him.”

Whoah. I think I just felt a chill out here in the real world too.

“An aura like that’s a powerful boon lass. And she knows how to use hers well.”

Yeah. I’m really glad she’s on our side now.

“Right… well, there’s no point waiting around anymore.” Yukari stepped forward, grabbing the handle to the front door without any further hesitation. “Let’s go already.”

“Allons-y.” Mitsuru smiled at Yukari one last time before her face dropped into a determined sort of scowl and she stepped inside. Yukari followed after her, the two disappearing within and leaving Kotone to stand awkwardly at the entrance.

How long do you think we should wait?

“Time for them to enthrall, but not too much time for them to lose the show.”

Sounds like you’ve been listening to Orpheus again.

Kotone sighed, pulling out her phone. Just standing there would be suspicious after all, she had to at least pretend she was being a normal teenager. Or… well, as normal a teenager as you could be standing outside of a cult’s HQ.

And, well, what was more normal teenager than texting?

PHONETONE – METISINAL DM

phonetone: Hey. :P

metisinal: oh hey. hey you. whats up

phonetone: Just doing some work with a couple of friends. Thinking about you.

metisinal: well thats funny, i was thinking about you

metisinal: just you know, by chance. because youre related to, you know to things.

phonetone: Things like our date tomorrow? :P

metisinal: well, I mean, yeah, that. yeah.

phonetone: Sure am!

phonetone: You’re really cute when you’re flustered, you know that? :P

metisinal: hey!

metisinal: you liar, you cant even see me! and quit using that little face thing, youre mocking me!

phonetone: :P

phonetone: See you tomorrow, cutie.

metisinal: rude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kotone giggled, shutting off her phone and tilting her head back. The city moved around her, cars honking and streetlights flashing as she waited. Not so long ago, she would have been deep inside her mind, headphones on and eyes blind to the world. Now though…

Now maybe it wasn’t so bad.

“Er… Kotone?” Kotone blinked as a voice cut through her satisfaction, the lavender eyes of Saori Hasegawa meeting her from just down the sidewalk. “Is that you?”

“Saori?” Kotone frowned, pocketing her phone and turning to look at the girl. “What are you doing here?”

“I…” Saori bit her cheek, looking guilty as her eyes darted around. “Well, I’d heard some girls saying that this place was a good opportunity to make friends, so…”

“This place? You mean the Escapade?” Kotone glanced at the door, shaking her head ever so slightly. “You probably shouldn’t. Seriously.”

“Really?” Saori swallowed, taking an instinctive step back. “W-why?”

“It’s… well, I mean, it-“ Kotone tried to think of a gentle way to put it. More specifically, she tried and failed to think of a gentle way to put it. “Ah screw it. It’s a cult, Saori.”

“A cult?” Saori gasped, covering her mouth. “But I thought… wait, what are you doing here then?”

“Oh, uh…” Kotone cringed, her mind racing to find an excuse. “They tried to recruit a friend of mine, and it… didn’t go well. She’s in there giving them a piece of her mind, I’m just here as backup.”

“Backup. Oh. Oh, I see.” Saori winced, taking another step back and turning to go. “I guess I should leave then. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Hey, Saori…” Kotone reached a hand out, halting the girl in her tracks as she glanced back over her shoulder. “I uh… if you’re looking to make friends… I’ll probably have time over summer break, if you wanted to hang out?”

“Hang out? With… me?” Saori adjusted the strap on her bag, swallowing uncomfortably. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to take away any of your time…”

“Hey, I asked, didn’t I?” Kotone grinned reassuringly. “I’d love to hang out with you sometime. You know I live at a bookstore?”

“A… bookstore?” Saori’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

“Really. I’ll show you sometime.” Kotone shot a finger gun at the girl, still grinning. “I mean we’re friends after all, aren’t we?”

“I…” Saori’s lip quivered for a moment before she managed to collect herself, nodding enthusiastically. “Yes. I’d like that. Thank you, Kotone. Good luck with your friend.”

“Thanks.” Kotone nodded at the girl as she left, turning to face the door with a sigh. “I should head in now. Hopefully I won’t need it.”

“Lass, what have we said about putting intention out into the world?”

I don’t know, what have we said?

“You’re a handul atimes. I should expect nothing less.”

Chuckling, Kotone pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

The inside of the Escapade was, perhaps unsurprisingly, less low-key than the outside of the building would suggest. As soon as Kotone was in she was surrounded by plants and purple mood lights, various pots spewing forth with greenery lining the walls as she walked down the hallway that stood between the entrance and the main room at the center of the building.

Guess we know where the Palace design came from.

“Aye. He seems to be a fan of nature.”

Yeah. Or like, branding or something.

Mitsuru’s voice cut sharply from up ahead, the plants muffling it in volume but not intensity as Kotone reached what would be the cathedral in Mutatsu’s Palace. The reality was much less impressive, a plant lined room lined with prayer mats angled toward a pulpit at the back. A serene looking Mutatsu stood at its head, his sermon interrupted and a calm smile on his face as he met Mitsuru’s icy gaze.

“Your organization doesn’t act in the best interests of its members, that’s plain to see.” Mitsuru’s heels clacked against the ground as she took a step forward, ignoring the gathered adherents who seemed to flinch at the motion as they gazed wide-eyed at the girl. “In fact, I’d say you’re little better than a common cult.”

“What you call a cult, I call a family Ms. Kirijo.” Mutatsu was the picture of serenity as he nodded slowly, his eyes half-lidded in the process. “We are all brothers and sisters in serenity here, as it should be. Equals, seeking a world of peace together.”

“Yeah right.” Yukari scowled, seeming to stand almost as tall as Mitsuru as she tapped her foot. “You’re just feeding everyone a bunch of crap so they follow you. How much have the people here donated to your ‘family’, huh?”

“The Escapade is not about profit.” Mutatsu shook his head, his smile demeaning the girls words with its presence alone. “There is no room for excess, only peace.”

“Is that so?” Mitsuru quirked an eyebrow. “Where, pray tell then, does the money go?”

Ooooo, she’s onto him. Good thinking.

“Lass, aren’t we on a mission ourselves here?”

Oh. Right. Got distracted by badass women.

Kotone did her best to seem inconspicuous as she made her way along the edge of the room, shrouding herself in the plants and moody lighting to mitigate any chance of being seen. Not that she figured she even needed to, Mitsuru and Yukari had everyone’s eyes glued to them, adherents and Mutatsu both giving them their full attention as Kotone creeped toward the back of the room. Just as expected, standing there behind the tranquil monk was a simple beige door half-shrouded in plant life.

Bingo.

“Aye, there it is. What now lass?”

Uh… well, I guess we open it, huh?

Kotone creeped closer, the level of Yukari’s voice rising to draw as much attention to herself as possible while their leader made her way to the door. Kotone wasn’t actually sure if it was necessary or not, everyone present seemed appropriately enraptured after all, but she appreciated anyhow. She managed to make it to the door without anyone noticing, running her hand along the metal surface with a faint smile.

Time to crack this baby open.

Kotone pushed down on the handle, swinging the door open and allowing for a warmer sort of light to flood into the space. For a moment, she didn’t quite understand what she saw. Plush carpets, expensive furniture, a painting of a boy holding an apple that looked like the kind of thing you’d see in a museum, not a temple. Kotone wasn’t sure what she expected to see past the beige door, but it wasn’t that. She took a few cautious steps inside, her eyes widening in surprise. It was like someone had taking the parlor from some old money mansion and stuck it inside the Escapade.

Perfect.

“You.” Mutatsu’s voice suddenly cut through the air behind Kotone, the previous serenity burned away under the rush of light from the door. Kotone turned, catching sight of the monk’s eyes glaring back at her. Where before they were half-lidded and unfocused, now they were wide open. Sharp. Dangerous. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“There he is lass.”

Yep. No kidding.

“We should step out. We need to stay in control of the situation.”

“Oh, just, you know, looking around.” Kotone put on her best faux-innocent smile as she stepped back out into the open, the curious eyes of the adherents following her in tune with Mutatsu’s own. “Have you guys seen what’s back here? It’s pretty crazy.”

“Indeed. Curious, isn’t it?” Mitsuru raised an eyebrow, smiling sharply as she gestured for Mutatsu’s adherents to look beyond the monk’s curtain. “A personal parlor doesn’t feel much like equality, does it?”

“You- shut your mouth you silver spoon bitch, you don’t know-“ Mutatsu turned back to the other girls, his nostrils flaring as he caught sight of his adherents peering into the opulence of the room behind him. “You- you all- this isn’t…”

“I hope you can all see that your ‘dear leader’ is a fraud.” Yukari smiled smugly, nodding in satisfaction as the adherents began to whisper amongst themselves about what they had seen. “How’s that for where your money’s going, huh?”

“Silence everyone, there is no need for- heed not the lies of- you-“ Mutatsu shook on the spot, quivering as he struggled to regain his previous composure. He failed, his face twisting into a rage as he slammed his hands against the pulpit. “OUT! ALL OF YOU, OUT! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I THROW YOU OUT MYSELF!”

Wow. He’s taking this well.

“It’d be wise to listen in this case, lass.”

No kidding. Let’s boogie.

“Alright you two, let’s go!” Kotone grinned as she grabbed a hold of her teammate’s hands, leading them down the hallway and back into the sunlight as Mutatsu continued to yell and the façade of his lie crumbled before his eyes. “Think that was enough?”

“We can only hope so.” Mitsuru exhaled as she stepped onto the street, her smile softening as she shook her head. “I must admit, I found the experience more exhilarating than I had expected. It felt… good, to tell him those things.”

“You were great.” Yukari nodded in agreement, pulling away from Kotone for a moment to loosen her tie. “Sheesh these things make it hard to breathe…”

“You did very well yourself, Yukari.” Mitsuru nodded at her compatriot as the three made their way down the sidewalk and away from the Escapade. “Your performance was fantastique.”

“Oh uh…” Yukari stopped fiddling with her tie for a moment, shrugging noncommittally. “Thanks. I just kinda, y’know, said what I was thinking.”

“Well, it worked.” Kotone nodded happily, pulling up her phone to let the others know about their success. “We’ll infiltrate on Saturday. Mutatsu won’t know what hit him.”

“I disagree.” Mitsuru shook her head, glancing over her shoulder to watch as a crowd of confused and angry adherents spilled out onto the sidewalk behind them. “I would say he’s going to know precisely what hit him.”

Saturday, July 2^nd 2016.

The Day of the Open Door

Just as expected, the door was open.

Well, maybe open wasn’t the right word.

Moreso… not there anymore.

Their actions had clearly taken a toll on Mutatsu’s cognition. Where once the door had been shrouded by the greenery of the garden around it, now it was blasted clear, scorch marks and singed plants surrounding it in a ring. Mutatsu’s Shadow had assigned a small squad of Shadows to try and defend the scrap that had once kept his haven safe from the masses, but they were no match for the Moonlit Thieves. Wildcard grinned as she stepped up to the former door, looking through to peer into the similarly opulent part of the Palace that Mutatsu’s Shadow had tried so hard to hide.

“Looks like he’s got the message that everyone knows he’s a fraud.” Dragon adjusted his gloves, smiling beneath his mask. “Good.”

“Man, if he was so worried about being caught like this, why’d he have a room like that anyways?” Plebe clicked his tongue disappointedly. “Preettty stupid of him if you ask me.”

“I can only assume he got some sort of thrill out of it.” Raider sighed, her hand on her hip. “To preach a creed of humbleness, while hiding his own opulence just behind it… I’ve known many men just like him.”

“Should we still steal his heart?” Gal frowned, her hand on the side of his visor. “If people know he’s a fraud now, we probably don’t have to anymore, right?”

“A guy like him’ll just come back again later.” Feather shook her head, groaning. “I’m sure there’ll be people who think he’s just being misrepresented or whatever.”

“Correct. Cognition is malleable, but prone to sticking once properly set.” Ribbon nodded in agreement. “We must steal his Heart to ensure his distortion does not continue to affect others.”

“Right. So, come on everyone…” Wildcard grinned, stepping forward and gesturing for the others to follow. “Let’s get to work.”

Chapter Text

^{“Really? You’re still going to that cult after what happened?”}

^{“It was a ploy by the Kirijos to make Mutatsu look bad, that’s all!”}

^{“What was Mitsuru Kirijo doing there anyways?”}

Friday, July 8^th 2016.

The Day of the Treasure Room

It took longer than Wildcard expected for them to reach the Treasure Room.

She had hoped that by unlocking the door in the real world, they would be able to make quick progress through what was left of the Palace. Instead, they had found a vast maze of halls similar the garden below, guarded by black robed shadows armed with vicious intent. For a while, Wildcard was worried they would hit another dead end, trapping themselves in yet another maze without an exit. Fortunately however, they eventually managed to find their goal; a wide set of golden arched doors that when opened revealed the opulent Treasure Room inside. 

“Man…” Plebe leaned against the doorframe of the room, letting out a dramatic exhale as he and the others looked on towards Mutatsu’s unformed Treasure. “That took ages.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Feather rolled her eyes. “We got here eventually, didn’t we?”

“Indeed.” Ribbon nodded, her eyes flashing faintly yellow as she stared at the Treasure. “Now all that is left is to deliver the Calling Card to Shin Mutatsu, and steal his Treasure.”

“It’s not for show then? I see.” Raider frowned ever so slightly, appraising the unremarkable form in front of them. “What will be our means of delivery in that case?”

“You had your turn with the bastard, didn’t you?” Dragon smirked, cracking his knuckles. “I’d like mine.”

“Please be careful, Dragon…” Gal shook her head. “Don’t do anything reckless.”

“I’m not planning to.” Dragon shook his head, turning around. “Just trust me, I’ll-“

“Hold it.” Wildcard’s hand snaked out, catching Dragon before he could head off. “No more running plans without telling anyone else, remember? We agreed.”

“That’s not the same, it-“ Dragon set himself to argue, before seeming thinking better of it and shaking his head. “Alright. I was going to scatter the cards around that little cult of his first thing in the morning, so him and anyone still stuck enough to follow him see it when they get ready for a sermon.”

“That’s a good plan.” Wildcard nodded slowly, glancing at the others. “Take Plebe with you, alright? As a lookout.”

“A lookout? I don’t need-“ Dragon caught himself once again, glancing over at Plebe and sighing. “Alright. Got it boss.”

“Don’t worry dude, I know what to do.” Plebe flashed a thumbs up at the two of them, grinning. “You can count on us!”

“I know I can. Alright then…” Wildcard took a deep breath, gazing at the Treasure one last time before turning away. “Saturday. We’ll be taking his heart on Saturday.”

Saturday, July 9^th 2016.

The Day of the Third Heist

Their delivery had gone off without a hitch.

The two boys had printed out enough cards to plaster the Escapade, every inch of open space covered in their warning. Already there were whispers around the school about today’s sermon being cancelled for “extenuating circumstances”, those still faithful to Mutatsu pacing around with worried eyes as rumours flew around about what it could be.

Kotone hoped they’d see the truth soon enough.

She took a deep breath as she watched the sunset trace through the sky above the dull looking building, the moon rising over the unseen horizon as their time came. She grinned.

“Let’s get to work.”

Into the Palace they went, the once tranquil garden in an uproar as calling cards flitted through the air on unseen winds. Cognitions ducked too and fro, some trying their best to catch a glance of what was on them, some doing everything in their power to simply avoid being hit. The Thieves ignored both, surging forward and through as Mutatsu’s desperate guards tried to stop them.

They failed.

The Thieves cut right through the garden, the cathedral, the mazelike hallways of opulent waste, up and up until they reached the Treasure Room at the center of the blackhearted monk’s cognition. His Shadow was waiting for them there, sitting cross legged in front of his Treasure with a peaceful look on his face, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

The Thieves knew better.

“Shin Mutatsu.” Raider stepped forward, twirling her axes in her hands as she stared at the man’s Shadow. “We will be taking your Treasure now. Are you prepared?”

The Shadow didn’t answer, his cloudy golden eyes still staring into the middle distance as if focused on something beyond this world. A part of Wildcard almost believed he truly did see something that they didn’t.

The rest of her knew that was bullshit.

“Plebe, Ribbon…” Wildcard glanced between her friends, nodding toward the newly formed Treasure which appeared to have taken the shape of a bottle of wine. “Take it. The rest of you, keep a close eye on him.”

The two assigned Thieves nodded without a word, skirting the room with careful steps just like Kotone had in the real world. Mutatsu’s Shadow didn’t react at all, still just… sitting there. He sat there as they reached the Treasure, he sat there as they took it in their grasp, and he sat there as they moved back around him to rejoin with the other Thieves.

All without saying a word, or seemingly reacting at all.

“He’s not supposed to be like this, is he?” Dragon narrowed his eyes, balancing on the balls of his feet. “Something’s up.”

“No, he isn’t…” Gal frowned, clasping her hands together and summoning forth Ellen Smiff. The two scanned the room as one, searching for something to- “Wait! Behind us!”

The Thieves all jumped forward on instinct, narrowly avoiding the fury of the line of Shadows that had crept up behind them to block the doorway. Mutatsu laughed as they did, standing upright into a commanding stance as the Thieves’ eyes darted between him and his sudden entourage.

“Tranquility is entrapment, you were wise to know that before.” Mutatsu’s Shadow continued to laugh, a deep and unpleasant sound that reverberated through the air as his milky eyes continued to observe nothing but eternity. “And now it will be your end!”

An overwhelming smoke flowed from within the Shadow, buffeting the Thieves as it filled the air in an instant. Wildcard coughed, the smell of incense filling her nostrils as her skin began to buzz and her vision blurred.

“Shit!” Wildcard held her ground, her hair whipped around by the tempest as it overwhelmed her, the whole world becoming nothing but a looming nothingness that threatened to swallow her team hole. “Everyone, we-“

Kotone turned, seeking the others. She found nobody. They weren’t there. Lost in the ambiguity of the abyss.

“Double shit!” Wildcard coughed again, stumbling back as she searched for any sign of her friends. Her teammates. She found none. “Damnit, where’d everyone go?”

“Lass… I can’t… stay… present…”

Anne Bonny? Wait, where are you going?

“Taking harbour… you… you must…”

Anne Bonny!

Anne Bonny?

Anne Bonny, are you there?

Orpheus?

Persephone!

…anyone?

“Worry not, little one.”

What? Who are you?

“It matters not. Come now, rest…”

Hell no! I need… I need to…

“You need nothing. You may rest now, freely…”

No… I…

“Allow tranquility to take you. Allow silence to reign. The world is harsh and cruel, but here, in ignorance, you are safe…”

I… I…

“Rest, little one. Rest…”

No… no!

“You fight so hard, and-“

No, shut it! I’m not listening to you. I won’t give up. I won’t go!

A black hand shot forth from the darkness, goop trailing from the Shadow’s arm as it tried to strike at Wildcard. She acted on nothing more than instinct, her vision blurring as she sliced clean through her enemy’s attack. Her poleaxe went flying from her hands, her grip on reality faltering as she tried to stay steady. The Shadow warbled, moving to strike her now that her weapon was gone.

She wouldn’t let it.

Wildcard yelled in as much exhilaration as she could muster as she ducked under the Shadow’s other arm, grabbing a hold of its creepy jade mask and pulling loose. The creature let out something like a scream as she ripped it free, its body disintegrating into the fog as the mask in her hand glowed and a blue robed fisherman emerged in its gaze, black smoke trailing from the sockets of his empty eyes as he stood astride a snapping green turtle.

“It seems I’ve caught you in another time, my friend.” The fisherman smiled, summoning a gleaming sapphire net from the gloom and spreading it wide. “Come now, show me how much this world has truly changed from the other.”

“Y-yeah.” Wildcard coughed, reaching up to throw aside her mask as the old fisherman fused to her soul and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. “Let’s do this, Urashima Tarō!”

Anne Bonny and Urashima Tarō emerged from Wildcard’s soul, the latter’s net held tight between them. They waved it forth, the strange smoke gathering within as the air cleared and the battlefield came back into focus.

“Feather!” Wildcard nodded at her teammate as she shook her head free of the haze, rallying her friends back from the nothingness they had emerged from. “Just like Oohashi, send it away!”

“On it!” Feather’s mask flew from her face, Gilbert Whitehand emerging from within. The winds of her soul buffeted outwards, catching the smoke in the updraft and sending it out and away from the battlefield. “Clear!”

“Why you…” Mutatsu’s Shadow clenched his fist in anger, more of his guards forming around him in a rage. “You won’t get away with this you rotten bastards, get them!”

“Actually, Shin Mutatsu.” Raider smiled savagely as she and the other Thieves charged their enemies, a glint in her eye as she tore through the first Shadow standing in her way. “I believe we will.”

Without the smoke and mirrors to conceal them, the Shadow’s guards fell in moments, their billowing cloaks vanishing into oblivion without so much as a whimper. Mutatsu’s Shadow fell back from the onslaught, scrambling as Wildcard’s poleaxe and Dragon’s dao pressed suddenly against his neck.

“So, how’s that feel you bastard?” Dragon grinned, cursed energy pooling in his hands. “Not so fun to be on the receiving end, is it?”

“I… I…” Mutatsu’s Shadow quivered for a moment, his eyes darting between the two. Then suddenly his whole body shuddered, a puff of smoke emerging from his mouth as his eyes rolled back in his head and turned to a sudden clearer shade of gold. “…shit. Damn son of a bitch.”

“Huh?” Wildcard blinked, uncertain of what she was seeing. “Mutatsu?”

“Bastard… I never should have let him convince me to drag other people into it.” The Shadow scoffed, rubbing the sides of his head as he pulled back, all the fear of the Thieves seemingly dissipating with the smoke. “A little personal indulgence won’t hurt nobody, but this? Too far even for me. You kids better show him what’s what, you hear me?”

“What?” Wildcard frowned, retracting her poleaxe and shaking her head. “What just happened? Who’re you talking about?”

“That boy with the mask, like you all.” Mutatsu’s Shadow nodded sincerely. “Him and his shady pal… told me I could live life without a care in the world if I got suckers to pay my bills. Lousy idea, I’ve been working more than ever.”

“The hell’s going on?” Dragon glanced at Kotone, pulling his own weapon back. “Is this supposed to happen?”

“No…” Kotone shook her head. It was like something within the Shadow had suddenly snapped into place, the fog pulling out and away from his own mind. But that would mean… “Something’s wrong. Something else was influencing him.”

“A boy with a mask…” Gal furrowed her brow, then gasped. “Wait… the same one as Moriyama?”

“No way…” Plebe shook his head, taking a step toward the Shadow and reaching for his mask. “Alright, quit messing around dude! What’s going on here?”

“Eh… no point sharing.” Mutatsu’s Shadow pulled a bottle from seemingly out of nowhere, twisting off the lid and taking a big swig of it. “Once you’ve got that Treasure of mine out of this place, I’m going back into the real world rat bastard, ain’t I? Let an old man indulge, one last time.”

It’s like he’s a whole other person.

“Aye. He might be, in fact.”

Yeah… I don’t know how much useful we’d get out of him in the first place.

“…alright.” Wildcard grit her teeth, turning away. “Let’s go, everyone.”

“Leader, wait.” Raider furrowed her brow, stepping toward Wildcard. “Are we not going to press him for more information?”

“Raider…” Wildcard glanced back at the Shadow. His eyes were clear now but still gazing into nothingness as he drank heavily from the bottle, his whole self a hunched echo of who he had once been. “I don’t think there’s much to press.”

“That…” Raider spared the man one last glance before slowly nodding and turning away with the others. “Is an excellent point.”

And so as one the Thieves departed, leaving the last of a vanquished man’s Palace to fade into nothingness.

Mission Complete:

Garden of Gluttony Cleared!

Sunday, July 10^th 2016.

The Day of the Celebration

Kotone wasn’t sure how she’d gotten here.

The series of events was simple enough to unfold, she supposed. Mitsuru had suggested they all meet up to discuss what had happened with Mutatsu’s Shadow, and what their next steps would be. They’d spent some time deliberating on where to best regroup seeing as it was a Sunday and schools were closed. Akihiko had shut down Junpei’s suggestion for beef bowls (something about needing to focus if he was eating?), the Kirijos had too many nosy family members who would ask too many questions, Junpei’s place was a no go, and both Yukari and Kotone didn’t have enough space.

How that led to Kotone sitting on the couch in Fuuka’s living room squeezed between Yukari and Junpei as Elly bustled around carrying a tray of snacks and wearing an apron that simple said Bless this Mess… well, it made sense in theory, but somehow she just couldn’t wrap her head around the logistics of it all.

“It’s so good to see you all focusing on your studies.” Elly grinned as she set down the tray, standing proudly with her hands on her hips. “I’m quite sure many of your peers have forgotten there are exams next week.”

“Wait.” Junpei blinked, looking up from where he had been reaching for a bag of chips from the tray. “There’s exams next week?”

“Oh my God.” Yukari groaned, burying her face in her hands. “You’re so hopeless.”

“Don’t worry Dr. Yamagishi.” Akihiko nodded from where he sat in the large armchair at the end of the room. “We’ll keep them focused.”

“I’m quite sure!” Elly nodded emphatically, stepping over to ruffle Fuuka’s hair. “I’m glad my Fuuka has found such distinguished friends as yourselves!”

“Mom!” Fuuka squawked, moving her hands to fix her hair as she shook her head right back. “D-don’t be so embarrassing…”

“Alright alright, I’ll leave you be my daughter!” Elly grinned, stepping back and away before promptly saluting the Thieves. “I will be in the back garden if you have need of me!”

And then, just as promptly, she was gone.

“Man…” Yukari frowned as she crunched a chip in her mouth, staring after Elly as she left the room. “Sometimes I forget your mom is one of our teachers…”

“I’m still hesitant to speak about our true purpose while she’s around.” Mitsuru glanced in the direction Elly had gone, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea. “Are you certain she won’t eavesdrop on us?”

“Mhm.” Fuuka nodded slowly, her fingers tapping nervously against her thigh. “She’ll be… busy.”

Almost on cue, the sound of a power saw echoed from the backyard, accompanied by a burst of laughter that could only be described as maniacal.

“…right.” Mitsuru shook her head, turning back to her tea. “Let’s continue then.”

“So…” Junpei frowned, leaning his chin against his hand. “What do we actually need to talk about? It’s not really exams, is it?”

“No, though maintaining your studies is important.” Aigis clambered out of Kotone’s bag, pulling herself up onto the coffee table and looking around at her fellow Thieves. “Our topic of discussion today is the masked individual that Shin Mutatsu blamed for his state.”

“Yeah… Moriyama mentioned someone like that too, didn’t she?” Yukari frowned, chewing on the end of her pinky. “Do you think it’s the same guy?”

“Someone messing with people’s Shadows like that? I hope it’s the same guy.” Kotone shook her head. “I don’t even wanna think about if there’s more than one person causing trouble like that.”

“There might be two, actually.” Fuuka frowned, staring at her lap. “Mutatsu’s Shadow mentioned that the masked guy had a ‘shady pal’. That might just be his Persona, but…”

“But we don’t really know.” Yukari winced, furrowing her brow. “Damn.”

“Alright, hold on.” Akihiko held up a hand. “Let’s start from the beginning so Mitsu and I can catch up.”

“Understood.” Aigis nodded, turning to the pair of Kirijos. “After we stole Yuka Moriyama’s treasure, her Shadow claimed to have been offered protection by a masked individual whom had visited her Palace. We later surmised that if someone were able to access Palaces and distortions in the same way we have, they would be able to perpetrate the series of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns that have been endemic recently.”

“But that’s just conjecture, correct?” Mitsuru tapped her chin, thoughtful. “You have no actual evidence to relate the two.”

“Not… really.” Kotone winced. “But if someone’s messing with people’s Shadows, it makes sense that they wouldn’t stop with just a couple, right? Moriyama and Mutatsu are just the two that we happened to find.”

“Yeah, speaking of that…” Junpei leaned forward, adjusting his cap. “Wasn’t there something up with that Mutatsu guy’s Shadow? Like, something freaky?”

“That is an additional consideration, yes.” Aigis nodded her agreement. “Yuka Moriyama’s Shadow acted of its own free will. Shin Mutatsu’s, however, appeared to be influenced somehow; in a manner separate from his initial distortion.”

“Yeah, with all the smoke and crap.” Akihiko flexed his wrist. “Think that’s something to do with that masked bastard?”

“It is likely.” Aigis nodded, her display flickering ever so uncertainly. “As Kotone has said, it is probable that both Shadows had contact with the same individual, who may also be traced back to other incidents to do with the Other World.”

“Or, at the very least, the alternative is too disconcerting to consider at present.” Mitsuru stared at the wall for a long moment, deep in thought. “How would our culprit be able to access the Other World in the first place? To my understanding, we rely entirely on you to do so ourselves.”

“That is…” Aigis hesitated, her display buffering for a moment as she considered the question. “…a reasonable concern. The reality is, we do not know how he may be accessing the Other World. It is possible that he has an innate ability to do so, or that he has an accomplice similar to myself that is helping him.”

“And you don’t even know where you came from.” Akihiko shook his head, scowling. “Seems like a dead end to me.”

“Yes.” Aigis looked down, a frown dancing across her display as her eyes flashed yellow for a moment. “It… is.”

“Hey, don’t worry Aigis.” Kotone patted the little robot gently on the head, grinning reassuringly. “Whatever the case, you’re still our friend, right?”

“Yes. That is true.” Aigis nodded, looking up once more. “Thank you, Kotone.”

“If there truly is a culprit out there influencing Shadows in this way, then we should make it our highest priority to locate him.” Mitsuru crossed her arms, looking unflinchingly around at her companions. “Left unopposed, he will continue to cause untold destruction and distortion to this country. It would be negligent of us to not use our power to protect the greater good.”

“Wow, big change from before, huh Ms. Prez?” Junpei grinned, leaning back into the couch. “Sounds like you’re really into this now.”

“I am, yes.” Mitsuru held up a hand, staring at it for a moment before clenching it into a fist. “I have known in my heart what was right to do for a long time. Only now do I have the strength to pursue alongside you all.”

“…I think I like this Mitsuru a lot more than the old one. She’s like a tokusatsu protagonist or something.” Yukari nodded, turning to Kotone. “Don’t you think?”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked, looking away from the heiress with a faint frown on her face. “Oh, yeah. Totally.”

She takes charge so easily. She’s a born leader.

“Aye. And so are you lass. It’s good to have that sort of talent on your ship.”

Yeah… I-I guess…

“A-anyways…” Fuuka nodded nervously. “I’ll keep an eye out for him, but… I-I think the only way we’ll be able to find him is by clearing more distortions.”

“Totally. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing!” Junpei nodded, before seemingly remembering something and sitting up. “Oh yeah! I gave you the Treasure before we got outta there, didn’t I? What was it?”

“Oh right.” Kotone blinked, bending over to reach into her bag and pull out a small charm from within. “It was this.”

She held it up for the rest to see, curious eyes scanning the object. An old fashioned omamori, emblazoned with the character for ‘Tranquility’.

“Huh.” Akihiko bit his cheek, frowning at the charm. “D’ya think that bastard really did care about that tranquility crap at some point?”

“People remain themselves to their core.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “There is only so far one may be distorted from their basest self.”

“Right…” Kotone allowed herself one last sigh before forcing a smile back onto her face. “Alright! Enough of this serious stuff. That’s our third Palace cleared, it’s time we planned our celebration!”

“Aw hell yeah dude!” Junpei pumped his fist. “Beef bowls! C’mon, it’s tradition now, we gotta!”

“We shouldn’t always do the same thing Junpei. We can get beef bowls anytime. We should do something special.” Yukari rolled her eyes, thinking. Then, she snapped her fingers. “Hey, isn’t there supposed to be a fireworks festival after exams? Why not go to that?”

“Sure, sounds fun.” Akihiko nodded his agreement. “I’d be down.”

“Aw man…” Junpei deflated, a big frown on his face. “But the beef bowls…”

“Don’t worry Junpei, we’ll go there another time.” Fuuka reached over, gently patting the boy on the shoulder. “I think the firework festival sounds fun…”

“I concur.” Aigis’ display switched to a firework show for a brief moment. “I would very much like to see how fire works in person.”

“Alright…” Junpei groaned, pouting dramatically. “Guess I’m outvoted.”

“You’ll live.” Yukari rolled her eyes. “Promise we’ll get beef bowls later”

Man, he really loves those beef bowls. Must be nice being that passionate about something.

“Well there is a certain someone, ain’t there lass?”

Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but… oh man, she’d probably love the fireworks festival huh?

“Hey, I know it’s a whole Thief thing and all, but uh…” Kotone winced, blushing ever so slightly as she scratched the back of her head. “…would it be alright with everyone if I invited someone else with us to the fireworks festival?”

“Someone else? But… Oh!” Fuuka gasped, covering her mouth. “Do you mean… ^{a boyfriend?}”

“She means her girlfriend, not her boyfriend.” Yukari rolled her eyes, smiling faintly. “Isn’t that right?”

“Wh-“ Kotone’s eyes widened, her blush spreading across her face. “Hey, how’d you know that?”

“You two are always giggling together after class dude, it’s not hard to figure out.” Junpei grinned, resting his head against his hands. “Anyways, I ain’t got a problem with it. Means we can make the real thief celebration the beef bowls!”

“I concur. It does appear to be a happy medium.” Mitsuru nodded her agreement. “Very well then, fireworks first as friends, then beef bowls as Thieves. Oui?”

A chorus of affirmatives went around the table. It seemed like their plan was in motion. All that was left now was fun, fireworks, and beef bowls abound. Summer was here.

“First though.” Mitsuru cleared her throat, pulling a textbook out of her bag. “For all your sakes, we should spend the time fulfilling our duties as students. I’ll be helping each of you with revision as much as you may need.”

…well, almost here, at least.

Chapter Text

^{“Mutatsu’s suspended all his sermons… he’s disbanding the Escapade!”}

^{“No way… for real?”}

^{“Damn Moonlit Thieves, why would you do this?!”}

?????

???

“How very interesting.” Igor’s silky smooth voice roused Kotone awake, her eyes snapping open to find the black expanse of the Velvet Room’s infinity looking back at her. “Signs of another’s hands tugging on the thread of fate. Countless questions to be asked, considered, pondered. A tapestry of truth and lie unfolding right before our eyes. It’s marvelous, isn’t it?”

“That’s… not really the word I would use to describe it, no.” Kotone sat up, stretching for a moment as she appraised the long-nosed man. Merope stood by his side as ever, her arms laden with more bonds. A pair of scepters, a glittering bright light, a noose, and a half-rotted skull patched over with pieces of cloth. “Uh…”

“Oh don’t give me that, let’s just get this over with.” Merope rolled her eyes, taking the skull and setting it down on the desk with a scrunching of her nose. “Ew, gross. This is your Death. She’s like how you used to be, wanting connection but terrified of what it means. Maybe she’ll find something new in your rebirth.”

“That’s… ominous.” Kotone frowned as Merope held up the glimmering light. “Oh! Star, right?”

“Wow, you figured it out.” Merope shook her head, placing the Star next to where the Sun and Moon still sat on her Master’s desk. “Your Star’s locked in place by her own paradigms. Maybe one day she’ll see past them, but I’m pretty sure that’s up to you to figure out.”

“Right…” Kotone tapped her foot, frowning. Star, huh? “Should I be worried about the noose?”

“Probably.” Merope shrugged, placing it near the corner of her Master’s desk. “Your Hanged Man is trapped in cage of his own making. You can either get him out of it, or join him behind the bars, up to you.”

“Fate ties you together, Wildcard.” Igor tapped his fingers against the desk, raising his eyebrow as he did. “You may try to avoid it as best you can, but your paths will cross once more whether you like it or not.”

“So…” Kotone winced, suddenly remembering her promise to text that Makoto guy. She hadn’t yet. But if he was going to be one of her bonds, then… “I’ll get to it eventually. I promise.”

“See that you do, Wildcard.” Igor chuckled, sitting back in his chair. “The thread you shall draw together is most fascinating.”

“Uh… yeah.” Kotone shook her head, turning back to Merope. “The last two are Emperor and Empress, right?”

“Quit getting ahead of yourself.” Merope groaned, shaking her head and sighing. “But yeah. Both care for people the only way they know how. Your Empress goes full steam to care for the people he wants to protect, while your Emperor loses herself in the details. You’ll need to balance them both if you’re going to get anywhere.”

Merope placed the pair of scepters on the desk, one at each end. It was almost full now, the various artifacts and knick-knacks spread out to show the width and breadth of Kotone’s bonds. There was something almost impressive about it, the mishmash of random objects all coming together to form something more. It almost made Kotone feel… proud?

“Your deck is almost complete, Wildcard.” Igor chuckled, a faint haze filling the air as Kotone felt herself being pulled back to the waking world. “I look forward to seeing it come to its full fruition.”

The last thing Kotone saw was Merope giving her Master a sidelong glance, a whisper on her lips. Then she blinked, and the only thing looking back at her was the spider that still hung waiting in the corner of her roof.

Saturday, July 16^th 2016.

The Day of the Secret

Kotone had aced her exams.

Well… maybe aced was a bit of an exaggeration. She was sure she’d made mistakes here and there, it wasn’t like she was expecting to be at the top of the board or anything. Definitely solidly top 10 though. Maybe even top 5. She still wasn’t sure why she seemed to do so well on her exams with how relatively little studying she did, but it’s not like she was complaining.

“You’re channeling the width and breadth of the human psyche, lass. There’s a wisdom there worth appreciating.”

Right. I guess it is a little unfair to answer a question about the immortal fisherman when he’s literally a part of my soul.

“Aye. But what they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em.”

The point was, Kotone was feeling pretty good as she made her way down the hall toward the front entrance. She was supposed to go to the arcade today with Junpei and Fuuka to celebrate their liberation, that was going to be fun.

Or, at least, it would be if she managed to make it there without being stopped by a certain shorthaired girl with a fire in her eyes.

“Alright Shiomi.” Eri narrowed her eyes as she stepped into Kotone’s path, crossing her arms in front of her as she did. “Your secret. Spill it.”

“Huh?” Kotone’s heart jumped into her chest as she slowed to a sudden and inescapable stop. “What are you-“

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Eri shook her head, taking a step closer as her eyes seemed to peer into Kotone’s soul. “Something’s up, and I wanna know what!”

“Hey, whoah, Eri-“ Kotone held her hands up placatingly, trying to fight back the panic in her chest. Shit shit shit shit. What did she know? Were they busted? Eri was the head of the newspaper club, had she dug into the Thieves and sussed out who they were? “Slow down, alright? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“C’mon, don’t give me that, it’s obvious!” Eri huffed, shaking her head. “How the hell have you managed to spend so much time with Ms. Kirijo, huh?”

…what?

“What?”

…oh God, is that what this is about?

“Well?” Eri tapped her foot in a rapid beat, still waiting for a response. “What do you have to say for yourself, huh?”

“I dunno what to tell you really.” Kotone adjusted the strap of her bag, smiling haplessly. “We’re friends. She helped me study for exams.”

“You… Mitsuru Kirijo helped you study for- you…” Eri grit her teeth, her hands jittering as if she was barely stopping herself from grabbing Kotone by the shoulders and shaking her. “How can you be so casual about this?!”

“It’s not that big a deal.” Kotone shook her head. “She’s nice. Have you ever tried just, y’know, talking to her?”

“I…” Eri seemed gobsmacked by the suggestion, taking a few steps back in surprise. “You can’t just… talk to a Kirijo! That’s crazy! Ms. Kirijo is like a goddess made flesh, and even Akihiko has a fan club! That’s a whole other level!”

“Wait.” Kotone furrowed her brow, unsure of what she had just heard. “Akihiko has a fan club?”

“Yeah? Duh?” Eri blinked, seemingly staring into Kotone’s soul. “Do you even pay attention to things around school at all?”

“Not… really?” Kotone shrugged. “I didn’t even know they were siblings until I talked with Akihiko.”

“Holy shit.” Eri seemed gobsmacked, taking a step back and reevaluating. “You’re not playing dumb with me, are you? You really don’t know? Y’know what, nevermind what I said before, you’re definitely the weirdest girl in school.”

“Guilty as charged.” Kotone grinned, shrugging. “Seriously though, just try talking to her. She’s not nearly as intimidating once you get to know her.”

“Nearly, lass.”

Yeah, I know. She still scares me sometimes. But the way Eri treats her is unhealthy.

“Aye, for certain.”

“What? Didn’t you hear what I said before? No. No way, c’mon.” Eri shook her head emphatically. “It can’t be that simple.”

“It is.” Kotone smiled sympathetically. “C’mon, I’ll even introduce you if you want. She’s nice once you get to know her.”

“Hm…” Eri seemed to consider it. Really genuinely consider it. For a moment, Kotone dared to hope this would be easy. And then… “Nope!”

Eri turned on the spot and speedwalked off into the crowd, leaving nothing but empty space for a bemused Kotone to contend with.

“Kotone.” Aigis poked her head out of the bag, her display buffering as she watched Eri go. “Is this an example of someone being ‘super gay’?”

“Yep.” Kotone sighed, shaking her head as she adjusted the strap of her bag and rolled her eyes. “That right there is a useless lesbian.”

“I understand.” Aigis nodded sagely, ducking back into the bag. “Thank you very much for this information.”

“No problem, Aigis.” Kotone spent one last moment watching the crowd that Eri had vanished into before sighing and turning away. “Alright. Let’s go hurry up and meet the others.”

Monday, July 18^th 2016.

The Day of the Fireworks Festival

The lights of the city reflected off Tokyo Bay under the clear night sky, golden pinpricks dancing over the waves like stars under the glow of the nearly full moon. It was a beautiful sight to behold as Kotone stood leaning against the edge of the boardwalk by the sea, her friends gathered around her and her girlfriend sticking tight to her side.

“I still can’t believe these are your friends.” Metis narrowed her eyes as she held tight to Kotone’s arm, looking between the Thieves as if appraising them. “I mean, the Kirijos? Seriously? How’d you manage that?”

“We’re not aliens you know.” Akihiko shook his head, leaning on the railing as his eyes scanned the bay. “We’re students like you.”

“Yeah. Rich and fancy students.” Metis rolled her eyes, before seemingly catching herself and cringing. “Crap, that was rude. Sorry. Thanks for inviting me out here.”

“Of course.” Fuuka nodded enthusiastically. “Any friend of Kotone’s is a friend of ours.”

“Not just friend.” Kotone grinned as she pulled Metis closer against her side. “Girlfriend.”

“Oh my god, you’re such a dweeb.” Metis groaned, burying her face in Kotone’s shoulder. “You’re so embarrassing I could die.”

“Sorry, you’re just going to have to deal with the fact that your girlfriend’s totally cringe.” Kotone kissed the top of Metis’ forehead, holding back a laugh at the even deeper groan that it elicited from the girl. “Cute!”

“Man, they’re freakin’ adorable…” Junpei sighed dramatically, leaning his cheek against his hand. “Wish I had a girlfriend…”

“Don’t worry Junpei…” Fuuka smiled, patting his back sympathetically. “I’m sure you’ll find someone soon!”

“Yeah, your summer romance is just around the corner.” Yukari rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless as she turned to Mitsuru. “Hey Mitsuru, do you know when the fireworks are supposed to start?”

“It should only be a few minutes.” Mitsuru frowned at her watch, nodding affirmatively. “The display is scheduled for exactly eight o’ clock.”

“I am hopeful that the display will not disappoint.” Aigis poked her head out of Kotone’s bag as it was jostled by the crowd, peeking over Kotone’s shoulder that wasn’t presently occupied by her girlfriend. "I have heard that fire working has historically been very important to society.”

“It’s not that kind of firework.” Kotone shook her head, earning her a mystified look from Metis as she glanced up at Kotone seemingly talking to herself. “I mean uh… hey, is that a dog?”

“Lass, you’re going to have to tell her about our occupation soon.”

I know. I will, after I talk about it with the team. But I really did see a dog!

“Aye. Doesn’t change the facts of things.”

Kotone nodded her head a little ways down the boardwalk, where an albino shiba inu was sitting proudly under the adoration and pets of various passersby. A high school boy stood just off to the side holding its leash, an unhappy expression on his face as he looked out over the bay.

“Hey, isn’t that Amada?” Metis leaned away from Kotone for a moment so she could catch sight of the dog and his boy. “Didn’t know he had a dog.”

“Amada?” Kotone frowned, trying to remember where she had heard the name before. The boy seemed… vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. “Who’s that?”

“Dude’s a first year. Used to be really gung-ho about Coach I think.” Junpei scratched his head, shrugging. “His dog’s named Koromaru, used to have an Isstagram account. Stopped posting a while back though, wonder why?”

“I could hazard a guess.” Mitsuru winced, shaking her head and turning back to face the bay. “In any case-“

“Hey, quit moping!” Metis suddenly stood upright, her eyes gazing toward the sky. “It’s starting!”

A burst of light filled the sky over the bay, a faint boom following it in quick succession. The crowd’s eyes all turned toward the display, a faint oooing and aaahing coming from the mass of people.

“I thought dogs were supposed to be scared of fireworks?” Fuuka blinked, glancing toward where Koromaru was silently enraptured by the fireworks above, still sitting politely as their reflections danced in his eyes. “He must be really smart!”

“Shhhhh!” Metis shook her head emphatically. “There are fireworks!”

Kotone held back a laugh, squeezing Metis gently to her side and watching fire light the sky. It was a beautiful display of colour, the whole of the rainbow glimmering over their heads as a distinct feeling of warmth spread through Kotone’s soul. Here, with her girlfriend in her arms and her friends by her side, she was happy. Well and truly, properly, happy.

And she wasn’t ever going to forget that feeling again.

Saturday, July 23^rd 2016.

The Day of the Beef Bowls Unmasked

“Woooooooooo!” Junpei groaned happily as he fell onto the bench outside the beef bowl shop, stretching languidly as he let the exhaustion flow from his body. “Helllll yeah dude, it’s officially summer now! Can’t wait to kick back and relax!”

“Based on your grades, I’m more than a little hesitant to ask what you believe you had been doing previously.” Mitsuru shook her head, frowning at the boy. “You should reconsider attending summer school.”

“I’ll be fine dude, don’t worry about it!” Junpei waved his hand dismissively. “Ko and Fuuka and I already got a study session planned for August, I’ll be keeping on top of it!”

“Considering your enthusiasm for this supposed ‘study session’, I have an inclination that you don’t actually plan to spend much time studying.” Mitsuru quirked an eyebrow. “Your planned date wouldn’t happen to align with the release of Android Prime: Federal Force, would it?”

“Uh…” Kotone winced. Shit. Busted. “No?”

“Don’t worry Mitsuru!” Fuuka smiled shrugging her shoulders. “I’ll make sure he does at least a little studying. I promise.”

“Is that so?” Mitsuru appraised Fuuka for a moment before sighing. “Very well. I’ll entrust him to you then, Fuuka.”

Aw man. I wanted to play Federal Force.

“It’s only a little, lass. And she’s sweet on him anyhow, she won’t overdo it.”

…you’re just trying to make me feel better.

“So this is the place, huh?” Akihiko crossed his arms, appraising the unremarkable shopfront with a curious look in his eyes. “Doesn’t seem like much. You’re vouching for it?”

“I think Junpei overhypes it a little, but yeah.” Yukari shrugged. “The food’s actually pretty good here.”

“I believe Akihiko is more concerned with the nutritional value of our meals.” Mitsuru shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. “Regardless, we shouldn’t delay any longer. Let’s order.”

“Right!” Junpei grinned, knocking on the door with his usual enthusiasm. “Sup dude!”

“Hmph.” The slot for the door opened, the familiar grey eyes of the proprietor looking down at Junpei. “You again. The usua-“

The man’s voice suddenly dropped, falling into silence as he looked past Junpei toward the boys friends. His eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of Akihiko and Mitsuru, freezing on the spot as if he’d seen a ghost. The two Kirijos seemed equally taken aback, staring at the man with undisguised shock.

“Is that…” Mitsuru’s voice trembled as she stood frozen, her expression twisted and unreadable. “…Shinjiro? Is that you?”

“I…” The man stared for another long moment, what was visible of his own expression warbling uncertainty. Then he seemed to steady, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head.  “No.”

And he slammed the window shut without another word.

“Hey- Shinji!” Akihiko pushed past Junpei, banging his fist against the door. “What the hell?! This is where you’ve been? What’s wrong with you?”

“Huh?” Yukari took a step back, confused even as Akihiko continued to pound on the door. “What’s going on? Who’s Shinji?”

“Shinjiro.” Mitsuru swallowed, her lip quivering as she stared at the door. “Shinjiro Kirijo. Our… brother.”

“Your what?” Junpei’s eyes widened in surprise, his hands freezing midway through the process of fixing his hat from where it had been knocked askew. “Dude, you have another brother?!”

“Shinji!” Akihiko didn’t let up, still pounding on the door with as much determination as he could muster. “Get out here Shinji, you can’t keep hiding!”

“Leave it be, Akihiko.” Mitsuru stepped forward, placing a hand “…he won’t want to speak to us like this.”

“Screw that!” Akihiko all but snarled, turning to face his sister. “Nearly a full year no contact, and he’s hiding out in a back alley selling beef bowls? No way in hell he can just lock away and not explain himself!”

“Um…” Fuuka’s voice quivered as she looked between the siblings with a frown. “Should… sh-should we go, or…”

“No. No, it’s quite alright.” Mitsuru took a deep breath, turning to face her underclassmen. “There was an incident around a year ago. Our brother Shinjiro was implicated as culpable in the death of one of our family’s major business partners. He was cleared of any guilt by the subsequent investigation, but… evidently he didn’t agree with their conclusions. He disappeared with scarcely a word.”

“And now he’s here. Son of a bitch.” Akihiko scowled, his fists clenching at his side. “Beef bowls… goddamn beef bowls!”

“Holy shit…” Junpei just stared, his mouth agape. “That’s like something outta a teledrama or something…”

“Be serious about this!” Yukari smacked Junpei’s cap down over his eyes, shaking her head. “Mitsuru… is there anything we can do to help?”

“Not at present, no…” Mitsuru frowned, turning back to the door for a long moment before sighing. “I don’t believe there is anything more we can do today.”

“But we’ll be back. Y’hear that Shinji? We’ll be back!” Akihiko scowled at the door one last time before sighing and turning away. He stared at his sister for a long moment, frowning. “Damn it all. Do we tell Father?”

“No. He’d likely resort to drastic measures to bring him home.” Mitsuru shook her head, glancing at her friends. “This is something we should handle ourselves. Yukari, I know you have already volunteered, but would the rest of you-“

“Don’t even need to ask.” Kotone nodded emphatically, pumping her fist. “We’ve got your backs a hundred percent.”

…plus I am a little curious about this secret third brother of theirs.

“Admitting your biases is important, lass. It’s a good thing to recognize.”

I mean I’d help anyways, but still.

“Merci. I cannot even begin to express our gratitude.” Mitsuru bowed her head, turning toward Junpei. “I apologize for the disruption to our plans. It wasn’t our intent.”

“Ah… nah dude, it’s alright.” Junpei leaned against his hands, shrugging. “It’s not like you can plan for sudden missing brothers showing up, right?”

“That’s one way to put it.” Akihiko grumbled, stepping away from the door and marching down the street. “Come on. We’ll be back later.”

“You heard the man.” Kotone tilted her head, following after the boy. “Let’s get out of here everyone.”

And find somewhere new to eat, I guess.

Chapter Text

^{“Wooo! Summer break baby!”}

^{“I wonder who runs the Moonlist. It’s kinda freaky, isn’t it?”}

^{“Goddamnit, not again!”}

Sunday, July 24^th 2016.

The Day of the Eggs

They went back to the beef bowl shop the next day.

Well, not quite. Aigis had warned that it would probably be a bad idea to plot directly outside of Shinjiro’s hideout, so the Thieves had gathered at an unassuming café about a block away whose name was both long and French: Café Bouleversement. It was run by a single stoic grey-haired woman who didn’t seem to have any interest in their business, even as the Thieves sipped at their drinks and plotted their next steps.

And honestly, at this point? That was good enough.

“We can’t just go up and knock on the door.” Yukari frowned, tapping her fingers against the table. “He’d just not come out again, right?”

“That’s right.” Mitsuru stroked her chin, thoughtful. “It’s unfortunate that he knows that the rest of you are affiliated with us as well. It’s likely that he would be unwilling to respond to any of us.”

“Man…” Junpei slumped in his chair. “No beef bowls ever then dude…”

“Don’t give up so fast, we’ll find a way!” Kotone shook her head, leaning forward onto the table. “The big problem’s the door, right?”

“Mhm…” Fuuka started at her tea as she nodded slowly. “As long as he can hide behind it, we probably won’t be able to talk to him at all…”

“So we need to draw him out.” Yukari crossed her arms. “Simple.”

“Easier said than done.” Akihiko shook his head. “He’s a stubborn bastard at the best of times, which this isn’t.”

“We could try ding dong ditching?” Junpei scratched under his hat, shrugging. “That might work, right?”

“Doubtful.” Mitsuru sighed, taking a long sip of her tea. “Shinjiro won’t leave his cloister unless he feels he must.”

What do oysters have to do with any of this?

“Cloister, lass. It’s a whole other word.”

…sometimes I forget that she’s just like, a total genius.

“Maybe we could fake an injury?” Fuuka perked up hopefully. “If someone’s in trouble outside his door, he’d help right?”

“He’d just call an ambulance.” Akihiko harrumphed, crossing his arms. “And unless someone’s really willing to get their leg broken for this, I doubt we want that.”

“Er… no.” Yukari shook her head emphatically. “Crap. This is tougher than I thought it would be.”

“If I may ask, what do you plan to do once he is out?” Aigis poked her head up from where Kotone’s bag sat on her lap, a curious expression flashing across her display. “How will you attempt to convince him to return with you?”

“Honestly, I have no idea.” Akihiko’s expression faltered, a frown growing on his face. “Shinji’s a stubborn bastard. We’ll just have to wing it.”

“At the end of the day, he’s still our brother.” Mitsuru sighed, staring at her tea. “We can only hope that will be enough.”

A somber silence settled over the Thieves as they pondered their task, ideas churning through their heads only to spark, blossom, and die unspoken as they tackled the problem from every which way.

Until someone, thankfully, figured something out

“Oh dude!” Junpei jumped to his feet, grinning. “I got it! Be right back!”

“Wait, but Junpei-“ Fuuka reached a hand out after the boy as he darted off, only to be left blinking at the empty space where he had once been. “Oh. Um…”

“Well, that’ll probably be a trainwreck.” Yukari sighed, tilting her head. “I wonder what he’s going to get up to this time.”

“I suppose we’ll have to see.” Mitsuru released some of the tension from her shoulders, shaking her head. “We must simply place his trust in him at present.”

“Wait, so when I get an idea I need a buddy…” Akihiko frowned, turning to look at Kotone. “But Junpei can just run off on his own?”

“Well, I don’t think Junpei’s going to kidnap his sister.” Kotone smiled widely, only for her smile to falter once she thought about it a little more. “…probably. I don’t think he has a sister actually, but seeing as we just found out about other secret siblings… maybe?”

“If you’re referring to Shinjiro… well, I suppose he simply hasn’t been relevant until now.” Mitsuru shrugged noncommittally. “Though it seems you may have known him for a while, if he truly has been the one serving you beef bowls this whole time.”

“It’s weird to think about…” Fuuka frowned, fidgeting ever so slightly with her hands. “Could you tell us a little more about him? If that’s alright?”

“Well…” Mitsuru glanced at her brother for a moment before nodding. “I suppose. It’s only fair if we are to ask you for help with bringing him home.”

“Shinji and I were pretty much brothers by the time we met Mitsu.” Akihiko leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “We shared a bunkbed at the orphanage. He was the second person to ever really get me, you know? Even if that meant beating the crap out of each other sometimes.”

“He’s quite gifted, Shinjiro.” Mitsuru nodded, looking off into the distance as she recalled the nature of memory. “He and Akihiko helped me out once when we were all still quite young. Father saw potential in the two of them, so they were brought into the family. A decision I can only commend, of course. I’d always wanted little brothers.”

“Hey, you’re not even a full year older than us.” Akihiko scowled, evidently playing up to the faint smile on Mitsuru’s face. “Anyways… after what happened with Mrs. Amada, he vanished. Haven’t seen or heard from him since yesterday.”

“Mrs. Amada…” Fuuka frowned, tilting her head for a moment before gasping softly. “Oh! Like the Amada who brought Koromaru to the fireworks festival?”

“That’s right. The Kirijo and Amada groups have had a longstanding partnership. However…” Mitsuru sighed, bowing her head. “Shinjiro often liked to cook for our parents during their meetings. When Mrs. Amada suffered an attack and unfortunately passed away during a meal, for a time he was considered a suspect for poisoning her. The media ran with it, and both he and our family were dragged through the mud as a result. The cause of death was deemed inconclusive, and he was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing… but the damage was already done.”

“So now he’s hiding because he blames himself.” Kotone shifted uncomfortably in her seat, nodding slowly. “I… kinda get that, I guess.”

For a long time, it was easier to hide and pretend I didn’t exist if things went wrong.

“Aye. And it was a mistake.”

Sure was. I hope we can help him see that.

“I don’t. Doesn’t matter anyways, we’ll get him out of there.” Akihiko nodded assuredly, leaning back and crossing his arms in front of him. “We just need to figure out what Junpei’s plan is first.”

“Eggs!” Junpei appeared seemingly out of nowhere, placing a carton of eggs down on the table and grinning as he looked around at the others. “We’ll egg him dude!”

“Wait…” Yukari frowned, looking between the carton and the smiling boy with a mystified expression. “What do you mean we’ll egg him?”

“Simple! Guy’s gotta come out sometime, right?” Junpei picked up one of the eggs, tossing it casually up and down. “So all we gotta do is give him a reason to. I figure throwing a buncha eggs at his door’ll probably do it.”

“That…” Yukari groaned flopping back in her chair. “That might be the worst idea I’ve ever heard. I bet you just want to throw eggs, don’t you?”

“Wh- dude!” Junpei sputtered, shaking his head. “This is a serious idea!”

“No, this is you being a teenage boy.” Yukari rolled her eyes. “We’re just going to make him angrier doing that!”

“I like it…” Fuuka nodded slowly. “I think it could work.”

“Hey, nice! Didn’t know you had a wild side like that Fuuka!” Kotone grinned, laughing as Fuuka ducked her head in her hands in embarrassment. “I think it’s worth a shot!”

“Mitsuru, Akihiko.” Aigis turned to face the Kirijos, her display flashing with a question mark. “He is your brother, what do you think?”

“To be frank…” Mitsuru pondered it for a moment. “I can’t say if it would work or not. At worst, we may just be causing a public disturbance.”

“I say it’s worth trying.” Akihiko nodded, sitting up right. “Better plan than I could have come up with.”

“Perhaps.” Mitsuru took a deep breath, then sighed. “Very well. It’s the best plan we have, so we should do it.”

“Hell yeah dude!” Junpei pumped his fist, grabbing an egg and holding it out to Kotone. “You down to throw with me?”

Should I? I’ve never egged something before.

“Your life’s been one of firsts a lot recently, lass.”

Fair enough!

“Let’s do it!” Kotone took the egg, standing upright and turning to Yukari. “C’mon, it’ll be fun!”

“We’re going to get charged with delinquency for this.” Yukari rolled her eyes, then grabbed an egg anyways. “I guess I have to if everyone else is.”

“Heh.” Akihiko grabbed his own egg, standing and turning to lead the way to the shop. “Alright. Let’s get to it already.”

It wasn’t a far walk to the storefront, each of the Thieves holding their eggs tight. The only exception was Aigis, who was entrusted with carrying the carton from within Kotone’s bag since her current form wasn’t suitable for throwing.

“Alright everyone!” Junpei grinned as he stood in a line with the others. “Throw it on three, then we book it, alright?”

“G-got it…” Fuuka fidgeted nervously, nodding. “R-ready?”

“Ready.” Kotone nodded, adjusting her stance to throw properly. “Let’s do it. One… two… three!”

A barrage of eggs flew towards the shopfront, landing with undignified splats across the concrete. It wasn’t the most coordinated assault Kotone had ever seen, but it didn’t much matter. She was already booking it by the time they landed, ducking around the corner alongside her friends to make sure they weren’t seen as someone moved behind the doorway.

There was the sound of a bolt clicking, followed by the creak of the door swinging outwards. Kotone held her breath as a towering man stepped out of the darkness, a black beanie hung low over his eyes as he turned and appraised the damage to his storefront.

“Hmph.” Shinjiro shook his head, his hands in his pockets as he sighed deeply. “Damn kids.”

“Shinji.” Akihiko’s voice seemed to freeze the taller boy as he and Mitsuru stepped into the open, staring their brother down. “We need to talk.”

“Damnit. You two just can’t leave well enough alone, can you?” Shinjiro took a deep breath, scowling as he turned to face his siblings. “I’m not going back, so you can just knock that shit off right now.”

“That wasn’t our intent.” Mitsuru shook her head, taking a careful step toward her brother. “We just want to understand, Shinji. Understand why you left.”

“You’re smart Mitsu, you can figure it out.” Shinjiro harrumphed, shaking his head. “That woman died because of me. S’ the least of what I deserve.”

“That’s not true damnit!” Akihiko took a much more impassioned step forward, staring his brother straight in the eyes. “It was an accident, we all know that. The autopsy-“

“Doesn’t mean shit. I know that in my heart. So like I said…” Shinjiro shook his head, turning back and away into his shop. “Knock it the hell off.”

“But-“

“But nothing. I’m done.” Shinjiro paused one last time, glancing over his shoulder and shaking his head. “And clean that shit up before you go. You’re making a mess.”

And then the door slammed shut behind him.

“Damnit…” Akihiko clenched his fists, his whole body shaking. Without warning he stepped forward, punching the metal of the door without a moment of hesitation. “Damnit all to hell!”

“Akihiko!” Fuuka gasped, her eyes widening. “A-are you alright?”

“Fine.” Akihiko shook his hand, stepping back and gritting his teeth. “Damnit Shinji…”

“It seems he truly won’t listen to us.” Mitsuru stared at her feet, her whole body deflating. “Shinjiro… is there truly nothing we can do?”

“No, screw that, there has to be something, right?” Yukari shook her head emphatically, placing a hand on the taller girl’s shoulder. “We’re not giving up just like that, are we?”

“No… no, of course not.” Mitsuru inhaled, standing back upright and nodding. “Thank you, Yukari. We’ll simply need to find another means to get through to him.”

“I didn’t know him before, but didn’t he seem a little…” Fuuka gestured vaguely. “I don’t know… um…”

“Stubborn. He’s always been like that, but…” Akihiko turned, shaking his head as he faced the others. “Never this much. He’d always hear us out, at least.”

“It sounds as though Shinjiro Kirijo may be distorted.” Aigis peeked out of Kotone’s bag, nodding severely. “If he truly believes that he knows the truth ‘in his heart’, it is possible that the events that transpired with Mrs. Amada may have been enough to reflect in the Other World.”

“Wait, dude, seriously?” Junpei scratched his head as he turned to look at Aigis. “D’ya think he’s got a Shadow then?”

“It is a possibility, yes.” Aigis nodded. “It would be easy to verify, if you would like.”

“I would.” Mitsuru pursed her lips, staring at the door where her brother had vanished. “Kotone, would it be alright?”

“I don’t see why not.” Kotone tilted her head to the side, grinning. “Go for it Aigis.”

“I understand. Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” Aigis jumped free from Kotone’s bag, landing in a roll as Ribbon and standing upright. “We have arrived.”

“Right, so let’s…” Wildcard’s words died in her throat as she turned to face the shopfront, a chill running down her spine as she caught sight of what had replaced it. “Whoah. That’s… a bit more than a distortion.”

A towering metal door stood embedded deep into the stone of a looming cliffside, a monolith that seemed to consume the surrounding area whole with its magnitude. The door was cracked open ever so slightly, a frigid breeze blowing over the Thieves from within as they all took an instinctive step back.

“Shinji…” Dragon grit his teeth, flickers of cursed energy coursing up his arms as he stared at the structure before him. “A Palace. Shit. He really is distorted, isn’t her?”

“It would seem so.” Raider bowed her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she sucked in a breath. “My comrades, I know you offered to join us in helping Shinjiro, but please don’t feel obligated to continue. This distortion is-“

“C’mon dude, this is exactly the kinda thing we’re here to deal with.” Plebe grinned, resting his gladius over his shoulder. “It’s not like we have a target right now anyways, right?”

“Right.” Feather flashed a thumbs up, smiling. “We’re not going to back down now. This just means he really needs our help, doesn’t it?”

“Mh…” Gal clasped her hands together, bowing her head. “I don’t sense any Shadows at the entrance. We should be okay to go inside.”

“You heard her.” Wildcard grinned at the pair of siblings, nodding as she drew the pistol from her holster. “Come on everyone. Let’s get to work.”

---

Shinjiro’s Palace was remarkably small.

Not in its sense of scale, of course. Past the looming doorway, the Thieves found themselves in an enormous hallway leading down into the earth, its walls made of cracked stone that jutted up into an unseen darkness above. It terminated in a cavernous chamber at its end, an enormous rectangular room dotted with pillars that seemed carved from the earth itself that could be called anything but small.

No, Shinjiro’s Palace was small only in the sense that this chamber seemed to be all there was.

Because there, floating in the middle atop a pedestal formed of blackest basalt, was the unformed mass of Shinjiro’s Treasure.

“Finally.” Dragon grinned, cracking his knuckles as he advanced toward the Treasure. “Something simple.”

“Wait, hold on, don’t-“ Feather gasped, holding a hand up to try and stop Dragon, only for a guttural roar to echo from above and stop him in his tracks anyways. “…jinx it.”

The darkness above them unfurled, long snaking claws flashing from the abyss as a disjointed pair of piercing gray eyes stared down at them. A guttural growl echoed through the chamber, tendrils of inky blackness unfurling downwards as the Thieves scrambled for their weapons and the Treasure warbled uncertainty.

“Dragon, get back!” Gal gasped, staring up at the creature through her visor. “It’s guarding the Treasure!”

“Hell no, I’m not letting this-“ Dragon brought his blade to bear, holding it in front of him. The motion probably saved his life (or at the very least a very dangerous wound) as the creature shot forth a claw, striking Dragon’s blade and sending him flying back from the force of the impact. “Damn!”

“Stay back!” Wildcard held a hand up to stop Dragon from jumping back into the fight, instead looking up to lock eyes with the creature above. With the Treasure no longer being threatened it pulled its claws back, fading almost imperceptibly back into the darkness. Almost. Wildcard could just barely see its eyes still staring down at her, a deep stormy grey peering into her very soul. “Ribbon… what is that? That’s not his Shadow, is it?”

“No.” A new voice echoed from across the chamber, defeat resonating from within as it bounced across the space. “It isn’t.”

“What are-“ Raider’s voice died in her throat as she looked towards the voice’s source, finding a hulking golden eyed man wrapped in chains peering back at her from the far wall of the chamber. “…Shinjiro?”

“Not at all. I’m a Shadow, a reflection of the true self.” The Shadow shook his head, a haunting look on his face as he turned his golden eyes up toward the roof above. “That’s the real Shinjiro Kirijo up there. A monster, one you dipshits would be better off leaving in the dark.”

“What? But-“ Feather blanched, taking a step back and staring upwards. “That can’t really be Shinjiro… can it?”

“It is a cognition.” Ribbon nodded, peering up into the space above. “That is likely the way in which Shinjiro Kirijo perceives himself.”

“What, that thing?” Plebe’s eyes widened in surprise. “No freakin’ way…”

“Shinji…” Dragon clenched his fist, taking a step forward again and glaring daggers at the Shadow. “The hell do you mean that’s you? Snap out of it you dumbass, you’re-“

“Dragon!” Raider grabbed hold of her brother, dragging him back before the creature from above struck the spot he was standing, sending cracks through the floor below. “Be careful!”

“Damnit, how can I?” Dragon turned to face his sister, gritting his teeth angrily. “That’s our brother, Mitsu! And he’s… look at him!”

“I know. I know. But we must avoid acting too rashly.” Raider stared past Dragon, her eyes locked on the Shadow who continued to watch them all with an empty sort of disinterest. “We must be careful. That creature is strong, we’ll need to plan our attack carefully.”

“That… might not be enough.” Gal trembled slightly as she spoke, shaking her head. “That thing’s stronger than all of us combined right now… w-we might be able to win, but… I-I don’t think it’d be likely.”

“Then we do the same thing as last time.” Wildcard blinked, surprised by the words coming out of her mouth. She steadied herself, nodding emphatically at the siblings. “Just like with Mutatsu. We’ll tackle requests from the Moonlist to get stronger. There’s no Shadows here to practice on, and its summer break, so we should have plenty of time. We’ll come back once we’re ready and take his heart, got it?”

“You speak with authority lass.”

Feels like I’m just imitating Mitsuru, really.

“Learning from others is a powerful tool. It’s a good thing you’re coming to make use of it.”

“Of course.” Raider steadied herself, nodding slowly. “Thank you, leader. C'est un bon plan."

“Hell yeah.” Plebe grinned. “I’m totally in dude!”

“It would be best to avoid a backlog building up…” Gal smiled faintly. “With summer break going on, I’m sure more people will be finding trouble around…”

“It’s kinda perfect if you think about it.” Feather shrugged. “We’ll be helping people to get better at helping people. That works for me.”

“…fine then. If that’s the plan, then-” Dragon turned back toward the hallway, and the exit beyond. “Then let’s hurry up and do it already.”

“Right.” Wildcard took a deep breath, sparing one last look at the creature above before turning to Shinjiro’s Shadow. “We’ll be back later. Just… hang in there, alright?”

“Mh.” Shinjiro’s Shadow snorted, shaking his head. “It makes no difference to me.”

I’m just a Shadow of the real self, after all.

And then the Thieves had to clean up the eggs outside the storefront, because oh yeah right, that was a thing.

Chapter Text

^{“Man, it’s so hot out…”}

^{“I just don’t know what to do with my life anymore…”}

^{“Celebrities are stupid, they’re just people!”}

Monday, August 1^st 2016.

The Day of the Meeting

The first week of summer had gone by in a flash.

The Moonlit Thieves had been busy. Just as Fuuka had predicted there had been plenty of work to do on the Moonlist, and Kotone was feeling stronger with the couple of hearts they had changed already. A part of her itched to head back to the Palace and try their luck against the cognition as soon as possible, at least as a test. But Aigis had said that they should wait until the calling card was sent to fight the cognition in case beating it had some sort of affect on the Shadow, and she was pretty sure the thing would kick her ass anyways if they fought right now.

That didn’t mean some of her didn’t want to try.

“A crew this big’s sure to be a rowdy one, lass.”

Definitely. Is it normal for Persephone to be so… aggressive though?

“You try living her life lass, I’m sure you’d be a feisty one too.”

Kotone snorted, laying back from where she was sitting on the side of her bed and staring at the ceiling. She didn’t have any plans for the day, as a thief or as a friend. Her schedule was wide open, a tapestry of possibilities stretching out before her. She could go shopping, go to the arcade, explore Tokyo, or do any number of other things out there in the great wide world. It was up to her.

Or at least it would have been if her phone hadn’t dinged at almost that exact moment.

S.IKUTSUKI – PHONETONE DM

s.ikutsuki: Good morning, Ms. Shiomi.

s.ikutsuki: It’s been quite a while since we’ve spoken. I hope you haven’t forgotten about me while I’ve been away.

phonetone: Oh, of course not!

phonetone: Good morning Mr. Ikutsuki. How can I help you?

s.ikutsuki: Oh nothing in particular. Just our usual check in. I’d like to apologize for being away last month, I’ve had my hands full with other endeavours.

phonetone: That’s alright. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.

s.ikutsuki: Indeed! I appreciate your patience.

s.ikutsuki: You’re just one piece of a big puzzle, but you’re most definitely a part of it.

phonetone: Thanks? I think.

s.ikutsuki: You are most certainly welcome.

s.ikutsuki: That should be all for now. You have a good day, Ms. Shiomi.

phonetone: Yeah! You too!

Kotone exhaled, setting down the phone. She wasn’t sure when Ikutsuki had gone from mildly reassuring to undeniably annoying, but it had happened at some point in the last few months. Something about the guy just… threw her off, and it wasn’t even his puns or anything like that.

You know, for someone who I check in with pretty often, it’s weird we haven’t formed a bond.

“Aye. You certainly chat more often than with some of your actual bonds.”

…that feels targeted.

Kotone sighed, picking her phone back up and swiping to another chat. She’d saved the contact a while ago, but hadn’t actually taken the step of texting him. It just felt awkward to do. He was her Hanged Man, sure, but they’d only met once and it was a minute long conversation at most. She’d have probably forgotten about him if Igor hadn’t been ominous about what it would mean if she did. She had a feeling she was going to have to take the first step here, or it was going to be taken for her. and with how little control she’d had in her life up until this year… that wasn’t a good feeling

So with all that in mind Kotone simply sighed, and texted Makoto Yuki.

PHONETONE – DETECTIVEPRINCE DM

phonetone: Hey! Is this Makoto Yuki? The Second Detective Prince?

detectiveprince: Who is this?

phonetone: Oh right. My name’s Kotone Shiomi. You gave me your card at the radio station a couple months ago?

detectiveprince: Right. Kotone.

detectiveprince: I thought you forgot.

phonetone: Nah, no way! I’ve just been busy!

detectiveprince: School?

phonetone: Yup.

detectiveprince: I understand.

detectiveprince: Thank you for contacting me.

detectiveprince: I’d like to talk if possible.

detectiveprince: Are you available today?

phonetone: Uh, sure!

phonetone: Should I like, call you or…

detectiveprince: Meet me at Inokashira Park. 2:00 PM.

detectiveprince: Can you?

phonetone: Uh.

phonetone: Yeah. I guess. How will I find you?

detectiveprince: Follow the bird.

phonetone: What?

detectiveprince: I’ll see you then.

phonetone: What?

phonetone: Makoto?

phonetone: Dude!

phonetone: …

Well, the good news is, if he was trying to draw me out to kill me or something, he’s doing an awful job at it.

“That doesn’t mean he isn’t trying, lass.”

Sure. But like I said, he’s bad at it.

“Kotone.” Aigis tilted her head at her friend from where she sat on Kotone’s desk. “Are you alright? You appear ‘peeved’, as they say.”

“I’m alright.” Kotone smiled, sitting up from her bed and making her way over to the little android. “Think I just got invited to talk to that Detective Prince guy. I wanna know, if he tries something… could you pull us into the Other World?”

“If I am close enough, yes.” Aigis nodded as Kotone grinned and grabbed her bag. “Do you believe he will attempt something dangerous?”

“Not really, no. But it’s better to be safe than sorry, and if worst comes to worst I think a giant flaming pirate lady is a good way to spook someone.” Kotone shrugged, opening her bag and nodding at the android. “Ready?”

“Yes.” Aigis allowed Kotone to pick her up, placing her in her bag and slinging her over her shoulder. “Is it time to get to work?”

“Heh…” Kotone snorted, nodding as she made her way downstairs. “It sure is.”

---

It took Kotone more than a few minutes to track down Makoto. Partially because she was a little hesitant to meet with him considering the risk of him being a crazy person and all, partially because his instructions were what Junpei would call ‘cryptic as shit, dude’. She had no idea what following the bird meant, or how it was supposed to lead her to the detective.

That was, of course, until she saw the bird.

A midnight black hawk circled lazily over the park, a yellow cloth wrapped loosely around its neck. Far below, Makoto Yuki watched it with a blank look on his face, his hands deep in his pockets as he stood lost in thought.

Guess that’s the bird.

“Aye lass. Back in my day, the sight of a bird in the sky was reassurance land was never far away.”

Not sure if I’d really call him reassuring…

“Hey, Makoto!” Kotone put on her best cheery smile as she waved at the boy, approaching him as casually as she could. “Guess I found the bird! Is he yours?”

“Mh.” Makoto turned, appraising Kotone for a second before shrugging and looking back upwards. “He is.”

“Cool beans.” Kotone nodded, ignoring the awkwardness to step up beside the boy and watch the bird circle high above. “Does he have a name?”

“Ryoji.” Makoto whistled, seemingly drawing the attention of the hawk. The bird tilted downwards, swooping to land on Makoto’s shoulder with practiced precision that almost sent Kotone jumping away. “Here.”

“Whoah!” Kotone gasped, temporarily forgetting her trepidation as the bird looked at her with what could only be described as curiosity. “How did you even- I mean, how do you get a bird like this?”

“He found me.” Makoto reached up, scratching Ryoji gently beneath the chin. “He’s popular for my image.”

“Huh.” Kotone frowned ever so slightly, glancing around. A few passersby had stopped to gawk, though if it was at the bird or the minor celebrity, Kotone didn’t know. “I guess that makes sense. It tracks with the whole cool and mysterious thing you have going on.”

“Mh.” Makoto nodded, shifting his shoulder. Ryoji took flight once more, shooting into the air and circling above their heads. “Thank you for coming.”

“Yeah, of course!” Kotone regained her smile, shrugging noncommittally. “I said I would, wouldn’t I?”

“Mh.” Makoto shook his head. “You also said you’d text.”

“Yeah well…” Kotone scratched the back of her neck, shrugging fruitlessly. She’d already used up one excuse this morning, no point trying another one. “Sorry about that. I did eventually, right?”

“You did.” Makoto nodded, glancing at Kotone past his shoulder. “I almost tried contacting you myself.”

Guess Igor was right about that.

“People seek connection lass. Especially when they don’t know anywhere else to find it.”

Oh c’mon, he’s a celebrity! I’m sure he could connect to people if he wanted to.

“Guess that’s still on me.” Kotone smiled haplessly, shaking her head. “Probably could have used the kick to be honest.”

“No, I wanted you to come here yourself.” Makoto turned his eyes upwards, his hands in his pockets. “You’ve had enough autonomy taken from you.”

“Uh…” Kotone frowned, following the boy’s gaze to the bird above. “What do you mean by that?”

“I looked into you after you spoke at the radio station.” Makoto didn’t move, his eyes still tracking the bird above. “Kotone Shiomi. Orphan. In Tokyo on probation after assaulting a man, is that right?”

…that’s really creepy, actually.

“And he didn’t use it to come after us. Interesting.”

But mostly really creepy.

“I don’t think I should answer that because that’s honestly pretty terrifying.” Kotone took an instinctive step away from the boy, shivering. “How’d you even find that out anyways?”

“You’d be surprised what’s public record.” Makoto shook his head, looking down from his bird and back toward Kotone. “It’s my job.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like being put under a microscope.” Kotone shook her head emphatically. “Please like… never do that again?”

“…okay. Sure. I’m sorry.” Makoto exhaled, looking away again. “My mistake.”

Huh. Is it bad I really didn’t expect him to apologize?

“You’ve had few apologies in your life, lass. It’s good you’ve finally gotten one.”

Guess so.

“Thanks. I guess I probably should have expected it from a detective, huh?” Kotone shrugged sheepishly, trying to downplay what had just happened. “So other than your super invasive detective questions, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Like I said before. Perspective. People look up to me. They admire me, for doing simple things.” Makoto looked at his hand for a moment, shaking his head. “I don’t know why. I don’t care.”

“I guess it’s that… mysterious bad boy style?” Kotone shrugged, frowning. “I mean, I don’t get it, but some people are drawn to it.”

“That’s exactly it. And that’s why I wanted to talk to you.” Makoto lowered his hand, turning to look at Kotone out of the corner of his eye. “You care. Aggressively. How?”

“Aggressively?” Kotone shifted slightly on the balls of her feet, a nervous energy suddenly sparking between the two of them. “What do you mean by that?”

“You care. About things. About yourself. I can tell.” Makoto turned so he was facing Kotone head on, his brow furrowed in concentration. “How?”

“Well that…” Kotone hesitated for a moment, biting her cheek before she gathered her courage and looked at the boy head on. “Honestly, I only started really caring recently, if that’s what you want to call it.”

“Mh.” Makoto tilted his head ever so slightly, his single visible eye still boring into her. “Why?”

“…because not caring stopped working, I guess.” Kotone shrugged, forcing herself to not avert her gaze. “I found a reason to give a crap. Trying to pretend I could just close my eyes and look away didn’t feel right anymore.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Makoto shook his head. “What was that reason?”

“Well uh…” Kotone smiled once again, fighting back the frown that seemed to be trying to force its way onto her face. “I found some friends that are worth caring about.”

“Friends?” Makoto quirked an eyebrow at the girl. “Really? That’s all?”

“Well, them and some stuff that came with them. But yeah, mostly the friends thing.” Kotone shrugged, tilting her head as the boy squared his shoulders and turned away once more. “Do you… have any friends, Makoto?”

“Ryoji.” Makoto bowed his head ever so slightly, looking toward his shoes. “And my manager likes to pretend he is.”

“That doesn’t sound like he’s actually a friend then.” Kotone shook her head. “Is that seriously it?”

“Mh.” Makoto nodded. “People admire me for doing something simple. There are lots of people who’d want to be around me. But only Ryoji wants to be my friend.”

“Well, you didn’t try to kidnap and murder me after inviting me to talk alone.” Kotone elbowed the boy gently in the side, shrugging. “So there’s that. I’d be happy to be your friend, if that’s what you want.”

“Would you?” Makoto turned back toward Kotone, a strange expression on his face. “Do I?”

“I mean, I would.” Kotone tilted her head, still smiling. “Up to you if you do though, I’m just offering.”

“Mh.” Makoto shook his head ever so slightly, turning his eyes back to the sky. “I should have expected you to say that.”

“Huh?” Kotone tilted her head, unsure. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.” Makoto shook his head, whistling once again. Ryoji followed the command, diving down and landing on the boy’s shoulder. “I’d appreciate being your friend Kotone.”

“Nice!” Kotone wasn’t sure how to react to that, so she just flashed a thumbs up and smiled. “Could I be friends with Ryoji too then?”

“Mh.” Makoto nodded, eliciting a squawk from the bird. “He likes being scratched between the wings.”

“Really?” Kotone reached a hand up, scratching the hawk between the wings. The bird cooed, seemingly pleased at the attention. “Guess it’s a good thing we’re friends then, huh Ryoji?”

“Don’t feed his ego.” Makoto shook his head. “Thank you, Kotone.”

“Hey, no problem.” Kotone let herself relax, standing back on her feet and looking up toward the trailing clouds floating through the sky above. “I’m just glad to have another friend.”

Wednesday, August 3^rd 2016.

The Day of the Bookstore Visit

“Kotone.” Aigis looked at Kotone from across the bedroom, a frown on her display. “I do not like your friend.”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked, looking over at her desk from where she was midway through tying her ponytail. “Do you mean Makoto? Or Saori?”

“No. I have no opinions on Makoto, and I am glad that Saori is visiting today.” Aigis shook her head. “I am referring to Ryoji.”

“The bird?” Kotone blinked as she finished putting her hair up, turning to sit next to Aigis with an inquisitive look on her face. “What’s wrong with Ryoji?”

“I am unsure. However, I am sure I do not like him.” Aigis nodded assuredly. “He has what Yukari has described as ‘awful vibes’.”

“He’s a cute little bird.” Kotone snorted, shaking her head. “What’s so bad about those vibes?”

“I cannot say for certain.” Aigis seemed perplexed as she glanced around, a frown still on her display. “Only that it is something I am sure of.”

“Alright, got it. Aigis, not a fan of birds.” Kotone stuck her tongue out at the little robot, shaking her head. “You sure you want to stay up here by the way? I know we’re just going to be hanging around the neighborhood, but I don’t mind carrying my bag.”

“Yes, I am sure.” Aigis nodded, placing her hands behind her back. “There is additional research I must conduct.”

“Alright, if you say so.” Kotone grinned, patting her friend on the head. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me!”

Aigis simply nodded, watching as Kotone straightened herself out one last time before bounding down the stairs. Mrs. Kitamura was tending the shop today, a smile on her face as she watched Kotone come down.

“Someone’s excited, eh?” Ms. Kitamura chuckled, leaning against her elbow. “Are you sure your friend doesn’t want to go somewhere more exciting than a musty old bookstore?”

“No way. That’s why I’m excited.” Kotone nodded assuredly as she made her way to the door. “She works for the library committee, she’s a big book fan. What better place to hang out than the best bookstore in Tokyo?”

“Oh there’s no need to flatter an old woman like that, dear.” Mrs. Kitamura shook her head, waving Kotone away. “I know we’re only second best at most.”

“People just don’t know what they’re missing.” Kotone grinned at her guardian, stepping to the door and pulling it open so she could wait outside. “Be back soon!”

Kotone stepped out into the world, a cool afternoon breeze washing away a bit of summer as she leaned outside the bookstore. She’d given Saori the address and agreed to meet up in a few minutes, so all she could do now was wait. That meant listening to the sounds of the city, smelling the breakfast menu of the restaurant just a few doors down, and watching Merope scowl at her from just across the way.

“What are you doing?” Merope narrowed her eyes at Kotone, tapping her foot on the pavement. “Are you trying to copy my thing?”

“Is waiting outside your thing?” Kotone stuck her tongue out at the Attendant, shaking her head. “I thought it was fusing.”

“Tch. You know what I mean.” Merope rolled her eyes. “Seriously, what are you doing?”

“I invited a girl from my school over.” Kotone nodded matter of factly. “She wanted to make new friends, so, boom.”

“Boom?” Merope chewed on the word for a moment, seemingly trying to process it. “Which girl? Your Star? Your Moon?”

“Her name’s Saori. And yeah, she’s my Moon.” Kotone shrugged. “That’s not why I invited her though.”

“Well why not?” Merope took a step forward, accusatory. “You’re supposed to be building bonds you know.”

“I mean, yeah.” Kotone shrugged once more, really unsure of what else to do. “But that’s kinda like a side effect, you know? I think the friendship is what matters more.”

“You say that like you didn’t just talk to Makoto because he’s a bond, lass.”

Yeah well, that was before we were officially friends.

“You’re an odd one, for certain.”

“Seriously?” Merope seemed taken aback, unsure of what to do with what Kotone had just said. “So when you invite me out to stuff, it’s because we’re actually like… friends? Not just because I’m your Hermit?”

“Uh…” Kotone blinked. “Yeah?”

“You’re crazy.” Merope groaned, rubbing her temples. “You’re an absolutely crazy Guest, you know that?”

“Um.” Kotone and Merope both turned as a new voice joined the discussion, a hesitant looking Saori standing there in the middle of the path and looking like a deer in the headlights. “A-am I interrupting something? I didn’t know anyone else was coming…”

“Wait.” Merope dropped her usual scowl, turning to look at Saori with a befuddled look on her face. “You can see me?”

“Um… yes?” Saori fidgeted with the strap of her bag, shifting on her feet uncomfortably. “I’m sorry, was… was I not supposed to?”

“Not when I’m standing here.” Merope gestured vaguely toward the Velvet Room door, her scowl returning. She glared at Kotone shaking her head. “This is your fault somehow.”

“Hey, don’t blame me!” Kotone grinned, shrugging as she looked between the two. “I think it’s a good thing. You should talk to more people. Saori, this is Merope. Merope, this is Saori.”

“Whatever.” Merope rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her. “What are you two doing anyways, huh?”

“Well… Kotone invited me to check out the bookstore where she lives…” Saori fidgeted uncomfortably. “But if I’m interrupting, I can just go…”

“No way!” Kotone shook her head emphatically. “C’mon, you just got here.”

“That’s alright.” Saori swallowed, gripping her bag tighter. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

She really does remind me of myself in a lot of ways.

“Aye. Who you used to be.”

Who I still am.

“Hey, Saori, listen to me alright? You’re not a bother.” Kotone pumped her fist affirmatively. “I’m glad to have you here. Merope’s just kinda like that.”

“Yeah, well…” Merope huffed, looking away. “Not like I wanted to visit your stupid bookstore anyways.”

“You can come too.” Saori blinked, seemingly surprised by what she had said. “I mean, if you want to, that is. I don’t want to pressure you or anything…”

“I’m not scared of you.” Merope snorted, rolling her eyes. She held that uptight pose for a few more moments before finally sighing and shaking her head. “Fine. I’ll admit I’m kind of curious about these book things so, let’s just go already.”

“Um…” Saori frowned. “Do you mean specifically the books here, or…”

“Yeah sure, whatever.” Merope shook her head, marching over to the front door of the shop. “C’mon, if we’re doing this quit wasting time.”

“Right, um…” Saori gulped, glancing at Kotone as Merope pulled the door open and gestured the other two inside. “Your friend is kinda intense…”

“A lot of people in my life are.” Kotone stuck her tongue out at Saori, taking the lead into the store. “It’s kinda a whole thing.”

“Intensity’s just emotion, dear.” Mrs. Kitamura smiled from behind the counter as the three entered. “You must be Saori. And your other friend, she’s the one you hang out with around the neighborhood sometimes, right dear?”

“Wh-“ Merope stopped in her tracks, the door swinging shut behind her. “How many people can see me?”

“That’s right.” Saori bowed her head, electing to ignore Merope as she continued to make faint noises of indignation by the doorway. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Shiomi.”

“Oh, that’s a new one!” Mrs. Kitamura laughed, even as Kotone felt a flush of embarrassment and Saori seemed confused. “I’m not Kotone’s grandmother dear, just her guardian. It’s Mrs. Kitamura, but please, just call me Mitsuko.”

“O-oh. Oh God, I-“ Saori’s eyes widened in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t-“

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Sweet of you to think that.” Mrs. Kitamura waved her hand dismissively, gesturing toward the shop. “Have a look around, dear. I hope you’ll be able to find something you like.”

“I um.” Saori grabbed a nearby book, hiding her face in it to conceal her embarrassment “Thank you…”

“Not a problem, dear. Enjoy.” Mrs. Kitamura nodded, still chortling to herself as she looked over at Merope. “What about you, have you found anything you like?”

“What?” Merope blinked, looking back at the old woman from where she had been inspecting the poetry section. “No. I don’t get any of this.”

“What do you mean?” Kotone gently patted Saori on the shoulder as she scooted past her in the cramped space of the bookstore to inspect what Merope was looking at. “You don’t get poetry?”

“Yeah.” Merope picked up one of the books at random, flipping through it and shaking her head. “It’s just a bunch of words put together. What’s it supposed to mean?”

“I dunno. I don’t think anyone gets poetry.” Kotone shrugged with a smile. “It’s sorta up to interpretation, y’know?”

“What, so it’s different for everyone?” Merope frowned at the book, pausing on a page. She turned to Kotone, holding it up so she could read the Haiku in its center. “What’s this mean then?”

Do I really know

That which can dwell deep inside

My most hidden heart?

Sounds kinda like you. Dwelling in my heart and all.

“Aye. But even that’s a metaphor of sorts, lass.”

Sure, but that’s poetry for ya’.

“I think it’s about being your most honest self.” Kotone nodded assuredly. “Even if you don’t really know who that is yet.”

“What? No, that’s dumb.” Merope rolled her eyes, inspecting the page once again. “This is obviously about summoning Persona. It’s the same thing.”

“Well, they’re pretty related I guess.” Kotone grinned, nodding. “That’s sorta what I mean about poetry being up to interpretation though, right? It means different things to different people.”

“Hm… that’s stupid.” Merope stared at the page for a moment before marching over to Saori and holding it up for her. “Hey, what does this poem mean?”

“H-huh?” Saori jumped a little in place as she turned to face the other girl. “Oh, um… I think it’s probably about love?”

“Wait, love?” Merope was even more taken aback by that one, shaking her head. “What makes you say that?”

“Well… I-“ Saori hesitated, blushing again and looking down. “Love is something hard to understand sometimes. It can be really confusing if you don’t know how to love.”

“How to love…” Merope scrunched up her nose, staring at the poem for a long moment before closing it with a snap. “Aren’t there books for that?”

“Oh, you mean romance?” Saori gasped softly. “Yeah, I think there’s a section for that by the door…”

“Well then what are we waiting for?” Merope placed her poetry book haphazardly back on the shelf. gesturing for Saori to follow as she marched to the romance section. “C’mon, we need to figure this out.”

“We do?” Saori blinked, following seemingly out of instinct alone. “Oh, okay.”

Kotone chuckled to herself as Merope began to pull various books from the shelf, discussing their contents with unabashed seriousness as Saori followed along.

“You’ve got nice friends, dear.” Mrs. Kitamura chortled as Kotone leaned against the counter, a wide smile on her face. “Once they’re done over there you should let them know that if there’s anything they want to take home, it’s on the house.”

“What?” Kotone’s eyes widened. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I was going to help pa-“

“Not a chance dear.” Mrs. Kitamura shook her head with an air of finality that not even Kotone could get past. “You’ll let an old woman give away some books. Seeing kids like you all being so interested in reading… it makes my heart sing in a way it hasn’t in a long time. So that’s that, got it?”

“That- alright. Thank you…” Kotone hesitated for a moment. It was stupid to, she knew that. But there was one piece of her old self she was hanging onto stubbornly. And “…Mitsuko.”

“Hah!” Mitsuko laughed, smacking the counter with a wide smile. “Took you long enough dear.”

“Yeah well, apparently people already think you’re my grandma, so…” Kotone shrugged, the ghost of a genuine smile on her face. “Thanks. For everything. I really appreciate you hosting me. It’s the least I can do.”

“You’re a delight, Kotone.” Mitsuko nodded, smiling right back. “Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise, you got that?”

…I think I’m starting to, yeah.

“Your crew’s a strong one, lass. You should be proud.”

“I am. I really am.”

“Kotone!” Merope hollered from across the room, a befuddled look on her face. “Saori’s gotten embarrassed for some reason, what’s ‘yuri’ supposed to be?”

“Sounds like your friends need help.” Mitsuko snorted, sitting back in her chair. “Go have fun, dear.”

“Yes ma’am!” Kotone laughed, saluting the woman before turning to go save Saori from her embarrassment. “So Merope, when a woman and a woman love each other very much…”

Chapter Text

^{“What’s even the point of art? It makes no sense.”}

^{“Who dresses like that in this weather?”}

^{“Hey, my favourite beef bowl place stopped taking orders. Lame!”}

Sunday, August 7^th 2016.

The Day of the Psyche Up

“Kotone.” Aigis tilted her head at Kotone from inside the Wildcard’s bag, an uncertain expression on her display. “Are you certain this is a good idea?”

“About as good an idea as any I’ve had before!” Kotone nodded, smiling reassuringly at her friend as she stepped off the crowded train to Shibuya. “So… probably passable, at least, right?”

“That is not reassuring.” Aigis shook her head. “Of the 316 ideas you have proposed, only 112 have been good. That is approximately 35%.”

“Wait, seriously?” Kotone paused on the stairs up from the platform for a moment before the man behind her nearly bumping into her reminded her where she was and kicked her back into gear. “You’ve been keeping track?”

“No, it was a joke.” Aigis shook her head. “Mitsuru and I have determined that humor may help us ingratiate ourselves with our teammates.”

“That…” Kotone suddenly remembered the sight of Aigis and Mitsuru collaborating in hushed whispers at the end of the last distortion they’d cleared. Kotone had figured they had been discussing their tactics from the battle. Instead… “Aigis, that’s totally adorable.”

“Is it?” Aigis’ display turned to a frown. “That was not the intent. Should we reassess our approach?”

“No, Aigis, that’s-“ Kotone snorted as she boarded the escalator, heading up to the surface. “It’s perfect. Never change.”

“I cannot follow that instruction.” Aigis shook her head. “From my observation of you and the others, growth is an important aspect of existence. I have already changed from when we first met, I will likely continue to do so.”

“That isn’t-“ Kotone shook her head, trying to stifle a laugh. “Alright Aigis. I getcha.”

“Good. However, I do not get you.” Aigis shook her head, leaning further over Kotone’s shoulder. “I still believe your plan needs work.”

“Well, yeah!” Kotone shrugged, stepping off the escalator and heading toward the stairs into the square above. “That’s why I’m going to ask Akinari for advice.”

“I am unsure how that correlates.” Aigis tilted her head, leaning back into the bag. “How is Akinari Kamiki relevant to a discussion around informing your girlfriend that you are a Moonlit Thief?”

“He’s got a different perspective than everyone else, you know?” Kotone pursed her lips as she stepped out into the sunlight of Shibuya. “I trust him to be honest with me.”

“I see.” Aigis hummed, evidently still not satisfied. “However, I am still unsure that being honest with Metis is the best course of action.”

“Look, I…” Kotone paused, taking a breath and pulling out her phone to show Aigis a series of messages from a few days ago. “Me being a Moonlit Thief is already causing trouble. And I want her to know why, okay?”

PHONETONE – METISINAL DM

metisinal: hey are you free tomorrow?

phonetone: Why, do you miss me? :P

metisinal: you’re the worst, you know that?

metisinal: of course i miss you

metisinal: chidori was talking about some art exhibit she went to that was free

metisinal: sounded boring

phonetone: So you’re asking me out to go there? What, do you think I’m boring?

metisinal: hey, no!!!!

metisinal:  well, no on the boring, yes on the asking out

metisinal: you’d actually make it interesting

phonetone: I’m flattered. :P

phonetone: And hey, I know there’ll at least be something pretty to look at! ^_^

metisinal: hopefully, yeah

metisinal: wait

metisinal: you’re flirting again

phonetone: Maybe a little. :P

metisinal: hzghgzhgzhzghgz

metisinal: rude

phonetone: :P

phonetone: Anyways, tomorrow right? I should be

phonetone: Oh wait. Tomorrow tomorrow?

metisinal: is there another kind of tomorrow?

phonetone: I don’t think so?

phonetone: Anyways, I just remembered I made plans.

metisinal: weak

phonetone: I’m sorry!

phonetone: How about Sunday?

metisinal: closed

phonetone: Crap. Monday?

metisinal: monday works

metisinal: sucks having to wait that long

metisinal: can’t you reschedule?

phonetone: No. :(

metisinal: i think your plans hate us being gay

metisinal: you’ll have to make it up to me

phonetone: I will! I promise.

phonetone: I’m really sorry.

metisinal: it’s fine i’m just being dramatic

metisinal: i’ll send you the address later

phonetone: Okay. <3

metisinal: 3>

metisinal: damnit

metisinal: <3

“I am not sure I understand.” Aigis shook her head. “According to all my research, this would qualify as adorable.”

“Well, sure, but it still isn’t okay.” Kotone shook her head, frowning at the words one last time before pocketing her phone. “I know I’m not exactly lying to her, but… I really like her. And I don’t want to keep secrets, especially if it’s taking time away from her.”

“Lass, it’s normal to make time for yourself in a relationship. If you start feeling like you need to spend time with your partner just because, you’re doing the both of you a disservice.”

I know. I’m fighting back those thoughts. She just deserves to know why, right?

“It’s a careful balance lass. Be sure you don’t fall.”

“I still do not understand.” Aigis shook her head. “However, you are our leader. If this is your decision, I will follow it.”

“Thanks Aigis. I know I might be being silly, but…” Kotone sighed, pocketing her phone and turning her feet toward the bench that Akinari usually spoke at. “Metis is a special girl, y’know?”

“I do not. I am attempting to learn.” Aigis hummed once more, her display turning toward where Akinari was waiting. “You should be aware, there is a potential disruption to our mission.”

“A disruption?” Kotone blinked, looking ahead. Akinari was sitting on the bench, one hand on his chest as a red-haired girl beside him held a hand on his back, comforting him. “Wait, is that… Chidori?”

“Hm?” The third-year looked up at the mention of her name, apprising Kotone with a flat expression. “Oh, it’s you. Hello again.”

“Kotone! It’s good to see you.” Akinari smiled weakly, sitting up as he caught sight of the Wildcard. “You know my new friend here then?”

“Yeah, uh… we’ve met.” Kotone glanced between the two, trying to make sense of these two distinct parts of her life intersecting. “What happened? Are you alright?”

“I’m ashamed to admit I was neglecting my side of our deal.” Akinari frowned, bowing his head. “I pushed myself too far and paid the price. Fortunately Ms. Yoshino was here to help.”

“I didn’t do very much.” Chidori shook her head, seemingly nonplussed. “All I did was sit with you until you stopped coughing.”

“You undersell yourself. You have healing hands, my friend.” Akinari choked out a faint laugh, a mournful expression on his face. “Really though, I’m… I’m embarrassed, Kotone. I wanted to do better by our deal.”

“Oh, that’s-“ Kotone was taken aback by the regret on the boy’s face. She’d instinctively wanted to chastise him for pushing himself too far, but it seemed he was already doing that to himself. “I’m just glad you’re alright now. Thanks for staying with him Chidori.”

“There’s no need to thank me.” Chidori stood, dusting herself off. “As I said, I didn’t do much at all.”

“Still.” Kotone smiled, nodding. “I didn’t think you really cared about anyone but Metis.”

“Why would you think that?” Chidori raised an eyebrow. Her tone was curious not accusatory, lilting in that particular way of hers. “Did I do something to give you that idea?”

Ah shit. That was probably the wrong thing to say.

“Aye. A bit of a faux pas.”

Making a great impression on my girlfriend’s best friend, huh?

“No, not at all. That wasn’t-“ Kotone bit her tongue, trying to stop herself from digging a deeper hole. “Nevermind. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Hmph. Well then.” Chidori adjusted her stance, wiping off her dress once again and turning away. “I’ll be going now.”

“Hold on a moment, please.” Akinari coughed, wobbling to his feet. He picked up a small stack of pamphlets, offering them out to the girl. “Here. Please, take these. You’re a good woman, I think you should read them.”

“Hm?” Chidori frowned, turning back tilting her head at the flyers. “Why should I?”

“They’re a good read.” Kotone nodded her agreement. “A lotta the stuff going on in the country’s kinda crazy.”

“Okay.” Chidori looked between the other two. “But will these flyers help someone right now?”

“Perhaps not immediately, no.” Akinari shook his head earnestly. “But I hope that if enough people become aware of these things… this country might still change for the better.”

“Why bother?” Chidori shook her head, turning away once more. “Everything goes away in the end. The only thing that matters is what we do right now.”

“That-“ Akinari seemed taken aback by the girl’s words, furrowing his brow carefully. “That’s a limited perspective, don’t you think?”

“No. It’s mine.” Chidori shook her head, walking off without sparing another glance. “Goodbye.”

“Strange to help someone in need, but not to care as to what might make him feel need in the first place.”

I guess Chidori can only really tackle problems right in front of her?

“Not at all lass. She’s perfectly capable of seeing the future for what it can be. Willing’s another thing.”

“Sorry about her.” Kotone scratched her head, smiling apologetically. “Chidori’s an interesting girl.”

“I can tell.” Akinari exhaled, shaking ever so slightly as he lowered himself back onto the bench. “There’s no need to apologize. I learned a long time ago that most people can’t see the future without knowing it’s limited.”

“I don’t think that’s it exactly…” Kotone shook her head. Anne Bonny was right. Chidori could definitely see where things might lead, she just… handled it differently. “Like she said, it’s sort of just her perspective. She saved my girlfriend’s life once, and she helped you, so… obviously she cares. Just differently.”

“That might be the case. She did do wonders for my health just being here.” Akinari turned to Kotone, smiling as she took a seat next to him. “Another perspective can’t hurt, I suppose. It’s good to see you, my friend. Is there a reason you came, or where you just in the area?”

“I did have a question, but that can wait.” Kotone shook her head, smiling back. “How are you feeling after all that?”

“Better now.” Akinari nodded, settling back so he could turn his face up to the sun. “I truly am sorry for going back on our promise. I lost sight of what we talked about again.”

“Lucky Chidori came along then, huh?” Kotone bumped him gently, nodding. “Really though… there’s no point beating yourself up over it. Just, take care of yourself better in the future okay?”

“You truly are a saint, Kotone.” Akinari shook his head amusedly, leaning forward. “Really though, that’s enough about me. What troubles you, my friend?”

“It’s actually about my girlfriend I mentioned.” Kotone scratched her neck nervously. “There’s a secret I’ve been sorta… keeping from her. A big one. And I want to tell her, I just don’t know how.”

“I see. I haven’t known you to be a liar, at least as long as we’ve known one another.” Akinari tilted his head thoughtfully. “Is this something you’ve directly misled her about, or just something you’ve failed to mention?”

“I don’t really think there’s a difference?” Kotone shrugged. “Either way I’m keeping it from her.”

“And instead of just telling her, you came to see a dying boy and ask his advice.” Akinari snorted, shaking his head. “It’s good to know you’re not infallible.”

“Huh?” Kotone blinked. “Hey, I’m serious about this!”

“As am I. I’m not a soothsayer, Kotone.” Akinari laughed gently. “The fact that you’re so concerned about this tells anyone everything they need to know.”

“Really?” Kotone blinked. “What’s that?”

“It’s clear you care for this girl a lot, and knowing you, I’m sure she cares for you just as much.” Akinari leaned back on the bench, nodding once with authority. “If you want to tell her something, all you have to do is be honest with her.”

“What?” Kotone furrowed her brow. “No way it’s that simple.”

“Kotone.” Aigis peeked over Kotone’s shoulder, a display on her face. “Did you not hear something similar recently from Eri Natsuhara?”

“Wh- but-“ Kotone blanched. Oh God, she was sounding exactly like Eri. “Th-that’s not the same thing!”

“I’m not sure what exactly it would be the same as.” Akinari laughed again. “But it’s true. Just tell her. You’ll see it works out.”

“That-“ Kotone’s objections finally sputtered out, a faint sigh escaping her lips. “I guess that makes sense. So I just have to trust that she’ll trust me?”

“I’m sure she will.” Akinari closed his eyes, tilting his head back. “You have a good sense for people.”

“It’s still a little… under construction, but yeah.” Kotone nodded hopefully. “Thanks, Akinari.”

“You’re welcome Kotone. I’m glad that I could be of help to you.” Akinari nodded, his eyes still closed. “Now I’m sure you have other things to get to, and I think I should rest after all that excitement earlier. Can I assume this is goodbye?”

“Not really.” Kotone shrugged. “I kinda have the afternoon clear, so… I can sit with you for a while if you’d like.”

“Yes.” Akinari cracked open an eye, looking first toward Kotone and then toward the sunny sky above. “I very much would.”

Monday, August 8^th 2016.

Day of the Confession

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

phonetone: Alright. It’s almost time.

sweaterweather: Oh really? How was the gallery?

phonetone: I think I don’t get art. :P

phonetone: It was fun tho.

phonetone: We’re at a café nearby, she just went to grab something.

mkirijo: And you’re certain you want to go through with telling her?

mkirijo: Not that I object, I just want to be certain that you’ve thought this through.

phonetone: Yep. I’m sure.

proteen: Makes sense to me. No point hiding things.

awfuuk: I think it’s kind of romantic…

supdude: wait seriously?

awfuuk: Mhm! It’s like a second confession!

sweaterweather: That’s one way to look at it I guess.

sweaterweather: Anyways we’re all here for you. Thanks for letting everyone know first.

phonetone: Of course! I don’t want to be like some people. :P

proteen: It was one time!

“Something funny?” Metis quirked an eyebrow as she slid back into the seat across from Kotone, who was suddenly trying her best to hide her laughter. “You’re cute when you giggle.”

“Yeah well, you’re cute all the time, so bleh.” Kotone stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend, hoping the gesture would help calm the heart pounding in her chest. It didn’t help that Metis already looked like she was ready to kick some ass, clad as she was in that leather jacket she always liked to wear whenever they went out somewhere together. “Just texting my friends, that’s all.”

“Oh yeah? Talking about the mysterious thing you’ve got cooking up?” Metis tilted her head, crossing her arms in front of her on the table. “I’m seriously curious, you know that?”

“I know. Sorry, I just- wanted to do it right, you know?” Kotone scratched her neck, smiling placatingly. “It’s a bit weird.”

“No duh.” Metis rolled her eyes. “That’s why I like you, you dork.”

“No, I mean weirder than usual.” Kotone shook her head. “It’s kinda like a confession?”

“Okay…” Metis frowned, uncrossing her arms and leaning forward. “So it’s like, serious serious. Got it. I’m ready whenever you are, I guess.”

…okay. Just gotta tell her.

“Aye lass. Simple.”

Think it’s too late to back out?

The lack of an answer was Kotone’s response. She was committed now.

“Alright.” Kotone inhaled, taking a moment to simply feel the breath in her chest before letting go. “Metis, you should know… I’m a Moonlit Thief. The uh, the founder of the Moonlit Thieves, actually.”

“…huh?” Metis blinked. “Wait, that’s what this is about?”

“Yeah.” Kotone fought off the instinctive urge to read into every tiny motion on Metis’ face, instead simply sitting there with her hands interlocked in front of her. “I uh… I really like you, and I didn’t want to keep something like that from you, so… I figured you deserved to know.”

“That- I mean, I guess I didn’t expect that, so…” Metis seemed to struggle processing what Kotone had said, her eyes darting around uncertainly. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious.” Kotone shrugged, smiling as earnestly as she could. “I know it’s hard to believe.”

“Prove it.” Metis shook her head, before catching herself and cringing. “Sorry, that was- that was aggressive of me.”

“No, it’s- I mean it’s fair.” Kotone chuckled nervously. “I’d probably say that too, but… well, what we do’s kinda dangerous. I’d show you, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Hey, I’m made of tougher stuff than that!” Metis shook her head, leaning back in her seat. “If you really are a Moonlit Thief, I’d just follow you whenever you and your friends go off to do something shady. Then I’ll know how you do it too.”

“…you kinda are a little shit, aren’t you?” Kotone sighed, nonetheless smiling as she leaned a cheek against her propped up hand. “Alright, fine. We have another target planned for Wednesday, you can come then.”

“Huh. You actually really sound serious.” Metis narrowed her eyes at Kotone, her smile fading ever so slightly. “…you’re lucky you’re pretty, you know? If you were anyone else I would have just called you crazy and left. Moonlit Thieves, no kidding?”

Called me crazy… and left?

“Ah hell. Lass, she didn’t mean to say she would do that, just-“

No, I know she- but… I…

“I-” Kotone choked back the sudden inescapable panic in her heart at the thought of Metis ditching her like that. Just like everyone else had before. “I-I’m sorry. I- you’ll see I’m being serious, I promise.”

“What?” Metis blinked, seemingly taken aback by the sudden shift Kotone’s expression. Kotone quietly cursed herself. She’d done a crappier job at hiding it than she’d thought. “Shit, sorry, I didn’t- I’m not calling you a liar or anything like that! Like I said, I’m only really giving you a shot here because you’re, y’know, you.”

“Y-yeah. Thank you for that, I promise I won’t let you down, just-“ Kotone clenched her teeth, trying to calm her breathing. She didn’t have to be worried anymore, she would be okay, Metis wasn’t like people before, her friends weren’t like people before, she would be okay, it would all be okay. “Sorry. I thought I was past r-reacting like this.”

“No, I’m- it was my fault. I just talk without thinking sometimes.” Metis reached across the table, grabbing Kotone’s hands and squeezing them tight. “Don’t- please don’t be upset, okay? I’m really sorry, don’t cry.”

“I won’t.” Kotone shook her head, doing her best to hold back any tears. “Thanks Metis. I know you didn’t mean anything by it, I just… I guess I’m less okay than I thought, huh?”

“No, I’m an ass. I shouldn’t say crap like that.” Metis bowed her head. “You deserve better.”

“Metis…” Kotone stood up, pulling Metis with her so they were standing face to face. “Thank you. Seriously.”

“Wh- huh?” Metis blinked, blushing as Kotone pulled her into a hug. “You’re thanking me for being an ass?”

“No, I’m thanking you for caring.” Kotone shook her head, tucking the shorter girl’s head under her chin. “And you’re not an ass. You’re amazing, Mets.”

“H-hey, you can’t just- don’t go around just saying things like that!” Metis blushed, fidgeting for a moment before sighing and relaxing into Kotone’s arms. “You’re the worst, you know that?”

“I know.” Kotone giggled, tilting Metis’ head up slightly so she could give her a kiss on the forehead. “…thank you for trusting me.”

“I’m still not sure if you’re telling the truth, or just kinda crazy.” Metis shook her head. “But… I guess I really do want to find out, so…”

“Don’t worry.” Kotone nodded affirmatively, squeezing her girlfriend one more time. “You’ll see.”

…and hopefully you won’t run away screaming.

“She’s made of sterner stuff than that, lass.”

I hope you’re right. Because I don’t really know what I’d do if you’re not.

Wednesday, August 10^th 2016.

Day of the Concert

“So…” Metis frowned as she stood wrapped arm in arm with Kotone outside the unremarkable apartment building the Moonlit Thieves had gathered in front of. “Being a Moonlit Thief is… stalking?”

“Nah dude, it’s not like that.” Junpei shook his head, leaning back on his hands with a grin. “Well… I mean, I guess part of it is. But you’ll see, don’t worry.”

“Right…” Metis narrowed her eyes, looking around at the others uncertainly. “You guys aren’t messing around huh?”

“We are not.” Mitsuru nodded authoritatively. “I’m certain Kotone has already told you, but there will be danger inside. You are well within your rights to leave, if you so choose.”

“Screw that.” Metis shook her head, holding tighter to Kotone. “You’ve got me curious now, no way I’m backing off!”

“I guess we’ll see once we’re inside, huh?” Yukari shook her head, looking to Kotone. “Are we ready to go, leader?”

“Yep. Let’s get to work.” Kotone grinned, squeezing Metis as she nodded. “Aigis, hit it.”

“Understood. Beginning navigation to the Other World. Please standby.” Aigis jumped from Kotone’s bag, landing in a roll and turning to Metis as Ribbon. “Hello Metis Kimijima. My name is Aigis, while we are here you may call me Ribbon.”

“The hell?!” Metis let go of Wildcard, stumbling away as her eyes widened at the sight of Ribbon, and the sudden outfits the other Thieves were wearing. “What just- h-huh?!”

“Hey, don’t worry, it’s me!” Wildcard smiled, slipping off he mask and holding it up for show. “We get new outfits when we come to the Other World, but we’re still us.”

“That- but- wh-“ Metis shook her head emphatically, her eyes turning wide as saucers as she stared at Ribbon. “Who’s she?!”

“As I said, I am Ribbon.” Ribbon bowed her head. “I assist the others in their endeavours within the Other World.”

“You can’t just- say that like it’s normal!” Metis blinked uncomprehendingly. “Wait… wait, is she the robot doll you’re always carrying around in your bag?!”

“Yep!” Wildcard grinned, slipping her mask back on. “When she’s in the real world, that’s the form she takes.”

“You’ve just had like- a whole person in your bag this whole time?” Metis jaw dropped. “That- oh my God…”

“It takes some getting used to, for sure!” Gal nodded warmly, fidgeting with her hands. “Ribbon is really nice, you’ll like her.”

“I guess that explains the hell out of all that random beeping I keep hearing…” Metis put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head. “Wait, so- what are we doing here exactly? It’s not just cosplay and secret robots, is it?”

“Not at all.” Wildcard shook her head, turning to the distortion that had appeared in front of the apartment. “Remind me of our target today?”

“Name’s Hidetoshi Odagiri. He’s part of the Student Council, head of the disciplinary committee.” Dragon crossed his arms, nodding assuredly. “We’ve been worried about him for a while now, he’s been getting obsessive. Oohashi’s got him on a witch hunt for some graffiti that was found on the school’s back wall, and no matter what we say he won’t budge an inch in accusing anyone who might be a suspect.”

“It is unfortunate that he would be pushed so far as to suffer a distortion like this.” Raider bowed her head. “We can only hope that by clearing it he will be able to see sense.”

“…right. Okay, sure. I only got like half of that, but if you’re going to help that guy get off people’s cases then I’m down for it.” Metis shrugged. “So what do we do?”

“Well…” Wildcard grinned, nodding at the distortion. “Why don’t we show you?”

---

Hidetoshi’s distortion wasn’t anything at all like what Wildcard had expected. Considering Hidetoshi’s disciplinary streak, she’d figured his Shadow would be the warden of some sort of prison, or a private investigator, or something like that. Instead, the Thieves emerged into a gigantic opera hall shrouded in darkness, the murmurs of an invisible crowd filling the air accompanied by the sound of a violin. Onstage, a golden eyed reflection of Hidetoshi played, a look of intense concentration on his face as he ran the bow along the strings in a mournful melody.

“So that’s… a Shadow?” Metis furrowed her brow uncertainly. “And you’re going to beat him up and take his… what, Will Seed? Is that right?”

“Pretty much. Stick with Feather, she’ll keep you safe.” Wildcard tilted her head toward the archer, brandishing her poleaxe as she approached the stage. “The rest of you, be careful. We’ve got no idea what he has in store.”

“Don’t worry man, I’m on it.” Plebe grinned as he and the other Thieves clambered onto the stage, leaving Feather and Metis to stand near the front of it as the rest closed in on the Shadow. “Sup dude?”

“That isn’t exactly careful, Plebe.” Dragon sighed, his grip tightening on his dao. “Hidetoshi, maybe you’ll listen to us here. You need to let things go, Oohashi’s just turning you into his attack dog. I know you can see that.”

“If that’s the role I must play, then so be it.” Hidetoshi’s Shadow closed his eyes, the music nonetheless not faltering one bit. “I have a responsibility to this institution, and to my place in it. I can’t falter. I won’t falter.”

“Odagiri, your responsibility is to the students in our care, not Oohashi’s obsessions.” Raider shook her head, stepping forward. “I understand where you are coming from. I once thought the same. But I see now that I was wrong, you cannot define your morals by the whims of another.”

“This is the song that I’ve been asked to play, Madame President.” The Shadow’s face twisted, his golden eyes opening to stare Raider down. “If you would stop me… then you’re just in my way!”

“Look out!” Gal gasped as a mass of Shadows materialized at the edges of the stage, emerging into the light of the spotlight as indistinct shimmering blobs. “They’re coming, be careful!”

“Alright, you know what time it is everyone!” Wildcard smacked the butt of her poleaxe against the stage, grinning. “Let’s get to it!”

“Wait, there’s more coming!” Gal gasped, turning toward the audience. “Look out!”

“Crap!” Feather grabbed a hold of Metis, pulling her away from the edge of the stage as a midnight black claw swiped at the pair from behind. “We’re surrounded!”

“I will take care of it.” Ribbon jumped forward, slamming feet first into the Shadow that had come up behind them and pulverizing it beneath her as she landed just past the stage. “Please, prioritize the battle.”

“What… what the hell is…” Metis could only stare as the Thieves sallied forth, their Personae blossoming to cut through the gloom as she looked on. “Holy shit…”

“Pretty cool, eh?” Plebe paused for a moment, grinning, only to get smacked backwards by the blunt force of a Shadow for his trouble. “Ow!”

“What part of prioritize the battle didn’t you get?” Feather rolled her eyes, nocking a volley of arrows and letting them loose toward the enemy. “Focus!”

“Right, there’s a lot of them, but nothing we can’t handle!” Wildcard nodded determinedly, her poleaxe slicing through another Shadow. “Gal, what do we need to know about these guys?”

“Um…” Gal grasped her hands together, bowing her head. “Oh! Ribbon, look out, those Shadows reflect nuclear!”

Almost as if on cue, there was a burst of blue light, followed by a mechanical scream as Ribbon’s attack was reflected back at her. Wildcard’s blood froze as the girl slammed into the stage, her limbs sparking as she struggled to stay upright.

“Shit, we need to-“ Wildcard turned to help, only to find a Shadow blocking her way. “Aw crap!”

“D-do not b-b-b-be concerned.” Ribbon stuttered, oil dripping from her wounds as she stared her attackers down. “I-I-I will be able to h-handle i-i-i-it.”

“Screw that, nobody fights alone!” Dragon slammed through another Shadow, only to find another pair blocking his way. “Damn it, can anybody reach her?”

“I…” Metis looked around. Everyone else was caught up in a fight, Feather only barely managing to hold a hulking blob back from attacking Gal. “I think I’m the only one who can… so…”

“Wait-“ Wildcard’s eyes widened in fear and surprise. “What are you doing?!”

“I’m doing it for her!” Metis yelled in exhilaration as she jumped off the stage, landing between Ribbon and the encroaching Shadows. “I still don’t get what’s going on here exactly, but… I’m not going to let hope die like this! So… so I…”

Metis’ words died in her chest as from the darkness a man appeared, shrouded in purple and bearing a thousand stones on his back. The Shadows around the pair shrank away at the sight, an aura of pure psychic power emanating from within the apparition as he and Metis’ eyes met.

“You who art condemned. You who hath been cast aside. You who shall be sacrificed on the altar of someone else’s ambition.” The man’s voice was deep and gravelly as he stared down Metis, the weight of the world resting entirely on his back. “Tell me, shall injustice prevail? Shall the words of the wicked poison thy legacy? Or will thou be thy true self, no matter what fate they may lay across thy back?”

“I won’t back down… I’m not going to back down”! Metis’ nostrils flared as she reached up to her face, her fingernails digging under the midnight black mask that suddenly guarded her crimson eyes. “I care damnit! And I’ll never not!”

“Good. The world will try to bend you. Break you. Tear you to pieces. It already has. But if you’re willing to fight on in spite of that…” The man bowed his head, a faint smile on his lips. “Then call my name now, and we shall bear this weight together.”

“I will!” Metis began to pull, the man fusing with her soul as she screamed and ripped away the shroud that hid her true face. “Come to me, Giles Cory!”

There was a burst of purple light as Metis was enveloped in a cloak of darkest black. A red ribbon blossomed on her chest, expanding outwards as dangling charms wrapped around her arms and a pair of glowing purple gauntlets appeared on her fists. From within, Giles Cory burst forth, his arms spread as stones fell and Metis gripped the empty air, pulling a dark staff from the nothingness between.

“I still don’t really get this…” Metis pointed her staff, a smile on her face. “But I’m going to fight on anyways!”

There was a burst of light followed by the echo of a shotgun as Metis’ staff opened up and dispensed a blast of buckshot at the encroaching Shadows. The girl grinned, casting the staff aside and following up with an unflinching upper hook, psychic energy swirling around her as she tore the Shadows to pieces.

“Whoah…” Wildcard’s mouth felt dry as she stared at the girl, unable to process just what she was seeing. “That… holy crap…”

“Hey, you can gawk at your girlfriend later, we still have a fight going on!” Feather groaned, firing an arrow past Wildcard’s head and into the Shadow that was creeping up on her. “Focus!”

“R-right!” Wildcard tore her eyes away from her super badass girlfriend, instead turning to help finish off the remaining Shadows on stage. “Let’s do this!”

With the rear secure, the Thieves made short work of the remaining Shadows, leaving only Hidetoshi’s to stand staring in awe. His violin fell from his hands, a look of absolute shock on his face as his eyes darted between the Thieves.

“Odagiri…” Raider picked up the violin, holding it gently in her hands. “Your path is your own to choose. Justice doesn’t exist at anyone else’s merit, only your own. You are the one who must choose the path that will see the world you want realized.”

“I…” Hidetoshi’s Shadow winced, looking down at his feet. “I see that now. I was a fool to blind myself to it in the first place. I know in my heart what is right. I can’t let someone else decide for me anymore.”

“Good. Then you won’t be needing this.” Raider smiled, snapping the violin over her knee and nodding. From within the shattered instrument she pulled free a Will Seed and held it up to the spotlight. “I believe that’s that then.”

“Right, let’s go.” Wildcard nodded, hopping off the stage and grinning as she hugged her dumbfounded girlfriend tight. “Holy crap, you did amazing!”

“I… I did?” Metis blinked, staring at her hands. “I did. Whoah. What the hell even was that? Persona? Does this mean I’m a Moonlit Thief now?”

“Yes, if you would like. I appear to have misjudged you.” Ribbon bowed her head apologetically as Yukari’s healing flowed into her, the sparks of her damage fading away as her chassis was restored. “I am sorry.”

“Misjudged me?” Metis blinked, frowning. “What do you mean misjudged me?”

“She thought you were suspicious and that telling you about all this was a bad idea.” Wildcard grinned, squeezing her girlfriend tight. “I had faith in you though.”

“Seriously? You guys really are a bunch of… of…” Metis stumbled, her hand going to her forehead. “Whoah… why am I suddenly…”

“That’s the Awakening exhaustion. Here…” Kotone hooked Metis’ arm over her shoulder, holding her close as she began to lead the way out of the distortion. “Let’s go.”

“Alright…” Metis nodded, leaning against Wildcard as they went. “That was… so goddamn weird.”

“Yeah.” Wildcard laughed. “It was.”

Chapter Text

^{“Man, we’re almost halfway through August…”}

^{“Don’t sweat it dude! We’re having a school trip the week after we get back!”}

^{“I know they’re ‘shady’, but these commodities are really just crap!”}

Thursday, August 11^th 2016.

Day of the Recoup

MOONLIT GROUPCHAT

metisinal: so uh

metisinal: hey

awfuuk: Hello!

supdude: sup dude?

phonetone: Metis! :D

mkirijo: Welcome to the chat, Metis. Have you settled in well?

metisinal: well enough i guess

metisinal: ko and aigis explained everything that’s going on and how it all works, so

metisinal: think i’m all good

sweaterweather: Do you need any help coming up with a codename?

phonetone: Nope, we already figured one out for her. :P

phonetone: Everyone, please welcome……..

metisinal: witch

phonetone: Witch!

awfuuk: Welcome to the team Witch! :D

proteen: Glad to have you onboard.

metisinal: glad to be here

metisinal: i already feel like kicking some more ass

mkirijo: Your enthusiasm is commendable.

sweaterweather: And a little worrying. Don’t get too excited, alright?

supdude: don’t worry dude, we got your back

supdude: just stick close to your ol’ pal junpei, and it’ll be all good

metisinal: personal space

supdude: aw man

phonetone: Junpei, are you hitting on my girlfriend? :P

supdude: no way dude, I prefer living

phonetone: Smart! :D

proteen: Weird that a message like that can send a chill down my spine.

awfuuk: It’s scary!

sweaterweather: Good grief.

sweaterweather: When’s the next infiltration going to be?

awfuuk: That’d be Mamoru Hayase, next Thursday. He’s an athlete from Kosei who’s apparently been pressuring his peers into pushing past their limits to compete with him.

supdude: oh yeah, I remember that guy.

supdude: kaz broke his leg trying to outdo him. if he’s gotta distortion, hell yeah we should take it

sweaterweather: A week from now, huh?

sweaterweather: I guess that gives us some time to just relax

proteen: Maybe for you. I’m going to be training as much as I can.

proteen: Kotone mentioned our med supplier sells protein supplements. I’m going to check them out.

phonetone: oh god

phonetone: Uh, let me know when you do that alright?

phonetone: I don’t really think you should visit the guy alone.

proteen: Got it.

sweaterweather: Okay well other than Akihiko being Akihiko we all have time to relax

mkirijo: It would seem so.  

mkirijo: In that case, Yukari, I was wondering if

mkirijo: Oh, I suppose that should be asked privately.

supdude: oooooooo, hey, is someone making plans with ms. president?

sweaterweather: Buzz off Junpei. Or maybe I could ask about your plans with Fuuka, huh?

supdude: wh

supdude: what does that have to do with anything?

supdude: we’re just there to study! ko’s going to be there too!

sweaterweather: Mhm. Sure.

proteen: I don’t get it.

metisinal: i only sorta get it

awfuuk: It’s not important, we can stop talking about it!

phonetone: :P

phonetone: Have a good week everyone. We’ll all get back together next Thursday!

Saturday, August 13^th 2016.

The Day of Studying

“Ah, Kotone!” The front door of the Yamagishi residence swung open, a smiling Elly standing on the other side wearing a huge novelty apron emblazoned ‘Wage War Alongside the Chef’. “Welcome aboard! Junpei has already arrived, you can settle in with them whenever you please.”

“Thanks Elly.” Kotone grinned, adjusting her grip on her bag and stepping inside. She removed her shoes, nodding at the woman. “They’re in the living room, right?”

“That’s quite right.” Elly nodded assuredly, stepping back to gesture into the living room. “They’re just in here.”

“Thanks.” Kotone walked markedly toward the living room, pausing as she heard a burst of laughter from inside. Junpei and Fuuka were sat close to one another on the couch, her head on his shoulder as they looked at some meme or another on his phone. Even from here Kotone could see the way the two were blushing, their eyes darting back toward one another in search of something.

…cute.

“Aye. Cute indeed.”

Probably better not to interrupt.

“Hm?” Elly tilted her head at the way Kotone froze, peeking into the room. “Oh yes, they have been giggling quite a bit, haven’t they?”

“Sure have.” Kotone stepped back, turning back to Elly. “Probably better not to interrupt just yet, y’know?”

“Hmmm…” Elly stepped back as well, holding a thoughtful finger to her cheek. “Well, if my impressions from movies and picture shows is right, I believe I’m supposed to scare off any boy who comes close to my girl with a shotgun of some sort.”

“Uh…” Kotone blinked. “Do you… have a shotgun?”

“Hah, as if I would ever admit to anything of the sort!” Elly flipped back her ponytail, grinning. “Even if I did, I don’t believe I have anything to fear. Junpei is far more of a gentleman than any of the sorts of boys I would be found with at her age.”

“He sure is.” Kotone snorted, leaning back against the wall of the entryway. “I think they’re cute together.”

“Quite! It’s as I said before, you all are an undeniable positive for my daughter. Let’s give them some space, hm?” Elly nodded assuredly, setting off down the hall toward the kitchen and gesturing for Kotone to follow. “Thank you again for being such excellent friends to her.”

“Of course. Fuuka’s great, we love her.” Kotone paused in the hall, looking at the photos lining the walls. Anywhere else, Kotone would have expected severe family portraits or stoic headshots. Here though, the Yamagishi’s home was filled with joy. Dozens of photographs from Fuuka’s life lined the walls, each filled with smiles and laughter. Elly holding her as a baby, her first steps, birthday parties, visits to a waterpark, the two of them dancing crazy style at a wedding. Moments of a happy life captured and shown proudly for all to see. “…I guess we should probably be thanking you for raising her how you did.”

“That’s quite kind of you.” Elly paused as well, smiling as she gazed back through her memories. “It has just been the two of us for the longest time, I always hoped for the day where she would be able to have friends such as you.”

“Oh, uh…” Kotone fidgeted uncomfortably. “I wasn’t going to ask about Fuuka’s dad, but… was he…”

“Hmph!” Elly tutted, shaking her head. “He left me with a name, a daughter, and far too little grace to even pay child support. I should count myself lucky that he removed himself from my life so soon.”

“So you’re a doctor, and a single mom?” Kotone whistled, a selfish pang of jealousy blooming in her chest. “That’s… really impressive, Elly.”

“Yes well, you should know I never do things by half measure.” Elly winked, resuming her walk back into the kitchen. “I dedicated myself to giving my daughter as happy a childhood as I can manage, and ensuring that every uptight ass who would think himself better than me has to preface his words with ‘Doctor Yamagishi’.”

“That…” Kotone blinked as she stepped into the kitchen, watching as Elly moved toward the stove. “…is really impressive. I think you might be my hero, Elly.”

“Hah!” Elly snorted, shaking her head as she resumed prepping the soup that was simmering on the stovetop. “I’d have to make apologies for anyone else in your life if a nutty high school teacher is your hero.”

Yeah, well, there’s been a lot of people who sucked.

“And plenty who have been excellent, lass.”

That’s a pretty recent development though.

“I mean it.” Kotone sat herself down at the table near the back of the kitchen, crossing her arms in front of her. “You’re… you inspire me, you know?”

“Well, in an ideal world, that’s what every teacher should do.” Elly paused, turning to look at Kotone for a long moment. Her face faltered ever so slightly when she caught sight of Kotone’s dour expression. “Kotone, really, I’m glad you think that. I am simply doing what I think is right for you all, nothing more.”

“Yeah well…” Kotone shook her head, sighing. “I guess I wish more people did that.”

“Hm…” Elly frowned for a moment before shaking her head and striding over to the wall next to the fridge. “Kotone, did you perchance know that I once had a group of friends just like yours?”

“That-“ Kotone sat up, tilting her head. “I mean, that makes sense like… logically? It’s kinda hard to imagine you as a teenager though.”

“Ha! And here I thought I had aged gracefully.” Elly laughed, lifting a photograph from the wall next to the fridge and planting it on the table in front of Kotone. “In any case, prepare to have that image eased.“

Kotone furrowed her brow, looking at the photo before her. A small group of young adults maybe a little older than she was now, each gazing back at her through time. She recognized Elly even with her hair dyed purple instead of blue. She was standing near the center of the image, one arm around the shoulders of a woman with short-cropped hair, the other pushing lightheartedly at a boy in a yellow beanie. Around them, a man with a blue ascot looked on in abject annoyance as a girl with a red headband and a boy with an earring shook their heads at the madness around them. Near the edge of the group, a girl who Kotone could swear was a younger version of Moriyama was rolling her eyes, a smile nonetheless on her face as she patently ignored a man with goggles trying to get a rise out of her, seemingly ignorant of the hulking man with a scarred forehead moments away from yanking him back and away from her.

“A worthy crew for any ship.”

Yeah, no kidding. I wonder if any of them would have made good Moonlit Thieves?

In another life, perhaps. A shame that one became a target in this one.

“Wow.” Kotone’s eyes widened in surprise as she scanned the photograph, a strange twinge blossoming in your heart. “You guys seemed… interesting. In a good way, obviously, but still.”

“Oh yes!” Elly nodded enthusiastically. “They called us the Sumaru Seven. Don’t concern yourself over why there were nine of us, that’s simply details. We caused quite a bit of a ruckus back in our day!”

“Sumaru, huh? I lived there before my probation got me sent here.” Kotone leaned her hand against her chin, thoughtful. “It’s weird though, seeing you and Mrs. Moriyama being friends. I know you were, obviously, but it’s just… strange.”

“Yes, well…” Elly hesitated for a moment, a frown overtaking her face as she cast her eyes downwards. “It was a long time ago, in a very different sort of place. Another life entirely, really.”

“Oh uh…” Kotone frowned, unsure of what to do about the sudden change in Elly’s spirits. “Are you alright? Do you need a tissue or something?”

“No no… I’m merely being foolishly sentimental.” Elly turned the picture back around, looking it over with saddened eyes as she nodded slowly. “As I said, it was a different place and time. In many ways, Yuka isn’t the same friend I once knew.”

“But you still care about her, right?” Kotone hesitated as Elly hung the photo back up, a gloominess still hanging over the woman’s usual pep. “Fuuka said she messaged you a while back."

“Oh yes. After that whole change of heart business, she came right to apologize.” Elly’s smile returned as she leaned against the fridge, shaking her head. “I would very much like to think we’re still friends. All of us, to tell you the absolute truth. Even if there always will be a certain something that keeps us separate.”

“A certain something?” Kotone furrowed her brow, that twinge in her heart sparking again. “What sort of something?”

“Mh, that’s a different story for a different time I’d say.” Elly stood upright, clapping her hands. “Now then! I’m quite sure they’ve heard us chatting by now and are waiting for you to drop on by. There’s no need to listen to me prattle on anymore.”

“I like talking with you, Elly.” Kotone shrugged, nonetheless standing. “Don’t tell anyone else, but you’re still my favourite teacher. And not just because you’re Fuuka’s mom.”

“Ha! Well as ever flattery won’t help your test scores, not that I think you’d need it.” Elly tilted her head to the side, gesturing for Kotone to head off to the living room. “Go study with your friends, and tell them lunch will be ready in half an hour, hm?

“Yes ma’am!” Kotone saluted cheekily, making her way to the door. She paused, glancing back at Elly as she returned to the stove. “Seriously though… thanks, Elly.”

“You’re very welcome.” Elly hummed, setting herself to tend to the food properly. “And thank you too.”

Kotone smiled, nodding as she turned toward the living room. Junpei and Fuuka were sitting there, a respectful distance apart from one another as if trying to pretend they hadn’t been all but cuddling before.

“Hi Kotone.” Fuuka smiled warmly, nodding a greeting. “Did you have a good chat with my mom?”

“Mhm. You probably know it, but she’s a pretty cool lady.” Kotone grinned, crashing into the seat next to the couch and nodding at her friends. “By the way, Junpei, you’ve got lipstick on your cheek.”

“Wh- hey- I-“ Junpei sputtered, the two Thieves on the couch turning a sudden bright red. “Dude!”

To that, all Kotone did was laugh.

Monday, August 15^th 2016.

Day of the Pause

“So, Witch’s got a pair of gauntlets huh?” Kotone tapped her pen against her chin as she looked at the sheet of paper on her desk. Nominally, it was supposed to be her note page for the summer homework that Elly had assigned her, but instead of trying her best to compose a sestina while she waited for her delivery from Kikuno (whatever that was), Kotone was trying to work out team arrangements for their next operation. “That would make her good for close quarters, right?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded from where she sat at the edge of the desk, peering at the page in front of Kotone. “However, her Persona is attuned toward casting magic as well.”

“Wait, it is?” Kotone blinked, turning to the little robot. “How’d you know that?”

“I am unsure. I simply do.” Aigis’ display flashed a brief golden yellow as she nodded. “I took note of it as soon as she acquired her Persona.”

“Huh.” Kotone frowned. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Aigis’ information, she was just never quite sure what to make of where she got it exactly. Nonetheless she stopped messing with her pen, jotting down the detail next to Witch’s name. “I guess that makes it less simple… maybe put her at the backline with Feather then?”

“You should not limit our strategy to one arrangement.” Aigis shook her head. “Witch’s loadout provides us with versatility. She would be useful at both long and short range.”

“I guess that is a better way of looking at things.” Kotone tilted her head, adding another note for later. “Good thinking, Aigis.”

I don’t think I ever would have considered that without her pointing it out.

“A good captain listens to her crew.”

Yeah… I guess…

“Thank you.” Aigis nodded, watching Kotone for another moment as the wildcard went back to tapping her pen against her chin. “Kotone, is there something wrong?”

“Just, you know, thinking about things.” Kotone cringed, shaking her head. She used to be a lot better at hiding these sorts of thoughts. Damnit. Just more proof she’d changed. “Aigis, do you still think I should be the leader?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded without hesitating. “You are the Wildcard.”

“And if I wasn’t?” Kotone turned in her chair, looking at Aigis head on. “Would you think I should still be the leader?”

“Yes.” Aigis nodded once more, a frown appearing on her visor. “Why do you doubt your own abilities?”

“Just… y’know, I don’t really think tactics are my strong suit.” Kotone sighed, glancing at the page, then back toward the little robot. “You always seem to have a better grasp of these sorts of things than I do. And Mitsuru’s more… y’know, commanding?”

“It is true that we all have our strengths.” Aigis nodded, looking thoughtful. “However, we have weaknesses as well. For example, I am quite small.”

“You sure are.” Kotone snorted, leaning back in her seat. “But-“

“Mitsuru may be an apt commander, but she does not have the versatility that you do.” Aigis waddled over to Kotone, placing her hand over the Wildcard’s own. “You are the best option we have for leader for many reasons, Kotone. And we are glad to have you.”

…it should be embarrassing how nice it is to hear that. You’d think I’d have gotten it through my head by now that people want me here.

“You have lass. And it shows. You’re still allowed moments of weakness.”

That’s… fair, I guess. Thanks.

“Y’know, you’ve got a pretty big heart for such a small robot.” Kotone grinned, patting Aigis on the head. “Thanks, Aigis.”

“My battery is appropriately sized for this form.” Aigis shook her head. “But it is no problem Kotone. I am glad to assist as needed.”

Kotone snorted, leaning back in her chair once more. Almost on cue, her phone dinged with a notification from Akihiko.

PROTEEN – PHONETONE DM

proteen: Hey, I’m at Yongen-Jaya.

proteen: You said first left down the throughfare, right?

proteen: Edogawa Essential Medicine, yeah?

phonetone: Yep.

phonetone: Hold up, I’ll be right there.

proteen: It’s fine, I’ll see you at the clinic.

phonetone: That isn’t what I meant. :P

phonetone: Akihiko?

phonetone: …I feel like people do this to me a lot.

---

Kotone had to shake her head as she walked up the steps to the clinic, a sigh on her lips. She hadn’t seen Akihiko on her way there, which meant he had either gotten lost or was already in the clinic. She was pretty sure the former was better in this case, since the latter meant…

Kotone paused at the door to the clinic, taking in the sight before her. Akihiko was leaned over the counter, deep in conversation with Edogawa and seemingly… enthusiastic about it?

Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised.

“He’s got a certain sense about him, doesn’t he?”

That’s one way to put it.

“Hey, Kotone.” Akihiko stood upright, turning to look at Kotone with a smile. “Why didn’t you tell me this guy was so big into fitness?”

“Uh.” Kotone blinked, looking between the two. “He is?”

“Health is the confluence of body, mind, and soul.” Edogawa pushed up his glasses, his eyes as ever hidden behind them. “Your ally understands the truth of it better than most. He embodies prosperity, creativity, abundance, protection, and comfort in every facet of the self.”

“…you guys have been talking for like, two minutes.” Kotone scratched her head, blinking once more. “How do you figure all that?”

“One needs only read the signs that they are shown.” Edogawa nodded mysteriously, turning to the back of his clinic as he held up a card emblazoned with the three of clubs. Then just as soon, it was gone, replaced by a sleight of hand as he bent down to grab a bag from beneath one of his shelves. He hefted it, placing it on the counter and nodding. “Here is all that you will need in the coming days.”

“Thanks doc.” Akihiko took the bag, nodding. “Mind if I come back another time to bend your ear about those imports you mentioned?”

“Of course.” Edogawa nodded, scratching his neck as Akihiko turned toward the door and away. Kotone couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at the briefness of the conversation, already turning to follow after him just as- “Kotone. A moment, please.”

“There’s no escaping the tides, lass.”

I can try!

“Aye. And you’ll reckon the same truth as those who have tried before.”

“Yeah?” Kotone adjusted the strap on her bag, smiling nervously. “What’s up?”

“A premonition for you. A warning, you might call it.” Edogawa nodded slowly, placing three cards on the counter in front of him. A roaring lion, a crumbling tower, and a herald calling toward the world below. “Strength holds back a fallen Tower, their weight combined enough to sink them both. Yet far beyond them, Judgement awaits unfound. The World remains far from reach, so long as you cannot see the forest for the trees.”

Those are the three cards I don’t have bonds with yet, right?

“Not necessarily, lass.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“Er, thanks.” Kotone couldn’t help but feel an uncertainty in her heart as she looked at the cards. She knew Edogawa was basically just crazy, but with how prevalent Tarot had become in her life, it was hard not to read into his words. Did he really know something she didn’t? Or was he just the normal kind of nuts?

Honestly, Kotone wasn’t sure which answer she preferred.

“You’re welcome. Walk the path you mark, Kotone.” Edogawa hummed to himself as he turned back around, resuming his usual meandering sort of work. “It will lead you to an end, one way or another.”

“…right.” Kotone slowly backed toward the door, where Akihiko was still waiting with a curious look on his face. “Thanks. I’ll uh… talk to you later?”

“Mh.” Edogawa nodded mysteriously, staring at a blank spot on the wall. “Indeed you will.”

---

“I’m not sure why you and Junpei seem so afraid of that guy.” Akihiko stretched as the two Thieves stepped back out into the street, a cloudy sky greeting them in kind. “He’s got the right idea.”

“I guess we just don’t sync with him as well as you do.” Kotone shrugged, trying to put the man’s fortune telling out of her mind. “You got everything you were looking for?”

“Yeah. Meds for the next month or so, and some imported protein.” Akihiko nodded assuredly. “Should cover us up until we take down that bastard holding Shinji down.”

“Sounds good to me!” Kotone grinned, leading the way back to the throughfare. “I’m actually expecting our equipment delivery today, so it’s good to get things squared out.”

“No kidding?” Akihiko rotated his arm in its socket, raising an eyebrow. “You order that sword I asked for?”

“Sure did!” Kotone checked her watch. She’d ordered it this morning, which meant Kikuno would probably have it there… well, soon. “Should be almost here, actually.”

“In that case, I’ll wait with you.” Akihiko nodded, following after Kotone as she turned down the street to Bookworms. “I’ve been meaning to get some more practice in.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kotone grinned, turning ahead to find Kikuno already waiting outside the front door of the shop. “Oh hey, she’s already h-“

“Kikuno?” Akihiko froze in place, seemingly shocked by the sight of the woman before them. “What the hell- what are you doing here?”

“Making a delivery, Mr. Kirijo.” Kikuno glanced at the boy, her expression as flat and neutral as ever. Despite that, Kotone could sense a shift in her stance as she stepped toward Kotone, all but shoving the package and clipboard into the Wildcard’s hands. “Sign here.”

“Wait, hold on.” Kotone blinked at the clipboard, unsure. “You know Aki?”

“She does.” Akihiko nodded, taking a step forward. At the same time, Kikuno’s eyes shifted, as if calculating what to do next. “She was our maid growing up. She was with our family for longer than I’ve been.”

“My previous employment isn’t relevant right now.” Kikuno shook her head, furrowing her brow. “If you don’t sign for the package, I’ll have to take it back.”

“Akihiko?” Kotone glanced at her teammate, looking for guidance. “Should I?”

“…go ahead.” Akihiko clenched his teeth, still staring at the woman. “There’s no point keeping her here if she doesn’t want to be.”

“Thank you.” Kikuno bowed her head, taking back the clipboard and mounting her bike in one rapid motion. “If you ever have need of-“

“Wait.” Akihiko interrupted the woman before she could cycle off, shaking his head. “You should know. We found Shinji. We’re bringing him back home.”

“That-“ Kikuno froze, one foot on the pedal to her bike as she stared into the distance. “That’s good news. But seeing as I don’t work for the Kirijo Group anymore, I fail to see how that’s relevant to me.”

“Damnit, not you too!” Akihiko scowled, crossing his arms. “At least let Mitsuru know what you’re doing these days. She misses you. She deserves to know you’re alright.”

“If-“ Kikuno winced, which Kotone was pretty sure constituted the most emotion she’d ever seen out of the woman. “If Ms. Kirijo wants to know my status, I’d request you notify her yourself. I have a busy schedule to keep to.”

And without another word, Kikuno kicked her bike into gear and sped off.

“Lass, I’m just going to say it. That family’s a right mess.”

Y’know what? I can’t even disagree.

“Aye. I know.”

“So uh…” Kotone glanced at Akihiko, who was watching the corner the courier had disappeared around with a strange look in his eyes. “Can I ask?”

“Like I said, she was our maid.” Akihiko glanced at Kotone, a frown crowding his lips. “She resigned after what happened with Shinji. Felt responsible, I think. Mitsu and I tried to get her to come back, but with Shinji missing… we lost track of her. I never expected to see her again.”