Chapter 10

April 15

Friday

Morning

Cloudy

Akira absentmindedly twirled his pencil around his fingers as Mr. Ushimaru lectured on about the National Diet. While thankful for not being forcefully summoned to the velvet room, Akira was in a poor mood, and his focus was elsewhere. So, when Morgana emerged from his desk to persuade him to steal the treasure from Kamoshida's palace, the black-haired teen had to resist the urge to openly express his displeasure.

"Quiet."

"Hm? Did I just hear a cat just now?"

Akira pretended to be surprised like the other students when Mr. Ushimaru stopped his lecture. He also stuffed Morgana's head back into the desk.

"Hm, maybe I misheard? Settle down, we're in the middle of an important lecture."

As the strict social studies teacher turned towards the chalkboard, Akira's phone buzzed due to a text from Ryuji.

[Hey…I've made my decision.]

[Not right now. Focus on class.]

[Forgot that shit. Let's meet up after school and I'll tell ya. I still can't believe that we need to trust that damn cat…]

"What are you reading on your phone?"

"Nothing special and be quiet."

Akira took a deep breath and prepared to pay attention when a male student near the door stood up in shock.

"Hey. What's that!?"

"Wait…She's going to jump!"

Akira's interest was piqued, but what he heard next made his blood run cold.

"Suzui?"

"Shiho?"

Mishima's initial guess and Ann's confirmation made the classroom erupt into chaos. Seconds later, Ann was rushing out of the class, with Akira hot on her heels. When he finally saw who was standing on the ledge of the roof, Akira readied himself to dash to the rooftop, hoping he would make it in time, but Ann's exclamation and a glance to the side crushed that dream.

Time slowed down and his normally calm eyes widened in horror, as Akira helplessly witnessed Shiho attempt to take her own life. Her sprawled figure on the ground was forever etched into his memory.

- - -

Running on instincts, Akira ran after Ann, barely noticing when Ryuji was tailing them, and made his way toward the courtyard. He subconsciously ignored the teachers who wanted nothing to do with the situation and the students either gossiping or recording the partially covered body of Shiho on the stretcher. He watched as Ann, not a teacher, volunteered to accompany Shiho to the hospital, and finally, he heard Shiho say a name.

When the ambulance left, Akira still stared at where Shiho had been. Her expression as if she was frustrated that she was still alive ignited something within him.

"That guy, he knows something. Let's go after him."

Akira followed behind Ryuji as they chased down Mishima and corned him.

He listened as Ryuji interrogated Mishima and when he heard how Kamoshida called Shiho into his office and was especially irritated, everything snapped into place. The haze from yesterday and this morning had cleared. Judging from Ryuji's outburst, it was clear that the blonde had come to a similar conclusion.

- - -

Akira chased after Ryuji, who had gotten a head start and only managed to get ahead of him a few paces away from the PE faculty room.

"GET OUTTA MY WAY! I'm going to get that son of bitch!"

Ryuji all but radiated fury. His words had a visible effect on Mishima who was trailing behind but seemed to roll off Akira.

"…Calm down."

"WHAT! Hell no! How can I be calm when he…when he…Shit! Why are you stopping me, that bastard needs a beating!!"

"Think about it carefully we—"

"Forgot that shit! If you're going to be a coward and just stand there when that poor girl—"

Ryuji went silent when he stopped trying to get around Akira and turned his glare upwards to the taller teen's face. It was as if he was crossing paths with a monster and instinctively Ryuji's posture tensed, sweat rolled down his spine, and he could feel his legs trembling.

"Ryuji, I understand your anger, I do. But this approach won't help us, and it certainly won't help Shiho…"

Akira left and headed towards his classroom, ignoring Ryuji, Mishima, and the poorly hidden Morgana.

{Contain it.}

{...}

.

.

.

After School

Cloudy

Akira sat patiently in the courtyard and only opened his eyes when Ryuji called out to him.

"H-Hey man…You wanted to talk?"

"We just need to wait for…him."

On cue, Morgana rounded a corner before leaping onto the table.

"Now are you ready? Even that poor girl was harmed by Kamoshida."

"You can stop with the 'call to action' crap. Let's go."

"…I see. You too then Ryuji?"

"…Yeah, that bastard has to pay. Even…even if it means he'll suffer a mental breakdown."

"…Now that it's decided, let's go."

The trio made their way to exit the school with Ryuji walking in front, Morgana sneaking around to avoid getting caught, and Akira trailing behind.

Akira turned around and saw Ann. There was so much he wanted to say but he decided against it and left with the others.

- - -

"We'll be counting on you, Joker."

"Joker? Is that some kinda nickname?"

"Don't make it sound so lame. It's a codename. What kind of phantom thief would go around yelling out their real name? I'm not down for that! Plus, who knows what effect saying our real names in the Metaverse would have in the real world."

Akira now visibly calmer than before agreed with Morgana's suggestion, as for the nickname…

"So, why's he, Joker?"

"Because he is our trump card when it comes to fighting strength."

"As much as I appreciate the thought Morgana, I don't think a trump card is known as a joker."

"Huh? So, what do you want to be called?"

"…Ace."

Morgana tilted his head, but Ryuji caught onto Akira's train of thought.

"Oh! Like the ace of a team. Sounds sick."

"If you like it then that's fine. Next up is you, Ryuji. You'll be…Let's see…Thug."

Akira started laughing at the somewhat fitting yet obviously demeaning nickname.

"Are you pickin' a fight with me!? And don't laugh man, you're encouraging him."

"Haha…Sorry. Sorry. Thug. That's a good one, haha…"

"Dude…"

"Give me a second…How about Lieutenant? As in the navy rank?"

"Lieutenant…That sounds awesome! I like it! So, what about Morgana? Maybe Mona?"

"It's a bit on the nose…How about Merlin? The magician that guides Arthur to become a king."

Morgana took a moment to contemplate the name before breaking out in a grin.

"So, I'll be guiding you to become the king of thieves, then? Hehe...Then I'll be Merlin! Alright, from here on out, we're Ace, Lieutenant, and Merlin. We need to be absolutely thorough about using those code names from now on!"

The trio made their way towards their makeshift entrance, and after crawling through the vent returned to Kamoshida's castle.

- - -

"…Oh, yeah, I remember now! I don't just belong to King Kamoshida…I'm an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity's souls…My real name…is Pixie. I'm Pixie! From now on, I'll live on inside your heart! I am though, though art I."

At those familiar words, the Shadow transformed into a glowing replica of Ace's mask before merging with the one on his face.

Akira felt a surge of power and information.

"Wh-What the hell was that about? The enemy got sucked into Ace's mask!"

"I-I have no idea! I wasn't expecting that when I was teaching you how to make Shadows give you money…"

"Intruders!? Halt!"

While they were chatting, another guard entered the room.

"Crap, they noticed us!"

The guard burst and from the inky black and red substance two horned horses emerged.

As the trio readied themselves, Ace felt a pull, and as his mask transformed into the familiar blue flames that enveloped a Persona user when they were calling upon their Persona, the Pixie from earlier appeared.

"Pixie, Zio."

The electric attack temporarily stunned one of the horses, while Merlin gaped on in awe.

"Don't tell me…Did you take in the Shadow's appearance and powers as a Persona!?"

Ignoring Merlin, Ace summoned Pixie to fire another Zio at the other Shadow, who also crumpled to the ground.

Knowing that they could discuss the situation later, Merlin joined Ace and Lieutenant in the Hold-Up and blurred into streaks of black as Ace called for an All-Out Attack that depleted the Shadows' remaining health.

"Holy…Does that mean you can wield multiple Personas?"

"Seems like it."

"For real!? What the heck is going on Merlin?"

"He sealed the enemy's appearance and powers into his mask and made it his own Persona. I've never seen anyone pull that off! Only one heart exists per person, so normally a person can only have one Persona! You're truly incredible, Ace! That ability will give us a greater advantage in battle, so it would be best to keep honing it. Of course, Lieutenant and I will help."

"Hell yeah! I've got your back, dude!"

"Hehe, I like you even more now! I really do have something special after all!"

Ace appreciated Ryuji's support, but Morgana's word choice only furthered the idea that the cat-creature was suspicious.

"Let's move."

- - -

"Let's keep going."

After making it through a passageway and a room, Ace had managed to collect a Jack-o-Lantern and a Bicorn, along with finding a dark sword in a treasure box.

When he absorbed a Shadow into his mask a few key events occurred. First, he gained knowledge about the Shadow's mythological origins, their strengths and weaknesses, and their true names. Second, he felt the power he wielded in the Metaverse increase. Third, the Pneuma within him seemed to automatically replicate the skills of each absorbed Shadow. The only downside was that his proficiency was pitiable.

{How does this work?}

{The skills are stored within you, specifically in your soul. Since Pneuma is the creative force of your soul it can reproduce those skills. If you're using Pneuma exclusively, it should be fairly simple to reproduce the skill, but if you're channeling Pneuma for use in the real world or in the Metaverse, you'll have to expend significantly more energy.}

{When I use Pneuma, it doesn't affect either world? What am I missing?}

{Simply put, Pneuma is within you and is drastically easier to manipulate internally. For example, enhancing your speed, strength, senses, etc. Once Pneuma escapes your body, its efficiency decreases at a staggering rate. This is why it took so much effort to change that cellphone.}

Ace continued exploring the rooms in search of items that could looted. It seemed that part of awakening a Persona was unlocking a rather convenient pocket space.

{What about the telekinetic abilities, and the pressure that I emit with Pneuma?}

{There's a candle holder on that shelf…The other one…Telekinesis and pressure are actually the same ability. Pneuma while creative is a force. An ethereal force. You force objects to be pulled towards you, you force the space around you to exert pressure. This force works fairly easily on ownerless objects but takes significantly more effort on objects with a clear owner.}

{What a complex ability…Still, I'd rather have it than not. We'll talk more about the details later. Thanks, Kippōshi.}

{Haha, it is my pleasure Akira.}

"Let's go inside the Safe Room."

Following Merlin's suggestion, Ace and Lieutenant entered the Safe Room.

"Ace, Aren't there even more Shadows here than before? Just gettin' this far's been a real pain in the ass!"

"It probably has to do with all the commotion at your school. A Palace will reflect its ruler's innermost emotions. Kamoshida is worried about something…"

"Shadows aside. How're we supposed to steal that Treasure thing?"

"Don't be so hasty. First, we'll need to secure an infiltration route."

"A what?"

"A path to the Treasure's location. As strong as the three of us are, especially with Ace's ability to absorb the power of Shadows, it would be ideal to have more manpower. One more person would be nice…"

Again, Morgana seemed to know so much about the Metaverse despite having amnesia. Seemed as though Ryuji was having the same doubts.

"Hey, you say you don't have your memories and all, but somehow you still know about that kinda stuff? Dude, do you think this thing's really got amnesia?"

Akira had to acknowledge Ryuji's intuition and figured this was a decent situation to try and extract some information

"It's definitely suspicious."

"Is that what you think of me!?"

"How could you blame us," questioned Ryuji. "You sure talk big, but what if it turns out you're just some stray cat in the end?"

"…That can't be…"

Akira carefully watched Morgana's expression but couldn't identify if the cat was presenting a façade.

"Still, why was the princess in such an odd place?"

The trio became alert at the voice of a guard outside the Safe Room.

"I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder…"

"It doesn't matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida! No doubt he'll be pleased."

As the sound of their footsteps disappeared, the three partially relaxed.

"Who's this princess they're talkin' about?"

"I should probably look into this!"

Without waiting, Merlin slipped out of the Safe Room, which seemed to visibly frustrate Lieutenant.

"Christ…And yet another question goes unanswered…Stuff like the castle and that navigation app are mysterious…but Merlin's got 'em both beat. What do you think man?"

"…I think you're right to trust your instincts…Let me know if Merlin does something strange. I haven't known you long, but you risked your life for mine, so I trust you, even if I think you can be a bit of a hothead…"

"Hey, thanks–Wait! A hothead!?"

"You two! This is bad! It seems like they captured a girl named Ann!"

"Takamaki!? How? We went into the Metaverse in the alley far enough away from anyone! We checked! TWICE!"

{Despite my limited range I also verified that no one was in roughly a 20m radius of you three.}

{I don't think it has to do with the range, Kippōshi.}

{I believe you're right.}

{Igor planted that app on her phone. She might have been pulled along despite being so far away from us.}

"So, somehow, the app got onto her phone…and somehow she got pulled into the Metaverse with us."

"That's most likely what happened Ace."

"Damn it! We have to go rescue her!!"

"If everyone's ready…Let's move."

- - -

"This way!"

The trio made their way down a previously sealed hallway.

"Look, I'll apologize for touching the armor without permission!"

"…She totally doesn't get what's goin' on!"

"Let's hurry!"

At the end of the hallway were sturdy doors.

"Is everyone ready? We should expect a fight."

"Let's go, man!"

"We're ready Ace."

Slowly but surely, Ace pushed open the door.

- - -

"What's all this about!? Seriously, I'm gonna call the cops!"

Ann attempted to break free from the restraints that pinned her against an X-shaped cross. Two of Kamoshida's guards, likely the ones that Ace, Merlin, and Lieutenant had heard conversing outside the Safe Room.

"So, this is the intruder."

From behind a curtain, the nearly naked Shadow Kamoshida emerged.

"Kamoshida?"

Accompanying him was the bikini-clad cognitive Ann. The sight of a mirror version of herself surprised and temporarily froze Ann.

"Huh? Who's that? More importantly, what is this place!? Why's the school turned into something like this!?"

"Heh, I can't believe you mistook my Ann for someone like her, hehehehe. Are you afraid?"

"What is that outfit? Have you lost your mind?"

"I do as I please here. After all, this is my castle…The world of my desires."

"What the–!? Wait…Is this some red-light district!?"

By now Ann had gone back to trying to free herself from the restrains, though to no avail.

"What a lively slave."

"This isn't funny! Enough of the bullshit, Kamoshida!"

"The girl's decided to tell me off. What do you think of that, my dear Ann?"

Shadow Kamoshida turned towards the cognitive Ann and pulled her towards himself.

"Hehe, talking back is, like…totally unforgivable…"

The scantily clad Ann's expression and voice were a perfect blend of sultry and breathy. She made sure to press herself firmly against Shadow Kamoshida, a sight that nearly made the real Ann vomit.

"In that case…she should be executed!"

A guard captain approached Ann, and by now the blonde realized that she may be in actual danger.

"Now then, how should I play with you? Shall I tear you into little pieces?"

"Are you kidding me?"

As the trio of Ace, Merlin, and Lieutenant entered the room, they saw topless cognitive versions of the girls on the volleyball team. The girls mewling and writhing around made for a disturbing scene as it reflected Kamoshida's thoughts about the female students on the volleyball team.

"This is effed up! Is this what he thinks of the girls on the volleyball team!?"

"Hey! Look over there!"

They spotted Ann and quickly approached.

"Takamaki!"

"Argh…Just when I was about to start enjoying myself…"

Shadow Kamoshida released the cognitive Ann and wore a displeased expression when he looked at the masked trio.

"And you keep coming back. Unbelievable! I bet you're just like those thieves. You came because you're pissed at me, huh? But, ah…I forget that chick's name, but it's your fault she jumped, you know."

"Huh?"

As Shadow Kamoshida turned his attention towards Ann, his guards kept a careful eye on Ace, Lieutenant, and Merlin.

"You were so reluctant to throw yourself onto me that I had her take your place."

"YOU BASTARD!"

Both Ann and Ryuji reacted the same way. Even Morgana clenched his paws and gritted his teeth. Only Akira's expression remained unreadable.

As the guards moved closer to Ann, Ryuji wanted to rush forward to help but was promptly stopped by Shadow Kamoshida's threat.

"Take one more step and I'll kill her on the spot."

"Dammit! What do we do?"

"Just sit back and enjoy the dismantlement show."

Ann's expression was stricken with horror, and the similarities between her situation and Ryuji's situation the second time they entered the castle did not go unnoticed by Akira.

"No! Don't!"

"Hehehe…Maybe I'll start with her clothes…Some pregame entertainment if you will."

Cognitive Ann was back to clinging onto Kamoshida. The guards readied their blades, while Ann's expression and spirits sank.

"Is this…my punishment for what happened to Shiho?"

"That's more like it. You should've looked more like this from the start instead of fighting back so much."

"Shiho…I'm so sorry…"

Akira's jaw clenched, but he continued to restrain himself before talking.

"Are you going to let everything go his way?"

"Huh?"

"It's time to decide. Will you just roll over or will you fight?"

"…You're right. I've let this piece of shit toy with me for so long…What was I thinking!?

Kamoshida sneered at the useless bravado.

"It's like I've always said. Slaves should just—"

"Shut up! I'm going to fight and take EVERYTHING from you, you son of a bitch!!"

And then…Ann's pupils turned golden. She seemed to struggle with an internal voice and writhed and struggled against her restraints until the upper half of a red cat mask appeared on her face.

"I hear you…Carmen. You're right. No more holding back!"

Akira watched with anticipation as Ann broke the metal restraints and ripped off her mask. A turbulent pillar of blue flames surrounded Ann and forced the guards along with Kamoshida to step back. Akira's eyes turned a dark magenta as he carefully observed Ann's awakening.

From the flames emerged Ann, now wearing a skin-tight red latex catsuit with a cleavage cutout and zippers. She wore pink gloves, dark red thigh-high boots, and a clip-on tail on the back of her catsuit.

In a flash of movement, Ann kicked the sword from a guard's hand before jumping high and delivering a powerful slash to the Cognitive Ann who faded into inky smoke. By now, Shadow Kamoshida was sweating buckets and hiding behind a guard captain.

"You know what? I'm not some cheap girl you can toy with…you scumbag.

"Bitch!"

"You stole everything from Shiho…You destroyed her…Now it's your turn! I will rob you of everything!"

The trio were soon standing alongside the newly awakened Ann.

"How dare you! Enough of your insolence!"

The three Shadows melted into black and red pools before merging and reforming as a demon sitting atop a toilet.

"No, I've had enough of you. No one's gonna stop me now! Let's go, Carmen!"

Accurately judging the situation, Akira knew that very much like when Ryuji awakened, they would need to play support. It seemed that awakening one's Persona resulted in a power high, where strategy can be thrown out the window.

"Lieutenant, Merlin. Let's back her up. Follow through on her actions and don't let her commit alone."

By the end of his words, Ann had already charged forward and sent an amped Agi toward the toilet-sitting demon who became stunned from the impact.

"Use your skills!"

Ace and Lieutenant both launched Zio's while Morgana fired a Garu. The attacks had caused visible damage to the demon. The battle continued, but the group was caught off guard when the demon used a Magaru, a light wind attack that targeted all opponents. Lieutenant took significantly more damage but managed to get back on his feet. Ann tried to hit the guard captain with another Agi, but it kept moving out of range. However, when it entered Ace's range it was surprised to find a fireball being blasted towards its face courtesy of Jack-o-Lantern.

It returned to a dazed state and was perfectly vulnerable.

"Takamaki-san. Follow us."

"Okay."

"All-Out Attack!"

Ann joined the trio as they blurred into a deadly dance that concluded with Akira delivering the final blow. As the artistic image of Ace's All-Out Attack faded, the guard captain addressed Ann.

"To think…there would be a woman…who could stand up to King Kamoshida…"

"Pfft, outside of school, that guy's nothing but a pathetic loser!"

As the Shadow dispersed, the group of four felt a surge of energy, but their focus was on Shadow Kamoshida.

"Oh shit!"

With surprising speed, he fled from the room.

"Wait!"

Despite her protest, Kamoshida ran faster. Not to mention that Ann had collapsed onto the floor from exhaustion.

"Why'd you come here, man!? And more importantly, how!?"

"Hey! Is that how you speak to a woman!?

"It's a question of respect, not of gender. The both of you should keep that in mind."

Ace shut down the potential argument before taking a knee and patting Ann on her back.

"I don't know how you got here, but I'm glad to see you safe and sound, Takamaki-san."

"That voice…Kurusu-kun? What's going on here? Is that a monster cat!? Wait…How come I'm dressed like this!?"

Ann frantically rattled off questions before freaking out when examining her outfit. Ace took the overcoat that seemed to be magically glued on his shoulders and draped it over Ann who was crouched down.

"Huh? Oh, thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Ace pulled Ann up before adjusting the coat so that it covered her completely.

"…You don't have to do that."

"But I am."

"…Thanks."

Ryuji and Morgana looked at each other while thinking that they had become background characters in a romance film.

Ann leaned on Akira as they made their way towards the vent and eventually out of the castle.

.

.

.

The quartet reappeared in the alley close to Shujin. Akira noticed that since he had decided to cancel navigation the other three were pulled along with him. Which meant that entering and exiting the Metaverse was much less restrictive than he had imagined.

"Thanks…"

"Looks like we made it back. Hey, are you okay Takamaki?"

"Well pretty much. Wait, I lied—I'm still confused about all of this."

"You may be safe now, but a lot sure did happen back there…"

"Let's go somewhere…less conspicuous."

- - -

The quartet found themselves in a small family restaurant in Shibuya. Students from various other schools, families, and co-workers were engrossed in their own conversations, which allowed the group to seamlessly blend in.

"Here are your drinks!"

"Thank you."

After taking a sip of his rather tart lemonade, Akira pulled out a slip of paper and slid it across to Ann.

"Huh? What is this? What do these words mean?"

"It's a cipher. It's a verbal encryption so that on the off chance that anyone is recording us, they would not be able to understand what we're discussing. Use it when talking about that place, or when texting. Then, burn it. I'll change it randomly so we don't get discovered."

"Woah! You're really serious about this."

"When did you guys make something like this? And why didn't you tell me!?"

To everyone apart from the three Shujin students, it sounded like the meowing of a frustrated cat.

"Shut up, Morgana! You're a cat. No one, apart from us even understands what you're saying in the first place."

"…"

The usually quick-witted feline was at a loss for words.

"Ryuji's right Morgana. On that topic, even us talking to you is incredibly suspicious. I'll have to figure out a way to make it work."

"Slow down, slow down! I'm still confused!"

"Hmph. Then allow me to explain milady. My name is, Morgana. The world that you entered is known as the Metaverse. The castle is a representation of what the castle's owner, Suguru Kamoshida considers the school to be."

"Umm, okay…What about that power?"

"Asking you to understand right away would be asking too much, so feel at ease, milady. That power that you awakened is the will of your rebellion. With it, you'll be able to fight in the Metaverse."

"You can just call me Ann. That goes for the two of you too."

The lull in the conversation was broken by Ann.

"What's the point of that place and having those powers?"

"Excellent question Lady Ann. If we are able to steal Kamoshida's Treasure, he'll have a change of heart."

"Does that mean he'll confess his crimes?"

"Most definitely!"

"It's also our only option," interjected Ryuji.

"The volleyball team's keepin' quiet about this, while teachers and parents turn a blind eye. If guys like us try and complain, they're just gonna shoot us down. Going all in on this plan is the only choice we have."

"Then let me help too. I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho. He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her…I'll never forgive him."

"Wait, did you just say, 'let me help'? You mean you want to go along?"

"Don't act like I'm going to drag you down. Weren't you watching? I can fight too."

"Man…It's not up to me. Akira's the one that decides, and I trust his judgment."

Akira used the straw to swirl the ice in his drink before staring into Ann's eyes. While his gaze remained placid in contrast Ann's eyes radiated was determination.

"Hmm…I can feel her sincerity and drive. She'll be a valuable member… She'd probably go in by herself if I say no."

"Damn right, I will."

"Crap. I forgot that she has the app too."

"A wise decision from the person I chose. We are lacking in manpower."

Ann made eye contact with Ryuji, and Morgana, before stopping on Akira.

"I'm going to make Kamoshida atone for what he did. Not just for Shiho's sake...but for everything he's done. I won't let any more people suffer because of him. I'll do whatever it takes."

Akira reached his hand out across the table, and it took Ann only a moment to understand the gesture. As the two shook hands, Akira felt a bond of trust form between himself and Ann. The newly formed bond gathered into the form of a dimly luminescent blue card. Looking at the depiction of lovers, Akira considered the traits he knew and was discovering about Ann.

"Just let me know when you're heading back in…Oh wait! We don't have each other's info. Give me your number and chat ID…I'll be counting on you, Akira. Ryuji and Morgana too."

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Ann."

"Heh."

With those parting words, Ann stood up, smiled, and left.

"What a kind girl…Such admirable consideration for others. Add the innocence to cast herself into the jaws of death to achieve her goal…She cares about her friends, and she's beautiful to boot…What a girl! She's captured my heart~"

"Dude…"

"Right."

"I'm glad it's not just me. You said all that fancy shit, but Akira and I have been risking our lives too."

"That's b-because…because…"

"Ann's a girl…Kinda pathetic, man."

"N-Nevermind that! We need to consider a secret hideout where we could discuss things."

Akira and Ryuji were amazed at how quickly Morgana could change the topic.

"The school rooftop would work…It seems like nobody goes up there. For the time being, that will make the perfect hideout. I can't contact you from inside a Palace, so I'll stay in this world. That being said, I'll need someone to take care of me. I'm personally nominating you, Akira. You should feel honored."

"…This's all you. There's no way I can at my place. Oh! My train's here. See ya!"

Before Akira could protest that his situation was the most delicate out of everyone's, Ryuji ran off and boarded his train.

"Okay! Let's go look at my new residence for this world."

{Kippōshi. Would it be wrong to—}

{Yes, it would be. No matter how satisfying it would be in the short term.}

{…}

"…Let's go, but some ground rules. Don't you dare…relieve yourself in my room."

"What do you take me for!?"

"A cat. I take you for a cat."

.

.

.

Entering LeBlanc, the familiar aroma of coffee and curry kindly greeted Akira, even if Sojiro didn't.

"Stay upstairs while we're open for business."

The goth woman he had seen a couple of times in Yongen-Jaya was enjoying a cup of coffee and made eye contact when Akira passed by.

"You're that new face I see early in the morning."

"Hello to you too."

"Hey, don't bother the customers."

"It's fine. It was me who started the conversation anyway…Well, thanks for the coffee."

As she left, Akira saw faint motes of blue lights coming off her.

"You seem pretty familiar with the customer."

"Apart from nodding hello, I know nothing else about her."

"She is the head doctor over at the clinic down the street. Rumor has it she gives pretty crappy examinations and sells some weird homemade medicines on top of that. At least, that's what I heard. I haven't been there myself. They should really just leave her alone. It's not like she's getting in the way of their lives…Well, I gotta get home and start making dinner."

Climbing the stairs, he reminded himself to curtains to prevent any overly curious individuals from peering into his room.

A rather interesting function of awakening a Persona was having access to a pocket space. It was where his gun and sword were usually hidden unless he strapped them onto his belt. The space seemed to be able to carry just about anything that he owned. Ownership was the key. That being said, he had bought a large cat bed and while walking through an alley had tucked it into the pocket space.

After pulling it out, and laying it near the bed, he opened his bag and let Morgana come out.

The tuxedo cat looked about and first noticed how clean the space was. Akira had done a thorough job in arranging the attic. Not only did have a pleasant smell of freshly dried laundry, but it was also neatly decorated.

"I'm impressed by how nice this place is despite not being a home."

Akira sat on the couch and took off his shoes and jacket. While Morgana continued talking, Akira heard footsteps and was unsurprised when Sojiro climbed the stairs.

"I thought I heard meowing. What did you bring it here for!?"

"It was abandoned. Figured it needed a home."

"I—That's a shame. Look, this place is a restaurant. Animals are a no-go…However, you might stay on good behavior if you've got a pet to take care of. Keep it quiet when we're open for business, and don't let it roam downstairs or I'll toss it out. Oh, and I'm not gonna take care of it. That's all on you."

Nodding, Akira watched as Sojiro headed downstairs.

"Is that the ruler of this place? Hmm. He seems pretty understanding. Then again, I suppose to normal people I just sound like a meowing cat."

Sojiro returned to the attic holding a plate of leftover pasta. Akira figured that the café owner made something other than curry but seeing the evidence was eye-opening.

"Seriously…It had to keep calling out in that cute little voice…Make sure you wash that dish. By the way…have you decided on a name?"

"Morgana."

"Morgana? Huh…I was hoping I'd get to name it…"

"Looks like the chief likes me better than you…And to be honest, this place is heaven compared to Kamoshida's cells."

Morgana roughly guessed about the distortion of his memories and how his human body would eventually be found so long as those memories were discovered. Akira nodded, hummed, and otherwise used indistinct responses to show Morgana that he was listening.

"Let me make myself clear: Your taking care of me won't be for nothing. It'll be give and take. Due to my knowledgeable and dexterous nature, I have a lot of intel on infiltration tools, and various methods to enter secured locations, along with a wide plethora of thieving knowhow. In exchange for you keeping me here, I'll teach you what I know. How does that sound?"

"Sure."

"I like that you're direct when appropriate. Hehehe…Then it's a deal."

Akira stretched out his hand and Morgana, who had seen the gesture earlier today, extended his paw. As the man and cat shook appendages, Akira once again saw a dimly luminescent blue card form from the bond between him and Morgana.

"I'll lecture you about thievery over time. By the way, the power you used in the Palace was seriously amazing. The stronger that power gets, the more reliable it'll be as a trump card. All right, I'm gonna stick with you wherever you go from today on. Personas are the strength born from one's heart. Depending on what kind of life experience you gain, I bet it'll affect that power as well! And if you become acquainted with capable people, you might learn various, useful skills too…This is all part of our deal, got it?"

"…I wonder if the shelter is open at this hour?"

"Huh!? Wait!! I mean, I'll quietly accompany you and won't be a bother."

"…Then again, who would give up such an obedient cat."

"I'm not a cat…I expect great things from you. I can feel that you're incredibly special."

- - -

After taking a shower at the bathhouse, Akira grabbed two colas from the vending machine. He opened one and gave it to Morgana, who quickly proved his claim of being dexterous by managing to comfortably drink the soda without spilling it. As Akira cracked open his own can, he received a message from Ann.

[Thanks for everything today. You saved me, and I didn't even thank you properly.]

[You saved yourself, Ann.]

[Maybe. But without you, who knows what could have happened…Anyway, I wanted to let you know at least. See you tomorrow, Akira.]

[See you, Ann.]

"You guys send messages to each other with that thing, right? I want in too, so I'm gonna have to ask you to type for me."

"…House rules."

"Right…When it has to do with the group."

One of the rules Akira had established was that Morgana was under no circumstances allowed to rummage through his belongings. Let alone the wiretapping, now the cat was completely intruding on his privacy. Only his connection with Kippōshi was private. He needed to establish some kind of order, and soon. Not being able to relax was taking a gradual toll on his body and mind.

{I feel so trapped.}

{Then, let's break some of these chains.}

{Agreed. Tomorrow, I'll deal with whoever bugged the café. I'll have to ask you to keep an eye on Morgana, especially when I'm sleeping or distracted.}

{Consider it done.}

"Time for bed, Morgana."

"Alright…It is pretty late. Where will I sleep?"

"Right there in the cat bed."

"I'm not a cat! This thing can't be—"

As Morgana took a few steps on the newly bought bed, he began pawing at the material, and it took only a few moments before he was curled up and snoring. Given that Akira had bought it from a high-end pet store, it was bound to appease the most precocious of felines, Morgana included.

While wishing not to be summoned to his other jail cell, Akira finally dozed off.