Fandom Persona 5: The Meta War CLOSED

[accursedjobber]

Ann was looking for anyone who could help the thieves out and hopefully Shiro could find someone too. She walked around the building holding Morgana who was approved by Sougo to the school's pet. Those pigtails were not doing a favor for her as the blonde hair was visible to anyone watching. She checked her phone for any messages from Shiro, nothing yet. But she assumed that they should meet up soon to finish off the cult for good.

She soon noticed a guy who seemed to be nested at the entrance spying on students it seemed. Why? Ann decided to humor herself and began to walk towards the guy as if she knew what he was doing. "Hey, are you ok?" Ann asked and raised a brow at him, "are you waiting for something?"

The blonde airhead couldn't tell that he had a taser on his person and if she did then she would probably not be fazed like she once would be. All the shit she seen made her almost not scared of anything these days.

He shot out of his sedated stakeout upon hearing a person's voice entering his ear's darting his eyes away from the crowds and retreating backwards into the wall to edge away from the disturbance then turned to see the blonde girl who spoke to him, gears turning in his head to decide between lying or speaking the truth remembering the quizzical looks that people usually heard it being a clear reminder of that idea not being a useful route for information before settling on. " I'm currently conducting a observation of the student population, so yes I am okay " spoken quickly and stiffly while curving around the questions as he returned his eyes momentarily ahead. The afore mentioned observation yielded no results indicating that clearly a new strategy needed to be employed rather than the identification of only the usual sullen faces of students leading Isao to be pulling metaphorically black hairs from his head if they weren't nestled inside his pockets before his pupil's diluted and his hand's gripped the pen and notepad.

Pulling them out of his pocket and opening to a page, Isao quickly wrote down Interview /1 at the top. Than quickly turned to face the assumed blond girl once again to employ this new plan of action starting with rapidly asking " Have you or your friends seen anything that could be only be described as unnatural or cryptic in nature?" making a new spaced line as he rapidly fired off questions" What is your born name? how many calories do you consume on a daily basis? what is your answer to the trolley problem? Are there patches of time missing in your head? Favorite food?" asking them in a neutral and serious manner even as his pen danced across the paper forming a list by the end of the questions.

This short respite from classes needed to be used to the maximum and if that meant frontloading a array of questions then so be it if it leads to a more filled up suspect list while retaining a side eye of the student body this would be a effective usage of his time as his pen hovered over the notepad to write down the received answers of any kind in the new written list of questions presented inside in the hopes of progressing the investigation before he had to move on with his day.

 

[That Weird girl]

Spoiler: Unravelling the Green Thread

After finally having some free time, Sougo had decided to look through some of the weekly reports of current events for anything worth investigating. The school was a good source for leads for his metaverse exploration as well as info for his info broker side hustle. While the Kajiki bust was good, it didn't lead to anything too significant.

While scrolling through the reports, an odd case file caught his eye. A rich student by the name of Jun Shibaura, recently stopped coming to school to join some sort of rehabilitation course. Rehabilitation was usually done for severe cases and yet the student in question has had a clean record up until recently.

And so, Sougo decided to turn to the metaverse to find some answers. A few names popped up during his investigation, including the “Ogawa foundation.”. The shadows of the people there had a lot of mix opinions about the place, but nothing too incriminating at least not yet. According to the reports, a used needle was found in his bag. A useful tidbit of information.

He did more digging and found out these people didn't have the qualifications needed to run such a thing. The potential for blackmail was ripe. Now all he needed to do was find a way in. He’d usually deliver an anonymous calling card but that was too impersonal. And then, with a little more prodding, he found out the daughter was at Shujin. It was all coming together.

Shortly before the school day ended, Masami was asked to come to the student council room for a short “discussion”. And so, Sougo waited for the girl to come, mildly interested to see how things will unfold.

In the meantime, Masami’s conscience was eating at her from the inside. Jun was a relatively popular kid with the clubs he loved being involved in. Altogether, he is a generally likeable person, which made things even worse when over the course of the next few days she heard rumours start to spread about his disappearance. Some said he got arrested for assaulting an officer, others said that he ran away to be with a woman who was much older than him. None of them knew what really happened. Only she knew at the school. At least, that’s what she thought.

The more the voices of moral standards in her head kept on nagging, the more paranoid she became. Which made her call in to the student council room all the more nerve-wracking. She gingerly placed a hand on the door knob and took a deep breath before opening the door. Upon walking in and closing the door behind her, she saw vice president Sougo sitting at the table waiting. She had been in enough interrogations by the authorities to know how best to act and what to deny when it came to being in a tough spot. She did not move from her place at the entrance of the room hoping that this meeting would be a quick encounter where he only wanted to ask one, maybe two questions. She spoke up in a casual, almost defiant tone, “You wanted to see me Agata-san?”

“Ah Ogawa-san. Nice of you to drop by. Place take a seat” He greeted her with his usual smile while putting away a few files and pulling out some. “I just wanted to check on you about Jun Shibaura. I believe your parents are currently conducting some sort of rehabilitation course due to some sort of an incident…” Sougo paused for a moment before taking out some pictures from a file. “I believe he was accused of drug-abuse….but as you can see here…” He pointed towards the pictures taken of him while playing basketball. “He doesn’t have any needle marks on his arms, a common trait for drug abusers…so more than likely…I think he was falsely accused…or perhaps more likely..framed…” He narrowed his eyes narrowed for a moment. As if he was trying to hint something. This would be a scary situation for her, considering most of this information was not publicly available.

She took a seat first like he had offered to seem as though she was keeping cool though she was still wary of the whole situation she had been put in. As the words he was saying sunk in, she realised her worst fear was answered with this meeting being exactly what she thought it would be. With Sougo Agata no less. She didn’t know a lot about him, but she knew enough to know that he was clever enough to be feared. With him knowing that Jun was in rehab meant that he probably called his parents asking about his whereabouts and from there, he has most likely been looking into things regarding her and her family.

As a common occurrence for many of the cons her parents manage to rope her into, she wanted so badly to come clean; But she knew all too well the dangers of what would happen if she were ever to. Instead, she did what she has always done, lie through her teeth. She furrowed her brows as she looked down at the pictures he set before her and then said, “Yes, my parents have been helping him through this trying time. Your theory is very surprising to me, because I’m not sure who would ever want to frame Shibaura-san. Though I’d like to help however I can due to my parent’s involvement. They just want what’s best for him.”

"Who indeed, Ogawa-San.. "His tone changed dramatically to a much more sly demeanor. Taking another file, he pulled out the profiles of her parents. "As a member of the student council, I am always concerned about the well-being of my fellow students. So I always want them to get the best help possible. I did bit of research on your parents' services.. They've got quite an impressive catalog…though they seem to be lacking in their…credentials." Sougo was essentially accusing her parents of being not qualified for these types of jobs. "Anything you would like to add to ease my worries, Ogawa-san?"

Masami gritted her teeth momentarily and resolved into thinking that all that mattered now was to try and save herself. “I’m sorry but I don’t have anything to add. I had no idea that they don’t have the right credentials to conduct such a business… But I absolutely understand if you want to report them. What they are doing is unlawful and I would hate for them to cause more trouble to Shibaura-san and his parents,” she said, evenly holding her gaze. “At the very least, he shouldn’t have any proof of my planting the needle. So long as that is true, then I shouldn’t have anything to worry about on my end… At least for now. Who knows what the authorities might find out once they look into my parents if they really do get reported,” she thought, swearing she felt a bead of sweat down the back of her neck.

"I see….so you knew about all that…” Sougo spoke, stroking his chin in amusement.

“I can assure you, I didn’t. My parents’ business is their own. They don’t talk about their business to me very much,” she said, trying to choose her words carefully.

“Of course.” He replied rather sarcastically before continuing. “I would believe you, if I didn’t know who planted that dirty needle….” Her own shadow in the metaverse had confirmed this as a fact. Of course he had no way of proving it in the normal world, but she didn't need to know that. “The way I see it, you’re likely an accomplice to all this. Aren’t you?” his finger tapped lightly onto the table, waiting for whatever pitiful answer she was willing to give.

The innocent student facade faded away leaving her true snarky composure. In her experience, she knew how to lie, but she also knew when to call it quits. If he ended up reporting them, they would most likely believe him due to his clean reputation. She gave him a look of contempt as she said, “And if I was? What would you do?”

“Probably report you to the relevant authorities and be done with all this. Cases like these are way above my non-existent paygrade. That being said… I don’t believe you’re that bad of a person. And…if you play your cards right, you might even come out of this unscathed…” He was implying there was a deal to be made here.

Masami took a beat to think on what to do. She knew she was at the end of her rope here and if Souga was giving her a break by doing some task then she should take it. In the end, she could care less what happens to her parents. Just as long as she would be okay at the end of this. She finally spoke, saying determinedly with her arms crossed leaning back in the chair, “What do you need me to do?”

"That depends..Ogawa-san. What are you willing to do? What skills do you have?" Sougo took a deep breath, before speaking again. "I want you to convince me that you are more beneficial to me as an ally. Rather than an accomplice of your parents." In many ways, Sougo was somewhat sympathetic towards her plight. Given the right circumstances, it's hard to he wouldn't do the same as her. "I don't like seeing the potential of my fellow students wasted. Granted if they have potential in first place. So please tell me…what is yours?" The mood of the room suddenly shifted. It was almost as if she was in a job interview.

She scoffed, “Tch, since you’ve looked into me, you should already know what my skills are. I have contacts in Shinjuku that have in the past given my family good info on who would be good targets for their… endeavours. Shinjuku isn’t the only place I have contacts with. Aside from that, I’m sure you’ve seen my scores here at Shujin. I’m not your ordinary con artist slash thief. I know how to handle myself.” She then unfurled her arms to lean forward,“So I could be your ears in the places you’d rather not be seen at. Heck I could also plant and steal stuff for you as well. As you already know, I’m good at that.” As much as she hated being at the mercy of someone, she hated the thought of being behind bars even more.

“Hmmm I see…” Sougo gave her a small smile, seemingly satisfied with her little explanation and showcase of her own skills. “Surprised you didn't add having a pretty face to the list…but I digress.” Sougo chuckled a bit, returning to his signature easy-going tone. “Alright, the job is yours then. You will be my personal informant. Your job is as you say, to go places I’d rather not go myself, and do a bit of a recon. I’d avoid using you as a thief or planter. Stuff like that tends to come back to bite people back when they get found out.” He explained rather nonchalantly. Almost if he himself had experience with such things. “That being said, I would still likely need to report you parents for their fraudulent practices.Though I would do it in a way that would preserve your own reputation.” He explained as he started collecting the evidence files. “Make no mistake, Ogawa-san. You’re not off the hook just yet. Jun is likely not your first “victim”. But the least you could do for him, and everyone else you wronged is put your talents to better use. Any objections?” He just laid out the terms of their agreement. Sougo was reasonable, but he wasn’t about to let this girl off so easily. But only time will tell if this decision will pay off.

Masami felt her face heat up slightly at the pretty face bit, but that quickly subsided given the circumstances. Inwardly, Masami was ecstatic. She had wanted to pay for everything she had done for a while now, and she thought she would never be able to do so. To her, this was her chance. Not only that, but her parents were reaping what they had sewed as well. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold as far as if she was going to be brought down with them, but in the moment she was relieved. She dared not tell Sougo though how she really felt about how this was all panning out; she had an image to uphold. She shrugged and said in response with a sigh, “Seems fair to me.”

“Good…here’s your first assignment. Get me some dirt on Kamoshida.” Sougo immediately continued, almost as if this was his plan all along. “I am sure you've heard all the rumours about him and how treats the sports students. And yet strangely enough everyone is too afraid to speak up. As it stands, without any witness who is willing to testify his behaviour, whatever evidence I have would be circumstantial and ineffective. So I need you to join the volleyball club. Do what you need to gain his approval and trust…but know your limits…” He would hope any self-respecting woman would know what he was referring to. “The last thing I want is for another student to be added onto his list of victims. That being, I’d prefer our little arrangement and mission here remain a secret. Do we have an understanding? Ogawa-san?” He asked her with a stare that could pierce the thickest skin. He seemed different from before. It was almost as if this was personal to him.

She didn’t allow herself to think before giving him an answer to this request because she knew she didn’t really have a choice in the matter; that and his gaze gave her a chill that ran to her core. “I understand, of course it’ll stay a secret. I’ll get you the proof you need,” she mumbled the last part as she thought over all the said rumours that had been going around. She wasn’t too pleased about needing to join the Volleyball team. It wasn’t because of the physical work it would take because she was actually fit, but with those… short shorts. It was all a bit much for her. Not to mention what Sougo meant by doing what she could to gain his approval, she was worried about that as well. “Anything else I need to know, boss before heading into the lion’s den?” She asked sarcastically as she stood up hearing the chair scrape against the floor as she did so.

“I am not your boss. We are partners in this. And should you find yourself in trouble, I will more than likely bail you out, if it isn't something too unreasonable that is…” He seemed nice enough to give a hand should she need it, within reason of course. “Avoid doing anything unnecessary. Keep your head low. He can and will get under your skin with his behaviour. Just make sure he doesnt get into your head. I don’t want an informant that can barely get through her first mission.” And with that got up and backed his bags while taking out his phone. “We might as well exchange contacts. Is there anything else you would like to know?” Sougo was a reasonable businessman at heart. And he wouldn’t ask people to do something he wouldn’t do.

Masami was surprised with his poignant correction on him not being her boss and as he continued on she thought, “Tch, he talks like I’m an amateur when it comes to dangerous tasks.” To make sure she didn’t say anything rude she closed things out by taking out her phone as she said, “No, if I think of any questions I’ll just text you. I’ll keep things discreet when messaging.” She knew that you can never be too careful, even when it comes to your own phone. There are people out there who digest other people’s personal business in order to exploit them… people like her.

She gave him her number before swinging her own bag over her shoulder. “Whenever I get an update on this mission I’ll let you know.”

“Excellent…”Right after exchanging contacts with her, Sougo walked past her and placed his hand on her shoulder. He leaned in close to her and whispered something. “I’ll be counting on you, Ogawa-san.” He finished that line with his signature sly smile. What was the purpose of this? No one will likely know, as Sougo works in mysterious ways.

She nodded uncomfortably fighting the urge to slap his hand away and then walked away. Before opening the door, she looked back over her shoulder to glare at him and his damn grin he still wore on his face. Even though he assured her that this was a partnership, she still couldn't help but feel that he had a firm hold on her fate.

After school had ended, Sougo went over to the trophy case to check on "Kasumi". They live close by each other, so he always made it a habit to walk home with her after school. Seeing being forced to listen to Kamoshida's beck and call was enraging, to say the least, but Sougo had already put in place a plan to put him in his place. Sougo swung by the trophy room and he wasn't so surprised to her still cleaning the place. "You know you can't keep letting him do this to you." The spoke to her while leaning against the wall behind her. He knew just about everything Kamoshida does to his students, all he needs is someone to speak up.

"I don't care how many medals he got for the school. The students here deserve a better teacher. You deserve a better teacher." He continued speaking, his voice just barely hiding a tranquil fury. He could just go into the metaverse and tear this bastard a new one, but that wouldn't solve anything and would likely cause even more trouble. "Come on then....let's just go home.." He suggested to her to just leave the trophies and go home. He shouldn't have any power over her or anyone for that matter.

That Weird girl

Kasumi stopped cleaning for a moment and turned to Sougo with a defeated expression on her face not having enough energy to fight back and he knew it. She was also scared about standing up to Kamoshida but she knew he was right about that but she just couldn't right now. two philosophies were bouncing around her head right now and she did not which one to chose. She could follow Kasumi and stand up for herself or she could just go with the fake world Maruki had constructed for her which was more desirable since she could deal with her depression better while Kasumi.

"I know but he could get Maruki fired," Kasumi said and sighed, "or even make sure I don't ever compete again...I just- I am scared Sougo." Kasumi admitted and nodded when hje suggested going home and put the trophy back in the case. She looked at her reflection that was reflecting off the trophy case and sighed, "I hate Kamoshida...he hurts so many students and he also blackmails them so they can't fight back."

Kasumi looked at him, "Please Sougo don't do anything to him I don't want to see you get hurt." She knew that was not going to happen but she could try and save him from getting hurt or blackmailed. She walked with him and shifted her bag on her shoulder.

 

[That Weird girl]

He shot out of his sedated stakeout upon hearing a person's voice entering his ear's darting his eyes away from the crowds and retreating backwards into the wall to edge away from the disturbance then turned to see the blonde girl who spoke to him, gears turning in his head to decide between lying or speaking the truth remembering the quizzical looks that people usually heard it being a clear reminder of that idea not being a useful route for information before settling on. " I'm currently conducting a observation of the student population, so yes I am okay " spoken quickly and stiffly while curving around the questions as he returned his eyes momentarily ahead. The afore mentioned observation yielded no results indicating that clearly a new strategy needed to be employed rather than the identification of only the usual sullen faces of students leading Isao to be pulling metaphorically black hairs from his head if they weren't nestled inside his pockets before his pupil's diluted and his hand's gripped the pen and notepad.

Pulling them out of his pocket and opening to a page, Isao quickly wrote down Interview /1 at the top. Than quickly turned to face the assumed blond girl once again to employ this new plan of action starting with rapidly asking " Have you or your friends seen anything that could be only be described as unnatural or cryptic in nature?" making a new spaced line as he rapidly fired off questions" What is your born name? how many calories do you consume on a daily basis? what is your answer to the trolley problem? Are there patches of time missing in your head? Favorite food?" asking them in a neutral and serious manner even as his pen danced across the paper forming a list by the end of the questions.

This short respite from classes needed to be used to the maximum and if that meant frontloading a array of questions then so be it if it leads to a more filled up suspect list while retaining a side eye of the student body this would be a effective usage of his time as his pen hovered over the notepad to write down the received answers of any kind in the new written list of questions presented inside in the hopes of progressing the investigation before he had to move on with his day.

"You're joking right?" Ann asked with a snort but then realized the guy was serious and then stopped snorting. She sighed wanting to walk away but Morgana clawed on her arm to stay since this guy could be useful. "Ow," Ann muttered to the cat, "fine I will answer his questions Mona gosh." Morgana looked at Isao getting a kick out of his mannerisms for sure and he was sure the thieves could use someone like that.

"Alright, my birth name is Ann," she explained, "I haven't seen anything cryptic either and why do you need to know that?!," Ann crossed her arms pretty annoyed about these questions, "Who are you anyway Agata jr?" Ann wasn't used to anyone trying to obtain information except Sougo who seemed to be busy with his own issues which was odd since she would have seen him around. She wondered what class he had.

A Order of Metatron undercover agent entered the school looking like a student or so he tried to. The agent was trying to spread Suzuki's propaganda all over the school to gain new and younger followers. The blonde looked at the guy and figured out he was a agent since he was wearing a Order of Metatron badge which could be a dead giveaway.

"Don't talk to that guy or any people wearing that badge," Ann explained to him and started to walk off and took her phone to text Shiro about it. She passed by Imato on the way to the exit and seemed like she was in a hurry.

Anthem Nellancholy accursedjobber

 

[Anthem]

Imato had been packing his things as he noticed the blonde girl rush past, she was obviously dealing with something urgent and most likely not alone since she had her phone out. He immediately assumed that it must have been some sort of gang activity or something similar to that so he had ignored it to begin with. Before he finished packing his items, something called out to him deep within his mind... It told, almost screamed at him to follow or he'll regret what would come later. Imato his imagination was playing tricks on him, he attempted to ignore but all he heard was:

'Follow... Don't be a bystander in the shadows... Follow her!!' The teen suddenly grabbed a jacket from his backpack and put the garment on along with the hood so he could hopefully stay somewhat inconspicuous. He grabbed his bag, throwing it on his back before rushing to follow the blonde but making sure to keep his distance so he wouldn't be spotted. Imato kept his phone in hand just in case his plan to follow turned bad, he didn't want to be completely out of options if caught. He had written down one simple note to himself down on his notes app before following the girl:

'Don't be a bystander.'​

 

[Nellancholy]

"It is not your devious work that surprises me on this day, Ogawa." Shiro leaned back on the wall, doing her best to look nonchalant. Even so, the distress on Masami's face was quite evident. It was a look of someone despairing, abandoned, under someone else's control. The kind of person that often ended up joining her ranks. "It is your weeping." There was a certain air around Masami that felt quite different today, and Shiro's voice shifted ever so slightly, offering her a hand. One that could not be taken without condition, but...one that was there, nonetheless. "Has regret finally caught up to you?"

She paused.

"Had you intended to persist in the ways of...those who give you orders, I would not stand in your way. But if ever you decide to turn from their path...I can offer you refuge." Or perhaps even this was some kind of act. How many times must Masami have played the role of a poor, weeping child in some kind of peril? More the better to win someone's sympathy before fleecing them blind.

Before she could continue, a beep came from her phone. That seemed to happen a fair bit more often, lately.

It was Ann, who seemed awfully concerned about the increased presence of the Order of Metatron as well. Thankfully, Shiro already had something resembling a plan to deal with it.

"Ha. I suppose the path to the new you begins here, Ogawa."

Looking down at the tearful girl, Shiro reached out her hand.

"How often do you go up to Ginza?"

Maeve Valor

 

[Maeve Valor]

This was not the same Shiro that Masami had envisioned if they ever had a full on discussion. She always pictured Shiro to be ruthless and only cared about herself and her gang. Although this Shiro seemed to show a softness along with a sharpness in her words; which she didn't know how that was possible but Shiro seemed to pull it off quite well. Was this some sort of camaraderie amongst thugs as a show of good faith? Did she have ulterior motive to trying to get on her good side?

When she asked if regret had finally caught up to her, Masami looked away not saying anything or even acknowledging her slightly reached out hand and feeling the corners of her eyes begin to sting again threatening to shed more tears, though Masami refused to let more show. Just in the way she had looked away anyone would be able to tell that the answer to that question was a yes.

Masami couldn't help but think that with this talk of 'beginning a new path' Shiro was starting to sound like one of those cultists that have been hanging around everywhere. Yet she couldn't help but let her words linger in her head and really draw her in. It was then that she heard her phone alert Shiro of a message which she quickly dismissed after taking a look at it and then Shiro spoke as if Masami already said yes to her offer by saying, "Ha. I suppose the path to the new you begins here, Ogawa." Next, she reached her hand out again seeming to be more confident in her action this time and asked her, "How often do you go up to Ginza?"

Masami tilted her head in confusion at the sudden question saying warily, "I end up going there at least once a week for one reason or other." She then made a final decision on her interesting proposition and took her hand while standing up. "If you are serious about being able to set me on some sort of path to redemption... I will hold you to that offer. But I swear to God if this is some sort of trap, or something fishy, I will pile so much dirt on you, people will think you're a construction site. Now what business do you have in Ginza?" She said hoping that the threat had ruined that tender moment.

Nellancholy

 

[TreasureSniper]

Kasumi stopped cleaning for a moment and turned to Sougo with a defeated expression on her face not having enough energy to fight back and he knew it. She was also scared about standing up to Kamoshida but she knew he was right about that but she just couldn't right now. two philosophies were bouncing around her head right now and she did not which one to chose. She could follow Kasumi and stand up for herself or she could just go with the fake world Maruki had constructed for her which was more desirable since she could deal with her depression better while Kasumi.

"I know but he could get Maruki fired," Kasumi said and sighed, "or even make sure I don't ever compete again...I just- I am scared Sougo." Kasumi admitted and nodded when hje suggested going home and put the trophy back in the case. She looked at her reflection that was reflecting off the trophy case and sighed, "I hate Kamoshida...he hurts so many students and he also blackmails them so they can't fight back."

Kasumi looked at him, "Please Sougo don't do anything to him I don't want to see you get hurt." She knew that was not going to happen but she could try and save him from getting hurt or blackmailed. She walked with him and shifted her bag on her shoulder.

The young man stayed silent for the most part. It wasn't until she spoke up about him getting hurt that he spoke again. "You don't have to worry about me, Sumi-" He briefly cut himself off, remembering that this version of her didn't like being called that. "-yoshizawa-san. I have a feeling things are gonna get a lot better for you and for the school.." and there it was again that sly smile. He wasn't really worried about what would happen to him, as far as he was concerned he was invincible. "Anyways...I've checked your grades recently. You slipped from no.6 to no. 9. Its nothing to worry about for now, just keep that in mind universities tend to like students who can multitask well.." He knew she had unparalleled talent in gymnastics, but that wasn't an excuse to let her grade slip. But he knew that wasn't the only reason she was slipping.

"I'd be more than happy to go through your course material with you." He often did the same for the other first-years...for a price of course, but of course he wouldn't charge. There was a certain warmness in his tone, he used to be a lot nicer to her, but these days he just seemed a bit more cold and distant ever since the accident. Sougo was never the same after that. Most people just assume its because his "crush" died, but its a lot more complicated than that....

 

[Nellancholy]

"A threat?" Shiro sneered. "If that is your wish, you'll have to try harder than Sougo to besmirch me. As for our aim today...you shall lead me into a nest of your ilk, and I shall strike at its heart."

---

The train ride to Ginza was an uneventful one, with Shiro spending most of the time on her phone muttering orders to someone. The infiltration of the Thieves today was almost a military operation, coordinated by Shiro who was...well, very far from being an expert. Ginza was a noticeably more upscale section of Tokyo, and the inhabitants of any age and shape certainly seemed more well-to-do, the very sight of those who lived and worked there setting them apart from visitors and shoppers who came from elsewhere. Masami might not seem all that conspicuous, likely still in her uniform, but Shiro stuck out with her scruffy hair and faded jacket.

Either way, no one bothered them as Shiro led Masami into a side street by a convenience store, where a few other members of her gang were waiting. A single pair of cracked binoculars passed between them as they scanned each building in the area from their rather poor vantage point.

"Banchou! Afternoon!" One of the girls with her long bangs pinned up to expose her forehead straightened up, giving the closest thing to a salute that Shiro generally received. "Good to see ya! We've narrowed down our list of targets!" She held out the binoculars, allowing Shiro to look through one of the lenses. The view through them indicated a tall, gleaming office building with a tinted glass facade. Members of the Order filed in and out almost constantly wearing the distinct pendant, but always only one at a time.

"Excellent work, Gomi-san." Shiro nodded, a smile indicating her approval. "I'll be moving in. The rest of you, hold this position."

"Who's the new kid, though?" Another one of the girls tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at Masami.

"Oh, her?" Shiro chuckled. "She shan't be joining us...just yet, Kazuki." Shiro's face was quite impassive as she rested her hand on Masami's back. "I've simply invited her today to be our vanguard on this operation."

Her voice lowered ever so slightly as she turned to face Masami head on. "I'd like you to pretend you want to join the Order. Find out what they do to the new members. Worry not, I'm not one to send someone into the jaws of something I wouldn't face myself. If you're not up to it, I shan't keep you, but..." Her jaw set.

---

Should Masami agree to infiltrate the Order, she would find that the contributions of the Order's dupes towards Matriarch Suzuki enabled her to acquire an entire floor of the large office building to serve as headquarters.

The entryway is expansive, the cold wind of an air-conditioning system blowing through it. But not quite as well lit as it should be. Unnecessary pillars carved in an ambiguously Oriental style punctuate the space within the room, and on the far end sits a rotund, middle-aged woman serving as today's receptionist. Above her desk, an immense portrait of a tall, metallic angel hangs, ostensibly the "Metatron" the Order claims to follow.

In the meantime, Shiro waited for the right time to act, sending a text to Ann in turn.

"We move on the Matriarch today, to seek out her Treasure. Can I count on you and the fleabitten beast for aid? Even if not, I am certain to find what we need."​

Maeve Valor That Weird girl

 

[That Weird girl]

The young man stayed silent for the most part. It wasn't until she spoke up about him getting hurt that he spoke again. "You don't have to worry about me, Sumi-" He briefly cut himself off, remembering that this version of her didn't like being called that. "-yoshizawa-san. I have a feeling things are gonna get a lot better for you and for the school.." and there it was again that sly smile. He wasn't really worried about what would happen to him, as far as he was concerned he was invincible. "Anyways...I've checked your grades recently. You slipped from no.6 to no. 9. Its nothing to worry about for now, just keep that in mind universities tend to like students who can multitask well.." He knew she had unparalleled talent in gymnastics, but that wasn't an excuse to let her grade slip. But he knew that wasn't the only reason she was slipping.

"I'd be more than happy to go through your course material with you." He often did the same for the other first-years...for a price of course, but of course he wouldn't charge. There was a certain warmness in his tone, he used to be a lot nicer to her, but these days he just seemed a bit more cold and distant ever since the accident. Sougo was never the same after that. Most people just assume its because his "crush" died, but its a lot more complicated than that....

"I hope you're right about that," Kasumi said and sighed and looked at him almost calling her Sumire and for a second she froze. But he stopped himself before he could and she was grateful for that. There was no secret that Sougo treated her different since the incident and he changed although he was still nice to her. He acted more different nowadays and Kasumi knew that he had a price for helping first years or a favor and she did not mind paying him if he asked since she did understand how he was kinda.

"Better?" Kasumi asked, "well I am not sure about that but if Kamoshida gets fired then I would be a lot more happy..." Kasumi's mind went to the phantom thieves even though she thought the way they did things wrong. "Do you think the phantom thieves exist Agata-san?" She asked him and was clearly pondering whether she should seek them out for help against Kamoshida since she did understand that the group stole hearts or something like that.

Kasumi then switched gears to him helping her with her course material. "That would be very kind of you." She smiled brightly at him happy that he would offer to help her with her schoolwork to get back on track. She just hoped he wouldn't go for Kamoshida head on since he was more powerful than Sougo expected and he would have hired one of his ex partners to protect him.

 

[That Weird girl]

"A threat?" Shiro sneered. "If that is your wish, you'll have to try harder than Sougo to besmirch me. As for our aim today...you shall lead me into a nest of your ilk, and I shall strike at its heart."

---

The train ride to Ginza was an uneventful one, with Shiro spending most of the time on her phone muttering orders to someone. The infiltration of the Thieves today was almost a military operation, coordinated by Shiro who was...well, very far from being an expert. Ginza was a noticeably more upscale section of Tokyo, and the inhabitants of any age and shape certainly seemed more well-to-do, the very sight of those who lived and worked there setting them apart from visitors and shoppers who came from elsewhere. Masami might not seem all that conspicuous, likely still in her uniform, but Shiro stuck out with her scruffy hair and faded jacket.

Either way, no one bothered them as Shiro led Masami into a side street by a convenience store, where a few other members of her gang were waiting. A single pair of cracked binoculars passed between them as they scanned each building in the area from their rather poor vantage point.

"Banchou! Afternoon!" One of the girls with her long bangs pinned up to expose her forehead straightened up, giving the closest thing to a salute that Shiro generally received. "Good to see ya! We've narrowed down our list of targets!" She held out the binoculars, allowing Shiro to look through one of the lenses. The view through them indicated a tall, gleaming office building with a tinted glass facade. Members of the Order filed in and out almost constantly wearing the distinct pendant, but always only one at a time.

"Excellent work, Gomi-san." Shiro nodded, a smile indicating her approval. "I'll be moving in. The rest of you, hold this position."

"Who's the new kid, though?" Another one of the girls tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at Masami.

"Oh, her?" Shiro chuckled. "She shan't be joining us...just yet, Kazuki." Shiro's face was quite impassive as she rested her hand on Masami's back. "I've simply invited her today to be our vanguard on this operation."

Her voice lowered ever so slightly as she turned to face Masami head on. "I'd like you to pretend you want to join the Order. Find out what they do to the new members. Worry not, I'm not one to send someone into the jaws of something I wouldn't face myself. If you're not up to it, I shan't keep you, but..." Her jaw set.

---

Should Masami agree to infiltrate the Order, she would find that the contributions of the Order's dupes towards Matriarch Suzuki enabled her to acquire an entire floor of the large office building to serve as headquarters.

The entryway is expansive, the cold wind of an air-conditioning system blowing through it. But not quite as well lit as it should be. Unnecessary pillars carved in an ambiguously Oriental style punctuate the space within the room, and on the far end sits a rotund, middle-aged woman serving as today's receptionist. Above her desk, an immense portrait of a tall, metallic angel hangs, ostensibly the "Metatron" the Order claims to follow.

In the meantime, Shiro waited for the right time to act, sending a text to Ann in turn.

"We move on the Matriarch today, to seek out her Treasure. Can I count on you and the fleabitten beast for aid? Even if not, I am certain to find what we need."​

Maeve Valor That Weird girl

"You know we have your back Shiro," Ann texted back to Shiro, "Just tell me when you need us to go into Ginza..." Ann was going to lend as much aid as she could and she was also going to enjoy stopping evil like Suzuki from spreading her cult. Morgana seemed to be on board with the plan as long as he got treasure and even though the cat was with odds wth Shiro almost all the time he still considered her a teammate. Maybe a friend would be saying too much since Morgana was really mean to a lot of people and a cocky bastard at times but he could feel himself soften up a little bit towards the girls. He hated being known as a cat or a beast since he thought he was human before.

"Suzuki won't know what hit her," Morgana said cockily, "the phantom thieves will strike again! If we see any of meta jerks then this time we will defeat them." Ann nodded and waited for signal to act and leaned against a wall trying to act normal and not out of place.

"Is that Takaimaki-san?" One brown haired student whispered to his friend while looking at the Blonde, "she really must have hit rock bottom when Kajiki was expelled...wonder what happened to him." Of course Ann knew what had happened but she did not tell anyone about her true self and about her actually trying to change from a selfish girl who only cared about herself but that didn't mean she could not look good while doing it. Ann still was going to be sexy but deadly like Carmen. The Femme fatal persona was inside Ann waiting for the chance to show everyone she is not just eye candy.

Zorro was inside of Morgana being all cocky and ready to kill some shadows. The famous outlaw was a gentleman but he still was an outlaw and thought of himself as invincible and his arrogance shone through.

Nellancholy

 

[TreasureSniper]

"I hope you're right about that," Kasumi said and sighed and looked at him almost calling her Sumire and for a second she froze. But he stopped himself before he could and she was grateful for that. There was no secret that Sougo treated her different since the incident and he changed although he was still nice to her. He acted more different nowadays and Kasumi knew that he had a price for helping first years or a favor and she did not mind paying him if he asked since she did understand how he was kinda.

"Better?" Kasumi asked, "well I am not sure about that but if Kamoshida gets fired then I would be a lot more happy..." Kasumi's mind went to the phantom thieves even though she thought the way they did things wrong. "Do you think the phantom thieves exist Agata-san?" She asked him and was clearly pondering whether she should seek them out for help against Kamoshida since she did understand that the group stole hearts or something like that.

Kasumi then switched gears to him helping her with her course material. "That would be very kind of you." She smiled brightly at him happy that he would offer to help her with her schoolwork to get back on track. She just hoped he wouldn't go for Kamoshida head on since he was more powerful than Sougo expected and he would have hired one of his ex partners to protect him.

"The phantom thieves huh...." He wondered for a bit, perhaps he didn't need to dirty his own hands after all. But he needed to be careful not to overplay his hand. A proper push was all they needed, a nudge in the right direction and a tug of the strings. Sougo couldn't help but smile, knowing he had a golden opportunity to settle this problem once and for all in the most satisfying fashion no less. "They are as real as they need to be." He gave her a rather vague and indirect answer, which is par course of the Sougo experience.

"You should be thankful! I normally charge for such services!" He joked, returning to his care-free disposition. For that short moment, the old friendly Sougo came back, it reminded him of simpler times. A time when he didn't need to be so worried about everything and everyone. A happier time. "Let's go on the weekend then. At the usual ramen place. But just so you know I am only paying for the first sets of ramen bowls alright?" He remember that she had an absurdly strong appetite. One day, when all this was over, maybe he could go back to those simpler times.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the metaverse, a small group of individuals gathered around a long table within a grand palace, each of varying sizes and appearance. Some of them resembled knights in shining armor, while others were more akin to barbarians and Vikings with animal motifs. There was much chitter-chatter between these people until a bird-like humanoid entered the room, instantly prompting everyone to silence themselves.


"My fellow MetaMercs...it is unfortunate that I am unable to join this congregation in person." The "bird" spoke with a voice that was not its own as if he was a messenger for something, or rather, someone. "Maestro...please proceed with the meeting..." The bird gestured towards the individual known only as "Maestro" to give the usual briefing.

Spoiler: Maestro

Without delay, Maestro went on the list the MetaMerc's most profitable activities conducted this month. He also went on the list of the biggest blunders of this month, which included Roadkill and Rex's recent performance. "So are we suppose to treat these..."Phantom Thieves" as actual threats?" Rex questioned the group, immediately prompting the laughter of just about everyone at the table. "With all due respect, it sounds like the only reason they even stood a chance was that you two got careless. Based on your reports, anyone of us could have taken them down, alone! AHAHAAH" The big burly male let out a hearty laugh, finding it absolutely hilarious that these two mercs were outplayed by greenhorns.

Spoiler: Big Burly

"Let's all make a bet shall we? Each of us contributes 10 million yen to the pot. Whoever crushes these "Phantom Thieves" first, wins the entire damn thing!" The burly man's proposal was met with a mixed response. Many stated that I wouldn't be much of a challenge if they did that now. "Alright, alright. Let's all be good sports. We give them... sometime.... maybe two months to become stronger.....and then....the hunt begins!" While much more of them were more fond of this proposal, there were still a few that abstained from such a decision, seemingly more interested in more fruitful activities. But regardless of what was said, one thing was clear. The days of the Phantom Thieves were numbered.

 

[That Weird girl]

There he went with his vague answers that she was all too familiar with. She couldn't help but feel like he knew more than he let on like always but Kasumi decided to drop the subject about the phantom thieves since she thought what they were doing was wrong. Stealing someone's heart to make them change is not justice is it? Kasumi wondered about that part and maybe the thieves was something she needed. They seemed to take care of Kajiki who was harassing the school and some gang and stood up to him and maybe they could do the same to Kamoshida.

"Yeah I am lucky," Kasumi chuckled at his joke sensing the old Sougo and wished that he could return to him again. Maybe some day after this mess he could be like the boy Sumire used to know across the street and always hung out with. But like everything things changed and people change...She wondered what was Sougo's endgame and why he acted the way he did. But Kasumi was not going to press her friend on that subject right now.

"Alright same place on the weekend," Kasumi repeated to herself and smiled at Sougo and nodded, "That is completely fair. I can handle the rest of the ramen bowls with my money." Kasumi did care about Sougo genuinely and wished the best for him unlike most people who might try to use him or backstab him. She would be by his side no matter what which could be seen as naive but Kasumi didn't care.

Kasumi did know about the student councils investigation on Kamoshida and thought maybe she should fess up. But it seemed she did not have enough courage to do so yet.

TreasureSniper

 

[Maeve Valor]

Masami felt like she should have been weirded out by how this whole event was unfolding, but she wasn't. The train ride was actually quite pleasant, even with all the dirty looks that Shiro got from other passengers. Here and there they would make small talk and it was altogether surprisingly casual to Masami. Things only got more interesting when they approached the side street where apparently some of Shiro's sisters were waiting. Upon seeing them, she began to stiffen up to be on the defensive thinking they might jump her, but that quickly went away once she realized the attention was being drawn to a tall building.

When Shiro answered one of their questions as to who Masami was, she didn't know how to take the 'just yet' part. It wasn't that she was entirely opposed to the idea, but she was just still skeptical about this whole affair. Not to mention that she has never really been part of a team of any sort, people usually couldn't tolerate her enough for her to make it that far in any sort of group.

It was after that thought that Shiro finally revealed why she was brought to this location. When Shiro's voice trailed off Masami cut in saying nonchalantly, "Yeah, sure, I'll do it." After a comedic long pause she continued on to say with a shrug, "I mean they're just a bunch of peaceful cultists that want to better their life right? It shouldn't be too dangerous for me. So yeah, if it means helping you make the place a better world or some shit, I'm in. Why not?"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once she was sent on her way she did start to think to herself that if the seemingly fearless Shiro didn't want to have anything to do with this place, then maybe it wasn't as harmless of an objective as she had originally thought. Regardless, she already agreed and she was not about to back down from a challenge. Before walking in, she looked at her own reflection on the side of the shiny building making sure she looked the part of a pitiful street urchin that was in dire need of moral guidance; which kind of did fit her to a tee at the moment. She then looked disgustingly at herself at the thought that she actually would be a great target for this cult, but that was neither here nor there. At the moment, she was treating this mission as a grifting job.

She walked in acting nervous and even embarrassed to be there, taking an especially long time observing the odd, huge portrait as she made her way to the front desk with the middle-aged woman, "H-hello miss... I heard that you guys can promise to get people through tough obstacles in life using... unconventional methods. Is this true...?" She said acting mentally pained and looked away seeming sheepish.

Nellancholy

 

[accursedjobber]

A smile slowly creeped itself onto Isao's as he entered the back tail of the crowd towards the rest of his dismal by comparison on the outside this approach didn't help a majority of the question's laid unanswered yet the true value were in the written transcripts of the conversation written down swiftly recording the details of the short conversation, the smirk now breaking out into a grin cracking his passive face as he read and relived Ann's response to the first question while reading behavior notices stored in the booklet the most curious being how ' Ann turned away, direction away from self, hair movement erratic indicated head movement, than turned back towards and engaged self ' a contrast to the expected reactions towards a stranger only reigniting suspicions .

Though the true value laid later parts of the archives , mixing in personal and minor questions was was a practice to provoke a reaction but even then the response to refuse to answer a majority of them was unexpected. Glancing at the 'guy' indicated before as well as his denoted badge even while he was rallied towards class taking a look of his target for later investigation, becoming the peak of his interest ignoring Ann's warning as Isao decided to pursue him later after classes are over, being overjoyed to finally be making some progress towards pursuing the cryptids though now it was mainly his curiosity instigating further information gathering even as he finished his walk to class noting that there were multiple badge wearing students inside the school, meaning that pursuit and question of one of them would have to come after the classes are completed.

The excitement was palpable as he prepared internally towards investigating them further planning ahead that after school to follow a badged student to discover what they do then question them further on the next morning, Finally a plan of action and actual lead as Isao disappeared under the all encapsulant nature of class jittery to put his plan into action.

 

[Nellancholy]

Kana was rather content with her new lease on life, having paid off her debt and gotten a job as the Order's receptionist. Most of her days were spent making sure the Order's office were used appropriately, keeping records of every member's contributions to help the accountants (none of whom she had ever met), and directing new recruits. To think that the Matriarch could extend her benevolence even to someone as pitiful and unreliable as her, with her gambling habit...it renewed her conviction in helping the Order spread their word, bringing those most in need into their fold. Of course, a fair few of their members were well-off to begin with. Investment bankers, TV actors, multi-level marketing types...it was equally good that such privileged people could have their hearts moved by Metatron's message of unity and order.

And speaking of which...here came one right now. A timid girl with dyed green hair...Kana couldn't help but wonder what need she found herself in. Drug addiction? Parents in debt? Or simply an...uncertain future? She put those thoughts out of her mind. Before Metatron, one's past and external circumstances didn't matter. What was important was within. Kana did her best rehearsed, calm smile as the girl greeted her. She wanted to seem welcoming, but not condescending or overbearing.

"You heard right, young lady. Overcoming 'obstacles' is just the beginning, but...it's a good beginning. You did the right thing coming here. Don't worry, you don't have to pay anything to join. Our door is open to all. In fact, we can have you examined right now." With that, Kana leaned over to the intercom on her desk. "Dr. Hiroshi? There's a new recruit who needs examining."

"Please, right that way." Kana gestured down one of the corridors past her desk. "Dr. Hiroshi simply needs to do a basic checkup on you to determine how the Order can help you best."

---

The supposed examination room was rather sterile and bright, just as a typical doctor's office was. Even so, it seemed a little more barren than the typical specimen. The only things hanging on the wall were Dr. Hiroshi's supposed Doctorate of Ethereal Sciences from the University of Enoshima, and a light box that looked like the kind optometrists might project their charts from. Dr. Hiroshi, a short, balding man, moved to shake Masami's hand as she entered. "Ah, a new recruit! So pleased to meet you. Please, sit!"

The only seat in the room other than his own happened to face the light box head on. And the "examination" was entirely non-physical, contrary to typical procedure. The first part consisted of boilerplate questions that seemed more the kind a government clerk or census taker might ask, rather than that of a doctor. Name, address, family background, academic performance, extracurriculars...

But for the second part...

Dr. Hiroshi stood up, producing what looked like a pair of virtual reality goggles from his desk. "Now, this won't hurt a bit, Ogawa-kun. Please, sit up straight, and I'll put this on you, and we can begin the spiritual screening."

The goggles didn't actually display anything. If anything, they served to make the wearer think they were being shown something other than the straightforward view before them. The fact that they were actually being transported into another space by the seeming power of Matriarch Suzuki. As the doctor spoke, strange waves of red and black seemed to creep into Masami's vision.

"Now, I'd like you to focus on...you, Ogawa-kun. Who you are, even beyond your friends, your family...the school you go to, the job you might want to do in the future...your deepest essence. It might be hard to think about at first, but if you can get even the slightest grasp on who you really are...you can start to understand who you can grow into beneath Metatron's watchful gaze. Your...true self. We call it a 'tulpa'." As Dr. Hiroshi's voice seemed to take on a deeper, almost hypnotic quality...the waves of red and black seemed to resolve into a shifting, unclear blob right before Masami's eyes. But within that forming tulpa, something else seemed to take root. A glimmering flicker of blue that called out to Masami amidst the confusing sight before her, beckoning her to grasp it. Dr. Hiroshi, on his part, didn't seem to notice at all.

Maeve Valor

 

[TreasureSniper]

Sougo waved at the red-haired girl as he finally dropped her off at her place. As she disappeared from sight, so too did Sougo's smile. Taking out his phone he immediately scrolls onto the all too familiar red-eyed app, he once again dived into the metaverse, his most preferred method of passing the time. If that girl knew what he was capable of, of the person he had become, would they still be friends? Would she still be able to give him a smile?

These questions don't need to be answered, at least not for now. Sougo had a job to do. Recently, he had been getting some disturbing reports about cult activities. With each passing day, their influence grows. Over the course of a few days, the lone metaverse diver had made waves, forcefully exiling these fanatics while steadily gaining more and more information about them. He had become infamous within the ranks of the zealots, having been given the title of the "clock-faced demon" which found rather amusing.

The clockfaced demon stood atop a pile of cultists, all of which have had their VR gear brutally broken apart. He held one of the still conscious cultist by the neck and taunted him in a condescending manner. "Send my regards to your great Matriarch. Tell her that the students of Shujin are under my protection." Before the cowering cultist could even formulate a response, Sougo had already smashed his headgear, leaving to dissolve and return to the real world. One way or another, he had to find a way to lure this figurehead before things get out of hand.
--------------------------------------------------
Few days later

By pulling a few strings, Sougo had managed to convince the school that they needed a full-time student councilor. And since a few of the students already had a pleasant experience with Maruki, it wasn't too difficult for them to decide who to recommend. The people of the student council were easy enough to convince, of course, the fact that Maruki was good at his job made it infinitely easier. Now all he had to do was gather some signatures and letters of approval. He already had the support of most of the teachers, like Kawakami and Chouno. He already had more than enough support....but Sougo being Sougo, he took the opportunity to rub some salt on his enemy's wounds.

Right after getting the other teacher's signatures, he had one more teacher. He wasn't really needed, but he liked being thorough. "Excuse me, Mr Kamoshida. I'd appreciate it if you could sign this letter of recommendation for Dr Maruki to be our student counselor. Students these days have it pretty tough, having better mental health awareness can improve their performance in both their studies and sports, wouldn't you agree?" Sougo was being unusually polite to this particular teacher. His snarky attitude was absent and yet the small smile he gave hinted something else, almost like a silent taunt, telling the teacher that he had already won. Now, Kamoshida was placed in a lose-lose situation, if he didn't sign it, the other teachers would question his reasoning, and if he did sign, he was essentially admitting defeat to Sougo. But ultimately, this also meant that Kamoshida would have less leverage on Kasumi which was probably the plan all along.

That Weird girl

 

[That Weird girl]

"You little brat," Kamoshida muttered under his breath when Sougo asked him about signing the letter. He knew that either way he would lose but he might have to abandon his pride and sign it. He grumbled and snatched the pen from him and signed, "Yes I believe the students need a councilor for their studies and uh sports." the boy had bested him and Kamoshida hated that. No one fucks with Kamoshida, no one! He couldn't dos anything in the open but there was one thing he could do...

Suddenly his shadow appeared that only Sougo could see. "You insolent little swine you think you can get away with that? The students of Shujin are mine! and especially Kasumi," The shadow cackled knowing that if Sougo tried to get into his palace he would be greeted with some "friends" of his. The Meta Mercs did tell Kamoshida about Sougo for a lot of money of course but they knew him well. What a despicable guy...if anyone knew how he acted in the past then they wouldn't have the same respect for him.

"Well I better be going," Kamoshida said, "Have fun with Maruki and Sougo, still out of matters you know nothing about." Kamoshida added that last part to kind of threaten him since he knew that would trigger him to do something about it. Maybe he would do something stupid and mess up.

"Fucking weaklings," Kamoshida muttered walking away, "I ought to show them the real boss around here..."

TreasureSniper

 

[TreasureSniper]

"Thank you for your support," Sougo responded as he took both the pen and letter back. Sougo was not phased by the pervert's shadow's sudden appearance, though he was hoping it would not be triggered so easily. Nonetheless, he remained his calm usual self and simply smiled at the shadow. His days at this school were numbered, all it would take was a few more steps from the right people.

Sougo's eyes narrowed upon hearing his strange remark. Just what exactly did this man have planned for him. No matter. Whatever it is, he was confident he can handle it.

And so, the young man decided to do a quick check into his palace. Little did he know, they were "people" expecting him. Upon entering the metaverse, Sougo was almost immediately greeted by a large army of knights, along with two Meta Mercs. "You! Are you one of the Phantom thieves?" The silver armored one spoke while cracking his knuckles. "Does it matter? They are not supposed to be here...." They were the Veteran mercs known as Frostbite and Hardshell, no doubt hired by the Kamoshida to safeguard his palace. "And here I was thinking this was just gonna be a boring palace." Sougo shrugged as he got ready to fight these fiends off. But these guys being was already bad news enough. This meant that even someone like Kamoshida was aware of the MetaMerc's services. It is likely he will start seeing them more often during his "investigations". He probably should warn the Phantom thieves about this hostile faction...before it's too late.


That day, Sougo disappeared from school. Some have speculated that something had happened to him, while others just assumed that he just went home early either due to a family emergency or perhaps he wasn't feeling well. Since he was last seen headed toward's Kamoshida personal office, many have speculated that something happened between the two. Sougo had left a note for Makoto. A simple sentence, yet with some disturbing implications. "Checking on Mr Kamoshida. Will be back. - Sougo Agata. ".

 

[Maeve Valor]

Once more Masami went over the decisions she's made that has gotten her to this point in her life where she was infiltrating the headquarters of a cult group and now for some reason she was about to be examined by a doctor who in her mind could very well be a quack for all she knew. Though if he was a quack, she'd be able to tell that he was just from her expertise with her parents having done the same bit multiple times in the past where they would offer some 'miracle' item to the sick or unlucky. Their most recent scam was selling some "Holy Stones" to "give people happiness aura to stave off misfortune". So suffice it to say, she would not be so easily convinced with whatever they try to get her to believe.

When she entered the examination room she spotted the certificates and to her, they seemed real , but if you work at it hard enough, anything can be forged. She thought this as the man shook her hand and then transitioned to just asking her basic questions. She decided to answer honestly for the most part because she didn't think they would be able to use much against her. The only thing she lied about was saying that her parents were "entrepreneurs" which altogether seemed to satisfy him.

The doctor soon stood up to place some goggles on her to start a procedure called 'spiritual screening'. Masami assumed that this would lead to some sort of hypnotism and from what she knew of it, it only works if you give in to the notion. She mentally prepared herself as she began seeing the swirls coming into her vision and was planning to act like she was going along with this hypnotism technique; But as the procedure continued and Dr. Hiroshi's words faded out, she began to realize something was very off here. This all felt too real for it to be coming from her own mind. She assumed the blob she saw was the Tulpa that the doctor was talking about, yet she was more drawn to the voice calling out to her from the blue light. She reached out to the blue light confidently as she felt that this one had more of a kinship aura about it.

Nellancholy

 

[accursedjobber]

Sieving through his notepad from time dedicated to trailing these badged members the excitement long since gave way to discomfort and paranoia towards this new group from eavesdropping their mannerisms of conversation and witnessing at first hand, badge holder number 1 approached a multitude of students inside and outside of the school acting as a recruiter/converter towards a religion of some kind at least in his interpretation , even though Isao himself never involved himself towards belief of the holy the patterns recorded was unsettling it depicted a targeting of the lonely and outcast members of the school though this was a guess of their process with instances such as at lunch '1' would sit with any student who was alone even for brief minutes entrenching himself into a group of friends within these minutes.

Repetition was where this became a disconcerting pattern one was harmless and easy to excuse though that changed when two badge holder were found with the first being present in the school , though after school is where the oddity increased even number 1 kept on making friends and preaching towards people not restricted to the inside school grounds moving to the underground mall when after school remains dried up , what scared Isao though was the pure efficiency of the man, within short time they would get a whole group of friends ' to give it shot ' using honeyed words and passive language practiced as indicated inside of the recordings under 'badge holder male one' repeating lines that worked not to mention that transfer student intro line every single time he introduced himself . This was done by the two badge preachers trailed, their efficiency not just showing in speech craft but in organization never intersecting between each other in a frankly brutal showcase of this efficiency one took the underground mall while another took upper streets never meeting but still repeating the same lines which as practiced lured in the listener while not scaring them away with extremities.

Religious teachings were not uncommon in the area but this degree of not just organization but manipulation for their goals was a disconcerting pattern and required levels of pre-planning that was well beyond himself the smart move would be to retreat, retread ground, re-interview Ann, but Isao was a idiot he had no misgivings or confusion in relation towards himself on that regard he once heard that the first step is acceptance , so he accepts this fact even as he stalks badge holder number 1 continuing despite the risk from repeated exposure, the smart move could wait until another day right now he needs to confirm a suspicion regarding to '1's student-hood, god he needs more caffeine anything to keep away from tomorrow morning he was getting to existentialism.

 

[That Weird girl]

Makoto read the note that Sougo left her, great her vice president was out...She read the words out loud to herself and wondered what he meant by that. Well it was Sougo Agata and there was a million things he could be doing right now. But Makoto was wanting to track down these "Phantom thieves" and maybe they would strike again. Makoto kept her nose in the loop for weird events happening around Tokyo and could not help but wonder if the thieves would target the Cult. The phantom thieves seemed to be protectors of justice since they did take care of Kajiki who was a danger.

She sighed wondering what to do now since it seemed like the world was getting even more crazy now. And also she had a lot of pressure on her to protect the students of Shunjin from groups of people who wanted to use those poor kids. Kamoshida and Sougo had been going at it since well forever since Kamoshida's been hired. Makoto was about to go to her locker when she heard a voice and turned around to see the pervert.

"Miss president," Kamoshida smirked, "lets say you drop the investigation for a million yen? You know Agata-san doesn't even care about you and he is using you." A big lie but Kamoshida wanted to swipe Sougo's reputation all over the floor

"That is not true," Makoto said, "Sougo cares about so many people...unlike you and I will not drop the investigate." Kamoshida's smirk dropped and he hoped the Meta Mercs would kill the brat but maybe Kamoshida would have to do that himself.

Kamoshida walked away from her and his thoughts to Masami and how cute she looked to the pervert. It was illegal but Kamoshida did not care at all since laws were beneath him and if Sougo thought he could beat him then he had another thing coming.

 

[Nellancholy]

The single point of light erupted into a glorious radiance as Masami reached for it, the form of a new star swirling forth and consuming her. Amidst its radiance was not a trace of heat. If anything, the flames that claimed her and shielded her from the extradimensional space were biting cold. The blinding blue light and the inescapable chill overcame her senses, and-

When Masami came to, she would find herself in a surprisingly soft, comfortable velvet chair in what would soon turn out to be a considerably hostile room built from hewn stone. An ethereal blue tint filled the room, which itself was rather narrow with no ceiling in sight. In a place like this, it might not be too far-fetched to say that the room might go on forever. Any further thought was interrupted by the voice of a young boy, standing next to her. He was dressed in the manner of a prison warden, and the smile he delivered her was decidedly condescending. "Wake up, little rat. Looks like you're our newest inmate..."

On the other side of Masami stood a tall, well-built blonde woman, dressed in a uniform much like that of the boy. "Showing more interest in this one, Solon? I should hope we'll be able to whip this one into proper shape and get her rehabilitated so we can ship her out."

The boy leaned over Masami a little, his uncovered eye roaming over her. "Oh, don't be silly, Lyka. I think she'll be with us for a good while. After all...once a deceiver, always a deceiver. Who knows if she can ever speak a single honest word again?"

A third voice interjected, smooth and lilting. A hunched man in a fine suit that fit his warped stature sat behind a desk that seemed to emerge before Masami from within the dim light. His nose was comically long...and intrusive, probing almost like the beak of a bird of prey. "I don't believe anyone knows. No one except our dear inmate." His bulging eyes met Masami's, filled with a mixture of curiosity and genuine concern. "Don't you worry about Lyka and Solon. They may not show it, but they want you better, just as much as I do. My name is Igor." A gloved hand reached for Masami to shake, not too insistent on her returning the gesture. "And I am here to oversee your rehabilitation. Of course, I cannot force you to comply, or give you all the answers...for they lie only within you. Will you accept? All it takes for you to begin on your path of..." He searched for the word. "...redemption is to sign here."

With a wave of his free hand, a finely-printed contract and a quill pen materialized on the desk.

"I take full responsibility for my rehabilitation."​

That was it. No other terms, no clauses. Just a willingness to risk it all, to commit to change.

Maeve Valor

 

[Maeve Valor]

Confusion wracked Masami's brain as she at first thought that she was actually in an odd interrogation room of some sort. Then upon seeing the boy dressed as a warden, she realized it was ridiculous to think they would a kid to actually be a warden. Then she wondered if the hypnotism had actually worked and the cultists had taken her here. Though She had a feeling that, that theory was incorrect for some reason. The whole area seemed supernatural to her, either that or they also drugged her which she doubted as well because she didn't feel all that different.

As the blonde woman and the boy spoke to each other about Masami right in front of her she didn't interrupt because she hoped by hearing them continue talking that she would be able to piece together what in the world was going on, but in the end it only made her more curious due to them talking about some sort of 'rehabilitation'. That was up until the kid known as Solon accused her of forever being a deceiver and a liar. At this she was about to speak up and threaten to punch his throat if he said anything more and then was going to dare him to see if she would make do on that promise. Thankfully, the older man there intercepted before she could actually do it.

When he reached his hand out during his introduction, she did not take it. This situation was way too strange for her to trust any of the people in the room. Instead, she just listened as he went on and her questions only seemed to pile up more be the time he was done and presented her with a contract. She finally spoke while folding her arms, "I'm not signing anything until I get some answers. Where am I? And what does rehabilitation entail? I know I'm a fucked up individual, but I don't need to be more messed up so I need to know what you have in store for me." She then took a breath and sighed having a now softer look, "I... am willing to change myself and sign it, if you can just give me a little more to go off of."

Nellancholy

 

[Nellancholy]

"Suddenly apprehensive?" Lyka raised an eyebrow. Her hand twitched instinctively, reaching for her baton. She pressed down her other forearm on her moving hand, restraining herself.

"What's the matter?" Solon smiled. "Afraid of being lied to?"

"Aha..." Igor sighed, and then inhaled slowly. "A little caution is warranted, and as I said, I am hardly one to twist your arm. This city is in the midst of bondage." As though to emphasize his point, he withdrew his hand. A pair of chains, glowing a fierce red appeared in his palm. The other ends of the chains trailed to the necks of Lyka and Solon, who to their credit remained quite impassive as he gave them a little tug. "What's worse, not all are bound by the same master. Their hearts are pulled this way and that, by people who would manipulate their collective unconscious." As he released the chains, they discorporated, leaving behind a deck of cards. "And while I myself exist outside of that realm...you do not. In fact, I do believe you have already encountered one such entity that seeks to gain dominion over the hearts of men."

Igor did not seem to know much about the outside world, but he certainly knew enough about anyone who happened to be drawn into his little room. "And so it is not I who impose this challenge to you, but these masters who pull at the chains, making mankind dance as their puppets. Already there are rebels who embrace their true selves, and fight to break the chains that bind not only themselves, but the city. Fight for the sake of...emancipation." Igor delivered the next sentence with a cold certainty. "You may do the same and break the chains that threaten to bind you...or you may fall victim and lose your heart, like so many others. But I can give you this small blessing..."

He drew a single card from the deck.

"The Tower." He smiled. "A great trial to come. The collapse of everything you held dear. Chaos, loss. But with the will to do so, one can always rebuild from the ruins..."

He set the card face up on the desk, next to her contract.

The waves of red and black gnawed at the edges of Masami's consciousness. As formless as it yet was, the "tulpa" was threatening to impose itself into her mind.

Maeve Valor

 

[accursedjobber]

Isao was still a idiot by morning , his father's overcoat and hat laid strung out on the floor from their nightly adventure, slung on to himself the night before when he was able to rush home in between stalking the preachers until he shot up from where he collapsed the night before futilely thankful that he was able to get home even with a thumping ache inside of his brain and automatically left his room running on purely routine at this point with time only for basic sanitary.

Left the train, 28 minute interval difference, minimal time offset day starting now, turn page to 18, investigation resume.

Once again he recorded the day jolted out of his seat and in the direction of the school slogging forward with every step groggily aware that his uniform was creased and untidy from last night this messiness following the rest of his features hair frayed untidy and his eyes in the medium between open and closed yet he could feel them twitching unconsciously carrying over into his writing even as he attempted to repeat himself again, slamming forward for his place in the school entrance having to push through students inside of the crowd at the school gates trying to regain his place at entrance and sipping some chocolate milk the carton crumbling in a sad attempt to dapper the developed headache for this investigation continue.

Memories of last night seeping back into his mind, following '1' the whole night became a contest of stamina more than anything staying with energy that could only be described as supernatural becoming a cycle of drinking caffeine to keep up with him and wishful thinking he would stop until eventfully Isao had to admit defeat and drag himself home. Now he didn't have any idea where this landed on the cryptid chart but the one lesson learnt from the night before was that he needed to get case member's on this and the prime suspect for the cryptid case, Ann though to be honest he would like a case member that wasn't a suspected cryptid so once Isao again leaned against the entrance squinting at the populace for any odd looking individuals.