Fandom The Phantom Thieves

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Miyuki gained some hope that she was getting through the unusual samurai captain before it said it was going to execute her new colleagues. She felt her heart sink and began to panic again. "No...No... You mustn't, it is not right that you..." She went to complain desperately. She moved in the way of the samurai, but he brushed her aside like she was nothing. She landed on her ass and was stunned for a moment, all she could do stare. She wanted to do something but feared making it worse if that was even possible.

She watched as it seemed that the end for her friend before something intervened. Taking out the samurai in quick succession, even when they seem to transform to something all together. She barely made sense of what was said by the stranger when he approached them. She was done, terrified.... She just wanted to leave. To wake up from this nightmare, and realize she was sleeping in class or something. "Yes... Yes... We should leave... Leave now..." She said when the stranger mentioned that they should not go any further. "I dont care about Persona or Metaverse just get us out of he..."

She saw Kajiki run off. "Kajiki no!" She made a vein attempt to move to him but her legs were like jelly, not responding to anything she wanted them to do. "Damn it!" Then Shiro ran off after Akira and she was left with the shadow figure. "I... I cant move... Please help them! I can't have something happen to them..." She begged the figure, unsure of what else she could do in this situation. She was too scared to act but guilt was building up in her like nothing she had felt before. Tears were welling in her eyes.

TreasureSniper That Weird girl Nellancholy

 

[TreasureSniper]

"My my you've got some headstrong friends don't you?" Sougo joked after witnessing Shiro and Akira running into the Palace despite being specifically told not to. The idol girl was noticeably shaken by all this, just wanted to go back despite the zeal shown by her other two colleagues. Sougo stood there and contemplated his next move while the idol begged him to save them. Considering she had only known them for a few days, it was strange of her to care that much for them. He could already sense shadows converging on the area, while he weighed his decision. "Hmm.... very well." It was hard to say no to someone with such puppy dog eyes. They didn't deserve to die just because of a stroke of bad luck. Besides, these people may prove useful should they survive this endeavor.

And right on cue, the samurai patrol arrives, in much greater number this time. "We have orders to retrieve Lady Mini Moto. You will not stop us this time." The samurai proudly declared, very confident in their numbers. Sougo turned to the small army, standing in between them and the girl. He could just fight his way through them....or. "You wanna save your friends, right? Follow my lead." Sougo forced the girl onto her feet as he unholstered his gun. "Sorry.." He whispered into her ear and pointed his gun at her head, startling the shadows. "Scum! What kind of coward would employ such tactics!?" The shadow shouted in shock. "Apparently, me." He replied in his usual snarky fashion. "Here's how it's gonna work. You take me to your boss, oh I blow her brains out. " He laid out his terms, knowing full well that it put the shadow in a difficult position. "You're bluffing!" The shadow retorted, seemingly unconvinced by his actions. "Maybe, maybe not. But are you willing to take that chance?" He squeezes the trigger, demonstrating that he was very much willing to do it, even if that wasn't true at all. "Do you really want to be the reason for this lady's death?" The shadows relented at first but reluctantly agreed to the terms.

Though he was closely followed and monitored by the group, he successfully entered the palace and eventually entered the throne room. Where he could see the other two being put into cages for execution apparently. Without hesitation, he shifted his aim towards the lock of Akira's cage and blasted them off. "Get up. Are you really just gonna let this egomaniacal thug bully all your life?" Sougo was trying to force out an awakening, though this method was slightly riskier. "Hey Kajiki, how about a deal? I'll personally execute these prisoners. And we cease hostilities with each other." Sougo didn't bother waiting for a reply, knowing that Kajiki was a sadistic bastard, and enjoyed seeing other people suffer even if he isn't the one directly causing it. The masked man grabbed Akira by the collar and forced him onto his feet. "Stand up, Takahashi. Where is your backbone? The power I have with me. You too have the potential, you need only realize it. So...why do you hesitate!? You always prattle on and on about fighting for what is righteous, and yet here you are so weak and frail in front of everything you are fighting against. How pitiful." Setting Akira down and unholstering his gun, he pointed the barrel onto his head. "Go on them, show them all that you are....a coward...or a fighter...." He spoke with a solemn tone, slowly pulling the trigger. Akira needed to be strong if they wanted any chance of taking Kajiki on. Sougo won't always be there to bail them out if they accidentally activate the app again, so this was their own good.

That Weird girl Nellancholy ThatGuyWithSouvlaki

 

[Nellancholy]

Moments ago, in another space...

---

“Ugh...” Shiro panted, shaking her head as she regained consciousness. “What the fuck-”

She found herself flat on a floor that felt like granite, but was colored a deep velvet blue. The wound on her back no longer hurt, but it was still there. The very presence of it was impressed on her like an unforgettable memory. “Where are...” She looked over her shoulder, noticing Akira slumped over as well. Instead of his school uniform...he was in some kind of black-and-white striped outfit. Almost like a prisoner in a cartoon. After all, even prisoners in real life weren’t quite dressed like that.

Looking back down at herself, Shiro noticed that...her clothes weren’t spared either. “O-okay, that’s it!” She leapt to her feet. “What the hell is-”

“Silence, inmate.” A firm blow rang on the bars of their enclosure, as a tall, slender blonde woman strode into view. A beret as blue as the rest of the room sat on her head, alongside her uniform that appeared to consist of a police dress shirt and slacks pressed to a pointed crease. The source of the sound sat in her hand: an extendable baton. “You will follow my instructions during your sentence and rehabilitation here. You will not speak until spoken to. And you will NOT refuse to speak when spoken to. Do you understand? Nod if you understand.” She recited that speech as if it was rehearsed.

Shiro shrugged, taking a step back so the strange woman couldn’t reach her through the bars. “So this is a prison? Well, if you’re asking me to go to rehab, all I can say is ‘no no no’.” As dry as her words were, she couldn’t bring herself to even smile in her strange circumstances.

“Ha.” The woman scoffed coldly. “Do you expect me to shrug and say ‘suit yourself’? Leave you in there to rot? If only. Unfortunately, my master has need of you.”

“Aww, you don’t have to get so snippy there, Lyka.” An innocent voice carried over as a boy strode into view, dressed much in the same manner the woman was. “I’m sure these little wayward puppies will shape up soon enough.” With a smile, he retrieved a ring of keys from his waist, unlocking the door to their cell. “Now come on.” He beamed. “Master will see you now.” And then his face turned cold again. “Both of you.”

“Ah...” Shiro took another glance at the unconscious Akira. “Fine. But if you two try anything...” With some effort, she got under Akira’s arm, lifting him up and dragging him along with her to leave the cell. As strange as this situation was, it was far better to move along than sit impotently in protest.

“We’re the ones who should be telling you that, inmate.” Lyka sneered.

The walk wasn’t long at all, which was a relief to Shiro. Lyka and her brother (?) parted a wide pair of curtains, beckoning Shiro and Akira into an equally blue (if not more so) tearoom with a large couch. And sitting on the other end of the table, pouring himself a cup was...a decidedly gangly man with a ridiculously hooked nose.

“Ahhh, welcome, welcome!” The man cooed. “Please, do take a seat.”

“...” Shiro didn’t want to carry Akira any longer. And she didn’t want to just dump him on the floor either. She sat him down and settled in as well, keeping a good measure of distance.

The gangly man took a moment to look at his guests over tented fingers, as though carefully choosing his words for these uncommon circumstances. “Welcome to the Velvet Room. This room exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is one which only those bound by a contract can enter.” With a wave of his hand, a pair of clipboards materialized on the table, bearing paper edged with gold leaf. He continued, making it clear he intended them to take their time. “My name is Igor, and I am the overseer of your rehabilitation.” Anticipating Shiro’s objection, he raised a bony finger. “This...rehabilitation will lead you towards your freedom, granting you wings to free you from that bondage you fear so. But it is hardly for your sake alone that you have been called here. I foresee...a coming ruin. An end of everything. And perhaps it is your rehabilitation that will avert this end. All you need to do is sign...and the rest will become clear to you in time.”

Igor tilted his head cheerfully to his side. “And in the meantime, Lyka and Solon here shall be your wardens.”

“Hmph.” It seemed Lyka had little more to say.

“Don’t think of us as wardens!” Solon chuckled. “We’re more like...cheerleaders, really!”

“Right.” Shiro scoffed, looking over the contract. “I’ll sign, and then you’ll let us out. I shan’t promise anything further than that.”

I take responsibility for my own rehabilitation, and all that may arise over its course.​

That was it? No fine print. No footnotes. No legalese.

Shiro hesitated for a moment. There was a pen between her fingers. She didn’t know how it got there.

She took a glance at Akira, who had probably woken up at some point.

That Weird girl

 

[That Weird girl]

Akira slowly woke up and was shocked to say the least, last thing he knew he was knocked out by a samurai guard and now he was on a couch with Shiro being made to sign a contract. He glanced at Igor who explained what this room was and why they were here. A contract? Akira was confused but he knew that he wasn't dead...or at least yet. Kajiki calling him a shivering coward played in his mind and he had thoughts maybe Kajiki was right. But he couldn't give up on Shiro and Miyuki like that and even the masked man who had decided to help them. Akira had no idea what this rehabilitation was about but he felt like he was in bondage and he wanted out so he signed the contract.

"Can I go back and help my friends now?" Akira asked, "I can't let Kajiki win." The boy was fixated on stopping Kajiki and fighting for what is right that he did not care what he had to do. He just wanted to fight. He didn't know how to fight but he would figure it out somehow. He did not know how to get back even to the regular world.

"Oh how very eager," Igor smiled at Akira's eagerness but of course Lyka scoffed at Akira, "Did you sign it inmate?" Akira nodded and Lyka scoffed coldly again but she motioned him and Shiro (when she signed) to follow her back to the cell where she would let them return to the real world.

"Stand up, Takahashi. Where is your backbone? The power I have with me. You too have the potential, you need only realize it. So...why do you hesitate!? You always prattle on and on about fighting for what is righteous, and yet here you are so weak and frail in front of everything you are fighting against. How pitiful."

Akira stopped spacing out and glanced at Kajiki and the samurai and Miyuki. He did not know why he was hesitating but he was and he tried to unleash his power but he couldn't. "What a surprise, the coward can't fight," Kajiki sneered at Akira, "you are a disappointment and a waste of my time...kill him."

Go on them, show them all that you are....a coward...or a fighter...."

"I am not a coward," Akira finally spoke and pointed a finger at Kajiki, "you are a coward for hiding behind your men and not killing me yourself."

"All you ever do is use people," Akira said, "you have gotten away with so much and mom and dad have turned a blind eye...well I will not anymore!"

"You kept me waiting,..you seek power? Let us form a contract, your reputation is already destroyed," Akira then fell to the ground groaning as if he was going to unleash something, "Art is thou...there is no turning back. The skull of rebellion is yours!"

Akira stood up and a skull formed as a mask on his face. He grabbed the mask and tore it off screaming as a little shockwave hit everyone but not enough to knock them off balance, Akira then stood in different attire that was like a phantom thief with a pirate ship hovering above him and the pirate captain on it.

"Oh yeah," Akira smiled as a flintlock pistol appeared in his hand, "bring it on Kajiki..."

ThatGuyWithSouvlaki Nellancholy TreasureSniper

 

[Nellancholy]

"Fine." Thoughts like "do I even have a choice?" or "what have I gotten into?" surfaced in her mind, but this wasn't the time for that. There was a clear way forward. "If this world is ending and you want us to fix it...I'll start right here." With that, she signed.

"Ooh, your handwriting's cute." Solon giggled.

"And with that, our contract is sealed. I'd ask you two to shake on it...but there are more pressing matters at hand. We'll be seeing you again soon, inmates..." Igor's murmurs seemed to grow further and further as darkness crept past her gaze.

---

Shiro was, despite her best efforts, afraid. She wasn't in that cage anymore, but she was still in a cage. For all her fury and her efforts to seek justice for the few people she could reach...she had failed them. Was it really going to be her fate to die here, at the hands of that fiend Kajiki? That petty, vain swine who nevertheless commanded more trust and authority than her? As the last light seemed to flicker out...heat surged through the air, igniting it with new strength.

Sougo had apparently taken the initiative to provide a bit of...incentive to Akira, who had transformed in a stream of blue flames into something...altogether different. The strange, furious energy seemed to pass from him into her. Her head felt heavy, in an entirely literal way. Something encased her head, weighing it down. She sank to her knees again, her back sagging as her neck seemed like it was almost about to snap.

There were but two paths before her. She could take it off and fall, or reach up and...

With every bit of strength remaining, Shiro forced both her trembling hands up, pushing down on the motorcycle helmet's visor, covering her face fully. A great roar rang out as she stood to her feet, a leather jacket padded with metal sheets appearing on her as well.

I am thou. Thou art I.

From the swirling storm of your heart, I come.

Call upon my name and become the shield!

I am Thrud, shieldmaiden and chooser of the worthy!

Now, let's set this dark sky ablaze...
​

"Huh..." For a moment, all Shiro could manage was a ragged gasp.

"Right...let's show them." She rasped. "Let's do this, Thrud!"

The winds whipped up and concentrated into a vortex over Shiro for a split second, and from within the storm emerged a woman covered entirely with dull steel armor, great wings with feathers like blades emerging from her back.

She dove forward, landing in front of Akira and Captain Kidd with an ear-splitting CLANG.

"Now." Shiro growled. "Who wants to go first?"

That Weird girl TreasureSniper

 

[That Weird girl]

"Woah," Morgana watched them both transform as he held onto the bars of his little cage. He doubted that they knew how to fight in the Metaverse and that they would need his help. He was experienced with this stuff but he was turned into a cat person so they likely would not take him seriously. "Hey tough lady!: Morgana tried to get Shiro's attention but he did not know if she could hear him, "over here! I can help you fight in the Metaverse! Just let me out!"

Akira grinned as he saw Shiro dive in front of him and saw her persona. He would not mind being backup while she would take care of Kajiki since he felt like it was more her fight than his. "Can't take two of us on can you Kajiki?" Akira sneered loving this power. "Lets go captain!" Akira shouted and lifted his fist in the air.

"Kill them!" Kajiki ordered, "and capture Minnie Moto!" Two samurai charged at them but were blasted by Captain Kidd. Another two attempted to charge at them and transformed into their shadow form as Bicorns. "I will kill you because Lord Kajiki commands it!" One of them hit Akira and another hit Shiro.

TreasureSniper Nellancholy ThatGuyWithSouvlaki

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Miyuki looked on with surprise when the figure seemed to agree to help her new acquittances. She was not sure why she was surprised, maybe she had a feeling he might have needed more convincing. Still he was glad and also a little more ashamed that she was sending others to save people and being to cowardly to do any of that herself. She moved to her knees and bowed her head at the man. "Thank you.." She began to she before looking on in fear as more shadow samurai approached them, after her.

She barely registered what Sougo had said before she found herself forced to her feet and a gun was pointed to her head. "What the hell...." She yelled as she started to tremble in his arms. Was she playing chicken with the shadows over her life? Would these samurai even care... Their master did say they wanted her. "Please... Please dont...." She mumbled acting scared, though there wasnt much need for acting at her current state. She watched as both sides waited for the other to blink, she wondered what Sougo end game with this. There were going back inside, something she really did not intend, then what? She id not have much of a choice though as terms were agreed and she was pushed inside.

"This...This is not what i had in mind...." She complained as she the pair entered the throne room and she could see more samurai and what she assumed was this Kajiki sitting on a high throne. She had an instance sense of revulsion seeing Kajiki, he was grinning like this was all like a sick power trip and game for him. She tried not to think what he had in store for her if he had her. She would not be treated like a lady, that much she was certain. However, somewhat thankfully, her attention were turned to see her compatriots in their cells. "Hey guys are you ok? Please be ok!"

She gasped when she heard the offer being made by Sougo to kill the pair. Was this still part of the ruse? Or was he being serious, she could tell. "No... You bastard!" She said indigently trying to struggle from his grip though the gun pointed at her head dissuaded her. She could only stand by and watch as Sougo point the gun at Akira. There was brief pause in silence before Akira seemed to awake and stand. What followed left her in awe, as both Akira and then Shogo transformed before her eyes. She could feel the power in both, and she felt a sense of warmth and renewed hope for their current situation.

 

[Nellancholy]

As cool and badass as the whole affair was, the actual experience of commanding? Controlling? Thrud was quite a different matter. Shiro's head felt light as she fought to stay on her feet, clenching her fists into a fighting stance. And to top it all off, some kind of ridiculous cat thing had apparently entered the room. Or maybe it was there all along. There was hardly any time to consider the situation, as "Kajiki" had regained his composure and sent two more of his beasts at them. They seemed to apply little strategy other than charging straight at them, but those deadly hooves and sharp horns would have been more than enough to make short work of them before. But now...

Amidst all this chaos, Shiro realized that her knife was still in her hand. It trembled. It rumbled with barely contained fury. And then it swelled up, extending into a heavy, flared lance, just like the ones knights carried in movies. The weight bore down on her arms, but what was even more surprising than its sudden appearance was the fact that...she could bear it.

"Graaaaaaaaah!" Letting out a furious roar, Shiro dashed forward, meeting the Bicorn charging at her to impale it through the chest with her newfound weapon. Matching her bellow, Thrud grabbed the Bicorn by its neck, tearing it off the lance and hurling it aside. The monstrous horse flew, hitting Mona's cage and busting it open just before disintegrating into blotchy darkness.

 

[That Weird girl]

"Hmmm, they could be useful," Morgana thought to himself as the bicorn hit his cage bursting it open and he was free. He was thinking that they could help him steal the treasure but he would have to educate them on the Metaverse unless the other guy did that. He did not think he could convince Shiro to leave so he looked at Akira who was behind her but he also looked rough as well. He then saw a pretty girl who did not have a persona it seemed, must be lady Minnie Moto he thought and instantly had a crush on her although he was a cat person.

"Don't worry Lady Minnie," Morgana spoke, ":I'll make sure your friends are ok." Morgana smiled at here and turned to face the shadows with a cocky look, "Zorro!" Zorro appeared and brought a gust of wind down towards the samurai guards which knocked them back to give them time to escape. "Who is the leader?" Morgana asked them both and Akira shrugged not knowing how to answer that, "uhhhhhh we are just three people...four actually-"

"Fine! I guess I have to take charge," Morgana huffed, "you four need to get out of here so you don't die." Akira glared at Morgana, "why? We just gained power...I am not going to listen to a talking cat."

"I am not a cat!" Morgana said defensively and crossed his arms, "do you want lady Minnie to be captured by Kajiki and probably have her be his slave...plus that other guy is not going to bail you guys out it looks like." Akira was going to say something but then knew he had a point so he just nodded and turned to Shiro, "We are getting out of here. Good job..." Akira then started towards the exit as he waited for his friends to join him.

 

[TreasureSniper]

"Worked like a charm..." The figured muttered to himself, shifting his attention to the other shadows, blasting them with his twin pistols. "Two for the price of one as well, that's some good value." He snickered, noticing a cat that seemed enthusiastic about helping them, not that he needed it. It seems like the group wanted to leave, and perhaps that for the best, as strong they were, their power right now wouldn't be strong enough just yet and Sougo didn't want to provide his assistance without any form of payment.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll distract them." He spoke, throwing a few smoke bombs towards the incoming samurai horde to cover their escape. "You don't forget, you guys owe me for this!!!" He laughed as they all disappeared into the smoke screen.

Once in the real world, the group were greeted by a Sougo that had just exited the teachers lounge. "Hmm? What are you guys still doing here? The school is closed for the day." He asked, seemingly curious about why this group was still here after hours. "You're not up to anything mischievous are you?" He looked at them with his signature grin.

 

[That Weird girl]

Akira breathed in and noticed him and Shiro were not in their costumes and though that was strange. No longer did he see that pointy nosed man anymore or his two wardens. What drug was he taking? He looked at Sougo and shook his head wondering if he should tell him about Kajiki's castle since it seemed so real but it wasn't. He was not sure of what to say right now to Sougo and glanced at Shiro and Miyuki to see what their thoughts were.

Ann Takamaki was suspicious of Akira, Shiro, and the new girl. They seemed to be in the teachers office all school hour and they had not returned for lunch. The girl was confused because she would usually see Shiro hanging out with her sisters and Akira being a misfit and of course there new girl would be with her fans. Sougo didn't seem out of the ordinary since he was his same self who was sly.

Ann decided to buy a soda from a vending machine by the school grounds so she would not seem so suspicious to the group. "Takamaki-san are you going to model for my new clothes," Kajiki appeared by her and leaned against a sofa machine, "what I am saying of course you will or I will hurt your friend..."

She felt the life drain out of here and she had no choice or else he would hurt Shiho. Kajiki handed her a envelope that surely had illegal stuff in it. Ann looked at him with a look of shock, "I could get arrested!" Kajiki chuckled at her and patted her should, "pretty girls like you always get away with stuff." Ann was about to say something but was cut off by Kajiki, "keep it away from the police for me will ya darlin?" Kajiki then walked away smugly. Ann then put the envelope in her bag hoping no one would notice.