Chapter Text
“Sumire, this really isn't a good idea…”
“Well, do you have any better ones?”
“...No, but I still don't have to like it.”
Sumire sighed as she and Haruka leaned against the wall in an alleyway, looking out towards one of the quieter streets in Northern Osaka. Across the street from them was a pachinko parlor, the lights bright against the darkening sky as if shining out like a beacon of hope that said “come get out of debt here!” Sumire - and most other Japanese citizens - knew it was a hoax, but tonight it could be their saving grace.
She was about to open her mouth to respond to Haruka but shut it quickly as two cops walked across the sidewalk on their side of the road. One of them peered into the alley, his eyes passing over Sumire. She was unfazed but pulled Haruka a little closer to herself to better conceal her, and the moment passed with the two officers strolling out of view.
“Geez, that power of yours to just hide anywhere has saved our butts more times than I can count today…” Haruka muttered.
She was right. As soon as Sumire discovered how easily she could hide from anything and anyone by merely sliding up against a wall or wherever shadows were, she quickly learned to abuse the everliving crap out of it. It meant she and Haruka had full pockets of cash, full bellies, were fully clothed, and most importantly, were still free. There was one time they got caught shoplifting in a Uniqlo for new jeans and sweatshirts to combat the cold late autumn air, but all it took was for Sumire to grab Haruka and duck into a shut-down stall with its shutters down to become invisible. The shopkeepers walked right past them, and the cops that were called had no luck finding them either. That still didn't stop Sumire from keeping her hood around her hair, though. If she ever made it out of this, maybe it was finally time to dye it from its natural neon red.
Haruka had asked why pilfer and steal and shoplift as opposed to using the cash Sumire yoinked from wallets, tip jars, and anything else she could find, but there was a reason for it. If Sumire wanted to go through with her stupid, idiotic plan, they'd need all the money they could get. Haruka had nearly convinced her out of it, but Sumire no longer felt safe no matter where they were in the city. They either had to get out of it, find protection, or both. And given that those on the right side of the law were useless to them…
Well, maybe those on the wrong side of the law would be more welcoming to a Phantom Thief.
The news had broken around midday. Sumire Yoshizawa had been labeled as a Phantom Thief and the perpetrator behind the ‘cruel and senseless murder of four brave police officers that tried to apprehend a Phantom Thief’ crime that had been circulating on news outlets since. If there was any doubt that Ren didn't know where she was it was gone, and there was even less that the underbelly of Osaka now had her on their radar. It was the reason they fled north past the river and Osaka Castle; they needed to get out of the inner city and its prying eyes.
“How does it even work?” She heard Haruka ask, and Sumire shook her head to clear her thoughts.
“I don't know. I just… do it. It's as if everything is second nature.”
“And the… super strength and reflexes?”
Sumire shrugged. “Ever since I woke up in that police car, I've had it.”
“Speaking of, h-how are your legs?”
Sumire looked down at them, now covered by a pair of faded blue jeans. “They're sore, but fine. I don't think the scars will go away, though… Like, ever.”
As Sumire took a deep breath, she felt Haruka's hand wrap around hers in reassurance. Those scars would indeed likely follow her forever; a constant reminder of what the two of them went through yesterday night. She'd claw them off her legs if she could, she'd give anything to forge-
Haruka squeezed Sumire's hand, evidently aware of her internal struggle because of course she would be. Haruka knew Sumire almost as well as she herself did at this point. “It's like you said; we'll do this, get safe, and find our way to Ren. One step at a time, like you're learning a new routine.”
Sumire could do that. She could learn a new gymnastics routine. That was almost second nature to her. “Right. Let's do this.”
They walked across the street, and into the pachinko parlor.
“I want to speak to your boss.”
The lady behind the exchange counter blinked at Sumire as she put down every single Yen she had gathered during the day.
“You have to know who I am. Let me talk to your boss.” Sumire repeated.
In truth, she didn't even know if this parlor was run by the Yakuza. Most were, though, so it would just be bad luck if that turned out to be the case.
“I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. I'm not aware of who you are.” The attendant behind the counter said, her face a cool look of indifference.
“Sumire, maybe we went to the wrong place. We should go…” Haruka whispered, grabbing her hand to pull her back.
Instead, Sumire stayed rooted to the spot. She looked up towards a camera in the corner of the large casino floor and pulled back her hood with the hand that wasn't held by Haruka's. It was a gamble, but it had to pay off, it just had to. Either the cops were now on their way, or they would be saved.
Well, if worst came to worst, what were a few more lives taken in her already ruined humanity?
Even if she was prepared to take another life for Haruka, she still didn't know what to say to the attendant. What did she expect, for them to immediately take her into the back to meet with some secret boss who would give them protection without question?
Yes, she did. And Sumire felt like an idiot for thinking like that. She was so caught up in trying to come up with a drastic plan that would save them that she didn't stop to think about how impossible the odds would be.
Haruka tugged at her hand again, and Sumire looked back at her. The apprehension and fear in her eyes was real, and something in Sumire's heart broke. She had put the both of them in harm's way doing this, but more concerning, she had shown herself to a security camera in a truly stupid move. The fear in Haruka's eyes told her one thing - she didn't want to go back. Back to…
Haruka tugged yet again, and Sumire allowed herself to lurch forward behind her. She was leaving the money, but that was fine. She could always steal more. But what about protection? Where would they sleep? She supposed she could find somewhere dark and hide, but if they were tracked down…
Sumire blinked. Was she actually considering murder yet again?
What the hell is wrong with me…?
She was too deep in her thoughts to notice that Haruka had stopped walking. She bumped into her friend and looked up to see two muscular men in suits staring down at them.
“Come with us.” The one on the left said sternly, looking right at Sumire.
This time Sumire had the clarity to deny his request. “Sorry, we're just going to-”
She froze when she felt cold, hard metal against her back.
“I'm not asking.”
Sumire bit the inside of her cheek. Haruka was looking at her with nothing but panic in her eyes, and she instinctively began to tense up.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” The other man said, and he smirked as he pulled back his coat to reveal a holstered gun. “You try anything and we'll make sure your girlfriend goes down with us.”
The fight went out of Sumire instantly.
As they were led by gunpoint into the backrooms of the parlor, Sumire attempted to memorize their path. Ren had told her to always have an escape route ready, and she was taking that tidbit of advice to heart.
Haruka practically clung onto Sumire's side, the former shaking violently. In all honesty, Sumire was almost right there with her, but she had to put on the facade so all hope wouldn't be lost. That, and she was also attempting to delve deep into herself.
Into her new powers.
Sumire knew that if she had let loose a blast of light beforehand, Haruka would have been shredded. She had to figure out how to better control herself, and fast. Not only that, but Sumire knew there was more that she could do. She just had to figure out what.
Sumire knew that she could wield light. She knew that it was pure destructive power. But maybe she could…
Yes, she definitely could. She knew that she could.
They were led into a big, ornate space that reminded Sumire of a feudal-era throne room. As the doors closed behind them, she looked forward to see a man in a pristine white suit sitting at the head of a large table, a gun lazily grasped in his hand. His black hair was neatly styled, and as much as he screamed ‘I'm in the Yakuza!’ Sumire felt something was off about him.
“I have to admit, I really didn't expect you to fall into my lap like this.” He said, admiring the gun in his hand. It was silver with a wooden, polished handle, but with a glass window that showcased some sort of crystal within. “When I heard that you were actually a Phantom Thief, I was intrigued. And when I realized I have you all to myself here while my sources say the others are holed up with the Kirijo Group in Tokyo, I realized I had a prime opportunity.”
Whether he had his own sources or just watched the news, he thought she was a Phantom Thief. She would rather not be one, but Sumire wasn't about to correct him. Instead, she went with something that she thought Ren would say. “Who are you?”
He chuckled. “Mocking me won't get you anywhere, and it won't get under my skin. I've learned since then.”
He talked as if she knew him, but Sumire hadn't seen this man ever before. Then, it hit her.
The Phantom Thieves knew him. And since he branded her a Phantom Thief, he assumed she knew both who he was and what their history with this man was.
He raised the gun towards Sumire, and she could feel Haruka clamp down so hard on her arm she was scared she was going to lose blood circulation. “I've also learned not to underestimate you.”
Well, so much for getting help from the Yakuza.
He fired.
At the same time he did, Sumire thrust out her hands while squeezing her eyes shut. She heard Haruka scream.
The bullet never hit her.
Sumire slowly opened her eyes, which turned wide after she saw what she had done. She had created a bubble of light around them with the same harsh white color as the spears she conjured yesterday. She couldn't see out, but Sumire didn't need to see to know what would happen next.
A hail of gunfire rang out through the room, and Sumire shut her eyes once again in concentration as bullets smashed into her shield from all around her. She felt them fizzle into nothing, but she also felt her mental strength leaving her like it was being sucked out by a straw. So she couldn't hold this forever…
Which meant she had to end this now.
Sumire pulled Haruka to her with one arm, pushing her close against her chest. With a yell of defiance, she thrust out her other hand, and her bubble of light exploded outward.
She didn't wait to see the carnage.
As soon as she released her power, Sumire slung Haruka over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes and used her free shoulder to crash through the metal double doors, pain splintering through her like a hot knife. She had dislocated it for sure, but now wasn't the time to be patient and pick the lock. She could worry about herself after.
Sumire was practically a blur as she retraced her steps back to the exit. She hadn't attempted to push herself in this way yet but was pleasantly surprised to add what felt like at least somewhat enhanced speed to her repertoire of abilities.
That was, until a bullet pierced her thigh.
Sumire careened forward, stumbling through the door she had just opened into the parlor floor. The sudden halt in momentum meant Haruka went flying off her shoulder and hit the ground with a loud “oof!”, the wind getting knocked out of her. With her good leg, Sumire kicked the door shut as Haruka scrambled to her feet.
“Shit, shit shit shit shit Sumire!” She gasped, and Sumire looked down to see her blue jeans rapidly turning red around her thigh. She couldn't feel the pain at the moment, but Sumire knew that was due to adrenaline. She tried to get up but her leg wouldn't work, and she fell back down on her back and hands.
Haruka immediately went into action, leaning down to wrap her arms under Sumire's shoulders. The door in front of them burst open, and Sumire saw two men in suits raise their guns before she threw another bubble of light around them.
“I think the door is directly behind us, just keep going and I'll try to hold this up.” Sumire grunted, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do so for long. Her leg was bleeding fast, and Sumire guessed that they had hit something vital. Even so, the bubble drained her at a steady pace. Her mental strength was going to falter before her body did.
“Fuck, Sumi, I-”
“Don't even think about saying it.” Sumire snapped back, breathing heavily. “Just focus on getting us out of here.”
By now, Sumire had guessed they were over halfway to the exit to the building. But she knew she wasn't going to make it.
Our powers can do much more than destroy, my dear.
The voice in her head - no, her Persona Ella, Sumire now instinctively knew her as - let knowledge flow into Sumire's head, and she instantly knew what she needed to do. One of her hands went to her leg, and she whispered “Diaharan.”
Sumire instantly grew dangerously close to running out of mental steam, but it had done the trick. Within seconds, her body had reconstructed herself; the bullet was pushed out, her shoulder relocated itself, and she was back on her feet. Haruka swore in confusion as Sumire stood up, but that would have to be explained later. She was getting to the point of passing out soon, and if they didn't find somewhere to hide, they were toast.
“How interesting. You seem to have a much firmer grasp on your powers than the others. Let down your shield, and we can speak face to face.” The Yakuza leader's voice came from just outside her light bubble, and Sumire allowed the tiniest of slits to form at her eye level so she could speak to him.
“What do you want with me?” Sumire asked while continuing to back up. She felt something behind her fizzle out of existence and she realized she had just vaporized the doors into the parlor. Afraid she would do the same to a random member of the public, Sumire dropped the shield instantly, much to Haruka's protest.
They stood on the sidewalk outside the parlor, and Sumire could see behind the man that she had indeed essentially deleted the front doors from existence. There was now nothing where they used to be. Mercifully, it seemed that nobody was on the street at that point.
“I already told you, I want revenge.” He said, and Sumire heard a car peeling out in the distance. She wanted to look, but didn't dare take her eyes off of the man in front of her.
“But I haven't done anything to you!” Sumire protested, fighting the urge to yawn. Tired… she was starting to feel so tired…
“The Phantom Thieves ruined my life.” The man hissed. “I-”
He was cut off when the front end of a large SUV slammed into him at top speed. No, not him… but ice. Miraculously he had reacted in time, and Sumire's eyes widened when she realized he had placed a solid, thick barrier of ice between himself and the SUV milliseconds before the crash. The force of the impact had still sent him reeling, and he was getting back up when Sumire heard a female's voice from behind her go “get in, quick!”
Haruka reacted first, pulling Sumire backwards as she stared at the man. She felt herself get pulled into a car, and before Sumire collapsed from mental exhaustion, he stood up and locked eyes with her one last time.
He too, had a Persona.
Sumire's head felt like it had split open as she opened her eyes.
“Oh thank God, you're awake!” Haruka exclaimed while looking down at her, her hands cupping Sumire's cheeks. “I was so worried, but nothing was waking you up, and then that gunshot wound was gone, and…”
Sumire blinked rapidly, attempting to get her bearings. Her head rested in Haruka's lap, and she felt the bumps of a road beneath them. So, they were still in the SUV. A quick glance at the windows revealed little to nothing, as all she could see was blue sky.
Sumire tensed up, fearing the worst, but Haruka was immediately there for her, running her hand through Sumire's hair in a calming gesture. “It's okay, we're safe. At least, as long as she needs us…” Haruka gestured to the row of seats facing towards the rear of the car and them, referring to the mystery character.
Sumire looked over and saw a young woman, likely in her late twenties. The first thing Sumire noticed was her hair, which was an even more neon shade of red than hers was. Her height matched Sumire's perfectly, and she was wearing a black tank top and ripped jeans despite the cool…
Was it November? December? Sumire realized she didn't even know the date, let alone the month.
She blinked, focusing back on the woman. At that point she noticed the rounder eyes, the lighter skin, and a barrage of freckles across her bare, crossed arms. In fact, she reminded Sumire the faintest bit of Ren's friend Takamaki - namely, the one-fourth part of her.
“A foreigner?” Sumire asked. Was she the person who told them to get in the car? The Japanese used was flawless down to the accent, but unlike Takamaki, this woman looked like a complete tourist.
The woman rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath in what Sumire believed was English. Then, she swapped to Japanese. “Yes, a foreigner. Why the fuck is it always the first thing people say?”
She uncrossed her arms to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, and Sumire noticed her nails were pointed sharp and painted jet black. Sumire attempted to lift her head, but she was so exhausted she gave up quickly and just decided to opt for Haruka's lap. “I… didn't expect such good Japanese from a foreigner.”
The woman shrugged, looking at a nail. “I've lived here for a while.”
There were a few seconds of silence.
“So…. Haruka,” Sumire began, and Haruka looked down at her. “She said she'd help us?”
She tried to pick herself up again, wary of the whole situation, but she was, in reality, in no condition to fight. The shields of light and healing of a fatal gunshot wound had completely drained her, and attempting to call on Ella left her mind with nothing but silence.
“She said she needs us.” Haruka corrected. “Or, well, you specifically.”
“We come as a package.” Sumire immediately said. She assumed that this mystery woman was no saint, and Sumire wasn't about to watch Haruka get thrown out of the car while she stayed in it.
The woman laughed and leaned forward while crossing one leg over the other. Her hair fell over one of her eyes, and Sumire noticed that her hair was so long it probably reached down to her hips. “Yeah, yeah. I'm not heartless, you know.”
“Actually, we don't know that.” Haruka said while biting the inside of her cheek. “Why would we have any reason to believe you?”
“Would you rather I have left you to die at the hands of Sugimura? I'm not sure what the fuck was happening, but I do know the both of you would be dead if it wasn't for me.” The woman countered, her gaze hardening.
Sugimura? Was that the name of the man with the Persona…?
“O-Of course not!” Haruka said. “But, you have to realize how weird this is for us…”
The woman's eyes softened at that, and she leaned back into her seat. “Fair enough. My name is Alison, and I'm a member of one of the Yakuza branches here in Osaka. We've had our eyes on you two ever since that love hotel incident. It was why we were able to save your asses back there.”
Shit. Sumire would have to ask Ren for advice on sneaking around if she ever saw him again.
Haruka opened her mouth, but Alison held up her hand. “Sugimura has been a pain in our side for over a year now. He's somehow making good, loyal people corrupt, and we're losing parlors monthly. No matter what we tried whether it was here, Tokyo, or elsewhere in the country, nobody's ever come back from trying to… deal with him. We stopped sending people, and it's fucking pissing us off. That's where you come in.”
Sumire felt the car come to a complete stop and turn off, but Alison made no move to get out. “I don't know what the fuck it is you can do, and I don't wanna know, but you straight up survived an encounter with the asshole. I'll cut to the chase; you'll live with us and have our protection from the law and whoever else is after you, but only as long as you promise us that you'll get rid of the fucker.”
“And if I say no?” Sumire couldn't help but ask.
Alison grinned wickedly. “Then you're just as dangerous as Sugimura, and we'll deal with you. Then, I'll dump your girlfriend back out on the street and take bets on how long she survives.”
Whelp, not like I have a choice.
“It's a deal.” Sumire said, sharing a loaded, worried glance with Haruka.
Alison laughed, and opened the car door. “Then welcome to your new home, Sumire Yoshizawa.”
The cafe was the epitome of cozy.
Futaba had a difficult time thinking that something like this was on the Kirijo Group compound, but she wasn't gonna complain. It felt like somewhere she would have gone during a cram session at university if she didn't feel like going home at first, or maybe if she was in a rare social mood and wanted to meet up with one of her few college friends she had. The airy and open atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, the various plants scattered around to soak up the rays in the greenhouse portion of the cafe, the view of the Tokyo harbor… She could go on and on.
Most importantly, she didn't have to hide her face here. Futaba didn't know how the Kirijo Group could manage it, but not only had the other numerous employees that worked on the compound treated her like she wasn't a criminal, but they practically paid her no heed. There were no suspicious glances, no paranoia that crept down her back and gave her chills. It was… peaceful.
“Why doesn't anybody seem to care that I'm here?” Futaba finally asked the woman on the other side of the table, who was looking out the window into the harbor.
Rise looked back to Futaba and shrugged. “Not their business. If you're here and in my company, then you must be fine. Plus, hardly anybody believes the media's stories about you anyway. The Phantom Thieves are the people's champion, you know? And why believe the media this time when they were wrong the last time too?”
Futaba thought back to Rui, the girl she had helped get back to her husband Maruki all those many months below. Sure, she and the other girls were scared at first, but then again, Futaba would have been too. But, the words she and Rui had exchanged on that park bench stuck with her. The amount of gratitude that shone in Rui's eyes stuck with her.
The people's champion, huh…?
Futaba smiled at that. “Fair. But aren't you worried the police would find out we're here? Or that they'd arrest us?”
Rise grinned. “The police department knows you're here by know, I'm sure, buuuuuut it's a good thing we're above the law! They can't do anything about it!”
“Shit. You guys are serious business, you know that? I'm glad we didn't end up going to war with each other.”
Rise replied as the door chimed and Futaba spotted Fuuka and Labrys walk into the cafe. “Us too, there was probably no way we'd win, plus you guys are like my ido- oh, hey Labrys!”
Labrys plopped down in the chair next to Futaba's with a smile. “Afternoon, you two! Sorry we're late, Fuuka had ta upload some sorta last minute update ta Aigis ‘fore y'all try ta boot her up in the next few days.You still good for that, by the way?”
Futaba gave Labrys a thumbs up in confirmation while she finished a sip of her hot chocolate. “Yeah don't worry, I'm still helping! Besides, I'm the reason for the last minute update. If we're gonna pull my idea off, we'll need that software in both you and Aigis.”
“Ah, so that'll be what that patch I'm gettin’ tonight's ‘bout.” Labrys hummed. “Fuuka let me know on the way ova’ here. Me tonight, then my sis tomorra!”
“You think it'll actually work?” Rise asked, then smiled at Fuuka as she sat down next to her with a coffee cup in hand and a croissant in the other.
“I think so!” Fuuka exclaimed. “Our small scale tests worked, and we've all been training ourselves to relearn how to use our talents again. Tonight's test will be the final run. Shall we go over everything once more just in case?”
“Ughhhh can't we like, push that off for a few more hours? I just wanted to hang out with my new friends…” Futaba grumbled, slumping forward onto the table. “Camraderie and all that, right?”
“The l'il lady's got'a point, ya know.” Labrys said, and Futaba beamed.
It was rare for Futaba to make friends, let alone find people who put up with her effortlessly. She'd be damned if she didn't take advantage of it.
Sumire had only seen compounds like this in movies. Although, the ones in the movies were much tidier.
They had been following Alison for a minute or so now, and Sumire had already gawked at the three courtyards, two dojos, two kitchens, indoor swimming pool, perfectly manicured zen garden, and much more. Plus, there was everything she likely wasn't seeing that was out of sight or behind closed doors.
Sumire looked back towards Alison, who was leading them down an open-air path between two major buildings of the compound. She had to admit that the huge tattoo on Alison's back threw her for a loop when she first saw it. It was two huge folded wings that covered the entirety of her back, one consisting of black feathers, while the other was white feathers. Haruka had whispered that it was probably modeled after a nephilim, or a half angel, half devil creature from myths, and it reminded the redhead yet again just how Haruka could be a walking encyclopedia sometimes.
Sumire jumped lightly when the girl in question threaded her fingers through her own, squeezing in reassurance. “It'll be okay, we'll be okay.” She said to Sumire.
“Hopefully.” Was all Sumire said back. She couldn't muster the courage to lie to herself or Haruka, but she really did hope that they would get to at the very least take a break from the running.
Alison stopped in front of an ordinary-looking door and turned to face the two. “It's time to meet your new boss for the time being. Normally, we wouldn't just do this for any old recruit, but you're apparently a big enough deal that she wants to see you herself.”
“She?” Haruka questioned. “Your boss is a woman?”
Alison smirked. “Yeah, though they call her a princess ‘round these parts. As for me, though…” Alison knocked on the door, then entered without waiting for a reply.
“Babe, I bring you the Phantom Thief Sumire Yoshizawa!”
Babe?
Sumire first took a look around the room, and had to do her best to prevent her jaw from opening.
It was about twice the size of a typical bedroom, but it wasn’t easy to tell from the sheer amount of clutter. The largest futon mat Sumire had ever seen sat in the center of the room, completely unmade. An astonishingly huge mountain of plushies sat in one corner of the room, the various plush characters stacked so high it almost reached the ceiling. There was a tatami sitting area off to one side that had clothes draped on the kotatsu, half of the pile folded while the other awaited to be finished. Half a dozen display shelves lined the edges of the room that were filled with various anime and vocaloid figurines, and Sumire noticed a few extremely rare limited edition Hatsune Miku figures and one Kasane Teto figure that usually went for an easy 1 million yen. In various places around the walls of the room there were several tapestries and scrolls depicting scenes of fire, and there was even a fire pit on the enclosed porch that sat behind a set of sliding glass doors. Easily the most interesting part, however, was the sheer number of empty beer cans that were stacked throughout the room. They were stacked like logs in log cabins, and three of the five stacks easily were taller than Sumire. She didn’t even want to guess the total number of cans in the room.
Then, Sumire’s eyes fell to what she assumed was the culprit of the empty cans. Sat at one of the two huge low desks in the room on a pillow was a skinny woman with black hair almost as long as Alison’s. She looked to the left and up from her computer, and Sumire could see that she was playing some game on it. The other monitor to her setup showed a stream of somebody else playing the same game. It was at that point that Sumire realized she was able to see everything perfectly, even without her glasses. Did Ella actually fix her vision when Kasumi helped her awaken to her Persona?
The woman said something to Alison in English, who responded using the same language. They shared a few more sentences with each other, and Haruka and Sumire exchanged loaded looks as if to ask each other: This is the yakuza princess?
The woman left her game and stood up, rising to be slightly over six feet in height. Her frame looked so fragile that Sumire was convinced she could snap the woman in two like a twig if she really tried, but the slightest hint of toned muscle told her that she’d at least put up a fight. All that could have been easily missed by the untrained eye, however, due to the baggy clothing that she wore. But having sported a similar build before she became malnourished, Sumire could see it.
Alison flopped onto the large futon and pulled out her phone while the princess walked up to Sumire. She stopped from a few feet away but still towered over her, a healthy amount of cautiousness in her features as she stared down at her with crossed arms over her flat chest. “So, you’re Sumire Yoshizawa?”
“I am.” Sumire couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Alison said something in English, causing the tall woman to roll her eyes. “Don't listen to her, she's full of shit.”
“Oh, uh, I can't speak English anyway.”
“Hmm.” She hummed, then looked Sumire up and down. “Did Alison try to scare you? You can be honest.”
Sumire still looked at Alison, who looked back at her and shrugged. “Umm, a bit. She threatened to kill us if we didn't do what she wanted.”
“Oh my god babe, can you not try to be overly dramatic every five minutes?” The tall woman wheeled on her apparent partner and rubbed her face with a hand. “We only operate like that with people who deserve it! And from what I can tell, these two have been through hell the past couple of days, have you not?”
“Longer than that.” Sumire said simply as the woman turned back to face them.
“For how long, then, did your hell last? And what was it? You can tell me only as much as you want, and I won't pry for more.” The woman said, her brows furrowing, and Sumire felt that her concern was legitimate; perhaps only the kind that a woman could show another woman.
Haruka squeezed Sumire's hand, and took a tiny step forward. If there was any time to potentially plead their case for mercy, it would be now, and Haruka realized it. “I was human trafficked as a sex slave for over half a year, probably more. It was hard to keep track of time. I… It was… really bad.”
A heavy silence fell upon the room. Alison looked up from her phone with a surprised blink.
Sumire squeezed Haruka's hand back as she continued. “A few months ago, I think, I was taken out for some reason and thrown into a cell with Sumire. We're not sure why, but our best guess was I was more worth being a bargaining chip than being… trafficked. To this day, I'm still suffering from the withdrawals and unwanted addiction I formed to drugs that were forced on me. These past few days have been too hectic to think about anything else other than survival, but… Sumire has been helping me recover ever since I met her.”
Haruka fell silent and said nothing, letting the weight of the words fall upon the room. Sumire instinctively pulled Haruka close to her, wrapping an arm around her friend protectively. She felt Haruka's shoulders relax slightly from the gesture.
The tall woman said nothing, but her face spoke volumes. The amount of pain and horror going through her eyes was all that needed to be said. Even Alison looked heartbroken as she stood up and blinked hard, as if doing so would make her forget what she had just learned.
The woman took a deep breath as Alison made it to her, and she immediately wrapped an arm around the much shorter woman as if to comfort herself. They looked at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation between themselves. Alison closed her eyes and took a deep breath while the woman squeezed her arm, and Sumire suddenly felt like an intruder in this room.
Finally, she turned to look at the two. “Any obligation that Alison gave you earlier is forfeit. You two are free, safe, and will be welcome to stay here for as long as you need as honored guests. You will be protected by the full force of those who answer to me, and not a single person less. We will keep your presence here hidden so we don't get any unwanted people at our door, either.”
Sumire didn't realize just how much hearing those words meant to her and Haruka until her legs gave out from underneath her. She took Haruka down with her, who was already starting to sob into Sumire's chest.
As she held Haruka's head close, Sumire looked up to the other two women. “I… I don't know what to say. I just… Thank you. Thank you so, so, so much, miss…”
The tall woman nodded her head. “For now, you can call me Kasai. I'll have somebody take you to your room. If you haven't had dinner yet, ask them to prepare it for you. I'll send somebody tomorrow morning to bring you to me and Alison for breakfast.”
Alison made for the doorway as Kasai pulled the two on the ground up. Sumire looked up to her, and as the weight of the last few months began to crash down on her all at once, she finally let the tears begin to fall. “Thank you, Kasai. Thank you.”
Kasai smiled sadly. “You're very welcome.”
“I haven't seen you be so gentle and emotional in forever.”
“I could say the same about you, you know.”
Alison bit the inside of her cheek, enjoying the feeling of speaking her native tongue of English despite the subject. It's the language they stuck to when it was just the two of them. “Maybe, but I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve much more than you do. Not to mention that was the most formal I had seen you act in years, aside from bullshit meetings.”
Kasai spun around on her pillow that doubled as her desk chair to face Alison, leaning forward. “It felt like it was needed. I wanted to make sure those two felt safe here.”
It was around one in the morning, and Alison and Kasai were just beginning to wind down for bed. As Kasai stood up to make her way to their en-suite, Alison sat up from her place laying down on the futon. “I do appreciate you extending them your full help.”
“Well duh, of course I would. Anybody who went through something like you did doesn't deserve it to happen to them either.”
“But what happened to me isn't as nearly as bad as what Haruka had to put up with, Honoka. It was… just that one time with a crazy ex.”
Kasai appeared in the doorway, a toothbrush between her lips. She paused long enough to say, “It doesn't invalidate your shit, though.”
Alison groaned and rubbed her face with her hands. “Can we stop the pity party shit? What matters is they're safe. Although, I'm getting this gut feeling…”
Kasai ducked back inside the bathroom to wash out her mouth. “Gut feeling about what?”
Alison waited until Kasai returned from the bathroom and crawled onto the futon beside her. “The feeling that we just stepped into a whole heap of fuckin shit that we would much rather avoid.”
“We're housing a Phantom Thief, if the news claiming Yoshizawa is one is to be believed. I knew what we were getting into ever since I sent you after her.”
“You sent me to coerce her into a deal to help us, not save a prisoner and a victim of fucking sex trafficking.”
“That's still in play. I'm hoping that the two of them would be more inclined to help us of their own free will if we help them first.”
“You better fucking hope we get on their good side. Honestly, babe, I think that girl could kill you, me, and everyone else and walk out unscathed. You don't even know what the fuck I witnessed when I picked them up. It was… honestly, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own fucking eyes.”
“Well, I'll believe you. So tell me what you saw.”
And Alison did.
As much as she was wary to admit it to herself, Sumire felt safe here.
However, she could tell that Haruka very much did not. The dead giveaway was that despite them being given a room with two single-sized futons, Haruka asked to share with Sumire. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but the two of them were used to it. They spent more nights in the same bed than not while imprisoned.
“I haven't felt pajamas this comfortable in so long. I think it's silk.” Haruka said quietly to break the silence between them as they both stared at the ceiling.
Sumire couldn't help a small laugh escape her. “All of this happened, and that's what you say?”
“It's something normal to say, and I want normal.”
Sumire wasn't going to argue. As long as it kept Haruka's mind off of her experiences in captivity, the lingering drug cravings she confided in Sumire that she still got, or hell, even what happened earlier today, Sumire wouldn't mind it. “You're right. I guess this is what Yakuza money can buy, I suppose. God knows I didn't make much as a gymnast.”
Haruka laughed softly and curled up against Sumire. She instinctively put an arm around her, but felt the tiniest bit bad doing so. Haruka had told her at one point that she was a lesbian, and it was obvious she was into Sumire, but the redhead didn't know how to tell Haruka that she didn't swing that way. Maybe it was leading Haruka on a little, but it's what kept her going. And Sumire would do anything for Haruka.
But that still doesn't explain why I sometimes feel my cheeks heat up when with her…
Even if Ren had helped her become a confident, sure of herself person, she couldn't sort out those feelings. She looked down to Haruka whose head was laying on her chest. She was looking towards the wall, silent but clearly content.
“I'll keep you safe. I'll always keep you safe.” Sumire whispered, and reached down to softly stroke Haruka's hair.
“I believe you.” Her friend said back just as quietly.
They fell asleep minutes after.
“Damn, you guys are still up?”
Ren, Makoto, Shiho, Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke all simultaneously looked up from their board game they were playing in the living room adjacent to the entryway as Futaba walked into the townhouse.
“We were all curious about what your training with the other navigators might yield. In addition, Ann has been pestering us all evening to play this board game ever since she found it in the living room cabinet.” Yusuke said, and Ann poked him in the arm as a result.
Futaba whipped out her phone and checked it for the time. “It's nearly two in the morning.”
“Wait, for real? I could have sworn it was midnight last time we checked!”
“Well, the game you're playing's a doozy that lasts like six hours. How far in are y'all?”
All eyes immediately looked to Ann.
“Umm… three?”
Futaba huffed a laugh, and Makoto stood up. “We can finish this in the morning. Futaba, how did it go?”
The redhead tossed her keys into a bowl on the entry table, then threw a thumbs up towards the others. “Pretty damn good! We could detect a large cluster of Persona power, or presence, or whatever you wanna call it, around here. Labrys and theoretically Aigis can then take the signatures we find, then pinpoint your location in the field. We'll find your friend in no time, bro.”
Both Ren's and Shiho's shoulders sagged visibly in relief, but Ryuji asked “So does that mean you lot can find her from Tokyo? Long range accuracy? Sounds pretty effin sweet!”
Futaba shook her head. “As far as we know, our abilities only work in a radius of a couple of miles, maximum five if I had to guess. We were practicing from a small lab in the main building down the street and couldn't really detect anything outside of Tatsumi. We know that's the range because Akechi lives just off the island, and we couldn't find him despite Fuuka confirming he was at home.”
“Well, it'll have to do, then.” Ren said, running a hand through his unruly hair with a sigh. “You're already genius enough for coming up with this, Futaba.”
Ryuji leaned back in his chair, dangling on the two back legs. “Ain't that kinda already what you could do, though? Sense everything and tell us what's comin?”
Futaba shook her head as she walked into the living room and plopped down on a comfy armchair. “Nah, not everything. It felt like it cuz Palaces were pretty confined, given they weren't exactly massive. Well, barring Shido's cruise ship and Okumura's fuckin’ space station factory. I couldn't sense the entirety of those two places.”
“So, two of the three Palaces you navigated us for, then.” Yusuke said.
Futaba pointed a finger at him. “Touche, Inari. BUT, I also navigated most of Mementos and the depths of it. That alone gave me a pretty solid idea of what my limits were in terms of scoping out a joint. And that's not counting Sae's palace, which was mostly vertical. Now that was a place I could sense almost everything in, it was so compact.”
“So, what's the big deal, then? Sounds like you retain the same abilities, right?” Shiho asked, the twinge of jealousy in her voice missed by no one.
“The range is the same, yeah.” Futaba confirmed. “What's different is how things are sensed. This new world that's like, half Metaverse and half real world… I dunno, I'm still tryna figure it out. All three of us are. We can't really explain it perfectly, but things feel different. The best parallel I can think of is when you get a shitton of interference on your Bluetooth because somebody else with theirs on walks by and the two signals interact, then you can hear both sounds at once.”
Ann slumped onto the table. “That doesn't sound confusing at all…”
Makoto put a hand on her hip while the other covered a yawn. “Not really. It just sounds like there's more interference to work through, is all.”
Futaba shrugged. “Eh? I mean, the metaphor isn't perfect, it's just the closest thing I could think of that describes it. Metaverse stuff is fuck-y, and my brain hurts.”
“If that's the case, then maybe it's time we all get some rest. Some of us have a trip to go on in a couple of days, and the others need to prep to assist the Kirijo Group with their meeting with that Velvet Room attendant. And we all know how important mental strength is when it comes to utilizing our powers.” Ren said, taking charge as he looked everyone in the eye at least once.
As people stood up, the board game forgotten, Futaba walked up to Ren and Shiho. “I'm gonna try my hardest, guys. I am. I know she's important to you both.”
Shiho smiled, and Ren ruffled his sister's hair. “I know you will.”
The next morning, Sumire and Haruka were woken up by a knock on their door.
“Excuse me, Kasai-sama and… Miss Alison requests your attendance for breakfast in their quarters.” An older female voice said. “This is an informal affair, and you may wear your nightclothes if you wish.”
Sumire and Haruka shared a look with each other, then Haruka shrugged. “Can we brush our teeth first, at least?”
“You may. I will remain here in the meantime.”
Not to keep Kasai, Alison, or even the woman outside their door waiting, Sumire and Haruka quickly rolled out of their futon to brush their teeth. As Haruka finished up in the bathroom, Sumire took note that the time was currently 9:05am. Not only had they slept in, but it was the first night of true, restful sleep the two had gotten since either of them had been forced into captivity. Just that thought alone was enough to make Sumire feel emotional, but she held it together as Haruka returned from the bathroom. “Alright, let's do this.”
The woman that was on the other side of the door was tiny, even smaller than Sumire or Alison. She was dressed in an informal-looking yukata, which made Sumire assume she was perhaps a maid on the compound.
The maid bowed deeply then took off without another word. Sumire had to speedwalk, and even the taller Haruka with her volleyball build had to extend her pace to keep up with her. Instead of being led to Kasai and Alison's bedroom, they were swept past it and into a smaller wing of the compound that didn't have a single person to be seen.
“I'm guessing these are Kasai's private rooms…” Haruka whispered to Sumire as the maid stopped in front of a traditional style sliding door.
“Kasai-sama, miss Alison, your two guests have arrived.” The maid called out, and a few seconds later Kasai appeared at the door. She was wearing a crop top and workout shorts, and gave off the distinct appearance that she hadn't gotten out of bed too long ago herself.
“Thank you, Hana. You are dismissed, but please try to remember to address Alison with the proper respect she deserves.”
The maid Hana bowed deeply, mumbled an apology, then quickly left.
“Maybe one day they'll stop being so spiteful towards Alison…” Kasai sighed, then motioned for the two to step in. “Sorry about that. Welcome in, we were just starting to eat breakfast.”
“Why don't they like Alison-san?” Haruka asked from behind Sumire as they walked in, and the woman in question smiled and threw up a peace sign from a low table. The very western breakfast of scrambled eggs, bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon set out on the table was at-odds with the Japanese setting. She was wearing flannel pants and an oversized t-shirt, and sported a bedhead so wild that Sumire just had to comment on it.
“That is… quite the hairstyle.”
Alison beamed as she floofed it up a little. “I take pride in it. Plus, Kasai likes to rate my bedhead each morning on a few different factors. Also, don't use honorifics. It's really only necessary in more formal settings, and as an American I prefer going without the system.”
The casual-ness of the conversation even seemed to have relaxed Haruka a bit. “What rating did you give it, Kasai-san?”
Kasai crossed her arms as she looked at Haruka. “No need for honorifics for me, either. You're staying here as our friends, plus I guess Alison's American way of doing things has rubbed off on me a little. Speaking of…” She turned to Alison. “I gave it a B+. Fairly standard, there's nothing too special about it today.”
Sumire smiled, but Haruka's curiosity wasn't yet sated, it seemed. “If you don't mind me asking, do they not respect Alison from her status as a foreigner?”
“Hey!” Sumire hissed and lightly jabbed Haruka's shoulder, but Kasai waved it off. “Nah, it's okay. Alison?”
Alison simply shrugged. “Kinda, yeah. I basically married into princess status from outta fuckin nowhere, plus Kasai's father really wanted to marry her off to some other branch as an alliance thing. They really like to keep things internal, I guess. But eh, that's boring shit. Come grab yourself some breakfast, I made it today myself so you'll offend me if you don't eat up!”
They sat themselves down at the table as Kasai sat beside Alison. “It's not boring to me. I'd like to hear your story if you don't mind sharing it, Alison.” Haruka said, and Sumire had to stifle a sigh. That curiosity was going to be the literal death of her someday, especially now that she had been roped into a world of crime and supernatural spears of light and walls of ice.
“Yeah, I don't mind telling my story, I guess. Makes for good breakfast conversation. Grab a bagel and slap some salmon on it, it's a bit of a long one.”