Chapter Text
Sumire felt dizzy. My head…I was just walking up to Amamiya-senpai, and then…
The dizziness eventually subsided after a few moments, and Sumire shook her head. At least she wasn’t dead, but the first thing she noticed was that the sky was awfully red, and everything around them had taken on a similar hue. Also-
“WAHHH!”
Suffice to say, everyone was surprised at Sumire practically barging in with them into the Metaverse. Both Ren and Ryuji visibly flinched at the sight of the red-haired girl being there with them, and Sumire, for her part…
Wait, what is Amamiya-senpai wearing? Black tailcoat, red gloves, domino mask. He looks…so cool…WAIT, WHAT!?
“W-what’re you doing here!?” Ryuji cried out.
“I-I was going to ask you the same thing!” Sumire shot back. “A-and what are you wearing!? Amamiya-senpai?”
“This is…” Ren looked down at himself. “What I was wearing yesterday.”
Yesterday?
“What’s with that outfit!?” Ryuji asked as well. Ren shrugged.
“I dunno. Looks cool though. You jelly?”
“I-I ain’t jealous!” Ryuji shook his head, before pointing at something behind Sumire. “Forget that! Look, it’s the castle from yesterday!”
“Hey, slow down!” Ren called out to Ryuji as he ran in, following him soon after, leaving a confused Sumire to stand there.
What…is that a castle? But isn’t that…I thought that’s supposed to be Shujin Academy…? Wait! She hurried over to catch up to Ren and Ryuji.
“That means what happened yesterday was for real too…” She heard Ryuji mutter as she got closer.
“Yesterday-what happened yesterday!?” Sumire called out, causing the two boys to turn around to look at her in surprise again. “Senpai!?”
“Hey!”
The three turned towards a…feline creature, so small he barely went up to Sumire’s knees, with large cartoonish eyes. Like a mascot…? Uh- “M-monster cat!?”
“I am NOT a monster cat!” Morgana burst out. “I am Morgana! And stop making a commotion! The Shadows started acting up, so I came here wondering what it could be…To think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely managed to escape. And not only that, you brought someone else with you?”
“It was by accident…” Ren said sheepishly, glancing at the bewildered gymnast among them.
Morgana, however, was peering at Sumire. “You…wouldn’t happen to be Sumire, would you?”
Sumire blinked. “Y-yes? Why?”
The feline creature sighed. “...Rose is gonna kill me.”
Rose? Who’s Rose? She had SO many questions right now. Still, thanks to some prompting from the boys, Morgana was able to answer many of the questions Sumire herself had: what this castle was (apparently Kamoshida’s cognition of the school made manifest…?), what Ren’s new outfit was supposed to be, and-
An agonized scream emanating from within the castle made Sumire jump and sent a chill up her spine. “W-what was that!?”
“It must be the slaves captive here…” Morgana said.
SLAVES!?
Sumire gulped as Morgana explained that, apparently, male volleyball team members from their school were being held captive and tortured on a daily basis. N-no way…I’m dreaming, right? “Wait, nobody answered me! What HAPPENED here yesterday!?”
“Oh, right, you don’t know…” Ren blinked. “Ryuji and I got lost yesterday, and we ended up here. It’s why we were half a day late.”
“Hey, do you know where those voices were coming from?” Ryuji asked. “Could you take us to them?”
“Are you sure…?” Morgana narrowed his eyes at him. “Ugh, fine, but under two conditions. One, he comes with us,” The creature gestured to Ren. “...and two, she doesn’t.” Then at Sumire.
Sumire pointed at herself. “Me…?”
“Yeah, no objections there.” Ryuji turned towards the gymnast. “Look, I don’t know how you got in here with us, but you gotta leave. It’s dangerous in here, us two almost died.”
“But-”
“He’s right,” Ren added. “Um…Sumire, right? I can explain later, but you really, really need to leave. It’s not safe, and I can’t protect both you and Ryuji at the same time.”
But…is this what my sister’s been doing, too? Is that who the cat-thing was referring to as Rose?
“Plus, Rose would castigate me if I let anything happen to you,” Morgana said. “We only saw male slaves in there. I don’t know what Kamoshida will do if he catches you…” But, judging from what he saw with Kasumi in there, he had a terrible idea.
“Rose-that’s my sister, right?” Sumire asked, staring at Morgana. “Kasumi?”
“That’s her name, huh…” Morgana frowned in thought. “Either way, it’s unanimous. I can’t let you follow us.”
“I’m sorry, but we’ll have to carry you out of here if you refuse,” Ren said. “...How do we even bring her out, anyway?”
“Just carry her outside the castle’s area of influence…?” Morgana suggested.
“I-I’ll leave!” Sumire blurted out, though she didn’t sound sure. “B-but, um…please stay safe in there! I don’t know what’s going on, but…”
“You don’t have to.” Ren nodded his head. “You should be the one staying safe.”
What happened? What happened what happened what happened!?
Sumire leaned against the alley wall, practically hyperventilating. She tried to gather her thoughts and process what she saw and heard. OK. That castle is apparently Kamoshida’s view of the school, made physical. There are Shadows in there that are dangerous, but Ren has something called a Persona to fight them with…
She kept thinking back to Rose. Rose, Kasumi, my sister. Has she been in here too? What was she doing in there? Is she in danger? I…I can’t just leave her alone, right?”
Sumire took out her phone, intending to call Kasumi…but then she saw a strange app on her phone. Red and black, eyeball icon. What is this…?
It seemed to be a navigation app of sorts, but there were no bookmarks, only a button for voice input. Sumire recalled what she’d heard before, right before she was transported to the castle. “Suguru Kamoshida, Shujin Academy…castle?” She blurted out.
“Match found. Beginning navigation.”
“What-”
And she was back. The castle stood in the distance again, oppressive, imposing. Sumire stepped out of the alleyway and stared at the building, half in awe, half dread.
If Sis has been going in here, then…Sumire shook her head.
Every fiber of her being was telling her this is a bad idea. But-
Is this why Sis warned me about Kamoshida? Did she know? What has he actually been doing?
Reluctantly, she took a step forward. Then another. Pretty soon, she was breaking into a sprint, just in time to see Ren and Ryuji climbing into a ventilation shaft to the left side of the main entrance.
This is the stupidest thing I could be doing. Anything could happen to me. I could die…
Sumire took a deep breath. But I can’t keep relying on my sister forever. I need to help her.
Time to buckle up, I guess. I’m about to do something stupid.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Sumire to lose track of Ren and Ryuji. They were faster and more agile than she’d expected them to be.
That was bad news #1. #2: she was lost.
Oh no, I was so focused on Amamiya-senpai that I wasn’t looking where I was going…I need to find my way out! Sumire took a deep breath, trying to regain her focus, and snuck around a corner, before diving back upon seeing two figures walking towards her. A few crates helped hide her well as she peered out at them to see-
Sumire’s eyes widened. There was…her and Kasumi, wearing skimpy one-pieces with fox-ear headbands and tails. Kasumi was in white, and Sumire in black.
“Those thieves are so scaaaary!” The fake Sumire crowed, almost latching onto her sister’s arm. “I heard they’ve been running about, stealing everything and trashing the place…oh, what if they steal us, too?”
“Don’t worry, sister!” Cognitive Kasumi laughed. “I’ll protect you, and then King Kamoshida can reward us and treat us like that Princess of his! I thought he’d hate us when we got here, but he’s such a gentle man…”
“Thank you, Sis! You always were better than me!”
And as they walked away, the real Sumire sat behind the wooden crates, half-hyperventilating. “What…?”
Ren, Ryuji and Morgana peered out of the safe room, opening the door just enough to eavesdrop on the group of guards conversing outside. “...And what of the slaves?” said one of them.
“Likely screaming in the training hall by now.” snickered another. “By the way, I’ve heard we may have other intruders around. Aside from those trash that ransacked King Kamoshida’s castle recently, there was also a girl in white who has been decimating our forces. Stay on your guard.”
The Shadows split up and left one there, and the others retreated back into the Safe Room. Ren frowned. “A girl in white…?”
“Oh, yeah, about that…” Morgana paused, frowning. He had promised Rose to keep her presence a secret, but…
Their question was answered, however, when they heard the sound of something crashing outside. They peeked out again to find a girl in a ponytail and white leotard and coat, standing over the Shadow that was there just earlier, holding her rapier to its throat. “It’s Rose…!” Morgana exclaimed.
“There was a girl with long red hair and glasses that passed through here earlier,” Kasumi hissed. “WHERE IS SHE!?”
“I-I’ll never tell you even if I knew!” Croaked the Shadow, reaching for its sword. “I answer only to King Kamoshi-”
“WRONG ANSWER!”
Kasumi thrust her blade through its mask and let it fall to the ground, dissipating. She was angry.
“Y-yikes…” Ryuji squeaked out, watching their kouhai act uncharacteristically violent. Too loud.
“Who’s there!?”
Kasumi had leveled her pistol at where the boys (and cat) were hiding, and Morgana leapt up with his arms raised in surrender. “R-Rose! It’s me! Friendly, friendly!”
Kasumi narrowed her eyes. “Morgana? Then you must be…Amamiya-senpai and Sk-Ryuji?”
“What’s with that getup!?” Ryuji asked. “Do you have one of those Personas too? The same thing Ren’s got?”
“You’re showing an awful lot of skin…” Ren remarked under his breath. “Is that you, Kasumi?”
Kasumi groaned. “Yes, it’s me, but it’s not important…” She looked around. “Where’s Sumire? Is she not with you?”
“Sumire?” Ryuji blinked. “She did get in here with us, but she left…we told her it was dangerous. She can’t have gotten back in, right?”
“She left?” Kasumi frowned and started pacing around. “No, but even if she did, she’d still have the MetaNav on her phone, and…no. Don’t tell me she came back?”
“I-I’M SORRY, ROSE!”
Morgana had exclaimed loudly and then jumped forward into a kneeling position with his head to the ground, prostrating in an almost comical manner. “It’s my fault! I let your sister go and I wasn’t able to-”
Kasumi sighed and held up a hand. “Morgana. Stop. I’m not blaming you, you couldn’t have known she’d come back of her own volition. Oh my God, Sumire, you idiot…” She clenched her fists. “Ugh. Let’s just split up. Morgana, you were guiding them to see the male prisoners, right?”
“Yes, I-” Morgana raised his head, looking at Kasumi in confusion. “How do you know that?”
“Doesn’t matter. Stick with the boys, keep going where you’re going and keep an eye out for Sumire. I’ll go look for her!”
Kasumi promptly sprinted down the hallway, leaving the boys alone again. “Kasumi has a Persona…?” Ren thought aloud. “I didn’t expect that…”
That girl was becoming more of an enigma by the day…but there were more pressing matters first.
“We gotta keep looking for those guys,” Ryuji said. “And we ain’t leaving without Sumire, either!”
Every part of Sumire told her that it was a dumb and terrible idea to follow those fake versions of her and her sister and demand answers out of them. She did so anyway, because what else was she supposed to do?
She tracked the two cognitions into a lounge room of sorts, and, once confident that no guards were around to catch her, burst through the door, catching the fake versions of her siblings on a plush sofa chair, in a rather…compromising position with each other. Ew! No! Sis and I are NOT like that! What is going on here!?
“And who’s this?” Crowed the fake Sumire. “An imposter? She looks just like me, Sis!”
Sumire backed away slowly. “Nononono. You can’t be real…”
“Why are you wandering around, little sister?” The cognitive Kasumi got off the sofa and strode towards Sumire, hips swaying. “It’s dangerous out there, what with those thieves about. Come, let me protect you…”
“I-I don’t need you to protect me,” Sumire said. “I can handle myself…”
“You always say that, but you’re nothing without me…” said the fake Kasumi, and Sumire gulped. Something about those words struck her hard. “You were always second place, always the weaker, and it’s my duty to protect you. King Kamoshida showed us love, so let me show you-”
BANG.
A gunshot. A bullet flew from behind her into the head of the false Kasumi, causing her to collapse and dissipate into black smoke, while the real Sumire jumped back in fright and whipped around.
There stood the genuine Kasumi, a lever-action pistol leveled at where her cognitive version used to be, scowling. “Sumire, stay back. Those aren’t real. They’re just…copies of us built out of what Kamoshida thinks of us, or wants us to be like.”
“W-what? Sis…?” Sumire was beyond bewildered at this point, but the new Kasumi seemed more like the real one, so she listened and backed away.
The cognitive Sumire, however, screamed and fell backwards, crawling away from the intruder in a way that almost made the real one sick with how pathetic she looked. “N-no! Sis! Please save me! I can’t do anything without you-”
“Shut it,” Kasumi growled, pointing her pistol at the other cognition. “Stop making my sister look so weak and pathetic, because she isn’t. Sumire’s not some shrinking wallflower living in my shadow, she’s gotten stronger, and I know it.”
“Y-you’re lying! You’re just saying all that to make me feel better! I-I was always the worse one!”
The door burst open again, and a group of guards burst in, pointing their swords at Kasumi. “Stop right there!”
Kasumi clicked her tongue like they were just a mild inconvenience, and glanced at her real sister. “Sumire, go! I’ve got this handled!”
She didn’t need to be told twice. Sumire took advantage of the opening the Shadows had left focusing on Kasumi and bolted out of the room.
Unfortunately, her escape route was soon barred by none other than-
“What have we here?”
Sumire yelped and jumped backwards as Shadow Kamoshida wearing a ridiculous, heart-patterned pink cloak and a garish crown blocked the way, flanked by a small contingent of his guards. “Y-you’re-!”
Kamoshida laughed. “I thought it was some rats scurrying about in my castle, but instead I find a beautiful vixen! The lesser of the Yoshizawa siblings, pretty little things you are. I was willing to forgive you for daring to steal my glory…”
Just the way he was talking sent chills up Sumire’s spine, and she climbed back to her feet, ready to flee again. But there it was again, her being called the lesser, the inferior, of the sisters. Her false copy’s words rang in her ears. “Y-you’re lying! You’re just saying all that to make me feel better! I-I was always the worse one!”
Kamoshida outstretched his arms. “Ha, that sister of yours is a little brat, but she’ll be begging for mercy once she sees how much I’ve broken you! Guards, seize her!”
The Shadows advanced on Sumire, and she backed away quickly, only to sense something flying past behind her. As if on cue, a Shadow went flying from the door of the room she’d just exited straight into the wall opposite, causing the other guards to flinch as the defeated Shadow dissipated, and the white-clad Kasumi strode out of the door, her rapier leveled at Kamoshida. “Thought I heard your voice, you pig.”
“Ah, so you’re the bitch in white I’ve been hearing about,” Kamoshida scoffed. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve been causing me? You and your pathetic little sister, striding in here and stealing MY thunder?”
“Bet you didn’t like that, did you?” Kasumi taunted, stepping in front of Sumire. “You know, I could stab you in the heart right here and now, and none of your guards would be able to stop me. But you’re not worth the effort. I’d rather let those Thieves you call “trash” take care of you instead.”
“You dare talk to your King like that!?” Kamoshida yelled, practically frothing at the mouth. “Let’s see how much you’re still talking once I’ve corrected you! Guards, take them alive! I want to make this little shit watch as I break her sister!”
“Sumire, run,” Kasumi said, glancing back at her sibling. “He’s nothing.”
“But…”
“That’s it, run!” Kamoshida laughed. “Leave your sister to die like the little shit you are! You never were good for anything anyway! Perhaps your big sister might be more entertaining, with that spirit of hers…”
Something he said hit Sumire in the heart. I…I can’t just leave Sis here like this…but I can’t do anything…
“I’m sorry, Sis…” Sumire sobbed. “In the end, I’ve been nothing but a burden…”
“Don’t say that!” Kasumi said. “We’ve always been a duo act! You’ve always kept up with me, even if you don’t see it!”
“But I…”
“You’re comparing yourself to me too much, and it’s hurting you. It hurts me to watch, too. I don’t want you to become a second Kasumi. I want you to be Sumire.”
“You’re not weaker. You’re just different. You’re more introspective, more thoughtful. You’re the brains of our duo act. You bring out the best in me, so the best I can do is…try to do the same for you.”
No. She’s right.
“...You’re right. I want to keep up to you. You’ve always helped me, so let me help you…”
Sumire stood up. “Starting with you.” She pointed a finger at Kamoshida. “Don’t talk down on me like that. You just think I’m some object, do you? That I’m just a worse toy than my sister? You’re wrong. Stop telling me what you think I am…and LOOK AT WHO I ACTUALLY AM!”
“...So adamant.”
Oh-oh God! My head…!
“Rather than accept a life in cinders, you would strive towards splendor, even as you understand the risks…”
Sumire clutched the sides of her head in pain, almost falling to her knees while Kasumi stood in front of her, eyes widening in surprise.
“These shoes you wear now are yours. No one else’s. With them, we shall dance to the end.”
The pain stopped, only briefly. There was something on her face. A mask? It felt suffocating. She wanted it off.
“I am thou, thou art I…”
“Accept this contract, this spell cast upon you!”
Sumire tore off her mask, and screamed. The sheer power radiating from her Awakening knocked the Shadows guarding Kamoshida back with such force that they were sent flying, and even Kamoshida himself fell back.
When the fires died down, Kasumi noticed that Sumire was…different. For starters…she wasn’t just wearing a palette-swapped version of Kasumi’s outfit anymore.
Cendrillion didn’t look any different - still a blue, crystalline figure. Sumire, however, was now wearing a laced, ornate black dress that might not have looked out of place at a Victorian morning, and her mask was more rounded, black with silver accents.
“What…sorcery is this…?” Kamoshida gasped as his guards picked themselves up.
“Don’t you dare look down on me anymore!” Sumire cried out as Cendrillion hovered behind her. “I’m not someone’s toy, or pale imitation! My name is Sumire Yoshizawa, and I will reach for the stars with my own hands!”
Kasumi couldn’t help but applaud her sister. Oh my God, she looks so cool! And different! She’s not just palette-swapped me anymore!
Kamoshida scoffed, turning around, perhaps masking his newfound fear. “I tire of this! Kill them! I have other trash to clean up!”
And the Shadows that had been flanking him morphed into a single Berith as their King left, perhaps underestimating their foes. “You would dare spurn our King’s boundless love!?” It growled. “Your punishment for such insolence is death!”
“Love!?” Sumire grimaced in disgust. “What you call love is just perverse interest! He just views me as an object, a toy, a lesser imitation of my older sister. I am NONE of those things! Let’s go, Sis!”
“Actually, I think you should handle this by yourself, Sumire.”
Sumire’s head snapped towards her sister in shock. “What!?”
Kasumi just gave her a cryptic grin. “It’s your show. You got this.”
The actual answer was that Kasumi would absolutely decimate this Shadow with just a snap of her fingers, and she didn’t want to do that. She wanted to see want her little sister and her new form were capable.
Sumire took a deep breath. “...You’re right. It’s my time to shine.” A whip-sword materialized in her hands, the blade a glowing blue wire. “Let’s dance!”
The Berith reared up and charged, but Sumire flipped out of the way easily, summoning Cendrillion as she returned to stance. “Kouha!”
Kasumi watched the bolt of light slam into the Shadow. Bless magic, huh…just like last time. Staggered, the Berith thrust its spear at Sumire, but she leapt up and twirled her whip-sword, snatching the Berith’s outstretched arm and yanking her weapon as she landed, pulling with enough force to unseat the Shadow cavalryman from its steed. “Y-you-!”
Sumire gave it no more time to speak. “Cendrillion, Cleave it!”
The Persona kicked her leg, blade-like, horizontally across the chest of the Berith, cutting deep into it and causing it to writhe and dissipate after a brief moment. Kasumi had to applaud her sister for the performance. “That’s amazing, Sis! How are you feeling?”
“Sis…I…” Sumire was smiling widely as she caught her breath…before Cendrillion disappeared and she fell on her knees. “Nngh…my legs feel…weak…”
Kasumi hurried over to wrap an arm around her sister and help her up. “Awakening your Persona takes a lot out of you, you need a break. I’m so proud of you, Sumire. Come on, let’s get you to safety.”
Kasumi pushed through into the Safe Room with Sumire in tow, and only once they were inside did they both finally rest, panting, with Sumire sinking into a chair. “I’m sore all over…I didn’t know fighting could be that exhausting…”
“Not usually, but it’s because you awakened your Persona,” Kasumi explained. “It always takes a lot out of you then, but it gets better. But…”
She walked up to Sumire and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulders. “Sumire?”
“I…I’m sorry…” Sumire lowered her head. “I’m stupid…I knew it was dangerous, but I went back in anyway…I caused you so much trouble…”
“Why!?” Kasumi asked, grimacing. “What possessed you to wander in here!? You know you can’t rely on miracles like this!”
“B-because I was worried about you!” Sumire blurted out.
Kasumi raised her eyebrow at her sister’s answer. “What…?”
“A-after I heard Morgana explain things, I realized you must be going in here by yourself too! And I was worried…I knew it must have been dangerous for you, and I wanted to help out…somehow…”
“What were you planning on-” Kasumi caught herself mid-sentence. No. Sumire didn’t have all the facts when she made that decision. She didn’t know Kasumi could just run through the Palace by herself. She must have still been struggling with her inferiority complex.
Sighing, Kasumi pulled her sister in and wrapped her in a hug. “...I’m just glad you’re safe, Sumi.”
“S-Sis…” Sumire sobbed into Kasumi’s shoulder. “I…I really am just causing trouble for you, aren’t I…?”
“What did I tell you? You’re not. You mean well, you just…were ill-informed.” Kasumi pulled away. “Let’s just…get out of here first, OK?”
Sumire wiped away her tears and nodded. “O-OK.”
Kasumi held up a hand to stop Sumire as they arrived just outside the foyer. Beyond the hallway, there seemed to be a fight going on between the boys Sumire had been with earlier, and the other Shadows. Sumire noticed, in particular, that Ryuji had also changed - he was now wearing a black, armor-like costume, different like Ren’s was, and was swinging around a pipe at the Shadows while occasionally summoning his own Persona, a pirate figure on a floating ship.
“Damn,” Kasumi said, mildly annoyed. “Looks like I missed Ryuji’s Awakening.”
“You-what?” Sumire stared at her sister in confusion. “I mean…we should help them!”
“Yeah, we should,” Kasumi nodded. “Why don’t you jump in first, Vio-Sumire? Call it confidence training.”
“W-what?” For some reason, Kasumi seemed to prefer letting others take the spotlight. Sumire didn’t know if it was laziness, or some other ulterior motive. It probably wasn’t cowardice, as Kasumi had shown she was plenty capable of manhandling some Shadows by herself.
“You got this, Sis,” Kasumi patted her on the back. “They’ll gonna love you out there.”
Oh God, she’s encouraging me like we’re about to perform gymnastics. Sumire took a deep breath. “OK, then…here goes!”
Kasumi watched Sumire run out, summon Cendrillion, and slam into the Berith with Kouha. Shadow Kamoshida, who had been observing the fight with mild annoyance at the poor performance of his guards, looked mildly surprised at the appearance of the now Persona-armed Sumire, his expression shifting into a sneer.
“Who is-?” Ryuji cried out as Sumire joined them. “Wait, Sumire? Izzat you!?”
Sumire nodded resolutely. “It’s me, Senpai. I know what I have to do now!”
“Sumire awakened her Persona too!?” Morgana’s beady eyes were wide in surprise. “I mean-whatever, this is good! Let’s finish this Shadow off!”
“Grrgh…this changes nothing!” The Berith grunted as he leveled his lance and charged at the Phantom Thieves again, but the Phantom Thieves leapt away easily, and another Kouha from Sumire left the Shadow open for an All-Out Attack from the Thieves. Kamoshida looked nonplussed, however, as his guard fell.
“I told you that this is my castle,” He smirked. “It seems you still don’t understand.”
In came the scantily-clad cognitive Ann, the sight of whom still disgusted Kasumi - especially with how closely she was wrapping herself around her king. Evidently, the Phantom Thieves shared her disgust.
It wasn’t long before another group of Shadows descended the stairs and formed a wall between Kamoshida and the Phantom Thieves. “We’re outnumbered!” Morgana shouted. “Let’s scram before we get surrounded!”
“We’re not gonna do anything and just run!?” Ryuji gritted his teeth.
Oh, Kasumi wanted to beat Kamoshida up too. She easily could, right here, right now. But she needed the fledgling Phantom Thieves to grow the normal way, without relying on her as a crutch…and plus, stirring up too much trouble would cause the Palace’s security level to ratchet up, and perhaps the Shadow would be strengthened to match Kasumi’s level, which could prove overwhelming for the other Thieves. She couldn’t risk that.
Her decision made, Kasumi drew a smoke bomb and threw it at the space between the Thieves and the Shadows, running to join them. “There’s your opening! Go!”
Even though Shadow Kamoshida’s laughter rang in their ears, Kasumi took comfort in the fact that his downfall was inevitable.
“Now that we think about it…” Morgana said once they were outside the castle. “Rose probably could have taken on all those Shadows by herself.”
“Rose?” Sumire glanced at her sister. “So that was you…”
“Codename,” Kasumi explained. “I can’t just be throwing out my real name willy-nilly in here, you know.”
“Hey, I don’t remember changin’ into this!” Ryuji spoke up once he’d caught his breath. “Sumire, you definitely weren’t wearin’ that before, either!”
“Um…” Sumire looked down at herself in that black dress. “Does…does this look good on me?”
Kasumi gave her a thumbs up, as did Ren. “You kind of look like one of those dark mages in video games,” said the latter. “Regal but kind of spooky, but in a good way.”
“Ooh! Like a warlock!” Ryuji added, grinning. “And Kasumi is…uh…”
“Aren’t you a bit concerned about how much skin you’re showing, Sis…?” Sumire tilted her head. “I mean…you have a heart-shaped chest window…”
“...I’m used to it.” Kasumi sighed. “I didn’t pick my outfit. Well, not really.”
“So what’s goin’ on, anyway!?” Ryuji asked. “I’m so lost, man!”
As Morgana explained (again) the nature of Personas and Phantom Thief outfits, Kasumi gazed upon her sister. Sumire was now living proof that this timeline was different. She wasn’t just imitating Kasumi anymore - she was her own person, with a different outfit and fighting style.
She found it ironic that Kasumi was dressed in white and had Curse magic, while Sumire was in black and used Bless magic.
And then there was talk of the “deal” the Thieves had made with Morgana. “Huh?” Morgana’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me…are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you? Especially you!” He was pointing at Kasumi now. “You’re going to up and leave, even though you’re already part of my master plan!?”
“We’re not leaving for good,” Kasumi explained. “We’re just going back to the real world to take a break. We’ll be back.”
That, unfortunately, did little to placate him, and the feline creature continued to yell at them all the way to the edge of the Metaverse. “Hey! What the hell!? Ugh, seriously? Why’re you wrapping this up like everything’s all hunky-dory!? Get back here! Grr…GRRRAAAAGGGHH!”
…He’ll be fine.
They finally made it out of the Metaverse. Kasumi looked like the only one who wasn’t tired, judging by the way everyone was panting and keeling over.
“How’re you…” Ryuji grunted. “Not tired…?”
Kasumi shrugged. “Athletes are built different. Wait, you’re an athlete too…well, you and Sumire did just have your Awakenings. Those take a lot out of you.”
“I’m sorry again for dragging you around, Sis…” Sumire said. “I just went in there without thinking and almost got myself killed…or worse…”
“I told you, it’s OK.” Kasumi patted Sumire on the back. “And you awakened your Persona, too. Everything worked out.”
“So everything we saw was real, right?” Ren asked. “I was able to memorize the faces of the volleyball team members in that prison, so…”
“Oh, yeah, me too,” Ryuji grinned. “Once we make ‘em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida’s gonna be done for.”
“Wait, what is this physical abuse?” Sumire asked.
“Oh, yeah, we heard rumors that Kamoshida’s been beating up the members of the volleyball team under him,” Ren explained. “They had cognitive versions inside the castle’s underground prison, so we memorized them and we’re planning to talk to them in the real world to see if we can get anything from them about Kamoshida.”
“They’re being beaten!?” Sumire’s eyes widened.
“Oh, it gets so much worse,” Kasumi frowned. “You boys saw that cognitive Ann, right? And you should have heard the way he talked about me and Sumire in there.”
“Shit, yeah, I heard about that too in the real world,” Ryuji scratched the back of his head. “Said he’s been pervin’ on the girls…ugh, that son of a bitch just gets worse and worse.”
“It’s a lot of us to ask, but would you two be willing to help us look for witnesses of Kamoshida’s abuse?” Ren asked. “I mean…you saw what was in his castle too, right?”
Kasumi nodded. “I’m going to be honest, I hated that guy from the moment I saw him. He’s creepy. I won’t have him lay a hand on my sister.”
“I-I can take care of myself…” Sumire said, taking a deep breath. “But yes, I want to help too. I can’t let him hurt anyone else!”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Ryuji whooped, pumping his fist.
“...By the way, Ren-senpai?” Kasumi said. “If you wanted to have a normal student life here despite your criminal record…um, I’m sorry. People are already talking about it. It seems like it’s everywhere now.”
“Oh, dammit…” Ren groaned. “What happened!?”
“Kamoshida opened his damn mouth is what happened!” Ryuji snarled, slamming his fist into the alley wall. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a student or a club, that asshole just wrecks things he doesn’t agree with. Just like he did with me…”
“And judging from the way he’s been acting around us,” Kasumi folded her arms. “I don’t think he likes that we’re stealing his glory. Unfortunately, we’ve got too much clout for him to just boss around.”
Well, hopefully.
“WHAT!?”
“Quiet down, Senpai, we’re in public,” Kasumi chided Ryuji. They were at a gyudon shop, and Ren had just told them his life story. Saved a woman from being sexually assaulted by a drunk man, only for that man to be extremely powerful and get him sent on a year of parole to Tokyo on trumped-up charges of assault.
A story Kasumi was all too familiar with.
“But still!” Ryuji grimaced. “If that was me, I wouldn’t calm down until I punched that dick in the face!”
“It’s in the past,” Ren said. “I’m angry too, but…that’s just life, I guess.”
“So now you’re living here, Ren-senpai?” Sumire asked. Kasumi noticed that her little sister seemed to be getting more comfortable around Ren. “On…probation, right?”
“Yeah,” Ren nodded. “For a year. If I’m on good behavior, I’ll get released. With the way things are going though, that doesn’t seem likely…”
“No, you did the right thing stepping in to help that woman,” Kasumi said. “I would have done the same, even if I knew my life would be ruined.”
“You two are way different from us, though,” Ryuji said. “Honor students, right? Everyone holds you girls up on a pedestal.”
“I’m…not exactly comfortable with it,” Sumire admitted. “Everyone expects great things out of us, so it’s a lot of pressure…”
“Popularity’s a double-edged sword,” Kasumi added. “The good news with you boys is that you get left alone for the most part.”
“Well, yeah, but…”
Truth be told, Ren was worried he’d be lonely. Isolated, friendless because of his criminal record. But here he was, with a fellow outcast and not one, but two girls that saw past his record and accepted him.
What the hell was Kasumi’s deal, anyway? Apparently she was a veteran Persona-user, but she’d just arrived at this school…what had she been doing before that?
“It’s fine!” Sumire said, leaning forward. “You have us now! That’s what matters, right? People who actually understand you. And…and I can stop by Yongen-Jaya and talk to you more, if it makes you feel better!”
“Oh, um…” Ren blinked. “Thanks. I’d…I’d like that.”
Kasumi looked between Sumire and Ren, and groaned.
That’s how it’s going to be, isn’t it? My little sister is crushing on my male counterpart. Then…
A deep breath. Fine. Embrace the madness.
“Aww, Sis, don’t tell me you like him…” Kasumi grinned, wrapping an arm around her sister. “My little sis is finding her first love. I’m so proud…”
“I-i-it’s not like that!” Sumire cried out, her face red as a tomato. “It’s just…I thought he’s nice, and…”
To her surprise, Ren was actually very slightly blushing as well. “I mean, we’re just friends, right…? But yeah. It’d…be nice if we got to talk to each other more.”
Ryuji was staring at his bro. “Dude.”
Kasumi smiled slyly, feasting on both her own food and the flying sparks between Ren and Sumire.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Faith Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…
Faith Arcana: Sumire Yoshizawa
Rank 1