As the world transformed around them, plunging from the clarity of daylight into the mystery of a night-shrouded realm, curiosity seized the Phantom Thieves as they entered their second Palace. Makoto, in particular, found herself grappling with the sudden shift, her voice laced with uncertainty.
"Ren?" she queried, her gaze darting across the altered appearances of the group.
"Welcome to the cognitive world," he declared, a smile broadening on his face.
The group, now fully assembled around Makoto, reintroduced themselves. Makoto was slightly shocked as she saw Morgana talk, but after a moment to become accustomed to it, she accepted it. However, her initial shock quickly gave way to an insatiable curiosity, her eyes scanning the new world around her with an eager intensity.
"It's all real." she murmured, almost to herself, as the group's collective gaze lifted to the sky, landing on a sight that defied all logic.
"Woah…" She said out loud, an expression that echoed by the group as they all looked up to see a gigantic building floating in the air.
Above them floated a colossal structure, its grandeur magnified by its position atop a UFO-like platform that seemed to draw the city's wealth into its vaults. The bank, obscured by the floating platform, loomed over them practically unreachable.
Along with the floating building, as the group stepped out of their alley they could see countless humanoid ATM people walking around. It was clear that Kaneshiro saw the people of Shibuya as nothing more than walking banks.
Makoto stood there looking at the sky momentarily before turning around to look at Ren with a smile.
"A whole new world, eh?" she echoed Ren's earlier joke, her smile a blend of amazement and disbelief. "Honestly, if I weren't looking at it, I wouldn't believe it, but I can't really deny it." She said with some wonder.
Ryuji's voice broke through the group's marveling, asking the question in everyone's minds.
"How the eff are we supposed to get up there?" He glanced at Morgana, half-joking, "You got a helicopter mode or something?"
"Unless society suddenly accepts cats transforming into helicopters, I'm afraid a bus is my limit." Mona answered with some annoyance.
"What about using a persona?" Shiho asked, earning a confused look from Makoto.
"A persona?" Makoto asked.
"We'll go over everything once we're back to safety. But as to what a Persona is…" Ren said before calling forth Tartuffe in the form of Arsene, whose imposing wings unfurled with a dramatic flair.
Makoto was mesmerized as the figure clad in crimson grasped Ren, lifting off the ground as Arsene's wings beat powerfully into the air. In a breathtaking display of elegance and might that left Makoto in awe.
As Ren ascended into the sky, concern and curiosity bubbled among the group left on the ground.
"Even if he manages to get up there, how are the rest of us supposed to follow?" Ann questioned, her voice tinged with worry, watching Ren's figure shrink against the vast backdrop.
"I'm sure he'll come up with some plan… He wouldn't go in by himself, right?" Shiho, with a slight mix of fear and anxiety, asked.
Morgana squinted upwards before saying.
"I'm not convinced he'll even reach the top."
High above them, not even halfway up, Ren felt the toll of sustaining Tartuffe's presence. Usually, personas would only be summoned briefly during battle for a quick burst of offense or defense. After all, the continued use of a persona was quite straining on the body.
Glancing up at the daunting height still to cover, Ren let out a sigh and dispelled Tartuffe, starting to fall back towards the ground. For a tense few moments, he was in freefall, the wind rushing past him. Then, Arsene reappeared, gracefully spreading his wings to catch the air, slowing Ren's descent until he landed softly on the ground.
"That won't work. I doubt I could even make it a quarter of the way up if I were carrying someone else. And my persona is the only one that can fly up in the air and not just hover over the ground." Ren admitted with some frustration.
Makoto, after thinking for a few moments, proposed a potential solution.
"Wouldn't the bank come down to us if we were recognized as customers?"
"That's true, but becoming Kaneshiro's customer means taking a loan or working for him, which would be extremely risky. It could also leave a trail leading right back to us." Shiho said after considering the idea.
"Maybe we can ask some of the ATM people?" Ann suggested.
The group roamed the streets aimlessly for a while, but it quickly became apparent that they were getting nowhere. With little progress to show for their efforts, they decided to exit the Metaverse and regroup at Leblanc.
Once they arrived at the café, it had already been closed for the night. So they were able to speak openly without fear of being overheard. The team quickly brought Makoto up to speed, who absorbed the flood of information like a sponge.
Her recent deep dive into Maruki's lectures and related subjects had already given her a foundational understanding of the Metaverse. The group's explanation simply helped to piece together the remaining puzzles in her mind.
"Man, you weren't kidding about her being sharp," Ryuji remarked, genuinely impressed. "I gotta admit, I'm still wrapping my head around all of this."
Makoto responded with a modest smile.
"Thanks... It still feels surreal, like a dream. I've had to pinch myself a few times just to make sure it's real," she shared.
As the group engaged Makoto in conversation, Ren's thoughts drifted to their current problem.
Ann, noticing Ren's distant look, voiced her concern.
"Ren, is everything alright?" snapping him back to the present.
With renewed focus, Ren announced.
"I've figured out how we can get into the bank."
Hearing this, the entire group let out a few looks of surprise.
"Do you remember the man who was scouting Shujin students?" Ren directed at Ryuji, who nodded in recognition.
"Yeah, dude… Wait, are you thinking of taking him up on that offer?" Ryuji asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
With a nod, Ren answered.
"I won't actually do anything for them, but if I introduce myself as a potential recruit, the bank might lower for me."
"I thought the whole point was to avoid you going there because it's too dangerous." Shiho's concern was evident as she reiterated the risks.
Ann, however, seemed lost in reflection before confidently stating.
"I believe in you. Be cautious, okay? I trust you." She stated as she thought back to what Ren had told her about his past.
At this, Shiho hesitated, her worry evident, but before she could voice her concerns further, Ryuji chimed in with his characteristic enthusiasm.
"Hell yeah, dude! I saw you in action that day, and you totally could pass for a gangster."
Mona, ever the strategist, offered a backup plan.
"And I can sneak in with you, tucked away in your bag. If things take a turn, I'll be ready to call for backup. Worst case scenario, we make an escape into the Metaverse." He suggested, his ears twitching in anticipation of the action to come.
Makoto studied Ren intently for a moment, then gave a nod of approval.
"It's risky, but from what I have learned, then we definitely need to make an impression on Kaneshiro one way or the other. You seem confident, so I'll trust my instincts and support the plan."
With Makoto's endorsement, the group reached a unanimous decision, though Shiho's nod of agreement came with a touch of hesitation.
Makoto was visibly relieved to hear the plan would be put on hold until after the exams. Seizing the opportunity, she volunteered to help everyone study, eliciting a mix of groans and resigned nods from Ann and Ryuji.
"You know, I have always wanted to be useful." Makoto reflected, a hint of pride in her voice as they began to wrap up the meeting. "With this, I can finally make a difference. I am glad you invited me. I remember my sister tried looking into it for some time before she got reassigned. I'm looking forward to the look on her face when we manage to bring Kaneshiro to justice," she said, her smile broadening with anticipation as she headed for the door.
As Makoto made her exit, Shiho and Ren were left alone in the quiet of Leblanc.
Shiho turned to Ren, her voice carrying a hint of unease.
"Are you sure about this?" Concern was evident in her eyes as she searched his face for reassurance.
Ren noticed her apprehension, so he gave her a confident smile as he said.
"Don't worry. I promise you that I have dealt with guys like them more than you can imagine." he said, trying to sound confident. Yet, his words seemed to deepen Shiho's concern rather than alleviate it.
"Ren... you've literally saved my life. All the happiness I feel right now is thanks to you." She admitted, her voice faltering slightly as she mustered the courage to meet his gaze. "You don't know what it felt like seeing you hurt by Kamoshida that day in his office, especially after knowing what it was for. But I don't want to go through that again."
Ren was momentarily taken aback, her earnestness striking a chord within him. Before he could respond, Shiho continued, her resolve clear.
"I know I can't change your mind, and I accept that," she said firmly. "All I can do is trust you won't be reckless. Please, just promise me you'll stay safe. That's all I'm asking for."
Ren hesitated, leaving the weight of her words to hang in the air for a moment. After a brief pause, he nodded.
"I promise." He said, however, there was some uncertainty in his voice.
Shiho exhaled, a mixture of relief and resignation in her gesture.
"I suppose that's as much as I can hope for right now." she said, a soft smile gracing her lips. As she picked up her bag and headed for the door, she paused to give Ren a tender kiss on the cheek.
Once Ren was left alone in Leblanc, he couldn't help but mutter. Slightly unsure of what to think.
"Well… damn."
~Confidants~
Shiho Suzui (The Tower) Rank 5.