Chapter Text
1/12 Wednesday
Days Until Maruki Acts: 22
She woke up with a new sense of determination.
Classes went by quickly, and yet, not quickly enough.
The entire time, she was anxious to continue her fight against Maruki.
There was a part of her that believed that every single moment that she spent not on stopping Maruki was a moment wasted.
And with how high the stakes were, that didn’t seem too far off.
But even so, as she made her way through the halls, she was trying to find Eiko and talk to her.
“Ms. Prez…”
She turned around, seeing Eiko gazing at the ground, clearly nervous.
It seemed she had been looking for her too.
“Sorry to bug you. I know that you’re probably super busy. I just… wanted to talk.” Eiko explained. “Would that be ok?”
“Y-Yeah, of course.” Makoto said. “Let’s… talk in the student council room. We shouldn’t be bothered there.”
The two of them made their way over to the student council room, both of them sitting across from each other.
For a while, neither of them said a word.
Makoto waited patiently for Eiko to begin speaking, to find the words she wanted to say.
“I just… gotta get a few things off my chest.” Eiko admitted. “Is that cool?”
“Whatever you have to say, you can say to me.” Makoto told her.
“Thanks, Prez…” Eiko softly said. “I… Well, I guess to start, I gotta confess something. I saw you and all of the others go to the nurse’s office the other day.”
“I see… and how much did you hear?” Makoto asked.
“Well, I… I kinda eavesdropped on the entire conversation.” Eiko admitted.
“So everything about Maruki and actualization?” Makoto questioned.
“Yeah. All of that.” Eiko said. “To be honest, I was really surprised. All of you guys were all so… confident, you know? Like you all knew exactly what you wanted to do, and decided you were going to do it.”
Makoto nodded along, letting Eiko continue speaking.
“But me… Hah, I couldn’t do that. I just… I dunno, it was like… I knew how much of a loser I was, and like, I didn’t want to go back to that. I just… You were my best friend, but… You were also the kind of person I always wanted to be, y’know?”
“Right, and that’s why… this world is the way it is for you.” Makoto said.
“Yeah…” Eiko admitted. “But I was just… so desperate. I didn’t want to go back to the old reality. And I was even willing to fight you to avoid that.”
“How do you feel now?” Makoto asked. “Do you… still feel that way?”
“No…” Eiko said. “When I saw all of you guys so determined, I think that… that it helped me realize something…”
“What would that be?” Makoto asked.
“That… I can’t just accept this reality. Not when I know how much you hate it.” Eiko said. “Even when Maruki offered to give you back your entire family, you still refused, right?”
“That’s right.” Makoto nodded. “There were just… too many problems with Maruki’s reality. Even putting aside the fact that it’s far too much responsibility to put into one person’s hands, I don’t want to live in a reality that doesn’t allow people to ever grow or change.
“Change, huh?” Eiko muttered. “I wonder if… Even someone like me can change.”
“Eiko…” Makoto trailed off.
“I don’t know if I can, but… I think that even if this reality lets me be exactly the person I want to be… I don’t know if I would be happy.” Eiko admitted.
“Why not?” Makoto asked.
“Cause you wouldn’t be happy.” Eiko smiled. “Listening to you guys in there made me realize that there was no way I could ever be happy with this reality if I knew you were suffering, Prez.”
“Eiko, I…” Makoto muttered. “I’m… really glad you feel that way. And… And I promise, once things return to normal, I’ll do everything I can to help you!”
“I know. I’m still scared but… knowing you’ll be there for me makes it a lot less scary.” Eiko confided.
Eiko took a deep breath, happy to get all of that off of her chest. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
“Yeah… Yeah. If… If all of you guys are able to change, and take life head on like that, then so can I!” Eiko said, pumping herself up. “Look out world! A new and improved Eiko Takao is gunna take you by storm!”
Makoto let out a soft laugh. “Yeah. That’s the spirit!”
It was as if a new light had entered Eiko’s eyes, and a rekindled flame had lit her spirits back up again.
“But… I guess that might have to wait until everything gets back to normal.” Eiko admitted. “I… don’t really know what to do until then.”
“I think that’s up to you, Eiko.” Makoto told her.
“Ehh?! Aww, come on, Ms. Prez!” Eiko whined.
“I gave all of the others the push they needed to break out of Maruki’s control, but I didn’t force any of them to make the same choice as me.” Makoto told her. “That’s a choice you have to make yourself.”
Eiko let out a sigh.
“Not gonna make this easy on me, are ya, Prez?” Eiko asked.
Despite her words, she had a smile on her face.
“Ok. I’ll do some thinking! And I’ll be sure to give you my answer soon!” Eiko declared.
She got up from her seat, her determination shining through as she waved goodbye and left the room.
“… Guess I should get going too.” Makoto thought to herself.
She left the student council room and started making her way back to Maruki’s Palace.
There was a sense of urgency amongst the thieves as they all gathered together and entered the palace. Once again, they only had one chance and couldn’t afford to screw up. It wasn’t just their futures at stake, but the futures of everyone in Tokyo, and perhaps, the entire world.
As soon as they entered, however, they immediately found someone standing before them at the elevator.
“Eiko?” Makoto questioned.
“Hey, guys…” Eiko trailed off.
She was still in her regular clothes. Maruki must not have considered her a threat.
“Eiko… What are you doing here?” Makoto asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Eiko grinned. “You guys are gonna fight Dr. Maruki, right? Well, I’ve decided! I’m going too!”
“Uh… You’re still in your regular clothes.” Morgana pointed out.
Eiko took a deep breath, pulling out her spear and gun.
“I came prepared.” Eiko said. “I know what I’m getting myself into this time!”
“Are you sure…?” Makoto asked. “Even back when you came with us during Shido’s Palace…”
“Yeah. I’m sure.” Eiko nodded. “Even back then… I… I hated the person I was. I thought that I desperately wanted to be something else, instead of me. Being a Phantom Thief wasn’t about justice or anything… It was about escaping who I was in the real world.
She took another breath.
“But things are different now! I’m different now!” Eiko cried. “I know that… I don’t have to have Maruki change everything about me and my life to be happy. I can… I can be happy all on my own! I can change all on my own!”
As if to prove the meaning behind her words, Eiko’s regular clothes instantly transformed into her Phantom Thief attire.
Only now, when she had begun to exercise her own free will, and resolved to struggle, grow, and change on her own, did Maruki consider her to be a threat…
“Heh, well color me impressed!” Morgana grinned.
“Looks like she’ll do just fine.” Ryuji nodded.
“Are you sure that she won’t slow us down?” Akechi inquired, his eyes narrowing as he tried to examine her.
Before, Eiko had tired very quickly when using her Persona, a possible sign of not having fully awakened.
And the last time they had come here, she had been easily swayed onto Maruki’s side.
But there was something different about Eiko this time. Her resolve shone brighter and clearer than ever before. It wasn’t like the last few times she had ventured into a palace with them. This… was clearly different.
So there was no doubt in her mind.
“She won’t.” Makoto answered. “I’m sure of it.”
She offered Eiko a smile, extending her hand.
“Welcome back, Witch.” Makoto beamed. “Glad to have you back on the team. We’re grateful to have you.”
Eiko happily ran down, taking Makoto’s hand with her own.
“And I’m glad to be back on the team!” Eiko beamed.
“Are you done then? We should probably get moving.” Akechi bluntly said.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re goin’.” Ryuji replied. “Alright Witch, let’s move!”
“Alright!” Eiko grinned. “But… Where do we go, exactly? I remember we have to find the treasure or whatever, but like, where is it? We didn’t see it anywhere when we looked around before.”
“Then we’ll just have to venture a little deeper into the palace.” Makoto answered.
“I’m getting some strange readings near the auditorium, and I’m also seeing a security door.” Futaba mentioned. “We should check there first…”
“Right, we’ll head there then.” Makoto nodded. “Let’s get going, everyone!”
They rode the elevator back to the main lobby of the palace, heading through the door to the auditorium.
“Alight, just a little bit more to go and we’re back where we left off.” Ryuji declared.
“Witch, are you sure you’re alright?” Haru asked, concerned.
“Yup! Never better!” Eiko claimed, before her face fell a bit. “I guess… I do feel a little creeped out, coming back here, but that’s it…”
The moment she said that, however, she shifted back into her regular clothes.
“Witch, what’s going on?” Makoto asked. “You can’t let your concentration slip!”
Just as quickly as she shifted the first time, Eiko shifted back into her regular clothes.
“I know, I know!” Eiko insisted. “I let it slip for just a second! I’m fine, really, I am!”
“I was told that you wouldn’t be holding us back.” Akechi scoffed. “Don’t let it happen again. You’ll just be endangering all of us again if you do.”
“Y-Yeah, my bad…” Eiko muttered.
Futaba suddenly stiffened, her demeanor shifting.
“Enemies approaching!” Futaba cried. “And they’re really fast!”
“Then there’s no time to waste!” Makoto declared. “Let’s get moving!”
They rushed up a flight of stairs, but their pursuers easily outpaced them.
“They’re right above us!” Futaba cried.
In an instant, the shadows fell to the ground, the Thieves scrambling to ensure that they weren’t surrounded.
“Witch!” Makoto shouted.
“Joan!” Eiko cried, effortlessly pulling off her mask.
… Only for nothing to appear at all.
“Wha- Where’s her Persona?!” Morgana gasped.
“I’m goin’!” Ryuji shouted.
Before he could take more than a few steps, Eiko held out a hand.
“I get it now.” Eiko nodded. “I have to… fully accept myself for who I am.”
She glared at the shadows, standing her ground, and refusing to give an inch.
“Even after I got these powers, I’ve always doubted myself. I had to completely rely on others.
She gripped at her mask, which had reappeared on her face.
“I was so desperate that I even tried to become somebody else completely…”
She clawed at her mask, trying to rip it off of her face, but it was as if it had an iron grip on her face.
“My name is Eiko Takao. That’s never gonna change.” Eiko stressed. “What will change… Is that I’m not gonna be the helpless, naive girl I was before!”
Eiko ripped off her mask, blood splattering onto the floor. Her face was bleeding, and her eyes gleamed a golden color.
“Witch…” Haru whispered.
“Joan! To me!” Eiko cried. “The only person who can shape our future and change who we are… is us!”
Eiko was bathed in a golden light that kept the shadows at bay.
What incredible resolve…
Joan appeared before her, once again answering her command.
It reminds me of our first meeting. Only now, you’ve discovered your true potential.
The war standard floated gently in the air, awaiting its master.
You have discovered precisely what must be done, and found the courage to enact it.
Azure flames danced around the two of them as Eiko’s Persona manifested behind her.
I am thou, thou art I… Only you can shatter the chains that bind you, and forge your new destiny…
“You got it!” Eiko smirked. “Let’s knock em’ dead!”
The shadows in front of them burst into a black and red ooze, before slowly reforming into 5 human skulls, each with a large serpent coiling around their empty eye sockets and mouths.
“You don’t scare me!” Eiko shouted. “Now get out of my way!”
“Yeah, you tell em’!” Ryuji grinned.
“Give em’ hell, Witch!” Futaba cheered.
The skulls all charged Eiko from different angles, but she didn’t let them get anywhere close.
“Makougaon!” Eiko cried.
5 pillars of light materialized right above the heads of the shadows, striking them down in a sudden blast.
“And again!” Eiko shouted.
Again, the skulls were struck with beams of light before they could even think of getting up.
Everyone rushed down, gathering behind Eiko.
“Witch, you… you did it!” Makoto exclaimed.
“Hell yeah I did!” Eiko grinned. “Those guys didn’t stand a chance!”
“How… are you feeling?” Makoto asked.
“You know… I feel great!” Eiko grinned. “I don’t feel drained at all!”
If that was true, then… It was possible that Eiko had fully awakened to her Persona at last.
“Wow! That was incredible, Witch!” Morgana praised.
“Hehehe… Thanks!” Eiko beamed. “It was like, it all came naturally to me this time! This time, I’m definitely not gonna hold you guys back!”
“After that performance, I don’t doubt it!” Ann grinned.
Eiko glanced up at her, a triumphant and thankful grin on her face.
“I can finally fight beside you, Queen. Of course, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to” Eiko grinned. “Thanks for smacking some sense into me… even if you punch really, really hard.”
As she gazed into Eiko’s eyes, she felt as if the fractures in their friendship had finally mended themselves.
And with that…
I am thou, thou art I…
My vow stands renewed in pursuit of the truth.
In breaking free of doubt, the chain that impedes
thee, is thy strength of heart made manifest.
With the rebirth of the FAITH Persona,
thou hast obtained the winds of blessing that
shall guide thee to the furthest depths…
FAITH CONFIDANT: RANK 8
“Anytime, Witch” Makoto smiled.
“All right, let’s kick some ass!” Ryuji grinned, raring to go.
“Awright!” Eiko grinned, raising her fist into the air. “Uh… But where are we going again?”
“Huh… I kinda forgot…” Ryuji admitted.
“I’m surrounded by absolute fools.” Akechi sighed. “The security door, yes?”
“Oh yeah, now I remember!” Eiko grinned. “It was around here, right?”
“It looks like we’re going to need an ID card to get in, though.” Makoto noted.
“Got any ideas, Oracle?” Ren asked. “I’d rather not have to go and beat up every shadow to see if any of them have an id card.”
“Hold on, I’m picking up on something right now.” Futaba said. “Hehe… Bingo! This is just what we needed.”
“What did you find, Oracle?” Makoto asked.
“It looks like there’s a shadow that has exactly what we need.” Futaba grinned. “We’ll just have to sneak up to the upper floors through the auditorium and ambush them!”
“Then let’s get going, everyone!” Makoto ordered.
The group made their way into the auditorium proper, carefully making their way along the scaffoldings above in order to reach the next floor.
“Everyone, be care… ful…” Makoto trailed off.
A few feet away, Eiko waved at her, kicking her legs back and forth as she used her weapon like a broomstick again, being lifted into the air and onto the place right onto the upper floors.
Makoto let out an amused grin.
“Well, I suppose some of us have it easier than others.” Makoto smiled.
Eiko let out a giggle as the others hopped down to their level.
“The enemy is through here.” Akechi stated. “We can rush them down.”
“Wait! It’s going back down!” Morgana realized, seeing the shadow warp back to the ground floor. “It’s trying to escape!”
“Then let’s get the jump on him!” Ryuji shouted. “Let’s see how they like getting ambushed from above!”
They all jumped down, back to the ground level, surrounding the shadow.
“What the- Phantom Thieves!” the shadow gasped. “Damn it! I must have been followed!”
The shadow burst into a red and black ooze before reforming into the shape of a demon with 3 heads. One of them a lion, the second one a goat, and the final one, a snake doubling as a tail.
The shadow rushed forwards, hoping to cause a break in their formation by quickly taking one of them down.
“Nice try!” Morgana shouted. “Diego!”
Morgana’s Persona instantly sent off a powerful Garudyne, ripping and tearing into the shadow before tossing it to the ground.
Morgana quickly followed up, slashing the shadow with his sword and finishing it off.
As the shadow dissolved into nothing, a small ID card dropped to the ground.
“Woah… Your pet kitty’s a lot stronger than Maruki’s, Queen.” Eiko gasped.
“He definitely is… but…” Makoto trailed off.
“Oh, you must be pretty confused, huh Queen?” Morgana grinned. “You see, we’ve all gotten a lot stronger!”
“Really? I did notice that your Persona is different now, but why is that?” Makoto asked.
“It was when we all broke out of Maruki’s control.” Ren explained. “The moment that we all found the resolve to fight him, it’s as if our Persona all got stronger in response.”
As she thought about it, she realized that his explanation made perfect sense. Their Persona were a part of them, so when their resolve strengthened, it only made sense that their Persona would grow alongside them.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Makoto smiled. “We’ll need all of the strength that we can get if we want to get through here.”
Akechi picked up the ID card from the ground, before presenting it to the door.
“Looks like it works perfectly.” Akechi noted. “Let’s keep moving then.”
They passed through the door, only to end up in a room with dozens of containers stacked on top of each other.
“Huh? Is this some kinda storage area?” Ryuji asked. “Ugh, did we go through all that trouble gettin’ this ID card just to wind up in a place like this?”
“Don’t get too disappointed.” Makoto assured him. “We haven’t even seen what’s been stored here.”
“And considering the size of the room, it’s likely that there are multiple exits.” Akechi noted. “If we can make our way through here, I believe we’ll be much closer to the Palace’s central area.
“So basically, we just gotta keep chagrin’ on!” Ryuji exclaimed. “Then let’s get moving!”
They rushed through the storage area, jumping up and leaping across the containers when needed.
“I see something over there.” Ren noticed. “There’s a few lights tucked away in the corner.”
“Then let’s check it out.” Makoto ordered.
They navigated their way over to the lit-up corner, leading to a small corridor and another elevator.
“Just how high does this place go…” Eiko muttered as they all went inside.
When they made their way to the upper floors and stepped out of the elevator, they found themselves surrounded by strange test tubes that all contained equally strange tendrils growing inside of them.
As odd as they seemed, however, they also seemed somewhat familiar.
The only way forward now was a long hallway in front of them, so forward they went.
“What were those things?” Ann muttered, looking back at the strange tubes.
The hallway eventually led to what looked like a security room.
Dozens of monitors were lined up, each of them displaying different angles of different rooms.
The room itself also had several cameras moving around, trying to capture every angle of this room itself.
“Look over there.” Makoto quietly said, directing their attention down a flight of stairs.
“Security seems rather tight here.” Yusuke noted. “Those guards seem notably stronger than anything we’ve fought here thus far.
“That means that this room must be important.” Akechi noted. “Let’s take them out, then!”
They rushed down the stairs, the shadows focusing on them the moment they arrived.
“So, you dare to defy His Excellency!” the first shadow bellowed.
“His Excellency, huh?” Makoto scoffed. “Let us pass.”
The first shadow glares, ready to charge.\
“You shall not interfere with our master’s work!”
The shadow rushed forwards…
Only to be yanked back into position by the second shadow.
“Don’t be so reckless.” the second shadow instructed. “You haven’t even transformed yet.”
“Ah… Right.” the first shadow admitted. “Very well then!”
The two shadows dissolved and reformed, the first shadow forming into an armored warrior with long, black hair and a menacing looking spear.
The second shadow, however, formed into a woman with a black flowing cape and a large black hat. She calmly floated in the air, in contrast to her companion, who looked ready to strike them down at any second.
The first shadow eyed them all down, taking in each and every one of them before rushing to strike down Eiko.
“W-Why me?!” Eiko shouted, hastily blocking with her own lance.
“Another lance user. You’ll be a perfect test for me.” the shadow declared.
Eiko narrowly dodged each spear strike, trying to strike back with her own.
But even when she managed to score a direct hit, the attack barely even nicked his armor.
Eiko grimaced. “Oh yeah? Take this, then!”
She backed up, sending a bright beam right in the shadow’s face.
Only to get another spear sent her way, slicing a thin trail of blood down her arm as she hissed.
The shadow, however, wasn’t hurt at all.
“Oh… You… took that pretty well.” Eiko grumbled.
The others tried to assist, but the second shadow quickly stepped in.
“Célestine!” Ann called, bringing out her new Persona.
Intense flames chased down the shadow with the spear as it chased down Eiko.
The second shadow snapped her fingers, causing a barrier to form around the first shadow that reflected the flames.
“Ugh!” Ann grimaced.
“Hah, you’re not so tough!” the first shadow boasted as it caught up to Eiko, the two clashing with their spears.
“Come on, William!” Ryuji shouted.
Crackling lightning surged towards the shadow, this time giving it pause.
That moment of hesitation gave Eiko the opportunity to thrust forward.
But the lightning was swiftly reflected back as well.
“Pay attention to your surroundings.” the second shadow chastised, grimacing.
It had used its body to protect its companion, reflecting the lightning. But in the process, it was stabbed by Eiko’s spear.
The first shadow scowled, knocking Eiko back several feet with its lance.
“Let’s take them out all at once!” the first shadow shouted.
The second shadow gave a faint smile. “Very well.”
The second shadow waved her hand, forming snowflake-like barriers around all of them, only for them all to quickly shatter.
Yusuke’s eyes narrowed. “She’s preparing some sort of ice elemental attack!”
“It’s too late for you!” the first shadow shouted, boosting his partner’s attack with Tarukaja.
The Thieves fired a storm of bullets, but the first shadow stepped in front of their partner, blocking every single one of them with their body.
“Bury them!” the first shadow roared.
The second shadow waved her arms, and unleashed a chilling Mabufudyne spell, pelting all of them with howling gales and chunks of ice.
The Thieves were pelted by the ruthless snowstorm.
“And again!” the first shadow shouted.
He twirled his lance, and the Thieves could feel themselves getting drained, their defenses gradually dropping.
“This attack should finish them.” the second shadow noted.
A second Mabufudyne threatened to finish them off in one final strike.
But this time, they were prepared.
“Lucy!”
Haru called forth her Persona, creating a massive, reflective wall in front of the entire team.
The moment the ice collided with the barrier, it was immediately reflected back at the shadows, pelting them with sharpened ice.
The second shadow took no damage from her own reflected spell.
But the first one was completely covered by the snowstorm, their entire body covered in ice.
“Ha!”
Eiko thrust her lance forwards, shattering the frozen shadow into hundreds of pieces.
“Tough enough for ya?” Eiko grinned.
The second shadow’s expression darkened, and they quickly began preparing another spell.
But they would quickly fall as well.
“Tear them apart, Loki!” Akechi screamed.
A massive black and red blade carved the second shadow into two, leaving dark purple streaks in its wake.
“I believe that takes care of that.” Akechi noted.
“So where are we now?” Ryuji asked.
“This room seems very different from the rest of the Palace. And it’s so heavily guarded…” Haru observed.
“It must be some sort of surveillance room.” Makoto said.
“Oh yeah, didn’t we pass by some of those rooms in the Palace on our way here?” Eiko asked, looking at the screens in the room.
“Were we being watched the entire time?” Ann gasped.
“I don’t know about that…” Futaba frowned, heading up to the controls beneath the monitors.
After looking them over for a few moments, Futaba seemed to notice something.
“Yup! I knew it! This room’s more of a mainframe than a monitoring system.” Futaba told them.
“All sorts of information from across the Palace and getting converted to raw data.”
“Data Collection? But what for?” Yusuke asked.
Futaba didn’t answer immediately, instead tapping away at the keyboard.
“Y’know, this room ain’t got any sorta way forward.” Ryuji noticed. “Think we gotta find another path somewhere else?”
“Actually… It looks like there’s a path behind those cables.” Morgana pointed out.
Massive, thick cables were blocking their path ahead, coming out of a hole in the ceiling and entering a hole in the floor.
Suddenly, the monitor screens shifted, showing a different area entirely.
“Huh? What now?” Ann asked.
“Is that Mementos?” Yusuke wondered.
“Looks like it. Come to think of it, the cables in here kinda remind me of all those tendrils in Mementos.” Ren pointed out.
“I’ve tracked the location all the data is being sent to!” Futaba told them. “Looks like it’s all going deep into Mementos. We might be able to find a way deeper into the Palace if we investigate there.”
“Lavenza did tell us that Maruki was using Mementos to distort reality.” Makoto recalled, glancing over the screen and the cables blocking their path. “It’s almost like… data cables for a computer…”
“Then… we have to investigate there now, and come back here later?” Eiko asked.
“... Actually, you’re going to stay locked up in here until you submit to Dr. Maruki.”
The group turned, seeing a new figure glaring down at them from the top of the stairs.
“... Sumire.” Makoto realized.
“I told you to stop calling me that.” Kasumi insisted.
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” Makoto told her. “Please, stand down. And we can end this now.”
“How can you expect me to believe you?” Kasumi asked. “Are you really saying you don’t want to fight me? After everything that happened? Even when I’m your enemy? Aren’t you angry at me?”
Makoto clenched her fists.
“Of course I’m angry at you!” she shouted. “...But taking out my anger on you won’t do anything. You’re just being manipulated by Maruki. Everything that’s happened to us in this world is just a result of his meddling. He’s the one who created this world, not you.”
“So, you’re determined to stop Dr. Maruki?” Kasumi asked. “If that’s the case, then I can’t let you pass.”
Ren stepped forwards. “Kasumi, please. It doesn’t have to be like this.”
“Senpai…” Kasumi trailed off. “Even you… All of you… Why won’t you just accept Dr. Maruki’s kindness?!”
“Because Dr. Maruki’s kindness is just forcing everyone to be happy.” Makoto pointed out. “It’s forcing them into what he thinks would make them happy, and preventing them from feeling anything else.”
“And what’s wrong with that?!” Kasumi asked. “I don’t… I don’t want to live with trauma! Why would anyone?!”
“It’s not about wanting to live with trauma or anything…” Eiko trailed off. “It’s just… people are always, like, growing and changing.”
“That’s right.” Makoto smiled. “In this reality, everything is stagnant. Maruki may be forcing people to be happy, but those people can’t grow or change.
When she thought of all the struggles she had overcome the past year, it only made her resolve stronger.
“And it’s that ability for people to change that allows us to overcome our hardships and traumas!” Makoto finished.
Kasumi paused for a moment, considering her words.
“You’re strong, Senpai.”
She summoned her Persona, which stood menacingly behind her.
“But not everyone is as strong as you.”
She lept from the top floor, rapier poised to strike as deceased down onto them.
Makoto’s Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 10 MAX
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 10 MAX
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 10 MAX
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 10 MAX
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 8
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 10 MAX
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 10 MAX
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 10 MAX
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 10 MAX
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 10 MAX
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 10 MAX
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 10 MAX
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank MAX
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 10 MAX
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 10 MAX
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 10 MAX
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 10 MAX
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 10 MAX
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 10 MAX
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 9
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa?: Rank 6
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 10 MAX
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 8
THE COUNCILLOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 10 MAX
Would you join the Phantom Thieves? 10%