5/20

During lunchtime, Ren and I were walking past the first floor when we saw everyone crowded around a bulletin board. It seemed that our grades for the exams were posted. Ren and I managed to score above the average percentage of the class.

After school, Ren and I decided to head to the Palace. When we got to the hideout, we met up with Yusuke and explained to him the basics of a Palace. Once we set foot into the Palace, we decided that Yusuke's name would be Fox. And now, with him, Morgana let him know that anyone not on the starting lineup would follow the group from a distance for backup.

We used the safe room close to the garden to proceed further into the museum. The treasure hall lounge had a grand room with lasers to avoid and security patrolling it. We took the Shadows down and found the control room, but a strong Shadow stood in our path. We managed to take it down before anyone got seriously injured. However, to disable the lasers, we needed a password.

We passed by another pair of Shadows as we overheard them discuss the new password. One of the Shadows mentioned to look at the numbers at Madarame's feet.

Ryuji:"What does that even mean? His shoe size?"

"I doubt it. Hey, wait, there's that statue of Madarame just outside of here. Let's see if it can give us any clues."

Ren:"Good call."

We got there and read the sign and deciphered the password. It was 1120. Once we got back to the control room, we inputted the password, but it only dropped down some gates instead of turning off the lasers. This gave us access to some other spots. One of the new accessible spots was a giant painting that we could actually enter.

We traveled between portraits to reach the other side of the room since it was blocked off by lasers. Beyond that point was another room with paintings we could enter. Some portraits had no paintings at all until we hit a button somewhere in the room to activate them. Around that area, we also managed to find the second Will Seed. With those done, we exited a door and wound up in a strange golden place.

In there, we traveled through strange warps to end up elsewhere in the massive room. To progress further, we needed to find the real Sayuri painting. This allowed us to eventually reach an exit and end up in the main hall. That's where the treasure was. Madarame stood on guard, though, as the treasure was blocked off by lasers. We couldn't call our infiltration route complete unless we had a real way to nab the treasure.

There was a control room nearby that we checked out. However, all we could really do was turn off the lights for a few seconds and open the shutters. The lasers around the treasure were still active so we needed to find a way around that. We found a safe room in the upper main hall as well as the door housing the last Will Seed. There was a strong Shadow guarding it, of course, but our efforts were worth it as we got the last Will Seed.

Across the safe room was another section of the main hall. We used grappling hooks to reach that side. After a bit of exploration, we found a room that let us access the rafters above Madarame and the treasure. We scoped out the scene and looked at a massive hook hanging above where the treasure was. And in that room we were in, there was a lever that lowered and raised the hook. With that knowledge in mind, we came up with a plan to nab the treasure.

We would use the control room to turn off the lights as Joker and Mona stayed to grab the treasure. We left the Palace, and once I got home, Ann messaged the group. We talked a bit about sending the calling card, and she suggested that we let Yusuke in on it since this problem was bigger than the four of us now that we had him with us.

5/21

Ren and I nabbed some seats on the train and used the time to read. In class, I got called on to answer the question. The teacher said the golden ratio is 1:1.618, then asked me what the silver ratio was. The answer was 1:1.414.

After school we let the others know we would be sending the calling card so we met up with Yusuke at the hideout.

Yuske:"We can now take him down, yes?"

Morgana:"Madarame's going to be a changed man. There won't be any way to revert it though. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

Yusuke:"I have thought it over carefully, and I cannot think of a future in which he does not pay his dues. He has preyed not only on the art world, but on countless talents... so, I humbly request your help."

Ren:"Alright."

Yusuke:"I apologize for making you do this..."

Ann:"Not at all. We just didn't want to impose if you weren't feeling up to it, Yusuke. But if you're already determined to do it, then there's nothing more for us to say."

Yusuke:"If I recall, our next step is sending a "calling card," correct? What a suave maneuver."

Morgana:"It's not about acting cool. The calling card is a way to trigger a change in his cognition."

Yusuke:"A change in cognition... That reminds me, you went through some trouble regarding that before..."

Morgana:"Ah, you must be talking about when we forced open that security gate in the courtyard."

"The Palace is a cognitive world. If we change the ruler's cognition, we change the landscape."

Morgana:"Nicely put, (Y/n). This will be a vital tactic from here forward."

Yusuke:"Actually, may I ask a truly basic question? You continue to mention cognition quite readily... But why does this world formed from materialized cognitions even exist to begin with? Don't tell me... Has it always existed, while we go about our daily lives completely oblivious?"

Morgana:"Honestly, I'm not sure. At the very least, I know it existed before the Kamoshida incident... but that's all."

Yusuke:"I see."

Ryuji:"Crap, he totally caught me off guard with that... It's kinda weird thinkin' there might be whole worlds we just don't know a damn thing about... Did the thought ever cross your mind, Ren?"

Ren:"It did."

Morgana:"Don't be so anxious. You don't even know everything about the city you live in, after all. All that's important is that we know how to make use of that world and how to traverse it."

We just shrugged before agreeing to send out the calling card.

Yusuke:"A calling card, hm? Will he take it seriously? He is famous, after all... He has often received slanderous letters till now, as well."

Ryuji:"He'll know best whether the crime written on it is for real or not."

Morgana:"Wait. Are you going to write it again, Ryuji? That last one was questionable at best..."

Ann:"You should do it then, Yusuke! Oh! Make it really artistic and stuff!"

Yusuke:"No. It'll end with him figuring it out. He knows my drawing and writing styles all too well."

Ryuji:"Oh, then I'll think it up, and you make it cooler!"

Yusuke:"Designing a calling card, hm... Interesting. It shall become proof that the Phantom Thieves do exist."

"It's decided then. We're counting on you guys."

Morgana:"Yeah. You guys better come fully prepared!"

That evening, I decided to do a workout before falling asleep so I could be ready for tomorrow.

5/22

We were in the exhibit as one of the museum's employees handed Madarame the calling card. He read it to Madarame, and he instantly grew furious. We saw the world shift for a brief moment as he declared we could do what we until the exhibit was over. He stated that after that, our voices would be snuffed out. With that out of the way, we left to steal the Treasure.

We set our plan into action as Skull and Panther went to the control room. Fox and I tied Mona to the hook as Joker lowered when Panther turned the lights off. I stayed in the rafters to help Mona in case something came up. Luckily, nothing went wrong, and he carried the treasure on his back. Security was on high alert as we escaped out a window and through a portal before descending down the side of a building that led back to the courtyard.

Mona got excited and decided to see what the treasure was, and it was just a shitty self-portrait.

"Everyone, move!"

We jumped out the way as I saw the electric poles rise up from the ground. Madarame came over with two of his goons as one of them had the real treasure in their arms.

Morgana:"How dare you try to trap me like some kind of mouse!"

"So you had a fake prepped, huh?"

S. Madarame:"Counterfeits are accepted in the world of Japanese art."

Yusuke:"What made you change like this?! Is it because you became famous?! Can't you understand how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father?!"

S. Madarame:"...Now that I think back, the only reason why I took you in was due to my ties with your mother. That woman never lost her passion for painting even after her husband died. Her skills and talents were quite astonishing... That's why I decided to look after her. Your mother and the artwork she created--they're all MY works of art!"

Ann:"How low can you sink?"

S. Madarame:"I suppose I can grant you a gift before you die--a glimpse of the genuine "Sayuri"!"

Yusuke:"Genuine...?"

Madarame nodded at the Shadow holding the portrait as it held it up for all to see.

Yusuke:"That's... the real "Sayuri"? This can't be! Mom..."

Ryuji:"Huh?!"

S. Madarame:"Indeed it is. This was painted by your mother. It's a portrait of herself. A woman who knew her death was coming painted her last wishes, for the son she would leave behind. That is the truth behind the mystery of Sayuri's expression!"

"You stole something that personal?!"

S. Madarame:"I knew at first glance. I knew it'd be a huge success if I added a touch to the painting and announced it under my name!"

Yusuke:"But the baby in the picture... Why did you paint over it?"

S. Madarame:"It was all to stage it. If the babe is erased, the reason for the woman's expression will become a mystery! That is what the general public is drawn to! Each of those parasitic critics wrote the same thing!"

Ann:"I always felt something was off about all this... Now I know what it is. If you really treasured that painting, you wouldn't even think about replicating it for profit! You don't love art at all!"

Morgana:"Though you have a real Treasure, your true skills are nothing more than those scribbles on that fake!"

Ryuji:"It makes me laugh, asshole!"

S. Madarame:"So you'll defy my no matter what... Well then, since you're my work of art, Yusuke, I'm going to reap you for the sake of my future. Along with those insolent friends of yours there."

Ann:"I can't believe you're treating both mother and son like they're objects... You're inhuman!"

Morgana:"Fox?"

Yusuke:"I've heard that you destroy your "art" once they outlive their usefulness... Did that include my mother as well?!"

We all gasped and looked at Yusuke then at Madarame.

S. Madarame:"She just so happened to have a seizure in front of me. That's when a thought crossed my mind... If I don't call for help and leave her be, I could obtain her painting without any strings attached."

"You seriously let her die?!"

S. Madarame:"She was physically weak. No one would doubt if she just dropped dead because of a seizure. Above all, Yusuke, didn't you think it was odd that I discovered your talent when you were only three? The reason why I kept you around was to keep you from realizing the truth behind "Sayuri."

Yusuke:"You killed her...!"

S. Madarame:"The artistic talents you inherited from your mother were a delightful miscalculation, though. If I'm to steal ideas, it's much easier robbing the future of brats who won't talk back to adults. It's thanks to you that I came up with the idea. You have my gratitude."

Yusuke: *chuckle*

Ann:"Yusuke?"

Yusuke:"I thank you, Madarame! Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a trace at this very moment! You aren't some rotten artist... You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist!"

S. Madarame:"All you good-for-nothings...! Barging into my museum and doing whatever the hell you want... Those who have the connections make the rules; those who don't, follow them. Not to mention, the value of art is all subjective! I make the rules in the art scene! I am the supreme being! I am the god of the art world!"

"Everyone, get back! He's starting to transform!"

They listened and jumped back as Madarame's body began to expand before turning into four portraits.

It was me, Joker, Skull, and Fox facing off against Madarame. I transformed into Heatblast to dish out damage. I attacked first and used an AOE fire attack to hit every portrait. The eyes weren't affected by it as they absorbed my flames. Joker tried using a curse skill from Arsene on the nose, but it was absorbed. Yusuke used an ice skill on the nose to add on some damage that Joker accidentally healed. Ryuji used a skill called Rampage to attack the portraits about 1-3 times, but the mouth portrait absorbed the attack and healed up.

Ryuji:"Damnit! This bastard is annoying!"

Ren:"We need to coordinate our attacks! Fox, go for the nose, Omni attack the mouth! Skull and I will take care of the eyes!"

Ryuji:"Aye-aye leader!"

"Alright. I'm gonna burn that bastard's tongue off!"

It took a while, but we destroyed the portraits. They melted into oil paint as Shadow Madarame stood there dejected. We jumped him for an All-Out Attack and did some hefty damage. He wasn't done yet as he created clones of himself, each with a different attribute. This didn't deter us, however, as we targeted specific ones and used Baton Passes to increase our damage output. In a matter of minutes, we successfully defeated Madarame.

Upon his defeat, Madarame tripped over his own feet and fell backwards as she scuttled away from us with "Sayuri" in his arms.

S. Madarame:"No one cares for true art... All they want are easily recognizable brands! I'm a victim in this too! Wouldn't you agree?"

Ryuji:"Excuses now?"

S. Madarame:"The art world revolves around money after all... You can't rise up without any money... Yusuke, you understand, don't you?! Being a poor artist is truly miserable! I just didn't want to return to that life!"

Yusuke:"A fiend like you has no right to speak about the world of art! You're done for--along with this whole wretched world!"

S. Madarame: *shriek* "No, please! Just... don't kill me!"

Yusuke:"Return to yourself in reality and confess your crimes--all of them!"

S. Madarame:"You're not going to kill me?"

Yusuke:"Swear it!"

S. Madarame: *shriek* "Alright... Alright! Wh-What about the other one though? The one with the black mask?"

"Who?"

Ren:"Don't try to fool us."

S. Madarame:"I don't have the energy left to pull such petty tricks..."

Ann:"A black mask? Wait who's he talking about?"

Morgana:"It can't be... There was another intruder besides us within this Palace?!"

The Palace started to rumble and we quickly got on guard.

Ryuji:"There's no time! Hurry!"

Mona immediately did a backflip and turned into the Mona Mobile.

Morgana:"Get on!"

S. Madarame:"Hey, Yusuke... What should I do?"

Yusuke:"Put an end to all this and use your own artwork for once."

Ann:"Yusuke!"

S. Madarame:"No, wait! Please! Yusuke! Yusukeee!"

We exited the Palace just before everything started to completely collapse. We quickly left Madarame's neighborhood so people wouldn't be suspicious of us and retreated back to the hideout. We chatted for a while and marveled at the beauty of the real "Sayuri." It was in Yusuke's hands now. A place it should belong.

Ryuji let Yusuke know that we would continue targeting big shots. Yusuke decided he wanted to continue being a part of our team. We let him in before deciding to split up after being confused over the black mask person Madarame mentioned but not before we got his contact info.

5/23

Ren got called on to answer a question with the answer being senses coming together. After school, Ren and Morgana went around to find some clues before messaging us that they got names for targets on the Phansite. We went to Mementos and dealt with them easily before returning to the real world. I rested up for the night and awaited for the new day to approach.

To Be Continued...