A/n: I want to apologize once again in advance. My memory of the underground vault in Kaneshiro's Palace is rusty. Hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Seeing as their way forward was blocked by electrical barriers, the Phantom Thieves search for another way. Luckily, their was a ledge near the door and they climbed to the top. Following the hallway, they wound up back in the same room but this time they were on top of the industrial shelves. Jumping to the top of another shelf, the group located a vent and crawled through it.

After more searching, they managed to locate the controls for the electrical barricades and deactivate them. Alongside the controls, they located another golden pig statue and the PIN terminal. Seeing as they lacked info to solve the code, they hopped down into the large room with the now deactivated electrical barricades and were able to explore more thoroughly. They located another golden pig statue and Sphinx was happy to announce they had all they needed to solve the PIN.

With the new notes, Sphinx was able to decipher the corresponding code for the word "HUGE" once they returned to the terminal. Joker entered 2319 into the machine, the flashing green lights and the sound of the vault changing above them signified their success.

"Great, it looks like the vault opened up even more now," Panther smiled victoriously.

Mona also found himself smiling. "Well then, we should keep-"

"This isn't enough... I need to have a huge presence!" Kaneshiro's voice reverberated around them.

"What now?" Skull groaned.

"I'm done having other people walk all over me. It's my turn now..."

"He is beyond redemption," Fox said. "It seems he cares not for those he tramples upon himself."

"Every step we take just keeps strengthening my resolve. Let's push onward," Queen stated.

The Phantom Thieves returned to the vault to see the fruits of their labor. Skull was clearly excited as he hollered, "Check it out! This one's open for us now too!"

"This movement... There can be no doubt," Queen said.

"Our theory has been confirmed," Sphinx added.

Fox glanced between the two girls. "Hm? Did you both notice something?"

"This entire floor is the cylinder of a lock," the crimson-eyed girl explained.

Panther wasn't able to understand. "Wh-What do you mean? Can you explain that a little more?"

"The cylinder is the mechanism that judges if a key is the proper shape. If you use the correct key and all the discs align, the lock opens."

"Queen and I figured it was some type of lock, but we weren't sure if it was a combination lock or cylinder one. But in this unique scenario, it's both," Sphinx added.

"Now that you mention it, while the walls rotate, the path forward has remained facing the same way," Fox said.

"You two are saying the whole floor is just one giant lock?" Mona questioned.

Queen nodded. "That's right. All the smaller vaults in here aren't important. Sphinx and I figured there has to be an area further in, locked away by the room itself."

"And that's where the treasure's gotta be!" Skull cheered with a wide grin. "Sweet, let's get goin'!"

Moving on to the next wall of vaults, they didn't locate a stairwell but a powerful Shadow cladded in a golden suit. The group saw it was protecting something and knew they wouldn't be able to avoid a fight.

Skull clicked his tongue in annoyance as he glared at the Shadow. "Tch, another one of these jerks?! What's it doin' here?!"

"There's a terminal behind it," Sphinx stated. "And it looks like the Shadow isn't moving anytime soon."

"We'll take it down," Joker confidently said. "Is everyone ready?"

"Let's do this!" Mona chanted.

They approached the Shadow and took the offensive when it transformed. Sphinx remained on support in case her friends needed quick healing. Mona, Fox, and Panther used their own personas to attack the Shadows. Joker, Skull, and Queen utilize their firearms and melee weapons to deal with the enemies.

The Shadows soon crumpled in defeat, vanishing from sight. With the way now clear, the Phantom Thieves wandered over to the terminal. Sphinx was the first to inspect it. "Um, this isn't a PIN terminal..."

"Whaddya mean?" Skull asked.

"There's no numbers and only two arrows. I wonder..." She turned and glanced at Joker. "Mind if I borrow the map?"

"Not at all." He handed her the map.

Sphinx examined the map closely and noted the two openings. Unable to tell what was in the smaller rooms, she sighed. "Guess this one's up to chance." She debated on pressing which arrow after handing the map back to Joker. Her eyes bounced between the left and right arrows before finally deciding. She pressed the left arrow and turned to look over her shoulder when hearing the fourth wall shift.

Nervously, she followed Joker to the room they now had access to. There was a second terminal that had the same display. The leader pressed one of the arrows, resulting in them both to illuminate. The vault shifted once again and the group went back to the first terminal and pressed the button a second time. Now, they had a way to the sixth and final wall.

Down another stairwell, the thieves came across a Shadow in the form of a canine and a normal Shadow. They took the adversaries down and wandered down a windy hallway. At the end was a large room with industrial shelves, each one stacked high with wads of yens.

Passing the first shelf, Fox spotted a pane of glass and saw something on the other side. It was another terminal. "I believe I've found what we're searching for."

The others gathered around and peered through the slightly foggy glass. Panther's brows furrowed. "How're we supposed to get in there?"

"There's a vent," Joker stated. "All we have to do is find the opposite end and crawl though."

"Let's look around," Queen said. "But be cautious. There're Shadows prowling the area."

The Phantom Thieves search the large room, taking out any and all Shadows that crossed their path. Leaving the room, they continued to explore the area and locate more golden pig statues. Sphinx gathered the pages and placed them in Kaneshiro's journal. Closing it, she turned around and faced the others. "Let's find a way to that terminal. Hopefully we have all the pages we need to figure out the PIN."

"You mean so YOU can solve the PIN," Skull corrected her. "I ain't good at puzzles."

"Before I can figure out the PIN, we need to find out what the word is. Let's try looking for that vent."

They returned to the large room after Panther mentioned possibly seeing a pathway up the shelves. She pointed out the path and they started climbing the shelves. They located a vent and wondered if it was the one they were looking for. Crawling through, they popped out in the room with the terminal.

Surrounding the machine, Sphinx pulled out the journal and began deciphering the PIN for "GOLD". She groaned when seeing how she would have to figure out the code. Joker peered into her face. "What's wrong?"

"Math..." She sighed. "I hate math..."

"But you're good at it," Skull remarked.

"Just because I'm good at something doesn't mean I like it."

Sphinx flipped between the pages and assembled the numbers in her head. She rechecked a couple times to make sure she came up with the same numbers before deciding it was correct. "Okay, I believe the PIN is 1841."

Joker entered the numbers and hit the arrow. He grinned when seeing the familiar green "CORECT" flash on the digital display. "All right, we're done here."

The inky-haired girl closed the journal with a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it was correct..."

The thieves heard a disembodied snicker. It was Kaneshiro's voice. "This gold sheen..."

"Again?" Fox asked.

"This... This is the fruit of all my hard labor!"

Skull scowled. "He thinks robbin' people is something to celebrate? That guy needs to get his brain checked..."

"With this much, I will be invincible! Omnipotent!" Kaneshiro's voice bellowed. "I've changed... I'm no longer the person I used to be."

"The person he used to be?" Panther inquired. "What could have happened to make him so distorted?"

"I don't know, but no matter what kind of past he had, his actions are unforgivable," Mona responded.

"That's right," Queen agreed. "Now, if Sphinx's and my deductions are accurate, that should've been the final mechanism."

"All right then. Let's head back and check out the vault!"

The Phantom Thieves returned to the vault and saw the pathway to the elevator was open. Skull stared wide-eyed at their discovery. "H-Hey, this is an elevator, yeah? So a way down really did show up." He glanced over at his best friend and the student council president. "You guys're like some kinda prophets."

"We simply based our deductions on what we saw," Queen said.

"And I was only able to solve the codes because of this journal," Sphinx added.

"More importantly, did you hear all those things Shadow Kaneshiro was saying?" The crimson-eyed girl questioned.

"Oh, yeah," Panther replied. "I was wondering about that! Didn't he seem kinda...insecure or something?"

"Exactly. He kept bringing up how rich and powerful he wants to be."

"So if he's insecure about that shit, he thinks he's really just some poor weakling, huh?" Skull murmured.

"Maybe by thinking he was going to be a strong, wealthy man, he convinced himself it was true."

"I wonder..." Fox hummed with curiosity. "Well, we will discover the truth for ourselves when we change his heart. Let us hurry, Joker."

Their leader nodded. "Right."

The group shuffled into the elevator and rode it downward. They arrived inside an enormous vault, money scattered across the ground. In the distance was a small rift in the air signifying where the treasure was.

"Found it. It's right here!" Mona jabbed a paw at the disturbance in the room.

Queen looked around with a perplexed expression. "I don't see anything."

"From here on we're gonna need this callin' card thing," Skull said.

"A calling card... I see..." She said once comprehending his words. "Making the target believe that the treasure is in danger will cause it to materialize. That's quite a bold trick."

"Huh? She understood...?" Panther expressed her bewilderment.

"Even I'm shocked," Sphinx chimed in.

"Joker, we'll defer to you regarding its timing," Fox said.

"We'll worry about the calling card tomorrow. For now, let's retreat," Joker replied.

The Phantom Thieves returned to the entrance of the bank and exited the Metaverse.

|| 6/23 Thursday ||
|| Evening ||

After leaving the accessway, Mikono headed to Central Street to buy groceries for her mom and dad. She wandered through the convenience store and grabbed what she and her parents needed. After paying for everything, she wound up with four bags to carry back home.

Leaving the store, Mikono was surprised to run into Ryuji. She would've expected him to head straight home after their busy day in the Metaverse. "Hey, Ryuji. Where're you off to?"

"I was gonna go to the arcade, but..." The blonde noticed her hands were full. He removed his hands from his pockets and snatched two bags out of her hands. "You look like you need some help."

"Don't worry about it, Ryuji. Go have some fun at arcade. I can-" She tried to take the bags back, but he pulled them out of her reach.

"Just lemme do this," he sighed. "You're headin' home, yeah?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah."

"Then let's go."

The two friends walked through the streets of Shibuya, talking about anything that popped into their minds as they headed to Mikono's house.

After a ten minute walk, they arrived at the mansion. Mikono unlocked the door and Ryuji followed her to the kitchen. Her parents, who were still at the museum, had left a note mentioning they'd be working into the early hours of the morning.

The blonde helped his best friend unpack and store the groceries before deciding to leave. When he walked out the front door, Mikono stopped him. "Hold on, Ryuji."

"Yeah?" He turned around to face her.

"I know I don't say it enough, but I just want you to know how much I really appreciate all you've done for me since we first met. You mean a lot to me," she smiled sweetly.

Ryuji felt a burning sensation in his cheeks and he wiped his nose in embarrassment. "D-Don't go sayin' stuff like that..."

"Why?" She asked.

"B-Because I... Ugh, dammit!" Ryuji pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "You ain't mine so don't go sayin' stuff that'll give me the wrong idea."

"Ryuji, I..."

"And stop apologizin' for everything," he sighed. He hugged her closer when he felt her arms wrap around his torso. "You've gotta promise me somethin'."

"What is it, Ryuji?" Mikono inquired.

"Promise me you'll tell me if Akira does anythin' to hurt you. Even though we're friends, I'll kick his ass!"

She laughed at his declaration. "I promise, you'll be the first to know."

"And another thing..."

"What now?"

"You gotta stop bullyin' me."

"No way!" She yelled. "And it's not bullying. I like teasing you. It's a way I show how much I care about you... And you make it too easy. I could never miss an opportunity to tease you."

"Talk about tough love..." Ryuji murmured. "You really do act like an annoyin' little sister sometimes."

"I am almost seven months older than you. Wouldn't I be more of an annoying older sister?"

"No, because little sisters are more annoyin' than older ones."

"Ouch, Ryuji," Mikono feigned a wince of pain. She placed a hand over her heart after pulling away. "I felt that one for sure."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever..." Ryuji shoved his hands back into his pockets. "I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Good night, Ryuji," she smiled.

The boy, whose back was turned to her, raised his hand and waved at her. "'Night, Mikky." Unbeknownst to the girl, he was smiling as he left.

Mikono went back into the house and headed up to her room. The moment she sat down on the edge of her bed, her phone buzzed. She pulled it out of the bag and checked the group chat.

Ryuji: When're we gonna send the calling card? We should hurry it up.

Ann: I have to agree. The earlier the better in my book.

Yusuke: There is no assurance he will keep his promise, after all.

Yusuke: What are your thoughts on the matter, Mikono, Makoto?

Mikono: I believe we should send the calling card tomorrow. I'm quite eager to end Kaneshiro's reign of terror in Shibuya.

Makoto: Honestly, I can't wait to send it either.

Makoto: I also want to put an end to his nasty crimes as soon as possible.

Akira: I agree.

Ryuji: Damn, I gotta step up my game. You guys are super passionate.

Ann: We'll be ready to go whenever you are!

Mikono: Oh so fearless leader, thou shall plan accordingly!

Mikono: But seriously, we should make it soon.

Mikono: Fare thee well!

Ryuji: Dude, you okay?

Mikono: I'm fine. Good night, everyone!

|| 6/24 Friday ||
|| After School ||

At the hideout, everyone discussed their next move.

"All that's left is the calling card, right? We should send it out at once," Makoto said.

"I would agree, but it will not be an easy task this time," Yusuke stated.

Ann sighed with a frown. "Yeah, nobody actually knows him."

"I wouldn't quite say that, Ann," Mikono chimed in. "His victims know him by name and his men prowl the streets of Shibuya every day in search of new prey."

Makoto's eyes widen in realization. "That's it!"

"What're you talkin' about?" Ryuji asked.

"We should post the calling card all around Shibuya. That should be enough."

"Oh, yeah! Great idea!"

"All right then. Let's get to work on the calling card," Akira announced.

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji cheered with a wide grin.

The group contemplated on what to put in the calling card. After a couple hours, they perfected it and created multiple duplicates. Makoto and Ryuji teamed up and planned to place the calling cards around Shibuya, leaving the others to relax.

Akira had to leave in order to make it to his shift at the museum on time, taking Morgana with him. Ann was going to visit Suzui in the hospital, leaving only Yusuke and Mikono. The artist combed his hair out of his face and asked, "Are you needed elsewhere, Mikono?"

"No, the rest of my day is open," she answered. "Is there something I can do for you, Yusuke?"

"I was hoping to get your opinion on my latest piece."

"Really?!" Mikono didn't mean to sound too excited and she cleared her throat. "I'd love to see what you've painted."

Yusuke smiled faintly. "Then shall we?"

"Yes, let's."

Mikono followed Yusuke to Kosei High. When they walked up to the entrance of the boys dormitory, she froze on the stairwell. "U-Um, Yusuke? This is the boys dorm..."

He blinked in confusion. "I am aware. What seems to be the problem?"

"This is the BOYS dorm. I'm a GIRL. Last time I checked, girls aren't allowed inside."

"If it is too much-"

"No!" Mikono calmed herself. She wanted to see his new piece and tried to push her concern aside. "If it's only for a few minutes, it shouldn't be a problem...right?"

She followed Yusuke into the building, her grip on her bag tightening as she saw she was receiving glances from the boys they passed in the hallway. She could hear them whispering, many of them believing she was a fan of Yusuke's art or his girlfriend. She even heard many of them muttering about her uniform and how she was a student of Shujin Academy.

Eventually, they arrived at Yusuke's room. He opened the door and held it open for Mikono. She felt somewhat relieved to be behind closed doors and out of the sight of the nosey boys in the hallway. Her attention was drawn to the large canvas leaning against his bed. Her cerulean eyes widened at what he painted. "Is this the piece you wanted to show me?"

He nodded. "Indeed. I've asked Akira what his opinion was and wish to know yours, as well."

Mikono tilted her head as she tried to decipher what Yusuke was trying to convey. She saw what she thought were cloud-like tentacles that wound around each other. The red paint splatters gave her the impression of blood splatters. "This may just be my interpretation, but this painting gives off an eerie sensation. I feel like something's going to pop out and drag me inside. What're you planning on naming it?"

"Desire," Yusuke said.

"Wait..." Mikono pauses for a brief second. "Is this piece inspired by Mementos?"

"Yes. Akira and I went to Mementos together and I was inspired. This is the outcome of my draft. It is the foul charm held deep within the abyss of the heart. I have grown to understand the intricacies of the heart in a way I had once thought impossible. I intend on submitting this piece to an upcoming public art exhibition. Nobody has seen the abyss of the heart in such a raw manner before. This discourse will be fascinating. More importantly, it shall be the spark that revitalizes my slumbering art career!"

Mikono knew it wasn't at her parents' gallery since the next exhibition for Crescent Gallery wasn't until a few months away. "Sounds exciting! Can I come with you?"

"Of course," he smiled. "I was hoping both you and Akira would accompany me for the moment it is finally revealed to the general public."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door. Mikono looked over at the boy. "Are you expecting someone, Yusuke?"

"No," he replied before walking to the door. Opening it, he saw a boy he'd never talked to before. "Can I help you?"

"Kitagawa-kun, did you really bring a girl to your room?!" The boy shouted. "And she's from Shujin Academy?!"

"She is a friend," Yusuke sighed.

"I don't care 'bout that!" He yelled. Revealing he was holding a newspaper that appeared to be a few months old, he pointed to one of the pictures printed on the second page. "This is her, right? Mikono Tsutsui. She's the daughter of the famous Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Tsutsui!"

"I would prefer if you didn't bother us," the artist replied.

"Oh, c'mon, Kitagawa-kun! Can I at least talk to her?" The strange boy begged. "It's just a quick question."

"No."

Seeing Yusuke was trying to get rid of the boy, Mikono decided to take matters into her own hands. "It's okay, Yusuke." She popped her head out from behind him and gazed at the stranger. Her eyes then gravitate toward the newspaper, spotting a picture of her and her parents as they announced the exhibit exchange a few months ago. "Why do you have a newspaper from March?"

"N-No reason!" The boy's cheeks turned bright red as he hid the newspaper behind his back. "A-Anyway, I never expected to meet you like this."

"Didn't you say you wanted to ask me something?"

"Oh, right!" The boy cleared his throat. "I have a paper for class and I chose to do it on your parents. I was hoping to get an interview with them, b-but since you're here, c-could I interview you for my paper instead?"

Before she could respond, Yusuke intervened. "What nonsense..."

"H-Hey, Kitagawa-kun! Can I talk to her without you butting in?!"

The artist scowled at him. "You speak nothing but lies. There is no paper. I have heard the rumors how you wish to approach Mikono to get what you want. You wish to use her for her money and nothing else."

Mikono's eyes widen in shock. "What?"

"N-No, that's not-" The boy began, but Yusuke closed the door in his face.

The cerulean-eyed girl watched the artist move away from the door and sit down on the edge of his bed. "Yusuke, what's going on?"

"A few of my classmates overheard a group of Shujin students talking about you months ago. They heard the rumors about a girl who would use money to buy friendship and were planning on using you," he said.

She sighed in annoyance. "So even people here know the truth, huh? Great..."

"I must apologize for bringing you here. It seems I've caused unwanted trouble."

"Don't worry about it!" Mikono smiled. "I am happy I was able to see your painting. And don't worry about the rumors. I've learned to ignore them. They'll eventually fizzle out just like they did at Shujin."

"After today, I believe those rumors will vanish rather quickly," Yusuke commented.

"I just hope what happened today won't cause any weird rumors..." She groaned.

"They, too, will also vanish with time. I will be fine with any rumors my classmates spread."

"Well, just call or text me if the rumors get too overbearing. I can teach you a few ways to ignore them."

"I shall walk you to the entrance." Yusuke stood up.

The two left the small room and headed to the entrance of the dorm. Once outside, Mikono said farewell to the artist before leaving school grounds and heading home. As she was walking through the streets of Shibuya, she heard her phone buzz and pulled it out to see the group chat was blowing up.

Yusuke: So, what ended up happening with the calling card?

Ann: Makoto took Ryuji with her.

Ann: She specifically mentioned that he would be fine and we have nothing to worry about.

Yusuke: Hm? I wonder what she plans on doing with him...

Mikono: He's probably a scapegoat or some kinda sacrifice.

Mikono: RIP Ryuji...

Ann: Makoto wouldn't go that far...would she?

Yusuke: Has anyone heard anything from either of them?

Akira: Nothing at all.

Yusuke: I see...

Mikono: Ryuji shall be missed...

Mikono: Just kidding.

Mikono: I'm sure he's fine!

Ann: Yeah! Makoto's there with him.

Ann: I'd definitely be worried if Ryuji was going alone though.

Yusuke: You have a point.

Yusuke: I suppose we will find out tomorrow either way. For now, we should get some rest.

Ann: Yup, cya!

*****
Confidant: Mikono Tsutsui
Arcana: The Puppeteer
Rank: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*****