Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Why Do You Eat It [burn my dread mix] 
December 3, 2029 
The South side of Naruki City. Afternoon. On the docks where Shūjo Higashikata ran the fishery that fueled his other business ventures, nine youths stood waiting. "Still not here yet, huh? Would've guessed she'd be here first." Kat said. 
"You told her where we'd be waiting, didn't you, Maxie?" Barbara asked. 
"Well I said we'd be in 'a fishy spot'. Wanted to be as discreet as possible." Max replied. 
"Are you serious? That's not being discreet, that's being stupidly vague on purpose!" Natalia griped. 
"Aw come on, it can't be that hard. How many fishy spots can there be around here?" 
"We're literally investigating a sushi place! Not to mention, what if she thought you meant 'fishy' as in 'suspicious'? You remember it's crime central in these parts, right?" Sahir asked. 
"I'm texting her. This is embarrassing. We're supposed to be professionals." Sakuya stated. 
A short while later, an irritated Ibuki arrived. "What the hell, Spark Boy?! You couldn't just tell me you were waiting at the docks? I just spent the last 20 minutes standing around that sushi joint like a moron!" 
"Hey, in this line of work you've gotta be stealthy! I was just being--" Max uttered. Not hearing any of it, Ibuki promptly elbowed him in the stomach. "Gah--! Ooof, and I just had lunch..." 
"That's what you get, stupid!" 
"Buffoonery. Bloody buffoonery." Kenneth uttered. 
"Getting back on track..." Kibō began, "We have business to take care of and we've already wasted enough time standing here." 
"My thoughts exactly. Hit me up with the phrase, Keebie." Kat opened the app. 
"Alright. The phrase is, 'Sushi Shanty'." 
"Thank you. Beginning navigation." 
The surroundings shifted, and the group was transported to the Metaverse. 
--- 
On the other side, the district was shrouded by a veil of darkness. The buildings and surroundings were in line with those of the age of piracy, and the large fishing vessels docked in the harbor had been replaced with wooden galleons. Above the entrance to the harbor was a wooden gate, bearing the unmistakable skull and crossbones symbol on top, with the phrase "Dead Men Tell No Tales" carved underneath. All was accompanied by a light rain. 
"This guy and Mr. JoJo sure do love their pirate motifs, don't they?" Sahir questioned. 
"Oh, look, Ibuki." Carrie pointed out. 
Ibuki had changed into a black hoodie identical to the rest of the group. It possessed bright red lining, and an image of a fireball on the back, with the stylized words La Foi written on it. Unlike the others, there were no numerals on it. "Oh, wow, it really does just come on like magic, huh?" she questioned. 
"That's Hoodsie's originals for you." Kat said. 
"She has hands of magic, don't you know." Carrie added. 
Natalia playfully waved her leg. "No need to hold back on the praise. There's still enough room in my heart~." 
"Is it always this mushy with y'all?" Ibuki asked. 
"We're an affectionate bunch. Always have been." Kibō replied. 
"We'll bring you into the fold of hugs in no time~." Barbara chimed. 
"If y'all say so. So how's this supposed to work?" Ibuki asked. 
"So if this follows the rules of the previous Prisons..." Sakuya began. "Kaido-san's Shadow Self should be waiting in a hideout corresponding to an important location in the real world. To enter that hideout, we'll need two 'cores'. Those should be in Prison Keeps used to hold the Shadows of the public that have had their Desires stolen." 
"In short terms, we're going on a treasure hunt." Kat added. 
"Soooo...what's a Shadow Self, again?" Ibuki asked. 
"Reflections of people that reside in this dimension. Distorted duplicates that reflect a person's innermost thoughts and feelings. Their 'real' selves." Kenneth explained. 
"The Personas we have are our own Shadow Selves, transformed. You heard a voice like your own when you awakened to it, didn't you? That's what it was." Barbara added. 
"Yeesh...it's gonna take me a while to get all of this." Ibuki scratched her head. 
"Short summary, we find some treasure, break into the castle, KO the one in charge, stop the mind control and change some hearts." Kat stated. 
"Our first order of business is to find those cores. You have a place for us to start, Care?" Kibō asked. 
Carrie looked through her holographic map. "I'm picking up a core signature around the gambling district." 
"Oh good, that place." Max groaned. 
"Brings back all kinds of memories, eh, Chuck Plant?" Kat teased. 
"Do I even want to know?" Ibuki asked. 
"No. No you don't." Max plainly answered. 
"Time to get a move on. Just call me Kat Sparrow." Kat used a faux pirate accent. 
"I'll be doing nothing of the sort." Kenneth responded. 
The group made their way through the streets, the buildings decorated with nautical iconography, along with advertisements for One-Eyed Dragon Sushi. "What's this here?" Barbara pointed out a set of Wanted posters, featuring caricatures of Shūjo. "Wanted for crimes of treason...is that really what he thinks of Mr. JoJo?" 
"From what he told me, they were raised like brothers. Given how Mr. Higashikata's reacted to this, I can see why Kaido might feel betrayed." Kibō replied. 
Suddenly, the sound of a bell being rung sounded throughout the Prison. A distorted voice echoed out. 
"Ahoy, Naruki! This is your Captain, comin' at ya with a daily announcement!" 
"Is that Mr. Kaido?" Natalia asked. 
"What's wrong with his voice?" Ibuki questioned. 
"I'd usually be hittin' ya up with my latest and greatest masterpiece, but I got a serious announcement for ya today. There be mutiny about! Yer Captain's first mate's gone and called it in! Expect the marauders to show up at any minute! Time to earn yer keep, ya scurvy sea dogs! I ain't abandonin' port for nuthin'!" 
"...?! What the..." Kat questioned. 
"Does he know we're here?" Barbara asked. 
"I'm getting numerous readings incoming! We need to get out of sight!" Carrie urged, and everyone ducked into an alley. 
Numerous Shadows appeared in the streets, wearing nautical gear and carrying lanterns. 
"Sheesh, look at all of them!" Sahir uttered. 
"How could he have possibly known we were here?" Sakuya questioned. 
"My guess, he knows what the people around Mr. JoJo can do. Deep down he had to know someone was gonna come for him." Kat replied. 
"So we gonna brute force it, or keep up the stealthy shtick?" Ibuki asked. 
"The less attention we bring, the better. We'll just need to find another way to the Keep. Care?" Natalia asked. 
"Working on it. We may have to get creative with how many Shadows just appeared." Carrie replied. 
"Stealth maneuvers in a port town. Didn't Assassin's Creed do something like this?" Max asked. 
"You could put a list of every time period up on a wall, then throw a dart at it and hit a time AC has gone to. Now less chit-chat, more tip-tap." Kat replied. 
"Actually, hold on one second. I might know how to clear the crowd." Barbara said. 
"Hm? Whatcha got in mind?" 
Barbara pointed up to the sky. 
"Ooooh, I got you. Work your magic, queen." 
The Shadows kept a stern watch over every part of the street. "Some maraudin' crew comin' for the Captain? Not on our watch! We'll hand the lubbers over to ol' Davy Jones..." one Shadow uttered. 
Barbara slipped out from the alley. "Howdy, everybody~! We having some kinda party?" she cutely winked. 
"What is she doing...?" Ibuki questioned. 
"Just watch." Kibō replied. 
"Whaddya doin'?! Yer one of those marauders, aren't ya?!" one Shadow demanded. 
"Fork over yer Desires, or get gutted! Yer choice!" another uttered. 
"Awww, that's kinda rude, don't you think? Do they not have gentleman classes at the pirate academy? But it's no biggie. I've got a great bonding exercise in mind!" Barbara's eyes flashed, and the Shadows immediately paused. "Okay, everyone! Give me an A!" She balanced on one leg and clasped her hands above her head. The Shadows, so threatening moments earlier, repeated the motion. 
"W-what's happenin'?!" one Shadow questioned. 
"Have I been on the rum too long?!" 
"Okie-dokie~! Now that we're all on the same page, how about we all go pay Mr. Jones a visit?" Barbara turned in the direction of the docks. "Everybody together, OK? C'mon, one-two! One-two!" 
Barbara started leading the herd away. "What kinda siren bullshit is this?!" one Shadow griped. 
The rest of the group stepped out. "Ladies and germs, the diva has left the building." Kat quipped. 
"Making it rain in here was probably the dumbest move the 'Captain' could've made." Sahir added. 
Barbara returned a few minutes later. "All sorted out~. You'd be shocked at how many of them said they couldn't swim. What kind of pirate can't swim?" 
"Ah, the Captain's taking cues from the One Piece school of pirating. Should've figured, given his name. How's our path looking now, Care Bear?" Kat asked. 
"Certainly lighter than before. There's still a good number in front of the Keep. We may have no choice but to fight through." Carrie replied. 
"Most of us should be fine, but..." Kibō glanced at Natalia. 
"You want to hang back for this, Hoods? It's already raining, so..." Kat asked. 
"I'll be fine. I've still got some psy moves in my pocket. And, let's see..." Natalia held out her hand. "Mmmm..." She took on a look of focus. 
"Um, Nat...?" Max puzzled. 
"Mmmm...!" Suddenly, a large scythe manifested in her hands. "Gah! I didn't think that'd actually work!" 
"What the what?!" Kat reacted. 
"Alright, then. She's just Kerberos now." Kenneth uttered. 
"Kerberos...?" Ibuki questioned. 
"The devil herself. We defeated her last semester." Sakuya calmly replied. 
"Yeah. Okay, right. Of course you did." Ibuki deadpanned. "I'm too okay with this. Y'all can just say 'the devil's a woman and we beat her' and all I can muster up is 'cool'." 
"I was just gonna say. You're a bit too cool with all of it, considering you're taking it all in at once." Barbara said. 
"I think my brain's just numb. I'm still getting used to the idea that the guy that made me his slave was a vampire. Everything else is just a nod and a 'mhmm'." 
"Gurl, your mindblowing experience has only just begun. Off to the tower. And, uh, Hoodsie? Put that thing away til we need it. Otherwise we're gonna have a Mr. JoJo of our own." Kat said. 
"Yeah, right. Sorry, ahehe." Natalia dispersed the scythe.
The group made their way to the first Keep. "I'm getting several readings from inside. Stay on guard, loves." Carrie warned. They walked in. 
"Whoa..." Ibuki uttered at the sight of the tower of prison cells. 
"Captain Kaido...master chef..." 
"So strong...so perfect..." 
"Never need to cook again...take all of my money..." 
"They're like zombies...what the hell's wrong with them?" Ibuki questioned. 
"This is what happens when a person has their Desires stolen. Now they're completely subservient to the Warden of this Prison." Sakuya explained. 
"So this...this is what I was doing to people, huh. I knew it was bad, but...what the hell." Ibuki looked up. "And this set of stairs. Those 'cores' you mentioned are up there, yeah?" 
"Righto. Before we can do that, there's usually a--' Kat began. 
An army of Shadow guards manifested around the central tower. "There they are! They're after the treasure! Get 'em!" 
"--welcoming committee." 
Weapons and powers drawn, the students scattered the army. 
"I'm never gonna want to hear pirate slang again after this." Max uttered. 
"Aye." Kat teasingly responded. "Now to get us some booty." 
"Ugggh..." Kibō groaned. 
"Not your booty, big guy. I'm not going near that without Barbie's permission." Kat winked. 
"That's not...uuuuunh." 
The group climbed the tower, and just as before, there was a ball of light at the top. Kat took hold of it. "Okay. Halfway there." 
"What's that supposed to be? A knife?" Ibuki asked. 
"The chef's paintbrush, as it were. The first core tends to represent the power the Warden wields. The second usually represents the source of their trauma." Kenneth stated. 
"Have you found the second core yet, Carrie-chan?" Sakuya asked. 
"The next tower should be close to the district entrance. But...oh, dear." Carrie responded. 
"What's 'oh dear' mean? That's not a good thing to say." Sahir questioned. 
"There's been a spike in energy signatures close to where the castle is. It could present some severe problems when it comes time to infiltrate it." 
"Things in the Metaverse tend to reflect reality to an extent. If the castle corresponds to the restaurant, then business might be extremely high in the real world." Sakuya suggested. 
"So we're not getting anywhere near that place while happy hour's happening...wonderful." Max griped. 
"Hm..." Kat pondered something. "Hey, Care. What's security looking like in the Keep?" 
"Relatively minimal at the moment." Carrie replied. 
"Must be time for their meal. It'd be the perfect time to sneak in." Kibō surmised. 
"Problem's gonna be dealing with all those guards near the castle. And if an alarm gets sounded, that horde's gonna be swarming around us." Ibuki brought up. 
"What if someone was there to distract 'em while everyone else grabbed the core?" Kat suggested. 
"Kitten...are you suggesting you do it? Against a couple of blocks full of enemies?" Carrie questioned. 
"Why not take them out as a group? Going in by yourself would be far too high of a risk." Kenneth replied. 
"If part of that gang gets away, y'all would have a better chance of holding them off. Better to kill two birds with one stone." Kat retorted. 
"It doesn't have to be you. Any of us here could keep them occupied." Kibō said. 
"You know...lately I've been thinking about whether you guys were right to put me in charge. I've felt like I needed to prove to myself that I deserved it. The last couple of days, you've been telling me I should rely on you all more. So I want you to get this done. I'll clean up the rest." Kat declares. "And this is the point in the anime where the dashing protag declares 'I'm not alone'. So trust ya girl just this once." 
"At least let someone else tag along. Better to have backup in case things go south." Sahir suggested. 
"Let me go with." Ibuki spoke up. "I might be the newbie and getting my mind shattered every five seconds, but I'm not the kind to sit back and watch while the action's happening. And if I'm gonna be taking cues from the resident cat burglar, I need to see how strong her spine is." 
"Oooh, honey, I'm so eager to teach. My game's more than sneaking and stabbing. I'm chock-full of surprises." Kat replied. 
"Careful, KittyKat. If we're gonna play, I do it rough." 
"The lioness only cuddles with her babies. Everyone else gets the claws." 
"Holy crap, dude." Sahir chimed. Sakuya promptly and lightly elbowed his side. 
"Guess we're really doing this. If things start getting hairy, you give us the word and we'll come running, OK?" Barbara suggested. 
"That won't be a problem. We got this." Kat assured. 
Carrie gave Kat a peck on her cheek. "My brave Kitten. Do be careful, won't you?" 
"Never been a time where I haven't been." 
"I believe you. Please watch over her, Ibuki." 
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Ibuki bowed. 
The rest of the group departed for the Keep. "Alright, Fireball. Kombat Lessons with KittyKat start now. Try to keep up." Kat went in the direction of the castle. 
"She's a feisty little kitty. I love it." Ibuki followed. 
--- 
"You weren't kidding. No welcoming party at all." Kibō said, with the group now inside of the Keep. 
"So delicious...a godsend..." 
"Don't need anything else...just need Captain Kaido's cooking..." 
"Captain should have all the fame...such perfect cuisine..." 
"Still got the creepy chanting, though." Max uttered. 
"I hope Kat-chan and Hinotama-san are faring alright." Sakuya said. 
"Kat can handle herself. And Ibuki had a good look in her eyes. I trust them to pull this off. Right now let's focus on this core and getting over to help them." Kibō replied. 
The group climbed atop the tower, and took the ball of light. "So what's it this time?" Natalia asked. 
"It looks like an article. May 2021. 'Innocents caught in the crossfire as gang activity in South Naruki peaks. Police are on the hunt for perpetrators as a young child is critically wounded during a presumptive conflict between rival clans.'" Kibō read. 
"The rest of it's torn up." Barbara commented. 
"That was over eight years ago. Sounds like yakuza were involved. Could Mr. Kaido have been there?" Carrie questioned. 
"He would've been around our age if he was." Sahir said. 
"This is clearly important to him. I'm not getting a good feeling. Something about this..." Kibō pointed to the article. "...created all of this." He gestured around. 
"We should ask Mr. JoJo about this when we get back." 
Kibō gave it some thought. 
"What's on your mind, Keeb?" Barbara asked. 
"When I overheard all of them arguing behind the restaurant, Mr. Higashikata mentioned something about Mr. Kaido endangering children and he got really serious about that. This article...you think maybe..." Kibō snapped out of thought. "No, I don't want to presume anything. We should ask when we get home. But first, we're gonna provide some backup." 
--- 
In the middle of the city, where the restaurant would be in reality, a towering building loomed, the top of which resembled a large skull with an eyepatch and horned helmet. The castle was guarded by a wooden gate, along with a sea of Shadow guards covering the streets. 
"Get it while it's good, ya salty dogs! Captain Kaido's got plenty ta go around!" Shadow Kaido's voice echoed out via intercom. 
Atop a building adjacent to the castle, Kat looked over the large army of Shadows. "That's...more than what I was expecting." Ibuki said. "Think we can take them all on our own?" 
"We're this far into it, we've got no choice. Stay up here and pick them off." Kat drew her dagger. "I'll go say 'ahoy'." 
"All due respect, if I get the urge to scrap, I'm hopping down and getting me a piece. You don't get wins in the ring from sniping distance." 
"This is a little bigger than a ring. Adapting on the fly's the name of the game." Kat stood on the edge. "Watch my back, superstar." She leapt off toward the street below. 
"Got a mouth and some fangs to boot. Fair play to the queen of the pride." 
On the way down, Kat grabbed hold of a street lamp, spun around it, and used the momentum to launch herself above the crowd. "Hey, mateys! I've got a nice little maneuver for ya!" She pointed her hand in a gun-like fashion, as Myeongwol manifested behind her. "I call this one, 'Death from Above'!" 
A line of pink energy fired down into the crowd, causing an explosion that sent several Shadows flying. Kat landed in the center. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Captain KittyKat, of the esteemed vessel, the Ashen Dutchman. Ya girl's come for a bit of treasure, and there's only room for one group of buccaneers in this town. So I'm serving an eviction notice." 
"E-enemy captain! Gut the wench!" 
Sparks of pink flew about as Kat jumped around, cutting down Shadows and blasting others away with every opportunity. 
"Okay...kitty's got claws. Can't let her have all the fun." Ibuki drew an arrow. "Let's see...if I can do something fancy." Mina appeared behind her, and the arrow began to glow. "Oh...yeah." 
As Kat kept up the assault, an object came flying past her, detonating in an explosion of light that eradicated several Shadows. 
"Hoooooooo!" Ibuki laughed. 
"Lookin' cool, Fireball!" Kat fired back. 
The pair got into a rhythm, Ibuki firing her arsenal of arrows and thinning out the crowd. Eventually, she grew restless. "Ehhh. I want what she's having." She leapt down, crushing one Shadow underneath as she landed. "Hiya, boys. Room for another lady?" She ducked an ensuing swing, sweeping the enemy and swatting another with her bow. 
"Couldn't help yourself, could ya?" Kat asked. 
"Sorry. I like seeing who I'm punching." 
After another round of combat, the two girls wound up back-to-back, surrounded by sword-wielding Shadows. "Still think coming down here was a good idea?" Kat asked. 
"Yep. The hero's at their coolest when they're cornered." Ibuki replied. 
"Word on that. So remember that bag of tricks I was telling ya about?" Kat looked into her glasses, and an option to switch screens appeared. She took it, and above her, the unassuming figure of Alice appeared. 
"Huh? Why's it look different?" 
"Bag of tricks." Kat looked through the spell list, and noticed one labeled "Die for Me!" "Oooooh. What's this one do?" 
Alice's eyes glowed, and from the ground, figures resembling sentient playing cards wielding spears appeared. They began to assault the Shadows, destroying much of what remained of the horde. In short order, the once formidable army had been whittled down to nothing. 
The girls were left panting. "Okay...I got it. You're queen for a reason." Ibuki said. 
"Right back at ya." Kat raised her hand, and they exchanged high-fives. 
"So what, we can have more than one of these things?" 
"It's something only I have, apparently. Believe me, I know about as much as you." 
"Hold on ladies, the cavalry's arrived--!" Sahir exclaimed, and the others soon rounded the corner. 
"Oh...oh. Oh, wow." Kibō uttered. 
Kat shrugged. "We got tired of waiting." 
"Right. So, you got the other doohickey we needed?" Ibuki asked. 
"Uh...yeah." Barbara replied, still dumbfounded. 
"Yeah, door's open now." Kat pointed out. The two girls moved to cross the wooden bridge in front of it, as the rest of the shocked group followed suit. 
They got to the door. "Wait a minute. I'm getting a reading. The Cell Door is right here." Carrie warned. 
"Oh, yeah. It's invisible now, but if we touch it, we'll get a glimpse at the Warden's trauma. Basically whatever made them go crazy." Kat explained. 
"Got ya. So all we gotta do is touch it, huh?" Ibuki approached the door. 
"Hold on! It's actually really painful!" Barbara warned. 
"I'm a tough girl, Barb. I've taken worse." Ibuki put her hand out, and the door appeared. Then, everything flashed white. 
"Here we go again. Something tells me this is gonna suck." Max said. 
"I hear something. Everyone, quiet." Kenneth ordered. 
"Dumbass little twerp...you know how much shit we're catching from this?!" an adult male boomed. 
"It was an accident...I swear..." a familiar voice said back. 
"Shuddup!" the sounds of a punch echoed out. "This was already gonna be shit, and then you get a kid involved?! You know what happens to screwups, don't ya?!" 
"N-no, please...! I'll fix myself, I promise...!" 
Ibuki stepped away. "Yeeeeeesh! You weren't joking! That sucked!" 
"The one voice asking for forgiveness..." Carrie uttered. 
"He sounded younger, but there's no denying it. That was Mr. Kaido." Barbara replied. 
"It's just what I thought. Eight years ago, something terrible happened. And he was at the center of it." Kibō surmised. "There's nothing else we can do here. We've got some questions for Mr. Higashikata." 
"On it. Let's head home." Kat opened the app, and the group returned to reality.
--- 
A while later, the group were seated in the living room of the Higashikata mansion. Natalia had volunteered to keep Aura company in the little girl's room. 
"...so. That's what's going on in his head." Shūjo grumbled. 
"He sees himself as the captain of his own ship, with JoJo as a mutinous traitor. Just what we were afraid of." Hiyoko muttered. 
"I'm sorry that it's everything we were thinking it was. And I'm sorry we have to ask more of you, but...we need to know. May 2021. What happened?" Kibō asked. 
"....." Hiyoko bore a look of sorrow. 
"We know it's gotta be something bad if it's caused all this. But we can't finish the job if we don't know the full story." Kat said. 
"I made a promise not to mention it to anyone, but if he's going behind my back and pulling this garbage, then it's an eye for an eye." Shūjo sighed. "I hate that it's come to this." 
"As do I, my love. But there's no other option." Hiyoko responded. 
"Right as always. So this tale actually starts two years earlier. Our sophomore year at the Academy. Me and Kaido go back a long way. Our clans have always held a close relationship. We did a few jobs together. But one day, my folks made the decision to cut all ties with the clan and move over this way. Part of it was for Hiyoko's safety." 
"I was an orphan when JoJo found me. And always with health issues. His family was kind enough to take me in, and it was my need for stability that drove them to leave." Hiyoko explained. 
"Kaido didn't take the news kindly. He swore he'd make me regret it. And so one day, he comes storming into the Academy." 
"He had Jin at gunpoint. He took us up to the roof and threatened to take me as collateral. Were it not for Rin and the others changing his heart, things would have ended in tragedy." 
"Leave it to Prof to pull the savior act." Kat said. 
"What happened to Mr. Kaido after that?" Barbara asked. 
"He went out on his own for a while. But eventually, his clan came calling. He needed to prove himself one more time, so he was sent down this way for a job. Needed to fetch some cash for his old man. But there was a rival clan operating this way back then, and they wanted a piece of the pie." Shūjo explained. 
"The day of the exchange, this other clan ambushed Kaido and the men with him. Gunfire was exchanged. Men on both sides lost their lives. But there was one more tragedy to be had. A young family was caught in the crossfire. One of them was shot in their leg. A seven-year old boy." Hiyoko somberly added. 
"Oh, my. To be so young and suffer in that way..." Carrie uttered. 
"Did the boy survive?" Sakuya asked. 
"He did. Barely. But to this day he has issues with walking. And to top that off, from what I understand, the one who fired the stray bullet...was Kaido himself." Shūjo replied. 
"Oh, man. That would be enough to mess anyone up..." Sahir said. 
"This goes without saying, but the consequences came fast and hard. His old man pulled him into his office, and gave him the mother of all tongue-lashings. Told him how much of a worthless screw-up he was. And before the night was done, and after all the beatings, he took Kaido's hand, took his favored kitchen knife, and..." Shūjo stretched out his index finger, and made a cutting motion. 
"God...is that why he wears a glove?" Barbara asked. 
"That's precisely the reason. He wears a prosthetic finger now, and he's trained in a way where there's little difference in using it, but I'm certain he hates being reminded of it." Hiyoko replied. 
"He got thrown out on the street after that. He stayed down here, and took that cash with him. He left the money next to the hospital room where the boy was staying, then marched down to the police department and turned himself in." Shūjo added. 
"My aunt is a highly regarded defense attorney, and she was able to work out a strong deal for him. He helped to identify most of the men who were involved in the shooting. After all of that, he ended up with a ten year sentence. But he served just six of them. The twist of it all was that the father of the boy who was shot ended up lobbying for his early release." 
"Why on Earth would he do something like that?" Kenneth asked. 
"Kaido had apparently met with the family and the boy a number of times while he was behind bars. I think his genuine remorse for what happened helped to convince them." 
"So about a year before y'all started at the Academy, he gets out of jail and comes to the only people he's still on good terms with. Hiyoko and me. And now he's like a totally different person. More goofy, easier to work with, more into self-help and inspirational quotes and the like. I think he wanted to get as far away from the image of a violent yakuza as possible. Even when I was still having him...do work, he was hands-off." Shūjo explained. 
"When it came time and we brought Aura into the home, he became devoted to being the ideal 'uncle'. He likely saw it as a way to make up for his worst mistake. And when we appointed him to run the sushi restaurant, be welcomed the opportunity with full vigor. I would have imagined that his life had never been more fulfilling." 
"So what could've triggered all of this?" Kibō asked. 
"That's what I don't get. We basically handed him something that couldn't fail. Something must've come up to remind him of what happened. He's got a massive failure complex. Maybe he sees this as his last chance." Shūjo replied. 
"Not to mention, with our disapproval of his current methods, he may feel that the only people left that he trusts have turned on him. I can't blame his heart for sinking as far as it has." Hiyoko added. 
"Man...this sucks. I mean, I get more than anyone why he'd be desperate to keep the power he has. And he probably thinks he's not doing anything wrong. Like, he's been wronged by the world, so he's taking what he thinks he deserves. He's gotten where he can't even see how he's doing more harm than good." Ibuki responded. 
"That's the important thing. He's making things worse for everyone, himself included. So, we've got just a couple more things to ask you two. Where did the shooting happen?" Kat asked. 
"Over in the gambling district. I can point you to the exact building." Shūjo answered. 
"Alright. And once we take care of business there, we'll only have to send him a warning. That'll put things on high alert in the Prison, and make the Desires manifest. How should we go about sending it to him?" 
"I'll handle it." Hiyoko stated. 
"No way. He's my responsibility at the end of the day. I'm not putting you in harm's way." Shūjo replied. 
"My reasoning exactly. He sees you as having betrayed him. I can't guarantee your safety if you confront him. I can talk to him. And if I can't get him to see reason, I'll hand over the message. I know through experience that simply talking him down might not he enough. But I need you to trust me enough to try." 
"Fine...but I'm hiding off to the side. He tries anything funny--" 
"Then I'll handle it. You're not the only one with gifts." 
"Sounds like we've got a plan. We'll get right to...to...ngh..." Kat winced. 
"Hm? What's wrong?" Hiyoko asked. 
"It's nothing. Just a...little bruising. I'm good to go..." 
"A little bruising from the massacre she just helped cause. Not gonna lie, I'm starting to feel it, too..." Ibuki replied. 
"I'm fine, for real. Not postponing anything cuz I'm feeling a little sore." 
"I won't hear any of it. We can wait and pursue this first thing tomorrow." Carrie insisted. 
"That'll give us time to write the message. Confronting his trauma and then his Shadow Self will probably be the most taxing parts of this. Best to do it at full strength." Kibō added. 
"Tch...dammit. Okay, fine. Sorry, guys." Kat apologized. 
"Don't apologize for going full Rambo on a bunch of Shadows. I think you've earned a breather." Max replied. 
"You runts get some rest. We've got our own shit to sort out." Shūjo said. 
"Please take care going back home. Come back as soon as you need us." Hiyoko added. 
"We'll see you in the PM. Now let's go grab Hoodsie." Kat replied, and the youths left. 
"....." Shūjo mumbled. 
"This is for his own good, JoJo. No matter what the consequences may be down the line for us, this is what's best for him and everyone in the district. You swore an oath of brotherhood. That means setting him straight when he's gone on a destructive path." Hiyoko said. 
"...I'm gonna make a call." Shūjo exited the room. 
"JoJo..." 
--- 
December 4, 2029 
"Is this the place?" Barbara asked. 
"It's the address Mr. JoJo gave us." Sahir replied. 
"Looks like a normal clothing store to me." Natalia said. 
"According to my research, it only opened three years ago. What it was before has been expunged from public records. Like someone wants the memory of it to be erased." Carrie replied. 
"So the way to unlock the door in the Prison is here, right? What do we do?" Ibuki asked. 
"We input the key phrase like before. Then we get a firsthand view of the Warden's trauma. We'll likely have to fight off a monster, and destroying it will open the way into the castle." Sakuya explained. 
"That cell door is meant to replay the trauma over and over, just in case the Warden forgets why they're acting the way they are." Kat added. 
"Putting their worst moment on repeat to encourage their power trip, huh. Whoever came up with this system must be a sadistic bastard." Ibuki said. 
"Yeah. Sure does come off that way." Max responded. 
"Whatever the motives are, right now we have to see this job through. Kat, if you would?" Kibō asked. 
"Say the word, big man." Kat brought out her phone. 
"Key phrase, 'Sushi Shanty'." 
"Thank you. Beginning navigation." 
--- 
The group were transported into a wide, red-tinted room, resembling a yakuza hideout. "Aw, yikes! I like red as much as the next girl, but this is murder on the eyes!" Ibuki griped. 
"Shhh, quiet. Look over there." Kenneth said. 
At the end of the room, a suited man with shadows over his eyes loomed over what appeared to be nothing. "You worthless pile of shit. All I tell ya to do is fetch me some money, and ya can't even do that right!" 
"Ugh...uhuh..." a familiar voice whimpered in pain. 
"Dumbass little twerp...you know how much shit we're catching from this?!" 
"It was an accident...I swear..." 
"Shuddup!" The man motioned as if he was pulling someone up, then made a punching motion. "This was already gonna be shit, and then you get a kid involved?! You know what happens to screwups, don't ya?!" 
"N-no, please...! I'll fix myself, I promise...!" 
The man pulled out a knife. "Pin his arm down. Now, dammit!" 
"No...pops, please...!" 
"Quit your bitching!" The man let off another punch. "Your brothers were all set up to take over, and then they both get wasted. And all I'm left with is your useless ass. Holding up that hoity toity school in broad daylight was already stupid, and then you can't even aim your gun properly?" He raised the hand that was holding the knife. "Far as I'm concerned, I'm giving ya mercy!" 
He swung down, and the sound of blood-curdling screams echoed out. 
"Oh, God...make it stop...I can't listen to any more of this..." Barbara wept. 
"How utterly horrifying..." Sakuya muttered. 
"....." Max mumbled. 
Kaido could be heard whimpering. "How'd I end up with such a spineless dumbass? You can't pull anything off yourself without that Higashikata brat pulling your strings, can you? Worthless. Completely worthless!" the man lambasted. 
Dark energy engulfed the man, and he transformed into the same kind of four-armed shadow monster the group had previously encountered. "That's right, dumbass, keep crying! Can't even take the pain like a man, can you?!" 
"Crap, here it comes!" Kat warned. 
The group began to unleash against the monster, as it continued its belligerent ranting. "Can't even trust you to grab my money without fucking it up! You're so damn lucky the kid's not dead! Then I'd have to put you on a cold slab with him! Such a goddamn screw-up! You wouldn't even know how to breathe if no one told you to!" 
Kibō leapt on top of the monster's head, and drew his sword. 
"Get him out of my sight! Toss him out like the rest of the garbage!" 
Kibō skewered the creature, and it dissipated into nothingness. 
"Shit...what a pain." Ibuki uttered. 
"That horrible man...to do that to his own son..." Sakuya said. 
"It's something we get better than most, huh, Saku?" Max questioned. 
"It's no wonder the man fears failure above all else. The consequences for his last great mistake were severe for everyone involved." Kenneth said. 
"And he's making another one right now. We have to snap him out of it before history repeats itself." Kat declared. 
"Let's get out of here and get Ms. Hiyoko that warning message. This has to stop tonight!" Natalia said. 
The group departed the Trauma Room. 
--- 
Later that evening, the One-Eyed Dragon Sushi restaurant had closed up early. "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice, Kaido." Hiyoko said, seated at the counter. 
"Anything for you, my lady. I was way overdue for an early day, anyhow. So, what's the good word?" Kaido asked. 
"It's about...the other day. What we all talked about. Your methods." 
"....." 
"You're not happy with JoJo right now, and I understand why. He has a million things to think about, and he has your well-being in mind." 
"Does he?" 
"You know deep down that this is wrong. You've spent the last two years distancing yourself from such illicit intimidation. Whatever your reasons--and I know the reasons--it goes against everything you've worked for. He'll never admit it, but JoJo fears the path you're taking just as much as I do." 
"I'm making your enterprise successful. Didn't he do the same thing to get you the treatment you need?" 
"And I was opposed to it then, as I am now. Kaido...ask yourself this. You promised Gōsuke..." 
"Don't." 
"You promised him and his family that you would stay on a righteous path once you left prison. Is destroying the livelihoods of others the righteous thing to do?" 
"My lady...I have to succeed. I have to! Horrible things happen when I fail! When it's something small like playing golf, or something like what happened back then...it always has the worst result! I'm gonna be a success...without his or your help!" 
"I see..." Hiyoko stood up. "I was afraid you'd say that." 
She turned to exit. "If your fear is that you'll lose your place in our home from this, then you're wrong. We'll always have you in mind." She reached into her purse. "This is for you. Good night, Kaido." She handed him a card, bowed, and left. 
"Lady Hiyoko...hm? What's this?" 
"'To Mr. Kaido Minamoto, the 'captain' of a sinking vessel. Your calamitous decision-making has led to ruin for some and self-destruction for others, all in the name of your insatiable gluttony. You've committed mutiny against those supplying your livelihood, and indulged in intimidation that you claim to despise. To rectify this, we will be committing our own mutiny, and freeing the Desires you've pillaged.'" 
"This is...! JoJo...you bastard! You're siccing those kids on me?!" 
Within the Prison, his Shadow stirred. 
"After me treasure...? Pillaging the Desires I've got? Those runts...if they get their hands on me earnings, I'll be...I'll be...no! I've buried that weakness in the bottom of the ocean! I ain't some guppy waiting to get skewered! I won't surrender...to some land-lubbing thieves!" 
Back in reality, Hiyoko was on the phone. "Yes. I gave him your message. You should be good to proceed. Good luck." She hung up. "....." 
Shūjo stood beside her, a grim expression on his face. "....." 
Nearby, the team stood out of sight. "Here we go. Now or never." Kat stated. They entered the key phrase, and entered the Prison.
--- 
"Okay. The way in should be open now." Kibō said, the group now in front of the castle door. 
"Game faces, y'all. This one's gonna be rough." Kat cautioned. 
The group entered the castle, and were met by the sight of an enormous, empty mess hall, the inside of which was decorated extensively with pirate flags and imagery. "Guy sure loves his aesthetic." Kat quipped. 
"Hey, up there! The hell is that?" Ibuki pointed, and above their heads, was the single collective Desire. 
"Those would be the stolen Desires we're after." Natalia explained. 
"That's the...how are we supposed to take that?! It's as big as a house! Like, I could try shooting it, but it'll take forever to break it apart." 
"Calm yourself. All we need do is defeat the Warden, and the Desires will be freed." Kenneth responded. 
"Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies...Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain..." 
The group took notice. "That singing..." Barbara pondered. 
"Hey, there he is!" Sahir pointed to the rear of the room. 
There, in front of a large, ox-horned throne and stirring a gigantic pot, was Kaido. His attire was like that of a gourmet chef, black in color, and bearing the ragged, sea-worn appearance of a pirate's garb. His chef's hat had the skull-and-crossbones circling it, and a pair of upward-facing horns jutted out of the sides of his head. He was slightly overweight compared to his real-life counterpart, and he possessed blue skin, along with the Shadows' signature yellow eyes. He hummed to the tune of his song. 
"Mmm..." He scooped some up with his ladle, and took a taste. "Hnh...needs more salt. Enough salt to fill a Reddit board!" 
"Hey, Chef Scurvy!" Kat yelled out as the group approached. 
"Hmmm? Ahhh, there ya are! Welcome to the mess hall of the great Captain Kaido! You're just in time for the next Sushi Shanty!" 
The utterance of the phrase led to a round of applause from seemingly nowhere. 
"Ah, but of course. You're not here for a round of grub, are ya? You're the crew of that rebel galleon, the Ashen Dutchman, here to steal what's rightfully mine, eh?" 
"Ashen Dutchman?" Barbara questioned. 
"Aheheh, heh..." Kat laughed it off. 
"Hold up, that's the guy? Why's he look like that?" Ibuki asked. 
"When people's cognition has been distorted beyond reason, their Shadow Selves end up shifting to match how the person views themselves, or how others view them." Sakuya explained. 
"You're right, Mr. Kaido. We're not here for a meal. We're here to stop this self-destructive scheme of yours." Kibō declared. 
"Can't you see what you're doing to people? To yourself?" Barbara asked. 
"What I'm doing? I'm givin' people delicious food, that's what I'm doing! Good meals make everyone happy, and having a good meal every single day means nobody's sad!" the Shadow replied. 
"There is...logic, in what he says." Max uttered in a robotic voice. 
"That mind control mumbo-jumbo isn't real happiness! You're forcing people to spend all day waiting in line for your food, warping them so much they never even think of going somewhere else!" Ibuki retorted. 
"And if bankrupting the local businesses wasn't bad enough, your lackies have taken the liberty of threatening them into handing their product over to ensure you expend as little as possible." Kenneth said. 
"This scheme of yours isn't only going to have consequences for you. What about Ms. Hiyoko, or Mr. JoJo? This is their business you're tainting." Carrie questioned. 
"Don't talk about those double-crossing lubbers to me! We swore an oath to have each others' backs, and they throw me to the fishes when it's their chests I'm fillin'! So to hell with it! I'll build me a successful empire, without 'em!" Shadow Kaido replied. 
"That's what all this is for, isn't it? To ensure you never fail." Sakuya asked. 
"We know about what happened eight years ago." Kibō said. 
The Shadow was surprised. "You...you don't talk about that. That was an accident from another life! I'd never hurt a kid on purpose, never in a million years!" 
"We believe you when you say it was an accident. And we saw what the fallout of that was. Anyone would be dreadfully afraid of failure after that. But what you're doing now is going against everything you set out to do. As far as we can see, it's the precursor to another tragedy." Carrie replied. 
"I get what you're feeling, dude, I was in the same boat. You're so afraid of becoming that weak person again that you'll do anything to keep things 'perfect'. My father saw me as disposable and worthless, too. But this power trip is only gonna set you back, and give the assholes that put you in a dark place more power. Don't let them keep destroying you." Ibuki dictated. 
"I...I ain't doin' nuthin' I don't wanna do! Respect is finally mine to have! I'm creating a powerhouse that no one'll ever call a failure!" The Shadow's anger built. "I...I ain't a screw-up! I ain't a failure! I'm the Captain of my own ship! I don't need no one's power or pity!" 
Dark energy crackled around him. "Cheeky, thieving little brats...no one gets to boss me around in my own hideout! I'll chop ya to bits...and serve ya on a silver platter!" 
His muscles began to bulge, and he grew to a massive size. His left arm transformed to resemble a giant cannon, while his right hand held a gigantic butcher knife. "To Davy Jones' Locker with ya!" 
He swung down the knife at full force towards the group, who all evaded in the nick of time. "What massive force...huh?" Sakuya looked up. 
His arm still to the ground, Kaido was more akin to a small inclined hill--one that Kat had climbed onto and was sprinting upwards. "Is she out of her mind?!" Kenneth questioned. 
"Damn little...! Buzz off!" Kaido aimed his cannon arm at Kat. 
"Whatcha gonna do, big man? Blast your own arm off?" Kat taunted. She took out her dagger and stuck it into his arm. "Sorry, Cap'n. I'm on ya like a bad rash." 
"Why ya--GET OFF!" Kaido let go of the knife, and swung his arm around trying to dislodge Kat, who held onto her dagger for dear life. 
"This girl is out of her damn mind." Ibuki uttered. 
"Hey...party people..." Kat called out. "He's kinda...preoccupado...maybe wanna...wail on him? Oh...gonna puke..." 
"Why can't you chumps just leave me alone?! Let me have this...just the one good thing! Why am I gettin' punished for tryin' to be happy?!" Kaido demanded. 
Taking the hint, the rest of the group began to attack his legs. 
"Hey, HEY! Knock that off!" Kaido griped. 
"Hoooo-ey." Kat appeared suddenly, sitting atop one of his horns. "Who needs a roller coaster when you can have 'inflated monster arm'?" She put a hand up against his head. "FYI. This might tickle." 
Pink sparks erupted from her hands. "GZZZZZZT! KNOOOOCK IIIIIIT OOOOOOOFF!" 
The continued assault on his legs, coupled with the unending spark display from Kat, left Kaido staggered. His massive frame lost all balance, and he fell with a crash, Kat giving a mocking salute as she went down with him. She leapt off once he hit the ground. 
"Oh ye of little faith." she quipped. 
"You are so reckless and fearless and oh dear me do I find that so appealing." Carrie teased. 
Kaido's other form began to crumble away. Once it dissipated, the Shadow was now without any clothing save for his hat, red scarf and skull-pattern boxer shorts. "Ugh...huh?!" He quickly hid behind a table. "D-don't laugh...don't laugh at me...I'm not a joke...I...I'm the Captain..." 
"Nobody's laughing at you, man. After all this, that's the last thing you need." Sahir replied. 
"Why did this happen, Mr. Kaido? The restaurant would've been successful regardless. Everything was already settled. What changed?" Barbara asked. 
"..." Kaido muttered. "The kid...when I was inside, I sent letters to him every chance I got. Then after I got out, I kept it going. Right around when I was gonna take over the sushi joint, he tells me he wants to meet me in person. So I did..." He shook his head. "This kid...he still needs a crutch to walk. I did that to him...I did!" 
"But it was by accident, right?" Natalia asked. 
"It doesn't matter...this bloody lifestyle just destroys everything it touches. And for what? 'Honor'? 'Family'? All the good it did for me when my old man chopped my trigger finger off and threw me out like garbage! What's so honorable about shooting up a public building when there's kids around?!" 
"Kaido-san..." Sakuya uttered. 
"None of this would've happened if I'd just gone with JoJo from the beginning. Him and Lady Hiyoko were the only ones who saw me as something other than a useless flop. They gave me somewhere to be when I had nothing left...then they gave me a chance to be something better. I couldn't fail that...I couldn't fail the only people who gave a damn. Then after I met with the kid...everything just came flooding back." 
"I'm sick of messing everything up...and I know that's what I've done now...more than I could ever fix. What the hell do I do now...?" 
"You want to stop messing up? Start by coming clean." Kibō replied. "You apologize to all the people you've strung along, to the ones you stole from, and the ones whose trust you abused." 
"You can't just go into something thinking you're gonna mess it up. That's the quickest way to mess things up. A little confidence goes a long way, y'know." Kat added. 
Ibuki walked up to the broken Shadow, and proceeded to punch him across the face, to the shock of the rest of the group. "Quit with the crying. The 'woe-is-me' act is all fine and good, cuz I know you've dealt with some messed up crap. I did too. But at some point you've gotta stop letting past shit define who you are now. This shit you're dealing with now? That was me a few weeks ago. And it doesn't just mess you up. Okay? My sister and I lived on the streets for most of our damn lives, and I was a week away from getting us and her baby a house. You do bad shit, it's the people around you that have to deal with it. So buck up. Face the music. Cuz they're gonna have to deal with every problem, same as before, along with all the new ones that come out of this. If you're really sorry, you get up and start acting like it." 
"...you're right. I made the mess and I've gotta start fixing it. I'll never get anything done if I stay feeling sorry for myself." Kaido removed his hat. "To hell with the underworld lifestyle. To hell with the pillaging and the scare tactics. I'm gonna make it up to everybody, starting now." The Shadow disappeared into light. 
"Um...where'd he go?" Ibuki questioned. The room began to shake. "And what's with the earthquake?!" 
"That'd be a sign of a job well done. Time to head on home." Kat replied. The group promptly returned to reality. 
--- 
December 4, 2029 
Afternoon in south Naruki. A crowd of reporters had gathered in front of the One-Eyed Dragon Sushi restaurant, where a press conference was set to begin. A short distance away, the students and Ibuki had gathered to watch. 
"So...the line's pretty much gone. All that's left are a few vultures." Ibuki said. 
"Looks like everyone's snapped out of it. All that's left is to hear from the man himself." Max said. 
"I can see Ms. Hiyoko over there with little Aura." Carrie pointed out. 
"And right next to 'em is Mr. JoJo, looking like he'd rather be literally anywhere else." Kat added. 
"Hold on...here he comes now." Kibō said. 
Kaido walked up to the podium, and bowed. "Good afternoon, everyone. Normally I'd be preparing for an influx of customers and playing a shanty or two, but unfortunately, I haven't called for this conference for festive reasons." 
"I wanted to begin by saying that I'm grateful for Boss Higashikata and Lady Kagetora's continued faith in me, in spite of any and all past errors I've committed. Having the privilege of running part of your enterprise meant more to me than you could ever realize." 
"But in spite of that, I regret to inform everyone that as of this moment, I am stepping down as acting manager of One-Eyed Dragon Sushi. My past involvement with organized crime is well-known, and after serving several years in prison for the worst mistake someone could make, I swore off that lifestyle for good. But due in part to my crippling fear of failure, I stupidly sank back into poor habits. I encouraged my employees to intimidate local business owners into handing over their products, even as their own businesses struggled to come close to making a profit." 
"A mere apology is not enough. So I've begun the process of reimbursing local businesses for the considerable damage I've caused to their livelihoods. Once that's done, I'll freely sink back into a role where my mistakes won't have catastrophic consequences." He turned his gaze downwards. "I thought I left the yakuza behind, but the yakuza never left me. I destroy everything that I touch. I don't deserve any kind of happy life. I should just commit seppuku right here and now. Not that it'd make a difference...forgive me, everyone. That's all." He took a bow, and the conference ended shortly after. 
Shūjo and Hiyoko approached the group. "You kids did damn good. You're way better at this than we ever were." he said. 
"The one bright spot here is that the local storeowners opted against suing or pressing charges, so long as Kaido agrees to follow through on his promise to reimburse them." Hiyoko added. 
"Oh, thank goodness. The last thing we wanted was to send him back to prison." Carrie replied. 
"So what's gonna happen to the guy now?" Ibuki asked. 
"The guy's probably gonna go sink into a hole somewhere." Kaido approached. 
"Mr. Kaido, I'm sorry we had to--" Kibō began. 
"Don't apologize. I brought this on myself. I wanted to prove I could succeed on my own, but I just ended up looking like a bigger idiot." 
"Yeah, you did." Shūjo bluntly replied. Hiyoko shot him a glare. "...but you're our idiot. And as much as you make my blood boil sometimes, I've got your back no matter what. So quit with the bellyaching." 
"Does Uncle Kaido need something to hug? You can borrow Hoots if you want." Aura said. 
"You're an angel, snowball, but it's fine. Everything I touch just blows up, anyway." Kaido muttered. 
"Kaido-san?" 
Kaido perked up. "No way." 
"I also might've made a call or two." Shūjo stated. 
Kaido turned to see a boy with short black hair and glasses, wearing a blue high school uniform and with a crutch underneath his left arm. 
"You're...Gōsuke." Kaido uttered. 
"I watched the whole thing, Kaido-san. Are you really giving up?" the boy asked. 
"I'm sorry. I've royally messed up too many times. I did everything I promised I wouldn't do. It'd be better for everyone if I just vanished." 
"But you can't! So you messed up again, so what? That just means you have to get up and try again. No one ever thought I was gonna survive, much less walk again. Now I'm a couple of surgeries away from not even needing the crutch anymore. I didn't give up, and you shouldn't either!" 
"Kid...I dunno how you can stand the sight of me. I'm the one that put you where you are in the first place. I'm the wicked monster that nearly killed a kid in a fight over money. I shouldn't even be facing you right now." 
"You aren't a monster, Kaido-san. My parents spent years thinking you were one, but my dad changed his mind after meeting you. He expected a soulless demon, and ended up with a broken man who wanted to atone for his mistakes. Was he wrong for thinking that? Please don't abandon hope. I know you aren't a bad person. When I can walk normally again, you'll be the first one to hear about it. It's never as hopeless as it seems, so stop kicking yourself!" 
"Kid...God, I'm sorry for all of this. I'll fix all of this, I swear it. I've got too much life to live to spend it moping around. Whatever comes after this, I'm gonna go at it with 150% vigor! And you'll be the first one to hear about it!" 
The group listened in. "I'm glad this could have some kind of hopeful ending. This whole situation was one giant tragedy." Barbara said. 
"Psst. Hey, Care." Kat whispered, pulling Carrie aside. 
"What is it, Kitten?" 
"Something about this felt different than the last two. Leon and Bookie mindwiped people using their social media accounts, right? Here Mr. Kaido did it using his own words. Didn't have anything to do with online stuff. Why was it different?" 
"Maybe it has nothing to do with the internet itself. It could just involve 'following' in any sense. Almost like one is willingly surrendering part of themselves to the person in question. Just my own theory." 
"You could be right. But I still want you to check his phone out, for any kind of irregularities. There's gotta be something tying everyone together." 
"Hey, ladies!" Sahir called out. "Mr. JoJo's treating us to celebratory dinner!" 
"The least I can do for sticking your necks out for us like this. The place might be taking a break while everything gets sorted, but there's still enough to make a nice meal for y'all." Shūjo said. 
"Can't argue with food on the house. Right, beautiful?" Kat asked. 
"Certainly not. Here's hoping this venture hasn't ruined sushi for everyone." Carrie replied.