Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Why Do You Eat It [burnout inferno mix] 
December 2, 2029 
"Mmmmph...stop it, Care...you're too close...my heart can't take it...oh, you're so beautiful..." Kat mumbled in her sleep. 
"Someone's having a pleasant dream, I guess." 
Kat groggily stirred awake. "Uugh...why'd I have to have an audience..." 
Shizuka was seated at the kitchen table, gleefully eating pancakes. "Morning, KittyKat." 
"Hey...princess...where'd the pancakes come from...?" 
"Don't talk with your mouth full, sweets. Don't want anything to get stuck." Natalia was at the kitchen sink, doing the dishes. 
"Hoodsie? How'd you get in here?" 
"Care let me in. They already left for the investigation." 
"Care...? Wait, what time is it?" 
"It's 9:30. Shizuka was already awake when I got here, so I fixed her up some breakfast. I was surprised I didn't wake you up, but seeing how good your dream was..." 
"Oh, God. How much did you hear?" 
"Don't worry, it was nothing extreme. But wow, I thought I loved Care, but it was sounding like you were writing poems in your sleep." 
"Jeez..." Kat groaned. "So they wanted to get it done early, huh? Hope they don't have to wait for me long." 
"Um, about that..." Natalia began. "Care wanted me to tell you to take the day off. And she asked me to look after you." 
"Take the day off--no no no, no, that ain't happening. I'm fine. Seriously." 
"Care said you passed out almost as soon as you hit her shoulder. You don't need to run yourself ragged when today's just the investigation. We can't have you getting exhausted in the middle of a Prison. You deserve a day to relax." 
"I can't sit on my butt when everyone else is out there working." 
"If it makes you feel better, Saku and Ibuki couldn't make it either. It's better for you to take it easy and rest up for tomorrow. That's what I'm here for." 
"I'll bet Prof never took a day off..." 
"KittyKat, come on. Don't stress over it. Everyone can handle the investigation. Self care is important." 
"I can push through it. I'm not gonna wuss out when winter break's just around the corner. Y'all voted me the leader, I've gotta act like it." 
"And what if you run yourself into the ground doing that? That's not gonna help anyone." Natalia walked over and put her arms around Kat's shoulders. "Care told me she wants you to rely on her. That goes for the rest of us. We're here to lift each other up when we're in trouble. You helped pull me up from a dark place, and I wanted to return the favor. I love you, KittyKat. So put your feet up, and let Nurse Nat tend to your every need." 
Kat sighed. "I'll try not to be a pain. I can't say no after a Hoodsie hug." 
Natalia patted Kat's shoulders. "I've got enough batter for another batch. You're getting special Natty service." 
"Infused with love?" 
"I never make anything without it~." 
Shizuka walked up, still clutching her plushie. "Are you OK, KittyKat?" 
"I'm just Gucci, bug. KittyKat's just a little tired. And sad that she can't help her friends. But sometimes when you're feeling tired, you need to stop for a second and rest, even if you don't want to." Kat patted her on the head. "Hey, don't worry about me. You get to go home in a little bit, yeah? There anything you want to do before your mamas get back?" Kat asked. 
Without saying a word, Shizuka plopped next to Kat, let out a yawn, leaned into Kat and closed her eyes. 
Kat was speechless as first. The emotion began to fill her eyes. She covered them with her hand as the tears began to well up. 
"Kat? What's wrong?" Natalia asked. 
"*sniff* If this is some kinda dream, or a simulation, or a fake reality...just wake me up now. I'm so stupidly happy right now...I've got my princess, I've got the best friends I could possibly ask for, the most kind and beautiful girl at my side...I came here cuz I was one step away from juvenile hall. Am I even allowed to be this happy?" Kat questioned. 
"I can't believe it either, KittyKat. I left home a depressed wreck. Now I have friends for life and a massively improved self-image. Sometimes I wonder if it's all real. No matter what, I'm gonna enjoy every single minute of it." Natalia replied. 
"Same. Absolutely same. *sniff* Thanks for being you, Hoodsie. I'm gonna end up crying over my pancakes now." 
"That was the plan, anyway. So good you'll be moved to tears." 
"Gimme. I want all the edible love you can cook up." 
--- 
"Hoooo. Would ya take a look at that line." Sahir whistled. The boys, along with Barbara and Carrie, watched the One-Eyed Dragon Sushi restaurant from afar. 
"It stretches out for at least a couple of blocks. And it isn't even lunchtime yet." Kenneth commented. 
"I love my sushi as much as the next girl, and Mr. Kaido's is pretty good, but this is going overboard." Barbara said. 
"Now that I'm looking...some of those faces are familiar. A lot of those people in line have been here when we've come." Max added. 
"Plenty of customers cycling through with alarming regularity." Kibō listened in on the crowd. 
"I'll be back later for Happy Hour! Kaido-san's food is the greatest!" one woman exclaimed. 
"I don't need to eat anywhere else! The whole menu is perfect!" a man chimed in. 
"Kaido-san is a master chef! Gordon Ramsey could learn a thing or two!" another woman stated. 
"Cult-like ranting. This has all the hallmarks of a Prison situation, alright." Kibō said. "I hate that we have to do this to someone that's been nothing but generous and helpful with us, but there's definitely something wrong here." 
"Hey, Care. Didn't DJ Tan Man mention some of his contacts were losing business cuz of this?" Sahir asked. 
"Caroline? Are you listening?" Kenneth asked. 
Carrie was texting. "Forgive me. I was getting an update from Natalia." 
"How's Kat doing?" Kibō asked. 
"Well, she was resistant to staying home, but she's come around to it now." 
"Couldn't have our leader crash and burn on us. She really needs to sleep." Max said. 
"Oh, I think she was getting plenty of that last night~." Barbara teased. Carrie blushed. 
"Let's get back to the issue at hand. We should talk to the local shopkeepers and restaurateurs. See if they've noticed anything we haven't heard about yet." Kibō dictated. 
"Remember we're a little shorthanded today, so we'll need to cover more ground ourselves. Keep inconspicuous." Barbara added. 
"As you decree, Interim Leaderfolks." Sahir saluted. The group split up. 
Kenneth and Carrie went to a nearby market. Unlike the absurdly busy sushi restaurant, the store had a scarce number of customers. The store owner, sitting behind the counter, was asleep on his hand. "Excuse me, sir?" Kenneth inquired. 
The man stirred awake. "Hn? Gah! Holy crap, actual people?! Wait a second...you're not here to take my supply, are you?!" 
"Calm down, Monsieur, we aren't here to steal anything. We're only passing through." Carrie replied. 
"Oh, alright, alright...you kids don't look like you'd be on that gangbanger's payroll, anyway." 
"Gangbanger? Do you mean Mr. Kaido, by any chance?" Kenneth asked. 
"I couldn't be talking about anyone else!" The shopkeep glanced around nervously, ensuring there was nobody else listening in. "This doesn't leave this room, you hear? You don't know what kind of people work for that guy..." 
"We've heard rumors. Why are you so terrified of them?" 
"That fish freak's goons...they've been going all around the district. Strong-arming shopkeeps and restaurant guys into handing over their products. Stuff like alcohol, different vegetables and spices...hell, even bottled water. When a bunch of guys in three-piece suits and snake tattoos walk in and tell you to hand your stuff over, you don't say no." 
"Are you sure they're working for Mr. Kaido, specifically? This area is fairly active when it comes to gang activity." Carrie questioned. 
"If it was any other gangster, they'd be stealing a hell of a lot more than just food and drinks. Nobody around here wants to say anything. All we can do is sit in our empty joints and watch the line to the fish farm go on and on and on...all off the backs of our own product! I mean, doesn't really mean a whole lot when nobody's coming through. I've had people who were regulars for years stop coming." The owner looked out the window and pointed out a middle-aged man standing in the line. "That guy's been coming in here for eleven years. That's the first time I've seen him in weeks." 
"That's...highly suspicious." Kenneth responded. 
"I dunno how the guy's doing it. You'd think God himself was making that sushi, the way people go crazy over it. Everyone around here's worried sick about their income. I could be going bankrupt if this doesn't get better soon." 
"A very unfortunate set of events. We ourselves have been enjoying visiting the restaurant, but if something unseemly is happening..." 
"Pardon me, Monsieur." Carrie reappeared, carrying a few bottles of tea. "I know this might not be extremely helpful, but I'd like to purchase these." 
"Shoot, anything helps at this point. Let me see if I remember how the register works..." the shopkeep replied. 
"Suppose it's the just thing to do. I'll fetch some myself. As thanks for the information." Kenneth said. 
The two made their purchases, and left the shop. "Well, this is intensely concerning." Kenneth commented. 
"Welp. Guess we all had the same idea." Max's voice responded. The other four students arrived, all holding bags. 
"Did you all get the same stories as us?" Kibō asked. 
"Dudes in suits threatening the local food places and taking their stuff? Yep." Sahir affirmed. 
"Ohhh, I don't want to believe it! Remember White Day, Keeb? He came and picked us up from the theater and he was such a sweetheart on the way back." Barbara said. 
"We would've had to walk ourselves back in the pouring rain otherwise. With Barb in heels. He really saved our skins that day." Kibō confirmed. 
"As harsh a truth as it may be, there can be little doubt now about the nature of his scheme. And it's not only hurting those customers under his control, but all the business people in the area suffering from the loss of income." Kenneth said. 
"Not to mention Mr. JoJo is gonna be mighty peeved at his Number Two messing around like this. At the end of the day, that's his rep and bottom dollar taking a hit." Sahir said. 
"I worry too for Madame Hiyoko and little Aura. If trust in their businesses erodes, that could put their livelihood in jeopardy." Carrie added. 
"They should still have enough dough to survive whatever comes. Might be tough for a guy with his past to come back from a public scandal, though." Max replied. 
"I just don't get it. Leon and Ibuki both had psychological trauma that caused those Prisons to pop up. I haven't noticed anything different about Mr. Kaido that'd make me think he was in any sort of trouble. How could this happen?" Barbara questioned. 
"We can't forget the background he comes from. A world of violence and crime that's probably not short on trauma. Could be any number of things. Something must've happened in the last few months to bring that back to the surface. We'll be finding out one way or the other." Kibō responded. 
"So what's the plan now?" Sahir asked. 
"I think now would be a good time to check back in with Kat. Get her and the others up to speed and see how she's holding up. For now...it's lunchtime. Let's see if our reservations are still good."
The group walked over to the entrance of the sushi restaurant. "...hm?" Kibō overheard something. 
"What is it?" Barbara asked. 
"Sounds like...arguing? It's coming from behind the building. I'll go check it out. Everyone sit tight. Don't want to draw any attention." 
"More than you already get from that thing sticking out of your head?" Max joked. 
Kibō said nothing, simply sticking his middle finger in the air and continuing to walk. 
The others gave Max an unenthused glance. "What? KittyKat's not here, so someone's gotta bring the jokes." 
Kibō walked through the side of the restaurant, stopping before reaching the back. "Those voices..." He peeked past the wall to see. "That's...Ms. Hiyoko and Mr. Higashikata? What are they doing here?" He listened in. 
"Look, Boss, I dunno why you're so peeved. Business is booming! At this rate you'll be opening chains all across Japan by the end of next year! How's any of that a bad thing?" Kaido questioned. 
"If anything about this was normal, it wouldn't be a bad thing. But how's it that we're the only joint in the entire district actually getting business? And why are people standing out in the cold for hours and not leaving the get a bite somewhere else?" Shūjo retorted. 
"We've looked through our finances, and things aren't adding up. Our earnings are far exceeding our expenditures by unreasonable amounts. You're getting the seafood from JoJo, but where is everything else coming from? We didn't find any spending on drinks, or anything that wasn't seafood...are you stealing your product, Kaido?" Hiyoko asked. 
"Perish the thought, my lady! Everything I'm doing is by the book, honest!" Kaido denied. 
"By the book, huh? And who's book would that be, Tony Soprano's?" Shūjo questioned. 
"I dunno what to tell ya, Boss, but I've kept my hands clean. I'm not screwing anything up with this. The profits we're bringing in now could put Lady Aura through school for the next ten-plus years! Shouldn't that be enough?" Kaido asked. 
"I'm so glad you brought her up. Because if it comes out that you've been running illegal operations here, and the business plummets because of it, that ultimately hurts her welfare. That's her future you're endangering. And after everything we've done to ensure a happy life for her, any sort of public backlash and loss of trust is the last thing we need." Hiyoko replied. 
"We worked our asses off to get to where people don't quake in their boots at the sight of us. And it's like she said. You'd be hurting Aura just as much as us. 'Course, you've got experience when it comes to endangering kids, don't you?" Shūjo questioned. 
Kaido's expression noticeably darkened. "Don't go there. I told you never to bring that up." 
"JoJo." Hiyoko sternly said. 
"I'm being serious here, man. If you're screwing with us right now, you'd better come clean. If there's shady shit going on, and you know all about it..." Shūjo gestured towards Kaido's left hand, which was covered by a black glove. "...then that's gonna be the least of your problems. We've known each other for our entire lives. I know when you're BS-ing me. I hope I'm wrong on this. But I've learned to trust my gut. C'mon, Hiyoko." 
"Kaido. I made the decision to bring in a child because I was certain there wouldn't be any more violence and wrongdoing in the house. Was I a fool to think so? Does my five-year old need to worry about armed men storming our home in addition to worrying about being in the sun for too long? Whatever ill feelings you have brewing inside your heart, I would recommend cleansing them immediately. We've already had enough struggles." Hiyoko chastised, before walking into the building with Shūjo. 
"...thick-headed bastard. I'm stuffing their pockets and they wanna give me a lecture? Just you watch, Boss. Sooner than later, you're gonna be working for me. Then we'll see who's the bigger screwup." Kaido chafed, and went inside. 
"That didn't sound good." Kibō said. "The way he spoke at the end there...something's definitely wrong. But..." He pondered. "What was that about endangering a child? He didn't seem all too happy to hear that. I'd better fill the others in." 
--- 
"There you go~. Made from the bottomless contents of my heart~." Natalia chimed, sitting a plate of pancakes in front of Kat, then sitting across from her. 
"Merci beaucoup, mon chéri." Kat replied. 
"Hey, your French is getting better! All that studying's starting to pay off." 
"You think so? I've been trying to make it passable in time for the trip. I want Care and her auntie to see that I'm serious about this being a long-term thing." 
"KittyKat, you danced with her in the middle of a lake. I'm pretty sure she's already sold on you. But it's still adorable that you want to learn. I'd be happy to tutor you if you want. At least enough for you to get by while we're in Monte Carlo." 
"That would help a ton. I'd prefer not to get laughed out of her mansion cuz I said something dumb by accident." 
"I'm not gonna let that happen. It's gonna be nothing in that mansion except sweet, fluffy love~." Suddenly, the microwave made a pinging sound. "Oh, speaking of fluffy love..." Natalia got up. 
"Wait, you made more?" 
"Not exactly. I just reheated some dinner rolls I baked last night. They taste the best when they've been heated up." She plated the breads and brought them to the table. "Shizuka really is a sound sleeper, isn't she?" 
Shizuka was asleep on the couch, placed under covers and still clutching her plush. "Like a rock. There could be a footy match going on right next door and she still wouldn't budge." Kat replied. 
She took a bite out of one of the bread rolls. "Mm...mmm! Oh man, Hoodsie, this is so good! You put a plate of these in front of me at a restaurant, I'd be full before the dinner ever got there." 
"Awww, you're just flattering me." 
"No, really, I mean it. Where'd you learn how to bake and cook so good?" 
"My Nana taught me everything. She runs a bakery back home. I spent so much time as a little girl in there, learning and baking with her. And she wrote a cookbook that I carry with me. The most important thing she always told me was about cooking for the most important people in your life. 'When you make something for someone you love, they have to feel it in every bite. The warmth of your cooking should match the warmth of your heart'." 
"Wow. That sounds like a granny thing to say." 
"Did I do a good job?" 
Kat took another bite of the pancakes. "Well...they're soft. And fluffy. And warm. It's like I'm eating one of your hugs. So yeah, you knocked it out of the park." 
"I'm so glad to hear that. Seeing everyone so happy when I make them something fills my heart right up. I'm so beyond happy to be here with you guys. It feels so much more special knowing there were so many moments where things could've turned out different. Me even being here is a miracle." 
"Y'know, I heard your folks call you their miracle baby when they were here. What's that all about?" 
"Well, when my mom was a teenager, she got in a really bad car wreck. She made it out, but the doctors said that the damage was so severe inside that she'd likely never be able to carry a child full-term. She had four miscarriages. None of them lasted past two months." 
"Oh, man. That had to mess her up bad." 
"After the fourth miscarriage, my dad thought they should stop trying. It was only scarring her physically and emotionally. But my mom wanted to try one more time. If it was meant to be, it would happen. Two months passed. Then three. Then four. The doctors were stunned. Five more months passed. They had no idea how this was gonna turn out, if she'd survive giving birth. But that was a day of miracles. She made it through okay, and I came into the world." 
"Phew. Wow. It's no wonder they're so protective of you. They went through the ringer just to get you here." 
"They want, more than anything, for me to be happy. For a long time that just wasn't happening. There were bad times where I just wanted it all to end. My birth, my low points, the explosion that almost took Care...so many moments where I could have lost my life, but I'm still here. And I think I know why now. I struggled...so I could know and understand what real love feels like. You all really, truly care about me. You gave me back my life. So I'm gonna return the favor whenever I can." 
"Oh, Nat..." 
"You're one of the ones I cherish the most, KittyKat." 
"Huh? Me? Really?" 
"I know things started out rough. I used to think you were mean and selfish. That one time where you yelled at me in the Palace didn't help much, either. But ever since then, I've watched you grow as a person and try your hardest to be kinder. Then when I was at my lowest point, you comforted me and gave me someone to hold. You didn't make any snarky comments, or mean jokes. You sat there and cried with me. And now I'm watching my best friend fall deeper in love with you every single day. I'm not sugarcoating it when I say I want you to be part of my life for a long time after we graduate. I promised Care that we'd be there for each other forever. I want you there too, Kitten." 
"Naaaaaat, oh my God..." Kat was openly weeping. "You're dead set on making me cry into this food, aren't you? You wouldn't even believe how special you are to me. I've watched you turn from a depressed shut-in with a bad stutter to the absolutely beautiful ball of love sitting in front of me. Being with Care is already the happiest feeling I've ever had. But getting to have your cooking and being hugged by you forever comes with it? That's a deal I'd sign without another thought." She wiped her eyes. "I get to spend Christmas in paradise with two of the most beautiful girls on the planet. I have to be dreaming." 
"Want proof that you aren't?" Natalia got up and spread her arms. 
Kat got up and the two tightly embraced. "...you're so warm." Kat uttered. "I love you so much, Nat. Friends forever?" 
"It's not a question. Friends forever." 
Kat's phone began to ring. "Welp. The Krew remembered I exist." She picked it up. "Hey, Keebie. I'm doing okay. Currently enjoying a nice, warm cinnamon roll. What's up?" 
After a few minutes of talking, Kat hung up. "So what's the word?" Natalia asked. 
"Grease. Also, sushi man's doing a bad. The place is sucking up all of the local business and even scaring other shopkeeps into handing over their stuff. It's not pretty." 
"Oh, no. So what do we do now?" 
"They're gonna pin down the key phrase and then report to Mr. JoJo. Tomorrow after school we'll get to the hard part. As for us...it's close to noon. Prof should be here to pick up Her Highness soon. After that, the day's ours. We could see a movie, do a store run, get our hands and feetsies done..." 
"Whatever you wanna do. First, though, you haven't cleaned your plate yet." 
"Aw, shoot. Can't let the fluffy love go to waste. Back to the old grind, then..."
After finishing her meal, Kat took to her phone. "...yes, that's right. Appointment for two. 1:30 sounds perfect. Oh, yeah, I'm a returning customer. I should be registered under...'KattyFat'." 
"KattyFat...?" Natalia pondered. 
"Okay, thank you so much. Buh-bye." Kat hung up. "...you really want to know?" 
"I'm a little afraid to ask, but go ahead." 
"Last time I made an appointment at that salon, I did it online and because I'm me, I put my username in as 'KattyFatty'. But it had an eight character limit, so...in the beauty world, I'm now known as 'KattyFat'." 
"Oh. Okay." Natalia snickered. "That is such a you thing to happen." 
"Ain't it, though? I'm amazed I needed the computer to make it for me." 
"This is gonna be a new experience for me, y'know. I've never had my nails done professionally before. Not sure how I feel about someone handling my feet..." 
"It'll be fine, Hoods. We'll just sit back, relax, get chatty and let ourselves be pampered. I can't think of a better way to spend a day off." 
"Yeah, you're right. And hey, new experiences are best enjoyed with friends, right?" 
"Bingo." 
There was a knock at the door. "There's our educators." Kat went to open it. 
"Hello, hello, girls. You look like you're both in a good mood." Rin said. 
"Heya, Prof. Just having some bonding time. How'd the work trip go?" 
"Oh, lovely. Rose spent the entire staff meeting staring through everyone that's raised concerns about my methods." 
"My Stare of Disappointment is a lethal weapon, indeed." Rose commented. 
"How was Shizuka? Is she awake?" 
"She was an absolute angel. She's taking a little nap now. I might actually need to kidnap her now." Kat winked. 
"I'd rather you not try that." 
"I already packed up her things. Should we wake her up?" Natalia asked. 
"She'll wake up when she's ready. She'll sleep through the entire ride home." 
Rose gave Kat an inquisitive look. "Is everything alright, Ms. Kit?" 
"Hm? Yeah, totally. Just a little tired. Everyone wanted me to take the day off and that's what I'm doing. They're actually doing an investigation right now, but they insisted that I take a breather." Kat replied. 
"Seems that it's more than just a little exhaustion if they wanted you on the sidelines. Is it fatigue? Are you in physical pain, or is it strictly mental--" 
"Doc, Doc...I'm just...I'm spent. I wanted to wait until winter break before taking it easy, but I'm at my limit. I think this is what they call 'burnout'. I want to be as good of a leader as Prof, and I can't do that if I fall to pieces during a mission. So as much as I miss helping the others, I have to focus on me for a little bit. Today's just me and Hoodsie relaxing and having a girlie day together. Getting back in a good place mentally is how I'm gonna help the others." 
"Hmm..." Rose's phone pinged. "I may have something to ease your burden, if only just a little. Come with me." 
"Come with you? Where--" 
--- 
"--to...?" 
Kat found herself seated on a couch, in what appeared to be a therapist's office. Everything was colored a deep blue. "This place..." 
From seemingly nowhere, a woman garbed in red and white dress, dark hair and glasses appeared in the chair across from the couch. "Hello, cat thief. To my Velvet Room." 
"Velvet what now? Have we met before? You look kinda familiar..." 
In the seat next to the woman, Rose appeared. "This is Dr. Mikaela Wolfe, Ms. Kit. Cognitive therapist, co-architect of the current universe...and my mother." 
"I am pleased to finally meet you, Ms. Kit. I wished to thank you personally for giving our Theban brethren the merciful end they long desired. And to personally apologize for all the hardship they put you and your comrades through." Kaya dictated. 
"Hey, none of that matters now. It's all over and done with. But where exactly is this?" Kat questioned. 
"This is the Velvet Room. A space between the real and the unreal, fantasy and reality. It is here where the management and observation of the worlds takes place. We brought you here because we believe you are ready to receive crucial power." Rose explained. 
"As you are aware, new distortions have appeared within the Metaverse. A simple uttering of a phrase resulting in the forfeiture of one's Desires, and the corruption of a wounded soul given power. The sudden appearance of these distortions is no natural occurrence. Nor is it the work of those who dwelled in the shadows." Kaya explained. 
"The threat that currently pulls the strings threatens to bring calamity to this world. As the cat thief chosen to oppose such threats, you are the one most suited to receive new power." 
"You all don't deal in anything but gravitas, do you? Okay...what are you throwing on my shoulders now, Doc?" Kat sighed. 
"Your concern is understandable, given your recent stresses. But I assure you, this will aid you in your quest to stop the approaching disaster." 
"The power you possess is that of the wild card. One whose decisions will tip the balance of the conflict one way or another. And one whose power comes from the bonds you have forged to this point. To turn the bonds of companionship into daggers imbued with the strength of the arcana." Kaya added. 
"The time has come, our dear cat thief. Your heart, wielder of so many bonds, will allow you to manifest them as new Personas." 
"HOLD UP." Kat interrupted. "I spend a lot of time with headphones on so my hearing could be glitchy. Are you telling me what I think you are? I can use more than one of these things?" 
"Correct." 
"Okay...and that works how, exactly?" 
"Through the bonds you've forged." 
"You said that already. So do I just get close with everyone and *boom* I get new power? I'm not liking it." 
"What is it that you're objecting to?" 
"I want to be close with my friends because they're my friends. They're gonna think that I'm hanging out with them just to get some fancy new power. That...that's too selfish. I'm not gonna use my friends as a power-up." 
"Your concerns are valid. But this power cannot come from a place of deceit. It will only manifest once your heart and that of your confidant reach a deep level of true understanding. Purposefully seeking a 'power-up', as you put it, goes directly against that." Kaya replied. 
"The love you have for your friends is genuine. I know that you show them no deception. All that this awakening will do is turn that deep understanding into a blood oath. Your worry is that they will think ill of you. Think of this instead as them gifting you with their power. You'll not have to change anything about the way you interact with them. The new strength will come naturally." Rose added. 
"Okay, okay. As long as I'm not tricking anyone. I'll go along with it if it means getting this Prison situation fixed." Kat responded. 
"Most curious." Rose mused. "From my limited understanding of gamer culture through my interactions with Jin, I would have assumed you would be ecstatic at the thought of enhanced power. Yet it's your relationship with your friends that remains at the forefront. Fate chose wisely." 
"Okay, if that's all, I'd like to go home now. I have personal time with a friend I'd really like to get to." 
"Certainly. We will converse at a later date." 
"May fortune remain in your favor." Kaya bid. 
--- 
"KittyKat? Hellooooo?" Natalia prodded. 
Kat came to in her dormroom. 
"There you are. You were out of it for a minute there." 
"To be expected from one experiencing burnout." Rose said. 
"Um, Doc? Didn't you just--" Kat began. 
"We should be going. Do you have Shizuka's belongings, Rin?" 
"Got the bag, got the bug. She'll be waking up in her own bed so confused. Thank you again, Ms. Kit. You ladies enjoy your personal time." Rin replied. 
"See you bright and early tomorrow." Rose bowed, and the educators left with Shizuka. 
"You OK? You kinda spaced out for a second." Natalia asked. 
"Oh, yeah, I'm totally fine. Guess I just need this salon date more than I thought." Kat replied. 
"We've still got a little while until the appointment. Want to go do something before?" 
"I think...I want to just sit here and talk some more." 
"Well we'll have plenty of time to talk at the salon." 
"Yeah, but I like talking to you. I could spend the whole day just chatting with you. Everything about you is like a warm hug, y'know? From your cooking to your words." 
"Ohhh, okay. I can't say no to my pal KattyFat." 
"Please don't tell anyone else about that." 
--- 
"...and that's everything we found." Kibō finished explaining, now in Shūjo's office. 
"So it's exactly what we thought. Boys on my payroll shaking down other businesses for food and drink." Shūjo slammed his fist on the desk. "Sunuva--!" 
"Please calm yourself, JoJo." Hiyoko urged. 
"That goddamn lying sack of..." Shūjo sat pondering. "I call him my brother. Give him everything he could need. And he lies to my face." 
"What are we going to do?" She shook her head. 
"We'll get this fixed as soon as possible." Kibō assured. 
"Oh, that I'm not worried about. It's the shitstorm that's gonna come after that's got me reeling. The arrests, the media onslaught, probably a few lawsuits!" Shūjo replied. 
"We promised the adoption agency that Aura would be safe and sound here. We said there wouldn't be any criminal actions, JoJo, this can't happen to us. What if they come to take her away?!" Hiyoko panicked. 
"That's not gonna happen. I will fight my ass off to make sure of that. She's not gonna pay for what that idiot is doing. Shit, the damage control I'm gonna have to pull out of my ass with this." 
"I'm sorry you have to clean this up. I know your minds are in a million different spots, but there's one last thing we need. To access the Prison, we need a key phrase. Something Kaido would have his customers say that'd result in them coming under his control. Does anything come to mind?" Kibō asked. 
"...'Sushi Shanty'." Hiyoko answered. 
"That's gotta be it. Y'all haven't been there for it, but he's got this thing where he'll have some of the staff sing old sea shanties for the customers. He'll announce it with 'Yo-ho, yo-ho, it's time for another...', then have the entire restaurant yell back 'Sushi Shanty'. I can't think of anything else it could be." Shūjo added. 
"Thank you. That's all we should need. First thing after school tomorrow we'll get to work. I'm sorry we won't be able to help more after it's done." Kibō said. 
"You kids focus on what you can do. I let the bonehead get away with too much for too long. I allowed this mess and I'm gonna clean it up." 
"I pray the blow isn't severe. We can't lose her, JoJo, we just can't..." Hiyoko replied. 
"It's not gonna happen. Ishi, step out. We need some time to go over this." 
"Okay. Sorry I didn't have better news. Talk again soon." Kibō exited. 
He entered the mansion's waiting room, where the others were sitting. Aura was perched on Carrie's lap. "Well?" Kenneth asked. 
"I got the key phrase. We're all set for tomorrow. But..." Kibō shook his head. "This whole thing gets uglier by the minute. The consequences for this might be nasty." 
"I dunno how Mr. JoJo's gonna sugarcoat this. I mean, stealing from competitors is pretty hard to cover up." Sahir said. 
"Not to mention what it might mean for..." Barbara glanced at Aura, holding onto her owl plush. 
"How come Mama and Papa are mad at Uncle Kaido?" the girl asked. 
"Well, dear..." Carrie began. "Mr. Kaido might be doing something bad, and it could make things very hard for your parents. They're worrying about you." 
"That's why we're gonna fix it." Max added. 
"Right. The longer this goes on for, the worse the blowback's going to be. We need to put a stop to this and fast. For now we should head home and rest. We'll be going to work tomorrow. Hopefully at full strength." Kibō said.
--- 
Later on in the day, Kat and Natalia returned to the dorm. "Today's lesson learned: Hoodsie apparently has super ticklish feet." Kat said. 
"Was it really that bad?" Natalia asked. 
"Eh, I wouldn't say bad. Just something for me to save in my brain vault in case I ever need it." 
"Well it was super relaxing when I stopped giggling. I should tag along with everyone more often." Natalia paused for a moment. "Y'know...it wasn't that long ago that I got jealous of you hanging out with Care so much. I actually thought you were trying to take her from me. Now here I am spending a day of relaxation with you. Which is to say...sorry for thinking the worst of you." 
"That's all in the past, Hoodsie. You know I've got your back no matter what. All I care about is that you're as happy as can be. It's the least one lonely girl can do for another one." 
"*sniff*" 
"Hm? What's wrong?" 
Natalia lifted her shades up and wiped away a tear. "Guess it's my turn to cry and ask if everything's real." 
Kat warmly embraced Natalia, who reciprocated. "...I'm not gonna say that I'm glad I was bullied. But if that never happened, I wouldn't have been sent away from home to get a fresh start. I wouldn't have met all of you. And I never would've met my best friend, or the girl she fell in love with...my other best friend." 
"Nat...you really mean that?" 
"Thank you for being lonely with me, KittyKat. You have lifetime hugging privileges. I love you so much." 
At that moment, something stirred within Kat's heart. A voice matching Rose's echoed through her mind. 
"I am thou, thou art I. Thy vow has been reborn as a blood oath. It shall become as a dagger, to cut the path to thine own future. Thou has reached a true understanding of Death, granting thee new power..." 
Kat witnessed a vision of her dagger being impaled into a blue-colored floor. The eyes of the snake glowed, and from that light, a figure formed. It was a young, pale-skinned girl with short blonde hair and a little blue dress. 
"I'm Alice. I guess I can be your dagger...you'll play with me, won't you? Heehee..." 
Kat snapped back into reality. She got another alert on her phone. It was a text from Sakuya. 
"Good afternoon. I hope all is well. Would you be able to stop by our apartment in Ikebukuro in a little while? My mother bought something and asked if my friends could help try it out. You can bring someone along, if you like. I'm just getting off of the train so feel free to knock." 
"What's up?" Natalia asked. 
"Feel like making one more trip today?" Kat asked. 
--- 
In short order, the pair took the train over to Ikebukuro and went over to the apartment complex. "First time at Saku's new place. Wonder what she wants us here for." Natalia pondered. 
"Her ma wants us to try something. Hopefully we're not the guinea pigs for some crazy new infomercial device." Kat replied. 
"And here we have the odd couple." Sahir approached. 
"Oh, hey Kicks. Mags got you involved, too?" 
"Yep. I've got zero clue what Ms. Lily has in mind, but hopefully it's nothing strenuous. Although she's probably not in any hurry to have me move anything fragile." Sahir winced. "How you holdin' up, KittyKat? Must've been beat if Care made you take the day off." 
"I was a bit bushed, not gonna lie. But a day of relaxing and pampering with Europe's cutest seamstress is an easy cure." 
Natalia let out a cheery giggle. 
"Great. A good mood's a good sign. That's who we want to see." Sahir said. 
"Excuse me..." Sakuya poked out from her apartment. "It's getting rather cold out. Would you like to come inside?" 
"Oh, duh. Kinda why we came out in the first place. Coming, Mags." Kat replied. 
The students entered the apartment. "Mama, my friends are here." Sakuya called. 
Lily walked out of the kitchen. "Ooh, company. Sorry to come out of the blue like this, but I figured we were overdue for a housewarming party." 
"Mama, this is Natalia-chan and Kat-chan." 
"Oh, the clothing maker and the k-pop heiress? I remember you singing your tail off at the festival. You've got a nice set of vocal cords." 
"Thanks, Mama Maggie. Hey, wait..." Kat realized something. "What's with the 'chan'?" 
"Saku's been easing off the formality, lately. It's a good thing." 
"I've come to realize that you all are indeed friends I can place my full trust into. Referring to you with a bit more endearment is the natural thing to do." Sakuya explained. 
"Hasn't eased off entirely, mind you." 
"So what's the big surprise, Ms. Lily?" Sahir asked. 
"Right over here." Lily pointed to a low-sitting table, covered by a large blanket. 
"Our new kotatsu finally came in. Just in time for winter. We wanted to test it out." Sakuya said. 
"And I thought, what better way to break it in than to have some of Saku's pals over?" 
"Oh, this is one of those tables with an electric heater underneath, right? I'd love to give it a try." Natalia said. 
"Super. Fire it up and make yourselves at home. I'll have dinner ready in a few." Lily said. 
The youths sat around the table. "Ahhh, nice and toasty! I'm still not good with the cold, so this is more my speed." Sahir uttered. 
"Big, tough guy like you doesn't like the cold? Don't you basically have your own portable heater?" Kat questioned. 
"I'm not gonna use my Persona as a heater, that'd just be an abuse of power!" 
"Are you comfortable, Kat-chan?" Sakuya asked. 
"Toastier than one of Hoodsie's biscuits. Oh, don't tell me you're worried about me too, Mags." Kat questioned. 
"I'm sorry. It's impossible not to be worried after hearing about your exhaustion. I thought everyone could use a pleasant evening given what's set to begin tomorrow." 
"I'm not upset, don't get me wrong. Just kinda crazy that everyone's doting on me. Like no one else is tired." 
"I think everyone's tired to some degree. We all just want the holiday break to get here yesterday. But it's okay to step back and take a breather. Even better when it's a peaceful moment with friends." Natalia responded. 
"Quiet time's pretty hard to come by around here. Might as well enjoy it before things get rough." Sahir added. 
"And, on a bit of a selfish note, I wanted to enjoy some company before everyone goes their separate ways in a couple of weeks. As much as I'm looking forward to having extended alone time with my mother, I've truly come to rely on you all. It will be difficult, not seeing everyone for a few weeks." Sakuya explained. 
"I get it. We've forged a crazy, functionally dysfunctional family here. But we've got family far from here that we've all got to attend to. And hey, we'll all still have a chance to celebrate together for New Years." Kat replied. 
"Ooh, that's right. We need to pick a good spot to celebrate and watch the fireworks." Natalia said. 
"How about the lake on the mountain? Nice and remote, great atmosphere. And some sweet memories for our dear KittyKat." Sahir joked. 
"Part of those memories was you jokers spying on something private." Kat chided. "But I'd be down for a mountain party." 
"And I can work on the wardrobe. Kimono are pretty intricate, and I want to be as authentic as possible, so I'll need some help. Could you give me some pointers, Saku?" Natalia asked. 
"I can certainly try." Sakuya replied. 
"I, uh...already have my wardrobe picked out. My mom had it special made. No offense, Hoodsie." Kat said. 
"I'm not mad. You're allowed to wear things not made by me, you know. And thanks for the heads-up before I started working." Natalia replied. 
"You know I love my Hoodsie originals. But Mama insisted on something traditional, so that's what's happening." 
"....." Sakuya gave a pleasant sigh. 
"What's the smile about?" Sahir asked. 
"I'm glad I had this idea. With our recent stresses and those to come, it's good to unwind with the ones you care about." 
"Definitely. I wasn't thrilled about having a day off, but getting a minute to be with y'all makes it worth it. Especially since now we've got to un-corrupt our sushi guy. Which sucks. But it's our job to make it not suck." Kat dictated. 
"So tonight..." She put an arm around Natalia's shoulders. "We enjoy the kooks sitting next to us. Tomorrow...it's go time. But that's for tomorrow. Tonight is all about love. 'Nuff said."