Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Tales From the Deep
December 3, 2031
Wednesday evening at the Higashikata manor.
"Rose, love, you've barely touched your tea." Hiyoko pointed out.
Rose snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh. Sorry."
"It's that time of year again, isn't it? Exam season. The bane of every student's existence."
"Yes, right. My office is turning into a revolving door of nervous teenagers. The expectations put on their shoulders are just too much for their age. I'm certainly being kept busy trying to get their heads in a good place."
"I can see it in your eyes. There's plenty weighing on your mind. More than just teenaged anxiety, I'm assuming."
"...well..."
"Excuse me ladies, a moment of your time?" Kaido poked his head out from the house.
"I moved the normal china to the drawer next to the sink, Kaido." Hiyoko said.
"Perfect!...er, for the girls. Appreciate it, my lady." He ducked back in.
Hiyoko giggled. "Aura wants to have her own little tea gatherings now. She even holds her pinkie out the same way I do when she's drinking. It's so adorable."
"I've had more than one instance of Shizuka trying to give me the Stare of Disappointment. Unfortunately, the student is yet to reach the heights of the master, and is left to sit with a single glance." Rose replied.
"If she can master that skill, she'll be set for the rest of her life. She'll never lose an argument."
"I'm already dreading those teenage rebellion years..."
The back door swung open again. Kaido looked nervous.
"Run out of tea, Kaido? There's should be some extra in the--" Hiyoko began.
"My lady, it's..." Kaido was sweating.
Out behind him walked Jugo. "Ladies."
"Jugo? What are you doing here?" Rose asked.
Hiyoko knew it couldn't be good. "What's happening? Has something happened to JoJo?"
"I'm gonna need ya to calm down, Hiyoko. I've gotta take ya to the hospital." Jugo answered.
"The *hospital*? Why?! What's..."
Jugo let out a sigh. "Somethin'...happened."
---
Karakura General Hospital.
Hiyoko sat in the waiting room, looking as though she was staring a thousand miles away. Rose held her hand.
"--I know, I know. God, I hate coming in here." Rin arrived. Jin and Tenko followed her. "Hiyoko..."
"Oh, Rin, darling..." Hiyoko hugged her.
"Oh sweet mother of God, what happened to him?" Tenko followed suit.
"I don't know! They still won't let me in there! Nobody's said a word for the last half an hour!"
"Where's the little one?" Jin asked.
"I have Kaido keeping her preoccupied. She doesn't need to see this. He doesn't, either. I told him to hold off on becoming a basket case until we know what's happening. Oh, no no no, this is what I was always afraid would happen..."
"Keep it together, Hiyoko. We still don't know the severity of--" Rose tried calming her.
They were interrupted by the sound of arguing.
"JoJo?" Hiyoko got up.
"I recognize that grouchy ranting." Tenko said.
Hiyoko ran to the hall, the others close behind her.
"JoJo, I'm gonna need you to calm down..." Mimi was there in nurse's scrubs.
"'Calm down'?! How the fuck am I supposed to calm down?! Where's my fucking hand?!" Shūjo griped.
"Dude, you need to get back in bed, you're already torn up..."
"JoJo?" Hiyoko spoke up.
Shūjo turned around. Now in a hospital gown, he had bandages wrapped in several places around his body. His eyepatch was missing, revealing one eye closed shut. Most apparent was his right hand--or where it used to be. It was completely bandaged up.
"There you jokers are! Tell this maniac to sit down before he pops a vessel!" Mimi demanded.
"Really have to work on your bedside manner, sis." Jin commented.
"JoJo...what on earth happened to you?" Hiyoko asked.
"Gr..." Shūjo looked away.
"Come on, let's get you back to your room." Rin urged.
"....."
"C'mon dude, don't make a scene." Tenko said.
Eventually, Shūjo complied and returned to his room. Hiyoko sat down next to him.
"Everything shitting hurts. How am I supposed to act waking up with a bunch of whitecoats staring at me and I'm short one hand?" he questioned.
"Just what happened out there? Did you hit some rocks? Or another boat?" Hiyoko asked.
Shūjo shook his head.
"...were you attacked by something?" Rin asked, having an idea of what it might have been.
"....."
---
A couple of hours earlier, Shūjo was out on his fishing vessel with a number of his men. The ship was stationary, with his men bringing up nets with their catch.
"Might actually get home before dark today." he said, in his quarters below deck.
By all accounts, it was a normal day out on the water.
Up above him, a huge thud. Some more noises followed, and then, silence.
"They get something big? Nothing illegal, I'd hope."
He went up onto the deck.
What was waiting there wasn't a major catch.
What he found instead, was death.
His men were all strewn across the deck, cut up and bloodied.
"The fuck?!" He went to check on them, but there were no signs of life to be detected. 
"(This wasn't a shark, or anything natural. What the hell--)"
His thoughts ceased once he detected that pressure. That horrid, overpowering pressure. He turned and looked up.
Looming over him was a large man, easily surpassing two meters in height. His hair was blood red, long and wild. His garb consisted of a tattered black trenchcoat, opened to reveal his considerable musculature and several scars, along with black pants and boots. An enormous, crimson broadsword was in his hand. His eyes, staring down at Shūjo, were yellow--almost reptilian.
"Who the fuck are you?!" the former gang boss demanded.
"Hrrrm." the strange giant growled. "So. You actually have spiritual power. Fine, then." 
From his back, a giant pair of leathery, red wings sprouted out. "Entertain me."
The only thing Shūjo could recall after that, was the sound of metal hitting flesh.
---
"...I don't remember anything else until I woke up here. Whoever, or *what*ever that guy was...it was like nothing I've ever seen. No way in hell he could've been human." he finished recollecting. "Have they got my boat back? None of my guys made it, did they?"
"I honestly couldn't tell you. Jugo was going to the docks to look himself. The only thing he could say was that...it looked like the boat had been split in two. That's why I thought you might've crashed into something." Hiyoko replied.
"DAMMIT!" Shūjo grumbled. "I set this whole thing up so guys *wouldn't* have to go out and get themselves massacred. And the bastard goes and rubs salt in it by blasting my best ship. What the hell was this even all for..."
"It's the Wolfpack. Gotta be." Jin surmised.
"Those scoundrels from the other world. Two days ago their lieutenant showed up in Sapporo and assassinated Minister Nishikori." Rose said.
"And I got a nice stab as a gift for interrupting."
"What do these freaks even want with us, anyway?" Tenko asked.
"Last month, Sakuya and the rest of the class went to the other world to help Max fight them off. They wounded the Wolfpack's leader and during that fight, one of his top generals was killed. According to Saku, their leader is both extremely powerful...and extremely vengeful. From the sound of it, they're currently working alongside the Kawagami conglomerate to try and sweep us aside." Rin explained.
"Ugh, as if those suits weren't annoying enough."
"But why attack JoJo and destroy our ship? What could they possibly gain from that?" Hiyoko questioned.
"...the boats." Shūjo uttered.
"What do you mean?"
"Those suit-and-tie shitbags...they've got a naval construction division that's been badgering the city about building their own factory here. I've written over and over about how much sturdier our ships are and we don't need their shit polluting the bay with faulty machinery. Now here goes my best cruiser, split into pieces. Doesn't look so sturdy now, does it?"
"So what, the nerds killed your whole crew just to make your ship look bad? How petty can ya be?" Tenko asked.
"These people assassinated a government official just to keep him quiet. I'd wager there isn't much they aren't capable of doing." Rose replied.
"I'll have to talk to Kirumi about it. I remember her mentioning one of her brothers running that part of the company. That's as good a place to start as any." Rin surmised.
Mimi entered the room. "Alright folks, Mr. One-Eye needs some rest. Doctor's orders."
"Great. Time to stew and learn how to be left-handed." Shūjo grumbled.
"It's okay, my love. We'll get through this. You're far too stubborn to let this stop you." Hiyoko assured.
"Yeah, I know. Just...wait to bring Aura in here, would you? And my blubbering assistant, while you're at it?"
"I can wait. Just relax. It's going to be alright."
"We'll be back after work to check in tomorrow. We're so sorry this happened, JoJo." Rin said.
"Ain't your fault. 'Sides...you're already thinking up how to fix it, aren't you?" Shūjo responded.
"...go ahead and get some rest. See you tomorrow."
Hiyoko stayed in the room, while the others left. "Ugh, that's horrible." Tenko said.
"I don't think it's hit him yet how much is gonna change without that hand. These wolf freaks are no joke." Jin added.
"We're gonna rock this creep the minute we see him, right, Rin-Rin?"
"We can't go rushing into something like that. We wouldn't even know where to look." Rose replied.
"I dunno, a seven-plus foot tall guy with red hair and wings shouldn't be too hard to find."
"All of this goes right back to Kawagami Steel. I'm going to go talk to Kirumi and see if I can get any leads." Rin said.
Rose remained silent. "(I can see that look in your eyes, Rin. You already know. The longer this involves her family, and now those otherworldly scoundrels, it's only a matter of time before she...)"
---
Not long after, at Kirumi's apartment.
"I'm so sorry to hear about your friend, Rin. I can't believe that Fukushū could hand down an order for something so horrific..." she said.
"I can." Into the room walked a woman with bright orange hair.
"Um...Kirumi, is that...?" Rin pondered.
"It's me. Heiwa. Kiki finally got her hands on me. Maybe now I can walk around without being recognized. Even if the flaming hair is more of an attention grabber than anything."
"Oh but it works perfectly with your complexion, Hei! You're always so understated with your fashion. Why not experiment a little?" Kirumi asked.
"My husband's been assassinated and I'm on the run from the rest of our siblings. Maybe now isn't the time to experiment."
"I'm sorry...that was inconsiderate of me."
"It's fine. The less I have to think about it, the more it might start to feel normal. In any case, I overheard what you were talking about, Professor Kubo. And among all of our siblings, I fully believe that Fukushū is the one most capable of ordering a hit like this. He's as vindictive as he is cheap."
"To have an entire boat crew slaughtered like that? Would he really do such a thing?"
"Kiki...if you only knew what I've seen from them since you left. If it means the company and Masayoshi's bid for Prime Minister can advance, it'll be done. Even if that includes enlisting strangers from who-knows-where."
"So where could we find your brother?" Rin asked.
"Best guess? We have a factory active in Sendai. That's where you should find him. And this mystery giant that attacked your friend. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you."
"What do you plan on doing? You're not going to charge into the factory weapons blazing, are you?" Kirumi asked.
"Give me some time. I'll think of something." Rin replied.
"I'm starting to come to the realization that you're no ordinary school teacher, Professor Kubo. What is your secret?" Heiwa asked.
"I like peaches more than apples."
"Close to the vest. I can respect that. Your friends got my baby out of danger. That can be enough for now."
Rin looked in Kirumi's direction, as if silently telling her not to say anything else. "Thanks for the late call, ladies. I should be getting home."
"Always a pleasure, Rin. Give your friend our best regards." Kirumi replied.
"And one last thing, Professor?" Heiwa spoke.
"Yes?" Rin replied.
"Don't do anything reckless."
"Heh. Wouldn't dream of it. Good night, ladies." Rin left.
"Your son's aunt is about to do something insane, isn't she?"
"Hard for me to say." Kirumi replied.
"I'm honestly more worried that *you* might do something insane."
"Perish the thought. I'm going to get Uri's uniform ready for tomorrow. The couch is all yours." Kirumi walked away.
"She's going to do something insane. Gods help her, she's going to."
---
December 6, 2031
Sendai Station. Close to midday. The main transport hub for the second-largest city north of Tokyo, nicknamed the 'City of Trees' for the prominent foliage lining the city streets. During this time, the trees were all decorated with millions of lights for the annual 'Pageant of Starlight'.
For a few of the visitors today, the mood was anything but festive.
Hiyoko stepped out of the train. Rin and Tenko accompanied her.
"We were actually planning on coming here today to show Aura the lights. To think that I would arrive not for festivities, but for angry vengeance..." Hiyoko uttered.
"Don't think of it as revenge, Hiyoko. The minute you do is when you give it permission to consume you." Rin cautioned.
"It may already be far too late for that." Hiyoko walked off.
Rin and Tenko looked at each other. "We're gonna have to keep a tight squeeze on her." the latter said.
"Agreed. Before she does something she'll regret." Rin affirmed.
The two women followed after their friend. 
Someone else stepped off the train, and followed after, out of sight.
The three began walking through the streets. Eventually, they reached Mount Aoba, the site of Aoba Castle, ancestral home of the Date clan that founded Sendai centuries before.
They waited by the statue of the legendary Date Masamune, sitting on horseback with one eye closed.
Hiyoko stood in silence. Rin and Tenko stood off to the side.
"Last time I was here was for their wedding. This ain't how I envisioned coming back." Tenko whispered.
"I haven't been here since bringing my class for a trip a couple years ago. Normally I'd like to start with a tour of the castle grounds, but..." Rin replied.
A bald man in a suit and sunglasses arrived. "Hiyoko-san?"
"Yes?" Hiyoko asked.
"Higashikata-dono will see you now."
"Thank you. Come along, girls."
"Are we about to get sold?" Tenko whispered.
"Probably best not to make suggestions like that." Rin replied.
The women walked to one of the castle baileys, past several guards in suits. At the end of the courtyard, an older man in a black suit, with graying hair and moustache, along with scars littered across his body. 
"Higashikata-dono." Hiyoko bowed. Rin followed suit, though Tenko did a double-take before also doing so.
"Hiyoko, darling. You somehow look more beautiful every time I lay eyes on you." the old man said.
"You flatter me. And you're still looking incredibly sturdy for a man nearing 90."
"Haaaa. Now who's offering flattery? Now do my eyes deceive me, or is one of your bodyguards an Olympian?"
"Uh, yeah, that's right. Former Olympian, really. I'm more about exercise bikes than poking people these days." Tenko replied.
"And...hrm." The old man gave Rin an inquisitive look.
"Um...is something the matter, sir?" she asked.
"Where have I seen that hair before? Hrm...HRRRRM..." He searched his memory banks before he came upon a decades-old memory. "Hrm, that's it! The poker table in 1992!"
"I...wasn't born yet, sir."
"No, you definitely look like that hippy girl from back then! Cleaned us out like a seasoned professional! She was there with this nervous bookworm looking kid and another girl who looked like she was about to strangle her!"
Rin sighed. "That would be my mom, then. Along with my dad and my aunt. I'm surprised you'd even remember something from so far back."
"Hey, I haven't shriveled up and died just yet! Who could forget something so ridiculous? Here's this casino filled with the nastiest sons o' guns you could ever lay eyes on, then in walks this girl with the brightest red hair I've ever seen and flower prints. And she acts all 'Would you please let me play with you, sirs~? Me and my companion here will spend the night with you if you win~.'"
"She actually said that?!"
"All cutesy and innocent-like! And what does she do? Clean our clocks, that's what! I never thought I'd hear about it ever again. How's the crazy one doing, anyway?"
"She's doing great. Active and enjoying life like a woman half her age. After the last 20 years, that's more than I could've hoped for."
"Not to interrupt your trip down memory lane, Higashikata-dono..." Hiyoko interjected.
"Right, proper business. I can assume the reason why you're here. I heard what happened to the boy." the old man said.
"Then I'll get straight to the point. I believe the man responsible for orchestrating the attack is here in Sendai. Fukushū Kawagami."
"Ach, a cursed rat from an even more cursed bloodline. I know about that lot. Putting pressure to replace our boats with their flimsy hunks of floating garbage. Did the boy raise his hand at the wrong man, then?"
"It's a lot more complicated than that. I've run afoul of the conglomerate, and they've made it their goal to remove me and anyone close to me from the equation. And now they've conscripted a group far more dangerous than anyone could imagine to make it happen." Rin explained.
"So what is it you want me to do, Hiyoko? You're not suggesting I have my...associates deal with the bastard, are you? I could have sworn you detested everything about our lifestyle."
"I'm not asking you to do something so brutal. I'm asking you to return the pressure. Make life as difficult for the scoundrel as possible. Get the word out there that he's responsible for murder. Don't let him believe that he's won." Hiyoko replied.
"I mean, I know JoJo's not in that clan life anymore, but he's still your grandson. Don't you guys have policies about this kind of thing?" Tenko asked.
Old Man Higashikata started laughing. "Look at you all, coming all this way to ask an old gangster to do what he was already intending to. Right this second, my men are working on disabling that fool's ships. If he wants to make our boats look like junk, it's only right to return the favor. Far be it from me not to avenge my own flesh and blood."
"Thank you, Higashikata-dono. The harder it gets for that man to conduct business, so much the better for us." Hiyoko responded.
"Higashikata-dono! Sir, we've captured a spy hiding in the trees!" One of the guards ran over.
"A spy, eh? One of the Steel people's errand boys, I'm assuming." the old man replied.
"You have to be joking. I was sure we weren't being followed." Rin said.
"The nerve of these chumps..." Tenko grumbled.
Everyone moved to outside the castle.
What awaited them was not a master of disguise, armed with voice recording devices and knives.
The person being held at gunpoint was in fact...
"KIRUMI?!" Rin uttered in disbelief.
"Hello, Rin..." Kirumi held up her hands.
"Want us to deal with her, boss?" one of the guards asked.
"Everyone hold on a second! She's not a spy! She's my nephew's mom!" Rin halted everything.
"Girlfriend, what do you think you're doing?" Tenko asked.
"You realize that this isn't the kind of crowd to be spying on?" Hiyoko added.
"I'm sorry..." Kirumi uttered.
Rin sighed. "Could you give us a minute?"
"I'll leave you to your family drama. Right now there's business matters to attend to. Let's go, boys." Old Man Higashikata departed with his men.
"Does 'give us a minute' apply to us too, or is it gangsters only?" Tenko asked.
"I need to speak to her alone, if you wouldn't mind." Rin replied.
"We'll be over by the statue." Hiyoko said, and she and Tenko walked away.
"Kirumi...what do you think you're doing?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing! Were those men yakuza?! Why are you sending men like that after my brother?" Kirumi questioned.
"That old man is JoJo's grandfather. I specifically asked for his men to disrupt your brother's operation. Get on his nerves. Anything that doesn't involve killing. There's been far too much of that already. I'm not here to have your brother murdered. Why did you follow us here?"
"I...I can help. I want to talk to him."
"Kirumi."
"I know it sounds insane, but he's still my family. All of them are, as warped as everything is right now. I convinced Heiwa to break away, I can do the same for the rest of them."
"I can't let you do that."
"Why not?"
"Your siblings are actively trying to hurt us."
"So did *your* brother."
That last remark left Rin stunned.
"Tan told me everything about Tohru. How even his own death was just a way for him to cause you pain and misery. How despite how much hatred he had for you, you couldn't muster up the same towards him. Even when the misery he caused gave you those scars on your arms."
"Stop it..."
"Your brother was an evil wretch, yet you didn't give up on trying to save him. I'm not going to sit and do nothing while this madness happens around me. I'm going to help."
"We are dealing with people that can split boats in two! I'm not going to put you in more danger than you're already in!"
"Then teach me how to protect myself. Show me how to use your power."
"Wha--no, no, absolutely not! You have no idea what kind of danger lies in that world."
"You're misunderstanding me. I'm not asking you to awaken me to that power. I'm asking you to help me learn how to use it."
"I...I don't understand."
"I've already obtained a Persona."
Rin blinked once. Then twice. By the third blink, she'd begun to process what Kirumi was saying. "You...have a Persona."
"Yes."
"No, no, you're just trying to convince me to take you into the Metaverse, there's no way you could--"
Kirumi's eyes glowed yellow. Suddenly, an ephemeral woman with charcoal skin, a torn pink kimono and two large pink combs on either side of her head appeared floating behind her. "Kushinada-hime."
Rin was in shock. Hiyoko and Tenko, looking from afar, were dumbfounded. "What the hell?!" the latter questioned.
"You have a Persona?!" Rin exclaimed.
"That's what I said." Kirumi replied calmly.
"Since WHEN?!"
"This past Thursday after work, I went to speak with Rose. I wanted to know how it could be done. I was tired of everyone doing what I should have been all along. I begged her to show me how. And so she took me to that twisted world. There I heard a voice, so similar to my own. She asked me if I wanted to free myself from the family curse once and for all. I said that I would only be freed when the others were, too. And then...she appeared."
"And Rose said *nothing* about this to me? I thought you two were just chatting over tea! Then she comes home and sits on the couch to watch her foreign soap operas, like nothing!" Rin pictured it in her mind. "Alright, *all that aside*. I'm still not okay with you tagging along on this."
"Why not?"
"You've had your Persona for all of two days. Do you even know what to do with it?"
"That's why I need you to teach me. I want to know how best I can help out."
"She's not gonna take no for an answer, Rin-Rin." Tenko chimed in.
"Having an extra helping hand certainly wouldn't hurt." Hiyoko added.
Rin scratched her head. "Yare yare. Alright, fine. Let's see where you're at, and we'll go from there."
"Yes! Thank you, Rin." Kirumi replied.
"But first...I need to call my wife."
Back in Tokyo, Rose was tending to the front garden, when her phone rang. "Kubo residence, Rose speaking."
"When were you planning on telling me you gave Kirumi a Persona?!" Rin demanded.
"Hello to you too, beloved. Made it to Sendai safely, I assume?"
"Oh my God, Rose, you've known about this for two whole days and didn't say a word? This is kind of important, don't you think?"
"She was insistent on both obtaining one and showing it to you herself. I stayed silent out of respect for her resolve. And because the Bollywood Best of the Nineties marathon was on."
"I just don't know if she's ready to jump into the action now. Tan would chew me out if he knew I was putting his son's mom in danger when she's not prepared for it."
"That's what you're there for, to guide her and keep her from trouble. This was going to happen whether you wanted it to or not. This is her family we're dealing with. It's ultimately her decision to fight alongside you. She wants to repay you for all that you've done for her."
"Ugh...you know exactly what buttons to push. I'll see what I can do."
"The path of an educator doesn't stop at the classroom. Use your gifts wisely."
"That the kind of advice I should expect when I'm married to my therapist?"
"Most in our profession advise against that kind of thing. Do keep me updated. Stay safe, my love."
"Well when my dream girl's waiting at home, how can I not? Talk to you soon." Rin hung up.
"How do you go from venting at her to having verbal cuddles in the span of like a minute?" Tenko questioned.
"I'm not answering that."
Rin stood a good distance away from Kirumi. "Alright. Hit me."
"You...want me to hit you?" Kirumi questioned.
"As hard as you can. We'll see how much you have to work on."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"She really doesn't know who she's talking to, does she?" Tenko whispered to Hiyoko.
Kirumi's eyes flashed once more. Suddenly, a pair of large, pink glowing combs appeared on either side of her. They started rotating at a high rate of speed, then went flying towards Rin. Upon making impact, an explosion of pink smoke went into the air.
"Oh, dear...I didn't hurt you, did...I...?" Kirumi looked.
The smoke cleared out.
"It's just the way I thought." Rin spoke.
The combs were both pressed against her head. She was completely unharmed.
"There isn't much in the way of raw power behind it. Your Persona is like a newborn child. It's not surprising, given that it's only a couple of days old."
"Not even a scratch on you...is there really that long of a distance between you and me?" Kirumi asked.
"Don't be discouraged. I've had Amaterasu for well over a decade now. With enough time, you'll know exactly what you can and can't do with your power."
"Please teach me. I want to have the kind of power that can be useful to everyone. So I'll keep getting better with it."
"I admire your enthusiasm. As far as training goes, though, I'm not well-suited to it. Tenko, would you mind helping out?"
"It'd be my absolute honor, bestie!" Tenko replied, drawing out her sword. "Okie-dokie, Ms. Leather Cut. Time to learn from the master, the fine art of being Rin-Rin's right arm!"
"It also involves quite a bit of fawning, so do be prepared for that." Hiyoko added. Rin simply shook her head.
"I'm probably not going to do any kind of fawning, but if I can make this Persona useful to you, I'll do whatever is asked of me." Kirumi replied.
"That's the spirit! Let's have a bit of fun, shall we?" A bright aura started to emerge from Tenko.
"Please be gentle, Tenko. I'd like her to return home in one piece..." Rin advised. "(How does my life only ever become *more* chaotic? Maybe Rose had a point...)"
---
"What do you mean 'it's all broken'?!" demanded Fukushū.
"W-we don't know how it happened, Mr. Kawagami, sir. Most of our equipment's sitting at the bottom of the ocean. And everything that's still here's had some kind of acid poured on it, including the boat frames. At this rate, we won't---" a nervous factory worker related.
"Don't give me 'won't's, those boats have to be done and off to the south by week's end! Go scramble together as much WD-40 as you can grab, and FIX THIS, NOW!"
"Y-y-yes, sir, in the double!" The worker ran out of the office.
"Heh." a deep voice scoffed.
"Is there something funny?" Fukushū questioned.
"You act as if you have no idea who could be behind this."
The tall, red-haired man sat in the corner of the office.
"No doubt, retribution for your actions regarding that fishing vessel. The man you attempted to have killed had connections to organized crime. A group that is quick to get even."
"Don't talk as if you had nothing to do with it! I wasn't the one who failed to kill that man!"
"Ah, but it was your order, was it not?" The man got up, looming over Fukushū. "You may not have brought down the sword yourself, Fukushū Kawagami, yet blood remains on your hands, regardless. And it is your property currently being desecrated by vengeful hands. How does it feel to actually face the consequences of your actions?"
"Are you just here to read me a lecture? That gaunt idiot sent you here to provide muscle, so go out there and--"
The man brought out his giant sword, and split Fukushū's desk in two, using only the sword's hilt. The smaller man looked stunned.
"I only take orders from one man. And that man is not you. I am only here because I was promised opponents worthy of my time. I grow tired of disposing of rank-and-file minions. If you cannot provide my blade a worthy feast, then I will take your skull as collateral."
The giant turned to leave. "Where do you think you're going?! You can't threaten me like that and walk away like nothing happened!"
"On the contrary, that is precisely what I am doing. I've detected the presence of spiritual power within the city. No doubt more people you've managed to enrage. And with any luck, one amongst them could be worthy of meeting their end by my hands. Relish the consequences of your misdeeds, Fukushū Kawagami. Savor it, like milk drawn from the finest cow. Farewell." He left.
"Damn you, get back here!" Fukushū demanded.
"S-sir, we've found more--" The nervous worker walked back in. "Wha--what happened to your desk?!"
"Don't just stand there, idiot, get me a replacement!"
"Y-yes, sir! Right away!"
---
Back on Mount Aoba, the training session was nearing its end. Kirumi was left panting against a tree. "Your strength is...really something, Tenko. I don't know if I could ever...reach that peak."
"Don't sell yourself short, just give it some time! You'll be all square before you know it!" Tenko replied.
"Honestly, keeping up with Tenko in anything is a feat unto itself. You should feel proud." Hiyoko said.
"How about a celebratory trip to the onsen to smooth out those aching joints? Yeah? Yeah."
"I hadn't even had a chance to respond, but that sounds pristine right about now..." Kirumi agreed.
"....." Rin appeared focused.
"Something wrong?" Hiyoko asked.
"...do you guys feel that?"
"....." Tenko sensed something. "What the hell is--"
Before she could finish that thought, something crashed down near the women, causing the nearby trees to shake.
The giant man rose up, dispelling his large, crimson wings. "I thought I had sensed profound spiritual pressure. Looks like I've found it."
"...!" Hiyoko had a realization. "A large man with wings...you're the one who attacked my JoJo!"
"Ahhh, so you are acquainted with the one-eyed man? So you came here seeking retribution, I assume."
"That man...he's nearly twice as tall as any of us! And that sword..." Kirumi uttered.
The man unsheathed his blade, swinging it onto the ground. "I am Zhenlong, the Immortal Dragon King and elite general of the Wolfpack. My sword craves a worthy battle. Now then..." He held the sword up with one hand, pointing it at the women. "Entertain me!"
"Kirumi." Rin whispered. "I need you to fall back. We'll hold him off."
"I didn't gain this power just to run at the first obstacle!! I--" Kirumi protested.
"This isn't up for debate! You can sense spiritual power now, can't you? And the energy coming from that man is equal parts enormous and murderous."
"Plus the guy just *screams* meathead looking for a good brawl. Long as we keep him occupado, he won't go looking elsewhere." Tenko said.
"....." Kirumi looked concerned. "You do not die here, do you understand me?"
"Wasn't planning on it. Now go!" Rin ordered.
Kirumi headed the other way.
"Hrrrm." Zhenlong sat down on a rock, sticking his sword into the ground and crossing his arms.
"I'm sorry, are we boring you?" Tenko asked.
"You don't seem all that concerned with her leaving." Rin added.
"That one's spiritual power was akin to that of a newborn elf. Going out of my way to end her life may have brought me more shame than glory. You three, on the other hand, show some actual promise. But then...I thought the same of the fool with the one eye." the large man responded.
Hiyoko's eyes flared. "You watch your mouth."
Rin held her back. "I have one question. You called yourself a king. What's a king doing serving someone else?"
"Hrrm. An astute one, aren't we? My kingdom was stolen from me by envious hands. My servitude now is in the hope that what was once mine, will be again. Until such a time passes, I will be forced to entertain such meager objectives as sinking a vessel and everyone on it." Zhenlong replied.
"Animal! Those were good, honest men you slaughtered! How can you be so dismissive about ending their lives?!" Hiyoko demanded.
"I would caution you on how you speak towards me, woman. I have lived for far longer than anything you know on this accursed waste. Human lives are akin to a momentary blink when compared to my kind."
"I can promise you I know at least one person that would make *your* life seem like a blink. And just what is your 'kind'?" Rin questioned.
"Hrm." Zhenlong stood up, pulling his sword out of the ground. "I grow bored with this endless talking. Learn for yourselves how hopeless you are before me."
Before anything else could transpire, however...
"Nope." A figure appeared in a burst of shadowy smoke.
The three women were surprised. "Who the hell...?" Tenko questioned.
"Hn? What do you want, Johnathan? Do you not see I'm busy?" Zhenlong asked.
"That's *exactly* what I'm here for. I'm all for causing mayhem and copious amounts of property damage, but you were just about to be on the wrong end of a Saturday barbecue." Johnny replied.
"'Johnathan'? So then...you're the boss of the Wolfpack." Rin surmised.
Johnny turned around. "Hi. That'd be me."
Tenko stepped forward, but Rin put an arm out to stop her. "Don't be reckless."
"C'mon, Rin-Rin, it's the big boss! We take him out here, and we're golden! Look at him, I could snap him like a twig!" Tenko stated.
"Love to see ya try, doll." Johnny responded.
"Don't presume anything, Tenko. He might look scrawny, but just feel the pressure coming off of him. It's like nothing I've ever felt." Rin said.
"Should probably listen to Candy Apple Red there, toots. Or y'know, don't, and get your shit wrecked like never before. Either way's fine by me."
"Arrogant little..." Hiyoko grumbled.
"Why are you interfering, Johnathan? Do you really believe that I would lose to these whelps?" Zhenlong asked.
"I've seen you wreck things a lot bigger than them, Zhen, but take one feel of Red's pressure. That, my good lizard man, is one Ringo Kubo." Johnny replied.
"So that is...hrmm. I see. All the more reason to dispose of her right here and now."
"Go ahead and try, if you feel like roasting on an open fire. 'Tis the season, and all that."
"So you know who I am. Why are you here? And why are you helping the Kawagami conglomerate?" Rin asked.
"You figure it out, sweetheart. Your Maxie is off making things very...shall we say, annoying for me back home. I'm not one to take those kinds of things lightly. So I thought, why not have a little fun in his neck of the woods?"
"'Fun'? You call annihilating an entire boat full of men 'fun'?" Hiyoko questioned.
Johnny cupped a hand around his ear. "Keep preaching to my humanity, lassie. Ain't gonna find nothing, I promise ya that. I ain't keeping track of every blade of grass I've stepped on."
"Bastard...!"
"So that's it, then? My students interfered with your plan, so you're going to cause as much mayhem here as possible?" Rin questioned.
"See, I knew you were the smart one! That's exactly it!"
"Why? What grand purpose are you following? World domination? Something else? Why are--"
Johnny put a finger over his mouth. "You're wasting very precious breath, red. Y'know how many times I've been asked that? 'You want to take over the world, Johnny?' Pfft, don't make me gag. I'm what you would call an 'agent of chaos'. Chaos has no rhyme or reason to it. Chaos just 'is'. Sowing as much fear and misery as possible is what gives me LIFE. I lived the goody two-shoes lifestyle before, and it SUCKED!" He let out a puff of black smoke. "So I found something better."
He suddenly appeared behind the women, to their shock and alarm. "Here's what's gonna happen, ladies."
"How the--" Tenko uttered.
"I'm not here to dance. Not yet. Cuz even I'm not nutso enough to try to pick a fight with a living nuke without being prepared."
Johnny clapped his hands together, and put on an unnervingly pleasant smile. "So! What I'm gonna do is this. I'll let ya have Christmas. I'll even let ya have New Year's! Live, laugh, love, all that good stuff. Enjoy it. *Savor* it. After that? Prepare yourselves. Cuz at some point, I won't say when, I'm gonna host a party."
"A...party?" Rin questioned.
"Yes indeedy! It'll be the biggest shindig you'll ever see. I'm gonna bring my entire Wolfpack, as a matter of fact. Those corporate steel dweebs are invited, too."
"What the hell are you going on about?" Tenko demanded.
Johnny sighed. "A'ight. I'll spell it out. It's gonna be a big ol' celebration. A celebration of terror and despair."
He opened those blackened eyes, and kept up that menacing grin. "Next month, I'm coming. I'll bring as many friendlies as I can muster. And I'm gonna burn Tokyo to the ground. For sending your twerp my way and muddying things up...I'm gonna destroy you all."
"!!!" The women reeled.
"So, have fun with that~!" Johnny appeared next to Zhenlong. "C'mon, Zhen. Gotta get preparations underway. It's gonna be a riot."
"Hmph. I'm in no place to argue. Another time, then." the larger man agreed.
"See ya soon, ladies. Tell all your mates the good news. Cuz in about a month...I'm gonna take it all. Their fear, their despair, and everything else. Your brats should've never set foot in my territory. Now I'm gonna return the favor in kind." Shadows surrounded the two men. "Toodles~."
They vanished.
"....." None of the women were sure how to respond.
"Rin!" Kirumi returned. "Oh, thank goodness you all are safe. I felt something utterly horrid, so I came back as...what's the matter?"
"...we have to go back." Rin uttered.
"Go back? You mean to Tokyo? But what about my brother?"
"Higashikata's men will put a wrench in his schemes for the time being, we have to...we have to get back right now."
"Ditto. Shit's about to go nuclear." Tenko uttered.
"I hate leaving this unfinished, but you're right. This is far more urgent." Hiyoko concurred.
"What are you all talking about...?" Kirumi pondered.
---
The group rushed all the way back to Rin's house in Naruki. There, nearly every single Persona user in the surrounding area was present, save for Hiyoko, who had returned to Shūjo's bedside. Shinji was also present, and was programming the television. "Alright, so you want calls to the hospital, along with..."
"London and Los Angeles. Please." Rin instructed.
"You're starting to freak me out, Rinnie. Why the emergency meeting?" Tan asked.
"Better be important if you dragged us all out of work-slash-bed." Mimi said.
"I'll explain as soon as I can get everyone connected." Rin replied.
"She's even calling our pals abroad. This can't be good." Sahir whispered.
"First Rumi goes running after them, now they come sprinting back almost as soon as they get there. Definitely not a good sign." Ibuki added.
The TV put up a split screen, first showing the hospital room where Shūjo was. "Howdy there, One-Eye. Ya feelin' alright? How many fingers am I holdin' up?" Jugo asked.
Shūjo shot him a bird with his remaining hand.
"He's fine."
The second screen showed the group in London. "--and that should do it. Hello, Sensei." Carrie greeted.
"I told you that you didn't have to call me that anymore..." Shinji replied.
"Boy, the whole crew's here, huh? This has bad news written all over it." Kat pointed out.
The third screen showed the apartment in Los Angeles, dark. Barbara put her glasses on, having clearly just woken up. "Hm? What's going on...?" she grogged.
"Sorry to call you up out of the blue. It's urgent." Rin apologized.
"Keeb? Professor Kubo's calling."
Kibō walked on-screen, yawning. "Seriously? It's past midnight..."
"I know this is an inconvenient time, but it's something you all need to hear." Rin said.
"Alright, so quit it with the suspense. What's got you looking so spooked?" Tsutsugo asked.
Rin looked pensive, before sitting down. "I gathered everybody to inform you of events that have happened over the past few hours. This morning, myself, Tenko, Hiyoko and Kirumi traveled to Sendai in order to seek help from the leader of the Higashikata clan in dealing with the Kawagami conglomerate."
"Ugh, you asked the old geezer for a favor? That's the LAST thing I need..." Shūjo groaned.
"We were out of options, my love. I'm sorry." Hiyoko replied.
"While we were there, though, we were confronted by the man responsible for the attack on Shūjo earlier in the week, an imposing individual who serves as one of the generals of the Wolfpack. Before we could face him, however, the Wolfpack's leader appeared to bring him back. And he left us with a warning." Rin continued.
"That lanky freak showed up? Seriously?" Ibuki asked.
"What could that devil of a man want with us?" Kenneth questioned.
"Revenge, to put it bluntly. After you all traveled to the other universe and thwarted his plans, he saw fit to travel here and start lending aid to the Kawagami clan." Rin replied.
"....." Kirumi looked down.
"So what did the freakshow tell you?" Kat asked.
"He said...that in response to our interfering with his schemes, within the next month, he's going to gather up his entire force, and mount an attack on Tokyo." Rin replied.
Everyone listening looked stunned.
"W-what?!" Natalia exclaimed.
"All those horrible wolf creatures are going to be set on Tokyo?!" Tabby questioned.
"He'd attack an entire city full of people just for payback against us?" Kibō asked.
"What exactly do you mean by his *entire* force?" Jin asked.
"Beyond his Wolfpack, he implied that the conglomerate would be aiding in the assault. After that, I couldn't hazard a guess." Rin replied.
"I don't understand...my siblings have been trying to gain a foothold in Tokyo. Why would they help to destroy it?" Kirumi questioned.
"Who knows how shady business types think? They probably figure that they can take over and build the city up however they like once the fighting's done. They'll probably distance themselves from the whole thing." Tan surmised.
"Prof...did he say when he'd be attacking?" Kat asked.
"He said that he would give us Christmas and New Year's, but after that...he could attack at any time." Rin replied.
"Well this is just fan-tucking-fastic. I'm gonna address the elephant in the room and ask: what the hell are we supposed to do against a whole army of suped-up freaks?" Mimi asked.
"It isn't just that. We have our families here. Small children. If we don't know when the attack is coming, how will we know when to send them away? How do we evacuate the entire city, for that matter?" Sakuya questioned.
"Getting a city as densely populated as Tokyo cleared out in a timely manner is practically impossible. But the people would be sitting ducks when those monsters show up. We can't let them get caught up in it." Kibō stated.
"What could we possibly do? Pretend that everything is fine? Gently tell people to leave? Who's gonna believe that monsters from another world are coming to attack them?" Barbara questioned.
"....." Rose was thinking.
"Got something brewing in your noggin, Rosie?" Tenko asked.
"I think...I may have an idea on how to get the people away from danger. I'd have to talk it over with Mother, and we would have to begin immediately, but it could be our only option."
"I've gotta ask, though...are we gonna be enough? We're all strong, sure, but this is a whole army we're dealing with. And that creepy leader of theirs...we hit him with everything we had, and we only just barely scratched him. How do we stop a guy like that?" Sahir asked.
"Why don't we ask the Defense Force?" Barbara suggested.
"Hell yeah, just what I was thinking. Those guys know these wolf punks better than anyone, *and* they've got a huge army of their own. Plus they've taken a liking to Maxie. I'm sure they'll lend a hand if we asked." Ibuki agreed.
"I'll ask Mother to get us in contact with their leadership. They will most certainly help. However...I have a suspicion that the Wolfpack leader is counting on them intervening. He's likely to be preparing for that very possibility." Rose replied.
"At this point, what other choice do we have? It's either ask the magic police to help, or we go it alone. Seems straightforward to me." Kat said.
Rin stood up. "Everyone. I'm going to ask you point blank. Are you ready for the worst? We're the last thing standing between a group of brutal criminals and the rest of our world. This is an immensely terrifying prospect we're facing. If anyone wants to back out and flee with their loved ones far away from here, then speak up. But I'm making this clear: even if I have to do it alone, I'm going to stand here and protect my home to the bitter end. This is where we all came together to form this mad family we're part of. And I won't let a group of thugs from another universe come in here and destroy everything we've built. I'm going to protect Tokyo with my life. Are you all willing to fight alongside me to do it?"
A reassuring silence. Nobody raised a voice to object. Everyone nodded.
"Thank you, my friends. Rose and I are going to contact Commander O'Donnell and the P.D.F. and request their help. Everyone else, go about your business. But until the day arrives, I want you to prepare for battle...no. I want you to prepare for WAR. Push yourselves to the limits of your abilities. So long as we live, Tokyo will not fall."
"I swear on all those we've lost...we won't lose."
---
Fukuoka. The offices of Masayoshi Kawagami.
"Level Tokyo. Are you MAD?" Genji questioned. Masayoshi sat at his desk, pensive. 
"Says you and every psychologist I've ever been sent to." Johnny chimed. Ezekiel and the rest of his generals were behind him.
"Did you completely miss the part where we need it in order to consolidate power within Japan? How exactly does destroying the most important city in this hemisphere help us?"
"Easy, actually. Just wipe your logo off of all the troops and machines you give us. Once everything's been reduced to rubble, you can come in like the heroes you are and build it back up. You know how politicians like to walk around after a disaster and pretend they care? Think along those lines."
"And what about the people in the city? How do you gloss over the deaths of potentially millions of people?" Ichiban questioned. "Brother, I think we've humored these nutjobs long enough. Is the biggest seat in the land worth it if it's been drenched in blood?"
"...can you guarantee victory against Ringo Kubo and her allies?" Masayoshi asked.
"Already taking care of it, bucko. I've got something in the works that'll make even someone with her power crumble." Johnny replied.
"And what of the force from your world?"
"They haven't beaten me yet. Plus, I've got some pals back home that'll jump at the chance to kick their teeth in. This is a primo chance to wipe everyone off the board in one stroke. Your obstacles and mine. So? Whaddya say?"
"Brother, please. You can't be serious." Ichiban pleaded.
"...it's become clear that the future of Japan--nay, the world--may rest on the outcome of this battle. If you can guarantee that the Kubo woman and her ilk are dealt with, we will lend you our resources." Masayoshi replied.
"You can't be--"
"That's enough, Ichiban. He has made up his mind." Genji silenced him.
"....."
"I knew you weren't a dummy, Yoshi. You're gonna look mighty spiffy in that Prime Minister's seat. We'll let you know when the party starts. Catch ya on the flippity flip." Johnny and his cohorts vanished.
"Well, brother. You may have either ensured our future glory...or damned us to the pits of Hell." Genji said.
"History has favored us for generations. If this brute brings us what we require, then I will follow his lead for now. It is all for the sake of preserving our dynasty. You two are dismissed." Masayoshi ordered.
The other two men left the office. A single thought rang through Ichiban's mind.
"(We'll let you know when the party starts.)"
"Please do, you animal. Please do."